One time Chippewa Falls mayor from old English family, at least two brothers

Staff Report

Now buried for over 111 years, the man who gave Stanley his name resides in Forest Hill Cemetery at Chippewa Falls these days, so far as earthly remains are considered. With nothing except “Father” to adorn his last resting place beside the family headstone, Lemuel Castle Stanley is buried alongside his family, just behind lumber tycoon William Irvine of Irvine Park fame. Towards the road is Richard Yundt, who some might remember and others not as editor of the once-great Stanley Journal, while over in the next cemetery lot A. B. McDonnell of high school name fame is laid to rest, together with Jean Brunet, an early explorer and builder of

See MAYOR STANLEY’S PLOT, Page 3 MAYOR STANLEY’S PLOT

FROM PAGE 1 the first mill at Chippewa Falls, washed away by a flood.

Meanwhile in life, Lemuel Castle Stanley-son of Whiting Day Stanley and Maria Castle, hence the middle and last names to trace ancestry–was a man both of influence and high standing, attaining to great heights in the worlds of lumber and banking, among many other accomplishments. The Ward 3 alderman from Chippewa Falls who would go on to become Mayor just as the Falls were passing 40, (having themselves been established in 1836 or 1839, depending whether one dates time from before or after the flood that destroyed the first lumber mill on site), Mr. Stanley would give his name to a place of his own, but alas, one he never lived in–Stanley, Wisconsin, along the far edge of Chippewa County. He would also give his name to Stanley township in Barron County. But while Frenchtown would turn into Chippewa Falls, Little Falls into Holcombe and Cartwright effectively into New Auburn, the two places Stanley gave his name to remain. So who was he? This is where it can get murky, as there are no living witnesses to visit and ask who Stanley was. All we have are the written records left behind, which records–to say the least–can be incomplete, at best. Still, with a little luck and the Community History Archive at https://chippewafalls.advantage-preservation. com, we can dip a toe into that history, the first lesson being that there are many “Stanley” men in Chippewa Falls to distinguish amongst-we haven’t the space nor the time for that. Instead we shall trust the testimony of others who have said L.C. Stanley is our man, and bank on that. So what did the papers say, anyway? “The Stanley family is one of the largest and m ost honored in the city of Chippewa Falls,” the Daily Independent of March 18, 1900 says. “It is a pleasure, there for the Independent to give the following interesting geneology which we take from the Baraboo Democrat. STANLEY There is a book of genealogy of this family that is traced back to 1100 in Stafford County, Central England,” the Daily Independent relates, going on tflesh things out: “John Stanley started with his family for New England 1634 – 1635, but died on the passage leaving three who become the American ancestry to his name…” From among the descendants came Whiting D. Stanley with many sons, coming to Dane County first from New York, thence to Baraboo, and finally to Chippewa Falls. And as to the many sons of Whiting D. Stanley (including Lemuel)?

William died first, on March 30, 1898, being listed as a “frequent visitor to Chippewa Falls from downstate to his brothers F. G. and L. C. Stanley, the ‘F’ standing for “Fredrick” if other papers are to be believed. L.C. Stanley had two brothers. And the rest? That perhaps, shall be covered in a future installment. Until then there’s the Community History Archive. https:// chippewafalls.advantage-preservation.com. More stories to be found, we think.

Chippewa Falls Mayor Lemuel Castle (L.C.) Stanley as he appeared in life. Born and raised in New York before coming west, Lemuel Castle Stanley rose from lowly origins to be a banker and public official, dying in 1909. He is buried with family down the lane directly across from the sign announcing the newer section of Forest Hill Cemetery in Chippewa Falls, “established 1948.” Portrait image cropped from Stanley Area Historical Society.