History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, Part 119

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1318

USA > Wisconsin > Trempealeau County > History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin > Part 119

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constructed, arranged to filter water through from the creek. The well was in working order early in the summer of 1898. Jan. 24, 1901, it was voted to extend the mains on Fifth Street, 640 feet, and on Third Street, 460 feet, with four new hydrants.

Sept. 12, 1908, a contract was awarded A. J. Bautch to extend the water mains across the lake, and up to the Catholic church, and to install the proper hydrants. On June 22, 1909, the citizens by a vote of 65 to 54 rejected the proposition to bond the village for $3,200 for a sewer system. But on March 27, 1911, in accordance with a petition previously presented, the village board ordered an election to be held on April 25, 1911, on the question of bonding the village $3,500 for waterworks and a like amount for a sewer system. On the date set both propositions were carried, the sewer vote being 95 to 37 and the water vote being 95 to 35. Jan. 23, 1911, a con- tract for the sewer system was let to F. C. Robinson & Co. for $9,200. Oct. 24, 1911, the village board purchased for $1,000 an acre of land from Jacob Jackson, on which to dig wells and erect a pumping house. Oct. 31, 1911, a contract was let for about $700 for an addition to the sewer system on Fifth Street. April 19, 1912, a contract was let for furnishing an oil engine, pumps, pump house, extension of the water mains and completion of the entire work, at $4,000, and on May 29, 1912, it was voted to purchase an oil tank for the water plant at $470. Oct. 6, 1913, an extension of the sewer system was voted, 620 feet, for $690. In October, 1915, sewer and water- works extensions were made at a cost of $3,200.

Independence is noted for its excellent street system. As early as May 24, 1886, the village purchased at a cost of $218.50 a road grader, prob- ably the first in Trempealeau County. May 31, 1886, John Elstad was appointed street commissioner at $2 for each day's work of 10 hours. It was also decided that the road grader be let to districts desiring it, the grader to be in charge of a man designated by the village board, his wages to be paid by the district using it. On Aug. 7, 1899, by a vote of 59 to 3, the citizens declared in favor of issuing bonds of $3,000, payable in two, three and four years, with interest at 5 per cent, for the purpose of building a 150-foot span steel bridge over Elk Creek at the mill. The contract was let Sept. 4, 1899, to J. G. Wagner & Co., of Milwaukee, for $5,047. May 11, 1900, a sidewalk resolution was passed, leading to the construction of many miles of cement walks. Aug. 23, 1913, the village board took the necessary action to place certain streets of the village on the county system of prospective highways, and raised $1,000 to macadam the following year the Osseo-Independence highway from the mill to the north limits of the village. The work was done in 1914, and $3,000, including county and State aid, was expended. Aug. 3, 1914, the board raised $2,000 for 1915 street improvements under the State aid plan, so that $6,000 became available. May 20, 1915, the board adopted brick laid over a sand cushion as the type of pavement for the main streets of the village. In 1915 there was con- structed on the main street of the village 7,500 square yards of asphalt bound brick pavement at a cost of $11,000, 1,900 square yards of macadam pavement costing $1,600, and curb and gutter costing $500. In 1916 there was constructed 3,500 yards of brick paving costing $5,500, and 2,000

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linear feet of curb and gutter costing $1,050. The permanent street im- provements for the two years cost the village $25,000, without creating any bonded indebtedness.

The sightly village hall at Independence has an interesting history. June 14, 1886, the board voted to purchase a building from John Sprecher for $135. May 17, 1886, it was voted to purchase lot 4, block 10, original plan, 60 by 120 feet, for $100. Later lot 5 was purchased. As the years passed, there came the necessity for a larger hall. Consequently at an election held May 5, 1902, by a vote of 79 to 18, it was decided to issue bonds of $8,000, payable in eight installments, the first in two years, and then annually thereafter, for the purpose of erecting a village hall and electric light plant. C. G. Maybury, of Winona, was secured as architect. All the original bids were found to be too high, and so the plans were revised to reduce the cost. Aug. 20, 1902, the contract was let to H. and F. Roettiger, of Fountain City, for $11,000. At a special election held May 25, 1903, by a vote of 66 to 20, the voters declared in bonding the village for $2,950, payable in six annual installments beginning in 1917, for the purpose of erecting an electric light plant. The cyclone came Oct. 3, 1905, causing considerable damage and suffering in the village, and partly demol- ishing the city hall. A temporary roof was built. July 30, 1906, a con- tract was let to C. A. Sweet for completing the hall at $2,812, and the heating contract was let to J. V. Cummings for $1,225. The same year $200 was expended for stage scenery and $135 for a piano. Aug. 20, 1909, it was voted to buy a new boiler for the electric light plant at $1,366. July 14, 1910, it was voted to buy a clock and bell for the city hall tower at $1,000 from the Seth Thomas Clock Company. March 7, 1892 the first appropriation was made for a public library. July 22, 1907, $500 was appropriated for the purpose of installing a library in the city hall. The franchise to the Arcadia Telephone Company was granted July 11, 1896, and to the Independence Farmers' Telephone Company on Feb. 4, 1901 .- (Gathered from the Records by John A. Markham, village president, and Jacob Jackson, village clerk.)

Early Burnside Records. At a meeting of the town of Burnside, held at the house of Giles Cripps, April 5, 1864, pursuant to an order issued by the County Board of Supervisors, the following were elected officers of the meeting: George E. Parsons, H. W. Rumsey and T. Moore, inspectors; G. H. Markham and Giles Cripps, clerks. The following named persons were duly elected town officers for the year 1864: G. E. Parsons, chairman, 9 votes ; T. Moore and A. C. Baker, supervisors, 9 votes; George H. Mark- ham, clerk, 9 votes ; Giles Cripps, treasurer, 9 votes ; H. D. Rumsey, assessor, 9 votes ; justices of the peace, Charles Lyne, 1 year, 9 votes ; G. Parsons, 2 years, 5 votes ; H. W. Rumsey, 2 years, 9 votes ; Giles Cripps, 1 year, 9 votes ; constables, H. D. Rumsey, 9 votes, and L. Bautch, 9 votes. The inspectors of elections were G. E. Parsons, Talcott Moore and H. W. Rumsey. The poll list consisted of A. C. Baker, sworn ; Charles Lyne, Peter Sura, Lawrence Bautch, Talcott Moore, Giles Cripps, George H. Markham, H. P. Rumsey, George E. Parsons; total, 9. Cripps was unanimously elected overseer of highways, district No. 3 of the town of Burnside. The following acts

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were passed : 1. Hogs not to be allowed free commons under a penalty of one-quarter of a dollar for each head. 2. Five dollars ($5) raised for the purpose of buying a burial ground. 3. Motion made, seconded and carried that the board of supervisors be appointed a committee to confer with Giles Cripps and H. W. Whitmore for the purchase of a burial ground. 4. Moved, seconded and carried that we hold the next town meeting at the schoolhouse. 5. Moved, seconded and carried that this meeting be ad- journed at 4 o'clock p. m., Nov. 5, 1864.

At a meeting of the board of supervisors held at the house of George H. Markham, April 9, 1864, it was determined that the town of Burnside should compose one road district to be known as road district No. 3. Dated April 9, 1864. G. E. Parsons and Talcott Moore, supervisors. At a special town meeting held at the schoolhouse, district No. 1 of the town of Burnside, on June 20, 1864, a tax of $100 was raised for the purpose of opening a road to Beef River; also a tax of $50 for the contingent expenses of said town. G. E. Parsons, chairman ; T. Moore and A. C. Baker, inspectors.

A special meeting was held June 20, 1864, at which it was determined that road district No. 3 should hereafter be known and described as road district No. 1 of the town of Burnside. By an order of the town board dated July 6, 1864, a new school district was established as district No. 2. Nov. 8 school district No. 3 was established. By an order of the town board dated Dec. 10, 1864, these two districts were consolidated as school district No. 2. By an order of the town board dated January 23, 1865, two new road districts were formed as districts No. 1 and No. 2.

At a special town meeting held Jan. 23, 1865, held at the schoolhouse in district No. 1 of the town of Burnside for the purpose of raising $660 to procure volunteers, the proposition was carried unanimously. The proposi- tion of raising a tax of $264.69 to pay the indebtedness of the town on the back call, was carried by one vote, votes standing 7 for, 6 against. In the poll list of this meeting are the names of Michael White, James Reid, J. L. Hutchins, T. Bennett and Nephi Nichols for the first time recorded; total votes, 13.

The financial statement of the town for 1864 and 1865 is: County and State tax, $225.17 ; town tax, $155 ; school tax, $270 ; total, $650.17. Amount of orders drawn, $426.65; amount of orders paid, $339.40; deficit of $87.25. Delinquent tax list, $455.31 ; due on orders, $87.25 ; leaving on hand, $360.06. Beef River road and county, $270; leaving on hand a surplus of $98.06. There was also paid out on what the record calls the Arcadia War Fund $76.43.

There is a record, June 29, of $168.67 paid the town of Arcadia in full on this fund at the town meeting April 4, 1865. There were 20 votes cast. It was voted that $100 be raised for the contingent fund ; that no money be raised for town school purposes ; and that no highway tax be raised for road purposes.

At the town meeting April 3, 1866, the following resolution was adopted: "Resolved, That the public money raised for bounty purposes by the county of Trempealeau shall be paid only to the soldiers who have been honorably discharged from the service of the United States and to the heirs

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of the soldiers who have died before receiving the county bounty of $50. Resolved, that in order that the public money raised for bounty purposes may not be paid to other than the soldiers or their heirs, the county board of supervisors should take no cognizance of any transfer or assignment of bounty, but should adhere to the rule heretofore adopted to allow the bounty only on the application of the soldier, accompanied by his certificate of honorable discharge from the United States service, and on the application of the heirs of deceased soldier upon satisfactory proof of the service and death of the soldier and the heirship of the applicants. Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be presented to each of the county supervisors."

The following territory was taken from the town of Burnside and added to the town of Lincoln, to take effect April 1, 1867: The southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter, section 25; the east half of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter, and the southeast quarter of the northeast half, section 35 and section 36 ; town 22, range 9 west.

At the election held April 7, 1868, the question of removing the county seat from the village of Galesville to the village of Trempealeau, 44 votes were cast, 10 for removal and 34 against.

May 3, 1873, a special election was held for the purpose of voting on the proposition to grant bonds to the amount of $20,000 to aid the Green Bay and Lake Pepin Railroad (now the G. B. & W). The vote stood 9 for and 93 against, with one deficient.

In 1879 the inhabitants of that part of the town that now comprises the town of Chimney Rock (township 23) agitated the splitting of the town. The question was voted on at the spring election of 1880 with the following result : In town 22, for, 38; against, 157; in town 23, for, 110; against, 5. The proposition not receiving a majority in both parts of the town, it was lost. It was again voted on in the spring of 1881 and carried .- (By James N. Hunter.)

Early Adventures. At the time of the Indian Massacre of 1862, the settlers were greatly frightened, and many left. George Hale, who was working for the Markhams at Independence, went to Fountain City with a team, and obtained a keg of powder and lead. The settlers were deter- mined to hold their ground against all comers. The Watson family from the town of Hale fled to the Markham house for mutual protection. But the Indians did not come. Some time previous to the Massacre the Indians borrowed a rifle from Giles Cripps, promising to return it a little later. Cripps made sure he had lost his gun and was greatly surprised some weeks later when the Indian returned the rifle in good condition. Cripps felt sure that the gun had been in use at Mankato in the Indian uprising.

In the early days, great difficulty was often encountered in obtaining a physician. During the second winter or early fall that the Markhams were here, Mr. Lyne, the tutor, was taken dangerously ill. George H. Markham started on foot for Black River Falls, fording the Trempealeau River and other streams. He took supper at Jim Finn's place east of Blair, and found Dr. Hutchinson, of Black River Falls, who gave him some medicine and promised to follow later. Mr. Markham then ate some food, and set out

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immediately, reaching home within 24 hours of the time he started, after having covered a distance of over 70 miles.

The Flood of 1876. The great flood of March, 1876, marks an important epoch in Trempealeau County life, for while there were no casualties, and only a few serious injuries, old pioneers date all the events of the early days as happening "before the flood" or "after the flood."

The flood was ushered in by a severe rain. Soon every river and creek was flooded. In the Trempealeau Valley, where the Green Bay had caused a number of new villages to spring up, the damage was the worst. Some of the millers in order to save their dams, opened their sluice gates, and this made the condition in the lower valley all the worse. The villages and ham- lets were flooded, the people had to go about in boats. There were a number of thrilling rescues, amusing stories are told of people taken from wood piles and box cars, and even of one adventurous cow which made its way with its calf up a pair of stairs and was found the next morning safe on a stair landing, many feet above the raging flood. The flood was followed by severe cold, some isolated families had to burn furniture and laths from their houses to keep warm. Vast tracts of water froze shortly afterward, making the valley one great ice field.

Many thrilling scenes were also enacted in the Beaver Creek Valley, especially at Galesville.

The saddest affair was at Independence. It began to rain there in the forenoon, and continued most of the day. The ground being hard frozen, the creeks were soon roaring torrents. Toward evening four boys-Lee Fay, Fred Hill and two Schmidt boys-went on the railroad bridge across Elk Creek to watch the ice break up. So intent were they in watching the ice that they did not observe that the track was covered with water, and they were unable to get off and had to cling to the truss of the bridge all night. As they had told no one where they were going, their friends were unable to locate them and when found next day they were in a pitiful condition. The physicians called concluded that immediate amputation of the feet was necessary. The operation was performed by Drs. George N. Hidershide and Frank L. Lewis, of Arcadia.

The experience of Dr. Geo. N. Hidershide in this connection throws an interesting light on the life of a physician in the early days. Word reached Arcadia of the tragedy at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and Dr. Hidershide, crossing the raging river in a skiff, secured a saddle horse from a farmer and started on his errand of mercy. At the Two-Mile Bridge he was forced to take to the hills. At every valley he had to go nearly to the head of the stream, as all were too swollen for crossing. All that terrible chilling night he toiled on his way, and it was not until 5 o'clock the next morning that he reached his destination at Independence, only nine miles from Arcadia. He made the boys as comfortable as he could, and then returned to Arcadia. Later he and Dr. Lewis performed the amputating operation.

Borst Valley. This valley comprises parts of three towns. Its two westernmost branches head in Dover, Buffalo County ; the main east branch rises near the center of Chimney Rock; the lower half of the valley lies in Burnside, where its general slope is to the southeast. In greatest length

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the valley extends about eight miles. Its waters find outlet into Elk Creek near the east line of section 11, Burnside.

The valley never bore the name of its first settler, whose family and others called it Little Elk. Afterward by many it was known as Warring Valley. Later it sometimes was designated as Borst Valley. Fifteen years after the coming of the first settler another name was added-Markham Valley, for a man who arrived in 1875. All these names were current at the same time. There never was concerted action on the part of the inhab- itants to decide upon a single designation, nor rivalry as to choice. The valley's present name appears to have been generally adopted about 1892.

William S. Cramer, a native of Connecticut, was the first settler. His wife, Deborah Ann, nee Smith, was a native of Ohio. They emigrated from Ohio to Marquette County, Wis., in 1851. A few years later they went to Green Lake County, and in 1861 moved to Butler County, Iowa. In October, 1863, they reached Borst Valley. All these migrations were made by ox team, for the Cramers were typical pioneers. They had five boys-George F., Elmer, Theodore, Charles and Willie. Mr. Cramer squatted on the north- west quarter of section 11, town 22, range 9, a half mile above the valley's mouth, and began gathering logs to build a cabin. A few of these were cut on his claim, the rest being taken wherever a suitable tree was found. The red oak bolts from which he split shakes for the roof Mr. Cramer secured in the head of a coolie above George Hale's location in Pleasant Valley, about five miles distant. In November the family occupied the cabin, moving in before the door was hung or the window fitted.

After finishing the cabin Mr. Cramer went to La Crosse to make home- stead filing and learned the land had been withdrawn from entry pending determination of definite limits of a land grant to a railway that afterward became the Omaha line. He returned home, built a shed for the oxen, gath- ered firewood sufficient for a year or more and laid in a stock of family sup- plies. Then on Jan. 13, 1864, he enlisted at La Crosse and became a soldier of the Civil War. His son George says Mr. Cramer's enlistment was cred- ited to the town of Gale, that he received $450 bounty, was assigned to Com- pany G, Thirty-second Wisconsin Infantry and sent to Tennessee. Mr. Cramer died of dysentery in the military hospital at Nashville, Sept. 3, 1864, aged about 43.

Mrs. Cramer continued to occupy the claim, making only such improve- ments as would supply the family with corn and the necessary vegetables, until the land was restored to entry in 1866, when she sent her son George, then about 18 years old, to La Crosse to make homestead entry, instructing him to file in her name. Finding this not permissible, George made entry for himself as head of the family. In 1869 they sold relinquishment of the homestead to Henry B. Fay.

Wanderlust had a firm hold on Mrs. Cramer, an impulse acquired in early life. On leaving Borst Valley she went to Bear Creek, between Mon- dovi and Durand, where she married Peter Vroman, who died six months later. Notwithstanding the legal change of name, she was known through life as Mrs. Cramer by her old acquaintances. In 1876 she moved to Kansas and in 1878 returned to Wisconsin. Three years later she emigrated to

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Oregon and took a homestead six miles west of The Dalles, where she passed a settled life for 25 years. Then selling her land, Mrs. Cramer went to Western Oregon, and in 1911 to San Diego, Cal., where she died July 3, 1912, in her 83d year.

Of the Cramer children, Willie died in the spring of 1864, aged 3 years. His was the first death in Borst Valley, and his burial in the plot that after- ward became the Cripps Cemetery was the first interment there. Theodore and Charles in the early '80s went to Oregon, where the first named died in October, 1913. Charles is near Mosier, Ore., and Elmer near Kellogg, Minn. George was the last of the family to leave Trempealeau County, going to the West in 1887. He lives near Hillsboro, Ore.

In the fall of 1863 Hamlet D. Warring, native of New York, and Lowell Fay, native of Massachusetts, came to view the valley and selected locations. Both returned the following spring, and with them came Mrs. Lydia Meigs, Warring's housekeeper ; Reuben and Harriet Meigs and James and Angeline Mosier. Reuben was Mrs. Meigs' son and Harriet and Angeline were War- ring's daughters. They came from Oxford, Marquette County. Mr. War- ring located above and adjoining the Cramer claim and Meigs directly west and adjoining Cramer's. Mosier squatted on section 3, but in the fall aban- doned the claim and returned to Marquette County. Mr. Warring brought the first horses and the first reaper to the valley. He lived there until his death, Dec. 19, 1888, aged about 75 years. Mrs. Lydia Meigs moved to Minnesota in the late '70s. Reuben Meigs died in Montana. His widow lives in North Dakota.

Lowell Fay located at a point where the valley merges into Pleasant Valley. With him were his wife and son Lea. In 1865 Mr. Fay was fol- lowed by his sons Henry B. and Aaron, both Civil War soldiers. Henry settled first in Lincoln, but in 1869 he bought the Cramer relinquishment and built the first brick house in Borst Valley. Except Aaron, the Fays moved to Minnesota in the early '80s. Aaron died at the Milwaukee soldiers' home in 1916.

Samuel Beswick bought land at the mouth of the valley from an Eastern owner in 1864. Mr. Beswick was a bachelor. He died in the early '90s and his farm passed into possession of Fred Cripps.

In the fall of 1864 came James Kelly and wife, natives of Ireland, with their sons, James, Jr., and John, and daughters, Laura and Marcella. They were from Marquette County. Mr. Kelly located on section 4, Burnside. James Kelly, Jr., married Cornelia, daughter of Talcott Moore, of Pleasant Valley. This was the first marriage of a Borst Valley resident. With the exception of James, Jr., who lives in Northern Wisconsin, the Kellys removed to Minnesota in 1869.

Daniel and Emily Borst, with four children, arrived in the valley in 1865, coming from Marquette County. Their homestead was in section 34, Chimney Rock. They went to South Dakota in 1870, thence to Washington State. Daniel died at Seattle Sept. 12, 1906. Emily died early in 1917.

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In the fall of 1865 George and Martha Meigs reached the valley, coming from Marquette County. George was Reuben Meigs' brother and Martha was H. D. Warring's daughter. George was a Civil War soldier, serving in a New York regiment. His homestead was Mosier's abandoned claim in section 3, Burnside. The first child born in the valley was his son Decatur, July 22, 1866. Mrs. Meigs died April 10, 1873. George moved to Minne- sota in 1878, and thence to Montana, where he died early in 1917 in the soldiers' home at Columbia Falls.

In 1866 William Nicols, a native of Scotland, purchased from a non- resident owner a quarter section adjoining the Cramer claim on the east and built a cabin. The next year he broke a few acres. In 1874 he married Giles Cripps' daughter Emma. Mr. Nicols died May 17, 1916, aged 80 years. Of the earliest settlers he continued longest in possession of a single tract of land-50 years.

The next settlers were Martin W. and Sarah Ann Borst, from Decorah, Iowa, who reached the valley May 12, 1867. They had six children: Virgil, ' Curtis, Henry, Harvey, Mina and Russell. Mr. Borst visited Trempealeau County in 1866. He first contemplated erection of a grist mill at the site of the present Elk Creek Mill in Pleasant Valley, and made homestead entry of the 160 acres near there that afterward became the Christ Gassow farm. Negotiation for the millsite and flowage rights failing, Mr. Borst abandoned his homestead entry and bought land in Borst Valley. These purchases comprised tracts in both Burnside and Chimney Rock. His house was built on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 3, Burnside, and in the vicinity he operated for several years the largest farm in that region. Mrs. Borst died Nov. 22, 1873. Mr. Borst left the valley in 1878, going to South Dakota. He returned to Wisconsin in 1889, and died at Mondovi, Dec. 21, 1899, in his 87th year. Of the Borst children, Curtis was killed by road agents Nov. 27, 1877, at Frozen Man's Creek, 40 miles west of old Fort Pierre, South Dakota ; Russell died at Independence Nov. 11, 1888; Virgil lives in St. Paul, Minn .; Henry, Harvey and Mina (Mrs. C. J. Ward) are residents of Mondovi.

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History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, Part 119

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1318

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1318