Jean Happel - Five Generations and Many Fond Memories
Five Generations and Many Fond Memories - be Linda Derrick
Some members of the Richfield Historical Society share not only a love for Local history, but they themselves are part of that history because their ancestors were some of the first settlers to this area. This is true for Jean Happel (former RHS Museum Chairperson). Her great, great grandfather immigrated here in the 1800s; and today Jean still lives in the very house he built long ago. This is her story:
Jean's great, great grandfather, Johann (John) Happel was 18 when he arrived in America in 1843. Seven years later he came to Wisconsin and purchased 80 acres near Rugby Junction (HWY 175 just north of Richfield). He married Elizabeth that same year; and they set out to make a home, farm the land and raise a family. What they didn't know back then was that their way of life would endure the test of time and span five generations.
Jean's great grandfather, Adam Happel, was the second generation. He 
raised his family here until his son John (Jean's grandfather) took over as the third generation to farm and live on the homestead. As Jean's father Elmer grew up, he worked alongside his father learning to be a farmer; and in the 1930s, he became the fourth generation to take over the farm. Jean was one of three girls born to Elmer and Edna, and she has many fond memories of growing up on the family homestead.
Jean recalls, "I farmed from little. on, and I loved it. By 8 years old, 
I was driving the tractor, and I couldn't even reach the pedals back then. I remember when I was about 12 years old, I would have to get up before school to help Dad cut silage. I would drive the big truck along side him as he operated the corn chopper. I preferred to work on the farm rather than go to school, and I was happy when I got to cut school because I was needed to work at home."
"We had a big farm. Besides oats, wheat, hay_ and barley crops, we grew vegetables for canneries. We had cows, chickens and pigs, as well as an 
apple orchard With over 100 trees. It was a busy life, and our entire family worked together as a unit. My sisters and I would work with our mother in the carrot field on our hands and knees weeding row after row. I remember being paid 10 cents a row. This was our spending money at the county fair which was held in Slinger back then."
"We all had our chores such as feeding and bedding cows and washing milking machines. From little on (6 or 7), I walked about a mile each day to the end of the property to bring the cows home. I always had our dog with me to help corral the cows and get them on the lane to walk back to the barn for milking. I also had to gather eggs from the chickens, and they didn't want to give them up. I had to brave it, reach in and get pecked at alot. And then, I had to wash the poop off the eggs as well. The worst job was cleaning the chicken coop. I swear my Dad would pick the hottest day in July for me to clean that smelly coop."
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It wasn't all work on the farm. In the winter, we found time to go sledding; and our long, steep driveway was the perfect hill. We'd go three on a sled, or one at a time. We would run and belly flop and away we'd go. In the summer after chores were done for the day, we would sit out on the lawn and listen to my mother tell stories about growing up in Milwaukee, and Dad would talk about what it was like growing up on the farm. It would get dark, and we would look up and learn about the stars. Sometimes we'd see the Northern Lights. We never wanted to come in."
"We learned just about everything from my mother and father. They instilled the values of life i.e. respect, showing kindness and the principles of hard work. Beause of them, I can name every bird and flower I see. They were our greatest teachers."
Jean grew up and realized her mother' s dream that she go on to college, and she graduated from UW Madison. She explains, "I had a great career working for Abbott Laboratories, but many weekends I came home to visit and work on the farm. Once my parents died, the farm became my full responsibility. I continued working at Abbott, but now my weekends and my vacations were spent working the farm i.e. in the fields planting and combining, maintaining the orchard, harvesting and selling apples by the bushel basket."
Over 15 years ago, Jean saw a notice in the local paper, "Richfield Happenings." The newly formed Richfield Historical Society (RHS) was looking for members. With her family history of living in the area for more than 150 years and her love for history, Jean was drawn to join the Society, and she became a member. Being a collector of artifacts over the years and keeping many of the antiques that her father had saved, Jean soon found herself donating some of these items to the Society.
Then came the call about to get more involved. The president of RHS called Jean asking if she would be interested in becoming the Museum Chairperson. Before Jean hung up the phone, she had agreed to accept the position, and the rest, you can say, "was history!"
Jean explains, "Being the RHS Museum Chairperson was a growing and forever learning experience. It tied into my family heritage and my love for history. When RHS acquired antique farming equipment, I could often envision how it was used. I liked the challenge of researching items that we didn't know much about. Sometimes we didn't even know what it was, and it became the group effort of many RHS members to solve the mystery."
In summing up her family's heritage and her life on the farm, Jean 
wanted to share the following: "Growing up here gave me an appreciation for nature and my surroundings. I am proud that my family has been part of this community for five generations, and I was happy to be part of preserving Richfield's history. I learned to enjoy every moment of the day, and I have come to relate the four seasons to the stages of life:
- In spring, I'm overjoyed at the first signs of wildflowers, the new blades of grass and the budding trees - Rebirth; the beginning of life.
- Summer is lush and beautiful Much like our youthful years.
- Autumn is the time to harvest everything (garden, orchard, fields) Our productive years.
- Winter - Our time of rest, peace and reflection.
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