Lunch at Boney's Mound

A great source on local history comes from Ruth Dickerson Gardner of Voss' Resort. Besides her personal knowledge and stories, Ruth has produced a book, Lunch at Boney's Mound: A Portrait of Family and Friends, as well as several films -- all of which are available at the Koller Library. The book is not readily found outside our local area, but please find the Amazon page here. The films, respectively titled Voss'...the First 100 Years and Generations, can most easily be found at our library.

These works have been produced with great affection for Ruth's family and for the area, as well as a reverence for our northern Wisconsin history. As she eloquently puts it in her introduction to Lunch at Boney's Mound:

This is the story of these people who sought the peace and solitude of Boney's Mound and the rest that came before...these loggers, farmers, hunters, trappers, and guides; raw-boned and rugged as the land itself.

It is the story of my family, myself; of all of us who cherish this land we have inherited. It would be a sad loss to forget those who have carved the way for us; passed into our care this beautiful piece of Paradise.

Their strength and determination should hearten us and their imperfections, warm our souls.

low in the grave he lay

Our blog regulars may recall the posts we put up on Daniel Divine (or Devine), an early settler in the area. A recent photo of his gravestone has come in, as well as data on Dan from the U.S. Census in 1900.

Dan Divine's gravestone

His gravestone reads: Daniel Divine, 1 Sgt. Co. C 23 Wis. Inf., memorializing his service in the Civil War.

Additional information (via AncestryLibrary.com and rewritten here for easier reading) on Dan's statistics:

Name: Daniel Devine
Age: 61
Birth Date: Jul 1838
Birthplace: Ireland
Home in 1900: Minocqua, Vilas, Wisconsin [Vilas]
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1848 [1843]
Relation to head of house: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Kate Devine
Marriage Year: 1879
Years Married: 21
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Occupation: [blank]
Household Members: by name and age

• Daniel Devine, 61
• Kate Devine, 55
• James Devine, 16
• Paul Devine, 9
• Hillie Devine, 1

Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census place: Minocqua, Vilas, Wisconsin; Roll: T623; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 188.

 A U.S. Civil War Record is also available for Dan. (Information from AncestryLibrary, retyped here for easier reading.)

Name: Daniel Devine
Residence: Lewiston, Wisconsin
Enlistment Date: 13 Aug 1862
Rank at enlistment: 1st Sergt
State Served: Wisconsin
Was Wounded?: Yes
Survived the War?: Yes
Service Record: Enlisted in Company C. Wisconsin 23rd Infantry Regiment on 13 Aug 1862. Mustered out on 12 May 1865.
Sources: Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers: War of the Rebellion

An even earlier census record, from 1860, suggests Dan's whereabouts before the war began. Looks like he was the oldest of six siblings!

Name: Daniel Devine
Age in 1860: 25
Birth Year: abt 1835
Birthplace: Ireland
Home in 1860: Lewiston, Columbia, Wisconsin
Gender: Male
Value of real estate: [blank]
Household members (by name and age)

• James Devine, 48
• Lizzie Devine, 43
• Daniel Devine, 25
• Abia Devine, 20
• James Devine, 16
• Thomas Devine, 12
• Lizzie Devine, 10
• Mary Devine, 5

 To check all this fascinating info out on your own, visit AncestryLibrary.com!