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 74
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Thomas J., son of Jacob and Mary ( Shear ) Hickok, was born in Erie Co., N. Y., Dec. 10, 1851. le came to Wisconsin with his parents in 1×62, and settled in Hillsborough town. He was educated in the district schools of Erie county and Hillsborough town, with the excep- tion of one term at Ilill's Prairie. In 1874 he bou .ht land in the town of Greenwood, and here commenced farming. He was married, in December, 1876, to Mrs. Cornelia ( Backus ) Ilickok, widow of his brother, Jacob M. Hickok. One child has blessed this union- Claude Irwin. Jacob Manly Hickok was born in Erie Co., N. Y., July 20, 1849. Ile came to Hillsborough town with his parents, and re- mained with them until his marriage, Sept. 19, 1865, to Cornelia Backus. One year later he removed to Glendale, where he lived until the date of his death, April 19, 1875, leaving a wife and two children-James Almond and Thomas Earl.
Lars Ilanson Lee, one of the early Norwe- gian settlers of Greenwood town, was born in 1805. He married Martha Jenson. In 1851
they came to America, landing at New York city, and going from there to Madison, Wis., where they remained until 1853. Mr. Lee went from there to Perry town, Dane county, and purchased some school land. He cleared a farm, built a log house and remained there until 1863, when he sold out and came to Vernon county. Here he purchased land on section 25, Greenwood town, since which time he has cleared a farm and built a good house. In 1867 he sold this farm to his son, but has always made his home here, and is still engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Lee both enjoy good health. They are the parents of four children-Annie, Lena, (deceased) James L. and Henry L. The oldest daughter is in Norway. James L. resides in Decorah, Iowa, where he is agent for the Lutheran publish ing house, and has charge of the Decorah scale works.
Henry L., youngest son of Lars Hanson and Martha ( Jenson ) Lee, was born in Norway, Nov. 29, 1838. He was but twelve years of age when his parents emigrated to America. At thirteen years of age he started out to make his own living in Madison, first engaging with a groceryman, where he made himself useful in the store. He remained with him for a year and a half and then engaged as clerk in a grocery house one year, also driving the delivery wagon, and then went to work in a meat market. In the fall of 1858 he went to work on a farm, continuing in that occupation until the spring of 1860, when he went to St. Louis, and remained through the summer. He next went to Macon Co., Mo., and engaged in training fast horses, fitting them for the race track and taking them to the different county fairs. In the fall Mr. Lee went to New Orleans, where he remained until the spring of 1861, then returned to Macon Co., Mo., and stayed there until the fall of 1861, when he returned to Madison, and remained until he enlisted Aug. 13, 1862, in company D, 23d Wisconsin Volunteers. He served as orderly
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
for the commanding officer in the following important battles : Chickasaw Bayou, Arkan- sas Post, Champion Hills, Black River Bridge, siege of Vicksburg, Carrion Crow Bayou, Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, Cane River, Jackson, La., Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. He was honorably discharged at Mobile, Ala., July 4, 1865, and was mustered out of service at Madi- son, Ang. 18, 1865. November 2, the same year, he came to Vernon county and worked for his father one year, then bought the farm of him, and has since made this his home. Ile was married April 19, 1868, to Mary Johnson. They have seven children -Martha Johanna, Martin Lewis, James T., Bertha Lena, Henri- ette C., John E. and Anna Maria.
Einer Nelson, one of the early Norwegian settlers, was born in 1810. His wife's name was Gure Paulson. In 1855 they emigrated to America, landing at Quebec. From there they went to Dane Co., Wis., living near Stoughton one year, going from thence to Perry town. where Mr. Nelson entered forty acres of land cleared a farm and remained until 1864. H. then sold out and came to Vernon county, buy ing land on section 26, and making his home here until 1.866, when he sold to his son and bought land on section 34, which he has since made his home. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson had sev- en children-Nels E., Paul, Rachel, Carrie, Mary, Christiana and Johanna. Nels E., the old- est son of Einer and Gure (Paulson) Nelson, was born in Norway, Jan. 18, 1842. When thirteen years of age he accompanied his parents to America and soon after commenced life's battle for himself. He readily found employment as a farm laborer, and on Nov. 18, 1861, enlisted in company HI, 15th regiment, Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry and participated in all the skirmishes and battles of that regiment. He was severely wounded on the third day of the battle at Stone River and lay in the hospital at Nashville, Tenn, for six months. He re- joined the regiment at Murfreesboro and at the battle of Chickamauga was taken prisoner.
Ile was confined in the enemy's prisons at Rich- mond and Danville, Va., for seventeen months, and while at the latter place succeeded, with a few companions, in digging with wooden shovels a hole under the prison wall and escap- ing, but was soon recaptured. From Danville he was taken to the renowned Andersonville pen, where he spent six months, and was sub- sequently taken to Charleston and Florence, South Carolina, and then to Richmond again, from which latter pace he was paroled. Ile was afterward taken sick with typhoid fever and sent to the hospital at Annapolis, Md., go- ing home from thence on a furlough, and finally mustered out at Madison, Wis., July 6, 1865. When he entered the army he weighed about 185 pounds, and when honorably discharged at Madison four years later he tipped the beam at ninety-five pounds-the result of sickness, ex- posure and prison life. As soon as he had re- covered a portion of his lost strength he en- gaged in farming and in 1866 purchased his father's farm on section 26, of this town, where he has since resided In 1869 he was married to Betsey Johnson, and nine children have been given to them, six now living-James A., Ed- ward N., Clara P., Ojerte R., Robert and George .V.
John Anderson, one of the early Norwegian settlers of Greenwood town, was born in . 829. His youth and early manhood were spent in school and on a farm in his native land. In 1857 he left home and came to America Going directly to Wisconsin, he settled in Dane conn- ty, where he was employed in farming. Ile re- mained there until 1865, when he came to Green- wood and purchased land on section 32. lle immediately began improving his land and how has a farm in a good state of cultivation. In 1855 he was married to Julia Christopherson. Fifteen children blessed this union, twelve of whom are now living. Mr. Anderson is as well educated in English as in Norwegian. lle is a leading member of the Norwegian Lutheran Evangelical Church. Mr. Anderson is promi-
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
nent in town affairs and is a member of the town board, now serving his second term.
Adolphus P. Mallow was born in Ross Co., Ohio, Sept. 29, 1837. His parents were early settlers in Sauk Co., Wis. In the fall of 1861, he enlisted for one year in the 60th Ohio Vol- unteers, company (, and while in that regiment, was at New Creek Station, Winchester, Mc- Dowells and Harpers Ferry, where he was taken prisoner and paroled with the rest of the Union soldiers. His time being nearly ont, he was sent to Camp Douglas, at Chicago, till he was mustered ont, when he returned to his Wisconsin home, where he remained one year, forming the acquaintance and marrying the only daughter of Dr. Aaron Winslow, one of Vernon county's oldest and most respected citizens. They were married the 3d of Janu- ary, 1864, and the 4th he left home to enlist in the 19th Wisconsin, and was in battles of Fort Darling, Fair Oaks and other engagements of that summer of 1864, when the Army of Poto- mac lay in the rifle pits in front of Petersburg. On that memorable day in April, 1865, when the Union soldiers went into Richmond, he entered with his regiment and remained on duty at the Custom House until August 9, when his regiment was ordered to Wisconsin to be mustered out. He returned to Woodland, engaged in farming, and in 1872 purchased E. M. Winslow's place and an interest in the Dr. Winslow farm in Greenwood, on section 11,
where he now lives. Mr. and Mrs. Mallow have four children living-Ralph W., Ilattie Maud, Charlie E. and Edith Lillian, and one, Freddie, deceased.
David G. Mullin settled on his farm in Greenwood town, in 1875. At that time it was heavily timbered, but he has cleared fifty acres, built a good frame house and granary, and is now engaged in grain and stock raising. lle was born in Albany, N. Y., Oct. 9, 1838. When but three years of age, his parents moved to Lewis county, where his father bought 200 acres of timbered land in West Turin, and cleared it. David here grew to manhood, making his home with his parents until eighteen years of age, at which time he went to Illinois, and from there to Salem, Neb., where he remained abont eighteen months. He then returned to New York remaining there until 1865, when he went to West Blue Mound and purchased a farm. Two years later he sold this place and went to Dunn county, engaged in lumbering one season, going from thence to Minnesota, where he pur- chased 280 acres of government land in Brown county. Ile improved 240 acres of this land and remained there until 1875, when, as before stated, he came to Greenwood. He was mar- ried, in 1865, to Mary Bohn. They have been blessed with six children-Hattie, Florence, Charles, Clara, Eda and Snsie.
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE TOWN OF HAMBURG.
This town, like that of Webster, is six miles square, comprising township 14, range 6 west. It is bounded on the north by the county of La- Crosse ; on the east by the town of Coon ; on the south by the town of Harmony ; and on the west by the town of Bergen.
The town is watered by one river, which is fed by a large number of small tributaries. The Coon river is formed by three or four small streams in the northeast part of the town, and takes its course through sections 12, 13, 24, 23 and 27, and on the southeast quarter of section 28 flows into quite a large basin. From this it continues its course northerly, then westerly through sections 28, 20 and 29, and leaves the town on the northwest quarter of section 30.
The surface of the country is very rolling and Irilly, but in the valleys and on the bluffs i: found soil that when fully cultivated will pro- duce bountiful erops.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first settler in the town was Ole Peterson Gullord, a native of Norway, who came to this country in 1848, and to this town two years later (1850). Ile entered eighty acres of land on section 13, which he has since increased to 200 acres. In 1854 he married Caroline Evenson, and four children have been born to them-Pe- ter, Amiel, Charles and Joel.
Mr. Gullord was followed in the same year by Mathias Larson, who located where he still resides.
In 1851 Nels Erickson became a member of the pioneer band, and took up a homestead of eighty acres. Close after Mr. Erickson came
the present county treasurer, Ole Johnson, who traveled nearly 6,000 miles to find a home in the town of Hamburg.
Andrew Evenson arrived early in 1852. He is now deceased.
Peter Oleson Brye made his home here for a short time, but was induced by the settlers of the town of Coon to pitch his camp in their midst, that they might have the benefit of his educational facilities.
Even Egleston came into the town in 1853, and was the first to erect a house in the vicinity of Chaseburg. Ile was born in Norway, in 18:5, and was here married, the same year he settled, to Gena Olson. They have eight chil- dren-Belle, Thomas, Eiel, Anna, Ole, Hannah, Eleas and Halvor. Mr. Egleston entered 100 acres of land ou section 33, where he still re- sides.
Knudt Olson joined his brother and fellow- countrymen here in 1855. He entered 100 acres of land on section 12, and has since increased his land to 260 aeres. He was born in Norway, in 1827, and came to America in 1849. At the age of thirty he married Rachel Sarson, who has borne him six children. Three are living- Lewis O., Elizabeth S. and Olus M. The de- ceased are Albert A., Lewis O. and Anna. Mr. Olson has been a member of the town board of supervisors for the past eight years.
. ORGANIC.
This town was set apart early in 1858, and the first town meeting held at a school house near where Chaseburg now stands, April 6, 1858, when the following officers were elected : J.
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
W. Chaney, chairman, A. F. Ellertson and George Gemanhardt, side board; A. Lamprecht, i clerk; Ole Johnson, treasurer; Ole Johnson, as- sesssor; J. W. Chaney superintendent of schools. The present officers of the town are as follows : J. W. Hoyt, chairman of the board, Ole Nelson and George Stroel, assistants, S. C. Steinburg, clerk; G. M. Vincent treasurer.
RELIGIOUS.
The larger part of the settlers of this region are Norwegians, and those that reside in the Coon valley, and along the Coon river, and its ridges on either side, through the towns of Bergen, Hamburg and Coon, and from the town of Coon and northeast into La Crosse county, (a population of about 1,400 souls) are members of the Coon Valley Norwegian Lutheran con- gregations. These people worship at three dif- ferent churches, known as the Upper Coon Val- ley, Middle Coon Valley and Lower Coon Val- ley. These three congregations, previous to 1874, together with that at Fish Creek, in the town of Monroe, La Crosse county, were con- nected with the Coon Prairie parish. Their ministers were: Rev. II. A. Stub, who officiated about six years ; Rev. A. C. Preus, about nine years, and subsequently the Rev. H. Halvarson who still preaches at Coon Prairie, Viroqua, and other points. In 1874 the four congregations previously mentioned, were formed into a sepa- rate parish, and their first minister was Rev. A. S. Meling. Since July, 1882, Rev. E. Jensen, formerly of Jefferson Prairie, Wis., has been in charge of the parish.
The Middle Coon Valley congregation is the only one of the three located in the town of Hamburg. It was organized in 1854, by the Rev. H. A. Stub, with the following named members: Ole Johnson, Anders Olson Tha- long, Even Eielsen, Hans Kongelstad, Erik Mar- stuen, Anders Nilsen Klomsten, Nils Eriksen Marking, and others. The first services were held at the residence of Ole Johnson. The church is of logs, 30x24 feet in size, and was erected in 1859, at a cost of $500. The present member-
ship is about 250, and the Church is in a good financial condition. The present trustees are : Christian Nilson, Stephen Nilson and John Ilagen. A parochial, or weekly religious school is under the auspices of the Church, and held for about sixty days each year, under Harold Hoff, the teacher.
SCHOOLS.
Hamburg has always had a good class of pub- lie schools. In 1884 the town was divided into seven districts, each being provided with a fair building. The school population was at this date one half Norwegian and the other half made up about equally of German and Ameri- can children.
CEMETERIES.
There are three organized cemeteries within the town. One located in the village of Chase- burg, and the other two on sections 3 and 19.
THE VILLAGE OF CHASEBURG.
This village is located on section 28, on the east side of Coon river. It was laid out and platted by George Swain and George Little, on June 4, 1866, and was named in honor of Henry Chase, who had been instrumental in founding the village. The original plat comprised twelve blocks or squares, and the first dwelling house was erected by George Swain.
The first saw mill was built and put in run- ning order by Henry Chase, in 1862.
Mr. Chase and George Little erected the first flouring mill, in 1863.
The first store was opened, in 1863, by Hon. J. W. Hoyt, and he now enjoys the largest trade in the village.
Joseph W. Hoyt is also postmaster of Chase- burg, and owns 190 acres of land in this town. In 1861 he enlisted in the Ist regiment, Ver- mont Cavalry, but was discharged a little later, on account of sickness. He was chairman of the board of Hamburg town for five years, also chairman of the county board for two years. In 1870-71, he represented the county of Vernon in the State Legislature. He was married, in 1863, to Elizabeth Isham, and three children
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
have been born to them-Russell, Nina and Harry.
The first sermon in the village of Chaseburg, was preached in 1863, by Rev. II. A. Stub, in the house of Henry Chase.
The first blacksmith shop was erected by a Mr. Cogswell, in 1864.
The first school was taught in the village school house by Miss Spence, in 1865.
The first birth was Nellie, daughter of George Swain and wife.
The first hotel was erected by George W. Swain, who has since conducted it in a manner highly satisfactory to the traveling public.
The first shoemaker in the village was Mathias Peterson.
The first physician was Dr. Rusk.
It is not known who was the first person de- ceased, or the first couple married.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
Dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes-J. W. Tloyt, L. C. Steinburg; hardware-J. W. Hoyt and Thomas Parkin; saw mill-George Swain; grist mill-Granville Akin; harness -- August Getting; blacksmiths-J. C. Markle and Thomas Lattimer; hardwood lumber-George Swain; veterinary surgeon-Monroe Vincent; manu- facturer of shoes-Andrew Peterson.
The census of 1880, gives the population of Chaseburg as 125.
A prominent man of this village was Henry Chase, who came from Vermont in 1862, and after a short stay in Dane county, came to this place, and was instrumental in building up the village which bears his name. He was elected a member of the State Assembly in 1838. Ile, in company with George A. Lyttle, owned the Coon River Mills at this point. Mr. Chase died in March 1872, leaving a wife and three chil- dren. After his death, Mr. Lyttle took Mr. Chase's interest in the mill.
BIOGRAPHIICAL SKETCHES.
Peter O. Brye, is a native of Norway, and came to Racine Co., Wis., in August, 1849. IIe remained there one year, and then moved west-
ward to Bad Ax (now Vernon) county, in the fall of 1850. He passed over the present site of Viroqua on the 31st of October, and from there went straight to the Kickapoo timber. He worked there the following winter, and in the spring rafted the logs down the Kickapoo and Mississippi rivers as far south as Quincy, Ill. He made his home in the town of Viroqua until June 27, 1857, when he joined his brother in Ilamburg town. Ile lived there until the spring of 1859, when he was persuaded to move over the line into what is now the town of Coon, for the purpose of assisting in the organization of the new town. The inhabitants were mostly Norwegians, and did not understand English, and Mr. Brye enjoying the knowledge of that tongne, was elected to the most important town offices, in April, 1859. He was re-elected to the same offices each succeeding year until 1867. In the fall of 1866, he resigned his of- fices, and rejoined his brother Kundt Olson, in Hamburg town, with whom he has since made his home. Mr. Brye devotes his attention and money to the selling of lands.
Lars Finstad was born in Norway in 1823, and emigrated to the United States in the year 1853, and settled in Hamburg on section 28. That same year he entered eighty acres, which he has since increased to 150 aeres.
Mr. Finstad was married in 1845, to HIellena Scholl, by whom he has had eleven children, five of whom are now living-Ilans, Christian, Edward, Mebin B. and Jane. Christian is now married to Ella Johnson, and three children have been given to them.
Hon. George W. Swain, who located in the town of Hamburg in 1863, was born in the Granite State, in 1824. IIe there received a good common school education, and in 1845, re- moved to the adjoining State of Vermont, where he resided for eight years. In 1853, he came west to Dane Co., Wis., and ten years later settled in this town. He purchased a saw-mill and 240 aeres of land, lying on sections 28, 14 and 6, from Messrs. Chase and Lyttle,
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
and in 1866, surveyed and platted the village of Chaseburg. Mr. Swain was in 1870 a county supervisor. Ile is a strong republican in poli- ties, and in 1878 was the nominee of his party for State senator, against A. D. Chase, the can- didate of both the democratic and greenback parties. Mr. Swain was elected by a handsome majority. He still owns the saw-mill and car- ries on a large business in getting ont wagon and plow stuff and hard-wood lumber. He also owns the only hotel in the village. Mr. Swain was united in marriage, in 1849, to Hannah Chase. They have reared four children- Josiah B., who married Mary Lattimer, Cora E., wife of Frank E. Aiken, Allie L. and Nellie J. Mrs Swain was born in New Hampshire, in 1825, and when five years of age accompanied her parents to Vermont. She was there married to our subject, and in 1863, came to the town of Hamburg with the honor of being the first American woman in the town. Her daughter Nellie was the first American child born in the town.
J. C. Markle was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1839, and when he was two years old his | Crosse Co., Wis.
parents removed to Putnam Co., Ind., where they remained till 1851, when they moved to LaCrosse Co., Wis., and settled in what is called the "Ramsey Cooley," where Mr. Markle remained until he was called to defend his coun- try in 1861. He then enlisted in the 2d regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, company B, and was discharged in 1864. Mr. Markle was wounded at the battle of South Mountain in the left arm and at the battle of the wilderness was wounded in the right arm. In 1867, Mr. Markle came to the village of Chaseburg, where he has carried on the business of blacksmithing and manufac- turing wagons, and now owns sixty-two acres of land on section 28, also a house and three lots and a smith wagon and paint shop in the village of Chaseburg Mr. Markle was mar- ried in 1869, to Neoma J. Maxwell, of Vernon county, who has borne him four children- Berthier E., Cland O. and Cora B. Charles died in 1883. Mr. Markle's father, George Markle, was born in Pennsylvania in 1818, and now resides in LaCrosse Co., Wis. His moth- er, Elizabeth Markle, is also a native of Penn- sylvania, born in 1818, and is now living in La-
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IHISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
TOWN OF HARMONY.
This township, known as town 13 north, | range 6 west, was the sixth one organized in Vernon county. It comprises forty full sections and four half sections, of land containing in all 26,880 acres, or 3,840 more than a full con- gressional town. The land is mostly owned by residents, who have strenuously endeavored to cultivate and improve it and in comparison with other town in the county, will prove that their efforts have not been in vain. The United States government still owns and controls about 806 acres of land in the town. Only one stream of any note flows through the town, lending fresh life and strength to the already fer- tile soil. This is the North Bad Ax river, which enters the town in the eastern part on sec- tion 24 and takes a westerly course through see- tions 23, 22, 21, 20 and 19, making a sudden turn in the latter, and flowing southerly through sections 30 and 31. It leaves the town on the southwest quarter of the latter section. This stream is well fed by numerous tributaries, flowing from all parts of the town. Good springs are also plentiful and supply pure, fresh water for drinking and cooking purposes.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The first white settler in Harmony town, and a resident here at the present time, was William Struthers, who came in 1848, and in 1850 made the first entry of land, of 160 acres, "comprising the east half of the north west quar- ter and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 24, town 13 north, range 6 west." Mr. Struthers is a native of Rockbridge Co., Va., and served with distinction in both the
Mexican and civil wars. At the close of the former he located in this town. Mr. Struthers and David Calkins are the only ones of the early settlers now living in the town.
The Granite State furnished another pioneer in 1850 in the person of David Calkins. He was born in the rock-ribbed State of New llamp- shire in 1821, and in 1844 removed to Lowell, Mass. In 1847 he was seized with that irresist- able (but not fatal) malady, the western fover, and removed to Chicago, Ill., where he manu- factured wagons. In 1849 he married Mary Craft and in 1850 removed his family to this town, locating on section 23, where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Calkins have eight children.
Between the years 1848 and 1852 there were several persons located in the new town, among whom may be mentioned the following: James Harkness, Orrin Calkins, Elias Rogers, Edmond Rogers, Edward Rogers, John Ray- walt and Samuel Kelsie. Mr. Keisie was, per- haps, the second settler in the town and David Calkins the fourth.
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