The Falls History Project 2025 can be viewed by clicking the image above. Paper copies are available in the Jackson County History Room. 

Veterans and Military History Available in the Jackson County History Room

With Memorial Day fast approaching and family members remembering loved ones laid to rest in area cemeteries, the focus of Memorial Day is to remember our deceased veterans. The Jackson County History Room, located in the Black River Falls Public library, has an abundance of materials regarding veterans and the wars they served in.

In recent weeks, Historian Mary Woods sorted through the files, which were from various sources including the files of the late Toddy Porath and Jean Anderson, two volumes of Jackson County Veterans by the late Bob Teeples, and personal letters from service men sent home to their families. Files also include the life and death of Jackson County’s Medal of Honor Recipient Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr., history of veterans’ organizations, newspaper clippings concerning promotions, letters sent to the local paper by service members serving in various wars, and the sad announcements of service members’ deaths and those taken prisoners-of-war. Woods notes that the cemetery index books also aid family members in locating burial locations of veterans and their loved ones.

In examining the files, Woods came across an article on a former Melrose resident, Luman Cadwell, who was awarded the Medal of Honor on August 17, 1894, for his acts of bravery during the Civil War. Cadwell, the son of Nathan Cadwell and Eliza (Richards) Cadwell, farmed with his parents on County D, near Melrose. Originally from New York the family moved to the Melrose area in 1855. When the war broke out Cadwell wanted to enlist with people he knew so he went back to New York and enlisted in 1862 with Company B, 2nd New York Veteran Cavalry. He was injured twice while fighting in the war and was mustered out as a 1st Lieutenant in 1865.

An article printed in the Melrose Chronicle, March 25,1987 states, “Attempting to take a rebel fort in Louisiana during the Civil War, two volunteers who could swim were needed by the Yankee unit to eliminate the enemy’s means of escape. Luman and another man stepped forward to do the job. Swimming and pushing a boat ahead of them for protection from the heavy enemy fire, Luman and his companion swam through the Mississippi backwater toward the fort. Luman’s companion was killed. Alone, Luman continued, cut loose the enemy boats, and swam back to his unit. Unable to escape, the garrison had to surrender. The bravery that Luman showed in battle did not go unnoticed and for his incredible swim, he earned the Medal of Honor.”

Luman Cadwell and his family lived in Decorah, Iowa where he worked for the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroads, Citizen’s Savings Bank and operated the Decorah Greenhouse. He died July 8, 1925, at the age of 89 and is buried in Phelps Cemetery, Decorah, Iowa.

The Changing Landscapes of Wisconsin: A Digital Archive of Historic Aerial Photographs can be accessed here: https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AAerialWI

Memorial Cards:

A Unique Resource Found in the
Jackson County History Room

Most researchers will agree that each Library/History Room has a unique resource for those seeking family information. A resource unique to the Black River Falls Public library-Jackson County History Room are Memorial Cards. Today, researchers will find over 3,400 donated Memorial Cards to review and copy for their family histories.

Historian Mary I. Murray Woods states that the project began when she became historian in December 1994. Mary’s father, William Murray, had a large collection of Memorial Cards, and the family did not know what to do with them. Mary found the perfect home for the cards – the Jackson County History Room.

A former volunteer in the History Room, Donna Rousey, began indexing the cards. Being she was active in the Alma Center Cemetery and worked closely with area funeral directors she was given Memorial Cards for many of the area funerals. Throughout the years, the collection grew as families, aware of the History Room’s Memorial Card Collection, gave cards they found when cleaning out a loved one’s home or closing out an estate. 

Recently Volunteer Trudy Rosenbaum Arrington put all the card names on a database for researchers to search by name. Woods stated, “Trudy is a wonderful volunteer and having this project on a database is a great resource for History Room visitors.”  Woods adds, “Memorial Cards contain information that can be helpful in many ways, such as the names of pallbearers who may not be relatives, but friends and neighbors. These friends and neighbors may offer a personal story or life experience of the deceased which again, adds to the family’s history.”   

Those interested in searching the Memorial Cards database, may contact Historian Woods by email at m.woods@wrlsweb.org or by visiting the Black River Falls Public Library-Jackson County History Room, 222 Fillmore Street, Black River Falls, WI  54615.  Mary may also be reached by calling, 715-284-4112 Ext 3.  The History Room is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by appointment.