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 84

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 840

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 84

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are still residents of Sauk County.

The territory of the present town of Reedsburg was formerly divided between the towns of Baraboo and Eagle. In 1850, a town of Reedsburg was established, named in honor of D. C. Reed. It comprised the present towns of Woodland, Lavalle, Winfield, and a portion of Iron- ton, in addition to what is now known as Reedsburg. The town articles were drafted in a blacksmith-shop, and upon the top of James W. Babb's hat. The first officers of this town were John H. Rork, S. Kerstetter and W. P. Randall, Supervisors ; and Daniel Carver, Treas- urer. Reductions of territory were made at intervals until 1854, when the town was included in its present boundaries. At this time, there was a great range for county seats. Every man, as soon as he built a house, marked out a court house square and expected his place to be the county seat. In consequence, there was a great deal of rivalry and jealousy between different portions of the county. The original village plat belonged to D. C. Reed and George H. Irwin, a rela- tive of Reed's; one owning the land south, and the other that north of Main street. The additions to Reedsburg are Mackey's First, made August, 1853, and Dwinnell's Addition, made about the same time ; Mackey's Second and Third Additions, Mott's three Additions, and Mrs. Titus' Addition. The village was laid out and platted in 1852.

In the spring of 1851, occurred the somewhat famous saw-log war, or better known prob- ably as the Baraboo war. It was then a common thing for early settlers engaged in the logging business to cut timber from the vast domains of Uncle Sam without his permission, and before the old gentleman surveyed and sold his lands in that region, there was a wide expanse along the upper waters of the Baraboo covered with tall and graceful pines. Among others who cut and rafted saw-logs from this section were George and Edward Willard, of Baraboo. The .

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REEDSBURG.

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

building of a dam at Reedsburg seriously interfered with the successful pursuit of rafting, and it soon became optional upon the part of Mr. Reed for rafts to pass over the dam. It finally occurred to him that it would be to his interest to prohibit further operations of this kind. In doing so, he would not only prevent the probable demolition of his dam, but it was in the natural order of things that the large number of logs then lying in the stream could be purchased at a low price, and made into lumber at his mill. But the Willards insisted upon their right to pass their logs over the dam, and when Mr. Reed, backed by the citizens of Reedsburg, positively refused them this privilege, they returned to Baraboo for the purpose of mustering a sufficient number of their friends to help them cut the dam and pass the logs over. In the meantime, the Reedsburg citizens dispatched a messenger to Madison for the United States Marshal, who, they supposed, would seize the logs, they having been cut from Government land. They were disappointed, however, when the Marshal appeared with a posse of men and ordered the dam cut away and the logs released. An indignation meeting was called at once, and a large and excited crowd assembled in Sanford's store. Inflammatory, as well as conciliatory, speeches were made, but E. G. Wheeler finally convinced the crowd that it would be the height of folly to attempt resistance to United States authority. It is worthy of record that there was no recourse to violence ; and, although the cutting of the dam was a vital blow at the then leading interest in Reedsburg, the citizens bore their misfortune with true pioneer fortitude.

In July, 1852, when the Rev. S. A. Dwinnell came to Reedsburg with his wife and six children, he found upon the site of the present village twenty-seven families and eight single men, 114 persons in all. This was the growth of three years. Following is a list of the inhab- itants at that date, the figures indicating the number in each family : J. S. Strong, 4; L. Gay Sperry, 4; Austin Seeley, 4; S. H. Chase, 2; Z. T. Carver, 6; O. H. Perry, 2; Eber Bene- dict, 4; Peter Barringer, 4; Volney Spink, 5; A. H. Witherall, 2; P. B. Smith, 3; W. Mc- Clung, 3; A. C. Reed, 8; Dr. R. G. Williams, 7; Kindred Priest, 3; H. H. Carver, 4; J. Clark, 5; J. C. Bovee, 3; E. G. Wheeler, 6; W. W. Carpenter, 3; Garrett Rathbun, 7; Harry Bishop, 3; J. Mowers, 6; William Peck, 4; Aaron Hall, 4; Orlando Secor, 5, and David C. Reed, 5. To these must be added Mr. Dwinnell's family of eight, making the entire population, twenty-nine years ago, 122 persons. The business portion of the village was located in what was then a black-alder swamp. In the eyes of strangers, this was regarded as a draw- back to the growth of the village. The people coming from Baraboo and all the region east, as well as those coming from what is now the town of Winfield and the settlement in the town of Dellona, known as Sligo, were obliged, in order to get to the stores, the tavern and the saw- mill, to travel along a ridge of hard land from near " Kelsey's Corner " to the rear part of what is now the Central House, and around to the north of the Mansion House into Main street, near Strong's store, now the saloon and eating-house of William Roper. Main street, from "Kelsey's Corner " to Nelson Carver's saloon, was an impassable swamp. A ditchi had been dug on the north side of it, which remained the only improvement upon it for two or three years. It was afterward so covered with sand that teams began to travel over it, but it was many years before it was rendered perfectly safe for teams to pass without getting " sloughed."

In the summer of 1851, business was greatly depressed.“ It was a very hard time for the laboring man and the mechanic. Money and provisions were scarce. Lumber was the only article which was abundant. Mr. Dwinnell brought with him a large quantity of flour and a number of cows, which he exchanged with his neighbors for lumber, labor and hay, greatly to their advantage as well as his own. A deep gloom hung over the future of the place. With few exceptions, everything about the village looked "slipshod, down at the heels, out at the toes." The exceptions were the new, commodious, painted Reedsburg Hotel, built the year pre- vious, by John Clark ; also the two-story store and dwelling of J. S. Strong, which was also painted, and just west of it a large building being erected for stores and a dwelling by Volney Spink. To these should be added the cabinet-shop, and a dwelling over it, of Austin Seeley, near the northeast part of the park, now occupied, with more recent additions, by J. F. Danforth. This building was also painted white. The other houses were mostly small, unpainted and without cornice or ornaments. Most of them were covered with rough boards. 0

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

The causes which led to the stagnation of business in Reedsburg and prevented its growth while other villages in the county were prospering, are numerous ; but a recital of them in these pages would only have the effect of opening afresh wounds that have gradually healed. Be- sides, it is not the purpose of the publishers to revive sad recollections of the local feuds they find to be a part of the history of every community. There is enough to record that is pleasant, and, as it was not through the medium of personal differences that the village attained its pres- ent important position, but the result of liberal ideas and a close adherence to the mandates of the much-violated Golden Rule, it is proper that all save that which will impress future gener- . ations with the integrity of their ancestry, should be consigned to oblivion. Therefore we pass

over much that has been written concerning early personal strife in Reedsburg, and take up the record of that which resulted for its good and bound lasting ties of friendship. This is ably set forth in one of Mr. Dwinnell's pioneer sketches. He says : " The first direct effort to save the place from ruin was the organization of the Reedsburg Mill Company, in August, 1851. It consisted of E. G. Wheeler, John H. Rork, Z. T. Carver, Daniel Carver, S. A. Dwinnell, D. C. Reed, Eber Benedict and W. W. Carpenter. The first five persons above named were con- stituted a board of trustees, of which S. A. Dwinnell was chosen President and E. G. Wheeler Secretary. The design of the company was to purchase the property of Reed and clear it of incumbrance ; to put the flouring-mill in operation and give deeds of lots to such persons as were entitled to them by previous purchase of Reed, and sell lots to those who wished to erect build- ings. In order to effect this object, the stockholders gave a mortgage upon real estate to the amount of the stock subscribed by them. In the month of November following, Messrs. Wheeler and Reed were sent as agents to the city of New York, to make an effort to raise money upon these farm mortgages. In that intended negotiation they were unsuccessful. But Reed found there an old acquaintance by the name of A. H. Irving, who loaned him sufficient funds to can- cel the mortgage held by Van Bergen, upon the quarter-section south of Main street, and to purchase of A. A. Mott,* of New York, the quarter north of Main street. Irving took a deed of the property and gave Reed power of attorney to give deeds to such persons as had purchased lots of him, or might wish to do so. This delivered the place of the embarrassments which threatened to ruin it, and relieved the anxieties of those who had purchased lots of Reed and built upon them. In the spring of 1852, Abram West, J. H. Rork and Z. T. Carver made an arrangement with Reed to put the flouring-mill in operation. In order to raise the necessary funds to effect this object, the farmers in the vicinity, as well as some of the inhabitants of the village, advanced money and agreed to take pay in grinding. By this means the mill was run- ning in season to grind the grain of the harvest of that year. It was a great convenience to the people in this region, who had previously been obliged to go to Baraboo or Delton for all their milling. In the year 1854, J. and S. Mackey purchased the property of Reed, and the year following they took in their brother, Dr. E. R. Mackey, as a partner. The financial prosperity thus became permanently restored. Settlers began to come in rapidly. Money became plenty, and a large number of houses and stores were built. A. B. Smith erected the Alba House, and D. C. Reed and Dr. E. R. Mackey the Mansion House. In 1856, Northrup & Young built a large store and filled it with goods. About the same time came J. Johnson & Co. and J. V. Kelsey, and opened dry goods stores. George Meyers opened the first furniture store. The country around rapidly filled up with the population, and people came here to trade for a dis- tance of twenty and thirty miles to the west. Reedsburg consequently became the center of a large business, and its commercial prosperity was from that time assured."

A local writer, in the fall of 1856, speaking of the growth of Reedsburg, said: "From forty to fifty good substantial buildings have been erected within the last eighteen months, some of which, for beauty of finish, will compare favorably with those of any inland town East or West. We have three public houses, one 40x62} feet, three stories; one 30x60 feet, three stories, with large and commodious outhouses attached to each. We have thirteen stores and groceries, one ready-made clothing establishment, one cabinet, one shoe, one wagon and two

* Into whose hands it had fallen three years previous by the non-fulfillment of the conditions of a bond between he and Mr. Reed .- ED.

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

blacksmith shops, all doing a successful business. Two new stores are now in progress of erec- tion, and the building of two more large stores is contemplated the present fall. Several large and elegant dwelling-houses are in progress of erection in different parts of the town. A saw, grist mill and sash factory are propelled by water, the former of which is surpassed by no mill in the county. The steam saw-mill is also in successful operation. Still, there is a great lack of machinery to supply the necessary wants."

A year later, a local correspondent of a Baraboo paper, wrote : "A grist and saw mill have been in successful operation for a number of years, and one steam saw-mill has been estab- lished more recently. We also have ten dry-goods and provision stores, two good hotels, one drug store, one boot and shoe store, one hardware store, one harness-shop, one gunsmith, one sash, door and blind factory, two blacksmith-shops, one wagon-shop, one cabinet wareroom, two churches and one seminary."

In 1866, there were in the village seven dry-goods and two drug stores, two groceries, three saloons, two furniture rooms, one hotel, one jewelry store, two boot and shoe shops, three blacksmith-shops, one harness and two stove and tin shops, with other minor institutions in pro- portion. Of professional men, there were three lawyers, three physicians and four clergymen.

The year 1873 was a very profitable one for Reedsburg. A resume of the principal busi- ness transacted that year was prepared by Mr. Chandler, of the Free Press, from which the following figures are taken : Hops shipped, 2,837 bales, valued at $226,960 ; potatoes pur- chased by produce dealers, 20,029 bushels; pork, 281,841 pounds; 40 head of cattle, 270 of sheep, 25,000 pounds of poultry, 1,000 pounds of venison, 600 partridges, 11,000 pounds of hides and 175 pelts, 10,000 pounds of butter, 17,000 dozen of eggs, 33,000 pounds of wool, 13,000 barrels of flour, 30,000 hoop-poles and 13,750 railroad ties. There was purchased by dry-goods and grocery dealers $214,025.98 worth of stock. The books of the two hard and tinware firms showed transactions to the extent of $45,000. About $10,000 was expended by the ladies in the purchase of millinery goods; $8,000 went for jewelry, $14,087.99 for drugs and medicines (and it wasn't a good year for the doctors either), $4,526 for musical instruments, and $2,615 for sewing machines.

The growth of Reedsburg for the past five years has been of the most substantial character. It is now the second village in size and population in Sauk County, and, so far as the enter- prise of its business men is concerned, has no superior, if indeed it has an equal, in the county. Its tasty brick business blocks give to it the character of a city in appearance, and remind one that the destruction by fire of the old-fashioned frames which formerly lined Main street was but a temporary loss. It is said the first brick building in the place was a small one-story con- cern which stood where now stands the Reedsburg Bank. It was occupied as a merchant- tailoring establishment, and was burned down. Upon its ruins, in 1878, was built the bank edifice referred to. Prior to this, however, the residence of A. L. Harris was erected by William Dierks. Then followed Kelsey's store, Kreutzmann's saloon and Harris & Hosford's store (veneered). This brings us to the fire of 1878, after which Peter Byrne and J. S. Dear- holt put up bricks. The bank building was next, after which came Reineke's hotel, Barker's furniture store, Judge Stevens' red brick, Timlin's tin store and Brooks' hall and restaurant.

The institutions of Reedsburg, however, have separate histories which must be distinctly treated. All the sources of information have been exhausted to make the record complete and reliable.

MANUFACTORIES.

Kellogg's Mill .- As is already known, the improvement of the Baraboo River, at what is now Reedsburg, was commenced in June, 1847, by David C. Reed and Mr. Powell, and a year later, the frame of a saw-mill was erected. Some time in 1849, Mr. Powell sold out his interest in the mill to Caleb Croswell, who, in turn, sold to William Van Bergen the same year.

In the meantime, a grist-mill had been commenced, but for the want of funds the work was often delayed, and for a long time the citizens procured their flour at Madison and Portage. Mr.

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

Reed becoming involved in debt, Messrs. Carver, Rork and West, who had been working for him, finally took charge of and completed the grist-mill. They ran it for about a year.

In 1853, J. Mackey, then of Schoharie County, N. Y., made arrangements for pur- chasing the grist and saw-mills, together with 320 acres of land adjacent to them, and 600 acres of pine land, lying from eight to fourteen miles further up the river. Mr. Reed, not being able to raise the heavy mortgages on his property, was obliged to let it pass out of his hands. In the spring of 1854, Joseph Mackey and his brother Safford took possession of the mills. At that time the grist-mill consisted of one run of stones, and the saw-mill of two up-and-down saws, both mills being much out of repair. The new proprietors put them in complete order, and im- mediately began to pay cash for labor and supplies, which gave a new impetus to the business and growth of the town. The nearest mills to the east were then at Delton and Baraboo ; and to the west, on the Kickapoo River. An additional run of stones was put in the grist-mill to meet the increasing business.

In 1855, the Mackey brothers associated with them in business another brother, Dr. E. R. Mackey, who remained here until 1861, when he returned to New York. In the winter of . 1861, the Mackey mills were destroyed by fire, and several thousand bushels of wheat were lost in the conflagration. But the proprietors immediately began the erection of new mills at the points where the others had been. The grist-mill, thus rebuilt, is 40x60 feet on the ground, three and half stories high, and has five run of buhrs, two of which were putin when the mill was first built, and the others somewhat later, giving it a capacity for grinding of from eight hundred to a thousand bushels per day, or five hundred barrels of merchant work in a week, besides the reg- ular custom. The property was purchased of Safford Mackey, in February, 1880, by John Kel- logg, the present owner. The water-power is capable of driving more than twice the amount of machinery that it now runs. The dam has been recently rebuilt, making one of the best water- powers on the Baraboo River, affording in all from one hundred and sixty to two hundred horse- power.

Cooperage .- The manufacture of tight-barrel cooper stock (staves and headings) was in- augurated in Sauk County, in 1871, by E. A. Miller at Valton, and J. P. Stafford at Reedsburg, following the building of the railroad. These parties continued the business, with some success, up to 1875-76, since which time both concerns have been controlled by Charles Keith and B. G. Paddock, with A. E. Miller, who holds a working interest, as superintendent. The Reeds- burg factory is the largest and most complete institution of the kind in the State, cutting 30,000 staves and headings annually. The firm supplies the largest machine barrel manufactory in Chicago, or any other part of the Northwest, with material. The Reedsburg factory was de- stroyed by fire March 7, 1880. A new one was finished on the 10th of May, and is now in_com- plete operation. The main building is 30x60 feet, with a boiler and engine room 30x36, in which is a sixty horse-power engine, and boilers double that capacity. Twenty-one hands are employed in the Reedsburg factory, and twelve in the factory located at Lavalle. These facto- ries afford a ready market for the large supplies of white oak, basswood and ash, to be found in almost any section of the county, and their central locations place them among the leading institutions within its borders. It is quite an advantage to farmers to be able to dis- pose of their timber for cash, instead of reducing it to ashes to get rid of it, as was the case in early times. The firm of Keith & Paddock dates back to June 3, 1858, when they were in busi- ness, as merchants, in Ironton. They still continue the mercantile business at Lavalle.

Reedsburg Brewing Company .- Frank and Florin Meckler built the first brewery in Reeds- burg. It seems to have lacked the merit of success that was desired, and its founders, while endeavoring to bring it to a greater degree of perfection, were so unfortunate as to see it destroyed by fire. In the spring of 1877, Frank Meckler and Fred Schrader built a second brewery, and had put it into operation when, in the fall of 1878, Meckler failed, and the property was sold on a mortgage, Hagenah & Geffert being the purchasers. They took possession in March, 1879, and at once commenced the work of making additions and other improvements on a large scale. In June, 1880, William Dierks purchased a fourth interest, and the Reeds-

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

burg Brewing Company was formed, composed of Mr. Dierks, Henry Geffert and John and Peter Hagenah. The most important feature of the establishment is the summer beer vault, situated a few rods northeast of the brewery. It was perfected at a cost of nearly $5,000, and is doubtless, the best vault in the State. Here the temperature is kept at 40º Fahrenheit, only 10° above the freezing point, and this, during the hottest of summer weather. It is a complete refrigerator, on a scale sufficiently extensive to accommodate nearly 10,000 gallons of beer. Beneath the brewery building proper are two oblong vaults, formed in the solid rock some ten feet below its surface, where the winter's product is stowed in enormous casks. The other parts of the establishment are in keeping with the features above described. The product of the brewery, at the present time, is sixty barrels, or 2,400 gallons per week, which falls far short of supplying the demand. The trade is almost exclusively local, but very little being sent beyond the boundaries of Sauk County.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in the village of Reedsburg was a private one taught by Miss Amanda, a daughter of Rev. J. S. Saxby, in the winter of 1849-50. It consisted of seven pupils, and was kept in a shanty twelve feet square, lighted by a single window, and occupied by Mr. Saxby's family, consisting of seven persons. This was a case of teaching under difficulties. In the spring and summer of 1850, Miss Amanda Wheeler, now Mrs. S. H. Chase, taught the second school in the L to the mill-house and in the Saxby house, which was afterward the Green Tavern. It consisted of about twenty pupils. In the fall of 1850, a school district having been formed in the village, and a small house built on Walnut street, 15x22 feet in size, now a portion of the residence of Patrick Carney, the first public school in town was kept during the following winter by R. M. Strong, who afterward distinguished himself in the war of the rebellion. This small schoolhouse served the district for six years, and S. J. Brown, C. P. Sanford, Seymour Sage, Miss Esther Smith, now Mrs. J. J. Nye, and several others taught there.

During the summer of 1856, the district purchased of J. and S. Mackey three-fourths of an acre of land, on the northwest corner of Sixth and Pine streets, for $300, and erected a schoolhouse 30x40 feet in size, and intended for three teachers. Thomas Mobrey was the builder. In December, J. S. Conger and wife commenced school in it, assisted by Miss Emma Tator in the lower room. Mr. Conger and wife were good teachers and excellent disciplinarians, and continued the school for three years. They were succeeded by A. P. Ellinwood, who con- tinued two years, until he entered the army in 1861. He was assisted by Miss Alma Haskell. Charles Newcomb had charge of the school for the next year, assisted by his wife, and the year following W. S. Hubbell taught, assisted by his wife. After Miss Emma Tator left the lower department, it was taught by Sarah Shaw, Francis M. Iams and perhaps others. In the fall of 1863, Miss Sarah Flanders was employed to teach in the upper department, and her sister Mary in the lower. After this, Mr. William Gillespie taught a year, succeeded by J. Bloomer and George Gregory, each for a year, during much of which time Miss Frances Smith, now Mrs. A. L. Harris, taught the lower department. In the autumn of 1867, Orsen Green took charge of the upper department and George Gregory the lower, until the burning of the schoolhouse in February, 1868.

In the summer of 1868, a new schoolhouse was built upon the site of the old one, in size 40x50 feet, arranged for three departments and four teachers. F. Green, of Wyocena, was the builder. It cost about $5,700, not including site or apparatus. Albert Earthman commenced teaching in October, and continued in charge of the grammar department for six years, much of the time without assistance in his room. He was assisted in the intermediate and primary departments by various young ladies, Miss Emeline Martindale in the latter. In the autumn of 1874, J. H. Gould became Principal of the school, and continued in charge two years, assisted the first year by Miss Jennie Little and the second year by Miss Roxa Taylor. During the principalship of Mr. Gould, some half a dozen of his pupils were graduated in certain branches, and entered the State University at Madison. In the fall of 1876, J. S. Thomas took charge

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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 84

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 840

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 840