USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > A history of Columbia County, Wisconsin : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 30
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sin. During the last years the congregations have had a steady growth, owing to the large number of German Lutherans settling in this vicinity. Zion's congregation at Cambria has recently renovated the church and remodeled the parsonage, while St. John's at Pardeeville is at present writing, building a spacious schoolhouse. Zion's congregation has at present forty-nine voting members and 173 communicating members, while St. John's at Pardeeville counts fifty-six voting members and 161 communicating members. About a year ago English work was taken up in both congregations with English preaching services once a month. With these services so well attended, and seeing that the Eng- lish work had become a necessity, the congregation at Cambria decided to have one German service omitted every month in favor of an Eng- lish service. Both congregations have recently joined the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin and other states, a church body forming part of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America, which has a membership of over a million souls.
MORRIS J. ROWLANDS
The interesting article entitled " Advent of the First Settlers of Welsh Prairie and Cambria," was prepared and contributed by Morris J. Rowlands. As a representative of that fine Welsh element that has been so conspicuous in the development of Columbia County, and as one of the most influential citizens and bankers of Cambria and vicinity, it is appropriate that some specific mention of his family and himself should be contained in this work.
His parents were John R. and Jane (Closs) Rowlands, both natives of Carnarvon Shire, Wales. In the summer of 1845, they emigrated to America with a family of seven children, whose names were John R., Jr., Robert J., Humphrey J., Owen J., Miss Ellen, Dorothy Jane and M. J. Rowlands. As they were among the first settlers in the Town of Spring- vale, then called Leroy Precinct, while Wisconsin was still under ter- ritorial government, the important incidents of their coming are related in the article above referred to. A patent still on record, given by President James K. Polk to John R. Rowlands, shows that the father on his arrival bought the south half of Section 10 and the north half of Section 15 in Town 12 north, Range 11 east, and at once began farm- ing. In his native country he had followed the occupation of quarry- man, and therefore was at a distinct disadvantage in adapting himself to the untried calling of a farmer, and his own inexperience was the greater handicap because he could find no experienced farmer in that sparsely settled region to consult with. However, his industry, his
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progressive trend of mind, and his enthusiasm enabled him to make a fair success, and he contrived to prosper. At the same time he was very active in the organization of the new settlement, and it is noteworthy that his name appeared at the head of the list of those who took out their naturalization papers in Columbia County in the fall of 1845. He also lent a willing hand to the newcomers who followed him to this pioneer district. John R. Rowlands was one of the fine factors in organizing the first church society in his precinct, and in building the first church in the northeastern part of Columbia County, known as "Sion" church. He served as its deacon for many years. A man of great industry, leading a quiet, sober life, he continued that character up to his old age, and passed away at Cambria, January 19, 1883, in his eighty-fourth year. His kind and faithful wife had preceded him to the grave thirteen years, on September 21, 1869.
Morris J. Rowlands, who was a small boy when the family emi- grated to this country, was born in Wales, July 4, 1840. With the example of his father and his older brothers before him, he took up farming as his first vocation, and a few years after reaching manhood established a home of his own by his marriage on December 21, 1866, to Miss Catherine Owens. She was born in Wales, April 25, 1842, the youngest daughter of David and Jane Owens. The Owens family emi- grated to America in 1847, there being ten children, six sons and four daughters. David Owens, who had engaged in the sheep industry in his native land, had accumulated more wealth than the average emi- grant of that time, and on his arrival in the Town of Springvale took up about six hundred and eighty acres of land, in Sections 14, 23 and 36. By his own management, with the help of his sons and such as he was able to hire, he developed a splendid farm, and became one of the most substantial men of the county. At the age of sixty-four David Owens died, leaving behind him a record not only of individual pros- perity, but of long continued service as a friend to the poor and needy. His good wife followed him. in March, 1875. Between the influential families of the Rowlands and the Owens subsist many intimate ties not only of marriage but of community and religious co-operation. Previous to the marriage of Morris J. Rowlands and Catherine Owens there had been two other marriages contracted between members of the two fam- ilies. The first, celebrated in April, 1853, was between John R. Row- lands, Jr. and Gwen Owens. The second took place in January, 1864, between David D. Owens and Miss Dorothy Jane Rowlands.
After twenty years of married life on the farm, Mr. Rowland's son David M., having entered commercial college at Milwaukee, the father and mother moved to the Town of Cambria, where he engaged in a part- nership with his brother-in-law, Edward Harris, in the grain and lumber
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business. Mr. Harris, who was the proprietor and organizer of the Bank of Cambria, died six years later, and Mr. Rowlands then bought the interests of his sister, Mrs. Harris, in the bank, and took an active part in the management of that institution, which was established more than thirty years ago. His son, David M. Rowlands, had been cashier of the bank while it was in the possession of his uncle, and the father and son have since continued this management, M. J. Rowlands as presi- dent, and D. M. Rowlands as cashier. The bank was organized under the state law in 1903. Its record deserves some comment. During the panic of 1907, when most of the banking institutions of the state had to avail themselves of the protection of sixty days' notice to depositors, the Bank of Cambria did not in a single instance refuse payment of a draft, deposit or any other commercial paper presented over its counter.
Among the varied possessions acquired and retained by Mr. Row- lands is the old homestead on which his father first settled on coming to this country, and its ownership he regards as something sacred and intends to keep it under the management of the family for at least a few generations to come, thus carrying out what had been a cherished wish of his pioneer father.
Mr. M. J. Rowlands has actively identified himself with the affairs of his locality, occupied the office of town clerk of Springvale and clerk of the Town of Courtland, altogether about fifteen years, was a member of the county board ten years and was president of the Village of Cam- bria, when it was reorganized under state charter. In his love for and interest in music Mr. Rowlands manifests a talent somewhat peculiar to his people. When he was eighteen years old he was elected leader of the church choir, and with others was incidental in organizing the Welsh Musical Union of Wisconsin, of which he served as secretary for many years and also as one of its conductors. His choir was successful in winning several of the prizes awarded at the Welsh Eisteddfod. From childhood he has been a member of the W. C. M. Church, and affiliates with the Masonic, Order.
Of the three sons born to Mr. Rowlands, two died in infancy. D. M. Rowlands, the oldest of the children, has for some years been in part- nership with his father in all his enterprises, and at the present time bears the heaviest part of the responsibility, acting as vice president and cashier of the bank, superintending the farm, and giving much of his attention to the breeding and raising of thorough-bred live stock, of which he has a line of fine Red Poll cattle and Hampshire hogs.
D. M. Rowlands was married July 6, 1898, to Miss Emma Davies, daughter of Edwin and Jane Davies of Cambria. To this union have been born two sons: Morris J. Rowlands, Jr., born July 21, 1899; and Edwin Myrwin Rowlands, born April 1, 1901.
CHAPTER XXI
POYNETTE
VILLAGE OF TODAY-ITS NAMING, A MISTAKE-JUDGE DOTY INTENDED "PAUQUETTE" -- VILLAGE PLATTED-POYNETTE IN 1855-FIRST SCHOOL-CRUSTY BACHELORS WITHHOLD TAX-FIRST PREACHING -- THE TIMES THAT TRIED MEN AND WOMEN-THE JAMIESON FAMILY- POYNETTE AS A FLOUR CENTER-RIVALRY OF THE "SIDES"-THE GRAIN TRADE-BANK OF POYNETTE-SCHOOL HISTORY-THE CHURCHES-THE METHODISTS ORGANIZE-REV. JOHN M. SPRINGER, WAR HERO-THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-THE LUTHERANS AND CATHOLICS.
The little Village of Poynette in the southwestern part of Columbia County is a station on the Southern Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Its location is also on Rowan's Creek, a water- power stream tributary to the Wisconsin River.
VILLAGE OF TODAY
It is the banking and trading center of a prosperous agricultural field, and you therefore find there such establishments as a creamery, feed mill and sorghum factory, grain elevator and salting station for cucum- ber pickles. Poynette has also several produce houses, a lumber yard and a flourishing bank, and is the headquarters of quite a telephone system, which is of great convenience to the villagers and to the farmers for miles around. The village has a good graded school and an adequate system of waterworks. It has a number of churches representative of both faiths and nationalities; so that altogether the community has no need to look elsewhere to satisfy its material, educational or spiritual needs.
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ITS NAMING, A MISTAKE
The naming of the Village of Poynette was rather an unfortunate mis- take. As Rowan's Creek perpetuated the name of the county's first permanent settler, it was the intention of the pioneers that Pauquette, the widely known fur trader and interpreter at the portage, should be remembered in the christening of this village on Rowan's Creek; but fate decreed that it should receive a meaningless name.
JUDGE DOTY INTENDED "PAUQUETTE"
James Duane Doty, who was to become governor of the territory in 1841, entered 120 acres of land in the Southeast Quarter of Section 34, Township 11, Range 9, on the 8th of February, 1837, and caused it to be laid out as the Village of Pauquette. In the earlier years the intelli- gent and faithful trader was a warm friend of the able and enterprising governor. But the following year after the village was platted Mr. Doty was elected to Congress, and his long after career of public service tended to divert his mind from such minor affairs as the village-to-be on Rowan's Creek. The plat was therefore vacated.
About the year 1850, application was made by Mr. Doty to the post- office department for the establishment of a postoffice at that point, to be called Pauquette. Through a clerical error it was called Poynette. No effort was ever made to correct the name, and when the village was again platted it was called Poynette, after the postoffice.
VILLAGE PLATTED
In 1851 Samuel B, Pinney made the first plat of the village, which comprised the Northeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 34. Shortly thereafter he transferred it to Jolin Thomas.
POYNETTE IN 1855
One of the residents of Poynette No. 2, writing about 1880, thus pic- tures the village as it was a few years after Mr. Pinney had passed it over to Mr. Thomas. "There were about a dozen inhabitants in the vil- lage of Poynette twenty-five years ago and four dwelling houses, includ- ing the public house kept by Hugh Jamieson," he says. "S. B. Thomas who kept the postoffice (John Thomas was the postmaster), Hubbard Johnson and Hugh Jamieson-the latter just married and occupying one apartment of a double log house, while the other served as a schoolroom. It was Poynette's first school.
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FIRST SCHOOL
"The inhabitants contemplated building a schoolhouse, and in order to draw the public money they had to have a school; so they taxed the inhabitants to raise money to pay a teacher, for whose services they paid six dollars per month. For something to eat the teacher walked home with her scholars, sometimes two or three miles out in the country; for Poynette was a village (why not?) with hotel, postoffice, and black- smith shop. I used to hear people say that Poynette would be as large as Portage City some day.
CRUSTY BACHELORS WITHHOLD TAX
"The school numbered twenty-four scholars, but twelve or fifteen was the usual attendance. An old bachelor refused to pay his tax for the reason he had no children to send to school. Another (not an old bachelor) withheld a portion of his tax, claiming that a certain young man who was paying his addresses to the teacher owed him. He was holding on to see how matters progressed; if they married he was going to turn it in, and if not he would pay the teacher some time. Of the scholars only two are now residents of Poynette-Courtland Brown and John Wilson. Of the rest, some have died, some are in Iowa, some in Minnesota, some in Missouri and one in New York-now a Methodist minister.
"I remember a snow storm the 11th of June. As I was on my way to school, I saw a man in the field near the roadside planting corn, with overcoat and mittens on. The same was Hugh Jamieson. When I arrived at the schoolhouse the scholars were there; and as most of them were bare- footed and there was no fire in the schoolroom, they had to go home and wait for fair weather. The house was built by Wallace Rowan and, since vacated, has served for the purposes of a drygoods store, postoffice, school- house and meeting house.
FIRST PREACHING
"A Mr. Cornell, a Baptist minister, used to come to Poynette. He usually sent an appointment to preach on the Sabbath. Of the dozen inhabitants, no two held the same faith or belonged to the same order. Mrs. Johnson was the only Methodist.
"H. P. Jamieson was the first white child born in the village of Poy- nette. Mr. Thomas was postmaster, and the mail matter was kept in an old tool chest in one corner of the kitchen.
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THE TIMES THAT TRIED MEN AND WOMEN
"It is a difficult matter for the youth of the present day to under- stand that at the time of which I write, the fleet-footed deer and the wily prairie wolf might occasionally be seen where the iron horse now plunges along, heavily laden with the products of a country which then scarcely furnished more than the inhabitants required for immediate use; for scarcely a foot of land on the prairie south of our now prosperous and flourishing village was under cultivation, except a very few pieces adjoin- ing the timber. If, however, they had a few bushels of grain to spare which they wished to convert into cash, they hauled it to Milwaukee, a distance of more than a hundred miles. This journey was usually per- formed with oxen, taking from eight to twelve and sometimes fifteen days, to make the round trip. In those days men had many disagreeable duties to perform and, knowing this, they nerved themselves to the task and went at it with a will and determination to succeed."
THE JAMIESON FAMILY
There is no family which has been so prominent since the founding of Poynette to the present time as that of the Jamiesons-Hugh and his sons, Hugh P., Addison J., and John C. The father was the prince of hotel keepers, being, at times, proprietor of the old Rowan Hotel, the Poynette House (which he erected himself in 1856), and the American House. The sons mentioned, who were all born in the village, own and manage its bank and its leading house dealing in grain, lumber, build- ing materials, farm machinery, etc .; in fact, they represent the largest financial and business interests of the place. In this connection, we are pleased to state that following this chapter is a very interesting and strictly authentic story from the pen of Hugh Jamieson, which not only deals with Poynette and vicinity, but with a more extended territory in Southern Wisconsin, over which he traveled in the days of his young and vigorous manhood. This fine old pioneer took vigorous exception to the assertion, generally accepted as history, that Wallace Rowan was the county's first permanent settler; and the reader is referred to his paper for the grounds of his claim.
POYNETTE AS A FLOUR CENTER
For a number of years Poynette was quite a flour center, the Lower Mills being erected in 1858 and the Upper Mill in 1860. The Lower Mills especially had a large local trade and were well patronized by the farm-
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ing community. But the coming of the railroad in 1870, although it stimulated business in many ways, had the effect of bringing better brands of flour to the village than could be supplied by the local plants. The Madison & Portage Railroad was completed to Poynette in October, 1870; this is now the Southern Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.
RIVALRY OF THE "SIDES"
Until that time the growth of the village was quite slow; its popula- tion had not reached more than one hundred and fifty inhabitants, and its business was all upon the south side of Rowan's Creek, with the exception of Jamieson's Hotel.
THE GRAIN TRADE
On the completion of the railroad R. B. Wentworth & Company, of Portage, built a small warehouse and for two seasons purchased grain at Poynette. In the summer of 1871, Hugh Jamieson erected what was then a large elevator, with a storage capacity of 12,000 bushels and com- menced the business of buying and shipping. He continued the busi- ness for seven years, withdrawing in 1878 in favor of his son, H. P. Jamie- son and W. C. Gault. Thus was founded the business now conducted on a much enlarged scale, by the Jamieson Brothers' Company, which was incorporated in 1909 and is an outgrowth of the firm Jamieson Brothers, formed in 1890.
BANK OF POYNETTE
The Bank of Poynette was established in 1894, as a private institution by the Jamieson Brothers-H. P., A. J. and J. C. In 1903, under the general law, it was incorporated as a state bank, and in 1908 its capital stock was increased from $6,000 to $10,000. Its capital remains the same; undivided profits about five thousands dollars, and deposits, $194,000.
SCHOOL HISTORY
In 1852, a school district was formed comprising Sections 34 and 35, Town of De Korra, and Sections 2 and 3, and North Quarter of 10 and 11, Arlington, which was called Joint District No. 4 of the towns of De Korra and Arlington. A one-story frame schoolhouse was built half
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a miles south of the Village of Poynette, which was used until 1867, when it became too small for the needs of the community. A room was rented in the village for the higher department, the primary alone occu- pying the schoolroom. In the fall of 1867, a large two-story schoolhouse was erected and occupied by the high school and the grammar grades jointly. William Koepke is now principal of the well organized Union School of Poynette.
THE CHURCHES
The Methodists, Presbyterians, German Lutherans and Catholics have societies at Poynette. The M. E. Church is the oldest and the strongest.
THE METHODISTS ORGANIZE
Before the platting of the second village in 1851, the few Methodists at and near the present site of Poynette had listened to Rev. Henry May- nard, at the house of A. Johnson. This was about 1846, soon after Lodi and Poynette had been set off from the Madison Circuit. Mr. Maynard afterward preached regularly at the house of Clark M. Young, a short distance from the village. In 1853, Poynette was separated from Lodi; for some years thereafter religious services were conducted in the school- house. The membership increased so rapidly that by 1860, it had reached 180, most of the attendance, of course, being drawn from territory out- side the village, and about 1862, a neat and commodious house of worship was erected.
REV. JOHN M. SPRINGER, WAR HERO
From the fall of 1862 until the summer of 1863, the pulpit of the Methodist Church was filled by Rev. John M. Springer. He was drafted for military service, and appointed chaplain of his regiment. While fill- ing that position at the battle of Resaca, the captain and first and second lieutenants of his company fell, when he seized a musket and led on the charge. He was soon mortally wounded and carried from the field, say- ing in his last moments to Charles Early, a comrade, "I have lived what I preached in our northern home, and die in the favor of God." No pastor of that church is more revered than Rev. John M. Springer.
About 1875, the church building was moved from the present site of the Catholic Church to the location it now occupies, and greatly improved. Among its later pastors who have been especially prominent in the
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upbuilding of the church was Rev. J. W. Barrett, who occupied the pulpit for five years. The Methodist Episcopal Church has now a mem- bership of over one hundred and ninety, with Rev. D. H. Fleet as pastor.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
On April 24, 1867, a committee appointed by the Presbytery of Colum- bus, consisting of Revs. Warren Mays and James A. Lowrie and Elder John B. Dwinnell, visited Poynette in company with Rev. B. G. Riley, district secretary of Home Missions, and Rev. A. G. Dunning, for the pur- pose of organizing a church. An organization was effected by Augustus P. Smith, Caroline A. Smith, Augustus O. Dole, Sarah E. Dole, Harvey J. Sill, Miranda M. Sill, Adaline Youmans, John Watson, Elizabeth Wat- son, John Forsythe, Margaret Forsythe, Mrs. Jeannet Campbell and Mrs. Agnes Campbell. In January, 1874, a church edifice was completed. The longest service in the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church of Poy- nette was that of Rev. William L. Green, D. D., who was in charge from 1882 to 1898. It was during the second year of his pastorate that the Poynette Presbyterian Academy was established. The present member- ship of the church, in charge of Rev. C. L. Richards, is about ninety.
THE LUTHERANS AND CATHOLICS
Rev. Martin Mencke is the pastor of the German Lutheran Church, and the Catholics are served by Rev. Joseph Gabriels, assistant to Rev. John Morrissey, of St. Mary's Parish, Portage.
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CHAPTER XXII
AN OLD SETTLER'S MEMOIRS
HUGH JAMIESON'S YOUTH IN SCOTLAND-BOOKED FOR AMERICA-THE ROUTE TO COLUMBIA COUNTY-ARRIVES AT THE SITE OF POYNETTE- PRICES AND TAXES IN THE '40S-TEAMING OVER SOUTHERN WISCON- SIN -- THE RAILROADS-COMMENCES TO IMPROVE LAND IN 1850- PRAIRIE FIRES-BREAKING UP THE LAND-PIONEER PLOW FOR HEAVY WORK-FIRST LAND ENTERED IN THE COUNTY-GETS CURIOUS ABOUT MISS THOMAS-MARRIED BY SQUIRE CURTIS-THE THOMAS FAMILY- UNION SCHOOL AND CHURCH-ROWAN WAS NOT FIRST SETTLER- PURCHASES A HOTEL-FIRST VILLAGE PLAT OF POYNETTE-SCHOOL DISTRICT OF 1852-AN IMPORTANT YEAR-WHY THE HOTEL PAID WELL-BUYS MORE LAND-RAILROAD FROM MADISON TO PORTAGE- A BOOM FOR POYNETTE-COMPLETES NEW AND LARGER HOTEL-RAIL- ROAD WORK CEASES-YET LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRESS-ADMITTED TO CITIZENSHIP-PLATS JAMIESON'S ADDITION-RIVALRY OF NORTH AND SOUTH SIDES-WAR TIMES IN THE COUNTY-SECURING VOLUN- TEERS FOR THE UNION-RAILROAD PROJECTS (1861-62) -LABOR AND CROPS IN WAR TIMES-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AGAIN-RAILROAD WORK RESUMED-SUGAR RIVER VALLEY RAILROAD SOLD-IMPROVE- MENT OF SOUTH POYNETTE-FALL OF RICHMOND CELEBRATED- DECLINE OF WAR PRICES-LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS AFTER THE WAR- HEALTH FAILING-SIXTEEN YEARS A HOTEL KEEPER-AGAIN DE- FEATED BY MR. TURNER-FORMATION OF THE MADISON & PORTAGE RAILROAD-TOWN VOTES AID TO THE ROAD-THE MEETING AT MADI- SON-"OLD BEESWAX" AND GEORGE B. SMITH-"JACK OF CLUBS" SUSTAINED-GENERAL STORE FOR RAILROAD MEN-TRANSFER OF TOWN BONDS FOR RAILROAD STOCK-BOND QUESTION TRACED TO THE END- "OLD BEESWAX" GOT THERE-ESTABLISHES GRAIN BUSINESS- CHEESE FACTORY ESTABLISHED-BUSINESS PASSES TO JAMIESON (H. P.) & GAULT (W. C.)-FARM MACHINERY AND SUPPLIES- JUSTLY PROUD OF HIS HOMESTEAD RETROSPECT IN 1883-HIS RE- LIGIOUS CREED -GOOD FAMILY STOCK-MR. JAMIESON'S DEATH.
Hugh Jamieson bought land in the town of De Korra in 1849, and from 1851 was a permanent resident of Poynette and vicinity. Besides
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Huch Jamieson
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being a pioneer, he was a man of more than ordinary prominence in connection with the life and affairs of his locality. Among his impor- tant services to Columbia County was the writing, during his leisure hours in a period of semi-invalidism in 1881-82, of a manuscript of about three hundred and fifty pages, relating the story of his own life in Scotland and Wisconsin, and many incidental facts and events con- nected with contemporary affairs of the counties in which he lived. In style he reminds one of Robert Louis Stevenson, and interspersed in his simple relation of the events which revolved about his career are many philosophical episodes, which give his memoirs a charm and in- struction above those of any which it has been the fortune of the present editor to read. The entire manuscript is of course too long for publication here, but that portion dealing with his life in Columbia County is probably the best available account of the times, especially all that concerns the founding and early history of Poynette. The follow- ing is therefore an abstract of those memoirs condensed and edited ap- propriately for publication as a chapter of this history of Columbia County.
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