Winter 2010-2011 Department Dispatch

WISCONSIN

Department

“ DISPATCH”

WINTER 2010 Issue Published by the SUVCW Department of Wisconsin

Inside — Commander’s Column....1

Christmas …. …………..2

Mid-Winter meeting..….3

Lincoln Luncheon….….4

Dept Pioneer….…………5

Camp 1 News ……...…...6

Camp 5 News …..…..…..7

Camp 8 News …………..8

Dept Pioneer continued ..9

Events Calendar..……...10

Comments From Your Wisconsin Department Commander Brothers, The Holiday season is upon us. Let us take time to remember our service men and women, who are stationed around the world especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, keep them in your thoughts and prayers. It has been a busy few months. I had the privilege of accompanying PC-in-C Steve Michaels and Site Committee Chairman PDC Jim Houston to the three hotels listed our Proposal to host the 2013 National Encampment, on Sept. 23rd. It was an enlighten and educational experience to see what goes into planning a National Encampment. It was a pleasure to attend Camp #8’s Bean supper in Omro with Brother PC-in-C Steve Michaels. Camp #1 held the 5th. Annual Department Leadership Conference the instructors were P-C-in-C Steve Michaels, PDC Kent Peterson, Dept . Patriotic Inst. Brian Mc Mannis, PNP Sister Danielle Michaels and I, covering various leadership subjects including Recruiting and Retention of members, Problem Solving. Brother P C-in-C Michaels and I traveled to Gettysburg for Remembrance Day Saturday Nov.20th. I represented the Department in the parade carrying the Department Flag. The weather was in the 50’s which isn’t bad for the middle of November. It was an enjoyable trip. If you haven’t gone to Gettysburg you should try to make the trip. I installed officers from Camp#1, Camp #8, and Camp # 56. I would like to thank each camp for their hospitality and friendliness. Congratulations to the new Camp Commanders David Howard Camp #1, Vince Barker Camp #8, and Randy Nelson Camp#56. There are some events coming up , The Mid-Winter Meeting and Camp#1’s Patriotic Luncheon Feb. 5,2011, Member Orientation sponsored by Camp #1 on Feb. 20,2011 12:30-4:30p.m. Look on the Department Web Site for more information on these events and more. Lastly it is my sad duty to report that brother Ken Nichols of Camp#1 lost his battle with liver cancer and passed away on Dec.3, 2010. He will be sorely missed. The Memorial Service was at the Kemper Chapel in Kenosha, WI .on Dec. 11, 2010. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. Well that’s it for now; I hope to see you at a meeting or an event soon. Yours in Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty Thomas J. Brown, Commander

“PRESERVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD”

CHRISTMAS DURING THE CIVIL WAR

PAGE 2 DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR

The cover (left) of Harpers Weekly of January 1863, first shows America Tom Nast’s idea of Santa Claus. His illustration of Santa in camp was a hit with soldiers and civilians alike. This sparked what Santa looked like – an image that still sticks in people’s minds.

During the War, Nast did several lithographs to celebrate Christmas. The print on the right shows the loneliness of the wife at home while the soldier endures the sufferings of war on Christmas Eve.

3

PAGE 3 WINTER 2010 DEPARTMENT DISPATCH

DEPT. MID-WINTER MEETING

4


PATRIOTIC LUNCHEON

5

At the 1900 Wisconsin Department Encampment, hel d June 20-21 at West Superior’s

Terminal Hall, J.W.T. Ames of River Falls was elected commander. Ames was a graduate

of Appleton’s Lawrence University and a teacher of 13 years experience in graded and

high schools. He had been principal at Humbird in Clark County for three years and

at New Richmond for five years. He had formed the high school track team there in 1896

and even briefly played on the school football team. He was now termed an "efficient”

principal of River Falls High School in St. Croix County and was serving his second year.

His father, William D. Ames, was a minister r of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His

lineage had been traced to 1630, when his forebears had come from England to

Massachusetts. During three months of the Civil War (June 16th

to September 24, 1864), he

served as chaplain of the 41st Wisconsin Infantry. Throughout his life, he was a popular

comrade of the GAR.

.

Joseph William Theodore Ames was born November 15, 1865 in Stevens Point. He was

the second oldest of seven children and the oldest of four sons. When he was growing up and

going t o school in Winnebago County, he was known as “Willie.” He also attended graded

schools in Dane and Rock Counties, and high school in Fond du Lac. He graduated from

Lawrence in 1887 with a BA and in 1891 with an AM. He then began using his first name,

“Joseph.”.

Continued on page 9

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT PIONEERS


J.W.T. Ames

Professional

Teacher

(1865-1924)

from PC-in-C Steve Michaels

6

CAMP 1 NEWS


Camp 1 Activities

Top picture is of Department Leadership Conference sponsored by C.K. Pier Badger Camp 1 on November 14 2010 – Attending were Br. CC Kim Heltemes of Camp 8 , of Camp 1 were SVC Brian McManus , JVC Jeff Lesar , Br. Bob Koenecke , PI Sr. Toni Howard , CC David Howard , and Br. David Compton of Camp 2. The bottom picture is of Br. Tom and Sr. Rita Mauermann talk to Br. Brian Craig in front of Trimborn Building used as the Temporary HQ of C.K. Pier Badger Camp 1 at The Trimborn Farms Encampment on October 2 and 3, 2010. A Saturday and Sunday activity, it is another opportunity to show who we are and recruit members.

7


CAMP 5 NEWS

On Saturday September 25 members of Camp 5 spent time cleaning, and restoring the

gravesites of Civil War veterans interred in Zur Ruhe Cemetery in Cedarburg. Brother

Alan Wambold (and daughter Ester), Commander Ron Aronis PDC, Brother Andy

Bollen PCC, Brother Rich Young, Brother Dick Rohan, and Brother Ron Miswald PCC

attended. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors. Brother Bollen cleaned 12 stones, Ester,

Brothers Wambold, Miswald, and Aronis straighten a number of stones. Brother

Young spent his time doing extensive repairs on one stone. It had steel rods, which

were corroded, holding the stone in place. Brother Young drilled out the old rods, and

replaced them with aluminum ones. These will last for years to come. Thank you to all

who helped.

Commander Ron Aronis PDC

Upper right, Camp 5 members, Ron Aronis, Andy Bollen, and Dick Rohan, are

photographed at the C. William Lehmann grave after a work day.

---REMINDER----

PAY YOUR CAMP DUES

SEND IN THE FORM FOR THE

MID-WINTER MEETING

AND LINCOLN LUNCHEON

8

CAMP 8 NEWS


Commander Kim J. Heltemes (left center), shows Dept. Commander, Tom Brown (right center), and others, Old Abe the War Eagle painting that was given to Camp 8 from Las Vegas. PC-in-C Steve Michaels was instrumental in seeing that the painting arrived safely. Mike Boucette is seated at the left.

Dept. Commander Tom Brown, right, installs Camp 8’s new commander, Vince Barker, at the November meeting. Photos by Randy Novak

On December 8, Camp 8 presented the Oshkosh Public Museum, a check for $500. PCC Kim J. Heltemes presented the check to Museum Director, Brad Larson, as Camp Treasurer Kurt Kirk, Mike Bouchette, and Camp Secretary and PCC Alan Petit (l to r), look on. The total of $1500 over 3 years helped the Museum pay for the purchase of the Hancock Collection. Photo by Kirby Scott.

9

Continued from page 5

He married Nelle S. McKinney of Lancaster in 1891 and they had two children, Dorothy,

(1895) and J. William (1905).

In April 1897, Br. Ames mustered in Diamond Bluff’s John A. Otis Camp #38 with 17

charter members. At th e time, h e was captain (commander) of New Richmond’s Tom

Porter Camp #2, a Camp of 19 members. Camp #2, organized in 1895, was decimated by

the 1899 tornado that whipped through town. Br. Ames fortunately left in 1898 to look

after his dying father, who passed that November, and to take the job of principal at River

Falls. He served on the Dept. Council in 1898 and again in1902.

At the time of his election to Dept. Commander in 1900, Br. Ames was a member of

River Falls’ Lovell Camp #48, a camp of 17 hard workers. The Camp, organized in 1897,

was one of 23 Camp s and 500 members in the Department. Br. Ames was a man of few

words, publishing several dept. orders of one page or less. He, like many before and after

him, preached recruiting. His administration’s motto was “A Doubled Membership.”

After his term as Dept. Commander, he continued to work as the principal at River Falls

High School, supervising 13 teachers and 500 students. He conducted institutes at

Chippewa, Clark, Jackson, Polk, Pierce and St. Croix counties and taught in the summer

school of the River Falls State Normal.

Br. Ames served as president of the People’s Lecture Course Association of River Falls

for ten years. He served as president of the Wis. State Teachers’ Assoc., was a member of

the Masonic Order and th e Methodist Episcopal Church. He was also chairman of the

board of control of inter-scholastic lyceum work in Wisconsin.

Sometime in the 1910s, he accepted a teaching position at Eau Claire’s State Normal

School and moved there with his wife and son. After he died there in 1924, his wife lived

with their daughter’s family in Chillicothe, IL.

Nellie, died on September 23, 1956 at age 90. Both are buried in Eau Claire’s Lakeview

Cemetery.

From:

Ancestry.com

Early History of Wisconsin, c. 1912

Lakeview Cemetery, Eau Claire, Wis.

J.W.T. AMES continued


10

CALENDAR OF EVENTS


EVENTS CALENDAR

Dec 25 – Christmas

Jan 1 – New Years Day

Feb 5 - Mid-Winter Meeting and Patriotic Luncheon-

Bluemound Gardens - Wauwatosa

Feb 20 - Sons and Auxiliary Member Orientation

Blg.1, Soldiers Home District, Milwaukee V.A

Feb 26-27 – Echoes of the Past Trade Fair – Oshkosh

April 16 - Lincoln Tomb Ceremony-Springfield, Ill

The Wisconsin Department Dispatch is published three times per year for members of the

Wisconsin Department, SUVCW. Articles, photos and news items may be submitted to:

Kim J. Heltemes at:

[email protected]

Editorial deadlines are April, July, Sept, and Dec.

Visit us on the Web at

http://www.suvcw-wi.org

NOTICE!

Newsletter EditorEditorEditorEditor: Kim J. Heltemes

Your Camp news could be here but it needs to be submitted.

MERRY

CHRISTMAS

This is the time of the year

when we try to do something

good for the cause.

Think about adopting a soldier

and his family for the holidays,

giving to the veterans homes,

writing cards for a veteran that

cannot, visiting a veterans

home, or donating to their

Recreational Fund.

Winter 2010-2011 Department Dispatch

Documents

Transcript of Winter 2010-2011 Department Dispatch