USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 84
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A saw-mill, than which nothing can be more useful in a new country, was built here as early as 1833 at the mouth of Otter Creek, by F. L. Fretwell, a resident of Willow Springs. It was built in a very substantial manner by a millwright from Dubuque, Iowa, and in its day is said to have been one of the best in the country. About 1845, Henry Crow became the owner, and subsequently it was known as " Crow's Mill.". It was abandoned many years ago, and there is now little left of the original structure or dam to mark the spot.
The first land was broken on the Magoon farm, and the first crop raised was a patch of corn in 1828.
The first road laid out run through the town via Mineral Point and Wiota, in 1836. Pre- vious to that time travelers were obliged to pick their way by blazed trees and landmarks, or to follow the Indian trails, which often led in a tortuous and indirect manner through the country.
One of the incidents peculiar to and almost entirely confined to pioneer life, was what has been generally denominated as "wife-swapping." Strange as this may seem, this not unfre-
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
quently occurred, as the men and women who frequented the frontiers were generally restrained by their own sweet wills alone, and, if they could agree upon a change of partners, did not hesi- tate to make the bargain. Thus we learn that a couple of rough characters by the names of Hughs and Lindsay, who used to live in this country, one day made a wife trade, a jack-knife being given by one as difference in the bargain.
The only stopping-place in the town for many years for travelers, was the old Hamilton cabin, which was often filled to overflowing.
One of the enterprises embarked in just after the war of the rebellion was the building of a brewery on the banks of the West Pecatonica by John Collins and John Chris. The estab- lishment ran until 1877, when it was struck by lightning and destroyed, leaving the town free of this respectable nuisance. It stood about one and a half miles from Darlington. A cheese factory was built several years ago by Thomas Butler, which was operated until 1878, then closed.
In the way of manufacturing in the town, outside of Darlington, there are at present, one grist-mill and two sorghum evaporators. The mill was built by T. Woodard on Ames' Branch, about twenty years ago, and has since been conducted by him. The evaporators are owned by N. Thompson and J. Parsons, and are successors to one brought into the town about twenty years ago by James Rose. Since the introduction of improved varieties of cane, sorghum-making has become quite an extensive and profitable industry among farmers. We conclude this article with a sketch of the village of Avon. (For war record, consult general history.)
AVON VILLAGE (EXTINCT).
That point in the town around which centered the greatest interest thirty years ago, was Avon, familiarly called the center. This situation, as the geographical center of the county, was first selected, in 1848, for the county seat. The land, eighty acres, which was valued at $5 per acre, was sold to the County Commissioners by Jameson Hamilton for $125, on condition that the county seat be located there. The purchase was made, and a plat laid out, but, as appears in the history of the county seat troubles, that was all that was ever done toward the fulfillment of the expectations of the owners and residents of Avon. Yet, immediately after the place was laid out, several persons started into business there, and, at that time, the prospects for a thriving village were very good.
The first store in this town was started here by Horace Beebe, now of Wiota, about 1848, in the first building erected in the village, a one-story frame, which is yet standing. A post office was established here in 1851, Horace Beebe being appointed Postmaster. The arrange- ments for the founding of the office were made by H. H. Gray, who agreed to provide a Post- master and mail carrier for the first year for the proceeds of the office. The receipts of the office for the year were $6, while the cost of getting the mail from Willow Springs once a week, Ira Lawrence being the mail carrier, was, during the year, $26. Previous to that time, the mail was obtained from Willow Springs.
The first school in town was taught near Avon, before 1850, in a log schoolhouse known as the Lawrence Schoolhouse ; there were not more than fifteen pupils at first. Religious services were held in the Lawrence Schoolhouse for the first time in 1849, a Methodist minister by the name of Houghawout officiating. A church was built in Avon in 1851, the lot where it stood being sold by the County Board for $1, on condition that the church should be erected within a year from the date of sale. At the time the church was built, a society had been formed num- bering twelve families. The building was subsequently moved to Darlington. Of ministers who first preached in the town, we mention Rev. Dickenson, Rev. E. Tasker and Rev. E Barnes.
Besides Mr. Beebe's store, there were two other business houses started at Avon before 1850, owned by Messrs. Shaw & Coffee and Mr. Billings ; these continued but a few years. The first mechanics' shops in this town were started at Avon. David Atwood and Mr. Bowles were the first blacksmiths ; P. Wagon the first wagon-maker, and H. C. Nash the first carpenter known to history.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
After the village of Darlington had started up, the glory of Avon began to fade, and, within a few years after, the business element had nearly all left, and the land was taken for agricultural purposes. Dr. John Gray once described the latter-day condition of the place by saying: "I have been entirely disappointed in my expectations ; once prospects were bright, when lots were worth $300 each, but now everything has gone to the d-1, and the Norwegians are fencing in the land."
POOR HOUSE.
Pauperism, the invincible incubus of every old country, treads close on the heels of civiliza- tion in its westward flow. It is an inseparable evil, which, having to be borne, is susceptible of mitigating influences, when guarded by wise legislation. La Fayette County has not escaped the evil, but the measures in vogue sensibly relieve extreme poverty and destitution of its abhor- rence and repulsiveness. As early as May 21, 1851, the question of providing a poor-house or county alms-house for the employment and shelter of indigent persons, claimed the attention of the Board of Supervisors. At a meeting of that date, the majority of the members, although opposed to the expenditure of any money on other public buildings, were in favor of the erection of a county poor-house to accommodate the increasing number of paupers. No action was taken, and the matter dropped. During subsequent years the board resorted to a very ingenious though questionable method of removing human incumbrances from their district. When favor- able opportunity presented, paupers were removed clandestinely into the districts where their friends resided, and where poor-houses existed with open doors to receive them with generous hospitality. In this manner is recorded the removal of certain persons to Tennessee, Illinois and other States, easily accessible. Money was appropriated at the annual meeting to defray the expenses of those incursions.
During the season of 1858, a special committee reported to the Board of Supervisors that they elect three persons whose duty it should be to lease the most suitable plowing land at a suitable distance from town. The said farm-land to be leased to an overseer, who should keep an accurate account of the number of persons sent from each town, and that each town should pay for the expenses of its own paupers. It was ordered that the case should be submitted to trial for two years, and Charles Pole, Joseph White and E. C. Townsend were appointed Com- missioners to lease land for above purpose.
On January 2, 1861, a contract was entered into with S. G. Bragg for the maintenance and support of paupers for two years, at the rate of $2.70 per week, and $15 to be allowed in the event of incurring burial expenses by the death of any of the number under his charge. J. Wadsworth was elected First County Agent for the supervision of the poor. At a meeting in April, 1869, a resolution was adopted empowering Samuel Rickett to purchase the farm of John H. Martin, in the town of Centre, at a sum not exceeding $35 an acre. H. B. Gray was instructed to consult with various architects and visit the prominent alms-houses in Illinois and Wisconsin to perfect plans for a model institution. The above farm was purchased by the payment of $2,000 cash, on April 19, 1869, $3.000 March 1, 1870, and the balance by assuming a mortgag for $1,000 to George Tyson. The land so acquired began at a point on the west line of Section 16, in Town 2 north, Range No. 3 east of the Fourth Principal Meridian ; thirty-two rods thence in a southeasterly direction, so as to strike the east line of the northwest quarter of said section at a point sixty rods south of the northeast corner of said forty-acre tract, then west to southwest corner of said tract. The total area is 178 acres. The poor-house is a main building measuring 38x64 feet, with a wing measuring 24x30 feet, well built, of stone, four stories high, capped with a mansard roof. Attached is a frame barn with stone basement, 20x30 feet. The poor-house and its adjuncts rank among the finest of that class of institutions in the country. The cost, exclusive of land, was $36,925.04. The entailment of such an enormous bill for a single building, startled the taxpayers of the county, who loudly proclaimed "fraud," and clamored for an investigation. A party newspaper took up the cry and magnified it into such proportions, that, in order to allay the popular ferment, a committee was appointed to audit the sundry bills and investigate all transac- tions associated with the establishment of the poor-house. The result of the investigation is dis-
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
covered in a report exonerating the building committee from all imputations of dishonesty. In concluding their report, it is asserted that the buildings were too costly for the county, but one and all concurred in reporting the expenditure as represented.
Capt. S. W. Osborne was elected Superintendent at a salary of $600 per annum, which was subsequently increased to $900.
At a meeting of the County Board of Supervisors held June 21, 1870, the following rules were adopted for the maintenance of the County Alms-House :
First-County poor persons whose maintenance is a charge against the County Sheriff, shall be received and taken into the County Poor-House by the person in charge of it upon delivery therewith, of a certificate of the Chairman of the town sending him, that he is a county charge and in indigent circumstances, and accompanied by an affidavit of two Supervisors of the town, or other respectable persons, that such poor person has no legal residence in any town in the county, or any other town in the State if any, and the county will pay expenses of delivering such per- son at the poor-house.
Second-The town poor shall be received at the poor-house on delivery there by the person in charge, with an order from the Chairman of Supervisors of the town sending him, to receive the person as a charge against his town, and the county will charge such town at the rate of $6 per month, and part of a month for board, lodging, medical assistance and washing, for each person so sent by any town so long as he or she remains.
The person in charge of the poor-house may discharge any poor person therein, either a town or a county charge, where, in his opinion, the public interest requires it.
The person in charge of the poor-house will furnish clothing to the poor under his charge suitable to their condition, and will charge each town with such as furnished to poor persons therein from that town at actual cost price, and all charges due by towns to the county for sup- port and clothing of each poor person, will be added to the county tax due from that town to the county, and paid into the treasury with it each year.
The last annual report shows that there were forty-two inmates in the house at that date. They were accredited with the following nationalities : German, one; Swede, two ; Welsh, one; Cana- dian, two; Americans, thirteen ; English, four; Irish, nineteen ; insane, nine; idiotic, one; simple minded, two. The expenses of maintenance were $3,794.38, of which $1,277.70 was charged to towns, and receipts from sales aggregated $402.85, thus leaving a balance against the county of $1,680.55. James F. C. Radolf and James Campbell succeeded Capt. Osborn as Superintendent of the poor-house. Mr. Campbell still holds the office.
TOWN OF BENTON.
The town of Benton, in the southwest corner of the county, comprises the west halfof Town- ship 1, Range 1, and the southwest quarter of Township 2, Range 1; also that portion of Sec- tion 10, in Township 1, Range 1, on the west side of the curve in Fever River, known as Mill Seat Bend.
It is one of the richest mineral regions in the mines, and, though the surface of the land is much of it uneven and broken, the agricultural resources are very large. Mill Seat Bend, in which Fever River, after a circuit of over a mile, returns to within about one hundred and fifty feet of the same place, is one of the best natural water privileges in the State. Prior to town organization the election precinct of Benton was so bounded, changed and modified as to cause considerable excitement both in Benton and New Diggings, but these were all regulated in time, and remain as it was presented when the final change was concluded.
The first permanent settlement effected in the town was in the spring of 1827, though a lim- ited number of straggling miners, the most prominent of whom was Mr. Rawlins and Ashford, his son, who came in during 1824. The parties who composed these miscellaneous bands, however, failed to remain for any length of time, but, after a brief sojourn productive of no results, re-
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
turned whence they came without affecting the current of emigration which subsequently began to flow into the territory.
In March, 1827, Andrew Murphy with his family, consisting of a wife and five sons- Dennis, James, Matthew, Patrick and Daniel-accompanied by Peter O'Leary, Catharine, his wife, and a French adventurer named Francois, also an old family servant by the name of " Peggy," settled in the town east of what was afterward known as Murphy's Mill, and Furnace, about one mile and a half from the present village. Of these, Andrew and his wife, with Dennis, James and Patrick, his children, also Peggy, and it is believed Francois, died in Benton Town. Daniel re- moved to St. Louis after a brief residence here, thence to New Orleans, where he became Mayor, and finally to Oregon, where he died. The family descendants who still survive are Hon. Matthew Murphy, Mrs. Margaret Gibson, Mrs. Rebecca Malone and Mrs. Ellenor Horr, resid- ing in Benton ; Augustus Murphy, residing in Elk Grove, and William Murphy, in New Dig- gings.
The country was then inhabited by vagrant bands of Winnebago and Pottawatomie Indians, who passed through the town on hunting expeditions, and frequently camped near Darlington, while they visited Mrs. Dougherty, who was the daughter of a Winnebago chief. The latter, at the treaty between the whites and Indians at Portage City, refused to sign the same, but finally did so upon the donation to him of a section of land for hunting-grounds. The greatest concern of the old chief seems to have been on account of his daughter ; his anxiety, however, was relieved by her marriage to Dougherty, with whom she resided for many years, above the mouth of Ames' Branch, and raised a large family of boys and girls, who were highly educated and became accomplished members of society.
Mr. Murphy's party were the only persons who ventured into the present town during that year. It might be said at this point that these settlers were in no way affected by the Winnebago war, the trouble occurring during that year between the whites and Indians having its base of operations further east. The first labors of the Murphys were to build a cabin for their personal protection ; this was located a short distance east of Mill Seat Bend, and was among the first houses erected in the town. This being completed, the settlers began the digging of a mill race across the neck of land at Mill Seat Bend. While this was in progress, Matthew Murphy, son of Dennis Murphy, was then an infant, and, escaping the notice of his mother for a moment, myste- riously disappeared from view. Search was instituted upon the discovery of his absence, which resulted in finding the " absent one " near the race engaged in the perilous attempt to fondle a huge snake. The reptile was put to flight, happily before it had done any injury to the confiding infant, who was, however, treated to medicaments calculated to estop any serious results.
The race and mill were completed in the fall of 1829, and for the times were very complete. It was three stories high, of frame, supplied with two runs of stone ; was the first mill in the county and divided until 1834 or 1835, the patronage of the settlers, as also residents of Rockford, Dubuque, Wisconsin River and elsewhere, with the Curtis Mill, a small affair, also erected in 1829 at the present village of Gratiot.
The immigration into future Benton for many years after Mr. Murphy's coming was neither numerous nor permanent. Those who came into Wisconsin Territory to mine settled at other points ; none came to farm. In 1828, Charles Gear made his appearance, and put up a cabin on the line between New Diggings and Benton, on Fever River ; Benoni R. Gillett made a claim at Buncombe, and Ahab Bean farmed and mined at a point on Coon Branch, near the present. Benton Station of the narrow-gauge road. In 1829, Daniel Sand, Scribe Harris, Orwin Smith, James Lucius and Solon Langworthy had a cabin, and began mining on Sections 20 and 21, one mile south of the present village. These leads have been since known as the " Langworthy Ridge," and were among the first mines opened in the town. T. L. Shaw, with John and Cuth- bert Burrell, worked in the Langworthy Ridge about that time, while Benjamin and Peter Carr settled in the north end of the town, at what was then called " Buzzard Roost," but now known as " Meeker's Grove," and mined and farmed.
555
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
From this date up to the close of the Black Hawk war, there were no settlers who came into Benton and remained. A few transient characters adventured into the region, but the fear of In- dians, or indisposition to labor, influenced them to go elsewhere, and refuse to be enrolled in the list of pioneers who settled up the country. The war with the chief of the Sac and Fox In- dians prompted enlistments from Benton, among whom were Dennis and James Murphy, Peter O'Leary and Peter Carr. They formed a portion of the company commanded by Capt. Hall, furnished their own guns, horses and camp equipage, and went into camp at Blue Mounds. While here encamped, two men plowing near by were shot by the Indians. Intelligence of the murder was brought into camp by some fugitive Winnebago Indians, who were accused of the crime by the soldiers, the latter insisting that Black Hawk's warriors were innocent. This led to a personal difficulty between Dennis Murphy, Peter Carr and George Ferguson-the latter of New Diggings-on the one side, and Capt. Hall and Gen. Wilkinson, during which the former were threatened with the guard-house and court-martial for fighting with friendly Indians. This was settled, for the time being, to be resumed under the following circumstances: Ferguson, with Murphy, Carr, and a man named Dixon, of Platteville, went out scouting, and, upon their return, reported as having seen Black Hawk with his tribe encamped between Blue Mounds and the Wisconsin River. Gen. Wilkinson, refusing to order out the troops, Ferguson called for vol- unteers " to thrash hell out of the Indians;" but, Wilkinson and Hall objecting to this course of procedure, Ferguson, Dennis and James Murphy, Peter Carr and Peter O'Leary returned home, with the announcement that they went not out for fun, but to fight the Indians.
Five or six years elapsed before the settlers began to come in in large numbers. Many who had fled to places of safety at the breaking-out of the war, returned and resumed work at the mines or on farms. The furnaces used were of the "Log" pattern, there being no blast fur- naces, those in use being of the style mentioned, and were employed until the "blast " furnace was substituted, the first in Benton being that of Murphy Brothers, adjoining the mill, which was finished in 1835. In the latter year, George and Benjamin Sallie opened diggings below the present site of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. James and Samuel Munday kept a store and saloon half a mile east of Benton. James Faherty maintained a store on Coon Branch, near Langworthy Ridge, and so continued until he was killed by a runaway team. The Jenkins family came in between 1835 and 1840. Jacob built a mill at Jenkinsville. John and Abraham farmed in the northwest corner of the town. Thomas Bray farmed on the prairie near them ; Michael Morley, on the west side of the town. William Berryman, James and Edward Treganza also farmed in the same locality. The Gray family mined thereabouts, too.
Between 1835 and 1849 were flush times in the mining portion of the town of Benton. Min- eral was plenty and prices generally ruled high. The more prominent mines then operated in those times were those worked on Langworthy Ridge, Buncombe Diggings, near Gillets, Buzzard Roost, owned by the Carr's, and Bull and Scrabble Branches ; all of these were immeasurably fruitful and enriched their owners and workers. While times were good with miners from 1839 to 1842, the general public were subjected to the severest experiences ever known in the territory. Mineral, flour, pork, etc., were at the lowest ebb. There was no sale for oats or corn, and the settlers depended upon the invoices of commodities brought up the river from St. Louis for sup- plies. The farmers living in Illinois and States east of Benton brought their produce here for sale, because it was the only place where money could be obtained elsewhere than in the mines. Flour, beef and pork could be had for from 90 cents to a $1 per hundred, and other articles in proportion. There were two furnaces then in Benton, Murphy Brothers' near the village, and Jacob Benninger's, near Hazel Green, and both were running constantly.
From 1840 to 1845, many settled in Benton, among them were Timothy Burns, William King, who kept a grocery under the hill, C. and T. Pole, C. D. Boaz, O. C. Lockhart, A. A. Chauncey, Jerry Cummings, Henry Mudd, Capt. G. W. Girdon and others, all of whom were miners. The cabins about Bull and Coon Branch were numerous. Those farming included Den- nis Murphy, Thomas Bray, Jacob and John Jenkins, Michael Morley, Edward andJames Tre- ganza, Capt. Gear, the Gilletts and others.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
The population increased in a remarkable degree from 1844 to 1848. The village had been laid out between those years, and was building up rapidly. Two schools were being taught by Messrs. Kingsbury and Merrick respectively. Father Samuel Mazzuchelli had erected a Catholic Church, and other denominations promulgated the Gospel from schoolhouses and other accessible quarters. There was some gambling and drinking, but both vices were not as general in Benton as in White Oak Springs, New Diggings, Shullsburg, Hazel Green and at other points. They, in short, were not indigenous to the town, but imported therein. While mining monopolized the attention of a majority of the residents, farming was assuming a prominence that has since justi- fied the labor and pains bestowed on the occupation by the pioneers of the times. Politics, though not so thoroughly the object of man's daily life as now, was attended to and elections held regularly. At that for President in 1848, 526 votes were polled in Benton. This con- dition of affairs was continued until the California excitement, which reached its height in 1849, came upon the settlement and carried off many of its most valuable citizens.
Between 1845 and 1850, the influx of settlers was large, and included some who had pre- viously or subsequently attained national reputations. Among these were Gen. W. D. Knox, who was present at Carthage when Joe Smith was shot, and was accused of participating in that tragedy ; J. M. Day, W. R. Marshall, afterward Governor of Minnesota ; W. H. Calvert, James Hurd, Joseph Marshall, John Winder, James Metcalf and family, G. H. Flanders. Dr. Moses Meeker, J. T. Dameron, James Cousins, Thomas M. Selkirk, James Read, Peter Pedelty, T. K. Gibson, George Bass, Eli Robinson and many other distinguished citizens who are not remembered.
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