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Cathy McTavish
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lumberjacks in early days |
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Proprietors Since Its Erection in 1873 ______________ The Richard House, one of Oconto's oldest and most famous hotels, was first built in 1878, a mere shack, perhaps what is now the kitchen and part of the dining-room, but it watched the development of the settlement from a collection of huts to he city it is today. Its walls were reared within the shade of nightly forest monarchs which had not all been cut, and trails led to its doors that lost themselves in the gloom and quiet of acres of wilderness.
With the re-routing of U. S. 41 east of this building, Simon M McTavish
put an addition on the kitchen, remodeled the interior and
switched
his bar room, which has been cut in half, to make room for a lobby, on
the south. The entire hotel has been covered with asphalt shingles a
porch
added on the east side and the interior and exterior painted and
re-decorated.
"WAY BACK WHEN"
Mr. McTavish has retired from active work and one of his.four sons, Oscar, is running his establishment. Franklin is employed by the Wisconsin Public Service corporation of this city. Walter and Chester have a garage. Mrs. McTavish is living. Twelve proprietors had possession of the hotel before Simon McTavish, now 65 years old, their thirteenth person, purchased it. He first came to the United States from Canada in 1883, when but 17 years of age, and worked that winter in Hermansville, Mich. for Ira Pendleton in his lumber camp. Bill Harris was foreman at that .time. The next spring Mr. McTavish made his way to Oconto with a crew of hearty lumberjacks, ate his first meal in the Richard House, and slept in the Megan House, now the Northwestern hotel, on April 18. 1884. The first night he witnessed a scrap between a bunch of men from the woods, most of whom |
were Canadians.
The original owner and builder of the hotel was Albert Richard. The
next
man to run it was Pat Nelligan, of New Brunswick, Canada, brother of
Jack,
who is the author of a book on lumbering days. Then Jack Duncan, also
of
New Brunswick, took it, to be replaced by his brother, George. Hubbel
Belongia,
Louis Everts and Joe Noel took turns as boss; and Everts regained
ownership
before Mrs. Tillie Ran reigned over the bar. She added the big window
on
the south. Joe Liegoia, now at Abrams, and Caspar Leberger were the
last
two to direct its course before March 1,
1914,
to remain there continuously.
McTavish has had a varied experience in the woods in Wisconsin and Michigan. Born in Gusbey county, Province of Quebec, in 1867, he was, from birth, surrounded by tall timber and the scenes of logging days were the first visual impressions he had. He came by boat to Camilton and from there to Oconto by train. In 1884 he worked for Jim Shay who was running a camp for the Oconto company. Jim Hoar, now a resident of Oconto falls, was ''push" at that time. The next winter he was also a sawyer (in Ira Pendelton's location in Norway, Mich., where Jack Herald was foreman. He went back for the Oconto company the following season, who were located on the North Branch of the Oconto river, justly famous for its annual drives each spring. Jim Herald, Jack's brother, ran camp. The next four winters were also spent on the North Branch and Phil Ste. Mary was overseer. In 1900 he split his year for Homer DonLevy and Jim Farrell, both on the Waupee river, as the former ran out of logs before the winter was half over. McTavish drove I team practically all of the months he spent in the woods. He also jobbed tracts. A year later he took charge of farm number five of Oconto company's and then for six years, up until the time he had the Richard House, he managed the North Branch farm. His clientel, comprised mostly of Canadians, was picturesque, for garbed in approved woodsmen's clothes which accentuated their jaunty, insourciant air, they represented what the well-dressed man from the wilderness should wear. Many brawls occurred in his bar. The Richard House was always considered the home of the lumberjack said McTavish, and many come yet for a lengthy stay. |
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