President’s Greeting

Fellow Wisconsin Manx Society Members,

It's spring again and I look forward to our meeting on Sunday April 18, 2004.

It's been a good winter for our family. My mother and I spent time in Atlanta this February with the Finnish side of our family. We shared stories, looked at old pictures, and realized how lucky we were to get together if only for a short time.

That is the same appreciation that I feel when looking forward to our meetings. It's so important to cherish our heritage. As we were going through old pictures, it reminded me of the importance of labeling dates and people on the backs of pictures.

At our program this spring we will be hearing from Willard and Mae Reese concerning memories and family experiences. Mae will share her experience of writing to a person on the IOM and how that brought more information to her about her family. We will catch up on the lives of our members to hear the stories of marriages, births and new homes. We will also share in the sad times-- because that is what families are all about.

We have an excellent opportunity to attend the North American Manx Association convention in Chicago this summer. Come to the spring meeting to get more information about the great events planned. I encourage all members to attend and bring interested friends. I hope to see you there.

Georgene Voutila

WMS President

The Story of the Laxey Revival

by Roselyn Callin

Editor’s Note: Article from “LAXEY in the NEW WORLD” . It references the origin of the Wisconsin Manx Society in 1981. http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/famhist/v07n1.htm#11-14

Ted Weier, a neighbor who lives on the old Thomas Kelly homestead, brought a notebook to Genevieve Callin and asked if she would be interested in having it. The book was included in a box of books he had purchased at a household auction sale. The secretary's notebook contained minutes of Sunday School meetings and annual Laxey picnic planning meetings from 1857-1886 held at the Laxey Church. Of course, she was interested: It was a fascinating book.

Soon after, Mae Reese, West Allis, and Willard Reese, Madison, first cousins of Genevieve, came visiting one afternoon. They were also interested in seeing the Laxey Church record book. Instead of a family picnic for that summer, Robert suggested reviving the Laxey picnic and include the neighborhood. Mae and Willard thought it was a great idea and encouraged us to proceed with it.

We decided to ask a few of the neighbors to our home for an evening to see if there was any interest in making it a community project. Bob was interested especially because his Dad, Sandy Callin. came from Laxey, Isle of Man, in 1914, and was always interested in the old Manx Church and Cemetery. His mother's grandfather, Thomas Kelly, was lay preacher at the Laxey Church and was a trustee at the time the church was built. Genevieve also has relatives buried in the cemetery, so, of course she was interested in the committee. His sister Norma, and John Bircher, were also interested in preserving her Manx heritage and came to the meeting from Blanchardville.

We asked Wayne and Jayne Watkins to attend. Wayne had been on the town board and was responsible for getting the work done or doing it, to have it look like it does today; grading, planting the grass and evergreen trees, and getting the Memorial plaque from the State Historical Society. Also at the time he was 4-H leader and the members weeded the rows of trees and planted flowers around the Memorial. He was not a Manx man but was interested in the preservation of this old landmark.

Alva and Elva Spargo, Dan and Mary Ellen Jewell were called as the picnics of old were held on their grandfather Nicholas Jewell's farm, directly across from Laxey Cemetery. Alva was Iowa County Co-ordinator for the Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society and was instrumental in copying the tombstone inscriptions at Laxey Cemetery and others in the county.

Ruth and Will Jungbluth were also as Ruth is a historian and genealogist and had written news items for the Mineral Point Democrat for several years.

Trafford and Marietta Trevorrow, farming in the area, both past schoolteachers. were interested in preserving the past. Marietta and her sister Doris were born and raised in the neighborhood, daughters of Frank and Eva Jewell, granddaughters of Nicholas Jewell.

LaVon McMahon. who lives in Mineral Point. was born and raised in the neighborhood. LaVon and Leland were children of Oscar and Hattie Pellow. Her uncle, Ben Pellow, owned the farm adjoining the cemetery on the east.

Martha Evans was born and raised in the area, daughter of Will and Ida Gowley. Her parents owned the farm that Sandy and Genevieve Callin moved on in 1930. Martha’s grandfather, John Cowley, came from the Isle of Man and was a trustee at the time the church was built. Martha’s grandparents are buried in Laxey Cemetery. Will and Martha contributed monetarily to the development of the cemetery.

Gerald and Delva Harris, former residents, have always been interested in the neighborhood and didn't pull up their roots completely when they moved to their new home near Dodgeville. Gerald's ancestors were living in the area when the church was built.

Ed and Eunice Jewell are not Manx either, but Ed's father lived in the neighborhood since 1915 - a stone's throw away from the Bloomfield Church.

Last, but not least, Jim Jewell, great-grandson of Nicholas Jewell, has always been Interested in the history and people. He is a writer and has written many articles about Laxey for newspapers.

At our first meeting in April, 1978. all present were interested in reviving the Laxey picnic. Robert Callin was verbally elected president and Jim Jewell, secretary. The date of the first picnic was set for July 4, 1978. The many planning meetings that followed were held in various homes with a pot-luck lunch, enjoyed by all for their fellowship. All the cooperation and work was needed for a successful picnic.

At the 1960 picnic each person registering could cheek a column if they were interested in joining a Wisconsin Manx Society. There was interest shown so plans were made to have the first meeting July 5, 1981, to be held at the Heritage House in Madison.

An article was placed in the Wisconsin State Journal. Letters were also sent to people of Manx descent and asked them to spread the word. There were 55 people present at the first meeting, all enthusiastic to continue and to form a Wisconsin Manx Society.

So, the seed of the Wisconsin Manx Society was planted in the living room of Genevieve Callin's home in April of 1978, cared for and nurtured by the Laxey committee until it developed into our present Wisconsin Manx Society in full bloom.

At the March 1982 meeting the governing board decided to make the Laxey Committee honorary members of the Wisconsin Manx Society.

Clotted Cream, Then

Two gallons of rich raw milk is put in a large enamel pan. Set in cool place for 24 hours. Put on back of wood stove or on low heat. Simmer until cream begins to leave edge of pan and form a crust. Do not let milk boil. Place pan in cool place for another 24 hours. Skim off clotted cream and serve.

Recipe of Louisa Jewell Kelly

Grandmother of Willard and Mae Reese

Great Grandmother of Judy Schlueter

Clotted Cream, Now

2 cups pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) cream

Set a coffee filter basket, lined with a filter, in a strainer, over a bowl. Pour the cream almost to the top of the filter. Refrigerate for 2 hours. The whey will sink to the bottom passing through the filter leaving a ring of clotted cream. Scrape this down with a rubber spatula and repeat every couple of hours until the mass reaches the consistency of soft cream cheese.

Foodnetwork.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tra ta un dooinney boght cooney lesh dooinney boght elley, ta Jee hene garaghtee.
"When one poor man helps another poor man, God Himself laughs."

* The poor in the Isle of Man are remarkably kind and helpful to each other.

* http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/fulltext/folklore/

Spring Meeting – April 18

Willard and Mae Reese will entertain us with some of their family history and memories of life in the Mineral Point, Wisconsin area. Their Manx, Welsh, and Cornish heritages typify this region of Wisconsin.

Mae will also be specifically discussing her experiences on gathering their Manx family history. She has done extensive work researching her genealogy. Don’t miss this informative meeting!

T J’s Catering from Sauk City will be again providing an excellent soup and sandwich lunch buffet. The cost is $10.00 per person, payable at the meeting.

Buffet Menu

SOUP

FRUIT SALAD

BROCCOLI CASHEW SALAD

SLICED SMOKED HAM, SLICED TURKEY BREAST

VARIETY OF FRESH BAKED BREADS, WHIPPED BUTTER, MAYONNAISE, MUSTARD, SLICED TOMATOES, LETTUCE, AND PICKLES

FRESH GROUND COLUMBIAN DECAF

LEMONADE

Membership Secretary Report

If your address label on this issue of the WMS Newsletter is highlighted in yellow, your WMS membership is now due.

If your address label is highlighted in bright green, your WMS membership is overdue. Please let us know that you wish to continue receiving the newsletters.

When you renew, help us by filling out the printed Membership Form (below) and either bring it along to the meeting, or mail it with your dues. An updated printed Membership List is being compiled. Copies will be available upon request.

Thank you to all members that renewed last Fall and a special thank you to the many that donated a few extra dollars. We appreciate your gift. Don’t forget you can give memberships as gifts. It is a nice way to get others interested in our organization.

Judy Schlueter

Web Sites