I can tell you what information I've been given
to the best of my knowledge. Thanks to Keith Paul....he gladly shares his
information with us. Keith grew up on this farm and his family owned it
from 1964-1984. First I'm going to start off with some old images of our
home, which was built in 1908 by Robert Ringle (Keith's great grandfather).
Springbrook Farm was homesteaded by Robert Ringle's father some time after the
civil war. (Just a little extra tid bit of information: Robert's twin
brother, Ernst, which is Donna Kaldunski's grandfather, built their farm also.)
Donna Kaldunski is one of our many wonderful neighbors we have. We
are so extremely lucky to have the neighbors we have.
Not sure when this picture was taken. According
to some of their clothes, I'm guessing Pre1920, but I could be wrong.
Seeing this picture is what has given us the inspiration to revert the
exterior of the home back to how it was. I really wish that front porch
was still there...isn't it beautiful? I can see myself sitting on a
rocking chair and watching the kids running back and forth and them using the
railing for a hot wheel cars road. :-) The porch on the left is still
there, although the steps come straight out from the door. They do not
come out to the side as in the image. (Although, in time we would like to
change that back.)
Just to compare, I'm going to throw this picture out there
so you can see what it currently looks like.
Keith Paul's estimated guess on this
picture, according to the size of the pine trees, is late 20's to early 30's.
Possibly during the dust bowl days, with how dry it looks. David
Paul's guess is that it could be as early as 1920.
Shown directly below is another current
picture to compare how tall these pine trees have grown. The one on the
left even had the center top broken off at some point before we moved in.
Some pretty big trees!! Unfortunately, I'm not feeling too
comfortable with their location to the house and will eventually be cutting
them down.
Circa 1968-1970
The big silo and the west barn addition were added in 1968. The little silo, which is blocked by the big silo was built in 1966. In 1971, the house was remodeled, and this is prior to the remodel. I didn't realize this in the picture until Keith Paul pointed it out, but the entrance to the house from the back, is located on the north side of the addition at the time. From this picture, it appears to look like a window. Currently, for those that know the house, the entrance is located on the west. I wonder when all of these extra buildings were removed. ?? I see the machine shed, that is currently here does not yet have the lean to.
I wanted to add this tid bit of information too: Merlin Paul (Keith's dad) was a "strip" farmer. On the top of the photo you can see the strips of alternating crops. This was done to manage soil erosion.
This concludes my first post on "this
old house". This one will probably be the most informative, but I
hope you'll continue to check back in to see what exciting things we are up to. The hubby gave me 5 - 10 years and this remodel will be completed.....we'll see. :-)
If you have additional information to share, please comment on the blog. I'd love to hear it!
If you have additional information to share, please comment on the blog. I'd love to hear it!
My name is Tim Baumann, and Keith & David Paul are my 2nd cousins. My grandmother, Viola (Ringle) Wilde is the young girl on the far left side of the front row. She was born in the small house (later summer kitchen) on May 1, 1903. She was the 4th of the 5 children that Robert & Ottillie Ringle had. Robert & Ottillie were married June 28, 1891 in Dodge County, WI, and settled on what later became known as "Spring Brook Farm" on July 4th, 1891. Grandma always remembered moving into the new house because it was so much bigger than the old one. The machine shed/granary in the center of the aerial photo provided by Keith Paul is where on Nov. 1, 1917, Keith's grandparents Walter & Alice (Viola's sister) Paul, and Fred & Helen (also Viola's sister) Steidinger had their wedding dance. They were married in double wedding ceremony at St. John's Lutheran Church, Town of Rib Falls, WI. After Robert Ringle died in April of 1923, Ottillie, and sons Elmer & Douglas, along with Viola, ran the farm until Elmer & Douglas each were married in 1931. Douglas took over Spring Brook Farm, and Elmer bought his own farm in Town of Wien. Douglas & Adela Ringle ran the farm until Douglas' sudden death in July 1964, at which time Merlin Paul purchased it from Adela.
ReplyDeleteThe photo on the home page of this blog was taken about 1910.
DeleteSorry it took me so long to reply back. We've been a little busy....
DeleteWow!! Thank you so much for this information. I really appreciate it! Knowing more of the history of this place makes me love it even more. The families that have been here before us all seem like WONDERFUL people! Thanks again. Hope you keep checking in. We're getting closer and closer for the first major part of this remodel to be completed. Up next is the drywall...
The summer kitchen, and granary/machine shed were torn down in the mid to late 1970's
ReplyDeleteHi again Bev, I'm really impressed with how everything has come together. What a labor of love! My mom & I would love to see the interior once it's finished if possible. Ok?
ReplyDelete