History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 101

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 998

USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth County, Wisconsin > Part 101

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

States naval service three years; he followed the sea until 1861, when he settled on his land in Whitewater; he has continued farming to this writing, except two seasons that he spent sailing on the lakes; he was married, June 6, 1866, in Belvidere, Ill., to Miss Sarah, daughter of John Rogers; Mrs. Wright was born in England; they have four children-John, George, Elizabeth P. and William.

B. F. WOOD, jeweler, was born in Columbia Co., N. Y., June 5, 1845: is the son of George F. and Lydia C. (Cutting) Wood: when 9 years of age, he moved to Sauk Co., Wis .; learned his trade in Reedsburg; subsequently lived in Woodland and Ironton; carried on the jeweler's business in the latter place about two years, t'en went to Oregon, and, shortly afterward, came to Whitewater, where he established his present shop Feb. 20, ISSO; he was married, in Hebron, Jefferson Co., Wis., to Miss M. Delphine Coryell; Mrs. Wood was born in Rock Co., Wis; they have two children, daughters-Lydia and Lina.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

TOWN OF DELAVAN.

ORGANIZATION.

The town of Delavan is one of the original towns into which the county was divided by act of the Territorial Legislature of January 2, 1838. By that aet, it received its name, and, as then defined, embraced the southwestern quarter of the county, and comprised what are now the towns of Darien, Sharon, Walworth and the present town. The original town was divided by setting of Towns No. 1, in Ranges 15 and 16 east, in 1839, to which was given the name of Wałworth. Subsequently, Jannary 6. 1840, Darien, lying immediately west of the present town, being Town No. 2, in Range 15 east, was set off, leaving the limits of Delavan as they now are, with the exception of a single section, No. 1, which was set off February 2, 1846, to help form the present town of Elkhorn. It was named Delavan in honor of E. C. Delavan, a prominent temperance advocate of Albany, N. Y.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The surface of the town is generally quite rolling, but a very small portion being flat and level. There is considerable marsh land, the greater portion of it lying in the vicinity of Dela- van Lake. These marshes now constitute great natural hay meadows. Around Delavan Lake was originally a large amount of timber, mainly oak, with some hickory and a little red cedar and poplar. Extending nearly across the town, from the village of Delavan to Elkhorn, is a level tract of land known as Delavan Prairie, while in the western part is Blooming Prairie, which is smaller and of less importance.

The soil in all portions of the town is a heavy, rich, clay loam, varying only in its color, that in the southern and lower portions being of light color, while that on the prairies and higher portions is mixed with a rich alluvial deposit of a darker shade. In the southwestern part of the town and extending in a northeasterly direction, and covering principally Sections 22, 28 and 32, is Delavan Lake, a body of water about three miles in length by one and a half miles in width, in which abound the catfish, bass, pike, bull-head, pickerel and most other fish common to Western inland lakes. The stream constituting the inlet of the lake enters the town on Section 12, and, running in a general sontliwesterly direction, empties into the lake on Sec- tion 22. Nearly opposite this, about one mile west, Delavan Creek, the outlet of the lake, has its source. This stream runs in a westerly direction across Sections 21, 20 and 19, and, crossing the town line into Darien, takes an abrupt turn and returns again to the town of Delavan and extends in a northerly direction.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first settlers of Delavan, Henry and Samuel F. Phoenix, were men of strong religious principles, who were seeking a home in the new Territory of Wisconsin that they might found there a colony composed of people of like ideas with themselves. They believed if such a colony could be started, far away from the temptations of towns and cities, they might see grow up around them a community pledged to temperance, sobriety and religion; and " where, should a poor despised colored man chance to set his foot, he might do it in safety."

With this design, the brothers left a flourishing business and pleasant homes in Perry, N. Y., and, in the month of May, 1836, started for the Rock River region, which, even at that early day, was noted for its fertility and beauty. After spending several weeks on the journey and in exploring the Fox and Wisconsin River Valleys, in the northern part of Illinios, the pros- pectors decided to explore the new and comparatively unknown Territory of Wisconsin. They reached the little settlement at Spring Prairie about the 1st of July, 1836-a month after Dr. Hemenway, David Pratt and Solomon Harvey had arrived there with their families, and when there was no settlement between that point and Janesville. The first week after their arrival was spent in exploring the country in the vicinity of Sugar Creek, in the town of Spring Prairie, and as far west as Rock River, in search of a mill site, and suitable place for the site of a village. On the 6th of July, Henry, the elder of the brothers, returned to New York to the business

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

there, and Samuel, not having yet decided upon a location, continued his explorations and in- vestigations alone. July S, two days after his brother left, he started from his headquarters at Spring Prairie, mounted on " Wall." his horse. He took with him his ax, surveyor's compass and luncheon, and explored the country as far southwest as Duck Lake (now Como), and thence southwest through the heavy timber between that point and Big Foot Lake (now Geneva). He obtained assistance at the outlet of Big Foot Lake, and marked some claims, and about sunset took the Indian trail for Dr. Hemenway's tavern at Spring Prairie, ten miles distant, where he arrived about 10 o'clock. Mr. Phoenix came nearer giving up the idea of settling in Wisconsin while away on this trip than at any other period of his prospecting tour. In the midst of the untraversed wilderness, tormented by hungry mosquitoes and bewildered in trying to trace the indistinct and sometimes hardly discernible surveyor's lines, no wonder his heart was hungry for the pleasant home in the East, and that for a brief time he felt like giving up the task he had voluntarily taken upon himself. and following his brother Henry to New York. He was not, however, a man to yield long to feelings of discouragement, and he tells us in his journal: " Upon further consideration, I concluded it would give our journey to the country the appear- ance of a farce, and would be too faint-hearted a business to comport with our character: so I sought the Lord for wisdom to guide and strength to succor under these sinkings of mind. Thus committing my way to Him, I resolved to persevere."

Col. Phoenix spent the Sabbath. July 10, at Spring Prairie, preaching the first sermon in Walworth County to an audience of fifteen persons. The next four days were spent in exploring portions of Spring Prairie and what is now the town of La Fayette.

On Friday, July 15. he once more started toward the southwest. Passing through the present town of Geneva by the head of Duck Lake, and along the northern shore of Big Foot Lake, he turned toward the north, and reached Swan (now Delavan Lake) in time to make sur- veys of the lake and adjoining prairie before dark. Toward night, he discovered the outlet of the lake. He says in his journal: "It is about the size of Sugar Creek at the crossing of the army trail, and with a current as brisk." The first night in Delavan was spent in a deserted Indian wigwam near the lake. After covering the wigwam with mats which the Indians had left there, he made his supper of the bread he had brought from Spring Prairie, moistened with water from the lake, and making his bed of the remaining mat, not forgetting to "acknowledge the good hand of the Lord in His protection and guidance," he laid down to rest and quietly slept through the night, on the very spot, where, four years after, he was attacked with his last mortal illness.

On the following morning, he made some explorations under water with hook and line, but here his good fortune failed him, and the disappointment doubtless made the poor breakfast of bread and lake water taste even dryer than before. It is no wonder that, under the circum- stances, he felt that "it went down rather hard." Pursuing his explorations in search of a mill-site, he was rewarded by finding one on Swan Creek, with land adjacent which he thought would be a good site for a village, should his undertaking prove a success. He also found a fine spring of pure clear water, which both he and " Wall" enjoyed exceedingly. The remains of his luncheon were disposed of, and after following Swan Creek to its outlet into Turtle, he turned his face again toward Spring Prairie. The trip back was pretty uncomfortable. He and his horse were both hungry; it was hot July weather, insects of all kinds were "abroad in the land." and, by the time Col. Phoenix reached the prairie south of the present Shiretown of Walworth County, he was very willing to lay down and rest, and " Wall " was glad to have one good meal of the luxuriant prairie grass. Col. Phoenix found the spot where he rested beautiful but nameless. Since that visit, it has been " Elkhorn Prairie."

After Col. Phoenix had consulted some of the "neighbors " (living only three miles apart) at Spring Prairie, it was decided that a road from Racine to Wisconsin City, on Rock River. must cross Turtle Creek just above the mouth of Swan Creek, the present site of the village of Dela- van. He accordingly decided to return and make his claim. On Tuesday, July 19, he set out, taking a more northerly route than before, crossed Elkhorn and Delavan Prairies, and ar- rived at the wigwam he had left the Saturday before full of enthusiasm and courage, and more than ever determined to carry out the design to which he and his brother had consecrated them- selves. Mr. Phoenix made, at this time, the usual marks to secure his claim, by blazing trees

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

and corner stakes, and, in addition, he christened the claim on the spot "Temperance Colony Claim." It was while engaged in securing it that the Colonel killed a rattlesnake, and was encouraged by the good omen to believe that the serpent intemperance might likewise be crushed in his little colony.

Having taken three days' provisions from Dr. Hemenway's. the Colonel spent the next day in examining the country in the vicinity of the present village of Delavan. At night, he returned to his home in the wigwam, but was not as fortunate as at his previous visits. A drenching rain set in, and a part of the night was spent in keeping his fire alive and himself dry. On Thursday, July 21, he returned to Spring Prairie, meeting on the route Allen Perkins, who had also been to Turtle Creek and selected a claim eighty rods west of the present site of Delavan Village, on Turtle Creek. On this claim, Mr. Perkins built the first house in the town of Dela- van. Mr. Dwinnell thus speaks of it: "After wandering in the darkness for an hour, we heard a cow-bell, and were guided by it to the cabin of Allen Perkins, who lived a few rods west of the present village of Delavan. He had a cabin twelve feet square, with a wife and five children, but in this limited space found room to entertain travelers. It was a characteristic of the pio- neers that, however small their cabin or numerous their family and guests. they always found room for one more-their latch-string was always out."

When Col. Phoenix met Mr. Perkins, the latter was wandering about in the vicinity of the present site of Elkhorn Village. After selecting his claim at Turtle Creek, he attempted to fol- low the track of a passing stage team, and became bewildered, and finally, utterly lost. At the time the Colonel met him, he had become nearly exhausted, but succeeded in reaching Dr. Hem- enway's, where he received the attention that he so much required.

In the latter part of July, Col. Phoenix pitched his tent on the present site of the village. On August 5, 1836, he moved his furniture and provisions to the 'place, and, with three hired men, really commenced to live in Delavan.

At this time, the hoped-for weekly stage wagon had been started from Racine to Wisconsin City, a prospective town on Rock River, near the present city of Janesville. (It proved to be only a prospective town.) One trip had been made the week previous, and Col. Phoenix was full of hope in regard to the route, although disappointed at his failure to receive letters. as he had not heard from home for about three months. He says. in regard to the stage line, in a letter to his brother Henry: "The road is nearly straight for sixty-five miles, and better ground cannot be found for the same distance in any of the Western States. The Turtle Creek Crossing is the worst spot on the route, and that can be easily made passable." Notwithstanding the natural advantages of the route, it was destined, like many others in those days, to be a failure, as the stage made but a few trips. It is said that the stage-driver on one of these routes, on arriving at the "city," which was his destination, finding no house nor Postmaster there, dis- mounted, opened the bag, and, taking out the letters destined for the place, fastened them to a stake and drove on.

Although Col. Phoenix was eventually disappointed in the road to " Wisconsin City," he went to work with a will and energy that effectually prevented any disappointment in the mat- ter of founding the future village. The fall of 1536 and the following winter were busy times for himself and little crew of men. One hundred tons of hay were put up, thirty acres of prairie broken ready for the coming spring, and rails prepared for two miles of fence. In No- vember, he went to Illinois and bought his provisions for the winter and seed grain for spring.

In October, William Phoenix, a cousin, arrived with his family, being the first of the ex- pected colony that settled on the chosen spot. A house was built immediately, 20x22 feet in size, with puncheon floor and shake roof. The house was built near the bank of the creek, on what is now Terrace street. and was the first house built on the present site of Delavan Village. The family of William Phoenix and Col. Phoenix, with his men, moved into the house in the fall, although it was not completed until later, as the boards for the chamber floor were drawn from Root River Rapids, forty miles distant, through deep snow during the following winter.

On October 25, Col. Phoenix attended the "Belmont Legislature " as a lobby member, and it was mainly through his influence that the county at that time received the name of Walworth. At the next session of the Legislature, when the county was divided into towns, the southwest

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

quarter was given the name of Delavan, in honor of Edward C. Delavan, a prominent temperance man of Albany, N. Y.

In March, 1837, Col. Phoenix went to New York for his family and returned to Delavan in the following July, arriving on Tuesday, July 12, 1837. In September, the family moved into the log house on the farm at Swan Lake, not far from the wigwam where the father passed the first nights during his prospecting tours.

Henry Phoenix arrived with his family in June, 1838, and the brothers set about active business-opening farms, laying out a village and erecting mills.

The immigration of 1837 did not set in until late in the season, owing to the length and severity of the winter. Among others who came then were Henry Barlow and A. H. Taggart, young men from Castile, N. Y., arrived in June, by boat, from Buffalo. The former was married July 3, 1841, to Emeline La Bar, this being the first marriage in the town. He had settled on Section 5. Daniel E. La Bar, William Hollinshead and Isaac Burson came from Pennsylvania (by horse team), and arrived June 20. Mr. Burson settled on Section 4, Mr. Hollins- head on Section 3 and Mr. La Bar on Sections 6 and 7. The first two were single men. Mr. La Bar did not bring his family until two years after. William A. Bartlett came during the summer and settled on Delavan Lake, near where Samuel Phoenix had built his log house.

During the same season, Charles Bailey, from Vermont, located on Section 25. Hiram Cal- kins, from New York, arrived about the same time and lived with Mr. Bailey for several months until he made a claim on Section 26 for himself aud moved on to it. A Mr. Smith and a Mr. Cook settled on Section 2. They remained until early in July, when they sold their claim to Peter Boyce, who arrived July 11. James Hollinshead, a brother of William Hollinsehad, ar- rived in August and located on Section 3. Among others who increased the population of the colony at this time were Milo Kelsey, David, Cyrus and Edwin Brainerd and father, Luke Tay- lor and J. E. Bell. Mr. Kelsey was by profession a lawyer, and was, therefore, the first in the town. Hemy Barlow and William Hollinshead are the only ones who are still living where they first located; of the remainder, most are dead, save a few who have moved away. These, how- ever, formed the nucleus of the first white settlement of what afterward became the town of Delavan. In 1838, the tide of immigration was at its highest, and any attempt to men- tion individual names, or to follow the growth and struggles of this young community, would lengthen this article to tediousness, but it would be incomplete without mentioning a few of the incidents which at that time excited universal interest. Col. S. F. and Henry Phoenix were al- ways open-handed in promoting enterprises which promised well for the public good. During 1837 and 1838, they were improving the water-power and getting out timber for a saw-mill. It was completed in February, 1839. The building was situated one and a half miles above the village. Here the timber and logs were sawed for a grist-mill, which went into operation a few

months thereafter. Amos Otis was master builder. The frame of this mill was probably the tallest and heaviest that had at that time been erected in the county. It was raised on Thursday. May 16, 1839, and all the people for a distance of twelve miles were invited and very generally turned out to assist in the operation. The first store was opened by the Phoenix brothers in the fall of 1838, near Swan Lake, about a quarter of a mile from the saw-mill. They opened a $6,-

000 stock of goods which they disposed of in a short time. The goods were offered for sale in a shed that had been built for the use of the cattle, but which was divided into rooms and oc- cupied by the family of Mr. Samuel Phoenix, for six weeks after their arrival, until their log house, on Section 15, could be finished. The goods were in " the west room." and Mrs. Phoenix and her son Franklin attended to the selling of them. The store was removed to the village of Delavan, and kept in the log house of William Phoenix, later in the same season, under the firm name of H. & S. F. Phoenix.

Delavan having now a population of perhaps one hundred souls. the next requirement was the establishment of a post office, followed by the opening of seliools, churches, etc.

FIRST THINGS IN THE TOWN OF DELAVAN.

The first post office was established in 1837, and William Phoenix was appointed Postmaster. At this time, they had a semi-weekly mail, the contractor being William B. Sheldon, of Racine. Previously, the nearest post office was at that point.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

The first church was organized by the Baptists during 1838. The organization consisted of sixteen members.

The first school was taught in the log house occupied by William Phoenix, in the summer of 1839, by Miss Julia Dyer. She had about twelve scholars.

The first settler was Samuel F. Phoenix, in 1836.

The first log house was built by Allan Perkins, in 1836.

The first land plowed and cultivated was by Samuel F. Phoenix, in the fall of 1836.

The first religious meeting was held by Samnel F. Phoenix, August 7, 1836 .. The first sermon preached by an ordained minister was by Elder Benjamin Pierce, October 7, 1836.

The first lawyer was Milo Kelsey, who settled in 1837.

The first white child born in the town was Amelia T. Taylor, daughter of Luke Taylor, on October 12, 1837, now the wife of Byron Brown, of Whitewater. A. H. Thomas who is said to have been the first child born there, was born over the line, in what is now Darien, August, 1837.

The first burial was a child of Salmon Thomas, which was brought from Racine, in June, 1837, and buried where the old cemetery now is.

The first death was Daniel E. La Bar, which occurred in July, 1839. He was buried a short distance north of the present village of Delavan, between the old and new cemeteries.

On January 2, 1841, Rev. Henry Topping baptized a number of persons at what may be called the "first regular christening." They were Wyckum Cheesbro, Ira P. Larnard, Joseph Newcomb, Benjamin Bradway, Matthew Fuller, S. Rees La Bar, Hannah A. La Bar, Mariah H. Cheesbro, Sarah Topping, Jane Hollinshead. Caroline Cramer and Betsey A. Bartlett.

The first marriage was that of Henry Barlow and Emeline La Bar, July 3, 1841.

The first school was taught in 1839 by Julia Dyer.

The first railroad connection was made in 1856, at which time the Racine & Mississippi Railroad was completed through the village. It is now the only railroad passing through the town.

OFFICIAL HISTORY OF DELAVAN.

Delavan was set off' and organized as a separate town in 1838, but it seems to have been, till 1840, only the boundaries of a voting precinct. No record of any town meeting for the election of town officers can be found prior to 1842.

At the first town meeting of the electors of the town of Delavan, held at the house of Israel Stowel on the 5th day of April, 1842, Ira Utter was chosen Moderator, and Benjamin F. Hart, Clerk. It was voted at this meeting that but one Assessor and but two Constables be chosen, and that one-half of t per cent upon the assessment be raised for a school fund for the following year; that the compensation of the Supervisors be $1 per day. A committee was ap- pointed consisting of Thomas Topping, William Phoenix and William A. Bartlett, whose duty it should be to report a bill of fees for all the town officers not provided for by law. This com- inittee reported as follows: "That the compensation for the services of Town Clerk for the town of Delavan be the same as the fee bill of the State of New York, except when he shall preside with any of the town officers, in which the law makes it his duty to preside, for which he shall be entitled to receive $1 for each day actually so employed. Also, that every town officer whose compensation is not prescribed by law shall be entitled to $1 per day actually employed in the duties of his office." It was also voted that the Treasurer receive 1 per cent for receiving moneys and I per cent for paying out the same.

. The first election of town officers occurred on this same date. The whole number of votes cast was fifty-six and the following-named persons were elected to their respective offices:

William A. Bartlett, Chairman; William Hollinshead and C. S. Bailey, Supervisors; S. S. Barlow, Town Clerk; J. C. Church, Assessor: Jasper Griggs, Treasurer; Benjamin F. Hart, Collector (resigned and Nehemiah Barlow elected): Edward A. Hollinshead, Hiram Calkins and Edward Norris, Commissioners of Highways ; Henderson Hunt, A. B. Parsons and Hiram Calkins, School Commissioners; Israel Stowel and Albert Ogden, Constables; Thomas Topping, Sealer of Weights and Measures; M. B. Goff, Road Supervisor; Peter Boys, Ira Utter and Isaac Burson, Fence Viewers.

The following is a list of the officers since the organization of the town:

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

1843-Henderson Hunt, Chairman; Hiram Calkins and J. C. Church, Supervisors; Will- iam Hollinshead, Assessor; S. S. Barlow. Clerk; Jasper Griggs, Treasurer; A. Gaston, C. H. Sturtevant and A. B. Parsons, School Commissioners; John L. Ward, Collector: Levi Gloyd and John L. Ward, Constables; William A. Bartlett, Sealer.

1844 -- William Phoenix, Chairman; George Passage and Calvin B. Carington, Supervisors; C. Brainard, Clerk; I. C. Church. Jasper Griggs and Joseph Bowker, Justices of the Peace; William Hollinshead, Henry Barlow and R. G. Wright, Assessors; J. R. Bradway, Edward Brainard and Samuel Jones, School Commissioners; H. Wells, Treasurer; John L. Ward, W. G. Hemour and R. G. Wright, Constables: John L. Ward. Collector; Elida Carver, Sealer.

1845-William Phoenix. Chairman; William Hollinshead and Ira Utter, Supervisors; C. Brainard, Clerk: J. R. Bradway, S. S. Barlow and L. H. Willis, School Commissioners; S. R. Crosby, Collector; S. R. Crosby and J. L. Ward, Constables; H. Stewart, Treasurer; Asa Glovey, Sealer.

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History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 101

Author: Western Historical Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 998

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 998