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 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111
He was arrested on a warrant, for violating the person of Diana Blake, in October last, at
17
280
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
Fulton, Rock Co., Wis., where Mr. Brown was then keeping tavern. Mr. Brown's wife having been dead some three or four years, he had em- ployed Miss Blake as his cook, and another lady had charge of the other departments, who happened to be absent for a night, when the foul ontrage was committed. Miss Blake hav- ing been dangerously ill the next day, Mr. Brown carried her home to Pleasant Springs, Dane county, where she expired in a few hours, mor- tification having taken place, but not until she had given evidence under oath before the pro- per authority respecting Brown's barbarity.
Miss Blake was a beautiful young lady of only sixteen years, and has thus heen brutally mur- dered by a miserable apology for a human being.
We are informed that Mr. Brown had previ- ously committed a similar crime and when an officer undertook to arrest, him, shot him in the arm. Mr. Brown has kept concealed a portion of the time since the last crime was committed. Justice though slow is sure, and the stone cut- ting artists of Waupun will no doubt ere long receive one more accession to their numbers. Mr. Brown at first refused the wrist ornaments but finally made a virtue of necessity and they were put on.
Officer Delarne is entitled to the thanks of the community for his perseverance in this case, in bringing an old and daring offender to justice. May he always have as good luck in furnishing re- cruits for the stone brigade at Waupun."
In the second issue of the paper, June 14, 1856, an account is given of the success in sell- ing to the highest bidder the first copy printed of the Times. "The sale commenced" says the editor, "at half past 1 o'clock, on Tuesday last, and lasted about one hour, R. C. Bierce, Esq., acting as auctioneer. Mr. E. S. Fowler, of the firm of Keeler, Fowler & Co., was the suc- cessful man, his bid being $21. It is a very respectable sum, but not more than one-fifth of what it would have brought had the sale taken place on the last day of May, as first appointed; so say the knowing ones.
"Every printer who has started a newspaper," continues the editor "in a locality far removed from the great thoroughfares, and from the vi- cinity of machine shops, can readily appreciate the difficulties we encountered in attempting to get into operation at an appointed time."
The reader, doubtless, has noticed that in the extracts given from the Western Times. the two words forming the county are consolida- ted into one, thus, Badax. Before the issue of the third number of the paper, the editor was taken to task for this by the Richland county Observer. "The disfiguration," says the Obserrer "of the words Bad Ax by the compound, Badax, which strangers are apt to read Ba-dax is a sorry formation, and should be restored to the original." But Mr. Somerby did not see it in that light, and the "disfiguration," was con- tinned in the Western Times.
No marriage notices appeared in the first issue of the paper; but, in the second, are the following:
"In this town, Viroqua, on Wednesday the 4th inst., by Rev. A. D. Low, Mr. Dennis Pow- ers, of De Soto, to Miss Clara E. Hanchett, of this town. The usual fee of cake received. May they enjoy a continual honey moon.
"In this town, June 8, by Rev. Mr. Parkin- son, Mr. Augustus Ray to Miss Sarah Good."
On the 26th of the next month, July, a citi- zen of "Badax" county, comes to the relief in the Western Times, of suffering humanity, ac- tual and prospective, in this matter:
"LATE DISCOVERY .- To those that have chil- dren or ever expect to have. If you ever should have a child get anything in his or her nose, such as a bean, pea, gooseberry or anything of of the kind, just clap your mouth to theirs, and blow as hard as you can. The thing, whatever it may be, will fly out. Experience is the best teacher. IRA T. HUNTER."
At the end of one year the "times" were get- ting so hard with the editor of the Times, that
281
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
he assayed to bring his derelect subscribers to "time" in this "time-ly" manner:
THE WESTERN TIMES
Will be discontinued after this number to all who have not paid in advance, or who have not paid for the past year, unless it is satisfac- torily known to us, that it is their intention to renew their subscription immediately. "Times" are hard and we must have pay for the Times, or we cannot buy paper to print the Times ou, and the Times' readers will get no Times. We shall give our readers a page more of reading matter when long evenings come again.
We have printed fifty-two numbers of the Times, while dozens of newspaper establish- ments have broke down under the pressure of hard "times," knocking at the door. With less patronage than any, we have lived through the year, and yet, expect to continue on, combatting error, and inspiring with more life and energy the progressive tendencies of the county, than all other institutions combined. We are duly thankful for past patronage and hope to merit its continuance.
Mr. Somerby continued the publication of the Western Times, until Jan. 6, 1858, when its name was changed to the North Western Times. R. C. Bierce was co-editor with Mr. Somerby, from Dec. 14, 1859, to Sept. 18, 1861; James Osgood, of De Soto, having for about a year previous, also been associate editor. On the 7th of May, 1862, the North Western Times appeared for the first time, as being printed in Vernon, instead of Badax county. The paper was con- tinned until the 28th of June, 1865, when the office was wrecked by the terrible tornado of that year. A portion of the material was saved which Mr. Somerby disposed of, to Daniel B. Priest, J. M. Rusk and William Nelson, who issned, Aug. 23, 1865, the first number of the Vernon County Censor, as a continuation of the Times. The first issue was printed as volume 10, number 34. In their bow to the public, the three gentlemen just mentioned, have this to say:
The undersigned having purchased the old Northwestern Times office, propose, with the support of the citizens of Vernon county, to publish the Vernon County Censor. The Censor will be a continuation of the Times, and will be in politics trne to the constitution, the Union and the upholding of the National authority against all rebellion or uprising, whether State or individual. We expect to act with the re- publican or union party on all political ques- tions of the day. And while we so act, we shall feel free to condemn any course adopted by that party which we deem to be wrong ; believ- ing that it is every man's privilege to hold his own opinions and advocate them to the best of his ability, being responsible for the same.
The two senior members of the firm are well known to the people of this county, and all that it will be necessary for them to say is that they expect to advocate the principles they have heretofore been known to profess. The junior is a stranger among you, but he expects to show himself worthy of your confidence.
Financially, we believe the Censor to be in a 'air condition. The subscription list is not as large as it should be, but what there is of it is profitable. The legal advertising is good, and will probably increase. But the local adver- tising in Viroqua and the smaller towus of the county is not what it should be. The job work is not large in amount. But, taking the business altogether, it will probably not un- favorably compare with any country paper in the State. And our friends should recollect that the better support they give us, the better paper we can afford to give them.
The military interest is pretty well repre- sented in the firm. The senior member has seen service for his country, and the junior has served some also, and (though much against his will) has also drawn rations from the 'Con- federacy.' But the least said about the said rations the better. Suffice it to say that in all the eighteen months stay among the chivalrous and high-spirited sonthrons, he did not witness
282
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
any over-feeding. But that is pretty well understood in the north now, and it is not necessary to give a new recital of what was seen there.
In reference to dealings with patrons, it will be our wish generally to do business, as far as possible, on a cash basis. This we deem to be the best for all concerned, and it will certainly be the best for us. The great bane of the newspaper business in the west is credit-long credit, which often runs to repudiation.
It will be understood that Messrs. Priest and Nelson will have the editorial management of the Censor. It will be their aim to give the people of the county a readable paper and one which shall be 'up to time' on all current news and questions of the day. With our editorial brethren we hope to keep on terms of amity, and if we shall ever have any differences with any of them, we shall endeavor to discuss all points in a courteous and friendly manner.
The paper we get out to-day must not be taken as a specimen. There are several neces- sary changes to make in the advertising depart- ment. We intend to take out of the paper all job type, although, of course, any advertiser may occupy all the space he pays for, but we shall not use flaming type. There are also several foreign advertisements to come out in a few weeks, which we shall replace with local paying advertising, or not at all.
When we get into our new room we shall have better facilities for doing work, and then we hope to receive calls from our patrons.
J. M. RUSK, D. B. PRIEST, WILLIAM NELSON.
What became of Mr. Somerby, who first established the Times, which, as we have stated, afterward became the Censor, is seen by an article published in the last named paper, Nov. 20, 1867, entitled :
ABOUT TO MOVE.
Mr. J. A. Somerby, an old resident of this place [Viroqua] is selling out, preparatory, we
understand, to moving to Faribault, Minn. Mr. Somerby is the man who first begun the publication of a newspaper in this county, under the title of the "Western Times." "That was in June, 1856. The paper was published continuously, part of the time under the name of the "Northwestern Times," until the middle of August, 1865, when Mr. Somerby sold the establishment, and the new proprietors changed the name to that which this paper now bears. In the early days the struggle was hard to make a paper live in such a sparsely settled county as this one was, and Mr. Somerby has seen many disheartening days ; but, ever cheerful and hopeful, he pressed on, part of the time under the discouragement of having to divide a business not more than enough for one paper, with a rival.
It is a feast to get hold of the old numbers of the "Times" published in the first years, and read of the old actions done, the old prophesies, fulfilled and unfulfilled, and the way the people felt on various subjects. In fact, it seems little less than mediaval reading, for the war has placed a great gulf between those times and now, which in ordinary times, it would take generations to make. The war settled so many questions ; it made every one feel so differently on National issues ; and it has made us all so fervently realize the benefits of our institu- tions, that it is no wonder all seems changed.
"There is no time like the old time; " and the departure of an old pioneer like Mr. Som- erby recalls vividly the times past and gone. Let their memory be kindly cherished, for we are not likely soon to see warmer hearts, more ready sympathy, or heartier succor to the needy, than were common in those days.
Mr. Somerby goes from among us with the respect and kindly remembrance of his old friends. May his lot be prosperous and pleas- ant in his new home.
The Censor was continued under the same management which started it until Nov. 29
283
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
1865, when J. M. Rusk, on his election to the office of bank comptroller of Wisconsin, retired from the firm. The remaining proprie- tors upon his retirement published, in their paper, the following:
A CHANGE.
With this number of the Censor, Col. J. M. Rusk retires from his position as partner in the proprietorship of this office. The colonel hav- ing been elected to the office of bank comp- troller of the State at the late election, this change is deemed expedient. The business of the office will be conducted as heretofore, and our patrons will not experience any change in our mutual transactions.
In parting with Col. Rusk, we feel it just to say that our relations with him have been of the most harmonious character. No differences or misunderstandings have occurred in our short period of doing business together, and in all probability never would have occurred if the time had been lengthened. He goes to a seene of wider usefulness and responsibility to which he has been chosen, and the people may well consider that they have elected an upright, honorable man to fill the office of bank comp- troller for the next two years. Where Col. Rusk is best known he is best liked, and this was shown in the vote in different sections of the State. In towns where the members of his old regiment reside, he ran in nearly every case ahead of the remainder of the State ticket. This is a showing of which he may well be proud. lle will be faithful to the trust com- mitted to his charge, and will do the State and himself honor in his new position. * * *
DANIEL B. PRIEST. WILLIAM NELSON.
The Censor was edited and published from this time until May, 1869, by Messrs. Priest and Nelson, when the former, with the issue of the 12th of that month, withdrew from the paper, leaving the latter as sole editor and proprietor.
In leaving the paper, Mr. Priest had the follow- ing to say concerning the
CHANGE OF OWNERSIIIP.
It is customary when an editor retires from a paper, for him to say words of farewell to his patrons. As I now retire from the Censor, I may be indulged while following the usnal custom:
In August, 1865, Messrs. J. M. Rusk, William Nelson and myself bought the Times office from J. A. Somerby. At once changing the name of the paper to the one it now bears, we began the building up of an establishment which should be a credit to the county, and aimed at the issuing of a paper which should reflect no shame upon its patrons. To this end no labor has been spared, and with what success that labor has been crowned, we leave others to say. In our work, we have been cheered by the faithful and steady support of a large circle of warm friends, who have taken advantage of every occasion to help us, both with business and encouragement. To such we can only say, that their kindnesses have been received with with heartfelt thankfulness.
On his election to the office of bank comp- troller, in November, 1865, Gen. J. M. Rusk retired from the Censor, and from that time until the present there has been no change in proprietorship. For more than three years and a half this paper has been published prompt'y on time, no mishap of any kind having delayed our issue beyond the Wednesday morning mails.
I also return thanks to my editorial friends in the State who have uniformly treated me with the greatest courtesy. In bidding them farewell from the Censor, it is only to resume my connection with them in a neighboring county. May our relations ever be as pleasant as they have been in the past.
In conclusion, I take pleasure in recommending to the friends and patrons of the Censor, my successor and former partner, Mr. William Nel- Ison, to whom they are mainly indebted for
ยท
284
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
whatever they have found in the Censor, worthy of approval, as one whom I have tried and know is in every way worthy of their confidence and support; and with the earnest hope that the liberal patronage, confidence and support ex- tended to this paper during the time I have been connected with it may be continued, and with best wishes for old friends, we bid them good-by. D. B. PRIEST.
In parting from Mr. Priest in a business capacity, it is with feelings of the warmest friendship, cemented by years of close business relationship. Our intercourse has always been marked by the utmost good will on either side. While losing his personal weight in the Cen- sor, to which he has brought great support, I am glad to be able to say, that he does not retire from the editorial profession. May his days be prosperous ones.
To the patrons and friends of the Censor, I will say that, in future, this paper shall be equal to what it has been in the past. No change will be observed in its management. It will strive to be fully up to all the occurrences of the day, and to give a reasonable amount of reading every week, hoping for a continnance of the approval and support of my friends, I subscribe myself, WILLIAM NELSON.
On the 26th of May, 1869, the Censor published the following:
THE HON. D. B. PRIEST.
This gentleman has moved to Sparta, where he will keep his office of collector of internal revenue for this congressional district. He has also bought the Sparta Eagle office; and, assisted by Mr. Malcom Graham, son of Judge Graham, of Viroqua, he proposes to enlarge that paper to a nine column journal, and make other material improvements in it. From what we know of the new conductors, we anticipate a great im- provement in the Eagle in every respect. The first number of the paper under its new auspi- cies will appear this week.
In the departure of Mr. Priest, this county suffers a loss which will not easily be repaired.
He was one of the foremost men of the county in all things, and played his part well in every capacity which he undertook to fill. Of a friendly, open disposition, courteous manners, unselfish character, genial humor, and fine attainments, his like is not often met with. He has the warmest wishes of hundreds of friends in this county for his abundant prosperty.
Says the Censor of Sept. 7, 1870: "With feel- ings of sadness, we learn just as we go to press, of the death of Hon. D. B. Priest, of Sparta."
In 1875 Mr. Nelson admitted to a partnership Henry Casson, Jr., who had managed the paper since July, 1873, Mr. Nelson having assumed charge of the La Crosse Republican-Leader in- March of that year. In January, 1877, his in- terest was purchased by Mr. Casson, and he became its editor and owner. The first issue of the paper under the management was on Jan. 17, 1877-volume 22, No. 3. The salu- tory of Mr. Casson was as follows:
TO THE PATRONS OF THE CENSOR.
On the Ilth inst., the undersigned purchased of Hon. William Nelson the Censor office; and will continue the publication of the paper as heretofore. For the past three years the paper has been under our management, Mr. Nelson having been occupied in another field of labor. The past course of the paper may therefore be taken as a precursor of the future. So long as the republican party shall continue to make a history of freedom and justice to all men with- out respect to race or color, we shall advocate its cause and candidates with what little abili- ty we may possess. When the grand old party. ceases to do this, it will cease longer to exist. Onr faith in the principles we have so long advocated is to-day stronger than ever, and we firmly believe that National prosperity and an undivided Republie depend upon the continued ascendancy of the republican party. Believing thus, we shall earnestly advocate its principles. "We shall not at this time indulge in any promises of great things we propose to do, but simply say that it is our desire to make the
285
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
Censor a local paper; and to this end, we invite correspondence from every locality in the county.
"With 'malace toward none and charity for all,' and asking the kind indulgence of the pub- lic for any lack of ability, we subscribe ourself, The public's obedient servant, HENRY CASSON, JR."
Henry Casson, Jr., was born in Brownsville, Fayette Co., Penn., Dec. 13, 1843. He removed with his parents to Hennepin, Ill., in 1847, where he resided until 1860, removing in that year to Peoria. In 1856 he was ap- prenticed to the printing business in the office of the Hennepin Tribune. In 1865 he became one of the publishers of the Henry County Chronicle, at Cambridge, Ill., where he
remained until 1867, when he received an appointment in the New Orleans Custom House, through the influence of the late Hon. Ebon Clark Ingersoll. He resigned in July, 1868, and purchased the Citi- zen office at Chillicothe, Ill ., which he sold in 1872, and accepted a position on the Peoria Daily Review, where he continued until 1873, coming to Viroqua in July of that year, to take charge of the Vernon County Censor. In 1880, he was appointed by Supervisor Lottridge as clerk of the census district. He has always been a republican since he became of voting age, and has always taken an active interest in politics. He was married to Ethel Haugh- ton, daughter of Rev. William Haughton, Nov. 7, 1874, and has one child, a son. As a news- paper writer, Mr. Casson holds a ready pen. Ilis descriptive powers are much above the average. Who will say that the following picture is not true to life:
THE TRAMP.
man apparently about sixty years of age, opened the door and yelled:
"With the seat of my breeches all ragged and tore, Ilere's Old G. W. Matchett from Baltimore!"
"Gimme a chaw of terbacker. Who's going to give me a quarter to help him over the bridge?" By which he meant that he wanted the wherewithal to buy a drink of whisky. Matchett staid around the town about a week, wrote articles for all who were kind enough to give him an occasional dime; and, finally, becoming restless, skipped out for St. Louis, a distance of 400 miles, on foot. Hle is constantly on the go-never riding, for the reason, as he says, that it hurts his corns to ride so fast! He has visited nearly every town in the United States on foot, and once took a trip to South America, which came near ending him, on account of his having to be in sight of water so long. Matchett once went into a fashionable restaurant in Savannah, Ga., and seating himself at one of the tables, ordered a sumptuous meal-about a dollar and seventy- five cents worth. Ile was terribly hungry, having been without food for several days, and he didn't have a cent. He finished his meal, and was walking out, when the proprietor, who judged from his personal appearance that he wasn't the kind of a chap to be eating high-priced meals, collared him and asked him if he wasn't going to pay his bill. "My initials are G. W., and I can't tell a lie," said Matchett. "I haven't got a cent." This angered the restau- rant man, and he jerked a revolver from behind the counter and pointed it at Matchett. "Pay me for my meal!" shouted the boni- facc. "What you got there?" coolly asked Matchett. "I've got a revolver, and if you don't pay me I'll use it!" "Oh, a revolver, eh ?- that's all. I was afraid it was a stomach pump!" Matchett got off with a kick. Matchett must be eighty years of age, but he still sticks to the "turf," as he calls it, and gets away with as much poor whisky as ever. He
Eighteen years ago, while serving his appren- ticeship to the printing business, the writer of this was a little startled by hearing a terrific knock on the office door, made with a hickory walking-stick, and immediately afterwards, a | is a splendid scholar, an able writer, and a man
286
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
who is well qualified to fill a high position; and yet he will, ere long, fill a pauper's grave, "nn- wept, unhonored and unsung." It is true he will be missed, for the old man has warm friends among the craft who admire his talents, and are always glad to see him.
VIROQUA EXPOSITOR.
On the 28th of August, 1858, the Viroqua Expositor issued its first number, O. C. Smith, Jesse Smith and Justus Smith, proprietors-O. C. Smith, editor. The following was the editor's
SALUTATORY.
In appearing before the public as a journal- ist, we have but one apology to make, and that one is very general. When reason errs, reason corrects the error ; so, should we be so unfor- tunate as to err in one point, we are willing, and would be any time, happy to make correc- tion. But should we err in many respects, as others laboring in like capacity do, we are still more ready to rectify errors. And while we keep a steady eye upon the truth, even the great truths of the spirit of reform that is at present agitating the world, we hope every sentiment written by us may be candidly investigated be- fore it be utterly denounced ; that it be im- partially weighed before the sca'e he turned against us.
"The great social, political and religious re- forms have stirred the turbid waters of Na- tional corruption, whose vapors have poisoned the minds of the people, and are rushing with fury upon the temples of the despoilers of our happiness, liberties, and institutions ; con- suming the bigotry of Churches, the deceitful- ness of statesmen, and is at present presenting to us the government-rites and ceremonies of the different branches of the Church in a wider and more equitable form.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.