USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > Rock County, Wisconsin; a new history of its cities, villages, towns, citizens and varied interests, from the earliest times, up to date, Vol. I > Part 17
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Then mention might be made of the flour and feed firm of Messrs. Blodgett & Nelson, west side, which was organized in 1857, succeeding to the business of Mr. Hackett, who built his mill in 1848; also the old Brooks mill, built on Turtle creek about 1859, called the stone mill, and later owned by W. J. Mc- Donald; the Racine Feet Knitting Company, South Beloit, which turns out 500 pairs of hose and Racine feet per day ; the Berlin Machine Works, described later, which employs about 1,000 men, has an annual payroll of more than $600,000. and turns out an- nually machinery valued at nearly $2,000,000; the Beloit Iron
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Works, which holds the world's record in the building of paper- making machines; the Mattison Machine Works, being one of the two concerns in the United States which manufacture special machinery for turning table legs, columns, spindles, balusters, ete .; the Beloit Foundry Company, a comparatively young con- cern, with prospects of a bright future; the Beloit Conerete Stone Company : Lipman Manufacturing Company; Davis Sand Company ; Atwood-Davis Sand Company; Warner Instrument Company ; Barrett Manufacturing Company; C. H. Besley & Co .; and scores of other manufacturing concerns and firms, any of which would furnish material for a chapter of interesting read- ing.
Of Beloit's public utilities, comprising the gas, water and electric light service and plants, all of which, unsurpassed in the character and quality of their modern equipments, have re- cently been merged in one company, only words of commenda- tion ean be spoken, and nothing more fittingly represents the enterprising and progressive spirit of the city. The Hendley family were the pioneers in gas and the Salmons in Beloit water- works.
Of the banks of Beloit a full presentation is made in the gen- eral chapter on Banks and Banking. It is enough to say that we have three strong banks besides our millionaire Beloit Savings Bank.
From the time of its early settlement down through all its periods of change and growth the matter of education has been of paramount interest to the citizens of Beloit, who have always willingly made the sacrifices and provided the money required in order to supply schools suited to the times and to the needs of the community. Associated with the early establishment of the public schools and with their oversight and conduct through all the varying vicissitudes of the early and later years are the names of men and women whose very lives were inwrought with the material and educational development of the city ; and though most of them have passed away, their works endure and their lives and names are held in memory as those of the city's public benefactors. We consider them in a separate chapter on Schools. Nor has this educational spirit, even outside of our famous col- lege, failed to keep pace with the marvelous material development of the city during recent years, as is evideneed by the magnificent
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monuments of brick and stone, models of architectural beauty, in which, out of 4,438 children of school age, 3,256 are enrolled and 2,700 boys and girls are daily receiving instruction from as able a body of teachers as can be found anywhere; to say nothing of the commodious kindergarten buildings connected with various schools, in which are trained those too young to enter the pri- mary grades. We are just now (1908) building a $130,000 addi- tion to the high school; but this subject is more fully presented in the chapter on Schools and Colleges.
Referring, however, to the educational spirit that has always prevailed, it may not be out of place to speak here of early in- fluences other than the regular school course that have wrought to this end. Chief among these was the Archæan Society of Beloit College, organized by students of that institution in the fall of 1848 with the purpose, as expressed in the preamble of its constitution. of improving its members in public speaking and composition, of upholding right principles and promoting the general cause of literary improvement. How well it served these ends is seen in the lives of many of its early members and the high places they have assumed and ably filled; as, for ex- ample, Stephen D. Peet, editor of the "American Antiquarian," Chicago; Lucien B. Caswell, who went to congress from the See- ond Wisconsin district; Harlan M. Page. who became editor of the "Wisconsin State Journal"; Edward F. Hobart, for seven years editor of the "Western Magazine." and Horace Hobart, now editor of "The Railway Age," Chicago; Peter Me Vickar, who became president of Washburn University. Topeka; John B. Parkinson, who was made professor of political economy in the Wisconsin State University ; Jonas Bundy, editor the New York "Mail and Express": Emerson W. Peet, president of the National Life Insurance Company of the United States; O. A. Willard, who edited the Chicago "Evening Post": George E. Hoskinson, connected with the Green Bay "Gazette" and later United States consul to Jamaica : E. C. Towne, a noted Unitarian minister ; R. .J. Burdge, state senator; J. A. Johnson, congressman from Cali- fornia ; Horaee White of '53, famous editor of the Chicago "Trib- une" and later of the New York "Evening Post"; Charles W. Buckley, who went to congress from Alabama ; James W. Strong, president of Carleton College, Minnesota, for twenty-five years ; Alexander Kerr, professor of Greek in the State University,
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Madison, Wis. ; later. Thomas C. Chamberlin of '66, who became president of that university, is now dean of geology in Chicago University and has recently been elected president of the Ameri- can Association for the Advancement of Science; Arthur H. Smith. '67, noted missionary in China ; Thomas D. Christie of '71, president of St. Paul's Institute, Tarsus, Asiatic Turkey; Ed- ward D. Eaton, president of Beloit College; E. M. Hill, principal of Congregational College of Canada, Montreal; C. Frank Gates, president Roberts College. Constantinople; Booth M. Malone, '77, judge, Denver, Colo .; George B. Adams of '73, professor of history, Yale, and now president of the American Historical As- sociation ; also Louis E. Holden of '88, president of Wooster Uni- versity, Ohio: Von Ogden Vogt. assistant secretary for U. S. Presbyterian Home Missions; and scores of others who have taken honorable places in the various professions and walks of life, as the record of Beloit College shows. The plan of the soci- ety was changed in the winter of 1859 to comprise two organiza- tions known as the Delian and the Alethean, and the name was changed to Archæan Union. From the first a part of the so- ciety's plan was to establish a library, and in furtherance of this idea there was gathered a large and valuable collection of the best works in all departments of general literature.
This society through its members and library, and through its annual courses of lectures given by noted speakers and lit- erary characters, was largely instrumental in fostering a love for books and molding the literary tastes of the early community and in leading the way to that high standard of excellence which the city has since attained as a center of learning and of literary and social culture. (My remembrance of boyhood especially recalls that course of their lectures which introduced to Beloit Bayard 'Taylor and John B. Gough.) And when a noted philan- thropist sought locations worthy the bestowal of his gifts it was but natural he should be attracted hitherward; so the (Carnegie) Free Public Library building and the College (Carnegie) Li- brary building, both magnificent homes for books, are added to the educational and culture forces of the city.
Then, too, among those earlier influences mention should be made of the Beloit Reading Club, which came into existence in the fall of 1878 and embraced in its membership a large num- ber of the cultivated people of the community; and of the Phil-
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harmonic Society, organized in 1879 with the object of cultivat- ing and developing musical taste. There also sprang up nu- merons other organizations, more especially ministering to the religious needs of the people, such as the Women's Christian Temperance Union, which was started in the spring of 1874 and whose benefits in behalf of those to whom it has ministered are beyond computation; and the Beloit Bible Society, which has been in existence since the spring of 1841 and whose special mis- sion has been to distribute the word of God among those who were without it.
Of churches fuller mention is elsewhere made. but we note briefly that the First Congregational was organized December 30, 1838. Following this, on April 24, 1841, the First Baptist church of Beloit was founded with fourteen members and Rev. Alvah Burgess as pastor. During that same year, on February 28, St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal church was established with Rev. Aaron Humphrey rector, C. H. F. Goodhue and G. W. Bick- nell wardens, Otis C. Bieknell, John C. Burr and Leonard R. Humphrey vestrymen, William H. Hobart secretary and David J. Bundy treasurer. The Methodist Episcopal church was formed by Rev. William Lovesey October 15, 1842. Rev. Lewis H. Loss, of Rockford, Ill., conducted the formal organization of the First Presbyterian church, with forty-six members. March 21, 1849. The St. Thomas Catholic church began as a congregation in May, 1853, with Rev. Father McFaul in charge. The Westmin- ster Presbyterian church, Old School, was organized January 5, 1859, west side. The Second Congregational church, also west side of the river, was organized September 11, 1859, with forty- one members, of whom thirty-five brought letters from the First Congregational church. On May 23, 1869, Pastor Jacob Kolb organized the German Presbyterian church with thirty-one mem- bers. The German Lutheran church was organized in 1872 with ten members and Rev. Mr. Sysner as pastor. In the following year the Norwegian church was established, and in that year, 1873, the Methodist Protestant church, called the Bridge Street church, west side, was started by George Craven, Dr. J. L. Bren- ton, Eddy Crandall, J. L. Jewett and H. J. Fine, their first pas- tor being Rev. Henry A. Heath. Their building, southwest cor- ner of Bridge and Bluff streets, was the former home of the Westminster church, which in 1865 had been merged in the
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First Presbyterian. The English Lutheran congregation is of more recent origin. A Beloit branch of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association has also been developed, is growing in members and influence and under excellent management is rapidly be- coming one of our city's strong forces for good. We have also had the Salvation Army on our streets for twenty years or more. and there is a Christian Seienee hall.
Secret societies have flourished in Beloit since the beginning of its existence as a city. Of the Masonie order Morning Star Lodge No. 10, F. and A. M .. was organized December 2, 1846, under dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Ohio, John W. Bushnell, W. M. Beloit Chapter No. 9, Royal Arch Masons, or- ganized November 29. 1851, received its charter February 12, 1852. Beloit Council No. 1, R. and S. M., was organized Febru- ary 24, 1857. Then on April 18, 1864, was chartered Beloit Com- mandery No. 6, Knights Templar.
Myrtle Lodge No. 10, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted as E-ne-we-shin-e-gras Lodge No. 10 on August 11, 1846, the name being changed to Myrtle in 1847. Beloit En- campment No. 7 of this order was instituted December 17, 1850.
Temple Lodge No. 42, Ancient Order United Workmen, was established August 26, 1868; Fidelity Temple of Honor No. 37 was organized January 22, 1876. and Beloit Division No. 38, Sons of Temperance, was organized January 20, 1874. Of more re- cent date are numerous fraternal organizations, some admitting to membership men only, others only women, and still others mixed. Some of these are the Royal Arcanum. G. A. R. Post No. 54, Royal League, Columbian Knights, Elks, Daughters of Co- lumbia, Beavers, Beaver Queens, Equitable Fraternal Union, Fra- ternal Reserve Association, National Fraternal League, Mystie Workers, Modern Woodmen, Red Men. Eagles, United Spanish War Veterans, Brotherhood of American Yeomen, Fraternal Aid Association, Court of Honor, and White Shrine; all of which are loyally supported and fully supply the needs they are in- tended to serve.
Our Beloit fire department really began in 1854. The busi- ness center was then E. D. Murray's store, southwest corner of State and Race. When that building burned down on the morn- ing of April 6 in that year your editor, then nine years old, from the diagonally opposite corner saw Mr. A. J. Battin, an old New
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York city fireman, standing at the very edge of the fallen and blazing store with nozzle in hand, directing the tiny stream of water from a small garden engine upon Mr. Murray's safe, which lay in the midst of the fire, until by that means, and with a bucket brigade he organized. the flames were subdued. The same effort saved Mr. A. B. Carpenter's house. which stood near the store on the south, and afforded a narrow escape for Mrs. Carpenter. who was then quite ill, and also for her very young infant daughter, Addie, now Mrs. Charles B. Salmon. The little fire company which Mr. Battin then formed was the real begin- ning of our Beloit fire department. A little later, in 1855, there was organized on the east side an engine and hose company known as Water Witch Company No. 1, and a small hand-brake engine was bought by private subscription. On those brakes I helped pump at every fire which occurred in Beloit until 1867. That company became disorganized soon after the opening of the Civil War in 1860. owing to members enlisting in the army ; but the organization was reestablished after the close of the war and continued until 1869, when the company disbanded. In 1872 a new organization was perfected with fifty-five members and a full corps of officers installed.
Another company, known as Ever Ready No. 2, was organ- ized on the west side in 1856 and was ready for service in Feb- ruary, 1857, when it received its engine. Connected with this was Tiger Hose Company No. 2. Both those organizations ren- dered valuable service at home and in neighboring towns. being ably seconded in their work by Beloit Hook and Ladder Com- pany, which came into existence in the spring of 1875. It is worthy of note that for many years these fire companies owned and cared for the only public libraries in Beloit. To these the public had access by payment of a small fee, which, with contri- butions from insurance companies and individuals, was suffi- cient to keep the libraries in good condition. replenish the shelves with a large number of desirable works and so supply the best reading matter to all who cared to avail themselves of it.
To realize the isolation of the settlement and town in early days one need but refer to the postal facilities. At first the near- est postoffice was ninety miles away, in Chicago, and communiea- tion was by means of any person who might happen to be going that way; next an office was established at Belvidere, Ill., twen-
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ty miles distant, followed by the establishment of one at Roscoe, six miles away, whence a post boy on horseback brought the mail once a week; and finally a post route was arranged between Belvidere and Janesville, and an intermediate office at Beloit, the entire receipts of this office during the first quarter amount- ing to $60 all told. But little more than half a century ago a tri-weekly line of mail stages passed through the village, run- ning between Chicago and Janesville, while a semi-weekly mail stage plied between here and Southport, now Kenosha, furnish- ing our principal means of communication with the outside world. What a contrast between those meager public accom- modations and conveniences and the splendid postal and trans- portation service of today, by means of the great steam railways with their numerous trains daily; the interurban electric line, furnishing easy and rapid communication with neighboring cities and towns, and all the marvelous triumphs and achievements of electrical and mechanical science that enter so largely into our daily affairs! And now we have the assurance of a new govern- ment postoffice building here, the site having been chosen and bought, northeast corner of East Grand avenue and Pleasant streets, and the appropriation of $75,000 for a modern structure having been at last duly voted by the government. Within the last three years also three modern, beautiful church edifices have been erected by the Methodist Episcopal, Second Congregational and First Presbyterian societies respectively, buildings which have cost in the aggregate about $120,000 and which are all well appointed for the many forms of service connected with modern church life and work.
Although we have a separate chapter on Military History, something should be said here of Beloit in war time, 1861-1865. The comparatively recent war with Spain enlisted a few of our young men and awakened in our county and state some popular interest. But the present generation have not felt and indeed cannot fully know that burning excitement of patriotism which overflowed all our hearts during the Civil War. Then the Union, the very existence of this nation, was in danger, and men, women, children and ministers all had the war fever. The first company of men to volunteer and enlist in Rock county were the Beloit Guards, April, 1861. The first man to put down his name (at a meeting held in Hanchett's Hall) was Dick Adams. After those
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early three months' men had served their terms most of them re- enlisted for three years. In July, 1861, a company was recruited mainly in Beloit as Company K, Seventh regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which later became a part of the celebrated "Iron Brigade." The captain was Alexander Gordon and the first lieutenant Frank W. Oakley, a nephew of A. P. Waterman. August 23, 1862, while standing up to encourage his men, cross- ing a river in the face of the enemy, brave young Captain Gor- don, but recently married, was killed almost instantly by a sharp- shooter. Lieutenant Oakley was wounded at Rappahannock Sta- tion, Va., August 23, 1862, losing his right arm. With genial face he goes about his duties today in Madison as clerk of the United States court for Wisconsin, but his empty sleeve recalls the dread realities of that war. James E. Ross, enlisting in 1862, at the age of twenty-five, in Company B, Twenty-second Wisconsin In- fantry, was captured and saw the inside of the notorious Libby prison in March, 1863. Exchanged and transferred to Fighting Joe Hooker's army corps, the Twentieth, he was wounded, on recovery made first lieutenant of the 123d U. S. Colored Infantry, and served through the war until September 30, 1865. (See Military chapter.) Josiah Horace Leonard, a Beloit boy, enlist- ed in Company L, First Iowa Cavalry, June 13, 1861, and served continuously without ever being wounded or ill or in the guard- house, as he used to say, until April 1, 1866. This four years and nine months' service, with five battles and many skirmishes, is believed to be the longest term served by any man from Beloit or from Rock county. When I was studying under Mr. Childs in the third room of Union school No. 1, in 1853, the young princi- pal of the second room was Louis H. D. Crane. He enlisted, be- came a lieutenant, and died in the war, and the existing G. A. R. post, No. 54, is named after him.
When the war time had passed friends of the soldiers and of Beloit College contributed $30,000 and built that solid stone structure near the southeast corner of the campus called Memo- rial Hall, the cornerstone being laid July 9, 1867. At present this is used on the second floor by the college musical department and the first floor is occupied by the magnificent Logan collection of ancient Wisconsin implements of war and peace. In the front vestibule of this building are two marble tablets bearing the names of the eighty-eight Beloit city and college men who died
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during that terrible struggle. The south tablet reads: "Their death made way for liberty. Men of Beloit, who fell for their country." Alexander Anderson, Daniel Barry, Adney F. Bib- bins, John V. Blasser, George L. Bostwick, Barney Cannon, Al- exander Clark, Martin L. Cochran, James L. Converse, Christo- pher Cramer, Louis H. D. Crane, Gordon P. Doud, Milo P. Doud, Augustus S. Dresser, Edward A. Goddard, William S. Graves, Joseph Hackett, George W. Harwood, Ole Helliek, Benjamin F. Hoey, Jabez A. Hyatt. John Jacobson, Sidney Knell, Charles M. Long, Jacob Lund, Charles A. Macot, Charles W. Mead, William S. Miller, Michael Mooney, Charles Oleson, Horace Ormsby, Wil- liam F. Parker, Samuel Plomteaux, Daniel W. Porter, Daniel A. Sears, Nathan Sebring, George Sedgwick, Hubbard Smith, Louis Tamson, John Timmons, James W. Vandeventer. (42)
The north tablet is headed with this inscription :
"Pro patria non timidi mori. Sons of Beloit College, who died for Law and Liberty." Hector H. Aiken, Edward R. Bar- ber, Pardon E. Carpenter, Francis H. Caswell, Michael Clark, Henry Cooper, Dudley H. Cowles, Jerome B. Davis, Edmund Dawes, Jeremiah Dooley, George O. Felt, Silas W. Field, Jeffer- son Florey, Alexander Gordon, Frederick W. Goddard, Paul A. Goddard, Almeron N. Graves, Evan N. Grub, Azel D. Hayward, Thomas W. Humphrey, Burford Jeakins, James B. Kerr, Henry S. Kingsley, Jared H. Knapp, William L. Knight, John G. Lam- bert, William P. Lathrop, Arthur W. Mason, Henry Meacham, Porter C. Olson, Marshall W. Patton, A. Lyford Peavey, Q. Elton Polloek, Franklin Prindle, Freman B. Riddle, Stephen A. Rollins, Milton Rood, Thomas A. Seacord, William H. Shumaker, Jona- than D. Stevens, Whitney Tibbals, Horace Turner, Eugene H. Tuttle, Albert Walker, Frank P. Woodruff, William W. Works (46)
(Shumaker died in the night and in the dark on the cot next to mine in a hospital tent at the eamp of the Fortieth regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, near Memphis, Tenn., in August, 1864. He was a faithful soldier and a good man .- Ed.)
The casualties of the late Spanish war added to this list the following nine names of soldier boys who enlisted at Beloit, the home of most of them, and who died in or because of the service, and all of typhoid fever: Mace Mollestead, August 13, 1898. Clark Osgood, September 8, 1898. Frank Chipman, September,
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1898. Jesse Gleason, September 22, 1898. Fred Cousins, Sep- tember 25, 1898. James M. Mowers, February 1, 1899. Gustav Wolline, September, 1899. Charles Ingleby, January 1, 1899. All privates. Sergeant Cassia J. Morris, September 11, 1898.
The Stephen A. Rollins, above mentioned, was color bearer of the Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry. In the famous battle of May 22, 1863, before Vicksburg, he charged so far ahead of his regi- ment that his colonel, T. W. Humphrey, also in the above list, called to him to bring the colors back to the regiment. "Col- onel," shouted Rollins in reply, "The colors never go back. Bring the regiment up to the colors." The colonel did so and the regi- ment held that position to the end of the siege. In June, 1864, at the battle of Gunton, southeast of Memphis, south of Lagrange (sometimes called the battle of Brice's cross roads), where the Federals were defeated by Forrest, both Humphrey and Rol- lins were mortally wounded, the latter with three bullets. A comrade from Belvidere, Ill., took care of him, but he only lived three days. His last words were, "Tell my mother that I still be- live in my country because I believe in God." (After the sur- render of Vicksburg this Sergeant Rollins had organized among the federal soldiers in that city a literary and Christian associa- tion of a high order, the secretary of which was Sergeant T. D. Christie, who told me of him .- Ed.)
Memorial Day was first made a legal holiday in 1879. May 24 of that year was organized the Veteran's Club of Beloit; O. C. Johnson, colonel; Valee, lieutenant colonel; Hoyt, major; Northrop, adjutant; M. Egan, paymaster, and C. H. Bullock, sergeant major. Our first prominent celebration of Memorial Day also occurred that year. The president of the day was Col- onel I. W. Pettibone, marshal; O. C. Johnson, with Captain Hoyt and W. H. Wheeler as aids. In front was the city band, led by Z. T. Hulett. In the column were the Beloit City Guards, under Captain McLenegan, and the new Veteran Club of eighty- two members, under command of Captain Valee, who wore his old battery uniform. The army organizations represented were the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Eleventh, Four- teenth, Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twentieth, Twenty- third and Twenty-fourth Army Corps, the Custer cavalry division, First and Second Wisconsin Cavalry, the Fourth Wisconsin Bat-
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