Society Declares First Fairwater Heritage Days a Success

More than two hundred visitors joined society members in viewing exhibits and restoration progress in the old Fairwater schoolhouse during the village’s first Heritage Days weekend August 4 and 5. Six of the eight members of Fairwater’s 1962 graduating class shared a 39th reunion during the weekend.

Despite 90 degree heat, more than eighty visitors also took historical carriage tours through the original Bill Town and the turn-of-the-century Jim Town business districts.

Business exhibits depicting the history of Badger Mining, the Fairwater Canning, and the Laper Electric water wheel joined Fairwater area family displays in two of the classrooms. The intermediate classroom was used to exhibit early school memorabilia.

A special Fairwater post office cancellation commemorating the Historical Society and Heritage Days was a highlight on Saturday. Nearly 400 reproductions of historic Fairwater post cards were purchased in conjunction with the cancellations.

Zion Lutheran church was filled for a special evening musical service, and many stayed to enjoy an ice cream social following the service.

The society’s evening movies on the church lot at the corner of Main and Church streets--the location of the village’s first outdoor movies in 1936 --drew nearly forty people and sparked enough requests that the society will continue the tradition on society meeting days next year.

Among the photographs given to the society during Heritage Days was this one of the Fairwater Public School primary division classroom taken late in trhe 1920s. The photo was donated by Florence Frei Schaefer. The teacher is Ella Sommers.

Society Receives SHSW Grant

The society was notified on August 11 that it has been awarded a State Historical Society grant to preserve historical photographs from the Fairwater area.

The society submitted its proposal in May requesting funding to make archival copy negatives of fifty photos not in the society’s collections. Targeted are photographs of area landmarks, families, and farms.

Of the more than 300 historical societies in Wisconsin, twenty-one were selected to receive the SHSW funds. The Fairwater society was awarded a maximum grant of $700.

Society Matches Sweitzer Challenge

Donations, memberships, carriage tours, post card sales, and a share of food sales during the Heritage Days weekend allowed the society to complete its match for the challenge gift from Caesar and Peggy Sweitzer.

The Sweitzers offered their $5000 donation in April with a requirement that the society match the amount within twelve months.

The funds will be used to complete the Fairwater museum reroofing project begun last year.

Kuehn Family Donates Lights

Virginia Kuehn’s family has made a donation in her memory to provide lighting fixtures for the society’s intermediate division classroom restoration project. The fixtures selected by the society closely resemble those in Fairwater classroom photographs taken in the 1920s and 1930s.

George Pond Papers at Fort Scott, Kansas, Document Application for Medal of Honor

George F. Pond, courtesy Kevin Dier-Zimmel

George Pond was one of eleven children of Clarissa and Willard Pond, a pioneer farm family in northern Alto Township two miles southeast of Fairwater. Late in 1861 he was also one of 16 men recruited into Company C of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry in Fairwater by his older brother James.

With James and brother Homer, George served throughout the Civil War in eastern Kansas. And with James, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for distinguished action during the war.

Copies of George Pond’s service papers, application for the Medal of Honor, and clippings from the Ft. Scott, Kansas, Tribune-Monitor were recently donated to the Fairwater Historical Society by Arnold Schofield and Alan Chilton, historians at the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
Pond was nominated for the medal by brother James in an application dated June 7, 1898. James Pond’s description of his brother’s heroism at Drywood, Kansas, on March 15, 1864, read as follows:

On the night of May 15, 1864 [a raid] was made upon Drywood, Kansas, by about 60 guerillas. Just as the guerillas were coming out of a house with their prisoners, without pausing a moment private George F. Pond and two others dashed gallantly forward until within 20 paces of the whole company, firing as rapidly as possible, and causing such an excitement among the enemy that the diversion allowed all the prisoners to escape, thereby saving the lives of a number of union men.

Cover letter from James Pond’s application for brother George’s MOH

As indicated in the “case” document, James Pond’s application on behalf of his brother included George Pond’s own affidavit:

R. & P. 521,656
Case of
GEORGE F. POND,
late of Company C, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry
----
Application for a medal of honor
----
Under date of the 7th instant, Captain J. B. Pond, of 330 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City Heights, New Jersey, late of Company C, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry Volunteers, requests that a medal of honor be awarded his brother, George F. Pond, for meritorious conduct during the war of the rebellion while serving as a private in his company, and in support of the application submits the affidavit of his brother, which is as follows:
“About May 15, 1864, at Drywood, Kan., Sergt. O. H. Carpenter, Comsy. Sergt. Elwin Webber and myself and two other soldiers, information come to our camp that some guerillas were in the vicinity robbing and plundering the neighborhood. The above party started to locate them and ascertain their strength. We soon found out that it was the noted Henry Taylor of Nevada, Mo., with 97 men. We followed his trail about 5 miles when we located them at the house of one Mr. Ury. We found out for certain that they had at least ten prisoners, mostly sick soldiers home on furlough. Knowing that the prisoners would be killed and knowing that Major Ury was a prisoner as we could hear him talking to the rebels we determined to take our chances and charge on them and take the results. Two of our party was opposed and we let them go and Sergt. O. H. Carpenter, Sergt. Elwin Webber and myself charged to the rescue. It was about 2 o’clock in the morning, very dark and raining a very little. The rebels did not see us until we were within ten feet of them. The first they knew of us was the fire from our Remington army revolvers, and such a report as our revolvers made was terrible. The rebs. were in shape of a curve with a fence behind them. They were panic stricken for a moment but that moment saved the lives of 20 prisoners, for they captured 8 more at Mr. Ury’s house. We fell back about 80 rods and listened to them run. After about 15 minutes we returned to the Ury house, found that old man Ury was mortally wounded. Major Ury, Chief of Scouts, soon came to us. Our force of three divided, one went [for] Fort Scott, one for a doctor and the other kept on the trail of rebels. Major Ury who was a prisoner assured us that all the prisoners would have been killed but when we fired the prisoners all made their escape.”

Added to the Pond application by the War Department’s Record and Pension Office was a copy of the official record of the 1864 incident at Drywood:

The applicant refers to the official report of the skirmish (which appears on pages 936-7, Volume 34, Part 1, Rebellion Records), the text of which is as follows:
“Hdqrs. First Brig.,
“District of Southern Kansas,
“Fort Scott, Kans., May 16, 1864.
“Captain:
I have the honor to inform you, for the information of the commanding general, that last night, a raid was made upon Drywood, south and southeast of this, by about 60 guerillas, under one Capt. Henry Taylor, formerly sheriff of Vernon County, Mo., of which I have briefly notified the general by telegraph. The outpost of Morris’s Mills, held by Company C, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, is reduced to less than 20 men, by the absence of the major portion of the same on furlough as veteran volunteers, so they cannot have the same facilities for acquiring early information of the enemy’s movements which they had formerly. Notwithstanding this, they learned of the raid soon after the first house was plundered, and supposing it to be a small party, but 5 men were sent out in pursuit. It was easy enough to follow the track by the plundered houses, all of which they had despoiled of everything, in all cases taking the men prisoners and carrying them along with the party. By the time they reached the house of Mr. Ury, 12 miles southeast of this, they had 8 prisoners. Young Ury was formerly a scout in my employ, and they had a particular spite against him. At this place they got three more prisoners, the two Urys and a young man named Williams, and about $600 in money. They had discussed the propriety of killing the prisoners on the spot, but finally determined to take them off some distance first, to be sure they were safe.
“Of the 5 men of Company C who had started the pursuit, 2 had gone back to camp to notify the others of the extent of the force, and the other three came up just as the bushwackers were coming out of Mr. Ury’s gate with their prisoners; without pausing a moment these 3 men dashed gallantly forward until within 20 paces of the whole company, firing as rapidly as possible, and causing such an excitement among the enemy that the diversion allowed all the prisoners to escape, Ury, the scout, knocking down one of the rebels who stood next to him with a stick of wood he had hastily gathered from a pile near his feet. At the first alarm the bushwackers had fired at the prisoners, but the tumult was so great that none were hurt except the elder Ury, who was shot through the thigh, and is in a fair way to recover. The younger Ury pushed straight for the camp of Company C, got 5 fresh men, and is now on their trail. I have thought this gallant act of these 3 men of Company C deserves special mention, as their conduct undoubtedly saved the lives of all the prisoners, and I therefore respectfully call your attention to it. Their names are Sergts. O. H. Carpenter and Elwin Webber, and Private George F. Pond, Company C, Third Wisconsin Cavalry. I have about 200 men in pursuit in different parties who will give a good account of the enemy if they catch them, and who will catch them if it can be done.
“Very respectfully your obedient servant,
“Chas. W. Blair,
“Colonel, Comdg.
“Capt. George S. Hampton,
“Asst. Adjt. Genl.,
“District of Southern Kansas.”

George Pond was notified on May 16, 1899, that he had been awarded the medal. He acknowledged its receipt in a letter dated May 24, 1899, and addressed to Brigadier General F. C. Ainsworth.

Eight years later, on September 20, 1907, Pond addressed a letter to the Secretary of War requesting a second Medal of Honor in the new 1904 design. His request was approved in November of the same year, and Pond acknowledged receipt of the medal in a letter dated December 16, 1907. Of interest in relation to this second medal is that three Medals of Honor were stolen from the State Historical Society while on display during the Civil War centennial in 1963. Although never publically acknowledged, one of those medals belonged to George Pond according to family records. Which of his two medals was lost is not known.

With his brother Homer, George Pond lived out his life in the Fort Scott area. His death on June 21, 1911 was announced by the Tribune-Monitor:

Death of Captain Pond

Pond’s MOH gravestone in Evergreen Cemetery, Ft. Scott. The stone was erected by the National Park Service and Medal of Honor Historical Society in May, 1989.

One by one the old soldiers of the city are passing away--answering the last bugle call. It is with deep regret that the Tribune-Monitor this evening is called upon to chronicle the death of Captain George F. Pond, who has been a resident of this county for almost a half century. When just a boy Mr. Pond enlisted in a Wisconsin regiment, answering the first call for volunteers, and was sent to Kansas to take care of the border troubles. Most of the time he did scout duty along the Missouri line, and was in the Drywood battle, distinguishing himself in many ways.

Captain Pond, as he was more familiarly known, was of strong physique, had a military bearing, and [was] a man of prominence in the community where he lived for so many years. Until a year ago, when he was compelled by failing health, to give up active work, he was for several years with the Tribune-Monitor, having charge of the county circulation.

We can testify to his efficiency and we believe that no other man could go among the people of the county and do as well as he. He knew every cross road in the county and could call by name the owner of almost every farm in the county. Even when he was physically unable to work he would drive his little horse and buggy to the Tribune-Monitor office and declare that he was ready for work. In many instances he was allowed to go out, and he kept this up until he was absolutely forced to retire from active work.

Captain Pond was a fine soldier, a fine man, and his presence will be greatly missed in Fort Scott and Bourbon County.

Pond Papers Identify Third Fairwater Medal of Honor Cavalryman

The George Pond papers recently copied for the Fairwater Historical Society by historians at Fort Scott, Kansas, indicate that in addition to Civil War Medal of Honor winners George and James Pond a third Fairwater member of Company C of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry was approved to receive the MOH.

Elwin Webber--identified in a War Department letter as Edwin Weber --was approved to receive the MOH in April 1899 for his role in the same Drywood, Kansas, that earned the medal for George Pond.

The medal was never awarded, however, because the War Department was unable to locate Webber. A third participant, O. H. Carpenter of Kingston, was also approved for the MOH but was never awarded the medal because, following a stroke, he was unable to describe the event sufficiently for the War Department.

NEWSLETTER
Fairwater Historical Society
PO Box 151
Fairwater, Wisconsin 53931

Meetings
The Fairwater Historical Society meets the first Saturday of each month at the Fairwater Lion’s Club on south Main Street. An exchange of photographs and information begins at 2:00, followed at 2:30 by the meeting. The public is invited. The annual meeting is held the first Saturday of March.

Acquisitions
The Fairwater Society accepts donations of items with historic ties to the immediate Fairwater area. Contact Lois Schmuhl, accessions officer, at Radio Road, Brandon, WI 53919.

Membership
Membership in the Fairwater Historical Society is $10 annually for individuals and families, $100 lifetime for individuals. Contact Arlene Leppin, PO Box 151, Fairwater, WI 53931

Web Site
The Society maintains a Web site on the Wisconsin Local History Network. Featuring projects, activities, calendars, and copies of the FHS newsletter, the society’s site can be browsed at:

www.wlhn.org/fairwater_histsoc

Newsletter
Current issues are available at the Fairwater post office. Past issues and mailings are available through Bob Schuster, 6020 Kristi Circle, Monona, WI 53716 (608-221-1421).