The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc, Part 85

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 774

USA > Wisconsin > Dodge County > The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc > Part 85

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The first general store was owned by C. O. Page, and was established in 1856.

A post office had long been held in the neighborhood, and on completion of the railroad, was moved to the village and its name changed from Upton to Rubicon.

The first hotel was built in 1857, by Stoughton Rickard, who sold the same to Edward Judd. Shortly after the close of the war, it passed into the hands of M. Trumer, its present owner. It stands directly opposite the depot and enjoys a good run of trade.

The village has a population of about one hundred, composed principally of Germans. The community immediately surrounding it is, likewise, German, and that language is used far more than the English in the transaction of business, and in general conversation. But one religious denomination is represented, that of the Catholics, who have a large church building, erected in 1871, at a cost of about $5,000. The membership of the church is represented by about sixty families. Father Schaaf is the officiating priest, and, we believe, enjoys the confi- dence of his members and the respect of the community. A parochial school is held under the auspices of the Church, with about forty-five scholars in attendance. William Moser is the Principal, and the German language is taught exclusively. In addition to this, there are three district schools within convenient distance from the village, where those inclined have the privi- lege of sending their children.

This village is the home of G. W. Morse, Esq., the gentlemanly and efficient County Sur- veyor. All communications addressed to him at this place will receive prompt attention.

There are here for the accommodation of the public, one general store, by John Labuwi, two blacksmith-shops, two wagon-shops, two shoe-shops, two hotels, three saloons (two of which are in connection with the hotels), one harness-shop, and one grain elevator.

The village and township are Democratic.

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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.

PORTLAND.

In the extreme southwest part of the county lies the village of Portland, the first settle- ment of which was made in the fall of 1843, by Alex Campbell, who selected one quarter of Section 32, as the site for his future home, and for the purpose of laying it out in a "future great city." Mr. C. was soon afterward re-enforced by George Powers, Cyrus Perry, D. V. Knowlton, K. P. Clark, D. Clark, William Austin and others, who each selected their quarters in close proximity, and the work of clearing the timber began.

The selection of this site for a village by Mr. Campbell was on account of the excellent water-power afforded by Waterloo Creek, at this point, but at appears that it was two years before he erected the saw-mill, which, in this country, has always seemed the first thing to be done in the beginning of a new place. In 1844, he had a survey and plat of the village made, and settlers began to be attracted here, for in that year we learn that one Cone started a blacksmith shop, while Chalmers opened a store, and Williams a hotel. In the fall of that same year a log schoolhouse was erected, and "reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic" were taught therein.

The "great expectations" of Portland, up to the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- · dred and eighty, have failed to be realized, and her brightest hopes have been "nipped in the bud." In the early day, before railroads began to cut their way through timber and prairie, it seemed inevitable that it should be made one of the first villages or cities in the land. At one time, we find in the place six general stores, two hotels, and all the other trades that go to make up a thriving place well represented. A plank-road was built from Watertown, and travel could pro- ceed any season of the year. But alas ! the railroad never came. Two companies surveyed lines through the place, but other attractions drew them away. Whether they shall ever regain what they have lost time alone will tell. The situation of the village is good, and if a railroad should be built through the place, doubtless they will easily recover. At present they have no post-office.

NEOSHO.

The village of Neosho is situated on portions of Sections 29 and 30, of Rubicon Township, and is a quiet, healthy, and thriving every-day village, with a population ranging somewhere in the neighborhood of three hundred and fifty. It has a goodly number of humming mills, busy shops, business-like stores, and comfortable homes, to say nothing of honest men and fair women, in whose features are blended the rosy tints of health and beauty.

The first settler whose ax broke the stillness of the forest was Daniel E. Cotton. Accom- panied by an old gentleman by the name of Rathburn, Mr. Cotton "pitched his tent " there in the month of February, 1845. Soon after his arrival, he commenced the erection of a saw-mill on the Rubicon River, which two years later he sold to Mr. L. S. Van Orden. In the follow- ing spring, Mr. Dennison Baker, one of the most substantial citizens of the town, located here ; and the second year of the settlement, others arrived in considerable number, and the country began rapidly to develop into fine farms under the hardy strokes and energy of the new settlers.

Sylvester Taylor, the first Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, was from this village. Mr. T. afterward moved to Watertown, in this State, and engaged in newspaper work, after which he went to Oregon, where he died.

The first store here was conducted by L. S. Van Orden. He was one of the most noble and charitable men who lived in the county, and died April 30, 1858.

The first school in the village was taught by Miss Melissa Darling.

There are two churches here, Methodist and (German) Catholic, each occupying good, sub- stantial buildings.

, 570

HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.

LOWELL.

The first settlement of this place was about the year 1846, Henry Finney at that time erecting a grist-mill on the Beaver Dam River, the water-power here being excellent for that purpose. Mr. Finney soon after associated with him in the business Clark Lawton and Shel- don Fox, the property a little later being transferred to Lawton, Finney & Van Kirk. It was destroyed by fire in 1858.

J. J. Williams settled here in 1849. At that time, says Mr. Williams, from whom we obtained the facts here given, the town was very thickly settled, for a new country, and inhabited principally by Americans, though there was a sprinkling of German and Irish among the number. It was a rich agricultural town. At present, nearly all the original settlers are gone, some moving away, and others going to that "undiscovered country from which no traveler returns." There were two merchants in the place, one by the name of Patton; one small hotel, kept by Charles Walker, who also carried on a tailor-shop, and which was known as the "Star and Garter." Finney & Lawton, in addition to their grist-mill, had a saw-mill on the opposite side of the river. Andrew Jones was Postmaster. Mr. Williams opened a stock of general merchandise, and continued in the business until 1865.

Mr. Jones, the first Postmaster, was succeeded by J. J. Williams, followed by David S. Bertie, J. W. Lumbgen and Philip Reinhart, who is the present incumbent.

The C., M. & St. P. Railroad, running within a short distance of the village, has hindered its progress, and it cannot be said to be as prosperous as in former years, though a good business is being done by its merchants.

There are four churches in the place-Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran and Dutch Reformed, and the Masons and Odd Fellows have Lodges.

DANVILLE.

The village of Danville was laid out by Daniel E. Bassett, on a part of Section 21, Mr. B. owning the land upon which it was located. It is the only village in the town, and the place in which the town business is transacted. Its growth has been limited and, after the lapse of thirty years, its population does not exceed what it was at that time. Daniel E. Bassett opened the first store, and one of the first physicians in the village was Dr. C. W. Bond. A young physician, with the ink hardly dry upon his diploma, Dr. Bond located in this place, and soon, by attention to the wants of his patients and skill in his profession, he obtained a large and lucrative practice, which, on account of the desire of his wife to return East, the climate not agreeing with her, he was compelled to abandon. Returning to the State of New York, he followed his profession until the breaking-out of the war, when he was appointed Surgeon of one of the New York regiments, and was sent to the Gulf, where, in a short time, he was made Medical Director, and continued in this responsible position to the close of the war, when he returned to New York, resumed his professional duties, and remained for about four years, when he removed to Lake County, Ill., where he has since continued to reside.

The school in Danville is one of the best in the county, and, in the winter of 1879-80, was under charge of Mr. Knowlton, Principal and Teacher in the High School, and Miss Alena Chamberlain, Assistant.

In the village is found one general store, one shoe-shop, two blacksmith-shops, and one wagon-shop.

MINNESOTA JUNCTION.

But little can be said of this village further than that it is the crossing of the Chicago & North-Western and Northern Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and that considerable transfer business is here transacted.

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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.

Monroe Voorhees was the owner of the land upon which the village is located and had it platted in 1868. A station-house was erected here on the completion of the roads, which arrived in the place within a few hours of each other, the North-Western making the best time, thus giving the St. Paul road the privilege of keeping crossings in repair.

A large depot dining-house was erected here, and for a time trains stopped for meals, but this is not now done.

James M. Voorhees, Jacob W. Scholl, and E. D. Eldred, have dispensed the favors of Uncle Sam in the village post office. The latter is the present Postmaster.

There are here one feed-mill, one general store, one blacksmith and wheelwright, one cigar manufactory, one hotel and two saloons.

The village is located in Oak Grove Township, and its business is cut off by Juneau on the south, Burnett Junction on the north, Horicon on the east, and Rolling Prairie on the west.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ABBREVIATIONS.

Oo ... ...........

.Company or unty

W. V.I Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry dir.

P. O. Post Office W. V. A. Wisconsin Volunteer A 'illery

W. V. C .. Wisconsin Volunteers Clry

tealer

S. or Sec. Section

st .. .. street

BEAVER: DAM TOWNSHIP.

MRS. ELIZABETH ANTON

widow, Sec. 20 ; P. O. Beaver Dam ; her maiden name was Elizabeth Pye ; born in Wisconsin. Many d, in Oneida Co., N. Y., Mr. Thomas Antone, a cabinet- maker, who was born in Chenango Co., N. Y they came to Wisconsin in 1853; located at Menasha, where he worked at his trade until his death, ¿

1, 1854; they had five sons, four of whom entered the army during the rebellion ; Benjamin and Co elius enlisted in Fond du Lac, in W. V. I .; Abraham and Joseph enlisted in. Co. D, 26th N. Y. V .; Benjamin was lost in the army ; Charles H. died, and the others are still living; Mrs. Antone died in the fall of 1879.

WILLIAM ASHTON, blacksmit - born in England July 30, 1820, and came to Wiscon- sin July 17, 1849, locating at Beaver Dam .; hà England ; he then went to New York City, and Beaver Dam, and haIght out Shaw & Haskell" until the breaking-out of the war; in the fal' name of Ashton & and, in partnersh* and groceries, a 1

gerved an apprenticeship of seven years at his trade in worked as journeyman for three years; he then came to vagyon and blacksmith shop, and carried on blacksmithing 1862, in connection with Wm. Keieger, under the firm gieger, bought out Joh th Mr. Hanson, firm ox epson, and continued for three years ; he then sold out, on & Ashton, bought a bankrupt stock of dry goods intinued in this busine for three years ; he then bought a lot of Mr. Bower, on 10, 1861, in Co. fr. Front street, bui a blacksmith-shop, and is now carrying on the business at this place. He enlisted May th W. V. I., Col. Cobb, and was engaged in the battles of Lee's Mills and Will- iamsburg; he was then detailed into the brigade blacksmith shop, in the shoeing department ; on account of rheumatic forer, he received his discharge June 21, 1862; in 1878 he was elected Alderman of the Third Ward, wich office he now holds. He married, Aug. 12, 1847, Mary Feron, of New York City ; he has three ch ren-William G., Mary E. and Isabella E. Mrs. Ashton is a member of the First Presbyterian Cl urch.

DR. J. H. BABCOCK was born in Brookfield, Madison Co., N. Y., on Sept. 19, 1826, and came to Wisconsin June 5, 1848, locating at Noyes' Corners, where he engaged in the practice of medi- cine for one year ; he graduated at the Castleton Medical College, Castleton, Vt., and in 1850, came to Beaver Dam, where he engaged in the practice of his profession ; in 1855, he was elected Town Treasurer, and in 1856, he was City Treasurer of Beaver Dam; in 1856, he started a drug store, which was burned down in 1862; in 1862, he was appointed U. S. Collector for the Fourth Collection District of Wiscon- sin ; in 1865, he was elected a member of the SchoolBoard, which position he has held for twelve years. Dr. Babcock married, Sept. 23, 1849, Mary M. Whitaker, of Massachusetts ; he has two children living-Mary Jeanette and Benj. F. Butler.

SYLVESTER H. BAILEY, railroad contractor; born in Townsend, Windham Co., Vt., May 20, 1829 ; resided in Vermont until he was 21 years of age, then went to Ohio; was a resident of Cleveland about six years. Married, at Waynesburg, Stark Co., Ohio, Jan. 8, 1856, to Sarah Jane Ross ; they have two children-James R. and Jennie E. \Mr. Bailey came to Beaver Dam in April, 1858, he has been engaged in railroad contracting, construction, etc., most of the time since he came to Wisconsin.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

J. H. BARRETT, book-keeper; born in Cavendish, Windsor Co., Vt., on Feb. 2, 1856, and came to Wisconsin in May, 1856, locating at Beaver Dam ; he received his early education in Jefferson Co., and the Denmark Academy, in Lewis Co., N. Y .; in Denmark he ran a stationary engine in summer and taught school in winter, until 1856, when he came to Beaver Dam, where he at first engaged in buy- ing wheat ; this he continued twelve years; in 1870, he took the position of book-keeper in the First National Bank of Beaver Dam, which position he now holds ; was, for four or five terms, Alderman of Beaver Dam ; in 1866, was Treasurer of Beaver Dam; in 1878, was elected School Commissioner of the Third Ward, which office he now holds. He married, Sept. 20, 1851, Abby E. Clark, of Denmark, N. Y. ; he has four children-Charles H. C., Frankie L., Edward E. and John H.

MATHIAS BAER, deceased, was born in Germany April 8, 1817 ; at the age of 14 he began the carpenter and joiner's trade, which he followed till 1853; in 1853, he came to America, and settled in South Beaver Dam, Dodge Co., Wis., for one year, then removed to the town of Calamus for ten years and fol- lowed farming; in 1870, he bought a farm of seventy-seven acres in Sec. 35, town of Beaver Dam, where he made his home till his death, Sept. 21, 1879. April 11,1847, he married Miss Catharine, daughter of Jacob and Mary Rabach, of Germany, whom he left a widow with eleven children-Joseph, Mathias, George, Katie (now Mrs. Frank Uher, of Beaver Dam, Wis.), Mary (Mrs. Herman), Kressa, Peter, Paul, Francis, John, Annie and Jacob. They are members of the Catholic Church of Beaver Dam.

ALONZO W. BELLOWS, agent, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Co .; born in Tully, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Oct. 29, 1829 ; when he was about 6 years of age his parents removed, with their family, to Homer, Cortland Co., N. Y. ; resided there six years, then located for two years at East Homer ; afterward lived at McGrawville, in Cortland Co., until he was 24 years of age ; in March, 1856, he came to Hartford, Wis., and remained there eleven years, agent of the railroad company at that point during this period ; after spending a few months in Fond du Lac, and about one year in Milwaukee, he came to Beaver Dam in October, 1868, and has been engaged in business as agent for the railway company ever since ; while a resident of the State of New York, he worked at his trade, chair-maker ; in addition to his railroad business here, he deals in salt, cement, lime, plaster, etc. He was married at McGrawville, N. Y., June 17, 1851, to Miss Clara S. Holmes ; she was born in Solon, N. Y .; they have one son- Willie Grant.

P. BINZEL, brewer, Beaver Dam; born in Germany July 4, 1833; came to Wisconsin in June, 1857, locating at Milwaukee; he learned the brewery business in Milwaukee, with Jos. Schlitz and Valentine Blatz; he then worked in a brewery at Two Rivers, for Mr. Miller; on Oct. 1, 1863, he started a brewery at Waupun, which burned down ; in April, 1866, he went to Beaver Dam, and bought the Farmers' Brewery, from Mr. Schutte, which he is now running; in 1870, he was Alderman of. the First Ward, and, with the exception of one term, has been Alderman ever since. He married, in July, 1863, Louisa Martz, of England; he has six children-Edward H., Mary Clotilda, John Alvin, Philip Rudolphe, Alma Louisa and Hellmuth Philip.

H. BOOTH, merchant tailor; born in Moravia, Cayuga Co., N. Y., March 25, 1825, and came to Wisconsin Sept. 26, 1846, locating in Beaver Dam ; he learned his trade in Moravia; on moving to Beaver Dam he opened a merchant tailor's establishment, which he is continuing still; in the spring of 1852, he was elected Treasurer of Beaver Dam Township; was also Alderman of the Second Ward one term ; in 1860, was Treasurer of the city of Beaver Dam; in 1876, he was Alderman of the Fourth Ward one term. He married, June 24, 1847, Sarah G. Ordway, of Hancock, N. H .; he has five chil- dren-Helen Leona, Clara Lydia, Sarah Bell, Willis Hiram and Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Booth are mem- bers of the Episcopal Church.

R. V. BOGERT, Postmaster; was born in Claverick, N. Y., July 3, 1819, and came to Wis- consin the fore part of October, 1849, locating in Beaver Dam; in Chenango Co., N. Y., he received his early education, and assisted his father on the farm; in Tioga Co., he was a clerk in a general store, after which he moved to Owego, N. Y., and hired out to a firm to lumber-it up and down the Susquehanna River ; this he continued for eight years ; from Owego he moved to Beaver Dam ; in 1849, started a gen- eral store ; bought an interest in a flour-mill in 1854, also an interest in the woolen-mills ; this was contin- ued seven years, under the firm name of Lewis & Bogert; he then entered the banking business, opening the Dodge County Bank, under the State law, which he continued until 1861; in 1860, he started the Waushara County Bank, at Wautoma, which he continued until 1861 ; Mr. Bogert has held the following offices : In 1851-52, was Town Treasurer; in 1862, was appointed U. S. Assistant Assessor for Dodge Co., which he held until 1865 ; in about 1868, he was again U. S. Assistant Assessor, and held that office until its expiration ; in 1861, he was Mayor of Beaver Dam ; in 1876, he was appointed Postmaster of Beaver Dam, which position he now holds ; Mr. Bogert also represents the following fire, life and accident

575

BEAVER DAM TOWNSHIP.

insurance companies : Liverpool & London & Globe; the Royal, of Liverpool ; the Lancashire, of Manchester; the Queen, of London ; Continental, of New York ; Connecticut, of Hartford ; Pennsylvania, of Philadel- phia ; Fireman's Fund, of California ; Westchester, of New York; Watertown, of New York; North- western National, of Milwaukee; Northwestern Mutual Life, of Milwaukee, and the Travelers' Accident of Hartford. Mr. Bogert was married in March, 1844, to Celinda Leonard, of New York ; he has eight children living, named Agnes, Robert, Henrietta, Henry, Lucy, Nellie, Charles and Lottie. Mr. and Mrs. Bogert are attendants of the Congregational Church.

W. H. BRACKIN, carpenter, joiner and builder; is a native of Madison Co., N. Y .; born in 1818. At the age of 22, he began the carpenter and joiner's trade, which he has since followed ; in 1855, he came to Beaver Dam, Wis., where he has been connected with the erection of some of the most prom- inent buildings of the city. In 1848, he married Maria L. Cowen, of Madison Co., N. Y. They attend the Presbyterian Church.

GEORGE A. BROWN, proprietor livery stable, was born in Newark, N. J., March 24, 1840, and came to Wisconsin in 1842, locating in Racine; from Racine he moved to Beaver Dam, at first assisting his father, and after farming it on his own account until 1872, when he went into the livery, sale and boarding stable business in partnership with his brother, under the firm name of Mann, Brown & Co. Mr. Brown married, Jan. 1, 1862, Ellen H. Porter, of Londonderry, Ireland ; he has four children-William Porter, Georgia May, Maggie Julia and Anna Mary. Mr. and Mrs. Brown are members of the First Presbyterian Church.

JOHN BROWN, farmer ; Sec. 33; P. O. Beaver Dam. The subject of this sketch is a native of Argyle, Washington Co., N. Y., son of Archibald and Fannie Brown, nee Horth ; born in October, 1824. When he was quite young his parents removed to Livingston Co., N. Y. ; here he received a common school education, and led the life of a farmer till 22 years of age; in 1846, came to Dodge Co., Wis., and settled on a farm in the town of Trenton, which was his home till 1865; in 1857-58, he was employed as guard and overseer in the stone-shop of the State Prison at Waupun, under Gen. Starks. At Ripon, Wis., in October, 1861, he enlisted in Co. K, of the 1st W. V. C., under Col. Daniels; was in the battles of Cape Girardeau, Mo., Chickamauga, Tenn., Marietta, Stony Face, Buzzard's Roost, and Atlanta ; was mustered out of service at Calhoun, Ga., Oct. 31, 1864, when he returned to Trenton and continued farming for one year ; in 1865, on account of ill health, he sold that farm and purchased 14 71-100 acres in Sec. 33, and within the city limits of Beaver Dam, where he has led a more retired life ; in 1847, he returned to York, Livingston Co., N. Y., where, June 12 of that year, he married Mrs. Mary A., daughter of Robert P. and Sarah McGlashan nee Holmes, and soon came again with her to enjoy his Western home. They have had three children-America L., deceased, Frank D. of Gary, Deuel Co., Dak., and Fannie N. Religiously, Mr. Brown is a Universalist.

REV. J. BUCKLEY, Pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Beaver Dam; was born in the town of Mallow, County Cork, Ireland, November, 1846, and came to Wisconsin September, 1870, locating in Milwaukee ; he received his early education in the Abbey of Mount Mellery, Ireland ; he took his classical course there and his theological course in All-Hallow College, Dublin ; he was ordained June 24, 1869, and his first charge was as Assistant Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's Catholic Church, in Logans- port, Ind .; he then went to Milwaukee as Assistant Priest of St. John's Cathedral; in 1871, he came to Beaver Dam as Pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, which pastorate he now holds.

HON. SAMUEL D. BURCHARD, farmer ; P. O. Beaver Dam ; was born in Leyden, Lewis Co., N. Y., July 17, 1835, and came to Wisconsin in 1843, locating at Waukesha; in 1856, he com- menced his business life by driving a stage on the overland route for Wells, Butterfield & Co., and in the same year took charge of a plantation in Central Missouri, and was engaged in stock-raising for five years ; after which he purchased a coal mine in Johnson Co., Mo., and from it supplied the Missouri Pacific R. R., Leavenworth, Kansas City, Sedalia, and intermediate points, selling to the above railroad the first coal they ever burnt in a locomotive; in 1858, he went to Beaver Dam, and, in connection with Mr. McFet- ridge, under the firm name of McFetridge, Burchard & Co., commenced the manufacture of woolen goods. This he continued until 1879, when he purchased a farm of 200 acres in Trenton Township, where he commenced farming on a large scale and with the most pleasing success. During the late war, he was Master of Transportation of Central Missouri until March 24, 1862, and until Sept. 18, 1862, was Master of Transportation of the Fifth Division of Grant's Army; in the fall of the same year, he was placed in charge of the receipt and distribution of the supplies for the Army of the Potomac ; in the fall of 1863, he was sent by the Government to New York City to purchase forage, in the open market, for the supply of all the armies operating on the seaboard ; his disbursements, while on duty in New York City, reached the enormous figure of $1,800,000 per month ; he sent in his resignation in July, 1865, and it was not

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :

accepted until Oct. 31, 1865. Mr. Burchard has held the following offices, viz. : Mayor of Beaver Dam, one term ; State Senator, two terms, and, in 1874, he was elected to Congress and served one term. He was married June 9, 1859, to Mary Jane Simmons, of Missouri; he has eight children living, named William T., Charles A., Martha E., Agnes M., Samuel F., Jennie, Esther, Susan.

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The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc, Part 85

Author: Western Historical Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 774

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 774