Because the Good Lord again
provided forests, trees to be hacked down, cut into lumber for the
upper part of the barn. Tamarack, elm, oak, pine,
hemlock. Lumber had to be air dried for a year before
building or the green wood warped, twisted and bent. Another crew
of carpenters, specialty barn builders came to frame the barn. Mortice and
tenon frame. Floor joists, boards, beams, rigid rafters, oak wood
pegged. All hand tools, no electricity, no hydraulic lifts. Axes,
froes, saws, adzs, bull work by strong men. Oak pegs, square
nails. Gable type roof, covered with red cedar shingles, which again the
Good Lord provided in the swamps.
More rocks and boulders were gathered
by the children, with the team of horses and stone boat to build a
ramp leading to the upper part of the barn, so wagon loads of feed could
be hauled right in the barn. Bundles of oats, wheat and timothy
hay. Chutes and ladders reached to the stone basement so one did not have
to fight the elements in winter. Home for the doves and barn swallows.
Probably a barn dance was held after to
celebrate the new barn, and repay all the workers with kegs of beer, hard
liquor, good food.
Michael Zillmer (1814-1895) migrated to
Dupont in 1879. His son John Albert Zillmer who married Fredricka Lembke
in 1888 probably built the first barn on the acreage, after clearing the
hardwood trees. John Albert's son William, born in 1896 took over the
farm after his Father's death in 1936. In turn William's son Wilbert born
in 1930 began management in 1953, which eventually passed to his son Bruce, who
today in 2015 dairy farms.
After World War One and the great depression,
World War Two was raging in Europe and demand for dairy
and beef and pork and chicken products increased. Prices were good, so it
was decided to again enlarge the barn in 1944. Even though rationing
forbid purchasing supplies, the Zillmer swamp provided the lumber, down to the
cedar shingles. Again rocks and stones were picked from the fields, even
borrowing, begging or buying boulders from the neighbors. About the only
thing purchased was a keg of nails.
In the spring of 1944 construction began on
the barn extension. Neighbors were asked to help and they did.
Neighboring women came to make food for the hungry workers.
Because of state dairy inspectors, the milking
equipment could no longer be stored outside on a wooden platform. Blue
cinder blocks were used by the masons to construct a milk house, for the
many milk cans, DeLaval milkers. Water piped in a cement tank to cool the
milk, with the overflow water piped outside for thirsty cows. Eight to
ten milk cans were picked up by the Quarterline Cheese Factory and the driver
Mike Polzin. Extra cinder blocks were used to build a smoke house.
Barns in Wisconsin are disappearing at
an alarming rate. Upkeep is expensive, a new roof is
exorbitant.. Frost heaves the stone walls, causing them to crumble.
I flip through pictures
Some are so great
So many memories
Some should be thrown away
But not the ones of me
And the building on to the barn
Erect now and secure
Weathered and worn -
Faithfully it still stands.
No one picks stones nor builds dairy barns
any more. The barn stood for both community and family unity, cemented by
honest sweat. The farmers took pride in keeping a neat barn. The
barns were an icon, an image that stands for something.
copyright 2015, Delores and Russell Miller
