USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County Wisconsin, including its civil, political, geological, mineralogical archaeological and military history > Part 63
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In the fall of 1832 a man named Armstrong located a trading-post here. In 1835 William S. Hamilton, son of Alexander Hamilton of Revolutionary fame, built a diamond-blast furnace near what is now the intersection of Main and Seventh Streets. It was then a good shipping point for the lead raised about Wingville and Linden, as steamboats could then ascend the Wisconsin. However, little mineral was raised near there, and the distance to the Wingville mines was too great to allow the ore to be profitably hauled, and the furnace was abandoned.
Hon. Charles G. Rodolf, who was long a prominent resident of the place, has written the best account extant of its early settlement, as follows: "In 1838 I went to English Prairie at the solicitation of Col. W. S. Hamilton. I hauled and purchased lead ore for him that sum- mer at Pedlar's Creek [Linden], Centerville, and Upper Diggings. The lead, when smelted, was shipped from English Prairie to Galena hy river, a steamboat coming up regularly every week. At that time the Wisconsin contained at least a third more water than now. The men employed by the Colonel about the furnace were mostly Frenchmen.
"Prominent among the interests that gathered around the fur-
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nace at this time or a little later was the land office, which was re- moved from Mineral Point Albert Parrish was the Register and Levi Sterling the Receiver. William Garland kept a small lumber yard and also ran a boarding-house. Thomas J. Parrish had a store which was kept by Edward Bouchard. A blacksmith shop was run by Har- din Moore, while a second hotel and boarding-house was kept by W. S. Booth. There were at that time a great many Indians-Winne- bagoes-about the place, and I remember many evenings noticing some of the younger squaws sitting on the river bank, singing Indian and French melodies. I remember one time one Indian sold to T. J. Parrish one muskrat skin for corn fifteen times. Parrish bought the skin of the Indian and threw it into the loft and went for a few ears of corn. In the meantime the Indian stole the skin and put it under his coat, and when Parrish returned he sold it to him again. This was repeated several times, Parrish each time going for corn, which was carried away each time by a squaw. Parrish all the time thought he was making a good trade."
In 1840 William S. Booth, Thomas J. Parrish, and Henry Billings established a ferry at this place.
In 1837 the Moore family settled near Muscoda. There were sev- eral brothers who became more or less prominent in the county, par- ticularly Gen. Jonathan B. Moore.
1n 1847 the population of the settlement (it could hardly be called a village) was about fifty, pretty thickly stowed in a few log houses Charles Stephenson and David Manlove are noted as residents of the place at that time.
In 1850 the village of Muscoda was surveyed and platted by James Moore, and in 1852 W. W. Dimock laid out an addition to the village. In 1853 the population of the village was about two hundred and it had two stores, one by S. A. Quincy and the other by Palmer & Ward. The senior partner was Alfred Palmer, afterward of Boscobel. In that year Jonathan B. Moore put in a third store. P. B. McIntyre had es- tablished a livery stable and John B. McIntyre a blacksmith shop in the place, both in 1851. In 1855 Herman C. Grote opened a furniture store in the village. In 1856 James Moore opened a tin shop and hardware store.
In 1855 James Moore and C. K. Dean bought the land on which the new town was afterward built. Later they sold part of it to B. H. Edgerton, Judge Jackson, and H. E. Dawson. In anticipation of
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the coming of the railroad, the new town was laid out, but the titles appeared to be defective, and no building was done there. Ten years later General Moore bought the land.
In 1856 the railroad was built and the depot established nearly a mile from the village At this time the settlers were (excluding those already mentioned) A. J. Thompson, C. Miller, James W. Otis, I. J. Dale, Edward Dorsey, A. Dickinson, W. G. Spencer, L. J. D. Parrish, H. Heath, J. W. Pettigrove, William and John Bloyer, Charles and Royal Wright, E. Dutton, J. McDuff, A. Pyle, William Salomon, Benj. M. Coates, J. P. Richards, Henry Morgan, George R. Frank, Franklin Z. Hicks, J. L. Marsh, Thomas J. Bull, John Smalley, Seth C. McDon- ald, and Samuel B. Elston, with others less noted. A hotel was kept by a man named Potter. The ferry was run by Thomas Matthews.
In the boom incident to the coming of the railroad great things were expected of Muscoda. The Herald said : " Muscoda will be, we think, the machine-shop and lumber-yard of Grant County." In the fall of 1856 the village contained 3 stores, 2 hotels, 2 cabinet shops, 4 wagon shops, 4 blacksmith shops, 2 shoe shops, 1 harness shop, 1 tailor shop, 1 drug-store, 1 butcher shop, 1. livery stable, 1 brewery, and 1 brick-yard. But the proprietors of the lots made the common mistake of holding them at too high prices, and business went to Bos- cobel and Avoca, and Muscoda went to sleep, so to speak.
In 1856 J. B. Gaylord & Co. built a saw-mill, which they sold to the Bull Brothers. It was burned some years later. In 1858 James Moore built a steam flouring-mill, but after a few years of operation the machinery was removed. In 1858 O. C. Denny built a saw-mill, which in a few years he sold to persons who removed it.
MUSCODA BRIDGE.
The business men of the place realized that, if not dead, the village was sleeping, and the people across the river in Richland County felt the need of convenient access to a railroad market. A bridge across the river was much needed. The town of Muscoda and the town of Eagle in Richland County each voted $2,000 for a bridge and the citi- zens subscribed $4,000 more. Miller & Stinglham, of Sauk City, took a contract to build a bridge for $20,000, but enough money could not be raised and the project fell through.
In 1868 General Moore began the erection of a bridge as his private property. The enterprise was pushed rapidly to completion and the first team passed over the bridge September 16. This structure con-
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sists of two spans of 150 feet each and a draw of 140 feet, beyond is a structure 1,272 feet long supported by piles. The cost of the structure was $24,000. Although the building of the bridge caused an immediate revival in the business of the place, the matter of tolls created a good deal of dissatisfaction, and in the winter of 1875-76 there was strong agitation in favor of a new free bridge, but nothing substantial came of it.
THE NEW TOWN.
With the building of the bridge and the clearing of the titles of the site on which the depot was located, an era of rapid building opened in 1868. Not only were many houses built in the new town, but many houses were moved out to it from the old town. Several other houses in the old town were burned that year, among them the drug- store of Dr. A. R. Tyler, in which the post-office was located. This was burned July 12, 1868.
The old town had contained two drug-stores. Dr. Tyler's was burned and the one established in 1867 in the old town by L. D. Hol- ford and Dr. Wm. K. Jameson, was in 1868 removed to the new town.
THE GREAT FIRE.
A good many isolated buildings in the place have been burned, four in 1868 alone, but there was no great fire until September 1, 1894. The fire caught about two o'clock in a barn in the north- western part of the town, where children were playing with matches. A brisk wind was blowing from the southwest, and at once carried the sparks to the surrounding buildings until about forty houses, in- cluding some of the finest residences, were destroyed. Help was called from Boscobel, Avoca, and Lone Rock, as there was no water supply there. Boscobel sent seventy-five firemen with ladders and buckets. The fire was stopped by tearing down inflammable property.
The total loss was about $50,000, with about $30,000 or $40,- 000 insurance. The losses were about as follows:
Pfeisterer Hotel, $6,000; Matthew Viktora, saloon, dwelling and barn, $5,000; O. W. Fessel, harness-shop, dwelling, and barn, $5,000; Meyers, dwelling and barn, $3,000; Smythe's bakery, photograph gallery and dwelling, $2,000; Biba, furniture store and dwelling, $3,000; John Wade, dwelling, $1,000; Jacob Huppler, dwelling and barn, $2,000; Schumacher, dwelling, shop, and barn, $2,500; Berg- mueller, dwelling and barn, $1,500; Mrs. Nothies, dwelling and barn, $2,500; Esch, dwelling and barn, $1,500; Marvin Briggs, dwelling and barn, $3,500; W. T. Briggs, dwelling and barn, $3,500; P. R. Hoyt, dwelling and barn, $2,500; Meth-
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odist church, $750; Town Hall, $1,000; the barns of B. Mcintyre, Jacob Bremmer, Mrs. Peters, Mrs. Muller, and the Moore estate, aggregate value $2,900.
TOWN ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.
Although in territorial times there was a precinct of Muscoday, as may be seen in the maps on pages 133 and 135, the town was not or- ganized until 1851. It includes all of Town 8, Range 1, except that the Wisconsin River cuts off a little at the north end. It contains about thirty-five square miles. It consists mostly of the sandy bot- tom of the Wisconsin and the rough hills bordering that river and Blue River and its tributaries. The population of the village is largely German and that of the country Bohemian. The town has usually gone Democratic by a large majority.
The population of the town has been : in 1855, 717; in 1860, 668; in 1865, 743; in 1870, 911; in 1875, 1,275; in 1880, 1,226; in 1885, 1,122; in 1890, 1,160; in 1895, 1,273. The village contained in 1890 a population of 605, and in 1895, 733.
The town records were destroyed in the great fire, and the names of some of the town officers are not obtainable; but with these excep- tions the roster is as follows :
1852-Supervisors, James Moore, A. Dickinson, Edward Dorsey ; clerk, A. J. Thompson; treasurer, A. Dickinson; assessor, James Moore; supt. of schools, A. J. Thompson ; justices, R. Barnes, Edward Dorsey, W. G. Spencer, James Moore.
1853-Supervisors, James Moore, A. Dickinson, Thomas Watters ; clerk, Jonathan B. Moore.
1854-Supervisors, James Moore, Thomas Watters, Charles W. Wright; clerk and supt. of schools, George R. Frank; justices, Reason Barnes, James Moore; constables, L. J. Parrish, William Moncrief.
1855 -- Supervisors, James Moore, Charles W. Wright, John Burris ; clerk, Franklin Z. Hicks; treasurer, L. J. D. Parrish; assessor, James James Moore; supt of schools, George R. Frank; justices, Arnold A. Petty, Matthias Shafer; constables, Henry Morgan, John L. Ransom.
1856-Supervisors, James Moore, George R. Frank, John Burris; clerk, R. V. Alexander.
1857-Supervisors, Joseph Blanding, Ben M. Coates, George Keck ; clerk, Jacob Mclaughlin; treasurer, Joseph Parrish ; assessor, Peter B. McIntyre; supt. of schools, George R. Frank; justices, George R. Frank, Herman Grote, M. Manlove; constables, A. Grote, Levi Bel- den, John Fox.
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1858-Supervisors, James Moore, Joseph Boggy, E. Dunstan; clerk, James S. Featherby.
1859-Supervisors, James Moore, J. B. Winter, B. Fayant; clerk, Samuel B. Elston.
1860-Supervisors, W. W. Dimock, Charles W. Wright, B. Fayant; clerk, Joseph W. Blanding.
1861-Supervisors, W. W. Dimock, Charles W. Wright, Peter Schmidt; clerk and supt. of schools, Ralph Carver; treasurer, John B. McIntyre; assessor, Franklin Ward.
1862-Supervisors, W. W. Dimock, P. B. McIntyre, Samuel Bull ; clerk and assessor, Ralph Carver; treasurer, John B. McIntyre.
1863-Supervisors, John B. McIntyre, John Smalley, J. B. Winter ; clerk, W. W. Dimock, treasurer, Peter Schmidt; assessor, O. P. Man- love.
1864-Chairman, P. B. McIntyre; clerk, W. W. Dimock ; treasurer, John Smalley ; assessor, Ralph Carver.
1865-Supervisors, Seth C. McDonald, Royal Wright, Joseph Bog- gy ; clerk, A. R. Tyler; treasurer, Christian Muller; assessor, John B. McIntyre.
1866-Supervisors, S. C. McDonald, Henry Fessel, Royal Wright ; clerk, Ralph Carver; treasurer, Christ. Muller; assessor, Frank Ward.
1867-Supervisors, Seth C. McDonald, John B. McIntyre, Henry Fessel; clerk, Ralph Carver; treasurer, Jacob Bremmer ; assessor, O. P. Manlove.
1868-Supervisors, John Smalley, Royal Wright, Peter Schmidt; clerk, Ralph Carver; treasurer, Jacob Bremmer; assessor, John Hen- dricks ; justices, John Kohlman, Ralph Carver.
1869-Supervisors, O. C. Denny, Henry Fessel, Thomas J. Graham; clerk, Ralph Carver; treasurer, John J. Postel; assessor, Christ Muller ; justice, Samuel B. Elston.
1870-Supervisors, P. B. McIntyre, Joseph Meier, Joseph Komers; clerk, Charles D. Alexander; treasurer, Jacob Bremmer; assessor, Frank Ward; justices, Seth C. McDonald, A. C. Beyers, Frank Ward.
1871-Supervisors, Thomas J. Graham, Joseph Stork, John Gar- land; clerk, John Hendricks; treasurer, Jacob Bremmer; assessor, Frank Ward; justices, George Schlump, A. R. Tyler, Frank Ward
1872-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, Henry McNelly, Henry Fessel; clerk, Joseph Meier; treasurer,. Victor Fayant; assessor, Christian Muller ; justice, Henry McNelly.
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1873-Supervisors, C. G. Rodolf, Henry Fessel, P. B. McIntyre; clerk, L. Scofield; treasurer, John Smalley; assessor, William Nebel; justices, A. R. Tyler, William Nebel, Joseph Komers.
1874-Supervisors, C. G. Rodolf, Jacob Ritzie, Joseph Meier; clerk, Peter J. Schaefer; treasurer, Victor Fayant; assessor, William Nebel; justices, J. P. Kraus, William Nebel, S. C. McDonald; constables, Wil- liam Wicken, Joseph Stork, John Schlump.
1875-Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, assessor, and constables same as in 1874; justices, Henry McNelly, P. A. Daggett.
1876-Supervisors, C. G. Rodolf, Frank Kolman, W. W. McKit- trick ; clerk, P. J. Schaefer; treasurer, Victor Fayant; assessor, Chris- tian Muller.
1877-Supervisors, C. G. Rodolf, W. W. McKittrick, Thomas J. Graham; clerk, P. J. Schaefer; treasurer, Victor Fayant ; assessor, P. A. Daggett; justices, W. W. McKittrick, G. S. Schlump; constables, W. G. Wicken, J. C. West, John Stewart.
1878-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, John Kolar, P. B. McIntyre; clerk, P. J. Schaefer; treasurer, Victor Fayant; assessor, William Ne- bel; justices, S. C. McDonald, G. S. Schlump; constables, J. Komers, W. G. Wicken, J. C. West.
1879-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, James A. Black, P. B. McIn- tyre; clerk, F. L. Doubrava; treasurer, John Schwingle; assessor, Wil- liam Nebel; justices, J. C. West, G. S. Schlump; constables, Joseph Stork, W. G. Wicken, R. C. Kelly.
1880-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, Moritz Honer, A. C. V. Els- ton; clerk, F. L. Doubrava ; treasurer, John Schwingle; assessor, P. A. Daggett.
1881-Supervisors, C. G. Rodolf, J. D. Pfiesterer, Jacob Chesick; clerk, Fred A. Schmidt; treasurer, Peter J. Schaefer, assessor, I. J. Wright; justices, G. S. Schlump, W. S. Manning; constables, George Britthauer, J. C. Peebles, Joseph Stork.
1882-Supervisors, C. G. Rodolf, Jacob Bremmer, James Black ; clerk, Fred Schmidt; treasurer, Victor Fayant; assessor, P. J. Schae- fer; justices, Ben Shearer, S. C. McDonald; constables, George Breit- hauer, W. G. Wicken.
1884-Supervisors, C. G. Rodolf, Jacob Bremmer, James A. Black ; clerk, George Breithauer; treasurer, Victor Fayant; assessor, P. J. Schaefer; justices, G. L. Schlump, W. S. Manning, H. M. Clark; con- stables, John Schlump, W. G. Wicken, James Stork.
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1886-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, John J. Postel, G. L. Schlump; derk, W. S. Manning; treasurer, G. W. Fessel; assessor, P. J. Schaefer; Justices, I. J. Wright, James A. Black, H. M. Clark; constables, W. G. Wicken, Geo. Breithauer, Jacob Heffner.
1887-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, V. L. Fayant, Moritz Honer; derk, F. L. Daggett; treasurer, G. W. Fessel; assessor, P. J. Delaney ; justices, John Smalley, P. J. Schaefer ; constables, Peter Dolph, George Breithauer, F. D. O. Miller, W. G. Wicken.
1888-Chairman, John N. Schwingle; clerk, F. L. Daggett ; treas- urer, G. W. Fessel; assessor, P. J. Schaefer; justices, J. G. Wright, George J. Schulz; constables, Harrison Bennett, Jobn Hetblack, Ralph York.
1889-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, John Pfiesterer, John Postel; clerk, F. L. Daggett ; treasurer, F. Lauerman; assessor, P. J. Schaefer ; justices, W. S. Manning, William Briggs, James Blart, George Schlump. John Hetblack ; constables, F. D. O. Miller, Ed Swingle, H. M. Ciark
1890-Super visors, Jacob Bremmer, William T Briggs, J. J Postel; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, Victor Fayant ; assessor, P. J Shaefer ; justices, William Jameson; George L. Schlump constables, John Het- black, John Schlump, Max Bergmuller.
1891-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, Charles Tracy, Matt Pipal; clerk, J. F. Komers; treasurer, Frank J. Lauerman; assessor, P. J. Schaefer; justices, George S. Schlump, C. A. Lee; constables, Robert Bloyer, John Huffy, Peter Dolp.
1892-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, Moritz Honer, Matt Pipal; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, S. Hasler; assessor, P. J. Schaefer; justices, William K. Jameson, P. J. Schaefer; constables, J. D. Het- black; Peter Dolp, Jobn Schlump.
1893-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, J. D.Pfiesterer, William T. Briggs; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, John D. Hetblack ; assessor, P. J. Schaefer; justices, Ed. Swingle, F. F. Wheeler; constables, L. E. Hayes, Robert Bloyer, George Salmon.
1894-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, William T. Briggs, Matt Pipal; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, G. W. Fessel; assessor, P. J. Schaefer ; justices, Ed. Swingle, John Lawrence; constables, Andrew Sweszek, George Salmon, John Schlump.
1895-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, Alex. Black, Victor Fayant; clerk. Otto W. Fessel ; treasurer. G. W. Fessel; assessor, P. J. Schaefer; justices, Peter Felt, F. Wheeler, William Jameson ; constables, Andrew Sweszek, Frank Miller, P. Heffner.
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1896-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, Alex. Black; Matt. Pipal clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, G. W. Fessel; assessor, Joseph Sik- hart; justices, William K. Jameson, F. W. Drone, John Lawrence; constables, A. J. Sweszek, Robert Bloyer, W. A. Costley.
1897-Supervisors, Jacob Bremmer, Alex. Black, Wenzel Dvorak; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, T. C. Mainwaring; assessor, Joseph Sikhart; justices, F. W. Wheeler, P. J. Schaefer, John Schlump; con- stables, V. J. Sweszek, M, Meyer, Leonard Kraus.
1898-Supervisors, Joseph Sikart, Henry Harmes, Joseph Kalish; clerk, Bradley McIntyre; treasurer, John Kolar; assessor, Frank Pospichal; justices, Fred Harmes, John Schlump.
1899-Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1898; justices, John Kurtz, John Hulbert; constables, Louis Sherada, John Machazel, Gottlieb Muller.
1900-Supervisors, Joseph Sikhart, Joseph Kalish, J. J. Malter; clerk, Bradley McIntyre; treasurer, John Kurtz; assessor, Frank Pospichal; justices, Al. Howland, Fred Harmes; constables, A. Leu, M. Siefert, L. Shereda.
VILLAGE OFFICERS.
The village was incorporated in 1894 and has had the following officers :
1894-President, J. J. Postel; trustees, Joseph Kaiser, A. C. V. Elston, V. L. Fayant, M. J. Viktora ; J. N. Swingle, J. A. Logan ; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer F. J. Egan ; marshal, Marvin Briggs.
1895-President, J. J. Postel; trustees, J. N. Swingle, A. C. V. Elston, V. L. Fayant, Joseph Kaiser, M. J. Victora, J. A. Logan ; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, F. J. Egan ; marshal, Marvin Briggs.
1896-President, J. N. Swingle; trustees, A. C. V. Elston, Joseph Kaiser, M. J. Viktora, Ed Swingle, John Smalley, Henry Pfiesterer; clerk and justice, P. J. Schaefer ; treasurer, F. J. Egan; marshal, Vern Elliott.
1897-President, John Smalley; trustees, Joseph Kaiser, J. P. Heffner, E. J. Swingle, M. J. Victora, H. D. Pfisterer, Joseph Obrecht ; clerk, P. J. Schaefer ; treasurer, F. J. Egan ; marshal. D. V. Elliott.
1898-President, John Smalley; trustees, Joseph Kaiser, Frank Thompson, M. J. Viktora, E. J. Swingle, J. A. Wade, Charles K. Pick- ering ; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, F. J. Egan; constable, P. J. Schaefer.
1899-President, William T. Briggs; trustees, M. J. Viktora, John
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Wade, J. P. Heffner, Henry Snyder, Joseph Obrecht, Henry Pfiesterer ; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, Joseph Kaiser ; justices, P. J. Schaefer, W. K. Jameson; constable, Frank Miller.
1900-President, Jacob Bremmer; trustees, John Wade; H. D. Pfiesterer, Anton Shereda, Henry Gies, E. J. Swingle, Wenzel Dvo- rak; clerk, Otto W. Fessel; treasurer, F. J. Egan ; constable, Robert Bloyer.
POST-OFFICE.
A post-office called English Prairie was established at this place in 1837, with W. S. Hamilton as postmaster. In 1850 James Moore was made postmaster. In 1853 he resigned and F. Z. Hicks was ap- pointed. From 1855 to 1861 the postmaster was T. R. Chesebro. After him J. L. Marsh held the office one year, and was followed by Mrs. E. Harris and her daughter Annie. In December, 1866, Dr. A. R. Tyler was appointed postmaster and held the office until August, 1868, when Ralph Carver was appointed, and the post-office, which had been in the burned drug-store, was removed to Jameson & Hol- ford's drug-store. In March, 1877, Frank A. David (who had bought out L. D. Holford) was appointed postmaster and the office remained in the drug-store. David was succeeded by S. C. McDonald, Jacob Bremmer (during both of Cleveland's terms), C. F. McDonald, and A. C. V. Elston.
SCHOOLS.
In 1839 a school was taught at "English Prairie" by Allen Bloyer. The memory of the old settlers has failed to preserve the names of his successors for many years, but it is said that most of the schools were held for three months terms in summer and kept by young women. In 1854 a log school-house was built, Charles W. Wright doing the car- penter work. George R. Frank taught the first school in this building, which was afterward sold to the Methodists for a church. In 1860 a two-story frame building 30X60 was built at a cost of $2,500, located between the old and the new towns. A high school was organized in 1877 with P. B. McIntyre, P. A. Daggett, and O. P. Manlove as school board and H. R. Smith as principal. The old school-house having been burned, in 1885 a new stone building was erected in the new town.
CHURCHES.
The Methodist Episcopal Church .- This society was organized in 1855. Among the early pastors were Revs. J. T. Pryor, Alfred Brun-
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KATLENG CO.
MILWAUKEE
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MUSCODA.
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son, Austin, Brainard, Jones, Irish, Waldron, and Treewater. The present pastor is Rev. Mccluskey. In 1860 the society purchased the old school-house and used it for a church until it was destroyed by the fire of 1894. In 1896 a handsome church building was erected It is 30×36, with a wing 15X22.
St. John the Baptist's Church, Catholic .- This congregation was establishedin 1859 as a mission to Mineral Point. 1n 1875 a parson- age was built and Rev. Albert Heller became the resident pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. J. Seberlee. In 1884 the present stone church, 44×80, was built in the new town. It has a fine chime of bells. In 1888 a parochial school was established, and it is now in charge of four sisters from Notre Dame Convent of Milwaukee. Connected with the congregation is a court of the Catholic Order of Foresters, a branch of the Catholic Knights, and two Ladies' Societies. Rev. Leo Parroch has been for many years the pastor.
The Congregational Church .- The society was organized in 1856, and Rev. A. A. Overton was the first pastor. The records are lost and few particulars can be given. In 1859 Mr. Overton removed to Avoca and the church had no pastor (except Rev. Mclaughlin a short time) until 1869, when Rev. Jones came and remained a year. In 1870 Rev. William Jameson came and remained five years. He did much toward increasing and building up the church and was followed by Rev. Carter, who remained one year. After this Rev. A. A. Overton returned and remained three years and was succeeded by Rev. George Heigh, who left in 1881. The society had no building and meetings were held in the Methodist or Lutheran church. Becoming too few to maintain a church, the society was finally dissolved.
The Lutheran Church .- This society was organized some time in the sixties by Rev. Winter, who preached in a building on land do- nated by him about five miles south of the village. In 1870 a church building 30X50 was erected in the village at a cost of $1,500. The first minister in the new locality was Rev. Zwolanck, who served one year and was followed by Rev. Remi. Rev. Otjen is the present in- cumbent.
SOCIETIES.
Orion Lodge No. 70. A., F. & A. M .- This lodge was organized June 26, 1855, at Orion, just across the river from Muscoda. D. L. Downs was W. M .; J. T. Barnes, S.|W .; Levi Houts, J. W. In 1870 the lodge was transferred to Muscoda and the name changed to Muscoda
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