Stella Weber Popp by Patti Laessig February 14, 2009
One of the most colorful people I remember from my childhood, was my dad's first cousin, Stella Weber Popp. "Stell" to everyone who knew her. Stell was a loving and friendly woman, having left her hometown of "Webertown" after her marriage to Emil Popp, relocating north to Tomahawk in Lincoln County, Wisconsin where they raised their family.
Stell had an outgoing personality, and when she entered the room her presence would be felt. She commanded attention and with her genuine interest in her loved ones, she was a welcome visitor.
On a rare occasion we would get a visit from Stell, and I would sit quietly listening to the adults talk and joke around.
On a still more rare occasion, we would take a long drive to Tomahawk and visit with Stell in her little log cabin house out on highway 8. I marveled at the huge logs that made up the little house.
Stella grew up at Webertown with her parents Peter W. Weber and Clara Amelia Krueger Weber. She was born January 26, 1905 in Eau Pleine Township [Webertown], along with her twin brother, Harvey. There were many other siblings too.
There are delightful photos of these young twins, dressed alike as much as brother and sister can be dressed alike, and in those days they dressed quite similarly. The one with bow in her hair is Stella.
As youngsters, Stella and Harvey proudly show their contribution to the family dining table.
Still later in her young life, Stella was a helper to her dad in his Saloon, the Pete Weber Saloon. There is a semi-well known photo that appeared in a newspaper some years ago as unidentified, which was that of Stella bartending in her father's tavern. One such photo hangs in the student center at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
After the death of her father, Stella's mother, Clara Krueger Weber took over the operation of the tavern. It was a tedious task, but necessary to support herself and her children.
"Aunt Clary" as she was known to my dad and his generation, worked long and hard to support her family. My dad would tell stories about the various encounters she experienced, with not-so-nice vagrant-type men who would distract her while someone stole the pot of stew from the stove… there's even a newspaper write-up about those scoundrels.
Though Aunt Clary was gone long before I began gathering her family history, and I don't remember ever meeting her, her legacy lives on in her descendants, and the memories of a long-gone pioneer town named after Clara's husband's father, Christian Weber, who settled just south of the Big Eau Pleine River and built his little town along with his family and friends. In that little town was a Catholic church named Holy Trinity, founded by Mr. Weber and others, and a Lutheran church, a general store founded and operated by Mike Wagner, and various other businesses that provided the needed services of the people of that era. Peter W. Weber, Clara's husband took over the proprietorship of the Saloon, but also was the local ice cutter, providing ice to the settlement. There are photos of Stella as a young girl out on the ice with the ice cutting equipment. There was also lumberjacking, providing logs to the Weber sawmill, and others in the vicinity, as well as lumber to build their homes and out buildings.
Early, untimely deaths were not uncommon in those days. Two children of Clara and Peter's, Delores and Lester died on March 28, 1912 of what was called black diphtheria. There was Jenny, Johnny, Loretta, Jesse, Lylas, Angie, Lester Lloyd, June who died at birth in 1919, Melvin and Elinore, known as "Girlie". To my knowledge, Stella, Harvey, Jesse, Lylas, Angie, Lester Lloyd, Melvin and Elinore grew to adulthood.
Stella Weber
There was a lot of hard work to be done to sustain a family in those days, as all goods had to be either hand made or purchased on the meager earnings of these early settlers of the area. There was seasonal work that had to be done, such as ice cutting at the river, hauling it to the area people, wood cutting for fuel, lumbering for sale to the lumber companies and local mills. Farming was becoming a way of life for many of the area people once the land was cleared.
Most saloons served meals so one could stop for refreshment and at the same time enjoy sustenance. In those days, ladies did not go into the barrooms. There were rooms off to one side where they would gather and visit while the men shared their stories and company at the bar, often lined with spittoons for their well chewed tobacco. It was a gross task to clean them, Stella told me. She managed to get stuck with that nasty clean-up job.
On June 23, 1926 Stella Weber and Emil Popp were married. They raised a family of five sons.
June 14, 1903 Wedding
I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit with Stella in her later years and listen to her reminisce about the days of her childhood and young adulthood. Many of her fond memories were shared with me so that I could record them for posterity. She also had a collection of photos she allowed me to copy, some one-of-a-kind heirlooms, such as the one of her standing on the ice cutting rig.
The old saloon building is long gone, as are the early settlers of that bye-gone era. Many of the people living there today have little recollection of the settlement that flourished along the Big Eau Pleine River in Eau Pleine Township in Marathon County, Wisconsin. What is left are faded photos in old obscure albums and a few notes jotted here and there to bring back the memories of those who lived and prospered here, and who have long since gone on their way.
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Stella (Weber) & Emil Popp walking home from Stratford on what is now highway 97 ~ Taken in 1920.
For further information on the Peter W. Weber ~ Clara A. Krueger family, contact Patti Laessig at or .