-. A 4 O ■a? vCv o « > * r V V ^6 «£ <■ G C o ^ C^ o o ^oK -^ V ^ ^ ^ °^ o 3 * * 4 y V * W 8-°"^ v0^ * S JUL% *> V a"^ *•!*' %/ °^. ^ <^» MADISON, DANE COUNTY AND SURROUNDING TOWNS; BEINO A HISTORY AND GUIDE TO PLACES OP SCENIC BEAUTY AND HISTORICAL NOTE FOUND IN THE TOWN3 OF DANE COUNTY AND SURROUNDINGS, INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNS, AND EARLY INTERCOURSE OF THE SET'j LERS WITH THE INDIANS, THEIR CAMPS, TRAILS, MOUNDS, ETC. WITH A COMPLETE LIST OF COUNTY SUPERVISORS AND OFFICERS, AND LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS, MADISON VILLAGE AND CITV COUNCIL. ILLUSTRATED. v MADISON, WIS.: PUBLISHED BY WM. J. PARK & CO., BOOKSELLERS, STATIONERS AND BINDERS, 11 KING STREET. 1877. 0^ ooPTRiaai, WM. J. PAKK % CO. 1677. DAVID ATWOOD, STEREOTYPES AND miNTEE, MADISON. WIS. PREFACE. In presenting to our readers the History of Madison, Dane Coun- ty and Surrounding' Towns, we do it with some degree of gratifi- cation; — not because we have the presumption to conceive that we have issued a complete work, or that it is free from errors; but simply because we have had so many kind helps rendered us in bringing the work up to its present condition, and without flat- tering ourselves that we have composed some grand strain, or even been in full harmony with all our parts, we have, at least, struck the key-note from which we have built up good, if not square work. To show that our work was needed, it is only necessary for us to call the reader's attention to the many chapters so freely contributed by many of our citizens, who, making no pretensions to any great literary acumen, have related the facts and incidents of their towns in terms sometimes vmfinished, but never lacking power and sim- plicity to express what they knew, thus commending to our admir- ation the free and unvarnished manner with which the story of pioneer life, trials and sufferings is related, and the evident delight taken in looking back on those difficulties, to enact them over again. We think our work has been instrumental in saving from oblivi- on much that would have passed unheeded hi the annals of the early settlement and development of our county. Our citizens, in their early pioneer life, forgetting that they were makers of history, saved comparatively little of the past dates or records. History by towns has not, we believe, been published in this state before, and we feel certain that no surer way could be de- vised for reaching facts than the plan we have adopted, as there are none better able to write a family history than one of its members. To the writers of the ensuing chapters we suggested the following subjects, which our readers will see have been conscientiously ad- hered to: The early settlement and organization of each town; pioneer trials and difficulties ; scenic beauty and hygiene ; industri- al pursuits and markets; schools and churches; early intercourse with the Indians; camps, trails, graves or mounds, etc. The work has exceeded, by several hundred pages, our agree- ment with subscribers, but having been assured of remuneration therefor by an increase of names on our subscription list, we have decided to make no advance hi price. The adjacent towns have been added to our book at the suggestion of citizens of those places, and it is proper that they should be, as socially and commercially there are no boundary hues between us; and with all the cordiality of neighbors, it affords us pleasure to invite the attention of the reader to these chapters not only as a 6 PEEFACE. partial exhibit of their in lustrial pursuits and business tact, but also as evidence that we are linked together by a stronger tie than sectional lines. The chapter on Lake Koshkonong is from the pen of Prof. Kuui- lien, a scientist of no mean mark either in this country or Europe. Although he has devoted a life time to the study of natural history, and his labors been heralded abroad, there are but few of our citizens that even know that this se^r is living at our very doors. Forty long years has he quietly and unobtrusively spent in studying the botanical life of many of our plants, as well a3 giving us a clearer insight into the ornithology of this continent, and we feel our duty but begun in our meager effort to make these facts known. The "Historical Introduction" will be found full of interesting dates and facts, as also the chapter on "Personal Recollections," whde the list of County Officers, obtained at considerable labor, and the only list published, will be used as a useful reference. Our county is the largest in population and wealth of any other in our state, except Milwaukee, and is largely on the increase. The healthful character of our climate, together with our rich and varied displays of scenic beauty beheld every where around us, is bringing hundreds to our doors who are not only invigorated by our pure and bracing atmosphere, but enchanted with the landscape grand- eur that foreign lands but tamely mimic. Historical places point to ages as yet comparatively unknown, and if a people, whom we designate as Mound Builders, lived here, it is but right to infer that they were neither ignorant of our climate or our scenery, but as is shown, left larger evidences of their labors here than in any other section of this country. We have been much gratified at the cordiality with which our citizens have entered into the enterprise, and take this opportunity of offering them our grateful acknowledgments, and especially to the writers of the different chapters, for their kind and unselfish interest in collecting the many facts and pleasing incidents there- in related. Such men are, as a rule, the bone and sinew of a com- munity, and never weary in well doing. We are also indebted to the following gentlemen, who have made it a matter of interest and labor to aid us in our undertaking: Hon. Simeon Mills, Wm. A. Wheeler, E. M. Williamson, E. Burdick, Geo. B. Smith, Wm. Vroman, N. T. Parkinson, Wm. Welch, S. W. Botkin, Hon. Ly- man C. Draper, Prof. S. H. Carpenter, Prof. R. B. Anderson, D. S. Durrie(who aided us materially, by the use of several of his MSS.), Phillip Barry, (for the use of county records,) Gabriel Bjornson, P. B. Parsons, 0. S. Holum, Hon. J. A. Johnson, Gen. S. Cadwalla- der, Judge N. F. Hyer, Judge J. T. Clark, Capt. John Nader, Jas. R. Stuart, (for draught of design on back of the volume), N. P. Jones, (for photographs to the engraver), N. T. Hawes, John Cors- cot (for city records), and others. W. J. P. CONTENTS. CITY OF MADISON. Chapter. Page. Cliipter Page. I — In the beginning, . . 9 VII — Newspaper Histoiy, l'»9 II— Locating Lhe Capital, 20 VIII— Merchants £ Bankers,124 III— Pioneers, .... 40 I X — Schools, Literature,etc. 146 IV— State University, . . 67 V — Historical Society . S3 XI — Madison Homes, . . 167 XII — Visitors and Resorts . 176 VI — Churches and Pastors, 95 XIII — Mounds and Relics, . 184 DANE COUNTY TOWNS. Historical Introduction: — Characteristics of the county — Naming of the Lakes — County before its settlement — Streams — Population — Chinches— Schools— Property value — .Railroads, . . 203 Dates and Facts: — First justice, election and judges; first books and stationery, juries, indictment, chancery suit, wolf bounty, licenses and treasurer; first jail, circus, metal casting and post office box ; first woolen mill, blacksmith and auctioneer — Naming of Aztalan— Early assessment of lauds and tax — Completion of pub- lic buildings — Mineral waters, etc , 210 Albion — Prof A. R. Cornwall, , 283 Berry — Hon. Otto Kerl and Wm. S. Crowther, Esq., . 266 Black Earth — Clarence Burnett and A. J. Fullerton, . 519 Blooming Grove — James Kavanaugh, Esq., . * . . 532 Blue Mounds — John C. Ward and Ira Isham, Esqrs., . 236 Bristol — J. R. Davis, Esq., . . ... 380 Burke — John Douglas, Esq., ...... 393 Cambridge — Hon. Geo. Dow and A. B. Carpenter, Esq., . 366 Christiana— Chas. N. Brown and others, . . . 351 Cottage Grove— James Bell, Esq., .... 276 Cross Plains — Henry Winkle, Esq 440 Dane — Hon. Robert Steele and Mansfield Ames, . . 463 Deerfield— Hon. K. 0. Heimclal, 432 Dunn— William E. Colladay, Esq, 488 Dunkirk — Prof. Geo. W. Currier, 347 Fitchburg — Dr. Wm. H. Fox and Wm. Vroman, Esq., 448 Madison— Hon. H. A. Tenney, 539 Mazomanie — Henry Howarth and Henry Z. Moulton, Esqrs. , 592 Medina — Frank L. Morrill, Esq., 217 Middleton — A. B. Parmenter, Esq., .... 589 Montrose— H. E. Story, Esq., Paoli— H. S. Utley, Esq., 474 Mount Vernon — Dr. W. J. Donald, .... 312 8 CONTEXTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Oregon— Dr. I. Howe and T. E. Thompson, . . . 505 Perry— Gabriel Bjornson, 291 Pleasant Springs — Prof. A. R. Ames, .... 371 PRiMROSE-Hon. G. Tollefson, 526 Roxbury — Hon. John T. Clark, 495 Rutland— Hon. S. W. Graves, 387 Springdale — James P. McPherson, Esq., .... 306 Springfield — E. Harding. Esq., 328 Stougiiton — Prof. Geo. W. Currier, .... 338 Sun Prairie— Dr. C. G. Cross 313 Vermont — ......... 588 Verona — Donald McDonald and J. T. Hawes, . . . 571 Vienna — Hon. A. A. Boyce, 563 "West Blue Mounds — Dr. R. W. Jones, .... 244 Westport and Village of Waunakee — E.L. Noyes, Esq., 298 Windsor — Sherman Brothers and H. A. Lewis, . . . 249 York— 570 TOWNS ADJACENT. Brooklyn — J. W. Haseltine, Esq., 632 Edgerton— E. A. Burdick, Esq., 650 Evansville, Rock County— D. Johnson, L. Leonard, J. West, 617 Lake Koshkonong — Prof. T. L. Kumlien, . . . 628 Lodi— Hon. J. T. Clark, 636 Personal Recollections, County Supervisors and Officers, Legislative Members, Madison Village and City Council, 559 655 660 662 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Birdseye View or Madison, - 2 -Mrs. Eben Peck, £5 Lake Monona, 31 King Street. 35 First House in Madison.. - - 43 Hon. Simeon Mills, ... - 49 State University, 75 Hon. Lyman C. Draper, - - 87 ' Congregational CHURCH, - - 104 "Hon. David Atwood. 107 St\te Journal Block. - - - 113 D. K. Tenney. Esq , - - - - 119 Wisconsin State Capitol, - 131 City Hall and U.S. Postoffice 1 II Madison City High School, - 151 Elm Side, Dr. Boweu's residence 169 Rosebank Cottage, ... - 173 Yatch on Lake Monona. - - 177 Angleworm Station, - - - - 181 Marietta, .- - 185 Knives, Awls and Bracelets, 189 Porphyry and Greenstone, 19(3 Drinking Cup, 197 Sepulchral Urns. Map of Dane County. Old Court House, - - 215 Indian Camp, x'71 Albion Academy, - - - - Opera House, Stougiiton, Stoughton Wason Works, Early Agricultural Scene, Lake Kegonsa and Steamer, IG9 ill 311 345 359 377 HISTORY OF MADISON. CHAPTER I. IN THE BEGINNING. Soon after Pere Marquette made his way to the Mississippi, from the Lakes, this "Western country was overrun by Canadian French voyacjeurs, whose country, language and religion, were considerable aids to trade among the tribes of Indians, recently gath- ered into the fold of the Catholic church. There is no positive evidence that they were on this identical spot, but a probability, all but overwhelming, suggests their presence in the Lake country, because the In- dians were here, and, moreover, because the conform- ation of the country, the large and beautiful lakes, and other well known features, specially adapted this particular locality for the supply of peltry. There was a mission house at or near Green Bav before Marcpiette's world-famous canoe voyage by the Fox and Wisconsin rivers; but there is no mention by which our topography is identified until more than a century later, in the records of Capt. Carver, as pub- lished after 1768. His " Travels through the interior 10 HISTOKT OF MADISON. parts of North America " make unmistakable refer- ences to the Blue Mounds, which he knew, probably from the Indians, were supposed to be rich in lead. The captain shrewdly suspected the trappers of hav- ing purposely misrepresented the territory for their better security as to ulterior designs of their own. The Jesuit maps of the Lake Superior country, pre- pared a century earlier in Paris, were very good, con- sidering the limited facilities of the priests by whom the information was supplied, but the operations of the Canadian voyageurs, jealously defending their trading privileges after their old home had passed under the rule of strangers, would be subject to very different rules. The Sacs and Foxes held this territory from time immemorial, so far as we have any positive knowl- edge, until the year 1825, when the Nations sold their rights to all lands east of the Mississippi. Unfortu- nately, for the red men, they were persuaded by some of their leaders to play fast and loose with their treaty, and after the first removal, there were almost continuous returns, and on many occasions marauding parties inflicted damage on property and life by way of asserting a right to their old hunting grounds. In the year 1831 things had become unendurable, and it was found necessary to drive the Indians back across the newly agreed upon barrier, the Mississippi. The "Winnebago outbreak and the Black Hawk war, the first named in 1831-2, and the latter concurrent with or immediately following, were parts of the same HISTOKY OF MADISON. 11 scheme of aggression, intended to recover for the tribes the lands already sold and delivered by their chiefs and themselves. Eventually the Indians were repressed and forced back with a firm hand. The first attempt at settlement in this county was made in 1827-8, by Col. Ebenezer Brigham, who died in this city at the advanced age of seventy-two, in the year 1861. He visited Wisconsin in 1822, but it was not until five years later that he came hither to make a permanent abode. The lead mines were the chief at- traction, but after a brief sojourn at Platte river, on what is known as the Block House branch, he and his party retired to Galena, not being strong enough to hold their own in a country possessed by hostile In- dians. Early in 1828, Col. Brigham and his asso- ciates took up a position in the Blue Mounds, still mining for lead. Food supplies, at first procured from Galena, were afterwards obtained from Fort Winnebago, and it was while returning from Fort Winnebago that the beauties of the Lake country were first discovered by Col. Brigham. The Indians had told him about the lakes, but the beautiful real- ity vastly exceeded their description. The pioneer is not always capable of appreciating the picturesque, but the colonel predicted the greatness of the village that would be built where Madison now stands, being impressed by the charms of the scene, and he even assumed that the capital of the Territory and State would be here located. The first comers to this county were widely severed 12 HISTORY OF MADISON. from their nearest friends. Dodgeville was the resi- dence of their next door neighbor, and to the south- east they could call upon somewhat distant acquaint- ances on the O'Plaine river, hardly twelve miles from Chicago. Col. Juneau was located near the junction of the Milwaukee and Menomonee rivers, laying the foundations of the beautiful Cream City, which is now the commercial metropolis of Wisconsin. It will be seen at once that every settlement in those days had to rely mainly upon its own means of de- fense against the Indians, who were established in populous villages in every direction. As a rule there was a good understanding, and from time to time treaties were made defining the boundaries of the new comers, but the stipulations of the natives were extended and broken repeatedly. So slowly did the people migrate hitherwards, that Col. Brigham was still the nearest settler when the capital was located, and his residence was distant twenty -five miles. Gov. Lewis Cass, the chief executive of Michigan Territory, had jurisdiction from the earliest set- tlement, and he made Col. Brigham the first justice ever appointed here, but his office was almost a sine- cure during the four years that he retained the honor. The difficulties under which these hardy miners opened up their lucrative calling cannot readily be made to appear to the modern reader. The traveler of to-day is transported in a few hours from Madison to Chicago, can dispatch the business of the clay in the metropolis of the northwest and return, without a HISTORY OF MADISON. 1 a sense of fatigue or a stain of travel, to his home at night, but there was no such luxury possible to the adventurous colonel and his companions who sent their product to Green Bay, Galena or Chicago, and who had not a wagon track to guide them toward the village which has now expanded to the colossal pro- portions of Chicago. That mighty Babylon was then an insignificant village, in which there seemed to be no probability that the people would master the diffi- culties incident to the position and render it habita- ble in the better sense. The old colonel was natu- rally and fitly included in the earliest attempts to or- ganize a government in this territory, when the sev- erance from Michigan was effected in 1836, and for very many years he was identified with the succeed- ing forms of administration. A trip from Green Bay to Prairie du Chien, on horseback, was undertaken for the first time in May, 1829, by Judge Doty, afterwards Governor, and two attorneys of the first named settlement, Henry S. Baird and Morgan L. Martin, guided by a Menomo- nee Indian whose acquaintance with the country was by no means perfect; but their seven days pilgrimage made them conversant with the topographical features of Lake Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, our own Four Lakes, the site of our city, the Blue Mounds and Dodgeville, besides the vast range of country in- cluded in their interesting detour. There had been many transits by the Fox and Wisconsin to the Miss- issippi, since the days of Pere Marquette and his voy- 14 HISTOKY OF MADISON. ageurs, but this, so far as can be known, was the first journey made by white men overland. Three years later Judge Doty again visited this spot, having been much impressed by its beauty, and being desirous to see a town started in the midst of so much natural grandeur. The ambitious designs of Black Hawk, who had obtained an ascendency over the braves of his own and of neighboring tribes, led to a disastrous war with the Indians in 1832, as already indicated, and the settlers of this portion of Wisconsin were not backward during that eventful period. There was an actual alliance between the deceitful "Winnebagoes and the more immediate followers of Black Hawk, the Sacs and Foxes, some time before hostilities were openly commenced; but the savages were full of pro- testations as to their peaceful and friendly disposition. Col. Brigham could not be hoodwinked by their flat- teries, and he, with the cooperation of his little army of industry, built a block house fort, on the prairie, near Blue Mounds, as part of their system of defense. "When hostile demonstrations were anticipated, the whole of the settlers near at hand, with their families, congregated within the palisade that surrounded the main buildings. The Winnebagoes were still per- sistent as to their friendship and alliance, until the beginning of June, 1832, although there is good rea- son for believing that they were supplying informa- tion and help to their more warlike neighbors, long before that date. Preparations for war were made, HISTORY OF MADISON. 15 regardless of the Winnebago promises, as it was well known that Black Hawk's followers would cause trouble without much delay. The commanding officer at Mound Fort, Capt. John Sherman, saw the proba- bility of war to be so imminent that he communicated his apprehensions to Col. Dodge, afterwards governor, and the colonel marched to the reinforcement of Sher- man with two hundred men, collected from other and less exposed positions in the mining districts. Shortly after this timely aid arrived, James Aubrey, the first commander at the fort, was killed near the residence of Col. Brigham, while procuring water from a spring. The Sac Indians killed him, being guided to their ambush by the treacherous "Wmnebagoes, within a few days of the time when they were most lavish in expressions of friendship. Their part in the mur- der was surmised, but not known, at the time of Au- brey's death. A second ambush was planned, and succeeded on the 20th of the month, fourteen davs after the death of Aubrey. The savages having made their dispositions for the purpose, caused some few of their body to reveal themselves to the occupants of the fort. Lieut. Force, accompanied by a comrade named Green, the latter leaving his wife and children in the stockade, made a reconnoisance, in the course of which they were decoyed by the retiring Indians into a trap laid for the destruction of a much larger body. Force and Green fought and maneuvered with bravery and skill, but they were so completely en- meshed that there was no possibility of escape. The 16 HISTORY OF MADISON. savages mutilated their victims in a shameful manner after death. The watch worn by Lieut. Force was subsequently recovered from the body of a dead In- dian, by a trader named Wallis Rowan. The red man, overtaken by fatigue, had apparently lain down to rest, and in that way was destroyed by a prairie fire. The efforts and the deaths of Force and Green were seen from Mound Fort. Notwithstanding these cruel and purposeless suc- cesses, the Indians were pursued by the main body of settlers and troops, under the command of Col. Dodge, over the Crawfish, near Aztalan, across the site of this city, to the north end of Monona, and at Catfish Ford, a brisk engagement with the rear guard of the flying foe, taught the Indians what they might expect in the way of punishment. One Indian was shot sitting upon the newly-made grave of his squaw, having calmly taken that position apparently with the hope that he would thus readily join her in the Happy Hunting Grounds. Eventually the Black Hawk war was ended by decisive battles, the only kind of argu- ment that can be conclusive with savages, and nearly the whole of the reel skins that had been in arms were killed, captured or dispersed. Black Hawk and his accomplice, the Prophet, who had buoyed up the tribes with delusive promises, were surrendered to General Street, at Prairie du Chien, on the 27th of August, 1832, by the chiefs of their own people, One-Eyed Decorra and Cha-E. Tar. The treaty with the Sacs and Foxes, made at Rock Island in September of that HISTOBY OF MADISON. 17 year, happily terminated the Indian difficulties of "Wisconsin. Shortly after the Black Hawk war had been crushed out, the attractions of this site brought settlers here, and on the 15th of October, 1832, an encampment was made by Capt. Low, James Halpin and Archi- bald Crisman, on Mendota Lake ridge. There were numerous Indians then located on the city site, hav- ing been concentrated here by the facilities offered by a French trader, whose abode was on the ground now crossed by Johnson street. Rowan, the Indian trader into whose hands the watch of Lieut. Force fell as lawful spoil, had long before taken up his location in this neighborhood. Mr. Abel Rasdall, a native of Kentucky, another early resident, commenced his "Wisconsin experiences as a lead miner, and thence diverging into the avocation of an Indian trader, was connected by marriage with a "Winnebago woman. After her death, he married another of the same tribe, but she eventually migrated west with her own peo pie, and her husband was not entirely inconsolable. Rasdall had been for a considerable time a prosper- ous trader among the Indians before the war com- menced, but during the continuance of hostilities with Black Hawk, Abel Kasdall was one of the readiest and most daring of our volunteers. He con- tinued a resident in Dane county until his death at Token Creek, in 1857, when he was fifty-two years old. After the conclusion of his Indian engagements, Mr. Kasdall took to himself a wife of his own race in this ]8 HISTORY OF MADISON. city, and raised a family as the result of that mar- riage. He had traded in Dane county, and more especially around the Four Lakes, since the year before the Black Hawk war. From the time of the first colony planted in Illi- nois by La Salle, in 167S-9, the Canadian voyagers and colonists had customarily intermarried with the Indians with, as a rule, no other result than that the more civilized race was absorbed by the other, and the result did not exhibit a corresponding increase of capacity to appropriate the advantages of civ- ilization. Some of the half breeds were sharp and dangerous, but few are known as estimable men. One of the earliest traders here seems to have been an exception to that rule. His name was Michel St. Cyr, son of a Canadian Frenchman, by a Winnebago. Living always on the frontier and among the Indians, he had not participated in the advantages of schools, but he bore an excellent character as a man of verac- ity, a virtue not always found associated with civili- zation, although certainly a part of the highest. St. Cyr was one of the traders in the Four Lake country, dividing his attention between the traffic by which he made money and a small garden, that gave him and his Winnebago children a subsistence. His cabin served occasionally as a caravanserai and something more, when travelers visited the lakes. Eventually St. Cyr sold out his improvements to Col. Slaughter, and retired to the Winnebago reservation in Iowa. His sons were considered worthless, even by the In- HISTORY OF MADISON". 19 dians, and that atom of civilization was utterly erased. The F. F. Y.'s would not trace their lineage to Poca- hontas, rt the husband of that lady had been domi- ciliated among the tribes, and if the result of that marriage had been given over to Indian customs and general training. Preliminary steps for the survey of the lands in this locality were taken by the general government in 1834, and before the end of the year, that duty had been completed. The survey and plat of this city were made under special directions from Judge Doty, who had long before that time been impressed by the beauty of this site and its surroundings. The fur- ther proceedings of the early settlers must be dealt with in a future chapter. 20 HISTOKY OF MADISON. CHAPTEK II. LOCATING THE CAPITAL. Settlement had made little progress when the ques- tion aro'se, " where shall we fix our capital ? " Suddenly, from all parts of the territory, arose the voice of in- domitable advocates, and when the first legislature was convened at Belmont, there was a display of log- rolling such as could hardly be excelled. Judge Doty, who had traversed nearly the whole territory on horseback or in his canoe, accoutred " with his green blanket and shot gun," might have been trusted to make the selection, but for the fact, that he had long since decided in his own mind, and had joined with Gov. Mason of Michigan, in purchasing the site occupied by this city for $1,500. Fond du Lac, Dubuque, in Iowa, which was part of our territory, Portage, Belmont, Helena, Eacine, Milwaukee, Platte- ville, Mineral Point, Cassville, Green Bay, Kosh- konong, Belleview, Wisconsinapolis, "Wisconsin City and Peru, were all advocated with unscrupulous zeal, and every one of the rival cities, many of which, like Madison, lived only on paper, had anxious friends who were ready to abandon their own chances for the time, to unite on any of the others, only to defeat the most dangerous competitor. Madison was, perhaps, HISTORY OF MADISON. 21 chanrpioned in the same way as most of the other cities of the brain, but with more success. Corner lots were much in request, among the men whose votes could make or unmake a capital at Belmont, and lobbying was the rule. It is tacitly admitted by many, and openly stated by some, that Madison ~mio-ht not have been selected as the site, had not Judge Doty permitted many legislators and their bosom friends, a pecuniary interest in the venture which Gov. Mason and he had made. The majority in the legislative council, as it was, proved to be only one in an aggregate of thirteen, and in the house of representatives, only four in an aggregate of twenty- six. The margin was too small for comfort, but it was sufficient. Thus it happened, that after an exciting contest, the peninsula between the third and fourth of the Four Lakes was chosen as the home of our territorial government, and became the site of the handsome city which we claim has become the admired of all observers. The time in which this lively conflict occurred was especially full of land speculators. The public domain had enriched hundreds, and millions were hoping that the same process might cover all their needs forever. It was being realized in 1836 that there were blanks as well as prizes in the lottery, and a collapse was felt to be imminent. The founders of paper cities were snatching a new eloquence from despair, and this location of the capital was one of many schemes on which fortunes depended. The 22 HISTOKY OF MADISON. elegance of some of the maps, the fervor of some of their expounders, might have charmed an impartial legislator, could a phenomenon so rare have been found in the territory of "Wisconsin, to record his vote for either of the projects. Happily, the proposi- tion of Judge Dotv von a controlling interest, and three commissioners, chosen by joint ballot, were en- trusted with the task of selecting plans, making con- tracts and superintending the erection of the capitol. The sparse settlement of the territory generally, and of this section more particularly, cannot be better illustrated than by recording a few of the experiences of travelers, about the time of, and soon after the passage of the act which determined the seat of gov- ernment. The sessions of the legislative assembly were appointed to be held at Burlington, in Des Moines county, now Iowa, until March 4, 1839, unless the government buildings here should be completed earlier; and it was necessary to bring from a dis- tance every man that was wanted to assist in the work of preparation. The commissioners chosen for the task before named were Augustus A. Bird, acting commissioner, James Duane Doty, treasurer, and John F. O'Neill. The sum appropriated for the erection was $20,000, a very small amount, considering the difficulties under which the work was to be under- taken, but help was expected from congress. In the month following the choice of commission- ers, that is to say in January, 1837, Madison was vis- ited from Milwaukee, by a young lawyer and land HISTORY OF MADISON. 23 surveyor, since known to fame as the Hon. Moses M. Strong, of Mineral Point, who from that time has been associated with the progress of Wisconsin by his identification with railroads, river improvements, and other public works, as well as by repeated terms of service in various offices, and in the legislature of the territory, as member and president in the constitu- tional convention to form a state constitution, and in the house of representatives of the state, for some time speaker. Mr. Strong, accompanied by Mr. Marsh and Mr. Potter, explored this section of country, and after much trouble, found the locality on which the capitol now stands; but they were not quite so' fortu- nate in discovering Michel St. Cyr's cabin, where they hoped to obtain quarters, so that they were com- pelled to pass the night without shelter or food for their horses or themselves, on the spot where Ashton post office now stands, in the town of Springfield. From that bivouac, the party made their course by the Blue Mounds to Mineral Point. Mr. Strong was em- ployed, in February of the same year, by Judge Doty, to survey and stake off capitol square, and some of the adjoining lots in this city, and the haste with which the work must needs be pushed through would not allow time to be lost in waiting for genial weather. Mr. John Catlin and Mr. George Messersmith accom- panied the surveyor on this expedition, and Mr. Josiah A. JSToonan joined the party on the way. The com- missariat department was much better cared for than it had been in the preceding month, as Mr. Strong 24: HISTORY OF MADISON. and his party stayed with St. Cyr, and were probably regaled with the half-breed's standing dish, musk rat pie, while the actual survey was progressing. The several days journey to and from this city were thus recorded: The first day out from Mineral Point, the party reached Mr. John Messersmith's, just twelve miles east. On the 18th of February, they called at Brigham's, where they procured provisions, and then pushed on to Haney's Creek, near the Cross Plains station on Black Earth Creek, spending that night at Steel's. The following day the party arrived at St. Cyr's, early enough to permit of the work being com- menced. St. Cyr's place was so far from the scene of their labors, that the party camped out part of the time, despite the inclemency of the season, but heavy and incessant falls of snow compelled them to desist from their labors for many days, making the half- breed's cabin their headquarters. After completing their survey for the time, Mr. Strong and his party returned by way of Wallis Rowan's, who lived where Povnette now stands, about twelve miles south from Fort Winnebago. Going by the Wisconsin river, the party reached Helena, and thence struck across to Mineral Point. The scanty narrative indicates the nakedness of the land; but the work just accomplished led the way to the building of numerous habitations. Other travelers passing over various routes toward the mines, or with this city as their objective point, reveal the existence of Prairie Tillage where Waukesha now stands, and also the intermediate halting place at Fort ^U.WVNN. Mrs. Eben Peok. HISTORY OF MADISOM. 27 Atkinson, en route to the Catfisli river. Mr. Alex. F. Pratt and Mr. Augustus Story made that route in February, 1837, shortly after the survey party had set out on their return to Mineral Point, and the new comers had been twenty-four hours without food, when they left their camp near the present site of Dunkirk. The men who went exploring in those days had no reason to expect luxurious living. A few cold roast potatoes, unceremoniously found in a wig- wam from which the owners were absent, were con- sumed with abundant relish at noon after their long fast, and no other food was obtained until the next day, when they discovered St. Cyr's cabin on Fourth Jake. The travelers had camped without supper, in a ravine near where the State University now stands. The savory musk rat was a treat, by comparison with such short commons, and the party started for Blue Mounds well prepared for a journey. Similar lodg- ings and fare would not now be considered tempting, but pioneer life does not encourage a too critical taste. More spacious and comfortable quarters were to be made ready on the site of Madison by Mr. Eben Peck and his wife, Kosaline. Two months only had elapsed since the second visit of the surveying party, when the Peck family started from Blue Mounds to open a pioneer boarding house here. The snow had not gone when Mr. Peck commenced the erection of his premises, on land bought immediately after the location of the capitol; but Mr. Catlin had already 28 HISTORY OF MADISON. caused a log house to be erected where the post office now stands. Owing to an accident, the interior of Mr. Catlin's house was destroyed by fire before it could be occupied; thus it happened that the Peck hostelry was the first residence in Madison. There were some rough and ready specimens of humanity then on hand in this region. Two French- men, who had associated with a party of "Winnebago Indians in the Blue Mounds during the winter, were employed to build the house, the work being superin- tended by Abraham Wood, who subsequently put up a saw mill at Baraboo. Wood was at that time liv- ing at Winnequah, then known as Strawberry Point, where he enjoyed the distinction of being the son-in- law of De Kaury, son of a Frenchman, a Winnebago chief. Wood bore an excellent reputation, but some of his surroundings were very hard cases. One of the Frenchmen was shot, in a dispute about land, by Berry Haney, a rival claimant, and generally, life was but cheaply held in those troubled times. Snow and the howling of wolves awakened Mrs. Peck from her slumbers in a tent, three miles from Madison, on Saturday, April 15, 1837, and she pushed on through the storm to the site of her more substan- tial dwelling, where she sat down under a tree in her wagon, twenty-five miles from the nearest white resi- dents at Blue Mounds, and nearly one hundred miles from the settlers at Milwaukee. The building was not far enough advanced to satisfy the demands of the hostess, and a temporary habitation was constructed, HISTORY OF MADISON. 29 to serve until tlie larger place could be comfortably floored and plastered. The little hotel was speedily crowded with guests. Milwaukee and far away New York were represented by visitors, and even England had contributed its quota to the roll of occupants. The comforts of the establishment were substantial from the first, although necessarily the bill of fare consisted of such articles, as could be transported from considerable distances; but very soon the table was a marvel to beholders, and cleanliness, the first requisite towards elegance, was a welcome feature from the beginning. The grand dining room was as well ven- tilated as the winds of heaven could make it, the hos- pitable board being spread in the open air to meet the requirements of some fifteen new arrivals. Judge Doty, Col. Brigham and Commissioner Bird, with others whose names are historical, were frequent visi- tors, and the unfinished building was tapestried with bed sheets to furnish sleeping accommodations. The troubles incidental to pioneer housekeeping are always of interest to people living in the west, and, with few exceptions, the men who sought accommodation then in Madison made themselves completely at home, hunting, fishing and otherwise during their leisure, increasing the variety of the table. Judge, after- wards Governor, Doty gave an excellent example of helpfulness by assisting a party of amateur plasterers to make the kitchen habitable, and one day's work under his direction effected much. The cheery spirit thus indicated was worth more than all the material 30 HISTOKY OF MADISON. aid, as it nerved the sturdy matron to master the sit- uation. Before long the sounds of gayety within that building would have been a surprise to the languid pleasure seekers in much more costly mansions. Really, at all times, the pleasure that can be found in palace or cottage depends upon glad hearts, and not upon the presence of luxurious viands. Madison was then so great on various maps that it might well have been matter for surprise that the. legislative assembly had been convened for its first ses- sion at Belmont, and for its subsequent sessions, until 1839, at Burlington, now in Iowa; but, as will readily be understood, it is far more easy to construct a city on paper than to build one on the solid earth. " Castles in the air are very often erected before breakfast, but there is just one drawback, that nobody ever dines in such structures. Madison city was then, vide pros- pectuses, the metropolitan center of cities, corres- ponding to the seven hills of Rome, when, in fact, it was only a village in faturo. The beauty of the surrounding country, with its twelve lakes, might well have concentrated attention upon Dane county, and the four lakes in Yahara, or Catfish valley, lying almost in a direct line from northwest to southeast, could not fail to be recognized as the regal crown of all this natural loveliness. Ke- gonsa, or First Lake, lowest of the four bodies of water, covers five square miles, having a circumfer- ence of nine miles and a half, its longest diameter being over three miles, and its shortest fully two. ii! § : "-' l ' !!|fllllil! HISTORY OF MADISON. 33 Waubesa, the Second Lake, is three miles and a half above Kegonsa, in the towns of Dunn and Blooming Grove. This lake has an average depth of twelve feet of crystal clear water, through which the pebbly bottom can be seen as if through glass. This beauti- ful sheet of crystal is three and a half miles long by about two miles across. Monona, the lovely Third Lake, is only seven-eighths of a mile above Waubesa, covering an area of six square miles, being six and a half miles long by two broad, and the strip of land which divides this lake from Mendota, the Fourth Lake, is the site of the capital of Wisconsin. The painter's pencil can alone do justice to the scene; words fail to convey an adequate conception of the picturesque effect which is mirrored to the brain, when an artist looks from the high ground, or still better, from the cupola of the capitol, upon the hills and lakes which seem to rival the loveliness of the moon and stars in the azure firmament under which they are now lying silvered before us. Mendota is by far the largest of the lakes, as it covers an area of more than twenty square miles. Its longest diameter is six miles, and its breadth is fully four. Could the whole of the legislature have been brought to this spot in the spring or summer of 1836, it may be hoped that there would have been less scope for the log- rolling process at Belmont, in the succeeding winter, which came within one vote of negativing the propo- sition to make Madison the capital of the territory; but perhaps even then it would hr.-e been difficult. 34 HISTORY OF MADISON. The commissioners charged with the erection of the capitol building, in which the functions of govern- ment were to be undertaken, were not dilatory in commencing their duties, and by the tenth of June there were thirty-six workmen upon the ground, under the direction of Commissioner Augustus A. Bird. The party had traveled with their teams from Milwaukee, making their roads as they came, fording streams, and threading their devious way through occasional swamps, much of the time under a drenching rain, for just ten days, to effect a transit which is now daily accomplished in little more than four hours. The sun gleamed out once upon the travelers, and the spot, made glorious by that welcome illumination, has ever since been known as Sun Prairie. Other workmen speedily followed, and it is interesting to note, in their several narratives, the progress in settlement along the traveled route, as the summer wore on. E^rly in August there was a log house and an Indian camping ground at Prairieville, formerly Prairie Village, now Waukesha, and five miles beyond that location, a log house occupied by a family named Pratt, which had settled on 160 acres. Half a day's journey further on, some settlers of the name of Brown had taken up a quarter section, and about eight miles from the lap- ids of Pock river, near the site of Watertown, were three brothers named Setchell, preparing homes for their families. A dam and sawmill were in course of erection at Water town, by Mr. Goodhue, and at Lake Mills the Atwoods had made a comfortable abode KBN6 STREET. (Between Webster and Pinckney Streets) LOOKING WEST. HTSTOET OF MADISON. 37 just twenty-eight miles from the capital. Settlement had made no nearer approach to Madison on 'that line of road, but the trail was well defined, and there was no difficulty in traveling where so many had already passed. The clear air of the capital, and the bustle of preparation, must have made the appetites of the workmen keen, as the records of the time continually mention expeditions to Galena and elsewhere, to re- plenish an often exhausted commissariat. Such crea- ture comforts as pork, flour, and some few luxuries, were dealt out with no sparing hand, as all testimo- nies go to show. The corner-stone was laid at the southeast corner of the capitol, on the 4th of July, 1837, and there was no lack of eloquence to celebrate the event ; but the press was not represented on the occasion, hence the speeches are not recorded. There was another celebration in November, when the foundation was completed and the stone work ceased for the season. The money to pay the hands had to be brought from Green Bay; and Mr. Peck, wdio acted as courier in that emergency, swam several of the rivers, so that his wallet of paper money was somewhat dilapidated when he reached home. By November, 1S38, the assembly and senate chambers were finished, but the plaster- ing was not dry, so that the sessions of the legisla- ture were held for a time in a new building, the American Hotel, erected at the corner of Piuck- ney street and "Washington avenue, where the Park Savings Bank now stands, by Mr. A. A. Bird, the 38 HISTORY OF MADISON. contractor for the capitol, and his partner, Mr. Mor- rison. Most of the workmen erected their own rude dwell- ings in the vicinity of King street, near the Third lake, immediately after their arrival ; but none of the buildings remain at this time. There was a very hearty and unanimous celebration on the 4th of July, 1S37, and Mrs. Peck claims that there were from two to three hundred persons present, including the In- dian chief, Little Dandy and his party; but Gen. Mills and Mr. Catlin believe there must have been a misap- prehension as to the extent of the gathering. The glorification lasted several days, and Madison has never entered with more general gusto upon the na- tional celebration than was realized on that occasion by the little handful of white men and their Indian allies. Probably some of the confusion that was subsequently found in the accounts of the commis- sioners was due to the spirit that pervaded the first and many subsequent convivialities. Under the act which provided for the building of the capitol, and appointed commissioners for the pur- pose, there was an appropriation of $20,000, to which congress added a like sum, making $40,000 in all. The first meeting of the legislature in the city of Madison was held in the American Hotel on the 26th of February, 1838, and Governor Dodge delivered his first message to the legislature in Madison in that building. A committee reported that the hall and council chamber would be ready for the representa- tives and for the senate on the first day of March, HISTORY OF MADISON. 39 and after some little further delay the rooms were ac- tually occupied, but it was an act of hardihood to at- tempt the transaction of business under such diffi- culties. Col. Childs, one of the members who was entrusted with the task of carpeting the rooms and rendering them habitable, has left a record of the sad condition of affairs, in which Contractor Morri- son's hogs were better sheltered than the law makers for "Wisconsin. If under such circumstances there were some efforts at log rolling, it may have been merely to maintain animal heat, by such exercise. The legislature adjourned for twenty days, to permit of the hall and chamber being rendered, in some de- gree, warm and comfortable. There was a difficulty in procuring hotel accommodation also, although there were now three houses where guests could be received. The Madison Hotel had two rooms that would lodge four persons each; the Madison House also two rooms that would lodge six altogether, and the American Hotel had eight rooms, in which twen- ty-six members could find accommodation. The prices charged were high enough to satisfy the most fastidious, but in every other respect, there was abun- dant room for complaint. Happily the pioneers were inclined to make the best of things .as they were, al- though Judge J. G. Knapp asserts that six men were placed in a room, only sixteen feet square, in the Madison Hotel, and that the floors all over that pop- ulous establishment were nightly covered with shake downs, for transient visitors. 40 HISTORY OF MADISON. CHAPTER III. PIONEERS AND CELEBRITIES. * The pioneers of our city were not the first settlers in the territory, now known as Wisconsin, and there- fore we shall look outside our own borders to con- struct a sketch of the early days, which will connect the house of Eben Peck and his wife Rosaline, with the remote past, as well as with the present. The chief whose name is spelt by different writers in so many differing ways, De Kaury, Day-Kau-Iiay, De- corrah, Decori, and otherwise, in every manner that will give even an approximation to the original sound, is said to have been the son of a French voyageur, or trapper, who had made his home among the Indians, giving rise to a succession of able men, who were in- fluential in the affairs of the tribes. One of that family, a Winnebago, surrendered Black Hawk to Gen. Street, the Indian Agent, at Prairie du Chien, after the close of the Black Hawk war in 1S32. The Frenchman Pellkie — whose name is undoubtedly a corruption from the original, who assisted to build the first log house for Eben Peck — was officered by another resident among the Indians, named Wood, afterwards a mill owner, who had married into the family of a De Kaury. Some exquisite stories could IIISTOET OF MADISON. 41 be written of the Four Lake country, connecting In- dians with white men, in the days before the city of Madison was even imagined. One of the De Kaurvs exercised the powers of a chief in this immediate lo- cality. Gray-headed Day-Kau-Ray or De Kaury, with a considerable force, met Gen. Atkinson at Portage, while Gen. Dodge was in the field during the troubles preliminary to the war, which was ended at the Bad Ax. They were various in their character- istics, as well as numerous and widely diffused, these Franco-Indian warriors and sachems. One-eyed De Kaury of La Crosse bore a good reputation, but an- other of the family was suggestively described as Rascal De Kaury. Mrs. Kinzie says that the mother of the race, a Winnebago, was alive in 1831, and sup- posed to be more than a century old. There were four or five brothers, of whom the Winnebago chief was one, and Washington— or Wau-kon — De Kaury another. One sister married a French trader named Lecuyer, another was twice married to Canadian French traders, named De Riviere and Grignon, and three married Indians'. But enough about the De Kaurys. They were pioneers in this territory, busily en£rao-ed in the war of 1812 on the side of the British, and the advent of white settlers was the prelude to their removal by death or transfer. Descendants from the Lecuyer marriage were united in wedlock with white settlers at Green Bay, and elsewhere, and pros- pered according to the customs of civilized life. Eben Peck and his wife came to the Blue Mounds, 42 HISTORY OF MADISON. ' where they rented the tavern stand owned by Col. Brighani, and boarded the old colonel and the hands employed by him. "While so engaged, Mrs. Peck en- tertained Judge and Mrs. Doty on one occasion, and the conversation turning upon Madison, where the location of the capital was yet recent, the judge and his good lady made a promise, which was afterwards forgotten, apparently, that if Mrs. Peck was the first to commence housekeeping on the village site, she should have the best lot in the township, and also a present. Mrs. Peck was the first housekeeper, but it is probable that she did not care to recall the promise, which in the hurry of affairs, at that time, might easily have been forgotten by Judge Doty. Boarding houses must have been expensive and troublesome institutions to run, in the early days, as we find that flour fetched $17 a barrel in Milwaukee in 1838, irre- spective of the cost of freight, in the days when trav- elers made their own routes, and carried axes along to cut down the timber that blocked their course. Pork cost as high as $33 per barrel, and potatoes $3 per bushel ; add thereto the cost of transfer, and the profits incidental to boarders must have been whittled down considerably. Some courage was wanted then to open an establishment, such as the Peck family meant to run, when Indian villages were the only habitations near, and deserted wigwams along the borders of the lakes and streams told of the red men who had flour- ished and faded in this locality. Until now the cabin of Michel St. Cyr had served all the purposes of a FfRST M@OSI UNI MftBIS©! 1837. HISTORY OF MADISON. 45 hostelry, and the old man had not grown rich by en- tertaining his few and scattering guests. There was certain to be a much greater demand for hotel accommodation, because the capitol had to be soon erected, and visitors were sure to become more numerous as the works advanced, but the workmen, as the event proved, would build their own lodgings before long, and make arrangements among them- selves about cooking provisions. Travelers who came to see the country, to visit the mines, or to see the spots made famous by engagements during the Black Hawk war of five years before, seldom failed to visit Madison, which had charms of its own sufficient to justify a detour. Before long there were numerous hotels doing a prosperous business on the ground which had at first been exclusively possessed by-Eben Peck's log house; and hundreds occupied their leisure in exploring the sparkling lakes, skirted with every kind of scenic beauty. Groves and meadows, sugges- tive of love in a cottage, capes, bluffs, ravines and prairies, the peninsula itself with its elevation seventy feet above the lakes, on which the capitol stands, now in the center of a lovely park, the undulating lines descending thence to rise again in numerous ridges, and most beautiful of all, in the grounds now occu- pied by the university, offered variety enough to grat- ify the most persistent searcher after loveliness. Mrs. Peck became the owner of a canoe which had been the property of an Indian chief, and Cleopatra never enjoyed her famous voyages, celebrated by the poets, •16 HISTORY OF MADISON. more than did the few who were privileged to glide over the lakes of crystal in that vessel. Only to see that boat freighted with pleasure seekers was a delight equal to all that is realized by the average looker on in contemplating a regatta. The joy of the rowers, and the charms of the scene could not be surpassed. A picture painted by C. A. Johnson, a fine and truth- ful representation of the first residence in Madison, with the canoe in the distance, is one of the most val- ued properties of the Historical Society, and an en- graving of that scene accompanies this sketch. The primitive looking dwelling was at one time quite a luxurious abode, on Butler street, near the Lake House, lately destroyed by fire, not far from the Third Lake. The picture is a perfect reproduction of the reality, in almost every detail. Professor Chapman has recorded one fact which should long since have been tested by experience, in the natural desire of the early settlers to vary the sup- plies on their table. He states on the authority of Mr. Rasdall that the Indians used a root which grew in the marshes, as a substitute for potatoes, called by the red men no-ah-how-in. It was bulbous, but did not resemble arrow root. Mr. Rasdall said that hav- ing been cast ashore, without provisions, from Men- dota Lake, in 1835, while arranging a trading estab- lishment near the First Lake, he had subsisted on the root in question for ten days. The early settlers were not very speculative, as it appears that water for daily consumption was brought from the lakes until 1S30, HISTORY OF MADISON. 47 when the first well upon the plat was excavated on the American House lot, the labor being performed by two soldiers, James ISTevil and an Italian named "Whildean. Mr. Darwin Clark, onr fellow citizen, gives a vivid idea of the state of society in the sum- mer of 1837, and while glancing thereat, we can un- derstand that a fully employed population, engaged upon a task which must be finished in a hurry, and surrounded by hot blooded Indians, had little oppor- tunity for making permanent improvements, which others would probably enjoy. That summer a party of Winnebagoes camped on the shore of the Third Lake, on the flat just below the old Lake House. During the continuance of the encampment, a quarrel occurred between two young Indians, one of whom stabbed the other, and from different sources we learn that the murderer sat on the body of his victim with perfect unconcern, smoking his pipe, as though mod- estly disclaiming special merit in a very creditable transaction. The white workmen, who were unaccus- tomed to look upon murder with satisfaction, were much incensed, and by way of warning that the knives of the red men must not be too freely brought in as umpires, they carried their rifles and shot guns to and from their work. The Winnebagoes took the hint in a proper spirit, and soon after left for parts unknown. The Indian stabbed as above described, was the brother- in-law of Pellkie's partner, another French Canadian, and, as stated elsewhere, Pellkie was himself shot on a subsequent occasion. There were consequently other 48 HISTORY OF MADISON. matters deserving attention besides digging wells, and seeking roots as substitutes for the potato. The vigorous action of the volunteers, who provided their own rifles and ammunition, may have prevented worse trouble. Public o^pMoidh, speaking through the rifle barrel, was a power which the red skins did not wish to provoke. About two weeks after the arrival of Mrs. Peck in Madison, a party of fifteen men came on from Mil- waukee via Janesville, and the work of the hostess be- gan in earnest. Commissioner Bird was one of the ar- rivals, and he was accompanied by hired hands whose work had consisted in blazing and preparing a road by which other workmen and supplies would follow. It was important that proper tracks should be defined where so much traffic must shortly occur and the act- ing commissioner was provident. The American Hotel, already mentioned, was built in 1838, and cir- cumstances g-ave that establishment an advantage over all competitors, for a time. It continued to be a place of considerable note, until it was destroyed by fire in 1868. The Madison Hotel also dated from 1838, but the structure was at first quite small. The territor- ial supreme court was organized in this building, in June, 1838, and held its first session here when the legislature assembled in the American Hotel. Gov. Dodge and many of the leading members of both houses made the Madison Hotel their headquarters. The structure belonged to Commissioner Bird, and was at first kept by his brother. The long continued efforts Wttzztfrt; HISTORY OF MADISON. 40 of the other side to remove the seat of government from Madison found in this building an unceasing watch- fulness which could not he evaded. There were nu- merous hosts, after the hotel passed out of the hands of the Bird family, and the name was changed several times, but it was known by the old name at the last, in March, 1863. It was situated on King street on the present site of Dean's block. The establishment kept by Mr. and Mrs. Peck, has already been mentioned. The new comers, whose names and influence have been beneficially associated with Madison since that date, would defy enumeration, but there are some who cannot be omitted, from a record, however brief, which aims at any measure of completeness. The scene en- acted in plastering the kitchen of the Peck boarding house, in which Judge Doty, Col. Brigham, and all the available masculinity of Madison, took part, is historical. The pioneers of Wisconsin were well represented and well occirpied on that occasion. One of the earliest visitors from abroad, was an Eng- lish geologist named Featherstonehaugh, afterwards a British consul until his death in 1866, and he pro- voked the ire of his hostess at a later date, by some ill-mannered jokes and very unnecessary criticisms, about Mrs. Peck and the accommodations obtained in her pioneer restaurant, which Avere published by him in London. There is unexceptional testimony, from a witness no less reliable than Gen. Mills, that Mrs. Rosaline Peck made excellent coffee, a point expressly denied by the earliest writer whose lucu- 4 50 HISTORY OF MADISON. brations concerning Madison, were published in Europe. The somewhat vulgar and untrustworthy book served its purpose in procuring him a govern- ment appointment under the British crown, so that Madison helped at least one man to fortune. Before the days of Featherstonehaugh, there had been celebrities in Wisconsin, and not a few of them had stood where the capitol has since been erected. Capt. Jonathan Carver may have been a visitor to this precise locality, certainly he was for some time in the lake country. Gen. Dodge, who came occasionally to the capital, in discharging his official duties as governor, was in that way a Madisonian, and it is no small matter that we should be identified with the man whose conduct . of the war did most toward effecting- the defeat of Black Hawk in 1832. Col. Zachary Taylor was for some time in command of the troops in Prairie du Chien, and while there, a young lieutenant, Jefferson Davis, was sparking the daughter of the commandant, so that there were two celebrities in Wisconsin; the one destined to become president of the United States, after serving the country for many years in the field with "rough and ready" effective- ness, and to die of the turmoil of political life; the other, to lose by ill-directed ambition, the repute won as a soldier, and to find the grave of his success in the presidency of the confederation whose ruin it was his fortune to survive. Both officers rendered good ser- vice in the Black Hawk war until the end was reached in the battle of the Bad Axe on the second of August, .HISTORY OF MADISON". 51 1'832. But for the vigor with which the United States troops and volunteers fought then, in vindication of the faith to be placed in treaties, and in defense of property and life, there might have been no Madi- son on this peninsula. In that sense the men named were pioneers. The Hon. John Catlin was essentially among the first comers. He was one of the party that accom- panied the surveyor, Moses M. Strong, to survey and plat the town, and a lot purchased by himself, near the present post office, was utilized by him by the erection thereon of a log house, to be used as the post office store. That building was the first erected in Madison, as it was commenced some time before Eben Peck began his structure; but an accident destroyed the interior of the building, a fire having been by some means originated, and in consequence the prime- val log house was not the first residence. Mr. Catlin was the pioneer par excellence. He was a Green Mountain boy, as he came from Orwell, Yermont. He" was a partner with Mr. Strong in the law business at Mineral Point in 1836, and clerk of the supreme court. He became postmaster in this city in 1837. Pe- moved from office by Gen. Harrison, he was reappoint- ed by President Tyler. Subsequently he served as chief clerk of the house of representatives; was district attorney for Dane county, and judge at a later date; in 1816, he became secretary of the territory. Mr. Catlin was a good citizen and an able man of business. He died in 1871. 52 HISTORY OF MADISOX. Hon. Simeon Mills ranks in the same category, with this difference, that he still remains in our com- munity. Born in Norfolk, Litchfield county, Conn., in February, 1810, he is now in his sixty-seventh year, and he has spent his lifetime in "Wisconsin since attaining the age of twenty-five. Mineral Point was his first abode in this territory, but immediately after the loca- tion of the capital, he moved to this city when there was only one house upon the ground, and on the 10th of June, 1837, he commenced a small building of hewed logs, in which to begin business as a storekeeper. For five years from 1837, Mr. Mills carried the mails to and from this city for the government, and about the same time the responsible duties of a justice of the peace were imposed upon him by Gov. Dodge. Numerous offices of honor and emolument have since that date been conferred on Mr. Mills. He was one of the commissioners for Dane county upon its organ- ization in 1839; clerk of the United States district court; territorial treasurer; first senator for Dane county; one of the regents engaged in the organiza- tion of the state university, and subsequently pay- master general of the state during the war, from 1861. The record left by Gen. Mills, in every relation of his well spent life, reflects credit on one of the oldest pioneer families in Dane county, and his industry has contributed, in no small degree, to the prosperity and growth of the city. Darwin Clark came to this city with acting com- missioner Bird, in the spring of 1837, to commence HISTOP.Y OF MADISOX. 53 work as a cabinet maker on the capitol, and since that time he has been a resident in Madison, holding many offices of trust with honor to himself, and conducting for many years a very extensive business. He was born in Otsego county, N". Y., in May, 1812, in which state he also married his first wife. He set out foi the west when twenty-five years of age, to make a home where there would be better opportunities than in the crowded east. The pioneers had among them few more estimable men. A young mechanic of mark in the early days, when there was only one family in Madison, and growing up with the place, figuring in its gayeties in the first New Year's festivities, which lasted two clays, a guest at the first wedding when a young woman in Mrs. Peck's household became the wife of Jairus S. Potter, his name is interwoven with most of the early celebrations, as well as with many later responsibilities. The community was very limited when that mar- riage occurred, on the 1st of April, 1838, and the bet- ter half was held in high esteem. Gen. Simeon Mills, not then holding military rank, but a prosperous store- keeper, and in office, rose betimes to gather an early bouquet of wild flowers to grace the occasion. The spring, in honor of the event of course, came early, or that feature would have been wanting from the festi- val. The wedding ceremony was performed by Mr. Eben Peck, in his capacity as justice of the peace, and when the dance followed, the better half of the Peck family played on the violin, assisted by Luther, her 54: IIISTOKY OF MADISON. husband's brother, according; as the exigencies of the time demanded. Mrs. Peck played well, but she danced well also, and there were so few ladies to take the floor that one could hardly be spared to form the orchestra. The disparity of the sexes was happily ex- pressed by Mrs. Peck: "You cannot call it succotash; there was too much corn for the beans." Both bride and bridegroom have since passed away, but the mem- ory of the event is part of the domestic history of the city. Mrs. Prosper B. Bird was present, and she yet remains to honor and grace our community, a living memento of a time from which sad memories, mingled with few delights, yield a gentle perfume as of bruised but never dying flowers. Mr. Potter died in Madi- son, somewhere about the year 1841. His wife's maiden name was Elizabeth Allen. There were two Potters then in the village, Jairus, known as " Long Potter," for he was a man of great altitude, and Hor- ace, whose more stunted proportions caused him to be known as " Short Potter." Miss Allen, after consid- ering " the long and the short of it," did not follow the maxim " of two evils choose the least," conse- quently there was more husband in her home than in any other household near the capitol. Darwin Clark was good for many things, besides, being good com- pany, in the early days, as thank goodness, he still re- mains. In the summer of 1S3T, when "Win. A. Wheeler came here to erect a steam saw mill west of the foot of Butler street, on the bank of lake Mendota, the young cabinet maker was able to give valuable HISTORY OF MADISON. 55 assistance toward the erection of the works; and although owing to the fact that the engine and ma- chinery had to be brought from Detroit, operations were not commenced until nearly the end of the year ; much of the timber used in the old capitol was sawed in Wheeler's mill. The McDonalds, the Smiths, and others whose names have escaped us, who mingled in the throng when Commissioner Bird and his wife led off in the "Virginia reel " or "Hunt the squirrel," will never have for us more than a phantom existence, as they "come like shadows, so depart; " but friend Clark is a reality. The days in which Judge Doty, treasurer of the board of commissioners, came in from Green Bay with specie and currency to pay the men, guarded by ( 'apt. John Symington and a squad of soldiers from Fort Howard, were not without their charm; more especially when we see the commissioner laying aside the pomp of office to stand sponsor at the informal christening of the first white child born in Madison; and editor Sholes, who w T as then in his company, must have been favorably impressed by our band of pio- neers. Some four years later we find the Hon. C. C. Sholes identified with the publication of the Enquin r newspaper, the material of which journal was eventu- ally removed to Milwaukee from this city. Mr. Sholes was more actively identified with Kenosha. The name most intimately associated with our early press is that of the Hon. George Hyer; but his work in that capacity will appear in reviewing our news- 56 HISTORY OF MADISON. paper history. He was one of our pioneers, and be- fore Madison was platted, he had accustomed himself to thread his devious track through the woods, having on one occasion made his way from Milwaukee to Green Bay, and on another in 1837, from the same starting point to Rock river settlement, when he was specially sworn in by old Solomon Juneau to carry the mail. In the earliest apportionment of offices for Dane county, the name of John S toner occurs as treasurer, and that of R. L. Ream, father of the famous Yinnie Ream, a Madisonian, as register of deeds. Ream succeeded to the old log house erected by Eben Peck, after another residence had been built for that family. Geo. P. Delaplaine was surveyor, JNL T. Parkinson, the first sheriff, William A. Wheeler, assessor, Adam Smith, collector, and the three commissioners were, Simeon Mills, Eben Peck and Jeremiah Lycan, with LaFayette Kellogg for clerk. The father of Yinnie Ream assumed the management of the pioneer " Tavern Stand," as Mrs. Peck phrases it, when Eben and his wife gave their attention to farming, unfor- tunately for themselves, cultivating a piece of land which had been deeded to them by mistake. The change was made in the spring of 1838, and the birth place of the sculptress was torn down in 1S57, after twenty years of peculiarly eventful service. The old Madison House, the picture of which we preserve, was, under the presidency named, the resort of the aristo- cracy of Wisconsin, and it long continued to be the HIST0KY OF MADISON. 57 stage house. According to Judge Knapp, the charges were not very moderate, as " two feet by six of floor could be had for the night," only upon payment of " two pence per square foot," and "the weary traveler might spread his own blanket, using his saddle or portmanteau for a jiillow, rejoicing that he had so good a bed." The other hotels were no more sump- tuous than Ream's, as in all of them, the lakes, the woods and the slow coining " prairie schooner," were drawn upon liberally to supply the table. Sleeping accommodation was at a premium everywhere, even after the American Hotel, the largest on the ground, was raised. The first treasurer of Dane county, John Stoner, was born in Washington county, Maryland, in 1791, consequently, when he died in this city, in 1872, he was in his eighty-first year. He served in the war of 1812, and was one of the early arrivals in Madison village. His pioneer log cabin was in the second ward, abutting on the lot now occupied by the church of Norwegian Lutherans. The old landmarks are nearly all effaced, so far as they were raised by men in the springs and summers of 1837-8. The log house on the marsh is gone, the first frame house built in the city at the southwest corner of Wilson and Pinck- ney street, for J. S. Schermerhorn, has given place to a large two story brick dwelling. The old steam mill on the bank of the lake is so entirely gone that it is not easy to find even a trace of its foundations. A grey sandstone slab, erected to mark the spot where a 58 HISTORY OF MADISON. carpenter named S. Warren was buried in 1S3S, hav- ing been killed by lightning in that summer, cannot be found. " Chief Justice of the Peace, Seymour," who is mentioned in a very pleasant and appreciative way in " Reminiscences of Madison," by Judge Knapp, loomed large in our early days, at once a pioneer and a celebrity. Mrs. Peck mentions him as possessed of a feather bed, once her property, and containing " over thirty pounds of fresh geese feathers," so that he had ideas of luxury. Judge Pratt says, that " his pipe was part of the man; with that in his mouth, he was clerk in the commissioners' store, kept books, dealt out silks and dry goods, tea and powder; was surveyor of the town plat, only he read the degrees and minutes at the wrong end of the needle; tried causes, civil and criminal, administered justice, min- gled largely with equity and common sense. . . : . . All knew he was the Gazette, the very latest edition, and he had under his special care all the affairs of town, state and church A dreadful sickness came upon him and Seymour lost Lis pipe, the city losing its best guardian." Gov. Dodge appointed Seymour justice of the peace, upon the recommendation of Eben Peck, when Dane county was organized, and the com- missioners set about bridging the Cattish, and erect- ing the jail, reducing " the bounty on wolves' scalps," to render their funds available for such works as have been suggested. "Win. IS. Seymour published a direc- tory of Madison, a copy of which is in the hands of HISTORY OF MADISON. 59 the Historical Society. He has lived to see several other works of a similar character, but none of them mure interesting than his own. The stroke of paraly- sis under which he fell in November, 1S59, has not deprived him of the satisfaction of witnessing the steady growth of the city, the infant steps of whose village days were in part guided by himself. His form is well known on the streets, and most of the old pioneers can tell of some good deed in his career, which retains for him a pleasant place in their mem- ories. The Masonic fraternity stood by the "Chief Justice of the Peace " in his affliction, and by their aid he is comfortably circumstanced. Gen. Geo. P. Delaplaine was county surveyor. "We find him on the Fourth of July, 1839, reading the Jeffersonian Declaration, when William T. Sterling was Orator of the day, and the music on the occasion was anything but first class. The dinner that day c< nsisted of bacon and fish, with the addition of much whisky. Customarily the dinner comprised fish and bacon with less whisky. The celebration lasted three days. The pioneer Geo. P. Delaplaine came from Milwaukee to clerk in Jas. Morrison's store, and his ability no less than his high character soon made him master of the situation. His name stands honorably identified with most of the movements in early days for the advantage of Madison. Another of the early pioneers whose life has been honorable to the community, although there are no brilliant deeds to be pointed to in his career, is Mr. E. M. Williamson, 60 HISTOKY OF MADISON. of Pinckney street, one of our earliest school teachers, and identified with the establishment of the Episco- pal church, which will be found more particularly mentioned elsewhere. Many names that should have had notice have been omitted, but that is inevitable because of our limitations. The position and labors of Mr. and Mrs. Peck have already been briefly indi- cated. Eben Peck started overland to California when the gold fever spread over this western country, and it is supposed that he was slain by the Indians on the plains, but there is no record of his death, and it is claimed that he was heard from at a later date. His wife, a brave and able woman, has written many piquant papers, descriptive of pioneer life, in which her own experiences made her proficient. In her house the earliest visitors to Madison found a home, in her dining room the gayeties of several seasons found their earliest expression. Her husband as jus- tice of the peace united in the bonds of wedlock the first couple lawfully married in this city, and after the irrevocable knot had been tied, as we have seen, the violin of the justice's lady gladdened the hearts of the assembled throng while they threaded the mazes of the dance. In the old log house was born Miss Wisconsiana Victoria Peck, the first child that saw the light in this city, concerning whose christen- ing some particulars are given. Mrs. Peck and her husband were the pioneer settlers, and subsequently the lady became the first settler in Baraboo, where she still resides. HISTORY OF MADISON. 61 Mrs. Prosper Burgoyne Bird, formerly Miss Hewitt, another of our pioneers, came of good revolu- tionary stock, and was one of the most valued of our early residents. Her husband built a house for her in this city, while she remained in Milwaukee. There was only one house in Janesville when the lady came through to her destination. The party had seen enough of pioneer life to have discouraged most people, before they left Milwaukee. While they were neighbors of " Old Solomo," as the Indians al- ways called Col. Juneau, they witnessed an election, in which the principal argument used in favor of the successful ticket was a dipper placed in a barrel of whisky, by the founder of the Cream City. The po- tency of such logic was manifested in the fact that a sober man could hardly be found in the settlement at the close of the dav. The first boat launched on Lake Michigan, "The Juneau," kissed the water while Mrs. Bird was remaining in Milwaukee. The party set out on their road altogether, but at the last mo- ment Mr. Bird, having business to transact on account of the capitol, for the building of which his brother was acting commissioner, returned to the village, leaving his courageous wife to prosecute the journey without his guidance, until sundown the following day. The ferryman at Janesville was not at home, so the little band went round by Beloit, where there were two log houses, one on each side of the river. The home provided for their accommodation was an uninclosed frame building, on the street now known as Webster 62 HISTORY OF MADISON. street, on lot eight, and the building was not com jdeted until April, 1838. During part of the inter- val, Mrs. Bird resided in a log house on the site where Kentzler's livery stable now stands, and after- wards moved into the old log; boarding house near Mr. Pyncheon's residence. There were, when Mrs. Bird arrived in the village, only four log houses; that built for Mr. Catlin, and partly consumed by tire; that occupied by Mrs. Peck, and known long after as the Madison House; the residence of Mr. Stoner, already mentioned; and one other of less note. Such an addition to the village was im- portant. The workmen engaged upon the capitol- boarded with the newly arrived housekeeper, and there were rough times and hard work for all hands when she began her pioneer experience in this locality. In Mrs. Bird's mother's home the first death in the new settlement occurred from typhoid fever, and the second happened from her own house haying been struck by lightning, The cemetery then in use forms now a part of the university grounds. The Bird family was one of the most numerous and energetic among the pioneers, but a volume would be required to re- cord their several fortunes and adventures. Col. Wm. B. Slaughter, whose eloquence is still the pride of his fellow townsmen, was born in 1797, in Culpepper county, Virginia, and came to reside in Green Bay in 1835, where he was appointed register of the land office. While serving as a member of the IIISTOKY OF MADISON. 63 legislative council of Michigan, winch assembled at Green Bay in the winter of that year, he initiated the memorial for the organization of Wisconsin. About the same date, he entered the lot held by St. Cyr, near this city, and gave the half-breed $200 for his im- provements. When the capital was located, he made his residence where the City of the Four Lakes was platted by M. L. Martin, Judge Doty and himself, and continued a resident until 1845, when Virginia attracted him to his old home. On the commence- ment of the war, the colonel was appointed commis- sary and quarter-master by the president; and now, nearly eighty years of age, he is one of the most active and intellectual of the residents in this city. There are but few men to be found who, from their personal experience, know more about Madison from the beginning. Soon after the capitol was commenced, and when Commissioner Bird's residence was small and cold, Sheriff Childs from Green Bav mentions a visit to Col. Wm. B. Slaughter's, on the west bank of the Fourth Lake, near Pheasant Branch. Lung before this time, all the land business of the territory had passed through the colonel's hands at Green Bay. When the location of the capital was under debate, and long before it came to the vote, Col. Slaughter made arrangements with St. Cyr, under which the half-breed enabled the colonel to enter the tract in the summer or autumn of 1835, and he subsecmently conveyed an interest to Judge Doty, with the hope that the capital would be there located. The arrange- 61 HISTORY OF MADISON. ment witli Gov. Mason of Michigan, and the purchase of the peninsula for $1,500, wrecked Col. Slaughter's project, seeing that he was absent in the south while the session was being held at Belmont, upon which the location turned. Sheriff Childs, already men- tioned, says that the votes which determined the mat- ter were those cast by representatives who knew that their several localities would be erected into a distinct territory soon afterwards. Iowa had six councilmen and representatives, so that the influence of the out- siders really determined the issue, and the country west of the Mississippi was separately organized with little delay. Childs says that the town plat of Madi- son was divided into twenty shares, and that he was offered one share for $200, apparently with the hope that he would in that way be induced to vote for the location. His Roman virtue was equal to the emer- gency, and Green Bay was pleased with the course taken by him. Col. Slaughter's site had been very wisely chosen, upon the historical ground where Gen. Dodge held his " talk" with the Winnebagoes, when the Black Hawk war had begun, and after Stillman had sustained his defeat. Josiali A. Koonan did not come to our territory until the year 1837, and in 1810, removed to Milwau- kee, whence, still later, he migrated to Chicago to take charge of the Industrial Age; but as the founder of the first newspaper issued in this city, the Wisconsin Enquirer, he must have a place among our pioneers. The first press and printing materials HISTOKY OF MADISON. 65 bought for this enterprise, "were thrown overboard, off Mackinaw, in Lake Huron, in a storm, on the voyage from Buffalo to Green Bay, and in consequence the Racine Argus, with its material, was purchased and removed, to do duty in the capital. The paper was published on King street, in a room over the commissioners' store, and eventually some of the ablest journalists in the state were identified with its career. C. C. Sholes became a partner in the paper in 1839, as is elsewhere mentioned, and it lived until June, 1843, taking an active part in all public affairs until its death. Judge Knapp was for some time its editor. That gentleman has left on record a brief description of the Fourth of July celebration in 1839, and according to his winged words, there was no lack of spirit among the celebrants. There was an oration, and the declaration in proper order, but a liberal sup- ply of "Pecatonica" and "Bock River," the latter a peculiarly strong water, with an orchestra consisting of two violins and a flute, filled every soul with mar- tial music. A fat steer which had been brought to grace the tables of the citizens on the Fourth, was forgotten until three days later, when the keg was empty, and there was then but little superfluous fat upon the bones of the delayed sacrifice. It must not be supposed that all the citizens were affected by " old rye," but the carrier, who had brought the steer, had kept the secret of its whereabouts, until his senses were sobered by the emptying of the keg. Abel Rasdall cannot be utterly omitted from a 5 6Q HISTORY OF MADISON. record of our pioneers ; his bravery during the troubles and his good faith at all times, entitle him to be men- tioned, but he has been referred to at large in the first chapter, as will be remembered. The schoolmaster was in request, but the number of pupils was not great. Mr. Edgar S. Searle taught school in the summer of 1839, and was followed by Mr. E. M. "Williamson, mentioned among our pio- neers, who had six pupils. Mr. "Williamson taught at the corner of Pinckney and Dayton streets, one term, in a very primitive building. In the winter of 1842-3, Mr. Theodore Conkey also taught. Miss Pierce was at the same time engaged in the tui- tion of girls in an old building near the spot where Dean's block is now standing. Another step in the same direction, aiming at the improvement of adults, was an association for church purposes, entered into in July, 1839. The instrument of association indi- cated the establishment of a parish of the Protestant Episcopal Church as the object of the members. There were sixteen signatures to the document. The first Sunday school was also started about this time and conducted by Rev. Mr. Clark, Presbyterian clergyman. It was held in the capitol. HISTORY OF MADISON. G7 CHAPTER IV. THE STATE UNIVEESITY. The example set by the Pilgrim Fathers in 1636, in preparing for the foundation of Harvard, less than sixteen years after their landing on this continent, has been fruitful in suggesting like works all over the Union. An endowment of public lands for a sem- inary in Wisconsin was provided by an act of con- gress which was approved on the the 12th of June, 1838. The land thus given amounted to 46,080 acres. Prior to the passage of the congressional act, and an- ticipating its provisions, the territorial legislature, in January, 1838, prepared to incorporate the University with all the powers and limitations common to such institutions. The first quorum of the board of visitors stands on record as having met pursuant to adjournment, Decem- ber 1, 1838, when Henry L. Dodge and John Catlin were chosen treasurer and secretary. Col. Slaughter was one of the most active members, and the requisite steps devolving upon the board were fulfilled. Re- gents were appointed, and an act was passed specifi- cally incorporating the University, immediately after the inauguration of the state government, in 1848. The first board consisted of John Bannister, Hirtim 68 HISTORY OF MADISON. Barber, Alex. L. Collins, Julius T. Clark, Henry Bryan, Edw. Y. Whiton, John H. Rountree, Eleazer Root, Simeon Mills, Bufus King, Tlios. W. Suther- land and Cyrus "Woodman. Four of the members were nominated for six years, and the others were ap- pointed, four for four years and four for two only; their successors thereafter to hold office for six years. Part of the land of the University was purchased from Mr. Aaron Vanderpool of New York, on the 17th of October, 1848, subject to the approval of the legisla- ture; and a building in the village of Madison, erected as a private venture for the purposes of an academy, having been tendered to the regents, rent free, by the citizens, it was determined to open the " department of science, literature, and the arts," by means of a preparatory school, on the first Monday in February, 1849, under the superintendence of Prof. John ~W. Sterling. The next step was the election of John H. Lathrop, LL. D., as chancellor of the University, at a salary not to exceed $2,000. The preparatory school was opened at the time named, with twenty pupils under Professor Sterling and Chancellor Lathrop. The cabinet of natural history was formed by Horace A. Tenney, who rendered his services as agent free of cost, and gave excellent aid to the institution at all times. The formal inauguration of the chancellor took place on the 16th of January, 1850, and buildings were erected, the north dormitory in the following year and the south dormitory in 1854, from the in- HISTORY OF MADIS03ST. 69 come of the University fund. In the same year the first class, consisting of Levi M. Booth and Chas. T. "Wakeley, graduated. The intention of congress in granting a liberal en- dowment of public lands to the University was to a great extent defeated by manipulations in the legis- lature, under which the lands were appraised at very inadequate prices, and so passed into the hands of speculators and others, who became the recipients of advantages which should permanently have assisted the intellectual culture of the community. Under such injurious action on the part of honorable mem- bers, some of the best lands in the state were pre- empted, or otherwise obtained, at less than one-fourth of their actual value, and the authorities of the Uni- versity were powerless to defend the interests entrust- ed to their charge. The fund necessary for Univer- sity purposes being thus rendered inadequate, con- gress was once more approached, and mainly in con- sequence of the exertions of Gen. Simeon Mills, a further grant of seventy-two sections was obtained. Mr. Tenney, already favorably known by his services, se- lected the lands thus given for the purposes of learn- ing. The selections made by Mr. -Tenney were among the choicest lands in the state, and although there was some delay in reporting them at Washington, in con- sequence of which private parties procured many of the best, other lands fully equal were eventually pro- cured. Once more the legislature using its powers defeated the express design of the endowment, by ap- 70 HISTORY OF MADISON. praising tlie picked lands of the state at $3.00 per acre, reducing a property which was well worth $500,000 to a selling value of only $138,240. Even then the designs of the manipulators were not ex- hausted, as it was found that by pushing the lands into sale by auction, away from the centers of population, still lower prices could be made to rule, and yet the representations made by the institution were without avail. Even worse, during the summer session of 1854 a bill was hurried through one house, and came very near passing the other, under which all the lands sold, and to be sold, in the interests of the State Uni- versity, some of which ranged as high as $30.00 per acre in value in open market, should be subject to patent at $1.25, and that all moneys already paid in excess of that amount should be refunded. A propo- sition more shameful was never submitted to a legis- lature; but Mr. Tenney, then reporting in the house, and a number of members acting with him, by whom he was called upon for a statement, only succeeded in defeating the nefarious project by two votes. Two purposes were served by the members who voted for the despoilment of the University: one, the enrich- ment of individual speculators, and the other and more justifiable design was the encouragement of immigration. Precisely similar tactics were pursued when the Agricultural College act was passed by congress in 1862; but no good purpose can be served by recapitulating discreditable details. The Regents of the University faithfully discharged their duties HISTORY OF MADISON. 71 in the premises, and at length, in 1872, procured the passage of an act granting from the state a sum of $10,000 per annum, as compensation to the Univer- sity. That amount was not an equivalent for the loss, but it was something to have procured a recognition of the principle, that the lands granted by the federal government for purposes of education, should not have been sacrificed in pursuance of personal gain, or in carrying out schemes to promote immigration, in the lower interests of the territory and state. The legislature acted for some considerable time as though the funds accruing from the sales of land granted for the University by congress were, in fact, taxes levied upon the state, and in consequence there were dark days and great causes for discontent among the promoters of learning in this city; but thanks to a more enlightened spirit which now prevails among the directors of the press of the state, and in the main, among the people at large, a better understanding has been reached. The fact that the University was doing its best under the disadvantages incidental to want of funds, during the dark and troubled times, is now admitted on all hands; and it is too apparent to re- quire comment, that the cause of that poverty con- sisted in the breach of trust of which legislators were guilty. A bill aiming at the reorganization of the University was introduced, and came near passing both houses of the legislature in 1858. The chan- cellor of the institution, taking up the leading ideas of that measure, carried out most of the proposed al- 72 HISTORY OF MADISON. terations during the same year, with the concurrence of the board of regents. Chancellor Lathrop sug- gested the several changes apparently demanded by the public, and in pursuance of the change, resigned his position as chancellor, which was afterwards filled by Henry Barnard, LL. D., who united therewith the duties of professor of normal instruction. Chancellor Lathrop was elected professor of ethical and political science, but he subsequently resigned his office, and was reelected to the position he had previously filled as president of the University of Missouri. Beyond doubt, that gentleman fell a sacrifice 'to circum- stances not properly chargeable to himself; but his retirement, and the change of administration conse- quent thereupon, permitted the complete establish- ment of a good understanding between the people and their most valuable institution. The new scheme originated by the retiring chancellor was, in effect, a full recognition of the right of the people to control the University, and it devolved upon them the fullest share of responsibility. Chancellor Barnard was unable to attend to the duties to which he had been called, thus the scheme which was to have united the University with the normal school system of the state failed completely. Eventually, in consequence of continued ill health, his resignation was accepted in January, 1861. The civil war, and the stress upon every department of the state, joined to the diminution of the number of students, rendered a reduction of expenditures inevitable. Pro! HISTORY OF MADISOS". 73 Jolm "W. Sterling was made deau of the faculty, with the powers of chancellor, and schemes of retrenchment were adopted which enabled the University to continue its operations, without asking aid from the legislature, during the war. The University was largely repre- sented in the army, and a military company was formed among the students, which has eventuated in the establishment of a military department, giving effect to an excellent suggestion made to the re- gents by the faculty. The drill undertaken to secure military efficiency has conferred mental as well as physical vigor. In the year 1864, all the class was in the field, and for the first time during ten years, there was no commencement. A normal department was opened in 1863, under the care of Prof. C. H. Allen, and the result was in every way satisfactory. The apprehension commonly ex- pressed, that the introduction of ladies would lower the standard of culture, has been proved groundless. Prof. Pickard succeeded to the control of that department in 1866, when the "female college" was established, which continued until 1873, since which time all de- partments of the University have very properly been thrown open to both sexes, without those invidious distinctions, which too long have evidenced the want of genuine culture among men. Gifts made to the institution by generous citizens, have done much to increase its efficiency. Gov. Jas. T. Lewis made a donation to enable the board of regents to bestow an annual prize. The amount was 74 HISTORY OF MADISON. only $200, but the regents having invested the fund, were enabled in June, 1874, to offer a prize of $20, which sum is to be awarded every year, under the name of " the Lewis prize," to the writer of the best essay, received in the competition of that year. The Scandinavian library, known as u Mimers library," was a contribution from private individuals in 1868, through the agency of Prof. B,. B. Anderson. The col- lection now aggregates about one thousand volumes of Scandinavian literature, and its value can hardly be stated. The world-famous Ole Bull was induced by Mr. Anderson to increase the library fund by giving a concert in the assembly chamber, and the sum thus obtained was very advantageously expended in Nor- way by the professor, who made a voyage thither in 1872 for the purpose, and procured at the same time valuable contributions from some of the ablest pro- fessors and most distinguished Norwegian scholars. The books obtained by the several means indicated render the Scandinavian library one o'f the best in the United States. The " Johnson student's aid fund " was in part due to the same agency. The sum given by the Hon. John A. Johnson, some time senator for this district, is $5,000, the interest of which is to be applied from the time of the donation, 1876, until the end of the present century, to assist indigent Scandi- navian students, with sums not to exceed $50 per an- num in any individual case, nor to aggregate more than $200 in the aid afforded to one person; with this further proviso, that in every case the student assisted HISTORY OF MADISON. 77 shall understand that the advance is a loan, and not a gift, and that whenever it may be in his power, he shall be expected to repay the sum to the fund, to in- crease its efficiency for future operations. On and after the end of this century the fund will be available for all students, irrespective of nationality, on pre- cisely similar terms. Clearly, the object of the donor is to break down whatever barriers may at present ex- ist, to the complete unification of the Norse element in our population with the great body of the people, made up of all the nations of the world. It would be difficult to imagine a form in which enlightened mu- nificence can more elegantly express itself, than by such contributions to the improvement of the State University, and it is gratifying to observe that other persons are preparing to follow in the path thus nobly indicated. Most of the universities and scholastic in- stitutions in Europe have been enriched by just such acts of individual munificence, generally by way of bequests, taking effect upon the death of the donor. The state bestowed upon the University the building which had been occupied as the soldiers' orphans home, with the intention that it should be used as the location for a medical school or department; but for many reasons it was found inexpedient to carry out that design, and the regents having memorialized the legislature to that effect, have been permitted to sell the structure and grounds for $18,000. The Nor- wegians, who have made the purchase, will establish an academy and theological seminary in the building, 78 HISTOET OF MADISON. which will thus become a considerable addition to the educational facilities in Madison. Returning now from a prolonged digression on the subject of gifts, to resume the narrative temporarily broken, we may say, that in June, 1865, the war having come to an end, it was thought advisable to reorganize the State University, but in consequence of an offer of the chancellorship having been declined, Prof. Sterling continued in his position until the following year. The increase of students and the improving aspect of affairs generally, so far as the University was concerned, led to a reconstruction, which was aided by a vacation of all the chairs in 1866, whereupon Pres. Paul A. Chadbourne was called to the management of the University from the agricul- tural college of Massachusetts. Prof. Sterling alone, of all the old faculty, was retained and reelected. The change made in 1866 entitled the Universitv to the advantages accruing under the act of congress, which granted lands for agricultural colleges. The alterations necessary were embodied in an act, which was approved on the 12th of April, 1866, and there- upon the county of Dane issued bonds to the amount of §10,000 for the purchase of lands for an experimental farm contiguous to the university grounds. The requisite funds were provided and the farm procured, but two professors in turn declined the nomination as president, and the members of the old faculty were recalled for another year. After certain amendments had been made in the regulations, as to the several HISTORY OF MADISON". 79 departments being open to both sexes on precisely similar terms, Prof. Chadbourne accepted the presi- dency in 1867, and the work of reconstruction pro- ceeded. Since that time, the state has pursued a more liberal and enlightened policy towards the University. The educational power of the institution has been felt in the community, in the presence and force of men trained therein, or in kindred establishments, and now editing the leading journals of the state, or filling other responsible representative positions. The sec- retary of state, in his report for 1866, recognized the fact, that Wisconsin had not appropriated one dollar toward the support of the University, but had absorbed from the endowment given by the general govern- ment, sums aggregating more than $10,000, in the form of charges for taking care of the lands, besides reducing the value of the property in question, so that the fund arising from the interest had decreased $7,000 per annum in less than two years. The action of Dane county in affording substantial help was speedily followed by compensatory measures in the legislature. In the year 1867, an appropriation of $7,303.76 per annum was made for a term of ten years, and it was supposed that a like amount would be granted in perpetuity as an act of simple justice; but, as will be seen, a much more generous arrange- ment has been effected. The charge unwisely levied by the state upon the University, property for taking care of its lands, was at the same time abandoned. 80 HISTOKY OF MADISON". Three years later, in 1870, a sum of $50,000 was appropriated to erect a female college, that being the first sum actually granted by Wisconsin in aid of her own University. In the year 1875, upon proper repre- sentations as to the necessity for additional buildings, the legislature appropriated $S0,000 to enable the regents to proceed with the erection of Science Hall, which is now fully complete; and still later, in the winter of 1876, an act has been passed repealing all other measures of appropriation touching the revenues of the institution, and giving, by way of liberal acquittance for every error in the past, an annual tax of one-tenth of a mill on the dollar, on the valuation of the state, upon the condition, that from and after July, 1876, all tuition shall be free to every citizen of Wisconsin. The line of policy thus indi- cated, places the State University on a sound basis, and will not fail to establish the character of our people thoughout the union. The struggle for life has ended, and the munificence of the legislature, expressing the will of the community, will materially aid in developing the resources of the state. The line of conduct pursued in the beginning was an aberra- tion, such as we are not likely to see repeated. A desire to narrate in the proper order, and in a connected way, the several items of financial policy which, since 1866, have characterized the legislature, has led to a deviation from the straight course in de- scribing the steps by which the regents and the faculty have discharged their duties; but allowances can be HISTOKY OF MADISON". 81 made for that offense in the presence of such ad- mirable provocation. There will be no further need to break the continuity of the narrative. The University has now a department of engineer- ing and military tactics, to ' which has been added a department of civil and mechanical engineering and military science. Mining, metallurgy and engineer- ing as connected with mines, have also received atten- tion; and the department of agriculture, a branch of training second to none in importance, is very slowly advancing in appreciation as well among the people as in the minds of the regents. Efforts have been made to render this branch of education effective, but up to the present time there have been no agricul- tural students. The Law Department, under the able Dean of the Faculty, Prof. J. H. Carpenter, aided by the best authorities in the state, deserves the very highest encomiums. President Chadbourne's labors, under the recon- structed board, and the better tone of public opinion, gave an impetus to educational effort. The University became more worthy of support, a better exponent of scientific culture; and the leading minds in the com- munity recognized its higher usefulness. The in- crease of students consequent upon those improve- ments, rendered additional buildings necessary, and the want has been in part supplied, but the require- ments of the institutioii will continue to increase with the growing importance of the community. There cannot be finality in supplying the wants of an 82 HISTORY OF MADISON. intellectual people whose numbers and demands in tlie realm of knowledge are daily expanding. Already there are murmurs because of the want of an ob- servatory and astronomical instruments. There can be no question that these requirements will be sup- plied. President Chadbourne was obliged to retire in con- sequence of ill health in 1870, and his place was tem- porarily supplied by Yice President Sterling, during whose incumbency, at first as a matter of necessity, and afterwards as a matter of principle, young women were admitted to recite with any of the classes. The change has proved beneficial. President Twombly, D. D., was elected in 1871, and continued in office until 1874, when President Bascom, LL. D., D. D., was called to the work. Under the two officers last named in succession, but more especially under Presi- dent Bascom, the institution has grown in usefulness and in public favor, and there is no reason to doubt that the good understanding, fully established, will be maintained. The income of the University from all sources, now amounts to about $80,000 per annum, and with the growth of the state generally, the prosperity of the institution will steadily keep pace. Henceforth there will be no reason why every young man and young woman in AVisconsin, having an ambition to possess the advantages of complete training, should not culti- vate the powers with which God has blessed them, in the development of their intellectual faculties. HISTORY OF MADISOK. S3 CIIAPTEK Y. STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. The state library dates from the earliest clays of our existence as a territorial government, the first pur- chase of books having been made in 1837, since which time the collection has been largely increased. The State Historical Society was organized on the 30th of January, 1849, and its treasures now com- prise by far the best collection of materials for north- western history that can be found anywhere in this western country. There was at one time a superior collection in Chicago, but the great fire unfortunately destroyed that, among other priceless treasures. The organization of the society was suggested in the Mineral Point Democrat of October 22, 1845, by Chauncy C. Britt, but notwithstanding the support given to the project by the whole of the press, it was not found possible to carry it into effect until the date mentioned, more than three years later. Even then it was not a vigorous existence, upon which the association entered. Events called off the attention of some, sickness and misfortune impeded others, and the act of incorporation was not procured until March, 1853, when there were not fifty volumes in the library. In the month of January following, a com- 84 HISTORY OF MADISON. plete reorganization having been effected, a vote of $500 per annum was subsequently procured from the legislature to assist in attaining the objects aimed at by the promoters ; and the first annual report for the year 1854 showed very considerable progress. There were already more than one thousand volumes in the library and promises of assistance and cooperation had been received from numerous societies on this continent and in Europe, as well as from American authors whose names are to-day more honorable to the nation than our material riches. Collections of autographs, portraits, and life sized pictures had al- ready been commenced, including mementoes of our worthiest men, and those lines of effort have been persevered in with great success to the present time, until the gallery of the Historical Society has become singularly complete. With the report for 1854 were presented many valuable and interesting documents forming parts of the contemporary and more remote history of the northwest, in a striking way illus- trating the importance of the society. One paper was a translation from the French, setting forth the policy which the soldiery of that nation should pursue to- ward the Chippewas and Foxes; another an English record of the days when the British forces had taken possession of Green Bay and other frontier posts, soon after the reduction of Canada by the English, and a very interesting appendix consisted of Jas. W. Biddle's recollections of Green Bay in 1816-17, about the time that this country really passed under Amer- HISTORY OF MADISOX. 85 ican rule. The discriminating reader is of course aware that although the British should have surren- dered this country in 1783, there were excuses made for the retention of Detroit and other posts until Jay's treaty was made, and that even after that date it was not until the end of the war of 1812 that the English authorities abandoned their manipulations with the Indians in this territory. The conduct of the Chippewas in hoisting the English flag at Sault Ste Marie in 1820, and defying Gov. Cass, was an event of still later occurrence, and the courage with which the old General tore down the insolent bunting, in the face of the Indians, won for him honest ad- miration. James Duane Doty, who was then travel ing in the suite of Gov. Cass, assisted in hoisting the Union colors, and thereby increased his favor with the governor of Michigan. The drain on the material resources of England, caused by long continued wars against Napoleon, ended by the banishment of that ruler to St. Helena in 1815-16, made it inexpedient for the nation to continue its system of annuities to Tomah and the Menomonees, as well as to other In- dian allies. The change was announced in 1817, and Mr. Biddle's recollections embrace that period and event, as well as much other matter that deserves re- capitulation. The customs of Green Bay as to lim- ited marriages, and transfers of marital engagements, among the voyageurs, fur traders and their semi In- dian squaws, read like the records of South Sea Island life, with a few business like variations. There 86 HISTORY OF MADISON. had not been a priest in Green Bay for some time, and Judge Reaume, whose commission was said to have been given by Gen. Harrison, or earlier by the British, was for many years the only justice. Nobody could say when his authority first claimed recognition, but on the other hand nobody presumed to question its potency. "The Judge's old jack knife," sent by the constable, was a sufficient summons for any real or assumed offender, and the judgment of the bench could be influenced by a present, so that in one respect he resembled Lord Chancellor Bacon; but like the more celebrated man last mentioned, he was not with- out many excellent points, and his usefulness was be- yond question. Gov. Cass recognized the substantial worth of Judge Reaume and gave him an appoint- ment as associate justice, toward the end of his career, after the organization of the territory of Mich- igan. The state will not readily comprehend how much is due to the labors of the Historical Society, and to its corresponding secretary, Lyman C. Draper, in the procurement and preservation of the treasures amassed by the society; but the Union and the reading world will some day recognize their worth, and this city can- not fail to reap honor in having been the birthplace of the institution. Col. "Whittlesey's "Tour Through "Wisconsin in 1832," written in 1838, gives a vivid and life-like description of the Black Hawk War, but our space will not allow of such extracts as might be desired, i>i'V 'll Hon. Lyman C. Dkaper. HISTORY OF MADISON. 89 and it is to be hoped tliat some person favored by the society, will embody in a few volumes the choicer mat- ter in its priceless collection. For the present it is impossible even to enumerate the contributions that lie before us, and it is necessary, to confine ourselves to a bare mention of only a few of the chief items of interest. Major H. A. Tenney, whose services to the community in many ways have been beyond praise, has given an admirable precis of "Early Times in Wisconsin," written in this city in 1849, after he had succeeded in buttonholing Col. Brigham, and had collated the information thus obtained, with knowl- edge from innumerable other sources. The first settler in Dane county was not inclined to write his recollec- tions, but in his manly and genial way he was induced to talk of his early experiences, and currente calamo, Major Tenney converted his veracious words into history, which must always be the foundation of "Wisconsin's records. The second annual report showed that the Histori- cal Society had increased its store by 1,065 volumes during the year 1855, and that in every other respect it was growing in usefulness, with experience. The picture gallery then consisted of twenty-five paintings, besides which the likenesses of numbers of local and national celebrities had been promised as additions to the collection. ]STo less than forty-seven portraits, chiefly of pioneers and friends of Wisconsin, had then been engaged, nearly all of which were afterwards supplied. We are almost entirely at a loss in general 90 HISTORY OF MADISON. lii story, when we attempt to recall the features of thousands of men and women with whose deeds the world may be said to be familiar, yet " the counter- feit presentment" is often the best commentary upon the actual career of a person. Could we only be sure as to which of the several pictures, busts and casts, said to have been made at various times and places, of the player and poet, William Shakspere, was really taken from his features, in life or in death, it would be much easier to pronounce upon the question whether the wool-comber's son, who married Anne Hathaway, was truly the writer of the plays and son- nets that bear his name, or only the stalking horse of a still greater personage, the founder of our modern system of investigation. The pictures then in the gal- lery of the society were particularized, and where pos- sible and necessary, as in the case of Black Hawk, the prophet, and in other such, certified to by the then librarian, Prof. S. H. Carpenter, in an excellent report on his particular branch of the society's possessions. The library has gone on increasing in every feature with accelerating rapidity every year, so that in 1S57 the volumes aggregated 3,122, exclusive of pamphlets and unbound newspapers; in the year following, 4,146; in 1862 there were 14,400 volumes ; in 1866, when the change was made from the basement of the Baptist Church to the suite of rooms in the capitol now occu- pied, there were 21,000 volumes and documents; in 1868, the Tank Library donation added 4,812 volumes, and the number of books, bound and unbound, had TIISTORY OF MADISON. 01 increased to 31,505, which in 1872, when the last pub- lication appeared, showed a total of 50,530. The sup- plementary catalogue, in August, 1875, showed a fur- ther expansion to 65,000, and the gratifying increment goes on with continuous energy. There are now in the galleries more than one hun- dred oil paintings of noteworthy men, a feature of surpassing value. The cabinet of pre-hrstoric relics contains nearly ten thousand specimens of the tools, ornaments and weapons of the stone age, in many re- spects second to none in the world. The copper era is illustrated by even a still more valuable collection, which has latterly been transferred to the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, an assemblage of celts, spearheads and knives, in unalloyed copper, such as all Europe cannot equal. The maps and other valuables which are preserved in this institution would alone repay all the outlay that the state has incurred in sup- porting the invaluable movement, with which it is an honor to have been associated, as even the humblest pains-taking assistant. The Tank collection above mentioned deserves more detailed notice. One of the earliest pioneers in Wis- consin was Otto Tank, whose widow, the daughter of a clergyman in Zeist, in Holland, inherited from her father his exceedingly choice collection of works, amounting to more than 5,000, inclusive of pamphlets, and this great treasure was by Mrs. Tank freely given to the State Historical Society, the cost of removal from Holland to this country being covered by a legis- 92 HISTORY OF MADISON. lative appropriation. In tlie next year a full set of Patent Office Reports, which cost the donors no less than $12,500 gold, and which covers the whole range of invention since the year 1617, the year following the deaths of Shakspere and Cervantes, were presented to the Historical Society by the British government, through the intervention of the Hon. Charles Francis Adams, late minister to the court of St. James. The favor thus conferred does not end with the donation named, as the society will continue to receive the series of publications from the Patent Office in Lon- don, at the rate of about one hundred volumes per year, and thus the inventive genius of this state will continue to be stimulated by the opportunity at all times to inspect what has been accomplished and at- tempted, and what is still within the range of tenta- tive effort among our brethren on the other side of the Atlantic. Like donations may be expected from every other European government, when the purposes of the institution are made known in the proper cpmrters. To continue such an enumeration would prove tedi- ous to the average reader, and in consequence, we refer our friends for more complete details to the reports and catalogues of the society, and the rooms in the state capitol, which already are too small to do justice to an alwavs increasing literary, archaic and artistic treasure. Mr. Draper has proved himself, in an excep- tional degree, " the right man in the right place," one of those whose deeds will live after them, and to him HISTORY OF MADISON. 93 more than to any other individual, the state and this City owe the wonderful growth which we have utterly failed to chronicle according to its merits. Those who have been associated with him best know his peculiar fitness for the task to which his life has been devoted, and none of them will grudge the patient and modest worker the credit to which he is honestly entitled. His name has been the open sesame to numerous col- lections, and to innumerable pockets, from which the resources of the society have been enriched, and his zeal has contributed to induce the legislature to assist the movement by ajDpropriations which, without great economy, must still have been wholly inadequate, while his example has induced hundreds to become willing laborers in the good cause. Before us, on the desk, lie the volumes of Halli- well's Shakspere, a costly and rare luxury, originally published at $800 per copy, beyond our reach in any other w T ay. The Historical Society enables us to see all that is known about the man with whom the greatest treasure of poetry on this earth is associated. Here are fao similes of his writing, and of his fath- er's mark. The deeds and acquittances, and unhap- pily, also the writs, which tell of the poverty that fell upon the poet's home. Here are figured, as though in A r ery fact, the original documents as they were presented to his eyes, letters and memoranda in which Shakspere and his immediate surroundings moved, in their daily lives. 94 HISTORY OF MADISON. The state library has been already named, as its chronological right demanded, seeing that it came into being before the capitol was planned. Apart from that feature, it is of great merit as a law library, hardly second to any in the west, and the complete- ness of the collection long since suggested to the managers the transfer of all its miscellaneous works to the shelves of the Historical Society. The cour- tesy of the librarian, the perfect order prevailing in the department, and the extensive as well as excellent assortment of . works, combine to render the state library, in every sense, an honor to its promoters and to this city. The location occupied by this depart- ment in the capitol, adjoining the supreme court and the chambers of the legislature, renders it easy of access to all who are concerned in its advantages. The city library, in City Hall, and the library at the University, deserve more lengthened notice than our space will permit, seeing that the witchery of books would infallibly cause an overrunning of our limits, " contrary to the statute thereunto made and provided." Before ending this chapter, it becomes our imperative, as well as our pleasant duty, to ac- knowledge the manifold kindnesses of Librarian D. S. Durrie, whose own labors as a writer have made him apt to render aid to every one toiling with pen or pencil. His merits need no eulogy, but this word of recognition is due to ourselves. HISTORY OF MADISON. 95 CHAPTER VII. CHURCHES AND PASTOES. The supposed first attempt at church organization was named in our pioneer sketches. Many similar works followed. Any preacher was welcomed in Mr. Ream's, Madison House. Bishop Kemper was a visitor there, and Father Quaw, from Canada. Col. Slaughter and Mr. Ream were vestrymen. The last named gentleman was in request as a singer, when services were held hy any denomination. Rev. ~W. Philo was the minister of the " Apostolic Church ' : for twelve months. " Dominie Philo " was senti- mental in his references to the other sex, and that fact provoked laughter, but, on the whole, he was much respected. When Mr. Toots in " Dombey and Son," was crossed in love, he told Miss Dombey, " It's not of the slightest consequence." It was otherwise with Mr. Philo. There was no Susan Nipper to give him consolation. He took to it kindly, and became senti- mental. Probably some eastern belle had declined to share his missionary privations, and he knew that " the course of true love never did run smooth." There was a donation party for the good man on Christmas Eve, 184:0, and he was made rich in crea- ture comforts; but he was suspected of shedding 96 HISTORY OF MADISON". tears, as he reflected on the happiness that Dulcinea had lost. Ready to take part in any ameliorating effort, we find him conducting the religions exercises of the celebration, July 4th, 1841, when Mr. Slinger- land of the Dutch Reformed Church was the orator. He, however, ultimately found him a helpmate, and lived to be the father of a family. Rev. Richard F. Cadle, his successor, had lived fourteen years in the territory. He came to Green Bay as a missionary to the Indians. One hundred and twenty-nine children, Indian and mixed, at one time were taught by him and his assistants, industri- al habits and the elements of a good English Chris- tian training; but the effort died out after sixteen years. Mr. Cadle was chaplain of the fort at G-reen Bay and taught school. Many of the early teachers were men and women of good standing. He removed to Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, in 1830, being chaplain and teacher there for five years, until he came as pastor of the Apostolic Church, to this vil- lage. Rev. Albert Slino-erland's Dutch Reformed Church was a heterogeneous combination. There was an un- derstanding among the nine members, that name and creed should remain subject to the will of the major- ity. The congregation was organized in 1840. The preacher officiated twelve months from the preceding June. He was indefatigable, lecturing on temperance as well as preaching, from Sun Prairie to Prairie du Sac. Col. Brigham was the ruling elder. Eventu- HISTORY OF MADISON. 97 ally his followers came under the pastorate of Rev. J. M. Clarke, having joined the Presbyterian and Congre- gational convention. Rev. S. E. Miner, now a prosper ous business man in Kansas, next preached under the auspices of the Home Missionary Society. Eben Peck's log house was their temporary church until a commodi- ous barn had been erected. A better edifice was raised in 18-16 on Webster street, block 108, lot 10, that seated 250. Rev. Chas. Lord came in 1846, and continued until 1S54, when, his eyesight failing, he resigned. Rev. H. K. Eggleston, his successor, was very popular. When he left, there came near being a permanent split in the congregation. There is a general impression that whisky drinking was very common among the pioneers. Mr. Slinger- land, in 1840, said that intemperance was not so pre- valent as in New York, but Sabbath breaking and pro- fanity impressed him strongly. Some preachers have preserved the best chronicles of the time. Rev. Dr. Branson gives a lively picture of the various uses of the capitol for " courts, plays, shows, and worship," as well as legislation. Faro banks and the " Tiger ,! were excluded, but there were signs of the credit rao- bilier. The murder of C. C. P. Arndt on the eleventh of February, 1842, gave a terrible completeness to the catalogue of deeds possible in the capitol. J. R. Vineyard, from Grant county, terminated a dispute of his own beginning by shooting his fellow member through the heart, in the council chamber. The council refused Vineyard's resignation and expelled 7 98 IIISTOEY OF MADISON. him from the legislature, but the courts acquitted him of manslaughter. The funeral services in the chamber were very impressive, and Arndt was in- terred at Green Bay. Vineyard went to California. Considering the excitment, it is a wonder that he was not lynched. C. C. P. Arndt's father was in the as- sembly when his son was shot, having been invited, from Green Bay to a social gathering which had been enjoyed the night before. The Arndts, father and son, were beloved, and the murder was unprovoked. The erection of a Catholic church was resolved on in 1845, and commenced in the following spring. The church on Morris street was built in 1850, and three years later the foundation stone of the Catholic cathedral on Main street was laid by Bishop Henni. The consecration of St. Raphaels, in 1866, was a grand ceremonial, as was also the dedication of " The Church of the Holy Redeemer " in 1860. The storm of 1874 injured the steeple of the cathedral, so that it was taken down, but the structure will be improved greatly in consequence. The first sermon was preached in Madison by the Rev. Salmon Stebbins, M. E., as presiding elder of the Milwaukee district, in the Illinois conference. He came on the 28th of November, 1837, and upon the invitaton of Col. Bird, converted the bar room of his brother's house into a tabernacle. The elder, a vigorous preacher at Kenosha, says: "I preached to an interested and interesting congregation." There was no collection, but the men made up a purse of HISTORY OF MADISON. 99 $11. There were few inhabitants between Madison and Jefferson. He came through Kenosha — then Southport — and by way of Milwaukee, through the counties of Washington, Manitowoc and Sheboygan, to Green Bay and Fond du Lac — a formidable journey over such roads. Milwaukee was the first location made in this territory. Solomon Juneau was in his prime, a prosperous Indian trader, found- ing a city. Root River Mission was formed with Rev. Samuel Pillsbury in charge. He was our second preacher, and is now editing a paper. Col. Bird thought that Elder Stebbins' sermon was preached in September, but the money entry in the diary of the Elder fixes the date of the service. The foundation of the capitol was completed in November, and the men waited for Eben Peck to return from Green Bay. Mr. Woolcox of Jefferson says: "Peck had to swim the rivers and the money was wet, so we waited until it was dry to get our pay. About the end of November we started." Mrs. Marion Starkweather, Col. Bird's daughter, says that Mr. Pillsbury came in March, 1838, and held services afterwards once every month. Col. Bird provided a barn for him, where Kentzler's stables are now standing. There were few white settlers; Col. Bird, with four children, Chas. and ¥m. Bird, and Dr. Almon Lull were present when he first preached, but the outside attendance was large. About four hundred Indians surrounded the building, but would not enter. Mr. Pillsbury was a frequent visitor. He assisted in opening the 100 IIISTOKY OF MADISON". capitol when the first session was held in the un- finished building. Mr. Hyer mentions the habits of the Indians in his notice of " Covalle the trapper." His Indian wife and her children would gather to observe the Sunday meetings, and the proceedings of settlers in their homes, but would rarely enter. Dr. Joseph Hobbins says, that an Indian and his squaw dined with him and his family, behaving with ex- emplary decorum during the repast; but after leaving the table they asked for every article that caught their fancy; considering that fact, their backwardness was a blessing. The Methodists did not recruit rapidly. In Sep- tember, 1838, Rev. John Hodges was appointed here and to Fort Winnebago, now Portage. The first three members in Madison were Ruth Starts, Benjamin Holt and his wife. Dr. Brunson was a member of the legislature in 1840, and he rallied the Methodists, assisting the chaplain, Jas. Mitchell, in occasional services. He thinks that Mr. Fullerton was here in 1841. S. P. Keyes was here next year; then Jesse L. Bennet in 1843, and Mr. Stebbins afterwards. The several preachers cannot be mentioned, but Jonathan Snow is a piece of our history. He became eccentric and nearly killed the church by harsh discipline in 1851. He was summarily removed and is remem- bered as "The Snow Storm." Gen. Samuel Fallows was the junior preacher in 1858-9, and in 1864 the chaplain of the 3d Wisconsin supplied the pulpit. Rev. E. D. Huntly is now the pastor and is working HISTORY OF MADISON. 101 strenously to complete the edifice almost ready for dedication. The little church was once a great improvement on former experiences, but the new building will be an ornament to the city. When the " Little Brick" school house, on Washington avenue, became too small, Damon Y. Kilgore removed his pupils to the basement of the Methodist church. Even there 250 pupils in one room must have re- quired good stowage and little fuel in winter. "Chief Justice" Seymour was reflected upon in a public meeting during the pastorate of Mr. Philo, because, he being a justice of the peace, did not " kill the tiger" that was being "fought"' by many citi- zens. The respected "dominie," never suspecting a joke, drew up a resolution exculpating the squire as a " good and sufficient justice," and the audience, which had assembled in indignation, broke up in laughter. There were hard cases in the settlement, compared with whom Covalle was a marvel of civilization. Pinneo, a " shingle weaver," attended church one day when Mr. Philo was preaching, and he astounded the congregation by saying very seriously, " That's so, Mr. Philo, that's so, Butterfield's got to be saved; just hold on 'till I bring him in." Pinneo did not return. His absence was, in an olfactory sense, a pleasure. He claimed to be a down east Yankee, but that was the only sign of good lineage. He was indispensable as a maker of shingles, and when sober, had a laugh and a joke for everybody, but people kept to wind- ward of the unwashed man. He was summoned to 102 HISTORY OF MADISON. serve on a jury in Judge Irvin's court, and the judge was scrupulously clean, while Pinneo was dirty as was possible to a life divorced from soap and water. The court was adjourned to enable Pinneo to wash and procure clean clothes, after listening to a diatribe against filth; but he survived the affliction, and was burned to death at last in a drunken orgie. Covalle conformed to the usages of civilization, attended church, was orderly, took physic with praise- worthy resolution, gave it to his half-breed children, made them wear the garments of white folks, and attend the ceremony of his marriage to their mother, before a justice. He had been married according to the usages of the country. He traced his line to the trappers on Hudson's Bay, and when Col. Bird came here, Covalle was the only white man on the site. He led a blameless life, being cleanly, sober and obliging. Better conditions supervened. Rev. Stephen McHugh was called by the Episcopal church in 1845, having become known during attendance to deliver a Masonic oration on the anniversary of St. John. He organ- ized Grace Church parish, and the ladies raised funds to purchase the land occupied by the church. A brick parsonage, commenced in 1850, was occupied on Christmas day when the Rev. "W. H. "Woodward was pastor. The next rector was the Rev. Hugh M. Thomp- son, followed by Mr. Powers. The sound of the church-going bell in the village was due to Squire Seymour. Meetings, social, political and religious, were repeatedly delayed because no two clocks or HISTORY OF MADISON. 103 watches agreed, and the variations extended over two hours. Somebody suggested a bell; Seymour drew up a subscription paper, ordered the instrument, and on its arrival procured the first peal from its clapper, utilizing the astonishment of the audience by carrying round the hat. The bell was the common property of all the churches and every organization. Rev. J. B. Brittan came in 1855, and funds were raised to build a church, which was not finished when Mr. Brittan became chaplain of a regiment. There had been an outlay of $22,000, but the tower was in- complete and the basement was not ready for occu- pancy. Rev. Jas. L. Maxwell came next, remaining until 1S67. Before he resigned, a very handsome organ had been built at a cost of $2,500. Under the rectorship of the Rev. H. W. Spaulding, the building was completed in 1872. When the Rev. Dr. Spauld- ing removed to Pittsburg, the Rev. John Wilkinson, of Chicago, the present incumbent, succeeded hiur* winning the good opinion of all classes. A chime of nine bells was placed in the tower in April, 1874. The bishop's bell, in memory of Bishops Kemper and Armitage, the largest in the chime, was purchased by general contributions, as also was the seventh, the rest being donated in memoriam of the departed, whose names they bear. The Congregational Church eventuated from Mr. Slingerland's labors, and we have followed the organ- ization to Mr. Eggles ton's ministry. The people were attracted by Mr. Eggleston, and Bacon's Commercial 104 IIISTOKY OF MADISON. College was used while a "brick chapel was building on Washington avenue. Mr. Eggleston was succeeded by Rev. James Caldwell in 1858, and in the following January a church was specially organized to receive Mr. Eggleston as pastor, to be known as " The Union Congregational Church and Society of Madison." Eventually all reunited. Revs. L. Taylor and Lewis E. Matson bring us to the present incumbent, Rev. Chas. H. Richards, whose talents and good qualities have made him a gain to the community. Arriving in March, 1867, he has assisted in the later develop- ments of the church, amono- which must be noted the elegant edifice, capable of seating one thousand per- sons. The bell in the tower was given by Mrs. L. A. Richards, and was at that time the heaviest in the city; but the "Bishops' Bell," in Grace Church chime is five hundred pounds heavier. HISTORY OF MADISOX. 1^5 The Presbyterian Charcli was at first identified with other organizations. Rev. H. B. Gardiner was re- tained by the congregation in 1851 at Lewis Hall, The building since used as a bakery by Mr. Miner, at the corner of Mifflin and Carroll streets, was next occupied, and in 1853, the church moved into the frame building, corner of "Wisconsin avenue and Johnson street. The several pastors have been the Revs. Win. L. Green, Edward G. Read and Richard V. Dodge, until we reach the pastorate of the Rev. L. Y. Havs, who has served since 1873, maintaining unabated popularity and usefulness, and taking a praiseworthy part in many movements outside the church. The First Baptist Church was organized in Decem- ber, 1817, by the Rev. H. W. Read, his successors be- ing the Revs. John Williams, S. S. Whitman, M. D. Miller, James Cooper and Wm. R. Brooks, whose pastorate ended in 1858. There were many preachers for brief terms. In the summer of 1860, Rev. W. II. Brisbane became pastor, but resigned to become chap- lain of the first Wisconsin cavalry regiment. Rev. J. E. Johnson assumed pastoral charge in 1863, and he was followed in succession by Revs. J. C. C. Clarke, Mr. Paige and Thomas Bright, who came to the city in 1873, and rendered acceptable service until his lamentable sudden death in the pulpit, in September, 1876. The German Evangelical Association commenced operations in 1811, when the missionary, Rev. J. G. ,106 HISTORY OF MADISON. Miller, having- found German families in Madison, held service in their houses. The whole of Wiscon- sin was his parish, and his salary was $41 in 1845, increasing to $47 the second year. His successors were the Revs. J. Eply and M. Howard, hut Mr. Miller was still a frequent visitor. Revs. C. Sclmake and W. Strasberger commenced a church building between Broome and Bassett streets, which was fin- ished by Mr. Miller in 1856. The church oa-Pinck- ney street, corner of Mifflin, was built in 1865, under the pastoral charge of the Rev. W. F. Schneider, suc- ceeded by the Revs. C. F. Finger and Chas. Schneider. The German Lutheran Church has erected two buildings, the first on Main street, in 1858, near the railroad depot, on block forty-four; the second, ten years later, on Washington avenue and West Canal street. The organization dates from 1856. Rev. H. Yogel, was pastor until 1872, when he was succeeded by Rev. Christian Wilke. The German Methodist Church, Rev. Mr. Walker, pastor, was built in 1864, on the corner of Mifflin and Webster streets. The Norwegian Lutheran Church, on the corner of Hamilton and Bntler streets, was erected in 1862. Rev. II. A. Preuss is pastor. The Hebrew Congregation Schaare Schoymayn, of which the Rev. J M. Thuringer is Rabbi, hold services every Saturday at 10 A. M., in the Synagogue on Washington avenue, between Henry and Fairchild streets. Hon. David Atwood. HISTORY OF MADISON. ]Q9 CHAPTER VIII. NEWSPAPER HISTORY. A Scotchman who had seen the Stuart dynasty sung from a throne, said: "Let me make a nation's ballads, and who will, may make its laws." Newspa- pers have superseded ballads. Journalism, the popu- lar voice in type, is the foe of usurpation. The growth of our press has been wonderful. While Captain Carver diplomatized among the Indians here, the newspaper advanced from an advertising sheet to a political power. Before King' George rewarded Carver with a grant, the press had defeated the mon- arch. The stamp act might have been fought in vain, but for our journals. Henry would have roused a small circle, but there would have been no national soul. Journalism was the bond of union that saved the colonies. Charles Carroll, in the Maryland Ga- zette, indorsed Patrick Henry, and every liberal sheet responded. The Gazette, in Pennsylvania ; the New- port Mercury, R. L, answered the call, and the Mer- cury was suppressed in vain. Charleston papers took up the strain ; New York sons of liberty shouted for freedom. The Boston Gazette echoed the words of Henry, backed by Adams, and a pamphlet in London disseminated that utterance, in spite of the British government. Within one year the king was discom- 110 HISTORY OF MADISON. fited, the stamp act repealed. That was the begin- ning, and the end was near. "I am the State," said Louis XIV. With greater truth the press could have said, "I am the Evolution." The newspaper was the weapon, without which there had been no Bunker Hill, no world renowned Declaration. The Enquirer, published by Noonan, was small, but it had power. His share in the transaction ap- pears elsewhere. George Hyer, who set the first type, lias been mentioned with honor. The partnerships of Sholes, Noonan, Hyer and Judge Ivnapp, are sto- ries often told. Heed changed the sheet from Demo- cratic to Whig, and in 1844, the changeling died. Politics, in the early settlement, were for and against the commissioners. When the capitol ceased to sup- ply pabulum, a Democratic pioneer says, " we went where we belonged." Party lines were observed when the Wisconsin Express appeared, in 1839. Wyman sold the paper to D. At wood and Royal Buck, who afterwards con- solidated with the Statesman. Its politics were Whig. Wyman was a hard hitter. When Ream and Clark were candidates for the office of register, the former winning by two votes, Wyman made affidavit and published, that the canvassers had suppressed returns. Ream confirms that statement, saying: "I found myself elected by two votes, which much sur- prised me .... until" .... a friend explained .... after exacting secrecy that the extra vote was obtained by strategy, to make my election sure." Wyman is HISTORY OF MADISON. Ill fortified, but the canvasser says: "Save me from my friends." Knapp and Delaney brought out the Wisconsin Democrat in 1812, which died eighteen months later, in the hands of J. P. Sheldon and Geo. Hyer. The same name was used for a paper in 1816, by Beriah Brown. That organ combined with the Wisconsin Argus. "While two papers were running, both offices wanted the government printing. The Argus, some months older than the Democrat, rested on its anti- quity. Beriah Brown relied on shell fish, and the wire puller won. A caucus being called to settle the question, a member unseared by corruption, said: " "We have eat Brown's oysters and drinked his liquor. We can't go back on Brown." Beriah succeeded in taking the Argus, as well as the patronage. The Wisconsin Argus was published by S. Mills & Co., with John Y. Smith, editor. H. A. Tenney joined, when the firm of Tenney, Smith & Holt was established. Two of the firm sold to S. D. Carpen- ter, and Mr. Tenney remained until 1852, when the consolidation followed. " Old Hunkers " and " Tad- poles," the divisions of the Democratic party, took their " feast of reason " in one sheet. Mr. Carpen- ter retired, and Beriah " played it alone " until July, 1851, when E. A. Calkins, since of the Milwaukee News, joined the staff. Calkins & Proud fit became proprietors. Two years later, J. K. Proudfit sold to Mr. "Webb. The paper suffered from tightness of the i.hest, and Beriah Brown was called in, but after three 112 HISTORY OF MADISON. months vigorous treatment there were no signs of in- creasing vitality. Brown left Webb & Calkins, and the paper breathed its last. There was a resurrection, but Calkins & Cullaton could not make it 2:0. Calk- ins sold out, other editors gave vigorous support to the war policy of Lincoln, but the paper would not live. "VVyman brought out the Statesman in 1850. "Wil- liam Welch was one of its editors. Wyman & Bugh assumed the management in 1851, and at last consol- idated with the Express. The Wisconsin State Pal- ladium resulted. Atwood, Wyman & Buck did not harmonize, and the paper was suspended. The State Journal made its appearance, with David Atwood as editor and proprietor, in September, 1852, the Repub- lican party accepting the Journal as its organ. Sev- eral additions and alterations have worked no change in the politics of the paper. Mr. Rublee, Mr. Gary, Mr. Reed and Mr. Culver have supported the ven- ture, making it one of the best journalistic proper- ties in the state; with one of the most complete printing offices west of Chicago. Earlier phases of newspaper activity are illustrated by a sketch from the State Journal. Mr. D. E. Tenneyls identified with this city, and the phrases of Col. Bird are true to life: " Twenty-six years ago, Dan. K. Tenney put up at the " United States Hotel," with two " bits " in his pocket. Col. A. A. Bird was landlord. Said Dan, " Two bits sizes my pile; but I'd like to stay here 1IIST0KY OF MADISON. 115 over night and see what I can do to-morrow." The Colonel (good old soul as ever lived) looked at his new guest, and replied: "O Gael, yes; stay as long as you like, hoy! Have some supper? O, Gad, yes; come in. Stay as long as you please." Dan had supper and a night's lodging, and in the morning struck a printing office, and secured a " sit." Getting a little money, Dan next turned up in the University. He got as much as they could spare in that institu- tion and returned to the printing office (the Journal, a wee hit of a paper then), working along, until toil and no fortune seemed foolishness. One day, all hands were " jeffing"on the stone to see who should get a pail full of whisky, when Dan. spoke up: " Who the d — I's got any money- in this crowd?" Nobody, of course; and the " devil "' had to go down and " stand off" old " Jackknife " Robinson for a couple of quarts. After this amount had been disposed of, it struck Dan that printers were fools to be pulling hand press and sticking small pica, so he remarked: "Good bye, boys; you are all condemned fools if you stay here? I'm going to study law and make some- thing." Dan started for Portage, where he met his brother H. "W. " I've come up to study law with you, by thunder." H. \Y. replied sharply, "You have? You are a darned fool; you'd better stick to printing. You'll cut a hog in tw T o studying law? But if you are bound to stick to law, you can see what you can do turning those eighty acres of mine into city lots, and selling them." This was Dan's first 110 IIISTOEY OF MADISON. job. He succeeded, stuck to the law and kept out of a printing office, except when briefs and other jobs were required. We don't know how Dan counts his thousands in Chicago, but he has just erected a hand- some block, on the spot where Col. Bird, twenty-six years ago, took him in, with only two " bits," in his pocket. ( There were wild jokers in the printing offices, men for whom a hen-roost had no sacredness; fellows as full of deviltry as Falstaff on Gad's Hill, but more courage. One of the Tenney's possessed a choice assortment of poultry. One night, when the devil failed to scare np copy, that power of darkness found occupation for idle hands, purloining capons from the foreman to make a feast for the father of the chapel. There were two Tenneys in the business, but II. A., to whom the poultry belonged, warmly approved the banquet. He said the foragers should revisit the hen roost, and they did so. There may be no truth, but there is poetical justice in \hefowl invention. D. K. Tenney says: "Have not all my happy days for twen- ty-six years been spent in Madison?" Was the hap- piest day that night? The boys cleared his brother's hen-roosts like the grasshoppers scooped Kansas? The Wisconsin Patriot has more than one eventful history. Gathered to "the tomb of the Capulets," it is still a power. The first number appeared twenty- two years ago. The proprietors and editors were J. T. Marston and H. A. Tenney. Tenney sold to S. D. Carpenter, who subsequently bought out Marston. HISTORY OF MADISON. 117 The firm of S. D. and S. H. Carpenter ran for some time, bnt after many changes, S. H. Carpenter, our much respected "Professor of Logic and Literature," sold to Mr. Law, who was associated with S. D. Car- penter about a year. The Patriot saw many changes which would be tedious to narrate. The management at the present time is in the hands of II. A. Tenney and S. D. Carpenter, but their business arrangements are not matters of history. Two men so intimately identified with the press of this city, deserve a notice embracing more than their Madison engagements. Major Tenney, from whose sketches we have freely quoted, came in 1845, but went to Galena, and did not buy into the Wisconsin Argus until 1846. He was government printer in 1847 and the following year. When the constitutional convention assembled, he was reporter, and again in 1848. Directly and in- directly he was state printer until 1852, when ill health compelled his retirement from the Argus. The Major, one of the founders of the Patriot, sold out to his old partner. Mr. Tenney's services to the University are matters of history. His position as assistant state geologist, enabled him to aid the Uni- versity collections largely. In 1857, he was a mem- ber of the legislature, and introduced the bill for the new capitol. In the following year he was comptrol- ler of state, and one of the regents of the university. His services at Camp Kandall need not be enumer- ated, nor his appointments in the U. S. A. He was special agent of the P. O. department until 1864. In 118 HISTORY OF MADISON. 1869-70, lie was associate editor of the Chicago Jie- publican, moving to similar duties on the Post, and on the St. Paul Pioneer in 1872. He became clerk of the railroad commission in 1874, is the oldest Mad- ison editor surviving in "Wisconsin, and not yet tired of the drudgery of the press. When he began there were but nine exchanges, few of which have survived. Mr. S. D. Carpenter settled in Madison in 1850, and was identified in succession with the Argus, and the Argus and Democrat, from which having retired he devoted his genius for mechanics, to invention. The pump, to which he is indebted for a pseudonym, was invented in 1853, and he sold rights to the extent of nearly $35,000. Qnce more in newspaper life, Mr. Carpenter became editor and proprietor of the Pat- riot. Its politics were eventually war democratic. The well known claim for damages against the state, dates from 1864. During that year Mr. Carpenter devised a power press, on the model now largely used, feeding from paper in the roll, and he claims to have originated that plan. The invention of an automatic grain binder employed nine years, and about $40,000. It is claimed that every device now operating for that purpose, took its rise in Mr. Carpenter's ingenuity. His inventions were sold to McCormick & Co., because a fortune was wanted to establish his rights, and fur- nish machines. His veneer cutting and other inven- tions cannot be glanced at; suffice it to say that few men have excelled him in variety and originality of design for labor-saving machinery. Dan. K. Tenney, Esq. HISTORY OF MADISON. 121 The Daily Capitol, published by W. J. Park & Co., with Col. Calkins as editor, appeared on the day on which President Lincoln was shot. It was a racy, nonpartizan daily, eventually incorporated with the Democrat, which was established in 1865, by Hyer & Fernandez, and bought by A. E. Gordon. The title was then changed from Wisconsin to Madison Democrat. Mr. Bajmier is now editor and proprietor, having succeeded the firm of J. B. Parkinson & Co., which purchased from Gordon. The Journal of Education originated in Janesville, but was transferred to this city. Col. J. G. McMynn, afterwards state superintendent, was its editor, suc- ceeded by A. J. Craig, also state superintendent. Itev. J. B. Pradt is now one of the editors. Discon- tinued in 1865, in consequence of a withdrawal of state support, it was resumed when partial aid was afforded. Several substitutes started elsewhere, but they do not come within our limits. "When Gen. Fallows succeeded as state superintendent, upon the death of Mr. Craig, he revived the Journal, and Superintendent Searing continues the publication. The Wisconsin Farmer, commenced under another name in Janesville, was removed to this city in 1855, the interest of one proprietor being purchased by E. W. Skinner and D. J. Powers. The paper was con- ducted with great energy by Dr. J. W. Hoyt, assisted by the skillful pen of his wife. The paper died after twenty years of struggle, beaten by extensive capital in such enterprises in eastern cities. The Norse press 122 HISTORY OF MADISON. has had severe vicissitudes. Many courageous efforts have failed; none conducted with first class talent, nearly all have been respectable. The names of some failures are given, but some may have escaped notice: De Norskes Ven, Friend of the Norseman; Den Norshe Amerikaner, American Norseman; the Nordstjemen, Northern Star; Immigranten; Billed (or illustrated) Magazine; Imigranten; Den Liber- ale Democrat, and Wisconsin Banner, have all per- ished. There remains only to-day the JVordvesten,. a liberal democratic weekly, edited and published by L. J. Grinde. The JVordvesten deserves success. Ole Torgerson's De Norskes Ven was the first paper in a foreign tongue in this county. It was whig in poli- tics, and appeared in 1850, but a few months ended its career. Den JVorske Amerikaner appeared in December 1854, and died in 'May, 1857. "The Scan- dinavian Democratic Press Association " brought out the JSfordstjernen in 1857. Their effort was not suc- cessful, although changes of management were tried. The JEmigranten was brought to this city from Immansville, Rock county, but after years of partial success, that also was gathered to its fathers. There have been several fugitive periodicals of a religious character. The German population supports the Wisconsin Botschafter, started by Porsch and Sitzman in 1869. There have been several German papers, but none have prospered. The Staats Zietung, democratic, edited by August Kruer, continued two years. The HISTORY OF MADISON. 123 Madison Zietung, republican, hardly lived two years. The Madison Demokrat, published in 1858, perished in 1860. The Madison Capitol was started in 1855 by J. Nolan. The True American, edited by an association, appeared during the same year. The Western Fire- side, by S. H. Carpenter in 1857. The Higher Law, by Herbert Reed, in 1861; and the Soldier's Record, by S. W. Martin in 1864. Our educational interests were served by the Northwestexn Journal of Edu- cation, Science and Literature, in 1850, under the editorship of Prof. O. M. Conover, and by the Free School Journal, edited by J. L. Enos. Of Dr. Hunt's ephemeral, the " Old Oaken Bucket," a temperance paper, we can only say, Requiescat in pace. The Stu- dent's Miscellany was commenced during the session of 1857, and its tone reflects credit on the manage- ment. The Home Diary is a sparkling occasional paper edited by Y. J. Welch, which deals vigorously with every topic that is touched. A paragraph, denounc- ing the shortcomings of Park & Co., in selling a copy of Burns' poems without " Holy Willie's Prayer," is a favorable specimen of the style, which we subjoin: "Friends! be cautious in buying Burns' poems. We were saddled with a copy recently in which " Holy Willie's Prayer " was omitted. Park sold it to us. He is a Scotchman. He is one of the " pres- byt'ry of Ayr." " Lord, hear my earnest cry and pray'r, Against the presbyt'ry of Ayr; Thy strong right hand, Lord, make it bare." 124 HISTOKY OF MADISON. CHAPTER IX. MERCHANTS AND BANKERS. Gkeat changes have come since Madison was set- tied by four housekeepers, who procured supplies from the peddler's cart and the post office store. There were bright fellows in the settlement, but they dis- pensed with much that we deem essential. Tom Jack- son, the Scotchman, whose whip-saw cut lumber for the capitol, before Wheeler was ready, was almost a man- ufactory. Tom illustrated the possibility of doing without indispensables, but not as they do in some parts of Scotland. His old log house was on fire, and the last glass had dulled his wits. Tumbling out of bed, Tom, who was called Jack for brevity, pushed his lower limbs through the sleeves of his jacket, and with many an adjective declared that " some fellow had cut off the legs of his pantaloons." The better appliances of life were more remote than the seedy unmentionables of Tom Jackson. Everything was in the rough. The park was the forest primeval. Prai- rie fires annually crossed from marsh to marsh. Game was abundant. Prairie chickens and quail were shot in the village, where bears, wolves and deer were not strangers. Many years later Col. Bird's hotel stood in an unbroken forest, and trees that now ornament HISTOKY OF MADISON. 125 the park were planted at the instance of Judge Knapp, who risked having to pay for the improvements. The woods abounded with game, and deer were particu- larly plentiful until 1849, when the Winnebagoes killed 500 near the Asylum. They would have cleared the country, but the settlers interfered. The supply was important, when any man might depend on his skill for a dinner. The commissioners' store was not the pioneer. Simeon Mills was deputy postmaster and storekeeper before July, 1837. Mr. Catlin, his partner, says that barrels of salt and flour, hauled from Galena, were then worth $30 and $20 each. " Wild cat currency " was the circulating medium, and the notes of Judge Doty were at a premium. The legis- lature, during the session of 1838-9, passed a "stay law " against recovering debts. The predominant sentiment of the community was hatred of banks. 'Squire Seymour says that in 1839 there were two stores, three groceries, a steam mill, three public houses, and in all thirty-five buildings. Dr. Chap- man mentions, in 1846, Shields & Sneden, Finch & Blanchard, and E. B. Dean & Co., as the storekeepers of the village. Fairchild's store came next. The population had increased from 62 to 283. The doctor was told there were 400 inhabitants, but many farm- ers were looked on as village residents. Messersmith's house, on Pinckney street, was in full blast, with a "wet grocery" down stairs and "the tiger" above. The first help to Madison was the location of the capitol. The next, the arrival of Mr. Farwell, who 126 HISTOKY OF MADISON. invested money and energies in permanent imj)rove- ments. His fortune was not large, and part was in- vested elsewhere, bnt he brought the reputation of wealth, and turned it to excellent account. He sys- tematically made known the beauties and excellences of the locality, and induced others to invest. His coming gave an impetus, labor acquired value, real estate changed hands, roads were opened and cleared; the press all over the union had paragraphs about Madison. We were no longer out of the world. The marks left by Farwell can be seen in our growth. Until the capital was permanently located there was little progress. Lobbyists hoped that another site would be chosen when the constitution was adopted, and Milwaukee wooed the legislature. Fixity of tenure could alone justify expenditure on property. Hence the slowness observable in every branch of en- terprise. That period of doubt had passed when Mr. Farwell came and invested in real estate in 1848. The business advantages and beauty of Madison were his constant themes, and he spared no expense in giv- ing them publicity. Remunerative works on a large scale were undertaken. Mendota was dammed at its outlet, increasing the fall two feet, and Monona, low- ered by the removal of an old obstruction, made a further improvement. Farwell became more benefi- cially associated with the growth of Madison than any of its pioneers. The inexhaustible reservoir, thus turned to account for industrial enterprise, created a demand for workmen. The lakes unfolded a promise HISTORY OF MADISON. 127 of wealth. "When H. A. Tenney came, lie was intro- duced by J. A. Noonan to all the celebrities in a few minutes. The little coterie in 1845 numbered few besides Governor Dodge, Secretary Floyd, Judges Dunn, Irvin and Miller, George P. Delaplaine and Mr. Mills. Manufactures and enterprise changed the aspect of society. Until Mr Farwell came, the place had never been thought worthy of a circus. When that distinction was attained the legislature adjourned to see the show. The villagers had depended on each other for amusements, but there had been ample leisure. Improvements were made rapidly, and golden vis- ions were common. The circuitous Yahara was su- perseded by a straight canal. At the outlet of Men- dota a long building contained a saw and grist mill. Tibbits and Gordon built their brewery below the mill, and the court house was commenced in 1849. The old jail, once let as a shoemakers' shop, no longer met the wants of the community. Farwell started, his grist and flouring mill in 1850, and opened two roads across the Yahara. The first dormitory at the university was erected in 1850, in a thicket remote from the village, hardly approachable. Prominent citizens began more beautiful homes and other im- provements. Men became speculative. Ditching, planking and planting Washington Avenue, by Mr. Farwell, was an act that found no competitors, but in other ways his conduct provoked a spirit of emula- tion. 128 IIISTOKY OF MADISOX. The years 1851-2 were prolific in the erection of business blocks. Public houses were found inadequate and the Capital House was commenced by associated effort. Messrs. Yilas, Fairchild and Farwell bought the venture in 1853, and the hotel was completed be- fore the fall. Madison was a paradise for builders. The best positions were rapidly occupied for business. The Presbyterian church was finished, the founda- tions of the Catholic church laid, and the Milwau- kee and Mississippi railroad company commenced building their depot in a growth of coppice wood on the spot occupied by the successors of that company. Early in 1851 the depot was ready, the bridge con- structed and the first train of passenger cars arrived. The celebration took place on Tuesday, May 23, 1851. That was a great day for Madison and the surrounding country. Other works were undertaken during the year, including a fire-proof structure for the safe keeping of the state registry, a new bridge across the Yahara, a brick church for the Baptists, the second dormitory of the university, the extension of Wash- ington Avenue, specially due to the liberality of Ex- Governor Farwell, and the commencement of the asy- lum for the insane. Men assumed that there would be a population of ten thousand here within two years. There was a woolen factory, a flouring mill, a grist mill, two saw mills, an oil mill, a mill for saw- ing stone, foundry and machine shops, two steam planing mills, besides other extensive undertakings, three daily papers and five weeklies, and a sale of HISTOKY OF MADISOX. 120 more than $500,000 worth of produce during 1854-5. Seymour's Madison Directory, in 1855, gave excellent grounds for anticipating rapid growth. The popula- tion was nearly seven thousand. Ex-Governor Far- well was offering desirable lots, with credit, extending ten years if required, provided that purchasers should occupy and improve. Telegraph lines connected Mad- ison with the whole circle of civilization. Goods could he purchased at little advance on the charges in any metropolitan city, and some storekeepers said much cheaper. The American Express Company had an office, the Madison Mutual Ins. Co. had entered upon its successful career, and other companies had opened agencies. The State Agricultural Society had rooms in Br uen's Block, and there was every facility for coming into the world with the aid of science, re- maining, with all the graces that art and dry goods could afford, and at the last being undertaken for, in a style replete with grace and finish, so that the end crowned the work. There were banks, a water cure, and it is difficult to imagine a want which Madison had not appliances for immediately satisfying. Over three hundred and fifty houses were built in 1851. The Madison Hydraulic Company, to supply water from Lake Mendota, was a failure; there was a dif- ficulty in procuring capital. The Gas Company seemed to be in danger, but the secretary, B. F. Hop- kins, leased the works, and made the enterprise a suc- cess. In the same year, Ex-Governor Farwell com- menced the residence, which was purchased as a 9 130 HISTORY OF MADISON. "Hospital for wounded Soldiers," next occupied by the " Soldiers' Orphans," then given to the State University, and since sold to be used as a Theological Seminary and College, by the Norwegians. Rapidly as the building mania spread, every new comer was forced to build, if his means would permit, so con- tinuous was the demand. Trade prospects grew more encouraging, school houses were required, and churches well sustained. Madison became a city on the fourth of March, 1856, and Colonel Fairchild was its first mayor. The necessity for school houses was recognized by the city council, and $24,000 appropri- ated to erect schools. The City Hall was commenced in 1857, and the main building of the University was awarded to contractors, to be finished before November, 1858. The log house erected for Eben Peck was saved from falling by being torn down, after twenty years' service. About the same time, as if the old " tavern stand " must be identified with the capital, there was a new proposition to remove. The capitol was dilapidated, and rivals said that as a new structure must be raised, the time was favorable for a transfer. The city authorities met the difficulty by donating $50,000 in bonds, towards erecting the present edifice. That settled the question. "While affairs were thus progressing, came the financial crisis of 1857. The crash was disastrous to Madison. Mil- waukee availed itself of the confusion, to renew the attempt to remove the seat of government. Upon the third reading of the bill, there was a tie vote; but HISTORY OF MADISON. 131 by an adroit movement, the measure was killed for the session; delay, meant death. Many associations of public value date from this time, among which, we note: "The Capitol Hook and Ladder Company, Ko. 1;" "Mendota Fire Engine Company, No. 1;" '•Madison Engine Company, No. 2; " the " Govern- or's Guards;"' the "Madison Guards; ' : and the Wisconsin State Capitol. "Dane Cavalry." Already, the excitement arising from the troubles in Kansas, was producing an effect in military and other organizations. The postoffice had long been established, and well served, but railroads had given greater completeness. Pioneers remember when the nearest postoffice was at the City of the Four Lakes, from which village there was a road partly cleared to Fort "Winnebago. 132 niSTORY OF MADISON". When Jolm Catlin and liis deputy got into working order, things were better. Darwin Clark remembers the mail for the village being brought in a handker- chief. Newspapers increased the bulk, but for some months there was only an occasional copy of the Cooperstown Freeman's Journal, which had a won- derful circulation from hand to hand. There would have been more newspapers, as there were few books, and whisky drinking was not universal; but there was a strike among the hands. The men that came with Colonel Bird signed articles, with the under- standing that their pay, $2.25 per day, would com- mence with the journey, but a proviso, that if they left within three months, there were to be deductions. The transit from Milwaukee commencing on Wednes- day, ended eleven days later, on Saturday, so that there would be a large drawback on every man's pay, if he should quit the work prematurely. The trouble arose on the questions that still agitate the Union — paper money and resumption. The commissioners were said to have been paid the amount of the con- gressional vote, in specie, which they had deposited in the bank at Green Bay, the bills of which estab- lishment were used for wages. The notes could be used with little loss in the territory, but every re- moval cost a " shave " of from ten to fifteen per cent., and even then the exchange might be made in " wild cat " paper, that would speedily lose all value. Hence the workmen demanded specie payments, and the commissioners deferred that operation. Many HISTORY OF MADISON. 133 would have left at once, but for the three months' pro- viso. A large proportion did leave as soon as that time had expired. There was little difficulty in sup- plying their places. There was not much employ- ment in Wisconsin. Several strikes occurred. The stone cutters, at Stone Quarry Point, now McBride's, combined to get higher wages. The prices charged for everything were enormous, and there was little margin, unless men limited them- selves to bare necessaries. A man could get board for $5.00 per week, and lodge in the dormitory near the east gate of the park — the club house, sleeping apart- ment and literary assembly. But as soon as ambi- tion suggested the desirability of personal adornment, or outlay for any other purpose, money took wings. Would the workman build a log house to prepare for matrimony? The barrier was not only that better halves were scarce and that the cost of calico was pro- digious. Pinneo and Butterfield would have their own price for shingles, and the customer must wait until there was no whisky to be had on credit. Nails cost three shillings per pound; the brownest of brown sugar fetched a like price; a pound of sperm candles cost one dollar, and every article was propor- tionately dear. No wonder men struck for higher wages. * Speaking of prices, we may revert to the charges preferred against the old commissioners and their contractor-partner, " Uncle Jim " Morrison. The amount of the two votes from congress — not from the territorial legislature, for that body had no money 134 HISTORY OF MADISON. to appropriate — was $40,000; and when the terri- torial authorities brought suit against Morrison, it was proved by measurements and vouchers that the basement alone cost $13,000. Moses M. Strong was the attorney for the territory, and Mr. Fields con- ducted the case for Morrison, so that there was no lack of zeal or ability on the side of the government, but the action was a failure. When the population had settled down to industrial pursuits, upon the re- turn of the citizen soldiers, a directory was published, in 1866, by B. W. Suckow. John Y. Smith was the historian. Many prominent business men, in the record of 1855, did not survive the crash of 1857. Those who had invested in real estate, found that item the least real among their assets. Ex-Gov. Farwell had specially devoted himself to that branch. It would be an endless task to name the failures, there- fore one instance may suffice for many. Tibbits and Gordon, a short time before the crisis, could have realized $60,000 beyond paying every cent; and when the storm burst, so hopeless was every effort, they could not pay fifty cents on the dollar. Gov. Far- well's ruin called forth much sympathy. He had built up the community, spending his own money in a liberal spirit and inducing others to invest. Men thrown out of their customary labor could remember the generous employer who had given work to hun- dreds. A policy less open handed might have en- abled him to tide over the panic, but the village would have been much slower in becoming a city. HISTORY OF MADISON. 135 The crisis destroyed the value of real estate, closed up stores, factories, workshops and offices, threw men out of their gainful avocations, and brought gaunt famine near to many doors which had been fondly thought secure from its dread approach. After the crisis, some mills were resumed, and in 1866, the manufactories of the city included the flour- ing mill built by the ex-governor, owned by Mr. Briggs; a woolen factory, the steam flouring mill of Maiming and Merrill, and the iron foundry com- menced by E. ~VV. Skinner in 1851, on the corner of State and Gorham streets, sold in succession to W. S. Huntington in 1859, and to Andrews & Co. in 1864. The foundry of E. W. Skinner & Co. occupied the building raised by Gorham for a steam saw mill. The mill changed hands, and was made into a foundry by I. E. Brown. P. H. Turner bought the property in 1859, when the country was recovering from the crash, and Mr. Skinner became the proprietor, adding to his firm O. S. Willey and S. D. Hastings. That establishment,- in lS65-'6, employed fifty men, be- sides canvassers all over the northwest. Beginning with one sorghum mill in 1861, it extended its opera tions to eleven in 1862, one hundred in the following year, and in 1865 more than five hundred. The Cap ital Iron Works, owned by J. E. Baker and operated by Mr. Stillman, had been entered upon in 1865 There were, besides, two planing mills, three cabinet ware manufactories, and great hopes that the peat beds would become factors of immense prosperity. 186 HISTORY OF MADISON. The Agricultural Society, a young institution when Mr. Seymour published his directory, had grown strong, and the old rooms were to be given up for the better location in the capitol. The patriotism of the society in vacating its grounds for military use ren- dered it impossible to hold exhibitions from 1S61 to 1863; but in September, 1864, Camp Randall having well nigh completed its military avocation, was avail- able for the arts of peace. The value of the institu- tion is beyond praise. It has stimulated agricul- tural and inventive industry and skill, largely to the advantage of our city and state. Abraham Lincoln, then not dreaming of the presidency, honored the society on one occasion by delivering the annual ad- dress. Other orators, well worthy of being particu- larized, are omitted for want of space. The State Hospital for the Insane was commenced under an act passed by the legislature when Gov. Barstow was in office, in 1854, but in consequence of a misunderstanding, the contractor, Andrew Proudlit, did not proceed. There was no blame attaching to him, and he recovered damages. Two years later the scheme was revived, but the original name of Lunatic Asylum was changed to the title now in use. The contractor, in 1857, was compelled to abandon the enterprise, but the building was made ready in 1860. Col. S. V. Shipman was the architect; additions were made in 1861. Dr. Clement was medical superinten- dent in 1860, and Dr. Favill assistant. In 1864, Dr. Yan Norstrand became medical superintendent, and HISTORY OF MADISON. 137 Dr. Sawyer assistant. There was no change in the office of matron, which continues to be filled by Mrs. M. C. Halliday. The fact that the capitol graces Madison is due to the business tact of the citizens. The grant of $50,000 in city bonds has been mentioned. The east wing was undertaken in 1857, and the legislature occupied the building in 1859. The west wing was com- menced in 1861, amid the discouragements and financial pressure incident to civil war, and that wing was finished in 1S63. The north wing, the south wing, and the rotunda followed in the order named, the dome being completed before the commencement of this decade. The material is not so good as the beauty of the structure demanded, but the commis- sioners did the best possible under the circumstances. The internal finish is admirable, and the conveniences afforded for the several departments are all that can be desired. Few persons visit Madison without mount- ing the wide iron stairs that lead from the upper floor to the second, in which are found the chambers of the senate and assembly, the supreme court, the state library, and the still more attractive collections of the state historical society. The State Bank, on Pinckney st., between Tenney's and Bruen's blocks, was opened in January, 1853, with a capital of $50,000, under the direction of President Samuel Marshall and Cashier J. A. Ellis. The Bank of the West began on the second floor of Bruen's Block, in March, 1854, with a capital of $100,000, 138 HISTORY OF MADISON. i and the officers were Samuel A. Lowe, President, and Wm. L. Hinsdale, Cashier. The Dane County Bank, in the same block, began its operations in October, with a capital of $50,000, the officers being Levi B. Vilas, President, Leonard J. Parwell, Yice President, and N. B. Yan Slyke, Cashier. There was, in addi- tion, in 1855, a bank of discount and brokerage on Morris street, of which J. M. Dickinson was man- ager and owner. Catlin, Williamson & Barwise ad- vertised as bankers and land agents, dating their establishment from 1836, just a little before Madison came into existence. The Merchants Bank of Madi- son was organized in 1856, and commenced business in July. A. A. Bliss, of Ohio, and C. T. Flowers were president and cashier. The Wisconsin Bank of Madison, with M. D. Miller, President, and Noah Lee, Cashier, was also organized in 1856. The Bank of Madison began in April, 1860, with a capital of $25,000. The president was Simeon Mills, and the cashier, J. L. Hill. The First National started into vigorous existence in December, 1863. The board of directors consisted of L. B. Vilas, S. D. Hastings, N. B. Van Slyke, George A. Mason and Timothy Brown. The directory of 1866 only showed four banks in op- eration: The Farmers' Bank, the First National, the Madison, and the State Bank. Many of the leaders had entered into new combinations; some had disap- peared altogether; N. B. Van Slyke had become pres- ident of the First National. The State Bank retained its first president, but procured a new cashier, L. S. HISTORY OF MADISON. 339 Hanks, who still remains. The Farmers' Bank had offices next door west of the State Bank, and J. 11. Slavan was its cashier. Brainard's city directory foi- ls 75 showed a total of five banks, comprising in addi- tion to two of the four last named, the German Bank, on King street, near Main, the Bark Savings Bank, and the State Savings Institution, the last of which has since ended in disaster. The Bank of Madison failed for a considerable amount. The loss fell heav- ily upon all classes because of the faith reposed in the financial strength of some few names. The banks now operating in the city are, The First National, with a capital of $150,000; the president, N. B. Yan Slyke, deserves mention for the care with which he has presided over the finances of the State University; The State Bank, with President Marshall and Cashier L. S. Hanks; The German Bank of J. J. Suhr, on King street, and The Park Savings Bank, which com- menced in November, 1871, and has transacted a busi- ness quite as large as circumstances warranted the proprietary in anticipating. Capital, $50,000. The president is Dr. J. B. Bowen, and the cashier, Dr. Jas. E. Baker, the offices being at the corner of Washing- ton avenue and Pinckney street, in a handsome block, the property of Dr. Baker. The time in which banks were dreaded by the poorer class and distrusted by the leaders of public opinion has, we may hope, passed for ever. Failures are inev- itable; misfortune will overtake individuals; but the banker per se is one of the most useful citizens. He 140 HISTORY OF MADISON. is the medium by which wealth, which would other- wise be wastefully hoarded, can be brought from its hiding places to multiply the riches of a nation. The post-office, once a small log house, is now one of our handsomest buildings. The United States courts are held in the same elegant structure, on the third floor. Business keeps pace with increased ac- commodation. There are 2,400 boxes in the post-office. The offices of the United States marshal; the asses- sor and collector of internal revenue; the pension agent; as well as those of the clerks of courts, the judges and the postmaster, are conveniently grouped under one roof. The structure forms one of our il- lustrations. Postmaster E. AV. Keyes has marked individuality. For eight years he has served as chairman of the Republican State Central Committee with such good fortune, that, when recently assailed, his vindication was welcomed by men of every class. Upon his return from Washington, his welcome home was an ovation in which judges and others, dissevered from him in political life, bore a conspicuous share. Mr. Keyes studied law under George B. Smith, and is a member of one of our most respected legal firms. His father was a pioneer of note in the early days of Wisconsin. Madison must feel pleased that the ex- ecutive ability of the party which has so long con- trolled the state has, from the beginning, been vested in a prominent Madisonian. The factories and business houses can only be briefly mentioned. Breckheimer, Fauerbach, Eodermund, HISTORY OF MADISON. 143 Hausmann and Hess are the brewers; there are five carriage and wagon building firms; two bookbind- eries; four book and job printers, English, and one German; seven carpenters and builders; one distiller and rectifier; thirteen dry goods houses; two express agencies; five furniture warehouses and factories; two founders and three machinists; three grain dealers; thirty-three grocers; six dealers in hardware; twen- ty-six hotels, including the Park, the Yilas, the Cap- itol and the Kasdall, which are the principal in the order in which they are named ; the Madison Mutual and the Hekla are home insurance companies, and there are many agencies; there are four livery stables well appointed; manufacturers of and dealers in to- bacco are six in number; there are fifteen merchant tailors; two omnibus lines; three daily papers, five weekly, one tri-weekly, one semi-monthly, and four monthly; we have one plow manufactory; two mak- ers of pumps and windmills ; one reaper factory ; two sash, door and blind factories; two restaurants and thirty-one saloons; a soap and candle factory; a ste- reotype foundry; a soda water factory, and the Madi- son Woolen Mills. We have in all 450 business houses. The city has not reached the limits of its prosperity. Our agricultural resources are boundless, and the water powers have not been utilized to more than a tithe of their capacity. One man, whose name carries weight, says that we must not look to manu- factures for a success, which will come much more surely and speedily to Madison as a watering place, m HISTORY OF MADISON. "With proper deference, we look to both sources for a great prosperity in the future. The beauty of Madi- son is unsurpassed, but she must also grow rich by her factories. The railroads in operation are, the Chicago, Mil- waukee and St. Paul, and the Chicago and North- western. The traffic is extensive. The demand for hotel accommodation is so large that years since that fact was advanced as a reason why the government should be located elsewhere. Several prominent citi- zens procured the incorporation of a company to erect and furnish the elegant building which is now our leading hotel. The enterprise was completed in 1871, being opened in August. The Park Hotel ar- rangements for the comfort of visitors have not been surpassed in the west, and for the number and varie- ty of beautiful views from every window, the whole world hardly contains its superior. The first lessee, Mark II. Irish, commenced his tenancy in August, 1871, ending in the corresponding month of this year. He has been succeeded by Mr. A. II. "West. The extensive frontage on Main street is ninety-five and on Carroll street one hundred and sixteen feet. The building consists of four stories above the base- ment, and is seventy feet high, built of Milwaukee pressed brick, containing one hundred and eighteen sleeping rooms, twelve private parlors, one reception room for ladies only and one for ladies and gentle- men, a general dining room and a ladies ordinary, general and private offices, bathrooms and suites of Kioiiifiipna ■! I La ^-» :i "€ T' ~ 14 ■■-■■ i*> lili- l"T 1=? iilroBn till " ! HHfl •^•^ii y.*ers and magazines with some few books were procured for members and visi- tors. The winter of '51-5, was signalized by a course of lectures in which Horace Greeley, James P. Lowell, Bayard Taylor, Parke Godwin and John G. Saxe ap- peared. The library had then one hundred volumes, and other collections made up a total of about 13,000 in the hands of the state, the executive, the univers- ity, the state superintendent, the historical society, the agricultural society, the natural history associ- ation, the district school, and Mr. Draper, the inval- uable collector and corresponding secretary of the historical society. The library of the Institute has largely increased, and is now located in the city hall, where it is open every afternoon, and on Saturday evenings. Some years have elapsed since the last course of lectures was undertaken by the society, and it is time to fix a date for resumption. The first schools have been named elsewhere. Miss Pierce taught the girls in a building near the site of Dean's Block in 1840. There were then only thirteen pupils in the village. Mr. Searle opened his school for boys in 1839, and was succeeded by Mr. William- HISTORY OF MADISON. 149 son. David Brigham, a d DANE COUNTY TOWNS ALBION. 287 They ave as a rule excellent scholars, and of indus- trious habits. Rev. T. R. Williams D.D., now of Alfred. University, was the first principal. He re- mained in the institution six years, from 1851 to 18G0. In 1856, he was joined by A. R. Cornwall, A.M., a graduate of Union College, as associate principal. Prof. Williams retired from the academy in 1860 ; since that time Prof. Cornwall has been at the head of the institution. The academy has a fine cabinet in nat- ural history. The three literary societies have each a fine hall. The recitation rooms are ample. The in- stitution receives no aid whatever, but relies entirely on a small tuition from each student. A laro-e num- ber of teachers are trained for the public schools, and some of the foremost teachers in the state have been educated here. Hon. C. R. Head, M.D., has been pres- ident of the trustees during the twenty-three years of its existence. He has contributed largely and been one of the foremost in building up the school. Jesse Saunders has been a trustee from the beginning, and one of the main supporters. Albion is one of the pleasantest villages in the northwest; healthy, and surrounded by a rich farm- ing country. No intoxicating liquors were ever sold in the town. Expenses of students are less than any where else in the country. For the education of young men and women, few places offer equal advan- tages. A summer school of natural history will be connected with the academy, managed by Prof. Thure Kumlien. 2S8 DANE COUNTY TOWNS ALBION. Lakes. — On tlie borders of Koslikonong Prairie is a beautiful lake called Rice Lake, a mile and one-half in length and three-fourths of a mile wide. The town of Albion also borders on Koslikonong lake, which is nine miles in length and three to four miles in width. Rock river flows through the entire length of the lake, making its waters pure, and attracting to the lake im- mense quantities of migratory birds and of fishes. This is one of the most noted lakes for game in the northwest. Amateur hunters from London, Boston, New .York, St. Louis, Chicago and other cities, visit this lake annually. Gen. Sheridan has often tried his hand here, but rumor has it that he has better lnek in catching Indians with his "black charger," on the fly, than wild ducks and geese on the wing. A four thousand dollar steamer will be put on this lake by the first of June. The steamer is nearly com - pleted — is being constructed by Messrs. Burdick & Lanphere, for pleasure excursions on the lake and river. It will have a 65 foot keel, 12 foot beam, double deck and pilot house; first deck, 20x90 feet; second deck, 20x60 feet, and a cabin 12x24 feet. The boat will have a new 18-horse power engine, built especially for steamers, and will be capable of carry- ing from 250 to 300 persons. It will be as strong and perfectly safe in every respect as regular passen- ger steamers, and elegantly finished and furnished complete. Koslikonong lake is the paradise of the naturalist. On its bosom are wild ducks innumera- ble; also geese, cormorants, pelicans, swans, and all the varieties of smaller birds found in the north- DANE COUNTY TOWNS ALBION. 2S9 west are on its margin. It is claimed that one hundred tons of fish are taken from its waters in a single season. This lake is known all over the globe, chiefly through Prof. Kumlien, who has furnished specimens in natural history taken from it for a good many universities and museums, in the old world as well as in this country. The specimens in our normal schools are found here and prepared by him. Business. — E. L. Burdick has a large dry goods store, and keeps a large assortment of dry goods, gro- ceries, boots and shoes, hardware, drugs and medi- cines. Commercial agents call him one of their most reliable customers. Miller & Gibson have a wao-on and blacksmith shop, and do a large amount of work. Jesse Greene has a blacksmith shop, is a genial fellow and does good work. Burdick & Lanphere have a steam mill, and deal in bent^ lumber; are manufac- turers of wagons and sleighs. They also deal largely in picture frames. Collins & Spencer, dealers in pictures and picture frames, are doing a lively busi- ness. A. B. Campbell, harness maker, has a fine shop. He also has a shop at Middleton and one at Alden, Minn., and does a thriving business. A. R. Greene, general traveling salesman for the Fox Biver Manufacturing Co., Dayton, 111., for the states of "Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. G. B. Huntington is a well known dealer in improved stock. Albion is one of the best tobacco growino; towns in southern "Wisconsin. In building up the village, Jesse Saunders has done more, by way of selling lots at reasonable 19 290 DANE COUNTY TOWNS ALBION. prices, and erecting buildings, than any other one man. Dr. C. R. Head has been a prominent and suc- cessful physician for more than twenty-five years, and is well known throughout the state. The Burdick Brothers, builders, do a large amount of work. Vis- itors to Albion will find a nice home at the Bandall House, and can visit the lake at will. DANE COUNTY TOWNS PERRY. 291 TERRY. BY GABRIEL BJORNSON, Esq. This town was named in honor of Commodore Perry, and is the southwest township in Dane county, adjoining Iowa county on the west, and Green county on the south. The soil in this town consists mostly of light openings, and partly of choice natural mead- ows, yielding the best kind of natural grasses for stock. It is abundantly supplied with good, clear water from beauciful sparkling springs, and several beautiful small streams, emptying into the Pecatonica river, having their sources from springs of water in the town. Its surface is what is usually termed un- dulating or rolling; but the soil (with the exception of a few stony ridges) is mostly of a good quality, and well adapted both for dairy and grain farms. The first settler was one John Brown, a native of Indiana, who in the spring of 1846 settled on section 27. Soon after, John, Hobart and Anton Keller, three brothers, from Germany, came into the town and settled on sections 3 and 10. The next settlers were Shute Rudy and John Sears, from Kentucky; John Eastman, from Ohio, and S. H. Campbell, from Virginia, who, in the year 1847, settled in the south- ern part of the town. In the early part of the year 1818, B. F. Denson, a native of North Carolina, set- 292 DANE COUNTY TOWNS PEEET. tied on section 34. In the summer of the same year several Norwegian families moved in, of whom Lars llalvorson and T. Thompson settled on section 17; Hans Johnson, on section 20, and Ole O. Bakken, on section 1. The above named persons may properly be considered the pioneers of the town ; and of those, only Ole O. Bakken now remain, the rest having moved away. JST. W. Denson was the first white child born in the town, March 19, 1818, and a daugh- ter of John Eastman was born April 11th of the same year. This town has a serious drawback, on account of its long distance from railroad communicatio7i, being situated in the center, between several railroad sta- tions, none of which is nearer than twenty miles from its center; but there now seem to be strong hopes of a narrow guage railway at no very distant day, to be built through the village of Blanchardville (from Freeport, Illinois, to Lone Rock, Iowa county, Wis.). Blanchardville is a thriving village, located about three miles southwest from the southwest corner of the town, in the town of Blanchard, La Fayette county. There is also a village, named Moscow, located about two miles southwest from the southwest corner of the town of Perry. Both of these places have good grist mills and other conveniences usually found in villages — such as postoffice, churches, school houses, traders, mechanics, etc. The village of Moscow is located on the Blue Mounds' branch of the Pecaton- iea river, and the village of Blanchardville on the DANE COUNTY TOWNS PERKY. 293 Pecatonica river, where the Blue Mounds branch empties into it. The first church in the town was built in 1851, on sec. 8, and belonged to the Norwegian Lutheran de- nomination. The style and size of this church struc- ture exhibits in a striking degree the simplicity of pioneer life, and the modest pretensions of that day. It was built of logs, and its size only twenty feet square. It also served as a school house until the fall of 1852, when the first one was built in the town. This school house was of small dimensions, hastily constructed of rude logs, and located about a quarter of a mile east of where Daley's store now stands, on section 8. Town of Perry was at first joined to town of Prim- rose for township system of government, but in the winter of 1854 was organized as a separate town and had its own government. At the first town election, A. Sanderson, one of the early settlers, was elected chairman, and O. B. Daley, town clerk. To exhibit an instance as a remarkable contrast between early pioneer life and the present day, in relation to choosing officers, and to show that the offices sought the men, instead of the men the offices, in those good old times, may be mentioned the fact, that, at the first town election, O. B. Daley, Esq., was elected town clerk, justice of the peace, superintendent of schools and town treasurer. The nationalities settling in said town, since 1848, have been mostly Norwegians and Germans, and these are now the only remaining nationalities there- 294 DANE COUNTY TOWNS PERRY. in; about three-fourths of the population of said town being Norwegian, and one-fourth German, the other nationalities having all moved away. The town, politically, is noted for its casting a large republican vote, the Norweigian portion of its citizens voting that ticket, while the Germans adhere to the democratic party with equal distinctiveness. The town, on account of its detached situation from the rest of the business world, had, during the first years of its existence, to suffer considerable in- convenience in relation to mail communications. The nearest postoffice was at Blue Mounds, where Ebene- zer Brigham was postmaster; and to relieve the in- habitants of Ferry and vicinity, somewhat, a sort of private mail communication was established by the citizens, by which they hired a person as mail carrier who each week, brought the mail matter from Blue Mounds postoffice, for all of those in the town of Perry and vicinity, who had joined in paying the ex- penses for this private mail establishment. On this occasion O. B. Daley, Esq., was selected postmaster, to distribute and receive the mail. This mail service was kept up until 1857, when a special mail route was established through the town, with the appoint- ment of A. Sanderson as postmaster. He served as postmaster until 1871, at which time a regular mail route,with a semi-weekly mail, was established through the town, and O. B. Daley, Esq., residing on section 8, was appointed postmaster. On section 23 there was another postoffice established at Forward, with DANE COUNTY TOWNS PEEEY. 295 Christian Evenston as postmaster. He is also en- gaged in the sale of merchandise. The town has no village, but O. B. Daley, Esq., has established a trading and general business place on section 8, where he has kept a well furnished store since 1853. In close proximity to him is a commo- dious church of the Norwegian Lutheran denomina- tion, erected in 1860, together with the parsonage of the pastor. Rev. P. M. Brodahl was the first regular pastor of the church, and served as such from the summer of 1856 till the summer of 1868, when he re- turned to Norway. Rev. A. Jacobson is the present pastor, and has served since 1868. The church is in a flourishing condition, and its pastor is well liked, and faithfully attends to his pastoral duties. There is also near Daley's store a beautiful and commodious frame school house, which has the last few years taken the place of the old log school house, the first school house in the town. There is a wagon and blacksmith shop conducted by Errick Henderick- son and Ole E. Stam, while Dr. William McFarlane has settled in this town, and is engaged in the practice of his profession in the place of Dr. C. B. J. Hersch, who for a number of years was the settled physician in town, thus making the place conliguous to Daley's store a lively place as a hamlet. There are now three churches in the town, two be- longing to the Norwegian Lutheran denomination, and one German Catholic. There are five organized school districts, besides parts of districts adjoining other towns. 206 DANE COUNTY TOWNS PEKRY. For the growth and progress of Perry much credit is due to A. Sanderson, the first chairman, and to O. B. Daley, the first clerk. They were both indefati- gable in encouraging the settlement and contributing largely to its growth and progress. To O. B. Daley, Esq., is mainly due the honor of getting the Norwe- gian Lutheran congregation effectively organized, and it may well be said, without exaggeration, that O. B Daley, Esq., is justly deserving of the universal re- spect and esteem in which he is held by the commu- nity of which he is the honored member. A. Sander- son is no longer in the land of the living, having laid down the struggles and warfare of life about four years since. Many others of the early settlers have also crossed the river of death. The present chair- man of the town is L. M. Anderson, Esq., who has served the town faithfully in that capacity since 1870. Mr. Anderson has well earned the confidence thus be- stowed, in sending him for so many successive terms to represent the town in the county board of super- visors, as public interests will be well taken care of, and never suffer in his hands. The town has once been represented in the legislature by Hon. OleTorg- erson, now a resident of Madison. Notwithstanding the inconvenience of long distance from markets, Perry has made rapid strides towards wealth and competency, and has now a population of about one thousand souls, made up mostly of thrifty tillers of the soil. Judging from facts, it may be safely predicted that the town will contribute its full share DANE COUNTY TOWNS PEKRY. 297 to the rapid increase of the population of old Dane; peopled as it is by Norwegian and German branches of the prolific Teutonic race. As an instance, it may be mentioned that one of the early settlers, Michael Gobel, who died about one year since, left surviving, thirteen healthy children, and several other instan- ces, nearly approaching this can be shown in this town. If we may thus be allowed to judge by analogy, we may safely claim that the town of Perry will, in the near future, possess a numerous population of Amer- ican born descendants of the Norwegian and German branches of the Teutonic race of men, proudly trac- ing their lineage from this great ancestral source. Thus are made up the historic streams, forever min- gling their waters with the great and mighty flood of the American Republic. 298 DANE COUNTY TOWNS WESTPORT, ETC. WESTPOET AND TILLAGE OF WAUKAKEE. BY E. L. NOYES. The town of "Westport is situated northwest of the city of Madison, and adjoining the town of Madison on the north, or north side of lake Mendota (Fourth Lake), a part of the lake being within the limits of the town. The northern and western parts of the town are principally prairie, beautiful and undulating in hills, valleys and lowland, interspersed with groves of timber, or oak openings, while the southern part of the town is heavily timbered with oak, hickory and maple, and is familiarly known as the " Sugar- bush." The climate is notably healthy, and the soil rich and adapted to the luxuriant growth of all kinds of grain, green and lignuminous crops, as well as dairy purposes. In the fall of 1845, Louis Montandon, a French- man, and Edward Boyles, an Irishman, built a log cabin on section twenty, and during that winter en- gaged themselves in splitting rails. They endured great privation during the first year or two, and were necessitated to travel on foot about eighteen miles, through creeks and swamps, to get their corn and tlour gristed, and on many occasions were obliged to barricade the door of their cabin to keep out the wolves, who would surround them in the niij-ht on all DANE COUNTY TOWNS WESTrOET, ETC. 299 occasions when they were provided with a good sup- ply of pork and flour, making the night hideous with their howling and efforts to obtain an entrance. Lecta, Louis' wife, was a helpmate to him in many ways, and in none more so than when he was appoint- ed assessor; she did the business for him with a promptness and energy better suited to the sterner sex, and equally as well done. In 1846, a few American families of the names of Burdick, Tower, Bradbury and Rodgers came into the town, and afterwards a number of families from "Westport, Ireland (from which the town took its name), among whom were the O'Malleys. Collins, Fitzgibbon and Ruddy, also came about this time. For a number of years, there was some difficulty in getting access from Madison to the eastern portion of the township, in consequence of there being no bridges across the Catfish, but on the building of Far- well's grist mill and two bridges across the Yahara, immigi-ation started into the town, and in 1849 and 1850 a large number of settlers from Kilkenny, and other parts of Ireland, purchased farms in the central and western part of the town, among whom were the late Hon. Mat. Roach, P. R. Tierney, J. # Welsh, AVm. and Lawrence O'Keefe, Martin Reed and a number of others, and the Irish element has remained strong and influential, some of its wealthiest farmers being of that nationality. The present population, like most western towns, is mixed with Irish, German, English, American, Scotch and Norwegian, and agri- culture is the principal pursuit. 300 DANE COUNTY TOWNS WESTFOKT, ETC Early settlers tell of the exquisite beauty of the whole surroundings of Westport when they first set- tled in it, and it has never lost a single charm either in its native landscapes or what art and the hand of man has bestowed. Game, of all kinds, was abund- ant, and was consequently much resorted to by the Indians. In the spring the settlers were accustomed to turn their hogs out to run at large until fall, and when in need of fresh pork would proceed with guns and dogs in search of some fat pigs, shoot and carry home for use. When the weather became colder the hogs would return with their broods for winter quar- ters. There are some interesting mounds in the town, a few of which may be seen on the hospital grounds; the building; itself is built where a number of Indian graves and mounds stood, and visitors to the hospital and vicinity will find the drives full of interest and beauty, and will be still more so when the contem- plated carriage drive from Madison around the edge of the lake shall be completed. In former years the Indian wiffwams might be seen on and near the hos- pital grounds, where the Indians would be hunting muskrat or fishing. Before the United States govern- ment ordered their removal to Nebraska, they made annual visits to what was then called the Indian vil- lage, on section thirty-three, on the land now belong- ing to John D. Clute. On section twenty, on the farm of J. Fitzgibbon, there are a number of large mounds of an oblong, or oval shape, overlooking Fourth Lake, and also near the shore of the lake at a dane county towns — westpoet, etc. 301 place known as the Black Woods, near Foxes' bluff, a name given to that locality from the frequency of these little animals to be found there. Near here the City of Four Lakes was first contemplated, and where some log cabins were built and cellars excavated in anticipation of that hope. One of the mounds on Fitzgibbon's farm was opened by some of the citi- zens, but nothing of interest found but some stone hammers or knives, and a few flint arrowheads. The first town meeting was held in the house of Michael O'Malley, in 1849, and the following offi- cers were elected: Supervisors — Michael O'Malley (Chairman), John Collins and Louis Montanda. Town Clerk — Thomas O'Malley (but who after- wards resigned, and Thomas R. Hill was appointed). Treasurer — Thomas Butts. SupH of Schools — I. P. Tower. Justices of the Peace — Amos Rodgers, Charles Clarkson, I. P. Tower and Azariah Fay. Constables — Martin O'Malley and Milo Wells. As- sessor — John Bradbury. Fence Viewers — Michael O'Malley, Lawrence Rodgers and Edward Boyles. Sealer of Weights — Thomas R. Hill. Mr. Thomas Shillinglaw was the first postmaster in the town, and his wife is known to have been the first lady justice of the peace in Wisconsin, having been appointed by the town board, subscribed to the oath of office and filed her bonds in pursuance of law. The present officers of the town are: Supervi- sors — James Hogan (Chairman), Michael Koldes, and Raynerd Helt. Treasurer — William Wilson. Clerk 802 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — WESTPORT, ETC. Jacob Buhlman. Asssessor — George Schumacher. Dep. Sheriff — James Riley. Justice — I. P. Bacon. In the central part of the town is a large Catholic church, built in 1860, by the Rev. P. J. Lavans. It is now under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Father Miller, whose energy and christian character is doing a good and lasting work among his parishioners. He has, also, charge of the German Mission church, in Waunakee, on section 8, built in 1874. The best of harmony prevails among co-religionists, and in the hiring of teachers religious persuasion has not been deemed a qualification for obtaining a school. One of the state's hospitals for the insane is located within the town, on the north bank of Lake Mendota, and in plain view of Madison. The hospital is a large and beautiful stone building (the stone being obtained from quarries within the town), and is surrounded by a beautiful farm of between three and four hundred acres, the labor of cultivating being mostly performed by the patients, and a large share of the vegetables and fruits used in the building are raised on the farm. There is, also, a large dairy of cows kept for supply- ing the institution with milk. Mr. Thos. Hill, an early settler, at one time contracted to purchase eighty acres of land near where the present site of the hos- pital is, and to pay for the same in cord wood. He cut the wood and piled it, but before he was able to consummate the bargain, a prairie fire came along and burnt up all his labor and so disheartened him, that he resolved to make no further efforts to regain the land, DANE COUNTY TOWNS WESTPORT, ETC. 303 which is now a portion of the beautiful grounds of the hospital. For years, Westport was the residence of Ex-Gover- nor Farwell, on a large farm on the margin of Fourth Lake, adjoining the hospital grounds, and part owned by them. The peninsular island now nsed by the in- stitution as a vegetable garden received its name as " Governor's " Island from the above fact. It is also the home of Miss Ella "Wheeler, whose poems are becoming known, from their sweet and tender heart strains, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. John Kershaw, an Englishman, was one of the no- tables in his day, and lived for a number of years in a shanty on section six. He was a man of remarka- ble memory and general information; indeed, was known as the walking cyclopedia of Westport. He knew the value of money just so far as it was capable of being used in acquiring books, which he read to know, and not only to possess. Kershaw's shanty was one of those places where to lie in bed was to command the entrance, and when blustering weather unlatched the door, John would lie still and give it a kick with his foot to again close it. It was an airy house, when any one contemplates its roof, which was shingled w T ith eighteen-inch oak shingles, that year af- ter year's exposure had brought into a semi-circular shape outward. John never lost his opportunities in acquiring knowledge, and it is said his astronomical culture was greatly heightened by the ethereal vision, seen through the telescopic shingles of his home. 304 DANE TOUNTY TOWNS WESTPOKT, ETC. His name, however, is a pleasing recollection to the citizens of Westport, and few would receive a heartier welcome than old John Kershaw should he a^ain re- turn to Westport from his new home in the West. On Six-Mile Creek there is a good grist mill, built in 1860 by E. D. Churchill, who sold out to the late Mr. Win. Paekham, who, together with his two sons, Raymond and William, run it successfully for a num- . ber of years, when they sold out, in 1876, to the pres- ent owner, Mr. John Bowerman, and who purposes increasing his power and facilities by the aid of steam. A short distance further up the creek there was for- merlv a saw mill. The town is well supplied with quarries, and the Cream stone, or marble, used in the building of the government court house and post-office, in Madison, was obtained from the quarry on section 11, and which the United States government purchased for that pur- pose. The stone was exhibited and much admired at the Centennial, as were also some of the other products of the town. A branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway passes through the town from northwest to southeast, with Mendota station, on the the hospital farm, and Waunakee, on sections five and eight, in the northwest. Waunakee is a pretty and thriving village, situated on a beautiful prairie, from which it is said to have derived its name. It was platted January 30, 1871, by George C. Fish and Louis Baker, and has now a population of two hundred, and a brisk trade is carried on in all kinds of agricultural produce, live DANE COUNTY TOWNS WESTPORT, ETC. 305 stock, lumber, dry goods, clothing and general mer- chandise. The surrounding country is rich and pro- ductive, and well watered. Waunakee Business Directory.— Packham Bros., lumber, grain and live stock; Buhlman Bros., dry- goods, groceries, clothing, etc.; C. Hudson, drugs, groceries and general merchandise; L. P. Goodchap, boots, shoes, groceries and general merchandise; Tay- lor Bros., boots, shoes, groceries and general merchan- dise; E. L. Noyes, contractor and builder and dealer in village lots, &c. ; E. L. !Noyes, cheese factory; R. W. Towne, hotel keeper and meat market; I. P. Bacon, justice of the peace; P. R. Tierney, attorney at law; James Riley, deputy sheriff and dealer in farm machinery; C. Gusman, carpenter; A. J. Van Tassel, carpenter; A. Peih, saloon keeper; M. Schuluck, sal- oon keeper; J. Hilgert, saloon keeper; J. Howard, physician; J. Knipschild, shoemaker; T. R. Lutzow, shoemaker; E. J. Foster, station and express agent; J. T. Akers, blacksmith; Hilbert Bros., blacksmiths; Mrs. Foster, milliner. 20 o 06 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — SPRINGDALE. SPKINGDALE. BY JAMES P. McPHERSON, EoQ. Springdale, town No. 6 north, of range No. 7 east, lies fifteen to twenty-one miles southwest of the city of Madison, and is traversed by the Madison and Mineral Point, and the Madison and Wiota state roads, and the territorial road from the Badger Mills to Bine Mounds. There are in this township some remarkable re- mains of that ancient people, who are supposed to have inhabited this country prior to its occupancy by the Indian races; the most noteworthy of which are to be found on section fifteen. Here are three mounds about fifty feet apart, and extending east and west; they are uniform in size, being about six feet in height above the surface of the adjacent land, and circular at the base, where they are nearly forty feet in diameter. Commencing at the distance of fifty feet from the most eastern mound, and extending in an unvarying direction to the east, there is a long low ridge or bank of earth, one hundred feet in length; the height of this ridge above the surface of the ground on which it is situated is four feet, and measures six feet through the base, north and south. A line drawn due east and west would divide the three mounds and ridge exactly in the center. Being upon elevated land. DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGDALE. 307 the view from the site of these mounds would, were it not for the luxuriant young trees by which they are surrounded, be beautiful and commanding. In the summer of 1870 one of these mounds was partially explored by Mr. Charles H. Lewis, a resident of the town, when a well preserved human skeleton was un- earthed, together with a stone pipe of curious work- manship, two stone knives, some highly polished and perforated pieces of bone, and many stone imple- ments, the use of which is now unknown. These mounds and their contents are objects of great interest to the antiquarian, as they point to the stone age of Wisconsin, and tend to the elucidation of the great problem in regard to that extinct and mysteri- ous people, the Mound Builders of America. The town was settled in 1844 or 1845, the first set- tler being Mr. John Harlow, who built the first house within the limits of the town. That house is still standing 1 on the farm of Mr. Patrick Casey, on sec- tion one. In 1845, Messrs. Michael Jacket, Wyatt Perkins, Perry Munger, Thomas Bentley and others, settled in the northeast part of the town and commenced the improvement of their lands. Mr. Perkins built a dam and saw mill on a small branch of Sugar river. These were regarded by some of Mr. Perkins' neighbors, as hindrances rather than improvements, and led to liti- gation, which resulted in the removal of the dam and mill, and also Mr. Perkins, who sought a new location for his mechanical industry. 308 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — SPRINGDALE. In 1846 Messrs. Thomas B. Miles, Axium Malone, Hawley Chi Ids, 1ST. H. Dryden, Thore T. Spaanem, Morgan L. Curtis, John S. Berge, Henry Boland, Martin Nash, Michael Johnson and others, moved in and occupied land in other parts of town. In 1850 John Mitchell and James P. McPherson settled on section 24 and 25. The town was organized in 1848, the first election for town officers being held on the second Tuesday of April in that year. Twenty votes were cast, and twenty-one offices were filled, and the following named persons were elected, viz.: Chairman, Martin Nash; Supervisors, Wyatt Perkins and Thomas Bentley; Town Clerk, Robert N. Ashmore; Treasurer, Morgan L. Curtis; Collector, Axium Malone; Justices, Mar- tin Nash and Morgan L. Curtis; Commissioners of Highways, Thomas Bentley, N. H. Dryden, and Rob- ert N. Ashmore; School Commissioners, Hawley Childs, Thos. B. Miles and Wyatt Perkins; Assessors, Perry Munger and Thos. B. Miles; Fence Viewers, Michael Jacket and Hawley Childs; Constables, Axi- um Malone and John I. Berge; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Win, A. Dryden. Of the twenty-one officers then elected, there are four of them yet residents of the town, viz.: Messrs. N. II. Dryden, Thos. B. Miles, Michael Jacket and John I. Berge. It was determined that no town tax should be lev- ied, and that the officers should receive no pay foi their services for that year, but shortly after the elec- DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPEINGDALE. 309 tion, a special town meeting was quietly convened by the incumbents interested, and a small town tax, suf- ficient to satisfy the office-holders of those early days, was levied, and in due time collected. From 1848 to 1852, the population of the town was largely increased by immigration, and nearly all the land was then entered and occupied by settlers from the Eastern and Middle States, and from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany and Norway, who have devoted their attention and labor to the cultivation of the soil. The natural facilities for manufactures of any description are but limited, and agriculture has therefore been the occupation of the people, and will likely remain so. The western branch of Sugar river runs through the west and southwest part of the town, and the vil- lage of Mount Vernon. This village was platted in 1850-51, by Mr. George G. Britts, who then com- menced the improvement of the water-power and built a saw mill. In 1852, Dr. P. Byam obtained posses- sion of the village site and much of the adjacent land, enlarged the village plat, and built a small but well arranged grist mill, which has been of great conven- ience to the citizens. Near where the river enters the town, there is a place familiarly known as the Mormon Baptismal Pond, because at an early day several of the followers of Joe Smith, having come from the South after the government had ordered their removal to Utah, and settled in several places in the west, among oth- 310 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — SPRINGDALE. ers here, where they were accustomed to preach and baptize converts. The excitement at these services is said to have been equal to any fair, and perhaps with but little difference, as Saint and Gentile, for miles around, met more for the hilarity incident to the occasion than for any great conversions that fol- lowed, although some of the preachers were powerful orators. It is said that during the baptismal rites the excitement would become so great that an occasional mistake would occur as some poor unfortunate dog was forced into the river by wicked Gentiles, and then seized by an excited Saint and devoutly immersed. These poor animals were afterwards known as Mor- mon proselytes, put out on probation. Religious discussions between the Mormons and others were of common occurrence, and three of their most eloquent preachers challenged a Mr Cameron, a Scotch layman, to a public discussion of their doc- trines in the school house. Though a busy time among the farmers, they nevertheless assembled ear- ly in the morning from far and near, to hear the combatants. The discussion continued the whole day, and though the layman had persuasive and subtile orators to contend with, he came out the victor, and not long afterwards, as well as by a number of inde- screet acts of a moral character, the Mormon cause began to wane, and finally to move out of the town. The town is divided into five whole and three joint school districts, with six school houses located in the town, two of which are stone and four are frame build- DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGDALE. 311 ings, all of which are in good condition. The citi- zens, at town and school district meetings, have always evinced the interest they feel in the existence and prosperity of our common schools, by providing lib- erally for their support. There are but two church edifices in the town, the Norwegian Lutheran, occupying an elevated position on the prairie ridge, in section 8, and the Baptist church, in Mount Yernon. A German Lutheran con- gregation meet for worship in the school house of school district No. 3, on section 25, and a German Methodist congregation meet at the houses of the members, in the same neighborhood. In 1859, Mr. George West opened a store on sec- . tion 11, near what is now the Clontarf postoffice. Pie continued in business about a year, and was succeeded by Messers. Peter Quigley, John C. Thompson, Thos. Managan, and Patrick Carr. Mr. Carr has continued in business there for about fourteen years, has a large stock of goods, suitable for the locality, and does an extensive and increasing trade with the citizens of Springdale, Verona and Cross Plains. The first postoffice in the town, Springdale, was es- tablished in 1850. Mr. Thos. B. Miles was appointed postmaster, and retained the office until December, 1866, when he resigned. There are now three postoffices in the town, Spring- dale, on section 25, J. P. McPherson, postmaster; Mount Yernon, I. G. Brader, Sr., postmaster; and Clontarf, on section 12, P. Carr, postmaster. 312 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPKINGDALE. MOUNT VERNON BY DK. W. J. DONALD. Tbii village, of about one hundred inhabitants, is situated on the middle branch of the Sugar river, nineteen miles southwest of Madison. The location is a pleasant one, the greater part being on the east bank of the river, while on the west side, some high rocks and hills add to the picturesqueness of the scenery. On one of these rocks grew an old pine tree that was an ancient landmark to the early settlers, and a noted object of interest to visitors because of its marked distinction from all surroundings. It was blown down by a wind-storm on the evening of January 1, 1876. The surrounding country, though rolling, is productive, and well adapted to the raising of stock and dairy puqioses, and inhabited by a thrifty class of farmers, mostly of German and Norwegian origin. The health of the place is excellent, with a remarkable exemption from epidemics, particularly scarlet fever, and cases of ague are rare. Two religious societies are here represented, Baptist and Method- ist. The Baptists have a good church edifice. The Methodists hold service in the school-house, a good stone building. The never- failing Sugar river affords two excellent water powers, with only one, as yet, improved. Its distance from Madison and other villages makes it a good point for business of all kinds ; not one, in truth, can be said to be overdone. Those in business here have been, in most every instance, successful, and have continued residents of the place for many years. Mr. John Jones, proprietor of the flouring mill, learned his business here, and afterward became partner, and again eight years ago, proprietor, while he now rents the mill to C. W. Korn. Mr. I. G. Brader, Sr., who keeps an excellent general store, has been in business, with a little exception, for the past eighteen years, and has held the office of postmaster continuously since 1856.* Mr. C. C. Allen furnishes a good hotel, and lately erected new T buildings for the better accommodation of the traveling public. Dr. William J. Donald, after a year's respite from business, is at his post again, as in the past eleven years. Mr. W. W. Abbot, blacksmith, and C. J. Lewis, builder and carpenter, have been re- sidents of the place for the past twenty-five years, and in active business. Among others doing business and general y prospering maybe mentioned: Foye and Kea, masons; W. W. Miner, boots and. shoes; M. F. Van Norman, live stock buyer; Andrew Peter- son, blacksmith; Erick Erickson, shoemaker; P. E. Call, saddler; F. A. Fix, hotel and saloon; George, Wade, butcher; C. H. Lewis, carpenter; A. C. Brader, clerk; I. G. and A. C. Brader were in the mercantile business until two years ago. I. G. Brader, Jr., re- moved to Iowa,, but has recently returned, and built himself a re- sidence, and expects to resume business soon. * Since the above was in type I. G. Brader, Sr., has sold to O. B. Daley, ol the town of Perry, and his son Herman will continue in charge of the biisi nee6 in Mount Vernon. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — SUN PRAIRIE. 313 SUN PRAIRIE. BY DR. O.G.CROSSE. In pursuance of an act of the first, or Belmont, legislative assembly, which located the seat of govern- ment at Madison, Mr. Augustus A. Bird had been elected acting commissioner for the erection of suita- ble buildings for the accommodation of the assembly and other officers of the territorial government. On the 20th day of May, 183T, the acting commissioner, accompanied by his brother, Mr. C. II. Bird, and a company of forty-five men, started from Milwaukee for the town of Madison. At that time nearly all of Wisconsin westward from Milwaukee was an un- broken wilderness. One solitary settler at Summit, about twenty miles west of the lake, three at Water- town, on Rock river, one at Fort Atkinson, twenty miles down the river, and one at Janesville. These bold pioneers, with their wives and children, stood sentinels upon the outmost borders of civilization. With these exceptions, all was in the condition in which it left the fashioning hand of the Creator. Wild beasts roamed at will over its forests and prai- ries, and their dominion was disputed only by the scarcely less wild and savage Winnebagoes. On the fifth day of June, the company above mentioned, tired, foot-sore and depressed, plodded their weary 314 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PKAIRIE. way through the wild scenery of this then unexplored wilderness. Xine days had elapsed since they started on their weary march, and they had been drenched with rains and oppressed with continuous cloudy and lowering weather — the sun had not once gladdened them with its beams since the clay on which they left Milwaukee. At length, as they emerged upon the borders of the beautiful prairie, about two miles east of where the village of Sun Prairie now stands, the sun shone forth in all its brightness, and illuminated the scene before them as with a halo of glory. The contrast which this beautiful vision presented to the g^oom with which they bad been surrounded w T as so great, that they greeted it with a shout, and almost involuntarily bivouacked upon its borders, christening the locality " Sun Prairie," which name they carved into the bark of an oak tree which stood near by: and for many years this tree bore upon its breast, in rude letters, the inscription " Sun Prairie." Hence origi- nated the name of the locality which is the subject of this sketch. The company above mentioned en- camped that night upon the spot, which some two years afterwards was selected by Mr. C. II. Bird for his future home, and upon which his residence now stands. In the year 1839, Mr. B. became the first white settler in the town of Sun Prairie, and dur- ing the first year of his residence his only neighbors consisted of a band of Winnebagoes, whose wigwams were upon the present site of the Baptist Church, and who hunted the game that abounded in the vicin- DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PRAIRIE. 815 it j. In 1840, Mr. Thomas Marks, and the next year Messrs. Benj. Knight, Charles Peasley, Horace Potter, W. Van Bergen, John Winsled, John Ostrander and Rev. Albert Slingerland, with their families, located at this point. Col. W. II. Angell and several others came within the next year or two, and thus was formed the little hamlet which for several years, and until invaded by the enemy of all sylvan beauty and quietude — the railroad — constituted one of the most lovely rural hamlets in the west. "While settlers were thus slowly arriving at the little village, others were locating in the surrounding country; at Pierceville, some four miles south, Messrs. Enoch and Bradford Churchill, Ira Balch, John Taylor, ~W. A. Pierce, Tisdale Pierce, Calvin Flower, Mark Haslett and John Phillips formed a little settlement in 1840; at the Bailey set- tlement, two miles southwest from the village, Sam- uel, Asahel and Charles Bailey and It. T. Cameron were the advance guard, and arrived in 1841; at other points within the present limits of the township of Sun Prairie, A. W. Dickinson, George Pine and Mr. Brockway located in the year 1842. At Northumber- land, in the town of Bristol, at Deanville and other points in the vicinity, little settlements were spring- ing into existence, and the country was beginning to assume importance as an agricultural district. That the pathway of these early pioneers was not always strewn with flowers will be readily believed. Their lot was no more exempt from toil, privation and hardship than is that of all who brave the perils 310 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PRAIRIE. of frontier life. The following incident, selected from a large number of similar anecdotes, is men- tioned as illustrative of this: In the fall of 1837, C. H. Bird, Zenas Bird, Norman Pratt and Mr. Parker were sent to Milwaukee by their employer, the acting commissioner above mentioned, and having accom- plished the object of their mission, were on their re- turn journey. In the act of crossing Pock river their canoe capsized, and all their provisions and ac- coutrements were lost. During the remaining four days of their homeward journey, their only food con- sisted of oak apples — little excrescences caused by the sting of an insect upon the leaves of oak trees. But for the timely meeting with two brave fellows, sent from Madison, with food for their relief, they must have perished from fatigue and hunger. The township of Sun Prairie was organized in the year 1839, and included all that district which now constitutes the townships of York, Medina, Bristol and Sun Prairie. The first election, or town meeting, was held in the spring of 1840, at the house of Mr. C. H. Bird, and it was presided over by John Cat- lin, Esq., from the town of Madison, who had been deputed for that purpose. At that election nine votes were cast. In 1844, the township or precinct of Sun Prairie was subdivided by the organization of the towns of York and Bristol, from its northern half, and in 184S the town of Medina was organized, leaving a town- ship of the usual dimensions, six miles square. Its DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PKAIRIE. 317 surface is slightly undulating and is of the quality usually known as " oak openings," interspersed with small projections or indentations from the neighbor- ing prairie. It is traversed from northwest to south- east by the Koshkonong creek, along which are occa- sional bottom-lands or natural meadows of jn'eat fer- tility. The original settlers were almost exclusively of New England origin, but in later years quite a number of Germans and a few Irish have found homes within its borders. Of the early settlers above enu- merated, nearly all remained as permanent residents, and founded homes for themselves and posterity such as are a recompense for the toils and privations which they endured as pioneers. A few only partook of the restless spirit which so often haunts the frontiersman, and moved farther on as civilization crowded upon their footsteps. A. W. Dickinson transferred his farm to John A. Peckham, who now resides upon it. Horace Potter sold out his farm, which is now owned by Pardee Peckham. Mr. Brockway was followed by Moses Yervalen, and he by Joshua Boyles, the present thrifty and enterprising owner. John Ostran- cler early transferred his home to the present town of Bristol and became one of the first settlers of the Northumberland neighborhood. The township, ex- clusive of the village, has at present a population of about sixteen hundred, who are devoted solely to ag- ricultural pursuits. The New England characteristics of its early settlers have always exerted a decided in- fluence upon the social, political, religious and busi- 318 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PRAIRIE. ness character of the people, hence morality, conscien- tiousness and zeal have always been prominent char- acteristics and have resulted in the establishment of schools, church organizations and societies, especially distinguished by these attributes, and honest} 7 , integ- rity and strict economy in their business relations have resulted in abundant prosperity. The limits of this chapter preclude any biographi- cal sketches of individuals or even the briefest allu- sion to the part taken by the people of Sun Prairie in its local history or in its relations with other commu- nities. Most especially do we regret the want of space in which to rehearse their record in the war of the rebellion. It must suffice to say that in unity of sentiment, in support of the government, no people were more loyal, and in the practical bestowal of men and means to aid in that desperate struggle none did their duty more fully. Since the separation of the village from the town- ship by the incorporation of the former in 1S68, the citizens of the township have erected a neat and com- modious town-house, on section eighteen, in which is transacted the business of the town government. It is also the place of meeting of a large and flourishing Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, which em- braces a large proportion of the farmers of the town. The present board of supervisors consists of F. L. Warner, chairman, A. F. Persons and Robert Beecham. In the year 1859, a line of railroad having been projected from Milwaukee to the Baraboo valley, DANE COUNTY TOWNS — SUN PRAIRIE. 319 had been completed as far as Watertown, and lo- cated and graded on a line about three miles south of the village of Sun Prairie. The denizens of this little hamlet, having for about twenty years enjoyed the quietude and seclusion consequent upon their great distance from any business centre, had appa- rently no aspirations for their village, nor even dreamed that it was possible to convert the Sab- bath stillness and sylvan beauties of their streets into a mart of busy trade — a market for the produce of an extensive and productive tract of country. The rapid progress in the construction of the railroad, however, and the certainty that if completed upon its projected route their little village would be forever cut off from any hope of future greatness, seemed at once to arouse them from their apparent lethargy to a sense of the necessity for action. Meetings were held, committees appointed and negotiations entered into with S. L. Rose, president of the railroad com- pany, S. S. Merrill, general manager, D. C. Jackson and other influential railroad men, with the object of securing a change in the location of the road so as to bring it to Sun Prairie. These men were soon won over to the support of the project, but the change of route could not be made without some special legisla- tion. A bill for this purpose was introduced into the senate at the next session of the legislature, but not- withstanding a strong effort in its favor by railroad officials and lobbyists from the village of Sun Prairie, it was bitterly opposed by antagonistic interests and 320 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PKAIEIE. defeated. It is said that the then member of assem- bly from that district regretted the fate of the bill in. the senate, because he thereby missed an opportunity to deliver "a d — d spicy little speech," which he had prepared in its favor. Strategy, however, which more often than valor, wins victories, succeeded in procur- ing the necessary legislation under which the desired change could be made. A clause was introduced into a bill then pending, which provided that no valid in- junction could be served upon a railroad company to restrain them from doing any act unless thirty days previous notice had been served upon such company. The bill to which this provision was attached passed the legislature and became a law before those who were opposed to the desired change of route were aware that under it the change could be made. Thus pro- tected from restraint by injunction, the company hast- ened the laying of the track without unnecessary de- lay, in some places not even grading the road-bed, and in less than thirty days the route was changed, and the triumph of Sun Prairie secured. In No- vember, 1859, the railroad was completed to that point. Then followed a period of active business prosperity, and apparently a golden opportunity for building up, on a permanent basis, a town of con- siderable importance and magnitude. For ten years, Sun Prairie w r as the western terminus of the Milwau- kee and Baraboo Yalley Railroad, and was one of the largest and most flourishing inland grain markets in the state. DANE COUNTY TOWNS - — SUN l'KAIRIE. 321 That this period of business activity and great prosperity was not productive of more permanent re- sults as manifested in enlarged growth and increase of population and wealth may perhaps be partially explained by the fact that at about the time when the attention of capitalists and enterprising business men was being attracted to this point, the war of the re- bellion came with all its attendant horrors; enlist- ment and conscription were the order of the day ; the population was decimated and business of all kinds except that of supplying men and means for the army was depressed and languishing. As a market for the produce of the country Sun Prairie was in no wav injured by this trying ordeal, but its prospects of be- ing permanently benefited thereby were materially lessened. Capital became shy of investment in em- bryo cities, and enterprise was diverted into other channels than that of building up rural towns, be their prospects ever so inviting. In the meantime, and before it was possible to recover from these and other depressing influences, which the prescribed lim- its of this chapter preclude from mention, the rail- road had changed ownership, and been diverted from its originally determined route and made to converge toward and join the main line of the Milwaukee and Prairie du Ohien road at the city of Madison. This deprived Sun Prairie of its advantages as an inland railroad terminus, and made of it simply a way-sta- tion. Its inability to acquire strength, wealth and influence rendered it powerless to prevent the build - 21 322 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — SUN PRAIRIE. ing up of competing markets, and as a consequence it has been shorn of a portion of its former business prosperity. By an act of the legislature, passed in 1868, the village of Sun Prairie was incorporated. Its government consists of a j)i*esident and three trustees, with such subordinate officers as are usual in a village municipality, all of whom are elected an- nually. The first president, Mr. W. H. Angell, held that office two terms, and his successors, Messrs. W. H. Chandler, C. R. Babcock, C. G. Crosse, John Gib- bons, Geo. Maloney and C. C. La Bore, one term each, in the order in which they are named - — C. G. Crosse be- ing the present incumbent. The present trustees are Messrs. Win. Small, H. Dirnfeldt and H. Daniels. The village is situated in the midst of one of the most productive agricultural districts in the state — about twelve miles northeast from the city of Madison and seventy miles west from Milwaukee — and is the natural outlet for the productions and the mart of trade for quite a large extent of country. There were shipped from this point, in the year 1876, about 120,000 bushels of wheat, 30,000 bushels of barley, 17,000 bushels of oats and other grain, 1,300 fat swine, 1,000 head of fat cattle, and other produce in proportion. There is at present a population of about eight hundred, much the largest number of whom are American born, and a large per cent, of whom are from New England. A few intelligent and liberal- minded Germans, and a lesser number of Irish, serve to enliven and jnve zest to the otherwise staid charac- DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PRAIRIE. 323 ter of the inhabitants. Many of the citizens are ag- riculturists from the surrounding country who have retired from their farms to enjoy the school, church and society privileges of the village. The mechanic arts are quite fully represented; numerous workers in metal and in wood ply their busy trades and earn lib- eral incomes by their skill as artisans. The profes- sion of the law has one representative, that of medi- cine four, and the clergy six. The mercantile history of the village dates from the year 1842, when one David C. Butterfield — a quaint genius, a sort of "connecting link" between the In- dian and Caucasian — became proprietor of a few dry goods, and commenced a traffic with the few white settlers and more numerous Indians. He was super- seded in 1844, by Edwin Brayton, who continued the business about one year, and sold out to Mr. Silas Smith, a Methodist preacher, who for several years eked out a precarious support from its profits. That the occupation of a merchant in those early years was not repaid with financial success, may be inferred from the facts that seventy miles of ill-conditioned roads intervened between it and any market for the jjroduce of the country; that no means of transporta- tion existed except by teams, and that the prices of grain in Milwaukee were often so low as scarcely to cover the cost of transportation. This preacher-mer- chant was of the muscular order of Christians, as well as an honest and upright business man, and when, as sometimes happened, a customer became rude and 324 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PEAIEIE. boisterous in consequence of having indulged too freely in the then rather common beverage, whisky, the preacher's brawny arm soon " conquered a peace," and sent him on his way sobered by the lesson he had received. Frederick Starr was successor to Mr. Smith, and after a brief business career, he was followed by Thomas White. In 1859, Mr. White, having failed in business, was succeeded by Messrs. Williams & Maloney, who, by their enterprise and business habits, soon established a successful trade, of which Mr. Geo. Maloney is the present representative. The business of Mr. Maloney consists of one of the most extensive and successful dry goods and general merchandising establishments in the village. Mr. C. Ii. Babcock is proprietor of a flourishing business in dry goods, gro- ceries, etc. His stock is large and diversified, and his business is vigorously and efficiently conducted. He is the present representative of the firm of Babcock, Clark & Co., which in 1861 succeeded to the firm of Main & Marvin, which had been in existence but a brief period. Messrs. Gilman, Weigan & Moak are a new firm, which has recently opened up a fine stock of general merchandise. They are successors to the late firm of Chittenden & Woodward, which succeeded to that of Gilman & Curtis. This last named firm originated in 1870, and was the pioneer in the system of " ready pay." The present firm will steadily ad- here to this principle, and are deserving of patronage and encouragement in carrying out this necessary re- form in business. Mr. F. H. Hood is a young and DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PEAIEIE. 325 enterprising dealer in groceries, ready-made clothing, etc. He keeps a full stock, is a courteous gentleman and a successful business man. He is successor to his father, Mr. II. Rood, who first established the business in 1862. Mr. Benjamin Franks, a dealer in ready-made clothing, notions, cigars, etc., has a well selected stock, and is doing a good business. He first established the business in 1860. Mr. Geo. "WTieelan, from a small beginning in 1862, has established a flourishing business in variety goods in connection with furniture and undertaking. Miss L. E. Stowe and Mrs. L. Bird, have each a full and tastefully selected stock of millinery goods, adapted to the wants of a wide range of customers. Mr. I. D. Hayden has a stock of stoves and tinware, which, in connection with his manufacturing and repairing shop, make a very successful establishment. Messrs. Bowen & Svvanton, and also, Mr. E. A. Weigan, dealers in grain and all kinds of farm produce, are each proprietors of a large and spacious grain elevator, and are doing a large and prosperous business. Col. W. H. Angell is the proprietor of an extensive lumber establish- ment, which for many years he has conducted in an eminently successful and business-like manner. J. D. Bird is also a lumber merchant, doing quite an ex- tensive business. John Hecker and J. G. Egbertson are severally engaged in the manufacture and sale of harness and other wearing apparel for horses. Mr. II. Dirnfeldt is proprietor of a well-kept and bounti- fully supplied meat market. The American House, originally built in 1850 by 326 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN TKAIRIE. ~W\ F. Ilardwick, is under the present proprietorship of Mr. J. E. Mann, and is the largest hotel in the village. The Sun Prairie House, erected by Mr. W. H. Angell in 1850, and for many years conducted by him, is now presided over by Mr. A. C. Miller, who is a genial and obliging landlord. Mr. N". Mosell is the gentlemanly proprietor of a large and commodi- ous hotel called the Germania House. The trade in drugs and medicines is conducted by Drs. Crosse and Lewis. The manufacture and sale of boots and shoes by G. W. Bull, C. A. Sawyer, W. E. Morehouse and E. Aschenburker. That of wagons and carriages b} T C. C. La Bore, J. C. Kanouse and Jacob Weicher; and blacksmithing, in all its branches, is carried on by John Ditmas, W. Small, J. Sweeney, George Kanouse and W. D. B. Pincheon. The trade in jewelry is represented by II. J. Bird. Of societies, there are six church organizations, and a lodge each of Masons, Odd Fellows, Good Temp- lars and Patrons of Husbandry. Preliminary steps have been taken and a liberal fund subscribed for the establishment of a free library and reading room, and undoubtedly this valuable institution will soon become an established feature in the village. A first class cornet band of musicians regales the lovers of music with its enlivening strains. Considerable taste and refinement are manifested by the citizens in the character of their private resi- dences, and much enterprise and liberality in their public buildings and improvements. A liberally sup- ported and well conducted graded school, with a tine DANE COUNTY TOWNS SUN PRAIRIE. 327 building beautifully located on an eminence in the western part of the village, attests the intelligence and liberality of the people. There are five church buildings — the Episcopal, Methodists, Baptists and Congregationalists have each a large, commodious and elegant house of worship, and the Catholics and German Methodists have each a comfortable but more unpretending building. The absence of those causes of disease which so constantly exist in the vicinity of towns located near watercourses, renders Sun Prairie almost entirely ex- empt from all diseases of malarial origin, while the purity of its water supply and of its atmosphere, the cleanliness of its streets and public places, and the wise supervision of its authorities, render the visits of those frightful epidemics which so often decimate the population of other localities, quite impossible. To men of enterprise and business, seeking a loca- tion for manufactories or trade away from the disad- vantages which are to be contended against in cities, Sun Prairie offers a peculiarly inviting prospect; and the country in the immediate vicinity, by its fertility, its facilities for market and the cheap prices of lands, offers rare inducements to farmers and others who de- sire to invest in productive real estate, and to all who are seeking pleasant, healthful homes, surrounded by a moral, intelligent and refined community, few places offer greater attractions. It is probable, therefore, that in the not distant future, a season of renewed prosperi- ty will open upon the village, and it will become one of the brightest little gems in the diadem of our state. 328 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. SPKINGFIELD. BY E. HARDING. The town of Springfield, or town 8, north of range 8 east, is situated in the northwestern part of Dane county, about ten miles northwest of Madison. The dome of the capitol, and even parts of the city of Madison, are distinctly seen from several portions of the town. The lands of the town consist of oak openings and prairie; the surface, especially in the western part, is diversified with high bluffs. The only stream in the town rises in section 10, and flows east, and enters the town of Westport, into the six mile creek, thence into lake Mendota. Along this stream are marsh lands that have become valu- able by drainage, and on either side of these are woods and young timber, through which one of the old Indian trails passed, and in which Indians still occa- sionally camp. About the year 1850 or '51, the United States government sent west some five hun- dred Indians, and in passing through the town, they camped over Sunday on section 10. They were under the command or control of a government officer from Indiana, popularly called Cutall, a Frenchman, and whose name we are informed, was Couteau, in French, signifying a knife. But, be this as it may, he did not, DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. 329 as his name indicates, cut them in pieces, as there was a numerous return of them the following summer. The town was once the scene of a bloody conflict, which, as far as can be learned, must have occurred between the Sac and Winnebago Indians, as they had many and desperate feuds before the early pio- neers came into this part of the country. Sec- tion 7, on the line between Springfield and Berry, gives evidence of what one of these contests was, as Mr. G. Hochstesin, for a number of years, desisted plowing his land, on account of the number of human bones on this section. There is also at this place one, and perhaps two, mounds or graves, where some of the slain were buried, and up to a recent date, stones were set, or piled up, to mark the place. Arrow heads, and other Indian relics are found on this battle-field, as also in other portions of the town. During the Black Hawk war, it is probable that Gen. Atkinson was chief in command, and that Zach. Taylor, then a colonel, was in command of a part of the regular troops. It appears from history that a good deal of skirmishing and fighting occurred all through the country from Prairie du Ghien to Port- age. The road known as the Military road, from Green Bay to Chicago, and west to Prairie du Chien, crosses the town of Springfield, and the army march- ing along this road, at one time encamped for the night on section 9. Jefferson Davis was then a lieutenant, and was with the army at the time above mentioned. 330 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. It is related that Gen. Taylor left Lieut. Davis at Prairie du Chien and went to Portage to look after affairs, and that while away, Davis married his daugh- ter on the sly — perhaps he has done worse things since. The town was first settled by Ilawley Simons and family, on section 10, in 1841. His house was the first built in the town. The following year Geo. Johnson and family settled on section 4. Mrs. Simons and Mrs. Johnson were sisters. Also, about the same time, Wm. B. Slaughter settled on section 35, and Win. Bullock on section 31. Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Bullock are still living in the town, while Mr. Slaughter is now living in Madison, the others being all dead. About this time the first post office in the town was established at Glark's Corners. Mr. Clark was postmaster, and once a week the mail was carried on horseback from Madison to Sauk. There are now four mails a week by stage between Madison and Sauk, and three post offices — Ashton, post- master, C. Dresen; Springfield Corners, postmaster, Louis Martini; Hyer's Corners, postmaster, D. R. Hyer. The first white child born in the town, was Eunice Johnson, who was born September 1, 1815. She married Mr. Robert Ford, and both are still (1877) living here. The first marriage was Mr. Geo. How- ard to Miss Sarah M. Murray, in 1811. The first physician was Dr. Winston. Since then DANE COUNTY TOWNS — SPRINGFIELD. 331 Drs. S. L. F. Ward and A. A. Rowley have lived and practiced medicine in the town. Rev. N". Martin of the Baptist church was the first minister and pastor. The first death was Mrs. Frances Gillett. Several families in England formed a colony and sent to this county three men by the names of Reeves, Wilson and Goss, as agents to locate lands; these men came into this town and located lands on sec- tions from 10 to 15 inclusive; and during the same year, 1816, Messrs. Hillier, Gillett, Bardsley, Tinker, Kay, Riley, Tymmes, Seston, Boyer and others ar- rived from England and settled here. Some of them took possession of the lands and houses provided for them, and others secured places for themselves. Most, if not all of the families forming these settle- ments were poor. The county was a wilderness, with- out any of the comforts of civilization, and proved very discouraging to these families who had come from thickly settled communities, and was epecially so to the women and children; but they nobly set their faces to overcome these difficulties. The Indians gave them some trouble and occasionally a good deal of fright, entering their homes and demanding some- thing to eat, and seldom leaving until their wants were well supplied, on which occasions they would eat enormously, and then lay down and sleep, often for a night and a day, and on getting up would give a " ugh " and start off. Bears and other wild beasts proved a great annoy- ance. The wolves would carry off their pigs, and 332 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. frequently attack the larger animals. Mr. Tinker relates that they would come at night in packs around his house, howling so terribly that they were unable to sleep, and he has often shot them from his windows. The territory paid him a bounty of five dollars for each one he killed. The first bread used by these families was made from Indian, or corn meal, which they prepared by rasping on a tin grater, and the first wheat flour used in the settlements was very tediously ground in coffee mills. Several of the families brought these coffee mills with them from England, and one would borrow of the other until all had ground their grist. They cleaned the wheat by spreading it on their rough table, and then hand-picking it. The first fanning mill was owned by J. Knipschild, at what was then called Clark's Corners (now Springfield Corners); after that the neighbors carried their grists to his place to be cleaned. The first flouring mill accessible to the people was Hicock's mill, in Iowa county, and as they went with oxen, it was a long and tedious journey. On one occasion, Mr. Bardsley relates that he was gone about two weeks. It is amusing, at this late day, to hear them tell of some of their experiences in wood chopping. Ihe idea of chopping down large trees whose bark seemed capable of resisting the strongest of axes, was some- thing entirely new to them, and on one occasion three of them traveled all day trying to find soft trees, but not finding any, returned at night wearied and DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. 333 disappointed with their day's toil. In one instance, a man built a staging of old logs around a tree and cut it off, leaving the stump four or five feet high; he did this for the reason that the tree was smaller at that distance from the ground. For years the stump, from its conspicuousness, was a wonder to many, as they could not comprehend why it was thus cut, until the above fact was learned. But as these men came from factories in England, it is not matter of won- der that they were not very expert backwoodsmen. Of those that came over in this colony, Geo. Gillett, "Win. Bardsley, H. Tinker and Mrs. Hillier are still living in the town. The others are either dead or removed to other places. The town of Springfield was organized in 1848. and the election of officers was held at the house of George Gillett, when about twenty votes were cast. There were also about twenty-seven children in the town between the ages of four and twenty. Officers elected: J. M. Babcock, (chairman), R. "Winston, D. Coda, Supervisors; B. Downing, Clerk. J. M. Babcock died before the close of the year, and P. S. Rider was elected chairman to fill the vacancy. At the election held April 3, 1877, 266 votes were cast (there are about 300 voters in the town), and 637 children between four and twenty years. During the twenty -nine years that the town has been organized, nine different persons have served as chairmen. Wm. Bardsley has served nine years; R. Ford has served four years; N. Martin has served three years; 334 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. D. Ford lias served six years, and was reelected April 3, 1877. Julius "Weisenbom (now of Black Earth), was elected town clerk three years consecutively. Thos. Binegal, three years consecutively; E. Harding, twelve years consecutively; B. Esser, three years con- secutively; J. Esser, three years consecutively. During the late war the town of Springfield fur- nished its entire quota of soldiers for the United States army. Among those entering the army, there were between fifty and sixty residents of the town. The following are the names of those who went from the town, so far as ascertained: Lieut. J. B. Hillier, M. Palmer, 1 Lieut. C. Northrop, 1 G. Bealer, 1 Sergt. J. E. Bardsley, C. Ford, Corp. J. W. Hillier, 2 St. Clair Z. Jones, Corp. M. Queenen, 2 A. K. Pierce, H. Young, 2 Sergt. C. Pierce, "W". Young, 3 J. Jones, D. Young, 1 Coval Jones, P. Ford, 3 J. Gunther, J. Ford, "Win. Jones, 1 P. Bonner, 4 J. Camm, "Wm. Gillett, — Faum- burg, P. Gillett, T. A. Perry, 1 S. Slack, Sergt. J. Dinsmore, "Wm. Klausman, D. Dinsmore, G. S. Mar- tin, G. S. Martin, Jr., 2 H. Martin, P. Lent, A. Goudy, 1 A. Quest, Ferd. Pape, — Cameron, L. P. Flagler, 1 J. Halter, 1 Abram Ackerson, Anton Brandt, J. Stone, C. Howe, "Wm. Howard, — Kline, — "Wagner, J. Se brcight, "Wm. Marden, P. Shaffhausen, O. Hayes, — Lifermon, "W. Johnson, D. Perry. 1 The Young family deserve especial mention. Mr. Young sent three sons to the army. Wesley was killed in battle, Daniel died in hospital, and Horton 'Died. 5 Wounded. s Killed. 4 Drowned. DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. 335 had both arms shot off, but recovering, returned home and is still living. Springfield raised during the years 1863-5, twenty- three thousand five hundred dollars tax for soldiers' bounty; this sum was considerably increased by pri- vate subscriptions, so that in all it probably amounted to near thirty thousand dollars. In the neighborhood known as Fordville, there is a library containing four hundred volumes. This libra- ry was first started in 1858, at a cost of about five hundred dollars; one hundred dollars of this amount was donated in money and books by persons outside of the neighborhood. The principal persons in or- ganizing this library were the Fords, Groves, Poyners and Mr. Leitch. The officers at present are: D. Ford, president; C. Poyner, secretary; C. R. Chipman, treasurer; A. Ford, librarian. The Library Associa- tion holds weekly meetings, and has had a valuable in- fluence in the community. Mr. David Ford has represented the 3d assembly district in the state legislature two terms. Mr. Bernard Esser was elected clerk of the circuit court in 1874, and reelected in 1876. The principal productions of the town for several years have been wheat, corn and oats ; but during the last few years more attention has been given to stock raising, and a more general plan of farming has been adopted. The soil compares favorably with the soil of any town in Dane county. 336 DANE COUNTY TOWNS SL'EINGFIELD. Mr. Geo. Kingsley built a cheese factory on section 12, and carries on its manufacture. The first market for the early settlers was Mil- waukee, and the usual conveyance ox teams. The price obtained for wheat was twenty-five cents, oats ten cents per bushel, and the time occupied in making a trip about two weeks, if they had good success. If they brought back freight for the merchants in Madi- son they did pretty well; but if not, they frequently came back in debt. The markets now are good. The center of the town is about four and a half miles from Middleton Station, on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, and about six miles from Wau- nakee, on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. These are both good markets for produce of all kinds. By the increase of wealth and comfort, log houses have given place to good substantial frame, stone and brick structures; and in many places during the last few years, large and convenient barns have been built, showing that a large number of citizens have been successful in accumulating considerable property. School and church privileges are abundant, so that none need be ignorant for want of the one, nor wicked for the lack of the other. The first school house built in the town was a log building, on sec. 12, known as Johnson's school house. A good frame structure now stands in its stead. There are now eleven school and joint school districts, and nine school houses. There are also two German schools. DANE COUNTY TOWNS SPRINGFIELD. 337 There are three churches: St. Peter's, on sec. 7; St. Martin's, on sec. 27; Springfield M. E. Church, sec. 22. Pev. Mr. Hoyt preaches the first Sabbath in eacli month in the school house, on sec. 12. Ashton Lodge, No. 83, I. O. of G. T., has a good convenient hall on the Sauk road near the centre of the town. The lodge was instituted May 12, 1871, and meets regularly on Friday evening of each week. At ITyer's Corners is a good hotel, with D. P. Hyer as proprietor, who cheerfully attends to the wants of the traveling public. J. Stebbins keeps a store there, and is also engaged in wagon making, while C. Yosen has a blacksmith shop. At Springfield Corners, Louis Martini keeps a good store, and does a thriving business. EL Bohl has a blacksmith shop. Jacob Gross keeps a store on the road leading from Springfield Corners to Hyer's Cor- ners. F. La Fay has a smithey at Ashton P. O. and is a good workman. There are four saloons in the town: John Esser, on sec. 27; C. Dresen, Ashton P. O.; Michel Karls, on section 7; and John Michels, also on section 7. 22 33S DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGIITON. STOUGHTOK BY GEOKGE W. CURRIEIl. Origin and Growth. — In surveying a new coun- try, members of the surveying party are ever on the alert for mining lands, water privileges, and other natural properties which may at some future time tend to locate towns. It is said that daring the sur- vey of this territory some of the men, high in official position, made arrangements with the party to select some of the best water powers, and that, in this way and for this reason, Daniel "Webster obtained posses- sion of a large portion of the present site of Stough- ton. Mr. Luke Stonghton, one of the pioneers of Wisconsin, in his travels over the country, had long noted the water power here, and the advantages which this section offered for the location of a village. In 1S47, he concluded a purchase from Daniel Webster of a large tract of land, including the site of the vil- lage. He immediately set to work to improve it, erecting a sawmill that is now occupied by Mr. Mandt, and a store upon the present site of Williams' Block. The village was soon laid out, and induce- ments were offered for people to settle. Mr. Alvin West was the first person who brought a family here. He built a residence where the Higbee House now stands, and by November, 1847, they were snugly en- DANE COUNTY TOWNS STOUGHTON, 339 sconced therein. Their house being opened to the public, the genial, hospitable manner of the host and hostess, together with the notableness of the latter as housekeeper, soon made it a favorite with the travel- ing public. The winter of 1847 passed away, and the spring opened hopefully. As early as was practicable, other houses clustered around the nucleus formed the A T ear before. During this summer, Mr. Colten and Mr. "Westcott put up the brick building that still stands by the upper bridge, and soon after purchased a residence not far from it. This residence is associ- ated, in the minds of the first settlers, with many social gatherings; the inspiration of such occasions usually being a violin — the pioneers' inseparable friend. In 1850, Mr. Stoughton put up a small gristmill to supply the needs of the people, and after- wards built a larger one. About this time a school house was erected, and Miss Fannie Duncan, who had already opened a school in a small building on the east side of the river, moved into the new building when completed. Another public house was opened by Mr. H. ITolley (the building having been erected by Mr. C. Roby), under whose genial proprietorship it figured as the Crockett House. It afterwards took on the more euphonious name of Yahara Hotel, thus rescuing the Indian name of the river, near whose bank it stood, from oblivion. The prospect of a rail- road at this time (which was completed to this point in 1856) gave an impetus to the growth of the little village. Men of capital and business talent were at- 340 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGHTON. tracted to the place, who, by their energy and enter- prise, materially added to the building up of the town. Mr. West finding his accommodations for the public too limited, in 1853, commenced and completed a commodious brick hotel. In 1855, Dr. W. "W. Blackmail and Mr. J. R. Boyce erected a brick build- ing, from whence they dispensed drugs for many years. The doctor practiced medicine for a long time, and was accounted very skillful. Both of these gentlemen built fine residences, which are still orna- ments to the village. In the midst of this high tide of progress, a disaster befell the little village which materially injured its prosperity. The new gristmill which Mr. S. had just completed was undermined by water-rats and fell — a complete wreck. Mr. S., be- ing in feeble health, felt unequal to the task of re- building; consequently he sold the mill site to Mr. Bay Jenkins, who immediately commenced the work of reconstruction. From that time until the present, the growth of the village has been so rapid that our space forbids us to mention only a few of the more notable features. The Opera House, built by Mr. Nelson "Williams, is a fine structure and an ornament to the town. It con- tains one of the best halls in this section. In 1876, Mr. O. M. Turner fenced and cleared a beautiful park east of the depot, and built a fine race course. Many of the oldest settlers of this section still live in and around the village. Messrs. Nelson and Isham still live in the town, Mr. Utter in Rutland, and Mr. OrEKA House, Stougiiton. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGHTON. 343 Emerson in the village The future prospects for the village are good, and more building is being done this year than for some time previous. A grain ele- vator and tobacco warehouse are to be built this spring. Scenery. — Stoughton is often called a New Eng- land village, and in many respects it resembles one. Situated on high rolling ground, in the bend of the Catfish, or Yahara river, it truly has a beautiful site. The country around combines some of the natural beauty of New England, with the fine prairies of Southern Wisconsin. First, or Kegonsa Lake, is situated north of the village, and is a popular resort in warm weather. It is one of the prettiest sheets of water in the state. "Beautiful maple and oak groves line the banks, and the waters abound in finny inhabitants. A large steamer is now in proceess of building in Pittsburg, Pa., and will be put upon the lake this season. The owner is Mr. J. I. Williams, a wealthy citizen of that place, who owns a fine farm by the lake. Summer travelers will find here plenty of outdoor amusements, a healthful climate, good accommodations and cheap rates. Exports and Imports. — Stoughton is surrounded by a fine farming country, and the exports from here consist of ordinary farm produce, grain, stock, hay, potatoes, tobacco, and articles manufactured here. Besides the common articles imported into western towns, Messrs. Melaas, Steenerson & Co. have estab- lished here an agency for the famous Lofoten Cod 3J4 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGHTON. Liver Oil. They import direct from Norway large quantities of this medicine, and ship it to all parts of the United States. It has a reputation unexcelled by any oil of this kind in the world, and on account of its freshness, purity and comparatively pleasant taste, many physicians will use no other. Manufactures. — At the head of the list of manu- facturers must be placed Mr. T. Gr. Mandt. About twelve years a^o, he commenced work here on an anvil. By constant perseverance and unflagging en- ergy he is now proprietor of an extensive factory em- ploying about eighty men, and furnished with all the modern machinery for building carriages and farm wagons, cutters and heavy sleighs of every descrip- tion. Messrs. Norris & Beattie are the present own- ers of the mill property, and annually manufacture large quantities of flour for eastern markets. There are two cigar factories, the more extensive run by Mr. J. S. Hutson, and the other by Mr. J. W. P. Lusk. Messrs. Matthews and Ivlinsr manufacture thousands of brooms yearly, which they ship to the northern part of the state. Mr. Knute Olson supplies this sec- tion with harnesses, and has sent several shipments to Norway. In addition, we may say that this village offers many inducements to manufacturers. There is yet a large amount of water power not utilized; the location is good; labor cheap, and opportunities for transportation excellent. Newspapers. — The first paper published in Stough- ton was the Independent, by Henry J. Walker, and BUSINESS INTERESTS OF STOUGHTON. The Village of Stoughton is the second commercial mart in the county, and as an index to the general busi- ness interests, we publish the following list showing the leading merchants and business men of the place: Stoughton State Bank, <). M. Turner, Ties., Frank Lelancl, Vice Pres. ; A. L. Hollo, Physician and Surgeon; L. K. Luse, Attorney- at-Law; T. W. Evans, Physician and Surgeon; L. D. Clark, Hom- eopathic Physician and Surgeon; Dr. A. P. Lusk, Dentist; D. D. Camp, Jeweler; Amos Flyte, Wagons and Carriages; Mrs. J. M. Hibbard, Millinery; H. W. Hole, Dry Goods; H. J. Rhodes, Bar- ber; Sarbacker & Hurd, Harness Makers; T. A. Thprenson, Barber; Rothe & Gunderson, Hardware; O. X. Falks, Druggist; S. H. Sev- erson & Co., Lumber; O. O. Melaas, Druggist; K.Olson A: Co., Har- ness Makers; Mrs. Cid. C. Isham, Ladies' Furnishing Goods; A. T. Higbee, Hotel Keeper and Livery; T. G. Mandt, Wagons and Car- riages; Johnson & Melaas, Clothing; Norris & Beattie, Stoughton Mill ; Hans H. Swan, Boots and Shoes ; John Brickson, Grocer ; N. Jensen, Boots and Shoes; Currier & Parish, Stoughton "Courier;" W. H. Dumond, Restaurant ; W. D. Potter, General Merchandise; Hibbard & Camp, Variety Store; Win. H. Leedle, Clerk of Grange Store; J. D. Baker, Express Agent; Osman Halvorsen, Saloon; N. Swager, Tinsmith; W. A: Ferman, Photographer; S. A. Stenerson, Clerk; N. Anderson, General Merchandise; A. Nelson, Clerk; K. Olson, Tailor; A. E. McMannus, Confectionery; G. W. Wood & Co., General Merchandise; O. Peterson, Bakery; C. Larson, Wagon and Plow Factory; J. H. Laughlin, Telegraph Operator; J. Erick- son, Wagons and Carriages; Guilder Anderson, Saloon; F. Frank- ton, ; P. Peterson, Cutter; Matthews & Kling, Broom Makers; E. E. Warner, Carpenter; N. C. Nelson, Hotel; O. F. Tipple, Liv- ery; W. H. Miller, ; T. Carlsen, Tobacco Dealer; Ella Brown, Hotel Keeper. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGUTON. 347 was started early in the summer of 1857. lie con- tinued the publication until the fall of the same year, when he sold to W. A. Giles, who changed the name to the Wisconsin Signal, and run it until the spring of 1859, when he removed the press and printing ma- terial to Prairie du Chien. The same summer L. W. Powell, who was publishing a paper at Brodhead, moved his office to Stoughton and commenced issuing the Stoughton Reporter. In 1863, I. A. Hoxie, now of Evansville, entered into .partnership with Mr. Powell, but only continued six months. Soon after Mr. Frank Allen bought a half interest. For over ten years the name was not changed. Mr. Allen, Mr. C. D. Wells, and finally Mr. A. C. Croft, owned the office and published the paper. Mr. Croft sold the press and material in 1874, and Mr. Frank Allen bought new stock and commenced printing the Sig- nal. Early in 1876, Geo. W. Currier purchased half of the office and changed the name to the Stoughton Courier, which was published by Kling & Currier until May, 1877, when Mr. C. E. Parish purchased the interest of Mr. Kling. Dunkirk Township, of which Stoughton is situated in the northwest corner, is in the southeastern part of the county, and known as township 5 north, of range 11 east. It is one of the original towns in the organ- ization of the county in 1816. The first settler was John Nelson, a Norwegian, in 1843, and afterwards came John Wheeler, — Jaymes, Jesse Utter, Chan- cey Isham, S. H. Roys, Richard Palmer, Campbell 348 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGHTON. and "William Saunders, John Estes, Levi Farnliam, Joseph Vroman, Joseph Cannon, and John Blake. The first town meeting was held at the house of Mr. Lyons, and Abner Barlow was elected first supervisor. The Yahara, or Catfish, enters the town on section 4, in the north, and makes a circuitous bend through eleven sections, in a south and southeasterly direction, leaving the town on section 35 and passing into the towns of Fulton and Porter, in Rock county, then into Rock river. Its bank exhibits many beautiful landscapes, and affords excellent opportunities for hunting and fishing, while it furnishes very superior waterpower, some of which is yet unused. The land is very rich and productive, consisting of oak openings, prairie and marsh — the marsh land be- ing near the Catfish, in the northern part of the town. The village of Dunkirk, three miles from Stough- ton, is a small place on the edge of the Catfish, on section 21, and has a grist mill and blacksmith shop. In 1837, Alex. F. Pratt, now of Waukesha, in com- pany with Augustus Story, started for the mining re- gions, and passing from "Waukesha (then Prairie vil- lage), to Fort Atkinson, and thence to the Catfish, en- camped on the present site of the village, where they were so beset with wolves till morning, that they were necessitated to keep their fire replenished with wood to prevent their being attacked, as they were both numerous and savage, and kept close watch of them. There is a large Norwegian settlement in the north- ern part of the town. Chttkciies. — In so limited space, we are unable to DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGHTON. 349 give much of the history of the seven churches now standing in this place. For several years, meetings were held in the old school-house. Father Sewell, as he was familiarly called, who then resided in the town of Porter, came very often, and ministers of other de- nominations assisted him in filling the pulpit. After the schoolhouse became unfit for use, meetings were held in a hall over Mr. J. R. Boyce's drug store; and sometimes, when the key was missing, good Mrs. Sewell heard the children recite their scripture les- sons on the stairs. In 1858 the Universalist church was erected, and dedicated the summer following. The Baptist church was built next in 1861. The de- dicatory sermon was preached by Rev. E. J. Good- speed, then of Janesville. The Congregational church was built in 1863, and dedicated on the last day of that year; sermon by the Rev. M. P. Kinney of Janes- ville. The Methodist chureh, in 1867; sermon by Rev. Col. Fallows. The first Norwegian Lutheran church was built in 1S67, Rev. M. Falch Gjertsen, pastor, and the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Christ Church, in 1S75, Rev. C. M. Hvistendahl, pastor; and the Catholic church in 1868. Since the death of Father Sewell, who, during his life and long residence in Stoughton, did noble work for Christ and his religion and for the advancement of all good causes, the Con- gregational church has been without a regular pastor. Rev. Mr. Hendricks was the last pastor of the Baptist church. Rev. Mr. Garfield of Jefferson, fills the Uni- versalist pulpit ; Rev. C. E. Goldthorpe, the Methodist; Rev. M . F. Gjertsen, the Lutheran ; Rev. C. M. Hvis- 350 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — STOUGUTON. tendahl, the Lutheran Christ. Services in the Catholic church are conducted by Father Butler, of Edgerton. Hotels. — There are several hotels. The Iligbee House, kept by A. T. Iligbee, is really a first class house; and boarders and transient guests receive good attention. The National is run and patronized largely by Scandinavians. Schools. — From the little old school-house on the west side of the river, as a beginning, there now is a fine three-story brick building, standing on an emi- nence east of the river, and commanding one of the finest views to be found in this section. This building was formally opened in December, 1862, with prayer by Rev. R. Sewell; an address by the state superin- tendent, Hon. J. L. Pickard, and remarks by countv superintendent Barlow and others, interspersed with band music and choir singing. This being found inadequate to meet the demands of the fast increasing population, a new building, even larger than the pres- ent one, is now in process of erection on the same grounds. When finished, the two buildings will ac- commodate five hundred students. A free high school has been established under the state law of 18 75. The teachers now in charge of the several departments are as follows: George W. Currier, principal of High School; Manila Douglass, teacher, Grammar Depart- ment; Mary E. Tedder, teacher, Intermediate De- partment; Annie Wyman, teacher, Primary Depart- ment. The following named gentlemen constitute the very efficient school board: W. D. Potter, clerk; M. Johnson, treasurer; Dr. L. D. Clark, director. DANE COUNTY TOWNS CHRISTIANA. 351 CHRISTIANA. BY CHAS. N. BROWN AND OTHERS. Tins town is the second from the southern, and im- mediately upon the eastern boundary of the county, occupying - the whole of township 6 north, range 12 east. It was named, we believe, at the suggestion of the early Norwegian settlers, in honor of the capital of their native country, and was set off from Albion, which bounds it on the south, and organized as a sep- arate town, May 6, 1S47. The town was at first attached to the town of Albion for township system of government, and it was organized as a separate town, and elected its own town officers, only a short time before Wisconsin became a state. The first annual town election held after Wis- consin had entered into the family of states, was in the spring of 1819, and the town board then elected were: Randolph Brown as chairman, with Nathan G. Van Horn and Daniel Davidson as assistant super- visors, and Gabriel Bjornson as town clerk. The town has, since the above time, furnished four mem- bers for the legislature, and two county officers, as follows: Gabriel Bjornson was elected member of as- sembly in the year 1850; Daniel B. Crandall was next elected member of assembly in the year 1857; William D. Potter was elected member of assembly 352 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CHRISTIANA. in 18G5, and Jolm E. Johnson in the year 1868. Ga- briel Bjornson was next elected clerk of the county board of supervisors in the year 1852, and reelected in 1S51. And Charles Cornelinson was elected regis- ter of deeds in the year 1856. Of the above named persons only John E. Johnson is now residing here; Randolph Brown, Charles Cornelinson and Daniel B. Crandall being dead. Daniel Davidson is residing somewhere in California; William D. Potter residing in Stoughton, in this county, and Gabriel Bjornson now a resident of Madison. The residence of Nathan G. Van Horn is unknown. Of the early settlers at Utica, S. ~W\ Coon and W-. H. H. Coon are yet residing there, both of whom, in their honorable old age, enjoy the confidence and re- spect of the community of which they are members. There are in this town three small villages, the largest of which is Cambridge, situated in the north- eastern part upon Koshkonong creek, and described in the next chapter. Clinton, the next in size, is sit- uated upon the same stream, in the eastern part, and Utica, the smallest, which, in fact, is so small that it hardly lays claim to the title of village, and is upon no stream at all, lies in the western part. The popu- lation of the town in 1875, was nearly 1,700, the larger proportion of which are foreigners, of whom nearly all are Norwegians. The surface, which is gently undulating, is diversi- fied with prairie and oak-openings, and to the eye of a farmer, this is one of the most beautiful towns in BANE COUNTY TOWNS — CHRISTIANA. 353 the county. These oak openings were so named from the fact that the annual burning over of the county by Indian tribes kept the timber so entirely free from underbrush, that a team could be easily driven through it in any direction; it was this openness, contrasted with the denseness of forests of other states, that sug- gested the name "openings." As soon, however, as the annual fires ceased, and the original timber was cut off, there sprang up the dense second-growth which is familiar to all, and which is now, though we think improperly, called oak-openings. Koshkonong prairie is nearly all included within its boundaries, lying in the southern, central, and western portions of it. The surface of this prairie is moderately rolling, and its soil, for fertility, is un- surpassed by any in the state, almost incredible sto- ries being told of the yields of wheat upon it, before the success of that crop was sadly interfered with by the chinch bug. This prairie is named after Koshko- nong lake, which touches the extreme southeastern corner of the county, the banks of which were favor- ite hunting and camping grounds of the Sacs and Foxes, as the remains of their cornfields, still faintly visible, testify, and its name, in the Indian tongue, is said to signify, " The lake we live on." Koshkonong creek is the most important stream, and enters the town somewhat south of the north- eastern corner, flows through the eastern tier of sec- tions, and leaves it very near the southeastern cor- ner. As this stream is quite rapid, it affords first 23 354 DANE COUNTY TOWNS CHRISTIANA. class facilities for milling purposes, tliere being two grist mills in the town, one at Cambridge and an- other at Clinton, the latter having one of the finest water powers in this part of the state, and doing a large custom and flouring business. The other streams are Mud creek in the north, and Saunders' creek in the south, but they are of little importance. Along the banks of these streams the surface is more broken and less favorable for agri- cultural purposes, and in some places there are large marshes, some of which, in the days of the first set- tlers, were so wet as to be nearly valueless, but which are now dry enough to furnish pasturage or excellent hay. Previous to its settlement, this was a favorite hunt- ing ground with the settlers in adjoining towns. Deer were then very plenty, and one of the favorite methods of hunting them in winter, was to get what was called a "drive" on them. Taking advantage of their curi- osity, and knowing they could be easily approached with a team, several men in a sleigh followed their trail until within rifle shot, when the team was turned and driven around the deer, the men jumping out be- hind trees at convenient intervals. As soon as they were well surrounded the firing commenced, and the deer were driven from one side of the circle to the other, a large number frequently being killed before the herd succeeded in making its escape. This was also a favorite hunting ground of the Indians, but the trail which connected Koshkonong and First lakes, DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CHRISTIANA. 355 only slight traces of which are now to be found, is about the only trace of their occupancy which they have left. This trail entered the limits of the town near the southeastern corner, ran a little to the south of the Lutheran church, crossed the farms of Thos. Carpenter, Nils Torgerson, John E. Johnson and Rev. J. A. Ottesen; thence bending slightly to the south, it led to the large spring on Samuel Coon's farm, which was one of their favorite stopping places. At the time of the Black Hawk war there were no set- tlers in this town, and probably no fighting, although Black Hawk and his warriors, in their retreat from the Rock to the Wisconsin river, in the early part of July, 1832, crossed the northern part of the town, and encamped for some time near Koshkonong creek. An account of his sufferings at this place will be found in the succeeding chapter. Wm. M. May hew was the first settler of the town, and located on section 23, in 1837. He was a South- erner by birth, and, previous to the great financial panic of that year, was a prominent merchant in Mil- waukee. Losing his property at this time, he came to this town, and built a log house, on what is now the land of Geo. Odell, at the foot of quite a steep bluff, where for many years he kept a tavern. This was one of the regular stopping places of the teamsters draw- ing lead from the mines near the Blue Mounds to Milwaukee. Old settlers, entirely unaccustomed to the handling of lead, tell us, that to them, their wagons appeared almost empty. But, nevertheless, three or 35Q DANE COUNTY TOWNS CHRISTIANA. four yoke of oxen were required to draw the wagons over the rough roads, and the shouts and curses. of the teamsters as they urged their oxen up the steep as- cent the other side of Mayhew's, could be heard for three-quarters of a mile around. For many years Mayhew's was a center of interest, Christiana post- office, the first, and for many years the only one in the town, being kept here, and as the nearest office was at Milton, this was the place at which nearly all the settlers in adjoining towns received their mail. Here, also, was held the first town meeting and several subsequent ones. In 1842, a number of settlers arrived, most of them being emigrants from Norway. Prominent among these were Hellik Gunderson, Jul Gisleson, Nils Olsen Smithback, and Thosten Levorson, all of whom except the latter, are now living. This was almost the beginning of Norwegian emigration to the United States, and was induced by the glowing descriptions o£ the mildness of the climate, the beauty of the prai- ries, and the fertility of the soil, given by members of a small colony from Norway, which, a few years before, had settled in Walworth county, near the state line. This report was printed in pamphlet form, and being quite extensively circulated in Norway, was largely instrumental in giving an impetus to emigra- tion to this country. The arrivals spoken of were only the beginning of a more extensive emigration of Norwegians to this section, and in the five years follow- ing, the greater portion of the town was settled by them. DANE COUNTY TOWNS CURISTIANA. 357 Accustomed, in their native country, only to tim- bered land, these early settlers shunned the prairie, which seemed desolate and cheerless to them, but which is now considered as the more desirable land, and settled in the edges of the openings, and along the marshes. In the fall of 1S46, N. A. Perry arrived at the present site of Clinton, and erected the first house, in which he boarded the hands who were at work on the mill-dam. In the following year, the mill itself was built by Thos. and Nathan G.Van Horn. In the fall of 1848, the first store was opened by Wardner Earle, and in the fall of 1849, Christiana postoffice was re- moved from Mayhew's to this' place. Not many years after its settlement a brewery was established in this place by one Lewis, but after a few years its place was taken by a distillery, built by Mr. Jacobson, which, however, has not been in operation for some years. The present proprietors of the Christiana mills are O. II. Lee & Co., and the present merchant is C. Tollefson, who is one of the most prominent citizens of the place, and who is doing quite an extensive business. The first settlers at Utica were Samuel Head and S. H. Coon, who arrived in December, 1845, and who immediately built the first house, which was a one- story log affair (12x16) with a shed roof. In this they wintered, and in the following spring built an addition of equal size, making a gable roof. In 1846, Hampton Crandall, W. H. H. Coon and Eandolph 358 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CHRISTIANA. Brown arrived, and in a short time this portion of the town was settled, principally by people from central New York. These settlers, who, excepting Mr. May- hew, were the first Americans in the town, instead of locating, as most of the Norwegians had done, in the openings, nearly all settled on the prairie. The first store in Utica, which was of gravel, was opened in 1851 by Le Roy Crandall, now of Lawrence, Kansas, and here soon after the removal of Christiana post- office from Mayhew's to Clinton, Utica postoffice, named in honor of Utica, New York, was established. The old gravel store was taken down in 1872 and re- placed by a larger one of wood, now owned by W. H. IT. Coon. This made the second store in the place, one having been erected by F. E. Olsen in 1869. As has been before mentioned, to Clinton belongs the distinction of being the place in which the first and only distillery in the town was started, and to Utica, we believe, belongs the honor of being the starting point of temperance reform in this section. Soon after the organization of the town, a town meet- ing was being held at this place, in the old gravel school house, still standing but unused. Some of the candidates from the eastern portion of the town had furnished a keg of whisky, which was to serve the double purpose of catching votes and enlivening the occasion generally. The dispensers of this beverage improvised a bar-room in the end of a shed belonging to one of the neighboring settlers, and were having an exceedingly jolly time, when the owner of the AGRICULTURE. From Mitchell's New School Geography. DANE COUNTY TOWNS CUKISTIANA 361 shed came in, and embracing a moment when all were busily drinking, seized the keg, and, carrying it into the middle of the road, put a heavy fence rail through it, greatly to the damage of the whisky, and the dis- gust of the imbibers. The early settlers endured many hardships, and often carried on their agricultural operations in the most primitive manner. The section of a large round tree, usually shod with iron, often formed the wheels of their carts or wagons, and until the intro- duction of threshing machines in 1848, the prevailing mode of threshing was indentical with that which has been practiced in Oriental countries for the last three thousand years. A large dry spot of ground was cleared off evenly, and packed as hard as possible. Upon this the grain was placed to the depth of a foot or more, with the heads in, and five or six yoke of oxen were driven over it until the grain was all trod- den out. The straw was then thrown off with forks, and the grain separated from the chaff with fanning mills. The first threshing machines, introduced at the date mentioned, were without separators, and were an improvement upon the method described in little else than speed and cleanliness. To sell their grain, a trip to Milwaukee, which was then their only market, was necessary, and which usually occupied a week, the wheat bringing from thirty to fifty cents, and in some instances even less. The first church in the town was of the Norwegian Lutheran denomination, and was organized in 1844, 362 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CHRISTIANA. with Rev. Mr. Dietrichsen as pastor. The same year a log church was built by this society on section 27, which was superseded in 1858, by a neat and commodi- ous building of stone. During the first pastorate, one of the members, who was under discipline, made his appearance at church services one Sunday, and was peremptorily ordered out. He declined to leave, when the militant clergyman ordered some of the members to throw him out of doors by main strength. Feel- ing himself seriously aggrieved, he sued the pastor before Justice David Still man, at Albion Center. His attorney was Bjorn Anderson, father of Prof. R. B. Anderson, of the University of "Wisconsin. (By the way, the Professor's mother was the first white wo- man in the town of Albion.) The pastor pleaded his own case, but was beaten and fined five dol- lars. Not long after this, becoming disgusted with this country, he returned to Norway, where we hope that he conducted his pastoral affairs so successfully, that from a clergyman militant, he became a clergy- man triumphant. Mr. Dietrichsen was succeeded in 1850, by Rev. A. C. Preus, and he in 1860, by Rev. J. A. Ottesen, the present pastor, who is widely and favorably known among his countrymen in this and adjoining states. In addition to the church already mentioned, there are three other church organizations: the Methodist and Presbyterian, located at Cambridge, and which are mentioned in the chapter following, and the Seventh- Day Baptists, which are located near Utica. This DANE COUNTY TOWNS CHRISTIANA. 363 church was organized in 1850, with Rev. Z. Camp- bell as pastor, and has a very neat and pleasantly located house which was built in 1866. The pres- ent pastor, Rev. Geo. W. Burdick, is a young man of much promise. In the early days of the town, before newspapers were so generally taken by farmers, it was necessary for politicians and candidates for office to take greater pains to look up their country friends, and enlist them in their behalf, than at present. Intent upon looking up their friends, Judge J. G. Knapp and Mr. Wilcox, the former being candidate for district attorney, and the latter for state senator, came into the town, and after a meeting at which they spoke, put up for the night with one of the most prominent citizens in the vicinity. As the house was small, and pretty well filled already, they occupied a bed belonging to a young man who was expected to be absent for the night. Rather late the next morning, a brother of the gentleman with whom they went home, supposing that the usual occupant of the bed had returned in the night, and thinking it was high time he was awake, went into the room, and seeing an empty meal bag, took it and laid it over the heads of the candi- dates very smartly several times. We are told that their astonishment at being thus suddenly and rudely wakened from a sound sleep, was only equaled by his consternation upon seeing that he was belaboring a couple of strange gentlemen from Madison; indeed, even now, though twenty-five years have elapsed, he 361 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CHRISTIANA. recalls very vividly his fright when he beheld Mr. Wilcox's nightcap rising from among the bedclothes. The first public school was kept by Mrs. Wm. May- hew, at her husband's tavern, in the winter of 1845-6. The first school house, which was a rough log struc- ture, was built very soon after on section 10, and which remained standing until within a few years. From these small beginnings in educational matters, W T e have achieved very satisfactory results. We have now ten school houses in the town, the majority be- ing almost new, those of districts No. 2, 5 and 7 be- ing more than usually elegant buildings of brick, well furnished. District number 5 is in Cambridge, and is a commodious two story house, and is kept as a graded school. In common with nearly all the towns in the vicin- ity, until within a few years, the principal crop has been wheat, but since its yield has been so seriously affected by the chinch-bug and other causes, many of our best farmers have engaged more extensively in the raising of live stock, and as a consequence, have largely increased the area of their corn fields. In 1876, the acreage of the various crops was as follows: Timothy or clover, 1,859; oats, 1,922: wheat, 2,155; corn, 3,457; barley, 1,166. Previous to 1871, but a small amount of tobacco was grown in the town, but as those who had culti- vated it found the soil adapted to it, and as it was at this time bringing a high price, many farmers en- gaged extensively in its culture. The subsequent de- DANE COUNTY TOWNS* — CHRISTIANA. 3G5 cline in prices, consequent upon over production, drove many to abandon it, and though not now so ex- tensively grown as a few years previous, its culture is still quite an important branch of agricultural indus- try, the area grown in 1876 being 328 acres. 366 DANE COUNTY "TOWNS — CAMBRIDGE. CAMBEIDGE. BY HON. GEO. DOW AND A. B. CARPENTER. Cambridge village is situated on the extreme east- ern part of the county, in the township of Christiana, and about twenty-four miles southeast of Madison. It is beautifully situated on both sides of the Kosko- nong creek, with picturesque surrounding of oak openings and prairie lands. Immediately south of the village the country was very marshy, but now sufficiently improved to be used for pasturage; though in the early settlement of the town and before a road was made through, it was almost impassible in wet weather, and here it is said Black Hawk and his peo- ple took refuge in 1S32, after passing through Fort Atkinson, on his way to the Mississippi. On the dry spots between Cambridge and Clinton, he and his people could camp safe and dry, while the difficulty of access precluded any possibility of his being mo- lested by the troops. Here, Black Hawk says, his sufferings were very great, as there was but very little game or fish to be had, and his people were obliged to dig roots and bark the trees to satisfy their hunger, many of the old people dying from actual want. The marching and countermarching of the troops deceived them so much that it deterred the young men from separating to hunt or fish, although abundance of both DANE COUNTY TOWNS CAMBRIDGE. 367 game and fish were to be found immediately outside of their surroundings. Since these times, considerable change has taken place in the character of the land in the vicinity of Cambridge, as also in other parts of our county, the results of cultivation and the ex- tensive destruction of forest trees without supplying their place with other timber. Many of the early settlers can remember localities where were rapid flowing streams, that are now highly cultivated fields. In 1847, Joseph Keyes (father of E. W. Keyes, of political fame), Abel Keyes, and A. B. Carpenter, now of Beloit, purchased the water power and land forming the village, and surveyed and laid it out in July of the same year, and, early in the following fall, built the first dwelling house. During the same year they built the inevitable adjunct of an American village, a saw and grist mill, together with a store for the sale of merchandise. The same vear the Hon. Geo. Dow and Mr. Wheel- er built a hotel (the Cambridge House), and another store, and there also were several trades establish- ments. In 1856 Mr. Dow brought a carding ma- chine into the village for the preparing of wool. At the close of the first year, the village grew so rapidly, and daily receiving additions, that it numbered about 500 inhabitants, and celebrated its anniversary with that of the nation's on July 4th, 1848, on which occasion there were delegates from Madison, Lake Mills, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson and other adjoining towns, numbering about 3,000 persons. The proces- 368 DANE COUNTY TOWNS CAMBRIDGE. sion formed in front of the Cambridge House, and was preceded to the stand by the Cambridge Rifle Company and the Madison Brass Band. Prayer was offered by Rev. Wm. Cargen, the Declaration read by Wm. Welch, Esq., of Madison, and the oration by Dr. L. Ravella Humphrey, of Beloit. The first store in the village was kept by A. B. Car- penter and Norman Dutcher, under the firm name of A. B. Carpenter & Co. The upper part of the store was used as a dwelling house, and access obtained by a ladder which, for better protection, was swung up at night. For several years the Indians were rather troublesome from their begging propensities, but were never hostile except in some of their drunken carous- als, when it was then deemed unsafe to either encoun- ter or have them near the village. "When Cambridge was first laid out, the surround- ing land was still unentered, and could be purchased at government figures, and Mr. A. B. Carpenter at that time entered 1,000 acres, which has proved to be among the richest and most fertile lands in the state. The laying out of the village was done under an assur- ance from the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Rail- road that they would pass through there; a promise which they never kept, but toward which the early settlers spent large amounts of money in expectation of their so doing. Wheat in those days brought 25 cents a bushel, and oats 10 cents, and had to be mar- keted in Milwaukee, where merchandise was brought back in exchange, sometimes packed in flour barrels, DANE COUNTY TOWNS CAMBRIDGE. 369 tliat cost at that time 55 cents each, empty, and were again returned full of flour. In 1864, Hon. George Dow built a woolen mill, and a large amount of superior woolen goods have been manufactured there, and sold throughout both the county and state. In IS 74, a cheese factory was also started by Mr. Dow, and has met with merited success. The 'scenery around Cambridge is beautifully di- versified by prairie, woodlands, cultivated farms and small lakes, the principal one of which is Ripley, or Dow's Lake. It is of considerable depth, and embraces a circuit of four miles in circumference; its water pure and clear as crystal, and, together with the other lakes abounding in the numerous varieties of fish to be found in the lakes around Madison, as also all kinds of game, in fact, the country around Cambridge was noted at one time as the hunter's paradise. Mr. Dow recol- lects seeing as many as 200 deer in a drove, and often 75 to 100. There are two churches in the village, one Method- ist and one Presbyterian. In early times, the people attended church in an old log cabin; and for want of better, sat on fence boards laid across stakes of wood. The Methodist church was organized in 1848, and the present pastor is Rev. Mr. Hansen. The Presbyter- ian Church in 1817, and its present pastor, the Rev. John Patterson. The village is also the residence of the celebrated surgeon, Dr. J. C. Dundas, whose reputation as one of 24 370 DANE COUNTY TOWNS CAMBRIDGE. the most skillful surgeons, is well and widely known throughout all the northwest. He studied his profession in Europe among the universities of England, Hol- land, Germany, Russia and Norway, and entered the Holland service as a surgeon, was for over two years in that capacity in the empires of China and Japan. Dr. L. C. Clark is also a physician and surgeon in the village, with a good wide practice throughout the township and those adjoining, where he is highly esteemed for his professional ability and courtesy. The present population of Cambridge is about 400 inhabitants, and the business is principally confined to supplying the wants of the surrounding country. Anions those eno-aored in business are the following: S. H. Butler, cabinetmaker; Messrs. George Dow & Son, commission merchants; Thomas Overson, hard- ware dealer; A. H. Kroerh, manufacturer of artificia) limbs; Thomas Slagg, drugs and groceries; James T. Gilbert & Brother, hotel keepers; Olson & Hodges, merchants; J. C. Dundas, physician and surgeon; L. C. Clark, physician and surgeon; Hans Anderson, boot and shoe maker; John Johnson, tailor; P. A. England, and Samuel Irwin, blacksmiths; T. N". Save, boot and shoe maker, Ho vey, Bros. & Co., merchants; and David Schoe, manufacturer of agricultural mach- inery. DANE COUNTY TOWNS PLEASANT SPRINGS. 37l PLEASANT SPRINGS. BY A. R. AMES, ESQ. The town of Pleasant Springs, about twelve miles southeast from Madison, is bounded on the north by Cottage Grove; on the east by Christiana; on the south by Dunkirk, and on the west by Dunn. In the government surveys, it is designated as township six north, range eleven east of the fourth principal meridian. The first town meeting was held at the house of John Patterson, April 4, 1848. Only twenty votes were cast, and the following named were declared duly elected: Supervisors — Daniel Wheeler, Chair- man, John Patterson, John Ketcham. Clerk — John Sunderman. Justice of the Peace — Daniel Wheeler. Commissioners of Highways — John S. Dailey, Peter S. Markham, Archibald Griffith. School Commis- sioners — John Sunderman, Archibald Griffith, Jacob Stombough. Assessors — John Patterson, Robert McComb. Treasurer — Winard Dingman. Consta- hie — Ezra H ortan. Jfence Viewers — Jacob Wald ruf , Jacob Patterson. Among other early settlers were K. H. Roe, A. Seaverson, K. Kittleson, K. A. Juve, K. A. Joitel, Francis B. and John W. Ames, James Bronte, Abraham Devoe and Zina Gilbert. Pleasant Springs received its name from a large 372 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — PLEASANT SPEINGS. spring on the land of Ole Evenson, on section twenty- seven, and numerous smaller ones in different parts of the town. The first church was built where the Lutheran church now stands, on section fourteen. The first sermon preached by Pastor W. Dietrichson, under a large oak tree on A. K. Juve's farm, Septem- ber 2, 1844. The first school was taught in a private house. The first school house was built on section twenty-five. From a historical sketch of Dane county, in Harri- son & Warner's Atlas, we find the following: "Abel Rasdall, one of the pioneers of the Four Lake region, was born in Barren county, Kentucky, August 15, 1815. When a young man, he went to Wisconsin and engaged in lead mining, and, in 1828, went to Galena, and assisted awhile Col. James Morrison in his mining operations at Porter's Grove, about nine miles from Blue Mounds. He soon engaged in the business of an Indian trader, locating his cabin on the eastern shore of First Lake (now in Pleasant Springs), about half a mile south of its outlet. He married a Winnebago woman, who was a real helpmate to him in the Indian trade. She sickened and died of small pox, Mr. Basdall alone attending her, and burying her remains. He subsequently married another of the same tribe,* but when her people migrated west, she concluded to go with them, so Rasdall and his [* This squaw had no nose, her former husband having inflicted the Indian penalty for infidelity. She always covered her face with her blanket. — Pub.] DANE COUNTY TOWNS PLEASANT SPKINGS. 373 Indian wife cut a blanket in two, each taking a part — the Indian mode of divorce. * * Galena was the point at which he obtained his goods, and where he disposed of his furs and peltry. He did service in the Black Hawk war, and was one of fourteen men who were sent forward as a scout when Gen. Dodge was pursuing the Indians from Rock river westward, before the battle of Wisconsin Heights. The party, which was commanded by Capt. Gentry, was sent forward to reconnoitre and prevent a surprise by the main body of Indians, which they were assured were but little in advance, as was afterwards proven, for this was the morning of the memorable 21st of July, near the eve of which was fought the battle of Wis- con sin Heights." About the same time Joe Pelkie and Louis Ar- mell, French Canadian traders, were located here. They also had squaws for their wives. Josiah A. Noonan, when appointed by Judge Doty to make ar- rangements for a surveying party to go to Madison and meander the shores of Third and Dead Lakes, with a view of platting out the western addition to " Madison, accompanied the party on horseback, and, after staying with them four days, provisions being very scarce, started for First Lake. The first night he put up with Pelkie and Armell, where he found good forage for his horse, and an abundance of pota- toes and salt for himself. The next morning, with a couple of good, large potatoes in his overcoat pockets, he started for Fort Atkinson. The country he found 374 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — PLEASANT SPRINGS. poorly surveyed, being unable to make his lines or courses, and was necessitated to take the wind for his guide. The old Indian trail between Fort Atkinson and First Lake crossed sections thirteen, twenty-three and twenty-four, and is, where the ground has not been disturbed, very plainly marked by a deep track on the prairie. The surface of this town is gently undulating, con- sisting of prairies, oak openings, and marsh or mead- ow, well watered and particularly suited to grazing. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture, the soil being remarkably fertile; wheat, oats, corn, barley, rye, potatoes, hay and tobacco are produced in abundance. In live stock it is one of the leading towns, having fine breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Pleasant Springs tinds market for its produce in Madison, Stoughton, McFarland, Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Cambridge and Christiana, nearly all of which have fine milling privileges. The town has two fine churches, and six school houses, one of which was built and furnished, with apparatus and a fine large bell, at a cost of nearly $1,900. This is claimed to be the best country school house in the state, till "other counties are heard from." From Liberty Mound, on section two (which is the highest point of land in the county except Blue Mounds), on a clear day, may be had a fine view of the lakes, Madison, Blue Mounds, the country towards Sun Prairie, Stoughton, Utica, Fort Atkinson and Jefferson. DANE COUNTY TOWNS PLEASANT SPRINGS. 375 A peculiar featnre about tlie political history of the town is, that up to 1853, it was entirely democratic in its elections, but from that date up to the present, it has cast a decided republican vote. The change in political views was so very sudden and almost unex- pected that, at the first election in the above year, only one democratic vote was cast. It w^as also about this time, says Hon. John A. Johnson, or little after, that Hon. ¥m. It. Taylor, since governor, was elected to the state senate over Hon. H. H. Giles. Mr. Giles was at that time rail- road station agent at Stoughton, and a fierce onslaught was made upon him during the campaign by the friends of Mr. Taylor, as being the agent and repre- sentative of a great monopoly, while Mr. Taylor was the friend per se of the abused farmer. The demo- cratic stump orators showed very clearly that the rail- road was charging 12 cents per bushel freight on wheat from Stoughton to Milwaukee, when six cents was ample compensation, and intimated that if Taylor was elected monopoly would be destroyed, and the price of wheat would be raised at least six cents per bushel. This was a pretty strong argument, and at last one Pleasant Spring farmer determined that he would vote for Taylor, though he was a little mixed as to the position he was to be elected to, as his knowl- edge of English was not the most profound. The farmer marketed his wheat at Stoughton, and he had heard Taylor's name coupled with the six cents raise in wheat. When he heard of Taylor's election ho 376 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — PLEASANT SPRINGS. joyfully loaded liis wagon with wheat and wended his way to Stoughton to realize the higher price, supposing he would find Taylor duly installed as station agent, the position which he with his vote had helped to give him. Arriving at the depot his first inquiry was as to the price of wheat, and finding it had not advanced at all, demanded an interview with Taylor. When informed that he had been basely cheated into giving a democratic vote and for such a reason, his feelings may be better imagined than described. He w r ent home su- premely disgusted with the corruptions and dishon- esty of the country. On the farm of J. I. Williams, bordering on Ke- gonsa, or First Lake, are a number of Indian mounds. Through the courtesy of the officials of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, passengers are landed or taken on 'at the "Sugar Bush," a large grove on Mr. Wil- liams' farm. The use of this grove is freely given for camp meetings, picnics, hunting parties, etc. The lake abounds in fish, while the woods and fields are well supplied with game. The final outlet of the Four Lakes, the Yahara, has its source at the eastern point of the lake. This crosses sections twenty, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty-two and thirty-three. Mr. Williams proposes to launch a beautiful little steamer, now being built in Pittsburg, upon the lake the present season, and by whose courtesy and liber- ality we are enabled to present to our readers, an exquisite engraving of this elegant steamer as she DANE COUNTY TOWNS PLEASANT SPRINGS. 379 will appear on Lake Kegonsa. She is fifty-six feet long, four feet six inches deep in hull, nine feet broad, with a lower and upper deck, and is propelled by a twenty horse-power engine. She is designed by him as a pleasure craft, to be u&ed for personal en- joyment, and to add to the interes{ of the place by using it for pleasure parties, picnics, etc., if the prop- er encouragement is given, to meet expenses of run- ning it, and is designed to be the beginning of an investment which will convert the Sugar Bush Grove into one of the most enjoyable, as well as one of the most complete places of rational pleasure in the state, believing that Madison will wake up to a sense of '' Its best Holt" and stretch its arm down to Ke- gonsa, so that while Madison may be the head source of pleasure, the Sugar Bush Grove with its peculiar charms will be indispensable to her pleasure-seekers. It is hoped that some day soon, all obstacles to a free access to all the four Lakes will be removed, and the charms' of these matchless bodies of water be more fully brought forth by easy intercourse through Yahara's inviting current. The present town officers are : Supervisors, Wil- liam Seamonson, chairman, Elias Nichols, Ole Moe; clerk, E. T. Cleven ; assessor, Lewis Iverson; treasurer, Gunder Edwards; justices of peace, Oliver Johnson, Ole A. Drotning. 3S0 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BKISTOL. BRISTOL. BY J. R. DAVIS, Esq. The town of Bristol is about thirteen miles from Madison, tlie center being nearly midway between Mad- ison and Columbus. It lies on the northern boundary of Dane county, which is separated by the town of Hampden from Columbia county, and is known on the government survey as township 9 north, of range 11 east. It was formerly a part of Sun Prairie. The town was first settled by David Brazee, and shortly afterwards by P. ~W. Davison, M. Sweet, William W. Patrick, and William II. Clark. The first town meeting was held at the house of George C. Smith, in 1848, and W. W. Patrick was elected su- pervisor. The early history of the town does not abound in as many incidents and occurrences as some of its adjoin- ing towns, having no place of public note or resort, in consequence of its being somewhat oft' the usual beaten road, and thus had few of those interesting way marks which are known to enliven and amuse the traveler in those early days. Still, it was by no means deserted, commercially speaking, for one of the main traveled roads went through the southeast part — being the old state road running from Beaver Dam, through Colum- bus, to Madison. It was a common event in those DANE COUNTY TOWNS BRISTOL. 381 days to see the red man roving over its wild and beautiful prairies, whose trail went through the town leading from Horicon lake, the head waters of the Rock river, to Madison lakes. The surface of the land presents a picturesque landscape, being as a rule quite level, and about equally divided between wood and prairie. But like too many other towns in the county, its beautiful forests are being cut down too fast, and not enough of other trees set out to supply the want which we will ultimately be compelled to feel, if no proper provision is made for tree planting. There are no rivers of any size in the town, although a good stream, called Waterloo creek, which rises in the northern part of the town, and then runs south- easterly into the town of Medina, gives an excellent water power throughout most of the year, and the old stone grist mill, formerly built by Mr. Aiken, having been divested of its old fashioned water-wheel, and re- placed with one of the improved style, by Mr. Alex- ander Stevens, its present owner, is doing a good, continuous business in the custom line, except dur- ring very dry periods, when the old mill has a va- cation, and the humming of its machinery ceases until nature causes the streams to rise, which again furnishes the gratuitous motive power, and sends the old mill to work The red man of early days, who traveled his foot beaten trail leading through the southeastern part of the town, could no doubt give some graphic des- criptions of a lake generally known as " Brazee's 382 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BRISTOL. Lake," where he employed himself in trapping and other amusements. But in this enlightened age this same lake is a bone of contention, so to speak, and a source of trouble for the white man, out of which law suits have arisen. The difficulty arising from it is somewhat of a complicated nature, so much so, that a suit to determine the real owners of it has been carried from one court to the other, and is now pend- ing in the U. S. court. A reference to the facts, which seems to be as follows, will not be out of place here. The lake, like some other bodies of water in this vi- cinity, has year by year been gradually drying up, until at the present time the husbandman's plow traverses it instead of the Indian's canoe, and wdiich covering over 200 acres, more or less, persons owning land on its border, very naturally supposed that their farms were getting larger in proportion, while a sec- ond party comforted themselves by supposing that they w^ere the lucky ones, and had bought the lake (now a fertile piece of land) from the government, having entered it at ten shillings per acre. The two main traveled roads are what are known as the Columbus and the Bristol roads; the first, or the old state road, runs through the eastern part of the town, while the other runs almost due north and south from the north end of the town through to Sun Prairie, its " twin sister," and for beautiful land- scapes and sightseeing, as well as the fertility of the soil and number of improved farms and farm build- DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BRISTOL. 383 ings which lie on either side of this road and others which intersect it, is hard to beat in the county; in fact, there is no waste land in the town, and the time is not far distant when Bristol will be among the foremost in wealth and population. Its market is Sun Prairie, generally speaking, while many draw their produce at times to Columbus. The inhabitants of the town are chiefly Americans, Germans and Norwegians. The former having set- tled on the prairies in the southern half of the town, and the Germans in the timber land in the northeast part, while the latter occupy the northwest portion, which is about equally divided between prairie and wood land. In politics the town is about equally divided, and, during the civil war, Bristol sent her regular number of soldiers to defend the government, some of whom never returned alive, but whose names will ever be held in deep remembrance by our citizens. The town has been represented in the legislature by Hon. K. AY. Davison, in its early history, and by Hon. J. M. Flint in later years. Messrs. Hidden, Chipman, Davison, and Haner have been chosen to represent the town on the county board at various times. The liquor traffic question has long since become a mooted one, and although the intelligent voters of the town have decided that those who sell liquor must pay a high license, still there are plenty of them in the northern part of the town licensed to keep saloons. The town is well dotted with school houses, and ed- 384 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BRISTOL. ucational privileges are generally good. There are in the town two churches. The M. E. church, generally known as the "Bristol Church," is located on the Bristol road about 2f miles from Sun Prairie, and is a good edifice, containing an audience room, and a basement which is used for lectures, donations, etc. It is also occupied once a week by the "Grangers," who have an excellent Grange in good running order. The other, a Catholic church, and one of the finest edifices in the county, is in the northwest part of the town, known as the "Settlement." The town cannot boast of a "Town House," though repeated attempts have been made at "Town Meeting's" in that direc- tion, but thus far they have not yet been successful. There are in the town two stores, the largest of which is owned by John Arians, who also keeps the post office. The town was formerly one of the prin- cipal wheat growing sections in the county, but of late years the people are turning more attention to raising of stock and to dairy pursuits. There are two cheese factories that are producing an excellent qual- ity of cheese, and well patronized. One is owned by Mr. Chipman, who keeps a large dairy himself, about a mile from Sun Prairie, on the Bristol road; the other is owned by Mr. John Arians, in the northern part of the town, and who is, as mentioned above, also proprietor of the store. There are in the town several blacksmith and wagon shops. The town ranks in wealth and general industry with any in the county, although in common with other DANE COUNTY TOWNS BRISTOL. 385 places that have made wheat raising a staple produc- tion, it has felt the hard times and the effects of the "chinch bu«;s." But the fact that farmers are now more scrupulous in preserving the prairie chickens and other birds that have been wontonly killed off, and also raising more hay than wheat, will, in a great measure outflank this terrible pest. The farm- ers of Bristol are fully aware that they are the owners of their lands, and must use diligence and care to pre- serve their crops from injuries, and as a means toward carrying out these facts, prohibit the trespass on their lands for the hunting of prairie chicken, which they deem their friend, and the enemy of thousands of in- sects that prey upon their crops. A very exhilarating sport in the way of hunting, and one which would meet with a hearty response from the farmers, can be had by hunters coming in the winter and ridding the town of the wolves (which are numerous in this and adjoining towns since the "Peshtigo fire"), that kill the sheep in large numbers. The town, like all others, has had its share of law suits, and we will relate an incident or two. A num- ber of years ago, one of the former town treasurers deposited the town moneys in a Madison bank, which failed, and the town supposed by some to have lost it, while others thought the treasurer responsible for the whole amount. During the unsettled condition of the issue between the town and the treasurer, a bill was introduced into the legislature for his release, and which passed, and left the town to whistle for the 25 886 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BRISTOL. money. The town board were thus authorized to free him from his bonds and indebtedness. Notwithstanding the fact that the town is known to have good, smooth level roads, and bridges, still, not long since a $5,000 suit was commenced in court by a party who complained to the supervisors of the shaky condition of one of the town bridges, and had re- ceived injuries to his horse and vehicle therefrom, so brought suit accordingly. But it puzzled both the supervisors and the complainant to find out a few days afterwards where the dangerous place was. They had driven across into a neighboring town before they discovered the offending bridge, and then only after having been shown it by an individual who claimed he thought he saw the accident. The joke was thought too good for both the town and complainant, except the unnecessary legal expense the town was put to. Bristol without doubt has some of the best kept roads in any town, being in a great number of places shaded on both sides of the highways by beautiful trees. Thrift and energy are visible among its citizens as is witnessed by their comfortable homes, and the hiffh class of intelligence. Let the business man and visitor see the town of Bristol before they pass judg- ment on Dane county, and they will be pleased with its rich soil, beauty of landscapes and general appear- ance. From its elevated plain can be seen the Capitol of the state, and on a clear day the far off " Blue Mounds " in the distance. DANE COUNTY TOWNS RUTLAND. 387 RUTLAND. BY S. W. GRAVES, ESQ. Tins township lies on the southern boundary line of the county, which separates it from Union in Rock county. It is about fourteen miles southeast of Mad ison, and is known as township 5 north, of range 10 east. The first permanent settlement commenced in the summer of 1842, by three families, Joseph Dejean and family, John Prentis and his father and Dan Pond. They settled in one corner of the town on the old Janesville and Madison road. The next year two other young men came in and took up claims in the same neighborhood. There was no settlement made in any other part of the town until 1814, when Squire Jonathan Lawrence and son, and myself and family came from Vermont, on the fifth day of July, and went back into the woods, as it was termed then. We took up a section of land and commenced a settlement by clearing, breaking and building our cabins ready for winter. During the fall four other cabins were built, of which two in the northern part of town, were for Jeremiah Douglass and Goodrich Cummings, and one adjoining me for Gideon Cummings, while Rich- ard Priest, who came late in the fall, settled at a large spring in the center of the town. He came from In- 3S8 DANE COUNTY TOWNS RUTLAND. diana, and had eleven children, most of whom were grown to men and women. In early spring of 1845, there came in a large num- ber of people from Vermont and settled in the south part of the town, which took the name of the Vermont settlement, while in the northern part there came in quite a number from Maine, among whom were the Douglasses, Dammons, and Caslies, and a few from New Turk and Ohio, and settled there, and it w r as known as the Maine settlement. It was estimated that there were about 400 inhabit- ants in the town in 1845. We had the advantage over many other towns in the first settlement, as there were no speculators' lands that could be held in re- serve for the rise in value. The town had not those peculiar attractions for them which other towns pos- sessed, with their large prairies and groves of tim- ber, as the entire town was almost all burr oak-open- ings, with considerable marsh and a small part prairie in the north. The lands belonged to the general gov- ernment, and were open for entry at any time, but most of the settlers that came here were poor and not able to enter these lands; some could enter a 40 acres and some an 80 acres, and so we organized claim soci- eties to protect one another in the settlement of our homes. I must relate to you some incidents that oc- curred in 1845-6, which will illustrate the method we had of protecting each other. Our societies were thor- oughly organized by officers. If any one attempted to enter any land that w r as already claimed by a settler, DANE COUNTY TOWNS RUTLAND. 389 lie was immediately notified to appear before the exe- cutive board to give a reason why he entered the land; if he persisted, he was immediately notified to settle satisfactorily with the claimant, and if not, to leave town immediately. There were a few cases where they would not settle, and if they attempted to build their cabins, the people would meet in mass and tear down the same. In the winter of 1846, the legislature passed a law giving the people the right to organize into towns in Dane county. The people of our town met soon after the passage of the law, and organized themselves into a town, and called it Eutland after the name of a town in Yermont. On the first Tuesday in April, 18-tfi, we held our first election,- and elected as Supervis- ors — Jonathan Lawrence, chairman, David West and Henry Edmonds; Town Clerk — S. W. Graves; Road Commissioners — David Tipple, S. W. Graves and Goodrich Cummings. Since the settlement of our town, we have progressed slowly but steadily in agricultural pursuits, being all farmers. There are no large streams or villages, no manufactories, but a few mechanics. Our soil is good and well adapted for farming purposes; and as a farming community, we are very well located as to markets. There are no railroads in town, but we have the advantage of two, viz.: the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul, which runs along near the east line of the town, and very convenient for the people on the east side of the town to get their produce to 390 DANE COUNTY TOWNS RUTLAND. market, while the Chicago & Northwestern road just enters one corner of the town and runs along near the west line, which gives us a good market with Chicago. Our market towns are Stoughton and Edgerton on the east, Oregon, Brooklyn and Evansville on the west. Since we have changed our mode of farming (less wheat for chinch bugs to devour), and gone to raising clover, neat stock, wool and pork, butter and cheese, we have done much better, getting rich slowly. We have three churches, the Free-Will Baptist at the north part of the town, with a good meeting house; the United Brethren church at a little village on the west, with a small meeting house; and a Methodist church, with a good house of worship in the village of Brooklyn, in the township of Rutland, the village being on the line of two towns. There is quite a church of regular Baptists in town, but they unite with the church in Union, and have a good house of worship there. Our town is organized into eight school districts and some joint districts, with very good school houses, and all maintain schools from six to eight months in the year. We have but few natural curiosities, and they are some that used to attract our attention in an early day. A small river rises in the northwest corner of our town and runs southeast, and leaves the town at the southeast corner, and along this river there are a great number of springs; there is one spring so large that it runs a grist-mill within ten rods of its head DANE COUNTY TOWNS RUTLAND. 391 with two runs of stone. There is one mound spring twenty-four feet in diameter, and so deep it is diffi- cult to find bottom. I have sounded it twenty feet and found none. There is a lake, known as Island Lake, which in early times was considered a curiosi- ty. It has' an island near the center, of about three acres, which was once thickly wooded with good rock maple trees, with no others within twenty miles. They were so fine, and all claimed them, that it led to a series of troubles, which left no other alternative, in order to settle the matter, but to go on the island and cut them down. Our stone quarries, of which we have quite a number, are full of interest to the geologist in hunting out the fossil remains. The health of our town, from its first settlement un- til the present, has ever been good, which is owing to the numerous springs of pure water and the elevation of the land, which is ever receiving pure air from the surrounding hills, and no sunken places to engender diseases. There are no Indian relics, no camps, trails, graves or mounds. When I first came into town the Indians were very numerous. They would often pitch their tents near some spring, and hunt deer for weeks and then move off. In speaking of our town politically, perhaps this is a delicate subject, but I will give you a little some- thing that has taken place in the political arena in the settlement of our town. In the south part, in the Yermont settlement, the Ohio people and part of 392 DANE COUNTY TOWNS RUTLAND. the New York people were whigs. The Maine peo- ple in the north part of the town were democrats, but the whigs had a majority. We used to have some warm times in the first settlement, but in the organi- zation of the republican party in 1S55, all of the Ver- mont settlement, all of the Ohio, and most of the New York people joined the republican party, but the peo- ple of Maine, to a man, held to their old party, and some of the old people were so disaffected that they left the town. Since the organization we have remained very strong republican, keeping a very even tenure; no ups and downs; there being two hun- dred republicans to twenty or thirty democrats. It lias ever been termed the banner town of the county. Most of the first settlers of the town are not here now; many have died, others have left. All of the Maine people except one have left town. The present inhabitants are a majority American people, some Welch, some Scotch, a few English, and quite a set- tlement of Danes. DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 303 BURKE. BY JOHN DOUGLAS. This town is known as township 8 north, of range 10 east, and is equally divided into oak openings and prairie, with a marsh in the westerly part. Two branches of Token Creek enter the town. The east- ern branch on section 3, and the western on section 6. then unite on section 7, run thence through the town of Westport into Fourth lake, being the largest stream that flows into the lake. The town received its name after the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, one of Ireland's illustrious orators and poets. In 1847, it was made as one of the four towns of Windsor; the first town meeting was held at the house of Horace Lawrence, Charles M. Nichols being elected chairman, and Ira Mead, clerk,. In 1852, it was organized as a separate town, and its first meeting held at the house of Adam Smith, when he was elected chairman, and John Douglas, clerk. The Indian trail from Koshkonong and Third lakes, to Fort Winnebago (now Portage City), passed through the town, near the Indian Spring, on section 26. It was a well beaten track, and is still seen, where cultivation has not obliterated its traces, and on which the early settlers frequently saw as many as five hundred to one thousand Indians,with their wives and little ones, pass and repass in a week. 394 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUKKE. On section 10, in Mr. McMarran's field, there are two ancient circular mounds, and on II. P. Hall's lands, section 2b, there is a mound in the form of a cross, while on section 30, on the farm of Henry Satchjen, there is a large oblong mound, running in a northwest and southeast direction, which was prob- ably used at one time as a fort. These are all losing their identity by frequent cultivation of the soil. Horace and William Lawrence came herefrom Ver- mont, in 1837, and built the first house in the town, on section 11, now owned and occupied by Washing- ton Woodward. Lawrence lived here in the year 183S, and had a well known fame as a remarkably good hunter. In the winter he has been known to kill a score of deer, besides a great variety of other game. He is still noted among hunters as a good shot. Horace kept "bach" for some little time, but after- wards started a hotel, which for a number of years was known as the " Prairie House." When he raise! his first barn it is said that nearly every white man in Dane, and some from Columbia county were present. The barn was afterwards destroyed by lightning. The road to Fort Winnebago lay near the Prairie House, and many notables, even in early times had occasion to pass and repass through the town. Before the Mexican war, Gen. Scott (then only a colonel), together with Jefferson Davis and Zach. Taylor, being appointed by the United States government as in- spectors of the military forts in the west, put up at the Prairie House, where they were entertained with DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUEKE. 395 tlie common fare of deer, prairie liens and pork. Gen. Scott was the marked man among the others, not only for his tall and manly bearing, but also for the pre- cise care he had of his person, performing his ablu- tions regularly and systematically. It is reported that they held a council with the Indians here. The Indians were quite numerous in those early times, and were always peculiarly desirous of obtain- ing a little fire water, a privilege they then possessed, and which extended as well to some of the whites — indeed., the whites were known to be particularly fond of " Pecatonica " and " Rock River," pet names given for several kinds of whisky, and of a very poor quality at that. The Indians traded back and forward in the town for a number of years until targe game became scarce, when their visits were not as frequent. When Alex. Botkin settled on sections 27 and 28 (the '76 farm), the Indians always camped near his house, and in his dealings with them he at first had some trouble, in consequence of their innate thieving pro- pensities and greed, but afterwards he became a person of considerable importance among them, so that on one occasion, when they had come in larg- er numbers than usual, he (in order that a proper understanding might exist between them and him- self) assembled a council of all the chiefs in his house. Sitting down on the floor in a circle, while he stood in the center, he explained to them that they might camp near his house if they wished, 396 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. but must not steal liis corn or hay; in fact (as lie well knew the Indian character as being; unsafe to give a gift without some equivalent) he would give them nothing; but if they had venison or anything to sell, he would willingly purchase the same. The council agreed to his request, and he had no trouble with them afterwards. The mail was carried from Madison to Fort Win- nebago, through this town, crossing the Creek a mile above the village on the old Indian trail, in the town of Windsor. There was no wag-on road leading to the fort at that time, and business required to be done there had to be reached by passing across the creek at the old Indian trail. The only two houses on the road were the Lawrences', afterward called the " Pra irie House," and Wallis Rowan's, near Poynette. Chas. S. Peaslee, now living in Sun Prairie village, was an early settler on what is now known as Robert Ogilvie and A. C. Cummings' farm, on sees. 27 and 28. The frequent changes occurring among the settlers makes it difficult to trace up all occupants of this lovely spot; but soon after we find Alexander C. Botkin, Esq., lived here, near the beautiful rise of ground close to the road, that is now so tastefully sur- rounded with evergreens and other trees. He put up a sign, with the two large figures, '76, on it, in honor of the year in which the Declaration of Independence was made (1776), a term by which the farm is known even up to the present time, although it is also known as the " Courtney Place," because an English sea DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 397 captain of that name bought it, and there built a stone castle. It was struck by lightning and burned when the Hon. II. B. Sanderson owned and occupied it in 1870. It has not been rebuilt since, the walls still continuing to stand like some ancient ruins of feudal times. One of the former owners of the place, D. J. Powers, set out the poplar trees on the south- east side of the road, while Mr. Courtney planted those on the northwest side. J. C. Plumb, the cele- brated nurseryman, now of Milton, Pock county, at one time leased this place, and many of the evergreens and fruit trees are of his planting. He was well known for a new variety of plum he raised. But the best were those in the house, and as good things are often moving, so they were transplanted to another place. There was also a sign board placed on the hill beyond this farm, at the forks of the Portage and Columbus roads, but it is reported that there were rival taverns on each of these roads, and the sign board was fre- quently cut down by the landlords of these respective taverns, in the hope that travelers getting the wrong road, might patronize the house of the depredator. Prairie fires were the dread of early settlers, and were sometimes caused by the Indians setting fire to the long grass for the purpose of driving the deer. These fires burned with intense heat, and traveled with great rapidity, making extraordinary leaps across creeks or any barriers that the settlers might have prepared to impede their progress and prevent the 398 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. burning of their fields of grain or stacks of hay. Many a time, when the husband would be absent on business or at the market, have the wife and children been compelled to spend the whole night righting these fires from their homes, and when accomplished, would fall exhausted and powerless at the last place they extinguished the flames. The late Alexander Botkin used to relate an inci- dent of a semi-comic character, that we must try to repeat here. To be able to whip the prairie fires, re- quired a great deal of skill and tact, so that the ope- rator would put out the fire without scattering it or allowing any sparks to attach themselves to the hazel brush used as a whip, and thus avoid throwing fire backward when swinging the brush. A live Yankee from Vermont (visiting a neighbor of Mr. Botkin's), and who exhibited no capacity for knowing less than his western friends, whom, in fact, he rather con- ceived to be behind the times, and so was able to show them a little, started out one day to burn the grass round some stacks of hay, that had been put up in a meadow close by, just as Mr. Botkin stood on a knoll among some buckwheat. Looking for a mo- ment toward the man to see what his object was, he saw him deliberately strike a match and light the grass on the windward side, then, with his hazel brush, commence whipping the flames. lie had not pro- ceeded far before he found that it required consider- able alacrity to be able to control the fire, and, as with Yankee energy, he strove to subdue the flames, DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. 309 it was but faint as compared with the consternation that afterwards seized him, when he felt an intense warmth on his back and turned to see the cause. lie had whipped the fire into the stacks, and they were in a blaze. It was but a moment more and he was next seen rushing at a frantic speed across the prai- rie, seeming to imagine that every step he took, was but one ahead of the devouring flames, while Mr. Bot- kin stood, the lone, but convulsed spectator of what he thought was Yankee confidence with a great deal of energy. Men in those times seemed to be able to endure a greater amount of fatigue than they can at the present time. To travel on foot between here and Milwaukee was a very frequent occurrence, and was accomplished in about twenty-four hours. Mr. Botkin had at one time twelve acres of heavy oats to cut, and engaged four men to cut them. Two of them were men of about six feet hight, while the others were ordinary size. The tallest men cradled the oats, while the others bound them. Starting about seven in the morning, in the evening at sun down, the oats were all cut and bound. They cut very large swarths, and the binders kept up with each cut of the cradle. Wolves were the scavengers of the prairie, and were also great pests around the farm. When any cattle died, they were removed to a convenient place away from the house, when in the evening, and often shortly after the carcass was left, the wolves would as- semble in packs, and the night be made, with their 400 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BUKKE. snarling bowlings, the impersonation of the infernal regions. About 1841, Abel Rasdall and Adam Smith settled on section 14, on land now owned by Mr. Ilepker. They built a log cabin and broke up some of the land, but shortly after, Mr. Smith concluded to build a hotel, which he conducted for a number of years, and which was known, far and near, as " Smith's tav- ern." The building is still standing, and many pleasant and pleasing associations are connected with this home and household. He kept the first post- office in town, and has held that office for a number of years, as well as others of trust and honor. Syl- vester Dunlap kept a store here for some years, and built up an excellent business. In 1848, one of the first school houses in town was built on the present site of Mr. Smith's elegant brick residence, but the school having been located in a more suitable place the old building was moved back, and is used by him as a granary. The new school house is located on a triangular piece of land, surrounded by some burr oaks, with the public highways on three sides of it. Simjjlicity of life was always a marked feature among the early pioneers, and not less so was the im- plicit confidence they extended to each other and to entire strangers, as the following incident will show. When William Yroman, now of Madison, left New York to come to Madison, he came by way of Mil- waukee. After waiting for some days, and finding DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. 401 that lie could not get through by stage, in conse- quence of the roads being in a bad condition from recent rains, he resolved to walk the distance on foot. After meeting with considerable difficulties (passing over the newly-formed causeway in the town of Deer- field, knee-deep in water), he came near the town of Burke, where he met a young man on horseback, who inquired of him if he was going to Madison, and if he was acquainted there. Answering in the affirmative, that he had a brother there, the young man looking at him a moment, and at the same time dismounting from his horse, told Mr. Vroman that he knew his brother, and as he seemed tired, he must ride to Madison ; then directing him where to stable the horse, that he might find it conveniently when he again returned, left him in possession of the animal, he being then on his way to Watertown. The young man was then unknown to Mr. Vroman, but he afterward found him to be the Hon. Adam Smith, whose confidence in him, a stranger, was an astonish- ing phase of western life that he had never ex- perienced before, nor had even any conception of. The simple fact that Mr. Smith knew his brother, George Vroman, was the measurement by which he judged the new acquaintance by the old. Rough exteriors often cover warm hearts, and we are not guilty of flattery when we relate another incident just as pleasing. A poor German, near Mr. Smith's, had lost his horse just at the very busiest season of seeding, and the man being unable 26 402 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. to purchase or hire another, was in the awkward pre- dicament of failing to get his seed in the ground. Adam Smith, hearing of the circumstance, rode over to the man's house, and, ascertaining the facts of the case to be so, told him he might come over to his barn and get one of his horses, which he could use until he had completed his seeding. This act at ordinary times might not have been deemed of much importance, but all farmers know the preciousness of such generosity, at a time when days are as months to them. In early times the roads across the prairies were numerous, and often crossed each other in such a man- ner as to be perplexing to those unacquainted with the different tracks, who were liable to lose their way if not fortunate in striking the right one. On these roads emigrants' ffoods and lead from the mines at Blue Mounds were hauled by ox teams and covered wagons, popularly known as " prairie schooners." The teamsters and occupants, when they halted for the day, would usually select some suitable place that was known to provide shelter for themselves and grass for their animals. On the farm of II. P. Hall, section 28, there is a large burr oak that was a com- mon resort, and was well known among the pioneers and immigrants as the " Traveler's Home." The tree is about ten feet in circumference toward the base, and about seven feet from the ground there are five branches that spread out from the trunk nearly forty feet. It occupies as much ground in Mr. Hall's DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 403 orchard as ten apple trees would, and stands in full view of the road, strong and vigorous, spreading over the ground like a great mammoth tent. Many a weary traveler has eaten his frugal meal under its sheltering branches, and it was a frequent occurrence to see as many as a dozen of the " prairie schooners " either at anchor or sailing in sight of this noble oak, where hotel charges were as free as the air of the wide spread prairie, accommodations being plenty and grass and water near at hand. Alexander Lamere, a Canadian Frenchman, was an early settler. He owned a farm on section 10, which he sold to Mr. McMurran and Martin Lewis. He was at one time engaged in the service of the Hud- son Bay Company, and when residing here, usually occupied himself hunting and trapping. He was well known from the peculiarity of his costume, which was a suit of buckskin, with a little hatchet belted on behind him. He married a squaw, and removed with her when her tribe went west, by order of the United States Government. Martin Lewis, who settled on section one, built his house on the edge of the prairie, which was a visible land mark for some distance round, and especially serviceable as a lighthouse in the night for travelers crossing the prairie, who took the lights in his win- dows to enable them to take their bearings. In 1841, G. A. Spaulding, from Vermont, settled on section 3, on the old Indian camping ground near Token Creek. He built part of the house now occu- 40 J: DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. pied by G. W. Loomis. lie kept a hotel there for a number of years, and by the aid of his worthy wife and estimable daughters, it was a favorite resort in its day. The bridge across the creek was built near the house, about two years afterwards, 18-43. lie also built the house now occupied by L. M. Fuller, who is a very useful man among his neighbors, having an intuitive ability to take hold of any mechanical work for repair or construction which may be given him. Messrs. Hanchett & Harris opened the first store in town at Token Creek in 1848. It was a small building, 14x18, with an upper chamber, and stood a little north of the present store. They occupied the ground floors, while Messrs. Davy & Robinson, two Englishmen from London, used the upper room as shoemakers, and were well known as good workmen. Mr. Davy had at one time been a sailor, and the constant custom of sleeping in a hammock had be- come so habitual to him, that he had one attached to the rafters of the room in which he slept. He had a taste for natural history, and for years had engaged himself in the preserving of flies, bugs and birds, of which he had large assorted specimens. Dr. R. K. Bell was the first physician in the town. He first lived at the Prairie House, but afterwards built a house at Token Creek. He was a young man of noble appearance, fine ability, and very successful in his profession; but he died young. In the south part of Windsor, near Token Creek, there is a large hill that is familiarly known as " Big DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. 405 Hill," and which in old times was looked upon as the lighthouse of the prairie, by which travelers were able to steer their course when crossing the open country. It was for many years their only way-mark and guide to find the harbor of Token Creek. Mr. Goodrich and Mr. E. C. Bullis were the first blacksmiths of any note, and were afterwards succeed- ed by M. C. Connor, who is still in Token Creek, but has for some time back retired from the forge. Mr. Bullis' house was moved from the south part of the town of Bristol to its present site, a distance of five miles, and is occupied by Mr. Connor. Selden Combs and brother at one time had a brick yard at the Creek, but it is not now in operation. When the war broke out, Capt. William A. Fields, who kept the hotel, raised a company for the war, and had them drilled in the village. [The first store in the village was built by John Douglas, who came here in the year 1847. He is a part owner in the mill, and is also engaged in surveying. It is related of him that at one time, while engaged surveying for a Norwegian, who could not speak or understand English, they came to an Indian wigwam, and it was a matter of astonishment to the Indians that Mr. Douglas and the Norwegian were compelled to understand each other by signs, as well as the Indians were them. Three nationalities were here represented, but the red man was as favorably situated as his more civilized bro- thers, since they could do no more than talk by signs. The compass which Mr. Douglas carried was a subject 406 BANE COUNTY TOWNS — BUKKE. of great wonderment to them, as they kept turning it over to examine it. When elected to the office of superintendent of schools, he rode round the county on a black pony, that was too lazy to run away, and when he came to the school to be visited, if no con- venient hitching place was at hand, a rope carried in his saddle bags, Jacob's staff, that he carried with him, were made serviceable for the occasion, and the pony was staked on the prairie until again required. On one occasion, as justice, he married a couple under the shade of an oak tree, and who sat in their open baggy during the performance of the marriage service. It is reasonable to suppose that the couple were made happy, and though romantic like, yet in those early times it was more difficult to catch a jus- tice than to be caught by one.] The road by way of Token Creek was in old times very much traveled, as people passed through the vil- lage on their way to Fort Winnebago and the piner- ies. It was no uncommon thing to see five or six four-horse coaches pass each way in a day, and equally so to see a score of teams in sight. On one occasion, in the winter, a company of twenty- live teams passed through the village, and they enlivened the occasion by one of the occupants of the sleighs playing a vio- lin with his hands delicately encased in gloves. There were also, on another occasion, 200 head of cattle and thirty-seven teams, loaded, and on their way to the pineries. The manner of supplying the early setclers with cattle and horses was, for parties from the south DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUKKE. 407 to start in the spring, when the grass was getting up, and drive before them droves of cattle and horses with bells round their necks, which enabled the drivers to hunt up any that strayed from the herd. Ezra Gould was an early settler on section 32. A painful incident is connected with his respected wife, who became blind by accidentally running against the sharp point of the spindle of a spinning wheel. She is now living at Belleville, and is a diligent and tidy housewife yet, even under her severe affliction. The farmers hauled their wheat to Milwaukee to market, and the small amount paid them for their grain very often brought them back in debt, unless they were fortunate in bringing back merchandise or immigrants. Deer were plenty, and seen in droves of from 25 to 100. But the Indians at one time went out on a biff hunt, and drove the deer toward Fourth Lake, in the town of Westport, and killed over 500, which, to- gether with the continued shooting of them by the early settlers, has made their appearance scarce. Mr. II. P. Hall, for a number of years, kept a small deer park; but, four years ago, during a storm, his fence was blown down, and seven of the deer escaped, and are supposed to have bred in the woods, as three or four have been shot in the neighborhood. On the elevated prairie land owned by G. J. Mar- gerum and S. A. Cummings, there -was at one time a remarkably good race course. From this position a magnificent view is obtained of Madison and the sur- 408 • DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUKKE. rounding country. The sporting men from Madison, as well as others in and out of the state, would gather at this course in large numbers, and witness many good horses try their speed and excellence in in equestrian display, even to rivalling Hiram Wood- ruff. When Kittie Miles, from Canada, ran a race here, she broke from the course and ran a dist- ance of two miles, to the barn of Adam Smith, and gave the race to her competitor, " Little Flea," from Long Island, New York. The celebrated trotter, Tobby was trained on this course. S. L. Sheldon, the well known agricultural machine dealer, settled here about 1854, on sections 32 and 33. He owned 150 acres — TO on section 32 and 80 on 33. There were only seventeen acres under the plow, forty heavy timber, while the balance had been at one time timbered like the forty, but was then thickly covered with an underbrush of from ten to twenty feet high. He afterwards added enough land to make his farm 540 acres, and set out an orchard of over one thou- sand trees, put out about two miles of shade trees, and built about the same amount of fencing that year. The farm originally belonged to an early jnoneer by the name of West, and who, as a type of all of that class of persons, was unable to bear the inroads of civ- ilization, so, as his name indicates, he sold his farm and went West. Mr. S. taught school in the old log school house on his farm, which was one of the first district schools, but in 1855, having sold that part of it to Alex. Lisk, in the winter he taught in his own log cabin, DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 409 where he kept "bach," superintended the work of three hired men, did the housework, and sawed and split fire wood in the evening. He built the barn now owned by Samuel Drakely, on the southeast side of the road. In 1857, he started the selling of agri- cultural machinery, being the third person in the business in this county. The first was P. L. Car- man (of the firm of Gray and Carman), and the second James H. Hill, (of the firm of Davis and Hill), now engaged in the drug business on King street, Madi- son. His business, from this small beginning, has kept steadily increasing until he is now the largest individual dealer in agricultural machinery in the United States. From this increase, he was obliged to sell out his farm and confine himself entirely to busi- ness in the city and elsewhere, so that in 1 864 P. L. Carman and T. S. Phillip bought each a part of the 540 acres. He expended about $10,000 in improve- ments and sold for $14,000, leaving 250 acres under the plow. A small portion of that farm was after- wards sold by P. L. Carman for $450 an acre, with- out any buildings on it. The first reaper trial in this section occurred on the farm of II. P. Hall, and between Mr. Porter, the rep- resentative of the McCormick, and S. L. Sheldon, of Seymour and Morgan, which last was the successful machine. An incident connected with the above trial is re- corded in regard to one of the agents who was exhib- iting the McCormick machine. He, at one time, had been engaged in business in the east, but suddenly 410 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUKKE. disappeared from his accustomed quarters, and. was never heard of again. As the trial went on, Mr. Hall's father, who was visiting at that time, came out of the house to witness its progress. As he ap- proached one of the agents, the old gentleman was seen to be particularly scrutinizing of the personal ap- pearance of the man, and finally burst out with the exclamation: "Halloa! is that vou, Mr. ? When did you come out here?" No two men ever looked at each other with greater astonishment than they did, the one an extensive creditor of the absent- ing defaulter, and the other the veritable debit. It is needless to add that he also went west; at least he was mysteriously absent a second time. An illustration of a conscientious regard for the true meaning and intent of law is related of Mr. Shel- don. In 1857, he was elected assessor, and fulfilled the requirements of the office to the satisfaction of all concerned, and was again elected to fill the office. During this same year the legislature changed the old law so as to require the assessor to put in the land at its real value. He sacredly performed his duty, and the result showed a larger increase of taxes and a very large amount of dissatisfaction among the tax payers, and, though a very popular man in the town, the feel- ing against him for the proper discharge of his duty was such, that he could not have obtained a reelection to office at any price or under any consideration. Mr. Sheldon was one of the foremost men in every- thing pertaining to the interest of the town when he DANE COCKTY TOWNS BUEKE. 411 was a resident of it, displaying the same zeal and energy which he has in his business calling, and, in his new home, is the leading incentive to all mod- ern improvements in agricultural machinery. P. L. Carman came to Wisconsin in 1847. He first located in Columbia county, while we were under the territorial form of government. In 1853 he removed to Madison, where, as dealer in grain and coal, and agricultural implements, he was known for many years, but for more than twenty years, and up to 1874, he was best known in Wisconsin and Minnesota as agent for the "Buffalo Pitts" Thresher. In August, 1864, he purchased that portion of the Sheldon farm, in the town of Burke, on sections 32 and 33, which lay on the west side of the Sun Prairie road, containing about 260 acres. In the same month he divided the land and sold to Wm. F. Fitch about 120 acres, com- prising all the buildings and improvements, reserving the remaining 140 acres for a residence. He moved into the Sheldon house at once, and thus became a resident of the town of Burke, and commenced im- proving his place by breaking ground for a new dwelling on the first day of September, having bought, resold and made building contracts, all be- tween the 16th of August and the 1st of September, 1874. A large and substantial brick dwelling house Avas completed and occupied by himself and family on the 10th day of December the same fall. The site selected for improvements, adjoined the Grover farm, and was covered with a thick growth of timber and 412 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. underbrush. The buildings were located with great care, and the grounds laid out with a view of making a beautiful wooded lawn. By having the grounds laid out and plotted, and by working according to a settled plan, together with the expenditure of not a little persevering industry, he succeeded in making one of the pleasantest and most beautiful homes on the street. The one main feature of the place was the cool green lawn, containing some six or eight acres, surrounding the buildings shaded by its native trees, and added evergreens and shrubbery, and well-kept drives. This feature will be remembered by those who were in the habit of passing on their way to the city, some three miles distant. In 1873 he sold the place to J. C. McKenney, Esq., and removed to Madison. J. C. McKenney w T as the assistant United States Attorney at the time of the breaking up of the whis- ky ring, and successfully prosecuted that portion of the rino- which was tried in Madison. As the result of his success in the prosecution of these cases in Madison, he was employed by the government as a special attorney to conduct the prosecution of the cases of the same nature in Milwaukee. After the close of this engagement, he opened an office in Mil- waukee, for the general practice of law, where he is still engaged. His family lives upon the farm, which he still occupies as his home. The portion of the Sheldon farm bought by "Wm. F. DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 413 Fitch, stepson of the Hon. Judge Hood, was occupied by him early in the spring of 1865, and extensive im- provements commenced on the buildings and farm under the immediate supervision of 1ST. B. Van Slyke, Esq. It was occupied as a home by Judge Hood and family (together with that of Mr. Fitch), for a number of years, until Judge Hood became a permanent resi- dent in Washington. Mr. Fitch is now connected in an official capacity with the Chicago & North western Railway. Mr. H. N. Moulton has recently purchased the old Isaac Smith farm, on section 33, and has added con- siderable to the general appearance of the place, both internally and externally. Its proximity to the high- way makes it very observable, as also the addition of a neat bay window, that during the winter Mrs. Moulton had tastefully filled with house plants, whose blossoms in the cold, bleak months of winter, have gladdened both the eye and the heart, and made it a green spot in the memory of every passer-by. Mr. Moulton is en- gaged in business in the city, and drives to and from every morning and evening. "Where John Brigham lives, on section 32, there was at one time a good hotel. It was built and kept for a number of years by Eleazer G-rover, and was a well-known -resort for travelers. Bennet Britton also owned and kept a hotel on the farm at present owned by Gen. Harnden, which was also a desirable resort in old times. It now stands a little further back than it did formerly. Gen. Henry Harnden is perhaps not 414: DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. usually known to have been the person who captured Jefferson Davis, when he appeared in his unmanly suit toward the close of the late rebellion. He was colonel of the First Wisconsin cavalry that pursued and overtook Davis, near Irwinville, Georgia. The facts of that remarkable capture are still fresh in the memory of our citizens, but the indefatigable endur- ance of the general and his brave men will never be fully known even from the lips of those who were participants in the long night and day rides which finally resulted in the capture of Davis. When taken prisoner, he expressed a great deal of contempt for the United States government, who were employing their troops, he said, to harass women and children, and pacing backward and forward in front of Gen. Harnden and his command, tried to assume an arrog- ance of speech which was significant of an effort to im- press persons with an idea of his importance, and also that he was not receiving the respect due to him, be- ing simply acknowledged as Mr. Davis. A lady of the partjf, said to be Mrs. Davis, sallied forth from one of the tents, and in an imploring and disturbed manner, expressed herself in the hearing of the soldiers that they must be careful not to irritate the president, as some of them might get hurt. Gen. Harnden bought this farm of Maj. Meredith, about four years ago, since, which, he has greatly im- proved it by rebuilding the fences, sinking a new well, putting up a wind mill, and building a tenement house. The farm is at present under a very high DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 415 state of cultivation and consists of 200 acres. lie is engaged in breeding short-horn cattle. Maj. Meredith bought 80 acres of this farm from Capt. Albert Pierson, in 1S66, and, after tearing down the old Britton barn, he built a large new one, and afterwards added 120 acres more, which he bought of Mrs. Carpenter, the widow of the fo inner owner, who lived in Ohio. He conducted a general farming business, but being Superintendent of Public Prop- erty under Governors Fairchild and Washburne, did not give the attention to the farm that he otherwise would. The Major was among the first volunteers in the Second Regiment, and was First Lieutenant in Company H. He was wounded at the battle of Bui] Run of July 21, 1861, by which he lost the use of his arm. He was commissariat of General Pope's com- mand. " Cincinnati Heights," formerly known as " Rock Terrace," is the residence of J. M. Dickson, a retired capitalist, who has 300 acres under cultivation. He gave it the present name in honor of his former place of residence, Cincinnati. Nature has made it a lovely spot, and from here you have a grand view of Madison, with the Lakes on each side. In the dis- tance is the far-famed Blue Mounds, where memory recalls the place where the first settler lived, Ebenezer Brigham, who in those pioneer days, when he dug for lead, was obliged to carry it on his back to Min- eral Point, twenty miles distant, and return with his supplies in the same manner. The surroundings of 416 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. this beautiful spot cannot be penned; they must be seen. The first proprietors of the " Heights," were John Tweed and J. Y. Bobbins, but shortly afterwards Robbins bought out Tweed, and became sole owner. He took a great interest in the raising of stock of the very best; buying only premium cattle wherever he had an opportunity, and keeping nothing but the best swine, cows, and horses. He was the occasion of of the great impetus given to the surrounding country in the raising of pure stock. An extensive nursery was also carried on by him, under the able superin- tendence of the late L. P. Chandler, who was for many years foreman with the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder. An idea may be given of the extensiveness of Mr. Robbins' farm, when it is stated that the Hons. J. J. Crittenden and Thomas P. Marshall of Kentucky (when in Madison during one of the political cam- paigns) were the guests of Mr. Robbins, and on being escorted by the Governor's Guards out to his residence, he received them with a greater number of his employes than the whole military company, besides the display of flags and emblems were larger than had been made at Madison. Being a great admirer of the late Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, he made a cheese that weighed 1,620 pounds, that was exhibited at our State Fair in 1860, but which he intended presenting to Douglas the same year, if he became the successful candidate for DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 417 president of the United States. He did not get elected, so the cheese was reluctantly cut up and distributed among a number of Mr. Bobbins friends, who pronounced it a first class article. To make the cheese Mr. Robbins had his teams scattered over the town solicting milk from the other farmers, whose contributions he paid for. The farm now "owned by H. P. Hall, on sections 20, 21,28 and 33, embraces, with other purchases, the farm once owned by Vm. F. Porter, Esq., who put up many of the buildings. Mr. Hall has since made extensive improvements, adding greatly to the num- ber and extent of the buildings. He has a large dairy and furnishes milk to the citizens of Madison. The farm is known as the " Orchard Farm " for the reason that there were once 2,600 apple and fruit trees on the land. There are now about 1,600 apple trees of hardy varieties in thriving condition, many of the tender varieties of apples, pears, plum and cherry trees hav- ing proved too tender for this climate. This is per- haps the largest orchard farm in the county. This farm embraces some 66S acres of fine land, well proportioned for profit and convenience, abundantly supplied with wood and water, and has most likely, the finest and most complete set of farm buildings in this section of the country. There are five dwelling- houses, five large barns with stables, ice house, observ- atory, etc. The basement used for cows is of solid masonry, 60 by 120 feet. Water is conducted from tanks to parts of the buildings and adjacent fields, 27 418 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. with a constant supply for over 200 head of stock. In the summer of 1858 Mr. II. made some seven miles of ditch, the main one being 8 feet wide, 4 feet deep and 3-§- miles in length, to improve a large meadow which was unprofitable, the neighbors expressing their pity for the waste of money, and folly of the Yankee farmer. It may be interesting to know that that portion of the farm, some 340 acres, has become firm land, bearing heavy grass, and for years been adapted to the use of machinery and suitable for driving upon with horse and carriage at all seasons of the year. The drainage has been followed up where needed, till within a few years, and is now complete. The main house stands off the road with a beau- tiful lawn of two acres in front, surrounded in part by a magnificent circle of evergreens, which are some thirty to forty feet high, and form a shaded drive- way, which for magnificence is hard to excel, even in older or wealthier portions of our country. The views from parts of the farm are extensive and charming, embracing views of Madison, the lakes, asylum and Blue Mounds. This farm was entered for premium farm in 1S60, and though then in a crude condition, the committee of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, made the following mention: This farm has every variety of land necessary to make an ex- cellent gram and stock farm. These superior natural advantages are being well improved by Mr. Hall It is but four years since this entire farm was in a state of nature. We find the buildings all in excellent condition, comprising every convenience of an old New England farm that has been improved a hundred years He DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 419 depends upon no one tiling' to make his farm profitable, but is de- veloping each branch of agriculture with zeal, system and apparent success. His horses are good, substantial animals, without running specially to fancy; his cattle are all good, and means are being used for their improvement, .... and everything is kept in a man- ner that indicates good skill and economy in his operations He is doing a noble work in reclaiming a marsh on the back part of his farm There can be but little doubt but land that a year or two ago was so wet that it was useless, will be made the most vain aide on his farm. W. S. A. T., pp. 146-7, 1860. As hioji as 13J- bushels of wheat have been raised on an acre of land, and 138 bushels of corn, under most favorable seasons and circumstances. Mr. Hall being one of the executive committee for a number of years afterwards, was of course precluded from making a contest for a premium a second time. The amount of capital invested in this farm is an exhibit, not only of the great confidence and faith which Mr. Hall has had in the rich and prolific bearing of the soil, but of that stability of aim which has had the power and the will to make even the sterile lands subservient to his purposes. There has been expend- ed in the way of improvements over $70,000, an amount that would (in proportion to what is deemed certain investments in commercial circles) startle and amaze many. The tact of managing his farm and hired help is Avell worth imitation by all who find that their bane is poor help. He is particular in his first agreement with his hands, so that no misunderstand- ing may occur by which either party may be disap- pointed in their expectations; and then he is also in sympathy with them because of a rule he has of not 420 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUBKE. asking too much, knowing that human endurance has a limit both physically and morally. He requires no extra labor, however trivial, that is not compensated by its equivalent in pay. There are over thirty souls that live and are dependent on the labors of this farm. When the bustle and hurry of spring, summer and fall work have somewhat relieved the constant friction of their bearing on the hired help, Mr. Hall gives them a social entertainment, in which they have music, together with a choice selection of the crea- ture comforts. On one occasion the Madison brass band resolved to compliment Mr. H. and family by a serenade, and engaged an express wagon to carry them out to his house. After discoursing some of their sweet strains, the hospitalities of the house were kind- ly proffered them. The teamster having delivered his charge, tied his horses in a convenient place, and prepared for a night's frolic. As the hours moved on, the horses became restive and finally broke loose and ran away. "When informed by some one of the fact, the driver, who was of Teutonic origin, came rushing out in an excited state, addressed every one he met with the exclamation: " "Who tie mv horse loose ! Who tie my horse loose f " The horees were after- wards found tied loose, about two miles distant on the Token Creek road. Mr. Geo. J. Margerum, lately of Youngstown, Ohio, has bought the farm, on section 22, formerly owned by II. P. Hall, and now known as " Fairview Farm," and has made some very extensive changes there. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BUKKE. 421 The improvements are of a superior character and he seems to take advantage of his opportunities, as may be seen by the neat and useful observatory he has constructed; in putting his windmill to a double purpose. The frame is boxed in with wood, and neatly painted, while inside a stair is built with conveni- ent platforms at each alternate angle, which leads to the top, and from which a commanding and pleas- sing view is obtained of the rich and beautiful fields, all over the country; the churches of Sun Prairie, the Blue Mounds in the distance, towns of West- port, Springfield, Dane, Vienna, "Windsor, are all set out before the eye in panoramic beauty, while Madi- son, with its surroundings, lies in queenly grandeur in the sunlight of her magnificient lakes. Mr. Margerum intends adding still further to the conveniences of the tower inside and out. He has made some purchases of choice horses, cattie and sheep, and purposes engag- ing in the raising of stock, having prepared his large barn $nd other buildings for that object. Mr. Robert Ogilvie, the present owner of the '76 farm on section — , is engaged in raising pure breed Clydesdale horses. His farm is still kept under good cultivation, although he is much occupied with his business in the city of Madison. He has concen- trated a great deal of attention in the raising of pure stock, but more especially horses. That our readers may have some conception of the character of these horses, we herewith submit a description of them, showing their breeding and pedigree: 422 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — EUKKE. "Marquis of Lorne," two years old, and will now weigh over 1,600 pounds, and from the time he was a foal by his mother's side up to the present, he has never failed to carry away the first honors in any ring wherever shown, at the many state and comity fairs he has attended. "Robbie Burns " is a powerful brown horse seven years old, stands 1G}4 hands high and weighs over 2,000 pounds, on remark- able good legs, great bone and .substance, combined with superior action and good temper. He is pronounced the most perfect model of a Clydesdale horse in Scotland or America, lie was bred by Mr. Wilson Brittlebog, Kilburnie (Scotland) and sired by Rabbie Burns, the property of Mr. Clark, Manswraes, Kdburchan. His dam was also one of the successful mares that carried off the prizes at several of the local fairs in her district. Robbie Burns was first exhibited at the great horse show in Milwaukee, and took second in his class and second in sweepstakes, being beaten in both only by the farfamed "Donald 01111116.' ' He took first prizes hi Quincy, 111., and first at the great horse fair hi St. Louis, which has ever been regarded as the largest and most prominent agricultural fair held on this continent. " Duke of Buocleuch," one year old, a worthy Son of the fam- ous Donald Dimiie. who won the international medal at the Centen- nial Exhibition hi Philadelphia last year. " Princess," a pure bred hn ported Clylepdale mare, six years old, weighing over 1,900 pounds, and has been a first prize winner at every fair where she has been shown since her importation to this country. "Gypsy Queen," five years old; another pure bred, imported Clydesdale mare, who took first in her class two years ago at the great horse show at St. Louis, In addition to the above, Mr. Ogilvie has many other valuable horses, which undoubtedly place his entire stock superior to any other in this state. There are other specialities here, apart from his horses; in the way of good hogs and cattle. The hogs are par- ticularly good, being first prize and sweepstakes winners at our state and county fairs; they are the DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 423 justly famous Berkshire breed, now so popular among the first feeders and breeders of the present day. The cattle are pure bred and graded short horns, and like everything else on the farm, are not to be surpassed anywhere. There is a spring on the farm that is known as the head of the " Clyde Creek " which flows in a south- westerly direction, through the town of Blooming Grove into Third lake. Philo Dunning for some years had a saw mill on the stream, at a place which was known by some as "Millwood." Mr. Henry G ilman owns a fine large farm of 400 acres, on section 22, known as " Hill Side " farm. It was at one time owned by J. V. Robbing, who put a very extensive and expensive lot of buildings on it, and called them the "farm-house," but which were accidentally destroyed by fire, when owned by Dexter Curtis. The thorough and extensive improve- ments which Mr. Gilman has made, rank with the leading farms in town. He has rebuilt a portion of the barns, refitted the elegant white brick house, situa- ted a few rods from the road, beautifully surrounded with evergreens, and is devoting himself entirely to the raising of stock. He is at present engaged in erecting a barn on the old site of the famous Robbins barn, which was the most complete building for that purpose in the state. The new barn will measure fifty by one hundred feet, and is intended as a rival to its predecessor. The well arranged conveniences which surround his farm are not surpassed by any 421 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. other in the county, and he is making it his object to spare neither labor nor money in making it a model farm in every particular. There are two cis- terns, one of which holds 1,500 and the other 1 ,000 barrels of water, that are in themselves sufficient to house both flocks and herds. He has a convenient platform scale in front of his farm, for the use of himself and neighbors, in weighing hay and cattle. His wells are thirty feet deep in the soil, and then drilled through rock the same distance. While the workmen were engaged drilling, they struck a vein of water that precipitated the drill eighteen inches down, and an endless flow of water at any season and under all circumstances was the result. Mr. Gilman is a son of Gen. John C. Gilman-, of Water town, one of the oldest pioneer settlers of the state. He and Tim. Johnson were the first to settle in Watertown, having come in the winter of 1836. In the spring of 1817 he was engaged to locate the school lands in the Mineral Point district, and em- ployed John Douglas as surveyor, to assist him. On the discovery of gold in California, the General im- migrated there, and remaining a few years returned home, then started for Pike's Peak, and afterwards to Montana, where he died in 1869. Soon after the selection of the land for school purposes, and imme- diately at the conclusion of the Mexican war, he, in consequence of his acquaintance with the land, lo- cated a large number of pieces for those who held land warrants, and at the same time located three quarter DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUEKE. 425 sections for himself, in the town of Vienna, which he afterwards bought and sold to his son Henry, who broke up the land and farmed it for some years, but selling out, went into the mercantile business in the village of Sun Prairie, his chief object being to secure better opportunities for educating his children. Hav- ing a good chance to dispose of this business, he sold and bought his present location, the Robbins farm. He has again entered business in Sun Prairie, being a partner in the firm of Gilman, Moak and Weigan. Near the back of his house there is a knoll that is said to be the highest point of land in the town, and which Mr. Robbins, when he owned the farm, was undecided whether to build there or on " Cincin- nati Heights." The view from here is equally inten- sifying in grandeur to that of the others, and with surrounding fields spread round the knoll, is sugges- tive of the times when chiefs assembled their follow- ers around some such eminence for the purpose of harranguing them. A host could be gathered round this spot, and their leader's every gesture and word seen and heard with distinctness. On the opposite side of the highway, there is a portion of land that looks like a twin sister to this knoll, and may at one time have been part of it. It is on Mr. Margerum's farm, and has been opened and excellent stone ob- tained for building purposes. Doctor Wightman and Mr. Damon were the first owners of the farm now owned by La Fayette Stow, on section 23. Mr. Stow has moved the double house 426 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. farther from the road, to a more convenient and pleas- anter place, and built a line, large barn, with a stone basement. On the road between sections 21 and 22, there is a hill known as " Norwegian Hill " (named so because a num- ber of citizens of that nationality reside near there). It has lately been graded and greatly improved. On the top of this hill, N. B. Yan Slyke, Esq., has a fine farm with a good view of the city in the distance. Ensign hill, on section 10, is well known as one of the places where a good view of the county can be obtained. It is called Ensign hill, because a gentle- man of that name owned the farm on this section. It is noted for its cold exposure in winter, so that a common expression among the neighbors is to say, "as cold as Ensign hill." Some of the early settlers are, Mr. Dailey, on sec- tion 33, Gardner Cotrell on 23, A. D. Goodrich on 9, F. II. Talcott On 15, James Sullivan and H. D. Good- enow on 34, C. M. Nichols and George Nichols on 36, Thomas Itathbim on 11, Thomas Sandon and J. P. AV. Hill on 5, Martin Lewis on 1, S. W. Thompson on 12, Torkel Gulekson and Guilder Olson on 24. The farm of Sidney II. Hall comprises one hun- dred and sixty acres of prairie and opening. It is pleasantly situated, and affords a fine view of Madi- son and the lakes. Brought under cultivatian in 1857, it was originally a grain farm, but at present is de- voted to market gardening, and is also the home of a herd of Alderney cattle. An orchard of 500 trees and DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 427 a well 130 feet deep are the principal attractions of the place. From the bottom of this well may always be heard the rippling of an unseen spring. One of the earliest windmills in the country was set up over this well. The farm of Adam Smith comprises 520 acres, on sections 13 and 14, and is beautifully situated. It is part prairie, oak openings and meadow lands, and the house is acknowledged to be the most complete in the county. He came west in 1837, and was one of those who worked on the capitol, and afterward purchased the interest of Pineo, the " shingle weaver,'' and made shingles for the capitol contractors. He kept tavern on his present farm for twenty-eight years, and was the first that staked out the road between Token Creek road and Sun Prairie. He also assisted in laying- out the one between Cottage Grove and the Creek. "When he kept tavern, his house was much fretpuented, and many social gatherings were held there that recall pleasant recollections among many early settlers. As justice of the peace, he sometimes made the law subservient to the circumstances of the case. A thief was once caused to pay the penalty of his crime by walking through the slush roads back to the place he committed the depredation, and after suitable apology and a reprimand, was set at liberty; while on another occasion, he threatened to chastise two clients that would not, at his suggestion, come to an amicable set- tlement. Many and singular samples of humanity put up at his tavern, and if unable to pay, a candid 428 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BURKE. acknowledgment of the fact was sufficient for him, but it sometimes happened that an impostor would try to take advantage of the landlord's generous hospitality. A man of considerable physical power once took breakfast there, and refused to pay because he had no money. Mr. Smith seemed to doubt him, when the fellow, seemingly conscious of his physical superiority, boldly walked off. He was pursued by Mr. Smith, and after a desperate struggle brought back, when $300 in gold was found tied securely round his waist. He was made to pay for his breakfast, and also, as Mr. Smith called it, the legal expenses of bringing him back. Mr. Smith was considered a dead shot with the rifle. The elk horns that were exhibited for so many years at Kodermund's brewery were supposed to be the results of his rifle. The grist mill on section 5 was commenced in 1849 by David C. Butterfield, a peculiar and eccentric man, that in early times did some trading with the Indians. He did not complete the mill, but Rasdall and Loomis bought and finished it, and it is still in operation and a great convenience to the surrounding country. Ras- dall was an old pioneer settler and Indian trader, and was one of the spy scouts in the Black Hawk war. He was accidentally killed by getting into the gearing of the mill. Douglas and Parfey built and owned the grist mill in the south part of Windsor, at Token Creek, and soon after Mr. Douglas became sole proprietor. It DANE COUNTY TOWNS BUKKE. 429 was badly constructed at first, so that new wheels and gearing had to be put in and the dam thoroughly re- paired, making it an expensive investment to the then owner. He now has a half interest it. At Token Creek, in Windsor, near the line, there is a number of springs which are now being success- fully used by Ellis Lawrence as a fish hatchery. He has made two ponds, and has about fifteen hundred trout in them. It promises to be an excellent spot for the purpose he is now engaged in developing. Abner Cady built the first brick house in the town, on section 16, the brick of which he made himself. It is now occupied by Hermon Olson. David Grafton, a veterinary surgeon, who lives on section 3, has a far-famed reputation for his profes- sional skill in the treatment of the diseases of all kinds of Cattle and horses, the latter more especially, and is much sought after amono; those needing his attention. He is a man of remarkably generous im- pulses, and for which he is even more highly esteemed than he is professionally. "Uncle David," as he is familiarly and affectionately called, has a heart too large to be measured by the world's narrow guage. No neighbor ever feels the sharp shaft of sorrow, that does not find in him a soothing and helpful friend in need; and no wayfarer ever passes his house whose wants are not bountifully supplied, and he set on his way rejoicing. He is a man of upwards of seventy years, but yet is so hale and hearty, that he bids fair to outlive many of his juniors. It will be a dark day ■430 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BUKKE. to the town when it shall he known that the "golden bowl is broken, and the silver cord loosed," and "Un- cle David'' gone to his long home. The first and only church is on section 15, with a cemetery attached. It belongs to the Norwegian Lutherans. There is a Grange Hall on section 23, and nine public school houses and eleven school dis- tricts, including joint districts. The track of Madi- son and Portage Hailroad passes through the western part of the town, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul on the southeast, and the Northwestern, the southwest corner. There are cemetery grounds on sections 14 and 26. That part of the road leading out to the Insane Asylum, from Madison, passes over a part of the west- ern line of the town, and is familiarly known as Sugar Bush grove, from the number of maple trees growing there. It is the leading road to the Asylum, and also to several of the towns north of Burke. The town is near the city of Madison, and one of the principal thoroughfares from the city is a leading artery through the town of Burke to several of the towns in the county, and is known as the "Sun Prairie road." It is directly in a line with the State capital in a northeastern direction. It was at one time part of the old military road to Green Bay. That portion of the road lying nearest the city was for years a source of trouble to the citizens, in consequence of the marshy character of the ground leading over the creek, and impassible in spring or wet weather. Mr. DANE COUNTY TOWNS BURKE. 431 II. P. Hall agreed with a number of the citizens to fill up the marsh provided they would contribute to- ward the expense. The work was clone, and is now one of the best parts of the road. Mr. S. A. Cummings is recently from Massachus- sets, and has bought what is known as the "Floral Hill" farm, and is engaged in general farming. David Prindle was an early settler on section 26, and was, before he died, the oldest man in town. He died at about ninety years of age. Washington Woodward, on sec. 11, has some fast horses which lately carried off the prize at Stoughton. C. G. Lewis, son of Martin Lewis, and brother of H. M. Lewis, attorney, Madison, has a fine farm on section one. The road here is beautifully situated for a drive, and those having fast horses often use the street as a place to try their speed. The old gentle- man is about eighty years of age, and drives the cows to the pasture like a youngster. Judge L. B. Yilas owns nearly all of section 36, on which there are some springs that have mineral properties of a medicinal character in them. The soil is good for grain and stock raising, while water is both good and plenty. Some of the best farms, best buildings and modern improvements are to be found in this town, and with its location and numerous advantages will be ranked among the best in the state. The people are of an enterprising, steady character, made up of several nationalities, and noted for a development of a thorough knowledge of agri- cultural pursuits in all its bearings. 432 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DEEKFIELD. DEERFIELD. BY K. O. HEIMDAL. Tins town is the third from the north and south, in the eastern tier of towns in the county, occupying the whole of township No. 7, range No. 12 east, and was set off from Cottage Grove, which bounds it on the west; and organized as a separate town in 1849. The first town meeting was held April 3, the same year, at the house of D. R. Hyer, and thirty-five votes were polled, and the following officers were elected: Allan E. Adsit, chairman; Emery Sampson and George R. Fryer, supervisors; II. L. Foster, town clerk; Benjamin Potter, treasurer; and Martin W. Adsit, assessor. Previous to, and during the early settlement, deer were very plenty, and when the sleighing was good, it was a favorite method to hunt with teams, and generally with good success, and so it was suggested that the town should be called Deerfield. The first house put up in this town was on section 18, on the road from Madison to Milwaukee, by Philip Kearney. The work on the house was done by Judge N. F. Hyer and others. It was intended for a half-way house between Madison and Aztalan, and is said to have been occupied only a short time; but by whom, we have been unable to ascertain. The house was built in the summer of 1839, soon after those long DANE COUNTY TOWNS DEERFIELD. 433 corduroy bridges were finished across the marshes, in the eastern part of the town. The lumber for this house was drawn from Lake Mills, by B. Ingraham, who afterwards settled in the town ; but not having a permanent occupant, it was in a short time ruined, and carried off piecemeal. Judge Hyer, one of the oldest settlers, has cour- teously furnished the following exceedingly interest- ing letter, which we quote in full, and wish he had given us a still further resume of his early Wiscon- sin history. He resided in Wisconsin from 1836 un- til 1849, when he left for the South, on account of ill health, residing most of the time in New Orleans. He still continues to cherish a deep interest in every- thing that relates to the settlement of Wisconsin, both past and present. He writes: In the fall of 1837, Capt. Stansbury, with Lieuts. J. D. Webster and Charles Hagner, of the U. S. Engineer Department, came to Milwaukee for the purpose of expending an appropriation by the government in making a road from Milwaukee to Madison, on the most direct and practicable route. They being unacquainted with the country, Capt. Stansbury sent for me, then residing at Aztalan, to come and pilot them through, which I did. On arriving at Az- talan and finding comfortable accommodations at the house of Thomas Brayton, Esq., who had recently arrived, and discovering it to be very impracticable to ride through on the route to Madi- son, on account of the impassable marshes, I was employed to make the survey through, which I did, but not without some suffering,' as there was some nine miles of the way so surrounded with marsh that it was impossible to get on with team or pack horse, so we had to take on our backs the tent, camp equipage, pro- visions, etc. The day was cold, and we had to wade streams and marshes, and, before reaching the point selected for camping, my pantaloons became frozen to my boots, my boots to my stockings, and 28 434 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — DEERFIELD. stockings to my feet, and my feet, as a matter of course, became somewhat cold, but the sensation was rather that of pain than cold. We soon had a rousing fire; I cut the boots from my feet, and spent most of the night in making moccasins for use the next day. My assistants did not appear to suffer so much. We soon found ourselves tolerably comfortable, and, after partaking of a hearty meal, hastily cooked, began to feel quite well again, and turned in for the night, but soon the sensation of thirst came upon us, when we realized the fact that we had not with us a pad or bucket to get water from the stream (Koshkonong creek) which was near by. One offered to go and get the water, if he had anything to bring it in; another offered his boots for buckets; this being the best we could do under the circumstances, was adopted, and we were thus enabled to quench our thirst. The next day we succeeded in readiing Madison. "Why the Half-way House was built: The next season, in October, 1839, Philip Kearney, a gentleman residing in the city of New York, father of Gen. Phil. Kearney, of the U. S. army, who was killed in the rebellion, sent his nephew P. J. Kearney with an introductory letter requesting me to assist hi Locating some land in Wisconsin. I started with him for Madison, on his way to Mineral Point, where the Land Office was then kept. Our new road not being then opened, we went by way of Sun Prairie, where lived three brothers, by the name of Lawrence, in a small cabin, who entertained travelers as well as they could; there we arrived about one o'clock, tired and hungry; we wanted our horses fed and dinner for ourselves. We succeeded hi getting feed for our horses, but for ourselves they had nothing but one wild goose; nothing to cook him with, and nothing to eat with him when cooked. Mr. K. wanted him roasted; so a fire was made, and the goose strung up for roasting. Those who have not watched the slow roasting of a turkey or goose, when very hungry, cannot realize our condition while watching and waiting for that goose. Mr. K. at length becoming impatient, asked me if 1 woidd not select a place on our new road about half way between Aztalan and Madi- son and have a double log house built where travelers could be ac- commodated. I told him I would, and did; and that is the way the first house in Deerfield was built. Mr. Philip Kearney paid for the land and the house. It now occurs to me that of twenty men, including the three gov- ernment engineers, assisting in making that survey, none are left DANE COUNTY TOWNS DEEEFIELD. 435 save Levi. P. Drake and John Starkweather, of Madison, and your humble servant, Nath. F. Hyeh. The bridges or causeways mentioned above were built for the purpose of facilitating the travel across the marshes by the several stages, whose route lay through the town, and was done by the filling up of the marsh with every kind of brush and waste ma- terial found near by, and then large logs felled and laid across. In the wet season it frequently happened that the stages would drive over these causeways, with the water nearly up to the wheel hubs. The changes incident to the cultivation of the soil have materially affected these roads for the better, and they are now dry and substantial. The first settlers in this town were Norwegians, and and the first Nels Siverson. He settled on section 35, and built a cabin in the spring of 1840. Tie is still living, but resides in Minnesota. In 1842, his brother Ole Siverson, settled on section 33, where he still con- tinues to live. Lars Davidson settled on section 28, the same year, and is still in the town. In June, 1843, Colben Olson and his brother, Stork Olson, settled on section 30, and still continues to reside there; and about the same time, B. Ingraham and David T£. Hyer, the first two Americans in the town, located together on section 9, where the village of Deerfield now is, built a tavern, which they conducted for some years, and then dissolved partnership, Mr. Hyer be- coming the proprietor. For a number of years, it was the relay house for the old Milwaukee, Janesville, 436 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DEERFIELD. Columbus and Madison four-horse stage, where fresh horses were exchanged going or returning, until the Chicago, Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad supplied their more expeditious route. The supplies for the stages were bought and kept here, the oats and hay being obtained from the surrounding farm- ers, and purchased by Mr. Iiyer. Many a jolly load of passengers stopped at Ilyer's for refreshments, and during the session of the legislature extra coaches had sometimes to be sent out, which made lively times for the tavern keepers. Mr. Hyer was the first postmas- ter in the town, and held the office as long as he lived here. He now resides in the town of Springfield, and has furnished us the following facts, which we feel certain are but as a drop, compared with the numer- ous incidents which he must have witnessed and known when he was mine host of the Relay tavern : About the 1st of August, 1842, I commenced with a force of ten men to build a log house on Sec. 9, T. 7, R. 12 E. (now Deerfield), for the purpose of keeping a tavern for the accommodation of trav- elers, who were daily increasing in numbers, and within three weeks completed a substantial building, with six rooms. One night, du- ring our stay, we were much annoyed by wolves, who had caught a deer and devoured it within a few rods from our encampment, small remains of which were found scattered about in the morn- ing. At another time, they made an attack on our cattle, that were feeding near by, and caused a great commotion among them ; they bellowed and ran together, the same as they do when they smell the blood of any of their number slain. None were killed, but many of them showed the marks of the teeth and claws of the wolves. Soon after completing my log house I removed therein, and was appointed postmaster, and the place was duly christened "Deer- field." I built my stables for the accommodation of forty or more horses, and made additions to my house as occasion required, until DANE COUNTY TOWNS — DEERFIELD. 437 the ground floor covered a space of 44 by 74 feet, and could conven- iently accommodate forty or more persons with lodging-; and a dancing hall 32 by 25 ieet, where parties, often from a distance of twenty-five miles, came for recreation. In addition to the mail route from Milwaukee to Madison, a new route was soon established from Janesville to Columbus, with two- horse coaches, via Deerfield. The staging on the Milwaukee and Madison hue increased to two daily post coaches, and often two or three extras, and the demand for oats to feed teams, purchased and furnished by me, amounted to from 5,000 to 7,000 bushels annually for five years. The oats were all raised witliin a radius of ten miles of my house. This much was accomplished about fifteen years from the first survey through the wilderness. The settlers spoken of were only the beginning of more extensive immigration. Lars Torgerson settled here in 1842, and still remains. Charles and Martin Adsits settled in 1845, while Allan E. Adsits and family came in 1846. For four or five years after the first settlement, the town increased in population very rapidly, and has continued to do so up to the present. In 1875, when the census was taken, the population in the town was 906, the largest proportion of which were of foreign birth, such as Norwegians, Germans and Irish. The only streams of any importance are Koshkonong and Mud creeks. The first named enters the town on section 19, and flows easterly into the large expanse of water known as Krogh's Mill Pond, which covers a portion of sections 13, 14, 15, 22, 23 and 24, leav- ing the town on the last section. The pond has been the source of litigation between the mill-owner and the property owners on the edge of the pond, in con- sequence of the large amount of land submerged. The 438 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DEERFIELD. current is very slow on this stream, so that it gives no water-] lower in the town, though over the line in Jef- ferson county there is a mill privilege. Mud Creek enters on section 34, and empties into the pond on section 27. The surface of this town is gently undulating. A portion of Liberty Prairie, lying within the south- western part, is included within its boundaries. The southeastern part of the town is prairie and openings, the northwestern part, bare openings; and the north- east part, heavy timber, with more or less marsh. This timber land was entered by the early settlers in the adjoining towns for timber lots; but as it is now cut off, the land is cleared for agricultural purposes. We have, in the southwestern part, excellent stone quar- ries, both limestone and sandstone. Some years ago, there was a saw-mill built on sec- tion 20, by Mr. Thompson and Mr. Knudson; but just as it was ready to run, the dam broke, and it was never repaired, as the country being extremely level, the damage caused by overflowing was very great. Along these streams are excellent hay marshes, as good as any in the county. In the northeastern part of the town, some of the marshes will, in course of time, be valuable for the cultivation of cranberries. In this part of the town there is a large pond, which is called " Goose Pond," from the great number of these birds frequenting here. Hunters find abundance of duck also, and in the fall of the year it is very much patronized. DANE COUNTY TOWNS DEERFIELD. 439 In educational matters, we have achieved very satis- factory results. We have five good schoolhouses, a number of joint-districts, and some private schools. There are in the town three churches, one Lutheran, Rev. J. A. Ottesen, pastor; one Evangelical Luth- eran, Rev. Rasmus O. Hill, pastor; and the other, Roman Catholic, Rev. Father Maher. Each one have regular service performed by their respective pastors. There are two postofhces in town, one in the vil- lage of Deerfield, Henry Bennett, postmaster; and the other at Nora, near the stone church, on Liberty Prairie, Andrew A. Prescott, postmaster; mail tri- weekly. In the village there is one store kept by Charles Mayer; two blacksmiths shops kept by H. Bennett and Mr. Seeley; and a good hotel kept by Mr. Benj. Baldwin. For years, wheat has been the principal crop raised, but of late, our best farmers have engaged more in w r hat is called mixed farming, raising of stock, and seeding down their land. In 1876, the acreage of the different kinds of crops was as follows: Timothy and clover, 227 acres; wheat, 2,710; oats, 1,078; corn, 1,015; barley, 1,387; rye, 91; hops, 21; tobacco, 30. The facilities for marketing our produce in this town are, on the whole, quite convenient. Marshall and Waterloo are on the north, Jefferson and Fort At- kinson on the east; S tough ton and McFarland on the south and west, so that if we have no railroads, we have the consolation that we have ready access to market. The town has no bonded indebtedness. 440 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CKOSS PLAINS. CROSS PLAINS. BY HENRY WINKLE, Esq. The town of Cross Plains, or town No. 7, north of range No. 7 east, is situated just fifteen miles west of Madison. The town was first settled in 1840, by Edward, Hugh and John Campbell. They were soon followed by John W. Thomas, Berry Haney, Francis Wilson, Thomas Arland and Sylvester Bell, who set- tled in the northern part, and William and Samuel Showers, Itipha Warden, Sidney Morgan, Jno. II. Clark, George P. Thompson, William Howry and David B. Carden, the last gentleman still a resident of the town, in the southern part. The organization and first town meeting was held on the 6th day of April, 1847, and Kipha Warden, Ira Campbell and Jno. H. Clark were elected supervisors; Berry Haney, clerk; William Showers, treasurer; William Howry, assessor. Four school districts were organized. Shortly afterwards schools were opened and teachers supplied. The town received its name from two military roads — one from Galena to Fort Winnebago, and the other from Prairie du Chien to Green Bay — crossing on a plain or piece of prairie land, about the middle of the town, and hence the name " Cross Plains." DANE COUNTY TOWNS CKOSS PLAINS. 441 The town was a favorite hunting ground among the Indians, and was also noted as the residence of Rob- ert Steele, a hunter and trapper, who, as the town became settled, moved away to some other place more suited for his business. In 1845, John Howry came from Virginia and settled on section 19, w T here he still continues to reside. A great deal of suffering was endured among the early settlers, especially among those who came late in the season. Some were obliged to hunt for roots and herbs to sustain them until harvest brought them their grain, which they carried to Madison to be sold, or rather exchanged, for what was then called store goods. Their grists were taken to Pokerville, in Iowa county, about fifteen or twenty miles distant, and sometimes a great deal farther, if they were un- fortunate in finding the mill undergoing repair. The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad crosses the town on the north, and the Madison, Min- eral Point, or Madison and Dodgeville stage road, crosses on the south. The population of the town is about 1,500. The northern part of the town is laid out in three villages, of which the first is Cross Plains. It was platted by the Baer Brothers, who kept a general stock of merchandise suitable for a country store. John, one of the brothers, is still doing an excellent busi- ness. Adrian Yirnig has a grocery and saloon; Engel Uebersetzig, saloon and public hall; Joseph Marx, blacksmith; and Peter Schut, wagon maker. Near- 412 DANE COUNTY TOWNS CROSS PLAINS. ly opposite Jolm Baer's there is a neat Catliolic Church, built in the Gothic style, and with a parson- age attached for the use of the pastor, Rev. John Friedl, and a large building for the use of the parish and parochial school, which is taught by two of the sisters. Toward the northeast part of the village the Hon. Peter Zander, a wealthy and prosperous farmer, and our ex assemblyman, of 1876, has his farm. The next village is Christina, platted in 1856, by P. L. Mohr, Esq., then living in Madison, who had selected this spot for a village, on account of the love- liness of scenery it presented, and gave it its present name in honor of his wife. The Indians, in early times, had their wigwams raised there, and visited it often for a number of years after the white faces had taken possession of it. The three story stone grist mill at this village was built in 1858, by Oscar Mohr and Dr. Francis Fisher, who also erected a number of dwelling houses, and carried on a farming and milling business for eight years. A. Dederich and Charles Herman kept hotel in the village in those times. Her- man Zinkeisen, who afterwards perished on the ill- fated steamer " Schiller," carried on the first and most extensive general store and produce business in the village, which he afterwards sold out to R. Pickhardt. In 1856 the mill was sold to A. Kim- ball, who ran it for three years, and then sold it to Gustave Hering, who put in steam power. Besides being in the milling business, he is largely engaged in DANE COUNTY TOWNS CROSS PLAINS. 413 the sale of agricultural implements of every descrip- tion, and adds to his extensive business both energy and thrift. Herman J. Dahmen is located on the op- posite side from the mill, and has a general stock of merchandise, with a saloon attached; then there is Cross Plains postoffice and harness shop, kept and owned by F. H. Fredericks, who is doing a lucrative business, and whose handsome princely residence is a short distance from the store. Next comes Michael Strieker, hardware store and lumber yard; Edward Lampman, general merchandise store; and two thrif- ty blacksmiths, Charles Brendler and Chr. Koch, with Ph. Baerenklau, as wagon maker. There have recent- lv been erected two new district school houses two stories high, where the higher and lower branches of education will be taught. The next village is Foxville, platted in 1857, by Abijah Fox, one of the oldest settlers of the town, then a farmer, on whose land the depot was located. Mr. Fox bought and shipped the first bushel of wheat from that station, in his block warehouse. Joseph Yirnig and Louis Saemann each keep a saloon here, while the Brendler Hotel, owned and kept by Mich- ael Brendler, is widely known among commercial travelers as a first class hotel, and where mine host, Michael, seeks to make his guests comfortable and at home. William Marxs keeps the blacksmith shop; and Carl Jacobi, a first class store of general mer- chandise. Looking from the depot toward the northern bor- 444 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CROSS PLAINS. der of the town, in the vicinity of Black Earth vil- lage, is a large rift of bare rocks, and going "south about four miles, you find yourself on a small hill in the center of the town, on the farm of John Laufen- bery, an old settler and wealthy farmer; and still far- ther on you behold the valley of Pine Bluff, one of the richest valleys in the town, about three miles square, and a perfect picture in beauty of landscape. It is called the "Ridge." Pine Bluff is a solid ledge of high rocks, on the top of which grow quite a number of fine pine trees, a scarcity in this part of the country, which gives the valley quite a romantic aspect, and from which it takes its name. The Sugar river rises in the southwest corner of of the town, on section 32, and passes through sec- tions 33, 34 and 35, in an eastern direction, into the town of Springdale, in the northeast corner. There is a branch or spring that rises on section 27 and unites on section 35. Near where it enters the town of Springdale is the Mormon Baptismal Pond. In the early history of the town several Mormons settled here, and the whole neighborhood for years were kept in a fevered excitement by the Sunday carnivals they often held George P. Thompson, T. S. Lloyd and George Harlow were some of the leaders among them. George was a son of old Isaiah Harlow, whose grave is in the beautiful burying ground on the hill that is overshadowed with the grove of trees, on Jere- miah Murphy's farm, section 31. There are several DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CROSS PLAINS. 445 of this family buried here, as seen by the neat gray slabs or headstones that mark their last resting place. These graves are designated by some of the neigh- bors (but by mistake) as those of the Mormons. The only member of the family who became a Mormon was the son George, but who afterwards renounced and would have nothing to do with them. Near this same spot is the grave of Mrs. Odell, whose sudden and mysterious death filled the neighborhood with amazement. In approaching the town of Cross Plains from the east, on the Madison and Mineral Point road, we come to the dividing ridge or ancient beach, so well defined and preserved as to be observed by every stu- dent of geology. This beach, or ancient sea shore on this road, comes within ten rods of the east line of the town of Cross Plains. On its summit there is yet to be seen an old log, behind which Ebenezer Brig- ham (the first white settler of Dane count}') and Zach. Taylor (ex-President of United States), slept all night. From the highest part of this ridge, on the Mineral Point road, we have one of the finest landscapes pre- sented to our view that can perhaps be found any- where in our state, taking in the beautiful valley in which the head waters of Sugar river rise. This val- ley is surrounded on all sides by the dividing ridge and its spurs, except an opening of about forty rods on the southeast, through which Sugar river flows. There is a painting now in the land office at "Wash- 446 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — CKOSS PLAINS. ington, D. C, taken from a point on this ridge near where the Mineral Point -road descends into the val- ley, which is pronounced by good judges as being the finest landscape painting in that department. It was made by a celebrated English artist, and lakes in the valley with its undulating prairie, the surrounding hills, and the Blue Mounds in the distance. Any one approaching this valley from the east dur- ing one of our beautiful summer evening sunsets, and who may have paused to view this landscape, present- ing miles of the most gorgeous and grand scenery, must have been convinced, as the English artist was, that here was a view worthy to be transferred to can- vas by any artist. Politically the town is democratic. During the late rebellion, on the first call for men, it sent twenty- two, of whom Hubert Kremer died in the hospital, while most of the others served through the war. It furnished its full quota of men, so that no draft ever occurred with us. St. Mary's Catholic Church is built on a small hill near the bluff, and attached to it, is a parsonage and the sisters' house. There is also a new district school, where John Loehrer keeps store and saloon ; William Cullen, of the Pine Bluff tavern and black- smith shop, and well known as a veterinary surgeon. Henry Winkle is postmaster, and the mail is distrib- uted about four times a week. [Mr. Winkle has filled the office of postmaster very acceptably for over seven years. He keeps store and has a general stock of DANE COUNTY TOWNS CROSS PLAINS. 417 merchandise. Besides being engaged in business, he has also a farm.] Mr. James Bonner lives in the first house built in the town, and known as the old stage house, and which for many years was occupied by Edward Campbell as the relay house for the stages between Madison and Mineral Point. The Hon. Matt. M. Anderson is one of the leading 1 farmers in our town, owning about 350 acres of the best land in the valley. His farm is known by the name of "Anderson's Willow Grove Stock Farm." He is largely engaged in the raising of stock, and has also a large dairy, from which he manufactures a very choice butter, and ships direct to the Philadel- phia market. In 1871 he was member of Assembly for our district. James Farrell, Richard Farrell, M. Casey, Henry J. Bollig, Jacob Kalscheuer, Joseph Wallraffj Jeremiah and Ed. Murphy are some of the leading farmers and stock raisers in the southwestern part of the town. The present town officers are: Henry J. Bollig, chairman, Jerry Murphy and Joseph Schaefer, as Suj>ermsors; Henry "Winkle, Clerk; Bernard Bollig, Treasurer; J. A. Mueller, Assessor. The town has seven substantially built school houses. 448 BANE COUNTY TOWNS — FITOHBTJRG. FITCHBURG. BY DR. WILLIAM H. FOX AND WILLIAM VKOMAN. Fitchburg postoffice and election precinct were established and named about 1841, at the suggestion of that respected and esteemed pioneer patriarch, Eben- ezer Brigham, of Blue Mounds. The precinct in- cluded the townships of land that now constitute the towns of Oregon, Fitchburg, Dunn, and, I think, Rut- land; the place for holding elections and postoffice, at Win. Quivey's, half a mile south of what is now called Oak Hall, in the town of Fitchburg. There were only- ten or twelve voters in the precinct at that time, and no laid-out road except the old territorial road to Hume's Ferry and Janesville, which went by what is now ex-Governor Washburne's place, and round the head of Lake Wingra or Dead Lake, and then through Stoner's Prairie and southeast to Fitchburg postoffice, continuing southeast on the ridge dividing the waters running: to the Catfish from those of Sue-ar river. The old Daniel Baxter road, so called at that time, ran from the south part of Greeu county to Madison via- where the village of Albany on Sugar river now stands, intersecting the former a little south-east of Fitchburg postoffice, and the lead teamster's road from Mineral Point to Milwaukee intersecting it on Stoner's Prairie, east of these roads to Catfish or Yahara DANE COUNTY TOWNS FITCIIBUKG. 449 river, and west to Sugar river. The country was then uninhabited. An Indian trail which ran from their village, at the head of lake Kegonsa, crossed Sugar river, where the village of Bcllville now stands, and went on, I think, to Prairie du Chien. This trail crossed the territorial road a little south of Fitch- burg Postoffice, and was the principal guide east to the Catfish or west to Sugar river. Towards that river the country was then all oak openings, some hilly, clear of undergrowth, so that it was easy to drive in any direction. Towards Catfish the country was more level, small prairies and oak openings clear of underbrush, the land undulating and mostly a good soil. In the fall of 1842, Geo. Fox and I, when look- ing land to locate on, left the trail near where the Cemetery now stands, on the prairie north of the present village of Oregon. We switched off to the north through the woods, to see what we could find, and pretty soon the woods began to look all the same. We were lost, and as the day wore on and we drove pretty fast we began to have a regular frontier appetite. After several hours we brought up at a hunters' camp, where a great many deer and wild duck were hanging on the trees close by. The hunters were absent, but we soon made ourselves at home, and, finding a little bread in a bag, fried some venison steak, and had a delicious dinner, with a drink from the spring near at hand. That spring is the Mr. Murphy spring, dose by the road at Lake View, and 29 450 DANE COUNTY TOWNS FITCHBURG. only about two miles from where we left tlie trail. We got back to the prairie by following the Lake View stream on the south side, to the pass through the hills where the railroad now runs, and soon made our way to the Fitchburg Postoffice, which was also a hotel, kept by Win. Quivey, where we met the hunters, Messrs. Hume and Postle, from Hume's Ferry, on Rock river, at whose camp we dined. They invited us to call again, and all had a good laugh at our getting lost in the woods. There were then, I think, but Jos. Yroman's and three other families, in what is the present town of Fitchburg. In the spring of 1843, Geo. Fox and myself com- menced to break up and improve the lands on which we still reside. John and Geo. Keenan also commen- ced to improve farms close by us, and Messrs. Wm. True, Pritcharcl and Nott purchased lands to locate on. That summer, many eastern people came out here view- ing lands. They liked the climate, soil and general face of the country; but thought it very far to a mill or blacksmith shop. We had no church or school, and few roads so they could not stand it. Our nearest mills were Mr. Hickcox's, in Eidgeway, Iowa county, Beloit, and Columbus, either one about forty miles distant. The nearest blacksmith shop was at Mad- ison, a long road round the head of Lake Wingra, and and the smith not always in a working mood, so that we often had to improvise a shop to sharpen our breaking plows, by heating the share in a fire made DANE COUNTY TOWNS FITCHBURG. 451 of chips, and beating it out on the heads of iron wedges driven in a log. In the fall of 1844, Badger Mill was built by Joseph Yroman, with his brothers George and William, the first settlers of Fitchburg, and William A. Wheeler, of Verona. They gave a large party to celebrate the occasion, and the people for many miles around assembled. The Scotch settlement on Sugar river was largely represented, and Billy Ray played the Highland bagpipes, and the " Highland Fling " was danced to perfection by many a lad and lassie, who are now grandfathers and grand mothers. The mill was a great convenience to the surrounding country, until the stream dried up (it has now been dry for several years). Joseph Yroman owned the first reap- ing machine used in the town, about 1847. What the early settlers lacked in many of the conveniences, of life, they made up in self reliance and that kind of genial good neighborship that is usually found among the pioneers. They were hospitable, cordial, ready to do each other a good turn, and were not much troubled with those kind of cast iron conventionalities which take the heart out of social intercourse. They had few elements of discord among them; no pimps; no winners; and had not the fostering care of that self-sacrificing class of people, whose principal occu- pation is attending to other people's business, and re- penting for other people's sins. In the summer and fall of '44-5, settlers began to come in and buy up lands pretty fast. Some were very poor and could not buy, 452 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — FITCIIBUKG. but would claim or " squat," as we called it, on a piece of land, and the earlier settlers to a man stood up for those poor fellows to protect them in their claims, and keep new comers from buying the lands, or "jumping their claims," as it was called. The Fitchburg Mutual Protection Society was organized for that purpose; had a regular book for each claimer to come and register his claim in, and any person jumping such claim would be called to account by the society, which, in this neighborhood, always resulted in having the land restored to the first claimant. Some of our most thrifty, honest and respected citizens got their present homes in that way. Deer were still very plenty here in fall of '44. One of our neighbors had a dog that caught a large buck by the hind leg, and by some means worried him to- wards the house; the woman of the house, on seeing the deer approach, sallied out with an axe and suc- ceeded in dispatching him. Joseph Fox, now of Ore- gon, happening to be pass by at the time, assisted the woman in taking care of the carcass. That same fall there were a great many bears prowling about. Mrs. Geo. Keenan was spending the day at Geo. Fox's; in the afternoon she started for home, about one and a half miles distant, carrying an infant in her arms; about half a mile from her house she met a full grown bear on the path. She would not turn out of the path into the tall prairie grass, lest she might trip and fall; neither would the bear turn out, but raised himself up for the usual mode of saluta- DANE COUNTY TOWNS FITCHBUKG. 453 tion, and as they met, placed his paws over Mrs. K.'s neck. Mustering all possible strength, she held the baby tight with her left arm, with her right dealt the bear a blow on the side of the head, and spring- ing back at the same time, got clear from him; she then took off her sun bonnet and flung it on the path, which he stopped to smell and shake in his mouth, and thus enabled her to get some distance ahead. But soon the bear caught np again and raised for a charge. Mrs. K. turned and faced him, when with an angry growl he caught her, and put one paw on the baby, causing it to cry. She struck him as before, and sprang back, pulling the baby, while the bear also pulled, tearing off its cloak, and then began shaking it in his mouth, while Mrs. K. again ran for the house, which she gained just in time to save another attack. The next morning the neighborhood turned out to hunt for the bear; did not find the old one, but found two cubs in a thicket not far from the house. The Fitchburg election precinct was merged in the organization of the town of Rome, A. D. 1345 or 6, which included the present towns of Oregon, Dunn and Fitchburg, and was named Rome by some of the settlers from New York state. A road having been laid out from Rooney's on the old territorial road, running north to Madison, also one from near Rock county line running northwest to Fitchburg Post- office, these roads crossed where the present village of Oregon now stands, and it being not far from the 454 DANE COUNTY TOWNS FITCHBUKG. corners of said towns, it was called Rome Corners, and is jet known by that name. The town managed its own local affairs; three com- missioners the county business. At that time the settlers were mostly unacquainted with the luxury of a county training school for legislative aspirants and other tax-eating systems; consequently their taxes were light — about $1,600 in the town of Rome for all purposes — although roads had to be laid out and bridges and court house had to be built. I was the first treasurer of the town, and as both myself and the town supervisors were a little muddy on the law, I concluded to strike out of my bond the word "law" and insert "justice," according to the best of my judgment. The supervisors did not like to accept that bond, but one of them, Mr. Boise, father of the present Mr. Reuben, of Oregon, said although it was a sort of a Hibernian pioneer bond, yet he thought it would be all right, and they finally ac- cepted it. At that time it was the duty of town school supervisors to meet on a certain Tuesday in April to apportion the school money to the several districts. The}? - met on the wrong day and concluded they could not legally apportion the money. Several young ladies had taught school and they wanted their pay. The money was in the treasury, but there seemed to be no legal way to get it out; then the bond came to the relief of the girls. I suggested that if any school trustee would state in writing that the girls had taught school and were justly entitled to their DANE COUNTY TOWNS — FITCHBURG. 455 jjay, that I would pay them on receipt of such state- ment. It was procured, and the girls were paid, to their great joy and satisfaction. About that time an amusing incident occurred, showing the vague and erroneous ideas which pre- vailed to some extent in the eastern states regarding; the western frontiersmen. A man from Massachu- setts came out to see the country and some land in this town that he had bought without previously see- ing, lie came to my house to pay some tax due on his land, and asked to see my books to learn the amount. I took from a bureau drawer a large shot bag containing the town money and papers, untied the string and took out a copy of the tax list. With an astonished look he asked if that was the only book, and if I was in truth the town treasurer. I replied that the settlers were mostly poor and did not care to buy anything that they could just as well do without, and showed him how I kept the account. I put the whole amount of money received into the bag, and when it was paid out I put the voucher into the bag, so the account always balanced. He appeared confused and frightened ; said it might be all right, but he never saw business done in that way; would prefer to go to Madison before paying his taxes. My house was. a log one, and located in the woods, in a lonely place, and he evidently thought that he had got into a trap, for after leaving my house he tried to hire an escort to Madison for fear of being followed and robbed. At Madison he y 456 DANE COUNTY TOWNS FITCHBURG. found it was all right, then returned and paid his tax. In 1847 or 8, the town of Rome was divided, and the present town of Fitchburg organized as the town of Greenfield, which name collided with Greenfield in Milwaukee county, and caused some mistakes in mail matters, so it was proposed to change the name of Greenfield, in Dane county, to Fitchburg, the name of the post-office, and which it still retains. The first town meeting was held at the house of Mr. William Quivey, near Fitchburg Corners. There are nine district schools in town, and two churches. The one on section 35 is Roman Catholic, Rev. Father Butler, j>astor; the other, on Syene Pra- irie, Methodist Episcopal. FITCHBUKG BY WILLIAM VKOMAN. Town 6, range 9, town of Fitchburg, is situated in the central and southern part of Dane county, bound- ed north by the town of Madison, west by the town of Verona, south by the town of Oregon, and east by the town of Dunn. It is one of the best agricultural towns in the county, with very little or no waste lands, about equally divided between prairie and oak openings. The soil is very rich and climate healthy. There are several creeks and springs, of which the Nine Springs, situated in the northeast part of the town, are justly celebrated. In a distance of some sixty rods, nine springs start out of the highlands on the edge of the marsh, and form a creek which DANE COUNTY TOWNS — FITCHBUEG. 457 empties into Third lake, giving sufficient water to carry a mill. Upon this site the State Fish Hatchery House is now located, and a splendid location it is for the purpose designed, having plenty of pure spring water, and a fall of some fifteen or twenty feet to the marsh, and no danger from overflow or freshets. It seems designed by nature for the purpose now used. The state has erected elegant buildings, and the insti- tution is in successful operation. In 1837 the first farm was opened in the town by John Stoner, on section 17. Stoner's Prairie was named after him. He never lived upon the farm, but resided in the then village of Madison, lie went out to the farm on Monday mornings and took his rations with him for the week. He erected a shanty, open on three sides, covered with oak shakes, which turned most of the rain ; a fire in front on the ground for cooking purposes; a bundle of straw and blankets; a few camp stools, constituted the furniture in this cabin, in which he managed to keep open house. Many a weary traveler and visitor has partaken of his hospi- tality, and many a night has the writer of this slept with him in this improvised house, open upon three sides, and nothing- but the broad canopy of shakes. The first settlers in the town were George Yroman, Joseph Yroman and William Yroman, in 1839. They opened a farm on sections 17 and 20, south of and adjoining the Stoner farm, and in the fall of that year built a log house and moved there. This was the first house built between Madison and New Mexico, 458 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — FITCHBURG. now Monroe. They were quickly followed by Dr, William 11. Fox, George Fox, Joseph Fox, James Fox, Rev. Matthew Fox, and the Itev. Win. Fox, their father, (from County Westmeatte, Ireland), William Quivey, Willam True, George and John Keenan, P. Pritchard, Postle, Frank Nott, the Salis- burys, Charles and John Watkins. These were the pioneers of the town of Fitchburg; good, gene- rous, true hearted men, just the men to open up a new country; men that you could tie to; that believed in the golden rule; men of whom you never asked a favor in vain; you were welcome to their homes, and their latch strings always hung out. The times were hard, the people were poor, and they voted to pay their officers fifty cents per day. The writer of this [Wm. Yroman, Esq.] was elected road commissioner (an office now consolidated with the su- pervisor), and has now a realizing sense of the labor per- formed fur the money received. Three towns to travel over, to lay out into road districts, appoint path mas- ters, make out warrants, and lay out roads. I spent twenty days in the service of the town, for which I brought in a bill of seven dollars, and the town board cut me down to four dollars. Four dollars for twenty days' work! Well, the people were poor, and they said we must take turns in holding office. If the politi- cians of the present day were paid as liberally, they would not be as anxious for office. The next year the town was separately organized as the town of Green- field, so named on account of its green grasses and DANE COUNTY TOWNS — ITTCIIBUEG. 459 fields. It retained this name for two or three years, when it was found that there was a town in Milwaukee county of the same name, which had prior claim to the name, and as two towns of the same name in the state made some confusion in postal matters, the name was altered to Fitchburg. Our nearest grist mill, in 1839, was at Hickox, on Wisconsin river, now Helena, some thirty miles distant. But mills soon sprung up all around us, so that at Fulton, Rock county, Cook- ville, Dayton and Badger Mills, four miles west of us in Verona, we had them somewhat nearer. The commerce of the country at this early day was mostly carried on by Sucker team, a large Pennsylvania wagon with from four to six yoke of oxen to haul it. We called them prairie schooners, and they used to go in fleets, sometimes as manv as eight or ten wagons to- gether. These covered wagons going over the prairie at a distance, resembled very much a fleet of schooners, hence the name. Their principal loading on the jour- ney to Lake Michigan was lead, and the back freight sundry goods for our merchants. They carried with them long goad poles, some ten feet long, and a lash to correspond; you could hear the crack of their whip for a mile away. They were the kings of the roads. Everything had to give way for them, until stage coaches were put upon the road, when the driv- ers got long stretches with knives in the end, and raked their teams, sending them bellowing from the road, which caused them to give the stage coaches a wide berth. 460 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — FITCHBURG. In those early days, before the preemption laws were passed, the settlers formed claim clubs for the protection of those that were not able to enter their lands. In the fall of 184-1, I attended a meeting of one of their clubs, near where George Fox now lives. The circumstances were as follows: Two men claimed the same forty of land, one belonged to the club while the other did not; the man that did not belong to the club having obtained the money first, entered the land. A committee of the club waited upon him and in- sisted on his deeding the land over to the first claim- ant; refusing to do so, they then called a meeting of the club, and notified him that they would meet at his house on a certain night, and use such persuasive arguments as would induce him to deed over the land. He remained stubborn, so the club met at his house in the evening, some fifty strong, with axes and guns. They surrounded his house in a rather noisy manner, and a committee, sufficient to fill his house, entered with a justice of the peace, the money, deed and all made out; he finally came down gracefully, by sign- ing the deed, and taking the money, and then ac- knowledging that he signed the deed of his own free will and accord, without fear, favor, or intimidation, although surrounded by some fifty noisy men, threat- ening all manner of things. I do not think the deed was worth much, but it was never contested, and I think in the end justice was done. Some societies were organized on the princij^le of letting those that came in and entered claims, severely alone, agreeing to DANE COUNTY TOWNS — FIPCHBURG. 461 neither borrow, lend, or associate with, them, which soon brought them to terms. I think that Dr. Wm. II. Fox was the first practic- ing physician in Dane county outside of Madison, and had a most extensive practice of thirty or forty miles ride, which was done on horseback. I have heard him say that he has ridden many a rainy day, until his boots were filled with water. He was ready at all times to render assistance, either as doctor or friend, and one of our most A'aluable citizens. Some of the early settlers came into the county in large wagons drawn by oxen. The wagons were covered, and whole families with their household goods would travel in this way until they located. They had a long rope attached to the oxen, and their stock tied on each side of the rope, with a yoke of cattle or horses hitched to the end of the roj)e to keep them straight. There were also what we called emigrants who came by land. Others would come in wagons, move upon their land, turn their wagon- box upside down, and sleep under it; while others would set boards around a tree and move in and cook their meals outside in true camping style, and live in this way with no rent or hotel bills to j)ay, until they could build their log houses. Others would join in with their friends until they could make provision for themselves. Log houses were very elastic in those days — they were like an omni- bus, never full, but always room for one more. The settlers in these early times were very friendly 462 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — FITCHEURG-. helping each other in all things requiring assistance, and would go almost any distance to help. I recol- lect being at the raising of a large barn, in 1839, in the town of Cross Plains, on what was known as the Campbell Farm, near where Mr. Anderson now resides. I think it was the first frame barn raised on a farm in Dane county. It was a large barn and required a good many men to help in raising it. They came from a distance of twenty-five or thirty miles around, from Madison, Sauk, Blue Mounds, and Ridgeway, Iowa county, and a right jolly set of men they were, when they got together on such an occasion. There were but very few settlers then. I think there were only six farms opened in Dane county at this time. In the fall of 1839, there was an election held in the county, for county officers, and only about eighty votes polled, which also included Sauk county. I remember attending a Fourth of July celebration, in 1845, in the Scotch settlement in the town of Verona; the attendance was from the towns around. The programme was for fun generally, and we had it. Rifle shooting for sheep, home-made Scotch whisky and beer, playing base ball, dancing the " Highland fling" on the green, with Billy Ray and his bagpipes for music. We had more real en- joyment than can be had at any celebration at the present day. But as the mixing of Scotch whisky and beer did not agree with all, some went home w T ith a brick in their hat. DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANE. 463 DANE. BY ROBERT STEELE AND MANSFIELD ARRIES. The town of Dane is situated in the northwestern part of Dane county, being town jS~o. 9 north, range No. 8 east. The town of Dane derived its name from the old Dane postoffice. The surface of the town is quite rolling, and in a few places there are precipitous bluffs. When in its natural state, the town was about equally divided be- tween prairie and timber land, the principal part of the prairie being in the eastern and the timber in the western. The greater part of the town is quite des- titute of water. The only stream of water has its source on section eight, and running in a northeast- erly direction, crosses the county line near the north- east corner of section four, being the stream on which the Lodi Mills are situated. In some respects this is a remarkable stream, and it is doubtful if any oth- er stream in the county can equal it. Its principal source is what is known as the " big spring," and this alone furnishes fully one-half of the water that drives Mr. Andrews' mill at Lodi, only three miles distant, the stream being fed entirely by springs, from which it derives its name, " Spring Creek," and is not affec- ted by the severest drought, but furnishes a uniform 464 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANE. supply of water the year round. The bottom lauds along tliis stream are of the best quality for growing various kinds of grasses, very little being marshy or too wet to be drained with trifling expense, and thus be made the best meadow land in the state. These bottom lands along this creek and a small portion of sections 34 and 35 are the only wet lands in the town. The scarcity of water and the great depth at which wells had to be sunk, was a drawback to the early set- tlement of the town. Many of the wells are from one to two hundred feet deep, and dug through a hard sandstone rock, but the method of drilling, and the use of windmills have almost entirely overcome what at one time seemed to be an insurmountable difficul- ty. Now almost every farmer has an abundant supply of pure cold water, which is brought to the surface with but little expense. The quality of the soil is of the very best for agri- cultural purposes, being a dark brown loam, from two to twelve feet in depth. In the timbered jiortion of the town the soil is a heavy clay loam, and very produc- tive. About seventy-five per cent, of the land is now under cultivation. The remaining twenty-five is the rough or hilly portion of the town, which is covered with a dense second growth of tim- ber, that, if not wantonly destroyed, will furnish an abundant supply of timber for the future. These rough and bluffy lands present to the casual observer an aspect not the most pleasing, and it must be ad- mitted they are a drawback to the town, yet they are DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANE. 465 not an entire waste, for had they all been tillable they would doubtless have all been brought under cultiva- tion, and left the town destitute of timber, and per- haps made water scarcer than heretofore. There is another advantage derived from them, that is the abundance of limestone they contain. A good quarry can be found on almost any section in the town con- taining an inexhaustable quantity of stone of the very best quality for building purposes. "Wheat was the staple product of the town for the first twenty years, covering a period of time from 1850 to 1870. During this time there were but few failures of the crop, and all that was requried of the husbandman was to break up the virgin soil, sow the seed, and a bountiful harvest was insured. For seven or eight years this crop has been less cultivated, and it is doubtful if the wheat crop of the town for three years back has paid expenses. As the continual drop- ing wears the rock, so the continual cropping of wheat has so exhausted the soil, or those properties of it which are necessary to its growth, that a paying crop was very uncertain. The system of farming has under- gone a great change in the last few years, mixed hus- bandry being adopted by nearly all. The raising of stock and the dairy products are the leading features of farming at the present time, and promise to be very successful. The soil is well adapted to the growth of clover and other grasses, never failing to produce a bountiful crop, except in cases of severe drouths. Corn, oats and barley produce good crops 30 4:66 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANK. under ordinary circumstances. A large portion of the grain is fed out on the farm, and the farmers are beginning to realize that by keeping stock their lands are rapidly increasing in the productiveness of such crops as are required for stock raisers, and which, du- ring the past eight years have done much toward the improvement of cattle, hogs and sheep. A cheese factory has been in successful operation at Dane station, for three years, manufacturing the milk of 250 cows, and averaging 65,000 to 70,000 pounds of cheese annually. There is also another, more recently started, adjoining the Win. T. Leitch farm, by George R. Hoisington, which is being very favorably patronized. Fruit has received considerable attention, but not with the most flattering results. A few of the hardy varieties do well and pay for cultivation. Small fruits are cultivated to some extent, and with a fair degree of success, doing much better than the apple or pear. It is always interesting to recall the scenes of early life, although it may have been one of toil, privation and hardship. We like to think of the past and talk of the thrilling events connected with it. The old sol- dier likes to dwell on the past, and repeat the incidents connected with his life, while the sailor loves to recall the perils of the deep. But in no department of life can we find anything of more interest than we find in the pioneers of our country. We like to see the man that built the first cabin in any town, county or state; that struck the first blow in opening up our DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANE. 407 country to civilization; that took the first step in the organization of civil government. This honor must be accredited to Freedom Simons, the first settler of the town of Dane. He, with his family, consisting of his wife and children, immigrat- ed from Cayuga county, N. Y., landing in Milwaukee on the 6th day of September, 1842. To give the reader something of an idea of the privations and hardships which the early settlers endured, we will give a few incidents in the life of this pioneer family. Arriving at Milwaukee on board a steamer which came to anchor at a considerable distance from shore (there being no docks or piers), they were taken on board a lighter and landed safely where the city of Milwaukee now stands. One small warehouse accom- modated all the freight business of the state at that point. After landing, Mr. Simons set to work to find means of conveyance from Milwaukee to Prairie du Sac, the place of his destination. At that time there were no public means of conveyance; no horse teams to be had, so he chartered Avhat was known in those days as a "Sucker team," which consisted of five yoke of oxen. After six days travel, he reached the place of his destination. In the spring of 1843, he settled in what is now the town of Springfield, near where Hyer's hotel stands, which was the only house between Fourth lake and Prairie du Sac, and took part in the organization of the voting precinct, consisting of all the territory be- tween Fourth lake and the Wisconsin river. At the 468 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — DANE. first election seven votes were polled, and Mr. Simons elected justice of the peace; lie also received the ap- pointment of post master, and the office was named Dane, after Dane county, through the influence of Mr. John Catlin of Madison. In 1845, he moved and settled on section 32, in the town of Dane. Mr. Simons was not only the first set- tler in the town, but one of the pioneers of western Dane countv. In November, Mrs. Simons gave birth to a son, the first white child born in the town. He is now liv- ing in Minnesota, bearing the name of his grand- father, Sardis Dudley. Mr. Simons took part in the organization of the town of Dane, and was elected to the office of assessor. He is a man of great energy and force of character, never neutral on any question, and always taking an active part in town affairs. He is now living in the village of Lodi, enjoying a green old age. In the autumn of 1845, Patrick Malone settled in the town and engaged in farming and lumbering. He died of cholera in September, 1850. Early in the spring of 1846, Mr. Joshua E. Abbott settled on section 6. He was one of the pioneers of Wisconsin, a native of Canada, and came to Wisconsin in 1836. He was married at Mineral Point in 1840, to Miss Elizabeth Skinner. The tide of immigration having fairly set in, Gr. O. Babcock and J. R. Waterbury, from St. Lawrence Co., K. Y., and what was known as the Ohio settlement, DANE COUNTY TOWNS — DANE. 469 from Ohio, came in during the summer. This was a valuable acquisition to the town, and it is seldom that a settlement is made up of men and women as well qualified for pioneer life; all, men of a high moral character, and in possession of a liberal education. They wielded a powerful influence in shaping the moral sentiment of the community. Prominent among them were Dr. Eben Blachly, his brother Bell, A. J. Luce, "Win. Dunlap and Samuel Bell. In this settlement the first school district was or- ganized, and the first school house in the town was built in 1S47; Miss Sarah Blachly teaching the first term. Miss Blachly was married to Bev. Dr. Bradley, of Siain, in the fall of 1848 (the first couple married in the town), and immediately left for their distant field of labor, and a^e still engaged in missionary work. A Congregational church was organized in 1848, with Rev. Mr. Blachly as pastor. The sketch of this settlement would be incomplete if particular mention was not made of Mr. Luce. He was a man of strong convictions, a fine public speaker and an admirable debater. He was an active politician, thoroughly devoted to the cause of free- dom. Many of the politicians of Dane county will remember him from the heavy blows they received at his hands in the discussion of some of the issues of the day. He died in the spring of 1863. Among the early settlers were Mr. Otto and Peter Bapp and family. In the summer of 1848 a large number of settlers came in, among whom were the 470 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANE. Steeles, Riddles and Strangeway. A large majority of the early settlers were from New York and Ohio, and of the best class of society. The following, taken from the records of the town, will show the steady increase of the voting popula- tion, and the men elected to the respective town offices : The first town meeting was held at the house of William Dunlap on the 4th day of April, 1848. George O. Babcock was elected moderator, and Bell Blachly and Josiah Fitch, inspectors. D. C. Miller was elected chairman, Alfred Newman and J. II. Waterbury, supervisors. Alfred Newman, town clerk. Nathaniel Martin, John Miller and W. G. Winters, school commissioners. Sperry Tinker, treasurer and collector. John Miller, Freedom Simons and Nathan Martin, justices of the peace. At this time there were twenty-seven votes in the town; in 18G0, two hundred; while in 1876 there were two hundred and eighty. It will not be out of place to notice some of the privations and hardships incident to pioneer life. A large majority of the early settlers were men of lim- ited means; all were engaged in opening new farms; houses of the rudest bearing were built to shelter them from the pelting storms and the biting frosts.; fire places in one end of the cabin and the old tin oven answered for all the purposes of stoves. Economy of the strictest sort was practiced to procure the necessa- ries of life. The wool was shorn from the sheep, DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANE. 471 carded, spun and woven by our good wives and moth- ers to make clothing for the family. Threshing was done by means of oxen treading out the wheat upon ** the ground. The wheat was taken to mill with ox- teams, taking three or four days to get a grist to mill and home again, Badger Mills being the nearest. Wheat could seldom be sold for money or traded for groceries without hauling it to Milwaukee by team, and not unfrequently the expenses ate up the load. What would the farmers of Dane think if they had to haul their wheat one hundred miles by wagon and sell it for forty cents per bushel ? And yet the universal cry of 1877 is '-'•hard times.'''' The common method of traveling was on foot or with ox- teams. Traveling with a horse-team and lumber wagon was a luxury seldom enjoyed. What a change has taken place in less than one-third of a century. The old pioneer, when he looks around, pauses in breathless silence and wonders if this can be a reality. Then he could stand on our prairies and see no trace of civilization. The Indian and the wild beast roamed at will over this beautiful country. From the time the first blow was struck, the work of civilization has gone steadily and rapidly on, and now the waving fields of wheat and corn greet the eye in every direction. The log cabin has given place to the Btately farm mansion, the hovel to the large and commodious barns, and the old rude implements of husbandry to the latest and most improved farm machinery, so that as much can now be accomplished 472 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — DANE. in one day, with the same motive power, as could in three days, twenty-five years ago. The farmers are now no longer obliged to spend a large portion of their time in marketing the products of their farms, being well accommodated with railroad facilities. The Northwestern railroad runs nearly through the town, crossing the town line on the east side, about half a mile from the southeast corner, running in a northwesterly direction, crossing the north line at the corner of sections two and three. The action of the town in aiding the Northwestern Railroad Company in building the road shows that the people of the town are awake to everything that pertains to their interest. The town was asked to subscribe ten thousand dollars stock to the Baraboo Air Line Railroad, which was virtually a bonus of that amount to the Northwestern Railroad Company. The amount was promptly voted, and the bonds of the town given for the stock. About the time the bonds of the town were given, the raiload company made the town the following proposition: That they w T ould buy the stock at thirty per cent, if the town would pay the balance due on the bonds in cash. Un- der the able and judicious management of the town board of supervisors, Mr. II. H. Brearton being chair- man, the seven thousand dollars was paid in two in- stallments, with seven per cent, interest. Thus the entire indebtedness of the town was wiped out, and its financial condition is good. Town expenses are generally light, but little being required except for the salaries of town officers and school expenses. DANE COUNTY TOWNS DANE. 473 Dane Station is situated on the Northwestern Rail- road, and is a flourishing little village. The princi- pal business men of the place are: M. Arries, dealer in farm produce ; O'Dwyer & Arries, druggists and dry goods merchants; M. Roland, dry goods merchant, who is also building a new warehouse for the pur- chase of produce; Knuteson & Bro., blacksmiths and wagon makers; Theodore Stuchen, wagon maker; F. Anhalt, harness maker; A. Ballwey, shoemaker; M. O'Dwyer, postmaster; N. Opdahl, meat market; N. Little, blacksmith; John Hochstine, Joseph Cla- mes, Nich. Little, saloon keepers. About one-half of the population are of German nationality, Americans, Norwegians, Scotch and Irish making up the balance. The climate is very healthy. No maliarial diseases were ever known to originate in this town. For healthfulness of climate, fertility of soil, rail- road facilities, etc., Dane compares favorably with the best towns in Dane county. A large German Catholic church was built in 1875. There are four school districts and eight joint in town. The present town officers are as follows: Supei'visors — Thomas Leitch, chairman, William Rapp and Seth Benjamin. Town Clerk — William T. Leitch, Jr. Treasurer — Peter B. Doane. As- sessor — Frank X. Endres. Justices of the Peace — William T. Leitch, Jr., G. W. Bell, and Richard Ferrill. 474 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MONTROSE. MOKTROSE. BY H. E. STORY. This township lies on the southern line of the coun- ty, which separates it from the town of Exeter, Green county, and consists of township 5 north, of range 8 east. It is fifteen miles southwest of Madison. The soil of the town is quite varied. The north half is a heavy, clayey soil, mostly oak opening; the southeast part is rather light, warm and sandy; the southern part is mostly timber and prairie, and is ex- cellent soil. The whole town is well watered, Sugar river running through it, entering on section three and passing into Green county on section thirty-five, and also by the west branch of Sugar river, which enters the town on the western boundary at section eighteen and empties into Sugar river at section twen- ty-eight. A number of large springs are also well distributed over the whole town. The surface is roll- ing, timber well distributed. The whole is well adapt- ed to stock raising and the dairy business. There are good marsh lands on the streams. The early settlers were Daniel M. Holt, John "Webb, J. M. and P. "W. Matts and Geo. McFadden. The town was organized February 11, 1847. In 1838, when Mr. Robert Ream (the father of "Wisconsin's sculptress, Minnie Ream, proprietor for DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. 475 a number of years of the Madison House, or first house built in Madison, at one time owned by Eben Peck), in company with W. C. Wells, traveled from Monroe, then known as Xew Mexico, and passing through this town towards Madison, which was the only market for produce from Green county in those days, camped the first night at Grand Springs, or on the land that was afterward entered by Mr. Mc- Faddeu, but which was not at that time known as the Springs. After cooking their supper, and hav- ing a little fear of the wolves troubling them, they kept a good log fire burning, but did not remain long in the pleasant enjoyment of their frugal meal before they were completely surrounded with droves of of snarling, barking, prairie wolves, but keeping a rousing fire all night and singing negro melo- dies and camp meeting songs to help the general con- cert of the roaring, crackling fire and the infernal howling of the wolves, they very early next morning took leave of their new friends. Finding the old road very crooked and uncertain, they were the first that blazed the road between here and Madison by way of Stoner's Prairie, and which for a number of years w r as used as the public highway. Mr. Ream says that when he returned from Madison he made the journey to Monroe on foot in one day, a distance of forty miles by the road, and was obliged to wade the Sugar river and a number of its tributaries, to- gether with several large marshes, which resulted in bringing on a severe attack of rheumatism. 476 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. Mr. Ream was brother-in-law of Mrs. McFadden, of Grand Springs, and in speaking of the trouble of wolves he relates that on one occasion when returning with a load of provisions from Green county, his sis- ter put him up a good tin can of butter to carry home to Madison. The possessor of a good bucket of dairy butter was in those days a matter of envy by all who knew of it, and while passing over the rough roads and anticipating the pleasure he would have on reach- ing home and showing his prize, he unconsciously tip- ped out the basket and traveled four or five miles before he missed his treasure. Taking one of his horses out of the wagon, which he mounted, he started back, but only reached the place where his loss occur- red in time to scare off a pack of wolves that had not only devoured the butter, but had gnawed the bucket in pieces. Mr. W. W. "Willoughby, one of the old pioneer set- tlers, speaking of the condition of things when he came, says: Myself and family arrived in the town of Montrose at noon on the 16th day of May, 1846. Starting from Chautauque county, New- York, we were twenty-two days on the road. We put up at the house of Mr. Geo. McFadden, where we relished, with a keen appe- tite, the pork and beans set out before us for dinner. We encoun- tered a great number of hardships in consequence of the rainy weather, the muddy roads being such as to very much impede our progress. Vegetation was pretty far advanced, and the whole country looked beautiful, but we had become so mystified in our continued traveling, that the sun would persist in setting in the north and rising in the south. Go where we liked, it would remain so until time wore it out. Religious services were always held in summer in Mr. McFad- frtr DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTKOSE. 477 den's barn, and in winter, in the house. The day after our arrival being the Sabbath, the Rev. Mr. Bunting preached from the text : '"Are not the waters of Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them and be clean?" In two or three weeks after my arrival, I raised a balloon-frame house, the first in the town. There being but one sawmill hi the county near at hand, I had to take my turn in getting lumber from the mill, which was about once in two weeks, and then I would get a small load of clapboards to nail on. In the meantime we had no roof over our heads, only a carpet, which did very well except when it rained, and it seemed as though that was every night. The only way we kept dry was for my wife and child to sleep under the umbrella, while I hung my camlet cloak slanting on some chains. With all these inconveniences I enjoyed myself hugely, but my wife would get homesick once in a while, and would often make tea five times a day to get rid of it. Tea is a good medicine for homesick people, and I can recommend it from experience. About three months after we came, we were able to keep dry in our own house, and, though small in size, we often had as many as eighteen living with us. Sometimes as many as three famDies of our friends would stay with us from five to six weeks, until they got located. The first school kept in this township was taught in my gram barn, Miss Kate Killroy, teacher. All the children for two miles each way made a school of over twenty scholars. We were good friends and neighbors in those days, when we lived five and six miles apart. It was in these times that we drove ox teams to Mil- waukee, got forty cents a bushel for wheat, and took eight days to make the trip. Deer were very plenty then. I remember inviting my wife to go hunting with me (I never was much of a hunter, but I killed a deer once in a while). Starting with my team, I had not gone over half a mile from home before I came broadside upon a big buck. Leav- ing the reins to my wife I drew up my gun, but it shook so I missed the deer, and my wife teased me so much about it that I never asked her to go hunting again. The time of my first visit to Madison was in June of the same year I moved here, and I went with Mr. and Mrs. McFadden. We were entertained at the house of W. W. Wyman, who printed the whig paper, and politics ran very high then. His daughter Emily 47S DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MONTROSE. invited my wife to go into the printing office, and her introduction of my wife to her father was, " Father, give this lady a paper; she is a whig." She had made the discovery that my wife was a whig, which in after acquaintance was the cause of many a laugh with Miss Emily, who is now no more. I still live on the farm I entered from the government, and but few of my old neighbors are left here with me. The year 1846 was a very sickly season; almost everybody in our part of the country had the ague, and before I had been here three months I was taken down with a sickness the nature of which I did not know. There was no doctor except Dr. Fox, and he lived fifteen miles away. I found it necessary to consult some one, so Mr. McFadden showed me the Indian trail, and told me to fol- low it and it would take me to the doctor's house. I obeyed in- structions and found him. He was sitting in his chair, prop- ped up with pillows and bed quilts, and his wife trying to make him comfortable. It seemed he had had the misfortune to fall into a half dug well, having been called up the night before, and had broken some of his ribs and sprained an ankle, and was smashed up in general. But all of that did not prevent him from administering to his patients. He told 7ne I had the ague, and gave me some medicine. I continued after that to have it about one year off and on. I had but little means left after my farm was paid for; in fact, nothing but my hands, and I truly thought it looked like a sorry day for me. But there was a good deal of teaming at that time from Illinois with flour into the pineries, and one man being too heavily loaded, sold me a barrel of flour for twelve shillings. None knew how thankful I was for that good fortune. My wife and Mary Kill- roy were the only women in this part of the town that escaped the ague. A family from Vermont, named Rogers, who lived about one mile from me, with a family of seven children, were all down with it, and my wife and Mary used to take turns in baking bread for them. I being sick, my wife would have to hunt the cows at night, and as we had heard awful stories about snakes in Wiscon- sin (she was terribly afraid of them), she would put on my high topped boots, and when she came to high grass (it was pretty high in those days), she says she ran through it for dear life. Prairie chickens were more plenty in my dooryard than tame ones. The first one I ever saw was on the other side of Beloit. I DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. 479 heard a strange noise in the marsh, so I took my gun, thinking of wolves all the time, and started to see. When I came hi the vicinity of the groaning, to my astonishment it was nothing but a bird, stamping around with its feathers all in a rumple, and wliile 1 was contemplating and wondering what the d — 1 ailed it, it took wing and left. The first postoffice established was called Grand Spring, and re- mained so until Belleville grew up a village, when it was changed to that place and name. I think our town was first named Grand Spring by Mr. McFadden, after his spring, but there were so many townships that had a spring in their name that the legislature did not grant their request. I think it was named Montrose by P. W. Matts, Esq. For thirty-one years I have enjoyed Wisconsin life. Whether I live thirty-one years longer or not, I know they will not be any hap- pier. W. W. WlLLOUGHBY. BELLEYILLE. The village of Belleville is situated on the west bank of Sugar River, on the south line of the county, twenty miles southwest of Madison. It is surrounded by an excellent farming country, well adapted to stock raising and dairy purposes, which is now be- coming the most profitable business in the county. A large portion of the farms are stocked with sheep. The splendid stock farm of William Lysaght's of twelve hundred acres is near the village; he is the largest and most successful stock raiser in the state, and bases his plans on practical and scientific prin- ciples. His influence among the farmers, by his knowledge of stock raising, has been a great benefit to the town. He is a gentleman of superior educa- tional attainments, high minded, reliable and honora- ble, having resided here since the first settlement of the town. 480 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. The raising of stock on small farms is now very ex- tensive, and is daily increasing, resulting from the continued failure of the wheat crop for the last fifteen years. Farmers having thus been forced into the stock business have given their land rest, and en- riched it, where otherwise it was becoming impover- ished by the raising of wheat. John Frederick located here in 1847, and built a grist mill the next year; he was the first settler on land now occupied by the village, and built the first dwelling house. In 1848, the village was laid out by John Frederick and John Mitchell, owning one-half, or twenty acres each. The village was name*., af u- i' Frederick's native place, Belleville, Canada West. The first marriage solemnized in the village, was by the Rev. Matthew Fox., and in Mr. Frederick's house. The first store was built in 1847, by John Sylvester, and occupied by him till 1857, when he removed to Kentucky, his native place. The first district school was organized in 1846, now district No. 3. A meeting was called for all the legal voters in the town, and the attendance was quite large for that time. The especial object, aside from the organization, was the location of the school. After quite a discussion upon the subject, it was found on examination that there were but two legal voters, Geo. McFadden and ¥m. Morehead, and they located the school, However, the remainder retired quietly, and were afterwards well satisfied with the location, it be- ing near the center of the town. There are now sev- DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. 481 en school districts in the town which compare favor- ably with any in the county. The first school house was built in 1847, an octagon building, one story, and intended at that time to ac- commodate about forty scholars. The present school house was built in 1869, 28 by 36 feet, two stories high, and will bear comparison with any village school house in the eounty. The first religious society formed, or organized in the township, was Presbyterian, in 1817, Rev. Matthew Fox, pastor. The meetings were held from that time until the village was laid out, and the school house built, in Geo. MacFadden's barn, at the Grand Spring Farm. Mr. Fox continued to preach once in two weeks, for some time, with great satisfac- tion, till about 1861. He was honored and respected by all who knew him, for his energy, manliness, and the honesty with which he gave expression to his opinions and sentiments. The church is still in a prosperous condition, and is composed of some of the wealthiest citizens. Rev. Matthew Fox speaking of his early ministerial work among the pioneer settlers, says: Geo. McFadden was one of the early settlers in the section of country now known as the town of Montrose; he established him- self near the Sugar river some 18 miles S. and E. from Madison. There was a large spring, and on that he built his log house. At that time there was considerable teaming to the pinery of Wis- consin from Northern Illinois. Mr. McFadden's residence was in the line of travel, and teamsters used to put up there attracted by the spring, his comfortable barn and ample board. The place 31 1S2 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. was known as Grand Spring. Shortly after my arrival in Wiscon- sin, in 1845, 1 was invited to preach here, and after some time established regular services. For a while I preached in Mr. McFad- den's barn, afterwards in Iris house and at a later day in a school house. I organized the Presbyterian church (now known as the Presbyterian Church of Belleville) in that barn, and there administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The place where Belleville now stands was then a wilderness. There was an Indian trail from Second Lake to Sugar river, and that trail was my guide in those early days. 1 also preached at the Badger mills before the town of Verona was established, and at the residence of Mr. George Robinson held regular services. There I or- ganized the Presbyterian church, now known as the Presbyterian Church of Verona. I commenced my ministerial work in the place now known as Ore- gon in August, 1845. The bar-room of the Rome house was my church. After a year's labor I organized a Presbyterian church. Caleb Spooner and Charles P. Moseley were the Elders. The amount of salary raised for me during the second year of my ministry at Oregon was twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents. But few of the first members of the church ar - e now living. In a pastorate of so many years, I have witnessed great changes; have had experience of great hardships; have received many signal blessings and have had many precious evidences of affectionate regard; here I have spent the vigor of my life, and here, as the shadows of life's evening are gathering, I am waiting for the voice of my Redeemer to call me Home. In 1856, our house of worship was built; our membership as per session record is some 90. In 1853, a Free Will Baptist society and church was organized here, Rev. Benjamin Davis, pastor. It continued but a few years and then died out. About 1817, the Methodists began to hold meetings here, and have continued to do so with varying suc- cess, up to the present. In 1856, a Baptist society and church was organ- ized, Rev. Mr. Whitman, pastor, and prospered well DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. 483 under his ministration. In 1858, the society, with the assistance of each of the other religious bodies, built the first church, which was also used by the other denominations until 1875. The house at this time being badly out of repair, in consequence of a number of those who had taken an active interest in the church having died, or removed from here, so that there were not enough left to interest themselves in the necessary repairs, when it was leased to the Sec- ond Advent Church and society for ninety-nine years. This society was formed about 1858, the Rev. Mr. Hitchcock, pastor, and has continued prosperous up to the present time. Since the leasing of the church to them they have repaired it in a very tasteful man- ner, and it is now quite an ornament to the village. The Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist still possess the right to use it. The first physician that settled here was Dr. E. H. Osborne, who came in 1817, and lias earned a reputa- tion as one of the most successful in Dane county; his practice extending over several townships. He re- tired from practice in 1874 (on account of failing health), with an ample fortune — a large hearted man, ever ready to help all enterprises that would be for the benefit of his fellow man, and respected by all who knew him. The cemetery was laid out in 1855, on land bought of Wellington Willoughby. Until a few years back but little interest was taken in keeping the ground in proper repair, but now there is quite a taste awakened to suitably ornament the grounds. 4S4 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTKOSE. The first blacksmith shop was built in 1848, by Mr. Fuller. He continued in business until 1851, when he returned to Ohio. The first hotel was built by John "Wood in 1851, and to-day will compare favorably with any village hotel. It is in excellent condition, and kept in grand style by the present owner, S. A. Barker, who has the tact and the means to keep a good hotel. The first mill built here was by John Frederick in 1844, a large stone building, but was taken down in 1870. The present mill was built in 1867, by fm. B. Norris, who sold to J. W. Norton in 1870, who now owns and oj>erates it. This is one of the best water powers on Sugar riv- er. There is scarcely one-half the power utillized. It is also one of the safest and least expensive, not being liable to damage by floods, which speaks well for it as one of the best locations for manufacturing purposes in Dane county. The business of the vil- lage at present is two good general stores, H. E. Story and William B. Norris, both doing a good business; J. D. Oliver, harness shop, doing a pros- perous business; D. S. Smith, wagon shop, doing a good paying business; T. B. Withers, blacksmith; Geo. Dyson, shoe shop; C. C. Pease, cheese fac- tory; Miss A. H. Gassett, millinery goods, and doing an excellent business; Miss Kate Sullivan, dressmak- er; J. M. Williams, cabinet maker. The growth of Belleville has been shown from the start, but being located between two railroads forty DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. 485 miles apart, about equal distance between them, it very naturally has a tendency to carry immigration by to newer places, with better prospects for rail- road comforts and conveniences. A route for a rail- road was surveyed from Brodhead to the Wisconsin river in 1856, and another about the same time from Brodhead to Madison. But owing; to bad management and local jealousy, it was never completed. The present spring another has been surveyed from Brook- lyn to Belleville, a branch of the Northwestern, and it is hoped may be built. Should we get a road to this place, we would in a very few years have the largest town in Dane county, judging from the beau- tiful location, ease of access, water power, and well cultivated lands. There are several mounds on the banks of the river, some of them have been opened, but nothing new dis- covered to give any light on their origin. PAOLI BY II. S. TJTLEY. Paoli village is situated on the east branch of Sugar river, in the town of Montrose, five miles north of the county line between Green and Dane counties, the river here having; an average width of about twenty-five feet and the valley of about two miles. Fine farming lands surround the village on every side, and within a few years good and substantial farm houses and barns have been erected. The village was laid out and named by Hon. P. W. Matts, in 1849, and a saw-mill put up by him the 486 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MONTROSE. next year. The water power is gained by a race one- fourth of a mile long, cutting across a bow in the river. The fall is about eight feet. The first store was opened by John Mitchell in 1851. In 1S6J: the mill property was bought by the broth- ers, B. M. and F. H. Mincli, who put up a substan- tial stone grist-mill, using the saw-mill as a storage room. They now do business under the firm name of B. M. Mincli & Co. Others, doing business at present, are the following: "Willliam Fischer, Postmaster, dealer in dry goods and groceries, and proprietor of the Paoli Cheese Factory. William Minch & Co., dry goods, grocer- ies and notions. Henry Goodnow, general black- smith, light and heavy forging. Solon J. Smith, harnessmaker. C. J. Keve, blacksmith. John Mey- er, wagonmaker. Milo Sanders, carpenter and joiner. Miss Mary J. Ulerich, dressmaker. Miss Lucy San- ders, milliner. Mr. Hangartner, shoemaker. Dr. George Pickett, physician and surgeon. Frank Meng, proprietor and keeper of the hotel. Paoli cemetery, one-half a mile south of the vil- lage, is regularly laid out with a central park and pleasantly situated. The St. Kaphael (Catholic) church and parsonage are located in a thriving German settlement two and one-half miles west of the village. The Methodist church was organized about the year 1850 in the log school house, and one of the principal DANE COUNTY TOWNS MONTROSE. 487 preachers of that day was known as Father Fox, a very earnest advocate of the gospel, and father of Dr. and Rev. Matthew Fox, of Oregon. They now have a neat and commodious church building in the village. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Burnip. The Paoli school house is pleasantly situated on the east bank of Sugar river, and consists of two commo- dious rooms well furnished, the school being graded into two departments during the winter term. The assessed valuation of the district is $131,500, and it has 108 children. Paoli Lodge, No. 177, I. O. G. T., meets every Tuesday evening, in M. E. Church. Paoli Grange, No. 476, meets Saturday evenings, every two weeks, in Solon J. Smith's hall. During the winter, the large hall in William Fisch- er's Cheese Factory makes a very pleasant place for social gatherings. 488 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DUNN. DUNK BY WILLIAM E. COLL AD AY, Esq. Dunn, or township 6 north, range 10 east of the 4th principal meridian, lies south of Blooming Grove, and Lake Waubesa, or Second Lake, and north of Rutland, between Pleasant Springs and Lake Ke- gonsa, or First Lake on the east, and the towns of Oregon and Fitchburg on the west. The original name of this town was Rome, com- prising what is now Oregon, Fitchburg and Dunn. When set apart from the other towns, Dover was the name that was intended to have been given it; but in 1848, by mistake of the engrossing clerk of the Assembly, it received its present name. The surface of this town is somewhat undulated, yet not marked by any steep ascents or sterile bluffs; but consists of prairie, oak openirgs and meadow land. The soil on the prairie and a portion of the lower lands is rich black loam, with limy clay and sandy sub- soil in the openings. Madison, the University and In- sane Asylum can be seen from several points in town. The largest stream is the Yahara, or Catfish river, which is the outlet of Lake "Waubesa, or Second Lake, and runs in a southeasterly direction through sections 4, 10, 11, and 14, into First Lake, and then winds its way into Rock river. On section 10, the river widens and covers an area of nearly half a section, or about a mile long and DANE COUNTY TOWNS DUNN. 4S9 lialf a mile wide, and is called the " Wide Spread," or " Mud Lake." This stream is well wooded on either bank with heavy timbers, and a greater portion of the way, the banks being high and dry, afford splendid facilities for milling purposes. The second largest stream is Door Creek, which rises on section 7, in the town of Cottage Grove, winds its way from the north, through sections 1, 12, and 13 of this town, and empties into First Lake. Hook Lake covers an area of several hundred acres on sections 28, 29, and 32, and is stagnant water, fed by small springs and surface water; has no outlet but almost evaporates as fast as fed by springs. High water occurs only in times of rainy seasons. During dry seasons, cranberries are gathered on the marshes. These lakes, with the exception of Hook Lake, teem with fishes of most every species adapted to fresh water, and during the early settlement of this town, were so abundant that they could be taken from the smaller streams by pitchforks. On the lakes, swans, pelicans, geese and ducks were numerous, and the woods abounded with bears, wolves, foxes and deer. On the west bank of First Lake, on sec. 14 and 23, there was at one time a village of Winnebago Indians, and numerous trails and relics are still found, as well as a number of Indian mounds, or cemeteries, where they buried their dead. These mounds are numerous on sec. 23, and also on the point that projects into the lake from the west. Here they have been opened, and remains of Indians found therein, two, three and four having been buried in the same grave. Lead ore is frequently found on sections ltt and 23, in bulks con- 490 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DUNN. tainting from three to fifteen pounds each. Where it came from, or whether mines of this valuable mineral exist undiscovered by civilization, we are unable to say. Abel Rasdall, an Indian fur trader, was told by the Indians that ore did exist in quantities near the lake. A few years since we discovered, on the south bank of the Catfish river, near the lake, a kiln, or place made of stone and clay under ground, where lead ore was smelted by the aborigines, and in the im- mediate vicinity seemed to be a great resort for tribes of savages, as Indian relics are frequently found, such as arrow heads, stone axes, etc. One of the detachments of the army in pursuit of Black Hawk, on his retreat to Prairie du Chien, camped for several days on section 27, where they felled trees to form a strong corral for their horses. The town was first settled by Alvah W. Wetherby and family, on section 21, in 1843. The following year, Dr. Levi Pritchard settled on section 18; A. Witcomb on section 28; Dexter brothers on section 27; Root brothers, one on section 27, and one on sec- tion 7; Richard Palmer on section 18; O. B. Moore on section 1; and William M. Colladay on section 27. In three or four years after the first settlement, the inhabitants seemed to be quite numerous, and in 1848 there were about twenty-five families settled in what is now the town of Dunn. Wetherby having accum- ulated property, emigrated in 1858 to California. Dr. Pritchard practiced as a homoeopathic physician with great success, and gained the respect and esteem of the whole country, and against the real wishes of the people he emigrated to Missouri, where he died DANE COUNTY TOWNS DUNN. 491 about the year 1S70. The Root brothers emigrated from here to Oregon. A. \Vitcomb and the Dexter brothers (Witcomb's nephews) emigrated to Ne- braska. O. B. Moore still resides on his old home- stead. He has held the office of chairman of the town board of supervisors for several different terms, besides various other town offices ; is an energetic Re- publican, and strong supporter of education. Wm. M. Colladay immigrated from Philadelphia to this town and first settled on section 27, where he lived for several years. In 1853 he moved on to sec- tion 23, bordering on First Lake, where he still re- sides; this being one of the finest locations in the country. These commodious grounds and pleasant scenery make it a pleasant summer resort. Picnics, fishing parties, etc., are almost an every day occur- rence; at this writing, July, 1877, there are encamped on the*e grounds several parties, in all forty- two, with nine tents. To give an idea of the natural beauty of this place and lake, we here insert a card verbatim, from a young man, dated London, England.: March 10, 1877. Hon. W. M. Colladay and Family. — While here my thoughts often revert to my many friends in Wisconsin, and especially to your- self and family, and the pleasant occasions spent with you. In all my travels in America and this country, I've not seen a place that, for natural beauty, equaled yours. If 1 ever reach home again in Wisconsin, be assured you will find me again at Colladay 's Point. My regards to all the family. Yours respectfully, W. J. P. The first town meeting was held at the residence of A. W. Wetherby, April 4, 1848; the spring election of the territory at which the state constitution was adopted. Only twenty-three votes were cast, and the following were the first elective officers: R. T. Raw- 492 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — DUNN. son, chairman, "Win. Freeman and Eli Root, super- visors; ¥m. M. Colladay, clerk; Norman Farwell, Henry Farns worth and Joseph C. Swain, school com- missioners; "Wrn. M. Colladay and JR. G. Spaulding, justices of the peace; A. W. "Wetherby, treasurer; Calvin Farnsworfch, assessor. At the last presiden- tial election there were 229 votes cast, and at the last local election 216. During the earlv history of the town, there were no party lines drawn at local elections, but as the Dem- ocratic party grew strong, they took matters in their own hands. Within the last few years the young men have taken an active part in political afl'airs, and the Republican party have gained control. The first public school was taught at the residence of Asa Dexter, by Miss Amanda Soul, now the es- teemed wife of Asher G. Greene of this town. The district then comprised nearly the whole township. The first school district organized was what is now Dis- trict No. 4. There are in town six school houses, in- cluding two joint districts. The amount expended annually for educational purposes is about $1,500. The fiist sermon preached w T as at the residence of "Win. Slater, about \ 847, by the Rev. Win. Fox, an old pioneer Methodist from Ireland. There is one church, erected in 1873, at McFarland, by the Norwegian Lutherans. The Methodist Epis- copal society hold services every other Sunday, alter- nately, at Hoffman's Hall and the school house in dis- trict No. 4. The present pastor is Rev. W. J. "Wilson. In 1855, the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Rail- road Company erected a depot on the northeast quar- DANE COUNTY TOWNS DUNN. 493 ter of the southeast quarter of section two. The vil- lage of McFarland was laid out on section three, by Wm. II. McFarland in 1857, and the depot removed, and the spacious residence of Mr. McFarland erected. The following season he moved his family from Mil- waukee to his new home, where he still resides. He is a hearty supporter of education, and offers to do- nate a site for the erection of a suitable building for a public graded school, of which we arc in much need. In 1856, Eugene Eighmy bought grain at the old depot, and continued to buy after the erection of the new depot until the spring of 1859, when Freeman Eighmy assumed the business and continues to bny, always paying the highest market price for all pro- duce, and every man is sure to get full weight. All in all, we have the best market in the counhy, and a buyer in whom all place the utmost confi- dence; and he in return is worthy of their trust, he is also proprietor of a lumber yard, where he keeps a large stock of first class lumber. In 1868, Mr. Eighmy erected a commodious and substantial warehouse, in which the capacity for storage is ten thousand bushels. Lawrence Eighmy and Philetus Hurd, stock buyers, courteous, gentlemen, are always ready to pay the highest market price for live stock. Eugene Eighmy, a social business man, has a large trade in the mercantile business. O. O. Forton also has a good trade and large stock of general merchandise. H. H. Hoffman has a large convenient store with a small stock of clothing and crockery, and a fair trade. Lloyd Hurd, an energetic young man, has a good business in the harness trade. Lamp, our village 494 DANE COUNTY TOWNS DUNN. smithy, has all the work he can attend to. Shelter & Iieid also have a blacksmith shop. Nelson & Han- son are proprietors of a - boot and shoe firm. Ed. Johnson, dealer in confectionery, boots and shoes. Among our most prominent farmers and stock rais- ers are Geo. Keenan (the owner of the largest real estate and most spacious farm residence in the county), Wm. E. Sherlock, Michael Lally, Win. M. Colladay, Robt. Henry, Knute Daley, Timothy Cusic, James Tusler, Egbert Bennett, Tollif Olson, Morris Brown, Geo. Leitch and Calvin Farnsworth. In common with other parts of this county, until within a few years, the principal crop was wheat; but since, the yield has been so seriously affected by the chinch bug and other unknown causes, the greater portion of the farmers have engaged in raising live stock, and as a consequence, have largely increased the acreage of coarser grain. Through the courtesy of James Tus- ler, the present assessor, we are able to give the offi- cial statistics of the acreage of the different agricul- tural products of the present } r ear (1877): Wheat, 1,449; corn, 3,140; oats, 2,542; barley, 718; rye, 117; tobacco, 149; potatoes, 107; cultivated grasses, 1,740. The following are the names of the present town officers: John M. Sampson, chairman, Knute H. Dally, and Josiah Douglass, supervisors; Osman T. Olson, clerk/ James Tusler, assessor/ Shure Johnson, treasurer/ Amos Prentiss, justice of the peace. DANE COUNTY TOWNS KOXBURY. 495 KOXBURY. BY HON, JOHN T. CLARK. Location. — This town is situated in the northwest corner of this county; is bounded on the north by the town of West Point, in Columbia county, on the east by the town of Dane, on the south by the town of Berry, and on the west by the town of Mazomanie and the town of Prairie du Sac, in Sauk county. It is not quite a full township, the Wisconsin river cut- ting off the northwest corner of section six. The territory which now forms this town was taken from the town of Dane, and the name Koxbury was given to it on a vote of the residents, at the suggestion of James Steele, Esq., who still resides there. At the time of its formation, which was in the year 1849, all the land lying west of the present town and east of the Wisconsin river was attached to Roxburv: but in 1863, the strip of land last described was, by an act of the legislature, attached to the town of Mazomanie. The first officers of the town were: Burke Fairchild, chairman; Lorenzo Fan* and Lorenzo D. Miller, supervisors; James Crowder, town clerk/ Lorenzo Farr, assessor; James Steele, treasurer; Z. Bowers, J. Crowder, George Richards and B. Fairchilds, jus- tices of the peace. Not a German in the list, while now none of the town officer is of any other nation- ality, unless lie be American born of German parents. Surface and Soil. — The surface is much diversi- 496 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — KOYBUKY. fiecl. The hills frequently rise to a great height, and are mostly filled with fine building stone, some of which is made into lime of the best quality. Between these hills or "bluffs," as they are called, when of con- siderable height, the lands are very fertile. Some of the best wheat lands are on the top of high hills. The land is what is called openings, with here and there a few acres which might be termed " prairie." On sections one and two is a beautiful sheet of water, from its transparency called " Crystal Lake." The water of this lake is shallow, extending into West Point, and covers about a section of land. On sections three and four is another smaller lake, covering about a half section of land. This is called " Fish Lake," or " Clark's Lake," from the name of tlie owner of the land on which it is situated. It is not known how deep this lake is. It has been sounded to the depth of eighty feet and no bottom found. These lakes are well stocked with fish. There is also another small lake on sections fourteen and fifteen, called " Crane Lake," and in many parts of the town there are ponds which, with springs here and there, and the "Wisconsin river, supply the stock with water. The people, who are almost exclusively Germans, are engaged in general farming and grape raising. There is no manufacturing carried on, unless under that term wine making can be included. It is be- lieved that there are more grapes raised in this town than in the rest of the county, and perhaps than in the whole state besides. Jacob Kehl, who resides near Prairie du Sac, has the largest vineyard. All over the town may be found sunny slopes where, in the pro- per season, hang thousands of r'.ch clusters. DANE COUNTY TOWNS KOXBUBY. 497 There is no large village or market place in town. Clifton, situated on the Wisconsin river opposite Prairie du Sac, and in the very northwest corner of the town, was once a promising village, but it has not kept pace with the growth of the country about it. In the southeast corner of the town is a small village called "Alden's Corners." Superior City, on the Wisconsin river, was one of the earliest laid out towns in the state, and will be hereafter noticed. The only stores in town are those of B. Renter, near the church and the center of the town, and of P. J. Schleck, near the Sauk City bridge. The produce raised in this town is marketed at Madison, Middleton, Black Earth, Mazomanie, Sauk City, Prairie du Sac (which is connected with Portage by steam navigation on the Wisconsin river), Lodi, Dane station and Waunakee. All points of the com- pass compete for what the town can raise. On the 21st day of July, 1832, the battle called " the battle of Wisconsin Heights," in what is known as the Black Hawk war, was fought here, principally upon sections 19 and 24, and near the present resi- dences of George Richards, Esq., and Richard Taylor. A painting of this battle ground, executed by Brooks, may be seen at the rooms of the State Historical So- ciety at Madison. The thrashing machine represented on this painting was on the farm of Mr. Richards. The Indians and their pursuers appear to have come over the bluff from the southeast. A sort of running fight was kept up while the savages were driven through the vallev, across the lowlands and the Wis- cousin river, and so on to Bad Axe. Many human bones, as well as arrow heads and other paraphernalia 32 498 DANE COUNTY TOWNS ROXBURY. of Indian warfare have been dug up beneath, or found on the surface of the earth in this vicinity. Superior City. — One of the earliest, largest, and most successful paper towns ever laid out in the west, was located in this territory, now called Eoxbury. It was principally upon section nineteen ; beginning near the present residence of P. J. Schleck, Esq., ex- tending southward and down the Wisconsin river, cov- ering the farm owned by T. M. Warren, Esq., and now occupied by John Stein felder, and embracing the Var- nell place, spreading over more than three hundred acres of land. It appears from all accounts that in the year 1837 or 1838, a company was formed in the eastern states, of which company one Floyd seems to have been the principal manager, to lay out a town on the Wiscon- sin river, either with the honest expectation that such town would be built, and legitimate gain be made thereby to the proprietors, or with the hope that a speculation might be made out of such parties resid- ing at the east as had more money and credulity than sound judgment. This, be it remembered, was at a time when such device was new, and no bubble of the kind had ever burst in the land. The town was christened " Superior City," and a most elegant map was made of it, showing the streets, the public buildings and parks, the Wisconsin river on which steamboats were plying up and down, and also navigating the smaller stream, a tributary com- ing down from Crane Lake by Father Inama's house, on which stream splendid mills were represented (which stream, by the way, is dry ten months in the DANE COUNTY TOWNS KOXJJUEY. 499 year), and in general setting out every convenience, elegance and attraction which could be placed on paper by the most ingenious Yankee. All in fact, which had ever been done towards build- ing a town, was to stake out the streets, lots, blocks, and squares, and to fell some trees and hew them, ap- parently with the intention of using the timber in building. This was all that was ever done in this direction, unless perhaps a shanty was built for the laborers who cut and hewed the timber. The map was taken to Chicago, ISTew York, and Boston, accompanied with the most glowing descrip- tions of the beauty, salubrity and commercial advan- tages of the city, and large numbers of the lots were sold, some at as high figures as $800 each. They were sold, too, to persons who had been considered as of sound mind. Daniel Webster, " the Godlike Daniel," is said to have had about $13,000 in the great city. After making the maps and selling the lots, neither the proprietors, their agents, "nor any other man," came to build the city; the timber was sold by the laborers to whom the company was indebted for work, or appropriated by such persons as thought they needed it. The stakes have long since fallen, and the place which knew Superior City " shall know it no more forever." Early Settlement. — In 18-10, Augustine Harasz- thy, commonly known as Count ITaraszthy, with his cousin Charles Hallasz, the latter of whom has ever since resided and now resides at what is now called Sauk City, Hungarians by birth, immigrated to and located at the place last named. Haraszthy appears to have been a man of great energy and of considera- 500 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — KOXBURT. ble means, and very enthusiastic about the future of this country. He invested at once in lands in the neighborhood, and set about improvement. So far as can now be ascertained, in the fall of 1840, he erected the first building in this town, not for a residence, but as :i sort of hunting lodge. This was a log building, and was set upon a point of the bluff above and near the Wisconsin river, and nearly opposite the lumber office of Mr. Hallasz, as it now stands in Sauk City. During the year 1841, Haraszthy established a ferry across the Wisconsin river near or a little below where the Sauk City bridge now stands, and the house now owned and occupied by P. J. Schleck, Esq., as a store, saloon, and post office, was built by Mr. Har- aszthy in that year, and used as a ferry house. Rob- ert Richards and Jacob Fraelich operated the ferry, and resided in this house. This is supposed to have been the first dwelling erected in town, and they the first residents. At this point two or three Indian trails met, and for several years this was the usual crossing place. From this date there was little improvement in the town for four years. The year 1815 determined in a great degree the nationality and religion of the population of the town. In that year came Father Adelbert Inama, a German catholic priest. He had been two years from his na- tive land, and those two years had been passed in JSTew York. He had come to seek a home in the wilder- ness, and to plant and uphold here the standard of the cross. He selected for his residence a most romantic spot; a little ravine surrounded by hills except where at certain seasons of the year, a stream, sometimes swelling into a torrent, passes through. Here he still DANE COUNTY TOWNS EOXBUET. 501 lives, with no house in sight except his own, and with no clearing except a good sized garden. His cows pasture through the woods, and he keeps no horse, preferring to walk wherever his duty has called him. Here in 1845, he built his log cabin, which looks out toward the midday sun. Directly in the rear rises a steep bluff covered with timber. You approach the dwelling across a foot bridge over the ravine down which heavy rains and melting snows hurl their floods to the river. After a time he adds at the west end of his cabin a kitchen, using his room first built for all the purposes of his priestly office. His work grew upon his hands, and he joined to the east end of his original building an audience room and an altar, the two forming his chapel, which, surmounted by a cross, is still standing, and in which chapel, till 1853, mass was said every day. "When Father Inama came, there was but one cath- olic in what is now Roxbury; that was one Matthias Schmidt, and he soon left. The lone priest made great efforts to induce immigration. He entered a consid- erable amount of land near the center of the town, and allowed those coming in to take it at government price. As a matter of course the new comers were catholic Germans, and the diligent pastor soon found a flock gathering about him. His little chapel in the ravine was. visited by those of his faith from all the country round. All nationalities, and even some In- dians who had been converted through the labors of the early missionaries, were glad to find this lonely spot where they could receive the rites and enjoy the privileges of their mother church. So one family after another came, either directly 502 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — KOXBUKY. from Fatherland or from the states, until in the year 1853, the society was able to complete, near the center of the town, the little red brick church, 21 by 80 feet in size, which now stands in the rear of the stone building, and is occupied by the altar. The growth of the society continued until in 1860 it embraced from sixty to seventy families, and the little brick church having become quite too small, they enclosed the present stone front, 41 by 50 feet in size. This, with the old church, was used but not finished within, till 1866. This society has continued to increase un- til now it embraces over one hundred families. They have commenced a second addition to the church, the foundations of which are already laid, and when com- plete they will have a magnificent edifice. The plan provides for the removal of the little old brick church in the rear, extending; the stone building until its length shall be 110 feet, and adding wings so that when finished the building will stand on the ground in the form of a cross. Mention should be made of the fact that this church has above its altar what is considered one of the finest paintings in America. It is large; there are five figures upon it. Above are the Yirgin and Child, two beautiful forms; below, on the left, is St. Jerome, and on the right are St. James and St. ]STor- bert, after the latter of whom the church is named, and who is represented with the features of Louis I, king of Bavaria. This choice painting was executed by an artist in Munich, in 1859, and was sent by said king, as a present to this church, in 1860. This is the only church edifice in town, though th^ere are a few members of other church organizations. DANE COUNTY TOWNS ROXBURY. 503 Connected with the church just described, in a com- modious stone building, is a school, taught by " sis- ters," where the children and youth are instructed in the doctrines and faith of their fathers. The town has no other school except the common district schools, for which there are several fine buildings. Father Inama is now in his 80th year. He has served this church and the country round about since 1S45, assisted only for a time by Father Max Gard- ner, until 1872, when he was relieved by Father Mat- thias Heigl, a young man of fine talents and educa- tion, of preposessing personal appearance and cultiva- ted manners, who now performs the duties of pastor to this lar^e congregation. Father Inama born in Tyrol in 1T98, having spent five years in Botzen, devoted to the study of the classics, four years in Innspruch, given to litera- ture and philosophy; to theology one year in Vienna, two years in Innspruch and one in Trent, speak- ing with fluency several languages, at the age of seventy-five years, having ministered in the same town for thirty years, and having been largely instru- mental in settling that town, and in promoting its prosperity, respected and honored by men of all class- es and religions, and of no religion, retires to spend the remnant of his days in his vine covered cottage, surrounded by flowers; in his little chapel daily offer- ing prayers for his beloved congregation, with eyes scarcely dimmed or strength abated, calmly awaits the summons of his Maker. The same year in which Father Inama settled in Roxbury, also came George Richards, Adolph Fas- binder, Carl Schugart, Richard Taylor, — Weber, 501 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — ROXBUKY. — Campbell, James Crowder and Burke Faircliilds. In 184:6 came Anton Ganser, T. M. Warren, George Baltis, Nicholas Breckendorf, Michel Michel, Michael Loeser, Conrad Jordan, and perhaps others. From that time the population increased rapidly, until from almost every valley and hilltop rose the smoke of a I02; cabin. The few Americans who were among the early settlers have mostly disposed of their property to the Germans, until so far as the language spoken and heard in this town is concerned, one might as well be in Deutchland. The population at the census taken in 1875, was 1,151. The inhabitants are generally industrious, econom- ical and thrifty. There is almost no litigation in the town. There is scarcely any crime to be punished, and the public peace is not often disturbed. On spec- ial occasions, King Lager in some cases prevails over sobriety, and black e} r es and bloody noses abound; but the next day all are at work, some, perhaps, with aching heads, but such trifles are never brought into court. The next Sunday all are at church and in peace. The town is rapidly improving; the waste places are being cleared out and brought under cultivation; CD CD the log cabins are fast disappearing, and in their places are rising good, substantial buildings, mostly of stone, and on every side are found the evidences of permanent prosperity. Thanks are due for information touching the early history and settlement of the town to Charles Hal- lasz, Esq., of Sauk City, James Crowder, now of Lodi, to Father Inama, and to George Richards, Anton Ganser and Horace Miller, Esqrs., of Roxbury. DANE COUNTY TOWNS OREGON. 505 OREGON. BY DR. I. HOWE. Township No. 5 north, range 9 east of the 4th principal meridian, is situated in the center of the southern tier of townships in the county of Dane. The surface is undulating, and was, in the state of nature, covered with burr and white oak openings, with a few small prairies and marshes. The soil is good for most agricultural products, but is not rated first class in the county. There are four small creeks, outlets to the same number of springs, two of which are on section 12, forming the head waters of the Bad- fish, and one each on sections 18 and 20. Bartley Runey built the first cabin in the township, in the fall of 1841, and moved his family, consisting of his wife, three boys and four girls, into it in the spring of 1842, and opened a tavern. It was located on section 24, near the junction of the mail route from Madison to Janesville and the road from Min- eral Point to Milwaukee, known as the " old lead route." It was a favorite stopping place for the teamsters hauling that mineral, and many an old pi- oneer has seen from ten to fourteen yoke of oxen pull- ing one stalled wagon out of the mud near the pioneer tavern. His nearest neighbor was "Win. Quivey, in town 0, range 9. Mr. Runey was a man of great en- ergy, but lived only two or three years after settling here. His son Garrett now occupies the old home- stead, and few landmarks remain to mark the site of the once famous tavern. 506 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. The next settler was Robert Thompson, who locat- ed, and, with the assistance of Mr. Runey and boys, built a cabin on section 12, near a beautiful spring which bears his name. The log house is there in good preservation, and the spring, as if in mockery of the decrepitude that has overtaken the young and robust pioneer, still bubbles and sparkles in perennial youth. At the close of 1842, Mr. Runey and family and Mr. Thompson were the only residents in the township. In 1813, the number was increased by the settle- ment of Stephen Hook, who located on section 27, and Thomas Hook, his brother; also, C. Sargeant, on section 31, where he still resides, Abram Kierstead and family, consisting of his wife, two sons and three daughters who in a few years were married respect- ively to three prominent young jnoneers, viz.: Hon. S. G. Abbott, Hon. I. M. Bennett and Wm. S. Bed- ford, Esq. G. P. Moseley settled that year on the present site of the village of Oregon, built a cabin — partly frame and partly logs — and opened a tavern. This log tavern was the nucleus of the present thriv- ing village. Horace Watrous settled on section 1, and built a loo; house. Eli Root made a claim on the same section, but soon left. Thus ended the pion- eer settlement for 1813. This number was enlarged in the year 1811 by the arrival of Reuben Boyce and family, who settled on section 36, where his son Reuben still resides. In a few days after his arrival, several members of his fam- ily were prostrated, by ship fever, of which two of his children died — the first deaths in the township. Mr. Boyce was highly respected by the early set- tlers. His influence was large and always exerted for DANE COUNTY TOWNS OREGON. 507 their best interests. ¥m. S. Bedford located about the same time, on section 35, Stoddard Johnson on section 1, and Vra. Cnmmings on section 10, who built a cabin. Mrs. Cnmmings killed a large deer which had been driven into the door yard and canght by the dogs. She achieved a victory, but rumor hath, it that in the struggle she lost nearly all the drapery with which woman delights to adorn herself. At any rate, she beat a hasty retreat on the approach of the young and blushing Joseph G. Fox, and would only speak to him through a chink in the door. W. F. Lee and Schuyler Gilbert came in this year. Mr. Gilbert located on section 10, and still owns un- der his patent. S. J. Pratt came in September, the same year. Landing in Milwaukee, he started on foot and alone across lots, and crying, "to find a home." Arriving at Runey's in a few days, he located his present homestead, and now four generations fre- quently gather under his roof-tree. About the same time, John S. Frary arrived in Milwaukee. Hardly had he stepped on shore when he was accosted by a stranger: " Do you want to go west, young man?" "West!" cried the weary and homesick John; "west! for eighteen long days and nights have I sought the west on the fastest convey- ances the country affords, and if you have anything further west, commend me to the first boat going east" But he changed his mind, came with the stranger, and in a short time was building his cabin on section 24. 1844 closed with less than a dozen structures to shelter a civilized man in the township. In 1815, the township rapidly settled up. R. Un- derwood, wife and two sons — John and Henry — lo- 508 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. cated on section 3. John still holds his parchment title; Ira Hays and two sons — Enos and Plympton — on section 5; R. P. Main on section 24, and six brothers, by the name of Devine, on section 23. They deserve a far more extended notice than the space al- lotted the writer will permit. Joseph Algard and famihy settled on section 17; Harry Brown and John Ellsworth on section 9, and ¥m. De Boise on section 8; Amasa Salisbury on section 1; Rufus Rawson on section 12, where he built the first blacksmith shop. Dick Castleman has the credit also of building this first shop. In 1845, Nathaniel Ames, three sons and one grand- son- — J. IN". Ames — settled in the township. Mr. Ames was born in 1761, joined the revolutionary army, saw Washington when he visited the winter quarters of his arm} 7 near Morristown, 1ST. J., witnessed the execution of Major Andre, and died in Oregon August 27, 1863, at the great age of one hundred and two years and four months. When asked by one of his neighbors to what he ascribed his long life, he quietly and philosophically replied: " I have always slept well." Rev. Matthew A. Fox came in August, 1845, and a few clays after, held his first service in the log cabin of Mrs. Kelloo-a*, the occasion being the funeral of her husband. His next service was in the bar room of C P. Moseley's tavern. In 1856, the first church was built, and he was installed as pastor, which posi- tion he has acceptably and usefully filled to the pres- ent time. The church stands within a few rods of the cabin in which he performed his first sorrowful ser- vice. Many of his early pioneer friends have been DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. 509 carried through its portals to their last resting place, for whom he has performed a like sad service, and it seems as though his labors might end almost on the spot where they commenced. J. W. Scovill opened the first store in the township, in the fall of 1845, on section 21, or the "Hollow." He chopped the logs, split the puncheons for the floor and rived the shakes himself. After it was raised and completed, he went to Racine for his stock. During his absence, Mrs. Scovill papered it throughout with Albany Evening Journals. How the heart of the ven- erable j'T. W." would swell to know his paper had served so good a purpose! The enterprising young merchant, by thus surrounding his customers with sound Whig doctrine, insensibly led them to vote that ticket, and from its organization the town has been "Whig or Republican by large and uninterrupted ma- iorities. What might have been the result had the good lady used the Albany Argus? Rosel Babbitt and Seba T. Lewis opened farms this year on sections 14 and 15. Mr. Lewis was accident- ally killed in his well by the fall of a bucket. Eph- raim Newton and perhaps two or three others located in 1845. Joseph G. Fox returned from Ireland with his young bride in the fall of 1845 and commenced housekeeping in the first frame house in the township. He had it erected during his absence. His brother James set- tled near him about the same time. At the close of 1845, pioneer life in the township was about closed. Mills were being erected on the Catfish and Sugar rivers, post offices conveniently established, merchants and mechanics commencing business, roads laid out 510 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. and bridges built, and the gospel preached by numer- ous missionaries who heard with delight the crowing of the unwary spring chicken. The glowing descriptions of the salubrious climate, fertile, soil and abundance of game, sent through the mail or carried by those returning for their families or sweethearts, produced its effect in 1846 and 7, and friends, relatives and neighbors hastened to possess the remaining unoccupied lands. All the conveniences of older settlements were here, or in the near future, except a market, and they cared little for that in com- parison with the prosperity that surely awaited them. With strong hearts and willing hands they toiled on, and are to-day reaping the rewards of their enterprise and self-denial. During these years, among those who came to stay, are L. M. Storey, T. Storey, Samuel Shepard, Smith Patchin and Daniel McKeeby. They settled near together, and the settlement was called Storeytown. E. W. Dwight, Phineas Baldwin, father and three brothers, came still later. In 1846, I. M. Bennett opened a store in " Pome Corners," and laid the foundations of his large fortune, and a few years later Wm. S. Bedford engaged in the same business. The first marriage solemnized in the township was in the first log house built therein; the happy parties being David Anthony and Jane Puney. A Pev. Mr. Miner, of Madison, performed the ceremony. On his way to Mr. Puney 's, his horse got mired in the Nine Spring creek. Unable to extricate him, he started on foot to fulfill his agreement. At Lake Yiew he sent assistance to his horse, which was found dead. Wearily walking on, he reached Mr. Runey's about 11 o'clock at night, wet, muddy and exhausted. He performed DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. 511 his work so well, however, that David and Jane to-daj enjoy a well earned competence in peace and content- ment. The first piece of cloth was woven by Mrs. Sophia Underwood, who now lives with her son Hen- ry, on a loom made by Enos Hays, the first of its kind in the township. The first public religious service was held in Barney's bar room, by a Methodist mis- sionary by the name of Hawks; and the first parties to a law suit were J. S. Frary vs. B. Buney. In this narative, the writer has found no place to speak of the real pioneers of the present town of Or- egon — the noble band of women who came with or followed their husbands and lovers to this wilderness. They suffered the real hardships and privations of pioneer life. They, unmindful of storms without or minor distress within, gathered little delicacies and needful articles, and visited and assisted the sick and suffering, though frequently miles away. Every old settler's memory is filled with recollections of their gentleness, their kindness, their charity. Many of them have found the repose of death, but those who live are thrice blessed by those who received and now live to testify to their noble and unselfish labor. The political history of the township is short. To gratify the young and enthusiastic pioneers' longing for ballot-boxing, towns 5 and 6 of range 9, and town 6 of range 10, were formed into an election precinct in 1846, and at the suggestion of J. N. Ames, was called Koine, from which fact the present village of Oregon was then called " Borne Corners." In 1847, Bosel Babbitt circulated a petition for separate town- ship organization under the name of Oregon, which was adopted at the town meeting held in April, and Beii- 512 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. ben Boyce elected chairman. Then " local self gov- ernment" became fairly established, and as it consists mainly in electing officers and paying taxes, the ballot- boxing pioneer has no reason to regret his work, if its success is measured by the numbers of the one or the magnitude of the other. OREGON BY T. E. THOMPSON. This pleasant little village of about 500 inhabitants is situated in the midst of a fertile agricultural region, in the southern part of the county, ten miles from the capital city, and is the second station on the Madison division of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. A drive on the highway through Lake View to the City of the Lakes in summer is most delightful. Green meadows and waving fields of grain are seen on every side, and neat white farm houses dot the landscape in every direction; and here and there are to be seen a few of the ancient landmarks of the mound builders, some still intact, while others have lost their distinct- ness by being put to useful purposes by the husband- man, to which occasional glimpses of the glistening waters of the lakes Waubesa, Monona and Mendota, and the city in the distance with its Capitol, Univer- sity, Churches and other public buildings are brought into view, presenting to the traveler a scene of pastoral beauty unsurpassed in the state. The first settlement of this town begun in about the year 1842, thirty-six years ago. Prominent among the first settlers may be mentioned C. P. Moseley, Robert Thompson, J. S. Frary, S. J. Pratt, Abraham Kiersterd, W. S. Bedford, Roswell Babbitt, Phineas DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. 513 Baldwin, E. P. Main and E. "W. Dwiffht. The Boyces, Tipples, Johnsons, Hooks and Foxes were all pioneers and early identified with its history, having witnessed its gradual development and improvement np to the present time. The surface of the country is slightly undulating, with a good soil of sandy loam, specially adapted for agricultural purposes, consisting chiefly of oak open- ings, diversified by small prairies and marshes. The little settlement first took the name of Rome Corners, being a central point of the surrounding towns, which were known only by numbers, as town No. 4, 6, etc. I. M. Bennett, now of the banking firm of Bennett & Pullen, of Evausville, Wisconsin, kept the first country store in a little log building where now stands the Oregon Exchange,- and which was the objective point of trade for the scattered settlers. J. B. Runey, one of the oldest pioneers, settled near the center of the township in the spring of 1842, and built the first log house on the old territorial road running from the lead regions near Dodge ville to Milwaukee, and which was a stopping place for teamsters drawing lead to market. The nearest house was five miles distant, in what is now known as the town of Fitchburg, and w T as also kept as a tavern by a man by the name of Quivey. Mr. Runey was killed a few years later while returning home from Madison, by the overturn- ing of his wagon near the Nine Spring marsh, on what was afterwards called Break Neck Hill. The 33 514 DANE COUNTY TOWNS OREGON. Devines, a family of six brothers, emigrated from Pennsylvania about the year 1845, and settled together near the center of the town, and are now thrifty and prosperous farmers. Mr. Joseph Devine at one time traveled with an ox team as far as Delavan to mill, sixty miles distant, and frequently to Janesville, at a later period. There were no other mills in that sec- tion, with the exception of the Badger Mills, where a small business was done. The nearest market was at Milwaukee, ninety miles distant, a trip with an ox team consuming ten to twelve days, the teamsters often camping by the roadside. Wheat only brought from 20 to 25 cents per bushel. Dressed pork, $1.25 per hundred pounds, and frequently the proceeds of the sale would not amount to more than the expenses of transportation. A story is told of a man who hired a load of wheat taken to market, agreeing to pay twenty cents per bushel transportation. When the teamster returned he asked his employer if he had a quarter of a dollar, remarking as he received it, " Now that makes you and me square." The load of grain did not pay the expense of transportation. Almost the only way that anything could be realized from a trip, was to bring back emigrants or a little merchan- dise for the country stores along the route. Nathaniel Ames, for two years and a half a soldier of the Revolution, and present at Tarrytown at the execution of Major Andre, and whose portrait adorns the State Historical rooms, settled here at an early period, and also many of his descendants. He died DANE COUNTY TOWNS OREGON. 515 August 27, 1863, at the advanced age of 102 years, and was buried with Masonic honors. The business transacted in this town is quite large, it being the nucleus of trade for a considerable sec- tion of country around, and is an extensive ship- ping point for live stock to the Chicago market, the shipments exceeding those of any other station be- tween there and Chicago. During the shipping sea- son twenty- seven car loads of stock have been shipped in one day,, but the usual number is about fifteen per week. It was at one time a great market for wheat, as many as 100 car loads being shipped monthly. The grain shipments are now confined mostly to oats, of which a great many are received at this station. A fine brickyard, owned by J. B. Munger, is in suc- cessful operation, and where are manufactured a supe- rior quality of white brick, said to be equal to the famous Milwaukee brick, large shipments being made annually to all parts of the country. There are two hotels, the Oregon Exchange being the principal one, kept by Richard Chandler, familiarly and widely known by his friends as "Dick," is one of the best country hotels in the state, and travelers find here a comfortable and home-like stopping place, with a genial host ever ready to minister to the wants and comfort of his guests. The religious element is rep- resented by two churches, one of the Presbyterian and the other of the Methodist denomination, presided over by able pastors. There is also a fine school build- ing consisting of four departments, in charge of capa- 51G DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OREGON. ble and efficient teachers, and a Masonic and Good Templars Lodge, both in a flourishing condition. The pioneer meeting and pic nic here in July, 1875, was a gratifying success in every particular, it being the first assemblage of the kind ever held in this sec- tion. Fully four thousand people were in attendance from the surrounding towns and villages. The gov- ernor of the state and other distinguished personages arrived on the morning train from Madison, and were welcomed by a large concourse of the tillers of the soil, with music and banners. At about ten o'clock, a large procession was formed with a detach- ment of horsemen in front, followed by every con ceivable kind and description of vehicle, loaded with sturdy yeomarry, taking up its line of march to a beautiful grove near the village, where appropriate exercises were held, consisting of music, and short speeches commemorative of the early settlement of the country. A prominent feature of the procession were the ox teams drawing full loads of pioneers, with their wives and blooming daughters. To one was attached a sled, used by one of the oldest settlers when he first came into the country, upon which were seated the wife and two grandchildren. In one of the wagons drawn by oxen, was the governor and other invited guests. The weather was most auspicious, and every one seemed happy and determined to make happy all those around them. At the close of the day, the ex- pression was universal that it was the most social and DANE COUNTY TOWNS OREGON. 517 enjoyable gathering ever brought together, and an event long to be remembered in the history of Oregon. Among the business establishments may be enu- merated the following: Shepherd & Tracy, dealers in dry goods, groceries and general merchandise; C. W. Netherwood, postmaster, and proprietor of Nether- wood's Hall, a commodious hall used for lectures, the- atrical entertainments and balls ; Isaac Howe, groceries, drugs and medicines; J. T. Hayes, harness maker, has an extensive establishment, and does a large business in his various lines; Mrs. A. P. Johnson, milliner; C. H. Cronk, station agent; J. W. Scoville, dealer in dry goods, groceries, crockery and glassware; M. C. Sal- mon, furniture; F. W. Coward, boot and shoemaker; T. Boyd Cowdry, merchant tailor and dealer in gen- tlemen's furnishing goods; J. M. Doolittle, meat market; C. E. Powers, restaurant and confectionery; A. B. Marvin, grain and poultry dealer; Gr. W. Getz, wagon and carriage maker; Lindsay & Terwilliger, dealers in dry goods, groceries, yankee notions, etc.; F. D. Powers, attorney; E. L. Booth, boot and shoe maker; Miss O. M. Postle, milliner and dress" maker; H. B. Richards, grain dealer; AVm. H. Myers, car- riage maker; J. H. Coward, boot and shoe maker; A. W. Herbert, spring bed factory; Johnson & Beckley, milliners and dressmakers; Isaac Johnson, confection- ery, flour and feed; H. PI. Marvin, dealer in hard- ware, tin ware and agricultural implements; Tipple & Emmons, stock buyers; Lovejoy & Richards, lum- ber dealers; Algard & Chandler, stock buyers; P. 518 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — OKEGON. Hayes, proprietor of the Oregon Hotel, opposite the depot. There are also two physicians, an insurance agent, three blacksmith shops, and a livery establish- ment. The hardy pioneers who suffered all the pnvations and hardships attending the settlement of a new coun- try, and who have witnessed its gradual growth and development, now enjoy the fruits of their labor, as the well cultivated farms and comfortable homes attest their growing prosperity and happiness. DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLACK EARTH. 519 BLACK EARTH. BY CLARENCE BURNETT AND A. J. FULLERTON. JSTot a very remarkable village; yet, from its pic- turesque appearance, nestling between huge chains of bluffs, its cosy dwellings, its excellent water power, and its sprightly business aspect, is one to excite in the mind of the visitor a desire to know something of its history. Hence this sketch. The ground it now occupies was formerly the home of the "Winnebago Indians. They were a peaceable tribe, and gave very little annoyance, save by their incessant begging, and their propensity for " borrow- ing." Many amusing anecdotes are told of them by early settlers, but our limited space forbids their men- tion. The region abounds in Indian mounds; but perhaps the most remarkable among them is that just south of the village, which represents the prostrate form of a human being, and is several rods in length. It is supposed to mark the last resting place of one of their numerous chiefs. About 1842 Solomon Hayden made his appearance upon the site which is now known as JBlack Earth. "With him he brought one Charles Turk, and they commenced the toilsome work of rearing a home and clearing ground upon which to raise such articles as are necessary to existence. Mr. H. has the credit of 520 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLACK EARTH. building tlie first house within the present township limits. It was a primitive structure, such as all of us are more or less familiar with, and such as to-day would seem impossible to class among what are known as residences. But in those days a house was valued more for the shelter it gave than for its comely appearance. It occupied a spot of ground just south of the present residence of Mr. John Hill. Just previous to the building of Mr. Hayden's house — about October, 1843 — Mr. Henry Wilson arrived from New York, together with his family. He found himself in a strange country, almost unin- habited, and without any means of sheltering himself from the storms of the coming winter. Something must be done, and Mr. W. at once set about building r, temporary abiding place. When completed it was more a wigwam than anything else, being built of such loose material as could be readily found, and covered with the dry grass of the marshes, close at hand. Here he wintered his family, cooking in the open air, and getting along with inconveniences as only pioneers can. This will explain the allusions often made to Mr. Wilson's spending his first Wisconsin winter in a hay stack. In the spring following, on the comple- tion of Mr. Hayden's house spoken of, the family were moved to it, and there remained until Mr. Wil- son's return from Milwaukee and other points, where he had gone to purchase such articles as were needed in clearing the land which he had settled upon. A start once made, the valley was rapidly settled. DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLACK EAKTII. 521 A few years later Mr. O. B. Ilaseltine came here from Vermont, and took up land; and to him attaches great importance in Black Earth's history. Under his di- rection, in August, 1850, the original village plat was made. It was surveyed by David B. Jarvis, then county surveyor, and was composed of six blocks, comprising the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section twenty-six, township eight north, of range six east. The village took its name from a creek, which passed through it, but was afterwards changed to Ray, and then again to Black Earth, un- der which, in 1857, it was incorporated, with George High as president. The incorporation act was for some reason done away with, and it has since remained as it now is. The several additions were made in subsequent years, but no particular importance attaches to them. The next stride cityward was a grist mill. Seeine; v CD O the need of such a branch of industry, Mr. John B. Sweat purchased of Mr. Haseltine the site and privi- leges of the present mill company, and built the mill. This he conducted for some length of time, when he sold it to Mr. John Wall, who after building a small addition, transferred it to its present owners, Messrs. Stanford, Logan & Co. The mill as it now is has a reputation well to be envied, and is doing a very ex- tensive business, not only doing the custom milling for a large scope of country, but shipping large quantities of fine quality of flour to the eastern markets. 522 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLACK EAKTII. Then followed a business venture in the form of a " country store," Elias Pound being the proprietor. His place of business was where now stands the resi- dence of Mr. M. H. Myers. Old settlers tell what are to us marvelous stories of the sale of eggs at three cents per dozen, butter at three cents per pound, and other things proportionately. Success attending Mr. Pound, others were not slow to see it, and soon after- ward Messrs. High & Barber established themselves in business. Our first hotel was the building which, with sundry additions, is now the residence of Mr. J. Q. Stuart. It was kept by Mr. Jared Peck. The next was the hotel which now stands and is known as the Yalley House. This we believe was first kept by Mr. Thomas Barber. Perhaps none of our "old timers" have acquired a stronger hold upon the affections of the people than Mr. B. This gentleman came over from England in 1S48, arriving just in time to vote on the admission of our state into the union. For eight years he tilled the soil, marketing his products in Milwaukee, and frequently not getting enough for the load to pay the expenses of the trip. In 1S54, he moved to the vil- lage and engaged in the hotel business, and afterward established the hardware establishment, in which he has since remained. In the year 1845, the first school house was built. It was a modest looking structure, and in keeping with the other buildings of that day. It was situ- ated between the present farm residences of James DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLACK EARTH. 523 and John Turk. For several years, the building served as a temple of learning and as a house of wor- ship. "With the increase of population came a de- mand for more commodious quarters, which were provided about 1853. This was a frame building, within the village limits, upon the present school lot. This in turn became as inadequate to the demands as had the old one in its day, and in 1859 an excellent two story brick building was made in its place, and the old building sold to the people of Peter C. Paul- son's district, town of Vermont, where it was re- moved early in the following year. Dr. S. L. Hooker and his estimable lady were the first to take charge of affairs in the new building, and right well did they perform their duties. In 1874, a wing was added and the school divided into four departments, in which form it now remains, a pride to every citizen. In the year 1856, the Milwaukee & Mississippi Eailroad, now Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- road, reached Black Earth. It was the original in- tention of the managers to put up a large depot, round house, etc., provided the land could be pro- cured at reasonable figures. The owner of the land, in his cupidity, demanded an exorbitant sum for the ground desired, which so enraged the company's man- agement that they refused to do more than put in a side track, and the citizens were compelled to erect the first depot building. For many years this bitter feeling existed toward the village, and but little was done by the company in way of improvements until 524 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLACK EARTH. tlie extent of the patronage compelled the company to look more favorably upon the village. Until within the past five or six years, during which time the chinch bug has almost entirely destroyed the wheat crop in this vicinity, Black Earth has ranked among the greatest shipping stations on the line. At present, live stock is its chief export. During the year 1876, there were shipped 91 cars of hogs and 85 cars of cattle, while only about 38,000 bushels of wheat were shipped. The total freight shipments amounted to 6,373,710 pounds. The receipts for the same period were 2,700,295 pounds. At the time this sketch is penned, the popula- tion of the town is about 1,000; the village claiming a little over one-half of the number. The population is mixed, being made up principally of Americans, Norwegians, Germans and English. But little man- ufacturing is carried on, except in those branches de- pendent upon the agricultural people for support. The business of the village at the time of this writ- ing may be summed up as follows: Isaacson & JNTord- riim, J. Bjornstad & Co., K. Eriekson, Julius Weis- senborn, dry goods and groceries; T. Barber & Son, hardware; J. Ilolden, drugs; A. P. "Winden, merchant tailor; A. II. Anderson, confectioner and barber; J. Schanel, furniture; Mrs. E. S. Parker, Mrs. H. Pir per, millinery; Miss E. H. Richards, Miss Mary Se- verson, dress making; George Zcller, hotel; Burnett tfc Son, publishers Advertise?' and general steam print- ing; C. Lange, Ed. Kirst, harnessmakers; K. J DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLACK EARTH. 525 Mjelde, Gilbert Anderson, R. Lutzow, shoemakers; C. Peters, photographer; Oie Rustebakke, jeweler; Peter Johnson, general machine shop; F. Yoss, O. J. Wick, M. Hanson, blacksmiths; U. D. Wood, P. Johnson, planing mills; M. H. Myers, Ole Jordet, wagonmakers; John Peterson, carpenter; John Muskat, A. A. Steens- rnd, Paul Copley, Meltzer & Peterson, saloons; Stan- ford & Logan, Ward Brothers, Isaacson & Nordrum, grain buyers; John Adams, Isaacson & Nordrum, Stanford & Logan, stock buyers; Ward Brothers, George Bate, lumber; Stanford, Logan. & Co., flour mill; E. II. Sackett, saw and carding mill; U. P. Stair, W. IT. Bobbins, physicians; S. Charlesworth, lawyer and insurance agent; Man waring, Beatty Sz Wilson, proprietors Black Earth cheese factory; F. Hickstine, butcher; S. Barker, drayman; William Showers, cooper. Its public edifices are, three churches — Methodist, Congregational and Episcopal — a fine school build- ing, with four separate departments, and a two-story town hall, situated in the center of a beautiful park. With a good location, a splendid surrounding coun- try, excellent water power, and all advantages given by nature, the subject of this meagre sketch can well claim a place in the front rank of Dane county vil- lages. 526 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — PRIMROSE. PRIMROSE. BY HON. G. TOLLEFSON. This township lies in the southwestern part of the county, on its south boundary line, which separates it from the town of New Glarus, Green county, about eighteen miles southwest of Madison, and known as township 5 north, of range 8 east. The town is well watered in the northern part, by the Avest branch of the Sugar river, and also by two tributaries of the same, furnishing the town with an abundance of water and good marsh land. The face of the country is undulating, agreeably diversified with oak open- ings and prairie. There is considerable highland or small ridges, in which there is excellent stone for building purposes. On section eleven there is a large rock that stands out in strong contrast with its surroundings, and is composed of several blocks of stone, raised one above the other to the height of about fifty feet, the lower one of which measures nearly twenty-five feet in di- ameter, while the top block is about fifty feet. It is familiarly called the " Devil's Chimney," because of its supposed resemblance to the form of a chimney. In 1850 a man named Joel Blitz, said to be an old sailor, climbed to the top by means of ropes w r hich were thrown over it and fastened on the ground on the opposite side. He planted a flag on the top, the staff of which is still remaining. The feat was never known to have been done before or since. The base DANE COUNTY TOWNS PRIMROSE. 527 of this chimney is, like many other noted places of historical interest, covered with a profusion of names and dates from all over the United States. Mount Julia, another of the curiosities of the town, is an oblong ridge of rock, surmounted with trees, about 200 feet high, 250 feet broad, and about 1,600 to 1,700 feet long. It is, in some places, somewhat precipitous, indeed it indicates as if it had at a very recent date been entirely so, but from the wash by rains from the top, it is now quite accessible. The first settlers in the town of Primrose were Da- vid Thomas and family, Robert Speers and family, W. Speers, Edmund Speers, W. Underbill, Robert Harrington, Mr. Scoville, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Peck and Hall C. Chandler. Mr. R. Speers gave the town its name. Of the Norsemen, who now constitute a large ma- jority of the population of Primrose, Christian Hen- drickson from Lier, Norway, was the first settler. He came here in 1846, and still lives on his old farm. Two years later — 1848, more Norsemen arrived, among whom were Niels Evenson, Salve Jorgenson, Niels N. Skogen, who were followed in 1S49 by Gu- nolf Tollefson and Peter Haslerud. When Mr. Tol- lefson bought his land, only 80 acres had been pur- chased in the town, the other settlers having only preempted the jneces of land on which they were liv- ing. The first school house was built on section 17, in 1847, but the town now has seven school houses. The first teacher was Gunnuld Jackson. The first church in Primrose was built by the Norse Lutherans. The name of the congregation was : " The 528 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — PRIMROSE. Primrose Norse Evangelical Lutheran Congregation ;" it was connected with the Norse Evangelical Luther- an Church of North America, and the church edifice here referred to, was erected in 1856 on section 21. The first minister who preached to an organized con- gregation was Elling Eielson. The second pastor of this congregation was Arne Boyum. The third was Ole Torgerson, and its present minister is P. Solberg. A few years after the organization of the above named congregation, another Norse Lutheran Church was organized in this town by the Pev. A. C. Preus. This one joined the so-called Norse Synod. Its sec- ond pastor was P. M. Brodahl, and its present preach- er is John Field, of the Norse Synod. This congre- gation erected in 1866 a church, which was consumed by fire in 1873, and has not been rebuilt. Finally, there is a third Norse Lutheran congrega- tion, which was organized in 1869, by Pev. C. L. Clau- sen; its second pastor was Prof. A. Weenaas, and its present preacher is M. F. Gjertsen of Stoughton. From the above it appears that the statement in the Dane County Atlas " that Pev. A. C. Preus was the first Lutheran pastor in Primrose " is incorrect. There has always existed the best of feeling between the different nationalities in Primrose. To this there is but one exception. In the small village of Mt. Ver- non, whereof a part is situated within the limits of the town, there lived in the early days of Primrose a man called Dr. Byam, and with him his two brothers and their families, all Americans. Dr. Byam and his brothers had, by their tricky and dishonest practices, and by repeated acts of rascality toward the citizens of the town, made themselves odious to such an ex- DANE COUNTY TOWNS PRIMROSE. 529 tent that the farmers decided to get rid of them. So they got together, about seventy in number, with Dick Chandler as their chosen leader. On the even- ing agreed upon they proceeded to Dr. Byam's house, armed with axes, crow-bars and other weapons, and asked to speak with him. The rascal, who suspected what was in store for him, sent his wife to the party outside with the answer that he was not at home. But the farmers were not to be bluffed off in this manner, and when he refused to come out they began to tear down the house, and were about throwing it into the stream near by. Fear now seized the doctor, and lie came out, upon the pledge of three farmers that no harm should be done to him before they had properly discussed the matter. He had to go with them into the flour mill near by. Here he was tried and found guilty of several grossly dishonest transac- tions, among which it was proved that he, with a patent churn, had defrauded several farmers of their lands. The sentence was that Dr. Byara, his brothers and their families must leave Mt. Yernon and Primrose within twenty-four hours, and the rascal was prudent enough to obey this decision. One of Dr. Byam's brothers was tarred and feathered, and the other, who also defied the will of the farmers and came back to town after a load of hay, was also made to feel that the farmers were in earnest when they forbade any of the Byams returning to Primrose. As soon as he had gotten the hay into his w r agon, the farmers set fire to it. The horses ran away, as a matter of course, when the hay-load got to burning, and the man had to save his life as best he could by taking to his legs. Since that time none of the brothers Byam have made 34 530 DANE COUNTY TOWNS PRIMROSE. any attempt to settle in Primrose. Of course the Byam brothers brought suit against the seventy farm- ers, but the latter employed George B. Smith, of Mad- ison, as their lawyer, and the case ended in an almost complete acquittal of the farmers. Thsy simply had to pay the costs of the suit. Although the action taken against Mr. Byam and his brothers doubtless was perfectly just, the citizens of Primrose of to-day have changed their opinion in reference to ways and means, and would not again take the law into their own hands to protect themselves against vagabonds and rascals. Another circumstance that took place in the pioneer days of our town, was a conflict between Primrose and the adjoining town of Montrose. An old man, by name Mr. Jackson, in Primrose, owned a claim covered with good oak timber. This timber some of the settlers in the town of Montrose tried to get pos- session of, and so they came up in tolerable large numbers, having Mr. L for their leader, and equipped with teams, sleds, axes, etc., so as to be able to take all the logs down to Montrose. As soon as the people of Primrose found this out, the mes- sage of " war," was sent from neighbor to neighbor throughout the town, and an army was soon brought together. The end of the war was that the Montrose party had to go home with their sleds empty, while the Primrose people took the logs home to Mr. Jack- son's house. Politically, we have had many interesting incidents but none quite as rich as the following, told from Blue Mounds, our neighboring town. It was the day before election. Mr. Dean and Mr. DANE COUNTY TOWNS PRIMROSE. 531 Burdick of Madison, both candidates for office, came to Blue Mounds to naturalize a number of Nor- wegians. The Norwegians, thirty or forty in number, were placed in a row and all sworn in at once, upon which Mr. Dean passed up the line, handing to each man his certificate of naturalization, and the ticket he wanted them to vote the next day, urging them to be sure to vote the ticket he s^ave them and no other. The new-fledged citizens being very conscientious and anxious to keep their pledges, appeared at the polls the next day; but the returning board were the ones who were surprised when they came to count the votes in the evening, and found that some of them had voted their naturalization certificates instead of tickets. The Norwegians in Primrose never were quite as conscientious as that. In Primrose no one has ever had license to sell any kind of intoxicating drink. All the. factories we have is a flour mill on section seven, built in 1858. The Hon. Gunolf Toleffson was the first member of the legislature. S. Julie is a practicing physician in this and ad- jacent towns. 532 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BLOOMING GEOYE. BLOOMING GEOYE. BY JAMES KAVANAUGH, This township is one of the most interesting por- tions of Dane county, which, from its early occupation by the natives and the unmistakable evidences of their rude productions that have been found from time to time, render it full of studious contemplation and instruction. Its proximity to the beautiful city of Madison, whose light shines upon a hill that can- not be hid, makes it at once desirable for all agricul- tural and remunerative purposes; its location and soil being well adapted to all industrial pursuits. Abram Wood, the man who superintended the building; of Mrs. Eben Peck's house, the first house in Madison, was the first settler; he lived at Winnequah, and had a squaw wife, a daughter of the chief De Kaury. When Simeon Mills came to Madison, by way of Janesville, he crossed the Catfish three times, and finally landed at Winnequah. Here he found Wood, and through him was able to bargain with two Indian boys, for fifty cents each, to carry him across the lake to Madison, a favor which he was unable to persuade the boys to do before. Robert L. Ream (in Durrie's History of the Four Lakes) says that on a small estuary or spring on Third Lake, he saw a red fox fishing for pickerel, which he caught by springing suddenly into the water and DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLOOMING GROVE. 533 bringing the fish out, and then sitting down, quietly devoured the fruit of his labor. The town of Blooming Grove is known as town 7 north, of range 10, and situated in the center of the county, about four miles east of Madison. It was originally a part of Madison, but was organized a sep- arate town April 2, 1850, at a meeting held for that purpose at the house of R. "W". Lansing. JN". J. Tomp- kins was elected chairman; JVm. J. Reese and John L. Lewis, associate supervisors; Dr. II. A. Tiffany, town clerk; Ben. W. Caswell, treasurer; Josephus Lansing, assessor; Rev. John G. Miller, superintend- ent of schools. Mr. Miller having to leave for the east, R. W. Lansing was appointed to serve in his place. Mr. Miller, from 1845 to 1850, served in the capacity of a missionary among the Germans in Wis- consin, and recalls a very striking contrast between the homes of the citizens of to-day and those of former times. The Germans were very few then, but there were large settlements of Norwegians, a great number of whom preferred building their houses in excavations made in a hill or bluff, where they boarded up the sides with lumber. Elder Miller purchased some land in Blooming Grove, next to Doctor Tiffany, and others who were among the first settlers. About this time Doctor Tiffany came to Elder Miller, stating that they had better organize a town of their own and be separated from Madison, so as to manage their own affairs and save expense. Accordingly a petition was made to the board of supervisors and the request granted, and on 53tt DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLOOMING GROVE. the 2d of April., 1850, town officers were elected. Some time after the organization the Doctor spoke of naming the town, but had not as yet found a suitable name for it. Elder Miller asked the privilege of naming the town. The Doctor said, "Yery well, Elder, if you have a suitable name, let us have it." Having been privileged to travel through this country for several years he readily recognized the beauties of nature which surrounded him, as he behold at a short short distance, the burr and black oak, resembling an Ohio and Pennsylvania orchard, and the prairies full of wild flowers in great abundance, of the most beau- tiful colors imaginable, so that no florist could have arranged his plants more artistically than was visible all around. With this scene before him, the Elder said, "I think the town names itself — Blooming Grove." " You have hit it, Elder," said the Doctor, "it is a Blooming Grove;" and so as its name was given, so does it continue in reality a Blooming Grove. The first German church and congregation was or- ganized and built in the southeast corner of Bloom- ing Grove, in the year 1853, under the insjiection and care of Bev. J. H. Bagatz, of the Evangelical Asso- ciation. The present pastor is Bev. T. Umbrecht. The Milwaukee & St. Paul Bailroad, and the Watertown division of the same road, pass through various sections of the town. The earlier inhabitants found this township in a wild, unimproved condition, and in possession of the Indians, who had rudely cultivated a large portion of DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BLOOMING GROVE. 535 the lands on the west bank of Monona, directly oppo- site Madison. The evidences of their rough culture have not entirely disappeared at this time. There are three mounds along the west bank of said lake still apparent. Many of the Indian relics have been found in and about these mounds; but they have never been thoroughly opened and explored. The Indians, in greater or less numbers, have habitually and annually revisited this delightful resort, to engage in fishing and hunting; the lake at all times affording abund- ant supplies of fish and game. About twenty years ago, during a quarrel the Indians had among them- selves, an Indian chief shot one of his braves and then threw him in the lake; the body was taken out sub- sequently and buried on the lake shore, on the land now owned by Robt. McComb, where the mound is still to be seen.* The following day after the murder, about twenty-five Indians, among whom was the wife of the murdered man, passed the residence of Mr. Geo. Zinck all riding on ponies, with the exception of this woman, who walked alongside leading her pony, which the Indians said it was necessary for her to do for a number of months, as evidence of her mourning for her husband. When the Hon. Moses M. Strong, Levi E. Marsh and Mr. Potter left Milwaukee on the 16th day of January, 1837, and traveling on horeback through Prairie village (now Waukesha), Fort Atkinson and * A statement is also made in reference to the above fact, that the Indian committed suicide while suffering from the effect of a fever. 536 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — BLOOMING GROVE. First Lake, for the purpose of visiting the newly lo- cated seat of government, they took the Indian trail from Second Lake to Third, and arrived on the south- east side in the town of Blooming Grove near AVinne- quah, where Mr. Strong taking his field glass fixed upon a bay on the opposite shore in a northwesterly direction as the most probable direction of the sec- tion line, and crossing the lake on the ice, struck the meander post of the government surveyor at the foot of King street, and through the center of which the section line runs. The early settlement of the town was greatly retard- ed for want of ready facilities for obtaining the neces- saries of life, Madison affording but small amounts and at enormous prices, and Milwaukee being the nearest market (95 miles) where even the smallest demands of the citizens could be occasionally sup- plied. However, by economy, patience and perse- verance, the forests were subdued and cleared, and the richest productions of the soil soon produced an abundance for home consumption, and the people be- came happy and hopeful; and now think they have the richest and most productive soil, the most beauti- ful farms, and enchanting scenery of any other town in the county. Its healthful condition has ever been proverbial, and from some of its eminences may be seen, and at once, the 2d, 3d, and 4th lakes, also the city of Madison and the historic Blue Mounds, twen- ty-five miles west of Madison, a sight full of grandeur and magnificence. Bounded on the west by Lake DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLOOMING GROVE. 537 Monona, the best and most placid sheet of water of the four lakes, its shores are easily accessible over a bed of white gravel, looking like brilliants set in the diadem of nature. Here bathing may be freely in- dulged in, our town having no prohibitory law; and for aquatic sports, in boating and fishing, it cannot be excelled. Part of sections seven and eight, all of section eighteen, and nearly all of nineteen, lie be- neath the waters of Lake Monona, while sections twenty-eight and thirty-three are mostly covered by Lake Waubesa. The Catfish river connects the two, running through sections 28 and 29. There are some smaller streams in the town, upon one, Mr. Dunning erected a sawmill in the year 1841. Dr. Tiffany was the first physician in the town. Dr. Pelton came shortly afterwards. There are a number of genial resorts on this side of the lake, where sumptuous repasts may be had in good order and at moderate rates. Steamboats ply the lake at all reasonable hours, and pleasure seekers have the freest and fullest rational enjoyments. The citi- zens are all farmers and hard workers, as the delight- ful and growing condition of their farms will show, and are proverbial for genial hospitality and high in- telligence. The soil is of the very best quality that could be desired. The town has twelve school dis- tricts, and contains a population of 1,500 inhabitants. Blooming Grove Grange, No. 250, was organized in 1874, and meets weekly at the Town Hall. Monona Lodge, No. 285, I. O. of G. T., meets ev- ery Wednesday evening at the Town Hall. 538 DANE COUNTY TOWNS BLOOMING GROVE. The Cottage Grove Fire Insurance Company, com- prising the towns of Cottage Grove and Blooming Grove, and adjoining towns, was organized March 24th, 1875, with the following incorporators: James Bell, Daniel Bechtel, John S. Daily, Henry Peters, Gr. Timmennan, John S. Gallagher, G. M. Nichols, Wm. F. Uphoff, Richard Gallagher, John Sprecher, Jacob Baringer, John Wolf, C. Gousmann, Fred Pepper, Casper Storcks, H. Witte, Francis Zink, Chas. Jorks, C. Rodefeld, Wm. M. Townsend, Francis Good, Rob- ert Gallagher, C. Uphoff, H. Hippe, M. E. Emerson, Mrs. C. H. Pellage, C. Horfmacher, C. Kanmier, H. Drakley, E. Stemhaur, George Pellage, John Maeder, A. B. Emerson, Fred Schultz, C. Drakley. The following officers were elected at first meeting: Wm. F. Uphoff. president; Daniel Bechtel, secretary; John S. Daily, treasurer; M. E. Emerson, Henry Peters, G. Timmennan, James Bell and J. S. Gallagher, directors. The company commenced business on the 8th day of June, in the same year, with a capital of one hun- dred thousand dollars. The company insures all kinds of farm property, and is in a prosperous con- dition, and has up to this date, August 20, 1877, only sustained two small losses, amounting to $92, and has increased its capital to $270,000. Its present officers are: James Bell, president; Daniel Bechtel, secretary; John S. Daily, treasurer; Philetus Hurd, Henry Kleinefelter, G. Tim merman, H. M. Harriman and Wm. F. Uphoff, directors. The town officers of 1877 are : Supervisors — Dan - iel Bechtel, chairman, Matthew Conlan, William M. Townsend; town clerk — James Kavanaugh: assess- or — Wm. H. Pauli; treasurer — Holmes Halverson. In 1870 a town hall was built; previously town business was transacted in different houses of the town. DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 539 MADISON. BY H. A. TENNEY. Owing to the wide area of the original town, the cre- ation of villages and a city, and great municipal changes, it is difficult to make a satisfactory sketch of the town of Madison, since the shifting scene of forty years of- ten leaves one in doubt what to include and what to reject, either as to boundaries, or as to early settlers. Strictly speaking the pioneer citizens of the village and city are a part of, and belong to, the town, and no sketch could be considered complete which did not include them, as many of them were the most prominent actors in early times. From the material at command I have made the best classification in my power. It is not en- tirely satisfactory to myself, and doubtless will not be to many who may read these pages and whose names have been necessarily omitted. I beg all to look upon this production with charity and a kindly eye to the dif- ficulties of the undertaking. Wrro first Visited the Lake Country. — Ebenezer Brigham, the first settler within the limits of Dane county,was probably the firsb white American who visited the site of Madison. In repeated conversations with the writer, many }'ears since, he stated that, in company with a few other prospectors, he erected a cabin at Blue Mounds in 1828, and, having done so, accompanied by three others, a few days later, made a trip to Fort Win- nebago, then a new frontier outpost, to ascertain wheth- er supplies could be obtained there, and what facilities existed for the shipment of lead. He had heard of the Lake Country from the Indians, and, on his return, 540 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. struck south at a venture, and the same night camped on the hill on which Madison is now located, eight years hefore the site was entered by Doty and Mason. Impressed with the beauty of the spot, in a moment of enthusiasm, he predicted that a city would in time grow up there, and that it might become the future capital of a state. He was a warm, personal friend of Doty, and it was probably through him that knowledge of the place was first communicated. It is not probable that Doty and his party, who visited the region in 1829 for the purpose of examination with reference to entering land, did so at random, and without previous informa- tion as to the existence of the lakes, or that they were the first coiners here. The government surveys were not completed until 1834. At any rate, I record the statement of Mr. Brigham, made to me on several occa- sions, and place it in opposition to such historical works as give Doty and his party the credit of " discovery/ - ' No one who personally knew Brigham would for a mo- ment question his veracity on this or any other subject. He was a pure type of western pioneer manhood, mod- est, quiet, unassuming, and never given to boasting. I ought to add, that he gave me the names of the com- panions who made the trip with him, but they have un- fortunately been lost. He spoke of the excursion sim- ply as a mere incident of his early experience in the country, and repeated to me what is above recorded the last time I met him, but a few weeks before his death. A. Pioneer Scene. — The first coiners found every- thing in a primitive condition. The hand of man had not as yet made what, in modern terms, is called an " improvement. 1 ' The waters tossed idly upon their pebbly beaches, unfurrowed by a keel. The rivers ran lazily through channels winding and crooked to such a degree as to prevent any rapidity of current. The BANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 511 marshes and low grounds were dank in oozy slime, un- drained, and with scarcely defined boundaries. Forests spread out on all sides over hill and dale. The prairies at rare intervals came down to the shores. Birds of passage in innumerable flocks swarmed upon all the waters ami low grounds. The stately swan came fear- lessly to feed or make his nest; the pelican and crane, seen standing in long lines about the shores, gave strange animation to the scene, as they sought their finny prey. Ducks, geese, all varieties of water-fowl, in multitudes beyond computation, everywhere dotted the waters, Avhile fish in great variety of species filled the pellucid depths. Nor was the land less densely peopled with wild ani- mal life. The elk, deer, bear, wolf, fox, with many other species, found here a home and natural supplies for every want. The eagle and hawk were lords of the air. Songsters filled the woods with melody. The prairie hen, grouse, sand-hill crane, quail and other species abounded in the openings and prairies. And to this may be added the beaver, not as yet exterminated, the otter, mink, muskrat, etc., some individuals of which even yet survive. Add to these things Indian encamp- ments about the shores, with their rude wigwams, their light canoes, their toil-worn squaws, their elfish pap- pooses and lazy warriors, and we shall have in brief ret- rospect the scene that greeted the pioneers of the Lake Country in the seasons of verdure and sunshine. It was a land without roads, bridges, or artificial land- marks, other than recent surveys, in which the only re- liable guide to the traveler was his compass, and his successful journeying depended almost wholly upon his endurance, fortitude and practical good sense. Almost every prominent point was, in the pioneer time, covered with the embossed works of races classed 542 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. now under the meaningless name of "Mound Builders. 1 ' The ages were marked here with the symbols of this mysterious people, with a richness and profusion that proved long residence, and keen appreciation of all that was most beautiful in nature. About every variety of form of structure known in the north were to be met with — beasts, birds, reptiles and men. That any mem- ory of them has been preserved, is due to the labors of a Lapham and one or two others. The plow has been as great a leveler as death — one removing the race, and the other eradicating its monuments. Our fields, in- deed^ are little else than the cemeteries of a people whose origin was doubtless cotemporaneous with the mammoth, the mastodon and the elephant. Nearly all their great works have now disappeared from the scene. Their unhonored dust scarce survives as a memory. Modern civilization has triumphed over the graves of a mighty past. Unless speedily surveyed, what still re- main of these works — and they are still numerous in the woodlands — will soon meet the common fate. Is there no one, in this eleventh hour, to re-map the out- lines of what still remain? Fkom 1836 to 1816. — Madison was the parent town of Dane county, the first named, the first organized, and, with the exception of a single individual, the first settled. As its original boundaries probably coincided with those of the county, it is doubtful whether Eben- ezer Brigham, the pioneer of all this section of country, ought not to be classed as its first settler, though living at Blue Mounds, as the township is now named. If he may not properly be thus classified, then Eben Peck and family are entitled to that distinction, by arriving a few weeks in advance of others who have remained per- manently located from the beginning, while his stay was not of many years durati >u. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. 543 The first entry of land in the town was made April 6, 1836, by James D. Doty and Stevens T. Mason, cov- ering most of the present city site; and although the place then had no name, as other tracts about were soon taken, that date may be considered as the origin of all improvements and changes that have since followed. Anything like a correct history of the town requires a classification into three parts, according to municipal changes, which may be thus stated: 1. From 1836 to 1816, during most of which period the town and county were substantially the same, geo- graphically, and had substantially the same officials. 2. The charter of the village in 1816, without inter- ference with the town government, except as to purely municipal matters, which incorporation continued for ten years. 3. The chartering of the city in 1856, which ousted the village and town authority, and severed the two forms of government previously existing. The first election precincts into which the town was divided were ordered by the county commissioners May 15, 1839, viz.: Madison and Moundville (Blue Mounds). These Avere then the only points of settlement. The total population was estimated at three hundred. The county was still attached to Iowa for taxable and judi- cial purposes, and as yet no courts had been held. At the election held for delegate to congress, August 10, 1839, the total vote cast for all candidates was seventy- three. County officers, justices of the peace, etc., were at this time appointed by the governor. Officers of election were appointed by the county commissioners. Township government, in the sense Ave now understand it, can scarcely be said, during these ten years, to have had an existence. A quarrel betAveen Gov. Doty and the legislature, in 1812-3, finally changed the Avhole 511 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON, system by taking the appointing power from the execu- tive and conferring upon the people the right to elect their own local officers. The population, too, of this decade, was much too small and diffused either to support or to bear much civil control. There was little occasion for government where there were none to govern; and the pioneers of the wilderness were too poor in worldly goods to assume unnecessary burthens. The worst victims of the time were such speculators as had loaded heavily with wild lands, and lots in the village plat. They were naturally regarded as fair game, and whenever anything of a pub- lic nature was undertaken, it was almost always at their expense. The financial crash of 1836-7 had carried every enterprise down, and anything like renewed pros- perity was not felt in the interior of Wisconsin until about 1815. The products of the farm literally had no commercial value. Wheat sold, when there was any market, at twenty-five cents per bushel, and when it reached fifty cents, farmers considered themselves on the high road to wealth, as they were, for lands could be bought at less than government price, and wants were much fewer than at the present time. It is economy and general cheapness, and not high prices and extrava- gant notions, that makes communities rich. Poverty and industry are the saving power of states. From 1816 to 1856. — In 1816, the town was for the first time practically organized, and the village of Mad- ison incorporated. The corporation did not conflict with the town government, and citizens participated equally in both elections, as if no internal municipal or- ganization existed. The town, indeed, was for several years the controlling local authority. Owing to the effects of the panic of 1836-7, the settle- ment of the territory had been extremely slow. Madi- DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 515 son was far isolated from all neighborhood, and the gain in population from year to year was scarcely appreciable. To show more clearly the exact location of population in 1846, I have copied two extracts from the town rec- ords: one creating new voting precincts in the town, which then embraced twenty-four townships (Albion, Dunkirk and Fitchburg having previously been desig- nated as voting places, in addition to Madison and Moundville), and the order of the commissioners of common schools dividing the town into school districts in accordance with law, to wit: New Precincts. — June 29, 1846. — At a meeting 1 of the board of supervisors, held at the county room this day, the following pre- cincts were ordered to be established for holding general elections : Ordered, " That a precinct be established at the house of George McFadden | now town of Montrose] in the town of Madison and county of Dane, to be known by the name of "Grand Springs Precinct," and that Geo. McFadden, Daniel M. Holt and Russell Tif- fany be, and hereby ar ;, appointed judges of election for said precinct. That a precinct be established at the house of John Clark, in the town of Madison [now probably town of Dane J, to be known by the name of ' ' Dane Precinct, ' ' and that John Clark. Arnold Downing and Freedom Simons be, and they hereby are, appointed judges of election for said precinct. That a precinct be established at the house of John M. Thomas, in the town of Madison and county of Dane [now Cross Plains], to be known by the name of ' ' Cross Plains Precinct, ' ' and that John M. Thomas, Ripha Worden and John S. Mann be, and hereby are, appointed judges of election for said precinct. That a precinct be established at the house of Amos Beecher, in the town of Madison and county of Dane [now Cottage Grove], to be known by the name of " Cottage Grove Precinct," and that Horatio Catlin, Roswell Brown and Charles M. Nichols be, and are hereby appointed judges of election of said precinct." The erection of these precincts gave a total of nine voting places in the county, and the names then given were, with an exception or two, adopted by the towns when afterwards organized. The then town of Madi- son, by the change, had six places established for voting within its limits. Naming the Towns. — Up to this time but two or three townships had received names, and many were as 35 516 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. yet without their first settler. They were known only by number and range; and nothing was more puzzling for a time to " old settlers'' than to recognize towns by the names given them by successive boards of supervis- ors in subsequent years. Even now the writer confesses himself often in doubt as to the location of some of the towns from their names, long as they have been estab- lished, without reference to a map — having learned in the "old way." There is quite a difference between remem- bering thirty-six names and two or three, as in the early time, while the plats of survey were extremely simple. Schools and School Districts. — The first school district in either town or county was created December 25, 1841, on the formal application, by petition, of Al- mon Lull, I. W. Bird, E. Irving. P. W. Matts and Nicholas Smith. David Brigham, James Morrison and Bush Fairchild were commissioners of schools. The district was numbered 1, and comprised the whole town- ship of Madison as at present organized, including most of the city site. In February, 1811, the district was en- larged by adding to it town 8, range 9 — now Westport. Up to 1846, seventeen districts had been designated in different portions of the county, to meet the wants of new settlement, but they were entirely disconnected, and without union or uniform plan. Upon the formal beginning of town government by popular vote, the town of Madison, as then organized, was formally di- vided into districts, by the order following, given in full: Town School Districts in 1816. — The official di- vision of the town of Madison into school districts will, perhaps, better illustrate the meagerness of population in 1816, than anything I might say on the subject. It was as follows: "Beit known that on this 29th day of June, A. D. 1846, we, the undersigned commissioners of common .schools for the town of Madison, county of Dane and territory of Wisconsin, have divided DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 547 the said town of Madison into districts, and have numbered them as follows, to-wit: No. 1. — Sections 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22 and 23 of town 7, range 9 (now plat of Madison), and all of town 8, range 9 (now Westport). No 2. — The west halt of town 7, range 9 (now Madison). No. 3. — Sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36 in town 7, range 9 (now Madison). No. 4. — All of town 6, range 11 (now Pleasant Springs). No. 5. — Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and the west halt of sections 11, 14 and 23, in town 8, range 10 (now Burke). No. 6. — Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in town 8, range 10 (Burke), and sees. 25 to 36 in town 9, range 10 (now Windsor). No. 7. — Sections from 1 to 24, in town 9, range 10 (now Windsor). No. 8. — All of town 6, range 8 (now Verona). No. 9. — All of town 5, range 8 (now Montrose). No. 10. — The south half of town 7, range 11 (now Cottage Grove). No. 11. — All of town 9, range 8 (now Dane). No. 12. — Sections 13, 14, 15 and the south half of town 8, range 6 (now Black Earth). No. 13. — The north half of town 8, range 6, excepting sections 13, 14 and 15 (now Mazomanie). No. 14. — Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of town 8, range 7 (now Berry). No. 15. — All of town 9, range 9 (now Vienna). No. 16. — The north half of town 7, range 11 (Cottage Grove), and all of town 7, range 10 (now Blooming Grove), and sections 12, 13, 2:'>, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and the east half of sections 11, 14 and 23 of town 8, range 10 (Burke). No. 17. — All of town 8, range 8 (now Springfield). No. 18. — All of town 7, range 8 (now Middleton). No. 19. — All of town 8, range 7, excepting sec. 3 to 10 (now Berry). No. 20. — All of town 7, range 7 (now Cross Plains). No. 21. — All of town 6, range 7 (now Springdale). No. 22. — All of town 5, range 7 (now Primrose). No. 23. — All of town 7, range 6 (now Vermont). No. 24. — All of town 6, range 6 (now Blue Mounds). No. 25. — All of town 5, range 6 (now Perry). No. 26. — All of town 7, range 12 (now Deerfield)." This order is signed by J. Gilletfc Knapp, Benjamin Holt, and F. H. Talcott, school commissioners. It is doubtful if there were a. dozen schools actually kept in the entire county. It will be seen that the commis- sioners divided the then town of Madison into districts, incorporating whole townships where there were no, or few inhabitants, and making them of lesser size only when actual colonies had been begun. Viewed in the 548 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. light of the present, this order is a very significant indi- cation of the then isolated location of settlements and population. The vote for state government at the spring election, 1846, was 200 for, and 47 against. A great many set- tlers deemed it too early to establish a state, as the gen- eral government relieved them of all burthens by paying the territorial expenses. The proposition was barely carried, mainly by the vote cast in villages and cities, through the activity of politicians desirous of place and distinction. Vote for Town Officers in 1846. — The population of the town at this time may be inferred from the vote cast at the election held April 7, for town officers. Po- litical division ran very high at this period, and as the settlers were all young or middle aged, it is presumed that few or none failed to attend the polls. The result as to supervisors was as follows: Democratic. Whig. James R. Larkin 134 Ebenezer Brigham 110 Edward Campbell 119 Beivj. Dodge 100 Wm. C. Wells 126 Samuel G. Abbott 98 If the 232 votes cast indicated an average of four non- voters to each, the total population of the town would have been 928, and it did not probably much exceed this, including, of course, the village. Among the number voted for at this election, but few remain citizens of the present town, or now survive. J. D. Ruggles was elected clerk over E. M. Williamson by one majority. For treasurer, Darwin Clark was elected over Henry C. Parker. For collector, Andrus Viall was elected over Benjamin W. Wilcox and Abel Rasdall; For assessors, George Vroman, J. W. Thomas and William Larkin were elected over Wm. A. Webb, W. D. Bird and Michael M. McCord. For fence view- ers, Eliab B. Dean, Jr., Thos. W. Sutherland and John DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. 549 Y. Smith triumphantly defeated S. F. Blanchard, R. F. Lowdon and Samuel Parkhurst. Justices, Wm. N. Sey- mour, Nathaniel Wheeler and Alonzo Wilcox were chosen over Adam Smith, Barlow Shackleford and Na- than Spaulding. Of these and the lesser candidates, it is painful to note how many have disappeared from the scene of their labors. The following items, extracted from the record of a few years, will give some idea of the doings and policy of the period: The clerk, at a meeting in April, was ordered to pro- cure a printed form for town orders, suitable books for a town record, and a proper seal. The total taxes voted for all purposes amounted to about seven mills. The English settlement in the lower part of Black Earth vallejr, just commenced, owing to the poverty of some of its members, cost the town quite a heavy sum for poor purposes, and was a subject of much controversy. Cat- tle of all kinds, except bulls and stallions, were per- mitted, by official action, to run at large in all high- ways, the owners not being liable for damages to any one whose premises were not enclosed by a legal fence. At an election held April 6, 1847, the vote for state constitution "Yes" was 175; " No," 154. For license to sell liquors, "Yes," 27 votes; "No," 13. Equal suf- frage to colored persons, "Yes," 18 votes; "No," 176, As yet the place had achieved but one colored " man and brother," and his voting enfranchisement was not popularly relished; and yet Titus Kirhpatrick was highly distinguished by the attentions received, both in prose and verse, as old settlers will all no doubt re- member. A genial kindness pervaded communities at this time, unknown to the present. How often a score of able bodied men left their own work to go out ten or twenty 550 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. miles to help a new settler raise his cabin, whose name even was scarcety known ; and all without fee or reward. It was equally so with the sick, needy and destitute. The shams of modern society had no place here. The impulses of benevolence were sincere and genuine. Hy- pocrisy and selfishness had not as yet found a foothold. Degrees of wealth were not recognized as degrees in the scale of humanity. Piety was scarce; but practical good deeds were too common to attract notice. They were looked upon as matters of course. A vein of waggery tinged the whole social order. Every one was joker or jokist — made victims of others, or was himself victimized. Humor and fun were stand- ard coin. Their circulation reached every one. But it is almost impossible to record in words the spirit that escaped in its essence, and overflowed on all occasions. Mirth, indeed, flowed like a river with full Ivmks, and there was no such thing as strangers to the flood. Hardships and trouble were alike forgotten in its pres- ence. This mercurial impulse made a " smiling land " of a wide waste of fertile but unoccupied desert. Nothing in the " show line " could at that time make its appearance without universal patronage. It did not matter whether good or bad, sport was bound to come out of it. Even the gravity of courts and legislatures were no barriers to the popular tendency. How vividly I recall the advent of a circus, in the summer of 1848.* The legislature was at the moment in dull and heavy session, myself reporting for the press. Suddenly strains of music floated into the Assembly Chamber. * Mr. N. T. Hawes, of Fitch burg, states that the first circus exhibited in Madison was in the summer of 1C44, and exhibited on the corner of the block now occupied by J. E. Fisher as a furniture warehouse. In the Dane county minutes there is a record made of one Geo. K. Spaulding as being licensed to exhibit the "North American Circus." in Dane county, for ninety days, dating July 5th, 1814. Also on July Kith, 1845, and July 11th, 1840, the firm of June & Turner were licensed for the same purpose, and for about the the same numbe: of days each time. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. 551 A moment more, there was a rush of members for the windows over seats and desks, and then a stampede for the doors. The speaker stopped with a " motion " on his lips, his gavel dropped, and, with one or two jumps, he landed on the stairway, and thence to the floor be- low, and out into the park with the crowd, and was among the first to reach the street. The clerks, aston- ished for a moment, joined in pursuit; and the reporter stood in an empty house in the space of about a minute, which no one had adjourned, and so he adjourned himself. But to dwell on these memories would take a volume. Events of Genekal Impoktance. — The first event of local consequence was the location of the territorial capitol. At the time there was but one settler in the county. Next to it was the building of a steam saw- mill on Fourth lake, near the present steamboat land- ing, whereby some oak lumber was obtainable for the floors of dwellings. Previous to this, the most " aristo- cratic " houses were covered with siding split by hand. Log houses were of course largely in excess. As this mill soon ceased work, owing to a quarrel over the own* ership (having been built with territorial funds), Sime- on Mills and William A. Wheeler, erected another in 1811, on a creek which empties into the northerly end of Third lake; and this small affair, which turned out 2,000 feet daily, of hard wood, was for a long time the sole reliance for a supply of lumber for the county. This mill was soon after sold to Philo Dunning, who run it for some years. Subsequently Mr. Mills built a steam mill on the edge of the marsh, between Main street and Washington avenue, in the year 1819. To his enterprise at this period and afterwards, the town and county owe far more than they have ever repaid. All these mills have, of course, long since disappeared. The crop of " prairie saw logs " is a thing of the past, 552 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. but one whose memory is even yet a fragrance to the old settlers. In 1844 the first flouring mill was erected in the town by William A. Wheeler and Joseph Vroman, on a small branch of Sugar River in town 6, of range 8 (now Ver- ona), and known as Badger Mill, which was the only grist mill for several years, and consequently the inhab- itants were largely dependent upon Janesville and other towns in Rock river valley for their bread, until L. J. Farwell built a large flouring mill at the outlet of Lake Mendota, in 1851.* The Era of Canal Projects. — Among events of these early times, the survey of a canal route from Rock river to the Wisconsin, by way of the Four Lakes, ought not to be omitted, as the " canal fever " preceded the '"railroad mania.' 1 In 1838-9, Capt. Cram made a canal survey from Rock river to Madison, under instructions from the general government, and in the latter year, Capt. Alex. M. Mitchell continued it from the head of Fourth Lake to " Mud Lake," and down Black Earth valley to the Wisconsin, and pronounced the project "perfectly feasible!" Here, then, was a scheme worth * To illustrate the dilemma of a community thus situated, let me give a brief example. On my first visit to Madison, in 1845, I was invited by Dan- iel M. Holt, an old acquaintance, to take tea with his family. On accom- panying him to his house I soon discovered that his wife, from a whispered conversation, was in a "peck of trouble." Finally, Holt, turning to me, said, '•It is no use to conceal anything. We have to depend on Janesville for flour, and the 'flour man' is four days behind time. I bought an extra 6tock on his last visit, but the taverns and neighbors are all out, and w r e have lent until we have not an ounce for ourselves. I think the man must get along yet to-night. At any rate let us go out and watch the road for him. If he fails, we can't give you either bread or biscuit, for there is no such thing in town. You will have to All up with potatoes and fish." We accordingly took up a position in the woods, near where the court house now stands, and eagerly scanned the '-Janesville road." In about an hour a team was seen winding round the head of Third Lake, which proved to be the "flour man's." Some biscuit was speedily prepared, much to the relief of the wife, who persisted in feeling "mortified" at being caught in so common a pre- dicament at that time in all families. The rule seemed to be that the "tav- erns" must be supplied in'any event, for the good repute of the place, how- ever short the citizens. Such a deprivation at the time, with me, as with others, would have simply excited a hearty laugh. But feminine hospitality was often put to a severe test in those days. DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 553 talking about — a water route both east and west from Madison, and our lakes, in imagination, all to be turned into reservoirs for steamers and canal boats! The ideas of the time were far ahead of present or possible reality. There was no such word as " visionary " to the new comer. A canal carried over a two hundred-feet crest, with no body of water as a feeder, did not seem an ex- travagant enterprise during this era of wild real estate speculation. Scandinavian Immigration. — Norwegian settlement was commenced around Lake Koshkonong about 1840. It soon pressed into the southeast corner towns of Dane county. Dressed in the costume of their native land, with customs and manners wholly un-American, the Scandinavian was at first regarded with great curiosity by the native element. As a rule, they selected the hilly lands out of the government domain, and built their dwellings mainly in excavations, often invisible at a distance. When a census was taken in midwinter in 1847, as a preliminary to the convention to frame a state constitution, Joel P. Mann, who was making the enu- meration, had great trouble in finding this class of the population. In this emergency, Mr. Burdick (EUsJta, for short,) suggested a plan that was eminently success- ful. It was to gain a high hill in early morning, count the smokes, and multiply the number by ten! The cen- sus was soon after satisfactorily completed. In the absence of polling places, the Norwegian set- tlers, in 1816, had to come to Cottage Grove (Beecher's place) to vote. There was much strife between political parties to gain this accession in strength, and the cus- tom was, to send out a team on election day, with a deputy clerk to naturalize, together with a plethoric keg of whisky, and an agent to see that a supply of the right kind of tickets were given out and put into the ballot 554 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. box. The following was said at the time to be the form of proceeding in making citizens of the newly arrived: Officer to applicant — "Hold up your hand. You swear." Ap- plicant— "Y&w" Officer— "By Jesus Christ." Applicant— "Taw." Officer — " You vote the democratic ticket!' 1 '' Applicant — "Yaw." Officer — "Here is the straight vote. Go up to that window where you see those three men, and put it in the box, then come back and take a square drink. You are now invested with the whole dignity and every right of a free American citizen." The Norwegians were all democrats at that time. At present, democratic votes are conspicuously absent among them when they go to the polls. The wondrous career of the race in material wealth and mental improvement, under favorable and improv- ing conditions, is, to the early American settlers, a marked phase in race development, conspicuous among all others witnessed in western life. There were few German settlers then, one I recollect by the name of Xavier Jordan. I can only remember the names of three Irishmen, Thomas and Matthew Dunn and Peter Kavanaugh and their families. A dozen English families located, near what is now Mazo- nianie and towns of Springfield and Berry, and a few Scotchmen in this town and Verona, comprised the " foreign element." The American type was gen- erally predominant. Population, however, commenced flowing in very rap- idly about this period, and but a short time elapsed be- fore nearly every European nation had representatives among us. Owing to the rivalry between different counties, the census returns of the period are, on the score of exact accuracy, at least open to suspicion. The railroad, also, which first reached us in 1854, was another event whose impulse is scarcely yet over. For the first time our people were tied to the outer world DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 555 by an enduring baud — a tie whose cost many of them are not likely to forget. Its advent was regarded as a decidedly "big thing." Hundreds came from miles distant to see the first gravel train! The Town as now Organized. — The present area of the township of Madison is about 11,400 acres of land — the balance water. It stands like a sheep that has passed through the hands of the shearer. Years of steady clipping had shrunk it to square boundaries, when the legislative shears made a final clip about 1859, and set off a few sections to the town of Burke. As a result, its parts are no longer " contiguous terri- tory." The two northern corners, " McBride's Point" and u Livesey's Woods," are isolations — the voters from one side having to pass through Springfield and Middle- ton to get into their own town, and on the other, to trav- erse some five miles of city site to attend the polls. Except these breaks, the town encloses the city as the shell does the kernel, or the setting the gem, and em- braces about all the beauties of location and landscape that the city is so boastful over. The promontories and peninsulas, headlands, bluffs and bays are nearly all in the town, which probably has no counterpart in out- line elsewhere upon the globe. Geologically, the valle} r s and lowlands lie at the junc- tion of the Lower or Potsdam sandstone with the Low- er Magnesian limestone, so that the wash from the hills is a perpetual source of fertility. In addition to this, the town is in the very focus of ancient glacial activity, which not only scooped out the lake basins, but piled the debris, mixed with transported material, along the skirts of our hills and into nearly all our valleys. The surface may be said to be nearly all rolling, and without levels, other than marsh grounds. The soil is gener- ally good, and its fertilizing qualities likely to endure. 556 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. There are no waste lands, or too little to make a note of in a general description. On the Avhole, our half a town has capabilities exceeding many whole ones elsewhere. Our population numbers now about 1,000. The farms lead all other pursuits. We have six or seven school districts, no churches, one or two saloons, as many ho- tels, and little of mechanic arts, manufacturing or mer- chandising, and no debt! A more intelligent, quiet, orderly and harmonious people cannot be found in the whole state. For more than twenty years past it has been difficult to get any one to qualify as a justice of the peace, and during part of the time we have rarely had such an official; and the same is equally true of constables. With few exceptions our criminals have all been imported, and were not " to the manor born." Eben Peck, the first person who located on the site of the city, is also credited with being the first who '' broke the glebe " and turned the first furrow in the present town of Madison; and, for that matter, in the county of Dane. He broke about three acres, a little west of William Larkin's present homestead, in 1838, probably under the impression that it was government land; but, finding out his mistake, abandoned the work, and did not attempt cultivation. William Lawrence made a settlement near the north line of the town of Windsor, in 1838; but to what extent he broke the soil, if at all, is doubtful. In 1839, Abel Dunning and Wil- liam D. Bird made breakings within the present town, and " Esq. Peaslee " did the same on the " 76 farm," in Burke, which has passed through so many proprietors since. Wm. B. and Gr. H. Slaughter also settled in Mid- dleton in the same year. Dunning sowed crops on his breaking in 1839, but Bird and others, it is reported, not until the next year. These two worthy gentlemen and pioneers are the fathers of agriculture in Dane county, DANE COUNTY TOWNS — -MADISON. 557 preceding in date all others now remaining or living, and have continued in their chosen profession from the beginning. Both have filled many public stations of great usefulness to the county, but none as conspicuous as their merits deserved. Neither have ever had leisure to run after office; and when they have accepted trusts of the kind, it has been done as a duty owed to com- munity, rather than from any desire for place. The beginners of our farms are certainly worthy of having their names commemorated, and of every honorable dis- tinction in the power of the community to confer. Among others of our pioneers, the names of James R. Larkin, Jonathan Larkin, Daniel Larkin, William Larkin and B. F. Larkin, stand prominently and con- spicuous as a family. To these should be added Har- mon J. Hill, Andrus Viall, Russell and Daniel Sheldon, and many others not easily enumerated from memory — all good men — citizens to be proud of — worthy in all senses to have assisted in founding not alone a town and county, but the state as well. As all the old set- tlers in the city belonged to the town, their career, in a historical sense, is a part of our heritage. List of Principal Town Officers from 1846 to 1877. 1S46. Supervisors — Jamea R. Larkin, cb'n, Edward Campbell, Wm. C. Wells, lioad Commissioners —John M. Griffin, Thos. Rathbone, Abiram Drakely. Clerk- — J. Duane Ruggles. Collector— Andrus Viall. Treas- urer — Darwin Clark. Assessors — Geo. Vroman, John W. Thomas, Wil- liam Larkin. School Commissioners — J. G. Knapp, Benjamin Holt, F. H. Talcott. Justices — Wm. N. Seymour, Nathaniel Wheeler, Alonzo Wil- cox. Constables — John Cottrill, Jas. Moore, Albert Skinner. 1847. Supervisors — Wm. C. Wells, ch'n, Chester Bushnell, Abel Rasdall. Road Commissioners — 3. t>l. Griffin, Lucius M. Palmer, Daniel Larkin. Clerk — J. Ripley Brigham. Collector— Squire Lamb. Treasurer — Dar- win Clark. Assessors — Harmon J. Hill, D. A. Barnard, Nicholas Smith. School Commissioners — David H. Wright, Benjamin Holt, A.L.Collins. Justices — Charter Bushnell, Allen Harris, Geo. M. Oakley. Constables — John D.Welch, Wm. Rasdall, Joseph Pettin. 1848. Supervisors — Wm. C. Wells, ch'n, Casper M. Rouse, N. S. Emmons. Road Commissioners*— Clerk — Robert L. Ream. Collector— B. P. Lar- kin. Treasurer — Daniel B. Sneeden. Assessors — Arch. Tredway, Alfred Main, S. M. Van Bergen. School Commissioners — Benj. Holt, John Nel- son, D. H. Wright. Justices — H. J. Hill, Abram Ogden, B M. Caswell. Constables — Andrew Bishop, Alfred Main, John D. Welch. Fence viewers and sealers of weights and measures omitted. * This office seems to have been abolished by the legislature of 1847. 558 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MADISON. 1840. Supervisors — John Nelson, ch'n. Andrus Viall, R. F. Davis. Clerk— Robert L. Ream. Collector — Office abolished. Treas urer — M. G. Van Bergen. Assessor — Newton Emmons (but one elected). Sv.pt. of Schools — D. II. Wright (but one elected). Just ices — Abram Ogden, David H. Wright, William Welch. Constables —Alfred Main, A. M. Ras- dall, Henry Carman. 1850.* Supervisors — Wm. N. Seymour, ch'n, Joel P. Mann, David A. Barnard. Clerk — Julius T. Clark. 1851. Supervisors — Leonard J. Farwell,t Joel P. Mann, Richard T. Davis. rh rk — Johnson J. Starks. Collector — N. S. Emmons. Assessor — John T. Wilson. Supt. of Schools— J). N. Johnson. Justices — Geo. C. Albee, Win. N. Seymour. Constables — Thos. Heeran, Squire Lamb, Wm. II. Foot. 1832. Supervisors — Philo Dunning, ch'n, Jas. R. Larkin, Xavicr Jordan. Clerk — James Donnellon. Treasurer — Casper Zwickey. Assessor — Robt. L. Ream. Sitpt. of Schools — Darwin Clark. Justices — Abram Ogden, William Welch. Constables — Thos. Heeran, Jos, Williams, Isaac Robertson. 1853. Supervisors — J. T. Marston, ch'n, D. A. Barnard, Wm. D. Bird. Clerk — James Donnellon. Treasurer — Carl Habich. Asssessor — C. M. Rouse. Supt. of Schools-- John W. Hunt. Justices — Wm. N. Seymour, James R. Larkin. Constables — Michael Joyce, Daniel Cieghan, F. Guild. 1854. Supervisors — Jehu H. Lewis, ch'n, Earnest Somers, II. J. Hill. Clerk — James Donnellon. Treasurer — Ernest Doerschlag. Assessor — C. G. Mayers. Supt. of Schools — David Holt. Justices — Abram Ogden, A. B. Braley. Constables —J. L. Roundy, J. P. Howard, C. Cieghan. 1855. Supervisors — H. J. Hill, ch'n, S. M. VanBergen, Richard T. Davis. Clerk — Willett S. Main. Treasurer — Geo. C. Albee. Assessor — (No record made). Supt. of Schools — Darwin Clark. Justices — Wm. N. Sey- mour, Wm. Welch. Constables — I. E. Brown, Henry Rouse, Wm. Mc- Pyncheon. The legislature of 1856 chartered the city of Madison, and the town, in area nearly as now organized, held its election in April. The following were the first officers chosen : Supervisors — H. J Hill, ch'n, B. F. Larkin, Philo Dunning. Clerk — H. A. Tenney. Treasurer — Daniel Larkin. Sunt, of Schools — Joseph Chan- dler. Justices — Abel Dunning, Charles E. Morgan, Caleb Jewett As- sessor — Benjamin Piper. Constables — Chancellor Hill, R. G. Sheldon, Frank Mahew. *I And no entry of record of a town election having been held in 1S50. The above officers, however, are recorded as having served. + Leonard J. Farwell purchased most of the northeast part of the village in 1847, visited Europe in 1848, and commenced improving his estate in 1849. Among the work he projected in 1851, was a large amount of ditching, etc. While absent, the whigs nominated him for chairman of the board of super- visors, and it was at once seen by the democrats that it was a formidable name to run against. To incite the needed opposition, Andrew Bishop, bet- in- known as "Elder," harrangued a crowd, saying, in substance, "that if Farwell was elected he would put the town into $10,00.1 expense for ditching his marsh, while his opponent, Barnard, would be eminently a safe man." Upon this, an Irishman on the outside of the crowd, nudging another, thus expressed himself: "Pat, do yes mind that now? If Farwell's elected he will spind tin thousand dollars a ditchin' the marsh, and Barnard niver a cint. Bisk says so. Farwell's the man for us, be jabers. Divil a ha'p'orth do we give Barnard a vote." The result of Bish's effort was to give Farwell the whole Irish strength — a whig victory for the first time in many years. The notoriety given to the event made Farwell a year later, governor of Wis- consin. Simeon Mills and Gov. Farwell were the real founders of about every early enterprise to improve the country, and make Madison what it has since become. " Bish's " speech was the prime inspiration of Farwell's political advancement, aided by Col Botkiu and others. DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 559 The whole number of votes cast at this election wa«s 124, as against 1,425 the year previous, when connected with the city. The vote of the town during the past twenty years has rarely reached above 300, and then only in very exciting elections. The following named gentlemen, in the order given, have served the town in the offices named since 1846 : Chairmen of Hoard of Supervisors — H. J '. Hill, two terms, W". D. Bird, Thomas Reynolds, two term?, H. A. Tenney, Andrus Viall, Chancellor Hill, two terms, Abel Dunning, two terms, Henry Turvill, Ed. E. Bryant, George C. Russell, Henry A. Draper, William Windsor. Clerks — Charles E. Morgan, Charles L. Ferris. James Kavanaugh, three years, Sinclair W. Botkiu, two years, George W. Hortou, George H. Mer- cer, William J. Pethcrick, Myron S. Piper, George W. Horton in 18iit>, 1807, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877. Treasurers — Earnest Somers, Edward Newcomh, Michael Dunning, Benja- min Piper. Iwo years, A. Phillips, C. H. French, II. J. Hill, Joseph Chan- dler, S. Williams, Samuel S. Chase, George A. Cary, Chancellor Hill, E. Hammersly, Charles Nelson, R. W. Kowe. Supt. of Schools — H. A. Tenney, two years, Caleb' Jewett and nenry Tur- vill, two years. By change in the school system, this office was abolished at the close of Mr. Turvill* s term. PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS. In compiling a history in which events of a general character are recorded, many interesting anecdotes and pleasing personal recollections are frequently uninten- tionally omitted. We purposed giving our readers a chapter on "Personal Incidents of Pioneer Life," but our space forbids recording more than the following, the first of which, furnished us by the Hon. Geo. B. Smith, is a simple narative of an act, so genuinely un- selfish, that it will be rare to find its equal any where. A good many years ago an incident occurred here in Madison, illustrating high integrity, great generosity and singular unselfish- ness, which I think should be preserved. Among the early settlers of Madison were two single men, Robert Moore, an Englishman, and James Dow, a Scotchman. Robert was always called "Bob," and James "Jimmie." Jimmie Dow lived always, when I knew him, all alone in a sort of hole in the ground on the Sauk road, about two miles west of Madison. "Bob" lived in town with old Uncle John Mallow, a brickmaker, with a large family. " Bob " often visited " Jimmie " at his cabin, in fact, I think he made " Jimmie's " house his headquarters. They were both genial, jolly good fellows, and both excessively 5G0 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. fond of their toddy. "Bob" was famous as a whistler. Every year, for many years, he used to whitewash the old Capitol fence, when he would always draw crowds by his remarkable whistling:. " Jimmie " was a well digger, and often worked at day's work with liis team of mules, which he always owned whde I knew him. He could repeat Burns' poems by the hour, and always, to use his own expression, as "dry as afesh." One afternoon " Bob " went out to " Jimmie 's " and in the evening feeling quite unwell, he startled his friend " Jimmie " by telling him he was sure he should not live until morning. "Jimmie" protested that he was only fidgety and frightened. "Bob," was deeply impressed that he should die that night, and he said: "'Jimmie,' I owe you for bor- rowed money thirty or forty dollars, and I owe Uncle John Mal- low more than that for board. Now, Jimmie, I am sure I shall die before morning, and if I do, I want you to take my gun and a note I have against a man in Columbus for $30, all 1 have in the world, and give them to Uncle John, for he is poor and has a large family to support, and you must lose your debt. If I live, I wih\pav you both." "Jimmie" said he would. Sure enough, "Bob" did die that night. When the funeral was over "Jimmie" took the gun and the note to Uncle John Mallow, and that very morning he brought the note to me at my house for collection, and told me this story. I collected the note, Mallow got his pay — "Jimmie" lost his debt. " Jimmie " remained here for a few years after the death of Bob, but finally left; where he went to I do not know. Two or three years ago he returned to visit his old friends, but tliis was no place for "Jimmie." I did not see him, but those who did, said he was still as " dry as a fesh." Mr. E. M. Williamson says that Berry Haney and Pelkie, the Frenchman referred to on page 26, had the dispute about a claim of land in Cross Plains, and Haney shot the Frenchman through the thigh, the ball entering the folding leaf of a cherry table, and which for years afterwards was shown by Haney to his friends as a curi- osity. Haney, however, took care of Pelkie until his final recovery. Mr. E. Burdiok relates that Haney at one time borrowed $50 of him and tendered him his note, which he, Burdick, refused, remark- ing that it was a matter of honor between Haney and himself, and all he wished was that the money should be returned at a given date. Haney was never known to honor liis note, but this matter of verbal promise to pay was the highest form of integrity to him, and on the appointed day Haney passed over the lawful amount with a nervous earnestness that he never was known to experience, at any other time when his note of hand fell due. Adam Smith, of Sun Prairie, who was at one time a partner of Abel Rasdall, relates an incident which, we believe, lias never been recorded before. Rasdell kept a trading store on the east side of King and Webster streets, and on one occasion a young Indian entered his store and attacked Mm with an open knife. Rasdell was unarmed, but after guarding the blows, was finally able to wrench the knife from the hands of the Indian, and though DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. 561 wounded across the back of his fingers, pursued him out into the street, where he caught and threw him down, and then struck at with the knife, while he held him down with one hand. The knife each time struck a heavy buckskin belt the Indian wore, and thus failed to injure him. The father of the young man coming up at the time, rushed up to Rasdall and besought him to spare the life of his son and take his, as he was an old man and had few moons to live. Tin- appeal touched the heart of Rasdall. and though naturally rash and vindictive, he allowed the young man to get up and go off with his father without further molestation. Wm. Welch, Esq., speaking of the good sayings and good things that are left slumbering in obscurity, for want of proper can in the preserving of them, and which would go far to the exclusion of so many trashy books that are palmed off on the public, relates the following in his Home Diary: " In 1857, the law firm of Welch & Lamb was established, and with their extensive acquaintance in the county, clients multiplied apace, and among them Mr. John Foreman, late of Deerfield. In 1860, the State Fair was ap- pointed to be held in Madison; and Mr. Welch, making Mr. Fore- man a friendly visit at his farm, bargained for a dozen spring chickens for home consumption, and a crock of good butter, which John and his wife were to bring to Madison when they made a visit to the Fair, and to stay over night at Mr. Welch's. John and his wife came according to agreement, with chickens and butter, and passing on tlrrough town stopped at the house of Mr. Lamb, who, eyeing the chickens, eloquently persuaded the couple to leave their merchandise with him, as it would be all right, it making no par- ticular difference which of the partners were made happy by the possession of the fowls, and so quietly passed them from John into a convenient smoke house that served as a preservative by smoke or otherwise. John and his wife, after satisfying them- selves with sight seeing at the Fair, returned to Welch's for night quarters, and after supper related their adventure with Mr. Lamb; and imwilling to disconcert the sunshine and joy on the honest face of the two good soids, Welch admitted it would be all right. But t.'0 foul a deed rankled in the brea.st of Welch, and he mentally shouted revenge. Peter Parkinson, Jr.. Mr. Welch's respected brother-in-law, driving up to the house at the time, Welch opened to him his budget of grief, and both agreed to cany the war out that very night. Proceeding to the house of Lamb, and satisfying themselves that everything was quiet in the house, they stealthily crept up to the smoke house, and carefully removmg a temporary door, commenced wringing the necks of the chickens, and had nearly complete-.! their operations when, to their horror and consternation, a large dog rushed out at them, but which proving to be a six months old Newfoundland, they readily made friends with him, and finishing their work of blood, took with them both the dog and chickens. The following morning the girl prepared the chickens for breakfast, and was assisted by Mrs. Foreman, who declared that the chickens '•iooked for all the world just like those John and her had brought to Deacon Lamb's." When Lamb reached the office in the 36 562 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MADISON. morning', Welch observed some perturbation of feeling on his coun- tenance, but supposing - his own imagination was working equally strong, said nothing until asked by Lamb if Foreman and wife had stayed with him over night, which being answered in the af- firmative, he again asked if they had come up town again the same evening, and being answered in the negative, was asked why he made these inquiries, when he proceeded to relate the night's theft, and how he had traced the foot prints of both a man and a woman in his lot, and had them measured by stick and ride. At this junc- ture, Welch involuntarily withdrew his protruding foot and sub- limely disclaimed against all hen roost thieves, until Lamb, thor- oughly satisfied that he had no clue to the robber, quietly charged himself with the clnckens, and for fifteen long years remained ignorant of the above facts, although brother Parkinson with some twinge of conscience, tried to make reparation by presenting Lamb with the hah of a hog." Madison has been long noted for her excellent staff of house and sign painters, and sometimes in the display of the latter their patience and good sense have been strongly imposed on. In one of the wards of our city lying between here and Cottage Grove, one of our good, quiet and honest Germans had started a small grocery store, and desired the aid of an artist of the brush to prepare 1dm a suitable sign for the proper announcement of his merchandise. The terms and price not being satisfactory, our good neighbor bargained for the use of paint and brush, as he had once some knowledge of the art himself, and could do a " leetle dat vay. 11 After a labored effort he produced the following: " Lager Beer and So — me. Gro- ceries." Another equally as good might be seen in the First ward of our city, and reads: " Going oat doing whitewashing taken in here." Education is a great helper if it is not always a great elevator; but which it is, we are not prepared to say, after reading the follow- ing, prepared and held by one of our painters for years for the ex- pense incurred in its execution for a practicing physician in a neighboring village, and which was tastefully lettered: " Dr. Wilber B. Dodge, M. D., Physician and Surgeon." In the making of books, says the wise man, there is no end, and so might it be added with regaid to professional titles. They are weightier than the pretended owners of them. When Pinneo, the shingle weaver, was in want of a drink, he was accustomed to go to Squire Seymour, who kept store for the Deans, and run his credit until the shingles he had wove were sold. On one occasion, having readied the utmost limit of his financial standing with the Squire, he endeavored by persuasive argument to have him give him one drink more. The Squire, however, was in- exorable, so Pinneo returned to his shingle establishment, where he found Adam Smith, from whom he borrowed an empty pistol, and with a bottle hi his pocket started for Deans 1 store. On entering he held the pistol in one hand and the bottle in the other and de- manded that the Squire should fill his bottle. The fierce attitude of the belligerent brought the Squire to terms, and, after filling the bottle, Pinneo coolly showed him the pistol was unloaded. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VIENNA.; 563 VIENNA. BY HON. A. A. BOYCE. The town of Vienna is situated on the north line of Dane county, and is midway between the east and west lines of the count}-. The town is bounded on the north by the town of Arlington, in Columbia county, on the east by Windsor, on the south by Westport, and on the west by the town of Dane. It occupies the township of land known as town 9 north, range 9 east. This town- ship of land was set off from the northwest corner of Windsor, and organized as a separate town by an act of the second state legislature, in 1849. The name of the town was derived from the town of Vienna in the state of New York, from whence came some of the early set- tlers. It occupies a part of the high lands that di- vide the waters of the Wisconsin from those of Rock river. Prom the northwest part of the town the waters fall into Lodi creek, a small tributary of the Wisconsin, from the east, and south the waters find their way into Lake Mendota through two small creeks, one on the east, the other on the southwest border of the town. The land is sufficiently undulating to afford complete drainage. There are no marshes of any considerable extent. The soil is principally a deep, rich, dark loam of great fertility. In many of the hills and ridges, limestone of good qual- ity for building purposes is found. It is said that every quarter section of land would make a good farm. Beau- tiful prairies, interspersed with groves, form pleasing landscapes of great beauty. The principal groves are called Robertson's Grove, in 561: DANE COUNTY TOWNS VIENNA. the north, Norway Grove, in the center, and Hundred Mile Grove, in the northwest part of the town, the grove was so called by the military engineers who placed the stake in the grove that marked the one hundredth mile on the military road from old Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien. This road extended from Fort Crawford, on the Mississippi, by way of Fort Winnebago, at the port- age between the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, to Fort How- ard at Green Bay, and in early days was the principal thoroughfare from the southwest to the pineries of the north. It passed through the northwest corner of the town. In the year 1838, William G. Simons (now of Lodi) entered the first land, the southeast quarter of section 21, and plowed the first land. The next year he built the first house, with the intention of keeping a tavern on the projected road from Madison to Fort Winnebago, but the projected road taking another route by the way of Token Creek, he left, and sold the land to Louis Mon- tonda, who and his wife Electa, were the only inhabit- ants for two years within the present limits of the town. In 1812, Montonda moved away and the town was left Avithout an inhabitant until 1815, when David Robert- son and Thomas Lindsay located on section 4, where they now reside. S. Nicholson settled on section 22. The next year (1816), Willard Fisher and Joseph Dem- ing, with their families, settled on section 21, and Ira Simons and Harvey P. Wheaton moved on to section 6; in this year also members of a colony from and near the city of Leicester, England, settled on section 31, being mostly mechanics, unused to farm labor and the hard- ships of pioneer life, a majority of them left and sought homes elsewhere. Among those who remained and im- proved their farms were William Plackett, Jonah Poy- nor, William Crow, and Jabez Weston. In the spring DANE COUNTY TOWNS VIENNA. 565 of 1847, Adam Paton settled on section 4, A. A. Boyce on section 6, Whiting D. Stanley and Aaron Lamb on section 7, and Benjamin Nesmith on section 32. A number of families from Norway settled in the central and eastern part of the town. Among the first that came were Erick and Michael Johnson, with their fam- ilies, who still reside on their farms. During this and the following years, many more settlers arrived. Robert Mann and Isaac Mann located on section 7. Among the early settlers who still occupy the farms on which they settled, are Samuel Pashley, R. McChesney, Alexander and Tims. Paton, M. O'Dwyer, W. 0. and Wm. Fisher, R. B. Kellogg, Ole Hemundson, Henry Nelson, T. E. Farness, Lars Sampson, T. Errickson, John Ollis, J. and W. Howie, Aaron Cooledge, J. Farwell, S. Raymond, H. Cramer, Jas. Taylor, R. J. Poynor, Wm. Plackett, J. C. Hustleby, A. J. Damp, S. M. Lester and A. Rankin. The first town meeting for the election of town offi- cers was held at the house of Willard Fisher, on the 16th day of April, 1819. and the following officers were chosen: Sitjwrrisors, A. A. Boyce, chairman, Willard Fisher, and Benjamin Nesmith; town clerk, Isaac Mann; assessor, Thomas Lindsay ; treasurer, Jabez Wes- ton; justices of the peace, A. A. Boyce, Jonah Poy- nor, Willard Fisher, and Hubbell Fuller. The first school house was built at Hundred Mile Grove, on section 7, in 1851. There are five churches in the town, the first church erected was the Norwegian Lutheran Church, in 1851, on section 21; then followed the Methodist Church on section 31; the Seventh Day Adventists and the Catholic Churches both on section 9, and the Episcopal church on section 32. The inhabitants of this town have been peculiarly ex- empt from sickness. The high and dry location of the lands gives them a pure and healthful atmosphere. 566 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VIENNA. While the people are of so many different nationalities and religions, yet greater harmony does not prevail in any town. Few crimes have been committed, and pau- perism is almost unknown. Schools and churches are liberally supported. Many of the young people avail themselves of the educational advantages afforded by the State University, the Normal and High Schools. Two railroads come within the limits of the town. The Chicago and Northwestern Railway crosses the southwest part of the town, the Madison and Portage road the northeast. The stations on these roads afford good and convenient markets for the products of the farms — Morrison, DeForest and Windsor on the Mad- ison, and Portage road ; Waunakee, Dane and Lodi, on the Northwestern road. The pioneer settlers underwent many privations. Among those most severely felt was the want of a good and near market. Milwaukee, almost the only cash market for wheat, was nearly one hundred miles dis- tant, over new, and at times, almost impassable roads. Frequently the expenses of marketing a load of wheat at Milwaukee were greater than the money received for the load. W. D. Stanley used to relate his experience in marketing his first load of wheat at Milwaukee; it was in the fall of the }*ear, the roads were bad and muddy, the weather rainy most of the time; it took nearly eight clays to accomplish the trip; no extraordinary expenses were incurred, and yet so little did he receive for forty bushels of wheat that when he returned home all he had to show for his load and eight days 1 work for him- self and team, was three yards of sheep's grey cloth and a pound of tea. The experience of another neighbor — John Overton, of Dane — was even worse than that of neighbor Stan- ley. He hired a 3-oke of oxen at twenty-five cents per DANE COUNTY TOWNS VIENNA. 567 day, his own oxen not being sufficient to haul forty bushels of wheat to Milwaukee over the bad roads; he hired a wagon at twenty-five cents per day; he paid only ordinary expenses. After paying for the use of the oxen and wao'on, he found that the f'ortv bushels of wheat did not pay expenses, and that he was fifty cents in debt. I remember marketing a load of wheat in those early days at Madison, selling it to " 'Squire " Seymour (then of the firm of Seymour & Varney), for forty cents per bushel, in " store pay." Wheat was the staple farm crop; in fact about the only thing raised on the farm that could be converted into money. The yield of wheat on the new rich lands was enormous; forty bush- els to the acre was not an uncommon crop. Now such yields of grain are rarely, if at all obtained — not even from virgin soil. There are several reasons for this: first, insect enemies of the wheat plant, then unknown, have come in and so multiplied as to completely destroy the crop in places, year after year; second, the success- ive crops of wheat taken from the same lands, without any system of judicious rotation with other crops, have taken from the soil the elements of plant food necessary to the production of large crops of wheat; and lastly, the comparatively few acres of land that were plowed by the early settlers drew from the atmosphere (nature's great storehouse) the plant food that now would be di- vided among many times the number of plowed acres. Many of the first settlers entered upon the lands without first purchasing the lands from the government or even pre-empting them, simply claiming them, using all of their means in building fences and other improve- ments, and farm stock, intending to make from the farm, or borrow, money sufficient to pay the govern- ment for the land. The right of the settlers to the lands they claimed was generally recognized and held 56S DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VIENNA. sacred by the settlers, who protected each other in their rights, and cases were rare where claims were ''jumped" by settlers. Occasionally some land speculator would " enter" (or buy of the government) the lands claimed by settlers, and whenever one of that class appeared, his movements were watched with a good deal of anxiety. In the summer of 1846 a settler was informed that a stranger on horseback had been in the neighborhood looking land, and that he had obtained the numbers of the lands he claimed, and had left in the direction of Milwaukee that forenoon. The settler had not money enough to buy the land of the government, but he had a friend living on Rowan's creek, eight or nine miles away, who could lend him money sufficient with what he had, to enter his land at the land office at Milwau- kee; so he determined to borrow the money and reach the land office before the stranger. He had no horse (I think there was no horse owned in the town at that time); it was nearly noon when he started for his friend's; he was fortunate in finding him at home and in getting the money; when he returned home and com- menced his journey on foot to the land office, the after- noon was well advanced. He reached Cottage Grove late in the evening. He dare not enter a house to sleep for fear he should sleep too long, but Lay down by the tavern stable door where he knew he would be awaken- ed early in the morning. Before sunrise he was up and on the road; he reached Milwaukee that night. In the morning he entered the land office as soon as it was opened, and found to his great relief that he was in time to enter the land. Before leaving the office a stranger entered to buy lands, and among the numbers were his own lands that he had just paid for. Some of the old settlers will call to mind an occasion when the settlers of this and the adjoining town of DANE COUNTY TOWNS VIENNA. 569 Dane were called together to right the wrongs of a brother settler whose claim had been "jumped'" The case was an aggravated one, and was briefly this: A settler was living on a claim where he had built a house, broken and fenced a field. He was visited by a former acquaintance from an eastern state, who came to buy lands. The settler entertained the man for several days, accompanied him a day or two in looking up lands, and assisted him in getting correct descriptions. With these the man left for the land office and entered the lands claimed by his entertainer, and returned to the neighborhood and demanded possession of the land. The news of the outrage soon spread among the settlers. They met on a cold December (lay at the house of the injured settler, and caused the " claim jumper" to be brought in. A justice of the peace was conveniently near, to act as the occasion might require — to take the acknowledgment of a deed or hold an inquest. The man was stubborn; he refused to receive the money he paid for the land and sign a deed made ready for his signature. Threats and entreaties were alike unavail- ing. At last it was determined to try the " water cure." He was taken to a neighboring pond, a hole was cut in the ice, and he was plunged in. In his case the cold water cure was instantaneous and complete; he express- ed himself not only willing but anxious to sign that deed. He took the money, signed the deed, and depart- ed, a sadder and wetter, if not a wiser man. Few per- sons except early settlers fully understand the inconven- iences and hardships of pioneer life in those days. Liv- ing for years without a reliable market for their pro- ducts, without railroad or telegraph, schools or churches. The post office, store, physician and mechanic miles away, and perhaps a day's drive to the nearest grist mill. Those early pioneers were persons of robust health, and 570 DANE COUNTY TOWNS YOKE. inured to toil; they were buoyed up with hope and ex- pectation of gain; their lives were not devoid of happi- ness; they were kind and hospitable, ever ready to assist one another. Many, even now, recall with pleasure and regret the days of pioneer life in old " territorial times." YOEK. The township of York lies in the northeast corner of Dane county, 18 miles northeast of Madison, and is known as town 9 north, of range 12 east. The land in this town is oak openings with occasionally marsh or meadow land, there being no prairie within its borders. It is watered in the southwest part by Waterloo creek, which is the only stream in the town. The land is of good quality and produces excellent crops. There are a number of living springs that afford an abundant sup- ply of water in the town. It is divided into eight school districts and two church organizations. The town raised $18,454.66 for bounties during the rebellion. York Center is the name of a small village at the junction of sections 15, 16, 22 and 24. It has a store, blacksmith shop and a few buildings. York is the name of the post office. The town of York was organized April 1, 1848. B. B. Freeman w r as chosen chairman; D. E. Emery and Walter Brown, supervisors; Martin Mead, justice of the peace; Otis B. Lapham, town clerk. PANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. 571 VERONA. BY DONALD MacDONALD AND J. T. HAWES. This township lies in the southwestern portion of the county, nine miles southwest of Madison, and is known as town six north, of range eight east. The town is well watered by Sugar river, which rises in the town of Cross Plains, and has also two branches rising on section 7 in this town, flowing southeast and passing out on section thirty-four; there is also a tributary, called Badger Mill creek, rising on section thirteen and emp- tying into Sugar river on section twenty-eight. On the banks of the streams there are excellent marsh and meadow lands. The land is oak opening interspersed with prairie. The town was organized on February 17, 1847. The first settlers were two Scotchmen, named James Young and Thomas Stewart, who came to the town in 1837. They were engaged in the butcher business in Galena, and afterward were employed by Edward Camp- bell, of Cross Plains, who formerly kept the relay house for the stages between Madison and Mineral Point. Early one Sunday morning, in the summer of 1810, a party of ten or twelve, among whom were George and William Vroman, James Young, Thomas Stewart and Wakefield Brothers, started out in a wagon from Ed- ward Campbell's house (now James Bonner's) to explore the upper valley of the Sugar river. After wending their way down the valley for about three miles thej* came suddenly upon the north end of an elevated prairie, and following the dividing ridge about a mile, came to ten mounds, nine of which were circular, while one had the 572 DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. form of a mammoth.* From this place they had a splen- did view of the surrounding country, the mounds being quite prominent and about the center of the prairie. After agreeing to call this beautiful spot Nine Mound Prairie, (section 8), they continued their journey in a southeast direction, and came to what is now called the Badger Mill creek, which they crossed. On either side of the creek they found a beautiful flat or level piece of land, containing several hundred acres without stones or obstructions of any kind, and covered with a luxu- riant growth of grass, while the soil was of the richest. This tract is divided by Badger Mill creek, with Sugar river coursing the west side, and nearly surrounded by groves of hard wood suitable for building and fencing purposes. "What more," the} r exclaimed, "could be desired as a building site — here we have it?" On the left bank of the creek a promontory with an elevation of from thirty to forty feet extending out about one-fourth of a mile, covered with timber, and com- manding an extensive view of the flats, was the spot where the two hardy Scots resolved to make their future home. The party, proceeding toward .the southern extremity of the prairie, found a number of prominent mounds which" they examined; christened the place " Mound Prairie," and crossing to the west side of Sugar River, made their way back to their starting point. A week afterwards, the two Scots, James Young and Thos. Stewart, returned to take possession of their home, and after locating on the south side of the creek, on sees. 27 and 28, they made an excavation into the side of the ridge six by eight feet, and then roofed it with poles * One of these mounds was opened by Dr. Waterbury ami others, in 1847, when a portion of a human skeleton was found that must have belonged to a person not less than six feet six inches in height. DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. 573 and grass. Thus prepared — being both bachelors — the}' stored away such cooking utensils and household goods as they had brought with them, and returned to bring the remainder of their goods and chattels, with the in- tention of keeping " batch," in their new and first habi- tation built by white men in the township of Verona. During their absence, a heavy thunderstorm came on during the night, and on their return the following day from Edward Campbell's, they found the creek had be- come swollen into a river, whose waters they did not dare to cross. Waiting until it subsided, they passed over without difficulty, but only to find the contents of their new abode washed away- by the flood. After some searching they found the most of the missing articles where the water had left them. With even this experi- ence, they concluded to build again, but this time above high water mark. Moving to- the top of the. promontory, from which they had the commanding view of the fiats, on their first visit, they commenced digging in a hori- zontal position into an Indian mound, making an exca- vation ten by fourteen feet. During the digging, they came across the skull and bones of a human being, which they supposed must belong to one of the race of the mound builders; but dreading more the dangers of floods than the dry bones of past mortalit} r , they continued their work, and then roofed the excavation with logs, and poles, thatching it with grass from the creek, leaving a suitable place for a chimney at the end of the domicile, and suppling the entrance with a door, the panels of which were of grass, while the frame was made with an axe and augur, as lumber and nails were a luxury they could not then dream of possessing. This hastily con- structed home, made out of a tomb, was a comfortable abode against wind and rain. But while supposing themselves to be the peaceful possessors of their home, 57-A DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VEEONA. it was matter of astonishment to them to find that they were not the only occupants of the knoll. A large and full grown lynx was occupying an adjacent portion of the tomb, and was concealed from them by the under- brush, within a few paces of their door. For a time they concluded not to disturb him, and so passed and repassed him every day, until they discovered that' he liked domestic fowl better than the wild, so they deter- mined to make him move his quarters elsewhere. Thom- as armed himself with a club, while James brought forth " Nicodemus 11 and discharged its contents into his lynx- ship. Wounded, but not disabled, the ferocious brute sprang from his lair and gave them battle. Thomas charged on him with his club, and by a well directed blow " extinguished the varmint," and thus gave them peaceful possession of their home and the riddance of a bad tenant. By the way, "Nicodemus , ' was a favorite fowling piece upon which the owner had bestowed the above so- briquet, and was a musket of no ordinary capacity. It had a barrel something less than six feet and a bore that could swallow a Springfield rifle. When fully loaded and discharged the report would shake the ground and reverberate among the hills and woods for miles around. Game that once heard its thunder never cared to come within its range again. In after years, the writer had ample opportunity of testing its good qualities, but it was always a matter of doubt with him whether it was the load or the concussion that brought down the game. One thing he has a convincing recollection of, however, that its recoil often brought him to terra firma. Trusting the reader will pardon our digression, we will now return to where we left our pioneers fairly lo- cated in their new home. After breaking some land, planting corn and potatoes, they found their provisions DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VERONA. 575 had given out, and they had eaten their last morsel for breakfast. A supply could not be had nearer than Ga- lena, about ninety miles distant, so Thomas hitched the team to the wagon and started for that place. While the horses stood drinking in the stream it occurred to him that long absence from civilization had not improved his toilet, or personal appearance, and that the old say- ing of blackened boots and a clean shirt was the twin sister of u cleanliness and next to Godliness, 11 so to ap- pear before the fair maids of Galena in commendable style he pulled the shirt from his back and washed it in the creek, then returned it to its legitimate place on his back and drove on, trusting to an iron- constitu- tion and his team to carry him to where he could get something to eat, though there was no road to follow, and still less no bridges to cross, but a wild, uninhabited country to pass through. In the meantime, James, more accustomed to work than hunt, started as usual to the fields, accompanied by " Nicodemus," and trusting to Providence for his dinner. Noon came, but no game had crossed his path, and as it was useless to return home, there being noth- ing to eat, he kept on working in hopes of driving hun- ger away, and so continued in the field until the sun was disappearing in the west and it was time to re- turn. On arriving at the house a flock of black birds flew past and lighting in a large burr oak tree, within a few rods of the door, " Nicodemus " was instantly brought to its proper elevation and immediately the ground shook as by an earthquake, the hills and woods gave back the echo, while the denizens of the field and forest fled in dismay. Of the blackbirds, nine were the muti- lated victims, but speedily gathering them up James plucked and prepared them for a supper and breakfast, feeling, however, it was but a scant supply for a robust 576 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VEBONA. man. The following day a prairie hen, hatching in the vicinity, and appearing to he the only living bird that had not been frightened out of reach or existence made its appearance, when " Nicodemus" was once more brought to the horizontal, and the luckless hen fell dead bereft of both life and most of her feathers. Thankful to a bountiful Providence for even this scanty supply, he was thus able to eke out enough until his partner returned from Galena with plenty of provisions. This coveted spot of earth, where the ancient mound builders laid their noted dead, and heaped the earth up- on them for an everlasting monument; where the fero- cious lynx made his den and the pioneers their abode, is now occupied by the modern and comfortable resi- dence of Donald Stewart, brother to the pioneer. Thos. went to California many 3~ears ago, where he acquired a fortune, but very mysteriously and suddenly dying, while his partner in business equally suddenly disap- pearing, nothing satisfactory was ever known about his estate. James Young is at present a resident of Madison, but in feeble health, though still delighting to recount all the privations of his early pioneer life. Samuel Taylor was the next settler. He built the first log house in the town, and which still does good service on the farm now owned by William Ogilvie. Afterwards came Patrick Davidson, and in September, 1841, Wm. Eeoch, Peter White, Peter Martin and fam- ily. Mrs. Martin was here two years before she saw the face of another woman. Among the next settlers were Matthew Hawes, Andrew Patton, William Collins, and Magnus Leslie, with their families. Settlers now be- gan to come in quick succession. Badger Mill's was built by Wm. A. Wheeler and Geo. Vromau, in 1843-4, and sold to Taylor & Weston. On the completion of the mill a grand ball was given in DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. 577 honor of the first grist mill in the county, and the mu- sic for the occasion was furnished by Pritchard's band. A few years afterwards, the mill became the property of Samuel Taylor. The first threshing machine brought into the county was imported from Scotland by Patrick Davidson, liv- ing on section 33; but being stationary it was used only, for a few years, when it gave place to the portable ma- chines, of American make. Whisky was first made from malt by John, a younger brother of Thos. Stewart, in 1843— 1, on section 28, out of an imported copper still, the size of a tea kettle. It was used for many years in distilling a good quality of Scotch whisky, whose praise, as well as the liberality of the manufacturer, was lauded far and near over the sparsely settled country. The days that brewing was going on, it was surprising to see with what instinct the wounded bucks would head for the still; at least the hunters al- ways claimed they had lost the trail at this spot or very near it, and would give up the chase for the day. Tired and thirsty, these hunters would drop in to see how Scotch whisky was made, when John would refresh them with draughts of the double strong, fresh from the still, which he freel}* dealt out in a quaigh,* and many a hunter started home fully convinced that the " Scotch " was all it was said to be, and perhaps a little more. The kiln for drying the malt was made after the pattern of a hundred years ago, and was a circular pit dug in the ground, covered with a conical shaped roof and a hole in the center to allow the smoke to pass out. The drying floor was made of poles laid close together * Pronounced Kivd, a small drinking cup, made either of wood, the horn of an animal, or silver. The horn was used by hunters for convenience against breaking, but on festival occasions in Scot- land, during fuedal times, the silver cup was used. 37 578 DANE COUNTY TOWNS VEEONA. and covered with straw. On this the malt was spread to dry, with a tire underneath. The process needed constant attention night and day. An incident connected with the drying is related of three young Scotchmen who volunteered to sit up all night and dry the malt. The generous freedom granted to all who came to visit the still did not prevent the young men from smuggling a " stoup " of Scotch to keep up their spirits. Not aware of this fact, John fur- nished them with a liberal supply, that the weary hours might pass more cheerie. Weary hours, forsooth! Three blither hearts that lee-lang' night Ye wad na find in Christendie, and along thro' the " wee sma' hours " these " drouthy neebors " would pass around the stoup, until one of the party was often heard to say: " I dinna like the toddy; I like my whisky dry." The supply giving out, and concluding that the malt was as dry as themselves now were, they resolved to start for home; but to make sure that the work was complete, made up one more fire and then left for the house, half a mile distant. Arriving there they turned round, and looking in the direction from which they had come, beheld a bright glow in the southeast. While they stood wondering at the sight, one of them involuntarily sang — " It is the moon, I ken her horn, That's blinking in the lift sae hie, She shines sae bright to wyle us haine, But by my sooth she'll wait a wee.'' Morning, however, revealed to them the fact that the mysterious glow in the southeast was the flames of the malt and kiln, that having caught fire, had burned to ashes. The first public house in town was kept by Cheney Luce, DANE COUNTY TOWNS VEKONA. 579 and culled the " Traveler's Home.' 1 Joseph. Flick was the first blacksmith and postmaster; Dr. Spencer the first physician, who was followed by Dr. Waterbury. R. Bunlap opened the first store, on section 21; and the first school house was built on the west side of what is now the Dane County Poor Farm, and was known as the Badger Prairie school house, and the first teacher Amy Thornton. The town received its name from Geo. and Win. Vro- man, after their native township in New York.. The first post office also retained the name of the town. In 1854, the county purchased of Win. A. Wheeler, his farm on section 14, for county poor purposes, and built a brick house 10 by 60 feet, with basement, and two sto- ries and a half high, since which other buildings have been added. • The physical character of the town is something well worthy of note. The outline is distinctly marked by a ridge of boulders and gravel, which, during the glacial period on our planet, had been pushed forward by a dense body of ice. This ridge intersects the north line of the township on sec. 5, and extends diagonally across the south line on sec. 36. Nowhere south or west of the foot of this ridge are there any boulders or gravel to be found, except where the water may have forced pass- ages through. This can be seen best on sections 5, 16 and 22. On the first section, where the waters have forced a passage through the ridge, immense boulders have been carried down the water-course a distance of half a mile; on sec. 16 an opposing bluff crowds the wa- ter close to the foot of the ridge, forming a deep and narrow gulch, where the lime rock can be seen project- ing from the bluff on the right, and boulders and gravel on the left. Here, also, large boulders have been car- ried along half a mile or more. Again, on sec. 22, at 5S0 PANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. Badger Mills, we find another gap in the ridge. Here the water has strewn boulders down the creek three- fourths of a mile, the smaller ones being carried farthest down. Among the other curiosities to be seen are the " sink holes " on sees. 17 and 18, as well as other places in the west part of the township. The holes are pits or de- pressions in the ground, some of which are twenty-five feet deep and thirty-five feet across the mouth. Al- though there is no apparent opening at the bottom, all the water that flows into them is drained off as fast as it runs in. These holes have evidently been formed by the action of the water, percolating through into sub- terranean channels, and washing the loose soil along with it. Many of the early settlers recollect seeing the " blue rings " on the prairies; but the plow has now obliterated most of them. Two, however, are still to be seen on the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of sec. 17, where the husbandman has not yet intruded. These O circles are about forty-two feet in diameter, with an opening at one side of about three feet, reminding one of a circus ring. The belt itself is about two feet wide, and as near a circle as can be. There is nothing to show that there had ever been an elevation or depression of the soil; but it shows a darker color. The grass does not differ from that on either side, except that it starts earlier in spring; grows faster and shows a deep blue color, hence the name given to the ring. Stock of all kind crop this grass close to the ground, while that on either side will remain untouched. We have seen many of those circles, and they all look alike, but can give no explanation. Who can? Game, in the way of bears, wild turkeys, etc., were DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VERONA. 581 very plenty for a number of years after the first settlers came, but neither of the former are now to be found. The curlew was also a frequenter of this section, but has disappeared for many years. There are six district and joint district schools; three churches, one Presbj'terian, one Baptist, and one Meth- odist. There is also a large number of Indian mounds scattered throughout the town. Patrick Davidson lived for many years in one of these mounds, on his land on section 33, and it was remarkable for its warmth in winter and general comfort in summer. There are now but few of the old settlers remaining, but, nevertheless, many of the youths of those times, now grown to maturity can recall the glad glee with which they hailed the social gatherings that came year after year, when Willie Reoch would "skirl his pipes," or "scrape his fiddle,'' and they could dance the "hieland fling.' 1 William is still as nimble in the heel or hand as ever, and bids fair to play either pipe or violin, at many gatherings yet to come. Patrick Davidson is also still among us, and whose reputation as the best pibroch player in the county still remains undisputed. On section 5, in the northern part of the town, on the farm of D. Richardson, there is a cave that has not yet received the proper attention of either the savans of science or the local interest of the citizens, and it is hoped that at some clay near at hand, an effort will be made to open the mouth of this singular natural curi- osity.* We cannot better describe this cave than to *A mystery hangs round the cave, which has perhaps been inten- sified by the recollection of an adventure that occurred to two of our citizens when hi it, and though it might have proved fatal, it could not possibly have occurred had a little more care been taken in pro- viding enough lights to cany with them. The mouth of the cave is under a ledge of rocks that hangs over a small valley of which it is the terminus, liefore the rains had washed so much debris as now exists around its entrance, there was a large enough opening 582 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VERONA. quote from the article by Maj. H. A. Termey, in Divi- ne's " Four Lake Country." '• About 11 miles distant, and a little southwest of Madison, near the crest of the dividing ridge which separates the lake region from the valley of Sugar river, there exists the basin of an ancient pond for any person to pass in and out conveniently. Mr. Jas. Waddell and a Mr. Goodrich, started one morning on horseback to examine the cave, providing themselves with candles, entered and pro- ceeded to investigate the interior, previously tying their horses out- side. The fascination of desiring to continue their search farther than they had provided lights for, led them so far that their last candle was nearly exhausted ere they thought it prudent to return. Unable to retrace their steps, however, before it gave out entirely, one of them, taking off his shirt, tore it into strips, and lighting them, made some progress in the direction from which they had come. The cotton strips becoming exhausted, they were left in the solitude of the unknown cave, and sitting down, felt themselves worse than lost — buried alive. Meanwhile, one of the animals that had been tied to the trees broke loose, and coming home, cre- ated considerable anxiety to the wife and brothers of Mr. Waddell. The two brothers, John and Walter, knowing that James had gone to the cave, immediately supplied themselves with a rope and can- dle, and proceeded in search of him, dreading that some choke damp had destroyed his life. Arriving at the cave they cautiously entered, and lighting their candle, one stood near the mouth and held the rope, while the other took one end of it, and with the light started further in, calling his brother by name. " Repeated shouting brought no answer, until mental anxiety getting the better of both, they dispensed with the rope and proceeded together further in, repeated- ly calling as they went. At length a faint response was heard in a distant part of the cave, and as each hurried to the other, the sound grew more distinct, and finally brought the two lost men to their side, overjoyed at their fortunate escape from a living tomb. The four men now endeavored to return, but it seemed evident for some time that it was impossible. The intricate passages on every side of them seemed to baffle every effort to retrace their steps, while their nearly exhausted candle gave them but little hope. Seeking for the outlet, Walter discovered on a number of the pillars support- ing the arches, a portion of the rock assuming the shape of a spear > or arrow head, and always pointing one way. Conclud- ing to follow these marks, they finally found them point toward the mouth of the cave, where they soon arrived in safety about twelve o'clock in the evening. With deep gratitude for then - fortunate deliverance and second escape, they made all possible haste to re- lieve the anxiety of those at home, feeling satisfied that the deep and intricate passages of the cave were no longer a myth to them. It is supposed by some that the marks on the pillars were caused by the action of the water as it rushes through the passages during the heavy rain-falls; but these men were of the impression DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. 583 or lake covering about four thousand acres, whose waters have long- since departed, and whose drainage is directly into the face of a bluff. This inlet, a quarter of a century ago, was penetrated to a depth of nearly two thousand feet, and yet has never been fully ex- plored, or its mysterious depths examined by mortal eye. It is about Eve hunch-eel feet above the level of the four Lakes, and the openings apparently tend to the west. Sugar river is about one and a half miles distant, but no evidence has ever been discovered to warrant the belief that these waters anywhere enter or make a part of that stream. All indications, indeed, point to the certainty that it is an entrance to thai vast subterranean river system known to permeate the lead region at a great depth, and whose unknown outlet may be hundreds of miles away. Early explorers always halted from fatigue or lack of adequate preparation to proceed, and not because the way was not open; but nothing like an end has ever been reached. " The deposit in which this immense grotto exists, is the cliff or upper magnesian limestone, which at this point is known to be un- derlaid by a sandstone formation, whose thickness is probably forty or fifty feet. That the channel has been cut down to this more fria- ble material, at some point of its course, is not doubted, and hence it is naturally concluded that, if followed to the line of junction, the dimensions of the cave would swell to collossal proportions. As it exists at present, there are four narrow entrances, badly choked by the debris fallen at the mouth, or material carried in by cm-rents. The two most southern openings unite at the distance of some fifty or sixty feet, from whence cavern succeeds cavern, so far as known, for thousands of feet. Once within this rocky chamber, there was formerly no serious obstacles to progress ; but the present that they gave evidence of having been cut by human hands, per- haps by Indians, and that at one time the cave was known to them in all its intricate windings by these marks. The first white man known to have entered the cave, was John MacDonald, jr., who in 1845 went in about eight in the morning and losmg his way, was unable to make his escape untd far on in the afternoon of the same day. His intention was to go no far- ther than he couid observe the rays of light reflected from the mouth, and which he endeavored to keep steadily watching, by walking in a half-turned position from the mouth to the interior. Finally thinking he had lost the light, he started back, and was only able to extricate himself as above stated. His case would have been a hopeless one, had he been unable to find his way out, as none of his friends knew of his intention; indeed, it was only a thought of the moment with himself. 5S4: DANE COUNTY TOWNS — VERONA, difficulty of entrance has kept thousands from the spot. It has also had the effect of keeping the walls of the interior openings in a much damper condition than they otherwise would he, hy prevent- ing the draft of outer air, which passes steadily through the whole known extent of the cavern. The far inner rooms have all the usual characteristics of the most noted caves in the country. Pendent stalactite has its corresponding stalagmite, at present much discol- ored 1 >y the newly added sediment. The walls are worn into strange and fantastic shapes, and everywhere exhibit the erosive power of rushing water. Long corridors and halls, whose smooth, rocky sides would seem to bid defiance to any power, connect the numer- ous vestibules and chambers, some of which are from twenty to thirty feet in height, and of great and almost unknown depth. " That the cave consists of several stories is evident from numer- ous indications, both exterior and interior. It is proved by the sound of voices when large parties tire exploring the numerous ram- ifications; by variations m level; and more particularly by a whirl- pool in seasons of flood, outside the entrance, which proves that the ancient channel has been choked by fallen rocks, and underlies the whole cavern thus far examined. It is still further proved by the clean cut bank of the outside water course, whose bottom is several feet below the present entrance — an impossible achievement if they were the natural inlet. Still further, no pond or water ever remains in front of the cave, in the basin below the existing entrance level, which would be impossible if it did not have a subterranean escape. < >nce cleared of accumulated debris, and instead of one or more, there would probably be found a cave of several stories, the lower of which would amply suffice to drain the region, leaving the oth- ers ordinarily dry and intact. Until this is done, the full extent and beauty of this mighty freak of nature will never be fully known or appreciated. Parties living close at hand give wonderful accounts of the phenomena witnessed after great and sudden floods, when the waters, dammed back by the choked entrance, rise ten or fifteen feet against the face of the cavern, compressing the inner air, which i -rapes through small fissures, to the crest of the hill, with a hiss and a roar somewhat akin to the shriek of a steam whistle. At one spot, indeed, the conversation of" parties deep in the cave can be heard directly overhead, showing that if extra ventilation was ever needed it could be easily provided for. Anything like floods, in this elevated basin, however, are extremely rare, and could only oc- cur after long continued rams, or the sudden melting of great and heavy bodies of snow. No rainfall from May to November has DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. 5S5 ever been known large enough to send any water into the opening, nor does any enter during the months of winter. Rev. Matthew Fox, for many years in the early set- tlement of the town, preached with great zeal and earnestness to attentive audiences, and though ministe- rial labors were but poorly compensated, says he was gratified to know that the poor had the gospel preached to them. He says: Mr. George Robinson opened Ins house at the Badger Mills for religious services, and early on Sunday mornings would arrange seats for the congregation, which two rooms generally accommoda- ted. Not having a pulpit or substitute for one, I took position as convenience dictated. On one occasion I was in one room and the gentleman who undertook to lead the singing in the other, and out of my view. After my reading a hymn, the precentor for the time being, raised his voice to start the tune, but made a failure; he made another effort — it was desperate — but, alas, it also proved a failure. Then the cry of despondency came, " I can't make it go." So it remained for me to remove the difficulty the best way I could. After some time a log school house was bmlt on the west side of Sugar river, near the residence of Andrew Patton. This served as our place of worship for years. Mr. Peter Martin was the first elder of the church. In him I found a wise counselor, a pleasant companion, a warm friend and a sincere Christian. He and his excellent wife have long since passed to their heavenly home. I gave place to the Rev. Jas. M 'Donald, from Scot- land, who labored there with much success. He, also, is deceased. The congregation have now a neat church and manse, quite in con- trast with the old school house, where, after riding ten miles on cold winter mornings, I would find the people gathered round the stove. Despairing of getting warm from it, I used to proceed with the services, hoping by speaking to become warm, having first taken the precaution to place my hat against a broken pane of the win- dow at my back. Yet in that wretched cabin I had precious hours, as I told the old, old, story, or administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or engaged in the sweet old psalms that are so rich in precious memories to the children of the covenanters, that lead one back to the days of Oargill and Cameron, and to the triumphs of truth and freedom in that noble land where God's testimony has never wanted a confessor since their witness for Jesus. 5S6 DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. ADDITIONS BY J. T. HAWES. My father and mother and three children moved into the town of Verona on the 7th clay of March, 1843. It was a very cold day, with deep snow, which lay on the ground until April, when men went to the town meeting in sleighs. It was a remarkably long and hard winter, and many cattle starved to death. I well remember in- stances of men coming fifteen miles to get a load of straw, when we would give them the load and keep them over night. We had moved on to Mr. Samuel Taylor's farm, so had plenty of feed. At this time there was only one other family in the town, Peter Mar- tin's, one mile from us. The next nearest was Joseph Vroman, five miles east, Ed. Campbell seven miles north, and McFadden, seven miles south. We living on the road from Janesville to Mineral Point, and as it was the only house for a long distance each way, having a good barn, something very scarce in those days, it was a regular stopping place for all travelers. Among the notables who used to frequent our house was Judge Irvin, lions. Moses M. and Marshal M. Stroug, Ebenezer Brigham, of Blue Mounds, George Delaplaine, etc. J. Gr. Knapp and E. M. Williamson, of Madison, used to make it their home while acting as surveyors in that part of the county. Judge Irvin was always accompanied by his famous horse Pedro, and dog York. My father one winter boarded old Pedro for the judge. If my memory serves me right, the first child born in the town was Ebenezer Collins. He was born in the evening. My mother was present, and earl}' the next morning she was called to attend the birth of Olive Wheeler, a daugh- ter of William A. Wheeler, who lived at the Badger Mills. The first religious services in the town were held at our DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERONA. 587 house,, by the Rev. Salmon Stebbins. He was followed soon after by a Methodist missionary by the name of Bennett, who afterwards took up the less honorable calling of office seeking. About this time we had occa- sional preaching by the Rev. Matthew Fox, of Fitch- burg, a Presbyterian minister; also by his father, who was a Methodist preacher. He was known all over the country as Father Fox, or, as he sometimes styled him- self in his jocular way, "Ould Daddy Fox." In the summer of 1845 the settlers built a log school house on the northwest quarter of section 22, but when the}* had got the body up, they decided it was not located in the proper place, and so sold it to my father, who took it down and moved it on his farm, on section 13, which he was just beginning to open. The next year they erected a log school house on the west edge of what is now known as the Dane county poor farm. The first school was taught by Amy Thornton, in the winter of 1816-7, and I was one of her scholars. It was the custom in those days for the teacher to board around, and the big boys to take turns in building the fires. My turn came every Monday morning, and I remember gettiug a frozen ear on one of those occasions. The first summer school was taught by Miss Noyes, and the sec- ond winter term by Dr. Waterbury. He being the only physician in that part of the country, was frequently called away on professional duties, and at such times he placed the school in charge of some one of the big boys, quite a number of whom were men grown. One of the number, an Englishman by the name of Baker, who was sometimes called upon to preside, caused a good deal of merriment one day by telling some one in a class of spelling, who had left out the letter n in a word, that "there was a hen in there somewheres." In 1843 my father was elected the first justice of the 5SS DANE COUNTY TOWNS VERMONT. peace in the town, and my brother, Harvey L. Hawes, the first constable. The same year my father was elect- ed a supervisor of the town. Among his duties were the laying out and repairing of roads. This office he held for many years. In 1846 we moved on our own farm, and entertained many travelers in our little log house. A sign over our door with the word BEER in large let- ters, caused considerable attraction, as it was, for many miles around, the only thing of the kind outside of Madison. As the town has filled up fast with settlers, it will be difficult to follow its history further. VERMONT. The town of Vermont lies in the western part of the county between the towns of Black Earth and Blue Mounds, and known as town 7 north, of range 6 east. The town is well watered by Black Earth and Blue Mounds creeks, with their tributaries. The surface is very uneven, and along all the streams are bluffs or ridges; indeed, the face of the country is rough and hilly, yet there is very much desirable land suitable for all ag- ricultural purposes. The land is covered with oak open- ings and no prairie. There are no villages in the town. The town of Vermont was named by one of the set- tlers after his native state. The first settler was a Ger- man, named Joshua Harmony, who located here in 1846. I. C. Steele, who located on section 7, and S. Batty, on section 6, were among the early settlers. The town was organized in 1855. The first officers were Whalen Has- brook, Isaac C. Steele and Jno. Caldwell; Aaron Dana, clerk. The first sermon was preached in 1819, by H. Mainard, of the Methodist church. The first school dis- trict was organized in 1850; A. Campbell first teacher. DANE COUNTY TOWNS MIDDLETON. 5S9 MEDDLETOK BY A. B. PARMENTER, Esq. This township is situated near the center of Dane county, adjoining the township of Madison on the west, and is known in the government survey as township 7 north, of range 8 east. It is watered in the northeast part by Pheasant Branch creek, which flows easterly through the village of the same name into Lake Mendo- ta. It is also watered in the northwest portion by Black Earth creek, where on sections eight and nine there is a wide expansion known as Mud Lake, and adjoining which are large and now very valuable marsh land, that affords excellent yields of hay. This creek rises in what was formerly known as the big marsh, which contains a rich and extensive deposit of peat. These peat beds have been tested and found to be of a pure vegetable deposit, and at no distant day, will be utilized as fuel. In the year 1838, the Hon. Thomas T. Whittlesey, from Connecticut, became the purchaser from the gov- ernment of a large tract of land at the head of Lake Mendota, where he laid out the village of Pheasant Branch, and erected a steam saw mill in the year 1849, which at that early day furnished large quantities of hard lumber, which was used for building purposes in Madison as well as at the Branch and surrounding coun- try, until the completion of the railroad, when a more desirable article could be obtained. The surface of the township is diversified by hills and valleys, prairie and oak openings; a little of it broken with limestone ridges. The land altogether is rich and productive, and is under excellent cultivation. There are three villages in this town — East Middle- 590 DANE COUNTY TOWNS JIIDDLETON. ton, Pheasant Branch and Middleton Station. The C, M. & St. P. R. R. runs through the latter village, enter- ing on section 13, in the east, and passing out on section 7, in a western direction. East Middleton has one store and a post office, and two organized churches. The cemetery is also in this village. Pheasant Branch at one time bid fair to exceed Middleton Station, if the railroad had only diverted its course and passed through the former instead of the latter. A good grist mill was built in Pheasant Branch by Wheeler & Gault in the years 1853-4, and was in successful operation fof many years. Before railroad communication, this was the cen- tral mart for a large circle of trade. The village still continues to be a place of considerable trade. The town has a population of over 1,700, and the vil- lage of Middleton Station about 300. There are four post-offices in the town, viz.: Pheasant Branch, East Middleton,West Middleton and Middleton Station. The latter village has two church edifices, which are oc- cupied by five religious denominations; two organized temperance societies, the Good Templars and Mendotas; six secret societies, six saloons, two doctors, but no lawyer. As an evidence of the amount of business done in Mid- dleton, it is recorded that for two successive months there was shipped every day from the station a full train of freight cars loaded with grain, while there were taken in at the several warehouses, and shipped in one day, fifty-two car loads. The same fall there were shipped to Milwaukee 10,070 bushels of wheat, which, from the sta- tistics of that year, showed that it was more than Mad- ison, or any other station in the state, or even in five states, except Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien. The town received its name from Harry Barnes, after a place in Vermont. It was organized in 1817, and at its meeting in April, 1818, elected the following officers: DANE COUNTY TOWNS MIDDLETON. 591 Thomas Whittlesey, chairman, Orson Cook, Linus M. Palmer, supervisors; F. J. Starr, town clerk; Andrew Starr, assessor; John B. Colton, collector; La Fayette Cleveland, George Taylor, constables; Hawley Cook, Andrew Starr, John B. Colton, school commissioners; Benj. Cleveland, Geo. Taylor, Enoch Noyes, road com- missioners; Benj. Cleveland, Sen., treasurer; Benj. Cleveland, Jr., Orson Cook, Linus M. Palmer, justices of the peace; Orson Cook, sealer of weights and measures; Thomas T. Whittlesey, James D. Sanford, Linus M. Pal- mer, fence viewers. They polled nearly twenty votes. The following firms are engaged in the purchase of cattle and hogs, and have convenient yards and build- ings erected for successfully carrying on their business: Messrs. Dufrenne, Lyle & Richardson; Messrs. Richard Green & Daniel Vernon; Mr. Fritz Elver. , Mr. Richard Green Jias a large elevator, run by steam, and does an extensive business in the buying of grain. Dufrenne & Lyle conduct a general merchandise store, with a large and increasing trade. Drs. A. A. Rowley and S. C. Coolridge have well selected stocks of drugs. The Washington Hotel is kept by Daniel Maul; Amer- ican House, by Gerhard Aussem; Mendota House, by Wm. Hoffman; blacksmith and wagon shops, by John Prien, Herman Sass, H. Gerds, and G. H. Wolf; fur- niture shop, by Geo. Schneider; undertaker, L. Good- man. There is also a large lumber business carried on b}* Green & Kingsley, and a planing mill by A. B. King- sley. House builders, H. P. Rider, Thomas Fleming and John Sander; masons, E. Page, John Eventual and John Eggars; boot and shoe man facturers, C. Lammert, F. Plath; gardener and fruit grower, Henry Schuster; bee and honey dealer, John Elver. This business is be- coming quite general throughout the town. 592 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. MAZOMANIE. BY HENRY HOWARTH AND HENRY Z, MOULTON. This township, located in the northwest corner of the county, was formerly a part of the town of Black Earth, and comprises the north half of township 8 north, of range 6 east, and fractional part of town 9, range 6, lying south and east of the Wisconsin river. The northern portion of this town bordering on the river, was at one time low and marshy; but now, extensive tracts have been drained and brought under cultivation, and in time, will no doubt become very valuable and im- portant lands. Other portions consist of prairie and oak openings, with a rich and productive soil, watered by the Black Earth creek and its tributaries, and is un- der excellent cultivation, Avhile portions in the eastern and southern parts of the town are bluffy and much less valuable. This place may be said to be entitled to the distinction of having been "discovered, 1 ' as the early explorers passed down the Wisconsin over two hundred years since, and viewed the lands of which the town is com- posed, with its extensive marshes bordering upon the river, and its forests and bluffs in the background; the first authentic account of which is that of Father James Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, who, in company with Joliet and five other Frenchmen, passed clown the river in June, 1673, on their celebrated voyage of discovery to the Mississippi. At this time, Wisconsin, then unknown as a separate political division, was under the govern- ment of France, and so remained until 1759, when it passed into the hands of the British. During the war DANE COUNTY TOWNS HAZOMANIE. 593 of the Revolution (in 1780), a force of Canadians and Indians passed down the river to secure a quantity of furs, deposited by Indian traders at Prairie du Chien, from falling into the hands of the Americans. In the " war of 1812," another force of about five hundred and fifty men, under the command of Col. Win, McKay, of the British army, consisting of Regulars, Canadians and Indians, passed down the river for the purpose of re- ducing the fort at Prairie du Chien, and after a desper- ate resistance on the part of the American troops sta- tioned there, the fort was compelled to surrender. This was in 1811. In the Black Hawk war, Mazomanie was the theater of one of the most decisive battles of the campaign, known as the " Battle of Wisconsin Heights." The In- dians having left the Four Lakes, retreated towards the Wisconsin, and the troops under Gen. Henry and Cols. Dodge and Ewing, numbering about six hundred men, having struck their trail, pursued them, until at five o'clock p. m. on the 21st day of July, 1832, they over- took them in a ravine, about three miles south of the present site of Sauk city. The battle was commenced by the Indians trying to gain possession of the bluffs or heights (located on section 21 in this township) for a better position, but were defeated in their designs, and driven with great loss into the marshes and low grounds, and during the following night they crossed the river. The troops remained during the following day scouring the country for the enemy, and preparing litters for the wounded, camping at night on the farm now owned by J. V. Cairns, on section 15. The next morning the}' returned to the fort at Blue Mounds. In the year 1813, the first settlement was made in this township, and large quantities of government lands were entered by the " British Temperance Emigration 38 594 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. Society.'' Charles Wilson, the agent of this society, accompanied by Joshua Rhodes and Alfred Senier, were the first settlers. They arrived at this place on Christ- mas day, in 1843, and for shelter and protection against the inclemencies of this season of the year, took posses- sion of an old, deserted Indian wigwam. They were soon after joined by John Holmes and James Ray. They at once commenced the erection of log houses for the accommodation of emigrants that were expected the following season, under the supervision of Mr. Wilson, upon whom devolved the duty of purchasing and locat- ing the lands of the society, dividing them into farms of the proper size, and making such improvements as its rules required. In the spring of 1844, they commenced breaking up the soil and putting in crops; five acres to each farm of eighty acres was to be prepared in this manner, and a log house erected thereon 14 by 20 feet, and one and a half stories in height. In the latter part of June of the same year, the first of the expected emigrants arrived, among whom were George Robbins, John and Wm. Wrigglesworth, Fran- cis Wilson. Robert North, John Royston, Wm. Thomp- son, Christopher Bennett, John Kerr, Charles Reeve, Robert Leach, John Linley and Robert Liman, with their families. Wm. Summerville was also among the number, and was the first to sicken and die, and the first to be buried in the cemetery, on the grounds now occu- pied for that purpose. It may no.t be uninteresting to give a short account of the society, under whose auspices these first settle- ments were made. The " British Temperance Emigra- tion Society " was organized in Liverpool, in 1842, with branches in many of the important cities and towns in England. The officers of which were Lawrence Hey- DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. 595 worth, Robert Gorst, Charles Wilson, Charles Reeve and George Cutler. Each member paid one shilling per week per share, and a share costing £25, when full paid, entitled the holder to a farm of eighty acres, to be selected by the agent of the society. When a sufficient amount of funds would accumulate, they were sent to the agent here for the purchase of lands from the gov- ernment; an election would then be had for the purpose of selecting members to emigrate and occupy the farms. Those that were thus selected would immediately pre- pare for emigration. But should any member desire, he could sell his right to another member, taking his chances at the next election. Each member, upon his arrival, would be conducted to the farm selected for him and which would be conveyed to him in legal form upon the full payment of his share. The lands of the society extended from Mill Creek, in Iowa county, through Mazomanie, Berry, Springfield and Westport, and about seventy families settled in the vicinity under its auspices. After a year or two, however, there began to be com- plaints, and a great deal of discontent was manifested among its members; so much so, that soon after, the society was entirely broken up. The first marriage that occurred among the settlers was that of Robert Leach to Miss Emma Reeve, daugh- ter of Charles Reeve, Esq. They were married on the 25th day of September, 18-14, by Wm. Welch, Esq., then a magistrate residing in Madison. Melville Wriggles- worth was the first male child born in the settlement; this event occurring in the fall of 184-1. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Wriggles worth, and lived to reach manhood, but his health, always feeble, gave out, and he died some years since. The first physician of the settlement was W. B. Bishop, who came from Liver- pool in 1816, where he had practiced medicine for forty 596 DAJSTE COUNTY TOWNS — MAZOMAJSTIE. years. He was not strictly a resident of the township, hut lived a few rods across the line in Iowa county. Charles Wilson, who came in 1844, Avas the first lawyer, and William Powell, a few years after, commenced the practice of law. His sign may now he seen on the little office adjoining his residence on Hudson street, although his health will not permit of active work in his profession. The first school house, a log building, was built in 1849, on the "school section; 1 ' these lands were soon after sold, but the owner would not sell any portion for the school house to remain upon, nor would he allow it to be removed; but on one pleasant, moonlight night, it took a " change of venue, '" and stood next morning on lands owned by Henry" Howarth, on section 15. The first public school was taught here by Mrs. Mary Wil- liams, in the same year. This school house was also used for many years as a place of worship. Services were usually conducted by lay brethren of the Primitive Methodist church, residing in the town. Every fourth Sabbath they were conducted by circuit preachers from Mineral Point who, although having to travel winter and summer, over rough roads and through all kinds of weather, a distance of forty-five miles, were ever faith- ful and punctual in the discharge of their laborious du- ties. George Cutler, then a local preacher, also con- ducted services here, and in 1850, organized a small independent society, called the United Methodists, which organization was maintained for about ten years. Upon a division of the town into school districts, this school house became the property of " District No. 2," now comprising the entire village and a large portion of the town, the first officers of which were Henry Howarth, John Kerr and T. S. North. Further reference will be made to this district in treating of the growth and busi- ness statistics of the village. DANK COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. 507 " School District No. 3 " is located in the eastern por- tion of the town; has a fine frame school house suffi- ciently large to accommodate the number of pupils in attendance. The present officers are Thos. H. Ward. Walter A. Johnson and Lewis Blynn. There are at the present time three joint school dis- tricts, in addition to the districts mentioned, and the entire amount now expended for educational purposes, is about |3,500. In concluding this sketch of the early pioneers of the settlement, it will not be out of place to notice some of the privations and hardships necessarily endured in their efforts to make for themselves homes in the distant wil- derness. As will be inferred from the manner in which they secured their homesteads, being by weekly install- ments of about twenty-five cents, they were generally men of limited means, understood but little of agricul- ture — having principally been mechanics, tradesmen and professional men in their native land — and in opening up and improving their farms the strictest economy was required to procure the necessaries of life. When short of provisions it was the usual custom to borrow from each other until such times as the larder could again be replenished. In some instances resort was had to the coffee mill to grind " flour " enough for bread. One such mill, owned by Dr. Wallace, of Iowa county, and brought by him from " the old country," was kept running for days together for this purpose. In one instance a settler by the name of Joseph Roger- son " backed " fifty pounds of flour from " Badger State mills " on Sugar river. Francis Wilson, during the summer of 1814, accompanied by another settler, went to the old " Hickox mill " in Iowa county for flour, a distance of eighteen miles. They took two yoke of oxen, and, after an absence of four days, returned with 598 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MAZOMANIE. only one hundred pounds; this amount, when divided among the entire settlers, furnished a very small allow- ance for each family. Only by waiting for the toll from grists brought to the mill during tbeir stay were they enabled to procure even this small amount. For a long time this was the nearest flour mill, and settlers were obliged to make two, and sometimes three, trips before getting their grists. At one time, while this mill was being repaired, Mr. Wrigglesworth and Reuben Royston started in search of some other mill, and were gone over a week before they could find one to grind their wheat. The manner of threshing and cleaning wheat in those days was somewhat primitive; they would clear off a large space of ground, put on about four yoke of oxen and tramp it out; the cleaning was performed by throw- ing the grain in the air and allowing the wind to blow out the chaff. In 1848, there began to be a surplus of wheat, a por- tion of which was traded off for groceries and other necessaries. About this time they commenced hauling to Milwaukee. The manner of making trips, to this city was, for three or four farmers to start together, each having not less than two pair of oxen — horses then be- ing almost unknown in the settlement — they would take their supplies from home and, camping out nights, would cook their provisions by the heat of their camp fires. Thirty bushels was considered a fair load, for which they obtained from forty to fifty cents per bushel. On their return they would sometimes load up with salt or merchandise for Madison and other places, as they could find the opportunity. The round trip was usually made in about two weeks. Many times, from delays caused by bad weather and roads, or some accident to team or wagon, their expenses would use up nearly the entire proceeds of their wheat. DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIJE. 599 The settlers procured what few necessaries they re- quired or could afford, from Sauk City — a town of "one stores; 1 ' from Dover, in Iowa county; from Poker- ville (West Blue Mounds), twelve miles distant, or from Madison, a distance of twenty-three miles. When any one went to the latter place, he would procure such necessaries as were required by his neighbors, and would also get the entire mail for the settlement. The times were very hard for several years after the first settlements, and very little money was to be had. Fifty cents per day was considered a good price for a day's work; usually paid for in flour, meat or other pro- visions. The usual price paid for harvest help was one bushel of wheat per day. The early settlers had but little dealings with the Indians, although for many years they were passing up and down the Wisconsin for the purpose of hunting and trapping, and occasionally would camp in the near vicinity. They were always friendly and peaceably dis- posed. In 1851, a procession of from six to seven hun- dred of the following tribes, Chippewas, Pottawattamies, Winnebagoes, Stockbridges and Hurons, passed along, marshaled by the United States authorities, with a band of music and several banners of the stars and stripes floating to the breeze. They were being conducted to their several reservations west of the Mississippi, but be- fore their arrival at their respective destinations, it was found that at least one-half of their numbers were miss- ing, they having dropped off in the night time, prefer- ring their Wisconsin homes to the comparatively un- known territory to which they were being removed. The town was first called Gorstville; this was subse- quently changed to Pleasant Valley, then to Farmers- ville, and then to Black Earth. The southern portion, being the south half of town eight, still retains this 600 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MAZOMANIE. name, but the northern portion was set off in 1858, un- der the name of Mazomanie, a name given to it by the first proprietors of the village, signifying, in the Indian language,. '"' The iron that walks,' 1 or " Walking iron," and should be written with one capital, not as a com- pound word, as is sometimes done. The first officers for the new town of Mazomanie were: Supervisors — John Greening, chairman, James Craney, Philip Wagner; town clerk — Wm. L. Freeman; treas- urer — S. E. Waterhouse; assessor — James Hayes; town superintendent — Dr. E. D. Bishop; justices — John Greening, Barney Campbell, John Huntington, Thomas S. North; constables — Joseph Bennett, Wm. Brink. The present officers are : Supervisors — Luther Clark, chairman, Joseph Bennett, H. B. Catlin; to/rn clerk — H. Z. Moulton; treasurer — B. R. Cowdery; assessor — Ed. Pratt; justices — George Cutler, S. Moulton, H. Z. Moulton; constable — John AVilcox. The population of the township at the present time is about eighteen hundred. The value of real and per- sonal property of the town and village for the year 1877, as appears from the assessment roll of the town, is $457,000. Village. — While the Milwaukee and Mississippi rail- road was in process of construction through our state, and the line was being surveyed through this town, the directors of the road noticed that a fine location pre- sented itself for a village, north and west of the bluff on section 16. They observed that by maintaining a proper grade in building their road, a fine water power could be developed by making the grade serve the purpose of confining the waters of Black Earth Creek upon one side for a distance of about three-fourths of a mile, and determined to take advantage of the circumstances thus presented, to lay the foundation of a thriving village. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — ■ HAZOMANIE. 601 According!}', after purchasing a portion of the north- west quarter of said section 16, Messrs. E. H. Brodhead, Eliphalet Cramer, Anson Eldred and Moses Scott, as proprietors, joined with Abram Ogden, a previous owner, laid out what is known as the original plat of the vil- lage. This was in the early part of the year 1855. During the same year, John Hudson and William Rob- inson platted a portion of section 9, under the respective titles of Hudson's, Robinson's and University additions, and, subsequently, Henry Walker and Alfred Senier platted portions of sections 8 and 16, under the respect- ive names of Walker's and Senier's additions. The proprietors of Prairie addition were A. W. Curtis, John Catlin and Edward Barber. During this year the first buildings were erected, and before the close of the season, quite a village presented itself to the gaze of those old settlers who had toiled and endured so much, and with a near prospect of a railroad upon which they could send away their surplus produce, and through its influence, could once more enjoy the benefits of social intercourse with the outside world, be- gan to feel that they were indeed ' u about to receive that for which they had so long wrought." The first arrivals were D. W. Bronson and family, David and W. H. Whitney. Mr. Bronson and the Whitne3 ; s immediately commenced work on the first store building erected in the village, the entire party living in the meantime in a shanty situated in the rear of the site upon which the " Carlisle House " now stands. The first store was opened by S. Holbrook and John Martin, followed soon after by that of S. E. Water- house and D. W. Bronson. George Butler built and opened the first hotel under the name of the " American House/' This was the first frame building erected in 002 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MAZOMANIE. the village. It was rebuilt and improved in 1869, and the name changed to the " Carlisle House." Soon after, the ".Mazomanie Hotel,' 1 now known as the " Freeman House," was built by H. A. Cowdery. The first blacksmith shop was established by John and Joseph Wilson. Among those that came here in 1855, not already mentioned, were Saulsbury Bros., Mr. Parsons, John Robinson, C. D. Haven, Gr. T. Whitney, Allen and Angus Macdonald, W. U. Hover, L. D. Brooks, A. S. Sanborn, William Allen, and S. H. Vedder. G. T. Whitney was the first postmaster, but the busi- ness of the postoffice was transacted by Messrs. Bronson and Waterhouse. He was appointed under the ad- ministration of Franklin Pierce, and was succeeded by William L. Freeman. D. W. Bronson, the present postmaster, was appointed in 1861, and has held the office ever since. In June, 1856, the railroad first reached this village, and gave at once a fresh impetus to its growth and prosperity. The first passenger cars arrived, and the first time-table was established on the 7th of that month, and on the 10th there was a rousing " Railroad Cele- bration " in honor of the event, said to be among the greatest gatherings ever had in Mazomanie. People were here from the surrounding country for a great dis- tance, and it was no doubt a day of general rejoicing. The depot, a very fine structure, was built the preced- ing year. This building, however, was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1857. A large and commodious eat- ing house was built adjoining the depot, and for several years, trains stopped for refreshments at Mazomanie in place of Madison. In 1862, the building was taken down and removed, thus becoming one of the institu- tions of the past. DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MAZOMANIE. 603 John B. Stickney was the first depot agent, and is now the oldest acting station agent in the state of Wis- consin. He came on the advent of the cars, and has ever since retained the position, which fact is sufficient evidence that he has the confidence, not only of the managers of the road, but of the community of which he has so long been a prominent and active member. Mr. Hutchins was the first wheat-buyer', but the first grain warehouse was erected by L. A. Lincoln in 1856. Manufacturing Interests. — In 1857, Lynch & Walker, of Milwaukee, became the owners of the water power before referred to, and erected thereon a large and commodious flouring mill. A few years after this the mill was purchased by William Thompson, who became a permanent resident of the place, and for many years transacted a large and profitable milling business, giv- ing employment to a great number of operatives. Mr. T. spent large sums of money in improvements on the mill. He was an active business man and a good citi- zen; generous, open hearted, and took great interest in all public improvements. The mill is now operated by Messrs. E. Sanderson & Co., of Milwaukee — under the charge of J. T. Vought — who have made extensive al- terations and improvements-, involving an outlay of about $15,000. Considering the strength and perma- nency of its water power, its close proximity to the rail- road, its capacity for work and thorough state of repair, and its ready access to the markets and to the large grain growing districts of Iowa and Minnesota, it must be placed among the very best flouring mills of the state. The frame flouring mill, now standing on section 8, was moved to its present location in 1861, by John Crop- per and Ch. L. Jacobi, and was operated by Mr. Cropper until 1876, when he sold his interest to Robert Patter- son. This is a much smaller mill, and is intended prin- 60-1 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MAZOMANIE. cipally for custom work, although it has the requisite machinery for manufacturing what is termed " patent " flour. The next important business enterprise established in the place was the manufacture of fanning mills, and out of its introduction important branches of industry have been built up, in giving employment to a great number of mechanics, and support to many families. In 1860, John Warren, Nathaniel and Stillman Moultou, built a large three story brick and stone building for this pur- pose, with steam power and machinery for planing, match- ing, sawing, etc. A large business was established, which steadily increased from year to year; but on the 2d day of May, 1865, a great calamity befel them, in the loss by fire of their building and entire stock, prepared during the preceding winter ready for " setting up " into mills. N. Moulton having withdrawn in 1863, the loss fell upon the other members of the firm, and was very severe, there being no insurance. A circumstance worthy of note in this connection is the fact that the machine shop of N. T. Davies, situated on the exact lo- cation, was destroyed by fire on the lOthday of May, 1877, exactly twelve years after. George and N. T. Davies, the successors of J. War- ren & Co., rebuilt the premises and made extensive addi- tions and improvements, both in buildings and machine- ry, including the establishment of a foundry and ma- chine shop. N. T. Davies, now the sole proprietor, is doing a large business in the manufacture of fanning mills, wagons, milk safes and other farm machinery, having with commendable pluck and perseverance re- built the portion recently destroyed by fire. Pritchard and Davies are also extensive manufactur- ers of mills and safes. Fanning mills are also manufactured by D. N. Smith and George Davies. DANE COrXTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. 605 John Parman and Charles J. Trager are each the own- er and proprietor of a large establishment for the man- ufacture of wagons and carriages; and for strength, du- rability, style and finish, their work will compare favor- ably, if not excel, that of any other establishments of their kind in the country. As evidence of this fact, they are receiving orders not only from the city of Milwau- kee, but from places in the northwest and southwest portions of our state, as well as from Iowa and Minne- sota. The Mazomanie cheese factory, owned and operated by Messrs. Humphrey & Sherwin, ranks among the im- portant business enterprises of the town. This factory was built early in 1875, and under the efficient manage- ment of Mr. Daniel Humphrey, with Theo. J. Elmer as cheese maker, has been very successful, thus proving the wisdom of the merchants and business men who con- tributed so liberally to its establishment. John Darlington is the manufacturer and patentee of a washing machine called the " Darlington Washer," which is said to be an excellent machine. Churches. — The First Congregational Society was organized at the log school house before mentioned, in 1853, by Rev. David M. Jones, of Arena. Through his labors a church was erected in 1855, of which he was the first pastor. Subsequently this church building became the property of the Evangelical Association, by whom it was used until 1871, when it became private property. In 1871 the society built a very fine frame church on Hudson street, under the labors of the Rev. M. M. Mar- tin, who is the present pastor. The First Baptist Society of Mazomanie and Black Earth was organized April 11, 1857, with Rev. Moses Rowley its first pastor. For many years they occupied the seminary. In 1865, the society was reorganized as 606 DANE COUNTY TOWNS — MAZOMA.NIE. the First Baptist Society of Mazomanie. In 1866, un- der the labors of Rev. Moses Pickett, they built a large frame church on Hudson street, and services are now conducted therein by Rev. Joseph Bowman, of Lodi. In 1847, the Primitive Methodist Society was organ- ized by Rev. George Stevens, a local preacher, and ser- vices held in private dwelling-houses. In 1850, the society was reorganized by Rev. James Alderson, and attached to the Mineral Point circuit, and in 1857, they built a small frame church. Although this society is small, they have never failed in keeping up regular ser- vices. The present year (1877) they have erected a fine parsonage near the church. The present pastor is Rev. John Ralph. The Methodist Episcopal Society was organized No- vember 7, 1856, with a membership of eighteen. Rev. Robert Rowbotham was the first regular pastor. The church now owned by this society — the largest and most commodious church building in the village — was erected under the labors of the Rev. J. D. Searles. The corner-stone was laid by Gen. Fallows, with due form- ality, in June, 1885, and in September, 1867, it was de- dicated. Bishop Simpson preached the dedicatory ser- mon; Dr. Raymond, of Evanston College, assisted in the services. The present pastor is Rev. E. T. Briggs. ■St. Luke's Mission (Episcopal) was organized Jan- uary 8, 1868, and Rev. J. B. Pradt called as missionary. For about two years, services were held in the Town Hall. In December, 1869, they held their first service in St. Luke's Church, a fine brick edifice erected prin- cipally through the liberality of William Thompson and Richard Black. The present missionary in charge is Rev. Henry M. Green. The first regular preacher of the Evangelical Associa- DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOHANTE. 607 t/on, so far as can be ascertained, was Rev. Henry Ra- gartz, who preached here in 1853. Services were usually held at the residence of differ- ent members, until 1864, when they purchased the church building formerly owned by the Congregational Society. This they occupied until 1874, when they found, from the growth of the society, that they needed more room. They built a very pretty and substanial stone church on Hudson Street, which was dedicated on the 29th of October of the same year, by Bishop Jacob Escher. Rev. Peter Held is the present pastor. Catholic. — In 1856, this church erected a frame edifice of which Father Stroker was the first regular priest. In the year 1863, finding their church building too small for the congregation, a new building was erected under the labors of Father McGinty. They now have a fine frame edifice, with a dwelling near for the residence of the priest. Father Mazeaud is the present priest. Secret Societies. — A dispensation was granted De- cember 5, 1857, for the organization of a Masonic lodge, and on the 9th day of June of the following year, a charter was granted to Crescent Lodge, No. 97, A. F. & A. M.; with Alden S. Sanborn, its first master, and John B. Stickney, its first secretary. The membership of this lodge has increased gradually until it now num- bers sixty-eight members. Illustrative of changes con- stantly going on in society is the fact that upwards of one hundred and fifty names have been enrolled as mem- bers of this Lodge since its organization. The most serious drawback that this society has en- countered was, in the loss of their lodge-room and en- tire furniture and records, destroyed by fire, May 2, 1865. They had bought and paid for the third story of the building erected by J. Warren & Co. This gave them a large and commodious hall, and was well fur- COS DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. nislied. Tlie last payment on the hall was made but a few weeks previous to the fire. They now hold their meetings in the third storv of Turck's block. B. R. Cow- deryis the present master, and H. Z. Moultoii, secretary. Good Templars. — Mazomanie Lodge, No. 65, I. 0. Gr. T. (afterwards changed to No. 14), was instituted Jan- uary 15, 1858, with William Robinson, W. C. T., and John Howarth, W. R. S. This lodge has met with varying success since its organization. Like all other institutions having for their object the advancement of moral and social reform, it has its seasons of depression as well as ot prosperity ; but there is little question that this order, aside from its direct effect upon individuals, has exerted a great influence in building up a health}' temperance sentiment in the community. The mem- bership of this lodge is about one hundred and thirty. Samuel Murrish is its present W. C. T., and T. F. Stair its present W. R. S. They have a hall in Turck's block, and meet on Friday evening of each week. Mendotas. — Montezuma Council, No. 8, I. 0. M., was organized February 22, 1876. This is a social order, having temperance as one of its prominent objects. The membership is seventy-eight. The present officers are L. C. Oulmann, Sachem, and W. Y. Ridell, Writer They meet in Good Templar's hall every Monday eve ning. The Patrons of Husbandry, No. 318, was organized January 10, 1871, and meet on Saturday evenings in u Blitz" hall. Their membership is forty-six. Present officers are Henry Powell, Master, and 0. B. Haseltine, Secretary. Public Schools. — Mazomanie has for many years been justly celebrated for the efficiency of her public school, which has been the principal means of attract- ing many families to our place for the educational ad- DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. 609 vantages it offered. This is mainly attributable to the liberality of its citizens in providing suitable buildings, and in the employment of teachers of undoubted capa- bilities as principals, among whom may be mentioned Lyman Hutchinson, N. E. Goldthwaite, W. A. De La Matyr, M. E. Wadsworth, L. D. Harvey and Miss Inez C. Childs, all of whom have materially contributed to its success. The present principal is Charles F. Harding, of Springfield in this county. In 1857, a frame school house was built to take the place of the log house before referred to, of ample size, as was supposed, to accommodate the increase of pupils consequent upon the growth of the village; but it was bandy finished, before a portion had to be sent to the seminary building. In 1861, was commenced the erec- tion of a brick edifice, 50 by 50 feet, two stories in height. This was occupied the following year, when the school was first organized under the. graded system. In 1868, an addition was built, 30 by 50 feet, of the same height, making a building 50 by 80 feet, which was arranged for five departments. In 1876, however, it was again found necessary to occupy the former building, now known as the Town Hall, and to establish a primary school near the Wisconsin river. In 1876, a free high school was established in the dis- trict, receiving state aid as provided by law. The grade, however, was already sufficient to enable pupils to enter the freshman class at the State University without fur- ther preparation; as an instance, at the last commence- ment, the following pupils passing direct from our school, graduated from this institution, namely : Misses Alice Stickney, Florence E. Mitchell, Hattie M. Hover, Tillie Reul, and Mr. W. A. Hover. The district contains about five hundred and fifty pupils of school age, and upwards of four hundred were 39 010 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. in attendance the past year. Number of teachers em- ployed, eight; cost of instruction, about $3,000 annu- ally. Value of -school building and site is over §10,000. The site contains eight lots, and is one of the prettiest locations for the purpose to be found. Good sidewalks are provided not only about the building and across the grounds, but reach to nearly all portions of the village, except on the higher grounds where they are not so much needed. The present officers of the district are, Jonathan Jones, J. C. Cowdery and H. Z. Moulton, the latter hav- ing served in the capacity of clerk without interruption since 1862. The business and other interests, not previously men- tioned, are represented by J. C. Cowdery & Son, bank- ers; W. U. Hover, J. Murrish & Sons, C. M. Howe, L. A. Lincoln, J. A. Schmitz, Charles Butz, W. W. Whalon, and S. V. Wyckoff and Co., general dealers; Smith & Moulton, general hardware; J. Jones and Smith & Campbell, druggists; Whitney & Clark, boots and shoes; J. W. Robson, books and stationery, fruits and confectionery; C. A. Pierson and Hiram Lyford, groceries; L. C. Oulmann, butter and eggs; George Elliott, furniture and paper hangings; Fred Reinow, fur- niture and coffins: Fred. W. Giese and Otto Giese, jew- elers; D. W. Bronson & Son and Richard Black, lumber dealers; L. A. Lincoln. A. Lange and J. T. Vaught, grain buyers; Ed. Pratt and Maj. A. B. Piatt, agricultural implements; Harrop & Cork, tailors; Fred. Heydecke and John Denu, harnesses; C. E. Whelan, blacksmith and wagons; A. Preston & Sons, blacksmith and cultivators; John Askew, blacksmith and plows; A. P. Peck and Simeon Jones, shoemakers; Woolrich & Dame, meat market; Mrs. Charles Peters, market and confectionery; Mrs. John Schuesler, photographs; Mrs. S. A. Berry, DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. 611 Mrs. E. H. Hart, Mrs. C. M. Howe, and Miss M. E. Kerr, millinery and dress making; Edward Huggins, restau- rant; N. Kirch, bakery; Sutcliffe Bros., cigars; Tinker & Schlewch, brewers; S. F. Buck, barber; P. B. Learnard, repairing watches; J. A. J. Shower, undertaker; Isaac Thompson and Lawrence Wolf, coopers; J. F. Carlisle and H. G. Brunleib, liveries; T. T. Huntington and John Cammack, draymen: Thos. W. Wilson, builder; W. W. Whitney, millwright; L. W. Needham, Robert Sutcliffe, E. H. Haseltine, J. H. Richards and Ferd. Hader, carpenters; C. F. Moulton, Adam Grerner and M. Morrow, masons; Wm. Finlayson and A. N. Seymour are the proprietors of the extensive nurseries. The medical fraternity are represented by Wm. H. Grleason, T. F. Stair, C. A. Lyman and T. S. North; dentistry by J. Cr. Mawney; insurance by H. Z. Moulton. The place is supplied with excellent hotels, all of which are well kept, and sufficiently large and roomy for the accommodation of the traveling public, who may feel assured of receiving the utmost attention from the genial proprietors. The " Carlisle House, 1 ' kept by James Carlisle, is the largest; next in size and preten- sions is the " Freeman House," kept by Theo. Freeman, while the " Commercial Hotel " is under the charge of John Westhauser, proprietor. Mr. N. Kirch has recent- ly erected large and commodious buildings, and, in con- nection with other business, proposes to provide for the entertainment of the traveling public. The Weekly Sickle, a newspaper published by D. W. Bronson & Son, with S. E. Bronson as editor, is among the important enterprises of the place, and is of great value and convenience to the citizens and business men. The first issue was dated March 9, 1874, and the circu- lation has increased gradually until it now numbers five hundred subscribers. 612 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. The village of Mazomanie is what may be termed a " railroad town," as it was directly through its influence that the place was first started, and through its business employment is given to a great number of persons. The construction train of the western division of the railway from Milwauke to Prairie du Chien makes its headquar- ters here. The train is under the charge of E. J. Whit- ney, conductor, with Frank Robinson as engineer, Mr. R. having held this position since 1865. This station ranks the fifth on the line (Pra. du C. division) as to amount of business. There is. paid out to its different employees not less than 8'2,000 monthly, giving direct support to about fifty families, and indirectly adding largely to the general business interests of the town. The Fire Department of Mazomanie is well deserving of attention in this sketch. It has been organized and worked up under exceeding difficulties, and several 3 r ears have elapsed since its first conception, but through the persistent efforts of a few of her citizens — among whom may with propriety be mentioned the names of C. J. Trager, T. W. Wilson and R. Black — and the liberali- ty of the business men of the place, it has now a well organized fire company, with an " A 1 " hand power en- gine, hose cart and hook and ladder outfit, including truck, ladders, buckets, etc., costing upwards of twelve hundred dollars. The present officers are, C. J. Trager, foreman; J. A. J. Shower, first assistant, andT. T.Hun- tington, second assistant. The population of the village is now about twelve hundred, mostly of American and English extraction. Of the foreign element, the German largely predomi- nates, although the " Emerald Isle " furnishes a large representation. And while it is but slowly increasing in wealth and population, there seems to be an air of DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. 613 permanency about the village and its improvements, that surely denotes a prosperous future. The resources of the place are much the same as con- tribute to the support of nearly all of our western towns, being principally from grain growing districts around, making this a common center, although the peculiar adaptation of the surrounding country to grazing pur- poses will, at no distant future, make of it one of the most important dairying districts in the southern por- tion of the state. Even now it is estimated that more butter and eggs are shipped from this station than any other 011 the road west of Milwaukee. Location" and Scenery. — A sketch of Mazomanie would be incomplete that did not refer to its advantages as a place of residence, for such as desire a more quiet and retired life than the city affords, and yet enjoy most of its conveniences. The village is pleasantly located on both sides of Black Earth creek, where it opens out into the valley of the Wisconsin. South of the rail- road, which passes through the place, a little south of the center, is a sharp rise of ground for a few rods, where we find a large plateau, where are many beautiful locations for residences not yet occupied. Still south of this, and adjoining the village, is a range of very pretty bluffs, skirted with forests of oak, making a fine background, and giving to the sceneiy a very pictur- esque appearance. A magnificent view of the place and of the surround- ing country may be had from the " school section " bluff on the southeast, which rises abruptly to the height of about three hundred feet above the level of the Wiscon- sin river. From this elevation the observer may look down upon the village, nestled among the maples and elms, with which every street is lined, and which have 614 DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. become the pride of its citizens. Glancing to the north- ward, he will see the Wisconsin skirting the bluffs on the opposite side, many of which her currents have hewn squarely down to the waters edge; towards the northeast, he sees in the distance, across an alternating landscape of forest and field, the prairies of Sauk county, dotted here and there with farm-houses, and extending back to the Baraboo bluffs. On the east and southeast, Black Earth creek and her tributaries may be seen wind- ing their serpentine courses through pleasant vallej's and rich meadows, with the constantly varying scenery of forest, bluff, and cultivated field. On the south, at a distance of twelve miles, he distinctly sees the lofty summits of the Blue Mounds, towering like sentinels above the intervening elevations of land, while turning to the westward, the view opens upon a magnificent per- spective of the broad valley of the Wisconsin, which may be seen for a distance of forty miles, an almost un- broken landscape of field and meadow, diversified with constantly receding patches of forest, while at intervals in the distance the abrupt faces of the bluffs upon either side of the river seem to approach each other, until at nearly the utmost range of vision they appear to meet, thus closing up the further view of the course of this magnificent river, on its way, through narrow defiles and shifting sands, to join the Father of Waters on his course to the Gulf of Mexico. Although this village is not noted for its magnificent edifices, yet she has many pretty residences, public build- ings, and places of business, no less than thirty of which are substantial, first-class brick and stone buildings. It has been the pride of her citizens to not only supply the lack of a natural growth of forest trees, by planting out large quantities of the rapidly growing maple and elm DANE COUNTY TOWNS MAZOMANIE. 615 on the streets, and with various kinds of evergreens and deciduous trees of different species, in private yards and grounds, but in beautifying them with flowers and shrubs, and adorning their dwellings with choice pic- tures and rare curiosities, as well as in providing for the literary and musical culture and entertainment of the household. Society. — A noticeable feature in the social elements of which Mazomanie is composed is, that while it boasts of as good society as is furnished by any town of its size and pretensions, there is but little inclination to divide into "sets," as is too often the case, but with remarka- ble unanimity, her citizens are disposed to treat each other with the consideration to which they are entitled, Avithout regard to "worldly wealth or honors/' In soci- eties and other organizations, a certain degree of exclu- siveness is necessarily required. In summing up the many desirable features possessed by Mazomanie, we must not overlook that of health, which is paramount to all other considerations in se- lecting a place for permanent location. It has long been known as one of the most healthful places in the country, as has often been remarked by those who have been acquainted with it for many years. Adding to this its beauty of location, its business capacities and re- sources, its convenience to leading places of the north- west, such as Milwaukee, Chicago, the capital of the state, etc, ready access to all points in Iowa and Min- nesota, its society, churches and schools, make it one of the most desirable places of residence to be found among the smaller towns of the state. TOWNS ADJACENT. EYANSVILLE, EOCK CO. BY D. JOHNSON, LEVI LEONARD AND JACOB WEST, Esq. The township of Union, of which the village of Evansville is at the present time the principal and leading market town, was first settled in the fall of 1839. The first settlers were Ohas. McMillan, Sam- uel Lewis, Stephen Jones, Erastus Quivey, John Khinehart and Boyd Phelps. In the spring of 1840, there was a large immigration from the east and south to this part of the state, and among those making their homes in this town were Rev. John Griffith, Hiram Griffith, John A. Griffith, Ira Jones, Jacob "West, John T. Baker, J. W. Haseltine, Levi Leonard, David Johnson, Daniel Johnson, John Cook, John Adams, "Washington Higday and John Sale, and the population was further increased by a large immi- gration in the fall of the same year. The first school house in the settlement was built in 1841, about a mile and a half west of the present site of Evansville, and the first teacher, Miss Mary Jane True. The next was built at or near the now village of Union, between Janesville and Madison, where the first post office was established. The third 618 TOWNS ADJACENT — EVANSVILLE. school house in the town was built on the present site of Evansville, and was built of logs, and used both as church and school house, and the first teacher our now worthy citizen, Levi Leonard. The first settler on the land now embraced in the village plat was Amos Kirkpatriek, in 1842. About the same time Wilbur Potter settled here and built a chair factory, and then Henry and Lewis Spencer, whose residence is still here, they having built the first frame dwellings in the town. In the summer of 1S45, J. M. Evans, from Laporte, Indiana, settled here and commenced the practice of medicine. Up to 1848, the principal centers of business for the whole country between Janesville and Madison w 7 ere at the village of Union, a post town on the terri- torial road three miles north of the present site of Evansville, or Cooksville, on the Badfish creek, four miles northeast of Union, and in that year William "Winston and C. R. Bent built and filled the first store in the place, which up to this date had neither name nor post office, the citizens having to go to Union for their mail. Upon the establishing of a j>ost office in 1849, the name of Evansville was chosen. In 1855, the ground was surveyed and platted, and the name of the post office was selected as the future name of the vil- lage, from which time to the present the growth of the place has been steady and healthy. In 1863, the Beloit and Madison railroad was completed, which gave the place a new impetus, and in 1865, Evansville became a chartered village, officered by a president TOWNS ADJACENT EVAXSVILLE. 619 and board of trustees, clerk and treasurer, and under the healthy working of our charter and good manage- ment of its officers, our streets have been improved, sidewalks made and repaired, shade trees planted, until we now have as handsome and thrifty a village as there is in the west, and what with its water and steam power in the hands of our enterprising business men, bids fair for a prosperous future. To the person seeking a pleasant home, or as a place of summer resort, there is no place in the west that offers better inducements than Evansville. Society is of the best, manifesting refinement, intelligence and good taste; not only in the well kept and nicely graded streets, good sidewalks, and the beautiful gar- dens and pleasant homes, with the absence of any saloons for the sale of intoxicating drinks, but with the prevailing influences of Christian privileges and blessings, is every thing that goes to make a home pleasant and desirable. The village is located in one of the best farming and grazing sections of Wiscon- sin, and is skirted on the north by a beautiful grove of oak timber, while in every other direction farms and farm houses abound in beautifying effect. The country, when in its natural state, was about one-half timber and the rest prairie; but since the stumps have been removed on the timber farms, and artificial groves planted on the prairie, a person unacquainted with the locality in former times would hardly dis- tinguish the difference; with good roads, and pleasant drives in every direction, the seeker after pleasure or 620 TOWNS AD.J A.CEX T E VANSVILLE. pleasant homes can find no better place than Evans- ville. In the first settlement of this town, the religious and moral tone of the people had much to do in the forming and regulating society, and in after years, through this influence, the sale of intoxicating drinks publicly, has always been prohibited; so that up to the present time, no license has ever been granted to a liquor saloon. The first church was organized in the summer of 1840 by the Episcopal Methodists, with a membership of twenty-seven ; and the first church edifice was erected by them in 1846-47, being a plain but comfortable frame building. In the year 1866, the old church was sold to give place for a business block, and a new and more commodious one (built of white brick) was erected. The membership now numbers about 178, and the present pastor is the Rev. J. D. Cole. The next church organization was the Freewill Baptist, in 1854, with a membership of 30, and the same year they erected a very neat frame church edi- fice, and furnished it with the first church bell. They have increased until they now number about 67 mem- bers. Their present pastor is the Rev. B. F. Mc- Kenney. The next church was organized by the Congrega- tionalists in the same year, 1854, with a member- ship of eleven, and in 1857 they erected a very neat red brick church edifice. Their numbers have in- creased, so that they have now a membership of sev TOWNS ADJACENT EVANSVILLE. 621 enty-five. The Tlev. James W. Harris is their present pastor. . The regular Baptists next organized a church in 1856, with thirty-four members, and reorganized in 1867, and in this rear they erected a very commodious white brick church edifice, and furnished it with a bell. Their numbers have increased to seventy-one. The Tier. C. N. Lathrop is their present pastor. The Episcopalians next organized a society in 1869, with a membership of twenty-five, and in 1870, they erected a very neat frame edifice, and furnished it with the best bell in the place. Their numbers have in- creased to forty-six members, and their present rector is the Rev. Henry Green. The early settlers were not unmindful of the neces- sity of providing for the education of their children, knowing well that the prosperity of our country and its civil liberties depended on the education of the rising generation. Our common schools under the township organization were in a flourishing condition, but the rapid growth of our village demanded higher branches of education; consequently an organization was formed for the purpose of erecting a seminary of learning, August 10, 1855, and a charter was obtained the winter following; at the same time a select or high school was commenced in the Methodist Episco- pal Church building, it being the most suitable place for a high school, under the supervision of R. O. Kel- logg, and was continued under the supervision of competent teachers till the spring of 1859, when D. 622 TOWNS ADJACENT EVANSVILLE. Y. Kilgore opened a school in the seminary building, and continued prosperously under the patronage of the different Christian denominations until the spring of 1874. In 1S6S-9 the citizens of Evansville, in ac- cordance with the state laws, organized and built a large graded school building, and opened under the supervision of S. S. Gard. Of the many graduates from the Evansville Seminary, quite a number have arisen to eminence and distinction, among which we might mention the Rev. W. H. Spencer, now of Haverhill, Mass.; Rev. Mr. Marshall, now a mis- sionarv at the East Indies; J. ~\Y. Sale, now district attorney of Rock county; B. W. Jones, ex-disfcrict attorney of Dane county; L. 13. Sale, attorney, Green Bay; Hon. R. E. Pettigrew, Sioux Falls, Dakota; Geo. R. Mitchell, M. D., Richland Center; D. B. Bennett, M. D., Colorado. The graded school, as now changed to a high school, seemed to supersede the necessity of the seminary, as has been the case with many of the institutions of this kind, it only be- ing a step from this to the State University. The high school department is now under the supervision of A. R. Sprague, principal, with an able assistant, and also four graded departments with an able corps of teachers, which are now in a very prosperous and flourishing condition. Among the business enterprises of the place, the foundry and machine shop of A. S. Baker & Co. de- serves special mention. The company started in business in April, 1873; commencing at first in a TOWNS ADJACENT EVANSVILLE. 623 small way, but procuring the best of machinery, their busines has been steadily on the increase until at the present time they are doing a flourishing business, employing ten or twelve men, and have a reputation of doing first class work, having in the past year manufactured 1,800 iron pumps, 100 windmills, be- sides doing a large amount of jobbing work and re- pairing. Also the manufactory of Lehman Brothers, wholesale and retail manufacturers and dealers in household furniture, commenced business in August, 1870; they too, commencing small and enlarging as the wants of the trade demanded, until they have built up a business that is an honor to the place, and doing a business at the present time amounting to over twenty thousand dollars a year. Both the above mentioned factories use steam for power. The First National Bank of Evansville was estab- lished in November, 1874, and continued as such till January, 1875 ; it then changed to the state system, under the name of the Bank, of Evansville, with a paid up capital of $25,000, and the stock is now owned by L. T. Pullen and J. C. Sharp, who are its officers; and the average deposits amount to about $50,000, which shows the prosperity of the business men here, as well as the confidence they have in the bank. In the dry goods and grocery department are five well filled stores. The firm of N. Winston & Sons commenced business in 1855, under the firm name of J. Winston & Sons; although there have been some changes, the present senior partner has been a 624 TOWNS ADJACENT EVANSVILLE. continuous member during the whole time, and is now doing a large and profitable business. Smith & Eager commenced business in the building now occu- pied by them, in 1868, and have had an extensive trade, and at present are classed among our successful business men. Winston & Woodbury are successors of J. Winston & Son, established in 1863. Some changes have been made, but the present R. Winston has been a continuous member of the firm from the start; it is an old reliable house. Evansville Mer- cantile Association do a dry goods, groceries and gen- eral mercantile business; said association was estab- lished in 1874, under the auspices of the Patrons of Husbandry. The association has the past year built a large and commodious store, with a fine hall above for the use of the Evansville Grange. They are hav- ing an extensive trade, and must be doing a satis- factory business; their present agent and business manager is T. C. Richardson. Pullen & Wilder commenced business in 1874; although they are both young men, they are not young in business, having both been raised to handle the tape; they have already built up a large and prosperous trade, and, in the end, must win. Our business in the groceries and con- fectionery goods are represented by three well stocked stores. Ransom Griffin commenced business in 1871; Richardson Brothers commenced in 1874, and Bevier & Hall in 1876 ; all doing a good business in their line. There are two well filled drug stores in the place where can always be found drugs, paints, oils, window TOWNS ADJACENT — EVANSVILLE. 625 glass, and everything usually found in first-class drug stores. The old pioneer drug store is run by Doctors Dewitt Griswold and J. M. Evans — the other by ('. M. Smith, M. I). The hardware trade of the place is now controlled by Snashall & Mygatt, an enterprising firm ; they carry a large stock of the best goods. F. A. Baker, practical tinner, keeps a large stock of tinware on sale. Two clothing stores, E. Robinson, established in 1870, and Spencer & Pullen, in 1876; both doing a o-ood business. The retail trade of boots and shoes is in the hands of Geo. E. Shaw and C. K. Lanclon, two well filled stores. Two boot and shoe shops, one run by Plaisted & Bargewell, the other by Chas. Clif- ford. Three milliners' stores, one by Mrs. Gunn, one by Mrs. Morrow, and the other by Misses Gilman & Spencer. Evan svi lie has long been noted for its har- ness manufacture, and there are at the present time four harness shops; E. W. Stearns, established in 1855, E. Blakeley in IS'!!. EL Monshau in 1870, and George Taggart in 1877. In each and all can be found the goods usually kept in first-class harness shops. Blake- ley and Stearns carry on carriage trimming in connec- tion with their business. In butchers' meats we are bountifully supplied; three first-class markets — Campbell & Springer, established in 1871, Joslin & Budlong in 1875, and Hay ward Brother in 1876. We have two well stocked lumber yards — one by Fifield & Co. (K. F. Randolph, agent), established in 1864, the other by R, Winston & Co., 1S73 — both doing- a good business. Have an extensive country, as well as 40 626 T< >WNS ADJACENT EVANSVILLE. village trade. Four wagon and carriage shops — John II. Winston, established in 1861; John Evans, 1870; Allen & Holman, 1876, and Baker & Garfield, 1876. Three blacksmith shops — Baker & Garfield, Allen & Holman, and Clifford & Gratasinger. Baker A: (Tar- field also carry on the manufacture of plows, in connec- tion with their other business. There is one well filled •jewelery store, with a large stock for the size of the place, owned and run by C. B. Morse, practical work- man. The best goods for sale, and the best work done. The mechanics and artisans of the place are second to no other. Our list of carpenters and joiners com- prises the well known names of 1ST. Libby, Win. Libby, Daniel Doolittle, Wm. H. Morgan, L. Walker, A. Snashall, A. Hoskins and William Wilcox. Masons and plasterers, D. B. Huckins, T. F. Shurrum and James Brown. House and carriage painters, M. E. Hanover, Chas. Pows and Geo Backenstose. The best index to the intelligence of any people can be found at the post office, and printing office. As the room allotted will not admit of a detailed state- ment of the business of our office, we will mention the business for one quarter, ending December 31, 1876, of the Evansville post office: Received for money orders and fees on same .$4,710 38 Received for stamps and envelops 521 00 Received for box rents 45 20 $5,276 f.7 Paid money orders drawn on this office 3,284 99 Total for the quarter $8, 561 66 The Evansville Review, a weekly newspaper, was TOWNS ADJACENT EVANSVILLE. 627 established here in 1866, by I. A. Hoxie, its present owner and editor. For ten long years it has covered up our faults, exalted our virtues, received our abuse, and not unfrequently abused us in return, and yet it still lives. The morals of the place can be judged by the large number of ministers, and but one lawyer. Of min- isters, we have Reverends E. Robinson, 0. H. Wilder, C. N. Lathrop, J. W. Harris, B. F. McKinney, Henry Green and J. D. Cole. The law has been expounded to us for the last twenty-two years by the Hon. D. L. Mills, who pleads our causes, makes our conveyances, and, in addition, does a large amount of insurance business, he having always rej)resented some of the best companies in the United States. Of physicians, we have Doctors J. M. Evans, M. C. Smith, E. W. Beebe, and A. IT. Robinson, dentist and surgeon. Among the institutions that should have been men- tioned, but was almost forgotten, is that of West & Potter, dealers in chromos, engravings, stereoscopic views, cords, tassels, picture frames, school books, sta- tionery, and news depot, rooms at the post office. Strangers stopping here can find two good hotels, and take their choice. The Spencer House is located in the center of the business portion of town, and is kept by Col. Beebe. The Evansville House, kept by Daniel "Wadsworth", near the depot. Both no license houses, as there never has been a license to sell intox- icating drinks granted, since the first organization of the town, and if the morals of its inhabitants can be kept up to the present standard, there never will be. 628 TOWNS ADJACENT LAKE K0SHK0N0NG. LAKE KOSHKONONG. BY AN OLD SETTLER. Lake Ivoshkonong- is principally situated in Jeffer- son county, Wisconsin, but its southwest end touches Dane county, and its southern part, Rock county. Its main length is about nine miles, in the direction of northeast and southwest; its broadest part about four miles. Its shape is somewhat irregular, and it has its bays and promontories, and which are known as Buffalo and Bingham's bays, and Lee's, Taylor's and Bingham's "points." Rock river enters the lake at the northeast end, at Blackhawk Island, and leaves it at the southwest end, at Newville. On the northwest side, Koshkonong creek and Alpeter's creek, and on the southeast side, Otter creek, add to the volume of its water, as also do innumerable springs all around and in many places even in the lake, which is rather a shallow sheet of water, with mostly muddy bottom. What is called " Blackhawk Island " is an island only at high water, and is formed by having the Rock river on the east, and the lake on the south and west side, being connected with the main land only by a narrow strip of low land on the north. The land surrounding the lake consists to a great extent of low and very extensive marshes, on which thousand of tons of hay are annually cut; but lime- stone bluffs exist in many places all around the lake, viz.: at C. Lee's, R. Bingham's, Taylor's point, ]STew- ville, E. Bingham's, and the place of Mr. Langhoff. The lake, with its, in many places, marshy shores and hundreds of acres of wild rice, and the grass-like TOWNS ADJACENT — LAKE KOSHKONONO. 629 plant, known to botanists as Vallisneria spiralis, growing in it in the greatest abundance, used to be a great favorite place for ducks, and especially the fur- famed Canvassback {Aythya vallisneria), which, with the Bedhead, is particularly fond of the Vallisneria spiralis. Geese, cormorants and white pelicans were also very numerous, and fifty to one hundred of those latter birds could be seen at one time in the latter part of April or first of May. In the marshes and on the shores were a great variety of waders, viz.: the great blue heron, the large white heron, the snowy heron, the night heron, and the least heron, six species of the plover family and Wilson's Phalarope, the most beautiful of all our waders, was in abundance. Of the snipe family, twenty species, besides curlews and godwits. Three species of rails, and gallinules and coats, very plenty. But owing to a continued sporting kept up every spring and fall for years, the birds have either greatly diminished in number or found other places where they are less disturbed, as now-a-days but few visit the lake compared with what they did only ten years ago. Ducks, even such as shelldrakes, whistlers and butterballs, bring something in the markets of the large cities, and hence they must be killed and sold for the little they bring. Coots are yet numerous, though not so numerous as formerly; but though they don't sell as well as shelldrakes and butterballs, yet, if nothing else can be had, the fun of shooting them is all the same. As for the fish in the lake, the time is past when twenty-eight to thirty-five pound pickerels can be found, or twenty-five pound catfish. Bullheads and 630 TOWNS ADJACENT LAKE KOSHKONONG. perch, sunfish, garpikes and dogfish are common yet; but the pike, pickerel, bass, redhorse, sucker and cat- fish are not near as plentiful as formerly. Perhaps the dams across the Rock river, below the lake, are too powerful hindrances for the fish of the Mississippi river to go up to our waters to spawn; if so, we are effectually prevented from ever having shad success- fully planted in this part of Rock river. Having been more interested in the ornithology and botany of the lake and its vicinity than in the archaeology, I am not able to j>'ive such information in regard to the latter as I should wish, and will only mention a few facts that have come under my observa- tion, mostly on the west side of the lake, where I have lived nearly 34 years, facts proving that this lake and vicinity have been a great resort of the Indians. On the land of Mr. R. Bingham are patches of ground where yet can be seen what is supposed to be cornhills worked by the Indians. While plowing or hoeing, Indian arrows, stone implements and pieces of pottery are frequently found; these relics are es- pecially numerous on the farms of Mr. R. Bingham and Mr. Charles Lee, who has an extensive and in- teresting collection, picked up on his farms. Indian mounds of different sizes and shapes were numerous on the west side of the lake, but many of them are now leveled by the plows. Of the large mound " at the foot of the lake" lately opened and investigated, and where interesting relics were found, I can say nothing, as I have never visited the place. At Busseyville, near the creek, there used to grow a very large oak which, thirty-four years ago, and at that time considered old, had a very plain and good TOWNS ADJACENT — LAKE KOSIIEONONG. 631 figure of a mud turtle cut on the side, towards the creek, and on the hill north of it, were several mounds, some of which had the shape of mud turtles. These mounds are now leveled, and the land cultivated. About thirty years ago, while botanizing near the lake, I found tobacco (nicotiana rustica li/i) growing in a wild state among the grass on Mr. It. Bingham's land, and I understood that tobacco was found grow- ing even on the other side of the lake at about the same time. This was at a time when the first settlers never had heard of raising tobacco in the state. Since which there is scarcely a farmer for miles around that is not engaged in raising tobacco. In 1844r, there was a steamboat going through the lake, said to have come up from St. Louis. The new settlers hailed this occurrence with great pleasure and hopes, expecting to have a communication by water opened with the cities on the Mississippi river, and bavins: no railroad nearer than Buffalo, IN". Y., and sixty to seventy miles to haul their grain to Milwau- kee, it is no wonder that they considered the coming up of this steamboat as a Godsend. The idea never occurred to them that this big Rock river, on which with their own eyes they had seen a steamboat from St. Louis, ever could be, by any authority, pronounced an unnavio-able stream, and dams allowed to be built across it. There is, after all, a steamboat on the lake now, built and moored at Taylor's point, where there is also a good hotel for visitors, but this boat will probably have to confine its trips between Taylor's point, Fort Atkinson and Newville, or to making excursions around the lake. 632 TOWNS ADJACENT BROOKLYN. BROOKLYN. BY J. W. HASELTINE, Esq. The town of Brooklyn is situated ill the northeast corner of Green county, and borders on the towns of Rutland and Oregon in Dane county. In the northeast part of the town there is some very good land, partly of burr oak opening and good prairie, with some fine groves of timber, while on the east side of the town there are a few sections of good prairie land. The bal- ance of the town is oak openings, much of it quite high and rolling, and not of the best quality. The first land bought for actual settlement was by the writer, on the 26th day of December, 1839, on the north half of section three, and which he still occupies. The first house in the town was built by W. W. McLaughlin in the fall of 1812, on the south half of section three, and who occupied the same farm up to the time of his death, April 2, 1877. The names of the early settlers of the town are J. W. Haseltine, W. W. McLaughlin, Charles Sutherland, Elder John Sawin and his three sons, Alvin, Ethan and Lorenzo, Stephen Smith and three sons, Jonathan, Charles and Emery, Leonard and Ezra Doolittle, Amos D. and William Kirpatrick, Syl- vester Gray, C. D. AY. and Arab Leonard, Jeremiah Anderson and son Amos (the father now occupying the {'arm first selected, aged eighty-two), Nelson J. and Franklin Patterson, William B. Patterson, William R, Smith, Sr., and William R. Smith, Jr., and John Pace. Henry Montgomery and his three sons, Cyrus A., Tracy and John, were early settlers in the town. Cyrus A. TOWNS ADJACENT — BROOKLYN. 633 and John still reside here. The father died in 1846, and was the first death in the town. Of the above list of persons, those who have died are W. W. McLaughlin, John Sawin, Stephen Smith, Win. Kirkpatrick, Sylvester Gray, Amos Anderson, Wm. R. Smith, Sr., and John Pace. Others have moved away, so that few of the very early settlers remain. Alonzo Melvin with a large family settled on a farm on section one, about the year 1850. Five sons of the family enlisted in the army of the late war of the re- bellion, and suffered terribly by disease and death. Shepard and Taylor died suddenly of disease contracted while in the army. Fordice R. was shot through the wrists and disabled for life. He holds the office of treasurer of Green county, and has done so for three terms or six years, ending January 1, 1877, and as such has proved himself an honest and capable officer. Oli- ver was also brought home from the army terribly dis- eased, but has finally recovered and is now a resident of the town. Austin A. was the only one of the five Avho came back unharmed. Alonzo, the father, died two years since, full of years, honored and respected by all who knew him, one of nature's noble, honest men. The town was organized and the first town meeting held in the house of Nelson J. Patterson, on the 7th day of April, 1819, the writer acting as clerk and making the first election returns from the town to Monroe, the county seat. The following officers were elected : Chair- man of fin- Town Board — Amos D. Kirkpatrick. Toicn Clerk — 0. P. Stowell. Assessor—- W. W. McLaughlin. Treasurer — Martin Flood. Superintendent of Schools — G. G. Godfrey. Names that have been prominent among the town officers are W. W. McLaughlin, who was chairman of the town board many years, and assessed the town 634: TOWNS ADJACENT BROOKLYN. twelve or thirteen times, and lias twice been a meinbei of the legislature. Amos D. Kirkpatrick was chairman several years, also a member of the legislature once 01 twice. C. D. VV. Leonard has also beeu chairman many times, and twice a member of the legislature from the north assembly district in Green county. Town clerks have been, 0. P. Stowell, James McCoy, for eleven "suc- cessive years, J. W. Haseltine, Ed. Netherwoocl, M. F. Ross, and others. The town is well provided with school houses and has two Methodist churches, one in Attica and one in Brook- lyn. At an early clay the village of Attica was laid out on Sugar river, in the southwest corner of the town, and at one time contained a flouring and saw mill, a carding machine, a fulling and cloth dressing machine, and also distillery. The village is situated on Sugar river, and has an excellent water power, but now has only a good flouring mill, owned by Joseph Bartlett. The village of Brooklyn is situated in the northeast corner of the town, on the railroad, midway between Evansville and Oregon, six miles from either. It con- tains four stores, a cheese factory, a good lumber yard, a livery stable, two hotels, a postoffice, two blacksmith shops, two harness shops, and does a large produce and stock business, conducted by E. J. Andrew & Sons. B. S. Axtell is the oldest merchant and is postmas- ter. He commenced business here soon after the rail- road was built, and does a safe business. L. J. Wilder keeps a good store and is an excellent business man. The Marvin brothers manage the hardware, and honest Charles S. Gray runs the " Grange Store." E. J. An- drew & Sons have an elevator with large storage ca- pacity, and conduct a good business in produce and stock. They maintain an excellent market, and are ever ready to deal honorably with their customers. TOWNS ADJACENT BROOKLYN. 635 Tliey have done much to make Brooklyn a good market for a large section of country. Lovejoy & Richards sell the lumber. Frank Lane does a lively livery business. Conradson, in wood and iron is " a workman that need not be ashamed." Melvins & Blair own the cheese fac- tory, and have a reputation for making good cheese. J. A. Leonard, blacksmith; W. A. Morrow, harness maker; J. R. Richards, harness maker; E. H. Graves, railroad agent; E. D. King, confectionery and restau- rant; D. H. Glidden, hotel; Miss Mattie Wallace and Mrs. Addie Murray, milliners. Brooklyn is gradually improving, a few buildings go- ing up every year, and is a great convenience and help to this section of the country. 03(5 TOWNS ADJACENT — LODI. LODI. BY Hon. JOHN T. CLARK. Location. — The town joins the town of Dane, in Dane county, on the north, and is situated in the south- west part of Columbia county. It is formed of township No. 10 north, of range 8 east, according to government survey, except sections 0, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31, which form the west tier of sections of said township, and be- long to the town of West Point. The territory of which the town is formed was at first a part of Brown county, then of Portage county, and in 1816, when Columbia county was organized, it was made a part of the last named county. The town of Lodi was organized in 1319, previous to which time the territory described as town 10, ranges 7, 8 and the west half of range 9, consti- tuted, for voting purposes, a precinct called " Pleasant Valley precinct." As at first organized, the town em- braced all the territory belonging to said precinct. The name of the town was suggested by Judge Palmer. In the year 1850, the town of West Point was taken from the western part of said territory, embracing all of township 10, range 7 (the same being made fractional by the course of the Wisconsin river), also the west tier and a half of sections in township 10, range 8. In the year 1855, the town of Arlington was formed on the east of Lodi, taking therefrom the west half of town 10, range 9, except the west tier of sections in said west half, which west tier of sections remained a part of Lodi, until the year 1871, when the county board of su- pervisors of Columbia county, to whom the matter had TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. 637 been committed by an act of the legislature, attached the same to the town of Arlington. At the time of the organization of Arlington, the half tipj - of sections on the west, which had been made a part of West Point, was returned to Lodi. Soil. — The soil is mostly what is called " openings;" a small part is prairie. The surface is quite undulating, sometimes rising into bluffs of considerable height. The soil is fertile, especially along the streams, except in the northern and northeastern parts, where it degenerates into sand, and is nearly worthless. The town is watered by one of the finest and most reliable streams in the state. About four miles southwest of the village, in the town of Dane, j r ou find a marsh, nearly circular, cover- ing from a section and a half to two sections of land. Around this marsh, in almost every direction, the land rises, and in some places to great heights. At the foot of these hills and about the borders of this marsh crop out springs innumerable, which, uniting in a single stream, flow in a northeasterly direction and form the west branch of Spring creek. Some of these springs are very small, while others are ten or twelve feet in diam- eter, from which wells up the purest water. This stream enters Lodi on the south line of section 33, and continues its northeasterly course through sec- tions 33 and 34, and into section 27, where it receives, from the southeast, a tributary of the same character, which is called the east branch of Spring creek. At this point the stream takes a northwesterly course and flows out of the town through the west line of section S, into the town of West Point. About half a mile from the west line of Lodi, it receives a large tributary, known as Rowan's creek; thence, flowing oat on about a mile and a half, it discharges its waters into the Wisconsin river, opposite the village of Merrimac, in Sank county. 638 TOWNS ABIACENT — LODI. * The value of this stream to the town can hardly be esti- mated. It determined the first point of settlement, and fixed the location of the village, and of the railroad. It furnishes one of the best water powers in southern Wis- consin. This pure spring water cannot be surpassed for the propogation and raising of fish. The east branch only as yet has been used in fish culture. About a half mile southeast of the village, on the east branch of Spring creek, ma} r be found the fish ponds of James McCloud, Nathaniel Goodall and Nelson, of which McCloud's are by far the most extensive. From the last named gentleman the following information concerning his doings in fish culture has been derived: He has in his park, of about two acres, six ponds stocked with fish, which are all doing well. Within this park are about a dozen springs, out of which gushes the purest spring water, which maintains almost an even temperature throughout the year. In April, 1875, he made two ponds, in one of which he put 1,000 young- brook trout or fry, and in the other, 5,000 fry of the Atlantic salmon. In the fall of the same year, he made four more ponds, one of which he stocked with brook trout one year old, one with black and white bass; and with the bass he also put in four sturgeon, which appear to do well. One pond he stocked with catfish. In November, 1875, he put into his hatching house 10,000 spawn of the California salmon, which hatched out dur- ing the winter. The bass, catfish and two years old trout spawned last spring. Three ponds are now filled with young fish which are growing rapidly. The writer of this chapter visited these ponds last week and saw the fish fed. It is a sight worth many miles' travel. A thousand speckled trout, from six to ten inches long, within a space of about twenty feet square, leaping and gliding over each TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. 639 other and out of the water for their food (water clear as crystal), turning up their beautiful sides in the sunlight, would strengthen the weak eyes of an old fisherman. This creek had evidently been a favorite resort for the aborigines, as is proven by the great number of mounds along its banks. This stream is unfailing. When all the water powers for miles around have given out, parties can here get their grinding done. They have come here, in time of drought, even from beyond Madison, and " blessed is the man" who can get Lodi flour. Early Settlement. — In the month of April, 1845, two brothers, M. C. Bartholomew and G. M. Bartholo- mew, came from McLean county, Illinois, and settled on section 22, in this town. In May following came Rev. H. Maynard, a Methodist minister, and planted himself on section 21. In the fall of the same year came James McCloud, and stuck his stakes on section 27 and built his preemption house, which was a log house, near his present residence. This has been his home ever since, though in the spring of 1816 he was employed in running lumber on the Wisconsin river. On the last of October in this year came W. Gr. Simons and settled on section 33, where he still resides. These were all the settlers who came that year. In 1846, came I. H. Palmer and settled on section 27, and in the spring of that year built his house, and dur- ing the year built a saw mill on the west branch of Spring creek. The building is still standing at the east end of Andrews' mill dam, and near the law office of R. Lindsay, Esq. In the same year came Adam Bowman, Nathan Bowman, Joseph Brown and Jacob Hurley, all of whom settled upon section 26; Aaron Chalfant and Johnson Sowards, on section 21; Amos and Jehu Strowd, on sections 25 and 36, and John Chance, on G10 TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. section 19. In 1847, came T. S. Wells and settled on section 9; Nathaniel Goodall, upon section 26, and Peter Froland, upon sections 25 and 36. Others came in this year, and from this time the settlement progressed rap- idly. Indians. — When the first settlers came in 1815, they found ahout two hundred Indians encamped on the creek, near where the village now stands. These were mostly Winnehagoes; a few were Brothertowns. During that season they were very peaceable and friendly. In the fall of that year they all disappeared. In the year 1817, they came back, to the number of about eighty, with their chief, and camped on the creek below where the Bartholomews had settled. They soon began to show their natural propensities, and the property of the set- tlers occasionally disappeared. One of the settlers, Gr. M. Bartholomew, returning to his home from an absence, found the Indians had stolen a part of his hogs. He went to the chief and complained. The chief " denied the soft impeachment, 1 ' but the complainant insisted, and resolutely told Mr. Chief that he could have till the next morning when the sun was " so high," telling him how high by pointing, to be off. The chief promised to be off at once, and to go to the " Milwaukee Woods." There- upon Bartholomew roused the settlers, to the number of 20 to 25, and the next morning, when the sun was "so high" tlurv appeared at the spot "with horse and gun," but the Indians had left. Fearing they might camp again near enough to enable them to' continue their depredations, our cavalry followed their trail, and found them just striking their tents on Rowan's creek, in what is now the town of Dekorra, near the old tavern stand of James Wilson. As the settlers approached the camping ground, they were discovered by two hunters who were apparently going out to bring in some game, TOWNS ADJACENT — LOI)I. C41 either tame or wild, and the hunters seeing the fearful array, and doubtless fearing " more to follow, 11 wheeled on their ponies, and rapidly returned. The pursuers halted, and Bartholomew went forward to the camping ground (their tents were not yet raised), and inquired of the chief if this were " Mil waukee Woods. 11 The chief answered "No; 11 whereupon he was informed that he could have just five minutes in which to take his depart- ure. At the expiration of the time named, the red skins were on the move. The pursuers followed at a respect- ful and effective distance as far as what is now the vil- lage of Po3 T nette, and then returned to their homes. The Indians never reappeared nor made further trouble. The first dwelling erected in town was a shanty by M. C. Bartholomew, in building which, he was assisted by two Brothertown Indians. This stood on section 22, near the spot where the barn of W. M. Bartholomew now stands. The second house was that of Rev. H. Maynard, on section 21, near the present residence of Jonas Narra- cong, and the third house was that of Gr. M. Bartholo- mew, on section 22, near the house now owned by Mil- ler Warren. Mills. The first mill erected in town was the saw mill by I. II. Palmer, as before stated; the next was a grist mill just below the junction of the two branches of Spring creek, on section 27, by Samuel Ring, in 1848, since owned by Freedom Simons, Adam Schoneberger, James H. Hill, and now owned and lately improved by Peter Kehl. Next, in 1849, came the grist mill of I. H. Palmer on the west branch of Spring creek, for a long time owned and run by him, and now owned and run by E. Andrews. Next came, in 1853, the grist mill on section 16, built and for a long time owned and run by Jonas Narracong, 41 6i2 TOWNS ADJA.GENT— LODI. since owned by Clark & Parr, afterwards owned again by Narraeong, and ]iow owned and run by Voss Brothers. In the same year, 1853, Dunlap & Blatchley erected a building on section 17, intended for a pail factory, which in 1858 was converted into a flouring mill, and for sev- eral years was run as such by various parties. It was burned in 1874, and has not been rebuilt. In or about the year 1855, Samuel Ring built a saw mill on section 8, at a point since known as Okee; this he afterwards sold to T. S. Wells, who added a feed mill, owned and run the mills for some time, and sold out to John Brownrig, who, in 1875, erected a large grist mill, and carding mill at the same place, which he still owns and runs. E. Andrews is now preparing to build a new flouring mill on section 27. All these mills are on Spring creek, which furnishes the only water power in town. The early settlers of this town were a sagacious and remarkably enterprising class of men. They saw that this water power, and the shape of the country surround- ing it, pointed to the valley of Spring creek as a business center, and that about the junction of these two branches of the creek, must be collected large man- ufacturing and business interests. They, accordingly, took off their coats and went resolutely and hopefully at the work of building up a town. I. H. Palmer, who has long been known in all the country round as Judge Palmer, he having been, in early times, county judge for a very large district about here, felt impressed with the idea that this place was related to the whole world, and in order to grow, the people must know what was going on abroad, and they must have " the papers." Therefore he applied to the government for a post office. The government, not knowing the promise of the location as well as the set- TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. 643 tiers, and regarding it as a small affair in an out of the way place, denied the application. Judge Palmer, noth- ing daunted, then proposed to the government, that if a post office could be located here, government should be at no expense for a year, either for the office or for carry- ing the mail. The nearest post office was Clark's Cor- ners, in the town of Springfield, Dane county, a distance of nine miles, and the the mail must be brought from that point. The government accepted the proposition, and the Judge was appointed the first post master of Lodi, in July, 1848. Until April, 1849, he carried and brought, or caused to be carried and brought, and distributed the mail to' and from Clark's Corners. The receipts of the office for the first quarter were $2.28. Unlike most offices, though it had a name, it had no local habitation, or rather, it had a portable habitation, being carried about in the judge's hat. As in the late war the military service became effi- cient when headquarters were in Gen. Grant's saddle, so in this young town the mail service was efficient when its headquarters were in Judge Palmer's hat, for it ap- peared that when the year had expired, the Government found that Lodi was something, or was going to be, and, in 1849, established a mail route here, with James 0. Eaton as P. M. He held the office till 1853, when H. M. Ayer was appointed. James 0. Eaton succeeded him in 1861. In 1867, Robert Travis succeeded Eaton, and held the office till January, 1875, when H. R. Eaton, the present incumbent, was appointed. It is said that when Judge Palmer kept the postoffice in his hat, sometimes a sudden gust of wind would come, blow his hat off and scatter the mail. So it appears this town had its news literally " borne on the wings of the wind." Satisfied that Lodi gave promise of rapid increase of 644 TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. population and of becoming a good business point, in the summer of 1848, Judge Palmer platted a part of sec- tion 27 as a village, to which he afterwards made two additions. James McCloud has also made three addi- tions, and John Foote, one. The village was called Lodi, and incorporated in 1872, embracing section 27, and naught else. Its first officers were: Horatio N. Cowen, president; E. Andrews, Alex. Woods. James McCloud, H. C. Brad- ley, William Dunlap and Leonard F. Wanner, trustees; Carlos Bacon, clerk; John Foote, supervisor; J. M Pruyn, treasurer; H. M. Ayer, police justice. VILLAGE OFFICEES. 1873. E. W. Gardner, president; E. Andrews, ¥m. Dunlap, I. V. N. Walker, Win. Goldspohn, Thos. Albiston, Fred. Hanson, trustees; H. M. Ayer, clerk; J. M. Pruyn, treasurer; H. M. Ayer, assessor; John Foote, supt. of schools; A. Woods, police justice. 1874. E. W. Gardner, president; E. Andrews, Win. Dunlap, I. V. N. Walker, Win. Goldspohn, Thos. Albiston, Fred. Hanson, trustees; H. M. Ayer, clerk; H. L. Bancroft, treasurer ;John Foote, supt. of schools; G. T. Simons, constable; G. M. Bartholomew, jus- tice of the peace ; James Seville, police justice. 1875. E. W. Gardner, president; E. Andrews, Wm. Dunlap, I. V. N. Walker, Wm. Goldspohn, Thos. Albiston, Fred. Hanson, trustees; H. M. Ayer, clerk; John Yule, treasurer; John Foote, supt. of schools; G. T. Simons, constable; G. M. Bartholomew, justice of the peace ; II. M. Ayer, police justice. 1876. E. W. Gardner, president; E. Andrews, J. 0. Eaton, G. E. McKeebe, Wm. Goldspohn, Thos. Albiston, Peter Kehl, trustees; J. M. Bartholomew, clerk; John Yule, treasurer; Addison Eaton. supt. of schools; Alfred Clements, constable; S. S. Dunning-, justice of the peace; II. M. Ayer, police justice. 1877. Thos. Albiston, president; E. Knuteson, E. Andrews, Peter Kehl, W. M. Bartholomew, Henry B. Bancroft, J. 0. Eaton, trustees; J. M. Bartholomew, clerk; Orrin Rice, treasurer; G. M. Bartholomew, police justice; E. W. Gardner, justice .of the peace; Addison Eaton, supervisor; J. U. Ray, constable. The first store was built in 1848, by I. II. Palmer, and occupied by James 0. Eaton, in December, of that year, which business was continued by said Eaton until 1S59. The second store was opened by Thomas & Pinney, TOWNS ADJACENT LODT. 645 December, 1848, who afterwards sold out to Samuel Ring. The third store was opened by L. D. Barnes, in the tall of 1850, who during the same year took in as a partner, James McCloud, who in various forms has con- tinued in the business ever since. At present there are in business in the village of Lodi : General merchan- dise: Pruyn & Son, McCloud & Son, J. Seville, Eaton & Cowen and E. Knutesen. Drugs and medicines: Bar- tholomew and Wanner, and J. McCloud & Son. Hard- ware: E.B. Waite & Co., J. F. Collins & Bro. Harness: Chase & Harris and John Collins. Shoes: Chase & Co. Meat markets: J. M. Pruyn and C.Dearborn. Jeweler: Henry Haggard. Millinery: Mrs. Of. T. Simons, Mrs. Richards. Tailor: T. Watson. Livery: G. T. Simons, P.Watson. Furniture: C. Odell, M. Wickern. Black- smiths: Chrisler & Co., S. Holdridge. A. Ferguson, Hans Kleber. Wagons : Quiggle & Terrill, John Buchanan, Henry Schlosser. Shoemakers: M. Cain, Ole Logan. Hotels: Briggs House, by P. Watson; Northwestern, by J. T. Hidden. Restaurants: S. H. Hinds, Thos. Sparks. Groceries and provisions: Otto H. Hinrichs. Baker: L. Buerger. Lumber: Vanderpool & Goldspohn, J. Mc- Cloud. Dairy supplies: Vaughan & Brookman. Flour- ing mills; E. Andrews, P. Kehl. Cheese factory: Lodi Valley Cheese Co. Lawyers: R. Lindsay, S. H. Watson. Printer: Peter Richards, publisher of Lodi Valley News. Physicians: E. Howard Irvin, G. E. McKeebe, S. M. Blake. Dentist: E. B. Meeteer. Card printer and bar- ber: 0. F. Modler. On section 8, and near the west line of the same, on Spring creek, in 1855, Messrs. Matthews and Blatchley platted a small village. It was surveyed by G. M. Bar- tholomew, and named by him Okee, that being the In- dian name given to the creek near that point, which is now called Rowan's creek, from the name of Wallace 646 TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. Rowan, the first settler upon it. At Okee are Brown- rig's Mills, already described. Over twenty years since, Lodi felt deeply the want of a market. Situated about midway between Portage and Madison, surrounded on three sides by a most excellent farming country, the land descending to the village in all directions except where Spring creek passes out, the weighty products gravitated to this point. But no one could buy them, because twenty miles lay between the village and a railroad. Hence, the proprietors of the town, the business men, and the population as well, looked in all directions for an iron road. After many schemes, which for a time gave hope, had failed, at last the Chicago and Northwestern Company were induced, by the very liberal offer of §40,000 from Lodi, with con- siderable sums from other towns on the line, to build their road between Chicago and St. Paul through this town and village. The road was opened in the month of August, 1871. Thereupon, Lodi became at once a market town, and it is said that more grain and stock of all kinds are shipped from here than from any other station on the road. Lodi is no longer out of the world. Churches. — Methodist. The four settlers who came in 1815 were all Methodists; one of them a minister. In that year Rev. L. Harvey established a church, con- sisting of Rev. H. Majmard, his wife and daughter. M. C. Bartholomew, wife and daughter, and G. M. Barthol- omew and wife — eight. Class leader, Gr. M. Bartholo- mew w. The ministers who have served this church their time and order of service, are as follows: AYm. Smith, one year: J. Tasker, preached one year; Adams, six months; Rev. H. Maynard finished the year; S. P. Walden. one year; Jas. Holmes, six months; removed by Presid- ing Elder, and Matthias Woodley, finished the }-ear; E. Bonce two years; Nelson Butler Cochran, two years; TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. 617 S. Dodge, two years; J. B. Bacliman, two years; R. Delap, one year; K Butler, one year; J. S. Hurd, two years; J. D. Searles, two years; B. C. Hammond, one year; J. B. Bacliman, one year; J. T. Prior, two year-,; E. Tasker, two years; T. M. Fullerton, one year; W. H. Kellogg, two years; J. C. Aspinwall, two years. The church edifice was erected in 1853, at a cost of §1,500. Present number of members, one hundred and seventy. The Baptist Church was organized May 26, 1852, by the following elders: Moses Rowley, of Sun Prairie; Joseph Bowman, of Perry; Peter Conrad, of Baraboo; and Charles Perry, of Springfield. Pastors, in their order, have been, Joseph Bowman, 0. 0. Stearns, H. C. Fuller, and X. E. Chapin, who is at present pastor. This church worshipped in a school house till 1867. In 1866, they built their present house of worship, at a cost of over §1,000 and dedicated it March 13, 186T. Its deacons, in their order, have been Peter YanNess, Alpheus King, William Grow and Freedom Simons. When formed, this church numbered seventeen mem- bers. It now numbers nearly one hundred. The First Presbyterian Church was organized by Rev. John N. Lewis, June 20, 1852. The corporate members were James 0. Eaton, Mary M. Eaton, Augustus P. Smith, Ann Eliza Smith, Robert Mann, Harriet N. Mann, Esther S. Lewis, Eliza Steele, Sophia Partridge and Sarah Strangeway — ten. Its ministers have been Rev. John N. Lewis, stated supply 1852-1857; Rev. B. G. Riley, stated supply -1857-1863; Rev. D. A. Bassett, 1863-1866; Rev. Warren Mayo, pastor 1866-1872; Rev. J. W. Knott., pastor 1872, and present pastor. Church edifice built in 1857-1871, at a cost of §5,000. Present number of members, two hundred and forty-nine. A Universalist Church was enclosed in 1871, but CIS TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. has not been completed. There is also a small Cat/to//',' Church on section 1. Schools. — The first school was taught in a house erected in 1846, on section 27. The building was a small log house; the school opened in the fall of that year, and was taught by Miss Mary Yockey. The next school house was a frame building erected in 1851, also on sec- tion 27. After this time the ordinary common school of the state was organized in different districts through- out the town and served the people till the year 1857. In this year five districts, in and about the village,. were consolidated, and a graded school established therefrom. A large and commodious brick building was erected therefor on one of the most commanding sites in the village, at a cost of $10,000; James McCloud, contractor. The first principal of said school, was A. Gr. Riley; sec- ond, L. B. Everdell; third, J. C. Yocum; fourth, A. A. Miller; sixth, the present principal, W. E. Todd. This school has been, and still is, in a prosperous con- dition. It is maintained at an annual expense of about $3,000. The population of the town, at the last census, was 1.418. Nearly all the people residing out of the village, and some within it, are engaged in farming. They are mostly American born. The adopted citizens are of almost all nationalities. The buildings of the village are mostly of wood; a few are built of stone and some of brick. By far the most substantial and noticeable business structure is Eaton's block, which is built of stone, and towers above all. It is a fit testimonial of the enterprise of its projector and of his interest and confidence in the town to which he has given the best energies of his life. With a first class water power, with a railroad and TOWNS ADJACENT LODI. G49 market, with a population intelligent, enterprising and moral — as shown by its buildings, its schools and its churches — and surrounded by such a country, what shall hinder Lodi from making progress in the future equal to that made in the past? The writer of this chapter is under great obligations for the information contained in it to Hon. G. M. Bar- tholomew, Hon. I. H. Palmer, J. 0. Eaton, R. Lindsay, Esq., James McCloud, W. M. Bartholomew, Freedom Simons and Rev. J. W. Knott. Secret Societies. — Lodi Valley Lodge, iYo. 99, Free and Accepted Masons: Jonas Narracong, W. M.; J. E. Parke, S. W.; W. L. Wells, J. W.; J. S. Gardner, S.D.; W. D. Pratt, J. D.; A. Eaton, Treasurer; J. M. Pniyn, Secretary; J. E. Mandeville, Tyler. Perseverance Lodge, No. 272, /. 0. G. T: M. M. Mit- chell, W.C.T.; Flora L. Dean,W.V.T.; Wm. Slightam, P. W. C.T.; Rev. J. W. Knott, W. C; Mary L. Tabor, R.S.; Ida Merry man, A.R.S; W. E. Collins, F. S.; Ida Kimball, W.T.; Wilber Blake, W.M.; Ella Bartholo- mew, D.M.; Harry Irwin, W.G.; Albert Patterson, W.S,; Susie Ayer, R. H. S.; Emma Rathbun, L.H. S.; W. M. Dunlap, L.D. Temple of Honor : J. M. Pruyn,W.C.T.; John Foote, W.V.T.; G. W. Fenno,W.R.; Chas. Goodall, F.R.; W. M. Bartholomew, W. T.; G. M. Bartholomew, W. U.; William Dunlap D.U.; Peter Richards, W.G.; E. Knute- sen, W.S.; L. F. Wanner, D.S; L. E. Harris, P.W.C.T. 650 TOWNS ADJACENT — EDGEKTON. EDGERTOK BY E. A. BUHBTCK, Esq. The village of Edgerton is located on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, 71 miles west from Mil- waukee, li miles from Rock river, 26 -miles east of Mad- ison, and one mile south of the south line of Daue county, in Town 1, Range 12, on the corners of sections 3 and 4 and 9 and 10. The town site was laid out in the summer of 1853, by Adin Burdick and L.H.Page. The same season H. S. Swift and Dr. C. R. Head also became interested in the town site. The depot was built the same season near the spot where the railroad crossed the Indian trail leading from old Fort Winnebago via Kosh- konoug lake to Chicago, traces of which can now be seen near here. The first store was opened by P. F. Davis, who was soon followed by others, among whom were Stiles Hakes, H. H. Coleman, Charles Clark, S. S. Williams, H. S. Swift, C. C. Root and others. A post- office was established in the fall, with 0. D. Peck as P. M. The first freight shipped here by railroad was on No- vember 25th, 1853. From this date, both freight and passenger traffic by railroad has been good and con- stantly increasing. For the past ten or twelve .years large amounts of leaf tobacco have been shipped from this station, this being the head of the tobacco growing region of Wisconsin; in fact more of this commodity has been bought and shipped from here than from all other points in the state combined. The average amount for several years past lias been something over ten thousand cases per year, requiring from two to five hundred thou- sand dollars each year to handle the crop thus market- ed. This, together with the usual products of an ex- TOWNS ADJACENT EDGERTON. 651 tensive and rich farming country, finds a good market here, and gives this place a high position among the inland business towns of Wisconsin. We have six large tobacco warehouses, which are receiving and hand- ling the article daily, frequently employing quite an army of laborers at remunerative wages. For grain we have two elevators, besides several small warehouses, and quite an extensive business in the live stock trade. The amount bought and shipped from here will compare favorably with many larger towns. Our beople believe in liberal education, and we have a splendid graded school, managed by an able and com- petent board, who have spared no pains to obtain thor- ough and experienced teachers, who are doing a great and good work for the coming generation. The best interests of the people hereabouts, and the tobacco interest in particular, are carefully watched and championed by the " Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter," a newspaper started here some three years ago by W. F. Tousley, which is well patronized by the public in this vicinity, as its long list of subscribers fully attests. Its present circulation is nearly six hundred. Great pains is taken by the proprietor to give all market reports relating to tobacco throughout the United States, and Wisconsin in particular. Business Directory. — Hotels: American House, W. Clatworthy; United States, H. H. Dickinson. Pysicians and Surgeons: B. Burdick, H. H. Judd, S.L. Lord. 'At- torney: J. P. Towne. Carpenters: J. Grazlay, T. War- ren. Tobacco dealers: W. P. Bentley, W.W. and H.W. Child, N. Taylor, Rowe & Taylor, T. Hutson, E. H. Wheeler, Andrew Jensen. Hard/rare: J. D. Hain, G.W Howard. Blacksmiths: J. Walter, Hal ver 0. Lintvedt, Burdick & Co., D. B. Springer, D. Green. Drags and, merchandise: Dr. Stillman, J. Copley, J. C. Croft & Co. (353 TOWNS ADJACENT EDGERTON. Crockery and merchandise: Mary Riley. Lumber: J. I. Lnsk, R. R. Brown. Insurance: Geo. B. Leonard, E. C. Hopkins. Merchant Tailor: J. Mcintosh. Furniture: W. H. Clark. Livery: C. L. Brown, S. C. Humphrey, N. Taylor, H. H. Dickinson. Wagons caul Carriages: T. L. Stillman, Nelson Loe. Burdick & Co., Halver 0. Lintvedt. Dressmaking: Mrs. J. A. Johnson. Mil- linery: Wilson & Taylor. Dry Goods, Clothing ami merchandise: E. W. Babcock, Mabbett & Perry, Jas. Croft. Boot and Shoemakers: Jacob Johnson, P. 0. Burdick. Barber: J. Johnson. Harness: J. A. Heri- tage. Butchers: Cordner & Attlesej^. Watchmaker: John Spencer. Baker g : J.N. Moulthrop. Stock deah r: P. B. Huntington. Feed and Flour: J. McChesney. Fulton Flour Mills: White Bros. Churches. — Methodist Episcopal, Rev. W. D. Ames, pastor. Episcopal Church, Rev. H. Green, pastor. Prim- itive Methodist, Rev. C Hendra, pastor. German Lu- theran, Rev. John Koerner, pastor. St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rev. Father C. T. Deviue. Secret Societies. — A. F. and A. M.; regular com- munications of Fulton Lodge, No. 69, Free and Accepted Masons, meet in Masonic Hall; C. H. Dickinson, W.M., G. W. Price, Sec'y. 1. 0. 0. F.— Edgerton Lodge, No. 133, meet in their hall over Methodist church; Byron Long, N.G., G.W. Price, R.S. I.O.G.T.— Edgerton Un- ion Lodge, No. 145, meet in Croft's Hall; W. D. Ames, W.C.T., II. H. Judd, W.R.S. P. of H.— Fulton Grange, No. 195, meet at Croft's Hall; R. T. Powell, Master, W. P. Bentley, Sec'y. T. of H. and T.— Guiding Star Tem- ple, No. 109, meets at Croft's Hall; H. H. Judd,W.C.T., H. R. Gwalter, W.R. E. A. Burdick, merchant and postmaster. W. F. Tousley, editor and proprietor Edgerton To- bacco Reporter COUNTY OFFICERS. DANE COUNTY OFFICERS. 1839 to 1877. In pursuance of an act entitled "An act to organize the counties of Dane and Fond du Lac," approved Mar. 11, 18:39, an election was held at the Amer- ican Hotel, Madison, on the first Monday of May, 1839, and the following offi- cers elected for Dane county: Hoard of Commissioners. 1839-40. Eben Peck, chairman, Simeon Mills, Jeremiah Lycan, commis- sioners; La Fayette Kellogg, clerk (resigned, R. L Ream appointed); John Stoner, treasurer; Robert L. Ream, register of deeds; George P. Dela- phiine, county surveyor (resigned, ffm.N. Seymour, appointed): Win. A. wheeler, assessor; N.T. Parkinson, sheriff; John Catlin, district attorney ; David Hyer coroner; Isaac Atwdod, public administrator; John T. Wil- son, auctioneer; Adam Smith, constable. August 7, 1839-40. Adam Smith, collector; Mahlan Blaker (resigned, La Fayette Kellogg appointed), Wm. N. Seymour, George Vroman, assess- ors; Ed Campbell, school inspector; Wm. N. Seymour, district surveyor; Abel Rasdall, constable. October 5, 1840-41. Simeon Mills, chairman, Ehen Peck, Prescott Brig- ham, commissioners; R. L. Ream, clerk; I. 11. Palmer, treasurer; II. F. Grossman, collector (to fill vacancy by resignation of A. Smith); E. M. Williamson, II. W. Porter, David ilyer, assessors; A. Rasdall, constable. January 3, 184'i. Prescott Brigham, chairman, Horace W. Potter, P. W. Malts, commissioners; E. M.Williamson, clerk; Erastus Quivey, treas- urer; Ira W. Bird, register of deeds; Calvin Frink, collector; Wm. A. Webb (resigned, George P. Detaplaine appointed), Volney Moore, Nathan Kellogg, asSes-ors; T. M. Wilcox, county surveyor (resigned. E. M. Wil- liamson appointed); A. A. Bird, sheriff; H. C. Parker, constable (app'd). 1843. Wm. D. Daggett, chairman, Wm, A. Wheeler, Solomon Shafer, com- missioners; E.M. Williamson, clerk; Erastus Quivey, treasurer (resigned, Darwin Clark appointed); Ira W. Bird, register of deeds; A. A. Bird, sher- iff; Calvin Frink, collector; Alex. L. Collins, district attorney. 1844. W. A.Wheeler, chairman, A.W. Dickinson,W. II. HubTmrd (resigned, B. F. Collins appointed): S. ratlin, clerk; P. W. Matts. treasurer; Jas. Sul- livan, assessor; E. M. Williamson, surveyor; Geo. P. Dclaplaiue, collect- or; I. W. Bird, register of deeds; A. A. Bird, sheriff; A. L. Collins, dis- trict attorney; Andriis Vial] and J. E. Abbott, constables. 184.%. E. Brigham. chairman. L. S. Augur, Wm. A. Webb, commissioners; E. M. Williamson, clerk; P. W. Matts. treasurer; E. Burdick, county sur- veyor; G.T. Long, register of deeds; l.W. Bird, sheriff; T. Daily, W. Ras- dall, J. W. Thomas, assYs; C. Abbott, dist. att'y; A. B. Catlin, collector. January 5. 1840. Wm. A. Wheeler, chairman, J. R. Larkin, L. Stone, commissioners; E. Burdick, clerk (appointed in place of E, M. William- son, resigned); M. S. Van Bergen, treasurer; J. a. Knapp. register of deeds; E. M. Williamson, county surveyor; G B. Smith, district attorney; G. Vroman, J. Meyers, assessors; R.G. Carpenter, In. II. Smith, constables. The Board of Commissioners having been changed by law to the Board of Supervisors, represented by the chairman from each town in the county, the first session of said board was held on Monday, the 14th day of September, 1846, when the following gentleman appeared as members: Hoard of Supervisors. 1840-47. Wm. C. Wells, chairman, Ed. Campbell, Jas. R. Larkin, S. Head, A. Barlow, J. Lawrence, R. Boyce (Wm. Quivey acted as substitute for Mr. Boyce, during his sickness, until January 4, 1847). 1847-48. W. C. Wells, chairman, H. L. Bush, W. II. H. Coon (deputy for Wm. Mayhew till January 3, 1848), R. Warden, L. Faruum, D. M. Holt, R, P>~K DANE COUNTY OFFICERS. Boyce, D. Tipple, W. A. Pierco, R. Atwood, C. M. Nichols, J. Yroman. J. Sander.-, W. M. Mayhew, W. Boyce. 1848— 1!). Geo. Anderson, chairman, C. Maxon, W. W. Patrick, E. Brig- ham, A. Keyes, P.. Hancy, A. Harris, G. C. Cowen, 1). C. Miller, R. P. Pawson (resigned, O. B. Moore elected), J. Vronian, W. C. Wells, 0. Linn, T. F.Whittlesey, J. Webb, A. Salsbury, l>. Wheeler, J. Lawrence, S. R. Ayer*, J. M. Babcock, (deceased, P. Rider appointed); 31. Nosh, S. Taylor, C. Si. Nichols, lj. B. Freeman, lS4tf-50. Berry llaney, chairman, J. J. Clark, Wm. H. Clark, E. Brigham, Chas. Drakeley, Geo. Babcock, O. B. Moore, S.R.Ayres, L. S. Argur, J. M. iUatts, A. Salsbury, J. Lawrence. B. Fairchild, U. Cody, Win. Barrus, A. A. Boyce, N. P. Spaulding, M. Mai lory, W. Brown, D. Thomas, G. E. Cowen (resigned, J. Blake appointed), R. Brown, A. E. Adsitt, J. Nelson, William C. Pood, O. Cook, I). Wheeler, . Clark, C. Fairchild, L. A. Lincoln, J. B. Colton, P. W. Matts, M. Colby, O. B. Daley, H. M. La Follette. T. B. Ames, C. E. Loveland, F. Ritchie, R. Blackburn, R. Ford, C. Flowers, G. Beatty, J. Beath, H. Cramer, W. Keel'e, A. H. Pin- ney, A. Sawyer. 1860-61. T. Reynolds, chairman, L. O. Humphrey, J. W. Ford, H. M. Warner, S. F. Lighthizier, E. Dale, Mr. Adams, Mr. Lewis, W. D. Potter, C. Drakeley, J. Haney, W. Dunlap, L. Torgerson, B. Barnard, A. L. Beebe, J. Keenan," Mr. Zehnpfenning, J. Byer, J. Byrne, Mr. Stickney (O. Park ubstitute during sickness of Mr. Sticknev), A. M. Hanchett, E. Bailey, J. M. Matts, E. W. Dwight, Mr. Sanderson, G. Tollefsou, F. B. Ames, S. W. Graves, F. Ritchie, H. Stevens, S. T. F. Ward, C. Flower, G. Beatty, W. Carlton. H. Cramer, J Tiernes, I. N. DeForest, L. G. Shephard, J. M. Gile, F. C. Festner. 1861-62. J. P. McPherson, chairman, L. O. Humphrey, J. Bunnagel, O. B. Hazeltine. J. L. Davison, T. Haney, R. W. Davison, A. D. Goodrich, D. B. Crandall, W. R. Taylor, T. Murphy, A. J. Luce, L. Torgerson, H. H. Giles (resigned: W. M. Key appointed), \V. M. Colladav, J. Keenan, H. A. Tenney, F. O'Bryan, J. W Sumner, D. Clark, T. Kinney, G. T. Whitney, E. Bailev, P. W. Malts, J. D. Tipple, J. Jones, G. Bjornson, W. Chandler, Z. Gilbert, 11. A. Colburn, P.Ritchie, R.Ford, C. Flower, G Beatty, W. Charletou (resigned, J. Heath appointed), H. Cramer. H. J. Benson, I. N. DeForest (.resigned, J M. Miller appointed), W. H. Slater, Mr. McBride. The Board having met under the law providing for the government of the county by district representation, the following gentlemen appeared on the 13th day of January, 1862, and took their seats: District Hejtrcscn tn ti res. 1862-63. 1st district, W. M. Colladav: 2d, J. Douglas; 3d, Otto Kerl; 4th, E.Dale; 5th, P. H. Turner. Mr. Colladav, chairman. 1864-65. 1st district, F. B. Ames ; 2d. J. E. Hidden ; 3d, Otto Kerl ; 4th, M. Colbv: 5th. H. J. Hill. Mr. Colby, chairman. 1866-67. 1st district, F. B. Ames; 2d. O. W. Thornton: 3d, Mansfield Ar- ries; 4th, M. Colby; SthNeely Gray, (deceased, Timothy Brown appointed', Mr. Ames, chairman. 1867. 1st district, F. B. Ames; 2d, O. W. Thornton; 3d, D. Schafcr; 4tb, M. Colbv; 5th, Timothy Brown. Mr. Ames, chairman. 1868. ls"t district, F. B' Ames; 2d, O. W. Thornton; 3d, D. Schafer; 4th, D. L. Dalev: 5th, Timothv Brown. Mr. Ames, chairman. 1869 1st district. W. M. Colladav: 2d, O. W.Thornton; 3d,M. Arries; 4th, D. L. Daley (resigned, W. C. B. Weltzin substituted); 5th, H. J. Hill. Mr. Thornton, "chairanam. 1870, ending March 24th. 1st district, W. M. Colladav; 2d, H. D. Good now; 3d, O. B. Hazeltine; 4th L. M. Anderson ; 5th, H. J. Hill. Mr. Hill, chairman. 42 658 DANE COUNTY OFFICERS. 1870-71. Commencing May 23d, when Board met under the township system of representatives, and the following chairmen of towns and repre- sentatives from the wards of Madison, took their seats: County Supervisors by Xowhs and City Wards. J. P. McPherson, chairman, L. O. Humphrey, J.C. Fischer, J. Adams, R. D. Frost, J. Mitchell, R. 1>. Freeman, 8. Ll. Hall, J. E. Johnson, T. Black, T. Murphy, II. 11. Brereton, K. O. Heimdall, W. H. Watson, W.T. McConnell, W. D. Bird, H. J. Hill, T. C Bourke,W. T. Leitch, J.M. Bowman, C.G. Ma- yers, S. Moulton,\V.lI. Porter, E. Bailey, J. Lyle, J.S. Jackson, L.M. Ander- son, S. Halland (resg'd, Mr. Glenhus appt'd), W. Seamonson, J. Br'osmer, C. E. Loveland, W. Beardsley, F. Allen, C. Pond, W. H. Chandler, J. Ollis, J. H. Steaman, G. Beatty, VV. Woodward, E.A. Spencer, J. Phillips. 1871-72. W. H. Chandler, chairman; O. S. Head, H. Keller, J. McKenzie, A. Morton, O. Hanson, 1. W. Ilaner, S. U. Hall, VV. B. West, W. R. Tay- lor, T. Murphy, H. H. Brereton, A. E. Adsit, R. S. Allen, O. B. Moore, J. Travis, E. E. Bryant, T. C. Bourke, C. H. Billings, A. llerfiirth, J. Miller, S. Moulton, VV. II. Porter, W. Ankitell, J. W. JN'orton, P. Baldwin, L. M. Anderson, W. C. B. Weltzin, VV. Seamonsou, J. Brosmer, S. Divali, J. P. McPherson, N. Martin, J. Norris, C. Pond, J. Ollis, J. Stewart, S. Cald- well, J. H. Tierney, E. A. Spencer, G. Weeks. 1872-73. E. A. Spencer, chairman; W. Short, F. Schuman, J. McKenzie, S. F. Lighthizier, O. Hanson, A. Chipman, T. ,S. Phillips, J E. Johnson, W. R. Taylor, R. Burns, O. Chipman, P. B. Grinde, G. B. Moore, R. S. Al- len, Abel Dunning, P. Barry, M. B.French, C. H. Billings, 11. Christof- fers, L. D. Stone, S. Moulton (resigned, Mr. Clifford appointed), W. H. Porter, VV. Gammon, J. Seeley, P. Baldwin, L. M. Anderson, VV. C. B. Weltzin, W. Seamonson, M. Tlieisen, M.Johnson, N. Martin, J. Norris. C. Pond, J. Gibbons, J. Ollis, J. Stewart, S. Caldwell, J. H. Tierney, J. John- son, S. Divali. 1873-74. W. R. Taylor, chairman (resigned, P. Baldwin elected); G. B. Huntington, F. Schuman, J. McKenzie, D. Bechtel, O. Hanson, J. M. Han- er, A. Smith, S. H. Butler, P. Zander, R. Steele, P. B. Grinde, J. Allen, W. T. McConnell, P. Barry, G. C. Russell, B. M. Minch, J. Rodermuud, J. G. Ott, L. D. Stone, G. F. Clifford, J. Hart, W. Gammons, J. Seeley, P. Bald- win, L. M. Anderson, C. Dixon (resigned, Mr. Seamonson appointed), G. T. Mandt, M. Theisen, S. Tusler, M.Johnson (resigned, Mr. Maloue ap- pointed,) N. Martin, R. S. Allen, F. L. Warner, W. H. Augell, J. Ollis, H. H. Cornwell, S. J. Caldwell, J. H. Tierney, W. Blanchard, J. Phillips. 1871-73. G. C. Russell, chairman; J. H. Palmiter, W. Stunipf, W. Man- waring, D. Betchel, O. Hanson, A. Chipman. A. Smith, J. E. Johnson, I. Adams, P. Zander, T. Leitch. P. B. Grinde, W. II. Watson, W. Lalor, J. Travis, Thos. C. Bourke, George A. Mason, John Geo. Ott, L. D. Stone, L. Clark, VV. H. Porter, W. Gammons (resigned, E. Bailey appointed). J. Lyle, P.Baldwin, L.M. Anderson, E. Pederson, W Seamonson, P. M. Fabing (resigned, M. Theison appointed) S. Tusler, M. Johnson, D. Ford F. Allen, W. H. skitter, W. H. Angell, K.J. Poyner, J. Stewart, O. M. Hei- land tresig'd, Mr. Blake appointed), J.H. Tierney, D. Crowley, J. Phillip. 1873-76. G. C. Russell, chairman: J. H. Palmiter, W. Stumpf, W. Man- warring, D. Bechtel, O. Hanson, J. E. Hidden, F. Ritchie, S. E. Billsted, C. Drakelev, H. J. Boiling, T. Leitch, P. B. Grinde, J. E. Wright, J. Samp- son, J. McWilliams, William Tallender, John N. Jones, Stephen D. Car- penter, A. Sexton, L. Clark, W. II. Porter (W. Knapton, substitute) F. Elvei, J. Lyle, P. Baldwin, L. M. Anderson, W. C. B. Weltzin, A. B. De- voe, P. M Fabing, C. E. Loveland, M. Johnson, D. Ford, J. Norris, T. C. Hayden. C. G. Cross, R. J. Poyner, J. Stewart, A. B. Elbe, J. H. Tierney D. Crowley (resigned, O. S. Holum appointed', J. Phillips. 1876-77. G. C. Russell, chairman; J. H. Palmiter, J. C. Fischer, D. D. Logan, D. Bechtel, O. Hanson, J. E. Hidden, F. Ritchie, P. N. Johnson, C. Drakeley, H. J. Boiling, M. L. Boyce, K. O. Himdall, J. E. Wright, J. M. Sampson, D. L. Van Hoesen, J. Hess, Robert Wootton, Stephen D. Carpenter, J. Nader, J. I). Bradford, L. Clark, W. H. Porter, F. Elver. J. Lvlc, P. Baldwin, L. M. Anderson, W. Q. B. Weltzin (resigned, O. O. Bar- ton app'd), W. B. Atkinson, P. M. Fabing, C.E. Loveland, M. Johnson, D. Ford, J.C. Chandler (re'gned, J. Norris app'd), F.L.Warner, C.G. Cross, R.J. Poyner, H. Hathaway, S\ J. Caldwell, J.H. Tierney, H.S. Grinde, J. Phillips. DANE COUNTY OFFICERS. 659 County Clerks from the date of their election to each successor 1847— Elisha Burdick 1848— Royal Buck 1849— Syslvester Giles 1853 — Gabr. Bjornson 1857— E. J. Reuter 1859— J. P. M'Pherson I860— J. A. Johnson 1800—11. Borchsenius 1873— W. C.B.Weltzin 1875— Phillip Barry, present incumbent County Treasurers front date of eh ction up to their successors. fSiiTf.'. K ' \f , kin ' im~^ m ' D - Bird I »«eO-Wm. Vioman «t~« h ' i - s ,r t l- I **£5-Wni. A. Wheeler 1865— L. VV. Hoyt ti?-" '»• ? ■$ yman {*57-E. II. Gleason I 18ti7-\Ym. < lmHeton 18oO-Wayh L. \ arney | 2SS9— Frank Gaul t | i*<7— Frank B. Ames* 1877— Mvrou T. Bailev. I 1805— H. A. Lewis. I 1873— L D. Frost. 1859— L".cius Fairchiid | 1807— H. A. Lewis. | 187 5-7— Bernard Esser. County Superintendents of Schools. 1 1 th Senate District 2d District. 1862— B. A. Barlow 1863— S. L. Hookerr 262A District. - ! 18P8-S. H. Carpenter 1862— E. Kelly (except 1869— Isaac Kierstad Madison) I 1870— S. C. Cooledge 1872—0. J. Taylor 1874-6— M. S. Frawlcy. Ut District 1868-J. Q. Fmerv 1870 - Theo. D. Kanouse Ut District. 1872-4— W. II. Chandler 1876-A. R Ames MEMBERS OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLIES. Council from 1838 to 1S48. 1838-42— E. Brigham I 1843-4— Lucius T. Barber 1 1845-6— John Catlin 18)7-8— A. L. Collins Representatives from. 1838 to 1S4S. 1838-40— D.S. Sutherland 1840-2— Lucius I. Barber Jas. Sutherland 1845— Chas. S. Bristol Noah Phelps Geo. H. Slaughter 1842^— 1. H. Palmer , 184(1— Mark R. Clapp L. Crossmnn Wm. M. Dennis Robert Masters | Noah Phelps 1847— Wm A. Wheeler Chas. Lum John W. Stewart 1847-8— E. T. Gardner Alex. Botkin John W. Stew art DANE COUNTY OFFICEKS. 661 Constitutional Conventions. The following were members, for Dane county, of the lirst constitutional convention, assembled at Madison, October 5th, 1846, and adjourned in De- cember, of the same year, after having framed a constitution. This consti- tution was rejected by the people at the election in April, 1847: John Y. Smith, Abel Dunning, Benjamin Fuller, Geo. B. Smith, Nathaniel F. Hyer, John Babcock. SECOND CONVENTION. On the loth of December, 1847, a second convention met, and framed a con- stitution that was adopted by the people in March, 1848. The following gen- tlemen were members for Dane: Chas. M. Nichols, Wm. A. Wheeler, Wm. H. Fox. Senate from 1848 to 1877. 9th District. 1848— Simeon Mills. 1849-50— Alex. Botkin. 1851-2— E. B. Dean, Jr. Uth District. 1853-4— T. T.Whittlesey. J855-8— Hiram H. Giles. 1859-60— Wm. R. Taylor. 1861-2— Sam'l C. Bean. 1863-6— W. H. Chandler. 1867-8— C. E. Warner. 1869-70— N. Williams. 1871— Wm. M. Colladay. 26 CO CD $3 tn w ►J < w Q Q < ►-J w J S HH O irj 1/2 CD CD 1/2 CD O Uj CO CO Uj co*" 5 si Ci Co C=>^ .CO ^ co Co ct -J "^ Uj .Uj^CO CO - .Cj ^co Co*^ "-*J Ct ^ "^ . Uj QC Co Uj coco* 14 - CO Cr Uj "^; -©- © PS 00 ei © eS i— i H o o I— t i— ( « w I B to < m s M •a a S3 O c CO 2 Co CQ o # 05 i— ( ^ £ o o I cq o a - o d O _ « o 'Is 1 5 o e3 o tu-> s to g 03 S: o s o a o to ■ ==: «3 O * O | ">0 s is. co S: o o « 03 e o a § ^ SLATER & BALL, FOUNDERS AND MACHIK MADISON, WISCONSIN, MANUFACTURE Well Drilling MACHINERY AND Agricultural Goods. The Slater Cultivator. COMBINED FURNACE AND KETTLE. MADISON MUSEUM. A RARE COLLECTION OF LIVING AND STUFFED SPECI- MENS OF ANIMATED NATURE. NEW ADDITIONS FREQUENTLY MADE. Entrance through the bird store, opposite north corner of the Park, on Mifflin and Pinckney streets. Customers Free. D. CLARK. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER IN FURNITURE 215 MAIN STREET, MADISON, WIS. THE OLDEST, MOST RELIABLE Having sold more Goods than any other establishment of the kind in the City, and now offers the LARGEST AND MOST COMPLETE ASSORTMENT Comprising everything possible for a family to want, in his line of goods, to be found in Madison. CHAMBER SUITS, PARLOR SUITS, Dining Room, Office and Library Furniture. WOVEN WIRE MATTRESSES, BED SPRINGS, KITCHEN FURNITURE, ETC., At Prices Lower than any other House in the City. UPHOLSTERING AND REPAIRING FURNITURE, Done iu Good and Substantial manner. LIVE GEESE FEATHERS ALWAYS ON HAND. ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY The Very Best J\£cide. Comparison as to Work Challenged. 1ST. IP. JTOlsriES, MILLS' BLOCK, MAIN ST., - MADISON. WIS. J. A. JOHNSON, HALLE STEENSLAND, President. Secretary IE! IE IKI L -A. FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF MADISON, WISCONSIN. CASH PAID UP CAPITAL, - 8160,000.00 ASSETS OCTOBER J, 1877, - - 220,000.00 This Company has a re-insurance fund of $50 000 00 deposited with the State Treasurer, for the protection of the insured. B^~The funds of this Company are not sent out of the State » but arc kept at home and loaned to the patrons of the Company on Real Estate Security, at legal rate of interest. THE PERFECTION OF MOWING MACHINES. SE? Meadow King IMOWER Improved for 1878. The Meadow King has no side Draft, no weight on the horses 7 necks, no cogs in the drive Wheels. IT IS A FRONT CUT, and therefore there is no danger of accident by falling in front of the finger-bar. In short, while the Meadow King does not belong to what are called cheap mow- ers, still, it is cheaper in the long run, even though it cost a trifle more than some other mowers at first, because it will do more work, last longer, run lighter, and cost less for repairs. Thus proving that "THE BEST IS THE CHE APEST." The Old Reliable 60,000 Now in Use. THE ,, LEADER m no. i. fowMitJiA AS A REAPER. A Wrought Iron Frame, both Tiltine and Lifting Levers. It has a" Wrought Iron Frame, and is Guaranteed to do Better \\ ork with less power than any other Reaper. The Leader cuts six feet wide, has a Steel Finger Guard, with Steel Tlated Malleable Guards, with one Knife and one Sickle. S. L. SHELDON, Madison, Wis. WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, ESTABLISHED IN 1849, DAILY. TRI-WEEKLY AND WEEKLY. OFFICIAL STATE PAPER. KEPEESENTATIYE OF THE KEPUBLICAN PARTY AT THE CAPITAL. Daily, per annum, in advance, - - $10 00 Tri-Weekly, per annum, in advance, - - 5 00 Weekly, per annum, in advance, - - 1 50 Any person who will send live subscribers to either the Dailj*, Tii-Weekly or Weekly, with the cash, at regular subscription rates, will receive a sixth copy gratis. We propose to make the State Journal the best Family and Political Paper in ihe State. We have the rarest facilities for giving interesting matter pertaining to State affairs, and every opportunity will be improved to make the paper valuable to its subscribers. SUBSCRIBE FOR THE STATE JOURNAL. Connected with the Journal office, we have the most complete JOB OFFICE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY in the Northwest, and are always prepared to turn out the very best Book and Job Printing that can be done in this country. David Atwood, Madison, Wis. EXLIVT PLOWS LOOK AT IHE CAPITAL CITY CUPPERS, MANUFACTURED BY FIEMIN, BILLINGS & KOE AT mubiscs plow works. We Challenge Comparison of our Improved Clippers, Light or Heavy Styles, Wood or Steel Beams, Single or Double Shins, High, Low or Me- dium Landsides, with any and all other Plows brought to this market, both as to Quality and Price. We call particular at- tention to our Splendid STEEL BEAM PLOWS, Which cannot be beaten. Also to our LIGHT PRAIRIE PLOWS, Which are Good and Cheap. And to our "OLD RELIABLE" FULL CLIPPER PLOWS, With Extra High and Thick Steel Landsides. Which excel all other makes or kinds for Strength, Dura- ility and Variety of .Work. Our Breaking Plows, Sod Plows, Corn and Hop Plows, cannot be surpassed for Wisconsin soils. Call at the Factory and Examine our Plows for Yourselves, before Buying. We are selling first-class Plows at Bargains to Dane County^Farmers, and Repair all kinds of Plows in the most skillful and workmanlike manner, at FAIR RATES. H15f T^ TJ JS >^V V' ^ o \, * s • • , o ,v .0 o V 9* -; **,** C °o ,0 c o ^- \^» \ v •*» ^V** *« ^ 6* A^ * 'o • » A vP °«* '• • * * 0* . ••' • 6> 4 o^ o y r *w** v .' .1^ • "P ^ ^^r> „Hq 5* ^q, A^ • ( -x ] ana fs^APR- 74 $&& N - MANCHESTER. INDIANA A LIBRARY OF CONGRESS