History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 99

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 99
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 99

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).

Michael Breidenbach, proprietor of the Cen- tral House, was born in Cologne, Prussia, on the river Rhine, Oct. 28, 1847. He learned the baker's trade in his native country. In 1869 he emigrated to the United States, locating at Iowa City, where he engaged in the bakery business. Subsequently, Mr. Breidenbach went to St. Louis, working at his trade winters and traveling on the river summers as cook and steward. He was married at St. Louis in December, 1875, to Mary Humpal, born in Bo- hemia, Austria. They had one child-Wil- liam, who died from the effects of an accident when twenty months, old. Mr. Breidenbach

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

came to Prairie du Chien in 1877, and opened a bakery, which he operated five years. He then purchased the Central House, which he has greatly improved, and is making it one of the popular hotels of the city.

Fred Evert, manufacturer of cigars, estab- lished his factory in 1877. He employs four hands and turns out about 14,000 cigars per month. Mr. Evert was born in Mecklinberg, Germany, in 1843. He came to the United States in 1854, and made his home in Milwau- kee, Wis. In August, 1862, he enlisted as a private in company E, 24th regiment, Wiscon- sin Volunteers, and served till June, 1865, or until the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Chicka- manga, Atlanta, Franklin, and in various skir- mishes. At Chickamauga he was struck in the leg by a spent shell and seriously injured; also received two slight gun-shot wounds at Mission Ridge. He was married at Milwaukee, March 29, 1867, to Lonisa Schwab. Mrs. Evert was born in Germany. They have eight children, one son and seven daughters-Arthur, Emma, Ida, Amanda, Hedwig, Clara, Minnie and Lillie.

Heury Weniger, is proprietor of the Prairie du Chien Artesian Well Flouring Mill. This mill was built by Mr. Weniger in 1878, and is a nov- elty in its way, the sole power being derived from the upward force of two large artesian wells. These wells arc 1,044 feet deep, one being of six inch bore, and the other, of eight inch, and were dug by Mr. Weniger expressly for a power for his mill. He has another, still larger in process of construction, which is ex- pected to materially increase the power of the mill. The building is 45x60 feet, two stories high, and has two run of stones, with a grind- ing capacity of 100 bushels per day. Mr. Weniger has another mill of equal capacity, sit- uated in Eastman town, this county. Mr. Wen- iger was born in Saxony, Germany, March 19, 1825. 1le learned the miller's trade in his na- tive country. In 1850 he emigrated to the Uni- ted States, locating at Logansport, Ind, In 1854

he came to Crawford Co., Wis. settling on a farm in Eastman town. In 1855 he erected the first grist or flouring mill in the county, located in Eastman town. He carried on business here successfully until the summer of 1869, when, during a tremendous freshet, his dam, mill, and everything movable in the hollow, was swept away, by which, Mr. Weniger sustained a heavy loss. Ile rebuilt the following season, on the same site, and now has a good mill at that point which is operated by his son, Ferdinand. Mr. Weniger began to study on some plan of obtaining a water power that would be free from the many disadvantages of droughts and freshets. The idea of the artesian well power occurred to him and he at once put the thing into practice, at Prairie du Chien. The princi- ple of a power obtained from the earth in the natural upward flow of water has puzzled the best mechanics. Millwrights have assured Mr. Weniger that such a power, suitable for opera- ting his mill, was an impossible thing, but he has it, and it is a grand success. Mr. Weniger was married at Prairie du Chien, in 1855, to Ma- tilda, daughter of Charles Oswald, and born in Saxony. They have nine children, four boys and five girls - Ferdinand, Angelina, Bertha, Louis, Minnie, Ottelia, Frederick, Henry and Matilda. The two youngest are twins.

Albert Levi is the junior and managing part- ner of the well known and popular Philadel- phia clothing house of A. Kohn & Co. The factory and wholesale rooms of this firm are located in Philadelphia. They established a branch store in Prairie du Chien in 1880, where they carry a first class stock of clothing and gents' furnishing goods, of an average value of $18,000. Mr. Levi is the son of Gabriel Levi, and was born in Philadelphia, Penn., May 20, 1858. He received a business education, and graduated from the Philadelphia High School in 1873. In 1874 he began his business career as book-keeper for an importing firm at Philadel- phia, and continned with that firm until he formed the existing partnership with Mr. Kohn,

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

and assumed charge of the business at Prairie du Chien. Mr. Levi is a young man possessed of excellent business qualifications, while so- cially he is deservedly popular.

Nathan H. Levi, proprietor of the Jewel Casket, is the son of Gabriel Levi, and was born in Philadelphia, Penn., Aug. 20, 1859. He was educated at the city schools and graduated at the Philadelphia High school. He served a regular apprenticeship at the watchmaker's trade in his native eity, working four years as an apprentice and one year as a journeyman. He then went to Nevada and began business at Eureka. After spending one year at that point he removed to the Pacific coast, visiting the chief points of interest in that region. In 1880 he came from San Francisco to Prairie du Chien, Wis., and October 1, of that year, opened the Jewel Casket, one of the most tasty and best stocked jewelry stores in western Wisconsin. Mr. Levi started with an entirely new stock of goods, of the latest styles, and now has an ex- tensive and valuable assortment of watches, jewelry and silverware. As he is a thorough workman in his line, enterprising and liberal in his business relations, he has seeured a fair. share of the trade, and is deservedly popular.

Rev. Christoph Gevers, pastor of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church of St. Peter, was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1854. He was partialy educated in his native country, and emigrated to the United States in 1877. He received a German and English education at the North-

western University, of Waterton, Wis. He took a regular theological course at the Lutheran Seminary, of Milwaukee, graduating in 1882, and being regularly ordained a minister of that Church and assigned to his present eharge.

George E. Jacobia was born in Hudson, Columbia Co., N. Y., in March, 1833. His father was a large land owner in that county, and both parents died when he was nine years old. He was kept in school,and graduated when he was fifteen years and six months of age, and at onee commenced studying law. He was ad- mitted to the bar when twenty-two, and was engaged for many years in the practice of his profession in his native State, and also employed as assistant counsel in a number of other States. Being the owner of a large farm, willed to him by his father, he kept fine stock and beeame very much interested in stoek-raising during his practice, and as soon as he could elose up his law practice and real estate in New York, he intended to start a stock ranch in the south west. In June, 1883, he met HI. L. Dousman, in St. Louis, Mo., and by an agreement he started in the pursuit of milling, farming and stock-raising four miles from Prairie du Chien. They have about 2,500 acres of land and one of the best flouring mills in the State, and will soon have one of the finest stoek farms in the northwest, stocked with the finest grades of sheep and eat- tle; Mr. Jacobia has but few equals in stock raising. He is a gentleman and possesses the "go-aheadism" to make the enterprise a success.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

TOWN OF SCOTT.

The boundaries of the town of Scott are 'nally through the west half of seetion 9, nearly identical with those of congressional township direct through sections 16 and 21, reaching the head of Richland creek on section 21, and then follows the valley through. sections 28, 29 and 33, into the town of Marietta, on to Boscobel. 9, of range 3 west. It is bounded on the north by the town of Clayton, on the east by Rich- land county, on the south by the town of Mari- etta and on the west by the town of Haney. Its This town has no villages, no stores or hotels, but abounds in hospitality. It never had a licensed liquor saloon within its borders, and is made up of an intelligent, moral class of people, whose time and attention is all absorbed in agriculture. general surface, in common with all Crawford county is rough. It has high ridges cut by deep ravines leading down to the valleys of the Kickapoo river on the west and the Wisconsin on the south. The valleys in this town are quite narrow. The main ridge runs north and sonth, but takes an indirect course, with spur, to the cast and west.

The table lands were originally well timbered, with white and red oak, maple and basswood varieties together with some black walnut and butternut. In the valleys the timber is usually small and inferior, with many thorn apple and plum trees. But following down to the widen- ings of these valleys, the soil is better and tim- ber of a much heavier growth.

The soil on the high lands is clay, with loam mixed; in the valleys a clay subsoil prevails, but with more sand mixed with the loam. For production, this soil is fully equal to any part of the county. All kinds of grain and grasses grown in this climate do well on these lands. Also considerable fruit, of the more hardy varieties, is raised herc.

The Boscobel road, so called, passes through thic town from north to south, leading from Viroqua to Soldier's Grove and Reedstown to Boscobel. This road enters the town on sec- tion 5, passes through that section and diago-

· This town has, perhaps more good and sub- stantial improvements in way of houses, barns, orchards, shrubbery, etc., than an equal terri- tory in any other portion of the county.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

In the campaign against Black Hawk's band of Indians in 1832, which euhminated in the battle of Bad Ax, in what was then Crawford, now Vernon county, on the east bank of the Mississippi, the left wing of the forces in pur- suit, crossed the Wisconsin river at Muscada and followed Knapp's creek some distance, there taking a spring branch leading to the ridge. For movement of wagons and transportation trains a road was cut through the forest, which was afterward used by the early settlers.

About 1845 William and Randolph Elliott, visited the territory now known as the town of Scott.

They came in on the military road just men- tioned, and on section 19 built a small cabin, with a view of future occupaney. They each made squatter's claims by felling some trees;

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

they visited the place at different times, in the year preceding the first actual settlement.

In 1846 the town was visited by J. R. Hurl- but, William and Elmer Russell, Anthony Laughlin and Charles F. Coalburn, all from Grant county. They crossed the Wisconsin river at Port Andrew, followed the old army trail to a point where a hunter's cabin had been built, and there spent a day in looking the county over.

Three years later, 1849, J. R. Hurlbut moved into the town, with his family, some time dur- ing the month of November. Mr. Hurlbnt was preceded a few months by Burril MeKinney, who settled on section 18, town 9, range 3 west. Hurlbut and his family lived with MeKinny, till January, 1850, when he had a house ready for occupancy on his own claim on section 17, town 9, range 3 west, where he still lived in 1884.

HIurlbut's corners were land marks for over thirty years.

Burril MeKinney settled, as before stated, on section 18, in July, 1849. He brought his family, consisting of his wife and three chil- dren. After holding his claim a year, he sold ont and made various other claims, but about 1854 he moved to Richland county, where he died in the autumn of 1882.

Chancey Kast came in December, 1849, pur- chasing the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 18, where he built him a house, into which he moved in April, 1850. His brother, James, settled the same time in the town of Scott, but a year later removed into the town of Haney. Both of these gen- tlemen were living in the county in 1884.

Chancey Kast was born in Monroe Co., N. Y., June 13, 1807. His parents were Peter and Cath- arine (Durbar) Kast. Chancey remained in New York till twenty-one years old, when he, in com- pany with the family, moved to Medina Co., Ohio, where he was married in 1832 to Martha Merritt. lle then moved to Erie, Penn., where he remained two years and returned to Medina county, and there resided till June, 1849, when

he removed to the town of Scott, this county, and located on sections 18 and 19, town 9, range 3 west. His first wife died in Ohio, in 1847, and in 1853 he married Mrs. Moody, nee Mary Breadlove, who died April 15, 1877. Mr. Kast's children were all by the first wife. They were: Jeremiah N., William F. N., Martha J., James W., Henry C. C. and Charles E. James W. was a soldier in the Civil war, in company K 12th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and died in hos- pital at Madison, this State, in 1865. William F. N. and Jeremiah also served in the Union army. They both lived in this county in 1884.

In the fall of 1850 William Elliott, who had made a "squatter's claim" in 1845, came to the town with his family, consisting of a wife and two children. Ile erected a small log cabin, near the site of the old hunter's cabin of 1845. Mr. Elliott died May 5, 1880, living the last years of his life on section 17, town 9, range 3 west.

George and Larkin Clark came in 1852, first settling on school lands, but afterward entering government lands on sections 18 and 19.

The same year (1852) William Ferguson lo- cated on section 9.

Among others who settled in the town dur- ing 1853 were: Andrew Byers and Alonzo Young, who died in 1877; also S. N. Black came that year.

In 1854 O. M. Mitchell, with his family, set- ttled on the southwest quarter of seetion 4, where he still lived in 1884.

The same year Tompkins Green settled on section 34. Ile was the first settler on what is called Irish Ridge, making his own road as he moved in. He was accompanied by his brother- in-law, Henry Hill, who only remained a short time.

William Gilbert's settlement dates from 1854. He located on section 26.

The same year Robert Eyers settled on the same section, where he was still living in 1884.

Robert Duncan settled on section 21, and J. R. Spence on section 17, where they still tive

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

During 1855 the following came in: Charles F. Coalburn, section 16; James Turk, section 9; Jacob S. Whitaker, section 4, also E. B. Dilly on section 14. These gentlemen were all living in 1884.

In 1856, A. Slade, who was postmaster for fourteen years, at Sladesburg, settled on section 12; John P. Coleman settled on section 16, the same year. He died in February, 1883.

Charles Nutter was another settler of 1856. Hle settled on section 20.

Sometime during 1857, Elder Levi Ross, a Baptist minister, came from Trumbull Co., Ohio. Mr. Ross left the monument of his good work behind him. He is remembered as one ever ready in sickness to relieve, if possible, the distressed. He was a comforter to all in trouble and a counsellor for good in time of health, and in every capacity a valuable man to the pioneer settlement. Ile remained in the town until 1866, a hard-working, earnest Chris- tian minister, preaching in Crawford and Rich- land counties. After living some years in Rich- land county, he removed to Minnesota, where he still did frontier work for the Master. A lit- tle later he removed to Dakota, where he died in 1880.

From 1857 on, the settlers came in quite rap- idly.

FIRST EVENTS.

Burril MeKinney built the first log house (ex- cept the one found in 1845, built by hunters) in 1849.

The first frame house was erected by Wil- liam Rogers in 1857.

The first frame barn was built in 1859, by Charles F. Coalburn.

The first birth in the town was that of E. Elliott, son of William Elliott, in March, 1851.

The earliest death known was that of a child of William Elliott, caused by its clothing tak- ing fire, May 18, 1853. Its remains were buried on section 18, where a cemetery was soon plat- ted.

J. H. Hurlburt broke and put to crop some corn and fall wheat, in 1850. Chancey and James Kast also broke and cropped with corn, turnips, etc., and in the fall sowed fall wheat.

Dr. Cannon built the first saw-mill in 1862. It was a water power mill; never being consid- ed a success it was finally abandoned.

The first threshing machine was brought in by Charles F. Coalburn in 1859. It was what is called the Chaff Piler, as it did not fan or clean the grain.

The first religious services were by the United Brethren in June 1853, at the house of William Elliott.

ORGANIC.

The town of Highland comprised all of what is now known as the town of Scott, and all of the towns of Clayton and Haney east of the Kickapoo river. The first town meeting was held April 10, 1855, when the following were elected town officers for the ensuing year :

Alonzo Yonng, town clerk ; J. R. Spencer, treasurer; J. R. Hurlbut, superintendent of schools; William D. Sperry, J. R. Spencer, Peter M. Webb and Eli W. Canfield, justices of the peace ; Renbin Hamilton, James HI. Kast and Orlo M. Mitchell, assessors; J. R. Ilurlbut, county supervisor.

In the fall of 1858, the territory was divided up, and the name of Highland dropped, and a town created known as Scott. The first elec- tion in the newly made town, was held April 5, 1859, when the following were elected :

J. R. Hurlbut, O. M. Mitchell and Charles F. Coalburn, supervisors; Alonzo Young, elerk; George E. Harrington, superintendent of schools ; Luther Poland, assessor ; George E. Harrington, W. J. MeBurney and Samuel Wood, justices of the peace.

Officers for 1883 : James Turk, chairman; Lewis McCulliek, James Putnam, side board ; William B. Walton, town elerk ; Charles F. Coalburn, treasurer ; William Wilt, assessor :

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Stephen Julian, Isaac Peterson, George Mc- Dowell and Barzell Gray, justices.

POSTOFFICES.

Sladesburg is the oldest postoffice within the town of Scott. It was established in 1857, with Alphonzo Slade as the first postmaster. He kept the office on section 12, until he removed from the town in 1880, when he was succeeded by J. M. Turk.

The second postoffice established in the town was in 1858; this was located on section 5, and kept by Isaac Teller, who is a cousin of Secre- tary Teller of the Department of Interior, at Washington, a member of President Arthur's cabinet. This office was named Rolling Ground. It was suspended for a few months, but re- established in 1868, and the name changed to Wheatville. William B. Walton was then ap- pointed postmaster, and was still holding the office in 1884.

An office known as Hurlbut's Corners was es- tablished in 1861. J. R. Hurlbut was appointed postmaster, and was still acting in 1884. The name of the office was changed to Hurlbut in, 1883.

EDUCATIONAL.

Scott has five full and seven joint school dis- tricts.

District No. 1 is provided with a log build- ing, located on section 20, valued at $50. Num- ber of pupils, forty-two.

Distriet No. 2 has a frame house, situated on section 16, valued at $400. Number of pupils, fifty-nine.

District No. 5 is provided with a good frame building, located on section 29, valued at $500. Enrollment list, eighty-six.

District No. 6 also has a frame house, valued at $450, situated on section 9. Here the number of pupils is seventy-two.

District No. 8 has a school house located on section 22, and is valued at $400. The num- ber of scholars in the district is forty-seven.

Joint district No. 7 has a building located on section 34, in the town of Scott, valued at $500. Number of pupils, forty-two. The towns of Scott and Marietta comprise this district.

Richwood and Scott comprise joint district No. 8. This district has a frame building on section 12, in the town of Scott, valued at $600. The total number of scholars in 1883 was forty- nine.

Joint district No. 1, made up of parts of Scott, Clayton and Haney towns, is provided with a building situated in the town of Clayton. Number of scholars from the town of Scott, five.

Joint district No. 4, made of parts of Scott and Haney, has a school house located in the town of Haney. Number of pupils from the town of Scott, seven.

Joint district No. 11 is composed of terri- tory from the towns of Scott and Clayton. The building is located in the town of Clayton.

Joint district No. 12, made up of parts of ter- ritory in the towns of Scott and Haney, is pro- vided with a building in the town of Haney. Number of pupils from the town of Scott, five.

RELIGIOUS.

The first religious services in the town of Scott were conducted by the United Brethren, whose preacher held services at the house of William Elliott in June, 1853. These meetings were kept up once in two weeks for two years or more, and services have been kept up to the present time (1884) with a good degree of regu- larity. They have three classes, under the charge of Elder G. G. Nickey.

The Baptist people held services from 1856 to 1866, but never erected a church, always holding services at the school house, under the pastorate of Elder Levi Ross, supported occa- sionally by Elder Prouty, of Boscobel. The removal of Elder Ross in 1866 cansed suspen- sion of services, and the society has never been known as an independent organization since that date.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

John Day was born near West Carlisle, Cosh- octon Co., Ohio, in 1824. IIe emigrated to Wis- consin in 1845. He resides on section 7, and is an ordained elder in the United Brethren Church. Since 1870 he has been settled in his present charge, and constantly in the work of the Church. Probably no more energetic, pushing servant of the canse can be found in the west. For nearly forty years he has been, not alone a western man, but most of the time a frontier man up and beyond the Missouri river in days of wild beasts and Indians, a pioneer in Ne- braska and Kansas. Hardy, vigorous, and as full of vitality as a man nearly perfect, physi- cally, ean be, he has been, and is, a man to be most useful in rough, western, frontier life. The elder's ministerial work in this neighbor- hood may be mentioned in this history. In the winter of 1882-3, Elder Day officiated at the funeral of Abram Correll, the oldest resident of Crawford county, aged 106 years ; also per- formed the same duty ten years previous for his wife-Mrs. Correll. Since his residence in the town of Scott, commencing in 1870, Elder Day has attended fifty-six funerals, solemnized thirty- six marriages, and added to the membership of his Church by baptism about forty-five. Ile

holds regular services in six different localities in Crawford, Richland and Vernon counties ; travels upon an average each year 3,000 miles ; and if roads are bad, and his services are in immediate demand, leaves his team and walks, being good for fifty miles in a day's walk. He is aged sixty years, but as vigorous and hale as most men at forty to forty-five years. Elder Day was living with his second wife when he came to this town from Delaware Co., Iowa. She died and was buried in the town of Haney, March 4, 1873. Their wedded life of twenty years was not fruitful, no children being born to them, but his wife cared for and reared three children by a former wife-Elizabeth L., wife of David Patterson, of Wright Co, lowa ; Barbara E., wife of James McVeagli, a resident of Nebraska; and Sophia A., wife of Jacob Hoffman, of Green Co., Wis. On July 13,

1873, Elder Day married Martha E. Richardson, of the town of Scott. By this marriage he has had five children-Naomi J., born in June, 1874, and died at the age of four months ; Nor- ma J., born Dec. 9, 1875; John W., born March 7, 1878 ; Thomas J., born Dec. 3, 1880 ; and Daniel D., born Feb. 12, 1883.

A Methodist class was organized in 1858, and attached to Mount Sterling circuit, La Crosse district. John P. Coleman was the first class- leader, and Mrs. Jonah Glover, steward. The first pastor was Rev. William MeMillan. This class was kept up till the beginning of the Civil war, when, true to their country, all the able bodied men of the class, including the pastor, enlisted. Rev. MeMillan served over three years as a soldier, and during the time did much spiritual good among his fellow soldiers. After his return, he again took up his Master's work, and in 1883, was stationed at La Grange, La Crosse district.

About the time this Methodist class was formed, it built a log meeting house, near the north line of the town. Properly speaking, it belonged to both, the Methodist and United Brethren societies, as the latter aided in its erection. This class was reorganized in 1870. Rev. Bradley, of the Bell Centre circuit, sup- plied the class two years. They used No. 5 school house for a place of meeting. A new class was organized at the town house, with A. F. Thompson as preacher in charge for two years. Rev. J. F. Nuzum, assisted by Lew Wooley, succeeded Rev. Thompson. Rev. William McMillan came next, and he was fol- lowed by Rev. Isaac N. Adrian, under whose pastorate a new church was built in 1881, at a cost of $1,000. This edifice is located on section 16. The name of the church is Mt. Zion; the same was dedicated, Sept. 3, 1881, by J. R. Irish, presiding elder of Madison district.

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 99

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