Wordless Wednesday: Cousins

"Cousins." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by

Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. Copyright (c) 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Logging In Wisconsin Early 1900s

"Logging in Vilas Township (WI) early 1900's." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph

privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2011.

Tombstone Tuesday: Olive Space Kesler

Olive Mabel Space, born 26 March 1878, in Merrill, Lincoln, WI; the only child of Zephaniah Allen Space (1826-1902) and Harriet Armanda Fryer (1854-1940).


Zephaniah and his first wife, Margaretta Ann Shankle were one of the early pioneers who immigrated to Wisconsin's northwoods "pinery" in the mid 1840's prior to Wisconsin's admission as the 30th state in the union. They established one of the first hotels in Jenny, now Merrill, WI; the couple divorced in 1877.

Harriet Fryer was the third of Francis Fryer (1829-1907) and Lucinda Hart's (1831-1912) eight children. Francis and Lucinda were married in Frankfort, KY, in 1850. The couple came to Wisconsin, settling in Oshkosh before immigrating to Minnesota before the family settled in Langlade county. Harriet married Stephen Dunbar in 1873; the couple had one child, Royal Ainsley Dunbar born 14 May 1875 in New London, Waupaca, WI. Following his mother's marriage to Zephaniah, Royal was adopted by Zephaniah and he took the Space surname. It is unclear if the adoption was part of any official process as no documentation has been located.


Zephaniah, Harriet, Roy and Olive settled in the township of Morley in Langlade county. Morley's modest beginnings were as a log building built by Edward and Jean Morley in 1881. The two brothers operated a post office, stage stop and store. The "Morley Territory" was located in what is now the Town of Vilas and the western portion of the Town of Peck and a small portion of the Town of Ackley. It was also a part of the Town of Pine River, Lincoln county. Still later, it became a part of Ackley, Langlade county before finally being subdivided into the towns of Vilas and Peck. (A nightmare for genealogists researching their family connections in this part of the county!)


Like her father, Olive taught school and was interested in historical events and served as the "custodian of the Historical Society Museum" in Antigo.


Olive was married to Willard Lloyd (1869-1906) in 1897, the couple had two children, the youngest was 16 months old at the time of Willard's death. Olive married Lafayette Kesler (1866-1937) in 1915 and had two children including a daughter, Harriet Lethe Kesler named for Olive's mother.

Olive Space Lloyd Kesler died at the Langlade Memorial Hospital on Sunday, 28 January 1968 and is buried in the Antigo Cemetery.

"Tombstone: Olive M. Kesler." Digital image. Undated. Original photograph

privately held by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski as part of the Space Family Papers.

Wordless Wednesday: Lucky Foresters Club Christmas 1984

"Lucky Foresters Club Christmas." Digital Image. Date 1984.

Original photograph privately held by (name withheld).

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010 - Dec. 6 Santa Claus

Did you ever send a letter to Santa?

Did you ever visit Santa and “make a list?”

Do you still believe in Santa Claus?

I had an advantage when it came to making out my Christmas list: I knew Santa's true identity.

Everyone else thought Santa spent the 'off-season' lounging around the North Pole, or maybe taking a holiday to Maui (where else would the Big Man of Christmas go but the Big Island??) I knew what Santa really did in the off season: he was a dairy farmer in Langlade county, Wisconsin. The secret can now be revealed: my grandfather was Santa Claus.

I'm not sure how old I was when I realized the truth but there were a lot of clues. Tracks in the snow by the back door of the farm house that could only be made by a sleigh, hearing my grandfather getting up during the night, obviously to begin his trip around the world delivering packages, and not hearing him come back to bed. Who else could Santa possibly be but my grandfather who loved children and he knew so much about nature and could identify so many sounds at night.

There was never a doubt that my annual letter to Santa would get delivered; my mom and grandmother exchanged letters on a regular basis so I knew my Mom had the secret address so my letter didn't have to go to the North Pole before being forwarded to RRI Deerbrook, WI. The letters of the Bergeron girls went directly to Santa.

I have never lost my faith and while there were a few years when I thought I might have been mistaken in my belief, I have since realized how true it is to follow your heart.

While assisting my good friend Joyce compile the history of Vilas Township a few years ago, one of the life-long residents wrote a piece recalling her memories of growing up in the township which included her fond memory of Harley Space passing out gifts at the township Christmas pageant "dressed up as Santa Claus."

Do I need to say anything more?

Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski. 2010

Wordless Wednesday: Back to School

Elmwood School, Vilas Township, Langlade County, Wisconsin. If only the walls could talk ...

Wordless Wednesday: The "Surrey" With The Fringe On The Horse

Ed Doucette and Gertie Wirth in a photo dated 1913. They were residents of Vilas Township (Langlade county, WI) and friends of  my maternal grandparents, Harley and Alma Polar Space.

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Treasure Thursday: Grandma Space's Journals

Long before "Journaling for Dummies" and bi-monthly magazines dedicated to journals were published, William Wordsworth penned the words Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. I often wonder if my grandmother, Alma Loretta Polar Space, came across these words and took them to heart. Among my family treasures are several brown notebooks chronically travels of my grandparents; also included is a diary, written in 1962.


I have no doubt my grandmother never intended nor did she envision that I would end up with her journals. Hearing her distinctive laugh she would find it difficult to believe that I - or anyone - would find her journaling interesting. What could possibly be interesting about washing dishes, trips to the store and visits with friends and family?


Written in her bold penmanship the travel diaries mark trips to Montana and Las Vegas, Oregon and Milwaukee. Where they stayed (stayed at Mobridge, South Dakota in a rather shabby cabin. Cooled off after the rain) how many miles they drove each day and the sights and sounds. One of my favorite entries chronicles a day in the life when there was an apparent discussion on which route to take which resulted in having to back track. Even after 40 years, the entry resonates with "I told you so."


What could possibly be interesting about my life? January 4 - Went to town for groceries. Snowed while in town. Later it cleared off. Bergeron's came. John & Phyl left early. Mrs. B. told me they are closing the store. Had chicken.


Hidden among the every day are the milestones, such as April 21, 1962, when my grandfather's brother, Forest "Bob" Space, spending the Easter holiday with my grandparents, suffered a massive heart attack. I recall the moment my mother received the phone call with the sad news that her favorite uncle had suddenly passed away. Forty years later, I hear the anguish from someone who lived the event: The day we won't care to remember ... no need to write more we will never forget it.

My grandmother loved to read, she introduced her granddaughters to Beatrix Potter and Carl Sandburg. First and foremost, she was a teacher, one of the many pioneer women whose classrooms were in the now vanishing rural schools of Langlade county. She told me stories of driving through snow drifts over low and no maintenance roads, hoping she would not get stuck as it was the responsibility of the teacher to arrive before the students to build a fire, shovel the steps in winter and make sure the school house was ready. At one point during her teaching career, Gram was asked to teach a summer school session for students with special needs in Summit Lake. From the pages of her journal, I discovered that my grandmother struggled with lesson plans and worried she might not be able to finish out the term.

Powers School located in Langlade County, WI, Circa 1912

With the help and encouragement of her sister, Leona, who was also one of the hearty rural teachers, my grandmother was able to come up with new ideas for her lesson plans and regained her confidence. That summer spent teaching in Summit Lake remained one of her teaching highlights.

Alma Loretta Polar Space, front row in white dress, and her sister

Leona Polar, standing second from left

October 12, 1962 marked their 40th wedding anniversary. Her journal entry on that day read: Beautiful moonlight. Forty years ago was a nice day. Everything quiet at school. Left early. What a surprise! Most of the old gang and Space relatives came to celebrate our anniversary. How very nice! Don & Helen came about nine thirty.

My treasure? The chance to, once again, spend time with my grandmother, as I remember her before Alzheimer's took her from those she loved and who loved her.

"... the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music the words make." Truman Capote

October 12, 1982 - 60th wedding anniversary

Harley Allen Space and Alma Loretta Polar


With the exception of quotes by Wordsworth and Capote, all text and photographs

Copyright Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski 2010

Wordless Wednesday

A tribute to one of the many rural schools, no longer in existence. My featured photo today is the Brown Bear School, formerly located in Vilas Township in Langlade county, Wisconsin.

Copyright © 2009 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski