USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement > Part 105
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175
696
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
He inquired at the double log house, which was then occupied by a man named Paddock, and which is on the farm now occupied by Cyrus Montgomery, if he could find accommodations for the night. The lady of the rude mansion, which was kept as a sort of hostelry, told him that he could, if he would take care of his own horse. He accordingly mowed the animal some feed from the luxuriant meadow of nature which grew close by the premises, and stabled him in the log barn, which was well built enough for those times, except that it was roofless and without doors. There was no intimation of supper that evening, but as Arnold had eaten late in the afternoon, he did not suffer in consequence of that omission. Stopping at the house at that time, was a bridal party which added to the interest of Arnold's first night in this part of Wis- consin. Mayor Fisk had recently been married to a daughter of Zenas Robbins, and as the course of true love was running very rough in his case, he had found it expedient to put some distance between him and his irretrievable father-in-law. He was a devotee of the violin, and he fiddled away the hours of his honeymoon there in the wilderness in careless happiness, as if he was the possessor of millions, instead of being penniless. Arnold at length grew drowsy under the influence of this indifferent execution of " Old Zip Coon," " The Arkansas Traveler," and other harmonies of that ilk, mixed with much billing and cooing, and was shown to bed without any light. During the night, Paddock returned home from Columbus in a condition the reverse of sober. The second floor was thin and full of cracks, and Arnold had the com- plete benefit'of the rough eloquence with which Mrs. Paddock assailed her lord for an hour or more on the enormity of going to Columbus and getting drunk, with a stranger in the house, the cows not come up, and not a mouthful for anybody to eat. When Arnold awoke the next morning, the light was shining full in his face through the rents in the roof, and a line of chickens were roosting calmly on a pole stretching across the room at right angles with his bed. The breakfast of which Arnold and the happy bride and groom partook that morning consisted of tea without milk or sugar, dry bread and stewed tomatoes.
Arnold came into Columbus that day, and purchased the lot opposite the Fox House, 150 feet front, for $30; Bassett and Arnold built a store that fall, and went into business, though they did not remove all their goods from Janesville until the following spring. Arnold con- tinued a resident of Columbus until the fall of 1851, when, having been elected Register of Deeds, he removed to Portage, where in 1853 he and " Bony " Fargo established themselves in the hardware business in what was known as the old Verandah Block. Fargo subsequently went to California, and is now one of the leading wholesale liquor dealers in San Francisco.
TRAVEL NOW AND . THEN. BY II. D. BATII.
One of our business men has pressing business in Milwaukee, and while yet the nocturnal darkness shadows his sleeping neighbors, he shakes himself from his slumbers and reaches the railroad depot. The quiet of that gloomy period that precedes daybreak by a couple of hours rests in all the surroundings, which look as if life or animation never fell upon or entwined them. It is the period when animal life is at its lowest ebb; when the powers of darkness and of radiance are beginning a combat, the result of which will be a new day. He feels the depressing influence of the time, and half regrets the precipitancy that led to his taking an early train. But he waits drowsily for the coming conveyance, and perhaps, in the mean time draws a practical comparison as to the yielding of slumber between the hard benches of the wait- ing room and his own comfortable bed. There is a languor upon him that speaks of nature violated and the diminution of her sweet restorer, and he falls into a troubled nap. Amid the dreams that flit across it, the carpet bag under his head seems gradually to assume Alpine alti- tude and ruggedness, and to produce a proportionate strain on the back of the neck. Presently, he catches an approaching rumble which suggests to his 'bewildered faculties the opening of an overture. Only half awakened, he reaches the platform and is in the midst of the glare of the great fiery eye of the advancing locomotive. Though expecting it, he cannot repress the momentary
697
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
impression that it is a colossal living monster, glaring with accumulated life, as in passing its hot breath steams into his face. Amid the changing of the warning bell, the shrieking of the whistle, the grinding of the brakes, the multiplied rattle of wheels, the voices of the con- ductor, baggage-man and brakeman, the din of the gradual annihilation of trunks, words of good bye, the thud of the fuel falling into the tender to replenish the red-hot man of the engine, he takes his seat in the cushioned car and is soon wrapped in comfortable unconsciousness, and is passively gliding, at the rate of twenty-five miles an hour, toward the coming morning and his place of destination. And who can indicate the magnificence of those unlockings of the eastern portals from the first purple flash that steals through the orient gate, when it is but half ajar to the full glory of the perfect day as it streams forth regardless of any barrier. Seen from a car platform with the pure fresh breeze rushing against the cheek, youth and health find an ecstacy in the situation that words do not express. Our traveler arrives in Milwaukee just as the first murmur of business has begun to rise from the busy metropolis. He breakfasts lib- erally and has a full half-day to attend to business before the next return train, taking which he is home again the same day at 5 o'clock, P. M.
This is the manner in which the people in Columbus now reach the chief city of the State; but some of our residents remember when travel was a thing far different. It was quite another affair in 1844, when a visit to the county seat, then at Plover, was a horseback pilgrimage of many days' duration, on which the solitary traveler guided his course through the wilderness "by the blaze." We meet on our streets every day comparatively young men who went to Mil- waukee from this (then) village with trams when the trip was a campaign of fourteen days through mud and rain and swamp and wood. The main route was by what is known as the old Govern- ment road, by the way of Lake Mills, Aztalan, and the junction of the Watertown and Aztalan roads, twelve miles east of Watertown, at which junction stood an old tavern that many have good reason for remembering well. Thence the road was to Summit, to within two miles of Oconomowoc, when the Watertown plank-road was reached. In particularly bad weather it was necessary to go around by the way of Whitewater, Palmyra and Waukesha. Men who were
on the road in those days tell us of being stuck in the mud, and, after ineffectually laboring until nearly night to extricate their wagons, mounting a horse and going for assistance and being all the next day in getting back to them. Subsequently, travel went by way of Lowell, and not unfrequently it was a day's hard work to transport a load to that point. Gliding so easily across the country in these times, we do not realize how arduous was the travel in those days of the pioneers.
698
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
CHAPTER XII.
TOWN OF ARLINGTON-VILLAGE OF ARLINGTON-TOWN OF CALEDONIA-TOWN OF COLUMBUS- TOWN OF COURTLAND-VILLAGE OF CAMBRIA-VILLAGE OF RANDOLPH-TOWN OF DEKORRA -VILLAGE OF DEKORRA-VILLAGE OF POYNETTE-TOWN OF FORT WINNEBAGO.
TOWN OF ARLINGTON.
The first permanent settlement in Arlington was made by Clark M. Young, on Section 1, in the spring of 1838. For six years, he was " monarch of all he surveyed " in this town, there being no other settler to dispute his claim. J. Pratt came in 1844; and during that year and the six following, came a large number, including N. Van Winter, Nathan Hazen, William A. McIntosh, Fred Starr, Hugh McFarlane, Jeremy Bradley, Mark Meadowcraft, John Franklin, Usual Youngs, George Bradley, A. P. Smith, Isaac N. Brown, H. N. Joy, Thomas Rassou, Mr. Jackson, Samuel D. Drake, Ambrose Powers and Henry Hill.
Upon the organization of the county, the east half of Township 10, Range 9, was included in the Lowville Precinct, and the west half was, with other territory on the west, known as the Pleasant Valley Precinct. In 1849, the east half of this township, together with Township 10, Range 10, and the south half of Township 11, Range 10, was organized into a town to be known as Lowville ; the west half, together with Township 10, Range 8, and the fractional part of Township 10, Range 7, was the same time organized under the name of Lodi. In 1850, the east half, with Township 10, Range 10, was organized under the name of Kossuth; the west half remaining as before. In 1855, all of this township, except Sections 6, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31, was organized into a town, under the name of Arlington. For many years, the effort was made to have restored to the town these sections. The courts were appealed to, but could give no redress ; the Legislature was also asked to pass a special act for this purpose. This was refused, but an act was passed authorizing the County Board of Supervisors to attend to the matter. In 1871, the Board passed a resolution permitting the change, provided the town would assume the proportionate amount of the debt of the town of Lodi, which would be collected from the owners of the sections named. This was accordingly done, and these sections became part of the town of Arlington, thus made to comprise the entire township. The debt assumed amounted to $4,375.
Thomas Rassou and Tirza Jackson were united in marriage in 1846, being the first couple married in the town.
James H., son of Clark M., and Jeannet Young, was born May 6, 1846, being the first birth in the town.
The first death was Charles W., son of Clark M., and Jeannet Young, who died in the sum- mer of 1849.
At the house of Usual Youngs was taught the first school in the town in the summer of 1847. In the spring of 1848, a log schoolhouse was built on Section 1, and in the following fall, Miss Sarah Richardson taught the first term of school therein. The first school in the cen- tral part of the town was on Section 22, and was taught by Miss Caroline A. Foster, in 1854. In the spring of 1880, there were in the town six whole and three joint districts, with six school- houses valued at $2,000. Number of pupils, 425.
Rev. Henry Maynard, an itinerant of the Methodist Episcopal Church, preached the first sermon in this town at the house of Clark M. Young in the summer of 1845. For several years he visited the town from time to time, but no class was formed. In 1854, Rev. T. Lewis, of Lodi, a Presbyterian minister, preached at the house of A. P. Smith, and shortly after a con- gregation was formed, but no church building was erected.
699
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
When Clark M. Young settled on Section 1, in 1838, there was not a house between there and Columbus ; only one until Portage, then Fort Winnebago, was reached-that of Wallace Rowan, of which mention is made in the history of the town of Dekorra; and but one between there and Madison.
The town of Arlington is almost altogether upon the top of the watershed, having a sur- face of rolling prairie, and a general altitude of 450 to 570 feet. In the northern row of sec- tions, this high ground breaks down abruptly 200 feet toward the headwaters of Okee Creek. The Madison & Portage Railroad was built through the town in 1870, passing through Sections 2, 11, 14, 13, 24, 25 and 36. A station was located on Section 13, to afford farmers in the vicinity facilities for the shipment of grain and stock. The town is an exclusively agricult- ural one, and said by the State geologist to be one of the best in the State.
In the spring of 1875, a stock company was organized under the name of the Arlington Cheese Manufacturing Company, with a paid-up capital of $2,000. A. W. Vaughan was elected President ; George Clark, Secretary ; Levi Clapp, Treasurer. The manufactory was put in operation that season, and 40,000 pounds of cheese were manufactured. The amount has been increased year by year, in 1878, it being 97,000 pounds.
The following is a list of town officers from the organization of Arlington to the present time :
1855-Nathan Hazen, Chairman ; H. N. Joy, James H. Foster, Supervisors ; Julius Austin, Clerk ; Clark M. Young, Treasurer ; Solomon Matteson, Assessor ; Ambrose Powers, School Superintendent.
1856-A. P. Smith, Chairman ; Phineas Watson, Isaac N. Brown, Supervisors ; Julius Austin, Clerk ; John C. Dunning, Treasurer, Solomon Matteson, Assessor; Ambrose Powers, School Superintendent.
1857-Julius Austin, Chairman ; Lewis Newton, H. N. Joy, Supervisors ; W. Bullen, Clerk ; C. C. Knapin, Treasurer ; T. Matteson, Assessor ; L. H. Smith, School Superintendent. 1858-J. Austin, Chairman; J. T. Hillyer, Mark Meadowcraft, Supervisors; W. Bullen, B. Look, Treasurers ; Solomon Matteson, Assessor ; A. Powers, School Superintendent.
1859-J. T. Hillyer, Chairman ; H. N. Joy, T. T. Dunning, Supervisors ; A. O. Dole, Clerk ; Joseph McIntosh, Treasurer; Solomon Matteson, Assessor ; Ambrose Powers, School Superintendent.
1860-J. T. Hillyer, Chairman ; H. N. Joy, J. H. Foster, Supervisors ; D. Drown, Treas- urer; A. O. Dole, Clerk; Solomon Matteson, Assessor; A. G. Dunning, School Superintendent. 1861-H. J. Sill, Chairman ; Thomas Mair, Dan. W. Burlison, Supervisors ; Andrew J. McFarlane, Clerk ; Ambrose Powers, Treasurer; Jeremy Bradley, Assessor ; A. G. Dunning, School Superintendent.
1862-H. J. Sill, Chairman ; A. Powers, L. Clapp, Supervisors ; Andrew J. McFarlane, Clerk ; E. B. Thomas, Treasurer ; Solomon Matteson, Assessor.
1863-J. T. Hillyer, Chairman ; G. A. Clark, A. Powers, Supervisors ; A. G. Dunning, Clerk ; E. B. Thomas, Treasurer ; Solomon Matteson, Assessor.
1864-J. T. Hillyer, Chairman ; A. Powers, G. A. Clark, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; E. B. Thomas, Treasurer ; Solomon Matteson, Assessor.
1865-Winslow Bullen, Chairman ; William Caldwell, Ingle Spoonan, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; Adam Culdon, Treasurer ; T. S. Phillips, Assessor.
1866-Winslow Bullen, Chairman ; G. A. Clark, William Caldwell, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; Adam Culdon, Treasurer ; T. S. Phillips, Assessor.
1867-W. Bullen, Chairman ; A. Powers, William Caldwell, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; J. J. Hunt, Treasurer ; T. S. Phillips, Assessor.
1868-Winslow Bullen, Chairman; L. Lintner, J. Witters, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; Judson J. Hunt, Treasurer ; Joseph Axon, Assessor.
1869-W. Bullen, Chairman ; L. Lintner, William Currie, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; O. S. Bartlett, Treasurer ; Joseph Axon, Assessor.
1
700
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
1870-Hugh McFarlane, Chairman ; Ingle Spoonan, C. M. Young, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; O. S. Bartlett, Treasurer ; Judson J. Hunt, Assessor.
1871-Hugh McFarlane, Chairman ; Ingle E. Spoonan, Louis Lintner, Supervisors; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; Charles Mair, Treasurer ; William Stevenson, Assessor.
1872-Hugh MeFarlane Chairman ; Robert Wilson, David Bullen, Supervisors; George C. Clark, Clerk; Charles Mair, Treasurer ; William Stevenson, Assessor.
1873-Hugh McFarlane, Chairman; O. S. Bartlett, John Caldwell, Supervisors; L. II. Smith, Clerk ; Allen Bogue, Treasurer ; B. E. Jones, Assessor.
1874-Hugh McFarlane, Chairman ; John Caldwell, O. S. Bartlett, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; Allen Bogue, Treasurer ; B. E. Jones, Assessor.
1875-Allen Bogue, Chairman ; William McCulley, O. S. Bartlett, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk, George McMillan, Treasurer ; E. B. Jones, Assessor.
1876-A. Bogue, Chairman; O. S. Bartlett, William Stevenson, 'Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; George McMillan, Treasurer ; John Caldwell, Assessor.
1877-A. Bogue, Chairman ; O. S. Bartlett, William Stevenson, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; George McMillan, Treasurer ; John Campbell, Assessor.
1878-A. Bogue, Chairman ; O. S. Bartlett, William Stevenson, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; George McMillan, Treasurer ; John Caldwell, Assesser.
1879-A. Bogue, Chairman ; William Stevenson, William Bartlett, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; George McMillen, Treasurer; William Dunlap, Assessor.
1880-Adam Bogue, Chairman ; Thomas Mair, August Gundlach, Supervisors ; L. H. Smith, Clerk ; David Bullen, Treasurer; William Dunlap, Assessor.
VILLAGE OF ARLINGTON.
The village of Arlington, located upon Section 13, of the town of Arlington, was platted in 1871, by Mrs. Sarah Pierce and David Bullen, the former owning the land upon the north side of the main street,and the latter the land upon the south side.
The first house was built by Winslow Bullen, in the same summer, the lower story of which was used as a store, by George McMillan, he being the first to engage in the mercantile trade, and the upper part was rented for a dwelling.
The first house used exclusively as a dwelling house was erected by Charles Ginther.
Charles and George Ginther were the first blacksmiths, and opened in 1875. Their run of work rapidly increased, and soon the business of wagon and carriage making was added, and in the spring of 1880, the firm, then being Ginther & Seiler, were doing a lucrative business.
The Arlington Hotel was erected in 1871, by John McMillan, and has been run by him up to the present time. It is a two-story frame, and will accommodate fifteen or twenty guests.
The second person to engage in mercantile trade was H. W. Hall, who sold goods about two years ; the third was Winslow Bullen, who in the summer of 1877, opened a stock of general merchandise, in the building erected originally for that purpose, in 1871.
George Ginther and Miss Nellie Shanks were the first couple united in marriage in the village limits, which event occurred in December, 1876.
The first birth was Jessie, daughter of George and Ann MeMillan, in the summer of 1875.
The Madison & Portage, now Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, Railroad, was completed through the village in the summer of 1871, a depot erected, and Edward Watkinson appointed agent. D. C. Moak, F. R. Morris, Charles Morris, A. D. Goodrich and William Caldow, have, in the order named, been agents since that date. A large amount of grain is shipped from this station.
A post office was established here in 1871, with Mrs. Adeline C. Paine as Postmistress. George McMillan, H. W. Hall, and again George McMillan, have since then been Postmasters.
701
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
TOWN OF CALEDONIA.
This town is the largest in territory in the county, being situated on its western boundary line, by which it is separated from the towns of Greenfield and Merrimack, in Sauk County. It consists of that part of Township 11, Range 8, lying west of the Wisconsin River, and that part of Township 12, Ranges 8 and 9, lying south and west of the same river, making 54 full and 14 fractional sections of land. It is watered by the Baraboo River, which enters the town in the northwestern part, at Section 18, Township 12, Range 8, and flows southcasterly into the Wisconsin River, at Section 29, of the same township and range. There are two small streams in the southern part, that flow into the Wisconsin River, and one into the Baraboo. The lands in this town are undulating, with numerous bluffs and high hills, which are found in different parts of the town, and particularly on the Wisconsin River, and are covered mostly by oak openings. On the Baraboo River are numerous marshes or meadow lands, and some prairie in the northern part. In this town the country is generally much lower than the quartzite range, but in parts quite broken and hilly. Its general altitude runs from 200 to 300 feet, whilst outlying bluffs in Sections 9, 10, 15, 16 and 21 reach altitudes from 450 to 540 feet. Some of these rise abruptly from the north bank of the Wisconsin, and have directly opposite to them on the south bank of the river, the similar bluffs of Dekorra, causing for a short distance an unusually narrow bottom.
The first settlement made in this town was by Alexander McDonald, who built a claim shanty on the northwest quarter of Section 2, Township 11, Range 8, June, 1840. Madam Pauquette was then living on the bank of the river, on the west side, within the present limits of the city of Portage, trading with the Indians ; also a half-breed named Leambro, on the bluff on Section 27, Township 12, Range 8, who was farming on some old Indian fields, and was also trading with the Indians. In June, 1841, Thomas (" Daddy ") Robinson came on a claim nearly opposite Dekorra Village. He boarded at La Fayette Hill's, in what was then called " Kentucky City," afterward Dekorra. Some others made claims that year, but did not move on to them until the next year, when James Wilson and John Pate settled on Section 36, immediately opposite the village of Dekorra ; also Henry Lewis, an old soldier at Fort Winnebago, on the bluff in Township 12, Range 8. The family of Mr. Robinson came with Pate and Wilson, from Scotland, and moved into the house prepared for them the year previous.
In 1843, Allan Johnson settled in Township 12, Range 8. Other early settlers were Frank Nichols, Harrison Jerrison, Hugh Muir, Aaron Chalfant, William King, J. Allen, Henry Kingsbury, John Owens, David Owens, John Rowley, George and Charles Temple, Charles Ginther, Anton Jerrison, Messrs. Prentice, Freeman, Reuben and Sterling.
A log schoolhouse was erected on Section 6, Township 12, Range 9 east, in the summer of 1846, and Mr. Bailey taught therein the first school in the fall of the same year.
James Wilson was a man that was extremely cautious, and seldom ventured in debt. On one occasion he had a debt of $12, which he was owing Clark Young, and which troubled him greatly. When he paid it, he remarked to Young : " Well, that is the last cent I owe in this world." " That shows you are doing a damned small business," was the reply, and all the con- solation he received.
A writer thus makes mention of "Daddy" Robinson : " He was born in Ayerston, Scotland, A. D. 1800, died in Caledonia, November 7, 1872, aged seventy-two years. The funeral was attended at his late residence Monday, November 11; sermon by the Rev. Hugh Brown, text, Ecclesias- tes, twelfth chapter and seventh verse-'Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.' Mr. Robinson emigrated to this country A. D. 1840, settling at the north of the Baraboo River. He was one of the first Scotch settlers in this country, A. and W. McDonald and a few at the garrison being the only exceptions. The writer of this called on him in 1850, enjoyed his generous cheer, and made the note that the Old Daddy was a man of keen perception and universal observation. Five children emigrated from Scotland with him, and two were born here. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church both
702
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
here and in Scotland, and efficient in its first organization in Caledonia. He was for a number of years chairman of the town of Caledonia, and served as a Justice of the Peace in his own town, but was better known as jovial, companionable old Daddy, and so long as his vigorous health lasted, he was the center of attraction wherever he happened to be. His sallies of wit were electrical, and so good-natured and pointed were his hits, that his victim laughed as heartily as the rest. He was a genius peculiar to Scotland, and of that class which have no duplicates. No man living in Caledonia will be more missed, and a void will not only be felt in that town, but also in Portage and Dekorra, where his presence has so often, like magic, driven dull care away.
' To Scolia send this greeting, then, Please spare us more of just such men.' "
The first farm opened up in the town of Caledonia was by Peter Pauquette for the Indians. The first American farming done in the town was by Gideon Low, on the place that used to be called Black Earth, now known as the "Indian Farm," in the town of Caledonia. But Low held the land only as a "claim " at the time, employing another person to farm it. He pur- 'chased the land when it came into market, it is true, but, admitting that his farm was the first one regularly tilled for an American, it would not entitle him to be called the first settler in the town, as he did not reside upon his " claim," and was engaged in other business. The work of the farm was done by Leon Braux. The third farm opened up was by John T. De La Ronde, in 1838. De La Ronde was born at Barbeaux, in France, February 25, 1802, his ancestors were men of note in the military and marine service in his native country. His father, Louis Denys, Chevalier De La Ronde, was born at Detroit, Mich., while the grandfather, an officer in the French service, was stationed at Detroit, previous to the final surrender of the Canadas by the French to the English, in 1760. This same grandfather, Louis Denys De La Ronde, was at The father of John remained in
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.