Peninsula
Genealogical Society - Door
Co. WI
Peninsula
Genealogical Society - Door
Co. WI
Town of
FORESTVILLE
updated 29 Oct 2011
Town of Forestville
Door County, WisconsinSee: HISTORY OF DOOR COUNTY for more History of Door County including early settlers.
FORMER NAMES: None.
YEAR FORMED:Third organized town in Door County, WI.* "At the December meeting of the County Board, 1857, Forestville was set off as a town, embracing the territory now included in that town and Clay Banks. All the rest of the county, except Washington Island, being included in the town of Otumba (Sturgeon Bay). Forestville was organized the next April (1858), by a town meeting held at the house of Marcus McCORMICK." *Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
TRAVELING to FORESTVILLE
"The early settlers of Forestville made their way to that vicinity by navigating the Ahnapee River, which stream runs through a portion of that town. The Ahnapee is still navigated to considerable extent up as far as Van NORSTRAND's saw mill, town of FOrestville. J. Fetzer & Co. own, and keep busy a light-draught steamer and two barges, which freight forest products down the river. Public highways, kept in excellent traveling condition, to and from Green Bay, Ahnapee, and all parts of the county run through the town of Forestville. Probably no other town in the county, supported entirely by the products of the soil, has so many good houses, barns, etc."*- *Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.See PGS Meeting Page: 25 Oct 2012: John SCHLISE-History of Forestville.
James KEOGH, Sr. born in Ireland 1820, farmer, (1852).*Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
John STONEMAN, born in England 1808, farmer, (1855).*Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
Wm. DEWUE, born in Germany 1836, (1856). **Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
See Town of Forestville-Index of "Martin's History of Door County-1881" for more early settlers.
ETHNIC GROUPS:Irish, Belgian, English, German.
OCCUPATIONS:Farming, Blacksmith, Tailor, Sawmill.
EARLY BUSINESSES:(1) First Merchantile Store, Proprietors: Major Joseph MCCORMICK and Mr. HARRISON, (1856); *Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
(2) Tailor Shop, Proprietor: Lydia C. FITTSHUR ROCKWELL, (1857); *Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
(3) Tailor Shop, Proprietors: BERNHARDT Brothers. (1856);
(4) First Sawmill and Blacksmith, Proprietors: BERNHARDT Brothers, (1856); *Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
(5) Sawmill, Proprietor: VAN NORSTRANDS;*Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 46.
(6) Steamer and Barges, Proprietor: J. FETZER & Co.*Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 46.
(7) First wagon shop, Proprietor: Peter THOMPSON, (1862); *Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
SOME FAMILIES ASSOCIATED WITH TWP:KEOGH, HARRISON, FITTSHUR, BERNHARDT, STONEMAN, SCHLISE, SCHMITZ, PERRY, VAN NORSTRAND, FETZER.
ADDITIONAL FAMILIES IN TOWN OF FORESTVILLE:
VISTE Family - also found in Town of Clay Banks - contributor: Mary Beth KIRCH.
MORE TOWN OF FORESTVILLE PEOPLE-Biographies found in: History of Northern Wisconsin-1881
BUSCH, Stephen (firm of Busch & Co, general merchandise, Forestville)
FETZER, John Fetzer (firm of Fetzer & Co, general merchandise, Forestville)
OLLINGER, Michael (farmer, PO Maplewood)
ROBERTS, Joseph (proprietor blacksmith & wagon shop-now Stoneman & Roberts, Forestville)
SCHMITZ, Martin (proprietor of Forestville House, Forestville)
SCHNEIDER, Joseph (proprietor blacksmith & wagon shop, Forestville)
STONEMAN, John (farmer, O Forestville)
ADDITIONAL FAMILIES FROM TOWN OF FORESTVILLE-
VISTE Families - See also Town of Clay Banks - contribution by Mary Beth KIRCH.
"The first church was built in 1869, and I think it was of the German Lutheran order." *Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
(1a) St. Mary’s Catholic Church: LOCATION: Maplewood, address: Rectory 7492 Co. Hwy H. Records start date: Baptisms-1880, Marriages-1881, Funerals-1870. Ethnic background: German. For more record information see Green Bay Catholic Diocese Archives.
(1b) Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church (see St. Mary's Catholic Church): LOCATION: Maplewood. Records start date: Baptisms-1880, Marriages-1881, Funerals-1870. Ethnic background: German. For more record information see Green Bay Catholic Diocese Archives.
(2) Forest Lutheran Church: (Carnot), address: Chapel and Cemetery 6691W Carnot Road. -when the church building burned the congregation merged with Tanum in Clay Banks. Chapel and cemetery are still maintained (2008);
HISTORY:-Tanum Evangelical Lutheran Church (Sec. 18 of the Town of Clay Banks) was organized in 1872; divided into Tanum Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church and Forest Norwegian Lutheran Church in 1883 and recombined into Tanum Forest Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1973. Bay View Church of Sawyer shared pastors until 1902 when it became independent.
RECORDS:Church records were microfilmed for the Tanum Forest Evangelical Lutheran Church by Sue Hohneke for The Genealogical Society of Utah in 1991 and include: Tanum, Forest, Bay View 1876-1901; Tanum 1901-1955; Tanum 1948-1951; Tanum 1952-1968; Tanum 1955-1973; Forest 1901-1955; Forest, Tanum 1955-1973; Tanum Forest 1922-1951; Tanum Forest 1973-1991 (part): *FHL US/CAN Film#'s 1769859 & 1787462 Item 1 - available to order through inter loan at your nearest Family History Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
(3) The Brown Church: at intersection of Forest Dr. And Co Hwy J (NE). No evidence of building remains (1990), when The Brown Church disbanded the congregation founded Emanuel Lutheran Church in Kolberg and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Forestville village.
(4) Gospel of Peace Church, Independent Pentecostal-address: 420 Hwy 42, Forestville, WI 54213.
(5) St. Peter’s Lutheran Church-LCMS-address: 316 Main Street, Forestville, WI 54213.
"The 1st school was organized in 1859; Miss Diana DOWD, teacher, and seven pupils was the attendance. Mr. James KEOGH, Sr. was the superintendent; Mr. John STONEMAN, clark; Mr. Peter THOMOSON, treasurer; Mr. Wm. NELSON, director.."*Source: Chas I. MARTIN, History of Door County-1881, P. 47.
(1) Carnot Public School. Across the road from the Forest Ev. Lutheran Cemetery.
Early settlers came to this area via the Ahnapee River.
LOCATION AND ADDRESS OF TOWN HALL:Forestville Town Hall, 7705 Cty Rd H Brussels No - (920)856-6584 (2005).
DAMAGE DUE TO FIRE OF OCT 1871:Property Damage: 11 people lost buildings.
(1)Carnot (1891-1907),
(2) Marcus (1858-1863): name changed to Forestville (1863 to present),
(3) Maplewood (1874-1904, 1914-present).
