USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 96
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One of the spots that has always been much frequented in the Spring, for many years, is what is known as Lamprell's or Hall's Fish-Trap, at Cedar Bluff, on the Pecatonica. There is a fine mill privilege at this point, but about the only use that has ever been made of this natural provision is fish-catching. The fish and the wild fowl which abounded here in former times in almost unlimited numbers, furnished a large amount of the food consumed by the first settlers ; but now there is scarcely ever a pheasant or a prairie-chicken seen.
Of the settlers who came before 1850, and not already mentioned, there are now living here Joseph and William Monahan, Thomas H. Sheldon, William Johnson, John Riley, Stephen McDermott, John Noble, Paul Noble, George Mathews, Jack Noble, Michael Kerns, Patrick McQuade, Hugh Hough, James and John Smith, Ed and John Meehan.
Of the families of the first settlers, there are now only parts of five families : T. B. Roy, Polite King, John Laze, Abe White, T. H. Sheldon and Robert and John Pilling.
CALAMINE.
The land where this little hamlet stands was entered from the Government by Elias Pill- ing, one of the settlers of 1832, when the Government land first came into market, or soon after that time. Nothing was done here toward building up or even starting a village until after the line of the Mineral Point Railroad had been surveyed out and was under process of construc- tion. Then the natural advantages of this locality, with the superb water privileges, which are
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
especially adapted to extensive manufacturing industries, suggested the propriety of laying out a village. M. M. Cothren and M. M. Strong were the principals throughout in the enter- prise, although not the only parties interested.
The first plat was made for Mr. Cothren on the 3d of January, 1856, J. C. Temple being the surveyor. The second plat, called Strong & McNulty's Addition, was made Novem- ber 16, 1859. The original plat lies on the west half of Sections 8 and 17, and the last- named lies on the east half of the same sections.
During the first two or three years after the place was laid out, a number of lots were sold, and considerable building was done, but the first effort was almost the last; for, owing to the contiguity of this village to Darlington, or to the lack of enterprise in the people, the place has grown very slowly. This appears somewhat singular, considering the natural advantages with which this locality is blessed, besides the fact that the Dubuque, Platteville & Mineral Point Rail- road starts from this point. The water-power privileges here or in the immediate vicinity are equal, if not superior, to any in the county. There is a good and available power on Bonner's Branch, which unites with the Pecatonica at this point; also one at the mouth of this stream, near where it empties, of unusual capacity ; one below the mouth of the Branch, of almost equal extent, and one above the Branch on the Pecatonica, that has already been utilized. Thus it will be seen that the people can justly take a pride in the situation, if they have not developed or applied its resources to any very appreciable degree.
The first building of any especial merit erected here was the depot, which was built in 1856. During the same year, a store was started by Danvers Neff, and, during that year or the following year, George Henderson opened a hotel here. A post office was also early estab- lished at Calamine, and various mechanics' shops soon sprung into existence, increasing the size of the place as well as adding conveniences that are indispensable to every community. Either in the village or country, the mechanic is the most necessary adjunct to improvement.
The mill, which was built here about 1874 by Joseph White, is a substantial frame struct- ure, resting on a stone foundation. It has two runs of stone, and is considered one of the best in the county. The present owner is Charles Sherman.
In 1873, the Platteville Branch (mentioned) was built. This road, in connection with the Mineral Point line, belongs to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company, and is supplied with accommodations, in connection with the Mineral Point Railroad, at one depot. There is a good warehouse here, which does a large shipping business. It was erected in 1857, by Alex Gordon, but is now controlled by Frank Wood.
At the present time, there are two stores in the place, one owned by Mr. Tiernay, and the other by Mr. Keifer. Besides a hotel, there are also a wagon-shop, a blacksmith-shop, a shoe- shop and the inevitable saloon.
It is to be hoped that at no distant date this place may take unto itself new life and expand into a size and business position commensurate with its natural advantages.
TOWN OF FAYETTE.
The town of Fayette comprises Township 3, Range 3, and three miles of Township 4, Range 3 east of the Fourth Principal Meridian. It is bounded on the north by Waldwick, Iowa Co., east by Blanchard and Argyle, south by Wiota, and west by Willow Springs. The town was originally six miles wide by nine miles long, until 1854, when one mile, or one tier of sec- tions, off the south end, was attached to Wiota. The town is now six miles wide by eight miles long, and contains forty eight sections. Two-thirds of the surface of the town is rough and bro- ken, and in many places very low. The soil of the town is principally clay, and not well adapted to grain raising. The best portion of the town for farming purposes is included in a strip two miles wide, extending from the northwest to the southeast. The soil here is a black loam, and particularly well adapted for grain-raising. In the rough and broken parts of the town, stock is the main resource, hogs especially being raised in large numbers. The town is well watered
Francis Craig ,
NEW DIGGINGS.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
by numerous natural springs, Yellow Stone Creek and its many branches. The population is chiefly American. In the eastern part, is located the Norwegian settlement, and in the north- ern part the Irish predominates. In point of intelligence, education and general qualifications, the inhabitants of Fayette may truthfully be said to be superior to many other towns in the county, and excelled by none. Fayette has graduated fifteen students from the State University at Madison ; included in the number are judges, lawyers, professors, and ministers of the Gos- pel. From the very early settlement of this town, the people have manifested a deep interest in education, having always maintained select schools, taught during vacations, by its represent- atives from the State University. For many years Prof. J. B. Parkinson, now of the State University, taught a select school in the town with the most gratifying results.
The earliest pioneer and settler in the present limits of Fayette was Thomas H. Price, a lineal descendant of the Hamptons of South Carolina, of which Wade Hampton is now prom- inent. He emigrated to this country in 1830, and located the farm now owned and occupied by Abram Campton. Here he built the first log cabin in the town, which he occupied in 1831, and cultivated fifty acres of land. In connection with his (at that time) extensive farming, he pursued mining for many years. The next permanent settlement was made by Isaac Hamil- ton, who came here from Ohio, in 1831, and located on the place now owned by Thomas Van Meter. and known as the old "Van Meter farm," where he erected a cabin and inclosed a small farm of three acres. The Black Hawk war prevented the further improvement of these incipient farms. In 1833, Mr. Price died of the cholera, and Mr. Hamilton returned to Ohio. Early in the year 1832, a Mr. Henry, familiarly known as " Dutch Henry," located in Fayette, on the old Isaac Hamilton farm, where he lived one year. He then purchased and for some years cultivated the farm near Fayetteville, now owned and occupied by Peter Parkinson, Sr.
During the summer of 1832, the brothers Peter and Nathaniel T. Parkinson made the third permanent settlement in the town of Fayette. They located Sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, Town 4, Range 3, at one time known as "Duke's Prairie." Here they built a comfortable log cabin, and kept "bachelor's hall" for five years, the nearest woman, their step-mother, being five miles distant. The boys had sixty acres of land broken in 1832, and cultivated in 1833. Since then they have been adding to and increasing their possessions, until now the two farms together consist of 500 acres of well-tilled land. In 1837, one of the brothers was married, and another dwelling, a frame building, was erected by Nathaniel T., and the farm equally di- vided. The Parkinsons, who have figured prominently in public affairs throughout the county and State, came originally from Madison County, Ill., to New Diggings, in La Fayette Co., Wis., thence to Willow Springs, in 1827, and Mineral Point in 1828, and Fayette in 1832. In the year 1833, Arthur Dawson, of Ohio, located on a part of the farm now owned by Peter Parkinson, Sr. Here he built a cabin and cultivated a garden-spot, which he shortly after sold to "Dutch" Henry, who added twenty acres more, and in 1836 sold to Peter Parkinson. John A. Brin- niger started a farm in Fayette in 1834, a part of his claim being now owned by William Rich- ards and David Jolley. Mr. Brinniger remained here until 1856, when he sold out to William Richards.
In 1835, George and Jonathan Helm located in the southeastern part of the town, on the farm which they now occupy. "Jimmy" George settled on the "Cline" farm in 1835. In 1837, Samuel and Aaron Colley located on the old "Colley farm." The year 1838 brought to the town Jacob and John Jolley, John and Edward Journey. Among the pioneers and early settlers of Fayette, now living in the town, are Peter Parkinson, George and Jonathan Helm, Peter Parkinson Jr., David Jolley and Samuel Colley.
In 1842, the first school was taught in the town, the teacher being John Trevoy. This class, which consisted of twenty-five scholars, was taught in the basement kitchen of Peter Park - inson, Sr. The school was continued three months. In the winter of 1843, a school was estab- lished at the same place, and Andrew McDowell engaged as teacher. H. Foster taught a " subscription " school during the summer of 1844 in the house of Carroll Parkinson. In 1846, the first district school was established, and H. Foster engaged as a teacher. This was a stone
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
building, and was located within the present limits of Fayetteville. The rock used in the con- struction of this schoolhouse was, in 1854, utilized for the foundation of the Methodist Church, which was built in the village that year. The basement of this church was used for the district school until the present two-story structure was erected. There are now in the town ten schoolhouses.
In 1849, the first post office in the town was established in the village of Fayette. M. W. Anderson, who kept a general store at that time, was appointed Postmaster. He has been suc- ceeded by James Trousdale, James Freeman, Mrs. Elizabeth Cornell and Dr. Abrahams, the present officer. In 1853, the northeastern part of the town was quite a mining district, and, in order to accommodate the large number of miners here at that time, and also the people gener- ally of that section, a post office was established in that year, and named Georgetown. Nathaniel T. Parkinson was appointed Postmaster, which position he held until the office was discontinued four years later.
As early as 1838, religious services was held in the town by Rev. James Simpson, of Indi- ana. The place of meeting was at William Parkinson's. The first church in the town was built in the village of Fayette in 1854. It was of the Methodist denomination. The Pastor of the new church was Rev. Mr. Close. Within the limits of the town, there are now three churches, two Methodists, and one Free-Will Baptist.
In the northeastern part of the town, located on Yellow Stone Branch, is the little village of "Yellow Stone." Here a post office was established in 1854, and Benjamin Scott, the present incumbent, was appointed Postmaster. The village now has a store, a blacksmith-shop, post office and schoolhouse.
Before the organization of the town, Fayette was known as the Prairie Precinct, and em- braced the present territory. The first polling place was at the residence of George Helm, in the southern part of the town. The town was organized in 1849, and the first election was held at the schoolhouse in the village of Fayette. Fifty votes were cast, and the following officers elected : John Armstrong, Chairman ; Royal Pierce, Clerk; William Grennehan, Treasurer. The present officers are: R. Scott, Chairman ; John Sweeney, Robert Henry, Supervisors ; William Trousdale, Clerk ; Mr. Henry, Assessor.
HON. PETER PARKINSON, JR.
Peter Parkinson, Jr., of Fayette, was born in Carter County, E. Tenn., on the 22d day of January, 1813.
He was the oldest son of Col. Daniel Morgan Parkinson, who was nephew to Gen. Daniel Morgan, of the Revolutionary war. His mother was Miss Elizabeth Hyder, who was a niece of Col. Wade Hampton, of South Carolina, the father of Gen. Wade Hampton, now United States Senator from that State.
In 1819, he removed with his father to Southern Illinois, and settled on Silver Creek, twenty-five miles east of St. Louis, which was then a frontier country, and St. Louis a small village. From there, in August, 1828, he came to Wisconsin, his father and family having come the year previous.
In 1832, he, with his brother N. T., settled in the town of Fayette, where he has ever since
lived. In this year, he and his brother broke up sixty acres of land, the first farm of any considerable size made in the town.
On this farm he and his brother lived together for five years and kept bachelor's hall, and increased the size of the farm to 400 acres in cultivation. In 1832, he served in the Black Hawk war, under Gen. Henry Dodge, and participated in the battles of the Pecatonica and the Wisconsin Heights, and assisted in burying nearly all the men who were slain upon the border. He is now the only surviving soldier or man that was in the battle of the Pecatonica.
In 1854, he was a member of the State Legislature, and was one of the four members of the House who had nerve enough to vote against the anti-Kansas and Nebraska resolutions of that body. During the same session, he introduced the notable railroad bill extending the pro-
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
visions of the mechanic's lien to laborers on railroads, the first bill of the kind ever introduced in any of the States, but now the law of nearly all.
He was appointed by President Pierce, in 1855, to the office of Lieutenant in the Third Cav- alry of the United States Army; has been County Commissioner, Chairman of the Town Board, Justice of the Peace, etc., but he never sought public position, preferring to use his influence for others, rather than himself. Still, in addition to the above, he has often been President of the Agricultural Society of the county, President of the Old Settler's Society of the county, and the President of the Pioneer Association of the State, which he instituted and organized. As a presiding officer, he was more than ordinary.
He is not a practicing lawyer, but he understands well the elementary principles of law. He is familiar with the provisions of the statutes, and argues a case before a Justice of the Peace as well as the most of the practicing attorneys, with whom (in the early days of the country) he often came in contact. As a writer, he is strong and vigorous, writes well on all subjects, and upon some topics he is one of the best writers in La Fayette County, outside of the editorial fraternity.
As a speaker, he is clear and logical, rather than eloquent, though a correspondent, in speaking of one of his Fourth of July efforts, said that was "truly eloquent."
He is a kind of man that is always equal to the occasion, and his public speeches were generally pronounced the best of their kind. His addresses before the pioneer associations of the county and State, are pronounced by competent judges as among the very best ever delivered in the State.
His prominent traits of character are firmness and decision. Sincere and ardent in his friendships, having no sympathy or patience with littleness or meanness; ready and severe in his condemnation of the evil-doer; ready and willing at all times to expose and bring to justice all this class of mankind. As an old neighbor said of him, "a good hand to do right himself, and a good hand to make others do right."
He has been prominently identified with the early history of his county, town and State, and has one of the finest recollections of the early incidents and reminiscences of the county of any man in it.
In December, 1837, Mr. Parkinson was married to Miss Lucy McCollum, being the first person married in the town of Fayette. The fruits of this marriage were two sons and one daughter, only one of whom now survives, John Daniel, who is Circuit Judge of the Twenty- fifth District of the State of Missouri, having been Judge of that district ten years. Thomas Benton was killed at Little Rock, Ark., during the war of the rebellion. The daughter died in infancy, and was not named. Mrs. Parkinson, his first wife, died April 5, 1842.
In 1847, Mr. Parkinson was again married, to Miss Cleantha S. Welch, of Madison, the sister of William Welch, Esq., now of that city. By this marriage, he had four daughters- Lucy Hellena, Mrs. Derrick, of Oil City, Penn., now deceased; Iantha Corine, now Mrs. Abbey, of Dane County; Tessie Alberta, now Mrs. Jenkins, Cheyenne, Wyoming; Mary, unmarried.
In November, 1864, he was again married, to Miss Sarah A. Moore, of Old Belmont, the fourth daughter of Col. John Moore, one of the early pioneers of this county, whose biography will be found elsewhere in this book. By this marriage, he has had five children, three of whom are living-Nancy Jane, twelve years old; Philip Alphonso, nine years old; Miss Elvira Elizabeth, five years old.
Mr. Parkinson now resides in the village of Fayette. Owns a farm near by of 575 acres. Is a Democrat of the Old Hickory Jackson style. Makes no profession of religion, but indorses the Methodist doctrine (mainly), and is a man of good morality.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
VILLAGE OF FAYETTEVILLE
is located in Section 6 of the town of Fayette, eight miles northeast of Darlington, and disputes with Yellow Stone for precedence in point of business and material interests. Though Fayette Township was among the earlier settled in the county, some years elapsed before the thought of building a village occurred, and a later day before preliminaries in that behalf were satisfactorily disposed of. While the early history of the county is far from obscure, and though the names and origin of its inhabitants have never been subjects of discussion, the exact dates and author- ship of prominent movements have never been free from doubt or separated from a mystery, the solution of which has never been entirely successful.
As near as can be ascertained, the land upon which the village was subsequently built and to-day flourishes, if not the loveliest of the plain, as was claimed for Goldsmith's " Auburn," pre- sents much in its situation and surroundings to attract, belonged originally to John Journey. He was one of the original pioneers who came to La Fayette County-a man of enterprise not less than a man of piety, prominent not more in religious than secular advancement, and a true type of the class whose energy, perseverance and character have contributed so effectively to the development and building-up of the entire country. Early in the forties, the expediency of establishing a post town was generally agitated, and met with abundant encouragement from those interested, as also from those who would be thereby benefited. The project, however, was mooted for some time before active steps were inaugurated to that end, and it was not until June, 1844, that efforts in that connection crystallized into deeds. In the month when perfect days brighten the heart of man, and nature combines to augment the felicity of that experience, Mr. Journey set apart twenty acres of his domain for village purposes, and caused the same to be surveyed and platted by Charles F. Legate, it is said, a civil engineer residing near Mineral Point. Among those residing in the vicinity, and who, like the designer of this new dispensa- tion of civilization in the wilderness, had plunged at an early day from cosmos into chaos, as it were, were Peter Parkison, Sr., Peter Parkison, Jr., William and Thomas Brinegar, N. T. Par- kison, D. H. Clement, Isaac Bailey, John McFarland, Levi Reed, Samuel M. Bashford. Aaron and Samuel Colley, the Helm family, Amos Hunnel, James Hudson, Arthur Dawson and John and Peter Etheridge. All of these had come West at an early day. Some of them had partici- pated in the Black Hawk war and witnessed the annihilation of the savage band who yielded up their lives a tribute to the white man's prowess at the battle of the Pecatonica. Few of them have survived the rush of time, but all are held in sacred memory by after generations for their valor, their virtues, and the lives of sturdy, unflinching integrity they led.
The village laid out was not followed by the immediate sale of lots or elaborate improve- ments. The men who projected and perfected this plan were farmers as a rule, to whom the idea of a home was associated with a farm and its equipment. Lots in the corporate limits of what now is Fayetteville, were sold at an average of $25 each, and, as already stated, were in excess of the demand. Settlers doubtless looked in upon the property held, and may have purchased, but there were no houses built until 1845. In that year John Roberts, who still resides in the town, where he maintains the only hotel, put up a frame tavern. It was of frame, one story high, and located on the main street, opposite Mr. Roberts' present caravansary, was known as the tavern. Here came immigrants and found shelter, travelers, adventurers, and speculators, and received a welcome. The political club, too, was a factor in the history of this house, and hither came representatives thereof, who accepted the hospitality afforded there, for which they paid with orders on the club, until the monotony of this proceeding precipitated its abandonmert. The building cost $500, and served the purposes for which it was erected for many years. The next house was also a frame and occupied the present site of Abrahams' drug store. John Eth- eridge came to the front about this time with a frame house, and James Etheridge followed in his brother's wake with commendable promptness. The former was located to the rear of the present Methodist Church, the latter beyond Roberts' tavern, where it still is and used as a barn.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
Between that date and 1850, Timothy H. Johnson built a house on the left side of Main street, near the tavern, and William McGranahan the first brick house in the village. It re- mains as complete as when first utilized for residence purposes, and is to-day occupied as the residence of Dr. Abrahams. In 1854, the schoolhouse was built, as also the Baptist Church, the latter of brick. At one time the Baptists were a powerful congregation in Fayetteville. The society numbered fully 300, and exerted an extended influence. Internal discords, dissensions and scandals, however, weakened the forces, destroyed its influence and exerted a wide-spread com- ment. To-day the church is represented by " three scattering members " in the village, while its edifice is unoccupied and rapidly going to decay.
The chief source of village pride is its school ; established before the village itself was con- cerned, it has furnished the means of education to hundreds of ambitious youth, all of whom have profited by their teaching, and many of whom are now in the enjoyment of distinguished honors throughout the East and West. Among these are the Hon. John D. Parkinson, Judge of the Circuit Court for the Twenty-fifth Judicial Circuit of Missouri ; John B. Parkinson, Professor of Mathematics in the State University at Madison ; Thomas Benton Parkison, an officer in the army, killed at Little Rock; Robert M. Bashford, a prominent lawyer, and son-in-law of ex-Gov. Taylor ; Wesley Bashford, also a lawyer, now practicing at La Crosse; the Rev. James Bashford, in charge of the church at Jamaica Plains; the Rev. Whitford Trousdale, an eminent divine at Boston, and others, who were educated in the stone schoolhouse at Fayetteville.
The village has scarcely kept pace with the times, or its rivals in other portions of the county, in many respects, however. Those who are conversant with the facts, insist that it is no larger than it was a quarter of a century ago. The buildings then are all that are to be observed to-day-many of them weather-beaten and aged in appearance, but revered as the pioneer resi- dences of first settlers, and the homesteads from which many young men went forth to contend with the world, and have done honor to their blood, and protected as the shrines to which these honored descendants return when weary with the cares of life.
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