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 57

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 57

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

By invitation Mr. Finch, of Milwaukee, spoke in relation to the consolidation of the stock of the Milwaukee & Mississippi and Southern Wisconsin Railroad Companies.

Mr. Brodhead chief-engineer of the Milwau- kee & Mississippi Railroad Company, added re- marks in reference to the feasibility of the route, its value and importance, and the superi- ority of the narrow over the broad guage.

B. Dunwiddie, Esq., of Monroe, suggested the propriety of appointing a committee of farmers, and others interested in the road, to confer with Mr. Clinton upon the subject under consideration.

It was voted that a committee of seventeen be appointed by the chair for the above pur- pose.

The committee appointed by the chairman was as follows:

Allen Woodle, Spring Grove; Israel Smith, Cutler Wilkins, George Adams, William Mc- Dowell, Clarno; Joseph Perrine, John Wal- worth, Monroe; Jacob Strader, Jabez Smith, Jordan; Jeremiah Bridge, William Ritten- house, Abraham Sanborn, Jefferson; Joseph MeCracken, James Caughey, Justus Sutherland, George Bloom, Sylvester; Mordecai Kelly, Cadiz.

Voted to adjourn until 9 o'clock to-morrow morning.

EDMUND BARTLETT, JAMES L. POWELL,

Secretary. Chairman.

MONROE, Aug. 29, 1854. II .- The Railroad. [Sept. 6, 1854.]

We learn by a gentleman who has been in company with the Messrs. Clinton and Peck, of the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad Com pany, who are now engaged in the several

Seth Justin

399

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

towns holding meetings, explaining the plan of the company, and taking mortgages for stock in the road, that something over $160,000 of stock has been taken and but. four towns as yet been visited by the agents. It is now the expec- tation that a sufficient amount of stock will be taken during the week, to complete the consoli- dation and this will warrant the purchase of the iron for the road as far as to Monroe, which will be effected immediately by Mr. Holton, who is now in New York on business connected with the road. There will be an opportunity to take stock at Monroe during this week.

III .- The Railroad Stock Subscription. [Sept. 20, 1854.]

We shall report weekly the state of the rail- road stock subscription until the whole is taken. Up to this day (Monday, September 18,) Green county has raised the figures to $410,000. To- day and to-morrow meetings are to be held at Decatur and Clarence, at which places we feel quite safe in saying the figures will be raised to $460,000. In addition to this the subscription west of Green county has reached the sum of 840,000. The people of Green cannot be stopped short of $500,000. The citizens of this county will be the recipients of the benefits of this large amount of stock in a paying road. We feel justly elated at the display of so wise a selfishness on the part of our citizens. It is an evidence of their intelligence and sagacity. The aggregate accruing wealth to the county we will not stop now to delineate. Mr. Clinton has held two meetings in Lafayette county, but being obliged to return home on business for the La Crosse & Milwaukee Company, his further visit to the counties west will be deferred until further notice-two or three weeks per- haps.

IV .- Southern Wisconsin Railroad.

[From the Milwaukee Sontincl-Copied by the Sentinel Oct. 4. 1854.]

We copy below the latter part of a report just made by Mr. Clinton, agent of the Milwau- kee & Mississippi Railroad Company, to the

directors, concerning his operations in the south- western counties. The business seems to have been managed with great ability on the part of the agent, and his efforts have been seconded nobly by the people. The plans of the com- pany have been frankly laid before the farmers and business men of the west, and have met with their approval, as the stock books plainly tell. Only two meetings had been held in La- fayette county, one at Benton and one at Shulls- burg, when Mr. Clinton was obliged to return; but such men as Messrs. Earnest, Williams, Townsend and Lee, of Shullsburg, Murphy, Parker, Johnson and Gibson, of Benton, and Edwards, of Hazel Green, Grant county, have exhibited great interest in the movement, and the people will be on hand when called upon.

Mr. Clinton says:

On Monday we closed our work at Decatur, in Green county, with a good, bona fide sub- scription of $485,900, and was obliged to leave blank papers with Brooks Dunwiddie, of Mon- roe, to fill up for those who had spoken for an opportunity of subscribing, but had been un- able to meet us for that purpose before we left. Every dollar of that stock is reliable. It is ta- ken by the very best, the most cautious, pru- dent and intelligent men along the line. Hardly a successful, candid farmer who has taken the time to examine the subject but has become a stock-holder by all the cash stock he can carry, or by a mortgage upon his farm. The whole line of road to the Mississippi river is through a country not excelled by any por- tion of our State, and no estimate can be made of the amount of business which it will furnish to this road. Not only is it rich in agricultural products, but untold wealth is buried beneath the soil for many miles through which this road will run. In addition to the fertility of its soil and the wealth of its mines, the prairies are everywhere skirted with heavy timber, supply- ing almost every farm with sufficient for all the purposes of successful and economical farming,

400

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

and a surplus large enough to supply the road with ties and wood, at a low price. With so many of the elements of prosperity surrounding this road, it cannot but pay large returns to those who have subscribed so liberally to con- struct it, if their means are judiciously and economically expended in its speedy construc- tion. I am, gentlemen, yours truly,

E. D. CLINTON.

V .- Railroad Matters. [Oct. 25, 1854.]

We are informed that some evil disposed per- sons, or grossly misinformed, are circulating stories to the effect that some of the farmers who early mortgaged to the M. & M. Railroad Company had lost their lands, or suffered loss by doing so. This whole story is a sheer fabri- cation. We are authorized authoritatively to state that there is not only no truth in this story, but that there is no foundation whatever for it. There are rival interests at the bottom of these undermining reports. Our Green county farmers have come nobly to the work of raising the stock for this important road, and we have no patience with those malicious per- sons-tools for other interests-whose vocation seems to be to raise fears in the minds of those who have had liberality and forethought enough to enter into this matter. They still have con- fidence, but some will feel uneasy at these re- ports, not knowing whether there may be some truth in them. We now, once for all, say to our farmers that they have made a good and safe investment, and will reap a full reward in time What they have done they will never see cause to regret. The stock of this company is to-day worth 100 cents on the dollar. Men can judge whether it is likely to be less when built to Monroe, or to the Mississippi river, and Prairie du Chien.

VI .- Railroad Stock Subscription, $625,000. [Nov. 15, 1854. ]

Mr. Clinton, a full abstract of the present amount of stock subscription. There are 6,255 shares, making the round sum of $625,000. Rock county has about $100,000 of stock, Green near half a million, with many thousand over in Illinois, adjacent to the State line. That we feel a little elevated at a sight of what the Green county farmers have done, we won't take any pains to conceal. They have done the wisest thing that has been done, for they have taken the most stock of any county in the State, by very many tens of thousands. Be- fore ten days shall have elapsed, all that will be required to give this county a half million will have been done. We desire that this sum shall be reached and fixed as a permanent investment for this county. Had it not been for the una- voidable call of Mr. Clinton away from this line of operation, there could, if desirable, have been $1,000,000 of stock taken. There is hardly half the people in the southern part of the county that have yet taken stock. We mean those who desire it, and are only waiting oppor- tunity. For although there have been many meetings held, yet they were so hurried that the people could not be accommodated. We now regret, and all will have cause to regret, that, although the interests of the county will be largely represented in the new board of di- rectors, the people will not own all the stock in the road or that portion from Janesville to Monroe. The best system of building railroads is now pursued by this company that has ever been adopted in the world. Because the own- ers of the road are those who will be chiefly benefitted by its completion. It is only strange that the system had not obtained long ago. By this system the carnings of the road remain with the people through whose country the road passes. The inhabitants are thus interested in having a good road, taking care of it, and hav- ing it generally well managed.

E. D. Clinton left this place on Monday We expect to live to see the day when this plan will obtain in building the Pacific railway. morning for the counties west, and Dubuque. We obtained from Dr. Pack, who accompanies It can be done. We don't want Uncle Samuel

401

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

to give any great company land to build a road to the Pacific. Let him give the land to settlers and we will insure the building of the railway to meet the waves of the western ocean in less than ten years. The people will do this, only give them the land, and let the land jobbers and robbers go the devil or to Washington-there ain't much to choose.

Now Messrs. Lafayette county, Grant county and Dubuque folks, don't let the agent, Mr. Clin- ton, return until he gets the railroad matter fin- ished up, as far as you are concerned. Let us know on what basis we stand with you. If you want anything to do with our road, please do it soon, or let us know it at your earliest conven- ience ; and the people in Green county will take good care that the work goes on anyhow.

To those who feel an interest in knowing what the people of Green county think of Mr. Clinton, we all had abundant opportunity to see him and learn his character as a railroad man, the whole souled men of Green are his endorsers, to-day. The people of Green desire that his reception shall be of such a nature in the west, that upon his return they will know the basis on which the work is to be commenced in the spring. They desire to be satisfied with it at that time.

VII .- A Card from E. D. Clinton. [Nov. 29, 1854.]

Editors Sentinel :- Business connected with the line of another road in which I am inter- ested, calls me away from the line of the M. & M. R. R. for the present, and I wish to say through your paper to those who have spoken for an opportunity of taking stock, and upon whom I have in some instances promise ? to call, that Dr. Peck, who has been with me through the whole work, will be in Monroe, from and after the 6th of December next, and if any per- sons wishing to subscribe will leave their names with HI. B. Poyer or B. Dunwiddie, he will call on them at their residences. We have met with the most complete success west of here to the Mississippi river, and now only lack $30,-

000 of the sum at which the board of directors have limited us in the way of stock subscrip- tion. E. D. CLINTON.

VIII .- Important to Stock Subscribers.

[Dec. 13, 1854.]

The subscribers to the stock of the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad Company in Green county are respectfully notified that they ought to procure the recording of patents and certifi- cates at the earliest day possible, as a matter of convenience to themselves individually and the company.

Dr. Lewis E. Peck is now in Monroe, and de- sires to get through with the recording at the earliest day.

This notice applies equally to those in other counties along the line of this road.

We had intended to have published the very satisfactory report of Mr. Clinton to the M. & M. board of directors, but the message takes all the room we have to spare for this week. Next week we will give the report and some other railroad matters. We have had a lengthy arti- cle on hand for several weeks, from the Mil- waukee Sentinel, and are only waiting room.

IX .- E. D. Clinton's Report.

[From Milwaukee Sentinel-Copied by Monroe Sentinel. Dec. 20, 1854.1

We take pleasure in publishing the annexed report of E. D. Clinton, embodying the result of his canvassing tour through the southern counties for subscriptions to the stock of the Southern Wisconsin Railroad. It will be seen that the most gratifying success attended Mr. Clinton's labors, and that the farmers, miners and property owners all along the line of this road stand ready to help forward the enterprise, not only with their good will, but with substan- tial aid and comfort. It is confidently believed that a subscription of $2,000,000 will ensure the buikling of the road, and that work can be com- menced and steadily prosecuted as soon as the money market recovers from its stringency. The indications now are that the ensuing year will be a favorable one for railroad projects

402

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

founded on a proper basis and secure of a good business. Labor and materials, especially iron will be much cheaper than during the past two years, and though capital is not likely to be abundant, it can be had for such a road as the Southern Wisconsin, which is backed by a liberal home subscription, traverses a most pro- ductive region is sure of a heavy traffic and connects at Janesville with the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad, one of the most successful enterprises in the west.

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 30, 1854. To the board of directors of the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad Company:

GENTLEMEN :- The amount of stock subscrip- tions to the M. & M. R. R., on the line be- tween the city of Janesville and Mississippi river at the date of my first report was a little short of $500,000. At that time I had visited only hurriedly that part of the line west of Green county, and' but casually that part of Rock county west of Janesville. Since the date of that report I have visited almost every town immediately upon the line and at every point where the books have been opened, very liberal subscriptions have been made; and had I not been hurried through by the urgency of other engagements, I am satis- fied that a very much larger amount would have been raised. The amount now upon the books, every dollar of which is believed to be of the most available character is $950,300, a very large proportion of which is farm mortgages. To this amount may safely be added $50,000 from men who are only waiting for an opportu- nity to subscribe and who would be upon the books if we had not been so hurried that we could not call upon each man personally. This amount I feel confident will be more than re- alized on the return of Dr. Peck, who will go immediately back and remain for some time upon the line for the purpose of perfecting the abstracts of titles to the mortgages already taken and who will eall upon all those awaiting an opportunity to subscribe.

In addition to the above amount, the commit- tee appointed at a meeting of the citizens of Dubuque held on the 15th inst. pledged to me at least $100,000 of individual cash subscrip- tions and at least $300,000 of the bonds of the city.

The amount now especially appropriated to the construction of that line of road is as follows: By Bonds of Milwaukee City $300,000

Janesville City. 50,000

Dubuque (pledged by com). . 300,000

New stock subscribed .. 950, 300

66 Pledged at Dubuque. 100,000

Old stock subscribed to S. W. R. R. 130,000

Total. . $1,930,300 This amount could be very considerably in- creased and should you determine to take a less amount of the city bonds when they are voted to be given for a subscription of stock it would, I have no doubt, be very generally satisfactory to the stockholders, and individual subserip- tions would be quickly raised to an equal amount.

'In conclusion allow me to say that we have everywhere met with a hearty reception and our efforts have been materially aided by the exertions of the most reliable and substantial men all along the line. At Shullsburg, New Diggings, Benton and Jamestown, we had the hearty co-operation of Messrs. Griffin, Town- send, Judge Knowlton, Earnest, Murphy and others who took hold with a determined will. At Shullsburg, aided by such men as I have mentioned, we took, in a single day, a subserip- tion of $127,000 the largest amount subscribed in any one day on the whole line.

At Dubuque also we found warm friends who took hold of the matter with an earnestness that speaks well for the interest felt at that place in the success of the enterprise. Messrs. Jones, Langworthy and Farley, are particularly zealous in their efforts and felt quite confident that an amount fully equa! to that pledged, would be very speedily raised.

In your efforts for the early completion of the road you will have not only the sympathies

403

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

and good will of the whole community through which it passes, but what is far more important in the construction of this road, their aid in a material way will be given to the extent of their ability.

Respectfully yours,

E. D. CLINTON. CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY.

Monroe Brunch.

It has already been explained that, in 1857, the State legislature passed an act authorizing all stock-holders in all incorporated companies to vote on shares of stock owned by them. Upon this subject Mr. Clinton says: "Benjamin Hopkins, a member of the legislature (a shrewd manager), under the head of a petroleum bill, got an act passed to enable all stock-holders to represent what was known as "common stock." There being a majority of that character of stock of the railroad then furnished to Monroe, in the hands of what is now the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railway Company, the rail- road to Monroe was carried over to their con- trol, where it still remains. This was in 1857- the year the road was completed to Monroc."

CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY. Mineral Point Division.

The road from Janesville to Monroe con- tinued to run from the former to the latter place as the "Monroe Branch" until 1881, when, it having been extended west to the old Mineral Point road, the name was changed to the "Min- eral Point Division," including the following stations: Janesville, Hanover, Oxford, Brod- head, Juda, Monroe, Browntown, Wayne, Gra- tiot, Darlington, Calamine and Mineral Point. This is the road extending east and west through Green county, at the present time (1884), and the only one.

The work west of Monroe was commenced in .July, 1880, and finished to Gratiot in August, 1881. The first passenger train for Mineral Point left Monroe on Sunday, the 21st of the month last named.

DISTANCES. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, Min- eral Point Division.

MIs

STATIONS.

MIS

STATIONS.

Mls

Janesville

Browntown. . .

. Hanover.

Wayne ..

Orford

.Gratiot.

Brodhead ..

633

Darlington ..

. Juda

Calamine.

Monroe

Mineral Point ...

Deacon Edmund D. Clinton

was one of the first to become identified with the history of Brodhead, his residence here dating from the fall of 1856. Ile was born in Ferrisburg, Addison Co., Vt., April 19, 1804. When he was thirteen years old his father, Henry Clinton, removed with his family to St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., where Edmund grew to manhood and learned the blacksmith trade, which business he followed a number of years. He was married in St. Lawrence county to Amanda Conkey, and in 1832 removed to Ohio. He came to Wisconsin in 1836, reaching Mil- waukee June 29 of that year. There he opened the first blacksmith shop in that city, and went to work at his trade. In February, 1837, he went from Milwaukee to what is now Wau- kesha, and claimed land, to which he removed his family the following April. Here he en- gaged in farming and blacksmithing, and was also connected with a milling interest. A younger brother, Allen, went with him to Wau- kesha county, and an elder brother, Norman, came on in 1838, accompanied by their parents. Mr. Clinton was engaged in railroading for many years. He was one of the directors of the Milwaukee & Waukesha Railroad Company, when the first railroad in the State was built; afterwards with the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Railroad; also of the Milwaukee & La Crosse Railroad, all of which are now included in the corporation known as the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad Company. He was the agent for the taking of stock and securing the right of way for these companies, in which he was eminently successful. IIe has been

404

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

prominently identified with the interests of Brodhead, since he came here in 1856, and in the advancement of moral and religions senti- ment he has been a prominent actor. He and his wife were converted at Canton, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in 1832, and soon after removed to Portage Co., Ohio, where they united with the Presbyterian Church, but the society with which they united soon after withdrew from the Pres- bytery and became a Congregational organiza- tion, with which denomination he has ever since been identified. He assisted in the organiza- tion of the First Congregational Church at Mil- wankee in 1836, and was made one of the dea- cons. In 1836 he was connected with the or- ganization of the First Congregational Church of what is now Waukesha county. He helped to organize the Congregational Church at Brod- head in 1856, and was at that time appointed one of the deacons, in which capacity he has ever since served in that Church. He has faithfully served the Church of his choice for a period of more than forty-nine years. His in- fluence, also, in the temperance cause, and other social and moral reforms, has been marked and effective, especially in the cause of anti-slavery. Deacon Clinton's first wife died in February, 1874. Ilis present wife was Mrs. Harriet Smith Adams, born in Essex Co., N. Y. He had, by his first marriage, seven sons, only three of whom are now living-Albert T., born June 25, 1830, now of Chicago, Ill .; George, born Aug. 21, 1839, who was major in the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, was taken prisoner and confined at Richmond and Andersonville, then exchanged and served till the close of the war. He is now superintendent of a division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and resides in Chicago. DeWitt is the youngest surviving son. The oldest son, Henry I'., born Oct. 4, 1827, was quartermaster in the 7th Wisconsin regiment, and died in February, 1862, from the effects of exposure at and following the first battle of Bull Run. Charles W., the fourth son, born April 28, 1835, was a lieutenant in the

Ist Wisconsin Cavalry, and died from the effect of vaccination, at Murfreesborough, Tenn. Ed- mund D., Jr., born Sept. 26, 1846, was the sixth son, and died at the age of thirty-one years. The third son, Edson, born July 31, 1832, died Feb. 2, 1871. He was one of the original own- ers of the village of Brodhead.

CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL, RAILWAY.

Albany Branch.

This branch of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway is the same nearly as the old track of the Sugar River Valley Railroad. Concerning the last mentioned, the Monroe Sentinel of April 18, 1855, says:

"Our friends in the Sugar river valley may have been puzzled to know why we have said nothing of this new and promising enterprise. We will briefly explain. We were wanting to know something definite of the result of all the negotiation in reference to the extension of the M. & M. Railroad over the line of the Southern Wisconsin. This last matter is finally closed; and as this was a necessary step, as a connec- tion with this is specified in the Sugar River Charter, we feel now at liberty to say something of the road which, we trust, is to be built for the benefit of the people, especially those living in the valley of the Sugar river.

"This latter road is to be commenced in the valley of Sugar river, near where the M. & M. R. R. crosses the Sugar river, running up the valley of Sugar river by way of Decatur, Albany, Attica, Dayton, Belleville, etc., in a northwest direction, until it reaches the line of the road to Prairie du Chien, in the neighborhood of Arena. It is believed that this road will be good stock, or this is the opinion of several competent engi- neers who ought to know. If built it will ac- commodate a large and fertile section of country and contribute to enhance the value of the stock of the Milwaukee & Mississippi Road.

"We understand that the line can be built very cheap. We know this latter fact person- ally-and when graded the Milwaukee Company

405

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 57

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