History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 140

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 140
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 140

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 ridges in the northern part of the town were originally heavily timbered; the principal varieties were white and black oak. West of Pine river there was a heavy growth of timber consisting principally of elm, basswood, oak, black walnut, butternut and ash. The valley of Bear ereek was also covered with timber of the varieties mentioned, but the growth was not as heavy as that west of Pine river.

Two lines of railway pass through this town, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad and the branch to Richland Center.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first settlement within the limits now comprising the town of Buena Vista, was made in the fall of 1845 by Robert and William MeCloud. They emigrated to Wisconsin from Hardin Co., Ohio, in 1844, and stopped with their families in the village of Muscoda. In

the fall of '1845 Robert McCloud located a farm on the east bank of Bear creek, the north- east quarter of section 35, now owned by Rev. S. B. Loomis. He began improvements at once. At the same time his brother, William McCloud, located a farm about one half mile further south. In the spring of 1846 they removed their families to the new homes, from Muscoda.

In the fall of 1846 Israel Janney and his brother Phineas came to this town. Israel lo- cated on the west half of the northwest quarter of section 34 on land which is now owned by R. L Moore, James Moore and Leonard Button. Phineas Janney located on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 28, town 9, range 2 east, land now owned by D. B. Young.

The following, from the pen of Israel Janney, graphieally describes their settlement :

"In the fall of 1846 my brother Phineas and myself, with our families, left Logan Co., Ohio, for Wisconsin, and on the 27th day of Septem- ber we crossed the Wisconsin river with our families in an Indian canoe, about one mile above the mouth of Bear creek, at a point since known as Hurst's ferry. Before crossing the river, we found it necessary to send our teams back by the way of Highland and Dodge- ville to IIelena. At this point there had been a shot tower erected, and the company operat- ing this tower owned a flat boat for their own convenience, and they were engaged to ferry our teams across the river. We were landed on the north bank of the river near where Spring Green is now located, and traveled across the prairie to Bear creek. I mention these facts to show the inconvenience of traveling in the early settlement of the county."

In the spring of 1847 William Janney, a brother of Israel, located on section 34, where J. W. Briggs now lives. The next settler in the town of Buena Vista was Amos Mercer, who also came in the spring of 1847. He was from south- ern Illinois. He settled on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 28, town 9, range 2 east, on the farm now owned by A Harter. Mr. Mercer is a prosperous farmer of Sauk county.

In the summer and fall of 1848 there were a number of locations made in this town. Delos Matteson, J. W. Briggs, Samuel Long, Jona- than Ingrum, E. B. Beason, Jonah Seaman, (Mr. Seaman came with the McClouds in 1845, but returned to Illinois, and came back again in 1848.) I. H. Wallace (proprietor of Rich- land city), C. W. Morris, George Reed, Na- thaniel Wheeler, who bought out Phineas Jan- ney ; J. W. Coffinberry, who settled on section 80, but soon after removed to Richland City. William and Cyrus Kline settled on the north- west quarter of section 23, and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 22, town 9, range 2 east, on what is now known as the Eaton farm. John P. Smith settled this year on section 22, on the farm now owned by Charles Daley. Emanuel Wallace, a brother of John Wallace, of Lone Rock, also came in 1848 and settled on section 14, on the farm now owned by Susan Halsey. B. J. Hopkins located on sections 24 and 13, on land now owned by A. Davis and Levi Runyan. Moses Brown and Sterling MeKinney located this year on section 36, on land now owned by L. V. Loomis and Edmond Meade. Brown is in Chippewa county, this State ; McKinney is dead. Other early settlers, George L. Dyke, Stroud, Luther Evans, Ilolland Allen, Elias Thomas, George Woodard, Edmond Meade, on section 25, where he now lives, John Daley. A man uamed Per- rine located on section 12, town 8, range 2 cast, in 1851. He sold to the railroad company the plat of Lone Rock village. He had several grown sons, one of whom was Dr. Perrine. A singular fatality attended this family, five of

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

whom died soon after coming here. The family removed to Minnesota.

HISTORICAL EVENTS.

The first marriage in this town was that of Edwin Erwin and Elizabeth McCloud, the lat- ter a daughter of Robert MeCloud. The cere- mony was performed in 1850 by Rev. Nathaniel Wheeler. The couple now reside in Texas.

The first death in the town was that of Philip H. Miller, which occurred Nov. 19, 1846. He was twenty-seven years of age, a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (MeCloud) Miller. He died of fever induced by exposure in hunting. The remains were buried on what is now the farm of Hon. L. G. Thomas, but were afterward removed to the cemetery at Sextonville.

The second death in the town was that of Mrs. Sarah J. (Miller) Janney, a sister of Philip Miller, which occurred March 2t, 1847. She was the wife of Phineas Janney.

Another early death was that of Adelbert II. Briggs, son of .I. W. and Melissa Briggs, which took place March 7, 1849. The child was three and a half years old.

The first school in Buena Vista was taught by Mrs. Emily Matteson, wife of Delos Matte- son, in the summer of 1850. The school was kept at the residence of Mr Matteson.

The first school house in the town was a log building erected on the northeast quarter of section 32, in 1849. Margaret Ingram was the first teacher here.

The first sermon was preached by Ekler Na- thaniel Wheeler, in the fall of 1848, at his resi- dence.

POSTOFFICES.

There are four postoffices in the town of Buena Vista. The first established was at Richland City and a history of it will be found elsewhere. The history of the Lone Rock post- office is also given in its proper place.

The second postoffice in the town was ostab- lished in 1854, with Moses Brown as postmaster and the office at his house on seetion 36. It was on the mail route from Sauk City to Prairie

du Chien. This office was discontinued at about the time the postoffice at Lone Rock was estab)- lished.

Dixon postoffice was established in June, 1880, with Mrs. Helen Eaton as postmistress. The office is located on section 22. It was named in honor of William Dixon.

Gotham postoffice is located at Richland City station. It was so named in honor of Capt. M. WV. Gotham, who has been postmaster since the establishment of the office in July, 1882.

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.

The town of Buena Vista is well supplied with schools, and educational facilities here are equal to any of the towns in Richland conn- ty. There are five districts and two joint dis- triets. The total number of children of school age in the town is 340; of which the average attendance is 272.

District No. 1 includes Richland City. It has fifty-eight children of school age. The building is a frame one in good condition.

Distriet No. 2 is usually called "Young's dis- triet," and has thirty-four pupils. The build- ing is a frame structure located on the south- east quarter of section 29, which was built many years ago. In early days this was known as the "Friendship school house."

District No. 3 includes the village of Lone Rock.

District No. 5 has a building located on the northeast quarter of section 19, and has a school population of thirty-seven. The building is an old frame edifice, which was erected a number of years ago.

No. 6 is a joint district; including territory in the town of Orion. The school house is a neat frame building located on section 28. That part of the district in Buena Vista has a school population of twenty-eight.

District No. 8 has twenty-five pupils. The school house is a small red frame building located on section 23.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Distriet No. 10 has a neat frame building located on section 35. The number of pupils in the district is thirty-four.

No. 1 joint embraces but little territory in Buena Vista, only four pupils belonging to this town. The school house is located in the town of Ithaca.

CEMETERIES.

There are two public burial places now in use in the town of Buena Vista. One is located on the northwest quarter of section 34. This cem etery was laid out in the fall of 1853. The first burial was that of Lucius Tracy, who died April 6, 1854. There are others buried here who died in the town at an earlier date and were re- moved here from other burial places. Among the latter is Eliza, wife of John Seaman, who died Oct. 15, 1853. She was accidentally shot by William McCloud. The other public burial place is known as Lone Rock Cemetery, and is situated on the northwest quarter of section 12.

The first burial place in this town was on the farm of Robert McCloud, and the first burial was that of Philip H. Miller. This was used as a public burial place for some years, but most of the bodies have been removed to the two cemeteries mentioned. Another early place for the burial of the dead was at Rich- land City; but burials at this place have also been discontinued. Another place of burial was on the farm of Abijah Davis on the north- west quarter of section 3. L. G. Thomas has also a family burial place on his farm.

THE NAME OF THE TOWN.

The town of Buena Vista was so named at the suggestion of Mrs. J. W. Briggs. The name, Buena, had been suggested, it is said, by a returned Mexican soldier, who had probably become somewhat familiar with Spanish names during his army experience in Mexico. Mrs. Briggs suggested that the name would be in- complete simply as Buena, and thought that Vista should be added. Her suggestion was followed, hence the present name of the town.

BEAR CREEK VALLEY.

The eastern part of the town of Buena Vista includes Bear Creek valley, which is one of the finest sections of country to be found in the State of Wisconsin. From the point where Bear creek enters the town to its place of exit into the Wisconsin river, includes a distance of about six miles. The average width of the valley is about one mile. In the early history of the town wheat and other cereals were grown in great abundance; but for a number of years this valley has been devoted extensively to grazing and dairying.

There are two cheese factories in this valley, within the limits of the town of Buena Vista, which do an extensive business. L. G. Thomas is the pioneer in the cheese making business in the State of Wisconsin. He began in 1865, and for many years did an extensive business.

In 1867 George Carswell and his brothers, John HI. and Nathaniel, began the manufacture of cheese, using that year the milk of about 100 cows. They ran a private dairy till 1873. The business was conducted for a number of years by George J. Carswell & Son, J. A. Carswell being associated with his father in the business. That is still the style of the firm, Fred E. Cars- well being the junior member. The present factory was erected in 1832. This is one of the most complete factories to be found in the State. The size of the building is 24x45 feet; its full capacity of cheese is 1,500 pounds per day. It is furnished with all the modern in- provements, and its facilities for rapid and ex- cellent work is not excelled. During the year 1883 this factory manufactured into cheese the milk from 400 cows. The following is a state- ment of its product for three consecutive years :

1881-Cheese, 100,000 pounds, value $10,500; butter, 3,000 pounds, value $900; total, $11,400. 1882-Cheese, 120,000 pounds, value $12, 00; butter, 4,000 pounds, value $1,200; total, $14,000. 1883-Cheese, 160,000 pounds, value $17,000; butter, 5,000 pounds, value $1,500; total, § 18,500.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

The Eaton cheese factory was erected, in 1871, by HI. L. Eaton. During the first year the factory used the milk of abont 200 cows. The establishment now has a capacity of manu- facturing 700 pounds per day. An unlimited amount of cold spring water runs through the factory from a spring a few rods distant. In the spring of 1878 the factory was purchased by J. M. Thomas. During the years 1882 and 1883 the milk from about 500 cows was regu- larly consumed. At present the greatest num- ber of cows furnished by any one patron is sixty. They are kept on the factory farm. There are nine patrons who furnish from twen- ty-five to forty cows each. These are Messrs. Brace, Fredrickson, Van Arnan, Burnham, Ellsworth, Winterburn, Greenback, Wade and Thomas. Five patrons furnish from fifteen to twenty-five cows cach-Runyan, Webley, Brain- ard, Dixon and Sonthard.

TOWN ORGANIZATION.

During the winter of 1848-49, the town of Buena Vista was organized by an act of the Legislature, and on the first Tuesday in April, 1849, the electors of the town met at the house of I. H. Wallace in Richland City, and organ- ized by choosing J. W. Coffinberry moderator and C. W. Morris, clerk. The polls were opened and twenty votes were cast. The following officers were elected : Supervisors, J. W. Cof- finberry, chairman, Israel Janney and Jonathan Ingram; clerk, C. W. Morris; as-essor, Phineas Janney ; treasurer, Samuel Long; justices of the Peace, N. Wheeler, J. W. Coffinberry, O. L. Britton and J. W. Briggs ; inspector of Schools, E. B. Beason. The returns were ta- ken to Mineral Point, Iowa county.

The town officers of Buena Vista in 1883 were as follows : Supervisors, J. Q. Black, chairman, William Krelmer and J. W. South- ard ; clerk, R. R. Eldred ; treasurer, William Furguson ; assessor, C. E. Braee ; justices of the Peace, J. W. Fuller, L. D. Goodrich and W. E. Lewis ; constable, A. S. Lce.

RICHLAND CITY.

The village of Richland City-once of con- siderable importance-is located on the south- cast quarter of section 31, town 9, range 2 cast. The original proprietors of the village płat were Isaac Wallace and Garwood Greene, who laid out the village in 1849. In 1851 A. C. Daley became an equal partner with Wallace and Greene in an addition that was made that year. This addition was laid out on the north side of the original plat, and was known as Wallace, Greene and Daley's addition to Rich- land City.

Wallace made the original claim as govern- ment land, and had errected a log house on the plat. Garwood Greene erected a house in the fall of 1849, which was purchased and occupied by Henry Clayman in the spring of 1850. Mr. Clayman used this as a dwelling house and a shoe shop, he being the first shoemaker in the village. Ezekiel McIntyre was the first mer- chant. D. Osborne was the second. The latter coming here with a very small stock of goods. He was quite successful and built up an exten- sive trade. lle is now in Tennessee. Mr. Mc- Intyre kept the first store in the log house that Wallace had built, previous to the laying out of the village. Ile began in the fall of 1849. In 1852 he built the store building now occupied by D. P. Nichols as a store and postoffice.

Peter Haskins was the first blacksmith in the village.

The first physician was Dr. Ilartshorn. Other physicians were C. B. Pierson and L. H. Nichols.

Samuel Tyler was the first wagon maker. He has long since died. Other carly mechanics were Chester Goodwin, cabinet maker; John Hooper, blacksmith; Christian Spidel, now of Riebland Center, was the first jeweler; Capt. Henry Dillon and John Wyker were the first tailors.

The school house in the village was erected in 1353.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

In 1853 an academy was established at Rich- land City, Professor Silsby being the proprie- tor of the enterprise. The people assisted materially in the erection of a substantial build- ing and were to receive their recompense in tuition. This school was in operation for about four years. The building has since been moved to Spring Green where it is now used for school purposes.

The postoffice at Richland City was the first in the town; it was established in 1854. Post- masters have been as follows: John Rutan, Dr. Pearson, Dr. Hadder, Mrs. Bangham, W. F. Lewis, Henry Eddy, T. E. Lewis and the pres- ent incumbent, D. P. Nichols.

The first hotel was kept in a log building, by Bangham & Co. This house was burned in 1855. Jacob Hanxhaurst built a hotel on the site of the log hotel burned. This building was erected in 1856, and was called the Valley House. It was afterward removed to Lone Rock where it is now known as the Haskell House. J. W. Coffiniberry also erected a hotel here about 1855. This was afterward used as a boarding house for the academy. It is now used as a farm house near Spring Green. , An- other hotel was erected at about the same time by Joshua Simpson, which is also a dwelling house at Spring Green.

The first mill was a steam saw-mill erected in 1855 by Ephraim Brown. William Ketchum soon afterward bought one-half interest. They ran the mill for a number of years. It was af- terward conducted by other parties but its use was discontinned in 1870. The pine timber which was used was rafted down the river from the pineries above, and an extensive busi- ness was done. This mill supplied the sur- rounding country, for a radius of many miles, with lath and lumber. The mill also was used to manufacture into lumber the oak and other timbers in the vicinity. A steam grist and flouring mill was erected in 1854 by Henry Rowell. This mill contained four run of stone and did an extensive business for a number of

years. Rowell owned the mill for about a year, when it went into the hands of other parties. This mill proved to be of too great. magnitude to be profitable in this location, and was finally removed to Milwaukee.

Richland City was for a number of years an important point. Until the completion of the Prairie du Chien branch of the C., M. & St. P. Railroad, in 1856, steam-boats plied the Wis- consin river as far np as Portage, and Richland City was the most important landing on the route. But the completion of the railroad put an end to the traffic on the river, and from that time business in the village rapidly diminished.

Among the men who were engaged in busi- ness here, from 1849 to 1856, the following may be mentioned: G. Greene, land dealer and mer- chant; William Ketchum, milling and merchan- dising; Daniel Osborne, general merchant; J. C. Clark, general merchant; George Rowell, mer- chandising and milling; William F. Lewis, Horace Thompson, Thomas Lewis, William Carl and others. Some of the above, however, were engaged in business later than 1856. At present, the business of the village is repre- sented by D. P. Nichols, merchant and post- master, and H. M. Boek, wholesale liquor dealer.

LONE ROCK.

The village of Lone Rock had its origin in the advent of the Prairie du Chien branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, and the decision of the railroad company to es- tablish a station at this point. The railroad was completed to this place in October, 1856. The name of Lone Rock was given to the sta- tion because of the remarkable pile' or mound of sandstone rock located just south of the eastern part of village, on section 13. It is not known positively by whom the name was first applied to this mound of Rock, but it was probably first so called by the early raftsmen on the Wisconsin river, who, impressed by the singularity of the lonely rock on the prairie, gave it the name to designate a point on the stream down which they floatel, the rock being

John H Carswell

Mary r. Carswell.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

but a short distance from the left bank of the Wisconsin river.

In the fall of 1856 what is known as Lone Rock City was laid out by Ray, Dean, Burrell and Cook. This plat comprised the southeast quarter of section 12, town 8, range 2 east. At about the same time, what is known as Lone Rock village, consisting of eighty acres adjoin- ing Loue Rock City on the north, was laid out by Dr. J. N. Cassell. Two other additions were made at about the same time-one of forty acres by A. C. Daley, on the west of Lone Rock City; the other by Daniel B. Allen, of forty aeres joining Lone Rock village on the east. The latter is in Sauk county. At the time Lone Rock was laid out there was but one building upon the plat. This was a log house in what beenme Lone Rock village, occupied later by Mr. Calder, the first blacksmith. A number of buildings were erected in the fall of 1856.

J. O. Phelps, the first merchant of Lone Rock, erected a store building on the corner of Rich- land and Oak streets. This building, though remodeled, is now owned and occupied by J. C. Bancroft as a general store. Mr Phelps is re- garded as the first merchant of Lone Rock, al- though Joseph Wade kept a few groceries for sale before Mr. Phelps had completed his build- ing. J. O. Phelps was a native of Seneca Falls, N. Y. Before locating here he had been to California, where he had acquired some means. He kept a good general store, was an active, wide-awake business man, and generally liked, although somewhat eccentric Ile removed from here to Sauk county, and died at Spring Green a few years ago.

During the same fall, 1856, Lorenzo Boroughs kept a store for A. C. Daley, in Daley's ad- dition.

Samuel F. Honn was another merchant who started in 1856. He died at Boscobel a number of years ago.

Several new buildings were ereeted during that fall, and a number were moved from Hurst's Ferry.

Henry Paddleford opened the first hotel, in a building which he brought from the ferry. This was called the Union House. It was kept successively by Mr. Paddleford, J. W. Brooks and S. F. Honn. The building is now occupied as a dwelling house. Mr. Paddleford is now in Texas. In the early history of the village, ho- tels were also kept by Joseph Wade and Garrett Cruson; the latter kept what was known as the City Inn.

M. Waters built one of the early hotels here. He purchased a building erected by Flanders for a lumber office, to which he made an addi- tion, and opened it to the public as the Ameri- can House. He ran it for some time, and then sold it to Mr. Mullen and O. Malley, who ran the hotel for several years.

The present hotels are the Haskell House, the Commercial House and the Sherman House. The Haskell House was brought here from Richland City, in 1865. It was known at that place as the Valley House. It was built at Richland City in the early history of that vil- lage, by a man named Hauxhaurst. It was pur- chased, taken to pieces, brought here and re- erected by Eaton and Craig, and called by them the Sheridan House. It was run by Platt & Patnam, for some time and then by 11. Brain- ard. It was also condneted at different times by Messrs. Page, Bell, Corbin, McDonald and Dyke. It was finally purchased by the Tows- ley Brothers, and by them run as the Towsley House II. W. Haskell rented the hotel for a time, then purchased it and gave his name 10 the hotel, by which it is at present known. The present landlord of the Haskell House is A. B. Ilill, late of the Commercial House.

The building used as the Commercial House was built at Point Boss. It was bought a few years since and removed to its present location. It was first used as a hotel by A. B. Ilill, now of the Haskell House. It is still owned by A. M. Woodbury, who purchased and brought it to the village.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

The Sherman House was built in the fall of 1856. The building is now owned and kept as a hotel by Mrs. Dudgeon.

The first school in the village was taught by Ellen M. Wesley, in the upper part of the building erected by Dr. J. N. Cassell, for a drug store. The school began in the fall of 1856 and continued for five months. Miss Wes- ley is now the wife of J. W. Fuller, of Lone Rock.

Garrett Cruson was the first carpenter. A number of others came at about the same time. Mr. Cruson now lives at what was Hurst's Ferry.

The first physician in the village was Dr. J. N. Cassell, who came in 1856. He remained here a number of years, when he removed to Chicago, where he died. His remains were brought here for burial. The second physician was Dr. R. L. Telfair, who is still a resident. Other physicians who have practiced here in the past are: Dr. Mckinnon, Dr. Dodge, Dr. Stoddard, Dr. Pinkerton Dr. Charles E. Hongh- man and others.

The first drug store was kept by Dr. J. N. Cassell Dr. R. L. Telfair opened the second drug store in 1857, and has been in the business most of the time since.

In 1857 Dr. R. L. Telfair erected the first warehouse in the village. At about the same time Charles Putnam, from Boston, erected a warehouse and commenced dealing in grain. Ile was in trade for several years, and then re- moved to Chicago.

The first jeweler was H. A. Harrison. The present one is Lorenzo Borroughs.

But few of the business men of Lone Rock, who started with the growth of the town in 1856-7, are still in trade. The following are the names of men and firms who have been in busi- ness here, but now removed or retired: Phelps Bros., Platt Bros., S. F. Honn, Daniel Osborn, Saul Hirstine, William Shafer, J. L. R. McCol- Ium, John Litle, J. M. McDonald, W. G. James, David Dudgeon, who died here, and others.

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 140

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