USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County Wisconsin, including its civil, political, geological, mineralogical archaeological and military history > Part 40
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
Digitized by Google
431
LANCASTER, SPECIAL HISTORY.
ward removed to the vicinity of the old Catholic church and used as a warehouse for machinery.
In March, 1851, Rev. A. H. Walters succeeded Mr. Wood and re- mained until 1852, when Rev. M. Osborne took charge. The circuit then embraced Lancaster, Boice Prairie, Little Grant, Hurricane, and part of Fennimore.
The subsequent pastors have been: Rev. John Hooper, 1853-54: A. H. Walters, 1854-56; Enoch Tasker, 1856-58; C. P. Hackney, 1858-59; R. R. Wood and William H. Palmer, 1860; Mathew Dins- dale, 1861-63; R. Dudgeon, 1863; E. Buck, 1864; Chris Cook, 1865- 68; James Sims, 1869-71; Anthony Dexter, 1872-74; A. W. Cum- mings, 1875-77; G. W. L. Brown, 1878-79; Chris Cook, 1880-83; H. Dockham, 1883-85; Richard Pengilly, 1886-87; - Tull, 1888; E. F. Marcellus, 1889-90; C. C Swartz, 1891-92; H. D. Smith, 1893 -94; W. Roe, 1895; D. Sinclair, 1896-97; J. T. Morgans, from Sep- tember, 1898, to the present time.
In 1877 the present fine and commodious brick building was erected on the corner of Cherry and Monroe Streets.
The present officers of the church are: trustees, Stephen Vivian, J. E. Mckinney, Alex. Ivey, James Woodhouse, George Stewart, Samuel Duncalf; stewards, Stephen Vivian, J. E. Mckinney, Alex. Ivey, Hen- ry Baker, John Stone; secretary, John Stone; treasurer, Stephen Vivian.
The Congregational Church .- This society was organized in May, 1843, Jedediah L. Stevens preaching the sermon on the occasion. The original members were J. T. Mills and his wife, Daniel Macauley and his wife, Dexter Ward and his wife and Miss Mary Ward. The first meetings were held in the court-house and in a log cabin in Bushnell Hollow. When the school-house was built in 1843 it was used as a meeting-house until the church was built. The first regularly estab- lished minister was Rev. R. Carver, who came in 1844 and remained until December the next year He was succeeded by Rev. O. Littlefield, who remained until January, 1847, when he was succeeded by Rev. S. W.Eaton, who was not, however, formally ordained until January 28, 1848. A church building was begun in the spring of 1856, seats were temporarily borrowed from a church in Potosi and a pulpit from Platteville, and the church was dedicated December 2, 1851. It was situated on the corner of Cherry and Monroe Streets, where it still stands, converted into a dwelling. It was a frame building 30×40,
Digitized by Google
432
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
built, by E. B. Tenney at a cost of $700. An addition of twenty feet was made to the front of the building in 1860.
In 1862 Mr. Eaton was commissioned as Chaplain of the Seventh Wisconsin, and remained with the regiment until the close of the war, performing his duties in a manner which won him high encomiums. During his absence his pulpit was occupied by Rev. Hector Maiben.
On August 19, 1871, the corner-stone of a new church was laid with appropriate ceremonies. In the stone was placed a history of the Congregational Church in Wisconsin, the last issue of the county papers, cereals and seeds and a sketch of the history of
À
BENEDICT & CO CHP.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, LANCASTER.
the church. The building was completed and dedicated July 17, 1873. Rev. C. H. Richards, of Madison, delivered the sermon, and there were exercises by the pastors of the Congregational and Methodist
Digitized by Google
-
433
LANCASTER, SPECIAL HISTORY.
Churches in Lancaster. A subscription of $2,000 was raised in the audience previous to the dedication. The edifice is situated on Cherry and Madison Streets, is 50X85 feet, with a spire 100 feet high orna- mented with beltings of cut stone. The contractors and builders were Alcorn & Muesse, and the plans were by C. W. Shinn, of Springfield, Ill. The cost was $12,650. The auditorium is 40X80, twenty feet of which is cut off as a "social room" by sliding panels, by means of which the whole can be made one room. A large chandelier with numerous side lights was presented by Gen. J. B. Callis, but the church is now lighted with electricity. The building is warmed by two furnaces. The old building was sold to E. H. Borah for $700.
The close of the fortieth year of Mr. Eaton's pastorate was duly celebrated near the close of 1886, and he remained yet another year,
O
REV. S. W. EATON, D. D.
MRS. S. W. EATON.
when, full of years and honor, he retired, and afterward took charge of a church at Roscoe, Illinois, where he still remains.
Mr. Eaton was succeeded by Rev. S. S. Grinnell, who remained three years, and was followed by Rev. P. H. Mason, who remained five years. Rev. T. J. Brown came in May, 1896, and is still the pas- tor. The trustees are, David Schreiner, S. R. Greene, Charles H. Bax- ter, Reuben Garner, and George Clementson; the deacons are, B. White, R. E. Murphey, C. H. Baxter, J. C. Fisher, R. A. Watkins; treas- urer, R. A. Watkins; secretary, Dora Watkins. The society became free from debt in December, 1897.
The Baptist Church .- This society was organized at a meeting at the court-house November 29, 1844. The original members were
Digitized by Google
434
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
George McFarlin, Martha McFarlin, Israel Miles, Evan Miles. Reuben Miles, Isaac F. Miles, Caroline Woods, Mahala Miles, Jesse Miles, Wm. N. Reed, Darius Bainbridge, and Sarah Miles. The first trustees were Jesse Miles, William N. Reed, and Evan Miles. George McFarlin was the first deacon. In August, 1845, Jesse Miles, Wm. Paddock, and Wm. N. Reed, were appointed a committee to purchase Lots 4 and 5 ot Block 22 for a building site.
Elder Miles was the preacher until June, 1846, when Rev. N. E. Chapin became pastor. As the Baptist Church was then the strong- est society in the place, the citizens generally subscribed for a Baptist church building, so that the town should have one church at least, and $900 was subscribed. Nelson Dewey, Alfred Miles, J. C. Cover, H. L. Liscum, and James Otis, were elected trustees in 1847. and appointed as a building committee, having a fund of $1,050 available. By the spring of 1848 the foundation had been built by James Gow, at a cost of $188, and the contract for the building was let to James M. Otis for $1,100. The church was to be finished by November of that year, but for some reason it remained unfinished until July 4, 1852, when it was dedicated. The building is of brick, 30x40, situated on Madison Street near Oak. Upto this time services had been held in the court-house and the school-house. In 1851 Mr. Chapin was succeeded as pastor by Rev. D. Matlock, who remained until 1853. In July, 1854, Rev. E. M. Lewis began as pastor and continued as such until the summer of 1856. The church then remained without a pastor until January, 1858, when Rev. E. B. Hatch came and remained with the church until November of that year. In 1862 Rev. D. Matlock took up the work again and carried it on for two years, when the church was again.left without a minister. In 1869 Rev. Mr. Wade preached for a few months, In October, 1883, Rev. G. D. Stevens, of Cassville, was engaged to preach once a month, which he did until September, 1885. In June, 1887, Rev. J. U. R. Woolf began as pastor and remained three months. From March, 1888, Rev. J. E. McIntosh was pastor for two years, and was succeeded by Mr. Woolf for one year. In 1893 Rev. S. C. Topp preached three months, and was succeeded by Rev. T. G. Aterbury for a few months. From July, 1897, to May, 1898, Rev. C. D. Mayhew was pastor, succeeded by Rev Mr. Cohen for five months. Since then the church has been without a pastor.
Emanuel Episcopal Church .- This church was organized at a
Digitized by Google
435
LANCASTER, SPECIAL HISTORY.
meeting held March 27, 1852, in the law office of Barber & Lowry, and the following officers elected: Senior Warden, Nelson Dewey; Junior Warden, William Horner; Vestrymen, John Welsh, Alexander Calder. Samuel Rowden, Andrew Barnett, J. Allen Barber, Dwight T. Parker; treasurer, Dwight T. Parker; secretary, J. Allen Barber. The parish was named "Westwood." The mother of Mrs. Wm. Horner, living in Philadelphia, had given about $600 for the building of a church, but this and what money was raised in Lancaster was not deemed sufficient to build, and the money was loaned for a period of six years.
At a meeting held August 2, 1858, it was decided to build, the society then having $954.32 on hand. A building committee consist- ing of J. Allen Barber, Samuel Rowden, and Alexander Calder, was appointed. Previous to the building of the church services had been held in the school-house, Rev. Ebenezer Williams, of Wingville, officiating.
In May, 1865, the parish was reorganized and renamed "Eman- uel," and the following officers elected: wardens, H. B. Fisher and Richard Meyer; vestrymen, Thomas Langridge, J. Thornton, J. F. Rhodes, Samuel F. Clise, Wm. Carter, Sr., Wm. P. Dewey, J. H. Hyde, and Allen R. Bushnell. Rev. Charles H. Rice was the rector. In 1866 Rev. Francis Moore became rector, remaining till October, 1868. The church then remained without a rector until October, 1872, when Mr. Moore returned and remained until June 15, 1873. The parish then remained without a rector until October, 1875, when Rev. S. S. Bur- leson took charge and remained until the spring of 1880. Rev. Lewis Clark took charge of the parish August 15, 1880, and remained until 1885, when he was followed by Rev. S. D. Pulford, who remained until 1890, and was succeeded by Dr. S. C. Thrall, who remained one year. Rev. H. H. Van Dusen had charge a few months in 1892. Rev. B. F. Benstead, was rector from 1893 to 1894. Dr. E. E. Edwards, was rector from 1895 to 1899. Rev. Randolph Stahley, was here five months, in 1899. Rev. George T. Potter, who is at present in charge, came December 10, 1899.
St. Clement's Catholic Church .- This was originally a mission of the Potosi parish. Mass was said at the houses of John J. Ertz and Nicholas Wisbaum, on Pigeon. In 1851 a small chapel of rough boards was built a mile north and a quarter of a mile west of Hurri- cane Corners, and called St. Ambrose Chapel. Mass was first said in
Digitized by Google
436
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
this chapel December 7, 1851. This was the origin of the German branch of the present Catholic Church of Lancaster.
In 1859, a commodious stone church was erected on the northwest corner of Cherry and Jefferson Streets, through the labors of Rev. Father Gibson, of Potosi. The first resident pastor was Rev. Father Thomas Hodnett, who came in 1870 and remained until October, 1873, when he was succeeded by Rev. Father R. J. Scott, who was succeeded in 1876 by Rev. Father Hugo Victor, who remained until April, 10, 1877, when he wasfollowed by Rev. Father Peter Schweiger. In May, 1885, Rev. Father L. Barth came, and under his charge a magnificent brick edifice 50X90 was erected on the corner of Washing- ton and Cherry Streets. The corner-stone was laid June 2, 1886, with
ST. CLEMENT'S CHURCH, LANCASTER.
appropriate ceremonies. Vicar-General Batz of Milwaukee delivered the address, to an audience of at least twelve hundred. The work of building was pushed with such vigor that it was completed in Decem- ber of that year. It cost $11,000. A fine and commodious brick par- sonage just north of the church was built in 1893. A parish school- house, close to the western end of the church, was built in 1889.
In May, 1888, Rev. Father J. H. Niehaus took charge, and was followed by Rev. L. Kaluza, in September, 1892, and he by the present incumbent, Rev. Father August Albers in July, 1893.
The Society of Catholic Knights, Wisconsin Branch No. 121, was organized June 17, 1891, with eight charter members and now has
Digitized by Google
-
-
437
LANCASTER, SPECIAL HISTORY.
about thirty members. The Young Ladies' Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary has thirty-eight members.
German Evangelical Church .- This society was organized Febru- ary 15, 1877, by Rev. George Hirtz, of Milwaukee, with George Muesse as secretary and Louis Alt treasurer. In the summer of 1878 a small frame church building 22X40 was built on the corner of Mad- ison and Oak Streets. This served as a place of worship until 1895, when a fine brick church, 36X60 was built on the site of the old one at a cost of $3,460. A school building is attached to the rear of the church. A parochial school of from twelve to twenty pupils is main- tained. Rev. George Hirtz was the first minister. He was succeeded in 1885 by Rudolf Rami, and he in 1889 by Rev. Enoch Nabholz, who still remains.
German Presbyterian Church .- This society was organized May 13, 1883. In the summer of 1884 a church was erected on the north- east corner of Jefferson and Oak Streets. It is a frame building 26X. 40 and cost $1,000. In 1891 a parsonage was built near the church. The cost of the building and lots was $1,200. The officers of the church are: Elders, Henry O. Wagner and Titus A. Wagner; trustees, Wm. Lorenz, Theo. Schuett, Fred Diesel. Rev. J. A. Ringold has been the pastor ever since the organization of the church.
SOCIETIES.
Lancaster Lodge, U. D .- This was organized in 1847 with the fol- lowing officers : Enos P. Wood, Master; H. R. Colter, S. W .; J. K. Rickey, J. W .; John S. Fletcher, Sec .; James Mckenzie, Treas .; John Barnett, S. D .; B. Bunton, J. D .; Jacob Gow, Tyler. In 1853 the char- ter was surrendered, but it was restored June 13, 1855, and Lancas- ter Lodge, No. 20, A. F. & A. M., was reorganized by Grand Master H. M. Billings, since which time the lodge has continued its work. The present officers are : R. A. Watkins, W.M .; W. A. Johnson, S. W .; Albert Brooker, J. W .; R. Meyer, Treas .; G. E Budd, Sec .; T. J. Brown, S. D .; E. B. Goodsell, J. D .; W. P. Stone, S. S .; Ed Walker, J. S .; Fred Hal- ferty, Tiler; Eugene Whitmore, Trustee.
Grant Chapter, No. 27, R. A. M .- This chapter was instituted February 27, 1866. It has the following officers: G. E. Budd. E. H. P .; C. H. Nye, King; Fred Halferty, Scribe; R. Meyer, Treas .; J. T. Bennett, Sec .; J. S. Wright, C. of A .; Frank Schreiner, P. C .; E. E. Mc- Coy, R. A. C .; R. A. Watkins, M. of 3 V .; C. H. Basford, M. of 2 V .; E.
Digitized by Google
438
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
S. Walker, M. of 1 V .; C. Frothingham, Sentinel; W. A. Johnson, Trustee.
Mississippi Valley Lodge, No. 86, 1. O. O. F .- This lodge was in- stituted November 28, 1855, by J. W. VanOrman, District Deputy Grand Master, with the following charter members: C. S. Babcock, G. W. Ryland, Richard Drane, John Pepper, Joel Manning. A. H. Wal- ters was initiated the same evening and appointed Chaplain. Bab- cock was elected and installed N. G .; Ryland, V. G .; Drane, R. Sec .; Pepper, Per. Sec., and Manning, Treasurer. Later the name of John Alcorn was substituted for that of Babcock, expelled. The lodge in- creased in membership so that in 1862 it had thirty-eight members. As many of the members enlisted during the war, the lodge almost suspended, but after the war revived and increased so that by 1880 132 members had been received into the lodge. Mr. Ryland is the only charter member remaining. The present officers are: M. F. Philbrick, N. G .; R. R. Place, V. G .; George W. Ryland, Treas .; W. F. Orton, R. Sec .; Alex. Ivey, Per. Sec .; John Jeide, O. G .; James McCormick, Chap.
Hoffnung Lodge, No. 162, 1.0.O. F .- The history of this lodge, as written by Anton Schmitt, in 1879, is as follows: "On the 26th of April, 1869, three members of Mississippi Valley Lodge, No. 86, I. O. O. F., J. A. Boerner, Charles Heinze, and Anton Schmitt, went to Du- buque to take part in the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the order. On their return home, being inspired by the grandeur of the celebration, and seeing that the Germans of the order took a promin- ent part in carrying out the programme, they resolved to make an effort to promote the order and start a German lodge in Lancaster to give the Germans of Grant County a chance to join the order and work in their own language. The three brothers above named were soon followed by Joseph Nathan, Jacob Nathan, and Louis Gelbach, also members of Mississippi Valley Lodge, to carry out their intention. These six withdrew from their lodge and as charter members, under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin, instituted Hoffnung Lodge, No. 172, November 4, 1869. The name of the lodge (Hope) was chosen because they had nothing in sight to encourage their un- dertaking but the hope that good men would join them. The charter was granted January 20, 1870, and on the first of April in that year the lodge had thirteen members and $25.15 in the treasury. July 1, 1879, the lodge had had eighty-nine members, eight of whom were admitted by card. During the existence of the lodge eight members
Digitized by Google
439
LANCASTER, SPECIAL HISTORY.
have withdrawn by card, one has died, and sixteen have left the lodge otherwise, so that the lodge at present has sixty-three members in good standing. The degree of Rebekah was conferred on thirty-four sisters." The lodge was consolidated with Mississippi Valley Lodge in 1893.
Sylvan Camp, No. 75, M. W. of A .- Was organized January 15, 1885, with the following officers. Wm. E. Webb, V. C .; F. W. Strong, W. A .; Wm. F. McGonigal, Clerk ; F. W. Bryan, Banker; J. S. Wright, Escort; Dr. F. E. Strong, Physician; Ed Streeter, Watchman; W. L. McCord, Sentry ; Andrew Walker, R. B. Gillespie, C. W. Hill, Mana- gers. The present officers are: E. B. Goodsell, V. C .; W. C. Wood- house, W. A .; C. H. Bastord, Banker; Wm. E. Webb, Clerk; Albert Budworth, Escort; John Ferguson, Watchman; W. W. Ritchie, Sen- try ; Dr. J. A. Gault, Physician ; W. J. Weir, Louis Fischer, A. J. Weed- enbeck, Managers.
NEWSPAPERS.
Grant County Herald .- The first number of this paper was issued March 18, 1843, from the historic old Boyce cabin, which was the home of the paper for a considerable period The press and type were bought in Dubuque by J. Allen Barber, Nelson Dewey, and Daniel Ban- fill. Lenhart O. Shrader was the editor and C. Mallett and Thomas Keeling the printers. It was a five-column folio at first, but with No. 31 was enlarged to a six-column folio. The first number contained a rather timid article on the division of the county, which has been quoted on page 165; a column of poetry; a snake story; another short story ; a column of agricultural matter; two columns of foreign and general news; a long contributed article against division of the county ; a long article on the Lake Superior copper mines, and a long article on the Polish revolution of 1830-not a line of local news. The only business advertisements were the card of Barber & Dewey, attor- neys, a two-inch advertisement of J. M. Otis's store, a four-line adver- tisement of D. A. Mckenzie's store in Potosi, and four legal advertise- ments. These were the entire contents of the paper. The advertise- ments of the second number were, besides those in the first number, those of S. & M. Langworthy and Lewis & Woolfolk, merchants, and C. K. Lord, attorney, all of Potosi. Lancaster business men seemed shy of the new paper. It soon did a good business in legal "ads," as in the ninth number there were twenty-six bankrupt notices. The pa-
Digitized by Google
440
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
per at first belonged to a stock company composed of the men named as purchasers of the material and G. M. Price, Orris McCartney, and J. H. Rountree. It was soon transferred to C. Mallett & Co., who were permitted to pay for it in advertising. H. A. Wiltse became ed- itor of the paper and it was soon a bright local paper. It paid es- pecial attention to mining matters in the county. It is interesting to contrast the papers of Lancaster, Platteville, and Potosi in the forties -full of interesting local matter-with other country papers of that time, which almost ignored the localities in which they were printed.
Very soon after the Herald started there began to appear in it paragraphs and articles signed "J. T. M.," initials long afterward fa- miliar. These articles were bright and keen and were eagerly read. The long articles ranged over every possible subject-especially new ones. Fourierism, freesoilism, spiritualism, mesmerism, and many an- other ism was treated of in the inimitable Mills style. When the sub- ject was too new for Mills to have investigated it "on the external plane," he could evolve from his inner consciousness a theory that was very readable if not entirely reliable.
With No. 31 the paper was enlarged and the name changed to The Wisconsin Herald and Grant County Advertiser. Such double titles were then quite common. These changes were made by J. D. Spalding, then the publisher. Thomas A. Springer was also publisher for a short time in 1845. James M. Goodhue came to Lancaster January 1, 1844, as District Attorney, and immediately began to write para- graphs for the Herald signed "G." In August, 1845, he became editor and associate publisher, and with Vol. III, No. 32, J. D. Spalding with- drew, leaving Goodhue sole publisher. He soon acquired an editorial reputation far beyond the bounds of the county. He was a slashing writer, a master of invective, which he used unsparingly and excess- ively. The paper cast off neutrality and timidity and became a strong Whig organ. Goodhue was particularly severe on the promoters of county division. He wrote and published in the Herald Struck a Lead ; a Tale of the Lead Mines, which created great interest at the time and has been more than once republished. Although it contains some interesting pictures of early times and sketches of frontier char- acters, it has no literary merit as a novel, and cannot correctly be called a tale, as the random sketches are very loosely strung together on a thread of narrative. The author could tell what he saw and knew in an interesting manner, but he seemed not very well informed
Digitized by Google
441
LANCASTER, SPECIAL HISTORY.
in matters of every-day life. He represents his villain smelter as sell- ing to dealers a great many pigs of slag veneered with lead; but slag is only about one-fourth the weight of lead, and the most careless la- borer could not be deceived by a pig of slag. It is also related that Goodhue undertook to mix some sand and quicklime with his naked hands, not knowing it would take the skin off. A county officer of the time, also a Whig, wrote: "That Goodhue is a quarrelsome fellow and a few thrashings would do him good." But if country editors were thrashed every time some of their constituents thought it would do them good, they would soon be a badly battered lot. While editor of
JAMES M. GOODHUE.
J. L. MARSH.
the Herald Goodhue ran for Probate Judge on the Whig ticket. Al- though he had been elected when he was a lawyer, and although his party carried the county, he was badly beaten by Hugh R. Colter, an independent candidate. But that has been the usual fate of editors who have run for county offices in Grant County. Four or five of them have been thus beaten. True, some of the brotherhood have been elected to town offices, and J. W. Seaton, when an editor, to three of them at once, but we are speaking of county offices. In the spring of 1849 Goodhue shipped the old press to St. Paul, where he founded the Pioneer. It is a good illustration of the changes time has wrought : Lancaster shipping its old hand-press to the nascent village of St. Paul! Something like Chicago playing second to Galena.
Digitized by Google
442
HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
Goodhue was succeded in Lancaster by J. L. Marsh. The new publisher had had considerable experience as publisher of the Independ- ent American at Platteville, and, as there will be occasion to remark in describing that paper, his instincts were commercial rather than political, and cautious rather than audacious. There were no more slashing editorials, but the Herald continued to be a good local paper. In 1851 Marsh withdrew from the Herald, went to Platte- ville and resurrected the suspended American, published it a few years and then went to Sheboygan, purchased the Herald of that place and long continued to publish it.
Cover & Shrader took up the publication of the Herald June 19, 1851. The subscription list then contained 261 names, but owing to Cover's well-known abolition sentiments, the list dwindled to forty names. But Cover's zeal. energy, and talent triumphed ; new friends rallied to his support. "Fortune favors the brave" sometimes, and it favored Cover. The time was ripe for the foundation of a powerful anti-slavery party, and nowhere else in the United States was there better material for such a party than in Old Grant. The Whig party took itself out of the way soon after its disastrous defeat of 1852, and in the fall of 1853 the Repub- lican party was organized in Grant County. Cover was the master-spirit of the organization, ably aided by J. Allen Barber and J. G. Clark. Judge Mills was at first too radical an abo- litionist to join a party organized for the purpose of fighting merely the ex- tension of slavery; but he soon came in, with his faithful lieutenant Stephen Mahood. The new party swept the county in 1854, and Cover and his Herald rode on the top ofthe wave of popularity. The paper became a household necessity in all parts of the county. But Cover wearjed of the J. C. COVER. burden, and on New Year's Day, 1869, the publication was transferred to his oldest son, John Cover, though he continued to write editorials for it for some time. The size of the paper was increased occasionally till it became a nine-column folio. From July, 1858, to July, 1859, N.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.