New Bartlett leaders learn, make village history

Among the dozens of people who came to watch the Bartlett village board swearing-in ceremony Tuesday was Pam Rohleder, director of the Bartlett History Museum and the Bartlett Depot Museum.

Rohleder came not just to witness history, but to share it as well, telling the newly sworn officials how their counterparts were chosen in the village’s first election.

Shortly after the village’s incorporation in March 1891, Civil War veteran and state politician George Struckman was elected the first village president, she said. Struckman received 47 votes, as did Louis Stumpf, who was named village clerk, and four trustees — creamery owner John Carr, general store proprietor August Schick, wagon maker Jacob Schmidt and retired farmer Charles Schultz.

There was a three-way tie for the two remaining trustee seats. To settle it, Stumpf put on a blindfold and pulled slips of paper for each of the candidates. Two were labeled “trustee” and the third — designated for the loser — was marked with a cross.

Stumpf picked first for Franz Hest, the village undertaker and coffin maker, and drew the cross-marked slip. That resulted in salon owner Herman Niewisch and builder Henry Waterman being named trustee.

Rohleder put original election documents and signed oaths of office from the village’s 1891 and 1892 elections on display outside of the council chambers.