USA > Wisconsin > Dodge County > The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc > Part 49
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1873-Portland, J. A. Wetmore ; Elba, Morris Burnham ; Calamus, T. J. Jones ; West- ford, J. H. Williams ; Fox Lake, J. T. Smith ; Trenton, John Cochrane; Beaver Dam, M. E. Babcock ; Lowell, William C. Hilliker; Shields, Jeremiah Driscoll ; Emmet, Edward Mc- Govern ; Clyman, Daniel Collins ; Oak Grove, Joseph E. Spaulding ; Burnett, James S. Church ; Chester, D. L. Bancroft; Le Roy, Horace Barnes ; Williamstown, August Mann ; Hubbard, Carl Hanf; Hustisford, J. A. Schmidt ; Lebanon, F. Gnewuch ; Ashippun, Samuel Marshall ; Rubicon, W. M. Morse (Chairman) ; Herman, George Schott; Theresa, William Milbrot; Lomira, Bernard Weyer. Beaver Dam-First Ward, Philip Binzel, B. F. Sherman substituted ; Second Ward, George Schuetz, G. Stolz substituted ; Third Ward, Andrew Will- ard ; Fourth Ward, Charles Burchard. Watertown-Fifth Ward, F. Hartwig ; Sixth Ward, F. Herman. Waupun, B. B. Baldwin ; Horicon, Sat. Clark ; Fox Lake, George Jess ; May- ville, Henry Spiering; Juneau, E. C. Lewis ; Randolph, J. E. Root, A. W. Millard appointed.
1874-Ashippun, James Thompson ; Burnett, James S. Church ; Beaver Dam, John Holt ; Calamus, T. J. Jones ; Chester, D. L. Bancroft; Clyman, Jeremiah Mahoney ; Elba, S. W. Evans ; Emmet, E. McGovern, Jr. ; Fox Lake, W. K. Parker ; Herman, George Schott; Hubbard, Alva Simpson; Hustisford, J. A. Schmidt ; Lebanon, F. Gnewuch ; Le Roy, Joseph Heimerl, Jr. ; Lomira, B. Weyer ; Lowell, M. Green ; Oak Grove, J. W. Perry ; Port- land, J. A. Wetmore; Rubicon, W. M. Morse ; Shields, John Solon ; Theresa, Jacob Bodden (Chairman) ; Trenton, H. B. Cochrane ; Westford, Samuel Smith ; Williamstown, John A. Barney. Beaver Dam-First Ward, B. F. Sherman ; Second Ward, Rees Evans ; Third Ward, Ira Rowell ; Fourth Ward, Charles Burchard. Watertown-Fifth Ward, F. Hartwig ; Sixth Ward, F. Herman. Waupun, G. W. Stanton ; Horicon, Carl Hanf; Fox Lake, George Jess ; Mayville, S. W. Lamoreux ; Juneau, E. C. Lewis ; Randolph, H. B. Converse.
1875-Ashippun, Samuel Marshall ; Burnett, J. S. Church ; Beaver Dam, John Holt; Calamus, T. J. Jones ; Chester, J. S. Clark ; Clyman, J. Mahoney ; Elba, S. W. Evans ; Emmet, D. Clifford ; Fox Lake, W. K. Parker; Herman, John Steiner ; Hubbard, Oliver
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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY
Taylor ; Hustisford, S. B. Jones ; Lebanon, F. Gnewuch ; Le Roy, E. G. Stoddard ; Lomira, B. Weyer ; Lowell, M. Green ; Oak Grove, J. W. Perry ; Portland, Patrick Griffin ; Rubicon, W. M. Morse ; Theresa, Jacob Bodden (Chairman) ; Shields, John Solon; Trenton, H. B. Cochrane ; Westford, C. H. Williams ; Williamstown, A. C. Mann. Beaver Dam-First Ward, B. F. Sherman ; Second Ward, Rees Evans; Third Ward, C. M. Hambright; Fourth Ward, Charles Burchard. Watertown-Fifth Ward, Frank Koenig; Sixth Ward, C. Reub- hausen. Waupun, S. J. Sumner ; Horicon, Carl Hanf; Fox Lake, D. D. Thomas ; Mayville, J. A. Barney ; Juneau, E. C. Lewis ; Randolph, J. E. Root.
1876-Ashippun, Terrance Flanagan; Burnett, G. H. Lawrence; Beaver Dam, N. E. Babcock; Calamus, T. J. Jones ; Chester, J. S. Clark ; Clyman, Thomas H. Moran ; Elba, S. W. Evans ; Emmet, Dominic Clifford ; Fox Lake, David Metcalf ; Herman, George Schott ; Hubbard, William Zeimann ; Hustisford, S. B. Jones ; Lebanon, F. Gnewuch ; Le Roy, Hor- ace Barnes ; Lomira, B. Weyer ; Lowell, John Runkle; Oak Grove, Owen McCollow; Port- land, L. P. Knowlton ; Rubicon, John Labuwi; Shields, John Solon ; Theresa, Jacob Bodden ; Trenton, H. B. Cochrane ; Westford, C. H. Williams ; Williamstown, J. L. Rix. Beaver Dam -First Ward, B. F. Sherman; Second Ward, John Healy ; Third Ward, O. H. Crowl; Fourth Ward, Warner Hathaway. Watertown-Fifth Ward, F. Hartwig; Sixth Ward, C. Reubhausen. Waupun, S. J. Sumner ; Horicon, Carl Hanf ; Fox Lake, George Jess ; May- ville, S. W. Lamoreux (Chairman) ; Juneau, Richard Mertz ; Randolph, J. E. Root.
1877-Ashippun, John H. Hyde; Burnett, William Folsom ; Beaver Dam, M. B. Clason ; Calamus, H. S. Gilmore ; Chester, J. S. Clark (Chairman) ; Clyman, John Weatherby ; Elba, Felix Lynch ; Emmet, D. Clifford; Fox Lake, D. Metcalf ; Hustisford, J. A. Schmidt ; Hub- bard, H. Plaggeman ; Herman, George Schott; Lowell, John Runkle; Lebanon, H. Molden- hauer ; Le Roy, E. G. Stoddard; Lomira, B. Weyer; Oak Grove, J. E. Spaulding ; Portland, Philip Fuchs; Rubicon, G. W. Morse; . Shields, John Solon; Trenton, Lawrence Conner ; Theresa, Philip Schultz ; Westford, Edward Kernan ; Williamstown, J. L. Rix. Beaver Dam -First Ward, B. F. Sherman ; Second Ward, F. Brechter ; Third Ward, Ira Rowell; Fourth Ward, Charles Mann. Watertown-Fifth Ward, F. Koenig; Sixth Ward, C. Reubhausen. Waupun, George F. Wheeler ; Horicon, Sat. Clark; Fox Lake, C. Merwin ; Mayville, C. Kræsing, Jr .; Juneau, Richard Mertz ; Randolph, J. E. Root.
1878-Ashippun, John H. Hyde; Beaver Dam, John Holt; Burnett, William Folsom ; Calamus, T. J. Jones ; Clyman, Robert Irving; Chester, J. S. Clark ; Elba, Felix Lynch ; Emmet, John Howard; Fox Lake, Charles Merwin ; Herman, George Schott; Hubbard, Carl Hanf; Hustisford, S. A. Jones ; Lebanon, H. Moldenhauer ; Le Roy, H. Barnes ; Lomira, J. B. Steiner ; Lowell, John Runkle; Oak Grove, John Leslie; Portland, Philip Fuchs ; Rubi- con, G. W. Morse ; Shields, J. Driscoll ; Theresa, A. Fickert; Trenton, L. Connor ; Westford, C. H. Williams ; Williamstown, J. L. Rix. Beaver Dam-First Ward, J. B. Scherubel ; Sec- ond Ward, G. Stolz; Third Ward, R. H. Ellis; Fourth Ward, A. J. Smith. Watertown- Fifth Ward, John Bird; Sixth Ward, F. Herman. Waupun, G. F. Wheeler ; Horicon, Sat. Clark ; Fox Lake, Benjamin Ferguson (Chairman); Mayville, J. A. Barney ; Juneau, F. W. Lueck ; Randolph, J. E. Root.
1879-Ashippun, Solomon Rudolph ; Beaver Dam, Conrad Keller; Burnett, William Folsom ; Calamus, T. J. Jones ; Clyman, James Duffy ; Chester, James Davison ; Elba, Felix Lynch ; Emmet, John Howard; Fox Lake, Martin Stapleton ; Herman, Charles Ringle ; Hub- bard, Nicholas Rohlinger ; Hustisford, J. Jesche ; Lebanon, F. Gnewuch ; Le Roy, H. Barnes; Lomira, J. B. Steiner ; Lowell, August Schonwether; Oak Grove, John Leslie; Portland, John King ; Rubicon, G. W. Morse; Shields, J. Driscoll; Theresa, A. Fickert ; Trenton, D. L. Cornell; Westford, Samuel Smith ; Williamstown, Henry Spiering. Beaver Dam-First Ward, B. F. Sherman ; Second Ward, C. Germain ; Third Ward, G. E. Swan; Fourth Ward, J. W. Howard. Watertown-Fifth Ward, F. Koenig; Sixth Ward, U. Habhegger. Waupun, S. J. Sumner ; Horicon, Sat. Clark ; Mayville, Anton Hærtel ; Fox Lake, Benjamin Ferguson (Chairman); Randolph, J. E. Root.
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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
LETTER FROM AN OLD SETTLER.
The following very interesting chapter of reminiscences is from the pen of James H. War- ren, now a resident of Swan Lake City, Emmet County, Iowa, who was the first settler in the town of Hubbard, Dodge County. Mr. Warren once wrote an extended history of this county, but, unfortunately, his manuscript was destroyed by fire, together with other valuables. Appre- ciating the importance of a work of this character, Mr. W. kindly and willingly consented to draw upon his memory for a few facts relative to pioneer days in Wisconsin. By a perusal of his letter, many of Mr. Warren's old Dodge County acquaintances will discover that he has been more successful than they in county seat matters :
ALGONA, Iowa, November 8, 1879.
H. C. HANSBROUGH, EsQ .- Dear Sir : Yours of October 29 is received. My time is very much occupied at present, but feeling a lively interest in the work in which you are now engaged, I will endeavor to call up some reminiscences of the past, and hope the substance thereof may find a place in your valuable work, so as to live in the future. As I was not the first settler in the county, and my MS. record of the early days is lost, I can speak posi- tively only of such matters as came under my own observation. Of matters pertaining to the settlement previous to May, 1845, you will be obliged to seek information from others. Not having visited Dodge County for many years past, I know not who, among the old pioneers, may now be living, or, if living, where now located. I will name a few who, if living, could give you much valuable information : Hon. Hiram Barber, A. H. Atwater, Ethan Owen, Waldo and Durkie Lyon, George and Ranslow Smith, Morris Grout, E. C. Lewis, Silas Grover, Silas Hemstreet, Garry Taylor, James Rogers, Dr. Stoddard Judd, Alvin and William Foster, Amasa Hyland, Chester May, Solomon, Narcisse and Paul Juneau, Lucas S. Van Orden, H. D. Patch, Robert Whittaker, Lathrop Horton, Martin Rich, Sr., Alfred Wheelock, and many others whose names I do not now recall. Those above named are such as I call to mind, irre- spective of locality, as being among the old pioneers.
Dodge County was organized in 1844, under the Territorial Government. It was thirty miles square, contain- ing, in round numbers, 900 square miles, and it was provided that it could never be subdivided so as to reduce its area below 900 square miles. Efforts have since been made to divide the county, but have invariably been met by the Constitutional barrier above referred to ; hence its boundaries still remain unchanged.
The first white settlers located in the county about the year 1838, or perhaps a year later. But I desire to go back of this date and relate an incident or two, given me by Narcisse Juneau, at the time I was collecting matter for the history which I prepared in 1859 and 1860. There are two towns in the county bearing the names of two daring frontiersmen, viz., Burnett and Clyman. In 1837, these men started from Milwaukee on a hunting and trapping expedition into the then unsettled part of the Territory now known as Dodge County, which at this period contains a white population considerably in excess of forty thousand. Before leaving Milwaukee, they agreed with Solomon Juneau that his son, Narcisse, then a lad of ten or twelve years, should accompany them to act in the capacity of interpreter with the Indians. After the departure of the party, Mrs. Juneau was so troubled with forebodings of evil that she persuaded Solomon to send a friendly Indian on the trail. He overtook the party on the old Milwaukee and Fond du Lac trail, about twenty miles out from Milwaukee, and returned the lad in safety to his anxious mother. Burnett and Clyman proceeded on their journey to the point where the trail crossed the Ossian or East Fork of Rock River, and where the picturesque little village of Theresa now stands. Here they purchased a canoe from the Indians; intending to make their way down the Fork to the Great Winnebago Marsh, afterward known as Lake Horicon. A little before sunset, they had reached a point in the river, called the " Ox Bow," in what is now the town of Theresa. The men had hauled up their canoe, started a fire, and Burnett had stepped a short distance away to gether some dry branches for fuel, when both men were fired upon by Indians. Burnett was shot dead on the spot, and Clyman was wounded. By this time it was nearly dark, and Clyman, seeing no safety except in instant flight, ran at his best speed, hotly pursued by one of the Indians. The darkness increased as he fled from his pursuer. until it was with the greatest difficulty that he avoided injury to himself from coming in contact with trees. He finally came to a large tree that had fallen and lay directly in his way. Leaping over, he dropped behind and par- tially under it (the Indian jumping over him and passing on), where he lay concealed till about midnight, when he resumed his flight and after several days' wandering made his way back to Milwaukee. The two Indians who pur- sued the white men and killed Burnett, afterward told Mr. Juneau the story, fully corroborating the statement as given by Clyman.
About this time, the Indians held a great council, to take into consideration a project for the utter extermina- tion of all the white settlers then in the Territory. This great council was held on the high mound on Rolling Prairie, a little distance north of the old George Smith farm. Solomon Juneau, then at Milwaukee, knowing of the council and its object, made his way to the spot. After quietly listening to the " talk" of the red men, he then addressed the council, telling them of the great power and resources of the white men; that, though their plan might be temporarily successful, the final end could be none other than disastrous to the Indians. Mr. Juneau was regarded as a great and good man by the Indians, and, after mature deliberation, his advice was followed, the council dispersed, and the early settlements in the Territory were saved from the horrors of a terrible Indian mas- sacre. The descendants of the early pioneers of Wisconsin owe to Solomon Juneau a debt of gratitude, the magni- tude of which few have any idea.
I come now to speak of the first settlement of a few towns which came under my own observation, and of which I can speak positively. Among the first settlers in Fairfield (now Oak Grove, I think) were Ethan Owen, Morris Grout, William Pratt, B. Snow, Richard F. Rising, James Riley, Allen H. Atwater, John Warren, Martin
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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
Rich, Sr., Garry Taylor, Hiram Barber, - Harrison, Silas Hemstreet, Amasa Hyland, Durkie and Waldo Lyon. The date of settlement was about 1843 or 1844. The county seat is located at Juneau in this township.
The first whites that settled in the town of Hubbard were Mrs. Delight Warren, Edwin Warren, C. F. Warren, wife and one child, J. H. Warren, Mrs. Louisa H. Cornell (widow) and daughter, Edwin Giddings, wife and one child, and James Broughton. This little colony located on Section 5, Town No. 11 north, Range 16 east, the date of settlement being May 19, 1845. During the summer and fall of that year, quite a colony of Germans made choice of the southern portion of this township, so that at the first town meeting, held at my house on the 7th day of April, 1846, something over thirty votes were polled. During the winter of 1846-47, William M. Larrabee, who had pur- chased from Gov. Hubbard, of New Hampshire, a large tract of land on Section 6, commenced building the dam at Horicon, at about the same time laying out the village of that name. He also built a large house of tamarack logs, one part of which was used for a store and the other for a dwelling-house. H. B. Marsh opened the first blacksmith- shop. The water-power and unfinished dam soon passed into the hands of Martin Rich & Sons, who completed the improvement, and, for many years afterward, did a profitable business. The dam was built by Joel R. Doolittle, myself and brother furnishing all the plank for the flumes.
The town of Williamstown, of which Mayville is the principal village, was first opened up to white settlers in May, 1845, by Alvin and William Foster, and Chester May. These gentlemen selected the site for their mills. com - menced the dam and built the saw-mill in the summer of 1845. The saw-mill frame was raised in the fall of that year, the running-gear put in and the work of sawing lumber commenced some time in November or December. The flouring-mill was put up by the same company a year later. In January, 1848, John Orr, James White and Skidmore E. Lefferts, from the Mishawaka Iron Works, purchased the extensive iron-ore beds located in Hubbard and Herman Townships and commenced the erection of the iron furnace at Mayville. Nearly a whole year was con- sumed in building it. As soon as the furnace was well at work, a plank-road was projected and built from Mayville to Oconomowoc. The year previous to making the improvements just referred to, Samuel Jewett built a large saw- mill in this township, at a place now called Kekoskee. The water-power at Kekoskee was first selected in the sum- mer of 1845, by Stephen Walkley, who sold his claim to Jewett.
Late in the fall of 1845, two men called at the house of the writer hereof and stated that they were looking for land. One of the men appeared to be an Englishman, stout built, and seemingly in possession of considerable money. His traveling companion had every appearance of a hard character. They remained a short time and then resumed their course, following the old trail northward. As such occurrences were very frequent, nothing was thought of it and the fact was nearly forgotten. But the next summer there transpired an event that called all those circumstances fresh into remembrance. James Fletcher and another man were making hay on the borders of the Great Winnebago Marsh near the place where the East Fork enters the marsh. In passing to and from their work, they had to cross a small creek near where the old trail crossed. Here, hidden under the banks, they discovered the body of a man in the last stages of decomposition. As soon as it could be done, a post-mortem examination was had, with the usual result in such cases. It was evident that the deceased came to his death by violence, the skull having been fractured by a heavy blow, but by whom no one knew. The clothing found around the remains, also the height as appeared by the skeleton, answered the description of the Englishman before alluded to. I do not remember that any inquiry was ever made for the man.
Lathrop Horton, with his wife, one son and two daughters, was the first white man who settled in the town of Herman. The date of his settlement was March, 1846. The first couple married in Herman were the writer hereof and Miss Augusta B. Horton, daughter of the above-named pioneer. . The event took place on the 16th day of Sep- rember. 1846, James Broughton, Esq., officiating, and every family then living in the two towns-Herman and Hub- bard-being witnesses of the ceremony. In the course of the summer of 1846, quite a large number of Germans came and settled in this township, and a little later the " Cole Settlement" was begun, in the southeastern corner of the township, at a place now known as Woodland Station, on the Milwaukee & La Crosse Railroad. The township filled up very rapidly with a good class of German farmers who have developed the hidden riches of the soil and made it in agricultural importance one of the first towns in the county.
In the spring of 1845, a gentleman by the name of Cotton commenced the erection of a dam on the Rubicon, at what is now the village of Neosho. But before the mill was far advanced, the whole property passed into the hands of Lucus S. Van Orden, who finished the work and laid out the village. By his business energy and steady perseverance, Mr. Van Orden succeeded in building up a lively place and a prosperous business.
Late in the fall of 1844, or early in the winter of 1844-45, John Hustis, formerly of Milwaukee, began erect- ing a dam on Rock River, at Hustis' Rapids, now Hustisford. Mr. Hustis not being a practical mill man, the work progressed rather tardily, but was finally finished, the mills being built and operated with good profit to the propri- etor. Some difficulty arose between the proprietors of Hustisford and those at Horicon, during the spring of 1846, on account of the back-water from the Hustisford dam, and, if my memory is not at fault, the dam was cut down a little so as to prevent its flowing back into the Horicon mills.
Among the early pioneers of Dodge County, it frequently happened that two or three men fell desperately in love with the same piece of land. In all such cases, it turned out that the fellow who could get to the Land Office with his money first was the lucky one. These little contests were known as " Green Bay races," the U. S. Land Office then being at Green Bay. I have a distinct recollection of some of those trials of speed and endurance. In 1844, there were, at Oak Grove, three. or four individuals who each wanted a certain tract of land. I cannot now call to mind the names of all the interested parties, but will relate the circumstance, and undoubtedly some " old settler " can supply the names. Two men, each believing that no one but himself knew his errand, had started for Green Bay, to enter the aforesaid tract of land. About dark on that same day, it having become known that two men were on the road to the Land Office, and both after the same piece of land, Richard F. Rising said to one James Riley, that he (Rising) would furnish the-money, and pay a very liberal sum besides, to any man who would get to Green Bay and enter that land ahead of those who had already been several hours on the road, and well mounted. The reply of Mr.
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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
Riley was, "Give me the money to pay for the land, and if I fail it shan't cost you a cent." The money was forth- coming, and Riley, after laying in a full supply of crackers and cheese, started within fifteen minutes after the words were spoken. Taking a kind of "dog-trot," as he expressed it, he struck out in the darkness of night, and before the next day dawned had passed both the mounted men. Never halting, except to drink from some cool spring or clear brook that came in his way, he made the distance (ninety miles), entered the land in question, and the next day, while on his way back, met the two horsemen, crowding their horses to the full extent of their powers. Mr. Riley is still living, near Rochester, Minn. Mr. Rising passed to his final rest many years ago.
One more incident of this nature, in which the writer of this article cut a somewhat conspicuous figure. In the beginning of February, 1848, with my young wife and infant daughter, one week old, I was sitting at the breakfast table, when suddenly the door opened, and in walked, or rather leaped, my friend Charles Taylor. He was not long in stating his business. He said that three men -to wit, Garwood Green, Rufus Allen and George Varnum, had already gone on their way to the Land Office, to jump his claim, an eighty acres of choice land that he had held as a pre-emption for a year or more. Each of the men wanted the land for himself, and fondly believed that he was the only man living who knew aught of his errand. But their departure, as well as their business, became known very early in the day, and Mr. Taylor set out for me, knowing that James White, a member of the Wisconsin Iron Company, had left money with me to purchase for the Company some choice timber-land. The eighty acres in question was just what the Company wanted, and Mr. Taylor deeming the chance for getting his right from the Company better than from speculators of the kind to which Mr. Green belonged, desired me to go to Green Bay and enter the land. In just fifteen minutes after Taylor came into the house, I departed on my errand of justice. Taking a lunch for dinner, I struck out on the old Indian trail for Fond du Lac, and reached that hamlet about sun- set, without having seen any one on the way. Putting up at the " Badger House," then the largest hotel in the place, I there found all my competitors ; and not only slept in the room, but actually slept in the same bed with one of them, without exciting the least suspicion of my business. Next morning, I started for Green Bay, which point I reached, entered the land, and made several miles on my way back before meeting Mr. Green. He never guessed what was my business until he laid upon the counter of the receiver (Elisha Morrow) the numbers of land he desired to enter, when he was modestly informed that the particular tract had been entered by Mr. Warren on the previous day. The Iron Company was glad enough to get the land, it being covered with a heavy growth of hard maple timber, which the Company wanted for making charcoal. They did the square thing by Mr. Taylor, paying him handsomely for his claim.
The first marriage ceremony performed in the town of Hubbard took place at my house, and was of a very primitive character. Joseph Hall, Esq., of Walworth County, and Miss Lydia M. Warren, of Hubbard, were to be united in the bonds of matrimony. The time was set for January 26, 1846, the guests all present and waiting for the appearance of the magistrate. The nearest officer, clothed with authority to perform such ceremony, was Barnabas Snow, Esq., of Oak Grove, thirteen miles distant. Mr. Snow had been called upon, and had promised to be on hand. But, as frequently happens in the course of " true love " affairs, a big snow-storm set in on the morning of the 26th, and Mr. Snow being somewhat advanced in years, the result was, no officer of the law was there present to unite two loving hearts and make them beat as one. After waiting till late in the evening, and it then appearing certain that Mr. Snow would not come, and Mr. Hall's business rendering it necessary for him to return as soon as possible, and not liking the thought of returning without his bride, Collins Bishop came to the relief of the anxiously waiting party with a proposition that the couple marry themselves. Mr. Hall, himself a Justice of the Peace, and knowing that such marriage would be in all respects legal and binding, took the bride elect by the hand and called the party to witness that "I take this woman to be my lawfully wedded wife," etc. The lady then declared in the presence of the witnesses there assembled, " I take this man to be my lawfully wedded husband," etc. The union proved to be a happy one, neither of the contracting parties ever having occasion to regret the steps then taken.
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