USA > Wisconsin > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Wisconsin, past and present : including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county [microform] > Part 37
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On September 28, 1879, William Byer came to the place from Sparta and bought the first lot sold where the Mitchell building stands at present, on the corner of Front and Broadway streets, and on this lot Mr. Byer started to ereet a small build- ing. Two or three days later Peter E. Nelson arrived on the scene and thus the Village of Cashton made its start. There was no place to board, and Mr. Nelson had his food sent up to him from Virequa for about three weeks. During the fall of 1879 nine business places and two dwelling houses were built: the business buildings were William Byer, shoeshop and boarding house ; H. D. Tate, merchandise ; W. H. H. Cash and W. Surdam, merchandise : Lee and Holderson, grain warehouse ; Coats & Com- pany and P. Sederson, grain warehouses: Lars Peterson, black- smith shop : John J. Krain, a saloon ; Newbury & Wagner. Ium- ber office and the depot of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company. Mr. Byer boarded a large number of the earliest citizens, as there were no married men in the village for some time except himself. M. Daniels, who was the depot agent, and Lars Peterson. His beds were made of two by fours and boards nailed together and filled with straw, and the board- ers were obliged to sleep three in a bed.
Early in the spring of 1880 a new start in building was made by Utziner & Dahl, who built a hotel and saloon ; Hansen & Bates, hardware store; Mr. Tony, a grocery store; and Dr. J. B. Grow- bridge, the first physician, arrived and occupied the second story
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of the Bates store as his office, and in the spring erected a small building and opened a drug store. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Frank Dule, Sr., moved from Newry and erected the building now owned by his estate and the Odd Fellows jointly, and the same fall C. & J. Cremer erected a saloon on the north corner of what is now the Heilmann property. James Lord, who was running a small store at Hazen's corner, moved to the village and went into business there. George Hargrade also built a wagon shop the same year, and Louis Perkins a blacksmith shop and a residence.
One thing that troubled the people of Cashton very much during the first years of the existence of the village was the water supply. For a long time the only water works in the village were four barrels which were set in a small building near the depot, and Mr. P. R. Mitby was engaged to haul water from the railroad tank and from Jersey's spring, and the people went to him for their water. A little later Mr. Cash made a contract with someone to drill a well to furnish water for the village, and agreed to give a public square on the west side for a park if the well was completed, but it failed to materialize and so Cashton is still without her park, although there is now a sufficient water supply.
In June, 1881, the citizens met for the purpose of devising a way to provide sufficient water for the village, and propositions were made and accepted for a well which was drilled by John Minroth, in the street, near Broadway, then a part of the town of Jefferson, permission having been given by said town to have the well drilled. A water association was organized and its offi- cers were: President, M. Daniels; vice president, J. Dahl ; sec- retary, John King; treasurer, John Konper; trustees, J. W. Wag- ner, G. V. Hargrave and P. E. Nelson. On May 31, 1892, the water association voted to turn over its property to the village of Cashton, which was incorporated June, 1892. An election having been previously held to determine the question, which result was a vote of fifty-five for and ten against it.
The village for some time after the railroad was built was called "Hazen's Corners," but by the persistent efforts of Mr. Cash, who owned and controlled a large portion of the village property and who built the railroad for the company, it was christened "Cashton."
On May. 23, 1892, the first election was held, there being sixty-two votes cast; the following officers were elected: Presi- dent, P. E. Nelson ; trustees, John Cremer, Martin Jackson, A.
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Roessler, Frank Delle, A. A. Du Mez and L. A. Lane ; clerk, E. E. Gaines; treasurer, C. Il. Campbell ; police justice, A. Heizer ; jus- tice of the peace, L. B. Perkins; marshal, C. M. Culver; con- stable, William Schrier. The village in the last ten or twelve years has made rapid strides in improvements, putting in quite a little macadam streets and enjoying water works and an elec- tric light plant.
A bank was organized at Cashton by Watson Earle, John C. Ford, L. W. Earle, Peter Nelson and some others, which con- ducted a good business as a private bank for a number of years, but in order to conform to the state law, it was incorporated in 1903; it subsequently built the handsome building in which it has its home. The bank has been well managed under the direc- tion of L. M. Earle, its cashier, and enjoys the confidence of the community, and serves a large clientage of depositors.
The population is today about 568, and the present officers of the village are: E. O. Doseh, president ; P. J. Hegge, clerk ; L. M. Earle, treasurer; J. H. Wilgrubs, assessor; John Cremer, supervisor ; Emet Peterson and H. S. Evert, justices of the peace. On Wednesday, October 5, 1904, the village had a grand jubilee celebration of a quarter of century of its existence and an elabo- rate program carried out which was much enjoyed by the thou- sands of people who came to participate. There is a high school and graded schools, conducted by a corps of competent teachers. giving fine educational facilities to the children of the village : the high school being taken advantage of by many pupils from surrounding towns.
The Congregational Church, of Cashton, is the only church in the village. It was organized September 22, 1892. Practically all the citizens subscribed liberally for the erection of a house of worship. The amount subscribed and $500.00 from the Con- gregational Church Building Society, of New York, constituted the "Building Fund." The building was soon completed and regular church work started. Mr. A. A. Du Mez has been Sun- day school superintendent from the first. Mrs. Rena (Johnson) Barth has been the faithful organist.
The pastors who have served the church are the following: Rev. John Willan, Rev. Henry S. Evert. Rev. Lewis B. Nobis. Rev. James Rowe, Rev. Christian S. Johnson, Mr. Richard G. Heddon and Rev. Henry S. Evert, the present pastor. The church has been thoroughly remodeled and recarpeted and rewired for best electric lights, thus making it a modern struc-
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ture. The parsonage and church are together valued at about $3,600 to $4,000.
KENDALL.
The history of the village of Kendall begins with the assurance of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad in 1870 and its com- pletion in 1872. It was the civilizer of this then wild region.
The man from whom the place took its name was a railroad contractor and never was a resident. He bought a considerable portion of the land on which the village is built while helping put the railroad through. In the early fifties, however, a rail- road survey was made up the valley. and this, with the promise of a grist mill at Glendale, was the inducement held out to pros- pective settlers and purchasers of land by Jason Weaver, of Ohio, who had preempted most of the available government land.
For twenty years before the railroad was built the pioneers of Clifton and Glendale townships did their milling and mer- chandising at Mauston, Wonewoc, Wilton. Sparta, New Lisbon and Elroy. The pioneers often carried in from these places on their baeks the bare necessaries of life, or when they could they used ox teams, it was not until about 1861 that horses began to be used. Because of the unusual advantages. for this rough country, presented by the location occupied by the village for yards, tracks and switching purposes, a larger tract other than the right of way was seeured by the railroad company. A four- teen stall round house was built, and this was the center of a busy crew of artisans required to run the shops and machinery used in making and repairing for the company. The village was incorporated October 8, 1894, when O. B. Wyman was circuit judge. Walter Baxter was the first president, and the first trus- tees were Andrew Felker, G. F. Lillie, Charles Torrence, John Kier. W. S. Canney and James Gammon: other officers were W. T. Cutland, elerk; G. L. Adrion, treasurer; John Rose, asses- sor; Lewis Buswell, supervisor; Thomas Pierson, marshal; Sam- uel McQueen, constable, and R. B. Dunlap, justice of the peace. Thus the rule was transferred from the town board, which met at the village of Glendale.
The first setback the village had was in 1886. when the rail- road division was moved to Baraboo; that took away a large number of families, but other things eame to fill the vacancies and Kendall still enjoyed the advantage of being a registry sta- tion and the end of the "hill division," where extra crews and
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engines were kept to double over the three tunneled hills between the village and Sparta. This railroad condition continued until the completion of the new line from Sparta to Milwaukee. The round house and coal sheds were then closed, the station force reduced and most of the remaining railroad men transferred to points on the new line, over which the bulk of the freight was now sent : this, however, has had no noticeable effect upon the business and prosperity of the village.
The second great drawback experienced by the village was on March 31, 1893, when a fire started in the brick veneer store of G. F. Lillie and wiped out the entire block of frame buildings. Plans were at once made to rebuild on a more substantial basis. Inside of a month the work of erection was begun, brick replacing the old frame structures, and by September 30th the splendid buildings now adorning the street were occupied by their own- ers and business was going along better than ever before.
COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.
Immediately after the fire Henry Senz, then a resident of Clifton, bought the corner owned by J. J. Kelley and built one of the best hotel structures in any small town of the West. The hotel is now owned and conducted by J. L. Hayward. In Oeto- ber. 1903, the Kendall State Bank was incorporated by G. R. Hill, O. R. Holmes, L. H. Felker and Charles Marquette. Since then it has twice increased its capital and in 1911 completed and occupied its own handsome brick building. The village has five general stores, two hardware stores, a strong agricultural firm, a drug and jewelry store, two grist mills, a splendid farmers' cream- ery, two blacksmiths, two physicians, furniture store, lumber yard. harness shop, two real estate dealers, two hotels, restaurant, den- tist. telephone system, photographer, barber, dray line, livery, four churches and three saloons. At this writing the village is putting in a waterworks system. Not the least important factor in the life and progress of the village is its newspaper, the Kendall Keystone. The paper was established in January. 1904, by Clar- ence S. Dodge. In July. 1905, it was purchased by Alexander R. MeCleneghan, who has since conducted it. He came to Ken- dall from the desk of a city daily newspaper, but as a youth he had learned the mechanical part of the business in a country newspaper office. and his practical experience in every branch of the work has enabled him to make the Keystone one of the brightest and most prosperous country papers in the state.
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CHURCHES OF KENDALL.
As near as can be ascertained Methodist preaching began in this vicinity as far back as 1854. "Grandpa" Moore preached in school houses for a number of years until the Rev. M. Doolittle took charge of the work. The first church building was erected soon after; later the building now in use was built and the old one sold to the Baptist denomination. The Glendale Methodist Church is connected with this charge and is supplied by the same minister. The church building there was purchased from the Episcopalians, who have no present organization. Later Wilton was also made a part of the same charge. Hoffman Corners was formerly included, but the membership was so reduced by removals that in 1911 services were discontinued there and the building sold.
The history of the Baptist Church antedates the Civil War, when, in 1858, one Elder Stevens, a pro-slavery southerner, began preaching in Glendale. The church became disrupted during the war and was not revived until 1874. In that year J. II. Bowker organized the Baptist Church of Kendall and Glendale, afterwards taking in Elroy. It was perhaps due to the efforts of John Bald- win, resident here until his death, that the organization owes its continued existence. The church building purchased from the Methodists was used until 1910, when the present modern build- ing was erected. The Baptists now have as handsome a church home as can be found in any village of the size in the state and maintain all the customary church activities.
The Catholic Church began its existence in Kendall thirty years ago, the Rev. Father Kellar being the first pastor. He was followed by Father J. H. Herman, who resided in Union Center and had charge of the churches of that place, Elroy, Kendall and Wilton. When the church was first organized in Kendall there were but few families to support it; the building of the church depended upon those few and though started immediately after the society was formed it stood for five years with only the roof and sheathing as a protection against the rigors of winter. Pre- vious to its erection the services were held in halls and private houses. The present building was completed about twenty-three years ago, but in 1911 was extended and much improved to meet the needs of a large, growing and prosperous congregation. The present pastor, the Rev. J. II. MeAteet, has had charge of the churches at Kendall and Wilton for twelve years, living at Wil-
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ton and holding service at the two places on alternate Sundays. Ile is now located at Kendall, the Wilton church being in charge of another pastor. At this writing the church here is erecting a $3.000 home for its pastor; it has become the strongest of all the churches in the village.
The German Lutheran Church has a brief history. The Ken- dall society was organized in 1909 by the Rev. Otto Engle, who came from Milwaukee, and a fine church building was at once erected and dedicated. The communion is a growing one, embracing many farmers and families adjacent to the village. The pastor resides at Norwalk and has charge of the church there, also holding service in the Kendall church every third Sunday.
SOCIETIES.
Kendall Assembly, No. 265, Equitable Fraternal Union, was instituted December 23, 1902, with seventeen charter members. The first officers were: President, Herbert Mist ; treasurer, E. R. Gallagher; secretary, Jesse W. Jones. There are now fifty-five members in good standing.
The Camp of Modern Woodmen of America was organized in August, 1888, with thirteen members. Al Wyman was the first consul and Dr. G. R. ITill the first clerk and medical examiner. The membership at one time was over 100.
Tunnel Lodge, Knights of Pythias, was organized August 21, 1907, with thirty-five charter members. G. R. Evans was the first chancellor commander. The present membership is fifty-four.
In 1910 a Lodge of Beavers was organized. This had a brief existence, some of the members connecting themselves with the order elsewhere.
The Mystic Workers organized September 12. 1903. with ten charter members. The organization is still in good condition.
WILTON.
Until the first half. of the nineteenth century the present site of the village of Wilton and vicinity was the camping ground of the Kickapoo Indians who roamed unmolested over this territory hunting the deer and the bear and waging war on their neigh- bors, the Mascotines and the Miamis. From them comes the name of the river which rises in a southern part of the county in the fertile valley in the vicinity of Ontario.
But civilization was bound to make its way and in 1842 Esau Johnson. of Prairie du Chien, as has already been described in another part of this work, loaded his goods on a raft and with
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his family came up the Wisconsin and Kickapoo rivers across the rich farming land that had just been surveyed near the source of the Kickapoo river; he landed in the town of Sheldon at a point somewhere about half way between what is now Ontario and Wilton : he was the first settler near Wilton, but was soon fol- lowed by others who came in with ox teams from their old homes to the new; sometimes a family came alone and others came in groups of two or three families. It was a wild country, far from being civilized and it is related that one settler upon seeing the situation said: "Surely God made this country for the Indians and we ought to let them have it."
The first settlers took up land paying ten shillings an acre for it and as soon as possible built a little log cabin, and their lives for the first few years was not of the most pleasant. Money was scarce and as is the custom in all new settlements the inhabitants borrowed tea, flour, sugar and cooking utensils of each other in order to keep going.
Sparta was the nearest railroad town or shipping point of any consequence and the road to it was over rough ground filled with stumps and holes, and there flour could be purchased for $5 per hundred. One neighbor would make a trip, doing errands for the whole community and then jolt home again. Mail was brought from Sparta in saddle bags once a week, the carrier stopping to leave it at each door.
Wages were low and few could afford to hire men and many a man was glad to get work at 75 cents a day. The woods abounded in game, however, and it was not hard to provide fresh meat for the family table. After the farms were fairly started better buildings were erected upon them, and in 1855 Mr. Rhodes built a saw mill in the eastern part of what in time became the village of Wilton.
This, the first industry within the limits of the village, was soon followed by others. In 1856 Mr. Kinmore started a store in his dwelling house, now known as the Stedman place. Roads were improved and a stage line was established from Sparta onee a week, bringing mail and passengers. A postoffice was estab- lished in Mr. Hillyer's house and this gentleman also started a blacksmith shop. Mr. Miller and Mr. Grey erected a grist mill where Vogel's mill now stands and soon afterwards Mr. Chapman built a little store near the mill. A Mr. Endrey built what was called Hickory Hall, being the first publie hall in the village, the lower part of which was used as a store and the hall above for church services and social gatherings.
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The first school honse was built of logs and was situated on the eastern part of what is called Gooseville, on the south side of the road. In 1870 when the railroad question was agitated Wil- ton consisted of about fifteen buildings in all-a school house, two stores, one blacksmith shop and a grist mill, the saw mill having been abandoned some time before. As soon as the Northwestern road was started, people saw business openings and more build- . ings were erected ; two stores were built on the corner where the opera house now stands ; Moll & O'Brien built the red front store. Mr. Lyons built a store and Mr. Rice a blacksmith shop, which. although remodeled, still stands.
Mr. Walker built the first drug store. and a new school house was erected, but was soon afterwards destroyed by fire. but replaced by another and this is still standing. but not used. When the railroad was completed in 1872 it became a more desirable place for business and began to attract trade in a larger degree in the surrounding country. Dr. C. E. Phillips, who for so many years practiced his profession in the village, was the first physi- cian to locate here and came in 1862.
A Roman Catholic Church was built in 1888, which afterwards became the property of the United Brethren : and in 1888 a Ger- man Lutheran Church and in 1896 a Methodist Episcopal Church. were erected. The village now has three hotel buildings, an opera house, a town hall and the mercantile interest that goes with the villages of its size.
Perhaps one of the best evidences of the prosperity of this village is the high school which was built in 1902-03 and is equipped in a manner almost equal to those of larger cities. The village has an excellent water works system and its people are progressive in other directions, keeping abreast of the times in municipal improvements.
In 1899 the Wilton State Bank was established by S. W. Brown, president and owner, with a capital of $5,000; in 1903 it was incorporated under the state law as the Wilton State Bank. with a capital of $10,000. As its business increased it required more capital and on February 1, 1912, the capital stock was increased to $15.000.
Its present officers are : President, S. W. Brown: vice presi- dent, Charles Todd ; cashier. Charles Weingarten.
After the incorporation of the village its first election was held on December 23. 1890. William H. Ferris was elected presi- dent, A. S. Newhouse, clerk, and as trustees. H. W. Vogel, John Riee, C. Wurster, S. M. Titus, M. Cremer. T. S. Martin.
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St. John the Baptist's Church, Wilton, Wis. "The first Catholic family known to have lived in the territory now included in the parish of Wilton, was that of Anton Tomah, who located about the year 1852, some seven miles north of the present vil- lage of Wilton. There were no churches in this locality at that time, but mass was said once a month in a little town hall at Tomah, then a small village of fifty inhabitants, by Father Noyes, at that time resident priest at Mauston. About a year later a few Catholic families came and settled in the neighborhood of Mr. Tomah. Thus the Catholic settlement increased from year to year until 1857, when Mr. Frank Barry took up a tract of land about four miles south of Wilton. Patrick O'Gara, James Cook, Patrick Welch and others followed, who were obliged to attend services at Tomah, some eighteen miles distant, but at that time was the nearest point visited by any priest. A few years later James Nolan, James Kerrigan, John Kerrigan and others formed a settlement in the vicinity of Ridgeville and soon after began to talk seriously of building a church.
In 1865 a church was erected, the same being attended by Father Quigley, then a resident priest at Mauston. Some few years later the congregation of Tomah and Ridgeville were both placed in charge of Father Durward, who took up his residence at the former place. During this period, Catholics had been set- tling rapidly around Wilton and their number so far increased that they also demanded a church and pastor. Father Durward, as well as the bishop, demurred on the grounds that the set- tlement was not of sufficient strength to justify the erection of a church or to be able to properly care for a resident pastor ; how- ever, there being some thirty families in all in 1875, a mission was formed and a small church built, which was attended by Father Durward for eight years. At the end of that time Father Durward was succeeded by Father Metzler, who objected so strongly to assuming the charge that it was transferred to the Rev. Father Keller, of Union Centre, by whom it was attended as a mission for two years. By this time the congregation had increased to some sixty families.
At the termination of Father Keller's pastorate the congre- gation of Union Centre, with the adjoining mission, were placed in charge of Father Herman, who did considerable in the way of improvements to the church building at Wilton. These improvements were hardly completed when the center portion of the building was struck by lightning and so badly injured that the necessary repairs almost equalled in extent the cost of an
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entirely new structure. This work was, however, accomplished and in addition a new structure was added to the main building. In 1892, the mission at Wilton was placed in charge of Father Campbell. of Elroy, but for some two years prior to acquiring its own resident pastor, was attended by the Rev. Father Burns, who had been appointed assistant to Father Campbell. In July, 1895. the Rev. J. D. Mauning was appointed to the pastorate at Wilton. Upon arriving he found the church and its surround- ings in a rather diplapidated condition, but through his persistent and energetic efforts the property was soon brought into a more satisfactory condition : buildings repaired and a parsonage built, all of which was completed without leaving any outstanding debts. In August. 1896. the church was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, but within a few days Father Mauning had a new building under way, mass in the meantime being cele- brated in the school house. The corner stone of the church was laid on October 7. 1896, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Schwebach, who blessed the building January 14, 1897.
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