USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 52
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"The citizens of early Spring Green were industrious, intelligent and publie-spirited men and women. The incidents I have related prove to us that their standard of life was high. They believed that right makes might, and though their number was small they dared act as their con- sciences dictated. Yes, Spring Green has an inheritance to live up to. May she prove herself true to the spirit in which she was founded."
THE NAME AGAIN
An old settler furnishes the following additional light on the origin of the name, Spring Green :
"In discussing the early history, settlement and development of that portion of Sauk county including Spring Green, Franklin, Bear Creek and Troy, the question naturally arises as to how and why these places were so called and by whom they were so named, and it is to be re- gretted at this time that there seems to be so little authentie data upon which to base a substantial story having to do with the origin of these names of places, etc."
In a history of Sauk County published in 1880, heading an "Intro- ductory Sketeh" of Spring Green Village appears the following appro- priate verse :
" 'Of inviting fields and meadows green, With charming woodlands interspersed between, That greet the eye on every hand, And supply man's wants and adorn the land.'
"The lines are suggestive. What a pretty story might be interwoven between the lines, gently leading as it were the vivid imagination of the dreamy writer of romantic fiction to blend for us a bit of legendary lore
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bearing out the contentions we have heard regarding the supposed nam- ing of Spring Green by the native red man many, many years previous to the advent of the more prosaic sturdy pioneer.
"I have heard considerable argument over the naming of Spring Green pro and con, chiefly among the older residents, and the very fact that there seems to exist a diversity of opinion and a wide range of thought along this line among the older residents, would seem to indicate that the probability is, at this late date no little difficulty would be experienced in deciding the relative merits of the claims of each indi- vidual who might care to suggest the true origin of the name Spring Green.
HARVEST FESTIVAL AT DISTRICT NO. 5 SCHOOL
"However, along this line 1 should like to offer the following, and allow the reader to draw his own conclusion: Abont fifteen years ago, in a conversation with Dennis Crehan, at that time proprietor of the St. Paul house, Prairie du Chien, I found that that typical representa- tive of the Emerald Isle was really one of Wisconsin's earliest pioneers, and incidentally that he it was who had been in charge of the work of laying the steel from Milton to Prairie du Chien through Spring Green. he being foreman of the 'track gang' that did the work, and I soon had my father and Mr. Crehan talking what to me was ancient history, and in the course of which recalling of old times came up the question of the naming of the settlements along the route. Mr. Crehan remarking that as the line progressed westward, stations being established at convenient distances apart where there were settlements, present or prospective.
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in case where such settlements had not so far seen fit to take upon them- selves suitable names, they were promptly given them, the same in most cases becoming permanent. Asked if he recalled anything in particular regarding the name of Spring Green, he replied that it was his recollec- tion that when the construction crew pushed their camp westward across the Wisconsin river from the Helena site and erected some small build- ings at or near the present site of Spring Green village, whether the name originated in the fertile mind of one of the railroad men or was heard by them from others, he was positive that it was then so called, and said he had sent back reports of the work to his superiors from there giving their location as Spring Green.
"As this was about August 3d or 5th, 1856, and just prior to the establishment of a postoffice there, it rather disproves the contention that the village was so called in honor of Garwood Green, who was your second postmaster-1856-1859-but does not detract from the idea that the early settlement was at one time termed Green Spring, the name being in poetic accord with the verdant surroundings, suggested in part by the wonderfully beautiful valley in its cloak of luxurious green in the vague 'somewhere' of which occurred a pure running spring, a series of babbling brooklets, the exact location of which, however, must be left to the sacred memories of those who bided here in the long, long ago. Be that as it may, the fact remains to us that the three able writers of history who spent much time securing items for their publication .in that vicinity in 1880 after diligent search and inquiry among the older resi- dents, gave up in despair the idea of ever being able to arrive at a satis- factory conclusion as to how and why, as also by whom, your interesting little city was originally so aptly named Spring Green."
DISTRICT SCHOOLS
The first school of District No. 2, in which Spring Green is situated, was taught in the old log schoolhouse on Section 7, even before the village was platted. The owners of the original town presented a lot to the town authorities for a district school a number of years before the village was incorporated. The building was erected and an addition made to it previous to that event, and thus the corporation found a schoolhouse already prepared for the reception of the young people of the village. By 1875 the academy, designed for those who were ambi- tious for a higher education than was afforded by the district school, had come and gone, and there was a growing demand for the establish- ment of a free high school. The majority of the villagers voted for it, but the town authorities failed, in some detail, to comply with the law, and the enterprise was temporarily shelved. It came up again in 1876 stronger than ever and the school authorities of District No. 2 then pushed the work along so vigorously that a good building, with high
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school accommodations, was completed in the fall of that year. Since that time the educational advantages of the village have been all that could be desired.
THE CATHOLICS (ST. JOHN CONGREGATION)
As to the religious privileges enjoyed by the people of Spring Green, the wants of the Catholics appear to have been first met. A number of Catholic families arrived in the spring of 1857, the heads of whom had been employed on railroad work. Murtah Brennan, section foreman, was one of these. Others, who came at that time with their wives and families, were John McKune, Thomas Norton, Henry Hammil, Michael Dean, Michael Hurley, George Reeley, Patrick King and Patrick Mc- Donald, and Mrs. Alice Fagan and Mrs. Ellen Canty, with their families. The first mass was said at Mr. Brennan's house in 1860 by Reverend Father Stroker, then resident priest at Mazomanie. Messrs. Albert Daley, Garwood Green and A. G. Darwin had donated a block for church and ยท school purposes, and the three congregations each took a quarter block, the first high school being erected on the fourth quarter. In the year 1866 a small frame church was erected by the Catholics, then in charge of Rev. D. V. MeGinnity, of Mazomanie. Father McGinnity left that place in 1867, and he was succeeded by Rev. Theodore Bean, who, for a number of years, had charge of the parishes in Richland County and the western half of Sauk. In the early '60s Rev. L. Spitzlberger of Honey Creek had charge of Plain and Spring Green. In 1875 a parson- age was built at Plain, and from that year until 1902 the church at Spring Green (incorporated as St. John Evangelist's Catholic Congre- gation) was attended by the priests residing at Plain, with the exception of a year or so when Rev. G. Sluyter came from Sauk City. In 1900 St. John Congregation erected the brick church now occupied at a cost of $8,200, a great part of the work having been donated by the people, and in 1902 its first resident pastor was sent, Rev. J. L. Schumacher. In 1907 Rev. Joseph Colling was assigned to St. John's Parish, and in January, 1909, the pastor now in service, Rev. J. B. Brudermanns. In the following year the large parsonage was erected. St. John's Congre- gation now numbers about 520 members.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The first class of Methodists to be organized at Spring Green was gathered by Rev. John J. Walker about 1861-fourteen members, all told. Their first meetings were held in the old schoolhouse. After about a year, Rev. J. C. Brainard came to the charge and served two years, a little frame parsonage being erected during his incumbency. In 1868 a rough board shanty which might seat a congregation of 100 was erected,
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and three years later a small frame house of worship was built-also on the quarter of Block 4 reserved by the original owners of the village site for religious and educational purposes. Like most Methodist churches of considerable age, the local organization has been in charge of numerous pastors, none of them serving more than two years. In succession, since Mr. Brainard, they have been Revs. R. Gould, A. G. Cooley, J. T. Pryor, W. R. Irish, Henry Walker, Robert Smith, J. T. Bryan, E. T. Briggs, George Haight, D. Clingman, P. K. Jones, I. N. Adrian, James Havens, F. M. Haight, A. D. Dexter, T. J. Ledbrouk, .J. T. Cowling, E. II. Mckenzie, D. M. Sinclair, A. A. Loomis, J. E. Webster, J. P. Greer, E. A. Smith, Ira LeBarron, T. M. McClung, Cecil
THE MAIN STREET OF SPRING GREEN
Clifford, J. V. Bennett, F. M. Bruce, George Willet, A. J. Davis, T. E. Foss, F. Applegate, H. A. Dettmers and Robert Powell.
THE CONGREGATIONALISTS
The Congregationalists of the young village founded a society, or church, February 15, 1859. The first members were Rev. D. L. Noyes, who served as pastor for over three years; B. U. Strong and wife, Dr. C. T. Hubbard, wife and two daughters, P. West and wife, M. B. West and W. C. Spaulding. Doctor Hubbard was elected deacon and P. West. secretary and treasurer. Among the early pastors of the church were. as successors of Mr. Noyes, Revs. Jonathan Jones, Cochran, Pullen and O. H. Smith. The present pastor is Rev. Isaac B. Tracy.
The Masons, the Odd Fellows, Foresters, Modern Woodmen and Beavers all have busy lodges at Spring Green.
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SPRING GREEN NEWSPAPERS
In December, 1877, J. F. Morrow, of Spring Green, established the Dollar Times, a weekly journal with Greenback tendeneies and patent outside. It was printed at Black Earth, Dane County, and dated and eireulated in Baraboo and Spring Green. Robert T. Warner was editor of the Baraboo edition, while Mr. Morrow conducted the Spring Green issue. It lasted about two years and a half and during a portion of that period was published under the name of the Inter-County Times.
The first newspaper printed at Spring Green was the Times, the initial number of which was issued by J. A. Smith, October 14, 1881. But hardly had the paper been introduced to the publie before it was rechristened as the Spring Green News. On the date of the first issue of the second volume it was enlarged. In 1882 P. W. Meehan became its proprietor and its name was then changed to the Home News, which it still bears. W. R. Purdy, who had commenced his printing and news- paper career on the Vernon County Censor, came into possession of the Weekly Home News November 15, 1889. Subsequently he received his son, H. C. Purdy, into partnership, and it is still published under the firm name of W. R. Purdy & Son.
THE BANKS
The State Bank of Spring Green was founded and chartered under the state banking laws in 1900. F. B. Hyland was president until 1916 when he died and his widow was elected and has been president ever since. Thomas W. King has been cashier practically from the time the bank was started and is still acting as cashier. Joseph Lins has been vice president from the organization of the bank. The capital is $25,000; surplus, $5,000; savings deposits at the present time, $400,000.
The Farmers State Bank was incorporated in 1913 and opened for business January 29, 1914. There has been no change in the manage- ment, which is as follows: E. S. Sherwood, president ; John C. Evans, vice president; H. L. Gray, cashier. The resources of the bank are about $150,000. Its capital is $15,000; surplus and undivided profits, $1,400; deposits, $135,000.
THE DAIRY BOARD OF TRADE
No one organization is more typical of the present material pros- perity of the village and adjacent country than the Spring Green Farmers Dairy Board of Trade. It was organized in March, 1916, and its officers are as follows: James O. Larsen, president; W. H. Hutter, vice president ; Benjamin Cole, secretary and treasurer; Joseph Frank. director. The board comprises sixteen members, each of whom repre- sents a cheese factory. There has been no change sinee it was organized, except that the first secretary and treasurer was Burton Peek.
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CHAPTER XIX NORTH FREEDOM, LAVALLE AND ABLEMAN
THE HACKETTS OF NORTH FREEDOM-VILLAGE OF BLOOM AND NORTH FREEDOM PLATTED-CORPORATION OF NORTH FREEDOM-BANK OF NORTH FREEDOM-CHURCHES OF THE VILLAGE-JOHN FALLAR POST No. 83, GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC-EARLY SETTLEMENT OF LAVALLE-PIONEER WOOD MANUFACTURERS-CAME TO TOWN OF EXCELSIOR-UPPER NARROWS, LOGICAL VILLAGE SITE-CALLED VIL- LAGE OF EXCELSIOR-ABLEMAN AS A QUARRY CENTER-PRESENT VIL- LAGE AS A WHOLE-MRS. ALEXANDER'S RECOLLECTIONS OF THE COLONEL.
About ten years after the first settlers came into the Town of Freedom and six years after it was given a eivil body, the first house was ereeted on what is now the site of North Freedom; those who are posted on the main history of that section of the county will gather that the village itself commeneed to be born in 1856, when John Hackett thus threw up his residence in the locality.
THE HACKETTS OF NORTH FREEDOM
From that time to the present the Hackett family has waxed strong in numbers and good influence and, from North Freedom as a nucleus, spread over the neighboring country and even into distant parts of the United States. But there has always been enough of them on the ground, and within calling distance, to make a ereditable reunion. For a num- ber of years members of various generations and branches of the family who reside in Sauk County and vicinity, or have claimed that region as their home, have been united into what is called the Hackett Association, the gatherings of which, under the general management of a secretary and historian, have been events of even more than family interest. As high as seventy or eighty relatives have been in attendance at one time.
VILLAGE OF BLOOM AND NORTH FREEDOM PLATTED
In 1867 Bloom & Kimball erected a sawmill on the present village site. It was soon afterward destroyed by fire. In May, 1871, when it
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became evident that the Chicago & North Western line was going to strike that locality, Mr. Bloom (G. W.) purchased twenty-seven acres in section 2, and in the following year it was surveyed and platted as the Village of Bloom. The depot was already located on his plat, John Ladd had opened a store there, a postoffice was established, and every- thing was favorable for the founding of a good town.
In 1873 W. C. T. Newell surveyed and platted the Village of North Freedom, also on section 2, and the two finally consolidated under the latter name. The residents of the two villages soon organized temper- ance societies (Independent Order of Good Templars) and North Free- dom has always stood firmly on the ground of sobriety and good order.
CORPORATION OF NORTH FREEDOM
In October, 1893, the Village of North Freedom was incorporated under order of the circuit judge and its first officers were: N. F. Wet- more, president of the board of trustees; Frank Hackett, D. C. Rice, E. A. Dwinnell, William Bonnell, William Randall and T. Hanger, trustees; supervisor, John Wiggins; clerk, Charles E. Butters; treasurer, J. 1. Elliott ; assessor, C. W. Fisk ; marshal, William Hackett; constable, D. C. Rice ; police justice, P. H. Gunnison.
Since the year of incorporation, the presidents and clerks of the village board have been as follows: Presidents-E. L. Powell, 1894-95; B. J. Cook, 1896-99; John Wiggins, 1900-01; John Barker, 1902; E. L. Powell, 1903; J. B. Doherty, 1904; George W. Hackett, 1905-08; S. P. Allis, 1909; D. W. Seeley, 1910-17. Clerks-Charles E. Butters, 1894; S. J. Hackett, 1895; D. W. Seeley, 1896-97; T. L. Knauss, 1898-99; John Gunnison, 1900-01 ; George W. Ilackett, 1902-03; John Gunnison, 1904- 06; J. II. Whitney, 1907-09; W. C. Hahn, 1910-17.
The village owns the electric lighting plant and water works which supply its residents with these conveniences and almost necessities of life. The system of water supply has been established since 1904, which indicates enterprise and forethought in a corporation which embraces only about 700 people within its limits.
BANK OF NORTH FREEDOM
The Bank of North Freedom was organized in July, 1903, its first officers being M. A. Warren, president, and William A. Warren, cashier. The substantial building still in use was erected by the management when the institution was opened for business. The original manage- ment continued for three years. Since 1906 R. B. Dickie has served as president and W. C. Hahn as cashier. The capital stock of the bank is $10,000, surplus and undivided profits $7,000, and average deposits $200,000.
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VIEW OF NORTH FREEDOM VILLAGE
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CHURCHES OF THE VILLAGE
The German Baptists, Methodists and German Lutherans have well established churches at North Freedom, in charge, respectively, of Rev. Christian Dippel, Rev. Thomas Foulkes and Rev. John Freund. The organization of the German Baptists was founded April 25, 1858, with a membership of fourteen, and its first trustees were L. Ristau, H. Egerer and H. Lange. The pastors of the church have been : Rev. J. G. Werth- ner, 1858-59, 1862-63; Rev. C. Manthey, 1867-75; G. F. Zeckser, 1875- 77; H. J. Mueller, 1878-83; William Kroesch, 1883-88; Rev. H. C. Griep, 1889-93; Rev. G. Engelmann, 1893-1900; Rev. J. Kaaz, 1901-05; Rev. W. S. Argow, 1905-12; Rev. Chr. Dippel, 1912 -. The structures which have been erected on the church property include the first little frame meeting house and the parsonage, both built in 1876; the brick house of worship now occupied, completed in 1903, and the parsonage of present use, erected in 1912. The membership of the German Baptist Church of today is 145.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of North Freedom was organized by Rev. S. O. Browne in the fall of 1873. Besides Mr. Browne, some of its carly pastors were Revs. Thomas Evan, W. E. Conway, G. B. Hasel- tine and Robert Smith.
JOHN FALLAR POST NO. 83, GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
The societies which have headquarters at North Freedom are neither numerous nor strong, although the Masons, Odd Fellows, Mystic Workers, Royal Neighbors and Grand Army of the Republic are all represented. As much interest is taken in the John Fallar Post No. 83, Grand Army of the Republic, as in any of the local organizations, although it is one of the weakest. It has dwindled from twenty-two charter members at the time of its organization, May 2, 1883, to nine members at present. Its first officers were: John Wiggins, commander ; J. B. Ashley, senior vice commander; John Rooney, junior vice com- mander; L. Smith, surgeon; F. Hackett, chaplain. John Wiggins, the first commander, was followed by J. B. Ashley, R. B. Carpenter, M. A. Burt, J. T. Lawton, D. C. Rice, J. Odell, E. A. Dwinnell, J. M. Blachly, S. Maxham, D. L. Odell, J. G. Patterson, J. Wiggins (second term), J. B. Ashley (second term), J. T. Lawton (second term), J. Odell (second term), J. M. Blachly (second term), J. G. Patterson (second term), A. J. Spahn, L. Smith, F. Hackett, J. Rooney, E. N. Trumble, Jolin Hall. J. G. Patterson (second term), and J. M. Blachly (third term).
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF LAVALLE
The early history of the town and the Village of Lavalle run along parallel lines-in fact, are substantially uniform. The first settlers in
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what is now the township were on the site of the present village, or very near it, and the nucleus of the settlement was formed only two years after the original pioneers located in the neighborhood. In the order of time the settlement which developed into the village preceded the organization of the Township of Lavalle by twelve years.
The first white man to locate in the town was Samuel Karstetter, who built a shanty on section 28 in 1847. In the following year came Manelious Pearson, an Englishman, who erected the first substantial house perhaps three-quarters of a mile to the southeast on seetion 34. He had moved from Columbia County, took up a quarter section of land and developed his homestead for many years thereafter. Shortly after le came several English families settled near him-the Harrisons, Jessups, the Thorntons and Tordoffs. Among the other early settlers should be mentioned George Harrison, who came in 1848; Jabez Inman, 1849; Ansel H. Brownell, 1850; John and Edmund Tordoff, 1851; A. D. Potter, 1853; W. S. Hubbell, 1854; and Jolin W. Dickens and John White, in the same year.
The territory now embraced in the Town of Lavalle was originally in the Town of Baraboo and subsequently in the Town of Marston. It beeame the Town of Lavalle in 1861, and the first meeting for the elee- tion of its officers was held in the Village of Lavalle April 1, 1862. J. G. Blakeslee was elected chairman; E. B. Hageman and J. H. Douglass, supervisors; C. F. Christnot, elerk; II. G. Howard, treasurer; H. A. Sturgess, assessor; David Neery, H. A. Sturgess and Calvin Gardner, justices.
The first school district was organized while the town was a portion of Marston in 1851. A schoolhouse was commenced the same year, located on the north side of seetion 33 near the Ironton and Lavalle Road. Owing to a lack of harmony among the people work was sus- pended on it for some time, but it was finally completed in February, 1853. As is generally the ease, religion eame to stay simultaneously with education, the first religious meetings being held at the house of Rev. Mr. Hamlin, a Free Will Baptist minister, in the summer of 1851.
PIONEER WOOD MANUFACTURERS
In 1849 J. F. Hamlin made a elaim of land upon which the village is now situated and commenced the improvement of the strong water power at this point on the Little Baraboo. With the financial and physical assistance of Solon Rushmore he built a dam and a sawmill, the entire enterprise being in working order by the spring of 1850. J. F. Sanford, of Baraboo, who had opened the first store in Reedsburg, manufactured the mill irons for the Lavalle plant and subsequently took over the property. He became a resident of Lavalle and still later established a gristmill there, the old sawmill coming into the hands of
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Stafford & Company of Reedsburg, who turned it into a stave-mill. The surrounding country was then heavily wooded with oak and bass- wood, and as long as the local supply lasted large quantities of the out- put were sent to Chicago, Milwaukee and other western cities. In 1874 the Northwestern Hoop-Pole Company of Chicago erected a steam mill at Lavalle which added somewhat to the reputation of the place as a wood manufacturing center. The North Western road had then been completed for four years, and the place was then at the height of its prosperity and growth. Since then Reedsburg and other even larger centers have drawn from its strength until now it is a quiet but pleasant rural town containing a bank, several modest stores, a hotel, a school and other evidences of typical American life found in a community of some 400 people.
The first district schoolhouse was built in 1859, a much larger one being completed in 1879. The postoffice was established in 1856. In that year the Methodists commenced to hold their meetings and the Adventists were also active at an early date. Both denominations held services at Sanford's Hall, Field's Hall and Odd Fellows Hall, until the Adventists built a church in 1878. The Odd Fellows were the first to organize a lodge at Lavalle, its charter dating from 1875.
CAME TO TOWN OF EXCELSIOR
Previous to the coming of Col. S. V. R. Ableman to the site of the village which bears his name, the settlers in what is now the Town of Excelsior did not generally consider themselves as fixtures. Don Carlos Barry selected a mineral elaim in section 7, on the western border of the present township, and worked it in a small way for a short time, or until he was convinced that the expected copper would not pan out. George Haney, a Massachusetts man, built a large frame hotel just east of the present Ableman railroad station before the Colonel came upon the ground, as did Jonathan Knowles, who settled on a farm about a mile and a half north of that locality. Mr. Knowles afterward moved into the village and became well known by its people.
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