History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 126

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 126

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German Methodist Episcopal .- An organization was effected, November 9, 1872, by Rev. William Wilke, with a membership, including the charge in Windsor, of 75, together with 25 probationers. In 1874, there were reported to the Conference 83 members and 13 probationers ; Rev. William Wilke, Pastor. In 1876, Rev. S. Weckerlin was appointed to the charge, and the membership was reported at 110 and 10 probationers. In 1877, the number was increased to 124 members and 4 probationers, In 1878, there was a gain of two members, and the proba- tioners reduced to 12. Rev. Mr. Weckerlin remained three years, doing an excellent work. In 1879, Rev. C. Wenz was given the charge, with a membership that had been depleted somewhat by removals, and numbering 109 and 12 probationers. In February and March, 1880, an inter- esting revival was held in the Windsor charge, and 26 persons were received on probation. A church building was erected in the village in 1874, at a cost of $1,000. A good Sunday school has been maintained since the organization of the church; C. A. Lober, Superintendent in 1880.

Masonic .- Sun Prairie Lodge, No. 143, A., F. & A. M., was organized May 6, 1863, under dispensation granted by Alvin B. Alden, Grand Master of the State. The Grand Master, in said dispensation, appointed the following officers : C. G. Crosse, G .; Smith D. French, S. W .; Joseph Spencer, J. W. At the first meeting, the W. M. appointed George Seaver, Treasurer; E. A. Spencer, Secretary ; D. B. Turnball, S. D .; D. G. Pierce, J. D .; A. Huyck, Tiler. A char- ter was granted, June 10, 1863, with the following charter officers : C. G. Crosse, W. M .; Andrew Huyck, S. W .; Joseph Spencer, J. W. In 1866, the lodge built a hall for their special use, in a convenient part of the city. C. G. Crosse, G. M. Smith, J. C. Kanouse, C. C. La Bore and L. V. Lewis have occupied the Worthy Master's chair since the organization of the lodge. The number of Master Masons connected with the lodge during its existence is 86, of which num-

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

ber three have been removed by death-Erastus Ware, J. D. Bird and John McMurrain. Its membership at the date of its report, January, 1880, was 50, with C. G. Crosse, W. M .; Will - iam E. Angell, S. W .; T. C. Hayden, J. W .; J. Hecker, Treasurer; L. V. Lewis, Secretary ; J. R. Davis, S. D .; Isaac Huyck, J. D .; J. G. Egbertson, Tiler.

Cemetery .- On the 29th day of July, 1850, an association was formed in the village under the name of the Sun Prairie Cemetery Association. William Eldridge, Timothy Cory, Benja- min Knight, Moses Rowley, Charles S. Peasley, William H. Angell, Silas Smith, John Myers and Charles H. Bird were elected Trustees. The organization was effected under the general laws of the State. Josiah L. Hale, of the city of New York, donated three acres off the north- east quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 8, the same being accepted by the association, and improved for the purposes designed. The first burial in the grounds donated was that of the wife of George Pine. After the organization of the association, the first burial was that of a daughter of William H. Angell.'

Sun Prairie House .- This was the first hotel erected in Sun Prairie, and was built by William H. Angell, who occupied it a number of years. After renting it to various parties, it passed into the hands of Peter H. Van Bergen and Lucius Fairchild, and was by them trans- ferred to Jacob Simons, the present owner. It is a two-story brick house, with accommodations for twenty-five guests.

American House .- This house was built in 1849, by William F. Hardwick, who served in the capacity of " mine host " for a number of years, and then rented it for a time, taking it back and running it for awhile, and finally, in February, 1872, disposing of it to J. E. Mann, its present pro- prietor. The house is a large, two-story cream-colored brick, with accommodations for about thirty guests. It has a large hall, used for dancing parties, and in which the Episcopal brethren meet for worship.

American Advertising Board .- This is the invention of Watkinson & Whelan, of Sun Prairie, on which a patent was received March 9, 1880. It consists of a board with a series of movable slides, between which words can be placed for advertising or other purposes. It is a useful article for the Sunday school for printing the golden text, and can also be used to adver- tise bills of fare at hotels. A printer's font of letters accompanies each board. Manufactured by the American Bulletin-board Company, Sun Prairie.

Sun Prairie Cornet Band .- On the 5th day of September, 1876, an association of the business men of the village was formed, under the name of the Sun Prairie Brass Band Associa- tion, by the election of the following-named officers: C. G. Crosse, President ; E. A. Weigan, Vics President; C. H. Chittenden, Treasurer ; L. V. Lewis, Secretary ; G. W. Kanouse, J. H. Swanton, William Small, Directors. G. W. Kanouse, Frederick Mann, Darwin Angell, William Small, Charles Chittenden, J. Swanton, J. Weigan, Alonzo Cobb, C. S. Crosse, and Joseph Kleiner were elected members of the band. In 1878, the association was incorporated under the general laws, the capital stock fixed at 500 shares at $1 each. The officers for 1880, are C. G. Crosse, President; W. H. Angell, Vice President ; C. S. Crosse, Treasurer ; L. V. Lewis, Secretary ; W. M. Small, E. A. Weigan, C. R. Babcock, Directors. Members of the hand : F. B. Mann, F. Mosel, D. C. Angell, H. La Bore, George Bull, N. Barth, J. Feinen, William Small, W. T. Mann, A. Cobb, George Mann, E. Angell, A. Boyles.

TOWN OF ROME (EXTINCT).

The act of the Territorial Legislature, approved February 2, 1846, provided, " That Town- ships 5 and 6 north, of Range 9 east [now the territory included within the limits of the towns of Oregon and Fitchburg], and Township 6 north, of Range 10 east [the present town of Dunn], shall constitute a separate town by the name of Rome; and the first town meeting shall be held at the house of William Quivey.'

By an act approved February 11, 1847, it was provided, " That Township No. 6 north, of Ranges No. 10 and 11 east, in Dane County, shall constitute a separate town by the name of

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Rome." As thus constituted, Rome included what are now the towns of Dunn and Pleasant Springs.

By an act approved March 11, 1848, " All that part of the town of Rome, in the county of Dane, embraced in Township No. 6 north, of Range No. 10 east, be, and the same is hereby, organized into a separate town, by the name of Dunn."

By the erection, the same year, of Township 6 north, of Range 10 east, into a separate town called Pleasant Springs, the town of Rome became extinct. Its history will be found merged in the towns formed out of its territory.

TOWN OF ALBION.

Albion is one of the original towns created by the act of the Territorial Legislature of Feb- ruary 2, 1846. As then constituted, it comprehended not only the whole of what is now the town of Christiana, but also the territory included within its present limits. Its population, according to the census taken the year of its organization, was 478 males and 433 females; total, 911; but this, of course, included all the then residents of what is now the town of Chris- tiana. Its present population is 1,351. By an act approved January 3, 1847, the last-men- tioned town was created, which reduced Albion to its present territory of Township 5 north, of Range 12 east. The town is situated in the extreme southeast corner of the county. It was first settled in 1841, Freeborn Sweet leading all the rest of the pioneers, effecting a settlement here in August of that year. In September following, Bjorn Anderson and Amund Anderson, from Norway, settled on Section 2. The same fall, Samuel T. Stewart, of Mas- sachusetts, settled on Section 14. In the spring of 1842, Duty J. Green and Jesse Saun- ders, from Allegany County, N. Y., settled on Section 22, on what has since been called Saunder's Creek, and where the village of Albion now stands. In June, 1843, Solomon Head, Adin Burdick, James Wood and Hiram Bentley settled in the neighborhood. Charles Coon, David M. Stillman, Russell G. Carpenter, Charles Maxson, Barton Edwards, Stephen Maxson, John G. Eggleston, Justus H. Potter, John S. Bullis, William A. Whitford, Thomas S. Coon, Lemuel Humphrey, Horace Bliven and Alvin Ayers were also early settlers of the town.

The first school in the town was taught by Lydia Coon, in 1844. The second school was taught the same year at the house of Horace Bliven, by Thomas Coon.

The first wedding in the town was that of James Shorrocks and Martha Head, in 1844.

C. R. Head, accompanied by Stillman Coon and others, visited this town in June, 1841, when not a white man had effected a settlement. Being well .pleased, they determined to settle here at a future date. On his way home, Mr. Head stopped at Milwaukee, where he made. the first entry of land in Albion by an actual settler, being the north half of the southwest quarter of Section 25. The date of his entry was July 29, 1841. Mr. Head, on returning east, studied medicine, attended lectures, graduated, and came back to Wisconsin in 1845. He was the first physician in the town.

Among the early settlers in the northern part of the town were the Marsdens, Clarks, Halls, Busseys, Slaters, Humphreys, Rev. James Wileman, William Short, John Bullis, and several families of Norths.

The first town election was held at the house of Jesse Saunders, on Tuesday, April 7, 1846, with the following result : 1846-Solomon Head, Chairman ; Barton Edwards, Freeborn Sweet, Supervisors ; Justus H. Potter, Clerk ; Duty J. Green, Treasurer ; Stephen Maxson, John G. Eggleston, Assessors.

The town received its name at the suggestion of Isaac Brown, in honor of his former place. of residence in the State of New York.

Albion is well watered by the Koshkonong Creek, which enters the town on Section 5, and passing circuitously through the center passes out on Section 33 ; and by Koshkonong River in the northeast part, on Sections 1 and 12. The northeast part is mostly prairie ; the southeast, oak openings ; the northwest, openings and marsh ; and the southwest are openings, except.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY

Sections 19 and 30, which are marsh. On Sections 13 and 14 is a small body of water, called Rice Lake. The extreme southeast corner of the town is washed by Lake Koshkonong.

The Prairie du Chien Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, passes through the southwest corner, on Sections 30, 31 and 32.

One-half of the inhabitants of the town are native born; one-third, Norwegian; the bal- ance is distributed among the English, Irish and Germans.

There are seven public schoolhouses in Albion, valued at $3,000.

Since the organization of the town, Charles R. Green held the office of Town Clerk a period of eighteen years. E. L. Burdick seems to have been a favorite for the office of Treas- urer, and R. P. Humphrey for the office of Assessor.

Seventh-day Baptists .- This denomination is quite numerous in the town. A church was organized January 22, 1843, by Elders Daniel Babcock and Stillman Coon, Deacons William P. Stillman and Joseph Goodrich, Henry .W. Green and John Stillman, a committee of the Seventh-day Baptist Church of Milton, Rock County. James Weed was elected Deacon ; David M. Stillman, Clerk ; Duty J. Green, Treasurer. Elder Stillman Coon was the first Pastor. He has been followed in the work by O. P. Hull. A. W. Coon, Thomas E. Babcock (eight years), Joshua Clarke (six years), J. E. N. Backus (four years), Varnum Hull (three years), Simeon H. Babcock, present Pastor (two years). A steady increase of membership has been sxperienced from the beginning, there having been a total enrollment of 662, of whom 350 are now in connection. A church edifice was erected, in 1863, at a cost of $2,500. In size it is 40x64 feet.

Primitive Methodists .- The first service of this denomination was held in the log house of Samuel Clark, Section 15, in September, 1844, the Rev. Samuel Marsden preaching. Serv- ices were afterward held at different private houses by the Rev. Marsden and Rev. James Wils- man and Rev. J. Noble, local preachers. A church was first built in 1847, on Section 10. The first members were Samuel C. Marsden, John Slater, Joseph Noble and Joseph Slinn and their families, also Messrs. James Wileman and Job Bunting. The first regular minister was Rev. James Alderson, then the Revs. Hazle, Samuel Teal, Thomas Strut, Charles Dawson, William Tomkins, George Parker, William Wells, Thomas Butterwick, George W. Wells, T. A. Cliff, Charles Dawson, J. W. Fox, Chris Hendre and John Kalf. In 1866, seventy-six of the mem- bers, with their minister, George W. Wells, withdrew, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, leaving but sixteen members faithful to their creed. These remaining few, in 1871, by" their united efforts, built the present handsome brick church on Section 11. It is 32x45 feet in dimensions, and cost $3,500.

There is a Methodist Episcopal Church in Albion. Its congregation has erected a beauti- ful building for worship, situated about two miles from the village.

TOWN OF RUTLAND.

The Legislature of 1846 passed a law, approved February 2 of that year, authorizing the organization of Township 5 north, of Range 10 east, into a separate town to be called Rutland. The first election for town officers was held in April, at the house of S. W. Graves, with the following result: Supervisors-Jonathan Lawrence, Chairman ; David West and Henry Edmonds ; Town Clerk, S. W. Graves ; Treasurer, Joseph Dejean ; Assessors, O. B. Bryant, Josiah Cummings and J. Boynton.

The first settlers came into the town in the summer of 1842. Joseph Dejean, John Prentice and Dan Pond and their families located near the southern part. In 1843, they were joined by others; and, in July, 1844, Jonathan Lawrence and son and S. W. Graves and family came from Vermont and took up their abode not far away. The same year settlers located in other parts of the town; Jeremiah Douglas and Goodrich Cummings in the northern, Gideon Cum- mings in the southern. and Richard Priest, with a family of eleven children, near the center.

In 1845, there was a large increase of population, so that by the end of the year it was estimated that there were 400 settlers.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

The lands were owned by Government, and settlers entered forty, eighty or more acres as they could afford. S. W. Graves took 200 acres among the first, being the largest tract then owned by one person.

Quite an amount of trouble was experienced by the "jumping of claims," but intruders were summarily dealt with and usually abandoned them. Most of the. early settlers were poor, but they came to stay, and the wealthy farmers of this town bear evidence to how well they car- ried out their intentions.

The first marriage in the town was Jewett Graves and Clarissa Mason, married by Rev. D. F. Starr.

Soon after, Justice S. W. Graves united David Gillis and a lady from Scotland, Schuyler Spears and Miss Roberts, and S. O. Little and Ellen Jehu.

The first births were John Dejean, December 7, 1842; Helen Prentice, October 19, 1844; a son of S. W. Graves, November 28, 1844; and Mary L. Dejean, December, 8, 1844.

The first death was the wife of Gideon Cummings, November, 1845; followed by the wife of S. W. Graves, December of the same year.

The first school was taught in what is now District No. 3, in 1846, by Miss Fanny Dun- can in the summer and Lydia Graves in the winter. After this, one term was taught in the granary of S. W. Graves, and one in his log house.

The First Baptist Church of Rutland was organized in the fall of 1845, with about thirty members. They held services in private honses until the schoolhouse was built. J. R. Eldridge was the first Pastor, but after one year was followed by Rev. Peck. He remained about two years, when the members united with some in the town of Union, Rock Co., and built a church edifice.

The First Free-Will Baptist Church of Rutland was also organized about the same time, and consisted of some twenty members from the towns of Rutland, Dunkirk and Dunn. The first service was held in the log house of Jeremiah Douglass. Meetings ware afterward held in schoolhouses, until 1874, when a good church building was erected. Rev. D. F. Starr was the first Pastor. The church now numbers about seventy members, and Rev. J. B. Gidney is Pastor. There is a prosperous Sunday school connected with the church; Z. L. Wellman, present Superintendent.

There are two other churches in the town, United Brethren and Methodist. Quite a set- tlement of Danes have come into the town, and have organized a church, but as yet have no church building.

Rutland is settled almost entirely by farmers. There is only one mill in town, which is run by water from a large spring. The first settlers were obliged to carry their grain to Beloit, about thirty miles, to mill.

The town of Rutland was so called after the town of the same name in Vermont.

In 1848, the post office was removed from Stoughton to Rutland, and kept at the residence now occupied by Fred Usher. Henry Edmunds was Postmaster.

On the shore of Island Lake is found an excavation, some ten feet in diameter, the gravel taken out being used to make a dyke into the lake, and quite large trees are now growing on the place.

Among the eccentric men who have lived in Rutland, Sullivan Soule was probably the most so. Many anecdotes of interest might be related of him if we had space. In 1876, he fitted up two teams, taking all things necessary for camping, his whole family and some grandchil- dren, and started East. As much notice was taken of his progress by newspaper men as is of the President. He drove leisurely to Philadelphia, camped, looked the Exposition over, and resumed his journey through to his old home in Maine. After a visit there, he drove most of the way back.

Most of the first settlers of the town are not here now; many have died, others have left. The present inhabitants are a majority of American people; there are, however, some Welsh, some Scotch, a few English, and quite a settlement of Danes.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

The town of Rutland lies on the southern boundary line of the county, which separates it from Union, in Rock County. It is watered by the Badfish Creek, which enters the town on Section 6, flows circuitously through the central part, passing out on Section 36 into Rock County and into the Yahara: On the banks of this stream are found abundance of excellent marsh lands. The larger part of the land is openings, while little, if any, may be termed prairis. The soil is rich and very productive. There is a lake, known as Island Lake, which in early times was considered a curiosity. It has an island near the center, of about three acres. This was once thickly wooded with good rock-maple trees, with no others within twenty miles. The lake is situated on Section 3:

The population of Rutland at an early day was composed largely of settlers from Vermont and Maine. The Chicago & North-Western Railway just crosses the extreme southwest corner of the town.

The population of the town, in 1845, was 400; in 1846, according to the State census, 446 ; it is now 1,134. Along the Badfish there are a great number of springs ; there is one spring so large that it runs a grist-mill within ten rods of its head, with two runs of stone. One spring is twenty-four feet in diameter, and so deep that it is difficult to find the bottom. The Badfish Creek has a southwest branch, the Anthony Creek, which joins it near the center of the town.

In addition to the lake already mentioned, are two others, one, Bass Lake, situated in the northeast quarter of Section 24, another situated in the northeast quarter of Section 2. In the town of Rutland, there is but one post office ; this is at the village of Rutland, which is the only village in the town.

TOWN OF DUNKIRK.

By the act of the Territorial Legislature, approved February 2, 1846, Township 5 north, of Range 11, east, was constituted a separate town and called Dunkirk. The first town meet- ing was held on the first Tuesday of April following, when Abner Barlow was elected Chairman ; S. H. Lyon and Levi Farman, Supervisors ; Moses W. Emerson, Clerk and Treasurer; Sam- uel W. Rays and Calvin Barnard, Assessors.

The town lies fifteen miles southeast of Madison. It is one of the best towns in the county for farming and manufacturing purposes. The Yahara enters in the northern part, on Section 4, and, after a circuitous bend, passes through the town south and southeasterly, leaving it on Section 35. This stream furnishes very superior water-power. It has a small tributary on the north, entering the main stream on the section last named. The lands in this town are diversified by oak open- ings, prairie and marsh, the prairie being mostly in the northeast and northwestern corners. The marsh land is in the vicinity of the Yahara. The soil is rich and productive.

The first settler here was John Nelson, a Norwegian, who came early in the spring of 1843. Chauncey Isham came soon after, as did John Wheeler, Michael Campbell, M. Emerson, Jesse Utter, S. H. Roys, Richard Palmer, Campbell and William Saunders, Edward James, Levi Farnham, Joseph Vroman and John Blake.

The first town meeting was held at the house of Mr. Lyons.

During the year 1844, E. E. Roberts, Joseph Cannon, John Estes, O. Bathy, Kittle Kit-\ tleson, Stratton Martin, H. H. Giles and others came.

The first marriage in the town was that of Simon Wheeler and Miss Farnham, in 1846.

The first birth was Elmira James, in 1844.

The first death was Rachel Cannon, in 1844.

The first school was on Section 13, in 1845, and was taught by John Barnard.

The old settlers of this township have annual gatherings at the house of one of their num- ber, no guest to be under fifty years of age and not less than twenty years a resident of the township. They also have an annual picnic, at which both old and young are invited.

The population of Dunkirk in 1846 was 341 ; it is now 1,283. By the act of the Legisla- ture of 1868, incorporating the village of Stoughton, the limits of the town were reduced 720 acres. It was provided in the act just mentioned, that " From and after the 6th day of April,

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

1868, the connection between the said village of Stoughton and the said town of Dunkirk, for town purposes," should be dissolved, and the duties then imposed upon town' officers, so far as they related to Stoughton, should be imposed on the officers of the village. Thus it was that a " bill of divorce " was granted the last-named corporation.

The village of Dunkirk, located on the south side of the Yahara, on Sections 20 and 21, is a small place, having a grist-mill and blacksmith-shop. In the northern part of the town, is a large Norwegian settlement. There is but one post office in the town, it is called Hanerville, situated on the east side of the Prairie du Chien Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, on Section 26. There is one small lake in the town, on Sections 18 and 19. The railroad just mentioned enters the town on Section 25, and, taking a northwest course through Stoughton, leaves it from Section 5. The town has now 1,283 inhabitants.

VILLAGE OF STOUGHTON.

The village of Stoughton is the first in commercial importance in the county, and was- platted in 1847, by Luke Stoughton, after whom it takes its name. Two additions have since been made : one in January, 1855, by Mr. Stoughton; the other in July, 1875, by O. M. Turner.

Immediately after purchasing the land here, Mr. Stoughton set to work to improve the- water-power. A dam was built and a saw-mill set in operation during the year. The next move was to secure settlers for the prospective village, and special inducements were held out to- all who chose to make here a home for themselves and to improve the place. Alvin West was the first to avail himself of the offer, and, during the summer and fall of 1847, erected the first building in the place, designed for a public inn. The location selected by Mr. West was the present site of the Hutson House, of which more will be said hereafter.

The winter of 1847-48 passed, and spring opened hopefully. Settlers began to flock into the place, and business activity prevailed. Mr. Stoughton this year opened a stock of gen- eral merchandise, it being the first store in the place. This was of great convenience to the- people, who, heretofore, had been compelled to go long distances for any article of household necessity of which they were in need. Colton & Westcott built the brick building which stands near the upper bridge, during this same season. Other improvements were also made.

In 1850, Mr. Stoughton put up a small grist-mill, with one run of stone. This supplied the needs of the people for a short time, when a larger one was built of brick. In this were two- run of stone. Sometime during the year 1855, this mill was undermined by water-rats and fell -- a complete wreck. This ended Mr. Stoughton's milling operations. Soon after this, he sold the water-power to John C. Jenkins, who erected the present Stoughton Mills.

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 126

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