Pershing, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Pershing is a town in Taylor County
, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 180 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Donald
is located in the town.
, the town has a total area of 35.8 square miles (92.8 km²), of which, 35.7 square miles (92.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.45%) is water.
The water consists mostly of man-made flowages
in the Pershing Wildlife Area, and the Fisher River, which crosses Pershing from east to west.
in 1847 by a crew working for the U.S. government, then again in 1852. Then in 1855 another crew marked all the section corners
in the township
, walking through the woods and slogging through the swamps on foot, measuring with chain
and compass. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
Pershing was logged starting in the late 1800s. Around 1903 the Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Northeastern Railway (a.k.a. Omaha) built its line across the township, roughly following the current CTH M. Around 1905 the Wisconsin Central Railway built the line which would become the Soo Line
and on which trains run to this day. At the junction of the two lines the community of Donald rose. It declined after logging waned and the Omaha shut down in 1939.
In early August of 1936 more than two thirds of Pershing was burned by wildfires, forcing fifteen families to flee their homes.
Now much of Pershing is farmed by families: dairy, beef and crops. One third of the town is occupied by the Pershing Wildlife Area, managed by the state of Wisconsin.
of 2000, there were 180 people, 70 households, and 45 families residing in the town. The population density
was 5.0 people per square mile (1.9/km²). There were 92 housing units at an average density of 2.6 per square mile (1.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.
There were 70 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,083, and the median income for a family was $60,833. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $35,417 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,607. About 8.8% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 22.2% of those sixty-five or over.
Taylor County, Wisconsin
Taylor County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2010, the population was 20,689. Its county seat is Medford.-History:The earliest recorded event in Taylor county probably occurred in 1661, when Wisconsin was part of New France...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 180 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Donald
Donald, Wisconsin
Donald is an unincorporated community located in the town of Pershing, Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States....
is located in the town.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 35.8 square miles (92.8 km²), of which, 35.7 square miles (92.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.45%) is water.
The water consists mostly of man-made flowages
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in the Pershing Wildlife Area, and the Fisher River, which crosses Pershing from east to west.
History
The six mile square that would become Pershing was first surveyedSurveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
in 1847 by a crew working for the U.S. government, then again in 1852. Then in 1855 another crew marked all the section corners
Section (United States land surveying)
In U.S. land surveying under the Public Land Survey System , a section is an area nominally one square mile, containing , with 36 sections making up one survey township on a rectangular grid....
in the township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
, walking through the woods and slogging through the swamps on foot, measuring with chain
Gunter's chain
Gunter's chain is a measuring device used for land survey. It was designed and introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter long before the development of the theodolite and other more sophisticated equipment, enabling plots of land to be accurately surveyed and plotted,...
and compass. When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
This Township contains several swamps and one in the SE corner of considerable extent. They are all unfit for cultivation. The meadow and AlderAlderAlder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
bottoms are all subject to be overflowed to a depth of 1 too 2 feet and are good for HayHayHay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
. The surface is Generally low and level a part is upland where the soil is 2d rate. This township is Heavily Timbered and is cheifly[sic] composed of Hemlock and Y. Birch on low level land and on uplands SugarSugar MapleAcer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
, LindenTilia americanaTilia americana is a species of Tilia native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Texas, and southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to Cherry County, Nebraska...
W. PineEastern White PinePinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
and Balsam. The undergrowth is Generally thick and is composed of Hemlock Balsam and HazelHazelThe hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
. Balsam and ElmElmElms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
line the margins of the Meadow and Alder bottoms. There is no improvements on this Township.
Pershing was logged starting in the late 1800s. Around 1903 the Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Northeastern Railway (a.k.a. Omaha) built its line across the township, roughly following the current CTH M. Around 1905 the Wisconsin Central Railway built the line which would become the Soo Line
Soo Line Railroad
The Soo Line Railroad is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway , controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste...
and on which trains run to this day. At the junction of the two lines the community of Donald rose. It declined after logging waned and the Omaha shut down in 1939.
In early August of 1936 more than two thirds of Pershing was burned by wildfires, forcing fifteen families to flee their homes.
Now much of Pershing is farmed by families: dairy, beef and crops. One third of the town is occupied by the Pershing Wildlife Area, managed by the state of Wisconsin.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 180 people, 70 households, and 45 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5.0 people per square mile (1.9/km²). There were 92 housing units at an average density of 2.6 per square mile (1.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.
There were 70 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,083, and the median income for a family was $60,833. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $35,417 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $14,607. About 8.8% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 22.2% of those sixty-five or over.