Meeting Minutes
Torch Club of the Fox Valley
14 January 2016
Atlas Coffee Mill & Café
Notes taken by: Jude Kuenn, secretary
Attendees: Karen Bachhuber, Jim Baumbach, Mary Flanagan, Paul Freiburg, Jean Hedges, Walt Hedges, Jean Jepson, Barbara Kelly, Bill Kelly, Jude Kuenn, Cam Maurice, Amy Oberg, Mary Poulson, Richard Schoenbohm, Katie Shaw, Webb Shaw, Bob Swain, Helen Thiel, Peter Thiel
Guests: Lisa Thiel Campbell, Mark Thiel, Sofia Wilson
BUSINESS MEETING
Meeting called to order at 6:32pm.
- Guest introductions: Peter and Helen Thiel introduced their daughter Lisa and son Mark, who surprised them with a visit to celebrate Peter’s birthday. Bill re-introduced Sofia Wilson, who was given a membership application.
- Minutes from 12/10/15 meeting were accepted, motioned and approved.
- Treasurer’s report: balance at 12/09/15 was $3,199.53. Payment of $15.17, plus $70.00 received updated balance as of 1/08/16 to $3,184.36. Barbara will be sending annual IATC dues soon, which will significantly reduce account total. Report was accepted, motioned and approved. Reserves have grown thanks to Donna Weis, who donated her IATC June 2015 Convention reimbursement to the Club.
- Old Business:
A: Amy Oberg: recapped next month’s book exchange. Bring worthwhile, intelligent topics, something that will touch each of us to give up. 2/11/16 meeting will start at 5:45pm, using the extra 15 minutes for exchange. Jude to coordinate with Sue, so a table will be available for books. - New Business:
1.Discuss pros and cons of ordering meals in advance: lively discussion ensued between the advantages and disadvantages of ordering meals in advance of meeting. Richard will take feedback to Sue, offering suggestions to improve current process. Ideas include: making iPhone a viable option for order placement; having a simplified menu ready night-of for last minute ordering; finding out how far in advance order needs to be placed, i.e., one day to one week enough time? Barbara will add Atlas’ menu link to our website. ~Ten folks would like the option to order night-of meeting.
2. More Membership changes: Janet Cloak has decided not to renew her membership.
3. Change in Speakers, Paul Freiburg: Peter will present 1/14/16; Webb Shaw, 2/11/16; Richard Schoenbohm, 3/10/16; Cam Maurice offered to talk 4/14/16 (there was a speaker vacancy); Jan Smith, 5/12/16. In April, Paul will canvas the group to sign up for 2016-2017 presentations. - Announcements:
a. Katie and Webb Shaw offered two ticket to the Fox Valley Symphony concert 1/23/16. They are unable to use them.
b. Mary Poulson: offered hardcopies of Noonhour Philosophers’ schedule through 4/27/16.
Business segment adjourned at 7:05pm for dinner.
Peter Thiel presented “One of My Favorite Ancestors”
Richard Rogers, Jr. was Peter’s great, great grandfather.
Some Rogers’ history:
I. Thomas Rogers (1572-1621), lived in England and Holland, before sailing on the Mayflower.
II. Joseph (1602/3-1677/8) was also a passenger with his father on the Mayflower, landing in Cap Code, MA. He and his wife had eight children and lived in Eastham, MA.
III. John (1642-1714) farmed in Eastham, MA and had nine children.
IV. John (1672-1738/9) moved from Eastham to Harwich, MA and had eight children.
V. Ebenezer (1677/8-1769) moved from Harwich to Old Lyme, CT and had 11 children.
VI. Ebenezer, Jr. (1724-1800) also of Old Lyme, had four children.
VII. Richard (1757-1836) served in the Revolutionary War on his father’s behalf.
VIII. Richard, Jr. (1790-1883) served in the War of 1812, had 10 children, four sons served in the Civil War.
The eighth generation of the Rogers family, Richard Jr. was baptized in 1805. He took his religion with him when he walked to Ohio in 1809, having established a Congregational Church there. Richard bought land with his brother. As a young man, he owned 110 acres in Randolph, and owned the first iron plow. In 1813, Richard served in the War of 1812.
Richard, Jr. married Cordelia Davis in 1821 and moved to Elizabethtown NY. In 1824, he purchased his father-in-law’s land. In 1840, land opened up for farming in the area of the country today known as Wisconsin. In 1849, Richard Jr. and four sons walked there, arrived in the fall, and built a small shed in Grand Chute, Brown County, WI. By 1850, the family owned lots 2 and 3 on Front Street, plus 107 acres of farmland. 1863 saw the addition of lots 4 and 11 in town. This was when Prospect Avenue ended at State Street.
Eventually, some farmland was sold off; buyers included the railway and a cemetery. Richard and Cordelia were charter members of the first Baptist Church in Appleton. In 1876, they relocated to South Haven, MI. Richard died in 1883.
In Richard’s lifetime, he lived through 22 presidents, starting with George Washington, supported mechanization of agriculture, saw the progress of communication, witnessed the harnessing of water power, and maintained solid religious convictions. Richard, Jr. helped develop and protect land, and understood the value of service to his country.