USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > Rock County, Wisconsin; a new history of its cities, villages, towns, citizens and varied interests, from the earliest times, up to date, Vol. II > Part 1
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ROCK COUNTY WISCONSIN
A New History of its Cities, Villages, Towns, Citizens and Varied Interests, from the Earliest Times, Up To Date
HISTORIAN AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
WILLIAM FISKE BROWN, M. A., D. D. BELOIT, WISCONSIN
ASSOCIATE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS
Hon. A. A. Jackson, Judge C. L. Fifield, Doctor S. B. Buckmaster, Supt. H. C. Buell, Prest. J. G. Rexford, Hon. H. L. Skavlem and Horace McElroy, Esq., of Janesville, and Prof. R. C. Chapin, Hon. F. F. Livermore, J. B. Dow, Esq., and E. C. Helm, M. D., of Beloit
IN TWO VOLUMES VOL. II
ILLUSTRATED
PUBLISHED BY C. F. COOPER & CO. CHICAGO 1908
.
236538B
LIST OF PORTRAITS
Alden, Levi 750
Bell. Dr. Samuel 978
Bennett, John R 536
Bostwick, J. M. 834
Carr, Solomon C.
664
Clausen, Rev. Claus .
616
Daland, William C
632
Fifield, Charles L
696
Finch, Loren
552
Green, Paul M.
702 938 936
Jenson, Andrew
648
Jones, Samuel S.
958 568 718
King, John D
734
Matheson, Alexander E
766
McGowan, Emmett D.
782
Pease, J. J. R 584
Platts, Lewis A
680
Pramer, Jesse C.
1.028
Richardson, Hamilton
818
Schmit, Dr. Anthony I.
850
Scofield, George
866
Skavlem, Halvor L 882
Smith, Stanley B. 898
Waterman, A. P 1,008
Whitehead, John M 798
Whiton, E. V.
Frontispiece
Whittet, Lawrence C.
904
Wixom, Elijah 924
Goodrich, Ezra
Goodrich, Joseph
Kimball, Fenner
King, Angie J.
XXVI.
HISTORY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN.
By Charles L. Fifield.
The history of Janesville is comprised within the limits of a man's life, covering but little more than the allotted three score years and ten. In fact, some of the earliest settlers here, who came after they had grown to manhood, have just passed away during the present year.
From one house in 1835 Janesville has grown to a city of 16,- 000 inhabitants. Situated in nearly the center of Rock county, fourteen miles north of the Wisconsin-Illinois state line, ninety- one miles northwest of Chicago, and seventy miles southeast of Milwaukee, it now covers four sections of the town of Janesville (25, 26, 35 and 36), two in the town of Rock (1 and 2), one-half section in La Prairie (W. 1% of 6), and two half sections in the town of Harmony (W. 1/2 of 30 and 31). This makes a rectangular plat two and a half miles wide and three miles long, or 4,800 aeres, all of which is fairly well covered by homes, except the half sections at the south, which portion is rapidly becoming the center for new factories. The southern section of the city will probably grow with increased rapidity now, as the Northwestern Railway Company has just commenced (July, 1907) work on a $3,000,000 system of yards, roundhouse and shops, just adjoining the southern limits of the city.
The contour of the land is ideal for the location of a city. From the north flows the beautiful Rock river, entering the eity limits a half mile west of the center and flowing almost directly south for a mile, when it bends to the east and crosses section 36, through the heart of the city, diagonally from the northwest to the southeast corner of that section; then it bends sharply to the west and runs nearly due west through the north part of sections 1 and 2 in Rock, to the western limits. On both sides
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
of the river as it passes southerly through the city, there is a narrow level bank and then the ground rises to a height of 100 feet or more. On the east side this rise is quicker than on the west, and the buff extends southerly to where the river turns west. Here a large creek, called Spring brook, flows into the river from the east, and the land is low, not much above the river's level. On the west side the bluffs rise directly from the water's edge at the north end of the city, gradually sloping down so that, in the center of the city the risc is of casy gradua- tion, while going farther south in the bend of the river, it be- comes a level plain but fifteen or twenty feet above the river. From the top of the bluffs on both sides, the ground runs back as a level prairie, furnishing unlimited room for growth.
There are two dams across the river within the city limits, the upper being slightly above the center of the city, and the lower being about two miles below it as the river runs, so that the back water keeps the river at a good level all through the city. All the streets are bordered with large shade trees, making the city a bower of green, and giving it its name-"Bower City." The store buildings are mainly on two streets, Main street, run- ning next and parallel to the river, on the east side, being the location of the first stores built and improving ever since, and Milwaukee street, crossing the river and Main street at right angles, at the point where Janes built his cabin and started the city. Store buildings also are found for a short distance on numerous streets leading off from these two, and particularly on River street, occupying the relative place of Main street, but on the west side of the river.
The city is divided into five wards at present. the first on the west side of the river and north part of the city, running down to Milwaukee street; the second in the same relative por- tion on the east side of the river; the third taking the remainder of the east side of the river, and the fourth and fifth, the lower portion of the west side. The two steam railroad lines cut through the city diagonally from the center of the northern part to the southwest corner, crossing the river twice and having their depots at the northwest corner of the business section, two blocks north of Milwaukee street. The Chicago & Northwestern railway main line from Chicago to St. Paul runs through Janesville, going north of the west bank of the river. The same road also branches,
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
crossing the river to the north for Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. It also has a line to the south, on the north bank of the river, run- ning to Beloit and Rockford. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway has a parallel line to Rockford, running around to Chicago, and a new line running southeast more direct to Chi- cago. They also have a line west to Monroe and Mineral Point, and another crossing the river north, dividing at the north of the county for Milwaukee and Madison. A third system is pre- paring to enter Janesville, running as an outside belt line around Chicago, from Gary, Ind., to Milwaukee, and being already built as far as Rockford. An interurban car line furnishes frequent and easy access to Beloit, Rockford, Freeport, and by way of Elgin, through service to Chicago. A franchise for another line to Stoughton and Madison has been granted, and the line doubt- less will be built soon.
The city presents a very substantial appearance, nearly all the business blocks and public buildings being constructed of stone or brick, as also are many of the dwellings. The dwelling houses are mostly of a plain and unpretentious but comfortable and home-like character, and are generally owned by the occu- pants.
From the busy city of today to the unsettled wilds of seventy- five years ago is a far cry, but we must wipe out our knowledge of the present, and try to bring ourselves back to the early days in order to understand the growth of the city and its gradual evolution from the wilderness. Many other portions of the state were settled before this. As there were no railroads, the first settlements naturally clung to the waterways. Green Bay was an old town, and the lead settlement around Prairie du Chien had been in existence for a long time before the Rock River val- ley attracted the pioneer. This valley was the happy hunting ground of the Indians. They held Lake Koshkonong in high esteem as a hunting and fishing ground, and they also had corn- fields on its banks. So, too, they had cornfields at the bend of the river in the southern part of Janesville. When the Black Hawk war broke out, the Indians kept to the Rock River valley. After the war had been in progress for some time, the Indians massacred the majority of a number of settlers near Ottawa, Ill., and carried away two young girls, Sylvia and Rachel Hall, into captivity. These girls were taken around with the Indian band
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
during their sorties for some time, and finally were brought with them to the present site of Janesville. Black Hawk and the major portion of his forces were camped just outside the eastern limit in what has since been known as Black Hawk grove, being on a farm known as the Moore farm, later the Rooney farm, and now owned by George G. Sutherland. Black Hawk remained there in camp about two weeks, and during that time the Hall girls were ransomed for the sum of $2,000, paid in horses, etc. This was in June, 1832, and the tent poles, ashes and brands of the Indian camp fires were visible for a number of years after the settlement of Janesville. Mr. Volney Atwood, who came in 1837, told me that they were very plain to be seen for some time after he came here. While Black Hawk was in camp here, the army under General Atkinson was coming up the Rock river valley in pursuit. When they reached the mouth of the Pecatonica river in Illinois, the Indians broke camp and moved up to the foot of Lake Koshkonong, and later to Black Hawk island at the head of the lake. General Atkinson and his army entered Rock county on June 30, 1832, and encamped just above where Beloit now is. The next day they came on across the prairie, striking the river at the bend south of Janesville, and proceeding from here to Lake Koshkonong. They missed Black Hawk, however, and no battle took place until General Dodge overtook the Indian army at the Wisconsin river some weeks later. The defeat of the Indians practically ended the Black Hawk war, and the volun- teer army was soon disbanded and dispersed. Wherever the soldiers went, however, they were singing the praises of the upper Rock river valley, and Rock county, with its rivers and springs, its beautiful oak openings, and its wide prairies, covered with a luxuriant growth of grasses and many colored flowers. These reports soon started settlers towards Rock county, and the his- tory of Janesville begins.
The history of a city, necessarily is the history of the men and women who have made it, their business successes and fail- ures-a history of its educational and religious development, of the factories and mills within it, and many other things that may trench to some degree upon some of the special articles in this book.
For most of this information one must of necessity rely on the printed records of the past. In many instances these dis-
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
agree, and the things herein stated may possibly conflict with statements in other articles herein. I desire to say that while I have carefully read as many accounts as I could obtain, regard- ing the facts herein set forth, and have checked as far as possible to avoid misstatement, yet I would not presume to say that every date and circumstance is correct, but simply that it is as near right as I can find out. I wish to acknowledge especial indebted- ness to the "History of Rock County, etc.," published by Orrin Guernsey and Joshua F. Willard in 1856; the "History of Janes- ville," by Alex T. Gray, in the "Janesville Directory" for 1859; the "History of Rock County," published in 1879, the "Fire- men's Souvenir" of 1902, and the bound files of the Janesville newspapers.
The most logieal arrangement seems to be to take the years, and note the changes by them, even though this makes a some- what unconnected narrative, so that will be the method followed.
1833.
The United States began the surveys of this part of Rock county in the summer of 1833. The portion of the town of Janes- ville west of the river was first surveyed. The town lines were run by surveyors, Mullet and Brink in the third quarter of 1833, and the sections and subdivisions were surveyed later in the same year by George W. Harrison. These lands were opened for entry and sale at the land office, which was situated at Green Bay, in 1835, before any actual settlers arrived here, so that when they did come, they settled on the east side of the river, which was not surveyed until 1836.
1835.
All lands on the west of the river in range 12 were put on the market in the summer of 1835, and were entered by Thomas A. Holmes, G. R. Page, H. Pennoyer, Morgan L. Martin and others who had never been here.
On July 14, 1835, John Inman of Lucerne county, Pennsyl- vania, and William Holmes, of Ohio, started from Milwaukee to prospect and find a location. They had heard there of the beauties of the Rock river valley, and so directed their steps in this direction. On July 16, they arrived at what is now Fort Atkinson, and following down around Lake Koshkonong, they
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
encamped the next night, the 17th, about where Fulton now is, in Rock county. During the night their ponies escaped and wandered on down the river. The next morning, July 18, 1835, they took their stuff on their backs and tramped on down the river, reaching the location of Janesville that afternoon. They must have forded the river somewhere, for they encamped that night on the bluff at the southern edge of the river on the east side of the river, from where they could see the remains of Black Hawk's camp. This must have been near where George Han- thorn's residence now is on Sharon street. The next morning they went over to where the Indian camp had been, and called it Black Hawk's Grove, which name it has ever since retained. Not having found their ponies, they kept on walking down the river as far as where Turtle creek enters Rock river in Beloit. They saw no one; no settler had yet claimed any part of this virgin land for his own. Even the old squaw man Thibault had not yet then located where he afterwards did in Beloit. Deter- mining to retrace their steps, they found their ponies and re- turned to their Janesville camp. No place they had seen had so appealed to them as this, and the combination of forest and prairie, with the spring creeks and the river, the untouched for- est trees in the oak openings, and the countless wild flowers of every shade and hue on the prairie, must indeed have been an alluring sight. Their minds were made up to look no farther, but that this point should be their future home; so they started back for Milwaukee to get their families on July 20, 1835. They were delayed in returning until November 15, but on that day John Inman, George Follner, William Holmes, Jr., and Joshua Holmes left Milwaukee to reside permanently at this place; they arrived opposite the big rock at Monterey, where the Indian ford was, on November 18, 1835, and proceeded to build a cabin at that place. This log cabin was the first house built within the limits of the city of Janesville, and stood about where the new Janesville & Southeastern railway passes before it crosses Eastern avenue, about thirty rods east of the Monterey bridge.
On December 18 of the same year, Samuel St. John, his wife and three children came from Vermont and joined the above named party, making nine people who lived all winter in this cabin.
In the fall of 1835, Thomas Holmes, of Milwaukee, who had
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
entered land on the west side of the river, laid out the village of Rockport, which now constitutes a portion of the city of Janes- ville. Thomas Holmes was the oldest son of Judge William Holmes, and never was a resident of Janesville, though he came here for a while in 1836 and located south of the river where the Bailey farm now is; he only staid a short time, when he started to cross the plains of the Indians, with whom he was very friendly, and a number of whose languages he spoke.
1836.
In the month of January in the little log cabin spoken of above, the first child born in Janesville arrived in the family of Samuel St. John; this child was named Seth B. St. John; he moved from Janesville to Columbia county, Wisconsin, and later farther west. He was still living recently.
In the month of January also the party in this cabin was aug- mented by the arrival of Dr. James Heath and wife. They, shortly afterwards, started a city which they named East Wis- consin City, being about a mile and a half down the river from Janesville ; this place did not grow, so they eventually moved to California.
In January also, Henry F. Janes visited the location of Janes- ville, and also went on to First lake, Whitewater and Sugar creek, coming from Racine with his cousin, John Janes. Janes, with others, had started twice before, but owing to the loss of their supplies and other reasons, they had turned back without seeing Rock river, though at one time they had reached within five or six miles of it. Janes made his claim to land on the east side of the river, and carved his name on a tree standing where the Myers house now stands, on February 15, 1836. He staked and marked off his claim and then hired two men to build him a cabin eighteen feet square on it. He started back for Racine, and as he says later, followed the seetion line on foot and alone, sixty-three miles without seeing a solitary individual, or a mark of civilization other than the surveyors' marks in surveying the line. He did not return with his family until May.
March 30, Judge William Holmes and family moved from Michigan City to Janesville, coming by way of Chicago. His family at that time consisted of his wife, Rachel, his sons, Thomas,
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
George, John, William and Joshua, and daughters, Catherine (later Mrs. Volney Atwood) and Lucinda. As stated above, Wil- liam and Joshua had arrived before their father came. John Holmes' wife came with him, and also Joshua Clark. Judge Holmes and family lived for six months in a cabin near the Miltimore quarry, and then they erected the first frame building within Janesville's limits, built of lumber cut with whipsaw, by Robert and Daniel Stone, who had shortly before arrived here, and who staid in Janesville for a short time before taking up their land, which they afterwards did, near Indian Ford, ten miles north of Janesville. This house of Judge Holmes was erected about thirty-five rods south of the present Fourth Ward park. Judge Holmes had gone to Green Bay a couple of months after his arrival here, and on June 3, had entered five 80-acre tracts on the west side of the river, within the present city limits, and one 80-acre just west, which had been previously unentered.
On May 19, 1836, H. F. Janes arrived with his family, and was also accompanied by Levi Harness, Richard Miller, Beasely and Isaac Smith, the two latter returning shortly to Ra- cine. Janes' cabin had been built, but, as he says, was minus a floor, and with a hole sawed out for a door. In June, 1836, the first death in the little settlement occurred, Mrs. Samuel St. John dying, and being buried on the high land just off the road lead- ing to Beloit.
In August, 1836, Jolın P. Dixon and wife arrived from Ver- mont and entered a claim south of the bend of the river, on which he stayed but a short time, and made a new claim east of the river, being the land which is now Dickson & Bailey's addition to Janesville. In this month also the second death occurred, that of George Holmes, and the second birth, Mary Catherine Holmes, daughter of John and Hannah Holmes. There was no other death until 1840.
In September, 1836, Hiram Brown and family arrived at the cabin opposite the big rock. In October, W. H. H. Bailey and wife came from Vermont and claimed land with Dickson. Bailey and his family lived for some time on the farm just at the bend of the river, later called the Burr Robbins farm; they had a daughter born there in 1837.
In October also, Levi St. John and family located on what was
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
later known as the Cobb or Paul farm, in the southeast corner of the present city limits. His brother Samuel's wife had died in June, so Levi and his family occupied his house.
The first election was held at the house of Samuel St. John on October 10, 1836. At that time the Indians were quite numer- ous around Janes, Mr. St. John reciting that as many as a dozen at one time have ridden up to his house armed with tomahawks, knives and guns.
All the provisions had to be hauled from Milwaukee or Chi- cago, which cost $3 per hundred weight, and made flour $21 a barrel and pork $40 a barrel; and butter cost from 3 to 6 shil- lings a pound. The settlers had the hardest time, however, in procuring seed, Levi St. John reporting that he rode for four days in Illinois and only succeeded in obtaining three bushels of buckwheat for seed. Oats cost $2 a bushel.
In this year the county was detached from Milwaukee county and made a part of Racine county; it was not organized as a separate county until the spring of 1839, though the county seat was established at the legislative session of 1836 and 1837.
During this year of 1836 a number of settlers started the new Wisconsin City; this was on the west bank of the river below Janesville, and was at the foot of the rapids below the big rock, which they thought would retard the growth of Janesville; at that time they expected the future travel to come by water, and thought the rapids would be mostly insurmountable. This was not so, for in June a steamboat arrived coming from the Missis- sippi river; it passed up over the rapids and stopped some time at Janesville, finally returning to the Mississippi. This steamer did not go any further than this place, but two Mississippi boats that came up later, proceeded as far as Jefferson. A stage line was started by John Inman & Co. after the inauguration of East Wisconsin City, and made regular trips between that place and Racine.
Other settlers that came in 1836 were Anson W. Pope, who located on the river about four miles above Janesville; Virgil Pope, who lived with him; Daniel Smiley, who entered a claim on the east side of the river north of Janesville, and later called the Culver farm; Mareus Fenton and three brothers; Jason, Aaron and Alfred Walker, who shortly afterward entered elaims north of old Milton; David Hume, who entered a claim at the
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
end of the Four Mile or Hume's bridge, north of Janesville; George W. Ogden and Stephen B. Butts, who settled at Milton.
1837.
Early in 1837 or perhaps late in 1836, Henry F. Janes com- meneed running a ferry across the river about where the Mil- waukee street bridge is now, in connection with his tavern where the Lappin or Hayes block is situated. He also, in the spring of 1837, made out a plat of the land that he had homesteaded, although the land had not been put in the market and was not until 1839, when it was reentered by the county commissioners, as will be stated hereafter. He sold lots from his plat to a num- ber of persons.
In April, 1837, through the agency of General W. B. Sheldon, a postoffice was established at Janesville, and Mr. Janes was appointed postmaster; the first mail, carried by Joseph Payne, arrived on April 22, 1837, starting from Mineral Point on the way to Racine, and Dr. B. B. Carey, postmaster of Racine, in- dueted Janes into office. A cigar box fastened on the end of the bar served to hold all the mail for quite a period of time.
Besides the ferry run by Janes, Judge Holmes was operating a ferry at the Big Rock, Monterey.
William Spaulding and Joseph Spaulding both came in the spring of 1837, with their families, and entered adjoining farms on the Milton road four miles northeast of Janesville, of which one is still held in the family, and the other has passed out of it but recently.
E. V. Whiton, later chief justice of the state, came here in the spring of 1837, and settled on a claim about five miles up the river on what was later known as the Cy Davis farm. From some cause or other, Whiton, at that time, was almost a misanthrope, and lived the life of a recluse on his little clearing; he did not move into the city until 1839 or 1840.
Charles Stevens and family arrived in the spring of 1837, rented the tavern of Janes and commenced keeping a hotel there. Janes put up a shanty on Main street, where the McKey or Par- ker Pen building now is.
Volney Atwood, who died at Janesville, December 29, 1906, arrived here in July, 1837; he had started from Vermont and gone to Missouri, but not liking that country, came back up the
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
Mississippi river to Hennepin, and thenee by stage to Chicago. Learning that a Vermont friend was expected at Racine, he took a boat for that place; not finding his friend, and there being a surveying party just starting out from Racine to lay a territorial road to the Mississippi, he retermined to go west with them. They continued laying out the road to within a mile and a half of Janesville, and then for some reason decided to quit work there and returned to Raeine. Mr. Atwood came on to Janes- ville, thinking to find company from here on to the Mississippi, but as he found no one going on, nor any conveyance procurable, determined to remain here. He made his elaim on section 15 of the town of Harmony. At that time there were only between 400 and 500 people in Rock county. In Janesville there was the first log house in Monterey, the Holmes house in Rockport, the tavern at the corner of Milwaukee and Main streets, the St. John house at the southern limits, the log house of General Sheldon at the head of Main street where the railway now crosses it, and one other log house on the river. Dr. Stoughton, who had just arrived, was building a log house on Main street where the Wil- liam Lawrence house was afterwards built.
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