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 95

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 95

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The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by S. O. Browne, Pastor, in the fall of 1873. The Board of Trustees at the organization was as follows: H. G. Jones, M. Petteys, G. W. Bloom, W. C. T. Newell, J. C. Lamb, William Christie, Royal Fisk, Elijah Rich, Jonathan Wiggins. The pastors have been S. O. Browne, three years ; Thomas Evan, one year ; W. E. Conway, one year ; G. B. Haseltine, one year ; Robert Smith, one year.

The German Baptist Church of this place was organized in 1858, but not incorporated until 1875. The first Trustees elected were L. Ristan, H. Egerer and H. Lange. The Pastors of the church have been, from 1858 to 1864, T. G. Werthner ; from 1864 to 1865, H. Tilyner; 1865 to 1873, K. Manthey ; 1873 to 1874, K. Roos ; 1874 to 1875, K. Manthey ; 1875 to 1877, O. F. Zeckser ; 1877 to 1878. K. Manthey ; 1878, H. J. Miller.

TOWN OF GREENFIELD.

The first settlement on any part of the territory now included within the boundaries of the town of Greenfield was made in 1841, by Edwin Johnson, who came with his family, consisting of a wife and three children, and located in the southwest corner of the town. Mr. Johnson resided in the town until his death. The next settler was Thomas Clark, who came in 1842, and, two years later, built a grist-mill on a small stream in the southwest corner of the town, hear what is now known as the Red Schoolhouse. Mr. Clark purchased a couple of small mill- buhrs from some one who had been unsuccessful in operating a mill on Honey Creek, and attached them in the usual way to a centrifugal water-wheel. There was no bolting apparatus in this mill, and the early settlers who patronized it took their flour or meal with the bran in it. R. G. Cowles remembers having carried upon his shoulders to this mill a bag of corn to be ground, and, not finding the miller at home, he poured his grist into the hopper, turned on the water and ground it himself. He don't remember whether or not he left the usual toll, but believes he took the toll for his labor in grinding the grist. In 1843, there came to this section Lorrin Cowles, Sauk County's first Probate Judge ; R. G. Cowles, son of Judge Cowles, and Solomon Shaffer, son-in-law of the Judge It is believed no new settlers came in 1844. In 1845 came Aaron Nelson and Moses Nulph ; 1846, Job Barstow, Sr., and Dr. Charles Cowles, the latter now of Baraboo. The year 1847 brought Simeon Crandall, senior and junior. The former is dead, and the latter is now a resident of orange-groved, alligator-inhabited and politi- cally-doubtful Florida ; also Thomas Risner, who afterward moved to Missouri, and, when the rebellion broke out, was pressed into the rebel army, and lost his life fighting, in opposition to his wishes, against the Union. John Sanborn came also in this year. Andrew Garrison, John McGee, Abram Hoag. Thomas Jones, Mr. Dennison and Mr. Stevenson came in 1848. Jones and Hoag still reside in the town ; McGee went to Colorado, and Garrison died on the plains, en route for California. Mr. Garrison dammed the Baraboo River at the Narrows, and built a saw-mill, which he operated for a short time, sawing a quantity of lumber, when a "spring flood took a portion of the dam away. The opposition of the settlers whose lands had been flooded with the back-water from the dam, prevented Mr. Garrison rebuilding. The saw-mill was abandoned, and now passes into history. The year 1849 brought quite a number of pioneer settlers, among them John Munroe, Peter Cooper, Austin Tucker, Aaron and Joseph Wilkin- son and William Fessler. Messrs. Munroe and Fessler and Joseph Wilkinson are still living in the town ; Aaron Wilkinson, Austin Tucker and Peter Cooper are dead, the latter having taken his own life.

626

HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

In early days the citizens of the town of Greenfield went to Blue Mounds to mill. There is now a good grist-mill in "the Eikey district," owned by Andrew Prentice. A saw-mill. the property of William Eikey, formerly stood upon the site of this institution.

The first birth in the town of Greenfield occurred in October, 1843, that of Mary Shaffer. Ollie Shaffer's was the first death, March, 1844.

The first school was established in 1850. It was kept in the house of Job Barstow, and taught by a Miss Vanvalkenburg. District No. 1 having been organized, a schoolhouse was built on Peck's Prairie in 1851 ; it is the one known as the Barstow Schoolhouse. A second schoolhouse (Dennison's) was built in the winter of 1851. The town has been divided from time to time, until there are nine districts and as many schoolhouses.

An auxiliary branch of the Baraboo Congregational Church was organized in the eastern part of the town in 1851. Warren Cochran favored the church with occasional visits.

In 1875, Amos Johnson, John Munroe, O. H. Cook, Seth McGilvra, O. F. Kellogg, C. W. Kellogg, Joseph Palmer, Henry Bradbury, Peter Wilkinson and John Dean, organized them- selves into a stock association for the purpose of manufacturing cheese. The capital stock was $2,200. The institution has proved successful, and is still in existence.

The town of Greenfield originally belonged to the town of Brooklyn, and was set off as a separate town about 1853. Lemuel Thompson is believed to have been the first Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in the town.

TOWN AND VILLAGE OF IRONTON.

This town is situated on the west line of the county ; being the second township from the north, is formed of Town 12 north, Range 3 east, and contains thirty-six sections. At one time, the two south tiers of sections were attached to the town of Washington. By act of the County Board they were set off and now form a part of Ironton. The territory comprising this town was originally a part of the town of Marston. Ironton was organized in November, 1859. The records of the town are so defective that a fair history of its organization is not obtainable. Like many other towns of Sauk County, the town of Ironton is composed of hills, valleys and table-lands ; soil variable-black, sandy and clay loam. It is well timbered. The rock is prin- cipally sandstone. Numerous brooks and springs furnish plenty of water. The Baraboo River

crosses the northwest part of the town. Iron exists in large quantities. The John F. Smith

Iron Company has about 6,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Ironton Village. The making of charcoal for the use of the furnace at Ironton is one of the important industries of the town, and has been the cause of much larger clearings having been made than otherwise would have happened. About the year 1859, when times were hard, and many of the settlers found it difficult to supply their families with the necessaries of life, a way was opened to them almost as unexpectedly as the rain of manna to the children of Israel. A root, known as ginseng, called by the settlers " sang," was found growing in large quantities in many parts of the town. This root, when dug and washed, was merchantable at first at $1 per pound. It afterward fell to 50 cents per pound. Thousands of pounds of it were dug, and the proceeds brought food and com- fort to many a suffering family. One poor widow woman, with the aid of her children, procured an amount that, when sold, enabled her to pay the mortgage on her place. When the ginsing failed, a new source of revenue was presented, in the hoop-pole business. The young hickory saplings that were so much in the way of the settler, when clearing, were found to have a market value. Large quantities were cut and sold. More than $100,000 worth of hoop-poles were sold in the western towns of the county in the winter of 1868 and 1869. Of course, Ironton had a touch of the hop fever, and suffered like her sister towns. The credit of originating the popular seedling, called the Humphrey, is due to this town and Mrs. George Humphrey.

Wild honey was very plentiful in the woods of this section. One successful bee-hunter hauled at one load to market 1,500 pounds of honey, the result of his labors, from the proceeds of which he paid for his land.

627

HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

The first white settler in the territory comprising this town was William Cochran, who built a shanty to the southeast of the village site, in 1846. Cochran never made much improvement, as he devoted the most of his time to hunting. In 1848, the Jessops (Joseph and John) settled on Section 3. Reuben Thornton and family came in September, 1849 In the spring of 1850, G. Washington Gray made a settlement on Section 36. In the winter of 1850, Dennis Clasey and George Humphrey settled on Section 23. William All, C. H. Sands, Abram Stansfield and others camc in 1853. For the next few years the town settled very rapidly.

The first white child born in this town was Elizabeth Jessop, daughter of Joseph and Ann Jessop, born in the summer of 1849. The first marriage was that of Philip Babb to Anna Thornton. Mrs. Babb is a daughter of Reuben Thornton. They were married April 2, 1851. The first death was that of Mrs. William Cochran, which occurred in April, 1850. During her sickness, Mr. Karstetter's family used to visit her in a boat. The river being at a high stage of water, and there being no bridges, this was the only means of communication. There were just thirteen people at the funeral, and those represented three townships. The grave was made near where the iron-ore bed is situated.

The first Baptist services in this town, were held in a stone building in Ironton, in process of construction, by Elder Conrad (a missionary), in August, 1855. Meetings were held in the basement of the same building the next year by Rev. Mr. John Seamans. The society was organized February 12, 1859, at a meeting held in the schoolhouse at Ironton, Rev. A. D. Barber conducting the services, and acting as Pastor till the fall of that year. There were twelve constituent members. In the fall of 1859, Rev. E. Chapin was chosen Pastor, and was retained till January 28, 1865, when the Rev. John Seamans succeeded him, and has held that position to this date, September, 1880. The society numbers twenty-three.

The first schoolhouse was built on Section 23, in 1854. The first teacher was Miss Mil- dred Barnes. This house was afterward moved to the west side of the same section. March 17, 1860 (St. Patrick's Day), it was burned. The next winter, school was kept in the house of Mr. George Humphrey, and the next three terms at the house of Dennis Clasey The new schoolhouse was built in 1862.

The town of Marston included the present towns of Woodland, Lavalle, Ironton and Washington. The first town mecting was held at the house of Reuben Thornton, Town 12, Range 3, April 6, 1852, in pursuance of an act of the County Board. The appointed officers were : Reuben Thornton, Chairman ; Peter Millard, Allen B. Horton, J. F. Hamblin, Inspect- ors of Election. The officers elected were : Reuben Thornton, Chairman ; Manelious Pearson, Peter Millard, Supervisors ; J. F. Hamblin, Clerk ; John Tordoff, Treasurer ; A. H. Brownell, George W. Gray, Assessors; James Harrison, A. Mallon, Henry Voss, Constables.

This town lost its identity in the formation of Washington. Ironton, Lavalle and Wood- land.

The Iron Mine .- There is a wide diversity of opinion as to the rcal discover of the enor- mous bed of ore from which the village and town of Ironton derive their name. It is believed -in fact it is quite certain-that the discovery was made as early as 1849. By some it is said the discoverer was Henry Perry, who came to these parts in 1844 with Don C. Barry, the individual who located the copper mine in Section 1 of the town of Reedsburg. The fact that Perry dicd the following spring would secin to dissipate the belief that he was the individual. Others say that the discoverer was a man whose name is now unknown, and who also died, soon after his return to Walworth County, but not until he had made known the fact of the discovery to David C. Reed, of subscquent Reedsburg fame. Mr. Reed, it is claimed, started at once from his home in Walworth County for the purpose of laying claim to the property. He arrived at what is now Rcedsburg in the spring of 1847, but did not come into possession of the land upon which is located the ore-bed in question until the 6th day of August, 1849, as appears of record in the Register's office at Baraboo ; nor was he the original claimant of this land, as has been asserted, for it is shown, also, by the record, that the southwest quarter of Section 10, Town 12, Range 3, was the property of C. C. Washburne, from whom Mr. Reed purchased.

628

HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

On the 8th of February. 1850, Messrs. Reed & Van Bergen, the latter having become a partner of the former in this as well as other possessions, mortgaged the property to George Tibbitts. Whether or not Mr. Washburne knew of the existence of iron on this quarter-section before dis- posing of it to Mr. Reed, is not known. It is evident, however, that Mr. Reed must have had a knowledge of the fact, else he would not have been tempted to make a land purchase at that early day, so isolated in situation ; for there was certainly little beside the iron mine itself to recommend this particular quarter-section as a desirable property. Be that as it may, Mr. Reed was not so fortunate as to reap profit in the ownership of the land. As has been shown, it was mortgaged to Mr. Tibbitts ; and here again we are at a loss to know-for diligent search has failed to discover any record to set us right on this point-whether Jonas Tower, the indi- vidual who, in 1855, came into possession of, the property, did so through the medium of a Sheriff's execution in favor of Mr. Tibbitts, or whether the mortgage given by Mr. Reed was duly raised by that gentleman, and a subsequent sale made of the land by him to Mr. Tower.

It is said that Mr. Tower came into possession of the property some time in 1855, after becoming satisfied that iron of a superior quality existed there in abundance. The opening of the mine and preparation for working it entailed a vast amount of labor, and required an outlay of no little capital. It is not surprising, then, that a period of nearly three years elapsed before a furnace could be constructed and placed in successful operation. The water-power for the blast was formed by damming a small stream, which runs northward through the valley and empties into the Little Baraboo. This power, however, was soon found to be too limited, and a steam engine took its place for furnace purposes, the water-power being used exclusively in the machine shop. The furnace is located one mile north of the main ore-bed. To those who do not comprehend the condition of things as they exist at Ironton, this appears to be an awkward arrangement, for it is natural to suppose that the furnace should have been built as near the mine as possible ; but there is evidence that this was, after all, a judicious arrangement. In the first place, the choice of a site for a furnace 'was regulated by the fall of water by which it was origi- nally operated. Again, a location was sought which would be most convenient of access to the numerous teams which Mr. Tower foresaw would be required in the work of drawing fuel from the surrounding country for smelting purposes. The hauling of ore comprises but a very small proportion of the team-work necessary to carry on the enterprise, for, of the one hundred and fifty men employed, about four-fifths of the number are engaged in burning and hauling char- coal. Over $12,000 worth of fuel of this kind is used each year.

Upon the death of Mr. Tower, in 1863, the property passed to the control of John F. Smith. His will was filed for probate September 14, 1863. The estate, which was worth $101,- 150.44, and included a large amount of real estate, was divided unequally between Martha Tower (his wife), Albert Tower (his son), Sarah I. Blackman, Mary Tower and Ada B. Shriver (his daughters), E. M. Tout, John H. Tout, Ellen M. Cooper and his friend John F. Smith. Albert Tower and John F. Smith were appointed executors.

Under Mr. Smith's management, the property increased largely in value and extent, and, when he died, in 1878, the estate was probated at $170,960.82. The original will is drawn in Mr. Smith's own hand, and is a fair specimen of his accurate and methodical manner of doing business. The legatees mentioned in the instrument are Frank Byrne (who has been one of the superintendents of the vast estate for nearly twenty years), Orvin C. Blanchard, Mary Tower, Emily Currier, Ella J. King, Mary A. Throop, Sarah Bennett, M. L. Cooper, C. F. Hammond. Henry Grannis, Emma Macklin, the two children of Chester P. Smith (uncle of the deceased), A. L. Slye, Col. K. M. Strong, Philip Warren, Moses R. Doyon (son-in-law of the deceased, and present superintendent of the mine), the Methodist Episcopal Church of Ironton, the village of Ironton (a liberal sum for library purposes) and Janette S. Herrick (spelled Harick in the will), only sister of the deceased, to whom fell the larger part of the estate. M. R. Doyon and Peter Crook were the executors.

Concerning the geological features of this mine, Prof. Daniels wrote, in 1858, only a short time after the smelting of the first ore :

629

HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

" The brown hematite, of Ironton, is located on Sections 9 and 10, Town 13, Range 2. Its geological position is in the potsdam sandstone, which occupies most of the surrounding country, capped on the highest points by limestone. The ore presents itself on the east bank of Tower's Creek, and extends from the brow of the hill down its slope, and some distance into the valley. The surface is covered with fragments, generally small, but sometimes attaining a ton's weight. Large masses of sandstone lie upon the surface, in the fissures and cavities of which veins of fibrous hematite occur. The valley of Tower's Creek, in which it occurs, has been worn out of the sandstone, which rises on either side over 300 feet. The ore was, no doubt, formed in the sandstone previous to the wearing down of the valley, and, by the removal of the rock, in which it was once contained, has been left scattered upon the surface or mingled with its rubbish. No marks of volcanic action are seen in the vicinity. The ore is clearly a hydrated brown oxide, quite pure, generally massive. It will yield 45 per cent of metallic iron.'

This, it appears, is the accepted belief of other geologists concerning this locality. No scientific estimate has ever been made of the supposed quantity of ore in the bed. Evidences of it exist for many miles around, and it is safe to say that the next century will have passed away before the mine is exhausted. The meadow lands on either side of the village are rich in " bog ore," which is found in convenient form just below the drift.

The manufacture of iron at this place has grown gradually to be the chief industry in the neighborhood. A large foundry was established some years ago in connection with the furnace, and large quantities of the ore taken from the mine is now shipped in the form of improved castings. Among the articles manufactured here may be mentioned slcigli-shocs, plows, cauldron kettles, bolster plates, blacksmiths' tryeres, wagon irons, thrasher castings, sledges, hop-stoves, wagon skeins, scrapers and minor small castings of every pattern. These articles are shipped direct to dealers in almost every direction, principally to the Western and Northwestern markets.

The Village .- Among the early settlers in this locality were F. J. Groat, R. B. Thornton, A. H. Brownell,* J. G. Blakeslee,* S. Karstetter and M. Pearson. Although not settlers on what is now the site of Ironton, yet they may be mentioned in connection with its history, as they were of the advance guard of the grand old army of pioneers who have made Old Sauk " blossom as the rose." Theirs is the usual tale of pioneer life-fow neighbors or conven- iences, long distances to travel going to mill, or to help some new-comer raise his cabin. The greater part of the present site of Ironton Village was then covered with a forest growth, among which the second growth stood so thick as to make its penetration almost impossible. There does not seem to have been any idea of a village being started here until the summer of 1855. At that time, Jonas Tower, now deceased, came upon the scene to examine the iron deposits in the vicinity, with a view to turning them to some account. Finding the project feasible, he at once purchased the tract on which the iron beds are found, and also from a Mr. Hubbell, the site of Ironton, with the intention of laving out a village, and erccting suitable buildings for mills, furnaces, etc. At the time, there were associated with him, as a firm, R. Dickinson, J. and E. Tout, C. Keith and P. Fuller, all of whom afterward withdrew, leaving Mr. Tower to prosecute his enterprises alone. They proceeded at once to erect a saw and grist mill on the Little Baraboo, and the forwarding of these works naturally brought around quite a number of people. In a short time, a flourishing community, composed of moral and indus- trious citizens, was established. During the summer of 1856, the saw and grist mills went into operation. The first frame building was raised August 6 of this year, by Ezra Hagaman, it being the property of J. Sandgren. During the next two years, the greater part of the houses were built. The first store in Ironton was opened by Tower & Co. The goods werc kept mostly to accommodate the employes connected with the mines. "Store pay " was then as good as cash. The first building erected for the exclusive purposes of a store was by Tout & Fuller.

In April, 1861, the saw and grist mills were burned, entailing a loss on the proprietor of about $6,000. A subscription was taken up among the citizens, who had learned the value of

* Dead.

630

HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

convenient mills, and both structures soon arose from their ashes more substantial and better adapted to business than ever. Five years ago, a set of new (Houston) wheels were put in, greatly increasing the power. The grist-mill has four run of stone. The old saw-mill is still running. It is one of the very few institutions of the kind to which Sauk County owes its early greatness that has been kept in permanent repair. Most of these "first things " have been sup- planted by something better.

A " special post office" was established in Ironton in 1855 or early in 1856, with N. H. Austin as Postmaster. The "special" feature of the office developed itself in the citizens having to carry the mail from Reedsburg, most of the time on foot. Ben Paddock, now of La- valle, was the successor of Mr. Austin, and remembers something of the "special" duties. B. F. Blackman succeeded Mr. Paddock. Peter Crook is the present Postmaster.

A district school was established in 1857. The first record of the district is dated Sep- tember 29, of that year. The officers were Putnam Fuller, Director; W. W. All, Treasurer ; N. H. Austin, Clerk. It was voted that a tax of $50 be raised for school purposes, and that "the site of the schoolhouse be removed," by which it is understood there must have been a schoolhouse prior to the date of the record. An old settler remembers the existence of one on Brownell's Hill, and another described as " Pearson's," which "stood a mile away." Whether or not these were maintained under the district system, he is unable to say. At the next meet- ing of the board, it was resolved to purchase of Jonas Tower a schoolhouse site in the village for $150. Upon this site an educational edifice was subsequently built, of brick, at a cost of $600. Prior to this action of the board, E. M. Tout taught a class in a dingy apartment under Fuller & Keith's store, and Sarah A. Bailey, of Reedsburg, gave instructions to a limited number of pupils in the carpenter-shop of Mr. Johnson. B. F. Blackman and John F. Wilcox seem to have been the first to teach in the brick schoolhouse. This was in 1859. Since then the fol- lowing-named persons have taught: Miss V. Long, Miss Alma Wier, Nellie Davis, Rosa C. Glass, O. T. Green and wife, Jabez Brown, Frances E. Danforth, Ella Kieth, Miss Meyers, Miss Ellinwood, Phœba Bates, Lorenzo Brown, Miss Sprague, Miss Walker, J. T. Lunn (now County Superintendent), Mary A. Wood, F. M. Groat, W. T. Cortleyon, D. E. Morgan (pres- ent Clerk of the Court), Frank Twist, Mary Wood, Katie Fitzgerald, Hannah Mann, Lizzie Stowe and H. M. Johnston. The roll shows the attendance of 134 pupils.

When the village was laid out, Mr. Tower set aside a spacious lot for a church and parson- age. Mrs. Tower, who inclined to Methodism, took the initiative in securing temporary minis- trations by itinerant preachers, and, after the schoolhouse was completed, meetings were frequently held therein. A regular organization did not take place, however, till 1873, when a church edifice was built, costing $3,000. Since the organization, the ministers in charge have been the Revs. Walker, Dudley, Thomas, Holcomb and Tyake.

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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 95

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