USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 85
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The Mexican war influenced the enlistment of a number of recruits from Benton, some of whom ate their rations in the halls of the Montezumas. But the exodus of Mexican war minis- ters was small in comparison with the number who went to California two years later. Of those who enlisted, the number did not exceed thirty, who became attached to a company raised in Galena and commanded by Calmes Wright, and probably a portion of the regiment of Col. James Collins, of White Oak Springs. The " gold-diggers " numbered fully one-half of the male population grown to man's estate. Among the more prominent were James Miller, Gen. Knox, O. C. Lockhart, Jackson Calvert, etc. They departed with ox teams, and crossed the plains via St. Joseph and Leavenworth. A few went to Council Bluffs, but the majority pursued the first named route. The effect produced upon the township by this removal was disastrous. Those who went were mostly miners, and that branch of active life, upon which the success of Benton was largely dependent, received a shock from which it has never recovered. The prominent leads, except the Mills lead, struck in 1852-and the largest, it is said, ever worked east of the Mississippi River-were abandoned. The furnaces, with one exception, ceased operations. This exception was the furnace conducted by Matt Murphy, on Coon Branch, west of the vil- lage, continued until 1856, when it, too, suspended.
Of those who went across the plains, many of them succeeded beyond their most sanguine expectations. They made money rapidly, and, while some of them saved their profits, the ma- jority, being men of improvident habits, expended the same, and, in a few years, were worse for having been successful. Very few returned. Those who remained west of the mountains were dis- tributed about the Pacific slope, Mexico, the Sandwich Islands and Australia, whence they never returned, but have been lost sight of in the march of events.
From the time of the departure of this element, farming was resorted to for the purpose of supplying those who remained not only with labor, but with bread. About 1850, the prairies were broken up and planted, and, within five years thereafter, were under fence, and rich with the harvest of cereal wealth. Within fifteen years from that time, mining became almost one of the lost arts. Farms and farming covered the township from end to end, and the song of the husbandman was heard where once the pick and gad disturbed the silence of the hills and vales. Schools were being established and homes of education reared where once the forest prevented their presence. Churches and religious corporations became numerous, and songs of praise filled the air with their sacred melody.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
The panic of 1857 produced a stringency in the money market at the time, which lasted for about two years. During that period, money was scarce, and there was little sale for produce, mineral or stock. In 1859, times began to improve, and, when the war broke out, as also the few years it prevailed, recalled the flush times of 1847. During the war, Benton Town fur- nished 117 soldiers to the cause, and $17,000 in money, exclusive of amounts paid for bounties and substitutes.
In 1873, the work of surveying the line of the narrow gauge road, since completed from Galena to Wisconsin River via Benton and Wingville, was commenced under Edward Harding. This was completed in the spring of 1874, and work on the road-bed begun the same summer. The object of this road was to tap the rich prairie and mineral lands between the terminal points and Benton, with towns along the line aided in its building by subscriptions of stock. Labor was prosecuted thereon with diligence, and, in 1875, the road was completed to Benton, the first train of cars reaching that point in October. The completion of this enterprise to Benton made a material difference in the town's business and prosperity. Previous to that event, farmers, miners and merchants had communication with the outside world by means of teams alone. But now. the mode of communication being changed, times changed with it.
The road was finished to Platteville also in 1875, and an extension ten miles north of that point begun. This was worked until June, 1878, when litigation and financial embarrassment compelled the company to suspend operations, and for one year operations were entirely suspended. At the expiration of that period, the litigation took a turn favorable to the company, the embar- rassments were removed, and cars were once more sent over the entire route.
No improvements were made from this time forward, and, on April 26, 1880, the franchise was sold to the Northwestern corporation for a total of $175,000, which sum included the pay- ment of existing liens and encumbrances. Vast sums have been expended in making repairs, the work from the Wisconsin River at Woodman ; also a narrow gauge known as the Chicago & Tomah Branch was purchased about the same time by the vendees of the Benton road, and has since been operated in that connection. Benton by this means has direct communication with outside points, and is greatly benefited.
The first birth in the town is said to have been Mary Ann O'Leary, a daughter to Peter O'Leary, who was born about half a mile east of the village in 1828, and except Alphonso W. Moore, who was born in that year also, but prior to the birth of Miss O'Leary, was the first in the county. She is now Mrs. Conway, and resides at Fort Dodge, Iowa.
About the same time, James Murphy, of Benton, was married to Flora Scott, of Carrollton, Ill., the first settler of the town to marry.
The same year, Mrs. Andrew Murphy died, the first death in the town, and was followed by her husband in 1829. Both were buried in Galena.
The town at present contains a population of 1,605, having diminished since 1870. It is the territory of many large and profitable mines, possesses superior educational and religious acilities, and is the residence of much wealth.
VILLAGE OF BENTON.
The village of Benton is centrally located in the town of that name, being the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 9, and is contained on the original area of about 80 acres. It was laid out March 18, 1844, on land owned by Dennis Murphy, the survey being made by John Burrell, assisted by Matt Murphy, and portioned into eight blocks of four lots each, divided by Main, Bean, Catharine and Jackson streets. The only house on the village site was a saloon and grocery store on Bean street, carried on by Henry Myers and E. B. Parish. In 1845, Joseph Arnold erected a residence on Main street, which has since been re-constructed and repaired, and is now occupied by M. Murphy. The same year Charles Hewett put up a saloon and bowling-alley on the corner now occupied by the residence of Owen McDonald. In- deed, Mr. McDonald changed the same for living purposes, and has lived there since 1847. In
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
1846, a man named Logstone built a hotel in the south end of the village, and Augustus Chap- eron, a hotel, also, where the Benton House now stands. The same year, Dr. Phillip McBrien built a drug store adjoining Chaperone's hotel, on the north. Through that year buildings were quite general ; residences went up in all parts of the village. G. H. Flanders, William Han- nan, Myers & Parish and Henry Paturn conducted stores ; J. T. Dameron, a grocery ; Malone & Griffith had a butcher-shop near the Catholic Church. Moses. Pickett, George Mathiot and C. E. Rand carried on blacksmith and wagon-making shops ; several tailors came in, but remained a short time, while saloons were usually prolific and wide awake. In the fall of 1846, the old Catholic Church was built of frame on the site of the present stone edifice, and for some time was the only house of worship in the village.
In March, 1847, about the middle of the afternoon, a disastrous fire began in Logston's house, consequent upon a defective flue. A meeting of miners to make arrangements for bid- ding on the mineral lands to be sold that season at Mineral Point was in progress in the second story of a building put up the year previous, and now used as the United States Hotel, and the cry of fire created an excitement which suspended deliberations without delay. The village was then as now without means for extinguishing flames, and the fire spread with alarming rapidity, enveloping all within reach of its devouring maw. The crowd assembled and employed every available auxiliary for the checking of what proved to be the most damaging blow from fire Ben- ton ever received. But all efforts were vain, and it was only when the citizens had razed Dr. Brien's drug store and a portion of the hotel that any successful advance was made against the progress of the flames. Along toward evening, the smoldering embers were all that remained of a once prominent landmark.
In the summer of the same year, the Bentonians, appreciating the absence of a hall for lectures and other entertainments, held a meeting for the purpose of securing the building of suitable premises for such purposes. Subscriptions were made liberally, and the frame building now used as the Methodist Episcopal Church was erected.
It was used for the objects for which it was erected, various religious sects alternating in its occupation on the Sabbath meanwhile until 1852, when it was donated to its present owners. About the same time, the Primitive Methodists built a church on the present site of the brick church of that organization, which was occupied until the winter of 1862-63, when it was burned down, and the brick church referred to raised upon its ruins.
The first stone building of any kind built in the village was the Catholic Church, commenced in 1852. The next was put up in 1864, by Matt Murphy, on Main street. About 1867, the store and dwelling-house of James Kearns was erected, and still survives. Thomas Beck put up his stone store and residence at the northwest end of Main street in 1876, and his example was fol- lowed by others, who substituted frame, however, for stone in the construction of homes in that vicinity. These stone houses are the only buildings of that material in the village.
No recorded additions have ever been made to the village, though outlots have been added to the number of seventeen since the original survey, increasing the area of village territory to about twelve acres.
By far the most important enterprises in the way of building in Benton were those under- taken by the Father Samuel Mazzuchelli. It is the stone building erected under the adminis- tration of that worthy gentleman in the southeast corner of the village. When the Catholic Church was completed, the old frame edifice was removed to its present site, and constituted a part of the old Benton Academy. The institution was exclusively for females, and at one time a roster of pupils numbering fully 125 from all parts of the country, and representing the most aristocratic circles, were taught in the old frame by a corps of teachers belonging to the order of the Dominican Sisters. The school flourished to an extraordinary degree, and the accommoda- tions soon became too limited for those in attendance. At this juncture, Father Mazzuchelli conceived the idea of increasing the capacity of his building by the construction of what now is known as the " Academy." Subscriptions and other sources of revenue were utilized until a sum thought to be sufficient was obtained, when the building was commenced. Labor was
Mat. Murphy,
BENTON , WIS.
561
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
employed on the same for three years, and a handsome structure, four and one half stories high, of stone, finished in an elaborate manner, was completed, when Father Mazzuchelli, the author and moving spirit of the enterprise, died suddenly, leaving his work-the work of his riper years-but half finished, after expending not less than $25,000 on the building. From this day, the work languished, and was finally suspended, the school was abandoned, and its teachers and appurtenances removed to Sinsinawa Mound, where they have since prospered. At present it is designed to tear down the building, and remove the material to Sinsinawa for use in the building now in progress there.
Since 1860, the village has held its own. In 1874, when the railroad came, the village took a "jump " and increased rapidly. Improvements were made to a greater extent than ever before, and the hope is now indulged that the impetus given at that time will not have expended its force until great expectations are fully realized.
The village contains a population of about 250; four general stores, one grocery store, one drug, one tin shop, three wagon and blacksmith shops, an agricultural warehouse, a furniture store, three churches, one hotel, and is generally prosperous, more so, it is claimed, than any other village in the county save Darlington.
CHURCHES.
St. Patrick's Catholic Church .- Was erected in 1847, on land donated by Dennis Murphy, who was in fact the donor of land upon which all the churches in the village are built. St. Pat- rick's Church was of frame, built under the direction of the Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli, and was presided over for many years by that venerable and eminent Pastor.
The natural increase in the number of the congregation, however, necessitated the procuration of new quarters, and led to the erection of the present stone church. This was commenced in 1852 and completed about 1854, when it was consecrated, it is believed, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Henni, of Milwaukee, and has since been occupied.
The present congregation numbers fully three hundred families, and the church property is said to be worth $15,000.
The following Pastors have officiated since the foundation of the church : The Revs. Samuel Mazzuchelli, Fathers Drummond, Nuits, Powers, Fortune, Prendergast, Burnett, Albright and Ward.
First Methodist Episcopal Church .- Belonged originally to Council Hill Circuit, from where it was transferred to Hazel Green Circuit and Providence Circuit, of which it was a part until 1859, when the Benton Circuit was created. Previous to 1852, the sect worshiped in the town hall ; but during that year the premises were donated to the congregation, by which they have since been owned and occupied. The present membership is about two hundred : the church property, which includes the church, a parsonage and cemetery, is valued at $2,500; the following Pastors have served since the organization of the Benton Circuit : The Revs. Enoch Tasker, William Summersides, William Harvey, John Hooper, R. R. Wood, William Birge, James Evans, E. B. Russell, E. S. Mather, W. H. Palmer, E. McGenley, P. Knox, William Cook, James Lawson and James Sims.
The Primitive Methodist Episcopal Church .- Was organized in 1847 under the charge of the Rev. Thomas Robinson, with a limited membership, chief among whom were John Winder, Mrs. Alderson and Mrs. Dakin. Services were held in the schoolhouse until 1850, when a church of frame was erected at the north end of Main street, which was occupied until 1863, when it was destroyed by fire. The following year the present brick edifice was completed at a cost of $5,000, and has since been in service. The present membership is twenty-five; the value of church property, $3,000; and the following Pastors served the congregation : The Revs. Thomas Robinson, B. F. Hilton, John Sharpe, James Alderson, T. Doughty, William Wood, William Tompkins, C. Hendra, Charles Dawson, Henry Lees, John Trenary, John Shortridge, T. A. Cliff, Thomas Jarvis, James Arnold and Joseph Hewett.
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562
HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
CEMETERIES.
Each church congregation owns cemetery inclosures adjoining their several church edifices. They are all objects of beauty to the eye, indicating that care is bestowed upon them, and many elaborate and handsomely finished monuments testify of the virtues of those who sleep beneath the turf.
SCHOOLS.
The first school was that taught by Ira Kingsbury, west of the village, in 1846. The next school was that presided over by Samuel Merrick. James Roach and John McHugh followed.
When the Constitution was adopted, the Rock Schoolhouse was built by subscription, and is still occupied. At present, the town contains eight schoolhouses, one of which is in the village. The village school is divided into two departments-primary and grammar-requiring the serv- ices of two teachers. The average attendance is stated at 100 daily, and the cost of the same is said to be $500 per annum.
POST OFFICE.
In early days, the settlers in Benton were obliged to visit Galena for their mail. This con- tinued until 1845 or 1846, when an office was established in the village, and Dennis Murphy was appointed Postmaster. Mr. Murphy kept the office in the store of Myers & Parish, and served in his official capacity until about 1854, when William Haunan succeeded to the trust, and held court in a frame house adjoining the United States Hotel. When James Buchanan was in- augurated, and began to dispose of the more important affairs of State, he appointed T. K. Gib- son to care for executive confidence. Since the expiration of his term of office, the position has been filled by Mrs. Richards, whose husband was killed in New Diggings while in pursuit of re- cruits who had been drafted, and Thomas Bainbridge.
The mail facilities are equal to the best, there being a daily mail to important points, and a weekly mail to less prominent localities.
GEM OF THE MINES LODGE, NO. 21, I. O. O. F.,
was organized in 1874, with the following charter members and officers: Ami Dodge, Henry T. Godfrey, M. Pickett, Alexander Stephens, Joseph Buchan, J. Nicholas, James Hoskins and M. J. Williams; H. T. Godfrey, N. G .; Joseph Buchan, V. G .; Alexander Stephens, Treas- urer ; and M. Pickett, Secretary. Meetings were at first held in Pickett's building, and the oc- cupation of quarters there continued for several years. But in time the increase in membership induced the fraternity to secure lodge accommodations in Beck's stone building, where they have since remained. The present membership is stated at thirty-five, with the following officers : Joseph Gelling, N. G .; Thomas Short, V. G .; J. Hoskins and E. Kelly, Secretaries ; and Thomas J. Froggot, Treasurer. The lodge property is valued at $300.
MEEKER'S GROVE.
more generally known as Jenkinsville, located in the northern portion of the town, was first set- tled about 1837, by Jacob Jenkins, George Stephenson, a Mormon named Parker, together with a small number of miners, who remained long enough not to realize their hopes, when they de- parted. The vicinity was never surveyed or laid off in lots, but Mr. Jenkins farmed, and erected a stone mill-which has long since outgrown its usefulness-hoping by these means to attract a settlement.
About 1856, Dr. Moses Meeker settled there and procured the location of a post office, of which he became Postmaster. Soon after his arrival, the Congregationalists residing in that vi- cinity subscribed a fund, which was expended in the building of the stone church, which has since been used as a place of worship by that sect at stated intervals.
The Primitive Methodists, in limited numbers, also hold meetings in the schoolhouse.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
The place contains, in addition to the interests mentioned, a country store and blacksmith- shop, with little, however, to attract the capitalist or epicurean to a residence within its limits. Since the post office was established, Dr. Meeker, Samuel Herbert, James Metcalf and J. W. Nicholas have been the recipients of Executive favor and acted in the capacity of Postmasters. The population of the place will not exceedfifty, including women and children.
TOWN OF NEW DIGGINGS.
In 1824, Duke L. Smith, George Ferguson, James Morrison and three or four others, started out from Galena, found indications of ancient mining by Indians or French, and there beginning work, discovered valuable mines which they named New Diggings. The cluster of cabins which these early prospectors built, situated one mile and a half down the valley west of the present village of New Diggings, they named Nachez, which village, in 1828, contained 100 persons, but now no vestage remains. Nachez was the abode of excellent families and enterprising people. Here lived Hon. Lewis Kinney, Israel Cowen, Ferguson, Judge Orne, McAffee, Morrison, and many others, all of whom long since were laid in honorable graves.
In 1826, John Armstrong, a prospector from Missouri, reached a point on the south side of the ridge running east and west south of the village. While engaged in his search for mineral, he struck a promising lead, which, after working for a brief period, he sold to purchasers who are to-day unknown. Subsequently, the discovery of Armstrong became the property of George Ferguson and John Bolles.
Prior to this, isolated mineral discoveries had been made at different points in the county, but none offered sufficient inducements to build a village. The first mineral found in the town is said to have been turned up either by James Morrison, who came from Kaskaskia, Ill., or Jesse Morrison, an emigrant from St. Charles, Mo., who began work on what is now called the Old Wiley Range. In consequence of these discoveries, the little village of Natchez under the hill, the first in the town, came into existence.
The town comprises the east half of Township 1, north of Range 1 east, and the southeast quarter of Township 2, north of Range 1 east, except a circuitous bend in Fever River which belongs to the town of Benton. It was named from the village, and prior to town organization in 1849, was known as the Fever River Election Precinct. The surface is broken and hilly, affording considerable first-class farming land, however, and is well watered by Fever River, Shullsburg Branch and their tributaries, while the sub-surface of the town is not only beyond value, but more than compensates for the rugged exterior.
The number who came into New Diggings, either to prospect or settle permanently previous to the Winnebago war, was remarkably few, considering the quality of the attraction then ex- istent. In the spring of 1827, Daniel M. Parkinson visited the territory subsequently set apart as the present town, but after a short stay removed to future Fayette, and was long identified with the vicinity of Mineral Point. Among others who came here was Solomon Oliver, who settled on Fever River, near the Benton line. Abraham Looney, who was also located on Fever River, Durrett Oliver on the same place, as did Mr. Leland, Caleb Dustene, Mr. Williard, a brother-in-law of Gov. Henry Dodge, P. A. Lorimier, Warren Johnson and many others. A. D. Wakefield lived where Thomas Oliver now lives, a family named Jones resided near by, Peter and Benjamin Carr lived west of the village site, George Wiley had a cabin in the present village of New Diggings, also James Hutchinson, Harvey Caverner, John W. Blackstone, Calvin Curry, Mr. Vosburg, Mr. Harper, etc. A cabin stood near the quarry at Etna Mills, inhabited by some one whose name is forgotten, and there were others scattered about promiscuously engaged in mining. There were no farms in the town, but some garden spots for temporary cultivation. The Indians, however, were numerous, and traveled about without interference or apprehension from the whites.
When the Winnebago war broke out, a portion of the settlers removed to Galena, while the balance sought safety in the stockade erected on the present Looney farm. This was about
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
forty yards square, with two block-houses. It was built under the superintendence of Durrett Oliver, and sheltered a total of one hundred men, women and children. No company of soldiers was regularly organized, but the men were all armed and eager for the fray, which, happily how- ever, never came. After peace was declared at the Portage, the stockade was taken down and used in Lorimier's furnace which had been erected during that year, and stood about fifty yards from Abraham Looney's present residence. When the danger from savage domination was dis- sipated, many of the settlers who had fled into Illinois returned, while others remained away. Those who had established mines or farm beginnings, resumed their labors, though with dismal prospects. Pork was $40 per barrel ; flour from $15 to $20, and mineral but $5 per thousand. There were no mills in the town. Benjamin Funk operated a " band mill " at his place of settle- ment in present Monticello, which was the only mill in the vicinity. Most of the necessaries of life were procured in Galena, whither the lead after it had been smelted was carried, the weight taken at this peculiar period scarcely paying the expenses of transportation. During 1828-29, the depreciated value of mineral caused very many engaged in mining to abandon it and go to farming, or leave the country. The emigration to New Diggings was checked, and the whilom cabins of miners and others who had come in when the prospect looked more encouraging were devoted to vacancy and the wear and tear of the elements. From 1828 to 1831, these depressed times had the effect not only of retarding emigration, but remitting the territory almost to its origi- nal condition of a wilderness. Some came in, however, and went to farming. Among these were William Field, Ami Dodge, and later, William Baldwin, R. H. Champion, William S. Dering, James Neagle, Henry Potwin, James H. Earnest, Philip R. Earnest, Jesse Williams, Jefferson Crawford, Thomas K. Gibson, John Gray, etc., etc., most of whom came into the town prior to 1835, though there may have been some whose names are mentioned who came after.
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