----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin, compiled by Franklin Curtiss-Wedge, published by Lewis Publishing Co, 1918-page 612

Forrest D. Calway, official court reporter for the Seventeenth Wisconsin Judicial District, was born in Neillsville, Jan. 16, 1880, son of Samuel and Catherine (Rainey) Calway. His early eductation was received in the Neillsville schools, and his business education in Milwaukee Business Schools, and this training he has supplemented by wide travel, close observation, and broad reading. Of musical inclinations, he early joined the boys' band of Neillsville, and for many seasons he toured the country with various concerts and musical troupes. As a youth he worked in the Neillsville Furniture Factory, and in local mercantile establishments.

His career as a stenographer was started in the law office of Sturdevant and Clark in Neillsville. His work in this connection attracted favorable attention among the lawyers, and he was, in 1904, appointed deputy court reporter. Jan. 1, 1906, after the resignation of Charles Fisk, he was appointed to his present position. Mr. Calway's other interests are varied. He is a director in the Commercial State Bank of Neillsville, a stockholder in the Farmers Merchants Bank of Stanley, the First National Bank of Black River Falls, the Merrillan State Bank and a stockholder in the Bruley Elevator Co., and has extensive holdings in farm and wild lands in Clark County. Fraternally he is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery Masons.

He was married June 6, 1912, to Marian R. O'Neill, daughter of James and Marian (Robinson) O'Neill. She was born Jan. 22, 1883, received her higher education in Grafton Hall, Fond du Lac, Downer College, Milwaukee, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and spent several years in studying music in Milwaukee, where she is still a member of the McDowell Musical Club. On their wedding tour, Mr. and Mrs. Calway traveled extensively in Europe. They are now residing in their sightly home in Neillsville.

The Calway Cranberry development, in the Town of Hewett, has been sold to Leonard Rodiger and Edward Johns of the Wisconsin Rapids area.  The young men are in possession and are proceeding with plans to carry on the development, which was started by the late Forrest D. Calway.

This transaction is one of the most important transfers in the recent history of Clark County, involving an opportunity to develop a project that may well attain high value. The beds already planted extend over about 11 acres, but the opportunity is there to developing seven or eight times the present area of cranberries. That means it is an important project with very substantial potential.

The cranberry project, in the Town of Hewett, became the chief interest and life work of Forrest D. Calway, who in the Depression years turned to it in preference to exclusive devotion to the practice of law.  Mr. Calway felt that such a development, in the lean years of the Depression, would grow with recovery to an important investment.

In developing this idea, Mr. Calway purchase about 640 acres of land and possessed himself of water rights needed for the development and perpetual care of the cranberry beds.  He had first investigated the possibilities of that particular area and had satisfied himself that the correct elements were present in land and water for the growth of cranberries. He retained all of the water rights and all of the land, about 320 acres needed for the cranberry project.

Having collected the necessary land and rights, Mr. Calway did such construction work by way of dams, ditches, ponds and flumes as would provide for the cranberry beds.  He made considerable plantings and had brought some of the first beds to bearing.  It was in the company’s pickup truck, which he used for his work at the cranberry marsh, that his seizure came, not quite two years ago, which brought Mr. Calway’s efforts summarily to an end.

This left the responsibility of the marsh to Mrs. Calway, who has managed it for two seasons, but who at no time intended to attempt its further development and permanent ownership and management.  With the sale now concluded , she is relieved of the burden.

F. G. Cawley came to this place in 1853, when quite a boy.  For the last fifteen years he had filled the position of constable, in which capacity he is said to be expert, as well in evading as in obtaining service of process.  His experience in running off cows, picking blackberries, Saturday afternoons, until the small hours of midnight, and the like, would fill a volume, and for further information we refer the reader to “Follett on Tricks,” with American notes by Doc. French.  His father, Samuel Cawley, settled here some years before his son.  From him Cawley Creek took its name.  He still lives at Weston.

-----Source: An American Sketchbook - Neillsville and Claire (Clark Co) Wisconsin by: Bella French - 1875