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Stratford, Village of

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Author:
Mary Moltzan

Location:
T. 27 N. - R. 4 E., Sec. 19,20,29, 30 and T. 27 N. - R. 3 E., Sec. 24 & 25, Townships of Cleveland and Eau Pleine

Founded:
1891

Formallized:
January 10, 1910

Background:

Population: 1910-763, 2000-1,523.

In June 1890, the Milwaukee Lake Shore and Western Railway proposed building a line from Wausau to Marshfield. This later became part of the Chicago and North Western railroad in 1893. The proposed route attracted the attention of Robert Connor, a successful lumberman. His son, W. D. Connor, was then president of the lumber company.  The area seemed like an ideal location  for Mr. Connor to expand his growing business. Stratford began as a town with a strong dependence on the Connor Co. which built a mill, company store and boarding house.

The early settlers were generally those who planned to farm. They farmed in the summer and worked in the lumber camps in the winter. Early settlers in the village proper were mostly workers in the mill

First Public Official:
W. F. Goetz

Biography:

County board representative

Post Office Established:
January 9, 1892

First Postmaster:
John C. Kieffer

About The Post Office:

The P.O. is still in service and located in Sect. 19 of Cleveland Township. The P.O. serves the whole township, as well as much of several surrounding townships.

Railroad:

Marathon County Railroad. The R. Connor Co. put in its own rail line in the late 1890s, running from Stratford to Halder in Emmet Township. A southeastern branch ran to Rice Lake Flowage. The line discontinued service in June 1928.

See Background - In addition to the above information, the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway Co. sold the line in 1893 to Chicago North Western Railroad. In November 1981, this rail service through Stratford was disbanded.

Churches:

1. German Evangelical began in the early 1900s and disbanded before 1920.

2. Zion Lutheran Church was   organized in 1898. The cornerstone of the first church was laid in July 1901 on land donated by R. Connor. A new church was erected in 1924.

3. St. Joseph's Catholic Church- building completed in 1899

4. First Presbyterian Church -  organized in 1903. Over the years loss of members forced the congregation to unite with a Marshfield Presbyterian church. The church building and land were donated to the Village of Stratford. The village had the church torn down in 1970.

Schools:

1. The first public school was erected before 1900. This school was replaced in 1907 by a one story school. Due to increased enrollment, later a second story was added which housed the upper grades including the 9th grade.

2. St. Joseph's School  was first built in 1902. The building was razed in July 1939. A new school was built and being used by September 1939.

3. Marathon Pride School began in 1880 in what would become Stratford.

Business:

According to one account, the businesses in 1892 were Connor's Store and Boarding House, Sargeant's Hotel, and two taverns. 

Industry:

Connor Company - saw, planing, stave, and heading mills

Stories:

Tony Schuster, a Stratford store clerk, recalled early days when oxen freely roamed the muddy  Stratford streets during late winter.  It was his job to bring meat to the camps from the company store.  But, during one week of muddy roads, the meat supplies never arrived.  In desperation he seized and carved up a roaming ox and took it to camp without mentioning the origin of the meat.