History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 142

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 142
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 142

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).

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

1839. Including his farm in Sauk county, Mr. Thomas has about 390 acres of land.

William F. Lewis has been a resident of Richland City since 1856. He was born in Rush Co., Ind,. in 1824. His father, A. T. Lewis, removed to .Vigo county in that State in 1828, where our subject enlisted June 12, 1847, in the 4th regiment, Indiana Volunteers, and served through the Mexican war; was dis- charged from the service in Angust, 1848. Mr. Lewis was married in 1850 to Miss E. B, Dufre and they came to Richland county, as before stated, in 1856. Ilis wife died Aug. 31, 1881. Hle has two children-Mary E. and Frank E. His oldest son, John A., died in Brookings, Da- kota, Sept. 9, 1881. Mr. Lewis has ever been highly esteemed as an upright citizen and a Christian gentleman. He has long been prom- inently identified with the M. E. Church of Richland City. After his removal to Richland county, he was elected a justice of the peace, and has served continuonsly for twenty-two years, and in 1884 was still in office.

Joseph H. Rhodes resides on section 17, where he settled in 1856, purchasing his farm of Israel Janney. Ile was born in the State of Virginia, where he lived until nine years old, then moved with his parents to Bellefontaine, Ohio. Mr. Rhodes owns 120 acres of land, upon which he has made a large part of the improvements. He was married in Ohio, to Sarah Jane Case- bolt. They have six children, -Laura A., wife of J. N. Moore; "Mary, wife of E. B. Taylor, of Topeka, Kan .; Isadora, wife of R. J Miller, of Lincoln, Neb .; William G. at Topeka, Kan .; Earl E. and Bertha A. These children were all born in Buena Vista, except Isadora, who was born in Baraboo, where Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes were residing temporarily.

J. C. Bancroft, general merchant at Lone Rock, is a settler of 1857, coming here in Janu- ary of that year. He was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., Oct. 5, 1829. When fifteen years old he removed with his parents to the town of Willet, Cortland county. When a young man he

learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, which business he followed for a number of years. Ile erected a number of the early buildings of Lone Rock including the present residence of A. II. Tyler, also rebuilt the store of G. W. Platt which was afterwards occupied by Platt brothers, merchants, who were in business at this place a number of years. They were formerly from Scranton, Vt., and are now in Iowa. Mr. Bancroft has been twice married; his first wife was a native of Marathon, Cort- land Co., N. Y., and died in the village of Mar- athon, Cortland Co., N. Y. His present wife was Delia A. Reynolds, a daughter of F. C. Reynolds, who came to Wisconsin in 1846. They have one daughter, Grace Elvira, born in August, 1866. Mr. Baneroft has had consid- erable experience in the mercantile business, having engaged in that trade in 1862. For a number of years he was traveling salesman for Warren Hewett & Co., wholesale grocers of Milwaukee.

Jacob Bennett resides on seetion 33, town 9, range 2 east. Ile has been a resident of Buena Vista since March 13, 1857. lle was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, Nov. 29, 1836, and came to the United States with his father, John Bennett, in July, 1851. The family settled in Washington Co .; Penn. In 1854 Mr. Ben- nett went to Ohio, and came to Richland coun- ty in 1857, as stated. His farm contains 110 acres. Ilis father came here from Pennsyl- vania in 1858, and died in 1868. His mother died in Scotland. Mr. Bennett married Merey Ann Moore, a daughter of James Moore. She was born in Dane Co., Wis., in 1846. They have six children-Albert Ilenry, John N., Hettie Ann, Jane E., Lillie May and George F.

R. S. Eldred has been a resident of this coun- ty since 1853. He is a native of Madison Co., N. Y., where he was born in 1819. He came to Richland county from Ohio, where he went with his parents when a boy. His first resi- dence here was in what is now the town of Ithaca. In 1855 he removed to Richland City.

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HISTORY OF RICHILAND COUNTY.

He has lived in Lone Rock since the fall of 1859.

Andrew Harter resides on section 28. His farm contains 390 acres on sections 27 and 28. Amos Mercer made his first improvement on this place. A part of the farm was entered as early as 1846. Mr. Ilarter purchased the farm from Edwin H. Randall in 1876. It is a fine place for stock, and to that branch of farming Mr. Harter has given considerable attention. He has a bountiful supply of pure water con- ducted in iron pipes a distance of 273 rods to his farm yard. The spring from which the wa- ter is derived is about fifty feet above the place of issne. Mr HJarter is a native of Germany, was born in Baden in 1846. He came to the United States when but fourteen years old. He has been a resident of this county since 1863. His wife was a daughter of Leonard Button. She died in 1881. He has one daughter-Emma, born in 1876.

John H. Carswell has been a permanent resi- dent of Buena Vista since the spring of 1864, but was in the county as early as Christmas, 1853. le is a native of Otsego Co., N. Y., where he was born in October, 1815. He was reared, in his native State, to agricultural pursuits. Mr. Carswell is one of the solid men of the town of Buena Vista. Ile was for four years president of the agricultural society of Richland county, and has done much toward promoting the inter- ests of agriculture by his advocacy and support of advanced methods in farming. Mr. Cars- well is a man of positive opinions, and is al- ways found on the side which he believes to be right. Politically, he was an abolitionist, of the Gerrett Smith school, and knew well that advocate of universal freedom. He was also personally acquainted with John Brown, and was at the convention at Syracuse, in 1859, where, with Gerrett Smith and others, he con- tributed to a fund for the purchase of arms for John Brown and his sons to enable them to de- fend themselves against the border ruffians of Kansas. IIe has lived to see the extreme views

he advocated on the slavery question, prevail. He is as strong a foe to intemperance as he was to the institution of human slavery. Ilis father died when he was twelve years of age, and he resided for many years with his mother and the younger children of the family; marrying quite late in life, Mary Lutin, a native of Germany. They have two children-Nathaniel and Eliza- beth. Mr. Carswell's farm contains 240 acres.

A. L. Holcomb resides on section 26. His farm is on sections 26 and 27. He settled here in 1867. He made his first purchase, a quar- ter section, of George Paine, of Madison. · Ilis farm includes altogether 240 acres, upon which he has a fine brick residence and other valuable improvements, which he has put thereon. Like most of the farmers of Bear creek valley, he is engaged in dairying, keeping from thirty to thirty-five cows. Mr. Holcomb was born in Litchfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y. He is of New England ancestry, his grandfather being a na- tive of Litchfield, Conn. His father, Albern Ilolcomb, was born in Litchfield, N. Y. Mr. Holcomb came to Richland county directly from the Empire State. He is the only one of his father's family who has emigrated to Wiscon- sin. His wife was formerly Cordelia D. Fish, born in the same town as her husband.

J. W. Ilaney resides on section 34. Ilis farm, lying on sections 34 and 27, contains 227 acres. This farm includes the location of Delos Mat- teson, one of the pioneers of Richland county. Mr. Matteson settled upon eighty acres, but afterwards sold seventeen acres to Leonard Button. He came to Buena Vista in 1848, and resided here till his decease. Mr. Haney was born in Auglaize Co., Ohio, in 1846. He is the only member of his father's family living in Richland county. His father died in Ohio. He came to Buena Vista in 1867, and purchased his farm in 1876. Mrs. Haney is a daughter of Delos Matteson, and came to this county with her parents. She was born, in 1845, in New York. Mr. and Mrs. Haney are the parents of four children-Nellie, Orville A., Bertha I. and

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

Nina A. There were no improvements upon the farm at the time of his purchase, except upon that part owned by Mr. Matteson. Mr. Haney is engaged in dairying, to which his farm is well adapted.

Jefferson J. Reynolds resides on section 35, town 9, range 2 east, where he settled in the spring of 1867, purchasing his farm of George Green. Ile was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., and came here with his parents. His mother is now dead, and his father is still living, with his son. Mr Reynolds has been twice married. Ilis first wife was a native of New York. His present wife, M. Octavia Carr, was born in Palmyra, Jefferson Co., Wis. He had a daughter by his first wife-Mary, wife of J. Q. Black, of this town, and a son by his second wife-Orin C. Ilis farm contains 160 acres, and he has upon it among the best improvements in the town of Buena Vista.

A. W. Towsley, station agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company at Lone Rock, has oeeupied the position since October, 1868. The road was completed to this place in the fall of 1856, when a small frame depot was built, to which, in 1866, quite an ex- tensive addition was made, and all was burned in 1881, having caught fire from the sparks of an engine. The present depot building was commeneed immediately and is one of the finest on the road. It is a frame structure, veneered with Watertown brick. But two agents have been in charge here since the completion of the road to this point; the first was William Craig, who remained until 1868, when he was suc- ceeded by Mr. Towsley, who has been a resi- dent of Wisconsin since 1835, when his father settled at what was then Southport, now Keno- sha. Mr. Towsley's railroad experience con- menced on this road in 1860. He began as brakeman, and in the fall of 1861 attained the position of conductor, in which capacity he acted until he assumed the duties of his pres- ent position in 1868.

Curtis E. Brace resides on section 23, where he settled in 1868. His present farm is on sec- tions 23 and 24. He purchased eighty acres of Ilarry Eaton and 120 of Horatio Giles, and forty of Mr. Bacon. Ilis farm now contains 300 acres. Mr. Brace was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., in 1831, where his youth was spent. Ile is the only son of his father's family who settled in this county. llis father, Eleazer, is dead. Curtis Brace was married in the State of New York, to Maria Thomas, of the town of Columbia, Herkimer county. She died in July, 1870. His present wife was Mrs. Susan (Brace) Rork. He has one son by his first wife-Henry, born in the State of New York. Mrs. Brace has one son by her former marriage-Henry J. Mr. Brace has made many improvements on his farm since he purchased it. Like most farmers of Bear valley, he is engaged in dairying, and has a herd of the grade Holstein breed of COWS.

Dr. R. S. Moore resides on section 34, town 9, range 2 east, where he settled in 1869. lle purchased his farm of J. C. Foote. The land was entered by Israel Janney. He was born in Guernsey Co., Ohio, in 1825. When twenty- two years old he directed his attention to the study of medicine, which he practiced for twen- ty-two years in his native State, his residence being in the town of Antram, Guernsey county. Since coming to Wisconsin, he has been en- gaged chiefly in agricultural pursuits, although he has practiced medicine to some extent. Ilis farm contains 250 acres, and is very pleasantly located. Ilis father died here, at the residerce of his son, in 1882, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a native of Maryland. Dr. Moore was married to Margaret MeCartney. They have nine children-Dickson R. P., Galen, William II., Sarah I., George B. Mcclellan, Robert Edson, Charles B., Frank and Mattie.

Abraham Wolf, proprietor of drug store, and postmaster at Lone Rock, was born at Wurtem- berg, Germany, in June, 1844. When he was

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

three years old, his father, Michael Wolf, emi- grated to the United States with his family, and settled in the State of Michigan, where his wife died in 1850. He removed the same year with his family to Dane Co., Wis., and in 1857 came to Richland county. Abraham did not come to Richland county with his father, as at the age of eight years he was bound ont to a man by the name of J. G. Walbridge, in whose family he was to reside till eighteen years of age. On Oct. 18, 1861, before he had attained that age, he enlisted in company G, 11th regi- ment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He con- tinned in the army till March, 1863, when he was discharged for disability, occasioned by sickness. While in the service, he marched through southern Missouri and Arkansas, par- ticipated in the battle of Cotton Plant, July 7, 1862; was with the regiment at Helda, and at Oldtown Landing, on the Mississippi river, where so many of our troops sickened and died. Here he was taken sick, but returned with the regiment to Ironton, Mo., where he was sent to the hospital, and discharged March 24, 1863. He returned from the army to the town of Ithaca, where his father had settled in 1857. Recovering his health, he re-enlisted Aug. 24, 1864, in company I, 38th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, joined the army at City Point, Va., and was in the trenches in front of Petersburg during the following winter. On April 2, 1865, he took part with the regiment in the charge on Fort Mahone, where he was severely wounded, losing his left leg and the index finger of his right hand Hle was discharged in the hospital at Washington, Sept. 6, 1865. After his return to his father's, in the fall of 1865, he attended school at Sextonville three terms. He then en- gaged in teaching school, taught five terms. In the fall of 1869 he was appointed postmaster at Lone Rock. In connection with the postoffice, he kept a book and stationery store. In 1877 he purchased the drug stock of Dr. R. L. Telfair. He was married April 21, 1872, to Helen A. Al- drich, daughter of A. A. and Helen C. Aldrich.

They have five children-Helen M., Lois C., Annie Rosa, Howard A. and Ruby D.

Hugo M. Bock, wholesale dealer in foreign and domestic liquors, established business at Richland City in the fall of 1869, where he has quite an extensive trade, amounting to upwards of $30,000 annually. Of the stock sold, about two thirds is shipped from his store in Richland City, and the balance including principally the cheaper grades of goods are shipped to his cus- tomers directly from the distillers. He keeps constantly on hand a large stock of the best class of liquors, and handles a large amount of California wines. He also manufactures a very fine wine from the common wild grape. So ex- tensive is his trade in this particular line of goods, that the amount manufactured depends only upon the amount of supply of grapes. When the season is favorable, he obtains a suffi- ciency to make from 1,500 to 3,000 gallons an- nually. This wine, on account of its actual intrinsic worth and purity, is obtaining quite a reputation, and is unquestionably a very fine article, and compares favorably with the very best California productions. Mr. Bock is mak- ing improvements in his business facilities as the growth of his trade demands. He has a fine residence, erected in 1879 at a cost of $3,- 500. He is a lover of fine horses and has some excellent specimens of the Hamiltonian breed, of which family he makes a specialty. Ile is a native of the city of New York. When a young man, he went to the city of New Orleans, where he was engaged as a bookkeeper. His ex- perience in his present business began in the south. Ile had charge for a time of a distillery at New Orleans and also at Mobile. His father was a tobacconist in the city of New York, and in early life, Mr. Bock learned that business, but going south he finally drifted into the liquor trade. His wife is a native of Mobile, Ala. They have five children-Edward, who is in Colorado ; Joseph, at home ; Hugo, a stu- dent at Prairie du Chien College ; Sidney, at home, and one daughter, Mary, at home.

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HISTORY OF RICIILAND COUNTY.

Wallace and Eli Ellsworth reside on section 10. The farm is owned by the former, and con- tains 295 acres. It was purchased by their father, Loring D. Ellsworth, in the spring of 1867, and by him sold to Wallace. Loring D. Ellsworth now resides at Spring Green, Sauk county. Wallace was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., in 1852. 'Ile came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1874. Ile married Eva Perkins, a native of Herkimer county, who died Oct. 3, 1880. Eli E. Ellsworth was born in Herkimer county, in 1857. He came to Wisconsin in the summer of 1874, and was for some time en- gaged as clerk, and afterwards as express mes- senger for the American Express Company, by whom he was employed until December, 1882. He married Alice Case, daughter of Mariner Case. She is a native of Connecticut.

George 1. Sargent, of Richland City, was born at Charlestown, N. IL., April 30, 1828. He removed when a child to Rochester, Sanga- mon Co., Ill., and came to what is now Lafay-

ette Co., Wis., in 1840. He was one of the early engineers on the upper Mississippi; in fact he may be said to have followed that ocen- pation on the upper Mississippi river and its navigable branches from 1845 to 1875. Ile put in the machinery of the steam flouring mill, which was erected in Richland City in 1854, for Henry Rowell. In 1876 Mr Sargent went to Colorado and engaged in mining and erect- ing machinery. He returned in December, 1882. Ile is a thorough practical engineer of large experience. But few engineers are now living who navigated the upper Mississippi as he did nearly forty years ago. Ilis wife was Sarah C. Robinson, born in Morrow Co., Ohio. She was a daughter of Iliram Robins n and a step-daughter of Henry Clayman. Her mother, Hannah (Ward) Clayman, lives with Mr. Sar- gent. She has reached the mature age of eighty- three years. Mr. and Mrs Sargent have one daughter-Viola E., wife of William A. Mc- Nurlen.

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXII.

TOWN OF DAYTON.

The town of Dayton embraces congressional township 10 north, of range 1 west. Although this was not the first settled town in Richland county, it contains some of the best farming land in this region. Much of the land is heavily timbered, except where cleared by the energy and industry of the settlers, and the surface eontour of this town, like the balance of the county, is hilly and broken. There are many farms here under a high state of cultivation, and there are many good and substantial farm buildings. The soil here is a rich dark loam, except on some of the ridges where a tendency to clayeyness is visible The ridges raise the best wheat. It is all well adapted to raising the cereals common to this lattitude, and vege- tables grow in abundance. The surface of the town is well watered by Mill creek, Fox branch, Horse creek and their tributaries. The first mentioned, Mill creek, is the most important stream in the town, and furnishes good water power.

There is only one village within the limits of the town, Boaz, which is located on sections 19 and 20.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first settlement in the town of Dayton seems to have been made as early as 1852. During that year John Messingil and his two sons, Thomas and Benjamin, and John and George Mathews came and selected homes within the present limits of this town.

southwest quarter of section 14. Benjamin made a claim of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 15. In 1855 they all sold out and and moved away.

John and George Mathews were brothers; natives of Illinois. They were here as early as the Messingils and settled on the northwest quarter of section 25, where they erected a double log cabin and made a small clearing. They remained about one year. John was the first sheriff of Richland county; he now lives in Arkansas. George is dead.

From 1852 until 1856 the settlement of the town progressed rapidly. The following named eame during that period: John H. Rizer, A. J. Parish, John H. Noble, Edmund Davis, Reason. Barnes and his son James T., William Akan, William Robinson, Henry Robinson, Levi Hart, L. M. Keepers, Archibald Benjamin, John Pur- cell, Lorenzo Woodman, Comfort C. Walker, Lyman Wood, Peter Fall, Benjamin B. Norris, Jacob Dix, Jacob Berger, Martin Shumaker, Charles Hurless, Valentine Groh, John and Henry Wolf, Christian Tappy, C. C. Nevil, George Marsh, Alfred Durnford, Andrew J. Campbell, Levi Leslie, Martin Smith, G. W. Oglevie, Henry MeNelly, Jacob Reed and Joel Berry.

John HI. Rizer was a native of Maryland. He entered land on section 20. His home is now in the town of Akan.

A. J. Parish entered the southwest quarter of section 19. Ile has since removed to Oregon John Noble was a native of Ohio. He came

John Messingil entered the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23. His son Thomas entered the southwest quarter of the , here in 1853, and located upon the west half of

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

the northwest quarter of section 29, where he lived until the time of his death.

Seth Miller settled on the north half of the northeast quarter of section 29. Ile remained there about twelve years when be removed to Missouri.

William Akan was a native of New York city. Hle came here from St. Louis, Mo., in 1854, and entered land on section 14, which re- mained his home until the time of his death, Jan. 3, 1881. Mr. Akan was born in the city of New York, June 19, 1803. In 1805 the family removed to Philadelphia, and in 1814 to Pitts- burg. Here he learned the stone-cutter's trade, and afterward worked on the construction of the first railroad in the United States. In 1830 he was married to Mrs. Catharine Gillmore, nce Ilamel, and reared seven children. He was the third settler on Brush creek. Although he lived upon his farm, he spent the most of his time at his trade. At his death he left a wife and three children to mourn his loss. Mr. Akan was a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years, and his funeral was conducted un- der the anspices of the lodge at Richland Cen- ter. ITis wife and daughter now live at Nash- ville, Tenn.

William Robinson, a native of Kentucky, came here from Indiana in 1853, and bought forty aeres of land in town 2, range 2 cast. Ile lived there one year, and in 1854 came to Day- ton and entered the sontheast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 34. In 1866 he bought land on section 26, where he improved a farm and lived until the time of his death. His widow lives with her sons on section 35.

Mr. Barnes was a native of Maryland. Ile had come to the county as early as 1848, and eu- tered land in the southern part of the county. In 1849 he moved to the county and settled at Richmond (now Orion). In 1854 Mr. Barnes and his son, J. T., entered the present site of the village of Boaz. The father lived to see a flourishing village grow up here. James T. is still a resident.

Edmund Davis was a native of the State of New York. He entered the southwest quarter of section 29, and the east half of the south- east quarter of section 30. He was a resident of the town until 1877, when he sokl out and removed to Ilancock Co., Iowa, where he still lives

Henry Robinson, a Kentnekian, came to Rich- land county from Indiana in 1854, and spent the first winter at Pleasant Hill, in the town of Eagle. In the spring of 1855 he came to the town of Dayton and entered the south half of the southeast quarter of section 28. He cleared a farm and lived here until 1871, when he sold out and removed to Boone Co., Neb., where he, his wife and two sons have since died.

Comfort C. Walker, a native of the State of New York, came to the town of Dayton in 1854 and settled on the northeast quarter of section 25, where he erected a log house and kept trav- elers. In 1857 he removed to Dayton Corners, and there erected a large house which he opened as a tavern. When the war broke out he went into the army and died in the service. His widow kept the tavern for some time, and still lives at Dayton Corners.

Lorenzo Woodman was a native of the State of New York. Hle settled on the southwest quarter of section 14, where he died in 1858. His widow and several of the children still oc- enpy the old homestead.

Lyman Wood, a native of the State of New York, came here from Ohio, in 1856 and located on section 6. He lived there until the time of his death, and the family still occupy the old homestead.

Levi Hart, a native of New York State, came here from Ohio, and entered the north half of the southeast quarter of section 28, where he still resides.

L. M. Keepers came here from Ohio in com- pany with Levi Hart, and entered the west halt of the northeast quarter and the east half of the northwest quarter of section 32. He cleared a portion of the place and erected a small log

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HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

house. When the war broke out he enlisted, and died in the service. His widow afterward married a Mr. Marsh. She is now dead, while most of the children live in Nebraska.

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 142

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