History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 125

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Wisconsin > Part 125

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The great extent of territory included within the limits of the town, made it necessary for the Legislature to authorize the Town Supervisors to establish one or more voting precincts. Under this authority, they established, June 29, 1846, one precinct at the house of George McFadden, to be known as the " Grand Springs Precinct ; " one at the house of John Clark, to be known as the "Dane Precinct; " one at the house of John M. Thomas, to be called the " Cross Plains Precinct ; " and one at the house of Amos Beecher, to be known as the " Cot- tage Grove Precinct." So the convenience of the electors in various portions of the extensive territory constituting the town was subserved. But these precincts were soon to be placed out- side its limits, and the town to be greatly reduced in size.

By an act passed February 11, 1847, " Township number seven, north of Ranges eight, nine and ten, in Dane County, shall constitute a separate town by the name of Madison, and the first town meeting shall be held at the capitol." By this act, Madison was reduced in size to

J.B. Parking

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

ires townships, including the present towns of Blooming Grove, Madison, Middleton, and most f the city of Madison.

By the erection of the town of Middleton, March 11, 1848, and that of Blooming Grove in 18 spring of 1850, two townships were taken from its territory-Townships 7, north, of Ranges and 10 east, except so much of the last-mentioned township as lay north of Lake Monona ; so Jat it then included Township 7 north, of Range 9 east, and so much of Township 7 north, of lange 10 east, as lay north of Lake Monona.

By the act incorporating the city of Madison, in 1856, it lost about half its territory, but ained, not long after, by the addition of a portion of Blooming Grove, that part lying north of ake Monona; for by an act of the Legislature, of March 30, 1861, "Section five, the east half of he southeast quarter of Section six, all of fractional Section seven, lying east of the limits of the ity of Madison, and the northwest fractional quarter of Section eight, in Township No. even, north of Range No. ten, east of the fourth principal meridian in the State of Wisconsin," were attached to and made a part of the town of Blooming Grove; Provided, hat the lands above described should be and remain attached to the city of Madison School District, for school purposes, and all the taxes raised upon these lands, or any of them, for school purposes, should be paid over by the town of Blooming Grove to the city of Madison, for the upport of a school at the schoolhouse in that city east of the Catfish River. So Madison was reduced to its present limits.

Madison, therefore, now consists of all of Township 7 north, of Range 9 east, excepting so nuch as is included within the limits of the city of Madison. From being the largest, it has inally become next to the smallest of the towns of the county.

The first election for town officers was held agreeably to law, on the 7th of April, 1846, with the following result : Supervisors-James R. Larkin, Chairman ; Edward Campbell, William C. Wells. Road Commissioners-John M. Griffin, Thomas Rathbone, Abiram Drakely ; Clerk, J. Duane Ruggles. Collector, Andrus Viall. Treasurer, Darwin Clark. Assessors- George Vroman, John W. Thomas, William Larkin. School Commissioners-J. G. Knapp, Benjamin Holt, F. H. Talcott. Justices-William N. Seymour, Nathaniel Wheeler, Alonzo Wilcox. Constables-John Cottrill, James Moore, Albert Skinner.

It has been stated in a previous chapter that under a law, approved February 3, 1846, the village of Madison was incorporated; but the government of the town was not, by that law, interfered with ; the citizens of the village participated in both elections.

At the first election, April 7, 1846, there were 232 votes cast. On the Democratic ticket for Supervisors were James R. Larkin, Edward Campbell and William C. Wells; on the Whig ticket, Ebenezer Brigham, Benjamin Dodge and Samuel G. Abbott. The Democratic ticket was elected.

From and after the second Monday of March, 1856, the connection between the town of Madison and that part of it included within the city limits, for all town purposes, was dissolved. The duties then and afterward imposed upon Supervisors and other town officers, so far as they related to the city of Madison, were performed by the Aldermen of the several wards, and the other officers of the city. All that part of the town not included within the city limits, hence- forth constituted the town of Madison ; and the first town meeting was held at the place appointed by the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the town. All that part of the town lying east and northeast of the city, was attached to the school district of the city for school purposes. So it was that the town and city were completely divorced.

The first permanent American settler in the town of Madison, as originally constituted, was Ebenezer Brigham, at the Blue Mounds ; but the first settler in the town, as now bounded, was neither an American nor a permanent settler ; besides, he was only half white. It was Michel St. Cyr. After him, came W. B. Slaughter, George H. Slanghter, Abel Dunning, Gabriel T. Long, Isaac H. Palmer, James R. Larkin, Jonathan Larkin, Daniel Larkin, William Larkin, B. F. Larkin, and the father of the Larkins, also Harmon J. Hill, William.D. Bird and others. These were some of the pioneers of the town of Madison, as at present constituted.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Eben Peck, the first person who located on the site of the city, was also the first who " broke the glebe " and turned the first furrow in what is now the town of Madison. He broke about three acres, a little west of William Larkin's present homestead, in 1838.

In 1839, Abel Dunning and William D. Bird made breakings within the present town.

The population of the town of Madison, in 1846 (including, as it did, twenty-four townships out of the thirty-five in the county), numbered 4,329. It is now (with territory of only a frac- tion of a township), 735. It has within its limits Lake Wingra, the largest lake wholly in the county, except those constituting the Four Lakes. This lake covers the larger part of Section 27, and parts of Sections 26 and 28.

The land is undulating, generally covered with oak openings, with occasional marsh or meadow land. The latter are found south of Lake Wingra, and on Section 16, south of Lake Mendota. The soil is generally rich and productive. In some parts are found excellent quar- ries of building-stone.

The erection of the " Lake Side Water Cure," by Delaplaine & Burdick, was commenced in November, 1854, to be completed June 1, 1855. The site selected for the institution was one of beauty. The grounds comprised an oak grove of fifty acres, situated immediately across the west point of Lake Monona, on Section 25, in the town of Madison, about two miles south of the Capitol and one mile by water, commanding a fine view of the city of Madison, the lakes and the surrounding country. Over the grounds, just on the edge of the grove, flowed a stream of water, from which the institution was supplied. This stream has its source in never-failing springs.

The building stood upon an eminence about fifty feet above the water, and six hundred feet distant from the shore. The main building was ninety-two feet in length by forty in width, and four stories above the basement, capable of accommodating from eighty to one hundred guests. There were piazzas, extending the whole length of the building, on the first and second stories. There was also a wing, forty feet by thirty-eight, and two stories in height, which was princi- pally devoted to bath-rooms. The house was warmed throughout by steam. There was also connected with the engine, apparatus for cooking, washing, drying, ironing, supplying reservoir, etc., only one fire being necessary for the whole establishment.

Dr. James E. Gross was resident physician at its opening. For some reason the institution was not a success, and was subsequently altered and adapted for a public house, and was called the Lake Side Hotel ; as such it was well patronized. It was occupied only as a summer hotel,. and was a favorite resort for visitors from St. Louis and other Southern cities. It was burned and has not been rebuilt.

TOWN OF SUN PRAIRIE.

The first settlement in this town was made by Charles H. Bird, in the fall of 1839, on the southeast quarter of Section 5, Township 8, Range 11 east. Early in the following year, came Robert Marks, and settled on Section 4, while in 1841, Charles S. Peaslee, Benjamin Knight, Rev. Albert Slingerland, John Winsled, Horace Potter, W. Van Bergen and John Ostrander located in the northwest part of the town. In the south part, Enoch and Bradford Churchill, W. A. Pierce, John Taylor, Ira Balch, Tisdale Pierce, Calvin Flower, Mark Haslett and John Phillips formed a little settlement in 1840. Samuel, Asahel and Charles Bailey and R. T. Cameron arrived in 1841. A. W. Dickinson, George Pine and Mr. Brockway located in the year 1842. Among other early settlers were John A. Peckham, Pardee Peckham, Moses Ver- valen, Joshua Boyles, David C. Butterfield, John Myers, W. H. Angell and Silas Smith.

The town of Sun Prairie was organized at the year 1846, and included all that district which now constitutes the towns of York, Medina, Bristol and Sun Prairie. The first election, or town meeting, was held in the spring of that year, at the house of John A. Peckham. The town was afterward reduced by the erection of Medina, York and Bristol, into separate towns in 1848, leaving Sun Prairie six miles square-Township 8, Range 11 east. This territory was further reduced by the incorporating of the village of Sun Prairie in 1868, when about 800 acres were included within the corporate limits of that village.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

In pursuance of an act of the first Legislative Assembly of the Territory which located the seat of government at Madison, Augustus A. Bird was elected Acting Commissioner for the erection of the capitol. On the 26th day of May, 1837, the Acting Commissioner, accompanied by a number of men, started from Milwaukee for Madison. At that time, nearly all of Wis- consin westward from Milwaukee was an unbroken wilderness. On the 5th day of June, the men, tired, foot-sore and depressed, plodded their weary way through the wild scenery of this then unexplored wilderness. Nine days had elapsed since they started on their weary march, and they had been drenched with rains and oppressed with continnous cloudy and lowering weather-the sun had not once gladdened them with its beams since the day on which they left Milwaukee. At length, as they emerged upon the borders of the beautiful prairie, about two miles east of where the village of Sun Prairie now stands, the sun shone forth in all its brightness, and illuminated the scene before them as with a halo of glory. The contrast which this beautiful vision presented to the gloom with which they had been surrounded was so great, that they greeted it with a shout, and Bird gave the natural meadow the name of " Sun Prairie," which name was carved into the hark of an oak tree which stood near by.

To a great extent, the history of the town of Sun Prairie is a history of the village of the same name. The first marriage, the first birth, the first death and the first school in the town were likewise the first in the village. Previous to the year 1844, Charles H. Bird, John Myers, David C. Butterfield, Charles S. Peaslee and Benjamin Knight, located upon Section 5, of Town- ship 8, Range 11 east, forming the first settlement made in the town.

The town is well watered by Koshkonong Creek, which rises near the village of Sun Prai- rie on Section 5, flows south westerly and southeasterly through the town, leaving it on Section 31. Along the valley of this creek is considerable marsh land, more particularly in the south- ern part of the town. The northern portion of Sun Prairie is mostly prairie ; the remaining parts are oak openings, interspersed with prairie and marsh. The Watertown line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad passes through the northern tier of sections, entering at Section 1, and passing out at the northwest corner of Section 7.

The following officers were elected at the first town meeting, in April, 1846 :

Lewis Stone, Chairman ; William H. Clark, William A. Pierce, Supervisors; William Eldridge, Clerk ; William A. Pierce, Treasurer ; John Myers, Charles Lum, Franklin Carter, Assessors.

The population of the town in 1846 (when it included the present towns of Bristol, Sun Prairie, Medina and York) was 1,553. It is now 923. There is no post office in the town. The town has a hall, located on Section 22.

VILLAGE OF SUN PRAIRIE.

In the year 1844, William H. Angell purchased five acres of land from Mr. Bird, being the first lot of ground sold in the present village of Sun Prairie. The idea was then conceived of founding here a village. The first step taken was to secure a post office. A petition was accordingly presented to the Post Office Department, and their request was promptly granted, and an office was established under the name of Rome. This name was retained for about one year, when the office was given the name of Sun Prairie. William H. Angell was the first Post- master, and served until 1850, when C. C. La Bore was appointed. In 1853, Angell was again appointed, serving until 1861, when Elijah Rowley was made Postmaster. Mr. Rowley served but a short time, and was succeeded by William F. Hardwick, since which time John Gibbons, William F. Hardwick, George Watkinson and C. L. Long have each served. Mr. Long received his appointment and took possession of the office January 1, 1880. The first money order issued from this office, was made July 15, 1869, to Michael Hawkins in favor of Shadholt & Boyd, for the sum of $30. The second was drawn by C. G. Crosse in favor of P. A. Steward, Chicago, for $3. The first order paid was on the 15th day of July, 1869, to William F. Hard- wiek from W. H. Nott, for $5.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

The first regular attempt at merchandising was in the fall of 1845, Edwin Brayton opening a small stock of goods in the building erected by Mr. Angell for his carpenter shop. Mr. Bray- ton continued to do business for about one year. In June, 1848, Silas Smith came to the place and rented the building formerly occupied by Mr. Brayton, and opened a stock of general mer- chandise. Frederick Starr was successor to Mr. Smith, and, after a brief business career, the former was followed by Thomas White. In 1859, White was succeeded hy Williams & Maloney, who soon established a successful trade, of which George Maloney is the present representative. Patrick Doyle was the first " village smith," and opened his shop here in the fall of 1846. David C. Butterfield and Miss Sarah Knight were united in marriage in 1842, by Charles H. Bird, a Justice of the Peace. This was the first marriage in the town as well as village.

James D., son of Charles H. and Lovina Bird, was born July 13, 1842, being the first born in the village and town. He died June 27, 1877.

John Myers lost two children in the fall of 1840, from scarlet fever, being the first deaths.

The first grown person that died was the wife of Benjamin Knight, in 1842. The second was the wife of George Pine.

The early settlers in this vicinity were firm believers in the public-school system of the country, organizing a school district here in 1842, erecting a schoolhouse on Section 5, and hav- ing a school the same year. The first house was of logs. A more substantial frame house was erected a few years after, which served until 1864, at which time the present building was erected and the graded system adopted for the school.

In the year 1859, a line of railroad having been projected from Milwaukee to the Baraboo Valley, it was completed as far as Watertown. The line was located and graded about three miles south of the village of Sun Prairie ; but the route was afterward changed; and, on the 24th day of September, 1859, the railroad was completed to the last-mentioned place. Then followed a period of active business prosperity, and apparently a golden opportunity for building up, on a permanent basis, a village of considerable importance and magnitude. For ten years, Sun Prairie was the western terminus of the Milwaukee & Baraboo Valley Railroad, and was one of the largest and most flourishing inland grain markets in the State. In 1869, two large ele- vators were erected, one by William H. Angell and the other by Mann & Atkins.

The first car load of lumber was received by Angell, on the 25th day of September, the next day after regular trains had begun to run.

Notwithstanding the remarkable growth of the village and the large number of lots sold, no plat of the place had ever been made. In order to have this done, and also the better to govern their affairs, the Legislature of the State was asked for a special act of incorporation. Their request was duly granted at the session of 1867-68. The charter is very liberal in its provisions, giving the village all the rights and privileges of a town, with representation in the County Board of Supervisors.

The village limits were described as follows : " The south half and the south half of the north half of Section 5, and the north half of the north half of Section 8, and the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 9, and the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter and the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter and the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 4, all in Township No. 8 north, Range 11 east." These tracts were set apart and made to include the village of " Sun Prairie," which territory still constitutes its corporate limits.

The officers of the village, by the act of incorporation, were to consist of one President and three Trustees, one Clerk, one Treasurer, one Assessor, one Police Justice and one Con- stable, the latter to be ex officio Marshal of the corporation ; but this was, in February, 1870, amended so as to read " one Police Justice or Justice of the Peace."

The first election was held the first Monday in April, 1868. The following is a list of elective and appointed officers from its organization to and including the year 1880 :

1868-W. H. Angell, President; C. H. Bird, W. F. Hardwick, C. R. Babcock, Trustees; G. M. Smith, Clerk ; F. A. Bird, Marshal ; Thomas A. Hawkins, Treasurer ; E. A. Woodward, Street Commissioner ; William Reeves, Assessor.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

1869-W. H. Chandler, President ; Thomas A. Hawkins, H. Gilman, C. R. Babcock, Trustees; Darius S Stowe, Treasurer ; William Reeves, Assessor ; C. C. La Bore, Police Jus- tice; Alexander Johnson, Marshal; G. M. Smith, Clerk ; Chandler Pierce, Street Commis- sioner.

1870-C. R. Babcock, President ; Ivers Hayden, J. D. Bird, J. H. Mann, Trustees ; W. H. Chandler, Supervisor ; William Reeves, Assessor ; J. H. De La Matyr, C. C. La Bore, Police Justice ; D. M. Kanouse, Marshal; G. M. Smith, Clerk ; E. A. Woodward, Street Com- missioner.

1871-C. G. Crosse, President ; William H. Chandler, Henry Rood, John Hecker, Trustees; W. H. Chandler, Supervisor ; James D. Bird, Assessor ; G. W. Bull, Treasurer; C. C. La Bore, Police Justice ; D. M. Kanouse, Marshal; G. M. Smith, Clerk ; Charles F. Peas- lee, Street Commissioner.

1872-John Gibbons, President ; C. R. Babcock, C. G. Crosse, W. H. Chandler, Trustees; G. W. Bull, Treasurer; John Gibbons, Supervisor ; William Reeves, Assessor ; C. C. La Bore, Police Justice; D. M. Kanouse, Marshal ; G. M. Smith, Clerk ; Henry Vroman, Street Com- missioner.

1878-W. H. Angell, President ; Cyrus Stowe, George Maloney, H. Dirnfeldt, Trustees ; William Marsh, Treasurer ; W. H. Angell, Supervisor ; J. F. Wilmarth, Assessor ; C. C. La Bore, Police Justice ; J. D. Bird, Marshal ; G. M. Smith, Clerk ; John Ward, Street Commis- sioner.

1874-W. H. Angell, President; C. R. Babcock, H. E. Boardman, I. D. Hayden, Trustees; W. H. Angell, Supervisor; C. S. Peaslee, Police Justice ; William Marsh, Treas- urer; C. H. Jones, Assessor ; G. W. Kanouse, Marshal ; G. W. Matthews, Clerk ; C. H. Bird, Street Commissioner.

1875-George Maloney, President ; J. Hecker, J. G. Egbertson, E. Flavin, Trustees ; C. G. Crosse, Supervisor; C. H. Noble, Treasurer ; C. S. Peaslee, Police Justice ; Nelson Pierce, Marshal; C. H. Jones, Assessor ; William Reeves, Clerk ; C. C. La Bore, Street Commissioner.

1876-C. C. La Bore, President; C. H. Chittenden, H. Dirnfeldt, J. G. Egbertson, Trustees; C. G. Crosse, Supervisor; C. H. Noble, Treasurer; Cyrus Stowe, Assessor; G. W. Bull, Police Justice; D. W. Kanouse, Marshal ; William Reeves, Clerk ; Henry Rood, Street Commissioner.

1877-C. G. Crosse, President ; H. Dirnfeldt, H. Daniels, W. M. Small, Trustees ; C. G. Crosse, Supervisor; Henry Albrecht, Assessor ; C. H. Noble, Treasurer; G. W. Kanouse, Mar- shal; G. W. Bull, Clerk ; D. M. Kanouse, Street Commissioner.

1878-W. H. Chandler, President; E. D. Bowen, C. H. Chittenden, Chandler Pierce, Trustees ; C. H. Noble, Treasurer; Cyrus Stowe, Assessor; W. H. Angell, Supervisor; C. F. Peaslee, Police Justice ; D. M. Kanouse, Marshal and Street Commissioner; G. W. Bull, Clerk.

1879-W. H. Angell, President; George Maloney, Henry Rood, Nelson Pierce, Trustees ; David Wilder, Treasurer ; W. H. Angell, Supervisor ; Cyrus Stowe, Assessor ; G. W. Bull, Police Justice; L. S. Britton, Marshal; H. H. Freeman, C. L. Smith, Clerk.

1880-W. H. Angell, President; C. R. Babcock, C. Flavan, John Hecker, Trustees ; David Wilder, Treasurer ; W. H. Angell, Supervisor ; Cyrus Stowe, Assessor ; G. C. Shockley, Marshal; G. W. Bull, Clerk ; C. S. Peasley, Police Justice ; E. L. La Bore, Street Commis- siouer.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- In 1842, Elder Stebbins organized, in the schoolhouse sit- uated on the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 5, the first class in the town, from which has grown the flourishing church in the village of Sun Prairie. The con- gregation worshiped in schoolhouses, private houses and elsewhere, for many years. In 1867, a church building was erected .on a convenient site in the village, at a cost of $8,000. It has a basement, which is used for lectures, prayer meetings and Sunday schools. Among those composing the first class were William G. Van Bergen and wife, Thomas Rathbun and wife. Garrett Rathbun, Joseph Knight, Mrs. Smith, C. S. Peasley and wife, John Myers and wife. William G.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Van Bergen was the first Class-leader. Among those who have served as Pastors of the church, were Revs. Close, Harvey, Wells, Smith, Bunz, Sewell, De La Matyr, Robothem, Smith, Am- plin, Farnum, Wells, Cole and Fellows. In 1880, the Trustees of the church were David Wilder, S. Sharpe, Robert Thompson, Moses Chase, F. W. Dustan, Henry Witherell and A. Chipman. Its Stewards were S. Bell, W. T. Moak, John Parkinson, D. B. Vaughan, L. A. Beers and W. T. Chase.

Congregationalist .- This church was organized August 19, 1846, Rev. Mr. Kanouse acting as Moderator and Rev. P. Eveleth as Clerk of the meeting. Its constituent members consisted of Benjamin Knight and wife, Martin Lewis and wife and D. Graves. Martin Lewis was elected Deacon. The first meetings of the church were held in schoolhouses and in private houses. On the 2d day of April, 1853, a meeting was held for the purpose of taking into con- sideration the building of a house of worship, but it was not considered advisable to undertake the work. Nothing further was done in this direction until August, 1857, when, at a meeting called for that purpose, it was voted to circulate a subscription-paper, which was accordingly done, and a small but neat church building was erected, at a cost of $1,300. In size, it was 24x44. In 1869, the house was enlarged to 36x58, at an additional cost of $5,000. Revs. Kanouse and Eveleth were the first ministers serving the congregation. In 1850, Rev. C. W. Matthews was called to the pastorate, and remained with the church some years. During the building of a house of worship by the Methodist Episcopal brethren, a union was effected for worship between that body and the Congregationalists, under the ministrations of Rev. De La Matyr, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After this, Rev. Mr. Donaldson was called to the pastorate and remained until 1861, being succeeded by Rev. C. M. Moorehouse. On the 13th day of October, 1867, Rev. C. T. Melvin entered upon the work, and served until September 10, 1871. On the 28th of September of the same year, a call was extended to Rev. O. J. Shannon, who accepted the call and labored here two years. In January, 1874, Rev. Josiah Beardsley, a young man who had just entered upon the ministry, began to preach for the con- gregation, and was regularly ordained to the work in November following. He remained until the 28th of March, 1878. On the 7th of July of the same year, Rev. A. A. Safford preached his first discourse as Pastor, and yet remains with the church.

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 125

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1304

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304