USA > Wisconsin > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Wisconsin, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 100
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William Finnell settled on section 3, in 1856. The same year O. H. Millard came and opened a store at Ontario. His family came the follow- ing spring. He was still in trade in 1884.
Germany was the birth place of Henry Se'- bach, one of the first citizens. He was born in 1827, and came to the United States the same year. He entered a quarter section of land on section 34, where he still resides.
M. W. Steadman, who first saw the light of day in the "old Bay State," was the fourth to locate his family in the new region. He came in the spring of 1855 and entered 160 acres of land on section 3. He was born in Berkshire Co., Mass., in 1813; was married in Madison Co., N. Y., in 1844, to Maria White. They have three children-Ellen, wife of Robert Sandon; Martha, wife of William Sandon, and Lorenzo. Mr. Steadman now operates the feed mill and carding machine of Robert Sandon, in the vil- lage of Ontario.
W. W. Joseph also came in 1855, and en- tered land on section 11. He is now deceased. He was followed by John Ostrander, who set- tled on section 23, but is now living in one of the western territories.
James Horn settled here in 1855, but now resides elsewhere.
Of Millard
747
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
Willard Hart came in 1856 and entered land on section 9.
Three mechanics from New York came in the spring of 1856. George Prentice, a native of Chenango county, Nathan and Elvarus Culver, who were born in St. Lawrence county. The latter was also a millwright by trade.
Lewis Daniels accompanied M. W. Steadman and George Prentice to Whitestown, in 1855, but after remaining a short time returned to Ohio, his native State.
The year 1857 witnessed the advent of several new comers. Anthony Lamb settled on section 1, where he entered forty acres of land, and where his widow still resides. In 1862 Mr. Lamb enlisted in the United States service and departed this life in a government hospital. An Englishman and a native of the Empire State, also cast their lot in the new settlement, and at the present time none are more highly esteemed than these two pioneers-Robert San- don and O. H. Millard.
Samuel Sloggy came in 1859 and became one of the leading business men of Ontario.
ORGANIC.
This town was organized in 1856, and the first election for town officers was held at the store of George Prentice, in the village of Ontario, April 7, 1857. There were but four- teen votes polled, and when these were counted it was found that the following named persons were elected to their respective offices: Giles White, chairman, Washington McFec and William Hart, assistants; George Prentice, clerk ; Willard R. Hart, treasurer ; Washing- ton McFee, assessor ; Myron Tuttle, superin- tendent of schools. The present officers of the town are : Henry O. Connell, chairman, Michael Nevin and August Kreigle, assistants ; Addison Sloggy, clerk ; George Prentice, treas- urer ; William Fish, assessor.
RECORD OF FIRST EVENTS.
The first settler was Giles White, who located in 1853. lle built the first house in the fall of the same year.
The first mill in the town was a saw-mill, erected by Mr. White in the summer of 1865, on the Kickapoo river on section 2, and run by water power.
The first school was taught by Ellen Stead- man (now the wife of Robert Sandon ) in a double log cabin on section 2.
The first birth in the town was Eugene, son of Sidney Wait, born in December, 1853.
The first death was a Mr. Bushnell.
The first land was cleared np by Washington McFee, on the northwest quarter of sec- tion 14.
The first couple married in the town of Whitestown was Washington McFce and Mrs. William H. Tiderick, in 1857, M. W. Stead- man, a justice of the peace, officiating.
The first sermon was preached by Rev. Revels, in 1857.
The first grist mill was erected on Brush creek, in 1859, by George Prentice.
RELIGIOUS.
There are two bodies of worshipers in the town-the Norwegian Lutheran Church and the Baptist Church, the latter of which is lo- cated in the village of Ontario.
The Norwegian Lutheran Church was organ- ized in 1868, with Rev. Prince as the first pastor. The church edifice is 20x30 feet in size, and was erected in 1875 at a cost of $320. The first trustees were: Barde Evensen and Chris- tian Thompson. The present trustees are: Mathew Allison and Ole Oleson. The first pastor, Rev. Prince, was succeeded by the present one, Rev. Halverson. The congregation, at the present time, numbers about seventy souls.
The Baptist Church, of Ontario village, was organized in 1859, by the Rev. B. S. Tuttle, with the following named members: Myron W. Steadman, M. Curtis, Maria P. Steadman, Caroline White and Ellen Sandon. The congre- tion was quite small at first, and for some years met for worship at the dwelling houses of its members. In 1875 they had secured enough funds to erect a church, and it was finally com-
43
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
pleted and dedicated to the service of the Mas- ter, on Aug. 24, 1879. Rev. W. F. Phillips officiated, with Robert Sandon as clerk, and M. M. Curtis and M. W. Steadman as deacons. The building is of frame, 32x50 feet in size, and the cost of erection was about $1,200. The present membership is sixty-five, and the present officers are as follows: Elder, W. F. Phillips; clerk, O. H. Millard; treasurer, T. L. DeLap; deacons, H. J. Phelps and R. Sandon.
EDUCATIONAL.
Great progress has been made in the town in matters of education, as in those of agriculture and religion. The population has increased, and better facilities are needed. The present school population of Whitestown is 329, and they gather for instruction in six different school buildings, with an aggregate valuation of $2,000.
POSTOFFICES.
There are two postoffices in the town-one at Ontario and the other at Rockton. These will be mentioned in the history of each village.
CEMETERIES.
In 1884 there were three cemeteries in the town, the oldest of which was at the village of Ontario. Another was on section 6. This was a Norwegian burying place, and known as the Brush Creek Cemetery. The other was situated near the village of Rockton.
THE VILLAGE OF ONTARIO.
The village of Ontario was laid out and plat- ted, in 1857, by Giles White. It was named Ontario, at the request of O. H. Millard, after his native county, in the State of New York. Giles White erected the first frame house, in 1856. George Prentice opened the first store, in 1856. Giles White erected the first saw mill, in 1855. The first blacksmith was H. I. Bushnell. The first shoemaker was Sid- ney Mills. The first physician in the village was Dr. W. R. Hart, who settled in 1857 The first school building was erected in 1859. The present school is a graded one, and the build- ing was erected in 1870. The first flouring mill
was erected by George Prentice, in 1859. The first hotel was erected, in 1862, by S. D. Cottrell. The first wagon-maker was Hiram Timerman, who settled in the village in 1864. The first surgical operation in the town was performed by Giles White, which came about -in the fol- lowing laughable manner: Mrs. Hiram Bush- nell, who was one of the pioneer women, had been afflicted for some time with an in-growing toe nail, and one day she was about the mill. where Mr. White was at work, when she was complaining of her toe, and remarked to him, that she wished some one would cut her toe off. Mr. White, in fun, said "I will ent it off, if you say so." Mrs. Bushnell told him to do it; so he told her to go to his bench and get a big firmer chisel and he would do it. He had no idea she was in earnest, but she got his chisel and placed her foot on a solid block and told him to go ahead. Mr. White took one look at the toe, which had become badly swollen, and with the nerve of an expert army surgeon he took his mallet, and, with one blow, severed the toe and bound it up in good shape.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF 1884.
General stock .- Robert Sandon, Sandon & White, George Prentice and O. H. Millard.
Drugs, Groceries and Crockery .- S. Sloggy and H. J. Phelps. Mr. Sloggy settled here in 1859, and claims that his father's family is the last one of that name in existence.
Furniture .- Hiram Timerman.
Millinery .- Mrs. Ida Johnson.
Grist Mill .- Sandon & White and Nathan Culver.
Saw Mill .- Sandon & White.
Wagon Manufacturers .- Timerman Bros.
Feed Mill and Carding Machine .- M. W. Steadman.
Gunsmith .- William Fuller.
Blacksmiths .- Lower & Son. S. P. Marden and Timerman Bros.
Cooper .- Robert Butler. Shoemaking .- Robert Lee, Physician .- H. P. Miller.
749
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
REMINISCENCE OF NATIIAN CULVER. "I was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in September, 1820, and resided there until 1831. I then accompanied my parents to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where I received such an education as could be obtained in the common schools at that time. I learned the cabinet and chair-maker's trade with my father, and worked in his factory until 1844 and then removed to Platteville, Grant Co., Wis., and there rebuilt the Morchead mills. In 1846 I moved to Fayette Co., Iowa, and there commenced the erection of a mill. I re- mained about one year, but owing to poor health moved to Black River, Wis. There I worked at millwrighting and lumbering for nine years, then in 1856 I came to the new set- tlement in the town of Whitestown and con- structed a mill for Giles White and also one for Thomas Wilkerson. In 1858 I pre-empted 1 30 acres of land on section 2 and now own 100 acres of land on the same section, a residence and four aeres of land in the village of Ontario, and a flouring mill. The grist mill is supplied with one run of buhrs for wheat, and one run for feed eorn and buckwheat, and one mid- dling mill, with a capacity altogether of 100 bushels of wheat per day. In 1861 I enlisted in the 18th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infan- try ,and participated in the engagement at Pitts- burg Landing and when near Corinth, Miss, was taken prisoner by Baxter's cavalry, Sept. 1, 1862; was taken fifty miles to where Baxter's band were camped. There I found two sol- diers that had been taken the week before. One was a surgeon, the other a commissary ser- geant, both members of my regiment, and also eight prisoners that belonged to the 15th Michi- gan regiment. The next morning we were all put into one two-horse wagon-twelve of us-with one team of mules attached. We had to get out at every hill we came to, and as it was over forty miles to the railroad where we were to take the cars it took all day to get to Gen. Price's headquarters. We were put in a build-
ing about 22x80 feet. One door and two win- dows at one end and one door and one window in the other end was all the chance for any air. The enemy had a number of their own men in there, making, in fact, about as many as could stand up. The dust was over an inch deep on the floor and it would have been almost suffoca- ting but for the tobacco chewers, who were very industrious. All that could find room laid down in the dust that night with our heads to the wall and the next morning such a dirty, dusty set of men never was seen before or since. The surgeon and the commissary sergeant had been taken away during the night. The next day we were put aboard some box cars and found seats on some molasses barrels in the bot- tom of the cars. We rode for two daysand one night. They run the train pretty fast, and when the cars stopped we were ordered to march about one-half mile and were halted on a piece of low land with a heavy guard around ns; no shelter of any kind, nor anything but the ground to sleep on. We ascertained we were near Jackson, Miss. At this place we were given for our rations corn meal and fresh beef. They told us to. sift our meal and take the bran to make coffee. They said they had no coffee for us. After we had been there two days, in the night it began to rain, and we had to stand up and take it as it came. It made me think of home. We would often talk and wonder what the enemy would do with us. One said that if our men would come near the town the enemy would have us shot. We would often talk among ourselves, as we were forbidden to talk to the guard. We were there about eight days, and then received orders to be ready to march. At last we were marched to the ears, put aboard, and the train soon started. After about a two hours ride we found ourselves at Vicksburg, Miss. At this time there were about 300 pris- oners, and we were all marched a short dis- tance to the jail, and were put in the jail yard, with a high brick wall around us, and with guards on top of the wall. Our rations at this
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
place were a piece of "johnnycake," two and one-half inches wide at one end and running to a point at the other, three and three-quarters inches thick, and a piece of fried pork one and one-eighth inches square, and one quarter inch thick. These we received twice a day. We were there about four days, then were or- dered in line, and the enemy's officer took our name, weight, height, complexion and color of our hair and eyes; then we were marched ont and down to the river aboard a confederate boat, and steamed up the Mississippi river till we met a gun boat, the Tyler, and were put aboard. It was getting dark, and the gun boat started slowly up the river. The next morning about 9 o'clock we were given a piece of hard taek, which was so mouldy and musty that some would throw their share overboard, saying they would rather have nothing than to have spoiled sea bread. We received but two a day, bad as they were. After two days had passed one of the officers of the boat told us he was short of provisions, but that there was a plantation a short distance up the river. He further said that they went on shore one day to go to this house, and had quite a battle with twenty-five or thirty guerrillas. He said to us, "now all that will volunteer to go fall in line." We quickly fell in line on the boat, seventy-two of ns, and after being organized, and our saluta- tions made, went ashore and marched up to the place. We put out piekets all around the plan- tation, some distance from the house. There was not a white person on the place, but about 200 negroes, who appeared very glad to see us. We were there about three hours, and no oppo- sition was shown to us. The signal was given, and we all returned to the boat. We got fifteen sheep, twelve geese and two eart loads of green corn. We now thought we would get some- thing good to eat soon, for we were very hun- gry. When night came on our supper consisted of the same hard taek. It set us thinking, and at last we talked it over and settled on a plan. We knew where the muskets were located that
we had used, and knew they were loaded. We had an attack all planned, and were waiting for the signal when every soldier would grab a musket. We have seen hard fare, but not so hard as we did on this boat. We had now been on the boat some four days. In some way our plan must have leaked out, for when it came the right time of day for our hard taek, we got none, but still a little later they came with coffee, boiled mutton and bread, the first good "square meal" we had for a long time. We got our regular meals for two days, and then our transport boat came and took us off, and we went up the river. On our way up the guerillas fired into the boat and shot one man in the foot. This was about all the damage they done. We were taken to Cairo, III., where the most of us got furloughs and went home. They would not give a furlough for longer than thirteen days, so I joined my regiment at Corinth, Miss. I mar- ried Minerva Woods, and three children were the result of this union-Arabella, Clarence and Frank. I was divorced from my first wife, and subsequently married Louisa Doener."
POST OFFICE.
Now, in the days of railway postal cards running their ceaseless race from ocean to ocean, one ean seareely conceive of the in- convenience endured by the early pioneers in securing their mail. Prior to 1857 the set- tlers had to depend upon passers by, going to and from Madison, for their mail. The nearest postoffice was then at Readsburg, a distance of over fifty miles, then it was shortened up to. Coon Prairie (Cashton) and in 1875 it was brought from the Chicago & Northwestern railway, at Norwalk. But in 1884 the facilities were much improved. At this date mail was received at Ontario from Norwalk daily, from Viroqua twice a week and from Viola three times a week.
O. H. Millard was appointed the first post- master in 1857 and served till 1862, when he was removed by the presentation of a forged petition amounting to a complaint. Mr.
751
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
Millard was fully vindicated in this matter and the blame will ever rest where it should -on the man who thus became guilty of forging names to a petition for his removal. Mr. Millard was succeeded by George Pren- tice. T. L. De Lap is the present incumbent. In 1882 the money order office was created, and the first order was issued to William Sandon, August 7, and sent to O. I. Newton, Sparta, Wis. The first order paid was issued at Mistic Ridge, Conn., and paid to Mrs. Mary Raferty. The annual amount of business done at the Ontario office aggregates abont $8,000.
SOCIETIES.
Good Templar Lodge, No. 115, of Ontario, Wisconsin, was organized in 1883, with the following named charter members : Robert Sandon and wife, H. H. Steadman and wife, HI. J. Phelps, L. C. Steadman and wife, W. San- don and wife, Walter Chritchett, C. F. White, 11. II. Goodnough and wife and Edwin Lamb and wife. The membership has increased quite rapidly, and at present numbers fifty. The lodge is doing a good work, and deserves the support and encouragement of all worthy eit- izens.
Ontario Lodge of I. O. O. F., No. 277, was organized in 18778, with ten charter members. The lodge first occupied Sloggy's Hall and from there moved to E. W. Sandon's Hall, and in 1884 were located in O. H. Millard's Hall.
A temperance society known as the Temple of Honor was instituted at Ontario which was in operation about six years. It commenced with a membership of eight and increased to sixty-five. This society went down on account of numerous removals from the place.
MILLS.
George Prentice built a grist mill in 1859 on Brush creek. This mill soon passed into the hands of Giles White, who later sold the water power back to Mr. Prentice, and moved the ma- chinery to another locality. In 1861 Giles White built a mill which contained two run of stones. This was situated on the Kickapoo
river, and in 1884 was operated by Sandon & White.
THE VILLAGE OF ROCKTON.
The village of Rockton was laid out and platted by Hon. Van S. Bennett, in 1873, on section 34. The plat contains eight blocks or squares, and the name Rockton was meant to be in harmony with the rough and rocky surface of the country near the village.
The first store in the village was opened by Jesse Ilarness.
The first mill was a grist mill, erected in 1865 by Frank Laughton.
The first saw mill was erected, by Van S. Bennett, in 1866.
The first dwelling house was erected by Jesse Osborn, in 1866.
The first hotel was erected in 1869, by Frank Obert.
The first sermon was delivered by Rev. Alder- man, in 1870.
The first blacksmith was Samnel Perkins. He opened a shop in 1873.
The first physician was A. J. Lewis, who lo -. cated here in 1875.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF 1884.
Dry goods and general stock, Van S. Bennett; blacksmith, J. C. Winson ; flonring mill, Ben- nett & Widmer; saw mill, Bennett & White ; hotel, M. P. Chase.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
The I. O. O. F. lodge of Rockton was organ- ized in 1883, with the following named charter members:
J. White, J. Wagoner, J. C. Winsor, William J. Thomas, August Kriegel and J. C. Nixon.
The present officers are: J. W. White, N. G .; J. Wagoner, V. G .; Edward Nixon, R. S .; Arnold Widner, P. S .; William J. Thomas, treasurer.
The Masonie lodge at Rockton was organized in 1876. Its charter members were:
Van S. Bennett, Alexander Hill, Jr., J. F. Keeton, C. G. Stebbins, J. O. Parker, S. Smith, Robert Ware and David Killient.
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HISTORY 'OF VERNON COUNTY.
The first officers elected were as follows:
Alexander Hill, W. M .; C. G. Stebbins, S. W .; J. F. Keeton, J. W .; Van S. Bennett, see- retary and J. G. Parker, treasurer.
The present officers are: Alexander Hill, WV. M .; Van S. Bennett, S. W .; H. C. Millard, J. W .; W. J. Wagner, secretary and O. H. Rolfe, treasurer.
POSTOFFICE.
The postoffice in this village was established in 1871 and Jesse Harness was its first post- master. He was succeeded by the present in- cumbent, Van S. Bennett.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
This town was among the first settled in the county, consequently there are clustered in and near the town some of the early settlers of the county and their descendants. To these are here given personal mention in the order, as near as possible, in which they located:
Casper Adler, from a "little German home across the sea," came in 1854. He was born in the vil lage of Baldern, county of Narasheim, kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany, in 1834, and when nineteen years of age came to the United States. He was first employed in a brick yard at Milwaukee, Wis., and afterward on the Illinois Central Railroad and spent the year following at work in a brick yard at Ga- lena, Ill. In 1854 he came to Whitestown and entered forty acres of land on section 34, which he has since increased to sixty acres. He was married in 1863 to Catharine E. Miller, and six children were born to this union-Rudolph, Joseph, Andrew, Charles, Mary and Caroline. Mrs. Adler departed this life in 1879 and Mr. Adler was again married in 1883 to Mrs. Edith M. Seaman.
William Sandon was born in the city of Northampton, England, in February, 1836. In 1845, when nine years of age, lie emi- grated with his parents to America, and located in the town of Burke, Dane Co., Wis., where he grew to manhood, receiving a fair education. In 1855 he came to Vernon county, then known
as Bad Ax, and soon after was engaged in hauling supplies to the lumbermen on the Kickapoo river. Two years later he com- meneed working in the rake factory of M. W. Stedman, where he continued until 1861. He then enlisted in the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry as a private in company G. In March, 1862, he was appointed 2d sergeant. In November, 1862, he was promoted to orderly sergeant and in Sep- tember, 1863, he was commissioned 1st lieuten- ant. In the spring of 1864 he commanded com- pany E of his regiment. He was wounded in the battle of Dandridge, Tenn. In May, 1864, the Ist Wisconsin Cavalry took a prominent part in the battle of Rocky-face Ridge, in which Lient. Sandon was wounded and taken prisoner. He was held prisoner until March, 1865, when he was exchanged and in May was discharged. William Sandon is now, and has been for eight years past, proprietor of the Vernon House at Ontario. In 1859 he was married to Martha Stedman. They have four sons-Charles M., George T., Murt W. and Lou E. He has been chairman of the board of supervisors, supervisor and town clerk.
Mrs. William H. Tedrick and family removed here from Ohio in the autumn of 1855. William H. Tederick was born in Guernsey Co., Ohio, in 1824, and died there in 1852. Ilis wife was born in 1823, and they were married in 1844. Mrs. Tedrick was married in 1857, to Washing- ton MeFee, of Whitestown, but died at the resi- dence of her son, Truman, on section 10, in 1882. Truman Tederick was born in Guernsey Co, Ohio, in 1850, and accompanied his mother to this new country. He was married in 1882 to Didama, daughter of Madison Lower, of the village of Ontario.
Giles White, the pioneer settler of Whites- town, was a native of the good old Empire State. He was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1820. Ilis educational facilities were as good as the schools of those days afforded, and in 1937, when but seventeen years old, he made a long western journey to Medina Co., Ohio, in the
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
northern part of the Buckeye State. He there engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1853, when his health failed. At this time he was a married man with a family, and for two years he traveled constantly over several States, seek- ing that which is more precious to mortal beings than gold or precious stones-the enjoy- ment of good health. Finally, in 1855, he selected a home among the timbered lands in the northeastern part of Vernon Co., Wis. IIe was the first white settler in what is now the town of Whitestown, and located 200 acres of land on seetion 2. In the following year he erected a saw-mill for the combined benefit of himself and the incoming settlers, and in 1857 laid out and platted the village of Ontario. He was the first chairman of the town board of supervisors, and during his residence here has been actively engaged in lumbering, milling, merchandising and farming. The earnest and energetic efforts given to one and all of these occupations have not been unfruitful of good results, both for Mr. White and the entire com- munity. He has prospered slowly but surely, and of late years has been enjoying the benefits derived from his long labors of toil. In 1843, while a resident of Medina Co., Ohio, Mr. White was married to Caroline, daughter of Ezra and Martha Kelley. Mrs. White was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., in 1824. She is the mother of three children, two living-Angie, wife of Elbert W Sandon, and Cassius F. Mary E. died in 1865.
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