FAMILY HISTORIES: The CORNELISON Family of Rusk Township, Burnett County, WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Judy Ludden 21 March 2000 ==================================================================== To our family and loved ones. I, Vernon LeRoy CORNELISON, will endever to carry on the history of our direct line of the family and genealogy lines to this date, continuation of the record made by Jessie Walter CORNELISON, grandson of Aaron CORNELISON, born 21 March 1822. There were thirteen children in this family. John W. born 4 July 1842, first child, father of Jessie W. Aaron, our grandfather, born 20 February 1855, sixth child. Jessie and dad being first cousins, Grandfather Aaron's nephew. Dennis CORNELSON, our father born 11 July 1877 at Trimbell, Pierce County, Wisconsin. I, Vernon LeRoy CORNELISON born 25 July 1899, Rusk Township, Burnett County, Wisconsin. Aaron CORNELISON, our grandfather came to Rusk Township, Burnett County, from Trimbell, Pierce County, Wisconsin in the year 1885. These were the first white settlers in the area. Levi AILPORT and John ROSS also the same year. Grandfather excavated out the side of a hill in which logs were laid up to make the walls. The front facing the east was for the windows and doors. The back or west end was about on the level with the top of the hill. It was shared by man and beast, half being the stabel or barn. He and part of his family lived in it until the new frame house was built in 1897-98. It was torn down summer 1975. Dad and Mother lived in it until Dad got his log house built on his eighty as he called it. Dad bought this land for two dollars per acre. I was born in this side hill abode. I remember as a boy of five or six of playing on what still remained of it at that time. Granddad would chase us off because we might fall and get hurt. Some of the roof boarts and roof beams were still there. A brush fire came through seting it on fire the final destruction of it. There were no schools nor doctors close at hand. The closest town was Shell Lake, twelve miles away. In order to have their wheat ground into flour it had to be taken to St. Croix Falls, Wis. fifty miles away. By 1888 a crude school was erected. The first pupils were Dennis and Myrtle CORNELISON, James and Tena ROSS, Rosa and Everett AIRPORT. It became known as the AILPORT SCHOOL. In 1897 a postoffice was established. It was named AARON after our grand- father. Our mother, Elsie B. CORNELISON was the first postmaster. She served untill I was coming along. The mail had to be taken to Shell Lake twelve miles away two times a week by horseback. Mother had to resign and Granddad was then appointed in her place untill it was discontinued in 1908 when roural routes were established. More settlers came into the area. Schools, roads and churches were built and a route was opened to Spooner, a railroad center ten miles from home. Telephones were introduced shortly thereafter. It was a rugged and wild country when the first settlers arrived. Wild game was plentiful, lakes and streams full of fish. Dad told how plentiful the deer were. If fresh vensin was wanted, just get up early and pick out one. The great grey timber wolf was the most feared of the animals. They were the most destructive of all. A bounty was placed upon them because of their destructiveness to game and farm animals. They were hunted to complete elimination. A ten dollar bounty was placed on them. They were a source of income to the hunter and Indians. Grand father told of how he was treed one half mile from home by a pack of them. He wore a long buffalo hide coat and said if it were not for the coat he would have frozen to death during the night. Dad told of how one evening he decided to go some place, but as he went down the wagon trail (as that was about all the roads at that time), a wolf would come out in the trail ahead one time then behind him from a different direction each time. Was not sure it was one wolf or how many. Got himself a club and decided to get back home. An episod which happened at a loging camp in the St. Croix River area. This will give one the firceness of these animals. A man was sent to Gordon, Wisconsin to buy supplies. Enroute back to camp after dark from Gordon with the supplies, which included several beef and pork quarters, wolves could be heard baying in the distance. The horses at once sensing danger took off on the dead run. The wolves getting the scent of the fresh meat soon caught up with them, snarling and barking. The man threw a quarter of meat to them and while the wolves would stop to devour the meat, it would give the man and team a chance to increase the distance between them. As quick as the meat was devoured, the wolves would rush and charge the sleigh again, snarling and gnashing their teeth for more. That continued untill the meat was all gone. When the wolves pounced on the sleigh for what was left, snarling and fighting each other for any morsel of food that was left thereon, the man jumped on the sleigh tongue between the horses. They remained on the sleigh untill the man and team came golloping into camp. The man calling for help and the horses frantic whinney. The rushing of the men out of the bunk house and bright lights from the open door scared the wolves away. Never again was one man sent out along. Always two and well armed. The mystery of a missing man was cleared up by this episode. His clothing was found torn to shreds. A victim of the great grey wolf. Dad told of how the deer would hard out for the winter in an area where there was lots to browse, such as willows, hazle brush, oak for acorns, tagalders and wild grasses. When the wolves would attack, the bucks would form an outer ring of defence. Many a wolf got a ride on the sharp horns of a buck to his sorrow or death. If they were thrown inside the defence ring the other deer would pounce upon them and trample them to death by jumping upon them. Their four feet would come down in an area that you could cover with your two hands. You can imagin what a two hundred pound deer would do to a crippled wolf. Speaking of the Indians. Well do I remember Chief Bear Hart. A Big tall and stately man. They were a very industerous people. Proud of their race. The history of these people is marvelous. Well do I remember hearing the tom tom of their drums at their tribal dances which they held on the east shore of Rice Lake. They held their tribal councels there. It was at least four miles from home. They never bothered anyone. They associated among themselves. A remark made by Peter DURAND why he would rather associate with the Indians was, Indian scalp only dead men, white men any time. This was brought on by some one stealing his timber. The country was covered by forests of the most marvelous wood in the world: the cork white pine. It was said the white pine forests of Wisconsin, the iron mines of Northern Minnesota and copper mines of Michigan rebuilt this country after the Civil War. The last stand of this marvelous timber at Drummond, Wisconsin was harvested winter of 1919-20. The last log was sawed up on July 4th, 1920. The mill was torn down and shiped to the west coast operation of the company. Som of the settlers were most out standing, and leave fond memories. One that stands out to me was the Russell ALLEN family, our closest neighbors. Aunty ALLEN, as she was known, an angle in disguise, part doctor, and out- standing mid-wife. If there was sickness, Aunty ALLEN was sent for. They came to prepare the dead for burial. One think I can well remember about her was at the time of our brother Wesleys passing. In all the commotion going on it woke me up. I had seated myself beside the babby buggie in which he lay. Someone saw me and asked what I was up for. Aunty ALLEN picked me up and said, "You cannot fool him, he knows what has happened." She carried me back to bed, tucking me in and held my hand and rubber my head until I went back to sleep. They were sorrly missed when they left for Indiana. Much can be said about the people. Each seem to have the feeling "I am my neighbors keeper." If the neighbor had problems, all went together and helped them out. They baned together to buy thrashing machinery, silo filler, clover huller and corn shreder. Dad put in many years operating a saw mill. Grandfather Aaron ran a store for years. Well do I remember the great piles of lumber he had for sale. He would buy stumpage and harvest the lumber. He was a staunce believer in religion. Remembering some of his sayings,"By the great horned spoon," or "Help me Hanna." If one was afraid of geting a little wet out in the rain, "Your neither sugar or salt, you won't melt if you get wet." Grandmother Lucy and her horse and buggie or in the winter, the red upholstered citter. Granddad had a lot of willpower. One day he was going to put the car in the shed. He got excited and when he wanted it to stop, he pulled back on the steering wheel hollering whoa whoa. It went out the back side of the shed, ending up in the duck pond. He never tried to drive after that. Our family grew up on the farm. We were taught to work, share with each other. We had our differences but who does not When we were small, Old Jack the dog was our guardine. Mother used to say where Jack was, there were the children. He was sure our proctor. Would tackle anything if he thought it would hurt us. One day we met up with a skunk in the brush. Well, the results were scrubbing with Lenox soap, our clothes hung out ont he line, and poor old Jack could not come into the house for a week. Another skunk epesode happened at the schoolhouse. Some traveling preacher came through the country holding revival meeting in the school houses. He badgered some of the young men to get on their knees and he would pray for them. It did not set to well. The next night he was presented with a live skunk. We had weeks vacation from school, the aroma stuck around for some time. All winter for that matter. Poor Uncle George, he was always chosen for Santa Claus. One time he got too close to the wax candles on the tree setting his beard on fire. One other time the tree caught on fire. Quite a commotion. It became a saying, "Here comes Denny with his Ford T truck and family." Uncle Hallie (Harold) hauled cream and milk to the creamer for years. I put some of these happenings in to give some enlightenment to the life we had. It had its ups and downs, but there were happy and halarious times, such as Hallowine pranks, school functions, hunting, fishing and other sports. The genealogy starting with Grandfather Aaron CORNELISON, born 20 February 1855, died 9 June 1938, wife Lucile Frances REEVES. Dennis CORNELISON born 11 July 1877, died 29 April 1961. Vernon LeRoy CORNELISON born 25 July 1899 in this family Vernon, Glenn, Leota, Wesley, Dorothy, Lois, Ada & Olive. My family, LeRoy Eugene, Amy Gertrude, Vernon Berrett. (LeRoy's family, along with the fourth and fifth generation information, has been omitted to protect the privacy of those still living). It is my hope that in the heavens when we shall be together for all eternity that our Heavenly Father shall be able to say "This is my beloved son or daughter in whom I am well please." --This story is typed as it was originally written on 12 December 1975 and signed by Vernon LeRoy CORNELISON.