They called it the Upper Osceola Prairie, and that’s about all it was in the early 1850’s, a peaceful meadow of tall grasses….
The first settlers, the Charles Willis Clark family were from Vermont. Their son, Oscar Allen was a surveyor in Polk County in 1851 and probably influenced the move of his parents. Charles and Eliza and their family are reported to be living in the Osceola area around 1852.
Eliza Clark took deed to the Clark property in the Upper Osceola Prairie, some 80 acres, October 2, 1854 and another 40 acres in 1855.
Charles and Eliza had 7 children: Charles W., Leamon G., Cornelius, Oscar A., Amanda, Andrew J., and George S.. Charles and Eliza died in the spring of 1867.
George S. had land south of the homestead and was married to Eunice Godfry, daughter of John S. Godfry. When George S. died in 1876 another brother, Cornelius, married his widow. The childless Cornelius and his wife donated a lot of land to the railroad.
Amanda, the only daughter of the Charles Clark’s, married Barnabas Pitman in 1855. Barnabas and Amanda had 6 children.
Andrew J. Clark worked with his parents in their store in Osceola and lived at home. In 1862 he married Emily Salsbury, and had 2 sons. Andrew died in 1873 at age 35 years. In 1875, Emily married David W. E. Mears. This marriage bore one daughter, Emily. This is the Emily Olson, whose historical home, owned by the Osceola Historical Society, is named after.
Charles and Eliza’s son, Leamon G. has his name on the abstract next, so he must have taken over after his parent’s died. Leamond G. had a trading business on the river near St. Croix. He was married to Elizabeth Ivory Wood. Leamon and Elizabeth had 11 children. Elizabeth succumbed to T. B. in 1876 at only 47 years of age, her husband died four years later, at age 54, of inflammation of the heart.
Four of the children of Leamon and Elizabeth married four McClean siblings, George F. Clark to Ida McLean, Mary Clark to Isaac McLean, Katherine Clark to David McLean and Joseph to Mira McLean.
Oscar Allen Clark was born February 4th, 1834, at the town of Milton, in Vermont. Died February 26, 1901, at Perkins, Oklahoma Territory, of Ulcerative Laryngitis. He was the fourth son of Charles and Eliza Clark. He attended school at the Swanton Falls Academy, Vermont, where he took a course in Higher mathematics and Civil Engineering. The latter occupation was followed during the greater part of his life.
In the spring of 1851 he came to Columbia County, Wis., where he taught school, and worked at civil engineering. Later he came to St. Croix Falls, and was elected to fill the office of county Surveyor of Polk county, being the first to fill that office in Polk county.
In the spring of 1853 his father and mother, with the rest of the family, came from Vermont to St. Croix Falls, soon after moving their home on Osceola Prairie.
In 1862 he joined the 10th Wisconsin Light Artillery Battery as Lieutenant. His last visit at home was in 1864, when he came home on a furlough. He went with Sherman on his march from Atlanta to the Sea.
W. H. C. FOLSOM SAYS OF HIM IN HIS HISTORY PUBLISHED IN 1888:
Oscar A. Clark came to Taylors Falls in 1851, settled on a farm in Osceola in 1852, and brought hither his parents from Vermont, both of whom have since died. Oscar was a surveyor. He engaged also in the lumbering and commercial business. He was of the firm of Clark Brothers. He enlisted in a Wisconsin regiment during the Rebellion, and served till mustered out, but never returned to his home, and as nothing has since been heard from him, his friends have concluded that he must have been murdered after his discharge, possibly on the way home.
THE POLK COUNTY LEDGER PRESS
Oscar A. and Andrew J. Clark in 1858 started a store in the house where Hans Michaelson now lives. They afterwards moved their goods to the building now used as a drugstore and held forth there until the war began.
George Fremont Clark, son of Elizabeth Wood and Leaman Guy Clark, was born in the township of LeRoy (renamed Osceola) on May 20th, 1860. He was married to Miss Ida McClean in November, 1882…
Mr. Clark carried on farming as a career on the same familiar Clark homestead in the village of Dresser…
Mr. Clark served as a member of the County board for about 30 years…
He served as a member of his school district board over 40 years. He was keenly interested in civil and political affairs. His cheerful personality won him thousands of friends.
Andrew J. Clark was born in Milton, Chittenden county, Vermont. Moved to St. Albans, and from thence to St. Croix Falls, in 1853. He has since been a resident of this county. He enlisted in Company D., 2d Wisconsin Calvary, January 18th, 1864, and was discharged July 21st, 1865. The disease of which he died is supposed to have commenced while he was in the service of his country. He leaves a wife and two children.
MARRIED
On Wednesday April 9th, 1862, by Rev. L. Shelly, Mr. Andrew J. Clark, to Emily R. Salsbury, both of Osceola, Polk County, Wis.
“Fast bound in wedlock’s golden chain,
Long may they share connubial bliss,
And every good through life obtain.
‘Till called to better worlds than this.”
Well, “Hick” you have gone and done it, haven’t you? You have tied yourself down to real life somewhat unexpected, but from personal observation, we think you are far happier, and that you have acted wisely. You haven a printer’s thanks for that generous slice of cake.