Search our Places Database

Cleveland, Township of

Return To List of Locations | Back to Search

For more information on this location, please contact our research library.

Author:
Mary Moltzan

Location:
T. 27 N. - R. 4 E.

Formallized:
November 14, 1884

Background:

Population: 1905-1,468, 2000-1,160 plus most of Stratford-1,523

Cleveland Township was formed out of part of Mosinee Township in 1884 and named for the recently elected President of the United States, Grover Cleveland.

The first settlers were mostly Irish, namely Hayes, Hughes and Bradley. German immigrants followed with the building of the railroad from Wausau to Marshfield. Among the first German settlers names were Kaiser and Spindler.

Life in the wilderness was hard for these early settlers - clearing the land, building a house and barn, removing stumps,etc. As the land was cleared and money and space allowed, the families purchased more livestock and from these raised more animals to increase their herds and flocks.

Earliest neighbors were a tribe of Native Americans who lived along the Big Eau Pleine River and Flowage.

First Public Official:
Edward Hayes

Biography:

Oldest settler in the township and first township Chairman.

About The Post Office:

See villages of Stratford and Bradley.

Railroad:

The C&NW entered the township on the north, one-half mile southwest of Fenwood and exited at Stratford on the west. The Marathon County RR also traversed the township from Stratford south and the east along the southern sections of the township

Churches:

The Ebenezer United Church of Christ, Cleveland's most noted landmark, bears a fuchsia colored cross at the top of its steeple, and can be seen for miles on a clear night. The church was formed in 1883 as a German Reform Church and all services were in German. It became the Ebenezer Evangelical and Reform Church in the 1930's and changed to Ebanezer United Church of Christ in 1957.

Schools:

1. Sunshine School, Joint District #1, Section 23

2. Balsam School, District #3 was replaced with a two room school house. This was purchased by the Cleveland Township and used for the town hall and voting Place, Section 24

3. Johnson School, District #4, Section 11

Industry:

Cheese Factories-Farmers didn't start producing significant quantities of milk for off-farm sale until the early 1920's. Cheese factories popped up to utilize the milk and peaked about a decade later.

Nehring Mill

Logging camp - located near the Big Eau Plein River next to the Spindler Bridge

Farming:

See Background and Railroad

Stories:

Reflections of early life as newlyweds: Peter Spindler and Mathilda Frickenstein were married on September 13, 1904 at Ebenezer Reformed Church. Their first home was built on 80 acres purchased from his parents. Their dairy herd consisted of two cows, one from each of their parents, as a wedding gift. In the spring, the herd increased. One calf was sold and the Spindler parents presented them with another heifer calf. The Frickenstein parents gave them two little pigs. Their stock was kept in his parents' log barn across the road until their own barn could be built. A chicken coop and horse barn were built from all pine timbers that the Connor Company had discarded as rejects. Their first team, considered one of the better teams on East Road, was a pair of colts, Florie and Maggie. One whole winter was spent digging a well twenty-six feet deep. It was completely stoned out to keep the sides from caving in. Before that, the water had to be carried a considerable distance from a spring northeast of the house.