USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 28
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
William Averill married Eliza Monahan, March 2. 1844.
John Barr ( 1792-1860). son of Allen, came from Scotland with wife Barbara Black. He died in Linn, to which town he had removed.
Iliram Beals ( 1809-1880) was son of Daniel Beals (born 1767) and Hannah Wheat (born 1770), and grandson of Richard Beals: came in 1843 from Cummington, Massachusetts, to section 30. Geneva, with wife Rebecca Orisa ( 1812-1883). daughter of William and Rebecca AAxtel, who were consins.
Charles Boyle ( died 1800) married, second. Marjory Brown. October 21. 1841.
Deodat Brewster ( 1789-1881), a native of Connecticut ; wife named Lois (1780-1872) : had several descendants in North Geneva.
Amos C'aboon (1780-1860) : married Mary Williams ( 1796-1874.
319
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
George Coburn (1810-1897) married Charity ( 1807-1897), daughter of John and Margaret Reichard, both of Livingston county, New York. He lived for long across the town-line road in section 24, Delavan, and died at Elkhorn.
Samuel Dunbar ( 1806-1872) came from Belfast in 1833 to New York; to Geneva 1839: married. first. Elizabeth Thompson ( 1809-1852) ; second, Mrs. Mary ( McDougall) Streeter. His family seems to have become per- manent in the county.
John Dunlap ( 1796-1879) was son of Robert, a soldier of the Revolu- tion, and Mary Letts. He married, first, Cynthia Kinne, who was mother of his children: second, Hannah, daughter of Samuel Armstrong and Mary Gregg.
Epliraim P. S. Enos died March 20, 1860, leaving wife Polly, daughter of Melzer Dinsmore.
Daniel P. Handy's will was dated March 4, 1868, and proved June 25, same year. He married successively Maria and Lydia Wheat Beals, daugh- ters of Hiram Beals and Hannah Wheat. Lydia W. died in 1868.
Noah Harriman ( 1805-1903) married Lucinda Davis in 1826,-both of Vermont. He lived for several years in Lafayette and died at Elkhorn. He was a farmer and a licensed exhorter of the Methodist church.
Edmund S. Harvey ( 1819-1899) was son of Thankful, daughter of Bethuel Robinson, of Willington, Connecticut. He came to Geneva in 1840 and permitted himself to forget his father's, step-father's and half-sister's names. His first wife, Nancy A. Fowle, married July 11, 1841, was his chil- dren's mother.
John Haskins ( 1811-1887) married Olivia N. (Vose), widow of John Seymour. John Vose Seymour, of Lake Geneva, was her son. John aml James Haskins bought and improved the water power in section 25, and be- came residents of the village.
Moses S. IFerrick died in 1872. His wife was Julia Ann, daughter of Jacob Herrick and Roxana Bradley.
Mason A. Hollister (born 1818), son of John, son of Elisha (as told ). married Matilda (born 1834), daughter of John Dalton.
William Pentland died in 1845. He left sons who were long known as farmers of the northern part of the town.
Langdon C. Porter married Eunice Wright, March 13, 1844.
William P. Ross ( 1812-1887). son of Morris, married Polly Maria. daughter of Jacob Herrick. Their son, Washington (born 1845). was a soldier of the Civil war.
320
WAT.WORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Nehemiah Rouse ( 1803-1874), son of Anthony, married Maria, daugh- ter of Henry Plate. She died in 1875. One of their eight children was Han- nah, wife of Ethan B. Farnum.
Hiram Spencer ( 1799-1878), son of Noah, came in 1845. His wife, Lois ( 1804-1883), was daughter of Nathaniel Moseley and Charlotte Dewey. This family had several local connections by marriage.
Edward Stevens ( 1813-1893) had wife Adeline ( 1808-1885). A son, Martin E. (born 1840), was a soldier of the Twenty-second Infantry. A daughter, Emma, was born in 1843.
Many of the early settlers of Geneva, like those of other towns, had large families, and a minute division of land was avoided by westward emigration. Thus it not seldom happens that they are represented, if at all, at the old homes by the children of daughters. In the sub-pioneer period, too, there appeared many whose names, once heard daily, are already becoming but mem- ories. Among these disappearing names are Baggs, Bagnell, Case, Chase, Clapp, Gates, Goodspeed, Iland. Howe, Jackson, Lytle. Phelps, Potter, Vin- cent and Wales. Some of the old families, however, are yet to be found in the villages and the adjacent towns.
In summer automobile tourists from Chicago and the farthest east find one of their principal routes through Bloomfield into Geneva and thence by Elkhorn, Sugar Creek, Lagrange and Whitewater to the sub-polar regions .- literally tearing up the miles and flinging them behind in long-hovering clouds of dust .- to men of the Civil war a reminder of the march of armies. In their wildest battle-inspired dreams neither Big Foot nor Christopher Payne ever saw an endless procession of invincible "shovers" taking each his imperial right of way across counties and states. But the prophet Nahum may have foreseen the age of gasoline and rubber-tired chariots.
At the first two elections the original town of Geneva, as yet undivided, was twelve miles square. In 1844 the four towns chose each its own local officers, its chairman being also a member of the county board of supervisors. The return to commissioner government-1862-1870-relieved the chairmen of that period from duty as board members.
MEMBERS OF COUNTY BOARD AND CHAIRMEN.
John M. Capron 1842
Thomas Hovey 1843
John A. Farnum 1844-7. 53
Simeon William Spafard -18.18. 50
Charles Moorhouse Goodsell 1849
David Williams 1851-2
Joseph Gates 1854
Charles W. Smith 1855-6. 58
321
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Alonzo Potter 1857
Dr. Alexander S. Palmer __ 1859-'61
Daniel D. Fairchild 1890-1, '95
Osborn Hand
1862
Henry J. Noblet.
1892
Samtiel Henry Stafford
1863, 77
William Edmund Dunbar
1893-4
William Dwight Wales
1896-99
William Penn Dunlap
1900-4
Cyril Leach Oatman
1865-6, '70
Charles Dunlap
1867-9, '72-6
James Simmons
1871
Charles Palmitier
1878
C. Monroe Gates
1907-11
Charles Wurth
-1912
ASSOCIATE SUPERVISORS.
Harvey E. Allen 1863ยช
Charles Minton Baker 1870
Joel Barber
1868
Frank P. Brewster 1894
Ira Brown
1852
William Worth Byington. 1867. 72-4
Amos Cahoon
1845-'8. '54
Alvah Chandler
1845-8
John Haskins
1851.'53
Apollos Hastings
1858
Alexander Henry
1905-6
Jacob Ilerrick
1844. '49
Jason A. Herrick
1880
Levi Jackson
1854. '69-71
Robert J. Lean
1896-1900
Thomas McDonald
1891-94
William K. May
1842
Isaac Moorhouse
1892
Henry J. Noblet
1893. 95
Cyril 1. Oatman
1864
Edward Pentland
1870-80
Ellery Channing Petrie
1907-12
Cyrus King Phelps
_1888
Alonzo Potter
1856
Edward Quigley
1865
William H. Reynolds
1901-4
(21)
Ethan Lamphere Gilbert
1882-5
James Gray
1852
Joseph Griffin 1855
William H Hammersley
1875-8
Jared Hand
1859-60
Jesse Hand
1842
James Haskins
1844, '50
Arnestus D. Colton
1862
Martius Dyar Cowdery
1873-6
Ebenezer Dayton
1843
.A. Pierre Deignan 1895
Christopher F. Deignan
1888-90, '98-1912
James J. Dewey. 1866
William Edmund Dunbar 1886-7
Charles Dunlap __ 1863-6. '71. 77-8. 86
Daniel D. Fairchild 1881-85
Ethan B. Farnum 1857.'60
John Allen Farnum 1843
Gideon E. S. Fellows 1861
Andrew Ferguson
1856-7
John Gray Flack
Richard Baker Flack
1851
Washington Ross
1888-9
Shepard O. Raymond
1864
William Thomas Taylor
1905
Robert J. Lean
1906
William H. Hammersley
1879-85
Henry S. Bull
1886-7
32-
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Harrison Rich 1859
Michael Rouse 1881. '87
William Rouse 1890-1
Sylvester Curtis Sanford 1853
Albert E. Smith 1867-8
Harvey S. Stafford 1872
Samuel Henry Stafford 1861.79
Oliver P. Standish 1862
Edward Stevens 1849
Charles Wales
1855. 58-9
Festuis A. Williams
1888. 96-7
James G. Williams -1850
TOWN CLERKS.
Lyman Redington 1842
Lewis Curtis 1843
James Simmons 1844
Erasmus Darwin Richardson
_1845-6. 50
Simeon Williams Spafard __ 1847-8
Thomas McKaig 1849
Dr. Clarkson Miller 1851-2
Beni. Blodgett Humphrey. -1853-4
Simcon Gardner 1855
Jonathan T. \bell 1856-66
John A. Smith 1867-8
Charles Edwin Buell 1869-71
William H. Hammersley 1872-3
John Bell Sinnons 1874-85
A. Pierre Deignan 1886-7
Lewis George Foster 1888
William Dwight Wales 1889-91
Frank Abbott
1892-8. 1900-12
Albert Dinsmore
1899
TOWN TREASURER.
Charles Minton Baker 1842-3
Foster Y. Howe 1844-6
Lewis Curtis 1847
Andrew Ferguson 1848 1
John Marsh 1849-50
Joseph Gates 1851
Simeon Williams Spafard __ 1852-3
Linus Emerick 1854
Elon Andrus 1855. 57
Thomas Baker Gray. 1856. 74-85
William 1 .. Valentine 1858-60
George M. Barber 1861-63
Ralph T. Moody 1864
William H. Lee 1865-6. '69
Schuyler S. Hanna 1867
William Alexander 1868
Sylvester Curtis Sanford 1870-1
John Burton 1872-3
Arthur G. Palmer
1886-7
Albert Dinsmore
1888-94
William H. Howe 1805-9
Samuel James Dunbar 1900-6
John McLean
1907-12
JI'STICES OF THE PEACE.
Jonathan T Abell
1860-7
Charles Minton Baker 1871
Thomas Ashe 1904-5
Warren Beckwith __
-1859-60. 75-80
323
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Francis .A. Buckbee 1877-86
Henry S. Bull 1874-7. '80-1
James F. Campbell __ 1888-91. 1904-5
Nelson B. Campbell 1908-1I
Martius Dyar Cowdery 1872-4
Frank J. Dalrymple
1896-1903. '06-12
A. Pierre Deignan I886
Albert Dinsmore - 1900-I
Charles Dunlap
1866-7, 71
Daniel D. Fairchild
I 889-90
Bezaleel W. Farnum
1861
Floyd E. Gray
1 891-5
Thomas Baker Gray 1861-4
Jared Hand 864-5
Joseph Spencer Hand 1886
George D. Johnson _- '95-1902, 05-8
Thomas F. Johnson
885-6
Matthew E. Lee 1887-8
Bernard McGuire. -1894. '97-1900 Cyril Leach Oatman __ 1859-60. '63-6 Washington Ross 1878-9. '82-88
Michael Rouse
1865-8
Stephen Bemis Van Buskirk_1870-1 Jamies N. Webster 1892-7
Collins M. Williams
1900-2
Mr. Abell's service as justice began in 1851 and continued nearly without interval until his death. February 8, 1867.
CHAPTER XXVII.
CITY OF LAKE GENEVA.
Solomon Juneau, in May, 1836, had told Charles A. Noyes, just arrived from Chicago, of golden possibilities lying between the lake and Rock river, and especially of the mill section at Geneva lake. He said that Hodgson and Brink had left two of their men to make such improvements as were needful to secure their claim to the whole section, and that as soon as their surveying contract should be finished they were going there to improve the water power and to build a town. The prospects looked fair to Mr. Noyes and with his cousin, Orrin Hatch Coe, he again left Chicago, reaching the disputed claim about May 21st, after much wandering in five counties. He found there three log houses, all occupied. One of these, just within the town of Linn, was Thomas Hovey's ; one, southeast of the outlet, was occupied by Hodgson and Brink's men ; and one, across the outlet, by Christopher Payne.
Ostrander and Henry explained that they had been to Milwaukee for provisions and had overstayed by three weeks for a "little spree with the boys." Returning, they had found that Payne and Mosher had been a fortnight in possession, within which time they had built their cabin, and that they were indisposed to heed an informal notice to quit. Payne some time afterward admitted that he had seen Brink's claim marks, but thought them somebody's tomfoolery. Noyes and Coe bought a quarter interest in the whole claim for five hundred dollars, of Ostrander and Henry, who acted as agents and in their own behalf as co-claimants. Hodgson ratified the sale, though he could not for some weeks return to treat or fight with Payne. Noyes having advised compromise, to which Payne was not averse, he staked out a race as a first step in mill building. In the following night, without consulting Noyes, Messrs. Ostrander and Henry tore ont Payne's framework for a dam across the outlet. The next day Coe went castward for money and Noyes soon set out for a millwright at Milwaukee. They had previously cut and hauled logs for two houses, and Noyes enjoined his men not to overstep the north and south quarter line temporarily dividing the rival claimants. At his return from Milwaukee he found his caution had been disregarded and one house was finished.
325
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Payne, too, had been away and had brought from Belvidere James Van Slyke and wife. He moved this family by night into the new house, as the Noyes party learned next morning from the smoking chimney. A half- dozen men rushed into the cabin before Payne could take his gun, marched him to his own house which they demolished, performed a ring dance around him. and banished him with threats to drown him if he should come back. He and Van Slyke went away, leaving Mrs. Van Slyke to their enemies, who made her as comfortable as they could. Two or three days later the first white native of Walworth county was born. Noyes learned all this on his return with the millwright. He says: "Ostrander and Henry were wild with glee in relating to me the heroic exploit of driving off the old man Payne. I deprecated it, and told them an arbitration of the settlers ought to be the first resort (there being no legal authority), and further, I told them they need not flatter themselves they were rid of Payne. If physical force was to decide the contest he would acquire it if possible, and that ere long. I dampened their glee and incurred their displeasure by denouncing their conduct."
A week later Payne came with two wagon-loads of warriors and drove toward the new house. Noyes, with a hickory cane and a half-dozen com- rades, placed themselves on guard at the door. As an equal number of the enemy came up Noyes spoke and said: "Gentlemen, you come with as much noise and gusto as though you had some important project in view."
"Yes," says Schoonover, one of Payne's champion fighters, "we've come to drive out a d-d lot of land pirates, and reinstate Uncle Payne as the only rightful proprietor to this mill section. We have brought tools necessary to put up a mill and settle the country around the lake, and if force is required we are ready."
To this Noyes answered that he did not believe they would begin fight- ing without first knowing all the facts. These he set forth from his point of view, reminded them that there were other claimants about the bay whose rights must be protected according to settler's rules, and said that if they should choose to remain on Payne's disputed quarter-section he would not interfere until Hodgson should arrive. But they must not meddle with the rest of the section nor with individual claims.
Schoonover asked who Noyes called himself, to show so much authority ; said that soft words would not win ; that he believed they were land pirates and had no just claims there: that the next day his party would begin to build a mill and settle the country; that they would pay no attention whatever to the rights pretended. Payne, with others who had been in the rear. came forward, and the Noyes manuscript runs a little way thus :
326
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
"Schoonover says, "Uncle Payne, what will you put in the house?'
"1 told him that Van Slyke, if he thought himself worthy, could enter; but none other of their party.
"'Just as I expected,' says Schoonover, 'we have got to fight and we may as well begin. Just form a circle, call in any two of your men at a time, and if I get tired before I whip you all, friend Gilbert will spell me.'
"This started Sam Brittain's Saxon ( for he was English). He steps forward and says: 'D-n you! threaten of whipping us all? Will you try me first ?'
"I jumped between with my shillelah and said: 'Hold on boys! Better sleep one night over it before shedding blood, for that won't end it.' Payne called Schoonover back, had a short chat with him, and began to unload and arrange for night quarters on the greensward. Van Slyke walked demurely into the cabin, and we left, to ponder on the morrow."
The next day the Payne party, having looked about, traced claim lines, and consulted, went after dinner to cut logs on the quarter west of the Payne claim, and began to haul them to the site of his house. By night they had them piled nine logs high and ready for the plates. Noyes then told them that they had been cutting logs on Eggleston's claim, that he had gone to Milwaukee for provisions, and that they could see evidence of his ownership. Schoonover and Gilbert, scarred bullies from the Kishwaukee. "told me to go to hi-, to protect ourselves if we could, for they intended next day to put up five or six house bodies on the other side of the outlet ; and if we would help them they would treat, for they had a bit of rum."
Noyes walked away quietly and Payne's men thought themselves mas- ters of the situation. After their supper they entertained themselves by whooping, yelling, drumming on empty barrels, firing small arms, and they kept up these senseless noises all night. In the morning Mr. Winchester, who had come with his wife and child from Milwaukee, asked Noves if he had slept. "Not much, but I've dreamed some good." "Let us have it." "Well, when they come over to put on their plates let us go down and cut up their building." Said Winchester, "That's my hand. Mayn't I be captain?" As a dozen of Payne's men crossed the outlet Captain Winchester marched toward them at the head of ten men with shouldered axes.
"When within six feet of Payne. Winchester made a bound, slapped one hand on his right shoulder, and gave two or three shakes, and it was no maiden's grip. I assure you, for said Winchester. although his weight did not exceed one hundred fifty pounds, had more strength of muscle, especially in hand and arm, than anyone Hever knew. Payne turned his head to speak.
327
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Winchester, with the other fist drawn, says: 'Not a word, or I go through you like a streak of lightning. You yelled enough last night.' At that, Payne attempted to put his right hand in his pocket, which Winchester pre- vented. Thus far none of Payne's party had moved from the plate. Win- chester now says, 'Boys, demolish that building.' Tom Spriggs and self, who stood next to Winchester, sprang up with the rest: but no sooner up than Schoonover and Gilbert circled around toward us. We jumped down and met them with drawn axes. Says Schoonover: "What! use axes to fight?' I told him I despised the idea of striking such scoundrels with my fist, and that axes were quite as humane as pistols and muskets with which they had tried to frighten us."
Payne here called Schoonover aside for further conference while Win- chester's axemen chopped down the house. Schoonover came back smiling, admitted that the boys were pretty good soldiers, but he now believed more than ever that Payne was in the right. He said he had advanced five hun- dred dollars on a contract to pay nine hundred dollars for one-ninth interest in the claim, and Gilbert and others had contracted similariy. He further said : "I'll tell you what we are going to do. We find you are too many for us, and we, or most of us, are going to mount our horses and put out for help. I can raise forty men on the North Kishwaukee and Payne at least thirty on the South, and in a week we shall be back with seventy men, armed as the law directs, and then you can fight as you please."
To this answered Noyes: "Go! you can't scare up five more such scoundrels as yourself in all Illinois; and as for advancing five hundred dol- lars, I don't believe you are worth five hundred cents."
Whereat Schoonover: "You are too many for a rough and tumble, but if I can have a fair fight, with no interfering. I'll pledge myself to whip your crowd."
Brittain stepped forward, saying, "A fair fight is iny hand. Now pitch in."
Schoonover pitched in, but was quickly pitched out with a pair of black- ened eyes and a bloody nose. Brittain stumbled and Schoonover fell upon him "with a thumb for each eye;" but, baffled here, he tried to bite off Brit- tain's nose. Sprigg here interfered and asked if this was fair fighting. Schoonover ran for an axe and Sprigg met him with another one. Here this Homeric battle ended with a few more "winged words." Payne long afterward told Noyes that his men had at first intended to take their firearms with them, but changed that notion. Hle had forgotten to pocket his own derringer. lle said he was glad there were no such weapons at hand, else
328
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
there would have been corpses at Geneva that day. The Kishwaukeeans re- tired with threats to come again, and Noyes resumed work on his race and mill-framing.
Three weeks after the battle a new party came from Chicago by way of Marengo. While the late contention was in progress Mosher and Van Slyke had slipped away and, representing themselves as sole claimants at Lake Geneva, had tried to induce Lewis B. Goodsell, George L. Campbell and Andrew Ferguson to buy their rights, which they offered at a low rating. Goodsell had known Van Slyke at Cooperstown, and did not fully trust him; but he risked and lost four hundred dollars. Mosher then went out into the vastness of Illinois, and Walworth knew him no more. Payne heard of this sale and, as he was unable to renew war, he went to Chicago and thus Goodsell learned some useful truth. Hodgson, too, was sent for, and came from Waukesha. He first offered to sell to Noyes and Coe a half-interest in the mill section, if Ostrander and Henry would sell their shares; but these men saw some larger advantage in holding them. Hodgson then offered to give his quarter-interest if his past expenses were paid. But Noyes had now some larger plans. The Goodsell party had found R. Wells Warren at St. Charles and had taken him into their partnership. and to these men Hodgson sold his own and Brink's rights-without the latter's knowledge or approval. Payment of two thousand dollars left the Goodsell-Warren party in posses- sion and the settlement of Lake Geneva went peaceably forward unto this day.
Mr. Noyes could write of himself and his affairs from his own knowl- edge, but may have been somewhat at fault as to the negotiations between Hodgson and the newcomers. There are other accounts of this business and its attendant incidents, and it is probable that Mr. Simmons has written with substantial correctness. The history of a land title, however, is of less pres- ent interest than that of the rise of a city.
Mr. Warren was a practical and competent business man, and his co- partners were not merely speculators. The race was finished and a sawmill began work in March, 1837. In 1838 Charles M. Goodsell was given a lease of water power for four years, without charge, and he built a grist mill, which began to grind in October. Mr. Warren bought this mill and worked it until 1848, when he built a larger one. There was another water power. with a fall of twelve fect, in section 25, within the present city limits, first claimed. it is said, by P. O. Sprague, but was soon in possession of Sidney Sage, who sold in 1842 to James and John Haskins. These men built a saw- mill the next year. In 1875 the Crawford Reaper Company for a few years
329
WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN
found larger use for this power, and then it became again the property of John Haskins.
In 1837 the seven owners of section 36, namely, R. Wells Warren, Greenleaf S. Warren, Dr. Philip Maxwell, Col. James Maxwell, Lewis B. Goodsell, Andrew Ferguson and George L. Campbell, employed Thomas Mc- Kaig to survey and plat the village of Geneva. This work was finished and recorded in May, 1840. Two blocks were reserved for parks, one for a cemetery, and also ground for churches and school. The base line of this survey was that part of the highway from Kenosha to Beloit lying within the village limits, and was named Main street. Other early villagers named were Charles M. Baker, Henry Carter, William Casporus, W. Densmore Chapin, George Clark, Arnestus D. Colton. Dudley Wesley Cook, Experience Esta- brook, Benjamin E. Gill, Joseph Griffin, Thomas W. Hill, Thomas Hovey, Thomas McKaig. Dr. James McNish, Russell H. Mallory, Charles A. Noyes, Cyril L. Oatman, Amos Pond, Samuel Ross, Ransom A. Sheldon, Simeon W. Spafard. Horace Starkey, Dr. Oliver S. Tiffany, Cornelius P., Philander K. and William H. Van Velzer, Asahel P. and Jonathan Ward, Thomas D. Warren, Lucian Wright. Several of these men owned land in other towns and some of them lived in these towns.
TAVERNS AND HOTELS.
R. Wells Warren's first log house was earth-floored and was heated by a fireplace at one end, which, for several months, had no chimney but a hole in the roof. Being also a hotel, it was furnished with a long bench and four bedsteads. The latter were each of oak rails naturally supported at one end by thrusting between the logs of the cabin wall. and artificially at the other end by a single stake with cross-head. The bedding was of wild grass. In 1837 Mr. Warren built a real hotel, at Main and Centre streets, near the old house, and January 8, 1838, entertained one hundred ninety guests, mostly dancers, from near and far, from whom he collected about seven hundred dollars-for in that golden age there were no bad accounts. Abiel Manning and Albert A. Thompson occupied this house, the Geneva Hotel, in 1843. Apollos W. Hastings bought it in 1844 and in 1848 rented it to Harrison Rich. Harvey E. Allen bought and occupied the house in 1851, and sold it to Sabra Delaware in 1856. In 1859 Asa W. Farr bought it at a bankrupt sale and sold it to Lansing D. Hale and others. In 1858 Nelson Pitkin came from Kenosha, took the house ( probably as tenant ), and named it Commer- cial Hotel. He was a little. bewigged. old-fashioned Connecticut innkeeper
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.