History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 148

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

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Mr. Pratt was emphatically a self-made man. Receiving but a limited education from books-his youth being passed in frontier districts destitute of schools, and his early manhood in fighting the battle of his life in a new and rude country. he instinct- ively and intuitively seemed to draw mental nutriment from the men and scenes that surrounded him. The passing traveler who tarried at his hotel, the new-coming settlers, the chance visitor, all could give him something which he could digest and assimilate, and make a part of himself-the way self-made men are always made. The influence of Mr. Pratt was always excited in favor of temperance in every phase. He was a con- scienticus member of the Congregationalist Church-one of its constituent members. His death was sudden. On his way to Milwaukee on the 22d day of March, 1877, he left the cars at Racine to walk a short distance, fell suddenly, and immediately expired of disease of the heart. The following summary of his character, by one who knew him intimately for over forty years, is just and true : " Blessed with a conscientiousness which led him to approve the right as it appeared to him, he never shrank from a frank avowal of his convictions. Possessing strong reasoning powers, and living a life of the * * * strictest prohity he made an enduring impress upon his fellow-citizens. *

Generous to a large degree, his hand was ever open to the needy and worthy poor. Though he had acquired a large property, it was obtained by prudent forecast-not a dollar of it bore the taint of avarice or fraud, and we think there is no record of any court which shows his name as plaintiff or defendant."

He was buried at Spring Prairie, Monday, March 26, 1879, mourned not only by his friends and neighbors, but by the entire county, which he entered so early, and for which he labored so faithfully.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

DAVID PRATT was born in Massachusetts, but when quite young removed with his parents to Ohio. On arriving at years of manhood he settled in Indiana, and in 1836, in company with his brother-in-law, Solomon Harvey, removed to Spring Prairie, arriving there on the second of June. Mr. Pratt was accompanied to his new home by his wife and five children. Claims were secured by the new comers on Section 30, and a house built on that of Mr. Pratt, into which the whole family moved one week after their arrival.

An incident in Mr. Pratt's experience, illustrates the fertility of the prairie at that early day. Early in the summer of 1837, he had ploughed eighteen acres in Section 30, in September sowed it to wheat, and in 1838 harvested a good crop. He designed plowing and sowing the ground again that fall, but failed to do so.

A press of work and other causes prevented him from doing anything to the land the following spring, but he found that new wheat had sprung up and seemed to be growing quite well. In the fall of 1839, he harvested fourteen bushels to the acre on an average, from wheat that had scattered the previous fall, without plowing, sowing or harrowing.

Mr. Pratt was an exceptionally honest, upright man in all his dealings, and com- manded universal respect. In May, 1857, he sold his farm at Spring Prairie and moved to Minnesota. Mr. Pratt died Angust 3, 1877, at Clayton, in that State, aged seventy- four years.

MR. SOLOMON HARVEY, the brother-in-law of Mr. David Pratt, came at the same time (June 3, 1836), settled on the same Section (30), and lived for a time with his family in the same house. Mr. Harvey had a wife and three children, so that the united families must have numbered twelve. The two gentlemen brought a large amount of stock-cows, oxen, horses and fowl. To his occupation as a farmer, Mr. Harvey joined that of carpenter. He also carried the mail once a week on horseback from Spring Prairie to Geneva in the year 1838, when the mail route was established from Racine to Mineral Point. Mr. Harvey's salary was the amount of postage on the matter he carried. In September, 1838, Mr. Harvey, in addition to his mail, carried a bag of wheat to be ground at Geneva Mill, said to be the first ground there.

DEACON JOHN BACON was a native of Kinderhook, N. Y. He was born in 1785. When a youth of fifteen, he lost a devoted Christian mother, and from the in- fluence of that event, soon became himself a member of the Baptist Church. He married Miss Sarah Perry, of Wardsborough, Vt., and a few years after his marriage moved to Angelica, Allegany Co., N. Y., when that country was a wilderness. He again removed to Springfield, Erie Co., Penna., and resided there many years. He was the father of fourteen children, five of whom died before he came to Wisconsin. His wife and the remaining nine came with him. He brought all he had-wife, children and household goods in four large covered wagons. His cows also were brought, making quite a caravan, which arrived on the fourteenth of March, 1838.

His first claim was bought on Gardner's Prairie, but afterward sold, and the one owned by Daniel Campbell, on Section 27, purchased instead. Deacon Bacon was a man of strong mind, and resolute will, not easily discouraged by disappointment or daunted by danger. He was a firm and conscientious Baptist, but his interest in the welfare of others, was not confined to any church, but extended to all humanity, for he sincerely felt that " all are brothers." He died at his residence in Spring Prairie, Dec. 16th, 1865, aged eighty years. Three of his children are living : Mrs. Rev. Hiram Hutchings, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Mrs. Wilcox, of Spring Prairie, and Daniel, who lives in Idaho. He has a grandson, Charles S. Bacon, who is a teacher in Milwaukee.

WAR HISTORY.

The town of Spring Prairie stood its share of suffering in making the sacrifice to the terrible demands of the war. She furnished her full quota of 106 men without a

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

murmur, and raised $23,644. Further details are furnished in the general war history, which tells her story and that of the other sister towns.

SPRING PRAIRIE IN 1881.

The population of Spring Prairie in 1880, according to the Federal census, was 1,107.

The principal farm products for 1880 were : Wheat, 15,075 bu .; corn, 87,900 bu., oats, 56,290 bu .; barley, 8,040 bu .; rve, 1,850 bu .; potatoes, 7,310 bu .; apples, 16,200 bu .; hay, 3,705 tons ; butter, 58,500 lbs .; cheese, 150,488 lbs.

In 1881 there were 5,162 acres of growing grain, 341 acres of apple orchard, 3,391 acres of mowing and pasture land, and 3,231 acres of growing timber. There were 706 milch cows, valued at $20,700.

There were eight whole, and one joint school districts. The number of scholars between the ages of four and twenty years, was 307, of which number 252 attended school. There were nine schools, taught by nine teachers, at average monthly wages of $30 for male, and $24.30 for female teachers. There were nine school houses, valued, including the site, at $6,610.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

C. R. ALDRICH, farmer, Sec. 30; P. O. Spring Prairie ; was born in Cheshire Co., N. H., in 1819. He went to Davenport, Iowa, in 1855, and engaged in painting the new railroad bridge just completed across the Mississippi River at that place. This was the first railroad bridge built across the Mississippi River. He came to Spring Prairie in the Fall of 1856. He purchased his present farm in the following February, of Mr. David Pratt. Mrs. A. was formerly Miss Julia A. Carpenter, born in New Hampshire. They have two daughters, Fanny P., wife of Edgar Weeks, and Maria E. Mr. A.'s farm contains 205 acres ; beside his general farming, he engaged in the poultry business. The amount of business he has done in this line during the past four- teen years aggregates $100,000.

WILLIAM ALDRICH, settled in Spring Prairie, on Section 35, in March 1847, having purchased of Samuel Neff, land that he and his brother bought of Government in 1839. Mr. A. was born in Lisbon, N. H., Dec. 3, 1807. Married Hannah K. Montgomery, of Whitefield, N. H., March 7, 1833. Emigrated to Ohio in 1836, to Missouri in 1837, to Illinois in 1838, and to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1840, where he lived till he moved to Spring Prairie. He held the office of Justice of the Peace, and Supervisor several temrs, and was Chairman of Town Board in 1870. He moved to Burlington. Racine Co., in 1865, but returned to Spring Prairie on purchasing a farm, southwest quarter of Section 26, in 1868, on which he lived till his death, Dec. 27, 1876. He had six children, three of whom died in infancy. His wife, two sons and one daughter survive him : Alma M., Martha J., wife of William H. Hubbard, born in Keokuk, Iowa, 1845, who also resides on Section 26; William H., born in Spring Prairie, 1853, farmer, lives on Section 26.

ALMA M. ALDRICH, farmer ; was born in Kirtland, Ohio, May 6, 1837, and lives on the old homestead on Section 35 ; P. O. Burlington. He was elected member of the Board of Super- visors in 1871, and Chairman of the Board the six succeeding years, and in 1877 was elected to the State Legislature, as Assemblyman. He was married to S. Elizabeth, daughter of Lyman Hewitt, of Rochester, in 1865. They have two children, Charles F., born 1866, George H., born 1868.

WILLIAM H. ALDRICH, farmer, Section 26 ; P. O. Burlington, Racine County, son of William Aldrich, was born at the homestead, April 20, 1853. Married Jennie E. Benson, born in Kenosha County. They have four children-Harry E., Grace, Mabel, and Percy.

WILLIAM H. HUBBARD, who also resides on Section 26, married Martha J. Aldrich, daughter of William Aldrich. He was born in the town of Mt. Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y., in 1843 ; his father was Halsey Hubbard, who came to the town of Spring Prairie from Mt. Morris in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard have two children, Angelia and Ira. Mr. Hubbard's farm contains 200 acres.

FRANCIS BAKER, farmer, Section 10; P. O. Honey Creek. He is numbered with the early settlers of Spring Prairie. He was born in the Town of Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vt., Dec. 23,

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1814. When ten years of age, he removed with his parents to Bennington County, where he was brought up. He came to the territory of Wisconsin when about twenty-three years of age ; his father . came with his family about the same time, and the family located on Section 7, in the town of Spring Prairie. His father had four sons and one daughter. Francis is the only mem- ber of his father's family living in Walworth County. His father lived with his children, for several years previous to his death he staid at the residence of his daughter in the town of LaFay- ette, June 24, 1850. His mother died Oct. 26, 1857, at the age of sixty-eight. Mr. B. has been married twice ; his first wife was Olive Kinnev, born in Vermont, where they were married, she was born July 11, 1821, and died Sept. 12, 1876. His present wife was Mrs. Anna Britchard. He had three children by first wife, only one of whom is living. Has two children by present wife. His farm contains 280 acres of land.

JOSEPH BARNES, farmer, Section 30 ; P. O. Spring Prairie ; he was born in Washington Co., N. Y., Dec. 19, 1795, where he was brought up. When twenty-two years of age he went to New York city, where he lived eight years. He lost his first wife in the State of New York, and was married to Lovina Yaw, born in the State of Vermont. They came to the town of Spring Prairie from the State of New York in May, 1848, and purchased a farm of Horace Colemar, which became their homestead, and is now owned and occupied by their son, Henry D. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes resided at the homestead until their death. Henry B. Barnes was born in Chen- ango Co., N. Y., in 1842. He served three years in the war of the Rebellion, as a member of the 28th Reg. W. V. I .. He was married April 30, 1871, to Mary L. Hay, daughter of Horace N. Hay, an early settler of the town of LaFayette ; he died at sea on his way to California in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes have two children, Herbert T. and Lovinia. Mrs. Barnes was born at Elkhorn in 1846.

J. E. BARTHOLF, farmer; P. O. Burlington ; Section 22, Township 3, Range 18 east ; son of John L. Bartholf, who was born in Orange Co,, N. Y., Sept. 2, 1786, Settled in Batavia, Genesee Co , N. Y., in an early day. Removed to Illinois in 1844, and came to Walworth County with his family in the Spring of 1847, and settled on the farm where his son, J. E. Bart- holf, now lives ; purchasing said farm of G. W. Armes. The parents of J. E. resided here until their death. His father died in 1867, and his mother, whose maiden name was Cornelia Shower- man, died in 1869 ; has two brothers and two sisters-Alfred, Alonzo, Jane and Elizabeth. J. E. was born in Batavia, Genesse Co, N. Y., March 21, 1826 ; married Mary J. Van Alstine, whose father was an early settler of Racine County, March 16, 1855. They have three children living-Willie, born Feb. 29, 1868; Charlie, Feb. 14, 1870, and Ella, Aug. 2, 1872.

ALONZO BARTHOLF, farmer, Section 26; P. O. Burlington, Racine County; son of John L. Bartholf. He was born in Batavia, Genesee Co., N. Y., in 1828. Came 'to Walworth County with his parents in 1847, and has been a resident of the town of Spring Prairie since that time. His wife was Miss Zelia M. Moe, daughter of Mr. E. Moe, who settled in Racine in 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Bartholf have two children, Albert A. and Mabel H. Mr. Bartholf's farm contains 125 acres.

WILLIAM BERRY, (deceased) of Spring Prairie, a member of the first constitutional con- vention, was born in Salem, Mass., Dec. 20, 1780, of good Puritan stock. Removing to Madison and Courtland Counties, N. Y., in April, 1758 ; he married Miss Nancy Mellen, of Pelham, Mass. He came to Honey Creek in 1843, engaged in farming, and showed himself a man of such superior ability, that three years thereafter, he took his seat in the Constitutional Conven- tion, as the oldest member from Walworth County, in the State. While in Courtland County, Mr. Berry served as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and was Justice of the Peace for sev- eral years during his residence in Walworth County. In the death of Mr. Berry, the town lost an honored citizen.

AARON BLAKEMAN, retired farmer and carpenter; Spring Prairie. Born in Albany Co., N. Y., March 2, 1800. He learned the trade of carpenter ; was married Oct. 20, 1822, to Lydia Earl, born in Bethlehem, Albany County, May 30, 1806. Mr. Blakeman has worked at mechanical business for the greater part of his life. He came to Spring Prairie, Nov. 1, 1854, and purchased a farm on Section 31, of Israel Williams. He sold his farm to the present owner, George Green, and came to the Village of Spring Prairie in the Fall of 1865. He worked here at the business of carpentry and repairing for several years, but has now, practically, retired from business. Mr. and Mrs. Blakeman have four children-William E., at Jessup, Iowa ; Mrs. Julia Livingston, in Elkhorn ; Levi H., in the marble business, at Spring Prairie; and Edward

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in Iowa. They lost five children, four of whom died in childhood. Jane A , wife of Stephen B. Curtis, died March 29, 1872. The children were all born in the State of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Blakeman having been married October, 1822, have passed nearly sixty years of married life together.

RUFUS M. BILLINGS, farmer; Section 28; P. O. Spring Prairie ; son of Rufus Billings, who was born in the town of Somers, Tolland Co., Conn., in 1803. He resided for some years at Utica, and Trenton Falls, N. Y. He was one of the pioneers of Walworth County. He came here in the Fall of 1836, and settled on Section 23, Town of Spring Prairie, on the farm now owned by T. W. Buell ; he resided there until 1866, when he rented his farm, and removed to Burlington, Racine County, but sold his farm two years later ; he still resides at Burlington. He had four children, two of whom are living, Rufus M. and Levi J. The later now lives at Green Bay. Rufus M. was born at Trenton Falls, N, Y., in 1833; has been a resident of Spring Prairie since he came with his father's family, except two years, which he passed at Boston, Mass., and about the same length of time in Racine, Wis. He married Julia Bacon, in 1865, a resident of Trenton Falls, N. Y. Mr. B. makes a speciality of dairying.

SAMUEL BRITTAIN, farmer, Sec. 11, P. O. Honey Creek. . Mr. Brittain was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1810. He came to the United States in May, 1834. He lived in the State of New York for about one year; thence to Michigan, where he stayed about the same length of time; thence to Chicago and Milwaukee. In the latter city - or more properly, ham- let, as it was then - he engaged to drive team for Messrs. Pettibone & Foster; but not satisfied with his position, he remained there but a few days, and then set out for Walworth County. Soon after his arrival, he made a claim on Sec. 34, in the town of Geneva, and also in the same town at the head of Geneva Lake; the latter is a part of what is now the farm of Royal Williams. The first claim he was obliged to relinquish, when the land came into market, for the want of means to purchase; but the other he kept for about five years, and then exchanged his Geneva land for eighty acres adjoining his present farm, on which he settled, and where he lived for about four years. He sold that farm, and bought his present farm. His wife was Elizabeth Hoyt, daughter of Benjamin Hoyt. She was born in Vermont, in 1814. Mr. and Mrs. Brittain have had five children, three of whom are living-Susan (now Mrs. John Midbury), in Missouri ; Julia, at home, and Clara (now Mrs. Horace Baker). Mr. Brittain's farm contains eighty acres.

MARCUS R. BRITTEN, farmer, Sec. 15, Town 3, Range 18 east ; P. O. Vienna. 'He was born in the town of Amsterdam, Montgomery County, N. Y., Sept. 18, 1815. His parents, Joseph and Phebe Camfield Britten, were natives of New Jersey. Mr. B. went to Michigan in the Fall of 1836. He resided in the town of Centerville, St. Joseph County, in that State, for about two years. He then returned to the State of New York in the Spring of 1839. He came to Walworth County the same year, and purchased of the Government 440 acres of land, of which his present farm of 200 acres forms a part. He was married in the State of New York, Jan. 3, 1841, at Little Falls, to Caroline Klock, born in the town of Little Falls, Herkimer County, in May, 1815; returned here in May of that year, and has resided on the farm since that time. Mr. and Mrs. Britten have four children - Mrs. Ellen Britten ; Almy (now Mrs. A. H. Onderdonk); Riley T., and Agnes M. (now Mrs. J. C. Hopkins). Mr. B., his wife and daughter Ellen, who lives at home, are members of the Baptist Church. The Church with which he is identified is at Rochester, Racine County, which is probably the oldest Church organization, of that denomination, in the State of Wisconsin. The organization dates from Sept. 10, 1837. He united with this Church in August, 1841, and has been prominently identi- fied with the Church since that time. Mr. Britten is a man with strong convictions and positive ideas, earnest and unrelenting in condemning what he believes to be wrong, and equally earnest in sustaining what he believes to be right. Politically, he was a Democrat until 1843; was thereafter an 'Abolitionist, and is now identified with the American or Anti-Secret Society party.

THOMAS W. BUELL, Sec. 23, P. O. Burlington, Wis., is a native of Lebanon, Madison County, N. Y., where he was born in 1829, and lived on a farm until 20 years of age, when he engaged as clerk for one year in the mercantile business, and then entered into business for himself. In the spring of 1855, he came to Burlington, Racine Co., Wis., and clerked for Orson Sheldon, Esq., for one year, when he engaged in the railroad business, having charge of the freight and passenger business for about four years at Burlington, when he was placed in charge of the same company's business at Beloit, Wis., where he remained three years, after which he

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

returned to Burlington, and engaged in the mercantile business for a brief period, and, in 1864. engaged with the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee, with which company he was connected for a period of nearly eighteen years, having resigned in June, 1881, but at the earnest solicitation of the management continued with 'them until January, 1882. Mr. Buell made the business of insurance"a thorough study, and understands in detail every de- partment of the company. Commencing as a solicitor, and for twelve vears having charge of the company's agency department as Assistant Superintendent of Agencies, he retired from the company to whom he has given eighteen years of the best part of his life, upon his own volition. and purposes giving the most of his time hereafter in caring for his large stock farm in Wal- worth County, in connection with his son, Fred. J. Buell. Mr. Buell retired from the insurance business greatly at the regret of his co-workers, as was evident by the flattering testimonials which were adopted in the form of resolutions at the meeting of the Agents' Association held in Milwaukee, Jan. 26, 1882, and ordered engrossed and presented to him. Mr. Buell's first wife was Miss Clara L. Thurston, born in Madison County, N. Y. She died in Burlington, in 1868, leaving three children, only one of whom, Fred. J., is living; he was born in Beloit in 1860. His present wife was Miss Mary E. Bliss, to whom he was married in 1870, and by whom he has two children, Florence E. and Dudley B. Mr. Buell has nearly 400 acres of land, and one of the finest farms in Southern Wisconsin, all under a high state of cultivation. It was origi- nally settled by Rufus Billings, Esq., from whom he purchased it in 1868. Mr. Buell also owns fine resident property in the city of Milwaukee.

ANDREW J. DIKE, farmer, Sec. 19: P. O. Spring Prairie; son of Isaiah Dike. He was born in Vermont in 1828. He came to Walworth County, with his parents, in 1837, and has been a resident of this town since that time, except about nine years residence in Lima. He married Rebecca Freman, daughter of James Freman, born in England. His father settled in Rock Countv, in September, 1846. Mr. D. settled where he now lives, in March, 1869. He bought his farm of Anthony Grass, who was the original settler of the land. Mr. and Mrs. Dike have four children-Samuel, Fred., Clara and Luella. Mr. Dike's farm contains eighty acres of land.

DAVID W. DIKE, farmer, Sec. 27 ; P. O. Spring Prairie; son of Isaiah Dike, a pioneer of Walworth County. Mr. Dike, Sr., was born in Vermont in 1802, where he resided until man- hood. He emigrated to Ohio, and thence to Michigan, and came to Walworth County with his family in March, 1837, and settled on the farm now owned by Loring O. Webber the following vear. He resided there about ten years, when he settled and moved to Rock County, near Whitewater. There he lived for nine years, when he bought a farm in the town of Spring Prairie, now owned by Alvah Whitmore, which he owned until March, 1881. He died at the home of his son, David W., Jan. 27, 1882. His wife was Mary Vaughn, born in Woodstock, Vt . who survived her husband. The parents of Mr. D. had two children, Andrew and David W. The latter was born in Ohio in 1833: married Nellie Lawrence, daughter of George and Hannah Lawrence. Mrs. Dike was born in Ticonderoga, N. Y. She came to Walworth County with her parents in 1852, and settled at Vienna. Her parents are now living in Minnesota. She is the Only one of her father's family in Walworth County. Mr. and Mrs. Dike have one son, Charles E., born in 1871. Mr. Dike's farm contains 116 acres.

FRANCIS H. EAMES, farmer, Sec. 31 ; P. O. Springfield. He was born in the town of Verona, Oneida Co , N. Y., in 1821, where he was brought up. His father, Havilla E., was a native of Massachusetts, and an early settler of Oneida County, where he resided until his death. Mr. E. came to Spring Prairie in June, 1843, and purchased his present farm of Israel Williams. Mr. E. is numbered among the most successful farmers and stock-raisers of the town of Spring Prairie. His short-horn cattle, and finely bred merino sheep, are perhaps not excelled in the county. Mrs. E., formerly Miss Jennette Smith, was born in the town of Roches- ter, N. Y., in April, 1831, and came to this county with her father's family, in April, 1843, Mr. and Mrs. Eames have two children, Alfred, who resides at Los Angeles, and Francis H. Mr. Eames' farm contains 155 acres of land.

AVERY A. HOYT, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Honey Creek. He belonged to one of the pioneer families of Walworth County; his family has been identified with the county since 1836. His parents were Benjamin and Susan Hoyt, natives of Dearfield, N. H., where his father was born in 1782, and his mother about 1786. They were married in New Hampshire, and afterward re- moved to Caledonia Co., Vt., where they resided until they came to Walworth County, in Sep-

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History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 148

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