USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > The history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, containing an account of settlement, growth, development and resources biographical sketches the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin > Part 103
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The sixth town meeting held April 5, 1864, as above. Officers-D. D. Thompson, Chair- man ; James L. Ward and M. Sullivan, Side Supervisors ; A. G. Burnham, Clerk ; F. King. Treas- urer ; M. Harriman, Assessor ; P. J. Randolph and J. Phalen, Justices ; J. King, A. Stratton and E. Finch, Constables ; J. D. Dewey, Sealer ; town expenses as above.
673
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
The seventh town meeting held April 4, 1865, as above ; $350 were raised to defray town expenses. Number of votes, seventy-two. Officers-D. D. Thompson, Chairman ; M. Sullivan and A. O. Williams, Side Supervisors ; A. G. Burnham, Clerk and Treasurer ; R. H. Thurber, Assessor ; R. H. Thurber and A. Sweet, Justices ; B. F. Hobart, A. Conally and G. I. Bancroft, Constables ; no Sealers.
The seventh meeting held April 4, 1866, as above. Officers-A. O. Williams, Chairman ; S. A. Phetteplace and William Larkin, Side Supervisors ; A. G. Burnham, Clerk ; L. E. Sweet, Treasurer ; J. Johnson, Assessor ; C. C. Bowers and J. Phelan, Justices ; George Matheson, B. F. Hobart and A. J. Moss, Constables ; R. Talbot, Sealer.
The eighth town meeting held April 3, 1867. Officers-D. D. Thompson, Chairman ; M. Sullivan and B. F. Brown, Side Supervisors ; A. G. Burnham, Clerk; L. E. Sweet, Treasurer ; J. J. Bomm, Assessor ; A. Sweet, L. Neiman, Justice ; J. R. Hazzard and B. F. Hobart, Constables ; S. A. Phetteplace, Scaler ; town expenses about as during above years.
The ninth town meeting held April 7, 1868, as above. Officers-A. Sweet, Chairman ; William Rooney and J. Johnson, Side Supervisors ; A. G. Burnham, Clerk ; A. Dwyer, Treas- erer ; J. J. Bomm, Assessor ; J. Phelan and Beckwith, Justices ; D. Millane, J. Coen and J. M. Bower, Constables.
The tenth town meeting held April 6, 1869. Officers-D. D. Thompson, Chairman ; M. Sullivan and William Rooney, Side Supervisors ; A. J. Burnham, Clerk; A. Dwyer, Treas- urer ; R. H. Thurber, Assessor ; A. Sweet, G. I. Bancroft and L. Neiman, Justices ; M. Coyne and F. S. Warner, Constables.
The eleventh town meeting held April 5, 1870, as above. Officers-D. D. Thompson, Chairman ; M. Sullivan and William Rooney, Side Supervisors ; A. J. Burnham, Clerk ; A. Dwyer, Treasurer ; J. J. Bomm, Assessor ; L. Neiman, J. Phelan and W. H. Burnham, Justices ; B. McClosky, B. W. Reynolds and V. C. Young, Constables. Votes recorded this year amount to 146.
TOWN OF FRANKLIN,
geographically considered, is of the same dimensions and shape, and occupies the same relative position in Townships 9 and 10 that Bear Creek docs. It is bounded on the north by the towns of Westfield and Washington, on the south by Spring Green, on the east by the towns of Honey Creek and Troy, and on the west by the town of Bear Creek. Its physical configuration is somewhat similar to that of its twin, Bear Creek, only Franklin has more good tillable lands. What is known as the South Branch of Honey Creek takes its rise in this town, it being made up of numerous small streams that flow from the springs among the hills, and go rippling merrily along to join the brimming river. There is certainly no lack of good water. Along the Honey Creek Branch, and the streams, and in the pockets that lead out from the bottom lands, may be seen splendid farms under an excellent state of cultivation. The soil is similar to that of Bear Creek, but with less of stone or gravel, the result of glacial drifts and streams. The products are principally agricultural. There is a good deal of stock raised here, but not so much for dairying purposes as is the case in some of the towns. There is also some fruit raised, but only to a limited extent. The inhabitants are principally foreigners, there being a very large Ger- man representation. The social and moral condition is similar to that of other localities made up largely of Germans. It is something after this fashion : Work hard all the week and have a good time Sundays-or whenever you can, for that matter. They have churches and schools that are very well supported and patronized in the main, although the people are not extravagant in their devotion to those things. Franklin does quite a large importing business in the way of luxuries, but in all probability there will some time be an end put to this by its manufacture at home, by some enterprising Teuton. Headquarters for the article is Plain Post Office, commonly called Logtown, where a thirsty individual can get ninety-two per cent of bitter water fuddled with eight per cent of alcohol, known as beer, on demand at almost any time.
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6731
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Dewitt Slauter, formerly a settler in the town of Troy, and one of the first there, was the first settler here, and came in the fall of 1849 and settled in what was known as Sugar Grove, a forest of hard maples on Section 36, taking half a section, but not the pick of the county so far as the lay of the land and quality of soil is concerned ; yet, on the other hand, he had splendid timber, and a fine spring burst out of the ground but a short distance from his cabin. He came originally from the Buckeye State, and brought in a family of eight to endure the hardships of a new country, and to grow up with it and improve it. He lived to see the county partially settled and improved ; then, in March, 1860, he died.
T. J. Morgans was the second settler here. He first came to Spring Green Prairie in 1844, where he bought a claim of a Rev. D. M. Jones, one of the very earliest claimants there, and who left very early. In 1849, Mr. Morgans sold there, and, soon after, came up and located one quarter-section on the fertile bottoms of Sugar Grove Hollow, in the present town of Franklin, where he has since resided and developed one of the finest farms to be found in this section. Mr. Morgans is now the last and oldest of the first settlers here, and also is undoubt- edly the oldest permanent settler in the southwest part of the county. When Mr. Morgans came here, the county was a wilderness in toto, and gave little promise of its present condition. The land was covered thickly with brush, trees and grubs that were scarcely intersected by even an Indian trail, and the only road was a bee hunter's trail from Helena, on the Wisconsin, up through the Bear Creek country on the ridge. Mr. Morgans is a native of Wales.
Thomas Wells, one of the early settlers in Troy, settled here in the fall of 1850, on Section 8, but subsequently sold and moved to the town of Westfield. We also find that a few others came in during the above year or soon after.
They were R. A. Davidson, Samuel Richards, John Smith, Charles Lamb, John Noble, Andrew Cooper, Jerry, John and A. Cramer, William Harreman, N. Mitchell, J. Whiteis and sons (H. J. and G. M.), A. Moss L. Butt, and perhaps a few others whose names have not been ascer- tained.
The first death in the town was Mary Morgans, a child of T. J. Morgans. She died Octo- ber 4, 1849.
The first birth is also recorded in the above family-that of Phoebe Ann Morgans, born June 23, 1851.
The first religious services were held here as early as 1850, in Thomas Wells' house, the min- ister being a Rev. Mr. Bunce. He came only three or four times, as his patronage was not very liberal, and, as he said, the people were not Methodistical enough for him, and, besides, they did not shell out the wherewithal, not having it to shell. His weekly presence, it is stated, was not considered a great loss, as his instruction was not of the quality to create a gap by its absence.
The schoolhouse of" District No. 1 was built in 1851. The district included and drew its supplies from all the country around for miles. The first teacher was T. J. Morgans, who also taught several subsequent terms to the satisfaction of all parties, small boys not excepted. The compensation for a teacher at that time did not exceed $15 per month.
In 1850 or 1851, a notable event transpired in town in the marriage of James Davis and Catharine Wells. Davis was afterward, in 1856, shot at Sauk City by a man by the name of Millard, whom Davis had threatened to kill for being intimate with his wife. Davis was shot dead, and Millard was sentenced to State Prison for life, but was pardoned out, after twenty-two months' imprisonment, by the Governor. The wedding will be remembered as having been quite an affair for those days. A good dinner, consisting of chicken, etc., was served, and, if they had no marriage bells, they were at least merry. Mr. Davis wrote out his wedding service, and Daniel Held, a new Justice, read it. While Daniel was tremblingly reading the ceremony, Andrew Cooper stood in the rear spurring him up to the scratch, not gently, with a pin. It is recorded of Held that he endured like a hero, neither running nor backing up.
674
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
At first, the mail was distributed in town by John Cramer, the neighbors taking turns in bringing it until a post office was established at White Mound, in 1859; then a Mr. Smith was appointed Postmaster, and Jacob Henry carried the mail., Jerry Carpenter is now Post- master at that point. There is also a post office at Plain, called Logtown, that has been estab- lished several (about ten) years. P. Stutz is now Postmaster here.
The blacksmith business was started here as early as the fall of 1850, by G. M. Whiteis. His first shop was mother earth for the floor and the skies for a roof. Before this, the settlers had to go either to Sauk or Richland City to get their work done.
The first store was opened at Logtown, formerly called Cramer's Corners, by Mr. Perry, in 1869. He sold to A. Huter in 1873, who, in turn, in 1875, sold to P. Stutz, the present saloonist. Then, in 1879, Alois Huter built on the corner and started another store. There is also a blacksmith-shop at this point, which may be denominated the metropolis of the town, in one particular (before mentioned).
The first road in here was from Prairie du Sac, via Honey Creek, but, in 1856 or 1857, a pretty direct road was opened by which the people could get over the bluffs to Spring Green.
Deer were very thick here in an early day, and the wolves went for sheep and poultry in a way which they have not yet gotten over, for even now they are troublesome to sheep.
The first bridge in the town was one of nature's formation, a sod causeway over a branch of Honey creek, strong enough to bear the weight of a man.
An elk was killed here in 1860, the only one ever seen by whites in the town. The antlers may now be seen at Prairie du Sac.
A store was started at White Mound a few years ago by Justin Carpenter, but there is none there now.
In connection with the above, an anecdote concerning one of the carpenters will not come amiss. In an early time, when there were no good roads and settlers were few to direct a traveler, J. C. went to Sauk one day and did not start on his homeward way until quite late. Just in the dusk of the evening, when well on his way, he stopped at a settler's cabin to inquire the route, but the man, being a German, could not guide him. So he journeyed on awhile, then came to a house again. The proprietor was duly roused out and the way inquired. Again a German, so he must needs journey on. Two or three hours again passed in traveling in the dark, and at last, thank fortune, he came to another cabin. Again he pounded the owner up, who very reluctantly arose, and again he had struck the wrong nation, Germany was still to the fore. What should he or could he do? Nothing but journey on, evidently. A while later, dawn broke over the wilderness, and lo ! before him a settler's cabin ! lucky circumstance ! Now he would surely learn where he was! But what do these numerous fresh wagon-tracks about the house mean ? and who is it that comes out ? Only his "Nicht verstane " of the night before. What! Can it be ? traveled all night after himself? Such are the facts.
During the winter of 1852, E. Mead and John Bear built a saw-mill at the junction of Morgan's and Honey Creek, on Section 5. They were assisted by the people in the vicinity, who, in order to get the mill ready for running as quickly as possible, turned in and helped them get out the timbers and erect it. It was started in the spring. They did a good business for two or three years, then sold out to T. Slinger, who has since run it, doing a poor business. There is talk of building a grist-mill, as there is a good water-power here and a mill is needed.
George Claridge, on Section 17, was sufficiently enterprising to rig up a mill several years ago ; although it is a sort of original affair in the get-up, nevertheless, it does pretty fair grind- ing, and the farmers in the immediate vicinity get work done there.
L. Cooper, in 1877, opened a cheese-factory, which run a couple of years ; thien, the property getting into litigation, the factory was closed, and, besides, it is said, that it did not pay.
There is a sorghum refinery on Section 29, owned by George Morgan, established this year, which is doing a very fair business, which will probably be better the coming year. There are no other manufacturing establishments in town than these.
6742
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
There are two churches in town ; one a Catholic, at Logtown, that has a resident priest, and a Methodist Episcopal Church at White Mound, that has been established for some time, and which is auxiliary to the Spring Green Circuit, being supplied with a minister from that point.
ORGANIZATION AND TOWN OFFICERS.
Franklin was a precinct of Honey Creek until April 3, 1855, when, the town having been set off into a separate precinct, the first town meeting was held, and the town regularly organized and officers elected. The meeting was held at School District No. 1. Officers as follows : N. Mitchell, Chairman ; John Johnson and James Henry, Side Board ; T. J. Morgans, Clerk ; J. B. Carpenter, Treasurer; Justin Carpenter, Assessor; T. J. Morgans, Superintendent of Schools ; A. Sothard, George Matteson and G. E. Corbin, Justices ; J. Bancroft, R. Remrard, Constables. A tax of $150 was voted to defray town expenses, and seven mills on the dollar for road tax, the same as it yet remains. There were forty-four votes cast at this election.
The second annual meeting was held April 1, 1856. Officers-J. Bear, Chairman ; Sol Cramer and T. C. Peck, Side Board; T. J. Morgans, Clerk ; J. B. Carpenter, Treasurer ; A. E. Lindly, Assessor ; F. C. Reynolds, Superintendent ; James Harvey, F. C. Reynolds and T. J. Morgans, Justices ; G. P. Howard and M. Ott, Constables.
The third annual meeting held April 7, 1857. Officers-N. Mitchell, Chairman ; H. Dickison and A. Stuthard, Side Board ; T. J. Morgans, Clerk ; Smith Phetteplace, Treasurer ; J. Bear, Assessor and Superintendent ; T. J. Morgans, D. D. Thompson, Justices ; R. Rennard and A. Sweet, Constables.
The fourth annual meeting held April 6, 1858. Officers-J. Bear, Chairman ; D. D. Thompson and Nat Mitchell, Side Board; A. G. Burnham, Clerk; Eli Jones, Treasurer; J. Bear, Assessor ; J. Johnson, Superintendent; A. G. Burnham, James Harvey, Justices ; R. Rennard, P. Donahue, W. Williams, Constables.
The fifth annual meeting held April 5, 1859. Officers-E. Jones, Chairman ; George Morgan and J. Weishan, Side Board; T. J. Morgans, Clerk; Eli Jones, Treasurer; N. Mitchell, Assessor ; E. Jones, Superintendent ; T. J. Morgans, James Catlin, Justices ; J. Cramer, George Morgan and J. Robison, Constables.
Sixth annual meeting held April 3, 1860. Officers-E. Jones, Chairman; J. Cramer and George Morgan, Side Board; T. J. Morgans, Clerk ; J. Bear, Treasurer; N. Mitchell, Assessor ; E. Jones, Superintendent ; J. Bear and T. J. Morgans, Justices ; J. Cramer and George Morgan, Constables ; William Henneman, Sealer.
Seventh annual election held April 2, 1861. Officers-J. B. Carpenter, Chairman; Jerry Cramer and A. Hutter, Side Board ; T. J. Morgans, Clerk ; William Hudson, Treasurer ; N. Mitchell, Assessor ; no Superintendent ; B. V. Bunnell, William Hudson, Justices ; S. Beaver and J. Henry, Constables ; William Huneman, Sealer.
In 1860, at Presidential election, about sixty votes were cast.
Eighth annual meeting, April 1, 1862. Officers-E. Jones, Chairman ; J. Weisham and William Claridge, Side Board ; J. S. Curly, Clerk ; William Hudson, Treasurer; N. Mitchell, Assessor ; T. J. Morgans and J. S. Cull, Justices ; J. Henry, William J. Herreman and T. J. Cooper, Constables.
Ninth annual meeting April 7, 1863. Officers-T. J. Morgans, Chairman ; H. Dickerson and William J. Henneman, Side Board ; J. S. Cully, Clerk ; William Hudson, Treasurer; N. Mitchell, Assessor; B. V. Bunnell, William Hudson, Justices; J. Cramer and J. M. Baker, Constables.
Tenth annual meeting held April 5, 1864. Officers-E. Jones, Chairman ; George Morgan and J. Cramer, Side Board ; J. K. Dunn, Clerk ; William Hudson, Treasurer; N. Mitchell, Assessor ; T. J. Morgans and B. Calkins, Justices ; J. Cramer and H. Dickerson, Constables. Presidential votes, 60.
Eleventh annual meeting held April 4, 1865. Officers-E. Jones, Chairman ; William Henneman and J. Dickerson, Side Board; T. J. Morgans, Clerk ; William Claridge, Treas-
675
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
urer ; J. B. Carpenter, Assessor ; B. V. Bunnell and J. B. Carpenter, J. Cramer and Joseph Robinson, Constables.
Twelfth annual meeting held April 3, 1866. Officers-E. Jones, Chairman ; Joseph Bandel and Joseph Robinson, Side Board; T. J. Morgans, Clerk; William Clarridge, Treas- urer ; Joseph Bendel, Assessor ; T. J. Morgans and E. Jones, Justices ; James Murray and J. Cramer, Constables.
Thirteenth annual meeting held April 2, 1867. Officers-Joseph Bandel, Chairman ; J. Cramer and A. Riek, Side Board ; J. T. Morgans, Clerk; William Clarridge, Treasurer ; Will- iam Hudson, Assessor ; B. V. Bunnell, William Hudson, R. Kennard, Justices; J. B. Crawl, James Murray, Constables.
Fourteenth annual meeting hield April 7, 1868. Officers-Joseph Bandel, Chairman ; A. Riek and George Gasser, Side Board; T. J. Morgans, Clerk; William Clarridge, Treasurer ; William Hudson, Assessor; T. J. Morgans and B. Calkins, Justices ; J. Cramer and James Murray, Constables. Presidential election in November, 96 votes.
Fifteenth annual meeting held April 6, 1869. Officers-Joseph Bendel, Chairman ; George Gasser and P. Luther, Side Board; T. J. Morgans, Clerk ; William Clarridge, Treas- urer ; William Hudson, Assessor ; B. V. Bunnell and William Hudson, Justices; J. Cramer and James Murray, Constables.
TOWN OF HONEY CREEK.
This town is not equal in size to Bear Creek and Franklin, there being forty-eight Sections in Township 10. It is bounded north by Westfield and Freedom, south by Troy, east by Sumter and Prairie du Sac, and west by Franklin. In physical formation, it is generally more level. than the southern tier of towns ; but is, nevertheless, quite broken in places and somewhat marshy. The soil presents nearly all the varieties to be found elsewhere in the county, only the predominating condition is better than the average for farming purposes, being mainly com- posed of a sandy loam, very rich in quality, and deep. There are numerous striking natural objects or formations existing in this town, the result of nature's upheavals and glacial streams. The most noticeable of these is a natural bridge, which is really a wonderful and beautiful pro- duction. We quote from the description given by R. D. Irving, State Geologist: "On the northwest quarter of Section 17, a narrow. precipitous spur from a higher bluff, is worn entirely through, forming a natural bridge of considerable dimensions. The arch is about ten feet thick, the under-side being thirty feet from the ground, and the width of the archiway thirty to forty feet. The upper portion of the rock is potsdam sandstone, containing the usual calcareous bands, and is highly charged with small pebbles of red quartzite. One thing in this connection, that may be regarded as peculiar in the light of history, is the fact that very many of the people living within a short distance of this beautiful object, have never seen it, and scarcely know that there is such a place. The town is magnificently watered by Honey Creek and numerous sınall streams that thread the land in all directions, and that flow southerly. How this principal stream came to be called Honey Creek is not positively known; but it is conjectured that it was owing to the large amount of wild honey that used to be found through this portion of the coun- try, by the bee-hunters, who, at one time, made a regular business of gathering it for the market (as elsewhere stated). The obtaining of that kind of sweet cost less in experience, money and labor, than the subsequent manufacture of sweet by the people here, and paid better dividends in the end. The products of the town are very general, not being very exceptional in any par- ticular, unless it be in the absence of beets. The inhabitants are largely German and Swiss, there being enough of other nationalities to fill up the niches. The people seem to be in a uniformly prosperous condition, as is evidenced by their comfortable homes and well-kept and well-tilled farms. The educational, moral and religious conditions are excellent in every respect, although, religiously, a great diversity of opinion prevails. There is not much done in the way of manufacturing, but a good deal of good stock is raised here, the country being well adapted to that purpose. In conclusion of these observations, it may be justly said that this town and adjacent country is as good, in most respects, as any in the county.
6753
HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The settlement of the town began very early, compared with that of some contiguous towns. The very first comers here were Bartholomew Ragatz, and his sons, Christian and Thomas. They came in and settled on Section 36, where Thomas Ragatz now lives, in July, 1842. There were then no white neighbors on the west or south of them, except Wilson and Turner, at Spring Green, and none nearer on Sauk Prairie than V. Accold and A. Wolf. They imme- diately erected a cabin and proceeded to prepare outhouses and provender for their stock, as Mr. Ragatz brought fifteen head of cattle with him and as many head of hogs, his intention being to following stock-raising and dairying exclusively. At that time, raising pigs, when the woods were infested by famishing wolves, was a very risky undertaking, and one seldom attempted to such an extent by the early settlers. Nevertheless, Mr. Ragatz and sons had the good luck to get along all right with the enterprise, for, within three years, they had forty head of cattle and 100 hogs.
Mr. Ragatz made the first butter and cheese in the town ; in fact, cheese was made by him years before any other was made here.
The Ragatz family also built the first bridge, and run the first road into Honey Creek. The bridge over the creek stood where the present one does.
The land in this town did not come into market until three years after Mr. Ragatz came ; consequently, before they could enter and pay for what they had claimed, they had made a large improvement.
In 1846, Fred Rose and John Thilke, brothers-in-law, came into the town, Mr. Thilke hav- ing previously lived on Sauk Prairie.
Before they came permanently, Mr. Thilke and wife went on a prospecting tour, to see what they could " find them out." In going in they met with no serious difficulties, but in com- ing out they decided to return roundabout. When they got to Honey Creek, over which they had crossed all right in the morning, they found themselves in something of a dilemma, the only bridge they could find being a trec fallen over the stream. Mrs. Thilke protested that she could not walk the log, so John said he would crawl over on his hands and knees with his wife on his back. In this manner they started, but alas! when they were about half over, John slipped, and in they went, and were only able to get out with their lives. Mr. Thilke will remember his first, and most unwelcome bath in Honey Creek, to the end of his days.
Very soon after this, the two families came in and settled on what was then called Thilke's Prairie, now known as Little Prairie, one of the choicest tracts of land in the town. The same year they raised corn, potatoes, etc. Mr. Thilke, within a couple of years, sold his claim and moved to Sauk. Mr. Rose still lives here.
About this time, A. Reedy and M. Luetscher and Andrew Suton came in to the town and settled permanently.
In 1847, several families came in nearly together, the heads of said families being F. Haas, M. Tane, H. Clement, George Van Eschen, V. Nold, F. Nold. Besides those above mentioned, there were B. Carish, H. Schneller, J. Saifer, G. F. Grone, Mr. H. Ochsner and several more not known, who came in from 1846 to 1850.
The first death that occurred in town was that of Andrew Sutor in 1846; he was the first one buried in Salcm's churchyard.
Christian Ragatz and Catherine Stifer were the first marricd, in 1844, Justice Crossman, of Prairie du Sac, performing the ceremony.
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