History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 85

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 85
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 85

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).

Adam Steiner, a native of Crawford Co., Wis., was born April 30, 1848. He is a son of Valentine and Regina Steiner, who came to this county in 1841. His father was a soldier in the regular army, and after passing through the Florida war, he was stationed at Prairie du Chien nntil 1846, at which time he was dis- charged. He then removed to Eastman town. Mr. Steiner now owns a farm of eighty acres on section 22, town 8, range 5 west, on which

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

he resides. In 1869 Mr. Steiner was married to Sophia Long, who was born in 1850, in Ger- many, and came to Crawford county in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Steiner have four children-Lewis, Lena, Louisa and Rosa. Mr. Steiner has been director of his school district for sometime.

Cyrus Peck is a native of Wayne Co., Penn., born Oct. 19, 1821. He received a common school education, and in 1847 was married to Martha Rogers, who was born Feb. 7, 1829, in the same county. In 1851, Mr. and Mrs. Peck, in company with her parents, emigrated to Dane Co., Wis., where they remained one win- ter, each teaching school until the spring of 1852, when they moved to the town of Utica, Crawford county, and purchased 160 acres of land, where he resided until 1877, when he pur- chased a farm in the town of Haney and moved on it and remained six years, and then came to the town of Eastman, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Peck have four children-Elsie A., Clayton E., Merritt W. and an adopted child, Addie Rogers. Clayton E. married Emerett. Lester, and Merritt was united in marriage to Ida Gibbs. In 1862 Mr. Peck enlisted in the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was dis- charged in 1864, after re-enlisting in the 36th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers, and was com- missioned Ist lieutenant of company H, 36th Wis- consin, which commission he held at the time of discharge. During his service he was through the Potomac campaign. Mr. Peck was elected a member of the first town board of the town of Utica ; also town superintendent of Utica, four years, and assessed the town seven successive years.

A. Balrichard is a native of Switzerland, born March 9, 1840. In 1852 he emigrated with his parents to the United States. He settled first at St. Louis, Mo., and the following spring moved to Dubugne, Iowa. After a short resi- dence there he went to Prairie du Chien, and a few months afterwards to Eastman town, where he now owns 240 acres of land on section 21, town 8, range 6 west. Mr. Balrichard was mar-

ried in 1866, to Bertic Rhube. She was born in Germany, in 1850, and came to Crawford county with her parents in 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Bal- richard have six children- Anna, Emily, El- len, Albert, Henry and Daniel. Mr. Balrich- ard enlisted in the service of his adopted country in 1864, being a member of the 43d Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.

Andrew Beckwar was born in 1826, in Bohe- mia. In 1854 he emigrated to the United States, settling in Crawford Co., Wis., where he en- tered eighty acres of land on section 7, town 8, range 5 west, which he afterwards increased to 120 acres. Mr. Beckwar was married in 1849, to Anna Slayback, who was born in 1824. He was a tailor by trade, and was quite a musician, having acquired control of many instruments. He was school clerk of his district for a number of years. Mr. Beckwar died in 1871, leaving a wife and nine children-Anthony, John, Jacob, Anna, Agnes, Mary, Andrew, Elizabeth and Frank.

David Drew, one of the prominent farmers of Eastman town, was born at. Fort Snelling, Minn., May 6, 1826, his father being a soldier in the regular army. When two years of age, the soldiers moved from Fort Snelling to Prairie du Chien. He has resided in Crawford county since, with the exception of eight years, when he lived at St. Paul. When twenty years of age, Mr. Drew carried the mail on his back, from Prairie du Chien to Winona, during one winter, and from Winona to St. Paul the fol- lowing winter, in the same way. In 1850 he married Matilda Martell, born in Canada, in 1827. She came to Prairie du Chien in 1841. Mr. and Mrs. Drew have six children-Phile- mon, David, Jr., Joseph, Matilda, Alfred and Agnes. In 1855 Mr. Drew purchased 160 acres of land on section 18, town 8, range 6 west, on which he now resides. He has seventy acres under cultivation. Since Mr. Drew's residence in Eastman town, he has been a greater portion of the time school clerk of his district.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Leonard Bonney was born Dec. 5, 1819, in Chautauqua Co., New York. In 1835, he moved to Crawford Co., Penn., remaining until 1856, when he came west, settling in Eastman town, Crawford Co., Wis., where Mrs. Bonney had a brother. Mr. Bonney was married in 1850 to Jane Fisher, born in Crawford Co., Penn., in 1822. She was the widow of Mathias Gear, who died in 1843. Mr. Bonney first en- tered eighty acres of land on section I, town 8, range 3 west, but at the time of his death, July 9, 1881, his farm contained 160 acres of land. He was in the war from 1862 until its close, being Ist lieutenant of company K., 31st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was chair- man of the county board, four successive years, and justice of the peace for seven years. Mr. Bonney left five children-Emma J., Velma, Hughes, Ella and Fred. Mrs. Bonney had two children by her former husband-James T., and Mary E. Gear. Mrs. Bonney transacted all

the business of the Eastman postoffice for six years, when the office was moved to the now village of Eastman.

Ferdinand Winegar was born in Logansport, Ind., in 1856. When two years of age, his par- ents moved to Crawford Co., Wis., and settled in Eastman town, where his father immediately commenced the erection of a flouring mill. This mill was swept away by the high water in 1878, when his father immediately built the present mill. It is situated on section 28, town 8, range 5. Ferdinand learned the millwright and miller's trade of his father, at which he has worked since fourteen years of age, and now has exclu- sive control of the mill. His father operates another mill at Prairie du Chien. Ferdinand was married in 1881, to Anna HIntt, who was born in 1861, in Germany, and emigrated to the United States in 1863.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXX.

TOWN OF FREEMAN.

This town is in the extreme northwestern corner of Crawford county. It is composed of a part of six congressional townships. It is bounded on the north by Vernon county; on the east by the town of Utica; on the south by the town of Seneca; and on the west by the Missis- sippi river.

The surface of Freeman is very uneven like most of the county; it consists of ridges and valleys, following the general course of the streams, which nearly all run in a south westerly course, emptying into the Mississippi river.

The productions are similar to those pro- duced throughout the county -- grain, corn and vegetables.

The streams are Cooley creek, which heads in Vernon county and flows southwest, inter- secting Rush creek on section 32, in town 11, of range 6 west.

Rush creek, one of the largest streams in the town, is formed by two branches; the west branch rises in Vernon county and intersects the east branch, which heads in the town of Free- man, on section 19, in town 11, of range 5 west, and flows southwest, emptying into the Missis- sippi from section 1, in town 10, of range 7 west.

Sugar creek takes its rise on section 28, in town 11, of range 5 west, flows southwest and enters the Mississippi from section 16, town 10, range 6 west, about three-quarters of a mile be- low Ferryville.

Buck creek rises on section 7, town 10, range 5 west, and flows south west entering the Mississ- ippi from section 22, in town 10, of range 6 west.

Copper creek is formed by two branches, the greater of which rises on section 16, town 10, range 5, flows south and intersects the east branch on the southeast corner of section 21, in town 10, of range five west, and flows southwest into the town of Seneca.

There is an abundance of timber within the town of about the same varieties as is found throughout Crawford county-oak, maple and linn.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

At the general election held in 1857 there were thirty-eight votes polled in the town of Free- man, by the following pioneers, whose where- abouts in 1884 are stated in brief: Aaron Cooley, died on his way home from the army; D. O. White, moved to Dakota Territory; Abel Cop- per, died in Illinois; James Lawrence died in 1883; William E. Heal, dead; Henry Law- rence, dead; E. Naylor, dead; Herman Hulce, dead; Parley Whitney, removed; Andrew Call, removed; A. Absolom, removed; D. Sweep, re- moved; Elias Torgerson, dead; M. Joslin, re- moved; D. Sumner, dead; Dr. S. F. Huntington, dead; A. V. Hubbard, dead; L. F. Munsell, re- moved; A. E. Davis, in Oregon; Joseph Copper, dead; Lewis Eskerstrand, dead; John Johnson, moved to Dakota Territory; Nels Johnson, moved to Dakota Territory; T. C. Ankeny, removed to Tennessee; T. Christopherson, dead; William Hubbard, dead; David Ulery, moved to Oregon; Casper Laugh, dead; Henry Hendrickson, dead. The balance of this pio- neer band were residents of the town in 1884: Thomas Lawrence, R. Knudson, William Wy-

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORDCOUNTY.

bum, Henry Van Amburg, E. T. Bishop, Alex- ander Young, John Call, D. P. Ames, Robert Mellon, John Rutter, H. T. James, Henry Van Amburg, G. L. Hutson, Martin Laugh.

Two Frenehmen, Michael and Joseph God- frey, were in fact the first to effect a real settle- ment in what is now the town of Freemen. They located, in 1845, in what is the village of De Soto, a part of which is in this, and a part in Vernon county. About ten years later they sold the eighty acres they had taken up, to the mill com- pany and in 1857, moved to Prairie du Chien. They had squaws for wives and were engaged . in farming and trapping.

In 1851, David Ulery, Mr. Alcorn and Robert Linn settled on Sugar creek, the latter making a claim at what is known as the Shea place. In about two years he sold his claim to Joseph Brightman. When he left this town he started for Pike's Peak. On the way it was found that the Indians were troublesome, and he, with others, volunteered to fight them and was never heard of afterward, and it is supposed he lost his life at the hands of the savage tribes of the plains.

Aaron Cooley settled on the creek which bears his name, in 1852, on section 19, town 11, range 6 west. This farm was afterwards owned by John C.Bean. Mr. Cooley went into the army as a drummer; he was taken sick, procured a furlough and nearly reached home, but died be- tween De Soto and his home, not two miles from his house.

Elias Torgerson settled in 1854, on section 26, town 11, range 6 west.

Ole Rosenwater and Deidrick White settled on section 30, town II, range 5 west, in 1853. The former lives in the town of Utica and the latter moved to Dakota Territory. These two, with Ole A. Runice, who entered land at the same time, just over the Vernon county line, were the first Norwegian settlers in the town of Freeman.

Martin and Casper Langh came in 1854 and settled on section 9, town 10, range 6

west. Casper died about 1872. Martin was still living there in 1884.

William Melton and Sanford S. Wightman settled at the mouth of Sugar creek, in 1854.

Thomas Adams settled in the town in 1856; finally moved to the town of Utica.

Nel's Oleson came in about the same time, perhaps a year before, and settled on Sugar creek, where he was still living in 1884.

Other settlers of about this date were Amon Christianson, Nels Johnson, Michael Eitser and Herman Hulce.

James P. Finley and Martin Finley came in 1857. The latter moved to Iowa, where he died. Timothy Finley who came about that date was still a resident of the town in 1884.

In 1858, John Walder came to the town and was still a resident in 1884.

FIRST EVENTS.

Thomas Carlyle was the first child born in the town of Freeman. This oocurred in the fall of 1855. Next was Mary Young, daughter of Alexander and Ann M. Young, born June 30, 1856. She became the wife of R. M. MeAuley, of De Soto.

One of the earliest, if not the first marriage in the town, was Christian HIomutt to Hannah Eitser, a sister of Henry Eitser, in the fall of 1857. The ceremony was performed by Joseph Copper, a justice of the peace.

The first log house in the town was built by Michael and Joseph Godfrey, two Frenchmen, at De Soto. James Osgood built the first frame house in 1855, at De Soto.

The first school was taught by Mary Coffin (who became the wife of Thomas Lawrence) in the summer of 1856. This school was held in a small log building, built for a hired man of Mr. Lawrence.

ORGANIC.

The town of Freeman was detached from the town of Utica, by the county board of Craw- ford county, in September, 1856. The first town meeting was held at the house of T. C. Ankeny, on section 24, in town 11, of range 6

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

west, April 7, 1857. The following were elected to serve as town officers the ensuing year :

A. B. Hubbard, Henry Seifert and Parley Whitney, supervisors ; A. E. Davis, clerk; Fayette Munsell, assessor; James Osgood, Joseph Copper, Henry Van Amberg and David Ulery, justices of the peace ; Edward Naylor, John Austin and George Coffin, constables; Dr. Samuel F. Huntington, superintendent of schools ; Aaron Cooley, sealer of weights and measures.

Officers of 1883: T. T. Sime, Lewis Chris- tianson, A. J. Runice, supervisors; Henry Hal- gerson, treasurer ; J. H. Tower, clerk ; Martin HIost, assessor; William F. McMasters, William Melton, William Davis and J. H. Tower, justices of the peace ; E. M. McMaster, Frank Davis and Ralph Copper, constables.

EDUCATIONAL.

Freeman was fully up with her sister towns, in way of school matters, in 1884, at which date the town was made up of seven full school dis- tricts and nine joint districts.

District No. 1 had a good frame building, located on section 26, town 11, range 7 west, which is near De Soto. The number of pupils in this district was then forty-seven.

In district No. 2, the school house is situated on sections 27 and 28, town 11, range 6 west. This house was built in 1863, at a cost of $885. Number of pupils in 1884, sixty-one.

District No. 4 is the next full district. The school house in this district is situated on sec- tion 36, in town 11, range 6 west; it is a frame structure, painted white. This district has sixty-five pupils.

The building in district No. 6 is located on section 8, town 10, range 6 west, and is known as the Ferryville school. This is a frame house, valued at about $200; it was erected in 1859. Number of pupils in 1884, fifty-nine.

District No. 7 is provided with a building erected in 1883, on section 30, town 11, range 5 west. This is a frame house, painted white ;

its cost was $500. Number of pupils in the dis- trict in 1884, fifty-seven.

District No 10 was formed in 1883, and pro vided with a new house, costing $500, which is located on section 33, town 11, range 6. The number of pupils here is forty.

The school building in district No. 11, is situated on section 17, town 10, range 6 west. This is a new frame house, costing about $300. Number of pupils within the district, forty- two.

The following described are joint districts: Joint No. 5, with the town of Utica, has a building on section 28, town 11, range 5. In 1884 there were forty-four pupils from Freeman, and twenty-two from Utica.

Joint district No. 14 is made up of territory from the towns of both Freeman and Utica. The school building is on section 9, town 10, range 5 west; it was erected in 1882, at a cost of $673. Number of pupils belonging in the town of Freeman, seventy-nine.

Joint district No. 3 is comprised of part of the town of Wheatland, in Vernon county, and a part of Freeman. Number of pupils from Freeman in 1884, eight.

Joint district No. 2, with the town of Ster- ling, in Vernon county, is provided with a good school house, situated in the town of Sterling. Number of pupils from Freeman, eight.

.Joint district No. 8 is with the town of Sen- eca.

Joint district No. 9 is also with town of Seneca, with house in the latter. Number of pupils from Freeman in 1884, fourteen.

Joint district No. 12 is with the town of Sterling, where the building is located. There were twenty-one pupils from Freeman in 1884.

Joint district No. 13 is with the town of Utica. The school house in this distriet islocated at Rising Sun.

DeSoto union village school, belongs in part to the town of Wheatland, Vernon county and in part the town of Freeman. The number of pupils from Freeman in 1884, was thirty three.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Many of the school building of this town are new and the class of teachers employed com- pare well with other towns of Crawford and Vernon counties.

RELIGIOUS.

There are bnt two churches in this town; these are both Norwegian Lutheran. The first services of this denomination in the town were conducted by the Rev. Peter Solberg, at the house of Ole A. Runice, in 1869. This sect erected the first church edifice within the town in 1875, on section 20, in town )1, of range 5 west. The first preacher was Peter Solberg, who preached for this church a number of years. He was succeded by Rev. F. H. Carlson, who served three years and then came O. A. Op- pogaard, who lived in Jackson county, this State. Their church building is a frame one, costing $600, and is the property of the "Huges Synod."

The other church edifice of the town belongs to the "Conference Synod." This is situated on the southwest quarter of section 25, town 11, range 6. It was built in 1870, at a cost of $600. The first pastor to serve this church, was the Rev. Mit Boe, who was succeded by Rev. Nor, who remained till 1883, at the close of which year the church was being supplied from other points.

Each of these two church organizations have abont twenty-five families in their connection.

CEMETERY.

At this date (1884) there is but one regularly laid out cemetery in the town of Freeman. This is located on section 26, town 11, range 7 On the farm of J. W. Lawrence. This is a very pleasantly situated ground and kept in good condition.

Another place sometimes used for burial purposes is situated on section 28, on lands do- nated by John Rutter. Another small burying ground is found on section 15, town 10, range 6. The Lutheran organization also have a bury-

ing ground near their church building, on sec- tion 25, in township 11, of range 6, west.

POSTOFFICES.

The people of Freeman are accommodated by the use of three postoffices-Freeman, Fer- ryville and DeSoto. Freeman was established in 1867, on section 27. John Il. Tower was the first postmaster appointed,and was still holding the office in (884. Mail is received twice each week, over the Ferryville and De Soto route.

Ferryville postoffice was established in 1867, on section 16, town 10, range 6 west. S. S. Wightman was the first postmaster; he was succeeded by T. C. Ankeny, who was succeeded by Joseph Copper, and he in turn by Louis Hel- gerson. Then came W. F. McMasters, who was followed by W. J. Lankford.

MILLS.

There are two grist mills in the town of Free- man-Glenn Mills, and. Diamond Mills. The former is owned by J. 11. Tower & Son. It is situated on section 27, and was erected in 1858, by Valentine & Twiford, who operated it till 1864, and then soll to William Millins, of Penn- sylvania, who employed A. lloevert to run it. In 1884 it was the property of J. II. Tower & Son. It is a water mill, provided with two run of stone, doing a good custom business. This mill has a fall of sixteen and a half feet.

Diamond Mill is located on section 29, town 11, range 6 west, on Cooley creek. It was built by Rose & Mulkins, in 1874. In 1884 it was owned and run by W. G. Conklin, who has had thirty-five years of experience as a miller. The mill is run by water, having a head of thirty feet. It is a frame building, and has three run of buhrs.

At this date [1884] there is no saw mill in the town. The first one erected, was the property of T. C. Ankeny, built in the spring of 1856, on Rush Creek, section 24, town 11, range 6 west. After being operated for a number years it was abandoned.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

The second saw mill was built by John Rut- ter, in 1857, and was run by him for many years.

Another saw mill was built on Rush creek, in 1859, by Valentine & Twiford, who also built the Glenn flouring mills. This saw mill was washed away by the floods in 1865.

J. H. Jewell built a saw mill on Sugar creek, in 1868, which was run for a few years, but was finally abandoned.

DE SOTO VILLAGE.

De Soto was first known as Winneshiek's Landing, from the chief by that name, who came here to trade his furs for supplies with the French traders at this point. Two French fam- ilies by the name of Godfrey, located here not long after the close of the Black Hawk War. They were induced to come through efforts put forth by Col. Dousman, of Prairie du Chien. This was occupied as a trading post for about twenty years. Moses M. Strong made the orig- inal entry of the plat of the village.

Dr. Euclid B. Houghton purchased it of Mr. Strong. Dr. Simeon D. Powers, Dr. Houghton and Dr. James Osgood laid out the village in 1854. These gentlemen came hither from Port Washington. Dr. Osgood built the first house on the village plat, which was occupied in 1884 by Charles Lyttle as a residence. Dr. Houghton opened the first store.

The first building of any importance was erected by Carlyle, Dowse & Co. The lumber with which this house was built came from Black river falls, the nearest available point for obtaining lumber at that time.

The first blacksmith in the village was Wil- liam N. West, who afterward moved to Minne- sota.

The first cooper shop was operated by Am- brose De Lap.

The first shoemaker was Henry Fosdick. In the fall of 1855 Mr. Adam Carlyle purchased for Mr. Fosdick a side of sole leather and other stock for his shop of Ulysses S. Grant, of Ga- lena, III.

The first saw mill was built in the fall of 1855 by A. B. Clapp and George Meade. This mill and all others at this point were operated by steam power. It was destroyed by fire in 1864. N. S. Cate & Co., built a saw mill in 1857. This firm was composed of Messrs. N. S. Cate, II. M. Chamberlain and Emery Hough- ton, who came from the State of Maine. They operated the mill until 1862, and did an extensive business, employing sometimes as high as fifty men. The mill cut upon an average 50,000 feet of lumber per day, besides shingles, lath, etc. This company also built a grist mill ad- joining the saw mill, which was propelled by steam power. In 1862 these mills went into the hands of H. M. Chamberlain & Co., who in 1864 sold to John C. Davis. The stock was closed out and the mill lay idle for several years. This failure was caused in part by the failure of the New England Glass Co., of which Mr. Houghton was the financial manager. On the completion of this mill, when they had a three months' supply of logs on hand, the stock of this concern amounted to $100,000.

A shingle mill was built by C. M. and A. R. Worth, about 1865. They also sawed some lumber. After running this about four years it was converted into a grist mill and the Worth Brothers then occupied the Cate & Co's mill for about five years, during which time they manufactured large amounts of lath, shingles and lumber. In 1884 this mill was used for cutting staves and heading.

An establishment for the manufacture and cutting of files was started by A. Miller, who run it for a year or so and enlisted in the army to "suppress the rebellion," which had then just commenced. Ile was killed in the battle of Gettysburg.

In 1857 Capt. William Plummer & Co. en- gaged in the manufacture of lime and connected with their business the manufacture of hard wood barrels. They did an extensive business, although it was continued only about a year.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

The De Soto brewery is owned by Charles E. Reiter, who purchased it of George Eckhardt in 1882. Mr. Reiter makes about 400 barrels of beer per annum. The building was erected by Cate & Co. in 1858 and used by them as a store. George Eekbart first utilized it for brewing purposes.

The first school in the village was taught by Mrs. Catharine P. Stevens in the winter of 1855-6. This was a private school. The first school house proper was built in the summer of 1856, in which James MeDill taught the first school the winter following. This house was in use as a residence in 1884, a new school house having been built in 1872. This building was a frame structure, two stories high. The cost of this house was $3,500, and, excepting the one at Viroqua, was the best in Vernon county.

The first physician in De Soto was Dr. G. S. Sperry, who came from St. Paul in the summer of 1856. He was an excellent physician. Ile died in 1873.

Other physicians were Dr. G. W. Brooks and Dr. Worth. The physician in 1884 was Dr. Orlando Ewers. Others who have borne the title of doctor, though not educated physicians, were Dr. E. B. Houghton, the original proprietor of the village, who moved from this place to La Crosse, and later to St. Louis, where he died in 1862. Dr. James Osgood came in 1854 and assisted in laying out the village and finally be- came the owner of one-fourth of the town plat, and died in 1863. Dr. Simeon Powers, a dent- ist, was also owner of another fourth interest in the town site of De Soto. He afterwards re- moved to Sparta, where he was at the time of his death. Capt. C. B. Worth came in 1854 and remained till his death in 1875. He was also owner of a fourth interest in the village płat. His son Addison made the first lumber wagon in De Soto.

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 85

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