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Richard J. Hoge

1894 - 1983

 

 

 

1918

08 07       HOGE TO THE RESCUE, takes girl from river

Richard Hoge, 203 North Fourth Street, a clerk in the Farmers & Citizens bank of Watertown, saved a young lady from death by drowning Monday evening at the public bathing beach at Division Street bridge.

 

Miss Stella Salick was one of the bathers and was wearing a pair of water wings to assist her in keeping afloat while learning to swim.  The wings became disarranged in some manner and she sank, catching hold of two boys near her who were unable to render assistance.  Richard Hoge was nearby and when the girl came to the surface a second time he grabbed her and she convulsively clutched him and became unconscious.  He broke her hold and caught her by the hair and swam to shallow water where every assistance was rendered until consciousness returned.  The water at the point where she sank is eight feet deep.

 

While probably in this particular instance life buoys would not have been of much use there is always danger of accidents and buoys or life preservers should be kept at a convenient point on the beach so they can be used, or some other means employed to save life.  The presence of mind of her rescuer is all that saved the girl, which might in some cases have resulted in a double drowning.    The Watertown News, 08 07 1918

 

1936

07 30       RICHARD J. HOGE PICKED TO KEEP WEATHER RECORD

Richard Hoge, cashier of the Farmers and Citizens bank, today announced that Frank Coleman Milwaukee, meteorologist for the United States weather bureau, had requested him to take over the keeping of the Watertown weather records, succeeding the late Charles J. Salick, Watertown's veteran weather man.  Mr. Hoge has consented to take over the work.  There is no salary connected with the task.

 

Mr. Hoge has for several years been interested as an amateur in the study of weather and weather reports.  In addition to filing reports with the Milwaukee bureau he will supply the Daily Times with the daily low and high temperature readings.  This service was furnished for years by Mr. Salick.  The official instruments for the recording of the weather have been taken to Mr. Hoge's home at 305 South Fifth Street.

 

___________________________  EARLY WEATHER FORECASTING  ___________________________

1891:   Watertown considered for Weather and Crop Service Station

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04 22 1891 <> Frank Eaton, secretary of the Farmers club, and some others, have interested themselves in having Watertown made a weather and crop service station, under the auspices of the Commercial and Agricultural interests of Wisconsin.  The project, it is expected, will be matured this week, and flag displays be seen from the city hall building.  Daily weather maps will be received and posted in conspicuous places for the benefit of the public.  Self-registering thermometers will be used for making observations of temperatures, rain falls, etc.  Great benefits to the farmers about here are expected from the establishing of this station, and it hoped that general interest will be manifested in its maintenance and success.      WR

 

04 24 1891 <> Through the efforts of Frank Eaton on about May 1st next a signal service station will be in full running order here.  The flags will be displayed from the city hall towers, which will indicate the weather 24 hours in advance.  The rain gauge and self-registering thermometer will be placed at some convenient place in the city, so that all may get the benefit of them.

 

05 15 1891 <> The signal service thermometers and rain gauge for this station have arrived and are now in position on the building of Jos. Salick & Son.  The weather flags will be here in a few days, and will float from the flag staff of the city hall.

 

05 22 1891 <> Last Friday afternoon the weather signals of the government weather signal station were floated for the first time from the city hall flag staff, the first signal indicating frost that night.  As it was quite warm at the time and threatening rain, many laughed at the idea of there going to be a frost, and alluded to the signal service as a fraud, but on toward evening the weather turned cold, and during the night a very severe frost set in.  Thus far the weather predictions have been a success...

WG

 

 

05 22 1891 <> [same date and paper] Attention farmers.  Make hay while the sun shines.  Daily 8 a.m. weather forecasts from Washington-D.C., standard time from Washburn Observatory and weekly crop reports received at the Music and Jewelry store of Joseph Salick & Son, Watertown, Wis.      WG

 

06 03 1891 <> The weather signals are now displayed from the Salick building instead of the city hall.

 

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1952

U.S. WEATHER BUREAU OBSERVATION STATION

        Richard Hoge home, 305 South Fifth Street

 

1956

09 23       20 YEARS COMPILING WEATHER RECORDS

R. J. Hoge, Watertown banker and the city's weather reporter for the United States Department of Commerce which is headquarters for the nation's weather records, has received an emblem from the department signifying 20 years of service in behalf of assisting in assembling weather records and data.  Mr. Hoge has been the city's weather observer since taking over the duties from John E. Salick who handled the reports for a short time after the death of his father, the late Charles J. Salick who had been in charge of the records here for many years.   WDT

 

1960

03 30       A PENNY AND R. J. HOGE

A penny, minted in 1860, which R. J. Hoge lost 59 years ago when he was a small boy and the family lived in a house at 203 North Fourth Street, was recovered by him the other day when he visited the place, scene of wrecking operations in connection with demolishing of St. Luke's Lutheran Church for a parking lot.  Mr. Hoge, of the Bank of Watertown staff, recalled that he lost the penny when it rolled along the floor and disappeared between two boards. He tried at the time to recover it with a wire but was unsuccessful.  Over the years, he said, he frequently recalled that penny, especially when he passed the old house where he used to live.  The other day he went into the house, after obtaining the key from the wreckers, and after digging around in the debris he was amazed to find the penny.  He said he knew exactly where it had disappeared and it was still in that area.   WDT

 

1961

09 13       25 YEAR SERVICE PIN

R. J. Hoge, local co-operative weather reporter for the Wisconsin State Weather Bureau, is one of the better of the state co-operative reporters, the Watertown Rotary Club was told on Monday by Marvin W. Burley of the weather bureau at Madison.  Mr. Burley is the bureau’s state climatologist.  Burley presented Hoge with a 25 year service pin during the meeting, held at the Legion Green Bowl.  He told of the complete and accurate reports turned in by Hoge, and in presenting the pin told him that “your record richly merits this achievement.”  Hoge took over the post held here for a great many years by the late Charles Salick. He took over the local climatological station here on July 29, 1936.  The station was established on Feb. 1, 1892, with Mr. Salick the first observer.  He held the position until his death on July 14, 1936.   WDT

 

1965

08 08       U.S. WEATHER BUREAU HONOR

R.J. Hoge, 605 Labaree Street, is one of 31 volunteer weather observers who have been selected by the United States Department of Commerce to receive the U.S. Weather Bureau’s 1965 honors.  Mr. Hoge who has kept weather records in Watertown for many years is one of 26 men and women who will receive the John Campanius Holm Award for 1965 while five other persons are due to receive the Thomas Jefferson Award.  None of the latter is from this part of the country.   WDT

 

1966

04 11       RECEIVED HOLM AWARD

R. J. Hoge, in charge of Watertown weather records, this morning received the Holm Award for nearly 30 years of superior service as a volunteer weather observer, for continuity of observations and for accuracy, reliance and cooperation.  The award was presented by Hans Rosendal, state climatologist of the Madison U.S. Weather Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce.  In July Mr. Hoge will receive a 20 year service pin.  In making the presentation today, Mr. Rosendal complimented Mr. Hoge on his outstanding record of service in the collection and preservation of weather data in this area.   WDT

 

1983

08 08       RICHARD J. HOGE DIES

        VOLUNTEER COOPERATIVE WEATHER OBSERVER

 

Richard J. Hoge, 89, a banker in Watertown for 67 years, and also the city's weather observer for nearly one-half century, died Tuesday evening at Marquardt Memorial Manor.  Hoge lived at 605 Lafayette Street, but had made his home at Marquardt for the past year.

 

Funeral services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church with Rev. O. G. Espeland officiating.  Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery.

 

Friends may call to pay their respects at the Pederson Funeral Home Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday until noon.  The body will lie in state at the church from 1 p.m. until the time of services.

 

Hoge was born July 17, 1894 in Watertown, son of the late Albert and Evaline Hoge.  He married the former Isabel Moldenhauer on Oct. 26, 1926.  She preceded him in death in September of 1970.

 

Survivors include three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Florence Fingel, Mrs. Elda Raue and Frieda Moldenhauer, all of Watertown, and other friends and relatives.  He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and one sister.

 

Hoge started his banking career in 1912 as a clerk at the Farmers and Citizens Bank.  In 1956, when the assets of the bank were purchased by the Bank of Watertown, now known as the M & I Bank of Watertown, Hoge continued at the new bank until his retirement from his position of assistant vice president in 1965.

 

Several months later he left retirement to work as an assistant vice president at the Merchants National Bank.  He continued with the Merchants Bank for 14 years, retiring in 1979.  His 67 years in the banking industry ranks among the highest in Wisconsin.

 

Hoge had also served as weather observer for the city starting back in 1936 when he succeeded the late John Salick.  He continued in that work until the end of 1980 when ill health forced him to leave that post.  Twice he had been named recipient of the John Campanius Holm Award in honor of his work for the National Weather Service.  In 1978 he received the Thomas Jefferson Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the highest honor given to volunteer observers.  He is the only person from Wisconsin ever to receive the award.

 

Hoge had also been active in community, government and church affairs.  He was an alderman from the old eighth ward, secretary of the board of water commissioners for 20 years and was vice chairman and treasurer of the Jefferson County Chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.  For many years he was also chairman of the Watertown March of Dimes drive and was an active member of the county group.  He was a past president of the Jefferson County Bankers Association.

 

He was a life member and treasurer for over 30 years of the Watertown Elks Lodge, life member of the Watertown Turners, director Emeritus of the Watertown Historical Society and had been chairman of its building and grounds committee for a number of years.

 

He also had been active in the Watertown Community Concert Association and was active at Immanuel Lutheran Church.  He was chairman of the building committee when Immanuel's building was constructed.

 

 

 

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