History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 111

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298

USA > Wisconsin > Richland County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 111
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 111

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The following, are copies of the acts above referred to:

ACT OF FEBRUARY 18, 1842.

An Act to establish the county of Richland: Be it enacted by the Council and House of Rep- resentatives of the Territory of Wisconsin:

SECTION. 1 That all the district of [country] lying within the following described limits, viz: Commeneing at the Wisconsin river, where the line between the ranges of 2 and 3 east of the fourth principal meridian crosses said river, thence along said line to the northern bounda-

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

ry of town 12; thence west along said line, until it intersects with the western line of range 2 west, of the fourth principal meridian, thence south along said line to the main channel of the Wisconsin river; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the place of beginning, shall be and the same is hereby con- stituted a separate county by the name of Rich- land.

SEC. 2. The said countyof Richland is hereby attached, temporarily,to the county of Iowa for all county and judicial purposes; and the county commissioners of the county of Iowa are here- by required to cause the assessors in said coun- ty of Iowa to assess and include in their as- sessment roll all of the real and personal property of the inhabitants of said county of Richland, which may by law be assessed in the county of Crawford, and make return thereof as requir- ed by law, which property shall be subject to be taxed at the same rate which property in the county of Iowa is taxed, and collected in the manner provided by law.

SEC. 3. That Abner Nichols, James Murphy and John Ray, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to locate the county seat of said county, in which location they will have due re- gard to the present as well as the probable fu- ture population of said county; said location to be made at or near the center of said coun- ty, or on the Wisconsin river, as may seem most advantagious, and should the location be made on publie land, the said county commis- sioners of lowa county are hereby authorized to take such steps as may be neecesary to secure to the county of Richland the right of pre-emption, as provided by an act of Congress, approved May 26, 1824,entitled "An act granting to the coun- ties or parishes of each State and territory of the United States in which the public lands are sit- uated, the right of pre-emption to quarter sec- tions of lands for seats of justice within the same;" and they are hereby authorized to borrow the sum of $200, at a rate of interest not exceeding ten per cent. per annum, for a

period not exceeding five years, for the pur- chase of 160 acres of land under the provisions of said pre-emption law above refered to, and may mortgage said land for the payment of said money so borrowed.

SEC. 4. That should the said commissioners be unable to find a suitable tract of public land on which to locate said county seat, they are here- by authorized to make the location on individu- al property: Provided, the proprietor or propri- etors shall convey in fee simple, free of expen- ses, to the county commissioners of Iowa county in trust for said county of Richland, every fourth lot in any town in which may be laid out as the said seat of justice for the said county of Rich- land: Provided further, that the whole number of lots so ceded to said county shall not exceed thirty acres.

SEC. 5. This act shall take effect from and after its passage.

Approved, February 18, 1842.

ACT OF FEBRUARY 7, 1850.

An Act to organize the county of Richland. The People of the State of Wisconsin represen- ted in the Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows :

SECTION 1. That from and after the first day of May next, the county of Richland in this State, shall be organized for judicial purposes, and shall enjoy all the privileges and immuni- ties of the other counties of this State. It shall form a part of the fifth judicial eirenit, and the courts therein shall be held by the judge of said circuit.

SEC. 2. That all writs, processes, appeals, recogizances, or other proceedings, which shall be pending undetermined in the circuit court of Iowa county, on the said first day of May next, which originated in the courts of justice of the peace in said county of Richland, shall be re- moved back and determined in said county of Richland.

SEC. 3. That on the said first day of May. the clerk of the circuit court of the county of Iowa shall transmit all writs, process, appeals,

James 6 Miner

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

recognizances, or other proceedings originating as aforesaid, together with a transcript of the records in each case, to the clerk of the circuit court of Richland county.

SEC. 4. That for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act, the legal voters of Richland county may hold a special election on the first Tuesday of April next, in the respect- ive towns or precincts of said county, for the election of such county officers as are required by law to be elected at annual elections, whose term of service shall commence on the said first day of May next, and continue until said terms shall expire by law. There shall also be elected by the qualified electors of said county of Rich- land, at a special election to be held at the sev- eral towns or precincts of said couuty, on the first Tuesday of June next, a county jndge, who shall hold his office until the first day of Janu- ary, A. D. 1854, and until his successor is elected and qualified.

SEC. 5. That the said elections shall be cor - dueted in all respects, and the votes canvassed and returned in the same manner as is now pro- vided by law in relation to the election of cour - ty officers.

SEc. 6. That the judge of the said fifth ju- dieial circuit shall hold courts in the said coun- ty of Richland, semi-annually; one term on the last Tuesday of April, and the other on the sec- ond Tuesday of September in each year.

SEC. 7. That at the annual election of 1851, the voters qualified, as hereinafter provided, shall deposit with the inspectors of elections in the several towns or precinets in said county, a ballot, on which shall be printed or written, or partly printed and partly written, the name of the place voted for as the county seat of said county; and the place receiving a majority of all the votes cast at said election on that subject, shall be declared the county seat of said county: Provided, That if no place shall receive a ma- jority at said election, the question shall be sub- mitted in the same manner at each succeding

annual election, until some one place receive such majority.

SEC. 8. Whenever the county seat shall be es- tablished, as provided in the eighth section, the board of county supervisors of said county shall take such measures as they may deem proper to obtain funds to erect county buildings in said county.

SEC. 9. The sheriff of the county of Iowa is hereby required to give the legal notice of such election required to be held in said county of Richland, on the first Tuesday of April next, as the law directs.

SEC. 10. All records of Iowa county, relat- ing to persons or property in said Richland county, shall be free of access to, and be free of charge to the proper officers of Rieliland coun- ty, to transcribe.

SEC. 11. That every free white male inhabi- tant, who shall have resided in said county six months next preceeding any annual election, shall be deemed a qualified voter at such elec- tion, for the purpose of permanently locating the county seat of said county.

SEC. 12. That until the county seat of said county shall be located, as provided in the sev- enth section of this act, the courts for said eoun- ty shall be held, and all county business shall be transacted at Richmond in said county.

MOSES M. STRONG, Speaker of the Assembly. SAMUEL W. BEALL,

Lt. Governor and Pres't of the Senate. Approved, February 7, 1850.

NELSON DEWEY.

FIRST EVENTS.

The matter of the first marriage that was solemnized within the limits of the present county of Richland, has, in the absence of any records, occasioned much trouble to the com- piler of this history, but a careful and co - scientious research, and a thorough canvass of the memories of those of the carly pioneers. who still linger this side of the "bright and shining shore," develops the fact that the rite

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

that united W. G. Parker to Emily Mckinney, in the year, 1846 has the precedence in point of time above all others.

The subject of the first child born in the county, is also a mooted question, but the birth of Melinda Morgan, which occurred in Apri', 1843, is the earliest that can be found, and she is, therefore, entitled to the honor of being the first born of this precinct.

The first death that occurred within the same limits was a man by the name of David Petty, or Pettis; this occurred in the year 1844, at Rockbridge. It seems that Petty was the cook for the Swinehart-Akan party, then engaged in logging at that place, and who was taken sick, and took a dose of some medicine, perhaps his own prescription. This seemed to rather in- crease his disorder instead of alleviating it, and hegrew so much worse that it was absolutely nec- essary for him to have the advice of a physician. But here they were, twenty miles away from a settler, and how was the doctor to be procured. At last the great big heart of the frontierman could not stand it any longer to see his fellow- man suffer without trying to do something for him, so Samuel Swinehart started afoot to thread the vast forest that lay between them and the villages on the river. All day long and through the night he plunged on through marsh and mud, and on reaching the first physician, he took the back track with him. But the minis- trations of the doctor were of no avail, and the man died in great agony. Determined not to bury their quondam companion in the depths of the forest, these rough pioneers hewed out a canoe from a pine log, and Wiley Waters and another man, placing the body therein, launched themselves npon the bosom of the Pine river, which was to bear them to the settlements. Long'and weary must have been the ride with this corpse, as they floated down the sluggish current, and through the heavy timber that then cumbered its banks and shaded its waters. There is something wierd and ghastly in this idea of these two men drifting down the dark

stream, by the light of the sun or moon, with the dead body of their companion. They reached the Wisconsin river at last, and landing at Muscoda, procured a hand sled, and finished their deed of charity by dragging the body to Mineral Point, where his friends received and interred the corpse.

The first school that was taught in the county, we are led to believe, was in the year 1847, by a man from Pennsylvania, but whose name has entirely escaped the memory of our informants. This pioneer school was held in a room of the house of Peter Kinder, in Richwood town, and is believed to have been a subserip- tion one as no records are extant, showing the formation of a school district so early. How- ever, in 1849, a building was erected for the accommodation of a district school on the land now owned by Mr. Garner, on section 27, of the town of Richwood, and a little west of the vil- lage of Port Andrew, and during the years 1849 and 1850 Mary Melanthey, now Mrs. Joseph Elliott, presided over its destinies, as school mis- tress. This is no doubt the first district school in Richland county.

The first postoffice within the limits of the county was established at a place called Sand Prairie about one and a half miles west of the village of Port Andrew, on land now owned by H. J. Clark, lying in the town of Richwood. This was about 1845, and Johnson Young was the postmaster. John Kincannon had the first contract for carrying the mail thither, we be- lieve, from Mineral Point, and he brought it on his back, going and coming afoot, which seems to have been the usual method of travel in those days.

The business of saw-milling being a large one in the county, it would probably be of interest to say that the first structure of that description ever erected was built by Estes & Parrish, in the fall of 1841, and was located at or near the site of the mills now known as Rodolf's, on Mill or Eagle creek, in the town of Eagle.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

The first preaching of the Gospel that ever took place in the county, was, possibly, per- formed by a Methodist minister by the name of Wheeler, in 1848, at the then rising village of Richland City. This gentleman was, at the time, a reside t of Iowa county, and has often langhingly, made the remark, that " he brought Sunday over into this county, where it had never been before." Sometime during the same year, however, a Congregational minister located himself at the same place, and a more regular service was instituted. This gentle- man's name was Benton.

The first grist-mill was built at Sextonville, in the years 1851-2, by Jacob Kronskop. Prior to this time the settlers had oft-times to go fifty and seventy-five miles to mill with the little grain they had to grind.

John Mckinney, however, before the erection of the mill, had a small mill driven by horse power, in which he could grind a sort of corn meal. This might be called the first attempt at grinding in the county, but could hardly be termed a grist mill.

The first physician to locate within the county was Dr. Hartshorn, whose settlement at Law's or Gage's ferry, precedes any other in point of time.

The first blacksmith shop in the county was started by Hardin Moore, in the summer of 1841.

bellion when immigration received a new impetus, and the number of the population has steadily grown from then until the present day.

In those early days rude log cabins, scattered throughout the county, stood on little clearings, surrounded by the dense wilderness of trees that covered the whole land, as with a mantle; but in the years that have passed, these cabins have given way to fine, comfortable frame, and in many instances palatial brick residences. There are many yet living, whose eyes have be- held these wonderful transformations, but alas, many, very many of these early pioneers have never lived to realize or enjoy the full fruition of their days of toil and hardship. The roll of those whose feet have crossed he dark river is a long one. Still, in the days when they faced all the trials of a frontier life, and battled with stern nature, to keep the wolf from the Poor, these hardy pioneers enjoyed much pleas- ure in their rude way. In the language of one of these heroes of the outpost : "It is the mis- taken notion of modern aristocracy, that happi- ness dwells only with wealth and fine equipage. Some of us can point to our log cabins, at least in memory. as our independent homes, where true content and happiness brooded over the domestic circle, and sincere gratitude gave relish to the most homely fare."

Settlements were begun in all parts of the county by the beginning of 1850, and the popu- Contrast the Richland county of 1845-6 with the same as it is to-day. Then it was a dense, almost unbroken wilderness, an umbrageons desert with only here and there the scattered clearings of a few adventurous frontiersmen : and now it is largely cleared up, with good farms, fine farm houses and barns, commodious and numerous school houses and churches on every hand. In those days, the carly settlers were poor in purse and struggling against fear- ful odds and almost insurmountable obstacles, to hew for themselves and their posterity, homes out of the forests, and all nature seemed lation by that time was, according to the census returns, between 900 and 1,000; during the next decade the flood of emigration, for which that period has been noted all over the northwest, rapidly filled up the waste places of this county, until in 1860, the government census placed the number of inhabitants at 9,732. During the late Civil War, the emigration here, as every- where else, came to a stand still, and the large amount of enlistments from this locality, and the large death rate in Wisconsin regiments, in the field, kept down any remarkable increase in the population, until after the close of the ro- uucongenial and seemed to turn a frowning face

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

upon all their efforts. To-day, the inhabitants are prosperous and thrifty, and live in compara- tive ease and comfort. Then the "blazed" track through the woods was their only pathway or road, and the rivers and streams were crossed on the felled tree or by the still more primitive

fashion of swimming; now, broad highways intersect the county and good bridges span its streams, and comfort and luxury are seen on every hand. Then, seventy miles to mill was the rule, and now the iron horse brings the necessaries of life almost to the very door.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

CHAPTER IV.

COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

The county of Richland was organized on the first day of May, 1850, and the first entry upon the records of the board of supervisors in and for the county, is in regard thereto, and is as follows:

" In pursuance of an act of the State of Wis- consin, represented in Senate and Assembly, "To organize the county of Richland,' approved Feb. 7, 1850, an especial meeting of the board of supervisors, in and for said county, was held at the house of Alex. Smith, in the town of Richmond, in the county and State aforesaid, on the first day of May, A. D., 1850. Said first day of May being the day designated in said act, that from and after which, the county of Richland should be organized for judicial pur- poses, and should enjoy all the privileges and immunities of the other counties of the State."

At the time of this organization, the county was divided into three towns, and the first board of supervisors who were empowered to handle the reins of the infant government were John H. Price, of Buena Vista; E. HI. Dyre, of Richmond, and Adam Byrd, of Richwood. Of this board, the first named was chosen presi- den', and John Rutan, clerk.

As the county had no court house, nor place wherein to transact even a moderate amount of business, that then occupied the attention of its officers, the board, at its session held May 2, the same year, ordered that "Marvin White be allowed the sum of $90 for the use of a house in Richmond, for one year, for the purpose of the county officials:" the same to be considered

as the county court house until more definite arrangements could be made.

At the June session, 1850, a petition was pre- sented, praying for the organization of a new town, to comprise the congressional townships 11 and 12 north, range I east. This petition was signed by Orin Haseltine and others. The board, in granting the prayer, designated the towns as above as an election precinct, and or- dered that it be organized under the name of Rockbridge, and that the first election should be held at the house of Ira S. Haseltine, then a resident of the village of that name.

The first county road mentioned upon the records seems to have been one from Richland City to Pine river, and was made in accordance with a petition, signed by Ira S. Haseltine and others. The board appointed Orin Haseltine, N. P. Engels and John H. Price as the com- missioners to locate the same. This was at the same June session, in the year 1850.

It would seem that from a lack of funds in the treasury, or some other canse, the county officers, in June, or nearly a month after their installment into oflice, were without any books, papers or stationery; and they therefore in- structed Marvin White, the then register of deeds, to act as a special agent to purchase the necessary books and stationery, including the seals; one for the circuit, one for the county court, and one for the clerk of the board of supervisors; together with ink, inkstands and sand boxes, wafers and stamps; to be paid for out of the first moneys in the treasury of the

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

county, for the contingent expenses of the said county.

Nov. 20, 1850, the new board of supervisors took possession of the helm of government, and the first act of their administration was to authorize James Laws to establish and keep a ferry at Briggstown, on the Wisconsin river; and at the same time established the following, as the rate to be charged for ferriage: Two horses and wagon, fifty cents; one horse and wagon, twenty-five eents; one horse and car- riage, thirty-five cents; one horse and man, twenty-five cents; cattle, per head, ten cents; each foot passenger, ten cents; hogs and sheep, per head, three cents. The license granted Mr. Laws was granted for the term of three years, the first year to be free of any charge.

The weather growing chilly, and the board not wishing to retard the growing greatness of the juvenile connty by freezing out its officers, instruet John J Mathews, the sheriff, to make the purchase of a stove and pipe.

As an instance of the trouble of traveling in these early days, it is recorded that, it being necessary for the county to send a man to Mil- waukee on business, the time occupied by him on the journey there and back was twelve days, the mode of traveling being by horseback.

The salaries of these early days seem to have been so small that it is a wonder that men should seek political preferment. As an in- stance of it, it is noted in the minutes of this session of the board, that the board allowed to J. W. Coffinberry, county judge, the munificent salary of $10 a year. They also authorize him to procure the necessary record books for his office at the proper expense of the county. The same board made an allowance of $50 per year for the salary of the prosecuting attorney. The ferry from Richmond to Muscoda was also licensed, and the rates of ferriage established, by the same board. Mathews & Smith being the proprietors. It was during the same session that the board of supervisors appointed J. W. Coffinberry a com-

missioner for said county, to supervise the preparation of the application and proof of claimant for bounty lands granted to the sol- diers and their heirs. James II. Wallace was also granted the right to establish a ferry at Riehland City, across the Wisconsin river, on the same terms and at the same rates of ferriage granted the other parties.

Nov. 19, 1850, the board ordered that a tax of two and one-half mills on the dollar be levied in the county for school purposes ; this was the first levy for such fund in the county. and de- serves special notice as an instance of the early attention paid by the former generation to the educational status of our county. The entire levy of tax for all funds was seventeen and one- half mi Is on the dollar.

The first bridge built by the county of which any record exists seems to have been built by James Laws across Merriman's creek, and cost the whole of $17, and was finished and the bill ordered paid, Nov. 20, 1850.

At the May session of the board of supervi- sors, it being found that the quarters occupied by the county officers were too contracted, two rooms were rented of R. Barnes, in the town of Richmond, for their accommodation, at a rental of 85 per month.

At the fall session it was ordered that the sale of delinquent taxes be proceeded with ; this is recorded as the first in the county of Richland.

On a petition, signed by R. McMachan and others, being presented to the board at this ses- sion, the order was made that all of town 10 north, range 1 east, except sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, of said town, be attached to the town of Roekbridge, as a part and I areel of the same.

The value of property in the county, as ro- turned by the assessors, for the year 1851, was as follows :

Buena Vista

$44,023 00

Richmond. .. 45,111 00

Richwood. 14.801 00

Rockbridge 3,500 00

Total.

$107.435 00

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Of course this was much below the actual yalue, but some idea can be gained by these figures of the amount possessed by the early settlers in the way of worldly wealth. The tax levy for this year is given as fourteen mills for county purposes, three 'mills for State pur- poses, two and a half mills for school fund or nineteen and a half mills on the dollar for all funds.

COUNTY SEAT.

The question of making a permanent location of the county seat having now come to the front, the board of supervisors, at their.meeting held July 26, 1852, had entered upon their min- utes that "It is unanimously decided by this board, that Richland Centre is the pro; er place for transacting the business of the county." This seems to be the opening of the discussion, for we find that the same day the following reso- lution was spread upon the minutes : " Resolved, That the board accept of twenty village lots, and also a certain building, to be used for county purposes, of Ira S. Haseltine, in the vil- lage of Richland Centre, in accordance with a bond, dated Oct. 24, 1851, held by the county of Richland against said Haseltine. And it is also ordered that all the county business of Richland county be hereafter transacted in the said village of Richland Centre, and the officers thereof shall forthwith repair thither for that purpose "

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 111

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1298

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298