History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 48

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

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George Gillispie came in the fall of 1836, and settled on Section 15. He was married in 1851, and still lives on his claim. He is one of the oldest male settlers now living in the town. He was formerly a stanch Whig in politics, and an exemplary member of the Free- Will Baptist Church.

The oldest settler still living in the town of Spring Prairie, who made up the colony of 1836, is Austin L. Merrick.

The above are believed to comprise all settlers of 1839 who came into the township now known as Spring Prairie. There were several settlers in the La Fayette Township on the west, and in the Troy Townships north. The accounts which can be gathered of them are from various sources, believed to be reliable, though not complete.

Jesse Meacham and Adolphmus Spoor were the earliest prospectors. They came into the county in the fall of 1835, from Lodi. Mich., and chose the spot they subsequently claimed for their homes, on Honey Creek, in Seetion 25. On the 28th of May. 1836, they returned with their families, and there remained as long as they lived. Mr. Meacham died about the year 1870. A full biographieal sketch of him appears elsewhere.

Adolphus Spoor died in the fall of 1867. He was a good farmer and generally liked by his neighbors. None of the family remain. One son, Henry, is in San Francisco, Cal., doing a prosperous business. Another, Aaron H., resides in Milwaukee. A daughter, Mrs. Bovee, is believed to be living in Washington. D. C.

Othni Beardsley was the first family man in the neighborhood. He arrived a few days be- fore Meacham and Spoor, and had already plowed round his claims and otherwise marked them when they arrived. In the later years of his life, he was afflicted with a pulmonary disease, and. with the hope of regaining his health. spent some time in the South, and subsequently in Min- nesota, where he died. His widow and family returned East. He was a shrewd business man, a good, reliable citizen, and represented his district one or more terms in the Territorial Legis- lature. The present whereabouts of the surviving members of his family are not known.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

Sylvanus Spoor was a cousin of Adolphus. He was a native of Clarence, Erie Co., N. Y .. where he was born December 19, 1796. He was bred a farmer, and on attaining to years of man- hood. kept a hotel in his native town till he was forty years old. In the spring of 1836, he sold out and came West, arriving in Troy June 16, 1836. He bought a claim of 157 acres on Section 24, where he built a house. There he lived till 1878, at which time he sold out and moved to the village of East Troy, where he died Jume 12. 1879, at the advanced age of eighty- two years.

He married Miss Caroline Goodrich, a sister of Mrs. Adolphus Spoor, who had come in with the family November 16, 1837. They had three children-a son, Anstin, who died at the age of eighteen; and two danghters, still living -Maria, now Mrs. F. F. Adams; and Sophia, now Mrs. A. J. Hayes both residents of Milwaukee. Mr. Spoor was strictly upright in all his dealings, a strong temperance man, and an exemplary member of the Congregational Church for twenty- five years preceding his death. He left a reputation untarnished, and a memory unblemished.

The Robinson brothers returned in the spring of 1837 and held their claims made the pre- ceding year: Simeon died November 22, 1838. He was buried on a hill a little west of East Troy Village. His was the second burial in the town. John Robinson went to New Orleans and died there.

Concerning the first settlers in the East Troy neighborhood, the following has been ascer- tained from those still living:

Austin MeCracken, who kept the first tavern in East Troy, moved many years ago into Mar- quette County, where he repeated his experience of beginning a village, which was named Mackford, the first syllable of the name being in honor of MeCracken, familiarly known in that region as " Mack." He was a man of more than ordinary natural abilities, and, in addition to running his tavern, worked at his trade-that of a cooper-and often appeared as an advocate in the Justice courts, where, although he had never been admitted to the bar, and had only a smattering of the law, with his strong common sense he often proved no mean adversary for Lawyer Babcock and other "regulars" of the legal profession. He was an inveterate checker- player, and no worldly misfortune threw him into such utter despair as to be beaten at the game. He was a man of upright habits, and refused to sell his land to any parties who desired to sell strong drink on their premises. Mrs. McCracken was one of the most zealous adherents to the Methodist faith, and one of the earliest members, who organized the first Methodist Church in the town.

Daniel Griffin was another Methodist, a very loud exhorter, and did much toward the estab- lishment of Methodism in the vicinity. He died in East Troy nearly thirty years ago. Delan- son, his son, moved into some northern county of this State many years since. Daniel. a younger son. is now living in Jericho, near Eagle.

Allen Harrington remained on his farm but a few years. He sold out to Cyrus Cass and moved away. He married a daughter of Daniel Griffin.

Gorham Bunker was a blacksmith-one of the first, if not the first, who moved into the county. He had a shop on his place, where he worked, in addition to carrying on his farm, which was near the old Jennings Mill. He died some time about 1871 or 1872. He was a sub- stantial citizen, a man of strict integrity, and a most determined Democrat.

Elias Jennings was a worthy, industrious and valuable citizen. He built a grist-mill on his claim on Section 23, in the eastern part of the town. Hedied in East Troy twenty- five years ago.

Asa Blood came in from Indiana. He remained but a short time. He moved into the pres- ent town of Sugar Creek in 1837 and took up a claim adjoining that of John Davis, on Section 14. He was very eccentric, and is well remembered by the old settlers. He claimed to have great skill in the curative art, and, although lacking a diploma, was known as Dr. Blood. The children, a son and two or three daughters, evinced great musical talent, and often furnished the music for the social gatherings of thirty years ago. Some twenty years ago. he sold ont and moved to Independence, Iowa, where he died not many years since.

John Davis, who built his cabin near Silver Lake, in the present town of Sugar Creek, came from Indiana. He was unmarried. and remained but a few years. He sold his claim to John S. Boyd in 1835. It cannot be ascertamed where he went, nor whether he is still living.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

Such further information of these early settlers as can be gathered will appear in the sketches of the various towns where they resided.

WAR AT GENEVA.

The Geneva settlement commenced inauspiciously. It will be remembered that Brink, Hodg- son and Ostrander had made claims at the foot of Geneva Lake, while running the town lines in the fall of 1835. Ostrander, on his return in the spring of 1836, found no disputant to the claim he had personally made, but Brink and Hodgson were less fortunate. During their ab- sence, Christopher Payne, an old frontiersman, then living at Squaw Prairie, on the Kishwau- kee, in Illinois, who had known of the place from the description of trappers and traders as early as 1832, and had already made one ineffectual attempt to discover it, set out from his home a second time in search of it, early in February, 1836, accompanied by two companions, G. W. Trimble and Daniel Mosher. His second attempt was successful. On the evening of the second day, the party arrived at the foot of Geneva Lake. A thorough examination. as to the fall of water. the amount flowing from the lake, and the heavy growth of timber skirting the shore, convinced Payne that the value of the site for a mill and a future village had not been overstated, and. like Brinks' party, he determined to make claim to the valuable property. He found no shanty, brush-heaps, or other signs of previous ocenpation then common and familiar to the pio- neer land prospectors- nothing to show that white men had been there before except the town line marks of the surveyors between Geneva and Linn. The party accordingly proceeded to oc- eupy and make claim in the usual way. They cut down trees, made the usual number of con- spicuous brush-heaps, and marked trees all along the boundaries of their elaims, which embraced the quarter-section at the outlet of the lake. They remained five days, and then, being short of provisions, returned to Squaw Prairie. In March, Payne came the second time to his Geneva claim, accompanied by G. W. Trimble, Daniel Mosher, and his son, Uriah Payne, They built a log house, 16x18 feet in size, on their claim, and returned again to Payne's home in Illinois. Early in April, Payne's party made their third visit to Geneva, moved into the house they had built, with the intention of remaining through the summer, and beginning improvements by building a dam and ereeting a saw-mill. They discovered at this time indications that some one had visited the spot during their absence, and made fresh elaim marks by blazing trees. These indications gave Payne no uneasiness, as he was a man of undaunted courage, and felt able and willing to defend against all comers what he deemed his undoubted rights, now doubly estab- lished by actual occupation. The party at onee set about buikling a dam, and hewing and fram- ing the oak timber for a sluice-way to the projected saw-mill.

Things moved on quietly till near the end of April, when a party appeared on the scene in the employ and interest of Brink and Hodgson, the surveyors before mentioned, who supposed they had made a valid elaim to the property prior to Payne's first appearance. There is no proof that, up to the period between Payne's second and third visits, either party had any suspicion that the other had made claim to the coveted property.

They had, it is believed. been working at cross purposes, each ignorant of the other's designs, and with information as to the value of the claim, gathered from widely diverse sources. Brink first saw the land in the fall of 1835, and, as he supposed, made a valid claim, although the evi- dence that he marked his claim at that time is as obscure as the marks he claimed to have put upon the trees, but which Payne failed to discover on his first and second visits. It is quite probable that his field-book aad entries of the elaim on his note-book were deemed by him suffi. eient evidence of his claim, till he discovered, the following spring, that it had been occupied, and a house built upon it by other parties. Payne, from his first visit to the time of the appear- ance of the opposing party. had no reason to believe that he was not the first bona fide claimant. He had known of it since 1832, and, up to his second and successful effort to reach it, had been informed by hunters and traders that it still remained unoccupied.

It is apparent that, on the arrival of the Brink party, there was little chance for compromise with so sturdy and determined an occupant as Payne. His substantial log house, his partly fin- ished dam and hewn timbers (all in spite of the blazed trees he had discovered on his last return) showed plainly that he had come to stay unless he should be forcibly ejected. William Ostran- der. one of the early elaimants, headed the invading party.' They immediately attempted to drive

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

off Payne's party, but. in the first contest, eame off second best, and withdrew from the field till re-enforcements should arrive from Milwaukee, to which place they had dispatched a messenger for aid on discovering the full vigor and comrage of the enemy they had to encounter. In due time. more men arrived from Milwaukee, increasing the numerical strength to twelve men. The recruited army did not immediately commence active hostilities in the field, but built a substan- tial log honse on the east side of the outlet, a little northeast of the present seminary grounds. which was the headquarters and general living-place of the party. The claim of Payne, the northwest quarter of Section 36, extended but a short distance below the outlet of the lake, but controlled the flow. He was building his dam and mill at the immediate outlet within its bound- aries. The Brink claim took in the whole of Section 36, including Payne's. So long as they kept off his quarter, Payne raised no objections to the operations of the intruders, though he kept a sharp eye upon them, and worked or sat in the door of his tent, with his loaded rifle within easy reach. Having the fear of Payne before their eyes. the plan was adopted to build a dam further down the stream, near where the grist-mill now stands, on land northeast of his clain, and thereby, by back flowage, render his water privilege valueless. As they found it dangerous to drive him out, they resorted to strategy, and adopted the less courageous method of drowning him out.

They made some efforts and a slight beginning on the proposed dam, but the formation of the ground rendered it an unfeasible undertaking, and, by the advice of Mr. Charles A. Noyes. who had purchased a quarter-interest in Brink & Hodgson's claim, and joined the force May 21. 1836, the project was abandoned, and it was decided to build a race from the outlet to where they proposed to erect their mill. This could only be done by trespassing on Payne's rights. and the war clonds began to lower. They continned to get out timber for their mill, but con- fined their warlike demonstrations to dire threats of vengeance on Payne whenever they might catch him alone without his gun. Payne, meanwhile, kept with his men surlily at work on his dam and shice, in a constant state of armed neutrality. Some time in May, the Brink men built two more log houses, one near the eastern boundary line of Payne's claim, near where they proposed to open their sInice-way, and the other on the west side of the line. on his land. Payne made no move till the latter house was finished. but, on its completion, coolly proceeded to occupy it. by establishing in it. as his tenant, the family of James Van Slyke. The ocenpancy was silently effected in the night, and, when the fact became known to the builders, their rage knew no bounds. It was not long before they got temporary satisfaction. They had set fire to and destroyed the frame-work of his bulk-head, and were watching every opportunity to get between him and his gun, threatening his life whenever they could get him in their power. One morn- ing, near the Ist of June. Payne, being alone, coneluded to go over and visit the Van Slykes, in the cabin he had so unceremoniously taken from his enemies and appropriated to their use. Unfortunately, he forgot his gun. The Philistines were upon him before his visit was fairly begun, put him under guard, and, after a most determined resistance on the partof Payne's men, took the provisions out of his house and demolished it completely. The victory was complete. and Payne and his men, with bruised faces and black eyes, received in the fray, sullenly left the field and turned their faces toward Squaw Prairie. On their way, on Big Foot Prairie, they mnet Robert W. Warren, a millwright, whom they had engaged, with an assistant, on their way to Geneva to assist in building the mill. The pummeled faces and disheveled appearance of the returning party told them plainer than words that the times were not propitious for building a mill on Payne's claim, and they accordingly turned back with the retreating party.

The history thus far has treated Christopher Payne as the sole proprietor of the Geneva claim, but he had made over a third interest to Daniel Mosher, one of his companions, on his first visit to the place, and his faithful co-worker ever since; and one-third to his son, Uriah, reserv- ing one-third for himself. The disastrous end of their attempt to establish themselves completely disheartened the two partners. Mosher went to Chicago, and forthwith sold out his share in the venture to Lewis B. Goodsell, then doing business as a merchant, in connection with George L. Campbell and Andrew Ferguson. The consideration is differently stated by different authori- ties. One statement is that Mosher received a coat and a pair of pants: another, that Van Slyke. an old Eastern friend and acquaintance of the members of the firm, sold the share to them for $30. which he received in pork and other family stores. At any rate, the price paid was exceed-

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ingly small, and Mosher's title by some means passed into the hands of the firm. and he left the scene of his pioneer labors and disappointments never to return.

Urialı offered his share to Robert W. Warren, on condition that he would assist his father in reelaiming the property. Warren readily accepted the proposition, to the great satisfaction of the old pioneer, who felt that he had now a partner of equal pluek with himself, and, greatly elated and inspired with fresh hope, he and Warren set out for Chicago to lay the case before the firm who held a joint interest with them in the confiscated property at Geneva. On consult- ing with the firm. Mr. Goodsell was averse to any attempt to recover the property if it was to entail any further outlay, deeming the small amount already paid a sufficient investment in so unpromising a speculation. Mr. Ferguson, however, became sufficiently interested to propose to join Payne and Warren in a reconnoiter before giving an adverse decision. Accordingly, the three, accompanied by G. S. Warren and Mr. Thrall, set out for Geneva. Having arrived on the southern shore of the lake, they spent a day in exploring the woods and in taking a general sur- vey of the country around the lake, taking eare not to make their presence known to the oeeu- pants of the claim. Mr. Ferguson, being convinced that the claim was worth contending for. he, in company with R. W. Warren, went over to have a parley with the enemy. They offered various terms of compromise, all of which were peremptorily rejected. Finding friendly nego- tiation impossible, they returned to their companions for further consultation. They spent the night at a log house then standing on the Manning farm, and at that time occupied by Lucien Wright. It was certain that the claim could not be recovered by peaceable means, and the party, if unanimously in favor of resorting to force-which was not the case -- was not strong enough to eope with the Brink party, which outnumbered them three to one. They accordingly started on the trail for Chicago the following morning, discussing the situation as they went on their way. Warren and Payne were fully determined to repossess themselves of the elaim, at all haz- ards, and it was finally decided that Payne should go home and gather recruits in his neighbor- hood, while Warren went on to Chicago to raise a force there. This was on Saturday, and the two parties were to meet at a spring near the head of the lake on the following Tuesday. At the appointed time, Warren appeared at the place of rendezvous with between thirty and forty determined men, where he found Payne, with his force, just preparing dinner. Some of the men had brought their families and household goods along, loaded in wagons in true emigrant style. The men were well armed. After dinner. the train took up its line of march for Geneva, where it arrived in early evening, and eamped near the present seminary grounds. The party, assured of their success if foree should become necessary. again resorted to diplomacy, and invited their adversaries to come over and have a talk. As none of the proprietors were then on the ground, a truee was granted, to enable them to send to Prairieville (now Waukesha; for John Hodgson, who promptly answered the summons and put in an appearance. He saw the situation at a glance, and it took but little time for him and Warren to arrange terms of capitulation and evacuation. The entire Brink & Hodgson claim, with improvements, was sold to Payne, Warren & Co., for the sum of $2,000, possession to be given on the full payment of that sum. A part payment was made in teams and provisions on the spot. For the balance due on the purchase. R. W. Warren set out for Chicago on foot, traveling in a direct line, by the aid of his compass. He made the journey thither in two days, spent some days there in raising the money, and, at the end of nine days, returned with the funds required, paid off Hodgson, who, in turn, paid off his men. They immediately dispersed, and Payne, Warren and their followers took peaceable possession of the disputed claim, as well as of the remaining land of Hodgson and Brink. to which they had never elaimed title until it was established by the purchase above mentioned. Thus ended the first war in Walworth County. Those of the Chicago and Squaw Prairie war- riors not inclined to peaceful and industrial avocations returned to their homes, and peace smiled on the Geneva neighborhood. Further sketches and notices of the early settlers of Geneva ap- pear elsewhere in this volume.

The Delavan neighborhood was, during its first year. little more than the home of the Phœ- nixes and their hired men. They were preparing for a " Temperance Colony," which was to be made up from immigrants whom they expected to join them from the vicinity of Perry, N. Y .. their Eastern home, together with such others as might come in who were morally, religiously and tetotally disposed. Col. Samuel F. Phoenix, the leading spirit, was a man of remarkable

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

energy and strong traits of character. His religious and moral convictions seemed to be the ruling forces of his life, and on the temperance question he took what, even in these latter days, would be considered radical ground. He inserted in all deeds of conveyance made by him a proviso forbidding the sale or manufacture of spiritnons liqnors on pain of the reversion of the title to himself and his heirs. Whether or not the provision was valid in law. or whether it was ever tested in the comts, does not appear, but it is certain that this proviso, backed by the deter- mination of Col. Phoenix, kept the settlement virtually free from the evils arising from the liq- nor traffic till the time of his death. He died in the prime of life, at the age of forty-two -- September 6, 1840. A more extended biographical sketch of this early pioneer appears else- where.

Of the settlers in Troy and East Troy, Asa Blood and Austin MeCracken had located their cabins on the north bank of Honey Creek, where the " army trail " crosses it. it being on the site of the present village of East Troy. On the prairie (afterward known as Meacham's Prairie), two miles west, had settled the families of Jesse Meacham, A. Spoor and Othni Beardsley. They were possessed of means, being perhaps the wealthiest of all the comers of 1836. with the excep tion of Col. Phoenix, of Delavan.

They built themselves very comfortable log houses, with board floors. The boards were sawed by hand, with whip-saws. They were located on what is now the site of the village of Troy.

Thus it appears that the commencement of five of the villages of the county was cotempor- aneous with the earliest settlements in 1836. These oldest villages are Geneva, Delavan. Spring Prairie, Troy and East Troy.

In 1837, owing to the extremely severe and long winter, immigration did not set in till late in the spring, but. when fairly commenced, was large, and constantly increased till fall. During that year, settlements were made in every township, and the population was quadrupled. At the beginning of 1837, the population did not exceed 200. At the close. it was at least 800. It is impracticable to attempt to give the names of those who came in during the year. Such as are known, with special mention, will be found in the various town histories. During this year, settlements were made on the sites of the present villages of Elkhorn and Whitewater. The settlers at Elkhorn were Hollis Latham, Albert Ogden, Le Grand Rockwell and Milo Bradley. Those settling on or near the present site of the village of Whitewater, all being on Sections 5, 6 and 7, were Samnel Prince, the first settler in the town; Norman and Freeman L. Pratt, Will- iam and Leander Birge, Charles Hamilton, Dr. Edward Brewer, Rufus Clark and Dean Williams.

FIRST TOWN ORGANIZATIONS.

In 1838, January 2, the county was for the first time, by act of the Territorial Legislature, set off into towns. Their boundaries were defined as follows:

Delavan embraced the four townships comprising the southwestern quarter of the county, being Towns 1 and 2, in Ranges 15 and 16 east-now Darien. Sharon, Walworth, Delavan- and the southwest section of the present village of Elkhorn.

Elkhorn embraced the northwestern quarter of the county, being Towns 3 and 4, in Ranges 15 and 16 east-now Richmond, Whitewater, La Grange, Sugar Creek-and the northwest sec- tion of the present village of Elkhorn.

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History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 48

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