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 70
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ORGANIC.
The town of Franklin was the last territory in the county to which the name "Bad Ax" was applied. It was changed from Bad Ax to "Loch Haven," by the board of supervisors, April 8, 1857. The following year, 1858, it was given the name of Franklin.
No record having been preserved, nothing certain can be determined upon as to who the first officers were. Those of 1883 were : Chris Ellefson (chairman), Arne Larson, William Cla- water, supervisors ; Knute Peterson, treasurer; W. W. Johnson, assessor ; Forest F. W. Alex- ander, clerk ; O. S. Henry and Sidney Higgins, justices of the peace.
Forest F. W. Alexander is the present town clerk of the town of Franklin. He resides on sec- tion 18, town 12, range 4 west. Ile has fifty acres of land, which he purchased of Harriet Dulap. He was born in Broome Co., N. Y., and
came to Wisconsin with his father, who settled at Muscoda, Grant county. The family came to Vernon county in 1869 and settled at Liberty Pole. The father is now deceased. Forest has been generally engaged in clerking. He mar- ried Mary Crume, whose father was an early settler of the town of Viroqua. They have three children-Florence M., Grace and Rue E. SCHOOLS.
The first school house in this town was made of logs, and located near New Brookville on section 17, town 12, range 4. In it was taught the first school in the town of Franklin; Lorenzo Pierce was the first teacher.
In 1883 the town was divided into ten school districts, commencing to number at "three."
The first school building in district No. 3, which was built at an early day, served until 1877, when a new frame structure was built. From the date of the erection of this building. the interest in school matters has increased.
District No. 4 embraces the territory around the village of Brookville. A new building su- perceded the old pioneer house, in 1878, which has accommodation for about fifty pupils.
In district No. 5 the school house is situated in a beautiful grove, and is finely furnished with the most improved style of seats etc. The scholars are mostly Norwegian, who in winter time, furnish a large attendance and manifest much interest.
District No. 6 embraces what is known as Liberty Pole. Here a commodious school build- ing has been erected, which is well supplied with the best of seats and apparatus, including maps and charts. This school is always well attended and successfully conducted.
District No. 7 is chiefly made up of Germans and Norwegians. The school district is pro- vided with a good building, enclosed by a sub- stantial fence, and being near a fine grove is a very attractive place.
District No. 8, at that date, had an inferior building, in an out of the way place. However
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the school usually has a good attendance. The scholars are chiefly Irish and Norwegians.
District No. 9 is in the heart of the heaviest Norwegian settlement. The school house here, is small but in good repair and well furnished. The winter school is usually well attended.
In district No. 10 the school building is lo- cated on low flat ground, near a little creek. Here the school interests have been greatly neglected.
In district No. 11 the building is small and poorly furnished. The location is a beautiful elevation. The attendance is small in the sum- mer time. The school population are chiefly Norwegians, with a few Irish.
In distriet No. 12 there is a very good school house, which however, is poorly located on low ground. This school has a good average at- tendance.
RELIGIOUS.
The earliest religious services within Frank- Jin town were held at private houses before a school house or church had been erected or even contemplated. The first services were con- ducted by a missionary of the Methodist Epis- copal denomination from Prairie du Chien. This was in 1846. A little later a log school house was built on section 17 and services were then held in that. The Rev. Parkins was the first to preach regularly here.
The names of the first class organized were, so far as remembered: Dr. George A. Swain and wife, J. A. Cooke and wife. The latter named was the leader of the class and later became a local preacher, remaining such till his death. As the county increased in population so did this Church in membership and spiritual strength. [ For some years it was in what was known as the Bad Ax mission, which was afterward included in the Viroqua circuit, and is now known as the Liberty Pole circuit.
There are two Norwegian churches in the town of Franklin. One is situated on section 10, town 11, range 4 and belongs to what is known as Hanges Evangelical Lutheran Synod
of America. It became detached from the par- ent synod about 1860. It numbers about thirty- five voting members. A church building was erected in 1872. The first trustees were: C. C. Fortney, Ole Torge and Knute O. Fortney. The first pastor was Elling Eilson.
The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church is located on section 15 ,town 11, range 4 west This denomination was the first to locate m this town.
The first Norwegian settler of the town of Franklin was Torger Q. Fortney, who came in 1855; others came about the same time and soon after, services of this people were held in a church built of logs, located just over the line in Crawford county. In 1876 they erected a neat frame church on section 15. The first sermon preached in this building was delivered by Rev. Juve. He was succeeded by Rev. J. Neilson. Others who have preached for and been pastor of this Church from time to time are: Rev. Stubb and Rev. Praus.
LIBERTY POLE.
This place, as an old pioneer remarked in 1883, "is an imaginary village." At a very early day some town lots were staked off and numbered, of which but a very few were ever sold. Yet this particular locality has always been a prominent land mark to both the resident and stranger. It derived its name from the fact that the first liberty pole or flag staff in Vernon county was erected at this point July 3, 1848. A postoffice was established there, called Bad Ax, which, in 1870, was changed to Liberty Pole.
Hiram Rice sold the first goods at this point. Jacob Higgins erected a store at an early day and he, in company with Capt. Thomas Cade, ran a store for about a year, during a part of 1862 and 1863, when Mr. Cade withdrew from the firm.
A Mr. Smith also traded there a little later, as did Luther Nichols.
In 1884 there was a small store operated by Knute Peterson.
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
Soren Hanson, a native of Denmark, came to the United States in 1873 and located in the fall of that year at Liberty Pole. Here he worked at the blacksmith's trade which he had learned in his native land.
CEMETERIES.
In 1853 James Lawrence buried his sister, Mrs. Henry Williams, on land he owned on section 19, and after a few years gare a piece of land containing about two acres, including the spot where his sister was buried, to be used by the town of Franklin as a cemetery, It is situated in a beautiful spot within the forest near the road-side, and is the principal burying ground of the town.
There was, in 1884, besides this cemetery, a Norwegian burying place near their church, south of Liberty Pole, and also a few private burying grounds.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
We herewith present some biographical sketches of Franklin's most prominent citizens. They are worthy of especial attention.
Dr. George A. Swain was one of the pioneers of Vernon county. He was a native of Ohio. His parents were from Pennsylvania, and his paternal father was a soldier in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Mr. Swain's parents died when he was quite small and he was reared on a farm. He was married in Ohio to Anna Hay, and a few years after suf- fered the loss of a leg by the falling of a tree. After this accident he turned his attention to the study of medicine and removed from Wood to Wayne county, in the same State. He sub- sequently located in Wayne Co., Ill., and in 1845 came to Vernon Co., Wis. He settled in a small settlement afterward called New Brook- ville, and was engaged in farming. He was probably the first physician in Vernon county, and as such his professional services were much in requisition. The county was sparsely settled and a call for the "doctor" would probably come from the distant parts of the county. A long ride through forests and underbrush, and
small, if any, remuneration was often the result of such calls; but Dr. Swain never faltered when sickness demanded his attention, and many an early settler remembers him with heartfelt gratitude. In 1879 he removed to Kansas. Himself and wife had seven children, six living-Henry V., Jonathan II., John J., Allan L., R. B and William M. Their other child, Juha, died at the carly age of eight years. The family are all residents of Bourbon and Rock Co's., Kansas with one exception. Jonathan II. resides on a por- tion of the old homestead on section 21. He was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, March 1, 1835, and accompanied his father to this county. He enlisted in the 50th regiment, Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry, and was in the army about one year and four months. He married Louisa Stricker, daughter of William Stricker. They have three sons and one daughter-Lemard W., Hobart F., Effie A. M. and Frank W. Mr. Swain's farm contains 114 acres.
Michael Hinkst owns a fine farm of 240 acres on section 31. He was born in York Co., Penn., March 10, 1817, and when eight years of age removed to Ohio with his parents. When a young man he spent ten years at various points in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, engaged in farming and mining. He was employed in the lead mines in Grant Co., Wis., as early as 1836. On Ang. 6, 1847, he came into Ver- non county and located in what is now Frank- lin town, and is the earliest settler now re- siding in the town. Others came before he did, but they have moved away or have died. Mr. Hinkst is a man of good edu- cation and possesses a valuable fund of general information. IIe was the second superintendent of schools for the town and held that position eight years. He has also served as chairman of the board and clerk of the town. Mr. Hinkst was married Oct. 19, 1852, to Eliza Fisher, born in Crawford Co., Penn., Aug. 13, 1824. She re- moved to Wisconsin with her parents when quite young. She died in the town of Franklin, in
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
June, 1863. Mrs. Hinkst was the mother of four children-George, who resides in Virginia City, Nev., and three daughters-Jane, Lydia and May. All were.students at the State Nor- mal School at Platteville, and are now engaged in teaching school.
Jacob Higgins was one of the earlier settlers of Franklin town, and is well remembered by the pioneers. Ile was born near Ithica, N. Y., Oct. 2, 1802, and was there reared, re- ceiving a good education. lle taught school in New York in early life, and then went to Michigan, where he opened a store and was engaged in mercantile pursuits. On Nov. 10, 1842, he there married Phebe Wisel, and seven years later came to Vernon (then known as Bad Ax) county, Wis., arriving May 10, 1849. He located at Liberty Pole, and immediately bonglit a quarter section of land on sections 25 and 26, town 12 north, range 5 west. Ile continned in mercantile pursuits, was also post- master of what was then known as Bad Ax postoffice, and continued in that office until his death. He held various town offices. In March, 1857, he removed his family on his farm one mnile west of Liberty Pole, where he permanently settled, and was a prominent and well respected citizen up to his death, which occurred Sept. 4, 1858. Mrs. Higgins was born at Parma, Catta- rangas Co., N. Y., and removed to Indiana with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Higgins have two living children-Sidney, who was born in Steuben Co., Ind., Sept. 2, 1843, has always lived on the old homestead, married Luey A., daughter of Jesse Davis, an early settler of this town. They have four children. Judson the second son, was born in St. Joseph Co., Mich., Aug. 11, 1845, married Alice Robson, and has four children. Zuleima, the only daughter, was born at White Pigeon, Mich., Dec. 28, 1847, and died on the old homestead, Feb. 16, 1868.
Milton Southwick has resided here since 1851. His father, Amasa Southwick, was born in New York, and was married at Jamestown,
Chautauqua county, in his native State, to Permelia Sherwin. He removed his family to the village of Harmonsburg, Crawford Co., Penn,, and there resided until 1846. In the latter year he loaded up his family and house- hold effects, and with a team of oxen as the motive power, started westward over the moun- tains of Pennsylvania. He traversed the hilly country of eastern Ohio, and the flat prairies of northern Indiana, and finally stopped at Janes- ville, Rock Co., Wis. In 1851 Mr. Southwick removed his family to Vernon county and pur- chased a claim of State land of L. D. Smith, at that time a merchant of Liberty Pole. This land was located on section 28, and was farmed by Mr. Southwick until his decease. He died July 17, 1860, leaving a wife and six children. Mr. Southwick learned the carpenter and joirer trade in New York, and followed it for some years after locating here. Mrs. Southwick resides at Salem, Oregon, with her three youngest children-Frank, Mary and Ella. The other children are as follows-Sarah E., wife of David Cary, resides near Soldier's Grove; Mil- ton and Nancy A., wife of Myron Goodell; Amy and Matilda (Brown) are dead. Milton, the eldest son, resides on the home farm, which now comprises 130 acres. He was born in Crawford Co., Penn., in 1836, and was fifteen years of age when his parents came to this county. During the war he enlisted in the 6th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served about two years. He married Juliette, danghter of Ransom Lamb, who was one of the early settlers of this county. They are the parents of eleven children, all living-Amasa R., Maria J., Burnham, Ada, Emma, Lney, Myrtia, Edna, Vesta, Helen and Frank B. Mr. Southwick has also served his neighbors and fellow citizens as chairman of the board of supervisors, road supervisor and town treasurer for several terms.
Thomas Cade, famillarly known as "Capt." Cade, is one of the successful and enterprising farmers of Franklin township. He was born
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
near Hull, Yorkshire, England, March 9, 1811. He emigrated to the United States with his father, Thomas Cade, in 1830. The family set- tled in Michigan, where the father resided till his death. On Aug. 3, 1853, Mr. Cade came to the town of Franklin, and located on a farm he had purchased of James McColloch the preced- ing June. Some five acres of this farm were improved when Mr. Cade became its owner, and he immediately began to clear the land and cul- tivate the soil. He was the first person to ex- periment in fruit growing in Vernon county. In 1854-55, he set out 300 trees, consisting mostly of apples and plums. He also set out three pear trees which bore large and excellent flavored fruit for a few years, and then stopped bearing. In 1854 he went back to Michigan and bought a flock of sheep, which he took to his new home. These were among the first sheep ever brought into Vernon county. His farm now consists of 200 acres. Mr. Cade mar- ried Lydia Read, a native of Tompkins Co., N. Y., and a niece of Daniel Read, in whose honor the village of Readstown bears its name. Mr. and Mrs. Cade have had eight children, six living-George B., Henry R., Joseph D, John W., Isabell and David A. The deceased were Elizabeth and Jonathan G., the latter a twin of David A.
William Clawater, of Liberty Pole, is one of the early and well known settlers of Vernon county. Ile settled in this town Oet. 21, 1853. He was born at Rock Haven, Clinton Co., Penn., in 1825, and came to the town of Franklin Oet. 1, 1853. He was married in Pennsylvania, and came here with his family. His father, Wil- liam Clawater, came here at the same time, and lived with his son until his decease. Mr. Clawater and father were the only members of the family that ever came to Franklin town. He had five brothers and four sisters; two of the former and one of the latter are still living. His oldest brother, Cornelius H., lives at Stew- artville, Mo., John F. in Donophon Co., Kan., and his sister Jane, wife of D. M. MeDonald,
resides at St. Joseph, Mo. Mr. Clawater mar- ried Elizabeth E. Hogue, a native of Indiana. They have ten children, three sons and seven daughters-Mary A., wife of Lloyd Coe; Jessie, wife of Thomas Kelly; Jennie, Lonis, Kate, Belle, Edna, Forestine, Ray and Wade. Mr. Clawater's general occupation has been farm- ing. He has 256 acres of land in his home farm, also owns land elsewhere. He has been chairman and member of the town board of su- pervisors for about twenty years.
John Fortney resides on section 33, and is a son of Thomas Fortney, who became a resident of the town of Franklin in 1856. Thomas Fortney was born in Lysters, Bergens stift, Norway, Feb. 4. 1816. He learned the blacksmith's trade in his native land, and came to the United States in 1853. Ile bought a tract of land of George P. Taylor, and the resi- due of his farm from the State. He still resides on section 4, where he first settled. Mr. Fort- ney married Susan Ottum, and eight children have been born to them-John, the eldest son, was born in Dane Co., Wis., in 1855. He bought his farm, now comprising 240 acres, of David Carrey. His wife is a native of Nor- way. The second son is Ole, born in Vernon county in 1858, also married and owning 265 acres of land on section 32. The other chil- dren are Hans, Arne, Katherine, Thomas, Christian and Christina.
Robert Hornby came to Franklin with "Cap- tain" Cade in 1853. He was born in Canada in 1832, and accompanied his father's family to Michigan in 1841. Mrs. Hornby died there and Mr. Hornby, in 1851, went to California, returned to Michigan in 1856, and came to Vernon Co., Wis., residing with his son Robert until his death, Oet. 15, 1874. Robert has been a resident here for thirty years, and owns a farm of 203 aeres on sections 26 and 35. He married Margaret Getler, a native of New York, and daughter of Ferdinand Getler. They have been given five children, four sons and one
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daughter-Martin L., William, George, May and James.
Among the early settlers of the town of Franklin, is Andrew J. Johnson, who resides on section 19, of town 12 north, of range 4 west, (town of Franklin), where he settled in Novem- ber, 1853, on government land. Mr. Johnson was born in Albemarle Co., Va., in 1819, where he lived till seventeen years of age, when he removed with his parents, William R., and Francis Johnson, to Alton, II]. In 1846 Mr. Johnson came to Lafayette Co., Wis., when that State was yet a territory. le came here from that county. His father wentto Lafayette county in 1847, and came here with his son, in 1853, with whom he lived until his death in 1861, at the advanced age of ninety-six years. ITis wife died in Illinois. Mr. Johnson was married in Alton, Ill., to Elizabeth Brown, who died in this town July 9, 1872. He has six children- William O., A. F., Anna, wife of Fayette Tainter, Edwin R., Fannie, wife of Nathaniel Bowman, and Mary, now Mrs. Burleigh. Mr. Johnson's farm contains 170 acres. He is one of the substantial citizens of the town of Frank- lin. He has been a member of the town board and also a school director. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Liberty Pole.
Jacob Dach was one of the early settlers of this town. He was born in Alsace-Loraine, then a province of France, in 1810, and lived there during early life. He was there married to Mary Miller, and four children were born to them, two daughters and two sons. The two former died, and in 1854 Mr. Dach, wife and two sons, emigrated to America. They came directly to Vernon county, where they joined Mr. Dach's brother, Christian, who had pre- ceded them a year. They purchased of Elisha Inman, a farm of 160 acres, and both brothers went to work to improve the land. The coun- try was new, also the farm, but both were ener- getic and hopeful, and soon the land was cleared and cultivated. As time progressed, Mr. Dach
added to his first purchase, and at the time of his death was the largest land-holder in the town of Franklin, and was successful beyond ex- pectation. lle first lived in a log house, 12x16 feet in size, and at present the improvements on the Dach lands are not surpassed by any in the town. The brother, Christian, died Jan. 26, 1875, and our subject April 28, 1876. The widow and the two sons reside on the farm, which now consists of 557 acres. Jacob, the eldest son, was born in Alsace-Loraine, Jan. 10, 1846, and married Lizzie, daughter of John A. Gross. They have three children-Mary, Lizzie and Jacob. Daniel, the younger son, was born in Alsace-Loraine, Feb. 15, 1849 and is yet unmar- ried.
Ole T. Torgar resides on section 28, and is a son of 'Torgar O. Fortney, the earliest Norwe- gian settler in the town of Franklin, having located here in 1854. Torgar O. Fortney was born in Bergen stift, Norway, in April, 1807, and was married in his native land. In 1848 he emigrated to the United States, and located at Cottage Grove, Dane Co., Wis., where he bought and improved a farm. On June 15, 1854, he came into Vernon county, and pur- chased of the government a tract of land lying in the two towns, Franklin and Kickapoo. He erected a house on the part that lies on section 15, of Franklin town, and resided there until his death, which sad event occurred Feb. 18, 1880. When he, Fortney, came to Vernon county his family consisted of a wife and four children - Ole T., Cordelia, Daniel, who now resides on the home farm, and Christina, the youngest. Ole T. Torgar was born in Nor- way, Oct. 11, 1838, and located on his present farm of 240 acres, June 6, 1871. He has been twice married. His first wife was Susan Larson, with whom he lived for fourteen years. She was the mother of seven children-Torgar T. O., Carrie, Jane C., Olena, Louisa, Susanna and Soren. His present wife was Johanna Solon- son. They have four children-Ellen C., Sam- uel O., Maria and George A.
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
William Smith, an industrious and enterpris- ing farmer, owns a farm of 102 acres, on section 17. He was born in Vinton Co., Ohio, March 19, 1851. His father, John Smith, came from La Fayette Co., Wis., to this county in the fall of 1855. He first located in the town of Viro- qua, but in December, 1866, removed to the town of Franklin, where he now resides on sec- tion 17. William Smith settled in Franklin town in 1875, purchasing his farm of Daniel Aikens. This farm was first settled by Wil- liam P. Hayter, who is now a resident of the town of Viroqua. When Mr. Smith bought the land, only twenty acres was improved. He has developed fifty-seven acres into fertile fields, and put good and substantial improvements thereon. Mr. Smith did not desire to see the great Smith family disappear from off the face of the earth. He married Melinda J. Aikens, also a native of Ohio. They have two children -Daniel Elmer and Benjamin F.
Philip Biddison came to this county in June, 1856. He resides on section 22, town 12 north, of range 4 west, and made his location soon after coming to the county, purchasing a quar- ter section of State land. Mr. Biddison was born in Baltimore Co., Md., near the city of Balti- more, in 1815, but was principally reared in east- ern Ohio. His father, William Biddison, was a native of Maryland, and after removing to Ohio, located on a farm where he resided till his death, at the advanced age of ninety years. Mr. Biddison grew to manhood on a farm. Ile was married at the age of twenty-three and about that time left farming and settled in the village of Oakfield, Ohio, and engaged in man- ufacturing. Since he came to Vernon county, he has been engaged exclusively in agricultural pursuits. He was married in Ohio to Elizabeth McFarland. They have five children-James E., Sarah J., Samuel D., Sena A. and Philip, all natives of Ohio. Mr. Biddison has 340 acres of land, about 250 of which is under cultivation.
John Henderson settled on section 35, in 1856, on the farm, where S. M. Honaker now resides.
He was born in the parish of Dalton, in the south of Scotland, July 6, 1806, and came over to America when a young man. llis father died in Scotland, in 1817, and his mother came to this country with her son, and lived with him until her death, which occurred Oct. 12, 1863, at the age of ninety-seven years. Mr. Hender- son finally settled at Monument Rock, Franklin town, in this county, where he died Jan. 1, 1878. Ile was a well-read man, taking pride in the possession of a large and well selected library, containing mostly those works relating to science and religion. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a punctual attendant at its services. On Dec. 9, 1837, Mr. Henderson was married in Delaware Co., Ohio, to Irena Page, a native of Broome Co., N. Y., born Sept. 22, 1819. The fruits of this union were the birth of seven chil- dren, only two of whom are living-John W., who owns the old homestead, and Irena, wife of Wil- liam O. Johnson. Thomas, the eldest son, died in 1854, aged sixteen years, while attending school at Dubuque, Iowa. Alexander was a member of company F, 8th regiment, Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry, and died at St. Louis, Mo., July 15, 1863, of wounds received in battle. John W. married Hattie, daughter of Oscar Henry, and resides on the home farm of 160 acres.
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