USA > Wisconsin > Green County > History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 103
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Soon after Lot, came the ex-miners William Boyles, formerly from Indiana, and Stephen G. Ilale, Nicholas Hale and Bennett Nolan from Illinois.
Jesse W. Shull, one of the earliest settlers in this town, was born in Philadelphia in 1786. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. He came
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
west and followed the business of an Indian trader at Dubuque and Prairie du Chien, years before the Black Hawk War, in which he served. He established a trading post at what is now Shullsburg, in 1828, where he remained several years. He had, at the same time, trading houses at other points. In 1836 he bought the claim of George Lot, on section 36, in the town of Cadiz, to which he removed with his family and lived for many years. He afterwards re- moved further north in the town, and settled where he died in 1875. His widow, whom he married at his trading post at Shullsburg, in 1827, is now living with her daughter at Wins- low, Ill.
In the fall of 1838 Mordecai Kelly settled on section 1, where he still lives. He was born in the State of Ohio in 1808, and came to Mon- roe with his family in the spring of 1837, where he lived until his settlement in Cadiz.
William Bridges also settled on section 1 the following year, where he lived until the time of his death. His widow still lives in the town at the advanced age of eighty-three years.
In 1840 Martin Burt and Felix O'Fling locat- ed on section 3, and began the erection of a saw mill on Skinner creek-the first in the town. The mill was finished by Gardner & Burt in 1841 and was known as their mill.
In 1841 came John Billings, Philip, Michael and Elias Deyo.
In 1843 John W. Deniston and Abner Van Sant, the former a son-in-law of the latter, came from Clarno and settled on the southwest quar- ter of section 23. They built a saw mill on Honey creek at that point which was the second one built in the town. Here, soon afterward, they laid out the village of Cadiz.
David Cline soon afterward located at Cadiz, and a little later John Sancerman.
Henry Rush, the present chairman of the board of supervisors of the town of Cadiz, in which capacity he is serving his fifth term, was born in Bavaria, Germany, Feb. 24, 1822. In 1830 his father emigrated to the United States
with his family, but before they reached their destination, which was Seneca Co., Ohio, the mother died in Canton, Ohio. The family set- tled in Venice, Seneca Co., Ohio, where the father died about two years later. Henry Rush was brought up in the family of Michael Ous- tine, who settled in this county at the time that Mr. Rush came here, but soon after removed to Minnesota, where he died Feb. 14, 1863. Mr. Rush was a volunteer soldier of the Mexican War. He enlisted at the beginning of the war, in May, 1846, in company F, of the 3d Ohio Vol- unteers, which was commanded by Samuel R. Curtis, who became quite noted during the War of the Rebellion. He served about fourteen months under Gen. Zachary Taylor, and took part in the battle of Buena Vista, in which he was wounded. At the expiration of his term of service he returned to Ohio, and the following spring came to this county. Ilis first wife was a native of Ohio, and by that union he has three children-Lusetta E., Nancy J. and Rufus H. He was again married, and by the second union had two children-R. E. and Flora B. Mr. Rush is the owner of 433 acres of land.
Soon afterward came Andrew Rabb and son, Samnel, who located on section 19, and Reuben Tuttle ou section 20. The former removed to Dakota, in the spring of 1883, and the latter re- mained but three years, when he removed to Sheboygan.
Tracy Lockman came with Tuttle and also settled on section 20. He removed to Helena, Iowa county, and from thence to the State of New York.
Jonathan Robinson settled on section 7, in 1854. Ezra Wescott settled on section 6, at about the same time. He lived there until the time of his death. His widow and family still occupy the place.
EVENTS OF INTEREST.
The first mill in the town of Cadiz was a saw mill, erected by Martin Burt and Felix O'Fling, which was finished in 1841. It was located on Skinner creek, on section 3. It was afterward
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
known as Gardner & Burt's mill. In 1848 it was burned to the ground. It was rebuilt im- mediately, by Joseph Wilford, who owned the property at the time it was destroyed. It was afterward owned by Brown & Williams, and later by Arabut Ludlow, who sold to Divan & Michael. Mr. Michael soon bought Divan's in- terest, and in 1884 sold the property to Mr. Woodle.
The second mill was a saw mill, erected by John W. Deniston and Abner Van Sant in 1843, on Honey creek. One year later, a run of buhrs was added for grinding corn and feed. This mill burned in the spring of 1848, and the saw mill part was rebuilt, but the "corn cracker" was not resurrected. The ruins of the saw mill still mark the spot.
The "Buck Horn Tavern " was the first hotel in this town. It was built by Joseph Paine in 1847. It was a hewn log building, located on section 6. It was on the mail route from Mon- roe to Wiota-a road much traveled in early days-and this was a noted stopping place for the traveling public for many years. Paine ran the hotel until the winter of 1849-50, and it continued to be used for tavern purposes for about ten years afterward. Paine sold to John Bringold, and in April 1850, killed him, as is related elsewhere.
In 1850 William Dale erected a large frame house on lot 13, section 3, which he opened as " Dale's Tavern." This was on the road from Monroe to Galena, which was much traveled in those days. He also had a large frame barn to accommodate teams, and erected a shingle mill, which he ran with horse power. He was an enterprising man, and did an extensive busi- ness here for some time. Two of his sons are now in business at Browntown.
The first child born in the town of Cadiz, as near as can now be ascertained, was Marietta Shull, a daughter of Jesse W. and Melissa Shull, born in the fall of 1838. She died at the age of twenty-one years.
The first wedding in the town of Cadiz, and the second in Green county, was that of James Hawthorne and Massy R. Boyles, which occured in August, 1836.
The first death in this town was that of Christopher Curdner, in 1837. He died at the house of Jesse W. Shull, and was buried on the farm of Mr. Shull, where several other bodies were interred. This was the first bury- ing ground in the town.
EDUCATIONAL.
The first school in the town of Cadiz-and it is claimed the first in Green county-was taught by Ralph Hilderbrant, in January and February, 1837, in Bennett Nolan's smoke house on section 36.
The first school house in the town was a log one erected on section 3, in 1840. Miss Churchill, a sister of Norman Churchill, of Monroe, taught a term of school in this building in the summer of 1841. She afterward married John A. Bingham, (now deceased). She now lives in Monroe. Her school was the first taught in the northern part of the town.
The second school house in the town was built on the northeast quarter of section 11, in 1842. James Cowan taught school in this building the following winter.
In 1884, there were eight full and four joint districts in this town.
District No. 1 has a frame school house, valued at $600, on the southeast quarter of section 3. There are forty-four pupils in this district.
District No. 2 is the Browntown district. It has a small frame school house, valued at $400, on section 4. There are eighty-four pupils here.
District No. 3 has one of the best houses in the town, valued at $945. There are seventy- eight pupils here.
District No. 4 has a white frame house, valued at $825, located on the northeast corner of section 21. There are seventy-one pupils here.
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
District No. 5 has a school house in the south-central part of section 27, valued at $260. There are fifty-eight pupils here.
District No. 8 has a school building on the northwest quarter of section 36, valued at $285. They have sixty pupils here.
District No. 9 embraces the village of Mar- tin, and has an old stone school house, valued at $200, on section 32. There are seventy-four pupils here.
District No. 13 has a school house on the southwest corner of section 9. It is a white frame building, valued at $454. There are forty-four pupils here.
Joint district No. I embraces territory in the town of Jordan, the school house being located in that town. There are eight scholars of this district residing in this town.
District No. 7, joint with Clarno, has a school house located on section 1, valued at $150. There are sixty pupils belonging to this town.
Joint district No. 10 embraces territory in the town of Wayne, Lafayette county. The school building is located on the northeast corner of section 30, and is valued at $310. The number of pupils belonging to this district residing in Cadiz is forty-one.
Joint district No. 12 also embraces territory in the town of Wayne. The school house is an old building located on section 7. There are twenty-two scholars in this town.
RELIGIOUS.
The first public religious services in the town were held at the school house on section 11 in 1843, by the Rev. Mr. Mast, of the United Brethren denomination. He was a traveling minister, and held services here occasionally for some time. Rev. Connor, a Methodist preacher and a son-in-law of Martin Burt, held services at Burt's house at about the same time, and perhaps as early as 1842.
Many of the early settlers in the northern part of the town belonged to the United Breth- ren Church. Rev. Riley Curry, now of Monroe,
was among the early and frequent preachers of that denomination here.
A Methodist Episcopal church edifice was erected on the southeast quarter of section 15, in 1870. It is a frame building, 32x46 feet in size, eighteen feet high, and painted white. The first preaching of this denomination in this part of the town was held at the house of Hugh Hastings, on section 15, in 1854, by Rev. Dyer. At that time a class was formed. A school house was afterwards built on the same section, at which services were held until the church was built. Rev. Hurd followed Dyer. Other preachers here have been: Revs. Gould, Brainard, Jacob Miller, Jackson, Smith, and others. This was called the Cadiz circuit. The class formerly numbered seventy. There are. now only about a dozen. The present preacher is W. H. Kellogg.
In the fall of 1879 a church building was erected at Martin by what was called the "Church Society of Martin." The greater part of this society was made up of United Breth- ren people, but the church was intended for all denominations. The building is frame, and cost, including bell and furniture, about $1,800. It is used principally by the United Brethren and evangelical denominations, although other societies occasionally occupy it.
TOWN ORGANIZATION.
The first regular town meeting in the town of Cadiz was held on the 3d of April, 1849, when the town was organized. At this election there were fifty-one votes cast and the following of- ficers were elected :
John Wood, chairman, John Kennedy and John Billing, supervisors; Wesley Swank, clerk; Philip Michael, treasurer; Elisha Ullom, assessor; John Kennedy, superintendent of schools; John Kennedy, John Wood, Isaac Diven and Benjamin Buchanan, justices of the the peace; John Denney, George Michael and Stephen Vanhorn, constables. The clerks of this election were: John Kennedy and John
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
Wood, and the judges were: John Saucerman, John Billing and Hiram Smith.
In 1884 the officers of the town were as fol- lows:
Henry Rush, chairman, Thomas Crow and N. C. Tyler, supervisors; John W. Lynch, clerk; Michael Shank, assessor; B. C. Curtis, E. Vanhorn and Gustav Shultze, justices of the peace; James White, John A. Black and W. D. Sanders, constables; J. W. Montgomery, sealer of weights and measures.
A building for town purposes, known as the town house of Cadiz, was built in 1867 at a cost of $685. It is a frame building, located on the northwest quarter of section 22. All town elections, meetings of the board, caucuses, etc., are held here.
CEMETERIES.
The first burials in the northern part of the town were made on the southeast quarter of section 3. The first burial there was Thomas Michael, youngest son of Philip and Lovicy Michael, who died in January, 1843, aged three months. This was the usual place of burial in the town before grounds were regularly laid out. In 1851 Philip Michael, on whose ground the burial ground was located, laid out grounds for a cemetery, which were surveyed by the county surveyor, Samuel Spangler. The ceme- tery includes four acres, and is still used for burial purposes.
The cemetery on section 1, which is in use at present, was laid out many years later than the one just mentioned. It is kept in good condi- tion.
A private cemetery was laid out on section 31, on the farm of N. Martin, a number of years ago.
A cemetery at the village of Cadiz was laid out and used at an early day. But few burials are made here at present, the cemetery in con- nection with the Cadiz Methodist Church being generally used.
VILLAGE OF BROWNTOWN.
The original plat of the village of Browntown contained twenty acres, embracing the north half of the northeast quarter of section 9, township 1 north, range 6 east. It was laid out and platted by James Dale on the 3d and 4th of March, 1882. He had owned the land two years previous to that time. An addition known as Sullivan's addition, consisting of about nine acres, was made by James White in May, 1882. The ad- dition joins the original plat on the west, and was called Sullivan's additions from the fact that the land comprising the addition belonged to the estate of John Sullivan, and Mr. White was the administrator of the estate, the addition being made in the interest of the heirs.
This has been a place of some local impor- tance since 1846. Attracted by the excellent water privilege at this point, Messrs. William Brown, Henson Irion and John Wood in 1846 purchased the east half of the south west quarter, and the west half of the southeast quarter of section 4. Thir was purchased of Washburn & Woodman, who were agents of the owners. The new proprietors began at once to improve the water power, and began the erection of a saw mill that year. In 1847 they built a dam and finished the saw mill, and also put up during that year a corn mill or "corn cracker." The first dwelling house was erected by Mr. Brown in 1846, and, in the fall of 1848 he erected another building which is still occupied as a dwelling. These gentlemen ran the mills and owned the same until 1853, when Brown purchased Wood's interest. In 1862 Mr. Brown's was sold on mortgage to Arabut Lud- low. Mr. Irion disposed of his interest to Mr. Ludlow in 1863. The latter gentleman owned the property until 1875, when he sold it to Emanuel Diven, and from thence it passed into the hands of Emanuel and Henry Diven, who put in the mill the present improved machinery during the winter of 1875-6. The original saw mill and "corn cracker" disappeared many years ago, and the present mill building was
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
erected in 1875, by Mr. Tobias. The mill property is now owned by Andrew Sutherland, having been purchased of Green Brothers, who succeeded Diven & Son. The mill contains three run of buhrs and is doing an extensive business. The mill is located just outside the plat, on section 4.
This point for many years was known as Brown, Irion & Wood's mill. It afterwards came to be called Browntown, when the vil- lage was laid out. This name was applied to the village after William G. Brown.
Mr. Brown came from Missouri, where he was born, although he was reared in New Or- leans. His early life was passed on the Missis- sippi river and its branches, first as cabin boy and afterward reached the position of second mate. Later in life he learned the business of a millwright, working with Abner Van Sant for a number of years. He was an uneducated man, but was possessed of much natural ability. He held the office of county commissioner in 1847-8, and later was chairman of the board. In 1858 he was elected to the assembly branch of the legislature. In 1859 he started to Pike's Peak, but at Fort Laramie he abandoned the project and went to California. He is now in Idaho Territory. He went to California first in 1849. Previous to that time he was known as William Brown; but afterward took the name of "Will- iam Grizzly Brown." He was a peculiar char- acter and his characteristics almost became proverbial.
Mr. Wood now resides in the town of Al- bany.
Henson Irion is still living in the town of Cadiz. He is a native of Ohio. IIe came to what afterwards became the State of Wisconsin, in 1832, and served in the Black Hawk War. In 1837 he came to what is now Green county and settled in the town of Clarno. Not until 1854 did he become a resident of the town of Cadiz, although, as stated, he owned an interest in Browntown in 1846.
The first store at what since become Brown- town was opened by Henson Irion, in 1856. He kept a general stock of goods and continued in business until 1859, when he closed out and ac- companied Mr. Brown to California.
After Brown & Irion went to California there was no business carried on here except running the saw mill for two years, when it was closed and has not been reopened. After this there was a period of several years when nothing was done. After the grist mill was erected, in 1876, Alfred Kelly opened a small store, and business has gradually increased until the pres- ent time.
The advent of the railroad, in 1881, gave a new impulse to business; the village was laid out and Browntown became an important point.
In 1884 the business of the village was repre- sented as follows:
General merchandise-Diven & Frisley.
Groceries and drugs-James Dale.
Groceries, hardware, boots and shoes -- Daw- son & Tomlinson.
Blacksmiths -- Erickson & Meighen.
Steam saw mill and lumber dealer -- Samuel Kelly.
Grist mill-Sutherland, Ball & Jackson.
Hotel-James White.
Billiard IIall-Joseph Stover.
Physician-J. H. Stealy.
Postmaster-Henry Frisley.
James Dale, dealer in groceries and drugs at Browntown, is a son of William Dale, who came to the town of Cadiz, July 9, 1850, and located on section 4, where he bought forty acres of land of William Van Horn. Mr. Dale erected a building and kept hotel three years, then sold and bought a farm adjoining on the west, where he lived until his death, Oct. 23, 1857. He was born in Manchester, England, and came to the United States in 1838. He lived in Niagara Co., N. Y., and then in Ashta- bula Co., Ohio, remaining in the latter place till he came to Green county. At that time his family consisted of himself, wife and five sons
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
-George, Joseph, John, James and Abel. The youngest three are now residents of this town. George and Joseph are deceased. George enlisted in the 5th Wisconsin Battery in the fall of 1861, and died the following year at Iuka, Miss. Joseph served in the same regi- ment for nearly four years. He died March 23, 1874. John served one year in the Ist Wiscon- sin regiment, company A, was then transferred to company A, of the 21st regiment, in which he served eight months. He was born in the State of New York in 1840, and came here with his parents in 1850. James Dale was born in Niag- ara Co., N. Y., in 1843. He enlisted in Febru- ary, 1864, in the 5th Wisconsin Battery, and served eighteen months. He has lived in this county since he came here"with his father, except one year in Kansas and one year in Minnesota. His wife was Orpha M. Loomis, daughter of John Loomis, an early settler in this town, but now living at Walnut Grove, Red Wing Co., Minn. Mrs. Dale was born in this town, Jan. 19, 1848. They have two ehil- dren-Nettie and Effie.
The Browntown Hotel was built by the pres- ent proprietor, James W. White, in 1881. It is located on the main street of the village, and is a frame building, two and a half stories high. Including the furniture, its cost was about $3,000. Mr. White purchased the location on which was then a small building, of Samuel Kelly, in 1881, for $600. It includes five lots. Mr. White is a genial and popular landlord, and is esteemed by both his neighbors and the traveling public.
James W. White, landlord and proprietor of the Browntown Hotel, was born at Plattsburg, N. Y., in May, 1851. IIe came to this town with his parents, Michael and Fanny White, in 1854. They settled on section 5. When James opened the hotel at Browntown, his parents came here and resided with him. His father died in June, 1883. His mother is still living here. James W. was married to Elizabeth Stover, daughter of Thomas Stover, an early
settler in this town. They have one son- Michael. Thomas Stover was of English de- scent, born in Virginia. His wife, Sarah Helt- man, was a native of Pennsylvania. They were married in Ashland Co., Ohio, and removed to Stephenson Co., Ill., and settled near Free- port, where they remained till 1854, when they came to this town and located on a farm of 160 acres. He was a blacksmith by trade and an excellent workman. He carried on blacksmith- ing at his farm. He was fatally injured by a threshing machine. His widow still lives in this town, and her mother, who is nearly 100 years old, resides with her.
VILLAGE OF MARTIN.
In 1849 Edward S. Hanchett obtained a right of Cyrus Woodman, who was agent of the owners of the land, to improve a water power on the Pecatonica river, at the point where Martin is now located, and began the construc- tion of a dam across the stream. In the spring of 1850 Nathaniel Martin came here and joined Mr. Hanchett in the enterprise. The same sea- son they finished the dam and erected a saw mill. They worked together for one year, when Mr. Martin bought out Hanchett. The saw mill was operated for many years, when it was removed and replaced by the present mill. The next improvement of importance here, was the erection of a grist mill in 1854, by Mr. Martin. The grist mill now contains three run of buhrs and still does a good business. Isaiah Martin, a brother, was associated with Nathaniel for a time.
Nathaniel Martin, of the village of Martin, in the town of Cadiz, was born in West Vir- ginia, in 1816. When twenty years old, he went to St. Louis, and one year later, came to Cadiz, in the year 1849. He was married to Hannah Strader, daughter of Jacob Strader, an early settler in Stephenson Co., Ill. She was born in Vermilion Co., Ill. They had fourteen children, six of whom are living-Elias, Nellie, Horatio, Emma A., Mary L. and Julia. Mr. Martin was, in early life, a whig, later a repub-
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
lican. He has been for many years a member of the United Brethren Church. He is an un- qualified temperance man, and strongly favors prohibition. Mr. Martin's father settled at what is known as Richland Timber, in Stephen- son county, and afterwards removed to Jordan, in this county, where he died in February, 1864. His widow is still living at the age of eighty-five years. In 1868, Mr. Martin laid out the village, having it surveyed by surveyor Dodge. Ac- cording to the record the plat contains forty- seven acres of the southeast quarter of section 32.
J. W. Mitchell kept the first store in the vil- lage after it was platted. He was succeeded by Hodges & Hodges, and they by Martin & Hodges.
Jacob Hodge and W. H. Martin kept a store for a time.
The present merchants are Wright & Ed- wards, who established their business in April, 1875.
The other branches of trade represented here are as follows :
Saw and grist mills-Nathaniel Martin.
Cabinet maker-Carl Haase.
Wagon maker-Frank Luke.
Blacksmith-Gustav Schultze.
William Edwards, of the firm of Wright & Edwards, general merchants at Martin, was born at Guilford, Surrey, England, Aug. 10, 1827. He came to the United States in July, 1855. He learned the trade of miller, in his native country, and after coming to the United States, worked at that trade in Franklin, Sussex Co., N. J., one year. He then came west and worked in a mill near Galena, Ill., one year. He came to Martin in 1858 and engaged in working in the mill at this place. In 1876 he began mercantile business. He was married to Nancy Shull, daughter of Jesse W. and Malisse Shull. She was born near Louisville, Ky., in March, 1836. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards have five children-Thomas P., William, Morgan G., Eliza M. and Nora Ida. They have lost one
son-Miller, at the age of two years and seven months.
The postoffice at Martin was established in 1865. The first postmaster was William Hodges, who was succeeded by Mrs. Mary Ann Tyler. She was succeeded by the present in- cumbent, W. W. Wright.
VILLAGE OF CADIZ.
In 1846 a village was platted by Deniston & Van Sant, on section 23, called Cadiz. But it never acquired any importance. A small store was kept by David Cline at his residence for a time, and later, Asbury Brown was proprietor.
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