Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, December 3, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago 1908
Anyone in need of an animal doctor could call Dr. G. Harland in Duplainville. He did veterinary surgery, specializing in cattle problems.
People of Sussex who wanted heating coal could get it from the Sussex Elevator on Maple Avenue or Allen Lumber Co. at the Wisconsin Central Railroads Templeton station.
50 years ago 1958
Daniel Gruelich, assisted by Don Curtis and Roger Lawrence, set up a village basketball team for grade school boys at Sussex Community Hall.
The pricetag on an American Motors Rambler American was $1,835.
25 years ago 1983
The Village of Sussex cut back summer swimming at the quarry behind the canning company to three days a week for the following year, saving $1,500 and somewhat offsetting 1983s $12,500 loss.
Sussex-stationed Deputy Sheriff Art Harvestine earned a Sheriffs Department commendation for his community policing efforts.
10 years ago 1998
The Sussex-Lisbon Business and Professional Association elected Jerry Maske its president.
The Firewood Factorys interest in operating in an abandoned quarry on Town Line Road provoked objections from homeowners along Good Hope Road and others nearby.
Coldwater Creek subdivision was approved.
5 years ago 2003
Lisbon passed its first pooper-scooper and leash law to control dogs and their owners.
Former Hamilton football star Jeff Ebenhoch played for bowl-bound 10-2 Northern Illinois University.
Capt. Dennis Klatt of Sussex served in Afghanistan.
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, December 10, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago — 1908
Lisbon and Sussex building contractors Weaver & Evert specialized in barns and farm machinery buildings, but also built homes and lake cottages.
50 years ago — 1958
Army PFC John Sennott, a Lake Five farmer, went on a joint army-navy maneuver, Exercise Rocky Shoals, in California.
Former Sussex boy George Lawler, a substantial landowner in Lisbon, was elected Waukesha County district attorney. He appointed Lannon attorney William Reilly his assistant.
25 years ago — 1983
The Hamilton School District appraised the old Sussex Main-Orchard School at $300,000 while the Sussex assessor came up with a figure of $250,000 as the two come closer to a sale of the abandoned school to the village.
Lannon’s Gissal family harvested four deer with a combined weight of 570 pounds and 21 points.
10 years ago — 1998
Jacqueline Moscicke of Sussex played a key role in the Milwaukee Ballet’s performance of “Nutcracker Suite.
Hamilton High School hired Dave Degner to coach the boy’s basketball team.
Highway J was renamed Highway 164 while the old Highway 164 (Waukesha Avenue) became the new Highway 74.
The Sussex Lioness Club’s Christmas With Santa breakfast attracted 240 people.
5 years ago — 2003
Lisbon reduced speed limits from 45 to 35 mph on Woodside, North Lisbon and Plainview roads.
The Lisbon Fire Department put its surplus 1982 pumper up for sale, expecting to get $35,000 to $50,000 for it.
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, December 17, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago — 1908
The Star Laundry of Milwaukee hired a Sussex agent for the Buck & Gauthier General Store in downtown Sussex. Their motto was, “Everything back but the dirt.”
If you are looking for a physician, you can call Dr. R. W. Taylor in Pewaukee.
50 years ago — 1958
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau named a Lisbon-raised farm boy, 49-year-old Percy Hardiman, its new president. His two brothers, Ralph and Milo, ran the local Hardiman’s Oil Co. in Sussex and lived in the village themselves
Menomonee Falls High School took first place in the Braveland basketball league with an undefeated record. Four Sussex boys played for the team: Ted Tetzlaff, Bob and Jimmy Jones and Ken Kersten.
25 years ago — 1983
The Hamilton High School basketball team, coached by Rich Ludka, defeated Arrowhead 47-30.
Sussex farmer Ernie Pfeil and his wife, Ivah, celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. His farm is now the Sussex Heights subdivision.
Gene LaRue, 53, died in a Lannon mobile home fire.
10 years ago — 1998
Jeff Gulan, 34, of Sussex was sentenced to five months in jail for shooting his neighbor with a pellet gun.
Beavers dammed up the Sussex Creek north of Locust Drive.
A new shadow display box at the Pauline Haass Library exhibited selected items from the safety deposit box Pauline Haass, the library’s namesake, including stamps, watches, postcards and letters.
5 years ago — 2003
Lisbon and Sussex looked into sharing services, but ruled out sharing police and fire services.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court declared Lannon the loser in a lawsuit over taxes the village brought against Wood-land Contractors.
The chief of the Lannon Police Department was Mark Flessert.
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, December 24, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago — 1908
Sussex jeweler Allen H. Small sold and repaired watches, clocks and jewelry.
The Sussex Brook Hotel was owned and operated by Paul E. Schroeder.
The manager of the Sussex Elevator was John R. Small.
50 years ago — 1958
Smoked ham cost 45 cents a pound.
A dance recital at the Sussex Community Hall was attended by 250 parents and spectators. The dance lessons were part of the 12-week Sussex Playground (Recreation) Committee program for boys and girls at Sussex Main Street School.
25 years ago — 1983
Kevin Kronber’s basket at the gun provided the Hamilton boys basketball team with a 47-45 win over archrival Menomonee Falls North.
The Sussex Fire Department took delivery of a new 1,000-gallon pumper fire truck at a cost of $123,000.
The Lisbon Town Board expressed eagerness about moving forward with a study of consolidation with Sussex
10 years ago — 1998
The Hamilton School District considered starting a 4-year-old kindergarten may at the Willow Spring Learning Center.
The Lisbon Presbyterian Church featured a drive-through living nativity diorama.
A memorial tree for Laurie Swartz, wife of Sussex Village Administrator Chris Swartz, was planted at the Sussex Village Civic Center. She had died suddenly at age 46.
5 years ago — 2003
Thieves targeted Christmas decorations in Sussex frontyards.
Margaret Joecks of Lannon died at age 91.
Volunteer Mike Reed did a major remodeling of the new Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society Museum, including a Kewpie Doll cove. (Kewpies were a major trademark of the Mammoth Spring Canning Co. in old Sussex.)
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, December 31, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago — 1908
Four men (and no women) were buried at St. James Catholic Cemetery in 1908: Thomas Claery, Joseph William, J. Lines and Sylvester Wildt.
In Lisbon, you could get custom-made woven rugs and carpets from Otho Noble.
50 years ago — 1958
Lt. Alvin “Bud” Halquist came home from a year and a half on a Pacific Ocean destroyer, joining his son Perry, who was also home from his senior year at Colgate University.
25 years ago — 1983
Sue Youngbauer married Michael Brazy.
N&A Auto Sales (Paul Cain) and the Village of Sussex agreed that he could put eight cars on display for instead of the 10 he wanted and the maximum of four allowed by village ordinances.
The Sussex Masonic Order installed John Nelson as its Worthy Master at its 109th annual installation.
10 years ago — 1998
Julie Brown (nee Klatt), a former Sussex Main Street School teacher, died at 87. A teacher-principal romance in the late 1930s led to Miss Klatt’s marriage to her principal, Winston Brown.
The ice skating rink at Armory Park got a lot of use during a cold spell.
5 years ago — 2003
Holiday lawn ornament thefts in Sussex continued.
Westly Mattila, a former Sussex firefighter, village trustee and a key builder in the Sussex Quad/Graphics plan expansion, died at 79.
Mae Wildt of Lannon turned 100-years-old Dec. 28.