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 85
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
of the school for two years, assisted the first year by Miss Taylor, and the second by Miss Anna Sneathen and J. S. Ingalls. Mrs. Bell Sheldon succeeded Miss Martindale in the Primary room, and continued until 1877, when Miss Alice Greene took charge of it. The Intermediate Department was taught in 1874-75 by Miss Lena Little; in 1875-76 by O. G. Schonfeldt; in 1876-77 by Willis Stone, and in 1877-78 by Miss Carrie Peck and Miss Anna Sneathen. In the autumn of 1878, J. H. Boyle, assisted by Miss Mary Nelson, took charge of the school. Miss Mary Neeley also took charge of the Intermediate Department, and Miss Alice Greene the Primary.
At the beginning of the school year, in 1879, a new department was created, known as the Second Primary, Miss Hannah Weinzierl being employed as teacher. Miss Mary Neeley also succeeded Miss Mary Nelson as assistant to Mr. Boyle, Miss Nellie Neeley being employed to fill the vacancy thus created in the Intermediate Department.
In September, 1879, the School Board took adequate measures for carrying out the provis- ions of an act of the Legislature providing for the establishment of free high schools. Addi- tions were made to the schoolhouse for the accommodation of two extra departments, one of which was immediately organized.
The school system of Reedsburg has reached a remarkable degree of perfection. The average enrollment is about 300 pupils, the percentage of attendance being very satisfactory. The cost of maintaining the schools, not including the expense of building and improvements, is in the neighborhood of $2,400 per annum, or about $8 for each pupil.
There are seven frame schoolhouses outside the village, most of them good ones. The Carver Schoolhouse is two miles west of the village, and the Jones Schoolhouse about two miles east of it, while the Safford Schoolhouse is in the south part of Babb's Prairie. There are four schoolhouses in the south part of the town, nearly on a line east and west. In these country temples of learning, schools are usually taught seven months in the year, for the most part by female teachers.
Elder Barbour's Select School .- This is one of the institutions of the past, but it will be remembered by many still living who patronized it. Frances Dwinnell Elliott, daughter of the late S. A. Dwinnell, who was one of the pupils in this school, recently wrote the following rem- iniscence of it: "It was taught in the fall, winter and spring of 1854-55. A finely bound volume of Tupper that I received as a prize the last day of school bears date March 16, 1855. A pleasant upper room over Danforth & Shumway's store was the Seminary building, and, there being no cloak room, our various wrappings disputed with the blackboard for the possession of the walls. The only ornament was a board placed conspicuously opposite the door, bearing the inscription, 'Order is the first law of Nature.' The Elder's patience was often sorely tried by our failure to observe the same. He was an excellent instructor. I shall never forget how, after a tedious explanation of a problem on the board, he would say, 'Now, if there is one in the class that doesn't understand this perfectly, I will go all over it again.' After teaching a few weeks, he realized that it was not good for schoolmasters to be alone, and secured an assistant in the person of Miss Mary J. Strong, an aunt of the Colonel's. How well all remember her, with her plain, freckled face, and bright auburn hair, but with such a sweet expression of countenance and grace of demeanor as to be really beautiful. Her character was one of the few in this world that can truthfully be denominated ' perfectly lovely.' To my youthful eyes she was perfection itself, and as one too good for earth she is yet inscribed in my memory. Main street was then in quite a primitive state, and the mud was appalling to behold and wade through. We girls, in consequence, adopted the bloomer costume, and a gent by my side, who was one of the boys in tliat distant period, says it was vastly becoming. I believe he never buys nineteen yards for a dress without wishing we had never doffed it. But in the breaking of winter the mud grew unbearable, even with pants ; and one day, at noon, we grew desperate, and, going down to the mill, we confiscated each of us a slab, and, marching up single file with them on our shoulders, we deposited them with due solemnity on the mud. There were quite a lot of them, and, by laying them end to end, they covered quite a length of sidewalk. It should be inscribed on the
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
archives of Reedsburg that its first sidewalk was laid by the young ladies of Elder Barbour's select school."
And so it is inscribed.
THE CHURCHES.
The civilizing influences of religion have done much for the welfare of Reedsburg. Elder A. Locke, who still resides near the village, was the first to preach the Gospel in the place. The 12th of July, 1848, was the date and "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God " the text of his sermon. The people assembled in the shanty of Mr. Powell, which stood in what is now Main street, almost in front of the old Strong store, now Roper's eating house. He continued to hold services here and also at Ward's, in the eastern portion of Narrows Prairie, and on the Little Baraboo, near where Ironton now is, for a year or more before any other minister came. He lived during the time in a shanty which he had built a short distance east of the Powell place. The next resident minister was J. S. Saxby, a Congregationalist from Walworth County.
The Methodists .- The first church organization was effected by the Methodists in November, 1850, at the house of John Clark, the Rev. N. Butler, of Baraboo, officiating. The congrega- tion was very small, consisting of J. H. Rork and wife, John Clark and wife, Garrett Rathbun and wife, Zabina Bishop, Phillip B. Smith, Mrs. Willard Bowen, Mrs. A. C. Reed, Mrs. Volney Spink, and Mrs. Peter Barringer ; but the membership was largely increased, and, in 1852, the society numbered sixty-three. In the fall of 1865, the church erected a tabernacle of boards, 20x30 feet in size, at the northwest corner of Fourth and Locust streets. It had a seating capacity of about 100, and served them as a place of worship for eight years. In 1872, a commodious church edifice was erected at the northeast corner of Pine and Second streets. It is 35x50 feet. and will seat 225 persons. It was dedicated February 16, 1873, the Rev. S. Fallows, of Madison, officiating, the text of the sermon being " He must needs go through Samaria." At this meeting a subscription of $630 was raised toward liquidating the $1,000 indebtedness of the society. Following is a list of the Pastors since the organization : Nelson Butler, E. P. Sanford, W. P. Delap, J. Bean, E. S. Bunce, A. V. House, E. H. Sackett, J. Bean again, R. Row- botham, John M. Springer, C. C. Holcomb, E. S. Bunce again, O. B. Kilbourn, B. L. Jack- son, R. Pengilley, I. A. Sweatland, John Harris, R. Langley, N. Leach, J. B. Bachman, J. W. Bell and J. H. Whitney.
The Congregationalists .- The next church organization-that of the Congregationalists- took place in the village schoolhouse, February 8, 1851. The Rev. Warren Cochran and the Rev. J. S. Saxby officiated. There were present, composing the membership of the society, J. S. Strong and wife, J. S. Saxby, wife and daughter, I. W. and L. R. Morley and their wives, N. Cornish and wife and three others, to which number S. A. Dwinnell and wife and two others were soon added, making twenty-two in all. In 1855, a church edifice, 32x50 feet in size, and valued at $1,600, was erected at the corner of Third and Pine streets. It was built by Abram West and Volney Spink, and was dedicated on the 18th of October, 1855, Rev. Warren Coch- ran preaching the sermon. It was the first church building erected in Reedsburg. At that date, the nearest structure of the character on the north was at Stevens Point, on the east at Baraboo, on the south at Dodgeville, and on the west at La Crosse. In 1871, the liouse was repaired and re-furnished at an expense of $1,200, and was re-dedicated on the 17th of De- cember of that year, the Rev. M. Bennett preaching the dedicatory sermon. The Pastors have been the Revs. J. S. Saxby, from 1849 to 1851; S. A. Dwinnell, from January, 1852, to Jan- uary, 1868; Warren Cochran one year, H. H. Hinman one year, M. Bennett four years, W. H. Hinckley three months, W. Mooney one year, and J. A. Bartlett, who came in the fall of 1879.
The Baptists .- On the 24th of January, 1852, Elder Peter Conrad, then engaged in mis- sionary work among a few small and scattered congregations on this then sparsely settled frontier, succeeded in organizing a Baptist society in Reedsburg. The first communicants were William J. Bentley and wife, Z. Craker and wife, Ammon Vernoy, Mrs. Eber Benedict, Mrs. James
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
Vernoy, Mrs. Daniel Carver, Mrs. H. H. Carver, Mrs. L. G. Sperry and Mrs. J. C. Bovee. The members were by no means well to do financially, though their faith stood unalterably at par, and until 1873 they had no settled place of worship. The old schoolhouse, the Alba House, Union Hall, the Congregational Church and the basement of the Presbyterian Church were used alternately by the society. At one time during this long period, the erection of a church edifice was seriously contemplated ; a lot was purchased and some of the timber hauled upon the ground, but the stringency of the times prevented the consummation of the plan. In the spring of 1872 the project was renewed, and this time with better success. In June of that year, J. N. Parker, the architect and builder, laid the foundation, and during the summer and fall raised and inclosed the building, which was completed the following year (1873), at a cost of $2,000, and dedicated October 12, Elder Raymond, of Chicago, officiating, being assisted by Elders Fish and Seamans. It was shown by the report of the Treasurer, Elder Barbour, that the indebtedness of the church at that date was $1,100, of which amount $400 was owing to the building fund. At the close of the evening service on the day of the dedication, the remaining amount of the indebtedness, $700, was subscribed. The Pastors of this church, since the time of Mr. Conrad, have been the Revs. E. D. Barber, B. D. Sprague, W. J. Chapin, Mead Bailey, John Seamans, E. D. Barber again, G. W. Lincoln, J. Staley and F. Hill.
The Presbyterians .- This church was organized in what was then known as the new school- house, on the 22d of . November, 1857, by the Rev. Hiram Gregg, of Baraboo. The original members were T. Tait and wife, L. Gifford and wife, Chester Buck and wife, and Miss L. Buck. A church edifice, 38x60, was erected during the following year, dedicatory services being held in the basement in December, the Rev. William Lusk, Sr., preaching the sermon. The house was. not wholly completed till 1870. It was dedicated in December of that year, the Rev. B. G. Riley, of Lodi, officiating. The structure cost $5,200. The Pastors of the church have been the Revs. William Lusk, Sr., William Lusk, Jr., T. Williston, S. A. Whitcomb, William Lusk, Sr., again, D. S. White, H. L. Brown and J. A. Bartlett.
St. Peter's Church .- The German Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1868, and August Rohrlack became Pastor in 1869. The church was composed mostly of families from Hanover, Germany. They soon made a purchase of an entire block, just north of the Con- gregational Church, upon which was a dwelling-house, which was fitted up as a parsonage and schoolhouse. In 1870, a church edifice, 40x70 feet, was erected at the southeast corner of Fourth and Locust streets. The most striking feature of the structure is its eighty-foot steeple, in which hangs a bell weighing 1,500 pounds. The dedication took place on the tenth Sunday after Trin- ity, 1870. A parish school was erected near the church in 1874. The Rev. Mr. Rohrlack taught the first school connected with this church. He was succeeded by Julius Neils. Mr. E. Lussky is the present teacher. The size of the school ranges from sixty to ninety pupils.
St. John's Church .- A second Lutheran society was organized in 1874, consisting of about twenty-five families, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Mr. Woerth. Among the first members were William Stolte and wife, George Stolte and wife, John Meyer and wife, Fred Dangel and wife, John Fuhlbohm and wife, Henry Kipp and wife, Fred Niebuhr and wife, and William Raetzmann and wife. Services were held in the English Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church until the fall of 1878, when the society erected a house of worship on Market street, in the northern portion of the village. The edifice cost $1,500. The pastors have been the Revs. Th. Jahnsen, George Woerth, Dr. Deichman, and G. F. Engelhardt, the present incumbent. The membership is about seventy families.
The Catholics .- About three years ago, the Rev. Father White, of Baraboo, visited Reeds- burg at the solicitation of a few Catholic families residing here, and held mass in private houses. A year previous to this, Mrs. E. F. Buelow took the initiative in starting a subscription for the purpose of building a church in Reedsburg. The object was accomplished in the spring of 1880, a $1,200 church edifice being erected. The subscribers to the fund and members of the parish are the families of Paul Bishop, Patrick Tierney, Peter Byrne, Stephen Timlin, William Horkan, E. F: Buelow, Edward Timlin, Mrs. Frank Ingalls, Wm. Boehm, Frank Meckler and Mrs. Loselet.
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
THE POST OFFICE.
In 1849, Horace Croswell received an appointment as Postmaster of Reedsburg. The mail matter which then came to this point was not sufficiently cumbersome to necessitate the building of a special apartment for it, and Eber Benedict's slab shanty became the post office ; though it is said that Lavina Reed carried the letters in her pocket during the first part of Horace's term of office, because she and Horace were both young and much inclined toward each other. Croswell, as a part of his contract with the Government, took the mail pouch on his back and made weekly trips to Baraboo, sixteen miles away, the schedule time being eight hours. L. Gay Sperry was his successor as mail carrier. He reduced the time between the two points to six and a half hours. This he continued to do for a year. When the " Strong building " (now Roper's eating-house) was erected, and a store established therein, the post office was removed thereto by Mr. Croswell. Caleb Croswell, brother of Horace, and also a brother of the founder and editor of the Albany (N. Y.) Argus, succeeded Sperry as mail-carrier, and placed on the route his team of white and brown mules. About 1851, the change in adminis- tration carried with it the usual decapitations in the Post Office Department, and whether or not Mr. Croswell's head fell under the political guillotine, or whether he resigned the office, is not of record. At any rate the office became vacant and E. W. Young was appointed. He remained in office until 1861, keeping it in the store of Young, Northrup & Co., and on the 16th of March of that year he was succeeded by J. L. Green, who removed it to his store, which stood where Finch's harness-shop now stands. In the spring of 1865, E. O. Rudd succeeded to the position. The office was then located by Mr. Rudd in Henderson's store, where it was attended by his sister, Mrs. Col. Strong. When the Colonel returned from fighting the battles of his country, he and his wife took up their residence in the original Strong building, erected at an early day by the Colonel's father, taking the post office with them, where it remained until about 1869, when John Kellogg was appointed to the position. He remained in office till 1873, resigning in favor of A. L. Harris, the present incumbent. The office became a money order office July 1, 1869. The first order was issued on the 15th of that month ; the remitter was Horace F. Chace, of Reedsburg, and the payees Swale, Cameron & Co., Milwaukee, the amount being $23.63. Since then over 12,000 orders have been issued. C. F. Sheldon has been in the office as assist- ant for several years.
HOTELS.
The first hotel in Reedsburg was a "tavern," for it was by this somewhat antiquated appel- lation that the Clark House, built in 1849-50, was known. J. C. Clark was the proprietor. The structure was one and a half stories high, and the entire population pointed to it with feel- ings of pride as the first frame building of note in the place, the material of which it was con- structed being the product of the greatest institution for many miles about-the saw-mill of Reed & Powell. The Clark House stood where the American House (the property of Mrs. Reineke) now stands. There were many changes in the proprietorship and management of this house, and it is not in the power of the "oldest inhabitant " to recall the names of those identified with its history. Thomas Ingalls, A. P. True, John Schaum and George Stewart are enumerated as having been among the individuals connected with its later management. It was for some time the property of J. D. Mackey, who sold it to G. Reineke. It was destroyed by fire in May, 1877, and rebuilt of brick. Upon the death of Mr. Reineke, his widow succeeded to the management.
The next hotel was built by J. S. Saxby, though it was used at different periods as a resi- dence by Mr. Saxby, a man named Secor and A. West. The latter sold it to H. H. Treadwell, who converted it into a hotel. By him it was subsequently transferred to John Sanborn, who sold it to Jehu Seeley. A Mr. Clark then came along and purchased it, but soon sold out to one Percival, who removed it to a farm two miles west of the village, and it now does service as a farmhouse.
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
The Mansion House came next in the category of hotels. It was built in 1855 by Dr. Mackey, and was a part of the property of the Mackey brothers. It was purchased and carried on by Ransom Smith & Sons, but in 1859 reverted to the Mackeys on account of the inability of the Messrs. Smith to pay for it. L. Gaylord then became the lessee, and he was succeeded by one Cooper, concerning whom there are many mysterious things related. It is said the Mansion House, under his management, became a rendezvous for bad characters who inaugur- ated an era of systematized plunder. Charley Hunt remembers having, in the capacity of an officer, searched the premises and found portions of stolen harness and other articles furnishing satisfactory evidence tending to justify the general belief that there was "something decayed in Denmark." It is also asserted that on one occasion a wagon with a small party of men aboard arrived at the house one dark night, and the hostler was instructed to care for the horses and have them ready to start at 3 in the morning, but he was threateningly warned not to use a lantern or go nearer the wagon than was absolutely necessary in the performance of his duty. After the last member of the suspicious crowd had left Reedsburg, the hostler ventured to relate what had happened, supplanting his story with the statement that he did make an examination of the wagon and found therein the body of a dead man. When Cooper left the country, G. W. Bellinger came into possession of the Mansion House and converted it into a private resi- dence. He soon afterward sold to Thomas Ingalls, who opened it again as a hotel. W. H. Finch, now of Kilbourn, succeeded Mr. Ingalls, and he sold to O. E. Briggs, who conducted it until March, 1878, when Mr. Ingalls again took it. In February, 1880, Dr. N. W. Sallade bought the property and is the present manager.
What is now the Central House was built in 1856-57, by Alba B. Smith. It was then known as the Alba House. Mr. Smith sold to E. G. Wheeler, whose son-in-law, Ruben Green, managed it until about 1859, when F. A. Weir became the proprietor. In 1861, it fell into the hands of one Woolsey, who, it is said, was in some way connected with the Cooper gang, and under whose management the Alba House fell into disrepute. Woolsey, it is said, was no better than he ought to be. In 1863, N. V. Chandler rented the house, and, as illustrating the low ebb of affairs at that time, Mr. Chandler relates that he only paid $5 rent per month for the entire establishment, livery stable and all. In November, 1863, Mr. Chandler retired in favor of George Mead, who kept it till May, 1864, when Daniel Clark purchased it of a Mr. Love- land, of New York, who came into possession by purchase from Mr. Wheeler. Clark sold to Schwecke & Stotte, the present proprietors, who closed it as a hotel and kept a store in the lower part, making dwellings of the upper. In November, 1876, it was remodeled and re-opened as a hotel by Frank P. Ingalls, whom no one can conscientiously say does not " know how to keep a hotel."
BANKS.
The first banking business done in Reedsburg was by a Mr. Ege and H. M. Haskell, both of Portage. It was of the wildcat order, and, like many others of the same character, went to pieces when Southern securities began to depreciate.
In the winter of 1868, a private bank was established by Mackey, Rudd & Co. (Joseph Mackey, E. O. Rudd and J. W. Lusk). Messrs. Rudd and Lusk retiring soon afterward, Mr. Mackey conducted the business alone until about 1876, when he withdrew also and went to Minneapolis, Messrs. Rudd and Lusk and Henry Geffert, Moses Young'and H. C. Hunt, being his successors. In the summer of 1877, the Reedsburg Bank Building was erected, the institu- tion being permanently located therein. The present officers are J. W. Lusk, President ; Henry Geffert, Vice President ; George T. Morse, Cashier.
In 1863, Dr. S. Ramsey engaged in the business of buying and selling foreign and domestic exchange, and has since devoted a large share of attention thereto. In 1875, he announced himself in gold letters as a full-grown banker, and from that date to the present time has received deposits in the regular way of other bankers. The Doctor is also considered an adept in diag- nosing a hop-yard, and, in his time, has invested many thousands of dollars in the article.
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE RECORD.
In October, 1873, in accordance with a previous resolution of the Village Board, a Babcock fire apparatus was purchased, at a cost of $650 for the complete outfit, consisting of a truck, four six-gallon extinguishers, provided with twelve chemical charges, four ladders, aggregating sixty-eight feet in length, ten fire-buckets, two axes, two pike poles, one hook and chain, five lanterns and sixty feet of drag-rope. The equipment was temporarily housed in Mrs. Wheeler's barn. On the 15th of November, a meeting of citizens was held, at which the Babcock Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, of Reedsburg, was organized, with Moses Young as Foreman, James Lake, First Assistant ; A. R. Rork, Second Assistant; W. A. Wyse, Secretary ; W. Warren, Treasurer, and A. W. Sallade and O. H. Perry, Chemical Captains.
In June, 1877, a hand engine was purchased of the city of Fond du Lac for $350, which is now in use. In the winter of 1879-80, the Village Board voted authority to build an engine- house, and the fire apparatus of the village is now properly housed. W. W. Rork is Chief of the Department, while F. G. Rodermund and O. E. Byington are Foremen of the engine and hook and ladder companies respectively.
Following is a record of the principal fires which have occurred in Reedsburg :
In November, 1852, the small store building of J. F. Sanford, in charge of O. H. Perry, took fire in the night, and burning through the floor was discovered and extinguished. The goods were badly smoked, which was the principal loss. The fire was thought to have been caused by a coal from the pipe of a smoker.
The second fire was the burning of W. Warren's blacksmith-shop, in May, 1855, caused by concealed fire in a load of charcoal left over night near the shop.
In December, 1859, the store of L. M. Swallow, standing where Horkan's saloon now is, was burned in the night-time, evidently an incendiary fire.
In 1860, the large frame house of Stern Baker, on Babb's Prairie, was burned in the day time, caused by a stove standing too near the plastered wall of the sitting-room.
December 8, 1860, the saw-mill, flouring-mill and storehouse, with 2,000 bushels of grain belonging to J. and S. Mackey, were burned. Loss, $7,000, with no insurance. Caused by coals carried by one of the workmen into the lower part of the saw-mill to warm a rubber belt.
In August, 1861, the large log house and granary of J. W. Babb were burned with all their contents. It is supposed to have been caused by fire dropped from the pipe of one of the harvest hands. It was the first log house and the second dwelling erected in the town of Reedsburg.
In 1862, a small house near Maj. McClure's, on Narrows Prairie, was burned. It was supposed to have been caused by the explosion of a kerosene lamp left burning through the night in the room of a sick person.
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