History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 113

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 113

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JOHN M. WALKER, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Delavan; has 80 acres of land; was born in Wyoming Co., N. Y., July 13, 1831; is the son of John and Margaret Walker; was brought up a farmer: when 18 years of age, learned the molder's trade in Livingston Co., N. Y .; on becoming of age, he went to Vaughn, Canada, where he worked at his trade about thirteen years. He was married, in Vaughn, Dec. 29, 1859, to Miss Hannah Kirby, daughter of Nathan- iel Kirby; Mrs. Walker was born in Markham, Canada; three children were born to them in Canada-Walter W., Hattie M. and John K. In 1866, Mr. Walker and family emigrated to Delavan, Wis .; purchased his present farm on Sec. 10, where he has since resided; three chil- dren were born to them in Delavan-Charles H., Durward E. and Edith M.

ELISHA WELLS, of the firm of W. M. & E. Wells, merchants, Delavan, was born at Al- bany, N. Y., Feb. 9, 1841: is the son of Hezekiah and Eliza (Morgan) Wells; he came to Mil- wankee, Wis., with his parents in the summer of 1842, and to Delavan in January, 1843; was admitted a partner in the dry goods business with his father and brother in 1869; since his father's death, Dec. 7, 1869, he has been the junior member of the firm of W. M. & E. Wells, in the same business; he spent the winter of 1880-81 in Colorado, New Mexico and California, returning May 1, 1881; he was married, Dec. 10, 1867, at Delavan, to Miss Maria Eddy, daugh- ter of the Rev. Chauncey Eddy; Mrs. Wells was born in Saratoga, N. Y .; they have two sons- Walter A., aged 12 years, and Julius, aged 4 years.

WALTER M. WELLS, of the firm of W. M. & E. Wells, merchants of Delavan, was born in Albany, N. Y., June 16, 1829; is the son of Hezekiah and Eliza (Morgan) Wells; he came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1842; spent a short time in Milwaukee, and then came to Del- avan, January, 1843, where he has continued to reside to this date. In 1849, he commenced business as a merchant, being admitted as a partner in the business established by his father in 1843: subsequently (1869), his brother, Elisha, was admitted a member of the firm, and since the father's death, Dec. 7, 1869, the business has been conducted by the sons under the firm name of W. M. & E. Wells; the house, a first-class dry goods establishment, has been in exist- ence since 1843, extending over a period of thirty-eight years. The subject of this sketch, Walter M. Wells, was married, at Poultney, Vt., Sept. 28, 1870, to Miss Lucretia A. Mallary, daughter of Samuel Mallary; Mrs. Wells was born in Sandusky, Ohio. From April, 1870, to October, 1871, Mr. Wells was interested in the stove business at Chicago, in company with Mr.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

William A. Barlow; they were burned out in the great fire of that year, since which time Mr. Wells has devoted his attention to his business at Delavan.

WILBUR G. WEEKS, editor and publisher of the Delavan Republican, of which he be- came proprietor in April, 1881; he was born in the town of Spring Prairie, Walworth Co., March 23, 1859; is the son of Samuel and Charlotte Vantine Weeks; began learning the printer's trade in the office of the Elkhorn Independent, where he spent one year; then went to Waukesha and was employed two years on the Waukesha Democrat; having served a regular apprentice- ship at the business, he next engaged as journeyman on the Milwaukee Sentinel, where he was employed one year; he was subsequently employed as compositor in other offices in the State until 1880, when he came to Delavan, and was foreman of the Enterprise office from December, 1880, till April, 1881, when he bought out the Republican office; under his management, the paper is making good progress, having a subscription list of 700.

SAMUEL P. WILBER, grocer, was born in Schoharie, Schoharie Co., N. Y., Ang. 26, 1839; is the son of Martin and Permilia Wilber; he came to Wisconsin with his parents in 1847, and located at Clinton, Rock Co., where he was brought up on a farm, and continued in that business until 1874, when he sold out and engaged in the grocery business at Delavan, with Mr. S. G. Allen; the following year, he moved his family to Delavan. where he has aince re- sided; he continued his connection with Mr. Allen two years, then sold out, and was out of business about one year; he then started in the same business with Mr. J. R. Williams, under the style of Wilber & Williams; two years later, he bought ont his partner, since which time he has carried on the business alone. He was married, in Allen's Grove, Wis., Nov. 28. 1865, to Miss Sarah M. Allen, daughter of Philip and Caroline Allen; Mrs. Wilber is a native of Roches- ter, N. Y.

L. H. WILLIS, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Delavan: he has 240 acres of land; settled in the county in 1840; he was born in Sparta. Livingston Co., N. Y., June 14, 1817, son of William and Elizabeth Hoyt Willis; his grandfather on his mother's side was a soldier of the Revolu- tion; was promoted captain for meritorions conduct, and served through the seven years' struggle for independence; when S years of age, L. H. Willis went to Wyoming County, where he remained until 17 years old; he then returned to Sparta, where he resided until 1840; in August of that year, he came to Walworth Co., Wis., and made his home in the town of Delavan, on his present farm, which has been his home to this date. He was married, in Pennsylvania, in May, 1842, to Miss Mary M. Bowers, daughter of Orsemus Bowers; Mrs. Willis was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y .; they had seven children, of whom five are living-Arthur, Sarah, Charles, George and Hattie; one son, named Charles, died at the age of 2 years: William R. was mar- ried to Cynthia Paddock, and died aged 27 years; one child died in infancy: Arthur married Amelia Esterly, and lived in Ottawa, Kan .; Sarah is the wife of Charles E. Howe, of Wauke- gan, Ill .; Charles married Ann Irons and lives in Harvey Co., Kan .; George, married Flora Williams and lived in Geneva, Wis. Mr. Willis lost his wife in 1871, her death occurring July 5; he was married to his present wife, Elizabeth Adriance, daughter of Jacob Adriance, Aug. 21, 1872, in Scipio, N. Y .; Mrs. Willis is a native of that town. Mr. Willis has served as Sn- pervisor of Delavan four years; served as Assessor two years; has been a member of the Baptist Church for more than fifty years, and took the lead in forming the Baptist Church in East Del- avan in 1845: he took the lead in forming the school district in East Delavan, and was kept on the School District Board for thirty years; he served as Justice of the Peace for twenty years; he has always been called upon to take the lead in every important measure that has occurred in town; he commenced life without any property. In politics, he is a Republican; helped organize that party in Delavan, and has voted the ticket ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Willis are members of the Baptist Church.

HEZEKIAH WELLS, deceased, was born at Milford, Conn., Dec. 24, 1796; was married, at Albany, N. Y., to Mary Eliza Morgan; was born Sept. 28, 1802, died Nov. 30, 1854. Mr. Wells was engaged in the mercantile business at Albany, N. Y., twenty years, then removed to Milwaukee, Wis., October, 1842, and for a short time kept a hotel, then known as the Milwau- kee House, which was situated on Wisconsin street, near where the custom house now stands; the following Jannary, he removed to Delavan, 1843, and commenced business again as a mer- chant, having the only store in the place. He was married again, June 11, 1855, at Delavan,

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

Wis., to Mary (Moor) Huntington, who was born at Woodstock Conn., Oct. 8, 1809; she is still living at Delavan. Mr. Wells became a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Albany when a young man, and continued an active and consistent ehrehman to the close of his life: he was instrumental in organizing Christ's Church at Delavan in 1844, and was chosen one of its Wardens, and held the office till the time of his death; he had eight children, all born of the first marriage; the eldest, Minot Morgan Wells, was a clergyman of the Episcopal Church; he was married, at Sing Sing, N. Y .. to Emma Hoffman; his death occurred Oct. 15, 1873; Henry died Jan. 12, 1849; Walter Morgan married Lneretia Adams, of Poultney, Vt., and is at this date a merchant of Delavan; Lyman R. died Nov. 25, 1837; Sarah B. died Jan. 11, 1854; Spencer R. is a Congregational clergyman, late missionary to India; married Mary Seiper, of Atlanta, Ill., now residing at Delavan; Elisha married Maria W. Eddy, of Delavan, and is now a merchant of this place; William A. is deceased. Mr. Wells continued business at Delavan till the time of his death, Dec. 7, 1869, being 73 years of age.

H. H. WILLIAMS, born in Dublin, Ireland, 1815; served an apprenticeship of six years to a Liverpool watch manufacturer: settled in Delavan, Wis., May, 1849; bought Lot 8, Block 12; erected the first store on Block 12, and opened the first jewelry store in Delavan in June, 1849, and carries on the same business now, in connection with his son, Howard Williams. He was married, in Ireland, to Jane Curran: six children were born to them: the eldest daughter, Susie, is the wife of C. P. James, of Beloit, Kan .: the eldest son, Henry, is married, and lives at Bon- ham, Texas; the second daughter, Ella, is teaching at the Blairsville Ladies' Seminary, Penn- sylvania; Jennie lives with her parents at Delavan: Robert married Gracia Marsh, and lives at Burlington, Kan .; Nettie is the wife of Rev. I. J. Atwood, of Oberlin, Ohio, a Congregational minister, destined to serve as a missionary to China. Mr. Williams' first wife died, and he married Mrs. A. A. Curtiss, daughter of P. M. Keeler: three sons were born of this marriage, the first dying in infancy; the second son, Howard, is associated with his father in the jewelry business; the youngest, Ed. F., is in the Citizens' Bank of Delavan as Assistant Cashier.

A. J. WOODBURY, dealer in books, stationery and fancy goods, suecessor to D. L. Shader, who established the business in 1871. The present proprietor purchased the establishment Aug. 1, 1878. Mr. Woodbury was born in McHenry Co., Ill., near McHenry, July 9, 1846; is the son of William H. and Allura B. Woodbury. Mr. Wood-bury resided in his native county till 1867, when he came to Delavan and engaged in the drug business, which he continued one year, when he was appointed Steward of the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, and served in that capacity from 1870 to 1878. He was married, at Delavan, Ang. 9, 1873, to Miss Alice Jacobs; they have two children-Ida L. and Ethel L.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

TOWN OF DARIEN.

ORGANIZATION.

When, by act of the Territorial Legislature, approved January 2, 1838, the town of Dela- van was created, consisting of four townships, the one now forming Darien was among the number. By an act approved January 6, 1840, Town 2 north, in Range 15 east, was formed into a separate town, by the name of Darien, from a town of the same name in New York, from which most of the early settlers came. The surface of the town is generally quite level, the greater portion of the rolling land being near the central and northern part.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The soil is of excellent quality throughout, being easy of cultivation and highly product- ive. The town is very fairly timbered with the various varieties indigenous to this part of the State. The inhabitants are mostly Americans, with a small admixture of other nationalities. The population of 1875 was 1,442; it is now 1,394.

The Turtle Creek, the largest and most important stream in the town, enters on Section 13, and, after a circuitous bend, passes through the town south and westerly, leaving it on Section 18. This stream furnishes some water-power, but it is too level to be of superior value as such. Muzzy Creek enters on Section 33 and flows a little to the northwest, leaving the town on Sec- tion 31, and empties into the Turtle in Rock County. Spring Brook Creek enters on Section 31 and leaves the town on the same section, emptying into the Muzzy in Rock County. For some distance on either side of the Turtle is considerable marsh land, and also in the southwestern part of the town, in the vicinity of the Muzzy and Spring Brook Creeks. Turtle Prairie, so called from the creek of the same name, extends across the town east and west, a little south of the center, the others being Ridge Prairie, in the northeast; Rock Prairie, in the northwest; Hazie Prairie, on Section 13, and Blooming Prairie, north of and near the center. The original oak openings were in the north and northeast part of the town. There are still existing a few of the Indian mounds, supposed to have been built by the ancient Mound-Builders, but these are of small size and almost undiscernible. These are principally on Section 18.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The town of Darien was first settled by Christopher Chesebro and E. Belding, who came in April, 1837-the former from Otsego County, N. Y., the latter from Hadley, Mass. Mr. Chese- bro settled on Section 14, built a house, broke a few acres of land, and planted corn, beans and a few other vegetables. Mr. Belding located on Section 11, and also broke a few acres of land. He is now a resident of Delavan. Mr. Chesebro died in the spring of 1839, his death being the first in town. At the time of their coming to the town of Darien, both of these pioneer settlers were unmarried. Next came N. S. Comstock, from Delaware County, N. Y., on horseback, the date of his advent being May 28, and the locality of his settlement Section 7. After erecting a log house, he broke twenty acres of land and returned to New York for his family. Being pos- sessed of some money, Mr. Comstock escaped many of the hard " rubs" which most of the pio- neers were obliged to endure. A. W. Maxson, now of Janesville, furnishes further interesting information of the settlers of 1837 and 1838, in the following words: " Joseph Maxson, a native of Rhode Island, settled in Allegany County, N. Y., in 1804. He was then seventeen years of age, and his worldly wealth consisted of a scanty wardrobe and 2 cents in money. He sold his only pair of shoes for an ax, and, going eight miles into the wilderness, cleared himself a farm -the site of the present village of Centerville. (The old ax and one of these cents are still kept by his son as precious relics. ) In the spring of 1837, he took his son, A. W. Maxson, then seventeen years of age, the old ax for which he traded his shoes in 1804, a few tools, and, with one horse and a wagon, started for Wisconsin. He arrived on Turtle Prairie May 29. It was then in full bloom, and covered with wild flowers. Locating on Section 18, they cut the sod

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

from the prairie with an ax, and planted beans and melons. Soon after they were located in their new home, the father fell from his horse, and, striking a stone, broke five of his ribs. His son, with the assistance of two young men (William Moore and Hiram Kingsley), who had that day arrived from Illinois, undertook the duties of surgeon and nurse. They bled him with a jack-knife, buckled a strap around his body, and in three weeks he assisted in building their cabin, cutting the first tree with the same old ax which eut the first tree in Centerville in 1804. Remaining about a month, he went back to New York for more supplies. Moore and Kingsley then broke a few acres of land on Sections 5 and 19, sowing part of it to buckwheat. They re- turned to Illinois, leaving the crop in charge of young Maxson. He cut it with a cradle, con- structed of a grass scythe and a few oak branches, threshed it on the ground, allowed the wind to clean it, and then ground it in a coffee-mill. This was the first grain raised in the town of Darien. In the month of June, John Lippett, Cyrus Lippett, John Bruce, Salmon Thomas and Trumbell D. Thomas arrived. Soon after, a child of Mr. Thomas' died, and Mrs. Thomas gave birth to a child-Alfred W., since District Attorney, the first white child born in the town of Darien. In the fall of 1837, Benjamin Moore arrived with a large family. William Carter came in December and built a log house on Section 21, which was burned the following spring by prairie fires. In the spring of 1838, Amos Older settled on the same section, his father, a gray-haired old man, accompanying him. During the winter also came Austin Maxson, from the State of New York, walking the entire distance to Wisconsin. At this time, the largest wild animals were wolves and deer, although a lynx and a panther are said to have been killed. Mills had not been built, and the settlers went to Dundee, Ill., to have their grain ground. The first saw-mill was built by Joseph Maxson and his son A. W., in 1841, and was replaced in 1850 by a grist-mill, also erected by them."

Salmon Thomas, with his family, and his brother, Trumbull D .. moved into the present town of Darien in June, 1837. Mr. Thomas' brother had made his claim in the fall of 1836, and paid a man to put a log house on it, but when the family arrived they found the logs rolled up and covered, but no door or windows. They were obliged to eut a door through before they could get in.

The most prominent settlers who came to the town of Darien previous to 1841 are as fol- lows: In the spring of 1838, O. W. Carter, Jr., Leander Dodge, Jacob S. Cook, Jacob A. Sea, Lyman and Loren K. Jones, Asher Johnson, Hiram A. Johnson, Jared Fox and Charles Ells- worth in the summer and fall of 1838; William and C. Hollister, in the spring, and Ebenezer Chesebro, Elijah Belden, Rev. Mr. Kingsley. John V. Walker. Hugh Long and Chester D. Long in June of 1839; Nicholas Perry and two sons, Jabez B. Chesebro, Lyman H. Seaver, William A. Waterhouse. Alvah Johnson. Joseph Wilkins and Robert Lawson in the summer and fall of 1839; Archibald Woodard, John Curtis, Lemuel Hollister, Elisha MeCollister, Will- iam G. Mayhaw. Jasper Griggs, Hiram A. Stone, John Wilkins, M. Woodhull and Robert A. Houston in 1840.

Of these persons, W. E. Chesebro, Cyrus Lippett, William and Orange W. Carter, Hiram A. Johnson, Chester D. Long. Alvah Johnson, Cyrenius and William Hollister, and Salmon Thomas, are still residents of Darien, while Nicholas S. Comstock, Joseph Maxson, Benjamin Moore, E. B. Gates, John Bruce, Loren K. Jones, Leander Dodge, Amos Older, Reuben Knapp, Asher Johnson, Hugh Long. Lyman H. Seaver, Ebenezer Chesebro, Newton McGraw, Robert Lawson, Nicholas Perry, Henry Topping, Jesse Older, Eugene Flaherty and Jasper Griggs are known to be dead. The settlers of a later date are Valentine Aldrich, Robert Hutchinson, Archibald Woodard. John Wilkins, Peter M. Keeler, Eli King, H. B. Greenman, Cornelius Dykeman, Jacob Niskern. John Niskern, Ira P. Lanard. Asa Foster, Randall Stone, Isaac Vail, Levi Bedell, Josiah Vrooman, John B. Hastings, Josiah Dodge, Samuel W. Dodge, George Wal- ker, Moses McKee, Henry Frey, Ezekiel Tripp, Jeremiah Bradway, Jamas Dilley. Hiram Onder- donk, John Rhinehart, Ovid Reed, S. C. and Amos Ives, Joshua Parish, Carey Welch, Lucius Relyea, James Dudley, Zebulon T. Lee. Levi Blakeman, Rial N. Weed, James McKey, William Woodard, Eusebias Barwell, Rufus, Alexander and James Gallup, John B. Cook, Stephen Mc- Hugh, Thomas MeHugh, John F. McKee, Willard Blanchard and Elisha Hunt. A majority of the above-named persons were from the town of Darien, N. Y.

When the town was first settled, the settlers came in with very limited means; many of

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

them had not sufficient to purchase their land at the land sales. and had to borrow money by the process called " machine shave." They paid $200 for eighty acres, and on the whole amount of money 12 per cent interest. But they, however, came to stay, and the wealthy farmers of the town bear evidence to how well they have carried out their intentions.

RESUME.

The town of Darien was first settled by Elijah Belding and Christopher C. Chesebro, in April. 1837. Mr. Belding came from Hadley, Mass., and settled on Section 10, while Mr. Chesebro came from Otsego County, N. Y., and settled on Section 15. They were both unmar- ried at the date of their settlement. Mr. Chesebro died in the spring of 1839, his death being the first in the town. Mr. Belding is now a resident of Delavar. In 1837 came Joseph and Arthur Maxson, who settled on Section 18; Nicholas S. Comstock, on Section 27; Salmon and Trumbull D. Thomas, on Section 12; William Moore, on Section 15; W. E. Chesebro, on Section 18: Benjamin Moore, on Section 5; Hiram Kingsley, on Section 18; John Bruce, on Section 27: Cyrus and John Lippett. on Section 35; Lorenzo Carter, on Section 35; Loren K. and Lyman Jones, on Section 10; William and Orange W. Carter, on Section 21; E. B. Gates, on Section 8; and Martin Moore is said to have come in at this time, but made no permanent settlement.

The settlers of the spring of 1838 are Leander Dodge, on Section 28: Amos Older, on Sec- tion 21: Jacob A. Sea, on Section 35: Reuben Knapp, on Section 24; Asher Johnson, on Sec- tion 17; Hiram A. Johnson, on Section 18; Hugh and Chester D. Long, on Section 28; Alvah Johnson, on Section 20; Lyman H. Seaver, on Section 33; Ebenezer Chesebro, on Section 11; William A. Waterhouse, on Section 33; Newton MeGraw, on Section 10; Cyrennius Hollister, on Section 4; William Hollister, on Section 8: Robert Lawson, on Section 10; Jared Fox, on Sec- tion 11: Jabez B. Chesebro, on Section 19; John V. Walker, on Section 33; Nicholas Perry, on Section 34; Henry Topping, on Section 35; Jesse Older, on Section 20.

FIRST THINGS AND EVENTS.

In 1839, Caleb Blodgett, of Beloit, was united in marriage to Lorinda Jones, of Blooming Prairie. This was the first marriage in town.

Other early marriages were those of M. S. Pratt to Lydia Comstock, March 28, 1841; Peter Bowen to Hannah Older, May 4, 1840; William Carter to Adaline Seaver, December 15, 1841. Rev. H. Topping tied the nuptial knots.

The first birth in the town was A. D. Thomas, a son of Salmon Thomas, in August, 1837. He has since been District Attorney of Walworth County, and is now an attorney at law in Deadwood, D. T.

The first death was C. C. Chesebro, in the summer of 1839. He was Postmaster at the time of his death.

In the summer of 1840, a private school was taught by Mrs. Mary Carter, in Cyrus Lippett's house, being the first in the town. In the fall of the same year, a school was taught in what is now District No. 4, by C. D. Long. He commenced his school the 1st of November, in a school- house which had been previously built. Miss Adaline Seaver also taught a school that fall in the house of William A. Waterhouse, in what is now District No. 6. She commenced later in the month than Mr. Long. There are now five whole and seven joint school districts in the town.

In the summer of 1841, a saw-mill was built by Joseph and Arthur Maxson, on the north bank of the Turtle, on Section 18. A flouring-mill was built by the same parties in 1850, and is now owned by E. G. Chesebro. It is a two-story frame, custom mill, with two run of stone.

The first crops were raised in the fall of 1837, by William Moore and Hiram Kingsley. (See A. W. Maxson's recollections.)

In 1880, the following crops were raised:

Wheat, 19,580 bushels; corn, 176, 910 bushels; oats, 94,374 bushels; barley. 34,943 bushels; rye. 1,240 bushels; potatoes, 11,590 bushels; root crops, 500 bushels; apples, 15,400 bushels; timothy seed, 1.467 bushels; flax, 28,000 pounds; tobacco, 1,300 pounds; grasses, 3,110 tons; butter, 58,500 pounds; cheese, 89,845 pounds, and, in 1881, Wheat, 700 acres; corn, 2,960 acres;

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

oats, 2,160 acres; barley, 2,460 acres; rye, 46 acres; potatoes, 101 acres; flax, 123 acres; grasses, 2,749 acres; tobacco, 6 acres; growing timber, 1,877 acres; apple orchards, 370 acres, with 7,940 bearing trees; root crops, 1} acres.

The report of the County Superintendent of Schools for 1881 states that in the town of Darien there are five whole districts and five joint districts; the number of male children in the town over four and under twenty years of age is 213; female, 209; total, 422; there are eight schoolhouses in the town, with accommodations for the seating of 473 pupils; the cash value of all these houses is $3,600; cash value of sites, $425; cash value of apparatus, $295; total valuation of all school property is $4,320.

The amount of school money on hand, August 31, 1880, was $685.09. The amount received from taxes levied on building and repairing was $63.50; from taxes levied for teachers' wages, $1,797.50; from taxes levied by County Supervisors, $188.16; from income of school fund, $169.56; from all other sources, $17.60; total amount received during the year, $2,921.41. The amount paid out for building and repairing was $98.67; for apparatus, etc., $2.94; for teach- ers' services, $2,181.50; for school furniture, etc., $39.80; for all other purposes, $271.31; total amount paid out during the year, $2,593.87; money on hand August 31, 1881, $327.54.

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History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 113

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