USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 83
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The capital invested is stated at $50,000; the business, that of banking and exchange, is estimated at one million annually, and the number of depositors represented at three hundred.
Judge, King & Co., Bankers .- A private corporation also conducted by James Judge, E. C. King and H. J. Gallagher, and enjoying not only unlimited confidence but a large business. Mr. Judge has been engaged in the business of banking in New York and Wisconsin for the past twenty-six years, commencing business in Darlington in the month of January, 1867. On the 1st of January, 1873, he dissolved all pending and previous arrangements, and began busi- ness for himself, continuing until February, 1879, when E. C. King became associated in the undertaking. In the following October, H. J. Gallagher, an experienced bank officer, was admitted as a partner, and with the gentlemen named, now constitute the firm, controlling an ample capital for conducting a successful business in the county. Judge, King & Co., now occupy the site whereon the first bank in Darlington was established, and are known throughout Northern Wisconsin as responsible business men.
MILLS.
Darlington Mills, among the largest and most extensive undertakings of the kind in La Fayette County, have been in successful operation for thirty years. Ground for the foun-
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
dation of these mills was broken July 1, 1851, under the direction of S. W. Osborn, the present Postmaster of Darlington, acting for and on behalf of J. M. Keep and A. K. Lynde, composing the firm of Keep & Lynde. The work was prosecuted vigorously, and in November of the same year in which the foundations were laid, the walls had been run up and the premises roofed. The building is of stone, three stories high, originally 40x60, run by water power, and cost, complete, a total of $20,000. In 1869, the foundations of the building became weak- ened through the agency of crawfish, it is supposed, and were taken down to prevent a pos- sible calamity in the uncertain future. A frame building was immediately erected upon the site of the razed premises, and the original dimensions, as also capacity, thus maintained, and still serve their object to-day.
Messrs. Keep & Lynde managed the enterprise for about one year, when they sold out to Orton & Gardner, who increased the mills' capacity by an additional run of buhrs, and remained in possession until 1855, or about that time, when a sale was perfected of the property to S. & A. Warden. They also improved the purchase, and expended considerable sums in perfecting such improvements. In 1862, S. Warden purchased the interest of his brother in the venture, and conducted the business alone for several years. In about 1870, Mr. Warden made sale of the mill to E. C. Ferrin, by whom one-half of the investment was sold to Alden Pratt in 1876, and the firm of Ferrin & Pratt continued in possession until 1875, when the death of Mr. Ferrin dis- solved the partnership, and the assets of that firm, which included the mill, were sold to H. H. Cook & Co., by whom the business is at present controlled.
The mill is located on the Pecatonica River, at the foot of Ann street, easy of access to cus- tomers, and contiguous to the depot of the Mineral Point Railway. Its capacity is represented at twenty-five barrels of flour daily, and its business of an extensive character, being distributed throughout this portion of the State, as also in the adjacent counties of Illinois and Iowa. In addition to the mill machinery, the owners furnish immense quantities of chop-feed to consumers and dealers in La Fayette and neighboring counties.
POST OFFICE.
Reference to the Darlington Post Office takes the pioneer back to the period when the resi- dents of Darlington received their mail at the old Hamilton Post Office, which was situated about a mile from the present site of the village. Letters were dropped at this office by the carrier, who traversed his route on horseback, and, when any of the villagers went to the post office, they brought back letters to such of the neighbors as were fortunate enough to have any addressed to them. This was in 1851, and the Postmaster was Horace Beebe. Late in the fall of 1852, a post office was established in Darlington, with S. S. Fassett as Postmaster. The mails were received twice a week from what was termed the "Rockford and Mineral Point Route." Dar- lington mails were delivered on this route until the Illinois Central Railroad reached Warren, when a daily stage line was established between there and Mineral Point. On the completion of the Mineral Point Railroad, in 1856, the stage line was discontinued, and the mails received from the cars. Since 1878, two mails a day have been received at this office. The first post office was located in the store of Fassett, Reed & Co., now occupied by William Harris as a shoe-shop. Since the establishment of the post office here, the following men have been the Postmasters in the order given : S. S. Fassett, Mr. Jonas, Mr. Thomas, P. A. Orton, Jr., Mr. Reed, Mr. Suddeth and S. W. Osborn, who was appointed by President Hayes in January, 1876. The Darlington Post Office was designated as a money-order office over twenty years ago. During 1880, the num- ber of orders issued was 1,039, amounting to $7,669.77. Of this number, 1,022 were domestic ; value, $7,446.16 ; and 17 foreign, with a value of $223.61.
CEMETERIES.
Catholic Cemetery .- About eighteen years ago, the Catholic congregation of Darlington, desiring a suitable place for the burial of the dead of their denomination, purchased the plat of ground, containing four acres, now used for that purpose. This cemetery is a beautiful upland
546
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
spot, about a mile north from the business center of the town, overlooking the village. There are few spots devoted to such purposes more lovely than this, and none in the village that could be so readily beautified by the hand of man. The grounds have been appropriately laid out and carefully guarded.
Union Grove Cemetery .- On Monday, March 7, 1853, the inhabitants of the town of Cen- ter held a meeting at the schoolhouse in the village of Avon, to take into consideration the pro- priety of organizing a cemetery association and procuring a suitable location for a burying- ground. At this meeting, the committee, consisting of J. Hamilton, E. W. Denison, James Tobley, S. W. Osborn and C. Z. Cutting, was appointed to select suitable grounds for the pur- poses of the association. Another meeting was held April 19, 1853, and resulted in instituting the "Union Grove Cemetery Association," with the following Board of Trustees appointed : C. Z. Cutting, James Martin, R. H. Thurbur, term one year ; A. W. Hovey, E. W. Denison, J. L. Pierce, term two years ; James Tolley, S. W. Osborn, George Hirst, three years. The association purchased the present site of ten acres, located about three-quarters of a mile south- west of Darlington. The first interment recorded here was a child of William Forbes, who died in 1854. The grounds and improvements are valued at $6,000. The Board of Trustees for the current term are : S. W. Osborn, D. Schreiter, S. S. Allan, J. Driver, S. A. Ferrin, J. G. Knight, James Martin, P. A. Orton and H. S. Magoon.
PRODUCE AND LIVE STOCK TRADE.
The healthy tone of Darlington trade can in no better way be exemplified than by quoting figures, which " cannot lie," according to the knowledge possessed by pedagogues and other anti- quaries of learning. Following is a table of produce received and shipped from Darlington, together with the amount in store, available for market:
TOTAL GRAIN.
Flax, 95 cars, 38,000 bushels, average price per bushel, $1.10 $41,800 00
Oats, 315 cars, 236,250 bushels, average price, 25 cents. 59,062 50
Wheat, 3 cars, 1,200 bushels, average price, $1
1,200 00
Clover Seed, 1 car, 400 bushels, average price, $4.50.
1,800 00
Barley, 9 cars, 4,050 bushels, average price, 45 cents.
1,822 50
Rye, 12 cars, 4,800 bushels, average price, 65 cents.
3,120 00
Corn, 7 cars, 3,150 bushels, average price, 30 cents.
945 00
Beans, 1 car, 400 bushels, average price, $1 400 00
Potatoes, 4 cars, 1,600 bushels, average price, 30 cents.
480 00
Total, 447 cars, 289,850 bushels. $110,630 00
TOTAL STOCK.
Cattle, 91 cars, 2,275,000 pounds, average price, 3 cents. $ 68,250 00
Hogs, 314 cars 6,280,000 pounds, average price, 4} cents. 266,900 00
Sheep, 18 cars, 216,000 pounds, average price, 4 cents. 8,640 00
Total, 423 cars, 8,771,000 pounds. $343,790 00
TOTAL MISCELLANEOUS.
Wool, 6 cars, 72,000 pounds, average price, 27 cents.
.$19,440 00
Hides and pelts, 2 cars, 40,000 pounds, average paid, 8 cents. 3,200 00
Rags, 1 car, 24,000 pounds, average price, 1 } cents. 360 00
Iron, 7 cars, 140,000 pounds, average price, } cent .. 700 00
900 00
Mill feed, 5 cars.
Shaved hoops, 2 cars. 500 00
Poultry, 430 barrels and boxes, 86,000 pounds, average price, 8 cents. 6,880 00
Butter, 11,100 tubs, 499,500 pounds, average price, 18 cents. 89,910 00
Eggs, 1,175 cases, 35,250 dozen, average price, 8 cents. 2,820 00
Flour, 2,980 sacks, average price, $1.25. 3,675 00
Total $128,385 00
547
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
STORED IN WAREHOUSES DECEMBER 31, 1880.
Flax, 29 cars, 11,600 bushels, average price, $1.10. $12,760 00
Oats, 59 cars, 44,250 bushels, average price, 25 cents. 11,062 50
Wheat, 1 car, 400 bushels, average price, $1. 400 00
Barley, 3 cars, 1,350 bushels, average price, 45 cents. 607 50
Total, 92 cars, 57,600 bushels. $24,830 00
IN HANDS OF DEALERS.
Poultry, 120 barrels, 24,000 pounds, average price, 8 cents.
$ 1,920 00
Butter, eggs and tallow. 3,650 00
H. H. Cook & Son, 10,400 bushels of wheat, average price, $1. 10,400 00
H. H. Cook & Son, 3,120 bushels of corn, average price, 30 cents.
936 00
Bradley & Harsh, 8,000 bushels of corn. 2,160 00
They have also purchased sheep, 1,400 head, 159,600 pounds, average price, 4
cents per pound. 6,384 00
Cattle, 1,350 head, 1,085,000 pounds, average price, 3} cents. 50,975 00
Total
$101,255 00
GRAND TOTAL.
Grain
.$148,765 00
Stock.
401,149 00
Miscellaneous
133,955 00
Total
$683,869 00
Added to the above total the amount paid the farmers for produce of every description, including shipments and home consumption, we find that our dealers have paid them the enor- mous sum of $750,000; a weekly average of $14,423.08, or a daily average of $2,403.84.
The compilation of the above tables is the work of Mr. J. T. Morris, who, in the absence of a Board of Trade, voluntarily collected the foregoing figures. From a commercial standpoint, they are of incalculable value as the representative trade-factors of the surrounding district.
TOWN OF DARLINGTON.
The territory constituting this town, as at first set off in 1849, included the east half of Township 2, Range 2, and fifty-six sections in Townships 2 and 3, of Ranges 3 and 4; ten sections on the north being the south part of Township 3, and the remainder being the north part of Township 2. Previous to that time, a large portion of the above territory was connected with the precinct of Willow Springs for the purposes of voting. In 1850, two tiers of sections were set off from the east end of the town, and added to the town of Wiota, and, in 1869, when the town of Seymour was formed, the east half of Township 2, Range 3, was assigned to that terri- tory. This town was then left, as it now appears, nearly square, and including in all nearly forty- eight sections. The town was first called Center, which name it received on account of its occupying the geographical center of the county, and which it retained until it was changed to Darlington. The first town meeting was held at the house of Alvy Bowles, April 3, 1849, when the following officers, among others, were elected : H. W. Barnes, Chairman ; T. J. Hamilton and Samuel George, Supervisors ; G. B. Spencer, Clerk ; Horace Beebe, Treasurer, and Willard Martin, Assessor. There were eighty-two votes polled at this election.
The surface of Darlington is greatly but not unpleasantly diversified. In the southwest part is found a large tract of beautifully rolling prairie, which, in the north and northeast parts, is lost amid hills and hollows; that portion lying between the East and West Pecatonicas being rougher than any other section.
The soil of the bottom lands and prairies is generally a rich black loam with a clay subsoil, while that on the hills is a whitish or yellow clay. It is regarded as being very fertile throughout ; even on the land that is too rough to be tilled, grass of good quality may be raised, either for grazing purposes or to cut for winter fodder.
548
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
Of water for milling or agricultural purposes, there is no lack, nature having lavishly sup- plied that want in the West Pecatonica, which runs through the town, and various small streams and springs that irrigate the land in all directions.
The natural timber, with the exception of clumps scattered here and there, is found on the high and rough land in the northwest part. It consists principally of varieties of oak, poplar and basswood, with a slight sprinkling of walnut, ash and maple, and is in some parts very good.
The population of the town now embraces representatives of nearly every nationality known to Western civilization, these being for the most part scattered promiscuously over the town, and all living in apparent harmony, " Like children of one family and one fatherland."
They are thrifty, enterprising, moral and advanced in religious and educational matters. There are four churches and five religious societies located in Darlington, and numerous schools, which receive a liberal and highly creditable support.
The chief product of the town at the present time appears to be stock, this being one of the best stock-raising districts in the State. Several of the farmers are engaged in rearing blooded sheep and cattle, and some of the finest breeding horses in Wisconsin are located at Darlington. An English thoroughbred, and one English and one Scotch draft horse, owned by a stock com- pany, and managed by D. B. Dipple, are especially worthy of mention, as also a Cleveland bay and two Norman draft horses of unusual perfection, owned by D. C. Prichard.
EARLY SETTLEMENT AND GENERAL HISTORY.
The very first settler or claimant in what is now Darlington was, in all probability, a man by the name of George Ames. It is impossible to say just when this man pitched his tent here, but certainly before 1826, and it is thought by some of those who yet remain, that were here in 1827, that he arrived as early as 1820. If the latter be the case, he undoubtedly came into the county and took up his residence before any other white person known to history. His dwelling was a dug-out or cave in a side hill, covered with logs and brush, on the section now owned by Mr. Rae. Ames' housekeeper was the wife of another man, whom he had induced to come out to the frontier with him, and was, without doubt, the first white woman who came here. After they had been in this section a few years, the woman's husband came after her, but, finding her very much attached to Ames, he gave her up, and Ames married her. During the Black Hawk war, Ames was enumerated with the missing. By some, he is said to have been killed and buried in the town, but this seems to be only hearsay, and not entitled to credence. He made no improvements of value, being a hunter and miner, and is only entitled to consideration as the first comer. The small stream called Ames Branch was named for him. Another man of the same stripe, one Lavett, came here nearly as soon, and squatted in the eastern part of the town. He did not remain here many years, being a bird of passage ; but he, like his predecessor, attached his name to a little stream, to be borne down to posterity on its rippling current. What became of Lavett no one knows.
The first noted person who located here was D. M. Parkinson, who made a claim on what is now called the Magoon farm, on Section 20, about one mile below the present village of Calamine, and, in 1827, he built a cabin sixteen feet square with puncheon-floor, shake- roof, open fire-place and clay chimney, the same year. This was the prevailing style of dwelling then, such as any one could erect with ax, saw and auger for tools, and which was usually furnished with a puncheon, cross-legged table and stools of the same material, and bed- steads made by boring holes in the logs at one side and driving in long pegs, supported at one end by posts, upon which were thrown brush and hay. This being done, the family mansion was ready for occupancy, and, though these houses were rude and inconvenient, yet they sheltered as brave and true men and women as have ever reflected credit upon any country, or have by their efforts paved the way for the present civilization and comfort.
In the summer of 1827, Jameson Hamilton, who is properly recognized as the principal pioneer of this town, came to " Willow Springs," which was then the metropolis of the north part of what is now La Fayette County, and stopped for a few months. Here he met Mr. Park-
549
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
inson; the circumstances connected with which are briefly narrated, as they illustrate the spirit of the times, and the character of the men, better than anything else can.
The day that Mr. Hamilton first drove into Willow Springs, one Tuttle Baker had been taken for stealing a horse. After Mr. Hamilton had picketed his team, seeing several men talking and acting very excitedly, he went up to them to ascertain what was the trouble. He found a man helplessly tied, while those around, miners and backwoodsmen, were jeering him and treating him rather severely. To this Mr. Hamilton roundly protested, saying, that no matter what the man had done, it was shameful abuse for a helpless person to be so used. Finally, after he had said enough to arouse the anger of the men, Mr. Parkinson, who came up at the time, said : "Stranger, if you don't mind your own affairs I'll give you some of the same sort ; this man is a thief and a rascal, and has got to be punished." This was but touching combustible material with fire, for Parkinson was hardly done with talking before Hamilton's coat was off, and the men were lashing at each other furiously. While they were in the heat of the battle, one of the early and well-remembered landlords of Willow Springs, Isaac Chambers, came out, and, learning who the belligerents were, and that Hamilton was an old friend, interfered and succeeded in getting them separated. Explanations were made, the men shook hands on the spot, and from that on were firm friends and lived together for some time.
During the fall of 1827, Mr. Hamilton bought Mr. Parkinson's claim, and moved into the cabin with him, the two families living together through the ensuing winter. The boys of the families, Nathaniel and Badger Peter Parkinson. and John and S. B. Hamilton, two of whom are now old and respected citizens of this county (Peter Parkinson and S. B. Hamilton), spent the winter in hunting and trapping game, and in getting fire-wood. As Mr. Hamilton says, they had " big times catching wolves and letting them fight," together with similar amusements which are unknown to the youth of to-day.
Mr. Hamilton held the Magoon farm about three or four years, then sold it to Esau Johnson, a smelter of Blue Mounds, who was quite a prominent man in his day, in this and Dane Counties. A furnace was erected here in 1833, the only lead furnace in the town. The land and furnace were sold to Richard H. Magoon, in 1835.
Afterward Mr. Hamilton laid a claim where the village of Darlington now stands, and which he subsequently sold to the founders of the village. He was at one time one of the heaviest real-estate owners in the town, having about a thousand acres of the best land in it, which he secured in the following manner: When the Indian Land Commissioners came into the town to locate lands for the redskins, Mr. Hamilton induced them to skip certain lands which he desired. These he afterward entered at his convenience, and long before the Indian reserve came into the market, thus obtaining the pick of the country.
He lived here until 1853, when he went to California, where he remained one year and then returned. In 1855, he went to Oregon, where he lived until his death. He is remembered in this section as an enterprising, high-spirited and honorable man.
One of the first occupants of land in this section was an Irishman by the name of John Dougherty, who came here about the same time that Messrs. Parkinson and Hamilton made their advent into the county. He was an interpreter and lived with the Winnebago Indians, his wife being a squaw, a near relative of the old chieftain Whirling Thunder. Dougherty has been dead for several years, but his wife and a son and grandchildren still live here, perfect embodiments of native excellence. Benjamin Stout, who now resides in Fayette, used to live with Doherty.
In 1830 or 1831, Samuel George, Selby Haney, Henry Crow, well-known residents of the town, located here, and perhaps a few others may have come also, but their names are not known.
Directly subsequent to the Indian war of 1832, there was but little emigration into this town. The first two were James Tolley and Henry Nichols, after whom, before 1840, there were but few comers, Samuel Wood, John Roach and Peter Welch being the only permanent resi- dents, so far as known.
550
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
From 1840 to 1846, a large number of additions were made to the settlement, among them were some of the most enterprising and useful citizens of later days. We are enabled to mention Dr. John Gray, and son of H. H. Gray, A. Warden, James Martin, H. S. Magoon, A. Hovey, William M. Blair, T. J. Hamilton, H. C. Nash, J. Langford, J. Matthews, George Capps, Sam Davis, William M. Thomas and Ichabod Paddock.
Of those who came here and became permanent residents before 1845, there are parts of but five families now remaining, as follows : H. H. Gray, Ed Welch, son of P. Welch, L. Dougherty, son of John Dougherty, T. J. Hamilton and S. B. Hamilton ; the latter, who was twelve years of age when he came here with his father in 1827, is the last of the very first comers, and now, liv- ing in the enjoyment of a hale old age, can look back over a lapse of fifty-three years, and trace the growth of the country from its infancy to its present ripe perfection. He has truly seen "the wilderness blossom like the rose," and, as the father of a family of twelve sons and daughters, has contributed his share to the increase and development of the land of his adoption.
An Indian, known as John Inneosh, with his squaw, was one of the most useful adjuncts to the early settlement, if he may not be called a settler. Nearly all of the first comers who lived here, or in the vicinity, will remember Indian John, for he dressed skins for the most of them to make moccasins and breeches with, if not other garments. At a time when there was but little cloth to be had in the country, and when there was nothing to buy with, if there was cloth to be had, old John's services were highly appreciated, and frequently sought for, so much so, indeed, that the old fellow did nothing for years but tanning to supply the demands of the settlers.
As nearly as can be ascertained, the following (aside from those mentioned) are the names of those now living who were settlers here before 1856; and who, having made this town their permanent homes for twenty-five years, must needs have taken as great an interest in the develop- ment of the country as any who preceded them. They are James Blair, Joseph Millen, J. Driver, Benjamin Martin, John Poole, A. C. Curry, Daniel Bowman, Phil Hogan, E. Hovey, Denis and Charles Blakely, Z. B. Green, James Martin, J. R. Rose, S. W. Osborn, H. C. Nash, Squire Francis.
In 1828, the first death occurred in the town, when a man by the name of Davis died with the cholera. The next one who died was the wife of Henry Nichols. They were both buried on " a point of land lying south of the Pecatonica, at the mouth of Wood's Branch, this being the burying-ground first selected. There are now three cemeteries in town, two Protestant and one Catholic. The most noted is the Union Grove Cemetery. The oldest is the Evan Cemetery.
Margaret Hamilton, daughter of Jameson Hamilton, was the first white person born in the Her infancy dates back to 1828, when the cradles were sometimes logs hollowed out in the form of troughs, or when the babies had no such conveniences.
town.
In 1832, the first nuptials were solemnized by the union of Rutheus Scott and Elizabeth Hamilton. The marriage ceremony was performed by a Justice of the Peace from Mineral Point, by the name of Robert Doherty. He came down on horseback, and, according to the price and customs of the day, he received $1 in promises for his services.
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