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 97
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EDUCATIONAL.
The number of school buildings in the town is six. They are mostly of wood, and their ag- gregate value is about $1,020. The school pop- ulation of the town munber 442.
RELIGIOUS.
Mount Zion Church, located on section 26, was organized in 1869 by Rev. D. K. Young, with a membership of forty persons. Soon after the organization the congregation went to work and secured the funds necessary to the erection of a neat frame structure, 20x30 feet in size, and at a cost of abont $300. In 1879 a rather serious misunderstanding took place among the different members on some subject pertaining to Church matters, and a large por- tion of the 'congregation withdrew from the Church. In addition to this regretful affair, a great many of the members have removed to other climes, and the present membership nun-
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
The Advent Church was organized in 18 67, on section 15, by Rev. Huff. The congregation first met for worship at the school house in the village of Avalanche, and continued their ser- vices there until 1875, when they erected a sub- stantial frame structure, 24x40 feet in size, at a cost of $1,000. The organization was disbanded in 1881 for want of funds to meet expenses.
POSTOFFICES.
The first postoffice in the town of Webster was established at the village of Avalanche, in 1868, and Robert Welch was duly commissioned by "Uncle Sam" as its first postmaster. IIe was succeeded by Daniel Busbee, E. Enochson, August Sweger and the present postmistress, Mary Sweger.
The office above mentioned is in the extreme western portion of the town, and rather incon- venient to settlers in the eastern, northeastern and southeastern parts. As the town settled it was thought necessary to have another office in the eastern part, and Otter Vale postoffice was established on section 14, in 1878, with William S. Marshall as postmaster. He was succeeded by E. Marshall, the present incumbent.
MILLS.
There are located in different parts of the town, mostly along the banks of the west branch of the Kickapoo river, three saw mills, one grist mill and one grist and saw mill combined, and one woolen mill.
VILLAGE OF AVALANCHE.
This place is situated in the extreme western part of the town. It was laid out and platted in fourteen blocks or squares on the center of section 18, by Cyrus F. Gillett, in 1854. The village takes its singular name from the forma- tion of the earth immediately east of the place, which resembles a gigantic landslide or ava- lanche suddenly stopped in its destructive course.
The first store in the village was opened by its founder, C. F. Gillett, the same year it was laid out. In 1858 a wagon maker, William
Cummings, first commenced working at his trade in the embryo village.
The first saw mill in the village was operated by R. P. and A. W. Gillett, in a building on the west branch of the Kickapoo river, which had been built in 1852.
The school house was erected in 1855, and Miss Stricker was the name of the first teacher.
In 1854, the Rev. Mr. Munion came into the neighborhood, and preached the first sermon at the residence of Cyrus F. Gillett.
The first flouring mill in Avalanche was erected in 1860, by Busbee & Piper, with three run of buhrs, on the mill race to the west of the village.
The following is a business directory of the village at the present time :
The grist or flouring mill is owned by Enoch Enochson. It contains three run of stones, and is run by water power, with a capacity of thirty barrels per lay. The mill and machi very is valued at about $10,000.
Enoch Enochson was born in Norway, in 1826, and came to the United States in 1851. HIe subsequently came to Wisconsin, and located on Coon Prairie, where he remained until 1862, the date of his removal to the village of Ava- lanche. Mr. Enochson is the owner of 200 acres of land on section 18, of this town, and 156 acres on Coon Prairie, in the town of Viroqua. lle has been a steady, industrious farmer, and has served his fellow-citizens as chairman of the town board, its treasurer for four years, and as a member of the side board for six years. lle was united in marriage, in 1854, to Sarah Olson, who departed this life in 1872. Seven children were born to this union-Helen, wife of Lars L. Ramstead, Elizabeth, wife of Wil- liam Garrett, Olena, Edward, Martin, John and Anna.
Thomas P. De Witt, a well known farmer of Webster town, came to Vernon county in 1857. He first located in Viroqua, and remained there till 1860. He then purchased 133 acres of land in this town, where he has since resided and de-
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
voted his time and attention to agricultural pur- snits. Ile was born of good parents in Athens Co., Ohio, in 1825. In 1853 he removed to Boone Co., Ind., and in 1854, located in Union Co., Ohio. He came west in 1857. Mr. De- Witt married Catharine Lattimer, and nine chil- dren have blessed their union-John, who mar- ried Frankie Shell, Hannah, wife of Levi Cal- kins, James, Delia, wife of Allan Starke, Col- onel, Arvilla, Grant, Eva and Levi. In 1864 Mr. De Witt enlisted in the 42d regiment, Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry, and served until he was honorably discharged in 1865.
Hans Larson, who located here in 1860, was born in Norway in 1834. He emigrated to these Unitel States in 1857, and in 1860 entered forty acres of land on section 18, of Webster town, which he has since increased to 120 acres, valned at $800. In 1864 he enlisted in the 17th regi- ment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and man- fully upheld the cause of the Union until his dis- charge in 1865. He was a member of the side board for many years, and has held other offices in the town. Mr. Larson was married in 1857 to Anna Hanson. They have six children-Lewis, Hans, Gustave, Ida, Anna and John. Mrs. Larson departed this life July 14, 1878.
William P. Brown, who came to Vernon county from Ohio, in 1865, was born at Beverly, Ohio, in 1842. He received a liberal education, and lived in his native place until 1861, when he enlisted in the 18th regiment, Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, serving four years and seven months. He participated in eighteen different engagements, and shared in all the victories and defeats that fell to the lot of the armies of
the Ohio and the Cumberland. From the first inception to the close of the war he was in active service, with the exception of two months spent in the hospital at Chattanooga, Tenn., recovering from wounds received in the battle of Chickamauga. At the close of the Rebellion he removed to Wisconsin, and located at Star, in this county. In 1875 he sold out his prop- erty at that place, and came into this town, buying an interest in a saw mill on the west branch of the Kickapoo river, one half mile south of Avalanche. In connection with the saw mill Mr. Brown also operates a woolen mill, for custom work. He was married, in 1865, to Laurana Bacon. Clarence P. and Charles S. are the fruits of this union. Mr. Brown's father now resides on section 19 of this town. Although somewhat advanced in years, he still continues to manage the affairs of a large farm, and is, in connection with his son, in the mill business.
John Spencer, who has lately become a resi- dent here, was born in Iowa Co., Wis., in 1847. Ile attended the common schools, and resided in his native place until 1874, when he removed to Richland Co., Wis., and there worked at his trade of a mason, and carried on a farm until 1882. Ile then removed to Webster town, and bought ninety-four acres of land on sections 32 and 33, where he has since resided. He was united in marriage, in 1877, to Lucy F. Colbine, of Richland Co., Wis. They have three chil- dren-Eleanor, Miriam and Eva E. In 1865 Mr. Spencer enlisted in the 28th regiment, Ne- braska Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded in the right thigh at the battle of Pium Creek. He was discharged the same year.
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XLIX.
THE TOWN OF WHEATLAND.
Wheatland is in the extreme southern part of Vernon county, with the Mississippi river for its boundary on the west, the town of Genoa on the north, the town of Sterling on the east and Crawford county on the south. It com- prises parts of towns 11 and 12, ranges 6 and 7 west, and contains about twenty-six sections. The only water course within this town is a small stream called Battle creek, which takes its rise on section 3. town 11, range 7, and flows into the Mississippi river from section 9, of the same town and range.
Not unlike the other towns of Vernon county, which border on the Mississippi river, there is a large amount of rough untillable land, a part of which is covered with heavy timber. The valleys are very productive and even the hillsides are not worthless, as they are utilized as pasture lands for sheep, which are quite extensively grown.
SETTLEMENT.
Ira Stevens was the first man to settle in this town. He located at Victory, in January, 1849. Other pioneers are mentioned at length in the history of the villages of Victory and De Soto. At these two points was effected the first set- tlement in this town. The eastern portion of the town being settled at a much later date.
Aaron Cooley settled on section 18, in the autumn of 1854. On the breaking out of the Rebellion he enlisted in the Union army, though at the time he was upwards of sixty years of age: lle was taken sick while in the service. received a furlough and succeeded in getting as near home as the residence of Davis Sumner,
in this town, but being unable to proceed further, he there died. He was a drummer while in the service. His family continued to reside in the town for several years after his death, but finally all moved away except one son, Charles, who resides on section 17. An- other son, Franklin, was a Congregational minister in Dakota, in 1883. Egbert Benedict settled at about the same time as did Cooley, on section 18, on land afterward owned by Robert Angel.
The following settlers were among the num- ber who came in 1855: L. P. Miller, who located on section 17 ; Samuel Huntington, on section 12; Willard Fosdick, also a settler of section 12 ; a man named King made a claim on section 1, but the land was finally entered by another party. Jonathan Law also settled that year on section 31. This farm is now known as the Law place. Arvin and A D. Chase settled on section 32, and J. T. Shaw on seetion 29.
Samuel Huntington came here with his family, then consisting of his wife and two children, one son and one daughter. In 1883 the family were all dead except the wife and mother, who moved to New York State.
Still others who came in 1855, were Moses Sanderson and his sons, Clark W. and Bridane. The sons settled on sections 5 and 8 ; but the father located in the town of Sterling. J. J. Tenney settled on section 8, where he still resided in 1884. Richard Morgan and family located on section 5, on lands entered by Elijah, Reuben and Stephen Powell, the previous
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
year. P. Jay Miller settled in this town in November, 1855. He was a native of New York. He married Julia, a daughter of James Lawerence, of Crawford county, this State. In 1884 he lived on section 5, on land purchased of Samuel Morgan.
Peleg Coffin settled in the town of Freeman, Crawford Co., Wis., July 5, 1855. He was born at Yarmouth, Cape Cod, Mass., Nov. 20, 1795. Ile followed the life of a sailor for a number of years and afterwards learned the machinist's trade, which he pursued for some years. Ile was a soldier in the War of 1812. His wife, Zylphine Crowell, was a native of Yarmouth, born Sept. 26, 1808. They had nine children, three of whom died in infancy. The six who lived to maturity are-George, a resi- dent of Dakota; Seth, deceased; Henry, also in Dakota; William, a resident of Rockford, Ill., Mary, wife of Thomas Lawrence, born in Mass- achusetts, in 1841; Esther, wife of James H. Rogers, of Viroqua. Mr. Coffin died July 20, 1882. His wife died in 1875.
Thomas Lawrence, although a resident of Freeman, Crawford Co., Wis., was with his father, an early resident of Vernon county, owning a farm near Liberty Pole, which was first occupied by John MeCulloch, the first set- tler of Vernon county. His father, James Lawrence, located at Liberty Pole July 5, 1851, and settled on the farm now owned by Wil- liam Clawater. James Lawrence was born in Monmouthshire, England, in 1809. Ile emi- grated to the United States in 1851, making his first settlement at Liberty Pole, where he re- mained until the spring of 1854, then removed with his family to the town of Freeman, Craw- ford county, being the first settler in the neigh- borhood, and where he resided until his death Aug. 23, 1883. In 1839 he was married to Mary Williams, who still survives him. Father Lawrence, as he was called, was a member of the Bible Christian Church in England. When he came to the United States he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church and remained
a firm believer until his death, being a member of these Churches for over fifty-five years. He was an earnest and sincere Christian and his memory wil long be cherished and his name remain a prominent one in the pioneer history of Vernon and Crawford counties. His surviv- ing children are-Thomas, Mary, wife of Na- than Coe, of Viroqua; Julia, wife of L. J. Miller, of the town of Wheatland; James W., Matthew E. and Jane E. They lost one child, a daughter, Emma. Thomas, the eldest child, was born in England, in 1834. He resides in Freeman, Wis., at present, but was for several years a resident of De Soto. He kept the Bay State House in 1862-3 and a meat market from 1874 until 1877. His wife was Mary Coffin, a daughter of Peleg Coffin. She was a native of Massachussetts. They have three children- Ellen J., William and Alice Z. They lost their eldest daughter.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first birth in the town of Wheatland was that of Thomas D. Carlyle, son of Adam and C. 1 .. Carlyle, who was born Feb. 14, 1856.
The first death was Mrs. Frank Huntington, in the spring of 1855.
The first marriage was that of J. B. Wixcox to Maria Page some time during 1855.
The first house destroyed by fire in the town was one owned by V. HI. Story in the village of De Soto in 1857.
ORGANIC.
The town of Wheatland was organized in 1857 and the first election held that year, at which the following officers were elected to fill the town offices:
Adam Carlyle, chairman; Joel Shaw and Hi- ram Furgeson, supervisors; George G. Van Wagner, clerk; William Furgeson, assessor; C. B. Stevens, treasurer; J. C. Kurtz, town school superintendent.
The officers for 1883 were: H. II. Morgan, chairman; A. Cole and Alexander Latshaw, supervisors; James H. Rogers, clerk; Richard
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
M. McAuley, treasurer; Woodbridge Dyre, assessor.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
A society of the Congregational Church was formed in 1863, at the school house on section 33, in the town of Sterling ; though most of its members were residents of the town of Wheat- land. The first members were : Richard Mor- gan and wife, E. Cilley and wife, C. W. San- derson and wife, Samuel Morgan and wife, Dr. D. A. Bean and wife, J. I. Tenney and wife, and perhaps a few others. This society and the one at Retreat were consolidated in 1879. The ministers have been the same as those who served at De Soto.
SCHOOLS.
The town of Wheatland has always been fully up with the other towns of Vernon county in its school and other educational ad- vantages. The first school was tanght in the fall of 1853, by Nancy Berry, daughter of Joh. C. Berry, at a point near where the village of Victory now stands. In 1884 there were six schools in the town, held in districts Nos. 1, 2, 3, 9, joint district No. 3, and at the village of De Soto.
In distriet No. 1 the school building is a small frame house sitnated in a pleasant spot on the main road from De Soto to the Bad Ax valley. The population is mostly of an Ameri- can element, who attend the school with a good degree of regularity. The foreigners of this district are principally Germans.
District No. 2 is located in the little village of Victory, on the banks of the Mississippi river. This district has a good school build- ing, and always has a fair attendance.
District No. 3, proper, is located on the ridge above De Soto and Victory. The building here is a fair frame structure, situated in a beautiful place overlooking the great Missis- sippi valley country, with its many picturesque seenes. The school population is chiefly Ameri- can.
Joint district No. 3 is provided with a good building very well furnished. The American element predominates ; there are, however, many Norwegians within this district.
District No. 9 is along the ridge, in the vicinity of the John Davis farm and three miles from De Soto. This district was lately provided with a fine new frame school building, which took the place of the old one, which was burned in 1880. This school has ever had a good average attendance, made up principally of American children.
De Soto union schools, located within the village of De Soto, are kept in a fine two story building, which accommodated three depart- ments until within a few years, but of late, only two. Very earnest and efficient work has been performed in these schools, which have always been of much credit to De Soto.
RED MOUND POSTOFFICE.
In addition to the postoffices of De Soto and Victory which have been already mentioned in the village history, the town of Wheatland has another known as "Red Mound," which is lo- .cated on section 5, town 11, range 6 west. It was established March 15, 1872. L. J. Miller was appointed postmaster, and was still hold- ing the position in 1884.
CEMETERIES.
In 1884, the town of Wheatland contained three cemeteries. One situated near the village of Victory; one on section 12, town 12, range 7, and one on section 15, town 11, range 7.
DE SOTO VILLAGE.
De Soto was first known as "Winneshiek's Landing," from the chief by that name, who came here to trade his furs for supplies with the French traders at this point. Two French families by the name of Godfrey located here not long after the close of the Black Hawk War. They were induced to come through efforts put forth by Col. Donsman, of Prairie du Chien. This was occupied as a trading post for about twenty years. Moses M. Strong made the orig- inal entry of the plat of the village. Dr. Euclid
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
B. Houghton purchased it of Mr. Strong. Dr. Simeon D. Powers, Dr. Iloughton and Dr. James Osgood laid out the village in 1854. These gentlemen came hither from Port Wash- ington. Dr. Osgood built the first house on the village plat, which was occupied in 1884 by Charles Lyttle as a residence. Dr. Houghton opened the first store.
The first building of any importance was erected by Carlyle, Dowse & Co. The Inmber with which this house was built came from Black River Falls, the nearest available point for obtaining lumber at that time.
The first blacksmith in the village was Wil- liam N. West, who afterward moved to Minne- soto.
The first cooper shop was operated by Am- brose DeLap.
The first shoemaker was Henry Fosdick, In the fall of 1855 Mr. Adam Carlyle purchased for Mr. Fosdick a side of sole leather and other stock for his shop of Ulysses S. Grant, of Galena, Ill.
The first saw mill was built in the fall of 1855, by A. B. Clapp and George Meade. Thi mill and all others at this point were operater by steam power. It was destroyed by fire il 1864, N. S. Cate & Co. built a saw mill ir 1857. This firm was composed of Messrs. N. S. Cate, Il M. Chamberlain and Emery Hough- ton, who came from the State of Maine. They operated the mill till 1862, and did an extensive business, employing sometimes as high as fifty men. The mill eut upon an average 50,000 feet of lumber per day, besides shingles, lath, etc. This company also built a grist mill ad- joining the saw mill, which was also propelled by steam power. In 1862 these mills went into the hands of H. M. Chamberlain & Co., who in 1864 sold to John C. Davis. The stock was closed out and the mill lay idle for several years. This failure was caused in part by the failure of the New England Glass Co., of which Mr. Houghton was the financial manager. On the completion of this mill, when they had
a three month's supply of logs on hand, the stock of this concern amounted to $100,000.
A shingle mill was built by C. M. and A. R. Worth, about 1865. They also sawed some lumber. After running this about four years it was converted into a grist mill and the Worth brothers then occupied the Cate & Co's, mill for about five years, during which time they manufactured large amounts of lath, shingles and lumber. In 1884 this mill was used for cutting staves and heading.
An establishment for the manufacture and cutting of files was started by A. Miller, who run it for a year or so and enlisted in the army to "suppress the rebellion," which had then just commenced. He was killed at the battle of Gettysburg.
In 1857 Capt. William Plummer & Co. en- gaged in the mannfacture of lime and connect- ed with their business the manufacture of hard wood barrels. They did an extensive business, although it was continued only about a year.
The De Soto brewery is owned by Charles E. Reiter, who purchased it of George Eckhardt in 1882. Mr. Reiter makes about 400 barrels of beer per annum. The building was erected by Cate & Co., in 1858, and used by them as a store. George Eckhardt first utilized it for brewing purposes.
The first school in the village was taught by Mrs. Catharine P. Stevens, in the winter of 1855-6. This was a private school. The first school honse proper was built in the summer of 1856, in which James McDill taught the first school the winter following. This house was in use as a residence in 1884, a new school house having been built in 1872. This building was a frame structure, two stories high. The cost of this house was $3,500, and, excepting the one at Viroqua, was the best in the county.
The first physician in De Soto was Dr. G. S. Sperry, who came from St. Paul in the summer of 1856. Ile was an excellent physician. He died in 1873.
42
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
Other physicians were: Dr. G. W. Brooks and Dr. Worth. The physician in 1884 was Dr. Orlando Ewers. Others who have borne the title of doctor, though not educated physicians, were Dr. E. B. Houghton, the original proprie- tor of the village. He moved from the place to La Crosse and later to St. Louis, where he died in 1862. Dr. James Osgood came in 1854 and assisted in laying out the village and finally be- came owner of one-fourth of the town plat. He died in 1863. Dr. Simeon Powers, a dentist, was also owner of another fourth interest in the town site of De Soto. He afterward re- moved to Sparta, where he was at the time of his death. Capt. C. B. Worth came in 1854 and remained till his death in 1875. He was also owner of a fourth interest in the village plat. His son Addison made the first lumber wagon in De Soto.
The first lawyer who practiced at this point was Addison A. Hosmer, a graduate of the Harvard law school at Cambridge, Mass. He came in 1857 and returned to that State in 1860. From there he went into the army and before the war closed became quite distinguished. After the close of the war he was made judge advocate and it was he who passed sentence on the notorious Wirz, of Andersonville infamy,
Tolbert C. Ankney came here as an attorney in 1865, though he had been here previous to the war. He was associated with George McDill, who was also an attorney here at that time.
II. W. McAulley began the practice of law in 1866, continuing for a number of years.
The present attorney is George L. Miller.
The first hotel in this village was known as the Winneshiek Honse. It was a log house and among the first built in the place. The Bay State House was erected in 1856, by Seth Crow- ell and Jonathan F. Porter, who ran it for sev- eral years. Other parties who have from time to time operated this house, are C. H. Allen. Thomas Lawrence, who had charge of the house in 1862-3, and was succeeded by Benja- min Trott, who improved the premises and who .
operated it till his death, in December, 1879. In 1884 it was owned and conducted by his widow, Mrs. Hannah Trott. This hotel was, without doubt, the finest in Vernon county in 1884. It was a three story frame building, 32x45 feet, and finished in good style. The first cost was 87,000.
Mrs. Hannah Trott, proprietress of the Bay State House, De Soto, is the widow of Benjamin Trott, who came to De Soto in 1859. He was born in Shuncook in the British Province, in 1816. He was brought up in the State of Maine. He came here in the milling interests of Cate & Co., and had charge of the manufacturing of shingles in the mill of this company. In Feb- ruary, 1864, he rented the Bay State House, which he conducted for several years, then pur- chased it, and continued in charge of the same, till his death, which occurred Dec. 15, 1879. lle was a man highly respected in the commu- nity in which he lived, as an upright, honora- ble citizen. His wife still owns and conducts the hotel. Her maiden name was Hannah Bean. She was born in Perry, Washington Co., Maine. She has two children-Barbara, wife of Mr. Steele, of Viroqua, and Rebecca, wife of Rob- ert Rice.
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