USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 29
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who may have been in his day. then long past, a militia officer, and must have been a relative of several distinguished namesakes. He had seen better days, and he showed what landlord manners were in 1820. But to sit at his table was to know something of Barmecide feasts; for the times were very hard, he was poor and a stranger, and the other hotel had most of the public favor. Philo B. Baird was landlord in 1860, but it is not learned whether this was for one year or for five years. In 1866 John Christian was tenant. In 1869 the house became a boarding house for the Geneva Seminary for a term of two years. In 1872 B. K. Cowles leased the house and named it St. Denis. The latest proprietor, as here remembered, was George W. Ransford, from about 1875. In 1895 the house was pulled down and its site is yet bare.
Greenleaf S. Warren built the Lake House at Main and Broad streets, in 1837, and was its landlord. His brother, Thomas D. Warren, and his brother-in-law, Arnestus D. Colton, each about 1845. succeeded, and in 1846 Mr. Colton rented it for two years to Harrison Rich, but returned as land- lord and remained until about 1862, when he sold it to Peter Van Slyck. Samuel H. Stafford bought and occupied it in 1864 with John S. Griffin, his brother-in-law, as partner in business. The house had been extended from time to time, and Mr. Stafford made further improvements. Other landlords were Edwin Woodman, W. G. Barrett, George W. Ransford, Orlando Leon- ard Blakesley and his brother William, and Aaron L. Vanderpool. About 1892 the house was further altered and improved and was new-named Stat- ford House. At some time since it became the Hotel Florence. Its old oak frame has been time-tested, but its end may be near, for there is much talk of building in the present century's style.
David T. Whiting built a wholly new hotel by the lakeside, at the foot of Broad street, in 1873, and named it for himself. It was planned to meet the wants of summer visitors to the already famous lake. It was four stories high, built of wood in the somewhat ornate style of that period. It had competent managers, and its business for several years justified the cost of its building and furnishing-forty thousand dollars or more, it is said. It was burned to the ground in July, 1894, and the lots on which it stood passed to new ownership.
The Union House, opened in 1870 by Benjamin Fish, in Broad street, near the railway, and kept by John Kohn in 1881, is mentioned by Mr. Cutler, but not by Mr. Simmons. A store was moved from Main street and joined to this house, which in 1892 became the Garrison House, and about 1894 the Hotel Denison. Outwardly it is a homely gambrel-roofed house, but its management within makes all needful amends. This house. like the Hotel Florence, is likely to be rebuilt in not many years more.
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EARLY BUSINESS MEN.
Charles M. Goodsell built a grist mill in 1838 and worked it for nearly four years, on liberal terms given by the proprietors of the village as to use of the water power, and custom came to him from afar-even from the Lake Michigan shore and Rock river valley. But he steadfastly refused to grind for distillers' use About 1842 R. Wells Warren bought the mill and worked it till 1848, when he built a new and improved one. In 1854-5 he sold this property to the brothers. Joseph W., Henry and Rees Case, after whom came James Will- iams, Mr. Cogswell and Shepard O. Raymond successively as part owners. In 1859 Harvey E. Allen built the "Red Mill," which in 1866 was sold to the Geneva Manufacturing Company, and for two years became a woolen mill. It was later refitted for grinding oatmeal. There is still a busy feed mill near one of these old sites, built substantially of brick, by or for Judson G. Sherman.
Mr. Simmons, in his "AAnnals," mentioned other manufacturing enter- prises-among them the Crawford reaper works in 1875. Most of these began with reasonable hope of success and some of them flourished for a few years, bringing to the village increase of population and general trade, and some of that good remains. But the conditions which now for long have brought the smaller factories throughout the country quite generally to naught have been felt here. If water power is of yet further use to man as, no doubt, it is, that at Lake Geneva will not forever flow uselessly, or but for minor uses, on its tortuous way to the gulf.
Among the earlier business and professional men and mechanics were :
William Alexander ( 1801-1885). the first and for long the only cooper, came in 1839. He died at the village.
The Allen brothers, Harvey E., Seymour and William H., wagon- makers and blacksmiths, came in 1845. Harvey E. died in 1864. Their relationship to other Allens is not learned.
Joel Barber, son of Sofon and Hannah, born 1828 in St. Lawrence county, New York, married Julia L. and Carrie M. Marsh, cousins ; came in 1848: carpenter, stavemaker, millwright and millowner: twice president of the village.
John Beamsley ( 1803-1897), shoemaker and dealer, came in 1843. He married Mary Jane, daughter of Philander K. Van Velzer, July 4, 1858.
John Brink ( 1810-1904), surveyor and earliest claimant of the water- power section, died at Crystal Lake, Illinois.
John M., Newton, Seth M. and William H. Capron's names are found
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in earliest real estate records. One or more of them were of the firm of Capron, Wheeler & Whipple, coming as general dealers in 1839, and soon afterward building a distillery, which was but one year in operation.
William Casporus, a carpenter, came in 1837 and was killed the next year by falling with a broken scaffold while building his house at Main and Madison streets.
Henry B. Conant ( 1825-1903) came in 1846 as a building contractor, and partner with Cyrus W. Maynard, his brother-in-law, who came a year earlier. In judgment and skill they were among the foremost in the county.
Dudley W. Cook, wagonmaker, came from Cooperstown about 1837, in which year his son, the first white boy, was born and died in the village. He went to California in 1849 and died there.
Jotham W. Curtis, blacksmith, burned Mr. Payne's house at Duck Lake, about 1839, destroying a just then valuable set of carpenter's tools, axes, etc. Mr. Payne and his men caught him, forced him into confession and banished him.
Lewis Curtis ( 1813-1904) was born in Chenango county; came in 1840 and bought John Dunlap's store. In the same year he married Mary Eliza- beth ( 1822-1868), daughter of Hiram Humphrey and Mary ( Blodgett) Foster. He was the earliest drug dealer at the village, and continued in general trade for many years, ten of which he was postmaster.
James J. Dewey ( 1814-1898), a native of St. Lawrence county, opened a hat store in 1845, and soon became Mr. Ferguson's partner. He was post- master in the Taylor-Fillmore administrations. His first wife was Eliza Ann Bates ( 1815-1838). of Cooperstown: his second wife was Selina A. Merriam ( 1827-1870).
Anthony Dobbs, shoemaker, came in 1844. About ten years later he was village president.
John Dunlap (died 1879) was son of Robert ( born 1757). a soklier of the Revolution, and grandson of John ( 1718-1813), a native of county Tyrone, Ireland, and immigrant. The younger John was a half-brother of Asenath, wife of Thomas MeKaig. In 1839 he began in business at the vil- lage, but sold to Lewis Curtis.
Cornwell Esmond came about 1837 and built his blacksmith shop at Broad and Geneva streets, now the site of the Episcopal church.
Benjamin E. Gill ( 1814-1888), mason and plasterer, came in 1837. He was an early village president. He went to California in 1850, and lived to return.
Joseph Griffin came from Cooperstown in 1842, and was the first judge
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of probate. As he had Charles M. Baker always within call he served very creditably, and made a comfortable living from office fees, and from the produce of his farm in section 30 of Lyons.
Lansing Duane Hale ( 1818-1883), son of Samuel Hale and Sarah Abell, came from Owego in 1843 and was in retail trade for twenty-two years. His first wife was Rebecca Ellis ( 1823-1846) ; second wife, Jane Elizabeth ( 1830-1902), daughter of Sweet Allen and Jemima Spicer. His brother, Otis K. Hale { 1825- 1902), began in trade in 1853. His wife was Ann L., daughter of John Beeden and Serena Garrison.
Thomas J. Hanna ( 1809-1900) came in 1845 as a cabinetmaker, and prospered at his business. Mrs. Hanna was a pioneer in the millinery trade.
John Haskins (1811-1887) with his brother James came in 1842, and built a sawmill at the lower water power. In 1855-1863 they were in the hardware trade. Thereafter they were active in all the greater local enter- prises. John's wife was Olivia (Vose), widow of John Seymour. She was . born 1829, died 1876.
Dr. Stephen Ingham ( 1778-1875) was born at Richmond, Massachu- setts, and in 1803 married Huldah Ambler (born 1787). He came to Geneva in 1841. He owned a farm in section 12, Linn.
Dr. Alexander Lawson ( 1815-1871) was born in Perthshire, Scotland; was graduated at the University of Glasgow ; came to Philadelphia in 1837; to Geneva in 1849, where he practiced as a botanic physician.
Daniel Locke (1820-1897), son of James and Lydia, was born in Cheshire county, New Hampshire; married, first, Clarissa Wright, of Otsego county ; came to Geneva as a gunsmith in 1843; married Elizabeth Booth, at Springfield, in 1867.
Russell II. Mallary (or Mallory?), born in 1803 at Middletown, Ver- mont, came from Beardstown, Illinois, in 1838; became sheriff in 1841 ; went into business at East Troy with Mr. Oatman in 1843 : returned to Geneva and died in March, 1852. In 1838 Mallary & Oatman brought from Illinois the first drove of hogs, of a breed, the continuance of which the agricultural society has never encouraged by offer of premium. These brutes, shifting for themselves under the oak trees, never became even streakily fat, and when wanted were hunted and shot like other wild game. Calista E. ( 1809- 1878). daughter of Eli Oatman and Mary Symonds, was Mr. Mallory's wife.
Philip D. Marshall came from Milwaukee in 1843 and brought with him the "Ariel," the first of the Geneva lake fleet. It had masts, spars and sails, but its surest motive power was a pole. It carried twenty or more passengers, and, having previously crossed Lake Michigan. the trip to Fontana and
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Williams Bay did not overtask it. Captain Marshall built and rented a store, but for himself preferred a shanty, where he sold apples and cider. He was also a shaver of shingles.
Dr. Ansel D. Merritt came in 1844. but moved about 1852 to Wood- stock. He died in 1878.
Gurdon Montague (1819-1890), born at Wethersfield, Connecticut, came from Trenton, New York, by way of Milwaukee, in 1845. He was known throughout the county as a competent millwright. His wife was M. Maria Post ( 1823-1866).
Bradford T. Paine ( 1819-1903), shoemaker, came in 1843. Of his workinen George S. Nethercut and Bruce Frederick are remembered. His wife was Ellen C. Loveland ( 1819-1903).
Logan McCoy Ross, blacksmith, in 1843 made his shop in Payne's cabin. across the race ( southeastward ).
Richard D. Short in 1848 began the first regular business as proprietor of a livery stable.
Timothy C. Smith and N. S. Donaldson came in 1844 as dealers in dry goods and groceries.
Simeon W. Spafard ( 1812-1880), son of Abraham Spafard (Nathan 5, Thomas 4. Thomas 3. Samuel 2, John I) and Sarah Williams, came about 1838 and in 1842 opened a tinshop and stove store. He married Charlotte L. Sharpe in 1845, and his sisters, Elizabeth W. and Alma O., were wives of Erasmus D. Richardson. Mr. Simmons also mentions him as a brother-in- law of William K. May. In 1854 he was assemblyman. He died at Omaha.
Samuel H. Stafford ( 1811-1889), a native of Saratoga. son of Henry and Polly ( Gay), came from Kenosha in 1848 and with Mr. Dewey engaged in general trade. In 1864 he went into other business.
Horace Starkey, carpenter and millwright, came in 1839. He bought a farm in Walworth in 1867 and died there about ten years later.
Philander K. Van Velzer ( 1811-1862), son of William Henry, an early settler of Lyons, came in 1837 to the village and for some time made bricks on his lot near the railway and between Dodge and Wisconsin streets. His wife was Prudence ( 1812-1870), daughter of Hendrick Matteson. His brother. Cornelius P. ( 1813-1903). also came early. He died at Delavan.
Asahel P. Ward, carpenter, was an early-comer. He built the house since owned by Richard D. Short.
Andrew Jackson Weatherwax ( 1817-1896) was born in Orleans county. New York ; came to Darien in 1845: to Geneva in 1849 as the first resident tailor. In 1861 he and his son. Monroe J. Weatherwax, enlisted in the Fourth Infantry-Cavalry. His wife was Irene Preston ( 1820-1900).
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Lucian Wright came in 1836; owned land north of Duck Lake, where he built a kiln and made lime of the best quality. He moved away a few years later.
Other men, who had some larger part in building this community, or of whom more is known. have been or will be mentioned elsewhere.
Charles M. Goodsell came in 1838 to build and operate a grist mill. but not for that only. He at once began to revive the temporarily suspended religious interest of the little community, organizing a Sunday school and, co-operating with other good men and women, preparing the way for formation of reli- gious societies.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Rev. Phipps W. Lake, an early settler of Walworth, organized the Bap- tist society in 1840 at the home of Charles M. Baker, a Presbyterian, but not too much narrowed by his creed. Between 1844 and 1847 a church was built at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars, and was rebuilt in 1868 at fur- ther cost of seventeen hundred dollars. Though for some years fairly pros- perous, the society was relatively poorer than at Delavan, Elkhorn and East Troy. At a business meeting April 5. 1907. it was suggested that it was better to build a new church than to repair the old one, and the pastor was asked to call another meeting. Ten days later it was determined. without dissent, to build, and a committee was directed to canvass for subscriptions. In two weeks two thousand three hundred dollars had been pledged ; but this, with a legacy of nearly one thousand dollars from Mrs. H. H. Hawks, was not enough. Appeal to the state convention at last brought five thousand dollars from the Judson A. Roundy bequest. The society was encouraged to new effort and in 1910 a fine new church was built in modern style at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars, and dedicated January 13, 1911. In its corner- stone were deposited, among other things, a carefully prepared historical ac- count of the society and a list of its pastors. Both of these papers were the work of Mrs. Amelia ( Beardsley ) Arnold who, as a child, had known Mr. Lake well and in her later life most or all of his successors.
Phipps Waldo Lake came in 1840, and for a short time in 1845 : Peter Conrad, 1844: Joel W. Fish, December, 1845, and in 1885: Caleb Blood. 1852; P. H. Parks. 1855; Noah Barrell, 1857, and in 1863; Samuel Jones, 1858; Thomas Bright, 1859: Elijah M. Nye, 1865: Rodney Gilbert, 1867; Enoch P. Dye, 1869; Jolin D. Pulis, 1872; James Buchanan, 1874; J. E. Roberts, 1876; James Edminster, 1877: Joshua E. Ambrose, 1880; Levi D. Temple, 1882; William McKee, 1884: Charles E. Eade. 1886; John H. Hig- by, 1888; Robert Gray, 1893: James P. Whyte, 1896; Peter Clark Wright,
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1897 and 1901 ; Jolin A. Monk, 1900; Emory L. Cole, 1902; James A. Lar- son, 1904; Roy H. Barrett, 1905; George Gladstone Laughlin, 1908. Elder Barrell, born in 1794, died in 1875 ; his wife was Ann E. Pierce ( 1804-1865). Both were buried at Lake Geneva. Elder Lake ( 1789-1866) and wife, Re- becca Beardsley (1792-1884), were buried at Walworth.
As early as 1842 Rev. Thomas Morrissey came from Milwaukee period- ically to minister to Catholic families about Lake Geneva. Vicar-general Kundig organized the parish of St. Francis de Sales in 1847, and its members have since built two or three churches. The last is a well-built and well-fur- nished building, near the east end of Main street, a well-chosen site. It was built within the period of Father Reilly's pastorate. at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars. Its fine organ was the gift of Patrick J. Healy, of Chicago. AA suitable rectory, a convenient hall for social and other entertainments and a cemetery are included in the now valuable church property.
The first resident priest was Patrick McKernan. 1847, after whom were P. J. Fander. 1849: Franz Fusseder, 1850: P. J. Mallon, 1854: 11. P. Ken- ney, George H. Brennan, 1856: James Stehle. 1857 and 1862; Henry J. Roche, 1861: Edward O'Connor, 1863; F. O'Farrell, 1867 (died ) : 1. 1 .. David, 1867: James F. Kinsella, 1867 : Benedict J. Smeddinck, 1868; Eugene M. McGinnity, 1872: John J. Kinsella, 1873; Nicholas M. Zimmer, 1874; Michael Wenker, about 1883; Eugene Reilly, 1884: Bernard Joseph Burke, 1908. Parish records and other sources of information show some disagree- ments and uncertainties as to initials, order of succession and dates; but the foregoing list is nearly full and correct. Rev. Martin Kundig, whose early labors in this as in many another county are memorable, was born in the Swiss canton of Schwytz. November 19. 1805: came to Cincinnati in 1828. where he was ordained : in 1833 to Detroit, whence he came. in 1842, to Mil- waukee, and in 1844 became, under Rt. Rev. John Martin Henni. vicar-gen- eral of the diocese. He died March 6, 1879.
A society of Presbyterians and Congregationalists was formed in 1839 and built its church. the first Presbyterian. of oak lumber in 1841 at a cost of five hundred dollars. A new church, on the same lot, was begun in 1851 and finished in two years, at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars. Beginning with thirteen members, the society's increase was mostly Congre- gationalist, and in 1883 formally changed its name to First Congregational church. The society laid the cornerstone of its third church July 24. 1897, and dedicated the finished building January 19. 1898. This church property is valued at twenty-five thousand dollars. Pastors: Lemuel Hall, 1839: Leonard Rogers, 1841: C. R. French, 1843: Homer H. Benson, 1844: Ed-
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ward Goddard Miner, 1855 and 1867; Charles Morgan, 1857; William S. Mather, 1860; Peter S. Van Nest, 1861; Richard Brockway Bull, 1875; George Cady, 1893; William Jay Cady, 1893; Cyrus A. Osborne, 1897; John W. Wilson, 1902 to 1912. Mr. Bull was born in 1820, died 1888; Mr. Hall, 1795-1868; Mr. Van Nest, 1813-1893.
Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper came as early as 1844 to administer com- munion to a few persons, and from time to time sent mission workers to this field. In 1850 the Episcopal parish of the Holy Communion was organized, and in 1857 the society bought the disused Presbyterian church and occupied it until it could build a chapel on its own ground at Geneva and Broad streets. In 1880 the cornerstone of a permanent building was laid and in 1883 the new church was consecrated. Its material is glacier-borne boulders of various granites, hewn to architectural fitness, and its cost, with organ and other furnishings, was more than twenty thousand dollars. Its resident rec- tors have been John McNamara, 1850 and 1856; William S. Ludlum, 1852; Gerrit E. Peters, 1853; William H. Studley, 1854: Jolin H. Gasman, 1859; William Dafter, 1861 : George N. James, 1864: John Henry Babcock, 1866; William C. Armstrong. 1867; Robert B. Wolseley, 1874; Richard Thomas Kerfoot, 1876; William Wirt Raymond, 1887; Isaac Newton Marks, 1892; Herbert Chessall Boissier, 1907.
Rev. Carl F. Goldammer organized an Evangelical Lutheran society in 1879 and dedicated its church May 4, 1884. His successors have been : August F. Graebner, 1885; Heinrich Gieschen, 1887; Ernst F. Schubert. Bernhardt .Albert Oehlert. 1899: Herman A. Fleischer. 1904. A new church was built in 1891-2 and the old one then became a parish schoolhouse. These buildings, with a parsonage, and lots, in Walworth street near Crawford street, are valued at six thousand dollars. The society now includes about seventy families.
Mr. Schubert with twelve families separated from this society in 1899 and built a new church and parsonage at Park Row and Warren street. This church has basement story fitted for its use as a parish schoolhouse. The property is valued at five thousand dollars. Mr. Schubert's further stay was short, and he was followed in the same year by E. A. Kurtz, in 1902, by Peter Christian Boysen. in 1906 by Ernst Junghans In 1900 Mr. Boysen returned and also ministers to the church at Genoa Junction.
A class of six or seven persons met in 1837 to form a Methodist Epis- copal society. A church with parsonage was built in 1855-6 on lots at Madi- son and Wisconsin streets, facing the park, at a cost of two thousand dollars.
(22)
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These lots had been set apart for this purpose by the proprietors of the vil- lage. In the meantime service was held in a primitive school house. The society began to build again in 1877. at Cook and Geneva streets, also facing the park. It was finished and dedicated in 1884. and with parsonage its cost was about thirteen thousand dollars. The names of pastors, as nearly as can now be shown, were Samuel Pillsbury, 1838: Jesse Halstead. 1839; James Mckean, 1839; David Worthington, 1841: Jewett and Decker, in 1842; Jonathan M. Snow, 1843; John Crummer. 1845: Joseph C. Parks, 1846; Joseph M. Walker, 1847: Robert Blackburn, 1848: R. Dudgeon, 1850; Au- rora Callender. 1851 : O. F. Comfort. 1852: Aaron Griswold, 1853: Joseph Anderson. 1855: Hiram H. Hersey. 1857; David Hall, 1858; L. Salisbury. 1859; David W. Couch, 1861 : William Averill, 1862: Stephen Smith, 1863; Rossiter C. Parsons, 1865: Norvall J. Aplin. 1867: Henry Colman, 1869 and 1885: Samuel E. Willing, 1873; John D. Cole, 1874: John L. Hewitt, 1875: Albert A. Hoskins. 1876; Thomas Clithero, 1878; Charles E. Gold- thorp, 1880; Matthew Evans, 1882; Thomas W. North, 1888: John Jay Gar- vin, 1893; William W. Stevens, 1898; Rodman W. Bosworth, 1899; Thomas DeWitt Peake. 1900: Sherman P. Young and Webster Millar. 1902: Charles Marcus Starkweather. 1904: Frank Cuthbert Richardson. 1909.
SCHOOLS.
Mrs. Rebecca A. Vail taught a private school in 1837 at a room over Mr. Ferguson's store. About the next year a public school house was built, and Mary S. Brewster for the summer term and Dr. John Stacy for the winter term were first teachers. In 1849 a larger house was ready, and its two department teachers were Horatio B. Coe and Charles B. Smith. A wing was added in 1854. A new house was built in 1867 at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars, including its furnishings. This was in Wisconsin street, looking southward upon the park, as designed at the village platting. It was burned December 25, 1903. and in the next year rebuilt of pressed red brick and in plain good taste. Mr. Simmons did not note the beginning of the high school, but it may have been about 1865, practically, if not formally. In 1895 it was placed temporarily in the seminary building, which the city had bought. After the fire of 1903 a separate building was placed beside that for the grades, of like materials and in like plainly imposing style of archi- tecture. Sixteen teachers are employed in these schools, the head of which is called city superintendent. The jurisdiction of this officer, independent of the county superintendency, includes two other schools.
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As a school district Lake Geneva reaches into the westward sections be- tween the lakes. That part beyond the corporate limits has for long been known as the "woods district," though there is now nothing sylvan in the surroundings or in school management. A brick house was built in 1886, replacing an old one, on the road to Delavan, in the edge of section 33. Its present teacher, A. Pierre Deignan, was as a child an early resident of the city or its vicinity, and has been well tried in this and other public service. A new house was built in the third ward in 1888, and is under the city superintendency.
In 1858 O. Sherman Cook opened a select school. Early in 1859 Se- linda J. Gardner was at its head. She was a daughter of Elijah R. Gardner and Rebecca Powers, and in 1885, as widow of Dr. H. Hitchcock, of Chicago, she was married to Rev. Franklin W. Fisk. In autumn Anna Wealthy Moody came and continued this school until March, 1863. Her quality and success as a teacher suggested another enterprise, and in 1864 a stock company built the Lake Geneva Seminary, east of the outlet, at a cost of seven thousand dollars. This property was sold in 1869 to Mrs. Julia A. Warner, under whose management the school, which was chartered in 1871, continued for several years. For boarding non-resident pupils the old Geneva Hotel was rented for two years, and in 1873 a boarding house, of brick, was built near the school. The exact year, later than 1885, in which the seminary was closed is not shown: but the property was used occasionally thereafter for select schools. In 1895 it was sold to the city. After its use as a high school it was condemned as unsafe or unsanitary, and all these buildings were pulled away. Of the ample ground an attractive lakeside park has been made.
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