Albert M. Gilbert
The original owner of the home was Albert M. Gilbert. His father, William Gilbert, was the founder and proprietor of the Gilbert Paper Company in Menasha in 1887. Albert held the position of Treasurer and had the house built in 1904, in a location very close to his father and brother. Unfortunately, he was only able to enjoy his new house for a brief time. Albert M. Gilbert passed away three years later in 1907 at the age of 50. His widowed wife Anne Kelledy Gilbert lived in the home with their five children until 1910. She relocated the family in Washington, D.C. and sold the house to Edmund J. Lachmann. Anne Kelledy Gilbert became a well-known author and poet and passed away in 1944.
Edmund J. Lachmann
Edmund J. Lachmann was the next owner of the house. Lachmann was born in Neenah in 1857. He was the son of German immigrants Jacob and Catherine Lachmann. He took a course at the business college in Oshkosh after his local education. He became a co-owner of the Krueger & Lachmann Milling Company in 1885 and married his business partner's daughter, Dora Krueger. Soon after he became Mayor of Neenah in 1892. From 1910-1920 he served as president of Lakeside Paper Mills. He also served as vice-president of the State Bank of Neenah from 1911-1917, later becoming president of the same bank from 1917-1926. Lachmann resided in this house from about 1910-1934 where he then sold the home to Sam Pickard. He died in 1944.
Samuel N. Pickard
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Sam Pickard was a major figure in Neenah and the surrounding areas. He attended Ripon High School and was a basketball star there. During the First World War he served as a Marine. After returning from war he worked for the National Manufacturer's Bank. He was the president of Ripon College Trustees for 12 years. He was involved in many projects in Neenah including the new post office, the YWCA Community Center, updates to the First Presbyterian Church, the demolition of the old Valley Inn Hotel and building of the Ramada Inn in it's place, and fundraising for the civic auditorium at Neenah High School (which was named in his honor - Pickard Auditorium). To add to the house's history, Sam removed the porch roof and the twin dormers. A complete history of his life can be found in the biography, "Call me Sam", written by his wife, Dorothea Pickard. Sam Pickard died in 1973 and his wife Dorothea in 1986.
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Previous Owners: Mr. and Mrs. Hansen
Current Owners: Mr. and Mrs. Van Zeeland
Current Owners: Mr. and Mrs. Van Zeeland
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Sources
Galassie, David. Gilbert Paper Company. N.d. Menasha. Menasha. Web. 13 May 2017.
Pickard, Dorothea Wilgus. "Call Me Sam"; a Biography of Samuel Nelson Pickard. Madison: Wisconsin House, 1972. Print.
"The Post-Crescent from Appleton, Wisconsin · Page 64."Newspapers.com. The Post Crescent, n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
Schmitt, Gavin. "Neenah." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
"The Mansions." An American Downton Abbey. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2017.
"The State: A History of Neenah: Industrial." The State: A History of Neenah: Industrial. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
"Wisconsin Historical Society." 1010 E FOREST AVE (Formally 808 E Forest Ave). N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.
Pickard, Dorothea Wilgus. "Call Me Sam"; a Biography of Samuel Nelson Pickard. Madison: Wisconsin House, 1972. Print.
"The Post-Crescent from Appleton, Wisconsin · Page 64."Newspapers.com. The Post Crescent, n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
Schmitt, Gavin. "Neenah." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
"The Mansions." An American Downton Abbey. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2017.
"The State: A History of Neenah: Industrial." The State: A History of Neenah: Industrial. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.
"Wisconsin Historical Society." 1010 E FOREST AVE (Formally 808 E Forest Ave). N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.