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 17
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"At this time (1856) the town numbers between 1,300 and 1,400 inhabitants, of which between 300 and 400 reside in the so-called village of Milton. We are now benefited by the Mil- waukee & Mississippi Railroad and also the Janesville branch alias Southern Wisconsin Railroad. (The railroads in the town as at present named are the Prairie Du Chien division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and the Monroe branch of the same road; they have also the Chicago & North-Western Rail- way.) The benefits of a speedy market and ready communica- tion with the east and south are apparent. Property has increased rapidly in value; money is more plenty, and consequently busi- ness is brisk and every branch of industry is on the progressive plan. (In 1905 the population was 1,649, besides 810 in Milton village, incorporated in 1904.)
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CHARLES L. FIFIELD.
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"This town has ever been noted for its health, and its morals have not been overlooked. Its first settlers, having a tincture of the blood of our Pilgrim Fathers coursing through their veins, have studiously and piously endeavored to keep those hotbeds of sin and iniquity, grog shops, out of this town."
A list of the prominent and largest farmers of Milton, com- piled at an early day, contained the names, among others, of Joseph Goodrich, Peter McEwan, James Stockman, James Craig, Isaac T. Smith, N. Maxon, J. E. Culver, John Alexander, Stephen D. Butts, H. B. Crandall, John Livingston, M. T. Walker, Ezra Hazzard, Levi H. Bond, D. T. Hudson, Jeremiah Dennitt, G. T. Mackey, Joel Wood, Alfred Walker and J. Bunnell.
The following incidents are furnished by a resident :
On the 8th day of September, 1836, Aaron and Alfred Walker, the first white settlers in the town of Milton, pitched their camp on the south side of a little lake called Walker's Lake, which is now nearly dried up, on the northwest quarter of section 36. They erected a little log cabin near the lake and lived in it dur- ing the winter of 1836-37. This was the first cabin built in the town and was afterwards used as the residence of the first pastor in Milton, Rev. Daniel Smith, of the Congregational Church. Mrs. Smith died in this shanty in the fall of 1839 and was the second person buried in Milton Cemetery. No gravestone ever marked the spot and the identity of her grave, with others, is lost. Diadama, wife of Hezekiah Waterman, died October 12, 1839 (leaving an infant child, H. H. Waterman), and was the first person interred in the cemetery.
The second shanty built was by Mr. Lane, on the southwest quarter of section 26, but he did not occupy it; he also talked of building a mill on the outlet of Storr's Lake, then a living stream, about the center of the northwest quarter of section 25. He sold his claim to N. G. Storrs and afterward built a mill, one of the first and known as the Harrington Mill, on a little spring run on the southeast quarter of section 24 in the town of Lima, where the early pioneers got oak lumber for clapboards, floor- ings, well curbing, etc. It was a much needed and well patron- ized institution.
D. F., or "Dan" Smith, as he was called, erected the first mill and was a man of mark among the early settlers of Milton. He was a little rough, but full of daring, pluck and energy; could
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eat a "wolf meal" of frozen pork and beans, wade or swim through floating ice and swollen streams, camp out anywhere or in any weather, and furnish more labor for both men and teams from Milton to the northern pinery than any other pioneer; he had a whole soul and a generous heart. As an incident illus- trating the man: A Methodist minister in an early day was sent by "Uncle Joe" to "Dan" to solicit something to keep the min- ister's soul and body together. The man went to Smith and found "Dan" butchering hogs. He introduced himself, told his calling and the condition of his larder. "Dan" looked at him a moment, then taking down a dressed hog and placing it in the minister's vehicle, told him to take it and go and preach like the devil. The astonished Dominie expressed great gratitude and went away, wondering how many really better men he had in his church.
The first white woman that settled in the township was Mrs. Eliza Smith, who came in May, 1837. Mrs. Hannah Bowers came with her brother, Charles, in October, 1837, to keep house for another brother, S. D. Butts, in a large, commodius (?) log house that it had taken the neighbors three days to build. The board roof was put on the day of her arrival, but there were no floors, doors or windows. It stood near Mr. Butts residence on the northeast quarter of section 28. On March 18, 1838, the first regular religious meeting was conducted in this house by Revs. Halstead and Pillsbury, two young Methodist ministers; the next meeting was held there April 15, 1838. These meetings were con- tinued once every four weeks by these brethren.
The third white woman settler was Mrs. Sarah Storrs, wife of N. G. Storrs. They came in December, 1837, staying the first night at the cabin of Farnum Chiekering, a bachelor, on the east end of the prairie. Chickering gave them his bed and slept on the floor. Mr. Storrs settled on the south half of section 26, occu- pying the shanty put up by Mr. Lane.
The first white boy born in the town of Milton was Daniel Smith, son of D. F. and Eliza Smith. He was born February 24, 1839, at Otter Creek. He with a younger sister died in February, 1844, with fever, and they were buried in the cemetery at Otter Creek.
The second white boy born in Milton was Leffingwell Culver, son of Jonathan E. Culver, born in August, 1839.
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The first white girl born in Milton was Mary Butts, daughter of S. D. and Rebecca Butts, born September 3, 1839. She died February 22, 1876, and is buried in the Milton Junction Cemetery.
The first marriage at Milton was that of James Murray to Margaret McEwan, January 1, 1840. Mr. Murray was a painter, lived in Milwaukee and is now deceased.
William Douglas married Caroline L. Walker, November 27, 1840. Theirs was the second marriage.
The first death in Milton was that of Jane Bowers, aged fourteen years, daughter of Andrew and Hannah Bowers. She died September 14, 1838, of quick consumption; her funeral was held September 15, 1838, at the house of S. D. Butts; a sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Adams, of Beloit, and quite a large congregation attended. She was buried on the bluff between Milton and Milton Junction, near the spot now covered with evergreen trees-the most central, eligible, beautiful and appro- priate spot for a cemetery in the town of Milton. She was sub- sequently removed and buried in the cemetery at Milton Junc- tion by the side of her younger brother. The second death in Milton was a son of Mrs. Storrs, buried in the grove on the west side of Storrs Lake. Nothing now marks his grave.
The first meeting conducted by Seventh Day Baptists was held on the first Sabbath succeeding the 4th of March, 1839, at the house of Joseph Goodrich. But two families of this denomi- nation were here, Henry B. Crandall's and Joseph Goodrich's. They established regular weekly meetings, holding them alter- nately at the houses of Goodrich and Crandall. In 1840 the Sev- enth Day Baptist Church of Milton was organized with about forty members.
Elder Stillman Coon was their first pastor, visiting them in the fall of 1840, and returning and settling among them about the first of July, 1841. Joseph Goodrich proposed the purchase of forty acres of land to be given him by the church for his first year's salary, with such donations of provisions, etc., as they could make him. This was accepted, and the land made him a good home, subsequently becoming valuable, being located at Milton Junction, where Elder Coon lived and died, a useful and universally respected man.
The first town meeting of Milton was held in 1842 at Walker's.
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In 1838 Joseph Goodrich purchased a claim on sections 26 and 27 and erected a house 16x20, the first frame building in the town of Milton, and dug a well, the first one in Milton. (History of Rock County, 1879.)
Milton farmers are evidently changing from the cultivation of tobacco to that of beets and other crops. In 1907 they had 132 acres of tobacco and 55 of sugar beets. In 1908 there were but 44 acres of tobacco reported and there were 60 acres of beets.
Newark. The town of Newark is in the southwestern part of the county, its south boundary line separating it from the state of Illinois. It was organized by an act of the legislature, ap- proved February 2, 1846, and included the present town of Avon, adjoining it on the west. The first town meeting was held at the house of I. D. Marvin, April 1, 1846, when the first officers were elected.
In the year 1842 Mrs. Gunale, a Norwegian widow lady, made the first location in the town and erected the first log cabin. The following year she was followed by several of her countrymen. In the year 1844 purchases and improvements were made by Nathaniel Strong, J. B. Smyth, John Stephens, Peter McVain, A. G. Felt, P. P. Chase and others.
A Lutheran Church was organized in 1844, a Congregational Church in 1845 and a Baptist Church in 1849.
In the matter of raising tobacco Newark has changed from 279 acres in 1907 to 232 acres in 1908. The population, which was 1,039 in 1890, is given by the state census of 1905 as 924.
Plymouth. The town of Plymouth is situated on the south- west quarter of the county, bounded on the north by Center, east by Rock, south by Newark and west by Spring Valley. It was organized March 8, 1848, and was made to include all of the township 2, north of range 11 east, of the Government survey.
Early times in Plymouth are well described in the following from the pen of one of its pioneers, written in 1856: "The town of Plymouth was first settled in the spring of 1841. David Doug- lass, Stephen C. Douglass and Samuel Colby arrived with their families from Michigan on the 31st of May and pitched their tent near the center of section 2, on the bank of a branch of Bass creek. They made use of their tent and covered wagons, of which they had three, for habitations until they were able to build a log house for the elder Douglass, which was but partially
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roofed when they removed into it with all their effects. It was destitute of doors, windows and chinking. On my arrival on the Sth day of July following I found them as above stated and, though the population of the house was rather dense, room was made and we were domiciled with them.
"Our nearest neighbors east were Jasper P. Sears, on Rock river, and Judge Holmes and family, who lived on the farm now (1856) owned by David Noggle. To the west were John Crall, Abraham Fox, John D. Holmes, Alanson Clawson, Wendel Foek- ler, George W. Adams and father, with their families, at some nine miles distance. I believe it was eleven miles south to a set- tler, and north seven miles to Lemuel Warren's. Over this area of country embracing some six or eight townships of land, the beasts of the forest-the wildcat and wolf-held undisputed sway. I speak of them because the saucy rascals more than once took my fat pigs from my door and were unwilling to give them up even when hotly pursued.
"The first civil office in the town of Old Center (now called Plymouth) was filled by the writer. He held his appointment from the governor and council in the winter of 1841-42. The next winter was extremely severe. The first snow fell on the night of the 8th of November and continued until the 7th of April, a period of five months, with uninterrupted good sleigh- ing. Much of the time was severely cold with strong winds and drifting snow, which continued to increase until it had attained the depth of nearly two feet on a level with banks of four feet along the road tracks across the prairies. Freeport lay some forty miles southwest of us, at which place we used to get our corn and oats to feed, plant and sow. . In the snowstorm it was rather a hazardous route to travel.
"On one cold and frosty morning I started for Freeport after a load of corn. On reaching the summit of the ridge of prairie above Bachelor's Grove that divides the waters of Bass creek and Sugar river, near what was then called the 'Lone Tree,' I discovered a team and sleigh, loaded with men, driving in a direction to cross my track some distance ahead. We soon met. They anxiously inquired for the nearest house. I directed them to the house of John Crall, a distance of some two miles. They had started from Monroe for Janesville two days before, had missed their way and had wandered over the trackless prairie
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for two days and nights without food for man or beast, and had (as they said to me at that time) concluded, should they not find some other relief, to kill one of their horses and roast the flesh or eat it raw. In such a dilemma were four gentlemen. If I mistake not three were brothers by the name of Hart, half brothers of Daniel A. Richardson, who was then trading in Janesville. In the fall of 1841, while looking for a piece of land that I might be supplied with firewood and fencing timber, I accidently ran upon a dilapidated set of bogus coinage tools in a small grove near the head of the south branch of Bass creek, southwest of my farm some three miles. I gave the grove in which the tools were found the name of Bogus, by which cog- nomen it is known to this day.
"In the spring of 1842 the system of town government was first adopted. That portion of township 3, north of range 12 east, lying west of Rock river; township 2, north, and the half of township 3, north, in range 11 east, and township 2, north, and the half of township 3, north, in range 10 east, were embraced in one town by the name of Center. Two families in township 3, in range 12 east, on the west side of Rock river; five in township 2, north of range 11 east, and six in township 2, north, in range 10, were all the inhabitants in this large town. Had all the electors gone to the first town meeting we could have polled but a trifle more than half the number of votes that there were offices to be conferred.
"The first town meeting was held in the house of James H. Knowlton, where Judge Holmes first settled, just above Monterey. But nine votes were cast at that election. The name of those elected to serve as town officers were, respectively, as follows : Supervisors, William Holmes (chairman), David Doug- lass, John Crall; town clerk, Samuel F. Chipman; treasurer, David Douglass; assessor, William Holmes, Jr .; commissioners of common schools, John B. Knowlton, Abram Fox, David P. Douglass ; commissioners of highways, Walter Inman, Joshua Holmes, Alanson Clawson; fence viewers, Washington Adams, Stephen C. Douglass and William Holmes, Jr .; sealer of weights and measures, John D. Holmes; overseers of roads, District No. 1, Joshua Holmes; District No. 2, Samuel F. Chipman; District No. 3, Wendall Fockler.
"During the session of the legislature for 1846-47 township 2,
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PAUL M. GREEN.
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north of range 10 east, was set off and organized into a town by the name of Spring Valley; also the south half of township 3, north of the same range, taken from Center, and the north half of township 3, taken from Union, were set off into a town called Magnolia. There were some ten or a dozen electors assembled at each place.
"In the same year of the legislature, I believe, that portion of township 3, north of range 12 east, belonging to Center, was set off to Janesville, which left the former twelve miles in extent north, and south by six miles east and west, the north half of township 3 in range 11 having been attached to Center in the division forming the town of Porter. In the session of 1847-48 the inhabitants of township 2, range 11, petitioned to be set off as a separate town, under the name of Plymouth, and their prayer was granted March 8, 1848. It will be seen, therefore, that the pioneers of Plymouth are the first settlers of Center. The first town meeting of Plymouth was held on the 28th day of August. 1848. The names of the officers elected were as follows: Super- visors, Caleb Inman (chairman), George Ayres, Samuel Smiley ; town clerk, Kiron W. Bemis; treasurer, Daniel Bemis; justices, Caleb Coryell, James Whitehead, Samuel F. Chipman; assessors. Harrison C. Inman, Henry Waterhouse, David Douglass; col- lector, Luke Coryell; commissioners of highways, Charles F. Cook, Ole Gulekson and Jacob Fisher; commissioners of common sehools, Kiron W. Bemis, Archibald Smiley and David Douglass ; constables, Alfonso C. Stewart, Luke Coryell and Elisha C. Tay- lor; overseers of highways, David Douglass, District No. 1; Joseph Hohenshelt, District No. 2; Neals Auckson, District No. 3; sealer of weights and measures, John Pence. The town at that meeting polled seventy-one votes.
"Two railroads, the Monroe division of the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul and the Madison division of the Chicago & Northwestern, pass through the town, crossing each other at a point at Bass Creek, at Hanover Junction, where there is an excellent water power."
The population in 1905 was 1,352. In 1907 Plymouth had 536 acres of tobacco, but in 1908, 393 acres. In 1907 twenty-two acres of sugar beets ; in 1908, fifteen.
Porter. This town lies in the northwestern part of the county, its northern boundary separating it from the county of Dane. By
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an act of the legislature, approved February 2, 1846, it was in- corporated by the name of Oak. At the next annual session, February 2, 1847, an act was approved changing its boundaries and name. It was made to include township 4, north of range 11 east, its present limits. It received its name in honor of one of the principal land proprietors in the town, Dr. John Porter. The first settlers were Joshua Webb, William Webb, John Rhinehart, John Winston, Joseph Osborn, Robinson Bent, Charles Stokes, Solomon Griggs, John R. Boyce, John Cook and Daniel Cook. Porter is an excellent agricultural town, and the improvements are of a superior character. Some of the residences are very fine. It is the banner town of Rock county in the raising of tobacco, having 946 acres in 1907 and 914 in this year (1908).
The large and well-equipped barns and outbuildings, with the soil in a high state of cultivation, make this one of the richest townships of the county. Within the limits of this town are two settlements, Cooksville and Stebbinsville, each containing stores and blacksmith shops, which are liberally patronized by the farm- ers adjacent. Its population was 1,417 in the year 1900, and in 1905 was 1,224.
Rock. By an act of the territorial legislature, approved March 8, 1839, all of "the country included within the boundary of Rock county" was "set off" into a separate town by the name of Rock. Its boundaries, therefore, were co-extensive with the present limits of the county; but no town organization followed this "setting off." Almost three years elapsed before it was organized. It was then reduced almost to its present propor- tions ; for by the act of legislature, approved February 17, 1842, township 2, north of range 12 east, excepting fractional sections 1 and 2, lying north and west of Rock river, was organized into a separate town by the name of Rock. It was also declared that the first election should be held in the house of Jasper Sears. As the city of Janesville afterward absorbed the whole of sections 1 and 2 in township 2, north of range 12 east, the town included, as now, the whole of the township just named, except these sections. In fact, therefore, the town of Rock, after the passage of the act providing for its organization, never contained quite thirty-six sections of land, or six miles square.
The first town election was held April 5, 1842, when the fol- lowing ticket was chosen: Supervisors, George W. Brittain
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(chairman), James Heath and J. P. Sears; town clerk, Ira Wash- burn; assessor, Rufus Washburn; treasurer, Richard S. Inman; eolleetor, J. Wesley Inman; commissioners of highways, Clark Classon, Prosper A. Pierce and William Youngs; commissioners of common schools, Ira F. Washburn, George W. Brittain and John Inman; sealer of weights and measures, Richard S. Inman.
Among the early settlers were: John Inman, the Holmes family and others in 1835, and that of Dr. James Heath in 1836. In the month of September of the last mentioned year Hiram Brown and family arrived. In the Spring of 1837 Dr. Heath built a house sixteen feet square on seetion 2 at "East Wisconsin City," where he opened a store and tavern, which was the first in the town. Here the "customer" was served and the "travel- ers" and "boarders" were lodged, while the family found ample room besides. The travelers were laid upon tiers of shelves up the side of the house like dry goods, while "commoners" took the floor. Business increasing, the doctor thinking his house too small for the accommodation of his store and tavern, entered into partnership with Mr. Sexton and removed his goods into another house, which had been erected about eighty rods from the tavern. There more room was afforded for the replenished stock of the new firm. During this year John Inman & Co. started the first stage. It made its regular trips from Racine to "East Wisconsin City" during the summer, Dr. Heath keeping the Stage House. Any person eurious in such matters, says a writer in 1856, can now be shown that identieal tavern, the auger holes into which the pine were put to sustain the travelers' shelves, and also the remains of Heath & Sexton's store, by going to a point about half a mile west from the institute for the blind. The landlord will not be there to meet him, nor will he see, probably, the stages from Racine unloading their passengers, nor the impatient customers inquiring for dry goods and groceries; but he will see the house, empty though it may be, and the oak trees which stand as faithful sentinels over the ruins of "Eastern Wisconsin City." From this time, continues the writer, settle- ments increased until the entire town was in the hands of an industrious and intelligent population. In November, 1836, Rieh- ard Inman arrived with his family and entered land in seetion 27. Mr. Clauson settled on the Young's farm in 1837. The farm upon which the village of Afton is situated was settled in 1837 by
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Hiram Brown. In the year 1838, the first settlements were made on the west side of the river by Rufus and Ira Washburn and J. P. Sears. The same year the farm of Major Inman was set- tled by Mr. Fox. G. W. Brittain also settled in the town in 1838. Brestol made the first claim upon D. W. Inman's farm in 1838. In 1841 Israel Inman, John Daugherty and Mr. Burt arrived. In the year 1840, Ezekiel Clapp and Prosper A. Pierce, from the state of Vermont, settled on section 2. A large part of their purchase is now within the limits of the city of Janes- ville. About this time, Elijah Nourse settled near that first log cabin.
In 1842 Mr. Van Antwerp arrived. In 1841, J. F. Willard pur- chased Mr. Warren's claim in section 10. The Antisdells, Com- stocks and Newtons came about the year 1843-44. In 1850, a col- ony from Rensselaer county, New York, settled in the northwest- ern part of the town. Among them were Z. P. Burdick, and his brother, M. L. Burdick; A. P. Hayner, Israel Smith, and subse- quently Mr. J. P. J. Hayner. These arrivals added not a little to the agricultural reputation of the town, as they pursued east- ern modes of farming, which contrasted very favorably with the loose Wisconsin method. The first breaking done in Rock, or in the county, was on the northwest quarter of section 11, upon the farm of J. F. Willard, by John Inman, in the spring of 1836. It was cropped with buckwheat and produced a fair yield. He was compelled to go to Rockford to get his plow sharpened, tak- ing two days to make the trip. The first house erected on the west side of the river was by Ira Washburn, in 1838. The first wedding in the town of Rock took place at the house of Richard Inman, March 30, 1840, the parties being George W. Brittain and Miss Sylvia Inman.
At one time this town could boast of four cities and villages on paper, Wisconsin city, Koshkonong City, Rock Port, Monterey and Afton. Rockport was laid out by Thomas Holmes in Decem- ber, 1835. and was the first surveyed village (or city) in the county. Wisconsin city was surveyed by Inman, Breese and Sheperd in 1836; City of Koshkonong, in the summer of the same year, by Kinzie, Hunter and Booby; Monterey, by Ira Miltimore, in 1850. By an act of the legislature of Wisconsin, approved March 9, 1853, the city of Janesville was incorporated and, by its charter, sections 1 and 2 of the town of Rock were brought
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within its limits. Consequently, Monterey and Rockport are now a part of the territory belonging to the city of Janesville. The town of Rock is traversed by the Milwaukee & St. Paul rail- way, and also by the Northwestern, on which, in the southern part of the town is the station and village of Afton. In 1905 Rock was credited with 930 inhabitants. The town raised, in 1907, some 432 acres of tobacco and 93 of sugar beets. In 1908 were reported 397 acres of tobacco and 79 acres of beets.
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