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 4
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A bridge was built by the city across the river from the foot of Jackson street to the west end of the fair grounds. This bridge remained in existence for some years and then was de- stroyed, and there was no bridge across the river at that point until about fifteen years ago, when the present Jackson Street bridge was erected.
In 1857 the building of a new high school was commenced. This was erected in the square on the hill in the Third ward where the cemetery had been abandoned. It was built during 1858 and completed in 1859.
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
The Hyatt House, the most pretentious hotel building ever erected in Janesville, was also completed during 1857, being opened for business May 7, 1857. It occupied the site of the old Stevens House, burned in 1853, at the northwest corner of Mil- waukee and Franklin streets. It was built of brick, five stories in height, at a cost of $140,000. The building was erected by A. Hyatt Smith, and most of the cost was borne by him, although a number of citizens subseribed a bonus to aid in the building. Everything about the structure was substantial and imposing, the dining hall being so large that from 400 to 500 guests could be seated at once at its tables. It was carried on as a hotel and famous as such all over the state until it was burned in 1867.
In 1857 ex-Governor William A. Barstow, over whose ineum- bency of the governor's chair there had been such a contest, re- moved to Janesville and opened a new bank called the Producers' Bank in connection with A. T. Gray and E. M. Hunter in the Hyatt House block. This bank continued in existence only a short time, as it did not prove a success, and Governor Barstow then went into the milling business in Janesville, which business he followed until he entered the army in 1861. While living here he occupied the large frame house on the west bank of the river just south of where the Croak brewery is now situated. This house remained a permanent landmark there for many years after his departure, being known as the Governor Barstow house. When the Chicago & North-Western Railroad Company built the Evansville cut-off this house had to be removed, and it was moved to Mineral Point avenue and converted into a building which was used as the city hospital for a number of years.
A. Hyatt Smith was again elected mayor for 1857 and Amos P. Prichard, who had been city clerk, was elected as judge of the county or probate court. Judge Prichard was reelected every term subsequently until his death in 1886, nearly thirty years.
1858.
In May, 1858, the Young Men's Christian Association of Janes- ville was organized, Josiah T. Wright, who is still actively en- gaged in Sunday-school and Y. M. C. A. work, being one of its organizers and first officers. Chief Justice Cassoday, then prac- ticing law here, was also one of the early officers. On July 27, 1858, David Noggle, of Janesville, was appointed as circuit judge
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
of the First circuit, succeeding J. M. Keep. Judge Noggle held this office until 1865. During this year the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway finished its line to Monroe. The high school was being built during all this year, and the first class of the Janesville high school graduated during this year, there being only three members of the class.
Among other buildings erected then was the present First National Bank building, built by the Central Bank of Wisconsin.
In 1858 the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, now at Milwaukee, one of the best known of the large life insur- ance companies, began business at Janesville. It was incorpo- rated by chapter 129 of Laws of Wisconsin for 1857. The incor- porators were mainly from Janesville, though some were from Beloit and also some from outside the county. Among the Janes- ville incorporators were Thomas Lappin, M. C. Smith, David Noggle, Edward McKey, Solomon Hutson, James H. Knowlton, John P. Dickson, Joseph A. Sleeper, Edward L. Dimock, B. F. Pix- ley, J. F. Willard, John Mitchell, Luke Stoughton, James Bintiff, Peter Myers and Lucian S. Fisher. Matthew H. Carpenter, late United States senator from Wisconsin, but then practicing law at Beloit, was also an incorporator. Janesville was designated as the location of the corporation, but the law was amended a few years later substituting Milwaukee for Janesville and also adding "Northwestern" to the original corporate name, which was Mutual Life Insurance Company of the State of Wisconsin. The offices were soon moved to Milwaukee. The formation of the company was largely due to the efforts of General J. C. Johnston, who owned a farm of 3,000 acres a few miles out of Janesville on the Milwaukee and Madison territorial road. General John- ston had been connected in a high capacity with one of the old line insurance companies of New York before coming West, and he saw the opportunity open to a western company. The pre- liminary work of organization was nearly all done under his direc- tion. Hon. J. J. R. Pease was also very active in the early life of the company.
1859.
April 12, 1859, Chief Justice E. V. Whiton of the supreme court died and was buried from his home in Janesville.
On May 22 the Rock county courthouse was totally destroyed
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
by fire, leaving the county without an adequate home for its courts and records, and no other courthouse was built until 1869.
In May, 1859, the High School building (now the Jefferson school) was finished and the high school classes were trans- ferred from the old academy to the new building. This was considered the ne plus ultra of school buildings at the time, and it still remains a sightly landmark; standing on the highest ele- vation of the city, with its three stories and large cupola, it is the first object seen when driving into Janesville from any direc- tion. It was built of wood, brick and cut stone and cost about $40,000. Levi Cass was principal at the time of the completion of this building. The first formal graduation exercises took place in 1859, there being six members in the class; one of them was W. D. Parker, who became principal of the city schools a number of years thereafter and later was president of the normal school at Black River Falls.
October 1, 1859, has long been considered a red letter day in the history of Janesville, as Abraham Lincoln visited us on that Saturday and made a political speech in Young America Hall. He was brought here from Beloit by Hon. A. A. Jackson, after- ward our mayor, and entertained while here by W. M. Tallman.
The churches of the city were increased during this year by the organization of Christ Episcopal church by the Rev. Thomas J. Ruger. They erected no church building, however, holding their services in Lappin's Hall until 1861.
This year ended the first twenty-five years since the settle- ment of Janesville, and a short resumé may serve to bring its condition at that time more forcibly to mind.
The population of the city was over 7,000; Main street and East and West Milwaukee streets were well built up with sub- stantial buildings. Peter Myers was building the present Myers House to take the place of the old Janesville Stage House, and the traveling public was more than provided for by the immense Hyatt House, the old American House at the corner of Court and Main streets, the Ogden House, and other smaller hotels. The city was even then busily engaged in manufacturing. On the upper water-power was the Ford Flouring Mill, by A. Hyatt Smith and O. B. Ford, with three runs of stone; then coming to- wards Milwaukee street, the Excelsior Mill, built by Hamilton Richardson, with two runs of stone; Allen Coppinger's mill, just
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
being built, with two runs of stone; and the Novelty Mill, by H. W. Spencer, with two runs of stone; the Bower City Mills, built during 1859 by McChesney, with two runs of stone, and the big mill standing at the west end of the Milwaukee Street bridge, with six runs of stone.
The Farmer's mill then run by Jackman and Alden was at the east end of the west side water power with three runs of stone.
On the east side of the river near the end of the dam was Norris' saw mill, capable of cutting 4,000,000 feet of lumber yearly. Also, down near the present Doty Manufacturing Com- pany was a plow factory and foundry, built by A. W. Parker and operated by D. C. Ward & Co., and in the same building was James Mills, manufacturer of sash, doors and blinds; where Thoroughgood & Co. now are was the woolen factory just then being built by F. A. Wheeler.
On the Monterey water power were located Heller & Hen- derson's flouring mill, built in 1856, with two runs of stone; Andre & Crosby's mill with three runs of stone, and a large flour- ing mill just being built by Ira Miltimore with four runs of stone. The flouring mills on both the upper and lower powers were capable of manufacturing about 200,000 barrels of flour per an- num.
On the Monterey power were also Whitaker's woolen mill, which was later for many years operated by the Mcleans, and a mill operated by Miltimore for sawing and polishing stone.
On North Franklin street was the steam operated plant of the Western Novelty Works, built by Joseph H. Budd, and on South River and Center streets was the nucleus of what is now the Janesville Machine Company, a large manufacturing establish- ment built by William Hume and operated by a number of dif- ferent manufacturers; among them were R. Williams, making sash, doors and blinds; Mansfield company, manufacturing flour barrels, and Harris, Guild, Angell & Tyler, operating a foundry and machine shop.
Even then there were a number of beautiful and costly resi- dences. On the east side of the river Timothy Jackman had built the large brick dwelling house east of the court house park, now owned by George McKey. Morris C. Smith's residence south of the park on the east side of Division street had been erected.
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
J. J. R. Pease had occupied for a number of years the large house on the knoll at the corner of Prospect avenue and Cornelia street, and the A. C. Bates brick residence at the top of the hill on Milwaukee street had been finished some little time. On North Bluff street was the residence of A. Hyatt Smith, now the Ger- man Lutheran church, and above it in Hickory glen was the large Isaac Woodle house.
On South Main street Charles H. Conrad had completed his large residence; the Bailey and other places were occupied by their builders.
On the west side of the river Andrew Palmer's residence at the corner of Academy and Pleasant streets had been completed, and the William Tallman house at the north end of Jackson street had been built.
Less pretentious residences were to be found in all parts of the city.
The city then had railway connections with Milwaukee, Chi- cago, Monroe and Oshkosh. A number of stage lines were still running, and a daily newspaper gave the citizens the local and the outside news.
With the milling faculties which Janesville enjoyed as shown above, it drew custom from a very large section of the country. As will be remembered on the opening of the big mill, farmers brought their grist from as far north as Portage, and while this tributary country decreased as railroads and stage lines in- creased, nevertheless, people for many miles around still con- tinued to bring their grain to Janesville and buy their provisions here. The stores of Janesville had been noted for their facilities ever since they started. I have been told by those acquainted with the facts that persons teaming from this section north to the pineries would drive right through Madison to Janesville in order to buy their supplies here rather than in Madison; also, that in the early days, before the railroad was built to Monroe, farmers and other residents of Green county would come to buy their lumber here from as far west as Monroe. This supremacy of the Janesville stores has continued down to the present time. As to the dry goods and furniture stores of Janesville, they are yet known to have the largest stocks of any outside of Milwaukee, and they draw trade from all the surrounding cities and villages.
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
1860-1864.
The five years from 1860 to 1864, inclusive, were with Janes- ville, as with all the rest of the country, principally filled with the visible results of the war. There were many volunteers re- cruited from Janesville, and valiant service was done by Janes- ville men during the war. There were two camps at Janesville, Camp Cameron, where the cavalry were located, being situated on the old fair grounds at Spring brook, and Camp Treadway for the infantry at the fair grounds on Milwaukee avenue.
The first company recruited here left Janesville for Camp Randall at Madison on May 6, 1861. This was Company D, Second Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, George B. Ely, captain. On June 20 they passed through Janesville from Madison on their way to Washington and stopped here long enough to partake of a dinner which the ladies of the city had provided; tables were set in a grove occupying the site of Schaller & McKey's lumber yard on Center avenue. On June 22 of the same year (1861) Company E, of the Fifth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, H. M. Wheeler, captain, being the Janesville Light Guard, left Janes- ville for Camp Randall. They were mustered into the United States service on July 13, 1861, and mustered out July 16, 1865.
On August 12, 1861, a company recruited largely from the Janesville fire department left Janesville for Madison; they be- came Company G.of the Eighth Regiment of Wisconsin Volun- teers, W. B. Britton, captain. Captain Britton at the time of the enlistment was chief engineer of the fire department.
William H. Sargent, who became orderly sergeant, was seere- tary of the department. The Grand Army Post formed in Janes- ville after the war, was named for Mr. Sargent.
Captain Britton during the war became colonel of the regi- ment, which was famed in history as the Eagle Regiment, bearing Old Abe, the famous Wisconsin eagle.
The Thirteenth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers was re- cruited from Rock county and Walworth county, six companies of the regiment being recruited from Rock county; they ren- dezvoused at Camp Treadway on Milwaukee avenue in August, 1861, and stayed until January, 1862, although they were mus- tered into the United States service in October, 1861.
The company commanders from Janesville were Captain Ed-
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
ward Ruger of Company A, Captain E. E. Woodman of Company B, Captain F. F. Stevens of Company F, Captain Pliny Norcross of Company K. Captain Norcross was attending the university at Madison when the war broke out and was the first student to enlist from that institution.
In December, 1861, Company E, of the Third Wisconsin Cav- alry, went into camp at Spring brook and stayed there until March 26, 1862. Ira Dustin, Jr., was captain of this company, which was recruited in and near Janesville, as was also Company M, of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry, with Nathaniel Parker, captain.
Ex-Governor William A. Barstow was the colonel of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, which left camp here for the southwest, March, 1862.
On August 20, 1862, Lieutenant E. G. Harlow, with about sixty men recruited for the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery, left Janesville and was present at the battle of Iuka Mississippi, September 19, 1862. On September 29, 1862, Company E, of the Third Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, Ira Miltimore of Janes- ville, captain, left Janesville for Racine, where they were mus- tered into the service October 18.
Janesville was also connected with the war through Louis P. Harvey, the war governor of Wisconsin ; while he did not live in Janesville yet he was a Rock county man, was present in Janesville a great deal of the time, and had many close friends and acquaintances here; he was born in Connecticut in 1820, and moved to Rock county in 1847. He was engaged in the mill- ing business at Shopiere for a number of years, and was elected to the state senate from Rock county for four years, beginning with 1853.
In 1859 he was elected secretary of state, and in 1861, gover- nor; after his inauguration in January, 1862, he took a great interest in the Wisconsin soldiers and went personally to see to their wants after the disastrous battle of Pittsburg Landing. While upon that trip, distributing the supplies which he had gathered for the Wisconsin troops, he was accidentally drowned in the Tennessee river, April 19, 1862.
Prior to the beginning of the war Janesville had listened to a political speech from Stephen A. Douglas, Democratic candi-
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
date for president, who visited the city October 12, 1860, and spoke to a large crowd in front of the Hyatt house.
On November 12, 1863, the first draft took place, in Lappin's hall, for recruits for the United States army. Janesville's quota under the call for 500,000 men was 125 persons.
In 1864 on May 17 the last regiment left Janesville for Madi- son. This was Company A, Fortieth Regiment Wisconsin Volun- teers, S. D. Lockwood, captain. Of those mentioned as officers of various companies above, Captain Edward Ruger, F. F. Stevens, Pliny Norcross, Colonel Britton, Adjutant William Ruger and Lieutenant Harlow have resided in Janesville since the war, and are all living here yet. Drs. Henry Palmer and J. B. Whiting also saw much service as army surgeons. Colonel W. P. Lyon, of the Thirteenth Regiment, was elected circuit judge of this circuit directly upon his return from the war, and con- tinued to hold that office until the election of Judge Conger in 1871, when he was elevated to the supreme court of the state. Besides these, Janesville has been represented in the regular army by Generals Thomas H. Ruger and George M. Randall, and is still represented by Captain Thomas Richardson, son of Hon. Hamilton Richardson.
In 1860 Peter Myers began the erection of the present Myers hotel building, on the site of the old Janesville Stage house at the southeast corner of Main and East Milwaukee streets. It was opened for business in November, 1861, and Mr. Myers began running it personally at that time. Mr. Myers had been a resi- dent of Janesville since 1845, and had accumulated quite a for- tune in the manufacture of lard, and in packing pork and other meats. In many ways he was considered very eccentric, but he devoted his means and services for many years to the develop- ment of Janesville, building stores on Main street south of the Myers house. In 1870 he built the opera house at a cost of over $30,000, and in 1881 built the Armory building, on the site of the old Hyatt house. Besides this he built a number of stores on North Main street, and the Galbraith barns, and other build- ings on Milwaukee street.
During 1864 the present St. Patrick's church was completed, it having been building for some time; the convent and school buildings to the east of the church were finished soon afterwards.
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
In 1861 the present Christ church was finished and dedicated on October 31 of that year.
During the war time General Phil. Sheridan spent several weeks at Janesville, purchasing horses for the cavalry. Later General William T. Sherman visited Janesville, and made a public address.
1865-1869.
During these five years Janesville seemed to suffer an epi- demic of fires, large tracts of the old buildings and many of the better ones being destroyed. In November, 1865, the Roethinger brewery, at the foot of South Main street, was destroyed, and on December 12 the greater portion of the block on North Main street from Milwaukee to North First street was destroyed. The hand fire engines were of no avail and brands from the burning block on Main street were carried a considerable distance, de- stroying several remote residences and barns.
On January 12, 1867, occurred the Hyatt house fire. The only fire in which a life has ever been lost in Janesville. That fire started in the kitchen in the northwest corner of the hotel, and as the department was unable to check it, destroyed the whole building with a loss of $140,000. Some of the occupants were fortunate enough to get their belongings out of the hotel, among them being A. A. Jackson, who had his offices on the first floor, and who succeeded in getting out his entire library and legal papers. Miss Maggie Burns, an employee of the hotel, was caught by the flames on the fifth floor and burned to death.
No hotel was ever built on this ground again, and the most of it remained vacant until the large three-story block was built there by Peter Myers in 1881.
The old stone barn belonging to the Hyatt house was not burned in the fire, but remains to the present time, and is now occupied as a storage warehouse.
Three days afterwards, on January 15, 1867, Morse & Han- son's furniture factory and the McChesney flour mills, situated on the raceway, were totally destroyed by fire at a loss of about $20,000; and in July of the same year Allen & Schuyler's flax mill at Monroe was destroyed.
In 1868, on January 20, the American house, at the corner of Court and Main streets, was burned, and on September 27, 1868,
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JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
all of the frame stores on Milwaukee street from the raceway to the river were destroyed by fire.
On October 1, 1868, Adam Wilson's shop at the corner of South River and Dodge streets, was burned, and on November 23 the Fredondall block. on South Main and Court streets was also burned; in both of these cases there was an estimated loss of $12,000.
After the burning of the Hyatt house there was a great agi- tation for the purchasing of steam fire engines, and in August, 1868, two steam fire engines were brought to the city for ex- amination and testing. The city finally determining to purchase both of them, one was installed at the fire station on the west side of the river and the other on the east side. Their first ser- vice was at the fire, September 27, of the buildings on West Mil- waukee street.
In 1869 two murders occurred, which created a great deal of excitement in Janesville; the first was that of the wife of Dr. William P. Duvalle; she was supposed to have been poisoned by her husband at the boarding house where the Grand hotel is now situated, where they were boarding. Dr. Duvalle was arrested and tried and convicted twice, the first conviction being set aside and a new trial granted by the court. On September 10, 1870, on the second conviction, he was sentenced to Waupun for life.
The other murder was that of Humphrey Roberts, of the town of Harmony; he was shot by a man named Stowe while drunk. Stowe was also sent to Waupun and died there.
In September, 1865, the fourth state fair was held in Janes- ville, and General W. T. Sherman, ex-Governor A. W. Randall, Senators James R. Doolittle and T. O. Howe and ex-Governor J. T. Lewis were present as speakers; they proved great drawing cards, and the gross receipts amounted to over $11,000.
A state fair had been held here in 1864, when the receipts amounted to $7,700; and the state fair was also held in Janesville in 1866, when the receipts amounted to $15,000. This was the last time the state fair was held here until 1877.
In September, 1869, the "Rock County Recorder" issued its first number, Garrett Veeder and Sylvester St. John being the proprietors.
In 1865-6 the Congregational Church Society built a new
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
church building on Jackson street, at a cost of $57,000, including the organ.
St. Paul's German Lutheran church bought 'Hope chapel at the corner of East Milwaukee and Wisconsin streets, which they used as a church until 1883, when the building was sold to Michael Dawson, and by him moved to River street and made into what is now the Riverside hotel.
In 1867 the Baptist Church Society erected the brick church on South Jackson street, which they occupied as a place of wor- ship until it was burned, January 13, 1884, and the present church built the same year.
1870-1874.
During these five years there was a notable addition to the public building of the city in the completion of the present court- house, which was finished, ready for occupancy, in 1870. The courthouse is a handsome and commanding structure and has served the purpose of the county well to the present time, though the business and population of the county have doubled since its erection; it cost about $75,000. During the same year (1870) the handsome brick church building on the site of the old Ameri- can house was erected by the Court Street Methodist church; it was dedicated August 18, 1870. The lower floor was built for store purposes, the auditorium being on the second floor; this was used as a place of worship until 1906, when the two Metho- dist churches united and erected a new church building on the west side of the river.
On June 29, 1871, the big mill at the west end of Milwaukee street bridge was totally destroyed by fire at a loss of $45,000. There was not so much need for mills at that time as in the earlier days, and no attempt was made to rebuild, so that noth- ing was done with this site until the erection of the building for the United States postoffice.
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