USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County Wisconsin, including its civil, political, geological, mineralogical archaeological and military history > Part 54
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
OTHER KILLINGS AND CASUALTIES.
In the fall of 1848 an old man from the country, whose name is forgotten, came into town with a load of apples for sale. He accused some boys of stealing some from the load. The mother of the boys resented the accusation and the matter was taken up by William Mil- ler, a large, swarthy fellow called " Winnebago Bill," who ordered the apple-man to leave the town within an hour. Finding him in a saloon some time afterward, he exclaimed : "You here yet?" and struck the old man on the head with a four-pound weight, killing him instantly. Miller then fled and the next morning a canoe was missing on the river near Cassville, and the much-wanted "Winnebago Bill" was never seen in Beetown again.
On the evening of October 20, 1863, Thomas E. Lloyd shot and killed Dr. H. L. Tawney, in the village. Tawney had eloped with Lloyd's wife and was living with her. He was a good physician and there was nothing against his character except the woman affair. Lloyd was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to two years in the penitentiary, but was pardoned before he reached the prison.
On the night of October 23, 1853, William Sincock, an English miner, was burned to death in his cabin by his clothing catching fire while he was intoxicated. No one was with him at the time except his son about ten years old.
Lewellen Arthur, a well-known resident of the place, was killed by the caving in of a mine near the village in April, 1884.
Jesse Miles, a native of the township, committed suicide April 30, 1889.
Considering that Beetown has long been a declining village, and well-insured houses might have been burned profitably to the owners, the place has had very few fires. The Alex Hotel and John Cull's house were burned March 28, 1876. James H. Brown's fine residence at Dia- mond Grove, near Muscalunge, was burned September 24, 1872,
"SLABTOWN."
In 1857 Campbell, Herring & Campbell built a saw-mill in the southwest corner of Section 10 town of Beetown, on Grant River. Two or three persons besides the employees at the mill settled near the mill. Reuben Ward and Erastus Noble were among them. In 1858 Bernard Belskamper, now of Stitzer, put up a blacksmith shop there and continued in business many years. About 1858 a small school-
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house was built and a school taught by Miss Ahrends. As several of the buildings were built of or roofed with slabs, the place was called Slabtown, but it was afterward given the more euphonious name Flora Fountain; but this name did not "stick" In 1860 the mill was burned and never rebuilt. In 1891 a post-office called Flora was es- tablished there with Henry Hudson postmaster. He put in a small stock of goods and still does business there.
Among the citizens of Beetown one of those best known through- out the county, at least to the present generation, was William J. McCoy. He was born in Argyle, New York, September 30, 1834, and came to Bee- town in 1852. He followed teaming for some time and finally became a merchant. In 1880 he removed to Lancaster and engaged in farming and dealing in live stock. He was several times Chairman of the Town Board of Beetown, and in 1875 he entered a wider field of politics as the Democratic candidate for Assembly- man. Here he was remarkably suc- cessful, being elected "in 1875 and HON. WILLIAM J. McCOY. thrice subsequently in a district usually Republican, developing a re- markable faculty of making and retaining friends. He died June 28, 1897.
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CHAPTER VIII.
JAMESTOWN.
Settlement of Town and Village-Town Organization and Officers Schools-Post-office-Churches-Fairplay-The Harney Murder-Sinipee. SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN AND VILLAGE.
A number of miners from Hardscrabble came into the vicinity of Jamestown in 1827. In that year James Boyce discovered mineral near the present village and James Gilmore with his family came and opened a farm in the same neighborhood. Boyce is said to have dis- covered the lode by noticing a large growth of mineral weed or Ma- sonic weed as he sat down to rest, and digging down five or six feet, he came to a fine body of mineral, which eventually yielded 1,150,000 pounds.
The Mcknight mine in the "Lower Diggings " was discovered that year. It yielded 1,200,000 pounds. Most of the miners and prospect- ors went away on the approach of winter. In 1828 Silas Brooks and Benjamin Kilbourn settled near the village site. A few years later the latter opened a farm. In the spring of 1832 Horace Smead opened a farm on the Mississippi bottom a few miles above Dunleith. When the Black Hawk War began he took his family to Galena. In 1846 he -
opened a farm a few miles northwest of Fairplay where he lived until his death, December 27, 1876, aged 82. He was long a prominent cit- izen of the town. In 1833 Kiren Murray settled on his farm near Sin- sinawa, where he died in 1874. In 1835 Bartimeus White, who has long been a resident of Lancaster, settled in Jamestown. Cuthbert Bradwell came the same year. About 1838 Thomas Webb came into the town and in 1840 he built a log house which afterward formed part of the residence of Warden Anderson. It was the first house built on the site of the present village. About the same time James Gilmore built a residence a short distance north of Webb's and Henry Van Vleck a residence a little south of Webb's. In 1836 Warren Han- num settled in Section 23, and Abner Merrill in Section 14. David W. Jones came into the town in 1837. Thomas Dudley, afterward a well
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known resident of Beetown, came to Jamestown about 1840. George W. Babcock settled in the northwestern corner of the present town- ship in 1839.
In 1840 Peyton Vaughn established a ferry across the Mississippi at a point called Vaughn's Landing a few miles above what is now East Dubuque. Allen Taylor came to the mines in 1840 and remained until 1849, when he went to California by way of Cape Horn. He returned in a few years and became quite prominent. He was sev- eral times elected to the legislature and was noted there for his incor- ruptibility at times when railroad companies were free with bribes. He died October 11, 1886.
The mines about the future village continued to produce large quantities of mineral. They were called the Menomonee Diggings. An account of the yield of these mines will be found in Part III. In 1837 a post-office called Menomonee was established at the mines of that name. The name was afterward changed to Jamestown, after James Gilmore, the first postmaster. When the county was organized this part was made the precinct of Menomonee. In 1843 it was divided into Jamestown and Fairplay precincts (see map on page 135). In 1839 it had filling the humble office of constable quite an eminent man- George W. Jones, who had been Dele- gate in Congress from the Territories of Michigan and Wisconsin, and was afterward U. S. Senator from Iowa. (See sketch on page 122.)
In 1844 Sylvester Gridley, of Platteville, put in the first store, which was located opposite the Webb place. Among the new comers that year was James A. Jones, afterward of Lancaster, who came there to teach. The residents of that time, ex- cluding those already mentioned, HON. GEORGE W. JONES were Rufus Hannum, Benjamin Kilbourn, James Kilbourn, Alexander Gilmore, G. W. Bruce, Isaac Williams, George Liddle, Warden Ander- son, J. B. Johnson, Jason Lothrop, Lysander Gilmore, Lewis Reynolds, Peter Saddler, James Saddler, John H. Barton, William Richardson, Harlow Howe, Enoch Robinson, George Babcock, Michael Casey, and
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
perhaps a few others. In 1845 Thomas Laird, afterward a prominent citizen of Wingville, came in. In 1846 H. H. Howe built the James- town Hotel on the stage road from Dubuque to Platteville. It is a large double house, a story and a half high. The same year Abraham Wood and John Matthews built a large frame building on the Cape and Taylor lot, which was considered a notable improvement.
It 1848 Al. Gregoire and George W. Jones established a ferry across the Mississippi River at Boat Yard Hollow, a little north of the State line.
In 1855 Jamestown contained two large stores kept by Skinner & Brother and M. & L. Van Vleck, two cooper shops, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, and a hotel. In 1856 Van Vleck's store was burned.
In 1850 South Jamestown, or "Puckerville," on the line between Sections 1 and 12 and farther south, began to be built. The same year Thomas Beasley and N. Ritchie built residences in North James- town.
Shortly after the war James Floyd built the Jamestown House on the Fairplay road, and the Union Hotel was opened in a building erected by Decatur Peyton as a residence just before the war.
TOWN ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.
The town of Jamestown was organized in 1849. It is Town 1, Range 2, and contains about thirty-two square miles in the south- western corner of the county. As the land is generally quite hilly, little of the town is first-class farming land; consequently since agriculture has superseded mining as the leading industry of the county Jamestown and its included villages have declined. Its population was in 1850, 666; in 1855, 1,141; in 1860, 1,403; in 1865, 1,362; in 1870, 1,114; in 1875, 1,194; in 1880, 1,215; in 1885, 1,149; in 1890, 961 ; in 1895, 1,002.
Since the organization of the town it has had the following officers:
1849-Supervisors, C. I. Cummings, Bartimeus White, J. B. John- son; clerk, J. B. Johnson; treasurer, Henry Shadel; assessor, John Daigh; supt. of schools, J. B. Johnson ; justices, J. B. Johnson, John V. Phillips, Henry Van Vleck, John Daigh; constables, James Whaley, F. W. Beard.
1850-Supervisors Henry Van Vleck, Isaac Williams, Amos N. Buell; clerk, James B. Johnson ; treasurer, Horace H. Howe; assessor,
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James Saddler; supt. of schools, Chauncey C. Skinner; justices, John V. Phillips, John Virden; constables, T. S. Roberts, Matt. P. Spencer.
1851-Supervisors, Isaac Williams, Thomas T. Lane, George Lid- dle; clerk, J. B. Johnson; treasurer, H. H. Howe; assessor, James D. Saddler; supt. of schools, Arch Sampson; justices, Henry Van Vleck, Matthias P. Spencer ; constables, T. S. Roberts, Warden Anderson.
1852-Supervisors, Alfred Woods, Thomas T. Lane, Abram Hun- saker; clerk, Samuel Merrick; treasurer, Thomas Pallett; assessor, George Liddle; supt. of schools, Arch Sampson; justices, Samuel Mer- rick, Warden Anderson ; constables, T. S. Roberts, Herbert Thomas.
1853-Supervisors, Thomas T. Lane, Horace Smead, John R. Gray; clerk, Albert Glines; treasurer, Henry Shadel; assessor, Bartim- eus White; supt. of schools, Arch Sampson; justices, Henry Van Vleck, Elliott C. Hugins ; constables. William D. Akers, Herbert Thomas.
1854-Supervisors, Isaac Williams, Bartimeus White, John R. Gray ; clerk, Warden Anderson; treasurer, H. H. Howe; assessor, Bar- timeus White; supt. of schools, Chauncey C. Skinner; justices, Warden Anderson, Asa Grant; constables, William D. Akers, Levi McCormick.
1855-Supervisors, T. T. Lane, P. P. Stone, Henry Shadel; clerk, E. C. Hugins; treasurer, Thomas Pallett; assessor, James D. Saddler; supt. of schools, Arch Sampson ; justices, Elliott C. Hugins, Levi Loo- mis; constables, Eugene Smith, Thomas L. Beasley.
1856-Supervisors, Thomas T. Lane, George Heiffner, Henry Sha- del; clerk, Lawrence Van Vleck; treasurer, Thomas Pallett; assessor, James D. Saddler ; supt. of schools, Arch Sampson ; justices, Henry Van Vleck, P. P. Stone, Levi Wood; constables, Mark Anderson, Franklin L. Sapp.
1857-Supervisors, Jason Lothrop, Henry Van Vleck, John Struck ; clerk, Lawrence Van Vleck; treasurer, Thomas Pallett; asses- sor, H. Van Vleck; supt. of schools, Arch Sampson; justices, E. C. Hugins, H. J. Huston, Levi Wood; constables, Jack Soward, George Putnam.
1858-Supervisors, Jason Lothrop, Horace Smead, Jacob Hun- saker; clerk, D. Maxwell; treasurer, Thomas Pallett; assessor, Bar- timeus White; supt of schools. Arch Sampson; justices, Warden An- derson, George Heiffner, Henry Mann.
1859-Supervisors, treasurer, assessor, and supt. of schools, same as in 1858; clerk, Henry L. Mann; justices, Henry J. Huston, E. C. Hugins; constables, John D. Bainbridge, John F. Lane.
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
1860-Supervisors and treasurer, same as in 1858; clerk, E. C. Hugins; assessor, James D. Saddler ; supt. of schools; Samuel Merrick ; justices, E. C. Hugins, Warden Anderson, P. P. Stone; constables, J. M. Anderson, William Pallett.
1861-Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and supt. of schools same as in 1860; assessor, B. White; justices, George Heiffner, John R. Bush; constables, John D. Bainbridge, Lawson F. Carley.
1862-Supervisors, Wm. Furlong, Horace Smead, J. A. Hunsaker ; clerk, E. C. Hugins; treasurer, Thomas Pallett; assessor, John Hier; justices, E. C. Hugins, Warden Anderson; constables, William Carter, George Putnam.
1863-Supervisors, John Hier, P. Murray, J. Wiederhold; clerk, E. C. Hugins; treasurer, Thomas Pallett; assessor, J. Smead ; justices, James Collogan, Lawrence Van Vleck.
1864-Supervisors, Edward Carey, James Floyd, Joseph Wieder- hold; clerk, Lawrence Van Vleck ; treasurer, George Snyder; assessor, James Collogan; justices, L. S. Roberts, George Heiffner; constables, William Carter, Leming C. Wilson.
1865-Supervisors, John Hier, John Tomlinson, Franklin Lyster; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, George Spark; assessor, George Heiffner; justices, Warden Anderson, B. Cornelison; constables, Geo. Spark, Frank Lyster.
1866-Supervisors, Warden Anderson, J. Hollenback, T. A. Pallett ; clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, John Hier; assessor, George Heiff- ner ; justices, George Heiffner, Frederick Gongawan ; constables, James Spark, James Collogan.
1867-Supervisors, John S. Smead, George Heiffner, Joseph Weber; clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, John Hier ; assessor, Edward Carey ; justices, James Nixon, Jacob Ginter, Henry Vandilden; constables, George Spark, Andrew Brandt.
1868-Supervisors, Thomas A. Pallett, Joseph Weber, Edward Ca- rey ; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, John Hier; assessor, George Heiffner ; justices, George Heiffner, John W. Sanford, Henry L. Mann; constables, John F. Lane, William F. Pallett.
1869-Supervisors, Thomas A. Pallett, Joseph Weber, Cuthbert Bradwell; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, John Hier; assessor, Geo. Heiffner; justices, W. H. Liddle, H. L. Mann; constables, Geo. Spark, Christian Liebling.
1870-Supervisors, John Hier, J. A. Hunsaker, Cuthbert Bradwell;
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clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, George Heiffner ; justices, Warden Anderson, Thomas Collogan; constables, George Spark, Christian Liebling.
1871-Supervisors, John Hier, Henry Shadel, Francis Hare; clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Franklin Lys- ter; justices, Henry L. Mann, Ludwig Reifsteck ; constables, Christian Liebling, Robert Phillips.
1872-Supervisors, John Hier, John Lenstra, Francis Hare; clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Franklin Lys- ter ; justices, Franklin Lyster, Robert Allison; constables, Robert Phil- lips, Andrew, J. Brandt.
1873-Supervisors, Rufus Hannum, John Lenstra, J. A. Hunsaker; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Franklin Lyster; justices, E. D. Peak, Henry L. Mann; constables, Robert Phil- lips, A. J. Brandt.
1874-Supervisors, John Hier, John Lenstra, William. H. Pallett; clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Franklin Lyster; justices, Robert Allison, Frankln Lyster; constables, George Spark, Andrew J. Brandt.
1875-Supervisors, John Hier, John Lenstra, Frank Keiser; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Franklin Lys- ter ; justices, H. L. Mann, Warden Anderson; constables, A. J. Brandt, R. Oldham.
1876-Supervisors, John Hier, Herman Kopel, Frank Keiser; clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Franklin Lys- ter ; justices, Franklin Lyster, Robert Allison ; constables, A. J. Brandt, Robert Oldham.
1877-Supervisors, John Hier, Samuel Johnson, Christain Brandt ; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, John Lenstra; justices, Thomas Collogan, Samuel Johnson; constables, A. J. Brandt, John Liddle.
1878-Supervisors, clerk, and treasurer, same as in 1877; asses- sor, Joseph Murray ; justices, Franklin Lyster, Arch Sampson, J. Shef- field ; constables, A. J. Brandt, Robert Phillips.
1879-Supervisors, John Hier, Jacob Hanne, Peter Bench; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, Edward Carey ; assessor, Joseph Murray ; justices, Robert Allison, Samuel Johnson ; constables, Robert Phillips, A. J. Brandt.
1880-Supervisors, Rufus Hannum, Jacob Horne, John Leustra;
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clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, George Kieler; justices, Arch Sampson, Franklin Lyster, Lawrence Kieler; constables, Robert Phillips, A. J. Brandt.
1881-Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1880; justices, Lawrence Kieler, Samuel Johnson; constables, A. J. Brandt, J. S. Doyle.
1882-Supervisors, Joseph Murray, Geo. Hannum, Chris. Brandt; clerk, R. M. Henderson : treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, George Kieler ; justices, Franklin Lyster, Arch Sampson ; constables, Emerson Liddle, A. J. Brandt.
1883-Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1882; justices, Robert Allison, Joseph Schwerdt; constables, Emerson Lid- dle, Edward Jewell.
1884-Supervisors, Joseph Murray, George Hannum, Herman Ko- pel; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, J. P. Murphy ; assessor, S. L. Johnson ; justices, Arch Sampson, Franklin Lyster; constables, Em- erson Liddle Edward Jewell.
1885-Supervisors, John Hier, Frank Kluck, Joseph Wiederhold; clerk, R. M. Henderson ; treasurer, John P. Murphy ; assessor, Samuel Johnson; justices, Robert Allison, George Kieler; constables, John Cleary, William Haas.
1886-Supervisors, John Hier, A. J. Brandt, Edward Carey ; clerk, R. M. Henderson; treasurer, J. P. Murphy ; assessor, Thomas Collo- gan; justices, Joseph Vosberg, Franklin Lyster; constables, Christ. Dreysler, John Cleary.
1887-Supervisors, John Hier, A. J. Brandt, Joseph Spark ; clerk, Thomas Collogan ; treasurer, J. P. Murphy; assessor, Thomas Lar- kin ; justices, Henry Smith, Thomas Collogan ; constables, Albert Lys- ter, John Cleary.
1888-Supervisors, John Hier, A. J. Brandt, Clarence Kuhle; clerk, Thomas Collogan ; treasurer, J. P. Murphy; assessor, Thomas Lar- kin ; justices, E. D. Peake, Robert Allison; constables, Walter P. Spark, Christian Liebling.
1889-Supervisors, John Hier, Clarence Kuhle, Jos. Spark ; clerk, Henry Smith; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Thomas Larkin; justices, Thomas Collogan, Charles Sampson; constables, Christian Liebling, Walter P. Spark.
1890-Supervisors, George Kieler, Henry Weber, Clement Kuhle; clerk, H. R. Smith; treasurer, Joseph Wiederhold; assessor, Bernard
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Kuhle; justices, J. P. Murphy, E. D. Peake; constables, Walter Spark, Albert Lyster.
1891-Supervisors, John Hier, A. J. Brandt, Henry Vosberg; clerk, Henry R. Smith; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Samuel Johnson; justices, Thomas Larkin, Francis Murray; constables, Chris. Brandt, Jr., Albert Lyster.
1892-Supervisors, Joseph Murray, A. J. Brandt, Henry Weber; clerk, Henry R. Smith; treasurer, Frank Placke; assessor, Samuel L. Johnson ; justices, L. A. Schroeder, Franklin Lyster; constables, Chris Brandt, Jr., C. W. Bainbridge.
1893-Supervisors and clerk, same as in 1892; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Thomas Larkin; justices, Frank Murray, John Schroeder ; constable, Frank May.
1894-Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1893; justices, Franklin Lyster, L. A. Schroeder; constables, Albert Lyster, Emerson Liddle.
1895-Supervisors, J. J. Vosberg, A. J. Brandt, Henry Weber; clerk, H. R. Smith; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Thomas Lar- kin; justices, Samuel L. Johnson, Frank Vogt; constables, Henry Johnson, Peter L. Doyle.
1896-Supervisors, J. J. Vosberg, Henry Weber, Herman Dolsing; clerk, Henry R. Smith; treasurer, Edward Carey; assessor, Thomas Larkin; justices, Franklin Lyster, Thomas Ryan; constables, Albert Lyster, Peter Doyle.
1897-Supervisors, J. J. Vosberg, A. Kruse, Clem. Runde; clerk, Henry R. Smith; treasurer, T. F. Splinter; assessor, Thomas Larkin; justices, S. L. Johnson, L. A. Schroeder ; constables; Bert Bainbridge, Henry Jansen.
1898-Supervisors, J. J. Vosberg, Chris. Brandt, Joseph Weber, Jr .; clerk, H. R. Smith; treasurer. T. F. Splinter ; assessor, S. L Johnson; justice, Franklin Lyster; constables, Jerry Carey, Frank J. Brandt.
1899-Supervisors, J. J. Vosberg, Clem. Placke, Chris. Brandt, Sr .; clerk, H. R. Smith : treasurer, Frank Placke; assessor, S. L. Johnson; justices, Frank Vogt, L. A. Schroeder ; constables, Jerry Carey, Henry Jansen.
1900-Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1899; justices, Frank Lyster, Joseph Quinlan; constables, Bert Bainbridge, Frank Ballew.
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
SCHOOLS.
The first school was taught in 1840, or soon afterward, in a house on the White place west of Jamestown. This building was afterward moved to South Jamestown and occupied until 1875, when a new frame two-story school-house was built at a cost of $700.
POST-OFFICE.
The post-office called Menomonee was discontinued for a time and reestablished with the name Jamestown. James Gilmore was reap- pointed postmaster. He was succeeded by Benjamin Kilbourn, Chaun- cey Skinner, and Warden Anderson. The last-named, who was ap- pointed early in the forties, was removed in November, 1866, and J. Collogan, a saloon-keeper, was appointed in his place. There was much popular dissatisfaction and Mr. Anderson was soon reinstated and held the office until his death, January 12, 1885. The office has since been conducted by Joseph Schwartz, Mrs. Emily Works, and E. D. Peake.
CHURCHES.
Congregational Church .- The society was organized at Fairplay, where it built a church, but in 1858 it removed to Jamestown and built a frame church 32X35, at a cost of $900. The building was oc- cupied alternate Sundays by the Methodists. The following ministers have served since 1843: Revs. J. C. Holbrook, A. M. Dixon, Loren Robbins, William Hassell, G. F. Strong, William Stoddart, Nicholas Mavne. No services are held in North Jamestown now.
Lutheran Church .- This society was organized in 1862, with Louis Reifsteck, Anton Weighle, George Leben, John Leben, August Eckert, Bernard Eckert, John Hoffman, George Heffner, - Schultz, and the families of these, as members. Services were held in the residences of members until 1868, when a frame church was erected in South James- town. It is 20X30 and cost $1,200. The pulpit is supplied by minis- ters from Dubuque.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- The.society was organized in 1847 by a traveling missionary named Smith, with William P., Jacob, and Harrison Cline, Peter Saddler, Milo Higgins, Benjamin Peck, Isaac Williams, and their wives, as members. Most of the members lived in the country near the village. Services were held in the school-house until 1860, when the society made arrangements with the Congrega- tionalists to occupy their church on alternate Sundays. The church has
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had the following ministers: Revs. Smith, Robert Langley, John Mur- rick, William Summersides, John Bean, E. S. Bunce, Stephen Pike, John Tresidder, William Cook, James Sims, William Howarth, James Jeffer- son, William Shepard, and J. T. Lewis. For about twenty years there has been no resident minister, the pulpit being supplied by ministers resident at Cuba City.
Old Jamestown has ceased to exist as a village. The Jamestown Hotel remains, and there are half a dozen residences in the vicinity of "the Junction," but there is no store, nor shop, nor even a saloon. "Puckerville" still exists, but as "Louisburg." It has a post-office, kept by Wm. E. Merrick, a store, a feed-mill, two hotels, two or three saloons, and fifteen or twenty residences. Not only is it true of these villages, but of the whole region-the old settlers are dead, their chil- dren have gone West, and their places have been filled mostly by Ger- man immigrants.
FAIRPLAY.
This village is situated in Section 25 of the town of Jamestown, on the road from Dubuque to Platteville and Hazel Green. In 1838 John Roddan built a cabin on the present site of the village and lived there some years. In 1840 Charles Bainbridge came from Vinegar Hill, built a cabin, and went to prospecting. "Big strikes" were made in June, 1841, and in a little while several hundred miners were crowded into the narrow valley in all sorts of rough shanties and tents. The mine which gave the name to the village was discovered in 1841 and was the subject of a quarrel between contending claimants that threat- ened to result in bloodshed, when one of the miners who had gathered to see the fight that promised to occur between theclaimants appealed so strongly for "fair play " that the matter was made the subject of arbitration and the mine awarded to the original discoverers. The same year the "Journey Range" and the "Ten Strike Lead " were dis- covered. A historian fresh from the East, in writing up this place about a score of years ago, said that the latter lode was so called be- cause it was struck by ten men! He had evidently never played ten- pins. In 1843 the shanties and tents of the transient miners had given place to some substantial improvements. A school-house and a church were built, the latter by popular subscription and as a sort of free-for-all building.
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