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. II > Part 15
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Seventh Day Baptists. This church, which has a large repre- sentation in Milton village and the town of Milton, held its first meeting for the purpose of organizing a society at the home of Joseph Goodrich-in March, 1839. Articles of faith and a consti- tution were later adopted and the church was organized Novem- ber 12, 1840. There were then sixty members, who worshiped in the private houses of Joseph Goodrich and Henry Crandall, and still later in the academy, until 1852, when a church was erected at a cost of $3,000 upon lots donated by Joseph Goodrich. This has since been replaced by the large and beautiful modern struc- ture which now adorns the public square. Rev. E. M. Dunn served this church twenty years, and Rev. L. A. Platts, D. D., began his honorable pastorate July 1, 1896.
This society has made a wonderful growth since its first organization, and many bright and brainy men have presided over the congregation in the past seventy years. The church has been a liberal supporter of Milton College.
Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. John's, was founded Febru- ary 10, 1888, by Rev. H. Ohde, the Lutheran minister of White- water, Wis. The present church edifice was dedicated in October, 1903.
Societies. Athletic Association, Milton College, Christian Association, Milton College ; Citizens' Association, A. D. Hamilton Post No. 60, G. A. R. ; A. D. Hamilton Corps No. 4; Iduna Lyceum, Milton College; Du Lac Lodge No. 322, I. O. O. F .; Star Juvenile Temple, I. O. G. T .; Wideawake Lodge No. 3, I. O. G. T .; I. O.
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Lodge No 103, D. of R .; Milton Fire Protection Association ; Orophilian Lyceum, Milton College; Philomathian Society, Mil- ton College; What-So-Ever Circle, Kings' Daughters; W. C. T. U.
The first marriage ceremony performed in Rock county is said to have been that which united James Murray and Margaret McEwan, of this place, the officiating officer being Rev. David Smith, pastor of the Congregational Church of Du Lac, as it was then called.
Milton Junction. When, in 1858, the Chicago & Northwestern railroad was built through the section of Rock county, where Milton Junction now stands, crossing the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, forming a junction, the first attempt was made to organize there a village, an effort which was later car- ried to completion. It was in this year, 1858, that the first house was built by Peter McAdams; it was called the "Bee Hive" and stood where the Foster house now stands. In 1861 William J. Morgan crected an eating house and hotel combined. He sold an interest to his brother Thomas, in 1862, and together they kept it till December 24, 1872, when it was destroyed by fire. In the year following, 1873, they erected the building which is now conducted as a hotel, and called the Morgan House.
The Morgans purchased, in 1862, from Silas H. Crandall thirty-four acres of land, which was surveyed and platted into village lots. There being then a fairly large representation in the village, the government was petitioned for a postoffice, which was granted, and the office established during this year. The village now contains about 800 happy and prosperous people, with good general stores, and banking facilities. The public schools are good, and are attended by a large number of students.
The Seventh Day Baptist Church was organized November 15, 1875, with about eighty members; in 1877, the society built a house of worship at a cost of $4,000 including the land. The building had a seating capacity of 400, and a membership of 250, which has gradually grown. W. G. Hamilton, S. G. Burdick, C. S. Vincent, G. S. Larkin, James Pierce and H. B. Crandall were the first trustees.
A Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1867, with a membership of twenty-five, and at the same time they erected a church building at a cost of $3,600, capable of seating 250 persons.
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The first trustees were Joel Wood, Michacl Miso, S. C. Carr, R. J. Greenman, I. P. Morgan, Abraham Bullis, I. P. Bullis, S. A. Kennedy, and G. T. Mackey. For many years the church was supplied by the minister from the church at Milton.
The Seventh Day Baptist Church Society was incorporated on November 6, 1869, and is still in existence.
Societies. Early in 1860 the Anti-Horsethief Association was organized with the following charter members: Joseph Good- rich, John Alexander, William Jones, M. W. Crumb, Milo Smith, A. W. Smith, L. T. Rogers, P. J. Macomber, John McCubbin, Perry Sweet, John Livingston, Daniel Brundige, Phillip Mar- guart, R. Killam, Nicholas Mahoney, Albert Holmes and Alva Jones. President, William Janes; John Alexander, vice presi- dent ; L. T. Rogers, secretary ; Joseph Goodrich, treasurer. There being 140 members, March 13, 1862, the society reorganized to conform to an act of the legislature approved April 11, 1861.
P. of O. Du Lac Grange No. 72 was organized March 7, 1873, with some twenty-seven members.
I. O. O. F., Milton Lodge No. 65, was organized January 19, 1871.
Sons of Temperance, Welcome Division No. 102, was organ- ized March 22, 1875.
Ladies' Golden Star, I. of T., was organized June 5, 1878.
In 1861 Mr. J. P. Bullis started a carriage factory in a blacksmith shop, and turned out in the course of a year ninety carriages.
In 1869 J. C. Rogers erected a planing mill, which he con- ducted till 1874, when he sold out to I. D. Tetsworth & Co., who invested $20,000 in improvements, intending to run it as a feed mill, but continued it as a planning mill and sash and door factory.
Orfordville. This is a thriving village, located on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, twelve miles west of Janesville. It was first settled in 1850 by Isaac Wright, who located on a farm south of the railroad. The village was laid out by Mr. J. T. Dodge in 1855, and was incorporated from the town of Spring Valley in 1900, and is now called Orford.
The first store was opened by Mr. Edwin Harrington, about 1855. Since then the town has grown, and in the place of one
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store, there are several general stores, postoffice, restaurants, a local telephone company, hotel buildings, one bank, and several tobacco warehouses, besides schools and fraternal societies; and two churches, Methodist and Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran.
Rock Prairie. This is a small settlement in the town of Harmony, about five miles east of Janesville. It is surrounded by some of the richest farm land in the county.
Spring Valley Corners is a small settlement about four miles northwest from Orfordville.
Stebbinsville. This settlement is located on the Catfish river, in the town of Porter, near the north line of the county, and about four miles northwest of the village of Fulton. It is almost wholly a farming community.
Shopiere is a village of about 210 people, located in the town of Turtle, one and one-quarter miles from Tiffany, a station on the Chicago, & Northwestern railroad, and has a daily mail. About 1840 a Mr. Hopkins laid out the village, and it was christened Waterloo in consequence of a battle, which is de- scribed in the history of Turtle. The first settler was Caleb E. Culver, who came in 1839. The first house was built by Mr. Culver, a log affair. Mr. Jared Randall built the first frame house in 1841, which was followed in 1842 by a stone dwelling, built by Mr. Culver. There are two churches, Methodist and Congregational. That Congregational church which was organ- ized in 1844 by Rev. Stephen Peet is still continued, and has forty- seven member (1907). This village was the home of our Wis- consin war governor, L. P. Harvey, who, with others, built a grist mill here in 1849. It was after the building of the mill that Mr. Harvey gave the place its present name of Shopiere. The Shop- iere cemetery was laid out in January, 1862, containing then three and one-half acres. Soon after, Mr. Giles Fonda died, and was the first person buried there. The first schoolhouse was built in 1856. In 1879 a strong Temperance Society was formed, called "The Red and Blue." During the last thirty years, 1879 to 1908, Shopiere has lost about 200 inhabitants, but makes up in quality what it lacks in quantity.
Union. This is a small country village in the town of Union, four miles north of Evansville. In early days it was a place of much more importance.
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TOWNS.
Rock county is divided into twenty townships, named as follows: Avon, Beloit, Bradford, Center, Clinton, Fulton, Har- mony, Janesville, Johnstown, La Prairie, Lima, Magnolia, Milton, Newark, Plymouth, Porter, Rock, Spring Valley, Turtle and Union.
Avon, the southwest corner town of the county, comprises within its limits the original surveyed township 1, north of range 10 east, containing thirty-six sections of land, being thirty- six square miles of territory. The south line of the town is the boundary line between the states of Illinois and Wisconsin, the base line, as it is termed, of the government surveys in this section. The west line of the town is a part of the county line between the counties, Green and Rock. North of Avon town- ship is Spring Valley, east of it the town of Newark. Avon is well watered, the Sugar river running clear across the town. There are vast meadows of wild grass extending parallel with the river. The other streams are, Taylor's creek and North creek.
In the early days there was a large amount of timber, com- prising oak openings, and a great deal of Burr oak, and there is considerable timber yet in the town. The land is generally very fertile, and the town is settled up with a superior class of people. Among the early settlers, of whom we have record, were: Joseph Kinny, Jr., Joseph Huntley, William Crippen, H. Beates, W. F. Thompson, William Grimes, Joseph Watson, Cle- ophus Holverson, Lars Simonson, Ingred Ingerbretson, Gunder Holver, Gens Knudson, Peter Holverson and Andrew Armudson. Many of the pioneers of this town were from Norway, and in a beautiful valley in the northeast part of Avon, which they called Luther Valley, they built a church in 1847, and a few years later, laid out a village, calling it Bornitz. The Rev. Claud Lars Clauson was the first pastor of the church, of which a separate history is given elsewhere in this work.
All of that portion lying southwest of Sugar river was sur- veyed by the general government during the year 1833; and the balance in 1834. By an act of the territorial legislature, approved February 11, 1847, Avon was set apart as a township and named, and a "town meeting" directed to be held on the first
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Tuesday in April, 1848, at the house of William Crippen. The principal village is Avon Center, with a population of 100 people, that of the whole town being 740. The Avon ditch should be noted as a successful effort to reclaim 3,200 acres of wet land. Undertaken several years ago, and favorably reported on in December, 1906, by the commissioners, Knute Stordock, John Hyland and Leroy Stokes, the ditch is now, October 15, 1908, completed. It is six miles long, starting in section 30, six rods north of the state line, and traversing sections 31, 29, 32, 28, 33, 34 and 35 to the bank of Sugar river, in section 36. It has already proved a success, and it is said to change the value of the land reclaimed from $5 to about $100 per aere. The ditch is from four to six feet deep, from twenty to thirty feet wide, and has cost $18,000. It required the removal of 130,211 cubic yards of earth.
Beloit Township. Established by an act of the legislature of the territory of Wisconsin, February 17, 1842. At its organiza- tion the town embraced an area equal to about four townships, and included the territory of the present town of Newark, Beloit and Turtle; to be exact, it composed within its limits, township 1, north of ranges, 10, 11, 12 and 13 east, except the two eastern tiers of sections in township 1, north of range 13 east, and also excepting north section in the third tier of the same township. But to balance this loss, sections 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, 31, 32 and 33, of township 2, north of range 13 east, were added to it, giving it an irregular shape. Later it was reduced to its present terri- tory, consisting of township 1, north of range 12 east, and con- tains thirty-six sections of land; in a square block of thirty-six square miles. It is the center one of the five townships forming the southern tier of the county, and borders on the Illinois state line. Rock river runs through it from the north, crossing see- tions 1, 2, 11, 14, 23, 26, and 35, and adds a great charm to the landscape. In its course through the county it opens up a pano- rama of wooded slopes bordered with fringes of green and inter- mingled with the homes of a proud and happy people-proud of their homes and their county, and happy in the consciousness of living amid such scenes of beauty and substantial prosperity. Its population is 765.
The first settlement in this township was made in 1835 and was in what is now the corporate limits of Beloit City; from that
REV. LEWIS A. PLATTS.
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time on the settlement of the county was rapid, so that the farm- ing land was nearly all taken up by 1838. So fast did the popu- lation increase that they were soon face to face with the proposition of an over-production of farm staples, "of which the virgin soil yielded such immense crops," with no near by market for the surplus products. This condition caused much incon- venience to the pioneers, for while there was plenty to eat of the coarser products, the many needed articles in daily use, which must be purchased or bartered for, and the money necessary to pay the various obligations which arise in daily life, were wholly lacking. But happily, this condition did not last long, for with the advent of the railroads came the many factories which line the river and have added their busy hum to the bustle and activ- ity of this prosperous community ; the demand for the produce increased, the market facilities broadened, and from that time on the township has continued to prosper.
Bradford Township is situated in the southeastern part of the county on its eastern boundary line, and was organized by act of legislature approved February 2, 1846.
Previous to this date the south half of the present township was included with Clinton and the north half in the township of Janesville. As it is now it includes township 2, north of range 14 east.
The first settlement was made by Erastus Dean in 1836. Some of the other early settlers were: Andrew McCullagh, Will- iam C. Chase, James Winnegar, Joseph Maxon, William B. Aldrich, C. Dykeman, William Wyman, L. S. Blockman and Alva Blockman. There were many other pioneer settlers in Bradford, but at this late day we have not been able to obtain their names. At the present time the farms of this township are all under a good cultivation and the improvements are modern and up-to- date. A very small portion of the southwest corner of section 36 is traversed by the old Western Union (now the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad), but it has no railway station. This township has two small villages-Emerald Grove, with about 130 inhabitants, with mail from Janesville, and Fairfield, with about fifty souls and mail from Darien. Its population, according to the state census of 1905, was 931.
Center. The town of Center is situated in the northwestern portion of the county and was organized by act of legislature.
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approved February 17, 1842. It included at first the present town of Center and portions of Plymouth, Spring Valley, Mag- nolia and Janesville west of Rock river. By an act approved February 2, 1846, the town of Magnolia was set off from it. Sub- sequently other changes were made by the formation of new towns, and its present limits are included in the territory known as township 3, north of range 11 east. The first settlement in the town was made by Andrew Stevens in October, 1843, at the grove, called Black Oak Grove. At that time he had no neigh- bors within ten miles west or five miles north. The following persons settled in this town soon after: David Davis, Philander Davis, William Webb, William Warren and Elijah Wood. The first election was held at the house of James V. Knowlton. The town at that time embraced some three and a half townships, about nine miles wide from north to south, and extending from Rock river on the east to Green county line on the west, nearly eighteen miles.
The land of this town is rich and productive and under high cultivation. The building improvements are generally of an excellent character. The first church was organized in 1846 by the Methodists. The next church organization was by the Bap- tists, and in 1854 a Congregational society built a small chapel on section 34.
"My first visit to this town," says a pioneer, "was in the spring of 1843. At this early day political excitement ran high. In the spring of 1844 the whole territory within the town was thoroughly canvassed and every voter brought to the ground except one (thirty-two in all). It being known how every man had voted, there was found to be a tie vote for every office in town. The last voter was then sent for, Anthony Partridge, who came and voted, selecting names from the two tickets. Every man for whom he voted was elected.
This township. has two lines of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad passing through it, and possesses also the village of Center, with a population of 37; that of the town, according to the state census of 1905, is 1,031.
Clinton. The town of Clinton was organized by act of the territorial legislature, approved February 17, 1842, and com- prised then the territory of the present town, the south half of Bradford and portions of Turtle and La Prairie. By an act
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approved March 23, 1843, five sections in the present town of Turtle were annexed and made part of it. These boundaries were subsequently changed and at present it comprises the whole of township 1, north of range 14 east, being the southeastern town- ship in the county.
The first settlements were made in the month of April, 1837, on the west side of Jefferson Prairie. The first explorers were : Dr. Dennis Mills, Milton S. Warner, Charles Tuttle and William S. Murray. The land had not then been in the market. Selec- tions of land were made and taken possession of in the name of Jefferson Prairie Company. Soon after Stephen E. Downer and Daniel Tasker and their wives visited the location and selected claims on the southeast side of the prairie. In July, Oscar H. Pratt and Franklin Mitchell, from Joliet, Ill., made claims. The settlers who came soon after were: Stacy L. Pratt, three sisters and father, A. L. and Reuben P. Willard, Humphrey and Ezekiel Brownell, Martin Moore and Henry Wheeler and their families. Settlements were also made in October by H. L. Warner, Henry Tuttle, Albert Tuttle, Griswold Weaver, Mrs. Milton S. Warner, Mrs. D. Mills and Miss Harriet Warner, who joined the settle- ment on the west side of the prairie.
The first town meeting was held on the 5th day of April, 1842, at the house of Charles Tuttle.
The farms of this town are well improved with good resi- dences and outbuildings. It has two railroads, good schools and churches, and the village of Clinton, containing 892 persons, with a population in the whole town of 1,010.
Fulton. In the month of June, 1836, Robert and Daniel Stone started from the state of Michigan to come to the territory of Wisconsin. Continuing their course westward until they reached the valley of the Rock river, they saw at a glance that the stream, with its abundant water power, and the clean, smooth prairies, with their rich soil, possessed advantages which needed only the stalwart arms and resolute hearts of hardy men to develop into excellent homes. They followed an Indian trail up the river until they came to the mouth of the Yahara (Catfish), where they made their claim and became the first settlers of the town of Fulton. In 1837 they plowed the first furrow, broke seven acres of land and planted it with beans and corn. The seed corn cost them $5 a bushel. In the spring of 1838 they built
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the first log house and were now ready to offer their hospitalities to all who came. Robert and Daniel Stone came from Parish- ville, St. Lawrence county, N. Y.
In 1837 George R. Ramsay came from the state of Vermont to Chicago, remained there for a time and worked upon the harbor; he then went to Milwaukee, from there to Rock river, and made a claim in the town of Fulton. William B. Foster came in 1837 and located upon the river in the south part of the town. His place became a prominent landmark in consequence of a ferry, which he established and ran for a while, known as Foster's ferry. Elijah True and family came in 1838, bought a part of Foster's claim and settled upon it. Lyman Morse, George E. Cowan, Silas Hurd, Anson Goodrich and William Squires settled in 1838. Morse located upon the river at a point afterward known as Morse's Landing and More's Prairie. Hurd and Cowan settled upon the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Hurd. Afterward they divided their property, and Cowan settled upon More's Prairie, where he became closely identified with the organization and political interests of the town, and was its first chairman of the board of supervisors. Goodrich located near the foot of Lake Koshkonong, where he established and ran a ferry, known as Goodrich's ferry. A bridge now occupies the site. William M. Squires settled in the eastern part of the town, where he was a friend to everybody, especially to old settlers. In 1841 Messrs. Gould and Young built the dam across the Yahara (Cat- fish) and began to build a sawmill. He died and the property was bought by Peck & Tripp, of Whitwater, who completed the mill. Emanuel Canker bought out the interest of Tripp. The firm of Canker & Peck commenced preparations to build a grist mill, which they completed in 1846. The mill, after passing through various hands, became the property of White Brothers.
George E. Cowan and Mary Ward were married in 1840 at the house of Silas Hurd, that being the first marriage in town. In 1840 death claimed its first victim in the person of Mrs. Proc- tor, who died in the house of Cloudin Stoughton and was buried on his farm. The first child was born in 1839. The first school was taught in a part of the house of William B. Foster in the winter of 1841 by Dr. Rollin Head.
During the winter of 1843 the settlers met at the house of Lyman Morse, drew up and signed a petition asking the legis-
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lature to organize their town, to be called Franklin. There being another town by that name, they changed it to Fulton and passed the act of organization March 21, 1843. The first Tuesday in April, 1843, the voters of the town (some twenty in number) met at the house of William B. Foster and held their meeting, elect- ing George B. Cowan, chairman; Elijah True and Cloudin Stoughton, supervisors ; R. T. Powell, town clerk; Lyman Morse, treasurer; William White, assessor; R. T. Powell, George R. Ramsay and Mr. Holman, school commissioners, and David Kelly and Thomas Vaughn, justices of peace.
Dr. Guy Stoughton, owning land on the river at the foot of Lake Koshkongong, believing that the fall was sufficient to make a good water power, contracted with Mr. Hanchett, of Beloit, in the spring of 1845 to build a dam. The dam was completed dur- ing that year and a sawmill built, which was run for several years and then converted into a grist mill. The first bridge across the river was at Indian Ford; it was built in 1845 by pri- vate subscription, Stephen Allen, builder. In 1848 the Mil- waukee & Prairie du Chien Railroad was built through the town.
The brothers Pomeroy from the state of Ohio settled in the town and first commenced the culture of tobacco, with which they were familiar. The soil being adapted to its growth, tobacco growing spread until it has become one of the most important interests. (Fulton raises more tobacco and sugar beets than any other town in Rock county, except Porter; in 1907, 911 acres of tobacco and 135 of beets; in 1908, 781 acres tobacco and 174 of beets.)
Among the leading farmers of the town were: Robert Stone, Silas Hurd, Orrin Pomeroy, L. H. Page, Orson Cox, James S. Hopkins and James Van Etta, each cultivating several hundred acres of land.
In order not to impoverish their lands the farmers have gone largely into stock raising, and the bulk of their coarse grain is fed out upon their farms. Beeves, horses, sheep and the products of the dairy are all heavy items in the marketable proceeds of the farm, and upon them a vast amount of money is realized. But tobacco is the crop for which Fulton is most distinguished. Portions of the counties of Rock, Dane, Jefferson, Walworth and Green comprise pretty much all of the stock-raising territory. It can be readily seen that tobacco in this portion of the state is,
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