Reindeer, Gold Dust & Mt. Horeb's First Automobile
William Kjellman, immigrant to the United States from Lapland in 1890's made his home in Mt. Horeb. In his native country he had been a reindeer herder until he was 22 years old at which time he sold reindeer.
Dr. Sheldon Jackson, a well known educator and missionary, knew that Alaska needed a reliable source of food and promoted reindeer herding as a means of improving the native Eskimo way of life. Kjellman answered a letter from Jackson regarding a government project to take reindeer to Alaska. Jackson was impressed with Kjellman's knowledge and experience in herding. He was so sure of Kjellman's qualifications that he appointed him the superintendent of the newly created Teller Reindeer Station, located just below the Arctic Circle. Kjellman would be in charge of assembling a group of experienced herders and educating the native 'Alaskans on how to handle the animals.
In February of 1894, Kjellman left Wisconsin to travel to Northern Norway to assemble a group of Reindeer herders and their trained dogs for the move to Alaska. The colorful group of Laplanders, dressed in their native attire, along with their dogs, sailed to the United States. They boarded a train that took them from New York City to San Francisco, from which they traveled by ship to Alaska. While traveling through Wisconsin, Kjellman's wife, daughters Villa and Jenny, and his father joined the group. Kjellman was instrumental in the early success of the reindeer station.
Kjellman's wife , and daughters returned to their hometown, Mt. Horeb, while William remained in the North. Throughout his stay in Alaska Kjellman kept ties to his Wisconsin. Periodically, as needed, he would return to Mt. Horeb. The Mt. Horeb Times reported in November 1887-Mr. Kjellman, our Alaska man, arrived home last Monday, being on his way to Lapland, with three families of Laplanders that have been in the employ of the government with Mr. Kjellman as of the reindeer stations in Alaska. Mr. K will return in the spring with new recruits for the "promised land," and another supply of reindeer. Kjellman's returns were greeted with great interest by area residents as reported in the Times on November 18, 1897 -
- J.P. Moe sports a genuine Alaska gold nugget scarf pin, a present from his friend Mr. Kjellman. It is about twice the size of a bean and contains about three dollars worth of gold.
In 1897, large amounts of gold were discovered in Alaska and the Yukon. Within a year over a million men would clamor to the North in search of a fortune. The United States Government promoted a Reindeer Relief Expedition designed to stave off wide spread famine due to the great influx of gold seekers. Kjellman, in January of 1898, went to Norway to gather 535 reindeer and 65 herders to go to Alaska. But by the time the reindeer arrived in Alaska, the perceived danger of famine had passed.
Kjellman returned to Mt. Horeb to visit His family in June of 1898. Of his next ventures to Mt.. Horeb Times reported -
Wm. Kjellman left for Seattle Wash., last Saturday, and from there he will go to Alaska. Later in the season he will go to Siberia to purchase another lot of reindeer. Before leaving he placed a order with the Kleven Brothers to remodel his residence. The improvements will figure up to about one thousand dollars.
As time passed, the lure of gold struck the reindeer herdsmen; many went to work in the rich gold fields. Kjellman was one of those who filed claims in Anvil City near Nome, Alaska. When William Kjellman returned to Mt. Horeb he was a wealthy man. On November 30, 1899, the editor of the Mt. Horeb Times proclaimed -
Mr. Kjellman returned last week from Alaska, apparently in splendid health, and by all reports a man of wealth. He intends to spend the winter at home with his family.
On December 7, 1899, the Times elaborated-
- William Kjellman, who is back from Anvil City, Alaska, has been most fortunate in attaching himself to valuable property in this great gold producing country. He with three partners were the first on the ground in the Cape Nome mining district, which covers 625 square miles. Mr. K sold one of his claims for $75,000 shortly before he left for home and has 51 claims which he holds for future prospects.
In January of 1900, Mt. Horeb was visited by two of the Kjellman Laplander herders who had accompanied him to Alaska in 1894. They too, as reported by the Times, had accumulated considerable wealth in the gold fields at Cape Nome.
-text © copyright 2000, Mt. Horeb Area Historical Society.
Above- Reindeer Herd Enroute To The Klondike
Mount Horeb's First Automobile
William Kjellman's new found wealth allowed him the extravagance of purchasing the towns first auto, perhaps the first automobile shipped to Wisconsin. In 1899, Kjellman ushered into Mt. Horeb a new age in transportation.
The Haynes-Apperson automobile, ordered in 1899 and arriving in June of 1900, stood seven feet tall. Along with its carriage like surrey the car had leather upholstery, lights, and was described by the local press as "a gem".
Kjellman wrote years later to his old friend J.M. Moe concerning Mt. Horeb's first automobile:
"I bought it at the factory in Kokomo, Indiana from the Haynes - Apperson Company in 1899. It was a surrey canopy top, with two cylinders. The Engine was in a box in the rear with the cylinders laying on each side of the box. The maximum speed possible was 12 miles per hour. It was shipped by rail to Mt. Horeb and Mr. Edgar Apperson, (owner of the company) arrived in Mt. Horeb a few days after, unloaded the auto, and gave me lessons in driving for 2 or 3 days. He also returned 2 weeds later to make some adjustments. I always have claimed it to be the first auto bought west of Chicago, with the possibility of one to Minneapolis. I believe it perfectly safe to say it was the first car in Wisconsin. The car cost $2,000 and I paid $200 to get it, as it had been ordered to Minneapolis and waiting for the next to be finished would mean 2 months delay. There was only two makes at the time in the Middle West market, The Winton, known as the "White Elephant" and the Haynes-Apperson Surrey- I can say truthfully that all of them were of the "White Elephant" family, more or less related. My experience with it was mainly to keep off the road and try to hide it while the Dane County dairy farmers passed by. Perhaps more milk was spilt in passing my standing still car than for all other reasons or causes put together.
For more information on Mt. Horeb's first auto, go to http://www.railwayvillage.org/haynes.html