Retrospect A Colgate baseball team?
This postcard photo is thought to be of a Colgate, Wis. baseball team. The uniform jerseys are circa-1910 or earlier (Note: Major league baseball teams were phasing out the collar type about that time.), Also, picture postcards like this were popular in the early 1900’s. Click on photo to see full size. Any information about this photo would be appreciated.
Posted: Living Sussex Sun, August 11, 2009
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
The Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society’s e-mail master, Mike Reilly, recently received a mysterious fuzzy photo of a supposed Colgate baseball team from a Fox River Valley/Appleton area man, Earl Green. Green had found a postcard with the photo on one side and the standard-ruled backing of the other side, with little additional information. The postcard had never been used, thus no postmark and no message was included. The only thing going for the standard 1900-20s post card was the team name embossed on the front of the uniforms. The postcard’s owner came to the historical society, which does have some information on the unincorporated Village of Colgate that started in 1886, and to this day is the site of a U.S. post office with ZIP code 53017.
The style of the postcard denotes it was probably made between 1905 and 1915. The uniforms’ shirt collars were common circa 1910-13. One can also evaluate the huge size of the bats and the small size of the gloves as evidence that a period between 1905 and 1915 is an acceptable timeframe for the photo.
Colgate is a bump in the road on Highway Q between the Town of Lisbon in Waukesha County and the south end of Washington County, one mile west of Town Line Road. Colgate Road, which starts on North Lisbon Road, is the eastern boundary and North Road is the western boundary. Highway Q/County Line Road takes you east to Menomonee Falls and west to Lake Five.
Colgate had its beginning with the arrival of the Wisconsin Central Railroad to Lisbon and old Templeton (east Sussex in 1885-86). The big-time engineer of this project initially came from the lumber mills of the upper Fox River Valley southward to Waukesha and beyond. This railroad, the first of three that would bisect Lisbon, had a depot at Colgate and one at Templeton as it passed the six miles through Lisbon.
In a 1972 property map, the importance of the Colgate area was already appreciated as it connected Menomonee Falls to Lake Five, and on to Holy Hill. The 1872 map shows small lots in addition to a saw mill.
Over the years, there was a hotel, train depot and team track, general store, coal yard, a tavern, a grain elevator and the Duerwachteis saw mill, and nearby, the Butler saw mill, the Steiner-Kuenzi cheese factory and the Henschel pottery factory. Just north (and important to the railroad) were some vast gravel deposits. Meanwhile, this area was the watershed of two important rivers, as the southern/lower Fox River starts here and flows through Lannon and Waukesha City. The other river that starts in Colgate is the Bark River, which goes southwest to the Rock River. At one time, a canal was going to connect Milwaukee to the Rock River through Colgate.
John B. Colgate was the namesake of the village, initially called Colgate Station. John Colgate was thought to be a part of the great American family which has toothpaste named after it and Colgate University. John followed his Lisbon rail construction to a western branch that went through North Dakota and there they named another village railroad crossing community Colgate, N.D. The odd part about it is that the Lisbon Colgate has a ZIP code of 53017, while the North Dakota Colgate ZIP code is very similar: 58019.
The Colgate post office was established 122 years ago on Jan. 11, 1887. At times, the post office was on the south side of County Line Road, and presently it is on the north side of the road. A postmaster, Max Manthey, was killed when his general store/post office burned to the ground on Dec. 8, 1902. The longest serving Colgate postmaster was Frank Stirn, for 43 years, from 1903-46. Lynn Burton served as postmaster from 1967-90, 33 years.
If you ask what the big business is in Colgate, usually the answer is “they have a post office.” A big event in Colgate was in 1967, when a local beauty, Kristin Williams, was chosen as the 20th Alice in Dairyland. A huge parade was held to celebrate the honor.
Getting back to the baseball photo, does anyone out there remember a baseball team in Colgate? Where did it play? What were the names of the players? The Land O’ Lakes baseball leagues did not start until 1922, so maybe this team was a forerunner to the leagues that still exist in the greater Waukesha County area today.
The New York Times, January 2, 1891Dissolution of PartnershipOwing to the death of Mr. John B. Trevor, the firm of JAMES B. COLGATE & COMPANY – composed of JAMES B. COLGATE, JOHN B. TREVOR, and COLGATE HOYT – is this day dissolved. All accounts of the firm in liquid will be settled by Mr. JAMES B. COLGATE.(signed)JAMES B. COLGATECOLGATE HOYTNEW YORK, Dec. 31. 1890–James Boorman Colgate married Ellen Sarah Hoytsource: Robert Colgate the ImmigrantNamed one son Hoyt Colgate…so, a Hoyt family member may have named their son Colgate Hoyt.—William H. Colgate, the 1880 civil engineer living in Oconomowoc, is probably the son of James Boorman/Bowles Colgate, and may very well have worked on the Wisconsin Central during 1885-86 when Colgate Station was founded.Now…was Colgate station named for James B. Colgate because he was a big investor inthe WCRR expansion, or was it Colgate Hoyt, the WCRR Director, or William H. Colgate, who may have worked on the road as a civil engineer,OR…some unknown John Colgate?—It was fairly commonplace to have stations on the railroad named for the companys officers and officials. It is possible, I suppose, for Colgate to have been named after one Colgate Hoyt who was elected as a director of the original Wisconsin Central Railway in 1887, about the time the WC built through the area. Apparently his tenure on the WC Board of Directors was rather limited. He was also a director on the board of the mighty Northern Pacific at the same time. And, as I recall, there was a station on the WCs line into the Gogebic Range in Northern Wisconsin named Hoyt.James Boorman Colgate, ( WC investor and I believe director at one time) who owned a wall street bank. His partner was the respected banker, John B. Trevor (who became an investor in the Chicago extension of 1886 and entered the directory of the NP with Colby and Abbot in September 1887).
When the line to Chicago was built in 1885, it was mainly an air line, striking few cities. Towns were named and sprung up along the line. I would surmise that Colgate was named after James Boorman Colgate, also an investor in the WC). There is a Hoyt in Wisconsin, near the iron range. I am not sure if this was named after Colgate Hoyt. He was a trustee for the WC’s mining interests in the area. The extension into the iron range was shortly after the Chicago Extension was completed.
There is a Trevor in Wisconsin and was a Rockefeller (now Mundelein) in Illinois along the Chicago Extension.That the idea of it being named after a man/engineer named John Colgate isn’t very likely to have happened?
I doubt if it would have been named after an engineer. Usually stations were named after an important official or investor. The people in Mundelein claim that Rockefeller was named after William, John’s brother. This is highly unlikely, as William was not an investor, John was. I state in my book that it was named after John.The railroad could name their depot after anyone they desired. They did not have to get approval. Sometimes the depot was named after an individual who donated the land. (Franklin Park after Lessor Franklin, Thatchers Park after John Thatcher. They would also give the depot a temporary name until the person it was named , Holcombs, which became RockefellerThe station depot established south of Colgate in East Sussex would have been due to the village’s name at the time. Later, when James Templeton established a new post office at East Sussex, he petitioned to have East Sussex renamed to “Templeton”.
James Templeton was a director of the Chicago, Wisconsin & Northern Railroad, which was chartered to find a route from Slinger to the state line. It was absorbed into the Chicago, Wisconsin & Northern which built and operated the line. In that case the Post office was already located, thus it would need approval to be renamed. Probably not difficult, as I believe Col Herbert Enos was postmaster for the area and was also on the BOD.The Chicago, Wisconsin & Northern was chartered in march 26, 1884 to operate a railroad between the state line and a point in Washington County, most likely Slinger or Hartford. It was chartered to distance itself from the WC, who did not want anyone to know that it was planning to build to Chicago. After they had assembled a right of way, the Chicago, Wisconsin and Minnesota railroad, was incorporated Aug 19, 1885 to build a railroad between the state line to Slinger. This railroad was controlled by Colby, Abbot and Hoyt. Among its shareholders was Rockefeller, James Colgate and John Trevor. At a shareholders meeting held May 1, 1886, the Chicago, Wisconsin and Northern delivered all of its rights, titles, contract and other property to the Chicago, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This was because all the land contracts were in the name of the CW&N. The CW&M built the railroad, but did not operate it. The CW&M, along with the Illinois portion, the Chicago & Wisconsin, was leased to another Colby and Abbot controlled company called the Wisconsin and Minnesota Railroad. That line in turn was leased to the WC.
The WC was in receivership at this time, thus could not do any railroad building. It simply leased the line for 37% of revenues and operated it. It was a very complicated affair. Each of the leased lines had separate directors and shareholders. Later the Wisconsin and Minnesota lease was dissolved and the CW&M was leased to the WC, which operated it until 1899, when all the leased lines were consolidated into the newly reorganized WC Railway. —It was fairly commonplace to have stations on the railroad named for the companys officers and officials. It is possible for Colgate to have been named after one Colgate Hoyt who was elected as a director of the original Wisconsin Central Railway in 1887, about the time the WC built through the area (there was a station on the WCs line into the Gogebic Range in Northern Wisconsin named Hoyt.)When the line to Chicago was built in 1885, it can be surmised that Colgate was named after James Boorman Colgate, an investor in the WC). Besides a Hoyt in Wisconsin, there is a Trevor in Wisconsin, and was a Rockefeller (now Mundelein) in Illinois along the Chicago Extension.That the idea of it being named after a man/engineer named John Colgate isn’t very likely to have happened. Usually stations were named after an important official or investor.—David Leider is an amateur historian on railroads. Wrote one book, “The Waupaca and its Railroads”. He just finished a second, “The History of the Wisconsin Central in Illinois”. It documents the building of the extension from Slinger to Chicago up until the WC was leased by the Soo Line in 1909. It will be about 260 pages.Also written about 20 articles about the Wisconsin Central in Wisconsin and Illinois, including profiles of Burlington, Waukesha and Waupaca.
In addition, he am a model railroader and has written many articles for model railroad magazines, most about his layout modeled after Waupaca.. He is secretary of the Soo Line Historical and Technical Society and a member of the Milwaukee road and Chicago & Northwestern Historical Society, the Railroad and Locomotive Historical Society and the Lexington Group. The last article he wrote was on the Pickle industry in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois and is working on an article detailing the camp trains that used to take boys and girls from Chicago to the various camps in Northern Wisconsin.
I graduated with a BS in Ornamental Horticulture from the University of Illinois. I live in Prospect Heights Illinois and work for a wholesale perennial grower in northern Illinois.
This is probably a lot more than you wanted to know. Prune as you see fit
David
When the line to Chicago was built in 1885, it was mainly an air line, striking few cities. Towns were named and sprung up along the line. I would surmise that Colgate was named after James Boorman Colgate, also an investor in the WC). There is a Hoyt in Wisconsin, near the iron range. I am not sure if this was named after Colgate Hoyt. He was a trustee for the WC’s mining interests in the area. The extension into the iron range was shortly after the Chicago Extension was completed. There is a Trevor in Wisconsin and was a Rockefeller (now Mundelein) in Illinois along the Chicago Extension.
That the idea of it being named after a man/engineer named John Colgate isn’t very likely to have happened?
I doubt if it would have been named after an engineer. Usually stations were named after an important official or investor. The people in Mundelein claim that Rockefeller was named after William, John’s brother. This is highly unlikely, as William was not an investor, John was. I state in my book that it was named after John.
The railroad could name their depot after anyone they desired. They did not have to get approval. Sometimes the depot was named after an individual who donated the land. (Franklin Park after Lessor Franklin, Thatchers Park after John Thatcher. They would also give the depot a temporary name until the person it was named , Holcombs, which became Rockefeller
———————
The station depot established south of Colgate in East Sussex would have been due to the village’s name at the time. Later, when James Templeton established a new post office at East Sussex, he petitioned to have East Sussex renamed to “Templeton”.
James Templeton was a director of the Chicago, Wisconsin & Northern Railroad, which was chartered to find a route from Slinger to the state line. It was absorbed into the Chicago, Wisconsin & Northern which built and operated the line. In that case the Post office was already located, thus it would need approval to be renamed. Probably not difficult, as I believe Col Herbert Enos was postmaster for the area and was also on the BOD.
The Chicago, Wisconsin & Northern was chartered in march 26, 1884 to operate a railroad between the state line and a point in Washington County, most likely Slinger or Hartford. It was chartered to distance itself from the WC, who did not want anyone to know that it was planning to build to Chicago. After they had assembled a right of way, the Chicago, Wisconsin and Minnesota railroad, was incorporated Aug 19, 1885 to build a railroad between the state line to Slinger. This railroad was controlled by Colby, Abbot and Hoyt. Among its shareholders was Rockefeller, James Colgate and John Trevor. At a shareholders meeting held May 1, 1886, the Chicago, Wisconsin and Northern delivered all of its rights, titles, contract and other property to the Chicago, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This was because all the land contracts were in the name of the CW&N. The CW&M built the railroad, but did not operate it. The CW&M, along with the Illinois portion, the Chicago & Wisconsin, was leased to another Colby and Abbot controlled company called the Wisconsin and Minnesota Railroad. That line in turn was leased to the WC.
The WC was in receivership at this time, thus could not do any railroad building. It simply leased the line for 37% of revenues and operated it. It was a very complicated affair. Each of the leased lines had separate directors and shareholders. Later the Wisconsin and Minnesota lease was dissolved and the CW&M was leased to the WC, which operated it until 1899, when all the leased lines were consolidated into the newly reorganized WC Railway.
—
It was fairly commonplace to have stations on the railroad named for the companys officers and officials. It is possible for Colgate to have been named after one Colgate Hoyt who was elected as a director of the original Wisconsin Central Railway in 1887, about the time the WC built through the area (there was a station on the WCs line into the Gogebic Range in Northern Wisconsin named Hoyt.)
When the line to Chicago was built in 1885, it can be surmised that Colgate was named after James Boorman Colgate, an investor in the WC). Besides a Hoyt in Wisconsin, there is a Trevor in Wisconsin, and was a Rockefeller (now Mundelein) in Illinois along the Chicago Extension.
That the idea of it being named after a man/engineer named John Colgate isn’t very likely to have happened. Usually stations were named after an important official or investor.
—
David Leider is an amateur historian on railroads. Wrote one book, “The Waupaca and its Railroads”. He just finished a second, “The History of the Wisconsin Central in Illinois”. It documents the building of the extension from Slinger to Chicago up until the WC was leased by the Soo Line in 1909. It will be about 260 pages.Also written about 20 articles about the Wisconsin Central in Wisconsin and Illinois, including profiles of Burlington, Waukesha and Waupaca.
In addition, he is a model railroader and has written many articles for model railroad magazines, most about his layout modeled after Waupaca. He is secretary of the Soo Line Historical and Technical Society and a member of the Milwaukee road and Chicago & Northwestern Historical Society, the Railroad and Locomotive Historical Society and the Lexington Group. The last article he wrote was on the Pickle industry in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois and is working on an article detailing the camp trains that used to take boys and girls from Chicago to the various camps in Northern Wisconsin.
James Boorman Colgate married Ellen Sarah Hoyt
source: Robert Colgate the Immigrant
Named one son Hoyt Colgate…so, a Hoyt family member may have named their son Colgate Hoyt.
—
William H. Colgate, the 1880 civil engineer living in Oconomowoc, is probably the son of James Boorman/Bowles Colgate, and may very well have worked on the Wisconsin Central during 1885-86 when Colgate Station was founded.
Now…was Colgate station named for James B. Colgate because he was a big investor inthe WCRR expansion, or was it Colgate Hoyt, the WCRR Director, or William H. Colgate, who may have worked on the road as a civil engineer,
OR…some unknown John Colgate?
It was fairly commonplace to have stations on the railroad named for the companys officers and officials. It is possible, I suppose, for Colgate to have been named after one Colgate Hoyt who was elected as a director of the original Wisconsin Central Railway in 1887, about the time the WC built through the area. Apparently his tenure on the WC Board of Directors was rather limited. He was also a director on the board of the mighty Northern Pacific at the same time. And, as I recall, there was a station on the WCs line into the Gogebic Range in Northern Wisconsin named Hoyt.
James Boorman Colgate, ( WC investor and I believe director at one time) who owned a wall street bank. His partner was the respected banker, John B. Trevor (who became an investor in the Chicago extension of 1886 and entered the directory of the NP with Colby and Abbot in September 1887).
1889, Minnesota. Stock certificate Nr. A94 for one share. Brown/Black. Engraved vignette of a steam locomotive at train platform. Signed by Colgate Hoyt as President. Colgate Hoyt (1849 – 1922) Partner in the firm of J. B. Colgate & Co., bankers and dealers in bullion; Director of the Union Pacific Railway; Trustee of the Wisconsin Central Railroad; Involved with the Chicago & Northern Pacific Railroad; Director of the Oregon Railway & Navigation Co, the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and the Oregon & Transcontinental Co. Punch and stamp cancellations affect Hoyt’s signature. This item is encapsulated and accompanied by a PASS-CO Securities Pass. EF.