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 104

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168

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 104

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The first postoffice in the town was estab- lished here in about 1850, which is still con- tinued. The first postmaster was Wesley Swank, who kept the office at his residence. He was the postmaster until the fall of 1855, when he was succeeded by Charles R. Deniston. The latter gentleman held the office until 1860, when he was succeeded by Philip Ward. On the 11th of July, 1864, Brant C. Curtis, the present incumbent, was appointed, and has held the office since that time, a period of twenty years. The postoffice is all that remains of Cadiz.

Brant C. Curtis resides on the southwest quarter of section 23, where he settled in March, 1864. He came to the county in April, 1861. He was born in Schuyler Co., N. Y., in Novem- ber, 1820. He lived in the same house in which he was born forty years. His father, Charles Curtis, was born in Duchess Co., N. Y. His mother was Margaret (Bennett) Curtis, a na- tive of Schuyler county. They lived in that county until their decease. Brant C. Curtis came here directly from Schuyler county. He was employed by Mr. Deniston, in a saw mill, for eighteen years. He has been engaged in lumbering much of his life. His wife was for- merly Sarah Stone, a native of Kingston, Canada East. They have seven children- Elmira, Jane, James S., Samuel D., Addie, Edith and Oscar. MILLS.

The saw mill, known as Shattuck's steam saw mill, on the southeast quarter of section

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

1, was erected in 1855 by Barber & Chenoweth. Henry Barber owned and operated the mill for a number of years. Roberts & Land then owned it until 1866, when it was purchased by the present proprietor, J. E. Shattuck. The mill has been improved very much by Mr. Shat- tuck, and is now equipped with a forty horse power steam engine. It does mostly custom work in hard wood, and has a capacity for 5,000 feet per day.

There are three grist mills in the town of Cadiz. Those at the villages of Browntown and Martin are mentioned elsewhere.

The third is located on Honey creek, on sec- tion 34. It was erected in 1868 and 1869, by D. Klasey, the present owner. The mill has two run of stone, and is a good mill, but it does less business than in former years. As there is at times an insufficient supply of water, a steam engine has of late years been added.

A few years after the erection of the grist mill, Mr. Klasey built a saw mill which is ope- rated by the same power and does an extensive business.

POSTOFFICES.

The second postoffice in the town was known as "Skinner," and was located on section 3. It was established in 1854, and Isaac Williams was the first postmaster. The next postmaster was Isaac Phillips, who held the office for a number of years, when he was succeeded by George Michael. Mr. Michael was postmaster for six- teen years, until 1881, when the office was discon- tinued and the postoffice at Browntown was created.

The first postmaster of the Browntown office was Henry Diven. He was succeeded by Henry Frisley, the present postmaster.

A postoffice called "Wausemon" is kept by Mrs. N. L. B. Wescott, on section 6. This office was established in 1871, when the present incumbent was appointed postmistress. Mail is now received here daily from the eastern bound train; a catcher being employed to receive and give mail.

TIIE PAINE-BRINGOLD TRAGEDY.

Joseph Paine was one of the earliest settlers in Green county. He first located in what has since become the town of Clarno; but in 1836, entered land where the city of Monroe now stands, and erected a tavern which he ran for several years. From Monroe he came to the town of Cadiz, and at one time owned an inter- est in Michael's mill. In 1847 he erected the well known "Buck Horn Tavern" on section 6, in connection with which he owned a farm of 175 acres. In the winter of 1849-50 he sold this property to a German, named John Bringold, and purchased the farm adjoining, on the west, now owned by Augustus Picket. Bringold was a peculiar man. Hard to get along with, never pleased with anything, and never losing an op- portunity to give a neighbor a dig. On the 4th of April, 1850, a dispute arose between Paine and Bringold, regarding the removal of a rail fence. It appears that this fence had been built by Paine while he owned Bringold's farm; but through some mistake regarding the exact line of division between the two farms, the fence had been laid by Paine on the land he had re- cently purchased. Bringold claimed the rails as his own and determined to move this fence and rebuild it on the line between the two farms. To this Paine objected and wanted the fence to remain where it was. He offered to give Bringold newly split rails, instead, if he would let the fence remain where it was. But Bringold stubbornly refused; he would not take new rails, but was bound to tear down the fence to get these particular rails. Paine appears to have been a man quick to take offense, and of uncontrollable temper when aroused. He told Bringold that if he attempted to remove the rails he would shoot him; but the latter disre- garding the threat, proceeded to remove the rails, when Paine, going to the house, procured his rifle and came back. Ile again warned Bringold and then shot him through the body inflicting a wound which produced death in a short time. Paine afterward claimed that he

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

did not intend to kill Bringold, but simply to "burn him" as he expressed it; but that a sud- den movement of his body just as the shot was fired, produced a fatal result. Paine gave him- self up and was indicted for murder; but just before the time set for his trial, in March, 1851, he succeeded in eluding the guard and escaped. To-day there is an impression that the sheriff, who was related to Paine, aided the prisoner; but this is erroneous and unjust. Paine was in charge of a deputy. As he stated it afterward to a pioneer of Green county, who met him in California, his escape was effected in the follow- ing manner: There being no jail here at that time,a room in the court house(later known as the American Hotel) was fixed up for a cell. Mrs. Paine accompanied her husband to the cell, and the deputy locked them both in. No sooner had the jailor locked the door (which had a common lock), than Paine picked it open. IIe got to the head of the stairs in time to see the deputy sheriff vanish in the darkness. He then made his way to the northwestern part of town where he found a horse, which he mounted and struck ont southwest. He was met by a relative who furnished another horse and took the first one back. A few miles further he was met by George Paine, who furnished him with a race horse, and the following morning at daybreak, he crossed the Mississippi river at MeGregor. From there he made his way to California, where his wife joined him the following year. His whereabouts were known for years; but no ef- fort was made to re-capture him. On the morn- ing following his escape the deputy sheriff went to the door to awake his prisoner. After rap- ping several times a husky voice inquired: "What's the matter?" "Time to get up," was the reply, and the deputy left. This was ro- peated several times until finally the deputy unlocked the door and entered, to find Mrs. Paine alone. The hue and ery that was raised is remembered by all old settlers, but no trace could be found, until several years had elapsed, when all inclination to punish had disappeared.

Joseph Paine died in California, in December, 1875.

ANOTHER SHOOTING AFFAIR.

Another sad and fatal shooting affair occurred in this town on the 20th of February, 1871. Joseph Morton and Libbie Gorton, who had been recently married, were staying temporarily at the house of Mordecai Kelly. A sleigh load of boys and young men, four of whom were brothers of the bride, went to the house of Mr. Kelly, on the evening of the day mentioned, to charivari the newly married couple. Kelly, af- ter making some threats, which were not heeded by the boys, took down his shot gun and deliberately discharged its contents into the sleigh load of boys. Augustus M. Gorton, a young brother of the bride, but twelve years of age, was almost instantly killed, and Mat- thew Curran and "Lane" Campbell were slightly wounded. Kelly delivered himself up and was indicted for murder, but through some compromise the principal prosecuting witness did not appear, and the case never came to final trial.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

James Morton came with his parents to Cadiz in 1843. They settled on section 1, where James Morton still resides. His father, James MeConnell Morton, was born in Nashville, Tenn. He removed to Kentucky with his par- ents when about eleven years of age. There he grew to manhood, and was married to Mary Montgomery, who was born in Kentucky. They removed from Kentucky to Indiana, and thence to Illinois, coming from there to Green county in 1840, when they settled in the town of Clarno. He had come there the previous year and put in a crop. He remained in Clarno till 1843, when, as before stated, he came to Cadiz. His wife died here in 1864, and his death occurred in 1869. They had twelve chil- dren, five sons and seven daughters, all of whom grew to maturity, but only six are now living. James was born in Indiana in 1827. He served in the 16th Wisconsin regiment dur-

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

ing the Rebellion, and spent two years in Cali- fornia and Oregon. He has owned the home- stead farm since 1852. It contains 141 acres. He was married to Sophia Kelly, daughter of Mordecai Kelly, and eleven children, six boys and five girls, have been born to them.

George Michael is the eldest living son of Philip Michael, who settled in the town of Ca- diz with his family in 1841. Philip Michael was born in Bedford Co., Penn., March 12, 1791. · He removed with his father to Ohio when a boy, where he grew to manhood. He served in the second war with Great Britain. After the war he was married to Lavicy Hall, who was born at Harper's Ferry, Va., Aug. 1, 1799. She is still living, and resides with her children in the town of Cadiz. She draws a pension for services of her husband in the War of 1812. Philip Michael removed to Indiana with his family in 1829, where he resided until he came to Green county in 1841. His first location was on section 2, in this town, where he lived sev- eral years. He then purchased a farm on the northeast quarter of section 10, where he re- sided until his decease in September, 1852. He died from a cancer, from which he suffered a number of years. The family, when they came here, consisted of the parents, nine sons and three daughters. All of the children are now living except the oldest son, William. One son was born here, and died in infancy. Three sons and two daughters are living in Nebraska. The others reside in this town. Like most of the early settlers, Mr. Michael came here poor, but by industry and economy secured a compe- tence, owning at the time of his decease 320 acres of valuable land. He was a man much re- spected for his excellent traits of character. George Michael was born in Ohio, in 1820. He came to Cadiz with his father in 1841, being then in his twenty-second year. He was mar- ried in 1848 to Jane Bridges, daughter of Wil- liam Bridges, who settled early in this town. Mr. Michael resided at the homestead until af- ter the death of his father, when he received a

part of the homestead estate, on which he set- tled and remained until 1866, when he settled where he now resides on section 3. Politically, Mr. Michael was a whig until the formation of the republican party, since which he has been identified with that party. Probably no man in the town has held official positions for a greater number of years than he. He has been in town office almost continually for thirty years. Mr. and Mrs. Michael have six children-Charles II , Philip B., George A., James E., Ellen and Emma.

Jarvis W. Montgomery was born in the town of Saybrook, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, in 1831. He removed with his parents to Erie Co., Penn. He came to this county in May, 1842, in com- pany with his brother-in-law, Samuel Ball, trav- eling all the way from Pennsylvania with teams. He lived in the town of Sylvester until seventeen years old, then went to work for him- self. In 1865 he settled on section 7, in the town of Cadiz, where he purchased a farm of Joseph Briggs. This was the first farm he ever owned, and he has made all the improvements upon it. It contains 100 acres. He was mar- ried to Amanda Ball, a daughter of Gary Ball, who died in Illinois. She came to Green county with her mother from Erie Co., Penn., in 1844. Her mother died at the residence of Mr. Mont- gomery in March, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Mont- gomery have six children-Robert and Marion, born in the town of Monroe; and Louisa, Grace, Frank and Leroy, born in the town of Cadiz.

John V. Roberts came to the town of Clarno in 1842, but is now a resident of section 12, of the town of Cadiz, where he removed in 1863. He was born in Preble Co., Ohio, in 1825. His father, Isaac Roberts, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and removed to Ohio with his parents when a boy. He came to Green county with Elmer Clark and David Bridge. Mr. Clark still lives in the town of Jefferson, where he then settled. The latter located near Mr. Clark and is now deceased. Isaac Roberts en- tered land at that time in the town of Clarno,

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

and returned to Ohio, where he died in 1840. Christiana Roberts, his wife, removed with her twelve children to the land which her hus- band had entered in Clarno, in September, 1842. The family consisted of eight sons and four daughters, the eldest about twenty-five years old. On reaching their destination their worldly goods consisted of a team, three cows and $2 in money. They put up a log house that fall. The following winter was a severe one, yet, although the family was a large one, they managed to pass the winter with but little suffering. The family continued together for a number of years, working by the month during the summer reason, till most of them reached maturity. The mother removed to Monroe about 1862, where she died in 1864. Eight of the children are now living, six sons and two daughters. One of the sons served in the 21st Wisconsin regiment, Volunteer Infantry, dur- ing the War of the Rebellion. He is now in Texas. John V., subject of this sketch, is the only one of the children now living in Green county, the others being scattered throughout the different States of the Union. He re- mained at the homestead until 1854, when he went to Monroe, where he operated a saw mill for eight years, after which he came to Cadiz. He returned to Ohio in the fall of 1849, and in the spring of 1850 was married to Sarah Ann Brooke, a native of Ohio. They have four children-John W., Harriet Beecher, Sarah C. and Naomi O. They have lost three children. Mr. Roberts' farm contains 400 acres. 1

Augustus Pickett settled in December, 1867, in Green county, where he purchased a farm. This farm in an early day was owned by Joseph Paine, and it was here that the old "Buck Horn" tavern was located, and here that the noted "Paine-Bringold" tragedy occurred. Mr. Pickett's father, Hiram Pickett, was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., March 30, 1809, where he was reared and married. After marriage he removed to Geauga Co., Ohio, and thence to Hancock Co., Ill., and was there at the time the

trouble occurred with the Mormons at Nauvoo, previous to their removal to Salt Lake. In 1843 he removed from Illinois to Green Co., Wis. The following year he settled at Wiota, where he resided till the spring of 1867. He then moved to Monroe, where he died Dec. 12, 1872. His wife was Harriet Pulsipher, a native of New York. She died at the residence of her son, in 1878. They had seven children, five of whom are living. Augustus, the subject of this sketch, is the only one of the family residing in this town. He was married to Sarah E. Connor, a daughter of Samuel Connor. They have three children-Clarence U., Asa S. and Myrtie L. Mr. Pickett's farm is situated on sec- tion 6, township 1, range 6, and consists of 235 acres.

Hiram Smith, of Browntown, came to Cadiz in 1845, since which time this has been his home. He was born in Langdon, Cheshire Co., N. H., in 1810. He removed with his father to Vermont when he was six years old. When he was nineteen years of age, he went with his father and family to Canada, where his parents continued to reside until their decease. In 1835 he left home and went to the Territory of Michigan, and two years later to Wisconsin. He located in the town of Gratiot, now in La- fayette county, where he took government land. On coming to Cadiz he entered about 600 acres of land, and has always dealt largely in real es- tate. He owned, at one time, 640 acres in this town. He has no family, and has been quite liberal in disposing of a considerable part of his real estate, by gifts to friends. He still owns 548 acres. He has been assessor of this town four terms, three terms in succession. He has never sought office, but was induced to ac- cept the office of assessor, and is said to have made one of the most faithful, efficient officers that the town has ever had. He has never tasted of any intoxicating drinks since he was eighteen years old. Never joined a secret so- ciety, nor had an account against him in a store.

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

Miles Smith settled on the northeast quarter of section 36, in 1846, although he first came to the county in 1845. He purchased forty acres of land, to which he has since added enough to make 100 acres. He was born in Highland Co., Ohio, Nov. 12, 1822, where he was reared to manhood. He was there married to Ruth Wright, and came to Green county in 1845, as before stated. He enlisted in the 37th Wisconsin and served through the War of the Rebellion. He was at the siege of Petersburg, and at the surrender of Gen. Lee. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had nine children, three of whom are living-Chester, Amerida and Isa- belle. Mr. Smith owns 100 acres of land. Ilis father, Daniel Smith, now lives in Oneco, Stephenson Co., Ill. He was born in 1783, in North Carolina. He is now 101 years of age.

William Binger resides upon section 10, of the town of Cadiz, where he purchased forty acres of land in 1846. The following year he built a log house upon the place, in which the family lived for twenty-six years, and which is still standing where erected. He was born in the State of Ohio, in 1815. He grew to man- hood, and was married in his native State, to Susan Diven, a native of Green Co., Ohio, born in 1818. Mr. Binger's family, at the time of their removal to Green county, consisted of his wife and four children. They had six children born in this county, making ten in all, six of whom are now living-Jeremiah, Polly, widow of Joseph Dale; Solomon, Hiram, Maranda and Elmira. Solomon was born in Licking Co., Ohio, in 1845. He enlisted in the 16th Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry, company K, Dec. 25, 1863, and served until the close of the war, being all of the time in active service. He took part in the siege of Atlanta and Sherman's march to the sea. He was in abont thirty bat- tles and skirmishes. He is now married to Mary L. Snow, daughter of John C. Snow, and resides at the homestead. They have five children.

V Emanuel Diven is a settler of 1846. He was born in Belmont Co., Ohio, Jan. 9, 1813. His father, Henry Diven, was born in Washington Co., Penn., and when a young man removed to Belmont Co., Ohio, where he was married. The subject of this sketch, with his parents, removed to Coshocton county in his native State in 1815, where he was reared to manhood. His early life was spent on the farm. In November, 1846, he came to Green connty. He purchased 160 acres of land on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 10, on which he resides; and entered forty acres on section 15, adjoining. His homestead consists of 280 acres. Ile also has 100 acres on section 4. This is one of the best farms in the town. It was formerly heavily timbered, and has required an immense amount of hard labor to improve. As his surroundings indicate, he is a successful farmer. He has been married three times. Ilis first wife was Jane Delong. She died in Ohio. By this union there were seven children, three of whom are living. His second wife was Sally A. Morehead, whom he married in Ohio, just previous to coming to Wisconsin. She died in July, 1834. By this union there were two children, one of whom is living. IIe was married the third time on the 15th of April, 1855, to Mary Beitler, born in Buck Co., Penn., . in 1833. When eight years of age she moved with her parents to Ohio, and from there to Grant Co., Wis. The result of this union was ten children, eight of whom are living. Two sons, James and Walter, served in the army. The latter, a son by his second wife, was killed at the battle of Jonesboro, Jan. 28, 1865, at the age of seventeen years.

¿Henry Diven is a son of Emanuel Diven, who came to Green county in 1846. Henry Diven was born in Ohio, in 1839, and came to this county in 1846, with his father. He engaged in the mercantile business here in the fall of 1880, and has continued it ever since that time, with the exception of one year. He was married to Catharine Carrothers, a native of Illinois, where her parents died. She came to this coun-

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

ty about 1854. They have three children- Emeline, James M. and Elmer E.

Isaac T. Williams resides on section 14, where he settled in the fall of 1864. He has been a resident of this town since 1847. He was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., in 1824. In 1832 he removed with his parents, John L. and Nancy (Colestock) Williams, to Maryland, he being then seven years old. In 1844 the family moved to Rock Island, Ill., and then to this county, settling in the town of Sylvester. They after- wards removed to Mount Pleasant, where the father died, in 1846. His wife was again married to Capt. R. R. Jennison, and died July 24, 1873. John L. Williams brought four children with him to Green county-Isaac, Sid- ney, Joseph and Charlotte. All are living ex- cept Charlotte who died in 1846. Sidney is the widow of Albert Jennison, Joseph is in Cali- fornia. Isaac, on first coming to Cadiz, worked on the construction of the mill at Browntown. He afterwards bought an interest in a saw mill of Mr. Brown, and was employed in running that from 1854 to 1859. In 1839 he went to Cali- fornia and was absent from the county three years. He was married to Martha J. Johnson, a native of Pennsylvania. She came to this county with her father in 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have eight children-Mary, Joseph, John, James, Abner, Jasper, Homer and Edith.

Mason Palmer, upon section 8, entered a part of his farm in April, 1847, and bought the re- inainder of Joseph Jones. He has 140 acres. It was heavily timbered, but is now well im- proved, and has all been plowed except thirty acres that is still timber. He was born in Co- shocton Co., Ohio, in 1819. There he grew to manhood and was married. He came to Green county in 1846, with his family, and set- tled upon his present farm the following year. His first wife was Eliza Maxwell, a daughter of George Maxwell. She was born in Ohio, Nov. 7, 1818, and died in the spring of 1856. His present wife was Elizabeth E. Day, a daughter of Daniel Day, who came to the town of Clarno

with his family, from Coshocton Co., Ohio, in the fall of 1845. Mr. Day died three weeks after his arrival in Wisconsin, leaving a wife and seven children. Elizabeth Day, the present Mrs. Palmer, was born in Ohio, in 1837. Mr. Palmer had, by his first marriage, five children, two of whom are living-Ellen and Maria. By his second marriage he had fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters. William Palmer, a brother of Mason Palmer, formerly lived in this town, but now lives in Missouri. Another brother, James, lives at Browntown.

William Clarno, proprietor of a restaurant at Browntown, is a son of Andrew Clarno, the first settler of the town of Clarno. William Clarno was born in the town of Clarno, July 6, 1841. He enlisted in company C, of the 3d Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and took part in the battles of Winchester, Gettysburg, and many others. He lost his right leg at the battle of Pine Knob, Ga., June 16, 1864, and remained in the hospital till July 25, 1865, when he was discharged. He was married to Elizabeth Peregoy, daughter of John Peregoy. This union has been blessed with six children, four of whom are living.

Jesse Raymer settled upon section 14, April 13, 1849. He first bought forty acres of Henry Downs, who entered it, and afterwards twenty acres on the east, of David McKibbin. At the time of his purchase this land was covered with timber and underbrush, only two acres of which was improved. Mr. Raymer was born in Mary- land in 1816, and removed, when a child, to Pennsylvania, with his father. He lived in Green county, of that State, until he came to Green Co., Wis. He was married in Pennsyl- vania, to Maria Kelley, a native of Green county, in that State. They have had seven children, four of whom are living-John, Jesse, Freeman and Jane. Mr. Raymer is a cooper by trade, and was poor when he came here. Ile paid his last half dollar to a guide to conduct him to the village of Cadiz. He began at once to work at his trade, making sixteen barrels the week after his arrival. He followed his trade here for

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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 104

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168