The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 142

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899

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THOMAS MENZIES, JR., farmer, Secs. 4 and 5; P. O. Milton Junction; born in Scotland in 1826 ; received a good education; he was raised on a farm; at an early age, after leaving school, he commenced to assist his father on the farm. Thomas married in Scotland, in 1853, Miss Isabella McIntosh. who was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1829; have five children-Thomas, Isabella, John, William and Grace ; Mr. Menzies came with his family direct from Scotland to Wisconsin; located and engaged at farming in Harmony, where he worked a few years then went to Johnstown Township, where he managed a farm till 1869, when he returned to Harmony Township and bought a farm of W. Austin ; the farm ou which his family now live, of one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred under cultivation ; he raises the usual crops, also cattle, horses, etc. Thomas Menzies, Jr., has entire charge and is working the farm success fully ; married in Janesville, June 22, 1877, Miss Adelia Barker; has one child-Minnie; Thomas is Independent in politics ; liberal in religion.

BARNEY MILLEN, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. East Milton; borr. in County Cavan, Ireland, in January, 1801 ; lived on a farm ; he was deprived of a liberal education, but he is a man of ability and strictly straightforward and honorable in all of his dealings ; he married in County Cavan, Ireland, in April 1843, Miss Bridget Masterson, born in the same county in 1819; they had six children, five living : John, born in Ireland, January, 1844; Michael, born in Ireland, September, 1845; Margaret, born in Ire- land 1848; Owen, born in Wisconsin, 1856; Eliza, born in Wisconsin, -; Mr. Millen came to America in 1851, located in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, lived there from Thanksgiving Day till June, 1851, when he came with his family to Wisconsin, located at Rock Co., Harmony Township and engaged at farming ; he worked farm on shares for a few years with good success; in 1860, he bought forty acres of land, on which he is living; in 1864, he purchased eighty more acres adjoining, ten of which is timber ; he now owny altogether one hundred and twenty acres of land which he has improved ; raises a variety of crops ; takes an interest in tobacco raising, which is said to be the most profitable crop in this part of the State; he raises cows, horses, Poland-China and Berkshire hogs, Leicestershire sheep etc .; he has on his place an ex- cellent wind-mill, commodious barns, etc .; Democrat ; members of the Janesville Catholic Church.

CHARLES E. MILLER, farmer, Sec. 16; P. O. Janesville ; born in Otsego Co., N. Y .. Aug. 13. 1838 ; he is the son of Cornelius and Celinda Miller; his father was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., Feb. 2, 1801 ; at an early age he learned the carpenter's trade ; afterward learned the flour-milling business ; he put in his time till 27 years of age, when he took up thirty-seven acres of land in Hemlock Prairie. N. Y. Married, in Otsego Co., N. Y., Feb. 17, 1825, Miss Celinda Smith, who was born Jan. 10. 1801, in Otsego Co., N. Y .; they had ten children, eight are living-George, Jeremiah, Justina, Margaret,

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Lucilla, Charles E., Leander S., Israel, Clark ; the latter is now a physician, practicing medicine. Mr. Miller, Sr., came with his family to Wisconsin, in the spring of 1842, and bought 160 acres of land in Janesville Township; he returned to New York State and remained there till 1845 ; he came again to Wisconsin, bringing his family with him. This time he bought 240 acres of land in Harmony Township; to this farm he moved his family, and went to work industriously and built barns, granary, outbuilding, house, etc. Mr. Miller, Sr., always led an energetic life, and was a successful farmer ; few men in Har- mony Township were as much respected. He was identified with the interest and prosperity of his town- ship. He held, at various times, the following offices : served as Treasurer of Harmony Township, Justice of the Peace, he was one of the delegates to the first Free-Soil Convention, which was held at Madison. He was an ardent advocate of the temperance cause, always and ever striving to do good; he died Nov. 26, 18 -; his wife died Aug. 26, 1869. Charles E., the subject of this sketch, received a good education, and learned farming thoroughly; he succeeded his father on the old homestead ; he was heir to eighty acres, which he still owns and lives on and works successfully ; he also has the management of forty acres ; his farm is well stocked, with a full-blooded Ayrshire bull, half Jersey and Durham grade cattle, Berk- shire and Poland-China hogs, and he takes much pride in raising stock. Married, in Harmony Township, July 2, 1863, Sarah E. Glazier, who was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., N. Y., in 1846; they have four children-Julia, Bertha, Guy, James St. John. Mr. Miller is Independent in politics and liberal in religion.

F. E. OSBORN, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Milton ; born in Genesee Co., near Attica, N. Y., in March. 1827 ; he is a son of Chauncy and Polly Osborn; his father was born in New York in 1798; when quite young he commenced farming; in 1812, he enlisted in the Revolutionary war; served one year and a half as a drummer-boy ; part of the time on picket ; he was then only 14 years of age; mustered out in 1814; returned to his home and re-engaged at farming. Married in New York in 1816; his wife was born in 1798; they had twelve children ; eight are living-Leonard, William, Mary, F. E., Lucinda, Julia, Hattie, Hattie ; they came with their children to Wisconsin in 1843, and located at Oconomowoc, Waukesha Co .; in 1844, purchased a farm, on which they lived and worked till 1857, then removed to Harmony Township; bought a farm of 160 acres; his father was a farmer ; died in 1876; his mother still survives him ; their son, F. E., assisted his parents on the farm. Married in Johnstown, in January, 1852, Miss Lydia Cary, who was born in Boston, Erie Co., N. Y .; they have no children ; in 1853, F. E. purchased the farm he now owns, consisting of eighty acres, well improved. Mr. Osborn is a member of the Johnstown Free Baptist Church. He enlisted in Co. E. 22d Wis. V. I., in September, 1862; he was one of the soldiers who crossed the pontoon bridge over the Ohio River at Cincinnati; by exposure in service he was taken sick and laid up in the Lexington (Ky.) Hospital for eight weeks; in December, 1862, on account of illness, was discharged and returned to Harmony ; was confined to the house for six weeks; recovered health, and re-engaged at farming. Republican. ·

PHILLIP RHODES, farmer, Secs. 18 and 19; P. O. Janesville; born in Yorkshire, Eng., Dec. 26, 1818 ; lived on a farm ; he received a common school-education ; at an early age he commenced farming in Yorkshire, which occupation he energetically followed until the spring of 1841, when he moved to Canada and located in Brock well, where he lived till 1843; leaving there, he went to St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., where he engaged at farming and followed it until 1847, then came to Chicago; was proprietor till 1848 of a hotel on the Galena & Chicago Railway, sixteen miles from Chicago; in 1850, he went to Free- port, Stephenson Co., Ill., where, in partnership with his brother William H., he bought a farm of 400 acres, wild prairie land, which they improved ; in 1853, Phillip sold his interest in the farm, then went on a gold expedition to Australia ; stayed at Melbourne only a short time, then wandered over Australia, prospecting and mining ; he returned in 1856 to Freeport, where he kept a meat market which proved profitable ; sometime afterward engaged in farming in Stephenson Co., Ill. Married in Freeport, Dec. 8, 1861, Miss Mary Lowes, who was born in Lincolnshire, Eng. ; they have five children-Charles L., Edgar, Carrie E., Frederick and Nellie. Mr. R. is taking much pride in giving his children a good education ; he came from Freeport with his family to Rock Co., Wis., in 1874, and bought a farm of Capt. Cangell in Har- mony of 105 acres ; land all under cultivation ; raises a variety of crops; he is trying tobacco this year ; his farm is well improved. Republican.

JAMES P. SHIELDS, farmer, Sec. 17; P. O. Janesville; born in the village of Lyons, Wayne Co., N. Y .; he is the son of James and Susan Shields; his father was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, 1802; at an early age, he learned the trade of carriage-building; in spring of 1822, came to St. John, N. B., where he was employed in the navy yard for a short time; late in the same year, he went to Boston, Mass., where he worked at his trade until August, 1823, at which time he took his departure for Albany, N. Y., where he sought and secured employment at Gould's carriage-factory, where

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he remained for years; he assisted in ironing-off the cars first run on the Albany & Schenectady R. R., which was the first railroad ever built in the United States. Married, about the year 1832, in Albany, N. Y., Miss Susan Simmonds, who was born near Schenectady, N. Y., in 1804; the result of their union was seven children-John, born April 25, 1834 ; William, Jan. 17, 1840; Charles, June 6, 1842; Rob- ert, June 2, 1845; Almen, May 4, 1848; Fanny E., Jan. 18, 1850; James, Aug. 24, 1837. Their parents came to Wisconsin in June, 1847; located in Rock Township; bought a farm of 240 acres, on which he worked industriously, and prospered finely ; his sons were industrious, and assisted him much ; Mr. Shields, Sr., is still living on his farm in Rock Township; after a painful illness his wife died in April, 1868; his daughter, Mary E., married Henry Kayler, who is living on and managing the old homestead ; James P., the principal subject of this sketch, received a common-school education ; always was industrious ; assisted his father on the farm till the spring of 1861; at that time, his father bought, in Harmony, 160 acres, 80 of which he gave to his son ; James appreciates this gift, and has made some handsome improvements; built barn, granary, neat, tasty frame house ; cozy home, and managing eighty acres besides ; raises a variety of crops ; he is prospering finely. Married, in Fort Wayne, Ind., October, 1863, Miss Anna Hopple, who was born in Allen Co., Ind., July 30, 1843; the result of their happy union has been five children ; four are living-Nevada, Penola, William, Emma. Mr. Shields is liberal in religion ; has always voted the Republican ticket.

WILLIAM SPAULDING, farmer, Secs. 8, 17, and 20 ; P. O. Janesville; born in Brad ford Co., Penn., in August, 1807; he came with his brother, Joseph, to Wisconsin in 1836; settled in Racine Co .; remained only a short time there ; came to Rock Co., and located in Harmony Township; in the fall of 1837, pre-empted 160 acres of wild land, which they cleared and cultivated; when land came into the market, in 1842, bought 1,040 acres of land in Harmony. William returned to Bradford Co., Penn., in 1839, and there married Miss Alma H. Wright, born in Connecticut, in 1809; with his wife he returned to his farm in Wisconsin. Had five children, two now living-Owen and Harriet; their mother died in August, 1860. He married again in 1862 ; by this marriage has one son-Edward. Mr. Spaulding and his brother, Joseph, divided their land in 1848, Joseph taking 480 acres and William 560 acres ; since then he has made additional purchases ; at one time 160 acres, at another time 180. He now owns altogether 900 acres well-improved land. Mr. Spaulding is living in the house which he built in 1849; he has never found it necessary to reshingle nor to replaster the house, and it bids fair to stand good for twenty years longer. His residence stands back 600 feet from the roadway ; he has a lawn, adorned with shrubbery-one of the most picturesque places in Rock Co. He raises grain, tobacco, vege- tables ; Durham grade cattle; Merino, Spanish and Cotswold sheep-has about 200 head ; they average an annual shear of five pounds of wool each ; has twenty-five head of Poland-China hogs ; thirteen head of horses-Morgan, Black Hawk, Magna Charta. In 1878, Mr. Spaulding had 6 acres of land which yielded 301 bushels of wheat ; corn, averages forty bushels to the acre ; oats, sixty bushels ; rye, twenty-five bushels ; buck wheat, thirty bushels. In the early days, their markets were poor; they had to draw their produce to Madison and sometimes to Fort Winnebago.

JOHN STOCKMAN, farmer, Secs. 36, Harmony, and 31, Milton ; P. O. Janesville; born in county of Antrim, Ireland, September, 1827; son of James and Rebecca Stockman; they had six children, five are living-John, Robert, Jane, Hugh and Rebecca ; they came with their parents to Phil- adelphia, Penn .. in July, 1831 ; they lived there till November, 1834; then went to Northumberland, Saratoga Co., N. Y .; they worked a farm till 1843, then came, together with their parents, to Rock Co., Wis .; their father located and bought a farm in Harmony Township. His father farmed until his death, in March, 1873; his mother died in Harmony March 4, 1876. John received a fair education, and at an early age commenced farming; he owns 214 acres, well improved ; has some thorough-bred Durham cattle, Durham grades, Cotswold sheep, Poland-China hogs, Morgan horses and Normans crossed. He married, in Milton, December, 1853, Miss Elizabeth Nicholson, a native of Lincolnshire, Eng. They have had ten children, nine are living-Robert H., William J., John, Rebecca A., Sophia, Martha J., Ellen E., Matilda and Mary E. In 1862, he was elected and served one term as member of the Board of Supervisors ; in 1862, was elected Assessor, and re-elected every consecutive year till 1868; he was also Chairman of the Town Board for one term on the Republican ticket. He is a successful farmer and a man of considerable literary taste, and a good, enterprising citizen. During the late war, he willingly contributed $500 toward the raising of troops ; he is now Independent in politics. He and his family are devoted members of the Janesville Presbyterian Church.

W. I. WADE, farmer, See. 19; P. O. Janesville ; born in Eaton Township, Madison Co., N. Y., in April, 1840; he is the son of Horace B. and Emeline Wade. His father was born in Providence, R. I., i May. 1806; granted a fair education. His life was spent at the milling business. Married Emeline

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Thiel, who was born in New York in July. 1819. They had five children, all are living-Elizabeth, Susan A., Alvord, Emma, William L. Some years after he married, he moved to Madison Co., N. Y., where he owned and operated a mill up to the year 1853, at which time he came with his family to Wisconsin, and located in Harmony Township, and worked a farm till the spring of 1870, at which time he went with his family to Vernon Co., Wis., where he is at present engaged in farming. Their son William remained in Harmony Township. Married, in Harmony, in May, 1874, Mrs. Mary Zimmerman, a native of England; she was a widow with three children. The result of this marriage is two children. Mr. Wade is running and working a farm on Section 19, in Harmony. His farm is handsomely improved; good barn, stable, granary, etc. ; comfortable house. Mr. Wade votes the Republican ticket.

C. V. WHIPPLE, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Janesville; born in Washington Co., N. Y., in Sep- tember, 1837 ; he received a common-school education ; apprenticed himself to learn the shoemaking trade; served three years. When a journeyman, he worked in La Grange, N. Y .; part of his time at farming. Married, in June, 1858, in North Adams, Berkshire Co., Mass., Miss Minerva Lamphire, who was also born in New York. They have five children-Frank, Bim, Minnie, Edward and Frederick. Mr. Whipple and his family came to Madison, Wis., in 1862, where he was employed at manufacturing reapers and mowers for a few months ; went to Milwaukee, and worked at shoemaking till the spring of 1863, then returned to Madison, and worked at his former business till the fall of 1863, then, with his family, returned to Washington Co., N. Y .. intending to remain, but, in 1864, came to Milwaukee, and Mr. Whipple was employed at shoemaking by Bradley & Metcalf, until 1873; then came to Janesville, where he work, and shipped it to the Milwaukee firm. In the fall of 1875, they went to Johnstown Township. In 1877, returned to .Janesville. In the spring of 1878, his health failing, he moved out to Harmony Township, and took charge of Dr. Cargill's farm, which is handsomely improved. Mr. Whipple raises corn, oats, wheat, barley, potatoes and strawberries, the latter a good crop, also horses and Berkshire hogs; radical Green- backer.

AUGUSTUS E. WILCOX, farmer, Sec. 15; P. O. Janesville; born in Roscoe, Winne- bago Co., Ill., in 1838; son of N. W. and Olive Wilcox ; came to Wisconsin in 1854 and settled on the farm he now owns of 110 acres. Married Miss Levanjah Aikin, of Harmony, in 1857; they have nine children-Morell A., Ella, Romaine E., Eva B., Clara C., Edward, Edith, Frank and William. He has served as Treasurer and Director of School District No. 3 for the past eighteen years ; was elected Super- visor of town of Harmony for 1878 and 1879; is a Republican. Raises the usual stock and crops of his section.

M. M. WILCOX, farmer, Sec. 15; P. O. Janesville; born in January, 1812, in Morgan, Orleans Co., Vt .; son of Silas and Elizabeth Wilcox ; assisted his parents in farming till 1833; then went to New Haven Co., Conn .; he engaged in farming till 1840. Married in New Haven Co., Conn., in February, 1836, Miss Mabel Norton, who was born in the same county in November, 1812; they have two children-Henry, born in December, 1836, and Oramel, in August, 1842. M. M. Wilcox came with his family to Wisconsin in 1845, when they located and bought 100 acres of land where he is now living on Sec. 15; he raises the usual crop of the county. On the Republican ticket, in 1854, he was elected Treasurer of Harmony Township ; served one term ; in 1858, was Assessor one term; in 1863, he was re-elected Treasurer for one term. His son Henry enlisted in the 13th W. V. I .; had a severe attack of illness, recovered his health, and, in October, 1864, entered Co. I, 2d W. V. I., and served till the end of the war; was honorably discharged. His other son, Oramel, enlisted in April, 1861, in Co. D, 2d W. V. I .; was taken prisoner July 22, 1861; was in Libby under Wirz' cruelty ; in June, 1862, was sent to Tuscaloosa, Ala .; at Salisbury, N. C., he was wounded in the head and reported dead, but only lost his left eye; mustered out at Madison, Wis., at the end of the war.

JAMES YOUNGCLAUSE, farmer, Secs. 28 and 35; P. O. Janesville; born on one of the Shetland Isles in 1831; came to America in 1845 and settled on the farm he now owns of 200 acres. Married Miss Isabella Clark, of Harmony, in 1868 ; they have five children-Ellen J., John C., Margaret I., Gracie G. and James P. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Johnstown. He raises grade stock, wheat, barley, oats, corn, hay, etc.

OUR HISTORY OF MILTON.

On the same day we had printed the history of Milton came the following letter from Ezra Goodrich, Esq. We said to him that we could not hold it longer than Monday. We did hold it until our whole book was printed, which was on the following Friday. We had heard that there were conflicting views in regard to the settlement and history of Milton, and sent particular word to our historian to not show partiality, but get facts, and if possible reconcile all differences of opinion. All we can now do is to print the letter.

PUBLISHERS.

MILTON, October 9, 1879.

Western Historical Company. Chicago, III. :

GENTLEMEN-Yours of the 3d instant came duly to hand. Have been gone from home and could not look to it until to-day. The proof-sheets sent me are none of the items that were furnished by me, and are the most miserable botch of mistakes and misstatements that I ever saw. I sent you statistics that are correct. Who sent you the matter that you send me? I cannot conceive, unless it might be * * * * * *

* I attempted to correct the items, but it is out of the question. They are all wrong in every essential particular. First. McEwan did not build the first house, either in the town or village of Milton. The log house spoken of was a half-mile from the village when built (on the northwest quarter of Section 34, while the village is on the southeast quarter of Section 27.)

Second. Neither McEwan nor Storrs ever " presented" Joseph Goodrich a single foot of land, or gave a rod of land for any purpose for the village. Goodrich bought the claims of Storrs and MeEwan (a part of their claims), entered the lands of the United States Government, laid out the village and gave every foot of land that had been given for the public square, church, schools (both district and college) the cemetery, etc., etc .. including the right of way for the railroad.

Third. We sent you the exact date of the meeting that organized the post office ; also, the exact date of the first marriage.

Fourth. David Sprague was not the first person born in the town (although he was the first person born in the village), nor was he born at all in 1838, but in 1840. We sent in our statistics the exact date of his birth : also, the date of the first birth in the town, and who it was.

Fifth. Rev. W. M. Adams was not the first Pastor of the Congregational Church, but the Rev. Daniel Smith Wa.9. Sixth. The first meeting held by the Seventh-Day Baptists was not at the house of Henry Crandall, but at the house of Joseph Goodrich. We sent you the date in our statistics. I think it was the first Sabbath after the 4th of March, 1839.

Seventh. Goodrich gave two acres of land, instead of one, for the cemetery.

Eighth. We never knew or heard of Tebo's having more than one wife. He was killed by the Indians. The inhabitants turned out and looked for him, January 3, and January 10, 1839, but his body was not found : supposed to have been put under the ice in Lake Koshkonong.

Ninth. Mrs. Hannah Bowers was not the first white woman who settled in Milton, but the second. We sent you who was the first one in our statistics (Mrs. Smith).

Tenth. The first building erected in the village proper of Milton Junction was not Mr. Mathew's, but Peter McAdams', was called the " Bee Hive," and stood where the Foster House now stands.

Eleventh. The land for the Junction was not bought of Horace Crandall, but of Silas H. Crandall.

Twelfth. And finally, we are in a hurry this morning, gentlemen, and have not time to say more, than that we are not in the habit of swearing, but certainly, the proof-sheets you sent me of the statistics of Milton are the * * * set of misstatements I ever saw, and would, if published, be an outrage to Milton, and a curse to your interests as historians.

Hold us responsible to substantiate every word we have written you. * EZRA GOODRICH.

Yours truly.

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The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 142

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 899

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899