History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 132

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 132

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).

St. Mary's Catholic Church, Parsonage, Sisters' House and School are situated on a sightly elevation, near Pine Bluff Village. The first mass of this denomination was held in 1853, at the house of John Kalscheur, by Father Adelberg Inama, of the town of Roxbury. In 1854, a small frame church was built, and dedicated during the same year, by Father Inama and Father Max Gaestner. In 1860, the present commodious stone structure was erected. It is 40x55 feet, with basement for parochial school. Until 1866, the church was dependent to the Berry Church for the services of a priest. The first resident priest was Father Joseph Hamm. He was succeeded by Father Peter Swager, who was followed, for a brief time, by Fathers Weidlich

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and Ulmayer, after whom came Father Andrea Ombrouen, whose place was recently taken by Father Louis Barth. There are now forty pupils in the school, and eighty families connected with the church.

The St. Mary's (Catholic) Total Abstinence Society was organized March 25, 1874, with a charter from the State Union Society. The order is in a flourishing condition at this time, and is under control of the following officers : James Reilly, President ; James Kinney, Jr., Vice President ; E. B. Farmer, Financial Secretary ; L. B. Murphy, Treasurer ; James Farrell, Marshal; Francis Coyle, Librarian ; Timothy Farrell, Assistant, and Patrick Coyle, Secretary.

Cross Plains Villages .- There are three platted villages in the north part of the town on the line of the railroad, which enters the town on Section 12 and passes out on Section 5. The first village, called Cross Plains, is on land entered by Sidney Morgan. It was platted Feb- ruary 27, 1859, and surveyed by A. Lizowsky, Deputy County Surveyor, and lies on the northwest quarter of Section 2, Township 7 north, Range 7 east. The proprietors were Johann and Juliana Baer.

The second village, called Christina, is located on the northeast quarter of Section 3, Township 7 north, Range 7 east, and was platted August 30, 1855. The proprietor was P. L. Mohr. The village plat was surveyed by Charles Wasmund, Deputy County Surveyor.

Foxville, the third village, is located on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 3, of Township 7 north, of Range 7 west. It was platted January 20, 1857. The proprietor was Abijah Fox. The village was surveyed by H. M. Warner.

The first store was opened at the upper village, or Cross Plains proper, some time before 1850, by the Baer Brothers. The second store was opened at Foxville, in 1857, by Louis Martini and Weisenborn, and the third store was started at Christina by Herman Zinkeisen and the fourth by H. J. Dahman, about 1860.

What was known as the old Wisconsin House, at Christina, which was opened by F. Deitrich, in 1853, was the first hotel in the villages. This house has been closed for many years. In 1859, Charles Herman opened a tavern at Christiana, on Lot 1, Block 23; during 1864 it burned. Afterward, Haeger & Brendler kept hotel in a stone building, erected on the same spot, which is now used for a saloon and dwelling-house. In the upper town there are two stores and a wagon-shop and saloon. Mrs. Baer continues the store started by her husband in 1850. There has been a singing society here for many years, which has a hall.

Christiana has now several good buildings, constructed of brick and stone, and has several business firms, besides a mill. The oldest establishment is H. J. Dahman's store, saloon and Notary Public office. There are now three general stores-Mr. Dahman's, Edward Lampman's and Michael Stricker's; one harness shop, F. X. Frederick, the oldest in this locality, started in 1862; two blacksmiths, one wagon shop and two saloons. Fred Stecker started the first blacksmith-shop and Jacob Wetzel first wagon-shop, in 1860, at this point, also two boot and shoe shops, including one boot and shoe store, the latter kept by John Valentine ; Justices of the Peace are John Brophy and John Zehnpfenig.

The flour-mill was built at this point in 1857 by O. Mohr and F. Fischer. It was com- menced in the fall, but, being built too rapidly, in the following spring it had to be rebuilt. In 1865, the property passed into the possession of S. A. Kimball, who ran the mill until 1869, when G. Herring, the present owner, came into possession. The mill is 40x42 feet, with two stories and basement; there are two runs of stone and a feed buhr. The water-power has gradually diminished from the first, so that in 1875 it became necessary to add steam-power. A commodious engine house was then built, and a fifty-horse-power engine put in, at a total cost of $4,000. This is the only mill in the town now, although there was a steam grist-mill built far- ther up the stream, several years ago, which, in 1874, was moved by Conrad Shelle into the town of Berry.

The Post Office .- The Cross Plains Post Office is now kept at Christiana. After Mr. Morgan, the first Postmaster, John Baer was appointed, in 1850. In 1857, H. J. Dahman received the office, and kept it until 1860, when it passed into the charge of Herman Zinkeisen.

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In 1863, the building where Zinkeisen kept was burned, after which the office was temporarily in charge of Mr. Dahman, until the brick building of Zinkeisen & Pickhardt was built, when Zinkeisen resumed the office, keeping it until 1865. Then he left, and his partner, Mr. Pick- hardt, became Postmaster. In 1871, F. X. Frederick, the present incumbent, was appointed. Foxville is a small village, and the point where the depot is located. The first one was built by A. Fox, the founder of the village, in 1856, and was used for a depot and warehouse for several years. A few years after, the railroad company built the present depot. There are two warehouses and one elevator here at the present, belonging to the Produce Market Company of Foxville, which was chartered in 1875, with eleven stockholders. The elevator was built in 1874, and will accommodate 8,000 bushels of grain. The warehouses are old buildings. There is also another warehouse, owned by Fred Roelke, built fourteen years ago by H. Zinkeisen, who did business there for several years, and then rented it to Ball & Virnig. There is now one hotel, the Reindeer, built fifteen years ago, by M. Brendler, the present proprietor. One drug store, conducted by Mrs. Roosbach. One general store, owned by Hy. Prien & Co., and a blacksmith- shop, by Mr. William Marx, said to be the oldest now in town, and one tin-shop and two saloons.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

CHAPTER XIX.

TOWNS AND VILLAGES-CONTINUED.

PREFATORY-TOWN OF BLUE MOUNDS-TOWN OF BRISTOL-TOWN OF DANE-TOWN OF DUNN-TOWN OF BLACK EARTH-VILLAGE OF BLACK EARTH-TOWN OF MEDINA-VILLAGE OF MARSHALL -VILLAGE OF DEANSVILLE-TOWN OF MIDDLETON -- TOWN OF PLEASANT SPRINGS-TOWN OF SPRINGDALE-TOWN OF YORK.

PREFATORY.

During the year 1848, the Territorial and State Legislatures formed ten new towns in the county, the last one on the 2d day of August. These towns were as follows : Blue Mounds, Bristol, Dane, Dunn, Farmersville (afterward Black Earth), Medina, Middleton, Pleasant Springs, Springdale and York. These added to those of 1847, and the year previous, made, in all, twenty-four, as follows : Rutland, one township ; Albion, one; Dunkirk, one ; Sun Prairie, one ; Madison, two; Christiana, one; Cottage Grove, two; Oregon, one; Montrose, three ; Fitchburg, one; Springfield, one; Verona, one; Windsor, four; Cross Plains, one; Blue Mounds, two ; Bristol, one ; Dane, two ; Dunn, one; Farmersville (afterward Black Earth), two; Medina, one ; Middleton, one ; Pleasant Springs, one ; Springdale, one, and York, one.

Madison then contained, besides its present territory, the whole of what is now Blooming Grove, and most of what is now the limits of the city of Madison ; Cottage Grove included what is now the town of Deerfield in addition to its present area; Montrose had for its territory what are now the towns of Perry, Primrose and Montrose; Windsor was composed of Burke, West- port, Vienna and Windsor, as now constituted ; Blue Mounds included its present territory and what is now the town of Vermont ; Dane included Roxbury as well, as its present territory ; while Farmersville (afterward Black Earth) took in besides what is now Berry, the whole of the present town of Black Earth and the south half of Mazomanie.

TOWN OF BLUE MOUNDS.

The territory now included within the limits of the town of Blue Mounds, is Township 6 north, of Range 6 east, of the United States survey. By an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved March 11, 1848, so much of Range 6 east, as was embraced in Townships 6 and 7 north, was erected into a separate town by the name of Blue Mounds, so called from the Blue Mounds in the vicinity. Previous to this, upon the erection of Cross Plains into a separate town, the terri- tory now constituting Blue Mounds was attached to the latter.

The first town meeting in Blue Mounds was held at the house of Ira Isham, on the first Tuesday in April, 1848, when the following officers were elected : Supervisors, Ebenezer Brig- ham (Chairman), Thomas Haney and Thomas Steele ; Clerk, A. S. Needham ; Assessor, John Sample ; Treasurer, Edward Dale ; Collector, Jeremiah Lycan ; School Commissioners, Gran- ville I. Neale, William Rowe, David Smith, Ebenezer, Brigham, Edward Dale and Thomas Steele.

The surface of the town adjacent to the "Blue Mounds " is gently rolling, there being few sharp bluffs and no great depressions, and, when viewed from those elevations, the scene for miles is picturesque and grand.

The soil is uniformly good, being a rich, friable loam and marl. In an early day, the bot- tom lands in many places were marshy, and so soft that a team could not pass over them with safety ; but these places are now quite firm and constitute the most valuable portions of the town.

The timber supply of the town of Blue Mounds is perhaps as varied as can be found in any locality in the county ; there is oak in variety, black walnut, butternut, hickory (bitter and sweet), ash (white and black), poplar, and other timbers.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

This town is well watered, it being the source of the East Blue Mounds Creek, the East Branch of the Pecatonica River, and the West Branch of the Sugar River. The first named has its rise in the north part of the town, the second in the southwest part, and the last in the southeast portion of the town, each being supplied by numerous spring brooks.

The inhabitants are now principally of foreign extraction, the Norwegian element predom- inating. The Blue Mounds region stands forth in the minds of the Northmen as the embodi- ment of all that is excellent. There are several churches and schools in the town, which are well supported, and it may be justly said that the people are industrious, intelligent and moral. The population in 1870 was 1,165; it is now 1,011.

The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad traverses the town from east to west. It enters on Section 12, and, passing through near Mount Horeb and Blue Mound Post Offices, goes out on Section 7.

The first permanent American settler here, and the acknowledged first in the county, was Ebenezer Brigham, who made a claim on Sections 5 and 7 in 1828. Previous to this time, in company with a party of explorers, he visited the lead regions of Grant County, and then made up his mind to try his fortunes here in lead mining. When he came on for permanent settle- ment, he brought several yokes of cattle, and as a companion and brother adventurer, Jeremiah Lycan, who was the second settler. Mr. Brigham's fortune was then $4,000, the proceeds of the sale of a mercantile business which he had formerly conducted at Galena, Ill. His first prospecting met with no reward, and at last, after several months of hard work, his funds were all exhausted, and he would have been compelled to give up without accomplishing anything had not a friend come to the rescue and supplied the means to continue the work. As a result, a lead of "mineral " was discovered which gave an enormous yield. The ore was drawn up from the mine with windlass and bucket, and out of three buckets of raw material nearly two were pure ore. Mr. Brigham erected a building near the mines, which was the first public house in the town, known then, as now, as " Brigham's Place." At the present time scarcely a stick remains to mark the spot. The tavern was usually kept by tenants.

In 1832, the Blue Mounds Fort was erected by Mr. Brigham and others. It stood on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 7. The inclosure was about eight rods square, of palisades ten feet high, surrounded by a ditch eight feet wide and six feet deep. Within the inclosure were two block-houses, sixteen feet square, one in the southwest corner and one in the northwest corner. The garrison consisted of fifty men.

After the Black Hawk war was over, Mr. Brigham went East, with Mr. Lycan, on a visit. Mr. Brigham returned in the fall of 1833; but his companion, Lycan, remained until the follow- ing spring, when he came back bringing a wife, a Miss Lowry, of Illinois. She was, in all probability, the first white woman, American born, in the town, and lived here many years.

The first white child born in the town was Charles Lycan, his birth dating back to 1835, when there were very few settlers in the county.

Among the early settlers may be mentioned Esau Johnson, wife and children, J. C. Kellogg, Zenas Harrington, E. P. Brigham, Sidney Carman, Mahlon Blaker, William Whitney, Prescott Brigham, C. F. Parks, J. Foster, A. W. Potter, Jacob Hamlin, Thomas Coles, D. Short, W. Hubbard, O. O. Sleffard, I. Dale, W. E. Roe, G. D. Niel, Ira Isham, Thomas Steele, Fritz Austenberg, Robert Brazele, A. S. Needham, F. Stillman, William Rowe, J. Sample, Uriah Mitzin, M. Ashmore, E. A. Carver, William Skinner and J. D. Tennyson. The first Norwe- gians were G. Gulockson, G. Gulberson, S. and L. Peterson, Ole Hansen, P. Johnson and others, the most of whom were here before 1840.

There are now but very few of those early settlers residing in the town; first of these being Ira Isham, who came in 1844, and first kept the old Brigham Tavern stand. He is now living in a happy old age, having reared a large family and accumulated a handsome property.

One of the early enterprises was the laying out of a village plat, about 1836, on Section 7, called " Beaumont." Esau Johnson was the proprietor, and his and, perhaps, a few other shanties, constituted the dwellings of the place.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

The first religious services were held in Mr. Johnson's log house, at Beaumont, in 1838, Elder Crnmmer being the minister.

The first church in the town was erected in 1848, and stood at Horeb Corners, on the same ground where the Methodist Episcopal Church now stands. It was afterward converted into a store.

The first mechanic was Mahlon Blaker, who carried on a blacksmith-shop for Ebenezer Brigham.

The first schoolhouse was erected in District No. 1, in 1836 ; the second, in District No. 2, in 1837. The desks in the latter schoolhouse were boards resting on pegs driven into the wall, the scholars thus sitting facing the logs. Mrs. Allen was the first teacher here.

There are now two post offices in the town. One, established at a very early date, with E. Brigham as Postmaster, is now kept by Mr. Brackenwagen, at what is called "Blue Mound Post Office," where is now a store, owned by the Postmaster, and a blacksmith-shop, started by Tom Haney, before the remembrance of many of the inhabitants. The other post office is called "Mount Horeb." It was founded fifteen years ago, through the exertions of G. Wright, who named the office, and who was appointed the first Postmaster. The office was first kept by Mr. Rowly, as deputy, a mile east of the present location. The Postmasters have been, after Mr. Wright, George Burrows, John Mitchell, Andrew Leverson and the incumbent, O. C. Nuupson.

The place where the office is now kept was formerly known as the corners, near the center of Section 12. Mount Horeb is now the business metropolis of the town. There is now one general store, owned by Moulton & Elliott, successors to O. C. Nuupson ; one hardware store, owned by Curry & Ruste, successors to A. Thompson ; one shoe store and shoe shop, kept by P. L. Slotto; one furniture and wagon shop, by A. Thompson; two blacksmith-shops, by T. Tjeld and S. Thompson ; one harness-shop, by C. Lange, and one hotel, kept by C. A. Bragger. In September last the village was platted.

Mount Horeb Creamery .- This, the only creamery in the town, is managed by a joint- stock company, organized February 4, 1879. The officers are Carl Broeck, President ; Samuel Thompson, Secretary ; Gilbert Albertson, Treasurer ; Richard Lowe and Henry Lahff, Directors. They have a convenient frame building, supplied with engine and improved machinery. A. O. Bakken is the Superintendent.

The Norwegians have a Circulating Library Association at Mount Horeb, containing 150 books. The officers are Ole Christianson, President ; Allen A. Rusta, Secretary ; Samuel Thompson, Treasurer ; and T. J. Fjeld, J. Eggum and Peter Haroldson, Directors.

There are four churches in the town, and five religious societies ..

Blue Mounds Presbyterian Church .- This society was organized December 25, 1852, by the Presbytery of Dane, Old-School doctrine, with ten members. The church was incorporated January 14, 1854, when S. Latimer, E. K. McCord and N. H. Dryden were elected Trustees. The Rev. Joseph Adams was the first minister of the society. After him, the Rev. Mr. Donald, then the Rev. Wescott, then Rev. Shankland, who was followed by the present minister, the Rev. W. M. Hagt. The congregation worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church building at Mount Horeb.

The Methodist Episcopal Church at Mount Horeb .- The first Methodist Episcopal class was organized November 7, 1854, with Benjamin and Mary Blackwell, William T. and Rosa Boardman, Elisha Charles and Elizabeth Carver. The class was organized by J. T. Pryor and attached to the Black Earth Circuit, to which circuit the present church belongs, H. Dockham being the minister. Their church was built in 1866, at a cost of over $3,000, the Presbyterians uniting at the last to help them raise the funds. There is a cemetery connected with the church, the land having been given by N. H. Dryden, a former resident.

The German Lutheran Church Edifice, on Section 21, was built in 1868, the land where it stands being given by G. Haseir. The building, upon completion, was dedicated by Henry Vogel, the first minister. He was followed by R. Denderfer, then the Rev. Caperly, then J. Liszt. There are now twenty families connected with the church.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

The Norwegian Lutheran Church Edifice was built in 1861, on Section 23. The congre- gation is connected with the Lutheran congregation of the town of Perry. The first minister was A. Jacobson; the Rev. Bradison is now the Pastor. 1 The German Evangelical Association has a church and cemetery here. The church was built on Section 1, in 1866, under August Hilster as minister. The present minister is Henry Clement, who comes here occasionally and preaches to eleven families.

Mount Horeb Lodge, No. 40, Sons of Temperance, was instituted on the 9th day of Feb- ruary, 1874, with twenty-one charter members. They have had as many as sixty members. There are now twenty.

Mount Horeb Grange, No. 509, was organized December 7, 1875, with thirty-one mem- bers-Thomas Aberchain, Master, and J. C. Harner, Secretary. The present Master is John Malone; Maria Noon, Secretary ; L. M. Trevitt, Treasurer ; Silas Newman, Overseer; Amos Lowe, Lecturer. There are now thirty members. Both of these societies hold their meetings in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Blue Mounds Fire Insurance Company .- This company was organized October 10, 1874, by a number of the citizens of Blne Mounds, Cross Plains, Springdale and Vermont, at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Mount Horeb. The Directors elected were Amos Lowe, Carl Broeck, G. Beatty, J. C. Harner, T. Urdahl, L. M. Trevitt, J. H. Dryden and J. Isom. Sub- sequently, G. Beatty was chosen President ; J. Isom, Secretary; and Amos Lowe, Treasurer of the board. There have been 501 policies issued, at 2 mills on the dollar insurance rate and $1.50 survey fee. Carl Broeck is now President; G. E. Mickelson, Secretary ; G. Beatty, Treasurer.

TOWN OF BRISTOL.

When Bristol was first brought under town government by the act of the Territorial Legis- lature, approved February 2, 1846, its territory was one township of the four, formed into the town of Sun Prairie; it remained a part of that town until, by an act approved March 11, 1848, it was constituted a separate town, by the name of Bristol. The first election was held on the first Tuesday in April of that year, at the house of George C. Smith, when the following, among other town officers, were elected : William W. Patrick, Chairman ; Rensselaer Windsor and Myron Ripley, Supervisors ; R. W. Davidson, Clerk and Treasurer ; Joseph Cross, Assessor.

In 1840, David Brazee, David Adams, Thomas Brazee, Alvin Nichols and William King effected a settlement in this town. R. W. Davison, William Hunter, W. W. Patrick, Frederick Sweet, N. F. Soper and Sheldon Nichols came in 1841. During the following year, J. J. Nichols, David Wilder and others came. Among other early settlers were J. C. Egbertson, M. B. Bateman, John Bateman, Rensselaer Windsor, Myron H. Ripley, Joseph Cross, Stephen Lewis, Oliver S. Edson, Nelson Pierce, John Ostrander and Gilbert Alden. Among all, pre- vious to 1844, R. W. Davison was the only one living in the town in the spring of 1880.

The name given to the town was at the suggestion of David Wilder, who came from Bris- tol, N. Y.

One of the first weddings in Bristol was that of Mr. Wilder and Miss Ruth Nichols, which took place October, 1844.

In 1843, Candace Brazee, daughter of Thomas Brazee, departed this life, being the first death in the town.

The first school in this town was held in a frame schoolhouse on Section 27, in 1843, by Miss Egbertson. Another schoolhouse was erected about the same time, on Section 20, and school held therein. At the present time, there are six good schoolhouses, in addition to those in which are held select schools.

The first sermon preached in the town was by Rev. Mr. Slingerland, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, in 1842.

The first birth in the town was N. S. Davison, son of R. W. and Jane Davison, who was born October, 1842. He is still a citizen of the town.

D. W. BRONSON, (DECEASED ) MAZOMANIE.

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

The first mill was erected in 1857, by Nathaniel Aiken. Several changes have since been made in its ownership, the present proprietor being A. T. Stevens. The mill has two run of stone, and is an exclusive custom-mill.

The religious privileges of the town are confined, so far as church structures are concerned, to two denominations-Roman Catholic and Methodist Episcopal. The latter is generally known as the " Bristol Church," and is located on the Bristol road, about two and a half miles from Sun Prairie, on Section 27. It is a good substantial edifice, 30x50 feet, and was erected in 1865. The church organization was effected as early as 1846, church meetings being held in private houses and schoolhouses previous to the erection of the church. The Pastor of the Sun Prairie Methodist Episcopal Church has charge of this one.

The first marriage in the town was that of Jason Briggs and Amelia Adams, who were mar- ried in the fall of 1842, by Charles H. Bird, J. P. After the marriage fee had been paid, the bride's mother claimed it, on the ground that it was the universal custom for the fee received for the marriage of the first couple in the town to be paid her. Mr. Bird paid it over very cheer- fully, remarking he would always respect an unwritten law.

There are no villages in the town, but two post offices, one being known as North Bristol and the other as East Bristol. John Arian is Postmaster of the former and L. J. Conrad of the latter. Both of these gentlemen are engaged in the mercantile trade, and carry large and well- selected stocks of goods.

There are three places for the burial of the dead here, one of which is controlled by the Catholics.

This town lies on the northern boundary of the county, which separates it from the town of Hampden, in the county of Columbia. It is watered on the eastern side by Waterloo Creek, which rises in the northern part, runs southeasterly through the town of Medina, into Jefferson County. In the northern portion of this town, near the stream, are considerable quantities of marsh land and openings, except in the northwest corner, where there is some good prairie. The larger portion of the south half is prairie, with a few groves of oak openings. Brazee Lake covers nearly the west half of Section 34, in the south part of the town. This is an excellent agricultural town, rich and productive.

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 132

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