Ralph E. Ritschke was born around 1963, to Duane Allen Ritschke (1935-2016) and Shirley Ann Stroud (1934-2005). He had been from Oshkosh originally, moved to Omro and then again to Wittenberg, where he graduated high school around 1981. March 20, 1984, 21-year-old Ritschke was arrested for criminal damage to property and released on a $500 […]
The Murder of Bicycle Bob Read More »
The Verheyen family lived in Little Rapids, an area between Green Bay and Kaukauna. Around 1929, John Stickl (then 22) was living with the family. But in December 1930, Stikl was ordered to leave after telling Mr. Anton Verheyen that he wanted to marry his daughter Helen Gertrude. (Actually, Stikl told the village pastor to
The Kidnapping of Helen Verheyen Read More »
(This is a draft I submitted for the 2025 City of Kaukauna Parks. I have no idea what changes were made after this. It’s a bit more Eurocentric than I would have liked, but that was unfortunately the smoothest way to tell a linear story in the word count provided.) As the name implies, the
From Grignon Mansion to Ahlstrom and Beyond Read More »
William A Doxtator was born 1936 in Fond du Lac, and bounced around between Hilbert, Oshkosh and Menasha 1955, graduated from Hilbert High School. He went to work at the Fred Rueping Leather Company in Fond du Lac. August 12, 1958, he was pulled over for speeding in Kaukauna. He was pulled over again two
Wayne Pratt suspect: William Doxtator Read More »
On the morning of September 14, 1972, around 11:06am, owner Mrs. Anna Diedrich called police to check on guests at the Kaukauna Motel on route 4 (Highway OO). They were supposed to have checked out the day before but had not been answering knocks at the door. Lieutenant Dean J. Ball discovered a woman dead
Camille Quinn and the Kaukauna Motel Read More »
March ?? 1956: Friday evening around 8:05pm, high school junior Michael McCormick, 17, (703 Quinney Avenue) met Terese VanderHorst, 18, (1121 Lawe Street) at 323 West Ninth Street. The house belonged to Angela McCormick, Michael’s grandmother, who was not home at the time. Soon, an argument broke out, and McCormick struck her over the head
Kaukauna’s Michael McCormick Read More »
(Yes, I know this should be edited better.) Alexander George Grignon was born August 24, 1834 in Green Bay, as part of the historic Grignon Family. His father was George Grignon (1800-1849) and mother was Mary Pauline Prickett (1815-1910). This Alexander is not to be confused with others of the name, including the Alexander (1812-1882)
The Alex Grignon Incident Read More »
Overview Arthur Esler, 14, died as result of being electrocuted on September 30, 1926 in Kaukauna, WI. He was electrocuted by the high tension wires on top of one of the towers on the bridge between the Island and the Union Bag and Paper mill. Esler Family Background The Esler family was prominent in Kaukauna,
The Shocking Death of Arthur Esler (Kaukauna) Read More »
