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ROCK  COUNTY 

WISCONSIN 

A  New  History  of  its  Cities,  Villages,  Towns,  Citizens 

and  Varied  Interests,  from  the  Earliest 

Times,  Up  To  Date 


HISTORIAN  AND  EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 


WILLIAM  FISKE  BROWN,  M.  A.,  D.  D. 

BELOIT,   WISCONSIN 


ASSOCIATE  EDITORS  AND  CONTRIBUTORS 

Hon.  A.  A.  Jackson,  Judge  C.  L.  Fifield,    Doctor  S.  B.  Buckmaster, 

Supt.  H.  C.  Buell,   Prest.  J.G.  Rexford,  Hon.  H.  L.  Skavlem 

and  Horace  McElroy,  Esq.,  of  Janesville,  and  Prof. 

R.  C.  Chapin,    Hon.  F.  F.  Livermore,    J. 

B.  Dow,  Esq.,  and  E.  C.  Helm, 

M.  D.,  of  Beloit 


){ 


A 


.0 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES 
VOL.  I 


ILLUSTRATED 


PUBLISHED  BY 

C.  F.  COOPER  &  CO. 
CHICAGO 

1908 


Svv\ 


/ 


2r^G58?B 


INTRODUCTION 

History  is  an  endeavor  to  make  the  past  live  again  in  the 
present.  Time  tells  the  truth,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  much 
of  what  is  called  history  does  not.  A  true  record  of  the  past 
enriches  the  present  and  is  valuable  both  for  warning  and  for 
guidance.  It  is  like  a  mariner's  chart,  on  which  are  noted  the 
rocks  and  shoals  where  vessels  have  been  wrecked  and  also  the 
safe  channels,  which  brave  hearts  have  found  for  all  future 
voyagers.  Or  it  is  like  those  records  and  surveys  of  early 
explorers,  from  which  have  been  made  our  present  maps ;  so 
that  where  the  pioneers  slowly  sought  their  way  with  uncer- 
tainty and  danger  we  can  now  go  surely  and  safely. 

And  this  knowledge  of  the  past,  called  history,  not  only 
increases  our  present  enjoyment  and  efficiency,  but  also  encour- 
ages us  to  bravely  face  the  future  and  enables  us  to  deal  with  it 
more  wisely.  The  past  honorable  record  of  Rock  county  both 
tends  to  awaken  gratitude  for  what  our  predecessors  have  done 
and  also  stimulates  us  to  make  some  good  progress  ourselves  for 
the  benefit  of  those  who  are  to  come  after  us.  So  each  successive 
historic  record  becomes  both  a  mirror  and  a  measure  of  the  times, 
therein  treated,  and  also  a  challenge  and  a  help  to  better  times. 

Two  years  ago  the  publishers  of  this  work,  adopting  the  plan 
of  having  a  topical  history  of  Rock  county,  asked  me  to  select 
twelve  associate  editors,  able  and  prominent  men  of  the  county, 
who  should  each  write  a  chapter  along  the  line  of  his  especial 
interest  and  information.  We  have,  therefore,  from  one  of  the 
ablest  and  most  cultured  lawyers  of  Janesville,  that  elaborate 
paper  on  the  ''Evolution  of  Rock  County,"  which  shows  the 
^  thoroughness  and  exactness  that  characterize  Hon.  A.  A.  Jack- 
et son's  professional  as  well  as  literary  work.  Lawyer  Horace 
McElroy,  of  the  same  city,  an  abstractor  of  titles,  has  given  us 
in  the  "Forgotten  Places"  a  unique  service,  which  no  one  else 
■^;  could  have  done  better  if  as  well.  More  than  any  other  man  in 
-z?  the  county  Hon.  H.  L.  Skavlem,  of  Janesville,  knows  about  the 
Norwegians.     Judge  Charles  L.  Fifield,  historian  of  Janesville ; 


^=i„ 


-^ 


iv  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

J.  G.  Rexford,  president  of  the  First  National  Bank;  Dr.  S.  B. 
Buckmaster,  Superintendent  H.  C.  Buell,  ex-president  of  the 
State  Teachers'  Association;  Prof,  R.  C.  Chapin,  of  Beloit  Col- 
lege, our  veteran  county  supervisor;  F.  F.  Livermore,  and  the 
experienced  clerk  of  the  Beloit  school  board,  were  each  and  all 
very  manifestly  masters  of  the  topics  they  treat.  A  knowledge 
of  our  manufacturing  interests,  however,  might  not  seem  to  be 
within  the  line  of  ordinary  legal  experience.  But  the  experiences 
of  J.  B.  Dow,  Esq.,  of  Beloit,  and  of  Lawyer  A.  E.  Matheson,  of 
Janesville,  have  not  been  merely  legal,  as  their  illuminating, 
respective  records  show.  The  Editor  is  proud  of  all  his  associates 
and  of  each  and  all  of  their  contributions  to  this  history.  We 
are  indebted  also  to  Mr.  Horace  AVhite,  of  New  York,  for  the  use 
of  papers  from  his  pen,  and  to  ex-Congressman  L.  B.  Caswell,  of 
Fort  Atkinson ;  Hon.  Ellery  Crane,  of  Worcester,  Mass. ;  Dr.  T. 
C.  Chamberlin,  of  Chicago  University;  F.  AV.  Coon,  of  Edgerton; 
Professor  Shaw  and  Rev.  Frank  Jackson,  of  Milton ;  E,  B.  Helm- 
street,  George  Sutherland,  Esq.,  and  Mayor  S.  B.  Heddles,  of 
Janesville ;  Prof.  G.  L.  Collie,  Banker  Walter  Brittan,  C.  B.  Sal- 
mon, Charles  Rau,  L.  S.  Moseley,  of  Beloit,  and  to  Ira  P.  Nye,  of 
Eureka,  Kas.,  for  interesting  contributions  or  information.  The 
several  papers  by  women  authors,  the  reminiscences  of  I.  T. 
Smith  and  the  "History  of  the  Janesville  Press,"  by  the  late  A. 
O.  Wilson,  were  taken  from  the  original  manuscripts,  deposited 
in  the  State  Historical  Society  library  building  at  Madison. 

The  Editor  is  acquainted  with  all  the  previous  histories  of 
this  region  and  both  appreciates  and  acknowledges  his  indebted- 
ness to  them.  By  thorough  research  he  has  sought  to  correct 
their  mistakes,  add  new  material,  some  of  it  unique,  and  bring 
the  whole  record  up  to  date.  That  excerpt  from  the  records  of 
Stonington  (Vol.  I,  page  80)  and  the  "Marriage  Register"  of 
Rev.  Dexter  Clary  (page  265)   are  especially  valuable  "finds." 

Our  Chicago  publishers,  C.  F.  Cooper  &  Co.,  who  in  their 
recent  "History  of  Oshkosh"  were  said  to  have  produced  the 
best  book  of  the  kind  ever  issued  in  Wisconsin,  determined  to 
make  these  two  volumes  even  better.  They  have  chosen,  there- 
fore, a  paper  free  from  that  excessive  glaze,  which  is  so  trying 
and  injurious  to  the  eyesight,  have  used  new  and  clear  type  and 
have  given  careful  attention  to  the  printing,  indexing  and  bind- 
ing.    A  thousand  pages  without  a  single  printer's  error  would 


INTRODUCTION.  v 

be  almost  a  miracle.  That  these  two  volumes  of  more  than  a 
thousand  pages  approach  very  nearly  to  that  miraculous  per- 
fection means  most  unremitting  watchfulness  on  the  part  of 
both  Editor  and  publishers  and  all  concerned. 

The  many  steel-engraved  portraits  produced  by  the  same 
firm  and  their  careful  printing  of  the  various  half-tone  cuts,  all 
on  "inserts"  of  special  paper,  add  much  to  the  beauty  and  also 
the  value  of  this  work. 

The  Editor  is  personally  responsible  for  the  biographies  of 
twenty  Beloit  citizens  and  for  about  a  dozen  others,  such  as  those 
of  Governor  and  ]\Irs.  Harvey,  Miss  Frances  Willard,  Justice 
Whiton,  Judge  Prichard,  Dr.  T.  C.  Chamberlin,  Lawyers  White- 
head, Patterson,  McGowan  and  several  more. 

The  portrait  of  William  B.  Strong,  of  Beloit,  facing  the  title 
page  of  Volume  I,  and  that  of  Chief  Justice  E.  V.  Whiton,  of 
Janesville,  which  begins  Volume  II,  present  honorable  examples, 
respectively,  of  our  business  and  our  professional  citizenship. 

We,  who  have  labored  together  on  this  new  "History  of 
Rock  County,"  have  tried  to  make  it  accurate,  interesting,  clear, 
usable  and  fairly  complete  to  date.  It  is  for  the  reader  to  Judge 
how  far  we  have  succeeded  and  to  approve  or  condemn  at  his 
pleasure. 

WILLIAM  FISKE  BROWN,  Editor-in-Chief. 

Beloit,  Wis.,  November  — ,  1908. 


LIST  OF  PORTRAITS 

Babbitt,  Clinton 76 

Brown,  D.  D.,  William  F 402 

Carle,  Levi  B 18 

Child,  Harold  W 2?2  ^fof 

Child,  William  W 46 

Crosby,  George  H 288 

Doty,  George  W 416 

Dowd,  Rex  J 92 

Fox,  Cyrus  D 442 

Gault,  Charles  A 108 

Haekett,  John   122 

Hansen,  Edward  F 182 

Harvey,  Gov 502 

Henry,  John  B 454. 

Jackson,  A.  A 64 

Leonard,  Horace  J 154 

Lewis,  Franklin  F 468 

Lovejoy,  Allen  P 168 

McLaughlin,  Charles   486 

McLenegan,  H.  H 198 

More,  Robert  470 

Moseley,  Lucius  S 212 

Myers,  Peter   258 

Palmer,  Dr.  Henry 302 

Pollock,  David  H 318 

Putnam,  Jesse  C 332 

Reigart,  Amos  E 350 

Rexford,  John  DeWitt .  138 

Salmon,  Charles  B 242 

Strong,  William  B Frontispiece 

Thompson,  John   32 

Warren,  J.  H 364 

Wheeler,  Leonard  H 228 

Wheeler,  William  H 386 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I.    Geology  13-21 

Paper  of  T.  C,  Chamberlin,  condensed  by  the  Editor. 
The  island  of  Wisconsin.  Successive  layers  of  rock.  Underlying 
sandstone;  water  bearing.  Artesian  wells.  No  coal  measures  in 
Eoek  county.  The  Glacial  period.  Formation  of  Eock  river 
valley.  The  Kettle  range.  Cause  of  our  many  lakes.  Abundance 
of  springs. 

CHAPTER   II.     The  Picture  Mound  Builders  and  Later  Indian 


Kill?  ATA. 


in  tlio  Table  of  Contents,  Chapter  XIV,  Cor<iill  is  Car^nll. 


tlio  last  li 


should 


Histor     ,    _ 
with  the  foiutli  line  of  pa<?e  32. 

On  page  537,  l)et\veen  lines  4  antl  5.  In  returninfr  *  thev  ran  onto 
a  large  rock  near  the  Stone  farin  and  it  took  about  half  a  (Uiv  lo 
get  the  hoat  free.     This  boat  remained  here  for  *  some  weeks 

Portrait  of  William  F.  ]>rown  is  at  page  264  instead  of  402. 


east.     J-lis  old  age,  death  and  burial.     The  war  a  great  advertise- 
ment of  this  Eock  river  country. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


The  Forgotten  Places 

Horace  McElroy. 


49-63 


Van  Buren.  Saratoga.  Warsaw.  Caramana.  Wisconsin  City. 
East  Wisconsin  City.  Newburgh.  Kushkonong.  End  of  the 
boom  in  towns,  1837-57.  Old  Indian  mounds  at  L.  Koshkonong; 
in  Milton;  Porter;  Fulton;  Eock;  Beloit  township;  city  of 
Beloit;  towns  of  Turtle  and  Janes\'ille;  in  Newark,  Avon,  and  at 
Afton.     Prehistoric  implements,  lasting. 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  Historic  Evolution  of  Rock  County. 
A.  A.  Jackson. 


64-126 


Norse  period.  Spanish.  French.  English.  Colonial  period. 
Roanoke  island  and  tobacco.  James  river,  1607.  Virginia.  Mas- 
sachusetts' claim  to  this  region,  79.  Mayflower  compact.  De- 
scendants in  Rock  County.     Connecticut  settlements.     The  unique 

1 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I.    Geology  13-21 

Paper  of  T.  C,  Chamberlin,  condensed  by  the  Editor. 
The  island  of  Wisconsin.  Successive  layers  of  rock.  Underlying 
sandstone^  water  bearing.  Artesian  wells.  No  coal  measures  in 
Eock  county.  The  Glacial  period.  Formation  of  Rock  river 
valley.  The  Kettle  range.  Cause  of  our  many  lakes.  Abundance 
of  springs. 

CHAPTER   II.     The  Picture  Mound  Builders  and  Later  Indian 

Occupants   22-34 

Four  periods  of  aboriginal  occupation.  Investigations  of  West 
and  Skavlem.  Priority  of  the  Picture  ilound  builders.  The  turtle 
mound  in  Beloit  College  ground.  Meaning  of  the  effigy  mounds. 
Man  mound  near  Baraboo.  The  long  mounds.  Round  burial 
mounds.  Crowding  of  many  different  races,  driven  here  by 
enemies.  Nicolet.  1634.  Radirson,  1658.  Carver,  1766.  Start  of 
the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  The  Foxes  and  Sacs.  The  Winne- 
bagos.  Turtle  village.  Indian  removals,  29.  Fourteen  treaties, 
1804  to  1837.  Lake  Sakaegan.  Black  Hawk  and  the  treaty  of 
1816.  The  Winnebago  war,  1828.  The  actual  removal  of  Indians 
delayed.     Eight  thousand  still  in  Wisconsin. 

CHAPTER  III.     The  Black  Hawk  War 35-48 

The  Editor. 

Causes.  Intrusion  of  squatters.  Stubbornness  of  Black  Hawk. 
He  claims  right  to  raise  corn  and  hunt.  His  expedition  up  Rock 
river,  called  invasion  of  Illinois.  Henry  Gratiot.  Gen.  Atkinson. 
Abraham  Lincoln.  The  retreat  north  through  this  region.  Gen- 
eral Dodge.  Battle  of  Wisconsin  Heights.  Final  action  at  Bad 
Axe  river.  Capture  of  Black  Hawk  at  the  Dells.  His  journey 
east.  His  old  age,  death  and  burial.  The  war  a  great  advertise- 
ment of  this  Rock  river  country. 

CHAPTER  IV.     The  Forgotten  Places 49-63 

Horace  McElroy. 

Van  Buren.  Saratoga.  Warsaw.  Caramana.  Wisconsin  City. 
East  Wisconsin  City.  Newburgh.  Kushkonong.  End  of  the 
boom  in  towns,  1837-57.  Old  Indian  mounds  at  L.  Koshkonong; 
in  Milton;  Porter;  Fulton;  Eock;  Beloit  township;  city  of 
Beloit;  towns  of  Turtle  and  Janesv-ille;  in  Newark,  Avon,  and  at 
Afton.     Prehistoric  implements,  lasting. 

CHAPTER  V.     The  Historic  Evolution  of  Rock  County 64-126 

A.  A.  Jackson. 

Norse  period.  Spanish.  French.  English.  Colonial  period. 
Roanoke  island  and  tobacco.  James  river,  1607.  Virginia.  Mas- 
sachusetts' claim  to  this  region,  79.  Mayflower  compact.  De- 
scendants in  Eock  County.     Connecticut  settlements.     The  unique 

1 


2  HISTORY  or  EOCK  COUNTY 

Stonington  record.  SettJers  on  the  Ohio.  George  "Washington 
makes  and  loses  Fort  Necessity.  Fort  Duquesne.  Braddock's 
defeat.  Charles  De  Langlade.  Wisconsin  a  part  of  Quebec.  The 
revolution  begun.  George  Eogers  Clarke  secures  Illinois.  His 
biography.  The  sovereignty  of  Virginia  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 
The  war  of  revolution  ended  in  1783.     Patrick  Henry. 

Territorial  Period. — The  northwest  territory.  Ordinance  of 
1787.  First  settlers  in  Ohio  at  Marietta,  1788.  Election  of 
representatives  to  a  general  assembly,  1798.  Knox  county  em- 
braced Wisconsin.  Laws  passed.  Provision  as  to  new  states. 
Indiana  territorj%  formed  in  1800,  includes  Wisconsin.  Gover- 
nor Harrison.  The  territory  of  Michigan  formed,  1805.  Terri- 
tory of  Illinois,  1809,  covers  Wisconsin.  Gov.  Ninian  Edwards. 
Nathaniel  Pope.  Hull's  surrender  of  Detroit,  1812.  Capture  of 
Prairie  du  Chien  by  the  British,  1814.  State  of  Illinois,  1818. 
Change  of  north  boundary,  108.  Three  counties  formed  west  of 
Lake  Michigan,  Michilimackinae,  Crawford  and  Brown;  the 
latter  includes  this  region.  The  Black  Hawk  episode.  111.  Dis- 
tinguished men  connected  with  it,  113.  1834.  Milwaukee  county 
formed,  including  this  region,  114.  N.  Wis.  given  to  Michigan. 
Lewis  Cass,  116.  Territory  of  Wis.,  1836.  General  Dodge,  gov- 
ernor. Census.  Population  of  Milwaukee  county.  Dec.  3,  1836, 
Madison  the  capital.  Dec.  7,  1836,  Eock  county  formed.  Dec. 
7,  1837.  Town  of  Eock  equals  the  county.  Territory  of  Wis- 
consin limited.  Feb.  13,  1839,  Eock  county  organized.  State 
constitutional  convention,  1846,  at  Madison.  Delegates  from 
Bock  county.  Constitution  adopted,  1848.  Governor  Henry 
Dodge.     The  twenty  towns.     High  rank  of  Eock  county,  126. 

CHAPTEE  VL     History  of  Beloit 126-195 

The   Editor. 

Indians,  Stephen  Mack,  Thibault.  Caswell's  account  of  him. 
1832,  first  recorded  visit  of  white  men.  The  Inmans,  1835.  First 
visit  of  white  women,  1836.  This  region  a  natural  paradise. 
1836,  Caleb  Blodgett,  Hackett,  Goodhue.  Saw  mill,  1837.  Dam 
on  Turtle  creek.  The  race.  Horace  White's  account.  Begin- 
nings of  Beloit.  The  New  England  company.  1837,  Dr.  White, 
O.  P.  Bicknell,  E.  P.  Crane's  diary,  .$2,500  paid.  Blodgett 's 
double  log  house.  Old  account  book.  First  bridge  over  the  tur- 
tle. Alfred  Field 's  arrival.  Hardships  of  travel.  Mrs.  Crane 
carries  infant  Ellery,  138.  Settlers  from  Colebrook  and  Bed- 
ford, N.  H.  The  Eock  Eiver  house.  The  self-acting  ferry.  Ad- 
venture of  little  Horace  White.  Webster  Moore  lost.  The  names 
Turtle,  New  Albany,  Beloit,  141.  1836,  Eock  county.  Names  of 
early  settlers.  Crosby's  cabin.  Aug.  13,  1837,  first  public  relig- 
ious service,  led  by  Horace  Hobart.  Settlers  of  1838.  Dr.  D.  K. 
Pearson's  story  of  the  Cheney  girls,  143.  1839,  Hopkins'  survey 
based  on  Kelson's.  1840,  Eev.  D.  Clary,  Benjamin  Brown  and 
wife,  their  Puritan  ancestry.  Family  record.  The  Fiskes. 
First  brick  yard.  Brown's  store.  No  spectacles  in  Eockford  or 
Freeport.     Beloit     supplied.     H.     Burchard.     Hon.     Horatio     C. 

Burchard.     Edward  L.  .     Charles  Peck.     First  house,  west 

side  of  river,  1843,  Hackett.  David  Merrill's  account  of  early 
days,  150.  Central  bridge,  1842.  Second  house,  west  side,  1844. 
Steamboat  up  the  Eock,  1844.  First  things  in  Beloit.  Kelson's  , 
survey,  1837.  First  locomotive,  1853.  Growth  of  the  village. 
Incorporated,  1846.  First  village  officers.  Census  of  1846.  The 
old  stone  church.  Difficulties  about  land  titles,  157.  L'aw  suits, 
Gardner  vs.  Tisdale,  Dillingham  vs.  Fisher.     Judge  E.  V.  Whiton. 


CONTEXTS  3 

Abraham  Lincoln.  Eufus  Choate.  Daniel  Cady.  Beloit  jour- 
nalism. Census  1848  and  1855.  The  city  incorporated  1856. 
Goodhue  family.  First  mayor.  Second  mayor,  Waterman.  State 
street  fifty-five  years  ago.  First  police  justice,  A.  Taggart. 
Paper  making  begun.  Early  manufactures, .  mills,  schools.  The 
Archaean  Society.  Some  of  its  famous  members.  Beginnings 
of  churches,  secret  societies.  Fire  department.  Postal  facilities. 
Beloit  in  war  time.  Memorial  Hall.  Memorial  Day,  1879.  Be- 
loit 36  years  ago  by  Dow.  The  Tornado  of  1883.  Other  dis- 
asters. Railroad  bonds.  Additions.  South  Beloit.  Latest  im- 
provements.    Biography  of  Wm.  B.  Strong,  192-195. 

i. 

CHAPTER   VII.     Reminiscences 196-201 

L.  B.  Caswell. 

In  1838.  Club  Law.  Indians.  Canoes.  First  school.  Doctor 
Luke  Stoughton   of  Janesville.     Early   settlers.     Wild  rice. 

CHAPTER    VIII.     Reminiscences 202-231 

I.  T.  Smith.     (From  the  original  manuscript.) 

Chicago  1834,  1837.  In  Milton,  1837.  Land  sale,  1838.  People 
honest.  Exploring  in  Dane  county.  Too  much  turtle.  First 
judge,  Irwin.  First  wedding.  Account  of  a  tramp  in  1838.  Shot 
tower  at  Helena.  The  keel  boat.  Cordeling.  Indian  treaty  at 
Prairie  du  Chien.  Manners  of  the  times,  Hagerman,  Brown. 
Boating  lead  to  St.  Louis.  The  trapper  Jarvey.  Gold  on  the 
Arkansas,  1837.  Supper  and  lodging  eighteen  cents.  The  Indian 
treaty  at  Chicago,  1833.     Hammond's  revolver. 

CHAPTER  IX.     County  Government 232-236 

By  F.  F.  Livermore. 

Retrospective.  History.  Supervisors,  1842.  Xo  politics.  Court 
House,  1870.  Record  for  long  service,  Simon  Smith,  Murill, 
Bailey,  Bowles,  Eager. 

CHAPTER  X.    Rock  County  Schools 237-243 

The  Editor. 

First  inspectors.  First  and  Second  districts.  Progress  during 
past  five  years.  Frances  Willard  School.  Central  diploma  exam- 
ination. Compulsory  attendance  law,  1903.  School  board  con- 
ventions. Annual  Teachers '  Institutes.  Bonus  to  progressive 
schools.     Flag  raisings. 

CHAPTER  XL    Beloit  Schools  and  School  Teachers 244-256 

Paper  by  Horace  White,  the  Editor. 

First  school  charter,  1837.  First  school,  1838.  First  school 
house,  1839.  Old  stone  church,  Dr.  White.  Early  teachers,  east 
side.  First  recorded  Beloit  joke.  Humphrey's  aristocratic  school. 
West  side  schools  and  teachers,  1851.  Building  of  Union  No.  1, 
James  W.  Strong,  1852.  Childs,  Crane,  Dustin.  Female  Semi- 
nary and  teachers.  A.  J.  Battin,  Supt.,  1855.  C.  C.  Keeler's 
certificate.  J.  H.  Blodgett,  Montague  Buckley,  Kerr.  Forty 
years  of  Beloit  City  School  District,  by  E.  C.  Helm.  Choosing 
site  for  High  School.  Names  of  successive  superintendents. 
Members    of    School    Board,    Principals,    Kindergartens,     1892. 


4  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Naming  the  schools,  1865.  Present  property.  Story  about  Wm. 
H.  Beach.     Growth  the  last  twenty  years. 

CHAPTER  XII.     Jaxesville  Public  Schools 257-262 

By  Supt.  H.  C.  Buell. 

Beginnings.     The     brick     building,     1845.     Janesville  Academy. 

Eegular    Principal.     Public    School   System.     List    of  Principals. 

Members  Board  of  Education.  School  Buildings.  The  High 
School.     Kindergartens.     Eeminisceuces. 

CHAPTEE  XIII.     Beloit  Churches 263-281 

The  Editor. 

First  Congregational.  Eev.  Mr.  Clary's  valuable  Record  of  Mar- 
riages, 1840-1850-1865.  Second  Congregational.  First  Presbyte- 
rian, W.  Side  Presbyterian,  German  Presbyterian.  St.  Paul's 
Episcopal.  St.  Thomas  E.  C,  Saint  Jude's  E.  C.  First  Baptist. 
First  M.  E.  The  Five  Lutheran  Churches.  Gridley  Chapel.  Chris- 
tian Scientist.     Disciples  Church.     Lutheran  A^alley  Church. 

CHAPTEE  XIV.     The  Jaxesville  Churches 282-298 

The  Editor. 

First  M.  E.,  Court  Street  :\I.  E.,  Central  :\1.  E.,  Corgill  Memorial, 
Congregational,  First  Presbyterian,  St.  Patrick's,  Dean  McGin- 
nity,  St.  Mary's  E.  C,  Unitarian,  First  Baptist,  Trinity  Epis- 
copal, Christ  Episcopal,  St.  Paul's  Lutheran,  Norwegian  Lutheran, 
United  Brethren,  Christian  Scientist,  St.  Peter's,  English  Luth- 
eran, German  Evangelical  Lutheran,  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

CHAPTEE  XV.     Beloit  College 299-317 

Prof.  E.  C.  Chapin. 

The  Beginnings.  President  A.  L.  Chapin  's  account.  Prof.  Bush- 
nell  's  story.  Hon.  Horace  White  's  Eeminisceuces.  Four  Epochs 
in  the  History  of  Beloit  College:  1,  Formative;  2,  the  War  Era; 
3,  Period  of  Intensive  Growth,  1873-1886.  Alumni  Help.  Science 
emphasized.  Diversified  student  activities.  Percentage  of  grad- 
uates in  the  different  professions.  President  Chapin  resigns, 
1886;  4,  Era  of  Expansion;  New  President,  Eaton;  D.  K.  Pear- 
sons, J.  W.  Scoville.  Many  generous  gifts  and  givers;  Pearsons 
Hall,  1893;  New  Science  Course;  Athletic  Instructor,  1894;  co- 
education, 1895;  Fraternity  Houses.  Advance  in  the  last  ten 
years,  1897-1908.  Three  new  buildings.  Emerson  Hall,  1898. 
New  Gym,  1904.  Carnegie  Library,  1905.  Attendance  increases 
from  196  to  341  in  1908.  Endowment  becomes  one  million  dol- 
lars. Beloit  contributes  ten  thousand,  (.'hanges  in  the  faculty 
and  in  the  curriculum.  Track  athletics;  basketball.  Interstate 
oratorical  contests  and  victories.  Greek  play;  German,  Latin, 
Shakespearean  plavs.  Musical  Association.  Biography  of  Presi- 
dent  A.   L.   Chapin. 

Milton  College.     By  Prof.  Edwin  Shaw 318-324 

Founder.  Early  years.  Wm.  C.  Whitford.  Academy  faculty. 
College,  1867.  Financial  statement.  Patriotic  record.  Grad- 
uates.    College  organizations.     Whitford  Memorial  Hall,  1906. 

CHAPTEE  XVI.    Military  History  of  Eock  County 325-399 

By  the  Editor. 

Gov.  Eandall's  proclamation.  Mass  meeting  at  Janesville,  1S61. 
Beloit   City. Guards.     Co,   F,   First   Eegiment  Vol.   Infantry.     I'd 


CONTEXTS  5 

Eegt.,  Co.  D.  3a  Eegt.,  Thomas  Euger.  oth  Eegt.,  Co.  E.  6th 
Begt.,  Co.  G.  7th  Eegt.,  Co.  K.  sfh  Eegt.,  Co.  G.  Thirteenth 
Begiment.  Field  staff.  Co.  A.  Euger  Guards.  Co.  B,  Co.  D, 
Co.  F,  Co.  G,  Co.  K,  Noreross.  captain.  15th  Eegt.,  Samuel  Bell, 
asst.  surgeon.  Sixteenth  Begiment,  New  Company  F,  D,  I.  Sev- 
enteenth Begiment,  Companies  B,  D,  E,  F.  Twenty-second  Begi- 
ment, Co.  E,  mostly  Janesville  men;  Companies  B  and  I,  mostly 
Beloit  men.  Becord  of  regiment.  Corporal  Moseley  and  Col. 
Utley.  The  22d  paroled,  re-enlisted.  Lieut.  Nye's  muster  roll. 
Deserters  few.  General  Sherman  and  Sunday  before  Atlanta. 
Thirty-third  Begiment,  Companies  E,  F.  35th  Eegt.,  B,  C,  D, 
E,  H,  I,  F.  The  Fortieth  Begiment,  1864.  Co.  A,  Janesville. 
Co.  B.  Beloit.  Co.  C,  IMilton  men.  D,  E.  F,  Co.  I.  Becord  of 
regiment,  p.  357.  The  Forty-second,  Co.  H.  44th  Eegt..  Co.  G, 
Co.  H,  Co.  I.  47th  Eegt.,  Co.  F,  Co.  H,  Beloit  men.  49th  Eegt., 
Cos.  C  and  D,  Milton  men.  50th  Eegt.,  Cos.  A,  D.  52d,  2  men. 
Artillerymen,  page  366.  Fourth  Wis.,  Vallee's  Battery,  Beloit 
men.  10th  and  i2th  Wis.  Battery,  mostly  from  Janesville.  13th 
Wis.  Battery,  Wis.  Heavy  Artillery,  1st  Eegt.,  Cos.  D,  E,  F,  H 
and  L.  Wis.  Cavalry,  page  372.  2d  Eegt.,  Co.  M.  Third  Eegt, 
Co.  E.  Spanish  War  Veterans,  page  375.  1st  Wis.  Vol.  Inf., 
Co.  E.  New  U.  S.  National  Guard,  First  Inf.,  Co.  L  (Beloit). 
List  of  soldier  interments,  page  376.  Beloit  cemeteries.  Janes- 
ville cemeteries,  page  382.  iit.  Zion,  Emerald  Grove,  Center, 
Bock.  Summary.  Biography  of  Governor  Harvey,  386.  Mrs. 
Cordelia  Harvey.  One  Hundred  Days  Men,  page  390.  Going  out. 
In  camp.     Coming  back.     School  boys  in  the  war,  398. 

CHAPTEE  XVII.    Agriculture 400-411 

Statistics.  Agricultural  Society,  1850.  J.  F.  Willard.  The  lit- 
tle flower  at  Forest  Cottage.  Annual  meetings.  Organization 
given  up  during  war  time.  New  society,  1864.  State  Fairs  in 
Eock  county. 

Eock  County  and  Tobacco 411-414 

The  Editor. 

Edgerton,  the  world  's  largest  market  of  cigar  leaf,  412,  650,  685. 
First  discovery  and  introduction.  Supplementary  account,  by  F. 
W.  Coon,  of  Edgerton.  For  sugar  beet  record  see  page  711. 
Janesville  tobacco  market,  p.  570. 

CHAPTEE  XVIII.     Scandinavians  in  Bock  County 416-451 

H.  L.  Skavlem. 

Causes  of  emigration.  Ole  and  Austin  Natesta.  Ole  Bynning. 
Bjorn  Anderson  and  the  Fox  river  settlement.  Beaver  Creek, 
111.  1838,  Ole  Natesta  reaches  Bock  county.  Jefferson  Prairie 
settlement.  D.  B.  Eggery's  place  in  Turtle.  Gravds  and  Hal- 
Ian,  7  miles  northwest  of  Beloit,  Oct.,  1839.  Widow  Gunnel, 
1840.  Bock  Prairie  settlement,  west  of  Beloit,  distinct  from  Eock 
Prairie  in  Harmony.  Norwegian  clergy.  Dietrichson.  System 
of  names.  Odd  transformations.  Old  records  of  entry  by  Nor- 
wegians. First  Norwegian  land  owner  in  Bock  county,  Hallan; 
Widow  Odegarden.  the  second.  Norwegians  strongly  religious. 
Filing  Eielson,  1839,  C.  L.  Clausen.  Ole  Andrewson.  Paul  An- 
derson, 1843.  Mr.  Scavlem  and  freedom.  Political  affiliations. 
Norwegian  papers  and  patriots.  Jacob  Limd.  Beminiscences  of 
Mrs.   Groe  Skavlem,  page  441.     Supplementary  Notes. 


6  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

CHAPTEK  XIX.     Pioneer  Womex  of  Eock  County 452-464 

;Marv  L.  Burr. 

St.  John,  Bailey,  Heath,  Holmes.  Kendall,  Strunk,  Culver,  Spauld- 
ing,  Dean,  Williston,  Wood,  Dewey,  Priehard,  Arnold,  Clark, 
Walker,  Bostwick,  (461)  Cheney,  Fowle,  Barker,  Cowan,  Wyman, 
Pioneer  verse. 


CHAPTER  XX.     The  Medical  Fraternity 465-476 

S.  B.  Buckmaster,  M.  D. 

Dr.  Horace  White,  Beloit;  Heath,  Babcoek,  Evans,  Mitchell,  Chit- 
tenden, Treat,  Borden,  Palmer,  Lord,  Whiting,  Judd.  List  of 
1856.  List  in  1906- '07.  Editor 's  biography  of  Dr.  Buckmaster ; 
of  Dr.  Samuel  Bell. 


CHAPTEE  XXL     Pharmacy,  Old  and  New,  of  Eock  County 477-479 

E.  B.  Heimstreet. 

Holden  and  Kemp,  1849.  Later  druggists.  Society  formed,  1878. 
State  Association,  1880.  Present  officers:  Druggists,  Milton, 
Milton,  Jr.,  Evansville;  Edgerton,  Clinton. 

CHAPTER  XXII.     Banking  in  Janesville 480-486 

J.  G.   Rexford, 

McCrea,  Bell  &  Co.,  1851.  Free  banking  law,  1852.  W.  A.  Law- 
rence. Central  bank,  1852.  Badger  State,  1853.  Janesville  City, 
1855.  Rock  County,  1855.  Producer's,  1857.  First  National, 
1863.  Rock  County  National,  1865.  Wisconsin  Savings  Bank, 
1873.  Merchants  and  Mechanics,  1875.  Bower  City,  1895.  Table 
of  Progress,   1860-1908. 

CHAPTER  XXIII.     History  of  Beloit  Banks 487-492 

The  Editor. 

A.  B.  Carpenter,  1845.     Eock  Eiver  Bank,  Frontier  Bank,  1858. 
Wadsworth,    Clark    &    Co.,    1855.     Southern    Bank,    1860.     Beloit 

National,    1863.     Citizen's    National,    1879.     Manufacturer's,    C. 

B.  Salmon  &  Co.,  1880.  Second  National,  1882.  Beloit  State 
Bank,  1892.  L.  C.  Hyde  and  Brittan,  1854  to  date.  Beloit  Sav- 
ings Bank,  S.  T.  Merrill,  John  A.  Holmes.  Present  amount  of 
Beloit  deposits.  Edgerton  banks:  First  National,  Tobacco  Ex- 
change, 649,   647. 

CHAPTEE   XXIV 493-513 

A.   0.   Wilson. 

List  of  56  publications :  The  ' '  Gazette, ' '  496.  The  ' '  Free  Press, ' ' 
499.  Short  lived  papers.  Norwegian  weekly.  Wisconsin  Journal 
of  Education,  503.  The  Signal,  Veeder.  Rock  County  Eecorder, 
504.  The  Daily  Recorder,  505.  Religious  Press.  High  School 
papers.  Recollections  of  the  writer.  Janesville  Journal  (Ger- 
man). Danton's  Spirit  of  the  Turf.  Wisconsin  Tobacco  Leaf 
Heddles,  510.  Druggist's  Exchange.  Wisconsin  Medical  Re- 
corder.    Remarks. 


CONTENTS  7 

CHAPTER  XXV.     Political  History  of  Eock  County 514-5:2e 

Whigs:  E.  V.  Whiton,  leader.  The  Gazette.  Beloit  Journal. 
The  Republican  party,  1854.  L.  P.  Harvey.  Members,  Assembly, 
1854  to  1879.  The  Democratic  party.  Leading  Democrats  in 
early  days. 

CHAPTER  XXVI.     History  of  Janesville 521-611 

Charles  L.  Fifield. 

Location.  South  side.  Plan  of  history.  Beginnings,  1835. 
John  Inman.  First  cabin.  Samuel  St.  John.  1836,  First  child, 
Seth  St.  John.  Henry  F.  Janes.  First  election.  The  Holmes 
family.  Dixon,  Brown,  Bailey,  Dr.  Heath.  1837,  First  ferry. 
Postoffiee.  The  Spauldings.  E.  V.  Whiton.  Stevens.  Atwood. 
First  religious  service.  1838,  Janesville  stage  house.  1839,  Rock 
county  formed.  First  store,  Lappin's.  1840,  The  county  seat. 
First  public  school.  1841,  Stebbins'  select  school.  1842,  Court 
house,  jail,  first  bridge.  A.  Hyatt  Smith.  1843,  First  M.  E. 
Church.  Population,  333.  First  lumber  yard.  E.  G.  Fifield. 
1844,  First  brick  block.  Main  street.  Steamboat  to  Jefferson. 
Dam  on  Rock  river.  American  House.  Trinity  Episcopal  Church, 
T.  Ruger.  First  Baptist.  1845,  First  Congregational.  First  pub- 
lic school  house,  brick.  First  teacher,  Guernsey.  The  little  red 
school  house.  Brick  making.  Upper  dam  finished.  The  big  mill. 
Saw  mill.  The  Janesville  Gazette.  Population,  817.  1846,  Stage 
line.  Stone  academy,  T.  J.  Ruger.  Rock  County  Democrat. 
1847,  Big  mill  begins  grinding.  Three-story  brick  block,  Main 
street.  Project  for  a  railroad.  State  constitution  adopted.  First 
secret  society.  R.  C.  Church,  St.  Patrick's.  1848,  The  Stevens 
House.  Sutherland 's  book  store.  Masonic  lodge.  First  large 
fire.  Wisconsin  a  state.  E.  V.  Whiton.  Farmers'  mill.  Trin- 
ity Church.  1849,  Madison  and  Beloit  Railway.  Population, 
1812.  Woolen  mill.  Monterey  bridge  begun.  Blind  asylum  se- 
cured. J.  F.  Willard.  Daily  Mail.  Nine  mail  routes  by  stage. 
1850,  Excelsior  mills  burned.  Population,  3100.  First  R.  C. 
pastor.  Masonic  Chapter,  5.  1851,  Oak  Hill  Cemetery.  North- 
western Railway,  Fond  du  Lac  and  Chicago.  Three-story  block 
on  Main  street.  Ogden  House,  E.  Mil.  street.  Tallman  block, 
west  end  of  bridge.  Old  Baptist  Church.  First  State  Fair. 
1852,  Mil.  and  Mississippi  Railway.  Mt.  Olivet  R.  C.  ceme- 
tery. 1853,  Janesville  a  city,  A.  Hyatt  Smith,  mayor.  Alder- 
men. Stevens  House  burned.  First  locomotive,  engineer,  .John 
C.  Fox;  here  yet.  Third  newspaper.  McKey  block,  548.  U.  S. 
Grant  and  team  at  the  American  Hotel.  1854,  Fire  companies. 
Old  postoflBce  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building.  First  daily.  Alex.  T. 
Gray.  J.  B.  Doe,  mayor.  1855,  Graded  public  schools.  Hand 
fire  engines,  Dolson,  first  engineer.  Sack  Company,  No.  1.  Al- 
ger murder.  Lynching  of  Mayberry,  page  550.  First  National. 
Rock  County  Bank.  Second  Masonic  lodge.  Four-story  block 
by  Lappin.  Five-story  block  on  E.  Milwaukee.  Presbyterian 
Church.  E.  L.  Dimoek,  mayor.  1856,  Monterey  bridge  rebuilt. 
The  lower  bridge.  Gas  company.  First  Northwestern  passenger 
train.  Hook  and  ladder  company.  W.  B.  Britton.  Second  Odd 
Fellows'  lodge.  Commandery  K.  T.  1857.  New  wards.  Fifth 
and  Sixth.  Daily  Gazette.  Second  state  fair,  Spring  Brook. 
New  High  School  begun.  Hyatt  House  completed.  Gov.  Bar- 
stow.     A.   Hyatt   Smith,   mayor.     1858,   Y.    M.   C.    A.    organized. 


8  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Josiah  T.  Wright.  Eailway  to  Monroe.  First  High  School  class. 
Northwestern  Mutual  Life  begins  business.  1859,  Whiton 
buried.  Courthouse  burned.  High  school  finished.  Oct.  1,  A. 
Lincoln's  speech  here.  Christ  Episcopal  Church.  Population 
about  7,000.  Myers  House  being  built.  Mills  and  factories.  Fine 
residences.  Stores,  page  558.  1860-1864,  Camps  Cameron  and 
Treadway.  1861,  Co.  D,  Second  Eegt.;  Co.  £.,  Fifth;  G,  Eighth, 
Capt.  Britton.  Wm.  H.  Sargent,  page  559.  13th  Eegt.,  Co. 
E,  3d  Wis  Cavalry.  1862,  Lieut.  Harlow,  12th  Wis.  Battery; 
Co.  E,  3d  Wis.  Vol.  Infantry,  Capt.  Miltimore.  Gov.  Harvey. 
1863,  First  draft.  1864,  Co.  A,  40th  Eegt.  Peter  Myers. 
St.  Patrick's  Church,  convent,  school.  Christ  Church,  1861. 
Gen.  Sheridan,  Gen.  Sherman,  562.  1865-1869,  Many  fires. 
Main  street  blocks.  1867,  Hyatt  House.  One  life  lost.  Furni- 
ture factory.  Mills  burned.  1868,  American  House.  Fredondall 
block  burned.  Steam  fire  engines.  Murder  trials.  Fourth  State 
Fair.  W.  T.  Sherman,  563.  1869,  Eock  County  Eecorder.  First 
Congregational  Church  building,  1865-6.  St.  Paul  German  Luth- 
eran. 1867,  Baptist  Church,  brick.  1870-1874,  New  court  house. 
1874,  Big  mill  burned.  State  Blind  Asylum  burned.  Cotton 
manufactory.  F.  S.  Eldred,  treasurer.  The  Smith  block.  Main 
and  Milwaukee.  Myers  Opera  House.  Woolen  mills.  G.  C. 
McLean,  p.  566.  Burr  Eobbins  circus.  1875-1879,  Congregational 
Church  burned.  Merchants'  and  Mechanics'  Savings  Bank. 
Grand  Hotel.  Daily  Eecorder.  1879,  The  Mack  murder,  Baum- 
gartner.  1877,  Thoroughgood  &  Stevens  box  factory.  1875,  Jan£S- 
ville  Shoe  Company.  1880-1884,  Ex-President  U.  S.  Grant  in 
Janesville,  p.  569,  p.  570.  Leaf  tobacco  industry.  History, 
p.  411.  Firms,  acreage,  1879.  Barnes,  Heddles  &  Co.  Two 
million  dollars  in  1906  for  tobacco.  1880,  Electric  light  company. 
Badger  State  Warp  Mills.  1880,  Telephone  Co.  1881,  Janes- 
ville Machine  Company.  1880,  Eailway,  Janesville  and  Afton, 
Northwestern.  Janesville  to  Beloit,  St.  Paul  line.  Clydesdale 
horses,  A.  Galbraith.  Trotting  horses.  1884,  Norcross  block, 
S.  Eiver  street.  1881,  Municipal  court  established.  Judges  Pat- 
ten, Patterson,  Phelps;  Fifield  in  1899.  1885,  Eoller  skating  rink. 
Street  railway.  Evansville  cut-off.  1887,  E.  F.  Carpenter  builds 
on  the  bridge.  Later  building  city  water  works.  Flowing  arte- 
sian well,  p.  577.  Gamwell  fire  alarm  telegraph.  1889,  Myers 
House  burned.  1890,  The  Carringtons,  Boomer,  Hamilton.  1891, 
Parker  Pen  Company,  Williamson  Pen  Company.  New  Pres- 
byterian edifice,  p.  580.  1892,  Murder  trials.  1893,  Poor  farm, 
buildings.  1895,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building.  New  High  School.  1896, 
Twilight  Club.  Sinnisippi  Golf  Club.  Steamboats.  Shooting 
club.  1895,  Bower  City  Bank.  1899,  Hayes'  office  building. 
Jackman  building.  1900,  Street  paving.  New  county  jail. 
1901,  The  soldier's  monument.  Public  library.  City  Hall.  U. 
S.  Postoffice.  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  short  line  to  Chicago.  The 
Interurban,  p.  590.  1902,  St.  Mary 's  E.  C.  new  building.  North- 
western depot.  1898.  St.  Paul  E.  E.  depot,  1902.  1904,  Death 
of  Marshall  Hogan.  Beet  sugar  factory.  Hohenadel  Pickling 
Company.  Canning  corn,  peas.  1904,  Sewerage  system.  Bak- 
ing industry.  1905,  Advancement  Association.  1907,  Park  and 
pleasure  drive.  Public  hospital.  Chautauqua  Association.  1906, 
Cargill  M.  E.  Church.  1907,  Bassett  &  Echlin  Co.  new  factory. 
Janesville  Clothing  Company.  Hiawatha  Springs  Co.  1906, 
Northwestern  tract,  S.  Janesville.  1907,  Sidings  and  round 
house,  $500,000.  New  E.  E.  bridge.  Valuation  of  Janesville. 
Fords,  ferries  and  bridges,  597.  Cemeteries,  Oak  Hill,  St.  Pat- 
rick 's. 


CONTENTS  9 

CHAPTER  XXVII.     Early  Janesville   Manufacturers 599-605 

Stephens'  saw  mill,  1845.  A.  K.  Morris  &  Co.,  1856.  Morton 
&  Ford.  The  big  mill.  1876,  O.  B.  Ford  &  Sons.  1864,  Barnes 
&  Hodson  mill.  The  Farmers'  Mill,  1848.  John  Clark.  The 
Stone  mill,  Monterey,  1852.  1845,  Shaw  &  ^lay,  agricultural  im- 
plements. 1859,  Farm  implem.ents.  1868,  Harris,  Fifield  &  Co., 
now  Harris  Manufacturing  Co.,  C.  S.  Colab,  Supt.  1849,  Whit- 
taker's  woolen  mill.  Wheeler  woolen  factory,  1859.  1846,  Al- 
den  's  brick  yard.  Frask,  furniture  factory.  1863,  Hanson. 
1864,  Britton,  Kimball,  Ashcraft  factory.  Lumber,  Hume,  Booth 
&  Co.  Harness,  H.  S.  Woodruff.  Brewery,  Wm.  Hudson,  1848. 
John  Buob,  1853.  Cold  Spring  brewery,  1872.  1852,  Janesville 
Iron  works,  J.  H.  Budd.  1855,  Broom  making,  Jerry  Bates. 
1874,  Pickling  works.  Cotton  Manufacturing  Co.  Gas  works, 
1856. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII.     The  Manufacturing  Interests  of  Janesville. 606-611 

By  Alexander  Matheson. 

Causes  for  prominence  in  manufacturing.  Two  dams.  Diversity 
of  institutions  an  element  of  safety.  Forty  prominent  manu- 
factories, the  largest,  the  Janesville  Machine  Company.  J.  Har- 
ris. The  five  larger  firms.  The  next  largest  ten.  Janesville  faci- 
lities for  growth,  609.  George  Sutherland 's  list  of  ninety  com- 
panies.    Clinton,   646.     Evansville,  664. 

CHAPTER  XXIX.     The  Last  Quarter  of  Beloit's  Manufacturing 

Interests    612-633 

By  J.  B.  Dow. 

Business  depression  in  1886.  Business  Men's  Association  formed 
by  eleven  men.  "Beautiful  Beloit "  folder.  Names  of  the 
founders.  Berlin  Machine  Works,  614.  Fairbanks-Morse  Com- 
pany, 615.  Beloit  Iron  Works,  617.  J.  Thompson  &  Sons. 
Charles  H.  Besly  &  Co.  Gardner  Machine  Company.  Gesley 
Manufacturing  Co.  R.  J.  Dowd  Knife  Works,  p.  620.  John 
Foster  Company.  Warner  Instrument  Company.  Lipman  Manu- 
facturing Co.  H.  Rosenblatt  &  Sons.  Rosenblatt-Gowing  Com- 
pany. Racine  Feet  Knitting  Company.  Beloit  Box  Board  Co. 
Pierce  Specialty.  Pierce  Plating  Co.  C.  Mattison  Machine 
Works.  N.  B.  Gaston  &  Sons  Company,  625.  Nathan  B.  Gas- 
ton, biography.  List  of  lesser  institutions,  627.  The  Inter- 
urban  power  house.  Beloit  Traction  Company.  Water,  Gas 
&  Electric  Company.  History  of  franchises  surrendered  June  30, 
1908,    629.     Electricity.     Gas.     Water. 

CHAPTER  XXX.     The  Press  of  Beloit 634-638 

The   Editor. 

The  Beloit  Messenger,  1846.  Beloit  Journal,  1848.  J.  R.  Briggs, 
editor.  1856,  B.  E.  Hale,  editor,  Republican.  1857,  a  weekly 
Democratic  paper,  the  Herald.  De  Lorma  Brooks.  Beloit  Times, 
Republican,  N.  O.  Perkins.  The  Beloit  Courier.  1860,  Perkins 
and  Smith,  publishers.  In  1859  B.  E.  Hale  &  Co.  sold  to  Hale 
&  Pratt  Journal  and  Courier,  consolidated  in  1860;  Perkins 
editor.  Boimd  file  April  5,  1860,  to  March  27,  1862;  preserved 
1863,  Published  by  Barret  H.  Smith.  1864,  A.  Pain,  the  Beloit 
Journal.  1866,  Beloit  Free  Press  started  by  Charles  Ingersoll, 
Journal  absorbed.     1869,  M.  Frank  restores  the  name  ' '  Journal. ' ' 


10  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

T.  0.  Thompson  and  J.  B.  Dow.  E.  D.  Coe.  1870,  The  Free 
Press,  C.  Ingersoll,  N.  0.  Perkins.  1871,  Again  absorbs  the  Jour- 
nal; N.  O.  Perkins  editor  until  1873.  Henry  F.  Hobart,  editor 
with  Ingersoll.  1878,  Hobart,  sole  proprietor.  1878,  Evening 
paper.  Daily  Herald,  Albert  Ayer.  1879,  First  Daily  Free  Press, 
by  Henry  F.  Hobart.  1882,  C.  Ingersoll  again  owner  of  Free 
Press;  A.  Ayer,  city  editor.  1903,  M.  C.  Hanna,  partner.  1907, 
Free  Press  Publishing  Company.  Semi-weekly  Eegister,  1870. 
The  Graphic,  Democratic  weekly,  1877.  O.  H.  Brand.  1879, 
Julius  A.  Trensdell  on  the  Free  Press.  1883,  The  Outlook, 
F.  F.  Livermore,  editor  and  owner.  1886,  The  Daily  Citizen, 
Eev.  F.  A.  Marsh,  editor.  Later,  the  Daily  News,  management 
by  D.  B.  Worthington,  1897.  At  first  independent  in  politics, 
Eepublican  since  1900.  T.  C.  Hendley,  1906,  Daily  News  Pub- 
lishing Company.  1907,  The  new  building  on  Fourth  street. 
The  Beloit  College  Monthly,  1853.  1875,  The  Eound  Table  and 
College  Monthly.  1877,  Eound  Table,  weekly,  by  Archaean  So- 
ciety. 

CHAPTEE  XXXI,     Smaller  Cities,  Villages  and  Towns 639-711 

Clinton,  1837.  Early  settlers.  Churches.  Cong.  Bap.  M.  E. 
Ger.  Lutheran.  E.  C.  Ev.  Luth.  Norwegian.  Secret  societies. 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.  I.  O.  O.  F.  Grange,  and  other  fraternities, 
PostoflSce,  Clinton,  Bergen.  Norwegians.  Newspaper,  645.  The 
village  incorporated.  Manufactures,  599,  612,  664.  Banking, 
647.     Schools. 

Edgerton,  648.  Churches.  Societies.  Banks,  649.  Tobacco 
market,  650,  411.     Pioneers  of   Edgerton,   651-660. 

Evansville  (The  Editor.) First  settlement  and  settlers.  Stores, 
hotels,  banks.  A.  S.  Baker.  Manufacturing,  662.  Churches. 
Schools.  Fraternal  orders.  Eager  Library.  Baker  Profit  Shar- 
ing Company,  664-668. 

Villages.  Afton,  668.  Avalon,  Avon  Center,  Cooksville, 
Emerald  Grove,  Footville,  Fulton,  Hanover,  Indian  Ford,  Johns- 
town, J.  Center,  Koshkonong,  Lima  Center,  Magnolia,  M.  Sta- 
tion, Milton,  673.  Milton  Junction,  Orford,  Eock  Prairie,  Spring 
Valley,  Stebbinsville,  Shopiere.  678.  Union,  Avon,  679.  Beloit, 
Bradford  Center,  Clinton,  Fulton,  Harmony,  Janesville,  Johns- 
town, La  Prairie,  Lima,  Magnolia,  Milton,  693-700.  Newark, 
Plymouth,  Porter,  Eock,  704.  Spring  Valley,  Turtle,  by  Mary 
S.  Porter,  707-710.  Union.  Tobacco  and  beets  in  the  county. 
E.  F.  D.     Good  roads  commission. 


CHAPTEE  XXXII.     Courts  and  Legal  Profession 712 

1839,  Second  District,  Justice  Irwin.  Eock  County  Circuit  Court, 
Judge  E.  V.  Whiton.  First  District,  Judge  Doolittle.  Keep, 
Noggle,  Lyon,  Conger,  John  E.  Bennett,  715.  Dunwiddie, 
Grimm,  County  Court,  Dr.  V/hite,  1839.  Israel  Cheeney,  Bailey, 
Thompkins,  Jordan,  Daniels.  First  county  judge,  James  Arm- 
strong,   1849.     Pritchard,    Sale.     Court    house,    716. 

Bench  and  Bar.  Biographical  sketches.  Irwin,  Whiton,  718. 
Spooner,  Doolittle,  Baker,  Keep,  722.  Noggle,  Lyon,  Conger, 
Bennett,  730.  Dunwiddie,  Grimm,  A.  P.  Prichard,  Matt.  Car- 
penter, 735-738.  I.  C.  Sloan,  Patterson,  Todd,  740.  Pease,  Eld- 
redge,  745-748.  C.  G.  Williams,  Hyzer,  Moses  Prichard,  A.  Hyatt 
Smith,  Sutherland,  Malcolm  Jeffris,  William  Euger,  Burpee, 
Ehoda  Goodell,   Fethers,  Winans,   758.     Woodle,   Hudson,   G.   E. 


CONTEXTS  11 

Peck,  W.  'SI.  Tallman,  J.  B.  Cassoday,  764-767.  Tompkins,  Sale, 
Whitehead,  769.  B.  M.  Palmer,  A.  M.  Fisher,  H.  McElroy,  772. 
Hendricks,  Cleland,  C.  D.  Kosa,  T.  S.  Nolan,  Angis  King,  M.  O. 
Mouatt,  William  Smith,  A.  E.  Matheson,  780.  C.  L.  Fifield,  J. 
De  Witt  Rexford,  782.     McGowan,  783. 

CHAPTER    XXXlil.    Some    Inventions    and    Inventors    of    Rock 

County 789-792 

The  Editor. 

Appleby 's  twine  binder.  Miller  's  ear  coupler  and  buffer.  War- 
ner's  auto  meter.  Wheeler's  self-regulating  wind  mill.  Merrill's 
building  paper.  Houston  's  turbine  wheel.  Olmstead  's  drive  well 
point.  Felt  adding  machine.  Fox's  inventions.  Gesley's  plow. 
Appleby's  cotton  picker.  Lipman's  oiler.  Holeomb's  engine. 
The  Dann  gate.  Woodruff's  tongueless  buckle.  The  Parker 
pen.     Withington  wire  knot.     Harris'  wire  binder. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV.    Biographical  Sketches.     (See  Index.) 793 


HISTORY 


OF 


ROCK  COUNTY 


ROCK  COUNTY  GEOLOGY. 

(Condensed  by  permission  from  an  article  by  Dr.  T.  C.  Chamber- 

lin,  now  of  Chicago  University.     Revised  by  Prof. 

Collie,  of  Beloit  College.) 

The  history  of  Rock  county  properly  begins  with  that  of  the 
earth  beneath  us,  for  the  kind  of  a  country  that  is  ours  by  nature 
has  largely  determined  its  later  growth  and  prosperity.  It  was 
eagerly  sought  by  a  superior  class  of  settlers  and  promptly  de- 
veloped growing  communities  partly  because  it  was,  as  one 
pioneer  said,  "a  natural  paradise." 

The  surface  of  Wisconsin  is  an  open  book  to  those  who  can 
read  the  signs  of  nature  and  the  various  kinds  and  layers  of  rock, 
laid  slantingly  one  over  another  from  south  to  north,  tell  the 
story  of  the  earth's  changes  at  this  region  as  plainly  as  if  the 
record  had  been  printed  in  letters.  Our  state  is  not  mountainous 
nor  monotonously  level  but  intermediate  between  these  two  ex- 
tremes. Situated  between  three  notable  depressions,  Lake  Supe- 
rior on  the  north,  Lake  Michigan  on  the  east  and  the  Mississippi 
valley  on  the  west,  it  slopes  generally  from  north  to  south  and 
slightly  to  the  east  and  west  from  a  central  swell  of  land.     The 

13 


14  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

surface  is  that  of  a  low  dome,  the  highest  point,  about  1,800  feet 
above  the  sea,  being  near  the  line  of  northern  Michigan  between 
the  headwaters  of  the  Montreal  and  Brule  rivers;  the  southeast 
and  southwest  sides  showing  a  gentle  decline  towards  the  south 
side  or  base,  where  our  county  is  situated  and  is,  at  the  state 
line,  about  600  feet  above  sea  level.  The  physical  history  of  Wis- 
consin, as  recorded  in  its  various  layers  of  rock,  shows  that  in 
some  remote  period  when  even  the  Rocky  Mountains  had  not 
emerged  from  the  ocean,  this  part  of  the  continent  also  was  be- 
neath its  surface.  For  unknown  ages  our  territory  was  a  shallow 
arm  of  the  sea,  which  by  constant  washing  against  shores  farther 
north  and  with  the  help  of  other  forms  of  erosion,  deposited  be- 
neath its  waters  great  masses  of  sediment  thousands  of  feet  in 
thickness.  These  deposits  were  nearly  horizontal  and  became 
hardened  into  sandstone,  shale  and  other  forms  of  sedimentary 
rock. 

At  the  next  stage  of  time  and  apparently  because  the  cooling 
of  the  earth's  crust  caused  contraction  and  a  wrinkled  surface, 
some  tremendous  pressure  from  beneath,  accompanied  by  the 
escape  of  heat,  swelled  up  these  deposits,  crumpling  them,  solidi- 
fying and  crystallizing  them  and,  raising  them  above  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean,  produced  here  an  island,  the  first  appearance 
of  Wisconsin.  That  island  was  largely  composed  of  granite, 
gneiss,  syenite  and  other  hard  crystalline  rocks  and,  from  the  ex- 
tent of  those  rocks  as  exposed,  seems  to  have  occupied  what  is 
now  the  north  central  part  of  our  state  and  a  part  of  upper 
Michigan,  extending  also  into  Minnesota.  All  the  rest  of  the 
state  as  well  as  most  of  the  United  States  was  still  under  water 
but  slowly  rising.  That  island  must  originally  have  been  higher 
than  the  present  surface,  because  the  ten  or  eleven  different  lay- 
ers of  rock  in  Wisconsin,  as  now  exposed,  stand  highly  inclined 
from  north  to  south  and  we  see  only  their  edges,  the  tops  of  the 
folds  of  which  they  were  once  a  part  having  been  worn  off. 
Through  untold  ages  there  had  to  be  successive  periods  of  the 
wearing  away  and  depositing  of  material  on  the  bed  of  this  shal- 
low sea,  and  successive  stages  of  slow  elevation  and  solidifying 
of  this  sea  bottom  before  the  complicated  stone  foundations  of 
our  state  and  county  were  laid.  The  carbonaceous  matter  in 
some  of  the  rocks  shows  that  there  was  early  marine  vegetation, 
and  the  successive  strata  of  limestone  evidently  resulted  from 


ROCK  COUNTY  GEOLOGY  15 

shell  fish,  extracting  lime  from  the  sea  water  and  building  that 
lime  into  their  shells,  which  would  ultimately  be  deposited  in 
the  mud  of  the  sea  bottom.  The  accumulation  from  these  sources 
through  unknown  ages  gave  rise  to  a  series  of  shales,  sandstones 
and  limestones  whose  combined  thickness  is  several  thousand 
feet. 

A  period  of  special  upheaval  and  earth  heat  changed  the 
shales  to  slates  or  schists  and  the  carbonaceous  matter  in  part  to 
graphite  and  associated  with  these  deposits  extensive  beds  of 
iron  ore.  The  strata  were  much  twisted  and  folded  (as  appears 
most  plainly  at  Negaunee  and  Ishpeming  in  upper  Michigan), 
and  our  Wisconsin  island  with  its  adjacent  ocean  beds  was  fur- 
ther elevated  and  its  extent  enlarged.  The  Penokee  iron  range 
in  Ashland  county  belongs  to  that  most  ancient  time  and  its  up- 
turned edge,  forming  a  bold  rampart  for  sixty  miles  across  the 
country,  is  our  nearest  approach  to  a  mountain  range.  Still  far- 
ther north  through  openings  in  the  earth's  crust  melted  rock 
seems  to  have  been  poured  out  in  many  different  eruptions, 
which  spread  over  an  area  about  300  miles  east  and  west  by  100 
miles  north  and  south.  Between  some  of  these  tremendous  out- 
bursts there  were  such  long  intervals  of  time  that  the  ocean 
waves  then  wore  down  this  new  rock  into  sand,  granite  and  clay, 
which  became  hardened  into  sandstone  and  conglomerate  beds, 
the  whole  series  of  which  is  several  miles  in  thickness.  This  is 
the  rock  of  the  copper  regions.  The  native  copper  and  silver 
there  was  not  thrown  up  suddenly  in  a  melted  form,  as  once  sup- 
posed, but  was  deposited  in  veins  or  deeply  reaching  cracks  in 
the  solid  rock  by  chemical  action. 

After  that  Arch^an  or  very  old  age  came  another  long  period, 
in  which  the  sea  wore  down  the  rock  again.  At  the  north  side 
of  this  Wisconsin  island,  on  the  margin  of  what  is  now  Lake 
Superior,  but  which  seems  then  to  have  been  a  part  of  the  prime- 
val ocean,  the  water,  acting  on  copper  and  iron  bearing  rocks, 
produced  a  red  sand,  which  became  the  red  standstone  of  that 
region.  On  the  south  shore  of  our  island  the  wave  action,  spent 
mainly  on  quartzites  and  granites,  produced  a  light  colored  sand 
and  sandstone.  This  deposit,  at  least  a  thousand  feet  thick, 
occupies  a  broad,  irregular  belt,  extending  east  and  west  across 
the  state,  being  widest  in  the  central  part  and  bordering  the 
original  island  area  on  the  south  like  a  rude  crescent.    It  slopes 


16  lilS'i'UUV   OF  IJOCK  COUNTY 

gently  south  from  the  original  core  of  the  state,  underlies  all  the 
later  formations  and  may  be  reached  at  any  point  in  southern 
Wisconsin  by  boring  to  a  depth  which  can  easily  be  calculated 
because  of  the  regular  dip  of  that  stratum.  The  water  from  the 
northern  half  of  the  state  continually  soaking  into  this  porous 
rock  makes  it  a  water-bearing  formation,  an  unfailing  source 
for  artesian  wells  and  pure  water.  The  artesian  well  on  the  old 
fair  grounds  just  east  of  Janesville  secured  a  full  supply  of 
water  from  this  rock.  The  flowing  well  in  the  valley  from  which 
the  city  of  Janesville  gets  its  present  water  supply  draws  from 
the  same  formation  at  a  depth  of  1,0G0  feet.  (That  well,  on  the 
fair  grounds,  was  sunk  to  the  depth  of  1,033  feet,  of  which  350 
feet  is  drift  material  and  the  lower  part,  G83  feet,  is  Potsdam 
sandstone.  The  water  did  not  rise  to  the  surface,  but  required 
pumping.)  The  interbcdded  layers  of  limestone  and  shale,  by 
supplying  strata  impervious  to  water,  make  this  rock  also  a 
source  of  many  springs. 

The  accumulation  of  this  layer  of  Potsdam  sandstone  was  fol- 
lowed without  marked  disturbance  by  a  long  continued  deposit 
of  magnesian  limestone  rock,  varying  from  fifty  to  250  feet  in 
thickness  on  account  of  changes  of  level  in  the  upper  surface. 
Then  after  yet  other  ages  the  wash  of  that  ancient  ocean  formed 
and  laid  down  silicious  sand,  which  hardened  into  rock,  filling 
up  the  valleys  in  the  under  limestone  and  leveling  the  whole  sur- 
face. This  formation  also  is  water-bearing  and  supplies  several 
artesian  fountains. 

Some  unknown  change  in  ocean  conditions  then  led  to  the  de- 
posit of  a  layer  about  120  feet  thick  of  limestone,  alternating 
with  clay,  which  became  shale.  This  Trenton  limestone,  so 
called,  contains  many  of  the  most  ancient  fossils,  and  also,  in 
southwest  Wisconsin,  zinc  and  lead.  The  deposit  of  limestone 
continued  with  some  changed  conditions,  which  built  on  that  yel- 
lowish Trenton  limestone  a  bed,  250  feet  thick,  of  a  light  gray, 
somewhat  crystalline  stone  called  Gelena  because  it  contains  much 
galena  or  sulphide  of  lead.  This  deposit  occupied  the  southwest- 
ern part  of  the  area  of  our  state  and  a  broad  north  and  south  belt 
in  east  central  Wisconsin. 

By  this  time  our  geologic  island  had  considerably  increased 
in  size  and  the  southern  part  of  Wisconsin,  including  our  county, 
was  now  above  the  ocean,  !for  a  time. 


KOCK  COUNTY  GEOLOGY  17 

Then  followed  a  slow  deposit  of  clay  with  some  shell  material, 
resulting  in  various  colored  beds  of  clay  and  shale,  in  some  places 
200  feet  thick.  The  fossils  in  this  shale  show  that  it  was  formed 
ages  before  the  coal  measures.  A  knowledge  of  this  fact  would 
have  saved  the  costly  labors  of  some  who  have  dug  into  this 
shale  in  the  hope  of  finding  coal,  which,  it  may  be  remarked,  does 
not  occur  in  any  Wisconsin  rock.  One  promoter,  indeed,  once 
reported  that  he  had  found  coal  within  the  bounds  of  Rock 
county,  but  the  coal  came  from  his  shaft  in  assorted  sizes,  indi- 
cating a  mine  that  was  too  good  to  be  true. 

The  next  age  was  that  of  the  deposit  of  iron  ore  in  fine  par- 
ticles like  fiax  seed,  in  various  basins,  notably  along  what  is 
called  Iron  ridge,  where  the  deposit  is  twenty  feet  thick,  also  at 
Hartford  and  Depere  and  Black  River  Falls.  This  age  was  fol- 
lowed by  our  island's  greatest  era  of  limestone  formation,  in 
which  were  laid  down  beds  nearly  800  feet  thick.  For  the  accu- 
mulation of  such  a  deposit  from  the  shells  and  secretions  of 
marine  life  long  ages  of  time  must  have  been  required,  beyond 
our  comprehension.  Much  of  this  Niagara  limestone  (so  called 
because  the  same  formation  is  found  at  Niagara  falls)  was  built 
up  with  the  skeletons  of  the  minute  coral,  with  mollusks  like 
oyster  shells  and  with  those  stone  lilies,  called  Crinoids,  really 
sea  animals,  which  left  a  limestone  skeleton  that  was  like  a  water 
lily  on  its  stem.  The  very  ancient  three  lobed  crustaceans  called 
Trilobites,  also  abounded,  and  the  formation  was  like  that  of 
reefs  near  the  surface  of  the  ocean.  This  we  know  because  the 
coral  does  not  live  very  many  feet  below  the  surface.  This  lime- 
stone occupies  a  broad  belt  next  to  and  west  of  Lake  Michigan. 
Near  Milwaukee  on  Mud  creek  and  near  Waubeka  in  Ozaukee 
county  is  found  a  thin-bedded  slaty  limestone,  which  is  supposed 
to  represent  that  somewhat  later  age,  called  Lower  Helderberg. 
This  closed  the  Silurian  age  of  the  earth,  so  called  because  these 
formations  were  first  observed  near  the  home  of  those  ancient 
Britons,  the  Silures,  in  Wales.  During  this  age  there  had  been 
no  great  disturbance  of  the  earth's  surface  here.  Our  Wisconsin 
island  was  gradually  emerging  from  the  ocean  and  increasing  its 
size  by  concentric  belts  of  limestone,  sandstone  and  shale.  This 
region  of  the  earth's  crust  slowly  bulged  up  enough  to  bring 
about  all  of  the  territory  of  our  state  above  the  ocean.     Then  at 


18  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

last  our  county  again  appeared  as  dry  land,  but  not  anywhere  yet 
with  its  present  surface. 

Next  came  the  Devonian  era,  or  age  of  fishes.  After  an  un- 
known period  of  time,  during  which  the  upper  Silurian  and  lower 
Devonian  strata,  as  found  elsewhere,  were  formed,  the  eastern 
margin  of  our  island  was  again  submerged  and  a  deposit  of 
magnesian  limestone  mingled  with  silicious  material  laid  down 
there,  w^hich  reveals  the  fact  that  this  part  of  the  world  then 
came  into  a  new  life-era.  Before  this  age  there  had  been  all 
kinds  of  shell  fish  in  these  shallow  seas,  but  apparently  nothing 
with  a  backbone.  This  cement  rock,  however,  belonging  to  the 
Hamilton  age  of  the  great  Devonian  period,  contains  various  re- 
mains of  that  lowest  class  of  vertebrates,  fishes.  The  original 
deposit  seems  to  have  been  much  worn  away  and  that  part  which 
remains  occupies  only  a  limited  area  on  the  lake  shore  imme- 
diately north  of  Milwaukee,  extending  inland  about  half  a  dozen 
miles.  There  is  enough  of  it,  however,  to  mark  the  geologic  time 
of  day.  At  the  close  of  this  Hamilton  period  our  land  rose  again, 
the  ocean  retired  southward  and  there  are  no  signs  that  it  ever 
again  covered  any  part  of  our  state.  Rock  county  was  at  last 
permanently  dry  land.    The  rock  foundations  were  all  laid. 

This  preliminary  history  of  the  rock  foundation  of  our  state 
appears  thus  quite  plain  and  regularly  progressive.  Starting 
with  a  north  central  island  of  the  most  ancient  crystalline  rock, 
layer  upon  layer  of  stony  material  was  piled  around  it  quite 
regularly  on  the  south  side,  adding  belt  after  belt  to  the  growing 
margin  until,  as  the  whole  was  gradually  lifted  up,  the  increasing 
island  extended  far  beyond  the  limits  of  our  state  and  became 
part  of  the  rising  continent. 

Then  followed  the  coal  making  period  when  this  northern 
zone  had  a  warmer  climate  and  tropical  forests  waved  over  Illi- 
nois and  Pennsylvania  and  the  other  carboniferous  regions  and 
when,  through  long  ages  of  alternate  advance  and  retreat  of  the 
ocean,  successive  layers  of  coal  and  the  coal  rocks  were  formed, 
but  not  here  in  Wisconsin.  Next  came  the  age  of  reptiles,  when 
gigantic  dinosaurs  and  other  now  extinct  monsters  lived  in  the 
central  part  of  our  continent,  but  none  of  them  here,  so  far  as 
any  record  shows.  After  all  that  spending  of  centuries  followed 
the  Tertiary  age,  when  the  general  surface  of  the  earth  by  slow 
stages  at  last  approached  a  condition  suitable  for  the  habitation 


EOCK  C0U2sTY  GEOLOGY  19 

of  man.  Through  all  these  three  eras  our  AYisconsin  island  ap- 
pears to  have  kept  its  old  level,  experiencing  no  further  radical 
change  except  from  erosion.  Wind  and  rain  and  river,  frost  and 
heat  and  the  chemical  elements,  acting  through  the  long  centuries 
of  such  unmeasured  duration,  however,  would  file  away  the  out- 
cropping layers  of  rock  and  must  have  worn  the  surface  into 
an  old  age  of  jagged  roughness,  as  yet  utterly  unfit  for  human 
occupancy. 

Then  followed  the  glacial  period,  that  great  ice  age,  nearest 
to  the  time  of  man,  and  AVisconsin  was  in  it.  Indeed,  to  the 
mighty  ploughing  and  harrowing  which  this  region  then  received 
is  largely  due  its  present  beauty,  fitness  and  fertility.  The  vast 
ice  sheet,  which  then  covered  the  northern  part  of  our  continent 
(as  all  Greenland  is  covered  today),  moved  slowly  and  irresist- 
ibly southward,  reaching  over  the  northern  half  of  this  state. 
That  gigantic  ice  mass,  shod  with  boulders,  acted  like  a  mighty 
gang  plow,  ploughing  and  planing  down  all  the  rough  places  and 
pushing  the  broken  material  into  the  hollows;  it  polished  and 
grooved  the  solid  rock,  carried  along  southward  the  rolled  and 
rounded,  erratic  fragments  called  boulders,  and  when  melting 
spread  still  farther  south  over  our  state  the  finer  material  com- 
posed of  pebbles,  sand  and  clay.  Lines  engraved  on  the  rocks 
show  that  three  great  glaciers  were  at  work  here.  One  enormous 
mass  of  ice  ploughed  along  the  bed  of  Lake  Michigan;  another 
immense  ice  stream  pushed  southwest  through  the  trough  of  Lake 
Superior  and  down  Minnesota,  while  a  third  glacier  ploughed  out 
Green  bay  and  the  valley  of  Rock  river,  leaving  the  southwest 
corner  of  our  state  apparently  untouched,  and  in  its  former  rough 
condition.  Then  for  some  reason  as  conjectural  and  unknown  as 
that  which  caused  the  ice  age,  North  America  began  to  steadily 
grow  warmer  and  warmer.  Those  great  glaciers  or  ice  masses 
melted  backwards  (as  the  glaciers  of  Switzerland  and  Alaska 
are  doing  today),  leaving  the  rock  and  earth  material  they  had 
been  carrying  heaped  promiscuously  over  the  surface,  giving  it 
new  hills  and  valleys.  In  this  process,  how  long  continued  no 
one  knows,  there  seem  to  have  been  many  halts  and  slight  ad- 
vances of  the  ice  for  a  time  and  then  larger  retreats  through  at 
least  four  great  eras,  so  that  the  broken  fragments  of  rock,  called 
"drift,"  were  occasionally  pushed  up  into  high  ridges  along  the 
southern  edge  of  the  ice  field.     That  remarkable  range  of  hills 


20  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

called  the  Kettle  range,  which  winds  east  and  west  across  the 
surface  of  our  state,  was  produced  in  this  way.  It  is  a  historic 
mark  of  the  south  edge  of  the  glacier  and  a  sign  that  the  ice  re- 
mained there  for  a  long  time  until  some  new  and  comparatively 
sudden  change  of  climate  melted  the  glacier  rapidly  and  caused 
a  new  stage  of  its  retreat.  The  water  flowing  under  the  ice,  and 
more  or  less  confined  by  it,  scooped  out  in  the  rock,  and  other 
surface  material  beneath,  troughs  and  hollows,  which  are  now 
the  beds  of  our  unnumbered  lakes  and  ponds.  (There  are  more 
of  these  spring  water  lakelets  in  Wisconsin,  especially  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  state,  than  in  any  other  part  of  the 
globe,  of  equal  area.)  This  superabundance  of  pure  water,  by 
absorbing  deleterious  gases  tends  to  purify  the  air  and  is  one 
cause  of  our  especially  healthful  climate. 

The  melting  of  so  much  glacial  ice  produced  vast  torrents  of 
water  flowing  southward.  From  the  Lake  Michigan  glacier  a 
mighty  stream  was  the  manifest  force,  which  carved  out  what  is 
now  the  valley  of  the  Illinois  river.  Lesser  streams  dug  out  the 
valley  of  the  Wisconsin  and  that  of  our  Rock  river.  About  this 
time  seems  to  have  occurred  a  depression  of  the  continent  north 
of  us,  for  that  land  during  the  glacial  age  must  plainly  have  been 
much  higher  than  it  is  now.  This  depression  apparently  marks 
the  origin  or  at  least  the  present  shape  of  the  great  lakes,  and 
their  change  of  drainage  from  southwest  to  northeast.  The  level 
of  the  lakes  occasionally  changed  so  that  their  waters  advanced 
somewhat  upon  the  adjacent  shores  and  deposited  that  red  clay 
that  borders  Lakes  JMichigan  and  Superior  and  occupies  the 
Green  Bay  valley  as  far  up  as  to  near  Fond  du  Lac,  but  the 
general  level  of  our  state  remained  unchanged. 

All  this  ploughing  and  harrowing  of  our  territory  by  glaciers 
and  their  subsequent  melting  left  the  surface  roughly  smoothed 
out  and  covered  with  a  sheet  of  boulders,  pebbles,  gravel,  sand 
and  clay,  somewhat  unevenly  distributed.  In  general,  however, 
the  ice  and  water  flowing  south  dropped  the  heavier  masses  first 
and  then  the  lighter,  spreading  over  the  lower  part  of  the  state 
those  great  beds  of  gravel,  clay  and  sand  which  characterize  our 
county  and  have  helped  make  it  fertile  and  easily  habitable. 
Then  storm  and  frost  and  the  other  erosive  forces,  which  are 
still  at  work,  through  another  age  of  time  harrowed  the  surface 
yet  more  finely  and  prepared  it  for  the  growths  of  our  present 


ROCK  COUNTY  GEOLOGY  21 

vegetation.  With  the  land  permanently  raised  above  the  ocean 
and  a  suitable  and  settled  climate,  came,  finally,  those  trees  and 
plants  and  grasses,  whose  decayed  remains,  slowly  accumulating 
through  ages,  became  the  rich  soil  of  southern  Wisconsin  and 
prepared  this  region  for  occupancy  by  the  later  animals  and  by 
man. 

The  whole  eastern  half  of  Rock  county  was  once  a  great 
glacial  valley,  from  300  to  400  feet  deep,  such  as  may  now  be 
seen  from  the  Northwestern  railway  train  as  it  approaches  Devil 's 
lake,  Wisconsin,  from  the  south,  that  great  valley  having  been 
but  partly  filled.  In  the  later  geologic  time  our  Rock  county 
valley  was  completely  filled  with  boulders,  pebbles,  gravel,  clay 
and  sand,  and  fertile  earth  formed  on  the  surface  of  the  drift. 
Back  and  forth  over  this  surface  Rock  river  and  Turtle  creek 
have  cut  their  respective  channels  until  finally  the  river  has  worn 
its  way  to  the  limestone  ledges  at  the  west  edge  of  the  old  chasm 
and  the  Turtle  is  still  changing  its  channel  back  and  forth  along 
the  eastern  side  of  that  old  valley.  Under  this  surface  water  is 
constantly  percolating  through  the  drift  material  from  the  Tur- 
tle valley  towards  and  into  the  bed  of  Rock  river,  feeding  it 
with  innumerable  springs.  In  a  large  group  of  these  springs  is 
sunk  the  ample  well,  which  from  only  about  forty  or  fifty  feet 
below  the  surface,  supplies  the  east  side  of  Beloit  with  this  natur- 
ally filtered  drinking  water,  famous  for  its  purity  and  healthful- 
ness.  W.  F.  B. 


II. 

ANCIENT  OCCUPANTS. 

THE  PICTURE   MOUND  BUILDERS  AND   LATER   INDIAN 

OCCUPANTS. 

By 
W.  F.  Brown 

The  first  human  occupants  of  this  region  of  whom  we  have 
any  record  were  the  effigy  mound-builders.  They  deserve  notice 
because  they  have  left  us  a  definite  history  of  themselves,  not 
carved  on  stone  like  the  ancient  Egyptian  or  the  Aztec,  not  im- 
pressed on  clay  tablets  like  the  Assyrian  nor  written  on  perish- 
able materials  like  the  accounts  of  later  nations;  but  built  in 
the  form  of  large,  significant  and  enduring  mounds  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  country.  Those  mounds  do  not  give  a  record  of  dates 
or  any  historic  narrative,  but  they  do  reveal  the  occupations  and 
interests  of  that  ancient  people  and  something  of  what  they  be- 
lieved and  did  not  believe. 

As  ancient  historic  earthworks  are  found  most  abundantly 
along  the  valleys  of  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio  rivers,  it  has  been 
inferred  that  the  people  who  made  them  came  from  the  South 
and  were  at  some  later  age  driven  back  or  exterminated  by  those 
somewhat  similar  races,  whom  we  know  as  the  Indians. 

Wisconsin,  however,  was  the  especial  home  of  the  picture 
mound  builders,  especially  the  southern  half  of  our  state,  as  there 
are  no  effigy  mounds  north  of  the  Fox  river.  This  region  of  Rock 
county  also  was  evidently,  for  these  first  families,  a  favorite  loca- 
tion. Within  our  state  the  ancient  mounds  of  different  kinds 
already  reported  number  about  2,000. 

Doctor  I.  A.  Lapham  maintained  that  there  were  four  succes- 
sive periods  of  aboriginal  and  Indian  occupation  here:  1.  The 
effigy  mound  builders.  2.  The  people  who  made  the  long  mounds 
and  large  garden  beds.    3.  The  builders  of  the  round  and  conical 

22 


THE  PICTURE  MOUXD  BUILDERS  ^^3 

burial  mounds.  4.  Those  who  made  corn  hills,  the  later  Indians, 
who  have  been  seen  and  noted  here  since  1634.  At  Lake  Kosh- 
konong  the  ground  still  shows  signs  of  six  successive  periods  of 
occupation.  First,  that  of  the  effigy  mound  builders;  second,  that 
of  the  long  mound  builders;  third,  the  Indian  village  period  of 
the  Foxes  and  Winnebagoes;  fourth,  the  period  of  the  Indian 
trader  and  the  blacksmith ;  fifth,  the  period  of  the  invading 
American  general,  Atkinson,  and  his  army;  sixth,  the  American 
settlers. 

A  really  historic  map  of  Rock  county,  for  which  the  labors 
of  our  AVisconsin  Antiquarian  Society,  especially  those  of  Mr. 
George  A.  West  and  H.  F.  Skavlem  are  now  preparing  the  way, 
should  include  the  location  and  detailed  shape  of  all  the  effigy, 
long  and  round  mounds,  permanent  garden  plats  and  burial 
mounds ;  the  old  Indian  trails,  one  from  Beloit  across  the  prairie 
to  Delavan  lake,  one  from  Rockton  through  Beloit  (or  Turtle) 
up  the  Rock  on  the  east  side  to  the  Janesville  region  and  a  sim- 
ilar trail  on  the  west  side  of  Rock  river ;  also  the  trail  from  that 
Black  Hawk  grove  just  east  of  Janesville,  to  the  west  side  of 
Lake  Koshkonong  and  then  across  a  group  of  effigies  north 
towards  the  four  lakes  or  Madison  region.  It  should  also  locate 
the  route  of  General  Atkinson  when  he  pursued  Black  Hawk 
through  this  region  of  east  Beloit  and  Janesville  to  the  east  side 
of  Lake  Koshkonong ;  and  then  after  adding  the  old  wagon  roads 
and  trading  posts,  might  give  besides  the  section  lines,  city  and 
town  sites,  the  rivers  and  modern  railroad  lines. 

That  the  effigy  builders  were  more  ancient  than  the  makers 
of  the  garden  beds  and  round  mounds  appears  from  the  fact  that 
some  of  these  corn  hills  and  garden  beds  have  been  made  on  the 
top  of  the  ancient  effigies,  showing  that  the  later  people  had  no 
regard  for  the  sacred  character  of  those  totems  of  the  earlier 
races. 

Another  proof  of  the  priority  and  antiquity  of  the  picture 
mound  builders  is  found  in  the  fact  that,  while  the  later  Indian 
inhabitants  of  Wisconsin  had  an  abundance  of  copper  imple- 
ments, these  are  very  rarely  found  in  the  effigy  mounds.  The 
typical  relic  of  the  aborigines  of  our  state  is  the  stone  axe,  of 
which  so  many  beautiful  specimens  are  shown  in  our  state  His- 
torical Library  Museum  at  Madison  and  in  the  notable  Logan 


24  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

museum  of  nearly  6,000  ancient  implements  at  Beloit  college,  se- 
cured by  Dr.  George  L.  Collie. 

(Another  fine  collection  has  been  made  and  is  still  owned  by 
one  of  our  writers  on  this  history,  Horace  McElroy,  Esq.,  of 
Janesville,  Wis.) 

The  emblematic  mounds  also  are  generally  flatter  and  lower 
than  the  round  burial  mounds,  the  former  being  apparently  more 
worn  down  with  age. 

Immediately  north  of  the  astronomical  observatory  of  Beloit 
college  is  a  symmetrical  turtle  mound  about  thirty  feet  long, 
facing  west,  and  there  is  another  turtle  mound  on  a  hill  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  southeast  of  this.  A  couple  of  rods  west  of 
the  interurban  road  and  two  miles  north  of  Beloit,  besides  several 
groups  of  long  and  animal  mounds,  there  is  a  beautiful  bear  or 
buffalo  mound,  sixty-four  feet  long,  the  animal  being  represented 
as  lying  on  his  left  side  facing  south,  with  the  feet  toward  the 
river.  In  our  county  there  are  also  effigies  of  the  catamount, 
buffalo,  fox,  squirrel,  beaver,  goose  and  eagle.  These  effigy  mounds 
represent  animals  and  birds,  which  were  evidently  then  found  in 
this  region.  They  indicate  first  that  the  mound  builders,  like 
the  Indians  known  to  us,  were  a  race  of  hunters  and  agricul- 
turists. That  they  attached  superstitious  importance  to  at  least 
some  of  these  mounds  is  also  suggested  by  their  proximity  to 
village  sites,  as  though  conveying  in  some  way  protection ;  and 
is  further  suggested  by  the  very  large  size  of  some  of  the  mounds 
and  by  their  conventionally  extended  lengths.  The  celebrated 
man  mound  near  Baraboo  (four  miles  northeast)  is  214  feet  long 
and  forty-eight  feet  wide  across  the  shoulders,  and  may  repre- 
sent the  Dakotan  god,  Hekoya;  the  wings  of  an  eagle  mound  on 
the  east  side  of  Lake  Koshkonong  have  a  spread  of  250  feet; 
the  tail  of  a  panther  mound  on  the  west  bank  of  that  lake  is 
extended  360  feet.  A  squirrel  effigy  on  ground  (formerly  Gover- 
nor Farwell's)  adjoining  the  insane  asylum  at  Madison,  repre- 
sents the  animal  sitting  erect,  about  thirty  feet  long ;  but  the  tail 
of  this  effigy,  measured  along  its  curves,  extends  some  300  feet. 

The  Indians  known  to  us  believed  in  a  future  existence  and 
therefore  buried  with  their  dead  warriors  weapons,  ornaments, 
implements  and  other  possessions,  the  presence  of  which  with 
the  remains  was  supposed  to  be  of  use  to  the  departed  spirit. 
That  these  moiyad  builders  had  no  such  belief  Dr.  Lapham  con- 


THE  PTCTUEE  MOUXD  BUILDERS  35 

eluded  because  such  personal  possessions  are  not  found  in  the 
burial  places  ascribed  to  them.  And  further,  as  art  requires 
for  its  development  both  time,  unity  of  effort  and  peaceful  oppor- 
tunities, these  artistic  picture  mounds  plainly  tell  us  that  this 
southern  part  of  Wisconsin  was  once  occupied  by  an  industrious 
and  united  people,  like  our  Indians,  but  peaceful  among  them- 
selves and  for  a  long  time  comparatively  undisturbed  by  enemies. 
(As  corn  is  a  tropical  plant  and  the  mound  builders  came  from 
the  south,  it  is  possible  that  they  first  brought  that  valuable 
product  to  this  locality.) 

The  long  mounds,  occurring  elsewhere,  but  most  common  in 
southern  "Wisconsin,  seem  to  belong  to  a  later  race  but  have  not 
yet  been  satisfactorily  explained.  The  theory  of  Rev.  Stephen 
D.  Peet,  the  distinguished  editor  of  the  "Antiquarian,"  that  the 
long  parallel  mounds  were  game  drives,  is  not  accepted  by  Wis- 
consin scholars.  These  mounds  are  usually  straight,  of  equal 
height  and  width  throughout,  from  one  to  five  feet  high,  about 
ten  feet  wide  and  from  fifty  to  a  thousand  feet  long.  They  are 
found  associated  in  groups  with  effigy  and  conical  mounds,  some- 
times with  the  latter  alone.  Some  of  them  are  wholly  solitary 
and  located  on  high  ridges  as  at  Gotham,  Richland  county,  Wis- 
consin ;  others  cross  each  other  in  the  form  of  an  X  or  an  opened 
pair   of  scissors. 

That  they  were  not  defensive  works  is  manifest  from  their 
location  and  arrangement,  and  excavation  has  shown  that  they 
were  not  burial  mounds.  The  finding  of  fireplaces  near  the  sur- 
face on  a  few  of  the  long  mounds  has  caused  some  to  consider 
them  long  house-sites  for  one  large  clan  or  fraternity.  About 
the  year  1700  A.  D.  La  Harpe  wrote  that  "the  cabins  of  the  In- 
dians along  the  Yazoo  river  were  dispersed  over  the  country 
upon  mounds  of  earth  made  with  their  own  hands."  A  Spanish 
record  published  in  1723  says  that  the  Florida  Indians  erected 
elevations  for  their  villages.  "The  natives  constructed  mounds 
of  earth,  the  top  of  each  being  capable  of  containing  ten  to 
twenty  houses." 

The  mounds  raised  to  be  occupied  by  lodges  seem  to  have 
had  a  variety  of  shapes,  often  quite  extended.  Those  long 
mounds  in  the  Beloit  college  grounds  and  along  the  river  road 
about  two  miles  north  of  Beloit  may  have  been  formed  for  that 
object.    The  question  about  them  is  not  yet  fully  answered. 


26  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

The  round  mounds,  however,  some  of  them  being  of  historic- 
ally recent  origin,  are  proved  by  excavations  to  have  been  mostly 
burial  mounds.  It  is  now  generally  concluded  that  these  mounds 
were  made  by  the  Indians  historically  known  to  us  or  by  their 
ancestors. 

This  links  the  more  ancient  occupation  of  our  territory  to 
the  life  here  of  the  tribes  whose  names  we  know. 

The  remarkable  crowding  of  many  different  Indian  races  or 
families  into  this  region  of  Wisconsin,  not  long  before  the  French 
explorers  came,  was  due  to  influences  widely  separated  and  far 
distant  from  each  other.  In  the  distant  west  the  dreaded  Sioux 
or  Dakota  Indians,  extending  their  forays  eastward,  drove  many 
weaker  bands  across  the  Mississippi  from  the  west.  1^  a  sim- 
ilar process  the  growing  power  and  far-reaching  war  expeditions 
of  the  dreaded  Iroquois  or  Five  Nations  of  the  Mohawk  valley 
led  weaker  tribes  like  the  Hurons  in  Canada  and  also  the  Illinois 
and  Pottawatomies  and  Miamis  south  of  the  lakes  to  flee  west- 
ward and  seek  safety  in  this  region. 

Among  the  Algonquin  tribes  near  Lake  St.  John  in  Canada 
was  one,  whose  totem  or  tribal  emblem  was  the  fox,  called  in 
their  native  tongue,  Watagamie.  Hence  their  name,  Watagamie, 
in  French,  Reynards;  in  English,  Foxes.  These  fled  to  the  west 
with  another  tribe,  their  kindred  by  many  marriages  and  by  sim- 
ilar language  and  customs,  called  the  Sauks,  who  left  their  name 
to  the  great  bay  of  Lake  Huron,  Saukenong  (Saginaw).  Both 
tribes  passed  beyond  the  Huron  to  Lake  Michigan  and  so  into 
the  region  west  of  it.  Part  of  the  Foxes  and  Sauks  settled  along 
Green  Bay,  some  of  them  being  called  Musquakees,  from  the 
"Red  Banks"  where  they  lived,  ultimately  passed  up  the  Fox 
river  to  the  Wisconsin  and  controlled  that  portage.  Another 
branch  going  south  along  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Chicago  river 
and  the  Desplaines  and  further  inland  settled  along  that  other 
Fox  river,  which  still  bears  their  name  and  controlled  the  ]3or- 
tage  across  between  Lake  Michigan  and  the  head  waters  of  the 
Illinois  river.  Before  them  the  Ottawas,  Menomonees  and  Ojib- 
ways  or  Chippewas  had  also  come  into  this  region  and  the  latter 
tribe  had  conquered  and  were  holding  the  country  immediately 
south  of  Lake  Superior.  Winnebagoes  also,  who  were  of  the 
Dakota  stock,  had  come  from  the  northwest  and  were  living 
about  Green  Bay  as  well  as  in  the  lead  regions  at  the  southwest 


THE  PICTURE  MOUND  BUILDEKS  27 

near  the  Mississippi.  There  were  also  Mascoutins,  Kiekapoos 
and  Miami,  all  apparently  driven  to  this  region  in  the  effort  to 
escape  powerful  foes. 

When  in  1634  Jean  Nicolet,  leaving  Quebec  in  New  France, 
by  a  voyage  of  a  thousand  miles  along  the  Great  Lakes  in  a 
birch  bark  canoe  reached  Green  bay,  he  found  there  Winne- 
bagoes  (meaning  "]\Ien  of  the  salt  water,"  because  they  claimed 
to  have  formerly  lived  near  the  sea),  and  going  up  on  the  Fox 
river,  visited  the  Mascoutins,  or  men  of  fire,  so  called  by  the 
French  because  they  periodically  burned  over  large  surfaces  of 
the  country  with  prairie  fires,  who  seemed  to  live  in  peace  with 
the  Foxes.  Thence  going  south  he  found  apparently  in  this  re- 
gion and  further  south  the  Illinois,  and  so  in  1635  returned  to 
Quebec.  In  the  year  1658  two  French  adventurers,  Radisson,  on 
his  third  voyage  among  Indians,  and  Groseilliers,  traversed  Lake 
Huron  and,  after  a  fight  between  Hurons  and  Iroquois  on  one 
of  the  Manitoulin  islands,  saw  the  dead  eaten  and  living  captives 
burned  with  fire.  Going  westward  to  Green  bay  they  spent  a 
winter  with  the  Pottawattomies,  who  were  then  living  in  that 
region,  and  found  them  abundantly  supplied  with  game  of  all 
kinds,  fish  and  corn.  In  1659  they  visited  the  Mascoutins  and 
there  heard  of  the  strong  Sioux  and  also  of  the  Crees,  who  in 
summer  lived  by  the  shore  of  that  "salt  water"  in  the  north 
(Hudson's  bay). 

The  Mascoutins  seem  to  have  guided  them  to  the  Wisconsin 
river,  which  Radisson  called  "the  forked  river,"  grand,  wide 
and  deep  and  comparable  to  our  own  great  river,  the  St.  Law- 
rence, says  a  description  made  at  the  time  of  his  reports.  They 
returned  along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Superior  and  by  the 
Ottawa  river  to  the  St.  Lawrence.  On  a  fourth  voyage  Radisson 
visited  the  Buffalo  men  or  Sioux,  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
returned  in  1662  to  Canada  with  about  $37,000  worth  of  furs. 
To  avoid  being  plundered  by  the  French  governor,  Radisson  es- 
caped to  Boston  and  thence  sailed  to  England.  Thus  was  re- 
vealed to  English-speaking  people  this  beautiful  country.  Later 
the  representations  of  Radisson  and  Groseilliers  and  an  expedi- 
tion under  their  guidance  to  Hudson's  bay,  "the  salt  water"  of 
the  Crees  and  Winnebagoes,  led  to  the  formation  of  the  famous 
"Hudson's  Bay  Company,"  which  sent  its  agents  all  over  this 


28  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

northwest  country  after  furs  and  so,  though  unwillingly,  led  to 
much  of  the  development  that  has  followed. 

The  Fox  and  Sac  Indians,  who  controlled  the  two  main  por- 
tages from  the  lakes  to  the  Mississippi,  exacted  so  much  tribute 
from  the  fur  traders,  who  traveled  Avest  by  the  Illinois  river  or 
by  the  Wisconsin,  that  the  French  authorities  in  Canada  decided 
to  destroy  them.  The  Foxes  and  Sauks  had  many  battles  also 
with  the  Winnebagoes,  both  claiming  this  region.  Black  Hawk, 
who  was  a  Sauk  chief,  said  in  his  old  age,  "I  loved  that  Rock 
river  valley,  I  loved  my  corn  fields;  I  fought  for  them." 

In  171G  a  French  expedition  from  Quebec,  the  first  hostile 
band  of  white  men  that  ever  invaded  this  region,  fought  these 
Outagamie.s  fit  tlie  little  Butte  des  Morts,  near  the  present  city 
of  Menasha.  and  the  war,  continued  for  ten  years,  resulted  only 
in  a  two  years'  truce,  made  at  Green  bay  in  1726,  between  the 
French  and  the  newly  allied  Indians,  Foxes,  Sauks  and  Winne- 
bagoes. After  new  attacks  from  the  French  the  main  band  of 
the  Foxes,  about  300  warriors  with  1,000  women  and  children, 
in  the  year  1730  left  their  Wisconsin  homes,  fled  down  the  Fox 
river  valley  to  the  ancient  Miami  village,  Maramek,  on  the  river 
of  the  Rock  (now  a  station  in  Kendall  county,  Illinois),  and 
there,  being  attacked  by  about  1,300  French  and  Indians,  were 
almost  totally  destroyed. 

This  left  the  Winnebagoes  the  controlling  tribe  over  the 
southern  half  of  this  Wisconsin  territory.  A  band  of  Sauks  set- 
tled on  the  Wisconsin  at  Sauk  City,  where  Captain  Jonathan 
Carver  found  them,  in  1766,  living  in  houses  built  of  slabs  and 
with  large  corn  fields.  Ojibways  (Chippeways)  occupied  the 
Lake  Superior  region;  Menominees  (Rice  Indians)  and  the 
Stockbridge  Indians,  who  immigrated  to  Wisconsin  lands  in 
1822,  occupied  the  country  about  Winnebago  lake. 

During  the  half  century  immediately  preceding  the  Ameri- 
can settlements  in  southern  Wisconsin,  there  had  been  various 
movements  of  Indians  from  the  central  part  of  the  territory 
southward,  so  that  Kickapoos  lived  about  the  mouth  of  the  Wis- 
consin, and  Ottawas,  Miamis  and  Pottawattoraies  occupied  the 
southeastern  part.  But  most  of  all,  the  Winnebagoes,  while  re- 
maining in  large  numbers  near  the  lake  of  that  name  (Rev.  Cut- 
ting Marsh,  the  missionary,  wrote  in  1831  that  the  whole  number 
of  them  there  .then  was  4,300)  extended  their  occupation  south- 


THE  PICTURE  MOUND  BUILDERS  29 

ward  over  all  this  central  southern  region,  and  also  to  the  south- 
west. When  our  lead  regions,  which  had  formerly  been  worked 
by  Sauks  and  Foxes,  began  to  be  invaded  by  white  miners  in 
1821  and  1822  they  found  that  Winnebagoes  were  in  possession 
and  claimed  that  country.  The  war  with  the  Indians  in  1827, 
by  which  the  United  States  gained  control  of  those  mines,  is 
called  "The  Winnebago  War." 

In  this  region  of  Rock  county  Winnebagoes  were  undoubtedly 
the  last  Indian  occupants.  Their  totem  was  the  turtle  and  turtle 
inounds  are  prominent  here.  They  had  a  village  on  the  west 
side  of  Lake  Koshkonong  called  Tay-e-hee-dah,  the  ruins  of 
which  attracted  the  attention  of  United  States  surveyors  of  that 
region  in  1834.  The  other  settlement  of  Winnebagoes  within  our 
county,  called  Turtle  village,  occupied  the  site  of  the  present 
city  of  Beloit.  The  chief  of  this  village  was  Kau-rau-maw-nee, 
or  Walking  Turtle,  that  chief  who  delivered  up  Red  Bird  at  the 
close  of  the  Winnebago  war,  and  the  beautiful  turtle  mound 
immediately  north  of  the  astronomical  observatory  in  the  grounds 
of  Beloit  college  was  very  probably  to  him  and  to  his  people  a 
sacred  meeting  place. 

Indian  Removals. 

If  this  beautiful  region  suited  the  Indians  and  they  loved  it, 
why  did  they  leave  it?  Because  they  had  to.  As  settlers  flocked 
into  the  western  country  the  United  States  government  made 
treaties  with  the  Indians  in  order  to  buy  their  lands,  to  secure 
peace  after  war,  and  for  both  those  objects  combined.  The 
pressure  of  immigration  required  that  the  United  States  should 
own  the  land  and  by  that  change  of  ownership  the  whole  country 
was  benefited. 

In  the  fourteen  treaties,  which  we  record,  our  government 
sometimes  treated  the  Indians  as  though  they  were  independent 
foreign  nations  and  sometimes  as  if  they  were  dependent  wards. 

Our  first  treaty  with  these  western  Indians  was  made  at  St. 
Louis  November  3,  1804.  For  $2,254  worth  of  goods  and  the 
promise  of  a  continuous  payment  of  $1,000  worth  of  goods  each 
year  thereafter,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  represented  by  compara- 
tively few  of  their  chiefs,  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  the  land 
which  they  claimed  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  bounded  as  fol- 
lows :     The  north  bound  was  the  Wisconsin  river  to   a  point 


30  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

thirty-six  miles  up  stream  from  its  mouth,  then  a  line  directly 
eastward  to  the  outlet  of  Lake  Sakaegan  (Lake  Pewaukee  in 
Waukesha  county),  thence  down  the  Fox  river  to  the  Illinois 
and  down  that  to  the  Mississippi,  which  was  the  western  bound- 
ary, thus  including  all  this  region  of  southern  AVisconsin.  (Moses 
Strong's  History  of  Wisconsin,  page  70,  gives  Lake  Muckwanago 
as  being  the  treaty  lake,  Sakaegan.  The  founder  of  Milwaukee, 
Solomon  Juneau,  however,  called  Pew^aukee  lake,  Sakaegan  or 
Snail  lake,  from  its  shape,  and  J.  A.  Rice  also  concludes  that 
Pewaukee  is  the  old  Sakaegan.) 

September  12,  1815,  United  States  Commissioners  William 
Clark,  Ninian  Edwards  and  Auguste  Chouteaux  made  two 
treaties,  one  with  the  Sacs  and  the  other  with  the  Foxes,  both 
confirming  the  treaty  of  1804,  but  neither  of  them  signed  by 
Black  Hawk.  May  13,  1816,  however,  the  same  commissioners 
made  at  St.  Louis  a  treaty  with  the  Sacs  of  Rock  river,  also  con- 
firming the  treaty  of  1804  and  signed  by  tw^enty-two  Sac  chiefs 
and  warriors,  among  whom  was  Ma-ka-tai-mo-he-kia-kiak  (Black 
Sparrow  Hawk).  Although  Black  Hawk  acknowledged  that  he 
"touched  the  quill"  to  this  treaty  he  afterwards  claimed  that 
he  did  not  understand  it  as  the  United  States  did  and  that, 
therefore,  it  was  not  binding  on  the  Sacs  of  Rock  river.  By 
that  treaty  the  Sac  and  Fox  nations  were  allowed  the  privilege 
of  living  and  hunting  upon  the  ceded  lands  in  Wisconsin  so  long 
as  they  remained  the  property  of  the  United  States.  Black  Hawk 
said  he  understood  that  to  mean  ''so  long  as  the  rule  of  the 
United  States  over  that  region  continued."  The  commissioners 
meant,  however,  "so  long  as  the  title  to  the  land  remained  with 
the  government."  Whenever  and  wherever  that  title  was  trans- 
ferred to  actual  settlers  those  Indian  rights  would  cease.  It  was 
this  radical  difference  of  opinion  about  the  meaning  of  that  treaty 
which  afterwards  led  to  the  Black  Hawk  war. 

August  20-24,  1816,  the  Chippewa,  Ottawa  and  Pottawattomie 
tribes,  who  claimed  the  west  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  as  far  west 
as  Rock  river  and  Green  bay,  ceded  to  the  United  States  a  tract 
of  land  three  leagues  square  at  the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin 
river,  including  both  banks,  and  another  tract  five  leagues  square 
on  or  near  the  Wisconsin  and  Mississippi  rivers,  and  all  their 
lands  in  Illinois;  and  in  return  the  United  States  ceded  to  them 
all  the  old  Sac  and  Fox  lands  between  the  Mississippi  river  and 


THE  PICTURE  MOUND  BUILDERS  31 

Lake  Michigan  and  north  of  the  south  end  of  that  lake.     That 
cession  made  this  region  Indian  country  again. 

Then,  about  ten  years  later,  came  the  Winnebago  war.  After 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  left  the  lead  regions  of  southwestern  Wiscon- 
sin in  1804,  Winnebagoes,  Ottawas,  Chippewas  and  PottaAvatto- 
mies  "squatted"  on  the  land,  worked  the  mines  and  had  certain 
half  breeds  take  the  lead  to  St.  Louis  and  sell  it  there.  This 
started  the  coming  of  white  miners  from  the  south,  who  gradu- 
ally drifted  into  the  lead  region  and,  in  1822,  were  working  the 
mines  under  the  protection  of  United  States  troops.  The  AVinne- 
bagoes  claimed  possession  over  other  Indians  and  so,  in  1825,  a 
treaty  of  peace  was  made  at  Prairie  du  Chien  to  settle  the  boun- 
daries between  Winnebagoes,  Sacs,  Foxes,  Chippewas,  lowas, 
Ottawas  and  Pottawattomics.  But  during  the  year  1827  mining 
at  Fever  river,  Illinois,  was  extended  into  the  Winnebago  coun- 
try and  caused  an  Indian  uprising  that  year.  In  1828  Colonel 
Henry  Dodge  and  130  men  were  digging  ore  thirty  miles  within 
Wisconsin  lands,  removing  the  ore  across  the  line  by  night.  The 
Indians  discovered  and  resented  this.  More  troops  having  been 
sent,  the  result  Avas  the  Winnebago  war  between  Colonel  Dodge 
and  Chief  Red  Bird,  the  latter  nobly  giving  himself  up  to  death 
as  a  sacrifice  for  his  people.  August  25,  1828,  the  United  States, 
by  Lewis  Cass  and  Pierre  Minard,  at  Green  bay,  made  a  provis- 
ional treat}'  with  the  Winnebago,  Chippewa,  Ottawa  and  Potta- 
wattomie  Indians,  the  latter  having  only  "squatter's  rights," 
for  lands  which  were  permanently  ceded  later.  Then,  by  our 
eighth  treaty,  made  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  July  29,  1829,  the  Chip- 
pewas, Ottawas  and  Pottawattomics  ceded  to  the  United  States 
all  their  land  south  of  the  Wisconsin  river  and  covered  by  the 
Sac  and  Fox  cession  of  1804,  including  therefore  the  lead  regions 
and  also  the  whole  of  this  county.  By  the  treaty  of  August  1, 
1829,  Winnebagoes  ceded  the  lead  regions.  It  is  said  that  the 
lead  fever  of  1828  was  like  the  gold  fever  of  1849  and  1850  for 
intensity,  and  caused  a  permanent  settlement  of  southwestern 
Wisconsin  several  years  before  the  eastern  counties  were  occu- 
pied. Then  the  Black  Hawk  war  of  1832  widely  advertised  this 
Rock  river  country  and  turned  immigration  toward  south  Wis- 
consin and  northern  Illinois. 

September   15,   1832,   at  Ft.   Armstrong,    Rock    Island,    the 
Winnebagoes  ceded  all  their  land  west  of  Rock  river,  beginning 


33  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

at  the  mouth  of  the  Pecatonic  and  extending  up  to  the  Wisconsin 
and  to  the  Fox  river  of  Green  bay.  (That  covered  the  west  half 
of  Rock  county.) 

September  26,  1833,  the  Ottawas,  Chippewas  and  Pottawatto- 
mies  ceded  all  east  of  that  tract  to  Lake  Michigan  and  north  to 
the  head  of  the  Milwaukee  river  and  a  line  reaching  thence  to 
the  south  end  of  Lake  Winnebago.  (This  covers  the  east  half 
of  Rock  county  a  second  time.) 

In  1836  the  Chippewa  and  Ottawa  Indians  ceded  land  east 
of  Green  Bay  (not  touching  us),  and  the  Menomonees  ceded  a 
tract  along  the  Wisconsin  river,  three  miles  in  width  east  side, 
and  extending  forty-eight  miles  in  a  straight  line  up  the  river 
above  the  Grignon  tract  (about  from  Stevens  Point  to  Wausau. 
In  a  Wisconsin  map  of  1839  the  Grignon  saw  mills  are  located 
about  ten  miles  further  north  than  the  north  end  of  Lake 
Winnebago.)  This  opened  the  way  for  the  lumbering  operations 
of  our  early  Beloit  and  Janesville  lumbermen. 

By  the  treaty  of  1837,  our  thirteenth,  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
the  Sioux  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  land  east  of  the 
Mississippi,  which  perhaps  may  have  sometime  included  this 
county. 

In  the  same  year,  November  1,  1837,  General  Henry  Dodge 
secured  a  treaty  whereby  the  Winnebagoes  ceded  to  the  United 
States  all  their  land  east  of  the  Mississippi  and  southeast  of  the 
Black  river  and  of  the  Wisconsin,  thus  covering  Rock  county 
again,  this  time  the  whole  of  it. 

Their  Actual  Removals. 

Article  XI.  of  the  treaty  of  September  15,  1832,  reads,  "No 
band  (of  Winnebagoes)  shall  plant,  fish,  reside  or  hunt,  after 
June  1,  1833,  on  any  portion  of  the  country  ceded  herein  to  the 
United  States."  (That  covered  the  west  half  of  Rock  county.) 
The  Indians  were  to  have  left  at  that  date  and  were  to  have 
thirty  days  of  soldier's  rations,  not  exceeding  60,000  rations  in 
all.  They  were  also  given  a  tract  of  land  west  of  the  Mississippi 
and  promised,  after  they  had  moved,  $10,000  each  year  for  the 
next  twenty-seven  years.  By  1834  Winnebagoes  to  the  number 
of  4,591  had  settled  north  of  the  Wisconsin  river,  being  unwil- 
ling to  cross  the  Mississippi  to  their  new  Iowa  reservation  from 
fear  of  the  Sioux.    In  1835  about  1,000  Chippewas,  Ottawas  and 


^O-y^,^ 


THE  PICTURE  MOUXD  BLIJ.DEHS  33 

Pottawattomies  were  removed  from  Wisconsin,  leaving  some 
7,000  in  our  territory.  In  1836  the  United  States  appropriated 
$40,000  to  defray  the  expense  of  removing  the  Winnebagoes,  who 
still  remained  south  of  the  Wisconsin  river.  It  was  one  of  those 
bands  of  Winnebagoes,  gathered  for  removal,  who  were  camped 
on  the  west  bank  of  Rock  river  opposite  Turtle  village  when 
Caleb  Blodgett  came  here  in  1836  and  who  helped  him  build  his 
double  log  cabin.  In  the  treaty  of  1837  they  had  agreed  to  re- 
move within  eight  months,  but  by  October,  1839,  had  not  yet 
made  any  general  effort  to  do  so.  Therefore  in  1840  General 
Atkinson  with  two  and  a  half  regiments  of  United  States  soldiers 
forcibly  moved  4,500  of  them  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi. 
Some  300  Winnebagoes,  however,  did  not  leave  our  territory, 
and  from  1840  to  1848  six  companies  of  United  States  soldiers 
were  kept  in  Wisconsin  to  protect  the  citizens  and  remove  the 
renegades,  but  the  latter  effort  failed. 

In  1846  some  1,250  Winnebagoes  came  back  from  Iowa  and 
settled  along  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin  and  the  Kickapoo  and 
Lemonweir  valleys.  The  process  of  removal  was  continued  up 
to  1853,  when  from  700  to  900  still  remained.  In  my  early  boy- 
hood of  those  years,  in  Beloit,  I  remember  seeing  often  little 
bands  of  those  Indians  in  our  streets.  Those  Winnebago  or  Tur- 
tle Indians  dearly  loved  this  spot,  the  home  of  their  ancestors, 
as  the  many  turtle  totem  mounds  show,  and  paid  us  only  too 
friendly  visits  with  their  squaws,  babies,  young  bucks,  naked 
children,  dogs  and  all.  Blanketed,  painted  and  befeathered, 
they  were  not  so  stolid  as  they  looked.  The  men  would  bring 
their  bows  and  arrows  to  the  government  landing  and  ask  white 
men  for  a  mark  to  shoot  at.  Put  up  a  big  copper  cent  and  they 
would  shoot  all  around  it.  But  let  anyone  set  up  a  three-cent 
piece  or  better  still  a  bright  dime,  and  whack,  some  one  would 
hit  it  the  first  shot. 

In  1864  350  Pottawattomies  came  back  from  Kansas,  so  that, 
by  1870,  northern  Wisconsin  had  about  a  thousand  Winnebagoes 
and  Pottawattomies,  who  lived  by  hunting  and  berry  picking 
and  who  were  tolerated  because  they  kept  down  the  too  abund- 
ant wild  animals  of  that  region.  (While  a  home  missionary  at 
Black  River  Falls,  Jackson  county,  in  1871  and  1872,  I  often 
saw  them  as  they  brought  skins  and  blueberries  to  that  place 


34  '  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

for  sale,  and  thought  them  quite  industrious  and  orderly,  for 
Indians.) 

In  1874  about  860  were  deported.  Then  in  1881  congress 
enacted  that  those  Winnebagoes,  who  had  settled  homesteads  on 
Wisconsin  lands,  should  be  protected  in  their  rights  and  pay  no 
taxes  for  twenty  years.  In  1893  a  school  for  Indian  children 
was  provided  at  Tomah,  Wis.  In  1895  the  state  had  about  930 
Winnebagoes,  of  whom  some  360  had  taken  up  homestead  claims. 

According  to  the  Indian  commissioner's  report  for  1903,  there 
were  then  in  northern  Wisconsin  1,402  Winnebagoes,  565  of  them 
being  in  the  neighborhood  of  Black  River  Falls.  And  on  seven 
reservations,  covering  583,135  acres,  were  6,778  other  Indians, 
Oneidas,  Menomonees,  Stockbridges  and  Chippewas.  In  noticing 
the  large  variety  of  nations  who  are  represented  in  our  Wiscon- 
sin population,  we  cannot  overlook,  therefore,  our  more  than 
8,000  Indians. 


III. 

THE   BLACK  HAWK   WAR. 

By 

W.  F.  B. 

As  an  important  event,  which  advertised  this  region  and  led 
to  its  early  settlement  by  eastern  people,  the  Black  Hawk  war 
deserves  some  fitting  notice  here.  When  the  war  of  1812  began 
the  Sac  chief,  Black  Hawk,  naturally  took  the  side  of  Tecumseh 
and  the  British.  Accompanied  by  a  band  of  200  Sac  braves  he 
served  under  Tecumseh  and  was  with  that  great  Shawanee  chief 
when  the  latter  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  October 
5,  1813.  Black  Hawk  and  his  warriors  then  returned  to  their 
Rock  river  home,  but  kept  making  forays  along  the  upper  Mis- 
sissippi and  did  not  cease  until  about  a  year  and  a  half  after 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  had  made  their  treaty  of 
peace  at  Ghent.  His  village,  where  he  had  been  born  and  then 
lived,  was  on  the  north  bank  of  Rock  river,  about  three  miles 
above  its  mouth,  and  the  same  distance  south  of  Rock  Island  in 
the  Mississippi.  It  was  occupied  by  about  500  families  and  con- 
tained also  the  chief  cemetery  of  his  nation. 

Being  a  friend  of  the  British  and  hating  Americans,  Black 
Hawk  led  his  followers  to  entertain  the  same  feeling,  and  they 
were  popularly  known  as  "the  British  band."  After  burying 
the  hatchet  in  1816,  however,  the  chief  led  a  comparatively  peace- 
ful life  for  six  years.  Then  in  the  winter  of  1822-1823,  in  some 
difficulty  with  white  men  he,  or  some  say  his  son,  was  given  a 
cruel  beating,  which  renewed  and  increased  his  hatred  of  all 
Americans.  In  the  summer  of  1823  squatters  began  taking  pos- 
session of  the  rich  land  occupied  by  these  Sacs  toward  the  mouth 
of  Rock  river.  While  the  band  were  away  on  their  winter's 
hunt  Americans  fenced  in  various  Indian  corn  fields  and  claimed 
that  land,  which  included  Black  Hawk's  village.  The  head  Sac 
chief,  Keokuk,  and  the  United  States  Indian  agent  at  Fort  Arm- 

35 


30  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

strong,  which  had  been  built  on  Rock  Island  about  1816,  both 
advised  Black  Hawk  to  make  a  peaceful  retreat  across  the  Mis- 
sissippi, but  he  refused  to  leave  the  home  and  graves  of  his  an- 
cestors. Afterwards,  in  his  old  age,  he  remarked,  not  without 
dignity,  "I  loved  that  Rock  river  country.  I  loved  my  corn 
fields.  I  fought  for  them."  He  claimed  also  that  their  village 
had  never  been  sold  to  the  whites.  The  treaty  of  1804,  reaffirmed 
in  1816.  made  no  such  exception.  It  simply  guaranteed  to  the 
Indians  the  use  of  the  ceded  territory  so  long  as  the  lands  re- 
mained the  property  of  the  United  States  and  were  not  sold  to 
individuals.  Technically  the  squatters,  not  having  bought  those 
yet  unsurveyed  lands,  were  not  actual  but  only  prospective  set- 
tlers. According  to  the  treaty  itself,  therefore,  since  no  sales 
of  the  land  had  been  made  and  since  the  frontier  line  of  home- 
steads was  some  fifty  miles  to  the  east,  this  was  still  Indian  land 
and  it  was  the  duty  of  our  government  to  protect  the  Indians  in 
their  occupancy  of  that  region  until  the  land  should  be  duly  sur- 
veyed and  sold  to  settlers.  In  the  spring  of  1830  Black  Hawk 
and  his  band,  returning  from  an  unsuccessful  winter's  hunt, 
found  their  town  demolished  and  the  site  ploughed  up.  During 
the  winter  those  squatters,  after  seven  years  of  illegal  occupancy, 
had  duly  preempted  several  quarter  sections  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Rock,  covering  the  disputed  ground,  namely,  the  village  site  and 
the  Sac  corn  fields.  This  placed  them  technically  in  the  right. 
So  when  Black  Hawk  returned  to  the  village  in  the  spring  of 
1831,  after  another  unsuccessful  hunting  season  and  ordered  the 
settlers  to  leave  that  locality  or  he  would  remove  them  by  -force, 
they  confidently  appealed  to  the  governor  of  Illinois,  John  Rey- 
nolds, for  protection.  In  his  biography,  written  at  his  dictation 
in  after  life  by  Editor  Patterson,  Black  Hawk  claimed  that  he 
did  not  mean  bloodshed  or  war,  but  simply  the  use  of  physical 
force.  The  whites,  however,  understood  his  order  as  threatening 
their  lives  and  so  did  the  governor.  Reynolds  therefore  called 
out  a  mounted  force  "to  repel  the  invasion  of  the  British  band," 
and  about  1,600  volunteers  responded.  These,  with  ten  com- 
panies of  regulars  under  General  E.  P.  Gaines  made  a  demon- 
stration before  Black  Hawk's  village  June  25,  1831,  which  led 
those  Indians  to  withdraw  that  night  to  the  west  bank  of  the 
Mississippi.  June  30  they  signed  a  treaty  of  peace  with  General 
Gaines  and  Governor  Reynolds,  agreeing  never  to  return  to  the 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR  37 

east  side  of  the  river  without  express  permission  of  the  United 
States  government.  This  is  not  numbered  among  the  formal 
treaties  between  the  Indians  and  our  government,  because  it 
was  merely  a  local  agreement  for  the  sake  of  peace.  In  view  of 
it,  however,  Black  Hawk's  later  expedition  into  Illinois  and 
"Wisconsin  became  a  doubly  illegal  invasion. 

Another  cause  of  trouble  was  this.  During  the  year  1830  a 
party  of  ]\Ienomonees  and  Sioux  had  murdered  some  of  the  Brit- 
ish band  of  Sacs.  So  in  1831,  soon  after  the  treaty,  Black  Hawk 
and  his  war  party,  according  to  Indian  custom,  retaliated  by  at- 
tacking and  killing  twenty-seven  Menomouees  near  Fort  Craw- 
ford, Prairie  du  Chien.  General  Joseph  Street,  the  United  States 
Indian  agent  there,  on  complaint  of  the  Menomouees,  demanded 
the  surrender  of  those  Sac  murderers  for  trial  under  existing 
treaty  provisions.  Black  Hawk  refused  to  give  them  up,  claim- 
ing that  his  bloody  reprisal  was  justified  by  the  usages  of  savage 
warfare.  By  this  refusal  he  thus  placed  his  band  in  an  attitude 
of  rebellion  against  the  United  States  authority  as  represented 
by  its  Indian  agency. 

At  this  time,  also,  the  shrewd  chief  or  prophet,  AVhite  Cloud, 
half  Winnebago,  half  Sac,  persuaded  Black  Hawk  that  not  only 
Winnebagoes,  Ottawas,  Chippewas  and  Pottawatomies,  but  also 
the  British  themselves  would  help  him  to  regain  his  village. 

At  that  time  the  northern  part  of  Illinois  and  this  southern 
part  of  Wisconsin,  the  territory  ceded  in  the  Sac  and  Fox  treaties 
of  1804  and  1816,  Avas  still  largely  an  unknown  wilderness  of 
prairies,  oak  groves,  rivers,  lakes  and  marshes.  Little  of  it  had 
been  surveyed  or  even  explored  by  white  men.  There  were  min- 
ing settlements  in  the  lead  regions  about  Galena  and  Mineral 
Point.  An  Indian  trail  along  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi 
connected  the  former  place  with  Fort  Armstrong  on  Rock  Island, 
and  a  wagon  road,  opened  in  1827  and  called  Kellogg 's  trail, 
connected  Galena  with  Peoria  and  other  settlements  in  southern 
Illinois.  A  mail  coach  traversed  this  road  every  day  and  was 
often  crowded  with  people  going  to  or  from  the  mines,  the  regu- 
lar freight  outlet  from  which,  however,  was  down  the  Mississippi. 
Indian  trails  between  the  various  Indian  villages  and  their  hunt- 
ing and  fishing  grounds  were  used  as  public  thoroughfares  by 
the  reds  and  whites  alike.  One  of  these  trails  connected  Galena 
with  Chicago  by  the  way  of  Big  Foot's  Pottawatomie  village  at 


38  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

the  head  of  what  is  now  Lake  Geneva.  The  various  mining  set- 
tlements were  connected  by  trails  and  two  well  traveled  ways 
led  respectively  to  Fort  Winnebago  (now  Portage,  Wis.)  and  to 
Fort  Howard,  Green  bay,  on  the  lower  Fox  river.  In  Illinois  was 
the  great  Sac  trail  extending  directly  across  the  state  east  from 
Black  Hawk's  village  to  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  and 
onward  to  the  British  agency  at  Maiden.  Between  Galena  and 
the  Illinois  river  the  largest  settlement  consisted  of  some  thirty 
families  on  Bureau  creek,  and  there  were  little  clusters  of  cabins 
at  Peru,  La  Salle,  South  Ottawa,  Newark,  Holderman's  Grove, 
and  on  Indian  creek.  The  lead  mining  colonies  in  Michigan 
territory  (now  Wisconsin)  were  at  Mineral  Point  and  Dodge- 
ville.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Milwaukee  river  the  fur  trader,  Solo- 
mon Juneau,  had  started  a  settlement,  and  at  Chicago  200  or  300 
people  were  living  under  the  shelter  of  Fort  Dearborn.  Squat- 
ters were  more  numerous  than  homesteaders  and  metes  and 
bounds  were  still  indefinite,  yet  the  white  population  had  in- 
creased so  rapidly  that  in  1830  it  is  said  to  have  numbered  about 
155,000. 

Black  Hawk  claimed  that  his  band  had  a  right  to  hunt  and 
fish  in  this  region  as  long  as  it  belonged  to  the  United  States, 
that  is,  was  not  under  the  authority  of  any  other  power.  This 
interpretation  of  the  theaty  of  1804,  renewed  in  1816,  he  seems 
to  have  determined  to  secure  by  a  hunting  expedition  up  the 
Rock  river,  which  would  serve  as  a  precedent  in  any  future 
negotiations.  That  it  was  not  at  first  a  war  party  is  plain  from 
the  fact  that  their  squaws  and  children  went  with  them. 

April  6,  1832,  Black  Hawk  and  his  second  in  command,  Nea- 
pope,  with  about  450  mounted  warriors  and  fifty  in  canoes,  with 
their  squaws,  children  and  belongings,  crossed  the  Mississippi 
into  Illinois  near  the  mouth  of  Rock  river  and  started  up  it.  His 
avowed  intention  was  to  proceed  to  the  village  of  the  Indian 
prophet.  White  Cloud,  about  thirty-five  miles  up  that  stream, 
and  unite  with  the  Rock  river  Winnebagoes  in  raising  a  crop  of 
corn.  After  getting  that  supply  of  food  in  hand  they  would  in 
the  fall  be  ready  for  the  warpath.  At  least  this  was  the  idea 
of  the  expedition  which  was  quickly  spread  abroad  among  the 
whites. 

A  friendly  Pottawatomie  chief,  Shaubena,  carried  notice  of 
the  raid  to  the  settlements  in  the  Illinois  and  Rock  river  valleys 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAE  39 

and  on  east  as  far  as  Chicago.  The  news  spread  like  a  prairie 
fire.  Settlers  gathered  at  the  larger  towns  or  at  more  convenient 
points,  where  they  built  rude  stockade  forts  and  formed  them- 
selves into  garrisons.  At  Fort  Armstrong,  on  Rock  Island,  Gen- 
eral Atkinson,  who  had  arrived  there  that  spring  with  a  com- 
pany of  regulars  to  support  the  demand  of  the  Indian  depart- 
ment for  those  Sac  murderers,  immediately  began  arranging  a 
campaign  against  the  British  band.  He  first  assured  himself 
that  the  rest  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  were  not  hostile  and  then 
sent  a  message  to  Black  Hawk  by  two  different  messengers 
ordering  him  to  peaceably  return  and  withdraw  to  the  west 
bank  of  the  Mississippi  or  be  driven  there  by  force  of  arms.  One 
of  these  managers  was  Henry  Gratiot,  Indian  agent  for  the 
Rock  river  band  of  Winnebagoes.  It  was  his  father.  Charles 
Gratiot,  who  at  Cahokia  and  Kaskaskia  generously  supplied 
George  Rogers  Clarke  in  1778  and  1779  with  the  means  which 
enabled  him  to  make  his  memorable  campaign  a  success.  So  now 
his  equally  generous  and  honorable  son,  Henry,  who  had  always 
dealt  kindly  and  fairly  with  the  Indians,  risked  his  life  for  them 
in  this  effort  to  prevent  a  war. 

Four  Winnebago  chiefs,  one  of  whom  may  well  have  been 
White  Crow,  whose  village  was  at  Lake  Koshkonong,  had  per- 
sonally warned  him  that  on  account  of  the  encroachments  of 
the  whites  they  could  no  longer  restrain  their  young  men  from 
making  war. 

At  General  Atkinson's  request,  however,  he  undertook  this 
dangerous  mission  to  Black  Hawlj,  having  with  him  the  five 
friendly  W^innebago  chiefs.  Broken  Shoulder,  Whirling  Thunder, 
White  Crow,  Little  Medicine  Man  and  Little  Priest.  Immediately 
on  their  arrival  at  the  prophet's  village  they  were  all  violently 
seized  and  made  prisoners  and  the  young  warriors  clamored  for 
their  scalps.  The  prophet  could  only  protect  these  envoys  for 
a  couple  of  days.  The  message  of  peace  was  rejected.  Gratiot 
and  the  Winnebagoes,  by  the  prophet's  advice,  gained  their 
canoes  in  the  night,  were  pursued  down  the  river  and,  barely 
escaping  with  their  lives,  reached  Rock  Island  the  next  day. 

In  the  meantime  Governor  Reynolds'  published  call  for  vol- 
unteers had  brought  together  a  force  of  about  1,600,  all  but  300 
being  horsemen.  Among  these  was  one  company  who  had  chosen 
as  their  captain  young  Abraham  Lincoln.    In  his  brief  autobiog- 


40  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

raphy,  written  after  he  became  famous,  Lincoln  says:  "Then 
came  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  I  was  elected  a  captain  of  vol- 
unteers, a  success  which  gave  me  more  pleasure  than  any  I  have 
had  since."  General  Atkinson's  force  included  400  regular  in- 
fantry gathered  from  Forts  Crawford  (Prairie  du  Chien)  and 
Leavenworth,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Zachary  Taylor, 
afterwards  president  of  the  United  States,  Major  William  S. 
Harney,  the  hero  of  Cerro  Gordo,  also  served  with  these  regulars. 
A  young  lieutenant  of  Company  B,  First  United  States  Infantry, 
Jefferson  Davis,  afterwards  president  of  the  Confederacy,  was 
stationed  at  Fort  Crawford  in  January  and  February,  1832,  but 
he  is  marked  on  the  rolls  as  "absent  on  detached  service  at  the 
Dubuque  mines."  (From  March  26  to  August  18,  1832,  he  was 
absent  from  his  company  on  furlough,  so  that  he  seems  to  have 
taken  no  part  in  the  Black  Hawk  AVar;  but  he  escorted  that 
chief  to  Jefferson  Barracks  when  the  war  was  ended.) 

May  7,  1832,  Abraham  Lincoln  and  his  company  reached  Gen- 
eral Atkinson  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  river  and  were  mustered  into 
the  United  States  service.  Lieutenant  Robert  Anderson,  of  the 
regulars  (later  the  hero  of  Fort  Sumter),  was  detailed  inspector 
general  of  the  Illinois  militia,  about  1,600  in  all,  who  were  placed 
under  Brigadier  General  Samuel  Whiteside,  an  experienced  In- 
dian fighter,  and  accompanied  by  Governor  Reynolds  as  major 
general. 

May  9  the  start  was  made.  General  Whiteside  with  his  1,300 
mounted  men  leading  on  land  and  General  Atkinson's  400  regu- 
lars and  the  300  volunteer  infantry,  with  guns  and  most  of  the 
baggage,  following  in  boats.  The  baggage  with  Whiteside's  com- 
mand was  carried  in  wagons,  and  heavy  rains  made  the  traveling 
bad  for  both  divisions.  There  was  no  road,  of  course,  but  through 
swamps  and  a  rough  country.  Whiteside,  his  force  advancing 
more  rapidly  than  Atkinson,  found  the  prophet's  town  deserted, 
and  promptly  following  Black  Hawk's  trail,  reached  Dixon's 
ferry  on  May  12.  Here  he  met  two  independent  battalions  con- 
sisting of  341  men  under  Majors  Isaiah  Stillman  and  David 
Bailey.  These  had  abundance  of  ammunition  and  supplies,  were 
boastful  and  eager  to  serve  as  rangers,  and  so  were  sent  forward 
on  the  morning  of  May  13  as  a  scouting  party.  Late  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  14th  they  encamped  in  a  small  grove  three  miles 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR  41 

southwest  of  Sycamore  creek,  wholly  unaware  that  the  Indians 
were  only  three  miles  beyond  them. 

In  the  meantime  Black  Hawk,  after  losing  a  week  in  fruitless 
councils  with  the  Winnebagoes  at  Prophetstown,  pushed  on  to 
meet  the  Pottawatomies  at  Sycamore  creek.     The  chiefs  of  that 
tribe  having  been  influenced  by  the  advice  of  Shaubena,  he  could 
only  gain  on  his  side  about  a  hundred  of  the  more  hot-headed  of 
the  tribe.     As  a  parting  courtesy,  however,  he  was  arranging  to 
give  them  a  dog  feast  on  the  evening  of  May  14  when  he  was  told 
that  a  party  of  white  horsemen  were  going  into  camp  three  miles 
down  the  river.     In  after  years  Black  Hawk  asserted  that  at 
this  juncture  he  had  fully  resolved  to  peacefully  return  to  the 
west  side  of  the  Mississippi  should  General  Atkinson  again  sum- 
mon him  to  do  so.    The  hostile  faction  of  the  Pottawatomies  and 
the   majority  of  his  own  party  were   some  seven   miles   north. 
Black  Hawk,  having  with  him  only  about  forty  of  his  warriors 
(Reynolds  thought  the  number  fifty  or  sixty),  and  thinking  that 
Stillman's  corps  was  a  small  party  headed  by  Atkinson,  sent  to 
them  three  of  his  young  men  with  a  white  flag  to  convey  his  offer 
to  meet  with  the  White  Beaver  (Atkinson)  in  council.    He  also 
had  five  others,  mounted,  follow  the  three  at  a  safe  distance  to 
report  how  they  were  received.    When  the  flag-bearers  were  seen 
by  those   rangers,   many   of  whom   were   half   intoxicated  with 
liquor,  a  mob  of  the  latter  rushed  out  upon  the  envoys  and  ran 
them  into  camp  with  yells  and  oaths.    Some  twenty  of  the  excited 
horsemen  also,  having  sighted  the  second  party  of  Indians,  at 
once  gave  chase  and  killed  two  of  them.     The  other  three  gal- 
loped back  to  their  chief  and  reported  that  the  three  flag-bearers 
as  well  as  two  of  their  number  had  been  slain.     The  old  Sac  and 
his  forty  or  fifty  braves,  roused  to  a  spirit  of  revenge,  and  being 
well  mounted,  at  once  started  to  meet  the  enemy  and  soon  saw 
the  entire  white  force  of  about  300  rushing  towards  them  in  a 
confused  mass.     Ambushing  his  men.  Black  Hawk  waited  until 
the  enemy  were  within  range,  and  then  firing  with  deadly  effect, 
charged  upon  them.    At  that  first  fire  of  the  Indians  Stillman's 
whole  force  turned  and  fled,  pursued  by  about  twenty-five  sav- 
ages, until  nightfall  ended  the  chase  but  not  the  rout.    The  panic- 
stricken  volunteers  plunged  on  through  swamps  and  creeks  to 
Dixon's  ferry,  twenty-five  miles  away,  and  many  of  them  kept 


43  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

on  for  fifty  miles  further,  carrying  the  report  that  Black  Hawk 
was  sweeping  all  northern  Hlinois  with  2,000  bloodthirsty  war- 
riors. 

The  Indians  lost  the  two  spies  and  one  of  the  flag-bearers,  who 
had  been  treacherously  shot  in  Stillman's  camp,  while  the  others 
escaped  by  the  fleetness  of  their  ponies ;  and  of  the  whites  eleven 
were  killed. 

But  for  this  act  of  treachery  the  war  might  have  been  wholly 
avoided.  From  his  easy  victory,  however.  Black  Hawk  formed  a 
poor  opinion  of  the  valor  of  the  whites  and  an  exaggerated  esti- 
mate of  the  prowess  of  his  own  braves.  The  capture  of  Stillman's 
camp  and  rich  stores  of  food  and  ammunition  also  supplied  what 
he  most  needed,  and  having  decided  that  war  was  now  inevitable, 
he  sent  scouts  to  watch  the  white  army  and  hurried  his  women 
and  children  northward  to  Lake  Koshkonong.  He  was  guided  to 
that  swampy  fastness  by  friendly  Winnebagoes,  among  whom 
he  seems  to  have  gained  some  allies,  and  then  he  returned,  ap- 
parently with  his  whole  force,  to  northern  Illinois,  prepared  to 
resist  General  Atkinson's  advance.  It  is  a  local  tradition  that 
he  visited  the  "Winnebago  village  located  at  what  is  now  Hohon- 
ega  Park,  five  miles  south  of  Beloit,  and  after  failing  to  draw  that 
band  into  the  war  went  to  the  Winnebago  camp  just  east  of 
Janesville,  called  Black  Hawk's  grove,  and  thence  on  up  to  Kosh- 
konong. It  is  quite  certain  at  any  rate  that  General  Atkinson's 
command  came  this  way  in  their  pursuit. 

May  15  Whiteside,  with  1,400  men,  reached  the  field  of  battle 
and  buried  the  dead,  and  on  the  19th  Atkinson,  with  his  entire 
army,  moved  up  Rock  river,  leaving  Stillman's  corps,  such  as 
were  left  of  them,  to  guard  the  supplies  at  Dixon's.  These 
promptly  deserted  their  post  and  went  home,  so  Atkinson  and 
the  regulars  returned  to  Dixon's,  sending  Whiteside  to  follow 
and  locate  Black  Hawk.  His  troops,  however,  declared  that  the 
Indians  had  gone  into  the  impenetrable  swamps  at  the  north, 
where  pursuit  was  useless,  and  that  they  were  not  required  to 
serve  outside  of  the  state  in  that  Michigan  territory.  So  before 
reaching  the  state  line  they  turned  around  and  marched  south 
to  Ottawa,  111.,  where  they  were  all  mustered  out  by  General 
Reynolds  May  27  and  28,  Lincoln  among  them. 

Governor  Reynolds  called  for  2,000  more  volunteers  to  serve 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR  43 

through  the  war  and  urged  those  who  had  been  mustered  out  to 
reenlist  for  twenty  days  until  the  new  regiments  were  formed. 
In  reply  to  this  appeal  Abraham  Lincoln  enlisted  and  by  Lieu- 
tenant Robert  Anderson  was  on  May  29  mustered  into  a  company 
of  mounted  independent  rangers,  Lincoln  furnishing  his  own 
arms,  valued  at  $40,  and  horse  with  equipments,  at  $120.  When 
mustered  out  at  Dixon's  Ferry  June  16,  the  same  day  Lincoln 
enlisted  again,  and  as  a  private  in  an  independent  cavalry  com- 
pany was  again  mustered  in  by  Lieutenant  Anderson  to  serve 
under  Captain  Jacob  M.  Early.  This  was  part  of  a  force  of  300 
mounted  volunteer  rangers  under  Colonel  Henry  Frye  and  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  James  D.  Henry,  who  agreed  to  protect  the  north- 
ern line  of  Illinois  settlements  until  the  new  levy  could  be  mo- 
bilized. 

Atkinson's  army  was  now  divided  into  three  brigades,  under 
Generals  James  D.  Henry,  M.  K.  Alexander  and  Alexander  Posey. 
The  latter  led  the  left  wing,  Henry  the  right,  and  Alexander  the 
center. 

During  the  irregular  hostilities  which  followed  that  first  at- 
tack of  May  14  Black  Hawk's  various  bands,  including  some 
scalping  parties  of  Winnebagoes  and  Pottawatomies,  made  sev- 
eral raids  on  the  Avhites  of  northern  Illinois,  resulting  in  the  loss 
of  many  lives  and  producing  widespread  terror  and  panic  among 
the  settlers.  The  most  notable  instance  occurred  May  21,  1832. 
Thirty  Pottawatomies  and  three  Sacs  under  Girty  surprised  and 
slaughtered  fifteen  men,  women  and  children  at  the  Davis  farm 
on  Indian  creek,  twelve  miles  north  of  Ottawa.  Two  daughters 
of  William  Hall,  Sylvia,  aged  seventeen,  and  Rachel,  aged  fifteen, 
were  spared,  carried  up  Rock  river  through  this  region  to  a 
stronghold  not  far  from  Koshkonong  lake,  which  is  by  some  iden- 
tified with  Black  Hawk's  grove,  near  Janesville,  and  were  ap- 
parently adopted  into  the  family  of  a  Sac  chief.  Although 
obliged  to  endure  some  unavoidable  hardships,  they  were  not 
ill  treated  in  any  way,  and  by  the  influence  and  exertions  of  the 
Winnebago  Indian  agent,  Colonel  Gratiot,  before  mentioned,  and 
the  payment  of  about  $2,000  (ransom  offered  by  General  Atkin- 
son), through  the  Winnebago  chief.  White  Crow,  they  were  res- 
cued, unharmed,  less  than  two  weeks  after  their  capture.  On 
June  3  White  Crow  delivered  them  to  the  occupants  of  the  fort 


44  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

at  Blue  Mounds  (west  of  Madison),  and  in  July  they  were  given 
a  permanent  home  in  the  family  of  Rev.  Mr.  Horn,  of  Morgan 
county,  Illinois. 

Another  factor  in  this  war  was  a  voluntary  military  force 
from  the  lead  regions,  led  bj^  Colonel  Henry  Dodge,  afterwards 
governor  of  Wisconsin  and  United  States  senator,  who  placed 
his  command  under  the  orders  of  General  Atkinson.  On  May 
25  near  the  head  of  the  four  lakes  he  had  a  conference  with  sev- 
eral Winnebago  chiefs,  through  their  agent,  Henry  Gratiot,  and 
the  Winnebagoes  promised  to  be  faithful  to  their  treaties  with 
the  whites. 

June  14  a  party  of  thirteen  Sacs  killed  five  white  men  at  Spaf- 
ford's  farm  on  the  Pecatonica  river,  in  what  is  noAV  Lafayette 
county,  Wisconsin.  Colonel  Dodge,  with  Captain  James  H.  Gen- 
try, two  other  officers  and  twenty-six  privates,  promptly  fol- 
lowed the  Sacs  and  on  the  16th  caught  and  killed  all  of  them, 
having  three  of  his  own  men  killed  and  one  wounded.  The  scene 
of  this  battle  was  a  bend  in  the  Pecatonica  on  section  11,  town  2, 
range  5  east,  in  the  town  of  Wiota. 

On  June  24  Black  Hawk's  own  band  of  200  attacked  the 
Apple  River  fort  fourteen  miles  east  of  Galena,  killed  one  man 
and  wounded  one.  The  next  day  at  Kellogg 's  grove  (now  in 
Kent,  Stephenson  county.  111.)  the  same  band  attacked  Major 
Dement 's  scouting  party  of  150,  but  General  Posey  having  come 
up  with  a  detachment  of  volunteers,  the  Indians  were  routed 
with  a  loss  of  about  fifteen,  while  the  whites  lost  five. 

About  June  28  all  the  forces  under  Colonel  Dodge  gathered 
at  Fort  Hamilton  (town  of  W^iota,  Lafayette  county)  and  were 
joined  by  Posey's  brigade,  all  expecting  to  meet  General  Atkin- 
son with  the  other  two  divisions  of  his  army  at  Lake  Koshko- 
nong.  On  June  27  Henry's  brigade  and  the  regulars  under 
Zachary  Taylor,  accompanied  by  General  Atkinson,  resumed 
their  march  from  Dixon's  up  the  east  bank  of  Rock  river,  Early's 
company,  in  which  Lincoln  was  a  private,  being  with  Henry. 
June  30  this  force  crossed  the  state  line  into  what  is  now  Wiscon- 
sin at  Turtle  village  (Beloit)  and  camped  on  the  prairie,  well 
back  from  the  river  and  about  two  miles  north  of  the  village, 
which  was  then  unoccupied.  General  Atkinson  went  into  camp 
early  in  the  afternoon  and  had  his  men  bring  wood  and  water 


THE   HLACK  HAWK  WAR  45 

up  from  the  river  before  dark.  Then  posting  sentinels  about  the 
camp,  he  was  protected  against  any  night  attack.  (Some  poles 
of  this  camp  on  the  prairie  were  still  to  be  seen  there  in  1840, 
when  my  father,  Benjamin  Brown,  first  came  to  Beloit.  He  sev- 
eral times  pointed  out  to  me  the  site  of  that  camp  as  being  on  a 
slight  ridge  about  eighty  rods  north  of  the  present  crossroads 
two  miles  north  of  Beloit.)  The  next  morning,  July  1,  1832,  "the 
army  continued  its  march  up  the  river,"  says  Westfield,  "and 
after  proceeding  two  or  three  miles  saw  an  Indian  spy  on  the 
high  ground  of  the  opposite  or  west  side  of  Rock  river."  That 
high  ground  was  probably  Big  hill,  which  in  an  early  day  was 
not  covered  with  second  growth  as  now,  but  had  on  it  large  tim- 
ber and  little  underbrush,  so  that  the  view  from  it  was  unob- 
structed. 

The  army  soon  reached  an  abandoned  Indian  camp,  which 
seems  to  have  been  at  what  has  ever  since  been  called  Black 
Hawk's  grove,  in  the  southeast  part  of  Janesville.  The  tent  poles 
and  remains  of  camp  fires  found  there  by  the  earliest  settlers 
indicated  a  camp  site  of  some  permanence.  On  the  evening  of 
July  1  one  division  of  Atkinson's  force  encamped  near  Storr's 
lake,  a  short  distance  east  of  the  village  of  Milton.  The  night 
was  dark  and  Captain  Charles  Dunn,  afterwards  chief  justice 
of  Wisconsin,  while  going  the  rounds  as  officer  of  the  day  was 
accidentally  shot  by  an  excited  sentinel  and  so  severely  wounded 
that  soon  after  he  had  to  be  conveyed  to  Dixon  by  an  escort. 
Colonel  Dodge  and  General  Henry,  with  about  600  men,  having 
sought  the  enemy  at  the  rapids  of  the  Rock  (now  Hustisford, 
Dodge  county)  and  learned  that  they  had  gone  west,  returned 
to  the  main  force. 

On  the  morning  of  July  2  Atkinson 's  command  marched  north 
to  about  the  north  line  of  Rock  county  and  then,  turning  to- 
wards Lake  Koshkonong,  Early's  rangers  being  in  advance,  soon 
struck  the  trail  of  Black  Hawk's  retreat  and  halted.  It  is  al- 
leged that  on  July  3  the  army  was  in  camp  on  the  north  side  of 
Otter  creek,  about  two  miles  from  Lake  Koshkonong  (on  section 
3  in  the  town  of  Milton).  While  they  were  at  this  camp  scouts 
brought  in  an  aged  Sac  Indian  who  was  blind.  When  the  army 
passed  on  they  left  him  food  and  water,  but  some  of  the  forces 
of  Posey   or  Alexander,   who   followed,   coming   on   him   unex- 


46  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

pectedly  and  supposing  him  a  spy,  shot  him — the  only  Indian 
known  to  have  been  killed  in  Rock  county.  On  the  evening  of 
July  3  Alexander  arrived  with  his  division.  July  6  Atkinson 
marched  to  Burnt  Village,  at  the  junction  of  Whitewater  creek 
with  Bark  river.  That  night  Posey's  brigade  and  Colonel  Henry 
Dodge 's  regiment  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Whitewater.  Cap- 
tain Early  also  returned  from  a  scout.  July  7  Atkinson  marched 
several  miles  up  the  Rock,  but  on  the  8th  returned  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Whitewater.  Winnebago  Indians  falsely  reported  Black 
Hawk  as  being  on  an  island  in  Lake  Koshkonong  (since  called 
Black  Hawk's  island.)  July  9  Early's  company  crossed  to  the 
island  on  rafts,  but  found  no  one  there.  A.  A.  Jackson,  of  Janes- 
ville,  from  wliose  article  in  Wis.  Hist.  Coll.,  Vol.  14,  on  "Lincoln 
in  the  Black  Hawk  War,"  part  of  this  account  has  been  taken, 
says:  "I  have  been  thus  particular  in  tracing  Captain  Early's 
company  for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  Abraham  Lincoln  was 
with  the  right  wing  of  Atkinson's  army  and  jiiarched  up  the 
Rock  through  Beloit  and  Janesville." 

By  July  10,  the  provisions  of  the  army  having  been  exhausted, 
Henry  and  Alexander  were  sent  to  Fort  Winnebago  (at  Portage) 
for  supplies ;  Posey  was  ordered  to  Fort  Hamilton  (in  the  lead 
region  soutli  of  Dodge ville)  ;  Taylor  with  the  regulars  went  to 
Prairie  du  Chien ;  Emory's  regiment  returned  to  Dixon's,  111.; 
while  Early's  rangers  were  mustered  out  of  the  United  States 
service  at  Burnt  Village  July  11.  The  day  after  he  was  mustered 
out  Lincoln  started  for  his  home  in  Illinois.  That  night  his 
horse  and  that  of  a  comrade  were  stolen  and  they  had  to  walk. 
The  two  went  from  the  mouth  of  the  Whitewater  to  Peoria  and 
verj^  probably  returned  through  this  region  by  Black  Hawk's 
grove  and  Turtle  village,  the  trail  over  which  they  had  already 
marched  the  other  way. 

The  close  of  the  war  soon  followed.  The  retreat  of  Black 
Hawk's  band  westward  with  their  women  and  children  having 
been  discovered,  the  commands  of  Colonel  Dodge  and  General 
Henry  promptly  pursued,  and  on  July  21  found  and  fought  them 
on  the  Wisconsin  river  at  Wisconsin  Heights  (two  miles  below 
Sauk  City).  The  final  battle  was  fought  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bad 
Axe  river  (opposite  the  north  line  of  Iowa),  where  the  larger  part 
of  Black  Hawk's  party,   including  many  squaws  and  children. 


f   ^   ^    ^   ^ 


0 


THE  BLACK  HAWK  W  AK  47 

were  ruthlessly  destroyed,  August  2.  Black  Hawk  and  the 
prophet  fled  north,  but  were  eaptured  about  two  miles  above  the 
site  of  Kilbourn  by  two  Winnebago  chiefs,  Chaeta  and  Decorra, 
and  delivered  August  27  to  the  Indian  agent  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
General  Street,  who  at  once  sent  them  under  charge  of  Lieuten- 
ant Jefferson  Davis  to  Jefferson  Barracks,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

General  Winfield  Scott  had  been  ordered  from  the  East,  with 
1,000  regulars,  to  take  command,  but  was  delayed  by  an  epidemic 
of  cholera  among  his  soldiers  and  did  not  reach  Rock  Island 
until  after  the  war  was  ended.  It  was  estimated  that  some  850 
Indians,  with  250  soldiers  and  settlers,  had  been  killed,  and  that 
the  war  had  cost  also  about  $2,000,000. 

September  15  to  21,  1832,  a  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  by 
the  AVinnebagoes  at  Fort  Armstrong,  Rock  Island,  and  Black 
Hawk  was  held  as  a  hostage  during  the  winter  at  Jefferson  Bar- 
racks. In  April,  1833,  he  was  taken  to  Washington,  D.  C,  along 
with  the  prophet  and  Neapope,  and  they  were  kept  as  prisoners 
in  Fortress  Monroe  until  June  4  and  then  discharged.  During 
his  imprisonment  there  Black  Hawk's  portrait  was  painted  by 
R.  M.  Sully,  and  it  now  hangs  in  the  museum  of  the  Wisconsin 
State  Historical  Society  at  Madison,  Wis. 

On  their  way  west  the  party  having  charge  of  the  Indians 
took  Black  Hawk  through  most  of  the  principal  cities,  in  each 
of  which  he  was  lionized,  and  at  Fort  Armstrong,  August  1, 
1833,  formally  placed  him  under  the  guardianship  of  the  legal 
Sac  chief  Keokuk. 

Black  Hawk  lived  on  a  reservation  in  southeastern  Iowa  and 
died  there  October  3,  1838,  aged  seventy-one  years.  There  also 
he  was  buried  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  according  to 
Moses  M.  Strong,  near  what  is  now  Montrose,  Lee  county.  Sur- 
veyor Willard  Barrows,  however,  wrote  to  the  Davenport  "Ga- 
zette" in  1859  that  Black  Hawk  sickened  and  died  near  lowa- 
ville,  on  the  Des  Moines  river  in  Wapello  county,  and  was  buried 
near  by;  that  at  a  later  period  his  bones  were  placed  in  the  hall 
of  the  Historical  Society  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  and  consumed 
when  the  whole  collection  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Barrows  said 
that  he  noted  Black  Hawk's  wigwam  and  grave  while  surveying 
in  1843. 

The  many  prominent  men  connected  with  this  war,  the  ex- 


48  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

traordinary  and  widespread  public  interest  in  its  progress,  the 
reports  of  the  soldiers  engaged  in  it,  together  with  the  attention 
which  Black  Hawk  attracted  in  the  East,  all  gave  to  this  fertile 
and  beautiful  Rock  river  region  a  wonderful  advertisement. 
Nearly  all  previous  settlement  of  the  southern  part  of  our  terri- 
tory had  been  from  and  in  the  Southwest.  But  the  Black  Hawk 
"War  interested  hundreds  of  eastern  people  in  this  locality,  and 
so  was  the  indirect  means  of  bringing  here  that  high  quality  of 
citizenship  which  has  made  the  Rock  county  of  today. 


IV. 

THE    FORGOTTEN    PLACES. 

By 

Horace  McElroy. 

The  years  1836  and  1837  were  years  of  wild  speculation  in 
western  lands,  and  men  seem  to  have  been  as  readily  duped  in 
those  days  with  fabulous  stories  of  wealth  to  be  picked  up  easily 
and  quickly  from  the  Wisconsin  prairies  as  they  are  today  with 
tales  of  riches  to  be  gathered  from  the  jungles  of  Yucatan. 

Early  in  the  year  1836,  and  while  there  were  but  few  actual 
settlers  in  what  is  now  Rock  county,  a  number  of  cities,  villages 
and  towns  were  laid  out  that  we  may  now  call  "the  forgotten 
places,"  so  absolutely  have  their  names  and  locations  passed 
away.  What  is  now  Rock  county  was  then  a  part  of  Milwaukee 
and  Racine  counties,  and  no  names  had  as  yet  been  given  to  any 
of  the  townships;  but  for  the  purpose  of  more  plainly  designat- 
ing the  points  where  those  now  forgotten  places  were  located  we 
use  the  present  names  of  the  townships  as  well  as  the  government 
designation  of  townships  and  ranges. 

In  telling  of  the  forgotten  places  in  Rock  county,  as  they  were 
in  the  great  boom  of  1836  and  1837,  we  deal  only  with  those  that 
have  absolutely  ceased  to  exist.  Wisconsin  has  grown  into  a 
great  state  with  a  growth  that  has  been  steady  and  sure,  and 
in  the  same  way  Rock  county  has  grown  into  one  of  the  great 
counties  of  the  state,  with  thriving  cities  and  villages,  and  with 
rich  farms ;  but  upon  no  one  of  the  sites  of  the  cities,  villages  or 
towns  described  herein  are  there  now  any  houses  except  those 
of  the  farmers  who  till  the  soil,  with  here  and  there  a  modest 
church  or  a  little  country  school. 

On  December  13,  1836,  Van  Buren  was  laid  out  and  platted 
by  John  Thomas  Haight,  Francis  W.  Hending,  Giles  S.  Brisbin 
and  John  L.  Hilton  upon  the  north  half  of  the  southeast  quarter 
of  section  1  of  the  town  of  Union,  in  Rock  county,  and  the  south- 

49 


50  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

east  quarter  of  section  36  in  the  town  of  Rutland,  in  Dane  county. 
The  town  of  Van  Buren  was  platted  into  sixty-one  blocks,  that 
part  in  Dane  county  containing  blocks  No.  1  to  40  inclusive,  and 
that  part  in  Rock  county  blocks  41  to  61  inclusive.  In  compari- 
son with  this  and  other  similar  places  we  will  state  that  the 
original  plat  of  the  village  of  Janesville,  our  county  seat,  platted 
on  May  14,  1840,  contained  but  fifty-nine  blocks.  Van  Buren  was 
laid  out  upon  both  sides  of  Badfish  creek,  and  upon  each  side  of 
the  creek  a  wide  space  was  reserved  for  "hydraulic  purposes," 
as  stated  upon  the  map  of  the  town  site.  Some  few  convey- 
ances of  lots  were  made  during  several  years  succeeding  the 
date  of  the  plat,  but  as  early  as  1843  that  part  of  the  town  site 
in  Rock  county  was  sold  under  the  government  designation  of 
the  north  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  1  in  town  4 
north  of  range  10  east,  and  the  land  upon  which  Van  Buren  had 
been  laid  out  has  ever  since  been  conveyed  as  farming  land  and 
used  for  farming  purposes. 

A  few  miles  southeast  of  Van  Buren,  and  in  the  west  half  of 
the  east  half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  15  of  the  town 
of  Porter,  the  town  of  Saratoga  was  laid  out  by  Calvin  Harmon, 
William  PajTie  and  Thomas  A.  Holmes,  on  January  6,  1837.  This 
land  is  part  of  the  farm  now  owned  by  Charles  White.  There 
were  thirty-six  blocks  platted  in  Saratoga.  Block  23  was  laid 
out  around  a  large  and  beautiful  spring  of  water,  now  called  Cal- 
edonia spring,  that  may  have  suggested  to  the  proprietors  the 
name  for  the  townsite.  On  November  17,  1837,  the  proprietors 
sold  a  number  of  blocks  and  lots  to  Alfred  Bixby,  and  that  is 
the  only  sale  of  which  we  have  any  record.  The  spring  remains, 
pouring  out  its  great  volume  of  water,  but  Saratoga  has  long 
ceased  to  exist;  the  birds  bviild  their  nest  and  fill  the  air  with 
their  songs  about  the  flowing  water,  and  cattle  graze  upon  the 
lands  upon  which  Holmes,  Payne  and  Harmon  had  hoped  and  ex- 
pected to  see  a  city  grow  up  that  in  time  would  rival  the  Sara- 
toga of  the  East. 

Warsaw  was  platted  by  Charles  Mellin  and  Albert  Fowler 
on  September  21,  1836,  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  southwest 
quarter  of  section  11  of  the  town  of  Fulton,  within  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  of  the  present  city  of  Edgerton.  The  town  map  shows 
twenty-four  blocks  and  a  public  square.  The  last  sale  of  any  of 
the  platted  land  was  made  on  August  10,  1837,  and  after  that 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PLACES  51 

date  conveyances  of  the  tract  have  always  been  made  as  farming 
land. 

The  late  Silas  Hurd,  who  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Rock 
county,  used  to  tell  the  following  story :  One  evening  a  stranger 
came  to  his  home  on  the  east  side  of  Rock  river  and  asked  for  a 
night's  lodging,  which  of  course  was  given  to  him.  The  stranger 
stated  that  he  was  from  New  York  city,  and  complained  bitterly 
of  the  hardships  he  had  experienced  on  his  journey  west.  In 
the  course  of  the  conversation  he  asked  Mr.  Hvird  how  he  could 
reach  a  place  called  Warsaw.  Mr.  Hurd  told  him  that  unfor- 
tunately his  only  boat  was  smashed  up,  and  that  there  was  no 
other  within  some  miles  of  his  place.  "But,"  he  said,  "you  can 
go  right  down  back  of  my  house  and  swim  Rock  river  easily 
enough.  Then  you  will  go  about  half  a  mile  north  and  about  a 
mile  east,  and  there  you  will  find  a  lot  of  stakes  stuck  in  the 
ground.  That's  Warsaw."  "But  are  there  no  houses  there?" 
asked  the  man  from  New  York  city.  "Not  a  house,"  Mr.  Hurd 
replied.  "There's  nothing  but  stakes."  "Well,"  the  stranger 
said,  "that  settles  it.  I  have  bought  a  lot  of  property  in  Warsaw, 
and  have  been  assured  that  it  is  a  growing,  thriving  place  with 
great  possibilities  in  the  near  future,  and  I've  had  a  good,  tough 
time  getting  this  far.  If  there's  nothing  but  stakes  in  Warsaw 
I  don't  care  to  look  at  it;  and,  any  way,  I  wouldn't  swim  Rock 
river  for  all  the  land  in  this  township.  I'll  go  back  to  New  York 
and  get  after  the  man  that  sold  me  corner  lots  in  Warsaw." 

On  the  west  bank  of  Rock  river,  at  the  junction  of  the  Rock 
and  Catfish  rivers,  in  section  19  of  the  town  of  Fulton,  early  in 
the  year  1836  James  D.  Doty,  Alfred  Orendorf,  John  Bannister 
and  Morgan  L.  Martin  laid  out  a  village  that  they  named  Car- 
ramana,  containing  fifty  platted  blocks,  and  being  about  the  size 
of  Janesville,  the  county  seat,  as  originally  laid  out.  The  date 
of  the  plat  cannot  be  ascertained  from  the  records  of  the  county, 
as  the  map  of  the  village  is  somewhat  defaced,  but  it  was  earlier 
than  April  20,  1836,  because  on  that  day  Morgan  L.  Martin  con- 
veyed to  Solomon  Juneau  an  undivided  one-half  interest  in  the 
village  site.  Later  a  few  lots  were  sold  as  platted  land,  but  since 
1845  the  townsite  has  been  sold  and  conveyed  by  the  usual  and 
ordinary  description  of  farming  lands.  The  word  "Carramana" 
is  the  Anglicized  spelling  of  the  name  of  an  old  Winnebago 
chief,  called  "The  Walking  Turtle." 


52  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 


The  first  survey  for  the  Milwaukee  &  Mississippi  railroad  car- 
ried the  line  between  the  old  site  of  Carramana,  as  we  under- 
stand, and  what  is  now  called  Indian  Ford.  The  exactions  of 
the  land  owners,  however,  were  regarded  as  exorbitant  by  the 
railroad  company,  and  a  new  line  was  surveyed  leaving  Carra- 
mana  some  miles  to  the  southwest  and  going  north  by  the  way 
of  Edgerton.  Had  Carramana  gotten  the  railroad,  and  with  the 
fine  water  power  on  Catfish  and  Rock  rivers,  it  would  in  all  prob- 
ability have  grown  into  an  important  place.  But  Carramana 
got  neither  railroad  nor  water  power,  and  in  a  few  years  it  passed 
away  with  the  other  boom  towns  of  those  times,  and  even  its 
name  now  seems  to  be  unknown  to  the  people  in  the  township  in 
which  it  w^as  located. 

John  A.  Fletcher  purchased  of  the  United  States  government 
on  February  21,  1839,  the  east  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of 
section  23  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Johnstown.  Shortly  after 
his  purchase  of  this  land  he  concluded  that  it  would  make  a  good 
townsite.  No  map  of  the  place  is  on  record,  and  it  does  not  ap- 
pear even  to  have  been  named.  The  good  Squire  Fletcher  had 
just  driven  his  last  stakes  when  a  land  hviuter  came  by,  who 
said  he  was  from  Milwaukee,  and  was  looking  up  some  desirable 
tract  that  had  not  yet  been  entered;  then  he  added,  "It  must 
be  very  sickly  around  here?"  "No,  it  ain't,"  said  Mr.  Fletcher; 
"it's  the  healthiest  country  in  the  United  States.  What  makes 
you  ask  such  a  fool  question  as  that?"  "Well,"  the  man  replied, 
"I  only  ask  because  I  see  you  are  laying  out  a  thundering  big 
burying  ground." 

The  most  pretentious  of  the  forgotten  places  of  Rock  county 
was  Wisconsin  City,  platted  by  John  Inman,  Josiah  Breese,  Ed- 
ward Shepard,  James  E.  Seymour  and  John  H.  Hardenburgh, 
May  24,  1836,  on  the  south  part  of  section  34  in  the  town  of 
Janesville,  and  section  3,  and  part  of  fractional  lot  in  section  2, 
in  the  town  of  Rock,  on  the  west  side  of  Rock  river. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1837  Dr.  James  Heath  located  East 
Wisconsin  City  on  the  east  bank  of  Rock  river,  and  opposite  Wis- 
consin City.  No  plat  was  ever  made  of  this  place,  and  the  city 
consisted  of  a  frame  house  sixteen  feet  square  in  which  Dr.  Heath 
lived  with  his  family  and  kept  a  country  store  and  a  tavern  of 
the  old-fashioned  type,  with  entertainment  for  man  and  beast. 
In  addition  to  .being  a  physician  Dr.  Heath  was  a  farmer,  store- 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PLACES  53 

keeper  and  landlord,  and  he  must  also  have  been  a  man  of  cheer- 
ful disposition  and  of  infinite  humor,  as  evidenced  by  his  bestow- 
ing the  name  of  East  Wisconsin  City  upon  his  humble  little  shack 
which  served  as  home,  store,  tavern  and  office. 

Wisconsin  City  as  laid  out  contained  209  blocks,  with  reser- 
vations for  six  churches,  a  market-place,  a  college,  an  academy 
and  three  common  schools.  Part  of  the  plat  now  lies  within  the 
limits  of  the  south  end  of  the  city  of  Janesville,  and  the  remain- 
ing part  is  just  outside  of  and  adjoining  the  city  limits  on  the 
southwest.  There  are  limestone  quarries  upon  the  site  of  Wis- 
consin City,  and  the  remainder  of  it  is  used  for  agricultural  pur- 
poses. A  portion  of  the  land  is  a  part  of  what  is  usually  called 
"the  old  Search  farm,"  the  scene  of  the  murder  of  the  aged 
Henry  Search  and  his  wife  about  twenty  years  ago;  a  brutal 
crime,  the  perpetrator  of  which  has  never  been  discovered. 

On  July  7,  1836,  Edward  Shepard  sold  a  one-twelfth  interest 
in  eighty-one  of  the  209  blocks  in  Wisconsin  City  to  Maurice 
Wakeman  for  $6,666.54,  and  on  the  following  day  he  sold  another 
one-twelfth  interest  in  the  same  blocks  to  Addison  Dougherty 
for  $6,666.66.  On  November  29,  1836,  he  sold  interests  in  certain 
other  tracts  to  Peter  Cannon  for  $10,000.  Many  smaller  sales 
were  made  before  the  boom  came  to  an  end,  and  then  in  1845 
parts  of  that  city  were  sold  for  taxes,  and  under  these  sales  and 
those  of  a  few  succeeding  years,  with  some  conveyances  made 
by  the  proprietors  and  their  grantees,  and  for  very  moderate 
prices,  the  various  blocks  in  the  pretentious  city  passed  into 
farming  lands,  with  here  and  there  a  limestone  quarry;  and 
where  the  six  churches  should  be  lifting  their  spires  towards  the 
sky,  and  the  youth  of  the  Rock  River  valley  should  be  drinking 
from  the  founts  of  learning  in  the  college,  the  academy  and  the 
three  common  schools,  the  farmer  tills  the  soil  and  the  quarry- 
man  blasts  the  rock  with  which  we  build  out  streets. 

A  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  Wisconsin  City,  on  fractional 
lots  2  and  3  of  section  10,  and  on  the  east  half  of  the  east  half 
of  section  9  in  the  town  of  Rock,  William  Payne  laid  out  the  vil- 
lage of  Newburgh.  The  date  of  the  plat  of  this  village  is  not 
shown  upon  the  map,  but  it  was  evidently  some  time  in  1836. 
The  village  contained  140  blocks  and  a  public  square,  but  with 
no  other  reservations.  Possibly  Mr.  Payne  figured  out  that  he 
would  waste  no  land,  as  his  village  was  but  a  quarter  of  a  mile 


54  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

from  the  six  churches,  the  college,  the  academy  and  the  three 
common  schools  of  Wisconsin  City,  and  his  people  would  have 
but  a  little  way  to  go  for  either  religious  or  secular  education. 

On  February  25,  1837,  Mr.  Payne  sold  Newburgh  to  William 
B.  Lamb  for  $20,000,  taking  back  from  Lamb  a  mortgage  for 
$7,000  to  secure  the  payment  of  part  of  the  purchase  money. 
Between  March  29,  1837,  and  August  5,  1837,  parts  of  the  village 
were  sold  to  the  amount  of  $95,200,  and  it  is  highly  probable 
that  in  Newburgh,  as  in  the  other  places  mentioned  herein,  other 
sales  may  have  been  made,  but  the  conveyances  have  never  been 
recorded.  It  appears  that  Lamb  did  not  pay  his  mortgage,  and 
it  was  subsequently  foreclosed  and  the  entire  tract  bought  in  by 
Payne  for  $1,352.  The  sheriff 's  deed  to  him  is  dated  October  21, 
1843.  The  tract  upon  which  the  townsite  of  Newburgh  was  laid 
out  afterwards  became  the  farm  of  the  late  William  Gunn  and 
was  owned  by  him  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Half  a  mile  down  Eock  river,  south  of  Newburgh,  and  within 
sound  of  the  promised  bells  of  the  six  churches  of  Wisconsin  City, 
and  of  the  class  yells  of  the  students  whom  it  was  hoped  would 
some  day  fill  the  various  educational  institutions  in  that  seat  of 
learning,  there  was  laid  out  in  an  early  day,  in  1836,  a  place 
called  the  town  of  Kushkanong,  upon  the  northwest  fractional 
quarter  of  section  22,  fractional  lots  3  and  4  of  section  15,  and 
the  northeast  quarter  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  21,  in 
the  town  of  Eock.  The  name  upon  the  map  is  "Kushkanong," 
but  in  some  of  the  few  conveyances  of  lots  made  in  1836  and 
1837  the  name  is  spelled  "Kuskanong"  and  "Koshkanong. "  The 
name  is  from  the  Winnebago,  and  means  "the  lake  where  we 
live."  Doubtless  the  proprietors  took  the  name  from  that  of 
Lake  Koshkanong,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county. 

Neither  the  date  of  the  plat  nor  the  names  of  the  proprietors 
appear  upon  the  map,  but  an  earlier  history  of  Eock  county  states 
that  Kushkanong  was  surveyed  by  Kinzie,  Hunter  and  Booby. 
All  the  lands  within  the  limits  of  the  town  of  Kushkanong  were 
purchased  at  government  entry  by  Eobert  A.  Kinzie  in  the  month 
of  March,  1836.  Neither  Hunter  nor  Booby  appear  in  the  rec- 
ords. The  records  do  show,  however,  that  parties  other  than 
Kinzie  had  some  equitable  interests  in  the  land,  but  neither  the 
names  of  such  parties  nor  the  nature  of  their  equities  appear. 

The  town  ot  Kushkanong  was  divided  into  seventy-five  blocks, 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PLACES  55 

with  a  reservation  twenty  rods  square  for  "state  purposes"  and 
another  of  equal  size  for  "county  purposes,"  and  there  was  also 
a  market  square,  and  a  proposed  bridge  crossing  Rock  river  at 
the  foot  of  Market  street.  Neither  Carramana,  Wisconsin  City 
nor  Newburgh,  all  laid  out  upon  the  west  bank  of  the  river, 
seemed  to  have  aspired  to  a  bridge. 

Upon  the  map  of  the  town  is  the  following  unsigned  interest- 
ing note  of  the  surveyor,  which  we  give  verbatim ;  the  map  is 
badly  defaced,  and  we  have  indicated  such  parts  as  are  illegible : 

' '  To  the  Proprietors  of  the  Town  of  Kushkanong :  In  obedi- 
ence to  your  directions  I  have  made  a  survey  of  your  town.    The 

loc one.    It  is  beautifully  situated  on  the  west  bank  of 

the  river,  where  the  bank  is  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  in  height, 
and  gradually  recedes  to  the  back  of  the  town,  presenting  a  mod- 
erately enclined  plain  at  the  east  and  southeast.    It  is  at 

which  will  render  it  a  most  convenient  stopping  place  for  the 
water  transactions  on  the  river.     The  river  to  the  place  and 

higher  up  is  navigable  for  steamboats above 

are  extensive  groves  of  fine  timber  which  can  be  readily  rafted  to 

and  will  in  all  future  time  supply  the  wood 

material  for  building.  Stone  of  a  good  quality  and  lime  are 
abundance  in  the  vicinity.  The  surface  of  the  ground  upon  which 
the  town  is  located  is  dry.  Neither  is  there  any  marshes  or  stag- 
nant water  in  the  surrounding  country  to  poison  the  air  with 
noxious  effluvia.    Considering  it  is  on  a  right  line  from  the  mouth 

of  Rock  river   point  on  Lake  Michigan 

and  the  nearest  bend  of  the  Mississippi  to  said  lake,  it  must,  I 
think,  soon  become  the  most  interesting  site  on  the  river  on  which 
it  is  located." 

The  first  session  of  the  territorial  legislature  of  Wisconsin  was 
held  in  Belmont,  in  what  is  now  Iowa  county,  in  the  fall  of  1836. 
The  territory  of  Wisconsin  then  comprised  what  is  now  Wiscon- 
sin, Iowa,  Minnesota  and  a  part  of  the  Dakotas.  The  legislature 
was  then  composed  of  the  council  and  the  house,  corresponding 
to  the  senate  and  the  assembly  of  the  present  day.  On  Novem- 
ber 11,  1836,  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  council  to  locate  and 
establish  the  seat  of  the  territorial  government.  This  motion 
was  referred  to  the  council  as  a  committee  of  the  whole,  which 
held  two  sessions  that  day  and  devoted  all  of  the  following  day 
to  the  consideration  of  the  bill.     On  November  14  the  further 


56  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

consideration  of  the  bill  was  postponed  one  week.  During  that 
week  there  was  lobbying  as  keen  as  that  of  later  days,  and  either 
history  or  tradition  tells  us  that  the  pockets  of  the  solons  of  that 
first  session  of  the  legislature  were  filled  with  deeds  to  desirable 
lots  in  each  place  begging  for  the  location  of  the  territorial  cap- 
ital. No  doubt  Mr.  Booby,  of  the  town  of  Kushkanong,  was  there 
doing  his  best. 

The  committee  of  the  whole  finally  reported  in  favor  of  Madi- 
son as  the  location  of  the  territorial  capital,  and  the  matter  being 
before  the  council  on  the  23d  day  of  November,  a  motion  was 
made  to  strike  out  Madison  and  insert  Fond  du  Lac  in  the  bill. 
This  motion  was  lost  by  a  vote  of  6  to  7.  A  motion  was  next 
made  to  substitute  Dubuque  for  Madison.  This  motion  was  lost 
by  a  vote  of  5  to  8.  Successive  motions  were  then  made  to  strike 
out  Madison  and  insert  the  names  of  the  following  places,  viz. : 
Portage,  Helena,  Milwaukee,  Racine,  Belmont,  Mineral  Point, 
Platteville,  Astor,  Cassville,  Belleview,  Kushkanong,  Wisconsin- 
apolis,  Peru  and  "Wisconsin  City,  each  of  these  motions  being  lost 
by  a  vote  of  6  to  7  in  favor  of  Madison.  In  the  house  the  name 
of  Kushkanong  does  not  appear  to  have  been  considered.  Madi- 
son, having  received  a  majority  of  the  votes  in  both  council  and 
house,  became  the  seat  of  government  of  the  territory  of  Wiscon- 
sin. Of  the  places  voted  for  Dubuque  and  Peru  were  in  what  is 
now  Iowa.  The  Wisconsin  City  that  entered  the  arena  was  not 
the  seat  of  learning  upon  Rock  river,  but  was  another  paper  town 
on  the  Wisconsin  river  in  what  is  now  Iowa  county.  Astor  was  a 
boom  town  that  has  gone  the  way  of  all  the  others,  and  with  it 
Wisconsinapolis,  a  paper  town  near  Portage. 

With  its  failure  to  get  the  territorial  capital  the  town  of  Kush- 
kanong ended  its  brief  but  hopeful  existence.  A  few  lots  were 
sold,  and  then  in  December,  1836,  Kinzie  made  a  deed  of  the 
town  site  to  one  James  L.  Thompson  in  trust  for  parties,  not 
named,  who  held  equities  in  the  place.  The  equities  seem  to 
have  been  considered  of  small  value,  for  the  tract  was  shortly 
after  sold  as  a  farm  for  $600;  and  from  the  seventy-five  blocks 
and  the  sites  reserved  for  "state  purposes"  and  for  "county 
purposes"  the  husbandman  has  ever  since  gathered  his  crops; 
but  the  proposed  bridge  has  never  spanned  Rock  river. 

The  close  of  the  year  1837  saw  the  end  of  the  boom  in  Rock 
county  speculative  towns,  villages  and  cities,  and  with  the  col- 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PLACES  57 

lapse  of  that  boom  they  passed  out  of  sight  forever.  It  is  not 
yet  seventy-five  years,  only  a  little  measure  of  time,  since  the 
earliest  settler,  looking  across  the  broad  sweep  of  the  Rock  River 
valley,  said,  "Here  I  will  make  my  home,"  yet  in  those  few  years 
these  places  have  been  forgotten.  Very  few  of  the  present  in- 
habitants of  Rock  county  can  point  out  their  sites  and  very  few 
know  even  their  names.  Those  old  towns,  those  forgotten  places, 
have  left  no  traces  of  their  existence  except  the  time-worn  maps 
and  the  records  of  the  few  conveyances  in  the  office  of  the  register 
of  deeds,  and  even  their  names  can  only  be  found  by  searchers 
after  curious  things  in  the  archives  of  the  county;  and  where 
those  forgotten  places  were  once  laid  out  in  blocks  and  streets 
and  pretentious  reservations  the  bobolink  sings  in  the  meadow 
in  the  summer  time,  and  the  autumn  winds  chant  their  songs  of 
the  coming  winter  in  the  fields  of  rustling  corn;  and  "there  labor 
sows  and  reaps  its  sure  reward,  and  peace  and  plenty  walk  amid 
the  glow  and  perfume  of  full  garners." 


From  the  north  line  of  Rock  county  near  the  south  end  of 
Lake  Koshkonong  to  the  state  line  at  Beloit  there  extends  along 
Rock  river  an  almost  continuous  line  of  Indian  mounds  and 
Indian  villages  and  camp  sites.  Some  are  found  in  other  parts 
of  the  county  on  the  prairies  and  about  the  smaller  lakes,  but  the 
greater  number  are  along  the  river  banks.  These,  too,  are  for- 
gotten places,  some  belonging  to  the  unknown  and  remote  past, 
others  to  a  period  that  touched  shoulders  perhaps  with  the  days 
of  the  early  pioneer,  but  all  the  work  of  a  people  that  have  long 
since  passed  away.  Of  the  forgotten  places  of  which  we  have 
already  written  no  trace  remains,  not  even  a  broken  hearthstone 
or  a  fallen  wall;  while  in  the  old  village  and  camp  sites  of  the 
people  who  occupied  the  land  before  the  coming  of  the  white 
man  there  are  always  to  be  found  the  stone  weapons  and  tools, 
the  ornaments  and  amulets,  the  broken  pottery,  the  ancient 
workshops  and  the  calcined  stones  of  the  fireplaces  of  the  ancient 
people. 

Lake  Koshkonong,  the  lower  end  of  which  projects  a  little 
more  than  a  mile  into  the  north  end  of  the  town  of  Milton,  has  a 
shore  line  of  about  thirty  miles.  The  shores  of  this  lake  are 
singularly  rich  in  Indian  mounds  and  village  sites,  with  old  gar- 
dens, threshing  pits  and  kitchen  middens.     In  1906  H.  L.  Skav- 


58  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

lem,  of  Janesville,  and  Professor  A.  B.  Stout,  now  of  Madison, 
surveyed  and  mapped  the  mounds,  and  their  work  shows  480 
mounds  along  the  lake  shore,  fifty  of  which  are  ef&gies.  The 
nature  of  the  lake  shore  is  such  that  but  a  small  part  of  it  is  cul- 
tivated, the  greater  part  of  it  being  used  as  pasture  land,  and 
from  this  fact  the  mounds  are  well  preserved  except  as  to  the 
damage  done  to  them  by  relic  hunters.  Forty-eight  of  these 
mounds,  in  five  groups,  are  in  the  town  of  Milton  in  Rock  county. 
The  largest  single  group  on  the  lake  shore  is  called  the  Koshko- 
nong  group,  containing  seventy-five  mounds,  in  Jefferson  county 
on  the  west  side  of  the  lake.  On  the  west  shore  in  section  6  of 
the  town  of  Milton  is  the  site  of  a  Fox  village,  and  upon  Bing- 
ham's point  on  the  east  shore  is  the  site  of  a  Pottawatomie  vil- 
lage. Farther  north  on  the  Carcajou  point  on  the  west  shore  of 
the  lake  is  the  site  of  a  large  \Yinnebago  village  that  was  occu- 
pied by  that  part  of  the  tribe  under  the  leadership  of  the  chief, 
White  Crow,  as  late  as  the  time  of  the  Black  Hawk  AYar.  These 
village  sites  are  doubtless  very  old.  During  the  last  fifty  years 
they  have  been  constantly  searched  for  relics  of  the  people  w^ho 
once  lived  upon  them,  and  great  quantities  of  such  relics  have 
been  found,  ranging  from  stone  implements  to  the  rude  iron  axes 
of  the  early  French  traders;  but  each  year's  plowing  and  each 
heavy  railfall  brings  more  and  more  of  them  to  light. 

In  Vol.  5  of  the  "Wisconsin  Archaeologist,"  in  an  article  pre- 
pared by  Charles  S.  Brown,  secretary  of  the  Wisconsin  Archaeo- 
logical Society,  on  Wisconsin  antiquities,  is  the  following  list  of 
mounds  in  Rock  county,  beginning  at  the  north  line  of  the  town 
of  Milton  and  extending  to  the  south  line  of  the  town  of  Beloit : 

In  the  town  of  Porter,  two  miles  above  Fulton  on  section  11, 
a  group  of  eight  mounds,  and  another  group  one  mile  above 
Fulton. 

In  the  town  of  Fulton,  a  group  of  oblong  and  conical  mounds 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river  at  Indian  ford ;  a  group  of  the  same 
character  near  the  above  on  the  east  side  of  the  Rock  river;  an 
oval  enclosure  in  the  village  of  Fulton ;  some  conical  mounds 
north  of  and  near  the  village;  and  a  series  of  mounds  north  and 
west  of  and  near  the  mouth  of  Catfish  river.  These  last  named 
were  upon  the  site  of  Carramana.  The  list  also  notes  a  village 
site  at  Indian  ford. 

In  the  town^of  Milton  three  groups  are  noted  at  and  near  the 


THE  FORGOTTEI^  PLACES  59 

foot  of  Lake  Koslikonong,  and  also  the  Fox  village  site  at  the 
foot  of  the  lake ;  and  a  reference  is  made  to  a  number  of  mounds 
that  had  formerly  existed  about  the  small  lakes  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  village  of  Milton. 

In  the  town  of  Rock,  a  group  between  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western railroad  and  Bass  creek  in  the  village  of  Afton. 

In  the  town  of  Beloit,  several  groups  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river  four  miles  north  of  the  city  of  Beloit,  on  the  west  half  of 
section  1 ;  three  groups  on  the  bluffs  and  bottom  lands  on  sections 
13  and  24;  several  effigy  mounds  two  miles  north  of  Beloit;  a 
group  on  the  Weirick  farm  two  miles  north  of  Beloit;  a  group 
of  conical,  effigy  and  other  mounds  on  the  Adams  property  at 
the  north  city  limits ;  another  called  the  Eaton  group  about  one- 
half  mile  north  of  Beloit  College ;  a  group  on  the  bank  of  Turtle 
creek  in  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  36;  and  the  large  and 
beautiful  group  of  conical,  oval  and  effigy  mounds  on  the  Beloit 
College  grounds,  the  largest  in  Rock  county  with  the  exception  of 
the  Afton  group  described  later  herein. 

There  is  also  noted  a  village  site  at  Beloit,  which  is  taken  to 
be,  from  the  best  procurable  data,  that  of  Carramana,  the  Walk- 
ing Turtle,  who  was  prominent  as  a  Winnebago  chief  in  the  early 
history  of  Wisconsin. 

In  the  town  of  Turtle,  effigies  on  the  bluff  near  the  state  line 
on  section  31 ;  another  group  of  effigies  and  conical  mounds  on 
the  southwest  quarter  of  the  same  section ;  another  group  on  the 
notheast  corner  of  section  30;  a  group  near  the  schoolhouse  on 
the  east  side  of  Turtle  creek ;  and  a  mound  on  the  bank  of  the 
creek  four  miles  north  of  the  city  of  Beloit. 

The  zealous  work  of  Mr.  Brown  having  inspired  the  members 
of  the  Archaeological  Society  in  this  vicinity  to  a  greater  activ- 
ity, we  are  able  to  add  a  number  of  sites  of  mounds,  villages  and 
camps  to  the  list  prepared  by  him. 

There  has  been  reported  to  the  writer  by  a  responsible  person 
a  location  of  three  tumuli  on  the  Hubbell  farm  on  section  30  of 
the  town  of  Fulton,  and  a  number  of  flint  implements  have  been 
gathered  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  This  location  is  a  mile  south 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Catfish  river  and  is  on  the  west  bank  of 
Rock  river. 

The  next  point  of  interest  is  on  fractional  lot  3  of  section  9 
of  the  town  of  Janesville,  where,  upon  breaking  eleven  acres  of 


60  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

land  for  the  first  time  last  spring,  the  evidences  of  a  village  site 
were  brought  to  light.  A  visit  to  this  locality  showed  the  site 
of  a  workshop  and  two  campfires  indicated  by  the  circles  of  cal- 
cined stones.  The  writer  has  procured  from  this  locality  a  large 
number  of  broken  chert  spear  and  arrow  heads,  one  stone  ax  and 
110  knives,  spear  heads  and  arrow  heads  that  are  intact.  These 
implements  are  made  of  a  variety  of  differently  colored  cherts, 
with  some  hornstone,  chalcedony,  quartzites,  and  one  arrow  head 
of  agate,  a  material  not  found  in  this  part  of  the  country. 

In  the  soutlieast  quarter  of  section  15  of  the  town  of  Janes- 
ville  so  many  stone  implements  have  been  found  as  to  indicate 
the  existence  of  either  a  camp  or  village  site,  and  one  mile  south 
in  the  north  part  of  section  23  is  a  similar  locality.  These  tracts 
have  both  yielded  in  past  years  large  numbers  of  stone  relics, 
the  finest  of  the  quartzites  in  the  writer's  collection  having  been 
found  upon  section  23. 

On  the  high  sand  bluff  overlooking  Spring  brook  in  the  city 
of  Janesville  there  were  until  recently  two  mounds,  one  a  circu- 
lar mound,  the  other  an  effigy.  A  cement  block  manufacturing 
company  is  now  cutting  away  the  bluff  for  use  in  its  business,  and 
last  spring  the  effigy  was  destroyed.  On  the  south  side  of  East- 
ern avenue,  in  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  1  of  the  town  of 
Eock,  are  three  tumuli  that  have  been  cut  down  badly  by  the 
plow.  West  of  the  tumuli  is  a  well-preserved  garden  site,  the 
little  hillocks  standing  as  erect  as  if  they  had  been  made  yester- 
day instead  of  a  century  ago.  And  along  Western  avenue,  on 
the  north  side  of  the  bend  of  Eock  river,  in  the  south  part  of 
Janesville,  the  writer  believes  there  was  once  an  Indian  village, 
his  belief  being  founded  upon  the  number  and  character  of  the 
stone  implements  found  in  that  locality.  As  all  that  section  of 
the  city  has  been  built  up  for  many  years,  no  other  evidence  can 
now  be  procured ;  but  in  past  years  the  yield  of  implements  was 
large  and  the  character  of  them,  both  as  to  material  and  work- 
manship, generally  very  fine.  The  writer  has  a  large  number  of 
spear  and  arrow  heads  and  several  axes  from  this  ground,  gath- 
ered years  ago  by  an  excellent  old  Irishman  who  had  brought 
with  him  from  the  old  country  an  unshakable  belief  in  the  "elf 
stones,"  and  who  to  the  day  of  his  death  held  fast  to  his  faith 
in  the  mysterious  qualities  of  the  shapen  flints  showered  from 
the  clouds  by  the  little  people  of  the  air. 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PLACES  61 

South  of  the  city  of  Janesville  there  are  several  small  tumuli 
on  section  3,  some  on  section  22,  and  some  on  section  35  of  the 
town  of  Rock,  and  a  large  group  that  is  now  known  as  the  Afton 
group  on  section  28.  There  is  also  a  large  village  site  on  section 
19,  upon  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  Simon  Antisdell.  Many 
flint  implements  and  quantities  of  broken  pottery  have  been 
found  upon  this  tract,  and  it  affords  the  evidence  peculiar  to 
such  locations  in  the  burned  stones  of  the  old  fireplaces.  In  the 
southwest  corner  of  this  tract  is  a  prehistoric  workshop  upon  a 
slight  mound  or  elevation.  When  the  waiter  visited  this  place 
some  years  ago  he  found  great  quantities  of  workshop  chippings 
and  fragments  of  chert,  and  he  was  so  fortunate  also  as  to  find 
several  good  specimens  of  chert  arrow  heads,  and  one  very  deli- 
cate implement  of  the  kind  usually  but  erroneously  classed  as  per- 
forators or  drills. 

One  very  unusual  oblong  mound  is  on  the  farm  of  Nels 
Chrispenson  on  section  14  of  the  town  of  Newark.  The  mound 
is  unusual  in  this  particular,  that  it  is  the  only  one  in  the  town- 
ship, that  it  is  far  away  from  any  stream,  that  there  are  no  simi- 
lar structures  nearer  than  Afton  or  Beloit,  that  with  the  excep- 
tion of  those  in  the  town  of  Porter  there  are  no  other  mounds  in 
the  western  part  of  the  county,  and  that  there  is  no  evidence  of 
Indian  occupation  nearer  than  a  possible  camp  site  on  section  19 
of  the  same  town,  five  miles  away.  The  Chrispenson  mound  is 
about  five  feet  high  and  about  sixty  feet  long  on  its  longer  axis. 
It  was  excavated  some  twenty  years  ago  and  four  skeletons  were 
found  in  it.    Since  that  time  it  has  not  been  disturbed. 

Some  mounds  have  been  reported  from  the  towns  of  Avon, 
Janesville,  Turtle  and  Porter  that  are  not  included  in  the  fore- 
going lists,  but  the  reports  are  indefinite  and  no  opportunity 
has  yet  been  had  to  verify  them. 

The  Afton  group  lies  in  section  28  of  the  town  of  Rock,  at 
the  west  end  of  the  bridge  across  Rock  river,  upon  land  owned 
by  W.  J.  Miller.  We  first  learned  of  these  mounds  some  sixteen 
years  ago  from  a  young  man  Avho  said  he  had  dug  into  a  mound 
near  the  bridge  and  that  there  was  "nothing  in  it."  In  January, 
1893,  with  H.  L.  Skavlem,  the  writer  made  an  examination  of 
the  village  site  on  section  19  in  the  town  of  Rock,  and  we  then 
crossed  the  hill  to  hunt  up  the  young  man's  mound.  The  ground 
was  then  covered  with  an  impenetrable  thicket,  into  which  one 


62  HISTOBY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

could  neither  see  nor  push,  and  all  that  we  could  find  were  two 
small  ridges  not  far  from  the  highway,  that  we  concluded  were 
windfalls,  covered  by  an  accumulation  of  earth  and  sod.  We 
gave  no  further  attention  to  this  locality  until  May,  1907,  when 
we  found  the  thicket  cleared  away  and  some  of  the  large  trees 
cut  down,  and  the  twenty  acres  upon  which  the  mounds  are  lo- 
cated turned  into  pasture,  except  that  three  of  the  mounds  and 
portions  of  three  others  lie  outside  the  pasture  fence  upon  open 
tilled  ground. 

On  June  1,  1907,  Mr.  Skavlem  and  the  writer  made  a  survey 
of  this  group — that  is,  Mr.  Skavlem  did  most  of  the  surveying, 
and  the  writer  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  time  in  admiring 
the  mounds,  cheering  Skavlem  in  his  labor,  and  hunting  mush- 
rooms. This  did  not  arise  from  any  lack  of  enthusiasm  on  the 
writer's  part,  or  any  desire  to  shirk  work,  but  it  arose  solely 
from  a  somewhat  acrimonious  discussion  as  to  whether  Skav- 
lem's  four-foot  stride  or  the  writer's  regulation  twenty-eight- 
inch  step  afforded  the  best  standard  of  measurement.  Our  main 
dependence,  however,  was  upon  the  surveyor's  chain. 

There  are  twenty-two  mounds  in  this  group,  five  of  them  be- 
ing circular  tumuli,  three  oblong  tumuli,  nine  linear  and  five 
effigies.  They  lie  close  together  in  a  bunch  in  the  northeast 
corner  of  the  twenty-acre  tract.  The  most  beautiful  of  the  ef- 
figies is  that  of  an  eagle,  very  symmetrical,  and  measuring  sev- 
enty-five feet  from  wing  tip  to  wing  tip.  Three  of  the  linear 
mounds  are  each  seventeen  rods  long,  and  the  longest  of  the 
effigies  is  sixteen  rods ;  and  two  of  the  linears  are  parallel,  lying 
three  rods  apart.  The  group  lies  upon  a  side  hill  facing  the 
southeast,  looking  towards  the  river,  and  the  axis  of  each  ob- 
long, linear  and  effigy  mound  is  from  northwest  to  southeast. 
Viewed  as  they  were  when  we  last  saw  them,  late  in  the  afternoon 
of  a  perfect  June  day,  facing  the  shining  water  and  with  the 
shadow  of  the  old  oak  trees  falling  upon  them,  these  forgotten 
places,  these  works  of  the  ancient  people,  produced  upon  us  an 
impression  of  interest  and  even  of  veneration  that  will  never  be 
effaced. 

The  implements  of  the  Indians  who  once  peopled  Rock  county, 
their  work  in  stone  and  in  copper,  do  not  differ  in  any  particular 
from  those  found  in  other  localities  in  this  part  of  the  country. 
The  material  in  the  stone  implements  is  that  usually  found  in 


THE  FORGOTTEN  PLACES  63 

this  vicinity,  and  the  workmanship  is  equal  to  that  of  any  other 
part  of  the  United  States.  Many  implements  and  weapons  of 
copper  are  found,  and  also  of  brass  and  of  iron  procured  from 
the  early  traders  and  settlers.  The  most  interesting  finds,  how- 
ever, are  those  made  by  the  aborigines  of  stone.  These,  as  stated, 
are  usually  of  the  material  peculiar  to  this  vicinity,  but  finds 
have  been  made  of  obsidian,  agates  and  hematites,  that  could 
only  have  come  from  a  great  distance,  either  in  the  rough  block 
or  in  the  finished  implement,  ornament  or  weapon.  These  ob- 
jects are  usually  found  in  the  greatest  quantities  near  Rock 
river,  the  Catfish  river  and  Bass  and  Turtle  creeks ;  but  many 
have  been  found  away  from  the  streams,  and  frequently  in  lo- 
calities where  they  would  least  be  looked  for.  Thousands  have 
been  picked  up,  idly  looked  at,  and  then  thrown  away  or  de- 
stroyed; and  other  thousands  have  gone  to  enrich  the  collec- 
tions of  museums  and  of  private  individuals ;  and  as  new  land 
is  cleared  and  broken  to  the  plow  other  thousands  will  yet  come 
to  light.  The  supply  seems  to  be  inexhaustible ;  the  land  is  lit- 
erally sown  with  them.  And  whatever  may  be  the  contribution 
of  Rock  county  in  the  future  to  the  interests  of  archaeology,  here, 
as  all  over  the  world,  there  will  always  be  hidden  somewhere  in 
the  soil  these  implements  of  peace  and  weapons  of  war  fashioned 
by  man  in  the  age  of  stone.  The  corrosions  of  time  will  never 
change  them,  while  in  the  alchemy  of  nature  all  our  implements 
of  toil  and  our  weapons  of  warfare  will  be  destroyed. 


THE  HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY. 

By 
A.  A.  Jackson. 

The  history  of  the  territory,  of  which  Rock  county  is  a  por- 
tion, begins  with  that  of  the  western  hemisphere.  It  is  full  of 
interest  not  only  for  those  who  have  found  homes  on  its  fertile 
prairies  and  in  its  thriving  villages  and  cities,  but  for  all  who 
are  interested  in  the  growth  and  development  of  the  Mississippi 
valley.  The  discovery  of  this  hemisphere  is  claimed  by  at  least 
four  European  nations,  while  three  have  claimed,  by  reason  of 
such  discovery,  some  title  to  or  interest  in  large  portions  thereof. 

Norse  Period. 

The  Norsemen  claim  that  the  earliest  discovery  of  the  west- 
ern continent,  of  which  there  is  a  credible  record,  w^as  by  Bjarni 
Herjulfson,  the  son  of  Herjulf  Bardson,  in  985  or  986.  The  home 
of  Herjulf  and  Bjarni  was  in  Iceland.  They  were  Vikings.  In 
985,  while  Bjarni  was  absent,  Herjulf  sailed  to  Greenland.  Bjarni, 
on  his  return,  attempted  to  follow  his  father.  He  was,  however, 
driven  from  his  course  by  severe  north  winds,  but  continued  his 
voyage  until  he  sighted  what  is  believed  to  be  the  coast  of  New 
England.  It  is  not  known  how  far  south  Bjarni  sailed,  but  it  is 
conjectured  that  he  reached  the  latitude  of  Boston. 

About  the  year  1000,  Leif,  the  son  of  Eric  the  Red,  and  known 
as  Leif  Ericson,  a  hardy  and  adventurous  Viking,  who  had 
learned  of  the  discovery  of  Bjarni,  with  a  crew  of  thirty-five 
Norsemen  sailed  south-westerly  from  Greenland  to  find  the  land 
that  Bjarni  had  discovered.  They  sailed  far  enough  south  to 
find  a  country  where  grapes  grew,  which  they  called  Vinland 
and  where  they  spent  the  winter.  The  precise  location  of  this 
place  is  unknown,  but  it  is  believed  to  have  been  on  the  New 
England  coast  and  possibly  at  or  near  Fall  River,  Mass. 

e4 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTIOX  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  65 

In  the  absence  of  Leif,  his  father,  Erie  the  Red,  had  died  and 
Leif  became  his  successor. 

In  the  spring  of  the  next  year  after  the  return  of  Leif  from 
his  voyage  of  discovery,  Thorwald,  his  brother,  made  a  voyage 
to  the  country  that  Leif  had  discovered.  He  reached  Vinland 
and  remained  there  three  years.  While  there  a  party  of  nine 
of  the  aborigines  were  captured  by  the  Norsemen  and  eight  of 
them  put  to  death.  The  other,  making  his  escape,  informed  his 
tribe  of  the  massacre.  The  Lidians  thereupon  attacked  the  Norse- 
men while  asleep  and  mortally  wounded  Thorwald.  He  died  and 
was  buried  in  the  land  discovered  by  him,  in  pursuance  of  his 
request,  and  a  cross  was  erected  at  the  head  and  foot  of  his 
grave.  Longfellow's  "Skeleton  in  Armor"  is  supposed  to  have 
been  suggested  by  the  burial  of  Thorwald  on  the  New  England 
coast. 

Another  distinguished  explorer  was  Thorfin  Karlsefne  (i.  e., 
Thorfin  the  Hopeful,  or  Manly),  from  Norway.  He  possessed 
large  means  and  an  illustrious  ancestry,  being  related  to  the  most 
famous  families  of  the  North,  while  several  of  his  ancestors 
were  kings.  In  1006  he  visited  Greenland  on  a  trading  voyage 
and  passed  the  winter  at  the  home  of  Leif  Ericson.  He  there 
met  Gudrid,  the  widow  of  Thorstein,  another  brother  of  Leif, 
and,  with  the  consent  of  Leif,  they  were  married.  They  fitted 
out  a  vessel  and  made  a  voyage  to  Vinland  and  located  at  what 
is  now  called  Buzzards  bay.  In  the  following  spring  Karlsefne 
loaded  his  vessel  and  returned  to  Greenland,  wholly  abandoning 
the  settlements  in  Vinland.  The  Norsemen  made  no  claim  to 
any  portion  of  the  North  American  continent  by  reason  of  their 
discoveries. 

Nearly  five  centuries  later  the  navigators  of  other  nations, 
seeking  a  shorter  route  to  the  Indies,  came  to  the  western  shores 
of  the  Atlantic  and  by  reason  of  their  discoveries  made  extrava- 
gant claims  to  large  portions  of  the  continent.  Such  claims  were 
made  by  Spain,  by  France  and  by  England. 

Spanish  Period. 

The  claim  of  Spain  was  founded,  primarily,  on  the  discoveries 
of  Christopher  Columbus  in  1492,  and  his  later  voyages,  and  the 
discovery  of  Ponce  de  Leon.  Columbus  did  not,  at  any  time, 
discover  the  main  land  of  the  northern  hemisphere.    On  October 


66  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

12,  1492,  he  landed  on  an  island  of  the  Bahama  group,  which  he 
called  San  Salvador.  After  discovering  and  exploring  other 
islands  of  the  group,  he  returned  to  Spain.  He  afterwards  made 
three  voyages,  but  on  none  of  them  did  he  discover  the  main  land 
of  what  is  now  the  United  States. 

Columbus  was  a  native  of  Genoa,  where  he  was  born  about 
1440.  He  began  to  follow  the  sea  at  an  early  age  and  was  en- 
gaged in  many  enterprises  on  the  Mediterranean.  He  removed 
to  Lisbon  about  1470,  where  he  remained  until  1482,  when  he 
went  to  Spain.  From  his  observations  he  had  reached  the  con- 
clusion that  by  sailing  west  from  Spain  he  could  reach  the 
Indies.  After  arriving  in  Spain  he  induced  Queen  Isabella  to 
furnish  him  with  two  small  vessels  with  which  to  attempt  the 
discovery  of  a  new  route  to  the  Indies.  A  third  vessel  was  sup- 
plied by  himself  and  friends.  With  these  three  small  vessels  he 
made  his  first  voyage,  which  was  successful,  and  was  followed 
by  three  others.    He  died  in  Yalladolid  in  1506. 

On  the  return  of  Columbus  from  his  first  voyage,  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella  informed  Pope  Alexander  VI.  of  the  great  discovery 
made  by  Columbus.  King  John  of  Portugal  claimed  jurisdiction 
and  authority  over  Guinea  and  the  islands  westerly  thereof  un- 
der a  grant  from  the  pope,  and,  on  learning  of  the  discoveries 
of  islands  by  Columbus,  insisted  that  such  islands  were  within 
his  domain  and  belonged  to  him,  as  king  of  Portugal,  by  virtue 
of  such  grant.  As  this  claim  was  likely  to  create  a  conflict  be- 
tween Spain  and  Portugal,  both  of  which  were  under  the  domin- 
ion of  the  pope,  he  was  appealed  to  by  Ferdinand  to  declare  the 
rights  of  Spain.  The  pope  thereupon,  and  on  May  2,  1493,  issued 
a  papal  bull,  ceding  to  Spain  the  same  rights  and  privileges  on 
the  coast  of  Guinea  as  those  granted  to  Portugal  and  dividing 
the  unknown  dominion,  lying  west  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  into 
two  parts  by  a  line  drawn  from  the  north  pole  to  the  south  pole 
through  a  point  seventy  leagues  west  of  the  Azores  and  Cape 
Verde   islands. 

All  of  the  American  continent  lay  west  of  this  line,  and  by 
the  bull  issued  by  the  pope,  he  assumed  the  right  to  grant  to 
Spain  all  that  portion  of  the  continent  west  of  the  line  fixed 
which,  of  course,  included  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the 
state  of  Wisconsin. 

The  claim  ef  Spain  to  Florida  was  founded  on  the  discovery 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  G7 

by  Ponce  de  Leon,  an  early  Spanish  navigator,  on  April  2,  1512. 

Ponce  de  Leon  was  born  in  the  city  of  Leon  in  the  province 
of  Leon,  in  the  northwesterly  portion  of  Spain,  about  1460.  He 
won  distinction  as  a  soldier  in  the  conflicts  with  the  Moors,  and 
was  with  Columbus  on  his  second  voyage  to  the  West  Indies  in 
1493.  Pie  was  appointed  governor  of  Porto  Rico  in  1509  by  Fer- 
dinand, king  of  Spain,  and  is  said  to  have  amassed  great  wealth. 
He  was  removed  from  the  office  of  governor  in  1512.  lie  had 
been  told  of  a  wonderful  country  that  possessed  a  river  of  such 
marvelous  virtue  that  those  who,  in  advanced  age,  bathed  in  it, 
were  restored  to  youth  and  strength.  He  believed  this  idle  tale  and 
resolved  to  find  the  river  that  would  renew  his  youth.  With 
three  ships,  he  left  the  port  of  St.  Germain,  on  the  3d  of  March, 
1512,  and  sailed  northwesterly,  landing  on  the  islands  that  he 
passed,  making  search  for  the  river  of  youth  without  success. 
On  Sunday,  the  27th  of  March,  he  saw  what  he  believed  to  be  an 
island.  Adverse  weather  prevented  his  landing  until  the  2d  of 
April,  when  he  found  a  most  delightful  country  covered  with 
beautiful  flowers.  Having  first  seen  it  on  Palm  Sunday  he  called 
it,  Pascua  Florida,  and  took  possession  of  it  for  the  king  of  Spain. 

Among  the  Spanish  navigators  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  were 
Francisco  Gordillo,  who  landed  on  the  Atlantic  coast  in  what  is 
now  South  Carolina,  in  1520,  and  Stephen  Gomez,  who  reached 
the  New  England  coast  in  1524  or  1525. 

The  name  Florida  was  given  to  all  of  the  region  now  em- 
braced in  the  United  States  and  Canada.  Spain  held  the  actual 
possession  of  only  a  small  portion  of  the  territory  that  it  claimed. 
Its  occupation  of  the  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi  river  was 
confined  to  that  portion  lying  along  the  northern  shore  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  what  is  now  the  state  of  Florida.  The  claim 
of  Spain  covered  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  and  what 
is  now  embraced  in  Rock  county,  as  a  part  of  Florida. 

In  the  spring  of  1764,  France  ceded  to  Spain  all  of  its  interest 
in  the  territory  west  of  the  Mississippi  known  as  Louisiana. 

In  pursuance  of  this  cession  the  Spanish  occupied  St.  Louis. 
On  the  2d  of  January,  1781,  a  company  of  Spanish  and  French, 
under  the  command  of  Don  Eugenio  Pourri,  as  captain,  marched 
from  St.  Louis  to  St.  Joseph  in  Michigan,  where  there  was  a 
small  fort,  occupied  by  a  small  force  of  English  soldiers,  who 
were  compelled  to  surrender.     The  Spanish  took  possession  of 


68  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

this  fort  in  the  name  of  the  king  of  Spain.  By  virtue  of  the  cap- 
ture of  this  small  fort  the  Spanish  king  also  laid  claim  to  all  of 
the  territory  west  of  the  Alleghenies  and  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

A  treaty  of  peace  and  friendship  was  entered  into  between 
the  United  States  and  Spain  on  October  27,  1795,  to  prevent  all 
disputes  on  the  subject  of  boundaries. 

By  the  second  article  of  this  treaty,  the  boundary  line  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  the  Spanish  colonies,  known  as  the 
East  and  West  Floridas,  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  present 
state  of  Florida.  This  cession  extinguished  all  claims  of  Spain 
to  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  and  vested  in  the  United 
States  all  of  her  claim,  title  and  interest  in  such  territory. 

By  another  treaty  between  Spain  and  the  United  States,  con- 
cluded February  22,  1819,  Spain  ceded  to  the  United  States  all 
of  the  lands  claimed  by  it  east  of  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi 
river.  This  cession  extinguished  all  claims  of  Spain  to  the  terri- 
tory east  of  the  Mississippi. 

The  rulers  of  Spain,  who  claimed  dominion  over  the  territory 
embraced  in  Eock  county,  from  the  discovery  of  Columbus  in 
1492,  to  the  treaty  of  1795,  when  the  claim  of  Spain  to  the  terri- 
tory northwest  of  the  Ohio  was  terminated,  were  as  follows : 

Ferdinand  V-Isabella 1479  to  1504 

Ferdinand  V 1504  to  1516 

Charles  I  of  Spain 1516  to  1555 

Philip  II 1555  to  1598 

Philip  III 1598  to  1621 

Philip  IV 1621  to  1665 

Charles   II 1665  to  1700 

Philip  V 1700  to  1746 

Ferdinand  VI 1746  to  1759 

Charles  III 1759  to  1788 

French  Period. 

The  claim  of  France  was  founded  on  the  discoveries  of  Captain 
John  Verrazano  in  1524,  and  Jacques  Cartier  in  1534. 

Verrazano,  who  sailed  under  the  orders  of  Francis  I,  king  of 
France,  left  the  Madeiras  in  January,  1524,  with  three  ships,  two 
of  which  were  disabled  by  a  severe  storm.  With  the  remaining 
vessel  he  sailed^  northwesterly  and  in  March  sighted  land,  sup- 


HISTOEIC  EVOLUTION  OF  KOCK  COUNTY  69 

posed  to  the  coast  of  North  Carolina.  After  discovering  land  he 
took  a  northeasterly  course  and  sailed  along  the  coast  as  far  as 
Maine  and  then  returned  home.  He  called  the  new  land  dis- 
covered by  him  New  France. 

Verrazano  was  born  near  Florence  about  1485.  He  went  to 
France  and  entered  the  service  of  Francis  I,  king  of  France,  and 
while  engaged  in  such  service,  sailed  to  the  American  coast.  His 
life  after  this  voyage  is  involved  in  much  obscurity  and  little,  if 
anything,  is  now  definitely  known  of  his  later  years. 

Jacques  Cartier  sailed  from  St.  Malo  in  France  on  the  20th  of 
April,  1534,  with  two  ships.  He  reached  the  coast  of  Newfound- 
land in  July  and  passed  through  the  straits  of  Belle  Isle  into  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  After  spending  several  weeks  exploring 
the  coast  of  the  gulf,  he  returned  to  France.  Cartier  made  three 
voyages  to  Canada.  On  his  third  voyage  he  sailed  on  the  River  St. 
Lawrence  and  on  October  2,  1585,  reached  an  Indian  settlement 
called  Hochelaga,  which,  because  of  a  high  point  of  land  in  the 
vicinity,  he  called  Mount  Royal,  from  which  comes  the  present 
name  of  Montreal.  On  this  voyage  he  raised  a  cross  and  took 
possession  of  the  country  for  the  king  of  France. 

Cartier  was  born  in  St.  Malo  in  Brittany  in  1494.  His  early 
years  were  passed  on  the  sea.  After  his  voyages  across  the  At- 
lantic he  was  created  seigneur  of  the  village  of  Lemoilon,  near 
St.  Malo,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  there  or  at  St.  Malo. 
The  date  of  his  death  is  unknown. 

Other  French  navigators  came  to  Canada,  Roberval  in  1541, 
De  la  Roche  in  1598,  Poutgrave  in  1600  and  1603,  with  whom  was 
Samuel  de  Champlain,  De  Monts  in  1604,  with  whom,  as  his  pilot, 
was  Champlain. 

In  1604,  Henry  IV  of  France  made  De  Monts  lieutenant  gen- 
eral of  Acadia,  which  embraced  the  territory  between  the  fortieth 
and  the  forty-sixth  degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  granted  him 
free  exercise  of  his  religion,  and  by  letters-patent  to  a  company 
of  merchants  of  Rouen  and  Rochelle,  the  exclusive  trade  in  furs 
and  fish  between  the  fortieth  and  fifty-fourth  degrees  of  north 
latitude.  This  grant  embraced  about  the  northerly  half  of  Ohio, 
Indiana  and  Illinois  and  all  of  Michigan  and  Wisconsin.  It  was 
revoked,  however,  in  1609. 

One  of  the  most  persistent,  untiring  and  successful  of  the 
French  explorers  was  Samuel  de  Champlain.     He  was  born  at 


70  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Brauage  on  the  west  coast  of  France  in  1567.  His  father  being  a 
sea  captain,  he  became  a  skillful  pilot.  His  life  was  almost  wholly 
spent  in  explorations  in  the  new  world.  He  was  lieutenant  under 
De  Monts,  and  under  Count  de  Soissons,  the  successor  of  De 
Monts,  and  also  under  the  Prince  de  Conde.  He  discovered  and 
named,  for  himself,  Lake  Champlain  in  the  state  of  New  York. 
He  was  appointed  governor  of  Canada  in  1620  and  in  1629,  while 
governor  and  in  command  of  Quebec,  was  compelled  to  surrender 
to  an  English  fleet  under  the  command  of  David  Kirk. 

By  the  treaty  of  St.  Germain-en-Laye  between  England  and 
France,  in  1632,  Canada  was  restored  to  France.  On  May  23, 
1633,  Champlain  was  again  appointed  governor  of  Canada.  He 
continued  to  hold  the  office  until  his  death  on  Christmas,  1635. 
He  published  several  volumes  relating  to  his  explorations  and 
travels  in  North  America  and  prepared  many  maps  and  charts 
of  the  coasts  and  rivers  explored  by  him. 

While  Champlain  did  not  reach  Lake  Michigan,  nor  come 
into  "Wisconsin,  yet  before  his  decease  one  of  his  agents,  Jean 
Nicolet,  a  brave  and  hardy  explorer,  discovered  the  territory  now 
embraced  in  this  state. 

Nicolet  was  sent  by  Champlain,  then  governor  of  Canada,  to 
visit  the  Winnebagoes.  He  left  Quebec  July  1,  1634,  and  reached 
Green  bay  before  the  end  of  that  year.  He  went  up  the  Fox 
river  as  far  as  the  village  of  the  Mascoutins  in  Green  Lake 
county,  near  the  city  of  Berlin.  It  is  probable  that  he  then  went 
to  the  Illinois  country.  If  so,  he  may  have  descended  Rock  river 
and  passed  through  Rock  county.  The  next  year  Nicolet  re- 
turned to  Quebec.  Seven  years  later,  while  in  Quebec,  he  was 
informed  that  the  Algonquins  had  captured  a  New  England  In- 
dian and  were  threatening  to  put  him  to  death.  He  immediately 
started  to  rescue  the  unfortunate  Abenaquis  and  while  on  his 
way  up  the  St.  Lawrence  was  overtaken  by  a  severe  storm  that 
swamped  his  boat  and,  being  unable  to  swim,  was  drowned. 

Nicolet  was  the  first  white  man  to  visit  the  territory  now 
embraced  in  Wisconsin.  But  little  is  known  of  his  early  life.  It 
is  said  that  he  was  born  in  or  near  Cherbourg,  France ;  that  he 
was  the  son  of  a  mail  carrier.  He  arrived  in  Quebec  in  1618, 
when  about  twenty  years  of  age.  Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Que- 
bec, he  was  sent  to  reside  with  the  Island  Algonquins,  a  tribe 
of  Indians  living  on  the  Allumette  islands  in  the  Ottawa  river. 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  71 

about  100  miles  westerly  from  Ottawa,  to  learn  the  Indian  lan- 
guages. He  remained  there  about  two  years  and  then  went  to 
the  Nipissing  Indians  and  remained  with  them  for  a  considerable 
time,  when  he  was  recalled  to  Quebec  by  Champlain  and  acted 
as  clerk  and  interpreter  until  July  1,  1634.  He  was  then  sent  to 
Green  bay  to  visit  the  AVinnebagoes.  It  is  probable  that  no  other 
white  man  visited  this  territory  until  1654,  when  Radisson  and 
Groseilliers,  two  French  explorers  and  traders,  visited  the  coun- 
try south  of  Lake  Superior. 

In  1660  Pere  Menard,  a  Jesuit  priest,  established  a  mission 
at  the  head  of  Chequamegon  bay,  on  the  southerly  side  of  Lake 
Superior,  near  the  present  city  of  Ashland.  This  was  the  first 
mission  established  in  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

Menard  was  born  in  Paris  in  1604.  He  became  a  follower  of 
Loyola  and  joined  the  order  of  Jesuits  in  1624.  He  went  to  Mon- 
treal in  1640  and  soon  after  went  to  the  Nipissings  and  labored 
among  them  and  other  Algonquin  tribes.  In  1656  he  was  sent 
to  the  Cayugas  and  later  to  the  Oneidas,  where  he  met  with  suc- 
cess. In  1660  he  went  to  the  Ottawas,  on  or  near  Keweenaw  bay 
on  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  and  then  to  Chequamegon 
bay.  In  1661  there  came  an  appeal  to  him  to  go  to  the  Hurons 
on  the  Black  river  in  Wisconsin,  and  while  endeavoring  to  reach 
them,  he  probably  strayed  from  the  path  around  the  Bill  Cross 
rapids  in  the  Wisconsin  river  and  perished. 

Father  Claude  Jean  Allouez  was  one  of  the  most  zealous  and 
active  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  who  labored  among  the  Indians 
in  the  Northwest.  It  is  probable  that  he  was  born  in  France  about 
1620,  although  the  place  of  his  birth  is  not  known  with  certainty. 
He  came  to  Quebec  in  1658,  and  was  for  some  years  connected 
with  the  Algonquin  missions  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  In  1665  he 
was  sent  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Chippewa  to  take  the  place 
left  vacant  by  the  death  of  Menard.  The  Hurons  and  Ottawas 
^having  removed  to  Chequamegon  bay,  he  followed  them  there  and 
selected  a  site  for  a  mission  near  where  Ashland  is  now  located. 
Here  he  built  a  chapel  of  bark  and  established  the  first  Jesuit 
mission  in  Wisconsin,  which  he  called  La  Pointe  de  Esprit.  He 
remained  here  for  four  years  and  then  removed  to  Green  bay, 
where  he  founded  the  mission  of  St.  Francis  Xavier  which,  after 
two  years,  was  removed  to  the  rapids  in  the  Fox  river  above 
Green  bay,  known  as  Rapides  des  Peres,  or  Rapids  of  the  Fathers, 


72  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

afterwards  shortened  to  Depere.  He  also  founded  the  mission 
of  St.  James  on  the  upper  Fox  river,  and  began  the  mission  of 
St.  Michael  among  the  Menomonees  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Green 
bay.  He  labored  with  other  tribes  in  Wisconsin  and  Illinois  and 
has  been  called  the  "Father  of  Wisconsin  Missions."  In  1676 
he  permanently  established  the  mission  at  Kaskaskia  that  had 
been  commenced  by  Marquette.  It  is  said  that  over  2,000  Indians 
were  converted  to  Christianity  through  his  labors.  He  died  in 
1690,  having  spent  a  quarter  of  a  century  among  the  tribes  of 
the  Northwest. 

The  first  formal  declaration  of  the  sovereignty  of  France  over 
the  Northwest  territory  was  made  by  Simon  Francis  Daumont, 
Sieur  de  St.  Lusson,  commissioner  of  Jean  Talon,  intendant  of  New 
France.  St.  Lusson,  in  1670,  was  directed  by  Talon  to  search  for 
copper  mines  on  Lake  Superior  and  also  to  take,  for  the  king  of 
France,  the  possession  of  the  whole  interior  of  the  Northwest. 
He  proceeded  to  carry  out  his  instructions  and  summoned  a  num- 
ber of  the  Indian  tribes  to  meet  him  at  the  falls  of  the  St.  Mary 
on  the  14th  day  of  June,  1671.  When  they  were  gathered  he 
erected  a  cross  and  near  it  a  cedar  post,  to  which  he  affixed  the 
arms  of  France,  and  then,  three  times  in  a  loud  voice  made  the 
following  declaration  and  proclamation : 

"In  the  name  of  the  most  high,  most  worthy,  and  most  re- 
doubtable monarch,  Louis  the  XlVth,  of  the  Christian  name,  king 
of  France  and  Navarre,  we  take  possession  of  the  said  places 
of  St.  Mary  of  the  Falls  as  well  as  of  Lakes  Huron  and  Superior, 
the  Island  of  Caientolon,  and  all  other  countries,  rivers,  lakes  and 
tributaries,  contiguous  and  adjacent  thereunto,  as  well  discov- 
ered as  to  be  discovered,  which  are  bounded  on  the  one  side  by 
the  northern  and  western  seas,  and  on  the  other  by  the  south 
sea,  including  all  its  length  and  breadth." 

At  each  of  the  three  times,  in  making  this  proclamation,  he 
raised  a  sod  of  earth  and  cried,  "Vive  le  Roi !"  He  also  attached 
to  the  back  of  the  arms  of  France  a  statement  of  his  taking  such 
possession,  signed  by  him  and  the  French  officers  and  priests 
present. 

The  description  contained  in  this  proclamation  was  very 
broad  and,  if  sufficiently  definite  to  describe  any  territory,  em- 
braced all  of  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  river  as  well 
as  that  west  of  the  Mississippi.     What  effect  this  proclamation 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  73 

had  and  what  rights,  if  any,  it  gave  France  as  against  Spain  and 
England,  is  somewhat  uncertain. 

France  did  not  promptly  follow  the  announcement  of  her 
proclamation  by  taking  actual  possession  of  the  country  claimed 
by  her.  More  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  elapsed  before  she  as- 
serted her  claim  to  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  but,  in 
the  last  days  of  the  seventeenth  and  in  the  early  years  of  the 
eighteenth  centuries,  various  missions  and  posts  were  established 
by  the  French  in  such  territory.  They  were  located  on  or  near 
the  water  courses  and  largely  along  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
Mississippi.  Around  some  of  these  missions  and  posts  villages 
grew.  Among  the  larger  of  these  villages  were  Cahokia  (1699), 
Kaskaskia  (1700),  Fort  Chartres  (1720),  St.  Phillippi  (1723),  and 
Prairie  du  Rocher   (1733). 

The  original  Kaskaskia  was  a  small  village  of  the  Kaskaskia 
Indians,  situated  on  the  Illinois  river  near  the  present  village  of 
Utiea,  in  La  Salle  county,  Illinois.  After  the  mission  was  estab- 
lished, and  in  1700.  the  tribe  removed  to  the  land  lying  between 
the  Kaskaskia  and  Mississippi  rivers  near  their  junction.  Kas- 
kaskia was  the  most  important  of  this  group  of  French  villages. 
Its  settlers  came  largely  from  New  Orleans.  It  was  for  many 
years  the  seat  of  government  of  the  Illinois  country.  In  1721  it 
became  a  parish  and  a  college  and  monastery  were  established 
there. 

At  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,  imder  the  treaty 
of  1763,  it  passed  into  the  possession  of  England.  On  the  night 
of  the  4th  of  July,  1778,  it  was  captured  by  Colonel  George  Rog- 
ers Clark,  commanding  a  force  of  Virginia  militia.  By  the  ces- 
sion of  Virginia  on  March  1,  1784,  it  passed  to  the  United  States 
and  for  many  years  was  the  most  important  commercial  town  in 
the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio.  It  was  the  territorial  and 
state  capital  of  Illinois  down  to  1819,  when  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment was  removed  to  Vandalia.  It  was  originally  located  about 
six  miles  from  the  Mississippi.  The  east  bank  of  the  river  has 
been  gradually  washed  away  until  the  river  has  reached  the 
village  and  carried  away  a  large  portion  of  it. 

During  the  time  that  Kaskaskia  was  the  capital  of  the  terri- 
tory of  Illinois  Rock  county  was  a  portion  of  that  territory. 

Cahokia  was  the  first  permanent  white  settlement  in  the 
territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio.    Its  settlement  was  commenced 


U  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

a  few  months  prior  to  that  of  Kaskaskia.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
important  French  settlements  in  the  Mississippi  valley.  It  was 
located  near  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  river  a  few  miles 
below  St.  Louis.  A  French  mission  was  established  there  in 
1700.  AYhen  St.  Clair  county  was  organized  Cahokia  and  Kas- 
kaskia were  made  county  seats  of  the  county.  When  Eandolph 
county  was  set  off  from  St.  Clair  county  Cahokia  was  made  the 
county  seat  of  Eandolph  county  and  continued  to  be  until  the 
county  seat  was  removed  to  Belleville.  In  later  years  it  ceased 
to  be  of  importance. 

Fort  Chartres  was  settled  and  a  fort  erected  there  by  the 
French  in  1718.  It  was  located  on  what  is  known  as  the  Ameri- 
can bottom,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  about  sixteen 
miles  north  of  Kaskaskia.  The  fort  was  an  irregular  quadrangle, 
with  walls  twenty-six  inches  thick  of  limestone  taken  from  the 
adjoining  bluffs.  It  was  the  strongest  fortification  in  the  West. 
During  the  French  occupation  of  the  Mississippi  valley  Fort 
Chartres  was  the  seat  of  the  French  government  of  the  Illinois 
country.  After  the  surrender  of  the  valley  to  England  it  re- 
mained the  seat  of  government  of  the  English  until  1772,  when 
a  portion  of  the  foundation  walls  of  the  fort  was  washed  away 
by  the  encroachment  of  the  river,  and  the  seat  of  government 
was  removed  to  Kaskaskia.  While  Fort  Chartres  was  the  seat 
of  government  of  the  Illinois  country  Wisconsin  was  a  part  of 
that  country. 

Two  other  important  settlements  were  made  by  the  French 
in  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio — Detroit,  in  1701,  and 
Vincennes,  about  1724. 

The  sovereigns  of  France  from  the  discovery  of  America  by 
Verrazano  in  1524  to  the  Treaty  of  Paris  in  1763,  when  she  ceded 
to  England  all  of  her  rights  in  the  territory  northwest  of  the 
Ohio,  were : 

Francis   1 1515-1547 

Henry   II 1547-1559 

Francis    II 1559-1560 

Charles  IX 1560-1574 

Henry   III 1574-1580 

Henry  IV 1580-1610     , 


;  HISTOEIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  75 

Louis  XIII 1610-1643 

Louis  XIV 1643-1715 

Louis  XV 1715-1774 

English  Colonial  Period. 

England  founded  her  claim  to  the  territory  northwest  of  the 
Ohio  river  upon  the  discoveries  of  John  Cabot  and  his  son  Sebas- 
tian, 1497-1498.  John  Cabot  was  a  Venetian  who  had  settled  in 
Bristol,  England.  He  had  three  sons — Lewis,  Sebastian  and  San- 
cius.  In  1496  a  patent  was  issued  by  Henry  VII  to  John  Cabot 
and  sons.  This  patent  is  the  earliest  surviving  document  relating 
to  England's  connection  with  this  continent. 

Under  this  patent  in  1497  John  Cabot  and  his  son  Sebastian 
sailed  from  Bristol,  England,  westerly  on  a  voyage  of  discovery. 
After  sailing  for  fifty-three  days  land  was  discovered.  The  pre- 
cise location  of  this  discovery  has  not  been  determined,  but  it 
was  probably  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  In  the 
next  year  Sebastian  Cabot  continued  the  explorations  com- 
menced by  his  father  and  again  visited  the  eastern  coast  of  North 
America. 

Nothing  in  the  nature  of  colonization  followed  the  voyages 
of  the  Cabots.  Other  English  navigators  made  voyages  into  the 
northern  Atlantic,  but  no  efforts  were  made  to  establish  settle- 
ments on  the  main  land  for  more  than  three-quarters  of  a  century. 

On  June  11,  1578,  a  charter  was  issued  to  Sir  Humphrey  Gil- 
bert to  make  a  settlement  on  the  American  continent  and  grant- 
ing him  a  large  tract  of  the  country  at  the  place  where  he  should 
locate  his  settlement.  On  November  19,  1578,  he  sailed  with  a 
fleet  of  seven  vessels  to  locate  and  establish  a  colony  on  the  At- 
lantic coast  of  North  America.  His  voyage  was  not  successful. 
Misfortune  overtook  him  and  he  returned  to  England  without 
having  established  his  colony.  On  June  11,  1583,  he  undertook 
another  voyage,  and  on  August  3  reached  St.  Johns,  Newfound- 
land, where  he  found  thirty-six  ships  of  other  nations,  engaged 
in  fishing.  On  August  5  he  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the 
name  of  Queen  Elizabeth  and  caused  the  coat  of  arms  of  England, 
engraved  on  lead,  to  be  fixed  to  a  post  erected  on  the  shore.  He 
spent  some  days  in  exploration,  when  a  storm  overtook  him  and 
his  largest  vessel  and  much  of  his  provisions  were  lost.  Embar- 
rassed by  the  loss  of  his  vessel  and  provisions,  he  commenced  his 


76  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

return  August  31.  On  the  night  of  September  10  he  encountered 
a  severe  storm  and  his  vessel  with  all  on  board  was  lost,  leaving 
afloat  only  one  of  the  vessels  of  his  fleet,  which  returned  to  Eng- 
land. 

In  the  early  part  of  1584  Sir  Walter  Ealeigh,  a  half-brother 
to  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  and  a  favorite  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  re- 
ceived a  grant  similar  to  that  made  to  Gilbert,  which  was  con- 
firmed by  parliament.  On  April  27,  1584,  he  sent  out  an  expedi- 
tion under  the  command  of  Arthur  Barlow  and  Philip  Amidas 
to  explore  the  coast  of  the  American  continent  south  of  the  ex- 
ploration of  Gilbert.  They  reached  the  coast  of  North  Carolina 
July  4,  and,  after  landing  and  making  some  examination  of  the 
main  land,  returned  to  England  about  the  middle  of  September 
and  made  a  report  of  their  discovery  to  Raleigh.  The  queen, 
being  pleased  with  the  report,  suggested  that  the  newly  discov- 
ered land  be  called,  in  honor  of  herself,  "Virginia,"  and  thus  a 
large  territory  came  to  be  named  in  honor  of  England's  virgin 
queen. 

On  April  9,  1585,  Raleigh  sent  out  a  fleet  of  seven  ships  to 
establish  a  colony  in  Virginia.  They  landed  on  Roanoke  island 
August  17,  1585,  and  the  ships  then  returned  to  England.  In  the 
spring  of  the  next  year  the  fleet  of  Sir  Francis  Drake,  returning 
from  St.  Augustine  to  England,  called  at  Roanoke  island  and  of- 
fered to  take  colonists  back  to  England.  Their  supplies  having 
been  exhausted,  they  accepted  the  offer  and  returned  to  England. 

These  returning  colonists  brought  to  England  two  vegetables 
that  were  destined  to  become  poplar — tobacco  and  the  potato. 

Raleigh  made  one  more  effort,  in  1587,  to  establish  a  colony 
in  Virginia,  which  after  a  few  years  wholly  failed. 

Queen  Elizabeth  died  March  24,  1603.  She  was  succeeded  by 
James  I.  Raleigh  was  convicted  of  high  treason  and  his  grant 
of  territory  in  Virginia  abrogated.  The  way  was  now  clear  for 
a  new  experiment  in  colonization. 

On  April  10,  1606,  King  James  granted  a  charter  for  the  or 
ganization  of  two  companies  to  establish  colonies  in  the  newly 
discovered  country,  one  composed  of  gentlemen  from  in  and  about 
London,  England,  called  the  London  Company,  and  the  other  of 
gentlemen  from  in  and  about  Plymouth,  England,  called  the 
Plymouth  Company. 

The  London  Company  was  granted  lands  between  degrees  34 


HISTOKIC  EVOLUTIOX  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  77 

and  41  north  latitude,  that  is,  between  a  line  on  the  south  drawn 
east  and  west  through  a  point  a  short  distance  north  of  the  mouth 
of  Cape  Fear  river,  and  a  line  on  the  north  drawn  east  and  west 
through  what  is  now  the  southern  portion  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  Plymouth  Company  was  granted  lands  between  degrees 
38  and  45,  that  is,  between  a  line  drawn  east  and  west  through  a 
point  near  the  southerly  boundary  of  Maryland,  and  a  line  cor- 
responding with  the  north  line  of  the  state  of  Vermont  and  near 
to  the  most  southerly  point  of  New  Brunswick.  These  grants  ex- 
tended back  from  the  coast  fifty  miles  and  into  the  sea  100  miles. 

The  first  settlement  under  the  charter  of  1606  was  made  on 
the  James  river.  The  fleet  that  brought  the  colonists  sailed  from 
the  Downs,  England,  on  New  Year's  day,  1607.  On  April  16  they 
sighted  one  of  the  capes  of  the  Virginia  coast,  which,  in  honor 
of  the  prince  of  AVales,  they  called  Cape  Henry.  They  spent  a 
fortnight  in  exploring  the  coast  to  find  a  suitable  place  for  a 
settlement.  On  May  13  (old  style)  they  landed  at  a  point  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  James  river  twenty-two  miles  from  its 
mouth  and  established  there  a  colony,  which  they  named,  in  honor 
of  their  sovereign,  Jamestown,  and  thus  began  the  first  perma- 
nent English  settlement  on  the  American  continent. 

The  charter  of  1606  to  the  London  Company  did  not  prove  to 
be  satisfactory.  On  May  23,  1609,  the  king  issued  to  that  com- 
pany a  new  charter. 

The  second  charter  granted  to  the  London  Company  "all 
those  lands,  countries  and  territories  situate,  lying  and  being  in 
that  part  of  America  called  Virginia  from  the  point  of  land 
called  Cape  or  Point  Comfort  all  along  the  sea  coasts  to  the  north- 
ward 200  miles;  and  from  said  point  of  Cape  Comfort  all  along 
the  sea  coast  to  the  southw^ard  200  miles ;  and  all  that  space  and 
circuit  of  land  lying  from  the  sea  coast  of  the  precinct  aforesaid 
up  into  the  land  throughout  from  sea  to  sea  west  and  northwest." 

This  description  of  the  grant  was  repeated  in  the  third  charter 
of  Virginia  in  1611. 

In  construing  this  grant  Virginia  contended  that  the  southerly 
line  was  an  east  and  west  line  and  that  the  northerly  line  was 
a  northwest  line.  Thus  construed  the  charters  of  1609  and  1611 
embraced  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  river  and  that  with- 
in the  state  of  Wisconsin. 


78  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

The  colony  of  Massachusetts  made  a  claim  to  lands  in  the  ter- 
ritory northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

Prior  to  the  coming  of  the  Pilgrims  they  had  procured  from 
the  London  Company  a  patent  for  lands  within  the  grant  of  that 
company  upon  which  to  settle.  When  they  came  in  1620  they 
landed,  without  authority,  upon  the  coast  granted  to  the  Plym- 
outh Company,  where  no  settlements  had  been  made.  Being  with- 
out established  law  to  govern  them,  before  landing  and  on  No- 
vember 11  (old  style)  they  adopted  the  following  compact: 

"In  ye  name  of  God,  Amen.  We  whose  names  are  underwrit- 
ten, the  loyall  subjects  of  our  dread  soveraigne  Lord,  King  James, 
by  ye  grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britaine,  Franc  and  Ireland  King, 
defender  of  ye  faith,  &c.,  haveing  undertaken,  for  ye  glorie  of 
God  and  advancemente  of  ye  Christian  faith,  and  honour  of  our 
King  and  countrie,  a  voyage  to  plant  ye  first  colonic  in  ye  north- 
erne  parts  of  Virginia,  doe  by  these  presents  solemnly  and  mu- 
tualy  in  ye  presence  of  God,  and  one  another,  covenent  and  com- 
bine our  selves  togeather  into  a  civill  body  politick,  for  our  better 
ordering  and  preservation  and  furtherance  of  ye  ends  aforesaid; 
and  by  vertue  hearof  to  enacte,  constitute  and  frame  such  just 
and  equall  lawes,  ordinances,  acts,  constitutions  and  offices  from 
time  to  time,  as  shall  be  thought  most  meete  and  convenient  for 
ye  generall  good  of  ye  Colonic,  unto  which  we  promise  all  due  sub- 
mission and  obedience.  In  Witnes  wherof  we  have  hereunder  sub- 
scribed our  names  at  Cap-Codd  ye  11  of  November,  in  ye  year  of 
ye  raigne  of  our  soveraigne  lord.  King  James  of  England,  France 
and  Ireland  ye  eighteenth,  and  of  Scotland  ye  fiftiefourth,  Ano. 
Dom.  1620." 

It  has  been  said  of  this  compact  that  "It  stands  alone  in  his- 
tory as  the  first  act  of  self-government  by  the  people  of  New 
England." 

After  signing  this  compact,  and  before  landing,  the  Pilgrims 
organized  by  choosing  John  Carver  as  governor  for  the  ensuing 
year.  They  then  proceeded  to  examine  the  coast  to  find  a  suit- 
able landing  place.  On  Monday,  December  11  (old  style),  they 
selected  and  landed  upon  what  is  now  called  Plymouth  Rock. 
The  number  of  Pilgrims  that  sailed  in  the  Mayflower  was  102; 
of  these  seventy-three  were  males  and  twenty-nine  females. 

One  man  died  and  one  child  was  born  on  the  voyage.     The 


HISTOEIC  EVOLUTION  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  79 

number  of  those  who  reached  the  New  England  coast  was  there- 
fore the  same  as  those  who  sailed. 

The  colony  consisted  of  thirty-four  males,  eighteen  of  whom 
brought  their  wives  and  children  with  them.  There  were  nine- 
teen men  servants  and  three  maid  servants.  Of  the  children 
twenty  were  boys  and  eight  girls.  Forty-one  of  the  adult  males 
signed  the  compact.  It  was  not  signed  by  any  of  the  females. 
Thus  began  the  first  permanent  English  settlement  in  New  Eng- 
land. A  considerable  number  of  the  descendants  of  the  signers 
of  this  compact  have  found  homes  in  Eock  county.  Among  them 
are  the  descendants  of  John  Alden  and  Elder  "William  Brewster. 

On  March  4,  1629,  Charles  I,  king  of  England,  granted  to  Sir 
Henry  Eosewell  and  others  a  charter  creating  a  company  by  the 
name  of  Governor  and  Company  of  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New 
England  and  gave  to  such  company  a  large  tract  of  land,  bounded 
on  the  north  by  a  line  three  miles  north  of  the  Merrimac  river, 
on  the  south  by  a  line  three  miles  south  of  the  Charles  river,  on 
the  east  by  the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  on  the  west  by  the  South  sea. 

The  north  and  south  boundary  lines  of  the  grant  of  1629  have 
never  been  located.  The  north  line  nearly  coincides  with  the 
north  line  of  Eock  county.  The  south  line  crosses  Illinois  a  short 
distance  north  of  Chicago.  Eock  county  was  therefore  within 
the  grant  made  to  Massachusetts. 

Connecticut  also  made  a  claim  to  a  portion  of  lands  northwest 
of  the  Ohio.  No  grant  of  territory  was  made  to  Connecticut  until 
1662. 

The  Dutch  claimed  the  western  portion  of  Connecticut  and 
about  1633  erected  a  fort  where  the  city  of  Hartford  is  now  lo- 
cated. In  the  latter  part  of  1633  William  Holmes  and  others 
from  Plymouth  settled  at  Windsor,  on  the  Connecticut  river 
north  of  Hartford,  and  established  a  trading  post.  The  Dutch 
ultimately  abandoned  their  fort  and  left  the  Connecticut  valley 
open  to  English  settlement.  In  1636  Eev.  Thomas  Hooker,  who 
came  over  in  1632  and  established  a  church  at  Newtown,  near 
Boston,  removed  with  a  large  portion  of  his  congregation  to 
Hartford  and  established  his  church  there.  Eev.  Samuel  Stone 
accompanied  Hooker  as  a  teacher  in  his  church.  A  church  was 
planted  at  Windsor  and  another  at  Wethersfield  on  the  Connecti- 
cut river  south  of  Hartford.  These  three  settlements  were  with- 
out any  form  of  government  until  January  14,  1648,  when  they 


80  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

held  a  joint  convention,  adopted  a  constitution,  which  was  known 
as  the  "fundamental  orders,"  and  formed  a  government.  This 
constitution  was  prepared  by  Hooker  and  is  said  to  have  been 
"the  first  written  constitution  known  to  history  that  created  a 
government,  and  it  marked  the  beginnings  of  American  democ- 
racy." The  new  colony  was  governed  for  a  year  by  a  board  of 
commissioners  appointed  by  Massachusetts.  After  that  time  the 
three  towns  elected  representatives  and  organized  a  general  court 
at  Hartford,  and  thus  began  the  government  of  the  new  colony. 
Other  settlements  were  made  in  the  territory  now  embraced 
in  the  state  of  Connecticut.    Among  these  was  Southertown,  now 

*>.'ote:  As  there  are  in  Eoek  county  many  descendants  of  the  early  settlera 
of  Stonington,  the  following  copy  of  a  portion  of  the  early  records  of  the  vil- 
lage may  be  of  interest.  The  new  settlement  was  without  laws,  courts  or 
officers.  They  believed  that  they  were  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  colony 
of  Massachusetts  and,  therefore,  applied  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts 
for  aid;  but  the  General  Court  being  uncertain  whether  the  settlement  was  in 
the  province  of  Massachusetts  or  the  province  of  Connecticut  declined  to 
aid  them  and  advised  them  ' '  to  order  their  affairs  peaceably  by  common  agree- 
ment," and  thereupon  they  proceeded  to  adopt  a  form  of  government  for 
themselves,  a  portion  of  the  record  of  which  is  as  follows: 

"THE  ASOTIATIOX  OF  POQUATUCK  PEPLE,  JUNE  30th,  1658." 

"Wherras  thear  is  a  difference  betwene  the  2  CuUonyes  of  the  Matachuselts 
and  Conecticoate  about  the  government  of  this  plac,  whearby  we  are  deprived 
of  Expectation  of  protection  from  either,  but  in  way  of  Curtecy, — &  whearas 
we  had  a  command  from  the  generall  Court  of  the  Matachusette  to  order  our 
own  busines  in  peac  with  common  consent  till  further  provition  be  maid 
for  us,  in  obedyience  to  which  command  we  have  addressetl  our  selvs  thearunto, 
but  cannot  atain  it  in  regard  of  soomm  distractions  among  ourselves,  and 
thear  hath  bene  injurious  insolencys  done  unto  soom  persons, — the  cattell  of 
others  threatened  to  be  taken  away,  and  the  chattoll  of  soom  others  alredy 
taiken   away   by   violene. 

' '  We  haveing  taken  into  consideration  that  in  tymes  so  full  of  danger  as 
theas  are,  unyon  of  our  harts  and  percons  is  most  conducing  to  the  publick 
good  &  safety  of  the  place, — thearfore  in  pursuance  of  the  same,  the  better 
to  confirm  a  mutual  confydence  in  one  another,  &  that  we  may  be  pre- 
served in  righteousness  and  peac  with  such  as  do  commerc  with  us,  & 
that  misdemeanors  may  be  corrected  and  incorrygable  persons  punished; — we 
hose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  do  hearby  promis,  testify  &  declare  to 
maintain  and  defend  with  our  persons  and  estait  the  peac  of  the  plac  and 
to  aid  and  assist  one  another  acoarding  to  law  &  rules  of  righteousness 
acoarding  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  our  asoeiation  till  such  other  pro- 
vition be  maide  ffor  us  as  may  atain  our  end  above  written,  whereunto  we 
willingly  give  our  assent,  &  neither  ffor  ffear  hoape  or  other  respects  shall  ever 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  81 

known  as  Stonington,  on  Long  Island  sound.  The  first  settler 
in  this  locality  was  William  Chesebrough,  who  came  there  in 
1649.  He  was  soon  joined  by  Thomas  Stanton,  Walter  Palmer, 
Captain  George  Denison,  Captain  John  Gallup  and  others.* 

The  first  charter  of  Connecticut  was  issued  by  Charles  II  to 
.John  Winthrop,  John  Mason  and  others  interested  in  the  "col- 
ony or  plantation  of  Connecticut,"  on  April  23,  1662. 

The  persons  to  whom  the  grant  was  made  were  by  the  grant 
created  a  corporation  by  the  name  of  the  "Governor  and  Com- 
pany of  the  English  Colony  of  Connecticut  in  New  England  in 

relinquish  this  proniis  till  other  provition  be  maid  ffor  us.  And  we  do  not 
this  out  of  anny  disrespec  unto  ether  of  the  afoarsaid  governments  which  we 
are  bound  ever  to  honor,  but  in  the  vacancy  of  any  other  governments; — 
nether  is  it  out  of  any  sinister  end  or  privat  reveng,  but  for  the  causes  afore- 
said. 

George   Denison, 
Thomas  Shaw, 
Nathaniel    Chesebrough^ 
Elihu  Palmer, 
Thomas   Stanton, 
Elisha   Chesebrough, 
Moses  Palmer, 
Walter  Palmer, 
Tho.  Stanton. 
Willm  Chesebrough, 
Samuel  Chesebrough. 
Upon  the  request  of  severall  among  us  to  enter  into  this  asociation  with 
us    theay    are    admitted    and    have    accordingly    subscribed    thear    names. 
June  30,  1658. 

' '  By  vertue  of  this  Asociation,  that  justice  may  not  be  obstructed,  &c  the 
peac  preserved, — we  maid  choise  of  Captain  Georg  Dennyson,  &  Willm  Chese- 
brough to  be  Comytioners  to  issue  out  warrants  &  to  cause  to  be  brought  be- 
fore them  anny  suspitious  percons,  or  ffor  anny  misdemenor,  &  and  to  hear 
&  determine  the  casses,  and  to  pronounce  sentence  upon  them  &  to  see  the 
judgment  executed,  provided  it  extend  not  to  the  los  of  life  or  limb  or  banish- 
ment or  stigmatizing;  in  such  casses  as  thear  power  will  not  reach  due 
punishment  ffor  the  Crime,  then  to  talk  order  thear  percons  may  be  secured, 
and  sent  whear  justice  may  procede  against  them. 

' '  And  further  theay  are  to  issue  all  other  differences,  whether  of  debts  or 
cases,  and  to  kepe  a  register  of  thear  actions  provided  allwaies  the  action 
excede  not  fforty  pound. 

' '  This  choise  is  the   act   of   the   houle  body  of  the  Asociates, 

Walter  Palmer, 
Tho.  Stanton." 
History  of  1st  Congregational  Church  of  Stonington,  Connecticut,  32. 


82  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

America."  The  tract  of  land  described  in  it  was  bounded  on 
the  north  by  the  south  line  of  the  grant  to  Massachusetts,  on  the 
east  by  Narraganset  bay,  on  the  south  by  the  sea  and  a  line  run- 
ning from  the  said  Narraganset  bay  on  the  east  to  the  South  sea 
on  the  west. 

The  whole  of  the  Connecticult  grant  was  south  of  the  south 
line  of  the  grant  to  Massachusetts  and  therefore  none  of  the  ter- 
ritory claimed  by  Connecticut  is  embraced  in  the  state  of  Wis- 
consin. 

The  claim  of  New  York  to  lands  in  the  territory  northwest 
of  the  Ohio  had  very  little  if  any  foundation.  It  was  in  sub- 
stance that  the  home  of  the  tribes  of  Indians  known  as  the  Five 
Nations  was  in  New  York;  that  these  tribes  had  waged  a  de- 
structive and  exterminating  war  against  the  Illinois  Indians  and 
driven  them  out  of  the  their  country  and  taken  possession  of  it; 
and  that,  therefore,  the  territory  from  which  the  Illinois  Indians 
had  been  driven  by  the  Five  Nations  in  these  wars  belonged  to 
the  state  of  New  York.  Neither  Massachusetts,  Connecticut  nor 
New  York  ever  had  possession  of  any  portion  of  the  territory 
northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

As  soon  as  the  Virginia  colony  became  thoroughly  established 
its  population  began  to  increase.  It  required  only  a  few  years  to 
develop  a  race  of  hardy  and  enterprising  hunters  and  frontiers- 
men, who  were  not  satisfied  to  permit  the  vast  domain  west  of 
the  Alleghanies  to  remain  unexplored  nor  to  pass  into  the  pos' 
session  of  the  French.  They  found  their  way  across  the  moun- 
tains and  began  to  push  back  the  frontier.  They  soon  reached 
the  headwaters  of  the  Ohio,  where  they  found  a  delightful  region 
in  which  they  began  to  make  their  permanent  homes.  To  facili- 
tate the  settlement  of  the  country  an  association  was  formed  in 
1748  by  Thomas  Lee,  president  of  the  Virginia  council ;  Lawrence 
and  Augustine  Washington,  half-brothers  of  George  Washington, 
and  Thomas  Henbury,  a  wealthy  merchant  of  London.  The  name 
adopted  by  the  association  was  the  Ohio  Company. 

On  May  19,  1749,  200,000  acres  south  of  the  Ohio  were  by  a 
royal  order  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Ohio  Company,  free  of 
rent  for  ten  years,  provided  that  a  hundred  families  should  be 
settled  thereon  in  seven  years  and  a  fort  built  and  maintained. 

The  French  in  Detroit  were  not  ignorant  of  these  movements 
of  the  Virginia  colonists.     The   Indians,  who  were  friendly  to 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUiNTY  83 

them  and  who  visited  Detroit  to  barter  their  furs,  kept  the  French 
advised  of  the  migration  from  Virginia.  Marquis  DuQuesne  de 
Menneville  was  appointed  governor  of  Canada.  He  arrived  at 
Quebec  in  July,  1752.  Within  a  few  months  after  his  arrival  he 
sent  a  force  to  take  possession  of  the  country  at  the  headwaters 
of  the  Ohio. 

The  plan  adopted  by  the  French  to  secure  the  control  of  the 
territory  was  to  establish  a  line  of  stockades  or  forts  from  the 
lakes  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Ohio,  and  thence  down  that  river 
to  their  settlements  on  the  Mississippi,  and  thus  connect  Canada 
with  Louisiana  and  prevent  the  English  settlers  from  occupying 
the  territory  west  of  the  AUeghanies.  It  was  a  bold  and  compre- 
hensive scheme,  but  it  was  not  to  be  successful.  It  failed  to  take 
into  account  the  energy,  activity  and  courage  of  the  Virginians. 
As  soon  as  Governor  Dinwiddie  of  Virginia  was  advised  that  the 
French  were  proceeding  to  carry  out  their  plan  and  had  con- 
structed a  stockade  on  the  line  fixed  by  them  he  promptly,  on 
October  30,  1753,  dispatched  George  Washington,  who  was  not 
then  twenty-two  years  of  age,  but  was  an  experienced  woodsman, 
with  a  formal  demand  to  withdraw  from  the  territory  claimed  by 
Virginia. 

Washington,  after  a  hazardous  journey,  presented  the  demand 
to  M.  de  St.  Pierre,  the  French  commander  at  I'ort  Le  Boeuf,  who 
at  once  declined  to  comply  with  it. 

Governor  Dinwiddie  proceeded  to  take  such  steps  as  were 
deemed  necessary  to  prevent  further  encroachments  by  the 
French.  In  February,  1754,  he  commenced  the  construction  of 
a  stockade  at  the  junction  of  the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela 
rivers  where  they  form  the  Ohio,  and  which  was  then  called  The 
Forks,  but  now  Pittsburg. 

Within  a  few  weeks,  and  as  soon  as  a  force  could  be  raised, 
Colonel  Joshua  Fry.  with  Washington  second  in  command,  was 
sent  forward  to  occupy  the  fort.  Colonel  Fry  became  ill  and  the 
command  devolved  upon  Washington. 

In  the  meantime  a  French  force  had  captured  the  incomplete 
fort  constructed  by  Governor  Dinwiddie  and  retained  possession 
of  it.  Thus  began  that  serious  struggle  known  in  history  as  the 
French  and  Indian  War,  to  determine  whether  the  great  terri- 
tory northwest  of  the  Ohio  should  remain  English  or  French  ter- 


84  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

ritory,  and  whether  those  who  should  settle  in  our  own  state  and 
county  should  be  under  English  or  French  domination. 

It  is  not  the  intention  at  the  present  time  to  inquire  into  the 
causes  of  the  antagonisms  between  England  and  France,  or  the 
result  of  such  antagonisms,  except  in  so  far  as  they  have  affected 
our  state  and  county. 

When  Washington  w^as  advised  that  the  incomplete  fort  at 
The  Porks  had  been  assailed  by  a  French  force  and  captured  he 
continued  his  march  toward  the  fort  and  took  up  a  position  at 
what  was  called  Great  Meadows.  He  was  here  advised  that  a 
French  force  was  in  the  vicinity  waiting  to  surprise  and  defeat 
him.  He  at  once  decided  to  treat  the  French  to  a  surprise  and 
promptly  did  so,  killing  ten  of  the  French  force,  including  its 
commander,  and  taking  twenty-two  prisoners. 

The  fort  at  The  Forks  having  been  lost  to  the  Virginians, 
Washington  constructed  another  at  Great  Meadows,  which  was 
named  Fort  Necessity,  as  a  base  for  future  operations  against  the 
French.  While  at  Great  Meadows  Washington  received  a  rein- 
forcement of  150  soldiers  from  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  and 
about  an  equal  number  of  Indians.  A  large  French  force  was 
sent  forward  in  aid  of  those  at  The  Forks,  and  Washington  found 
himself  confronted  with  a  force  of  1,400,  while  his  own  force  was 
about  300  whites  and  a  few  Indians. 

On  July  3,  1754,  Washington  was  attacked  by  a  force  of  about 
600  French.  He  successfully  resisted  the  attack  and  held  his  fort 
for  the  day.  His  supplies  being  exhausted,  he  was  compelled  to 
surrender  the  fort,  but  upon  the  condition  that  he  be  allowed  to 
march  away  with  the  honors  of  war. 

This  first  campaign  in  the  struggle  between  the  English  and 
French  resulted  favorably  to  the  French.  It  was  not,  however, 
a  lasting  success,  for  the  defeat  of  Virginia  in  attempting  to  pro- 
tect her  frontier  against  French  encroachments  aroused  not  only 
Virginia  and  all  of  the  colonies  having  unprotected  western 
frontiers  but  the  government  of  England,  for  if  the  French  were 
not  driven  from  the  territory  granted  to  the  colonies  by  England, 
France  would  rule  this  continent  and  the  English  colonies  bo 
confined  to  the  Atlantic  coast. 

The  question  then  ceased  to  be  colonial  and  became  one  of 
very  great  importance  to  European  powers. 

After  the  withdrawal  of  Washington  from  Fort  Necessity  the 


HISTOEIC  EVOLUTION  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  85 

fort  at  The  Forks  was  named  Fort  DuQuesne  in  honor  of  the 
Marquis  DuQuesne  de  Menneville,  the  governor  of  Canada.  It 
bore  this  name  until  the  approach  of  General  John  Forbes  in 
1758  with  an  English  force  of  6,000  men,  when  it  was  abandoned 
and  destroyed  by  the  French.  During  the  next  year  a  new  fort 
was  built  by  General  Stanwix,  which  was  named  Fort  Pitt  in 
honor  of  "William  Pitt,  first  earl  of  Chatham,  then  a  very  popular 
and  influential  member  of  the  English  government  and  known  as 
the  "Great  Commoner."  The  information  of  the  repulse  of 
Washington  was  received  with  much  surprise  in  Virginia,  and 
while  both  English  and  French  nations  Avere  professedly  at  peace 
and  were  endeavoring  to  adjust  their  difficulties  in  America,  both 
were  preparing  to  defend  by  force  the  rights  claimed  by  them. 
Virginia  appealed  to  England  for  aid,  and  General  Braddock,  an 
experienced  officer,  with  two  regiments  of  500  men  each,  was 
ordered  to  Virginia.  He  arrived  on  February  20,  1755.  The 
duty  assigned  to  him  was  to  capture  and  hold  Fort  DuQuesne. 
Washington,  who  had  retired  from  the  army,  was  invited  by  Brad- 
dock  to  become  a  member  of  his  staff  and  he  accepted  the  invi- 
tation. 

Braddock 's  preparations  for  his  march  were  very  slow.     He 
did  not  reach  the  vicinity  of  Fort  DuQuesne  until  July  7.     The 

French  force  then  occupying  the  fort  consisted  of  108  officers 
and  regulars,  146  Canadians  and  about  640  Indians.     On  July  9 

Braddock  moved  forward  toward  the  fort  in  solid  masses  and 

was  soon  met  by  the  French  and  Indians,  who  availed  themselves 

of  the  protection  of  the  trees  and  shot  down  the  British  troops 

like  so  much  game.     Braddock  refused  to  follow  the  advice  of 

Washington  and  allow  his  men  to  fight  from  behind  trees,  as 

frontiersmen  were  accustomed  to  do.    He  was  mortally  wounded 

and  his  force  fled  from  the  field.    Of  the  eighty-six  officers  under 

Braddock  sixty-three  were  killed,  and  out  of  his  force  of  1,373 

non-commissioned   officers  and   privates   only  459   were   unhurt. 

Five  Canadians  were  wounded  and  twenty-seven  Indians  were 

killed  or  wounded. 

One  of  the  bravest  and  most  competent  leaders  of  the  Indians 

engaged  in  the  battle  on  the  side  of  the  French  was  Charles  de 

Langlade,  of  northern  Wisconsin,  for  whom  Langlade  county  in 

this  state  was  named. 


86  HISTOKY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

This  most  disastrous  battle  was  not  decisive  of  the  conflict 
between  England  and  France. 

The  war  thus  commenced  continued  until  the  surrender  of 
Quebec  September  13,  1759,  and  the  surrender  of  Montreal  Sep- 
tember 8,  1760.  Fort  DuQuesne  was  abandoned  by  the  French 
and  occupied  by  the  English  November  25,  1758. 

By  the  definitive  treaty  between  England  and  France,  signed 
at  Paris  on  February  10,  1763,  France  ceded  to  England  all  of 
its  right  and  title  to  the  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi  except 
a  small  portion   in  Louisiana. 

By  this  treaty  France  ceased  to  have  any  interest  in  the  terri- 
tory northwest  of  the  Ohio  and  in  all  territory  embraced  in  Wis- 
consin. 

After  the  treaty  of  Paris  between  England  and  France  was 
signed,  and  on  October  7,  1763,  George  III  issued  a  proclamation 
in  relation  to  the  government  and  boundaries  of  the  territory 
ceded  by  France.  By  this  proclamation  such  territory  was  di- 
vided into  four  provinces — Quebec,  East  Florida,  West  Florida 
and  Granada.  The  southerly  line  of  Quebec,  as  fixed  by  this 
proclamation,  ran  from  Lake  Nipissing,  near  the  northeast  shore 
of  Georgian  bay,  easterly,  crossing  the  St.  Lawrence  river  at  45 
degrees  north  latitude,  near  the  northerly  line  of  New  York  and 
Vermont.  The  territory  now  embraced  in  Wisconsin  was  not  af- 
fected by  the  proclamation.  It  did,  however,  contain  provisions 
that  affected  the  colonies  whose  gi'ants  ran  "from  sea  to  sea." 
It  provided  that  no  governor  of  the  colonies  should  grant  patents 
for  lands  beyond  the  bounds  of  his  province  and  that  no  official  of 
an  Atlantic  colony  should  allot  any  lands  situated  farther  west 
than  the  sources  of  the  rivers  flowing  into  the  Atlantic,  and  all 
persons  were  forbidden  to  make  any  purchase  or  settlement  of 
any  lands  so  reserved. 

By  this  proclamation  the  king  also  reserved  under  his  sov- 
ereignty, protection  and  dominion,  for  the  use  of  the  Indians,  all 
lands  not  included  within  the  limits  of  the  governments  of  Que- 
bec and  East  and  West  Florida.  The  territory  northwest  of  the 
Ohio,  including  that  portion  embraced  in  the  state  of  Wisconsin, 
was  a  portion  of  the  lands  not  included  in  either  of  the  three  gov- 
ernments. One  of  the  purposes  of  this  proclamation  undoubtedly 
was  to  reassert  the  right  of  England  to  control  the  territory  em- 
braced in  the  charters  of  Virginia.  Massachusetts  and  Connecti- 


HISTOKLC  EVOLUTION   OF  KOC'K  COL'iXTV  8T 

cut,  and  take  from  them  rights  given  them  by  their  respective 
charters. 

In  April,  1774,  the  parliament  of  England  passed  an  act  known 
as  the  Quebec  Act,  by  which  the  boundaries  of  the  province  of 
Quebec  were  extended  southerly  to  the  Ohio  river  so  as  to  include 
the  territory  north  of  that  river,  thus  making  Wisconsin  a  part 
of  the  province  of  Quebec. 

The  following  provisos  were,  however,  contained  in  the  act : 

"Provided  always,  that  nothing  herein  contained  relative  to 
the  boundary  of  the  province  of  Quebec  shall  in  any  wise  affect 
the  boundaries  of  any  other  colony." 

"Provided  always,  and  be  it  enacted,  that  nothing  in  this  act 
contained  shall  extend,  or  be  construed  to  extend,  to  make  void, 
or  to  vary  or  alter  any  right,  title  or  possession  derived  under 
any  grant,  conveyance,  or  otherwise  howsoever,  of  or  to  any  lands 
within  the  said  province,  or  the  provinces  thereto  adjoining,  but 
that  the  same  shall  remain  and  be  in  force,  and  have  effect,  as  if 
this  act  had  never  been  made." 

The  proclamation  of  1763  organizing  the  province  of  Quebec 
did  not  make  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  a  part  of  that 
province  or  establish  a  government  for  that  territory.  No  sepa- 
rate government  was  established  for  it  by  England  prior  to  the 
Quebec  Act  of  1774.  It  seems  to  have  been  conceded  by  the  Brit- 
ish government  that  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  was  in- 
cluded in  the  charter  of  Virginia  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  that 
province  to  provide  for  its  government.  Virginia  denied  the  right 
of  the  British  parliament  to  include  any  portion  of  her  territory 
in  the  boundaries  of  the  province  of  Quebec  without  her  consent. 

The  passage  of  the  Quebec  Act  produced  serious  apprehension 
and  distrust  on  the  part  of  the  colonists.  From  the  time  of  the 
passage  of  the  act  the  current  of  events  moved  rapidly  toward 
the  final  separation  of  the  colonies  from  the  mother  country.  In 
May  General  Gage,  as  governor  of  Massachusetts,  arrived  in  Bos- 
ton with  four  regiments.  The  Connecticut  legislature  condemned 
the  action  of  parliament.  General  Gage  dissolved  the  general 
court  of  Massachusetts.  Governor  Dinwiddie  dissolved  the  house 
of  burgesses  of  Virginia.  Conventions  were  called  and  met  to 
appoint  delegates  to  a  colonial  congress.  The  people  assembled 
and  compelled  the  councilors  appointed  by  General  Gage  to  re- 
sign.    The  first  continental  congress  met  in  Philadelphia  and 


88  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

adopted  a  declaration  of  rights,  insisting  on  self-government. 
The  Massachusetts  house  of  representatives  resolved  itself  into 
a  provincial  congress  and  appointed  a  committee  of  safety.  It 
also  voted  to  enrol  12,000  minute  men.  The  Connecticut  assembly 
ordered  that  preparation  be  made  to  resist  the  British  govern- 
ment. The  colonists  of  Rhode  Island  seized  forty-four  pieces  of 
ordnance  in  the  batteries  at  Newport.  A  party  of  colonists  at 
Portsmouth,  N.  H,,  entered  a  fort  and  carried  away  100  barrels 
of  powder.  A  Maryland  convention  voted  £10,000  with  which  to 
purchase  arms.  The  first  blood  of  the  revolution  was  shed  at 
Concord.  The  fortress  at  Ticonderoga  was  captured  by  Colonels 
Ethan  Allen  and  Benedict  Arnold.  The  fortress  at  Crown  Point 
was  taken  by  Colonel  Seth  Warner.  The  second  continental  con- 
gress met  at  Philadelphia  and  selected  George  Washington  to 
command  the  colonial  forces.  Generals  Howe,  Clinton  and  Bur- 
goyne  arrived  in  Boston  with  12,000  fresh  troops.  The  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill  was  fought  and  the  War  of  the  Revolution  began. 

During  this  period  the  purpose  of  the  colonists  of  Virginia 
was  in  no  way  uncertain.  In  1774  in  every  county  a  committee 
of  safety  was  appointed  and  an  independent  company  of  minute 
men  formed,  who  were  sworn  to  obey  the  orders  of  the  committee. 
On  March  20,  1775,  the  Virginia  convention  met  in  the  old  St. 
John's  church  in  Richmond.  It  was  in  this  convention  that  Pat- 
rick Henry  made  that  wonderful  appeal  for  action,  that  was  at 
once  effective  and  is  more  frequently  quoted  than  any  other  ut- 
terance of  that  exciting  period. 

The  general  assembly  of  Virginia  met  on  May  6,  1776,  at  Wil- 
liamsburg. On  May  15  this  convention  unanimously  adopted  two 
important  resolutions,  one  directing  its  delegates  to  the  general 
congress  to  propose  to  that  body  that  it  declare  the  united  colonies 
free  and  independent  states.  The  other  resolution  was  to  provide 
for  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  prepare  a  declaration  of 
rights  and  a  plan  of  government.  A  bill  of  rights  was  prepared  and 
adopted  June  12,  and  on  June  29,  five  days  before  the  declaration 
of  independence,  a  preamble  and  constitution  were  adopted. 

By  this  constitution  all  lands  that  were  embraced  in  the  char- 
ter of  1609,  and  that  had  been  included  within  the  boimdaries 
of  other  colonies,  were  ceded  and  released  to  such  other  colonies, 
and  the  constitution  then  declared  that 

"The  western  and  northern   extent  of  Virginia  shall  in  all 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  89 

other  respects  stand  as  fixed  by  the  charter  of  King  James  I,  in 
the  year  1609,  and  by  the  public  treaty  of  peace  between  the 
courts  of  Britain  and  France,  in  the  year  1763." 

This  declaration  was  a  reiteration  of  the  claim  of  the  colony 
of  Virginia  to  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

The  constitution  did  not  fix  the  name  of  the  new  government, 
but  it  declared  that  all  commissions  and  grants  should  run  "in 
the  name  of  the  commonwealth  of  Virginia." 

The  colony  of  Virginia  by  the  adoption  of  a  constitution  was 
the  first  of  the  English  colonies  in  America  to  sever  her  rela- 
tions with  England  and  declare  and  exercise  her  own  sovereign- 
ty. The  constitution  adopted  by  her  delegates  was  the  first  con- 
stitution creating  an  effective  and  independent  government  by 
the  people. 

Its  adoption  was  the  first  assertion  of  independent  sovereignty 
by  the  colonists  and  marked  the  way  from  colonial  government 
to  independent  statehood  for  the  other  colonies.  After  the  adop- 
tion of  the  constitution  the  convention  at  once  proceeded  to  elect 
Patrick  Henry  governor.  He  took  the  oath  of  office  July  5,  and 
the  government  of  the  new  state  at  once  went  into  operation. 

These  acts  and  proceedings  of  the  colony  of  Virginia  are  of 
especial  interest  to  the  citizens  of  Wisconsin,  for  during  all  of 
this  active  and  interesting  period  of  the  history  of  our  country 
the  territory  embraced  in  the  state  of  Wisconsin  was  claimed  by 
Virginia  as  a  part  of  her  domain. 

After  the  Treaty  of  Paris  was  signed  by  France,  releasing  to 
England  all  of  her  rights  in  the  territory  north  of  the  Ohio,  a 
large  number  of  the  French  residing  in  that  territory  left  it  and 
English  soldiers  came  in  and  occupied  the  posts. 

After  Virginia  had  severed  her  relations  with  England  and 
declared  herself  an  independent  government  she  insisted  that  the 
territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  belonged  to  her  and  that  the 
occupation  thereof  by  the  soldiers  of  England  must  cease. 

There  was  in  the  territory  of  Virginia  south  of  the  Ohio  a 
stalwart  young  frontiersman  and  Indian  fighter  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent,  named  George  Rogers  Clark.  He  had  fought  the  Indians 
in  the  Dunmore  War  and  was  anxious  to  aid  his  native  colony 
in  her  struggle  for  independence.  From  his  knowledge  of  the 
conditions  existing  in  the  Mississippi  valley  he  became  convinced 
that  the  English  forces  occupying  the  posts  in  that  portion  of 


90  HISTOEY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY 

Virginia  could  be  expelled  from  it.  After  carefully  maturing  a 
plan  for  an  expedition  for  that  purpose  he  proceeded  to  Williams- 
burg, the  seat  of  government  of  the  new  state,  and  presented  his 
plan  privately  to  Governor  Patrick  Henry,  who  approved  it  and 
appointed  him  a  major  of  militia  and  authorized  him  to  enlist 
the  men  necessary  for  his  expedition.  As  his  success  depended 
upon  secrecy,  he  had  difficulty  in  securing  the  men  he  desired. 
The  ostensible  purpose  of  the  enlistment  was  to  protect  the  set- 
tlers south  of  the  Ohio  from  incursions  by  the  Indians.  His  real 
purpose  he  did  not  care  to  disclose,  fearing  that  the  English 
might  be  advised  of  it  and  be  prepared  to  meet  him.  He,  how- 
ever, succeeded  in  raising  a  force  of  from  150  to  200  men,  and  on 
June  24,  1778,  embarked  on  the  Ohio.  He  halted  at  the  falls  of 
the  Ohio,  where  Louisville  is  now  situated,  constructed  a  block- 
house on  an  island  in  the  nliddle  of  the  falls  and  planted  corn 
for  future  use.  He  left  there  those  of  his  force  who  were  unable 
to  endure  the  fatigue  of  the  coming  campaign.  He  here  first  dis- 
closed to  his  men  the  real  purpose  of  the  expedition.  He  then 
proceeded  down  the  river  to  the  site  of  old  Fort  Massac,  below 
the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee  river.  Hiding  his  boats  there,  he  made 
as  rapid  a  march  as  possible  to  Kaskaskia.  The  post  was  com- 
pletely surprised  and  on  July  4,  1778,  surrendered  without  re- 
sistance. He  then  sent  a  detachment  to  capture  Cahokia.  This 
post  also  surrendered  without  resistance.  Clark  remained  at 
Kaskaskia  to  establish  and  put  in  operation  a  government  for  the 
protection  of  the  people.  Being  advised  that  it  was  the  purpose 
of  Hamilton,  the  lieutenant  governor  of  Quebec,  who  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  post  of  Vincennes,  to  retake  Kaskaskia,  Clark  de- 
cided to  anticipate  his  action  and  take  Vincennes.  On  February 
7,  1779,  Clark,  with  a  portion  of  his  army,  commenced  his  ad- 
vance on  Vincennes.  On  February  18  he  appeared  before  Vin- 
cennes and  on  the  next  day  Hamilton  surrendered  the  post.  Want 
of  space  prevents  a  statement  in  detail  of  the  strategy,  courage 
and  endurance  of  Clark  and  his  little  band  in  securing  these  suc- 
cesses. 

George  Rogers  Clark  was  born  near  Monticello,  in  Albemarle 
county,  Virginia,  on  November  12,  1752.  His  ancestors  are  said 
to  have  been  Scotch-Irish.  His  early  years  were  spent  in  Caro- 
line county,  Virginia.  He  fitted  himself  for  a  surveyor.  He 
served  under  Governor  Dunmore  against  the  Indians  in  what  is 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  91 

known  as  the  Dunmore  War.  In  1775  he  went  into  that  portion 
of  the  territory  of  Virginia  now  embraced  in  the  state  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  there  pursued  his  profession.  When  the  Indians,  un- 
der the  influence  of  the  British,  invaded  the  homes  of  the  settlers, 
Clark  became  the  leader  of  the  people  in  defending  and  protect- 
ing themselves.  He  was  appointed  a  major  of  militia  in  1776  and 
was  also  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Virginia  convention.  He  did 
not  reach  Williamsburg,  where  the  convention  was  held,  until  it 
had  adjourned.  He  procured  the  formation  of  the  new  county  of 
Kentucky,  embracing  that  portion  of  Virginia  now  the  state  of 
Kentucky.  The  incursions  of  the  Indians  into  the  white  settle- 
ments for  theft,  rapine  and  murder  were  encouraged  and  pro- 
moted by  the  British  soldiers  in  the  Mississippi  valley.  Clark  be- 
lieved that  they  should  be  driven  off  from  Virginia  territory. 
He  sent  spies  into  their  camps  and  on  their  reports  matured  the 
plan  for  their  expulsion  that  he  presented  to  Governor  Patrick 
Henry.  It  was  said  of  him :  "All  that  rich  domain  northwest  of 
the  Ohio  was  secured  to  the  republic  at  the  peace  of  1783  in  con- 
sequence of  his  prowess." 

He  died  near  Louisville,  Ky.,  February  18,  1818,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Cave  Hill  cemetery.  The  place  where  he  sleeps  is 
marked  by  a  small  stone  upon  which  are  the  letters  "G.  R.  C. " 

The  period  of  the  Revolution,  so  full  of  strenuous  effort,  ex- 
alted patriotism,  patient  endurance,  personal  sacrifice  and  inspir- 
ing achievement,  presents  no  grander  character  than  that  of 
George  Rogers  Clark.  No  soldier  of  the  revolutionary  period 
possessed  higher  qualities.  His  wonderful  self-possession,  great 
tact  and  power  of  endurance,  with  his  indomitable  will,  enabled 
him  to  overcome  almost  insurmountable  difficulties,  endure  in- 
credible hardships  and  achieve  complete  and  important  successes 
without  loss  of  time  or  men.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  other  officer 
of  that  day  could  have  conceived  and  carried  to  a  successful  ter- 
mination the  campaign  planned  and  executed  by  him,  the  re- 
sults of  which  probably  hastened  the  successful  termination  of 
the  struggle  of  the  colonies  for  independence  and  saved  to  the 
future  nation  that  marvelously  rich  and  extensive  valley  without 
which  it  never  could  have  expanded  to  the  Pacific  coast  and  be- 
come the  great  and  influential  nation  that  is  now  our  pride. 

His  splendid  services  and  their  important  results  have  been 
eclipsed  by  what  seemed  more  important  events  on  the  Atlantic 


92  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

coast  and  have  received  scant  recognition  and  appreciation.  Com- 
plete justice  may  be  done  him  without  in  any  way  detracting 
from  the  reputation  of  the  able  and  patriotic  officers  and  soldiers 
of  the  eastern  colonies.  His  name  should  be  honored  and  his  he- 
roic services  kept  in  remembrance  by  all  who  have  found  homes 
in  the  vast  domain  from  which  he  expelled  the  foes  of  our 
country. 

Colonel  Clark  captured  Kaskaskia  July  5,  1778,  Cahokia  fell 
a  few  days  later,  and  Vincennes  in  August,  1778.  In  October, 
1778,  the  house  of  burgesses  of  Virginia  passed  an  act  organizing 
the  county  of  Illinois,  which  provided  that 

"All  the  citizens  of  the  commonwealth  of  Virginia  who  are 
already  settled  or  shall  hereafter  settle  on  the  western  side  of 
the  Ohio  shall  be  included  in  a  distinct  county  which  shall  be 
called  Illinois  county,  and  the  governor  of  this  commonwealth, 
with  the  advice  of  the  council,  may  appoint  a  county  lieutenant 
or  commandant-in-chief  in  that  county  during  pleasure." 

In  pursuance  of  this  act  Governor  Patrick  Henry  on  December 
12,  1778,  appointed  as  county  lieutenant  John  Todd,  who  organ- 
ized a  county  government.  He  was  unsuccessful  in  his  adminis- 
tration of  the  affairs  of  the  county,  and,  becoming  discouraged, 
left  Illinois  in  the  autumn  of  1779  and  returned  to  Kentucky. 
He  did  not  resign  his  office.  In  his  absence  his  deputy,  Richard 
Winston,  performed  the  duties  of  lieutenant  and  was  later  ap- 
pointed lieutenant  of  the  county.  Rock  county  was  a  portion  of 
the  new  county  of  Illinois.  This  was  the  first  county  organiza- 
tion to  which  the  territory  embraced  in  Rock  county  became 
subject. 

Upon  the  expulsion  of  the  British  Virginia  promptly  asserted 
her  sovereignty  and  proceeded  to  establish  a  government  and  en- 
force law  and  order  in  her  western  domain. 

After  the  expulsion  of  the  British  from  the  territory  north- 
west of  the  Ohio  and  the  organization  of  that  territory  into  a 
county  and  the  establishment  of  a  civil  government  therein,  Vir- 
ginia insisted  that  if  there  were  doubts  about  her  right  to  the 
territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  under  her  charters  she  was  en- 
titled to  it  by  conquest,  for  after  she  became  an  independent  state 
she  had  raised  troops  and  sent  them,  under  her  own  officers  and 
at  her  own  expense,  into  the  territory  described  in  her  charters 
and  claimed  by  her,  and  had  driven  out  those  who  denied  her 


'    t,    O^r^r^^L- 


HISTOEIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  93 

right  and  claim,  and  established  there  an  active,  operative  gov- 
ernment. 

Neither  Massachusetts,  Connecticut  nor  New  York  at  any 
time  entered  into  the  possession  of  any  portion  of  the  territory 
northwest  of  the  Ohio.  Nor  did  either  of  those  colonies  in  any 
way  aid  or  offer  to  aid  Virginia  in  her  efforts  to  exclude  the  Brit- 
ish from  that  territory.  Nor  did  they  or  either  of  them,  prior  to 
the  conquest  by  George  Rogers  Clark,  in  any  way  protest  against 
the  claim  of  Virginia  that  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  be- 
longed to  her  under  her  charters. 

On  December  16,  1773,  the  "Boston  tea  party"  occurred.  It 
was  followed  by  an  act  of  parliament  closing  the  port  of  Boston. 
This  act  was  called  the  "Boston  port  bill."  When  the  passage 
of  the  act  was  announced  the  colonists  that  were  opposed  to  Brit- 
ish rule  were  thoroughly  aroused.  Serious  deliberation  was  given 
the  situation.  A  meeting  of  representatives  of  all  the  colonies 
was  proposed  by  Virginia,  New  York  and  Rhode  Island  and 
agreed  to  by  all  of  the  colonies.  Massachusetts  was  requested  to 
fix  the  time  and  place  of  meeting. 

On  June  17,  1774,  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  adopted 
a  resolution  fixing  September  1,  1774,  at  Philadelphia,  as  the  time 
and  place  of  such  meeting.  All  of  the  colonies  except  Georgia 
sent  representatives  to  this  meeting,  and  she  agreed  to  concur  in 
what  should  be  done  by  the  representatives  of  the  other  colonies. 

The  meeting  convened  on  September  5,  1774,  and  organized 
by  the  election  of  Peyton  Randolph,  of  Virginia,  as  president,  and 
Charles  Thomson,  of  Philadelphia,  as  secretary.  This  meeting  is 
called  "the  first  continental  congress."  It  adopted  articles  of 
association  of  the  colonies  and  considered  many  matters  pertain- 
ing to  their  welfare.  On  October  26  it  adjourned  to  meet  at 
Philadelphia  May  10,  1775. 

At  the  time  fixed  the  congress  reassembled  in  Philadelphia. 
Peyton  Randolph  was  again  elected  president.  On  his  resigna- 
tion during  the  session,  John  Hancock  was  elected  president. 
Among  the  important  proceedings  of  this  session  was  the  appoint- 
ment on  June  15  of  George  Washington  as  commander-in-chief 
of  the  armies  of  the  colonies. 

On  June  11.  1776,  congress  adopted  a  resolution  providing 
that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  prepare  the  form  of  a  confed- 
eration to  be  entered  into  between  the  colonies,  and  on  the  fol- 


94  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

lowing  day  a  committee  of  five  was  appointed.  The  committee 
made  its  report,  embracing  articles  of  confederation,  which  were 
under  consideration  from  time  to  time  until  July  9,  1778,  when 
they  were  finally  adopted.  The  first  article  declared  that  the 
style  of  the  confederacy  should  be  "The  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica." The  articles  were  ratified  by  all  of  the  colonies  except 
Maryland,  which  refused  to  ratify  them  until  those  colonies 
whose  territory  extended  to  the  Mississippi  released  to  the  con- 
federacy all  of  their  claims  to  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 
Virginia,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut  and  New  York  insisted  that 
their  claims  to  such  territory  were  just  and  valid  claims  and 
should  be  recognized,  while  the  colonies  making  no  claim  to  any 
part  of  such  territory  strenuously  objected  to  the  allowance  of 
such  claims  and  persisted  in  their  refusal  to  join  in  the  adoption 
of  the  proposed  articles  of  confederation  if  such  claims  were  to 
be  recognized  and  allowed. 

After  much  delay  and  discussion  the  colonies  making  claims 
to  the  lands  northwest  of  the  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  rid 
of  all  antagonisms  and  promoting  harmony  between  the  colonies, 
and  to  secure  the  adoption  of  the  articles  of  confederation,  gen- 
erously consented  to  cede  to  the  new  government  to  be  formed  all 
rights  claimed  by  them  in  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

On  March  1,  1781,  New  York  ceded  to  the  United  States  all 
of  her  rights  in  all  lands  west  of  her  present  boundaries. 

The  War  of  the  Revolution,  that  began  on  the  village  green 
of  Lexington  April  19,  1776,  was  terminated  by  the  surrender  of 
Cornwallis  at  Yorktown,  October  19,  1783.  Immediately  there- 
after negotiations  were  begun  for  a  treaty  of  peace  between  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain.  Provisional  articles  therefor 
were  signed  at  Paris  November  30,  1782.  The  final  definative 
treaty  was  not  signed  until  September  3,  1783. 

By  the  first  article  of  this  treaty  "His  Britanic  Majesty" 
acknowledges  the  thirteen  original  states  "to  be  free,  sovereign 
and  independent  states,"  "and  for  himself,  his  heirs  and  suc- 
cessors relinquishes  all  claims  to  the  government,  propriety  and 
territorial  rights  of  the  same  and  every  part  thereof." 

The  second  article  contains  a  description  of  the  territory  re- 
linquished, which  was  all  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States 
east  of  the  Mississippi  and  north  of  the  Floridas. 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  95 

The  seventh  article  provides  that  His  Britanic  Majesty  should 
with  all  convenient  speed  "withdraw  all  his  armies,  garrisons 
and  fleets  from  the  said  United  States,  and  from  every  post,  place 
and  harbor  within  the  same." 

The  rulers  of  England  from  the  time  of  the  first  settlement 
of  Virginia,  on  May  13,  1607,  to  the  treaty  of  peace,  September 
3,  1783,  were : 

James    1 1603-1625 

Charles   1 1625-1649 

Commonwealth    1649-1659 

Charles   II 1660-1685 

James  II 1685-1688 

William  III,  Mary  II 1689-1702 

Anne    1702-1714 

George  1 1714-1727 

George  II 1727-1760 

George  III 1760-1820 


On  March  1,  1784,  Virginia  conveyed  to  the  United  States  all 
of  her  right,  title  and  claim  to  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

From  April  10,  1606,  to  June  29,  1776,  more  than  170  years,  a 
period  much  longer  than  from  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
to  the  present  time,  the  territory  now  embraced  in  Rock  county 
was  a  portion  of  the  colony  of  Virginia.  From  June  29,  1776,  to 
March  1,  1784,  such  territory  was  a  part  of  the  state  of  Virginia. 
During  the  colonial  period  there  were  thirty-four  colonial  gov- 
ernors, and  from  the  organization  of  the  state  to  the  date  of  the 
cession  by  Virginia  to  the  United  States  there  were  four  gov- 
ernors: Patrick  Henry,  Thomas  Jefferson,  Thomas  Nelson  and 
Benjamin  Harrison. 

Among  the  most  distinguished  men  of  Virginia  of  the  colonial 
period  was  Patrick  Henry.  He  undoubtedly  exercised  greater 
influence  than  any  other  man  in  persuading  the  colonists  to  de- 
clare their  independence. 

He  was  a  Virginian  by  birth.  His  father  was  John  Henry, 
from  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  and  his  mother  of  Huguenot  ancestry. 
He  was  born  in  Studley,  Hanover  county,  May  29,  1736.  His  op- 
portunities for  education  were  limited  and  he  was  not  disposed 


96  HlSTOPvY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

to  avail  himself  of  such  as  the  country  afforded.  Fishing  and 
hunting  seemed  to  possess  more  charms  for  him  than  schools. 
After  an  imperfect  preparation  he  was  at  the  age  of  twenty-four 
admitted  to  the  practice  of  the  law.  He  seems  to  have  promptly 
won  distinction  in  his  profession.  In  1774  he  was  chosen  a  dele- 
gate to  the  Virginia  convention,  and  in  1775  a  delegate  to  the  sec- 
ond continental  convention,  and  was  by  that  convention  on  Au- 
gust 28,  1775,  appointed  colonel  of  the  First  regiment  of  regulars. 
He  was  also  appointed  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  of  Vir- 
ginia. He  resigned  his  commission  February  28,  1776.  In  1780 
he  became  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  Virginia  and  was  re- 
elected annually  until  1784,  when  he  was  chosen  governor.  He 
was  reelected  five  times  and  declined  the  last  election.  He  was 
tendered  many  responsible  and  honorable  positions,  which  he  de- 
clined.   He  died  June  6,  1799,  at  sixty-three  years  of  age. 

Of  the  able  and  patriotic  citizens  of  Virginia  at  the  period  of 
the  Revolution  none  possessed  greater  influence  or  rendered  more 
important  service  in  the  cause  of  independence  than  Patrick 
Henry.  He  seemed  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  work  of  transform- 
ing the  colonies  into  a  new  nation  with  a  republican  form  of  gov- 
ernment. His  great  power  as  an  orator,  his  resolute  courage  and 
his  loyalty  to  the  interests  of  the  colonies  made  him  one  of  the 
foremost  men  of  his  age. 

On  April  19,  1785,  Massachusetts  ceded  to  the  United  States 
all  of  her  right,  title  and  estate  in  the  territorj'-  northwest  of  the 
Ohio. 

On  September  13,  1786,  Connecticut  ceded  to  the  United  States 
all  of  her  right,  title  and  interest  in  such  territory. 

Various  Indian  tribes  claimed  title  to  portions  of  the  north- 
west territory  paramount  to  the  title  conveyed  to  the  United 
States  by  the  treaties  and  cessions  above  mentioned.  These 
claims  were,  by  various  treaties  with  the  Indians  at  different 
times,  wholly  extinguished. 

England  did  not  withdraw  her  armies  and  garrisons  from  the 
territory  relinquished  by  her,  as  required  by  the  treaty  of  1783, 
but,  without  reason  therefor,  retained  possession  of  some  of  the 
posts  and  places  occupied  by  her  at  the  time  the  treaty  was 
signed,  until  July  11,  1796,  when  General  Wayne  took  possession 
of  Detroit  and  raised  there  the  American  flag. 


HISTOIUC  EVOLUTION   OF  KOC'K  COIXI^  97 

Territorial  Period. 

The  United  States  having  become  the  owner  of  the  territory- 
northwest  of  the  Ohio,  congress,  to  provide  a  form  of  government 
for  it,  on  July  13,  1787,  adopted  an  ordinance. 

This  ordinance  provided  that  congress  should  appoint  a  gov- 
ernor, a  secretary  and  a  court  to  consist  of  three  judges ;  that  the 
governor  and  judges,  or  a  majority  of  them,  should  adopt  and 
publish  such  laws  of  the  original  states,  criminal  and  civil,  as 
might  be  necessary  and  best  suited  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
territory,  and  which  should  be  in  force  until  the  organization  of 
a  general  assembly  in  the  territory. 

The  ordinance  further  provided  that  when  there  should  be 
5,000  free  male  inhabitants  of  full  age  in  the  territory  they  should 
have  authority  to  elect  representatives  from  their  counties  and 
townships  to  a  general  assembly ;  that  the  general  assembly  should 
consist  of  the  governor,  legislative  council  and  a  house  of  repre- 
sentatives ;  that  the  legislative  council  should  consist  of  five  mem- 
bers, selected  by  congress  from  ten  persons  nominated  by  the  rep- 
resentatives ;  and  that  the  governor,  legislative  council  and  house 
of  representatives  should  have  authority  to  make  laws  for  the 
good  government  of  the  territory,  not  repugnant  to  the  provi- 
sions of  the  ordinance. 

Articles  1  and  2  of  the  ordinance  contained  a  very  complete 
bill  of  rights.  They  provided  for  religious  toleration;  that  the 
inhabitants  should  be  entitled  to  the  benefits  of  the  writ  of 
habeas  corpus  and  of  trial  by  jury;  that  the  people  should  have 
a  proportionate  representation  in  the  legislature ;  that  judicial 
proceedings  should  be  according  to  the  course  of  the  common 
law;  that  all  persons  should  be  bailable  except  for  capital  of- 
fenses "where  the  proof  shall  be  evident  or  the  presumption 
great";  that  all  fines  should  be  moderate;  that  no  cruel  or  un- 
usual punishment  should  be  inflicted ;  that  no  man  should  be  de- 
prived of  his  liberty  or  property  but  by  the  judgment  of  his  peers 
or  the  law  of  the  land ;  that  when  a  public  exigency  required  the 
taking  of  private  property  full  compensation  should  be  made 
therefor,  and  that  no  law  should  interfere  with  or  affect  private 
contracts.     It  also  declared  that 

"Religion,  morality  and  knowledge  being  necessary  to  good 


98  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

government  and  the  happiness  of  mankind,  schools  and  the  means 
of  education  shall  forever  be  encouraged." 

The  sixth  article  of  the  ordinance  declared  that 

"There  shall  be  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude  in 
said  territory,  otherwise  than  in  the  punishment  of  crimes,  where- 
of the  party  shall  have  been  duly  convicted." 

On  October  16,  1787,  congress,  in  pursuance  of  the  above  ordi- 
nance, appointed  General  Arthur  St.  Clair  governor  of  the  terri- 
tory. Congress  also  appointed  Samuel  Holden  Parsons,  John 
Armstrong  and  James  Mitchell  Varnum  judges.  John  Armstrong 
declined  the  appointment  and  John  Cleves  Symmes  was  appointed 
in  his  place. 

The  governor  and  judges  so  appointed  constituted  what  was 
called  a  territorial  government  of  the  first  grade. 

On  April  7,  1788,  a  New  England  colony  of  forty-eight  per- 
sons, under  the  leadership  of  General  Rufus  Putnam,  reached 
Fort  Harmar,  at  the  junction  of  the  Ohio  and  Muskingum  rivers. 
They  were  the  first  permanent  settlers  in  Ohio.  They  proceeded 
to  lay  out  and  establish  a  village  -w  hich  was  at  first  called  Adel- 
phia,  but  the  name  of  which  was  afterwards  changed  to  Mari- 
etta, in  honor  of  Marie  Antoinette,  the  wife  of  Louis  XVI  of 
France,  thus  recognizing  her  friendship  for  the  American  col- 
onies. 

Governor  St.  Clair  did  not  reach  the  territory  until  July  9, 
1788.  when  he  was  received  with  a  salute  from  the  guns  of  the 
fort  at  Marietta. 

The  commissions  of  the  officers  of  the  territory  were  not  re- 
ceived until  the  arrival  of  Winthrop  Sargent,  the  secretary  of 
the  territory,  on  July  15,  when  the  governor,  attended  by  his 
secretary  and  the  judges,  made  a  formal  public  entry  into  the  vil- 
lage of  Marietta  and  was  received  by  General  Putnam  on  the 
part  of  the  citizens.  An  address  was  delivered  by  the  governor 
and  the  ordinance  of  1787  read  by  the  secretary,  and  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Northwest  territory  duly  inaugurated. 

The  government  thus  created  and  established  embraced  what 
is  now  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 

On  the  25th  of  July,  the  first  legislative  act  of  the  governor 
and  judges  was  passed.  It  was  entitled  "A  law  for  the  regulating 
and  establishing  the  militia."  It  was  passed  by  the  governor  and 
Judges  Parsons  and  Varnum. 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNT  V  99 

Immediately  thereafter  the  governor  by  proclamation  created 
Washington  county,  embracing  that  portion  of  the  present  state 
of  Ohio  lying  east  of  the  Cuyahoga  and  Scioto  rivers. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  1788,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  gov- 
ernor and  judges  creating  and  establishing  general  courts  of  quar- 
ter sessions  of  the  peace  and  county  courts  of  common  pleas  and 
also  creating  the  office  of  sheriff.  The  act  provided  for  a  court 
in  each  county,  styled  the  General  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace, 
which  was  to  hold  four  terms  in  every  year  in  each  county  and  a 
County  Court  of  Common  Pleas  to  hold  two  terms  a  year  in  each 
county. 

On  the  30th  day  of  August,  1788,  an  act  was  passed  by  the 
governor  and  judges,  creating  and  establishing  courts  of  probate. 

On  the  2d  of  September,  1788,  the  judicial  system  of  the  ter- 
ritory was  inaugurated  by  suitable  ceremonies.  The  territorial 
government  of  the  first  grade  was  then  fully  established. 

By  the  fifth  section  of  the  ordinance  of  1787  the  governor  and 
judges,  or  a  majority  of  them,  were  authorized  to  adopt  and  pub- 
lish such  laws  of  the  original  states  as  were  best  suited  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  territory  and  report  them  to  congress  from 
time  to  time  and  which  should  remain  in  force  until  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  general  assembly,  unless  disapproved  by  congress. 

The  government  of  the  first  grade  continued  in  operation  until 
September  16,  1799.  During  its  existence  many  statutes  from 
other  states  were  adopted  and  where  statutes  were  desired,  that 
could  not  be  found  in  the  laws  of  other  states,  the  governor  and 
judges  exercised  legislative  power  and  passed  and  published 
such  laws  as  they  deemed  necessary. 

In  1798,  a  census  of  the  territory  was  taken  by  which  it  ap- 
peared that  the  population  was  sufficient  to  authorize  the  elec- 
tion of  representatives  to  a  general  assembly.  On  the  29th  of 
October,  1798,  Governor  St.  Clair  issued  a  proclamation  calling 
an  election  of  representatives  to  the  first  general  assembly  of  the 
territory,  to  be  held  on  the  third  Monday  of  December,  1798,  and 
requiring  the  members  when  elected  to  meet  at  Cincinnati  on  the 
4th  of  February,  1799,  to  nominate  ten  persons  for  the  legislative 
council.  The  house  of  representatives  consisted  of  twenty-two 
members,  representing  nine  counties,  including  Knox  county, 
which  then  embraced  Wisconsin. 


100  HISTOBY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

The  eleventh  section  of  the  ordinance  provided  that  the  legis- 
lative council  should  be  appointed  in  the  following  manner: 

"As  soon  as  representatives  shall  be  elected  the  governor 
shall  appoint  a  time  and  place  for  them  to  meet  together,  and 
when  met  they  shall  nominate  ten  persons,  resident  in  the  dis- 
trict, and  each  possessed  of  a  freehold  in  500  acres  of  land,  and 
return  their  names  to  congress,  five  of  whom  congress  shall  ap- 
point and  commission  to  serve"  as  the  legislative  council. 

The  representatives  met  in  Cincinnati  on  the  4th  of  February, 
1799,  made  their  nomination  and  adjourned  to  the  IGth  of  Sep- 
tember, when  they  again  met,  but  there  being  no  quorum  present, 
the  two  houses  did  not  organize  until  the  24th  of  September, 
when  Governor  St.  Clair  delivered  an  address. 

This  was  the  end  of  the  government  of  the  first  grade  in  the 
northAvest  territory.  Some  of  the  laws  that  were  adopted  or 
enacted  by  the  governor  and  judges  are  of  interest  as  showing 
what  laws  have  been  in  force  in  the  state  of  Wisconsin  and  in 
our  county. 

Section  5,  of  chapter  6,  of  the  laws  of  1788,  respecting  crimes 
and  punishments,  provided  that  one  convicted  of  burglary  should 
"be  whipped,  not  exceeding  thirty-nine  stripes  and  furnish 
sureties  for  good  behavior  for  a  term  not  exceeding  three  years." 
The  crimes  of  robbery  and  perjury  were  similarly  punished.  One 
guilty  of  forgery  was  "to  be  set  in  the  pillory,  not  exceeding 
the  space  of  three  hours."  For  drunkenness  one  was  to  be  "fined 
for  the  first  offense  five  dimes,  and  for  every  succeeding  offense" 
one  dollar,  and  in  case  of  the  offender's  neglect  or  refusal  to  pay 
the  fine  to  "be  set  in  stocks  for  the  space  of  one  hour." 

Laws  were  passed  strongly  condemning  the  use  of  profane 
language  and  recommending  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath.  Very 
strict  laws  in  relation  to  divorce,  gambling,  vice  and  immorality 
and  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  were  passed.  Many  other 
laws  covering  various  subjects  of  legislation,  were  adopted  or 
enacted  during  the  existence  of  the  government  of  the  first  grade. 

The  first  duty  of  the  council  and  the  house  of  representatives 
after  its  organization  as  a  government  of  the  second  grade  was 
the  election  of  a  delegate  to  the  national  congress.  On  October 
3,  1799,  the  two  houses  met  in  joint  convention  to  elect  a  delegate. 
The  names  of  but  two  candidates  were  presented.     Twenty-on6 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  rxOCK  COUNTY  101 

votes  were  east ;  of  these  Arthur  St.  Clair,  Jr.,  received  ten,  and 
William  Henry  Harrison  eleven,  and  he  was  declared  elected. 

The  governor  of  the  second  grade  of  the  northwest  territory 
continued  until  the  state  of  Ohio  was  admitted  into  the  Union. 

The  fifth  article  of  the  ordinance  provided  that  there  should 
be  formed  in  the  territory  not  less  than  three  nor  more  than  five 
states;  that  if  but  three  states  were  formed  the  western  state 
should  be  bounded  by  the  Mississippi,  the  Ohio  and  the  Wabash 
rivers,  and  a  line  drawn  from  the  Wabash  at  Vincennes  due 
north  to  the  line  between  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  on 
the  north  by  the  north  line  of  the  United  States.  The  middle 
state  should  be  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  east  line  of  the  west- 
ern state  and  on  the  east  by  a  line  due  north  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Great  Miami  river  to  the  line  between  the  United  States 
and  Canada.  The  eastern  state  should  be  bounded  by  the  easter- 
ly line  of  the  middle  state  and  on  the  east  by  the  Ohio  river,  the 
west  line  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  line  between  the  United  States 
and  Canada.  It  was  also  provided  by  said  section  that  congress 
should  have  authority  to  form  one  or  two  states  "north  of  an 
east  and  west  line  drawn  through  the  southerly  bend  or  extreme 
of  Lake  Michigan." 

If  three  states  were  formed,  Wisconsin  would  be  in  the  west- 
ern state.  If  five  were  formed,  Wisconsin  would  be  in  the  west- 
ern state  north  of  the  line  running  "through  the  southerly  bend 
or  extreme  of  Lake  Michigan." 

The  settlers  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  territory  were  not  satis- 
fied with  the  boundary  fixed  by  the  ordinance  for  the  eastern 
state. 

On  the  7th  of  May,  1800,  an  act  was  passed  by  congress  to 
take  effect  July  4,  1800,  dividing  the  Northwest  territory  by  a 
line  beginning  on  the  Ohio  river  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Ken- 
tucky river  and  running  northerly  to  Fort  Recovery,  and  thence 
north  to  the  line  between  the  United  States  and  Canada.  That 
portion  of  the  Northwest  territory  lying  east  of  the  above  line 
was  to  be  called  the  Northwest  territory  and  that  portion  lying 
west  of  that  line  was  to  be  called  Indiana  territory,  and  its  capi- 
tal to  be  Vincennes.  The  territory  embraced  in  the  state  of  Wis- 
consin, therefore,  became  a  portion  of  Indiana  territory. 

By  the  act  of  congress  that  portion  of  the  territory  now  the 
state  of  Michigan  remained  a  part  of  the  Northwest  territory. 


102  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

After  this  division  the  government  of  the  second  grade  was 
continued  in  that  portion  that  became  the  Northwest  territory. 
The  population  of  the  new  Indiana  territory  was  not  sufficient  to 
authorize  a  government  of  the  second  grade  and  it  was,  there- 
fore, provided  by  the  act  of  congress  that  the  government  of  that 
territory  should  be  of  the  first  grade,  consisting  of  a  governor,  a 
secretary  and  three  judges. 

In  pursuance  of  the  above  act  of  congress,  the  president 
appointed  "William  Henry  Harrison  governor  of  Indiana  terri- 
tory; John  Gibson,  secretary;  AYilliam  Clarke,  Henry  Vander- 
burg  and  John  Griffin,  judges. 

On  July  4,  1800,  the  government  of  Indiana  territory  began, 
although  the  governor  did  not  arrive  until  January  10,  1801,  and 
the  territorial  court  did  not  convene  until  March  3  of  the  same 
year. 

Tlie  white  population  of  Indiana  territory  in  1800  was  5,641. 
Of  these  sixty-five  were  at  Prairie  du  Chien  and  on  the  upper 
Mississippi  and  fifty  at  Green  Bay.  A  large  majority  of  the  popu- 
lation were  French,  who  remained  in  the  territory  after  the  ces- 
sion by  France  to  Great  Britain. 

Governor  Harrison  w^as  a  Virginian.  He  was  born  at  Berkley, 
Va..  on  the  9th  of  February,  1773.  His  father  was  Benjamin 
Harrison,  who  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence and  one  of  th^  early  governors  of  Virginia.  He  was  a 
descendant  of  Colonel  John  Harrison,  one  of  the  judges  who 
tried  and  condemned  Charles  I,  and  who,  after  the  restoration, 
and  under  Charles  II,  was  tried,  convicted  and  executed.  Gov- 
ernor Harrison  was  educated  at  Hampden-Sidney  college,  Vir- 
ginia. When  the  Indian  troubles  began  in  1791,  he  enlisted  and 
was  appointed  an  ensign  in  the  First  Infantry,  August  16,  1791. 
He  was  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy,  June  2,  1792,  and  joined  the 
army  under  General  Anthony  Wayne.  He  participated  in  sev- 
eral engagements  and  was  complimented  for  gallantry.  He  was 
made  a  captain,  May  15,  1797,  and  placed  in  command  of  Fort 
Washington.  He  resigned  his  commission  June  1,  1798,  and  was 
appointed  by  President  Adams  secretary  of  the  Northwest  terri- 
tory, but  resigned  in  October,  1799,  to  take  his  seat  in  congress 
as  a  delegate  from  the  territory.  When  the  new  territory  of  In- 
diana V7as  formed  he  was  appointed  the  governor  thereof  and 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  103 

superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  and  was  successively  reap- 
pointed by  Presidents  Jefferson  and  Madison. 

Early  in  1811  the  Indians  became  troublesome.  Harrison, 
with  a  small  force,  completed  Fort  Harrison,  at  Terre  Haute, 
Indiana,  and  then  marched  to  Tippecanoe,  where,  on  November 
7.  he  was  attacked  by  the  Indians  and  defeated  them. 

On  August  22,  1812,  he  was  commissioned  a  brigadier  gen- 
eral in  the  regular  army  and  on  INIarch  2,  1813,  received  the  com- 
mission of  a  major  general. 

He  defeated  the  British  General  Proctor  at  the  battle  of  the 
Thames  on  October  5,  1813,  and  resigned  his  commission  May 
31,  1814.  He  was  defeated  for  president  of  the  United  States  in 
1836  by  Van  Buren,  but  was  elected  president  in  1840,  was  in- 
augurated March  4,  1841,  and  died  April  4  of  the  same  year. 

During  the  period  that  Harrison  was  governor,  Indiana  ter- 
ritory embraced  what  now  constitutes  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 

On  January  12,  1800,  a  meeting  of  the  governor  and  judges 
was  held  at  Vincennes.  At  this  session  six  laws  were  passed  and 
three  resolutions  adopted.  The  laws  that  were  in  force  in  the 
territory  of  the  United  States  northwest  of  the  Ohio  before  its 
division  were  regarded  as  in  force  in  the  new  territory. 

The  wide  domain  lying  west  of  the  Mississippi  that  Spain 
had  claimed  and  had  ceded  to  France  Avas  by  that  nation  ceded 
to  the  United  States  in  1803.  That  portion  of  it  lying  south  of 
thirty-three  degrees  north  latitude  was  organized  into  a  territory 
named  the  Territory  of  Orleans  and  the  northern  portion  was 
organized  into  a  territory  named  District  of  Louisiana.  In  1804, 
the  governor  and  judges  of  the  Territory  of  Indiana  were  made 
the  governor  and  judges  of  the  District  of  Louisiana.  The  two 
territories  were  kept  separate,  but  both  were  governed  by  the 
same  governor  and  judges  at  the  same  time. 

The  population  of  Indiana  territory  increased  so  rapidly  that 
it  soon  grew  into  the  condition  that  entitled  it  to  a  government 
of  the  second  grade.  On  August  4,  1804,  Governor  Harrison  by 
proclamation  directed  elections  to  be  held  on  September  11,  to 
give  the  people  an  opportunity  to  express  their  desire  with  refer- 
ence to  the  adoption  of  a  government  of  the  second  grade.  The 
notice  of  the  election  was  not  widely  circulated  and  the  vote  was 
small,  but  there  was  a  majority  of  138  in  favor  of  the  change. 
Thereupon  the  governor,  by  proclamation,  declared  that  the  terri- 


104  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

tory  had  passed  to  a  government  of  the  second  grade  and  called 
an  election  of  nine  representatives  to  be  held  January  3,  1805. 

The  counties  that  had  been  organized  prior  to  that  time  were 
Wayne,  Knox,  Dearborn,  Clark,  Randolph  and  St.  Clair. 

The  representatives  elected  convened  at  Vincennes  February 
1,  1805,  and  made  nominations  for  the  council.  From  those  nomi- 
nated the  President  appointed  the  council  and  a  government  of 
the  second  grade  was  inaugurated. 

William  Henry  Harrison  continued  as  governor  under  the 
new  form  of  government. 

By  an  act  of  congress,  approved  January  11,  1805,  all  of  that 
portion  of  Indiana  territory  lying  north  of  a  line  drawn  east 
from  the  southerly  extreme  of  Lake  Michigan  to  Lake  Erie  and 
east  of  a  line  drawn  from  the  southerly  extreme  of  Lake  Mich- 
igan through  the  middle  of  that  lake  to  its  northern  boundary 
and  to  the  northern  boundary  line  of  the  United  States  was 
formed  into  a  new  territory  by  the  name  of  Michigan.  The  act 
provided  that  the  form  of  government  for  such  territory  should 
be  the  same  as  that  provided  by  the  ordinance  of  1787  for  the 
territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio. 

Under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  the  president  appointed  Wil- 
liam Hull  governor  of  the  new  territory,  Augustus  B.  Woodward, 
chief  justice,  and  Frederick  Bates  and  John  Griffin,  associate 
judges. 

Early  in  1809  an  act  was  passed  by  congress  dividing  Indiana 
territory.  The  act  provided  that  from  and  after  the  first  day  of 
March,  1809,  that  part  of  Indiana  territory  which  lies  west  of  the 
Wabash  river  and  a  direct  line  from  the  Wabash  at  Vincennes 
due  north  to  the  territorial  line  between  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  should  constitute  a  separate  territory  and  be  called  Illi- 
nois. 

By  this  act  of  congress,  the  territory  embraced  within  the 
state  of  Wisconsin  was  separated  from  Indiana  territory  and  be- 
came a  part  of  the  Territory  of  Illinois. 

On  March  7,  1809,  John  Boyle  was  appointed  governor  of  the 
Territory  of  Illinois,  but  declined  to  accept  the  office  and  Ninian 
Edwards  was,  on  April  24,  appointed  governor. 

On  March  7  Nathaniel  Pope  was  appointed  secretary.  On 
the  same  day  the  following  judges  were  appointed :  Obadiah 
Jones.  Alexander  Stuart  and  Jesse  B.  Thomas.    The  governor  did 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  105 

not  arrive  in  the  territory  until  June  11.  Nathaniel  Pope,  as  act- 
ing governor,  organized  the  territory  on  April  28,  1809. 

The  government  of  the  Territory  of  Illinois  was  of  the  first 
grade  until  May  1,  1812,  when  a  territorial  government  of  the 
second  grade  was  formed  and  the  necessary  representatives  to 
constitute  the  general  assembly  were  elected. 

Ninian  Edwards  was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Maryland, 
March  17,  1775.  He  was,  for  a  time,  a  pupil  of  William  Wirt. 
He  completed  his  educational  course  at  Dickinson  college,  Penn- 
sylvania. After  leaving  college  he  pursued  the  study  of  law. 
Before  completing  his  legal  studies  he  removed  to  Nelson  county, 
in  the  state  of  Kentucky.  In  1803  he  was  appointed  a  judge  of 
the  county  in  which  he  resided.  In  1806  he  was  promoted  to  the 
bench  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  and,  two  years  later,  he  received 
the  appointment  of  chief  justice  of  the  state.  After  the  passage 
of  the  act  organizing  the  Territory  of  Illinois,  President  Madison 
appointed  Judge  Edwards  governor  of  the  new  territory.  On 
June  11,  Governor  Edwards  took  the  oath  of  office  and  began 
the  administration  of  the  territorial  government.  He  held  the 
office  of  governor  until  the  admission  of  the  state  of  Illinois  in 
1818,  when  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  new  state  in  the  sen- 
ate of  the  United  States.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  was 
reelected.  In  1826  he  was  again  elected  governor  of  the  state. 
He  died  at  his  home  in  Belleville,  July  20,  1833.  During  the  whole 
period  that  Edwards  was  governor  of  the  Territory  of  Illinois, 
Wisconsin  was  a  portion  of  that  territory. 

Nathaniel  Pope  held  the  office  of  secretary  of  the  territory 
until  December  17,  1816,  when  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the 
congress  of  the  United  States.  He  continued  a  delegate  until 
1818. 

John  Phillips  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  territory  De- 
cember 17,  1816,  and  held  the  office  until  October  6,  1818. 

During  the  years  from  1806  to  1812  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain  were  in  constant  and  serious  antagonism  growing 
out  of  the  Berlin  and  Milan  decrees  of  Napoleon,  the  Orders  in 
Council  of  Great  Britain  and  her  claim  of  the  right  of  search 
and  impressment  and  the  embargo  and  non-intercourse  acts  of 
the  United  States.  The  treatment  of  the  United  States  by  Great 
Britain  became  so  offensive  and  exasperating  that  on  June  18, 
1812,  congress  adopted  the  following  declaration  : 


106  HISTOUY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

"Be  it  enacted  by  the  senate  and  house  of  representatives  of 
the  United  States  of  America  in  congress  assembled,  that  WAR 
be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  declared  to  exist  between  the  United 
Kingdoms  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  and  the  dependencies 
thereof  and  the  United  States  of  America  and  their  territories." 

This  declaration  was  promulgated  by  President  Madison  by 
proclamation,  June  19,  1812. 

Early  in  1812,  the  people  on  the  western  frontier  became 
alarmed  at  the  threatening  attitude  of  the  British  in  Canada 
and  their  Indian  allies,  and  urgently  called  upon  the  govern- 
ment for  protection.  Three  regiments  of  militia  and  a  troop  of 
horse  were  raised  in  Ohio  to  be  sent  to  Detroit.  A  regiment  of 
United  States  troops  joined  this  force.  General  Hull,  who  was 
then  in  AVashington,  was  given  the  command  of  these  troops  and 
joined  them  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  May  25,  1812.  Much  valuable  time 
was  lost  in  procuring  the  necessary  supplies  for  them,  and  when 
the  march  commenced,  it  was  necessarily  slow.  General  Hull 
did  not  reach  Detroit  until  July  5th. 

On  August  16th,  General  Brock,  then  in  command  of  the 
British  forces,  crossed  the  river  into  Michigan  and  sent  to  Gen- 
eral Hull  a  demand  for  the  surrender  of  Detroit.  The  demand 
was  refused,  and  General  Brock  opened  his  batteries  on  the  town 
and  fort.  The  fire  was  returned  by  General  Hull  and  continued 
without  interruption  until  dark,  and  was  resumed  by  both 
armies  on  the  following  morning,  when  General  Brock  landed  a 
body  of  troops  from  his  vessels  in  the  river  below  Detroit  and 
formed  th(-m  to  assault  the  fort.  General  Hull  then  caused  a 
white  flag  to  be  displayed  on  the  walls  of  the  fort.  Terms  of 
capitulation  were  agreed  upon  and  the  fort  surrendered  to  Gen- 
eral Brock.  The  reasons  given  by  General  Hull  for  his  sur- 
render were  that  his  supplies  were  not  sufficient  to  stand  a  siege ; 
that  no  relief  could  reach  him;  that  a  large  body  of  Indians 
accompanied  General  Brock,  and  that  if  his  troops  were  defeated, 
there  was  great  danger  of  a  massacre  of  the  women  and  children 
of  the  town  by  the  Indians.  The  officers  under  General  Hull 
believed  that  they  were  able  to  successfully  resist  the  attack 
of  General  Brock,  and  were  greatly  chagrined  and  humiliated 
by  what  they  regarded  as  a  cowardly  surrender.  "When  the  facts 
in  relation  to  the  surrender  became  known,  a  wave  of  indigna- 
tion swept  over  ihe  whole  country.    General  Hull  was  tried  by  a 


HISTOEIC  EVOLUTION  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  107 

court  martial  on  a  charge  of  cowardice,  found  guilty  and  sen- 
tenced to  death.  He  was  reprieved  by  President  Madison  and 
the  sentence  was  never  executed. 

William  Hull  was  born  in  Derby,  Conn.,  in  1753.  Prior  to  the 
commencement  of  the  Revolution  he  had  qualified  himself  for 
the  practice  of  the  law.  When  the  war  of  the  Revolution  began, 
he  at  once  abandoned  his  profession,  raised  a  company  of  volun- 
teers and  joined  "Washington  at  Cambridge.  He  marched  with 
the  army  to  New  York  and  with  his  company  was  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Long  Island.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  White 
Plains.  He  was  with  Washington  at  the  crossing  of  the  Delaware 
and  in  the  battle  of  Trenton  and  at  Princeton.  He  was  also  at 
Valley  Forge  and  fought  at  Monmouth.  Congress  recognized  his 
gallantry  by  a  vote  of  thanks  and  Massachusetts  made  him  a 
major  general  of  militia.  His  splendid  record  as  a  soldier  justi- 
fied his  appointment  by  President  Jefferson  as  governor  of  the 
Territory  of  Michigan  when  it  w^as  organized  in  1805.  W^hen 
the  war  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  began  in 
1812,  Governor  Hull  was  given  the  command  of  the  northwestern 
army,  with  headquarters  at  Detroit,  the  capital  of  the  Territory 
of  Michigan. 

In  August  of  that  year  he  surrendered  his  army  to  the  Brit- 
ish General  Brock.     He  died  in  1825. 

The  surrender  of  Detroit  by  General  Hull,  left  the 
country  west  of  Lake  Michigan  unprotected  from  incur- 
sions by  the  British  from  Canada,  and  the  Indians  under  their 
control.  They  did  not,  however,  avail  themselves  of  the  oppor- 
tunity given  them  of  occupying  that  country  until  in  1814,  when 
they  planned  an  attack  upon  the  fort  at  Prairie  du  Chien.  In 
that  year  General  William  Clark,  a  younger  brother  of  General 
George  Rogers  Clark,  was  the  governor  of  the  Territory  of  Mis- 
souri. Learning  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  British  to  send 
a  force  from  Mackinac  to  capture  and  hold  the  post  at  Prairie 
du  Chien,  then  called  Fort  Shelby,  he  sent  by  boats,  from  St. 
Louis,  a  company  of  regulars  and  a  company  of  volunteers  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Joseph  Perkins  to  occupy  and  hold  the 
post.  The  British  force,  consisting  of  about  500  white  and  120 
Indians,  left  Mackinac  on  June  28.  1814,  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenant  Colonel  W.  McKay.  It  reached  Prairie  du  Chien  on 
July  17.     Colonel  McKay  immediately  made  a  demand  on  Cap- 


108  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

tain  Perkins  for  a  surrender  of  the  fort.  Captain  Perkins  re- 
fused to  comply  with  this  demand.  The  boats  that  brought  up 
the  force  of  Captain  Perkins  remained  at  Prairie  du  Chien 
manned  by  a  portion  of  the  troops  that  came  from  St.  Louis. 
Colonel  McKay  brought  with  him  a  small  field-piece.  Upon  the 
refusal  of  Captain  Perkins  to  surrender  Colonel  McKay  began 
an  attack  on  the  fort.  With  his  field-piece  he  drove  away  the 
boats  and  prevented  them  from  aiding  in  the  defense  of  the  fort. 
The  firing  continued  through  the  17th  and  18th.  On  the  19th, 
the  supplies  of  the  fort  having  been  exhausted,  Captain  Perkins 
proposed  to  surrender  the  fort  upon  the  conditions  that  the  gar- 
rison be  permitted  to  march  out  with  the  honors  of  war  and  be 
protected  from  illtreatment  by  the  Indians.  These  terms  were 
accepted  and  on  July  20,  1814,  the  fort  was  surrendered  to  Col- 
onel McKay. 

A  treaty  of  peace  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States  was  signed  at  Ghent,  Netherlands,  December  24,  1814,  ter- 
minating the  war  of  1812.  Information  of  this  treaty  did  not 
reach  Fort  McKay  until  the  latter  part  of  May,  1815.  Upon  be- 
ing advised  of  this  treaty  the  British  force  was  promptly  with- 
drawn without  awaiting  the  arrival  of  an  officer  of  the  United 
States  to  receive  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  and  the  British  occu- 
pation of  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  permanently  ceased. 

On  April  18,  1818,  congress  passed  an  act  authorizing  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Territory  of  Illinois  to  form  a  constitution  and 
adopt  a  state  government.  It  was  introduced  by  Nathaniel  Pope, 
the  delegate  in  congress  from  the  territory  of  Illinois,  which  then 
embraced  the  whole  of  AVisconsin.  Pope  was  a  resident  of  that 
portion  of  Illinois  out  of  which  the  new  state  was  to  be  formed. 

AVhen  the  act  was  introduced  it  provided  that  the  north  line 
of  the  new  state  should  be  a  line  drawn  east  and  west  through 
the  southern  extreme  of  Lake  Michigan  as  fixed  by  the  ordinance 
of  1787.  While  the  act  was  pending  in  congress  and  only  fifteen 
days  prior  to  its  passage,  Pope,  disregarding  his  duty  to  the  in- 
habitants of  the  northern  portion  of  the  territory  represented  by 
him,  procured  the  act  to  be  amended  by  making  the  north  line 
coincide  with  latitude  42  degrees  and  30  minutes  north,  thus 
cutting  off  from  the  southerly  side  of  the  proposed  new  Territory 
of  Wisconsin  a  strip  about  sixty-one  miles  in  width  and  contain- 
ing about  8,500  square  miles,  or  5,440,000  acres. 


HlS'rOKlC  INVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  109 

The  amendment  of  the  act  of  congress  changing  the  north  line 
was  introduced  on  April  3,  and  the  act  was  approved  on  April 
18.  It  is  almost  certain  that  "the  original  states  and  the  people 
and  the  states  in  said  territory"  were  not  consulted  in  relation 
to,  nor  even  advised  of,  the  proposed  violation  of  the  compact  in 
the  ordinance  of  1787. 

If  the  bill  introduced  by  Pope  had  not  been  amended  and 
the  compact  in  the  ordinance  disregarded,  the  south  boundary 
line  of  Wisconsin  would  have  been  south  of  Chicago,  where  the 
ordinance  placed  it. 

The  reasons  presented  for  changing  the  location  of  the  north 
line  of  the  state  of  Illinois  a  short  distance  was  not  wholly  with- 
out force.  If  the  line  remained  as  fixed  by  the  ordinance  of 
1787,  Illinois  would  have  small  room,  if  any,  for  a  lake  port,  while 
Wisconsin  would  have  abundant  coast  line.  The  mouth  of  the 
Chicago  river  was  an  important  element  in  building  and  de- 
veloping a  commercial  center  for  the  state.  A  strong  feeling 
had  been  developed  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state  in  favor 
of  the  introduction  of  slavery  into  the  state.  The  inhabitants 
in  that  portion  of  the  Territory  of  Illinois  lying  north  of  a  line 
drawn  east  and  west  through  the  southerly  extreme  of  Lake 
Michigan  were  largely  from  the  eastern  and  northern  states  and 
were  strongly  opposed  to  slavery.  The  larger  the  portion  of 
northern  territory  that  could  be  incorporated  into  the  state,  the 
stronger  would  be  the  opposition  to  slavery.  It  was  also  urged 
that  the  commercial  relations  of  the  state  of  Illinois  were 
geographically  with  the  northern  states ;  that  such  relations 
could  only  be  maintained  by  giving  to  Illinois  an  important  lake 
port ;  that  if  it  could  not  have  such  a  port  on  the  lake,  its  commer- 
cial interests  would  be  developed  along  the  Mississippi  and  be 
drawn  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  that  it  was,  therefore,  desir- 
able that  the  citizens  of  Illinois  should  become  identified  with 
the  northern  and  eastern  states. 

These  reasons  were  not  sufficient  to  justify  the  cutting  off 
from  Wisconsin  of  so  large  a  section  of  country.  A  much  smaller 
tract  would  have  given  the  state  all  that  was  necessary  to  pre- 
serve its  commercial  importance.  To  take  so  large  a  portion  of 
the  domain  of  the  new  territory  was  a  very  great  breach  of  the 
compact  in  the  ordinance  of  1787,  and  of  good  faith  on  the  part 


110  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

of  the  delegate,  whose  duty  it  was  to  protect  the  interests  of  the 
future  Territory  of  Wisconsin. 

In  pursuance  of  the  act  of  1818,  above  mentioned,  a  conven- 
tion was  held  at  Kaskaskia,  the  capital  of  the  territory,  in  the 
summer  of  1818,  to  form  a  constitution. 

This  convention  completed  its  work  and  on  August  26,  1818, 
adopted  an  ordinance  accepting  the  enabling  act  of  congress.  The 
convention,  by  the  constitution  prepared  by  it,  ratified  the  boun- 
daries contained  in  the  enabling  act.  The  constitution  was  pre- 
sented to  congress,  and  on  December  3,  1818,  that  body  adopted 
a  resolution  admitting  Illinois  into  the  ITnion  and  declaring  it 
to  be  one  of  the  United  States. 

By  the  admission  of  the  state  of  Illinois  into  the  Union,  that 
portion  of  the  former  Territory  of  Illinois  north  of  the  north  line 
of  the  new  state  was  annexed  to  and  became  a  part  of  Michigan 
territory. 

At  the  time  that  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the  state  of 
AVisconsin  was  attached  to  Michigan  territory,  General  Lewis 
Cass  was  the  governor  of  that  territory. 

On  October  26,  1818,  and  after  the  constitution  of  Illinois  had 
been  formed,  but  before  congress  had  declared  Illinois  a  state, 
Governor  Cass  by  proclamation  divided  the  territory  west  of 
Lake  Michigan  and  east  of  the  Mississippi  river  into  the  counties 
of  Michilimackinac,  Brown  and  Crawford. 

Michilimackinac  county  embraced  the  section  of  country  lying 
along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Superior. 

Brown  county  embraced  that  portion  of  the  territory  lying 
south  of  Michilimackinac  county  west  of  Lake  Michigan  and  east 
of  a  line  drawn  north  and  south  through  the  center  of  the  port- 
age between  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers,  and  Crawford  county 
embraced  that  portion  lying  between  Brown  county  and  the  Mis- 
sissippi river. 

The  county  seat  of  Brown  county  was  fixed  at  such  point  on 
the  Fox  river,  within  six  miles  from  the  mouth  thereof,  as  might 
be  selected  "by  a  majority  of  the  judges  of  the  county  court  of 
said  county."  The  territory  forming  Rock  county  was  then  a 
portion  of  Brown  county. 

By  an  act  of  congress,  approved  March  3,  1823,  the  electors  of 
the  Territory  of  Michigan  were  authorized  to  choose,  by  ballot, 
at  the  next  election  of  the  delegate  for  that  territory,  eighteen 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  KOCK  COUNTY  111 

persons  whose  names  should  be  transmitted,  by  the  governor  of 
the  territory,  to  the  president,  who  was  authorized  to  nominate, 
and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  senate,  appoint  nine  of 
such  persons  a  legislative  council  for  said  territory,  and  who, 
when  appointed,  should  hold  their  first  meeting  at  such  time  and 
place  as  should  be  designated  by  the  governor  of  said  territory. 
Eighteen  persons  were  selected  as  required  and  their  names 
transmitted  to  the  president,  who  appointed  nine  of  them,  with 
the  approval  of  the  senate,  as  such  council. 

By  an  act  of  congress,  approved  February  5,  1825,  the  legisla- 
tive council  was  increased  to  thirteen  members  and  by  another 
act,  approved  January  29,  1827,  the  electors  of  the  territory  were 
authorized  to  elect  the  members  of  the  council,  without  submit- 
ting names  to  the  president  for  appointment. 

At  the  time  of  the  pasasge  of  the  acts  above  mentioned,  the 
territory  that  now  forms  the  state  of  Wisconsin  was  a  portion 
of  Michigan  territory.  By  these  acts,  the  government  of  the 
territory  passed  to  the  second  grade. 

In  1832  occurred  an  Indian  episode  that  has  been  dignified 
by  calling  it  "The  Black  Hawk  War."  Prior  to  1831  the  chief 
village  of  the  Sauk  Indians  was  located  between  the  Rock  and 
Mississippi  rivers  near  their  junction.  There,  for  many  years, 
had  been  their  home  and  there  their  ancestors  were  buried.  Of 
this  tribe,  Black  Hawk  was  the  chief.  The  surrounding  country 
was  beautiful  and  productive  and  the  white  settlers  who  came 
into  that  portion  of  Illinois  desired  to  occupy  it.  November  3, 
1804,  a  treaty  was  made  between  the  United  States  and  the  Sauks 
and  Foxes,  by  which  these  tribes  ceded  this  territory  to  the 
United  States.  This  treaty  was  confirmed  by  a  treaty  made  in 
1816.  Black  Hawk  claimed  that  his  people  were  not  parties  to 
these  treaties  and  were  not  bound  by  them.  In  1831,  difficulties 
arose  between  the  settlers  and  the  Indians  in  relation  to  the  occu- 
pation of  these  lands.  The  governor  of  Illinois  sent  a  force  of 
militia  on  to  the  ground.  Black  Hawk  removed  his  people  across 
the  Mississippi  and  while  there  signed  a  treaty,  agreeing  to  re- 
main west  of  the  river,  but,  on  April  6,  1832,  in  violation  of  this 
treaty,  recrossed  the  Mississippi,  with  all  of  his  tribe,  at  a  point 
below  the  mouth  of  Rock  river,  and  insisted  that  the  settlers 
should  remove  from  the  lands  formerly  occupied  by  his  people. 
The  settlers  were  much  disturbed  by  his  demands.     General  At- 


112  HISTOKY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

kinson  was  at  Fort  Armstrong  on  Rock  Island,  with  a  small  force, 
and  at  his  request  Governor  Reynolds  of  Illinois  issued  a  call  for 
volunteers.  The  militia  who  responded  to  the  call  were  placed 
under  the  command  of  Brigadier  General  Samuel  Whiteside. 
General  Atkinson  also  came  with  his  force.  On  the  arrival  of 
these  forces  Black  Hawk  fled  up  the  east  bank  of  Rock  river.  It 
was  arranged  that  General  Whiteside  should  pursue  Black  Hawk 
up  the  east  bank  of  the  river  to  Prophet 's  Town  and  there  await 
the  arrival  of  General  Atkinson,  who  was  to  proceed  up  the  river 
in  boats.  On  May  9,  General  Whiteside  marched  as  arranged, 
and  on  the  12th  reached  Prophet's  Town  on  the  left  bank  of 
Rock  river,  in  Whiteside  county,  in  advance  of  General  Atkin- 
son. Here  he  found  j\Iajors  Isaiah  Stillman  and  David  Bailey 
with  a  force  of  341  mounted  militia.  It  was  the  intention  of  Gen- 
eral Whiteside  to  March  to  Dixon's  and  there  await  the  arrival 
of  General  Atkinson.  The  force  under  Stillman  desired,  however, 
to  follow  Black  Hawk  without  further  delay.  On  May  12  they 
began  their  march  along  the  east  bank  of  the  Rock  and  on  the 
14th  reached  a  creek,  then  known  as  Sycamore  creek,  but  since 
appropriately  called  Stillman 's  run,  where  they  established  a 
camp.  This  was  about  eight  miles  from  the  camp  of  Black  Hawk. 
Three  of  Black  Hawk's  band  came  into  Stillman 's  camp  with  a 
white  flag  and  were  taken  prisoners.  Other  Indians  were  seen 
near  the  camp.  Stillman 's  men,  without  orders,  pursued  them 
and  they  fled  to  Black  Hawk's  camp.  He  had  only  a  small  force 
with  him,  but  when  he  saw  his  men  pursued  by  the  whites,  he 
formed  an  ambuscade  in  the  timber  and  when  Stillman 's  men 
came  up  attacked  them  Avith  so  much  vigor  that  they  turned  and 
fled.  In  this  skirmish  Stillman  lost  eleven  of  his  men.  Black 
Hawk  afterwards  claimed  that  the  three  Indians  who  entered 
Stillman 's  camp  were  sent  by  him  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  request 
a  meeting  with  General  Atkinson  to  arrange  for  a  removal  of  his 
tribe  across  the  Mississippi,  and  that  the  five  Indians  that  were 
seen  and  pursued  by  Stillman 's  men  were  sent  by  him  to  see  what 
might  take  place.  After  this  skirmish,  Black  Hawk  retreated 
north,  along  the  east  bank  of  Rock  river.  On  June  27,  General 
Atkinson  left  Dixon's  in  pursuit  of  Black  Hawk.  On  July  1  he 
crossed  the  line  between  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  at  a  point  near 
the  east  line  of  the  city  of  Beloit,  and  marched  to  Storr's  lake 
in  the  town  of  Milton.    On  Juh'^  2,  General  Atkinson  marched  to 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  113 

Otter  creek  and  on  the  2d  and  3d  he  was  scouting  in  the  vicinity 
of  Lake  Koskonong  to  ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  Black  Hawk. 
General  Atkinson  did  not  overtake  the  retreating  Indians  until 
July  21,  when  he  came  up  with  them  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bad 
Axe,  where  the  Indians  were  scattered  and  Black  Hawk  cap- 
tured . 

When  Black  Hawk  crossed  the  Mississippi  below  Rock  Island 
in  the  spring  of  1832,  he  had  the  old  men,  women  and  children 
of  the  tribe  with  him.  His  purpose  was  to  reoccupy  the  former 
home  of  the  tribe.  Where  the  old  men,  the  women  and  the  chil- 
dren of  the  tribe  remained  from  the  time  they  crossed  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  the  time  they  fled  to  escape  from  General  Atkinson, 
in  July,  does  not  fully  appear.  When  the  first  settlers  located 
in  Rock  county  the  remains  of  an  Indian  camp  or  village  were 
found  in  abundance  in  what  is  now  the  southeastern  part  of  the 
city  of  Janesville.  The  grove  in  that  locality  has  been  known, 
since  the  settlement  of  the  county,  as  Black  Hawk's  grove.  It  is 
more  than  probable  that  this  grove  was  the  dwelling  place  of 
Black  Hawk's  people  from  the  early  spring  of  1832  until  the 
retreat  of  Black  Hawk  in  July  of  that  year. 

Among  the  officers  and  soldiers  connected  with  the  Black 
Hawk  war  were  many  who  afterwards  became  distinguished  in 
military,  political  and  civil  life,  most  of  whom  were  with  General 
Atkinson  on  his  march  through  Rock  county.  Among  these  were 
Colonel  Zachary  Taylor,  who  became  president  of  the  United 
States ;  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  also  became  president  of  the 
United  States ;  Robert  Anderson,  who  was  in  command  at  Fort 
Sumpter  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  of  secession ;  Jefferson 
Davis,  who  became  president  of  the  Confederate  states;  Albert 
Sidney  Johnson,  who  became  a  general  in  the  Confederate  army 
and  was  its  commander  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  where  he  was 
killed ;  General  Henry  Dodge,  who  was  twice  appointed  governor 
of  Wisconsin  territory,  twice  elected  delegate  to  congress  and 
also  twice  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States ;  General 
W.  S.  Harney,  who  was  prominent  in  the  Florida  war  and  in  the 
Mexican  war  and  was  appointed  military  commandant  of  Oregon 
territory ;  Colonel  William  S.  Hamilton,  son  of  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton;  Colonel  Nathan  Boone,  son  of  Daniel  Boone  of  Kentucky; 
Major  Sidney  Breeze,  later  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of 
Illinois ;  Captain  Charles  Dunn,  who  became  a  member  of  the 


lU  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

supreme  court  of  AVisconsin ;  John  Reynolds,  afterward  governor 
of  Illinois ;  0.  H.  Browning,  who  represented  Illinois  in  the  United 
States  senate;  General  John  J.  Hardin,  who  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Buena  Vista  in  the  Mexican  war ;  E.  D.  Baker,  who  was 
a  colonel  in  the  Mexican  war  and  a  member  of  the  United  States 
senate  from  Oregon  and  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Balls 
Bluff  in  the  Civil  War. 

While  the  army  of  General  Atkinson  was  in  camp  on  Bark 
river  at  the-  mouth  of  Whitewater  creek,  the  term  of  enlistment 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  expired  and  he,  with  others,  was  then  mus- 
tered out  of  service  and  returned  home. 

The  territory  embraced  in  the  states  of  Iowa  and  Minnesota 
was,  on  June  28.  1834,  for  the  purpose  of  temporary  government, 
attached  to  and  made  a  part  of  the  territory  of  Michigan. 

On  September  6,  1834,  the  legislative  council  of  that  territory 
created  Milwaukee  county  out  of  the  southern  portion  of  Brown 
county.  The  village  of  Milwaukee  was  made  a  county  seat.  The 
county  embraced  what  is  now  the  counties  of  Racine,  Kenosha, 
Walworth,  Rock,  Jefferson,  and  portions  of  Green,  Dane,  Colum- 
bia and  Dodge. 

In  1834  a  census  was  taken  in  that  portion  of  the  Territory 
of  Michigan  lying  east  of  Lake  Michigan  and  it  was  found  that 
the  population  was  more  than  was  required  to  entitle  it  to  ad- 
mission as  a  state. 

In  April,  1835,  an  election  was  held  to  select  delegates  to  a 
convention  called  by  the  legislative  council  to  prepare  a  state 
constitution.  This  convention  met  at  Detroit,  May  11,  1835,  and 
completed  its  labors  June  29. 

The  constitution  prepared  by  this  convention  was  submitted 
to  the  electors  and  ratified  November  2,  1835.  It  was  presented 
to  congress  by  the  president  December  9  of  that  year. 

Prior  to  1834,  a  controversy  arose  between  the  state  of  Ohio 
and  the  territory  of  Michigan  in  relation  to  the  boundary  line 
between  them,  the  adjustment  of  which  resulted  in  a  serious 
encroachment  upon  the  rights  of  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin. 

When  the  state  of  Ohio  was  admitted  into  the  Union,  its  north 
boundary  was  a  line  drawn  east  and  west  through  the  southern 
extreme  of  Lake  Michigan,  as  established  by  the  ordinance  of 
1787.  When  the  line  was  finally  located,  it  was  found  to  be  some 
miles  south  of  what  was  believed  to  be  the  line  when  the  state 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  115 

was  admitted.  It  was  thereupon  claimed  on  the  part  of  Ohio 
that  an  error  had  been  made  in  describing  the  north  line  of  the 
state  in  the  constitution  and  an  application  was  made  to  congress 
by  Ohio  to  correct  the  error.  The  Territory  of  Michigan  was  in 
the  actual  possession  of  the  disputed  land  and  resisted  this  appli- 
cation. No  action  was  taken  in  relation  to  the  matter  by  congress 
at  that  time. 

In  1834,  the  controversy  reached  an  acute  stage.  Ohio  at- 
tempted to  take  possession  of  the  lands  involved  in  the  dispute, 
and  the  governor  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan  ordered  out  a 
force  of  militia  to  protect  the  possession  of  the  territory. 

The  proposed  constitution  of  the  state  of  Michigan  was  pre- 
pared and  adopted  by  the  constitutional  convention  while  the  ex- 
citement in  relation  to  the  boundary  question  existed. 

By  the  constitution  proposed  for  the  state  of  Michigan,  it 
was  intended  that  the  south  boundary  line  of  the  state  should  be 
the  line  mentioned  in  the  ordinance  of  1787,  drawn  east  and 
west  through  the  southerly  extreme  of  Lake  Michigan. 

Congress  delayed  action  upon  the  constitution  presented  to 
it  and,  on  June  15,  1836,  passed  an  act  entitled,  "An  act  to  estab- 
lish the  northern  boundary  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  to  provide 
for  the  admission  of  the  state  of  Michigan  into  the  Union  upon 
the  conditions  therein  expressed." 

By  the  first  section  of  this  act  the  northern  boundary  line  of 
Ohio  was  moved  north  and  established  as  desired  by  Ohio. 

By  the  second  section  the  southerly  line  of  the  Territory  of 
Michigan  was  made  coincident  with  the  northerly  line  of  Indiana 
and  of  Ohio  as  fixed  by  the  first  section,  thus  cutting  off  from 
the  south  side  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan  a  large  tract  of 
country. 

In  the  same  act,  as  compensation  for  the  portion  of  the  Terri- 
tory of  Michigan  taken  from  it,  congress  admitted  Michigan  as  a 
state  and  gave  to  it  all  of  that  portion  of  the  territory  belonging 
to  Wisconsin  under  the  ordinance  of  1787,  lying  north  of  the 
Menomonee  and  Montreal  rivers  and  a  line  drawn  between  the 
head  waters  of  those  rivers,  a  territory  containing  about  thirteen 
thousand  square  miles  and  over  eight  million  acres  of  land,  so 
that  Michigan  received  in  exchange  for  the  few  square  miles  of 
territory  claimed  by  Ohio  a  large  and  valuable  tract  of  country 


116  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

that,  by  the  ordinance  of  1787  and  geographically,  belonged  to 
"Wisconsin. 

On  April  20,  1836,  and  prior  to  the  admission  of  Michigan  as 
a  state,  congress  passed  an  act  creating  the  territory  of  Wiscon- 
sin. 

The  new  territory  was  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  westerly 
boundary  of  Michigan ;  on  the  south  by  the  northerly  boundary 
of  Illinois:  on  the  west  by  the  Missouri  and  ^Vhite  Earth  rivers 
and  on  the  north  by  the  line  between  Canada  and  the  United 
States  and  the  territory  west  of  Lake  Michigan,  now  a  portion 
of  the  state  of  Michigan. 

The  form  of  government  provided  for  the  Territory  of  Wis- 
consin was  practically  that  of  the  second  grade.  The  legislative 
power  was  vested  in  a  governor  and  a  legislative  assembly,  con- 
sisting of  a  council  of  thirteen  members  and  a  house  of  repre- 
sentatives of  twenty-six  members. 

Michigan  was  admitted  as  a  state  by  an  act  of  congress,  ap- 
proved January  26,  1837. 

At  the  time  that  the  territory,  now  the  state  of  Wisconsin, 
became  a  portion  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan,  Lewis  Cass  was 
governor  of  that  territory,  having  been  appointed  to  that  office 
by  President  Madison,  October  29,  1813.  He  continued  to  hold 
the  office  of  governor  until  1831,  when  he  was  appointed  secretary 
of  war  by  President  Jackson.  He  was  the  son  of  Jonathan  and 
Mary  Gilman  Cass  and  the  grandson  of  Joseph  Cass,  of  Exeter, 
N.  H.  When  the  war  of  the  Revolution  began,  Jonathan  Cass 
entered  the  colonial  army  and  was  engaged  in  the  battles  of  Bun- 
ker Hill,  Princeton,  Trenton  and  Monmouth,  and  was  promoted 
to  a  captaincy  and  afterwards  commissioned  as  major. 

Lewis  Cass  was  born  at  Exeter,  N.  H.,  October  9,  1782.  He 
received  an  academic  education  and  spent  a  few  months  teaching 
in  an  academy  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  and  then  removed  to  Mar- 
ietta, in  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio.  Here  he  pursued 
the  study  of  law  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1802,  receiving 
the  first  certificate  issued  under  the  new  constitution  of  the  state 
of  Ohio.  He  was  elected  prosecuting  attorney  in  Muskingum 
county  in  1804  and  to  the  legislature  in  1806.  When  the  war  of 
1812  with  Great  Britain  began,  Ohio  raised  1,200  volunteers,  who 
were  divided  into  three  regiments.  Cass  was  commissioned  col- 
onel  of  the   third  regiment.     He   was   ordered   to   Detroit   and 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  117 

reached  there  with  his  regiment  on  July  5,  1812.     General  Wil- 
liam Hull  was  then  in  command  at  that  post. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  General  Hull  surrendered  his  array 
and  the  fort  at  Detroit  to  General  Brock,  the  commander  of  the 
British  forces  in  Canada.  The  surrender  included  Cass  and  his 
regiment.  So  indignant  and  exasperated  was  Cass  at  the  cow- 
ardly surrender  by  General  Hull  that  he  broke  his  sword  rather 
than  ingloriously  surrender  it  to  the  enemy. 

He  was  promoted  and  commissioned  as  major  general.  On 
being  paroled  he  again  entered  into  active  service  under  General 
Harrison,  and  served  as  his  aid-de-camp  in  the  battle  of  the 
Thames,  where  Tecumseh  was  killed. 

In  June,  1836,  he  was  appointed  minister  to  France.  He  was 
elected  a  United  States  senator  February  4,  1845,  and  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  democratic  party  for  president  of  the  United  States 
at  the  convention  of  that  party  in  May,  1848,  and  was  defeated 
by  General  Zachary  Taylor.  He  was  appointed  secretary  of  state 
by  President  Buchanan.  March  4,  1857,  but  resigned  in  December, 
I860,  and  died  June  17,  1866,  in  the  eighty-fourth  year  of  his 
age.  He  was  governor  of  Michigan  territory  seventeen  years  and 
eight  months. 

After  the  passage  of  the  act  of  congress  creating  the  Territory 
of  Wisconsin,  and  on  April  30,  1836,  President  Jackson  appointed 
General  Henry  Dodge,  of  Dodgeville,  Wis.,  governor  of  the  new 
territory ;  John  S.  Horner,  of  Virginia,  secretary ;  Charles  Dunn, 
of  Illinois,  chief  justice ;  David  Irwin,  of  Virginia,  and  William 
C.  Frazer,  of  Pennsylvania,  associate  judges. 

On  July  4,  1836,  at  Mineral  Point  in  the  new  territory,  the 
governor,  secretary  and  judges  took  the  oath  of  office  and  en- 
tered upon  the  discharge  of  their  duties. 

Prior  to  September  9,  1836,  Governor  Dodge  had  caused  a 
census  of  the  territory  to  be  taken.  By  this  census  it  appeared 
that  the  population  of  that  portion  of  the  territory  east  of  the 
Mississippi  river  was  as  follows  in 

Brown  county   2,706 

Crawford  county 850 

Iowa  county 5,234 

Mihvaukee  county   2,893 

Making  a  total  population  of 11,683 


118  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

On  September  9,  Governor  Dodge  issued  a  proclamation  ap- 
portioning the  members  of  the  council  and  house  of  representa- 
tives among  the  counties  that  had  been  organized  in  the  territory, 
directing  that  an  election  of  members  of  the  council  and  house 
of  representatives  be  held  in  the  different  counties  on  the  second 
Monday  of  October,  1836,  and  requiring  the  members  elected  to 
convene  at  Belmont  in  the  county  of  Iowa  on  October  25,  next 
ensuing,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  the  first  session  of  the 
legislative  assembly  of  the  territory. 

The  territory  now  embraced  in  Rock  county  was  then  a  por- 
tion of  Milwaukee  county,  and  the  proclamation  of  Governor 
Dodge  apportioned  to  Milwaukee  county  two  members  of  the 
council  and  three  members  of  the  house  of  representatives.  The 
members  of  the  council  elected  were  Gilbert  Knapp  and  Alanson 
Sweet.  The  members  of  the  house  of  representatives  were  Wil- 
liam B.  Sheldon,  Madison  W.  Cornwall  and  Charles  Durkee. 

On  October  25,  1836,  Governor  Dodge,  by  proclamations,  de- 
clared duly  elected  members  of  the  council  and  of  the  house  of 
representatives,  the  persons  for  whom  a  majority  of  votes  had 
been  cast  at  such  election,  and  on  the  same  day  the  first  legisla- 
tive assembly  of  Wisconsin  convened  at  Belmont,  in  what  was 
then  the  county  of  Iowa,  but  now  the  county  of  LaFayette,  and 
organized  by  the  election  of  Henry  S.  Baird  as  president  of  the 
council,  and  Peter  H.  Engle  as  speaker  of  the  house  of  represen- 
tatives. 

By  act  No.  2  of  this  session,  approved  November  15,  1836,  the 
territory  was  divided  into  three  judicial  districts.  The  counties 
of  Crawford  and  Iowa  constituted  the  first  district,  the  counties 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  the  second  district,  and  the  counties  of 
Brown  and  Milwaukee  the  third  district.  Chief  Justice  Charles 
Dunn  was  assigned  to  the  first  district.  Associate  Judge  David 
Irwin  to  the  second  district,  and  Associate  Judge  William  C. 
Frazer  to  the  third  district. 

By  act  No.  11,  approved  December  3,  ]836,  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment of  the  territory  was  located  "at  the  town  of  Madison,  be- 
tween the  third  and  fourth  of  the  four  lakes,  on  the  corner  of 
sections  13,  14,  23  and  24  in  township  7  north,  or  range  9  east." 

By  act  No.  28.  approved  December  7,  1836,  townships  1,  2,  3 
and  4  north,  of  ranges  11,  12,  13  and  14  east,  were  constituted  a 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  KOCK  COUATY  119 

separate  county  by  the  name  of  Rock,  ''and  attached  to  Racine 
county  for  judicial  purposes." 

By  act  No.  39,  approved  December  8,  1836,  the  existing  laws 
of  Michigan,  with  slight  changes,  were  declared  to  be  in  force  in 
the  new  Territory  of  Wisconsin. 

The  second  session  of  the  legislative  assembly  convened  at 
Burlington,  now  in  the  state  of  Iowa,  on  November  6,  1837,  and 
remained  in  session  until  January  20,  1838,  and  then  adjourned 
to  meet  at  the  same  place  on  the  second  Monday  of  June,  1838. 

Act  No.  7  of  this  session  provided  for  the  election  in  each 
county  of  a  board  of  commissioners  for  the  transaction  of  the 
business  of  the  county,  consisting  of  three  qualified  electors  who 
should  be  a  body  corporate  and  politic  by  the  name  of  the  board 
of  commissioners  of  the  county  in  which  they  were  elected  and 
who,  as  such  board  of  commissioners,  were  authorized  to  transact 
the  business  of  the  county. 

Act  No.  9  of  this  session  authorized  the  location  of  a  territorial 
road  from  Milwaukee  to  Janesville  and  appointed  three  com- 
missioners to  survey  and  locate  it. 

By  act  No.  12,  approved  December  7,  1837,  the  seat  of  justice 
of  Rock  county  was  "established  on  the  fraction  of  land,  on  the 
east  side  of  Rock  river,  it  being  a  part  of  the  northwest  quarter 
of  section  36,  in  town  3  north,  of  range  12  east." 

By  section  25  of  act  No.  18,  approved  January  2,  1838,  it  was 
declared  '"That  the  country  included  within  the  boundary  lines 
of  Rock  county  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  set  off  into  a  separate 
town  by  the  name  of  Rock  and  that  the  polls  of  election  shall  be 
opened  at  the  house  of  Henry  F.  Janes,  in  Janesville." 

Act  No.  27,  approved  January  8,  1838,  established  a  terri- 
torial road  from  Racine  to  Janesville. 

Act  No.  37,  approved  January  12,  1838,  abolished  imprison- 
ment for  debt,  and  repealed  all  laws  against  the  body. 

Act  No.  42,  approved  January  15,  1838,  authorized  H.  F. 
Janes,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  to  establish  and  keep  a  ferry  across 
Rock  river  at  Janesville,  in  Rock  county,  on  section  36,  of  town 
3  north,  of  range  12  east,  for  ten  j-^ears  from  and  after  the  passage 
of  the  act,  provided,  however,  that  the  proprietor  of  such  ferry 
should  at  all  times  cross  free  all  grand  and  petit  jurors  going  to 
and  returning  from  court. 

A  special  session  of  the  legislative  assembly  of  the  territory 


120  HIST.OEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

convened  at  Bnrlington.  in  what  is  now  the  state  of  Iowa,  on 
June  11,  1838,  and  continued  in  session  until  June  25,  1838. 

By  act  No.  5  of  this  session,  approved  June  21.  1838,  town- 
ships 1,  2,  3  and  4  north,  of  range  10  east,  were  added  to  and 
made  a  part  of  Rock  county.  The  boundaries  of  Rock  county 
have  not  been  changed  since  the  passage  of  the  above  act. 

By  an  act  of  congress,  approved  June  12,  1838,  it  was  de- 
clared that  from  and  after  the  third  day  of  July,  1838,  all  that 
part  of  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin  which  lies  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river  and  west  of  a  line  drawn  due  north  from  the  head 
waters  or  sources  of  the  Mississippi  to  the  territorial  line,  should, 
for  the  purposes  of  temporary  government,  be  and  constitute  a 
separate  territorial  government  by  the  name  of  Iowa,  and  that 
from  the  said  third  day  of  July,  the  territorial  government  of 
Wisconsin  should  extend  only  to  that  part  of  the  territory  of 
Wisconsin  which  lies  east  of  the  Mississippi  river.  The  Territory 
of  AVisconsin  as  bounded  by  the  above  act  embraced  all  of  that 
portion  of  the  present  state  of  Minnesota  lying  east  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, being  the  section  of  country  between  the  Mississippi 
on  the  west  and  the  St.  Croix  river  and  Lake  Superior  on  the 
east,  including  the  city  of  St.  Paul  and  a  portion  of  Minneapolis. 

Congress  by  an  act  approved  May  2,  1824,  granted  to  the 
several  counties  in  the  states  and  territories  of  the  United  States, 
a  quarter  section  of  land  for  the  establishment  of  seats  of  justice 
thereon"^ 

Section  1  of  act  No.  22  of  the  territorial  legislature  of  Wis- 
consin for  1839,  entitled  "An  Act  to  Organize  Rock  County 
and  for  Other  Purposes  Relating  to  the  same,"  approved  Febru- 
ary 13,  1839,  provided  that,  from  and  after  the  passage  of  that 
act,  "the  county  of  Rock  shall  be  and  remain,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  an  organized  county  of  this  territory,  and  shall  have 
all  the  rights  and  privileges  which  organized  counties  in  the 
same,  of  right  have." 

By  the  second  section  of  this  act  an  election  of  county  officers 
was  authorized  to  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  March,  1839. 

By  the  third  section  of  the  act  the  county  commissioners  of 
Rock  county  were  authorized  to  preempt,  under  the  act  of  con- 
gress above  mentioned,  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  that  county 
and  procure  the  title  thereof  for  the  county. 

At  an  election  of  county  officers  held  on  said  first  Monday  of 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  121 

March,  1889,  William  S.  Murray,  William  Spaulding  and  E.  J. 
Hazzard  were  elected  county  commissioners  for  Rock  county. 

On  September  6,  1839,  W.  S.  Murray,  William  Spaulding  and 
E.  J.  Hazzard.  as  such  commissioners,  in  pursuance  of  the  pro- 
visions of  said  act  No.  22,  entered,  for  Rock  county,  the  east  half 
of  the  northeast  quarter  and  fractional  lots  numbered  5  and  6, 
in  section  3G,  in  town  No.  3  north,  of  range  No.  12  east.  On  May 
14,  1840,  the  commissioners  who  entered  said  land  caused  a  por- 
tion thereof,  lying  along  the  easterly  bank  of  Rock  river,  to  be 
platted  into  blocks  and  lots  and  the  plat  to  be  recorded  in  the 
office  of  the  register  of  deeds  for  Rock  county.  This  plat  is 
known  as  the  "original  plat  of  the  village  of  Janesville."  In 
1842  a  court  house  was  erected  on  the  land  designated  as  a  park 
on  such  plat. 

The  territorial  legislature,  at  its  session  in  1843,  passed  an 
act,  approved  April  1,  authorizing  William  H.  H.  Bailey,  A.  Hyatt 
Smith  and  Charles  Stevens,  their  associates  and  assigns,  to  erect 
and  maintain  a  dam  across  Rock  river  within  the  present  city 
of  Janesville. 

The  dam  was  erected  in  pursuance  of  this  act  and  is  what  is 
known  as  the  upper  dam  in  the  city  of  Janesville.  This  act  was 
amended  by  an  act  of  the  legislature  of  1846  by  repealing  section 
2,  and  substituting  a  new  section  providing  for  a  head  of  four 
feet  and  a  lock  to  be  completed  as  soon  as  Rock  river  should  be 
improved  and  rendered  navigable  from  the  southerly  line  of  the 
territory  to  the  village  of  Janesville. 

The  act  of  April  1,  1843,  authorizing  the  construction  of  a 
dam  across  Rock  river  at  Janesville,  also  authorized  Ira  Hersey, 
A.  L.  Field  and  their  associates,  successors  and  assigns,  to  build 
and  maintain  a  dam  across  Rock  river  at  Beloit,  and  gave  them 
the  same  powers  and  privileges  as  were  given  to  the  proprietors 
of  the  dam  at  Janesville.  This  dam  was  constructed  in  1844  and 
creates  the  water-power  now  in  use  at  Beloit. 

At  the  same  session  of  the  legislature,  by  an  act  approved 
April  7,  Clouden  Stoughton  and  Luke  Stoughton  were  authorized 
to  build  and  maintain  a  dam  across  Rock  river  on  section  21,  in 
the  town  of  Fulton.  This  dam  is  now  known  as  the  Indian  Ford 
dam. 

The  act  last  above  mentioned  also  authorized  Anson  W.  Pope, 
and  Virgil  Pope  to  construct  and  maintain  a  dam  across  Rock 


122  mSTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

river  on  sections  14  and  15  in  the  town  of  Janesville.  This  dam 
was  constructed  and  maintained  for  several  years  until  the  dam 
in  Janesville  was  raised  and  set  the  water  back  upon  it  and  de- 
stroyed its  value,  when  it  was  abandoned.  The  dam  was  known 
as  the  Dolsen  dam. 

By  the  same  act,  Anson  W.  Pope,  David  Hume  and  Virgil  Pope 
and  their  associates  were  incorporated  by  the  name  of  the  Rock 
River  Bridge  Company  with  power  to  build  a  bridge  across  Rock 
river  at  Hume's  ferry  in  Rock  county  and  charge  the  same  toll 
as  the  Beloit  Bridge  Company. 

By  section  2  of  an  act  of  the  territorial  legislature,  approved 
April  10,  1843,  all  of  township  No.  3,  north  of  range  12  east,  lying 
west  of  Rock  river,  was  annexed  to  and  made  a  part  of  the  town 
of  Janesville. 

By  another  act  of  the  territorial  legislature,  approved  April 
12,  1843,  commissioners  were  appointed  to  alter  the  road  from 
Beloit  to  Madison;  to  lay  out  a  road  from  Janesville  to  Ellis's 
Mill  in  Walworth  county,  and  a  road  from  Janesville  to  Mineral 
Point. 

Prior  to  February  24,  1845,  the  counties  of  Rock  and  Wal- 
worth constituted  one  election  district.  The  territorial  legisla- 
ture of  1845  passed  an  act  dividing  the  election  district  and  con- 
stituting Rock  county  an  election  district  with  authority  to  elect 
one  member  of  the  council  and  three  members  of  the  house  of 
representatives. 

By  an  act  of  the  territorial  legislature,  approved  February 
21,  1848,  A.  Hyatt  Smith  and  Ira  Miltimore  and  their  associates 
were  authorized  to  erect  and  maintain  a  dam  across  Rock  river  in 
sections  1  and  2,  in  town  No.  2  north,  of  range  No.  12  east.  This 
act  was  amended  by  chapter  214  of  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Wis- 
consin. The  dam  was  constructed  and  is  now  known  as  the  lower 
or  Monterey  dam  in  the  city  of  Janesville. 

By  an  act  of  the  territorial  legislature,  approved  March  8, 
1848,  all  that  part  of  the  town  of  Center  in  Rock  county,  em- 
braced in  township  No.  2  north,  of  range  No.  11  east,  was  organ- 
ized into  a  separate  town  by  the  name  of  Plymouth. 

By  an  act  approved  March  11,  1848,  the  north  half  of  town- 
ship No.  2  north,  of  range  No.  13  east,  and  all  of  township  No.  3, 
in  said  range  No.  13  east,  was  organized  into  a  town  by  the  name 
of  Harmony. 


JOHN    HACKETT. 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  123 

On  January  14,  1846,  Morgan  L.  Martin,  the  delegate  of  the 
territory  of  Wisconsin  in  congress,  introduced  in  the  house  of 
representatives  a  bill,  authorizing  the  people  of  the  Territory 
of  Wisconsin  to  adopt  a  constitution  and  form  a  state  govern- 
ment. The  boundaries  of  the  new  state  as  fixed  by  this  bill  were 
the  same  as  those  of  the  territory  of  Wisconsin.  The  bill  was 
referred  to  the  committee  on  territories,  of  which  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  was  chairman.  That  committee  reported  the  bill  with 
amendments,  changing  the  northwestern  boundary  of  the  terri- 
tory as  fixed  by  the  territorial  act  of  1836  to  its  present  location, 
thus  excluding  from  the  new  state  so  much  of  the  Territory  of 
Wisconsin  as  lies  west  of  the  St.  Croix  river  and  a  line  from  it  to 
the  St.  Louis  river  and  west  and  northwest  of  Lake  Superior. 
The  delegate  to  congress  strenuously  objected  to  the  amendment 
of  the  bill  changing  the  boundaries,  but  the  bill  as  reported  by 
the  committee  was  passed  and  became  a  law  on  August  6,  1846. 
For  the  third  time  congress  disregarded  the  provisions  of  the 
ordinance  of  1787,  and  deprived  this  state  of  a  valuable  portion 
of  its  domain. 

The  fifth  legislative  assembly  of  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin 
met  at  Madison  on  the  fifth  day  of  January,  1846.  The  first  act 
passed  at  that  session  was  entitled  "An  act  in  relation  to  the 
formation  of  a  state  government  in  Wisconsin."  It  was  approved 
January  31,  1846.  The  act  authorized  the  taking  of  a  census 
and  the  election  of  delegates  to  a  constitutional  convention.  The 
census  was  taken  and  delegates  were  elected  in  pursuance  of  the 
act. 

The  constitutional  convention  met  at  Madison  October  5,  1846. 
The  delegates  from  Rock  county  were  David  Noggle,  A.  Hyatt 
Smith,  S.  P.  Hammond,  James  Chamberlain,  Joseph  S,  Pierce, 
George  B.  Hall  and  David  L.  Mills.  The  convention  adopted  a 
constitution  which  was  submitted  to  the  electors  of  the  territory 
and  rejected  by  them. 

On  September  27,  1847,  the  governor  issued  a  proclamation, 
calling  a  special  session  of  the  legislative  assembly,  to  be  held 
at  Madison,  October  18,  1847,  to  take  action  in  relation  to  adopt- 
ing a  constitution  and  forming  a  state,  and  as  to  its  admission 
into  the  Union.  The  members  of  the  legislature  met,  in  pursuance 
of  the  proclamation  and,  on  October  27,  passed  an  act  providing 
for  an  election  of  delegates  to  a  constitutional  convention  to  be 


124  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

held  on  November  29,  1847,  and  apportioning  the  delegates  to  the 
different  counties.  The  election  was  held,  the  delegates  were 
elected  and  met  in  convention  on  December  15.  The  members 
from  Rock  connty  were  A.  M.  Carter,  Joseph  Colley,  Paul  Cran- 
dall,  Ezra  A.  Foot,  Louis  P.  Harvey  and  E.  V.  AYhiton.  The  con- 
vention at  once  proceeded  to  prepare  a  constitution.  It  completed 
its  work  on  February  1,  1848.  This  constitution  was  submitted 
to  the  electors  of  the  territory  on  March  13,  and  was  approved. 
Section  1  of  an  act  of  congress,  approved  j\Iay  29.  1848,  declared, 
"That  the  state  of  Wisconsin  be  and  is  hereby  admitted  to  be 
one  of  the  United  States  of  America  and  is  hereby  admitted  into 
the  Union  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  states,  in  all  re- 
spects whatever."  This  act  went  into  effect  on  its  approval  by 
the  president,  and  terminated  the  territorial  period  of  Wisconsin. 

Upon  the  approval  of  this  act  the  constitution  adopted  by  the 
convention  of  1848  and  ratified  by  the  electors  became  operative. 
An  election  of  state  officers  had  been  held  on  May  8,  and  on 
June  7  the  officers  and  members  of  the  legislature  chosen  at  such 
election  took  their  oaths  of  office  and  the  new  state  government 
went  into  effect. 

Colonel  Henry  Dodge  was  the  first  and  also  the  last  territorial 
governor  of  Wisconsin.  He  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
of  the  territorial  governors.  He  held  the  office  of  governor  from 
July  4,  1836,  to  October  8,  1841,  and  from  May  13,  1845,  to  June 
7,  1848,  when  he  was  superseded  by  the  governor  elected  pursuant 
to  the  constitution  of  the  new  state.  He  was  the  son  of  Israel 
Dodge  of  Connecticut,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  colonial  army,  in 
the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Governor  Dodge  was  born  in  1782 
at  Vincennes  in  that  portion  of  the  Northwest  territory  now  em- 
braced in  the  state  of  Indiana.  Early  in  life  he  removed  to  Mis- 
souri territory  and  in  1808  was  elected  to  the  office  of  sheriff  of 
Cape  Girardeau  county.  In  1812  he  was  chosen  captain  of  a 
mounted  rifle  company.  In  September  of  the  same  year  he  was 
appointed  a  major  of  militia.  In  1814  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  lieutenant  colonel  and  in  the  same  year  he  removed  to 
what  is  now  Wisconsin  and  settled  near  Dodgeville.  Ho  was 
appointed  major  of  the  United  States  rangers  in  June,  1832,  and 
was  in  active  service  in  the  Black  Hawk  War.  On  March  4,  1833, 
he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  First  dragoons.  When  the  Terri- 
tory of  Wiscongin  was  formed,  he  was  appointed  by  President 


HISTORIC  EVOLUTION  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  iro 

Jackson  its  first  governor.  He  held  that  office  until  September 
30,  1841,  when  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  congress  from  the 
new  territory.  He  was  reelected  as  delegate  in  1843.  On  April 
8,  1845,  he  was  again  appointed  governor  of  Wisconsin  territory 
and  held  that  office  until  the  admission  of  Wisconsin  into  the 
Union  as  a  state.  When  the  new  state  was  organized,  he  was 
elected  one  of  the  senators  to  represent  Wisconsin  in  the  senate 
of  the  United  States.  He  was  reelected  senator  in  1851  and  held 
the  office  until  his  term  expired  in  1867.  He  died  at  the  residence 
of  his  son.  Hon.  Augustus  C.  Dodge,  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  June 
19,  1867. 

The  several  towns  in  Rock  county  were  created  by  acts  of 
the  territorial  legislature  as  follows : 

Avon,  February  11,  1847. 
Beloit,  February  17,  1842. 
Bradford,  February  2,  1846. 
Center,  February  17,  1842. 
Clinton,  February  17,  1842. 
Fulton,  March  21,  1843. 
Harmony,  March  11,  1848. 
Janesville,  March  14,  1843. 
Johnstown,  March  21,  1843. 
LaPrairie,  March  26,  1849. 
Lima,  February  24,  1845. 
Magnolia,  February  2,  1846. 
Milton,  February  17,  1842. 
Newark,  February  2,  1846. 
Plymouth,  March  8,  1848. 
Porter,  February  2,  1847. 
Rock,  March  8,  1838 
Spring  Valley,  February  2,  1846. 
Turtle,  February  2,  1846. 
Union,  February  17,  1842. 

By  chapter  93,  of  the  private  and  local  laws  of  1853,  approved 
March  19,  1853,  the  city  of  Janesville  was  incorporated  and  in- 
cluded in  its  limits  sections  1  and  2,  in  township  2,  and  sections 
25,  26,  35  and  36,  in  township  3  north,  of  range  12  east. 

By  chapter  452,  of  the  private  and  local  laws  of  1856,  ap- 
proved March  31,  1856,  the  city  of  Beloit  was  incorporated,  and 


126  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

includes  in  its  limits  sections  25,  26,  35,  36,  and  the  east  half  of 
sections  27  and  34  in  township  1  north,  of  range  12  east. 

By  chapter  86,  of  the  laws  of  1883,  the  city  of  Edgerton  was 
incorporated. 

The  city  of  Evansville  first  became  incorporated  as  a  village 
by  an  act  of  the  legislature,  approved  February  28,  1867,  and 
afterwards,  on  January  15,  1896,  became  incorporated  as  a  city 
under  the  general  statutes  of  the  state. 

The  village  of  Clinton  in  the  town  of  Clinton  became  incor- 
porated on  January  21,  1882,  under  the  general  statutes. 

The  village  of  Orfordville  in  the  town  of  Spring  Valley  be- 
came incorporated  on  June  30,  1900,  under  the  general  statutes. 

The  village  of  Milton  in  the  town  of  Milton  also  became  in- 
corporated on  September  17,  under  the  general  statutes. 

But  little  more  than  seven  decades  have  passed  since  the  first 
hearth  stone  was  laid  in  Rock  county.  Within  that  comparative- 
ly brief  period  it  has  become  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and 
highly  developed  counties  of  the  state,  with  a  population  of 
nearly  60,000.  The  valuation  of  its  taxable  property  for  the  pres- 
ent year,  as  fixed  by  the  tax  commission  of  the  state,  is  $73,657,- 
802.  This  valuation  indicates  an  actual  value  of  about  $100,- 
000,000.  It  ranks  as  the  third  county  in  the  state  in  the  value 
of  its  assessable  property,  being  exceeded  only  by  the  counties 
of  Milwaukee  and  Dane.  Within  the  county  of  Milwaukee  is 
the  metropolis  of  the  state,  a  beautiful  city  with  a  population  of 
about  400,000.  In  comparing  Rock  county  with  the  county  of 
Dane  it  should  be  remembered  that  within  that  county  is  the  city 
of  Madison,  the  capital  of  the  state,  a  city  "beautiful  for  situa- 
tion," with  a  population  of  nearly  30,000,  and  that  the  county 
contains  thirty-five  townships,  while  Rock  county  has  but  twenty. 
The  average  valuation  of  the  property  per  township  in  Rock 
county  is  higher  than  the  average  valuation  of  property  per  town- 
ship in  Dane  county.  Rock  county  has  within  its  borders  four 
thriving  cities  and  several  prosperous  villages.  The  residents  of 
the  county  have  reason  to  be  highly  gratified  with  its  growth  and 
development  and  its  high  standing  in  the  state. 


VI. 

HISTORY  OF  BELOIT. 

Before  1833  Rock  River  valley  was  the  home  of  the  red  man ; 
his  lodges  were  on  its  bluffs  or  by  the  clear  waters  of  the  wind- 
ing stream,  an  unfailing  source  of  food  when  he  felt  too  indolent 
for  the  chase,  and  he  looked  upon  and  dreamed  of  this  region, 
clad  in  the  simple  richness  of  its  pristine  beauty,  as  his  perma- 
nent hunting  ground.  But  there  came  a  change ;  soon  after  the 
close  of  the  Black  Hawk  War  of  1832  the  Indian  occupants  of 
the  valley  were  transferred  to  distant  reservations,  and  so  far 
as  man  is  concerned  this  whole  region  was  for  several  years  a 
solitude. 

In  connection  with  the  first  settlement  of  our  Rock  River 
valley,  except  the  war  which  advertised  it,  there  was  little  of 
adventure.  But  that  there  was  no  lack  of  all  the  heroic  and 
homely  virtues  on  the  part  of  those  first  settlers  is  seen  in  the 
good  work  which  they  and  their  descendants  have  wrought.  Our 
prosperity  today  is  the  result  and  outgrowth  of  the  energy,  in- 
dustry, frugality,  patience,  endurance  and  abiding  faith  of  those 
who  in  past  years  planted  here  the  seeds  of  our  civilization.  To 
them  we  of  the  present  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  that  we  shall 
never  be  able  fully  to  repay,  but  we  show  our  gratitude  by  these 
records  of  remembrance. 

The  first  white  man  who  settled  in  the  region  contiguous  to 
the  present  site  of  Beloit  was  Stephen  Mack.  He  came  from 
New  England  as  early  as  1820,  for  to  settlers  who  saw  him  in  his 
home  near  Rockton,  111.,  with  his  squaw  wife  and  numerous  chil- 
dren, in  1837,  he  stated  that  he  had  then  lived  with  the  Indians 
about  sixteen  years.  Having  traded  much  of  this  time  with 
various  Indian  tribes,  and,  because  of  his  acquired  knowledge 
of  their  manners  and  customs,  having  come  to  be  regarded  by 
them  as  of  superior  wisdom,  he  had  finally  settled  among  a  tribe 
of  the  Winnebagoes  as  confidential  adviser  to  their  chief.  His 
not  marrying  among  them,  however,  soon   caused  suspicion  of 

127 


128  liliSTOEY  OF  KOCK  COLXTY 

his  friendship  and  he  was  accused  of  using  his  influence  for  the 
benefit  of  other  white  traders  and  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  red 
men.  Their  distrust  finally  ripened  into  bitter  hatred,  resulting 
in  a  plot  to  kill  him.  But  one  of  the  Winnebago  chiefs  had  a 
comely  daughter,  Hohnonega,  who  had  learned  to  love  the  victim 
of  her  people's  hate,  and  her  timely  warning  enabled  Mack  to 
flee  for  safety  to  the  military  post  at  Chicago.  Various  explana- 
tions and  negotiations  resulted  in  his  returning  to  those  Indians, 
only  to  have  the  treacherous  foes  seek  his  life  again.  This  time 
the  maiden  concealed  him  on  an  island  in  Rock  river  near  her 
home  until  the  excitement  had  subsided.  (Her  tribal  home,  five 
miles  south  of  Beloit,  is  now  laid  out  as  a  summer  pleasure 
ground  and  called  Hohnonega  Park.)  Such  devotion  touched 
Mack's  heart,  and  knowing  also  that  their  marriage  would  insure 
his  safety,  he  promptly  married  her  and  was  adopted  into  the 
tribe.  He  was  living  at  Macktown,  which  he  had  laid  out,  about 
a  mile  northwest  of  Rockton,  111.,  when  in  the  spring  of  1837  R. 
P.  Crane  and  0.  P.  Bicknell  saw  him  and  talked  with  him  on  their 
way  to  Beloit,  or  Turtle  as  it  was  then  called,  and  Mack  himself 
must  have  often  visited  this  locality.  Hohnonega  became  an  es- 
timable woman,  kind,  hospitable,  and  a  good  wife  and  mother. 

The  first  white  man  to  settle  within  the  present  site  of  Beloit 
was  a  French  Canadian  trader  and  Indian  interpreter  named 
Thibault  (Tebo),  who  in  1836  claimed  to  have  been  living  in  this 
general  region  some  twelve  years.  There  was  no  human  habita- 
tion in  this  locality  when  John  Inman  and  William  Holmes  vis- 
ited it  for  part  of  a  day  July  19,  1835,  so  Thibault 's  log  cabin, 
which  stood  at  the  south  end  and  west  side  of  what  is  now  State 
street,  must  have  been  built  after  that  date.  In  May,  1836,  Caleb 
Blodgett  found  him  here  living  with  two  squaw  wives,  one  about 
forty,  with  a  grown-up  son,  and  the  other,  a  half-breed,  consid- 
erably younger  and  the  mother  of  a  babe. 

Thibault.  who  was  a  shrewd  man,  claimed  all  the  land  with- 
in "three  looks"  from  his  cabin.  A  "look,"  the  unit  of  land 
measurement  among  the  Indians,  was  the  distance  a  person  could 
see  from  a  certain  starting  point,  so  that  Thibault 's  possessions 
were  to  be  determined  by  looking  from  his  cabin  to  some  point 
as  far  distant  as  the  sight  could  reach,  going  to  that  spot  and 
looking  again  to  the  most  distant  point  within  the  range  of  vision 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  1-^9 

there,  and  from  that  second  point  repeating  the  process  by  a 
third  "look." 

The  trader's  son,  said  to  be  then  about  nineteen  years  old, 
and  reckless  yet  intelligent,  spoke  not  only  English  but  also  sev- 
eral Indian  dialects,  and  wished  to  go  west  and  be  an  interpreter, 
a  plan  which  his  father  opposed.  In  the  spring  of  1837  Thibault 
sold  his  twelve-by-sixteen  log  cabin  to  Messrs.  Crane  and  Bick- 
nell  and  soon  afterward  removed  with  all  his  family  to  Lake 
Koshkouong.  Of  him  and  of  his  tragic  fate  Hon.  L.  B.  Caswell, 
ex-congressman,  now  of  Fort  Atkinson,  Wis.,  contributes  this 
personal  description  and  record.  (Mr.  Caswell  was  then  a  boy, 
living  in  his  father's  cabin  at  the  south  end  of  the  lake,  and  his 
statement  is  of  the  highest  authority.  ) 

"I  knew  Thibault  (Tebo),  the  Indian  trader,  well.  He  had 
two  log  cabins  about  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the  mouth  of  Lake 
Koshkonong  on  the  south  side.  He  was  a  Frenchman  with  two 
Indian  wives,  one  quite  old,  the  other  about  thirty  and  very  at- 
tractive. Thibault  was,  I  should  judge,  about  fifty,  quite  tall 
and  slender.  He  kept  a  stock  of  goods  suitable  for  his  trade  with 
the  Indians,  such  as  blankets,  ammunition,  traps  and  other  ar- 
ticles, which  he  exchanged  with  the  Indians  for  their  furs.  He 
was  said  to  be  a  fur  buyer  for  Solomon  Juneau,  of  Milwaukee, 
and  well  off,  and  we  always  found  him  honest  and  exerting  a 
good  influence  among  the  Indians.  He  kept  nothing  intoxicating 
for  the  Indians  and  sold  them  only  such  goods  as  they  needed. 
Unfortunately,  however,  he  had  a  reckless  grown-up  son  named 
Frank,  who  gave  him  no  small  amount  of  trouble.  Frank  and 
the  younger  wife  were  greatly  attached  to  each  other.  In  the 
winter  of  1839-40  the  old  gentleman  disappeared,  which  fact 
was  not  made  known  by  Frank  for  several  weeks,  till  finally  he 
came  to  our  house  and  told  us  his  father  had  been  missing  for 
some  time,  giving  no  intelligent  story  about  the  disappearance. 
Suspicion  at  once  rested  upon  both  the  young  people  and  exten- 
sive search  was  made  for  some  trace  of  foul  play.  Persons  came 
from  a  great  distance  and  examined  the  surrounding  thickets  and 
the  ice  of  the  lake  and  tried  to  discover,  if  possible,  any  hole  cut 
in  the  ice  where  his  body  might  have  been  put  through  into  the 
lake,  but  without  success,  and  the  search  was  finally  abandoned. 
In  the  spring  of  1840  Frank  stored  some  of  their  household  goods 
and  articles  of  food  with  my  people  and,  with  the  two  wives,  went 


130  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

away  west  to  the  Mississippi  river.  After  some  months  Frank 
came  back  and  took  away  his  goods,  and  this  is  the  last  we  heard 
of  them.  Thibault  was  succeeded  by  a  Frenchman  named  Ellick 
LaMiere,  who  occupied  the  Thibault  shanties  for  the  next  eight 
or  ten  years." 

The  tirst  recorded  visit  of  white  men  to  this  locality  was  that 
made  by  soldiers  of  the  Black  Hawk  War  under  General  Atkin- 
son, including  Private  Abraham  Lincoln,  June  30,  1832.  On  that 
day  they  marched  through  this  Turtle  village,  then  deserted  by 
its  Indian  inhabitants,  and  camped  during  the  afternoon  on  the 
prairie  about  two  miles  north.  The  Indian  scout  whom  the  sol- 
diers saw  when  they  started  on  the  next  morning,  openly  watch- 
ing them  from  a  high  bluff  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  was 
probably  standing  on  the  brow  of  Big  hill. 

The  next  white  man's  visit  occurred  July  19,  1835,  when  Wil- 
liam Holmes,  Jr.,  and  John  Inman,  prospectors  who  had  lost  their 
ponies,  walked  south  across  the  prairie  to  the  moutli  of  Turtle 
creek  and  found  here  a  solitary  wilderness.  They  left  the  same 
day,  and  by  July  23  had  returned  to  Milwaukee,  which  had  then 
only  two  white  families.  In  the  same  month  of  July,  1835,  soon 
after  their  departure,  Joseph  Thibault  fprouounced  Tebo)  came 
here,  and  his  log  cabin  was  our  first  building.  At  this  cabin,  as 
they  passed  through  the  place  on  March  9,  1836,  in  a  lumber 
wagon,  on  their  way  to  the  present  site  of  Janesville,  early  in  the 
evening,  the  family  of  Judge  William  Holmes,  including  two 
women  and  two  girls,  stopped  a  few  minutes  to  warm  up.  That 
was  the  first  recorded  visit  of  white  women.  The  youngest  girl, 
Catherine  Holmes,  born  August,  1819,  now  (1900)  Mrs.  Volney 
Atwood,  of  Janesville,  Wisconsin,  says  she  remembers  well  the 
dirt  floor  of  Thibault 's  cabin  and  its  big  fireplace,  built  of  sticks 
plastered  over,  with  a  large  log  burning  in  it.  The  Frenchman 's 
two  Indian  wives  took  their  children  and  went  out  of  doors,  giv- 
ing up  the  whole  cabin  to  their  visitors.  Thus  the  history  of  Be- 
loit  virtually  begins  with  an  act  of  hospitality. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  when,  about  a  year  later,  R.  P.  Crane 
bought  that  hut  and  cleared  it  out,  he  found  that  the  floor  was 
made  of  slabs  but  covered  so  deeply  with  earth,  brought  in,  that 
Miss  Holmes  was  excusable  in  supposing  it  to  be  a  dirt  floor. 

Mr.  Crane,  Avho  kept  a  diary  of  those  earliest  times,  says  that 
a  grove  of  heavy  timber  covered  the  lower  grounds,  now  the  busi- 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  i;31 

ness  part  of  the  city,  while  on  the  higher  were  burr  oak  openings. 
There  were  no  miasmatic  swamps  along  our  beautiful  spring-fed 
Rock  river  and  this  whole  region,  my  father  often  declared,  was 
a  natural  Indian's  paradise.  He  said  to  me  once,  "I  don't  won- 
der that  Black  Hawk  fought  for  it;  if  I  had  been  an  Indian  I 
would  have  laid  my  bones  here  rather  than  leave  it." 

And  Mr.  W.  F.  Packard,  now  in  his  ninetieth  year,  living  at 
Rockton,  111.,  remarked  to  the  editor,  May  18,  1908:  "People 
living  here  today  cannot  appreciate  what  nature  did  for  the 
beautifying  of  this  valley  and  are  insensible  to  how  it  looked 
when  I  first  saw  it  seventy  years  ago  today.  It  was  a  gorgeous 
garden  of  natural  loveliness  and  I  have  several  times  tried  to 
picture  it  on  paper,  but  my  powers  of  expression  have  failed  me."- 

(Until  with  comparatively  recent  years  prairie  chickens  have 
persisted  in  returning  every  summer  to  one  of  their  favorite 
drumming  grounds  two  miles  north  of  Beloit.  And  I  can  well 
remember  the  clouds  of  wnld  pigeon  that  would  literally  darken 
the  sky  during  my  boyhood  here.  Some  of  those  flocks  were  un- 
doubtedly a  mile  long. — Ed.) 

From  the  prairies,  lowlands,  forests  and  streams  of  this  fav- 
ored region  such  nomadic  adventurers  as  Thibault  desired  noth- 
ing, and  in  them  saw  nothing  beyond  the  daily  supply  of  their 
physical  wants ;  our  real  pioneers,  however,  inspired  with  high 
ideals,  impelled  by  manly  qualities,  inherited  from  Puritan  an- 
cestors and  nurtured  in  their  New  England  homes,  looked  beyond 
the  toils  and  trials,  incident  to  every  new  settlement  and,  with 
prophetic  eye.  saw  in  all  these  marvelous  provisions  of  nature 
means  for  the  accomplishment  of  great  ends.  To  this  class  be- 
longed nearly  all  the  first  permanent  settlers  of  Beloit  and  none, 
perhaps,  was  more  worthy  of  being  the  leader  than  Caleb  Blod- 
gett,  whose  native  qualities  eminently  fitted  him  for  that  im- 
portant place  in  its  early  history. 

A  native  of  Randolph,  Vt.,  with  meager  education,  acquired 
in  his  boyhood  home,  Mr.  Blodgett  had  a  strong,  vigorous  mind, 
clear  foresight,  restless  energy  and  an  indomitable  will  that  noth- 
ing could  daunt.  Passing  over  the  events  of  his  earlier  manhood, 
struggles  in  the  then  wilds  of  western  New  York  and  Ohio  with 
successes  and  discouragements  and  final  disaster  in  the  loss  by 
fire  of  the  accumulations  of  years,  we  find  him  in  1835  tem- 
porarily located  with  his  family  in  a  log  cabin  at  Meacham's 


132  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

Grove,  twenty-five  miles  northwest  of  Chicago,  near  another  of 
our  pioneer  families,  that  of  Chauneey  Tuttle.  The  prospects 
there  proving  unsatisfactory,  in  May,  1836,  Mr.  Blodgett  came 
to  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Beloit  exploring,  attracted  by 
its  many  natural  advantages  returned  again  in  June,  and  spent 
the  summer  and  fall  of  1836  breaking  land  for  a  farm  and  get- 
ting ready  for  his  family.  Then  he  went  after  them  and  came 
back  in  December,  1836,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  Phoebe  Kid- 
der, his  sons.  Nelson  and  Daniel,  and  his  son-in-law,  John  Hackett, 
who  had  married  Cordelia  Blodgett,  and  who  became  intimately 
associated  with  him  in  his  enterprises.  From  Thibault  Mr,  Blod- 
gett, for  $200,  bought  all  his  claims  on  the  east  side  of  Rock  river, 
the  "three  looks,"  comprising,  as  Blodgett  thought,  about  ten 
sections  of  land,  and  at  once  with  characteristic  enterprise  began 
securing  his  rights  and  planning  for  the  future.  With  the  kindly 
aid  of  Indian  bucks  and  squaws,  who  still  lingered  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  he  constructed  near  the  east  bank  (in  the  rear 
of  what  is  now  322  State  street)  a  log  cabin  of  two  rooms,  sepa- 
rated by  a  passageway,  one  room  being  for  his  family,  and  the 
other  for  prospectors  and  hired  help.  At  this  time  nearly  all 
the  land,  bordering  on  the  west  bank  of  Rock  river,  as  far  north 
as  the  site  of  Janesville,  had  been  sold  by  the  government,  so 
that  Blodgett 's  operations  were  confined  to  the  east  side  of  the 
stream  where,  after  the  completion  of  his  home,  he  began  prepa- 
rations for  the  erection  of  a  saw  mill.  Assuming  that  his  claims 
would  in  time  be  protected  by  government  patents  Mr.  Blodgett, 
even  before  getting  settled  in  his  new  home,  for  $2,000  sold  a 
one-third  interest  to  Charles  F.  H.  Goodhue  who,  although  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  had  come  here  with  his  family  from 
Canada,  he  in  turn  selling  half  his  purchase  to  some  other  new- 
comers, John  Doolittle  and  Charles  Johnson.  After  this  sale  to 
Goodhue  the  saw  mill,  then  being  built,  was  completed  by  Blod- 
gett and  Goodhue  working  together ;  in  the  spring  of  1837  water 
was  turned  into  the  mill  race  and  the  first  boards  were  sawed 
April  15. 

(The  dam,  which  Mr.  Blodgett  had  built,  was  on  Turtle  creek, 
over  half  a  mile  northeast  of  his  cabin.  The  raceway  was  dug 
along  under  the  south  side  of  the  bluff  and  extended  southwest- 
ward  along  the  south  side  of  what  was  afterward  Race  street, 
now  called  St.  Paul  avenue,  until  it  led  into  Turtle  creek  at  the 


HISTOEY  OF  BELOIT  133 

site  of  his  mill,  three  or  four  rods  west  of  what  is  now  South 
State  street.) 

This  brings  us  to  that  important  event  in  the  history  of  Be- 
loit,  the  coming  of  the  New  England  Emigration  Company. 

Horace  White,  L.L.  D.,  now  of  New  York  City,  a  graduate  in 
1853  of  Beloit  college  and  its  most  distinguished  alumnus,  has 
kindly  allowed  the  editor  to  insert  here  his  (Mr.  White's)  per- 
sonal account  of  that  event,  substantially  as  he  gave  it  at  the 
semi-centennial  of  the  college  in  1897. 

The  Beginnings  of  Beloit. 

I  am  permitted  to  tell  you  something  of  the  beginnings  of 
Beloit  and  of  Beloit  college,  most  of  which  I  saw  and  part  of 
which  I  was.  Through  the  kindness  of  my  early  playmate  and 
infant  school  mate,  Hon.  Ellery  B.  Crane,  now  a  member  of  the 
state  senate  of  Massachusetts  and  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Wor- 
cester, I  have  been  enabled  to  examine  an  old  account  book, 
hitherto  unpublished,  much  of  which  is  in  my  father's  hand- 
writing and  the  rest  in  his  father  handwriting.  This  book  con- 
tains the  business  transactions  of  the  New  England  Emigrating 
Company,  which  was  formed  in  Colebrook,  N.  H.,  my  native 
place,  in  October,  1836,  and  of  which  Dr.  Horace  White,  my 
father,  was  the  agent.  The  book  of  which  I  speak  shows  that 
the  company  consisted  of  fourteen  members,  Cyrus  Eames,  0.  P. 
Bicknell,  John  W.  Bicknell,  Asahel  B.  Howe,  Leonard  Hatch, 
David  J.  Bundy.  Ira  Young,  L.  C.  Beech,  S.  G.  Colley,  G.  W.  Bick- 
nell, R.  P.  Crane,  Horace  Hobart,  Horace  White  and  Alfred  Field. 
The  book  shows  to  a  cent  how  much  each  man  contributed  to  the 
funds  of  the  enterprise,  the  whole  amount  being  $7,067.27,  and 
how  the  lands  and  other  property  were  distributed,  how  much 
and  what  kind  of  work  each  one  did  and  what  credits  he  received 
for  the  work  done.  These  fourteen  names  and  no  others  appear 
and  reappear  as  copartners  in  the  enterprise,  although  others  are 
found  in  other  relations  to  it.  These  men  were  not  speculators. 
They  had  no  thought  of  taking  up  claims  on  public  land  and  sell- 
ing out  to  somebody  else  at  a  higher  price.  They  intended  to 
create  an  agricultural  community  like  the  New  England  village 
from  which  they  sprang,  and  new  homes  like  the  old  ones  which 
they  still  loved.  They  were  the  kind  of  stuff  that  enduring  com- 
munities are  made  of,  as  this  fair  city  today  attests. 


134  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

It  was  the  principal  duty  of  the  company's  agent  to  select 
and  purchase  a  site  for  the  new  homes  of  the  emigrating  com- 
pany. In  pursuance  of  his  duties  as  such  agent,  my  father  left 
Colebrook  in  the  winter  of  1836-7  on  his  westward  journey.  He 
was  then  in  his  twenty-seventh  year.  The  book  says  that  he  was 
to  receive  $100  per  month  and  all  of  his  expenses,  and  that  the 
company  was  to  furnish  him  a  horse  and  cutter.  With  this  con- 
veyance he  set  forth  as  soon  as  there  was  a  good  fall  of  snow 
and  drove  through  Canada,  taking  that  route  for  the  reason  that 
the  sleighing  was  better  on  the  north  than  on  the  south  side  of 
the  lakes.  He  arrived  at  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  on  the  25th  day  of 
January,  1837,  where  he  found  Mr.  R.  P.  Crane  (the  father  of 
Mr.  Ellery  Crane),  who  was  a  member  of  the  company,  and  who 
had  started  westward  somewhat  earlier.  Mr.  Crane  had  arrived 
at  Detroit  by  steamer  from  Buffalo  in  company  with  Otis  P.  Bick- 
nell  and  they  had  set  out  to  make  the  rest  of  the  journey  on  foot, 
not  knowing  exactly  where  it  might  lead  them,  but  keeping  in 
the  track  of  the  general  emigration  of  the  period.  Arriving  at 
Ann  Arbor  Mr.  Crane  found  his  funds  exhausted  and  took  a  job 
of  finishing  a  partly-built  house  at  that  place  for  which  he  re- 
ceived the  sum  of  $100.  It  was  here  that  my  father  overtook 
and  passed  him,  taking  Mr.  Bicknell  in  his  cutter  as  far  as  Calu- 
met, 111.  Mr.  Crane  was  one  of  those  benefactors  of  the  human 
race  who  "keep  a  diary"  and  it  is  fortunate  for  us  that  the  his- 
torical spirit  has  descended  to  his  son.  From  this  diary  his  son 
gives  me  the  following  extract: 

"On  reaching  Rockford,  March  3,  1837,  Dr.  White  was  there, 
stopping  with  Harvey  Bundy,  who  was  employed  as  clerk  by 
George  Goodhue,  who  was  proprietor  of  a  small  store  or  trading 
post.  The  doctor  had  been  up  to  the  Turtle  but  had  not  pur- 
chased yet.  Had  already  been  to  Des  Moines,  la.,  and  Quincy, 
111.,  but  did  not  like  it  there.  The  doctor  wanted  Otis  and  myself 
to  see  the  location  at  the  Turtle  defore  deciding,  although  he 
thought  well  of  it.  We  (Otis  and  I)  arrived  at  the  Turtle  Thurs- 
day, March  9,  and  Dr.  White  came  up  the  week  following  and 
we  three  went  out  three  miles  northeast  to  see  the  landscape. 
We  liked  it  so  well  that  we  (Otis  and  I)  encouraged  the  doctor 
to  secure  an  interest  here  if  he  could." 

This  was  on  the  13th  day  of  March.  The  only  person  here 
at  the  time  who  could  be  called  a  settler  was  Caleb  Blodgett.  who 


HISTOKY  OF  BELOIT  135 

had  arrived  the  previous  year  and  had  bought  for  $200  a  claim 
from  a  Frenchman  named  Thibault,  who  was  living  with  one  or 
more  squaw  wives  in  a  construction  of  logs  near  the  junction  of 
Turtle  creek  and  Rock  river.  A  bargain  was  struck  with  Blod- 
gett  on  the  following  day  (March  14)  for  one-third  of  his  claim. 
In  those  days  claims  to  public  land  were  rather  indefinite.  That 
of  Blodgett  was  as  far-reaching  as  those  which  excited  the  ire 
of  the  elder  Gracchus  in  old  Roman  days.  His  own  idea  was 
that  it  embraced  about  7,000  acres.  Purchasers  of  claims  took 
their  chances  of  being  able  to  hold  what  they  had  bargained  for. 
What  was  paid  for  in  such  a  case  was  the  chance  that  the  gov- 
ernment land  office  would  eventually  recognize  the  claim  as  valid 
under  the  preemption  laws,  and  give  a  patent  for  it,  on  receiving 
the  price  of  $1.25  per  acre.  A  bargain  was  struck  with  Blodgett 
for  one-third  of  his  claim  for  the  sum  of  $2,500,  and  patents  were 
issued  in  my  father's  name  which  are  now  in  my  possession.  This 
included  100  acres  of  land  already  under  the  plow  and  ready  for 
a  crop,  this  fact  being  a  moving  consideration  in  the  purchase. 
Blodgett  retained  one-third  of  the  claim  for  himself  and  sold  the 
remaining  third  to  Messrs.  Goodhue,  Jones  and  Johnson.  The 
name  of  Goodhue  is  an  honored  one  in  the  history  of  Beloit.  Mr. 
W.  T.  Goodhue  came  from  Canada.  He  erected  the  first  saw  mill 
in  the  place.  He  was  living  at  that  time  in  Rockford,  but  the 
mill  was  already  under  construction  and  it  began  to  deliver 
boards  on  the  15th  of  April,  1837. 

Dr.  White  returned  to  Colebrook  immediately  after  the  pur- 
chase was  made  from  Blodgett,  to  report  progress  and  to  dispose 
of  his  own  property,  leaving  Crane  and  Bicknell  in  charge.  Blod- 
gett had  built  a  double  log  house  on  the  river  bank  near  the  foot 
of  Broad  street.  In  putting  the  logs  in  place  he  had  been  as- 
sisted by  a  band  of  Indians  who  were  encamped  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  under  charge  of  army  officers.  Until  the  saw  mill 
was  completed,  so  that  boards  could  be  obtained,  the  ground 
served  as  the  floor  of  this  house.  My  earliest  recollections  of 
Beloit,  or  of  anything,  are  associated  with  this  old  log  house,  in 
which  Dr.  White's  family  was  installed  and  where  they  lived 
until  better  accommodations  could  be  provided.  This  was  a 
double  house  with  a  door  in  the  center  and  was  generally  occu- 
pied by  two  families  or  more.  The  south  end,  which  we  occu- 
pied, consisted  of  one  square  room    which   served   as   kitchen,    din- 


136  HISTOKY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

ing-room,  bed-room,  sitting-room  and  doctor's  office.  The  joints 
in  this  establishment  had  not  been  very  carefully  closed  and 
hence  it  was  not  unusual  in  the  winter  time  for  my  parents  to 
find  themselves  in  the  morning  under  an  extra  counterpane  of 
snow  which  had  sifted  through  the  crevices  during  the  night. 
There  were  no  streets  in  the  place,  only  Indian  trails  through 
the  woods  and  one  road  leading  from  Rockford  and  following 
the  general  line  of  Rock  river  from  south  to  north. 

I  have  a  letter  written  by  my  father,  dated  Colebrook,  May 
10,  1837,  to  my  mother,  who  was  then  in  Bedford,  N.  H.,  in  which 
he  says  that  he  found  the  emigrating  company  in  good  spirits. 
"I  had  requested  them,"  he  says,  "to  raise  $1,400  on  my  return 
and  it  was  done."  He  then  gives  the  names  of  a  number  of  per- 
sons who  would  start  westward  within  a  few  weeks,  some  being 
members  of  the  company  and  some  not.  He  said  that  James  Cass 
and  wife  would  go  out  in  his  employ.  This  fact  explains  some 
of  the  entries  in  the  old  account  book  where  Dr.  White  receives 
credit  for  labor  performed  by  Cass  for  the  company's  benefit. 
Many  of  these  entries  possess  an  economical  interest  showing 
how  society  may  get  on  without  money  in  case  of  need.  Thus 
we  read  under  date  of  November  7,  1837: 

"Otis  P.  Bicknell,  Cr. 

"By  1  day  getting  flour  and  assisting  in  butchering  ox." 

As  a  sequence,  two  days  later  we  find  Horace  Hobart  credited 
with  "one-half  day  salting  beef"  and  Horace  White  credited 
with  the  services  of  Cass  in  hauling  beef  and  also  "some  pump- 
kins." A.  L.  Field  is  credited  with  three-fourths  of  a  day  "at 
business  of  different  kinds  for  Co."  There  are  several  entries  in 
November,  1837,  where  Horace  White  is  credited  with  "1  day 
each  for  Crosby,  Cass  and  Grimes  on  bridge  over  Turtle."  The 
explanation  is  that  Crosby  and  Grimes  were  indebted  to  Dr. 
White  and  that  they  worked  out  the  debt  in  the  company's  ser- 
vice for  which  he  received  credit  in  the  final  settlement.  The 
current  rate  of  interest  is  shown  in  an  entry  in  December,  1837, 
where  Horace  White  is  credited  with  $15  cash  paid  to  B.  J.  Ten- 
ney  for  the  company,  "interest  12  per  cent."  The  usual  rate  of 
interest  when  I  became  old  enough  to  understand  such  things 
was  12  per  cent,  and  I  think  that  it  was  not  less  than  10  per  cent 
at  any  time  when  I  lived  here. 

One   more   entry  in   this   old  account  book   deserves   notice. 


HISTOKY  OF  BELOIT  137 

Among  the  crops  produced  on  the  land  broken  up  by  Blod- 
gett  and  included  in  the  company's  purchase,  was  200  bushels  of 
oats.  This  was  divided  among  the  members  of  the  company  in 
exact  proportion  to  their  interest  in  it,  the  name  of  each  one  be- 
ing set  down  opposite  his  share  of  the  crop  in  bushels  and  pounds. 

It  should  be  added  that  there  is  no  indication  in  the  book  or 
in  any  letter  or  memorandum,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  dis- 
cover, that  there  ever  was  any  dispute  or  disagreement  among 
the  members  of  the  company  touching  money  matters  or  the 
eventual  settlement  of  the  joint  enterprise.  Each  one  had  entire 
confidence  in  the  good  faith  of  the  others  and  in  the  correctness 
of  the  bookkeeping. 

The  hardships  of  this  early  period  can  be  little  understood 
by  those  of  the  present  day.  We  read  in  the  early  records  that 
during  the  first  year  our  pioneers  were  often  in  want  of  food, 
and  that  the  arrival  of  Alfred  Field  in  July,  1837,  with  a  team 
of  four  oxen  and  a  load  of  four  barrels  of  flour  relieved  them 
from  severe  distress.  Also  that  on  another  occasion  when  the 
stock  of  provisions  had  run  low  they  heard  of  a  whole  barrel  of 
pork  for  sale  at  Rockford  and  sent  one  of  their  number  down 
there  to  buy  it.  The  streams  furnished  a  plentiful  supply  of  fish 
and  when  Goodhue's  mill  was  completed  the  flume  was  converted 
into  a  kind  of  trap  by  means  of  which  the  water  could  be  drained 
ofl:'  and  the  fish  picked  up  on  the  bottom,  but  the  fish  could  not 
be  rendered  palatable  without  some  accessories,  and  these  were 
frequently  wanting.  The  hardships  of  travel  in  those  days  were 
almost  beyond  conception.  Some  of  these  are  within  my  own 
recollection.  It  was  customary  for  the  stage  drivers  to  carry 
rails  with  w^hich  to  pry  the  coaches  out  of  the  mud  when  the 
horses  could  no  longer  draw  their  loads.  In  this  exercise  the 
passengers  were  expected  to  take  part  under  pain  of  stopping 
for  an  indefinite  time  in  some  unfathomed  bog.  When  a  man 
driving  his  team  alone  was  stuck  fast  in  this  way  he  must  either 
wait  till  somebody  else  came  along  to  pull  him  through,  or  take 
out  his  load  by  piecemeal  and  carry  it  on  his  back  to  dry  land 
so  that  his  horses  might  draw  out  the  empty  wagon.  I  have  wit- 
nessed many  cases  of  both  kinds  and  have  participated  in  some. 

A  sadder  case  is  that  of  an  emigrating  party  from  Colebrook 
who  left  the  steamboat  at  Detroit  and  started  to  cross  the  state 
of  Michigan  with  a  team  of  four  horses.    The  roads  were  so  bad 


1^ 


138  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

that  one  of  the  horses  died  of  fatigue  before  they  had  made  half 
of  the  distance.  Soon  afterward  another  horse  was  so  exhausted 
that  he  could  not  pull.  It  was  necessary  to  lead  him  by  a  rope. 
Then  they  came  to  the  sand  hills  at  the  southern  bend  of  Lake 
Michigan  and  it  became  necessary  to  lighten  the  load  in  every 
possible  way,  for  there  was  danger  that  the  other  horses  would 
fail,  or  perhaps  die  in  the  road.  Delicate  women  were  obliged  to 
get  out  and  walk  in  the  sand  carrying  infant  children  on  their 
backs.  It  was  impossible  to  stop  on  the  road.  Houses  were  ten 
to  twenty  miles  apart.  Shelter  and  food  for  man  and  beast  must 
be  found  every  night.  While  these  toilers  were  trudging  through 
the  sand  darkness  overtook  them,  accompanied  by  rain.  There 
was  nothing  to  do  but  push  on.  Continuous  movement  was  the 
price  of  life.  With  eyes  straining  to  see  a  light  they  toiled  on 
fainting  with  hunger  and  fatigue  and  drenched  with  rain.  About 
9  o'clock  their  hearts  were  gladdened  by  a  distant  twinkling 
light.  They  hastened  to  reach  it.  They  found  it  a  short  distance 
from  the  road.  It  was  an  Indian  wigwam.  The  occupants  were 
very  civil.  They  invited  these  foot-sore  travelers  to  the  shelter 
of  their  lodge,  but  it  was  so  filthy  that  the  pilgrims,  weary  as 
they  were,  could  not  bring  themselves  to  enter  it.  So  they  turned 
back  to  the  lonely  road  and  resumed  their  journey,  for  near 
three  hours  longer.  Midnight  brought  them  to  a  house  in  a  con- 
dition of  mind  and  body  that  can  be  better  imagined  than  de- 
scribed. This  was  the  Crosby  party.  One  of  these  women,  whose 
trembling  limbs  had  at  last  borne  her  to  a  door,  was  Mrs.  Crane, 
and  the  babe  whom  she  carried  was  my  friend  Ellery  Crane,  who 
has  given  me  these  facts.  They  reached  their  journey's  end  in 
August,  1837.  Mrs.  Crane  never  recovered  from  the  effects  of 
that  terrible  journey.  Her  health  was  undermined  by  it.  She 
lingered  a  few  years  and  died  at  the  age  of  33. 

There  was  another  branch  of  the  early  emigration  to  Beloit 
to  which  I  think  that  Dr.  Horace  W^hite  must  have  given  the 
impulse.  It  came  from  Bedford,  a  town  in  the  extreme  southern 
part  of  New  Hampshire,  Colebrook  being  in  the  extreme  north- 
ern part.  Among  the  families  represented  in  this  emigration 
were  those  of  Colley,  Riddle,  Dole,  Atwood,  Houston  and  Gordon. 
My  mother  was  a  native  of  Bedford.  As  the  movement  originated 
in  Colebrook  and  as  our  family  was  the  only  connecting  link  be- 
tween the  two  towns,  which  were  separated  from  each  other  by 


c/^.4^^^/ 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  139 

the  whole  length  of  the  state,  I  conclude  that  the  Bedford  peo- 
ple took  the  Beloit  fever  from  us  and  that  S.  G.  CoUey  was  en- 
rolled as  an  original  member  of  the  New  England  Emigrating 
Company  at  my  father's  instance,  and  that  the  others  were  sim- 
ilarly induced  to  come  later.  However  that  may  be,  it  is  certain 
that  my  mother  with  her  two  sons,  aged  three  and  one,  respective- 
ly, came  hither  from  Bedford,  in  company  with  Mr.  Colley  and  his 
family,  and  Mrs.  Atwood  and  her  daughter,  in  the  summer  of 
1838,  arriving  here  on  the  25th  of  June  of  that  year.  My  father 
had  returned  to  Beloit  in  November,  1837,  but  did  not  bring  his 
family  because  there  was  then  no  place  to  put  them.  There  were 
only  three  log  houses  in  the  town  in  1837  and  those  were  all  occu- 
pied by  the  male  workers  who  were  preparing  the  ground  for 
their  wives  and  children.  In  1837  Caleb  Blodgett  erected  a  house 
of  boards,  the  product  of  Goodhue's  mill.  This  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Rock  River  house,  situated  where  the  Goodwin  house 
now  stands.  The  fact  of  immediate  interest  to  the  White  family 
was  that  when  Blodgett  moved  out  of  the  old  log  house  they 
were  enabled  to  move  in. 

(Dr.  White  soon  moved  to  a  board  house  on  the  west  side  of 
State  street,  about  midM^ay  between  Broad  and  School  streets, 
and  that  was  their  family  home  until  he  died  there,  December 
23,  1843.  This  graphic  incident  of  Horace  White's  childhood  in 
Beloit  is  historic.  Where  the  central  bridge  was  built  in  1842 
the  crossing  of  Rock  river  was  provided  for,  several  years  before 
1840,  by  a  self-acting  ferry.  A  large  tree,  jutting  out  from  the 
bank  at  the  north  end  of  the  public  landing,  north  side  of  Public 
avenue,  held  the  east  end  of  the  ferry  rope,  which  was  fastened 
at  the  other  end  to  a  similar  tree  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
The  rectangular,  flat-bottomed  ferry  boat  was  attached  at  both 
ends  to  this  rope  by  two  similar  arrangements  of  rope  and  pulley 
and  grooved  wheel,  one  for  each  end  of  the  boat,  both  wheels 
moving  easily  on  the  long  ferry  rope  and  affording  a  kind  of 
moveable  anchorage.  When  the  west  end  attachment  was  short- 
ened up,  making  that  end  of  the  scow  point  diagonally  up  stream, 
the  force  of  the  current  would  slowly  push  the  boat  across  to 
the  west  bank.  Then,  after  the  wheel  rope  at  the  west  end  was 
lengthened  and  that  of  the  other  end  shortened,  causing  the  east 
end  of  the  boat  to  point  up  stream,  the  current  of  the  river  flow- 
ing southward  would  gradually  work  the  boat  back  to  the  east 


140  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

bank.  This  was  a  New  England  way  of  harnessing  the  stream, 
reproduced  by  the  New  England  men  here.  One  day  when  the 
ferry  boat  had  been  left  at  the  east  bank,  unattended  but  duly 
arranged  for  return,  little  Horace  jumped  aboard  and  unex- 
pectedly began  to  move  out  from  shore.  Our  Horace,  viewing 
that  prospective  voyage  to  foreign  parts,  felt  something  of  the 
apprehension  with  which  his  Roman  namesake  contemplated  a 
near  voyage  across  the  Adriatic,  only  instead  of  "'tomorrow  we 
cross  the  great  deep,"  with  our  Horace  it  was  "right  now." 
The  future  journalist,  however,  with  instinctive  appreciation  of 
the  value  of  a  want  ad,  well  published,  at  once  raised  his  voice 
in  unmistakable  expression  of  desire  for  help.  His  ad  was  an- 
swered promptly.  When  the  ferry  boat  reached  the  west  bank 
a  gentleman  there,  who  had  noticed  the  situation,  met  him  with 
soothing  assurances,  readjusted  the  boat  ropes  for  his  return  and, 
persuading  him  to  stay  on  board,  started  it  back.  In  a  few  min- 
utes the  friendly  current  had  pushed  the  ferry  boat  to  the  east 
bank  and  little  Horace,  springing  ashore  after  his  foreign  travel, 
no  doubt  ran  home  a  happier  and  wiser  lad. 

One  summer  evening,  in  that  same  earliest  era  of  Beloit  life, 
another  little  boy,  Webster  Moore,  about  sunset  was  sent  on  an 
errand  from  his  home  (now  537  Public  avenue)  to  the  isolated 
and  distant  house  of  Alexander  Douglass  (now  about  820  Park 
avenue)  and  lost  his  way.  As  he  did  not  return  the  family  and 
friends  became  alarmed,  a  large  number  of  men  searched  for 
him  through  the  woods  with  lanterns,  and  long  after  midnight 
he  was  found  crying  in  despair  on  the  thickly  wooded  bank  of 
Turtle  creek,  about  a  mile  northeast  of  his  home. 

During  the  editor's  own  boyhood  here  (1845-55)  all  that  re- 
gion of  Beloit  northeast  of  the  corner  of  Chapin  and  Church 
streets  was  quite  generally  covered  with  a  forest  of  burr  oak  and 
hickory  as  far  as  to  the  location  of  Clinton  Babbit's  Turtle  creek 
farm,  called  Hemdoka,  and  indeed  for  half  a  mile  north  and 
northwest  of  that.  Where  Mr.  Babbit 's  house  was  located,  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  northeast  of  Beloit  college,  Bradford 
CoUey  claimed  to  have  seen  at  an  early  day  several  Indian  tepees 
or  frames  for  wigwams,  standing  as  the  Indians  had  left  them, 
and  told  Mr.  Babbit  they  had  belonged  to  some  of  Black  Hawk's 
Indians,  who  called  that  place  Hemdoka,  "the  camp  on  the 
bluff.") 


HISTOKY  OF  BELOIT  141 

Those  early  villagers,  disliking  the  Indian  name,  Turtle,  as 
too  slow,  and  Blodgett's  name  for  the  settlement,  New  Albany, 
as  too  fast,  in  the  fall  of  1838  held  at  the  Beloit  house  several 
public  meetings  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  something  better. 
As  no  agreement  could  be  reached  the  matter  was  finally  left 
to  a  committee  of  three.  Mr.  R.  P.  Crane,  then  in  Florida,  wrote 
to  the  Beloit  "Journal"  in  February,  1878,  that  this  committee 
consisted  of  Johnson,  Hobart  and  himself.  L.  G.  Fisher,  Esq., 
of  Chicago,  in  a  letter  published  by  the  Beloit  "Journal"  March 
28,  1878,  said  that  the  committee  chosen  were  Major  Charles 
Johnson,  Horace  Hobart  and  L.  G.  Fisher.  Mr.  William  Jack, 
who  was  present  when  the  name  was  reported,  personally  stated 
to  the  editor  in  Beloit  in  the  year  1899,  that  Mr.  Fisher  was  cer- 
tainly a  member  of  that  committee.  (There  may  have  been  two 
committees,  appointed  by  different  votes  or  parties  of  settlers.) 
L.  G.  Fisher  states  that  the  committee  retired  to  a  shanty  nearby 
and,  at  first,  one  of  them  suggested  that  a  name  be  made  with 
letters  of  the  alphabet  drawn  by  lot.  Major  Johnson  proposed 
Ballote,  hinting  that  it  was  the  French  for  beautiful.  As  many 
of  the  settlers  had  pleasant  remembrances  of  Detroit,  Mr.  Fisher 
wanted  a  name  which  would  sound  like  Detroit,  and  spoke  the 
words,  Balloit,  Beloit.  The  latter  name,  approved  in  committee, 
was  reported  to  the  assembled  settlers  by  Major  Johnson  and  un- 
animously adopted.  Rock  county,  formed  by  act  of  the  Wiscon- 
sin territorial  legislature  December  7,  1836,  derived  its  name 
from  the  famous  "Big  Rock"  on  the  north  side  of  Rock  river  at 
Monterey,  in  Janesville,  which  rock  marked  a  fording  place  and 
was  an  old  Indian  landmark. 

Our  record  of  those  earliest  pioneers  of  Beloit,  prior  to  the 
purchases  of  the  New  England  Company,  includes  besides  Caleb 
Blodgett  and  family  and  John  Hackett,  Major  Charles  Johnson, 
John  Doolittle  and  the  Goodhues,  father  and  son  William  (our 
first  mayor),  also  a  family  whom  Blodgett  persuaded  to  come 
from  Meacham's  Grove  in  January,  1837,  Chauncey  and  Mrs. 
Tuttle  with  four  sons,  Chester,  Frank,  William  and  George.  The 
last,  who  was  then  ten  years  old,  is  now  living  in  his  residence  at 
the  northeast  corner  of  Church  and  Chapin  streets,  Beloit,  hale 
and  active  yet.  There  were  also  a  Mr.  Delamater,  Z.  Jones  and 
brother,  and  James  Carter,  a  millright.  The  first  members  of 
the  New  England  colony  to  arrive  after  R.  P.  Crane  and  0.  P. 


142  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNT Y 

Bicknell,  who  both  came  March  9,  1837,  and  Dr.  AVhite.  March 
13,  were  Henry  Mears  and  wife,  April  15,  with  her  sister  Maria 
and  brother  Horace  Clark  coming  a  little  later;  Dr.  George  and 
Edward  Bicknell,  who  arrived  together  in  July,  1837,  followed  in 
the  same  month  by  Mrs.  John  Hackett,  Alfred  L.  Field  and  Ira 
Hersey,  who  with  their  four  ox  team  brought  welcome  supplies 
of  meat  and  flour.  Others  sent  out  by  the  company  and  arriv- 
ing that  year  were  August  9.  Horace  Hobart  (afterwards  a 
deacon),  Benjamin  I.  Tenney,  Asahel  B.  Howe,  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, James  Cass  and  wife,  Mr.  Israel  C.  Cheney  and  Mrs.  R.  P. 
Crane  and  her  infant  son,  Ellery,  coming  with  Thomas  Crosby, 
wife  and  infant  child,  mother  and  brother.  On  his  first  arrival 
Mr.  Crosby  built  himself  a  log  cabin,  the  third  house  of  the  place, 
on  the  east  bank  of  Rock  river,  where  the  east  side  paper  mill 
afterwards  stood,  but  soon  moved  with  his  family  to  the  New 
England  company's  boarding  house,  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crosby 
conducted  during  its  first  year.  Mr.  Crosby  entered  land  about 
five  miles  directly  east  of  Beloit,  became  a  successful  farmer  and 
lived  there  on  his  farm  to  the  age  of  eighty-seven.  He  was  one  of  the 
early  trustees  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Beloit,  of  which 
his  daughter,  Cornelia,  is  still  a  member.  His  name  was  repre- 
sented in  the  Wisconsin  legislature  of  1875  and  for  nine  years  in 
the  chairmanship  of  our  Rock  County  Board  of  Supervisors  by 
his  son,  George  H.  Crosby,  who  is  yet  a  member  of  that  body. 

In  a  twelve  by  sixteen  shanty,  which  had  just  been  built  by 
Crane  about  five  rods  east  of  the  northeast  corner  of  present 
State  street  and  St.  Paul  avenue,  on  Sunday,  August  13,  1837, 
Horace  Hobart  conducted  the  first  public  religious  service  held 
in  this  community,  a  prayer  meeting,  the  singing  being  led  and 
the  first  prayer  offered  by  Ira  Hersey.  One  week  later  there 
was  another  religious  gathering  in  the  same  place,  at  which  Mr. 
A.  L.  Field  read  a  sermon  and  led  the  singing.  Similar  services 
were  held  there  August  27  and  September  3,  and  then  followed, 
the  first  public  preaching  service  held  September  10,  in  another 
place  as  described  later. 

During  that  same  year,  1837,  appeared  other  settlers,  not  con- 
nected with  the  New  England  company,  among  them  Walter 
Warner,  Benjamin  Cheney,  David  Noggle,  William  Jack,  Charles 
M.  Messer,  surveyor,  and  Bradford  Colley  with  his  widowed 
sister,  Mrs.  Ann  Jane  Atwood,  skilled  nurse  of  most  of  the  pioneer 


HISTORY  OF  BKLOIT  143 

babies  (iiK-ludii)g  the  editor,  boni  here  in  1845),  aud  who  lived 
in  Beloit  until  her  death.  December  7,  1903,  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
two  years. 

Early  in  1838  came  Samuel  B.  Cooper  and  family  and  John 
P.  Houston  (father  of  John  E.),  and  Alfred  Field's  father,  Peter 
R.  Field,  deacon  of  the  church  at  Colebrook,  N.  H.,  with  his  wife, 
Hannah,  and  her  sister,  Mrs.  Nancy  Crane,  mother  of  Robert  P., 
also  Samuel  G.  C^olley  and  wife  and  John  Burroughs,  teacher.  In 
that  year  also  Israel  Cheney  brought  here  his  wife  and  five  daugh- 
ters, one  being  Mrs.  Moore,  carrying  her  infant  son.  Webster, 
and  becoming  next  year  the  mother  of  Abbie,  who  is  now  Mrs. 
William  B.  Strong.  The  four  blooming  girls,  Caroline  (Mrs. 
Hill),  Azuba  (Mrs.  Carr),  Lovisa  (Mrs.  Dyer,  of  Chicago),  and 
Lucena  (Mrs.  Rice  Dearborn),  while  yet  in  their  father's  wagon, 
starting  out  from  New  England,  were  seen  (he  has  told  us),  by 
young  D.  K.  Pearsons  as  the  teams  stopped  for  a  few  moments 
at  his  father's  door;  their  beauty  made  such  an  impression  on 
his  youthful  mind  that  he  afterwards  inquired  and  learned  where 
they  had  gone  and  so  was  first  led  to  take  that  interest  in  Beloit 
which  has  been  manifested  since  he  became  the  wealthy  Dr.  Pear- 
sons of  Chicago,  in  such  generous  gifts  to  Beloit  college.  Novem- 
ber, 1838,  came  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  from  Hampshire,  England, 
with  their  son  Henry  H.,  about  fifteen  years  old,  who  is  still  liv- 
ing in  Rock  county.  Other  influential  pioneers,  who  should  be 
mentioned  are,  coming  in  1839,  John  C.  Burr,  tinner,  with  his 
mother,  Elizabeth ;  Rice  Dearborn  from  Vermont,  Alexander  Gor- 
don from  Maine,  and  John  Hopkins,  second  deacon  of  the  first 
Congregational  church,  which  had  been  organized  December  30, 
1838,  also  the  first  superintendent  of  the  first  Sunday  school, 
begun  as  a  union  school  in  October,  1839.  But  he  is  more  widely 
known  and  will  be  longer  remembered  for  his  survey  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Beloit,  which  he  made,  evidently  that  same  year,  for 
Horace  White  and  others,  and  which  is  our  first  recorded  survey. 
It  was  manifestly  based,  however,  on  the  Kelsou  survey,  herein 
pictured,  which  had  been  started  and  probably  finished  in  the 
fall  of  1837.  (I  have  learned  that  Hopkins  used  a  somewhat 
worn  chain,  while  the  later  surveyor.  Rice,  measured  with  a 
standard  pole.  This  may  explain  the  unpleasant  fact  that  the 
two  surveys  do  not  perfectly  agree,  often  differing  several  feet 
in  a  long  block.) 


144  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

Then  in  1840  came  the  first  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational 
church,  Rev.  Dexter  Clary,  who  will  be  mentioned  further  in  the 
account  of  churches,  and  in  October  arrived  Benjamin  Brown,  of 
Framingham,  Mass.,  with  his  bride  of  the  same  birthplace  and 
her  little  daughter,  Lucy,  by  a  former  husband.  (As  one  illus- 
tration of  that  Puritan  descent,  which  so  many  of  those  Beloit 
pioneers  could  show,  we  give  here  their  full  family  record.) 

[Benjamin  BrowTi  was  of  thoroughly  New  England  and  Puri- 
tan stock,  derived  from  John  Brown  of  Watertown,  near  Boston, 
who,  April  24,  1655,  married  Hester  Makepeace,  of  Boston,  Mass. 
Their  grandson,  William  Brown,  of  Lexington,  Mass.,  1723-1793, 
in  1747  served  in  the  French  and  Indian  war  and  that  same  year 
purchased  a  slave,  Crispus  Attucks,  who  having  run  away  to  Bos- 
ton in  1760,  was  killed  in  the  Boston  massacre  of  March  5,  1770, 
the  first  blood  shed  in  the  Revolution. 

In  1746  William  had  moved  to  Framingham,  Mass.,  bought 
the  outlet  of  Cochituate  lake  and  built  there  a  saw  mill,  a  grist 
mill  and  one  of  the  earliest  fulling  mills  of  New  England.  In 
1772  and  1775  he  was  chairman  of  the  Framingham  Committee  of 
Correspondence.  He  was  a  member  of  the  First  Provincial  Con- 
gress, which  at  Concord,  Mass.,  October  26,  1774,  provided  for 
enlisting  companies  of  minute  men ;  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Second  Provincial  Congress,  meeting  in  1775,  and  was  elected 
annually  as  Framingham 's  representative  to  the  general  court 
of  Massachusetts  from  1777  to  1785.  In  1752  he  had  been  made 
deacon  of  the  second  church  of  Framingham  and  was  continued 
such  until  his  death  there  in  1793. 

Of  his  twelve  children  the  eleventh,  Ebenezer,  married  in 
1788,  Keziah  Nixon,  daughter  of  Captain  (afterwards  General) 
John  Nixon,  and  their  eighth  and  youngest  child,  born  in  Fram- 
ingham, June  8,  1803,  was  this  Benjamin. 

His  mother  trained  up  her  children  to  a  strict  keeping  of  the 
Sabbath  from  sundown  of  Saturday  to  the  sunset  of  Sunday. 
Often  on  a  hot  Sunday  afternoon  in  summer  little  Benjamin  was' 
given  Watt's  Hymns  and  Pilgrim's  Progress  and  ordered  to  his 
chair  with  a  strict  injunction  to  not  get  off  it  until  the  sun  went 
down.  The  average  New  England  boy  of  those  times  was  a  re- 
versed Joshua  with  reference  to  the  sun  on  that  day.  The  instant 
that  luminary  disappeared  in  the  west  the  boys  would  all  rush 


HlSTOiU'   OF  BELOIT  145 

off  to  the  town  common  and  there  enjoy  a  delightful  Sunday 
evening  of  games  and  general  hilarity. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Benjamin's  maternal  grandfather, 
Jolui  Nixon  (1725-1815),  eaptain  of  the  Sudbury  minute  men,  led 
his  company  and  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Lexington,  April 
19,  1774,  and  as  colonel  led  the  Middlesex  regiment  at  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill,  where  he  was  wounded  again.  July  8,  1776,  from 
a  platform  near  the  AValnut  street  front  of  the  State  House  in 
Philadelphia,  John  Nixon  read  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
to  a  vast  concourse  of  people,  the  first  public  reading.  He  was 
made  a  brigadier,  and  also  a  salaried  member  of  the  first  Con- 
tinental navy  board,  November  6,  1776.  At  the  battle  of  Sara- 
toga, or  Bemis'  Heights,  where  he  commanded  a  brigade,  the  near 
passage  of  a  cannon  ball  impaired  his  hearing,  but  he  continued 
in  commission  until  1780.  One  of  his  daughters  married  a  farmer, 
named  Warren,  a  relative  of  that  celebrated  patriot.  Dr.  Joseph 
Warren,  the  General  Warren  who  was  killed  at  Bunker  Hill. 

Deacon  William's  eldest  son,  Roger  (born  September  12, 
1749),  a  Revolutionary  captain,  and  a  colonel,  by  commission 
from  Governor  John  Hancock,  dated  July  12,  1790,  married  Mary 
Hartwell,  of  Lincoln,  Mass.  Their  son,  James,  farmer,  and  cap- 
tain of  minute  men  (1784-1875),  was  married  November  4,  1807, 
to  Nancy  Fiske  (1789-1858),  and  lived  his  long  life  at  Framing- 
ham.  Mass.,  village  of  Saxonville.  Their  second  child  was  Lucy 
Ann  (November  20,  1809 — September  1,  1869),  who  first  married 
Augustine  Leland,  a  graduate  of  Brown  university,  1834,  and 
then,  as  a  widow  with  a  daughter,  Lucy,  was  married  May  14, 
1840,  to  Benjamin  Brown. 

Note. — On  a  pleasant  afternoon  in  June,  1812,  when  Captain 
James  Brown  and  his  man  were  ploughing  on  the  home  farm  at 
Saxonville,  twenty  miles  from  Boston,  a  galloping  horseman  sud- 
denly drew  up  in  the  road  beside  the  field,  shouting,  "War  de- 
clared with  England!  Minute  men,  turn  out!  The  governor 
orders  you  to  report  to  him  on  Boston  common  by  noon  tomor- 
row!" and  rushed  on.  The  captain  took  his  horse  from  the 
plough,  and  with  traces  dangling  rode  him  around  to  the  dif- 
ferent members  of  his  company,  directing  them  to  gather  at  his 
house  immediately  after  supper  prepared  for  a  march.  They 
came  as  called,  marched  all  night,  and  he  reported  to  the  gover- 
nor at  Boston  before  breakfast  next  morning,  the  first  company 


146  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

in.  For  his  promptness  he  was  at  once  made  a  major  with  posi- 
tion on  the  governor's  staff,  and  later  became  a  colonel. 

His  wife,  Nancy  Fiske,  was  the  daughter  of  Deacon  John 
Fiske,  a  Puritan  of  the  Puritans. 

In  the  eighth  year  of  King  John  of  England,  A.  D.  1208,  the 
name  of  Daniel  Fise,  of  Laxford,  is  appended  to  a  document 
issued  by  that  king,  confirming  a  grant  of  land  from  the  Duke 
of  Loraine  to  the  men  of  Laxfield,  a  town  about  eighty  miles 
northeast  of  London. 

In  the  time  of  Henry  VI.  (1422-1-4G1),  Symond  Fiske,  prob- 
ably a  direct  descendant  of  Daniel,  held  lands  in  Laxfield  parish. 
He  was  Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Stadhaugh.  (A  haugh  was  a  cleared 
field,  and  Stad,  or  Stead,  means  an  established  home.  Hence 
our  word  homestead.)  The  Fiske  armorial  bore  three  gold  stars 
with  the  significant  motto,  "Maete  virtute  sic  itur  ad  astra" 
(Good  doing  leads  upward),  evidently  derived  from  Virgil's 
^neid,  book  IX.,  lines  640-641  (Literally:  Forward  with  manli- 
ness. So  one  goes  toward  the  stars).  Below  the  shield  is  the 
name,  Ffiske.  Above  it  is  a  helmet  in  profile,  which  signifies 
that  he  was  simply  an  Esquire.  In  the  parish  register  of  Lax- 
field, which  begins  with  the  sixteenth  century,  one  of  the  earliest 
names  recorded  in  1519  is  Elizabeth  Ffyske. 

The  fourth  in  direct  descent  from  Symond.  Robert  (and  Sibil 
Gold)  Fiske,  lived  at  Broad  Gates,  Laxfield,  eight  miles  from 
Framlingham,  Suffolk  county,  England.  (The  termination,  ing- 
ham,  means  "home  of  one  clan.")  Their  son,  William  Fiske, 
born  1614,  came  to  America  with  his  brother  John  in  1837  and 
settled  at  Watertown,  Mass.  (John,  who  heads  a  separate  group, 
located  at  Wenham  or  Salem.) 

The  Fiskes  w^ere  noted  for  their  strong  religious  proclivities, 
inherited  from  English  ancestors  who  had  to  flee  from  their 
native  land  to  escape  being  beheaded  or  burnt  at  the  stake. 

At  Laxfield  in  the  evil  days  of  "Bloody  Mary,"  Rev.  John 
Noyes  was  burned  at  the  stake,  and  Foxe's  Book  of  Martyrs  says 
that  he  was  visited  on  the  evening  before  execution  by  his 
brother-in-law,  Nicholas  Fiske,  an  act  which  required  more  than 
ordinary  courage.  Another  ancestor,  John  Fiske,  after  being 
hunted  for  nearly  a  year,  escaped  to  America  in  disguise.  Being 
a  reverend  graduate  of  Emmanuel  college,  Cambridge.  England, 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  147 

he  became  here  an  eminent  preacher,  and,  as  Cotton  Mather  says, 
"did  shine  in  the  golden  candlestick  of  Chelmsford." 

The  second  William  Fiske  (1642-1728),  was  for  forty  years  a 
deacon  in  the  Congregational  church,  of  which  Rev.  John  Fiske 
became  the  first  pastor  in  1679.  William's  son,  Ebenezer,  was  a 
deacon,  and  his  grandson,  the  third  William  Fiske,  was  a  staunch 
Puritan,  who  moved  to  Amherst. 

The  eighth  generation  in  direct  descent  from  Symond  was 
Nathan  Fiske,  of  Watertown,  Mass. ;  the  ninth,  Nathaniel ;  the 
tenth,  John  (1682-1740);  the  eleventh,  Isaac  (1714-1800),  a 
weaver  of  Framingham,  Mass..  who  November  11,  1736,  married 
Hannah  Haven,  of  the  same  place.  Their  third  child,  John,  1741- 
1819,  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  representative,  married  Abigail 
Howe,  and  had  ten  children,  of  whom  the  eighth  was  Nancy,  the 
mother  of  Lucy  Ann,  who  became  wife  of  Benjamin,  mother  of 
William  Fiske  Brown. 

Note. — The  youngest  sister  of  Lucy,  Nancy  or  Anna  Fiske 
(later  Mrs.  Charles  Washburn,  of  Worcester,  Mass.),  taught 
Greek  and  Latin  and  fitted  young  men  for  college.  One  of  the 
boys  whom  she  so  taught  in  Worcester  was  Benjamin  D.  Allen, 
the  very  efficient  choirmaster  and  professor  of  music  in  Beloit 
college,  in  1900.  Another  was  George  W.  Smalley  of  the  London 
Times. 

Note  2. — Fiske  is  Scandinavian  for  Fish.  This  name  was  in- 
troduced into  England  at  the  time  of  the  Danish  invasion. 

Miss  Fidelia  Fiske  (a  missionary  at  Ooroomiah,  Persia),  says 
that  it  explains  our  word  fiscal.  Much  of  the  Danish  government 
dues  Avas  collected  in  dried  fish,  and  in  Denmark  quintals  of  fish 
were  once  used  as  currency.  The  revenue  officer  was  therefore 
called  "the  Fiske."  and  the  government  revenue  "Fiscal." 

Note  3. — The  one  exception  to  the  Puritan  record  of  this  family 
was  Benjamin's  older  brother,  William  (1797-1846),  a  sea  cap- 
tain, who  had  two  ships  plying  between  New  York  and  Vera 
Cruz,  Mexico.  He  was  a  Free  Thinker,  and  became  a  Roman 
Catholic  Avhen  he  married  a  Spanish  lady.  Donna  Maria  Guar- 
dero,  of  Tabasco,  Mexico,  in  which  province  he  lived  and  died. 

Note  4. — But  from  the  Revolutionary  record  and  loyalty  of  the 
family  there  has  not  been  even  one  exception.  The  twelfth  child 
of  Benjamin's  older  brother,  Joseph,  of  Saxonville  (1793-1882), 
Captain  William  Henry  Brown,  of  Natick,  Mass.  (born  1834,  who 


148  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

served  through  the  Civil  War  and  led  his  men  in  twenty-three 
battles),  furnishes  me  the  following  autograph  letter  of  General 
John  Nixon  to  General  Heath,  Avritten  in  September,  1776.  Nixon 
was  in  command  of  Governor's  island,  in  New  York  bay,  but  on 
the  approach  of  the  British  fleet  (August  30)  had  withdrawn  his 
little  garrison.  This  letter  was  evidently  written  when  he  was  at 
Harlem  Heights  and  about  September  10,  1776,  and  is  inserted 
as  a  part  of  authentic  but  unpublished  American  history: 

My  Dear  Sir :  You  have  no  doubt  observed  that  the  enemy 
decamped  last  night  from  the  heights  to  the  northward  of  Flush- 
ing bay.  About  three  or  four  regiments  are  now  encamping  on 
the  hill  to  the  westward  of  the  bay,  and  opposite  to  the  island 
which  forms  Hell  Gate.  Whether  this  body  is  that  which  de- 
camped or  one  marched  from  Newton,  we  cannot  determine.  Cer- 
tain it  is  their  movements  indicate  an  intention  to  land  near  you 
or  at  Harlem.  Four  boats  were  sounding  the  channel  between 
Little  Hell  Gate  and  the  opening  to  Harlem.  Those  appearances 
render  it  necessary  that  post  should  be  taken  on  Morris  hill  this 
night,  for  reasons  too  obvious  to  be  mentioned.  (Morris'  hill 
was  near  Harlem  river  at  the  present  169th  street,  New  York 
city.)  If  you  have  not  strength  (of  which  advise  us),  we  -yvill 
post  some  regiments  there  tonight,  although  it  will  weaken  the 
middle  division  if  a  landing  should  be  made  below  this  evening. 
Whatever  may  be  your  determination,  pray  advise  us  of  it  in 
time.     I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  humble  servant. 

John  Nixon,  Brig.-Gen. 

To  the  Hon.  General  Heath  or  General  Mifflin. 

Note  5. — Captain  William  H.  Brown's  younger  brother,  Rev. 
John  Kittridge  BroAvn,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  (born  1843,  or- 
dained at  Stearns  Chapel,  Cambridgeport,  Mass.,  October  16, 
1872),  has  been  for  the  last  thirty-six  years,  and  still  is,  a  suc- 
cessful missionary  of  the  American  board  to  the  Armenians  at 
Harpoot,  Turkey.  During  the  terrible  massacres  there  he  and 
his  family  Avere  providentially  in  this  country,  but  they  bravely 
went  back  to  Harpoot  the  next  year,  and  he  is  there  now,  1908. 

Authorities. — History  of  Watertown,  by  Plenry  Bond,  1855, 
Vol.  I,  pp.  118,  145.  Savage's  Genealogical  Dictionary  of  New 
England,  1860,  Vol.  I,  p.  269-270,  published  by  Little,  Brown  & 
Co.,  Boston.  Benjamin  Lossing's  Field  Book  of  the  Revolution. 
Vol.  I.  pp.  51.  76,  490  and  491.  534.    Vol.  II,  pp.  66  and  637.    Also 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  Ud 

History  of  Framinghain,  ]\Iass.,  by  J.  H.  Temple,  published  by  the 
town,  1887.  Also,  Report  of  the  Brown  Association,  1868,  and 
the  Fiske  Genealogies,  all  the  Historical  Society  Library,  Madi- 
son, Wis. — "Seribner's  Magazine,"  July,  1876,  pages  289  and 
300.] 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  1840  Benjamin  Brown  started  a  brick 
yard  east  of  the  village  and  opened  a  general  store  on  the  east 
side  of  Turtle  (now  State)  street,  about  number  321,  where  he 
sold  almost  anything  wanted  except  fresh  meats.  One  day  that 
winter  a  customer  rushed  into  his  little  place,  calling  out,  "Have 
you  a  pair  of  specs?"  jMy  father  had  one  pair  and  handed  them 
to  him.  Trying  them  on,  he  remarked,  "I  have  just  come  through 
Freeport  and  Rockford  and  couldn't  find  a  pair  of  spectacles  in 
either  village.  But  they  told  me  that  perhaps  a  Mr.  Brown  at 
Beloit  might  have  them  and  here  they  are,  exactly  what  I  want." 
(In  1883  a  farmer,  having  his  plough  sharpened  in  Beloit,  said, 
"I  bought  the  steel  and  iron  for  that  plough  forty  years  ago 
from  a  storekeeper  here,  named  Brown,  who  made  me  pay  high 
for  it,  but  my  plough  is  good  yet.") 

In  that  same  year  (1840)  came  also  Horatio  Burchard,  farmer, 
from  NcAv  York,  who  located  with  his  large  family  on  the  east 
bank  of  Rock  river,  a  mile  north  of  the  village  (where  now  the 
interurban  line  extends  across.)  He  was  one  of  the  original 
trustees  of  Beloit  seminary,  begun  in  1844,  by  Rev.  Lewis  H.  Loss, 
which  later  became  the  preparatory  department  of  Beloit  college, 
and  like  his  friend,  Benjamin  Brown,  was  of  strong  anti-slavery 
principles,  not  then  popular.  Brown,  Burchard  and  Thomas  Tut- 
tle,  in  1842,  amid  many  jeers,  voted  the  first  free  soil  tickets  ever 
ofl'ered  in  Beloit.  A  son,  Horatio  C.  Burchard  (1826-1908), 
studied  and  taught  in  Beloit,  graduated  at  Hamilton  college, 
New  York,  in  1850,  became  a  lawyer,  a  member  of  the  Illinois 
legislature,  1862  to  1865,  and  United  States  congressman  from 
1869  to  1879.  He  was  then  appointed  director  of  the  United 
States  mint,  an  offiee  to  which  his  distinguished  services  in  the 
interest  of  a  safer  currency  gave  a  new  degree  of  honor.  His 
son,  Edward  L.,  graduated  from  Beloit  college  in  1891. 

Then  in  1841  arrived  Charles  Peck,  builder,  with  his  large 
family.  May  ],  1843.  he  finished  John  Hackett's  residence, 
where  the  high  school  building  now  stands,  the  first  house  on  the 
west  side  of  the  river.    And  from  Michigan,  also  in  1841,  we  have 


150  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

David  Merrill,  music  teacher    (1812-1906),  who  in  a  published 
letter  thus  pleasingly  describes  that  earliest  Beloit : 

"I  came  to  Beloit  in  October,  1841.  The  settlement  had  then 
about  300  inhabitants,  all  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  Through 
the  winter  I  held  a  line  of  singing  schools  at  Whitewater,  Fort 
Atkinson.  Milton,  Beloit  and  Eockford.  The  winter  was  beau- 
tiful, with  from  six  to  ten  inches  of  snow,  but  the  next  was  the 
hard  winter,  with  sleighing  from  the  9th  of  November  to  the 
10th  of  April,  1843,  and  upon  the  11th  teams  crossed  Eock  river 
on  the  ice.  I  was  lost  on  Eock  prairie  November  17,  1842,  in  a 
storm  with  the  snow  two  feet  deep,  which  increased  during  the 
winter  to  four  feet  on  the  level,  and  cattle,  horses,  hogs  and  sheep 
perished  with  cold  and  hunger.  The  central  bridge  at  Beloit 
had  been  built  in  the  summer  of  1842.  In  April,  1844,  I  moved 
to  the  west  side  of  the  river  and  built  a  stone  house  there,  the 
second  residence  on  the  west  side,  at  the  northwest  corner  of 
Third  street  and  E  (now  St.  Lawrence  avenue),  later  owned  and 
occupied  by  Charles  Hanson.  From  May  10,  1844,  rain  fell  al- 
most continually  for  fifty  days  and  in  July  a  steamboat  came  up 
the  river,  going  on  up  to  Jefferson.  During  that  spring  Ira  Mer- 
sey, John  Atchley  and  myself  started  building  a  dam  across  Eock 
river,  but  soon  sold  out  to  Hanchett  and  Lawrence,  who  chose 
the  present  location  several  rods  further  down  stream,  and  com- 
pleted a  dam  of  logs  and  stone  late  that  fall.  I  helped  build 
Gaston's  scale  factory  in  November,  1844.  Bennett  Wooster  came 
in  1844  and  began  farming  about  three  miles  east  of  Beloit.  On 
farms  winter  wheat  was  the  staple  product,  yielding  from  twenty 
to  forty  bushels  per  acre ;  soon  that  began  to  fail  and  spring 
wheat  took  its  place ;  then  followed  the  noted  days  of  Hedgerow, 
which,  with  basswood  lumber  rafted  from  Watertown  by  John 
Hackett,  was  next  to  legal  tender.  Barter  became  the  rule  and 
cash  the  exception.  Wheat  sold  at  25  cents,  corn  at  10  to  15 
cents  per  bushel,  and  oats  the  same.  Work  in  harvest  was  from 
$1  per  day  to  $1.50,  according  to  muscle.  Grain  was  cut  with 
cradles.  A  good  man  and  team  got  from  $1.25  to  $1.50  a  day  and 
board  yourself.  The  Beloit  &  Madison  railroad  was  graded  in 
1854  to  Footville.  I  put  on  that  road  20,000  ties  between  Beloit 
and  Afton.  The  Eacine  &  Mississippi  railroad,  now  the  Western 
Union,  was  graded  in  1856  and  I  delivered  20,000  ties  for  that 
road  from  Porter  to  Eoekton.     When  Beloit  was  organized  as  a 


HISTORY   OF  BELOiT  151 

city,  in  1856,  the  town  supervisors  were  W.  S.  Yost,  Green  Ben- 
nett and  David  Merrill." 

Here  may  titly  be  noted  some  of  the  first  things  of  Beloit. 
The  first  large  building  erected  was  a  temporary  structure,  a 
big  lodging  and  boarding  house,  made  in  1837  for  the  men  who 
were  building  Blodgett's  mill.  It  stood  on  ground  now  occupied 
by  the  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad,  next  south  of  where  the 
Beloit  house  was  afterwards  built,  and  in  it,  September  10,  1837, 
Professor  Whitman,  formerly  of  Madison  university.  New  York, 
a  Baptist  minister  from  Belvidere,  111.,  conducted  the  first  public 
preaching  service  in  the  settlement,  preaching  morning  and  after- 
noon two  most  lugubrious  sermons  from  Genesis  47 :9  and  Job 
4:1.  The  Beloit  house,  built  by  the  New  England  company  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Turtle  and  Race  (now  State  and  St.  Paul 
avenue),  and  the  Rock  River  house,  built  by  Mr.  Blodgett  about 
the  same  time  at  tlie  northeast  corner  of  Turtle  and  School  streets 
(now  State  and  East  Grand  avenue),  were  completed  a  little 
later.  The  first  white  woman  settler  was  Mrs.  Caleb  Blodgett, 
who  arrived  in  December,  1837,  accompanied  by  her  two  daugh- 
ters, thirteen  and  fifteen  years  of  age.  The  first  death  was  that 
of  Horace  Clark,  before  mentioned,  which  occurred,  after  a  four 
days'  illness,  December  2,  1837.  The  first  survey  of  the  village, 
that  of  Mr.  Kelson,  was  begun  October  10,  1837.  November  5 
of  that  year  Rev.  William  M.  Adams,  of  Rockton,  began  regular 
preaching  services  here,  and  continued  every  two  weeks  until 
he  organized  the  First  Congregational  church  in  the  kitchen  of 
Caleb  Blodgett's  home,  later  called  the  Rock  River  house,  De- 
cember 30,  1838.  There  John  Burroughs  taught  the  first  school 
of  the  place  during  the  fall  and  winter  of  1838,  though  Mrs.  At- 
wood  had,  prior  to  that  time,  taught  a  few  boys  at  her  home  on 
Race  street ;  Lucian  D.  Mears,  son  of  Henry  Mears,  was  the  first 
boy,  born  March  29,  1838,  on  the  farm,  two  miles  up  the  river, 
which  his  father  had  occupied  as  a  "squatter,"  later  known  as 
the  Peck  farm.  The  first  wedding  was  that  of  Harvey  Bevedy 
and  Mary  J.  Moore,  who  were  married  by  Samuel  G.  CoUey,  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  in  the  winter  of  1839.  The  first  boy  born  in  the 
village  proper  was  a  son  of  Selvy  K.  Blodgett;  the  first  girl,  a 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wadsworth,  at  the  old  Beloit  house. 

The  first  girl  born  to  any  family  of  the  New  England  Com- 
pany was  Alice  J.  Moore,  at  what  is  now  537  Public  avenue,  De- 


152 


HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  153 

eember  18.  1838.  who  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  William  B. 
Strong.  John  Hackett,  our  first  postmaster,  opened  the  first 
store  in  his  house  at  the  southeast  corner  of  State  and  School 
streets  in  the  fall  of  1837 ;  the  following  year  a  larger  store  was 
built  and  opened  by  Messrs.  Field  and  Lusk  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  State  and  Race  streets.  David  Noggle  opened  the 
first  law  office,  followed  by  Hazen  Cheney.  At  the  first  election, 
held  in  the  fall  of  1838,  Horace  Hobart  was  elected  a  justice  of 
the  peace.  The  first  locomotive  crossed  the  state  line  into  Wis- 
consin at  Beloit  November  4,  1853.  The  first  plate  glass  store 
front  was  that  built  by  Benjamin  Brown  in  the  fall  of  1871  at 
328  and  330  State  street. 

The  lives  and  characters  of  those  first  settlers  of  this  place  not 
only  shaped  the  course  of  its  early  development  but  also  in  large 
measure  determined  its  future  destiny.  Especially  is  this  true 
of  the  members  of  the  New  England  Company  and  their  asso- 
ciates, most  of  whom  were  descended  from  Pilgrim  or  Puritan 
ancestors.  With  reverence,  for  God,  love  of  home  and  country, 
respect  for  law,  and  aspirations  for  all  that  is  enlightening  and 
ennobling,  they  brought  with  them  and  wrought  into  the  fabric 
and  life  of  the  young  settlement  those  innate  qualities  the  fruits  of 
which  are  seen  in  the  model  homes,  the  college  and  public  schools 
and  various  religious  organizations,  and  in  the  spirit  of  patriot- 
ism and  of  independence  and  enterprise,  which  always  have  been 
and  today  are  marked  features  of  the  city  of  Beloit. 

From  181:0  to  1845  the  growth  of  the  town  and  the  develop- 
ment of  the  farming  community  round  about  exceeded  the  ex- 
pectations of  the  most  optimistic  and  the  need  of  a  more  com- 
plete village  organization  was  felt  by  all.  To  this  end  a  measure 
Avas  introduced  in  the  territorial  legislature  during  the  winter 
of  the  last-named  year.  February  24,  1846,  that  body  passed  an 
act  incorporating  the  village  of  Beloit,  and  on  Monday,  April  7, 
next  following,  was  held  the  first  election  of  village  officers. 

The  following  were  the  first  village  officers  chosen :  Presi- 
dent, Thomas  A.  Power ;  trustees,  Joseph  Colley,  Thomas  Tuttle, 
Tyler  H.  Moore,  Asahel  B.  Moore ;  assessors,  Charles  M.  Messer, 
AVilliam  Stevens.  Henry  Mears ;  constables,  Otis  P.  Bicknell, 
Daniel  Blodgett ;  treasurer,  John  P.  Houston ;  clerk.  John  B. 
Burroughs. 

The  first  item  of  accounts  is  a  countersigned  order  for  $6  to 


151  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUN^TY 

William  Stevens  for  six  days'  service  as  assessor.  Thomas 
Tuttle,  for  repairing  the  schoolhouse,  received  $6.11,  and  A.  F. 
Cutting,  for  tuition,  $32.  Mrs.  Atwood's  bill  for  teaching  two 
months  was  $24.  S.  G.  Colley  and  A.  B.  Howe  received  $1  each 
for  service  as  judges  of  the  charter  election.  C.  H.  and  0.  P. 
Bicknell  were  paid  $3,  the  record  says,  ''for  hous  room."  (They 
didn't  waste  ink  on  silent  letters.)  The  trustees  were  each  paid 
$7  for  services,  the  term  not  mentioned.  The  item  for  "attor- 
ney's fees"  was  $2.75,  and  $7  was  paid  T.  A.  Power  for  his  report 
of  January  17,  1846.  The  tax  list  that  year,  at  one-quarter  of 
one  per  cent  tax  levy,  returned  as  the  amount  of  taxes  collected 
$205.  Several  entries  of  petitions  and  other  papers  were  also 
made  in  the  handsome  writing  of  A.  J.  Battin,  clerk  pro  tera. 
("Free  Press"  of  June  19,  1879.) 

At  that  time  the  village  contained  all  told  191  dwelling  houses 
and  a  population  of  569  males  and  575  females,  of  whom  only 
two  of  each  sex  were  past  sixty  years  of  age.  There  were  three 
public  schools,  a  seminary  for  males  and  one  for  females,  a 
branch  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  a  Congregational,  an  Epis- 
copalian and  a  Methodist  church,  and  one  literary  association, 
two  hotels,  five  lawyers,  five  doctors  and  one  drug  store,  fifteen 
dry  goods  stores  and  a  clothing  store,  one  scale  and  pump,  and 
one  fanning-mill  factory,  two  large  grist  mills  and  two  sawmills. 
The  village  contained  one  hatter,  five  milliners  and  dressmakers 
and  five  tailors,  two  watchmakers,  two  millwrights,  twenty  ma- 
sons and  thirty  carpenters,  two  tinsmiths,  one  gunsmith,  a  har- 
nessmaker,  a  cabinetmaker,  two  stonecutters  and  one  cooper, 
two  stove  stores,  two  groceries,  an  oil  mill,  a  brick  yard  started 
by  Benjamin  Brown  in  1841,  a  lime  kiln,  three  paint  shops,  one 
carding  mill  and  two  iron  foundries. 

Of  the  population  340  were  natives  of  New  York,  nearly  200 
were  born  in  Wisconsin,  while  Vermont  contributed  177  and  New 
Hampshire  195.  Forty  were  born  in  Massachusetts,  24  in  Con- 
necticut, 6  in  Rhode  Island  and  28  in  Maine.  Illinois  furnished 
21,  Pennsylvania  32,  Indiana  12  and  Virginia  8.  Sixty-eight 
were  natives  of  England,  41  of  Canada  and  10  of  Scotland.  Ire- 
land was  the  birthplace  of  14,  4  came  from  Germany,  and  a  few 
were  natives  of  different  southern  states. 

The  character  of  the  buildings,  even  at  that  early  day,  was 
a  striking  feature  of  the  village,  a  large  portion  of  the  dwellings 


yy^-^^^ 


— 2_-t=--C 


HISTORY  OF  iJELOIT  155 

being  of  brick  and  stone  construction.  Notable  among  these  was 
the  beautiful  home  of  Benjamin  Brown,  father  of  William  F. 
Brown,  D.D.,  who  still  lives  here,  which  stood  on  the  south  side  of 
the  public  landing  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Turtle  and  School 
streets  (a  couple  of  rods  back  from  Nos.  328  and  330  State  street 
fronts,  as  now  built  up),  at  the  west  end  of  School  street,  facing 
east.  It  was  built  in  1845,  solidly  of  brick,  two  stories  and  attic, 
44x24  feet  in  ground  dimensions,  having  a  conspicuous  front 
portico  suported  by  four  tall  Corinthian  columns,  and  in  all  its 
appointments  was  for  that  date  a  model  of  artistic  taste  and 
architectural  skill.  The  first  Presbyterian  Society  was  formed 
within  its  walls  in  1849,  and  the  hospitalities  of  its  owner  and 
his  New  England  wife,  a  pure-minded  Christian  lady,  were  there 
dispensed  with  unfailing  generosity  until  the  house  and  sur- 
rounding stores  were  all  destroyed  by  fire  in  1871. 

Of  the  church  edifices  that  of  the  Congregationalists,  built  in 
1842  and  1843  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Broad  and  Prospect 
streets,  was  the  most  imposing,  being  constructed  of  hammered 
limestone,  covered  with  a  simple  bell  tower  and  having  in  front, 
as  it  faced  south  on  Broad  street,  a  spacious  portico  adorned  with 
four  Ionic  columns,  and  steps  the  whole  width  of  the  front,  lead- 
ing directly  up  from  the  sidewalk.  In  the  basement  rooms  of 
this  building,  entrance  down  several  steps  from  Prospect  street, 
Beloit  Seminary,  chartered  in  1837,  was  housed  from  the  time 
of  its  practical  organization  by  Rev.  L.  H.  Loss  in  1844.  There 
also  the  seminary  was  reorganized  in  1846  by  Sereno  T.  Merrill, 
who  in  1847  taught  there  the  first  freshman  class  of  Beloit  Col- 
lege. That  seminary  was  the  school  of  Horace  White  and  Ho- 
ratio Burchard  and  of  the  editor  when,  at  five  years  of  age,  he 
spoke  his  first  "piece"  there  in  1850,  the  year  when  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  edifice  was  finished,  southeast  corner  of 
Broad  and  Pleasant  streets.  And,  far  more  important  fact,  in 
the  "old  stone  church,"  as  it  was  called,  August  7,  1844,  met 
the  first  convention  held  to  consider  the  question  of  organizing 
a  college  here. 

The  village  had  prospered,  but  there  were  now  to  be  met 
and  overcome  grave  difficulties  pertaining  to  land  title.  In  1837, 
when  the  village  was  first  platted,  the  land  had  not  yet  been 
even  placed  on  the  market  by  the  government.  Stringent  laws 
prohibiting  the  preemption  of  lands  for  other  than  farming  pur- 


156  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

poses,  and  especially  for  speculation  in  village  lots,  had  been 
passed  by  congress,  and  the  new  settlers  in  their  haste  had  gone 
ahead  in  direct  opposition  to  these  laws.     To  obviate  this  diffi- 
culty the  leaders  of  the  settlement  conceived  the  idea,  to  which 
all  interested  readily  assented,  of  having  all  join  in  a  deed  quit- 
claiming to  Mr.  R.  P.  Crane,  in  whom  everybody  had  absolute 
confidence,  all  the  land  of  the  village,  he  to  preempt  it  in  his 
name  and,  after  perfecting  his  title,  reconvey  to  the  others  their 
several  interests.    This  was  done,  and  on  November  26.  1838,  Mr. 
Crane  at  the  land  office  in  Milwaukee  entered  under  his  preemp- 
tion claim,  lots  6  and  7,  the  southeast  fractional  quarter  in  section 
35,  town  1.  range  12  east,  containing  seventy-eight  and  fifty-seven 
one-hundredths  acres,   as  per  government  survey,   and  without 
waiting  t(^  receive  from  the  government  his  patent,  deeded  to  the 
various  parties  their  several  lots  and  interests  according  to  what 
was  known  as  the  Kelson  survey,  made  in  1837  under  direction 
of  Dr.  AVhite  and  others.    Later  it  was  discovered  that  a  certain 
piece  of  ground  bordering  on  the  river,  that  had  been  set  apart 
in  the  interest  of  navigation  for  a  public  landing,  had  not  been 
reconveyed   and   the  title,  supposedly,   remained  in   Mr.   Crane. 
After  the  first  bridge,  a  toll  bridge,  was  built  over  the  river  by 
a  private  company  in  1842  and  given  to  the  village  in  1844.  it  was 
found  advisable  to  lay  out  a  street  forming  the  approach  to  this 
bridge,  across  the  northeast  corner  of  lot  6,  block  59,  Hopkins' 
survey,  property  belonging  to  Benjamin  Brown ;  in  exchange  for 
the  land  thus  taken,  which  Brown  deeded  to  the  village  in  1846, 
the  trustees  of  the  village  at  the  same  time  conveyed  to  him  by 
warranty  deed  a  portion  of  the  public  landing,  that  small  cor- 
ner of  it  which  adjoined  his  land  and  was  south  of  the   new 
street,  extending  from  what  is  now  No.  356  East  Grand  avenue 
westward  to  the   river,  a  rough  guUey  through   which  all  the 
storm    drainage   of  School   street   rushed   down   to  Rock   river. 
Later  Mr.  Brown  filled  it  up  with  logs  and  about  a  thousand 
loads  of  gravel  and  on  the  land  thns  made  built  a  row  of  small 
store  buildings,  facing  the  new  bridge  street  and  extending  to 
the  bridge,   among   them   our   first   separate   postoffice   building, 
Mr.  Bastian  postmaster,  1852. 

It  was  discovered  soon  after  this  date  that  the  village  had 
no  title  to  the  landing,  it  not  having  been  reconveyed  by  Crane, 
and  that  he  had^  quit-claimed  it  to  a  man  named  Gardner  for 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  15? 

$50.  Out  of  this  arose  the  ejectment  suit  of  Gardner  vs.  Tisdale 
and  Tondro,  the  defendants  being  tenants  of  Brown.  The  case 
is  reported  in  the  second  volume  of  Wisconsin  Reports,  page  153. 
In  the  supreme  court  Mr.  Matthew  H.  Carpenter  appeared  for 
the  plaintiff,  while  the  defendants  were  represented  by  Messrs. 
Joseph  A.  Sleeper  and  John  M.  Keep;  that  tribunal  held  Brown's 
title  invalid,  the  village  having  no  authority  to  alienate  land 
dedicated  to  public  use,  and  that  because  of  the  irregularity  of 
the  dedication,  and  Crane's  quit-claim  to  Gardner,  the  latter 's 
title  was  good.  Mr.  Brown  then  had  a  clear  case  of  recourse 
on  the  trustees  of  the  village  of  Beloit,  yet  for  some  reason  never 
pressed  his  claim. 

But  this  was  only  the  beginning  of  troubles  respecting  the 
titles.  As  before  stated,  Mr.  Crane  had  entered  lots  G  and  7  No- 
vember 16.  ]838;  the  government  patent  was  issued  to  him  May 
9,  1842,  and  before  receiving  the  patent  he  had  reconveyed  the 
lands  to  the  respective  parties  in  interest. 

From  this  fact  it  Avas  argued  by  Mr.  Carpenter,  who  discov- 
ered the  irregularity  while  engaged  in  the  case  cited,  that  the 
title  to  lots  6  and  7  was  invalid  and  consequently  the  titles  of 
all  concerned  were  clouded  and  jeopardized.  On  January  22, 
1855,  Mr.  Crane  executed  a  deed  to  one  Samuel  B.  Cooper,  who 
in  turn  conveyed  the  village  property  to  Jared  L.  Demmon,  and 
he  executed  a  deed  to  Mr.  Carpenter's  father-in-law,  Governor 
Paul  Dillingham  of  Vermont,  the  last  conveyance  being  dated 
April  23,  3855.  At  that  time  Mr.  Lucius  G.  Fisher  held  the  title 
to  lots  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Public  avenue  and  Pleasant 
streets  under  a  deed  from  a  Mr.  Kearney,  to  whom  Crane  had 
deeded  them  before  receiving  his  patent.  To  test  the  validity  of 
the  title  to  these  lots  the  suit  of  Dillingham  vs.  Fisher  was  start- 
ed and  tried  in  the  circuit  court  of  Rock  county,  resulting  in  a 
victory  for  Fisher.  It  was  then,  November,  1856.  taken  to  the 
supreme  court  of  AVisconsin  on  a  writ  of  error.  Governor  Dilling- 
ham being  represented  by  Mr.  Carpenter  and  Chief  Justice  Ed- 
ward G.  Ryan,  Rufus  Choate  preparing  the  complainant's  brief 
and  Mr,  Fisher  being  represented  by  James  R.  Doolittle,  assisted 
by  Daniel  Cady,  a  celebrated  authority  on  real  estate  law,  of 
Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  and  Abraham  Lincoln,  who  prepared  a  brief 
for  the  defendant.  Judge  C.  J.  Whiton  of  the  Wisconsin  su- 
preme court  affirmed  the  finding  of  the  lower  court  (5  Wis.  475). 


158  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Dillingham  promptly  carried  the  case  by  Matthew  H.  Carpenter 
to  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  whence  it  was  after- 
wards withdraAvn  by  the  complainants  without  trial  on  account 
of  a  decision  by  Judge  David  Davis  of  that  tribunal  adverse  to 
Mr.  Carpenter's  theory,  in  a  case  involving  the  same  question, 
which  was  brought  thither  from  Louisiana. 

Naturally  there  was  intense  anxiety  during  this  period  of 
suspense  on  the  part  of  all  whose  titles  were  involved  and  who 
were  awaiting  the  outcome  of  these  proceedings ;  several  citizens 
bought  new  titles  to  their  lots  from  Dillingham,  and  a  great  re- 
lief was  felt  throughout  the  community  when  his  claim  was  aban- 
doned and  the  property  holders  at  last  felt  themselves  secure  in 
their  possessions.  Nor  was  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  a  general 
feeling  of  bitterness,  that  found  expression  in  threats  of  per- 
sonal violence,  prevailed  against  the  lawyer  who  was  held  re- 
sponsible for  all  the  trouble. 

Journalism  in  Beloit  will  be  treated  in  a  separate  chapter, 
but  we  may  say  here  that  it  began  with  the  publication  of  the 
Beloit  "Messenger"  by  Cooley  &  Civer  on  September  4,  1846. 
The  first  issue  of  the  Beloit  "Journal"  was  issued  by  Stokes  & 
Briggs  June  28,  1848,  their  office  being  on  Broad  street  east  of 
State ;  ten  years  later  it  was  edited  and  issued  by  our  well-re- 
membered editor,  B.  E.  Hale.  The  "Free  Press,"  founded  in 
February.  1866,  by  Cham  Ingersoll,  first  appeared  as  a  daily 
February  1,  1879.  The  city  editor  from  the  beginning,  and  still 
in  harness,  is  Albert  F.  Ayer. 

According  to  No.  24  of  the  Beloit  "Journal,"  dated  Decem- 
ber 6,  1848,  Mr.  George  Stearns  then  reported  the  population  of 
the  village  alone  as  being  1,678,  of  whom  1,131  lived  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river  and  547  on  the  west  side.  There  were  271 
dwelling  houses,  eighty-eight  of  which  were  of  brick  or  stone. 

The  ten  years  next  succeeding  the  incorporation  of  the  vil- 
lage were  marked  by  a  steady  increase  of  population,  a  corre- 
sponding substantial  growth  in  commercial,  industrial  and  man- 
ufacturing enterprises,  and  a  forward  movement  along  all  lines 
looking  to  the  development  of  the  educational  and  moral  inter- 
ests of  the  place.  There  were  now — 1855 — in  Beloit,  according 
to  the  census  taken  by  James  W.  Strong,  4.241  inhabitants,  2,235 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river  and  2,004  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river;   the  number,  of  churches  had   been   doubled   to  six;   two 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  159 

college  buildings  had  been  erected;  the  dwelling  houses  num- 
bered 583 ;  and  during  the  year  ending  with  June,  1855,  the  out- 
put of  manufactured  products  amounted  to  $418,812  in  value. 

The  question  as  to  the  advisability  of  taking  on  the  dignity 
and  powers  of  an  incorporated  municipality,  which  for  some 
time  had  been  discussed  among  the  people  of  the  village,  now 
began  to  assume  definite  shape ;  and  finally  in  March,  1856,  the 
state  legislature  passed  an  act  incorporating  the  city  of  Beloit. 
Under  the  powers  thus  given  its  corporate  existence  began  on 
the  first  Tuesday  of  May  of  that  year,  the  city  government  being 
vested  in  a  mayor  and  common  council,  comprising  twelve  alder- 
men. These,  with  a  city  treasurer,  a  public  magistrate  and  two 
justices  of  the  peace,  were  chosen  at  the  first  election  under  the 
charter,  held  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  April,  1856,  and  annually 
thereafter;  at  their  meeting  next  succeeding  this  election  the 
council  elected  a  city  clerk,  a  nmrshal  and  one  constable  for  each 
of  the  four  wards  of  the  city.  The  first  mayor  was  Mr.  W.  T. 
Goodhue,  who  served  one  year.  S.  0.  Humphrey  was  the  first 
city  treasurer,  and  W.  H.  Sherman  was  elected  by  the  common 
council  as  the  first  city  clerk.  The  corporate  seal  adopted  bears 
in  the  center  the  figure  of  a  locomotive  within  a  triangle  formed 
by  the  words  "Industry,"  "Enterprise"  and  "Prosperity,"  this 
in  turn  being  encircled  by  the  words  "City  of  Beloit,  Incorporat- 
ed March  31,  1856." 

The  Goodhue  family  did  much  for  Beloit  and  should  be  re- 
membered with  respect.  The  Hon.  Charles  Frederick  Henry 
Goodhue  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Canadian  parlia- 
ment and  lived  at  Sherbrooke,  Quebec,  with  three  sons  and  two 
daughters.  In  the  summer  of  1835  or  1836  the  oldest  son,  George, 
with  his  uncle,  Tyler  H.  Moore,  came  west  by  lake  to  Chicago, 
where  they  purchased  the  present  site  of  the  Tremont  House, 
going  thence  to  Belvidere  for  a  short  time.  George's  father, 
being  wealthy,  sent  money  to  him  and  to  the  boy's  uncle  to  in- 
vest in  western  property,  and  in  1837  himself  came  West  and 
joined  them.  William,  being  then  fourteen  years  old  and  having 
just  recovered  from  scarlet  fever,  was  advised  by  the  family 
doctor  to  go  also.  In  May,  1837,  he  made  the  trip  around  the 
lakes  alone  and  met  his  brother  George  on  the  wharf  at  Milwau- 
kee, whence  both  went  to  Chicago. 

After  a   sickness  there   William   removed   to   Belvidere   and 


160  HiSTOKY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY 

then  to  Roekford,  111.,  where  his  father  and  uncle  had  made  in- 
vestments, and  thence  in  August,  1837,  came  with  them  to  Beloit, 
where  they  built  the  first  store  block,  and  William,  as  clerk,  sold 
the  first  yard  of  calico  ever  offered  in  Beloit.  In  Beloit  the  Good- 
hues  built  (with  Blodgett)  a  sawmill  and  soon  after  a  framed 
flouring  mill,  just  west  of  it  on  the  race,  the  first  built  in  the 
then  territory  of  Wisconsin.  During  the  panic  of  1837  they 
permitted  their  Chicago  property,  located  as  they  said  in  a  mud- 
hole,  to  be  sold  for  taxes. 

In  the  fall  of  1838  the  rest  of  the  family  moved  to  Beloit  and 
William's  mother  and  his  sister  Clarissa,  later  Mrs.  Dr.  Evans, 
were  the  first  communicants  of  the  Beloit  Episcopal  church, 
while  his  father  belonged  to  its  first  vestry.  The  firm  of  Good- 
hue &  Co.,  consisting  of  the  father  and  his  three  sons,  was  at  one 
time  considered  one  of  the  strongest  firms  of  the  Northwest. 
They  OMmed  much  pine  land  in  northern  Wisconsin,  and  while 
Beloit  was  the  home,  their  business  extended  from  the  pinery  all 
the  way  to  St.  Louis. 

After  leaving  his  clerkship  William  T.  Goodhue  became  the 
financial  manager  of  the  firm,  constantly  engaged  in  journeys 
Lip  and  down  the  river.  When  the  father  died  in  November, 
1855,  the  three  brothers  continued  the  firm  and,  though  the  panic 
of  1857  involved  them  in  loss,  kept  on  imtil  1869. 

In  1856  William  T.  Goodhue  was  elected  first  mayor  of  the 
new  city  of  Beloit.  March  17,  1859,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Car- 
rie Pond,  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  In  later  life,  while  engaged  in  the 
grain  and  flour  business,  he  was  largely  influential  in  securing 
to  Beloit  the  early  opening  of  railway  connection.  He  sold  to 
both  railroad  companies  the  lands  on  which  their  depots  were 
built  and  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Western 
Union  railway.  George  Goodhue,  of  Stevens  Point,  and  Mrs. 
Dr.  Bicknell,  of  Beloit,  were  the  last  survivors  of  the  original 
family  who  came  in  1838. 

Mayor  "Bill"  Goodhue,  as  he  was  familiarly  and  affection- 
ately called,  died  April  19,  1879,  and  among  the  throng  of  at- 
tendants at  his  funeral  were  eleven  ex-mayors — A.  P.  Water- 
man, Charles  H.  Parker,  Henry  P.  Strong,  S.  J.  Todd,  R.  H.  Mills, 
B.  C.  Rogers,  S.  J.  Goodwin,  D.  S.  Foster,  H.  N.  Davis,  C.  F.  G. 
Collins  and  0.  C.  Johnson.    He  was  a  Free  Mason,  and  that  fra- 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  hi  J 

ternity  officiated.  We  have  no  portrait  of  him,  because  none  is 
known  to  exist. 

The  second  mayor  of  Beloit,  elected  in  1857  and  reelected  for 
1858,  was  Anson  P.  Waterman,  w^iose  benignant  countenance 
we  present  herewith.  Beloit  was  .started  as  a  "no  license"  city, 
and  we  needed  a  man  of  his  high  principle  and  staunch  charac- 
ter to  maintain  that  stand.  Anson  P.  Waterman  was  born  at 
South  Ballston,  Saratoga  county,  N.  Y.,  January  15,  1819,  of 
David  and  Phoebe  Hollister  Waterman,  both  parents  being  de- 
voted Christians.  His  father,  a  farmer,  served  in  the  War  of 
1812.  and  his  grandfather,  of  English  descent,  was  a  lieutenant 
colonel  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  commissioned  by  Governor 
George  Clinton  of  New  York  June  16,  1778.  The  boy,  Anson, 
attended  public  school  until  he  was  twelve,  worked  in  a  store 
five  years,  clerked  in  another  store,  hardware,  at  Schenectady, 
N.  Y..  until  1840.  and  then  had  a  hardware  business  of  his  own 
at  Phelps.  Ontario  county,  N.  Y..  until  his  removal  to  Beloit, 
Wis.,  in  1854.  December  81.  1840,  he  married  Miss  Jennie  A. 
Hubbell,  and  their  children — Belle  (Mrs.  B.  D.  Lee)  and  Annie 
(Mrs.  C.  E.  Whitman),  both  of  St.  Louis,  and  Jennie  S.,  wife 
of  C.  S.  Gregory,  Beloit — are  still  living. 

Mr.  Waterman  continued  his  hardware  business  here,  with 
John  B.  Gordon  partner  after  1866,  until  1880.  His  interest  in 
a  heavy  hardware  business  in  St.  Louis  took  him  to  that  city  and 
kept  him  there  most  of  the  time  from  1876  to  1889,  when  he 
came  back  to  Beloit  to  stay.  He  was  the  second  mayor  of  Beloit 
and  served  for  two  years,  being  elected  on  the  Republican  ticket 
for  the  years  1857  and  1858.  Although  the  liquor  interest  was 
quite  strongly  intrenched  just  across  the  state  line  in  Illinois, 
Mr.  Waterman  gave  us  a  vigorous  administration  and  duly  main- 
tained and  increased  the  city's  character  for  temperance  and 
good  order. 

For  more  than  twenty  years  Mr.  Waterman  served  on  our 
board  of  education.  He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Northwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  now  of  Milwau- 
kee, but  organized  in  1861  at  Janesville,  Wis.,  and  was  a  trustee 
from  the  beginning  and  as  long  as  he  lived.  Of  Beloit  College 
he  was  a  trustee  from  1856  to  1902  and  was  its  treasurer  from 
1869  until  his  departure  from  Beloit  in  1877.  On  his  return  in 
1889  he  was  again  elected  and  later  served  as  assistant  treasurer 


163  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

of  the  college  up  to  the  last  year  of  his  life.  In  the  First  Pres- 
byterian church  of  Beloit  his  memory  is  and  always  will  be  cher- 
ished as  that  of  a  Barnabas,  rich  in  good  Avorks.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  session  of  the  church,  reelected  as  elder  term  after 
term  for  about  thirty-seven  years,  and  during  most  of  that  time 
served  also  as  treasurer  of  the  society.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  in  various  critical  periods  of  its  life  the  continued  progress 
if  not  the  very  existence  of  that  church  was  due  to  his  wise  coun- 
sels and  his  personal  generosity  and  devotion.  His  earnest  re- 
ligious feeling,  staunch  Calvinistic  faith  and  constant  liberality 
made  him  in  the  Westminster  church,  which  he  started,  and 
also  in  this  First  church,  the  most  valued,  the  leading  member. 

In  1890  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waterman  celebrated  their  golden  wed- 
ding, and  in  1900  their  sixtieth  anniversary,  in  comparative 
health  and  comfort.  Mr.  Waterman  enjoyed  the  full  powers  of 
active  life  up  to  almost  the  end  of  it  and  after  only  about  a 
week's  real  illness  quietly  passed  away  at  his  residence,  516  Col- 
lege avenue,  Beloit.  January  8.  1902. 

The  main  business  street  of  that  Beloit  of  our  first  mayors  is 
well  portrayed  in  a  paper  written  December  25,  1907,  by  Hon. 
Ellery  B.  Crane,  of  Worcester.  Mass.,  son  of  our  pioneer,  R.  P. 
Crane.  Mr.  Crane  is  secretary  of  the  Worcester  Society  of  An- 
tiquity and  has  a  collection  of  Beloitana  which  he  has  been  gath- 
ering for  forty  years  and  which  should  be  adequately  published 
while  he  is  living  to  supervise  the  work.  His  paper,  slightly 
corrected  and  condensed  by  the  editor,  is  here  given  under  its 
title : 

Strolling  on  State  Street  in  Beloit  Fifty  Years  Ago. 

The  sober-minded,  cautious  New  Englanders  who  established 
the  settlement  drew  to  themselves  chiefly  those  of  their  kind,  or 
at  least  persons  thought  to  be  in  harmony  with  themselves  in 
attempting  to  build  up  an  honest,  industrious,  moral  community. 

During  the  period  of  early  Beloit  the  main  business  thorough- 
fare was  Turtle  street,  later  known  as  State  street,  and  fifty 
years  ago  all  the  mercantile  trade  centered  there.  And  it  may 
be  of  interest  to  some  people  wishing  to  contrast  the  present  with 
the  past  to  know,  who  were  doing  business  on  that  street  fifty  or 
more  years  ago. 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  163 

Had  Many  Blacksmith  Shops. 

Beginning  at  the  south  end,  where  members  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Emigrating  Company  first  made  their  entrance  to  the  place, 
there  was  almost  continuously  a  blacksmith  shop  either  on  one 
side  or  the  other  side  of  the  street,  and  near  the  old  millrace. 
Among  those  in  business  fifty  years  ago  were  Charles  and  Isaac 
Bates.  On  the  west  side  there  had  been  a  saloon  for  many  years, 
with  of  course  different  managers. 

[That  saloon  was  evidently  just  across  the  line  in  Illinois. 
Fifty  years  ago  Beloit  was  a  temperance  city  and  did  not  allow 
any  saloons  within  its  borders.  Another  of  those  early  black- 
smiths was  Hiram  Hill,  of  whom  the  First  Presbyterian  church 
bought  their  church  lot.  One  of  his  workmen  was  Comrade 
Charles  G.  Turney.  who  came  to  Beloit  in  May,  1841.  and  is  liv- 
ing here  yet.] 

Now  that  the  visitor  has  been  introduced,  let  us  proceed 
northward  on  the  east  side  of  the  street.  Not  far  from  the  mill- 
race  stood  Goodhue's  boarding  house.  Then  came  John  C.  Burr's 
tinshop;  this  building  had  various  occupants.  Next  came  the 
home  of  Mrs.  Crandall,  who  kept  a  millinery  store  in  the  front 
room.  A  little  more  than  fifty  years  ago  she  removed  to  the  old 
schoolhouse  on  Race  street,  now  St.  Paul  avenue. 

William  Russell,  the  painter,  lived  and  had  a  shop  in  the  rear 
of  the  Burr  tinshop.  But  all  these  buildings  mentioned  as  once 
standing  on  State  street  have  been  removed  and  the  grounds 
used  for  railroad  purposes.  Next  in  order  came  the  old  Beloit 
House,  long  known  as  one  of  the  best  public  houses  in  the  then 
Far  West.  Fifty  years  ago  it  was  kept  by  E.  N.  Lewis,  southeast 
corner  of  State  and  Race,  or  St.  Paul  avenue. 

The  Old  Crane  Residence. 

At  the  corner,  north  side  of  Race  street,  was  the  residence 
of  R.  P.  Crane,  the  home  for  many  years  of  the  writer  of  this 
article.  Next  north  was  the  office  of  Dr.  George  W.  Bicknell; 
then  Crane's  stone  block,  where  Matthew  Carpenter  first  had 
his  law  office  in  Beloit.  Then  we  had  C.  0.  Greene's  billiard 
rooms. 

i^Those  billiard  rooms  were  in  the  second  story.  Mr.  John 
Field,  then  a  boy  about   ten  years   old,   now  president   of  the 


164  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Knickerbocker  Ice  Company,  of  Chicago,  recently  told  me  this 
story  about  that  building:  His  father,  Spafford  Field,  suspect- 
ing that  his  two  step-sons,  the  Cooper  boys,  might  be  playing 
billiards  there,  would  send  Johnny  to  find  out.  He  would  go, 
thrust  his  head  inside  the  door  with  his  eyes  shut  and,  returning 
to  their  home  just  around  the  corner  on  the  north  side  of  Broad 
street,  would  report  that  he  hadn't  seen  them.  Then  if  Spaf- 
ford himself  came  to  investigate  the  boys  would  pass  out  by  a 
side  door  to  an  outside  stairway  leading  down  to  the  top  of  a  one- 
story  house  next  south  and  by  another  stairway  to  the  street, 
and  so  would  be  at  home  when  the  old  gentleman  returned.  I 
have  a  cut  showing  that  stairway  and  all  those  buildings  in  1855. 
On  the  first  floor,  said  Mr.  Field,  was  the  fruit  store  and  ice 
cream  restaurant  of  J.  K.  Armsby,  who  afterwards  removed  to 
Chicago  and  became  one  of  its  largest  and  wealthiest  fruit  deal- 
ers. This  Mr.  Armsby  came  to  Beloit  in  1862.  Later  he  traveled 
for  a  Madison  firm  until  1873,  when  he  went  to  Chicago  and 
through  his  own  firm,  the  J.  K.  Armsby  Company,  handled 
canned  fruit  and  did  more  than  any  other  man  in  placing  Cali- 
fornia fruit  on  the  world's  market.  Before  he  died  in  1894 
their  trade  amounted  to  several  million  dollars  aniiually.  His 
motto  was  "Pluck  wins."  After  the  San  Francisco  earthquake 
and  fire  that  firm's  building  was  the  first  business  house  rebuilt 
and  occupied. — Ed.] 

Then  a  tailor  shop,  once  occupied  by  Dud  Brown,  who  after 
a  long  respite  has  returned  to  clothe  the  needy;  then  Carey  & 
Gordon's  drug  store.  Next  came  Hoskins'  shoe  shop,  then  Hol- 
lister's  grocery,  and  I  think  that  Tibals  &  Stocking  were  there 
also.  George  Stocking's  harness  shop  carried  us  to  the  southeast 
corner  of  Broad  street. 

[Hanchett's  block,  begun  in  October,  1856.  was  finished  in 
1857  and  stood  on  the  site  of  Mr.  Battin's  house,  yard  and  peach 
trees  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Broad  and  State  streets.  One 
day  ]\Ir.  Battin  asked  J.  B.  Dunbar  to  buy  his  place  for  $4,000. 
Mr.  Dunbar  replied  that  he  would  think  of  it.  Next  day  he  said 
to  him,  "I'll  take  it."  "But  I  sold  it  last  evening."  replied  Bat- 
tin:  "sold  to  L.  G.  Fisher  for  .$9,000  in  Racine  railroad  bonds." 
Mr.  Battin  lived  to  regret  many  times  that  he  had  not  taken  the 
$4,000  in  cash,  for  those  railroad  bonds  proved  the  ruin  of  almost 
all   who  invested  in   them.   Mr.   Battin  among   the   number.     In 


HISTOEY  OF  BELOIT  165 

Hanchett's  Hall  Beloit  had  the  honor  of  hearing  an  address  from 
Abraham  Lincoln  in  1859,  October  1.]  , 

In  a  one-story  wooden  building  north  of  the  corner  of  Broad 
street  was  a  store  which  I  think  was  that  of  Webster  &  Rogers ; 
north  of  that  came  the  shoe  store  of  William  H.  Allison,  which 
was  later  carried  on  by  Liberty  Rawson  and  Isaac  Thayer  and 
others.  Pentland  &  Harmon  began  their  grocery  business  on 
State  street  about  1849,  and  Mr.  Pentland  is  with  us  yet. 
(Strong  &  Bishop,  early  grocers,  were  on  Broad  street.)  Sev- 
eral small  one-story  wooden  buildings  stood  along  that  side  of 
the  street,  one  a  printing  office  for  a  while,  and  a  book  store. 
Then  came  the  stone  block  of  stores  extending  to  School  street. 
In  early  days  these  stores  were  occupied  by  Mr.  Poole,  Manches- 
ter &  Wadsworth,  N.  Powell,  A.  Baldwin  and  others.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  School  street  stood  the  Bushnell  House,  Pierson 
&  Janvrin  proprietors.  This  house  was  built  by  Prof.  J.  J.  Bush- 
nell on  the  site  of  the  old  Rock  River  Hotel,  which  was  made 
by  adding  on  to  the  house  built  by  Caleb  Blodgett  and  to  which 
he  removed  when  he  left  the  log  house  the  Indians  helped  him 
to  erect  in  1836. 

[That  Rock  River  House  was  moved  to  the  southeast  corner 
of  State  street  and  Public  avenue  and  carried  on  as  a  hotel  by 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  B.  Dunbar  during  the  two  years,  1853  and  1854, 
when  the  Bushnell  House  was  being  built.  Then  Mr.  Dunbar 
for  the  next  two  years  kept  the  Bushnell  House.  After  he  had 
left  the  old  Rock  River  House  it  was  occupied  by  B.  E.  Hale  as 
a  paper  warehouse.  There  young  Lucius  G.  Fisher  (now  of  Chi- 
cago and  president  of  the  famous  $27,000,000  paper  bag  and  box 
combine)  first  learned  that  business.  Still  later  that  old  Rock 
River  House  was  used  as  a  seminary  for  girls.] 

Brown's  Line  of  Stores, 

Crossing  to  the  west  side  of  State  street,  proceeding  south,  we 
have  Benjamin  Brown's  block  of  stores,  occupied,  I  think,  by  W. 
H.  Calvert,  Mr.  Thayer,  grocer,  and  the  shoe  firm  of  Merriam 
&  Eaton.  This  J.  W.  Merriam  is  now  a  resident  of  Worcester, 
Mass.  Benjamin  Brown's  fine  residence  stood  a  little  back  from 
the  street,  about  three  rods,  and  at  what  is  now  Nos.  328  and 
330  State,  that  block  of  wooden  stores  being  north  of  his  front 
yard.    Next  south  of  that  yard  was  a  two-story  wooden  building 


166  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

in  which,  1  am  told,  he  carried  ou  a  general  mercantile  trade 
(his  second  place  of  business)  until  he  closed  up  his  storekeeping 
about  1848.  Later  it  was  Simm's  drug  store,  and  Dexter 's  watch 
repairing  occupied  one  front  wdndow.  Then 'came  A.  P.  Water- 
man's hardware  store  and  T.  W.  Laramy's  grocery,  and  next  Day 
&  Andrew's  fruit  and  candy  store,  with  those  well-remembered 
ice  cream  parlors  in  the  second  story;  and  south  of  that  W.  H. 
Sherman's  jewelry  store,  still  occupied  with  the  same  business 
by  Mr.  A.  L.  Howard ;  then  came  Wright  &  Newcomb,  book  and 
stationery  dealers,  the  former  being  the  father  of  Prof.  T.  L. 
Wright,  now  of  the  college  here;  C.  Thompson's  grocery  store; 
H.  R.  Moore  &  Son,  dry  goods;  David  J.  Bundy  and  Alfred 
Field's  drug  store;  then  the  Stone  block  of  stores  reaching  to 
Broad  street,  in  the  latter  being  Clinton  Babbitt,  Fisher,  Bundy 
&  Cheney,  also  L.  G.  Fisher  and  A.  O.  Winchester,  hardware 
dealers. 

Crossing  Broad  street,  we  come  to  Thomas  McElheny's  tailor 
shop,  later  C.  F.  G.  Collins'  drug  store,  Nelse  Howard's  restau- 
rant, Smith  &  Rust,  grocers;  E.  D.  Murray,  dry  goods;  Benjamin 
Selleck,  hats,  caps  and  furs;  A.  W.  Peters  and  Jones'  Photograph 
gallery ;  old  store  of  Howe  &  Willard,  which  stood  next  south 
of  that  of  Benjamin  Durham.  Then  came  the  office  of  W.  C. 
Spaulding,  p]sq.,  and  it  was  the  postoffice  when  he  was  postmas- 
ter; it  was  also  where  L.  C.  Hyde  started  in  the  banking  busi- 
ness. At  the  corner  of  Race  street  was  A.  P.  Willard 's  watch 
and  clock  repair  shop.  Mr.  Willard  was  in  Beloit  as  early  as 
1841,  and  for  a  time  lived  in  the  house  of  Samuel  B.  Cooper,  Esq., 
on  School  street ;  later  Mr.  AVillard  removed  to  the  Hopkins 
house  on  Race  street,  at  that  time  the  next  one  east  of  R.  P. 
Crane's  liouse.  This  one-story  building  was  used  in  after  years 
for  the  sale  of  groceries,  lunch-room,  etc. 

Murray's   Hall. 

On  the  corner  south  of  Race  street  was  E.  D.  Murray's  stone 
block.  This  corner  had  been  since  the  beginning  of  the  settle- 
ment the  business  center  for  trade.  On  this  site  once  stood  the 
store  of  Messrs.  Field  &  Lusk,  who  as  early  as  1841  kept  the 
largest  stock  of  goods  for  sale  in  the  town.  Mr.  Field  was  the 
second  postmaster  in  the  town  and  during  his  administration 
the  postoffice  was  there.    For  many  years  Mr.  Murray  furnished 


HISTOIJY  OF  BELOIT  167 

the  principal  hall  open  to  the  public.  In  the  hall  on  the  top  floor 
of  his  block  all  the  great  concerts  and  parties  were  held  fifty  or 
more  years  ago.  Next  south  were  Collins  &  Son,  druggists ;  then 
A.  B.  Carpenter's  residence  adjoining  his  store;  next  came  John 
Hauser,  the  baker.  When  Mr.  Hauser  first  came  to  Beloit  he 
worked  for  a  baker  named  Borngesser,  who  had  a  shop  just  west 
of  the  building  known  as  Brooks'  mill,  east  of  Mechanics  green. 
Borngesser  went  away  with  a  party  bound  for  the  gold  fields  of 
California  in  1849.  Dr.  G.  W.  Bicknell,  a  Mr.  Hackett  and  Mr. 
Thomas  were  members  of  that  party.  Borngesser  was  killed  on 
the  way  while  crossing  the  plains.  John  Hauser  about  1848 
started  in  business  for  himself  in  the  south  basement  of  R.  P. 
Crane's  stone  block,  where  he  established  a  bakery.  After  a  few 
years  he  removed  to  the  location  assigned  him  on  the  Avest  side 
of  State  street,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

First  Mayor  Elected  in  1856. 

Next  south  was  the  Goodhue  block,  and  the  store,  a  wooden 
building  early  built  by  the  Goodhue  family.  William  T.,  son  of 
Charles,  was  the  first  mayor  of  Beloit,  elected  in  1856. 

Frank  Salisbury's  cofl:ee  house  was  the  last  place  on  the  west 
side  of  the  street,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  saloons  or  a 
blacksmith  shop,  to  which  attention  was  called  at  the  beginning 
of  my  story.  At  Frank  Salisbury's  coffee  house  patrons  were 
usually  well  treated,  and  the  genial  Wash  Salisbury  was  ever  in 
good  spirits,  and  he  could  handle  the  snare  drum  quite  well — 
not,  however,  equal  to  "Old  Wilk." 

As  population  increased  the  city  affairs  in  all  departments 
grew  in  number,  size  and  complexity,  and  need  for  more  com- 
plete protection  against  local  crime  was  everywhere  felt.  To 
meet  this  want  an  amendment  to  the  city  charter  was  secured  in 
1868  authorizing  the  establishment  of  a  police  court  with  both 
criminal  and  civil  jurisdiction,  the  latter  being  the  same  as  that 
of  justice  of  the  peace.  This,  however,  was  changed  by  act  of 
legislature  in  1869  limiting  the  civil  jurisdiction  to  cases  in- 
volving not  to  exceed  $100.  Mr.  Alfred  Taggart,  a  Beloit  College 
alumnus  and  a  graduate  of  Harvard  Law  School,  was  elected 
first  police  magistrate  in  the  spring  of  1868  and  filled  that  office 
by  reelections  till  his  resignation  in  the  early  summer  of  1874, 


168  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

he  being  saceeeded  by  Mr.  E.  P.  King,  who  in  turn  was  followed 
by  B.  C.  Rogers  in  1878. 

Situated  in  the  heart  of  a  rich  farming  community,  peopled 
with  intelligent,  progressive  and  resourceful  men,  and  surround- 
ed with  wellnigh  limitless  natural  resources,  Beloit  early  became 
the  home  of  numerous  industrial  and  manufacturing  enterprises 
that  have  thrived  and  developed  Avith  the  passing  years  until 
some  of  them  have  attained  a  world-wide  influence  and  reputa- 
tion. Without  giving  full  details  w^e  may  here  fitly  mention  the 
origin  of  several  that  have  entered  largely  into  the  industrial 
life  of  the  place,  leaving  the  record  of  latest  development  to  the 
chapter  on  Manufactures. 

For  nearly  half  a  century  the  manufacture  of  paper  has  been 
a  prominent  and  leading  Beloit  industry.  As  early  as  1856 
Messrs.  Wright  and  Merrill  established  the  Beloit  Paper  Mills 
Company,  which  was  followed  two  years  later  by  the  Rock  River 
Paper  Company,  the  tw^o  continuing  separately  until  1868,  when 
they  were  consolidated  under  the  corporate  name  of  the  Rock 
River  Paper  Company,  with  Mr.  S.  T.  Merrill  president,  A.  L. 
Chapin  vice-president,  H.  F.  Evans  treasurer  and  J.  M.  Cobb 
secretary  and  superintendent.  This  plant  was  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river. 

About  the  same  time  Messrs.  T.  L.  Wright  and  S.  T.  Merrill 
started  at  Rockton,  111.,  what  became  widely  known  as  the  North- 
western Paper  Company,  Mr.  Wright  president,  with  headquar- 
ters at  Beloit,  W.  H.  Wells  vice-president  and  J.  C.  Newcorab 
secretary  and  treasurer,  with  offices  in  Chicago,  which  city  was 
made  the  chief  distributive  point  of  both  these  concerns. 

In  1871  was  established  the  wholesale  paper  mill  establish- 
ment of  Booth,  Hinman  &  Co.,  east  side,  which  in  a  few  years 
grew  to  large  proportions.  The  F.  N.  Davis  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany came  into  existence  in  1875,  and  its  products,  comprising 
building  paper,  waterproof  paper  boards,  pails,  barrels,  carpet- 
ing, etc.,  soon  became  widely  known.  Then  there  was  the  Beloit 
Straw  Board  Company,  whose  large  product  of  building  paper 
found  ready  market  throughout  the  Northwest.  Their  buildings 
were  at  the  west  end  of  the  dam. 

The  Merrill  &  Houston  Iron  Works,  organized  as  a  stock 
company  in  1873.  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  business  established  by 
Mr.  0.  E.  Merrill  in  I860;  besides  paper  mill  and  other  machinery 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  169 

of  a  similar  nature  these  works  turned  out  the  celebrated  Hous- 
ton turbine  water-wheel,  an  invention  of  George  Houston,  as  a 
special  product. 

As  early  as  1849  Messrs.  Parker  and  Stone  began  the  manu- 
facture of  farming  implements  in  connection  with  general  job- 
bing work ;  the  business  steadily  grew  and  in  1855  Avas  incor- 
porated as  the  Parker  &  Stone  Reaper  Company,  which  came 
to  rank  among  the  leading  manufacturing  industries  of  the  city, 
a  special  product  of  the  business  being  the  Appleby  twine  binder, 
invented  by  a  Beloit  man. 

As  a  manufacturer  of  paper  engine  roll  bars,  combination 
and  regular  sheet  steel  plates,  and  nearly  every  description  of 
cutters  and  knives,  R.  J.  Dowd  was  the  pioneer  in  the  West ;  and 
the  business  formed  here  by  him  in  1877  under  his  masterful 
management  has  grown  to  large  proportions. 

In  1860  Mr.  John  Thompson,  carrying  on  a  general  black- 
smithing  trade,  manufactured  three  plows ;  this  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  business  of  J.  Thompson  &  Co.,  manufacturers  of  the 
Norwegian  plows,  sulky  plows,  riding  cultivators  and  kindred 
products  in  that  line,  whose  superior  quality  and  extensive  sales 
gave  the  firm  high  rank  among  the  city's  substantial  industries. 

The  factory  established  by  Mr.  James  Gray  for  making  sash, 
blinds,  doors,  moldings,  etc.,  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  W.  J. 
McDonald  in  1878  and  filled  an  important  place  in  the  industrial 
life  of  the  city. 

As  early  as  1844  Mr.  N.  B.  Gaston  began  here  the  manufac- 
ture of  scales,  coming  from  New  York,  where  he  started  in  1842. 
The  preceding  six  establishments  were  also  on  the  west  side. 

The  John  Foster  Company,  east  side,  an  outgrowth  of  the 
business  established  by  Messrs.  Foster  and  Chapman  in  1870, 
has  shown  a  marvelous  advance  and  its  product  of  ladies'  fine 
shoes  has  attained  a  more  than  national  reputation  for  substan- 
tial worth  and  artistic  merit. 

The  glove  and  mitten  factory  of  Messrs.  H.  J.  Leonard  &  Co. 
was  begun  on  a  small  scale  by  Mr.  H.  K.  Leonard;  but  in  1866 
the  business  was  reorganized  and  equipped  with  facilities  for 
making  every  kind  of  fur,  kid,  buck,  sheep,  calf  and  cloth  gloves 
and  mittens,  and  then  took  its  place  among  the  prosperous  manu- 
facturing concerns  of  the  city.  It  is  now  the  Beloit  Glove  and 
Mitten  Company,  conducted  by  G.  Elmer  Thompson,  manager. 


ITU  mSTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

Nothing  better  illustrates  the  progressive  spirit  that  has  en- 
tered into  the  industrial  life  of  Beloit  than  that  shown  in  the 
development  of  what  was  formerly  the  Eclipse  Windmill  Com- 
pany. As  stated  in  the  sketch  of  Rev.  L.  H.  Wheeler,  published 
elsewhere  in  this  work,  this  industry  originated  with  him  while 
yet  living  at  the  Odanah  Indian  mission  in  northern  Wisconsin. 
There  in  the  year  1865  Mr.  Wheeler  contrived  a  rude  self -regu- 
lating pumping  windmill  for  raising  water,  to  obviate  the  neces- 
sity of  carrying  it  by  hand  from  the  nearby  ravine.  The  history 
of  this  invention  was  marked  at  first  by  failures  and  partial 
successes  and  struggles  with  poverty;  but  after  Mr.  Wheeler's 
removal  to  Beloit,  whither  he  brought  his  family,  in  1866,  on 
account  of  its  superior  educational  advantages,  his  sons  and 
others  formed  the  Eclipse  Windmill  Company,  w^ith  Mr.  S.  T. 
Merrill  president  and  Mr.  Charles  B.  Salmon  secretary  and  man- 
ager. This  was  in  1873,  and  bj'^  1876  the  business  had  made  a 
successful  start  and  was  prominently  advertised  at  the  Phila- 
delphia Centennial  of  1876.  In  1880  Messrs.  Merrill  and  Salmon 
retired  from  the  company,  Mr.  W.  H.  Wheeler  became  president, 
and  the  scope  of  the  business  was  greatly  enlarged  and  the  name 
changed  to  Eclipse  Wind  Engine  Company.  The  friction  clutch 
business  and  engine-making  were  added  and  the  name  made, 
Williams  Engine  and  Clutch  Works.  Between  1880  and  1890 
the  plant  was  twice  rebuilt,  Beloit  citizens  contributing  $10,000 
towards  the  improvement.  Before  1893  Mr.  Charles  H.  Morse, 
of  Chicago,  became  prominently  identified  with  the  work  and, 
after  adding  several  important  lines  of  manufacture,  in  1893  and 
1894  finally  consolidated  the  various  interests  as  Fairbanks, 
Morse  &  Co.,  of  which  company  the  various  buildings  and  yards 
now  cover  fifty  acres  of  land. 

Then  mention  might  be  made  of  the  flour  and  feed  firm  of 
Messrs.  Blodgett  &  Nelson,  west  side,  which  was  organized  in 
1857,  succeeding  to  the  business  of  Mr.  Hackett,  who  built  his 
mill  in  1848:  also  the  old  Brooks  mill,  built  on  Turtle  creek 
about  1859,  called  the  stone  mill,  and  later  owned  by  W.  J.  Mc- 
Donald ;  the  Racine  Feet  Knitting  Company,  South  Beloit,  which 
turns  out  500  pairs  of  hose  and  Racine  feet  per  day;  the  Berlin 
Machine  Works,  described  later,  which  employs  about  1,000  men, 
has  an  annual  payroll  of  more  than  $600,000.  and  turns  out  an- 
nually machinery  valued  at  nearly  $2,000,000;  the  Beloit  Iron 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  171 

Works,  which  holds  the  world's  record  in  the  buildiug  of  paper- 
making  machines;  the  Mattison  Machine  Works,  being  one  of 
the  two  concerns  in  the  United  States  which  manufacture  special 
machinery  for  turning  table  legs,  columns,  spindles,  balusters, 
etc. ;  the  Beloit  Foundry  Company,  a  comparatively  young  con- 
cern, with  prospects  of  a  bright  future;  the  Beloit  Concrete 
Stone  Company ;  Lipman  Manufacturing  Company ;  Davis  Sand 
Company;  Atwood-Davis  Sand  Company;  Warner  Instrument 
Company ;  Barrett  ^lanufacturing  Company ;  C.  H.  Besley  &  Co. ; 
and  scores  of  other  manufacturing  concerns  and  firms,  any  of 
which  would  furnish  material  for  a  chapter  of  interesting  read- 
ing. 

Of  Beloit 's  public  utilities,  comprising  the  gas,  water  and 
electric  light  service  and  plants,  all  of  which,  unsurpassed  in  the 
character  and  quality  of  their  modern  equipments,  have  re- 
cently been  merged  in  one  company,  only  words  of  commenda- 
tion can  be  spoken,  and  nothing  more  fittingly  represents  the 
enterprising  and  progressive  spirit  of  the  city.  The  Hendley 
family  were  the  pioneers  in  gas  and  the  Salmons  in  Beloit  water- 
works. 

Of  the  banks  of  Beloit  a  full  presentation  is  made  in  the  gen- 
eral chapter  on  Banks  and  Banking.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  we 
have  three  strong  banks  besides  our  millionaire  Beloit  Savings 
Bank. 

FVom  the  time  of  its  early  settlement  down  through  all  its 
periods  of  change  and  growth  the  matter  of  education  has  been 
of  paramount  interest  to  the  citizens  of  Beloit,  who  have  always 
willingly  made  the  sacrifices  and  provided  the  money  required  in 
order  to  supply  schools  suited  to  the  times  and  to  the  needs  of 
the  community.  Associated  with  the  early  establishment  of  the 
public  schools  and  with  their  oversight  and  conduct  through  all 
the  varying  vicissitudes  of  the  early  and  later  years  are  the 
names  of  men  and  women  whose  very  lives  were  inwrought  with 
the  material  and  educational  development  of  the  city ;  and  though 
most  of  them  have  passed  away,  their  works  endure  and  their 
lives  and  names  are  held  in  memory  as  those  of  the  city's  public 
benefactors.  We  consider  them  in  a  separate  chapter  on  Schools. 
Nor  has  this  educational  spirit,  even  outside  of  our  famous  col- 
lege, failed  to  keep  pace  with  the  marvelous  material  development 
of  the  city  during  recent  years,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  magnificent 


172  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

monuments  of  brick  and  stone,  models  of  architectural  beauty,  in 
which,  out  of  4,438  children  of  school  age,  3,256  are  enrolled  and 
2,700  boys  and  girls  are  daily  receiving  instruction  from  as  able 
a  body  of  teachers  as  can  be  found  anywhere ;  to  say  nothing  of 
the  commodious  kindergarten  buildings  connected  with  various 
schools,  in  which  are  trained  those  too  .young  to  enter  the  pri- 
mary grades.  We  are  just  now  (1908)  building  a  $130,000  addi- 
tion to  the  high  school;  but  this  subject  is  more  fully  presented 
in  the  chapter  on  Schools  and  Colleges. 

Eeferring,  however,  to  the  educational  spirit  that  has  always 
prevailed,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  speak  here  of  early  in- 
fluences other  than  the  regular  school  course  that  have  wrought 
to  this  end.  Chief  among  these  was  the  Archaean  Society  of 
Beloit  College,  organized  by  students  of  that  institution  in  the 
fall  of  1848  with  the  purpose,  as  expressed  in  the  preamble  of 
its  constitution,  of  improving  its  members  in  public  speaking 
and  composition,  of  upholding  right  principles  and  promoting 
the  general  cause  of  literary  improvement.  How  well  it  served 
these  ends  is  seen  in  the  lives  of  many  of  its  early  members  and 
the  high  places  they  have  assumed  and  ably  filled;  as,  for  ex- 
ample, Stephen  D.  Peet,  editor  of  the  "American  Antiquarian," 
Chicago;  Lucien  B.  Caswell,  who  went  to  congress  from  the  Sec- 
ond Wisconsin  district ;  Harlan  M.  Page,  who  became  editor  of 
the  "Wisconsin  State  Journal";  Edward  F.  Hobart,  for  seven 
years  editor  of  the  "Western  Magazine,"  and  Horace  Hobart, 
now  editor  of  "The  Railway  Age,"  Chicago;  Peter  McVickar, 
who  became  president  of  Washburn  University,  Topeka ;  John  B. 
Parkinson,  who  was  made  professor  of  political  economy  in  the 
Wisconsin  State  University ;  Jonas  Bundy,  editor  the  New  York 
"Mail  and  Express";  Emerson  W.  Peet.  president  of  the  National 
Life  Insurance  Company  of  the  United  States;  0.  A.  Willard, 
who  edited  the  Chicago  "Evening  Post";  George  E.  Hoskinson, 
connected  with  the  Green  Bay  "Gazette"  and  later  United  States 
consul  to  Jamaica;  E.  C.  Towne,  a  noted  Unitarian  minister;  R. 
J.  Burdge,  state  senator;  J.  A.  Johnson,  congressman  from  Cali- 
fornia; Horace  White  of  '53,  famous  editor  of  the  Chicago  "Trib- 
une" and  later  of  the  New  York  "Evening  Post";  Charles  W. 
Buckley,  who  went  to  congress  from  Alabama;  James  W.  Strong, 
president  of  Carleton  College,  Minnesota,  for  twenty-five  years; 
Alexander   Kerr,   professor   of   Greek    in   the   State   University, 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  i73 

Madison,  Wis. ;  later,  Thomas  C.  Chamberlin  of  '66,  who  became 
president  of  that  university,  is  now  dean  of  geology  in  Chicago 
University  and  has  recently  been  elected  president  of  the  Ameri- 
can Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science ;  Arthur  H. 
Smith,  '67,  noted  missionary  in  China ;  Thomas  D.  Christie  of  '71, 
president  of  St.  Paul's  Institute,  Tarsus.  Asiatic  Turkey;  Ed- 
ward D.  Eaton,  president  of  Beloit  College;  E.  M.  Hill,  principal 
of  Congregational  College  of  Canada,  Montreal;  C.  Frank  Gates, 
president  Roberts  College,  Constantinople ;  Booth  M.  Malone, 
'77,  judge,  Denver.  Colo. ;  George  B.  Adams  of  '73,  professor  of 
history,  Yale,  and  now  president  of  the  American  Historical  As- 
sociation ;  also  Louis  E.  Holden  of  '88,  president  of  Wooster  Uni- 
versity, Ohio;  Von  Ogden  Vogt,  assistant  secretary  for  U.  S. 
Presbyterian  Home  Missions ;  and  scores  of  others  who  have 
taken  honorable  places  in  the  various  professions  and  walks  of 
life,  as  the  record  of  Beloit  College  shows.  The  plan  of  the  soci- 
ety was  changed  in  the  winter  of  1859  to  comprise  two  organiza- 
tions known  as  the  Delian  and  the  Alethean,  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  Archiean  Union.  From  the  first  a  part  of  the  so- 
ciety's plan  was  to  establish  a  library,  and  in  furtherance  of  this 
idea  there  was  gathered  a  large  and  valuable  collection  of  the 
best  works  in  all  departments  of  general  literature. 

This  society  through  its  members  and  library,  and  through 
its  annual  courses  of  lectures  given  by  noted  speakers  and  lit- 
erary characters,  was  largely  instrumental  in  fostering  a  love  for 
books  and  molding  the  literary  tastes  of  the  early  community 
and  in  leading  the  way  to  that  high  standard  of  excellence  which 
the  city  has  since  attained  as  a  center  of  learning  and  of  literary 
and  social  culture.  (My  remembrance  of  boyhood  especially 
recalls  that  course  of  their  lectures  which  introduced  to  Beloit 
Bayard  Taylor  and  John  B.  Gough.)  And  when  a  noted  philan- 
thropist sought  locations  worthy  the  bestowal  of  his  gifts  it  was 
but  natural  he  should  be  attracted  hitherward;  so  the  (Carnegie) 
Free  Public  Library  building  and  the  College  (Carnegie)  Li- 
brary building,  both  magnificent  homes  for  books,  are  added  to 
the  educational  and  culture  forces  of  the  city. 

Then,  too,  among  those  earlier  influences  mention  should  be 
made  of  the  Beloit  Reading  Club,  which  came  into  existence 
in  the  fall  of  1878  and  embraced  in  its  membership  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  cultivated  people  of  the  community;  and  of  the  Phil» 


17i  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

harmonic  Society,  organized  in  1879  with  the  object  of  cultivat- 
ing and  developing  musical  taste.  There  also  sprang  up  nu- 
merous other  organizations,  more  especially  ministering  to  the 
religious  needs  of  the  people,  such  as  the  Women's  Christian 
Temperance  Union,  which  was  started  in  the  spring  of  1874  and 
whose  benefits  in  behalf  of  those  to  whom  it  has  ministered  are 
beyond  computation ;  and  the  Beloit  Bible  Society,  which  has 
been  in  existence  since  the  spring  of  1841  and  whose  special  mis- 
sion has  been  to  distribute  the  word  of  God  among  those  who 
were  without  it. 

Of  churches  fuller  mention  is  elsewhere  made,  but  we  note 
briefly  that  the  First  Congregational  was  organized  December 
30,  1838.  Following  this,  on  April  24,  1841,  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  Beloit  was  founded  with  fourteen  members  and  Rev. 
Alvah  Burgess  as  pastor.  During  that  same  year,  on  February 
28,  St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  church  was  established  with 
Rev.  Aaron  Humphrey  rector,  C.  H.  F.  Goodhue  and  G.  W.  Bick- 
nell  wardens,  Otis  C.  Bicknell,  John  C.  Burr  and  Leonard  R. 
Humphrey  vestrymen,  William  H.  Plobart  secretary  and  David 
J.  Bundy  treasurer.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  formed 
by  Rev.  William  Lovesey  October  15,  1842.  Rev.  Lewis  H.  Loss, 
of  Rockford,  111.,  conducted  the  formal  organization  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church,  with  forty-six  members,  March  21,  1849. 
The  St.  Thomas  Catholic  church  began  as  a  congregation  in 
May,  1853,  with  Rev.  Father  McFaul  in  charge.  The  Westmin- 
ster Presbyterian  church,  Old  School,  was  organized  January  5, 
1859,  west  side.  The  Second  Congregational  church,  also  west 
side  of  the  river,  was  organized  September  11,  1859,  with  forty- 
one  members,  of  whom  thirty-five  brought  letters  from  the  First 
Congregational  church.  On  May  23,  1869,  Pastor  Jacob  Kolb 
organized  the  German  Presbyterian  church  with  thirty-one  mem- 
bers. The  German  Lutheran  church  was  organized  in  1872  with 
ten  members  and  Rev.  Mr.  Sysner  as  pastor.  In  the  following 
year  the  Norwegian  church  was  established,  and  in  that  year, 
1873,  the  Methodist  Protestant  church,  called  the  Bridge  Street 
church,  west  side,  was  started  by  George  Craven,  Dr.  J.  L.  Bren- 
ton,  Eddj'^  Crandall,  J.  L.  Jewett  and  H.  J.  Fine,  their  first  pas- 
tor being  Rev.  Henry  A.  Heath.  Their  building,  southwest  cor- 
ner of  Bridge  and  Bluff  streets,  was  the  former  home  of  the 
Westminster   church,   which    in    1865   had   been   merged   in   the 


HISTOKY  OF  BELOIT  175 

First  Presbyterian.  The  English  Lutheran  congregation  is  of 
more  recent  origin.  A  Beloit  branch  of  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association  has  also  been  developed,  is  growing  in  members 
and  influence  and  under  excellent  management  is  rapidly  be- 
coming one  of  our  city's  strong  forces  for  good.  We  have  also 
had  the  Salvation  Army  on  our  streets  for  twenty  years  or  more, 
and  there  is  a  Christian  Science  hall. 

Secret  societies  have  flourished  in  Beloit  since  the  beginning 
of  its  existence  as  a  city.  Of  the  Masonic  order  Morning  Star 
Lodge  No.  10,  F.  and  A.  ]M..  Avas  organized  December  2,  1846, 
under  dispensation  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ohio,  John  W. 
Bushnell,  W.  M.  Beloit  Chapter  No.  9,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  or- 
ganized November  29,  1851,  received  its  charter  February  12, 
1852.  Beloit  Council  No.  1,  R.  and  S.  M.,  was  organized  Febru- 
ary 24,  1857.  Then  on  April  18,  1864,  was  chartered  Beloit  Com- 
mandery  No.  6,  Knights  Templar. 

Myrtle  Lodge  No.  10,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
was  instituted  as  E-ne-we-shin-e-gras  Lodge  No.  10  on  August 
11,  1846,  the  name  being  changed  to  Myrtle  in  1847.  Beloit  En- 
campment No.  7  of  this  order  was  instituted  December  17,  1850. 

Temple  Lodge  No.  42.  Ancient  Order  United  Workmen,  was 
established  August  26,  1868;  Fidelity  Temple  of  Honor  No.  37 
was  organized  January  22,  1876.  and  Beloit  Division  No.  38,  Sons 
of  Temperance,  was  organized  January  20,  1874.  Of  more  re- 
cent date  are  numerous  fraternal  organizations,  some  admitting 
to  membership  men  only,  others  only  women,  and  still  others 
mixed.  Some  of  these  are  the  Royal  Arcanum.  G.  A.  R.  Post  No. 
54,  Royal  League,  Columbian  Knights.  Elks,  Daughters  of  Co- 
lumbia, Beavers.  Beaver  Queens,  Equitable  Fraternal  Union,  Fra- 
ternal Reserve  Association,  National  Fraternal  League,  Mystic 
Workers,  Modern  Woodmen,  Red  Men,  Eagles,  United  Spanish 
War  Veterans,  Brotherhood  of  American  Yeomen,  Fraternal 
Aid  Association,  Court  of  Honor,  and  White  Shrine ;  all  of  which 
are  loyally  supported  and  fully  supply  the  needs  they  are  in- 
tended to  serve. 

Our  Beloit  fire  department  really  began  in  1854.  The  busi- 
ness center  was  then  E.  D.  Murray's  store,  southwest  corner  of 
State  and  Race.  When  that  building  burned  down  on  the  morn- 
ing of  April  6  in  that  year  your  editor,  then  nine  years  old,  from 
the  diagonally  opposite  corner  saw  Mr.  A.  J.  Battin,  an  old  New 


iy6  history  of  eock  couxty 

York  city  fireman,  standing  at  the  very  edge  of  the  fallen  and 
blazing  store  with  nozzle  in  hand,  directing  the  tiny  stream  of 
water  from  a  small  garden  engine  upon  Mr.  Murray's  safe,  which 
lay  in  the  midst  of  the  fire,  until  by  that  means,  and  with  a 
bucket  brigade  he  organized,  the  flames  were  subdued.  The 
same  effort  saved  Mr.  A.  B.  Carpenter's  house,  which  stood  near 
the  store  on  the  south,  and  afforded  a  narrow  escape  for  Mrs. 
Carpenter,  who  was  then  quite  ill,  and  also  for  her  very  young 
infant  daughter,  Addie,  now  Mrs.  Charles  B.  Salmon.  The  little 
fire  company  which  Mr.  Battin  then  formed  was  the  real  begin- 
ning of  our  Beloit  fire  department.  A  little  later,  in  1855,  there 
was  organized  on  the  east  side  an  engine  and  hose  company 
known  as  Water  Witch  Company  No.  1,  and  a  small  hand-brake 
engine  was  bought  by  private  subscription.  On  those  brakes  I 
helped  pump  at  every  fire  Avhich  occurred  in  Beloit  until  1867. 
That  company  became  disorganized  soon  after  the  opening  of 
the  Civil  War  in  1860,  owing  to  members  enlisting  in  the  army; 
but  the  organization  was  reestablished  after  the  close  of  the  war 
and  continued  until  1869.  when  the  company  disbanded.  In  1872 
a  new  organization  was  perfected  with  fifty-five  members  and  a 
full  corps  of  officers  installed. 

Another  company,  known  as  Ever  Ready  No.  2,  was  organ- 
ized on  the  west  side  in  1856  and  was  ready  for  service  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1857,  when  it  received  its  engine.  Connected  with  this 
was  Tiger  Hose  Company  No.  2.  Both  those  organizations  ren- 
dered valuable  service  at  home  and  in  neighboring  towns,  being 
ably  seconded  in  their  work  by  Beloit  Hook  and  Ladder  Com- 
pany, which  came  into  existence  in  the  spring  of  1875.  It  is 
worthy  of  note  that  for  many  years  these  fire  companies  owned 
and  cared  for  the  only  public  libraries  in  Beloit.  To  these  the 
public  had  access  by  payment  of  a  small  fee,  which,  with  contri- 
butions from  insurance  companies  and  individuals,  was  suffi- 
cient to  keep  the  libraries  in  good  condition,  replenish  the  shelves 
with  a  large  number  of  desirable  works  and  so  supply  the  best 
reading  matter  to  all  who  cared  to  avail  themselves  of  it. 

To  realize  the  isolation  of  the  settlement  and  town  in  early 
days  one  need  but  refer  to  the  postal  facilities.  At  first  the  near«- 
est  postoffiee  was  ninety  miles  away,  in  Chicago,  and  communica- 
tion was  by  means  of  any  person  who  might  happen  to  be  going 
that  way;  next  an  office  was  established  at  Belvidere,  111.,  twen- 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  177 

ty  miles  distant,  followed  by  the  establishment  of  one  at  Roscoe, 
six  miles  away,  whence  a  post  boy  on  horseback  brought  the 
mail  once  a  w^eek ;  and  finally  a  post  route  was  arranged  between 
Belvidere  and  Janesville,  and  an  intermediate  office  at  Beloit, 
the  entire  receipts  of  this  office  during  the  first  quarter  amount- 
ing to  $60  all  told.  But  little  more  than  half  a  century  ago  a 
tri-weekly  line  of  mail  stages  passed  through  the  village,  run- 
ning between  Chicago  and  Janesville,  while  a  semi-weekly  mail 
stage  plied  between  here  and  Southport,  now  Kenosha,  furnish- 
ing our  principal  means  of  communication  with  the  outside 
world.  What  a  contrast  between  those  meager  public  accom- 
modations and  conveniences  and  the  splendid  postal  and  trans- 
portation service  of  today,  by  means  of  the  great  steam  railways 
with  their  numerous  trains  daily;  the  interurban  electric  line, 
furnishing  easy  and  rapid  communication  with  neighboring  cities 
and  towns,  and  all  the  marvelous  triumphs  and  achievements  of 
electrical  and  mechanical  science  that  enter  so  largely  into  our 
daily  affairs !  And  now  we  have  the  assurance  of  a  new  govern- 
ment postofifice  building  here,  the  site  having  been  chosen  and 
bought,  northeast  corner  of  East  Grand  avenue  and  Pleasant 
streets,  and  the  appropriation  of  $75,000  for  a  modern  structure 
having  been  at  last  duly  voted  by  the  government.  Within  the 
last  three  years  also  three  modern,  beautiful  church  edifices  have 
been  erected  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  Second  Congregational 
and  First  Presbyterian  societies  respectively,  buildings  which 
have  cost  in  the  aggregate  about  $120,000  and  which  are  all  well 
appointed  for  the  many  forms  of  service  connected  with  modern 
church  life  and  work. 

Although  we  have  a  separate  chapter  on  Military  History, 
something  should  be  said  here  of  Beloit  in  war  time,  1861-1865. 
The  comparatively  recent  war  with  Spain  enlisted  a  few  of  our 
young  men  and  awakened  in  our  county  and  state  some  popular 
interest.  But  the  present  generation  have  not  felt  and  indeed 
cannot  fully  know  that  burning  excitement  of  patriotism  which 
overflowed  all  our  hearts  during  the  Civil  War.  Then  the  Union, 
the  very  existence  of  this  nation,  was  in  danger,  and  men,  women, 
children  and  ministers  all  had  the  war  fever.  The  first  company 
of  men  to  volunteer  and  enlist  in  Rock  county  were  the  Beloit 
Guards,  April,  1861.  The  first  man  to  put  down  his  name  (at  a 
meeting  held  in  Hanchett's  Hall)  was  Dick  Adams.    After  those 


178  HISTOKY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

early  three  months'  men  had  served  their  terms  most  of  them  re- 
enlisted  for  three  years.  In  July,  1861,  a  company  was  recruited 
mainly  in  Beloit  as  Company  K,  Seventh  regiment,  Wisconsin 
Volunteer  Infantry,  which  later  became  a  part  of  the  celebrated 
"Iron  Brigade."  The  captain  was  Alexander  Gordon  and  the 
first  lieutenant  Frank  W.  Oakley,  a  nephew  of  A.  P.  "Waterman. 
August  23,  1862,  while  standing  up  to  encourage  his  men,  cross- 
ing a  river  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  brave  young  Captain  Gor- 
don, but  recently  married,  was  killed  almost  instantly  by  a  sharp- 
shooter. Lieutenant  Oakley  was  wounded  at  Rappahannock  Sta- 
tion, Va.,  August  23,  1862,  losing  his  right  arm.  With  genial  face 
he  goes  about  his  duties  today  in  Madison  as  clerk  of  the  United 
States  court  for  Wisconsin,  but  his  empty  sleeve  recalls  the  dread 
realities  of  that  war.  James  E.  Ross,  enlisting  in  1862,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-five,  in  Company  B,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin  In- 
fantry, was  captured  and  saw  the  inside  of  the  notorious  Lib.by 
prison  in  March,  1863.  Exchanged  and  transferred  to  Fighting 
Joe  Hooker's  army  corps,  the  Twentieth,  he  was  wounded,  on 
recovery  made  first  lieutenant  of  the  123d  U.  S.  Colored  Infantry, 
and  served  through  the  war  until  September  30,  1865.  (See 
Military  chapter.)  Josiah  Horace  Leonard,  a  Beloit  boy,  enlist- 
ed in  Company  L,  First  Iowa  Cavalry,  June  13,  1861,  and  served 
continuously  without  ever  being  wounded  or  ill  or  in  the  guard- 
house, as  he  used  to  say,  until  April  1,  1866.  This  four  years 
and  nine  months'  service,  with  five  battles  and  many  skirmishes, 
is  believed  to  be  the  longest  term  served  by  any  man  from  Beloit 
or  from  Rock  county.  When  I  was  studying  under  Mr.  Childs  in 
the  third  room  of  Union  school  No.  1,  in  1853,  the  young  princi- 
pal of  the  second  room  was  Louis  H.  D.  Crane.  He  enlisted,  be- 
came a  lieutenant,  and  died  in  the  war,  and  the  existing  G.  A.  R. 
post,  No.  54,  is  named  after  him. 

When  the  war  time  had  passed  friends  of  the  soldiers  and  of 
Beloit  College  contributed  $30,000  and  built  that  solid  stone 
structure  near  the  southeast  corner  of  the  campus  called  Memo- 
rial Hall,  the  cornerstone  being  laid  July  9,  1867.  At  present 
this  is  used  on  the  second  floor  by  the  college  musical  department 
and  the  first  floor  is  occupied  by  the  magnificent  Logan  collection 
of  ancient  Wisconsin  implements  of  war  and  peace.  In  the  front 
vestibule  of  this  building  are  two  marble  tablets  bearing  the 
names  of  the  eighty-eight  Beloit  city  and  college  men  who  died 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  nO 

during  that  terrible  struggle.  The  south  tablet  reads :  "Their 
death  made  way  for  liberty.  Men  of  Beloit,  who  fell  for  their 
country."  Alexander  Anderson,  Daniel  Barry,  Adney  F.  Bib- 
bins,  John  V.  Blasser,  George  L.  Bostwiek,  Barney  Cannon,  Al- 
exander Clark,  Martin  L.  Cochran,  James  L.  Converse,  Christo- 
pher Cramer,  Louis  H.  D.  Crane,  Gordon  P.  Doud,  Milo  P.  Doud, 
Augustus  S.  Dresser,  Edward  A.  Goddard,  William  S.  Graves, 
Joseph  Hackett,  George  AV.  Harwood,  Die  Ilellick,  Benjamin  F. 
Hoey,  Jabez  A.  Hyatt,  John  Jacobson,  Sidney  Knell,  Charles  M. 
Long,  Jacob  Lund,  Charles  A.  Macot,  Charles  W.  Mead,  William 
S.  Miller,  Michael  Mooney,  Charles  Oleson,  Horace  Ormsby,  Wil- 
liam F.  Parker,  Samuel  Plomteaux,  Daniel  W.  Porter,  Daniel  A. 
Sears,  Nathan  Sebring,  George  Sedgwick,  Hubbard  Smith,  Louis 
Tamson,  John  Timmons,  James  AV.  Vandeventer.     (42) 

The  north  tablet  is  headed  with  this  inscription: 

"Pro  patria  non  timidi  mori.  Sons  of  Beloit  College,  who 
died  for  Law  and  Liberty."  Hector  H.  Aiken,  Edward  R.  Bar- 
ber, Pardon  E.  Carpenter,  Francis  H.  Caswell,  Michael  Clark, 
Henry  Cooper,  Dudley  H.  Cowles,  Jerome  B.  Davis,  Edmund 
Dawes,  Jeremiah  Dooley,  George  0.  Felt,  Silas  W.  Field,  Jeffer- 
son Florey,  Alexander  Gordon,  Frederick  W.  Goddard,  Paul  A. 
Goddard,  Almeron  N.  Graves,  Evan  N.  Grub,  Azel  D.  Hayward, 
Thomas  W.  Humphrey,  Burford  Jeakins,  James  B.  Kerr,  Henry 
S.  Kingsley,  Jared  H.  Knapp,  AVilliam  L.  Knight,  John  G.  Lam- 
bert, William  P.  Lathrop,  Arthur  W.  Mason,  Henry  Meacham, 
Porter  C.  Olson,  Marshall  W.  Patton,  A.  Lyford  Peavey,  Q.  Elton 
Pollock,  Franklin  Prindle,  Freman  B.  Riddle,  Stephen  A.  Rollins, 
Milton  Rood,  Thomas  A.  Seacord,  William  H.  Shumaker,  Jona- 
than D.  Stevens,  Whitney  Tibbals,  Horace  Turner,  Eugene  H, 
Tuttle,  Albert  Walker,  Frank  P.  Woodruff,  William  W.  Works 
(46) 

(Shumaker  died  in  the  night  and  in  the  dark  on  the  cot  next 
to  mine  in  a  hospital  tent  at  the  camp  of  the  Fortieth  regiment, 
Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  near  Memphis,  Tenn.,  in  August, 
1864.    He  was  a  faithful  soldier  and  a  good  man. — Ed.) 

The  casualties  of  the  late  Spanish  war  added  to  this  list  the 
following  nine  names  of  soldier  boys  who  enlisted  at  Beloit,  the 
home  of  most  of  them,  and  who  died  in  or  because  of  the  service, 
and  all  of  typhoid  fever:  Mace  Mollestead,  August  13,  1898. 
Clark  Osgood,  September  8,  1898.    Frank  Chipraan,  September, 


180  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

1898.  Jesse  Gleason,  September  22,  1898.  Fred  Cousins,  Sep- 
tember 25,  1898.  James  M.  Mowers,  February  1,  1899.  Gustav 
Wolline,  September,  1899.  Charles  Ingleby,  January  1,  1899. 
All  privates.     Sergeant  Cassia  J.  Morris,  September  11,  1898. 

The  Stephen  A.  Eollins,  above  mentioned,  was  color  bearer  of 
the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Infantry.  In  the  famous  battle  of  May 
22,  1863,  before  Vicksburg,  he  charged  so  far  ahead  of  his  regi- 
ment that  his  colonel,  T.  W.  Humphrey,  also  in  the  above  list, 
called  to  him  to  bring  the  colors  back  to  the  regiment.  "Col- 
onel," shouted  Rollins  in  reply,  "The  colors  never  go  back.  Bring 
the  regiment  up  to  the  colors."  The  colonel  did  so  and  the  regi- 
ment held  that  position  to  the  6nd  of  the  siege.  In  June,  1864, 
at  the  battle  of  Gunton,  southeast  of  Memphis,  south  of  Lagrange 
(sometimes  called  the  battle  of  Brice's  cross  roads),  where  the 
Federals  were  defeated  by  Forrest,  both  Humphrey  and  Rol- 
lins were  mortally  wounded,  the  latter  with  three  bullets.  A 
comrade  from  Belvidere,  111.,  took  care  of  him,  but  he  only  lived 
three  days.  His  last  words  were,  "Tell  my  mother  that  I  still  be- 
live  in  my  country  because  I  believe  in  God."  (After  the  sur- 
render of  Vicksburg  this  Sergeant  Rollins  had  organized  among 
the  federal  soldiers  in  that  city  a  literary  and  Christian  associa- 
tion of  a  high  order,  the  secretary  of  which  was  Sergeant  T.  D. 
Christie,  who  told  me  of  him. — Ed.) 

Memorial  Day  was  first  made  a  legal  holiday  in  1879.  May 
24  of  that  year  was  organized  the  Veteran's  Club  of  Beloit;  O. 
C.  Johnson,  colonel;  Valee,  lieutenant  colonel;  Hoyt,  major; 
Northrop,  adjutant;  M.  Egan,  paymaster,  and  C,  H.  Bullock, 
sergeant  major.  Our  first  prominent  celebration  of  Memorial 
Day  also  occurred  that  year.  The  president  of  the  day  was  Col- 
onel I.  "W.  Pettibone,  marshal;  0.  C.  Johnson,  with  Captain 
Hoyt  and  W.  H.  Wheeler  as  aids.  In  front  was  the  city  band, 
led  by  Z.  T.  Hulett.  In  the  column  were  the  Beloit  City  Guards, 
under  Captain  McLenegan,  and  the  new  Veteran  Club  of  eighty- 
two  members,  under  command  of  Captain  Valee,  who  wore  his 
old  battery  uniform.  The  army  organizations  represented  were 
the  First,  Second,  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  Seventh,  Eleventh,  Four- 
teenth, Fifteenth,  Seventeenth,  Eighteenth,  Twentieth,  Twenty- 
third  and  Twenty-fourth  Army  Corps,  the  Custer  cavalry  division, 
First  and  Second  Wisconsin  Cavalrv,  the  Fourth  Wisconsin  Bat- 


HISTOEY  OF  BELOIT  181 

tery,  Rear  Admiral  David  Porter's  navy  squadron,  and  also  the 
Sixth  "Wisconsin  Infantry  (the  Iron  Brigade). 

The  regiments  represented  were  the  Fifth,  Seventh,  Thir- 
teenth, Sixteenth,  Seventeenth,  Eighteenth,  Twenty-second, 
Thirty-fifth,  Fortieth  and  Forty-second  Wisconsin  Infantry ;  also 
the  Fifteenth,  Twenty-third  (Mulligan  Guards),  Forty-seventh 
and  Ninetieth  Illinois  Infantry ;  the  Twentieth  Indiana  Infantry ; 
the  Seventh  and  Thirtieth  New  York  Infantry;  the  Eighth  Ohio 
Infantry;  Tenth  Connecticut  Infantry,  and  also  Company  F  of 
United  States  Veteran  Volunteers.  These  last  carried  a  flag  with 
crape  on  the  staff  and  w^ore  crape  on  the  left  arm.  Following 
them  was  a  martial  band,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Irish,  and  the  fire 
department  under  Chief  Engineer  John  Hawkins,  the  firemen 
wearing  new  uniforms.  Three  large  wagons  full  of  school  girls, 
as  decorators,  were  followed  by  a  long  procession  of  school  boys 
marching,  the  route  beginning  at  the  high  school  building.  Then 
came  a  procession  of  carriages  containing  the  speakers,  Paul 
Broder  for  the  Roman  Catholic  cemetery.  Rev.  George  Bushnell 
for  the  city  cemetery.  Rev.  H.  P.  Higley  and  Prof.  Joseph  Emer- 
son, and  scores  of  friends.  When  the  procession  passed  Memo- 
rial Hall  about  forty  college  students  fell  into  line  and  marched 
behind  the  firemen.  The  decorators  were  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Cham 
Ingersol,  Mrs.  Colonel  Johnson  and  Mrs.  Colonel  Crane.  Esquire 
Broder  fitly  began  his  address,  on  "Mutual  Forgiveness,"  with 
the  quotation : 

"For  whether  on  the  scaffold  high,  or  in  the  battle's  van, 
The  fittest  place  for  man  to  die,  is  where  he  dies  for  man." 

One  paragraph  was  this:  "The  soldiers,  by  whose  graves  we 
stand,  had  little  anger  in  their  hearts.  I  have  been  told  that, 
in  the  midst  of  battle,  Federal  and  Confederate  soldiers  have 
been  known  to  pause  for  awhile,  by  mutual  consent  lay  down 
their  arms,  drink  at  the  same  brook  out  of  the  same  cup,  ex- 
change tobacco  and  coffee  and  for  a  time  forget  the  deadly  work 
in  which  but  a  few  moments  before  they  had  been  engaged.  Can 
it  be  that  we,  after  fourteen  long  years  of  peace,  have  failed  to 
acquire  the  same  magnanimity  which  they,  in  the  short  breathing 
times  of  battle,  were  wont  to  display?  The  experience  of  all 
life  teaches  us  no  worthier  lesson  than  the  wisdom  of  forgive- 


182  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

ness."  After  Dr.  Buslmell's  remarks  to  the  effect  that  the  re- 
bellion had  made  American  free  institutions  permanent,  the  pro- 
cession marched  back  to  Memorial  Hall,  where  a  platform  had 
been  erected  on  the  east  side  of  the  building.  Colonel  Pettibone 
presided,  Rev.  Prof.  William  Porter  (who  is  still  with  us)  offered 
prayer  and  Rev.  Henry  P.  Higley  gave  an  address  on  our  (then) 
thirty  graves  (now  we  have  201),  for  each  of  which,  he  re- 
marked, might  be  said  as  was  written  of  the  Swiss  patriot,  Arnold 
Winkelreid : 

"Make  way  for  Liberty,  he  cried; 
Made  way  for  Liberty  and  died." 

"We  belie  the  day  if  we  say  that  these  men  did  well  to  die 
for  their  country  and  then  ourselves  refuse  to  live  for  her  and 
at  our  very  best."  The  memorial  marble  tablets  in  Memorial 
Hall  were  then  decorated  and  a  noble  oration  for  those  honored 
dead  was  given  by  Prof.  Emerson.  A  memorial  poem,  written 
several  years  before  by  Comrade  Rev.  T.  D.  Christie,  was  read, 
and  the  exercises  were  closed  with  patriotic  airs  by  the  band. 

Another  interesting  sketch  of  Beloit  life  is  the  following  word 
picture  of  "Beloit  36  Years  Ago,"  by  Joel  B.  Dow: 

The  city  government  in  1872  was  vested  in  a  mayor,  eight 
aldermen,  city  clerk,  city  attorney,  treasurer,  city  marshal  and 
city  surveyor.  The  mayor  and  common  council  served  without 
pay.  The  mayor  was  then  Samuel  J.  Goodwin ;  the  city  clerk, 
C.  F.  G.  Collins;  the  city  attorney,  S.  J.  Todd;  the  city  marshal, 
Parsons  Johnson.  Each  received  a  salary  of  $100  a  year.  The 
entire  police  force  was  embodied  in  the  city  marshal,  save  two 
night  watchmen,  one  for  each  side  of  the  river.  The  total  expense 
of  running  the  city  government  did  not  then  exceed  $3,000.  The 
population  was  about  4,600.  There  were  two  volunteer  fire  de- 
partments, Nos.  1  and  2.  Two  hand  engines  and  water  supply,  a 
stone 's  throw  from  the  river,  provided  in  wells  and  cisterns,  with 
license  to  utilize  like  private  reservoirs  when  occasion  demanded. 
There  were  no  paved  streets.  There  were  no  waterworks; 
"Charlie"  Salmon  was  then  barely  a  "prospect." 

Two  years  prior  to  the  opening  of  this  story  the  city  was 
swept  by  an  epidemic  of  typhoid  fever ;  many  of  the  leading  citi- 


KDWAlv'D  F.   7IAXSKX, 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  183 

zens  with  others  whom  they  led  paid  the  penalty  of  combining 
wells  and  water  closets  for  generations.  There  were  no  sewers, 
but  a  multiplicity  of  cesspools  which  conspired  with  closet  vaults 
to  contaminate  the  water.  As  a  sanitary  measure,  then,  to  pre- 
vent a  repetition  of  this  and  kindred  epidemics,  as  well  as  to 
afford  fire  protection  and  encourage  the  introduction  of  manu- 
facturing interests,  a  waterworks  system  was  planned  and  built, 
and,  finally  coming  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Salmon,  was  commend- 
ably  perpetuated.  In  1872  there  were  no  bathrooms,  only  in 
isolated  cases,  and  these  were  conundrums.  They  were  heated 
by  friction — that  is,  the  water — and  the  water  was  pumped  by 
hand  suction.  There  were  no  plumbers — nothing  to  plumb.  No 
joints  to  wipe — no  tears  to  shed  over  a  plumber's  bill.  There 
were  but  two  livery  barns — Drury's,  opposite  the  John  Foster 
shoe  factory,  and  Sam  Allen's,  where  the  Allen  block  now  stands 
on  East  Grand  avenue.  The  two  stables  were  each  equipped  with 
two  hacks.  One  of  them  kept  a  goat.  The  goat,  for  prudential 
reasons,  when  the  weather  was  cold,  slept  in  a  hack.  A  stranger 
once  attending  a  funeral  here,  and  riding  in  the  "goat  hack," 
immediately  behind  the  hearse,  sensing  the  odor,  suggested  that 
the  undertaker  had  been  careless  in  his  work,  and  that  the  corpse 
ought  to  have  kept. 

There  were  no  electric  lights.  It  was  four  years  later  than 
this,  at  the  centennial  in  Philadelphia,  in  '76,  that  specimens  of 
such  lights  were  on  exhibition  as  a  possibility.  In  thirty-two 
years  that  "possibility"  has  lighted  the  world.  Through  the 
enterprise  of  W.  A.  Knapp,  then  a  citizen  of  Beloit,  and  Wiley  & 
Warner,  still  with  us,  Beloit  was  pushed  into  this  "limelight" 
and  two  electric  plants  were  installed. 

In  1872  Joseph  Hendley  &  Sons  were  responsible  for  all  the 
gas  light,  and  a  few  streets  and  part  of  the  homes  were  lighted 
by  their  torch.  Kerosene  oil,  with  its  odor,  and  candles  galore, 
were  the  chief  agencies  then  for  perpetuating  the  day.  There 
were  no  telephones.  The  "halloo"  girls  had  not  been  born.  The 
world  was  waiting  for  them.  Some  time  after,  their  star  was  seen 
in  the  east,  and  while  they  were  yet  in  swaddling  clothes  and  in 
waiting  the  telephone  became  a  fact  in  Beloit.  George  H.  Ander- 
son, still  a  resident  'of  Beloit,  and  Bennie  Oliver  (our  Bennie) 
were  the  first  to  take  their  lives  in  their  hands  and  admit  that 
each   in  turn  respectively  was  the   "central."     Anderson   was 


184  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

the  American  Express  agent  at  the  time,  and  the  city  clerk,  and 
yet,  in  connection  with  this,  he  had  time  to  handle  all  the  business 
of  the  patrons  of  the  telephone,  with  time  to  spare.  Bennie  was 
the  lineman,  the  electrician,  the  "information  girl,"  the  collector 
and  the  solicitor,  as  well  as  the  court  of  appeals  in  final  settle- 
ment of  disagreement. 

There  were  no  gasoline  stoves,  and  so  no  skull  and  crossbones 
engraven  on  gasoline  permits  on  the  insurance  policies. 

There  were  no  hardwood  floors — hence  no  Mesheds  or  Kirman- 
shas.  The  sidewalks  then  were  all  of  plank — the  soft  side  up — 
and  not  a  corn  doctor  within  twenty  miles  of  the  city.  Beloit 
college  was  still  mainly  a  "prayer."  The  writer  was  a  promising 
product  of  the  college.  President  Chapin  was  then  at  the  head 
of  the  college  as  its  president,  and  associated  with  him  were  some 
of  those  grand  old  men — Emerson  and  Blaisdell  and  Bushnell 
and  Porter — who  laid  the  foundation  upon  which  the  present 
superstructure  has  been  reared,  and  through  whose  unselfish 
labors  both  sides  of  the  world  have  been  made  better.  There  were 
then  but  two  ward  schools,  Nos.  1  and  2,  on  the  east  and  west 
sides,  and  with  them  a  congested  high  school.  The  kindergarten 
was  looked  upon  as  a  heresy  and  its  introduction  finally  contested 
as  strenuously  as  was  the  street  car  proposition. 

In  1872  Beloit  had  no  factories,  as  compared  with  her  status 
now  along  these  lines.  She  ran  to  paper  mills.  They  utilized  two- 
thirds  of  the  water  power  and  gave  back  nothing.  The  help  they 
employed  were  ragpickers  and  unskilled  labor,  and  not  enough 
of  the  latter  to  furnish  recruits  for  the  Salvation  Army.  They 
utilized  the  farmers'  straw  and  impoverished  the  farmers'  land. 
Aside  from  the  paper  mills,  John  Thompson,  0.  E.  Merrill  &  Co., 
the  Eclipse  Windmill  Company,  Charles  Hansen  and  the  John 
Foster  shoe  factory  were  doing  business  on  a  prospective  basis, 
and,  all  told,  didn  't  feed  one-half  the  men  which  one  of  our  up-to- 
date  institutions  does  today.  There  were  three  grist  mills — the 
Blodgett  mill,  the  Brooks  mill,  and  the  Old  Red  mill  just  west 
of  the  Keeler  lumber  office.  The  mill-race  from  the  Turtle  to  the 
river  was  an  open  question  along  the  south  side  of  the  city,  and 
duck  raising  was  a  lucrative  business. 

There  was  but  one  "iceman,"  Dole  by  name,  and  the  ice  was 
doled  out  by  him  in  spasmodic  chunks  and  left  upon  the  front 
steps  or  in  the  yard,  to  be  utilized  where  it  would  do  the  most 


HISTOEY  OF  BELOIT  185 

good.  It  was  cut  in  Turtle  creek,  a  good  deal  of  the  mossy  bank 
and  sand  dune  in  the  bottom  of  the  stream  being  in  evidence  in 
the  product. 

There  were  two  restaurants  and  ice  cream  parlors.  One  was 
manned  by  Ed  Day  and  the  other  by  Hank  Talmadge,  the  two 
on  State  street.  That  both  men  survive  and  are  well-to-do  evi- 
dences the  fact  that  they  were  masters  of  the  situation  and 
dispensed  that  which  the  people  demanded.  There  were  seven 
physicians — Strong.  Taggart,  Bell.  Johnson,  Brenton,  Hunt  and 
Merriman.  There  was  no  hospital,  no  appendicitis.  The  two 
gravestone  men  who  followed  in  the  wake  of  the  physicians  and 
took  up  the  burdens  they  laid  down  were  Jackson  and  Ackley. 
Both  survive,  and  the  former  is  still  "taking  up." 

There  were  two  banks,  each  with  less  than  $50,000  deposits — 
L.  C.  Hyde  and  Davis  &  Washburn.  The  savings  bank  had  been 
foretold.  The  Hon.  S.  T.  Merrill,  through  whose  constructive 
genius  it  was  to  be  produced,  was  then  wasting  his  substance 
in  the  riotous  wasting  of  Rock  river — he  was  president  of  the 
Rock  river  paper  mill.  Benjamin  Brown's  residence  and  six 
wooden  stores  had  been  burned  in  1871,  but  he  rebuilt  that  central 
business  location,  southwest  corner  of  State  and  School  streets, 
with  a  three-fold  block  of  six  (stone  and  brick)  stores  in  1872 
and  1873. 

There  were  three  drug  stores,  Fenton's,  Strong's  and  Greg- 
ory's, and  three  hotels,  the  Goodwin,  the  American  house  and 
Frank  Salisbury's.  There  were  four  insurance  agents.  Parsons 
Johnson,  E.  P.  King,  Whitford  &  Hejffren  and  Charles  Kendall. 
There  were  six  lawyers,  Hon.  S.  J.  Todd,  Alfred  Taggart,  Horace 
Dearborn,  Judge  Mills  and  Richard  Tattershall.  The  county  seat 
at  Janesville  was  reached  by  rail,  stopping  off  at  Clinton  Junc- 
tion and  a  dinner  with  "Lote"  Taylor. 

Dr.  George  Bushnell  was  then  the  oracle  at  the  First  Congre- 
gational church,  Rev.  H.  P.  Higley  at  the  Second,  Rev.  John 
McLean,  just  beginning  at  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  and 
Dr.  Fayette  Royce  at  St.  Paul's,  Rev.  Levi  Parmerly  at  the  Bap- 
tist, Father  Sullivan  at  St.  Thomas',  with  an  itinerant  at  the 
Methodist.  The  church  edifices,  barring  the  first,  were  all  back 
numbers  and  impressed  the  onlooker  that  the  respective  worship- 
ers were  either  poor  in  purse  or  poor  in  spirit,  or  were  literally 


186  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

obeying  the  injunction  to  have  with  them  neither  purse  nor  scrip. 

There  were  then  no  bicycles,  no  automobiles,  no  city  car  line 
and  no  interurban.  The  4,600  to  5,000  people  comprising  the  city 
were  on  foot. 

The  above  outlines  some  of  the  salient  features  of  Beloit 
thirty-six  years  ago.  Let  the  gentle  reader  throw  upon  the  canvas 
a  picture  of  Beloit  today,  and  the  changes  wrought  during  these 
years  will  be  gratifyingly  apparent. 

The  Beloit  Tornado,  1883. 

In  the  year  1878  a  tornado  swept  over  Shopiere  and  a  couple 
of  days  afterward  I  saw  where  a  house  had  been  blown  off  its 
foundations  and  the  material  scattered  along  the  path  of  the 
storm  for  half  a  mile,  and  where  a  green  hickory  tree  trunk, 
about  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  had  been  completely  twisted 
in  two.  "We  did  not  take  warning,  however,  and  the  historic 
tornado  of  June  11,  1883,  caught  us  all  without  any  tornado  in- 
surance. It  came  from  the  southwest  and  struck  us  at  5  :50  p.  m. 
Rushing  suddenly  up  the  river  valley,  it  tore  off  the  cover  of  the 
Northwestern  railroad  bridge  and  then  divided  into  two  branches. 
One  of  these  darting  onward  up  the  river  struck  and  demolished 
the  East  Side  Paper  Mill,  splitting  a  long  stone  wall  and  throw- 
ing down  one  side  of  it  while  the  other  half  was  left  standing, 
and  there  causing  the  only  death  we  experienced,  that  of  Edward 
Halloran,  a  mill  hand;  the  second  branch,  turning  to  the  north- 
east, struck  with  its  main  force  just  about  the  width  of  Benja- 
min Brown's  combined  three  blocks  (southwest  corner  of  State 
and  East  Grand  avenue),  tearing  off  two-thirds  of  the  metal 
roofs,  which  were  crumpled  up  like  paper  and  dashed  into  the 
streets  beyond,  and  pushing  off  the  high  brick  cornice  and  part 
of  the  brick  front,  causing  the  owner  a  loss  of  $3,000  in  ten 
minutes,  but,  fortunately,  not  injuring  any  one.  From  the  solid 
stone  walls  of  those  blocks  the  tornado  bounded  upward  and 
leaped  northeast  so  high  in  the  air  that  not  even  a  shed  was 
overturned ;  but  it  sheared  off  all  the  church  steeples.  First  Pres- 
byterian, Baptist,  Methodist  and  First  Congregational,  as  though 
with  one  sweep  of  the  scythe  of  Father  Time  himself.  The  tor- 
nado was  immediately  followed  by  a  very  heavy  fall  of  rain, 
lasting  about  half  an  hour,  which  added  much  to  the  damage. 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  187 

Other  Beloit  Disasters. 

By  the  unusually  high  water  of  the  following  spring  the  dam 
was  torn  out  at  the  west  end  and  a  hole,  estimated  to  be  forty 
or  fifty  feet  deep,  was  dug  there  by  the  torrent.  This  caused 
loss  of  waterpower,  long  delay  and  great  expense,  especially  to 
the  paper  mill.  Then  within  a  year  three  large  business  failures 
had  occurred,  that  of  the  Merrill  and  Houston  Iron  Works,  west 
side,  and  on  the  east  side  the  Rock  River  Paper  Company,  J.  M. 
Cobb,  manager,  by  which  failure  President  A.  L.  Chapin  lost 
about  $10,000  and  S.  T.  Merrill  his  entire  fortune  (except  what 
Lawyer  B.  M.  Malone  managed  to  save  out  as  the  property  of 
Mrs.  Merrill).  Worst  of  all  was  the  failure  of  the  paper  com- 
pany of  Booth,  Hinman  &  Co.,  in  which  more  than  $200,000  of 
the  savings  of  Beloit  people  were  swallowed  up. 

For  many  years  also  the  city  and  town  had  been  struggling 
under  a  great  burden  of  railroad  bonds.  At  one  time,  as  we  are 
informed,  the  debt  could  have  been  settled  for  about  $40,000. 
Our  most  celebrated  lawyer.  Matt  Carpenter,  doubtless  honestly, 
advised  the  Beloit  authorities,  however,  to  reject  the  offered  com- 
promise, assuring  them  that  they  would  not  have  to  pay  any- 
thing. The  legal  and  final  decision  of  the  case  was  against  Beloit 
and  before  the  matter  was  settled  by  a  final  payment  in  recent 
years  we  had  paid,  it  is  said,  in  principal  and  interest  on  those 
bonds,  about  $250,000.  This  load  was  still  being  carried  when, 
about  twenty-five  years  ago,  old  Beloit  took  on  that  new  lease 
of  life  which  is  so  graphically  described  by  Mr.  Dow  in  his  chap- 
ter on  the  last  quarter  century  of  Beloit  manufactures. 

This  business  revival  included  the  building  up  of  the  new 
South  Beloit  by  the  Wheelers,  and  caused  many  additions  to  our 
city  plat,  the  whole  list  of  which  is  here  subjoined  as  of  historic 
interest : 

Additions,  west  side — At  a  very  early  date,  south  of  the  south 
bridge,  was  platted  Fisher,  Mills  and  Goodhue's  addition,  and 
west  of  that,  Adams'.  Then  north  along  the  river  came  Hack- 
ett's  first,  west  of  that  his  second,  and  still  further  west  Hack- 
ett's  third  addition.  North  of  Grand  avenue  is  Tenney's  addi- 
tion, then  Hanchett  and  Lawrence's  next,  Merrill's,  north  of 
that  Noggle's,  further  north,  Dow's  addition  and  subdivision, 
and  still  further  up  the  river  Twin  Oaks  addition,  and  Edge- 


188  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

water.  Besides  small  reserves  and  subdivisions  we  find,  west  of 
Hanchett  and  Lawrence,  "Walker's  addition,  and  further  north, 
Hopkins',  then  Rockwell's  and,  west  of  Dow's,  the  New  School 
addition. 

On  the  east  side,  near  the  state  line,  was  Goodhue's  subdi- 
vision (now  occupied  largely  by  the  two  railroads),  and  the  old 
public  landing  became  Rufus  King's  subdivision.  Northeast  of 
the  dam  are  Peet  and  Salmon's,  AVheeler's,  Haekett's  fourth  ad- 
dition, Adams'  addition,  Riverside,  Weirick  and  Dow's,  Cham- 
berlain's, Yates',  Argall's,  Prairie  avenue,  Park  addition.  Eaton 
place,  Groveland  place.  Strong's  first,  second  and  third;  and, 
east  of  the  city  cemetery,  Maplewood  Park  addition;  south  of 
that,  Hillcrest  Park,  Hinman's  addition,  Pickard  and  Dow's  ad- 
dition, Hubbard's,  Merrill's,  Fairview  and  Poydras  Park  addi- 
tions, Dow's  second,  East  Broad,  East  End  and  Athletic  Park 
additions,  and  south  of  the  creek  on  Manchester  street,  Stras- 
burg's  addition. 

Then  for  South  Beloit,  south  of  the  state  line  and  about  the 
mouth  of  Turtle  creek,  west  of  the  Rockton  road,  is  Goodhue's 
addition.  East  of  that  road  and  of  the  Northwestern  railroad 
also,  we  have  Eureka,  Central,  South  Beloit  original  plat,  Oliver's 
and  McAleer's  tracts,  and,  between  the  railroad  and  the  Rock- 
ton  road,  Clark's  addition  and  Oak  Park  addition.  Latest,  of  all, 
recently  in  1908,  an  addition  has  been  platted  on  the  west  side 
of  Rockton  road.  The  successful  efforts  of  the  Wheelers  and 
others  which  have  secured  several  substantial  manufactories  for 
this  region  and  have  made  South  Beloit  a  place  of  about  600  in- 
habitants, with  a  fine  public  school  and  school  building,  deserves 
this  separate  and  more  complete  record. 

South  Beloit. 

Some  of  the  pioneers  of  Beloit,  notably  Professor  Jackson  J. 
Bushnell  and  Dr.  E.  N.  Clark,  held  a  theory  that  the  territory 
now  known  as  South  Beloit  was  a  good  location  for  a  village. 
Before  them  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery  also  held  the  same  view, 
thought  that  the  opposite  hill  from  the  one  where  the  college  is 
now  located  would  be  a  good  site  for  a  girl's  school  or  seminary 
and  demonstrated  his  faith  by  building  the  residence,  bought 
later  by  Bushnell  and  now  known  as  the  Wheeler  homestead. 
In  the  early  fifties  Dr.  Clark  made  a  map  or  plat  showing  the 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  189 

west  half  of  the  Doolittle  farm  laid  off  in  lots  extendiug  from 
the  Clark  residence  on  Oak  Grove  avenue  north  to  Turtle  creek. 
Nothing,  however,  came  of  these  first  promotings. 

Their  successor  was  W.  H.  Wheeler,  who  conceived  the  idea 
of  opening  up  this  territory  as  a  manufacturing  district.  He 
was  at  that  time  president  of  the  Eclipse  Wind  Engine  Company, 
and  in  1883  bought  the  Bushnell  homestead  and  commenced 
negotiations  with  the  owners  of  the  farms  abutting  on  the  state 
line  and  lying  between  the  Rockton  and  the  Roscoe  roads  with 
a  view  of  locating  thereon  the  industry  of  which  he  was  the 
head.  Failing  to  reach  any  arrangement  with  the  owners  of  the 
land,  he  moved  the  industry  to  its  present  location,  where  it  sub- 
sequently became  the  Fairbanks-Morse  Manufacturing  Company. 
Continuing  negotiations  with  the  owners,  however,  he  succeeded 
in  1901  in  acquiring  the  property  aforesaid,  inducing  the  rail- 
road companies  to  put  in  a  joint  switch  system,  and  in  locating 
two  industries,  namely,  the  machine  works  of  John  Thompson  & 
Sons  Manufacturing  Company  and  the  Racine  Knitting  Mills. 
In  connection  with  this  movement  200  lots  of  the  first  recorded 
plat  of  the  district  were  sold  and  the  enterprise  as  a  manufac- 
turing site  was  fairly  launched. 

At  this  writing  the  result  of  Mr.  Wheeler's  work  in  promot- 
ing industries  and  the  development  of  South  Beloit  sums  up 
thus: 

Industries — Racine  Feet  Knitting  Mills,  John  Thompson  & 
Sons  Manufacturing  Company;  Slater  &  ]\Iarsden,  machine  shop 
and  foundry:  Kent's  Boiler  Works  and  Store  Building;  McLean 
&  Sons,  planing  mill;  Atwood-Davis  Sand  Company;  Askin  & 
Green,  coal  business  and  cement  contractors;  Noren's  laundry, 
and  the  Warner  Instrument  Company,  the  latter  being  univer- 
sally recognized  as  the  highest  class  and  most  modern  manufac- 
turing establishment  of  its  kind  to  be  found  in  the  western  coun- 
try. 

As  the  South  Beloit  Land  Association,  Mr.  Wheeler  and  his 
associates,  C.  E.  Wheeler  and  George  M,  Allen,  have  effected 
total  sales  of  about  500  lots  and  tracts,  constructed  four  miles 
of  cement  sidewalk,  laying  out  and  grading  the  corresponding 
streets,  have  put  in  about  one  mile  of  water  main,  since  turned 
over  to  the  Beloit  Water,  Gas  and  Electric  Company,  who  have 
joined  it  to  the  Beloit  system  and  have  also  extended  their  gas 


190  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

and  electric  lines  into  this  district;  they  have  also  been  instru- 
mental in  the  enterprises  that  have  spanned  Turtle  creek  with 
three  steel  bridges.  About  100  good  residences  are  now  erected 
on  this  tract. 

The  start  thus  given  south  of  the  line  has  stimulated  other 
promotions,  the  most  notable  of  which  is  that  of  Eobert  B.  Clark 
and  Dr.  Arthur  C.  Helm,  who  have  built  up  a  fine  residence  dis- 
trict along  the  line  of  the  Interurban  Electric  railroad.  Messrs. 
Kollin  Eadway,  Dennis  Hayes  and  George  Shaw  have  also  made 
good  starts  with  their  respective  subdivisions.  On  the  west  side 
of  the  river,  Messrs.  Lou  Raubenheimer  and  Harry  Adams  have- 
made  a  fine  showing  with  their  subdivision  south  of  the  state 
line  road,  now  called  Shirland  avenue.  All  told,  the  several  South 
Beloit  subdivisions  show  a  total  population  of  about  1,200  people, 
which  represents  the  growth  since  1901. 

That  the  pioneer  founders  of  Beloit  were  men  of  muscle,  brain 
and  courage,  who  wrought  conscientiously  and  with  foresight 
and  believed  in  what  they  did,  is  true;  it  is  also  true,  however, 
that  their  successors  have  been  men  equally  able  to  do  things. 
"We  are  just  now,  for  the  fifth  time,  raising  $10,000  for  Beloit 
college.  Nevertheless,  until  the  closing  years  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  Beloit,  though  justly  proud  of  her  standing  as  an  edu- 
cational, a  social  and  religious  center,  and  nominally  a  city,  was 
only  a  town.  Nothing  worthy  of  much  pride  had  yet  been  done 
in  the  line  of  public  improvements,  while  our  public  utilities 
were  not  up  to  city  standards.  But  when  the  time  was  ripe  and 
the  demand  for  these  things  became  imperative  by  reason  of 
the  city's  rapid  development  of  commercial  and  industrial  in- 
terests, there  were  not  wanting  men,  who  were  able  to  grapple 
with  and  successfully  solve  the  new  problems.  For  example,  pub- 
lic health  and  convenience  demanded  paved  streets  and  sanitary 
sewers;  owing  to  limitations  in  the  city  charter  these  could  be 
obtained  only  on  petition  of  persons  desiring  them,  and  such 
petitions  were  rarely  presented.  An  ordinance,  incorporating 
a  part  of  "the  general  charter  law,"  was  therefore  passed  by  the 
city  council  and  became  a  city  law,  which  stood  the  test  of  re- 
view by  the  Supreme  Court  of  our  state.  Under  this  law  a  Board 
of  Public  "Works  was  inaugurated,  to  have  charge  of  public  im- 
provements like  street  paving  and  a  sewer  system,  and  that  is 
the  source  of  the  better  appearance  and  improved  healthfulness 


HISTOKY  OP  BELOIT  191 

of  our  city.  The  growth  along  both  these  lines  and  in  the  mat- 
ter of  cement  sidewalks,  also,  during  the  past  ten  years,  has  been 
noticeable  and  gratifying. 

In  the  direction  of  our  public  utilties,  water  serv- 
ice, gas  and  electric  light,  when  the  demand  came  for  im- 
provement that  demand  was  heeded.  Men  and  money  were 
found  to  carry  on  the  work  and  under  wise  management  as  a 
merger  company  and  with  expenditure  during  the  last  two  years 
of  about  half  a  million  dollars  on  the  enlargement  and  improve- 
ment of  their  plants,  the  water,  gas  and  electric  services  of  the 
city  have  been  raised  to  a  standard  of  excellence  that  is  justly  a 
cause  for  civic  pride.  In  due  time  also  has  come  the  Interurban 
line,  with  its  great  power  house  in  this  city,  giving  us  closer  con- 
nections north  and  south,  the  new  fireproof  Hilton  hotel,  second 
to  none  in  southern  "Wisconsin,  and  last  of  all  our  Beloit  street 
railway,  opened  in  July,  1907,  and  already  considered  by  the  pub- 
lic and  by  its  owners  a  most  gratifying  success.  The  doubling 
of  Beloit 's  population,  also,  within  the  last  ten  years  reveals  a 
manifest  reason  for  our  new  watchword  of  "Greater  Beloit," 
applied  not  only  to  the  college  but  equally  to  the  city,  a  busy, 
bustling,  thriving  city  now  of  about  sixteen  thousand  souls;  a 
city  of  homes  and  good  order ;  a  city  the  products  of  whose  mills 
and  factories  supply  not  only  domestic  wants  but  also  the  de- 
mands of  a  widely  extended  and  extending  foreign  trade ;  a  city 
in  whose  business  houses  and  magnificent  manufacturing  plants 
are  the  visible  evidences  of  commercial  activity  and  thrift;  a 
city,  which  is  the  home  and  proud  possessor  of  Beloit  college,  an 
institution  of  world-wide  fame  and  which  just  now  in  June,  1908, 
has  brought  its  endowment  up  to  the  million  dollar  mark ;  a  city, 
the  beauty  of  whose  external  appearance  gave  it  long  since  the 
designation,  "Beautiful  Beloit";  a  city  whose  public  monuments 
and  utilities  testify  already  to  civic  pride  and  the  enterprise  and 
public  spirit  of  her  citizens;  a  city  whose  railway,  postal,  tele- 
graph and  telephone  services  can  hardly  be  surpassed.  Beloit 
is,  still  further,  a  home  not  only  of  good  work  but  also  of  good 
thought,  a  city  whose  transforming  influence,  as  an  educational, 
a  social  and  religious  and  moral  center,  is  recognized  and  felt  in 
communities  and  regions  both  near  and  far  away.  Therefore  it 
needs  not  the  vision  of  a  seer  for  us,  looking  forward  from  the 
height  of  such  achievement,  to  forecast  a  future  history  of  Be- 


192  mSTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

loit,  bright  with  the  record  of  much  higher  attainments,  great  in 
the  fulfilment  of  hopes  thus  far  unrealized;  the  story  of  a  city 
that  will  have  proved  mighty  in  the  accomplishment  of  nobler 
deeds  than  any  we  yet  have  done  for  humanity  and  for  God. 

William  Barstow  Strong.  The  poet,  Horace,  complimented 
his  wealthy  patron,  Meeaenas,  for  being  descended  from  royal 
ancestors.  It  is  greater  cause  for  congratulations,  however,  to 
have  had  a  Puritan  and  New  England  ancestry.  Such  was  the 
privilege  of  the  three  Strong  brothers,  Henry,  James  and  "William, 
whose  names  have  each  and  all  brought  honor  to  Beloit.  Their 
remote  ancestor,  John  Strong,  was  born  in  Taunton,  Somerset- 
shire, England,  in  1605.  Having  removed  to  London,  then  to 
Plymouth,  he  sailed  for  the  new  world  in  the  ship  "Mary  and 
John^"  March  20,  1630,  and  arrived  at  Nantasket,  Mass.,  after  a 
seventy-day  passage.  May  30,  1630.  June  13,  1663,  he  was  or- 
dained and  installed  as  an  elder  of  the  first  church  of  North- 
ampton, Mass. 

His  direct  descendant  of  the  next  century  was  Elijah  Strong, 
who  with  his  brother,  Asahel,  bought  from  the  school  fund  of 
the  state  of  Connecticut,  the  whole  township  of  Brownington, 
Vermont,  13,400  acres.  Elijah  was  a  devotedly  religious  man 
and  a  merchant  at  Bennington,  Vt.,  whence  he  moved  to  Brown- 
ington, Orleans  county,  Vermont,  in  March  1799.  He  was  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  and  judge  of 
probate. 

His  son,  Elijah  Gridley  Strong,  a  farmer  and  merchant  at 
Brownington,  also  high  sheriff  of  Orleans  county  and  a  member 
of  the  Vermont-  legislature,  married  on  January  4,  1826,  Sarah 
Ashley  Partridge,  of  Norwich,  Vt.  In  1851  they  removed  with 
most  of  their  children  to  Beloit,  Wis.,  and  opened  the  old  Beloit 
house,  southeast  corner  of  Race  and  State  streets,  as  a  temper- 
ance hotel. 

Of  their  three  sons,  Henry,  James  and  William,  all  of  Brown- 
ington, the  first  and  third  came  with  them,  and  William  B.,  born 
May  16,  1837,  attended  school  at  Beloit  for  about  a  year,  took  a 
business  course  at  Chicago  and  then  decided  for  a  business  life. 
His  father  had  led  Mr.  James  McAlpin  to  come  with  him  from 
Rockford,  111.,  and  establish  in  Beloit  a  candle  manufactory,  in 
which  Mr.  Strong  held  a  partnership  and  which  was  located  at 
the  west  end  of  Broad  street,  on  the  river  bank,  not  far  from 


HISTORY  OF  BELOIT  193 

my  home.  In  those  early  days,  "When  the  candles  were  lit  in  the 
parlor,"  that  manufacture  was  both  necessary  and  important, 
and  watching  Mr.  McAlpin  make  candles  was  one  of  the  dear 
delights  of  my  boyhood.  Occasionally,  after  school  hours,  young 
"William  Strong  helped  in  that  work. 

In  1852,  when  E.  H.  Broadhead  was  president  of  the  Milwau- 
kee &  Mississippi  railway,  James  Strong,  its  agent  and  telegraph 
operator  at  Beloit,  had  his  younger  brother,  William,  assist  in 
the  work,  and  so  started  him  in  the  railroad  business  at  the  age 
of  fifteen.  The  two  brothers  worked  together  until  1855,  when 
William  B.  was  given  the  Janesville  office  temporarily,  during 
the  vacation  of  its  regular  operator,  George  Cheney.  The  unex- 
pected death  of  Mr.  Cheney  kept  Mr.  Strong  in  that  place  until, 
a  few  weeks  afterwards,  President  Broadhead  made  him  the  com- 
pany's agent  and  operator  at  Milton,  Wis.,  where  he  served  ac- 
ceptably two  years.  It  is  needless  to  repeat  this  description 
of  Mr.  Strong's  service,  for  it  was  always  acceptable.  His  next 
transfer  was  to  Whitewater  and  later  to  Monroe,  Wis.,  when  a 
branch  road  reached  that  point.  After  six  months  there,  in 
1858,  he  was  made  general  agent  with  his  office  at  Janesville, 
Wis.,  where  he  continued  about  seven  years. 

April  1,  1865,  Mr.  Strong  was  transferred  to  McGregor,  Iowa, 
as  assistant  superintendent  of  the  McGregor  &  Western  railroad, 
and  in  the  fall  of  1866  went  to  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  as  general 
western  agent  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company. 
Thenceforth  he  was  usually  called  General  Strong.  After  three 
years  he  became  assistant  general  superintendent  and  general 
freight  agent  of  the  Burlington  &  Missouri  River  railroad,  a  part 
of  the  C,  B.  &  Q.  system,  with  his  office  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  and 
in  the  fall  of  1872  was  moved  up  to  Chicago  as  assistant  general 
superintendent  of  the  consolidated  Burlington  lines.  In  1874 
Mr.  Strong  accepted  the  general  superintendency  of  the  Michigan 
Central  railroad,  but  two  years  later  returned  to  the  C,  B.  &  Q. 
as  its  general  superintendent. 

On  January  1,  1878,  General  Strong  made  his  last  railroad 
transfer,  becoming  vice-president  and  general  manager  of  the 
Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company,  and  in  1881 
was  elected  its  president,  with  his  office  in  Boston,  Mass. 

The  story  of  General  Strong's  triumph  over  several  rivals  in 
securing  the  best  pass  across  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  indeed 


194  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

all  the  record  of  his  work  with  roads,  reads  like  a  romance.  His 
knowledge  of  human  nature  and  trained  judgment,  enabled  him 
to  pick  the  right  men  for  the  right  places,  and  his  genial  nature 
secured  from  all  subordinates  their  personal  devotion  and  very- 
best  service.  Under  his  eleven  years'  administration,  the  Atchi- 
son, Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  line  grew  from  a  road  of  637  miles  to  a 
railroad  system  comprising  about  9,000  miles. 

In  the  year  1889  failing  health  finally  led  Mr.  Strong  to  re- 
tire from  all  railroad  responsibilities.  Nine  or  ten  years  later, 
having  great  faith  in  the  home  of  his  childhood,  he  invested 
large  amounts  in  Beloit  property,  purchasing  and  building  va- 
rious city  blocks  and  many  residences.  He  also  bought  the  old 
Bennett  farm  one  mile  north  on  the  Milwaukee  road,  fitted  it 
with  all  modern  improvements  as  a  home  for  himself  and  called 
it,  after  his  mother's  maiden  name,  the  Partridge  farm.  His 
land  northeast  of  the  city,  which  was  platted  as  "Strong's  Addi- 
tion to  Beloit,"  is  already  full  of  new  homes.  Four  of  its  ave- 
nues bear  the  Strong  family  names  of  Woodward,  Barstow,  Part- 
ride  and  Ashley,  besides  one  called  Strong  avenue. 

In  memory  of  his  noble  Christian  parents,  General  Strong 
built  and  gave  to  that  new  community  a  neat  brick  and  stone 
edifice  which  was  duly  dedicated  August  27,  1899,  and  is  now 
regularly  occupied  as  the  Gridley  chapel.  The  city  school,  built 
in  that  neighborhood  and  recently  much  enlarged,  is  called  the 
Wright  school. 

While  building  over  the  old  Manchester  block  at  the  south- 
east corner  of  State  street  and  East  Grand  avenue,  Mr.  Strong 
enlarged  it  with  a  third  story,  which  he  fitted  up  and  gave  to 
public  use  as  the  H.  P.  Strong  Emergency  Hospital.  He  also  ex- 
tended the  area  of  the  Beloit  cemetery  by  joining  with  his 
brother's  widow,  Mrs.  Henry  P.  Strong,  in  giving  the  city  an 
adjoining  tract  of  fifteen  acres  to  be  used  for  that  purpose,  re- 
serving for  himself  only  one  small  lot. 

So  this  loyal  son  of  Beloit  brought  back  here  that  ability, 
wealth  and  honorable  character  which  marked  him  as  a  leading 
citjizen.  Failing  health,  however,  has  obliged  him  of  late  to  seek 
a  milder  climate  in  southern  California.  In  the  fall  of  1907, 
President  Ripley's  private  car  was  sent  all  the  way  from  Los 
Angeles  to  Chicago  so  that  Mr.  Strong  might  be  given  as  com- 
fortable a  journey  as  the  loving  care  of  railway  friends  could 


HISTOEY  OF  BELOIT  195 

offer.  The  steel  engraving  presented  here  is  manifestly  the  pic- 
ture of  his  old  age.  The  cut  published  in  the  editor's  "Past 
made  Present,"  1900  (to  be  found  in  various  public  libraries), 
shows  him  at  his  prime.  About  thirty  years  ago,  a  Beloit  citizen, 
sitting  in  the  lobby  of  Chicago's  principal  hotel  with  a  leading 
city  newspaper  man,  saw  coming  through  the  front  door  a  gen- 
tleman of  dignified  and  commanding  presence,  having  on  his  arm 
a  small  man,  who  seemed  in  comparison  almost  a  dwarf.  To  his 
companion  the  newspaper  man  remarked:  "That  is  William  B. 
Strong,  of  Beloit,  and  Jay  Gould."  The  latter  was  then  called 
the  richest  man  in  America,  but  to  the  newspaper  man,  who  ap- 
preciated his  royal  manhood,  William  B.  Strong  was  first. 

While  in  Beloit  for  a  few  days  recently  (spring  of  1908),  Mr. 
Strong  remarked  of  his  brother  James  (the  ex-president  of  Carle- 
ton  college,  Minnesota),  "We  have  never  had  a  word  of  differ- 
ence in  all  our  lives." 

Date  of  marriage,  October  2,  1859.  Place,  Beloit,  Wis.  The 
bride.  Miss  Abbie  J.  Moore,  of  Beloit.  Children — Fred  Moore 
Strong,  born  Janesville,  Wis.,  May  9,  1861 ;  resident,  Beloit,  Wis. 
Ellen  Sylvia  Strong,  born  McGregor,  Iowa,  January  27,  1867; 
residence,  Newton  Centre,  Mass.  William  James  Henry  Strong, 
born  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  October  16,  1869;  residence,  Des 
Moines,  Iowa.  Grandchildren — F.  M.  Strong  has  three  children; 
Ellen  Strong  Burdett  has  three  children;  William  J.  H.  Strong 
has  two  children. 


VII. 

KEMINISCENCES  OF  EAELY  DAYS. 

By 
L.  B.  Caswell. 

I  was  born  in  Vermont  and  left  that  state  with  my  people 
in  a  wagon  for  the  Rock  river  country  in  September,  1836.  We 
stopped  some  months  in  midwinter  at  Detroit,  then  of  about  4,000 
people,  came  along  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  March,  1837, 
fording  the  rivers  and  sleeping  in  log  houses,  and  reached  Chi- 
cago, a  small  village,  on  the  20th,  where  we  stopped  a  few  hours 
to  rest  our  jaded  horses.  We  then  struck  out,  hugging  the  lake 
shore,  for  Milwaukee,  reaching  Root  river,  now  Racine,  on  the 
23rd,  and  Milwaukee  on  the  24th,  crossing  the  river  on  the  ice  a 
short  distance  above  the  mouth.  We  remained  in  Milwaukee 
until  the  17th  of  May,  when  we  started  through  the  dense  woods 
and  came  out  into  the  open  country  beyond ;  thence  along  that 
beautiful  prairie  where  East  Troy  now  is;  thence  to  Johnstown, 
Rock  river,  stopping  with  Johnson  over  night,  and  slept  on 
the  floor  of  his  hospitable  board  shanty.  The  next  day,  the 
20th,  we  picked  our  way  over  that  beautiful  broad  prairie,  mak- 
ing the  woods  where  William  and  Joseph  Spaulding  had  just 
made  their  claims — four  miles  east  of  Janesville  where  the  Mil- 
ton road  now  is ;  from  thence  through  the  oak  openings  to  Prairie 
du  Lac ;  crossing  this  prairie  to  the  woods  near  the  location  of 
Milton  Junction.  From  there  we  went  direct  to  the  foot  of  Lake 
Koshkonong,  reaching  our  log  cabin,  previously  built,  the  same 
day.  There  were  no  roads  or  traveled  tracks,  especially  in  the 
last  half  of  our  journey,  save  now  and  then  a  wagon  track  which 
was  sometimes  followed  as  a  guide,  but  roads  then  were  quite 
unnecessary.  The  prairies  as  well  as  the  oak  openings  were 
smooth  and  free  from  obstacles  to  the  traveler.  The  woods 
looked  like  the  Down  East  orchards.  The  Indians  never  failed 
to  burn  the  grgss  every  year;  the  undergrowth  was  consumed 

196 


EEMINISCENCES  OF  EAELY  DAYS       197 

and  the  ground  kept  clean.  A  trip  through  these  woods  with  a 
team  or  on  foot  was  delightful.  In  the  spring  when  we  came  the 
grass  was  peeping  from  the  ground  and  the  early  flowers  adding 
beauty  to  the  landscape.  The  prairies  fairly  smiled  with  acres 
of  flowers  of  all  colors  presenting  a  picture  more  beautiful  and 
artistic  than  the  human  hand  could  possibly  paint.  A  bird  or 
squirrel  could  be  seen  at  long  distance  tripping  over  the  ground, 
and  nature  alone  could  furnish  its  equal.  I  think  I  may  say 
that  today  a  country  so  beautiful,  so  inviting  to  a  home-seeker, 
so  rich  in  soil  and  promising  to  the  agriculturist,  does  not  exist 
in  the  whole  world. 

Lands  in  Rock  county  were  not  then  in  market,  nor  were 
they  until  1840.  Every  acre  seemed  rich  and  productive,  easy 
of  tillage  and  a  grand  sight  to  the  covetous  eye  born  in  old 
Vermont.  But  the  spoilers  of  this  beauty  came  afterwards.  The 
axe  and  the  plow  make  sad  havoc  with  nature's  landscapes. 
These  lands  were  too  inviting  to  remain  long  unclaimed,  settlers, 
or  rather  claim-hunters,  came  from  all  directions,  and  I  dare  say 
every  foot  of  land  along  the  banks  of  Rock  river  was  claimed 
in  less  than  two  years.  We  had  a  "Club  Law"  for  our  protec- 
tion. It  was  strictly  obeyed.  A  registrar  was  chosen  who  made 
a  record  of  every  claim  on  the  payment  of  twenty-five  cents. 
But  certain  improvements  must  be  made  within  specified  time 
or  the  claim  might  be  "jumped,"  though  settlers  with  their  fam- 
ilies came  slowly.  For  a  long  time  neighbors  were  few  and  far 
between.  For  the  first  year  Janes,  the  founder  of  Janesville,  ten 
miles  away,  was  our  nearest  neighbor.  In  1838,  when  eleven 
years  of  age,  I  started  alone  and  made  my  way  to  his  house.  I 
stayed  with  him  over  night  in  his  log  but  comfortable  house 
His  was  the  only  one  I  saw.  There  may  have  been  others,  but 
I  do  not  think  so.  My  neck  must  have  been  lame  from  looking 
over  my  shoulder  while  on  the  road,  or  rather  while  in  the  trail, 
to  see  if  the  Indians  were  after  me,  but  they  were  not.  There 
were  plenty  of  them,  but  they  usually  kept  near  the  river,  while 
my  course  was  across  the  country  away  from  the  river.  Lake 
Koshkonong  was  a  great  resort  for  Indians.  They  were  often 
in  camp  there  by  the  hundreds.  Principally  Winnebagoes  and 
Pottawatomies.  Game  existed  around  this  lake  in  great  abun- 
dance. These  Indians  were  always  peaceable,  even  kind  to  us, 
and  we  dared  not  be  otherwise  to  them;  but  on  two  occasions 


198  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

I  never  was  so  frightened.  At  one  time  my  mother  and  I  were 
in  the  shanty  alone ;  of  a  sudden,  at  least  fifty  braves  (I  suppose 
they  were),  mounted  on  ponies,  came  on  a  dead  run  and  com- 
pletely surrounded  the  cabin  so  closely  that  they  darkened  the 
window.  Their  chief  dismounted  and  came  in.  My  mother  was 
as  white  as  a  ghost  and  my  heart  was  in  my  throat.  We  sup- 
posed the  end  was  near.  He  asked  for  whiskey;  we  had  none. 
With  a  disgusted  look,  he  as  suddenly  left  as  he  came.  In  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye  every  one  in  Indian  file  was  disappearing 
over  the  hill  and  out  of  sight,  to  our  great  joy  and  relief.  At 
another  time,  when  in  great  fear  from  rumors  that  the  Indians 
were  about  to  rise  and  massacre  all  the  white  people  of  Rock 
river  valley,  about  3  in  the  morning  we  heard  unearthly  yells 
and  cries  not  far  from  the  shanty.  We  arose  and  dressed  and 
prepared  to  die.  We  sat  up  until  morning  waiting  for  the  on- 
slaught. Scarcely  a  word  was  uttered  between  us;  we  thought 
our  fate  was  too  plain  to  admit  of  discussion.  But  no  Indians 
came;  we  then  thought,  if  we  did  not  believe,  that  possibly  all 
Indians  were  good  Indians,  Afterwards  we  learned  we  had 
heard  the  cry  of  a  pack  of  prairie  wolves,  which  the  pioneers  soon 
learned  could  not  be  excelled  in  hideous  noises — ^not  even  by.  the 
Indians  themselves. 

Shall  I  tell  you  how  hard  it  was  for  us  to  live?  We  were  not 
hunters,  and  provisions  were  very  high  and  hard  to  be  obtained 
at  any  price.  Flour  was  ten  dollars  a  barrel  and  pork  forty,  if 
indeed  it  could  be  had  at  all.  Milwaukee  was  the  nearest  place 
where  these  staples  could  be  found,  with  no  means  of  transporta- 
tion within  the  reach  of  many  of  us.  Very  little  ground  was 
broken  for  cultivation  the  first  few  years  and  consequently  little 
was  raised.  We  spaded  a  garden  spot  the  first  year  and  raised 
some  vegetables,  which  went  a  long  ways  to  help  us  out.  The 
third  year  we  raised  an  acre  of  wheat,  reaped  it  with  a  sickle 
and  threshed  it  with  a  flail.  Soon  a  mill  was  erected  at  Beloit 
and  my  brother  and  I  took  our  first  grist  of  wheat  to  that  mill 
with  an  ox  team.  We  slept  on  the  floor  of  the  mill  through  the 
night  and  returned  the  next  day  to  our  home,  twenty-four  miles, 
in  triumph.  We  felt  sure  then  that  this  country  would  be  a  suc- 
cess. 

Great  disappointment  was  felt,  however,  among  the  early 
settlers  when  it  was  discovered  that  Rock  river  could  not  be 


^ 


a^ 


■2   <^»^ 


REMINISCENCES  OF  EARLY  DAYS  199 

navigated.  The  river  and  country  adjacent  had  become  quite 
renowned  in  the  expectation  that  steamers  at  no  distant  day 
would  run  up  and  down  it,  furnishing  us  with  ample  transporta- 
tion for  our  products.  Railroads  then  were  scarcely  thought  of. 
In  our  journey  from  Vermont  to  Wisconsin  with  a  team,  we  had 
not  crossed  a  railroad  track  in  the  whole  distance.  Water  navi- 
gation was  our  only  expectation,  and  when  we  found  that  Rock 
river  was  so  shallow  that  it  could  be  easily  forded  with  teams, 
our  brightest  visions  for  the  great  future  of  the  river  valley  dis- 
appeared and  we  began  to  wonder  w^hy  we  did  not  make  our 
claims  nearer  the  lake  shore  where  unoccupied  lands  could  then 
be  found  in  great  abundance.  We  knew  the  soil  was  rich  and 
exceedingly  productive  and  that  we  could  in  time  raise  untold 
quantities  of  grain  excellent  in  quality,  but  just  how  we  were 
to  get  it  to  market  was  a  problem  too  difficult  for  us  to  solve, 
and  for  some  years  we  felt  that  we  had  made  a  great  mistake. 
The  farmers  of  Rock  county  found  it  no  easy  task  to  haul  their 
wheat  to  the  lake  shore  and  sell  it  perhaps  when  there  for  fifty 
or  sixty  cents  per  bushel.  Our  river  navigation  was  confined  to 
the  use  of  Indian  canoes,  from  which  we  obtained  no  small 
amount  of  pleasure.  Travelers  and  home-seekers  made  very 
common  use  ^of  the  canoe  in  their  journeys  up  and  down  the 
Rock  river  valley,  almost  always  stopping  at  our  cabin  for  a 
night's  rest.  How  their  faces  brightened  to  see  a  white  man's 
abode,  though  very  humble,  and  they  gladly  laid  down  upon  the 
floor  when  necessary  and  would  sleep  as  soundly  as  if  at  their 
own  home.  The  foot  of  Lake  Koshkonong  was  a  fording  place 
for  travelers  between  Milwaukee  and  Madison,  then  called  "The 
Four  Lakes."  In  1838,  while  the  first  capitol  building  was 
being  constructed,  I  very  often  forded  footmen  over  the  river 
en  route  to  and  from  their  work,  with  my  canoe.  These  little 
crafts  had  to  be  handled  with  great  care  if  not  with  skill;  they 
were  as  uncertain  as  the  Indians  who  constructed  them.  One 
moment  they  were  right  side  up  and  the  next  moment  bottom 
side  up,  and  the  unfortunate  navigator  in  the  soup.  It  all  de- 
pended upon  how  the  boat  was  handled.  An  expert  cared  little 
for  this  if  not  very  partial  to  dry  clothing.  I  remember  one 
occasion — I  think  it  was  in  1839 — Daniel  Stone  had  been  up  the 
river  somewhere  in  Jefferson  county  looking  for  a  site  in  the 
heavy  timber  for  locating  a  saw  mill  or  to  obtain  in  some  way 


300  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

lumber  for  erecting  buildings  on  the  claim  which  he  and  his 
brother  Robert  had  made  near  the  Indian  ford.  Lake  Kosh- 
konong  had  the  appearance  then  in  the  summer  time  of  a  large 
meadow  rather  than  of  a  lake.  The  growing  wild  rice  com- 
pletely covered  it  and  water  was  scarcely  visible.  The  water 
was  only  four  or  five  feet  deep  quite  uniformly.  Stone  had  suc- 
ceeded in  pushing  his  canoe  to  within  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  the  foot  of  the  lake  and  a  mile  from  the  southern  shore, 
when,  in  some  unguarded  moment,  his  little  craft  was  bottom 
side  up.  His  gun,  his  camp  kettles  and  all  his  outfit  went  to 
the  bottom.  Fortunately  his  feet  found  the  bottom,  leaving  his 
head  still  above  the  water.  He  was  thankful  for  this  much.  It 
was  impossible  for  him  to  expel  the  water  from  the  boat  or 
get  into  it  again  if  he  could.  His  only  chance  for  life  was  to 
wade  to  the  shore,  all  depending  upon  the  depth  of  the  water 
and  his  strength  for  the  task.  The  bottom  of  the  lake  was  muddy 
and  the  wild  rice  so  thick,  his  progress  was  slow,  but  he  made 
it  and  pulled  through  to  our  cabin  looking  as  though  he  had 
risen  from  the  dead.  For  some  years  the  enterprising  settlers 
of  Rock  county  manufactured  large  quantities  of  lumber  from 
Uncle  Sam's  heavy-timbered  lands,  as  every  one  felt  free  to  do, 
up  the  Bark  river  and  other  points  in  Jefferson  county,  and 
floated  down  the  river  in  rafts  and  through  the  lake  in  the 
spring  before  the  wild  rice  had  blocked  the  passage,  and  com- 
fortable houses  and  barns  were  built  with  it.  In  fact  this  be- 
came quite  an  industry  and  many  a  fellow  made  money  by  it. 
Not  till  1840  could  these  settlers  obtain  title  to  the  land,  for  it 
was  withheld  from  the  market  until  then.  Up  to  this  time  im- 
provements on  their  claims  were  very  few.  All  kinds  of  rumors 
had  been  afloat  that  the  lands  along  the  Rock  river  and  for  many 
miles  back  would  be  granted  to  some  company  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  river  and  that  the  claims  of  settlers  would  not  be 
recognized.  This  greatly  retarded  actual  settlement  and  im- 
provement of  the  land ;  but  when  the  time  came  that  they  could 
purchase  and  obtain  title  to  their  lands,  work  began  in  earnest. 
In  1841  we  organized  the  first  school  in  the  neighborhood  where 
I  lived.  We  took  possession  of  a  deserted  log  cabin;  gathered 
the  few  books  which  had  by  chance  been  brought  into  the  coun- 
try by  the  families,  who  mustered  nearly  a  dozen  scholars,  though 
some  came  a  long  distance,  and  by  interchange,  we  made  excel- 


REMINISCENCES  OF  EARLY  DAYS       201 

lent  progress.  Those  scholars  were  as  hungry  for  a  school  and 
for  an  education  as  the  laboring  man  is  for  his  dinner.  We  took 
some  risks  in  case  of  sickness.  Though  deprived  of  comfortable 
houses  and  much  exposed,  the  settlers  were  generally  healthy. 
There  were,  however,  exceptions,  especially  when  the  fever  and 
ague  came.  Although  not  regarded  as  a  dangerous  disease, 
every  one  had  to  shake,  and  continued  to  shake  until  there  was 
but  little  left  of  him  to  shake.  Fortunately  we  were  afflicted 
with  very  few  other  diseases;  physicians  were  few  if  they  could 
be  had  at  all.  Finally  one  settled  at  Janesville  to  our  great  re- 
lief. This  man  was  Dr.  Luke  Stoughton.  He  was  once  called 
to  treat  scarlet  fever  in  our  family;  how  well  I  remember  being 
bolstered  up  on  the  couch  before  the  window  watching  him  as 
he  came  on  foot,  winding  his  way  through  the  woods  at  a  long 
distance  when  I  first  saw  him.  His  trip  was  successful  and  we 
paid  him  two  dollars  for  his  excellent  service  and  journey  on  foot 
of  ten  miles.  The  Doctor  has  long  since  gone,  I  trust,  to  a  still 
better  land. 

Among  the  early  settlers  were  James,  Elias  and  George 
Ogden,  bachelor  cousins  of  William  B.  Ogden,  the  great  railroad 
projector,  of  Chicago.  They  occupied  a  log  shanty  at  the  foot 
of  the  lake  in  the  fall  of  1837,  and  in  1838  came  Joseph  Goodrich 
at  Milton.  The  Butts  brothers,  single  men,  and  Levy  Crandal 
settled  the  same  year  near  Milton  Junction,  in  1838. 

The  Indians  subsisted  on  fish,  game  and  wild  rice.  They  uti- 
lized the  canoes  in  gathering  rice.  When  ripe,  they  would  take 
an  empty  canoe,  push  it  into  the  thicket  and  with  a  pole,  bend 
the  tops  over  and  Avith  a  stick  whip  the  heads  until  the  kernel 
would  drop  into  the  boat.  It  was  then  put  into  sacks  made  of 
hides  of  rushes  and  stowed  away  for  future  use. 

But  this  article  is  already  too  long  to  admit  of  further  de- 
tails, and  I  will  bring  it  to  a  close  by  adding  that  while  I  have  not 
resided  in  Rock  county  since  1852,  I  have  been  a  watchful  neigh- 
bor and  witnessed  with  great  satisfaction  its  development,  and 
high  attainment  in  everything  that  brings  comfort  and  happi- 
ness to  homes,  and  I  have  always  been  proud  of  being  an  early 
settler  of  Rock  county. 

(Signed)  L.  B.  Caswell. 

Dated  January  22,  1906. 


VIII. 
REMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH. 

I.  T.  Smith,  born  in  Ellery,  Chautauqua  county,  New  York, 
on  May  30th,  1817. 

In  the  year  1834  I  started  for  what  we  called  "West,  for 
Michigan.  I  took  a  steamer  to  Detroit,  and  a  stage  to  western 
part  of  Michigan.  I  worked  there  a  few  months,  and  then 
started  for  Chicago  on  foot.  I  came  there  to  get  employment  at 
carpenter  work.  I  arriA'ed  at  Michigan  City,  Indiana,  and  from 
there  followed  along  the  beach  of  Lake  Michigan.  The  first 
house  I  came  to  was  eighbteen  miles  from  Michigan  City.  Four 
miles  further  was  a  hotel  kept  by  Bennett.  Ten  miles  further  to 
the  widow  Berry's.  Ten  miles  further  to  Little  Calumet,  now 
Pullman.  Six  miles  from  there  to  Colonel  King's  and  six  miles 
from  there  to  the  village  of  Chicago.  Those  were  all  of  the 
settlers  from  Michigan  City  to  Chicago.  There  was  an  Indian 
payment  in  Chicago  at  this  time,  and  it  was  reported  that  there 
were  7,000  Indians  there. 

I  spent  a  few  days  in  Chicago,  and  then  came  west  onto  the 
Fox  river,  where  Aurora  and  Batavia  and  those  places  now  are. 
As  I  returned  from  Ausable  Grove  to  Du  Page  there  were  no 
houses  nor  timber,  and  I  returned  to  Chicago  and  worked  a 
short  time  there,  and  from  there  I  returned  to  Michigan,  from 
where  I  had  first  started.  The  man  failed  to  bring  my  goods  and 
tools  and  I  returned. 

I  remained  in  Michigan  the  next  season  until  October,  1835. 
I  then  started  for  AVisconsin.  I  assisted  the  old  Bearsley  family 
to  move  from  Michigan  to  Racine.  We  camped  over  night  at 
Michigan  City  on  the  way.  There  came  a  great  storm  and  the 
wind  blew  so  that  the  tent  hung  by  one  corner  in  the  morning. 

We  pulled  out,  and  got  a  few  miles,  and  the  children  had 
liked  to  freeze,  and  we  had  to  return  to  save  the  children,  and 
stayed  the  second  night  there.  The  next  day  we  started  again 
with  better  success,  and  made  about  twenty  miles.     That  night 

2  02 


EEMINISCEXCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  203 

there  came  a  snow  storm;  about  one  foot  of  snow  fell,  and  we 
were  driving  hogs  as  well  as  other  things,  and  lost  more  or  less 
of  them,  and  anybody  could  fancy  what  a  time  we  had.  We  made 
the  best  progress  we  could  from  day  to  day,  and  passed  through 
Chicago.  Chicago  at  that  time  was  all  south  of  the  river,  except 
Kinzie,  the  trader,  who  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  Chicago 
river.  There  were  no  dwelling  houses  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Chicago  river. 

The  first  house  out  from  Chicago  was  four  miles  to  Butter- 
fields.  While  there  we  were  talking  with  the  people.  Bearsley, 
the  father  of  the  man  I  was  helping,  was  pretty  old,  and  he  was 
so  distressed  with  the  snow,  etc.,  that  he  declared  that  he  would 
not  come  over  that  road  again,  until  he  could  come  on  the  rail- 
road. The  whole  crowd  discouraged  him  from  ever  coming 
again,  but  he  did  live  to  see  many  railroads  coming  into  Chi- 
cago. 

The  next  man  living  north  was  Ouilmette,  He  lived  at  Gross 
Point.  About  four  miles  further  lived  Pattersons,  ten  miles 
from  there  to  McCuens,  ten  miles  from  there  to  Sunderlands. 
The  next  house  from  Sunderlands,  I  don't  know  the  name  of 
the  party,  but  the  place  was  called  Grand  Myer,  which  is  now 
back  of  Kenosha.  The  next  house  was  twenty  miles  or  more 
to  Skunk  Grove.  This  was  on  the  old  Indian  trail  from  Milwau- 
kee to  Chicago.  From  Skunk  Grove  it  was  two  miles  to  D.  F. 
Smith's. 

Two  miles  from  D.  F.  Smith's  lived  Henry  F.  Janes.  There 
were  no  other  settlers  until  you  reached  Milwaukee. 

While  I  was  in  Chicago,  in  1834,  I  helped  load  a  schooner 
for  George  H.  Walker,  a  man  named  Hubbard,  Byron  Kilbourn 
and  some  others,  who  were  going  with  this  schooner  to  Mil- 
waukee to  make  their  claims  there.  At  this  time  there  were  no 
settlers  in  Milwaukee,  except  Solomon  Juneau.  The  Government 
had  a  few  men  working  at  the  harbor  in  Chicago,  I  recollect. 
Three  feet  or  three  and  one-half  feet  was  the  deepest  water  on 
the  bar  at  that  place,  and  we  had  to  take  the  goods  out  into 
the  lake  in  a  batteau  and  put  them  on  board. 

I  was  in  Milwaukee  in  the  fall  or  early  winter  of  1835,  and 
during  1835  they  had  built  up  considerable  in  the  village. 

I  helped  Colonel  Isaac  Butler  build  the  second  frame  house 
in  Racine,  which  was  in  the  winter  of  '35  and  '36. 


204  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

In  the  spring  of  '37  I  went  from  here  to  Otter  creek  in  the 
northern  part  of  this  county,  and  made  a  claim.  My  nearest 
neighbor  was  about  a  mile  and  a  half  this  way  from  Janesville, 
and  there  were  no  settlers  between  here  and  Otter  creek  at 
that  time. 

We  made  a  claim  there  the  fourth  of  March,  1837.  The  sixth 
of  March,  I  made  a  claim  out  in  the  town  of  Harmony,  east  of 
Mount  Zion  a  mile  or  so,  on  part  of  sections  24  and  25.  This 
was  the  first  claim  in  the  town  of  Harmony,  unless  some  one 
had  taken  up  one  back  of  the  high  school,  but  there  was  not  a 
settler  in  the  town  of  Harmony  at  the  time  I  made  my  claim. 

In  March  while  I  was  in  the  town  of  Harmony,  I  took  a 
team  and  cut  some  maple  brush  and  bushes  and  staked  out  a 
road  from  Johnstown  to  Milton  avenue  now,  and  so  induced 
the  men  to  come  that  way  instead  of  going  down  by  Black  Hawk 
Grove.    The  town  board  afterwards  adopted  this  road. 

This  last  year  and  the  year  before  I  attended  the  Scotch 
games  in  the  town  of  Harmony,  and  I  did  not  meet  a  man  who 
could  call  me  by  my  own  name. 

After  disposing  of  that  claim  I  returned  back  to  Otter  creek 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  town  of  Milton.  My  brother's 
family  came  there  in  May,  1837.  We  built  a  saw  mill  on  the 
creek,  and  sawed  lumber  for  ourselves  and  neighbors. 

I  used  to  get  my  washing  done  down  at  Smiley 's,  (-)  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  away,  north  of  Janesville,  consequently  I  had 
occasion  to  walk  there  without  a  road,  as  there  were  no  roads 
then. 

I  helped  Judge  Whiton  raise  a  house  the  first  of  April,  1837. 
I  built  a  cart,  and  with  a  yoke  of  cattle,  started  with  pro- 
visions in  the  month  of  May  to  go  to  Otter  creek.  When  I  got 
to  the  north  side  of  the  prairie,  I  found  Spauldings  just  raising 
a  cabin.  After  passing  them  a  mile  or  so,  my  team  tired  out, 
and  I  came  back  and  helped  them  raise  their  cabin,  and  as  they 
had  had  no  experience  in  the  building  of  our  western  cabins, 
consequently  I  was  considerable  help  to  them.  They  did  not 
understand  how  to  fix  the  gable,  and  so  I  helped  them  about 
that,  so  that  they  could  cover  it  with  shingles  and  hold  them 
down  with  a  pole  instead  of  nails. 

(')  Now  the  Culan  place. 


REMIXISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  205 

After  a  few  days  I  came  back,  and  went  through  on  to  the 
road  to  Milton,  which  is  the  same  road  to  Milton  now,  with  the 
exception  of  a  very  little  variation  near  Spaulding's  house.  That 
was  the  first  road  from  here  to  Milton.  Before  this  they  used 
to  go  east  to  the  Indian  trail,  a  much  longer  way. 

In  the  spring  of  1837  I  made  a  claim  for  a  friend  from  the 
East  on  lands  about  a  mile  or  a  mile  and  a  quarter  this  side  of 
Milton  Junction.  I  went  with  him  from  Smiley 's  to  show  it 
to  him.  He  refused  to  accept  it  because  it  was  so  far  from 
neighbors  and  roads.  He  said  that  he  would  never  have  any 
neighbors  nor  churches  nor  roads. 

In  the  spring  of  1838  I  was  living  two  miles  up  the  river 
from  here,  Janesville,  and  the  United  States  marshal  summoned 
me  on  a  jury  for  circuit  court  here.  This  was  the  first  court  of 
the  kind  in  this  county.  We  came  accordingly,  and  our  names 
were  called,  we  proved  our  attendance,  and  received  our  money. 
There  were  no  cases  on  the  docket. 

During  the  spring  of  1837  I  was  stopping  with  the  Janes' 
here,  who  were  friends  of  ours.  One  evening  we  heard  a  man 
call  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  and  myself  and  Aaron  Walker 
came  over  with  a  ferry  boat;  he  proved  to  be  Joe  Payne,  of 
Monroe,  with  mail,  the  first  mail  ever  brought  here.  He  had  a 
contract  for  carrying  the  mail  from  Monroe  to  Racine. 

In  the  fall  of  1838  I  went  to  the  land  sale  at  Milwaukee  on 
foot  with  Volney  Atwood,  Theodore  Kendall  and  others,  and 
stayed  there  until  our  land  was  offered  in  market  and  bid  off. 
I  was  sent  by  my  brother  to  buy  land  for  Strunk  and  McNitt. 
When  the  land  was  bid  off  I  went  in  to  pay  my  money  to  the 
receiver.  My  money  was  in  gold  in  a  belt,  and  I  opened  the  belt 
and  took  my  money  out.  I  had  bid  off  three  quarter  sections, 
which  would  amount  to  $600.  The  receiver  counted  out  $600, 
and  there  was  money  left.  He  says  to  me  how  much  money  have 
you?  I  replied,  I  don't  know.  Well,  he  says,  how  did  you  come 
by  it?  I  said,  my  brother  gave  me  the  belt,  and  told  me  to 
come  and  buy  the  land.  He  says,  Did  not  you  count  it?  No. 
Did  you  not  receipt  for  it?  No.  Whose  money  it  is?  Was  it  his 
money?  No.  Whose  money  is  it?  I  said  it  was  Strunk 's  money, 
a  man  in  western  New  York.  And  you  neither  counted  it,  nor 
receipted  for  it,  nor  he  did  not  tell  you  how  much  there  was?  I 
said  no.    What  kind  of  folks  have  you  out  there?    Well,  I  said, 


206  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

you  come  out  there  and  you  won't  have  to  bar  the  doors  nights 
to  keep  out  bad  men.  There  were  a  great  many  people  in  Mil- 
waukee at  that  time,  and  I  did  not  hear  of  a  ease  of  a  man  being 
robbed  by  another, 

I  slept  in  a  large  room,  a  ball-room  covered  with  sleeping 
cots,  and  every  man,  or  nearly  every  man  must  have  had  more 
or  less  money  with  him,  and  not  a  man  reported  a  loss. 

Some  time  in  1838  I  bought  some  land  in  Dane  county  without 
seeing  it.  and  afterward  I  made  up  my  mind  to  go  out  and  look 
at  the  land.  I  took  my  brother  with  me,  who  hac^  just  come  on 
from  western  New  York.  We  crossed  Lake  Koshkonong  at  the 
foot  of  the  lake.     Thibeau's  son  ferried  me  over  the  lake. 

Then  I  took  a  trail  toward  Madison  leading  to  the  first 
lake.  At  the  foot  of  the  first  lake  lived  a  trader  named  Rasdal. 
He  had  a  squaw  wife,  who  was  his  second  wife.  He  had  lost 
his  first  wife,  who  was  a  sister  to  this  one.  Rasdal  was  a  Ken- 
tuekian.  He  told  me  that  when  he  first  came  into  the  lead  mines 
if  anyone  had  told  him  that  he  would  marry  a  squaw,  he  would 
have  knocked  him  down  if  he  had  broken  an  arm.  I  stayed 
with  them  for  supper,  and  we  had  muskrat  and  warm  biscuit 
for  supper,  and  I  learned  from  him  that  the  land  man  I  wished 
to  see  was  several  miles  from  there.  He  directed  me,  and  I 
followed  the  trail  he  directed  until  I  came  to  a  section  corner. 
Then  I  discovered  by  the  section  corner  that  I  had  passed  the 
land,  and  my  brother  was  so  unaccustomed  to  camping  out 
during  the  night,  and  I  found  that  I  had  to  stay  out  all  night, 
that  I  sent  him  back.  I  put  him  on  a  section  line  and  told  him 
to  follow  that  to  the  river,  and  he  would  come  to  Churchill's 
at  Lake  Koshkonong.  After  I  got  him  started  I  went  the  other 
way  towards  my  land,  and  accidentally  ran  a  rosin  weed  into 
my  foot  through  a  hole  in  my  boot.  The  weed  splintered  into 
several  pieces,  and  I  had  to  ford  the  river,  and  took  cold  in  my 
foot.  As  I  crossed  the  river  I  saw  two  squaws  hunting  for  mud- 
turtles.  I  went  on  until  I  found  my  land,  and  rather  than  to 
camp  out  without  supper,  I  thought  that  I  would  go  back,  and 
find  their  wigwam.  I  returned,  and  found  them  still  in  the 
boat.  My  foot  pained  me  to  such  an  extent  I  tried  to  get  these 
splinters  out.  I  could  see  some  of  them  under  the  flesh,  but  I 
could  not  get  them  out.  I  gave  my  knife  to  the  old  squaw,  and 
told  her  to  dig,  them  out  of  my  foot.     She  worked  at  it,  but 


REMIXISCEXCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  207 

without  success,  and  then  she  turned  it  over  to  the  younger  one, 
and  thought  she  might  succeed.  She  could  not  get  them  out. 
When  the  old  Indian  came  in  I  set  him  at  it.  I  sharpened  my 
knife,  and  he  went  at  it.  These  slivers  were  near  the  flesh,  and 
you  had  to  cut  the  flesh  in  order  to  get  them  out.  I  told  the  Indian 
to  cut  around  so  that  he  would  be  able  to  take  them  out,  and 
he  tried  it  with  the  knife.  It  hurt  so  much  that  I  could  not 
stand  it  any  more,  and  I  had  to  abandon  the  idea  of  trying  to 
get  them  out. 

For  supper  that  night  we  had  a  turtle,  whose  shell  was  ten 
inches  long.  The  turtle  was  cut  into  four  pieces,  and  boiled  for 
supper.  Not  being  used  to  such,  I  did  not  relish  it  very  much, 
and  did  not  eat  very  much  of  it.  The  next  morning  for  break- 
fast, we  had  what  was  left  of  the  turtle  from  supper  the  night 
before. 

I  wanted  the  Indian  to  bring  me  down  to  the  Catfish,  but 
he  being  a  Winnebago,  and  I  not  being  able  to  understand  his 
language,  I  had  hard  work  to  make  him  understand  what  I 
meant.  .  But  by  making  a  map  of  Lake  Koshkonong  in  the  ashes, 
and  Rock  river,  I  gave  him  to  understand  what  I  wanted,  and 
I  could  not  get  his  consent  to  come  for  some  time.  I  was  very 
lame,  but  I  started  to  walk,  and  got  a  little  ways,  when  he 
called  me  back  and  gave  me  to  understand  that  he  would  bring 
me  down,  and  then  the  squaws  went  to  work  to  take  down  the 
wigwam  and  pack  it  in  the  canoe,  and  the  Indian  hid  some  of 
his  effects  that  he  could  not  carry,  and  the  two  squaws  walked. 
They  took  a  trail  down  the  Catfish  river,  and  cut  across  from 
point  to  point.  We  progressed  until  we  were  almost  to  Rock 
river.  Rock  river  was  high,  and  at  that  time  pickerel  were 
plenty  and  the  old  Indian  saw  a  ripple  in  the  water.  He  took 
off  his  moccasins  and  leggins  and  took  his  spear,  and  by  and 
by  struck  and  brought  up  a  pickerel  with  it.  We  came  on  to 
Rock  river,  I  was  getting  very  weak  with  pain,  and  hunger,  and 
when  we  undertook  to  paddle  up  the  river  he  could  not  paddle 
alone.  The  result  was  that  I  was  obliged  to  walk.  I  told  him 
that  I  must  walk  as  I  could  not  paddle  it,  so  the  two  squaws 
got  in  and  paddled  up  the  river  without  any  trouble. 

It  was  at  least  six  miles  to  the  nearest  house.  When  I  got 
there  I  sent  that  man  Churchill  to  our  place,  which  was 
about  four  miles,  to  get  a  sack  of  meal  and  bring  a  horse.     I 


208  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

paid  the  Indian  with  the  sack  of  meal,  about  100  pounds  or  more. 
I  saw  the  old  fellow  afterward ;  he  was  always  a  friend  of  mine, 
but  I  have  never  liked  turtle  since. 

Judge  Irwin  was  a  man  who  had  a  good  deal  of  notoriety 
here  as  a  great  lover  of  dogs.  A  great  many  took  a  prejudice 
against  the  judge  by  reason  of  his  remark  that  they  kept  Berk- 
shire dogs  and  lean  hogs. 

I  was  at  the  first  wedding  in  Rock  county  in  the  early  winter 
of  1836,  I  think  it  was.  At  the  legislative  session  held  at  Bur- 
lington, Iowa,  Daniel  Smiley  and  a  man  named  Brown,  were 
appointed  justices  of  the  peace  for  this  county.  We  were 
attached  to  Racine  county  for  judicial  purposes,  and  Smiley  had 
to  go  to  Racine  to  qualify,  so  as  to  be  able  to  act. 

Our  laws  were  the  Michigan  laws.  "We  had  no  Wisconsin 
laws  at  that  time.  He  went  to  Racine  to  qualify,  and  a  Clark 
Waterman  sent  by  him  to  get  a  license  to  marry  Betsey  Hale. 
But  he  was  unable  to  get  the  license  under  the  law.  He  returned 
here  without  the  license,  and  told  the  party  that  he  could  either 
go  to  Racine  and  get  it  himself  or  it  could  be  published  in  three 
conspicuous  places  in  the  county.  So  the  notice  was  written 
out.  One  was  placed  upon  Janes'  door  at  the  hotel  here, 
where  the  girl  was  working,  and  the  man  was  boarding,  and  one 
on  Smiley 's  door,  up  the  river  two  miles,  and  one  on  St.  John's, 
below  here. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  required  time,  we  all  came  down 
for  the  wedding.  There  were  no  ladies  around  to  invite  in,  and 
the  only  lady  beside  the  one  to  be  married  was  Mrs.  Janes.  They 
were,  however,  married  in  due  form.  I  think  that  woman  is 
still  living  on  the  North  Fox  river.  The  man  is  dead,  his  name 
was  Waterman. 

There  was  only  one  person's  grave  in  this  county  when  I 
came  here,  and  that  grave  was  the  grave  of  Mrs.  Volney 
Atwood's  brother. 

I.  T.  Smith's  Account  of  a  Tramp  in  1838. 

(He  lived  on  Otter  creek,  town  of  Milton,  Rock  county,  Wis.) 

In  1838,  my  brother,  D.  F.  Smith,  and  myself  proposed  to 

find  a  place  for  making  pine  lumber  and  running  it  to  St.  Louis. 

As  sickness  in  his  family  kept  him  at  home,  he  hired  a  man 

named  Lewis  Norman  to  go  with  me.     Each  of  us  had  a  gun, 


EEMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITPI  209 

and  we  were  provided  with  blankets  for  camping,  and  a  small 
kettle  and  a  frying  pan  for  cooking.  Our  idea  was  to  find  pine 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Wisconsin  upon  unsettled  lands 
belonging  to  Indians  or  which  had  lately  been  treated  for. 
We  planned  to  pacify  the  Indians  by  giving  them  some  presents 
of  food  or  blankets,  and  so  gain  their  consent  to  build  mills  and 
cut  timber. 

We  started  on  the  trail  from  our  house  on  Otter  creek  to 
Thibeaux  cabin  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Koshkonong,  in  September, 
1838.  At  Thibeaux 's  we  met  a  man  named  Simeon  Towle,  who 
had  bought  of  Thibeaux  his  land-scrip,  granted  him  by  the 
government  after  treating  with  the  Winuebagoes  for  their  lands. 
His  scrip  was  located  at  or  near  the  mouth  of  the  Kishwaukie, 
in  Illinois.  Towle  had  paid  Thibeaux  some  money  on  a  verbal 
bargain,  but  had  no  writing.  They  wished  me  to  make  out  a 
paper  showing  the  bargain  between  them,  which  I  did.  Thi- 
beau's  boy  took  us  across  the  lake  and  we  proceeded  on  the 
trail  towards  the  Four  Lakes.  (Madison.)  As  I  had  a  pair 
of  new  boots  my  feet  soon  became  sore,  and  then  I  put  on  a 
pair  of  Indian  moccasins ;  was  much  crippled,  made  a  short 
day's  journey  and  camped  early.  Flocks  of  flying  pigeons,  of 
which  we  shot  enough  for  supper  and  breakfast,  led  us  to  water 
and  we  camped  on  the  bank  of  a  creek.  As  we  were  getting 
breakfast  next  day  two  men  came  from  the  east,  the  direction, 
of  Fort  Atkinson,  who  had  passed  the  night  without  supper  or 
blankets,  and  one  of  whom  was  sick.  I  added  more  water  and 
plenty  of  black  pepper  to  the  pigeons  in  my  kettle,  and  with 
coffee  for  all,  we  made  a  fair  breakfast.  We  went  on  slowly 
together  on  account  of  the  sick  one,  and  thought  it  not  far  to 
Madison.  But  we  took  a  trail  that  led  to  the  third  lake,  opposite 
Madison,  and  then  followed  around  the  north  side  of  the  lake 
until  we  came  to  a  creek,  but  no  bridge.  Tracks  of  wagons  led 
down  the  creek  to  the  lake,  where  they  extended  around  the 
mouth  of  the  creek.  I  then  learned  that  the  way  to  pass  a 
creek  which  flows  into  a  lake  is  to  go  around  it  on  a  bar  that 
forms  in  the  lake  between  the  current  of  the  creek  and  the  waves 
of  the  lake.  My  hired  man,  who  was  large  and  strong,  carried 
the  sick  man  across  the  water  on  his  back.  On  account  of 
growing  darkness,  we  hurried  on,  but  soon  found  the  light 
increasing  and  that  we  had  been  having  an  eclipse  of  the  sun. 


310  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

"We  arrived  at  Madison  in  good  time,  where  we  left  our  fellow 
travelers.  I  never  knew  their  names  or  what  became  of  them. 
Madison  was  then  a  small  place  with  only  the  people  who  had 
come  to  work  on  the  capitol  building,  the  w^alls  of  which  were 
but  little  above  the  ground. 

We  stayed  over  night  with  a  Mr.  Peck,  whose  wife  was  very 
indignant  because  an  Englishman  named  Featherstonhaugh  had 
called  her  Mrs.  Quarter-of-a-bushel.  The  next  day  we  took  the 
road  for  Blue  Mounds,  and  at  Black  Earth  bought  potatoes  of 
a  settler,  who  had  raised  them  on  the  prairie  without  a  plow. 
He  used  a  spade,  made  a  trench  and  threw  the  dirt  on  the  grass, 
and  upon  that  dropped  his  potato  seed.  Then  with  the  spade 
he  covered  the  seed,  and  when  they  needed  hoeing  the  spade 
brought  the  earth  from  the  bottom  of  the  trench.  The  crop 
was  harvested  by  throwing  the  earth  back  into  the  trench,  and 
made  quite  a  fair  crop. 

At  the  Blue  Mounds  we  stopped  with  a  Mr.  Brigham,  a 
brother  of  Ebenezer  Brigham,  the  early  miner  of  that  place. 

From  there  we  took  the  road  to  the  shot  tower,  or  Helena, 
at  the  mouth  of  a  creek  on  Wisconsin  river.  The  road  ran  on 
the  top  of  a  remarkable  ridge  for  about  nine  miles,  and  then 
gradually  followed  down  the  valley  of  the  creek  to  its  mouth. 
At  the  shot  tower  we  found  but  seven  men  and  two  women. 
Captain  Sands,  an  old  sea  captain,  had  charge,  with  a  man  to 
attend  him  and  his  horse.  Two  men  poured  the  shot,  one  worked 
in  the  finishing  house,  one,  a  cooper,  made  kegs  in  which  part 
of  the  shot  were  sent  to  market,  and  one  was  the  boarding  house 
keeper.  These  constituted  the  permanent  population  of  the 
place.  There  was  a  perpendicular  wall  eighty  feet  high,  and 
timbers  set  up  against  it  and  boarded  on  three  sides,  formed  with 
it  a  chimney,  down  which  the  poured  shot  could  fall  down  with- 
out being  disturbed  by  the  wind.  From  the  bottom  of  this  a 
well  or  shaft  was  dug  down  into  the  rock  about  100  feet  with 
water  at  the  bottom.  The  shot  had  thus  a  180  feet  fall  and 
then  struck  in  water,  which  saved  them  from  being  flattened. 
From  the  finishing  house  a  tunnel  extended  to  the  bottom  of 
the  shaft,  along  which  was  a  railway  carrying  a  small  box  on 
wheels.  The  shot  were  scooped  out  of  the  water  with  a  long- 
handled  ladle  and  loaded  into  the  box,  which  was  then  run  out 
to  the  upper  part  of  the  finishing  house,  where  the  shot  were 


EEMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  ;>il 

dumped  into  a  revolving  barrel  and  were  polished.  From  there 
the  shot  were  run  down  several  short,  inclined  tables,  having  a 
narrow  trough  between  them  of  such  width  that  the  round 
shot  would  skip  over  the  trough  while  the  imperfect  ones  would 
fall  into  it  and  be  sent  back  to  be  melted  over.  The  lead  was 
drawn  by  ox  teams  from  the  smelters  to  the  top  of  the  ridge, 
where  the  pouring  house  stood.  In  two  large  kettles  there  the 
lead  was  melted  and  tempered  with  arsenic.  Two  men  then 
dipped  it  out  of  the  kettles,  turned  around,  rested  the  ladle- 
handle  on  a  board  placed  for  that  purpose,  and  poured  the  lead 
so  that  it  would  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  shaft. 

I  was  here  shown  the  grave  of  a  Mr.  Whitney,  one  of  the 
first  lumbermen  on  the  Wisconsin. 

While  detained  there  a  day  by  rain,  I  bought  a  canoe,  larger 
than  some,  but  quite  small  for  a  green  hand.  We  were  told 
that  a  party  of  Indians  Avere  there  a  few  days  before,  who  run 
a  lot  of  bullets  and  said  they  would  kill  any  white  man  found 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  as  it  had  been  sold  by  that  part 
of  the  tribe  who  lived  on  the  south  side,  and  those  on  the  north 
side  would  not  consent  to  the  sale.  The  shot  tower  people 
advised  me  in  a  friendly  way  to  not  risk  myself  on  the  north 
side,  but  I  would  risk  it  as  I  had  started  for  that  side  and  never 
heard  of  one  of  our  family  turning  back. 

We  started  down  the  Wisconsin,  but  the  wind  blew  the 
water  into  our  canoe  so  that  we  had  frequently  to  land  and 
bail  it  out.  Reaching  the  mouth  of  Pine  river,  the  stream  for 
which  I  had  started,  we  landed  and  walked  up  it  some  distance. 
Having  found  it  too  narrow  to  run  a  raft  down,  we  took  to  our 
canoe  again  and  proceeded  down  the  river.  When  about  to 
land  on  the  north  side  after  dark  we  saw  a  fire  and,  pulling  in 
close  to  shore,  were  hailed  by  Indians,  who  said  we  were  bad 
white  men  and  had  stolen  our  Indian  canoe.  One  of  them  gave 
a  whoop,  which  was  answered  by  another  farther  back,  who 
came  running  down  to  the  river,  and  we  expected  they  would 
come  out  and  try  to  take  the  canoe  away  from  us.  My  man 
had  sold  his  gun,  and  we  had  but  one  gun  to  stand  them  off 
with.  I  understood  their  language  enough  to  know  what  they 
intended,  and  told  them  that  if  they  came  out  there  I  should 
shoot.  We  pulled  over  to  the  other  side,  ran  on  down  for 
some  time  and  were  about  to  land  on  an  island  to  camp  without 


212  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

fire,  when  we  saw  a  light  on  the  south  side.  We  ran  to  it  and 
found  there  a  settler's  house  near  the  furnace  of  John  B.  Terry, 
at  the  place  now  called  Muscoda,  where  we  spent  the  night. 
Next  morning  we  learned  that  a  keel  boat,  loaded  with  lead, 
was  aground  on  a  bar  a  little  way  down  the  river  and  that  the 
captain  wanted  more  men,  so  we  went  do"\vn  and  hired  out  to 
him  for  the  run  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

As  keel  boats  are  now  seldom  seen,  I  will  describe  it  as  I 
recollect  it.  The  boat  was  about  sixty  feet  in  length  and  four- 
teen or  sixteen  feet  beam,  and  drew  twenty  or  twenty-four  inches 
of  water. 

It  had  a  cargo  box  over  all  that  would  permit  a  man  to  stand 
upright  in  the  center,  and  roofed  over  so  as  to  protect  the  freight 
from  rain,  &c. 

A  plank  about  sixteen  inches  wide  on  each  side  the  whole 
length,  with  slats  nailed  across  the  plank  to  prevent  the  feet  of 
the  men  from  slipping  when  pushing,  while  poling  up  the  stream. 

This  boat  was  built  at  Pittsburg,  Penn.,  by  some  men  who 
wanted  to  move  to  Wisconsin  near  the  Kickapoo  river.  They 
floated  down  the  Ohio  river  and  hired  a  steamboat  to  tow  them 
up  the  Mississippi  and  Wisconsin  rivers. 

After  landing  their  families  and  goods,  they  ran  the  boat  to 
St.  Louis  and  sold  it. 

The  present  captain,  Elliott,  bought  it  and  loaded  it  with 
corn  to  be  delivered  to  the  garrison  at  Fort  Winnebago,  now 
Portage  City,  at  the  portage  between  the  Fox  river  and  the  Wis- 
consin river. 

The  captain  had  a  contract  with  the  government  to  deliver 
corn  there.  He  loaded  at  Alton  or  St.  Louis,  and  was  towed  up 
the  river  until  the  steamboat  could  not  go  farther  on  account 
of  low  water,  and  he  was  left  some  miles  below  the  portage. 

He  hired  as  many  men  as  he  could  get,  and  some  Indians,  but 
could  not  make  headway  against  the  current,  and  was  obliged 
to  tie  up  and  send  a  man  down  the  river  to  Prairie  du  Chien  for 
more  men. 

His  man  hired  the  number  required  and  borrowed  a  large 
canoe  of  Joseph  Ronlitte,  and  thej^  paddled  up  to  the  keel  boat, 
and  then  the  labor  began. 

They  could  not  get  along  with  poling  the  usual  way,  as  the 
current  was  too  strong,  and  in  places  the  water  was  too  deep. 


LUCIUS  S.  MOSKLEY. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  :il3 

So  they  eordelled  by  having  a  long  rope  fast  to  the  boat  and 
the  men  walked  along  the  river  bank,  but  in  many  places  they 
could  not  v^^alk  along  the  bank,  as  the  bank  was  steep  and  bluff, 
and  timber  and  other  obstructions. 

They  finally  cleared  a  space  inside  the  cargo  box  and  put 
up  an  upright  windlass,  and  then  run  out  a  long  rope,  and  made 
fast  to  a  tree  and  wound  up  with  their  windlass  in  the  boat. 
Although  this  was  a  very  slow  way,  it  was  the  only  possible 
way  for  them  to  pass  some  points  where  the  water  was  deep  and 
swift.  In  due  time  the  corn  was  delivered  at  Fort  Winnebago, 
and  then  he  started  for  home  down  the  river. 

The  empty  boat  ran  down  the  Wisconsin  without  trouble  or 
accident.  They  found  some  pine  boards  that  were  lost  from  a 
raft  that  was  wrecked  on  an  island.  The  raft  was  owned  by 
Whitney,  the  first  lumberman  on  the  Wisconsin  river. 

Whitney  was  taken  sick  at  Helena  and  died,  and  was  buried 
there.    I  saw  his  grave. 

We  loaded  the  canoe  with  lead,  and  ran  down  until  we  found 
a  place  to  pile  it,  where  the  keel  boat  could  land  at  and  take 
it  on  board  again. 

The  lead  was  smelted  at  the  Terry  furnace  at  the  place  now 
called  Muscoda. 

As  the  river  was  low  and  none  of  the  men  were  acquainted 
with  the  channel,  we  were  often  aground  and  had  to  lighten 
to  get  off  another  bar.  We  made  slow  progress,  and  arrived  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river  on  Saturday  noon,  so  we  were  all  the 
week  coming  down,  when  we  ought  to  have  run  it  in  one  day. 

As  usual,  in  case  of  too  many  guides,  while  disputing  as  to 
the  channel  we  would  be  aground  on  a  sand  bar.  Finally  the 
captain  said,  one  should  be  pilot  for  one  day  and  we  would 
run  as  he  said,  and  if  we  stuck,  another  should  be  pilot,  and 
no  one  should  dispute  or  disobey  him.  After  that  we  got  along 
much  better. 

We  landed  on  the  south  side,  and  all  but  one  went  up  to  the 
town  of  Prairie  du  Chien.  We  found  the  town  filled  with  In- 
dians, who  had  come  for  the  money  and  goods  promised  them 
in  payment  for  the  land  lately  treated  for. 

As  some  of  the  Indians  were  dissatisfied  with  the  treaty,  and 
refused  to  come  in,  but  threatened  trouble,  Governor  Dodge 
sent  out  runners  to  tell  them  to  come  in  and  get  their  pay,  and 


214  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

if  they  committed  any  murders,  that  he  would  come  out  after 
them  and  take  their  scalps  as  long  as  he  could  carry  scalps,  and 
then  he  would  take  their  ears.  They  knew  him  too  well  to  risk 
their  ears,  and  came  in  and  took  the  promised  payment. 

While  we  were  there  the  Indians  held  a  begging  dance, 
going  from  one  store  or  saloon  or  house  and  dance,  and  then 
pass  a  dish  or  hat  for  contributions. 

Myself  and  my  hired  man  concluded  to  remain  on  the  boat 
and  go  to  St.  Louis.  The  captain  bought  some  supplies  and 
we  returned  to  the  boat  that  evening,  excepting  two  of  our 
crew,  named  Brown  and  one  called  Kentuck.  We  cast  loose 
early  next  morning,  and  floated  down  the  Mississippi,  and  took 
what  was  called  the  Cassville  slough,  as  the  captain  said  it  was 
better  than  to  keep  the  main  channel. 

We  were  so  far  from  the  channel  that  a  steamboat  passed 
us  without  our  hearing  her  cough  or  steam  escape.  When  we 
came  in  sight  of  Cassville,  we  saw  our  men  Brown  and  Kaintuck 
sitting  on  the  levee,  waiting  for  us,  as  they  passed  us  on  a 
steamboat. 

As  this  narrative  is  calculated  to  give  one  an  idea  of  the 
men  and  manners  of  the  times,  I  will  give  a  short  sketch  of 
each  of  the  crew  as  far  as  I  knew.  The  captain,  Elliott,  was  an 
Irishman  and  had  been  long  on  the  rivers. 

He  told  me  that  he  used  to  send  keel  boats  up  the  Mississippi 
and  Missouri  rivers  and  the  crews  from  the  Missouri  would 
return  healthy  and  robust,  but  those  of  the  Mississippi  would 
often  have  the  ague  or  fever. 

Although  the  water  of  the  Missouri  is  muddy  and  looks 
unfit  to  drink,  it  is  more  healthy  than  the  Mississippi.  The  cap- 
tain continued  the  river  trade  until  steamboats  began  to  be  used 
there,  when  he  built  one  and  ran  it  until  it  accidentally  burned, 

I  was  told  that  the  captain  stood  heroically  by  his  passengers 
and  crew  until  all  were  safely  taken  off  and  he  was  the  last 
man  that  left  the  boat.  As  the  loss  of  his  steamer  reduced  his 
means,  he  could  only  buy  one  keel  boat  and  commenced  again  by 
taking  contracts  to  supply  corn,  etc.,  to  some  garrisons. 

Our  supercargo  was  named  Young.  He  was  from  Ohio,  and 
came  to  the  lead  mines  about  six  years  before.  He  told  me  that 
he  struck  mineral  in  the  first  hole  that  he  sunk  when  he  com- 
menced  prospecting  for  lead.     He   worked   his   mine   for   four 


EEMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  315 

years  and  then  it  gave  out.  He  then  prospected  one  year  with 
the  help  of  one  man  all  the  time,  and  much  of  the  time  two, 
before  he  struck  mineral  again. 

He  worked  his  last  strike  about  one  year,  and  fearing  it 
would  give  out,  he  sold  it  and  invested  all  his  money  in  lead. 
Having  run  this  to  St.  Louis  and  sold  it,  he  bought  a  drove  of 
hogs,  drove  them  to  the  lead  mines  and  sold  them,  then  returned 
to  his  native  town,  bought  a  home  and  mined  no  more. 

My  hired  man's  name  was  Norman  Lewis.  He  was  raised  in 
Ohio.  He  was  a  large,  slow,  clever  man  of  no  marked  character  or 
ability. 

While  he  worked  for  us  on  the  farm,  there  was  an  election 
at  Janesville,  our  place  of  voting,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles. 

My  father,  brother  and  Lewis  and  myself  went  to  vote.  It 
was  to  elect  members  to  the  legislature,  and  the  candidates  were 
H.  F.  Jones  and  E.  V.  Whiton,  so  well  known  afterwards  as  a 
member  of  the  house  and  council,  and  as  a  lawyer  and  judge. 
Jones  was  the  proprietor  of  the  town,  and  well  known,  but 
Whiton  was  elected. 

After  casting  our  votes,  we  were  ready,  and  asked  Lewis  if 
he  had  voted  yet.  He  very  innocently  replied  no,  for  neither  of 
them  had  treated  yet. 

I  knew  nothing  of  Kaintuck,  as  he  left  us  to  go  over  on 
Turkey  river,  prospecting  for  mineral  as  lead  ore  (Galena),  it 
was  universally  called.  Frenchy  was  a  Canadian,  and  a  merry 
one,  a  good  waterman  and  pleasant  companion.  The  other  one 
had  been  a  soldier  and  gained  some  notoriety,  and  as  it  was 
obtained  in  an  unusual  way,  I  will  give  his  history. 

His  name  was  Hagerman.  He  was  born  near  the  Hudson 
river,  below  Albany,  and  when  eighteen  years  old  he  took  a 
notion  to  marry  a  neighbor's  daughter,  but  was  certain  that  his 
father  would  oppose  it.  So  he  worked  quite  well  and  pleased 
the  old  man,  so  that  he  told  his  boy  that  he  would  make  him  a 
pair  of  fine  boots,  as  he  was  a  shoemaker. 

The  boy  went  into  the  shop  where  the  boots  were  being  made 
and  the  old  man  was  in  good  humor.  The  boy  thought  it  a  good 
time  to  tell  him  of  his  intended  marriage. 

As  soon  as  the  old  man  was  told,  he  sprung  up  in  a  rage 
and  threw  the  boots  across  the  shop  and  swore  that  he  would 
never  finish  them.    The  boy  left  the  shop  and  ran  to  the  nearest 


216  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUJs^TY 

boat  landing,  and  went  aboard  the  first  boat  for  New  York,  and 
they  were  enlisting  men  there  for  the  army  under  General  Scott, 
to  come  west  and  fight  Black  Hawk.  Hagerman  enlisted  and 
they  soon  started  for  the  West  to  suppress  the  Indians. 

In  due  time  they  arrived  in  Chicago,  and  the  cholera  was 
among  them,  and  their  progress  was  slow,  but  they  reached 
Rock  Island,  and  were  still  there  when  General  Atkinson,  of 
the  regular  army,  and  Dodge,  of  Wisconsin,  and  Henry  and 
Alexander,  of  Illinois,  closed  the  war  at  the  battle  of  Bad  Ax, 
August  2,  1832. 

While  at  Rock  Island,  Hagerman  was  put  on  picket  guard 
for  the  first  time,  and  as  he  had  never  seen  an  Indian,  but  had 
heard  many  stories  of  their  bloody  work,  he  was  very  timorous 
and  much  excited.  He  was  stationed  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
island,  near  some  small  bush,  and  the  night  was  unusually  dark 
and  made  him  more  afraid. 

He  had  the  usual  instructions  as  to  challenge  and  firing,  if 
necessary.  He  told  me  that  as  soon  as  the  corporal  left  him, 
instead  of  pacing  his  beat,  he  stood  as  still  as  possible,  as  he 
was  fearful  that  some  Indian  would  send  an  arrow  into  him. 

After  a  short  time,  he  heard  a  slight  noise  in  the  thicket 
like  a  man  stepping  carefully  among  the  brush  and  grass.  He 
waited  a  short  time  until  he  was  so  nervous  that  he  decided  he 
would  fire  on  it.  He  made  ready  to  fire,  but  could  scarcely  hold 
his  gun,  but  did  not  say  a  word,  and  fired  at  the  place  where 
the  intruder  was  stepping.  Hagerman 's  fire  brought  out  the 
guard  and  enquired  what  was  the  trouble.  But  he  said  he  did 
not  know  what  he  shot  at.  So  they  looked  among  the  brush 
and  found  a  beautiful  pony  that  belonged  to  the  colonel,  shot 
through  the  heart  with  a  ball  and  three  buck-shot. 

This  made  him  quite  famous  among  his  comrades,  and  the 
colonel  too,  although  the  pony  was  a  great  pet.  That  was  the 
only  shot  that  he  made  while  in  the  service.  So  he  gained 
credit  for  bravery  by  an  excess  of  cowardice.     Such  is  fame. 

When  his  term  of  service  expired,  he  was  discharged  in 
Chicago,  found  that  the  family  of  his  girl  were  there,  or  near 
there,  went  to  them,  married  the  girl  and  engaged  in  driving 
stage  for  a  living. 

One  evening  he  came  across  a  few  of  his  old  companions  of 


EEMIXISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  217 

the  army — and  they  had  a  merry  time  and  drank  until  Hagermau 
was  too  drunk  to  realize  what  he  was  doing. 

When  waked  up  he  was  on  a  schooner  and  half  way  to  Green 
bay,  and  had  enlisted  again.  The  old  soldiers  had  induced  him 
to  enlist  and  they  went  aboard  for  Green  bay,  and  from  there 
to  Fort  "Winnebago,  at  the  portage. 

His  people  had  no  idea  what  had  become  of  him,  and  of 
course  he  was  anxious  to  be  released.  He  gained  the  sympathy 
of  Captain  Lowe  and  an  effort  was  made  to  get  him  discharged. 

As  the  papers  had  to  be  sent  to  Washington,  and  mail  facili- 
ties were  not  good,  it  took  a  long  time  and  he  had  to  do  duty 
the  same  as  others. 

One  day  he  was  sent  out  with  a  party  to  cut  wood  for  the 
garrison,  and  as  they  cut  large  trees,  they  used  powder  to  split 
the  logs  open.  He  put  in  a  charge  of  powder,  and  lit  the  fuse, 
but  it  seemed  to  him  that  it  was  not  going  off,  so  he  went  up  to 
see  what  was  wrong,  and  just  then  the  explosion  took  place. 
One  half  of  the  log  struck  him  on  the  thigh  and  broke  the  bone, 
and  held  him  down.  His  comrades  made  a  litter  and  carried  him 
to  the  hospital,  and  that  night  his  discharge  came. 

After  many  weeks  he  left  the  hospital  and  his  first  work 
was  helping  this  boat.    Such  was  life  in  the  far  West. 

The  other  man,  named  Brown,  was  born  near  Dayton,  Ohio, 
and  while  a  boy  used  to  ride  horses  to  tow  boats  on  the  canal. 
He  was  naturally  resolute  and  fearless,  was  very  active,  but 
always  civil,  would  not  give  any  one  rough  language,  nor  would 
he  take  it  from  any  one.  Brown  told  me  that  a  man  named 
Gleason  and  himself  kept  a  saloon  close  to  the  lines  of  the 
reservation,  and  right  on  the  bank  of  the  Wisconsin  river,  where 
it  makes  a  bend  and  is  quite  deep.  They  sold  whiskey  to  Indians 
or  soldiers,  and  it  gave  the  officers  some  trouble  and  made  them 
hostile  towards  Gleason  and  himself.  The  officers  thought  the 
easiest  way  to  get  rid  of  the  saloon  was  to  allow  the  soldiers 
to  break  it  up.  So  they  gave  a  squad  of  six  or  more  leave  to 
go  and  drink  all  they  liked,  and  then  destroy  what  whiskey 
was  left.  The  soldiers  came  in  and  called  for  whiskey,  and  he 
set  it  out  for  them,  and  they  drank  often,  but  would  not  pay 
anything,  and  Brown  soon  caught  on  to  their  scheme  and  went 
into  a  back  room  where  Gleason  was  sleeping.  He  waked  him 
and  told  him  what  was  up,  and  each  took  an  ax-handle  and 


218  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

went  out  and  hit  as  many  as  they  could,  and  soon  had  the  room 
clear  of  soldiers,  except  two,  who  were  senseless  on  the  floor, 
and  they  dragged  them  out  and  closed  the  door. 

He  said  he  could  hear  the  soldiers'  feet  on  the  frozen  ground 
as  they  ran  for  the  fort.  It  was  not  long  until  a  squad  came 
back  for  the  two  who  were  unable  to  get  up.  He  heard  them 
fussing  with  them  and  finally  got  them  off.  This  made  the 
officers  more  determined  to  get  rid  of  them.  An  Indian  told 
BrowTi  that  he  knew  where  there  was  lead  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river,  back  a  few  miles  where  there  were  many  small 
hills.  As  lead  is  much  sought  after,  and  the  story  seemed 
plausible,  Brown  went  with  him  to  find  the  lead,  and  was  to 
give  the  Indian  something  for  his  showing  the  place.  They 
crossed  in  a  canoe  and  traveled  some  miles,  but  found  no  sign 
of  lead,  and  Brown  began  to  suspect  a  trick  was  put  up  by  the 
officers.  After  a  little  he  missed  the  Indian,  and  then  he  was 
certain  of  treachery,  and  turned  back  for  the  portage.  Pretty 
soon  he  saw  another  Indian,  and  soon  another.  He  walked  fast, 
and  was  followed  fast,  and  when  he  could  not  get  away  from 
them  by  walking,  he  struck  into  a  run,  and  they  after  him, 
some  six  or  seven  of  them.  Brown  was  an  unusually  active  man, 
and  the  Indians  could  not  overtake  him,  but  were  in  sight,  and 
when  he  came  to  the  river  where  he  left  his  boat,  that  was  gone; 
but  he  had  to  cross,  so  he  plunged  in  and  swam  across,  although 
the  slush  and  ice  were  running  in  the  river. 

As  he  said  that  their  cabin  was  close  to  the  river  where 
the  water  was  deep,  it  is  likely  that  those  Indians  were  put  in 
there,  for  he  told  me  that  not  one  of  these  that  chased  him  ever 
came  in  to  a  payment. 

He  said  if  a  man's  bowels  were  taken  out  and  a  round  stone 
put  into  their  place  and  well  tied  so  it  would  not  slip  out,  he 
thought  that  would  keep  the  body  on  the  bottom,  and  if  he  were 
looking  for  those  Indians,  he  would  look  in  that  deep  place  just 
back  of  the  cabin. 

When  we  found  Brown  and  Kaintuck  at  Cassville,  we  noticed 
that  Brown  was  lame  and  that  the  flesh  was  purple  about  the 
great  toe.  and  when  we  inquired  what  caused  it,  he  told  us  of  a 
skirmish  he  had  in  town,  and  Kaintuck  corroborated  his  account 
of  the  evening  gambling  and  the  morning  fight  and  flight  from 
town. 


EEMIXISCEXCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  219 

We  left  Brown  and  Kaintuck  in  town,  as  they  met  some 
Portage  friends  and  wanted  to  have  a  visit  and  gamble  some, 
and  would  bring  some  bread  for  us  that  was  not  quite  ready 
when  we  left.  Brown  played  until  hie  lost  thirty  dollars  on 
roulette,  and  then  quit  playing  and  called  all  up  to  the  bar 
to  drink  or  smoke. 

He  paid,  and  started  to  go.  and  at  the  door  met  another 
portage  man.  so  he  took  him  up  to  have  a  parting  glass  with 
him.  They  filled  their  glasses  and  the  friend  drank  his,  but 
Brown  was  in  no  hurry  and  let  his  stand  while  he  talked  with 
his  friend,  and  a  Du  Chien  gambler  reached  around  slyly,  and 
took  the  glass  and  drank  the  liquor.  That  was  an  insult  that 
in  most  cases  would  be  resented  with  a  blow,  but  as  he  was 
going  away,  he  let  it  pass  and  poured  out  some  more  and  drank. 
Then  the  Du  Chien  man  raised  the  front  of  Brown's  hat,  and 
said,  "Are  you  from  the  Portage?" 

This  brought  his  left  fist  into  play  and  it  sent  him  flat  when 
Brown  said,  "Yes.  I  am  from  Portage," 

Of  course  he  expected  that  this  would  be  followed  up  with 
a  general  row,  but  as  there  were  as  many  in  the  room  from 
Portage  as  the  home  men,  they  quieted  it,  and  Brown  and 
Kaintuck  went  to  the  hotel  and  then  to  bed. 

When  they  got  up  in  the  morning,  and  while  Brown's  back 
was  toward  the  stairs,  four  men  came  into  the  room,  and  one  of 
them  struck  Brown  before  he  knew  of  their  being  there. 

When  Brown  was  hit,  the  man  said,  "Resent  that  if  you  are 
from  Portage."  The  blow  did  not  knock  Brown  down,  but 
blinded  him  for  a  short  time,  and  he  just  stood  still  and  winked 
until  his  sight  returned,  and  then  he  wheeled  and  let  out  with 
his  left  hand  and  floored  his  assailant. 

Then  he  kicked  him  and  clapped  his  thumb  in  the  fellow's 
eye  and  took  it  completely  out  of  his  head  and  left  it  hanging 
on  his  cheek.  Kaintuck  said  he  must  get  out  of  this,  and  ran 
down  stairs,  and  left  Brown  with  three  men  against  him.  He 
hit  one  and  got  past  two,  but  had  to  back  down  to  fend  off 
blows.  He  got  one  at  the  bottom  of  the  stairs,  and  kept  backing 
into  the  street,  when  the  last  one  rushed  up,  fearing  he  would 
turn  and  run,  whereupon  Brown  gave  him  a  kick  that  laid 
him  flat. 

Then  he  rushed  for  his  sack  of  bread,  intending  to  skip  for 


220  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

the  boat.  The  landlord  met  him  on  the  porch  with  a  pistol  in 
his  hand  and  ordered  him  to  stop,  as  he  had  sent  for  the  sheriff 
to  have  him  arrested.  Brown  drew  a  large  pocket  knife  and 
made  a  slash  at  the  landlord  and  cut  his  vest  open  across  the 
breast ;  then  the  landlord  ran  into  the  house  and  Brown  walked 
in  and  took  his  sack  of  bread  and  just  got  started  for  the  boat 
when  the  sheriff  came  up  and  told  him  he  must  wait  until  the 
surgeon  of  the  garrison  examined  the  first  man,  who  was  still 
lying  on  the  floor  of  the  hotel,  up  stairs. 

The  surgeon  put  his  eye  back  and  revived  him,  but  would 
not  make  any  report  until  he  talked  with  Brown  about  it,  and 
was  told  how  it  commenced,  and  the  attack  by  four  in  his  room. 
The  surgeon  said,  "I  will  make  a  report  to  the  sheriff  and  he 
will  release  you,  but  the  only  thing  that  this  fellow  will  see 
with  that  eye  is  his  mistake  in  attacking  you." 

As  soon  as  released,  they  got  aboard  a  steamboat,  as  their 
canoe  was  not  fast  enough  to  suit  them,  and  as  the  steamboat 
was  ready  to  start  down  the  river,  they  chose  that.  When  the 
steamer  was  just  fairly  started,  the  boat  was  hailed  from  the 
garrison,  and  ordered  to  stop.  The  sheriff  and  some  officers 
from  the  garrison  came  on  board  to  look  for  a  keg  of  specie 
that  had  been  stolen  from  the  storeroom  at  the  garrison.  We 
did  not  learn  the  particulars  and  outcome  of  the  theft  until 
we  arrived  in  St.  Louis,  when  we  saw  it  in  the  newspapers. 

It  was  this  way,  three  soldiers  agreed  to  steal  the  money 
that  was  there  to  pay  to  the  Indians.  The  one  on  guard  duty 
and  two  others  were  to  dig  under  the  wall  and  take  the  keg 
away  and  hide  it,  which  they  did.  The  next  night  a  watch  was 
kept,  and  one  of  them  went  to  the  keg  and  took  out  as  much 
as  he  could  get  away  with,  when  the  watchers  arrested  him  and 
recovered  all  the  cash. 

The  captain  of  the  boat  had  been  up  all  night  with  convivial 
friends  and  soon  laid  down,  and  his  son  looked  after  the  boat. 
The  fear  of  arrest  was  yet  strong  in  Brown,  and  he  went  to 
the  bar  and  bought  a  gallon  of  whiskey  and  took  it  to  the 
engine  room  and  treated  the  engineer  and  fireman  and  told 
them  to  send  her  a  flying.  Pretty  soon  the  old  boat  was  creak- 
ing in  every  joint,  and  it  woke  the  old  captain,  who  came  and 
ordered  steam  blown  off,  as  he  was  afraid  each  minute  of  burst- 
ing the  boiler. 


REMIXISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  221 

Kaintuck  left  us  at  Cassville,  and  we  saw  no  more  of  him. 
I,  being  the  youngest,  was  installed  as  cook,  that  was  the  most 
there  was  to  do,  except  to  steer,  which  was  very  easy,  as  we 
could  now  steer  with  a  tiller  in  the  rudder  post,  instead  of  a 
sweep,  as  is  necessary  on  the  Wisconsin. 

I  had  plenty  of  room  in  the  cargo  box  to  set  the  eatables, 
as  a  cargo  of  lead  takes  up  but  little  room.  I  had  a  box  about 
four  feet  sqaure  and  one  foot  deep  filled  with  sand  on  the  deck 
of  the  cargo  box,  and  on  this  I  made  my  fire  and  cooked. 

While  the  men  were  eating,  I  had  to  steer,  as  it  was  easy  to  do. 
One  day  I  was  steering,  and  as  the  current  was  slow,  I  ran  over 
the  body  of  a  tree  that  had  fallen  into  the  stream,  and  under., 
water,  so  I  had  not  noticed  it.  The  boat  scraped  along  over  it, 
but  when  the  rudder  struck  it,  the  rudder  unslipped  and  would 
have  sunk,  as  there  was  considerable  iron  on  it.  I  called  for 
all  hands  on  deck  and  they  saved  and  reshipped  the  rudder,  and 
I  was  complimented  by  our  captain  for  holding  on  so  well. 

As  the  captain  was  obliged  to  go  to  Galena,  I  was  detailed 
to  go  with  him.  We  took  what  he  called  the  Galena  slough  and 
struck  Fever  river,  and  I  paddled  up  to  the  town. 

Business  kept  him  until  late  and  I  had  to  move  the  canoe 
alone,  as  the  captain  was  too  smart  to  work  when  he  could 
make  any  one  else  do  it.  The  moon  shone  very  bright,  and  we 
kept  a  sharp  lookout  for  the  keel  boat,  and  found  it  tied  up 
at  Belleview,  about  fifteen  miles  from  Galena.  We  now  had 
smooth  running  and  but  very  little  to  do.  When  we  were  at 
Le  Clare  at  the  head  of  the  Rock  Island  rapids,  we  wanted  a 
pilot  over  the  rapids.  We  found  a  steamboat  there  that  was 
going  down,  and  the  captain  made  a  bargain  to  be  towed  over. 
But  the  steamboat  captain  came  on  board  and  said  that  he 
would  pilot  us  over  and  it  would  be  safer  than  towing.  He 
told  our  captain  that  he  would  be  surprised  to  see  the  river 
so  low.  We  made  the  run  safely  and  landed  at  Davenport, 
where  we  saw  many  Indians  with  red  blankets  that  they  had 
obtained  from  the  British  government  at  Maiden,  in  upper 
Canada.  They  were  Sac  Indians,  who  used  to  go  to  Maiden 
annually  until  1833. 

I  understood  that  both  the  Sac  and  Foxes  made  a  visit  to 
Maiden  annually  and  received  presents  from  the  Canadian  gov- 


223  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

ernment  until  after  the  Sac  war  in  1833.     One  year  after  the 
Sacs  were  nearly  annihilated  at  Bad  Ax. 

Our  trip  from  there  down  was  quite  pleasant,  except  that 
we  once  left  the  channel,  took  down  a  slough  and  stuck  fast  on 
a  bar  at  the  lower  end  of  the  slough,  and  had  to  take  off  several 
tons  of  lead  and  land  it  below  until  we  could  float  over  the 
bar.  Wild  geese,  cranes  and  pelicans  were  plenty.  One  evening 
just  as  we  landed,  we  heard  a  great  commotion  among  these 
birds  and  some  of  the  crew  went  down  to  see  them  and  shoot 
some.  They  said  that  it  seemed  to  them  that  the  geese  and 
cranes  were  fighting  the  pelicans,  as  all  were  fighting  and 
making  all  the  noise  possible,  each  in  his  own  language.  I 
could  hear  them,  but  I  did  not  go  down  as  supper  must  be 
prepared.  We  often  saw  a  flock  of  pelicans  on  a  sand-bar,  and 
at  a  distance  they  looked  like  a  snowdrift. 

When  we  got  to  where  Nauvoo  was  afterwards  built  up,  we 
landed  and  looked  for  a  pilot.  We  landed  on  the  east  side  and 
the  captain  took  Hagerman  and  went  over  to  hire  a  pilot  who 
lived  a  few  miles  away,  and  as  there  was  so  few  steamboats 
running,  many  pilots  were  idle.  As  they  were  passing  through 
some  river  bottoms,  they  disturbed  several  wild  hogs;  one  old 
sow  charged  the  captain,  and  it  took  his  best  action  to  get 
away  from  her.  When  telling  us  about  it,  the  captain  said  by 
the  "Holy  Mother,"  I  thought  she  would  get  her  tushes  into  me. 

While  they  were  gone  we  looked  for  honey  bees,  as  we  were 
told  that  they  were  living  in  some  bluff  rocks  near,  but  we  did 
not  find  them. 

The  captain  hired  a  pilot  who  continued  with  us  to  St.  Louis. 
While  passing  a  small  French  village,  our  little  Canadian  in- 
quired of  a  couple  of  men  who  were  sitting  on  a  wood  pile, 
what  wood  was  worth,  but  they  made  no  reply,  and  Frenchy 
asked  them  other  questions  that  offended  them. 

Just  then  we  were  opposite  a  house  and  a  woman  came  to 
the  door  and  Frenchy  greeted  her  in  a  civil  manner,  but  she 
gave  him  a  slang  answer  that  made  all  laugh  that  understood 
it,  when  he  thanked  her  and  said  he  was  very  much  obliged. 
Our  laughing  offended  the  men,  and  one  of  them  ran  towards 
the  house  and  called  for  some  one  to  bring  him  his  gun  and  he 
would  show  keel-boatmen  something.  We  sat  with  our  feet 
hanging  down  on  the  side  of  the  boat  and  did  not  think  that  he 


EEMIXISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  "        223 

would  shoot,  but  the  pilot  told  us  to  go  inside  as  he  would 
shoot.  He  ran  along  the  bank  until  he  came  to  a  lime  kiln, 
when  he  fired  on  us.  The  ball  struck  the  water  and  then  the 
boat,  but  did  no  damage.  One  Avould  hardly  expect  that  such 
a  crew  would  be  shot  at  and  not  return  the  fire.  As  my  gun  was 
loaded  and  Brown's  was  broken,  he  took  mine  to  return  the 
man  as  good  as  he  sent.  His  head  was  just  above  the  wall  of 
the  lime  kiln;  Brown  fired  and  we  saw  dust  fly  close  to  his 
head,  and  he  dropped  out  of  sight. 

The  captain  in  his  cabin  heard  the  commotion  and  came  out 
and  inquired  what  was  the  trouble.  He  was  told  and  went  out 
and  told  the  village  men  if  we  were  fired  on  again  we  would 
come  ashore  and  burn  their  town. 

We  watched  the  lime  kiln,  and  when  we  were  out  of  gun- 
shot, the  man  got  up  and  went  to  the  house.  As  Frenchy  was 
the  one  that  brought  on  the  trouble,  he  was  crazy  mad. 

His  gun  was  an  old  army. musket  cut  off  to  make  it  more 
handy.  It  was  not  loaded,  but  he  loaded  it  in  haste,  pouring 
in  powder  from  a  horn,  and  not  measuring  it,  and  then  rolling 
down  a  lot  of  bullets  that  he  had  run  to  shoot  wild  geese. 
After  the  excitement  we  wanted  to  see  how  much  lead  he  had 
in  his  gun.  He  put  the  ram-rod  down  and  found  he  had  at 
least  one  foot  of  powder  and  ball.  Had  he  fired  he  would  have 
bursted  his  gun  and  likely  killed  all  or  a  part  of  the  crew. 

We  landed  at  Alton,  and  the  captain  went  home  and  found 
his  family  well,  but  surprised  them,  as  they  had  not  heard  from 
him  since  he  left  there,  as  he  had  not  written,  and  the  time  was 
long  past  that  he  set  for  the  trip.  Then  came  uneasiness  and 
finally  despair. 

While  he  was  gone,  I  wrote  home,  and  as  we  had  no  writing 
materials  on  board,  I  went  into  an  office  to  write  and  was  told 
that  it  was  the  place  where  Lovejoy  was  killed  and  his  printing 
press  destroyed. 

A  man  came  aboard  our  boat  to  go  to  St.  Louis  with  us,  as 
but  few  steamboats  were  running.  He  said  that  he  Avas  there 
at  the  time  of  the  riot  and  that  the  persons  who  destroyed  the 
press  did  not  intend  to  injure  Lovejoy;  but  he,  or  his  friends, 
fired  on  the  crowd  that  was  on  the  deck  and  killed  a  man 
named  Bishop,  who  was  sitting  on  his  chest  of  joiner  tools,  and 
waiting  to  take  a  steamer  to  St.  Louis. 


224  HISTOBY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

As  soon  as  Bishop  was  killed  the  fire  was  returned  with 
fatal  result  to  Lovejoy. 

Our  trip  from  there  was  without  particular  interest.  We 
discharged  our  cargo  and  commenced  loading  for  town  along 
the  Illinois  river. 

While  waiting  one  Sunday  we  noticed  a  crowd  hurrying 
along  the  levee  and  saw  a  large  deer  swimming  and  men  putting 
out  with  boats  to  catch  the  deer.  It  was  a  large  buck  with 
fine  antlers.  A  boy  came  on  our  boat,  as  it  gave  him  a  fair 
view  of  the  chase,  and  saw  the  crew  of  a  steamer  capture  the 
deer,  cut  his  throat  and  pull  him  into  their  boat.  The  boy  said 
that  he  was  back  of  town  gathering  persimmons,  saw  the  deer 
and  shot  at  it  with  a  small  pistol  and  thought  that  he  hit  one 
horn. 

A  small  dog  took  after  it  and  chased  it  until  it  came  to  the 
river  at  a  bluff  point  of  rocks  and  jumped  from  them  into  the 
river.  He  said  he  thought  it  was  a  tame  one,  as  there  was  a 
red  cloth  on  his  neck,  but  the  men  that  caught  it  cut  that  off 
and  threw  it  into  the  water. 

This  rocky  bluff  has  been  graded  down  many  years,  and 
perhaps  that  was  the  last  deer  killed  in  St.  Louis.  While  we 
were  lying  at  the  levee,  a  steamboat  came  from  the  Missouri 
river,  and  had  a  party  of  hunters  and  trappers  that  went  out 
for  Cheautau  three  years  before.  They  hired  for  three  years,  as 
it  required  some  time  to  learn  and  make  the  trip  to  the  head- 
waters of  the  streams  where  beaver  were  most  plenty. 

We  got  loaded  in  due  time  and  started  up  for  the  Illinois 
in  tow  by  the  steamer  South  St.  Louis. 

This  steamboat  was  built  for  a  ferry-boat,  as  the  people  of 
the  town  thought  they  were  imposed  upon  by  a  man  who  had 
a  charter  for  a  ferry  and  at  very  high  rates,  as  at  the  time  it 
was  granted  there  was  but  little  business,  but  now  this  had 
so  increased  that  they  thought  the  price  should  be  cut  down 
some. 

The  old  ferry  captain  was  obdurate  and  relied  on  his  charter, 
but  the  citizens  clubbed  in  and  built  a  boat  on  what  was  called 
the  Burden  plan,  I  think  named  after  the  man  that  adopted 
this  manner  of  building.  It  had  two  hulls  and  decked  over  all, 
so  there  was  no  tilting  when  a  wagon  was  driven  on. 


EEMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  225 

The  result  was  to  bring  down  the  price  of  ferriage  and  put 
on  better  boats,  and  then  this  boat  withdrew. 

While  running  up  the  river  I  went  into  the  engine  room,  and 
in  conversation  with  the  engineer,  he  told  me  that  this  engine 
was  taken  out  of  the  Warrior  that  was  at  the  battle  of  Bad  Ax, 
and  showed  marks  of  bullets  on  the  wood  of  the  pitman,  but 
not  enough  to  disable  it.  We  would  have  to  propel  the  boat  with 
poles  as  soon  as  we  were  on  the  Illinois  river,  as  it  was  too  low 
for  a  steamer. 

The  captain  made  up  a  crew  by  hiring  whoever  he  could  get. 
Only  one  of  our  crew  left — that  was  Hagerman,  our  ex-soldier. 

Among  the  new  crew  was  a  young  man  from  Kentucky,  who 
came  to  St.  Louis  with  a  running  horse  and  considerable  money. 
He  made  a  race  and  bet  all  his  money  and  his  horse.  He  was 
too  large  to  ride  and  hired  a  town  rider  of  some  notoriety.  The 
race  was  run  and  his  horse  was  beaten,  and  he  could  not  help 
himself,  and  tried  to  get  at  the  boy  that  threw  the  race,  but  he 
was  kept  out  of  his  way  and  this  was  his  first  chance  to  make 
a  meal,  so  he  shipped. 

Another  of  our  crew  was  a  man  that  came  back  from  the 
plains  on  the  boat  we  saw  when  it  came  in. 

It  took  him  about  one  week  to  get  rid  of  the  wages  for  his 
three  years'  work,  and  as  he  had  been  on  the  river  a  good  deal, 
he  shipped  at  the  first  opportunity. 

He  was  born  and  raised  at  Green  Bay,  Wis.  His  name  was 
Maximilian  Jarvey.  He  had  a  fair  education  and  had  been  in 
the  employ  of  different  traders  on  the  Mississippi ;  at  one  time 
for  Joseph  Ronlette,  of  Prairie  du  Chien. 

I  was  much  interested  in  what  he  told  me  about  the  life  of 
a  hunter  and  trapper  and  his  experience  when  on  the  headwaters 
of  the  South  Platte. 

He  said  when  trapping  in  the  fall  four  men  camped  together, 
two  went  down  the  stream  and  two  up,  but  came  to  camp  at 
night.  When  the  beaver  became  scarce,  they  moved  on  further 
up  the  stream  until  the  weather  or  time  induced  them  to  turn 
and  work  down. 

They  had  worked  up  the  South  Platte  as  far  as  advisable, 
and  instead  of  going  down  the  one  they  had  come  up,  they 
found  another  stream  that  they  supposed  was  a  branch  of  the 
Platte  and  concluded  to  trap  down  that  rather  than  to  go  over 


226  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

their  old  ground.  The  streams  were  but  a  short  distance  apart, 
running  parallel  or  nearly  so. 

They  continued  on  down  until  they  found  Indians  that  they 
could  not  understand,  and  the  Indians  showed  them  to  a  village 
where  there  was  a  Catholic  priest.  Jarvey  and  the  priest  could 
both  speak  French.  The  priest  told  him  that  he  was  on  the 
Arkansas  instead  of  the  Platte,  and  four  trappers  had  made 
the  same  mistake  before  and  were  now  washing  placer  gold  at 
the  river  and  showed  them  the  way  to  the  placer  washing. 

They  found  the  men,  who  were  making  good  wages,  and 
wanted  Jarvey  and  his  comrades  to  stop  and  join  them,  and  at 
first  he  thought  he  would.  On  reflection,  however,  he  concluded 
to  return  and  draw  his  pay  and  raise  a  company  of  men  sufficient 
in  numbers  to  protect  themselves  from  the  Indians  or  other 
parties. 

As  this  was  the  fall  for  them  to  return,  or  loose  three  years 
wages,  they  concluded  to  strike  across  to  the  Platte  and  come 
home,  which  he  did.  He  told  us  what  he  proposed  to  do,  and 
several  of  the  crew  said  they  would  join  the  company. 

I  never  heard  from  any  of  them  after  I  left  the  boat,  but  I 
went  to  Colorado  in  1873,  and  in  1874  went  to  the  San  Luis 
park  or  valley.  When  there  I  often  heard  men  speak  of  a  party 
of  prospectors  who  were  killed  by  Indians,  but  I  cannot  now 
tell  just  where  it  was — and  I  don't  know  in  just  what  year  it 
was  done. 

One  man  told  me  that  he  had  seen  the  bones  of  men  and 
horses  where  it  was,  but  I  cannot  tell  where.  His  story  was 
that  a  party  of  white  men  were  prospecting  and  had  an  Indian 
boy  with  them.  This  boy  belonged  to  a  tribe  that  was  hostile 
toward  this  mountain  tribe.  The  mountain  Indians  wanted  the 
boy,  to  torture  him,  but  the  miners  would  not  give  him  up, 
although  told  if  they  would  they  would  not  be  molested,  but  that 
this  tribe  must  have  the  young  Indian. 

They  were  in  a  narrow  gulch  when  attacked,  and  fought  to 
the  last  man.  One  man  assured  me  he  had  been  at  the  place 
and  had  seen  relics  of  the  men  and  horses. 

From  the  number  and  time  of  occurrence,  I  have  always 
thought  they  might  have  been  Jarvey 's  company. 

Our  progress  up  the  river  was  slow,  as  the  days  were  short 
and  but  few  of  the  men  were  good  water  men. 


KEMINISCEXCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  227 

One  snowstorm  made  us  lie  by  one  day,  and  we  landed  on 
an  island  where  we  saw  tracks  of  many  deer  and  turkeys.  As 
I  had  to  cook  and  have  the  breakfast  early  so  the  men  would  pull 
out  as  soon  as  they  could  see  the  channel  and  pole  along  as  it 
could  be  followed,  I  tired  out,  became  too  unwell  to  work,  and 
had  to  quit  and  go  ashore. 

I  stopped  with  a  man  named  Free,  who  was  deputy  sheriff 
of  Pike  county,  Illinois,  and  lived  close  to  the  river  a  half  mile 
below  Phillips  Ferry. 

The  owner  of  the  house  was  named  Free,  and  was  deputy 
sheriff  of  Pike  county.  Some  of  their  ways  were  so  new  to  me, 
and  would  be  to  others,  that  I  will  make  note  of  them.  The 
house  was  of  round  logs  without  any  window,  as  the  wife  would 
not  have  one,  as  she  would  often  be  alone,  as  her  husband  was 
away  on  business,  -and  she  would  be  more  secure  without  one. 
When  she  was  sewing  she  took  a  chink  out  of  the  crack  between 
the  logs  near  the  fire,  if  the  weather  was  cold,  and  at  other  times 
would  open  the  door  and  sit  near  it. 

She  told  me  that  one  night  she  heard  two  men  talking,  and 
she  watched  them,  as  she  had  no  light,  and  she  could  see  them 
but  they  could  not  see  her.  They  came  near  the  house  and  sat 
on  the  fence  near  the  chimney,  and  were  consulting  about  break- 
into  the  house,  as  they  knew  that  Free  was  away.  She  would 
have  surprised  them,  as  she  had  a  gun  in  her  hands  and  knew 
how  to  use  it  and  had  the  courage  to  do  so.  Free  had  a  tenant 
in  a  small  house  near  by.  One  night  we  heard  a  noise  at  the 
stable,  and  Free  said  it  was  some  thief  trying  to  break  the  pad- 
lock so  he  could  steal  his  horse.  He  had  a  shotgun  and  loaded 
it  with  buckshot,  and  I  had  a  rifle  that  he  loaded  with  ball. 

Then  Mrs.  Free  and  myself  held  up  a  blanket  at  the  door  so 
the  firelight  would  not  shine  through  when  the  door  was  opened. 
Free  took  both  guns  and  went  out  carefully  and  to  his  tenant's 
cabin  and  aroused  him,  and  he  came  out  and  took  one  gun  and 
they  looked  for  the  thieves,  who  had  left  the  stable,  as  they  had 
heard  the  men  when  the  cabin  door  was  opened.  After  watch- 
ing and  waiting  for  some  time  they  saw  the  men  sitting  on  a  log 
in  a  chopping  near  by,  and  Free  pulled  trigger  with  the  shotgun. 
The  cap  exploded,  but  the  powder  failed  to  burn,  and  most  likely 
that  saved  the  life  of  one  or  both  thieves. 

Free  insisted  that  he  had  never  known  the  gun  to  miss  before. 


228  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

and  often  spoke  of  it.  But  he  admitted  it  might  be  well,  but 
still  he  wished  he  had  hit  them. 

At  that  time  there  were  a  great  many  hard  characters  in  that 
vicinity  and  he  was  kept  busy  with  his  official  duties.  He  was 
not  a  large  man,  but  seemed  fearless  and  self-reliant,  and  went 
for  any  one  that  his  papers  called  for,  however  desperate  he  was. 
One  day  he  arrested  two  men  and  took  them  to  the  court, 
and  then  went  to  serve  some  papers  for  witnesses.  When  he 
returned  to  court  he  missed  the  prisoners  and  on  inquiring  was 
told  they  were  gone.  They  just  w^alked  away  and  defied  all  the 
crowd  to  stop  them  if  they  dared. 

Free  started  after  them,  as  they  took  the  road  to  Phillips 
Ferry,  and  when  he  got  there  the  ferry-boat  was  just  getting 
started  to  cross  the  river.  He  called  a  halt  and  then  talked  to 
the  men,  and  they  promised  to  go  back  and  stand  trial. 

They  started  back,  and  Free  went  home  to  get  something, 
and  when  he  got  back  to  court  the  men  were  there — had  come 
by  themselves  and  stood  trial.  At  that  time  there  were  hogs  on 
the  river  bottom,  in  the  timber,  that  were  so  wild  they  had  to  be 
shot  to  get  them.  As  soon  as  I  gained  sufficient  strength  I  started 
for  home.  The  first  day  I  made  but  seven  miles,  and  stayed  with 
a  southern  family.  The  woman  got  supper  for  me  alone,  as  they 
had  already  eaten  theirs.  In  the  morning  I  ate  breakfast  with 
the  family,  and  my  bill  was  only  eighteen  and  three-fourths 
cents.  This  was  forcibly  impressed  on  my  mind  by  paying  a  bill 
to  an  eastern  man  a  few  days  after.  I  stopped  with  a  New  Eng- 
land man  Saturday  night,  and  he  was  very  pious  and  prayed  for 
the  sick  traveler,  etc.  I  ate  with  the  family,  so  they  had  no  extra 
work,  and  when  I  asked  how  much  my  bill  was  it  was  seventy- 
five  cents.  I  had  a  half  dollar  in  change,  but  that  would  not 
satisfy  him,  and  he  could  not  change  a  bill,  so  he  came  along 
with  me  to  get  the  bill  changed.  As  it  was  Sunday,  the  people 
slept  late,  and  some  were  not  up,  and  none  could  change  the  bill 
until  we  came  several  miles,  and  he  was  in  a  great  hurry,  as  he 
wanted  to  go  to  a  wedding  that  day.  The  contrast  between  the 
southern  man  and  the  very  pious  eastern  one  made  an  impression 
on  me  that  I  have  never  forgotten. 

A  team  passed  me  about  six  miles  before  I  arrived  at  Canton, 
the  county-seat  of  Fulton  county. 

The  team  vjjas  loaded  with  salt,  as  the  low  water  in  the  river 


LEON^ARD  IT.   WHEELER. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  2;JU 

would  not  permit  a  steamboat  to  come.  When  I  got  to  Canton 
1  was  told  the  salt  had  been  sold  in  small  parcels  to  families  and 
not  half  of  the  houses  had  salt.  1  was  told  that  one  pound  of 
salt  was  worth  two  of  pork.  A  man  was  started  for  Chicago 
with  a  team  to  load  back  with  salt.  I  had  a  chance  to  ride  in 
his  wagon,  but  the  roads  were  frozen  and  very  rough,  as  there 
was  but  little  travel  on  them  in  any  direction,  as  the  river  was 
closed,  and  never  much  up  or  down  the  river.  It  had  been  a 
sickly  season  and  the  farmers  just  began  to  crib  their  corn. 

Two  young  men  from  Pittsburg  joined  me  at  Canton  and 
tried  riding  in  the  w'agon,  but  very  soon  tired  of  that  and  went 
afoot.  They  each  had  a  satchel  which  they  left  in  the  wagon, 
but  I  had  only  a  gun,  and  I  kept  that  with  me,  as  I  sometimes 
saw  a  turkey  or  pheasant.  These  men  seemed  well  educated,  and 
one  was  much  interested  in  every  rock  we  passed,  and  often 
stopped  to  examine  it.  We  outwalked  the  team  and  stayed  all 
night  together  at  a  farmhouse,  and  as  the  team  had  not  over- 
taken us,  they  went  back  to  see  about  their  baggage,  and  I  never 
saw  them  after. 

Their  name  was  McCormick,  and  I  often  w'ondered  if  they 
were  the  reaper  manufacturers. 

It  was  said  that  salt  could  be  bought  in  Chicago  for  five  dol- 
lars a  barrel,  but  one  man  named  Dole  bought  up  the  whole  in 
market  and  made  the  price  fifteen  dollars,  and  we  thought  that 
was  what  stopped  our  teamster. 

I  cannot  vouch  for  the  correctness  of  this,  but  such  was  the 
report,  and  I  think  it  was  so. 

Settlers  were  quite  scattered  and  the  houses  generally  on  the 
west  side  of  the  road,  as  my  road  was  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river  and  close  to  the  bluffs  or  highlands  where  they  came  to  the 
river  bottoms. 

In  many  places  there  was  corn  on  the  bottoms,  as  some  were 
prairie  and  some  were  cleared  of  timber. 

The  bottoms  were  claimed  by  settlers  in  some  places,  since 
they  had  not  been  surveyed,  as  at  the  time  the  lands  were  sur- 
veyed the  river  was  high  and  these  bottoms  covered  with  water 
were  returned  "inundated."  I  understood  that  the  government 
afterward  had  them  surveyed  and  sold  as  other  land  was. 

In  traveling  along  the  road  I  often  saw  flocks  of  parokeets, 
and  sometimes  a  deer  or  turkey  would  cross  the  road  in  sight. 


230  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

I  once  met  a  man  in  Colorado  who  must  have  been  born  as 
early  as  1845  or  1850  and  raised  in  Pike  county,  and  he  told  me 
that  he  never  saw  a  parokeet.  I  have  noticed  since  that  some 
birds  become  extinct  from  localities  where  they  were  plentiful  a 
few  years  before.  As  there  was  so  little  travel  on  the  river  road, 
there  were  no  taverns,  and  I  invariably  stopped  at  farmhouses, 
and  I  don't  remember  of  being  refused  a  meal  or  a  lodging.  As  I 
came  north  my  health  improved  and  my  daily  travels  increased 
in  miles  until  I  could  make  thirty-five  miles  without  extra  time 
or  exertion. 

In  coming  up  the  Fox  river  I  stopped  with  a  man  named 
Harrington,  who  told  me  of  his  living  in  Chicago  in  1833  at  the 
time  of  the  Indian  treaty,  when  much  land  was  treated  for. 
Harrington  told  me  that  the  Indians  were  sullen  and  not  much 
inclined  to  treat,  and  that  Governor  Porter  of  Michigan,  who 
M'as  at  the  head  of  the  commissions,  was  not  popular  with  the 
Indians  and  many  were  apprehensive  that  the  Indians  would 
not  treat  but  would  break  out  in  a  real  war. 

Most  of  the  residents  were  fearful  of  that  result  and  some 
of  them  took  their  families  into  the  fort,  but  others  said :  ' '  That 
is  useless,  as,  if  they  break  out,  they  will  take  the  fort,  for  the 
men  in  the  garrison  are  not  able  to  defend  it." 

The  governor  was  reported  as  unfit  to  manage  the  treaty  and 
cross  toward  the  Indians,  threatening  them  that  unless  they 
would  treat  he  would  make  them  do  as  Black  Hawk  was  made  to 
do  the  year  before. 

Porter  would  not  allow  any  of  the  traders  to  let  the  Indians 
have  whisky,  but  the  commission  kept  full  of  it.  After  some  days 
the  fears  of  the  people  were  greater  and  the  Indians  seemed  more 
inclined  to  break  out  into  open  war.  One  of  the  half-breeds  told 
the  Indians  this:  "I  am  half  Indian  and  half  white,  and  shall 
go  into  the  forest,  and  if  you  kill  the  soldiers  you  may  kill  me 
and  my  family."  Then  the  traders  rolled  out  some  barrels  of 
whisky  and  set  the  barrels  on  the  end  and  broke  in  the  upper 
end  and  put  out  lots  of  cups  for  them  to  use. 

They  also  put  out  tobacco  and  eatables  for  the  Indians. 
Although  it  was  against  the  governor's  orders  and  the  customs 
at  treaties,  it  had  the  effect  to  pacify  the  Indians,  and  the  next 
day  a  treaty  was  made. 

Harrington  told  me  that  he  was  standing  beside  a  wagon, 


REMINISCENCES  OF  I.  T.  SMITH  231 

talking  with  a  young  Indian,  and  was  suspicious  that  he  meant 
mischief  and  watched  him  closely.  Soon  the  young  Indian  struck 
at  him  with  a  large  butcher  knife,  but,  as  he  was  on  his  guard,  he 
dodged  the  knife  and  it  went  into  the  sideboard  of  the  wagon 
and  stuck  there,  and  the  Indian  ran  for  the  crowd,  and  he  care- 
fully w^ithdrew  the  knife  and  sent  it  east  to  his  mother,  as  a 
keepsake. 

As  he  felt  he  w^ould  not  be  much  safer  in  the  forest  than  his 
own  house,  he  concluded  to  stay  at  home.  He  went  to  some  of 
the  leading  traders  and  asked  them  to  station  a  guard  at  his 
house  to  protect  him  in  case  of  an  outbreak.  The  traders 
told  him  that  he  would  and  he  might  give  the  guard  plenty  to 
eat,  but  not  give  him  w'hisky  to  drink. 

That  evening  an  Indian  came  and  stood  beside  the  door  all 
night  and  until  the  family  were  up  in  the  morning,  when  he  fed 
him  and  gave  him  such  presents  as  he  thought  best.  Harrington 
said  that  he  did  not  sleep  at  all,  but  his  wife  seemed  to  sleep  as 
much  as  usual,  and  the  danger  did  not  keep  her  awake. 

From  Ottawa  I  followed  the  valley  of  the  Fox  river  up 
through  the  small  towns  until  my  road  diverged  to  the  northwest 
toward  Lake  Koshkonong.  At  Bigfoot  Prairie  I  was  overtaken 
by  William  Hammond,  wiio  drove  one  horse  and  had  some  gun- 
barrels  and  tools  for  making  guns.  I  kept  with  him  until  we 
got  to  Comstocks  on  Turtle  creek,  when  he  went  on  alone,  as  he 
was  anxious  to  get  to  his  brothers  at  Johnstown. 

Hammond  made  some  guns  with  a  cylinder  containing  six  or 
seven  loads,  and  these  were  the  first  breech-loading  guns  that  I 
ever  heard  of. 

He  made  a  revolving  pistol  for  a  present  to  Governor  Dodge 
from  the  people  of  this  county. 

"We  met  at  Janesville  the  fourth  of  the  next  July  and  the  pistol 
was  presented  to  the  governor. 

I  was  at  Milton  recently  and  one  man  called  my  attention  to 
this  celebration  and  told  me  he  was  there  and  repeated  the 
remarks  made  by  the  governor  on  receipt  of  the  present. 

This  closes  my  account  of  the  trip. 


IX. 

COUNTY  GOVERNMENT. 

By 

F.  F.  Livermore,  Beloit. 

Under  this  head  comes  the  treatment  of  official  county  affairs. 
By  the  laws  of  AVisconsin  the  county  government  is  vested  in  a 
board  of  supervisors,  comprising  one  member  from  each  town- 
ship, one  from  each  incorporated  village  and  one  from  each  ward 
of  each  city  in  the  county  and  the  board  now  numbers  thirty- 
nine.  There  are  twenty  townships,  four  incorporated  cities  and 
three  incorporated  villages,  and  present  population  is  53,641 ; 
in  1840  it  was  1,701.  This  body  has  charge  of  all  affairs  pertain- 
ing to  the  county.  It  is  not  a  legislative  body,  but  executive. 
It  levies  all  state  and  county  taxes,  holds  in  trust  all  lands  and 
properties  belonging  to  the  county,  provides  for  support  of 
county  schools  and  officers  and  courts,  provides  for  the  care  and 
maintenance  of  the  insane  and  dependent  poor,  has  direct  super- 
vision of  all  county  officers  from  county  judge  to  coroner,  fixes 
all  salaries  of  county  officers  and  deputies  and  all  officers  of  the 
county  are  required  to  report  once  a  year  to  the  board  of  super- 
visors. Among  the  important  duties  of  the  board  is  the  care  and 
supervision  of  the  county  insane  asylum  and  poor  farm.  This 
institution  represents  an  investment  in  lands  (400  acres),  build- 
ings and  equipment  of  a  value  of  nearly  $200,000,  and  is  under 
the  direct  care  and  charge  of  a  board  of  three  trustees,  appointed 
by  the  county  board.  These  trustees  appoint  a  superintendent 
and  necessary  assistants.  This  county  farm  is  a  community  of 
itself,  there  being  nearly  200  residents  and  we  are  pleased  to  also 
add  that  the  county  farm  is  nearly  self-sustaining. 

The  county  officials,  aside  from  the  county  board,  are  as  fol- 
lows : 

Circuit  judge — George  Grimm. 

County  judge — J.  W.  Sale. 

232 


COUNTY  GOVERNMENT  233 

Register  in  probate — George  H.  Sale. 

Reporter  of  county  court — Lillian  E.  Schottle. 

Clerk  of  circuit  court — Jesse  Earle. 

Deputy  clerk — Jessie  M.  McCrea. 

County  clerk,  ex-officio  clerk  of  board — Howard  W.  Lee. 

Deputy  clerk — Mabel  C.  Lee. 

Judge  of  municipal  court,  Janesville — C.  L.  Fifield. 

Clerk  of  same — A.  C.  Thorpe. 

Judge  of  Municipal  court,  Beloit — C.  D.  Rosa. 

Clerk  of  same — A.  D.  Roadhouse. 

Sheriff— 1.  U.  Fisher. 

District  attorney — J.  L.  Fisher. 

County  treasurer — O.  P.  Smith.  (Lately  deceased.) 

Coroner —  (Vacant. ) 

County  surveyor — C.  V.  Kerch. 

Supervisor  of  assessments — F.  P.  Starr. 

Superintendent  of  schools.  First  district — C.  H.  Hemingway. 

Superintendent  of  schools,  Second  district — O.  D.  Antisdell. 

Supervisor  of  county  highways — H.  L.  Skavlem. 

Chairman  of  county  board — S.  S.  Jones,  Clinton. 

Register  of  deeds — C.  H.  Weirick. 

First  deputy  register  of  deeds — Frances  A.  Ryckman. 

Second  deputy  register  of  deeds — Julia  Belle  Stoddard. 

Retrospective  and  Historical. 

The  records  of  Rock  county  begin  April  1,  1839.  Rock  county 
was  organized  in  1839.  The  first  commissioners  were  Enos  I. 
Hazard,  William  S.  Murray  and  William  Spaulding,  and  their 
first  act  was  to  elect  W.  H.  H.  Bailey  clerk  of  the  board. 

The  Board  of  Commissioners  began  active  business  by  estab- 
lishing four  election  precincts  and  appointing  judges  of  election, 
to-wit : 

Jefferson  Prairie  precinct — At  the  dwelling  house  of  Charles 
Tuttle.  Judges,  Lucius  B.  Allyn,  Denis  T.  Miles  and  Milton  S. 
Warner. 

Prairie  du  Sac  precinct — At  the  residence  of  Joseph  Good- 
rich. Judges,  Nathan  G.  Storrs,  Farnham  Chickering  and  Ezra 
Hazzard. 

Janesville  precinct — Judges  Daniel  F.  Kimball,  W.  H.  H. 
Bailey  and  Volney  Atwood. 


234  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Beloit  precinct — Judges,  John  Hackett,  Charles  Johnson  and 
Horace  "White. 

The  business  of  the  first  meeting  was  confined  exclusively  to 
election  matters  and  arranging  for  payment  of  election  expenses. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  county  commissioners  was  held 
June  28,  1839.  At  this  meeting  Rock  county  was  divided  into 
two  road  districts.  The  clerk  of  the  board  was  authorized  to 
borrow  in  behalf  of  the  county  the  sum  of  $1,050  at  twelve  per 
cent  interest,  said  money  to  be  used  to  purchase  the  site  on  which 
the  court  house  now  stands,  of  Joseph  Goodrich.  At  this  June 
meeting  Hiram  Brown  was  appointed  assessor  for  the  county,  to 
begin  his  work  at  once. 

On  July  1,  1839,  the  commissioners  were  again  in  session  and 
the  main  questions  under  discussion  were  the  defects  in  the  assess- 
ment roll  and  it  was  finally  ordered  returned  to  the  assessor, 
with  orders  to  "correct  and  complete  forthwith,"  the  board  ad- 
journed for  two  weeks  to  give  the  assessor  time  to  do  his  work, 
and  on  July  15  the  board  was  in  session  again  and  the  assessment 
roll  was  accepted.  The  commissioners  at  this  meeting  ordered 
a  tax  levy  of  five  mills  on  the  dollar,  on  all  property  in  the  county 
subject  to  taxation.  The  assessed  value  of  Rock  county  in  1839 
was  $21,792.45  (the  assessed  value  of  Rock  county  in  1907  was 
$47,494,980.)  On  a  basis  of  eighty  per  cent  of  true  value,  which 
would  make  the  true  value  of  Rock  county  at  present  time  $66,- 
291,722. 

At  the  meeting  July  15,  1839,  the  following  resolution  was 
passed:  "Ordered,  that  Hans  Crocker,  of  Milwaukee,  be  ap- 
pointed attorney  for  the  board  of  commissioners  for  the  purpose 
of  procuring  the  right  of  preemption  for  said  county,  in  con- 
formity with  the  act  of  congress  passed  May  26,  1824,  allowing 
preemptions  of  quarter  sections  to  counties  and  parishes  for  the 
erection  of  county  buildings,  with  authority  to  sign  the  names  of 
said  commissioners  to  any  application  or  receipt  or  other  papers 
that  may  be  necessary  to  carry  into  effect  the  objects  of  this 
order." 

The  next  meeting  of  the  commissioners  was  held  October  7, 
1839,  at  Janesville,  and  organized  by  electing  William  S.  Murray, 
chairman,  and  E.  J.  Hazzard,  secretary.  At  this  meeting  a  bounty 
of  $3  on  wolves  was  ordered.     Numerous  roads  were  laid  out 


COUNTY  GOVERNMENT  235 

and  established,  running  east,  south  and  northwest  from  Beloit. 
At  this  time  the  Beloit  and  Madison  road  was  established. 

October  12,  1839,  the  commissioners  met  again  and  the  school 
question  was  the  foremost  thought  and  the  county  was  divided 
into  two  school  districts  and  the  following  named  gentlemen  were 
appointed  ''inspectors": 

District  No.  1 — Hariman  Raymond,  George  W.  Brittan,  James 
Heath,  A.  L.  Field  and  Hazen  Cheney. 

District  No.  2 — Joseph  Goodrich,  William  B.  Sheldon,  Solo- 
mon Head,  George  H.  Wellington  and  Ansel  Dickenson. 

The  next  meeting  of  the  commissioners  was  held  January  6, 
1840.  At  this  meeting  the  "license"  question  came  to  the  front, 
and  David  J.  Bundy  was  licensed  to  "keep  a  tavern"  at  Beloit 
and  Charles  Steven  was  licensed  to  "keep  a  tavern"  at  Janes- 
ville.  John  Hopkin's  name  appears  at  this  time  in  the  records 
as  surveyor,  having  laid  out  several  roads  in  the  county  under 
orders  from  the  commissioners. 

In  1840  the  county  was  divided  into  three  assessment  districts 
and  Samuel  B.  Cooper  was  appointed  assessor  for  the  first  dis- 
trict, George  Williston  for  the  second  district  and  A.  S.  Walker 
for  the  third  district.  Israel  Cheney  was  appointed  the  first 
county  treasurer  and  his  first  report  shows  collections  $1,270  and 
expenditures  $1,278.  During  the  year  1840  the  Beloit  &  Milwau- 
kee highway  was  established  and  laid  out.  In  January,  1841, 
Israel  Cheney,  county  treasurer,  reported  collections  for  previous 
year  as  $3,462.99  and  expenditures  of  $2,523.34.  The  total  taxes 
collected  in  the  county  for  1906  was  $513,432.18. 

In  June,  1842,  was  held  the  first  meeting  of  the  county  Board 
of  Supervisors,  which  body  has  continued  from  year  to  year  since. 
This  first  meeting  was  composed  of  six  members,  viz. :  William 
E.  Holmes,  Nathan  G.  Storrs,  D.  I.  Bundy,  W.  H.  H.  Bailey,  G. 
W.  Brittan  and  Israel  Jones.  Nathan  G.  Storrs  was  elected  first 
chairman  of  the  county  board  and  George  H.  Williston,  clerk 

The  records  are  too  incomplete  to  give  the  names  of  all  the 
chairmen  for  past  sixty-five  years,  but  with  one  or  two  excep- 
tions no  man  has  held  the  office  of  chairman  for  more  than  two 
years  consecutively,  and  an  "unwritten  law"  rotates  the 
office  from  city  to  township  alternately,  thereby  producing  great 
harmony  and  avoiding  "ruts"  by  long  continued  control  by  any 
faction  or  party  or  individual. 


236  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUJ^TY 

Another  noticeable  feature  regarding  the  county  board  work 
is  the  fact  that  for  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  there  has  been 
"no  politics"  in  the  board;  every  man  stands  or  falls  on  his 
merits  as  a  citizen  and  not  as  regards  the  party  he  may  belong 
to.  Some  of  the  best  and  most  efficient  members  of  the  board 
have  often  been  entirely  out  of  harmony  politically  with  the  ma- 
jority. 

In  1870  the  present  court  house  was  built  at  an  expense  of 
$100,000,  and  the  contractor  who  superintended  its  construction 
was  E.  Ratheram,  a  present  member  of  the  board  and  has  been 
for  about  twenty-five  years,  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed 
men  on  the  board  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  building  commit- 
tee. His  experience  as  a  builder  makes  him  a  valuable  member 
on  that  body. 

Hon.  Simon  Smith  holds  the  next  record  for  long  service,  hav- 
ing served  twenty  years.  A  number  of  valuable  members  liter- 
ally "died  in  the  harness,"  notably  S.  T.  Merrill,  of  Beloit;  T.  B. 
Bailey,  of  Beloit;  C.  E.  Bowles,  of  Janesville,  and  Hon.  Almeron 
Eager,  of  Evansville. 


ROCK  COUNTY  SCHOOLS. 

During  the  first  year  of  our  organization  as  a  county,  its 
commissioners,  at  a  meeting  held  in  Janesville,  October  12,  1839, 
divided  Rock  county  into  two  school  districts  and  appointed  as 
inspectors  tor  the  first  Hariman  Raymond,  George  W.  Brittan 
and  James  Heath,  of  Janesville,  and  A.  L.  Field  and  Hazen 
Cheney,  of  Beloit.  For  the  second  district:  Joseph  Goodrich, 
William  B.  Sheldon,  Solomon  Head,  George  H.  Willington  and 
Ansel  Dickinson. 

Among  those  inspectors  in  later  years  was  Hon.  Edward 
Searing,  who  afterwards  became  state  superintendent  of  schools 
of  Wisconsin.  The  county  superintendency  began  January  1, 
1862,  with  Rev.  J.  I.  Foote,  of  Footeville,  as  superintendent.  At 
the  next  election,  the  county,  having  then  over  15,000  inhabitants, 
and  therefore  the  legal  privilege  of  two  districts,  availed  itself 
of  that  privilege.  For  the  first  district,  embracing  the  western 
part  of  the  county,  H.  A.  Richards  was  made  superintendent ;  for 
the  second  district,  A.  Whitford,  the  term  of  service  being  two 
years.  For  that  first  district  the  successive  superintendents  up 
to  1879  were  J.  I.  Foote,  J.  W.  Harris,  E.  A.  Burdick  and  J.  W. 
West,  each  serving  two  terms.  In  the  second  or  east  district. 
Superintendent  Whitford  was  followed  by  C.  M.  Treat,  four 
terms,  and  J.  B.  Tracy,  three  terms  up  to  1879.  At  that  time  the 
number  of  school  districts  in  the  county  was  about  170 ;  of  teach- 
ers (outside  of  Beloit  and  Janesville),  185.  Whole  number  em- 
ployed during  the  year,  325.  Annual  expenditure,  about  $55,000. 
Of  this  amount  $2,500  came  from  the  state  school  fund. 

Of  free  high  schools  there  was  then  but  one  outside  of  Beloit 
and  Janesville — that  of  Evansville. 

The  annual  reports  of  our  two  district  superintendents  for 
the  past  five  years  sufficiently  reveal  the  character  and  extent  of 
our  progress  in  this  direction. 

The  number  of  district  schools  has  remained  about  the  same. 

237 


238  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

During  the  school  year  of  1903,  in  the  first  district  twenty-eight 
teachers  received  from  $20  to  $25  per  month,  and  thirty-four 
from  $25  to  $30  monthly  for  about  eight  months.  Take  out  of 
that  sum  the  cost  of  board  and  lodging  and  extra  expense  for 
books  and  dress,  and  the  net  cash  return  for  each  teacher  seems  to 
have  been  manifestly  much  less  than  that  of  the  average  farm 
laborer. 

Both  districts  reported  an  insufficient  supply  of  text-books  and 
the  need  for  those  of  later  date.  They  also  recommended  the 
consolidation  of  small  districts,  the  scholars  from  which  could 
with  less  expense  be  carried  daily  to  some  larger  and  better 
central  district  school.  Another  effort  has  been  to  get  teachers 
of  better  training  and  to  help  the  poorer  teachers  to  gain  such 
improvement.  The  means  proposed  was  a  county  training  school 
to  cost  about  $2,000  each  year.  Instead  of  this  plan,  however, 
the  same  end  is  sought  by  means  of  county  teachers'  institutes, 
which  are  now  held  each  year  during  the  summer  vacation.  There 
is  also  a  county  teachers'  association  which  holds  helpful  meet- 
ings in  the  spring  and  fall.  Some  of  the  districts  have  built  model 
modem  school  buildings  such  as  that  of  Joint  District  No.  3, 
town  of  Center,  and  No.  3,  Avon.  The  latter  school  house  has 
hardwood  floors,  steel  ceilings,  neatly  painted  side  walls,  slate 
blackboards,  and  the  latest  type  of  school  furniture  and  appa- 
ratus. In  1904  some  sixty-one  of  the  districts  in  the  first  county 
district  made  good  improvements.  In  the  second  county  district 
Avalon  built  a  substantial  two-story  building  at  a  cost  of  $1,800. 
In  this  district,  about  three  miles  southwest  of  Janesville,  is  the 
historic  spot  where  the  famous  Miss  Frances  Willard  spent  her 
girlhood  days  and  attended  district  school.  That  old  school 
building,  which  had  become  quite  dilapidated,  was  in  1904  well 
renovated  without  and  within ;  a  neat  porch  was  made  and  the 
name  "Frances  Willard  School"  was  placed  over  the  door  in 
attractive  lettering.  In  1904  the  average  monthly  wage  of  teach- 
ers rose  to  $33.  In  that  year  184  pupils  from  district  schools 
were  attending  Rock  county  high  schools  (other  than  those  com- 
prised in  the  districts)  and  were  paying  for  tuition  $3,312  each 
year  for  the  four  years  of  the  city  school  course.  There  was 
general  improvement  throughout  the  whole  of  the  second  dis- 
trict, and  especially  in  the  towns  of  Turtle,  Clinton  and  Bradford. 

One  thing  which  has  contributed  to  educational  advancement 


ROCK  COUNTY  SCHOOLS  239 

in  this  county  is  the  central  diploma  examination  system  inaugu- 
rated in  the  year  1903.  Previous  to  this  the  questions  were  sent 
to  each  teacher  and  she  gave  them  to  her  pupils.  She  marked 
the  papers  and  certified  the  results  to  the  superintendent.  This 
meant  as  many  different  standards  as  there  were  different  teach- 
ers. Where  a  teacher  had  poorly  taught  and  poorly  prepared 
the  pupils  beforehand,  she  sometimes  made  up  for  it  by  coaching 
them  on  the  questions  and  helping  them  in  the  examinations. 
The  anxiety  of  teachers  to  have  their  pupils  receive  a  diploma 
overcame,  in  many  instances,  their  sense  of  personal  honesty. 
The  result  was  that  many  pupils  went  away  to  the  high  schools 
very  poorly  prepared.  In  some  instances  they  were  unable  to  do 
the  work  and  were  shoved  back  into  the  grades,  to  the  humilia- 
tion of  themselves  and  to  the  chagrin  of  their  parents.  There 
they  were  compelled  to  pay  their  own  tuition,  instead  of  having 
it  paid  by  the  town,  and  must  also  pay  for  their  board.  This 
entailed  an  extra  expense  on  their  parents  Avhich  would  not  have 
been  necessary  had  they  remained  in  the  home  school  until 
they  had  properly  finished  their  work. 

But  the  new  system  of  examinations  has  changed  this  condi- 
tion. All  the  pupils  now  write  at  some  one  of  seven  places  in  the 
district.  Places  most  convenient  for  the  greatest  number  of 
applicants  are  chosen.  Each  pupil  is  given  a  letter  and  a  number, 
which  he  puts  on  his  paper.  His  name,  number  and  letter  are 
sent  to  the  superintendent.  The  committee  which  marks  the  pupil 
does  not  know  the  name  of  the  pupil,  but  simply  his  letter  and 
his  number.  This  arrangement  is  equally  fair  for  all.  These 
papers  are  then  marked  by  a  committee  consisting  of  one  rural 
school  teacher,  one  graded  school  teacher  and  one  high  school 
principal,  all  the  papers  in  one  branch  being  marked  by  one 
person.  They  return  the  standings  to  the  superintendent,  and 
those  who  have  met  with  the  requirements  are  given  diplomas. 
This  system  seems  to  be  as  nearly  impartial  a  one  as  it  is  possible 
to  get.  The  results,  in  the  main,  have  been  very  satisfactory. 
For  some  years  the  high  schools  have  complained  of  the  country 
pupils  being  unprepared  for  high  school  work,  all  the  failures  of 
the  rural  teacher  as  well  as  their  own  being  charged  to  the  rural 
teacher.  Since  1903,  however,  things  have  changed.  We  send 
them  pupils  that  are  prepared,  so  far  as  an  examination  can  test 
their  preparation,  and  it  is  now  "up  to  the  high  school"  to  con- 


240  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

tinue  the  work.  We  are  holding  them  responsible,  and  not  they 
us,  for  their  failures.  Pupils  who  have  been  sent  to  high  school 
from  this  district,  says  Superintendent  Hemingway,  have  been 
able  to  do  the  work  satisfactorily.  For  the  past  two  years,  among 
the  pupils  entering  the  Janesville  High  School,  the  best  average 
scholarship  has  been  shown  by  those  coming  from  the  rural  dis- 
tricts. This  is  the  highest  kind  of  a  tribute  to  the  present  system 
of  diploma  examinations.  Of  course,  to  be  fair,  I  must  add  that 
the  rural  schools  send  nearer  their  best  than  their  average  pupils, 
while  the  city  schools  probably  send  more  nearly  their  average 
scholars. 

In  the  year  1903  a  state  law  was  passed  which  requires  all 
children  between  the  ages  of  seven  and  fourteen,  and  all  those 
between  fourteen  and  sixteen,  who  are  not  lawfully  employed  at 
home  or  elsewhere,  to  attend  school  at  least  twenty-four  weeks 
of  each  year,  if  living  in  the  country,  and  thirty-two  weeks,  if 
in  the  city.  For  the  year  1905  the  average  attendance  of  pupils 
in  the  first  district  was  reported  as  being  115  days  per  pupil.  Of 
the  2,836  children  of  school  age  then  in  that  district,  some  240 
did  not  comply  with  the  compulsory  attendance  law.  That  law 
makes  parents  or  guardians  responsible,  and  for  neglect  to 
observe  it  they  incur  a  fine,  which  may  range  from  $5  to  $50.  It 
says  that  school  boards  in  cities  of  10,000  population  or  more  shall 
appoint  a  truant  officer,  and  that  the  boards  of  lesser  cities  and 
of  villages  and  districts  may  do  so.  As  amended,  it  makes  the 
county  sheriff  truant  officer  for  the  county,  with  the  power  of 
appointing  deputies. 

Another  law  for  the  improvement  of  our  schools,  passed  by  the 
Wisconsin  state  legislature  of  1904-5,  makes  it  the  duty  of  the 
county  superintendent  to  call  one  or  more  school  board  conven- 
tions each  year.  At  the  first  of  these,  held  August  17,  1905, 
seventy-five  out  of  eighty-two  school  districts  were  represented 
by  133  school  officers,  and  the  various  problems  connected  with 
the  conduct  of  district  schools  were  profitably  considered.  An- 
other recent  change  tending  toward  more  efficient  administration 
is  the  following :  For  many  years  it  has  been  the  duty  of  the  town 
treasurer  to  keep  back  ten  cents  for  each  pupil  of  school  age  in 
his  town,  and  with  this  money  the  town  clerk  was  to  purchase 
library  books  for  the  several  districts.  In  the  winter  of  1904 
and  1905  that  law  was  repealed  and   a  new  one   made  which 


EOCK  COUNTY  SCHOOLS  241 

requires  the  county  treasurer  to  withhold  that  money  and  the 
county  superintendent  to  spend  it  for  the  books  mentioned,  and 
also  to  list  and  index  all  the  books  in  each  district  library.  The 
number  of  those  books  within  the  first  district,  representing  about 
half  our  county,  in  1905  was  reported  as  being  10,858. 

The  reports  for  1907  show  that  most  of  the  district  schools 
now  keep  a  teacher  one  year  or  more,  instead  of  changing  every 
term,  as  was  common  before.  In  the  diploma  examinations  of 
the  second  district  133 ;  pupils  wrote  and  49  finished  the  course. 
In  the  first  district,  No.  1,  Spring  Valley  erected  a  new  and 
modern  school  building.  Including  both  high  schools  and  rural 
schools,  the  male  teachers  for  that  year  were  paid  an  average  of 
$80,  and  the  female  teachers,  on  an  average,  $40  per  month. 

The  annual  teachers'  institute,  held  at  Janesville,  July  29  to 
August  9,  included  two  classes  of  children  from  the  city  schools, 
which  were  taught  by  two  city  teachers,  as  models  for  the  less 
experienced  teachers  present.  The  enrolment  of  teachers  was 
149,  and  average  attendance  135,  52  of  them  being  beginners. 
The  average  age  of  the  teachers  in  attendance  was  twenty  and 
one-half  years.  The  Janesville  High  School  now  provides  a 
special  course  for  scholars  who  are  intending  to  teach.  As 
another  sign  of  progress,  academic  dictionaries,  supplementary 
readers  and  card  indexes  have  found  their  way  into  many  of  the 
country  schools. 

The  one  law,  however,  which  is  doing  and  will  do  more  for 
the  district  schools  than  any  other,  is  that  recently  enacted  law 
which  provides  a  bonus  of  $150,  to  be  paid  in  three  installments, 
$50  a  year  for  three  years,  to  each  district  that  keeps  its  school 
house  and  out-buildings  in  good  repair,  provides  the  needful 
apparatus,  installs  an  adequate  system  of  heating  and  ventilation, 
and  employs  an  efficient  teacher.  According  to  the  report  of 
1907,  fifteen  of  the  schools  in  the  first  district  alone  had  com- 
plied with  those  requirements.  This  bonus  is  paid  from  the  mill 
tax,  to  which  Rock  county  is  contributing  more  than  she  receives. 
Our  neglect  to  take  advantage  of  that  law  aids  those  of  other 
counties  who  comply  with  it,  and  gives  us  nothing  in  return;  by 
meeting  those  conditions,  however,  we  do  only  what  ought  to  be 
done  in  every  district,  and  at  the  same  time  get  back  a  good  part 
of  the  tax  that  we  have  paid. 

At  present  the  first  district,  which  for  the  last  five  years  has 


242  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

been  under  the  charge  of  Superintendent  Charles  H.  Hemingway, 
comprises  82  school  districts,  employing  for  the  school  year  of 
1907  119  teachers  at  an  aggregate  expenditure  of  $41,967.  Of  the 
2,432  children  between  the  ages  of  seven  and  fourteen  years, 
2,006  were  in  actual  attendance.  This  district  includes  Edgerton 
and  Evansville,  each  of  which  has  a  high  school.  The  record  of 
these  comes  within  the  history  of  those  several  to\\Tis.  Footeville 
and  Orfordville,  also  in  this  district,  have  each  a  graded  school 
of  the  first  class — that  is,  one  employing  three  teachers  or  more 
(each  has  four)  ;  and  Hanover  and  Fulton  have  graded  schools  of 
the  second  class,  those  of  two  teachers.  One  district  in  the  town 
of  Union  transports  its  children,  about  fifteen  each  day,  to  a  cen- 
tral school  at  Brooklyn.  Thirty-two  of  the  schools  in  this  district 
have  free  text-books. 

The  second  district,  that  of  Superintendent  0.  D.  Antisdel, 
comprises  86  school  districts  with  112  teachers  for  the  past  j'^ear, 
and  includes  the  high  school  at  Milton,  where  there  are  eight 
teachers  and  a  principal,  and  the  high  schools  at  Milton  Junction 
and  Clinton.  The  work  of  some  of  the  second  district  schools  has 
recently  taken  prizes  at  the  Wisconsin  state  fair  held  at  Mil- 
waukee. 

From  these  district  schools  have  come  some  of  our  leading 
and  prominent  men,  such  honorable  citizens  as  Mac  Jeffris, 
Banker  "William  eleffris,  Superintendent  David  Throne  and  Super- 
intendent Antisdel,  with  others  equally  useful. 

While  the  number  of  schools  remains  about  the  same,  there- 
fore, yet  it  is  manifest  that  the  quality  of  our  country  schools 
during  the  past  thirty  years  has  decidedly  improved.  This  im- 
provement, however,  has  not  been  gained  without  most  devoted 
labor  on  the  part  of  the  friends  of  those  schools,  especially  such 
as  Superintendent  David  Throne  gave  for  nearly  ten  years,  and 
such  efficient  service  as  the  present  superintendents  are  giving. 
To  get  better  school  houses,  better  text-books  and  better  trained 
and  better  paid  teachers  has  required  a  brave  fight  against  the 
indifference  and  even  hostility  of  too  many  of  the  parents ;  but 
the  majority  in  favor  of  these  improved  conditions,  though  requir- 
ing larger  expenditure,  is  steadily  increasing. 

From  the  state  school  fund  the  sum  of  $9,000  is  now  appro- 
priated annually  and  divided  among  the  county  superintendents 
of  the  state  for  the  expense  of  teachers'  institutes.     This  pro- 


CHARLES  B.   SALMON'. 


ROCK  COUNTY  SCHOOLS  243 

vides  each  of  our  two  county  districts  with  about  $110  for  that 
purpose.  At  the  county  teachers'  institute  for  1907  there  waii 
an  average  daily  attendance  of  150  teachers. 

Rock  county  has  now  enrolled  in  its  two  school  districts  about 
5,000  children  who  come  within  the  provisions  of  the  state  com- 
pulsory attendance  act.  Of  these  a  little  more  than  4,000  are 
reported  in  the  year  1907  as  having  attended  school  for  the  time 
required  by  law.  During  that  year  also  231  teachers  were  em- 
ployed, at  an  expenditure  of  about  $80,000.  Our  168  district 
school  sites  and  buildings  are  valued  at  $200,000.  And  there  is 
another  value  besides  that  of  dollars  to  be  noted.  At  very  many 
of  the  schools  there  have  been  public  flag-raisings,  which  means 
that  the  school  houses  are  each  supplied  with  a  flagpole  and  our 
national  flag.  On  the  Fourth  of  July  and  Washington's  birthday, 
and  Lincoln's,  and  on  other  national  holidays,  therefore,  may  be 
seen  floating  over  nearly  all  our  district  schools  the  American 
flag.  It  gives  assurance  to  all  who  see  it  that  in  those  schools  the 
children  of  every  nationality  are  taught  to  love  American  liberty 
and  are  being  trained  in  loyalty  to  the  LTnited  States. 


XI. 

BELOIT  SCHOOLS  AND  SCHOOL  TEACHERS. 

Early  Beloit  had  two  school  districts.  No.  1  was  for  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  and  No.  2  for  the  west.  The  beginnings  of  our 
schools  life  on  the  east  side  are  Avell  described  in  the  following 
paper,  prepared  in  1897  by  Beloit 's  distinguished  townsman,  now 
of  New  York  city,  Horace  White : 

"The  first  application  made  by  this  infant  community  to  the 
legislative  power  for  any  purpose  whatever  was  a  petition  for  a 
charter  for  a  seminary  of  learning.  On  the  11th  of  November, 
1837,  Major  Charles  Johnson  and  Cyrus  Eames  started  to  Burling- 
ton, Iowa,  the  then  seat  of  the  territorial  government  of  the 
country  now  embraced  in  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota,  to 
obtain  such  a  charter.  In  a  dug-out  they  paddled  down  Rock 
river  to  the  Mississippi,  taking  with  them  for  provisions  a  supply 
of  smoked  suckers  and  cornbread,  and  then  went  by  steamer  to 
Burlington.  They  were  successful  and  returned  to  Beloit  with 
their  charter  on  December  5  of  the  same  year.  It  is  needless  to 
say  that  Beloit  Seminary  did  not  spring  into  immediate  activity. 
Divers  and  sundry  schools,  both  public  and  private,  preceded  it. 
According  to  the  best  information  obtainable,  the  first  school  of 
any  kind  in  Beloit  was  opened  in  the  kitchen  of  Caleb  Blodgett's 
house  in  the  year  1838,  the  teacher  being  John  Burroughs,  of 
Orange  county.  New  York.  In  the  following  year  a  school  house 
was  built  by  private  subscription  at  the  northeast  corner  of  School 
and  Prospect  streets,  and  here  the  first  public  school  was  opened, 
under  the  charge  of  Hazen  Cheney,  who  taught  during  the  years 
1839-40.  He  was  followed  by  Hiram  Hersey,  Alfred  Walker, 
Henry  Brown  and  Samuel  Clary  in  succession.  In  1843  or  1844 
a  school  was  started  in  the  basement  of  the  Congregational 
church.  This  building  had  been  erected  in  1842,  mainly  by  my 
father's  efforts.  As  the  Rev.  Lucien  D.  Mears  said,  'It  was  built 
with  unpaid  doctor's  bills,'  which  means  that  some  people  here- 
about could  nat  pay  for  Dr.  White's  services  with  money,  but 

244 


BELOIT  SCHOOLS  AXD  SCHOOL  TEACHEIJS         245 

could  pay  with  stone,  timber,  sand,  lime  and  the  labor  of  their 
hands  and  teams.  That  Dr.  "White  was  eventually  paid  by  the 
other  members  of  the  congregation  there  can  be  no  doubt,  since 
these  men  were  not  in  the  habit  of  getting  anything  of  value  for 
nothing,  least  of  all  their  church  privileges,  the  most  valuable  of 
all  things  to  them.  One  of  the  early  services  held  in  this  church 
was  my  father's  funeral.  He  died  of  consumption,  December  23, 
3843.  The  hardships  of  a  country  doctor's  life  in  a  thinly  settled 
region,  where  he  was  compelled  to  drive  long  distances  by  day 
and  night  in  a  rigorous  climate,  with  little  protection  against  the 
cold,  cut  him  off  at  the  age  of  thirty-three.  He  was  a  native  of 
Bethlehem,  N.  H.,  a  graduate  of  the  medical  department  of  Dart- 
mouth College,  a  man  of  intellectual  power  and  heroic  mould.  He 
shrank  from  no  duties,  and  I  am  sure  that  no  man  ever  performed 
greater  services  and  sacrifices  for  Beloit  than  he. 

"The  school  in  the  basement  of  this  church,  situated  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  Broad  and  Prospect  streets,  was  opened 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Rev.  Lewis  H.  Loss.  This  was  the  Beloit 
Seminary  for  which  Johnson  and  Eames  obtained  the  charter  in 
1837.    I  was  one  of  Mr.  Loss's  pupils. 

"My  earliest  recollections  of  school  days,  however,  are  not 
these.  They  cluster  about  an  infant  school  on  Race  street  (now 
439  St.  Paul  avenue)  kept  by  Miss  Jane  Moore,  my  mother's 
sister.  She  was  'Aunt  Jane  Moore'  to  all  the  young  people  in  the 
town.  From  this  I  was  transferred  to  the  public  school  before 
mentioned,  and  in  due  time  to  the  tutelage  of  Mr.  Loss.  The 
latter  had  for  an  assistant  Mr.  D.  Carley.  Mr.  Loss  was  succeeded 
in  1846  by  Sereno  T.  Merrill. 

"Before  the  college  proper  began  there  were  various  teachers 
here,  both  male  and  female,  whose  names  deserve  respectful  men- 
tion, although  I  do  not  remember  exactly  where  all  of  them 
taught,  viz. :  Sarah  T.  Crane,  Frances  Burchard,  Emeline  Fisher, 
Philomela  Atwood,  Eliza  Field,  M.  F.  Cutting,  Alexander  Stone, 
Daniel  Pinkham,  Leonard  Humphrey,  Mrs.  Saxby,  Mrs.  Dearborn, 
Mrs.  Carr,  Cornelia  Bradley,  Miss  Adaline  Merrill,  Jonathan 
Moore,  Ackland  Jones  and  Horatio  C.  Burchard.  The  last  named 
has  since  been  a  member  of  congress  and  director  of  the  mint  of 
the  United  States.  Miss  Bradley  became  the  wife  of  Judge  Hop- 
kins, of  Madison,  Wis.,  and  Miss  Merrill  the  wife  of  Dr.  Browne, 
of  Hartford,  Conn.    After  the  death  of  Mary  Kimball  Merrill,  the 


246  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

able  principal  of  the  young  ladies'  department  of  Beloit  Semi- 
nary, Miss  Jane  Blodgett  (now  i\Irs.  S.  T.  Merrill)  and  Miss  Cla- 
rinda  Hall  had  charge  of  a  young  ladies'  school  on  Broad  street, 
in  a  building  which  was  afterward  moved  to  State  street  and 
became  the  book  store  of  Wright  &  Merrill;  Miss  Chapin  (after- 
wards wife  of  Professor  Porter)  taught  in  this  school  in  1853. 

"Mr.  Humphrey  was  the  son  of  the  first  rector  of  the  Episco- 
pal church  in  Beloit,  and  succeeded  his  father  in  that  capacity. 
Miss  Fisher,  a  woman  of  great  energy  and  executive  talent,  be- 
came the  housekeeper  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  hotel  in  New  York. 
All,  so  far  as  I  know,  whether  rich  or  poor,  high  or  humble,  were 
honest,  earnest  men  and  women,  doing  good  and  not  evil  in  their 
day  and  generation.  Happy  shall  we  be  if  the  same  can  be  said 
of  us  when  our  fleeting  hour  is  past. ' '  Horace  "White,  1897. 

Among  the  very  earliest  of  the  teachers  above  named  were 
Stone  and  Pinkham,  who  taught  on  Race  street,  and  Mrs.  Atwood 
and  Mr.  Cutting,  whose  names  occasioned  the  first  recorded  Beloit 
joke:  "Why  is  wood-chopping  like  our  public  school  teachers? 
Because  they  are  Cutting  Atwood. ' '  Let  us  hope  that  this  expla- 
nation was  wholly  exoteric  and  had  no  esoteric  meaning.  Miss 
Adaline  ]\Ierrill  was  the  sister  of  Sereno  T.  Merrill,  and  with 
Cornelia  Bradley  taught  in  the  Beloit  Seminary  in  the  old  stone 
church,  and  later  in  the  Middle  College  building,  to  which  that 
school  was  moved  in  the  fall  of  1848.  Miss  Bradley  was  my 
teacher  in  1851  at  the  old  School  street  school  house,  and  I  remem- 
ber her  as  being  both  kind  and  efficient.  Mr.  Leonard  Hum- 
phrey's school  was  held  in  a  one-story  brick  building,  which  he 
had  built,  twenty  by  thirty  feet,  on  the  ground  facing  north  on 
Public  avenue,  now  number  534,  and  was  called  "the  aristocratic 
school."  In  1844  that  edifice  was  bought  by  St.  Paul's  Episcopal 
church  and  used  as  its  first  church  building. 

The  earliest  school  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  was  taught  by 
Miss  Foot  in  one  room  of  a  frame  house,  northwest  corner  of 
Third  street  and  Roosevelt  avenue,  in  1848.  The  next  school  was 
kept  in  a  small  house  on  Fourth  street  about  where  the  fire  sta- 
tion is  now,  and  was  taught  by  Harriet  Burchard  and  later  by 
Sarah  Burchard.  Later  (1852)  a  school  was  taught  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Millet  and  wife  in  a  little  old  plastered  house  on  Merrill  street  on 
the  hill ;  and  next  was  a  school  in  the  house  of  John  Saxby,  on 
Railroad  street,  a  little  north  of  St.  Lawrence  avenue.    Then  the 


BELOIT  SCHOOLS  AND  SCHOOL  TEACHERS        247 

stone  house  was  built  on  Bluff  street  (now  number  631),  in  which 
Mr.  S.  L.  James  was  one  of  the  early  instructors.  In  the  winter 
and  spring  of  1854  James  W.  Strong  taught  there,  and  later  B.  C. 
Rogers  and  wife.  Other  teachers  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Dustin  and  Miss  Higby.  That  stone  house  had  two  large  rooms 
and  a  small  recitation  room,  but  became  crowded,  and  therefore 
about  forty  boys  were  provided  with  a  store  room  in  the  old 
Cogswell  building  on  the  north  side  of  East  Grand  avenue  (now 
about  number  220),  and  were  taught  by  George  Himes,  a  singer 
in  the  Baptist  choir. 

Another  of  those  temporary  public  school  rooms  was  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  old  Mansion  house  (now  Thompson's  building). 
Then  came  the  new  public  school  buildings  on  each  side  of  the 
river. 

In  October,  1849,  S.  R.  Humphrey,  town  superintendent  of 
schools,  published  a  notice  informing  the  voters  of  Beloit  that 
he  had  annulled  the  former  arrangement  of  two  school  districts, 
and  had  combined  them  in  one,  to  be  called  "Union  District  No. 
1,  Beloit,"  comprising  sections  22,  27,  34  and  36,  and  that  part  of 
sections  23,  26  and  35,  situated  west  of  Rock  river.  October  23, 
John  M.  Keep  was  duly  elected  director  of  the  district,  S.  E. 
Barker,  treasurer,  and  S.  Drake,  clerk.  One  week  later,  however, 
as  citizens  of  the  west  side  had  petitioned  for  a  separate  school, 
this  district  instructed  the  town  superintendent,  I.  W.  Thayer,  to 
organize  for  them  School  District  No.  2,  including  sections  22  and 
27,  and  all  those  parts  of  sections  23,  26  and  35,  situated  west  of 
Rock  river.  Union  School  District  No.  1  then  appointed  T.  L. 
Wright  clerk,  S.  T.  Merrill  and  H.  Hobart  as  a  finance  and  build- 
ing committee,  and  March  10,  1851,  engaged  Herman  Belden 
(or  Belding)  to  excavate  the  cellar  for  a  new  brick  school  house 
at  nine  cents  per  cubic  yard.  The  site  chosen  was  in  the  city 
park,  about  in  line  with  the  south  side  of  Public  avenue,  and 
four  or  five  rods  east  of  Cellege  avenue.  Gates  &  Company  built 
the  stone  basement  walls  at  nine  dollars  per  cord  and,  with 
Stephen  Downer,  laid  up  the  three  story  red  brick  walls  at  $1.80 
per  yard.  October  29,  1851,  the  late  board  of  Union  District  No. 
1  were  complimented  for  having  erected  a  school  building  with 
only  one-half  as  much  of  a  debt  for  borrowed  money  as  they  had 
been  authorized  to  incur.  The  whole  cost  was  $4,312.71.  The 
old  school  building  on  School  street  had  been  sold  to  L.  G.  Fisher 


248  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

and  Hazen  Cheney  for  $355.00.  The  tax  of  1850  provided 
$1,186.00  and  that  of  1851  $1,274.71,  and  they  had  borrowed 
$1,460.50  at  10  per  cent  interest  from  Milton  Harvey  of  Cole- 
brook,  N.  H. 

January  12,  1852,  James  W.  Strong  began  teaching  in  that 
brick  school  house,  associated  with  Mrs.  Emmeline  Fisher  and 
Mrs.  Carey.  The  house  was  thirty-six  by  fifty-four  feet  on  the 
ground,  and  three  stories  high,  with  a  basement.  The  corkscrew 
stairway  from  story  to  story  for  the  girls  was  on  the  south  side 
of  the  house  and  that  for  boys,  on  the  north  side.  The  three 
rooms  were  seated  with  wooden  benches,  seat  and  desk  together, 
each  accommodating  two  scholars,  boys  on  the  north  side,  girls 
on  the  south ;  each  floor  had  a  main  room  and  one  recitation 
room  at  the  west  side,  connected  with  it  by  large  folding  doors. 
"The  house  is  warmed,"  says  a  Beloit  journal  of  1852,  "by  an 
ample  furnace  in  the  basement.  The  first  and  second  depart- 
ments are  now  opened,  the  latter  under  C.  Childs,  Esq.,  principal, 
and  Mrs.  Augusta  R.  Childs,  with  I.  W.  Atherton,  Esq.,  and  Miss 
Octavia  A.  Mills  as  teachers.  This  school  comprises  that  portion 
of  the  village  which  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  and  contains 
about  three  hundred  scholars." 

In  1855  "William  C.  Dustin  was  principal  of  No.  1,  with  his 
wife  as  assistant;  S.  G.  Colley,  director;  S.  Hinman,  clerk;  J.  P. 
Houston,  treasurer;  A.  J.  Battin,  superintendent  of  schools.  In 
that  year  our  old  citizen,  C.  C.  Keeler,  Esq.,  then  a  boy  of  nine- 
teen, came  to  Beloit  and  applied  to  Mr.  Battin  for  a  teacher's 
certificate.  While  with  considerable  anxiety  he  was  waiting  to 
be  examined  for  it,  Mr.  B.  asked  him  if  he  had  ever  taught  before. 
"Yes,"  replied  young  Keeler,  "in  Vermont."  "Oh,  well,"  said 
Battin,  "if  you  were  good  enough  to  teach  in  Vermont  you  are 
good  enough  for  Wisconsin,"  and  wrote  out  his  certificate  with- 
out any  further  questioning.  Young  Mr.  Keeler  then  taught  a 
winter  school  three  months,  in  the  Rubles  district,  four  miles  west 
of  Beloit,  which  was  inhabited  by  a  race  of  giants  from  Pennsyl- 
vania. But  they  were  very  peaceable  young  giants  and  gave  no 
trouble  whatever  to  Miss  Lucy  Ann  Brown,  who  taught  that 
school  in  the  summer  of  1853,  when  she  was  only  seventeen  years 
old.  A  later  principal  of  No.  1  was  James  H.  Blodgett  (after- 
wards principal  of  the  high  school  at  Rockford,  111.,  and  now  con- 
nected with  the  United  States  Census  Department  at  Washing- 


BELOIT  SCHOOLS  AXD  SCHOOL  TEACHERS        249 

ton,  D.  C).  He  was  assisted  in  the  third  room  by  Miss  Nancy- 
Brown,  of  Framingham,  Mass.,  and  her  sister,  Mary  C.  Brown 
(now  Mrs.  J.  H.  Blodgett),  was  principal  of  the  second  room. 

During  those  early  '50s  Beloit  had  also  in  the  old  Beloit  House, 
which  had  been  moved  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Public  avenue 
and  State  street,  a  female  seminary,  conducted  by  Rev.  S.  Beane 
and  wife.  Some  of  the  teachers  there  were  Almira  D.  White, 
Miss  Cunningham  (now  Mrs.  Edward  H.  Hobart),  Miss  Ander- 
son and  Miss  Mary  Davenport  (Mrs.  J.  W.  Strong),  who  after- 
wards became  the  very  able  assistant  of  Mr.  Tewskbury,  principal 
of  our  east  side  high  school  of  those  days. 

That  No.  2  school  house  of  cut  stone,  built  about  1855,  a  few 
rods  north  of  where  the  Parker  school  now  stands,  was  a  com- 
modious and  imposing  structure  of  two  stories  and  basement  and 
faced  east  with  a  bell  tower  at  the  east  end.  There  were  four 
rooms  in  the  basement,  in  one  of  which  taught  Miss  Mary  Murray, 
Miss  Mandana  H.  Bennett,  Miss  Gertrude  Spencer  and  others, 
and  on  each  of  the  other  floors  was  a  large  school  room  with  two 
recitation  rooms.  AVhen  B.  C.  Rogers  was  superintendent  he 
hired,  for  the  sake  of  economy,  a  Methodist  minister,  Rev.  Mr. 
Cooley,  and  his  wife,  both  of  whom  were  deficient  in  scholarship. 
One  Friday  evening,  in  the  middle  of  the  winter  term,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cooley  reported  to  the  superintendent  that  they  could  not 
take  the  scholars  any  farther,  and  the  next  Monday  morning 
their  places  were  occupied  by  Alexander  Kerr  and  Mrs.  Kerr, 
with  her  sister.  Miss  Mary  Brown  (Mrs.  Moses  Hinman).  Mr. 
Kerr,  first  principal  of  our  city  high  school  in  1868,  was  called 
later  to  be  Professor  of  Greek  at  Wisconsin  University,  and  is 
still  connected  with  that  institution  as  Professor  Emeritus. 

Other  prominent  teachers  of  No.  2  were  George  L.  Montague 
(later  first  lieutenant  Company  G,  Sixth  Wisconsin  Infantry) 
with  Miss  Maria  A.  Parry,  assistant,  and  Charles  W.  Buckley, 
afterwards  a  member  of  congress  from  Alabama. 

The  history  of  our  present  city  school  system,  inaugurated 
about  forty  years  ago,  is  presented  in  the  following  paper  by 
our  esteemed  clerk  of  the  school  board.  Dr.  Ernest  C.  Helm. 

Beloit  City  School  District. 

Chapter  76,  Laws  of  1868,  State  of  Wisconsin,  is  entitled, 
"An  act  to  consolidate  Union  School  District  No.  1  in  the  City 
of  Beloit,  joint  with  the  towns  of  Beloit  and  Turtle  and  Union 


250  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

School  District  No.  2,  joint  with  the  Town  of  Beloit  and  for  the 
formation  of  the  'Beloit  City  School  District.'  " 

The  above  entitled  act  was  passed  by  the  legislature  of  "Wis- 
consin early  in  1868  and  was  published  March  19,  1868.  The 
boundaries  are  the  entire  City  of  Beloit,  Wis.,  and  four  square 
miles  in  the  towns  of  Beloit  and  Turtle  adjacent  thereto.  Since 
that  date  the  Beloit  city  school  district  has  been  acting  under 
this  special  charter  and  the  arrangements,  though  so  old,  have 
thus  far  worked  very  smoothly  and  satisfactorily. 

The  only  duties  of  Union  School  District  No.  1  and  2  are 
rigidly  prescribed  by  the  special  charter  and  are : 

1.  For  the  purpose  of  erecting,  keeping  in  repair  and  insur- 
ing all  school  buildings  (except  high  school)  within  the  limits  of 
said  district. 

2.  For  payment  of  debts  now  or  hereafter  contracted  and 
the  interest  thereon. 

3.  For  the  purchase  of  school  sites,  election  of  officers  and 
taking  the  annual  school  census. 

On  the  first  Monday  in  July  is  held  the  annual  meeting  of  each 
district,  at  which  each  elects  one  member  of  their  district  board 
for  three  years,  thus  making  each  district  board  consist  of  three 
members. 

The  boards  of  No.  1  and  No.  2  meet  on  the  first  Monday  in 
August,  with  the  mayor  and  city  clerk.  The  mayor  presides  and 
votes  only  in  case  of  a  tie ;  the  citj^  clerk  keeps  the  record.  This 
meeting  is  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  city  superintendent  of 
schools,  who  also  is  the  president  of  the  board;  and  this  is  the 
only  meeting  where  the  mayor  or  city  clerk  are  officially  present. 
The  Beloit  city  school  board,  comprising  the  members  of  district 
No.  1  and  No.  2,  and  the  superintendent  is  at  all  times  a  distinct 
body,  entirely  independent  of  the  common  council,  or  board  of 
public  works,  and  all  except  the  superintendent  are  elected  direct- 
ly by  the  electors. 

The  Beloit  city  school  board  has  general  management  and 
supervision  of  all  the  public  schools  within  its  district.  It  has 
entire  charge  of  the  high  school,  of  the  entire  teaching  and  janitor 
force  and  of  the  truant  officer.  It  levies  taxes,  purchases  sup- 
plies and  exercises  all  the  powers  conferred  upon  district  school 
boards  that  are  not  explicitly  reserved  for  districts  No.  1  and 
No.  2. 


BELOIT  SCHOOLS  AXD  SCHOOL  TEACHERS        251 

No  part  of  the  general  charter  has  been  adopted  by  the  dis- 
trict, therefore  the  entire  management  of  the  public  schools  of 
Beloit,  including  the  erection,  maintenance  of  high  school,  em- 
ployment of  teachers,  curriculum  (subject  to  state  supervision) 
and  taxation  (subject  to  statute  limitations),  is  under  control 
of  the  Beloit  city  school  board.  After  the  publication  of  the 
before  mentioned  law,  on  ]\Iarch  19,  1868,  the  two  districts 
promptly  met  on  the  2Tth  of  March,  1868,  and  elected  L.  W. 
Davis  superintendent  and  J.  C.  Converse  clerk  pro  tem.  The 
members  present  were:  L.  N.  Davis,  superintendent;  J.  C.  Con- 
verse, T.  L.  Wright,  Sr.,  J.  A.  Chapman,  F.  F.  Cox  and  Joseph 
Britton ;  absent,  A.  P.  "Waterman.  Their  first  act  was  the  appoint- 
ment of  one  member  from  each  district,  to  secure  options  for  the 
new  high  school  site,  and  to  secure  a  map  of  the  territory  of 
Beloit  city  school  district.  The  selection  of  a  high  school  site 
caused  much  discussion,  as  each  side  of  the  river  wanted  the  high 
school.  So  great  was  the  public  feeling  regarding  the  site  for  the 
high  school  that  the  special  charter  explicitly  provided  how  it 
should  be  selected.  The  west  side  was  finally  victorious  and  the 
present  high  school  site  was  selected.  It  is  on  a  hill  overlooking 
Rock  river  and  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  school  grounds  in 
the  state. 

As  the  school  board  had  been  unable  to  agree  on  a  site  two 
referees  were  chosen.  They  were  0.  J.  Dearborn,  of  Janesville, 
and  Rev.  Roswell  Park,  of  Chicago.  They,  on  August  27,  1868, 
wisely  decided  on  the  present  site. 

Names  of  members  of  Beloit  city  school  board  in  the  order  of 
their  appointment.  Many  have  served  a  number  of  terms,  but 
their  names  will  appear  only  once:  T.  L.  Wright,  Sr.,  J.  C.  Con- 
verse, J.  A.  Chapman,  A.  P.  Waterman,  F.  F.  Cox,  Joseph  Brittan, 
William  Alexander,  R.  H.  Mills,  George  H.  Stocking,  S.  T.  Merrill, 
Fayette  Royce,  H.  P.  Strong,  S.  J.  Todd,  T.  C.  Chamberlin,  W.  H. 
Aldrich,  C.  P.  W^hitford,  B.  C.  Rogers,  G.  A.  Houston,  J.  H. 
French,  M.  S.  Hinman,  R.  J.  Burdge,  T.  B.  Bailey,  E.  K.  Felt, 
J.  B.  Peet,  W.  T.  Hall,  A.  N.  Bort,  R.  D.  Salsbury,  C.  B.  Salmon, 
B.  M.  Malone,  Samuel  Bell,  L.  H.  Parker,  R.  J.  Dowd,  A.  J.  Gas- 
ton, G.  L.  Cole,  James  Croft,  T.  L.  Wright,  Jr.,  E.  C.  Helm,  J.  A. 
Cunningham,  W.  H.  Grinell,  L.  F.  Bennett,  C.  A.  Smith,  E.  J. 
Adams,  L.  E.  Cunningham,  S.  Florey,  0.  T.  Thompson. 

The  school  superintendents,  in  order  of  election,  were :    L.  N. 


252  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Davis,  1868 ;  Eufus  King,  1868-1869 ;  J.  C.  Converse,  1869 ;  Will- 
iam Alexander,  1869;  T.  L.  Wright,  Sr.,  1870-1874,  1875-1880; 
Fayette  Eoyee,  1874-1875,  1883-1886;  T.  C.  Chamberlain,  1880- 
1881 ;  B.  M.  Malone,  1881-1883 ;  R.  D.  Salsbury,  1886-1887 ;  T.  A. 
Smith,  1887-1890 ;  W.  S.  Axtell,  1890-1891 ;  C.  W.  Merriman,  1891- 
1898;  F.  E.  Converse,  1898  to  date. 

Principals  of  high  school  in  order  of  appointment :  Alexander 
Kerr,  1868-1870;  T.  D.  Christie,  1871-1872;  Charles  F.  Eastman, 
1872-1874;  C.  Paine,  1874-1875;  W.  H.  Beach,  1875-1884;  U.  W. 
Lawton,  1884-1885;  C.  W.  Merriman,  1885-1887;  C.  A.  Hutchins, 
1887-1889 ;  W.  S.  Axtell,  1889-1891 ;  A.  F.  Rote,  1891-1896 ;  C.  H. 
Gordon,  1896-1897 ;  F.  E.  Converse,  1897-1902 ;  W.  H.  Partridge, 
1902-1903 ;  J.  C.  Pierson,  1903  to  date. 

The  first  four  superintendents  were  little  more  than  presidents 
of  the  board  and  only  served  two  years  altogether.  T.  L. 
Wright,  Sr.,  was  the  first  president  elected  under  the  special 
charter  to  serve  the  district  for  any  considerable  length  of  time. 
In  two  periods  he  served  eight  years.  Dr.  C.  W.  Merriman  was 
superintendent  seven  years,  and  Superintendent  F.  E.  Converse 
is  now  in  his  eleventh  year  of  consecutive  service. 

Professor  Alexander  Kerr,  who  was  our  first  high  school 
principal,  went  in  1870  to  the  chair  of  Greek  in  the  Wisconsin 
State  University  and  is  now  entitled  to  a  life  pension  from  the 
Carnegie  foundation  fund  for  his  more  than  twenty-five  years' 
work  (over  thirty-five  years)  as  an  instructor  in  that  university. 

The  first  class  to  graduate  was  in  1870  and  consisted  of  twelve 
girls  and  eight  boys.  There  were  seventeen  teachers.  School 
census  gave  about  1,600  children  of  school  age  in  the  district, 
and  the  total  cost  was  about  $18,000  a  year.  The  high  school 
(not  including  the  present  year — when  the  class  numbers  about 
fifty)  has  graduated  676.  Of  this  number  about  three-fourths 
were  girls — 521  girls  and  175  boys.  Had  there  been  a  manual 
training  school  it  is  certain  that  the  proportion  of  boys  would 
have  been  far  greater.  In  1890  the  board  appointed  City 
Marshal  C.  F.  North  as  truant  officer  and  bought  a  few  tools  for 
training  in  carpentry.  This  manual  training  department 
amounted  to  nothing  owing  to  lack  of  funds,  and  the  truant 
officer's  duties  were  merely  nominal.  Public  kindergartens  were 
started  in  1892  and  by  1896  were  so  crowded  as  to  require  double 
sessions.     The   present  system   of  naming  the   school   buildings 


BELOIT  SCHOOLS  AXD  SCHOOL  TEACHEES        253 

after  prominent  deceased  citizens  of  Beloit  was  adopted  in  1865. 
In  1896  the  L^niversity  of  Wisconsin  placed  the  Beloit  high  school 
on  its  accredited  list.  In  1896  the  department  of  drawing  was 
formed  and  an  efficient  teacher  selected  to  teach  the  rudiments 
in  all  the  schools.  Two  years  later  music  was  placed  on  the 
same  basis.  Beloit  early  established  a  system  of  fire  drills  which 
without  disorder  can  empty  any  school  building  in  from  one  to 
two  minutes.  All  doors  open  out.  The  High  and  Wright  schools 
have  outside  iron  fire  escapes,  and  in  the  fire  drills  pupils  are 
sometimes  sent  out  of  one  entrance  and  at  other  times  out  of 
other  or  all  entrances.  Free  text  books  were  provided  for  all 
the  grade  schools  in  1899.  Prior  to  that  the  average  annual  cost 
to  the  grade  scholars  for  text  books  had  been  $2  per  year,  while 
since  that  date  the  annual  cost  to  the  district  has  been  44  cents 
per  scholar.  No  free  text  books  are  furnished  the  high  school 
pupils  nor  in  the  kindergartens.  In  1903,  in  accordance  with  the 
new  state  law,  W.  C.  Cowles  was  appointed  truant  officer,  and  he 
is  still  serving  satisfactorily  in  that  capacity.  The  effect  of  the 
law  has  been  to  increase  the  percentage  of  attendance.  The 
present  superintendent,  F.  E.  Converse,  has  been  in  charge  of 
the  schools  eleven  years,  and  during  that  time  there  has  been  a 
very  large  increase  in  the  number  of  scholars,  and  the  efficiency 
of  the  public  schools  has  increased  very  markedly.  The  board 
early  adopted  the  plan  of  giving  a  large  measure  of  control  into 
the  hands  of  the  superintendent,  holding  him  responsible  for  the 
efficiency  of  the  teaching  force  and  for  the  general  condition  of 
the  schools.  To  this  and  to  the  unswervering  loyalty  of  the 
people  of  Beloit  to  their  schools,  a  faith,  loyalty  and  generosity 
that  is  unbounded,  can  be  attributed  the  high  position  that  is 
now  held  by  Beloit  in  public  education.  Our  public  kinder- 
gartens were  among  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  to  be  in  separate 
buildings.  We  now  have  five  separate  kindergarten  buildings ; 
four  of  them  were  especially  constructed  for  kindergarten  pur- 
poses and  they  are  models  of  this  kind.  There  is  one  new  ten- 
room  grade  building,  and  four  eight-room  grade  buildings,  two 
of  which  are  new,  and  two  new  four-room  buildings. 

There  are  in  1908  eighty  teachers.  The  school  census  shows 
4,400  children  of  school  age  in  the  district,  and  the  total  expenses 
are  about  $70,000.  F.  E.  Converse  is  supervisor  of  schools  and 
J.  C.  Pierson  is  principal  of  the  high  school.     The  present  board 


254  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

are:  L.  F.  Bennett,  L.  E.  Cunningham,  0.  T.  Thompson,  A.  N. 
Bort,  C.  A.  Smith,  E.  C.  Helm,  clerk.  A.  N.  Bort  has  served 
continuously  on  the  board  for  twenty-four  years  and  most  of 
that  time  was  clerk  of  the  board. 

The  high  school  building  is  too  small  and  is  greatly  over- 
crowded. January  1,  1909,  the  fine  new  $130,000  high  school 
addition  will  be  completed,  when  Beloit  will  have  an  unusually 
fine  high  school  building,  thoroughly  equipped  in  all  depart- 
ments, including  gymnasium,  manual  training  and  domestic 
science.  The  total  value  of  the  school  property  of  the  district, 
including  the  high  school  building  in  process  of  construction, 
exceeds  $400,000. 

It  would  be  unjust  to  close  this  article  without  words  of 
appreciation  for  the  large  list  of  members  of  the  board  who  have 
for  forty  years  served  the  district  well  and  faithfully,  and  that 
with  no  compensation  other  than  that  of  work  well  done.  Too 
much  can  scarcely  be  said  in  praise  of  the  superintendents,  prin- 
cipals and  teachers  who  have  labored  so  faithfully,  efficiently 
and  incessantly  for  public  education  in  Beloit.  The  school  board 
and  the  teachers  alike  would  have  accomplished  little  had  not 
they  always  had  the  loving,  hearty  co-operation  of  the  electors 
and  taxpayers  of  Beloit;  and  to  these  loyal  citizens  is  given  the 
credit  for  the  magnificent  system  of  public  schools  of  which 
Beloit  is  justly  proud. 

E.  C.  HELM, 
Secretary  Beloit  City  School  Board. 

Among  the  principals  of  our  city  high  school,  the  fifth  in  line, 
William  H.  Beach,  who  served  from  1875  to  1884,  became  princi- 
pal of  the  high  school  at  Madison,  Wis.,  and  superintendent  of 
schools  for  that  city,  1884  to  1891;  in  the  latter  year  he  was 
made  head  of  the  department  of  history  and  civics  at  the  high 
school  in  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  and  served  as  acting  principal  of  the 
east  side  high  school  for  several  different  periods.  He  is  now 
living,  retired  from  school  life,  on  his  farm  in  New  York.  In 
regard  to  him,  the  G.  A.  K.  post  commander  for  AVisconsin, 
Colonel  J.  A.  Watrous,  when  visiting  the  East  Division  high 
school,  Milwaukee,  some  seventeen  years  ago,  told  the  pupils  the 
following  story,  which  one  of  them  repeated  to  me : 

During  the  battle  at  Winchester,  Va.,  under  Sheridan,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1864,  General  Averill,  commanding  the  cavalry,  was 


BELOIT  SCHOOLS  AND  SCHOOL  TEACHEES        255 

very  anxious  to  capture  two  of  the  enemy's  guns,  which  were  so 
placed  as  to  do  us  much  damage.  He  called  for  volunteers  for 
that  hazardous  service,  and  at  once  enough  men  offered  them- 
selves and  a  young  lieutenant.  At  first  the  general  said,  "You 
can't  do  it,  boys."  He  let  them  go,  however,  with  orders  to  dis- 
mount, leave  a  few  men  to  guard  their  horses,  and  work  their  way 
up  as  near  to  the  guns  as  possible  before  charging.  They  did  so 
and  then  that  little  band,  led  by  the  young  lieutenant,  dashed 
across  an  intervening  field  and  won  the  coveted  prize.  A  rein- 
forcement of  cavalry  promptly  following  secured  what  they  had 
gained  and  covered  their  return  to  their  horses  and  to  the  cheers 
of  their  comrades.  "And  that  young  lieutenant,"  said  Watrous, 
"was  your  instructor,  AYilliam  H.  Beach."  The  girls  clapped 
their  hands  and  the  boys  all  shouted.  Hurrah !  Hurrah !  Beach ! 
Speech !  But  what  his  speech  was,  or  whether  he  gave  one,  this 
pupil  did  not  distinctly  remember.  If  my  remembrance  is  cor- 
rect our  Mr.  Beach,  though  a  capable  speaker,  was  not  much  of  a 
fighter — with  his  mouth. 

In  1839  the  entire  assessed  valuation  of  Rock  county  was 
$21,792.45,  and  the  county  treasurer  collected  for  the  first  year 
about  $1,200.  In  1907  the  assessment  of  Beloit  school  district 
alone  was  $8,775,000,  producing  a  revenue  of  over  $150,000,  of 
which  about  eighty  thousand  dollars  was  raised  for  school  pur- 
poses. 

The  growth  during  the  last  twenty-eight  years  has  been  espec- 
ially remarkable.  Between  1868  and  1879  the  levy  for  school 
purposes  averaged  not  quite  $9,860  per  year.  In  1879  Principal 
W.  H.  Beach  reported:  "Scholars  enrolled,  1,052;  average  at- 
tendance, 712;  amount  paid  teachers,  $9,270;  received  from  out- 
side scholars,  $605 ;  net  cost  per  capita  of  enrolled  scholars,  $8.23 ; 
of  those  actually  in  attendance,  $12.17."  In  1880  (according  to 
F.  F.  Livermore,  "Daily  News,"  April  7th,  1908)  Beloit  had  three 
school  buildings  with  seventeen  teachers,  pay  roll  $7,900  and  total 
expenditures  of  about  thirteen  thousand  dollars  for  sixteen  hun- 
dred children  of  school  age,  with  land  and  buildings  valued  at 
about  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  In  December,  1907,  we  had 
thirteen  buildings,  eighty-one  teachers,  a  pay  roll  of  $46,720,  the 
total  concurrent  expense  being  $65,505,  besides  $20,000  paid  on 
bonds  and  interest  for  new  buildings,  and  a  school  census  of  4,383. 
(The  census  for  July,  1908,  gives  us  4,432.     Of  this  number,  dur- 


256  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

ing  1907,  3,300  were  enrolled  and  2,700  in  daily  attendance.)  We 
have  established  three  commodious  kindergartens  in  connection 
with  the  Parker,  Hackett  and  Strong  schools,  and,  with  the 
Gaston  and  Merrill  new  buildings  and  the  Noble  high  school 
building,  now  (1908)  being  completed,  possess  a  city  school  prop- 
erty which  is  estimated  to  be  worth  about  half  a  million  dollars. 


XII. 

HISTORY    OF   THE    JANESVILLE    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 

By 
H.  C.  Buell  (1907). 

The  earliest  settlers  of  Janesville  pitched  their  camp  and 
erected  their  first  log  cabin  in  October,  1835,  opposite  the  "big 
rock"  near  the  southern  end  of  the  bridge  connecting  Monterey 
with  the  Spring  Brook  portion  of  the  city.  The  first  school  was 
established  in  1838  in  the  log  sehoolhouse  on  the  property  of  Mr, 
Abram  C.  Bailey,  near  this  first  log  house,  on  the  south  side  of 
the  bend  of  the  river.  The  first  teacher  was  Hiram  H.  Brown, 
who  later  lived  in  Green  county.  This  was  probably  the  first 
school  opened  in  Rock  county,  if  not  in  the  entire  Wisconsin 
portion  of  the  Rock  River  valley.  This  primitive  sehoolhouse 
was  of  the  rudest  construction.  Its  chinked  walls  were  of  rough 
hewn  logs  and  the  seats  were  basswood  slabs.  Thus  at  the  "big 
ford"  of  the  Rock  river,  within  a  few  rods  of  the  "big  rock," 
from  whose  flat  summit  Mucketay  Muckekawkaik  (Black  Hawk) 
harangued  his  braves,  was  founded  in  1838  the  first  educational 
institution  in  Rock  county  and  the  Rock  River  valley.  This  log 
sehoolhouse  was  used  until  1843,  when  another  log  house  was 
occupied  by  the  school  until  the  erection  of  the  red  frame  school- 
house  of  the  joint  districts  of  Rock  and  La  Prairie  in  1844,  a 
full  half-mile  east  of  the  first  log  house.  Daniel  Nurse  taught 
the  school  in  the  winter  of  1841-42  and  Mr.  Benedict  in  1842-43. 
Orrin  Guernsey  was  the  first  teacher  to  wield  the  birch  rod  in 
the  new  frame  building  during  the  winter  of  1843-44.  Mr.  Guern- 
sey in  1856  wrote  the  first  history  of  Rock  county,  a  work  of  350 
pages,  published  under  the  auspices  of  the  Rock  County  Agri- 
cultural Society  and  Mechanics'  Institute. 

While  school  matters  were  well  under  way  in  the  Spring 
Brook  region  the  settlement  near  the  Janes  tavern  and  ferry 
also  established  a  school.    This  school  was  opened  in  a  log  house 

257 


258  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

in  the  woods  near  North  Main  street  three  rods  north  of  East 
Milwaukee  street.  Miss  Cornelia  Sheldon  (later  Mrs.  Isaac 
Woodle)  taught  the  first  term  of  school  in  the  summer  of  1840. 
She  was  succeeded  the  following  winter  by  Rev.  G.  "W.  Lawrence, 
who  established  the  first  debating  society  in  1841.  Other  in- 
structors in  the  village  school  were  Messrs.  Little,  Bennett,  Ar- 
nold, Wood  and  White.  The  records  and  names  of  the  women 
who  taught  the  summer  terms  of  the  school  are  Miss  Wingate, 
Miss  True,  Miss  Bennett  and  Mrs.  Catlin. 

In  1845  a  brick  building  was  erected  on  Division  street  which 
was  regarded  as  a  model  of  comfort  and  convenience  in  the  early 
'40s  and   '50s. 

The  Janesville  Academy. 

Before  the  days  of  the  free  high  school  private  academies 
were  established  throughout  the  Middle  West.  In  1843  a  char- 
ter was  granted  to  A.  Hyatt  Smith,  E.  V.  Whiton,  J.  B.  Doe, 
Charles  Stevens  and  W.  H.  Bailey  for  the  establishment  of  the 
Janesville  Academy.  A  stone  building  was  erected  on  High 
street  near  Milwaukee  street,  on  the  site  of  the  present  Lincoln 
school,  and  in  1844  the  academy  was  opened  with  Rev.  Thomas 
J.  Ruger,  an  Episcopal  clergyman,  as  principal.  Many  of  the 
business  men  of  that  generation  received  their  education  at  this 
old  stone  academy  on  High  street.  Mr.  Ruger  was  succeeded  by 
Mr.  Alden  and  he  by  Messrs.  Woodard,  Webb,  Spicer  and  Gorton. 
In  the  early  '50s  the  school  was  known  as  the  Janesville  Col- 
legiate Institution.  It  was  purchased  by  the  city  in  1855  and 
became  known  as  the  Janesville  Free  Academy.  It  was  used  for 
public  school  purposes  until  1876,  when  it  was  superseded  by  the 
present  Lincoln  school. 

The  Public  School  System. 

Few  states  in  the  Union  have  made  such  liberal  provision  for 
free  education  as  has  Wisconsin. 

The  delegates  sent  from  Janesville  to  the  convention  as- 
sembled in  1845-47-48  to  draft  a  state  constitution  were  Hon. 
E.  V.  Whiton  and  Hon.  A.  Hyatt  Smith.  After  a  notable  parti- 
san controversy  the  present  constitution  was  adopted  in  1848. 
Therein  provision  was  made  for  a  school  fund  of  more  than 
$5,000,000,  only  the  accrued  interest  of  the  sum  to  be  expended. 

For  nearly  ten  years  under  the  village   charter,  Janesville 


m 


I'ETEi!  :\rY]:i{s. 


JANESVILLE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  259 

maintained  her  district  schools,  but  these  were  crude  in  methods 
and,  as  the  population  increased,  a  higher  grade  of  culture  was 
demanded.  A  few  enterprising  citizens  with  wise  forethought 
determined  upon  thorough  organization  and  gradation  of  the 
schools.  Among  those  who  were  enthusiastic  promoters  of  this 
achievement  were  Hon.  J.  J.  R.  Pease,  Dr.  Lyman  J.  Barrows, 
Hon.  W.  A.  Lawrence,  lion.  James  Sutherland,  Judge  M.  S. 
Prichard  and  Hon.  B.  B.  Eldredge.  In  April,  1855,  the  present 
system  of  schools  was  adopted,  although  it  was  not  in  practical 
operation  until  the  schools  were  thoroughly  graded  in  1856. 

At  this  time  a  record  of  educational  and  literary  institutions 
of  the  city  embraced  a  central  high  school,  eight  schools  of  lower 
grade,  three  select  schools  and  the  state  institution  for  the  blind, 
also  the  Janesville  Lyceum  and  Mechanics  Institute,  the  latter 
society  assembling  for  improvement  in  arts  and  sciences. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  educators  who  have  successively  had 
charge  of  the  public  schools  in  Janesville  during  their  organiza- 
tion:  O.  N.  Gorton,  1854-56;  Levi  M.  Cass,  1856-61;  J.  G.  Mc- 
Kindley,  1861-62 ;  S.  T.  Lockwood,  1862-64 ;  C.  A.  Ilutchins,  1864- 
1866;  O.  R.  Smith,  1866-70;  Dr.  Brewster,  1870  (one  term);  W. 
D.  Parker,  1870-75 ;  R.  W.  Burton,  1875-85 ;  C.  H.  Keyes,  1885-89 ; 
I.  N.  Stewart,  1889-90 ;  F.  W.  Cooley,  1890-93 ;  D.  D.  Mayne,  1893- 
1901 ;  H.  C.  Buell,  1901-,  superintendent  at  the  present  time. 

April  4,  1854,  James  Sutherland  was  elected  nominal  super- 
intendent of  the  Janesville  schools,  with  O.  N.  Gorton  as  prin- 
cipal. December  9  of  the  same  year,  C.  P.  King  was  elected  to 
fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of  James  Sutherland. 
G.  S.  Dodge  succeeded  C.  P.  King.  On  March  29,  1855,  an  act  of 
the  legislature  amended  the  city  charter  by  which  the  constable, 
assessors,  school  commissioners  and  superintendent  of  schools 
were  elected  by  the  common  council.  April  14,  1855,  the  follow- 
ing school  commissioners  were  appointed :  James  Sutherland, 
Shubael  Smith,  M.  C.  Smith  and  Andrew  Palmer. 

Since  the  amendment  of  the  charter,  approved  March  17, 
1859,  school  commissioners  have  been  elected  at  the  annual  char- 
ter election  and  have  held  their  office  for  two  years. 

The  following  is  the  enrolment  of  the  Board  of  Education 
since  1856.  Many  having  served  more  than  one  term,  names  are 
arranged  in  accordance  with  date  of  first  term  of  office :  Hiram 
Foote,  G.  W.  Lawrence,  H.  Collins,  W.  Mclntyre,  Isaac  Woodle, 


260  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Alexander  Graham,  B.  B.  Eldredge,  Hiram  Bowen,  James  Arm- 
strong, Henry  Palmer,  H.  A.  Patterson,  W.  B.  Strong,  E.  F. 
Spaulding,  W.  A.  Lawrence,  H.  N.  Comstock,  0.  J.  Dearborn,  C. 
R.  Gibbs,  A.  S.  Jones,  B.  F.  Pendleton,  C.  L.  Thompson,  S.  Hold- 
redge,  G.  R.  Curtis,  E.  G.  Fifield,  L.  F.  Patton,  J.  B.  Whiting,  L. 
J.  Barrows,  0.  R.  Smith,  L.  Hunt,  G.  C.  McLean,  J.  Sherer,  S.  C. 
Burnham,  M.  M.  Conant,  J.  W.  St.  John,  Thomas  T.  Croft,  W.  D. 
Hastings,  B.  J.  Daly,  Stanley  B.  Smith,  C.  L.  Valentine,  Isaac 
Farnsworth,  C.  E.  Bowles,  W.  Ruger,  A.  0.  "Wilson,  A.  H.  Shel- 
don, Charles  Atwood,  Thomas  Madden,  M.  L.  Richardson,  Cyrus 
Miner,  L.  Holloway,  T.  Judd,  J.  M.  Nelson,  J.  C.  Metcalf,  Q.  0. 
Sutherland,  J.  Kneff,  F.  F.  Stevens,  C.  C.  McLean,  Ogden  Fethers, 
Horace  McElroy,  V.  P.  Richardson,  T.  W.  Goldin,  John  Slightam, 
John  Lynch,  A.  G.  Anderson,  M.  M.  Phelps,  P.  J.  Mouat,  John 
Weisend,  John  Cunningham,  F.  demons,  F.  C.  Burpee,  Silas  Hay- 
ner,  J.  M.  Thayer,  C.  K.  Miltimore,  S.  M.  Smith,  George  King,  W. 
S.  Jeffris,  H.  C.  Cunningham,  Paul  Rudolph,  Alva  Hemmens,  E. 
B.  Heimstreet,  Dr.  S.  B.  Buckmaster,  Mrs.  Janet  B.  Day,  Arthur 
Fisher,  William  Kuhlow,  Francis  Grant. 

Those  who  gave  this  faithful  service  to  the  public  without 
remuneration,  and  often  at  the  sacrifice  of  personal  interests, 
should  receive  public  recognition  and  appreciation. 

School  Buildings. 

In  1856  commodious  buildings  were  erected  in  the  Second 
and  Fifth  wards,  and  the  schools  were  graded  into  high  school, 
grammar,  intermediate  and  primary  departments,  the  old  acad- 
emy becoming  the  central  or  high  school  of  the  system.  With  its 
several  departments  in  which  were  pursued  studies  taught  in  our 
best  academies,  with  its  ability  to  graduate  pupils  with  a  thor- 
ough English  and  classical  education,  the  old  academy  became 
a  magnet  of  superior  force  and  an  important  factor  in  municipal 
affairs. 

A  demand  for  more  room  secured  the  erection  of  a  high  school 
building  in  1858  at  a  cost  of  $40,000,  and  in  1859  the  high  school 
department,  with  Levi  Cass  as  principal,  was  transferred  to  its 
new  location. 

An  increase  of  population  soon  rendered  additional  accommo- 
dations necessary,  and  in  1866  and  1873  buildings  were  erected 
in  the  First  and  Fourth  wards.     In  1876  requisite  appropriation 


JANESYILLE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  261 

was  made  for  the  Lincoln  school  building,  which  was  erected  on 
the  site  of  the  old  academy. 

Since  then  the  Second  ward  school  house  has  been  rebuilt, 
new  buildings  have  been  erected  in  the  Fifth,  Fourth,  First  and 
Third  wards,  and  also  the  new  high  school  building;  thus,  year 
by  year  the  school  property  has  been  increased  until  now  its 
valuation  may  be  approximately  estimated  at  $300,000,  with  ac- 
commodations for  nearly  3,000  pupils. 

The  High  School. 

The  high  school  proper  was  organized  in  1856.  The  first 
class  of  three  was  graduated  in  1858.  Since  the  first  commence- 
ment in  the  old  academy  building,  which  occurred  without  public 
exercises,  the  school  has  graduated  988.  Of  this  number  513  have 
graduated  within  the  past  ten  years,  of  whom  203  are  boys  and 
310  girls.  In  the  preceding  thirty-nine  years  113  boys  and  362 
girls  have  graduated.  The  goodly  proportion  of  boys  who  con- 
tinue in  school  in  recent  years  is  doubtless  due  to  the  school 
curriculum,  which  includes  manual  training,  a  commercial  course 
and  other  practical  features.  The  third  floor  of  the  old  Jefferson 
school  building  was  used  for  the  high  school  rooms  from  1859  to 
1895.  In  the  fall  of  1895  the  school  was  moved  to  the  present 
commodious  high  school  building  on  High  street. 

There  are  today  eight  courses  of  study.  The  equipment  in- 
cludes three  well  supplied  laboratories  for  the  science  course,  a 
manual  training  department  with  sufficient  lathes  for  wood  and 
iron  turning,  a  domestic  science  course  with  sewing  and  cooking 
facilities  and  ample  room  throughout  the  building  for  450  stu- 
dents.   Fourteen  teachers  are  employed. 

Kindergartens. 

In  1903  the  overcrowded  condition  of  the  primary  schools, 
together  with  the  fact  that  large  numbers  of  small  children  of  the 
minimum  school  age  were  enrolled  in  the  schools,  led  the  Board 
of  Education  to  establish  the  public  kindergarten  as  a  part  of  the 
school  system.  There  are  four  large  kindergartens  in  the  city, 
with  an  enrolment  of  250  pupils. 

Reminiscences. 

The  "Great  Teacher"  once  placed  potential  emphasis  upon 
the  "Fruit"  as  the  criterion  for  estimating  individuals  and  in- 


362  HISTOEY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY 

stitutions.  The  young  people  who  have  gone  out  from  the  Janes- 
ville  schools  bear  striking  testimony  to  the  value  and  efficacy  of 
the  educational  institution,  as  well  as  the  homes  and  churches, 
from  which  they  came. 

One  old  time  pupil,  Ira  Button  (Father  Joseph),  sacrificed 
family,  home  and  country  upon  duty's  altar  and  has  devoted  his 
life's  purposes  to  the  lepers  in  the  Sandwich  islands. 

Frances  Willard  attended  the  Sabbath  school  held  in  the  old 
academy  on  High  street. 

Clarence  Antisdel,  of  the  class  of  1882,  is  a  prominent  mis- 
sionary in  southern  Africa. 

James  Sutherland,  the  first  superintendent  of  schools  in  Janes- 
ville  township  in  1848,  and  of  the  city  schools  after  its  first  char- 
ter, introduced  and  championed  the  normal  school  bill  through 
the  state  senate  in  1857. 

In  April,  1864,  Principal  Samuel  P.  Lockwood,  accompanied 
by  a  large  number  of  the  high  school  boys,  responded  to  one  of 
the  last  calls  for  volunteers  and  left  the  school  room  as  captain 
of  Company  A,  Fortieth  regiment.  The  five  boys  of  the  grad- 
uating class  were  among  the  number  who  enlisted,  and  their 
diplomas  were  awarded  to  them  by  the  Board  of  Education  the 
following  June.  The  boys  of  that  graduating  class  included  S. 
C.  Burnham,  DeWitt  Davis,  Ira  C.  Fredendal,  Silas  P.  Gibbs, 
Rufus  Ressiguie. 

Space  forbids  the  mention  of  other  prominent  men  and  women 
who  have  graduated  from  or  been  connected  with  the  city  schools. 
The  professions  of  medicine,  law,  dentistry,  the  ministry,  and 
teaching  have  been  successfully  filled  by  the  graduates  and  stu- 
dents of  the  schools.  The  trades  have  received  additions  of 
skilled  workmen  and  faithful  employees  from  her  ranks.  Some 
of  the  most  successful  business  enterprises  of  the  country  have 
been  managed  or  aided  by  some  of  the  thousands  of  young  people 
who  received  their  early  education  in  the  Janesville  public 
schools.  Thousands  of  intelligent  and  successful  homes  have  re- 
ceived their  greatest  inspiration  and  happiness  when  former 
school  girls  of  Janesville  came  to  preside  over  their  destiny. 

H.  C.  BUELL, 
Superintendent  of  Schools,  Janesville,  Wis. 


XIII. 

BELOIT  CHURCHES. 

The  First  Congregational  Church  of  Beloit,  Wis.,  was  organ- 
ized by  Rev.  W.  M.  Adams,  in  the  large  kitchen  at  the  east  end 
of  Caleb  Blodgett's  house,  northeast  corner  of  State  and  School 
streets,  December  30,  1838,  with  these  twenty-four  charter  mem- 
bers :  Deacon  Peter  R.  Field ;  wife,  Hannah,  and  son,  Alfred  L. ; 
her  sister,  Mrs.  Nancy  Crane;  nephew,  Robert  P.  Crane;  niece, 
Sarah  T.  Crane,  and  son-in-law,  Horace  Hobart,  all  from  Cole- 
brook,  N.  H.  Three  were  from  Groton,  N.  II. ;  Benjamin  I.  Tenny 
and  wife,  Ann,  and  Mrs.  S.  Cummings  (later  Mrs.  McEl  Henny)  ; 
Asahel  B.  Howe  and  wife,  Betsey ;  Henry  Mears  and  wife,  Louisa, 
and  her  sister,  Maria  Clark ;  Ira  Hersey  and  wife,  Omittee ;  Eliza- 
beth Field  (wife  of  Alfred),  Amanda  Cooper,  Chauncey  Tuttle 
and  wife.  Amy;  Sophronia  Blanchard,  Mrs.  Cordelia  Blodgett 
Hackett  and  Martha  Blodgett.  At  the  first  communion  season, 
January  27,  1839,  were  added  Samuel  G.  Colley  and  wife ;  his  sis- 
ter, Mrs.  Ann  Jane  Atwood,  and  Mrs.  Esther  Crosby. 

At  first  this  church  received  home  missionary  aid  to  the 
amount  of  $75,  but  thereafter  became  independent  of  aid.  Meet- 
ings were  held  in  private  houses  until  the  Union  school  house  was 
built,  by  private  subscription,  in  the  fall  of  1839,  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  School  and  Prospect  streets.  In  that  house  the  Metho- 
dists and  Episcopalians  held  services  on  alternate  Sunday  morn- 
ings,- and  the  Congregationalists  every  Sunday  afternoon  and 
evening.  April  7,  1840,  Rev.  W.  M.  Adams  reported  a  Sunday 
school  of  twenty  scholars,  organized  during  the  previous  year, 
the  first  superintendent  being  the  surveyor,  John  Hopkins.  The 
first  child  baptized  (in  November,  1839)  was  the  infant  son  of 
Deacon  Hobart,  Horace  R.,  (now,  1908,  editor  of  the  ''Railway 
Age,"  Chicago). 

In  November,  1840,  Rev.  Dexter  Clary  became  the  minister 
(1840-1850),  and  Mrs.  Sarah  M.,  his  wife,  came  with  him.     (She 

263 


264  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

lived  here  until  her  death,  in  1899,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two 
years.)  The  corner  stone  for  their  first  building,  "the  old  stone 
church,"  was  laid  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Broad  and  Prospect 
streets,  July  6,  1842,  and  the  completed  building  was  dedicated 
January  3,  1844.  In  May,  1843,  Benjamin  Brown  joined  that 
church,  where  his  wife  was  already  a  member,  and  in  1845  their 
infant  son,  "William  Fiske  (the  editor  of  this  county  history)  was 
baptized  there  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clary.     There  also,  December  25, 

1843,  had  occurred  the  funeral  services  of  Dr.  Horace  White, 
leader  of  the  New  England  colony.     In  this  church,  August  7, 

1844,  was  held  the  first  convention  Avhich  met  to  consider  the 
organization  of  a  college,  leading  finally  to  our  Beloit  College. 

The  succeeding  ministers  were  :  1850-1851,  Rev.  A.  L.  Chapin ; 
Rev.  W.  S.  Huggins,  to  November,  1852.  H.  N.  Brinsmade,  D.  D., 
1853  to  1861;  Simon  J.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,  1861  to  1864;  George 
Bushnell,  D.  D.,  1865  to  1884;  Cyrus  Hamlin.  D.  D.,  1885  to  1895; 
George  R.  Leavitt,  D.  D..  1895  to  1906 ;  Wilfred  A.  Rowell,  1907. 

In  1852  the  first  building  was  lengthened  twenty  feet  and  the 
front  approach  changed.  The  new  brick  building  on  the  hill, 
northeast  corner  of  Church  and  Bushnell  streets,  was  dedicated 
July  6,  1862,  and  seats  with  the  galleries  1,200.  The  chapel  at 
the  north  end  was  erected  in  1873.  Plans  are  now  (1908)  ma- 
tured for  changing  this  chapel  to  a  modern  structure. 

This  church  is  organized  for  the  usual  forms  of  christian 
service,  and  has  a  present  membership  (January  1,  1908)  of  327 
resident  and  149  non-resident;  total,  476..  Of  these,  three  are 
missionaries  in  this  country — Rev.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus  Hamlin,  Tou- 
galoo.  Miss.,  and  Rev.  Thomas  L.  Riggs,  Oahe,  S.  D. ;  and  seven 
are  foreign  missionaries — Mrs.  T.  D.  Christie,  Tarsus,  Asia ;  Mary 
H.  Porter,  Henry  D.  Porter,  M.  D.  and  D.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Chapin  Porter,  Rev.  Dr.  Arthur  H.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Emma  Dicken- 
son Smith,  and  Mrs.  Isabella  Riggs  Williams,  all  of  China. 

Their  first  pastor.  Rev.  Dexter  Clary,  kept  a  register  of  mar- 
riages and  deaths.  As  there  is  no  record  elsewhere  of  these  facts 
his  account  for  those  earlier  years  is  given  here,  so  as  to  help 
preserve  a  valuable  record.  The  original  book,  with  the  con- 
sent of  Dr.  Clary's  grandson,  R.  J.  C.  Strong,  M.  D.,  of  Beloit, 
Wis.,  will  be  deposited  in  our  new  state  historical  library  build- 
ing, at  Madison,  Wis. 


WILLIAM   FISKE   BROWX,   M.A.,   D.D. 


BELOIT  CHUECHES  265 

Register  of  marriages : 

1841— July  12.     Wm.  C.  Boilvin,  111.,  to  Juliette  Bird,  Pec- 
atonic    $5.00 

September  1.  Hiram  Hill,  Beloit,  to  Caroline 
Cheney,  Beloit 2.50 

September  2.  Saml  Hersey,  Picatonic,  to  Han- 
nah Cole,  Beloit 1.00 

1842— Mch.    20.     David    Merrill,    Whitewater,    to    Agnes 

Fonda,  Beloit 3.00 

June  30.  Lucius  J.  Fisher,  Beloit,  to  Caroline  E. 
Field,  Beloit  (This  was  undoubtedly  Lucius  G. 
Fisher.  Mr.  Clary  made  a  mistake  as  to  his  mid- 
dle initial.— Ed.)  5.00 

Sept.  1.    Chs.  H.  Conrad,  Rockford,  to  Harriet  Brad- 
ley, Roscoe  5.00 

Sept.  26.    Edwin  Bicknell,  Beloit,  to  Jane  A.  Fisher, 
Beloit   5.00 

Oct.  26.    Doct.  Geo.  W.  Bicknell,  Patosi,  to  Abigail 

Rawson,  Mendon,  Mass 5.00 

1843— Mch.    6.    Saml    0.    Wells,    Michigan,    to    Lucinda 

Holmes,  Janesville   5 .  00 

May  27.  Joseph  Roahriz,  Indiana,  to  Arabella  Day- 
ton, Beloit    (late  of  Milwaukie) 1.00 

June  5.    Thos.    B.    Talcott,    Pickatonic,    to    Sophia 

Willard,  Picatonic    5.00 

Oct.     11.     Chs.     C.     Wright     to     Harriet     Talcott, 

Picatonic    5 .  00 

1843— Eli  Hayes,  Beloit,  to  Naomi  K.  Curtis,  Beloit 2.00 

1844— Feb.     8.     Mr.     Blackinton,    Lydia     Smith,     all      of 

Rockfd 4.00 

Apl  2nd.     Lawson  Carrier  to  Amelia  A.  Carrier,  111.     2.00 

June  3.     Peter  Smith,  Rock  Grove,  111.,  Julia  Cham- 

berlin,  of  Clinton,  Wis 5.00 

Nov.  27.     John  B.  Saxby,  Beloit,  Harriet  Warner, 
Beloit.     Sent    the     certificate     to     Kimbal,     Dec. 

17,  by  Revd.  Mr.  Buckley 3.00 

1845— Apl.  6.     Geo.  C.  Albee,  Pickatonic,    111.,    Susan    C. 

Mills.  Beloit  1.50 


266  HIS  TOE  Y  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

August    15.     Saml    Hinman,   Prairieville,    Eliza    M. 

White,  Beloit  $  5.00 

Gave  certificate  myself  to  Kimbal. 
Nov   22.    Revd.    J.   D.    Stevens,   Plattville,   Esther 

Humfrey,  Victor,  N.  Y 

Dec.  9.     John  Benedict  to  Sarah  Ann    Herick,    of 

Turtle,  Wis 3.75 

Dec     11.     Abram   River,   Beloit,   Agnes   Stenhouse 

Beloit    3.00 

Sent  the  3  abovfe  certifts  to  the  office  by  H,  Ho- 
bart. 
1846— Mch  10.    Dr.    Dexter    G.    Clarke    to    Sarah    Jane 

Moore,  all  of  Beloit 

Sent  certificate  by  J.  M.  Keep,  June  6,  46.   D.  C. 
(His  initials. — Ed.). 
Apl.  27.     Sd.  C.  Field  to  Mrs  Marthan  A.  Cooper 

Sent  certificate,  June  6,  by  Mr.  Keep. 

Aug.  11.     Joseph  Carr  to  Azuba  L.  Cheney 3.00 

Sept.  28.    William  Castle  to  Martha  L.  Washburn. .     5,00 

Sent  the  2  last  certificates  by  G.  L.  Becker. 
Dec.   10.     John  Jaquish  to    Betsey    Abernathy,    of 

Illinois   (Married  at  Beloit) 1.00 

Sent  certificate  by  Revd.  Mr.  Adams. 
1847 — June  29.     Edwin  R.  Wadsworth  to  Emeline  Fames.     5.00 

gave  certificate  myself  to  Kimball's  clerk,  Augt.  3d. 
Aug.  20.     Honl.  A.  H.  Jerome,  Mantins,  N.  Y.,  to 

Charlott  J.  Murray,  of  Clinton 10.00 

"     24.     Philip   F.   Chamberlin,   of  Niles,   Michn., 

Harriet  Hill,  Beloit 2.00  . 

Nov.  6.     Geo.  W.  Gillet,  of  Clinton,  Sarah  Murry, 

Clinton    2.00 

Sent  the  last  3  certificates  tc  Kimbal  by  A.   B. 
Howe. 
Dec.    9.     James   M.   W^orks,   of    Rockford,    Selvina 

Hersey,  of  5 .  00 

29.     Arthur   L.    Kincaid   to   Murial   H.   Per- 
kins         3.00 

1848— Jan.  20.     T.  C.  Manchester  to  Julia  E.  Parish 10.00 

Gave  the  3  last  certificates  to  Kimball's  elk.,  my- 
self, Feb.  22,  '48. 


BELOIT  CHURCHES  267 

1848 — May  18.     Abram  W.  Parker,  of  Janesville,  to  Sophia 

Howe,  Beloit   $  5.00 

"     28.     Clark  G.  Antisdal  to  Harriet  Newell....     2.50 
July  13.     Mr.  Lewis  Spencer,    of    Union,    to    Miss 

Maryann  Newton,  of  Rockton,  111 5.00 

Sent  the  last  three  certificates  to  Kinibal  by  G.  L. 
Becker,  July  19. 
1848— Oct  24.     Mr.    Geo.    AV.    IMitchell,    Beloit,    to    Miss 

Luc}'^  Pierson,  do 5.00 

Sent  by  A.  L.  F.,  Dec.  26. 
'49— Jan.  3.    Mr.  Thos.  Hoskins  to  Miss  M.  J.  Clarke. . .     2.50 
Jany  11.     Lyman   S.   Thompson  to  Julia  A.  Kin- 

caid   

Sent  Ths  H's  certificate  to  Janesville,  Mch.  26,  by 
B.  Fish. 
Apl.  25.     David  Williams,  of  Mount  Zion,  Wis.,  to 

Jane  Jones,  Beloit 2 .  00 

Sent  the  licence  by  him  to  Recorder  same  day. 

1849— May  30.    H.  H.  Gray,  Esqr.,  to  Harriet  M.  Peet 10.00 

June  15.    Mr.  Benj.  A.  Kent  to  ]\Iiss  Elizth  W.  Brown     5.00 

Sent  the  4  preceeding  certificates  to  Jno.  Nichols 
by  S.  Hinman,  July  28. 
July  29.     Abram  Conant  to  Cathn  E.  Freeland,  both 

of  Roscoe,  m 2.00 

Oct.  28.     John  L.  Thomas  to  Caroline  E.  Goss 5.00 

Sent  the  two  last  by  G.  L.  Fowler,    Oct.    29,    to 
J.  Nichols. 

1849— Dec.  26.     Chelsea  Thompson  to  Cynthia  Hyatt 5.00 

1850 — Jan.  2.     Jasan  C.  Wadsworth,  of  Jefferson,  Wis.,  to 

Isabella  Moore,  Beloit 4 .  00 

Sent  these  two  to  J.ville  by  Revd.  H.  Foot,  Jan. 

21. 

"     24.     Franklin  Allis,  Beloit,    to    Elizabeth    D. 

Gordon,  of  Turtle 5.00 

Sent  the  certificate  to  J.  Nichols,  Esq.,  Feb.  22,  by 
mail. 
1850— Feb.  25.     Capt.  Edward  Kirby,  of  Jefferson   (late 

from  London),  to  Miss  Lucy  Jane  Reed,  of  Beloit. 

Witnesses,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed,  parents 5.00 

Sent  to  J.  Niekles  by  Mr.  Emer,  Mc  14,  '50. 


268  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

1850 — Oct  9.  Geo.  Henry  Woodward  to  Mary  Caroline 
Hollister,  of  Beloit.     Witnesses,  H.  T.  Woodward 

&  Cornelius  Hollister $  3.00 

'■  16.  Nelson  Tiffany,  Manchester,  111.,  to  Miss 
Miriam  Elizabeth  Benedict  (Late  of  Perrington, 
N.  Y.),  now  of  Beloit.     Witnesses,  Chs  H.  AVarren, 

Caroline  Hanchett  2 .  00 

Mailed  these  two  to  C.  C.  Townsand,  Nov.  8th;  also 
two  from  A.  L.  Chapin,  &  paid  $1  for  fees.    D.  Clary. 

(Although  Dr.  Clary's  pastorate  ended  in  1850,  July,  Avhen 
he  became  an  agent  of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
his  home  continued  to  be  Beloit  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  A  few 
later  items  of  this  record  are  added  as  being  of  special  inter- 
est.—Ed.) 

1853— Mch  1.    John  W.  Beadle  to  Phebe  F.  Morse,  Rockton, 

111 3.00 

1854 — Oct    16.     Washington    James,    Beloit,    to    Cordelia 
Macklem,  Sharon.     Witnesses,  Orlando  Macklem, 

George  Irish 5 .  00 

"  31.  Chs  Lewis  Anderson,  M.  D.,  of  St.  An- 
thonys Falls,  Min-a  to  Marial  H.  Howe,  of 
Beloit.    witnesses,  Sarah  M.  Clary,  Lucy  Brown.  .     5.00 

1856 — Jan  1.  Noah  Stephen  Humphrey  to  Harriet  Marion 
Beedle  witnesses  Stephen  O.  Humphrey,  John 
W.  Beedle 2.50 

1856 — July  23.  Jesse  M.  Sherwood,  of  Manitowoc,  to  Jane 
B.  Durgin,  Beliot.    Witnesses,  Ezra  Durgin,  S.  C. 

Field  10.00 

Certificate    mailed    same    day    to    the    Register, 
Janesville. 

Sept   18.       John  Rosenkrans,  Beliot,   to  Mary  W. 
Perkins,     Beloit.     Witnesses,     Sarah     M.     Clary, 

Sophia  Field  5.00 

Sent  certificate  same  day  to  register  by  mail. 

1856 — Oct  2  Rev.  Warren  Bigelow,  Black  River  Falls, 
Wis.,     to     Lucy    Woodward.       Witnesses,     Benj 

Durham,  Henry  Hollister 

Sent  my  certifte  same  day  to  Janesville  by  iiiail. 


BELOIT  CHURCHES  269 

1857 — Sept  8     Henry  Partridge  Strong    to    Sarah    Maria 
Clary,  Beloit.     Witnesses,  Mr.   Strong    (James), 
Mr.  Fowler  (James). 
Sept  23  mail  certificate  for  Janesville. 

1859 — Nov   30.     Henry   Edwd   Hamilton,   of   Chicago,   to 
Caroline     Jane     Raymond,     Beloit.       Witnesses, 

Horatio  J.  Murry,  John  Hammond $10.00 

Sent  certificate  to  register,  Janesville. 

1865 — Jan  26.     Geo  H.  Crosby  to  Adelaide  L.  Hammond, 

both,    Turtle 6.00 

Witnesses,   Thos   Crosby   John  Hammond   all   of 
Turtle. 

Sent  certificate  to  C.  C.  Keeler,  by  mail,  Jan  28, 
'65. 

The  Second  Congregational  Church,  Beloit,  Wis.  The  Second 
Congregational  Society  was  organized  January  5,  1859.  Public 
services  of  worship  were  first  held  in  a  hall  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  Bluff  and  Bridge  streets  (now  West  Grand  avenue). 

The  Second  Congregational  Church  was  organized  September 
11,  1859,  with  forty  charter  members. 

The  first  church  building  was  erected  at  the  northeast  corner 
of  St.  Lawrence  and  Parker  avenues  and  was  dedicated  Decem- 
ber 5,  1859.  October  5,  1903,  this  church  and  society  voted  to 
build  a  new  church  edifice.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  (at  the 
southeast  corner  of  St.  Lawrence  avenue  and  Bluff  street)  Octo- 
ber 30,  1904,  and  the  new  edifice  was  dedicated  October  15,  1905. 
Cost,  about  $35,000. 

The  successive  pastors  have  been:  Rev.  J.  L.  Knapp,  1859; 
Rev.  N.  D.  Graves,  1860  to  1866;  Rev.  Henry  P.  Higley,  D.  D., 
1866  to  1891  (his  twenty-five  years  of  service  marking  the  longest 
pastorate)  ;  Rev.  W.  W.  Sleeper,  nine  years,  1891  to  1900.  He 
was  an  accomplished  musician  and  built  up  the  musical  aspect 
of  the  church  services  Avith  especial  success.  Rev.  B.  Royal 
Cheney  served  from  1900  until  his  death,  when  traveling  in 
Europe  during  the  summer  of  1905,  by  an  elevator  accident  in 
Florence,  Italy.  In  the  beautiful  public  cemetery  of  that  city  his 
remains  were  buried  and  the  spot  is  now  marked  with  a  monu- 
ment, erected  by  his  many  friends  here.  He  had  undertaken 
and  carried  through  to  virtual  completion  the  building  of  a  new 
church  edifice,  and  had  even  arranged  the  programme  of  the 


270  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

dedication  service.  During  Mr.  Cheney's  absence  in  Europe  the 
pulpit  was  being  supplied  by  Professor  J.  A.  Blaisdell,  of  Beloit 
College.  Rev.  Mr.  Blaisdell  and  Rev.  Edwin  A.  Ralph  were 
called  as  associate  pastors  and  are  still  in  service. 

The  membership  of  the  church,  September  1,  1908,  was  662. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Beloit.  A  number  of  those 
who  joined  the  First  Congregational  Church  did  so  with  the 
understanding  that  whenever  able  to  maintain  a  Presbyterian 
church  they  should  be  free  to  organize  one.  Accordingly,  March 
19,  1849,  seventeen  men  and  a  boy  met  at  the  residence  of  Ben- 
jamin Brown,  southwest  corner  of  State  and  School  streets  (now 
East  Grand  avenue),  organized  themselves  as  the  First  Presby- 
terian Society  of  Beloit  and  arranged  for  the  forming  of  a  church. 

The  formal  organization  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
occurred  at  the  Aunt  Jane  Moore  school  house  (now  No.  439  St. 
Paul  avenue),  March  21,  1849.  Rev.  Lewis  N.  Loss,  of  Rockford, 
111.,  presided,  and  Rev.  J,  J.  Bushnell,  of  Beloit  College,  preached 
the  sermon,  while  Rev.  L.  Benedict,  of  Rockton,  111.,  and  Rev. 
Dexter  Clary,  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church,  assisted. 
The  forty-six  charter  members  then  received  were :  Augustine  J. 
and  Mrs.  Amelia  E.  Battin,  T.  L.  and  Mrs.  Catherine  B.  Wright, 
Robert  P.  and  Mrs.  Almira  Crane,  John  P.  and  Mrs.  Eunice  Hous- 
ton, Horatio  and  Mrs.  Frances  Burchard,  Benjamin  and  Mrs. 
Lucy  Ann  Brown,  Charles  and  Mrs.  Teressa  Peck,  Samuel  B.  and 
Mrs.  Amanda  Cooper,  A.  D.  Culbert,  David  Merrill,  John  M. 
Daniels,  Miss  Frances  B.  Burchard,  Mrs.  Sarah  M.  Burchard, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Burr,  Benjamin  Clark,  Fred  Lathrop,  Andrew  B. 
Battin,  Jesse  Burchard,  Asahel  Clark,  M.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Caroline  E. 
Clark,  Chester  and  Mrs.  Lucretia  Clark,  Charles  and  Mrs.  Har- 
riet N.  Moore,  Beman  Clark  (the  only  one  living  in  1908),  Mrs. 
Louisa  Burchard,  George  H.  Stocking,  Lyman  Johnson,  E.  N. 
Clark,  M.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Clark.  0.  A.  and  Mrs.  Emma 
Smith,  Henry  and  Mrs.  Louisa  Mears,  John  Fisher,  Jr.,  and  Mrs. 
Jane  Fisher. 

At  the  first  communion  service,  held  at  the  same  place,  April 
29,  1849,  Mrs.  Ann  .M.  Culvert,  Mrs.  Agnes  Merrill,  Jacob  and 
Mrs.  Lydia  Banta  and  Zilpah  Clark  were  received  by  letter,  and 
Lucy  Ann  Brown,  Julia  S.  Peck,  Augustus  R.  Peck  and  Joseph  L. 
and  Mrs.  Sarah  M.  Jewett  on  confession  of  faith. 

With  Benjamin  Brown,  as  chairman  of  the  building  commit- 


BELOIT  CHURCHES  271 

tee,  the  first  church  edifice,  southeast  corner  of  Broad  and  Pleas- 
ant streets,  and  costing  about  ten  thousand  dollars,  was  dedi- 
cated, July  23,  1850,  substantially  free  of  debt.  The  successive 
pastors  have  been:  Rev.  Alfred  Eddy,  1849  to  1855;  Rev.  L. 
Hawes,  1855  to  1856;  Rev.  Charles  P.  Bush,  1857  to  September, 
i859 ;  President  A.  L.  Chapin  and  Professor  J.  J.  Blaisdell,  pulpit 
supplies,  one  year  (a  gratuitous  service  in  order  to  help  the 
church  out  of  debt);  Rev.  William  Adams,  1861  to  1863;  Rev. 
David  E.  Beach,  D.  D.,  1863  to  1865.  Then  occurred  the  union 
of  the  "Westminster  Presbyterian  Church  (formed  on  the  west  side 
in  1858)  with  this  First  church  under  Dr.  AVilliam  Alexander, 
1865  to  1869.  Rev.  Alexander  G.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  served  1870  to 
1871;  Professor  Henry  M.  Whitney,  of  Beloit  College,  supplied 
the  pulpit  September  1871  to  June  1872.  The  longest  pastorate 
was  that  of  Rev.  John  McLean,  November,  1872  to  1884.  Rev. 
A.  W.  Bill  served  1885  to  1887,  and  Rev.  Thomas  E.  Barr,  1887 
to  1890 ;  Rev.  C.  D.  Merrill  was  pastor  1890  to  1896,  and  Thaddeus 
T.  Creswell  from  1896  to  1905,  when  he  left  for  the  west  on 
account  of  ill  health,  and  is  now  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  at  Pomona,  Cal.  Rev.  Chauncey  T.  Edwards,  D.  D.,  the 
present  pastor,  began  his  labors  here  with  July,  1905. 

In  the  fall  of  1904  two  lots,  the  southwest  corner  of  Public 
avenue  and  Prospect  street,  were  purchased  at  a  net  cost  of 
$7,500,  and  June  4,  1905,  the  corner  stone  of  a  new  edifice  was 
laid,  the  building  committee  being  L.  Waldo  Thompson,  J.  M. 
Farnsworth  (clerk  of  session)  and  W.  F.  Brown,  D.  D.  This 
modern  gothic  edifice  of  norman  gray  brick  and  cut  stone,  cost- 
ing about  forty-two  thousand  dollars,  was  dedicated  June  8,.  1906. 
Fifteen  of  the  young  men  of  this  church  have  entered  the  minis- 
try. The  present  membership  is  355.  Besides  the  usual  Sunday 
school,  with  three  departments  at  the  church  and  a  home  depart- 
ment outside,  there  is  a  C.  E.  society,  a  ladies'  aid  society,  a 
woman's  missionary  society  and  a  men's  club  of  about  forty 
members,  and  a  branch  school  at  1815  St.  Lawrence  Ave. 

The  West  Side  Presbyterian  Church  grew  out  of  a  union 
mission  Sunday  school,  organized  by  Rev.  Charles  Kelsey,  in  the 
year  1900.  A  chapel  was  built  at  the  northeast  corner  of 
Eleventh  and  Liberty  streets,  west  side.  The  opening  service 
was  held  December  30,  1900.     The  Sunday  school  was  organized 


273  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

January  2,  and  the  first  session  of  the  school  held  January  6, 
1901.     The  chapel  building  was  dedicated  January  26,  1902. 

June  10,  1903,  this  union  mission  was  organized  as  the  "West 
Side  Presbyterian  Church,  with  twenty-six  members.  Rev. 
George  W.  Luther,  who  had  begun  service  in  December,  1902, 
remained  as  stated  supply  of  the  church  until  the  spring  of  1905. 
He  was  succeeded  in  May,  1905,  by  the  present  settled  pastor, 
Rev.  R.  A.  Carnahan. 

The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  is  older  than  the  church,  having  been 
organized  in  1900,  and  now  consists  of  about  forty-five  members. 

The  session  of  the  church  consists  of  Charles  Sandell,  clerk ; 
Charles  Cochran  and  B.  A.  Bernstein.  The  present  membership 
of  the  church,  October,  1908,  is  112.  The  Sabbath  school  of  about 
a  hundred  members  meets  in  two  divisions,  with  C.  Sandell  and 
M.  W.  Linderman  as  superintendents,  and  there  is  also  a  home 
department. 

The  German  Presbyterian  Church.  May  23,  1869,  this 
church  was  organized  by  Rev.  Jacob  Kolb,  and,  until  1870, 
services  were  held  in  the  American  Presbyterian  Church. 
During  that  year  they  built  a  frame  church  with  a  capacity 
of  five  hundred,  and  cost  $2,464.  The  pastors  have  been : 
Rev.  Jacob  Kolb,  1869  to  1872;  Rev.  Joseph  Wittenberger,  1872 
to  1874;  Rev.  Mr.  Winder,  1874  to  1876;  Rev.  Martin  Witten- 
berger, 1876  to  18 — .  Rev.  F.  W.  Witte  followed  and  remained 
for  about  five  years.  Rev.  J.  Conzett,  December  1,  1884  to  June 
21,  1891 ;  Rev.  L.  Abels,  October  1,  1891  to  January,  1892.  Sev- 
eral  students  supplied  the  pulpit  until  1893,  when  Rev.  J.  F. 
Mueller  took  charge  and  remained  until  September,  1894.  Rev. 
W.  F.  Vogt,  November,  1894  to  November,  1896 ;  Rev.  F.  Waalkes, 
June  15,  1897  to  February  1,  1899 ;  Rev.  E.  Schuette,  D.  D.,  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1899  to  May  31,  1900 ;  Rev.  J.  Figge,  December  2,  1900 
to  March  27,  1904;  Rev.  H.  Krawshaar,  May  1,  1904  to  November, 
1904.  September  1,  1905,  Rev.  A.  Krebs  took  charge  and  is  still 
(1908)  the  pastor. 

The  church,  which  is  located  on  St.  Lawrence  avenue,  west 
side,  in  the  center  of  the  city,  and  the  parsonage,  together 
valued  at  about  $5,000,  have  recently  undergone  extensive  re- 
pairs and  improvements. 

St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  Febru- 
ary 28,  1841.     For  the  first  three  years  services  were  held  in  the 


%^t(djMiL 


BELOIT  CHUKCHES  273 

village  school  house ;  for  the  next  seven  years  in  a  brick  building 
erected  for  school  purposes,  by  Leonard  Humphrey.  Rev.  Har- 
vin  Humphrey  was  the  first  pastor  and  labored  here  until  Novem- 
ber, 1845,  when,  on  account  of  his  advanced  years,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  resign.  He  died  October  12,  1858,  age  ninety  years. 
Rev.  Stephen  Millett  succeeded  him,  and  during  his  rectorship  a 
church  edifice  was  erected.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  in  the 
spring  of  1848.  The  first  services  were  held  in  the  building  in 
December,  1851.  Mr.  Millett  served  until  February,  1853,  and 
was  succeeded  in  July,  1854,  by  Rev.  John  E.  C.  Smedes,  who 
remained  pastor  until  July  1,  1858.  Rev.  J.  H.  Egar  succeeding 
him  and  remained  until  February  4,  1861.  Seven  months  later 
Rev.  L.  W.  Davies  became  rector  and  served  until  October  1, 
1868.  During  his  services  a  rectory  was  purchased  on  the  corner 
of  Bridge  and  Bluff  streets.  Rev.  Fayett  Royce  came  on  Novem- 
ber 1,  1868,  and  remained  in  charge  of  the  church  for  twenty-nine 
years,  and  died  in  1898.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Frank  Mal- 
lett,  who  remained  three  years,  when  Rev.  H.  J.  Purdue  became 
rector,  resigning  in  1905.  In  January,  1906,  Rev.  Joseph  Garden 
was  called  from  the  diocese  of  Massachusetts,  and  is  at  present 
in  charge  of  the  church.  Under  the  present  rectorship  many  im- 
provements have  been  made  and  the  mortgage  debt  nearly  wiped 
out.     The  communicant  list  numbers  350. 

St.  Thomas'  Roman  Catholic  Church,  The  first  Catholic  serv- 
ices recorded  in  Rock  county  were  held  in  Beloit,  in  1846,  by 
Rev.  Father  McKernan,  who  celebrated  mass  in  the  house  of 
Captain  Powers.  There  were  then  in  Beloit  five  Catholic  families. 
In  May,  1853,  Rev.  Father  McFaul  cared  for  the  Beloit  Catholics 
until  June,  1854 ;  Father  Kundig  the  next  three  months ;  Father 
Norris  until  January  1,  1856;  then  Father  Kundig  two  months, 
and  Father  Norris  again  until  1859.  His  successors  were  Fathers 
Riordan  Smith  until  1862,  Herman  until  1866,  and  Sullivan  until 
his  death  in  1883,  when  Rev.  M.  J.  "Ward  was  appointed  to  this 
field. 

The  first  Catholic  church  at  Beloit  was  built  by  Father  Norris 
in  1854.  This  stone  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  December  23, 
1884.  The  next  day  one  of  Father  Ward's  Presbyterian  friends, 
meeting  him,  said :  "I  am  sorry  for  your  loss — I'm  sorry  twenty 
dollars'  worth,"  and  gave  him  a  tv/enty  dollar  gold  piece.  In 
addition  to  this  first  contribution  toward  a  new  building  Father 


274  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Ward  soon  secured  enough  to  erect  a  new  church  edifice  of 
brick  (on  School  street,  now  East  Grand  avenue,  830),  and  it  was 
dedicated  June  6,  1886. 

During  his  quarter  century  of  service  here,  completed  July  5, 
1908,  Father  Ward  has  done  a  great  work  for  temperance  and, 
more  than  any  other  man  in  Beloit,  has  helped  in  that  reform 
both  within  this  county  and  also  outside  of  its  bounds. 

In  1902  Father  Rivers  became  first  assistant  in  this  parish, 
and  was  followed  in  that  service  by  Father  Cuyler,  and  in  the 
latter  part  of  1903  Father  Joseph  E.  Hanz  began  that  service. 
Father  Ward  has  the  respect  and  good  will  of  all  Beloit  citizens, 
and  the  personal  esteem  and  love  of  all  his  own  congregation, 
who  now  number  1,560. 

Saint  Jude's  Church,  Roman  Catholic.  This  new  society  was 
organized  in  the  Knights  of  Columbia  hall,  Beloit,  Wis.,  June  24, 
1908,  and  the  certificate  of  incorporation  was  issued  by  the  secre- 
tary of  state.  September  2,  1908.  The  trustees  are :  President, 
Most  Rev.  S.  6.  Messmer,  D.  D. ;  Very  Rev.  Joseph  Rainer,  V.  G. ; 
vice  president,  Joseph  E.  Hanz  (the  pastor) ;  secretary,  Charles 
Ramsden.  The  site  chosen  is  at  the  corner  of  Hackett  and  Roose- 
velt streets,  west  side.     The  treasurer  is  John  Meehan. 

First  Baptist  Church.  In  the  fall  of  1837  Rev.  S.  S.  Whitman, 
a  Baptist  minister  of  Belvidere,  111.,  preached  in  the  "Beloit 
House"  the  first  sermon  ever  heard  in  Beloit.  In  the  winter  of 
1838-39  Elder  Topping,  of  Delavan,  preached  in  Beloit.  For  a 
few  years  Baptist  headquarters  were  established  at  the  private 
school  of  Miss  Jane  Moore.  Rev.  Albert  Burgess  preached  in 
this  school  house  in  1840,  and  on  April  24,  1841,  he  organized  the 
Baptist  Church  with  fourteen  members.  At  the  close  of  the  first 
year  the  church  numbered  forty-three. 

In  December,  1845,  the  "Church  and  Society"  was  organized, 
and  steps  taken  to  build  a  meeting  house.  On  January  18,  1846, 
the  trustees  resolved  to  purchase  the  present  site,  and  $100  was 
paid  for  the  same.  The  church  edifice  of  stone  (40x60  feet)  was 
finished  late  in  1847  and  dedicated  early  in  1848. 

In  the  year  1874,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev,  E.  P.  Savage, 
the  church  was  rebuilt  and  the  towers  added  to  the  front  of  the 
structure,  making  an  imposing  building.  This  stood  for  ten 
years. 

On  the  night  of  April  12,  1884,  the  church  was  burned  do-wTi. 


BELOIT  CHURCHES  275 

A  loss  of  $15,000  was  sustained,  covered  by  $5,000  insurance. 
Heroic  efforts  were  made  by  Pastor  F.  A.  Marsh  and  his  people 
and  the  church  was  rebuilt  and  dedicated  in  April,  1885. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  W.  Runyan  the  present  chapel 
and  parlors  were  built  and  a  gallery  placed  in  the  audience  room. 
These  were  dedicated  in  May,  1896. 

From  fourteen  constituent  members  in  1841  the  church  has 
increased  in  the  sixty-five  years  of  its  history  to  nearly  450 
members. 

The  church  has  had  nineteen  pastors,  as  follows:  Rev.  A.  B. 
Winchell,  May  22,  1841  to  October  4,  1842;  Rev.  Mr.  Murphy, 
January  1,  1843  to  March  1,  1844;  Rev.  John  Trowbridge,  June 
1,  1844  to  January  1,  1845 ;  Rev.  Niles  Kinne,  January  22,  1845  to 
April  2,  1850;  Rev.  E.  L.  Harris,  December  3,  1850  to  February 
4,  1854;  Rev.  Daniel  Eldredge,  January  10,  1855  to  October  21, 
1855;  Rev.  Thomas  Holeman,  December  22,  1855  to  September 
10,  1859 ;  Rev.  R.  R.  Prentice,  March  12,  1860  to  October  31,  1861 ; 
Rev.  Levi  Parmely,  May  4,  1862  to  May  1,  1867 ;  Rev.  L.  F.  Ray- 
mond, August  1,  1867  to  December  1,  1868 ;  Rev.  H.  W.  Woods, 
June  1,  1869  to  October  2,  1870;  Rev.  Austin  Gibb,  January  1, 
1871  to  May  1,  1872;  Rev.  E.  P.  Savage,  July  7,  1872,  to  October 
1.  1877;  Rev.  F.  A.  Marsh,  May  16,  1880  to  May  10,  1888;  Rev. 
O.  P.  Bestor,  January  1,  1889  to  May  1,  1893 ;  Rev.  A.  W.  Runyan, 
September  3,  1893  to  November  30,  1896;  Rev.  W.  A.  Spinney, 
December  27,  1896  to  December  4,  1898 ;  Rev.  Howland  Hanson, 
February  12,  1899  to  June  11,  1905 ;  Rev.  F.  W.  Hatch,  October  1, 
1905  to  the  present  time. 

First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  This  society  was  formed 
October  15,  1842,  and  like  other  organizations  held  their  services 
in  the  village  school  houses,  until  their  building  was  erected  in 
1846.  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  C.  R.  Pattie,  from  1870  to 
1872,  a  discussion  arose  in  the  society  which  resulted  in  the  form- 
ation of  the  M.  P.  Church. 

The  pastors  have  been  Rev.  Mr.  Hodge,  Rev.  Mr.  Warren, 
Rev.  Mr.  Allen,  Rev.  Mr.  Lewis,  Rev.  Mr.  Beech,  Rev.  Mr.  Ford, 
Rev.  Mr.  Thomas,  Rev.  Mr,  Wood,  Rev.  Wesley  Lattin,  Rev.  P. 
B.  Pease,  Rev.  C.  D.  Pillsbury,  Rev.  William  P.  Stowe,  Rev.  W. 
W.  Case,  Rev.  C.  R.  Pattie,  Rev.  A.  C.  Higginson,  Rev.  T.  E. 
Webb,  Rev.  Mr.  Bain,  Rev.  G.  S.  Hubbs,  Rev.  Wesley  Lattin, 
Rev.  E.  L.  Eaton,  and  the  Reverends  A.  J.     Benjamin,  W.  F. 


276  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Warren,  G.  F.  Reynolds,  Geo.  H.  Trevor,  D.  D.,  George  W.  White, 
Henry  Colman,  D.  D.,  J.  D.  Cole,  T.  DeWitte  Peake,  R.  W.  Bos- 
worth,  D.  D.,  and  William  A.  Newing,  the  present  incumbent, 
who  has  served  the  church  for  one  year  previous. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  George  F.  Reynolds  the  old 
church  was  remodeled  and  repaired  at  a  cost  of  $3,200.  During 
the  pastorate  of   J.  D.    Cole  the  church  was  again  remodeled. 

November  30,  1903,  was  the  sixty-first  anniversary  and  grand 
rally  day  for  the  Beloit  Methodists.  Mr.  J.  W.  Powell  of  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  was  present  and  conducted  the  campaign  for  a  new  church. 
August  27,  1904,  the  corner  stone  was  laid.  Bishop  Warne  of 
Calcutta,  India,  gave  the  principal  address.  The  new  church,  a 
red  brick  modern  structure,  stands  on  the  site  of  the  old  church. 
It  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $31,000,  and  dedicated  May  29,  1905. 
Great  credit  is  due  to  the  pastor  and  his  people  in  the  hard  work 
done  to  give  to  Beloit  such  a  house  of  worship.  The  Ladies'  Aid 
Society  pledged  $6,000  toward  the  church  and  over  $-1,000  has 
been  paid.    The  membership  is  now  upwards  of  500. 

Trinity  Lutheran  Church,  organized  in  1871  with  nine  voting 
members,  is  the  oldest  Lutheran  church  organization  in  Beloit. 
This  congregation  has  been  affiliated  with  the  Synod  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  Church  of  America  since  its  organization. 

At  first  it  was  served  chiefly  by  pastors  from  Orfordville, 
Wis.,  who  spoke  Norwegian,  but  has  gradually  adopted  English 
in  its  Sunday  school  work  and  then  in  public  services.  The 
morning  and  evening  services  are  conducted  alternately  in  the 
Norwegian  and  English  languages.  The  church  building,  situ- 
ated on  Bluff  street,  near  St.  Lawrence  avenue,  was  erected  in 
1876.  The  commodious  parsonage,  928  Bluff  street,  was  built  in 
1904.  Including  men,  women  and  children,  the  church  has  at 
present   (1908)   a  membership  of  617  souls. 

The  succession  of  pastors  has  been:  C.  F.  Magelson,  1871  to 
1880;  T.  K.  Thorvildsen,  1880  to  1890;  L.  Scherven,  1890  to  1894; 
G.  A.  Gullixon,  1894  to  1902.  The  present  pastor,  J.  Edward 
Hegg,  came  in  1902. 

Bethlehem  Evangelistic  Lutheran  Church  was  organized  by 
Rev.  J.  A.  Bergh,  in  the  year  1892,  with  a  membership  of  twenty- 
eight  families.  The  church,  on  the  west  side  of  Oak  street,  was 
built  in  1893  and  dedicated  in  1895.  The  church  services  are 
held  in  the  Norwegian  and  the  English  languages  alternately. 
The  present  communicant  membership  is  about  180. 


BELOIT  CHURCHES  277 

Pastors :  Rev.  J.  A.  Bergh,  1892  to  1894 ;  Rev.  J.  S.  Roseland, 
1894  to  1899;  Rev.  E.  O.  Loe,  1899  to  1903;  Rev.  Nels  Kleven, 
1904  to  1906.  In  that  year  came  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  Henry 
M.  Mason. 

The  First  Evangelical  Lutheran,  St.  Paul's  Church,  held  its 
first  service  in  1873.  Reverends  Detzer  and  Reinsch,  who  lived 
in  other  places,  preached  here  on  alternate  Sundays. 

In  October,  1874,  the  church  V7as  duly  organized  with  six  or 
seven  members  by  Rev.  G.  Sussner,  its  first  resident  minister, 
who  served  some  six  months.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Schneider.  In  January,  1877,  came  Rev.  J.  J.  Meier,  their  minis- 
ter for  two  years.  Rev.  W.  Buehring  was  the  pastor  from  1879 
to  1886.  Rev.  G.  Kaempflein  served  from  January  29,  1886,  to 
April,  1890,  and  Rev.  D.  Koshe,  from  May  13,  1890,  to  the  spring 
of  1894.  Rev.  R.  Einsiedell,  beginning  at  that  time,  stayed  until 
November,  1900,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J!  Mettermeier  for 
the  next  two  years.  In  January,  1903,  was  called  the  present 
pastor,  Rev.  Paul  Piehler. 

The  number  of  communicants  is  now  about  300. 

The  church  building,  at  the  northeast  corner  of  St.  Lawrence 
avenue  and  Eighth  street,  dates  from  1882.  In  1905  it  was  lifted 
several  feet  toward  heaven  and  a  commodious  basement  was 
built  under  it,  with  some  other  improvement.  The  parsonage, 
617  St.  Lawrence  avenue,  was  built  in  1889. 

The  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  the  Atonement.  This 
church  was  organized  in  July,  1905,  and  shortly  afterwards  in- 
corporated. 

This  congregation  originated  in  the  need  of  a  distinctively 
English  Lutheran  congregation  in  this  city,  where  there  were 
already  four  other  Lutheran  congregations — two  German  and 
two  Norwegian.  From  the  beginning,  it  has  succeeded  in  ful- 
filling its  purpose  of  gathering  and  saving  to  the  church  English 
speaking  Lutherans. 

For  the  first  year  without  a  settled  pastor,  worshiping  in 
town  in  the  old  Presbyterian  Church,  Odd  Fellows  Hall  and  Had- 
den  Hall,  the  work  was  difficult.  Steady  progress,  however,  has 
marked  its  career.  In  May,  1906,  the  present  pastor,  the  Rev. 
Paul  H.  Roth,  took  charge,  a  1906  graduate  of  the  Chicago  Lu- 
theran Theological  Seminary.     That  same  year,  a  fine  building 


278  HISTOKY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

site  on  the  east  side  of  the  corner  of  Clary  street  and  Harrison 
avenue  was  purchased  and  paid  for.  In  1907,  plans  were  drawn 
for  a  stone  church,  which,  after  many  alterations  and  complete 
re-drawings,  were  adopted.  At  this  writing  (the  summer  of 
1908),  the  foundations  of  the  church  are  in  and  contracts  let  for 
the  continuing  of  the  building.  The  church  has  in  the  meantime 
grown  from  a  membership  of  one-half  a  dozen  to  over  200  souls. 

History  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran,  St.  John's  Church.  The 
Evangelical  Lutheran  St.  John's  Congregation  was  organized 
October  18,  1896,  with  eight  voting  members.  The  first  officers 
were :  William  Samp,  F.  Wegner  and  August  Nohr.  On  January 
15,  1897,  a  candidate  was  called.  On  this  same  date  the  congre- 
gation also  resolved  to  build  a  new  church.  On  February  7,  1897, 
the  congregation  was  incorporated.  With  great  joy  and  thanks 
to  God,  the  new  church  was  dedicated  and  the  first  pastor,  Rev. 
H.  Studtmann,  was  inaugurated  on  the  15th  of  August,  1897. 
The  congregation  now  began  to  grow  rapidly.  Rev.  H.  Studt- 
mann left  in  the  summer  of  1900.  As  successor  Rev.  H.  Walt- 
mann  was  called.  He  also  worked  faithfully  until  the  25th  of 
October,  1903,  when  he  accepted  a  call  to  another  field.  During 
Rev.  Waltmann's  pastorate,  the  parsonage  was  erected.  Rev. 
H.  Waltmann  was  succeeded  by  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  Paul 
Schaller.  During  his  time,  a  teacher  was  called.  The  present 
teacher  is  Mr.  Z.  Rodenburg,  who  is  doing  his  work  successfully 
in  the  school,  numbering  fifty-two  pupils. 

The  congregation  at  present  numbers  460  souls,  270  communi- 
cants and  75  voting  members. 

Gridley  Chapel,  situated  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Strong  and 
Partridge  avenues,  was  built  and  furnished  by  William  B.  Strong 
as  a  memorial  of  his  father,  Elijah  Gridley  Strong.  The  building, 
which  is  of  red  brick  and  cost  $3,500.00,  was  dedicated  August 
27,  1899,  as  a  union  church.  At  first  Charles  Kelsey,  a  missionary 
of  the  American  Sunday  School  Union,  took  charge  of  the  work. 
December  3d,  1899,  was  begun  a  series  of  revival  meetings,  con- 
ducted by  Rev.  Harold  F.  Sayles  for  two  weeks.  January  7th, 
1900,  Miss  Jennie  Anna  Gale  of  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt.,  who  had  been 
the  assistant  pastor  of  a  church  in  Brownington,  Vt.,  during  the 
previous  year,  began  service  as  the  minister  of  this  congregation. 

April  5th  and  19th,  1900,  at  Gridley  chapel,  a  constitution  was 
adopted  and  signed  by  thirty  members  and  the  officers  for  a  new 


BELOIT  CHUECHES  379 

church  were  elected.    April  22d,  1900,  Gridley  Church  was  pub- 
licly organized  as  an  evangelical  but  undenominational  church. 

July  27th,  1900,  a  Christian  Endeavor  Society  was  organized 
with  thirty  active  members  and  one  associate.  October  18th, 
1900,  Rev.  Charles  Kelsey  organized  there  the  Gridley  Chapel 
Sunday  School,  auxiliary  to  the  American  Sunday  School  Union. 

Miss  Gale  (now  Mrs,  W.  R.  Irwin)  served  just  four  years  and 
was  followed  by  Rev.  Lyman  W.  Winslow,  who  was  their  min- 
ister until  his  failing  health  obliged  him  to  resign  in  the  spring 
of  1906  and  go  to  California.  After  two  months  of  temporary 
supplies  Mr,  William  Carpenter  came  and  served  for  the  rest  of 
that  year.  In  September,  1907,  began  the  ministry  here  of  the 
present  incumbent.  Rev.  L.  W.  Chapman. 

The  membership  of  the  church  is  now  105,  of  which  number 
about  sixty-five  are  resident  members.  There  is  a  flourishing 
Sunday  school  of  some  two  hundred  members,  besides  fifty-eight 
in  a  home  department.  There  is  a  Christian  Endeavor  Society, 
a  well  attended  "Mothers'  Meeting,"  and  a  missionary  organiza- 
tion of  men,  women  and  children,  called  the  Kingdom  Extension 
Society. 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist.  The  First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  a  religious  corporation,  was  incor 
porated  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Wisconsin  in  the  yeai 
1888.  Later  this  corporation  was  dissolved  and  was  re-incor- 
porated December  23rd,  1904.  The  organization  consists  of  a 
board  of  five  trustees  and  a  board  of  five  directors,  the  former 
having  charge  of  the  business  of  the  church  and  the  latter  of  ita 
spiritual  direction  and  welfare. 

The  public  service  consists  of  two  readers,  first  and  second 
reader,  one  reading  from  the  scriptures  and  the  other  from  the 
text-book  of  the  sect,  "Science  and  Health,  with  Key  to  the 
Scriptures,"  by  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy.  These  lessons  are  pre- 
pared under  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Eddy  and  the  publication  com- 
mittee and  every  church  under  the  organization  uses  this  service 
each  Sabbath.  The  regular  meetings  are  Sunday  morning  at 
10 :30  and  a  testimonial  meeting  each  Wednesday  evening.  The 
present  membership  of  the  Beloit  church  aggregates  about  one 
hundred. 

Beloit  has  also  a  new  organization,  called  the  Disciples  or 
"Christian"  Church,  formed  in  the  summer  of  1908.     This  soei- 


280  mSTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

ety,  having  about  thirty  members,  meets  regularly  for  Sabbath 
services  in  a  hall  over  Pollock's  drug  store,  west  side,  and  is 
growing. 

Church  services  and  Sunday  school  services  are  also  held  reg- 
ularly each  Sunday  in  South  Beloit.    There  is  also  an  A.  M.  E.  ch. 

Luther  Valley  Church.  There  are  no  records  of  the  first 
meetings  of  the  Luther  Valley  Church,  but  the  Reverend  C.  L 
Clausen,  from  Racine  county,  preached  at  the  house  of  Hellik 
Brekke  on  the  8th  day  of  February,  1844,  and  that  some  kind  of 
an  organization  was  effected  we  infer  from  the  fact  that  a  call 
was  made  to  Norway  for  a  minister,  stipulating  his  salary,  etc. 

Meanwhile  Rev.  J.  C.  W.  Dietricksen  had  sailed  for  America 
and  Luther  Valley  Church  was  referred  to  him.  But  he  located 
at  Koshkonong  and  the  congregation  was  but  sparingly  served 
by  him  and  Clausen  until  July  31,  1846.  when  the  last  named 
arrived  as  resident  minister,  accepting  a  call  that  was  tendered 
him  on  the  29th  day  of  December,  1845.  Since  then  the  Luther 
Valley  Church  has  had  a  settled  pastor. 

Rev.  Clausen  served  until  1851,  when  he  resigned  and  Rev. 
G.  Dietricksen  was  called.  He  had  charge  of  the  congregation 
until  1859,  when  he  returned  to  Norway  and  his  place  was  occu- 
pied by  Rev.  C.  F.  Magelsen.  Rev.  Magelsen  continued  the  work 
until  1869,  when  he  resigned  and  the  congregation  was  again 
temporarily  served  by  its  first  pastor,  the  Rev.  C.  L.  Clausen, 
then  of  St.  Ansgar,  la.  On  his  recommendation,  the  church  sent 
a  call  to  Rev.  I.  M.  Eggen,  who  accepted  and  had  charge  of  the 
congregation  until  1882,  when  he  moved  to  Lyle,  Minn.,  and  the 
present  pastor,  Rev.  J.  A.  Bergh,  began  his  work. 

Until  about  1865  southern  "Wisconsin  formed  the  center  of 
the  Norse  population  in  America,  and  several  important  conven- 
tions were  held  in  the  Luther  Valley  church — among  them  may 
be  mentioned  that  the  organization  of  the  Norwegian  Synod  was 
begun  here  in  January,  1851,  and  completed  at  a  meeting  in 
October,  1853. 

Of  this  ecclesiastical  body  the  Luther  Valley  Church  was  a 
charter  member,  but  believing  that  slavery  was  a  sinful  institu- 
tion, the  congregation  withdrew  from  the  synod  in  1868.  This 
brought  the  resignation  of  Rev.  Magelsen,  and  although  he  was 
very  popular  among  the  people,  the  resignation  was  adopted 
by  a  vote  of  126  to  47.    Those  that  sympathized  with  the  synod. 


BELOIT  CHURCHES  281 

built  a  church  of  their  own  in  Orfordsville,  and  were  served  by 
Rer.  Magelsen. 

At  first  the  Luther  Valley  people  of  course  had  to  worship  in 
private  houses,  but  a  church  was  built  in  1847,  It  was  of  lime 
stone  and  rather  small,  but  served  until  1871,  when  it  was  torn 
down  and  a  new  and  larger  one  built  on  its  site.  At  the  same 
time  another  church  was  built  in  the  western  part  of  the  congre- 
gation.    ( ?) 

On  the  first  Sunday  in  Advent,  1846,  the  Luther  Valley 
Church  consisted  of  sixty-five  families,  171  communicants  and 
250  members;  in  April,  1882,  when  Rev.  Bergh  took  charge,  it 
had  111  families,  330  communicants  and  571  members,  and  on 
August  2nd,  1896,  fifty  years  after  the  first  settled  pastor  began 
his  work,  we  find  179  families,  548  communicants  and  1,090  mem- 
bers. At  the  present  writing  (1907),  the  church  numbers  220 
families,  about  600  communicants  and  1,200  members.  Among 
members  baptized,  children  of  parents  belonging  to  the  church 
are  counted. 

The  Luther  Valley  congregation  has  two  churches,  and  a  par- 
sonage consisting  of  house  and  thirty-five  acres  of  land.  The 
parsonage  is  located  in  Plymouth,  the  East  church  in  Newark, 
and  the  West  church  in  Spring  Valley  township.  Rock  county, 
Wisconsin. 


XIV. 

i . 

JANESVILLE  CHURCHES. 

The  church  organizations  of  Janesville  began  with  the  first 
settlements  in  the  country.  We  learn  from  the  first  records,  that 
many  of  the  early  settlers  were  people  connected  with  various 
church  denominations;  that  a  few,  meeting  together,  soon  in- 
creased to  a  number  sufficient  to  begin  the  construction  of  some 
kind  of  a  house  of  worship,  which  was  often  a  log  cabin. 

The  Methodists  seem  to  have  been  the  pioneers  in  church  or- 
ganization. The  Rev.  G.  W.  Miller,  a  Methodist  Episcopal  min- 
ister, in  his  work,  "Thirty  Years  in  the  Itinerancy,"  gives  the 
date  of  the  first  sermon  preached  in  Janesville,  as  September, 
1837,  by  the  Rev.  Jesse  Halstead,  who  was  then  stationed  on  the 
Aztalan  circuit ;  the  services  were  held  in  a  log  house,  which  was 
at  that  time  a  leading  tavern.  He  was  invited  to  preach  to  the 
small  audience  of  about  a  dozen  people,  and  by  removing  the 
liquors  from  the  bar  room,  they  remodeled  it  into  a  church,  very 
primitive  to  be  sure,  so  with  the  bar  as  a  pulpit,  the  minister  de- 
livered the  sermon ;  no  doubt  it  was  a  good  one,  and  was  listened 
to  with  respect. 

In  1839  Rev.  James  F.  Flanders  made  visits  to  Janesville,  and 
held  services  wherever  a  place  was  obtainable.  His  first  sermon 
was  delivered  in  the  old  tavern,  which  stood  on  the  present  site 
of  the  Meyers  house.  The  services  were  held  in  different  places, 
but  mostly  in  school  houses  until  1842,  when  the  first  court  house 
was  built.  This  edifice  was  used  alternately  by  the  different  re- 
ligious denominations.  Janesville  was  admitted  into  the  Troy 
circuit  in  1840,  and  the  Rev.  James  McKean  was  appointed  the 
first  pastor,  and  preached  here  once  every  four  weeks ;  the  Rev. 
Julius  Field  held  the  first  quarterly  meeting  in  Janesville  in  the 
spring  of  1841,  formed  a  class  meeting  and  appointed  J.  P. 
Wheeler  leader. 

The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  of  Janesville,  was  or- 
ganized in  1841,  with  Rev.  Alpha  Warren  as  the  pastor.    He  was 

282 


JANESVILLE  CHUKCHES  283 

succeeded  by  Rev.  Boyd  Phelps  in  1843.  The  Rev.  Lyman  Catlin 
was  the  first  minister  to  have  his  home  in  Janesville.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  Rev.  F,  W.  Perkins,  S.  Adams,  J.  Lucoek  and  Wesley 
Lattin.  During  the  latter 's  pastorate,  the  congregation  built  their 
first  church;  it  was  of  frame,  in  dimensions  35x25  feet,  and  was 
located  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  on  the  east  side  of  Center 
street.    It  was  opened  for  worship  in  1848. 

Mr.  Lattin  was  followed  in  succession  by  the  Revs.  J.  M.  Snow, 
O.  F.  Comfort,  Daniel  Stansbury,  Mr.  IMason,  Joshia  W.  Wood 
and  Henry  Requa.  In  July,  1853,  they  dedicated  their  brick 
church,  which  had  just  been  completed ;  it  was  75x45  in  size,  and 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Center  and  Jackson  streets  (west  side) ; 
the  services  were  conducted  by  the  Rev.  John  Clark.  Mr.  Requa 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Alpheus  Hamilton,  and  he  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Miller,  who  has  been  succeeded  in  turn 
by  the  Revs.  H.  C.  Tilton,  J.  H.  Jenne,  R.  B.  Curtis,  A.  C.  Man- 
well,  W.  H.  Sampson,  D.  W.  Compt,  E.  W.  Kirkham,  C.  N. 
Stowers,  Steven  Smith,  Samuel  Lugg,  Thomas  Clittro  and  Henry 
Sewell,  1879-1880;  he  was  followed  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Wells  in  1881. 
On  October  3,  1882,  Rev.  G.  E.  Goldthrop  was  appointed.  He 
remained  until  October  13,  1885,  when  Rev.  Thomas  Walker  was 
appointed.  October  1,  1888,  Rev.  Matthew  Evans  became  pastor. 
Rev.  I.  S.  Leavitt  was  appointed  September  26,  1892;  Rev.  J.  D. 
Cole,  September  25,  1893;  Rev.  Andrew  Porter,  October  1,  1894; 
Rev.  H.  W.  Thompson,  October  5,  1896,  and  Rev.  W.  W.  Wood- 
side,  October  3,  1898;  Rev.  James  Churn,  October  14,  1901,  and 
Rev.  W.  W.  Warner  was  appointed  September  15,  1902,  and  re- 
mained pastor  of  this  church  until  January  30,  1904,  when  the 
First  Church  and  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
were  consolidated,  forming  a  new  church,  named  the  Central 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which  occupied  the  Court  Street 
Church  building,  with  Rev.  J.  H.  Tippett  as  pastor. 

The  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized 
in  1867.  It  was  an  offshoot  of  the  First  Church,  whose  building 
was  not  large  enough  for  the  number  of  members,  so  there  was  a 
division  and  one-half  of  the  membership  left  and  organized  the 
Court  Street  Church ;  this  church  edifice  was  built  in  1868  on  the 
corner  of  Maine  and  Court  streets,  east  side  of  the  river.  The 
Rev.  G.  M.  Steel  was  their  first  pastor.    He  was  followed  by  the 


284  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

Bevs.  0.  B.  Thayer,  H.  C.  Tilton,  E.  D.  Huntly,  H.  Stone,  Richard- 
son N.  Wheeler. 

Rev.  Henry  Faville  was  appointed  pastor  of  this  church  about 
September,  1880.  About  1882,  Rev.  Olin  A.  Curtis  was  appointed. 
Rev.  C.  B.  Wilcox  was  appointed  October  8,  1883;  Rev.  T.  De- 
Witt  Peake,  October  13,  1885 ;  Rev.  George  H.  Trevor,  October  1, 
1888 ;  Rev.  E.  L.  Eaton,  September  30,  1889 ;  Rev.  W.  F.  Requea, 
September  26,  1892;  Rev.  Sabin  Halsey,  October  1,  1894;  Rev. 
W.  A.  Hall,  September  26,  1897,  and  Rev.  J.  H.  Tippett,  October 
14,  1901.  This  church  was  consolidated  with  the  First  Church 
of  Janesville  (Methodist)  January  30,  1904,  forming  the  Central 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  building  of  the  First  Church 
was  sold  and  the  meetings  of  the  new  church  were  held  in  the 
Court  Street  Church,  Rev.  J.  H.  Tippett  being  retained  as  pastor 
of  the  new  society. 

Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  This  church  was  formed 
January  30,  1904,  by  the  union  of  the  First  Church  of  Janesville 
(Methodist)  and  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
The  meetings  were  held  in  the  building  of  the  former  Court  Street 
Church,  and  Rev.  J.  H.  Tippett  became  pastor  of  the  united  so- 
cieties. After  worshipping  about  one  year  under  this  name,  a 
new  church  was  erected  on  the  corner  of  South  Franklin  and 
Pleasant  streets,  west  side,  which  was  named  the  Cargill  Memo- 
rial Church,  in  consideration  of  $10,000  donated  by  William  Car- 
gill,  of  LaCrosse,  Wis.  The  buildings  of  the  First  Church  and  of 
Court  Street  Church  were  sold. 

Cargill  Memorial  Church  (Methodist).  A  fine  new  church 
was  erected  during  1905  and  1906  on  the  corner  of  South  Frank- 
lin and  Pleasant  streets  by  the  united  societies  of  the  First  Church 
of  Janesville  (Methodist  )and  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Church, 
then  under  the  name  of  the  Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
which,  in  consideration  of  a  donation  of  $10,000  from  Mr.  William 
Cargill,  of  LaCrosse,  Wis.,  was  named  the  Cargill  Memorial.  The 
buildings  belonging  to  the  earlier  Methodist  societies  were  sold 
and  the  proceeds  used  toward  the  erection  of  the  new  church, 
which  cost  about  $60,000,  and  was  dedicated  March  4,  1906. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Tippett,  who  was  appointed  October  1,  1901,  as 
pastor  of  the  Court  Street  Methodist  Church,  is  the  present  pas- 
tor of  the  new  church.  The  trustees  of  this  society  are  H.  F. 
Bliss,  T.  E.  Bennison,  W.  F.  Carle,  R.  W.  Clark,  E.  E.  Loomis, 


JANESVILLE  CHURCHES  285 

E.  W.  Lowell,  C.  W.  Kemmeree,  F.  T.  Richardson  and  W.  I. 
Rothermel.  The  stewards  are  H.  G.  Arnold,  F.  J.  Barfoot,  S.  C. 
Burnham,  W.  J.  Cannon,  J.  A.  Canniff,  A.  W.  Hall,  J.  B.  Richards, 
J.  L.  Hay,  F.  Hurd,  George  A.  Jacobs,  W.  J.  Mclntyre,  T.  W. 
Nuzum  and  I.  Richards.  T.  E.  Bennison  is  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school.  The  Ladies'  Aid  Sodality  has  for  its  president, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Boomer.  There  is  a  men's  league  of  100  members 
connected  with  the  church,  of  which  Prof.  Delbert  D.  Manross  is 
president.  The  Epworth  League  is  a  society  of  young  people  and 
has  for  its  president  George  A.  Jacobs. 

The  Congregationalists.  The  first  meetings  of  this  denomina- 
tion held  in  Janesville  were  composed  of  a  few  members,  who 
met  in  the  school  house  or  at  the  residence  of  some  member  in 
1843.  Their  numbers  were  small  at  first,  and  they  held  no  regu- 
lar services  until  1844,  when  the  Rev.  C.  H.  A.  Bulkley  took  up 
the  work,  and  on  February  11,  1845,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
Rev.  Stephen  Peet,  he  organized  the  First  Congregational  church 
of  Janesville.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  organizing  members: 
Joseph  Spauldiug,  Erastus  Dean,  Benjamin  Morrill,  Chester 
Dean,  Mrs.  Elmira  H.  Dewey,  Mrs.  Lamira  Culver,  Miss  Susan 
French,  Mrs.  Lydia  Spauldiug,  Mrs.  Judith  Dean,  Mrs.  B.  Mor- 
rill, Mrs.  Hannah  T.  French,  Mrs.  Lydia  Sears,  Mrs.  Eleanor 
Strunk,  Frances  Chesebrough  and  Luke  Chesebrough. 

In  July,  1846,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Buckley  was  succeeded  by  the 
Revs.  William  C.  Scofield,  M.  P.  Kinney,  G.  W.  Mackie,  F.  B. 
Rev.  Hiram  Foot.  Other  successions  in  order  have  been :  The 
Norton,  Lyman  Whiting.  George  AVilliams,  T.  P.  Sawin  and  S.  P. 
Wilder.  In  1849  a  brick  church  was  built,  and  in  the  summer  of 
1851,  an  addition  to  the  building  was  made.  In  1865-66  the  entire 
structure  was  torn  down  and  a  new  church  was  constructed 
throughout  at  a  cost  of  $57,000,  including  an  organ  that  cost 
$6,500.  In  May,  1875,  the  church  was  destroyed  by  fire.  They 
immediately  set  to  work  to  rebuild  the  burned  structure,  and 
the  result  of  their  efforts  was  one  of  the  handsomest  church 
buildings  then  in  Wisconsin. 

The  officers  now  (1908)  are:  William  Bladon,  J.  T.  Wright, 
E.  Heller,  J.  F.  Spoon,  S.  B.  Lewis,  J.  A.  Craig,  0.  D.  Bates,  C.  A. 
Thompson,  W.  S.  Jeffris,  H.  M.  Dedrick,  A.  M.  Fisher,  H.  C.  Buell, 
George  Davis  and  Peter  Jamieson,  deacons.     The  trustees  are 


286  HISTOEY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY 

J.  M.  White,  head  president ;  F.  F.  Lewis,  secretary ;  A.  E.  Mathe- 
son,  treasurer;  F.  A.  Spoon,  W.  S.  Jeffris  and  C.  S.  Cleland. 

The  church  societies,  Women's  Missionary,  Ladies'  Benevo- 
lent, The  Social  Club,  Social  Club  Auxilliary,  Loani  Band  of 
King's  Daughters,  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.,  Wee  Folks  Band,  Covenant 
Club,  Congregational  Boy's  Club,  Congregational  Young  Men's 
Club.    The  present  pastor  is  Robert  C.  Denison. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Janes ville,  Wis.,  was  or- 
ganized in  the  old  stone  Academy  building  May  5,  1855,  by  a  com- 
mittee of  Dane  presbytery,  consisting  of  Rev.  Mr.  Gardner,  of 
Madison:  Rev.  Mr.  Parks  and  Rev.  Moses  W.  Staples,  who  had 
recently  come  from  Marshall,  Texas.  Rev.  Dr.  Savage,  of  Mil- 
waukee presbytery,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Robertson,  the  synodical  mis- 
sionary, acted  with  them. 

Of  the  twelve  charter  members,  all  of  whom  were  received 
by  letter,  Warren  Norton,  Mrs.  Lydia  B.  Norton,  John  D.  W. 
Rexford,  Mrs.  Synthia  M.  Rexford,  Lyman  J.  Barrows,  M.  D., 
Mrs.  Caroline  J.  Barrows,  Auston  E.  Burpee,  Mrs.  Eliza  Burpee, 
Joseph  A.  Graham,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Graham,  Samuel  Lightbody, 
Mrs.  Mary  Miller,  only  two  survive,  Mrs,  C.  M.  Rexford  and  Mrs. 
C.  J.  Barrows.  The  church  was  duly  organized,  Mr.  Gardner 
preaching  the  sermon  from  Nehemiah  2:18:  "Let  us  rise  up  and 
build."  J.  D.  W.  Rexford  and  Warren  Norton  were  elected  and 
installed  elders.  On  the  next  Sabbath  communion  service  was 
observed  and  Mrs.  M.  W.  Staples  was  received  by  letter.  During 
the  following  week  the  trustees  purchased  a  lot  (the  site  of  the 
old  building)  and  arrangements  were  made  to  erect  a  chapel. 
In  the  latter  part  of  May,  Mrs.  Staples  visited  at  St.  Louis  to 
solicit  financial  aid  for  the  building  and  returned  in  two  weeks 
with  sufficient  to  justify  breaking  ground  at  once.  Early  in  Sep- 
tember the  chapel  was  dedicated.  In  October,  1856,  the  synod 
of  Wisconsin  held  its  sessions  in  the  new  chapel  and  Mr.  Staples 
was  duly  installed  as  pastor.  At  that  date  the  membership  of 
the  church  had  more  than  quadrupled,  being  then  fifty-three. 
Mr,  Staples  continued  pastor  till  the  summer  of  1858.  He  sub- 
sequently served  in  the  pastorate  at  Kankakee,  111.,  and  as  secre- 
tary of  the  Virginia  Bible  Society,  dying  September  3,  1892,  at 
Catskill,  N.  Y.  On  October  10,  1858,  the  Rev.  Oliver  Bronson 
was  chosen  pastor  and  installed  on  the  24th  day  of  the  same 
month. 


JANESVILLE  CHURCHES  287 

The  succeeding  pastors  were:  Rev.  George  C.  Heckman, 
August,  1860  to  1861;  Rev.  Mr.  Carpenter,  1861  to  1862;  Rev. 
Charles  Lemuel  Thompson  from  Horicon,  Wis.,  April,  1862,  to 
February,  1869  (now  secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of 
Home  Missions)  ;  Rev.  D.  G.  Bradford,  June,  1868,  to  December, 
1869;  Rev.  Thomas  C.  Kirkwood,  May,  1871,  to  February,  1873 
(now  synodical  missionary  for  Colorado) ;  Rev.  Joseph  W.  San- 
derson, September,  1873,  to  January,  1880;  Rev.  William  Fiske 
Brown,  October,  1880,  to  October,  1903.  W^hen  Milwaukee  pres- 
bytery met  in  the  little  old  Presbyterian  church  at  Janesville  in 
May,  1871,  Mr.  Brown,  then  a  home  missionary  at  Black  River 
Falls,  Wis.,  was  there  ordained  by  them  as  an  evangelist.  Of  his 
thirteen  years'  pastorate,  the  most  memorable  reminder  is  the 
new  church,  built  free  of  debt,  costing  about  $17,000,  exclusive 
of  the  lot,  which  was  $2,300;  the  organ,  $2,500,  and  memorial 
windows  and  furniture  represented  about  $2,000  more.  The 
corner  stone  was  laid  June  12,  1891,  and  the  building  was  dedi- 
cated February  18,  1892,  paid  for  by  the  260  different  subscrip- 
tions which  Mr.  Brown  then  reported  and  which  made  ten  feet 
of  names. 

Mr.  John  G.  Rexford  writes:  "But  the  planning  and  build- 
ing of  this  edifice  was  not  the  only  important  event  that  marked 
Dr.  BrowTi's  pastorate;  the  records  show  a  steady  growth.  April 
1,  1881,  there  were  150  members,  and  the  total  contribution  for 
the  year  was  $1,630.  April  1,  1903,  there  were  264  members, 
Sunday  school  273,  and  the  year's  contributions  had  been  $3,524. 
During  these  thirteen  years  of  his  pastorate,  260  names  were 
added  to  the  church  roll.  June  14,  1891,  fifty-eight  new  members 
were  received,  of  whom  fifty-five  then  first  made  public  profes- 
sion of  Christian  faith." 

Rev.  Edward  H.  Pence  served  from  November,  1893,  to  March. 
1900,  having  275  additions  to  the  church.  (He  is  now  pastor  of 
the  prominent  Fort  Scott  church,  of  Detroit,  Mich.)  Rev.  J.  T. 
Henderson,  from  Parkville,  Mo.,  was  pastor  from  September  9, 
1900,  to  1905,  and  received  140.  During  his  pastorate  a  parson- 
age was  bought.  Rev.  J.  W.  Laughlin,  D.  D.,  was  installed  in 
October,  1905.  In  May,  1908,  the  church  reports  505  members; 
the  Sunday  school,  350.  (Both  Sanderson  and  Brown  were  elected 
at  different  times  to  the  office  of  synodical  missionary  for  Wis- 
consin.) 


288  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

The  list  of  elders  to  date  is  Warren  Norton,  John  DeWitt 
Rexford,  Fred  L.  Chapman,  Henry  Pullan,  Willard  Merrill, 
Daniel  Urquhart,  E.  Storrs  Barrows,  Charles  H.  Gates,  Samuel 
Rolston,  Edward  Ruger,  John  Stockman,  John  H.  Kinney,  F.  S. 
Eldred,  James  Blair,  Henry  S.  Calkins,  Myron  H,  Soverhill,  L. 
J.  Barrows,  M.  D.,  William  H.  Blair,  James  Shearer,  James 
Mouat,  Samuel  Waddell,  A.  A.  Jackson,  J.  M.  Shackleton,  James 
Mills,  M,  D.,  Robert  Airis  and  James  Lamb.  Edward  Ruger,  first 
elected  in  1873,  has  been  in  almost  continuous  service  ever  since, 
and  is  senior  member  of  the  present  session. 

The  Catholic  Churches  of  Janesville.  Father  Morrisy,  one  of 
the  three  Catholic  priests  in  Wisconsin  in  1846,  was  located  in 
Milwaukee.  He  used  to  make  trips  to  Janesville  on  horseback, 
to  visit  the  members  of  his  church,  who  were  quite  numerous 
among  the  early  settlers.  He  visited  this  and  other  towns  on 
the  river,  and,  when  coming  here,  held  services  and  performed 
marriage  ceremonies  at  the  house  of  James  Torny,  until  1847 ; 
he  was  then  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Patrick  Kernan,  who  made 
monthly  visits  to  this  city.  He  first  assembled  his  flock  in  the 
old  brick  school  house  on  Center  street,  but  in  a  few  months  a 
small  brick  building  was  erected  for  their  use,  and  the  church 
called  St.  Patrick's.  The  Rev.  Michael  McFaul  succeeded  Father 
Kernan,  and  the  building  was  enlarged  to  meet  the  needs  of  the 
congregation.  Rev.  Michael  Smith  followed  McFaul,  and  re- 
mained for  one  year,  when  Father  Kernan  returned  to  the  charge, 
and  remained  until  1854.  Then  the  Rev.  John  Conroy  was  placed 
in  charge  of  the  church.  As  the  membership  had  increased 
greatly,  Father  Conroy  commenced  working  on  the  project  of 
building  a  new  church,  a  solid  and  beautiful  structure,  in  which 
he  was  successful.  His  successor,  J.  M.  Doyle,  beginning  in  Janu- 
ary, 1864,  completed  the  new  building  and  also  built  near  by  the 
convent  of  St.  Joseph  for  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  in  1870.  On  ac- 
count of  a  large  mortgage,  the  church  building  had  to  be  sold  to  a 
non-Catholic  in  1881.  In  June,  1880,  Rev.  E.  M.  McGinnity  took 
charge.  He  personally  guaranteed  the  owner  of  the  building 
$500,  provided  it  was  thrown  open  three  Sundays.  This  was 
done,  and  on  the  third  Sunday  a  collection  was  taken  amounting 
to  $800.  Father  McGinnity  then  began  a  personal  canvass  of  his 
parishioners  and  secured  a  sum  large  enough  to  pay  off  the  great- 
er part  of  the  indebtedness  of  that  parish.     He  has  since  com- 


GEORGE   II.    CROSBY. 


JANESVILLE  CHUECHES  289 

pleted  that  work  of  redemption  and  added  various  improvements, 
a  $6,000  parsonage  and  an  altar  costing  $1,200.  He  became  Dean 
McGinnity,  and  when  he  died  this  year  (1908)  the  parish  com- 
prised about  2,500  souls. 

St.  Patrick's  has  a  branch  of  the  Catholic  Knights  of  Wiscon- 
sin, Holy  Rosary  Confraternity,  St.  Patrick's  T.  A.  and  B.  Society, 
Young  Ladies'  Sodality,  Union  Catholic  League,  Altar  Society 
League  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  and  Ladies'  Aid  Society  to  help  the 
poor. 

St.  Mary's  (Catholic)  Church.  A  movement  was  made  in 
1876  toward  the  formation  of  a  new  Catholic  parish  in  the  city 
of  Janesville,  the  congregation  of  St.  Patrick's,  then  the  only 
Catholic  parish  in  the  city,  having  outgrown  its  church  building. 
A  number  of  meetings  were  held  looking  toward  this  object  dur- 
ing that  year,  and  a  building  site  was  purchased  on  March  3, 
1876,  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Wisconsin  and  North  streets. 
On  March  14  of  the  same  year,  the  contract  was  let  for  building 
the  new  church,  a  plain  frame  building,  which  was  completed  in 
July,  1876.  Rev.  Michael  Obermueller,  of  Monroe,  Wis.,  cele- 
brated mass  for  the  new  congregation  and  conducted  services 
twice  during  the  succeeding  August. 

On  Monday,  September  4,  1876,  the  Rev.  John  Stephen 
Muenich  was  installed  as  the  first  regular  pastor.  The  congre- 
gation increased  rapidly  and  it  was  soon  found  necessary  to  en- 
large the  church.  An  addition  of  about  twenty  feet  was  made, 
and,  after  its  completion,  the  new  church  was  dedicated  on 
Thanksgiving  day,  November  30,  1876,  by  the  Very  Rev.  Martin 
Kundig,  vicar  general  of  the  diocese  of  Milwaukee. 

In  1878  a  parochial  residence  was  built  on  the  west  half  of 
the  church  lot. 

During  a  vacation  trip  to  Europe  which  Father  Muenich  took 
in  1880,  Rev.  Bernard  B.  Smedding  took  charge  of  the  parish 
and  served  as  pastor  from  April  to  November  of  that  year.  Father 
Muenich  resigned  June  1,  1881,  leaving  the  church  in  a  pros- 
perous condition. 

Rev.  Robert  J.  Roche  succeeded  Father  Muenich,  and  took 
charge  of  the  congregation  on  Thursday,  August  1.  1882. 

On  August  17,  1883,  St.  Mary's  congregation  was  incorpor- 
ated under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 

While  Father  Roche  was  pastor,  many  improvements  were 


290  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

made  on  the  church  lot,  the  residence  of  the  priest  was  decorated 
and  furnished,  the  church  frescoed  and  painted,  a  new  altar  built 
and  a  handsome  organ  purchased.  Property  was  also  secured 
for  school  purposes. 

Father  Eoche  severed  his  connection  with  the  parish  Septem- 
ber 11,  1898,  and  was  succeeded  by  Eev.  W.  A.  Goebel,  at  that 
time  pastor  of  St.  Patrick's  Church  at  Eipon,  Wis. 

Father  Goebel  immediately  set  about  planning  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  larger  church,  the  congregation  having  outgrown  the 
first  building,  and  the  following  building  committee  was  chosen : 
Eev.  W.  A.  Goebel,  Andrew  Barron  (secretary),  John  Champion 
(treasurer),  Fred  Eoesling,  Sr.,  Edward  J.  Eyan  (attorney  for 
the  congregation),  Peter  Neuses,  William  Kennedy,  John  S. 
Doran.  This  committee  visited  many  new  churches  in  Wisconsin 
and  Illinois  and  in  the  spring  of  1899,  plans  drawn  by  F.  H. 
Kemp,  under  the  supervision  of  Father  Goebel  and  Fred  Eoes- 
ling, Sr.,  were  adopted.  Mr.  Eoesling  was  an  architect  and  con- 
tractor, and  gave  up  most  of  his  time  for  two  years  in  supervis- 
ing the  construction  of  the  building.  Father  Goebel  rendered 
valuable  assistance  in  this  work,  devoting  every  moment  to  the 
service  which  could  be  spared  from  his  duties  as  pastor. 

During  the  summer  of  1900,  the  old  church  and  the  rectory 
were  moved  to  make  room  for  a  new  building,  and,  soon  after, 
excavation  was  made  for  the  foundation.  On  May  30,  1901,  the 
corner  stone  was  laid,  Father  E.  J.  Eoche,  the  former  pastor,  offi- 
ciating at  the  ceremony.  Father  L.  J.  Vaughn  preached  the  ser- 
mon. 

The  ceremony  of  dedication  for  the  new  church,  which  took 
place  June  14,  1902,  was  performed  by  Bishop  Muldoon  of  Chi- 
cago, in  the  absence  of  Archbishop  Katzer  of  Milwaukee. 

The  church,  which  is  of  Menominee  red  brick,  with  a  founda- 
tion of  Waukesha  stone,  stands  on  the  east  side  on  a  hill  over- 
looking the  city  and  presents  a  fine  appearance.  The  interior  is 
handsomely  furnished  and  decorated  and  the  windows  are  rich 
and  beautiful,  many  of  them  having  been  presented  as  memorials 
by  members  of  the  congregation.  The  church  was  built  at  a  cost 
of  $50,000,  which  sum  does  not  include  gifts  or  donations. 

There  are  various  societies  connected  with  the  church :  The 
Guard  of  Honor,  which  is  composed  of  men  of  the  congregation, 
both  young  ancl  old.     John  J.  Lynch  is  its  president.     The  mar- 


JANESVILLE  CHURCHES  291 

ried  Ladies'  Sodality  has  for  its  prefect  Mrs.  J.  M.  Kneff;  Mrs. 
N.  Casey  is  the  secretary  and  Mrs.  A.  Pierce  treasurer.  Of  the 
Young  Ladies'  Sodality,  ]\Iiss  Belle  Connell  is  prefect,  Miss  Mamie 
Cantwell  secretary  and  Miss  Laskowski  treasurer. 

Rev.  William  A.  Goebel,  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church 
at  Janesville,  Wis.,  was  born  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  November  26, 
1857,  and  is  a  son  of  Louis  and  Maria  (Schilling)  Goebel,  both 
natives  and  life-long  residents  of  that  place.  He  acquired  his 
preliminary  education  in  his  native  town  and  supplemented  this 
with  a  course  of  study  at  Marietta  college,  followed  by  courses 
of  study  in  Toronto,  Ont.,  and  at  St.  Francis'  seminary,  in  Mil- 
waukee, Wis.,  where  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  on  June 
24,  1881.  In  August  following  his  ordination,  Rev.  Goebel  was 
appointed  to  take  charge  of  a  mission  at  Kingston,  Wis.,  and 
after  two  years  of  successful  work  there,  he,  in  September,  1883, 
was  given  a  charge  in  Ripon,  Wis.,  whence  in  1898  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  his  present  pastorate  in  Janesville. 

Rev.  Goebel  is  a  man  of  intense  energy,  thoroughly  conse- 
crated to  the  work  to  which  he  has  dedicated  himself,  and  by  his 
pure,  simple,  earnest  and  devoted  life,  holds  the  confidence  and 
esteem  not  only  of  his  immediate  parishioners,  but  also  of  the 
community  and  all  who  come  within  the  scope  of  his  influence. 
Through  his  instrumentality  and  under  his  direction,  a  new  and 
splendid  church  edifice  has  been  erected  at  a  cost  of  $51,000,  the 
corner  stone  being  laid  in  May,  1901,  and  the  completed  building 
being  dedicated  in  June,  1902.  In  all  his  work,  Rev.  Goebel 
brings  to  bear  the  force  of  a  strong  personality,  and  to  this, 
coupled  with  his  various  attainments  and  firm  reliance  upon  Him 
whom  he  seeks  to  faithfully  follow  and  serve,  is  to  be  attributed 
the  gratifying  results  of  his  activity. 

The  Unitarian  Church.  As  early  as  1842,  clergymen  of  the 
Universalist  faith  paid  occasional  visits  to  Janesville,  among 
whom  may  be  mentioned  the  Revs.  S.  Barns,  G.  W.  Lawrence, 
C.  F.  La  Favre  and  Frank  Whitaker.  The  latter  gentleman 
preached  at  both  Beloit  and  Janesville.  In  1850  the  "First  Uni- 
versalist Society"  was  organized,  with  the  Rev.  J.  Baker  as 
pastor.  He  filled  the  pulpit  for  two  years,  and  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  C.  F.  Dodge,  of  Palmyra,  who  was  their  pastor  for 
one  year.  After  this  date  there  seems  to  have  been  a  lack  of 
interest,  though   meetings  were  held,  but  not  regularly,  until 


392  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

1864,  when  the  Rev.  F.  M.  Holland,  a  Unitarian  minister,  arrived 
at  Janesville;  on  February  16  a  meeting  was  held  in  Lappin's 
hall,  which  Avas  largely  attended,  and  the  organization  of  "The 
First  Independent  Society  of  Liberal  Christians  of  Janesville" 
was  perfected  and  incorporated.  The  following  were  the  trus- 
tees elected :  Orvin  Guernsey,  Samuel  G.  Bailey,  Levi  Alden, 
James  M.  Burgess,  George  "W.  Bemis  and  Jonathan  Church.  Dur- 
ing the  time  of  Mr.  Holland's  Pastorate,  meetings  were  held  in 
Hope  Chapel  which  was  later  the  German  Lutheran  Church,  on 
West  Milwaukee  street.  The  society  grew  very  rapidly,  and 
soon  it  became  apparent  that  more  room  was  needed  and  meas- 
ures were  taken  to  build  a  church  to  their  needs,  the  result  be- 
ing the  construction  of  All  Soul's  Church,  on  West  Court  street. 
The  church  was  dedicated  in  1866,  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Collyer, 
the  Rev.  Silas  Farrington,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Holland,  being  the 
pastor  at  the  time.  He  was  succeeded  in  turn  by  the  Revs. 
Charles  F.  Balch,  J.  Fisher.  Rev.  Jenkin  Lloyd  Jones,  now  of 
Chicago,  111.,  was  pastor  of  the  Unitarian  Church  until  August 
30,  1880.  During  the  three  years  following,  the  society  was  with- 
out a  regular  pastor,  and  the  pulpit  was  supplied  from  the  liberal 
churches  of  other  cities.  On  February  5,  1884,  Rev.  H.  Tambs 
Lyche  took  charge  as  pastor  and  remained  for  about  one  year. 
The  church  was  closed  for  six  months  and  October  1,  1885,  Rev. 
Joseph  Waite  accepted  a  call.  He  resigned  April  1,  1888.  Rev. 
Charles  F.  Elliott  succeeded  Mr.  Waite,  his  pastorate  beginning 
on  September  1,  1888,  and  ending  May  1,  1891.  September  1, 
1891,  Rev.  Sophie  Gibb  took  charge  and  remained  till  September 
11,  1894.  She  was  followed  by  Rev.  Victor  E.  Southworth,  who 
was  pastor  for  two  years.  February  12,  1899,  Rev.  A.  G.  Wilson 
came,  remaining  about  one  year  and  a  half.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
trustees  of  the  society,  held  April  25,  1901,  it  was  decided  to  sell 
the  church  property,  sealed  bids  for  its  purchase  having  been 
received,  and  on  the  next  day,  April  26,  1901,  the  sale  was  made 
to  Dr.  E.  F.  Woods.  At  the  time  of  the  sale  the  trustees,  who 
are  still  holding  office  (1908),  were  as  follows:  William  A. 
Smith,  chairman;  Walter  Helms,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Wil- 
liam H.  Greenman,  W.  H  Merritt,  Fred  Howe. 

The  mutual  improvement  club  was  organized  in  the  winter  of 
1873-4  and  caried  on  its  meetings  until  the  winter  of  1884-85. 
Its  officers  then  were:     Treasurer,  Lily  M.  Godden;  secretary, 


JANESVILLE  CHURCHES  293 

Ida  Harris;  librarian,  Zelia  Harris.  Two  other  literary  clubs 
were  connected  with  the  church  following  the  disbanding  of  the 
Mutual  Improvement  Club— the  Fortnightly  Club  and  the  Cul- 
ture Club.  They  were  shortlived  and  the  minutes  have  not  been 
preserved. 

The  First  Baptist  Church,  of  Janesville,  was  organized  Octo- 
ber 13,  1844.  The  old  records  have  been  lost,  but  according  to 
reliable  verbal  statements  there  were  thirteen  constituent  mem- 
bers. 

In  1851  the  first  house  of  worship  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $5,- 
000.  Subsequently  this  edifice  was  sold.  A  temporary  church 
home  in  the  Hyatt  block  was  christened  "The  Baptist  Taber- 
nacle." One  wintry  night  it  was  burned  to  the  ground.  Driven 
from  this  home,  the  church  established  itself  in  Lappin's  hall 
until  the  second  edifice  was  built  in  1868.  This  was  a  magnificent 
structure,  and  for  nearly  a  score  of  years  the  church  worshipped 
and  prospered  within  its  walls.  But  in  1884  this  building  was 
also  burned.  During  the  erection  of  the  present  house  of  wor- 
ship there  was  for  a  year  an  interchange  of  courtesy  with  the 
Congregationalists.  They  furnished  the  church,  and  this  society 
furnished  the  minister,  Rev.  Dr.  M.  G.  Hodge.  The  church  home 
is  a  beautiful  sanctuary  loved  sincerely  by  many  hearts. 

(A.  D.  1908.)  The  number  of  members  is  now  710,  the  largest 
Baptist  church  in  Wisconsin.  During  this  year  100  new  members 
were  received. 

The  pastors  have  been:  Rev.  J.  Murphy,  Rev.  J.  R.  Eldrige, 
1844  to  1847 ;  Rev.  Otis  Hackett,  1847  to  1849 ;  Rev.  0.  J.  Dear- 
born, 1850  to  1854;  Rev.  William  Douglas,  1854  to  1856;  Rev. 
Galusha  Anderson,  1856  to  1858;  Rev.  E.  J.  Goodspeed,  1858  to 
1864;  Rev.  M.  G.  Hodge,  1865  to  1871;  Rev.  F.  W.  Bakeman,  1872 
to  1873 ;  Rev.  J.  P.  Bates,  1873  to  1875 ;  Rev.  W.  S.  Roberts,  1875 
to  1878 ;  Rev.  F.  L.  Chapell,  1878  to  1881 ;  Rev.  M.  G.  Hodge,  1881 
to  1897 ;  Rev.  A.  C.  Pempton,  1897  to  1900 ;  Rev.  R.  M.  Vaughan, 
1901  to  1908. 

The  Episcopal  Church.  The  history  of  this  church  in  Janes- 
ville  dates  from  August,  1844,  when  the  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Ruger 
came  to  Janesville  as  a  missionary,  sent  out  by  the  Domestic 
Board  of  Missions,  from  the  diocese  of  New  York.  On  Septem- 
ber 18  a  meeting  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  an  Epis- 
copal church,  and  at  this  meeting  the  following  wardens  and  ves- 


294  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

trymen  were  elected :  Wardens,  "William  Lupton  and  J.  Bodwell 
Doe ;  vestrymen,  William  B.  Sheldon,  A.  Hyatt  Smith,  John  J.  R. 
Pease,  Guy  Stoughton,  Joseph  Croft,  A.  C.  Wood,  A,  C.  Bailey 
and  Isaac  Woodle.  Until  January,  1846,  services  were  held  in  the 
small  brick  school  house  on  the  corner  of  Milwaukee  and  Bluflf 
streets.  At  the  end  of  two  years  a  parish  was  organized.  Mr. 
Ruger  became  rector,  and  remained  in  that  position  until  1855. 
At  a  vestry  meeting  held  July  5,  1847,  it  was  voted  that  a  church 
building  should  be  constructed  without  delay.  Lot  83,  in  Smith 
&  Bailey's  addition,  west  side,  was  donated  by  A.  Hyatt  Smith, 
and  the  work  of  building  Trinity  Church  was  begun.  The  build- 
ing was  constructed  in  June,  1848.  The  list  of  rectors  who  have 
been  in  charge  since  the  formation  of  the  parish  are  in  order  fol- 
lowing: The  Revs.  Thomas  Ruger,  Samuel  S.  Ethridge,  J.  M. 
Coe,  Hiram  Beers,  Fayette  Durlin,  George  Wallace  and  F.  W. 
McLean. 

Christ  Episcopal  Church.  In  the  year  1859,  owing  to  some 
differences  which  are  liable  to  occur,  and  which  did  occur,  there 
was  a  division  in  Trinity  Church,  and  steps  were  taken  toward 
organizing  another.  Meetings  were  held  in  Lappin  hall,  and  the 
Rev.  Thomas  J.  Ruger  was  chosen  as  their  rector.  On  Septem- 
ber 20,  1859,  they  effected  a  permanent  organization,  and  the 
following  officers  were  elected :  George  Cannon,  senior  warden ; 
Frank  M.  Smith,  junior  warden ;  vestrymen,  John  J.  R.  Pease,  L. 
F.  Patten,  Lewis  E.  Stone,  Shubael  W.  Smith,  Hiram  Jackman, 
B.  Wheeler,  John  E.  Jenkins  and  George  Barnes.  Lappin 's 
hall  being  very  much  in  demand,  they  were  compelled 
to  look  elsewhere  for  a  convenient  place  to  worship.  Colonel 
Ezra  Miller  offered  the  society  the  use  of  the  Ogden  house  dining 
room,  which  was  accepted  and  used  until  1861.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  vestrymen  held  April  4,  1861,  a  lot  was  purchased  of 
Hamilton  Richardson  on  Court  street,  near  the  east  end  of  the 
public  square,  and  a  contract  made  with  V.  G.  Nettleton  to  build 
a  church.  It  was  consecrated  October  31,  1861,  by  the  Rt.  Rev. 
Jackson  Kemper,  D.  D.,  bishop  of  the  diocese  of  Wisconsin.  The 
following  gentlemen  have  officiated  as  rectors  of  the  church  since 
its  organization:  Revs.  Thomas  J.  Ruger,  Henry  W.  Spaulding, 
D.  D.,  Robert  W.  Woolsey,  E.  Tolson  Baker,  Joseph  Wood,  George 
W.  Dunbar  and  Rev.  Lee  Royce  in  1877,  who  was  succeeded  in 
1881  by  Rev.  C,  M.  Pullen.   In  1887,  Rev.  H.  W.  Spaulding,  who 


JAXESVILLE  CHURCHES  ^95 

took  charge  as  rector  of  the  church  in  December,  1859,  was  re- 
called, and  remained  in  charge  until  September,  1889,  when  Rev. 
H.  Baldwin  Dean  became  rector.  Rev.  A.  H.  Barrington  was 
called  to  the  rectorship  February  1,  1891,  and  resigned  Novem- 
ber, 1905.  The  church  was  without  a  rector  until  May  9,  1906, 
when  Rev.  John  McKinney,  the  present  incumbent,  became 
rector. 

Church  societies:  Christ  Church  Guild,  Mrs.  L.  C.  Brewer, 
president ;  St,  Agnes  Guild,  Mrs.  F.  F.  Stevens,  president ;  Daugh- 
ters of  the  King,  Mrs.  William  Ruger,  president;  Woman's  Auxil- 
iary, Mrs.  John  McKinney,  president;  Junior  Auxiliary,  Mrs. 
Abby  Winslow  and  Miss  Bessie  Woodruff,  presidents. 

Vestry:  Senior  warden,  William  Ruger;  junior  warden,  Robert 
M.  Bostwick.  Jr.;  vestrymen,  George  S.  Parker,  Jr.,  William 
Sayles,  George  Smith,  William  Skelly,  Joseph  L.  Bostwick  and 
Norman  L.  Carle.  Robert  M.  Bostwick,  Jr.,  is  treasurer  of  the 
society  and  William  Ruger,  Jr.,  is  clerk  of  the  vestry. 

New  windows  and  new  pews  have  been  placed  in  the  church 
during  the  present  year  (1908). 

St.  Paul's  Lutheran  Church  was  first  established  here  in  1865, 
with  Rev.  H.  Ernst  as  the  first  pastor.  Meetings  of  members  of 
this  faith  had  been  held  at  different  times  as  early  as  1855.  The 
Rev.  F.  Locher  and  the  Rev.  A.  Wagner  had  preached  here  fre- 
quently, but  no  stated  or  regular  meetings  were  held  util  1865. 
In  1870  the  Rev.  Mr.  Duberg  was  chosen  as  their  pastor,  and 
two  years  later  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  G.  Rousch,  and  was 
followed  by  the  Rev.  J.  Schlerf.  In  1867  the  society  purchased 
Hope  Chapel  from  the  Baptists,  for  w^hich  they  paid  $2,500.  The 
original  members  of  the  congregation  came  from  Pomerania  and 
Mecklenburg  in  Germany.  Rev.  John  Scherf  served  from  Sep- 
tember 1,  1875,  to  September,  1888,  and  was  followed  by  Rev. 
Max.  J.  F.  Albrecht,  from  October,  1888,  to  July,  1891.  He  was 
followed  by  the  Rev.  Christ.  John  Koesner,  from  July  5,  1891,  and 
who  is  at  present  (1908)  its  pastor. 

The  church  was  erected  in  1883,  and  in  1889  the  congregation 
purchased  a  large  pipe  organ,  costing  $1,400.  The  steeple  was 
built  in  1893,  and  three  large  bells  were  purchased  for  $1,000 
at  the  time. 

The  church  membership  at  present  (1908)  consists  of  240 
families. 


2dG  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

The  congregation  supports  a  parochial  school,  of  which  Mr. 
K.  F.  G.  Kath  is  principal  and  Miss  Mary  Gallitz  assistant. 

The  parsonage  was  built  in  1880,  and  greatly  improved  in 
1907. 

The  Norwegian  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  had  its  first 
beginning  in  Janesville  in  1855,  when  meetings  were  held  in  a 
small  apartment  near  the  court  room,  and  they  also  rented  of 
other  denominations  occasionally.  In  1873  they  built  a  church 
near  the  depot  at  a  cost  of  $2,700.  Among  the  original  members 
were  A.  Anderson,  S.  Trulson,  M.  Hanson  and  C.  C.  Peterson. 
The  first  pastor  was  Eev.  Adolph  Preuss,  who  has  been  succeeded 
by  the  Eevs.  Duus,  Duberg  and  C.  F.  Magelson. 

United  Brethren  in  Christ.  This  church  was  organized,  and 
the  first  services  were  held  on  Sunday,  May  10,  1908,  in  their 
new  church  building,  which,  with  the  parsonage  just  completed, 
cost  $20,000.    Eev.  L.  A.  Mclntyre,  pastor. 

In  April,  1897,  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  Janesville, 
Wis.,  was  organized  with  twenty-two  charter  members.  The 
Christian  Science  church,  being  based  on  the  healing  of  sin  and 
sickness,  as  preached  and  practiced  by  Jesus,  the  membership 
consists  of  those  who  have  had  proofs  of  this  healing  in  their 
own  experience. 

The  Christian  Science  church  has  no  pastor  in  the  usual  sense 
of  the  word.  The  Bible  and  the  Christian  Science  text-book  are 
their  only  preachers.  This  text-book  is  ''Science  and  Health, 
with  Key  to  the  Scriptures,"  by  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy. 

Two  readers  are  elected  from  the  church  membership  every 
three  years.  Those  who  have  served  as  first  readers  are  Miss 
Stella  F.  Sabin,  Mrs.  Clara  J.  Persels,  Mrs.  Helen  C.  Sherer  and 
Mr.  Marshall  P.  Eichardson. 

Church  services  are  held  at  present  in  the  hall  formerly  occu- 
pied by  the  city  library.  The  church  owns  a  lot  on  the  corner 
of  High  and  Pleasant  streets  and  now  has  a  growing  building 
fund  for  the  erection  of  a  church  edifice.  The  membership  has 
more  than  doubled  and  the  average  attendance  at  Sunday  ser- 
vices is  between  sixty-five  and  seventy. 

St.  Peter's  Church.  The  congregation  of  St.  Peter's  was  or- 
ganized by  Eev.  A.  C.  Anda,  western  field  secretary,  February 
6,  1903.  Nineteen  charter  members  signed  the  constitution  and 
with  but  few  additions  were  the  sole  representatives  of  English 


JANESVILLE  CHUECHES  297 

Lutherans  in  central  Wisconsin  for  the  year  and  a  half  that  ser- 
vices were  conducted  by  Chicago  seminary  students,  in  the  small 
hall  down  town.  In  June,  1904,  the  congregation  took  posses- 
sion of  the  church  property  at  Jackson  and  Center  streets,  which 
was  purchased  from  the  Methodists  at  a  very  low  price.  At  this 
time  Rev.  W.  P.  Christy  was  installed  as  pastor.  In  the  summer 
of  1905  a  new  roof  and  new  chancel  platform  and  arches,  new 
furniture  and  carpets  were  added  at  a  cost  of  $1,000.  In  1906  a 
large,  two  manual,  electric  organ  was  purchased,  rebuilt  and 
installed  at  a  cost  of  $1,200.  With  these  material  improvements, 
which  represent  a  value  from  $15,000  to  $16,000,  the  congregation 
has  been  correspondingly  blessed  with  substantial  increase  and 
numbers  at  this  time  more  than  350  souls. 

This  congregation  has  been  self-supporting  from  its  very  be- 
ginning, and  its  only  obligation  to  the  church  at  large  is  a  $3,000 
church  extension  loan.  It  is  a  substantial  evidence  of  what  can 
be  done  in  100  other  places  on  the  territory  of  our  synod,  where 
the  church  is  ready  with  the  men  and  an  adequate  church  exten- 
sion fund  to  possess  fields  ripe  unto  the  harvest.  Rev.  W.  P. 
Christy  is  still  (1908)  pastor. 

The  German  Evangelical  Lutheran.  St.  John's  congregation 
was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1890,  by  Rev.  George  Kaempflein. 
There  were  sixteen  members  to  vote.  Church  and  parish  were 
dedicated  September  9  of  the  same  year.  Rev.  George  Kaemp- 
flein stayed  with  the  congregation  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
on  April  9,  1898.  Since  then  until  this  day,  Rev.  Paul  F.  Werth 
has  been  the  officiating  minister. 

A  new  parish  house  was  built  in  1902,  provided  with  modern 
conveniences.  At  present  the  congregation  consists  of  100  voting 
members,  300  members  admitted  to  communion,  while  the  total 
membership  is  500. 

Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  of  Janesville,  was  organ- 
ized in  April,  1892.  The  first  officers  were  B.  F.  Dunwiddie, 
president;  Thorw^aldson  Judd,  vice-president;  J.  B.  Hayner,  secre- 
tary; 0.  G.  Bennett,  treasurer.  There  was  a  membership  roll  of 
sixty  and  meetings  were  held  in  the  different  churches  of  the 
city.  A  movement  was  almost  immediately  started  to  raise  funds 
by  public  subscription  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building,  but 
the  hard  times  of  1893  to  1896  impeded  progress  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  building  was  not  completed  till  1905-06,  at  a  cost  of  $33,- 


2»8  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

000,  to  which  was  added  $2,000  for  equipment.  During  the  year 
1901  a  dormitory  was  erected  by  Mrs.  M.  P.  Leavett  and  added 
to  the  original  building  at  a  cost  of  $5,750,  which  included  makes 
the  total  cost  of  the  building  about  $40,000. 

During  the  fall  of  1903,  a  woman's  auxiliary  was  organized, 
and  is  a  strong  adjunct  to  the  association.  In  1893,  Mr.  J.  C. 
Kline  was  called  as  general  secretary  of  the  association,  which 
position  he  still  holds  (1908).  There  are  now  a  total  of  445  mem- 
bers, with  officers  as  follows:  F.  F.  Lewis,  president;  Dr.  E.  E. 
Loomis,  vice-president;  L.  K.  Crissey,  treasurer,  and  Dr.  F.  M. 
Richards,  recording  secretary. 


XV. 

COLLEGES  IN  ROCK  COUNTY. 

Beloit  College — The  Beginning. 

At  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  Beloit  College,  Tuesday 
afternoon,  July  9,  1872,  its  first  and  only  president,  up  to  date, 
Aaron  L.  Chapin,  gave  the  following  account  of  the  beginning 
of  that  institution. 

"The  first  scene  is  in  the  old  stone  church,  in  the  fall  of  1843. 
That  old  stone  church  was  not  quite  finished,  but  when  completed 
a  few  weeks  later  it  was  the  most  stately  and  grand  house  of 
Christian  worship  then  in  Wisconsin.  At  the  time  (that  fall)  it 
was  made  comfortable  for  the  meeting  of  the  general  Presbyterian 
and  Congregational  convention  of  Wisconsin,  whose  members  at 
that  fall  session  numbered  just  twenty-eight,  representing  all  parts 
of  the  territory  of  Wisconsin  into  which  Christian  civilization 
had  then  made  its  way.  It  was  my  first  introduction  to  that  body. 
I  found  those  men  then  and  there  thinking  on  a  college.  They 
had  been  thinking  on  it  for  a  year  or  more.  Less  than  ten  years 
after  Black  Hawk  and  his  wild  Indian  troop  had  been  chased 
by  the  Illinois  volunteers  up  through  this  Rock  River  valley 
those  pioneers  of  Christ's  army  had  come  in  and  entertained  the 
thought  of  planting  a  college,  on  the  colony  plan,  away  up  by  the 
Beaver's  Dam  on  the  headwaters  of  this  clear  stream.  They 
abandoned  that  scheme  only  because  it  had  the  smack  of  a  private 
money  speculation. 

"In  the  early  summer  of  1844,  in  a  little  stateroom  of  the 
steamer  Chesapeake  on  Lake  Erie,  were  delegates  returning  from 
a  northwest  gathering  called  to  consider  the  interests  of  Christ's 
kingdom  in  the  wide  Mississippi  valley.  They  were  Stephen  Peet, 
Baldwin,  J.  J.  Miter,  Gaston,  Hicks,  Bulkley  and  Chapin. 

"The  Western  College  Society  was  organized  and  its  secre- 
tary, Baldwin,  said  that  a  hand  from  the  East  would  be  stretched 
out  to  help  on  the  establishment  of  a  genuine  Christian  college  in 
the  West.  Stephen  Peet  enlarged  on  that  point ;  his  words  kindled 

299 


300  mSTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

hope  and  enthusiasm  in  the  rest;  there  was  earnest  consultation 
and  fervent  prayer,  and  Beloit  College  became  a  living  concep- 
tion. These  seven  then  and  there  took  the  responsibility  of  call- 
ing a  meeting  of  the  friends  of  Christian  education  in  Illinois, 
Wisconsin  and  Iowa  for  definite  consultation  on  the  matter. 

"August  6,  1844,  that  meeting  convened  in  the  old  stone 
church,  Beloit.  Four  came  from  Iowa,  twenty-seven  from  Illinois, 
twenty-five  from  Wisconsin — in  all,  fifty-six  delegates.  For  two 
days  they  talked  and  prayed,  and  finally  decided  that  a  college 
and  a  female  seminary  should  be  established,  each  near  the  border 
line.  A  committee  of  ten  was  appointed  to  consider  and  report 
at  a  future  convention.  This  met  in  October,  1844,  with  fifty 
members  from  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  affirmed  the  purpose  of 
a  college,  but  deferred  action.  A  third  convention,  numbering 
sixty-eight,  met  in  May,  1845,  and  after  earnest  and  prayerful 
discussion,  with  only  one  dissenting  vote,  located  the  college  in 
Beloit.  In  October,  1845,  a  fourth. convention  met,  adopted  a 
form  of  charter,  and  elected  a  board  of  trustees  for  the  college; 
and  so  the  ship  was  launched.  The  first  meeting  of  that  board 
was  held  October  23,  1845,  immediately  after  the  convention 
adjourned.  There  were  eight — Kent,  Peet,  Hickox,  Clary,  Pear- 
son, Fisher,  Talcott  and  Chapin.  Mr.  Kent  said,  'Let  us  pray.' 
That  fervent  prayer  from  his  lips  was  the  first  cry  of  life  of  the 
infant  college." 

The  history  of  the  college  during  the  next  two  years  was  then 
presented  in  the  following  paper  by  Prof.  J.  J.  Bushnell: 

In  1846  Beloit  pledged  a  site  of  ten  acres  for  the  college  and 
the  erection  of  the  first  building,  and  for  the  latter  purpose  raised 
a  subscription  of  seven  thousand  dollars.  Major  Williams,  of 
New  London,  Conn.,  had  donated  lands  which  were  expected  to 
realize  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  another  small  tract  had  been 
given  which  was  later  sold  for  one  thousand  dollars. 

When  Bushnell  came  on  April  27,  1848  the  college  had  no 
money.  The  Beloit  subscription  of  seven  thousand  dollars  had 
dwindled  to  five  thousand;  of  this,  four  thousand  had  been  col- 
lected and  spent  in  the  summer  of  1847,  in  putting  up  the  bare 
brick  walls  of  Middle  College,  the  cornerstone  being  laid  June  24. 
For  six  months  previous  to  his  arrival  Middle  College  had  stood 
fi.oorless,  windowless  and  roofless,  without  any  means  to  finish  it. 
Five  young  men  had  been  fitted  for  college  in  the  Beloit  Semi- 


COLLEGES  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  301 

nary  under  S.  T.  ]\[errill,  and  were  organized  into  a  freshman 
class  in  1847.  Early  in  May,  1848,  this  class  was  transferred  by 
Merrill  to  Bushnell,  who  took  charge  of  them  a  few  weeks  until 
the  June  meeting  of  the  trustees. 

On  the  last  of  May,  1848,  Joseph  Emerson  arrived.  His  first 
question  to  Bushnell  was,  "Can  we  have  a  college  here?"  Bush- 
nell's  reply  was,  "Yes;  if  we  will  make  it." 

June  1  the  trustees  met  and  assigned  to  Emerson  the  depart- 
ment of  languages  and  to  Bushnell  that  of  mathematics.  Out- 
siders said  that  Beloit  must  finish  that  college  building,  or  outside 
funds  could  not  be  obtained.  For  three  weeks  Professor  Bushnell 
and  Deacon  Hinman  visited  the  community  and  talked  up  the 
college.  There  was  some  pro-slavery  sentiment  and  opposition  to 
an  abolition  college.  A  public  meeting  was  held  in  June,  and  it 
was  voted  that  Beloit  ought  to  raise  two  thousand  more  to  com- 
plete the  college  building.  Subscriptions  were  made  on  the  spot. 
Mr.  Spafford  C.  Field  said  he  had  no  money  but  could  give  160 
acres  of  land ;  that  proved  the  most  important  subscription  of  all, 
for  it  was  sold  for  four  hundred  dollars.  The  total  for  that  eve- 
ning was  twenty-four  hundred  dollars.  Then  three  committees 
were  appointed — one  for  the  college,  one  for  the  farmers,  and  one 
for  the  business  men,  the  chairman  of  the  last  being  Benjamin 
Brown.  This  third  committee  raised  the  most,  and  altogether 
brought  the  new  subscription  up  to  four  thousand  dollars ;  these 
sums,  however,  were  only  on  paper,  and  not  paid.  The  winter 
of  1848-49  was  a  time  of  money  scarcity ;  wheat  was  about  thirty- 
seven  cents  per  bushel  and  pork,  one  and  three-quarter  cents 
per  pound.  The  work  of  finishing  the  building  went  on  slowly, 
and  the  workmen  were  paid  mainly  in  orders  on  the  stores. 
Besides  the  sale  of  the  Field  land,  scarcely  three  hundred  dollars 
in  cash  was  collected  from  the  whole  subscription ;  that  was  paid 
by  orders,  labor,  material,  and  in  any  way  the  building  agent, 
Mr.  Samuel  Hinman,  could  devise ;  and  so  the  building  absorbed 
nearly  the  whole.  Eight  hundred  dollars  realized  from  the  sale  of 
the  Williams  land,  donated  for  endowment,  had  been  also  used 
in  the  work. 

In  1847  Deacon  Samuel  Hinman  had  moved  to  Beloit  from 
what  is  now  Waukesha,  then  Prairieville,  and  had  taken  charge 
of  the  work  of  building  that  first  college  building. 

The  building  fund  was  thus  debtor  to  the  investment  fund  to 


303  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

that  amount.  But  a  lot  immediately  south  of  the  college  ground 
was  bought  for  fifty  dollars ;  boys  were  employed  to  gather  cobble- 
stones from  the  bed  of  Turtle  creek.  All  the  broken  brick  about 
the  college  were  utilized  to  fill  up  the  wall  behind  this  stone  faced 
work,  and  the  subscriptions  of  work  were  used  in  building  there  a 
private  residence  which  became  the  Hinman  house.  There  Ches- 
ter Clark  worked  out  his  subscription,  laying  those  cobblestones 
with  the  mason  help  of  Rev.  Johnson,  editor  of  "The  Stumbling- 
Stone."  The  Messrs.  Gates  made  the  cut-stone  for  the  corners. 
About  eight-hundred  dollars'  worth  of  subscriptions  were  thus 
worked  into  the  building,  which  with  the  ground  cost  fourteen 
hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars.  It  was  sold  to  Mr.  Hinman  for 
all  it  cost  and  the  money  used  from  the  college  investment  fund 
was  replaced. 

If  ever  there  has  been  a  crisis  in  the  history  of  the  college 
it  was  when  Beloit  raised  her  second  subscription  of  four  thousand 
dollars. 

During  1848  and  1850  Mrs.  S.  W.  Hale,  of  Newburyport,  Mass., 
was  led  to  help  us  through  Professor  Emerson.  As  a  result  she 
gave  five  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Coles  county,  eastern  Illinois, 
which  brought  to  the  Beloit  College  about  thirty-five  thousand 
dollars. 

At  the  semi-centennial  of  the  college,  celebrated  June  23,  1897, 
Horace  White,  of  New  York  city,  a  graduate  of  the  class  of  1853, 
gave  his  vivid  remembrances  of  those  early  days,  partly  as 
follows : 

"Under  Mr.  Merrill's  tuition  I  began  the  study  of  algebra 
and  of  Latin  and  Greek.  In  1845  my  mother  married  Mr.  Samuel 
Hinman,  of  Waukesha,  Wis.,  one  of  the  best  men  that  ever  lived, 
and  we  went  to  his  farm  near  that  village,  where  we  remained  a 
year  or  two.  His  election  as  superintendent  of  the  first  building 
erected  for  Beloit  College  brought  us  back  here  in  the  spring 
of  1847.  This  was  the  year  in  which  the  first  freshman  class  was 
formed,  the  year  in  which  the  corners]tone  of  Middle  College  was 
laid. 

"I  remember  the  time  when  the  five  young  men  constituting 
the  first  freshman  class  studied  alongside  of  us  younger  ones  in 
the  old  basement,  under  Mr.  Llerrill,  who  was  acting  president 
and  professor  of  all  departments  in  Beloit  College  until  the 
advent  of  Professors  Bushnell  and  Emerson  in  the  month  of  May, 


(^^^'-'U^^^t'^L.ji/iJ 


COLLEGES  IN"  EOCK  COUNTY  303 

1848.  I  remember  the  coming  of  those  two  seers  of  Israel  and 
the  laying  of  the  cornerstone  aforesaid.  The  college  building  was 
in  course  of  construction  a  long  time,  and  the  five  freshmen 
(grown  to  be  sophomores)  recited  their  lessons  in  a  room  of 
Lucius  G.  Fisher's  house  down  on  the  river  bank.  It  was  a  severe 
struggle  on  all  hands  to  get  that  college  building  under  a  roof. 
We  children — that  is,  the  Hinman  children  and  the  White  chil- 
dren— had  these  troubles  served  up  to  us  daily  because  Deacon 
Hinman  had  charge  of  the  work,  for  which  he  received  a  salary 
of  five  hundred  dollars  per  year;  and  this  was  all  that  a  family 
of  ten  had  to  live  on.    We  thought  we  lived  pretty  well,  however. 

We  produced  our  own  vegetables  and  poultry,  our  own  pork 
and  milk  and  butter.  The  cows  grazed  freely  on  the  open  prairie 
round  about,  and  were  lured  homeward  by  an  enticement  of  bran 
at  the  close  of  each  day.  We  had  a  wood  lot  which  supplied  our 
fuel,  and  I  cut  down  the  trees.  Tea  and  coffee  were  unknown 
luxuries  to  us,  but  we  were  as  well  off  in  this  respect  as  Crcesus 
was.  Sugar  was  scarce,  but  we  had  more  of  it  than  Julius  Caesar 
had.  There  was  abundance  of  fish  in  the  streams,  and  of  game 
in  the  woods  and  fields.  Prairie  chickens,  wild  pigeons,  wild 
ducks  and  wild  geese  were  to  be  had  in  the  greatest  profusion 
during  their  season,  together  with  an  occasional  deer  and  an 
occasional  bear.  During  my  senior  year  in  college  (1853)  it  was 
not  an  uncommon  occurrence  to  find  a  flock  of  quails  in  our  door- 
yard  picking  up  crumbs  in  competition  with  the  chickens.  Black- 
berries, strawberries,  wild  plums,  wild  grapes,  hickory  nuts,  hazel- 
nuts and  black  walnuts  were  to  be  had  for  the  trouble  of  gather- 
ing them,  and  as  for  wild  flowers  I  cannot  begin  to  tell  you  how 
the  prairies,  the  woods  and  the  river  banks  glowed  with  them. 
The  habitat  of  many  of  these  flowers  extended  to  the  base  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  on  the  west  and  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Sas- 
katchewan on  the  north,  as  I  discovered  a  few  years  since  while 
making  a  journey  to  the  Pacific  coast  by  the  Canadian  Pacific 
railway. 

"So  you  see  that  a  salary  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  a  family 
of  ten,  plus  the  bounties  of  nature  and  our  own  industry,  was 
not  a  niggardly  allowance.  Yet  I  fancy  that  the  salaries  offered 
to  Professors  Bushnell  and  Emerson,  of  six  hundred  dollars  per 
year,  coupled  with  the  proviso,  "if  we  can  raise  it,"  did  not  con- 
stitute the  moving  consideration  with  them.     Ah,  those  noble- 


304  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

minded,  high-principled  men!  "What  can  I  say  in  their  praise? 
"What  can  I  not  say,  of  them  and  of  those  who  came  a  little  later, 
President  Chapin,  Professor  Lathrop,  Professor  Porter?  These 
five  constituted  the  faculty  during  my  undergraduate  course. 
Two  of  them  are  still  alive,  thank  God,  to  see  the  fiftieth  anni- 
versary of  the  institution  to  which  they  gave  their  lives.  Pro- 
fessor Porter,  according  to  my  recollection,  came  hither  a  victim 
of  consumption,  and  w^as  not  expected  to  live  more  than  three 
years.  If  Beloit  were  as  good  for  all  invalids  as  it  has  been  for 
him,  it  would  be  the  most  popular  health  resort  in  the  United 
States." 

(And  now,  1908,  Professor  Porter  is  still  living  in  Beloit  and 
in  connection  with  the  college  as  an  Emeritus. — Ed.) 

The  following  paper,  abridged,  given  at  the  semi-centennial 
by  President  Chapin 's  son,  Kobert  C.  Chapin,  Ph.D.,  professor 
of  political  economy  in  the  college,  together  with  his  supple- 
mentary statement,  sufiiciently  complete  this  record  to  date : 

Epochs  in  the  History  of  Beloit  College. 

We  may  distinguish  four  well-defined  epochs  in  the  life  of  the 
institution,  each  of  about  twelve  years.  First  is  the  formative 
period,  from  1847  to  the  election  of  Lincoln ;  then  the  war  period, 
extending,  with  its  influences,  down  to  about  1873 ;  third,  the 
period  of  intensive  growth,  to  the  inauguration  of  President 
Eaton  in  1886 ;  and  finally  the  era  of  expansion.  Her  whole  his- 
tory is  a  consistent  interpretation  of  the  motto  upon  her  seal, 
"True  science  with  pure  faith."  If  knowledge  has  claimed  a 
wider  scope,  and  faith  a  deeper  sacrifice,  she  has  exhibited 
throughout  the  same  steadfast  devotion  to  both. 

The  instructive  story  of  the  genesis  of  the  college  has  often 
been  recited,  but  it  is  fitting  that  it  be  reviewed  once  more.  Into 
the  fertile  prairies  of  Wisconsin  and  Illinois  were  pouring,  in 
the  years  following  1840,  the  sons  of  New  England.  These  set- 
tlers brought  their  ideas  with  them,  and  were  seeking,  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  to  embody  these  ideas  in  institutions  which  should 
both  give  them  form  for  the  present  and  perpetuate  them  in  the 
future.  The  higher  Christian  education  was  one  of  these  cher- 
ished ideas,  dear  to  their  hearts  from  the  first.  In  1842  and  1843 
at  least  two  definite  plans  were  discussed  in  their  ecclesiastical 
gatherings,  and  one  for  a  college  colony  at  Beaver  Dam  had  made 


COLLEGES  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  305 

considerable  progress  before  its  impracticability  was  demon- 
strated. 

The  sentiment  in  favor  of  establishing  a  college  was  crystal- 
lized into  action  by  a  convention  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  June, 
1844,  at  which  representatives  of  both  Congregational  and  Pres- 
byterian churches  in  all  parts  of  the  Northwest  discussed  the 
religious  needs  of  the  whole  region. 

A  conference  of  seven  of  these  men  in  the  stateroom  of  Ste- 
phen Peet,  then  agent  for  Wisconsin  of  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  bore  fruit  in  the  calling  of  a  convention,  which 
met  at  Beloit,  August  7,  1844,  composed  of  fifty-six  delegates 
from  "Wisconsin,  Illinois  and  Iowa.  Caution  prolonged  the  delib- 
erations through  three  subsequent  conventions  before  the  matter 
could  be  handed  over  to  the  corporation  appointed  by  the  last  of 
the  four,  in  October,  1845. 

The  first  convention  recommended  the  establishment  of  one 
college  for  Iowa  and  of  a  college  and  female  seminary  for  north- 
ern Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  "one  to  be  located  in  northern  Illinois 
contiguous  to  Wisconsin,  and  the  other  in  Wisconsin  contiguous 
to  Illinois." 

In  a  third  convention,  which  met  at  Beloit,  May  27,  1845,  after 
protracted  discussion,  the  plan  of  one  college  and  one  female 
seminary  for  the  two  states  was  reaffirmed  by  a  vote  of  sixty-three 
to  one.  This  vote  virtually  decided  also  the  location  of  the  college 
at  Beloit,  for  Beloit  was  the  border  town  which  had  been  in  the 
minds  of  the  leaders  from  the  outset,  and  her  interest  in  the  enter- 
prise had  been  manifested  by  an  offer  from  her  citizens  of  a  site 
and  seven  thousand  dollars,  "together  with  their  sympathies, 
prayers  and  future  efforts." 

The  convention,  therefore,  then  passed,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
a  resolution  locating  the  college  at  Beloit,  and  appointed  a  com- 
mittee of  ten  to  draw  up  a  charter  and  a  list  of  trustees,  both  to 
be  presented  to  the  fourth  convention,  October  21,  1845.  This 
convention  accepted  the  trustees  and  charter  as  recommended, 
and  left  further  arrangements,  including  the  locating  of  the  semi- 
nary, in  the  hands  of  these  sixteen  trustees :  Aratus  Kent,  Ste- 
phen Peet,  Dexter  Clary,  Aaron  L.  Chapin,  Flavel  Bascom,  Calvin 
Waterbury,  Jedediah  D.  Stevens,  Ruel  M.  Pearson,  George  W. 
Hickox,  Augustine  Raymond,  Charles  M.  Goodsell,  Ephraim  H. 
Potter,  Lucius  G.  Fisher,  Wait  Talcott,  Charles  S.  Hempstead, 


306  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Samuel  Hinman.  Eight  of  the  sixteen  were  ministers,  eight  lay- 
men ;  eight  were  from  Wisconsin,  eight  from  Illinois ;  eight  were 
Presbyterians,  eight  Congregationalists.  Mr.  Peet  states  that  the 
denominational  distribution  was  an  accident,  while  the  geographi- 
cal location  was  carefully  studied.  A  majority  of  the  minis- 
terial incorporators,  including  Peet,  Kent  and  Chapin,  were  grad- 
uates of  Yale,  whose  influence  appears  at  manj'^  points  in  the 
subsequent  history. 

The  trustees  immediately  met,  October  23,  1845.  After  prayer 
they  chose  Rev.  Aratus  Kent  as  president  and  Rev.  Dexter  Clary 
as  secretary.  The  charter  fared  hardly  at  the  hands  of  the  terri- 
torial legislature,  owing  to  influences  unfavorable  to  religion,  if 
not  to  education.  Amendments  were  inserted  restricting  the 
sphere  of  operations  to  the  town  of  Beloit,  and  prohibiting  re- 
ligious tests.  So  dissatisfied  were  the  trustees  that  they  voted 
(April  14,  1846)  not  to  accept  the  charter  on  these  terms;  but  in 
October,  finding  that  valuable  time  would  be  lost  by  waiting  for 
a  new  legislature,  they  reconsidered  their  action  and  found  that 
no  practical  difficulties  had  been  imposed  by  the  amendments. 

The  formal  organization  completed,  the  college  was  ready  to 
take  on  the  material  and  personal  equipment  for  its  work  of 
instruction.  The  lots  comprising  the  most  beautiful  part  of  the 
campus  were  deeded  to  the  board,  and  the  visitor  to  the  village 
in  October,  1846,  was  shown,  amid  the  brush,  the  stakes  that 
marked  the  ground-plan  of  Middle  College.  At  the  laying  of  the 
cornerstone,  June  24,  1847,  Mr.  Peet  announced  the  gift  from 
Hon.  T.  W.  Williams,  of  New  London,  Conn.,  of  ten  thousand 
dollars  in  western  lands  to  endow  a  professorship. 

The  organization  of  classes  could  not  wait  for  the  completion 
of  the  building  nor  the  engagement  of  the  professors,  about  whom 
much  correspondence  had  already  been  carried  on. 

The  famous  "Old  Stone  Church,"  which  had  sheltered  the 
conventions,  offered  its  hospitable  basement.  The  Beloit  Semi- 
nary, established  1844,  had  candidates  ready  for  the  freshman 
class,  and  its  accomplished  principal,  Mr.  S.  T.  Merrill,  was  ready 
to  carry  them  along  with  their  college  studies.  Accordingly, 
November  4,  1847,  a  class  of  four  (within  a  week  increased  to 
five)  was  admitted,  after  examination  by  Mr.  Merrill  and  the 
trustees,  to  entrance  upon  a  course  of  study  drawn  up  exactly  on 
the  Yale  plan. 


COLLEGES  IX  ROCK  COUNTY  307 

The  founders  of  the  college  had  realized  from  the  first  that 
their  reliance  for  the  accomplishment  of  their  high  purposes  must 
be  not  upon  buildings  nor  endowments  but  upon  men.  And  they 
chose  well  the  men  to  whom  they  entrusted  the  life  of  the  new- 
born college.  After  Professor  Emerson's  survey  it  is  not  neces- 
sary for  me  to  do  more  than  to  note  the  dates  in  1848,  when  he 
and  Professor  Bushnell  entered  upon  their  life-work  for  the  col- 
lege, the  latter  arriving  April  27,  the  former  May  24.  The  first 
president,  Rev.  A.  L.  Chapin,  was  called  from  Milwaukee,  Novem- 
ber 21,  1849,  and  inaugurated  July  24,  1850.  Professor  Porter 
came  in  1852  and  Professor  Blaisdell  in  1859.  The  harmonious 
continuity  already  alluded  to  is  due  in  large  measure  to  the  co- 
operation, for  so  long  a  period,  of  these  men  of  diverse  gifts  but 
kindred  spirit. 

The  limits  assigned  me  do  not  permit  the  tracing  in  detail  of 
the  events  of  this  pioneer  epoch,  now  fairly  inaugurated.  They 
were  the  days  of  the  picturesque,  of  the  heroic.  Knowledge  was 
Greek,  Latin  and  mathematics.  Prayers  began  at  six  a.  m.  The 
president's  chair  embraced  such  duties  as  the  revision  of  fresh- 
man essays  and  the  hearing  of  preparatory  Cassar.  The  Archsean 
Debating  Society  and  the  i\Iissionary  Society,  both  organized 
before  the  first  class  had  gone  very  far,  were  the  chief  voluntary 
organizations.  These  were  the  days  of  beginnings,  and  the  begin- 
nings were  sometimes  small,  but  they  were  days  of  high  endeavor, 
of  patient  continuance,  of  faith  and  prayer. 

By  works,  too,  the  friends  of  the  college  gave  proof  of  their 
faith.  At  the  end  of  the  first  ten  years  the  trustees  were  able  to 
report  gifts  amounting  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,  of  which  twenty-nine  thousand  had  been  given  by  citi- 
zens of  Beloit,  and  thirty-one  thousand  five  hundred  by  other 
donors  at  the  "West,  including  the  ten  thousand  dollars  which 
Stephen  Peet  had  solicited  from  home  missionaries  and  their 
parishioners.  From  the  East  had  come  sixty-four  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars,  the  largest  single  gift  being  that  of  Mrs.  Hale  of 
Newburyport,  who  gave  lands  which  eventually  M^ere  sold  for 
thirty-five  thousand  dollars. 

The  life  of  this  period  is  reflected  in  its  buildings ;  in  Middle 
College,  our  Plymouth  Rock;  in  North  College,  a  younger  sister 
of  Yale's  South  Middle;  in  the  Old  Chapel,  where,  though  the 
interior  might  be  severely  plain,  the  tossing  tree-tops  outside 


308  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUIS^TY 

seemed  to  waft  the  prayers  a  little  nearer  heaven.  Plain  living 
and  high  thinking  are  written  upon  every  wall  of  the  trio — writ- 
ten as  well  upon  the  forms  and  character  of  those  men  whose 
presence  was  a  living  power  within  the  inert  walls. 

The  work  to  which  the  early  graduates  addressed  themselves 
was  predominantly  that  of  the  Christian  ministry.  The  need  of 
the  world  and  of  the  newly  settled  country,  threatened  with  the 
tendencies  of  immigration  to  barbarism,  impressed  strongly  upon 
these  men  the  demand  for  the  message  of  the  Gospel. 

Meanwhile  the  nation  had  entered  upon  that  struggle  in  which 
the  Northwest  was  to  turn  the  tide  of  battle  in  favor  of  freedom 
and  union.  The  college  felt  the  thrill  of  the  conflict.  Faith  was 
now  faith  in  country,  God-given  and  God-guided ;  knowledge  was 
the  discerning  of  the  hour;  training  was  the  teaching  of  the 
manual  of  arms.  The  campus  was  filled  at  the  recreation  hour, 
not  with  contending  ball  players,  but  with  drilling  squads  of 
recruits. 

Beloit  sent  her  four  hundred  heroes,  her  forty-six  martyrs,  to 
the  front,  and  the  hero  spirit  pervaded  those  who  stayed  by  the 
stuft'  at  home,  so  that  the  daily  routine  was  performed  with  a 
new  energy  and  fidelity.  The  impulse  of  this  spirit  carried  the 
college  along  for  a  dozen  years  from  1860,  until  the  last  of  her 
soldier  sons — lieutenants,  captains,  colonels  of  regiments — had 
finished  their  academic  preparation  for  the  works  of  peace.  How 
the  soldier  spirit  carried  them  out  into  the  posts  of  danger  to 
"follow  the  flag  over  the  breastworks"  of  the  enemy  of  souls  in 
Turkey  and  China  and  Japan,  I  need  not,  in  this  presence,  attempt 
to  relate. 

But  how  the  college  flourished  in  the  years  succeeding  the 
war  may  be  seen  in  the  catalogues  with  their  lengthening  enroll- 
ment of  students,  and  the  names  of  those  whose  presence  added 
strength  to  the  faculty.  In  1864  Professor  Blaisdell  was  trans- 
ferred from  the  chair  of  rhetoric  to  that  of  philosophy,  and  the 
college,  after  the  faithful  solicitation  of  President  Chapin  had 
brought  in  fifty  thousand  dollars  from  generous  givers  East  and 
West,  to  increase  its  endowment,  declared  its  independence  of  the 
Education  Society. 

The  same  impulse  was  felt  in  undergraduate  activities.  The 
Olympian  Baseball  Club  won  the  state  championship  in  1867. 
A  students'  annual,  called  "The  Palladium"  at  first,  later  "The 


COLLEGES  IX  EOCK  COUNTY  309 

Register,"  was  published  from  1862  to  1871.  The  daily  prayer- 
meeting,  which  lived  for  twenty  years,  was  started  in  1865  among 
those  who  had  prayed  together  in  the  camp.  A  reminiscence  of 
the  barracks  was  suggested  by  the  architecture  of  South  College, 
built  in  1868  to  shelter  the  increasing  numbers. 

A  fitting  crown  of  this  period  was  the  dedication  in  1869  of 
Memorial  Hall,  erected  by  the  gifts  of  many  donors  in  response 
to  an  appeal  for  one  hundred  dollars  for  each  man  who  had 
enlisted  from  the  college.  The  soldiery  in  uniform.  Old  Abe, 
Wisconsin's  war  eagle,  the  martial  music,  the  glowing  oratory  of 
Senator  Carpenter,  the  classic  eloquence  of  Professor  Emerson, 
the  booming  of  the  minute-guns,  fired  by  student  veterans  in 
honor  of  the  dead — all  bespoke  what  the  college  had  learned  and 
suffered,  given  and  gained,  through  the  war.  As  we  survey  the 
record  of  the  college,  we  do  not  wonder  that  President  Lincoln, 
shortly  before  the  surrender  of  Lee,  testified  to  a  friend  that  it 
was  the  home  missionaries  and  the  college  presidents  who  had 
saved  the  Northwest  to  the  Union  and  thereby  saved  the  Union 
itself. 

Succeeding  the  war  period  came  the  years  from  1873  to  the 
close  of  President  Chapin's  administration,  in  1886,  years  charac- 
terized rather  by  the  gradual  strengthening  of  the  college  than  by 
sudden  changes  or  dramatic  incidents — the  period  of  intensive 
growth. 

Three  important  tendencies  appear  in  this  epoch.  The  first 
is  the  strengthening  of  the  college  by  its  own  alumni,  now  a  body 
strong  in  numbers  as  well  as  in  character.  They  entrust  their 
own  sons  to  the  care  of  alma  mater,  the  first  of  these  being  grad- 
uated in  1881.  They  contribute  a  fund  to  endow  an  alumni  pro- 
fessorship, and  have  begun  to  take  their  places  on  the  boards  of 
trust  and  instruction.  Professor  Hendrickson,  appointed  1871, 
was  the  first  of  eleven  graduates  whom  Beloit  has  called  to  full 
professorships ;  Dr.  J.  Collie,  elected  in  1869,  was  the  first  alumni 
trustee. 

A  second  line  of  development  shows  the  influence  of  causes 
that  were  felt  in  all  the  educational  institutions  of  the  country, 
tending  to  the  introduction  of  more  of  natural  science  and  mod- 
ern language  at  the  expense  of  the  classics  which  had  formed  the 
mainstay  of  the  course  of  study.  The  standard  of  admission  was 
raised  from  time  to  time  to  correspond  to  the  rise  of  standards 


310  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

at  the  East.  Here  a  term  of  Greek,  there  one  of  Latin,  had 
already  made  way  for  geology  or  historj'^,  and  finally,  in  1873,  a 
philosophical  course  was  laid  out  for  those  who  knew  not  the  sound 
of  the  limpid  Greek.  Though  containing  less  philosophy  than  the 
other  course,  its  name  was  justified  by  its  originator  on  the 
ground  that  it  was  arranged  on  philosophical  principles.  Few 
chose  it  in  those  years,  but  it  furnished  its  full  share  of  men  of 
mark  in  college  and  in  after  life.  The  new  chairs  established 
during  this  period  were  those  of  geology,  astronomy  and  modern 
languages,  and  the  scientific  equipment  of  the  college  was  in- 
creased in  many  ways,  especially  by  the  gift  of  the  Smith  Observ- 
atory, dedicated  in  1883.  This  building,  the  first  to  bear  a  name 
suggested  by  the  donor,  were  erected  as  a  memorial  to  Mr.  J.  F. 
Smith  by  his  sister,  Mrs.  J.  S.  Herrick. 

"We  notice  in  the  third  place,  as  in  other  institutions  at  this 
time,  the  diversification  of  undergraduate  activities,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  observe  how  many  of  the  features  of  college  life 
that  have  since  become  so  prominent  had  their  beginnings  at 
Beloit  in  the  thirteen  years  that  we  are  now  considering.  In  1875 
the  "College  Monthly,"  established  in  1853,  expands  into  the 
semi-monthly  "Round  Table,"  and  in  the  same  year  Beloit  wins 
second  place  in  the  first  interstate  oratorical  contest.  The  first 
fraternity  was  given  recognition  in  1880.  The  first  Greek  play 
to  be  performed,  the  Antigone,  was  given  in  1885,  in  what  is  now 
the  reading-room. 

The  first  field-day  was  held  in  1880 ;  Beloit  entered  the  West- 
ern College  Baseball  League  in  1883;  lawn  tennis  appeared  in 
1884.  The  Delian  Band  foreshadowed  the  merry  tinkle  of  the 
Mandolin  Club,  as  did  the  Phi  Beta  Sigma  Quartette  the  Glee 
Club.  The  college  yell  was  born  May  2,  1884,  on  the  eve  of  a  tie 
game  of  baseball  with  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  and  though 
of  much  less  formidable  dimensions  than  at  present,  its  seven 
syllables  formed  the  basis  of  the  chorus  of  today. 

The  enthusiasm  of  war  times  found  a  parallel  in  the  heartiness 
with  which  the  students  took  up  the  building  of  a  gymnasium. 
The  project  was  launched  by  the  salutatorian  of  '73,  whose  Latin 
speech  was  received  with  unwonted  thunders  of  applause  as  he 
closed  with  the  words,  which  for  more  than  a  year  had  been  upon 
his  lips,  "gymnasium  a?dificandum  est."  The  contributions 
were,  like  those  for  ]\Iiddle  College,  partly  in  days'  works,  and 


COLLEGES  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  311 

the  Wednesday  and  Saturday  half-holidays  saw  groups  of  busy 
students  wheeling  gravel  or  laying  shingles. 

The  citizens  of  Beloit  attested  their  loyalty  to  the  college  by 
rallying  once  more  and  raising  a  subscription  for  the  remodeling 
of  Middle  College,  which  in  1880  was  adorned  with  its  mansard 
roof  and  colonnaded  front.  Less  conspicuous  but  not  less  impor- 
tant were  the  additions  made  from  time  to  time  to  the  endow- 
ment funds,  which  by  the  close  of  President  Chapin's  adminis- 
tration amounted  to  nearly  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The 
largest  gift  of  this  period  was  that  of  twenty  thousand  dollars 
from  Mrs.  Stone,  of  JMalden,  Mass. 

We  cannot  but  ask,  as  we  see  how  new  departments  of  knowl- 
edg  have  taken  their  place  beside  the  older  discipline,  and  how 
the  training  of  the  student  by  his  fellows  takes  on  a  correspond- 
ing diversity  of  forms,  whether  our  good  ship  has  drifted  away 
from  the  ideals  of  faith  toward  which  her  framers  set  her  course? 
The  college  generation  that  followed  the  outgoing  veterans  of  the 
war  underwent  a  certain  reaction  from  the  intensity  of  that 
mighty  uplift  of  feeling,  but  this  was  only  a  temporary  reaction, 
and  a  recovery  soon  ensued.  The  effect  of  social  and  intellectual 
movements  in  the  world  outside  is  reflected  in  the  apportion- 
ment of  the  graduates  among  the  various  callings.  Of  the  alumni 
who  were  graduated  before  1876,  forty-two  per  cent  entered  the 
ministry ;  of  those  graduated  since  that  date,  twenty-two  per  cent. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  teacher's  profession  shows  an  increase 
from  eleven  to  twenty-four  per  cent,  and  the  various  forms  of 
business  activity  attracted  fifteen  per  cent  of  the  earlier  grad- 
uates, twenty-three  per  cent  of  the  later;  while  law  (fifteen  per 
cent),  medicine  (seven  per  cent),  and  journalism  (four  per  cent) 
show  almost  the  same  proportion  in  the  two  periods. 

These  figures  mean  not  that  the  ideals  which  the  college  has 
held  up  have  been  lowered,  but  that  she  has  shown  her  sons  how 
to  apply  them  over  the  wider  fields  that  the  increasing  specializa- 
tion of  knowledge  and  the  new  application  of  science  to  industry 
are  opening  up  to  men  of  trained  minds  and  devoted  hearts. 
Surely,  of  all  her  sons,  none  have  proved  themselves  more  loyal 
to  the  "Beloit  idea,"  to  the  "faith  that  makes  faithful,"  than 
those  in  business  and  the  institutions  of  learning. 

In  1886  Dr.  Chapin,  after  thirty-six  years  of  service  in  the 
president's  chair,  resigned,  and  his  mantle  fell  upon  his  chosen 


313  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

successor,  Rev.  Edward  Dwight  Eaton.  Under  his  leadership  the 
college  entered  upon  its  fourth  epoch,  that  era  of  rapid  expan- 
sion in  which  we  all  rejoice.  The  historian  of  the  centennial 
year  will  be  better  able  than  we  to  trace  the  continuity  of  devel- 
opment, but  I  am  sure  that  he  will  find  that  the  changes  of  this 
period  have  been  only  an  enlarged  expression  of  the  purpose  of 
the  founders.  Elective  courses,  laboratory  methods  in  all  depart- 
ments, the  array  of  modern  buildings,  substantial,  convenient, 
beautiful ;  the  culture  afforded  by  contact  with  art  and  music — 
these  are  not  incompatible  with  a  liberal  Christian  education, 
but  are  the  long-looked-for  aids  in  its  better  attainment. 

It  was  because  this  expansion  meant  the  magnifying  of  the 
old  ideas  that  every  one  connected  with  the  college — trustees, 
alumni,  students,  friends — rallied  so  heartily  in  response  to  the 
challenge  of  Dr.  D.  K.  Pearsons  in  1889.  As  Professor  Blaisdell 
heard  at  his  gate  the  cheers  that  came  from  the  old  chapel  as  the 
students  pledged  the  money  that  many  of  them  would  have  to 
earn  themselves,  he  recognized  the  spirit  of  the  boys  of  the  war 
times.  The  zeal  of  others  was  kindled  by  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
students,  and  to  the  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  which  Dr. 
Pearsons  had  offered  was  added  more  than  an  equal  sum,  includ- 
ing the  gift  from  Mr.  J.  W.  Scoville  of  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  for  the  comely  academy  building  that  bears  his  name,  and 
ten  thousand  dollars  for  its  endowment  from  the  citzens  of  Beloit. 

Other  buildings  followed.  Chapin  Hall,  built  and  christened 
by  Dr.  Pearsons,  was  completed  in  1891.  The  beautiful  new 
chapel,  costing  thirty-five  thousand  dollars,  given  by  Mrs.  M.  R. 
Doyon  and  others,  was  dedicated  in  1892,  and  the  tones  of  the 
pipe-organ  which  Mrs.  H.  Story  placed  within  it  called  into  being 
the  musical  department  of  the  college.  The  vacating  of  the  old 
chapel  building  left  quarters  there  for  another  new  department, 
art,  which  has  been  enriched  by  numerous  gifts,  including  the 
casts  sent  by  the  Greek  government  to  the  World's  Fair  in  1893, 
presented  by  L.  G.  Fisher,  Jr.,  and  an  endowment  of  ten  thousand 
dollars  from  Mrs.  Azariah  Eldridge. 

Meanwhile  the  urgent  need  of  the  college  for  an  enlarged 
equipment  for  the  teaching  of  the  natural  sciences  had  been 
appreciated,  and  Dr.  Pearsons  gave  sixty-thousand  dollars  for 
the  erection  of  a  Hall  of  Science,  and  Mr.  William  E.  Hale  an 
equal  sum,   fifty  thousand  dollars  being  for   endowment.     The 


COLLEGES  m  KOCK  COUNTY  313 

building,  named  for  the  donor,  was  ready  for  use  in  1893,  and  in 
that  year  Mr.  F.  G.  Logan  equipped  its  museum  with  the  valuable 
Rust  archaeological  collection.  Hon.  Wait  Talcott  had  previously 
provided  a  fund  for  the  purchase  of  scientific  books.  The  chairs 
of  astronomy  and  botany  were  endowed  in  honor,  respectively,  of 
Edward  Ely,  Esq.,  and  of  Mrs.  Cornelia  Bailey  Williams. 

Along  with  science  and  art,  other  departments  have  not  been 
overlooked  by  the  generous  friends  of  this  later  period.  The 
endowment  of  the  chair  of  oratory  by  Hon.  J.  H.  Knapp  was  com- 
pleted. Mrs.  S.  D.  Warren,  a  lifelong  friend  of  Professor  Blais- 
dell,  made  a  large  addition  to  the  endowment  of  his  chair  of 
philosophy.  E.  P.  Bacon,  Esq.,  has  provided  a  scholarship  fund 
of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  a  generous  legacy  for  the  same 
purpose  was  received  from  the  estate  of  Rev.  Joseph  Emerson,  of 
Andover,  Mass.,  while  the  gift  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  B.  Stowell 
opened  the  way  for  the  admission  of  women  to  the  privileges  of 
the  institution. 

This  increase  of  Beloit's  material  equipment  was  accompanied 
by  a  great  enlargement  of  the  opportunities  which  she  was  able 
to  place  within  reach  of  her  students.  The  course  of  study  was 
enriched.  Occasional  options  had  been  offered  before  1886,  but 
in  that  year  the  courses  were  reorganized  with  the  introduction 
of  a  large  number  of  electives  in  the  later  years  of  study.  In- 
structors in  art  and  music  were  in  1893  added  to  the  faculty, 
whose  number  had  in  ten  years  increased  from  fourteen  to 
twenty-four. 

With  the  completion  of  Pearsons  Hall  in  1893  it  was  possible 
to  open  a  science  course,  incorporating  not  only  results  but  also 
methods  of  investigation,  and  to  carry  yet  further  Beloit's 
standards  of  character  and  scholarship  in  the  fields  where  they 
had  been  so  conspicuously  exhibited  already  under  less  favorable 
auspices. 

To  enjoy  the  enlarged  advantages  now  offered  by  the  college, 
an  increasing  throng  of  students  sought  her  doors,  as  her  ranks 
were  recruited  from  affiliated  academies  and  accredited  high 
schools.  With  the  growth  of  the  Beloit  Academy  to  the  full 
capacity  of  Scoville  Hall,  the  policy  of  developing  preparatory 
schools  in  the  vicinity  into  feeders  of  the  college  was  begun,  with 
encouraging  success,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  provision  was 
made  for  recognizing  the  fact  that  the  best  high  schools  of  the 


314  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

region  now  do  full  preparatory  work.  In  1895  women  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  college  classes,  and  Stowell  cottage  was  opened  for 
their  accommodation.  When  President  Eaton's  administration 
began  there  were  58  students  in  the  college  proper ;  in  1889  there 
were  97 ;  in  1897,  196. 

The  diversification  of  student  life,  already  begun,  is  carried 
further  with  the  increase  of  attendance.  Class-day  becomes  an 
established  institution  from  1886.  The  Glee  Club  makes  its  first 
concert  tour  in  1889.  A  new  series  of  oratorical  victories  encour- 
ages the  wearers  of  the  gold.  The  Greek  play  attains  the  dignity 
of  an  annual  public  performance.  A  "College  Annual"  appears 
again  in  1889,  after  the  battles  over  the  "Register"  have  been 
forgotten.  The  fraternity  houses  add  their  charms  to  the  social 
life  of  the  students.  A  regular  instructor  in  athletics  is  added 
to  the  faculty  in  1894  by  the  efforts  of  the  students,  and  a  place 
on  the  team  now  means  not  a  little  desultory  practice,  but  per- 
sistent hard  work.  Yet  amid  all  these  distractions,  the  worth  of 
honest  manhood  never  found  readier  recognition,  the  proportion 
of  students  dependent  on  their  own  exertions  was  never  greater. 

Numbers  have  increased,  courses  have  been  multiplied,  facili- 
ties have  been  amplified.  Has  the  growth  in  knowledge  been  at 
the  cost  of  faith  ?  Time  alone  can  tell.  AVe  rejoice  to  believe  that 
the  college  is  not  to  erase  but  to  magnify  the  larger  half  of  her 
motto. 

The  experiences  of  each  succeeding  epoch  have  demonstrated 
the  value  of  the  ideals  of  the  founders,  the  strength  of  the  founda- 
tions that  they  laid.  The  prophetic  words  with  which  Dr.  Chapin 
closed  his  account  of  the  "Origin  and  Early  Progress  of  the  Col- 
lege," delivered  fifty  years  ago  at  the  laying  of  the  cornerstone 
of  Middle  College,  hold  good  for  us  today:  "With  faith  inspired 
by  past  experience,  in  connection  with  the  firm  promises  of  God, 
we  address  ourselves  to  the  difficulties  before  us,  with  confident 
hope  that  He  who  has  thus  led  us  by  ways  that  we  knew  not,  will 
perfect  the  work  that  he  has  permitted  us  to  begin  and  make  it 
redound  to  his  glory  and  the  good  of  men." 

Beloit  College  During  the  Last  Ten  Years. 

The  decade  that  has  elapsed  since  the  semi-centennial  of  Beloit 
College  was  celebrated  has  seen  the  continuation  of  the  era  of 
expansion  that  was  then  well  begun.     In  external  equipment,  in 


COLLEGES  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  315 

additions  to  the  teaching  force,  in  enrichment  of  the  courses  of 
study,  in  the  achievements  of  graduates  and  undergraduates,  the 
life  of  the  college  has  moved  steadily  forward. 

Three  well-planned  buildings  have  been  erected  since  1897. 
The  women's  dormitory,  Emerson  Hall,  the  gift  of  Dr.  D.  K.  Pear- 
sons, was  completed  in  1898.  The  neAv  gymnasium  for  men,  long 
needed  and  desired  by  those  who  sought  the  physical  well-being 
of  the  students,  was  opened  in  1904,  and  in  January  of  the  follow- 
ing year  the  Carnegie  Library  building  was  dedicated.  The 
attendance  of  students  in  the  four  college  classes  increased  from 
196  in  1897  to  341  in  1908,  and  the  number  of  graduates  has  risen 
in  the  same  ten  years  from  539  to  958.  The  faculty,  likewise,  has 
been  enlarged,  so  that  there  are  now  thirty-six  instructors  in  all 
departments  instead  of  the  twenty-two  who  were  on  the  ground 
in  1897. 

To  maintain  this  enlarging  life,  added  endowments  have  been 
needed.  In  1898  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  was 
raised  for  this  purpose,  one-third  being  given  by  Dr.  D.  K.  Pear- 
sons, and  the  same  benefactor  in  1901  gave  two  hundred  thou- 
sand to  match  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  which  had 
been  contributed  by  others  to  meet  his  challenge.  Other  addi- 
tions have  been  made  by  generous  friends,  so  that  the  productive 
funds,  which  were  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  1897,  have 
already  been  more  than  doubled.  The  summer  of  1908  witnesses 
the  addition  of  two  hundred  thousand  more  dollars,  one-fourth 
coming  from  the  general  education  board,  one-fourth  from  Mr. 
Carnegie,  and  the  remainder,  general  contributions,  ten  thousand 
dollars  being  from  Beloit  citizens. 

Time  has  wrought  changes  in  the  personnel  of  the  faculty. 
The  venerable  Professor  Emerson  passed  away  in  1900,  and  in 
the  year  following  occurred  the  death  of  Professor  Charles  A. 
Bacon,  who  had  for  so  many  years  carried  on  a  heroic  struggle 
with  disease.  Professor  Whitney,  after  twenty-eight  years  of 
service,  resigned  in  1899.  Professor  Porter  and  Professor  Pearson 
retired  from  active  service  in  1906,  under  the  provisions  of  the 
Carnegie  fund.  The  presidency  of  the  college  was  laid  aside  by 
Dr.  Eaton  in  1905,  but  was  resumed  by  him  two  years  later  on 
call  of  the  trustees,  and  his  second  inauguration  took  place  March 
4,  1908.  In  the  membership  of  the  board  of  trustees  changes 
have  also  taken  place,  and  veterans  like  Dr.  Joseph  Collie,  of  the 


316  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

first  class  graduated,  and  Mr.  S.  T.  Merrill,  whose  services  to  the 
college  began  with  giving  instruction  to  the  first  freshman  class, 
have  passed  away. 

In  the  formal  work  of  instruction  there  has  been  a  marked 
widening  of  the  scope  of  the  curriculum.  New  departments  have 
been  created  by  the  separation  of  French  from  German,  history 
from  economics,  zoology  from  botany,  physics  from  mathematics, 
biblical  literature  and  pedagogy  have  each  been  given  to  the  care 
of  one  man,  and  additional  instructors  have  been  provided  in 
several  departments.  Courses  such  as  those  in  applied  mechanics, 
sanitary  chemistry  and  journalistic  writing  show  a  tendency  to 
shape  advanced  work  toward  practical  ends.  Courses  extending 
over  three  and  four  years  of  consecutive  work  are  offered  in 
almost  every  department,  while  the  requirements  for  graduation 
demand  of  each  student  a  grouping  of  studies  which  is  designed 
to  counterbalance  the  aberrations  of  the  elective  system. 

In  the  voluntary  activities  of  student  life  a  similar  diversifica- 
tion has  accompanied  the  increase  in  numbers.  Undergraduate 
organizations  have  multiplied.  The  new  gymnasium  furnishes 
an  attractive  center  for  social  gatherings.  Track  athletics  and 
basket-ball  have  established  themselves  alongside  of  the  work 
of  the  nine  and  the  eleven.  Oratory  and  debating  have  taken 
on  a  new  lease  of  life.  Five  times  within  the  last  ten  years  has 
Beloit  won  first  place  in  the  interstate  oratorical  contest,  and  she 
has  more  than  held  her  own  in  the  intercollegiate  debates  that 
have  become  an  established  institution.  The  Greek  play  has  lost 
none  of  its  popularity,  but  it  no  longer  holds  the  dramatic  field 
alone,  for  the  students  have  given  renderings  of  the  works  of 
Shakespeare  and  Plautus  and  modern  French  and  German  plays. 
The  Musical  Association  has  achieved  brilliant  success  in  its  semi- 
annual concerts.  In  the  honor  system,  applied  to  examinations, 
library  property  and  good  order  in  the  dormitories,  some  of  the 
responsibilities  of  self-government  have  been  assumed  by  the 
students. 

That  this  diversification  of  student  life  has  not  driven  out 
adherence  to  the  long  established  standards  of  scholarship  and 
character  appears  in  the  record  of  recent  graduates  who  in  the 
first  years  of  a  professional  career,  or  in  business,  are  proving 
themselves  men  of  the  same  type  as  the  older  alumni,  who  have 
everywhere  compelled  respect  for  their  alma  mater. 


COLLEGES  m  ROCK  COUNTY  317 

In  recent  years  new  demands  have  been  made  upon  all  educa- 
tional institutions  by  the  ever-increasing  additions  to  the  field 
of  knowledge,  by  the  lengthening  of  professional  preparation,  by 
the  call  for  "practical"  studies,  and  for  training  that  shall  help 
men  in  the  adjustment  of  social  relationships.  Beloit  has  not  been 
indifferent  to  these  demands,  but  she  is  seeking  to  meet  them  not 
only  \vithout  giving  up  her  ideals  of  symmetrical  liberal  culture 
and  Christian  faith,  but  also  by  bringing  these  ideals  to  bear  as 
direct  aids  in  the  solution  of  the  problems  of  the  present  day. 

Biographical  Supplement,  by  the  Editor. 

Aaron  Lucius  Chapin,  first  president  of  Beloit  College,  1850- 
1886,  was  born  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  February  6,  1817.  He  was 
educated  at  the  Hartford  grammar  school  and  in  Yale  College, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1837.  Teaching  one  year  in  Balti- 
more, Md.,  and  from  1838  to  1843  as  a  professor  in  the  New  York 
Institution  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb,  he  at  the  same  time  studied 
theology  and  received  his  diploma  at  Union  Theological  Semi- 
nary, New  York,  in  1842.  Under  appointment  from  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Societj^  in  1844  he  became  pastor  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  serving  them  most 
acceptably  for  six  years. 

In  February,  1850,  Dr.  Chapin  was  called  to  the  presidency  of 
Beloit  College,  was  inaugurated  July  24,  and  served  until  the  com- 
mencement of  1886,  when  he  resigned  on  account  of  failing  health. 
He  continued  in  connection,  however,  as  president  emeritus,  until 
his  death  at  Beloit,  July  22,  1892. 

August  23,  1843,  occurred  his  marriage  to  Miss  Martha  Colton, 
of  Lenox,  Mass.  After  her  death  he  married  Miss  Fannie  L.  Coit, 
of  New  London,  Conn.,  August  26,  1861.  His  daughter  Elizabeth 
became  the  wife  of  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  D.  Porter,  M.  D.,  a  missionary 
in  China.    His  son,  Robert  C,  is  now  a  professor  in  Beloit  College. 

MILTON    COLLEGE. 

By 
Professor  Edwin  Shaw. 

A  select  school,  called  Milton  Academy,  was  started  in  the 
village  of  Milton  in  December,  1844,  and  in  February,  1848, 
became  incorporated  as  the  Du  Lac  Academy.    In  1855  this  was 


318  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

reorganized  under  a  state  charter  as  Milton  Academy,  and  it  so 
continued  for  twelve  years.  In  February,  1867,  an  act  of  incor- 
poration was  passed,  and  on  March  13  the  charter  was  accepted, 
which  made  this  school  Milton  College. 

Founder. 

To  the  Hon.  Joseph  Goodrich  belongs  the  honor  of  establishing 
the  first  school  which  later  developed  into  Milton  College.  It 
was  he  who  in  1838  selected  the  site  for  the  village  of  Milton  and 
built  the  first  house.  It  was  he  who  planned  and  had  erected  the 
edifice  first  used  for  the  academy,  and  paid  the  cost  of  construc- 
tion, about  three  hundred  dollars.  For  the  first  three  years  he 
had  the  sole  management  of  the  school,  paid  all  the  losses  for  the 
teacher's  salary  and  the  incidental  expenses,  and  for  many  years 
after  the  incorporation  under  territory  and  state  law  was  a  loyal 
friend  and  a  generous  supporter  of  the  institution.  One  of  the 
buildings,  the  ladies'  hall,  bears  his  name,  the  building  of  which 
was  in  large  measure  due  to  his  energy  and  beneficence. 

Early  Years. 

The  building  occupied  by  the  school  during  the  first  ten  years 
of  its  existence  was  located  near  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
public  park.  It  was  in  size  twenty  by  thirty  feet  and  one  story 
high;  a  small  "lean-to"  was  attached  to  the  rear  end;  a  cupola, 
with  four  spires  and  a  bell  mounted  in  it,  graced  the  front  peak 
of  the  gambrel  roof;  and  a  huge  sign,  painted  "Milton  Academy," 
stretched  the  full  extent  of  the  building  over  the  front  entrance. 

There  was  at  this  time  no  institution  of  learning  with  the 
rank  of  a  college  in  "Wisconsin.  Four  feeble  academies  had  been 
started  in  the  southern  portion — Southport  Academy,  now  extinct, 
at  Kenosha;  Prairieville  Academy,  at  "Waukesha,  afterwards 
merged  into  Carroll  College ;  Beloit  Seminary,  later  absorbed  into 
Beloit  College ;  and  Plattville  Academy,  changed  in  the  early  70s 
into  a  state  normal  school.  There  were  no  graded  schools.  Meager 
instruction  in  the  elementary  branches  was  imparted  in  a  very 
few  common  schools,  held  usually  three  months  during  the  year 
and  in  small  private  houses. 

The  institution  was  originated  with  no  other  purpose  than  to 
accommodate  the  young  people  of  the  immediate  vicinity.  There 
was  no  expectation  that  it  would  ever  become  a  first  class  acad- 


-    COLLEGES  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  319 

emy  or  a  college,  yet  the  first  year  there  were  over  sixty  students 
in  attendance. 

The  teachers  in  order  of  succession  were  Rev.  Bethuel  C. 
Church,  from  Michigan,  one  year.  Rev.  S.  S.  Bicknell,  Congre- 
gationalist,  graduate  of  Dartmouth,  served  two  and  a  half  years. 
Of  the  Dn  Lac  Academy  the  successive  principals  were :  Mr. 
Prindle,  Professor  J.  Allen.  Rev.  A.  W.  Coon,  1849-1851 ;  Colonel 
George  R.  Clarke,  1851,  and  Rev.  A.  C.  Spicer  and  Mrs.  Susanna 
M.  Spicer,  1851-1858.  During  a  part  of  1853,  the  building  being 
untenable,  classes  met  in  a  private  house,  and  for  a  part  of  the 
year  the  school  was  closed.  The  new  brick  building,  forty  by 
forty-four  feet  and  three  stories  high,  completed  in  1855  at  a 
cost  of  over  five  thousand  dollars,  was  declared  second  to  none 
in  the  state.  It  was  paid  for  mainly  by  the  stockholders  of  the 
then  reorganized  iMilton  Academy.  The  attendance  in  1856 
reached  212,  with  its  first  three  graduates  in  the  teachers'  course, 
Susan  E.  Burdick,  Chloe  Curtis  and  Ruth  A.  Graham. 

William  Clarke  Whitford. 

After  several  efforts  were  made  to  secure  a  successor  to  Pro- 
fessor Spicer  as  principal  of  the  school,  the  trustees  prevailed 
upon  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Whitford,  then  the  pastor  of  the  Milton 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church,  to  assume  the  charge  during  the 
following  fall  term  of  1858,  and  he  consented  to  remain  in  the 
same  position  the  balance  of  the  year.  He  then  resigned  the  pas- 
toral charge  of  the  church  and  became  permanently  connected 
with  the  school  as  the  principal.  He  had  fitted  himself  for  college 
at  De  Ruyter  Institute ;  graduated  at  Union  College  in  1853,  and 
completed  the  full  course  of  studies  at  Union  Theological  Semi- 
nary, New  York  city,  in  1856.  From  that  time  on  till  his  death 
on  May  20,  1902,  a  period  of  forty-four  years,  he  was  the  president 
of  the  academy  and  of  the  college,  and  the  history  of  the  school 
for  this  almost  a  half  century  is  in  reality  a  part  of  his  biog- 
raphy ;  a  part,  because  his  life  was  even  more  extended  than  that 
of  the  school,  for  he  was  one  year  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin 
legislature,  for  four  years  the  superintendent  of  public  instruc- 
tion, and  for  nine  years  a  member  of  the  state  board  of  regents  of 
the  normal  schools.  Then,  he  was  often  invited  to  deliver  lectures 
and  addresses  wholly  outside  of  the  work  of  the  school.  He  wrote 
many  articles  for  newspapers  and  magazines,  and  was  an  influen- 


320  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

tial  force  in  all  the  departments  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
denomination.  During  the  first  year  in  which  he  had  charge  of 
the  school  he  had  associated  with  him  Professor  Albert  Whitford, 
Mrs.  Chloe  C.  Whitford,  Mr.  S.  S.  Rockwood,  Mrs.  Flora  H.  Rock- 
wood  and  Mr.  W.  H.  Clarke,  a  music  teacher. 

Academy  Faculty. 

During  the  following  eight  years,  until  1867,  when  the  acad- 
emy became  a  college,  the  names  of  twenty-four  different  instruct- 
ors appear  on  the  academy  faculty  list. 

The  first  college  faculty,  that  of  1867,  was :  William  C.  Whit- 
ford, president  (mental,  moral  and  natural  sciences) ;  Edward 
Searing  (Latin  and  French),  Albert  Whitford  (Greek  and  mixed 
mathematics),  Nathan  C.  Twining  (pure  mathematics  and  com- 
mercial instruction),  Mrs.  A.  M.  Fenner  (English  language  and 
literature),  Miss  Mary  F.  Bailey  (German),  Mrs.  Emma  J.  Utter 
(music),  Forrest  M.  Babcock  (penmanship),  Mrs.  Ruth  H.  Whit- 
ford (painting  and  penciling). 

The  present  faculty  (1906-1907),  besides  Professor  Albert 
Whitford,  who  has  been  in  almost  constant  service  since  1872, 
consists  of  Jairus  M.  Stillman,  who  has  been  professor  of  music, 
with  two  or  three  vacations,  since  1871 ;  Walter  D.  Thomas,  pro- 
fessor of  Greek  since  1884;  Edwin  Shaw,  professor  of  Latin  and 
of  chemistry  since  1890;  Ludwig  Kumlien,  professor  of  natural 
history  since  1891 ;  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  professor  of  Bible  study 
in  English  since  1898 ;  Mrs.  Emily  A.  Platts,  instructor  in  French 
since  1898 ;  Mrs.  Anna  S.  Crandall,  instructor  in  German  since 
1900;  Alfred  E.  Whitford,  professor  of  physics  smce  1900;  Miss 
Susie  B.  Davis,  instructor  in  English  and  Latin  since  the  autumn 
of  1902,  and  Rev.  W^illiam  C.  Deland,  president,  and  professor  of 
philosophy,  English,  history  and  civics,  since  June,  1902. 

The  principal  changes  and  additions  to  the  above,  for  the 
faculty  record  of  1907,  are  the  new  president,  William  Clifton 
Daland,  M.  A.,  D.  D.  (history,  philosophy,  English  and  civics), 
Albert  Rogers  Crandall,  M.  A.,  Ph.  D.  (natural  history  and  physi- 
ology). Miss  A.  Crandall  (piano),  Miss  Ellen  Crandall  (violin). 
Miss  Agnes  Babcock  (elocution),  Ray  Willis  Clark,  B.  S.,  LL.  B., 
assistant  (political  science,  history,  jurisprudence),  also  instruct- 
ors in  physical  culture  and  military  drill. 


COLLEGES  m  EOCK  COUNTY  321 

Financial. 

In  the  autumn  of  1844  the  property  of  the  school  was  worth 
about  $'400.  In  1867,  the  year  in  which  the  academy  was  changed 
to  the  college,  the  total  valuation  of  all  the  property  was  reported 
as  $29,675,  with  a  debt  of  $3,500.  In  1876  the  value  had  increased 
to  $46,125.  In  1881  the  reported  assets  were  $35,327,  with  a  debt 
of  $3,250.  In  1893  the  property  was  valued  at  $71,243.34,  with 
several  thousand  dollars  indebtedness.  In  1901,  the  first  year  of 
the  twentieth  century,  the  valuation  of  the  college  property  was 
reported  as  follows,  with  no  indebtedness : 

Real  estate $  23,062.72 

Apparatus    1,215.64 

Cabinets  2,150.00 

Libraries    8,658.34 

Endowments   83,244.66 

Total $118,331.36 

Of  the  endowment  fund,  George  H.  Babcock,  of  Plainfield, 
N.  J.,  a  noble  benefactor,  contributed  during  his  life  and  by  his 
will  $70,000.  In  1906  the  endowment  fund  was  reported  as 
amounting  to  $116,601. 

Patriotic  Record. 

"At  every  call  for  volunteers  during  the  Civil  War  students 
were  mustered  into  the  service.  These  were  drilled  in  the  manual 
of  arms  in  the  chapel  and  on  the  grounds  of  the  institution.  Of 
the  graduates  and  other  students,  312  entered  the  army,  and  43 
fell  by  the  bullet  or  by  disease.  The  school  raised,  officered  and 
sent  into  the  service  two  companies,  and  parts  of  three  other  com- 
panies, all  belonging  to  Wisconsin  regiments.  Sixty-nine  of  these 
were  commissioned  for  positions  ranging  from  second  lieutenant 
to  brigadier-general." 

Graduates  (1902). 

Tlie  number  of  graduates,  both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  is  306, 
which  includes  the  seventy-three  who  completed  courses  in  the 
old  academy  prior  to  1867. 


322  HISTOEY  OF  KOCK  COUXTY 

College  Organizations. 

There  are  three  literary  societies  connected  with  the  college 
which  hold  sessions  weekly  and  public  sessions  once  or  twice 
during  the  year.  The  Iduna  Lyceum,  for  ladies,  organized  in 
1854  as  the  Ladies'  Literary  Society,  reorganized  in  1869  with 
the  present  name ;  the  Philomathean  Society,  for  men,  organized 
some  time  prior  to  1858  as  the  Adelphic,  reorganized  in  1861  with 
the  present  name ;  and  the  Orophilan.  also  for  men,  organized 
some  time  prior  to  1858.  The  Christian  Association  dates  its 
beginning  in  the  spring  of  1855.  The  most  noticeable  addition  to 
the  college  buildings  was  the  erection  of  the  Whitford  Hall  of 
Science  in  1906. 
History  of  Whitford  Memorial  Hall   (Finished  October,  1906). 

Milton  College,  like  others  of  an  early  day,  at  first  offered 
to  students  courses  of  study  principally  in  the  pure  mathematics 
and  the  literature  of  Latin,  Greek,  German,  French  and  English 
languages,  together  with  a  short  course  in  philosophy  and  a 
quite  elementary  course  in  the  so-called  natural  sciences.  Our 
limited  room  as  well  as  limited  means  forbade  us  to  indulge  our 
ambition  of  affording  better  facilities  for  laboratory  practice  in 
such  sciences.  We  have  for  years  realized  our  needs  'in  these 
respects.  At  the  beginning  of  this  century,  through  the  gener- 
osity of  its  friends,  the  college  was  not  only  free  from  debt,  but 
also  in  the  expectation  that  its  income  for  the  present  would 
prove  sufficient  to  pay  the  modest  salaries  of  its  dozen  teachers 
and  to  meet  its  other  ordinary  expenses.  At  this  time  our  late 
president.  W.  C.  Whitford,  determined  to  begin  the  collection 
of  a  fund  for  the  erection  of  a  building  to  be  known  as  Science 
Hall.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  col- 
lege held  in  July,  1901,  he  urged  the  importance  of  entering 
immediately  upon  this  work.  He  concluded  his  annual  report 
in  these  words  :  ' '  While  the  college  is  free  from  debt,  it  is  greatly 
in  need  of  funds  for  the  construction  of  a  new  building  for  library 
and  laboratory  purposes.  A  large  and  imposing  structure  is  not 
required.  A  few  thousand  dollars  wisely  and  judiciously  ex- 
pended would  give  to  the  college  a  building  which,  with  the  com- 
paratively small  attendance  of  students,  would  answer  our  every 
need  just  as  well  as  the  palatial  structures  of  the  so-called  uni- 
versities."   He  obtained  the  permission  of  the  board  to  canvass 


COLLEGES  IN  ROCK  COUXTY  323 

for  such  funds,  and  in  the  intervals  of  his  duties  as  a  teacher 
collected  a  small  sum  of  money  while  endeavoring  to  enlist  the 
interest  of  some  benevolent  donor  of  large  means  in  favor  of  his 
enterprise.    His  sudden  death,  ]\Iay  20,  1902,  closed  these  labors. 

The  alumni  exercises  held  at  the  commencement  on  June  25 
following  were  devoted  to  a  service  in  his  memor3^  They  con- 
sisted of  addresses  from  Professor  Edwin  Shaw,  class  of  '88; 
Rev.  J.  AY.  McGowan,  class  of  '83;  Professor  S.  S.  Rockwood, 
academy  class  of  "61,  and  Rev.  0.  U.  Whitford,  academy  class  of 
'61.  The  theine  of  the  last  speaker  was  "How  may  we  best  honor 
the  memory  of  President  Whitford?"  He  proposed  the  erection 
on  the  ground  where  the  commencement  tent  then  stood  a  science 
hall  to  be  called  the  Whitford  Memorial  Hall,  to  ever  keep  bright, 
as  he  said,  "the  memory  of  a  man  who  was  manly,  a  gentleman 
of  noble  Christian  character,  a  kind  neighbor,  a  sympathizing 
friend,  a  lover  of  young  people,  a  man  w'ho,  honored  in  public 
life,  was  ever  loyal  to  principle,  incorruptible  in  purpose,  and 
one  who  brought  honor  to  every  public  position  he  occupied.  He 
urged  that  such  a  building  was  the  greatest  need  of  the  college 
and  that  in  building  it  the  last  desire  and  purpose  of  the  deceased 
president  would  be  fulfilled. 

The  proposition  was  approved  by  the  alumni,  who  appointed  a 
committee,  which  reported  through  Mr.  W.  H.  Ingham,  its  chair- 
man, to  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  college  a  plan  to  raise  by 
subscription  twenty  thousand  dollars  for  the  erection  and  equip- 
ment of  the  new  hall.  The  plan  was  indorsed  by  the  board  and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  canvass  for  necessary  funds.  Later 
Mr.  Ingham  was  appointed  financial  agent  for  the  procuring  and 
the  collection  of  such  funds,  and  Dr.  C.  Eugene  Crandall  was 
appointed  treasurer.  After  a  sufficient  sum  of  money  had  been 
secured  to  warrant  the  erection  of  a  building,  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  Mr.  F.  C.  Dunn,  President  W.  C.  Daland  and  Professor 
A.  R.  Crandall  formulated  its  general  plan.  It  was  to  be  built 
of  brick  both  as  to  its  inside  and  outside  walls,  and  two  and  one- 
half  stories  high,  on  a  basement  wall  of  stone,  forty-two  by  ninety 
feet,  outside  measurement,  divided  at  its  middle  into  two  parts 
by  a  hall  crossing  it,  containing  a  staircase  reaching  to  the  third 
story.  The  north  half  of  the  first  story  was  designed  for  the 
library,  the  south  half  for  the  department  of  physics;  the  south 
half  of  the  second  story  for  the  department  of  chemistry,  and  the 


32J:  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

north  half  for  the  department  of  biology;  while  the  third  story- 
was  to  be  given  for  the  use  of  the  Orophilian  and  Philomathean 
Lyceum.  The  building  was  to  have  a  tile-covered  roof  and  a 
steam  heating  plant  in  the  south  half  of  the  basement,  that  would 
warm  both  the  college  hall  and  the  new  hall.  This  plan  was 
approved  by  the  board,  and  Mr.  C.  C.  Chipman,  an  architect  of 
New  York  and  a  friend  of  the  college,  was  selected  to  perfect  it 
in  all  its  details.  This  service  he  rendered  gratuitously,  with 
great  credit  to  his  skill.  A  building  committee  was  appointed 
by  the  board  at  its  bi-monthly  meeting  in  ]\Larch,  1904,  consisting 
of  President  W.  C.  Daland,  Dr.  A.  S.  Maxson,  Mr.  F.  C.  Dunn, 
Mr.  T.  A.  Saunders  and  Dr.  C.  Eugene  Crandall.  Under  their 
direction  the  basement  wall  was  finished  in  time  to  lay  the  corner- 
stone at  the  commencement  of  the  college  in  June,  1904.  The 
contract  for  covering  the  roof  was  let  to  the  Celadon  Roofing  Tile 
Company;  the  contract  for  completing  the  building  according  to 
the  specifications  in  Mr.  Chipman 's  plans,  to  Blair  &  Summers, 
of  Janesville,  and  the  contract  for  setting  up  the  steam  plant,  to 
E.  S.  Babcoek  &  Son.  of  Milton.  The  cost,  all  told,  for  building 
and  equipment  of  the  new  hall,  including  the  heating  plant  and 
the  canvass  for  the  funds,  falls  a  little  below  thirty  thousand 
dollars.  The  largest  share  of  this  sum  came  through  the  valuable 
services  of  its  financial  agent,  Mr.  Ingham.  It  was  through  his 
solicitations  that  the  widow  of  George  H.  Babcoek  gave  five 
thousand  dollars  for  the  equipment  of  the  new  building.  Special 
thanks  are  also  due  to  Dr.  James  Mills,  of  Janesville,  through 
whose  influence  a  gift  of  sixty-five  hundred  dollars  from  Mr. 
Carnegie  came  in  good  time  to  complete  the  sum  that,  with  the 
other  subscription  collected  or  considered  collectible,  was  con- 
sidered sufficient  to  meet  all  outstanding  dues. 

The  new  haU  was  delivered  to  the  board  of  trustees  by  the 
contractors  in  October,  1906,  and  the  school  has  since  had  the  use 
of  its  excellent  advantages. 


XVI. 
THE   MILITARY   HISTORY   OF   ROCK    COUNTY. 

Rock  county's  war  record  is  one  to  which  her  people  may  ever 
refer  with  pride  and  satisfaction.  One  of  the  first  counties  in  the 
state  to  respond  with  volunteers  in  the  hour  of  gravest  peril,  she 
never  faltered  during  the  entire  struggle ;  her  old  men  were  not 
wanting  in  counsel,  nor  her  young  or  middle-aged  men  in  true 
martial  spirit ;  with  a  firm,  unswerving  faith  in  the  righteousness 
of  the  Union  cause,  her  citizens,  without  distinction  in  age  or 
sex,  were  imbued  with  a  determination  to  conquer,  or  die  rather 
than  survive  defeat.  It  was  this  kind  of  martial  spirit  that  bore 
the  Union  cause  through  defeat  as  well  as  victory,  whenever  the 
oft-repeated  news  was  brought  home  of  depleted  and  scattered 
ranks.  Rock  county  valor  is  attested  upon  every  street  of  her 
hospitable  cities  and  villages,  upon  her  broad  section  of  fertile 
lands,  and,  last  but  not  least,  within  the  silent  enclosures  of  her 
dead.  It  is  here  that,  with  each  recurring  anniversary,  the 
graves  of  her  slumbering  heroes  are  moistened  with  tears  of 
sorrow,  as  loving  fingers  bedeck  them  with  beautiful  flowers. 

When  the  first  alarm  of  the  coming  war  was  sounded,  and 
President  Lincoln  called  for  75,000  men  to  defend  the  cause  of 
the  Union,  Rock  county  responded  first  with  the  "Beloit  City 
Guards,"  and  thereafter,  until  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  made  by  Lee  to  Grant,  on  the  ' '  old  stage  road 
to  Richmond,"  on  the  afternoon  of  April  9,  1865,  Rock  county 
was  ever  ready  to  manifest  her  patriotism  and  love  of  country. 
The  draft  was  enforced  three  times  during  the  war,  November 
12,  1863;  September  19,  1864,  and  February  19,  1865,  and  filled 
with  recruits;  yet  the  county  furnished  2,817  soldiers  and  up- 
ward of  a  half-million  dollars  to  beat  back  the  foe.  Of  this  num- 
ber, 1,493,  by  actual  count,  were  enlisted  prior  to  November  11, 
1861. 

The  subjoined  roster  of  Rock  county  soldiers  has  been  pre- 
pared from  private  records  as  well  as  from  the  best  published 

325 


326  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

official  authorities.  The  editor,  himself  a  G.  A.  R.  man,  has 
spared  no  pains  to  have  it  both  correct  and  complete.  The  citi- 
zens of  Eock  county  require  but  little  help  to  remind  them  of 
their  soldiers'  deeds,  or  to  recall  the  names  of  those  who  fought 
the  good  fight  unto  the  end.  Many  of  the  "boys"  who  went  out 
from  home  to  battle  for  the  Union,  with  only  the  benediction  of 
a  mother's  tears  and  prayers,  came  back  to  that  mother's  arms 
shrined  in  glory.  Many  returned,  having  left  a  limb  either  in 
the  swamps  of  the  Chickahominy  or  on  the  banks  of  Eapidan  or 
at  Fredericksburg,  Gettysburg  or  in  the  wilderness.  Many  still 
bear  the  marks  of  that  strife  which  raged  at  Stone  river,  luka, 
Chickamauga,  or  on  the  heights  of  Lookout  mountain,  whence 
they  thundered  down  the  defiance  of  the  skies;  of  that  stern 
strife  of  battle,  which  marked  the  contests  before  Atlanta,  Sa- 
vannah, and  in  the  Carolinas. 

But  there  were  many  who  came  not  back.  They  fell  by  the 
wayside  or,  from  the  prison  and  battlefield,  crossed  over  and 
mingled  with  the  ranks  of  that  Grand  Army  beyond  the  river. 
Their  memory,  too,  is  held  in  sacred  keeping. 

Some  rest  beside  their  ancestors  in  the  village  churchyard, 
where  the  violets  on  their  mounds  speak  remembrance  of  the 
devotion  of  those  who  sleep  below ;  their  memory  is  immortal ; 
some  sleep  in  unknown  graves  in  the  land  of  cotton  and  cane; 
trees  which  shade  the  sepulchers  of  their  foemen  shade  their 
tombs  also ;  the  same  birds  carol  their  matins  to  both ;  the  same 
flowers  sweeten  the  air  above  them,  and  the  same  daisies,  as  the 
breezes  toss  them  into  rippling  eddies,  caress  the  graves  of  both. 
Neither  is  forgotten.  Both  are  remembered  as  they  slumber 
there,  in  peaceful,  glorified  rest. 

"On  fame's   eternal  camping   ground  their  shadowy  tents  are 
spread, 
And  glory  guards  with  solemn  round  the  bivouac  of  the  dead." 
On  April  17,  1861,  the  proclamation  of  Governor  Randall  was 
published,   calling  upon   "all   good   citizens  to  join  in   making 
cause  against  a  common  enemy,"  and  inviting  the  patriotic  citi- 
zens of  Wisconsin  to  enroll  themselves  into  companies  ready  to 
be   mustered   into   service    immediately.      The    promulgation    of 
this  address  was  followed  by  meetings  held  at  eligible  points 
throughout  the  country.    On  the  evening  of  April  20,  the  largest 
meeting  ever  convened  in  Janesville  was  held  in  the  Hyatt  house 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  327 

hall.  It  was  composed  of  men  of  all  degrees  and  every  shade  of 
political  belief.  Party  appeared  to  have  been  for  the  time  for- 
gotten, Democrats  and  Republicans  alike  seeming  to  be  impressed 
with  but  one  purpose,  devotion  to  the  maintainance  of  the  Union 
and  the  enforcement  of  the  laws ;  W,  H.  Ebbets  presided,  and,  in 
a  brief  address  set  forth  the  cause  which  necessitated  the  assem- 
blage. He  was  followed  by  the  Hon.  Andrew  Palmer,  C.  G. 
Williams,  W.  H.  Mitchel,  Governor  Barstow,  Isaac  Woodle,  H. 
N.  Comstock  and  others.  J.  B.  Cassody,  M.  C.  Smith  and  I.  C. 
Sloan,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  an  address,  inviting 
the  people  of  Rock  county  to  cooperate  with  the  citizens  of  Janes- 
ville  in  aiding  the  subscription  of  money  and  the  enlistment  of 
volunteers  to  put  down  the  rebels  who  were  then  marching  on 
Washington.  A  series  of  resolutions  introduced  by  the  lions. 
Andrew  Palmer  and  Isaac  Woodle,  expressing  the  people's  de- 
termination to  rally  at  once,  without  distinction  of  party,  to  the 
defence  of  the  country;  to  cheerfully  respond  to  the  call  of  the 
president  for  troops  to  aid  in  the  enforcement  of  the  laws,  and 
to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  families  of  those  who  shall 
enlist  and  enter  upon  active  service,  where  their  pecuniary  con- 
dition may  require  it,  were  unanimously  adopted.  The  most  in- 
tense and  enthusiastic  patriotism  was  manifested,  and  before  the 
assembly  dispersed,  the  following  subscriptions,  aggregating 
$3,730,  were  pledged:  E.  McKay,  $200;  H.  Richardson,  C.  Con- 
rad, Andrew  Palmer,  Noah  Newell,  John  Mitchell,  J.  C.  Jenkins,  J. 

B.  Doe,  R.  J.  Richardson,  H.  S.  Conger,  E.  R.  Doe,  H.  L.  Smith, 
O.  B.  Mattison,  J.  D.  Rexford,  J.  J.  R.  Pease,  J.  W.  Storey  and 
Jackman  &  Smith,  $100  each ;  C.  R.  Gibbs,  B.  B.  Eldredge,  James 
Sutherland,  Z.  S.  Doty,  Daniel  Carle,  J,  M.  Bostwick,  Peter 
Meyers,  G.  F.  Moseley,  I.  C.  Sloan,  W.  G.  Wheelock,  George 
Barnes,  J.  M.  May,  George  A.  Young,  Daniel  Clow  and  Holt, 
Bowen  &  Wilcox,  $50  each;  J.  B.  Cassody,  H.  N.  Comstock,  J. 
Spaulding,  J.  L.  Kimball,  H.  Search,  C.  G.  Williams,  C.  S.  Burn- 
ham,  K.  W.  Bemis,  J.  L.  Kimball,  W.  Macloon,  S.  Holdridge,  Jr., 
E,  S.  Borrows,  Randall  Williams,  H.  N.  Gregory,  S.  J.  M.  Putnam, 

C.  Miner,  J.  C.  Metcalf,  Robert  Hodge,  B.  Bornheim,  F.  and  D. 
Strunk,  A.  P.  Prichard,  William  Eager,  W.  H.  Parker,  Adam 
Andre,  A.  Sutherland,  H.  Palmer,  J.  R.  Bennett,  G.  H.  Davis,  J.  L. 
Ford,  Charles  W.  Hodson,  Beri  Cook,  G.  Nettleton,  Fifield  & 
Bros.,  Ole  Everson,  Nash  &  Cutts,  Hugh  Chaplin,  J.  W.  Allen, 


328  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Joseph  James,  H.  E.  Peterson,  Colwell  &  Co.,  Theodore  Kendall, 
D.  W.  Inman  and  J.  M.  Sleeper,  $25  each ;  D.  S.  Treat,  $20 ;  John 
Mohr,  A.  Wilson,  J.  M.  Riker,  W.  Winkly,  N.  Swager,  N.  L. 
Graves,  Charles  Seaton,  A.  D.  Stoddard,  G.  AY.  Kimball,  L.  H. 
Black,  Henry  Chapin,  Royall  AVood,  0.  B.  Hartley,  James  Mad- 
den and  F.  Barrere,  $10  each;  Henry  Powell,  $15;  H.  Gottman, 
Lesley  Hyde,  A.  Nellis  and  0.  W.  Monsell,  $5  each.  J.  B.  Doe  was 
appointed  treasurer,  in  addition  to  the  following  relief  commit- 
tee and  ladies'  committee  to  furnish  tlags  for  enlisted  companies: 
T.  Jackman,  G.  R.  Curtis,  H.  AY.  Collins,  Piatt  Eycleshimer  and 
Samuel  Belton;  ladies'  committee,  Mesdames  J.  T.  AA^right,  R.  B. 
Treat,  Henry  Palmer,  Z.  S.  Doty  and  Peter  Meyers. 

Large  Union  meetings  were  also  held  at  Beloit,  at  Evansville, 
Footville,  Clinton,  Afton,  Shopiere  (at  which  $4,640  was  sub- 
scribed). Magnolia,  Johnstown  and  elsewhere,  at  all  of  which  the 
greatest  enthusiasm  and  generous  liberality  were  displayed.  On 
April  25,  a  county  meeting  was  held  in  Janesville,  to  take  into 
consideration  the  condition  of  the  country  and  adopt  such  meas- 
ures as  the  exigencies  of  the  time  demanded. 

The  city  was  generally  decorated  in  honor  of  the  event,  the 
stores  and  public  offices  were  closed,  and  the  proceedings  were 
of  a  character  well  calculated  to  excite  patriotic  emotions. 

The  meeting  was  organized  by  the  appointment  of  B.  E.  Hale, 
of  Beloit,  chairman ;  Andrew  Palmer,  Isaac  Aliles,  Dr.  John 
Mitchell,  Z.  P.  Burdick,  J.  P.  A\'heeler  and  D.  Y.  Kilgore,  vice- 
presidents,  and  AV.  H.  Ebbetts,  Hiram  Bowen  and  E.  P.  Brooks, 
secretaries.  Speeches  were  made  by  Prof.  D.  Y.  Kilgore,  of 
Evansville  seminary;  AV.  H.  Ebbetts,  Judge  Armstrong,  Mr.  Mc- 
Adams,  of  Milton;  J.  P.  AVheeler  and  the  Rev.  I.  Codding,  and 
Messrs.  Graham,  Lawrence,  Gibbs,  Martin,  Calkins,  Tilton,  May, 
A\^illiams  and  others,  at  an  impromptu  meeting  held  on  a  public 
square.  At  this  meeting,  "The  Rock  County  Union  and  Relief 
Society"  was  organized,  and  the  following  officers  elected:  J.  D. 
Rexford,  treasurer;  AVilliam  Merrill,  secretary,  and  J.  G.  Kendall, 
AV.  H.  Tripp,  J.  E.  Culver,  A.  Palmer,  George  Sherman  and  A. 
AY.  Pope,  committee. 

The  objects  of  the  society  were  to  enroll,  organize  into  com- 
panies and  drill  such  men  as  were  willing  to  enter  into  active 
service  as  volunteers;  "to  raise  funds  for  the  support  and  relief 
of  such  volunteers  and  their  families,  and  to  defray  such  other 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  329 

expenses  as  may  be  proper  in  carrying  out  these  objects."  The 
labors  imposed  were  onerous,  but  until  the  close  of  the  war  this 
society  was  untiring  in  its  efforts  to  promote  the  cause  of  the 
Union  and  the  welfare  of  the  soldier. 

In  the  three  months'  service,  Pliny  Norcross,  a  student  at  Mil- 
ton at  the  date  of  the  call,  enlisted  in  the  Governor's  Guards,  and 
is  believed  to  be  the  only  recruit  from  Rock  county  who  served 
in  the  three  months'  campaigns  around  Washington,  terminating 
with  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  besides  the  "Beloit  City  Guards," 
which  were  enlisted  at  Beloit  and  mustered  into  the  First  Regi- 
ment. Pliny  Norcross  subsequently  became  captain  of  Company 
K,  Thirteenth  regiment,  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  war. 

Company  F,  First  Regiment  Wisconsin  Volunteers,  three 
months'  men,  was  known  as  "Beloit  City  Guards."  Captain,  Wil- 
liam M.  Clark ;  first  lieutenant,  Thomas  P.  Northrop ;  second  lieu- 
tenant, Noble  AV.  Smith ;  first  sergeant,  John  F.  Vallee ;  second 
sergeant,  Frederick  W.  Goddard;  third  sergeant,  Alexander  An- 
derson; fourth  .sergeant,  David  M.  Bennett;  corporals,  Henry  H. 
Stafford,  Phillip  E.  Fisher,  Benjamin  Vaughn,  Charles  A.  Rath- 
bun,  Norwich ;  fifer,  Volney  P.  Van  Buren ;  drummer,  Alexander 
Lee. 

Privates  from  Rock  county :  Myron  H.  Adams,  John  A.  Avery, 
George  Beeker,  Daniel  AV.  Berry,  Daniel  Bratt,  Harmon  H.  Bar- 
moore,  Charles  F.  Bemis,  Charles  A.  Colby,  Hartly  H.  Colby, 
Alexander  Clark,  Horace  R.  Colby,  Charles  H.  Christ,  Deloss  H. 
Cady,  Howard  Converse,  John  Campbell,  John  S.  Chandler,  John 
N.  Clifford,  Philander  B.  Daggett,  Bradford  B.  Daggett,  James 
H.  Funnell,  Charles  R.  Goodrich,  Elisha  W.  Goddard,  Horace  W. 
Hackett,  Sophronus  S.  Herrick,  James  Hislop,  Henry  Harbon, 
James  H.  Ingersoll,  Benjamin  Kline,  Martin  McDevitt,  Sanford 
L.  Miller,  William  H.  Norton,  John  A.  Pease,  John  W.  Parker, 
William  H.  Parker,  James  W.  Quinn,  Leonard  M.  Rose,  Hiram 
A.  Reaves,  James  H.  Ranous,  Alexander  Lee,  musician ;  Henry 
H.  Stafford,  Elisha  W.  Sherman,  Albert  S.  Steele,  Jared  J. 
Towers,  Edward  D.  Webb,  Mark  Young,  Daniel  Young,  Warren 
Young,  Klem  Barnes.  The  company,  after  participating  in  the 
fight  at  Falling  Waters,  on  July  2,  1861,  were  mustered  out  with 
the  regiment  on  August  21  of  the  same  year. 

Company  D,  Second  Regiment,  was  raised  in  the  city  of  Janes- 
ville,  the  first  company  of  volunteers  enlisted  for  the  war  in 


330  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Rock  county.  The  company  was  enlisted  under  the  call  for  three 
months,  but  when  mustered  into  service  on  June  11,  1861,  was 
credited  to  the  quota  for  three  years.  It  left  Janesville  on  May 
6  for  Madison,  where  it  was  quartered  in  Camp  Randall.  After 
remaining  in  camp  engaged  in  drilling  and  equipping  for  the 
field  until  June  20  the  regiment  departed  for  Washington,  its 
officers  and  privates  regarding  the  change  of  base  in  the  light 
of  a  pleasure  trip,  confident  that  their  services  would  not  be 
required  beyond  a  year.  After  a  brief  sojourn  in  the  capital 
the  regiment  crossed  the  Potomac  and  camped  on  Arlington 
Heights,  where  it  was  brigaded  under  the  command  of  W.  T. 
Sherman,  and  participated  in  the  memorable  battle  (July  21, 
1861  of  Bull  Run,  at  which  Marion  F.  Humes,  of  Company  F,  a 
boy  of  the  town  of  Janesville  and  a  student  of  Milton  Academy, 
was  killed  by  a  cannonball — the  first  Wisconsin  soldier  so  killed 
in  the  war.  (The  first  Wisconsin  soldier  killed  in  the  rebellion 
was  George  C.  Drake,  of  Milwaukee,  Company  A,  First  Wiscon- 
sin Infantry,  July  2,  1861,  near  Martinsburg,  Va.)  On  the  27th 
of  August  following  the  regiment  was  transferred  to  the  com- 
mand of  General  Rufus  King,  and  composed  a  portion  of  the 
"Iron  Brigade."  Company  D  participated  in  the  campaigns 
against  Richmond,  in  the  battles  of  Gainesville,  South  Mountain, 
Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Gettysburg,  Laurel  Mountain  and  at 
other  points,  until  May  11,  1864.  At  that  date  the  regiment 
was  detached  from  the  brigade  it  had  accompanied  since  its  or- 
ganization and  to  whose  reputation  it  so  materially  contributed 
(the  Second  having  been  reduced  to  less  than  100  men  fit  for 
active  service),  and  was  employed  as  provost  guard  of  the 
Fourth  Division,  Fifth  Army  Corps,  accompanying  that  division 
in  the  movement  to  the  left,  crossing  the  North  Anna  river  on 
May  23  and  arriving  on  June  6  on  the  Chickahominy.  The  regi- 
ment remained  here  until  the  11th  of  the  same  month,  when  it 
marched  to  White  House  Landing,  whence  it  embarked  for  Wash- 
ington, and  arrived  in  Madison,  Wis.,  June  18,  where,  on  July  2, 
1864,  it  was  mustered  out  of  service,  and  the  remnant  of  Com- 
pany D  returned  to  Rock  county.  When  the  regiment  reached 
Wisconsin  its  total  number  was  155  officers  and  men  out  of  1,050 
who  entered  the  service  in  1861.  The  number  returned  as  above 
did  not  include  twenty  veterans  or  forty-five  members  who  were 
returned  as  wounded  and  prisoners. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  331 

The  original  roster  of  Company  D  contained  the  following: 
George  B.  Ely,  captain,  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Antietam,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1862,  discharged  the  service  December  24  following; 
A.  B.  McLean,  first  lieutenant,  resigned  October  7,  1862;  Dana 
D.  Dodge,  second  lieutenant,  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  March 
18,  1862,  resigned  April  13  following;  Ebenezer  P.  Perry,  second 
lieutenant,  promoted  first  lieutenant  January  1,  1863;  Albert  F. 
Wade,  orderly  sergeant;  George  F.  Saunders  (promoted  to  first 
lieutenant  April  30,  1862,  and  resigned),  William  A.  Jameson 
(promoted  January  9  and  May  4,  1863,  to  first  lieutenant)  and 
Henry  Silman,  sergeants ;  John  C.  McDonald,  John  C.  Little, 
Charles  W.  Atherton  and  Dennison  Webster,  corporals.  The 
privates  were  Ethan  Allen,  Marion  Alexander,  John  J.  Bristow, 
Gersham  A.  Bennett,  Frederick  Breme,  Cain  Billings,  Jeremiah 
G.  Burdick,  Chauncey  Bartholomew,  Henry  Backus,  Andrew 
Bean  (killed  at  South  Mountain  September  14,  1862),  William 
Croft,  Samuel  Creek,  Charles  H.  Cheney,  Andrew  Douglas,  Lorin 
Davis  Jr.,  Johnson  Dole,  John  N.  Ehle,  Chauncey  Ehle  (died  at 
Richmond,  Va.,  in  November,  1862),  William  Hogan,  Albert  B. 
Heath,  Joseph  Harris,  Isaac  R.  Huggins,  John  Johnson,  Edward 
Killelee,  Hiram  H.  Kimball,  Albert  B.  Kimball,  Thomas  H.  Knill, 
Oliver  Friddle,  Daniel  H.  Loomis,  John  F.  Foot,  William  H. 
Foote,  Asahel  Gage  (killed  at  South  Mountain  September  14, 
1862),  Wendell  Fairbrother,  John  Hamilton  (promoted  corporal 
and  died  at  Richmond,  Va.),  Lucius  H.  Lee,  C.  H.  Lee,  Alexan- 
der Lee  (appointed  second  lieutenant  May  13,  1863),  Herman  J. 
Longhoff,  Sidney  Landers,  Charles  E.  Marsh,  Orville  J.  Miles, 
William  J.  McRea,  Frederick  H.  Maine,  John  C.  Malloy,  Nathan- 
iel Parks,  A.  Patterson,  Leonard  Powell,  William  Smith  (pro- 
moted corporal  and  died  in  Richmond,  Va.,  March  14,  1862), 
Charles  Rowland,  George  L.  Scott,  Albert  H.  Stickney,  Charles 
D.  Stickney,  William  L.  Schermerhorn,  Joslyn  Southard,  William 
Seiforth,  D.  Thoraldson,  Lucien  N.  Turner,  Lewis  Tramblie,  Jo- 
seph H.  Tramblie  (killed  at  Gainesville  August  28,  1862),  David 
Tramblie,  Julius  Tramblie,  Clark  R.  Thomas,  Oramel  Wilcox, 
Philander  Wilcox  (promoted  corporal  and  killed  at  Gettysburg 
July  1,  1863)  and  Caleb  J.  Waterman. 

Of  the  Third  Regiment,  Thomas  H.  Ruger,  of  Janesville,  cap- 
tain, lieutenant  colonel,  was  promoted  brigadier  general  and 
brevet  major  general  U.  S.  Volunteers;  Bradley  M.  Bucklin  was 


332  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

commissary  sergeant  and  Edwin  0.  Kimberly  band  leader.  Louis 
H.  D.  Crane,  of  Beloit,  second  lieutenant  Company  A,  adjutant 
major,  was  killed  at  Cedar  Mountain  August  9,  1862.  James  H. 
Webb,  of  Janesville,  was  in  Company  F,  and  in  Company  K  were 
James  C.  Brock  and  Commissary  Sergeant  Bradley  M.  Bucklin, 
of  Janesville ;  Eben  Colby  and  Peter  Green,  of  Turtle ;  Caleb 
Ellison,  Beloit,  and  Ole  Gulsuth,  of  Clinton. 

Company  E,  Fifth  Regiment,  was  enlisted  in  Rock  county  in 
May,  1861,  and  rendezvoused  at  Camp  Randall  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  following  June,  where  it  was  mustered  into  service 
July  13,  leaving  the  state  for  the  Army  of  Eastern  Virginia  on 
the  24th  of  the  same  month.  Arriving  in  Washington,  the  regi- 
ment became  attached  to  the  brigade  of  General  King  and  en- 
camped on  Meridian  hill.  On  the  3d  of  the  ensuing  September 
the  regiment  was  moved  to  Chain  Bridge  and  assigned  to  Han- 
cock's brigade,  Smith's  division.  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Com- 
pany E  was  a  prominent  factor  in  all  these  movements,  including 
that  of  the  Army  of  the  Peninsula,  participating  in  the  battle  of 
Williamsburg,  the  first  engagement  of  the  historic  battles  about 
Richmond,  including  Fair  Oaks,  Seven  Pines,  Frasier's  Farm, 
Malvern  Hills  and  Antietam;  also  taking  part  in  the  battles  of 
Chancellorsville,  Fredericksburg  (being  attached  to  General 
Franklin's  division  of  the  Sixth  Army  Corps,  and  crossing  the 
river  on  the  morning  of  December  12,  1862,  in  advance  of  Burn- 
side's  army),  and  taking  a  position  on  the  left  of  the  battle  line 
at  Gettysburg.  In  the  latter  part  of  July,  1863,  Company  E  oc- 
cupied Kingston,  N.  Y.,  where  it  was  stationed  until  after  the 
draft,  when  in  obedience  to  orders  it  returned  to  Fairfax  Sta- 
tion, Va.,  and,  rejoining  the  Third  Brigade,  First  Division,  Sixth 
Army  Corps,  took  possession  of  Warrenton,  joined  in  the  charge 
upon  Rappahannock  Station  and  in  the  engagement  at  Locust 
Grove  across  the  Rapidan.  In  the  spring  of  1864  Company  E 
again  crossed  the  Rapidan  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  the 
Wilderness,  in  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  the  Twenty-fifth 
Virginia  Regiment  was  captured  by  companies  attached  to  the 
Fifth  Wisconsin.  After  the  battles  of  Spottsylvania,  Cold  Har- 
bor and  Petersburg  the  regiment  assisted  in  the  defense  of  Wash- 
ington when  menaced  by  Breckinridge,  remaining  until  July  16, 
1864,  when  it  was  returned  to  Madison  and  mustered  out. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  officers  and  privates.  Rock  county 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY  333 

men,  originally  enlisted  in  Rock  county:  Horace  M.  Wheeler, 
captain,  promoted  to  major,  died  in  Washington  November  19, 
1863,  of  wounds  received  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg ;  Henry 
R.  Clum.  first  lieutenant,  promoted  captain  U.  S.  V.  signal  corps 
and  brevet  major;  Asa  W.  Hathaway,  Janesville,  sergeant,  lieu- 
tenant, captain ;  first  lieutenant,  James  McDaniel,  of  Janesville, 
corporal,  first  sergeant;  James  Mills,  of  Janesville,  second  lieu- 
tenant, resigned  May  12,  1862;  H.  C.  Hern  (died  of  wounds  at 
Williamsburg  in  May,  1862),  E.  P.  Mills  (promoted  February  9 
and  October  3,  1863,  to  first  lieutenant  and  killed  at  the  battle 
of  the  Wilderness  May  5,  1864),  Walter  L.  Smith  and  A.  L.  Cutts 
(died  at  Fairfax,  Va.,  March  15,  1862),  sergeants;  G.  W.  Dutton, 
W.  M.  Birt,  J.  C.  Rogers,  C.  O.  Harrington,  corporals,  and  later 
sergeants;  F.  Schermerhorn,  drummer,  and  John  Jackson,  of 
Edgerton,  fifer,  with  the  subjoined  list  of  privates  from  Rock 
county:  Louis  Anderson,  Leslie  Anderson,  Thomas  H.  Alver- 
son,  H.  L.  Ames,  Nathaniel  Baker,  William  C.  Benedict,  P.  J. 
Bellsfield,  John  Beatty,  E.  P.  Bly,  J.  H.  Bliven,  W.  W.  Bradshaw, 
J.  W.  Brown,  W.  Braithwaite  (died  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  October 
29,  1862),  Page  N.  Butts,  R.  F.  Dutton  (Beloit),  M.  Dunn,  Thomas 
Evans,  W.  M.  Folsom,  A.  R.  Foster,  F.  T.  Harvey,  R.  A.  Hickox, 
Thomas  Hodson,  J.  W.  Huggins  (corporal,  sergeant),  W,  A. 
Helmes,  C.  A.  Ingersoll,  H.  Jarvis,  J.  M.  Kimball,  John  Lahn 
(died  at  Spottsylvania  May  12,  1864),  J.  P.  Lincoln,  J.  D.  Maxon, 
Edward  Miles,  Thomas  Miller,  Alonzo  Nellis,  I.  B.  Newkirk  (cor- 
poral), Timothy  Osborn  (died  at  Liberty  Hall  Hospital,  Virginia, 
January  27,  1862),  E.  H.  Oleson,  F.  D.  Parker,  Ezra  Pepper, 
George  Peterson  (died  of  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor  June 
3,  1864),  Joseph  Pierson  (killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness 
May  5,  1864).  Clark  A.  Pierce,  B.  K.  Platts  (died  at  Liberty  Hall 
Hospital,  Virginia,  July  18,  1862),  G.  S.  Prior,  R.  W.  Pitts  (killed 
at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  May  3,  1863),  P.  G.  Raymond  (died  of 
wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  May  12,  1864),  W.  F.  Read, 
M.  Rhoades,  D.  C.  Ripley,  T.  G.  Richardson,  G.  E.  Seymour,  P. 
A.  Shaw,  G.  C.  Sims,  W.  H.  Story,  W.  C.  Stevens,  W.  C.  Stuck 
(died  of  wounds  at  Washington  November  25,  1863),  William  J. 
Stockman,  Almaron  W.  Stillwell,  T.  S.  Stewart,  C.  M.  Taylor, 
Whitney  Tibbals  (Beloit,  killed  at  Spottsylvania  May  10,  1864), 
Charles  L.  Valentine  (wounded),  J.  D.  Valentine  (killed  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  May  3,  1863),  A.  N.  Vaughn  (died  at  Lee's  Mill, 


334  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

Va.,  April  30,  1862),  J.  A.  Warner,  E.  B.  Webster,  Theodore 
Weed,  W.  W.  Wiggins  (corporal),  D.  Williams  and  G.  E.  Wood- 
ward, of  Afton. 

In  the  campaign  against  Fredericksburg  the  Fifth  Wisconsin 
bore  an  important  part.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  attack 
upon  the  heights  beyond  that  stronghold  was  made  simultane- 
ously by  three  columns  under  Generals  Gibbon,  Howe  and  New- 
ton. "On  Sutfday  morning,  May  3,"  writes  an  eye  witness,  "and 
after  the  first  advance  had  been  repulsed.  Colonel  Allen,  with 
225  men,  the  right  wing  of  the  Fifth  Wisconsin,  deployed  as 
skirmishers  fifty  yards  in  advance,  covering  the  Thirty-first  New 
York  and  Sixth  Maine,  ordered  his  line  forward  on  the  double 
quick.  His  men  were  directed  not  to  fire  a  musket,  but  to  make 
use  of  the  bayonet,  thus  giving  the  enemy,  who  had  just  dis- 
charged their  pieces,  no  time  to  reload. 

"This  was  the  most  brilliant  charge  of  the  campaign.  The 
line  of  skirmishers  darted  forward  upon  the  run,  but  before  they 
reached  the  stone  fence,  which  was  less  than  three  minutes, 
twenty-three  were  killed  and  seventy-six  fell  wounded,  but  not 
a  man  unhurt  faltered.  Clearing  the  stone  fence  under  a  ter- 
tible  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry,  they  bayoneted  those  of  the 
enemy  who  still  resisted  their  advance,  and,  rushing  forward, 
captured  the  heights,  taking  possession  of  the  rifle  pits  and  bat- 
teries. 

"Lieutenant  Brown,  commanding  a  section  of  Walton's  famous 
Washington  Artillery,  surrendered  his  battery  and  his  men  to 
Colonel  Allen.  All  this  was  done  before  any  other  troops  had 
reached  the  stone  wall.  The  Sixth  Maine  came  up  and  planted 
their  colors  on  the  right,  and  the  left  wing  of  the  Fifth  Wiscon- 
sin came  up  about  the  same  time  and  raised  their  colors  on  the 
left." 

Company  G,  Sixth  Regiment.  Captain,  M.  A.  Northrup;  lieu- 
tenants, George  L.  Montague  and  W.  W.*>  Allen.  The  company 
was  known  as  the  Beloit  Star  Eifles,  enlisted  at  Beloit. 

The  following  is  the  complete  roster:  Eoyal  Atwood.  James 
Avery,  A.  0.  Austin,  A.  Allen,  S.  P.  Alexander,  D.  C.  Burbank, 
P.  Burch,  S.  G.  Bayes,  J.  N.  Bingham,  G.  W.  Bly,  H.  L.  Beemon, 
G.  T.  Bury,  L.  K.  Barmore,  W.  Bedford,  H.  Brady,  H.  S.  Beers,  G. 
Best,  M.  Ball,  W.  H.  Burns,  D.  F.  Burdick,  D.  Briggs,  J.  Brader. 
G.  W.  Chamberlin,  J.  H.  Cowen,  George  Closson,  A.  Clarke.  B. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  335 

Cannon,  J.  Conner,  B.  F.  Clarke,  B.  Christer,  J.  Conner,  E.  Dwin- 
nell,  H.  J.  Dahl,  J.  F.  J.  Davis,  W.  P.  Force,  J.  H.  Filmore,  J. 
W.  Frodine,  W.  T.  Fuller,  AV.  C.  Gardner,  C.  J.  Gibbs,  R.  Gamble, 
F.  Green,  C.  Gierwitz,  W.  Plolland,  George  W.  Harbaugh,  B.  F. 
Harbaugh,  S.  AV.  Hanson,  James  Haynes,  C.  R.  Hubbard,  N. 
Haley,  G.  W.  Jay,  G.  M.  Keyt,  L.  A.  Kent,  J.  Kiimartin,  A.  Kel- 
lum,  M.  A.  Kinsey,  B.  Keller,  J.  Jane,  D.  F.  Lumbard,  L.  S.  Med- 
bury,  P.  Manning,  A.  Moffatt,  J.  Miller,  B.  Miller,  T.  Mealey,  O. 
Morton,  H.  C.  Malraw,  C.  W.  Mead,  J.  M.  Moore,  J.  IMcMann, 

C.  Mann,  W.  S.  Metealf,  J.  Moreau,  W.  Nichols,  M.  Odell,  J. 
O'Leary,  H.  S.  Paine,  H.  L.  Surfield,  S.  N.  Page,  B.  Parkenson, 
H.  C.  Powers,  A.  S.  Parker,  E.  W.  Plummer,  A.  Rickle,  P.  Raf- 
ferty,  Thomas  Smith,  B.  Snyder,  J.  L.  Snyder,  F.  J.  Tuttle,  0. 
West,  J.  W.  Webb,  H.  Whittaker,  R.  O.  Wright,  O.  Willson,  A. 
Weller,  A.  Webb,  G.  Weatherby,  Y.  Smith. 

Company  K,  Seventh  Regiment.  Captains,  Alexander  Gor- 
don, of  Beloit,  George  S.  Iloyt  and  John  M.  Hoyt;  lieutenants, 
Frank  W.  Oakley.  David  Shirrell  and  others.  This  company, 
known  as  the  Badger  Rifles,  enlisted  at  Beloit  and  rendezvoused 
at  Camp  Randall.  Following  is  the  roster,  some  few  being  from 
another  county:  Alexander  Gordon,  F.  W.  Oakley,  David  Shir- 
rell, S.  B.  Morse,  George  S.  Hoyt,  A.  D.  Rood  (lieutenant),  J.  W. 
Bruce,  J.  M.  Hoyt,  W.  Stever  (lieutenant),  J.  B.  Davis  (sergeant, 
died  May  21,  1862),  George  S.  Hoyt  (captain),  H.  Harbaugh  (ser- 
geant), Amos  D.  Rood  (lieutenant),  D.  C.  Van  Antwerp  (corpo- 
ral, sergeant),  Isaac  S.  Livingston,  L.  A.  Eggleston,  J.  S.  Claflin, 
Andrew  Clark,  W.  Steever  (lieutenant),  H.  Phillips  (corporal), 

D.  McDermot  (sergeant,  wounded  Gettysburg),  M.  M.  Havely, 
D.  Custer  (musician),  C.  Andrews,  0.  Anderson,  S.  Agans,  N.  S. 
Allen,  W.  H.  Allison,  P.  Barrett,  J.  H.  Beard  (killed  Gainesville, 
Va.,  August  28,  1862),  W.  C.  Beardsley,  W.  W.  Bowers,  S.  Bond, 
A.  Brooks,  J.  W.  Bruce,  W.  H.  Barnum  (corporal,  wounded 
Gettysburg,  died  July  16,  1863),  F.  B.  Badreau,  N.  Blackington, 
A.  M.  Baldwin  (wounded  Petersburg,  died  July  7,  1864),  N.  D. 
Bennett,  W.  Bloom,  J.  Bauer,  Martin  Luther  Cochran  (corporal, 
killed  at  battle  of  Gaines  Mills),  N.  M.  Casper,  G.  W.  Coville,  J. 
M.  Crawford,  George  Carney,  Ed.  Carney,  AVilliam  Combs,  W. 
Cloupeck,  M.  0.  Donnell,  »T.  Dunham,  M.  Erickson  (wounded  sec- 
ond Bull  Run),  N.  Eddy,  W.  D.  Ellis,  F.  Eiselt,  J.  H.  Fenton,  W. 
C.  Franklin  (killed  May  1,  1862),  J.  F.  Foss  (corporal,  wounded). 


336  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

C.  K.  Garner,  F.  J.  Garner,  J.  M.  Hoyt  (captain),  W.  Hyde,  W. 
Hughes  (corporal,  wounded),  H.  B.  Huntress,  E.  M.  Hopkins 
(wounded,  Gettysburg),  G.  Huntress,  Michael  Hainan,  J.  L.  Judd, 
C.  Jones,  H.  M.  Johnson,  J.  H.  Knapp,  C.  Klein,  P.  Kinsman 
(wounded,  died,  Gettysburg,  July  26,  1863),  M.  Kramer,  H.  M. 
Kinsman  (corporal,  sergeant),  C.  Keihl,  AV,  Kersher,  D.  Lord 
(died  February  23,  1862,  Arlington,  Va.),  F.  S.  Lyon,  A.  A.  Lom- 
bard, E.  F.  Lombard,  I.  M.  Livingston,  J.  A.  Livingston,  M.  E. 
Livingston,  A.  F.  Livingston,  E.  L.  Livingston,  Isaac  S.  Living- 
ston, W.  D.  LIcKinney,  A.  Murray,  A.  Mahoney,  H.  McEady, 
Calvin  Miller  (killed  Gettysburg,  July  1,  1863),  M.  McNamara 
(corporal,  sergeant),  M.  IMiller,  J.  P.  Murray,  D.  Moriarty 
(wounded  Gettysburg,  died  August  21,  1864),  L.  McFarlan,  A. 
Munson,  E.  Mattoon,  P.  C.  Miller,  J.  McCabe,  F.  McKee,  C.  B. 
Norton,  N.  H.  Norton,  D.  Noack,  H.  L.  Nicholas,  E.  H.  Oviatt, 
M.  W.  O'Eyan,  H.  Phillips,  H.  Eichards,  W.  J.  Eader,  F.  L. 
Rubin,  D.  N.  Eussell,  W.  Eaymond,  E.  Eanney,  J.  Eyan,  A.  Eick, 

C.  Eeidenback,  J.  Eittenhouse,  N.  Sebring,  G.  H.  Sedgewick,  A. 
J.  Streeter,  S.  Severson,  J.  A.  Snyder,  George  W.  Shoemaker 
(died  October  21,  1862),  George  Simmons,  F.  Simmons,  F.  Stow- 
ell,  R.  Tibbitts  (died  February  17,  1864),  L.  Tamsen,  A.  Teachard, 
J.  T.  Tower,  A.  Tischausen,  P.  Tarmutzer,  B.  Tolickson,  H.  Uhl,  G. 
Van  Amburg,  T.  Van  Orman,  F.  Virginia,  John  Warbert  (wound- 
ed Gettysburg),  W.  S.  Wilson,  C.  W.  Woodman,  L.  S.  Wilkins, 

D.  S.  Wilkinson,  G.  F.  Watson  (died  July  28,  1864),  S.  L.  Wood, 
S.  Wood,  W.  Woolbridge,  J.  Wright,  J.  M.  Winters,  W.  Webber, 
M.  Weiler,  W.  Wiseman,  J,  C.  Young,  C.  Zantner. 

Company  G,  of  the  Eighth,  was  made  up  of  recruits  from 
various  portions  of  the  county,  the  Janesville  Fire  Department, 
etc.,  and  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  crack  companies  of  the 
nationally  famous  Eagle  Eegiment  of  Wisconsin.  The  regimen- 
tal organization  was  completed  on  the  4th  and  the  regiment  mus- 
tered into  service  on  the  5th  of  September,  1861,  at  Camp  Ean- 
dall.  After  a  brief  delay,  devoted  to  drilling,  the  Eighth  was 
armed  and  equipped  and  on  October  12  departed  for  the  scene 
of  active  hostilities  with  which  it  was  so  intimately  associated 
during  the  three  years  following.  The  regiment  reached  St. 
Louis  on  the  14th,  remaining  at  Benton  Barracks  one  day,  going 
thence  to  De  Soto,  Big  Eiver  Bridge,  Pilot  Knob,  and  finally  to 
Fredericktown,  where  Jeff  Thompson  was  encountered  and  put 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  337 

to  tiiglit.     This  was  the  first  engagement  in  which  the  boys  par- 
ticipated, and  was  followed  by  New  Madrid,  Island  No.  10,  Parm- 
ington,  Miss.,  the  siege  of  Corinth;  the  battles  of  luka,  Corinth 
and  Jackson;  the  siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg;  battles  of 
Richmond,  Fort  De  Russy,  Henderson  Hills,  Pleasant  Hill,  Clou- 
tierville,   Mausura    and   Yellow   Bayou,   La.;   Hurricane    Creek, 
Miss.;  Lake  Chicot,  Ark.;  Nashville,  the  Spanish  Fort  and  Mo- 
bile.    After  campaigning  through  Arkansas,  Tennessee  and  Mis- 
sissippi the  regiment  returned  to  St.  Louis,  where  it  was  reclothed 
and  accompanied  the  command  of  General  A.  J.  Smith  in  the 
movement  to  repel  the  advance  of  Hood.     After  the  battle  of 
Nashville  the  regiment  moved  farther  south,  camping  at  Chal- 
mette,  near  New  Orleans,  at  Dauphin  Island,  Mobile,  Montgom- 
ery and  Demopolis,  Ala.,  where  it  was  mustered  out  of  service 
and  returned  home,  reaching  Madison  on  September  13,  1865, 
after  four  years  of  constant  service,  during  which  the  regiment 
marched  15,179  miles,  campaigned  in  eleven  states,  fought  nearly 
forty  battles,  participated  in  nineteen  skirmishes  and  unnum- 
bered sorties,  returning  at  the  close  of  its  service  full  of  honor 
and  with  its  "eagle  bird"  in  the  enjoyment  of  excellent  health 
and  undiminished  appetite.    Early  in  the  war  the  regiment  was 
assigned  to  the  First  Brigade,  Second  Division,  of  the  Army  of 
the  Mississippi,  under  the  command  of  General  Plummer,  but 
subsequently  became  a  part  of  the  Second  Brigade,  First  Divi- 
sion, Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  General  W.  T.  Sherman,  and  of  the 
First  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  General 
A.  J.  (Baldy)  Smith. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  officers,  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates  of  Company  G,  all  being  from  Janesville  except 
those  designated  otherwise :  W.  B.  Britton,  captain,  promoted 
^major,  lieutenant-colonel  and  colonel;  Charles  P.  King,  first  lieu- 
tenant, promoted  captain  March  28,  1863 ;  R.  D.  Beamish,  second 
lieutenant,  killed  at  Farmington,  Miss.,  May  9,  1863;  William 
H.  Sargent,  promoted  first  lieutenant  March  28,  1863,  killed 
before  Nashville  December  16,  1864;  James  Croft,  Jr.,  first  ser- 
geant; Milton  H.  Doty,  first  lieutenant;  M.  C.  Williamson  (died 
at  luka,  Miss.,  August,  1862),  W.  E.  McNair  and  H.  H.  Whittief 
(died  at  Vicksburg  July  15,  1863),  sergeants;  J.  A.  White  (killed 
at  Farmington,  Miss.,  May  9,  1862),  A.  J.  Blood,  C.  N.  Riker,  D. 
H.  Slauson,  James  M.  McNair,  A.  Paul  Jr.  (died  at  Germantown, 


338  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

Tenn.,  March  10,  1863),  J.  W.  Drummond  (promoted  sergeant) 
and  William  Watson,  corporals.  Privates:  P.  Anderson,  John 
J.  Bear,  Joseph  L.  Bear  (corporal),  H.  E.  Bewley,  T.  Bowles  (cor- 
poral, sergeant),  B.  Brittain,  C.  K.  Brj^an  (died  at  Cairo,  111., 
January  29,  1862),  B.  H.  Byers,  John  Bray,  John  Carney,  Will- 
iam Culton  (Edgerton),  John  Crymble,  A.  Cooley,  William  Con- 
roy  (died  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  January  15,  1864),  Joseph  Davis 
(Indian  Ford),  L.  Davis  Jr.,  Norman  Davis,  Ed.  Drake,  John 
Dave  (died  at  Black  River,  Miss.,  October  2,  1863),  Arthur  Ellis, 
M.  Flynn,  John  Flagler,  E.  L.  Graves  (corporal),  G.  L.  Griffith 
(corporal),  W.  W.  Gowens,  E.  P.  Griffin,  C.  E.  Hines  of  Brodhead 
and  David  Harvey  (both  wounded  at  Corinth),  Solomon  Harvey 
(Lima),  J.  B.  Huggins  (corporal,  sergeant,  second  lieutenant), 
A.  Holloway  (Magnolia,  died  at  Cairo  January  24,  1862),  A.  M. 
Johnson  (Edgerton,  died  at  Farmington,  Miss.,  May  24,  1862), 
George  P.  Ide,  Charles  D.  Kelly  (Indian  Ford,  killed  March  29, 
1865,  Spanish  Fort,  La.),  William  Kelly  (Indian  Ford),  Julius 
Love  (Porter,  wounded  Corinth),  Charles  H.  Lee  (sergeant,  first 
lieutenant),  James  Keefe,  David  Lawrence,  J.  N.  Marshall,  J. 
McNair  (corporal),  C.  L.  Noggle  (quartermaster  sergeant),  H. 
J.  Phillips  (Afton),  0.  J.  Miles,  E.  J.  O'Brien,  R.  Peters.  James 
Rogers,  C.  W.  Robinson,  Fritz  Runga  (died  Memphis  July  16, 
1864),  Alfred  Slack,  G.  T.  Stickney  (wounded  Corinth),  A.  M. 
Stickney,  J.  B.  Smith  (died  at  Sulphur  Spa,  Mo.,  January  16, 
1862),  W.  H.  Soper,  Daniel  E.  Stanton,  John  Stephenson,  P.  W. 
Tifft,  Philip  Tramblie,  Julius  Tramblie,  Jonas  Tramblie,  A. 
Thompson,  Henry  Tiedeman  (corporal),  G.  Viney  (corporal,  ser- 
geant) Charles  Viney  (corporal),  William  Trask,  B.  F.  Williams, 
Manson  L.  Williamson  (sergeant,  died  August  29,  1862,  luka. 
Miss.),  Martin  P.  Wilson,  Emil  Wright. 

In  the  Tenth  Regiment,  Company  A,  was  Sherman  Conant,  of 
Beloit,  who  enlisted  in  Walworth  county.  In  the  Eleventh  Regi- 
ment, Company  F,  were  Richard  A.  Hawley,  of  Janesville,  and 
David  C.  Phillips,  "of  Lima.  In  the  Twelfth  Regiment  Bennett 
DeWitt,  of  Janesville,  was  second  assistant  surgeon. 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment  was  proposed  after  the  five  days' 
fight  around  Richmond,  at  a  meeting  held  in  Janesville  to  devise 
means  for  strengthening  the  Union  cause.  Before  the  assem- 
blage dispersed  a  resolution  providing  for  the  enlistment  of  a 
regiment  of  infantry  from  Rock  county  was  introduced  and  met 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  339 

with  immediate  adoption.  The  preliminaries  incident  to  the  busi- 
ness in  hand  were  promptly  disposed  of  and  a  committee  consist- 
ing of  Senator  H.  Richardson  and  the  Rev.  H.  C.  Tilton  authorized 
to  confer  with  the  governor  and  conclude  arrangements  for  en- 
listing the  soldiers  and  providing  them  with  officers.     The  Hon. 
J.  J.  R.  Pease,  Senator  Richardson  and  II.  G.  Collins  were  ap- 
pointed to  take  charge  of  the  camp  and  see  that  the  "boys"  were 
comfortably  provided  for.    All  things  being  entrusted  to  proper 
authorities,  recruiting  began,  and  before  many  weeks  the  regi- 
mental roster  was  completed  and  consisted  of  six  companies  from 
Rock  county  exclusively,  the  balance  from  Green  and  Walworth 
counties.     The  regiment,  rank  and  file,  as  also  the  officers,  made 
up  from  the  farmhouses  and  workshops,  with  a  goodly  number 
from  Milton  College  and  the  high  school  at  Janesville,  went  into 
camp  northeast   of  the   latter   city,   on   what  became   later  the 
county  fair  grounds,  but  was  at  that  date  called  Camp  Treadway. 
It  was  mustered  into  service  October  17,  1861,  and  left  the  state 
for  Fort  Leavenworth,  Kan.     From  thence  it  marched  to  Fort 
Scott,  where  it  remained  until  March  22  and  was  transferred  to 
Lawrence,  arriving  there  March  31,  1862.     After  a  month's  so- 
journ the  regiment  went  to  Fort  Riley,  where  it  was  fitted  out 
for  an  expedition  into  Mexico.     On  the  eve  of  their  departure 
to  the  land  of  cocoa  and  palm  the  order  was  countermanded,  and 
the  "Mexican  expedition"  retraced  its  steps  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth, going  thence  to  Columbus,  Ky.,  Fort  Henry,  Fort  Donel- 
son,  remaining  at  the  two  forts  named  for  upward  of  a  year,  the 
regimental    time    being    devoted    to    skirmishes,    engagements, 
harassing  Forrest  and  guarding  supply  steamers  between  Fort 
Henry  and  Hamburg  Landing.     On  August  27,  1863.  the  regi- 
ment marched  to  Stevenson,  Ala.    After  remaining  at  this  point 
a  short  time  it  went  into  camp  at  Edgefield,  near  Nashville,  where 
it  remained  until  the  expiration  of  its  terra  of  service,  and,  hav- 
ing reenlisted,  was  given  a  furlough  of  thirty  days,  the  same  be- 
ing passed  in  Janesville.    Upon  entering  active  service  once  more 
the  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  First  Brigade  of  the  Fourth 
Division  of  the  Twentieth  Army  Corps,  and  served  in  the  South- 
west,  remaining  at   Stevenson,  Ala.,  until   after  the   defeat   of 
Hood  at  Nashville,  when  it  was  assigned  to  the  Third  Brigade, 
Third  Division,  Fourth  Corps,  and  embarked  for  New  Orleans, 
going  thence  to  Indianola,  and  serving  in  Texas  until  November, 


340  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

1865,  when  it  returned  to  Madison  via  New  Orleans  and  was 
mustered  out  of  service.  The  following  is  the  roster  of  its  Rock 
county  recruits : 

Thirteenth  Regiment  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  Field 
Staff.  Colonel,  William  P.  Lyon,  Racine,  promoted  from  captain 
Company  K,  Eighth  Regiment,  Brevet  brigadier-general  U.  S. 
Volunteers  October  26,  1865.  Lieutenant-colonel,  James  F.  Chap- 
man, Janesville.  Adjutant,  William  Ruger,  Janesville,  promoted 
from  second  lieutenant  Company  A,  captain  A.  A.  G.,  U.  S.  Vol- 
unteers. Quartermasters  :  Piatt  Eyclesheimer,  Janesville ;  Ira 
B.  Button,  Janesville,  promoted  from  first  lieutenant  Company 
I.  Surgeon,  John  M.  Evans,  Evansville.  Second  assistant  sur- 
geons, Simon  L.  Lord,  Edgerton,  and  Charles  M.  Smith,  Evans- 
ville. Chaplains,  Hezekiah  C.  Tilton,  Janesville ;  Joseph  J.  Foote, 
Footville.  Sergeant-majors :  Jason  W.  Hall,  Janesville,  pro- 
moted captain  Company  B  January  6,  1865 ;  Daniel  B.  Lovejoy, 
Evansville,  promoted  second  lieutenant  Company  D ;  Aaron  V. 
Bradt,  Shopiere,  promoted  second  lieutenant  Company  G,  Forty- 
eighth  Wisconsin  Infantry.  Quartermaster  sergeant,  Ira  P.  But- 
ton. Commissary  sergeants :  Gage  Burgess,  Janesville,  pro- 
moted second  lieutenant  Company  E,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin 
Infantry;  Canute  R.  Matson,  Milton,  promoted  first  lieutenant 
Company  G;  Samuel  S.  Osborne,  Milton.  Hospital  stewards: 
Samuel  S.  Wallihan,  Evansville ;  James  E.  Coakley,  Lima  Cen- 
ter; Horace  M.  Haven,  Milton.  Principal  musicians:  Samuel  B. 
Clemens,  Janesville;  Marshall  D.  Warren,  Newark;  Ira  B.  Sny- 
der, Footville.  Band:  Clarence  W.  Baker,  Janesville;  Aaron 
T.  Baker,  Alva  T.  Bridgeman,  William  M.  Miller,  Joseph  H.  Sale 
and  Joseph  L.  Smith,  all  of  Evansville ;  David  A.  Mason,  Center ; 
Benjamin  Snyder  and  S.  F.  Wallihan,  of  Footville. 

Company  A,  or  the  Ruger  Guards.  Edward  Ruger,  captain, 
assistant  adjutant-general  on  general  staff,  mustered  out  Novem- 
ber 19,  1864;  L.  F.  Nichols,  first  lieutenant,  resigned  July  27, 
1863;  William  Ruger,  second  lieutenant,  afterwards  appointed 
adjutant  on  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  and  later  assistant 
adjutant-general  U.  S.  A. ;  Milton  Bowerman,  appointed  second 
lieutenant,  promoted  first  lieutenant  August  11,  1863,  resigned 
September  30,  1864;  Samuel  C.  Cobb,  promoted  second  lieuten- 
ant August  11,  1863,  first  lieutenant  October  18,  and  captain 
Company  A  November  21,  1864,  promoted  major  October  9,  1865; 


MlLITAliY  lilSTUKY  UF  KUClv  COUNTY  341 

George  Hoskins,  David  H.  Whittlesey  (died  at  Lawrence,  Kan., 
April  19,  1862),  John  B.  Johnson  and  Harvey  P.  Corey,  ser- 
geants; John  \V.  Follensbee,  Olney  S.  Gibbs  (promoted  second 
lieutenant  November  21,  1864),  Daniel  B.  Bemis,  Isaac  Earl,  John 
Auld  (promoted  second  lieutenant  October  28  and  first  lieuten- 
ant November  21,  1864),  Myron  L.  Bentley  (died  at  Leaven- 
worth, Kan.,  February  11,  1862),  and  Frank  B.  Child,  corporals. 
Albert  P.  Aldrich,  Gideon  Aldrich,  Elliot  Ash,  Milo  Ackerman 
(died  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  May  6,  1862),  George  S.  Burton,  Edwin 
R.  Burton,  John  S.  Butler,  James  Beveridge,  John  Bahr,  Oliver 
Bonney,  Lewis  Beach,  "W.  W.  Bowden,  E.  W.  Babcock,  A,  T. 
Butts  (died  at  Leavenworth,  Kan..  May  10,  1862),  Nelson  Butler, 
Nathaniel  Case,  Noah  Chapman,  Herman  S.  Coon,  Charles  Coal- 
well,  Thomas  Claffey,  A.  P.  Cole,  S.  F.  Colby,  Hiram  Cory,  A.  C. 
Denning,  H.  C.  Davis,  Daniel  Douglas,  William  Dame,  George 
Fenn,  James  S.  Fuller,  Jabez  W.  Frazier,  Joseph  Fitzpatrick, 
George  F.  Gould,  Edward  Gern,  William  j\I.  Green,  Joseph  Gov- 
enal  (died  at  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.,  August  30,  1862),  Frederick  Gooch, 
Edwin  I.  Gibbs,  Myron  Hart,  Cornelius  Haley,  Joseph  Harris, 
De  Forest  James,  Charles  Jones,  William  Johnson,  W.  E.  Jones, 
Jacob  L.  Jackson,  John  W.  Leon,  Leonard  Lasher,  George  Living- 
ston, James  Munroe,  Lyman  H.  Maxon,  Peter  Murphy,  Ernst  Mil- 
ler (died  at  San  Antonio,  Tex.,  September  21,  1865),  Newman  C. 
Nash,  Clayton  Noah,  Levi  Olmsted,  Egbert  I.  Owen,  Milton  D. 
Owen,  Richard  M.  Pierce,  August  M.  Prilwits,  Henry  N.  Paine, 
David  W.  Russell,  Isaac  A.  F.  Randolph  (died  at  Lawrence,  Kan., 
April  23,  1862),  Freeman  Roberts,  Albert  E.  Rice,  Elbridge  S. 
Smith  (died  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  May  5,  1862),  Charles  H.  Smith, 
Horace  C.  Smith,  Albert  R.  Smith,  Truman  Stoddard,  Edgar  I. 
Strong,  Francis  E.  Thompson,  John  Tesch,  Frederick  Tesch, 
Robert  Trotter,  Alpheus  S.  Trowbridge,  Allen  Van  Tassel,  John 
E.  Whittlesey,  Nelson  Warren  (died  at  Columbus,  Ky.,  August 
2,  1862),  T.  A.  Wilcox,  W.  M.  Wright,  F.  M.  Wilbur,  E.  H.  Wil- 
bur, D.  H.  Wood,  Alexander  Wiggins  and  Christian  Yager  were 
the  privates. 

Company  B.  Edwin  E.  Woodman,  captain,  mustered  out  No- 
vember 19,  1864;  James  L.  Murray,  first  lieutenant,  and  George 
C.  Brown,  second  lieutenant,  both  mustered  out  on  November 
19,  1864;  Jason  W.  Hall  (promoted  captain  January  6,  1865), 
William  M.  Burns  (died  at  Stevenson,  Ala.,  October  30,  1863), 


343  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

Davis  H.  Cheney  (promoted  first  lieutenant),  Van  Epps  Hugunin 
and  Lewis  H.  Martin,  sergeants ;  Edwin  F.  Bowers,  F.  C.  Buten, 
S.  A.  Fish,  C.  H.  Goodrich,  Goorge  Honeysett,  Leander  S.  Miller, 
Thomas  Starkey  and  Clark  Pierce,  corporals ;  Newton  H.  Whit- 
tlesey, musician;  Cassius  W.  Andrews,  John  Alverson  (died  at 
Ft.  Henry,  Tenn.,  January  4,  1863),  Adam  Aris,  Henry  H,  Bow- 
ers, Silas  W.  Baker,  Darius  Baker,  Louis  Bunkee,  Gage  Burgess, 
Charles  W.  Butts  (died  at  Ft.  Henry  November  16,  1862),  Joseph 
A.  Beecher  (died  at  Ft.  Donelson  July  3,  1863),  Joseph  Barnes, 
Alvin  P.  Barker,  Frank  Barker,  Wm.  A.  Babcock,  Jacob  D.  Clark, 
William  H.  Cheney,  C.  A.  Carter,  Spencer  Chemerhorn,  Erwin  W. 
Crane,  B.  C.  Carery,  Archibald  Dandford,  Mitchell  Deep,  John  H. 
Fremow,  Adam  Fisher,  Samuel  Gould,  James  Hurcl,  George  W. 
Hulse  (killed  at  AVhitesburg,  Ala.,  July  5,  1864),  John  Higgins, 
Chester  D.  HoUoway,  Sidney  Hurd,  Martin  Keegan,  Ralph  D. 
Kimball,  Charles  Lane,  James  E.  Leaven,  Robert  Leonard,  Clark 
I.  Miller,  Patrick  Monegan,  Dennis  Murray,  Frank  Milicher, 
Amos  S.  Miller  (died  at  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.,  March  16,  1862),  Morti- 
mer Manie,  Michael  Monegan,  Peter  McAtheron,  William  Nel- 
son, Washington  Porter,  Lyman  Richardson,  John  Stollar,  Lon- 
son  Seeley,  Ezra  D.  Stevens,  George  Sterne,  John  Scanlan,  Eu- 
gene Thurston,  Michael  Taller,  Charles  H.  Upham,  Louis  Van- 
derworker,  Charles  H.  Vanderworker  (died  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
November  13,  1863),  Antonio  Van  Horn,  Hiram  M.  Weaver,  My- 
ron L.  West,  William  G.  Wilcox,  Obadiah  Walker,  Edward  P. 
Wells  and  Israel  W.  Young,  privates. 

Company  D.  E.  W.  Blake,  captain;  Simon  A.  Couch,  first 
lieutenant,  and  Nathaniel  D.  Walters,  second  lieutenant,  both 
mustered  out  November  19,  1864;  John  L.  Glading,  Daniel  Phil- 
lips, Charles  P.  Andrus,  John  M.  Cook  and  George  Dykeman, 
sergeants;  William  Everst,  David  Kettle,  Cyrus  E.  Patchin  (pro- 
moted first  lieutenant  and  later  captain),  John  Williams,  Cor- 
nelius Dykeman  and  David  Everst,  corporals;  Ira  Snyder  and 
John  D.  V.  Weaver,  musicians;  John  Adams  Wagoner,  William 
Burk,  Gerdner  Babcock,  Samuel  Basey,  William  Bigsby,  William 
Brown,  S.  J.  Baker,  David  Burris,  Edward  Buntrock  (died  at 
Watertown,  Wis.,  February  16,  1864),  Martin  A.  Becker,  Lucian 
Craig,  John  C.  Cook,  Henry  W.  Crow,  Heinrich  Christian  (died 
at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  June  16,  1865),  Thomas  Calven,  John  L. 
Capple,  Charles  Casford,  Henry  Cordwell,  Henry  Camp,  Charles 


MILITARY   HISTOEY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY  343 

F.  Cook,  Ransom  C.  Condon  (died  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  May  23, 
1862),  Ambrose  Eastman  (died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  October  20, 
1863),  Joseph  Eastman,  Joseph  J.  Ellis  (died  at  New  Albany 
December  3,  1863),  John  J.  Elliott,  William  A.  Gould,  Daniel 
Geerin  (died  at  Columbus,  Ky.,  September  20,  1862),  Frank  Hall 
(died  at  Nashville  November  6,  1863),  Francis  Howard,  Amos 
Horsington  (died  at  Evausville,  Ind.,  December  18,  1863),  Charles 
Ivans,  Cornelius  Kettle,  Otto  Kahlinburgh,  John  Kirk,  Louis  M. 
Knowles,  John  H.  Livingston,  John  M.  Lee,  Daniel  B.  Lovejoy, 
Edward  McCormick,  Alexander  McDonald,  David  T.  Mathson, 
Frederick  Nusar,  Henry  Peck,  William  Palmerton,  Thomas  E. 
Riley,  Charles  M.  Rowley,  Henry  R.  Robinson  (died  at  Edge- 
field, Tenn.,  December  19,  1863),  Charles  Shuman  (died  at  Co- 
lumbus, Ky.,  December  7,  1862),  William  Spaulding,  John  Schlie- 
koff,  Edward  B.  Starr,  Westley  Smith,  G.  P.  Thomson,  George 
W.  Tompkins,  Eugene  L.  Tuthill,  John  Vendenburgh  (died  at 
Lawrence,  Kan.,  April  23,  1862),  Joseph  West,  Stephen  West 
(died  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  April  21,  1862),  Adam  Wooker,  Will- 
iam F.  Williams,  John  H.  Williams  (died  at  Nashville  Novem- 
ber 6,  1863),  Henry  Wagner,  Elias  Whitman,  Horace  F.  Wilson, 
George  AVitherell,  Gilbert  Williams  and  Almaron  York,  privates. 
Company  F.  F.  F.  Stevens,  captain,  promoted  paymaster,  U. 
S.  A.,  May  11,  1864;  S.  S.  Hart,  first  lieutenant,  promoted  cap- 
tain May  11,  1864;  Nicholas  Crotzenberg  (promoted  first  lieu- 
tenant May  11,  1864,  mustered  out  November  21,  1864),  Charles 
W.  Stark,  Jerome  W.  Briggs  (promoted  second  lieutenant  July 
5,  1864,  first  lieutenant  September  27,  1864,  captain  August  31, 
1865),  A.  V.  Bradt,  James  L.  Fowle  and  Bradford  Burdick,  ser- 
geants; Peter  S.  Withington,  Alexander  McGregor,  Edgar  L. 
Miller,  John  W.  Thomas,  Alvin  L.  Ford,  Henry  S.  Cole,  John 
Gait  and  Thomas  P.  Peckham,  corporals ;  A.  E.  Lane  and  Samuel 
Sherman,  musicians;  Webster  McNair,  wagoner;  August  Ander- 
son, Thomas  S.  Allen,  D.  B.  Bradley,  D.  B.  Ball,  S.  S.  Barber,  A. 
C.  Blood,  John  R.  Butler,  Dana  Bicknell,  Elliott  D.  Barnard, 
George  Brown,  George  A.  Burlingame,  James  C.  Briggs,  Isaac 
Bartow,  Eustice  A.  Burlingame,  Lewis  Bent,  Martin  V.  Barnard, 
Webster  C.  Babcock,  James  H.  Bliss,  Simon  Bunce,  William  H. 
Butler,  Edward  Best,  Felix  Boyle,  Melvin  Chamberlain,  Duane 
Crotzenberg,  George  Croft,  John  M.  Crotzenberg,  Lane  Camlin, 
Patrick  Collins,  William  H.  Card,  Charles  Culver  (died  at  Hunts- 


3U  HISTOEY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY 

ville  August,  1864),  Alexander  Courtwright,  William  H.  Davis, 
James  Duffy,  Leonard  Dockstader,  Sidney  Denton,  Johnson 
Dunn,  William  Eames,  Smith  Foot,  Alvin  T.  Finney  (died  at 
Lawrence,  Kan.,  May  10,  1862),  Anson  C.  Finney,  Charles  Foote, 
Hiram  E.  Griffith,  James  Gleavy,  Eobert  Grant,  Philetus  Gage, 
Joseph  Gage,  Myron  Griffith,  John  Haggart,  John  Hartgarden, 
Jerome  Hitchcock,  Erasmus  D.  Hall,  Sylvestus  Helmes,  Peter  F. 
McNair,  Giles  Martlette,  James  C.  Newkirk,  Andrew  Osland, 
Charles  Pratt,  Lester  C.  Phelps,  George  H.  Prime,  Albert  L. 
Posson,  George  H.  Purcy,  Webert  Eichards,  Eanson  Eolfe  (died 
at  Ft.  Eiley,  Kan.,  May  18,  1862),  Jerry  Eeordan,  Edward  H. 
Eice,  William  Schenck,  William  Schultz,  Charles  Strasberger, 
AVilliam  Steity,  T.  J.  Simerson,  Charles  H.  Stark,  Fayette  Smith, 
John  Shurrum,  Augustus  Shultz,  John  Swartout,  Jacob  B.  Sny- 
der, Andrew  B.  Smith,  George  Scott,  Jerome  Shiemall,  William 
H.  Strasberger,  Clark  Shiemall,  Eugene  H.  Tuttle  (died  at  Ft. 
Eiley,  Kan.,  May  11,  1862),  Timothy  Tracy,  Spencer  Turner,  Wil- 
liam Thomas,  Harvey  Thomas.  James  Tallmadge,  Albert  J.  War- 
ner, William  H.  Wood,  Olney  J.  Weaver,  Moses  V.  White  and 
Joseph  Williams,  privates. 

Company  G.  Thomas  0.  Bigney,  captain,  promoted  major; 
Archibald  N.  Eandall,  captain;  Henry  M.  Balis,  first  lieutenant; 
Elmore  W.  Taylor,  second  lieutenant ;  Samuel  C.  Wagoner,  pro- 
moted second  lieutenant  June  22,  1864,  vice  Elmore  W.  Taylor, 
resigned;  Alexander  Shafer,  Abram  D.  Balis,  AndrcAV  Fryden- 
lund  and  Austin  C.  Chapel,  sergeants;  Frank  Backus,  James  P. 
Kehoe,  Phillip  Workman,  George  D.  Sherman,  John  P.  Baker, 
John  P.  Shrader,  John  W.  Purdy  and  Henry  B.  Willheling,  cor- 
porals ;  Marshal  D.  Warren  and  William  Pommy,  musicians ; 
William  H.  H.  Anderson,  William  H.  Brunny,  Thomas  F.  Baker, 
Eobert  Baker,  Joseph  H.  Baker,  Leo  Brown,  John  Benson,  Thomas 
Brace,  Abram  Culver,  Uriah  H.  Corran,  Edmund  K.  Chipman, 
Eeuben  H.  Chapel,  Samuel  Cooper,  Syrrel  D.  Chipman,  Ira  Cleve- 
land, Nathan  L.  Daniels,  George  AV.  Dennis,  Isaac  Decker,  Edwin 
S.  Derrick,  Martemus  Erickson,  Finger  Erickson,  Trails  Erick- 
son  (died  at  Fort  Donelson  May  11,  1863),  William  Fuller,  Na- 
thaniel W.  Farry,  David  C.  Frisby,  George  Frary,  Peter  Gansell 
(died  at  Janesville,  Wis.,  December  22,  1861),  Lemuel  Gould 
(died  at  Cahawba,  Ala.,  February  22,  1865),  Loren  P.  Harper, 
B.   S.  Hungerford,   Halver  Halverson,   Eussell  Hart,   Henry  A. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY  345 

Harper,  Homer  Huntley,  George  D.  Hill,  Ole  Hugiuson,  Nathau 
W.  Plarper,  Knud  Halgrenson,  William  Hanson,  Silas  P.  John- 
son, Ole  Johnson,  Andrew  Johnson  (died  at  Fort  Donelson  May 
2,  1863),  John  Johnson,  Michael  Kiefer,  Cephas  W.  Kinney  (died 
at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  April  2,  1862),  John  A.  Lockridge,  Wm.  Long, 
Jas.  Moran  (died  at  Ft.  Riley,  Kan.,  May  12,  1862),  Silas  Milks, 
Thomas  J.  Menor,  Isaac  N.  Menor,  John  V.  Martin  (died  at  Madi- 
son, Wis.,  February  17,  1865),  John  Myers,  Filing  Newhouse, 
Nelson  J.  Orvis,  Lewis  Olin,  Matthew  Olin,  Lars  Orville,  Samuel 
E.  Pearl,  William  N.  Pearl,  William  H.  Pierce,  John  Peun  (died 
at  Nashville,  June  4,  1865),  James  Pomeroy  (died  at  Lawrence, 
Kan.,  May  6,  1862),  James  Pomey,  Talleo  Peterson,  Joseph 
Richards,  Edmund  S.  Rositer,  James  D.  Rhodes  (died  at  Paducah, 
Ky.,  April  17,  1863),  Peter  Shaffner  (died  at  St.  Louis,  May  24, 
1865),  John  Spraddles,  C.  C.  Smith,  William  H.  Shaff,  Hiram  H. 
Taylor,  Robert  B.  Taylor  (died  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  April  17,  1863), 
William  Taylor,  Jr.,  Thomas  Thompson,  R.  B.  Valentine,  George 
Wenright  (died  at  Fort  Donelson,  August  17,  1863),  and  Thomas 
Williams,  privates. 

Company  K.  Piny  Noreross,  captain,  mustered  out  November 
18,  1864 ;  J.  H.  Wemple,  first  lieutenant,  promoted  captain  Novem- 
ber 21,  1863 ;  A.  D.  Burdick,  second  lieutenant,  resigned  April  3, 
1862;  R.  J.  Whittleton,  Thomas  Heimbach,  Jerome  Sweet,  Wil- 
liam Cole  and  George  W.  Steele  (first  lieutenant  February  15, 
1865;  captain  March  24,  1865),  sergeants;  L.  L.  Bond,  U.  S.  Hol- 
lister  (promoted  second  lieutenant  June  13,  1862;  first  lieutenant 
November  28,  1864;  captain  February  15,  1865),  W.  P.  Clark,  C. 
R.  Matson,  A.  C.  Stanard,  H.  C.  Curtis,  F.  Clark,  Fred  P.  Nor- 
eross (died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  May  16,  1865),  and  W.  M.  Scott, 
corporals;  Eli  S.  Nye  and  William  Little  John,  musicians;  S. 
Obourne,  wagoner,  afterward  appointed  commissary  sergeant, 
March  1,  1865 ;  Henry  Alder,  Alvin  Alder,  Jacob  Allensworth, 
Edwin  P.  Babcock,  Oscar  F.  Burdick,  Asa  C.  Burdick,  William 
Bowers,  Stillman  G.  Bond,  Henry  S.  Babkirk,  Edgar  0.  Burdick, 
Charles  H.  Burdick,  Stephen  F.  Colt,  Thomas  Bennett,  H.  P. 
Clark,  Oliver  P.  Clark,  Charles  Curtis,  J.  B.  Crandall  (died  at 
Columbus,  Ky.,  June  25,  1862),  Nathaniel  Deering,  Jerome  G. 
Dockstader,  Willard  Dockstader,  Napoleon  B.  Draper,  John  D. 
Davis,  William  C.  Davis,  Joseph  Davis,  Nathaniel  A.  Drake, 
Christopher  Early  (died  at  Nashville,  May  6,  1865),  Seymour  C. 
Fuller,  John  B.  Flint  (died  at  Huntsville,  Ala.,  August  31,  1864), 


346  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

Charles  W.  Flint,  Daniel  B.  Flint,  Horace  R.  Flint,  Moses  P. 
Farnham,  Orson  C.  Garthwait,  Lorenzo  H.  Garthwait,  Theodore 
T.  Green,  De  Witt  Green,  Seth  H.  Gillard,  Emory  Goodrich, 
George  R.  Hinmon,  John  Harker,  James  Holden,  Rufus  Holden, 
George  W.  Hathaway,  Horace  M.  Haven,  Elijah  Hudson,  Madi- 
son Hopkins,  Irville  Johnson,  William  Keeter  (died  at  Lawrence, 
Kan.,  April  18,  1862),  Albert  B.  Kent,  Horace  Lozar,  James  Mor- 
rison, Burton  H.  Morrison  (died  at  Madison,  Wis.,  March  9, 
1864),  Elisha  P.  Maxon,  William  H.  Norton,  John  Nym  (died  at 
Leavenworth,  Kan.,  March  21,  1862),  William  Nute,  Sylvester 
Noyes,  Lanson  P.  Norcross,  Seymour  C.  Pratt,  John  Plantz  (died 
at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  April  29,  1862),  Wilbur  Persons,  Leonard  H. 
Rich,  Charles  H.  Rich,  Washington  F.  Randolph,  George  C.  Rey- 
nolds, Cyrus  B.  Robinson  (died  at  NashivUe,  September  21,  1864), 
John  Swan,  Isaac  W.  Swan,  Marvin  V.  Stanard  (died  at  Fort 
Donelson,  March  29,  1863),  Joseph  P.  Scofield,  Byron  G.  Smith, 
Clark  G.  Stillman,  John  A.  Savage,  A.  H.  Stewart,  George  A. 
Sherburne,  Salem  Twist,  Libens  C.  Taylor,  Albert  0.  Vincent, 
Leonard  Woolworth,  George  W.  Winegar,  William  J.  Watt, 
James  N.  Webster,  Oscar  Wetherby,  Mark  Whitney,  Albert  H. 
Weston,  William  A.  Wyse  and  Isaac  Yates,  privates. 

Doctor  Samuel  Bell,  of  Beloit,  was  assistant  surgeon  of  the 
Fifteenth  Regiment. 

Rock  County  Men  in  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Wisconsin  Volun- 
teer Infantry. 

Joseph  Craig,  Beloit,  major,  promoted  from  captain  Company 
F;  David  A.  Adams,  Beloit,  commissary  sergeant;  Company  D, 
August  Preis,  Janesville,  died  June  24,  1863,  L.  Providence,  La. ; 
Company  I,  Thomas  W.  Dow  and  William  Sholtz,  Janesville. 
The  new  Company  F  contained  many  Beloit  and  Janesville  men, 
besides  representatives  from  nearly  all  our  towns  as  follows : 
Captains,  Joseph  Craig,  of  Beloit,  promoted  major,  and  George 
W.  Roberts,  Beloit,  promoted  from  second  lieutenant;  first  lieu- 
tenant, Alfred  Taggart,  promoted  major  Fifty-first  Wisconsin 
Infantry;  second  lieutenant,  Julius  C.  Comstock,  Beloit,  pro- 
moted from  sergeant. 

Enlisted  Men.  John  0.  Allen,  George  S.  Anderson,  Daniel  H. 
Atwood,  corporal,  sergeant;  Charles  D.  Balch,  Andrew  Bennett, 
corporal,  Edwin  P.  Bly,  Edwin  Booker,  Alfred  Bullock,  Oscar 


MILITARY  HISTOKY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  347 

Burdick  (died  June  18,  1865),  Amos  J.  Burdick,  Stephen  A. 
Carey,  Henry  H.  Cass,  Samuel  P.  Chase,  corporal,  sergeant; 
George  A.  Clark,  Myron  G.  Cook,  Israel  Cook,  Hiram  Conry, 
George  A.  Crooker,  sergeant ;  P.  B.  Daggett,  Bradford  B.  Dag- 
gett, wagoner;  George  W.  Dibble,  W.  B.  Doolittle,  Perry  Dun- 
ning, Carlos  Eggleston,  musician ;  Enoch  W.  T.  Felt,  Warren 
Fisk,  corporal ;  E.  F.  Fockler,  Henry  Funnell,  Oscar  Graves,  Van 
Buren  Graves,  John  S.  Green,  Dewitt  C.  Gilson,  Hans  Halstad, 
John  Handy,  Robert  E.  Harvey,  Josiah  S.  Hayden,  David  H.  Hil- 
ton, John  Hilton,  John  M.  Hodge,  Calvin  Hook,  Charles  H.  Hun- 
ter, corporal ;  Dennis  Kavanaugh,  corporal ;  Louis  O.  Kohitz, 
John  Love  (died  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  October  28,  1864),  Andrew 
Luchsinger,  Eugene  A.  Mack,  W.  C.  McCormick,  William  S.  Mil- 
ler (died  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  March  16,  1864),  Jerome  Moss, 
Hugh  S.  Nelson,  Leonard  M.  Nelson,  Lucien  S.  Palmer,  Benjamin 
S.  Parks,  musician ;  Francis  E.  Peck,  corporal ;  John  D.  Peters, 
Sherman  Phelps,  corporal;  Amos  A.  Phillips,  Henry  L.  Phillips, 
corporal ;  Daniel  W.  Porter,  corporal  (wounded  at  Atlanta  and 
died  September  8,  1864)  ;  Samuel  Preston  (died  November  12; 
1864,  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.),  Patrick  Riley,  Perry  C.  Robb, 
Frank  Robey,  Elfred  E.  Roberts,  Hamlin  E.  Robinson,  Mervin 
C.  Ross,  John  Rushford,  John  E.  Sargent,  Elisha  Schofield  (died 
May  30,  1864,  at  New  Albany,  Ind.),  Timothy  Shields,  corporal, 
sergeant ;  Calvin  C.  Smith,  Charles  M.  Smith,  corporal ;  James 
M.  Smith,  John  K.  Smith,  Edmond  Starr  (wounded  at  Atlanta 
and  died  August  26,  1864),  Alonzo  A.  Starr,  Wallace  Tupper, 
John  Vanscoy,  corporal;  William  H.  H.  Vosburg,  corporal  (died 
May  8,  1865,  at  Newark,  N.  J.)  ;  Harrison  C.  Wells,  James  R. 
West,  first  sergeant,  first  lieutenant,  wounded  at  Atlanta; 
Emmett  Wiley,  George  W.  Wilson,  Vinson  G.  Willard,  sergeant; 
Herman  Winde,  James  G.  Wray,  corporal;  Ebenezer  Wright 
(wounded  at  Atlanta,  and  died  there  August  2,  1864). 

Seventeenth  Regiment  Rock  County  Men. 

Company  B,  John  Campbell,  Beloit;  Company  D,  Martin 
Larkin,  of  Janesville;  Company  E,  Barthalomew  0 'Conner,  of 
Lima,  corporal,  sergeant,  died  October  14,  1863,  at  Vicksburg; 
Company  F,  Peter  Smith,  Beloit,  second  lieutenant;  Thomas  Mc- 
Kiniry,  Beloit,  first  sergeant,  second  lieutenant ;  James  Bray, 
Janesville,  died  August  8,  1863,  at  Vicksburg;  Philip  Burns,  Be- 


348  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

loit;  John  Carr,  Milton  Junction;  John  Connelly,  Janesville; 
Thomas  Clark,  Michael  Clark,  Thomas  Conaboy,  Peter  Delmar, 
Michael  Dougherty,  Joseph  Dolan,  Patrick  Doran,  Thomas  Fitz- 
gerald, Patrick  Keating,  James  Keenan,  John  Kelly,  Michael 
Kenna,  Patrick  Larmer,  Dennis  Lynch,  Peter  LjTiough,  James 
E.  Madigan,  corporal;  Jolin  Mahier,  John  McNamara,  Thomas 
McNary,  Michael  Mooney,  Thomas  Murphey,  Samuel  Plumb- 
teaux,  Edward  Riley  and  John  Whalen,  all  of  Beloit ;  Michael 
Dower,  James  Doyle,  Patrick  Fitzpatrick,  Thomas  Hallaran,  John 
Harrington  Patrick  Hennesey,  Eoger  Higgins,  John  Kane,  John 
Leary,  Edward  McDermott,  Thomas  Poley,  Maurice  Ready,  Peter 
Riley  and  Thomas  Woods,  all  of  Janesville. 

In  the  Twenty-second  Regiment  Rock  county  furnished  three 
companies,  E,  B  and  I. 

Company  E,  Twenty-second  Infantry,  w^as  raised  in  Rock 
county,  the  members  being  principally  enlisted  in  Janesville, 
Spring  Valley,  Fulton,  Edgerton,  Harmony,  Magnolia,  Plymouth, 
La  Prairie,  Rock,  Johnstown  and  ]\Iilton,  under  Captain  Isaac 
Miles.  The  regiment  rendezvoused  at  Camp  Utley,  Racine,  where 
it  was  mustered  into  service  September  2,  1862,  and,  two  weeks 
later,  proceeded  to  aid  in  defending  Cincinnati  against  the  threat- 
ened advent  of  Kirby  Smith.  At  the  conclusion  of  that  cam- 
paign. Company  E,  with  the  regiment,  was  assigned  to  the  First 
Brigade,  First  Division,  Army  of  Kentucky,  and  performed  pro- 
vost duty  in  that  state  until  January  23,  1863,  when  the  regiment 
was  transferred  to  Nashville,  and  participated  in  all  the  im- 
portant battles  in  that  section  of  the  country,  constituting  a  por- 
tion of  Hooker's  command.  After  the  capture  of  Atlanta  the 
regiment,  with  the  balance  of  the  Twentieth  Army  Corps,  was 
stationed  at  that  city,  engaged  in  strengthening  the  fortifica- 
tions. In  November,  1864,  the  regiment  proceeded  to  Savannah, 
thence  to  Perrysville,  Robertsville,  and  through  the  Carolinas, 
Richmond  and  Alexandria  to  Washington,  taking  part  in  the 
grand  review  of  Sherman's  army,  and  remaining  at  Alexandria 
until  June  12,  1865,  when  it  was  mustered  out  and  returned  to 
Madison. 

The  roster  of  Company  E,  as  mustered  into  service,  was: 
Captain,  Isaac  Miles,  of  Fulton,  resigned  June  17,  1863 ;  first  lieu- 
tenant, Calvin  Reeves,  resigned  December  22,  1862;  second  lieu- 
tenant. Gage  Burgess,  of  Janesville,  promoted  first  lieutenant. 


MILITAEY  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  319 

December  27,  1862,  and  captain  June  17,  1863;  first  lieutenants, 
Calvin  Eeeves,  of  Janesville,  Persons  P.  Bump ;  second  lieutenant, 
Francis  N.  Keeley,  promoted;  sergeants,  Henry  R.  Stetson,  John 
B.  Bullock,  Proctor  D.  Scofield,  Rufus  P.  Young  and  Albert  O. 
Warner  (died  of  wounds,  August,  1864)  ;  corporals,  Charles  H. 
Dickinson,  Hiram  H.  Dimick  (sergeant),  Augustus  C.  Moore 
(promoted  sergeant  and  died  at  Nashville,  February  15,  1865), 
Edwin  li.  Pullen,  Charles  E.  Bowles,  Cyrel  A.  A.  Leake,  Farin  E. 
Osburn  and  Frederick  AY.  Seymour;  sergeant  major,  Francis  N. 
Keeley;  musicians,  Oscar  W.  Warner  and  Robert  W.  King; 
wagoner,  Charles  W.  Whittier;  privates,  Burritt  Alcott  (died  at 
Nashville,  May  12,  1863),  Gerhard  Abink,  Edward  C.  Alden  (cor- 
poral), Albert  W.  Alden,  Edward  P.  Amber  (corporal),  Azro  M. 
Bowles,  Charles  E.  Bowles  (corporal),  Charles  W.  V.  Baird, 
James  H.  Bullis  (corporal),  John  P.  Crossett,  Daniel  Clark,  Aaron 
R.  Culp,  Samuel  Crawford  (died  at  Nashville,  February  13,  1863), 
Christian  Dyke,  John  E.  Davidson,  Henry  H.  Davis,  Francis  E. 
Downs  (died  at  Brentwood,  Tenn.,  March  1,  1863),  Edward  F. 
Dean,  Ormond  N.  Dutton,  William  Edgar,  Jesse  Edgerton, 
Francis  Edgerton,  Horace  W.  Fitch  (died  at  Danville,  Ky.,  Janu- 
ary 4,  1863),  Charles  J.  Fox,  John  Q.  A.  Failing,  Henry  H. 
Guernsey  (corporal),  Martin  V.  Glass,  Jonathan  Gicker,  Orra 
B.  Garrison,  Robert  W.  Harper  (died  at  Nashville,  March  9,  1863), 
William  H.  Harper,  Michael  Harnett,  Benjamin  R.  Hilt,  Jesse 
B.  Harvey  (promoted  corporal,  and  killed  at  Kenesaw  Mountain, 
Georgia,  June  18,  1864),  Joseph  A.  Jones  (died  at  Nicholasville, 
Ky.,  December  26,  1862),  Samuel  Jones,  Ethan  A.  Jones,  George 
K.  Johnson,  James  A.  Kipp,  August  F.  Kliese  (corporal),  Lewis 
E.  Kliese,  Seth  Knight,  Paul  Knight  (died  at  Danville,  Ky., 
February  13,  1863),  Solomon  R.  King  (killed  at  Resaca,  Ga.,  May 
15,  1864),  John  Kay,  Jacob  J.  Large,  Thos.  Linden  wood,  Charles 
Locke,  Alexander  Lindsay  (died  at  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,  July 
30,  1865),  Cyrel  A.  Leake  (corporal,  second  lieutenant),  Stephen 
W.  Lemont,  John  Lyons,  William  Mulligan,  Martin  Merson  (died 
near  Dallas,  Ky.,  June  12,  1864),  Charles  H.  Macomber  (died  at 
Nicholasville,  Ky.,  January  9,  1863),  Charles  H.  Mansfield,  James 
McCathron,  John  McCathron  (of  Janesville),  Abram  Merrill 
(corporal),  Herman  S.  McKenzie  (commissary  sergeant),  Claron 
I.  Miltimore  (promoted  adjutant.  Thirty-seventh  Wisconsin), 
Martin   McGill,  Nathan  Moore,   Augustus   C.   Moore    (corporal, 


350  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

sergeant),  George  W.  McCoy  (died  at  Sandersville,  Ky.,  Novem- 
ber 15,  1862),  Warren  W.  Newell  (corporal),  Samuel  Norton 
(of  Center,  deserted),  Willis  H.  Noyes,  Henry  R.  Osborne,  Farin 
E.  Osborne,  Chauncey  C.  Osborne,  Jr.,  John  P.  Pfeifer  (wounded), 
William  Patterson,  Jr.  (died  at  Nashville,  March  5,  1863),  Web- 
ster C.  Pope  (second  lieutenant),  Edwin  H.  Pullan  (corporal), 
Benjamin  F.  Pope,  John  S.  Payne,  John  B.  Preston,  Willard  B. 
Preston,  Frank  B.  Preston,  Lyman  W.  Preston,  Eben  Reynolds 
(died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  April  12,  1863),  Seth  H.  Reynolds,  Mar- 
tin Rice,  Walter  Smith  (killed  at  Dallas,  Ga.,  May  26,  1864), 
Edward  P.  Smith,  Reuben  Sprague  (corporal),  David  L.  Sprague, 
John  R.  Sprague,  Fred  W.  Seymour  (corporal,  sergeant),  John 
L.  Symonds,  Peter  Thompson  (corporal),  Sanford  N.  Williams, 
Edward  H.  Thatcher,  Daniel  McS.  Terwilliger,  Horace  E.  War- 
ner (of  Janesville,  who  lost  an  arm  at  Resaca,  Ga.),  and  Albert 
Walker  (promoted  corporal,  and  killed  at  Peach  Tree  Creek, 
Georgia,  July  20,  1864). 

The  companies,  B  and  I,  of  the  Twenty-second  Regiment  Wis- 
consin Volunteer  Infantry,  were  mainly  Rock  county  men,  most 
of  them  from  Beloit  and  vicinity.  The  roster,  giving  only  Rock 
county  men,  was  as  follows:  Company  B,  captain,  Thomas  P. 
Northrop;  first  lieutenant,  George  H.  Brown  (promoted  captain, 
January  23,  1863);  second  lieutenant,  William  H.  Calvert;  ser- 
geants, Calvin  H.  Bullock  (promoted  second  lieutenant),  Ira  P. 
Nye  (promoted  first  lieutenant),  Frederick  J.  Northrop,  Alexan- 
der Anderson,  James  N.  Crandall  (promoted  second  lieutenant)  ; 
corporals,  Sanford  L.  Miller,  Sophronius  S.  Herrick  (promoted 
sergeant),  Silas  L.  Bibbins,  Frank  H.  Kelley  (promoted  ser- 
geant), John  S.  Kendall  (promoted  second  lieutenant  Company 
C,  Forty-eighth  Wisconsin  Infantry),  George  W.  West,  Charles 
P.  Murray  and  James  E.  Ross  (both  sergeants)  ;  musicians, 
Horace  Ormsby  and  John  Teague;  wagoner,  William  0.  Ranney. 
The  privates  were  Rollin  L.  Adams,  David  E.  Browneli,  Adney  F. 
Bibbins,  George  W.  Bailey,  Albert  W.  Bullock,  Otis  P.  Bicknell, 
Clarence  W.  Baker  (of  Janesville),  Orange  V.  Capron,  George 
C.  Clark,  Charles  H.  Crist,  William  A.  Dawson,  Josiah  Darling, 
George  W.  Dates,  James  Dwyer,  Hiram  Ellingson,  Charles  Foun- 
tain, Edgar  A.  Farr  (promoted  corporal),  Ole  Gullickson,  Albert 
C.  Getten  (promoted  corporal),  John  C.  Hosier, .George  W.  Har- 
wood,  Joseph  Hackett,  Henry  A.  Hodge    (promoted   corporal). 


.viiv 


•uiAUX, 


*   *> 


MILITARY  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  351 

Joseph  A.  Harrison,  John  Jacobson,  Frank  H.  Kelley  (corporal, 
sergeant),  James  King,  Benjamin  F.  Kline,  Richard  A.  Kendall, 
Albert  Maxworthy,  William  H.  H.  Minot  (corporal),  Charles  A. 
Minot,  Amasa  H.  Merriman,  Lucius  S.  Moseley  (corporal),  Wil- 
liam F.  Neal,  John  Nelson,  John  Newman,  William  C.  Orr,  John 
Orr,  John  Oleson,  Napoleon  B.  Perry,  John  M.  Pomeroy,  George 
N.  Perkins,  Richard  M.  Radwaj^  Leonard  M.  Rose,  George  W. 
Rose,  John  D.  Russell,  Benjamin  Selleck,  Nelson  Salisbury  (of 
Janesville),  Weaver  F.  Schoening  (corporal,  sergeant),  Harvey 
C.  Smith,  Frank  H.  Smith,  Austin  E.  Smith,  Simon  M.  Sage 
(corporal),  Rudolph  A.  Spencer,  Thomas  Simonson,  Silas  Wright. 
All  the  above,  unless  otherwise  specified,  were  enlisted  at  Beloit, 
Wis.,  and  for  three  years. 

On  the  roster  of  Company  I  were  the  following:  Captains, 
Warren  Hodgdon,  Perry  W.  Tr?cy  (promoted  from  first  lieu- 
tenant), Marshall  W.  Patton  (promoted  from  second  and  first 
lieutenant,  died  of  wounds  at  Resaca,  Ga.,  May  19,  1864),  John 
W.  Parker  (promoted  from  sergeant,  second  and  first  lieuten- 
ant; first  lieutenant,  Worcester  H.  ]\Iorse  (promoted  from  first 
sergeant)  ;  privates,  Herman  Anderson,  Ole  0.  Austin,  Edward 
W.  Balch,  Richard  R.  Banker,  William  J.  Barnes,  Phanuel  Bar- 
num  (of  Plymouth),  Edward  Barry,  Felix  Baumgardner,  Ira  T. 
Beldin  (corporal),  James  Bemis  (of  Janesville),  Benjamin  R. 
Bass  (corporal),  Norwood  Bowers,  Erwin  S.  Bowers,  Samuel  S. 
Bullis,  Ariel  Bullis,  William  Burst  (of  Plymouth),  William  F. 
Cadman,  Samuel  Carpenter,  Eri  B.  Carver  (of  Plymouth),  Charles 
J.  Cooper  (promoted  hospital  steward),  Carl  A.  Corneliusen, 
Milo  P.  Doud,  Cordon  P.  Doud,  Eugene  R.  Drury,  John  C.  Dur- 
gin  (promoted  first  sergeant,  sergeant  major),  Ole  Enocksen 
(of  Clinton),  Lewis  M.  Erickson,  Austin  C.  Freeman  (corporal), 
Thomas  Gamble,  Addison  Garringer  (of  Plymouth,  deserted), 
John  Garrick,  Edward  A.  Goddard  (corporal,  died  February 
10,  1863,  Lexington,  Ky.,  of  disease),  Thomas  Godden  (of  Beloit), 
Frederick  H.  Green,  Christian  Hensen,  Lewis  Hansen,  Bennett 
Hanson,  John  Hanson,  David  0.  Herron,  John  Hill  (corporal), 
Frederick  Hillyer,  William  C.  Hodge  (corporal),  Edwin  F.  Hol- 
lister  (corporal),  Henry  Hunt  (wounded  Peach  Tree  Creek), 
William  H.  Hunt,  Clark  Huntley  (corporal,  sergeant),  Richard 
M.  Jackson  (of  Plymouth),  Carl  Jensen,  John  A.  Johnson,  Gil- 
bert Johnson   (corporal),  William  H.  Lee   (corporal,  sergeant), 


352  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Hugh  Lee,  Jr.  (corporal),  Henry  Lee  (of  Beloit),  Jacob  Lund, 
James  Merical,  Lemon  C.  Morgan  (first  sergeant,  second  lieu- 
tenant), William  H.  Monroe,  Burr  Murdock,  William  H.  Needles 
(wagoner),  Oliver  Nelson,  Albert  Nicholas,  Sven  Olson,  Knud 
Olson,  James  R.  Owen,  William  F.  Parker,  Edwin  B.  Farkhurst 
(corporal,  sergeant),  Lorenzo  D.  Farkhurst,  William  Pearl,  Jr. 
(musician),  David  B.  Prince,  Godfrey  Pouet,  George  Quinton, 
Victor  Rambolt,  George  Rambolt,  Peter  Ranch  (of  Newark), 
Henry  J.  Rosencrans  (corporal),  George  Secrest,  Palmer  Sher- 
man, Theron  Skinner,  Albert  C.  Smith,  Heman  W.  Smith,  DeWitt 
C.  Stevenson,  Truman  Stickney,  George  Stokes,  Alexis  W.  Tall- 
man,  Thomas  Daniel  (corporal),  Wallace  W.  Wright  (corporal), 
Eden  Walling,  Edward  D.  Webb  (corporal,  sergeant),  Julius 
Westinghouse,  George  W.  Wheeler,  Orren  W.  Young. 

The  Twenty-second  Regiment  was  mustered  into  service  at 
Camp  Utley,  Racine,  on  September  2,  1862,  and  within  a  fort- 
night afterwards  was  sent  to  the  front.  At  Thompson's  Station, 
about  thirty  miles  south  of  Nashville  (also  called  Spring  Hill), 
and  Unionville,  Tenn.,  this  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  the  Thirty- 
third  and  Eighty-fifth  Indiana,  the  Nineteenth  Michigan  and 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fourth  Ohio  (with  the  Eighteenth 
Ohio  Battery)  and  three  companies  of  cavalry,  all  under  Gen- 
eral J.  C.  Coburn,  fought  during  March  4  and  5,  1863,  about 
thirty  thousand  rebels  under  Forrest  and  Van  Dorn.  March  5, 
when  the  Twenty-second  was  at  the  front,  Colonel  Utley  being 
near  Company  B,  Corporal  L.  S.  Moseley  of  that  company  re- 
marked to  him:  "Colonel,  they're  getting  pretty  thick  out  in 
front;  why  don't  we  fire?"  "Fire  away,"  said  the  colonel,  and 
at  once  Moseley  raised  his  gun  and  fired  the  first  shot  of  that 
engagement,  which  lasted  five  hours.  The  result  of  the  unequal 
contest  was  150  of  the  Confederates  killed  and  400  wounded, 
while  of  the  Union  troops  100  were  killed,  300  wounded  and  1,306 
were  captured  that  day,  including  most  of  Companies  B  and  I 
of  the  Twenty-second.  That  part  of  the  regiment  which  escaped 
fought  again  at  Brentwood,  Tenn.,  March  25,  and  300  (about  all 
the  rest  of  them)  were  captured ;  then  some  1,200,  including  the 
boys  from  the  Twenty-second,  were  taken  to  Libby  prison  (many 
of  our  Beloit  boys  being  there  four  or  five  weeks,  and  those  later 
captured,  only  a  day  or  so),  and  then  the  men  of  the  Twenty- 
second  were  paroled  and  sent  to  Benton  Barracks,  St.  Louis,  to 


MILITAEY  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  353 

await  an  exchange.  While  the  red  tape  for  that  was  being 
tediously  drawn  out,  our  boys  concluded  that  they  might  as  well 
pass  the  time  at  home,  and  so  all  of  them  ran  away  from  the 
barracks  and  came  North.  This  act  occasioned  some  public 
criticism,  but  Colonel  Utley,  in  a  published  communication,  de- 
clared that  whenever  he  was  ready  and  should  send  for  the 
Twenty-second,  every  man  of  them  would  come.  Being  on  parole, 
they  were  still  in  the  army,  but  could  not  fight  until  regularly 
exchanged.  Accordingly,  as  soon  as  their  exchange  was  ar- 
ranged, Colonel  Utley  sent  them  word  to  rendezvous  at  Camp 
Gamble,  just  south  of  St.  Louis.  The  men  of  the  Twenty-second 
came  promptly  at  his  call  to  the  place  appointed,  every  man  of 
them,  were  duly  exchanged  and  then  Companies  B  and  I  be- 
came a  part  of  the  Second  Brigade,  Third  Division,  Twentieth 
Army  Corps,  under  General  Jo.  Hooker,  and  went  all  through 
the  Atlanta  campaign  with  Sherman.  The  first  Union  flag  raised 
over  Atlanta  was  the  flag  of  our  Twenty-second  Wisconsin, 
raised  September  2,  1864,  exactly  two  years  after  that  regiment 
was  mustered  into  the  U.  S.  service.  This  regiment  then  went 
with  Sherman  to  the  sea  and  around  to  Washington,  and  took 
part  in  that  last  grand  review. 

Note — On  Lieutenant  Ira  P.  Nye's  copy  of  the  muster  roll  of 
Company  B,  made  out  at  Camp  Gamble,  June  8,  1863,  is  the  fol- 
lowing record:  ''Was  engaged  with  the  enemy  at  Thompson's 
Station,  Tennessee,  March  5,  and  both  officers  and  twenty-four 
men  (were)  taken  prisoners.  We  had  twelve  men  wounded,  one 
of  whom  has  since  died.  The  balance  of  the  company  escaped 
and  returned  to  camp  at  Brentwood,  where  they  were  engaged 
on  March  25  and  taken  prisoners ;  were  taken  to  Richmond, 
where  the  men  were  paroled  and  the  officers  exchanged  on  May 
5,  and  returned  to  St.  Louis  to  organize  the  regiment.  All  the 
company  books  and  papers  were  destroyed."  Signed  by  George 
H.  Brown,  captain. 

The  second  lieutenant  of  that  Company  B,  Ira  P.  Nye,  now  a 
banker  of  Eureka,  Kan.,  and  who  loaned  me  this  muster  roll, 
adds  the  following :  ' '  There  were,  if  I  remember  correctly,  forty- 
three  men  in  line  that  day  all  told.  We  had  two  men,  who 
do  not  appear  in  that  company,  killed  in  our  line  that  day.  One 
was  Fred  Goddard,  of  Beloit,  and  the  other  was  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Hines,  of  Racine,  who  was  sergeant  master  of  the  regi- 


354  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

ment.  The  record  says  that  there  were  twelve  men  wounded  that 
day.  I  think  it  was  fourteen.  The  deserters  from  Company  B,  were 
first,  a  student  of  Beloit  college  academy,  who  deserted  in  Ken- 
tucky, February  28,  1863.  (He  married  a  southern  widow  and 
might  be  recorded  as  captured  by  the  enemy.)  Another  was  a 
young  Irishman.  He  fell  out  on  the  way  to  the  hospital  (Decem- 
ber 20,  1862)  and  stayed  out.  I  saw  him  once  in  Nashville  after 
that,  but  he  disappeared  very  suddenly.  *  *  *  On  May  12, 
1863,  we  lost  another  by  desertion,  immediately  after  our  cap- 
ture and  parole.    He  was  only  a  boy." 

There  were  four  deserters  from  Company  I,  one  of  Clinton, 
two  of  Beloit  and  one  of  Newark.  From  Company  E,  of  the 
Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  the  only  deserters  recorded  are  one 
of  Janesville,  one  of  Center  and  one  of  Magnolia.  Almost  all 
these  desertions  were  the  result  of  homesickness.  Corporal  L. 
S.  Moseley,  B,  Twenty-second,  was  present  at  every  roll  call  of 
his  company,  and  never  sick  a  day. 

During  the  siege  of  Atlanta,  certain  Confederate  batteries 
which  hindered  the  advance  of  Thomas,  were  protected  by  a 
mountain  west  of  the  city.  Men  of  the  Second  Massachusetts 
cut  a  road  up  it  for  guns,  Company  I  of  the  Fifteenth  Wisconsin, 
under  Captain  William  H.  Montgomery,  of  Beloit  college,  dug 
and  prepared  the  gun  pits,  and  with  great  effort,  the  light  field 
pieces  of  the  Eleventh  Indiana  battery  were  hauled  up  there 
and  placed  in  position  on  the  crest  of  the  mountain.  When  the 
gunners  were  all  ready  to  open  fire  on  the  Confederate  lines 
below.  General  Sherman,  General  George  A.  Thomas  (the  Rock 
of  Chickamauga),  Fighting  Joe  Hooker  and  General  J.  M.  Bran- 
nan,  Thomas'  chief  of  artillery,  gathered  to  observe  the  effect 
of  that  fire.  Dr.  Samuel  Bell,  of  Beloit,  then  assistant  surgeon 
of  the  Fifteenth  Wisconsin,  under  Thomas,  stood  near  by  among 
the  staff  officers  and  says  that  as  they  were  all  expecting  the  still- 
ness of  that  August  day  to  be  invaded  by  the  crash  of  the  dis- 
charge, suddenly  there  pealed  across  the  valley  below  them  from 
the  city  on  the  heights  beyond,  the  deep  tones  of  church  bells 
ringing  for  Sunday  morning  worship.  Sherman  started  at  the 
sound,  raised  a  warning  finger  to  the  gunners  and  remarked  to 
the  officers  about  him,  "Gentlemen,  we  will  not  open  fire  today." 
Then  turning  to  his  chief  of  artillery,  he  quietly  said:  "General 


MILITAlfY  IIlSTOPiY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY  355 

Brannon,  you  will  open  fire  tomorrow."  Sherman,  who  once 
said  that  "war  was  hell,"  never  fought  on  Sunday  if  he  could 
help  it. 

Thirty-third  Regiment, 

Companies  E  and  F,  of  the  Thirty-third  Regiment,  were  also 
enlisted  in  Rock  county,  and  made  up  of  some  of  the  best  mate- 
rial which  the  banner  county  of  "Wisconsin  contributed  to  pre- 
serve the  Union.  The  regiment  went  into  camp  at  Racine,  Sep- 
tember 29,  1862,  was  mustered  into  service  October  18,  and  de- 
parted for  the  seat  of  war  November  12.  Arriving  at  Memphis, 
the  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Third  Brigade,  General  Lau- 
man's  division.  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  in  which  capacity  it 
served  in  the  campaigns  against  Jackson,  Vicksburg  and  Holly 
Springs,  until  January,  1863,  when  it  was  transferred  to  the  Six- 
teenth Army  Corps,  commanded  by  Major  General  Hurlbut,  and 
participated  in  the  fight  at  Hernando,  Avhere  Lieutenant  Swift, 
of  Company  E,  was  killed;  thence  proceeding  to  Young's  Point, 
Snyder's  Bluff,  Haine's  Bluff,  Vicksburg  and  Natchez,  it  joined 
in  the  Red  river  expedition,  returning  to  Vicksburg  and  Mem- 
phis, repelling  the  attack  of  Camargo  Cross  Roads ;  prominent  in 
the  fight  of  Tupelo,  after  that  it  went  to  St.  Charles,  Ark.,  and 
finally  on  October  8,  1864,  reached  St.  Louis.  On  November  1 
the  regiment  proceeded  to  reenforce  the  army  of  General  Thomas 
at  Nashville,  where  it  became  part  of  General  A.  J.  Smith's  com- 
mand. After  the  retreat  of  General  Hood,  the  Thirty-third  was 
assigned  to  guarding  the  transportation  train  to  Savannah,  Tenn., 
Company  F  proceeding  to  that  point  and  Company  E  to  Grand 
View,  rejoining  the  regiment  at  Eastport,  Miss.  Thereafter  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  the  department  of  the  Gulf,  and  went 
to  New  Orleans,  thence  to  Dauphin  Island,  Cedar  Point,  Spanish 
Fort,  Blakely,  Montgomery  and  Selma,  Ala.,  Jackson,  Big  Black 
River  Bridge  and  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  Cairo  to  Madison,  where  it 
arrived  on  August  14,  1865,  and  was  paid  off  and  mustered  out 
of  service  September  1,  1865. 

The  following  are  the  company  muster  rolls: 
Company   E.      Captain,   Ira   Miltimore,   resigned   August   9, 
1863:  first  lieutenant,  Henry  S.  Swift,  Jr.,  killed  April  19,  1863, 
at  Hernando,  Miss.;  second  lieutenant,  Pardon  H.   Swift,  pro- 


35G  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

moted  to  first  lieutenant,  June  24,  and  captain,  August  20,  1863 ; 
Lieutenant  Henry  Seriftof,  killed  at  Coldwater,  Miss.,  April 
19,  1863;  sergeants,  Henry  B.  Cornell  (promoted  second  lieuten- 
ant, June  24,  first  lieutenant,  August  29,  1863),  Edward  Cook, 
Bartholomew  Quigley,  Daniel  D.  Eichards  and  William  Cornell 
(died  at  Moscow,  Tenn.,  January  21,  1863)  ;  corporals,  Silas  B. 
Croker,  Nathaniel  Smith,  A.  H.  Kime,  Thomas  Quigley,  Charles 
E.  Green,  Charles  W.  Nickerson,  James  Eeese  and  Jacob  Smith; 
musician,  S.  H.  Calender ;  wagoner,  Levi  H.  Fountain ;  privates, 
Franklin  Anderson,  Adelbert  Babcock  (died  at  Memphis,  Decem- 
ber 4,  1862),  John  B.  Bunce  (died  at  Vicksburg,  July  7,  1862), 
Warren  G.  Barber,  Anthony  Byrnes,  Thomas  Byrnes,  Eensselaer 
Burnham,  Otto  Craig,  James  Coffee,  Eobert  W.  Cliford,  James 
K.  Clark,  Boyd  Creighton,  James  Freeman  (died  at  Vicksburg 
July  6,  1863),  John  A.  Flint  (died  at  Natchez,  October  9,  1863), 
Henry  Fairchild,  Frederick  Fiero,  Waldo  Godell,  John  Good- 
man, William  Gale,  Nurve  Geroem,  Joseph  C.  Hall,  Ira  M.  How- 
ard, Nathan  Havilin,  A.  N.  Hangen,  Patrick  Hebir,  J.  C.  John- 
son, Ingebert  Knudson  (died  at  Moscow,  Tenn.,  January  31, 
1863),  C,  A.  Kennedy,  Hendrick  Levorson,  Knud  Levorson, 
Tollef  Levorson,  Alexander  Lyons,  Charles  Looby,  Michael  Law- 
ler,  J.  C.  Meegen,  Valentine  Melavin,  Alonzo  E.  Miltimore 
(wounded  at  Vicksburg),  William  McKee,  H.  Megorden,  Alex- 
ander McDonald,  Lewis  Noe,  Thomas  Night,  Ole  Olson  (died  at 
Memphis,  April  30,  1863),  Syver  Olsen  (died  at  Moscow,  Tenn., 
February  12,  1863),  Hendrick  Olson  (died  at  Memphis,  February 
10,  1863),  Halgrin  Oleson,  Emery  Patch,  Orvill  Ehodes,  Edmund 
Eobinson,  Hiram  N.  Eobinson,  Arthur  J.  Eobinson,  Brainard 
Eider,  Eufus  A.  Stafford  (died  at  Moscow,  Tenn.,  February  14, 
1863),  Frank  A.  Steele  (died  at  Natchez,  October  25,  1863), 
Eichard  B.  Steward  (died  at  St.  Charles,  Ark.,  August  14,  1864), 
C.  F.  Stokes,  William  Southwick,  James  Smith,  Alonzo  Sutton, 
E.  E.  Squires,  James  Turner,  John  Tarney,  Francis  Van  Patten, 
John  West,  Hiram  Wait,  William  Weaver,  John  Watt,  Eight 
Williams,  Charles  H.  Wheeler  and  Charles  Young. 

Company  F.  Captain,  A.  Z.  Wemple  (died  at  Memphis,  March 
9,  1863),  William  L.  Scott,  April  9,  1863;  first  lieutenant,  W. 
L.  Scott  (promoted  April  9,  1863)  ;  second  lieutenant,  Charles 
W.  Stark  (promoted  first  lieutenant,  April  9,  1863,  and  captain 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY  357 

of  Company  E,  December  16,  1864) ;  sergeants,  Joseph  H.  Stickle 
(promoted   second   lieutenant,    April   9,    1863;   first  lieutenant, 
February  11,  1865),  Kirk  W.  Tanner,  Edwin  W.  Burnham  (died 
at  Young's  Point,  La.,  May  31,  1863),  Abner  C.  Babcock  and 
H.  Levander  Farr;  corporals,  Charles  E.  Hoyt,  John  Eastwood, 
Oliver  S.  Crowther,  Hosea  B.  Stafford,  Matthias  Crall,  Eugene 
S.  Serl   (died  at  Cairo,  August  24,  1863),  Erastus  A.  Gardner 
and  Samuel  E.  Lyon  (died  at  Holly  Springs,  Miss.,  December  27, 
1862);   drummer,   Charles   H.    Hoard;    fifer,    William   Snyder; 
wagoner,  Emery  H.  Burdick ;  privates,  Lucius  P.  Adams,  August 
Buntrock,  Nelson  A.  Bump  (wounded),  Silas  M.  Campbell  (killed 
at  Tupelo,  Miss.,  July  14,  1864),  Robert  Carr  (died  at  New  Or- 
leans, April  19,  1865),  John  L.  Clark,  Charles  Cole,  Francis  S. 
Cramer,  John  L.  Daniels,  John  Devens,  Samuel  Donaldson,  Will- 
iam W.  Eastman,  John  R.  Edwards,  Henry  C.  Eldridge,  William 
H.  Edmonds  (died  at  Memphis,  January  23,  1863),  Laban  Fisher, 
Ansel  Flint,  Franklin  Francisco,  Albert  Freehauf,  Jacob  C.  Het- 
rick   (died  at  La  Grange,  March  17,  1863),  Joseph  W.  Higday, 
John  M.  Holden,  Joseph  L.  Holmes,  John  Hoyt,  Nathan  B.  Hoyt 
(promoted  corporal  and  killed  at  Tupelo,  Miss.,  July  14,  1864), 
Harvey  Howard,  Peter  Jamison,  Albert  C.  Jones  (promoted  cor- 
poral and  killed  at  Cane  River,  La.,  April  24,  1864),  James  Kelley 
(died  at  Moscow,  Tenn.,  February  26,  1863),  George  W.  Merry 
(died  at  Moscow,  Tenn.,  March  13,   1863),  William  H.   Minor, 
Blanchard  Nevill,  John  Nus,  Jonathan  G.  Patterson,  Ezra  Peper, 
Lucien  B.  Pierce,  Rollin  C.  M.  Pond,  August  Pitzrick   (died  at 
Duvall's  Bluff,  Ark.,   September    11,    1864),    Wendell   Powers, 
Henry  Reed  (killed  near  Mobile,  Ala.),  Emerson  Root   (died  at 
Eastport,  Miss.,  January  24,  1865),  George  Rodd,  John  Ryan, 
David    Safford,   William   Smith    (killed   at   Vicksburg,   June   4, 
1863),   Saren  W.   Serl,   Michael  Setzer,  Abel  Spencer,  William 
Stern,   Charles   Stern    (killed   1864),   Frederick   Stulke,    Saegus 
Sutter,  John  Tuel,  Joseph  Thompson  (died  at  Memphis,  July  2, 
1864),  Chauneey  L.  Van  Balen  (died  at  Moscow,  Tenn.,  March 
6,  1863).  William  Weaver,  Montgomery  AYright  (died  at  Natchez, 
September  4,  1863),  George  R.  Welch,  Frederick  Wisch,  William 
I.  Wheeler,  Ezra  Whitmore  (wounded  near  Mobile,  April,  1865), 
Albert  W.  White,  John  M.  Wray,  Westley  Wright,  Herbert  D. 
Whitford  and  Joseph  Yates. 


358  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

The  Thirty-fifth  Regiment. 

The  forty  men  of  Rock  county  in  this  regiment  were  in  seven 
companies  (most  in  Company  F),  as  follows: 

Company  B,  Oliver  R.  Bullis,  Avon;  James  McNallus,  Will- 
iam G.  Metcalf  and  John  M.  Wells,  Janesville ;  Jacob  North,  Clin- 
ton; Theo.  F.  Tripp,  Rock. 

Company  C,  Thomas  Buzzell,  Robert  Campton,  William  Car- 
roll, Peter  F.  Daniels,  George  Knox,  J.  McCurdy,  William  Proc- 
tor. 

Company  D.    Peter  F.  Daniels  and  John  McCann. 

Company  E.  John  M.  Bacon,  Anthony  Conway,  James  R. 
Phelps,  of  Janesville;  Ed  A.  Dimick,  Clinton;  John  F.  Dimick, 
Johnstown. 

Company  H.    Roger  A.  Carroll,  Janesville. 

Company  I.  Frank  Frey  and  Elmer  Sedgwick,  Janesville ; 
Lott  Ryan,  of  Rock. 

Company  F.  Captain,  Henry  C.  Miles,  Janesville,  promoted 
from  first  lieutenant  Company  E.  Privates,  Levi  K.  Alden,  cor- 
poral, Janesville;  W.  H.  Earl,  Porter,  promoted  first  lieutenant; 
Myron  Gibbs,  Beloit ;  William  Grinnell,  La  Prairie ;  James  W. 
Hitchcock,  Johnstown,  promoted  first  lieutenant;  James  Ingle, 
Patrick  Keagan,  Dennis  McCarthy,  Belden  Ressequie  and  Will- 
iam Stiedy,  Porter;  John  H.  Wemple,  Turtle;  Willis  Nash,  Will- 
iam Sanders  and  Henry  Wright,  of  Janesville;  George  W.  Pat- 
terson, corporal,  of  Milton. 

The  Fortieth  Regiment. 

In  April,  1864,  the  governors  of  five  states,  including  Wiscon- 
sin, persuaded  the  United  States  government  to  accept  80,000 
volunteers  for  a  service  of  100  days  (on  the  terms  of  regular 
soldiers'  pay  and  no  bounties),  to  hold  cities  and  camps  then 
occupied  by  veteran  troops,  thus  releasing  the  veterans  for  ser- 
vice at  the  front.  There  would  be  no  battles  and  wounds,  but 
just  army  camp  life — the  romance  of  war.  Wisconsin  sent  two 
short  regiments  and  one  battalion,  some  2,300  in  all,  and  of  these 
231  went  from  Rock  county  in  the  Fortieth  Regiment. 

Prof.  Fallows,  of  Lawrence  university,  and  others,  sought  to 
have  this  Fortieth  Regiment  made  up  from  the  colleges  and  uni- 
versities and  known  as  the  Normal  regiment.     About  half  the 


MILITAKY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  359 

number  were  students,  and  Madison,  Beloit,  Appleton,  Janesville, 
Milton  and  Baraboo  furnished  officers  and  men  for  companies 
A,  B,  C,  D  and  E.  Prof.  Fallows,  the  real  leader,  was  made  lieu- 
tenant colonel,  while  a  colonel  of  militia,  W.  Augustus  Ray,  be- 
came colonel  of  the  Fortieth  and  gave  his  name  to  the  camp.  On 
the  steamer  going  down  to  Memphis,  I  saw  our  Beloit  orderly- 
sergeant,  Sweezy,  instructing  the  new  colonel  how  to  make  a 
salute.  Colonel  Ray  got  his  long  sword  out  all  right  (after  some 
effort),  but  found  it  almost  an  impossibility  to  get  the  sword 
back  into  the  scabbard  again.  A  few  officers  and  about  forty 
men  had  seen  army  service  before.  The  Fortieth  Regiment  had 
eight  companies,  leaving  out  H,  and  from  the  other  eight,  took 
enough  to  make  Company  I,  the  famous  squad  I,  of  Shanghai 
Chandler.  We  started  from  Madison  on  the  Morning  of  June 
14,  1864,  for  Memphis,  Tenn. ;  those  from  Rock  county  (as  nearly 
as  I  can  ascertain)  of  the  staff,  were  Quartermaster  A.  L.  Field, 
Beloit ;  First  Assistant  Surgeon  Amos  S.  Jones,  Janesville ;  Chap- 
lain J.  J.  Blaisdell,  Beloit.  Non-commissioned  officers:  Q.  M. 
sergeant,  Henry  F.  Hobart,  Beloit;  commissary  sergeant,  Henry 

C.  Alverson,  Beloit;  color  bearer  and  guard,  Sergeant  Hiram 
Collins,  Company  C.  Corporals,  Walter  B.  Van  Kirk,  Company 
A;  Henry  C.  Simmons,  Company  B;  Charles  P.  Blatchley,  Com- 
pany D ;  George  H.  Schilling,  Company  E ;  Addin  Kaye,  Company 
F;  C.  H.  Powers,  Company  G;  Thomas  Jefford,  Company  I; 
Henry  Z.  Moulton,  Company  K.  Chief  musician,  T.  Martin 
Towne,  of  Janesville.  Drummers,  Reuel  H.  Welch,  Janesville, 
Company  A;  G.  P.  Winn,  Beloit,  Company  B;  Frank  H.  Graves, 
Beloit,  Company  B;  F.  G.  Vosburg,  Janesville,  Company  A. 
Fifer,  W.  H.  H.  Hall,  Lima,  Company  C.  Postmaster,  James  M. 
Pool,  Janesville. 

Company  A.  Captain,  Samuel  T.  Lockwood,  Janesville;  first 
lieutenant,  Gage  Burgess,  Janesville ;  second  lieutenant,  Moses 
T.  De  Witt,  Janesville;  first  sergeant,  Levi  L.  Beers,  Janesville; 
third  sergeant,  Silas  P.  Gibbs,  Janesville ;  fourth  sergeant,  Hiram 

D.  Nash,  Janesville;  fifth  sergeant,  Oliver  N.  Gage,  Janesville; 
first  corporal,  Andrew  S.  Douglas,  Janesville ;  second  corporal, 
John  S.  Howard,  Janesville:  third  corporal,  Edson  A.  Burdick, 
Janesville;  fourth  corporal,  Ardent  J.  Roberts,  Janesville;  fifth 
corporal,  Walter  B.  VanKirk,  Janesville;  seventh  corporal, 
Frank  A.  Knowles,  Janesville. 


3G0  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Rock  county  privates :  Company  A.  John  N.  Armstrong, 
Theo.  C.  Ashcraft,  Charles  E.  Brown,  Samuel  Clark  Burnham, 
George  E.  Coloney,  Almon  H.  Calkins,  Delavan  H.  Comstoek, 
Calvin  L.  Dunning,  Samuel  Davis,  DeWitt  Davis,  Andrew  J. 
Denniston,  Julius  C.  Eldridge,  Ira  Fredenall,  Edward  W.  Hames, 
Eichard  L.  Haywood,  William  L.  Hart,  Halot  E.  Howell,  Edward 
Hanson,  Edward  W.  Humes,  Samuel  C.  Jayne,  Edwin  Lee,  George 
Lill,  William  W.  Lewis,  Eeuben  Matthews,  Orrin  Parker,  James 
M.  Pool,  Henry  E.  Porter,  Eufus  E.  Eesseguie,  Louis  Eisum,  Will- 
iam K.  Eoyce,  Peter  Eeifenberg,  Ardent  J.  Roberts,  John  H. 
Roberts,  W.  W.  Seaver,  Nathan  Sisson,  James  A.  Suther- 
land, Frederick  Zeidler,  Lewis  Tramblie,  all  of  Janesville.  Edward 
Philo  Bostwick  and  Jacob  Gates,  Shopiere;  Will  H.  Benedict, 
William  H.  Cheesbro,  Joseph  Earl,  Adam  Herman  and  Sidney 
S.  Warner,  all  of  La  Prairie;  Julian  C.  Eldredge,  Joseph  Pope, 
Marcus  P.  Holman,  Linas  B.  Sale,  all  of  Evansville ;  Joseph 
Evans  and  John  H.  Riley,  of  Edgerton ;  Hanford  Fowle,  Edwin 
Lee  and  John  B.  Smith,  of  Bradford ;  Albert  Thompson,  of  Foote- 
ville;  George  Plater,  Emerald  Grove  (died  at  Memphis,  Tenn., 
August  15,  1864);  Charles  C.  Peck,  Beloit;  William  W.  Spauld- 
ing,  Harmony;  Mathias  Christian,  Orford;  Arthur  J.  Van  Amee, 
Magnolia;  Dwight  Webb,  Porter;  Erwin  R.  Wagner,  Afton. 
Some  of  the  Janesvillians  drew  rations  by  the  tops,  but  most  of 
them  were  correct  men.  Captain  Loekwood  was  a  fine  teacher 
and  citizen.  Lieutenant  Burgess  was  a  tactician  to  the  toes,  the 
regimental  drill  master  and  was  detailed  inspector  of  the  Fourth 
Brigade. 

Company  B.  The  captain,  S.  Merritt  Allen,  Beloit,  of  Allen's 
Grove  (east  line  of  Rock  county)  ;  first  lieutenant,  Harson  A. 
Northrup,  Beloit;  second  lieutenant,  Barrett  H.  Smith,  Beloit 
(now  of  Shopiere,  Wis.)  ;  first  sergeant.  L.  S.  Sweezey,  Rockford 
(of  Beloit  college)  ;  second  sergeant,  A.  M.  May,  Beloit ;  third 
sergeant,  Frederick  Alley,  Beloit ;  fourth  sergeant,  Henry  Z.  Hos- 
mer,  Beloit ;  fifth  sergeant,  Charles  W.  Nye,  Beloit. 

Corporals.  First,  W.  H.  Fitch,  Rockford  (Beloit  college) ; 
second,  John  S.  Lewis,  Potosi  (Beloit  college)  ;  third,  Orville  A. 
Wright,  Rockford  (Beloit  college);  fourth,  William  W.  Spear; 
fifth,  Alonzo  W.  Kimball,  Green  Bay  (Beloit  college)  ;  sixth, 
Henry  C.  Simmons,  Beloit ;  seventh,  Edward  G.  Newhall,  Galena 
(Beloit  college)  ;  eighth,  Eben  L.  Kendall,  Beloit. 


MILITARY  HISTOEY  OF  liOCK  COUXTY  361 

Privates.  Henry  C.  Alverson,  John  Bannister,  Jr.,  Frank 
Bicknell,  Joseph  Brainard,  William  Fiske  Brown,  Francis  Case, 
Albert  P.  Chadwiek,  Edward  S.  Chadwiek,  William  A.  Cochran, 
Alfred  Coit,  Edward  D.  Coffin,  Herbert  W.  Cooper,  John  L. 
Cranston,  Frederick  C.  Curtis,  Walter  W.  Curtis,  Hiram  H.  Cur- 
tis, James  L.  Davenport,  Andrew  M.  Dorrance,  Clark  E.  Button, 
Sylvester  G.  Field,  Lawrence  Foote,  Robert  E,  Foote,  George 
Folts,  George  Goodell;  Frank  H.  Graves,  Benjamin  F.  Green,  S. 
Moffat  Halliday,  Peter  Hendrickson,  Henry  F.  Hobart,  Henry 
H.  Ingersoll,  W^illiam  Jones,  William  W.  Kinnie,  John  Lafferty, 
Jr.,  Jeremiah  Love,  Richard  S.  Mallory,  Henry  Meacham,  John 
A,  Merrill,  Ira  S.  Otis,  William  Parsons,  Edward  B.  Payne,  Henry 

D.  Porter,  Jedediah  R.  Rathbun,  Hazard  L.  Raymond,  William  E. 
Sheldon,  George  L.  Shue,  Arthur  H.  Smith,  Samuel  P.  Smiley, 
Girden  E.  Smith,  Joseph  A.  Spencer,  Oliver  J.  Stiles,  Chancellor 
G.  Taggart,  William  C.  Thomas,  Simeon  M.  Watson,  William  H. 
Wheeler,  Benjamin  F.  Wilson,  George  Winn,  Lyman  W.  Winslow, 
Frank  M.  Wood  and  Parker  Wilson,  all  of  Beloit;  Albert  Blair, 
William  E.  Sheldon  and  Charles  A.  Teals  were  of  Allen's  Grove 
and  Beloit ;  George  Folts  was  of  Clinton  Junction ;  William  J. 
Latta,  of  Bradford;  AVilliam  H.  Shumaker,  Newark;  Samuel 
P.  Smiley,  of  Plymouth ;  John  M.  Tullar,  of  Union. 

Clovius  C.  Bushnell,  of  AVyocena,  died  August  11,  and  Will- 
iam H.  Shumaker,  August  14,  1864,  both  in  the  camp  hospital  at 
Memphis.  They  were  both  buried  in  the  peach  orchard  near  the 
camp.  B  company  was  dubbed  "Beloiterers,"  not  because  of 
any  disposition  to  loiter,  but  from  the  fact  that  nearly  half  the 
company  were  students  from  Beloit  college. 

Company  C.  Captain,  N.  C.  Twining,  Milton ;  first  lieutenant, 
Albert  R.  Crandall,  Milton ;  second  lieutenant,  Richard  A.  Ware- 
ham,  MUton ;  first  sergeant,  George  W.  Webb,  Lima ;  first  cor- 
poral, Elon  G.  Kinney,  Lima;  third  corporal,  Sylvester  Flagler, 
Janesville ;  fifth  corporal,  David  M.  Johnson,  of  Union,  reduced. 

Privates.  Abijah  Barrett,  Millard  E.  Burrows,  Walter  J. 
Collins,  Julius  T.  Davis,  John  H.  Folke,  Charles  S.  Hunt,  Albert 

E.  Hamilton,  Nathan  E.  Maxon,  Henry  Ogden,  Chauncey  E.  Os- 
born,  John  A.  Powers,  William  E.  Richardson,  Perry  Sweet, 
Devolson  E.  Thorp,  George  Walker,  all  of  Milton;  Augustus  J. 
Bingham,  of  Harmony;  James  W.  Bishop,  Alonzo  J.  Crandall, 
Rollin  C.  Clark,  William  E.  Dudley,  Edward  H.  Dudley,  William 


3G^  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Tewksbury,  all  of  Union;  Edward  L,  Barber,  of  Edgerton,  pro- 
moted corporal;  William  L.  Cure,  Theodore  F.  Shorram,  Free- 
born W.  Shepherd,  Edwin  P.  Savage,  Dudley  E.  Van  Vleck,  James 
M.  Van  Vleck,  all  of  Porter;  Ira  Flagler,  James  E,  O'Brien, 
Jesse  B.  Thayer,  all  of  Janesville ;  George  F.  Himmon,  Daniel  E. 
Stanton,  both  of  Fulton;  Amos  Colgrove,  Levi  Carver,  Thomas 
E.  McDonald,  George  H.  Philips,  Madison  Wheeler,  William  H. 
Hall,  of  Lima.  James  M.  Van  Vleck  died  July  16,  and  Edward 
A.  Sherriff  August  1,  1864,  both  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  of  disease. 

Company  D  w^as  raised  in  Dane  county,  and  contained  many 
university  men.  The  only  Rock  county  men  in  it  were  J.  C. 
Spooner,  A.  W.  Salisbury,  Ancil  Libby,  G.  R.  Mitchell,  W.  H. 
Spencer,  C.  H.  Spencer,  J.  A.  Spencer  and  John  W.  West,  all  of 
Evansville. 

Company  E  had  one  Rock  county  private,  Henry  W.  Mellen, 
of  Plymouth,  who  died  at  Memphis  of  disease,  August  20,  1864. 
First  Lieutenant  Edward  F,  Hobart,  an  efficient  officer,  enlisted 
from  Baraboo,  where  he  was  principal  of  the  school,  but  he  was 
born  and  brought  up  at  Beloit,  Rock  county,  and  was  a  graduate 
of  Beloit  college. 

Company  F  came  from  Walworth  county,  Company  G  from 
La  Crosse,  and  neither  had  any  of  our  Rock  county  men  except- 
ing George  Slack,  of  Janesville,  in  F. 

Of  Company  I,  the  first  sergeant  was  Eben  S.  Chase;  third 
corporal,  John  Anderson ;  fourth  corporal,  Alonzo  Kelley,  all  of 
Beloit;  fifth  corporal,  Frank  Barrere,  of  Janesville.  Privates, 
Albert  F.  Lewis,  of  Lima;  James  Boyd,  of  Harmony,  George  H. 
West,  of  Janesville;  Thomas  P.  McManamin,.of  La  Prairie,  and 
Samuel  Baker,  Edmond  Capron,  Jacob  Faber,  Charles  A.  Hendee, 
Alonzo  Kelley  (promoted  corporal)  and  Benjamin  A.  Jeffers,  all 
of  Beloit.  Company  K  had  two  Rock  county  privates,  Solomon 
W.  Foster,  who  died  at  Memphis,  July  11,  1864,  and  Daniel  A. 
Patterson,  both  of  Evansville. 

The  Fortieth  Regiment  numbered  778,  of  whom  thirteen  died 
in  service.  When  Forrest  made  his  raid,  Colonel  Ray  rode  away, 
it  is  said,  after  ammunition,  leaving  Lieutenant  Colonel  (later. 
Bishop)  Samuel  Fallows  in  actual  command,  and  he  led  the  For- 
tieth ahead  of  all  the  other  regiments  into  the  range  of  rebel 
artillery.  After  that  term  of  service  closed  the  surgeon,  who 
came   from   Delavan,   received   a   gold   headed   cane,   inscribed, 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  363 

"Surgeon  0.  W.  Blanchard,  from  the  men  of  the  Fortieth  Regi- 
ment Wisconsin  Volunteers.     God  Bless  You." 

AVe  arrived  at  Memphis  Sunday,  June  19,  102  degrees  in  the 
shade  and  125  in  the  sun,  and  in  full  uniform,  marched  to  an 
encampment  on  Brinkley  avenue,  at  A.  J.  Carne's  nursery,  oppo- 
site the  railroad  from  the  old  fair  grounds.  Our  picket  duty 
was  mostly  along  Raleigh  road  and  outskirts.  We  also  furnished 
fifty  or  sixty  men  every  other  day  to  guard  a  train  of  supplies 
to  Smith's  army  at  La  Grange,  Tenn.,  or  sometimes  over  the  line 
to  Holly  Springs,  Miss.,  a  country  desolated  by  war.  Sometimes 
we  furnished  a  detachment  of  forty  men  to  guard  the  wood  yard, 
containing  40,000  cords  of  government  wood  by  the  river  bank, 
and  to  picket  the  peninsula,  formed  by  the  Wolf  and  Hatchie 
with  a  bayou  of  the  Mississippi. 

Forrest's  raid  at  4  o'clock  Sunday  morning,  August  21, 
shamefully  surprised  the  camp  and  nearly  caught  Major  General 
Washburn  at  his  headquarters.  General  Forrest's  first  and 
fourth  brigades  of  cavalry  with  a  section  of  Morton's  battery, 
about  three  thousand  mounted  Confederates,  dashed  up  Her- 
nando road,  killed  sixteen  Union  troops,  wounded  fifty-three  and 
captured  about  140.  They  lost  fifty  killed  and  thirty-six  of  them 
were  captured  unhurt,  while  the  number  of  their  wounded  is  un- 
known. The  fighting  was  near  St.  Agnes'  academy.  Of  the 
Fortieth,  only  three  were  hit,  one  being  Lieutenant  Northrup, 
of  Company  B,  and  none  were  seriously  hurt. 

For  the  benefit  of  our  younger  readers,  we  add  elsewhere  a 
somewhat  more  personal  account  of  this  "romance  of  war." 

The  Forty-second  Regiment 

contained  some  sixty-five  Rock  county  men,  all  in  Company  H. 
Captains,  Amasa  F.  Parker,  of  Janesville ;  Josiah  Thompson,  of 
Beloit. 

Privates.  Charles  Agin,  W.  F.  Akin  (sergeant,  lieutenant), 
Charles  A.  Bagert,  Rufus  A.  Barr,  George  S.  Beals  (sergeant), 
Charles  F.  Bemis  (corporal),  Alvin  H.  Bemis  (corporal),  David 
E.  Brownell,  Jerome  S.  Betts,  W.  H.  Cantwell,  Gordon  Carey, 
Michael  Case,  George  Chislm,  G.  Christman,  Ira  A.  Clark  (died 
Camp  Butler,  Illinois,  December  2,  1864),  Alonzo  D.  Clark  (cor- 
poral), Myron  B.  Clark,  W.  H.  Conklin,  George  H.  Cox,  Christo- 
pher Cramer  (died  April  20,  1865),  Leonard  E.  Crosby,  George 


SC-i  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

W.  Dates  (corporal),  Matt  Farmer,  S.  L.  H.  Farnsworth,  Luke 
Foley,  Frederick  Frantz,  Jesse  Gay,  P.  Gibbons,  William  Hilton, 
Hiram  Hoffstatter,  Cassius  C.  Howard,  Charles  W.  Kelly,  Hiram 
Kelly,  David  W.  Leake,  John  S.  Lynch  (sergeant),  Joseph  Manz. 
James  McBride,  George  L.  McCoy,  James  McGowan  (died  Janu- 
ary 18,  1865),  J.  McMann,  Joshua  Miller,  Ambrose  Moore  (cor- 
poral), Thomas  P.  Northrop,  Anson  Olds,  Henry  Parks  (ser- 
geant), J.  E.  Patrick,  Fred  Podratz,  Henry  Quackenbush,  Will- 
iam A.  Eeed,  William  Eogers,  George  B.  Sage,  Henry  Schreiber, 
John  M.  Sims,  George  W.  Smith  (musician),  George  W.  Stevens, 
G.  W.  Thurman,  Leonard  Tyler,  J.  S.  Van  Namee  (died  at  Cairo, 
April  13,  1865),  John  G.  Visgar,  J.  G.  Weber,  H.  W.  Wilbur, 
Henry  H.  Wilcox  (corporal),  James  E.  Wilks. 

In  the  Forty-fourth  regiment  we  had  seventy-five. 

Company  G.  Cornelius  Abies,  William  N.  Andrews,  Henry 
P.  W.  Berger,  Martin  Madson,  Oliver  G.  Martin,  Dewitt  C.  Pierce, 
Wenzel  Scheiter,  Eobert  Summerfield,  Henry  Wilson. 

Company  H.  Henry  D.  Andrews,  Cyrus  T.  Blair  (corporal), 
Thomas  Bloyer  (died  Nashville,  Tenn.,  March  5,  1865),  Charles 
W.  Davis,  Henry  H.  Davis  (died  March  14,  1865),  John  Fenster- 
macher,  Frederick  Huber,  Charles  B.  Johnson,  AV.  J.  Jones,  G. 
W.  Jones,  W.  W.  Manlove,  Henry  W.  Manlove  (corporal),  Alfred 
Morrill,  Green  B.  Palmer^  Ernest  M.  Eeynolds,  J.  A.  Eotan, 
Joseph  Sawyer  (died  Paducah,  Ky.,  July  3,  1865),  Charles  Sel- 
den,  Phillip  Sinnett,  Marcus  F.  Winchester. 

Company  I.  Captain,  Leonard  House,  of  Janesville ;  privates, 
Hiram  S.  Allen,  Henry  Allen,  Austin  Arthur,  Thomas  Ash,  War- 
ren H.  Bennett  (corporal),  Edwin  Blakeley  (corporal),  John 
Bramer,  W.  H.  H.  Burlingame,  William  D.  Camp,  James  F.  Chapin 
(corporal),  David  Carter,  Joseph  Coty,  Marshall  E.  Crowther 
(corporal),  James  Doer,  Franklin  Dolloff,  James  B.  Eastman, 
Edward  Farley,  James  Foster,  Hubbard  Frisbie  (corporal),  Neil 
Gillespy,  Leander  Hawley,  Eiley  Howley  (corporal),  George 
Hoyt  (corporal),  Willard  C.  King,  Jason  Kyes  (corporal),  John 
D.  Kyes  (died  Paducah,  Ky.,  July  20,  1865),  George  H.  Lamp- 
man,  Thomas  Leary  (corporal),  Joseph  Moore,  James  Morton, 
Michael  O'Brien,  Asa  C.  Phelps  (sergeant),  Charles  W.  Posson, 
Patrick  Eiley,  Michael  Eobyor,  George  L.  Savage,  Eichard  Skelly, 
John  W.  Smith  (sergeant),  Lafayette  Stevens,  John  Strunk,  Will- 


fli:t«,l;«^^ 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY  365 

iam  C.  Van  Velzer,  Hiram  AVaters,  Oscar  Watts,  W.  G.  Weidger, 
Edmond  Wright    (first  sergeant). 

The  Forty-seventh  Regiment 

had  in  Company  F  three  Janesville  men,  Winfield  S.  Chase, 
George  Osgood  and  James  Tracey.  In  Company  H  were  forty- 
one  men,  mostly  from  Beloit :  Captain,  Charles  B.  Nelson ; 
second  lieutenant,  Samuel  W.  Barr,  both  of  Beloit.  Enlisted 
men :  Dempster  Blaekman,  Herbert  E.  Blanchard,  Frank  Browoi, 
Daniel  N.  Collar  (promoted  commissary  sergeant),  Willis  A. 
Doud,  George  E.  Downer,  Fred  S.  Dresser,  William  H.  Fairchild, 
Thomas  Glennan,  James  W.  Graham,  Joseph  Grundy  (corporal), 
John  M.  Hodge,  Wade  Kilgore,  John  B.  King,  Reuben  Lafferty, 
Charles  M.  Long  (died  August  14,  1865,  Nashville,  Tenn,),  Ben- 
ning  ]\Iann  (corporal),  Henry  L.  jNIeacham  (corporal),  Wallace 
T.  ]\Iiner  (corporal),  Thomas  Murray,  Patrick  O'Brien,  Ira  S. 
Otis,  Edwin  N.  Palmer  (first  sergeant),  John  H.  Park  (musician), 
William  S.  Peck,  Anson  A.  Perkins  (sergeant),  James  A.  Perry, 
Dwight  Pierce,  Wilbur  R.  Pixley  (sergeant),  Cornelius  Provost, 
.Michael  Smith,  James  Vanderwerken  (corporal),  Joseph  E. 
Walling  (sergeant),  Albert  Webb  (musician),  William  Weigle 
(corporal),  Simeon  Wescott,  Ira  White,  George  Winn  (promoted 
principal  musician),  Sanford  Wright. 

In  the  Forty-ninth  regiment,  Companies  C  and  D,  were  sixty- 
four  Rock  county  men,  who  came  mainly  from  Milton,  as  follows : 

Company  C.  Captain,  Richard  A.  Wareham,  Milton.  En- 
listed men,  Joseph  C.  Atherton  (corporal),  Horatio  A.  Barnard, 
William  E.  Bullard,  Joseph  F.  Bullis  (corporal),  James  W.  Bur- 
hans,  Thomas  Bywater,  John  M.  Carville,  Albert  L.  Clark,  Rollin 
C.  Clark,  Walter  J.  Collins  (sergeant),  Milo  C.  Collins  (corporal), 
James  Cummin gs,  Edward  N.  Dudley,  Evan  T.  Evans,  Richard 
Green,  Veranus  P.  Hunt,  Charles  A.  Hurning,  Lewis  Ind,  Melvin 
H.  Ingraham,  John  King,  Francis  McCarville,  Joel  W.  Morgan, 
Joseph  H.  Morgan,  Ira  B.  Newkirk  (first  sergeant),  William  M. 
Osborn,  Chancy  H.  Osborn,  Dennis  Phelan,  W.  Rooney,  Isaac  A. 
Sowle  (corporal),  Frank  Thomas  (sergeant),  and  William  A. 
Twist,  of  Beloit. 

Company  D.  George  W.  Barrett,  John  Benkelman,  George 
Cole,  Beloit  (corporal),  James  A.  Flint,  Thomas  S.  Fort,  Oliver 
C.  Garthwait,  W.  Goomoll,  Clark  W.  Green  (musician),  Thomas 


366  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

A.  Greenwood,  Calvin  Hull  (corporal),  David  H.  Kelly,  James 
F.  Kelly,  George  Klass,  Thomas  Lorimer,  John  H.  Maryatt,  Henry 
C.  Maryatt,  Nathan  E.  Maxon  (corporal),  James  McGiffin,  Henry 
Ogden  (musician),  "William  E.  Richardson  (corporal),  John  L. 
Scovill,  N.  Smith,  Jr.  (wagoner),  Charles  M.  Smith,  James  A. 
Snyder,  Charles  M.  Stevens,  John  A.  Taplin,  Jesse  B.  Thayer 
(sergeant),  Alonzo  D.  Thornton,  Ethan  A.  Vanderwarker,  George 
W.  Webb  (first  sergeant),  Solomon  H.  Wilkins  (corporal),  Nor- 
man P.  Wood. 

In  the  Fiftieth  Regiment,  Company  A,  were  Frederick  Ever- 
son  and  William  F.  Fisher  (second  lieutenant),  N.  Straider  and 
Peter  C.  Winebrenner,  of  Janesville.  In  Company  D  were  Alvin 
Howard  and  Patrick  Lamey,  of  Beloit,  and  Clark  M.  White 
(corporal),  of  Turtle. 

To  the  Fifty-second  Regiment  we  supplied  only  two  men, 
Second  Assistant  Surgeon  Orville  P.  B.  Wright  and  Hospital 
Steward  Frank  B.  Searle,  of  Beloit. 

Artillerymen. 

For  the  Wisconsin  light  artillery  Rock  county  contributed 
men  to  the  Fourth,  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth 
Batteries. 

The  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery  was  popularly  known  as  ' '  Val- 
lee's." 

Vallee's  Battery.  This  battery  was  organized  in  Beloit  in 
September,  1861,  by  Captain  John  F.  Vallee.  His  senior  first 
lieutenant  was  George  B.  Easterly;  junior  first  lieutenant,  Mar- 
tin McDevitt;  senior  second  lieutenants,  Andrew  H.  Hunt,  Charles 
A.  Rathbun;  junior  second  lieutenant,  Alexander  Lee;  staff  ser? 
geants,  Charles  H.  Clark,  Q.  M.  S.,  Cephas  L.  Sturtevant,  first 
sergeant;  duty  sergeants,  Mark  Young,  Alexander  Clark,  Benja- 
min F.  Watson,  Charles  A.  Colby,  Horatio  Harrington,  James  H. 
Graves;  wagonmaster,  Samuel  Eliott;  corporals,  Edwin  M. 
Palmer,  Delos  H.  Cady  (sergeant,  senior  second  lieutenant).  Burr 
Maxwell  (sergeant,  lieutenant),  Chauncey  Baker,  Benjamin 
Brown  (first  sergeant,  second  lieutenant),  Chauncey  B.  Jerome, 
Gulden  D.  Keeler,  James  W.  Vandeventer,  Bateman  J.  Stickel, 
Levi  Westinghouse,  John  M.  Clifford,  Eli  White;  artificers,  An- 
drew David,  Charles  B.  Sperry,  Burritt  W.  Peck,  Stephen  N. 
Peck,  Garrett  G.  Voorhees;  buglers,  Jacob  Newman,  Calvin  Bur- 


MILITARY  HISTOKY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  367 

rows;  farrier,  Augustine  M.  Carpenter;  hospital  steward,  Harry 
D.  Bullard;  guidon,  Howard  Converse. 

Captain  Vallee  resigned  July  5,  1863,  his  successor  being 
George  B.  Easterly,  who  was  himself  succeeded  by  Dorman  L. 
Noggle,  of  Janesville.  The  former  officers  were  all  honorably 
discharged. 

Captain  Easterly's  senior  first  lieutenant  was  Martin  Mc- 
Devitt ;  junior  first  lieutenant,  George  Powers ;  senior  second  lieu- 
tenant, George  R.  Wright ;  junior  second  lieutenant,  Dorman  L. 
Noggle  (first  lieutenant,  captain)  ;  staff  sergeants,  Q.  M.  S.. 
Charles  H.  Clark,  first  sergeant,  Cephas  L.  Sturtevent;  duty 
sergeants,  Horatio  N.  Yarrington,  Edwin  N.  Palmer,  Levi  West- 
inghouse,  Rand  H.  Stevenson,  William  Abbott,  Samuel  Elliott, 
corporals,  Delos  H.  Cady,  Burr  Maxwell,  Benjamin  Brown,  James 
H.  Graves,  John  Clifford,  James  Baldwin,  Robert  Campbell,  Hugh 
Schallong,  Charles  Colby,  Spencer  MaxM^ell,  Albert  Wallace. 
The  remainder  of  the  non-commissioned  men  were  the  same  men 
who  served  under  Captain  Vallee,  except  the  wagoner,  who  was 
Chauncey  Baker. 

After  the  resignation  of  Captain  Easterly,  Dorman  L.  Noggle 
was  appointed  in  his  place,  the  rest  of  the  commissioned  officers 
having  resigned.  Captain  Noggle 's  senior  first  lieutenant  was 
Robert  Campbell;  junior  first  lieutenant.  Burr  Maxwell;  senior 
second  lieutenant,  Delos  H.  Cady;  junior  second  lieutenant,  Ben- 
jamin Brown.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  privates :  January 
Blackbird,  Charles  H.  Burrows,  Robert  J.  Butler,  Ira  A.  Black- 
mar,  George  Beeken,  Almon  Baldwin,  John  Bingham,  William 
Bingham,  Duffy  Bently,  Orlando  H.  Butler,  John  Berry,  John 
^Carney,  William  W.  Colby,  J.  Cady,  Horace  R.  Colby,  Hartley 
H.  Colby,  Charles  H.  Hanchett,  James  Lumsden,  Louis  Light- 
heart,  Mazerie  Letterneau,  Louis  0.  Larsen,  Daniel  W.  Mapes, 
Thomas  McDonald  (died,  Hampton,  Va.),  Thomas  McGrath, 
Josiah  Moyer  (corporal),  Charles  Mansfield,  John  McManamin, 
Neil  McCatheran  (died  Hampton,  Va.),  James  McCatheran, 
George  H.  Marshall,  Henry  Manly,  William  H.  Norton,  James 
Nesbitt,  Thomas  Nelson,  Charles  Olsen,  Joseph  Pierson,  David 
Philborn,  Josiah  Parkhurst,  John  C.  Payson,  William  Ruff,  Will- 
iam S.  Ranous,  Hugh  Reiley,  Wakeman  Ressiegue,  Charles  E. 
Rodifer,  Amos  E.  Rice,  Harry  Rivers  (corporal),  James  Ritchie, 
Charles  Smith,  Hubbard  D.  Smith,  Elisha  W.  Sherman,  Charles 


Qa 


68  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COU^ttY 

Schupell,  Thomas  P.  Spencer,  Fernando  E.  Sumner,  Charles 
Shields,  George  Sauer,  Wardell  Tunison  (sergeant),  William  S. 
Thorn,  Edwin  Van  Gelder,  Amos  S.  Van  Gelder,  James  Wilkins, 
Joseph  B.  Williams,  Alvin  West,  Sabin  Warren,  William  Warren, 
Stephen  AVells,  Franklin  Wright,  John  K.  Weller,  George  H. 
Adams  (Q.  M.  sergeant),  William  L.  Austin  (sergeant),  Edwin 
Carroll,  Adelbert  M.  Case,  Eugene  Dutcher  (corporal,  sergeant), 
John  Douglas,  Consider  K.  Davis,  Henry  Dodd,  Daniel  Dulhanty 
(sergeant),  Henry  M.  Davis,  Peres  D.  Ellis,  Wesley  Ellison,  Will- 
iam L.  Early,  Sidney  C.  Early,  Joseph  Flannigan,  Eugene  K. 
Felt,  Francis  N.  Graves,  James  H.  Graves,  George  Grover,  Will- 
iam Garner,  George  N.  Hayes,  Allen  Hurley,  Peter  Halverson, 
William  K.  Hanson,  Thomas  W.  Harnden,  Daniel  B.  Hitchcock, 
Elisha  Hawk,  Lewis  Isaacson  (killed,  Darbytown  Eoad,  Vir- 
ginia), Henry  Johnson,  W^illiam  AV.  James,  Sidney  Knill  (died 
Portsmouth,  Va.),  William  J.  Kelly,  Thomas  Kelly,  Thomas  W. 
Tattershall.  (The  official  roll  contains  many  other  names,  which 
are  omitted  here  because  not  known  to  be  the  names  of  men  of 
Rock  county.) 

In  the  Tenth  Battery  we  had  only  one  man,  Thomas  Savage, 
of  Janesville.  The  Eleventh  Battery  received  these  seven  Beloit 
men:  Flen  Daggett,  Adolphus  Humphrey,  Alexander  McAlpin, 
Theodore  I.  Perkins,  Alexander  W.  Pomeroy,  John  Stevens  and 
Franklin  K.  Wallace. 

Our  connection  with  the  Twelfth  Wisconsin  Battery  was  more 
important.  In  1862,  when  250  more  soldiers  were  called  for  from 
Rock  county,  some  $8,000  was  subscribed  as  bounty  money,  to 
induce  volunteering  and  avoid  a  draft. 

On  August  9  E.  G.  Harlow  made  application  to  the  adjutant-^ 
general  of  the  state  for  power  to  enlist  an  artillery  company  in 
the  county,  and  was  refused  on  the  ground  that  that  branch  of 
the  service  was  full.  A  similar  request  made  by  that  gentleman 
to  the  adjutant-general  of  the  army  met  with  a  similar  disposi- 
tion. Finally  after  some  further  correspondence  Mr.  Harlow  was 
commissioned  a  lieutenant  of  artillery  and  authorized  to  enlist 
fifty  men  for  the  Twelfth  Wisconsin  Battery,  then  in  the  field 
near  Corinth,  Miss.,  as  a  portion  of  General  Hamilton's  division. 
Lieutenant  Harlow  immediately  opened  a  recruiting  office  at  the 
drug  store  of  G.  R.  Curtis,  corner  of  West  Milwaukee  and  Frank- 
lin streets,  and  within  forty-eight  hours  had  filled  the  comple- 


MILITAEY  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  369 

ment  with  twelve  men  to  spare.  The  recruits  went  into  camp 
at  Madison  without  delay  and  on  September  1,  or  within  two 
days  of  the  date  when  sworn  in,  they  left  Janesville  and  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  the  field  of  action.  But  little  delay  attended 
their  initiation  into  actual  warfare,  for  they  participated  in  the 
battle  of  luka  on  September  19,  and  thereafter  were  constantly 
in  the  thickest  of  the  fray,  following  Price  down  the  Hatchie, 
participating  in  the  bloody  fight  thereon,  and  returning  to  Cor- 
inth, were  engaged  during  the  bloody  battles  of  October  3  and 
4,  and  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  where  after  lying  in  the  trenches 
for  fifty  days  they  were  gratified  with  the  sight  of  the  stars  and 
stripes  substituted  for  the  stars  and  bars.  They  were  next  heard 
of  at  Chattanooga,  Mission  Ridge,  Allatoona  Pass,  Savannah,  At- 
lanta, through  the  Carolinas,  and  in  Richmond  and  Washington, 
which  cities  were  taken  on  their  route  to  Madison,  Wis.,  where 
they  were  mustered  out  on  June  26,  1865. 

During  the  war  this  Twelfth  Battery  belonged  to  the  Third 
Brigade,  Second  Division,  Seventh  Army  Corps  of  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee ;  also  to  the  Second  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Fif- 
teenth Army  Corps;  and  was  commanded  by  Generals  McPher- 
son,  Sherman,  Osterhaus,  Logan  and  Grant. 

Rock  county  had  in  the  Twelfth  Battery  one  Beloit  man.  Par- 
don E.  Carpenter,  who  died  of  disease  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Janu- 
ary 10,  1863;  two  from  Avon,  Nathan  B.  Rice  and  William  O. 
Rice;  three  from  Rock,  James  H.  Nuttall,  Robert  Shields  (who 
lost  a  leg  at  Bentonville)  and  Warren  H.  Simmons;  five  from 
Johnstown,  Sylvester  C.  Cheney  (junior  first  lieutenant),  John  R. 
Bortle,  Fred  Douglas,  Edwin  A.  Wells,  Alexander  W.  Wells ;  and 
100  from  Janesville,  as  follows :  Edward  G.  Harlow  (senior  first 
•lieutenant,  brevet  captain  IT.  S.  Volunteers),  Marcus  Amsden 
(first  lieutenant,  died  of  wounds  October  9,  1864),  Charles  F, 
Adams,  Ambrose  C.  Ames  (died  Huntsville,  Ala.,  February  5, 
1864),  James  M.  Anderson,  Bradford  B.  Austin,  William  R.  Bates, 
Wheeler  S.  Bowen,  Daniel  R.  Brand,  Cornelius  H.  Brown,  Robert 
W.  Burton  (corporal,  quartermaster  sergeant,  wounded  Alla- 
toona, Ga.,  October  5,  1864),  August  Chilling,  Joseph  W.  Chase 
(died  October  6,  1864,  from  wounds  received  Allatoona,  Ga.,  Oc- 
tober 5,  1864),  Harvey  Comstock,  Peter  Cox,  James  Croft 
(wounded  Allatoona,  second  lieutenant  Company  E,  Fifty-first 
Wisconsin  Infantry),  Thomas  Croft  (corporal,  sergeant).  Gran- 


370  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

ville  B.  Dailey,  John  Dawton,  David  C.  Davey  (killed  in  action, 
Allatoona,  Ga.,  October  5,  1864),  Elijah  C.  Davey,  Augustus  Deal, 
Samuel  L.  Dey,  Silas  P.  Dinnin,  Samuel  H.  Doolittle  (died  Alla- 
toona, Ga.,  October  6,  1864,  wounds  received  October  5),  James 
B.  Dransfield  (died  March  15,  1865,  Annapolis),  Spencer  Eld- 
ridge,  Edwin  B.  Fish,  Cornelius  Fogle  (farrier),  William  V.  Fox, 
Thomas  G.  Frost,  Archie  T.  Glascott,  William  Gorton.  Robert 
Graham,  James  Grey  (artificer,  died  August  2,  1863,  wounds  re- 
ceived Vicksburg  July  2,  1863),  James  B.  Greenway,  William  H. 
Griffiths  (died  Cairo,  111.,  November  14,  1862),  Henry  Groner, 
John  Haas  (died  March  19,  1865,  Wilmington,  N.  C),  Thomas 
H.  Harrison  (corporal,  wounded  Allatoona,  Ga.,  October  5,  1864), 
Jeremiah  S.  Harding,  William  D.  Hemmingway  (corporal),  Je- 
rome Howland  (artificer),  Orrin  Hubbard  (corporal,  sergeant, 
wounded  Allatoona),  William  Ingles,  Claremont  S.  Jackman, 
William  H.  C.  Johnson,  Evan  W.  Jones,  Alonzo  E.  Kibbe  (cor- 
poral, wounded  December  15,  1864),  Lewis  D.  Latteer  (artificer). 
Edgar  Macomber,  Lucian  T.  Mallory,  John  M.  Mathews,  William 
J.  Mclntyre,  Peter  S.  Merrill,  Alonzo  E.  Miltmore  (promoted 
junior  first  lieutenant  Company  H,  First  Wisconsin  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, September  13,  1864),  Frederick  Miller  (artificer),  Samuel 
Morris,  Owen  E.  Newton,  Lewis  Noe,  Dorman  L.  Noggle  (pro- 
moted- junior  second  lieutenant  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery, 
November  17,  1863),  Charles  L.  Noggle,  John  F.  Norton,  William 
W.  Ococks,  AYilliam  D.  Packham  (died  January  10,  1863,  La 
Grange,  Tenn.),  Ira  Palmer.  William  H.  Palmer,  Chauncey  L. 
Peck,  George  Pierce  (corporal),  Ambrose  Pierson,  James  Plimp- 
ton, Daniel  Eees,  Casper  Eifenberg  (corporal),  Frederick  Eing, 
Hiram  A.  Eobertson  (sergeant),  John  W.  Eussell,  Alexander  M. 
Eussell  (lost  arm.  Savannah,  Ga.),  John  H.  Saunders,  George  L. 
Scott,  Handley  B.  Sexton,  John  Shearer,  Martin  Shields,  Ellis 
Shopbell,  Samuel  G.  Sisson  (sergeant),  Daniel  Skelly  (corporal), 
Charles  H.  Spencer,  Jack  L.  Stevens,  Sylvester  St.  John  (wound- 
ed October  5,  1864,  Allatoona,  Ga.),  Obed  Wallace  (promoted 
junior  first  lieutenant  Company  L,  First  AYisconsin  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery), William  E.  Ward,  Andrew  Watts,  Joseph  Whitman  Cdied 
December  14,  1862,  Oxford,  Miss.),  Horace  F.  Wilson,  John  T. 
Wilcox,  Charles  A.  Wilmarth  (wounded  October  5,  1864),  George 
fl.  Wilmarth.  Henry  Wingate  (killed  July  4,  1863.  Vicksburg, 
Miss.,  accident),  Frank  Wood  (wounded  Savannah,  Ga.),  Joseph 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  371 

"Wormworth,  Henry  T.  Wright  (promoted  to  U.  S.  Navy),  Aaron 
V.  Wycoff. 

In  the  Thirteenth  Battery  were  James  M.  Babeoek,  Kosh- 
konong;  Taylor  Babeoek,  Norman  H.  Dewing  (corporal),  and 
John  Hunter,  from  Janesville;  Thomas  Savage  and  John  Dunn, 
of  Turtle;  William  V.  Sheets,  of  Clinton;  and  five  Beloit  men — 
John  Doyle,  Frank  Fox  (first  sergeant,  second  lieutenant), 
George  H.  James,  Edgar  R.  Nelson  and  Lewis  E.  Nelson. 

Rock  county  contributed  men  also  to  the  Wisconsin  Heavy 
Artillery,  First  Regiment,  Companies  D,  E,  F,  H  and  L.  In  Com- 
pany D  were  five  Janesville  men :  John  F.  Baldwin,  Richard  E. 
Ballon,  John  W.  Hurlburt,  Sylvester  Payne  and  George  W.  Pow- 
ers. In  Company  E  were  eighteen  Janesville  men :  Frank  B.  Bur- 
dick,  Pitt  M.  Clark,  Joseph  Emerson,  Jacob  W.  Everly,  John 
Frohmader,  Sidney  C.  Goff,  George  W.  Heath,  Russell  Henry, 
Henry  M.  Johnson,  Luke  Knapp,  George  A.  Libbey,  George  H. 
Lilly,  Stephen  P.  Main,  Arhart  Neipert,  Nelson  F.  Randolph, 
August  Tartseh,  Silas  B.  Thomas  and  John  0.  Webster;  also, 
from  Harmony,  Joseph  C.  Babeoek,  Ambrose  Dart;  from  Fulton, 
Riley  Call;  from  Johnstown,  Samuel  Doner,  John  H.  Jacques, 
Oscar  A.  Kellogg;  from  Clinton,  William  A.  Foss,  W^ilson  S.  Gil- 
more;  also  Nicholas  Rickerman,  of  Plymouth,  and  Henry  Rick- 
erman,  of  Rock. 

In  Company  F  was  Junior  Second  Lieutenant  Joseph  C.  Blodg- 
ett,  of  Janesville. 

The  senior  second  lieutenant  of  Company  H  was  Alonzo  E. 
Miltimore,  of  Janesville. 

Company  L  had  fifty  Rock  county  men:  Nathaniel  D.  Kelly, 
Henry  A.  Pond,  George  Skinner  and  Erastus  Williams,  of  Ful- 
ton; Thomas  Brannan  and  David  B.  Reynolds,  of  Rock;  Charles 
A.  Tubbs,  of  Clinton;  James  Gleave  (corporal)  and  Robert  More, 
of  Center;  John  Swim,  Morgan  Johnson,  Horace  Swim,  of  Brad- 
ford ;  Matthew  Berrigan,  Mj^ron  Smith  and  Rudolphus  D.  Tasch- 
er,  of  Johnstown;  Edgar  Mericle,  of  Harmony;  Edward  Harn- 
den  (corporal),  of  La  Prairie;  and  these  thirty-three  men  from 
Janesville:  Obed  W.  Wallace  (first  lieutenant),  Alpheus  S. 
Trowbridge  (senior  second  lieutenant),  Darius  W.  Cameron 
(junior  second  lieutenant),  DeWitt  Ainsworth,  John  Baik,  Lewis 
P.  Bent,  Frank  Berendes,  John  Bluett,  Herman  L.  Coon,  John 
J.  Daniels,  Horace  M.  Dibble,  James  E.  Doyle,  Carmi  S.  Gifford, 


372  mSTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

Francis  A.  Gifford,  Eldred  Harrington,  Welcome  Henry,  Thomas 
McFarland,  Lawrence  Mericle,  Francis  Minett,  William  Morrow, 
Justus  H.  Potter,  Levi  P.  Powers,  Austin  Randall,  Stephen  P. 
Randall,  Edwin  H.  Risden,  Martin  Rocthael,  August  Roman- 
ousky,  John  M.  Sears,  James  Stewart,  Matthias  Suhr,  Henry  Tur- 
ner, John  Voit  and  Walter  R.  Whitney. 

In  the  cavalry  branch  of  the  army  Rock  county  furnished 
most  of  the  men  for  two  companies,  M  of  the  Second  Regiment 
and  E  of  the  Third.  The  roster  of  each  company,  giving  only 
Rock  county  men,  most  of  whom  were  from  Janesville,  is  as 
follows : 

Second  Regiment  Cavalry.  Surgeon,  Clark  G.  Pease,  Janes- 
ville; hospital  stewards,  Frank  Strong  and  Paul  G,  Strong,  of 
Janesville ;  commissary  sergeant.  Third  Battalion,  Richard  Ellis, 
of  Johnstown;  veterinary  surgeon.  Third  Battallion,  Henry  Von 
Streitehen,  Johnstown. 

Company  M.  Captains,  Nathaniel  Parker  and  Freeman  A. 
Kimball,  promoted  from  first  lieutenant;  first  lieutenant,  John 
Baxter;  second  lieutenants,  John  C.  Metcalf  and  Gorge  W.  Tay- 
lor ;  all  the  above  being  from  Janesville. 

Enlisted  Men. 

John  Barrett,  Ogden  Barrett,  John  Belton,  George  W.  Bill- 
ings, Joseph  B.  Briggs,  Simeon  G.  Brooks,  Perry  L.  Brooks  (cor- 
poral, sergeant,  died  Vicksburg  August  17,  1864),  Henry  Brooks, 
James  H.  Brown  (corporal),  Eustis  Burlingame,  George  D.  Camp- 
bell, Lemuel  Carman  (corporal,  sergeant),  John  Casford,  Henry 
Casford,  William  Casford,  Alonzo  Chase,  Thomas  C.  Chamber- 
lain, William  P.  Cline,  Albert  C.  Cobb,  James  S.  Cook  (corporal), 
Thomas  Cooper  (died  at  Vicksburg),  Henry  Coty,  William  Croft, 
Jared  Crone  (died  at  Helena,  Ark.),  Samuel  Crone  (corporal, 
quartermaster  sergeant),  James  E.  Cronk,  Isaac  Davis,  Patrick 
Denny  (died  Jefferson  Barracks,  Mo.),  Reuben  C.  Dodge,  Charles 
Eastman,  Charles  M.  Eddy,  Richard  Ellis  (promoted  commissary 
sergeant.  Third  Battalion),  Horace  D.  Fitch,  Thomas  Foster,  Sid- 
ney Fuller  (corporal,  died  Helena,  Ark.),  Charles  L.  Glass, 
Chauncey  C.  Handy,  John  A.  Hart,  Ephraim  Hart  (died  at  Vicks- 
burg), John  Harvey  (corporal,  sergeant),  George  W.  Harman,  Gil- 
bert H.  Hay  (farrier),  John  W.  Helms  (died  Vicksburg),  Henry 
Hemming,   Horace   Herkimer    (quartermaster   sergeant),   James 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  HOCK  COUNTY  373 

Heughs  (died  Vicksburg),  George  E.  Holmes,  Henry  C.  Holmes 
(corporal,  commissary  sergeant),  John  Holland,  George  Homau, 
Melville  Hopkins  (died  August  14, 1864), Samuel  Home  (saddler), 
Levi  II.  Howard  (died  St.  Louis,  August  13,  1863),  Elza  S.  Hud- 
son, John  H.  Jackraan,  Henry  A.  Jones  (died  Vicksburg),  Thom- 
as Kane,  Joseph  King  (farrier),  Moses  La  vine,  James  Lincoln, 
Daniel  A.  Louber,  Jefferson  Lovelace,  Frank  Luckett,  Alfred 
Malone,  Garrett  R.  Malone,  Samuel  W.  Metealf,  Caleb  Mott, 
Frederick  Mott  (bugler),  Minard  E.  Mott  (farrier),  Allen  Nixon 
(corporal),  John  Nixon,  James  O'Connor  (died  Vicksburg),  Will- 
iam J.  Oliver,  Isaac  Parker  (quartermaster  sergeant),  Clark  O. 
Popple  (corporal,  sergeant,  quartermaster  sergeant),  Lester  H. 
Porter  (sergeant,  died  Memphis  January  31,  1865),  William  J. 
Porter,  Leonard  Powell,  James  H.  Quinn,  William  F.  Reed,  Adam 
K.  Richardson,  Oscar  P.  Roberts,  William  Roberts,  George  W. 
Royer,  John  P.  Sawyer,  Albert  Shafer,  William  R.  Silver  (cor- 
poral), John  E.  Simerson  (died  Vicksburg),  Silas  Soper,  Hanni- 
bal D.  Soper,  John  P.  D.  Stevens  (bugler),  Ira  Storms,  Paul  G. 
Strong  (bugler,  hospital  steward),  Herman  V.  Streicham  (vet- 
erinary surgeon),  Ira  Sturdevant  (died  Vicksburg),  Henry  Stur- 
devant,  Adelbert  Terry,  John  H.  Thomas,  Anthon  T.  Thompson, 
Elisha  R.  Thorne  (died  Vicksburg),  John  H.  Thurston,  John  F. 
Tracy,  Minard  Van  Patten  (died  Vicksburg),  Minard  Vander- 
burg,  William  H.  Wallace  (bugler,  died  at  Janesville  March  10, 
1865),  Peter  Warner,  Henry  Warner,  Charles  M.  Waterman, 
Rush  B.  Webster  (died  Vicksburg),  John  Welles,  Smith  Weisner 
(died  Vicksburg),  James  AVhalen,  Charles  F.  Whipple  (corporal, 
sergeant),  Joseph  Williams,  Daniel  W.  Woodstock,  James  B. 
Wright  (died  August  12,  1862,  Helena,  Ark.),  Rodger  B.  Young. 
Third  Regiment  Wisconsin  Cavalry.  Colonel,  William  A.  Bar- 
stow;  lieutenant-colonel,  Richard  H.  White;  second  assistant 
surgeon,  Joseph  S.  Lane ;  battalion  adjutant,  Charles  L.  Noggle ; 
battalion  quartermasters,  Isaac  Woodle  (First  Battalion,  died  at 
Janesville  April,  1862),  James  Armstrong (  Second  Battalion),  Au- 
gustus 0.  Hall  (Third  Battalion)  ;  chaplain,  Hiram  W.  Beers.  Non- 
commissioned :  Veterinary  surgeon,  William  Bagley ;  battalion  ser- 
geants-major, Herbert  W.  Keyes  (First  Battalion),  William  R. 
Graham  (Second  Battalion),  Caleb  G.  Gillett  (Third  Battalion)  ; 
quartermaster  sergeant,  Frederick  Peck ;  battalion  quartermaster 
sergeants,  Arthur  C.  Kent  (First  Battalion),  Chauncey  M.  Wood- 


374  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

worth  (Third  Battalion)  ;  commissary  sergeants,  Solon  M.  John- 
son, Arby  Tuttle ;  battalion  commissary  sergeants,  William  H. 
Hayes  (First  Battalion),  George  F.  Blodgett  (Third  Battalion); 
hospital  steward,  Charles  E.  Wiswell,  died  Little  Rock,  Ark., 
September  12,  1864;  battalion  hospital  steward,  Elisha  Sharp, 
killed  March  26,  1862 ;  saddler  sergeant,  George  W.  Caldwell. 
All  the  above-named  officers  were  from  Janesville. 

Roster  of  Company  E. 

Captains,  Ira  Justin,  Jr.  (died  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  October 
22,  1861),  Alexander  M.  Pratt;  first  lieutenants,  Leonard  House, 
Arthur  C.  Kent,  William  Culbertson ;  second  lieutenant,  John 
C.  Lynch.     All  the  above  officers  were  of  Janesville. 

Enlisted  Men  from  Rock  County. 

Albert  W.  Allyn  (first  sergeant),  Melville  F.  AUyn,  Henry  T. 
Babcock,  AVilliam  J.  Baker,  Capple  C.  Bennett,  James  Bliss, 
George  L.  Bostwick  (Beloit,  died  Springfield,  Mo.,  February  18, 
1863),  Robert  W.  Boylon  (died  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.,  November  15, 
1863),  Sainuel  A.  Bridges,  Reuben  Brink,  Joshua  Bunker,  Sabin 
P.  Bunker,  George  W.  Caldwell  (saddler  sergeant),  Charles  H. 
Carrington,  Lewis  Cooley,  Thomas  Cooper,  Thomas  Croak,  James 
Cronk,  Jeremiah  W.  Cutting,  William  J.  Dodge,  Lorenzo  A. 
Drum,  Thomas  Eaton,  Cassius  Eddy,  Isaac  Fry,  Caleb  0.  Gillett 
(promoted  battalion  sergeant-major),  William  R.  Graham  (pro- 
moted battalion  sergeant-major),  Gottfried  Greenhogle,  Albert 
Gretzner,  Adam  P.  Handy,  William  H.  Hayes  (promoted  bat- 
talion commissary  sergeant  December  10,  1861),  George  W. 
Holmes  (farrier),  George  Hughe,  James  R.  Hutchins  (corporal), 
Byron  F.  Huyke,  Edward  S.  Hyde  (corporal,  sergeant),  Levi  H. 
Jaycox,  Zenos  Jenks  (died  Fayetteville,  Ark.),  Nelson  Jenks, 
John  Johnson,  Henry  S.  Johnson,  William  B.  Jones,  Henry  H. 
Knight  (corporal),  Samuel  A.  Lamphier,  James  H.  Logan  (cor- 
poral), Daniel  H.  Loomis,  Noble  Loomis,  Jerry  W.  Lord,  David 
G.  Marsh  (musician),  Edward  Martin,  Abram  D.  Maxfield  (cor- 
poral), William  McCloy,  Albert  G.  Merrill  (died  Ft.  Scott,  Kan.), 
Vinton  L.  Merrill  (musician),  Daniel  Miles,  George  D.  Morgan, 
James  S.  Murphy,  William  0 'Flaherty  (died  Little  Rock,  Ark.), 
Peter  Oleson,  Dennis  C.  0 'Sullivan,  John  W.  Parkyns,  Edwin  R. 
Partridge,    Clark    Pepper,    Christopher    Pestow,    Henry    Peters, 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  375 

John  W.  Phelps,  Cicero  Post,  Stephen  Post,  Henry  S.  Quick  (cor- 
poral), Frederick  Ring,  Jedediah  Rook  (died  Benton  Barracks, 
Mo.),  William  B.  Rook,  John  Q.  Sanborn  (corporal),  Henry 
Shields,  August  Shultz,  Henry  Shurger  (died  Van  Buren,  Ark., 
October  13,  1864),  Aaron  Smith  (sergeant,  commissary  sergeant), 
John  Sparling,  Byron  Spears  (saddler),  Henry  Stattforth,  James 
E.  Stewart,  Chauncey  Stone,  Stephen  Tajdor  (saddler),  Hiram 
Taylor,  Richard  C.  Taylor,  Frederick  E.  Teetshorn,  George 
W.  Thompkins,  Syrel  Treat  (corporal,  quartermaster  ser- 
geant, died  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  September  6,  1864),  Charles 
G.  Turner,  Arby  Tuttle  (promoted  regimental  commissary  ser- 
geant), Warren  Wait  (corporal),  Leander  Wetmore,  William  H. 
Wells  (corporal,  sergeant,  first  sergeant),  Richard  W.  Williams, 
Byron  A.  Williams  (corporal),  Frank  Worthing  (corporal),  Da- 
vid Wyman  (wagoner,  corporal,  sergeant),  Warren  Young  (Be- 
loit,  corporal). 

Spanish  War  Veterans. 

In  the  Spanish  War  our  boys  were  stationed  at  Camp  Cuba 
Libre,  Florida,  May  to  October. 

October  22,  1898,  Company  E,  First  Wisconsin  Volunteer  In- 
fanty,  of  the  Spanish  War,  assembled  at  Beloit,  were  duly  dis- 
charged from  service  as  United  States  soldiers.  They  had  all 
enlisted  for  two  years,  but  as  the  war  had  virtually  ended,  al- 
though our  First  Regiment  was  quite  a  favorite  with  General 
Fitzhugh  Lee,  our  Governor  Schofield,  at  the  solicitation  of  a 
great  many  citizens,  succeeded  in  having  that  regiment  honor- 
ably disbanded  and  the  men  discharged  to  private  life.  The 
roster  of  Company  E,  mostly  Beloit  men,  when  they  were  thus 
mustered  out,  was  as  follows : 

Captain,  T.  J.  Rogers,  at  Jacksonville ;  first  lieutenant,  H.  J. 
Quinn;  second  lieutenant,  F.  Y.  Hart;  first  sergeant,  R.  C.  Malt- 
press;  quartermaster  sergeant,  Charles  H.  Conklin;  sergeants, 
Harry  Yeakle,  Ray  A.  North,  William  J.  Kennedy;  corporals, 
Howard  Alcan  (sick),  Clarence  H.  Newton  (sick),  W.  D.  Cobb, 
W.  J.  Widdowson,  William  Baines  (sick  in  Chicago),  Fred  Gra- 
ham, George  Armstrong,  George  Yost,  Charles  Ingleby,  Ira  F, 
Thompson,  Edwin  Meyers ;  artificer,  George  Watson ;  musicians, 
Fritz  J.  Steiner,  Harry  Gardner   (sick  at  Brodhead)  ;  privates, 


376  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

H.  M.  Adams  (now  at  Jacksonville),  Joseph  Armstrong,  Bert 
Bingham,  Benjamin  Bill,  Benjamin  Butler,  F.  L.  Bush,  William 
Washburn  Brown,  Otta  A.  Bradeson,  H.  G.  Buchanan,  Charles  E. 
Booth  (sick),  John  F.  Chamberlin,  Henry  S,  Cole,  A.  J.  Cornelius, 
C.  N.  Coons,  Franklyn  Champion,  Harry  E.  Card,  Percy  Crouch, 
August  Dellmann,  John  C.  Davis  (sick  in  Milwaukee),  Irving 
DeForest,  Harvey  L.  Denson,  William  H.  Drake  (at  Jackson- 
ville), J.  N.  Davis,  Edwin  Fiese,  Frank  N.  Ford,  D.  A.  Frayer, 
W.  C.  Graeber,  John  E.  Graham,  Carrol  Graves,  Nels  Hansen, 
Fred  L.  Hunt,  Thomas  Holliday,  Henry  Hopgood,  James  C. 
Howorth,  George  Ingerham,  Charles  E.  Jeske,  Ed.  Knight, 
Charles  Kastner,  Karl  Kristianson,  Charles  W.  Kelley,  Charles 
L.  Lowry,  John  Luders,  John  L.  Larson,  Charles  A.  Mansfield, 
John  Maroney,  Chris.  Manning,  Fred  Miller,  Charles  E.  Moore, 
Henry  J.  Means,  John  W.  Moses,  James  M.  Mowers,  Arthur  E. 
Miller,  W.  L.  Newton,  W.  C.  Pitt,  Orville  H.  Partch,  Charles  W. 
Patrick,  William  H.  Eoper,  Francis  S,  Remey,  George  W.  Eobin- 
son,  W.  Frank  Eood,  Robert  Ed.  Robinson,  Henry  W.  Robinson, 
William  R.  Ranee,  Charles  Schultz,  Leroy  Shirley,  Ed.  Snow,  J. 
G.  Schermerhorn,  Fred  Allen  Smith,  C.  E.  Storey,  W.  W.  Satter- 
lee  (sick),  L.  W.  Tipton,  W.  V.  Whitfield,  Walter  Wellman,  G. 
H.  Willett,  D.  W\  Woodard,  John  Robert  West.  Gustave  Wolline 
(sick),  Francis  B.  W^ood. 

The  following  members  of  Company  E  were  transferred  to 
the  U.  S.  Hospital  Corps :  George  Corson,  Milton  D.  Brown, 
Harry  Key,  William  Brockman,  Ed  Stone. 

Among  the  names  on  the  company's  roster  mustered  out  by 
the  great  Commander  are:  Sergeant  Cassia  Morris,  September 
11,  1898;  Musician  Mace  Mollestad,  August  13,  1898;  Corporal 
Fred  Cousins,  September  25,  1898 ;  Private  Frank  Schipman,  Sep- 
tember, 1898;  Private  Clark  Osgood,  September  8,  1898;  Private 
Jesse  Gleason,  September  22,  1898;  Private  James  M.  Mowers, 
from  Allen's  Grove,  died  at  Darien,  Wis.,  February  1,  1899;  Pri- 
vate Gustav  Wolline,  September,  1899;  Private  Charles  Ingleby, 
of  Beloit,  January  1,  1899.  Directly  or  indirectly  these  all  died 
from  typhoid  fever. 

The  Spanish  War  Veterans  are  now  an  organized  society. 
Ten  of  their  number  rest  in  the  cemetery  at  Beloit  and  their 
graves  are  duly  decorated  on  the  annual  Decoration  Day,  May  30. 


MILITARY  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  377 

The  New  United  States  National  Guard. 

The  Dick  militia  law,  enacted  January  21,  1903,  and  amended 
May  27,  1908,  provided  for  an  organized  militia,  to  be  known 
as  the  National  Guard  (of  each  state,  territory,  etc.). 

They  are  equipped  at  the  expense  of  the  general  government 
and  occupy  a  position  similar  to  that  of  the  minute  men  of  revo- 
lutionary times.  In  case  of  invasion  or  rebellion  the  president 
can  call  them  directly  into  service  without  further  enlistment. 

In  this  military  body  Eock  county  is  honorably  represented 
by  one  company,  Company  L,  First  Infantry,  Wisconsin  National 
Guard.  At  the  last  annual  inspection  this  company  gained  the 
rare  distinction  of  ranking  first  among  all  the  militia  companies 
of  our  state. 

The  following  is  an  official  roster  of  the  company,  which  is 
located  at  Beloit  and  composed  of  Beloit  men : 

Captain,  R.  P.  M.  Rosman ;  first  lieutenant,  Charles  S.  Buck ; 
second  lieutenant,  Stanley  Y.  Shepard;  first  sergeant,  Charles  E. 
Moore;  quartermaster  sergeant,  Fred  J.  Kunz;  sergeants,  James 
H.  Root,  "Wesley  F.  Ayer,  William  Hildebrandt,  Ralph  C.  Coon- 
radt ;  corporals,  Frank  McLean,  M.  Chester  West,  Robert  Wright, 
George  F.  Knipprath,  Arthur  E.  Fish,  Lloyd  L.  Maurer;  musi- 
cians, John  Poppie,  F.  W.  Ruttencutter ;  privates,  E.  Howe  Al- 
len, William  J.  Allen,  Roy  0.  Antisdel,  Charles  G.  Backenstoe, 
Will  F.  Bauschle,  Brittan  Burtness,  Percy  Cadman,  E.  D.  Chris- 
topherson,  Gilmore  J.  Collins,  Harry  Coonradt,  B.  Edgar  Day, 
Clifford  L.  Day,  Sydney  Derbyshire,  Harry  Doane,  Floyd  Dra- 
fahl,  Peter  Everson,  Henry  Fairbert,  George  M.  Elliott,  Richard 
R.  Fenska,  Walter  Fenska,  Herbert  Froh,  Floyd  George,  Jay  Gil- 
bert, William  Gilbert,  Charles  Guetschow,  Andrew  M.  Halle,  Ed- 
ward Halle,  Ralph  R.  Hamil,  L.  R.  Hawkins,  Paul  B.  Hogan, 
Alex.  T.  Hannahs,  Edwin  C.  Hart,  Carl  Hildebrandt,  Harry  Hoey, 
Phillip  R.  Jeuck,  Royal  O.  Jorsted,  Alexander  McLean,  Frank 
Mendenhall,  J.  Elmer  Perkins,  Howard  G.  Plumb,  M.  Lyle  Plumb, 
Edward  J.  Poponz,  Ray  I.  Raymer,  William  Relph,  William  B. 
Shepard,  Morton  B.  Shepard,  Robert  Short,  Jesse  Shnmway,  John 
F.  Taylor,  Charles  H.  Worf,  Howell  Wheat,  Fred  Wheat. 

List  of  Soldier  Interments  in  the  Two  Cemeteries  at  Beloit,  Wis. 

L.  H.  D.  Crane,  colonel  Third  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
H.  P.  Strong,  surgeon  Eleventh  Wisconsin  Infantry. 


378  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

George  Bieknell,  surgeon  Second  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

John  Avery,  First  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

Myron  Adams. 

Alex.  Anderson,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

George  M.  Alverson,  First  U.  S.  Infantry,  Company  A. 

W.  P.  Alexander,  recruiting  officer. 

G.  W.  Bailey,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

G.  H.  Bunce,  199th  Pennsylvania,  Company  F. 

John  F.  Benton. 

Edward  Burrall,  War  of  1812. 

Frank  Barney. 

D.  Brooks. 

William  Butler,  War  of  1812. 

Ebenezer  Colby,  War  of  1812. 

Michael  Case,  Forty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  H. 

John  Campbell,  Seventeenth  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Henry  N.  Chamberlain,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Cavalry. 

George  W.  Chamberlain,  Sixth  Wisconsin  Infantry,  Com- 
pany G. 

Henry  A.  Chamberlain,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  Com- 
pany G. 

Chris  Cramer,  Forty-second  Wisconsin  Infantry,  Company  H. 

W.  D.  Davie,  Seventeenth  Illinois  Cavalry,  Company  C. 

Clark  Button,  Fortieth  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Oscar  Dunbar,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  Company  A. 

Patrick   Doran,   Seventeenth   Wisconsin,   Company  F. 

John  Doyle,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

Willis  A.  Dowd,  Forty-seventh  Wisconsin,  Company  H. 

George  AV.  Dates,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Thomas  J.  Flood,  Thirty-first  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

Thomas  Fitzgerald,  Seventeenth  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

James  Funnell,  First  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

Alexander  Gordon,  captain  Seventh  Wisconsin,  Company  K, 

Peter  Goewey. 

Frederick  W.  Goddard,  First  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

Frederick  Gibbons,  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Com- 
pany G. 

Edward  A.  Goddard,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  I. 

Frank  Goddard. 

Thomas  W.  Harnden,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  379 

Horace  H.  Hackett,  Twentieth  Indiana,  Company  B. 

Nathaniel  Holmes,  War  of  1812. 

John  N.  Jones. 

Benjamin  F.  Kline,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

William  J.  Kelly,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

Sydney  Knill,  Fourth  AYisconsin  Battery. 

Thomas  H.  Knill,  Second  Wisconsin,  Company  D. 

James  G.  Luce,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois,  Company  D. 

John  R.  Lee. 

John  G.  Lambert. 

H.  M.  Lilly. 

C.  A.  Minott,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

W.  S.  Miller,  Sixteenth  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

Peter  S.  Miller,  Fifth  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

H.  B.  Miller. 

William  Morse. 

Benning  Mann,  Forty-seventh  Wisconsin,  Company  H. 

Frederick  Mott,  Second  Wisconsin,  Company  M. 

H.  A.  Northrop,  lieutenant  Fortieth  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

M.  A.  Northrop,  captain  Sixth  AYisconsin,  Company  G. 

Horace  Ormsby,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

J.  E.  Pangborn,  Fifth  Iowa,  Company  G. 

Charles  E.  Preston,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  Company  E. 

George  Ruble. 

Freeman  B.  Riddle,  Thirty-seventh  Wisconsin,  Company  C. 

Mervin  C.  Ross,  Sixteenth  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

Ichabod  Ross,  War  of  1812. 

Jeremiah  Riley,  170th  New  York,  Company  G. 

N.  B.  Perry,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Harvey  C.  Smith,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Frank  H.  Smith,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Noble  H.  Smith,  lieutenant  First  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 

W.  H.  Smith. 

0.  J.  Shipnes,  lieutenant-colonel  Fifteenth  Wisconsin. 

George  L.  Shue,  Fortieth  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Thomas  Savage,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

W.  H.  Tattershall. 

J.  F.  Vallee,  captain  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

J.  H.  Vercalin,  colonel.  War  of  1812. 

Vinson  G.  Willard,  Sixteenth  Wisconsin,  Company  F. 


380  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

Butler  J.  Wetmore, 

Charles  Waggoner,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  Company  B. 
Mark  Young,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 
James  H.  Wells,  Sixteenth  Indiana,  Company  D. 
Charles  M.  Carrier. 

A.  R.  Dresser,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 
W.  H.  Kinney,  Fortieth  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 
Jacob  Sutter,  War  of  1812. 
Philip  Burns. 
Daniel  Dixon. 

William  H.  Towsley,  Fourth  Wisconsin. 
Hugh  Riley,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 
James  King,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 
Albert  Webb,  Sixth  Wisconsin,  Company  G. 
Alpha  Thorp. 
Frank  Riddle. 

Dr.  J.  L.  Brenton,  surgeon-in-chief.  Second  Division,  Second 
Corps. 

Hiram  Ellingson. 

George  B.  Easterly,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

Charles  W.  Hannahs,  Forty-third  Wisconsin,  Company  D. 

Filas  Malone. 

Joslyn  Southard. 

D.  A.  Adams,  Sixteenth  Infantry,  Company  F. 

Alden  B.  Winn,  musician,  Fifth  Wisconsin  Band. 

Henry  H.  Carter,  Forty-seventh  Wisconsin,  Company  H. 

W.  H.  Allen,  second  lieutenant,  Sixth  Wisconsin. 

C.  F.  North,  First  Minnesota  Infantry. 

George  M.  Farnsworth,  Ninety-sixth  Illinois,  Company  G. 

Horatio  Pratt,  Chicago  Mercantile  Battery. 

C.  S.  Pereival. 

John  Popp. 

S.  S.  Moss. 

Dennis  Fox. 

C.  A.  Colby,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

Calvin  Washburn,  Fifty-second  Illinois  Infantry. 

Henry  Cramer. 

Ebenezer  Newton,  War  of  1812. 

Joseph  Rambolt,  Third  Wisconsin,  Company  H. 

C.  Compton,  Fifty-second  Pennsylvania,  Company  K. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  381 

L.  Emmerson,  Thirteenth  "Wisconsin,  Company  F. 
Alvin  "West,  Fourth  "Wisconsin  Battery. 
G.  B.  Elkins. 

John  Carroll,  Fourtli  Wisconsin  Battery. 
John  Campbell. 
"W.  A.  Montgomery, 
"W.  M.  Ferguson. 
Henry  Osborne,  117th  New  York,  Company  E. 
John  D.  Grout,  Twelfth  Illinois,  Company  H. 
J.  J.  Blaisdell,  chaplain,  Fortieth  Wisconsin. 
F.  S.  Fenton,  musician.  Fifth  Wisconsin  Band. 
Luther  C.  Irish,  musician,  Seventy-seventh  New  York. 
Charles  H.  Nye,  sergeant,  Fortieth  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 
J.  R.  Rathbun,  Forty-fourth  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Martin  Laflin,  Ninetieth  Illinois,  Company  B. 
Joseph  English,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 
J.  Parkhurst,  War  of  1812. 
S.  Hopkins,  War  of  1812. 
Captain  William  Moore,  1776. 

Albert  N.  Chamberlin,  Fourth  Wisconsin,  Company  G. 
William  Leggitt,  musician. 
Benjamin  F.  Howe. 

Mace  W.  Molestead,  First  Wisconsin,  Company  E,  Spanish 
Cassia  Morris,  First  Wisconsin,  Company  E,  Spanish. 
Frank  Sehipman,  First  Wisconsin,  Company  E,  Spanish. 
Fred  E.  Cousins,  First  Wisconsin,  Company  E,  Spanish. 
Harry  G.  Smith,  Second  Wisconsin,  Company  I,  Spanish. 
Charles  H.  Cox,  H.  Conklin  Post,  of  Troy,  Wis. 
Michael  Egan. 

Calvin  H.  Bullock,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 
Edward  Carroll,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 
David  Kipp,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois,  Company  B. 
Rufus  King. 

S.  S.  Herrick,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin. 

John   J.   Franklin,   sergeant,    Eighteenth   Connecticut,    Com 
pany  E. 

Francis  N.  Graves,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

William  T.  Moore,  lieutenant. 

Charles  H.  Menzie,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  D. 

Jesse  Edgerton,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  E. 


382  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

Charles  Ingleby. 

Samuel  Fulton. 

John  Moran,  Eighth  New  York,  Company  H. 

John  Matthews,  Iowa  regiment. 

Gordon  E.  Smith,  Fortieth  Wisconsin. 

Thomas  Moore. 

Henry  Pettit,  Seventy-fourth  Illinois. 

Robert  J.  Butler,  Fourth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

Edgar  F.  Barr. 

Michael  Kelley,  Twenty-third  Illinois,  Company  B. 

Michael  Smith. 

Horace  Brown,  153d  Illinois,  Company  A. 

Martin  Purcell. 

W.  S.  Thompson. 

Albert  Rayment. 

Marsh  Harnden,  Forty-third  Wisconsin. 

Sylvester  Smith,  Seventh  New  York  Artillery. 

Martins  Hansen,  Forty-third  Wisconsin,  Company  D. 

James  Croft,  Eighth  Wisconsin. 

James  Green,  regular  army. 

Thomas  P.  Northrop,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

A.  A.  Perkins,  War  of  1812. 

John  L.  Cranston. 

Alfred  Field,  Spanish  War. 

A.  Cornelius,  Spanish  War. 

Harry  Hinder,  Spanish  War. 

John  Hill. 

A.  J.  Holliday,  Fortieth  Iowa  Infantry,  Company  K. 

S.  L.  Bibbins,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Martin  De  Lano,  Tenth  Maine. 

John  K.  Smith,  Sixteenth  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

S.  C.  Fesenden,  Third  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

J.  W.  Dawson,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

Simeon  Wescot. 

Oscar  Watts,  Forty-fourth  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

H.  P.  Lord,  Seventh  Minnesota. 

Edward  Corcoran,  Fifty-fifth  Illinois. 

George  F.  Baldwin,  Thirteenth  New  York,  Company  D. 

A.  W.  Bullock,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY  383 

William  Rogers. 

George  Hayes. 

John  L.  Lee. 

W.  H.  Calvert,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin,  Company  B. 

William  A.  Y.  Riley,  Fifty-tifth  Illinois,  Company  C. 

C.  H.  Conklin,  Spanish  War,  Company  E. 

Soldiers  and  Sailors  of  the  War  of  1861-65  Buried  in  Oak  Hill 

Cemetery,  Janesville,  Wis. 

First  Division.  Ira  Foster,  H.  C.  Tilton,  E.  0.  Weight,  James 
Mills,  II.  H.  AVhittier.  (Company  G,  Eighth  Wisconsin  Infantry), 
William  W.  Spaulding,  C.  G.  Gillett,  W.  H.  Hayes,  William  Grif- 
fith. Joseph  Baker,  Ira  Miltimore,  Ed  Barry,  John  Berrie,  James 
Armstrong,  Leonard  Hause,  Isaac  Woodle,  Charles  Allen,  Jerry 
Bates,  S.  S.  Hart,  Charles  W.  McHenry,  T.  N.  AVilliams,  J.  T. 
Causius,  L.  P.  Norcross,  Dr.  Henry  Palmer,  N.  Cratsenberg,  Will- 
iam Watson,  F.  Penny  cook,  John  Nicholson,  E.  W.  Jones,  an  un- 
known grave,  S.  Clemmons,  Dr.  J.  B.  W^hiting,  Mark  Williams, 

P.  F.  Norcross,  L.  S.  Ilildabrandt.  Magee,  A.  W.  Fessi- 

den,  D.  P.  Smith,  Gus  Parker,  T.  J.  Dann. 

Second  Division.  A.  C.  Ames  (Twelfth  AVisconsin  Battery), 
C.  Bostwick,  Robert  Peters  (Company  G,  Eighth  Wisconsin  In- 
fantry), John  Prague,  William  Reed,  Jacob  Smith,  G.  M.  Smith, 

R.  R.  Loon,  Thomas  i\Iaine,  Ambrose,  L.  G.  Horton,  John 

Belton,  Chris  Dyke,  I.  W.  Reynolds,  H.  H.  Holt,  Charles  Lee, 
John  Chase,  W.  P.  Wakefield,  E.  S.  Hayward,  Chris  Yager,  Al. 
Bintliff,  Robert  Achison,  H.  C.  HoUis,  Henry  Jarvis,  C.  W.  Whit- 
tier,  D.  Woodstock,  Henry  Dow,  S.  Kerr,  A.  H.  Fitch,  John  Spar- 
ling,  H.  C.  Cory,  H.  Tompkins,  William  Benedict,  Daniel  Skelly, 
Peter  Howlaud,  A.  W.  Alden,  G.  G.  Giles,  A.  Malone,  Asa  Phelps, 
N.  Fellows,  C.  H.  Spencer,  Adam  Sanner,  Henry  Wingate 
(Twelfth  Wisconsin  Battery),  William  Trask  (Company  G,  Eighth 
Wisconsin  Infantry),  C.  G.  Pease,  Gage  Burgess  (Company  E, 
Twenty-second  Wisconsin  Infantry),  G.  H.  Duncan,  T.  C.  Fisher, 
Gravenstine,  General  Bintliff,  Henry  Hemming,  W.  Palm- 
er and  T.  T.  Croft  (both  of  Twelfth  Wisconsin  Battery),  N.  Fred- 
ericks, E.  C.  Sheffield,  P.  S.  Fenton,  Henry  Stienmetz  (Company 
F,  Sixth  Wisconsin  Infantry). 

Third  Division.     S.  J.   M.  Putnam,  George  Bentley,  H.  A. 


384  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Moore,  Joseph  Harris,  Charles  "Wilmarth,  M.  D.  Wilson,  Joseph 
A.  Jones,  F.  A.  Kimball,  S.  P.  Dinnin,  H.  B.  Williams,  R.  F. 
Frazier,  F.  Sehermerhorn,  George  Rockwood,  Howard  Hoskins, 
J.  Bramer,  M.  Sexton,  Theo.  H.  Tripp,  John  Jaekman,  Henry 
Peters,  Thomas  J.  Brook,  H.  Hay,  F.  D.  Parker,  C.  Callender, 
Elias  Shopbell,  Fred  T.  Jaekman,  A.  M.  Pratt  (Company  E,  Third 
Wisconsin  Cavalry),  A.  R.  Graham,  Henry  Wood,  Henry  Will- 
iams, John  T.  Wilcoxes,  Samuel  Clark,  John  Cummings,  John 
Rutherford,  Charles  E.  Bowles  (Company  E,  Twenty-second 
Wisconsin),  Silas  Gibbs,  Frank  A.  Bennett. 

Fourth  Division.  Martin  Dewey,  J.  L.  Eaton,  John  Smith,  D. 
H.  Whittlesy,  J.  L.  Whittlesy,  W.  H.  Sargent  (Company  G, 
Eighth  Wisconsin  Infantry),  J.  C.  Brock,  W.  H.  Frizell,  Ira  Al- 
len, Ethan  Allen,  S.  Lewis,  George  Marshall,  Thomas  Parks, 
Theo.  Ballon,  D.  Cramer,  N.  Case,  D.  M.  Davey,  James  Bliss,  Ser- 
geant Childers,  Jonas  Parish,  Thomas  Walsh,  Charles  Francis, 
J.  H.  McDonald,  AVilliam  Gammon,  George  Gammon,  John  C. 
Metcalf,  S.  G.  Sisson,  Jacob  Heller,  William  Bates,  William  Brun- 
dage,  Clark  Popple,  A.  D.  Maxfield  (Company  E,  Third  Wiscon- 
sin Cavalry),  Timothy  Vantile,  George  Phelps  (Company  B,  Fif- 
ty-second Wisconsin  Infantry). 

Soldiers  and  Sailors  of  the  War  of  1861-65  Buried  at  Mount  Oli- 
vet Cemetery,  Janesville,  Wis. 

Fifth  Division.    Ed.  Kelly, O'Flarety,  O'Flar- 

ety, O'Flarety,  M.  McKeigue,  P.  Connors,  M.  Dooley,  John 

Herrington,  Nick  Weelson,  John  Dougherty,  A.  Keenan,  J.  Daly, 
John  Ring,  Pat  Kelly,  Ed.  McCormick,  M.  Larkin,  J.  A.  Little, 
R.  Brooks,  Thomas  Holleran,  A.  M.  Russell,  M.  Murphy,  John 
Lawton,  John  R.  Ryan,  Dennis  Ryan,  Joseph  Wallace,  James 
0  'Brien,  D.  Morety,  D.  C.  Denning,  James  Dumphy,  William  Mur- 
phy, Charles  Fox,  John  O'Leary,  Patrick  Riley,  Thomas  Croak, 
W.  H.  Campbell,  S.  Stickney,  Thomas  Baker,  Thomas  Mackin, 
John  Lawler. 

Soldiers  and  Sailors  of  the  War  of  1861-65,  of  the  Town  of  Har- 
mony, Buried  at  Mt.  Zion  Cemetery,  Wisconsin. 

Alexander  Taylor,  H.  H.  Wilcoxs,  B.  W.  Palmer,  Ira  Clark, 
William  Edgar  Sr.,  Wm.  Edgar  Jr.,  C.  L.  Glass. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  385 

Soldiers  and  Sailors  of  the  War  of  1861-65  Buried  at  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant Cemetery,  Town  of  Janesville,  Wis. 

John  J.  Bear,  Company  6,  Eighth  Wisconsin  Infantry;  W. 

C.  Pope ;  A.  L.  Cutts,  Company  E,  Fifth  Wisconsin  Infantry ;  G. 

D.  Flagler,  Company  G,  Eighth  Wisconsin  Infantry;  J.  B.  Har- 
vey, Company  E,  Twenty-second  Wisconsin  Infanty ;  A.  Daggett, 
Company  E,  Fifth  Wisconsin  Infantry;  A.  Heacock,  Seventh  Wis- 
consin Infantry;  W.  A.  Harvey,  surgeon,  Seventh  Wisconsin; 
Albert  Butts,  Company  E,  Fifth  Wisconsin;  Sylvester  Flagler, 
Company  A,  Fortieth  Wisconsin ;  James  Ingle,  Company  F,  Thir- 
ty-fifth Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Soldiers  Buried  in  Emerald  Grove  Cemetery. 

Lieutenant  D.  Duane  Wemple,  U.  S.  N.,  died  December  24, 
1864;  Captain  A.  Zeily  Wemple,  Company  F,  Thirty-third  Wis- 
consin Volunteer  Infantry,  died  March  9,  1863;  George  Playter, 
Company  A.  Fortieth  Wisconsin,  died  Memphis,  Tenn.,  August 
15,  1864;  Isaac  Earle,  Company  D,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Vol- 
unteers, died  at  New  Madrid,  Mo.,  June  21,  1863;  Isaac  Earle, 
Jr.,  Company  A,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  died 
September  17,  1880;  Frank  Thompson,  Company  A,  Thirteenth 
Wisconsin  Infantry,  died  October  13,  1878;  Elbridge  S.  Smith, 
Company  A,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin,  died  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  May 
5,  1862;  Henry  A.  Jones,  Company  M,  Second  Wisconsin  Cav- 
alry, died  at  Vicksburg  September  25,  1864;  Adam  Airis,  Com- 
pany B,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin,  died  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  April  18, 
1862;  Nelson  Butler,  Company  A,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin,  died 
June   9,   1884;   Charles  Beaumont,   Company  B,   Thirty-seventh 

Illinois,  buried  June  29,  1891;  Joseph  Luke  ;  Thomas  C. 

Chamberlain,  Company  M,  Second  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  died  March 
17,  1889 ;  Albert  Warner,  died  May  27,  1887 ;  S.  S.  Warner,  Com- 
pany A,  Fifth  Regiment,  died  November  4,  1891 ;  Myron  Hart, 
Company  A,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin,  died  April  1,  1896;  John  M. 
Davis,  first  lieutenant  Fifteenth  New  York,  died  January  28, 
1900;  George  H.  Meloy,  Thirteenth  Minnesota,  died  June  28, 
1900;  Veder  S.  Davis,  Company  F,  Thirteenth  Regiment,  died 
August  4,  1903;  Stephen  Higby,  Fifth  New  York  Artillery,  died 
May  24,  1907. 


386  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

List  of  Soldiers  Buried  in  the  Grove  Cemetery,  Town  of  Center, 

Rock  County,  Wis. 

Eden  Harvey,  Company  D,  First  New  Jersey  Cavalry,  died 
December  31,  1867;  William  W.  Wiggins,  Fifth  Wisconsin  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  died  April  17,  1903 ;  J.  B.  Frazier,  Company  A, 
Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  died  in  1862;  Ralph 
M.  Tappan,  died  February  18,  1870 ;  William  I.  Hakes,  Company 
H,  Forty-sixth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  died  November  18, 
1865;  George  A.  Clark,  Company  F,  Sixteenth  Wisconsin  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  died  May  4,  1864;  Arvah  F.  Cole,  Battery  D, 
First  W^isconsin  Heavy  Artillery,  died  October  17,  1865;  James 
H.  Brown,  Company  M,  Second  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  died  Novem- 
ber 25,  1892;  Stephen  W.  Newbraugh,  Company  M,  First  Wis- 
consin Cavalry,  died  April  9,  1865 ;  William  H.  Wallace,  Com- 
pany M.  Second  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  died  March  11,  1865;  John 
L.  Snyder,  Company  G,  Sixth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  died 
June  16,  1864;  George  Robinson,  died  September  29,  1865;  D. 
McDonal,  Company  D,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry, 
died  January  24,  1893. 

List  of  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Buried  in  Bethel  Cemetery,  Town  of 

Center,  Rock  County,  Wis. 

Oilman  B.  Austin,  sailor;  Elias  Fockler;  Jacob  Hetrick,  Com- 
pany F,  Thirty-third  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry;  Adam  Korn, 
Second  U.  S.  Dragoons;  Joseph  Thompson,  Company  F,  Thirty- 
third  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry;  George  Thompson;  Syl- 
vanus  F.  Wallihan,  Company  D,  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Infantry; 
Milton  Wells,  Company  H,  Sixteenth  West  Virginia  Volunteers; 
John  Witham ;  Lorenzo  Witham ;  Horace  Wright. 

Soldiers  and  Sailors  of  War  of  1812. 

Joseph  Davis,  Oilman  Goodrich. 
Soldiers  and  Sailors  Buried  in  Town  of  Rock  Cemetery. 

Bennett,  George  Groner,  Stephen  Cary,  William  Gunn, 

Company  F,  145th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Summary. 

Rock  Town  Cemetery 4 

Janesville   Town    13 


A    A 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY  387 

Harmony  Town   7 

^It.  Olivet,  City,  Janesville 39 

Oak  Hill,  City,  Janesville 170 

Emerald  Grove 20 

Grove  Cemetery,  Center 14 

Bethel   Cemetery,   Center 11 

Beloit    cemeteries    200 

August,    1898,   total 478 

Governor  Harvey. 

Condensed  from  Love's  "Wisconsin  in  the  War." 
Louis  Powell  Harvey  was  born  in  East  Haddon,  Conn.,  July 
22,  1820,  and  at  eight  years  of  age  went  with  his  parents  to 
Strongville,  Ohio.  They  were  hard  workers  and  trained  him  to 
manual  labor,  but  he  was  eager  for  an  education.  Thrown  upon 
his  own  resources  before  he  was  nineteen  years  old,  he  yet  man- 
aged to  enter  the  freshman  class  of  the  Western  Reserve  College 
at  Hudson,  Ohio,  in  1837,  but  left  at  the  end  of  the  junior  year 
on  account  of  ill  health.  He  was  a  favorite  among  his  fellow 
students  and  left  behind  him  the  reputation  of  brilliant  natural 
talent  and  a  character  without  stain.  After  teaching  two  years 
in  Kentucky  he  came  to  Southport  (now  Kenosha),  Wis.,  in  1841, 
and  in  December,  1841,  opened  an  academy  there.  Two  years 
later  he  added  the  duties  of  editor  of  the  Southport  "American," 
a  Whig  paper,  which  he  made  spirited  and  vigorous.  He  was 
a  temperance  man,  for  a  short  term  postmaster,  and  always  in- 
terested in  the  public  schools. 

In  1847  he  married  Miss  Cordelia  Perrine  and,  moving  to 
Clinton,  Wis.,  began  there  mercantile  life.  Later  he  moved  to 
Shopiere,  Rock  county,  purchased  the  water-power,  tore  down 
the  distillery  that  had  cursed  the  village,  and  in  its  place  built 
a  flouring  mill  and  established  a  retail  store.  Mainly  by  his  in- 
fluence and  gifts  the  Congregational  church  there,  to  which  he 
belonged,  was  housed  in  a  neat  stone  edifice,  and  his  uncle.  Rev. 
0.  S.  Powell,  settled  as  its  pastor.  In  the  fall  of  1853  Mr.  Harvey 
was  elected  to  the  senate  of  Wisconsin,  then  to  be  secretary  of 
State,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1861  was  made  governor  by  a  very 
large  majority.  Governor  Harvey's  message  following  his  in- 
auguration, the  first  annual  message  after  the  opening  of  the 


"388  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

war.  was  declared  equal  to  that  of  any  executive  Wisconsin  ever 
had,  and  strongly  upheld  the  national  administration.  He  was 
a  good  public  speaker  and  a  man  of  great  practical  sense. 

Immediately  after  the  bloody  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing 
Governor  Harvey  gathered  ninety  boxes  of  the  most  serviceable 
supplies  for  the  soldiers — sixty-one  boxes  from  Milwaukee,  thir- 
teen from.  Madison,  nine  from  Janesville,  six  from  Beloit  and  one 
from  Clinton — and  personally  accompanied  them  to  see  that  the 
supplies  were  jjroperly  distributed  to  our  wounded  and  sick  Wis- 
consin boys.  His  interviews  with  these  at  Cairo,  Mound  City, 
Paducah  and  in  the  hospitals  and  on  the  hospital  boats,  his  warm 
grasp  of  the  hand  and  word  of  cordial  sympathy,  brought  tears  of 
joy  to  the  faces  of  many  brave  soldiers  and  good  cheer  to  their 
hearts.  At  Savannah,  where  more  than  200  of  our  wounded  sol- 
diers were  suffering  from  neglect  and  lack  of  care,  his  coming  and 
kindness  and  care  for  them  caused  scenes  so  affecting  that  the 
feelings  of  both  governor  and  men  would  often  be  too  strong  for 
words. 

While  he  was  ascending  the  river  to  Pittsburg  occurred  the 
day  appointed  for  national  thanksgiving.  At  a  meeting  held  in 
the  steamer  cabin,  when  the  president's  proclamation  was  read, 
Governor  Harvey,  joining  in  the  service,  made  not  only  a  patri- 
otic but  also  a  religious  address.  He  was  a  manly  Christian. 
Such  was  the  high  respect  in  which  he  was  held  that  rough  men 
never  used  rough  language  in  his  presence.  Governor  Harvey's 
arrival  at  the  camp  of  the  Wisconsin  regiments  at  Pittsburg 
Landing,  where  were  hundreds  of  sick  and  wounded  men  who 
had  been  rushed  into  battle  only  a  few  weeks  after  leaving  their 
state,  caused  in  all  their  hearts  a  thrill  of  joy.  He  worked  con- 
tinually among  the  men,  seeking  in  every  possible  way  to  relieve 
their  sufferings  and  to  renew  their  courage  and  hope ;  he  also 
carefully  ascertained  who  had  distinguished  themselves  in  battle 
and  took  their  names  in  order  to  give  them  well-deserved  promo- 
tion, a  good  resolve  prevented  only  by  his  own  death.  Saturday 
morning,  April  19,  1862,  Governor  Harvey  went  ten  miles  down 
the  Tennessee  river  to  Savannah  to  take  there  next  morning  a 
steamer  for  Cairo.  After  the  party  had  retired  for  the  night,  at 
about  10  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  "Minnehaha"  hove  in  sight, 
and  Governor  Harvey  with  others  took  position  near  the  edge  and 
fore  part  of  his  steamer,  the  "Dunleith,"  ready  to  pass  to  the  ap- 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  389 

proaching  boat.  As  the  bow  of  the  "Minnehaha"  swung  around 
close  to  the  party  on  the  "Dunleith"  Governor  Harvey  stepped  on 
one  side,  and,  the  night  being  dark  and  rainy,  slipped  and  fell 
between  the  two  steamers.  The  current  was  strong,  and  not- 
withstanding the  frantic  efforts  of  several  brave  friends  he  was, 
it  is  supposed,  drawn  under  a  flatboat  near  by  and  so  drowned. 
A  long  search  was  made  for  the  body  in  vain,  but  some  days 
later  it  was  discovered  by  children  at  a  point  about  sixty-five 
miles  below.  The  remains,  hastily  buried  there,  were  afterwards 
brought  to  Madison  and  with  public  services  of  respect  duly  in- 
terred in  Forest  Hill  Cemetery  near  the  capital.  Rev.  M.  P.  Kin- 
ney, of  Janesville,  conducting  the  religious  service.  Lieutenant- 
Governor  Edward  Salomon  appointed  Thursday,  May  1,  a  day 
of  rest  to  commemorate  Governor  Harvey's  death.  At  the  state 
capitol  he  introduced  the  services  by  an  appropriate  address, 
and  President  A.  L.  Chapin  of  Beloit  College  pronounced  a  fit- 
ting eulogy.  Similar  services  were  held  in  various  places  through- 
out the  state.  The  public  press  was  draped  in  mourning,  and 
the  people  grieved  that  their  much-loved  governor,  only  forty- 
two  years  old,  had  been  taken  away  in  the  midst  of  his  days. 

Mrs.  Cordelia  A.  Harvey.  A  fitting  accompaniment  to  this 
brief  biography  of  Governor  Harvey  is  some  mention  of  his  wife, 
who  did  so  much  for  our  soldiers.  His  last  letter  to  her,  dated 
Pittsburg  Landing,  April  17,  1862,  had  but  these  three  sentences : 
"Yesterday  was  the  day  of  my  life.  Thank  God  for  the  impulse 
that  brought  me  here.  I  am  well  and  have  done  more  good  by 
coming  than  I  can  tell  you."  That  letter  and  the  death  of  her 
husband  inspired  Mrs.  Harvey  to  devote  herself  to  the  interests 
of  our  soldiers.  Asking  and  receiving  permission  from  Governor 
Salomon  to  visit  hospitals  in  the  western  department  as  an  agent 
of  the  state,  she  went  in  the  autumn  of  1862  to  St.  Louis  and  vis- 
ited many  general  hospitals  along  the  Mississippi  river  and  post 
hospitals  of  the  Wisconsin  troops.  The  heat  was  oppressive  and 
contagious  diseases  prevailed,  but  she  persevered  until  herself 
taken  ill  near  Vicksburg  in  the  spring  of  1863,  when  she  was 
obliged  to  return  home  to  Shopiere,  Wis.  Deeply  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  having  general  hospitals  in  the  northern  states, 
she  went  to  Washington  and  saw  President  Lincoln  himself  about 
it.  He  thought,  as  did  all  his  army  advisers,  that  hospitals  in 
the  North  would  encourage  desertion.     Mrs.  Harvey,  however. 


390  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

declared  that  many  of  the  sick  soldiers  in  our  western  armies 
must  have  northern  air  or  die.  Lincoln  said  that  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Antietam  the  United 
States  was  paying  for  170,000  men,  and  yet  only  83,000  could  be 
mustered  for  that  action.  Lincoln  sent  her  to  the  secretary  of 
war  and  wrote  on  the  back  of  her  letter  of  introduction:  "Listen 
to  what  she  says.  She  is  a  lady  of  intelligence  and  talks  sense." 
Stanton  told  her  that  the  surgeon-general  had  gone  to  New  Or- 
leans— that  he  would  examine  the  river  hospitals  and  report. 
Knowing  well  that  his  report  would  agree  with  the  opinion  of 
those  above  him,  she  returned  in  despair  to  Lincoln  and  pleaded 
so  earnestly  for  our  suffering  boys  in  blue  that  an  order  was 
issued  granting  a  hospital  in  Wisconsin,  and  she  was  given  an 
order  that  enabled  her  to  take  sick  and  wounded  Wisconsin  sol- 
diers to  it.  One  hundred  such  cases  at  Fort  Pickering,  who  were 
pronounced  nearly  hopeless,  were  taken  to  this  Harvey  Hospital 
at  Madison,  Wis. ;  seven  of  them  died,  five  were  discharged,  and 
all  the  rest  returned  to  the  service. 

Mrs.  Harvey  continued  her  work  as  long  as  the  soldiers  re- 
mained in  the  field.  At  the  close  of  the  war  she  obtained  from 
the  government  the  additions  it  had  made  to  the  Farwell  man- 
sion at  Madison  for  the  United  States  Harvey  Hospital,  and  on 
January  1,  1866,  opened  that  building  as  a  Soldiers'  Orphans' 
Home.  In  March,  1866,  by  act  of  the  state  legislature  and  Gov- 
ernor Fairchild,  it  became  one  of  the  benevolent  institutions  of 
the  state. 

Louis  H.  D.  Crane  Avas  born  in  Westmoreland,  Oneida  county, 
N.  Y.,  July  7,  1826,  the  son  of  a  Presbyterian  minister.  His  father 
was  a  strong  anti-slavery  speaker,  and  his  eldest  brother  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  American  Board.  After  graduating  from  Ham- 
ilton College  he  studied  medicine  a  year,  then  law,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1850.  After  his  marriage  to  Miss  Lucy  M. 
Burrall,  of  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  in  the  fall  of  1852,  he  came  in 
the  spring  of  1853  to  Beloit,  Wis.,  and  taught  very  acceptably  in 
our  Union  School  No.  1.  In  1856  he  moved  to  Dodgeville,  Wis., 
and  was  promptly  elected  district  attorney  of  Iowa  county.  Two 
years  later  he  was  chosen  chief  clerk  of  the  assembly  in  the  Wis- 
consin legislature,  was  reelected  annually  for  four  years  in  suc- 
cession, and  almost  unanimously.  In  1859  he  removed  to  Ripon, 
Wis.    When  the  war  broke  out  he  was  elected  lieutenant  in  the 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  391 

Third  Regiment,  and  immediately  promoted  to  the  adjutancy. 
He  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  in  June  and  was  killed  in  the 
action  at  Cedar  Mountain,  Virginia,  June  1,  1862.  The  citizens 
of  Beloit,  Wis.,  claimed  his  body,  which  after  suitable  and  im- 
pressive honors  was  buried  at  the  city  cemetery.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  The  Beloit  6.  A.  R.  Post  No. 
54  is  named  for  him. 

THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  WAR. 

THE  ONE  HUNDRED  DAYS  MEN  OF  1864. 

I.     Going  Out. 

(For  the  benefit  of  a  younger  generation  this  article,  prepared 
from  old  letters  and  my  diary  of  that  time,  is  added  as  a  sketch 
of  the  romance  of  war.) 

The  late  Spanish  or  Cuban  war  enlisted  a  few  of  our  young 
men  and  awakened  in  our  state  some  popular  interest.  But  the 
young  people  of  to-day  have  not  felt  and  indeed  cannot  fully 
know  that  burning  excitement  which  overflowed  all  our  hearts 
in  1864.  Then  the  very  existence  of  this  nation  was  in  danger. 
There  was  a  high  war  fever  and  even  the  children  had  it. 

Between  the  years  1861  and  1864  many  loyal  volunteers  had 
gone  to  the  front  from  our  town  and  from  the  college  here  at 
Beloit,  while  we  younger  boys  had  been  kept  at  home  and  at  our 
books  until  1864. 

Early  in  that  year,  however,  came  the  call  for  several  regi- 
ments to  serve  for  one  hundred  days  and  mainly  on  garrison  or 
picket  duty.  They  would  set  free  and  send  to  the  front  just  as 
many  of  Grant's  veterans  and  thus  would  render  good  service. 
To  this  romance  of  war  even  the  parents  of  an  only  son  could 
not  object.  College  authorities  approved.  Our  beloved  Professor 
Blaisdell  enlisted  as  chaplain  and  a  prominent  citizen,  Alfred  L. 
Field,  served  as  quartermaster  of  the  40th. 

Besides  the  enthusiastic  meetings  down  town,  we  had  student 
gatherings,  speeches  and  war  songs  in  the  college  chapel,  now  art 
room,  2d  story,  and  amid  rousing  cheers  one  and  another  declared 
it  his  purpose  to  enlist. 

When  Henry  D.  Porter  took  that  stand,  it  was  suggested  that 
he  was  too  short  for  the  United  States  requirement.  At  once  a 
committee  was   appointed  to   take   him   out   and   measure   him. 


392  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

"Whether  that  committee  stretched  Henry  or  the  truth  or  both  or 
neither  is  immaterial.  They  promptly  reported  that  he  was 
exactly  at  the  limit,  five  feet.  (Tremendous  cheering.)  It  should 
be  added  that  he  was  never  sick,  always  ready  for  duty  and  did 
good  service  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  his  term. 

Besides  many  of  us  town  boys,  thirty-one  from  the  college 
classes  (about  half  the  whole  number)  and  twenty-five  preps 
enlisted  in  the  -lOth  Regiment,  Wisconsin  Volunteers,  called  the 
Students'  Regiment. 

After  several  days'  drilling  on  the  college  campus.  May  18th, 
with  flags  and  cheers,  we  took  the  cars  for  Camp  Randall  (now 
the  "Wisconsin  University  athletic  field)  at  Madison.  A  ruddy 
young  Norwegian  sitting  in  a  car  seat  near  me  said  in  a  rather 
weak  voice  that  his  name  was  George  Travis  from  Illinois.  To 
our  great  surprise  he  was  arrested  and  sent  off  that  same  evening, 
because  the  United  States  army  does  not  enlist  women.  May  19. 
1864.  Last  night  we  had  our  first  camp  supper,  consisting  of 
bread  and  coffee  without  milk  or  sugar,  and  then  drew  blankets 
and  bunks  for  the  night.  My  bed  was  a  bare  board  and  I  slept 
soundly  on  it.  May  20.  "Went  to  Madison  University  and  from 
the  top  of  the  main  building  sketched  our  camp.  The  barracks 
look  like  cattle  sheds  on  a  fair  ground.  May  24.  Larry  Foote 
and  Moffat  Halliday  are  playing  cards  at  my  elbow  and  they 
slap  the  table  so  enelrgetically  that  it  roughens  my  writing.  To 
that  usual  army  game,  however,  the  40th  adds  chess  and  checkers, 
with  many  superior  players.  Yesterday  we  signed  enlistment 
papers  in  triplicate.  At  our  physical  examination  to-day,  when 
the  surgeon  came  to  W.  H.  Fitch  he  gave  him  a  playful  poke  and 
Baid:  "A  man  with  your  chest  can  go  anywhere.".  Our  college 
boys  all  passed.  June  1.  A  dozen  of  us  were  furnished  with  mus- 
kets and  bayonets  and  stationed  at  the  prison  where  there  are 
thirty  prisoners,  mostly  deserters.  "We  stood  guard  all  night  and 
found  it  chilly. 

Sunday,  June  5th.  Chaplain  Blaisdell  conducted  divine  ser- 
vice in  the  open  air  behind  the  captain's  quarters  on  the  hill,  and 
a  choir  of  Beloit  boys  sang.  June  7.  This  afternoon  seven  com- 
panies were  sworn  in.  Our  Company  B.  was  disposed  of  second. 
A  lieutenant  of  the  regulars,  standing  by  Colonel  Ray,  called  off 
our  names  and  unless  he  stopped  us,  each  answering,  "Here," 
marched  down  the  front  and  formed  in  a  line  to  the  right.    Four 


MILITARY  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  393 

men  from  Beloit  were  refused.  The  oath  was  duly  administered 
to  the  rest  and  we  marched  back  to  our  barracks  regular  soldiers 
of  the  United  States.    Hurrah ! 

June  8.  "We  have  to  roll  out  for  roll  call  at  5  a.  m.,  take  two 
hours'  drill  in  the  morning,  two  more  in  the  afternoon  and  often 
two  hours'  battalion  drill  after  supper.  This  afternoon  I  was 
sent  with  W.  A.  Cochran  and  three  others  to  the  hospital  and 
we  were  set  to  pounding  clothes  in  a  barrel.  Two  hours  of  that 
work  and  one  of  carrying  wood  has  saved  us,  however,  from 
twenty-four  hours'  guard  duty,  in  this  rain.  Soldiering  begins  to 
lose  some  of  its  romance.  We  have  to  obey  orders.  June  11th. 
To-day  clothing  and  guns  were  issued.  Each  man  got  a  woolen 
blanket,  $3.25;  rubber  blanket,  $2.48;  dress  coat,  $7.00;  pants, 
$2.50 ;  shoes,  $2.05 ;  woolen  shirt,  $1.53 ;  drawers,  90c. ;  stockings, 
32c.;  knapsack,  $1.85;  haversack,  33c.,  and  canteen,  41c.  Amount 
in  greenbacks,  $22.62.  The  cap  will  be  a  dollar  more.  The 
whole  allowance  per  man  was  $23.90. 

Sunday,  June  12th.  This  hot  afternoon  we  went  on  parade  in 
full  accoutrements,  with  knapsacks  packed.  It  was  decidedly 
tiresome. 

June  14.  Called  up  at  half  past  four  a.  m.  We  received 
rations  for  three  days,  hardtack,  dried  meat  and  cheese.  At  8 
a.  m,  we  strapped  on  our  knapsacks,  marched  to  the  cars  and  at 
last  were  'off  to  the  war.'  Milton  Junction  saluted  us  with  flags 
and  the  firing  of  cannon.  At  Clinton  Junction  were  friends  and 
dear  ones  from  Beloit,  kisses,  flowers,  cheers  and  more  cannon. 
At  Harvard  a  young  lady  filled  my  canteen  with  coffee.  More 
girls  and  flowers.  Hurrah !  Reaching  the  old  North-Western 
depot,  Chicago,  about  midnight,  we  marched  the  longest  way 
around  to  the  Soldiers'  Rest  on  Michigan  avenue,  and  stacked 
arms  in  the  street.  At  2  a.  m.,  Mr.  E.  W.  Porter,  a  Beloit  gradu- 
ate, furnished  cigars  for  Company  B.,  and  Mr.  Clinton  Babbitt 
gave  us  hungry  fellows  a  feast.  It  was  hot  coffee,  bread  and  but- 
ter and  pie  plant  sauce,  sponge  cake  and  a  dish  of  strawberries 
for  each  man.  After  speeches  and  cheers  we  marched  to  the  cars 
and  at  4  a.  m.,  June  15,  started  south.  Our  progress  was  attended 
by  enthusiastic  demonstrations  of  loyalty.  At  every  city  flags 
were  displayed  and  guns  fired,  while  young  and  old  wished  us 
Godspeed.    All  kinds  of  food,  fruit  and  vegetables,  including  cab- 


394  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

bages,  were  offered  us.  Old  women  waved  their  aprons  and  young 
ladies  their  handkerchiefs.  Springfield  was  one  continuous  wave, 
and  it  was  Hurrah!  Hurrah!  Hurrah!  all  the  way  to  Alton. 

II.    In  Camp  and  Coming  Back. 

From  Alton  we  steamed  down  the  Mississippi  and  reached 
Memphis  Sunday  morning,  June  19 ;  temperature,  125  degrees,  F. 
At  11  a.  m.,  having  strapped  on  knapsacks  and  shouldered  arms, 
we  marched  through  deep  dust  a  long  way  'round  to  a  camp 
ground  about  two  miles  from  the  city  limits.  In  woolen  clothes 
and  carrying  about  sixty  pounds  each,  all  found  it  hot  indeed, 
but  got  there.  Jack  Lewis  even  carried  F. 's  gun  along  with 
his  own.  On  arriving,  parched  with  thirst,  early  in  the  evening 
several  of  us  hunted  up  an  old  deserted  well,  buckled  straps 
together  and  let  down  a  canteen  through  weeds  and  broken  curb 
to  the  cool  Avater  twenty  feet  below.  When  it  was  drawn  up 
gurgling  full  and  put  to  our  dusty  lips,  then  w^e  learned  the  real 
meaning  of  the  word  Nectar.  That  first  night  all  slept  on  the 
ground  without  covering. 

"Camp  Ray,  June  20,  1864.  Our  mess  consists  of  ten  Beloit 
College  boys  of  Company  B. :  Lyman  "VVinslow,  of  '65 ;  Fitch, 
Lewis,  Newhall,  Fred  Curtis  and  Brown,  of  '66 ;  Porter  and  Smith, 
of  '67 ;  A.  W.  Kimball  and  F.  Bicknell.  We  must  do  our  own  cook- 
ing for  awhile,  and  all  take  turns.  As  chief  of  mess  I  have  drawn 
a  piece  of  pork,  alias  'sow  belly,'  II/2  pints  coffee,  II/2  pints  brown 
sugar,  1/^  peck  of  potatoes,  2-3  pint  of  salt,  I/4  bar  of  soap  and  20 
of  the  six-inch  square  crackers,  called  hardtack. 

21st.  After  the  usual  drill  we  made  of  rubber  blankets,  etc., 
a  mess  tent  and  put  up  the  sign,  "Eagle  Mess.  No  Smoking 
Aloud."  For  to-day's  rations  we  have  12-3  pints  of  coffee  and 
the  same  of  sugar,  2-3  pint  of  vinegar  and  as  much  molasses,  one 
quart  of  rice,  one  quart  of  beans,  y^  bar  of  soap,  one  candle, 
twenty  hardtack,  and  sow  belly  sufficient.  Fitch,  Kimball  and 
I  are  the  first  cooks.  During  the  night  came  a  thunder-storm 
and  a  small  river  under  our  blankets.  Good-natured  Kimball  and 
others  turned  out  amid  the  downpour  in  the  airiest  possible  cos- 
tume and  scraped  a  shallow  trench  about  the  tent.  Next  day 
several  of  us  were  sent  to  the  city  with  a  commissary  wagon  which 
we  loaded  with  hay  bales  and  the  new  tents.     Managed  to  get 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  395 

three  lemons,  25  cents,  one-half  pound  white  sugar,  15  cents,  and 
a  lump  of  ice,  so  our  mess  had  a  treat. 

June  24.  Sixty  having  volunteered  for  picket  duty,  we  took 
thirty  cartridges  apiece,  with  three  days'  rations  of  hardtack, 
marched  a  mile  or  two  from  camp,  and  were  then  distributed  in 
stations  about  thirty  rods  apart,  three  men  at  a  station.  We 
stand  guard  day  and  night  until  relieved,  each  man  taking  his 
turn  of  two  hours  on  guard  and  four  off.  It  was  said  that  those 
whose  property  we  were  guarding  would  not  give  or  even  sell  us 
anything.  Feeling  ill,  I  tried  the  matronly  colored  cook  of  the 
nearest  secesh  mansion,  and  with  kind  words  and  a  dime  got  a 
refreshing  cup  of  tea.  That  evening  Corporal  F.  went  on  the 
same  errand.  Reported  that  he  marched  up  to  the  front  piazza 
where  the  Atkins  family  were  sitting,  asked  for  a  drink  of  water 
and  they  merely  pointed  him  to  the  well.  Said  he  saw  unhealthy 
symptoms  of  their  unchaining  a  savage-looking  dog,  so  he  left. 
In  the  still  night  during  my  guard  from  eleven  till  one.  Comrade 
Shumaker  went  over  towards  that  same  house  jayhawking.  Pretty 
soon  there  was  a  loud  woof!  woof!  and  S.,  rushing  back  empty- 
handed,  with  that  dog  after  him,  jumped  the  fence  just  barely  in 
time.  Early  next  morning  visited  that  house  again  and  made 
for  the  cook  a  small  pencil  sketch  of  her  little  bare-legged  grand- 
son. After  that  nothing  was  too  good  and  they  gave  me  the 
best  the  house  afforded  for  breakfast.  A  colored  lad  called  out, 
''Your  relief's  just  done  gone  by,"  so  I  hurried  back  to  my  sta- 
tion convinced  that  those  negroes  were  loyal.  Sunday  morning 
Chaplain  Blaisdell  preaches.  We  also  have  excellent  evening 
prayer  meetings,  and  what  some  prize  far  more  now,  a  company 
cook. 

July  1.  Our  rations  for  two  days'  picket  service  are  a  loaf  of 
bread  each,  with  a  little  sugar  and  coffee.  On  this  picket  one  of 
us  convinced  a  secesh  cow  that  it  was  milking  time  and  filled  a  tin 
cup.  For  this,  his  only  act  of  foraging,  he  has  since  most  sin- 
cerely repented  not.  We  had  to  sleep  on  the  ground  if  at  all  and 
be  waked  by  falling  rain.  My  sketch  of  that  post  shows  Corporal 
Eben  Kendall  sitting  disconsolately  on  the  wet  roadside  with  his 
feet  in  a  ditch.  The  romance  of  war  has  vanished.  Southern  heat 
is  steady  and  stifling.  The  standing  guard  alone  one  still  hot 
night  suggested  these  lines,  to  a  familiar  tune : 


396  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

I. 

Oh,  well  do  I  remember  my  old  Beloit  home, 

The   bird-house   on   the   ridge-pole,   where   birds   would   always 

come; 
Rock  River  bright  behind  it,  the  busy  street  before, 
The  vine-clad  wall,  those  columns  tall,  the  rose  beside  the  door. 
Long  years  a  call  was  sounded,  of  danger,  through  the  land. 
Our  fears  proved  not  unfounded  and  many  an  earnest  band 
Marched  off  to  aid  their  country,  with  these  among  them  then. 
So  here  are  we  in  Tennessee,  remembering  home  again. 

Chorus. 

Loud  praise  in  song  that  dear  Wisconsin  home. 

Though  late  and  long  a  soldier  you  may  roam. 

Low  sing  the  song  a  sad  and  tender  strain. 

For  here  to-day,  far,  far  away,  we  think  of  home  again. 

II. 

Yet  home's  not  in  the  old  house  or  in  the  garden  neat, 

Not  bounded  by  the  river  nor  by  the  bustling  street. 

But  in  the  hearts  of  loved  ones  I  find  it,  full  of  joy. 

Who,  distant,  still  think  oft  of  Will,  the  absent  soldier  boy. 

To-night  on  post  of  danger  a  sentinel  I  stand, 

To  watch  'gainst  hostile  ranger  and  guard  this  little  band 

Of  comrades,  silent,  slumbering.     The  stars  above  me  wane 

As  comes  the  day  and,  far  away,  I  think  of  home  again. 

Chorus. 

Our  chief  danger,  of  course,  was  from  short  rations.  The 
ditto  hostile  ranger  was  usually  the  southern  mosquito,  whose 
poisonous  stab  drew  more  northern  blood  than  southern  bayo- 
nets did. 

"Sunday,  July  10,  occurred  the  first  camp  funeral.  It  was  of 
a  Mr.  Small,  Company  F.  Before  night  army  mules  tramped 
through  the  yellow  clay  of  his  grave.  Those  hoof  tracks  were 
new  in  a  double  sense. 

"Monday  we  went  sixty  miles  east  from  Memphis  on  train 
guard  to  La  Grange.  Last  week  three  Iowa  soldiers  were  shot 
at  by  guerillas  on  this  road.  We  lay  at  full  length  on  the  roof 
of  our  freight  car,  both  sides  of  the  ridge,  with  our  guns  leveled 
across  it  ready  to  fire  either  side.     (After  a  train  or  two  had  been 


MILITAEY  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY  397 

fired  on,  each  freight  sent  out  was  provided  with  certain  promi- 
nent copperhead  citizens  of  Memphis,  who  were  obliged  to  ride 
on  the  tops  of  the  cars  with  the  boys.  Usually  there  was  one 
such  guest  for  each  car.  We  let  our  man  have  a  prominent  place 
so  that  of  any  attentions  bestowed  upon  us  he  would  be  sure  to 
get  his  share.  Deacon  Oliver  J.  Stiles  doubtless  remembers  sev- 
eral of  those  guests.) 

"La  Grange,  Tennessee,  must  have  been  a  beautiful  town 
before  both  armies  battered  it.  Now,  however,  the  churches  are 
in  ruins  and  used  for  stables,  many  fine  houses  have  been  burned 
or  blown  up,  most  of  the  inhabitants  are  gone,  and  the  scene 
is  one  of  desolation." 

These  letters,  received  from  a  boyhood  playmate  of  Beloit 
about  that  time,  explain  themselves.  He  was  in  a  battery  com- 
pany: Eleventh  Wisconsin  Light  Artillery. 

"Camp  near  Clarksville,  Tenn.,  July  18th,  '64. 
Friend  W. — At  the  battle  of  Rodgersville  last  November  we 
lost  our  guns.  In  that  east  Tennessee  campaign  under  Burnside 
we  suffered  for  the  want  of  something  to  eat.  For  months  we 
did  not  see  even  a  hard  cracker.  We  had  to  kill  a  beef  and  fry 
the  meat  on  sticks  and  eat  it  without  salt,  as  that  article  is  very 
scarce  in  those  parts.  We  had  ear  corn  dealt  out  to  us,  two  ears 
to  each  man  for  a  day's  ration.  Out  of  the  fourteen  boys  who 
left  Beloit  and  went  into  this  battery  there  are  only  two  of  us 
left. 

The  Same,  August  6th,  1864. 

Friend  W. — In  one  battle  we  fought  all  day  and  got  nothing 
but  dent  corn  to  eat.  After  leaving  Knoxville  last  summer  and 
fall  we  lived  on  just  what  we  could  pick  up.  But  it  is  all  for  the 
best  country  that  the  sun  ever  shone  on. "  I  thank  God  I  am  per- 
mitted to  fight  for  it  and  enjoy  health, 

I  have  a  cousin  in  your  regiment.  Company  I,  40th  Wisconsin, 
Oscar  Bishop.  We  here  are  expecting  an  attack  every  day  from 
the  old  Johnson  command,  eleven  miles  distant.  We  will  give 
them  just  as  warm  a  reception  as  we  can.  In  our  last  engage- 
ment we  were  badly  whipped ;  we  must  expect  to  get  the  worst  of 
it  once  in  a  while. 

Occasionally  we  have  a  guerilla  fight  but  it  doesn't  amount  to 
much,  only  it  is  certain  death  to  fall  into  their  hands.    One  of  our 


398  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

own  boys  got  caught  and  was  shot  with  three  more  out  of  the 
83d  Illinois. 

Our  captain  told  us  last  night  that  in  less  than  six  weeks  we 
would  all  be  before  Atlanta,  Ga.,  but  I  hardly  think  we  will  leave 
this  winter." 

He  did,  though,  went  aU  the  way  around  with  Sherman  and 
is  living  in  Beloit  to-day. 

The  heat,  which  rose  to  132  degrees,  and  some  special  expos- 
ure, brought  me  to  the  hospital  sick  with  fever.  A  box  came  from 
Beloit  and  on  waking  one  morning  I  found  under  my  head  a 
white  pillow  marked  with  the  name  of  my  mother.  One  must  be 
sick  in  the  army  to  appreciate  such  comforts.  August  6,  Sergeant 
Sherrill  died  and  Bushnell  August  10,  and  "W.  H.  Shumaker,  in 
the  cot  next  to  mine,  August  13.  Sunday,  August  21st,  we  sick 
boys  were  waked  by  the  boom  of  cannon.  "What's  that !  "Forrest 
has  attacked  Memphis  with  his  cavalry  and  artillery  and  our  boys 
have  gone  out."  One  invalid  managed  to  dress,  found  that  his 
gun  seemed  to  weigh  several  hundred  pounds,  so  started  without 
it  towards  the  firing.  The  40th  regiment  was  at  the  extreme 
front  and  under  fire  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  A  shell 
burst  in  a  stump  behind  Company  B,  and  one  of  its  fragments 
slightly  wounded  a  lieutenant,  Harson  Northrup,  doing  no  other 
damage.  Forrest  retreated,  our  boys  marched  back  and  some  of 
them  found  that  invalid  on  the  road,  they  say,  and  brought  him 
in. 

On  board  the  hospital  steamer.  Silver  "Wave,  Sept.  9,  1864. 
"We  left  Camp  Ray  and  Memphis  yesterday  and  started  north. 
Our  boat  is  crowded  with  more  than  two  thousand  invalid  sol- 
diers. A  few  miles  below  Ft.  Pillow  we  stopped  to  bury  a  boy 
of  the  39th  who  died  last  night.  At  Cairo  we  buried  four  more. 
Lying  on  the  bare  upper-deck  back  of  the  smoke  pipes,  sick  with 
fever,  partly  protected  by  my  blanket  from  dew  and  falling  cin- 
ders, what  a  joy  it  gives  me  at  night  to  see  that  we  are  pointed 
towards  the  north  star  and  are  actually  going  home." 

September  14.  At  Alton,  111.,  we  convalescents  were  packed 
in  freight  cars,  as  many  as  could  lie  in  each,  stretched  crosswise 
on  the  hard  floor.  At  every  bang  of  the  rough  cars  our  fevered 
heads  felt  ready  to  split.  Water  was  scarce  on  the  way  and 
welcome  scarcer.  We  reached  Chicago  (where  someone  stole 
my  canteen  )on  the  evening  of  the  loth,  when  our  term  expired. 


MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  399 

were  kept  at  Camp  Randall,  i\Iadison,  several  days  and  then  duly 
discharged.  The  boys  of  the  40th  came  home,  some  all  the 
stronger,  one  to  die  on  the  day  he  reached  home,  and  many  to 
feel  the  ill  effects  of  that  summer  for  several  years,  but  most  of 
them  no  doubt  better  and  wiser  for  their  hundred  days'  service. 

School  Boys  in  the  War. 

An  interesting  feature  of  the  patriotism  of  the  people  of  Rock 
county,  is  the  manifestation  of  it  in  connection  with  our  public 
schools,  academies,  colleges  and  churches.  Up  to  1866,  310  students 
of  Milton  Academy  entered  the  army  and  forty-three  died  or  were 
killed.  That  academy  raised  substantially  one  company  for  the 
13th  Regiment,  one  for  the  40th,  and  parts  of  companies  for  the 
2nd  and  49th.  The  school  had  representatives  in  forty-four  Wis- 
consin regiments  or  batteries,  and  in  thirty-one  regiments  of  other 
states.  Sixty-nine  students  received  commissions  from  that  of 
second  lieutenant  up  to  brigadier  general.  Beloit  College  was 
represented  by  thirty- five  Wisconsin  regiments  or  batteries,  in 
thirty  Illinois  organizations,  and  twenty-four  of  other  states; 
in  nine  colored  regiments  and  in  other  positions,  more  than  one 
hundred  in  all.  Two  hundred  and  seventy  former  teachers  and 
students  of  the  college  up  to  1866,  were  in  the  loyal  service ;  none, 
so  far  as  known,  in  the  rebel  service.  One  hundred  and  forty-five 
of  these  held  positions  of  honor  and  trust,  of  whom  eighty  were 
commissioned  officers.  Among  these  were  two  chaplains,  one 
brigadier  general,  seven  colonels,  five  adjutants  and  twenty-six 
captains.  After  the  war,  more  than  sixty  proved  that  they  were 
not  demoralized  by  returning  to  the  institution  and  resuming 
their  studies. 

At  a  later  date,  when  the  number  of  the  alumni  of  the  college 
and  academy  had  increased,  it  was  found  that  about  four  hun- 
dred had  been  soldiers  of  the  Civil  War,  and  only  one  a  deserter. 

Without  separate  statistics  for  the  ministers,  church  members 
and  sons  of  ministers,  of  all  the  churches  of  Rock  county,  never- 
theless, that  we  gave  our  share  of  the  many  such,  who  volunteered 
in  our  state,  is  unquestionable. 


XVII. 
AGRICULTURE. 

When  the  settlers  who  came  from  New  England,  the  pioneers 
of  Rock  county  first  beheld  these  rolling  prairies  lying  dormant 
for  lack  of  toilers  to  till  the  land  ready  to  produce  the  wonder- 
ful results  which  later  developed,  they  must  have  imagined  this 
region  a  Garden  of  Eden,  in  comparison  with  the  sterile  hills 
they  left  behind,  where,  oftentimes,  the  yield  did  not  compensate 
them  for  the  cost  of  production;  for  here  they  found  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  regions  that  ever  gladdened  the  eye,  with  a  soil 
so  fertile,  that  a  slight  effort  of  cultivation  would  yield  immense 
crops  of  all  the  varieties  grown  in  the  temperate  zone. 

The  surface  of  the  country  at  that  time  was  an  undulating 
plain,  gently  sloping  to  the  southward,  with  the  Rock  river,  the 
most  beautiful  stream  in  all  the  West,  flowing  from  its  source 
north  of  the  county,  between  wooded  banks,  to  its  junction  with 
the  Pecatonica  river  a  short  distance  south  of  the  county  line, 
which  is  also  the  line  between  Wisconsin  and  Illinois.  At  the 
time  the  county  was  surveyed  a  little  more  than  half  of  it  was 
prairie ;  the  balance  consisted  of  oak  openings  and  heavy  timber 
lands,  nearly  all  of  which  could  be  cultivated,  and  aside  from  the 
Rock  river,  there  were  many  small  sparkling  streams,  and  a 
number  of  small  lakes. 

The  county  contains  450,285  acres  and  a  fraction;  it  is  the 
writer's  firm  belief  that  there  is  no  territory  in  the  United  States 
of  equal  size  that  has  produced  more  net  profit  per  acre  than  has 
the  soil  of  Rock  county,  for  the  length  of  time  that  it  has  been 
under  cultivation,  the  products  of  this  county  and  their  aggre- 
gate value  are  increasing  with  each  succeeding  decade,  as  will 
be  shown  bj'  the  comparative  tables  which  are  here  submitted. 
At  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of  Rock  county,  wheat  was  the 
staple  crop  grown,  the  soil  being  new  and  containing  all  of  the 
elements  necessary  to  produce  large  yields ;  but  as  the  years  went 
on,  and  the   continued   cropping  of  the   ground   exhausted  the 

400 


AGRICULTURE  401 

phosphates,  and  the  nitrogenous  compounds  that  are  so  abso- 
lutely essential  to  the  production  of  grain,  the  result  was  dimin- 
ished yield;  this  combined  with  low  prices,  which  ruled  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  the  competition  of  the  great  wheat  belt  of 
the  West  and  Northwest,  compelled  the  farmers  to  adopt  differ- 
ent methods  of  farming;  this  course  they  pursued,  so  that  at 
this  time,  while  there  is  still  a  large  acreage  of  corn  planted 
yearly,  by  the  improved  methods  of  farming,  the  yield  of  this 
staple  is  satisfactory.  "Wheat  raising  has  almost  entirely  ceased, 
and  in  its  place  they  are  raising  tobacco  and  sugar  beets. 

The  tobacco  culture  had  proved  to  be  remunerative  and  on 
farms  where  stock  raising,  dairying,  and  clover  predominate, 
the  fertility  of  the  land  is  sustained  and  is  yearly  growing  better 
under  the  skillful  management  of  the  Rock  county  farmers,  so 
that  at  the  present  time  the  growing,  curing  and  packing  of 
tobacco  in  Rock  county  has  been  reduced  to  a  science,  and  will 
be  treated  in  this  work  in  a  separate  article  by  writers  who  are 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  subject. 

The  cultivation  of  the  sugar  beet,  and  the  manufacture  of 
sugar,  is  receiving  considerable  attention,  and  is  not  an  experi- 
ment, for  it  was  proven  as  early  as  in  1867  at  Fon  du  Lac  and  at 
Black  Hawk,  Sauk  county,  in  1870,  that  the  soil  and  climate  of 
Wisconsin  were  suited  to  the  successful  growth  of  the  sugar 
beet.  The  failure  of  these  enterprises  was  due,  however,  to  lost 
interest  in  these  particular  products  by  the  farmers.  The  sugar 
factory  now  in  operation  at  Janesville  is  meeting  with  success, 
and  is  a  source  of  revenue  to  both  the  grower  and  the  manu- 
facturer. 

In  writing  of  the  dairying  interests,  and  keeping  in  mind  the 
fact  that  the  state  of  Wisconsin  stands  in  the  front  rank,  in  the 
production  of  butter  and  cheese,  it  must  be  also  kept  in  mind 
that  Rock  county  is  on  the  star  list,  in  these  commodities;  with 
the  nearness  to  market,  and  the  right  kind  of  soil,  the  best  of 
grass,  and  the  purest  of  water,  they  can  and  do  produce  butter 
and  cheese  that  cannot  be  surpassed  by  even  the  most  favored 
localities  in  Europe. 

The  growth  of  this  branch  of  agriculture  has  veen  very  rapid, 
but  has  never  yet  exceeded  the  demand,  which  is  constantly  in- 
creasing. And  not  only  has  this  industry  been  a  source  of 
immense  revenue,  it  has  completely  revolutionized  the  methods 


403  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

of  farming  that  were  in  use  twenty-five  years  ago.  when  nearly 
all  of  the  land  was  plowed  up  each  spring,  and  planted  to  wheat 
and  corn,  then  in  addition  to  the  Avashing  away  of  the  loose  soil 
by  the  spring  rains,  came  years  of  short  crops,  low  prices,  and 
innumerable  trials  and  troubles,  that  arise  from  depending 
wholly  upon  the  success  of  one  growth  of  an  uncertain  crop. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  farmers  of  Eock  county  are 
so  generally  engaged  in  the  dairy  business  that  they  look  to  this 
line  for  a  large  portion  of  their  income. 

The  following  comparison  will  be  of  interest  and  show  the 
increase  or  decrease  of  the  number  of  acres  of  various  commodi- 
ties and  their  yield,  for  Eock  county  for  ten  year  periods.  Start- 
ing with  1880,  and  ending  w^th  1907,  according  to  the  statistics 
in  the  county  clerk 's  office : 

In  1880  the  total  acres  of  wheat  was  18,637,  with  the  yield  of 
295,319  bushels;  711,7911/2  acres  of  corn,  with  the  yield  of  2,134,- 
348  bushels;  54.554  acres  of  oats  yielding  1,536,872  bushels; 
22,617%  acres  of  barley,  produced  452,839  bushels;  5,131  acres 
of  rye,  with  a  yield  of  104,621  bushels;  2,497  acres  of  potatoes, 
producing  189,481  bushels;  60%  acres  root  crops,  yield  16,256 
bushels;  6,2371/^  acres  of  tobacco,  produced  3.506,670  pounds. 
There  were  15,237  milch  cows  valued  at  $299,661.00;  1,226,693 
pounds  of  butter  was  made  and  768,340  pounds  of  cheese. 

In  1890  there  were  8,433  acres  of  wheat,  producing  109,073 
bushels;  71,455  acres  of  corn,  from  which  were  gathered  1,652,450 
bushels;  49,857  acres  of  oats  sown,  1.613,679  bushels  harvested; 
26,947  acres  of  barley,  with  a  yield  of  721,154  bushels;  5,761 
acres  of  rye,  with  67,207  bushels  harvested;  2,545  acres  of  pota- 
toes, producing  230,677  bushels;  7,383  acres  of  tobacco,  produc- 
ing 6,891,499  pounds.  This  year  there  were  made  524,485  pounds 
of  cheese  and  1,765,393  pounds  of  butter. 

In  the  year  1900  there  was  a  total  of  1,929  acres  of  wheat, 
with  a  crop  of  7,935  bushels ;  122,694  acres  of  corn,  which  yielded 
3,580,321  bushels;  15,711  acres  of  barley,  which  produced  388,655 
bushels ;  91,888  bushels  of  oats,  with  a  yield  of  72,101.547  bushels ; 
5,741  acres  of  rye,  which  harvested  36,797  bushels;  2,611  acres 
of  tobacco,  from  which  were  gathered  10,206,544  pounds.  This 
year  3,369,911  pounds  of  butter,  and  287,300  pounds  of  cheese 
were  made. 

In  1905  there  were  reported  27  creameries,  valued  at  $7,139.00, 


AGRICULTURE  403 

with  1,854  patrons,  with  20,875  cows,  while  68,170,819  pounds  of 
milk  was  received,  producing  1,046,036  pounds  of  butter,  for 
which  was  received  $660,733.00;  the  same  year  there  were  11 
cheese  factories,  valued  at  $7,906.00,  with  163  patrons;  2,009 
cows;  5,029,675  pounds  of  milk  received,  and  475,862  pounds  of 
cheese  made,  with  returns  of  $45,216.00. 

The  year  1907,  there  were  sown  or  planted  687  acres  of 
wheat,  with  a  yield  of  10,181  bushels ;  83,274  acres  of  corn,  which 
produced  4,366,177  bushels;  41,299  acres  of  oats,  yielding  1,083,- 
442  bushels;  33,615  acres  of  barley,  from  which  was  gathered 
750,542  bushels ;  7,7331/2  acres  of  rye,  which  yielded  70,171  bush- 
els; 2,821  acres  of  potatoes,  with  a  crop  of  262,290  bushels;  1,141 
acres  of  sugar  beets,  producing  22,689  tons ;  7,818  acres  of  to- 
bacco, from  which  was  gathered  8,428,841  pounds.  There  were 
27,764  milch  cows,  valued  at  $668,929.00.  During  this  year  there 
were  1,020,334  pounds  of  butter  made  on  the  farms,  valued  at 
$175,429,  while  the  number  of  pounds  of  cheese  made  by  the 
same  people  was  2,200,  valued  at  $2,500.00.  This  same  year 
there  were  30  creameries,  valued  at  $110,925.00,  with  2,225 
patrons,  from  whom  were  received  7,543,210  pounds  of  milk, 
from  which  were  manufactured  3,229,967  pounds  of  butter,  from 
which  was  received  $830,284.00.  At  the  same  time  there  were 
13  cheese  factories,  valued  at  $8,325.00,  with  166  patrons,  with 
2,147  cows.  The  amount  of  milk  received  was  6,665,504,  and 
615,361  pounds  of  cheese  were  made,  and  $69,060  was  received. 

Rock  County  Agricultural  Society. 

The  preliminary  steps  toward  the  formation  of  an  agricultural 
society  in  Rock  county  were  taken  November  19,  1850,  at  which 
time  a  call  was  made  on  the  farmers  of  the  several  towns  of  the 
county  to  meet  at  the  court  house  in  Janesville  on  the  first  Mon- 
day of  January,  the  6th,  to  make  aiTangements  for  their  own 
benefit  by  association. 

On  the  day  appointed  a  meeting  was  held.  J.  P.  Wheeler,  of 
La  Prairie,  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  0.  Densinore,  of  Brad- 
ford, was  appointed  secretary.  The  object  of  the  meeting  having 
been  stated  by  the  chairman,  remarks  were  made  by  Messrs. 
Hodson,  Neil  and  Russell,  of  Janesville,  and  E.  A.  Foot,  of  Center. 
On  motion  of  C.  C.  Cheney,  of  La  Prairie,  it  was  resolved  that  the 


404  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

meeting  proceed  to  organize  an  Agricultural  Society  and  Mechan- 
ics'  Institute. 

The  following  persons  were  elected  officers:  J.  P.  Wheeler, 
president;  W.  F.  Tompkins  of  Janesville,  Ansel  Dickinson  of 
Harmony,  Orrin  Densmore  of  Bradford,  Joseph  Goodrich  of  Mil- 
ton, J.  M.  Burgess  and  A.  ^Y.  Pope  of  Janesville,  vice-presidents; 
Josiah  F.  Willard,  of  Rock,  recording  secretary;  Andrew  Palmer, 
corresponding  secretary;  and  John  Russell,  of  Janesville,  treas- 
urer. A  boai?d  of  twenty  directors,  one  for  each  town  in  the 
county,  was  also  elected,  viz. :  William  Stewart,  of  Clinton ;  Peter 

D.  Wemple,  of  Bradford;  J.  A.  Pletcher,  of  Johnstown;  Paul 
Crandall,  of  Lima;  G.  W.  Ogden,  of  .Milton;  Harvey  Holmes,  of 
Harmony ;  Guy  Wheeler,  of  La  Prairie ;  John  Hopkins,  of  Turtle ; 
W.  Yost,  of  Beloit;  Z.  P.  Burdick,  of  Rock;  L.  D.  Thompson,  of 
Janesville ;  R.  R.  Cowan,  of  Fulton ;  D.  Lovejoy,  of  Porter ;  E.  A. 
Foot,  of  Center,  H.  C.  Inman,  of  Plymouth ;  John  L.  V.  Thomas,  of 
Newark;  A.  Kenny,  of  Avon;  R.  R.  Hamilton,  of  Spring  Valley; 

E,  Miller,  of  Magnolia,  and  H.  Griffith,  of  Union. 

The  society  having  become  fully  organized,  it  was  resolved  to 
make  the  experiment  of  holding  a  fair,  to  see  whether  the  farmers 
of  "yoimg  Rock"  had  sufficient  enterprise  to  get  up  anything  like 
a  creditable  show. 

The  result  was  highly  gratifying.  The  fair  was  held  on  the 
first  and  second  days  of  October,  1851.  at  Janesville,  and  at  least 
five  thousand  persons  were  present.  The  annual  address  was 
given  by  J.  P.  Wheeler,  president.  At  the  close  of  the  year  the 
treasurer  reported  the  receipt  of  $291.91 ;  the  expenditures  for 
premiums  and  other  expenses,  $206,  leaving  a  balance  of  $86  in 
the  treasury  to  the  credit  of  the  next  year. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  society  for  the  next  year  succeed- 
ing was  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  December,  1851.  The  officers 
elected  were :  J.  F.  Willard,  president ;  Z.  P.  Burdick  of  Janes- 
ville, J.  A.  Fletcher  of  Johnstown,  James  M.  Burgess  of  Janes- 
ville, I.  S.  Love  of  Beloit,  John  Winston  of  Porter  and  Jesse 
Miles  of  Janesville,  vice-presidents ;  Orrin  Guernsey,  recording 
secretary;  John  P.  Dickson,  corresponding  secretary  and 
treasurer. 

The  committee  for  locating  the  county  fair  reported  that  the 
town  of  Beloit  had  offered  a  bonus  of  $240,  the  highest  offer  of 
any  tow-n  in  the  county,  whereupon  it  was  voted  that  the  next 


AGETCULTURE  405 

county  fair  of  the  society  be  held  at  Beloit.  The  fair  was  held  at 
the  place  appointed,  September  28  and  29,  1852.  An  address 
by  the  president,  J.  F.  A\'illard.  was  delivered  on  the  second  day, 
after  which  the  treasurer  made  his  report,  in  which  it  appeared 
that  the  receipts  during  the  fair  amounted  to  nearly  $350,  which, 
after  paying  premiums  and  other  expenses,  left  about  $70  in  the 
treasury.  Probably  three  thousand  persons  were  present  at  the 
fair  grounds  during  the  exhibition.  The  first  prize  for  farm  and 
flower  garden  was  given  to  ^Mr.  Josiah  F.  Willard,  M^hose  farm 
of  340  acres  was  on  the  east  side  of  Rock  river  about  two  miles 
below  Janesville.  The  committee  who  visited  his  dwelling,  called 
"Forest  Cottage,"  may  or  may  not  have  noticed  one  flower  on  that 
farm,  the  fragrance  of  which  was  destined  to  spread  throughout 
the  civilized  world,  that  little  flower,  his  younger  daughter, 
Frances  Elizabeth  Willard,  afterwards  the  peerless  temperance 
leader. 

The  next  annual  meeting  of  the  society  was  held  December  6, 
1852.  The  officers  elected  were :  J.  F.  "Willard,  president ; 
Charles  R.  Gibbs,  E.  A.  Foot,  Daniel  Bennett,  S.  P.  Lathrop,  Jesse 
Miles  and  E.  H.  Rowland,  vice  presidents;  Orrin  Guernsey,  re- 
cording secretary;  Mark  Miller,  corresponding  secretary,  and  J. 
M.  Burgess,  treasurer.  At  the  meeting  held  September  10,  1853, 
on  motion  it  was  resolved  that  an  effort  be  made  to  purchase 
fair  grounds  by  selling  life  memberships,  to  be  paid  by  install- 
ments of  $2.50  each,  until  the  whole  sum  of  $10  be  paid.  This 
proved  to  be  a  feasible  plan  for  raising  funds,  and  four  acres  of 
land  were  purchased  of  J.  J.  R.  Pease,  which  tract  w^as  fitted  up 
at  once  for  the  fair,  to  be  held  there  on  the  4th  and  5th  days 
of  October,  1853.  It  was  held  at  the  time  appointed,  and  an 
address  was  made  by  the  president,  J.  F.  Willard.  The  executive 
committee  subsequently  gave  notice  that  they  had  expended 
nearly  $700  in  purchasing  and  fitting  up  permanent  grounds,  and 
that  they  found  their  funds  somewhat  exhausted,  leaving  a  defic- 
iency for  premiums ;  that  they  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  reserved  privilege  of  reducing  the  premiums, 
but  should  report  them  in  full,  preferring  to  fall  back  on  the 
generosity  of  those  friends  who  had  drawn  large  premiums,  and 
to  ask  such  as  were  willing  to  do  so  to  let  theirs  rest  in  Avhole  or 
in  part  until  next  year,  when  the  outlays  would  be  much  reduced 
and  a  surplus  might  reasonably  be  expected.     The  expenditures 


406  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

of  the  society,  as  reported  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  December, 
1853,  were  as  follows  :  Purchase  of  fair  grounds,  $101.37  ;  fencing 
and  permanent  fixtures,  $559.31 ;  premium  list,  printing  and  other 
expenses,  $515.44;  the  net  income  being  $1,176.62.  leaving  an  in- 
debtedness of  $334.08. 

The  next  annual  meeting  of  the  society  was  held  at  Janesville, 
December  5,  1853,  at  which  time  the  following  officers  were  elect- 
ed :  S.  P.  Lathrop.  president ;  C.  Loftus  Martin,  J.  A.  Fletcher, 
Nathaniel  Howard,  Charles  Colby.  Mark  Miller  and  Azel  Ken- 
ney,  vice  presidents ;  Charles  R.  Bibbs,  recording  secretary ;  Z.  P. 
Burdick,  corresponding  secretary,  and  S.  A.  Martin,  treasurer. 

The  fair  was  held  at  the  society  grounds  on  the  13th  and  14th 
of  September,  1854.  There  never  had  been  seen  in  the  place  a 
larger  number  of  people  gathered  together.  The  amount  of  pre- 
miums awarded  exceeded  $2,000. 

The  succeeding  annual  meeting  was  held  on  December  5,  1854, 
when  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Z.  P.  Burdick,  presi- 
dent ;  D.  Bennett,  J.  P.  Wheeler,  J.  R.  Boyce,  J.  P.  Dickson.  J.  C. 
Johnson  and  J.  A.  Fletcher,  vice  presidents;  C.  R.  Gibbs,  record- 
ing secretary;  0.  Guernsey,  corresponding  secretary'-,  and  J.  F. 
Willard,  treasurer. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  expressive  of  the  sense  of  the  so- 
ciety in  view  of  the  death  of  its  late  president,  Professor  S.  Pearl 
Lathrop,  of  IMadison  University. 

The  fair  was  held  on  the  25th,  26th  and  27th  days  of  Septem- 
ber, 1855,  and  was  a  success.  President  Burdick  delivered  a 
valuable  address  before  the  society.  The  receipts  of  the  fair  were 
about  $1,500,  and  the  amount  paid  out  for  premiums  about  $700. 
The  attendance  was  large  and  the  fair  grounds  were  too  small 
to  suitably  accommodate  the  large  number  of  persons  present. 

During  that  year  the  society  disposed  of  their  land  and  pur- 
chased ten  acres  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city ;  this  was  suitably 
fenced  and  improved  for  the  fair,  which  was  held  from  Septem- 
ber 30  to  October  2,  1856.  One  feature  was  the  ladies'  equestrian 
match,  which  drcAv  a  large  attendance  to  the  grounds.  It  was 
believed  that  there  were  at  least  twenty  thousand  persons  present 
on  that  day.  A  display  of  fire  engines  was  also  a  new  feature  in 
the  arrangements. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  held  in  December,  1856,  the  following 
officers  were  elected :    C.  Loftus  Martin,  president ;  Ira  C.  Jenks, 


AGRICULTURE  407 

recording  secretary;  J.  A.  Blount,  corresponding  secretary,  and 
W.  Hughes,  treasurer.  At  this  meeting  it  was  reported  that  the 
receipts  of  the  society  during  the  year  were  $1,496.49,  which,  with 
the  balance  remaining  on  hand  of  $141.75,  amounted  to  $1,638.24. 

The  county  fair  was  held  on  October  10,  1857.  The  society 
had,  during  the  year,  purchased  additional  ground,  making  nearly 
twenty  acres  in  all.  There  was  a  large  attendance  and  the 
grounds  were  filled. 

The  next  annual  fair  was  held  September  28  to  30,  1858.  From 
the  report  of  the  secretary,  Winfield  S.  Chase,  there  were  re- 
ceived $1,526.16,  and  expended  $1,517.10,  leaving  a  small  balance 
of  $9.06  on  hand.  The  premiums  of  the  previous  fair  were  paid 
this  year. 

The  society  during  the  year  1859  held  a  festival  on  the  Fourth 
of  July,  and  a  regular  annual  fair  on  the  20th,  21st  and  22d  days 
of  September.  The  former  was  largely  attended,  but  resulted 
in  small  profit.  The  fair  was  a  success,  proving,  notwithstanding 
the  hard  times  and  other  influences  and  circumstances,  that  the 
farmers  of  the  county  had  the  ability  to  give  the  society  a  front 
rank  among  those  in  the  state.  The  total  receipts  were  $1,403, 
and  the  expenditures,  including  $629.10  paid  toward  indebted- 
ness of  the  society,  $1,381.73.  The  balance  in  the  treasury  October 
26,  1859,  was  $21.96. 

A  special  meeting  of  the  executive  committee  was  called  on 
October  22,  1859,  to  take  into  consideration  the  indebtedness  of 
the  society  and  to  provide  means  for  its  extinguishment.  At  this 
meeting  the  financial  affairs  of  the  society  were  reported  as  fol- 
lows: 

Amount  of  purchase  money  for  additional  grounds  in  1857, 
$1,875;  paid  on  the  same,  $963;  balance  due  on  the  same,  $912.82. 
The  other  debts  were  for  fitting  up  the  grounds  and  necessary 
improvements,  making  the  total  indebtedness  $3,326.82.  The 
committees  recommended  the  issue  of  three  hundred  ten-dollar 
promissory  notes,  payable  in  three  years,  to  be  sold  to  members 
of  the  society  and  its  friends.  This  plan  was  adopted  by  the 
executive  committee. 

The  officers  of  the  society  who  served  during  the  year  1859, 
elected  in  December,  1858,  were:  J.  F.  Willard,  president; 
Charles  R.  Gibbs,  recording  secretary;  J.  A.  Blount,  correspond- 
ing secretary;  W.  Hughes,  treasurer.     The  officers  of  the  society 


408  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

for  1860,  elected  in  December  previous,  were  the  same  as  for  1859, 
except  D.  McLay,  who  was  elected  treasurer  in  place  of  Mr. 
Hughes.  The  county  fair  was  held  September  18  to  20,  1860. 
The  report  of  the  treasurer,  subsequently  made,  showed,  receipts, 
$1,248.53;  expenditures,  $1,241.53;  balance,  $7.  The  annual 
address  was  delivered  by  James  H.  Howe. 

The  officers  elected  at  the  annual  meeting,  in  December,  1860, 
were :  Joseph  Spaulding,  president ;  G.  S.  Strasberger,  recording 
secretary;  W.  S.  Chase,  corresponding  secretary,  and  W.  Lester, 
treasurer.  The  fair  was  held  September  17,  18  and  19,  1861.  The 
receipts  were  $841.44  and  expenditures  $783.17.  Of  the  latter 
amount  $506.50  was  paid  in  premiums.  Balance  on  hand,  $58.27. 
The  address  before  the  society  was  delivered  by  J.  R.  Doolittle 
and  was  in  reference  to  the  state  of  public  affairs. 

At  this  date  the  society  ceased  to  exist.  During  the  years 
1862,  1863  and  1864  the  people  of  the  county  were  so  much  en- 
grossed in  war  matters  that  no  new  society  was  formed  and  no 
fairs  were  held.  Finally,  in  the  latter  part  of  1864,  another 
organization  was  perfected,  with  the  election  in  December  of  that 
year,  of  H.  P.  Fales,  president ;  Jacob  Fowle,  secretary,  and  R.  T. 
Pember,  treasurer.  The  fair  was  held  September  12,  13  and  14, 
1865.  The  attendance  was  large.  The  receipts  were  $2,675.17 ; 
the  expenditures  $2,588.03,  of  which  $576.50  was  paid  out  in 
premiums,  leaving  a  balance  of  $88.14.  The  officers  of  the  society 
for  1866  were  :  H.  P.  Fales,  president ;  Guy  "Wheeler,  secretary ; 
R.  T.  Pember,  treasurer.  The  fair  was  held  September  12  to  15, 
the  receipts  being  $887.45,  and  the  expenditures  $746.47,  of  which 
amount  $480.75  was  paid  in  premiums,  leaving  the  balance  on 
hand  of  $122.98.  The  annual  address  was  delivered  by  Hon.  T.  0. 
Howe.  The  same  officers  were  elected  for  the  year  of  1867.  The 
fair  this  year  was  held  on  September  10  and  closed  on  the  13th. 
It  was  a  good  year  for  the  society.  The  receipts  were  double  the 
amount  of  the  preceding  one.  The  annual  address  was  delivered 
by  Halbert  E.  Paine.  The  total  receipts  were  $2,202.01 ;  the  ex- 
penses $2,142.17,  of  which  amount  $1,550.50  was  for  premiums, 
leaving  a  balance  of  $59.14. 

The  officers  of  1868  were :  Lewis  Clark,  president ;  R.  J.  Rich- 
ardson, secretary,  and  A.  Hoskins,  treasurer.  The  fair  was  held 
September  15  to  17,  inclusive.  The  receipts  were  increased  from 
the  preceding  year.     Whole  amount  received,  $2,914.29.     The  ex- 


AGEICULTURE  409 

penses  were  $2,534.67,  $866  of  which  was  for  the  premiums,  and 
and  unexpended  balance  of  $379.62. 

The  annual  fair  for  the  year  1869  was  held  September  14  to 
17,  showing  an  increased  interest  from  the  last  year.  A  baby 
show  was  added  to  the  ordinary  attractions.  The  treasurer's  re- 
port showed  that  there  was  received  from  all  sources  the  sum  of 
$4,244.05 ;  expenses,  $3,142.87 ;  paid  in  premiums,  $1,205.45.  The 
officers  for  the  year  were :  Seth  Fisher,  president ;  R.  J.  Richard- 
son, secretary,  and  A.  Hoskins,  treasurer. 

The  same  officers  were  elected  for  the  year  1870,  and  the  fair 
was  held  on  September  21,  and  continued  for  three  days.  An 
address  was  delivered  by  Hon.  Charles  G.  Williams.  The  receipts 
were  $9,063.25;  the  expenses,  $10,865.02;  paid  for  premiums,  $1,- 
585.83. 

In  1871  the  same  officers  were  elected,  except  that  Mr.  C. 
Miner  was  chosen  treasurer  in  place  of  Mr.  Hoskins.  The  annual 
fair  was  held  from  September  12  to  15.  There  was  not  as  much 
interest  taken  this  year  as  in  the  former  one,  and  the  receipts 
were  much  reduced.  The  treasurer  reported,  receipts,  $3,706.85 ; 
expenditures,  $3,687.43;  premiums,  $1,935.65;  leaving  a  balance 
of  $95.60  on  hand. 

In  1872  the  same  officers  were  elected.  The  display  this  year 
at  the  county  fair,  held  September  12  to  15,  was  fine,  particularly 
that  of  horses,  said  to  have  been  the  best  exposition  ever  held  in 
the  county.  There  was  received  from  all  sources  $3,989.48,  and 
expended  $2,394.49,  of  which  last  amount  $1,596.14  was  paid  in 
premiums. 

The  same  officers  were  elected  for  the  year  1873.  The  fair  was 
held  September  9  to  12,  with  a  very  creditable  display  and  a  good 
attendance ;  perhaps  not  as  large  as  on  the  preceding  year.  Re- 
ceipts, $3,879.38;  expenses  in  all,  $3,381.60,  of  which  amount  $1,- 
461.60  was  paid  in  premiums,  with  a  balance  of  $487.88  to  next 
year's  account. 

In  1874  the  same  officers  were  re-elected.  The  fair  was  held 
September  29,  and  continued  to  October  2.  The  fair  was  a  suc- 
cessful one.  Some  eight  to  ten  thousand  persons  were  present 
on  the  last  day.  An  address  was  delivered  by  Congressman 
Charles  G.  Williams.  The  receipts  were  $6,280.01 ;  the  expendi- 
tures, $4,690.27,  and  there  was  paid  in  premiums  $1,589.74,  with 
a  balance  of  $95.85  remaining. 


410  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

The  officers  elected  for  1875  were :  George  Sherman,  presi- 
dent; R.  J.  Richardson,  secretary,  and  Cyrus  Miner,  treasurer. 
The  attendance  at  the  county  fair  was  not  as  large  as  in  1874. 
It  was  held  October  5  to  9.  Receipts,  $3,249.51;  expenses,  $1,- 
483.88;  for  premiums,  $1,795.63. 

For  the  year  1876  the  same  officers  were  elected.  Prepara- 
tions were  made  for  a  fair  that  would  be  more  than  usually  attrac- 
tive, it  being  the  Centennial  year.  The  exhibits  of  relics  and 
articles  of  interest  were  fine.  The  time  appointed  for  the  fair 
was  from  the  5th  to  the  8th  of  September.  Unfortunately,  the 
weather  was  unfavorable,  with  rain  most  of  the  time.  The  finan- 
cial report,  however,  was  more  favorable  than  was  expected  from 
these  adverse  circumstances.  The  receipts  were  $2,586.23;  paid 
for  premiums,  $909.59 ;  other  expenses,  $1,676.63. 

On  account  of  the  state  fair  being  held  at  Janesville  in  the  fall 
of  1877  the  county  fair  of  this  year  was  omitted. 

In  the  year  1879  the  executive  committee  of  the  Agricultural 
Society  made  an  arrangement  with  the  citizens  of  Janesville  for 
the  celebration  of  the  fourth  day  of  July,  and  a  county  fair  in 
connection  therewith.  The  result  was  not  a  satisfactory  one  for 
the  society,  the  holding  of  the  fair  in  the  month  of  July  proving 
a  signal  failure.  A  number  of  guests  from  abroad  were  present. 
Addresses  by  Governor  AV.  E.  Smith,  Hon.  C.  G.  Williams,  Hon. 
W.  C.  Whitford  and  General  E.  E.  Bryant  were  delivered.  Con- 
nected with  the  exercises  was  a  soldier's  drill,  a  gathering  of  old 
settlers  of  the  county,  and  a  programme  of  games  and  athletic 
sports,  in  the  grove  near  the  fair  grounds.  The  following  pioneers 
were  in  attendance,  and  registered  their  names  as  having  settled 
in  the  years  mentioned :  1835 — Virgil  Pope ;  1836 — J.  P.  Dickson, 
Jeremiah  Roberts,  Mrs.  Volney  Atwood,  M.  T.  AValker,  Alford 
Walker,  Mrs.  H.  H.  Bailey,  J.  W.  Inman,  S.  C.  Carr ;  1837— G.  H. 
Williston,  Helen  M.  Bailey,  Henry  Tuttle,  Cornelius  Van  Tassel, 
Volney  Atwood,  Charles  Tuttle,  E.  G.  Newhall ;  1838— James  Mc- 
Ewen,  Mrs.  Wood,  William  McEwen,  George  W.  Lawrence,  C.  B. 
Inman,  Cyrus  Teetshorn,  H.  J.  Warren,  Mrs.  H.  J.  Griggs,  A.  L. 
Walker ;  1839— T.  Gullack  Graydell,  Mrs.  G.  H.  Williston,  Mrs.  R. 
T.  Powell,  Ezra  Goodrich,  George  B.  Mackey,  H.  R.  Waterman,  H. 
Wood,  S.  P.  Harriman ;  1840— Thomas  E.  Stevens,  P.  E.  Stillman, 
Jacob  West,  Margaret  West,  Royal  Wood.  Mrs.  M.  S.  Pritchard, 


AGPtlCULTUEE  411 

M.  E.  Bump,  A.  Morris  Pratt,  Mrs.  Almeda  E.  Allen,  J.  G.  Carr 
(born  here),  E.  C.  Dickinson,  Alfred  Dewey. 

The  grounds  of  the  society  were  situated  wholly  within  the 
city  limits  of  Janesville  and  contained,  exclusive  of  streets,  forty- 
seven  acres  of  land.  The  buildings  were  well  arranged  and  of  a 
substantial  and  convenient  character.  The  object  of  the  society 
was  to  encourage  and  promote  agriculture,  horticulture,  domestic 
manufactures,  the  mechanic  arts,  and  the  breeding  and  raising 
of  useful  animals. 

State  Fairs  in  Rock  County. 

The  first  fair  of  the  Wisconsin  State  Agriculture  Society  was 
held  at  Janesville,  commencing  October  1,  1851.  On  the  second 
day  of  the  fair  the  first  annual  address  was  delivered  by  J.  H. 
Lathrop,  LL.D.,  chancellor  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin.  By 
an  arrangement  entered  into  with  the  Rock  County  Agricultural 
Society  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  tickets  of  admission  to  the 
show  grounds  were  applied,  under  the  direction  of  that  society, 
first,  to  the  payment  of  the  expenses  of  the  grounds,  and  after 
that,  the  balance  was  to  be  divided  equally  between  the  two 
societies.  By  this  arrangement  each  society  received  $127  as  its 
share  of  the  receipts. 

The  next  state  fair  held  at  Janesville  began  September  28, 
1857,  and  closed  October  2.  The  annual  address  was  delivered  by 
Professor  J.  B.  Turner,  of  Jacksonville,  111.  The  income  of  the 
society  for  the  year  was  $8,804.63,  of  whicii  amount  $2,853.21  was 
from  the  receipts  of  the  state  fair ;  the  expenditures,  for  all  pur- 
poses, were  $8,302.10,  leaving  a  balance  of  $502.53. 

In  1864  Janesville  was  again  selected  for  the  state  fair,  which 
was  held  the  last  week  in  September.  Addresses  were  made  by 
B.  R.  Hinkley,  president,  and  ex-Governor  J.  A.  Wright,  of 
Indiana.  The  treasurer  of  the  society  reported  that  the  receipts 
for  the  year  were  $7,759.19,  of  which  amount  $4,103.38  was  from 
the  sale  of  tickets  at  the  fair,  and  the  expenditures  $5,587.35, 
with  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of  $2,171.84, 

For  the  fourth  time  Janesville  was  selected  for  the  state  fair, 
for  the  year  of  1865,  which  was  held  in  September.  Addresses 
were  made  by  the  president,  David  Williams ;  by  Major  General 
W.  T.  Sherman,  ex-Governor  Alexander  W.  Randall,  James  R. 
Doolittle,  T.  0.  Howe  and  ex-Governor  J.  T.  Lewis.     The  total 


413  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

receipts  of  the  society  for  the  year  were  $11,404.90,  of  which 
$7,187.50  was  from  the  sale  of  the  tickets  at  the  fair.  The  ex- 
penditures were  $8,330.52,  and  there  was  a  balance  remaining  of 
$3,074.38. 

In  September,  1866,  the  state  fair  was  held,  for  the  fifth  time, 
at  Janesville.  The  receipts  were  nearly  $15,000,  and  the  ex- 
penses $9,600,  with  a  balance  of  $5,400  on  hand. 

In  September,  1877,  the  state  fair  was  held,  for  the  sixth  time, 
at  Janesville.  The  annual  address  was  delivered  by  the  presi- 
dent, Eli  Stilson.  The  gate  fees  were  $10,428.83,  and  the  whole 
receipts  of  the  society  for  the  year  were  $20,524.30.  The  expen- 
ditures were  $19,363.28,  of  which  $10,561  were  paid  for  premiums. 

Rock  County  and  Tobacco. 

Rock  county,  Wisconsin,  contains  at  Edgerton,  it  is  claimed, 
the  largest  cigar-leaf  tobacco  market  in  the  world.  This  claim 
and  the  conditions  which  have  led  up  to  it  make  that  plant  and 
its  cultivation  a  subject  of  especial  interest  here. 

The  first  introduction  of  tobacco  to  the  knowledge  of  Euro- 
peans occurred  during  Columbus'  first  voyage  into  the  unknown 
West.  After  his  memorable  discovery  of  land  (Watling  island) 
October  11,  1492,  he  sailed  promptly  southward  from  island  to 
island  and  during  that  same  month  landed  on  the  northeast  coast 
of  Cuba  at  a  place  now  called  Neuvitas  del  Principe.  Supposing 
himself  on  the  shore  of  Cathay,  or  China,  he  sent  into  the  near 
interior  two  of  his  most  learned  Christian  men,  one  of  whom 
could  speak  Hebrew,  Chaldee  and  Arabic,  hoping  that  they  would 
be  able  to  talk  with  such  educated  subjects  of  the  grand  khan  as 
they  might  meet.  On  their  way  inland  these  two  unexpectedly 
discovered  for  all  the  white  races  that  product  which  was  there- 
after to  become  not  only  an  unfailing  source  of  pleasure  to  a 
large  section  of  the  male  part  of  mankind  from  the  lowest  to 
the  highest,  but  also  a  commodity  for  revenue  which  would  be 
the  delight  of  statesmen  and  which,  while  producing  innumerable 
private  fortunes,  would  also  become,  what  it  still  is,  one  of  the 
great  financial  resources  of  all  modern  nations.  The  priest-his- 
torian, Bartholomew  de  Las  Casas,  son  of  Columbus '  shipmate,  An- 
tonio, and  himself  a  young  acquaintance  and  friend  of  the  great 
navigator,  thus  ten  years  afterwards  records  that  discovery :  ' '  The 
two  Christians  met  on  the  road  many  people,  men  and  women, 


AGRICULTURE  413 

passing  to  their  villages,  the  men  always  with  a  half-burnt  brand 
in  their  hands  and  certain  herbs  for  smoking.  These  herbs  are 
dry  and  are  placed  in  a  dry  leaf,  formed  in  the  shape  of  those 
paper  tubes  which  the  boys  make  at  Easter,  Lighted  at  one 
end,  at  the  other  the  smoke  is  sucked  or  drawn  in  with  the 
breath;  the  effect  of  this  (smoke)  is  to  make  them  feel  sleepy 
and  as  it  were  intoxicated,  and  they  say  that  using  it  relieves  the 
feeling  of  fatigue.  These  rolls  they  call  'tobacos.'  I  knew  Span- 
iards in  Espanola  (San  Domingo)  who  were  accustomed  to  use 
it,  and,  being  reprehended  and  told  that  it  was  a  vice,  said  that 
they  could  not  leave  it  off.  I  do  not  know  what  pleasure  or  bene- 
fit they  found  in  them"  (the  tobacos).  That  which  we  call  a 
cigar,  therefore  (Spanish,  cigarro,  from  cigarra,  a  cicada,  because 
the  small  roll  of  dark  tobacco  resembled  the  cylindrical  body 
of  that  insect),  was  evidently  called  by  the  natives  a  'tobaco.' 
We  have  simply  made  their  name  of  the  single  roll  a  general 
name  for  the  plant  itself. 

For*  the  introduction  of  tobacco  among  English-speaking 
people  we  are  indebted  primarily  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  whose 
nafnie  is  preserved  in  that  of  the  capital  of  North  Carolina.  His 
captains  having  in  the  year  1584  discovered  and  explored  the 
Carolina  coast,  during  the  next  year  he  sent  out  and  established 
an  English  colony  of  108  persons  on  the  island  of  Roanoke  in 
Pamlico  sound.  One  of  those  first  colonists,  Thomas  Hariot,  ob- 
served among  the  natives  of  that  island  the  culture  of  tobacco, 
accustomed  himself,  as  did  most  of  the  colonists,  to  its  use,  and 
was  a  firm  believer  in  its  healing  virtues.  He  also  noted  and  re- 
ported their  cultivation  of  corn,  and  that  vegetable,  then  new 
to  Europe,  the  potato ;  but  omitted  to  tell  us,  what  we  would  like 
to  know,  the  native  methods  of  raising  and  curing  those  prod- 
ucts. When,  after  only  one  year's  exile,  those  colonists  were 
all  carried  by  Sir  Francis  Drake  back  to  England,  through  their 
patron,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  they  introduced  there  both  the  knowl- 
edge of  tobacco  and  also  the  custom  of  smoking  it.  There  is  a 
familiar  story,  how  true  I  know  not,  that  when  Sir  Walter's 
servant  first  saw  him  smoking,  that  faithful  retainer  promptly 
got  a  bucket  of  water  and  threw  it  over  him,  thinking  that  he 
was  on  fire.  That  introduction  of  tobacco  occurred  in  1586,  the 
year  when  the  young  play-actor,  William  Shakespeare,  first  went 
up  to  London.     The  "weed"  must  have  been  well  known  in 


414  HISTOEY  OF  KOCK  COUNTY 

Shakespeare's  day,  for  he  lived  until  1616,  and  yet  it  is  a  curious 
fact  that  in  all  his  voluminous  works  that  author  nowhere  makes 
any  mention  of  tobacco  or  even  so  much  as  an  allusion  to  it.  The 
regular  English  trade  in  tobacco,  however,  was  not  started  until 
1612.  Jamestown,  Va.,  was  settled  in  1607.  There  one  of  its 
colonists,  that  John  Rolfe  who  married  the  Indian  princess,  Po- 
cahontas, began  the  systematic  culture  of  tobacco  in  the  year 
1612.  That  first  Virginia  product,  though  considered  quite  in- 
ferior to  the  Spanish  West  Indies  article,  sold  at  3  shillings  (equal 
to  three-quarters  of  a  dollar)  per  pound.  Being  so  profitable, 
it  was  raised  for  several  years  instead  of  corn,  and  so  generally 
that  the  colony  came  to  be  in  actual  danger  of  having  nothing 
to  eat.  Even  the  vessels  engaged  in  the  Newfoundland  fisheries 
were  used  to  transport  emigrants  to  Virginia  so  that  new  to- 
bacco plantations  might  be  established.  Tobacco  became  their 
regular  standard  of  value,  and  colonial  fines  were  levied  and 
paid  and  salaries  of  officials  reckoned  in  that  commodity.  This 
money-making  quality  of  tobacco  shaped  the  society  of  the  col- 
ony, influenced  its  laws  and  was  an  important  element  in  all  its 
political  and  religious  disturbances,  while  the  plantation's  ever- 
increasing  demand  for  field  laborers  was  one  of  the  direct  causes 
which  brought  in  and  built  up  in  America  the  curse  of  African 
slavery.  Yet  it  is  equally  true  that  the  culture  of  tobacco  laid 
the  first  foundation  for  the  present  unrivaled  prosperity  of  the 
United  States  and  that  this  staple  is  even  now  one  of  the  most 
practical  and  helpful  factors  in  the  revenue  and  so  the  material 
support  of  our  general  government. 

That  the  world's  largest  market  of  cigar-leaf  tobacco  should 
be  found  in  this  state,  so  far  from  its  original  home,  and  in  this 
comparatively  small  county  of  Rock,  is  therefore  a  matter  which 
deserves  careful  inquiry  and  explanation.  How  did  we  come  to 
raise  tobacco  here?  "What  is  the  history  of  the  progress  of  this 
industry  in  our  country,  what  methods  of  cultivation  have  been 
followed,  and  what  other  circumstances  have  helped  to  develop 
and  hold  this  market? 

(Supplement  by  F.  W.  Coon,  Publisher  of  the  "Wisconsin  To- 
bacco Reporter.") 

Some  of  the  reasons  conspiring  to  make  Edgerton  the  largest 
cigar-leaf  tobacco  market  in  the  world  are,  first,  the  location 


AGEICULTUEE  415 

there  of  the  headquarters  of  many  of  the  large  manufacturing 
firms,  from  whose  offices  their  business  in  Wisconsin  leaf  is  di- 
rected. 

The  "Wisconsin  Tobacco  Reporter"  has  there  its  publica- 
tion office,  whose  market  reports  are  quoted  the  world  over  as 
standard  authority. 

Edgerton  has  forty-nine  large  tobacco  warehouses  where  is 
handled  and  stored  from  a  third  to  a  half  of  the  whole  crop 
grown  each  year.  Its  location,  being  central  to  the  growing  dis- 
tricts of  the  state,  and  the  concentration  rates  granted  by  the 
railways,  make  it  convenient  for  buyers  to  purchase  leaf  in  the 
outside  sections  and  ship  into  Edgerton  in  less  than  carload  lots 
for  concentration. 

During  the  busy  season  the  warehouses  there  employ  fully 
2,500  hands,  carrjang  weekly  pay  rolls  amounting  to  from  $15,- 
000  to  $25,000. 

The  tobacco  crop  in  recent  years  has  reached  about  40,000 
acres,  of  which  Rock  county  produces  hardly  one-fifth. 

There  is  expended  in  handling  the  crop  after  it  comes  from 
the  farmer  and  before  it  reaches  the  manufacturer  very  close  to 
a  million  dollars  annually ;  that  contributes  to  the  support  of  the 
tobacco-handling  centers. 

The  rail  shipments  of  tobacco  out  of  Edgerton  reach  about  a 
trainload  per  week  the  year  around. 


X\"III. 

SCANDINAVIANS  IN  THE  EARLY  DAYS  OF  ROCK 

COUNTY. 

By 
H.  L.  Skavlem. 

Boast  not  the  fame  thy  dead  sire's   gain'd — 
Each  hath  his  own,  no  more. 

— Fridthjofs  Saga. 

In  the  limited  space  allotted  to  me  for  a  sketch  of  the  Scan- 
dinavian element  of  Rock  county's  population — their  early  colo- 
nies and  present  status,  a  brief  mention  of  the  prime  causes, 
political  and  religious,  which  led  up  to  the  "Exodus  of  the  early 
40 's,"  is  absolutely  necessary  to  a  proper  understanding  of  the 
remarkably  rapid  evolution  of  the  lonely  and  isolated  little  group 
of  foreigners,  who  built  their  cabins  and  broke  the  virgin  sod 
in  the  early  pioneer  days  of  Rock  county.  In  less  than  the 
ordinary  life's  span  of  three  score  years  and  ten,  the  foreigner 
is  almost  entirely  eliminated;  with  the  exception  of  a  few  late 
arrivals,  the  Norwegian,  the  Dane,  and  the  Swede  have  dis- 
appeared and  we  have  the  American.  Perhaps  yet  a  little  eccen- 
tric and  emotional,  a  little  slower  and  not  quite  the  bundle  of 
bare  nerves  that  his  Yankee  neighbor  exhibits,  but  nevertheless 
an  American,  through  and  through.  Most  emigrations  can  be 
traced  to  religious  intolerance  and  persecution.  The  French 
Huguenots  shifted  from  Switzerland,  Holland,  England,  and  fin- 
ally found  a  home  in  free  America.  Persecution  drove  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers  to  New  England.  And  it  was  but  the  repetition 
of  the  old,  old  story — ecclesiastical  intolerance  and  religious  big- 
otry— that,  in  the  early  days  of  the  last  century  caused  the  little 
group  of  Norwegian  quakers  to  purchase  a  small  sloop,  which 
they  named  "Restaurationen"   (The  Restoration). 

Embarking  with  their  families,  consisting  of  fifty-two  souls 
this  little  Norwegian  Mayflower  sailed  out  of  the  harbor  of  Stav- 

416 


%  :f  -j^  n  n  m  ^.^....« 


1 


^ . 


i 


5... 'U 


iM         '«H 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  417 

anger  on  the  4th  of  July,  1825,  seeking  the  land  where  they  **  could 
worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  conscience." 

The  political  and  economic  conditions  of  Norway  had  for 
year^  become  more  and  more  irksome  and  unbearable  to  the 
sturdy  independent  peasantry.  Encroachment  of  the  office- 
holding  classes  was  gradually  contracting  the  sphere  of  the 
farmer  and  laborer,  and  it  required  but  the  returning  messages  of 
^ood  cheer  and  hopeful  anticipations  from  the  pilgrims  to  awaken 
the  dormant  spirit  of  the  old  Vikings,  to  again  seek  fortunes  in 
foreign  lands. 

Two  honored  and  respected  pioneers  of  Rock  county,  the  bro- 
thers Ole  and  Ansten  Natesta,  (1)  are  entitled  to  a  conspicuous 
page  in  the  annals  of  Scandinavian  immigration.  Not  only  are 
they  the  founders  of  the  first  Scandinavian  settlement  in  Wis- 
consin, located  in  Eock  county  in  1838,  but  the  return  of  Ansten 
Natesta  to  his  native  parish  in  that  year  and  the  distribution  of 
needed  information  about  America  by  him  through  publication  of 
his  brother  Ole's  "Journal,"  printed  in  Drammen,  1838,  led  other 
colonies  here. 

Ole  Eynning's  little  book  (2)  of  forty  pages  of  information 
about  America,  which  he  had  printed  at  Christiania  the  same  year, 
also  helped.  These  pamphlets  were  sent  broadcast  throughout 
fjord  and  valley,  distributing  reliable  information  regarding  the 
new  land  of  promise.  Ansten  Natesta  states  that  during  the  win- 
ter months  of  1838-9  he  was  literally  swamped  with  letters,  and  it 
was  impossible  to  reply  to  all  the  inquiries  received.  People  gath- 
ered from  near  and  far  to  hear  and  see  the  man  that  had  been 
to  America.  Some  coming  on  skees  over  mountains  and  through 
forests  twenty  or  more  Norwegian  miles,  equal  to  140  English 
miles.  There  is  no  question  but  that  those  timely,  sensible  and 
well-directed  advertisements  of  American  opportunities,  open  to 
the  Norwegian  immigrant,  were  the  main  factors  in  promoting 
the  remarkable  migration  of  the  late  thirties  and  early  forties. 
Could  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Norse-Americans  that  today 
are  enjoying  the  full  mature  life  of  American  citizenship,  but 
partly  realize  the  debt  they  owe  to  Ole  and  Ansten  Natesta  for 
their  successful  efforts  in  guiding  their  countrymen  to  pleasant 
homes  and  broad  and  well  rounded  lives  at  the  topmost  round  of 
the  twentieth  century  civilization,  they  would  erect  a  monument 
to  their  memory  which  would  make  Eock  county  a  Mecca  to  gen- 


418  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

erations  of  Americans  who  trace  their  lineage  back  to  viking 
blood. 

In  that  valuable  work  of  Prof.  R.  B.  Anderson,  "Norwegian 
Immigration  1825-1840,"  published  at  Madison,  Wis.,  1896,  the 
Eock  county  colony  on  Jefferson  Prairie,  initiated  by  Ole  Natesta 
in  1838,  is  described  as  "the  fourth  Norwegian  settlement  in 
America  and  the  first  in  Wisconsin."  Copious  translations  of 
interviews  with  Ole  and  Ansten  Natesta  written  down  by  Prof. 
Sven  Nilsen  and  published  in  "Billed  Magazine,"  1869,  will  be 
found  in  the  same  work.  In  the  neighborly  visits  between  the 
Natesta  families  and  my  father's  in  the  early  days,  I,  then  a  mere 
youngster,  heard  these  same  narratives  by  word  of  mouth  and, 
although  the  limits  of  this  article  preclude  extensive  citation,  I 
shall  endeavor  to  give  in  substance  the  most  important  parts 
thereof. 

Ole  tells  of  hoAV  he  tried  farming,  but  at  the  end  of  the  year 
there  was  nothing  left  as  reward  for  hard  work ;  next  he  tried  his 
luck  as  a  peddler.  In  this  line  he  made  some  money,  but  there 
were  so  many  rules  and  restrictions  that  he  soon  tired  of  this.  He 
says  he  did  not  like  to  be  engaged  in  a  business  where  he  was 
liable  to  be  nipped  by  the  sheriff  most  any  time.  So  he  went 
from  peddler  to  blacksmith.  Here  he  again  ran  up  against  the 
"law  that  did  not  permit  me  to  work  in  the  city." 

In  1836  Ole  and  his  younger  brother  Ansten  formed  a  part- 
nership as  drovers  and  went  to  the  west  coast  to  deal  in  sheep. 
While  at  Stavanger  they  heard  wonderful  stories  of  America. 
Ole  says  he  had  never  heard  of  America  before,  but  soon  became 
very  much  interested.  He  spent  Christmas  with  a  member  of  the 
storthing  (parliament)  named  Evan  Nubbru  from  Sigdal.  Nub- 
bru  had  been  reading  about  America  in  a  German  paper  and 
spoke  very  highly  of  the  free  institutions  of  the  country.  He 
says:  "This  information  had  a  magic  effect  on  me.  I  looked 
upon  it  as  an  injustice  that  the  laws  of  Norway  should  forbid  me 
to  trade  and  not  allow  me  to  get  my  living  by  honest  work  as  a 
mechanic  wherever  I  desire  to  locate."  Before  they  reached 
home  he  and  his  brother  had  resolved  to  see  America.  By  April 
in  the  spring  of  1837  they  made  ready  for  their  journey. 

Mr.  Natesta  delighted  in  telling  of  their  start  for  America. 
The  party  consisted  of  three  young  men,  Ole  and  Ansten  Natesta 
and  a  third  person  by  the  name  of  Halsten  Halvorsen,  Avho  was 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  419 

very  anxious  to  make  the  trip  but  lacked  funds.  Ansten  volun- 
teered to  advance  the  necessary  funds  for  the  passage,  and  with 
about  $800  in  their  pockets  the  three,  each  equipped  with  a  good 
pair  of  skees,  the  clothes  he  wore  and  a  small  knapsack,  started 
on  their  long  and  venturesome  journey. 

"We  went  on  skees  across  the  mountains  from  Rolloug  to 
Tind,  and  thence  in  a  direct  line  over  hills  and  through  forests  to 
Stavanger,  where  we  expected  to  get  passage  across  the  sea.  A¥e 
did  not  worry  about  the  roads  for  all  three  of  us  were  experts  on 
skees  and  our  baggage  caused  us  no  inconvenience."  At  Stavan- 
ger they  soon  got  into  trouble.  The  government  officials  picked 
flaws  in  their  passports.  The  government  was  bitterly  opposed 
to  emigration  to  America  and  its  arbitrary  officials,  often  by 
unauthorized  acts,  attempted  to  stop  the  growing  unrest.  In  the 
evening  a  friendly  stranger  told  the  three  mountaineers  that  he 
had  overheard  the  officials  plan  to  arrest  them  the  next  day  and 
send  them  back  to  their  native  valley.  "Secretly,  under  cover 
of  night,  we  left  Stavanger  and,  without  attracting  any  attention, 
we  got  to  Tananger.  Here  we  found  a  fisherman's  yacht,  loaded 
with  herrings,  ready  to  sail  for  Gothenberg.  We  made  arrange- 
ments for  transportation  with  the  skipper,  and  felt  much  relieved 
when  we  finally  got  to  sea.  No  further  mishap  hindered  our 
journey.  We  paid  $50  each  from  Gothenberg  to  Fall  River,  Mass. 
The  journey  was  a  quick  one  for  a  sailing  vessel,  being  accom- 
plished in  thirty-two  days.  From  Fall  River  we  went  to  New 
York,  where  we  found  a  number  of  Norwegians.  These  helped 
us  to  find  our  way  to  Rochester.  Here  we  found  a  part  of  the 
little  Quaker  colony  that  twelve  years  previous  had  left  Stavan- 
ger in  the  sloop.  Rochester  did  not  meet  our  expectations.  There 
we  heard  for  the  first  time  the  name  Chicago,  and  we  were  soon 
on  our  way  to  see  what  we  could  find." 

When  they  reached  Detroit  they  overtook  a  party  of  about 
eighty  Norwegian  immigrants  on  their  way  to  Chicago  under  the 
leadership  of  a  university  graduate  named  Ole  Rynning.  The 
Natesta  party  were  glad  to  again  meet  with  countrymen  and, 
finding  that  they  were  all  bound  for  Chicago,  joined  the  Ryn- 
ning company,  they  having  the  great  advantage  of  one  man  (Ryn- 
ning) that  could  speak  both  English  and  Norwegian.  Arriving  at 
Chicago  they  were  preparing  to  go  with  the  Rynning  party,  whose 


420  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

destination  was  the  Fox  River  settlements  in  La  Salle  county, 
when  they  met  a  Norwegian  by  the  name  of  Bjorn  Anderson. 
(This  was  the  father  of  Prof.  Rasmus  B.  Anderson  of  Madison, 
Wis.,  the  well  known  author  and  acknowledged  authority  on 
Scandinavian  history.)  Bjorn  Anderson  had  been  to  the  Fox 
River  settlement  and  appeared  very  much  dissatisfied  with  the 
country  and  colony.  His  story  of  Fox  River,  sickness,  death  and 
general  poverty,  frightened  Rynning  and  his  party,  and  they 
concluded  to  seek  another  locality.  Rynning  consulted  with  sev- 
eral Americans  (land  sharks)  who  appeared  very  anxious  to  assist 
the  strangers  in  choosing  a  good  locality  for  their  colony.  A 
committee  of  four,  consisting  of  Ole  Rynning,  Ole  Natesta,  Niels 
Veste  and  Ingebrigt  Brudvig,  were  sent  ahead  to  spy  out  the  land 
at  Beaver  Creek,  Iroquois  county,  Illinois,  which  had  been 
highly  recommended  to  ^Ir.  Rynning  by  his  new  found  American 
friends. 

Natesta  claimed  he  did  not  like  the  country,  but  as  the  others 
were  pleased  with  it  they  arranged  that  Mr.  Natesta  and  Veste 
should  remain  and  build  a  house  for  the  reception  of  the  immi- 
grants while  Rynning  and  Brudvig  returned  to  Chicago  for  their 
company.  Thus  we  find  Ole  Natesta  in  the  fall  of  1837  laying  the 
foundation  of  a  Norwegian  colony  at  Beaver  Creek,  Iroquois 
county,  Illinois,  where  before  winter  set  in  had  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  log  huts  to  house  a  population  of  about  fifty  persons.  The 
sad  story  of  the  Beaver  Creek  settlement  is  fully  chronicled  in 
Professor  Anderson's  book  previously  referred  to.  "These  peo- 
ple were  well  and  in  a  measure  happy  during  the  first  winter, 
but  the  next  spring  the  whole  settlement  was  flooded  and  the 
swamp  was  turned  into  a  veritable  lake.  Malarial  fever  followed, 
in  a  short  time  no  less  than  fourteen  or  fifteen  deaths  occurred, 
and  among  these  was  Ole  Rynning.  A  Mrs.  Davidson  related 
that  when  Ole  died  all  the  people  in  the  settlement  were  sick  but 
one.  This  one  chopped  down  an  oak,  made  a  sort  of  box,  and 
with  the  help  of  a  sick  brother,  got  the  body  into  this  rude  coffin, 
dragged  it  out  on  the  prairie  and  buried  it.  In  the  "Billed  Maga- 
zine" narrative  Ansten  Natesta  speaks  of  his  friend  and  co- 
laborer  in  the  following  complimentary  terms:  "When  sickness 
and  trouble  visited  the  colonists  (at  Beaver  Creek)  he  was  always 
ready  to  comfort  the  sorrowing  and  to  aid  those  in  distress. 
Nothing  could  shake  his  faith  in  the  idea  that  America  would 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  421 

become  a  place  of  refuge  for  the  masses  of  Europe  that  toiled 
under  the  burden  of  poverty. 

"He  himself  was  contented  with  little  and  bore  his  sufferings 
with  patience.  I  well  remember  when  he  returned  from  a  long 
exploring  expedition ;  cold  weather  set  in  and  the  ice  in  the  swamp 
cut  holes  in  his  boots ;  he  reached  home  with  his  feet  frozen  and 
terribly  lacerated;  we  all  thought  he  would  be  crippled  for  life. 
He  had  to  take  to  his  bed  and,  thus  confined,  wrote  his  book  about 
America,  the  manuscript  of  which  I  took  with  me  to  Norway 
and  had  printed  in  Christiania.  His  feet  got  well  again  and  he 
once  more  took  up  his  benevolent  work  among  the  colonists.  In 
the  fall  he  was  taken  sick  and  died.  His  death  caused  the  great- 
est sorrow  to  all  of  us." 

The  ill-fated  Beaver  Creek  settlement  was  soon  after  entirely 
abandoned  and  not  until  many  years  afterwards  was  that  coun- 
try again  settled,  this  time  by  Germans,  who  drained  the  marshes 
and  plowed  up  the  prairie  where  the  Norwegians  were  buried. 

Ole  Rynning  sleeps  in  an  unmarked  and  unknown  grave,  but 
his  name  shall  not  be  forgotten.  The  influence  of  that  modest 
little  book,  sent  back  to  his  native  land  in  1838,  unquestionably 
affected  the  destiny  of  thousands  of  his  countrymen,  and  his  name 
must  be  given  a  place  by  the  side  of  Ole  and  Ansten  Natesta  on 
our  monument  to  Scandinavian  pioneers.  Professor  Anderson 
says,  "I  would  like  to  translate  Rynning 's  whole  little  book  of 
forty  pages,  but  it  would  injure  the  proportions  of  this  volume 
(Norw.  Imme.  p.  211).  I  only  wish  that  he  had  so  "injured"  his 
book.  However,  he  has  given  us  a  translation  of  chapter  seven, 
in  which  the  author  discusses  the  religion  and  government  of 
America.  From  this  I  quote:  "Here  (in  America)  everyone  is 
allowed  to  have  his  own  faith  and  worship  God  in  the  manner 
that  seems  to  him  right.  The  government  here  assumes  that  a 
compulsory  belief  is  no  belief  at  all.  The  Christian  religion  is 
the  prevailing  one  in  America,  but  on  account  of  the  self-conceit 
and  the  obstinacy  in  opinion  of  the  teachers  of  religion  in  little 
things,  there  are  a  multitude  of  sects,  which,  however,  agree  in 
the  essentials.  Among  the  Norwegians,  too,  there  are  various 
sects,  but  they  have  no  ministers  or  churches  as  yet."  Then  he 
explains  the  government,  state  and  national,  and  concludes  this 
topic  by  saying,  "As  a  comfort  to  the  timid  I  can  truthfully  assert 
that  here,  as  in  Norway,  there  are  laws,  government  and  author- 


422  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

ity.  But  everj^thing  is  here  calculated  to  maintain  the  natural 
equality  and  liberty  of  man.  Everybody  is  free  to  engage  in  any 
kind  of  honest  occupation  and  go  wherever  he  chooses  without  a 
passport  or  without  being  examined  by  custom  officers."  Then 
he  speaks  of  the  kind  treatment  of  foreigners  by  the  Americans : 
"It  has  been  my  experience  that  the  American  as  a  rule  is  a  bet- 
ter man  to  get  on  with  than  the  Norwegian,  more  yielding,  more 
accommodating  and  more  reliable  in  all  things."   • 

"In  ugly  contrast  with  the  above  liberty  and  equality  which 
justly  constitutes  the  pride  of  the  Americans  is  the  disgraceful 
slave  traffic."  Then  comes  a  concise,  vigorous,  even  harsh  arraign- 
ment of  this  institution,  which  he  closes  with  the  following  pro- 
phetic words,  "There  will  probably  soon  come  either  a  separation 
or  a  bloody  civil  conflict."  These  words  were  written  twenty- 
two  years  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion. 

If  I  have  been  able  to  make  plain  to  the  reader  the  prime 
causes  that  led  up  to  the  sudden  influx  of  the  Scandinavian 
immigrants  in  the  late  thirties  and  early  forties,  we  may  now  be 
able  to  form  some  idea  as  to  the  mental  and  moral  qualifications 
of  these  new  candidates  for  American  citizenship  and  understand 
somewhat  the  reason  of  their  rapid  and  complete  assimilation  into 
the  national  life. 

The  little  party  of  the  sloop  were  much  like  that  of  the  May 
flower,  men  of  strong  and  deep  religious  convictions.  They  also 
were  dissenters,  and  to  be  dissenters  they  must  be  thinkers.  They 
were  men  of  firmness  and  marked  individuality,  willing  to  sac- 
rifice home,  friends  and  fatherland  for  freedom  of  thought.  Their 
letters  went  back  to  friends  and  sympathizers,  men  who  thought 
and  felt  as  they  did,  and  these  became  the  first  additions  to  the. 
little  colonies.  Then  came  the  Natesta  book  and  Ole  Rynning's. 
To  whom  did  these  messages  appeal?  Not  to  the  thoughtless, 
indifferent,  shiftless  or  lazy  individual.  No,  these  little  pamph- 
lets, surcharged  with  the  spirit  of  individualism  and  breathing 
defiance  to  the  slightest  hints  of  religious  or  political  intolerance, 
appealed  to  the  restless,  the  progressive  thinkers,  those  who  were 
not  satisfied  with  things  as  they  were,  but  believed  in  a  broader 
field  of  activity.  These  were  the  followers  of  Ansten  Natesta  on 
board  the  "Emelia"  in  the  spring  of  1839,  and  such  as  these  and 
their  friends  composed  the  bulk  of  the  immigrants  the  succeed- 
ing three  or  four  years.    All  could  read  and  write  their  own  Ian- 


SCANDmAVIANS  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  423 

^lage  and  a  number  of  them  were  teachers  and  graduates  of 
higher  institutions  of  learning.  In  thoughts  and  aspirations,  in 
their  ideals  of  religion  and  political  life  they  were  good  Ameri- 
cans even  before  they  set  foot  on  American  soil. 

AVith  the  foregoing  summary  of  the  situation  in  mind,  we  are 
again  ready  to  start  out  with  Ole  Natesta  in  search  of  his  ideal 
land  and  location  for  a  Scandinavian  settlement.  His  brother, 
Ansten  Natesta,  departed  for  Norway  early  in  the  spring  of  1838, 
going  by  way  of  New  Orleans  to  Liverpool  and  thence  to  Norway. 
Ole  had  now,  by  the  diligent  study  of  his  lexicon  and  the  assist- 
ance of  Ole  Rynning,  who  read  and  spoke  the  English  language, 
acquired  a  fair  vocabulary  of  English,  as  he  expressed  it  years 
afterwards,  he  "was  now  out  of  the  woods  as  he  could  talk  with 
anybody."  From  Beaver  Creek  he  went  back  to  Chicago  and 
there  he  heard  of  the  Rock  River  country  and  soon  headed  that 
way.  Stopping  on  the  way  at  several  places  where  he  found 
work,  from  these  home  stations  he  would  take  long  walks  and 
exploring  trips  when  work  was  not  pressing.  On  July  1st,  1838, 
he  staked  his  claim  of  eighty  acres  in  Section  20,  Township  1, 
north  of  range  14  east,  Clinton  township,  Rock  county,  Wisconsin 
territory.  He  made  his  home  at  first  with  Stephen  Downer  while 
he  cut  the  logs  for  his  cabin.  Neighbors  came  the  distance  of 
twenty  miles  to  the  "log  rolling  bee"  and  long  before  his  brother 
Ansten  returned  from  Norway  with  his  party  of  newcomers,  Ole 's 
log  house  was  ready  for  company. 

In  the  "Billed  Magazine"  narrative  he  says:  "I  built  a  little 
log  hut  and  in  this  residence  received  in  September  (1839)  a 
number  of  people  from  my  own  parish  in  Norway.  They  came 
as  immigrants  with  my  brother  Ansten,  Most  of  these  settled  on 
Jefferson  Prairie  and  in  this  way  the  settlement  got  a  large  popu- 
lation in  a  comparative  short  time." 

In  the  fall  and  winter  of  '39  and  '40,  there  was  a  busy  time 
at  the  new  settlement.  The  Norwegians  were  expert  ax-men;  all 
were  handy  with  the  ax,  plane  and  draw-shave;  many  had 
brought  their  kit  of  blacksmith  tools  with  them.  A  skeepskin 
robe,  and  boards  hewn  out  of  a  basswood  log  were  soon  shaped 
into  a  bellows  and  the  smithy  was  ready  for  business. 

They  were  prepared  for  the  work  at  hand,  and  when  winter 
set  in  all  were  provided  with  some  kind  of  a  home.  A  number  of 
the  young  people  had  secured  employment  with  American  fam- 


424  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

ilies  at  and  about  Beloit;  others  were  "taken  in"  by  Natesta's 
"Yankee"  neighbors,  while  many  had  already  built  log  homes 
of  their  own,  some  houses  sheltering  two  and  even  three  families. 
It  was  surprising  how  much  room  there  was  in  an  eighteen  by 
twenty  log  cabin  with  a  loft  to  it. 

D.  B.  Egery's  place,  located  in  See.  26  of  the  town  of  Turtle, 
four  miles  southwest  of  the  Natesta  cabin  on  the  trail  to  Beloit, 
became  a  Norwegian  headquarters.  All  knew  Mr,  Egery.  His 
many  acts  of  kindness  and  material  aid  in  those  early  days  was 
never  forgotten  by  the  old  pioneers.  Very  soon  after  their  arrival 
at  the  "Prairie,"  parties  of  two  or  three  would  fill  their 
"Skreppe"  (knapsack)  with  provisions  and  strike  out  in  various 
directions  to  "spy  out  the  land."  (3)  Among  the  first  to  go  out 
was  Gullik  Olsen  Gravdal  (4)  and  Gisle  Sebjornson  Hallan.  (5) 
After  having  made  arrangements  for  their  people  at  Egery's. 
they  started  west  to  Beloit.  At  Beloit  they  crossed  the  river, 
partly  by  felled  trees  extending  into  the  river  from  each  side. 
From  these  they  followed  a  well  worn  Indian  trail  to  the  north- 
west, and  when  night  overtook  them  camped  under  a  large  oak 
tree  about  seven  miles  northwest  of  Beloit.  Nearby  was  a  fine 
spring  of  sparkling  pure  water,  from  which  a  tiny  brook 
meandered  through  a  rich  meadow  with  grass  up  to  their  waists. 
To  the  south  and  southeast  was  a  fine  rolling  prairie,  parked  here 
and  there  with  scattering  trees  and  clusters  of  wild-plum.  To 
the  north,  west  and  east  was  heavy  timber.  A  ledge  of  lime- 
stone cropped  out  on  the  hillside.  What  more  could  they  look 
for?  Good  water,  stone  and  timber  for  buildings,  meadow  for 
hay,  and  the  rich  prairie  ready  for  the  plow.  Here  Gullik  Olsen 
Gravdal  set  his  claim  stake  in  the  early  part  of  October,  1839, 
on  the  southeast  quarter  of  Sec.  1,  Town  1,  north  Eange  11  East. 
The  next  day  they  explored  the  country  roundabout  and,  fol- 
lowing the  edge  of  the  woods  to  the  east  for  about  a  mile,  Gisle 
Sebjornson  Hallan  found  a  place  that  had  all  the  necessaries  for 
a  pioneer's  home,  water,  wood,  meadow  and  prairie,  and  Gisle 's 
claim  stake  went  do\\Ti  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  Sec.  6,  Town 
1,  north  of  Eange  12  East.  Having  "located"  they  now  hurried 
back  to  the  "settlement,"  where  they  provided  themselves  with 
the  necessary  pioneer's  kit  of  tools  for  building,  consisting  of  an 
ax,  saw,  auger  and  hammer.  With  a  good  back-load  of  pro- 
visions for  each  they  were  soon  again  at  their  claims.    As  it  was 


SCANDIXAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  425 

already  late  in  the  season  they  concluded  to  get  Gravdal's  home 
ready  for  winter's  quarters,  move  their  families  over  and  during 
the  winter  get  material  ready  for  Kalian's  house,  to  be  erected  in 
the  spring.  The  large  oak  under  which  they  slept  the  first  night 
served  as  a  tent  until  it  became  so  cold  that  they  had  to  build  a 
brush  hut,  which  they  covered  with  long  grass.  This  made  a 
good  sleeping  room  until  the  big  house  was  up  and  the  shake  roof 
on.  By  the  middle  of  November  the  first  house  in  the  town  of 
Newark  was  finished  and  Gravdal  and  Hallan  moved  in  with  their 
families. 

Mr.  Hallan  married  ]\[argit  Knudsdatter  Nostrud  after  they 
came  to  Jefi'erson  Prairie  late  in  the  fall.  Their  wedding  had  to 
wait  until  the  cold  formed  ice  bridges  on  which  they  crossed  the 
streams  on  their  way  to  Rockford,  where  they  found  a  parson  to 
perform  the  ceremony.  Game  was  plentiful,  deer  browsed  on 
the  limbs  and  tops,  from  which  the  logs  of  the  cabin  were  cut, 
and  venison  formed  the  bulk  of  the  meat  supply  during  that  first 
winter.  Along  about  Christmas  time  the  supply  of  flour  and 
other  necessaries  ran  short  at  the  Gravdal  camp  and  the  two  men 
started  on  their  skees  for  headquarters  at  Jefferson  Prairie  for  a 
new  supply.  There  they  made  a  hand  sled  and  loaded  it  with  a 
large  sack  of  "middlings"  and  half  a  hog.  On  their  way  home 
the  weather  turned  bitter  cold  and  they  had  to  face  a  northwest 
snow  storm.  Even  with  their  compass  they  missed  their  course, 
but  fortunately  struck  the  river  at  Richard  Inman's,  near  the 
mouth  of  Bass  Creek.  Here  they  rested  long  enough  for  Mrs. 
Inman  to  get  them  a  warm  meal,  when  they  again  "harnessed  to 
the  sled"  and  reached  home  just  at  dark,  tired  but  thankful.  It 
might  have  been  worse.  Among  the  early  land  seekers  at  Beloit 
was  the  widow  Gunnil  Odegarden,  (6)  in  company  with  Gunnul 
Stordock  and  another  party.  She  visited  Gravdal  and  Hallan 
where  they  were  building  their  house.  After  looking  at  several 
favorable  locations  they  brought  up  at  a  fine  spring  of  good 
water  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  near  the  center  of  Sec.  24,  about 
two  miles  south  of  Gravdal's  claim.  Here  was  good  timber  and 
meadow  land,  and  she  fixed  upon  this  place  as  her  future  home. 

Klemet  Stabek  with  several  companions  took  a  westerly 
course  from  Beloit  and  brought  up  in  the  Sugar  river  swamps. 
They  were  determined  to  see  what  was  on  the  other  side  of  Sugar 
river  and  got  as  far  as  Rock  Run,  in  Stephenson  county.  111., 


426  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

before  they  were  suited  with  the  land,  and  there  formed  the 
nucleus  of  a  new  settlement,  the  second  off-shoot  from  the  Natesta 
colony  at  Jefferson  Prairie. 

Prof.  R.  B.  Anderson  in  his  book  previously  referred  to  says 
that  Stordock  was  one  of  the  parties  to  settle  at  Rock  Run  in 

1839.  This  may  be  so,  but  early  in  the  spring  of  '40  he  was 
back  in  the  town  of  Newark,  assisting  in  building  the  house  for 
Mrs.  Odegarden  on  Section  24;  this  was  the  second  house  in  the 
Rock  Prairie  settlement,  as  also  the  second  building  erected  in 
the  town  of  Newark.  The  house  was  a  good-sized  building  and 
ready  for  occupancy  early  in  the  spring  of  '40.  "Widow 
Gunnel,"  as  she  was  familiarly  called,  and  her  four  daughters 
now  had  a  home  of  their  own  and  room  to  spare.  Widow  Gun- 
nel's soon  became  the  landing  place  for  all  new  arrivals,  and 
her  hospitality  and  kindness  were  often  spoken  of  by  old  timers. 

Early  in  May.  1840,  three  young  men,  Lars  Halvorsen  Skav- 
lem  (7),  his  brother  Gjermund  (8)  and  Knud  Christbinusen  (9) 
arrived  at  Widow  Gunnel's.  They  were  of  the  "Amelia"  party, 
but  had  spent  the  winter  near  Chicago,  where  they  had  work, 
earning  a  little  more  than  their  board.  Lars  Skavlem  got  $3.00 
per  month  and  board  for  three  months,  but  when  pay  day  came 
there  was  no  money,  so  he  was  glad  to  take  two  calves  for  his 
winter's  work.  These  he  managed  to  turn  into  $7.00  in  cash; 
with  this  increased  capital  he  was  now  looking  up  a  farm,  soon 
found  a  suitable  place  and  located  on  the  northest  quarter  of 
northeast  quarter  Sec.  11,  about  a  mile  southwest  of  Mr.  Gravdal 
and  in  the  same  town. 

Three  men  and  three  days  saw  the  first  house  finished.  In  this 
they  lived  during  the  summer  and  fall,  1840,  when  they  moved 
into  a  more  substantial  building.  Gisle  Hallan  had  also  taken 
possession  of  his  new  home  in  Sec.  6,  Town  of  Beloit.  Early  in 
the  spring  and  during  the  summer  Gullick  Halvorsen,  Blackstad 
(Skavlem)  located  on  Sec.  28,  in  the  same  town;  so  that  by  fall, 

1840,  we  have  the  Rock  Prairie  settlement  well  established,  con- 
sisting of  five  homesteads,  viz. :  Gravdal,  Hallan  Odegarden,  Lars 
Skavlem  and  Gullik  Halvorsen  Blakstad  (Skavlem),  and  it  is 
safe  to  say  that  each  place  besides  sheltering  its  own,  was  taxed 
to  its  utmost  capacity  in  giving  shelter  to  new  comers.  Each 
succeeding  year  brought  rapidly  increasing  additions  to  both  set- 
tlements, and  by  '43  the  great  wave  of  Norwegian  immigration 


SCANDTXAYIANS  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  427 

■was  fairly  on.  In  less  than  five  years  more  these  modest  little 
beginnings  had  grown  into  large  and  prosperous  communities. 
But  as  yet  the  most  of  them  were  quite  distinctly  foreigners  in 
language  and  customs.  As  the  volume  of  immigration  increased 
a  marked  change  was  apparent  in  the  personnel  of  the  new  arriv- 
als. 

The  Puritanical  Hougian  (10)  and  Quaker  types  of  religious 
dissenters  were  but  a  small  minority,  while  political  discontents 
and  democratic  radicals  were  the  exception.  Easy  going,  satis- 
fied, somewhat  dull  and,  as  compared  with  the  early  pioneers,  in 
a  measure  unthinking,  the  great  bulk  of  Norwegian  peasantry 
that  came  over  on  the  high  wave  of  migration  during  the -forties 
were  not  dissatisfied  with  the  political  or  religious  conditions  of 
the  fatherland;  in  fact,  religion  and  polities  were  subjects  that 
concerned  them  the  least.  They  came  chiefly  on  the  inducement 
of  good  wages,  cheap  or  free  lands,  and  a  less  strenuous  struggle 
for  existence.  Vfith  them  came  the  first  installment  of  Norwegian 
clergy,  representing  the  intolerant  self-styled  orthodox  Lutheran 
State  church  of  Norway.  These  were  able  and  well  educated, 
zealous  young  men ;  trained  in  the  religious  state  institution  of 
Norway,  they  had  imbibed  the  bitter  antagonism  of  the  state  and 
church  against  all  dissenters  and  non-conformists. 

(The  Norwegian  settlement  west  of  Beloit  in  the  towns  of 
Beloit,  Newark,  Avon,  Spring  Valley  and  Plymouth  has  always 
been  designated  as  "Rock  Prairie";  this  should  not  be  con- 
founded with  the  Rock  Prairie  that  lies  in  Harmony,  Johnstown 
and  Bradford  and  La  Prairie.) 

The  first  of  these  was  the  Rev.  J.  W.  C.  Dietrichson  (11)  who 
landed  at  Milwaukee  August  5,  1844,  and  came  to  the  Koshko- 
nong  settlement  in  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  on  the  last  days  of 
August,  same  year.  His  first  sermon  preached  at  Koshkonong 
shows  the  conceited  self-assumed  superiority  of  the  "regularly 
ordained  minister  in  the  Lutheran  church."  The  following  quo- 
tation is  taken  from  his  own  record.  "Friday,  the  30th  of 
August,  1844,  I,  Johannes  Wilhelm  Christian  Dietrichson,  from 
my  fatherland,  Norway,  reglularly  ordained  minister  in  the  Luth- 
eran church,  held  service  for  the  Norwegian  settlers  living  on 
Koshkonong  Prairie.  In  this  first  service  which  I  held  here,  on 
said  day's  afternoon,  I  preached  in  a  barn  at  Amund  Anderson's 
on  the  words  in  Rev.  3-11 :  'Behold  I  come  quickly;  hold  that  fast 


428  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

which  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown. '  I  sought  accord- 
ing to  the  grace  God  gave  me  to  impress  solemnly  upon  my  coun- 
trymen 's  hearts  the  importance  of  holding  fast  to  the  true  saving 
faith  and  to  the  edifying  ritual  of  the  church  of  our  fathers  here 
in  this  land  divided  by  so  many  erroneous  sects." 

At  the  very  first  sound  of  the  state  church,  as  it  was  called, 
the  old  conflict  revived.  The  Hougians,  Independents,  Quakers 
and  dissenters  of  all  kinds,  who  had  sought  a  home  on  the  prairies 
of  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  in  order  to  be  free  from  church  intol- 
erance, found  themselves  face  to  face  with  their  old  tormentor, 
religious  bigotry;  but  the  situation  was  changed.  Here  all  were 
on  an  equal  footing.  Eielson  could  not  be  thrown  in  prison,  the 
Quakers  could  not  be  forced  to  baptism  or  confirmation,  nor  their 
dead  exhumed  from  their  graves  in  order  that  they  might  be 
buried  according  to  the  Lutheran  ritual.  Undoubtedly  the  con- 
flict would  be  long  and  bitter,  but  the  outcome  was  not  doubted. 
It  was  but  a  question  of  the  "survival  of  the  fittest." 

One  of  the  first  things  required  of  a  stranger  in  any  com- 
munity is  to  give  or  be  given  a  name  by  which  he  may  be  known 
individually  and  also  designated  in  transactions  of  business  with 
his  associates.  The  system  of  names  and  records  of  the  same,  in 
vogue  among  the  peasantry  of  Norway,  differing  radically  from 
the  practice  in  this  country  caused  much  confusion  of  names,  so 
that  in  the  early  days  of  the  colonies  it  was  not  unusual  for  one 
individual  to  be  known  by  three  or  four  different  names  in  less 
than  that  many  years.  Their  signatures  to  papers  and  docu- 
ments of  record  soon  produced  apparent  flaws  in  titles,  which 
fact  has  caused  much  trouble  and  considerable  expense  to  correct 
and  will  continue  to  puzzle  the  title  experts  for  many  years  to 
come.  The  Norwegian  peasantry  have  no  family  or  surname, 
but  every  grange,  farmstead,  habitation  has  a  name,  and  this 
name  becomes  the  address,  home  or  family  name  of  those  who 
occupy  the  same ;  and  whenever  they  change  their  home,  their 
address,  home  or  family  name  is  changed,  to  that  of  their  new 
home.  The  name  of  the  farm  or  grange  is  never  changed,  so  that 
those  that  live  at  Skavlem  will  always  be  Skavlem.  Those  that 
live  at  Nyhus  will  always  be  Nyhus,  and  so  on. 

Norwegian  system  of  names 

1st. — Baptismal  name,  Gullik. 


SCANDIXAVIAXS  IX  EOCK  COUXTY  429 

2iid. — Father's  baptismal  name: 

Ole  (plus)  sen 
3rd. — Eesidence  name,  Gravdal. 

Full  name — Gullik  Olsen  Gravdal. 

A  woman's  name  is  on  the  same  plan,  except  adding  the  word 
datter  (daughter)  after  the  father's  baptismal  name,  thus: 

1st — Baptismal  name,  Gunnil. 

2nd — Father's  baptismal  name,  Gjermund  (plus)  datter. 

3rd — Residence  name,  Odegarden, 
and  we  have  her  full  name,  Gunnil  Gjermund 's  datter  Odegar- 
den. 

The  process  of  change  of  name  in  America  was  brought  about 
in  a  variety  of  ways,  often  unrealized  by  the  person  himself  until 
years  after,  when  he  became  familiar  with  and  understood  the 
American  system  of  family  names. 

Very  few  Norwegian  names  have  escaped  mutilation  of  some 
sort.  Some  may  be  but  slightly  changed  in  spelling — Nattestad 
to  Natesta,  Vegli  to  Wagley ;  here  the  sound  of  the  name  remains 
practically  the  same,  but  we  have  a  meaningless  word  and  name 
substituted  for  a  descriptive  one.  Natte  or  nut  equals  knoll. 
Stad  equals  town,  and  we  have  Knolltown.  Veg  equals  wall,  li 
equals  glenn  or  side-hill,  and  we  have  wall  glenn  or  wall-side. 
This  change  has  usually  come  about  by  the  phonetic  spelling  of 
the  name  as  pronounced.  Others  have  had  their  name  divided 
and  sub-divided,  being  designated  at  one  time  by  their  first  or 
baptismal  name,  afterwards  by  their  father's  Christian  name, 
with  suffix  son  or  sen,  and  perhaps  later  on  by  the  farm,  grange, 
or  locality  name  which  finally  becomes  the  permanent  family 
name.  All  of  these  separated  names  would  also  be  subjected  to 
still  further  changes  by  phonetic  spelling.  To  illustrate  the  last 
mentioned  series  of  changes,  we  will  take  Mr.  Gravdal,  the  father 
of  Rock  Prairie  settlement,  whose  name  has  now  gone  into  his- 
tory as  Gullik  Olsen  Gravdal. 

AVhen  Mr.*  Gravdal  first  met  his  American  friends  and  neigh- 
bors he  could  speak  no  English ;  they,  of  course,  understood  not 
his  Norwegian.  In  the  family  and  amongst  acquaintances  the 
Norwegians  always  address  each  other  by  the  Christian  name. 
His  American  friends  heard  him  called  Gullik  by  his  family,  as 
also  by  his  Norwegian  neighbors ;  so  naturally  enough  he  became 


430  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

Mr.  Giillik  or  Gulack  when  they  had  occasion  to  spell  and  write 
the  name. 

His  children  would  be  Mr.  Gulack 's  children.  As  they  learned 
their  Christian  names  they  became  Ole  Gulack ;  Tollev  changed 
to  Tolle  became  Tolle  Gulack.  Maria  Gulack  and  Sigri  or  Siri 
was  changed  to  Sarah  Gulack.  It  was  the  same  with  all  of  the 
earliest  Norwegian  settlers,  at  least  on  Eock  Prairie.  They  were 
first  known  and  designated  by  their  Christian  names.  Gunnil 
Gjermundsdatter  Odegarden  became  widow  Gunnel;  Lars  Hal- 
vorsen  Skavlem  was  Mr.  Lars ;  Gisle  Sebjornson  Hallen,  Mr.  Gis- 
ley ;  Hans  Halvorsen  Husemoen,  Mr.  Hans,  and  Kleof as  Halvorsen 
Hansamnoen,  Mr.  Cleophas.  When  their  children  first  came  to 
English  school  their  English  speaking  playmates  would  tell  the 
teacher  the  name  of  the  bashful  little  towheads  and  it  was  Hal- 
vor  Lars  and  Halver  Hans  (12),  Halvor  Cleophas  (13)  and  Seb- 
jorn  changed  to  Saber  Gesley  (14). 

And  by  the  same  school  house  legislation  the  writer's  mother- 
in-law,  who  was  a  daughter  of  the  widow  Gunnil  and  whose  full 
Norwegian  name  should  be  written  Gjertrud  Thorstensdatter  Ode- 
garden,  was  hokus-pokused  into  Mary  Gunniel.  When  she  paid 
Uncle  Sam  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre  for  the  S.  W.  %,  N.  E. 
1^,  Sec.  21,  T.  1,  E.  11,  June  7th,  1846,  we  find  her  registered  as 
Mary  Goun oriel. 

If  we  could  stop  with  these  changes  it  would  be  easy,  but  the 
trouble  .has  just  commenced.  When  Mr.  Gravdal  went  to  the 
land-office  at  Milwaukee,  December  12,  1839,  and  made  his  first 
purchase  of  land  we  find  from  the  records  that  on  December  12, 
1839,  Goelicke  Holt  became  the  owner  of  S.  W.  14,  of  N.  E.  i^, 
Sec.  1,  Town  1,  north  Eange  11,  E.  On  February  19,  1842,  the 
same  name  Goelick  Holt  is  registered  as  the  purchaser  of  N.  W. 
14,  S.  E.  14,  Sec.  1,  Tovm  1,  Eange  11.  And  on  March  13, 
1846,  Gullek  Olsen  buys  the  S.  E.  14,  S.  E.  V^,  Sec.  1,  Town  1, 
Eange  11.  Now  these  three  parcels  of  land  above  described  are 
the  old  Gravdal  farm,  which  Mr.  Gravdal  purchased  direct  from 
the  government,  so  Mr.  Holt  and  Mr.  Olsen  and  Mr.  Gravdal 
must  be  one  and  the  same  person.  Now  for  the  explanation : 
As  they  had  no  home  or  farm  as  yet  in  this  country  they  would 
be  known  by  the  last  home  they  had  in  the  old  country.  Mr. 
Gravdal  had  sold  his  farm.  Gravdal,  a  short  time  before  he  con- 
cluded to  emigrate  to  America  and  purchased  a  place  called  Holt. 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  431 

This  place  was  some  distance  from  the  old  home  of  Gravdal 
and  located  in  another  parish.  So  when  he  came  to  join  the 
Ansten  Natesta  party,  consisting  largely  of  neighbors  from  his 
old  home,  to  them  he  was  still  Gravdal  and  the  name  Holt  only 
appears  on  the  first  two  patents.  In  the  third  patent  he  gives 
his  name  simply  as  Gullik  Olsen.  This  was  what  may  be  termed 
the  common  every  day  style  of  Norwegian  signature,  by  the 
Christian  name  and  the  "Far's-navm"  (Father's  name)  which 
consisted  of  the  father's  Christian  name  plus  son  or  sen.  Many 
would  not  sign  their  full  name  except  when  extreme  accuracy  or 
particularly  important  documents  were  supposed  to  require  it. 
This  is  also  customary  at  the  present.  Very  few  people  ordi- 
narily sign  their  full  name;  most  sign  by  initials  and  family 
name,  except  when  requested  to  make  signatures  on  documents 
of  record.  Ole  Gulak,  Mr.  Gravdal 's  oldest  son,  adopted  Gulack 
as  his  family  name  and  among  those  that  now  represent  the 
name  of  old  Mr.  Gullek  is  the  Hon.  Gilbert  Gulack,  ex-Senator 
of  North  Dakota,  a  grandson  of  Gullik  Gravdal  on  his  father's 
side  and  grandson  of  widow  Gunnil  on  his  mother's  side.  The 
younger  son  Tollev,  changed  to  Tolle  by  phonetic  spelling,  took 
Gravdal  for  his  family  name,  and  old  Gravdal 's  name  is  repre- 
sented by  Gilbert  Gravdal,  a  prominent  and  wealthy  farmer  of 
Newark.  Again,  others  have  translated  the  old  country  farm 
or  home  name,  for  instance,  the  Newhouse  families  of  Clinton 
were  Nyhus.  Ny  equals  new  and  hus  equals  house,  and  we  have 
Newhouse.  Haugen  translated  has  become  Hill,  and  we  have 
Halvor  P.  Hill,  of  Janesville,  a  grandson  of  Halvor  Pederson 
Haugen,  of  the  "Amelia"  party.  Mr.  Hill's  uncle,  son  of  Halvor 
Pederson  Haugen,  took  the  middle  name  of  his  father  Pederson, 
changed  it  to  Peterson  and  adopted  that  as  his  family  name,  and 
we  find  him  in  history  as  the  Hon.  Halvor  H.  Peterson,  repre- 
senting the  first  district  of  Rock  county  in  the  legislative  assem- 
bly, 1871.  Mr.  Peterson  is  now  living  in  Alta,  Buena  Vista 
county,  Iowa,  and  is  one  of  the  few  survivors  of  the  thirty-niners. 
The  following  is  a  partial  list  of  the  various  ways  of  changing 
names.  Those  who  are  in  need  of  a  new  name  can  take  their 
choice : 

1st,  Father's  baptismal  name  for  family  name. 

2d,  Father's  father's  name  plus  son  for  family  name. 


432  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

3d,  Farm  or  home  name  for  family  name. 
4th,  Translation  of  home  name,  family  name. 

5th,  Phonetic  spelling  of  either  of  above  names  for  family 
name. 

6th,  Any  old  name  will  do  for  family  name. 

Two  well  known  families  can  trace  the  origin  of  their  family 
name  to  a  large  spring,  located  near  the  center  of  the  north  half 
of  Sec.  4,  Town  of  Newark.  This  fine  spring  soon  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  early  homeseekers,  and  in  September,  1841, 
Gullik  Knndsen  and  Gunnel  Stordock,  with  their  families,  located 
near  this  spring,  which  as  a  land  mark  was  already  known  as  the 
"Big  Spring."  Stordock  with  his  family  lived  in  a  haystack  for 
three  months  while  he  built  a  house.  In  1843  he  sold  his  interest 
in  the  place  to  Gunder  Knudson,  a  brother  of  Gullik  Knudson; 
so  we  have  the  tAvo  brothers,  Gullik  and  Gunder  Knudson,  living 
near  "Spring-en"  (the  spring).  This  place  already  having  a 
name,  they  were  referred  to  as  Gullik  Springen  and  Gunder 
Springen.  As  their  families  grew  up  they  continued  the  name 
Springen.  And  Ansten  Springen  still  owns  the  farm  of  his 
father  Gullik.  The  well  known  K.  G.  Springen  and  his  sons, 
prominent  business  men  of  Mayville,  N.  D.,  represent  Gunder 
Springen.  Perhaps  the  most  singular  and  apparently  unexplain- 
able  mutilation  of  a  name  is  that  of  widow  Odegarden,  as  her 
name  appears  upon  the  government  land  records.  In  examining 
the  entries  of  land  in  Rock  county  I  find  that  Gisle  Seberson 
Hallan  became  a  freeholder  in  Rock  county,  November  29,  1839, 
and  on  the  same  date  Gooneal  G.  Doctor  took  title  to  her  first 
land.  Now  the  question  is  how  can  we  change  the  "Doctor"  to 
the  widow  Gunnil  Odegarden?  The  explanation  is  this:  Un- 
doubtedly Mrs.  Odegarden  sent  with  Mr.  Hallan  money  to  pur- 
chase this  piece  of  land,  and  when  the  clerk  at  the  land  office 
asked  for  the  name  of  the  person  to  whom  the  patent  should  be 
made  Mr.  Hallan  gave  the  name  Gunnil  Gjermunds-datter.  This 
to  the  clerk  would  sound  as  a  name  of  three  words,  and  following 
the  custom  then  as  now  common,  to  only  give  the  initial  of  the 
middle  name  G,  he  then  mistook  the  datter  for  Doctor,  and  there 
you  are. 

What  the  records  show.  Scandinavian  freeholders  in  Rock 
county  up  to  January  1,  1843: 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  KOCK  COUNTY  433 

Town  1,  Range  11,  Town  of  Newark. 
Sec.  1. 
S.  W.  14,  N.  E.  l^— Goelicke  Holt  (Gravdal),  December  12,  1839. 
N.  W.  14,  S.  E.  14— Goelicke  Holt  (Gravdal),  February  19,  1842. 

Sec.  4. 
S.  E.  1/4,  N.  W.  1/4— Margaret  Oles  Dater  (Mrs.  Gullik  Springen), 

October  22,  1841. 
N.  E.  1/4,  S.  W.  1/4— Tellef  Helgaison,  December  15,  1842. 

Sec.  5. 
S.  W.  lA,  N.  W.  lA ;  N.  W.  1/4,  S.  W.  1/4— Gubrand  Oleson,  October 
7,  1841. 
Sec.  9. 
N.  E.  14,  N.  W.  14— Guleke  Oleson,  December  15,  1842. 

Sec.  11. 
N.  W.  14,  N.  E.  1/4— Lars  Halvorsen  (Skavlem),  June  4,  1841. 
N.  E.  14,  S.  W.  14— Halvor  Nilson  (Aae),  November  14,  1842. 

Sec.  23. 
N.  1/0,  N.  E.  14 — Gooneal  G.  Doctor  (Odegarden),  November  29, 
""  1839. 
Sec.  24. 
S.  E.  14,  N.  W.  14— Gonnoriel  G.  Doctor  (Odegarden),  October  12, 
1840. 

Town  2,  Range  11,  Plymouth. 
Sec.  32. 
S.  W.  14,  N.  E.  1/4— Paul  Halvorsen  (Skavlem),  September  15, 

1841. 
N.  W.  14,  S.  E.  1/4— Nils  Oleson  (Vegli-Wagley),  September  15, 

1841. 
E.  1/2,  N.  W.  1/4— Nils  Oleson  (Vegli-Wagley),  September  15,  1841. 

Sec.  33. 
N.  W.  14,  S.  E.  1/4— Gunnel  Halgorsen,  September  15,  1841. 

Town  1,  Range  12,  Beloit. 
Sec.  6. 
N.  W.  1/4,  S.  E.  14— Geesley  Saberson  Hollen,  November  29,  1839. 
S.  "W.  14,  N.  E.  1/4— Geesley  Saberson  Hollen,  July  12,  1841. 
N.  E.  1/4,  S.  W.  1/4— Torris  Sebarison,  December  15,  1842. 
N.  W.  1/4,  N.  E.  1/4— Margarett  Nutes  (Mrs.  Gisle  Sebjornsen  Hal- 
Ian),    December    15,    1842.     Nutes    equals    Knudsdatter. 
("Nutes"  is  all  the  clerk  got  down  of  Knudsdatter.) 
Sec.  19. 


434  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

N.  W.  % — Abram  Hobartson    (Herbrand  Halvorson  Skavlem), 

September  29,  1842. 
Sec.  28. 
S.  W.  14,  N.  W.  14— Goelicke  Halverson  (Gullik  Halverson  Blake- 

stad-Skavlem),  May  16,  1840. 

Town  1,  Range  14,  Clinton. 

Sec.  15. 
S.  E.  14,  S.  E.  14— Ole  Newhouse,  September  26,  1842. 

Sec.  20. 
E.  1/2,  N.  E.  14— Airik  Gubrandson,  May  16,  1840. 
S.  E.  1/4,  S.AV.  %— Kittel  Newhouse,  June  15,  1840. 
W.  y2,  S.  W.  >4— Tosten  Nilsen,  September  19,  1842. 
N.  E.  14,  S.  W.  1^— Kittel  Newhouse,  September  26,  1842. 
N.  W.  14,  S.  E.  14— Ole  Knudson  (Natesta),  November  25,  1842. 

See.  22. 
N.  E.  14,  N.  W.  I/4 — Andreas  Jacobson,  January  25,  1840. 
W.  1/2,  N.  W.  14— Ole  Newhouse,  September  26,  1842. 

Sec.  25. 
S.  W.  14,  S.  W.  14— Jas.  Hilbeitson,  September  19,  1842. 
S.  W.  14,  N.  W.  14— Tore  Halgesen,  September  19,  1842. 

Sec.  29. 
E.  1/2,  S.  E.  1/4— Erek  Gulbeitson,  October  22,  1841. 
W.  1/2,  S.  E.  14— Erick  Hilbeitson,  September  19,  1842. 

Sec.  30. 
E.  1/2,  N.  E.  14— Thosten  Nilsen,  December  25,  1839. 
S.  E.  1/4.  S.  E.  14— Chris  Newhouse,  September  25,  1842. 
N.  E.  1/4,  S.  E.  1/4— Gulbrand  Gulbrandson,  October  31,  1842. 

Sec.  32. 
W.  1/2,  N.  E.  1/4— Ansten  Knudsen  (Natesta),  December  25,  1839. 

Sec.  35. 
S.  E.  14,  S.  E.  1/4— Ole  Pederson  Buckstrung,  December  15,  1842. 

A  study  of  these  records  shows  that  Gisle  Sebjornsen  Hallan 
was  the  first  Scandinavian  land  owner  in  Eock  county,  while  the 
widow  Odegarden  undoubtedly  was  the  second,  as  her  entry  was 
of  the  same  date  as  Mr.  Kalian's.  Dating  the  settlement  by 
freehold  Eock  Prairie,  in  Eock  county,  is  older  than  Jefferson 
Prairie.  The  earliest  date  of  Scandinavian  freehold  in  Clinton 
is  by  Ansten  Knudsen  (Natesta)  and  Thorsten  Nilsen,  dated 
December  25,  1839.  Ole  Knudsen  Natesta  did  not  take  title  to 
his  land  until  November  25,  1842.     We  have  seen  that  the  greater 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  435 

part  of  the  early  emigrants  left  Norway  to  get  away  from  re- 
ligious intolerance.  As  a  rule  they  were  strongly  religious,  each 
one  tenacious  of  his  own  particular  and  often  peculiar  idea.  In 
the  earliest  colonies  many  had  already  allied  themselves  to  the 
various  American  church  societies,  with  which  they  came  in  con- 
tact. No  effort  at  church  organization  among  the  Norwegians 
had  been  made  until  Elling  Eielson  arrived  in  1839.  (15) 

An  enthusiastic  Hougian  Evangelist,  he  had  traveled  exten- 
sively both  in  Norway  and  Denmark,  preaching  everywhere  re- 
pentance and  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  At  some  places  he  was 
endorsed  and  encouraged  by  the  resident  clergy;  at  others  he 
was  bitterly  opposed  and  denounced  as  a  dangerous  heretic.  This 
culminated  in  his  arrest  and  imprisonment  while  in  Denmark; 
but  even  in  prison  he  could  not  be  silenced.  He  was  continually 
admonishing  his  fellow  prisoners  to  repentance  and  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Prince  Kristian  and  Princess  Karoline  Amalia  took 
his  part  and  procured  his  release  from  prison.  He  returned  to 
Norway,  where  he  continued  his  itinerant  preaching.  His  char- 
acteristic boldness  and  unqualified  denunciation  of  church  ritual- 
ism and  secular  interference  in  religious  matters  caused  continu- 
ous conflict  and  opposition  by  the  state  church.  On  arrival  in 
this  country  he  immediately  commenced  his  religious  work. 
Gathering  around  him  the  few  Scandinavian  residents  of  the  then 
small  village  of  Chicago  he  held  his  first  "Christelig  Samling" 
(Christian  assembly),  as  he  termed  his  meetings,  and  vigorously 
exhorted  to  repentance  and  faith  in  "Christ  and  His  Crucified." 
From  Chicago  he  visited  the  scattered  Norwegians  in  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin.  At  the  Jefferson  and  Rock  Prairie  settlements  he 
found  sympathetic  audiences.  Some  were  pronounced  Hougians 
and  the  rest  were  at  least  liberally  inclined.  At  first  Eielson  had 
no  opposition  and  naturally  assumed  the  leadership.  A  number 
of  religious  exhorters  and  lay  preachers  flocked  to  his  standard 
and  each  recognized  the  other  as  a  "Brother  in  Christ."  While 
on  a  visit  at  Rock  Prairie,  1842,  at  a  meeting  held  with  Mrs. 
Odegarden,  who  was  an  active  Hougian,  the  necessity  of  pro- 
viding for  the  religious  education  of  the  young  people  was  con- 
sidered. All  agreed  that  this  was  of  great  importance  and  some- 
thing must  be  done  immediately.  Finding  but  one  of  Pontop- 
pidan's  explanations  of  Luther's  catechism,  and  but  one  or  two 
catechisms  in  the  settlement,  with  a  similar  scarcity  of  supply  in 


436  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

the  other  communities,  it  was  decided  that  Eielson  must  go  to 
New  York  and  make  arrangement  for  the  printing  of  an  edition 
of  these  necessary  books.  Eielson  was  a  man  of  action  and 
forthwith  departed  on  his  errand.  It  was  late  in  the  fall  before 
he  was  ready  to  return  from  New  York,  over  a  thousand-mile 
journey,  and  the  canal  boats  and  steamboats  were  laid  up  for 
winter — but  the  walking  was  good.  And  so,  with  knapsack  on 
back,  he  walked  all  the  way  back  to  Jefferson  Prairie  (16)  and 
arrived  there  shortly  after  New  Years,  1843.  On  the  3d  of  July, 
the  same  year,  he  married  Sigri  Nilsen,  of  Muskego,  Eacine 
county. 

In  an  autobiography  Mrs.  Eielson  speaks  of  the  "simple  life" 
of  those  early  days  as  follows:  "Eielson  bought  a  piece  of  land 
near  my  father's,  where  he  built  a  small  log  house.  Our  house- 
hold furniture  was  of  the  simplest  kind ;  the  emigrant  chest 
served  as  table  for  two  years,  when  a  neighbor  presented  us  with 
a  home  made  table.  I  was  alone  most  all  the  time.  Eielson  was 
doing  missionary  work,  constantly  traveling  from  place  to  place. 
I  was  strong  and  loved  to  work.  I  planted  trees  and  made  gar- 
den, spun  and  wove  linen  from  flax,  that  we  raised  ourselves; 
also  made  cloth  from  wool  and  prepared  our  own  garments.  In 
1846  we  moved  to  Jefferson  Prairie,  where  we  lived  with  a  kind 
Norwegian  family  for  three  years.  Then  we  again  purchased  a 
piece  of  land,  built  a  small  cabin,  just  one  room,  and  our  furniture 
still  consisted  of  the  big  chest,  home  made  table  and  several 
benches." 

Early  realizing  the  urgent  demand  for  some  kind  of  parochial 
organization  of  the  scattered  clusters  of  his  countrymen  he  sought 
church  orders  and  was  ordained  at  Chicago  October  3,  1843,  by 
the  Lutheran  pastor,  Eev.  Hoffman.  J\Iany  of  the  lay  preachers 
or  exhorters,  who  conducted  religious  services  in  the  early  days 
of  the  colonies,  followed  Eielson 's  advice  and  example  and  later 
became  Lutheran  clergymen.  But,  fifteen  days  later  than  Eiel- 
son, C.  L.  Clausen  was  ordained  at  Buffalo  by  Eev.  L.  F.  E. 
Krause.  Ole  Andrewson,  who  was  a  co-laborer  with  Eielson  and 
Clausen  in  early  pioneer  days,  came  to  America  in  1841  and 
located  at  Jefferson  Prairie  in  1844,  "where  he  settled  on  a  piece 
of  land,  at  the  same  time  ministering  to  the  spiritual  wants  of 
his  countrymen  who  had  settled  there."  He  was  ordained  for 
the  ministry  in  1846.     For  four  years  previous  to  this  time  he 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  437 

devoted  himself  entirely  to  gospel  work,  traveling  from  place  to 
place  in  the  Norwegian  settlements  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin. 
From  1846  to  1856  he  organized  congregations  at  Mission  Point, 
Lisbon,  Leland  and  Fox  River,  Ills.;  also  at  Racine,  Milwaukee 
and  Muskego,  Wis.  In  1856  he  became  a  resident  pastor  of  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  Clinton,  Wis. ;  serving  also  other 
congregations  at  Muskego,  Queen  Anne  Prairie,  Leland  and  Rock 
Prairie.  For  nearly  thirty  years  he  continued  to  serve  these 
places  with  remarkable. faithfulness  and  ability  up  to  his  death, 
which  occurred  February  23,  1885.  He  was  a  laborious  worker, 
a  good  preacher,  made  many  long  missionary  journeys,  was 
charitable  to  those  of  different  opinions  and  was  beloved  by  all 
who  made  his  acquaintance. 

These  early  leaders  earnestly  advised  their  friends  to  Ameri- 
canize as  fast  as  possible.  They  realized  the  impracticability  of 
building  little  Norways  on  AYisconsin  prairies.  They  prepared 
themselves  to  conduct  religious  services  in  the  English  language. 
Prominent  among  these  was  Paul  Anderson,  who  came  to  America 
in  1843.  He  had  acquired  a  fair  knowledge  of  English  in  Nor- 
way. A  devout  Christian  of  the  Hougian  type,  he  soon  became 
acquainted  with  Eielson,  Ole  Andrewson,  Clausen  and  others  and 
joined  them  in  their  active  missionary  work.  Realizing  the  need 
of  English  teachers  among  his  countrymen  he  soon  became  a 
student  at  the  Beloit  Seminary  and,  while  attending  school  there, 
often  conducted  religious  services  at  the  home  of  Lars  H.  Skav- 
lem,  in  Rock  Prairie.  He  afterwards  spoke  of  this  place  as  a 
home  to  him  during  his  school  days  at  Beloit.  (He  was  often  at 
our  house  and  my  father  had  a  high  regard  for  him. — Ed.)  In 
1848  Anderson's  missionary  work  resulted  in  the  organization  of 
a  congregation  in  Chicago.  He  was  ordained  at  Schohairie,  N.  Y., 
during  the  summer  of  1848,  and  returning  to  Chicago  began  his 
pastoral  duties.  He  soon  introduced  regular  English  services  in 
his  congregation,  placing  the  English  on  an  equal  footing  with 
the  Norwegian.  He  established  the  first  Sunday  school  among 
his  people,  which  was  also  conducted  in  English ;  thus  he  gathered 
around  him  the  young  people. 

The  four  names  that  will  stand  at  the  head  of  the  list  of  that 
band  of  Christian  workers  whose  influence  had  so  much  to  do 
with  the  early  shaping  of  the  social,  moral  and  religious  progress 
of  the  Norse- Americans  in  this  country,  must  be  Eielson,  Clausen, 


438  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Andrewson  and  Anderson,  and  in  1846  all  these  were  residents 
of  Rock  county.  Eielson  and  Andrewson  lived  at  Jefferson 
Prairie,  Anderson  at  Beloit  and  C.  L.  Clausen  became  the  resident 
pastor  at  Rock  Prairie. 

Rev.  Mr.  Anderson's  congregation  increased  year  by  year  and 
soon  became  the  largest  city  congregation  of  Scandinavians  in 
the  country.  Paul  Anderson  was  born  in  Vang  Valders,  Norway, 
August  24,  1821,  and  died  October  11,  1891,  at  Norland  Farm, 
La  Jara,  Col.  AYe  have  already  recorded  the  arrival  of  Deidrich- 
son  at  Koshkonong  in  1844  and  listened  to  the  words  of  warning 
in  his  first  sermon.  He  came  as  a  missionary  of  his  church — not 
as  an  immigrant — he  had  no  idea  of  becoming  an  American.  He 
loved  his  native  land  and  its  institutions  with  the  strength  of  a 
young  patriot,  and  above  all  he  had  just  dedicated  his  young  life, 
his  all,  to  his  great  mother,  the  church.  He  found  his  countrymen 
here  in  a  strange  land,  scattering  flocks  without  a  shepherd, 
under  the  influence  of  men  whose  proper  place,  from  his  view- 
point, was  the  prison  and  not  the  pulpit.  Many  had  already  been 
led  astray  by  Americans  in  to  the  "many  other"  erroneous  sects 
found  among  the  Americans.  Surely  here  was  work  to  do,  and 
that  of  the  strenuous  kind.  Here  was  the  opportunity  and  he 
was  the  man  of  the  hour.  And  he  went  at  it,  like  the  Viking 
that  he  was,  with  sledge  hammer  blows.  He  warned  his  hearers 
to  beware  of  the  false  teaching  of  Eielson  and  his  fanatical  asso- 
ciates, to  keep  clear  of  the  Americans  and  their  many  heresies, 
and  especially  to  guard  their  children  from  the  bad  influence  of 
the  godless  common  schools.  He  urged  the  Norwegians  to  organ- 
ize and  support  their  own  parochial  schools  and  send  to  Norway 
for  good  orthodox  teachers.  The  first  church  organization  on 
Rock  Prairie  was  the  one  organized  by  Diedrichson  in  1845,  and 
Lars  H.  Skavlem  was  one  of  its  members.  All  went  smoothly 
for  a  while.  Then  came  the  parochial  school  organization,  with 
C.  L.  Clausen  as  their  pastor.  This  was  slow  and  up-hill  work, 
but  it  was  finally  launched,  and  the  school  was  to  circulate  from 
house  to  house,  so  many  days  at  each  place.  In  due  time  it  came 
to  Mr.  Skavlem 's  house,  some  time  in  the  early  '50s,  after  Clausen 
had  moved  to  Iowa.  The  scholars  were  all  seated  on  benches 
around  the  room.  When  the  teacher  discovered  that  "Bergit" 
(17)  (a  nurse  girl  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Skavlem)  was  missing. 
He  questioned  Mr.  Skavlem  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  missing 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  439 

scholar  and  Skavlem  replied  that  the  Yankee  school  had  just 
begun  and  that  he  had  sent  her  there.  The  good  teacher  took 
Mr.  Skavlem  to  task  for  his  carelessness  of  the  spiritual  welfare 
of  his  ward.  Skavlem  retorted  that  fortunately  he  was  now  in  a 
country  where  he  had  a  right  to  his  own  opinion  on  such  matters, 
and  the  arguments  grew  long  and  waxed  warmer  until  the  scene, 
which  stamped  itself  indelibly  upon  my  memory,  though  I  was 
then  a  mere  child,  was  enacted.  I  can  still  see  that  cold  steel  blue 
glint  in  his  eye  as  my  father  looked  the  pedagogue  squarely  in 
the  face  and  slowly  said  in  the  Norwegian  language  what  trans- 
lated would  be  "You  can  not  plant  Norway  on  these  Wisconsin 
prairies,"  and  his  fist  came  down  on  the  table  with  such  a  force 
that  it  would  have  been  destruction  to  anything  but  a  home  made 
piece  of  furniture.  "If  this  is  your  religion  I  am  done  with  you 
and  your  church."  This  was  the  first  and  last  Norwegian 
parochial  school  in  Mr.  Skavlem 's  house,  and  perhaps  the  first 
serious  clash  between  the  two  contending  forces,  destined  to  a 
long  and  often  bitter  struggle,  the  outcome  of  which  has  never 
been  in  doubt.  Nobody  now  wants  to  build  Norway  on  these 
Wisconsin  prairies.  The  conservatism  and  ultra  Norse-National- 
ism of  that  portion  of  the  Scandinavian  immigrants,  completely 
dominated  by  the  so-called  State  Church,  can  only  retard  the  com- 
plete Americanization  of  its  members  for  perhaps  another  gener- 
ation. And  this  may  be  a  "blessing  in  disguise,"  True  evolution 
is  slow  of  growth  and  too  rapid  changes  are  apt  to  produce  many 
freaks  and  abnormal  individuals.  The  early  pioneers  were  more 
than  half  Americanized  before  they  left  their  native  land ;  not  so 
with  the  mass  of  the  later  arrivals ;  the  longer  time  in  transition 
may  be  necessary  to  the  best  results. 

Limited  space  allows  but  brief  notice  of  the  political  affilia- 
tions of  the  early  Scandinavian  pioneer.  Ole  Rynning's  little 
book  undoubtedly  had  much  to  do  w4th  the  anti-democratic  line- 
up of  many  of  the  first  settlers.  The  Free-soil  and  Liberty  parties 
got  the  first  vote  of  many  of  them.  Later  on,  during  the  late 
'40s  and  early  '50s,  the  bulk  of  the  Scandinavian  vote  went  to 
the  Democrats,  The  first  Norwegian  newspaper  published  was 
called  "Nordlyset"  (Northlight).  This  made  its  appearance  in 
1847,  was  published  in  Racine  county,  Wisconsin;  James  0.  Ray- 
mert,  editor,  and  was  an  exponent  of  the  "Free-soil"  party.  In 
1849  Knud  Langeland  and  0.  I.  Hatlestad  became  the  owners  of 


440  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

the  paper  and  changed  its  name  to  "  Demokraten " ;  but  it  was  to 
be  ''Free-soil  Democrat."  This  proved  a  failure  and  it  died,  aged 
1  year  and  6  months.  The  printing  establishment  was  now 
divided  between  Langeland  and  Hatlestad,  and  Langeland  was 
induced  to  move  his  part  of  the  outfit  to  Janesville,  Eock  county, 
Wis.,  where  he  was  to  be  assisted  by  C.  L.  Clausen,  then  resident 
pastor  at  Eock  Prairie,  in  the  publication  of  "Maanedstidende," 
a  religious  monthly  magazine.  This  was  also  a  losing  enterprise 
and  after  about  a  year's  struggle  Langeland  decided  to  sell  out. 
Langeland  says  that  his  office  force  in  Janesville  consisted  of  a 
young  boy  apprentice  and  one  printer,  named  Conradi,  a  brother 
of  the  renowned  professor  of  the  same  name. 

This  boy  printer  was  Eev.  Amon  Johnson,  A.  M.  In  1850  his 
father  moved  to  Dane  county  and  Amon,  at  the  age  of  13  years, 
learned  the  printer's  trade  at  the  office  of  the  "Maanedstidende," 
in  Janesville,  and  afterwards  in  the  "Emigranten's"  office  at 
Eock  Prairie,  "Wis.  In  the  latter  place  were  a  few  earnest  Chris- 
tians who  met  for  prayer  and  mutual  edification  on  Sundays.  One 
of  these  families,  Lars  Skavlem  and  his  wife,  Groe  Skavlem,  hav- 
ing heard  of  him,  the  lady  came  to  the  house  where  he  boarded 
and  invited  him  to  the  meeting,  the  Sunday  following,  at  their 
house.  He  went  and  this  family  became  interested  in  him. 
Through  their  efforts  and  recommendation  they  sent  him  to  the 
Illinois  State  University  of  Springfield,  111.,  in  1854. 

(American  Lutheran  Biographies,  Jensen,  1850.) 

A  stock  company  was  organized  and  the  printing  outfit  again 
moved,  this  time  to  Eock  Prairie.  "Inmansville,"  as  Langeland 
has  it  in  his  book,  "Normandene  i  Amerika."  Inmansville  was 
the  name  of  the  postoffice,  located  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest  of 
where  the  printing  office  was  first  established,  at  the  house  of 
Gunder  Springen,  near  the  northeast  corner  of  S.  E.  i/4,  of  N.  W. 
%,  Sec.  4,  Town  of  Newark.  Here  the  first  issue  of  the  "Emi- 
granten,"  C.  L.  Clausen  editor,  made  its  appearance  in  January, 
1853.  Its  politics  were  Democratic  and  it  was  said  to  have  re- 
ceived financial  aid  from  A.  Hyatt  Smith  and  other  leading  Demo- 
cratic politicians  of  Janesville.  When  the  Eepublican  party 
made  its  appearance  the  ''Emigranten,"  as  well  as  the  bulk  of 
the  Norwegians,  joined  its  ranks,  and  ever  since  they  have  been 
an  element  of  strength  to  that  party  in  localities  where  their 
number  had  weight.    At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Eebellion  the 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  441 

Norwegians  bore  their  share  of  the  burden  and  many  a  Norwegian 
pioneer  home  had  a  vacant  chair  before  the  end  of  the  conflict. 

Jacob  Lund,  of  Kock  Prairie,  is  but  one  sample  of  many  "old 
Norwegians"  who  went  to  the  war.  Lund  was  a  quiet,  religious 
person,  a  deacon  of  the  little  society  to  which  he  belonged,  and 
a  leader  in  the  prayer  and  lay  meetings  which  were  held  at  the 
homes  of  its  members.  His  son,  Ole  J.  Lunn,  had  signed  his  name 
at  the  recruiting  office  at  Beloit,  and  came  home  to  tell  his  father 
that  he  was  going  to  the  war.  For  a  while  the  old  man  was  silent. 
Then  he  quietly  said:  "Yes,  Ole,  there  are  two  of  us  and  the 
country  needs  men;  one  of  us  must  go;  but  you  are  too  young. 
You  must  stay  at  home  and  take  care  of  mother  and  the  farm. 
I  will  go  myself."  So  Jacob  Lund  took  the  place  of  his  son  in 
the  ranks  of  the  Twenty-second  Regiment,  Wisconsin  Volunteers, 
Company  I.  In  an  encounter  with  the  enemy  near  Chattanooga, 
in  March,  1863,  our  troops  were  driven  back.  At  roll  call  Jacob 
Lund  failed  to  answer.  Some  of  his  comrades  reported  they  had 
passed  him  sitting  on  the  ground  holding  a  twisted  handkerchief 
around  his  shattered  limb  with  one  hand,  while  in  the  other  he 
held  the  Bible,  out  of  which  he  appeared  to  be  reading,  and  the 
curtain  goes  down.  His  country  called — he  responded,  did  his 
duty  as  he  saw  it.  This  was  all.  (Jacob  Lund  was  taken  prison- 
er at  Thomson's  Station  and  died  of  wounds,  March  11,  1863,  at 
Columbia,  Tenn, — Ed.) 

His  son  Ole  took  good  "care  of  Mother"  until  the  summons 
came  for  her  to  join  the  patriot  in  the  life  beyond.  Ole  J.  Lunn 
is  still  taking  care  of  the  farm,  an  honored  citizen  of  the  town 
of  Beloit. 

And  now,  dear  reader,  if  you  are  not  already  tired  of  "ye 
olden  tales,"  I  am  pleased  to  introduce  you  to  one  who  was  an 
eye  witness  and  active  participant  in  the  scenes  and  activities  so 
briefly  chronicled  in  the  preceding  pages,  the  Mrs.  Groe  Skavlem, 
mentioned  above. 

Interesting  Facts  About  Scandinavian  Pioneers. 

By  Mrs.  Groe  Skavlem, 

Written  down  by  her  granddaughter,  Hannah  Skavlem,  and  read 
before  the  Old  Settlers '  Reunion,  at  Janesville,  January,  1897. 

"The  Early  Settlers'  Reunion  and  Banquet"  suggested  the 
idea  of  jotting  down  some  of  grandma's  interesting  recollections. 


442  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

as  she  told  them  to  her  grandchildren.  This  is  the  way  she 
begins : 

"Away  back  on  the  title  page  of  memory's  album,  almost  three 
score  years  and  ten  ago,  I  see  the  quaint  homestead  of  my  father, 
Halvor  Nilsson,  situated  on  the  rocky  bank  of  a  mountain  stream, 
where  it  makes  its  final  plunge  into  the  quiet  waters  of  the  lake 
below. 

"Near  the  little  parsonage  of  Nore,  in  the  southern  part  of 
Norway,  my  childhood  days  were  spent.  Father  possessed  con- 
siderable mechanical  ingenuity  (he  was  a  goldsmith  and  clock- 
maker  by  trade).  In  addition  to  his  regular  work  he  had  built 
himself  quite  a  shop,  or  factory.  By  the  arrangement  of  a  large 
water  wheel  he  secured  the  power  to  drive  his  machinery,  all  of 
which  he  himself  made.  I  remember  he  had  some  contrivance 
for  fulling  and  finishing  the  cloth  that  every  housewife  then 
made  on  a  hand  loom.  Then  there  were  the  wire  making  ma- 
chines.    From  the  wires  he  made  needles. 

Neighbors  Thought  Him  Wise. 

"In  his  younger  days  the  itineracy  of  his  trade  had  given  him 
a  wide  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  principally  among  the 
wealthy  and  better  informed  classes.  By  these  associations  he 
became  conversant  with  the  activities  of  the  outside  world.  Con- 
sequently he  was  looked  upon  as  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
learning.  His  stay-at-home  neighbors  sometimes  forgot  them- 
selves so  far  as  to  assert  that  the  goldsmith  knew  more  than  the 
preacher ! 

"Among  my  pleasant  recollections  were  my  oft  repeated 
visits  to  the  kind  hearted  parson,  where  I  would  get  a  bundle  of 
missionary  papers,  as  well  as  the  regular  weekly  Christiania  news- 
papers.    These  I  would  read  to  father  while  he  worked. 

"The  Natesta  brothers,  the  Skavlem  boys,  K.  Fossebrake, 
Gunnel  Stordock,  Widow  Odegarden,  with  her  family  of  four 
girls,  Gisle  and  Tarrus  Sebjurson,  Gullick  Gravedale  and  several 
others  whose  names  I  do  not  now  recall,  formed  the  advance 
guard  of  the  greatest  Scandinavian  migration  in  the  early  '40s 
and  '50s. 

"Among  the  very  earliest  emigrants  to  America  from  our 
neighborhood  were  the  brothers  Ole  and  Ansten  Natesta.  In 
1837  they  had  found  their  way  to  the  then  much  talked  of  Rock 


m...m ,,,'««?>  .' 


.  -is  ■« 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  443 

River  Valley.  Ole  built  his  first  cabin  on  the  place  still  known 
as  the  Natesta  farm,  situated  several  miles  south  of  the  village 
of  Clinton,  in  this  county. 

"Ansten,  returning  to  Norway  in  1838,  spent  the  winter  in 
relating  to  his  friends  and  neighbors  the  wonderful  advantages 
and  resources  of  'Nerd  America.'  People  came  long  distances 
to  hear  and  see  the  man  who  had  been  to  'Oiskonsin.' 

Left  for  America. 

"The  next  spring  Mr.  Natesta  returned  to  America,  accom- 
panied by  a  number  of  his  friends.  Among  these  were  the  Skav- 
lem  brothers,  Lars,  Gjermond  and  Herbrand. 

"I  remember  father  saying  that  if  he  had  been  a  younger 
man  he  would  have  gone  with  them.  How  vividly  it  all  comes 
back  to  me.  Those  never-to-be-forgotten  evenings  when,  the 
day's  work  finished,  mother  and  I  would  draw  our  wheels  before 
the  fireplace  and  by  the  light  of  the  blazing  logs  sit  spinning  far 
out  into  the  night.  At  a  short  distance  from  us,  surrounded  by 
a  confused  assortment  of  tools,  sat  father.  A  host  of  tiny  candles 
burned  blinkingly  all  about  him,  throwing  stray  gleams  upon  the 
spoons  with  filigree  handles,  the  quaint  brooches  and  other  ar- 
ticles of  dainty  filigree,  which  he  fashioned  with  such  delicate  skill 
As  w^e  worked  we  talked  of  America  and  conjectured  as  to  the 
possible  fate  of  our  many  friends  who  had  gone  to  make  for  them- 
selves on  its  vast,  unsettled  prairies  new  homes  and  greater  for- 
tunes. 

g'But  only  three  years  intervened  before  we,  too,  father  then 
sixty-one  years  old,  accompanied  by  wife  and  only  child  (I  was 
fifteen  years  of  age),  embarked  upon  the  vessel  Eleida,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Johnson,  outward  bound  for  New  York. 

"We  left  Drammen  in  May,  1842,  arriving  at  New  York  the 
following  September — four  long  and  weary  months  on  the  sea. 
Our  food  supplies  grew  scanty.  The  ship  leaked.  To  add  to  the 
general  misery,  sickness  attacked  the  passengers.  Out  of  120,  12 
were  buried  at  sea. 

Escaped  Striking  an  Iceberg. 

"Did  we  have  any  remarkable  adventure  on  the  ocean? 
"Well,  yes.     But  for  the  inquisitiveness  of  a  Haacon  Paulson, 
who  called  the  officers'  attention  to  something  spectre-like,  dimly 


444  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

visible  through  the  enveloping  fog,  the  Eleida  with  all  on  board 
would  certainly  have  gone  to  the  bottom.  Without  replying  to 
Mr.  Paulson's  question  the  mate  gave  a  series  of  sharp,  incisive 
orders.  Before  we  realized  what  had  transpired  we  found  our- 
selves sliding  along,  close  to  the  side  of  an  enormous  iceberg. 
Then  we  saw  a  sight  that  filled  us  with  awe  mingled  with  thanks- 
giving, as  we  realized  the  hair-breadth  escape  of  our  little  vessel 
from  a  similar  fate  to  the  one  that  had  overtaken  that  other, 
whose  mast,  with  penant  still  flying,  was  projecting  above  the 
icy  slush.  The  unknown  vessel  was  either  wedged  in  or  lodged 
upon  a  projecting  shelf  of  ice  so  far  below  the  water  line  that 
nothing  but  the  top  of  the  masts,  with  their  little  streamers  still 
fluttering  in  the  breeze,  remained  to  tell  us  of  the  probable  fate  of 
its  crew.  Yes,  Emma  Paulson,  one  of  your  high  school  teachers, 
is  a  daughter  of  this  same  Paulson. 

''Five  days  from  the  time  of  our  landing  found  us  already 
started  upon  our  westward  journey  in  search  of  far  off  Wis- 
consin. 

Reached  Milwaukee  by  Water. 

"We  went  up  the  Hudson  river,  and  then  through  the  Erie 
canal  to  Buffalo  by  means  of  canal  boats.  From  Milwaukee  our 
journey  was  to  be  overland.  We  wished  to  reach  Jefferson 
Prairie,  which  lay  somewhere  along  the  Rock  River  valley. 
Father  hired  a  team  to  convey  us  and  our  baggage  to  our  desti- 
nation. The  huge  unyielding  chests,  containing  all  our  worldly 
possessions,  we  tumbled  together  upon  the  wagon.  Atop  l^is 
wabbly  pile,  elevated  to  an  unapproachable  and  uncomfortable 
state,  sat  mother  and  I.  Father  would  walk  beside  the  team  with 
the  driver,  traveling  the  eighty  miles  or  more  to  our  journey's 
end  on  foot. 

"The  first  four  miles  lay  through  woods  and  swamps.  The 
swamps  would  have  been  impassable  save  for  the  rude  roads 
built  over  them.  Forest  trees  stripped  of  their  limbs  and  branches 
were  used  in  the  making  of  these.  Of  various  sizes  and  lengths 
these  logs  placed  thus  in  close  juxtaposition  afforded  unlimited 
opportunities  for  trying  the  springs  and  tempers  of  both  convey- 
ance and  travelers.  Weak  and  enfeebled  from  our  recent  illness, 
mother  and  I  suffered  untold  tortures  as  we  bumped  and  jostled 
over  these  'corduroy  roads.'    We  also  experienced  considerable 


SCAXDIXAVIANS  m  EOCK  COUNTY  445 

inconvenience  from  the  sharp,  cutting  edges  of  swamp   grass, 
which  then  grew  from  four  to  six  feet  high. 

Arrived  at  Delavan. 

"We  had  now  reached  a  comparative  wilderness.  Our  driver 
knew  as  little  about  the  country  as  we  did.  Nevertheless  we 
plodded  onward. 

"Eventually  we  reached  a  sort  of  habitation,  dwelling  house 
and  hotel  combined.  This,  together  with  an  adjoining  stable,  was 
graced  by  the  name  'Delavan.'  The  night  spent  at  this  tavern 
was  without  exception  the  most  dismal  one  of  our  whole  journey. 

"The  inmates  refused  us  admittance  into  their  house.  When 
we  asked  for  lodgings  they  pointed  to  the  road.  They  would 
give  us  nothing  to  eat  or  drink.  The  driver,  however,  fared 
better;  he  was  one  of  their  own  people.  ♦ 

"In  one  of  our  chests  we  had  some  'flatbread'  and  butter 
which  we  had  brought  with  us  from  the  old  country.  Father 
managed  after  considerable  trouble  to  raise  the  lid,  and  so  we 
got  something  to  eat.  As  night  drew  on  our  driver  came  to  us 
bringing  some  fresh  water  with  him ;  under  his  arm  he  carried  a 
bundle  of  straw.  He  motioned  us  toward  the  stable — our  com- 
munications carried  on  chiefly  by  signs  and  unintelligible  mur- 
murs— signifying  that  we  might  sleep  there  in  an  empty  stall, 
where  he  threw  the  straw.     Then  he  left  us. 

"Tired,  humiliated  and  homesick,  mother  and  I  presented  a 
most  dejected  pair.  But  father's  intrepid  spirit  and  courage 
bitoyed  him  over  these  petty  misfortunes.  He  was  not  to  be  dis- 
heartened, and  set  about  trying  to  cheer  and  comfort  us.  Listen- 
ing to  him  we  forgot  our  disappointments,  and  dreamed  only  of 
what  the  future  had  in  store  for  us. 

Next  Stop  at  Beloit. 

"From  Delavan  to  Beloit  was  the  next  stage  of  our  journey. 
Beloit  then  consisted  of  one  or  two  stores  and  quite  a  number 
of  houses.  We  crossed  the  river  by  means  of  boats.  The  bridge 
was  not  yet  built.  Here  we  chanced  upon  friends  and  from  them 
learned  that  it  would  be  nearer  to  reach  the  settlement  west  of 
town  than  to  retrace  our  steps  to  Jefferson  Prairie.  So  we  at 
last  ended  our  Gypsy-like  rovings.  We  stayed  for  a  short  time 
with  the  Widow  Odegarden,  whose  cabin  was  the  second  one 


446  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

built  in  what  is  now  the  township  of  Newark.  Father  soon  made 
arrangements  with  Lars  Skavlem  and  Knudt  Chrispinson  to 
occupy  their  house  with  them  during  the  winter.  We  were  soon 
comfortably  settled  and  father  busy  getting  out  logs  to  build  a 
house  of  his  own  on  an  adjoining  piece  of  land,  which  he  pur- 
chased from  the  government.  During  the  winter  months  we  kept 
great  logs  burning  continually  in  the  fireplace.  But  on  the  morn- 
ings following  extra  cold  nights  we  would  find  the  milk  frozen 
into  solid  cakes  of  ice.  The  milk  was  kept  on  hanging  shelves. 
These  swung  directly  over  the  fireplace.  The  warm  clothes  and 
bedding  we  had  brought  with  us  from  our  northern  home  pro- 
tected us  well  from  the  cold. 

The  Luxury  of  Today. 

"In  striking  contrast  to  these  cheerless  surroundings  are  the 
luxury  and  ease  which  encompass  the  children  of  today — the 
grandchildren  of  these  early  pioneers.  Father  still  continued  to 
make  clocks  and  silverware.  In  1845  he  perfected  the  first  clock 
made  in  Wisconsin.  It  was  one  of  those  old  fashioned  kind,  the 
case  of  which  reached  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling.  One  of  them 
still  remains  intact  in  the  Chrispenson  homestead,  in  the  township 
of  Newark.  In  these  early  days  we  were  very  careful  of  our  food 
supplies.  We  went  to  Beloit  only  two  or  three  times  a  year,  to 
replenish  our  stock  of  provisions.  I  recollect  we  brought  with 
us  from  our  old  home  a  little  sack  of  coffee  and  a  bag  of  fine  flour. 
We  were  so  choice  of  these  that  they  lasted  us  for  over  a  year. 
In  the  meadows  we  found  an  herb  we  called  slough-tea  (pyb- 
ably  mountain  mint),  the  leaves  of  which  we  steeped  into  a  kind 
of  tea.  The  flour  we  used  was  a  very  coarse  meal.  This  dis- 
guised in  numerous  mixtures  of  a  pudding-like  consistency,  to- 
gether with  potatoes,  occupied  a  most  prominent  place  in  our 
larder. 

Pew  Indians  Remained. 

"As  to  the  Indians,  when  we  came  to  Wisconsin  only  a  few 
stragglers  remained  upon  their  hunting  ground.  We  could  see 
them  in  twos  or  threes  noiselessly  slipping  about  the  woods.  They 
were  an  agreeable  disappointment  to  us.  Before  coming  to 
America  we  had  read  in  the  missionary  papers  of  the  depreda- 
tions committed  by  the  savage  red  men.  For  them  we  had  culti- 
vated a  feeling  of  fear  and  horror,  which  vanished,  however,  when 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  ROCK  COUNTY  447 

we  had  once  stood  face  to  face  with  the  originals.  One  evening — 
it  was  about  dusk — mother  sent  me  upon  an  errand  to  the  under- 
ground stable,  which  was  built  a  short  distance  from  the  house. 
"When  ready  to  return  I  pushed  the  door  back  and  stepped  out 
upon  the  ground.  There,  directly  in  front  of  me,  gun  in  hand 
and  dog  beside  him,  stood  an  Indian.  I  think  he  was  as  startled 
at  the  apparition  of  a  young  girl  springing  suddenly  from  the 
ground,  as  it  were,  as  I  was  frightened  by  being  thus  confronted 
by  the  actual  living  presence  of  one  of  those  beings  my  imagina- 
tion had  distorted  into  a  terrifying  bugbear.  For  a  moment  we 
looked  steadily  at  each  other.  Then  a  faint  grin  dispersed  itself 
over  his  countenance  as  he  slowly  backed  off  in  the  direction  of 
the  woods,  while  I  as  deliberately  retreated  towards  the  house. 

Wolves  Were  Plenty. 

"The  wolves  had  not  yet  been  frightened  away  from  their 
favorite  haunts.  Civilization  had  no  terrors  for  them.  With  a 
most  contemptuous  disregard  of  the  respect  due  us  in  our  role  of 
conquering  invaders,  they  held  nightly  vigils  in  the  woods  behind 
our  house  with  old  time  energy  and  vim.  Their  unearthly  wail- 
ing cries  were  not  the  most  pleasant  of  serenades.  I  do  not 
remember  of  their  making  any  very  savage  attacks  upon  the 
settlers.  In  those  early  times  the  woods  and  prairies  swarmed 
with  foxes  and  wild  game;  prairie  chickens,  quails  and  wild  tur- 
keys were  numerous. 

"I  was  now  married  and  lived  with  my  husband,  Lars  Skav- 
lefn,  in  our  own  cabin.  AVe  had  a  chore  boy  living  with  us.  He 
had  just  come  over  from  Norway  and  belonged  to  the  more  ignor- 
ant and  superstitious  class  of  emigrants.  The  first  Sunday  he 
took  his  hymn  book  and  strolled  off  into  the  woods.  Before  very 
long  we  saw  him  coming  across  the  opening  at  a  break-neck  speed, 
evidently  laboring  under  some  great  excitement.  When  he 
reached  us  he  was  all  out  of  breath. 

Thought  He  Saw  the  Devil. 

"  'What's  the  matter?'  asked  my  husband.  'I  have — have 
seen  the  devil,'  gasped  the  terrified  boy.  'I  was  lying  on  the 
ground  reading  my  hymn  book  when  I  heard  a  slight  noise  which 
caused  me  to  look  up,  and  there  he  stood,  more  terrible  than  I 
have  ever  seen  his  picture.     He  was  green,  blue,  yellow,  black. 


448  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

and  a  great  red  thing  hung  down  from  his  neck,  and  such  claws, 
I  know  it  was  the  devil.'  And  he  really  did  believe  he  had  caught 
a  glimpse  of  his  Satanic  Majesty.  My  husband  tried  to  explain 
to  him  that  it  was  undoubtedly  a  wild  turkey  gobbler  he  had 
seen,  but  he  ever  insisted  that  he  had  seen  the  devil  in  the  Skav- 
lem  woods. 

"Father  lived  fifteen  years  after  coming  to  this  country. 
Mother  died  when  she  was  ninety.  She  is  still  remembered  by 
her  great-grandchildren.  In  the  little  girl  of  these  rambling 
notes,  I  am  now  the  old  grandma  of  seventy.  As  we  grow  older 
memory  waves  her  kaleidoscopic  garments  before  our  dreamy 
eyes  and  we  live  over  again  the  scenes  of  other  days.  In  the 
words  of  Diderot,  'My  dear  friends  let  us  tell  tales.  While  we 
are  telling  tales  the  tale  of  life  approaches  its  end  and  we  are 
happy.'  " 

SUPPLEMENTARY  NOTES. 

Ole  Knudsen  Nattestad  (Natesta)  was  born  in  Nummedal, 
Norway,  December  24,  1807.  Died  in  the  town  of  Clinton,  Eock 
county,  Wis.,  May  28,  1886.     (1) 

Ansten  Knudsen  Nattestad  (Natesta)  was  born  August  26, 
1813.     Died  at  Clinton,  Wis.,  April  8,  1889. 

Ole  Rynning  was  born  at  Dusgaard,  Eingsaker,  Norway,  April 
4,  1809.     Died  at  Beaver  Creek,  Iroquois  county,  111.,  in  the  fall 

of  1838.     (2) 

Ole  EjTining's  book  had  a  good  description  of  our  land  sur- 
veys, with  full  instructions  for  looking  up  and  locating  govern- 
ment land  the  procedure  necessary  for  the  purchase  of  the  same ; 
consequently  the  newcomers  were  well  posted  in  this  line,  and 
often  could  help  out  their  Yankee  neighbors.  The  Hon.  Gunnuf 
Tollefson,  of  Dane  county,  many  years  ago  told  how  he  got  his 
first  piece  of  land.  "In  '49  I  left  Eock  Prairie  in  search  of  govern- 
ment land,  which  I  found  in  the  town  of  Primrose,  Dane  county. 
I  found  a  large  'Witness  Tree'  that  had  the  following  letters  and 
numbers  plainly  marked  on  it:  N.  W.  y^,  S.  23,  T.  5,  N.  Eange 
6  E.  There  was  no  pen  nor  paper  within  miles,  so  I  cut  down  a 
small  poplar,  hewed  it  down  to  a  thin  piece  of  board,  then  with 
my  'tollekniv'  cut  the  letters  and  numbers  exactly  as  they  were  on 
the  tree,  and  with  this  under  my  arm  I  started  for  the  land  office. 
This  document  and  the  money  I  presented  to  the  officials,  which 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  449 

caused  considerable  amusement ;  but  they  understood  my  descrip- 
tion and  I  got  the  patent  of  my  land. ' ' — Nordmendene  i  Amerika, 
pp.73.     (3) 

Gullik  Olsen  Gravdal  was  born  on  the  farm  Kjemhue  in  Vegli, 
Nummedal,  Norway,  September  26,  1802,  and  died  at  Rock 
Prairie,  July  17,  1873.     (4) 

Gisle  Sebjomson  Hallan  was  born  at  Vegli,  Nummedal,  Nor- 
way, June  24,  1809.    Died  at  Beloit,  March  17,  1861.     (5) 

Gunnil  Gjermundsdatter  Odegarden  was  a  widow  with  a 
family  of  four  young  girls  when  she  came  to  America  in  1839. 
Her  husband  became  lost  and  perished  in  an  effort  to  cross  a  range 
of  mountains  in  the  winter  time  several  years  before.  He  left 
his  family  well  provided  for,  so  that  when  she  came  to  this  coun- 
try she  had  some  means  with  which  to  provide  her  new  home 
and  assist  those  that  were  in  need  of  help.  She  died  of  the 
cholera  during  the  epidemic  of  that  disease  in  1854.     (6) 

Lars  Halvarsen  Skavlem  was  born  in  the  Parish  of  Vegli, 
Nummedal,  Norway,  in  1819.  Died  in  Newark,  Rock  county, 
September  2,  1879.     (7) 

Gjermund  Halverson  Skavlem  was  born  in  the  Parish  of 
Vegli,  Norway,  January  27,  1815,  and  died  at  Rock  Prairie,  Wis., 
May  25,  1884.     (8) 

Knud  Chrisbinusen  was  born  in  Vegli,  Norway,  about  the  year 
1820,  and  died  in  the  town  of  Newark,  Rock  county.  Wis.,  some 
twenty-five  years  ago.     (9) 

Knudt  Chrispensen  Fossebrekke  was  born  in  Rollagannex, 
Nummedal,  Norway,  1816.  He  died  in  the  town  of  Newark,  Rock 
county.  Wis.,  December  9,  1888. 

The  Hougians  were  followers  of  Hans  Nielson  Houge,  a  re- 
former, born  in  Smaalenene,  in  Norway,  April  3,  1771.  He  pro- 
tested strongly  against  the  rationalism  and  secularization  then 
prevalent  among  the  clergy  of  Norway.  He  advocated  the  right 
of  laymen  to  preach,  and  laid  special  stress  upon  the  spiritual 
priesthood  of  all  true  believers.  His  opponents  charged  him  with 
an  extravagant  undervaluation  of  an  educated  ministry,  and  as 
opposed  to  ordination  and  the  ceremonies  of  the  State  Church. 
He  was  imprisoned  in  1804,  though  not  guilty  of  any  crime  known 
to  the  code  of  morality,  and  although  he  was  one  of  the  most 
earnest  and  sincere  christians  in  all  the  land,  he,  like  John  Bun- 
yan,  of  England,  was  made  to  languish  within  prison  walls,  simply 


450  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

because  he  held  profound  religious  views  and  insisted  on  practic- 
ing them.  He  died  March  24,  1824.  The  persecution  of  the 
Quakers  is  equally  a  dark  chapter  in  the  ecclesiastical  history  of 
Norway.  These  people  were  fined  for  not  going  to  the  Holy 
Communion;  parents  were  compelled  to  have  their  children  con- 
firmed, and  even  the  dead  were  exhumed  from  their  graves  to 
be  again  buried  according  to  the  Lutheran  ritual,  and  no  doubt 
this  disgraceful  intolerance  was  one  of  the  main  causes  of  the 
migration  to  America  in  the  30s  and  early  40s.  (See  "Norwegian 
Emigration,  1821-1840,"  pp.  49.)     (10) 

J.  W.  C.  Dietrichson  was  bom  at  Fredrikstad,  Norway,  April 
4,  1815.  He  first  came  to  America  in  1844,  returned  to  Norway 
the  next  year  and  came  back  to  America  the  second  time  in  1846. 
He  remained  until  1850,  when  he  again  returned  to  Norway.  He 
died  at  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  November  14,  1883,     (11) 

Halvor  H.  Husemoen  was  born  in  Hallingdal,  Norway,  1833, 
and  came  to  Rock  Prairie  in  1845,  with  his  father,  Hans  Halvor- 
sen  Husemoen.  Mr.  Husemoen  was  one  of  the  first  Norwegians 
to  hold  a  town  office  and  has  been  a  prominent  leader  both  in 
religious  and  political  affairs  for  many  years,  and  until  advanc- 
ing age  compelled  him  to  retire  from  the  more  strenuous  activi- 
ties of  life.  He  still  lives  on  the  old  farm,  where  as  a  boy  of 
twelve  he  began  his  pioneer  work — more  than  half  a  century 
ago — honored  and  respected  by  all  who  know  him.     (12) 

Hon.  Halvor  Sleophas  was  born  in  Norway,  1842;  came  with 
his  parents  to  Newark,  1843.  Educated  in  the  common  schools, 
he  has  become  a  thorough  American.  For  many  years  he  was  a 
member  of  the  County  Board  of  Supervisors,  and  in  1901-1902 
represented  his  district  in  the  legislative  assembly.  He  now  re- 
sides at  Beloit,  Rock  county.     (13) 

Saber  Gesley,  inventor  of  farm  machinery  and  founder  of  the 
Gesley  Manufacturing  Company  of  Beloit,  Wis.,  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Beloit,  February  24,  1842,  and  died  at  the  same  place 
January  7,  1886.     (14) 

Reverend  EUing  Eielson,  was  born  at  Vos,  in  the  diocese  of 
Bergen,  Norway,  September  19,  1804.  Died  at  his  home  at  Chi- 
cago, January  10,  1883.  His  last  words  to  his  wife  were  these : 
"Tell  my  friends  and  acquaintances  that  I  die  in  the  faith  of  my 
Savior." — Eielson 's  Life  and  Labors.     (15) 

The  account  of  this  journey  as  given  in  this  paper  is  taken 


SCANDINAVIANS  IN  EOCK  COUNTY  451 

from  Eielson's  biography,  prepared  by  Reverends  Chr.  0.  Bro- 
hough  and  I.  Eisteinsen,  published  at  Chicago,  1883.  There  must 
be  some  errors  in  the  dates  there  given.  My  mother,  Mrs.  Groe 
Skavlem,  had  the  identical  book,  "Pontapidan's  Explanations  of 
Luther's  Catechism,"  that  Eielson  is  alleged  to  have  carried  with 
him  to  New  York  and  there  reprinted  in  1842.  This  book  was 
presented  to  the  Seminary  of  the  United  Norwegian  Lutheran 
church,  at  St.  Anthony's  Park,  Minn.,  by  Mr.  Skavlem  in  1890. 

On  the  inside  of  the  first  cover  is,  in  Mrs.  Skavlem 's  handwrit- 
ing, her  maiden  name,  Groe  Halvors  Datter  Aaen — 1839.  Born 
13  January,  1827.  Opposite  the  first  inside  cover  is  the  following 
"Attestation,"  in  Norwegian,  which  translated  into  English 
would  read  about  as  follow:  This  copy  of  "Sanhed  til  Gud- 
frygtighed"  is  a  present  to  the  United  Churches  Seminary 
Museum,  from  Mrs.  Groe  Skavlem,  Beloit,  Wis.  Her  father, 
Halvor  Nilsen  Aaen,  brought  this  book  with  him  from  Norway  in 
1842.  In  1843  he  loaned  it  to  Elling  Eielsen,  who  in  the  spring  of 
1843  made  the  long  journey  from  Chicago  to  New  York,  mostly 
afoot,  for  the  special  purpose  of  having  a  reprinted  edition  made 
from  this  book. 

I  certify  to  the  correctness  of  above  statement. 
(16)  (Signed)     Groe  Skavlem. 

New  Year's  Day,  1900,  Beloit,  Wis. 

The  alleged  reprint  of  this  book  appears  to  be  a  myth.  That 
Eielsen  intended  to  have  this  done,  there  is  no  doubt;  that  he 
got  the  book  from  the  mother  or  grandfather  of  Nelsen  in  the 
spring  of  1843,  can  hardly  be  disputed.  He  undoubtedly  carried 
it  with  him  for  some  time  after  this,  and  may  have  reached  New 
York  in  the  spring  of  184£,  but  no  copy  of  any  such  reprint  has 
ever  been  found. 

Prof.  R.  B.  Anderson,  of  Madison,  Wis.,  who  has  been  inde- 
fatigable in  his  search  for  all  data  bearing  on  the  history  of  the 
Scandinavian  colony,  unhesitatingly  asserts  that  no  such  reprint 
has  been  issued.     (17) 

Bergit  Cevats-Datter  (Betsy  Cevats)  was  an  orphan  waif  who 
found  a  home  in  the  family  of  Lars  H.  Skavlem.  She  married 
Halvor  Knudson  St j ernes  (Sterns)  and  is  now  the  aged  mother 
of  Rev.  Gustav  Sterns,  Church  of  the  Ascension,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 


XIX. 

PIONEER  WOMEN  OF  ROCK  COUNTY. 

By 
Mary  L.  Beers. 

Historical  records  of  the  early  settlement  of  Wisconsin  are 
strangely  silent  concerning  the  noble  work  of  the  pioneer  mothers. 
Brief  mention  is  made  of  a  few,  but  many  are  "unhonored  and 
missing."  Civilization  made  a  phenomenal  and  pathetic  advance 
when  after  the  Black  Hawk  War  the  tide  of  emigration  flowed 
into  southern  Wisconsin.  It  was  phenomenal  in  its  resistless 
force,  and  pathetic  because  it  surged  onward  over  the  smoulder- 
ing camp-fires  of  the  fugitive  Indians  who  were  leaving  behind 
them  the  homeland  of  their  fathers.  Many  settlers  came  from 
the  eastern  states,  accompanied  by  their  wives,  sweethearts  and 
sisters.  To  these  women  should  be  given  a  grateful  tribute  of 
remembrance.  By  their  gentle  ministration  and  patient  fortitude 
they  were  a  source  of  strength  to  the  pioneers  in  their  hard 
struggle  with  primitive  conditions. 

Mrs.  Samuel  St,  John  was  the  first  white  woman  settler  in 
Rock  county.  In  the  latter  part  of  December,  1835,  after  the 
Inman-IIolmes  party  had  made  their  first  settlement,  Mr,  St. 
John  brought  his  wife  and  three  children  to  the  valley. 

It  was  intensely  cold,  and  the  sufferings  of  the  mother  and 
her  children  can  better  be  imagined  than  described.  All  the 
anticipated  romance  of  establishing  a  new  home  in  this  "El 
Dorado  of  the  West"  terminated  in  a  sad  tragedy.  The  family 
found  temporary  shelter  in  the  log  cabin  of  the  Holmes  brothers. 
As  soon  as  possible  Mr.  St.  John  erected  a  log  house  sixteen  feet 
square  on  the  east  side  of  the  flat  below  the  bend  of  the  river. 
The  floor  was  of  rude  slabs,  and  through  many  a  crevice  the  chill 
winds  whistled.  Here,  in  January,  1836,  a  little  babe  was  born. 
He  was  named  Seth,  and  was  the  first  white  child  born  within  the 
limits  of  the  present  city  of  Janesville.    He  is  now  living  in  the 

452 


PIONEER  WOMEN  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  453 

northern  part  of  the  state.  There  was  "dearth  of  woman's  nurs- 
ing" and  insufficient  medical  service  for  this  poor  young  mother, 
and  in  a  few  short  months  she  died  and  was  buried  on  the  hill 
south  of  her  home.  The  coffin  which  contained  her  remains  was 
made  of  rough  boards  which  had  formerly  been  used  as  a 
wagon  box. 

Soon  after  this  sad  bereavement  Mr,  St.  John  journeyed  back 
to  Vermont,  his  native  state,  and  returned  to  Janesville,  bring- 
ing with  him  a  second  wife.  She,  too,  soon  died  and  was  buried 
upon  the  hill  beside  the  first  wife.  Again  Mr.  St.  John  entered 
the  matrimonial  state,  but  at  last  death,  the  conqueror,  claimed 
him  and  he  was  interred  between  his  two  "first  loves,"  leaving 
a  widow  to  mourn  his  demise. 

In  the  spring  of  1836,  W.  H.  H.  Bailey,  John  P.  Dickson,  Dr. 
Heath  and  Henry  Janes  arrived  with  their  wives  and  families. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bailey  were  enjoying  their  wedding  journey.  They 
drove  in  their  wagon  from  Ohio  to  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Bailey  built 
a  commodious  log  cabin  on  a  point  of  land  now  called  "Spring 
Brook."  Here  their  first  child  was  born,  now  Mrs.  Robert  Bost- 
wick,  of  Janesville.  This  new  white  baby  was  a  wonder  to  the 
Indians  and  squaws,  who  often  called  and  examined  it  critically. 
Mrs.  Bailey  died  several  years  ago  at  the  home  of  her  daughter 
in  Janesville. 

Both  Mrs.  Janes  and  Mrs.  Heath  are  described  as  exceedingly 
active  and  resourceful  women.  In  those  early  days  before  the 
construction  of  the  ferry  the  river  was  forded  by  travelers  just 
above  the  line  of  rocks  in  upper  Monterey. 

One  evening  Dr.  Heath  in  attempting  to  cross  the  river  upon 
horseback  was  carried  away  by  the  current.  Losing  his  equilib- 
rium, he  floated  downstream.  Mrs.  Heath  followed  him  on  the 
river  bank,  through  tangled  vines,  water-holes  and  brambles, 
until  at  last  by  the  aid  of  a  long  pole  she  towed  her  exhausted 
spouse  to  the  shore.  His  saddlebags  sank  to  the  bottom,  supply- 
ing the  surprised  fishes  with  allopathic  doses  of  calomel  and 
ipecac.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Janes  removed  to  California,  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Heath  to  Iowa.    All  are  now  dead. 

There  are  living  now  in  Janesville  two  ladies  whose  lives  are 
identified  with  the  earliest  history  of  woman 's  life  in  Rock  county. 
They  are  Mrs.  Volney  Atwood  and  Mrs.  Laura  Kendall.  It  is 
interesting  and  educative  to  visit  these  dear  old  ladies  and  hear 


454  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

their  reminiscences  related  in  the  quaint  and  correct  language 
of  olden  times. 

On  the  9th  of  March,  1836,  there  came  to  the  Rock  River 
valley  Judge  "William  Holmes  and  wife,  vs^ith  their  daughter, 
Catherine  A.  Holmes,  and  two  sons,  John  and  Joshua.  Catherine 
A.  Holmes  was  born  in  Marion,  Ohio,  August  9,  1819.  She  was 
the  first  young  lady  to  arrive  in  the  county  and  was  the  belle 
of  the  village.  She  is  now  the  wife  of  Volney  Atwood.  Their 
home  is  a  commodious  residence  located  near  the  center  of  the 
original  claim  of  Judge  Holmes,  which  embraced  nearly  one-half 
of  the  city  of  Janesville.  Mrs.  Holmes-Atwood  possesses  a  rare 
gift  of  language  and  gives  vivid  word  pictures  of  her  first  home 
and  surroundings. 

The  beautiful  valley  of  the  Werashanagra  (River  of  Rocks) 
was  a  vision  of  beauty  when  spring  spread  her  emerald  mantle 
over  the  hills.  Wild  flowers  peeped  from  every  tuft  of  grass, 
and  their  vivid  hues  brightened  the  sombre  green  of  the  sloping 
hillsides.  The  river  like  a  silver  ribbon  roamed  in  and  out  between 
cliff  and  lowland. 

Said  Mrs.  Atwood  in  a  recent  interview : 

"We  left  Laporte,  Ind.,  passed  through  Chicago  about  the 
first  of  March,  1836,  following  an  Indian  trail  to  the  Rock  river. 
We  stopped  at  three  different  places  between  Chicago  and  Janes- 
ville, the  only  houses  on  our  way. 

"The  party  consisted  of  nine  people,  five  males  and  four 
females ;  three  two-horse  wagons,  yoke  of  oxen,  two  saddle  horses, 
six  cows,  calves,  pigs,  etc.  Previous  to  the  starting  of  our  party 
there  were  sent  ahead  six  loads  of  provisions  and  household  goods 
and  a  rowboat.  William  Holmes,  my  brother,  came  in  1835.  We 
stopped  at  Turtle,  now  Beloit,  to  get  warm,  ax  the  cabin  of  The- 
beau,  the  Frenchman.  He  had  several  squaw  wives  which  he 
turned  out  of  doors,  but,  full  of  curiosity,  they  were  constantly 
peeping  in  ax  every  crevice.  Half  way  between  Beloit  and  this 
place  we  lost  our  trail.  All  the  men  in  the  party  started  out  to 
find  it,  leaving  the  women  to  drive.  The  one  who  should  find 
it  was  to  stand  still  and  shout,  and  by  calling  back  and  forth  we 
were  at  last  reunited  and  started  on  our  journey.  At  Turtle 
there  were  many  Indians  camping,  of  the  Pottawatomies  and 
Winnebago  tribes.  All  the  last  day  of  our  journey  was  bitter 
cold  and  snowing.     My  brother,  who  was  here  with  Samuel  St. 


'/      si      v-«/    ,,v^ir     ,.4'    !•■•>«(*    r^r     - 


^t  *  *  C=*..^  JI*.}«J.A5  ''' 


PIONEER  WOMEN  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  455 

John's  family,  heard  our  dinner  horn  blowing,  answered  us,  and 
hung  a  lantern  on  the  chimney  of  the  house  and  came  out  to  meet 
us.  We  arrived  at  nine  o'clock  at  night,  and  the  snow  was  nearly 
two  feet  deep.  Nineteen  people  remained  in  the  one-room  log 
house,  about  sixteen  feet  square,  for  five  days." 

"How  did  you  manage  to  sleep?"  the  writer  questioned. 

"The  end  of  the  room  was  curtained  off  with  carpets  for  the 
ladies.  There  was  one  bed  in  the  corner  and  plenty  of  straw  on 
the  floor.  The  men  laid  'spoon  fashion.'  The  last  to  retire  was 
nearest  the  door,  and  of  necessity  arose  first  in  the  morning. 
For  six  months  we  lived  with  my  brother  William  in  a  log  house 
on  his  claim  on  the  bluff  where  the  river  is  crossed  by  the  rail- 
road bridge  at  Monterey.  That  summer  my  father  built  a  frame 
house  near  what  is  now  the  Fourth  Ward  Park.  The  lumber  was 
whip-sawed  by  Robert  and  Daniel  Stone.  The  windows,  doors 
and  shingles  were  brought  from  Chicago,  teams  going  every 
month.    Our  nearest  neighbor  was  Dr.  Heath. 

"The  first  school  house,  of  logs,  was  near  where  Mrs.  A.  C. 
Bailey  now  lives.  The  first  teacher  was  Hiram  Brown,  from 
Pennsylvania.  The  first  religious  services  were  held  under  the 
shade  of  a  large  tree  and  were  in  charge  of  an  itinerant  Meth- 
odist minister.  That  essential  of  all  services  in  those  days,  a 
collection,  was  not  omitted.  We  always  had  abundance  of  pro- 
visions and  all  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  Indians  gave  us  no 
trouble.  They  called  occasionally,  but  would  gaze  up  at  the 
ceiling  and  see  six  or  eight  guns  and  a  long  bugle  horn  strapped 
up  there,  would  count  them  and  talk  among  themselves  and  leave. 
They  would  go  very  quickly  if  the  horn  was  blown." 

Mrs.  Atwood  has  three  children — Charles,  Anna,  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Whiting — all  of  whom  live  in  Janesville. 

Mrs.  Laura  Arms  Kendall  is  the  oldest  living  woman  pioneer 
in  Janesville.  She  arrived  in  1838  with  her  husband,  Theodore 
Kendall.  She  is  nearly  eighty-eight  years  of  age — a  tiny,  dark- 
eyed  woman,  clear  in  mind,  sufficiently  active  physically  to  live 
alone  in  half  of  a  double  house,  attending  to  her  own  domestic 
duties.  W^hen  asked  for  her  story  of  old  times,  "Ah,"  she  said, 
"I  will  write  it  all  out.    I  can  write  plainer  than  you  can." 

Mrs.  Laura  Arms  Kendall  was  born  in  Duxbury,  Vt.,  Decem- 
ber 24,  1811,  and  was  married  to  Theodore  Kendall  in  Lowell, 
Vt.,  May  16,  1836.     They  came  with  their  team  to  Buffalo  from 


456  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Vermont,  thence  by  boat  to  Detroit,  thence  with  others  in  an 
emigrant  train  to  Janesville.  They  found  but  two  frame  houses 
in  Janesville.  The  frame  of  a  hotel  was  on  the  Myers  House 
corner,  and  Mr.  Kendall  bought  a  lot  on  the  opposite  corner  and 
built  a  frame  house. 

"It  was  a  palace  in  those  days,"  said  the  smiling  little  old 
lady.    ' '  Three  stories — on  the  ground — we  used  to  say. ' ' 

"The  first  court  was  held  in  the  hotel  and  the  jury  met  in  our 
house.  When  the  hotel  building  was  just  completed  they  had  a 
fine  ball,  the  first  in  the  county.  Young  people  came  from  as  far 
as  Racine,  and  I  had  the  honor  of  leading  in  the  first  cotillion 
with  Volney  Atwood." 

How  unreal  and  dreamy  it  all  seemed !  Prom  the  tiny,  with- 
ered old  lady  standing  on  the  borderland  of  another  life,  back  to 
the  misty  years  to  the  dainty,  dark-haired  girl  wife,  was  only 
a  brief  span  bridged  by  golden  memories. 

Mr.  Kendall  died  April  2,  1891,  leaving  his  wife  in  affluent 
circumstances.  Mrs.  Kendall  still  retains  an  acute  interest  in  all 
the  beneficent  and  religious  interests  of  the  city. 

"You  built  the  present  Congregational  parsonage?"  said  the 
writer.  "I  always  say  the  workmen  built  it,"  she  replied  face- 
tiously, "but  my  two  thousand  dollars  helped." 

On  the  construction  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  Mrs.  Kendall 
aided  by  a  gift  of  five  thousand  dollars. 

North  of  Janesville  on  the  river  road  is  the  quaint  old 
"Strunk  homestead."  Nestled  almost  under  the  overhanging 
hill,  it  has  withstood  the  wintry  blasts  for  sixty  years.  It  is  built 
of  stone,  one  story  high,  and  has  received  few  alterations. 

Mrs.  Eleanor  McNitt  Strunk  was  born  in  Chenango  county. 
New  York,  March  11,  1811.  She  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent. 
She  was  married  November  29,  1829,  to  John  Strunk.  They  came 
from  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  to  Janesville  in  1839.  Here  in  the  new 
stone  house,  just  built  from  the  neighboring  quarry,  Mr.  Strunk 
died,  August  2,  1844.  The  widow  was  left  with  five  small  chil- 
dren to  care  for  and  with  the  responsibilities  of  a  large  farm. 

Happily,  the  three  eldest  were  boys,  who  soon  aided  their 
mother.  Mrs.  Strunk  was  called  the  mother  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  of  Janesville,  because  her  vote  decided  the  tie  at 
its  organization. 

In   the   early   days,   according  to  the   "Plan   of   Union"   of 


PIONEER  WOMEN  OF  EOCK  COUNTY  457 

churches  in  this  state,  all  new  churches  decided  by  a  majority- 
vote  whether  they  belonged  to  the  Congregation  or  Presbyterian 
section. 

The  first  vote  upon  this  question  was  a  tie.  But  one,  Eleanor 
Strunk,  had  not  voted.  Tradition  says  that  she  hesitated  because 
she  did  not  believe  in  women  taking  part  in  church  matters. 
Something  had  to  be  done,  and  the  presiding  officer  said  to  Mrs. 
Strunk:  "You  must  vote.  Your  vote  is  necessary  to  decide  this 
question."  "Very  well,"  replied  Mrs.  Strunk.  "If  it  depends 
on  me,  a  Congregational  church  it  will  be."  And  a  Congrega- 
tional church  it  has  been  for  half  a  century.  Thus  early  in  his- 
tory did  the  destiny  of  a  church  depend  upon  a  woman's  decision. 
When  the  first  Congregational  church  edifice  was  erected  Mrs. 
Strunk 's  contribution  was  a  hundred  bushels  of  lime.  Her  son, 
John  Strunk,  writes  from  Riverside,  Cal. :  "My  mother  remained 
an  active  and  consistent  member  of  the  Janesville  church  until 
her  removal  to  Minneapolis  in  1882." 

Mrs.  Strunk  died  November  2,  1888,  at  Lake  Crystal,  Minn., 
where  she  was  visiting  a  grandson.  She  is  resting  in  beautiful 
"Oak  Hill,"  overlooking  her  cottage  home  just  across  the  river, 
where  she  spent  so  many  useful  years. 

Near  the  Strunk  homestead  is  another  old  landmark — the 
log  house  first  occupied  by  Colonel  Culver  and  family. 

Mrs.  Lamira  Lacy  Culver  was  born  at  Cambridge,  N.  Y.,  July 
24,  1802.  She  was  educated  at  a  seminary  in  Bennington,  Vt. 
She  was  married  to  Colonel  Henry  Culver,  March  20,  1820,  at 
Chili,  N.  Y.  In  the  autumn  of  1842  Colonel  Culver  and  his  two 
sons  came  to  Janesville,  on  combined  runners  and  wheels,  and 
located  their  future  home  in  the  beautiful  oak  openings  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Rock.  Mrs.  Culver  and  her  daughter  Harriet 
came  a  few  months  later. 

Mrs.  Culver  was  a  woman  of  refinement  and  culture,  always 
charitable  and  "abounding  in  good  works."  In  the  infirmities  of 
old  age  she  was  lovingly  cared  for  by  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Harriet 
Marshall.    She  passed  away  April  24,  1889. 

Mrs.  Lydia  Ellsworth  Spaulding  was  a  woman  of  sweet  char- 
acteristics whose  memory  dwells  in  the  hearts  of  many.  The 
two  brothers,  Joseph  and  William  Spaulding,  came  to  Janesville 
in  1837  and  entered  adjoining  claims  four  miles  north  of  the 
village.     February  7,  1839,  Joseph  Spaulding  returned  to  the 


458  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

East  (Berlin,  Conn.),  where  he  married  Lydia  Ellsworth.  They 
prospered  in  their  new  home.  "When  land  came  into  market  in 
1842  the  Spaulding  brothers  purchased  1,040  acres  of  land.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Spaulding 's  home  was  always  the  center  of  good-cheer 
and  liberal  hospitality. 

From  their  bounty  they  gave  liberally  to  church  work,  sub- 
scribing two  thousand  dollars  to  the  first  Congregational  church 
edifice.  Mrs.  Spaulding  removed  to  Janesville  after  the  death 
of  her  husband,  August  12,  1877.  She  was  loved  by  all  who  knew 
her.  She  passed  away  March  20,  1884.  She  left  four  daughters, 
Mrs.  Mary  Cassoday,  of  Madison;  Mrs.  Martha  Dow,  since  de- 
ceased ;  Mrs.  Emma  Hanchett,  of  Janesville,  and  Mrs.  Anna  Coe, 
of  Whitewater. 

Mrs.  Judith  Coleman  Dean  was  born  in  Byfield,  Mass.,  March 
7,  1795.  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Dean  removed  to  Emerald  Grove,  Rock 
county,  Wisconsin,  in  1840.  This  household,  true  to  their  New 
England  heritage,  believed  in  going  to  church,  and  to  church 
they  went,  crossing  ten  miles  of  prairie  between  Emerald  Grove 
and  Milton.  Mr.  James  W.  Dean,  a  son,  writes  from  Orange,  Cal. : 
"It  made  a  long  day  in  winter,  and  tried  the  patience  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  family,  but  mother  said  she  could  not 
think  of  bringing  up  her  family  without  the  help  of  the  church. 
Tonight  I  look  back  over  more  than  fifty  years  and  bless  her 
for  it."  Mrs.  Dean  is  sleeping  in  the  pleasant  cemetery  at 
Emerald  Grove. 

Mrs.  Frances  Chesebrough  Dean  was  born  in  Stonington, 
Conn.  She  came  with  her  parents  to  Emerald  Grove,  Wis.,  in 
1844.  She  was  married  to  Chester  Dean  in  February,  1844,  the 
service  being  performed  by  the  Rev.  Stephen  Peet. 

This  family  also  believed  in  going  to  church,  at  any  sacrifice. 
They  drove  to  services  in  Janesville  in  a  two-wheeled  ox  cart 
brought  from  Connecticut.  It  was  seated  with  chairs,  and  on 
their  arrival  at  the  church  was  backed  up  to  the  steps,  the  end- 
board  was  let  down,  and  the  ladies  assisted  out.  Mr.  Dean  often 
brought  his  little  melodeon  to  church  to  lead  the  music.  After 
the  death  of  her  husband  in  Louisiana  in  1860  Mrs.  Dean  returned 
to  Stonington,  Conn.,  where  she  died  in  1887. 

Mrs.  Nancy  Howell  Fordham  Williston  was  born  in  Montrose, 
Pa.,  January  26,  1815,  and  was  married  to  George  H.  Williston, 


PIOXEER  WOMEN"  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  459 

April  2,  1839.  Her  daughter,  Mrs.  Jennie  Williston  Nash,  of 
Canton,  S.  D.,  writes  thus  lovingly  of  her  mother: 

"Soon  after  their  marriage  our  parents  journeyed  to  Wiscon- 
sin. Their  first  home  was  north  of  Janesville  near  the  Spauld- 
ings.  The  house,  of  logs,  about  sixteen  by  twenty  feet, 
was  built  on  the  edge  of  the  openings.  Here  they  remained  three 
years,  when  father  was  elected  register  of  deeds,  and  they  moved 
to  the  village  of  Janesville,  in  a  little  house  on  Main  street,  one 
room  of  which  served  as  an  office,  the  other  as  a  living  room. 
During  the  Civil  War  mother  was  always  ready  to  work  for  the 
soldier  boys.  The  ladies  had  rooms  in  the  Jackman  block  where 
they  met  every  Thursday  to  sew.  Mother  was  chief  cutter,  and 
the  whole  day  she  gave  to  this  work. 

"September  6,  1845,  mother  united  with  the  Congregational 
church,  and  was  always  an  active  church  worker.  She  was  called 
home  without  illness,  March  10,  1884,  three  years  after  my 
father's  death,  while  visiting  at  my  home  in  Canton.  She  had 
five  children  who  lived  to  adult  age.  In  our  hearts  she  will  dwell 
forever  in  sainted  memory." 

Mrs.  Eliza  Andrews  Wood  was  born  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  in  1825. 
She  journeyed  with  an  emigrant  train  to  Wisconsin  in  1841.  Mr. 
Royal  Wood  came  first  to  Janesville,  and  drove  to  Chicago  to 
meet  his  promised  bride.    There  they  were  married,  April  4,  1841. 

"Our  first  home,"  said  Mrs.  W^ood,  "was  on  the  bank  of  the 
river  near  the  upper  bridge.  There  were  no  bridges  then.  We 
often  shot  ducks  from  our  back  door."  Mrs.  Wood  is  still  living 
in  Janesville.  She  is  especially  bright  and  entertaining,  although 
she  is  almost  deaf  and  is  losing  her  sight.  She  bears  her 
infirmities  with  great  patience. 

Mrs.  Almira  Stiles  Dewey,  the  adopted  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Benjamin  Morrill,  came  to  Janesville  in  the  fall  of  1844. 
She  was  born  at  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt.,  August  8,  1826,  and  was  mar- 
ried to  Alfred  Dewey,  March  17,  1847.  They  have  lived  in  Janes- 
ville since,  honored  and  respected  by  all.  Mrs.  Dewey  has  been 
confined  to  an  upper  chamber  many  years  by  invalidism.  She  is  a 
charter  member  of  the  Congregational  church. 

Mrs.  Betsy  True  Prichard  and  Mrs.  Mary  True  Arnold  were 
born  in  Perry,  Wyoming  county,  New  York,  and  were  educated 
there  and  in  Janesville.  June  6,  1840,  Elijah  True  with  his  family 
journeyed  around  the  lakes  and  landed  at  Racine.    From  thence 


460  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

they  came  by  wagon  to  their  new  home  in  Fulton,  eight  miles 
north  of  Janesville.  They  all  picked  strawberries  as  soon  as  they 
stepped  upon  the  shore.  The  father  and  oldest  brother  came  to 
Wisconsin  in  1839  and  built  a  large  log  house  with  one  room  and 
old-fashioned  fireplace.  Only  one  house  was  in  sight — William 
Foster's.  North  was  a  large  farm  owned  by  Robert  and  Daniel 
Stone,  both  old  bachelors.  The  first  school  the  sisters  attended 
was  taught  by  Rollin  Head.  Mrs.  Arnold  taught  fourteen  miles 
west  of  her  home  when  she  was  fourteen  years  old.  Mrs.  Prichard 
taught  in  Catfish,  two  miles  up  the  river.  While  she  was  teaching 
here  one  bright  summer  day  in  1844  a  steamboat  from  St.  Louis, 
130  feet  in  length,  went  up  the  Rock  river  to  Jefferson,  taking  on 
and  discharging  passengers  at  various  points.  They  stopped  oppo- 
site the  little  log  school  house  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  The 
school  was  summarily  dismissed  and  the  teacher  joined  the  merry 
crowd  on  board.  This  was  the  last  steamer  from  the  Mississippi 
to  reach  Rock  county. 

Mrs.  Susan  True  Clark,  of  Galesburg,  111.,  writes  as  follows 
of  those  early  days : 

"The  first  winter  (1840)  father  and  brothers  killed  forty- 
seven  deer,  besides  wolves,  foxes  and  other  game.  It  was  not  an 
unusual  sight  to  see  fifty  deer  come  down  to  the  west  side  of  the 
river  to  drink.  They  would  hang  their  game  on  the  limb  of  a 
large  tree  near  the  front  door.  The  wolves  would  howl  all  night 
around  the  house.  All  candles  were  made  from  deer  tallow  which 
was  nearly  as  white  and  hard  as  sperm.  Coon  oil  was  used  in 
glass  lamps.  It  was  as  clear  as  water.  Those  were  the  happiest 
days  of  our  lives  when  father,  mother  and  eight  children  gathered 
around  the  large  table  laden  with  venison.  In  summer  we  could 
fill  large  wooden  pails  with  luscious  strawberries  in  a  short  time. 
The  stems  came  as  high  as  the  grass,  and  the  large  sweet  berries 
would  drop  over.  AYild  blackberries  were  found  in  abundance. 
We  locked  our  doors  in  the  primitive  way,  with  a  button  and  by 
pulling  in  a  latchstring. 

Betty  and  Mary  True  were  married  in  the  little  log  house. 
Mary  married  Josiah  Arnold,  December  12,  1846,  and  Betty  mar- 
ried Moses  Prichard,  October  27,  1847.  Both  were  married  by 
Mr.  Ruger.  the  first  rector  of  Trinity  church  of  Janesville.  Mrs. 
Arnold  died  in  North  Chicago,  where  she  was  visiting  her  son. 


PIONEER  WOMEN  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  461 

Her  home  was  in  Janesville,  where  she  was  buried.    Mrs.  Priehard 
died  in  Chicago,  111.,  in  June,  1898. 

Among  the  first  settlers  in  ]\Iilton,  Rock  county,  Wisconsin, 
were  the  honored  Walker  family.  Three  brothers — Aaron,  Jason 
and  Alfred — came  in  1839  and  took  up  large  claims.  The  father, 
mother  and  younger  children  came  later.  Judith  Sanborn  Walker, 
wife  of  Aaron  Walker,  Sr.,  was  born  at  Pucham,  Vt.  The  family 
came  all  the  way  to  Wisconsin  in  wagons.  Mrs.  Walker  was  very 
strict  in  her  religious  principles.  The  children,  twelve  in  number, 
were  all  given  scriptural  names.  Moses  and  Aaron  were  twins. 
One  son  was  for  many  years  a  missionary  in  Africa.  The  first 
home  of  the  family  was  situated  on  a  small  lake  one  mile  east  of 
Milton.  They  had  but  one  chair — grandmother's — which  they 
brought  with  them  from  Vermont.  The  first  year  of  their  resi- 
dence in  Wisconsin  the  potato  crop  failed  and  the  family  sub- 
sisted on  turnips,  with  game  and  fish.  A  granddaughter  remem- 
bers one  of  their  valued  possessions — a  large  leather-covered, 
brass-nailed  trunk.  One  morning  this  was  left  out  of  doors  and 
some  stray  Indians  quietly  removed  every  brass-headed  nail. 
They  left  the  trunk. 

Mrs.  Walker  died  October  25,  1851. 

The  following  is  a  letter  received  from  Mrs.  Diana  Bostwick, 
of  Shopiere,  Wis.  She  is  now  (1899)  eighty  years  of  age  and 
exceptionally  vigorous  mentally  and  physically: 

"I  will  try  and  tell  you  of  the  memories  and  experiences  that 
progress  and  the  many  changes  of  years  have  nearly  defaced 
from  mind.  I  can  assure  you  they  were  not  very  delightful, 
living  as  1  did  on  a  boundless  prairie  where  Indians  and  wolves 
were  more  numerous  than  neighbors.  I  was  born  in  Watertown, 
N.  Y.,  March  9,  1819.  Eight  years  after  my  father  and  family 
emigrated  to  Tecumseh,  Mich.  From  Michigan  I  came  to  Wiscon- 
sin, in  1837,  coming  all  the  way  in  a  lumber  wagon,  a  distance  of 
four  hundred  miles,  with  three  other  passengers.  We  came 
through  sand  banks  and  over  sloughs  on  causeways.  We  crossed 
the  Calumet  on  a  floating  bridge  of  logs,  the  horses  and  men 
sinking  into  the  water  two  feet.  Now  the  city  of  South  Chicago 
is  there.  After  riding  in  this  way  two  weeks  we  arrived  at  Turtle, 
October  23,  1837.  I  remember  of  entering  a  piece  of  ten-mile 
woods  at  sundown.  It  was  a  dark  night.  The  lady  accompany- 
ing me  carried  her  baby  on  a  pillow.    One  of  the  men  took  the 


462  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

pillow  on  his  back  and  walked  before  the  horses'  heads.  We 
could  see  nothing  but  the  pillow  and  called  to  him  to  "blow  up 
his  pillow."  At  ten  o'clock  we  found  a  Hoosier's  shanty  where 
we  were  treated  to  the  best  they  had,  consisting  of  cornmeal 
bread,  which  our  appetites  converted  into  something  very  grate- 
ful. We  had  a  refreshing  sleep  on  a  pole  bedstead  and  straw 
bed.  Slowly  pursuing  our  westward  way,  we  arrived  at  our  desti- 
nation. To  say  that  I  was  homesick  would  convey  only  a- faint 
impression  of  the  effect  of  my  environments ;  my  heart  was  numb 
with  pain.  My  home  was  a  decent  log  house  of  two  stories ;  the 
only  passage  to  the  upper  story  was  a  ladder  of  poles.  Our  menu 
consisted  of  cornbread  and  game.  Flour  was  a  luxury,  there 
being  no  mills  nearer  than  Galena.  In  the  spring  of  1838  I  was 
hired  to  teach  the  first  school  in  the  town  of  Turtle.  We  had  to 
cross  the  river  on  a  foot-bridge.  There  were  no  newspapers  in 
Kock  county  and  only  six  houses  in  Janesville.  Religious  services 
were  held  in  the  houses;  we  had  small  congregations.  I  was 
married  to  Merritt  Bostwick,  January  7,  1840.  Mr.  Bostwick 
passed  on  to  the  better  world  January,  1894,  leaving  me  to  finish 
my  pilgrimage  alone.  Perhaps  I  have  helped  the  great  world  on  a 
little.  I  feel  as  if  all  things  old  have  passed  away,  leaving  a  new 
heaven  and  a  new  earth  advanced  from  the  tallow  dip  to  the 
electric  light.  We  always  kept  a  candle  burning  in  our  west 
window  for  the  benefit  of  the  benighted  traveler. 

"Yours,  Diantha  Bostwick." 

The  sweet  singers,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russell  Cheney,  will  long  be 
remembered  by  Christian  workers  of  southern  Wisconsin.  They 
sang  together  until  three  years  after  their  golden  wedding  day, 
when  one  was  taken  and  the  other  left.  Mrs.  Cheney  resides  in 
Janesville  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  E.  Lowell,  and  gives  many 
interesting  reminiscenses  of  her  first  years  in  the  state. 

Martha  Lea  Fowie  was  born  in  Caledonia,  Livingston  county, 
New  York,  May  29,  1821;  was  married  to  Russell  Cheney,  May 
10,  1838.  They  started  from  Genesee  county.  New  York,  for 
Wisconsin,  ]\Iay  31,  1843;  arrived  in  Yorkville,  Racine  county, 
June  27.  On  their  journey  they  rode  over  the  "corduroy  road" 
built  over  the  Maumee  swamp  a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  after- 
wards crossing  the  Maumee  river  in  a  ferry  boat,  from  thence 
riding  five  miles  farther  over  log  ways  where  the  logs  would  roll 
under  the  horses'  feet.    After  residing  in  Racine  county  a  year 


PIOXEER  WOMEN  OF  ROCK  COUNTY  463 

and  a  half,  in  May,  1845,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cheney  removed  to  Emer- 
ald Grove,  Wis.,  where  they  lived  for  forty-seven  years.  At  this 
time  all  the  region  for  miles  south  and  west  was  broken  prairie. 
There  were  only  three  families  at  the  Grove. 

December  6,  1846,  the  Congregational  Society  was  organized 
in  Erastus  Dean's  kitchen.  The  Congregational  church  edifice 
was  erected  in  1854,  the  Methodists  building  two  years  later. 

In  1891  Mrs.  Cheney  removed  to  Janesville,  where  she  is 
patiently  awaiting  the  summons  to  the  "Eternal  Home." 

Mrs.  Job  Barker,  nee  Phoebe  Upton  Smith,  was  born  at  Rut- 
land, Vt.,  in  1803,  living  there  until  her  fourteenth  year,  when  she 
went  to  Buffalo  with  her  mother  soon  after  her  father's  death. 
She  was  married  at  Buffalo  at  the  age  of  twenty. 

In  the  spring  of  1839  Mr.  Barker  purchased  thirteen  hundred 
acres  of  land  near  Janesville,  Wis.  His  glowing  accounts  of  the 
country  aroused  the  pioneer  spirit  in  Mrs.  Barker.  In  1840  the 
family  started  westward  in  three  canvas-covered  wagons.  The 
one  prepared  for  the  family  was  provided  with  "cribs  and  bunks" 
and  conveniences  for  eating,  and  was  draAvn  by  a  pair  of  fine 
Duroc  horses.  This  wagon  also  had  a  double  bottom,  space  being 
left  to  carry  the  coin  needed  to  complete  payments  on  land,  as 
there  were  no  banks  to  be  trusted,  and  sharpers  were  watching 
for  the  unwary.  The  household  goods  were  sent  by  way  of  the 
lakes,  and  some  rare  old  pieces  of  furniture  are  now  in  the  posses- 
sion of  their  heirs.  In  1842  a  stone  cottage,  forty  feet  square, 
with  an  ell  and  carriage  house,  was  built  on  what  is  now 
"Barker's  Corners."  The  stone  was  obtained  only  a  mile  away 
in  a  quarry  near  the  village  of  Janesville.  Eastward  was  rolling 
prairie ;  westward  and  north,  beautiful  woodland.  The  nearest 
neighbors  were  Anson  and  Virgil  Pope  and  David  Hume.  Others 
were  Messrs.  Strunk,  Pound,  Spaulding,  Southwick,  Scofield,  and 
Chapin.  A  little  log  school  house  was  built  on  what  is  now  the 
Shoemaker  farm.  The  first  teacher  was  Dr.  John  Warren.  In 
1846  Mr.  Barker  was  one  of  many  to  succumb  to  fever,  incident 
to  the  new  country,  and  after  a  brief  illness  he  died.  Then 
commenced  the  widow's  tragedy. 

Mrs.  Barker  was  a  true  mother  and  tried  to  bring  up  her 
children  without  change,  as  their  father  advised.  Having  been 
taught  in  early  youth  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  "Friends," 
Mrs.  Barker  possessed  liberal  religious  views  more  akin  to  those 


464  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

of  this  day  than  her  own.  She  resided  until  her  death,  October  19, 
1879,  on  the  farm  to  which  she  came  in  1840.  Her  last  years  were 
cheered  by  the  love  and  devotion  of  her  children. 

Cynthia  Maria  Cowan  was  born  in  Scipio,  Cayuga  county, 
New  York,  July  28,  1826.  She  was  married  to  Silas  Hurd,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1841.  Emigrating  westward,  they  came  as  far  as  Buf- 
falo on  the  Erie  canal  and  completed  the  trip  to  Milwaukee  by  the 
lakes.  They  arrived  in  Rock  county  about  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber, 1841.  Their  log  cabin,  consisting  of  two  rooms,  was  located 
only  a  few  feet  from  the  "Black  Hawk  trail"  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rock  river  one  mile  east  of  Indian  Ford.  Mrs.  Hurd  was  a 
Universalist.  She  always  resided  where  they  first  located.  By 
thrift  and  good  business  plans  Mr.  Hurd  became  one  of  the 
wealthiest  farmers  in  Rock  county.    Mrs.  Hurd  died  July  13,  1880. 

Gray  haired  men  are  living  today  who  cherish  in  sacred  re- 
membrance the  love  and  patient  fortitude  of  wives  and  mothers 
whose  presence  shed  sunshine  in  the  little  log  cabins  in  the 
clearing. 

In  a  letter  written  in  1839  to  eastern  friends  by  Mrs.  William 
Wyman,  a  pioneer  woman  of  Bradford  township,  Rock  county, 
where  these  lines : 


"Towel  is  my  window, 
Clay  is  my  floor. 

Stump  is  my  table, 
Blanket  my  door. ' ' 


The  briefly  epitomize  and  naively  describe  the  primitive 
homes  of  early  days. 

A  few  of  the  noble  women  whose  sketches  are  given  here  are 
with  us  still,  crowned  with  the  glory  of  years,  but  many  have  been 
called  into  the  unknown  land.  In  a  few  years  the  story  of  their 
hardships  will  be  "as  a  tale  that  is  told,"  only  dimly  remembered. 

It  is  wise  to  "catch  the  shadow  ere  the  substance  flies,"  and 
hence  these  life  histories  have  been  written. 

Mary  L.  Beers,  1899. 


XX. 

THE  MEDICAL  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY,  WISCONSIN. 

By 
S.  B.  Buckmaster,  M.  D. 

For  much  of  the  information  which  is  contained  in  the  sketches 
which  follow  I  am  indebted  to  the  "History  of  Rock  County," 
compiled  by  Colonel  Orrin  Guernsey  and  Hon.  J.  F.  Willard, 
father  of  Frances  Willard,  published  fifty  years  ago,  and  which 
was  loaned  me  by  the  venerable  Volney  Atwood,  now  in  his 
ninety-fifth  year,  who  came  to  Janesville  in  1837,  to  whom  my 
thanks  are  due. 

Half  a  century  ago  there  were  seventeen  physicians  in  Janes- 
ville, two  in  Evansville,  four  in  Johnstown,  fifteen  in  Beloit,  one 
at  Footville,  three  at  Milton,  one  at  Magnolia,  one  at  Cooksville, 
one  at  Shopiere  and  one  at  Union,  besides  a  number  of  others  in 
different  parts  of  Rock  county,  who,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  in- 
habitants, and  the  salubrity  of  the  climate,  being  unable  to  find 
employment  in  the  practice  of  their  profession,  engaged  in  the 
more  lucrative  pursuits  of  agriculture. 

As  this  was  but  twenty  years  after  the  first  settler  came  to 
Rock  county  it  clearly  illustrates  the  fact  that  among  the  sturdy 
pioneers  who  entered  the  wilderness  for  its  redemption  was  a 
goodly  number  of  medical  men  intent  on  establishing  themselves 
in  their  chosen  profession,  and  thoroughly  in  earnest  in  offering 
their  services  to  the  community  for  the  betterment  of  their  fellow- 
men,  and  in  assisting  in  establishing  courts,  schools  and  every- 
thing necessary  for  opening  and  building  up  a  newly  settled 
country. 

Everywhere  they  made  their  presence  felt  and  were  frequently 
chosen  by  their  fellow  citizens  to  positions  of  trust  and  honor  and 
were  prominent  in  every  enterprise  that  made  for  the  betterment 
and  advancement  of  the  community. 

The  first  county  judge  of  Rock  county  was  Dr.  Horace  White, 

465 


466  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

of  Beloit ;  the  beautiful  little  city  of  Evansville  was  named  after 
John  M.  Evans,  its  first  physician;  Porter  township  perpetuates 
the  name  of  Dr.  John  Porter,  he  being  a  large  owner  of  land,  part 
of  which  he  purchased  of  the  famous  Daniel  "Webster ;  Dr.  James 
Heath  gave  the  village  of  Emerald  Grove  the  name  it  still  bears ; 
the  first  water  power  at  Indian  Ford  was  developed  by  Dr.  Guy 
Stoughton. 

Doctors  served  in  the  state  legislature,  and  they  were  especially 
active  in  establishing  schools,  many  of  the  townships  electing  phy- 
sicians as  superintendents  of  schools. 

The  warrior  and  the  stateman  are  loudly  acclaimed  and  richly 
rewarded  by  their  fellow  citizens,  but  the  physician  does  not  so 
attract  public  attention  as  he  quietly  seeks  to  alleviate  human 
suffering,  his  life  being  largely  a  history  of  private  benevolence, 
full  of  charitable  acts  and  deeds  of  kindness,  which,  while  they  do 
not  elicit  public  acclaim,  still  endear  him  to  those  whom  he  helps 
during  their  hours  of  suffering  and  bereavement,  and  while  his 
work  rarely  enriches  him,  it  does  reward  him  with  the  gratitude 
of  his  neighbors  as  a  benefactor  of  his  fellowmen. 

The  names  of  the  early  practitioners  of  Rock  county  should 
be  rescued  from  the  oblivion  which  is  rapidly  covering  them;  of 
many  of  them  very  little  can  now  be  ascertained  after  the  lapse  of 
half  a  century. 

Goethe  tells  us  that  "Man  alone  is  interesting  to  man."  While 
Thomas  Carlisle  says  "History  is  but  the  essence  of  many  biog- 
raphies." 

This  incomplete  record,  therefore,  will  be  a  series  of  short 
biographical  sketches  of  the  early  physicians  of  Rock  county,  con- 
cerning some  of  whom  very  little  information  could  be  obtained. 

The  first  physician  coming  to  Rock  county  was  Dr.  James 
Heath.  Dr.  Heath  and  wife  came  to  Janesville  from  Vermont  in 
January,  1836,  spending  the  winter  with  the  family  of  Samuel 
St.  John,  in  the  first  cabin  built  in  Janesville,  opposite  the  "Big 
Rock."  Dr.  Heath  gave  the  name  Emerald  Grove  to  that  village. 
In  the  spring  of  1836  he  built  his  house,  16x16,  at  East  Wisconsin 
City,  which  stood  on  the  east  bank  of  Rock  river,  half  a  mile  be- 
low where  the  state  school  for  the  blind  now  stands,  and  of  which 
city  nothing  now  remains,  though  it  was  once  a  formidable  rival 
of  Beloit  and  Janesville  for  the  county  seat. 

Dr.  Heath  opened  a  tavern  and  a  store  in  his  new  building. 


MEDICAL  HISTORY  467 

later  removing  the  latter  to  another  building  as  business  in- 
creased. A  stage  made  regular  trips  between  Dr.  Heath's  "stage 
house"  and  Racine.  Besides  being  tavern  keeper,  merchant  and 
farmer,  Dr.  Heath  practiced  medicine  and  is  said  to  have  been  a 
skillful  physician. 

The  story  is  told  by  old  settlers  that  one  dark  night  he  had  a 
call  to  attend  a  sick  person  on  the  opposite  side  of  Rock  river, 
which  was  at  high  water  mark,  and  attempted  to  swim  his  horse 
across,  but  was  swept  from  the  horse's  back  and  nearly  drowned, 
being  carried  almost  two  miles  by  the  sw^ift  current ;  his  wife,  at- 
tracted by  his  calls,  plunging  through  the  bushes  along  the  shore, 
encouraging  him  to  continue  the  struggle.  His  saddle  bags  con- 
taining his  medicine  case  were  found  several  years  later  miles 
below  where  he  effected  his  landing. 

At  the  first  town  meeting  in  Rock  township,  April  15,  1842, 
Dr.  Heath  was  elected  supervisor. 

In  1848  Dr.  Heath  and  wife,  still  imbued  with  the  restless 
pioneer  spirit,  left  Janesville  in  their  covered  wagon  for  the  Pa- 
cific coast. 

Dr.  Daniel  C.  Babcock  w-as  born  in  New  York  state  in  1818, 
and  graduated  first  from  the  Castleton,  Vt.,  Medical  College  and 
then  from  one  of  the  New  York  city  medical  colleges  in  1842,  com- 
ing west  and  settling  at  Johnston,  Rock  county,  in  1843,  thus  be- 
ing one  of  the  first  physicians  to  engage  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine in  southern  Wisconsin.  A  few  years  later  Dr.  Babcock  re- 
moved to  Milton,  Rock  county,  from  which  district  he  was  elected 
to  the  state  legislative  assembly  in  1847  and  1848. 

The  exposure  incident  to  country  practice  impaired  his  health 
ivUd  he  died  in  California  of  consumption  in  1875. 

Dr.  Babcock 's  only  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  Albert  S.  Max- 
son,  Milton  Junction,  Rock  county.  Wis. 

Dr.  John  M.  Evans.  Dr.  Evans  was  the  first  physician  at 
"The  Grove,"  as  the  one  frame  house,  one  double  log  cabin  and 
log  school  house  was  called  when  he  settled  there  in  April,  1846. 
When  a  postoffice  was  established  there  in  1849  it  was  called 
"Evansville"  in  his  honor.  Dr.  Evans  was  elected  to  the  Wis- 
consin legislature  in  1853  and  again  in  1873. 

Dr.  Evans  graduated  at  the  La  Porte,  Ind.,  Medical  College, 
which  later  merged  with  the  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago. 


468  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

During  the  Civil  War  Dr.  Evans  was  surgeon  of  the  Thirteenth 
Wisconsin  infantry. 

His  son,  Dr.  J.  M.  Evans,  is  now  in  practice  in  Evansville. 

Dr.  Evans  was  a  32d  degree  Mason.     He  died  in  August,  1903. 

Dr.  John  Mitchell  came  to  Janesville  in  1844,  when  its  popu- 
lation was  only  three  hundred. 

Dr.  Mitchell  was  born  on  Christmas  day,  1803,  in  Bucks 
county.  Pa.,  and  graduated  from  the  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  Medical  Col- 
lege in  1842. 

Part  of  the  present  city  of  Janesville  is  built  on  w^hat  was 
formerly  Dr.  Mitchell's  farm.  In  1851  Dr.  Mitchell  established 
''The  Democratic  Standard,"  which  newspaper  he  conducted  for 
several  years. 

Dr.  Mitchell  was  president  of  the  Wisconsin  State  Medical 
Society  in  1855,  having  previously  been  vice  president.  He  was 
mayor  of  Janesville  in  1864-5.  Dr.  Mitchell  died  May  23,  1885. 
His  daughter  still  resides  in  Janesville. 

Dr.  George  W.  Chittenden  practiced  medicine  in  Janesville 
for  over  half  a  century  and  was  highly  esteemed. 

George  W.  Chittenden  was  born  in  New  York  state,  February 
3,  1820.  He  graduated  from  the  Albany  Medical  College  in  1846, 
and  the  Homeopathic  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia  in  1850. 

He  began  practice  in  Janesville  in  1846,  and  this  remained  his 
field  of  labor  until  his  death,  May  28,  1899. 

His  son.  Dr.  George  G.  Chittenden,  was  associated  with  him 
in  practice  for  many  years,  and  still  resides  in  Janesville. 

Dr.  Robert  Byron  Treat.  One  of  Janesville 's  early  physicians 
was  Dr.  R.  B.  Treat,  who  was  born  in  New  York  state  August  2, 
1824,  graduated  from  the  Eclectic  Medical  College,  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  in  1847,  and  began  practice  in  Janesville  in  ^848,  driving 
from  La  Porte,  Ind.,  where  he  was  married,  through  Michigan 
City,  Chicago  and  Beloit. 

Dr.  Treat  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Janesville  Daily  and 
Weekly  "Free  Press"  in  1853,  and  was  mayor  of  the  city  in  1860, 
and  again  in  1863. 

In  1871  Dr.  Treat  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  was  in  prac- 
tive  up  to  within  a  year  of  his  death,  which  occurred  December 
20,  1897.     His  widow  and  son  are  still  residing  in  Janesville. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Borden.     For  more  than  half  a  century  Dr.  Borden 


jm.m 


«1t% 


.»  ^ 


MEDICAL  HISTORY  469 

practiced  his  profession  in  Milton  and  its  vicinity.  He  graduated 
from  the  medical  college  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in  1849,  and  came  to 
the  village  of  Milton  in  1854. 

During  the  Civil  War  Dr.  Borden  was  surgeon  of  the  First 
Wisconsin  heavy  artillery,  and  for  years  preceding  his  death  he 
was  a  member  of  the  board  of  pension  examiners  at  Janesville. 

Dr.  Borden  died  in  October,  1905,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two. 

Dr.  Henry  Palmer.  For  many  years  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent physicians  and  surgeons  of  Wisconsin  was  Dr.  Henry  Pal- 
mer, of  Janesville. 

Dr.  Palmer  was  born  in  New  York  state  in  1827,  graduated 
from  Albany  Medical  College  in  1854  and  came  to  Janesville  in 
1856.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War  Dr.  Palmer  entered  the 
volunteer  service  as  surgeon  of  the  Seventh  Wisconsin  infantry. 
In  1862  he  was  made  surgeon  of  the  celebrated  "Iron  Brigade," 
and  later  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  largest  military  hospital  in 
the  United  States,  at  York,  Pa.  In  1864  he  was  appointed  medi- 
cal inspector  of  the  Eighth  army  corps;  in  1865  was  detailed  to 
close  up  the  affairs  of  the  hospital  at  Camp  Douglas,  Chicago, 
111.,  and  was  mustered  out  with  the  brevet  rank  of  lieutenant 
colonel. 

Dr.  Palmer,  after  his  return  to  civil  life,  became  prominent  as 
a  surgeon.  He  was  professor  of  clinical  surgery  in  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of  Chicago  (now  the  Medical  Depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Illinois),  from  its  organization  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  January  15,  1895. 

Dr.  Palmer  was  mayor  of  Janesville  in  1866  and  1867,  was  vice 
president  of  the  American  Medical  Association  and  was  surgeon 
general  of  Wisconsin  for  ten  years. 

The  Palmer  Memorial  Hospital,  Janesville,  perpetuates  his 
name. 

His  son.  Dr.  William  H.  Palmer,  is  in  practice  in  Janesville. 

Dr.  Simon  Lord  was  born  in  Maine  in  1826,  graduating  from 

the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  of  Philadelphia,  and  came  to 
Edgerton  in  1858.  During  the  Civil  War  Dr.  Lord  served  as 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  infantry,  and  sur- 
geon of  the  Thirty-second  Wisconsin  infantry. 

Dr.  Lord  was  elected  to  the  state  assembly  in  1879  and  to  the 
state  senate  in  1882.     He  died  February  18,  1893.     His  son,  Dr. 


470  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUXTY 

James  A.  Lord,  associated  in  practice  with  his  father  for  many 
years,  died  December  1,  1900. 

Dr.  Joseph  Bellamy  Whiting.  For  nearly  half  a  century  the 
tall,  erect,  commanding  figure  of  Dr.  Whiting  was  familiar  to  the 
people  of  Janesville. 

Dr.  Whiting  was  gifted  with  a  silvery  tongue,  and  Henry 
Ward  Beecher  said  of  him — that  the  most  pleasing  presentation 
to  an  audience  that  he  ever  had  was  when  Dr.  Whiting  introduced 
him  to  the  people  of  Janesville. 

Dr.  Whiting  was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1822,  graduated 
from  the  Berkshire  Medical  College  in  1848.  He  located  in  Janes- 
ville in  1860. 

During  the  Civil  War  Dr.  Whiting  was  appointed  surgeon  of 
the  Thirty-third  Wisconsin  infantry.  Later  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  large  hospital  at  Milliken's  Bend,  near  Vicksburg, 
and  soon  after  he  was  made  surgeon-in-chief  of  the  military  dis- 
trict of  Natchez,  Miss.,  and  also  appointed  military  major 
of  Natchez.  Owing  to  disabilities  incurred  in  the  service,  from 
which  he  never  fully  recovered,  he  resigned  in  1864,  and  returned 
to  Janesville. 

In  1875  he  was  president  of  the  Wisconsin  State  Medical  So- 
ciety. For  years  he  was  a  trustee  for  the  state  school  for  the 
blind,  and  also  a  member  of  the  city  board  of  education.  For 
many  years  before  his  death  he  served  as  president  of  the  United 
States  pension  examining  board. 

In  1889  President  Cleveland  appointed  him  a  member  of  the 
Chippewa  Indian  commission. 

In  1893-4  he  was  medical  director  of  the  Wisconsin  depart- 
ment of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  in  1895  he  was  surgeon-general  of  the 
G.  A.  R. 

In  an  address  delivered  a  short  time  before  he  died  he  said: 
"1  am  standing  very  near  that  mystic  line  which  separates  the 
present  from  the  future.  I  am  nearer  than  you ;  so  near  that  with 
hushed  breath  I  sometimes  try  to  look  into  that  beyond  and  de- 
votedly ask  'What?'  No  answer  comes  back;  but  I  believe  in 
God,  His  mercy,  His  goodness,  His  loving  kindness,  and  I  believe 
if  we  do  our  duty  here  it  will  be  well  in  the  hereafter. ' ' 

Dr.  Whiting  died  March  27,  1905,  his  death  being  hastened 
by  that  of  his  only  son,  Dr.  J.  B.  Whiting,  Jr.,  major  and  surgeon 


.%  ^ 


1  ^ 


m  -  4 


;^'M 


MEDICAL  HISTORY  471 

of  the  First  Wisconsin  infantry,  which  occurred  a  month  before 
his  own. 

Dr.  Samuel  S.  Judd  was  formerly  one  of  the  best  known  phy- 
sicians in  Rock  county.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1828, 
graduated  from  the  Cincinnati  Medical  College  in  1857,  and  began 
practice  in  Janesville  in  1864.  Dr.  Judd  served  the  city  as  alder- 
man several  times,  as  has  his  son.  Dr.  William  H.  Judd,  now  in 
practice  in  Janesville. 

Dr.  S.  S.  Judd  was  appointed  surgeon  of  the  Second  Ohio 
regiment  of  cavalry  during  the  Civil  War,  but  was  unable  to 
serve,  owing  to  ill  health. 

Dr.  Judd  died  August  30,  1887. 

Below  is  a  list  of  the  physicians  who  were  practicing  in  Rock 
county  in  1856  and  their  locations,  and  following  that  is  a  list  of 
those  now  practicing  in  Rock  county — fifty  years  later: 

In  Janesville  in  1856  were  Doctors  W.  Amer,  L.  J.  Barrows, 
D.  C.  Bennett,  M.  L.  Burnham,  G.  W.  Chittenden,  A.  P.  Coryell,  J. 
Grafton,  A.  S.  Jones,  J.  S.  Lane,  Erastus  Lewis,  Stephen  Martin, 
John  Mitchell,  John  Paine,  C.  G.  Pease,  0.  P.  Robinson,  T.  E.  St. 
John  and  R.  B.  Treat. 

In  Beloit  were  Doctors  A.  J.  Bennett,  G.  W.  Bicknell,  George 
H.  Carey,  A.  Clark,  E.  N.  Clark,  J.  W.  Evans,  Jesse  Gage,  L. 
Merriman,  Jesse  Moore,  Richards,  H.  Smith,  H.  P.  Strong,  S. 
Spencer,  E.  J.  Taggert,  J.  M.  Tillepaugh  and  A.  Teale. 

In  Johnstown  were  Doctors  Daniel  C.  Babcock,  Louis  C.  Bick- 
nell, Daniel  M.  Bond  and  John  B.  Fleming. 

In  Milton  were  Doctors  W.  H.  Borden,  Colliers  and  C.  W.  Still- 
man. 

In  Evansville  were  Doctors  J.  M.  Evans  and  W.  M.  Quincy. 

In  Cookville  was  Dr.  W.  W.  Blackman. 

In  Shopiere  was  Dr.  Belding. 

In  Magnolia  was  Dr.  Charles  Wilson. 

In  Union  was  Dr.  Thomas  Armstrong. 

In  Footville  was  Dr.  Butler. 

In  Center  Township  was  Dr.  Sylvanus  Fisher. 

In  Clinton  Township  was  Dr.  John  Tinker. 

In  Janesville  Township  was  Dr.  John  Stacy. 

In  Spring  Valley  Township  were  Doctors  S.  W.  Abbott  (assem- 
blyman) and  Jeremiah  Wilcox. 


472  HISTOEY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

This  makes  a  total  of  fifty-two  known  physicians  living  in 
Kock  county  half  a  century  ago,  all  of  whom  have 

"Gone  before 
To  that  unknown  and  silent  shore." 

— Lamb. 

At  the  close  of  1906  the  following  physicians  were  practicing 
in  Rock  county : 

In  Janesville  are  Doctors  Edith  Bartlett,  Samuel  B.  Buck- 
master,  A.  Lovelle  Burdick,  George  G.  Chittenden,  Michael  A. 
Cunningham,  Edward  H.  Dudley,  Corydon  G.  Dwight,  Ransom  W. 
Edden,  Frank  B.  Farnsworth,  George  "W.  Fifield,  George  H.  Fox, 
James  Gibson,  William  H.  Judd,  Egbert  E.  Loomis,  Walter  D. 
Merritt,  James  Mills,  Thomas  H.  ]\IcCarthy,  Clara  Normington, 
William  H.  Palmer,  John  F.  Pember,  Robert  A.  Schlernitzauer, 
James  W.  St.  John,  Quincy  0.,  Charles  H.  and  Frederick  E.  Suth- 
erland, James  P.  Thome,  Guy  C.  Waufle,  George  H.  AVebster  and 
Edmund  F.  Woods. 

In  Beloit  are  Doctors  William  J.  Allen,  Jesse  P.  Allen,  Mary  E. 
Bartlett,  Samuel  Bell,  L.  F.  Bennett,  E.  B.  Brown,  May,  1907; 
Isaac  Buckeridge,  Austin  F.  Burdick,  D.  R.  Connell,  W.  W. 
Crockett,  H.  0.  Delaney,  L.  R.  Farr,  P.  A.  Fox,  Ernest  C.  Helm, 
Arthur  C.  Helm,  W.  C.  Loar,  W.  F.  McCabe  (since  retired),  W.  A. 
Mellen,  F.  T.  Nye,  W.  F.  Pechuman,  H.  O.  Rockwell,  Anthony  T. 
Schmidt,  C.  E.  Smith,  M.  G.  Spawn,  Russell  J.  C.  Strong,  F.  A. 
Thayer,  Effie  M.  Van  Derlinder. 

In  Clinton  are  Doctors  J.  B.  Crandall,  DeWitt  C.  Griswold, 
John  Jones,  Ulysess  G.  Latta,  Mary  Montgomery,  Julia  Mclljohn, 
Albert  S.  Parker,  William  0.  Thomas  and  0.  P.  Wright. 

In  Edgerton  are  Doctors  Herbert  H.  Bissell,  Bernard  S.  Cleary, 
Harry  A.  Keenan,  Willard  M.  McChesney  and  W.  W.  Morrison. 

In  Evansville  are  Doctors  Fred  E.  Colony,  John  M,  Evans, 
Mary  L.  Ewing,  G.  Newman,  Josie  Ocasek,  Charles  M.  Smith,  Sr., 
Charles  M.  Smith,  Jr.,  and  George  F.  Spencer. 

In  Emerald  Grove  is  Dr.  Edward  A.  Loomis. 

In  Footville  is  Dr.  Seth  W.  Lacy. 

In  Johnstown  are  Doctors  William  M.  Rockwell  and  Mary  L. 
Rockwell. 

In  Lima  are  Doctors  R.  H.  Stetson  and  Mary  H.  Stetson. 

In  Milton  are  Doctors  F.  C.  Binneweis,  Justin  H.  Burdick  and 
Ella  J.  Crandell. 


MEDICAL  HISTORY  473 

In  Milton  Junction  are  Doctors  George  E.  Cook,  Edward  11. 
Hull,  G.  D.  Kelly  and  Albert  S.  Maxson. 

In  Orfordville  are  Doctors  Harold  B.  Anderson  and  John  W. 
Keithley. 

In  Shopiere  is  Dr.  A.  B.  Manley. 

(Ninety-two  in  all.) 

Dr.  Samuel  Bruce  Buckmaster,  writer  of  the  above  article,  was 
born  at  Lima,  Ohio,  April  26,  1853.  When  eighteen  years  old  he 
went  to  California  and  taught  school  three  years  at  Yreka,  near 
the  lava  beds,  where  the  Modoc  war  occurred  and  the  peace  com- 
missioners, including  Major  General  Canby,  were  murdered  by 
Captain  Jack  and  his  bloodthirsty  Modocs.  Mr.  Buckmaster  went 
into  the  lava  beds  as  a  volunteer  in  that  war  and  one  of  his  chums 
was  captured  by  the  Modocs  and  tortured  to  death. 

Returning  east  Mr.  Buckmaster  began  the  study  of  medicine 
with  Dr.  Henry  Palmer,  at  Janesville,  Wis.,  and  graduated  from 
the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Virginia  in  1879. 
He  then  attended  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  taking 
special  courses,  also,  at  Bellevue.  In  the  spring  of  1880  he  was 
appointed  third  assistant  physician  at  the  State  Hospital  for  the 
Insane,  at  Madison,  Wis.;  a  year  later  became  second  assistant, 
and,  in  another  year,  was  made  first  assistant.  July  1,  1884, 
though  one  of  the  youngest  men  in  the  United  States  to  hold  such 
a  position,  he  was  unanimously  chosen  by  the  state  board  of  super- 
vision for  superintendent  of  that  state  hospital.  He  was  the  first 
western  superintendent  to  adopt  the  non-restraint  system. 

After  serving  at  the  hospital  for  nearly  ten  years  Dr.  Buck- 
master  resigned,  that  he  might  give  his  children  better  school 
advantages,  and  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  was  elected  pro- 
fessor of  physiology  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons 
(now  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Illinois).  He 
was  also  elected  president  of  the  West  Side  Free  Dispensary, 
which  treated  about  twenty-five  thousand  patients  every  year. 

In  1894  Dr.  Buckmaster  accepted  the  superintendency  of  the 
sanatorium  at  Hudson,  Wis.,  and  in  1897  assumed  the  position  of 
superintendent  of  the  Oakwood  Retreat  at  Lake  Geneva,  Wis. 

Institutional  life  affecting  his  health  unfavorably,  he  resigned 
and  engaged  in  private  practice  in  Janesville,  beginning  in  1898. 


474  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Dr.  Buekmaster  has  twice  been  president  of  the  Rock  County 
Medical  Society,  and  for  several  years  has  been  secretary  of  the 
United  States  pension  examining  board.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Janesville  board  of  education  and  is  president  of  that  body. — Ed. 

Dr.  Samuel  Bell  was  born  in  Saratoga  county,  New  York, 
May  31,  1841,  the  son  of  Adam  and  Jane  (Yates)  Bell.  Baptized 
by  Domine  Van  Dusen,  of  the  Dutch  Reform  Church. 

In  June,  1849,  the  family  came  west  by  the  way  of  the  Erie 
canal,  around  the  Great  Lakes  and  by  teams,  locating  in  Rock 
county,  Wisconsin. 

When  the  subject  of  our  sketch  grew  to  manhood,  receiving 
such  education  as  he  could  secure  in  the  public  schools  of  New 
York  and  Wisconsin,  in  September,  1860,  he  entered  the  office 
of  Dr.  Corydon  Farr,  of  Shopiere,  Rock  county,  with  whom  and 
under  whose  direction  he  remained  in  close  touch  for  most  of  the 
time  for  four  years.  Attending  regular  nine  month  courses  of 
lectures  at  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Michigan, 
and  spending  his  vacations  as  contract  surgeon  in  Carver  Hospi- 
tal, Camp  Convalescent,  Arlington  Heights  and  the  Old  Red 
Tavern  Hospital,  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  and  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where 
he  was  placed  in  charge  of  'Svard  I,"  hospital  No.  1,  a  gangrene 
ward,  with  131  beds  of  hospital  gangrene. 

After  receiving  a  commission  from  Governor  Lewis  as  first 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  Fifteenth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry 
he  joined  that  regiment  on  their  march  to  Atlanta  and  remained 
until  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  in  1865.  After  the  last 
battle  at  Nashville  Dr.  Bell  was  detailed  to  take  charge  of  the 
giving  of  anaesthetics  in  the  field  operating  hospital,  and  gave 
and  superintended  the  giving  for  three  days  continuously.  He 
was  then  appointed  surgeon  of  the  Fifty-fourth  Wisconsin  Volun- 
teers, a  regiment  that  his  colonel,  0.  C.  Johnson,  had  reorganized ; 
but  the  regiment  was  not  called  into  service. 

On  leaving  the  army  the  doctor  engaged  in  professional  work 
at  Prairie  du  Sac,  Sauk  county.  Wis.,  remaining  until  January, 
1868,  when  he  located  at  Shopiere,  w^here  he  soon  built  up  an 
extensive  practice,  and  during  ^vhich  time  he  was  appointed  post- 
master, which  office  he  held  during  his  stay  there.  In  1874  he 
moved  his  family  to  Beloit,  still  holding  much  of  the  practice 
about  the  country  and  in  Clinton,  that  he  had  acquired  from  his 


MEDICAL  HISTORY  475 

former  location,  which  practice  he  was  soon  obliged  to  relinquish 
because  of  the  demand  upon  his  time  in  the  city.  The  doctor 
served  as  health  officer  for  six  years  and  resigned  the  office  be- 
cause of  the  demands  along  professional  lines.  His  interest  in 
educational  affairs  is  shown  by  eight  years  of  efficient  work  as  a 
member  of  the  school  board  and  treasurer  of  district  No.  1.  Pro- 
fessionally he  is  a  member  of  the  State  Medical  Society,  the  Cen- 
tral "Wisconsin  Medical  Society,  and  is  the  present  president  of 
the  Rock  County  Medical  Society,  a  member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  International  Association  of  Railway  Sur- 
geons and  the  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  Association  of  Railway 
Surgeons. 

At  his  class  reunion  at  Ann  Arbor  in  1904  the  doctor  was  made 
president  of  his  class  association,  which  aim  to  meet  every  five 
years  during  commencement  week  at  Ann  Arbor. 

April  25,  1890,  the  doctor  was  appointed  an  examining  surgeon 
on  the  pension  board  at  Janesville,  which  appointment  he  resigned 
eight  years  after,  because  of  professional  demands  on  his  time. 

When  in  1897  the  laws  of  the  state  required  the  appointment 
of  state  medical  examining  board,  Dr.  Bell  was  honored  by  Gov. 
Edward  Scofield  with  an  appointment,  and  was  made  the  first 
president  of  the  board.  The  appointment  was  renewed  for  four 
years  in  1899,  which  was  the  limit  of  the  law  in  time  of  service. 

Dr.  Bell  has  been  a  surgeon  for  the  Chicago  &  North-Western 
railroad  continuously  since  1868,  and  for  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
&  St.  Paul  railroad  since  1874,  and  president  of  Strong  Emer- 
gency Hospital  staff,  which  hospital  he  organized  and  opened  in 
1899.  He  has  always  been  actively  abreast  of  the  times  in  every- 
thing new  in  his  profession,  and  a  close  student  and  observer  of 
the  best  operators  in  the  land.  For  years  he  has  been  spending 
all  his  vacations  in  hospital  work. 

Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Beloit  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar, a  companion  of  the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of 
the  United  States,  a  comrade  of  L.  H.  D.  Crane  Post,  G.  A.  R., 
which  order  at  its  forty-first  encampment,  held  at  Oshkosh,  June 
3-6,  1907,  unanimously  elected  him  department  medical  director 
of  the  state  of  Wisconsin. 

August  29,  1864,  Dr.  Bell  was  married  to  Mary  Evelyn  Bowen, 


476  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

of  Janesville,  "Wis.,  daughter  of  the  late  Hon.  Hiram  Bowen,  many- 
years  a  leading  citizen  of  "Wisconsin  and  editor  of  the  "Janesville 
Gazette"  and  "Milwaukee  Sentinel."  Two  daughters,  Nettie 
Evelyn  and  Martha  Wheeler,  comprise  their  family. 

In  June,  1908,  Dr.  Samuel  Bell  was  elected  department  sur- 
geon of  the  G.  A.  R.  for  the  Department  of  Wisconsin. 


XXI. 
PHARMACY— OLD  AND  NEW— OF  ROCK  COUNTY. 

During  the  pioneer  life  of  preterritorial  days  in  Wisconsin, 
drug  stores  were  few  and  far  between,  the  remedies  used  being 
of  the  household  kind,  or  such  as  a  traveling  physician  could 
carry  in  his  saddle  bag.  The  mother  of  the  house  was  the  prin- 
cipal drug  or  herb  collector,  while  the  occasional  physician  was 
his  own  dispenser,  and  even  the  drug  store,  when  established, 
was  far  different  from  the  pharmacy  of  today.  Aloes,  epsom 
salts,  senna  leaves,  calomel  and  castor  oil  were  the  general 
standbys,  while  quinine  was  sold  in  large  quantities. 

The  first  record  we  have  of  a  regular  drug  store  is  when 
Messrs.  Holden  &  Kemp  hung  out  a  (Irug  sign  in  Janesville  in 
1849,  and  the  old  store  is  still  in  existence.  This  firm  issued  a 
family  almanac,  copies  of  which  are  still  in  some  of  the  houses 
of  Janesville. 

Andrew  Palmer  also  had  a  drug  store  for  many  years,  fol- 
lowed by  Curtis,  then  J.  B.  Baker,  who  is  still  in  the  business. 

C.  B.  Colwell,  L.  E.  Hackley,  William  M.  Eldredge  and  Charles 

D.  Stevens  were  at  different  times  engaged  in  the  drug  business. 

E.  B.  Heimstreet  is  the  oldest  druggist  at  the  present  time.  At 
this  time  Janesville  has  several  of  the  best  equipped  pharmacies 
in  the  state,  as  follows:  E.  B.  Heimstreet,  J.  P.  Baker,  E.  O. 
Smith  &  Co.,  George  E.  King  &  Co.,  McCue  &  Buss,  William 
Pfennig,  H.  E,  Ranous  &  Co.,  and  W.  T.  Sherer.  Palmer  &  Stev- 
ens did  a  large  drug  business  from  1893  to  1898,  when  they  sold 
out  to  George  E.  King  &  Co, 

In  1878  E.  B.  Heimstreet,  a  druggist  of  Janesville,  conceived 
the  idea  of  organizing  a  society  of  druggists  of  Rock  county,  and 
visited  each  one  and  fixed  a  date  for  a  meeting  to  be  held  in 
Janesville.  The  druggists  responded  well,  and  on  June  4,  1879, 
the  first  meeting  was  held  and  the  Rock  County  Pharmaceutical 
Society  organized,  with  Dr.  C.  M.  Smith,  an  old  druggist  of 
Evansville,  as  president,  and  E.  B.  Heimstreet,  of  Janesville,  as 

477 


478  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

secretary.  Meetings  were  held  quarterly,  the  interest  increasing 
and  druggists  from  other  counties  coming  in  until  1880,  when  it 
was  decided  to  call  a  state  meeting  at  Madison,  which  was  done, 
and  on  July  15  the  State  Pharmaceutical  Association  was  organ- 
ized. This  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  pharmacy  law  and  regula- 
tion of  pharmacy  in  Wisconsin,  all  coming  from  the  efforts  of  the 
Kock  county  druggists.  The  Eock  county  society  still  holds  its 
meetings  quarterly,  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  the  most 
successful  in  its  work  of  any  of  the  Wisconsin  associations.  The 
meetings  are  conducted  in  a  social  way,  a  dinner  always  preced- 
ing work,  and  every  druggist  in  the  county  is  a  member  of  the 
society.  The  present  officers  are :  J.  M.  Farnsworth,  Beloit,  presi- 
dent, and  E.  B.  Heimstreet,  Janesville,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Milton. 

H.  M.  Haven  returned  from  the  Civil  War  as  hospital  steward 
of  the  Thirteenth  Wisconsin  Infantry,  and  started  the  first  drug 
store.  He  died  about  1872,  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  0.  Allen, 
who  afterward  moved  his  stock  to  Milton  Junction.  In  March, 
1875,  W.  P.  Clarke  opened  a  regular  pharmacy  and  is  still  in 
business.  Mr.  Clarke  has  been  quite  active  in  pharmacy  work 
and  is  one  of  the  oldest  druggists  in  the  state.  Dr.  Charles  Bad- 
ger had  a  small  drug  stock  in  the  80s  for  a  year  or  so. 

Milton  Junction. 

A  drug  store  was  put  in  by  Dr.  Wing,  who  carried  on  the  busi- 
ness for  several  years,  selling  to  Button  Brothers,  who  after- 
wards sold  to  W.  H.  Gates,  who  has  conducted  the  business  since. 
Mr.  Will  Thorpe  also  has  a  finely  equipped  pharmacy.  A.  0. 
Allen  in  business  in  1878. 

Evansville. 

Evans  &  Smith  opened  the  pioneer  drug  store  about  1872, 
and  continued  the  business  until  Dr.  Evans'  death,  when  Dr. 
Smith  retired  and  his  work  was  taken  up  by  Dr.  J.  M.  Evans, 
Jr.,  who  is  still  in  business.  George  H.  Eeed  had  a  drug  store 
for  a  number  of  years,  which  store  was  established  in  1867  by 
Messrs.  Lucas  &  Palmer.  S.  H.  Cowles  also  did  a  drug  business 
here  for  several  years.  F.  M.  Crow,  who  had  charge  of  the 
pioneer  drug  store  for  years,  has  a  nice  pharmacy  now,  and  Lew 
Van  Warp  also  has  a  good  drug  store. 


PHARMACY— OLD  AND  NEW  479 

Edgerton. 

Matthew  Croft  opened  the  first  drug  store  in  this  city  many 
years  ago  and  had  a  large  business  in  this  line  for  many  years. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  Willson  Brothers,  who  in  addition  to 
their  drug  business,  do  a  large  manufacturing  business  in  pro- 
prietary goods.  Charles  Banks  and  George  Doty  both  had  drug 
stores  here  for  years.  Dr.  Stillman  is  also  remembered  by  the 
older  people  as  a  druggist.  J.  W.  Stangl  now  has  a  nice  store 
here. 

Clinton. 

Messrs.  Covert  &  Cheever  opened  a  drug  store  in  1868  and 
did  quite  a  large  business  for  many  years.  Hollister  &  Wood- 
ward were  succeeded  by  0.  L.  Woodward,  who  has  continued  in 
service  for  the  past  twenty-seven  years. 


XXII. 

HISTORY  OF  BANKING  IN  JANESVILLE. 

By 
J.  G.  Rexford. 

Before  the  enactment  of  the  free  banking  law  of  the  state  of 
Wisconsin,  banking  business  in  Janesville  was  carried  on  by 
merchants  in  their  stores,  or  by  private  bankers  and  brokers. 

The  late  J.  Bodwell  Doe  stated  in  a  letter  written  in  1864  that 
he  at  one  time  carried  on  a  banking  business  in  his  store,  on  the 
spot  where  the  First  National  bank  of  Janesville  now  stands, 
writing  out  his  drafts  and  certificates  of  deposit  and  carrying 
home  the  assets  of  the  bank  in  his  pocket  at  night. 

In  the  fall  of  1852  Mr,  Doe  had  an  office  in  the  Stevens  house 
block  on  West  Milwaukee  street,  where  he  advertised  the  busi- 
ness of  "Banker  and  Exchange  Broker,"  He  probably  continued 
the  business  at  that  place  until  the  Stevens  house  was  burned,  in 
April,  1853.  After  occupying  for  two  months  the  front  room 
over  the  store,  which  is  now  known  as  No.  109  West  Milwaukee 
street,  Mr.  Doe  moved  late  in  1853  into  the  building  erected  that 
year  by  William  M.  Tallman,  now  known  as  No.  15  West  Mil- 
waukee street,  where  he  continued  as  a  private  banker  until 
September,  1855.  From  January,  1853,  Mr.  Doe  used  the  name 
"Central  Bank  of  Wisconsin,"  for  reasons  which  will  be  shown 
later  on  in  this  article. 

The  firm  of  McCrea,  Bell  &  Co.  opened  a  "Banking  Exchange 
and  Collection  Office"  in  Janesville  about  January  1,  1851,  their 
first  advertisement  appearing  in  the  "Janesville  Gazette"  in  the 
issue  of  January  2,  1851.  The  office  of  this  firm  was  in  a  small 
stone  building  situated  about  where  No.  9  North  Main  street  now 
stands. 

The  free  banking  law  was  passed  by  the  legislature  of  1852, 
and  approved  on  April  19  of  that  year.  William  A.  Lawrence, 
of  this  city,  was  on  the  committee  which  reported  that  bill,  and, 

480 


BANKING  IN  JANESVILLE  481 

it  is  believed,  had  more  to  do  with  framing  the  bill  and  securing 
its  passage  than  any  other  man. 

The  first  attempt  to  organize  a  bank  in  this  city  under  that 
law  was  as  follows:  ,. 

Articles  of  association,  dated  November  4,  1852,  were  filed 
in  the  office  of  register  of  deeds  for  Rock  county,  to  organize  the 
"Central  Bank  of  Wisconsin."  The  capital  stock  was  $25,000, 
and  the  incorporators  were  William  M.  Tallman  and  Joseph  B, 
Doe.  Later  a  supplementary  certificate,  dated  February  7,  1853, 
was  filed,  increasing  the  capital  stock  to  $100,000,  and  naming 
William  M.  Tallman,  W.  E.  Chittenden,  Joseph  B.  Doe  and  A. 
.  Hyatt  Smith  as  incorporators.  Mr.  W.  E.  Chittenden,  who  was 
a  resident  of  New  York  city,  was  expected  to  furnish  the  capital 
needed  for  placing  with  the  bank  comptroller  the  securities  on 
which  circulating  notes  would  be  issued.  Mr.  Chittenden  failed 
before  these  securities  were  obtained,  and  the  enterprise  was 
abandoned.  Mr.  Doe  continued  the  business  as  a  private  banker 
until  September,  1855,  using  the  title  "Central  Bank  of  Wiscon- 
sin." In  August,  1855,  the  interested  parties  filed  a  paper  relin- 
quishing all  rights  in  the  Central  bank  organization  mentioned 
above. 

July  19,  1853,  articles  were  recorded  incorporating  the  Bad- 
ger State  bank  with  a  capital  of  $25,000,  the  incorporators  being 
Edward  L.  Dimock,  William  J.  Bell  and  Augustus  L.  McCrea. 
Messrs.  Bell  and  McCrea  were  residents  of  Milwaukee,  and  owned 
the  private  bank  of  McCrea,  Bell  &  Co.,  already  mentioned.  The 
Badger  State  bank  commenced  business  September  1,  1853,  in  the 
office  until  then  occupied  by  McCrea,  Bell  &  Co.,  who  withdrew 
from  business  the  same  day.  About  January  1,  1856,  after  the 
completion  of  Lappin's  block,  the  Badger  State  bank  moved  into 
the  corner,  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  Bower  City  bank. 

The  first  report  made  by  this  bank  to  the  comptroller  in  Janu- 
ary, 1854,  gives  its  loans  as  amounting  to  $53,000,  and  its  demand 
deposits  as  $56,000.  William  J.  Bell  was  president  and  E.  L. 
Dimock  cashier.  Mr.  Bell  was  at  his  time  also  president  of  banks 
in  Milwaukee,  Racine  and  Fond  du  Lac.  In  June,  1855,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  Badger  State  bank  was  increased  to  $50,000,  and  from 
this  date  E.  L.  Dimock  was  its  president  and  Henry  C.  Matteson 
its  cashier.     This  bank  was  not  able  to  withstand  the  financial 


482  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

storm  which  swept  over  the  country  in  the  fall  of  1857,  and  closed 
its  doors  on  the  morning  of  September  26,  1857. 

After  the  closing  of  the  Badger  State  bank,  the  same  banking 
office  was  occupied  for  a  year  or  more  by  J.  P.  Hoyt  &  Co.,  private 
bankers.  This  firm,  which  opened  business  in  January,  1857, 
moved  in  March  of  that  year  into  the  office  formerly  occupied 
by  the  Janesville  City  bank  in  the  Lappin's  block. 

February  12,  1855,  articles  were  recorded  to  organize  the 
Janesville  City  bank  with  a  capital  of  $25,000.  The  shareholders 
were  Henry  D.  Bunster  and  Arthur  W.  Bunster.  This  bank 
opened  for  business  on  Main  street,  a  few  doors  south  of  the  pres- 
ent location  of  the  Bower  City  bank.  While  Lappin's  block  was 
being  built,  the  "City  Bank"  occupied  quarters  on  the  north 
side  of  East  Milwaukee  street,  at  the  east  end  of  the  bridge,  and 
moved  across  the  street  into  Lappin's  block  on  the  completion 
of  that  building  in  December,  1855.  H.  D.  Bunster  was  the  first 
president,  and  Samuel  Lightbody,  cashier.  July  7,  1855,  they 
reported  to  the  comptroller,  $127,000  "due  to  depositors  on  de- 
mand and  to  others,"  and  $79,000  in  loans.  One  year  later  this 
bank  appeared  to  be  in  a  very  flourishing  condition,  its  demand 
deposits  being  over  $170,000.  After  that  its  business  declined 
rapidly  and  its  ownership  and  control  changed  hands  several 
times.  This  bank  apparently  ceased  doing  business  in  March, 
1857,  and  its  place  was  taken  by  J.  P.  Hoyt  &  Co.,  private  bankers. 

The  first  report  of  the  Central  bank,  dated  January  7,  1856, 
gave  its  capital  as  $25,000,  deposits  $41,000,  loans  $24,000.  The 
capital  stock  was  increased  to  $50,000  July  1,  1856 ;  was  made 
$100,000  on  January  1,  1857,  and  $125,000  on  July  9,  1859. 

The  Rock  County  Bank  was  organized  by  articles  dated  Octo- 
ber 16,  1855,  with  a  capital  of  $50,000,  the  stockholders  being 
John  J.  R.  Pease,  J.  B.  Crosby,  Timothy  Jackman,  Shubael  W. 
Smith,  Andrew  Palmer,  Lewis  E.  Stone,  John  Kimball,  B.  F.  Pix- 
ley,  John  C.  Jenkins,  J.  Lang  Kimball,  Morris  C.  Smith,  Peter 
Myers,  Jesse  Miles.  The  first  directors  were  Timothy  Jackman, 
J.  B.  Crosby,  Andrew  Palmer,  L.  E.  Stone,  J.  L.  Kimball,  B.  F, 
Pixley,  J.  C.  Jenkins,  M.  C.  Smith,  J.  J.  R.  Pease.  Timothy  Jack- 
man  was  the  president;  Andrew  Palmer,  vice-president,  and  J. 
B.  Crosby,  cashier.  The  first  report  to  the  bank  comptroller  was 
made  July  7,  1856,  showing  a  capital  of  $50,000,  deposits,  $66,000, 
loans  $99,000.    The  Rock  county  bank  commenced  business  in  a 


BxiNKING  IN  JANESVILLE  483 

frame  building  at  the  east  end  of  Milwaukee  street  bridge  on  the 
spot  where  the  Rock  County  National  bank  has  been  located  for 
many  years,  removing  thence  to  a  two-story  frame  building  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  Main  and  Milwaukee  streets  in  Febru- 
ary, 1857.  After  temporary  occupancy  in  the  Myers  House  block, 
this  bank  in  1851  moved  into  permanent  quarters  in  the  new 
Jackman  block,  where  the  Rock  County  bank  and  its  successor, 
the  Rock  County  National  bank,  has  continued  to  the  present 
day. 

The  Producer's  Bank  was  organized  June  20,  1857,  by  Alex 
T.  Gray,  Edward  M.  Hunter  and  William  A.  Barstow,  with  a 
capital  of  $100,000.  Alex  T.  Gray  and  E.  M.  Hunter  wre  presi- 
dent and  cashier  respectively.  Its  office  was  in  the  Hyatt  house, 
on  the  spot  where  the  American  Express  Company's  office  is 
now  located.  January  4,  1858,  this  bank  made  its  first  and  only 
report  to  the  comptroller,  reporting  loans  of  $94,000,  demand  de- 
posits of  $11,000,  and  a  small  amount  of  circulation.  It  was  re- 
ported officially  as  closed  in  1858. 

If  Janesville  could  ever  be  called  a  "boom"  town,  it  was  such 
in  the  "fifties."  Real  estate  speculation  was  very  active,  and 
by  1857  prices  were  unreasonably  high.  The  panic  of  1857  was 
followed  by  a  shrinkage  of  values  in  real  estate,  and  all  commodi- 
ties, which  has  not  been  equaled  in  any  subsequent  financial 
crisis. 

The  business  conditions  are  clearly  reflected  in  the  bank  state- 
ments of  that  period.  In  July,  1856,  four  banks  in  Janesville 
had  a  combined  capital  of  $175,000,  $522,000  in  deposits  and 
loans  amounting  to  $373,000.  July  6,  1857,  three  banks  reported 
in  the  aggregate  $200,000  capital,  $422,000  "due  to  depositors  on 
demand  and  others,"  and  $425,000  of  loans.  July  5,  1858,  there 
were  two  incorporated  banks  left,  having  a  combined  capital  of 
$150,000,  and  reporting  $115,000  due  to  depositors  and  to  others, 
and  $185,000  in  loans.  Such  a  shrinkage  of  deposits  could  only 
have  been  endured  by  banks  doing  business  largely  on  their  own 
cash  capital.  For  eighteen  years  following  the  fateful  year  of 
1857,  there  were  but  two  commercial  banks  in  Janesville. 

The  Central  Bank  of  Wisconsin,  by  a  vote  of  its  stockholders, 
entered  the  national  banking  system  in  September,  1863,  with  a 
paid-up  capital  of  $125,000,  taking  the  title  "First  National  Bank 


48-1  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

of  Janesville."  It  was  the  second  bank  in  the  state  to  organize 
under  the  national  bank  act,  and  was  given  charter  No.  ' '  83. ' ' 

The  first  directors  of  the  First  National  bank  were :  E.  R. 
Doe.  F.  S.  Eldred,  Joseph  Spaulding,  H.  S.  Conger,  H.  K.  Whiton, 
S.  G.  Williams  and  J.  D.  Rexford.  E.  R.  Doe  was  president,  F.  S. 
Eldred,  vice-president,  and  J.  B.  Doe,  cashier.  In  July,  1862,  a 
new  charter  was  obtained  under  the  title,  "The  First  National 
Bank  of  Janesville,"  with  a  charter  No.  "2748." 

Here  are  the  names  of  all  who  have  been  at  any  time  officers 
of  the  Central  bank  and  its  successors,  the  two  First  National 
banks,  from  1855  to  this  day.  The  names  are  given  in  the  order 
of  the  first  terms  of  service,  the  last  named  in  each  class  being  the 
present  officers : 

Presidents — 0.  W.  Norton,  E.  R.  Doe,  J.  D.  Rexford,  Levi  B. 
Carle,  Stanley  G.  Smith,  John  G.  Rexford. 

Vice-Presidents — William  H.  Tripp,  Jonathan  Cory,  F.  S. 
Eldred,  L.  B.  Carle. 

Cashiers — William  A.  Lawrence,  J.  D.  Rexford,  J.  B.  Doe,  J. 
G.  Rexford,  W.  0.  Newhouse. 

Assistant  cashiers — J.  B.  Doe,  George  G.  Williams,  J.  G.  Rex- 
ford, H,  S.  Haggart. 

The  Rock  County  Bank  was  converted  into  a  national  bank 
with  a  capital  of  $100,000  in  January,  1865,  taking  the  title 
' '  Rock  County  National  bank ' '  and  charter  No.  ' '  749. ' '.  The  first 
directors  of  the  Rock  County  National  bank  were :  Timothy 
Jackman,  J.  J,  R.  Pease,  Shubael  W.  Smith,  B.  B.  Eldredge,  J.  B. 
Crosby.  Timothy  Jackman  was  president  and  J.  B.  Crosby, 
cashier. 

Below  are  the  names  of  all  who  have  been  officers  of  the  Rock 
County  bank  and  the  Rock  County  National  bank,  including  the 
present  officers : 

Presidents — Timothy  Jackman,  Shubael  W.  Smith,  B.  B.  El- 
dredge, C.  S.  Jackman. 

Vice-presidents — Andrew  Palmer,  J.  J.  R.  Pease,  S.  W.  Smith, 
A.  C.  Bates,  B.  B.  Eldredge,  John  Watson,  James  A.  Webb,  C.  S. 
Jackman,  C.  W.  Jackman,  A.  P.  Burnham. 

Cashiers — J.  B.  Crosby,  J.  L.  Kimball,  C.  S.  Crosby,  C.  S.  Jack- 
man,  Stanley  B.  Smith,  A.  P.  Burnham,  Frank  H.  Jackman. 

Assistant  cashiers — C.  S.  Crosby,  C.  S.  Jackman,  S.  B.  Smith, 
A.  P.  Burnham,  F.  H.  Jackman. 


BANKING  IN  JANESVILLE  485 

The  Wisconsin  Savings  Bank  began  business  about  June  1, 
1873,  in  Lippin's  block  on  East  Milwaukee  street.  This  was  a 
private  bank,  the  proprietors  being  Edward  McKey  and  F.  F. 
Stevens.  Mr.  McKey  was  president  and  Mr.  Stevens  cashier. 
They  did  not  solicit  any  commercial  business,  but  issued  savings 
bank  pass  books  of  the  usual  form,  with  rules  and  regulations 
printed  in  English,  German  and  Norwegian,  At  first  they  paid 
interest  at  from  five  to  six  per  cent  (according  to  the  amount  of 
the  deposit)  on  deposits  of  one  dollar  or  more  which  remained 
one  month  or  longer.  Later  the  rate  of  interest  was  reduced  to 
three  per  cent.  On  account  of  the  death  of  Edward  McKey,  the 
Wisconsin  Savings  bank  ceased  business  and  paid  off  its  deposits 
in  1875. 

The  Merchant's  &  Mechanic's  Savings  Bank  was  organized 
in  September,  1875,  with  an  authorized  capital  of  $100,000.  The 
incorporators  w^ere  H.  G.  Keichwald,  F.  S.  Lawrence,  L.  L.  Robin- 
son, Alex  Graham,  James  Sutherland,  N.  Smith,  A.  A.  Jackson, 
James  Hintliff,  Henry  Palmer,  Fenner  Kimball,  J.  A.  Dennistor, 
H.  S.  Hogoboom,  A.  H.  Sheldon,  Charles  Noyes,  William  H.  Tall- 
man,  Levi  B,  Carle,  William  MacLoon,  U.  Schutt,  David  Jeffris. 
The  first  directors  were  Levi  B.  Carle,  Seth  Fisher,  A.  A.  Jackson, 
David  Jeffris,  F.  S.  Lawrence,  Frank  Leland,  Henry  Palmer,  H. 
G.  Reichwald,  A.  H.  Sheldon.  David  Jeffris  was  president  and 
H,  G.  Reichwald  was  cashier. 

This  bank  opened  for  business  in  October,  1875,  in  Lappin's 
block,  in  the  office  formerly  occupied  by  the  Wisconsin  Savings 
bank.  Their  first  report  under  date  of  December  7,  1875,  shows 
capital  paid  in  $20,000;  deposits,  $47,000;  loans,  $37,000.  The 
"Merchant's  &  Mechanic's"  was  the  first  bank  in  Janesville  to 
attempt  a  combined  commercial  and  savings  bank  business.  In 
1881  this  bank  removed  to  the  building  which  it  still  occupies  at 
No.  10  West  Milwaukee  street,  at  the  west  end  of  the  bridge. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  all  those  who  have  been  officers 
of  the  Merchant's  &  Mechanic's  Savings  bank: 

Presidents — David  Jeffris,  Henry  Palmer,  W.  S.  Jeffris. 

Vice-presidents — A.  A.  Jackson,  John  McLay,  William  Mac- 
loon,  James  Menzies,  Fenner  Kimball,  A,  H.  Sheldon,  William 
Bladon, 

Cashiers— H.  G.  Reichwald,  J.  C.  Metcalf,  W.  S.  Jeffris,  Wil- 
liam Bladon,  S.  M.  Smith. 


486  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Assistant  cashiers — William  Bladon,  S.  M.  Smith. 

The  Bower  City  Bank  was  organized  January  19,  1895,  with 
an  authorized  capital  of  $50,000,  the  incorporators  being  Fenner 
Kimball,  James  Shearer,  J.  W.  Sale,  I.  C.  Brownell,  William 
Bladon.  The  first  directors  were  Fenner  Kimball,  James  Shearer, 
William  Bladon,  William  G.  Heller,  George  G.  Sutherland,  I.  C. 
Brownell,  J.  W.  Sale.  Fenner  Kimball  was  elected  president, 
James  Shearer,  vice-president;  William  Bladon,  cashier.  Before 
this  bank  opened  for  business,  William  Bladon  resigned  as 
cashier,  and  Albert  E.  Bingham  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

The  Bower  City  bank  opened  for  business  April  1,  1895,  in 
the  room  formerly  occupied  by  the  "Merchant's  &  Mechanic's" 
bank  in  Lappin's  block,  removing  thence  in  May,  1897,  into  the 
corner  store  of  the  same  block,  now  called  the  "Hayes  block," 
which  location  it  still  occupies. 

The  first  official  report  of  this  bank,  published  August  31, 
1895,  shows  capital  stock  paid  in,  $34,000 ;  deposits  $98,500 ;  loans, 
$70,500. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  all  persons  who  have  been 
officers  of  the  Bower  City  bank: 

Presidents — Fenner  Kimball,  James  Shearer,  George  G. 
Sutherland.  , 

Vice-presidents — James  Shearer,  J.  W.  Sale. 

Cashier — A.  E.  Bingham. 

Assistant  cashier — H.  D.  Murdock. 

The  growth  of  the  banking  business  in  Janesville  is  illustrated 
by  the  figures  given  below.  The  first  column  shows  the  combined 
capital,  surplus  and  net  undivided  profits;  the  second  column, 
the  combined  deposits  of  all  the  Janesville  banks  on  one  certain 
date  in  each  of  the  years  stated.  These  figures  are  taken  from 
the  first  published  reports  in  the  years  given : 

Capital,  Surplus  and  Profits.     Deposits. 

1860  $185,000  $    117,000 

1870  370,000  251,000 

1880  359,000  530,000 

1890  304,000  813,000 

1900  501,000  2,170,000 

1908  714,000  3,260,000 


^-       .        '  ■  ■■'..■■       '■:%  '*,         c'ifi.        ,1V  .i'i'.  ■-■■■■ 


XXIII. 
HISTORY  OF  BANKING  IN  BELOIT,  WIS. 

The  first  banking  business  in  this  place  was  connected  with 
Mr.  Alvin  B.  Carpenter,  who  came  to  Beloit  in  1845.  Soon  after 
that  date  he  began  loaning  money,  the  usual  rate  of  interest  then 
being  three  per  cent  a  month.  After  several  years'  absence  he 
again  conducted  a  banking  business  here  during  the  years  1854 
to  1857,  and  weathered  the  financial  storm  of  that  last  disastrous 
year,  but  then  went  into  voluntary  liquidation.  His  residence 
and  office  at  that  time  was  a  frame  building  south  of  Race  street 
on  the  west  side  of  South  State  street,  the  premises,  No.  144, 
now  occupied  by  the  Columbia  block. 

When  the  E.  D.  Murray  block  (S.  W.  corner  of  Turtle  and 
Race  streets)  burned  on  the  morning  of  April  6,  1854,  Mr.  Car- 
penter hastily  placed  his  money  and  valuable  papers  in  a  wooden 
box  and  hid  it  under  his  front  sidewalk.  Fortunately  the  wind, 
which  was  from  the  southwest,  drove  the  flames  and  sparks  away 
from  his  location  and  the  sidewalk,  with  its  deposit,  as  well  as 
his  home,  was  saved. 

The  first  regular  banking  institution  of  Beloit  was  the  Rock 
River  bank,  organized  by  capitalists  from  Pittsburg,  Pa.  They 
soon  disposed  of  their  interests,  which  came  into  the  possession 
of  William  C.  Ritchie,  William  M.  Newcomb  and  John  Doolittle, 
who  in  1858  started  the  Frontier  bank  under  the  firm  name  of 
Ritchie,  Newcomb  &  Co.  Later  William  C.  Ritchie  alone  con- 
tinued it  as  the  Rock  River  bank  and  was  its  president  until  that 
institution  failed  in  1859. 

Returning  from  California  in  the  fall  of  1855  (some  said  with 
$30,000  in  gold).  Dr.  E.  N.  Clark,  his  brother.  Dexter  Clark,  of 
Rockford  and  others,  with  E.  R.  Wadsworth,  organized  the  Wads- 
worth,  Clark  &  Co.  bank,  located  in  the  Bushnell  block  (later 
Goodwin  house),  at  what  is  now  403  East  Grand  avenue. 

The  hard  times  of  1857,  however,  caused  their  failure,  an  event 
in  which  the  editor's  father  may  be  said  to  have  had  a  hand  only 

487 


488  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

in  the  sense  of  having  one  taken  off.  At  that  time,  when  $100 
would  secure  eighty  acres  of  government  farm  land,  he  had 
loaned  one  of  the  incorporators  $2,000  on  an  unsecured  note  of 
hand,  and  in  the  published  list  of  liabilities  occurred  the  modest 
item,  "Benj.  Brown,  $2,000."  As  he  never  received  anything 
in  return,  that  fact  illustrates  some  of  the  trying  experiences  that 
even  our  capable  business  pioneers  passed  through.  Mr.  John 
Doolittle  (called  familiarly  Uncle  Jack  Doolittle)  also  lost  heavily 
then. 

In  1860  was  organized  in  Beloit  the  Southern  Bank  of  Wis- 
consin, which  lasted  but  for  a  short  time. 

In  the  year  1863,  H.  N.  Davis,  F.  K.  Davis  and  others,  from 
Kenosha,  Wis.,  organized  the  Beloit  National  bank,  with  a  capital 
of  $50,000.  This  continued  in  business  ten  years,  until  the  panic 
of  1873  closed  its  doors. 

Soon  after  that  date,  Messrs.  Crim  and  Starkweather  rented 
their  premises  and  opened  a  private  bank,  which  continued,  how- 
ever, only  about  two  years. 

In  January,  1879,  the  Citizens  National  bank  of  Beloit  was 
started  with  the  following  officers:  President,  H.  P.  Taylor; 
vice-president,  John  E.  Eeigart;  cashier,  W.  H.  Baumes.  The 
directors  were  S.  T.  Merrill,  A.  B.  Carpenter,  J.  E.  Eeigart,  H. 
P.  Taylor,  C.  B.  Salmon,  W.  H.  Baumes.  The  Manufacturer's 
bank,  started  in  1880  by  C.  B.  Salmon  &  Co.,  J.  H.  French,  cashier, 
was  in  1881  merged  into  the  Citizens  National  bank,  which  con- 
tinued until  1886  and  then  closed  up  its  business  by  going  into 
voluntary  liquidation. 

The  Second  National  Bank  was  organized  in  July,  1882,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  $50,000.  President,  Charles  H.  Parker;  vice- 
president,  Samuel  H.  Slaymaker;  cashier,  Frank  H.  Stark- 
weather; assistant  cashier,  L.  Holden  Parker.  In  December, 
1899,  William  B.  Strong  secured  a  controlling  interest  and  be- 
came its  president,  with  F.  M.  Strong,  vice-president,  and  B.  P. 
Eldred,  cashier.  The  present  officers  (1908)  are  F.  M.  Strong, 
president ;  E.  J.  Burge,  vice-president ;  B.  P.  Eldred,  cashier.  The 
present  capital  stock  is  $50,000,  and  the  surplus  and  undivided 
profits  are  about  $57,000. 

The  Beloit  State  Bank  was  established  in  Beloit,  Wis.,  in  the 
year  1892,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $75,000,  which  was  afterward 
reduced,  and  now  stands  at  $60,000.    The  original  incorporators 


BANKING  IN  BELOIT  489 

were  John  Paley,  of  Beloit,  Wis.,  formerly  of  Lanark,  Carroll 
county,  Illinois ;  0.  F.  McKenney,  G.  D.  Campbell,  R.  H.  Campbell 
and  J.  M.  Rinewalt,  of  Mt.  Carroll,  111.,  and  L.  M.  Bent,  of  Mor- 
rison, 111.  The  officers  were :  President,  John  Paley ;  vice-presi- 
dent, J.  M.  Rinewalt;  cashier,  G.  S.  Whitford.  The  board  of  di- 
rectors consisted  of  Mr.  Paley,  Mr.  McKenney,  Mr.  Rinewalt, 
Mr.  G.  D.  Campbell  and  Mr.  R.  H.  Campbell.  A  very  short  time 
afterward  Mr.  G.  D.  Campbell  became  cashier,  with  C.  H.  Paley 
as  assistant  cashier,  and  C.  H.  Paley  became  director  in  the  place 
of  J.  M.  Rinewalt.  These  directors  were  later  succeeded  by  John 
Paley,  C.  H.  Paley,  A.  L.  Paley,  G.  D.  Campbell  and  0.  F.  Mc- 
Kenney, with  John  Paley  acting  as  both  president  and  cashier. 

Owing  to  the  death,  in  1904,  of  Mr.  John  Paley,  Mr.  R.  E. 
Meech,  of  Beloit,  and  Mr.  H.  A.  von  Oven,  of  Iowa,  were  entered 
upon  the  books  as  stockholders,  and  the  board  of  directors  was 
as  follows :  Mrs.  John  Paley,  Miss  Paley,  Mr.  H.  A.  von  Oven, 
Mr.  G.  D.  Campbell  and  Mr.  0.  F.  McKenney.  The  officers  were 
chosen  as  follows :  President,  H.  A.  von  Oven ;  vice-president, 
G.  D.  Campbell;  cashier,  C.  H.  Paley;  assistant  cashier,  R.  E. 
Meech.  The  above  named  board  of  directors  and  officers  have 
served  since  the  election  of  1905,  and  have  been  reelected  at  each 
annual  meeting. 

Hyde  &  Brittan.  The  one  banking  institution  of  Beloit,  which, 
begun  in  an  early  day,  has  survived  all  the  changes  of  fifty-four 
years  and  still  enjoys  a  vigorous  existence,  is  connected  with  the 
names  of  Hyde  &  Brittan.  In  the  earlier  days  of  Beloit,  Mr. 
Louis  C.  Hyde  conducted  a  private  banking  business  in  a  little 
office  on  the  west  side  of  lower  State  street,  just  north  of  Race. 
(In  the  same  room  Lawyer  W.  C.  Spaulding  had  a  desk  and  pro- 
fessed to  loan  money,  but  had  no  connection  whatever  with  Mr. 
Hyde).  In  the  year  1854  Louis  C.  Hyde  and  George  B.  Sanderson 
organized  the  Bank  of  Beloit  with  a  capital  of  $60,000.  The  bank 
premises  were  on  the  east  side  of  State  street,  where  the  Brani- 
gan  hotel  block  now  stands,  No.  205.  The  officers  of  the  bank 
were  George  B.  Sanderson,  president;  J.  G.  Winslow,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  Louis  C.  Hyde,  cashier.  Shortly  after  this  organization  of 
the  Bank  of  Beloit,  Mr.  Hyde  withdrew  and  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street  (about  No.  202  State,  now  occupied  by  the  John 
Burger  market)  started  a  private  bank  in  his  own  name.  This 
bank  continued  in  his  name  up  to  the  year  1873,  when  he  took 


490  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY 

into  the  business  his  son-in-law,  Walter  M.  Brittan,  making  the 
firm  name  L.  C.  Hyde  &  Brittan. 

After  the  Beloit  National  bank  had  closed  its  doors  in  the  fall 
of  1873,  the  general  call  for  a  national  bank  in  our  city  was  re- 
sponded to  by  Hyde  &  Brittan,  who  in  the  year  1874  organized 
the  First  National  bank  of  Beloit,  succeeding  the  L.  C.  Hyde  & 
Brittan  bank.  Of  that  First  National  bank,  L.  C.  Hyde  was  presi- 
dent; Anson  P.  "Waterman,  vice-president,  and  Walter  M.  Brit- 
tan, cashier;  the  capital  was  $50,000.  That  bank  located  in  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  Goodwin  house  building  (northeast  cor- 
ner of  State  street  and  School,  now  East  Grand  avenue),  became, 
as  it  still  remains,  an  integral  part  of  the  regular  and  conserva- 
tive business  life  of  our  city.  After  ten  years  of  business,  this 
First  National  bank,  in  the  year  1884,  went  into  voluntary  liqui- 
dation and  was  succeeded  in  business  by  the  private  bank  of  L. 
C.  Hyde  &  Brittan.  After  the  death  of  Banker  Louis  C.  Hyde  in 
1899  this  bank,  reorganized  and  incorporated  under  the  state 
banking  laws  of  Wisconsin,  was  continued  as  the  L.  C.  Hyde  & 
Brittan  bank,  Walter  M.  Brittan,  president ;  E.  S.  Green,  cashier ; 
R.  K.  Rockwell,  assistant  cashier.  (Mr.  Ed  Green  says  that  he 
began  service  in  the  Beloit  National  bank  when  he  was  fifteen 
years  old,  but  does  not  say  whether  that  start  was  thirty-five  or 
was  forty  years  ago.  It  is  enough  that  he  has  kept  right  on  in 
that  connection  with  banking  ever  since  and  is  here  yet  to  serve 
you.)  In  1904  this  bank  purchased  the  Carpenter  block  at  the 
east  end  of  the  bridge  on  the  north  side  of  East  Grand  avenue, 
and  moved  to  that  locality,  which  it  still  occupies. 

The  Beloit  Savings  Bank.  The  establishment  of  this  bank 
was  largely  due  to  the  influence  and  efforts  of  Hon.  Sereno  T. 
Merrill,  who  was  well  seconded  by  John  A.  Holmes. 

March  21,  1881,  at  a  meeting  of  twenty-six  citizens,  held  in 
the  city  council  room,  Hon.  J.  H.  Reigart,  chairman,  and  Booth 
M.  Malone,  Esq.,  secretary;  Hon.  S.  T.  Merrill,  the  prime  mover, 
stated  the  object  of  the  meeting  and,  articles  of  incorporation 
having  been  previously  prepared  and  signed,  the  Beloit  Savings 
bank  was  duly  organized  according  to  the  Wisconsin  statutes  of 
1876.  The  first  president  was  Sereno  T.  Merrill;  secretary  and 
treasurer.  Elder  John  A.  Holmes.  The  office  of  the  bank,  located 
at  first  on  the  second  floor  of  the  block  of  D.  S.  Foster  (357  East 


BANKING  IN  BELOIT  491 

Grand  avenue),  who  donated  that  first  year's  rent,  was  moved  in 
1886  to  a  rear  room  in  the  Citizens  bank  (Salmon's  Postoflfice 
block),  in  1887  to  a  second  story  rear  room  in  the  same  block  and 
in  1888  to  a  front  ofiSce  of  that  block.  In  1890  the  bank  moved 
to  A.  P.  Waterman's  office  in  the  Goodwin  block  on  School  street 
(now  East  Grand  avenue).  Then  in  1891  it  was  removed  to  the 
Ritcher  block,  355  East  Grand  avenue,  where  it  remained  until 
the  present  location.  No.  348  East  Grand  avenue,  having  been 
purchased,  was  entered  upon,  January  1,  1900. 

This  bank  has  paid  semi-annual  dividends  at  the  rate  of  three 
and  one-half  per  cent  per  annum.  Its  first  published  report,  that 
for  July  1,  1881,  showed  that  there  were  forty-one  accounts 
opened  and  that  the  deposits  received  amounted  then  to  $1,983.02, 
Ten  years  later,  January  1,  1891,  there  were  1,285  open  accounts 
and  the  amount  due  depositors  was  $72,616.84.  According  to  the 
report  for  January,  1908,  there  are  now  some  6,000  deposit  ac- 
counts and  the  amount  due  depositors  December  31,  1907,  was 
$1,179,565,  an  increase  during  the  previous  year,  notwithstanding 
the  panic,  of  about  $53,000  over  the  deposits  for  1906.  The  total 
amount  paid  in  dividends  to  depositors  up  to  January,  1908,  in- 
elusive,  is  $284,173.84. 

The  present  officers  (May,  1908)  are :  President,  David  H. 
Pollock ;  vice  presidents,  A.  N.  Bort,  J.  T.  Johnson ;  secretary  and 
treasurer,  Edward  F.  Hanson. 

The  present  record  of  the  four  banks  of  the  city  of  Beloit, 
February,  1908,  is :  Amount  of  capital  and  undivided  profits,  in- 
cluding the  guarantee  fund  of  the  savings  bank,  $337,860.  The 
amount  of  deposits  is  $2,895,280. 

EDGERTON  BANKS. 

The  First  National  Bank,  of  Edgerton,  Wis.,  was  organized  in 
the  year  1903  by  George  W,  Doty,  W.  McChesney,  John  Mawhin- 
ney,  Theodore  A.  Clarke,  E.  G.  Bussey,  Samuel  Hall  and  U.  G. 
Miller. 

It  began  business  with  a  paid  up  capital  of  $25,000.  For  four 
months  it  was  managed  by  V.  S.  Kidd,  cashier,  who  was  then 
succeeded  by  Wirt  Wright,  elected  cashier  and  coming  to  Edger- 
ton from  a  Chicago  bank. 


492  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

April  1,  1907,  Roy  F.  Wright  was  elected  cashier,  succeeding 
Wirt  Wright. 

The  capital  continues  to  be  $25,000,  and  this  bank  enjoys  the 
confidence  of  the  community. 

The  Tobacco  Exchange  Bank  handles  large  sums  connected 
with  the  tobacco  trade  of  Edgerton,  mentioned  elsewhere. 


XXIV. 

HISTORY  OF   THE  JANESVILLE  PRESS. 

By 
A.  0.  Wilson. 

Whoever  undertakes  to  write  a  history  of  the  Janesville  press 
will  soon  discover  that  the  task  is  both  great  and  discouraging. 

The  absence  by  death  or  removal  of  witnesses  to  interview, 
the  general  chaos  of  records,  and  the  conflict  of  authorities  upon 
points  where  agreement  might  reasonably  be  expected,  are  some 
of  the  difficulties  to  be  met  with.  When  names  and  dates  are 
wanted  I  find  the  oldest  inhabitant  very  accommodating  and 
sympathetic,  but  his  memory  is  woefully  defective.  I  have  en- 
deavored to  make  this  research  complete,  but  cannot  vouch  for 
its  absolute  correctness.  But  why  should  certainty  of  detail  be 
expected  concerning  a  paper  the  very  name  of  which  is  lost  be- 
yond recovery? 

Janesville  has  had  several  of  this  class,  and  four-fifths  of 
the  newspapers  that  once  existed  here  have  disappeared,  to- 
gether with  the  men  who  published  them,  without  leaving  a  ves- 
tige of  their  history.  Some  of  these  papers  were  doubtless  bril- 
liant, and  the  oldest  inhabitant  is  fond  of  quoting  them  as  models 
for  coming  generations  to  imitate,  but  no  one  seems  to  have  pre- 
served the  files  of  his  favorite  organ. 

I  have  probably  interviewed  personally  or  by  letter  a  hun- 
dred persons,  and  the  files  of  existing  papers  have  been  freely 
placed  at  my  disposal;  yet  with  all  this  willing  assistance  secur- 
ing the  necessary  facts  has  been  extremely  difficult.  I  am  never- 
theless under  great  obligations  to  all  who  have  assisted  in  any 
way,  and  especially  to  Hon.  B.  B.  Eldredge,  for  the  use  of  his 
collection  of  early  records.  I  have  listed  fifty-six  publications, 
whereas  the  annotated  catalogue  of  the  State  Historical  Society 
credits  Janesville  with  only  about  twenty,  since  1845. 

493 


494  HISTOKY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

THE  PRESS. 

I  herewith  submit  a  list  of  Janesville  publications,  with  date 
of  first  issue,  etc.,  also  purposes  of  publication,  politics,  etc., 
where  known: 

1845.  "Janesville  Gazette,"  weekly,  Whig,  now  Republican. 
1854.     "Janesville  Gazette,"  daily.  Republican. 

1865.     "Janesville   Gazette,"  semi-weekly.  Republican. 

1846.  "Rock  County  Democrat,"  weekly,  Democrat.     Suspend- 

ed in  1848. 
1849.     "Rock  County  Badger,"  weekly,  Democrat,  changed  to 
1851.     "Badger  State,"  weekly.  Democrat,  consolidated  with 
1851.     "The  Democratic  Standard,"  weekly.  Democrat,  suspend- 
ed in  1858. 
1856.     "The  Daily  Standard,"  Democrat,  weekly,  suspended  in 

1858. 
1859.     "Janesville  Weekly  Times,"  Democrat,  1859-60. 

1859.  "Janesville  Daily  Times,"  Democrat,  1859-60. 

1854.  "The  Battering  Ram,"  Free  Soil.    Date  supplied. 

1853.  "The  Free  Press,"  Free  Soil,  weekly.  Absorbed  by  "Ga- 
zette" 1856. 

1860.  "Janesville    Democrat,"   weekly.    Democrat,    September, 

1860,  to  December,  1860,  changed  to  "Rock  County  Re- 
publican." 

1860.  "Rock  County  Republican,"  weekly,  December,  1860,  to 
June,  1861. 

1860.     "The  Monitor,"  weekly.  Democrat,  1860-63. 

1870.     "The  Picayune,"  monthly,  drug  business,  1870-73. 

1855.  "Wisconsin  Journal   of   Education,"  monthly,   January, 

1855,  still  published. 

1851.  "Demokraten,"  Norwegian,  Democrat,  June  to  October, 
1851. 

1849.  "Wisconsin  and  Iowa  Farmer  and  Northwest  Cultivator," 
weekly,  August,  1849,  to  1855. 

1869.     "The  Northern  Farmer,"  weekly,  agricultural,  1869-70. 

1869.  "Rock  County  Recorder,"  weekly,  Independent  Repub- 
lican, still  published,  changed  to  Democrat  in  1885. 

1878.  "The  Daily  Recorder,"  Independent  Republican,  still  pub- 
lished, changed  to  Democrat  in  1885. 


THE  JANESVILLE  PRESS 


495 


1869.  "The  Janesville  City  Times,"  weekly,  Democrat,  consoli- 

dated with  "The  Recorder"  in  1886. 

1878.  "The  Janesville  Daily  Times,"  Democrat,  suspended  in 
1881. 

1870.  "The  Workingman's  Friend,"  weekly,  political  reform, 

discontinued  same  year. 

1869.  "Spirit  of  the  Turf,"  semi-monthly,  horse  industry,  sus- 

pended 1870,  removed  to  Chicago. 

1870.  "Our    Folks    at    Home,"    monthly,    literary,    suspended 

shortly. 
1889.     "The  Janesville  Journal,"  weekly,  German  industry,  still 

issued. 
1891.     "The  Family  Friend,"  monthly,  business  promoter,  soon 

suspended. 

1891.  "Janesville  Republican,"  weekly,  Republican,  September, 

1891,  to  April,  1899. 

1892.  "Janesville  Daily  Republican,"  discontinued  in  1899. 
1894.     "The   Sunday  Mirror,"  weekly,  literary  society   gossip, 

consolidated  with  "Republican"  February,  1895. 
1884.     "The  Commercial  Union,"  weekly,  business  quotations, 
still  published  in  Chicago. 

1886.  "The  Janesville  Signal,"  weekly,  literary  and  news,  ab- 

sorbed by  Family  Friend  Publishing  Company,  1892. 
1878.     "The  Penny  Post,"  daily,  Independent  Republican,  sus- 
pended about  1879  or  1880. 

1866.  "The  Janesville  Democrat,"  weekly,  Democrat,  removed 

to  Juneau,  "Wis. 

1867.  "North-Western  Advance,"   weekly,   temperance,   trans- 

ferred to  Milwaukee,  1870, 
1874.     "The   Bulletin   of  Progress,"  monthly,  telegraphy,   still 
issued. 

1887.  "The  Janesville   Sun,"  weekly,  bus.  and  news,   consoli- 

dated with  "Signal,"  1889. 

1889.  "Wisconsin  Tobacco  Leaf,"  weekly,  tobacco  trade,  dis- 
continued June  29,  1899. 

1898.  "Farm  and  Home,"  weekly,  farm  interests,  still  pub- 
lished. 

1892.  "Wisconsin  Druggist's  Exchange,"  monthly,  pharmacy, 
still  published. 


496  HISTOKY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

1898.  ''Wisconsin  Medical  Recorder,"  monthly,  medicine  and 
surgery,  still  issued. 

1895.  "The  Vedette,"  monthly,  high  school  interests,  suspend- 
ed 1897. 

1898.  "The  Phoenix,"  monthly,  high  school  interests,  discon- 
tined  1899. 

1886.  "Our  Own,"  monthly,  high  school  interests,  discontinued 
1886. 

1895.  "Pebbles,"  weekly,  political  reform,   discontinued  1896. 
1894,     "The  Sentinel,"  quarterly,  Trinity  Episcopal  church,  dis- 
continued 1897. 

1889.     "Our  Church  Home,"  monthly.   Congregational  church, 

discontinued  1892. 
1894.     "The  Angelus,"  monthly,  Christ  Episcopal  church,  still 

published. 

1896.  "Free  Religious  Leaflet,"  monthly,  Unitarian,  discontin- 

ued 1897. 
1898.     "Church   Echoes,"  monthly,   First  Baptist   church,   still 

issued. 
1888.     "The     Lamp-Lighter,"     monthly,     Methodist     Episcopal 

church,  removed  to  Milwaukee  in  1896. 
1868.     "The  Spiritualist,"  weekly,  discontinued  1869. 
1880.     "The  Chronicle,"  daily.  Republican. 
1900.     "Irish-American  Star,"  weekly,  now  "Catholic  Star." 

"The  Janesville  Gazette,"  weekly,  was  the  first  newspaper 
published  in  Janesville,  and  made  its  initial  appearance  August 
14,  1845,  while  AYisconsin  was  still  a  territory  and  Janesville  but 
a  country  village. 

Levi  Alden  and  a  partner  named  Stoddard  were  the  pub- 
lishers, and  as  this  event  antedated  the  Republican  party,  the 
"Gazette"  became  the  exponent  of  Whig  doctrines. 

In  December  of  1845  W.  F.  Tompkins  succeeded  Stoddard  in 
the  business,  and  he  sold  to  Mr.  Alden.  The  firm  of  Alden  & 
Grattan  then  appeared  as  publishers,  Grattan  having  a  nominal 
interest  until  September,  1848,  when  he  withdrew. 

In  December,  1848,  Charles  Holt  bought  a  half  interest  and 
became  joint  editor,  an  arrangement  which  was  continued  with 
Blight  interruption  until  August,  1859,  when  Hiram  Bowen  and 
Daniel  Wilcox  came  in,  the  new  firm  doing  business  under  the 
title  of  Holt,  Bowen  &  Wilcox,    It  may  be  of  interest  to  many 


THE  JANESVILLE  PEESS  497 

of  the  older  residents  to  know  that  the  senior  member,  Mr.  Holt, 
is  still  living  at  Kankakee,  111.  In  reply  to  a  letter  asking  for 
personal  recollections  Mr.  Holt  says  (letter  of  June  21,  1899) : 

"I  might  beat  you  in  personal  recollections  when  the  'Gazette' 
combatted  General  Crabb,  Andrew  Palmer,  Alexander  T.  Gray, 
James  Armstrong,  Dan  Brown,  G.  H.  Bishop  and  others  as  Dem- 
ocratic opponents  and  newspaper  competitors,  but  who  can  com- 
bine the  present  with  the  past  much  better  than  I  can." 

It  is  self-evident,  judging  from  the  familiarity  with  which  he 
quotes  these  names  of  Janesville  citizens  long  since  dead,  that 
Mr.  Holt's  mind  is  still  vigorous  and  in  good  working  order. 

July  4,  1854,  a  six-column  daily  was  issued,  but  at  the  end  of 
three  months  was  suspended.  In  March,  1857,  Mr.  Holt  bought 
the  "Janesville  Free  Press,"  consolidating  it  with  the  "Gazette," 
and  began  the  publication  of  a  morning  daily  of  seven  columns, 
and  for  some  time  subsequently  the  weekly  issue  was  called  the 
"Gazette  and  Free  Press." 

(Statement  of  fact  from  the  City  Directory  of  1859  by  Alasco 
D.  Brigham.) 

Holt  &  Bowen  composed  the  firm  of  the  "Morning  Gazette" 
publishers,  and  it  would  seem  that  there  were  some  changes  of 
proprietorship  previous  to  this  not  mentioned  in  the  records. 

It  appears,  however,  that  the  name  "Free  Press"  was  dropped 
from  the  weekly  about  1864,  when  the  new  firm,  consisting  of  A. 
M.  Thompson,  W.  G.  Roberts  and  Daniel  Wilcox,  took  charge 
and  started  the  "Semi-weekly  Gazette."  In  December,  1863, 
Holt  and  Bowen  retired,  and  the  business  was  apportioned  as 
follows :  Mr.  Thompson  as  managing  editor,  Mr.  Roberts  city 
editor  and  Mr,  Wilcox  business  manager.  The  daily  was  changed 
from  a  morning  issue  to  an  evening  paper  on  March  19,  1860, 
and  this  arrangement  continued  till  1870.  July  1,  1870,  the  "Ga- 
zette" outfit  was  purchased  by  General  James  Bintliff  and  R.  L. 
and  A.  W.  Colvin,  forming  the  new  Gazette  Printing  Company. 
General  Bintliff  became  chief  editor,  W.  S,  Bowen  local  editor, 
A.  M.  Colvin  secretary  and  R.  L.  Colvin  treasurer  and  business 
manager.  The  prosperity  of  the  "Gazette"  was  now  widely  rec- 
ognized throughout  the  state,  its  previous  able  management  be- 
ing fully  sustained  by  the  new  company  in  all  respects.  General 
Bintliff  may  not  have  been  Mr.  Thompson's  equal  as  a  far- 
sighted  political  editor,  but  the  general  was  a  man  of  refined 


498  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

tastes,  a  patient  scholar,  and  always  a  welcome  ^est  at  local 
entertainments,  of  which  there  were  many  in  his  time,  both  mu- 
sical and  literary.  It  is  with  much  regret  that  I  learn  that  he  is 
nearly  blind  and  past  work  at  his  home  in  Chicago.     (1900.) 

From  July,  1870,  to  March,  1874,  Wheeler  S.  Bowen,  a  son 
of  Hiram  Bowen,  held  the  position  of  local  editor. 

And  about  this  time  there  appeared  upon  the  scene  a  finely 
educated  Englishman  by  the  name  of  Charles  E.  Jones,  who  for 
a  brief  season  earned  his  daily  bread  by  doing  local  work  on  the 
"Gazette."  Mr.  Jones  was  a  ripe  scholar  and  a  gentleman  of 
distinguished  abilities  as  a  writer  and  lecturer,  but  he  was  not 
created  for  local  editor  on  a  city  newspaper,  and  soon  drifted 
away  to  Australia,  where  he  became  a  member  of  parliament. 

For  some  time  after  Mr.  Bowen  retired  to  take  charge  of  a 
paper  at  Yankton,  Dak.,  there  was  no  regularly  installed  city 
editor  on  the  "Gazette"  force,  but  the  work  was  done  by  John 
C.  Spencer,  foreman  of  the  news  room,  C.  E.  Jones  and  Alex- 
ander Pierce. 

In  September,  1874,  Nicholas  Smith  became  the  regular  local 
editor,  and  when  General  Bintliff  retired  in  1878  Mr.  Smith  be- 
came chief  editor.  In  1878  a  new  company  was  formed,  officered 
as  follows:  Isaac  Farnsworth,  president;  Frank  Barnett,  secre- 
tary, and  E.  B.  Farnsworth,  treasurer.  Howard  W.  Tilton  be- 
came city  editor,  but  in  the  following  March  Messrs.  Barnett  and 
E.  B.  Farnsworth  were  succeeded  by  A.  M.  and  R.  L.  Colvin  as 
secretary  and  treasurer  respectively. 

Of  the  parties  here  named  it  may  be  mentioned  that  Mr. 
Tilton  finally  retired  to  accept  a  position  on  the  Omaha  "Bee," 
which,  I  believe,  he  still  holds.  Mr.  Bowen  has  acquired  a  repu- 
tation in  South  Dakota.  Mr.  Colvin  has  long  been  engaged  in 
other  business.  Colonel  Smith,  now  of  Milwaukee,  "Wis.,  has 
ceased  work  as  a  newspaper  writer,  but  has  prepared  and  pub- 
lished an  interesting  history  of  hymns  and  their  authors.  In 
reply  to  a  letter  asking  for  personal  recollections  in  connection 
with  the  "Gazette"  he  informed  me  in  June  last  that  he  was 
compelled  to  quit  work  and  seek  rest  and  treatment.  He  refers 
to  certain  acts  with  evident  pride,  among  them  being  that  the 
"Gazette"  under  his  management  was  foremost  in  championing 
biennial  sessions  of  the  legislature  and  in  turning  public  senti- 


THE  JANESVILLE  PRESS  499 

ment  in  favor  of  John  C.  Spooner  for  United  States  senator  in 
the  contest  of  1885. 

Mr.  Smith  retired  from  the  "Gazette"  in  July,  1890. 

(Facts  from  Colonel  Smith's  Letter.) 

In  1883  H.  F.  Bliss  purchased  the  "Gazette"  and  assumed 
its  management  in  April  of  that  year,  and  the  local  editors  were 
John  C.  Spencer  and  B.  F.  Nowlan.  The  record  shows  that  the 
company  still  existed,  with  the  following  titles :  Nicholas  Smith, 
president  and  managing  editor;  H.  F.  Bliss,  treasurer  and  man- 
ager; William  Bladon,  secretary;  John  C.  Spencer,  city  editor. 
Mr.  Nowlan  came  in  October,  1889.  From  July,  1890,  to  1898  J. 
C.  Wilmarth  was  managing  editor,  with  J.  C.  Spencer  local  editor 
and  B.  F.  Nowlan  assistant.  In  1895  Spencer  retired  and  Now- 
lan became  city  editor,  with  W.  W.  Watt  reporter.  In  1898  Mr. 
Nowlan  became  chief  editor  and  J.  C.  Wilmarth  business  man- 
ager. At  this  writing  the  "Gazette"  staff  consists  of  B.  F. 
Nowlan,  chief  editor;  Fred  Puhler,  city  editor,  and  W.  W.  Watt, 
reporter.  W.  C.  Wilmarth  was  quite  recently  compelled  to  retire 
from  active  work  on  account  of  ill  health.     (1900.) 

(Facts,  names,  dates,  etc.,  obtained  from  personal  interviews, 
letters,  local  histories  and  "Gazette"  files.) 

A  portion  of  the  "Gazette"  files  were  somewhat  damaged  by 
fire  not  long  since,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  they  are  not 
kept  in  a  fireproof  vault,  as  they  constitute  the  most  conserva- 
tive history  of  Janesville  in  existence  from  1845  to  the  present 
time. 

"The  Free  Press"  weekly  was  established  June  6,  1853,  by  a 
group  of  men  calling  themselves  Free  Democrats.  They  consist- 
ed of  James  W.  Burgess,  Joseph  Baker,  R.  B.  Treat,  Orrin  Guern- 
sey, E.  A.  Howland  and  others,  Mr.  Baker  acting  as  editor.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  the  "Free  Press"  was  a  sort  of  advance  courier 
of  those  political  doctrines  which  a  little  later  culminated  in  the 
formation  of  the  present  Republican  party  of  the  nation.  In 
October,  1853,  William  M.  Doty  bought  a  half  interest  and  Baker 
&  Doty  appeared  as  the  publishers  until  June  7,  1855,  when 
Baker  became  sole  proprietor.  In  October  G.  B.  Burnett  and  A. 
J.  Hall  took  a  half  interest  and  issued  a  daily  and  weekly.  Baker 
sold  to  Burnett  and  Hall,  and  E.  C.  Sackett  bought  the  entire 
plant,  employing  E.  F.  Winthrow  as  editor.     Soon  after  Fre- 


500  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

mont's  defeat  for  the  presidency  in  1856  the  "Free  Press"  was 
absorbed  by  the  "Gazette." 

(Facts  from  the  Directory  of  1859  and  History  of  Rock  County.) 

"The  Battering  Ram"  was  a  Free  Soil  paper.  Date  of  issue 
and  name  of  publisher  not  known ;  probably  about  1854  or  1856. 

"The  Rock  County  Democrat,"  weekly.  In  August,  1846, 
George  W.  Crabb  issued  the  "Rock  County  Democrat,"  which 
was  suspended  following  the  presidential  election  of  1848. 

(Brigham's  Directory  of  1859.) 

"The  Rock  County  Badger,"  weekly,  was  started  in  1849  by 
John  A.  Brown  as  a  Democratic  paper  to  take  the  place  of  the 
"Rock  County  Democrat."  Alex  T.  Gray  was  coeditor  until 
October,  1850,  when  Messrs.  George  W.  Crabb  and  John  A. 
Brown  formed  a  partnership,  changing  the  name  of  the  paper 
to  that  of 

"Badger  State,"  weekly.  In  1851  George  W.  Crabb  was  suc- 
ceeded by  D.  C.  Brown,  a  brother  of  John  A.  Brown,  as  publisher, 
who  conducted  this  paper  but  a  short  time,  when  it  was  consoli- 
dated with  the  "Democratic  Standard." 

(Brigham's  Directory  of  1859.) 

"The  Democratic  Standard,"  weekly,  was  started  by  Dr.  John 
Mitchell  October  11,  1851,  with  George  W.  Crabb  editor.  After 
absorbing  the  "Badger  State"  the  new  firm  continued  until 
April,  1852,  when  Dr.  Mitchell  became  editor  until  he  sold  the 
paper  to  D.  C.  Brown  June  1,  1853. 

(Statement  of  Marion  Juliett,  Daughter  of  Dr.  John  Mitchell.) 

Alex  T.  Gray  filled  the  editorial  chair  until  he  was  elected 
secretary  of  state,  and  J.  C.  Bunner  assumed  the  position  until 
February,  1855.  In  October,  1855,  James  Armstrong  became  a 
partner  and  soon  afterwards  the  firm  issued  a  daily  edition, 
which  they  maintained  until  February,  1858,  when  G.  H.  Bishop 
assumed  control,  with  C.  E.  "Wright  editor.  In  October,  1858,  it 
gave  way  to  the 

Janesville  Daily  and  Weekly  Times,  by  G.  H.  Bishop  and  C. 
E.  and  C.  H.  Wright,  October,  1858,  to  July,  1859.     As  to  the 


THE  JANESVILLE  PRESS  501 

correctness  of  dates  and  titles  of  these  publications  there  is  some 
conflict  of  authority.  For  instance,  in  addition  to  facts  here 
stated  it  appears  that  General  Crabb  changed  the  name  of  the 
"Rock  County  Democrat"  to  "Free  Soil  Democrat,"  also  that 
after  a  few  weeks  the  last-named  sheet  went  into  the  hands  of 
Charles  S.  Jordon,  a  well-known  attorney,  who  issued  only  two 
or  three  numbers  previous  to  changing  the  name  to  ''Badger 
State."  These  matters  are  of  no  great  consequence  except  that 
they  convey  some  idea  of  the  confusion  of  political  parties  at 
that  time  and  the  evident  difficulty  in  getting  men  to  fit  the  pa- 
pers and  papers  to  fit  the  daily  changes  that  were  taking  place 
in  the  political  ranks.  It  will  be  readily  noticed  that  these  were 
all  so-called  Democratic  papers,  published  at  a  period  when  men 
were  lining  up,  so  to  speak,  in  anticipation  of  the  great  political 
revolution  of  1860.     [A.  O.  W.] 

It  is  also  proper  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  "Janes- 
ville  Times"  here  referred  to  should  not  be  confounded  with  the 
"'Janesville  City  Times,"  started  by  myself  in  1869.  Coming 
here  a  total  stranger  in  1867,  my  attention  had  not  been  directed 
to  the  fact  that  a  paper  of  similar  name  had  previously  been 
published. 

Although  Bishop  and  the  Wright  brothers  seem  to  have  pub- 
lished the  "Times"  until  January  26,  1859,  when  J.  F.  Erving 
bought  an  interest,  I  am  unable  to  give  the  date  when  the  paper 
w^as  finally  discontinued,  but  probably  about  1859  or  1860, 

"The  Picayune,"  monthly,  published  by  George  R.  Curtiss  in 
the  early  70s  and  devoted  to  the  drug  business  and  current 
politics.  Supported  O'Connor  in  the  Grant-Greeley  campaign  of 
1872.     Discontinued  about  1873. 

(Personal  Recollections.) 

"The  Demokraten, "  weekly,  a  Norwegian  paper,  was  brought 
to  Janesville  from  Racine  and  issued  here  from  June  18  to  Octo- 
ber 3, 1851,  by  Knud  Langland.  It  will  doubtless  be  an  interesting 
news  item  to  even  the  older  inhabitants  to  learn  that  a  paper  in 
the  Norse  language  was  ever  printed  here,  yet  such  is  the  fact, 
and  for  even  this  brief  bit  of  information  I  am  indebted  to  Pro- 
fessor Rasmus  B.  Anderson,  the  well-known  master  of  languages 
of  Madison,  Wis. 


502  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

(His  Letter  of  August  15,  1899.) 

"Whether  or  not  this  paper  is  to  be  confounded  with  another 
Norwegian  publication  referred  to  in  some  of  the  Rock  county 
histories  as  the  "Emigranten,"  I  am  unable  to  say.  Professor 
Anderson  is  supposed  to  be  unquestioned  authority  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Norse  literature  in  Wisconsin,  but  in  reply  to  my  ques- 
tion he  mentions  only  one  paper,  the  "Demokraten." 

"Janesville  Democrat,"  weekly,  founded  by  W,  H.  Bristol 
and  J.  C.  Mann,  September,  1860.  Mann  bought  out  Bristol  and 
started  the 

"Rock  County  Republican,"  weekly,  in  December,  1860,  with 
Horace  R.  Hobart  assistant  editor.  In  June,  1861,  Joseph  Baker 
entered  the  firm,  and  the  paper  was  suspended  a  few  months 
subsequently. 

(Facts  from  State  Librarian.    No  Local  Records  Obtainable.) 

"The  Monitor,"  weekly.  Published  during  the  Civil  War, 
in  the  early  '60s,  by  A.  and  G.  D.  Palmer,  with  Andrew  Palmer 
editor.  The  "Monitor"  appears  to  have  been  a  paper  of  con- 
siderable prominence,  and  very  ably  edited,  but  unfortunately  no 
record  of  it  was  obtainable.  Probably  discontinued  soon  after 
the  war. 

A  letter  from  Mrs.  Mary  Schalernnitezauer,  a  daughter  of  A. 
Palmer  (Honorable),  dated  Milstadt,  111.,  July  20,  1899,  says: 
"I  am  sorry  I  cannot  give  you  the  exact  dates  of  starting  and 
discontinuance  of  the  'Monitor,'  which  my  father  and  his  brother 
Garret  published  in  Janesville  during  a  period  of  two  or  three 
years.  Am  sorry  I  cannot  give  you  a  bound  volume  to  refer  to. 
The  paper  was  published,  I  think,  early  in  the  '60s,  during  the 
Civil  War." 

"The  Wisconsin  and  Iowa  Farmer  and  North-Western  Culti- 
vator" was  founded  in  May,  1849,  by  Mark  Miller,  at  Racine, 
Wis.  Removed  to  Janesville  and  published  here  by  Mark  Miller 
and  S.  P.  Lathrop  until  the  latter 's  death,  which  took  place  in 
January,  1855.     Subsequently  removed  to  Madison,  Wis. 

"The  Northern  Fanner,"  a  weekly  paper,  was  brought  to 
Janesville  from  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.,  in  the  summer  of  1869  and 
published  by  Messrs.  0.  F.  Stafford  and  F.  D.  Carson  for  a  short 
time,  when  the  latter  withdrew  and  Mr.  Stafford  became  both 


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THE  JANESVILLE  PRESS  503 

editor  and  proprietor.  The  office  was  equipped  in  expensive 
style  and  became  too  burdensome  for  its  owners,  who  permitted 
foreclosure  proceedings  on  most  of  the  material  in  the  fall  of 
1870,  when  the  paper  was  suspended. 

(Statement  of  fact  from  personal  recollections.  No  files  avail- 
able.—A.  0.  W.) 

"The  Wisconsin  Journal  of  Education,"  a  monthly  publica- 
tion, was  established  in  January  of  1855  by  G.  S.  Dodge  and  Hon. 
James  Sutherland,  with  Julia  A.  Viers  assistant  editor.  From 
the  records  it  appears  that  after  a  year's  growth  the  paper  was 
transferred  by  Mr.  Sutherland  to  the  State  Teachers'  Associa- 
tion, who  continued  the  same  at  Racine,  Wis.,  with  a  board  of 
editors  to  conduct  it.  It  was  again  removed  to  Madison,  Wis. 
(State  records  public  library.)  Note:  Same  paper  still  pub- 
lished. 

It  is  probable  that  the  educational  field  has  from  time  to  time 
produced  numerous  other  journals  which  have  completely 
dropped  out  of  sight  and  recollection.  Janesville  has  supported 
several  institutions  of  an  educational  character,  which  very  likely 
were  represented  in  their  day  by  weekly  or  monthly  papers.  But 
as  no  one  has  ever  taken  interest  enough  to  preserve  their  files 
it  is  simply  impossible  for  the  historian  of  our  own  time  to  ob- 
tain a  trace  of  them.  I  am  of  the  opinion  also  that  the  same  can 
be  said  of  our  churches,  and  of  the  medical  profession  in  par- 
ticular. 

"The  Commercial  Union,"  a  weekly  publication  devoted  to 
business  quotations,  was  started  by  W.  B.  Cushman  in  March, 
1884.  Sold  to  P.  J.  Mouat  in  the  following  July,  and  after  a  few 
months  was  again  sold  to  T.  J.  Cairns,  who  disposed  of  it  to  a 
stock  company.  The  "Journal"  was  finally  moved  to  Chicago, 
where  it  is  still  published. 

(Statement  by  P.  J.  Mouat.) 

"The  Signal,"  weekly,  was  issued  September  5,  1886,  by  the 
late  Garret  Veeder,  and  was  edited  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Veeder.  The 
"Signal"  was  strictly  a  family  paper,  and  sparkled  with  literary 
taste,  Mrs.  Veeder  having  special  qualifications  for  this  depart- 
ment of  the  work.  In  May,  1892,  the  paper  was  sold  to  L.  0. 
Smith,  of  Ohio,  who  acted  as  editor  until  October,  1892,  when 


504  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

the  entire  concern  was  bought  by  the  Family  Friend  Publishing 
Company. 

(Statement  by  Mrs.  Emma  P.  Veeder.) 

"The  Penny  Post"  was  a  small  daily  issued  about  the  year 
1878  by  Clarence  Baker,  who  later  removed  to  Chattanooga, 
Tenn.  Letter  of  inquiry  sent  to  Mr.  Baker  not  returned  to  writer 
and  not  answered. 

"The  Janesville  Democrat,"  by  E.  B.  Bolens,  was  established 
about  the  year  1866  (files  not  accessible)  and  continued  by  him 
as  a  weekly  until  the  summer  of  1869,  when  he  removed  the 
plant  to  Juneau,  Dodge  county,  "Wis.,  where  its  publication  was 
resumed  by  him.  The  paper  was  of  decided  Democratic  procliv- 
ities, and  Mr,  Bolens  filled  the  dual  position  of  editor  and  pub- 
lisher. This  paper  also  has  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  the 
last  in  Janesville  to  be  printed  upon  a  hand  press.  (Facts  from 
personal  recollections.) 

It  is  related  of  Editor  Bolens  that  once  upon  a  time  he  enter- 
tained a  visiting  scientist,  with  whom  he  walked  about  town  try- 
ing to  discover  where  drive  wells  could  be  sunk  with  the  best 
prospects  of  obtaining  fresh  water.  It  so  happened  that  a  female 
temperance  convention  was  in  session,  and  as  the  water  pros- 
pector passed  the  hall  where  the  ladies  were  congregated  his 
witch-hazel  pointed  unerringly  in  their  direction,  and  the  pro- 
fessor shouted,  "Cold  water  here  in  abundance." 

"The  North-Western  Advance,"  weekly,  was  founded  in  June, 
1867,  by  an  association  of  Good  Templars,  and  edited  by  J.  M. 
May  until  December,  1869,  he  being  assisted  by  H,  N.  Comstock, 
J.  S.  Bliss,  John  Hicks  and  C,  D.  Pillsbury,  It  was  transferred 
to  Milwaukee  and  sold  to  Starr  &  Son  in  January,  1870,  who 
retained  Mr,  Pillsbury  as  editor  until  June,  1871,  when  it  was 
suspended. 

(Facts  by  Courtesy  of  State  Librarian.) 

Rev.  D.  C.  Pillsbury  was  a  Methodist  preacher  of  decided 
ability  and  force  of  character,  an  educated  gentleman  of  the  old 
school  of  preachers,  and  is  well  remembered  by  the  writer,  who 
first  knew  him  in  the  state  of  Maine  more  than  forty  years  ago. 

"The  Rock  County  Recorder,"  weekly.  This  paper  was  first 
issued  September  1,  1869,  by  Messrs.  Veeder  and  St.  John,  as 
independent  politically,  with  the  late  Colonel  Charles  W.  Mc- 


THE  JANESVILLE  PRESS  505 

Henry  political  editor  and  the  late  F.  S.  Lawrence  local  scribe. 
Colonel  McHenry  withdrew  in  less  than  three  months  and  the 
paper  became  straight  out  Republican.  St.  John  retired  at  the 
end  of  three  years,  and  Mr.  Veeder  became  sole  proprietor  for 
about  a  year,  when  W.  H.  Leonard  bought  a  half  interest.  March 
11,  1878,  the  firm  issued  a  daily  edition  which  is  still  in  exist- 
ence and  is  known  far  and  wide  as  "The  Daily  Recorder."  Mr. 
G.  Fred  Selleck  became  local  editor,  and  both  the  daily  and 
weekly  at  once  assumed  a  very  prominent  position  in  the  com- 
munity. The  daily  was  started  as  a  small  affair,  but  it  was  the 
second  morning  paper  that  Janesville  has  ever  known,  and  as  a 
test  of  public  interest  in  morning  news  it  proved  to  be  an  emi- 
nent success. 

At  first  the  daily  was  rather  non-political,  but  as  that  did  not 
work  very  well  with  a  Republican  weekly,  it  soon  became  an 
outspoken  advocate  of  Republican  principles.  This  feature  was 
the  more  conspicuous  when  the  well-known  attorney  Thomas 
S.  Nowlan  became  a  member  of  the  printing  company  and  filled 
the  editorial  chair.  It  became  more  positively  Republican  still 
later  when  Major  S.  S.  Rockwood  became  editor.  The  size  of 
the  daily  was  enlarged  twice  in  rapid  succession,  and  although 
several  different  persons  held  the  position  of  local  editor  from 
time  to  time,  it  remained  for  Mr.  O.  H.  Brand  to  create  a  record 
which  few  newspaper  men  in  this  state  can  approach.  He  as- 
sumed the  position  in  1881,  and  although  praised  and  buffeted 
by  turns,  as  is  the  fate  of  all  who  enter  the  profession,  he  still 
(1900)  retains  the  post,  and  challenges  attention  for  his  tact 
and  industry.  In  November,  1885,  chiefly  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  Clarence  L.  Clark,  a  stock  company  was  formed 
known  as  the  Recorder  Printing  Company,  reorganized,  the  ob- 
ject being  to  secure  control  of  the  "Recorder"  daily  and  weekly, 
not  alone  as  a  business  venture,  but  primarily  in  the  interests 
of  the  Democratic  party.  T.  T.  Croft  was  made  president,  W.  D. 
McKey  vice-president,  B.  J.  Daly  secretary,  W.  H.  Leonard 
treasurer  and  C.  L.  Clark  business  manager.  The  directors  were 
John  Winans,  J.  B.  Whiting,  J.  "W.  St.  John,  J.  B.  Doe,  Jr.,  and 
Alexander  Richardson.  Mr.  Veeder  retired  from  the  business 
and  the  "Recorder"  at  once  appeared  as  a  Democratic  news- 
paper, with  J.  B.  Doe,  Jr.,  in  the  editorial  chair,  but  without 
change  in  its  local  department. 


506  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

This  arrangement  continued  until  March  24,  1886,  when  the 
announcement  was  made  of  the  purchase  of  the  good  will  and 
business  of  the  "Janesville  Times,"  the  latter  being  consolidated 
with  the  "Recorder,"  and  0.  A.  Wilson,  the  "Times"  publisher, 
became  editor  of  the  "Recorder"  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Doe,  whose 
law  business  required  all  his  time.  Mr.  Wilson  continued  as  ed- 
itor until  January  1,  1894,  a  period  of  nearly  eight  years,  when 
he  assumed  the  duties  of  postmaster  at  Janesville.  January  1, 
1890,  C.  L.  Clark  retired  as  business  manager  and  Peter  J.  Mouat 
was  chosen  president  of  the  company  and  business  manager,  a 
position  which  he  has  filled  with  marked  ability.  Since  1894  he 
has  also  added  to  his  many  other  duties  that  of  political  editor, 
and  under  his  management  the  paper  has  assumed  a  very  ex- 
tensive patronage  and  as  an  institution  has  become  indispensable 
to  a  well-ordered  community. 

The  Religious  Press  of  Janesville  has  generally  been  confined 
to  the  churches  individually,  that  is,  each  church  supporting  its 
own  mainly.  The  idea  of  combining  their  forces  in  one  daily  or 
weekly  seems  never  to  have  met  with  favor.  Possibly  it  has 
never  been  considered,  for  reasons  which  suggest  themselves. 

"Our  Church  Home."  Rev.  S.  P.  Wilder,  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  in  November,  1889,  began  the  publication  of  a 
sixteen-page  monthly  called  "Our  Church  Home,"  which  con- 
tinued until  October,  1892. 

Five  hundred  copies  were  sent  to  the  church  members  and 
the  congregation,  including  absent  members.  Mr.  Wilder  says 
it  was  financially  a  success  and  very  useful,  but  that  he  felt  com- 
pelled to  discontinue  its  publication  on  account  of  growing  work 
in  the  church  and  for  the  want  of  "helpers  to  take  charge  of  it." 

(Letter  of  Mr.  Wilder,  July  11,  1899.) 

"The  Sentinel,"  of  Trinity  parish,  was  strictly  a  parish  paper, 
issued  quarterly,  commencing  October,  1894,  but  did  not  com- 
plete its  third  year. 

(See  Rev.  Barrington's  letter  for  facts  stated.) 
"The  Angelus,"  a  monthly  paper  issued  from  Christ  church 
rectory  by  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Barrington,  rector  and  editor,  is  in  all 
respects  a  credit  to  this  class  of  publications.  Its  purpose  is  to 
increase  communication  with  Christ  Church  parish  and  to  record 
news  of  the  Episcopal  church  in  this  city  and  vicinity. 


THE  JANESVILLE  PRESS  507 

Date  of  first  issue,  November,  1894.  This  paper  also  fur- 
nishes indubitable  proof  that  while  professional  editors  rarely 
make  good  preachers,  the  pulpit  does  occasionally  produce  an 
interesting  editor. 

(Letter  of  Rev.  A.  H.  Barrington  as  to  facts,  July  21,  1899.) 

"The  Free  Religious  Leaflet"  was  first  issued  in  September, 
1896,  and  continued  for  about  six  months,  by  the  Rev.  Victor  E. 
Southworth,  pastor  of  All  Souls'  (Unitarian)  church.  Accord- 
ing to  its  published  statement  (October,  1896)  it  was  to  be  "an 
exponent  of  what  is  good  and  true  in  all  systems  of  religion." 
"Our  aim  is  to  help  lift  religion  out  of  the  sectarian  and  eccle- 
siastical entanglements  into  which  it  has  fallen."  Printed 
monthly. 

"Church  Echoes"  is  the  title  of  a  monthly  publication  in 
pamphlet  form  issued  in  behalf  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of 
Janesville.  It  was  commenced  in  March,  1898,  and  has  for  its 
motto  "A  church  home  for  everybody." 

The  present  management  is  scheduled  as  follows :  Editor, 
Arthur  C.  Kempton,  pastor  of  the  church ;  business  managers,  J. 
T.  Fitchett,  C.  S.  Cleland,  W.  E.  Clinton.  As  may  be  readily 
inferred,  this  publication  is  devoted  strictly  to  the  church  inter- 
ests, and  is  ably  managed. 

(Facts  Obtained  of  J.  T.  Fitchett,  Manager.) 

"The  Lamp-Lighter,"  a  monthly  organ  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  was  established  here  in  January,  1888,  by  the  Rev. 
P.  W.  Peterson,  presiding  elder.  Removed  to  Milwaukee  in 
1896. 

(Catalogue  of  State  Librarian,  1895-96.) 

"The  Spiritualist"  was  also  a  monthly  journal,  brought  to 
Janesville  from  Appleton,  Wis.,  in  October,  1868,  and  for  a  short 
time  issued  here  as  a  weekly,  by  Rev.  Joseph  Baker.  "The  Spir- 
itualist" was  established  at  Appleton  in  January,  1868,  and  was 
probably  suspended  on  account  of  Mr.  Baker's  death. 

(State  Librarian  for  Facts.) 

"The  Vedette,"  monthly. 

"The  Phoenix."  '^ 

"Our  Own." 


608  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

In  October,  1895,  the  students  of  the  Janesville  high  school 
issued  a  paper  called  "The  Vedette,"  with  John  B.  McElroy 
chief  editor.  This  paper  was  suspended  during  the  winter  of 
1896-97,  but  revived  as  ''The  Phoenix"  in  March,  1898,  with  Ray 
Owen  editor-in-chief. 

A  paper  called  "Our  Own"  was  also  issued  February  8,  1886, 
by  high  school  pupils,  which  survived  long  enough  to  print  five 
numbers,  the  last  containing  the  graduating  essays.  Editor-in- 
chief,  Ella  Croft,  first  number;  Margaret  Mouat,  vacation  num- 
ber. Other  officers  connected  with  this  publication  consisted  of: 
Mamie  Jones,  secretary;  Mary  Lugg,  treasurer;  and  Harry  Carle, 
George  Bliss,  Fred  Merritt  and  Sara  Hickey  as  business  com- 
mittee. I  surmise  that  still  other  papers  have  been  issued  from 
the  high  school,  but  as  the  method  of  preserving  records  in  that 
institution  was  very  faulty  up  to  the  time  when  the  present 
structure  was  completed,  there  is  nothing  to  prove  their  exist- 
ence. 

"Our  Folks  at  Home"  was  the  title  of  a  well-printed  monthly 
published  by  F.  D.  Carson,  formerly  of  the  "Northern  Farmer," 
in  1870.  The  paper  was  edited  by  George  E.  Leland,  a  fine  speci- 
ment  of  the  young  man  genius,  often  seen  in  those  days,  who 
had  a  specialty  of  arriving  suddenly  from  nowhere  in  particular, 
and  to  remain  only  a  short  time.  The  paper  stopped  abruptly 
for  lack  of  support  and  the  editor,  a  brilliant  jotter,  died  shortly 
afterward  in  Iowa. 

(Recollections  of  the  Writer.) 

"The  Janesville  Weekly  Republican"  was  started  in  Septem- 
ber, 1891,  by  E.  M.  Hardy  and  E.  0.  Kimberly.  The  latter  re- 
tired at  the  end  of  one  year. 

"The  Daily  Republican"  was  started  by  Mr.  Hardy  in  1892, 
both  papers  advocating  Republican  principles.  A  few  years 
later  Mr.  Hidden,  of  Madison,  became  a  member  of  the  printing 
company.  In  April,  1899,  creditors  of  the  concern  foreclosed 
and  the  material  was  sold  to  Chicago  parties.  Both  papers  were 
suspended. 

(From  statement  of  E.  0.  Kimberly  and  recollections  of  the 
writer,  who,  by  consent  of  the  creditors,  had  charge  of  the  plant 
for  two  weeks  previous  to  its  sale  and  removal.) 

"The  Family  Friend,"  monthly.    It  was  about  the  year  1891- 


THE  JANESVILLE  PEESS  509 

92  that  celebrated  "promoter"  appeared  in  Janesville,  known 
as  J.  W.  Hamilton.  He  came  well  recommended  and  the  price 
of  town  lots  began  to  boom.  Among  other  investments  Hamil- 
ton was  said  to  be  owner  of  a  big  "monthly"  at  Springfield,  Ohio, 
which  he  wished  to  transfer  to  Janesville.  Thus  it  was  that 
"The  Family  Friend"  became  credited  with  a  circulation  of 
40,000  copies.  E.  M.  Hardy,  of  the  "Janesville  Republican," 
joined  in  the  rush  for  wealth  at  his  own  cost,  but  there  was 
trouble  with  the  postoffice  department  and  the  paper  ceased  to 
exist. 

(Statement  of  E.  0.  Kimberly.) 

"The  Janesville  Journal"  is  a  weekly  paper  printed  in  the 
German  language,  a  seven-column  quarto,  established  in  1889 
by  H,  AV.  Frick,  who  still  retains  control  as  editor  and  publisher. 
Mr.  Frick  started  his  paper  in  a  moderate  way  and  has  built  up 
the  business  literally  from  one  subscriber  to  his  present  well- 
paying  list.  This  could  hardly  be  done  without  painstaking  in- 
dustry and  good  business  qualifications,  both  of  which  Mr.  Frick 
possesses  in  ample  degree.  The  concern  also  has  a  first-class  job 
office  connected  with  the  paper  and  is  believed  to  be  in  a  pros- 
perous condition,  as  it  richly  deserves. 

In  October,  1899,  the  "Journal"  began  the  publication  of  a 
Beloit  edition,  printed  in  the  German  language,  called  the  "Be- 
loit  Deutsche  Zeitung." 

"Spirit  of  the  Turf."  In  the  fall  of  1869  Mr.  Frank  H.  Dun- 
ton  issued  from  the  office  of  the  "Northern  Farmer"  a  paper 
devoted  to  horse  breeding,  which  was  obliged  to  suspend  pub- 
lication about  one  year  later  when  the  "Farmer"  office  was 
wound  up  by  foreclosure  proceedings.  Mr.  Dunton  subsequently 
revived  his  paper  industry  in  Chicago,  where  "  Dunton 's  Spirit 
of  the  Turf"  became  worth  fully  $100,000. 

"The  Daily  Chronicle"  was  launched  upon  the  peaceful  shores 
of  time  during  the  winter  of  1886.  T.  S.  Nowlan,  Esq.,  was  the 
prime  mover  in  the  enterprise,  but  after  a  brief  experience  he 
disposed  of  its  good  will  and  business  to  the  Recorder  Printing 
Company. 

"The  Sunday  Mirror,"  a  weekly  paper  devoted  to  society  gos- 
sip, local  literature  and  crisp  comment,  was  started  December 
16,  1894,  by  J.  L.  Mahoney,  the  well-known  lawyer.     He  con- 


510  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

tinued  its  publication  with  marked  ability  until  February,  1895, 
when  it  was  sold  to  George  Baird,  who  conducted  the  same  for 
a  year  or  more,  when  it  was  merged  with  the  '' Janesville  Weekly 
Republican"  and  with  the  latter  was  discontinued  in  the  spring 
of  1899. 

(Statement  of  J.  L.  Mahoney,  Esq.,  December  1,  1899.) 

"The  Bulletin  of  Progress,"  a  monthly  paper,  was  first  issued 
in  1874  from  the  Valentine  Brothers'  School  of  Telegraphy,  as 
a  one-page  sheet  printed  from  a  stencil  made  with  an  electric 
pen.  The  first  regularly  printed  number  was  issued  in  1877,  and 
it  has  been  issued  monthly  ever  since. 

(N.  Valentine's  Letter  of  July  11,  1899.) 

This  publication  is  very  largely  devoted  to  the  school  in- 
terests. 

"The  Janesville  Sun"  was  first  issued  in  the  spring  of  1887, 
as  a  weekly,  devoted  to  business  and  news,  by  John  Nicholson, 
who  sold  it  to  J.  B.  Silsbee  in  the  spring  of  1888.  It  was  finally 
consolidated  with  the  "Janesville  Signal,"  owned  by  the  late 
Garret  Veeder. 

(Statement  of  John  Nicholson,  July  23,  1899.) 

During  Professor  Silsbee 's  proprietorship  the  "Sun"  was 
mainly  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  commercial  college  of 
which  he  was  the  head. 

Some  think  that  the  "Sun"  really  shone  with  the  keenest 
effulgence  when  John  Nicholson  wielded  the  editorial  pen. 

"Nick's  Commercial  Guide"  for  the  state  of  Wisconsin  was 
originated  and  published  for  several  years  by  John  H.  Nichol- 
son, of  this  city.  It  required  a  good  newspaper  man  to  originate 
and  arrange  the  plan  of  this  elegant  hand-book. 

"The  Wisconsin  Tobacco  Leaf,"  a  weekly  devoted  to  the  to- 
bacco interests,  was  first  issued  by  B.  F.  Willey  December  9, 
1889.  Mr.  Willey  continued  as  editor  and  publisher  until  June, 
1895,  when  a  stock  company  took  charge,  of  which  S.  B.  Heddles 
assumed  the  presidency  and  management.  Later  Mr.  Heddles 
appeared  as  sole  owner  of  the  plant  and  continued  the  publica- 
tion until  June  29,  1899,  when  it  was  discontinued. 


THE  JANESVILLE  PEESS  511 

(Statement  of  J.  F.  Willey,  First  Publisher.) 

"The  Farm  and  Home,"  a  weekly  paper,  devoted,  as  its 
name  implies,  to  farm  interests,  was  first  published  July  1,  1898, 
by  J.  F.  AVilley,  who  also  assumed  the  editorship.  He  still  con- 
tinues as  proprietor  and  editor,  and  furnishes  a  very  excellent 
production,  the  paper  being  issued  from  the  office  of  the  "Janes- 
ville  Journal." 

(Statement  of  Facts  by  J.  F.  Willey  in  Fall  of  1899.) 

"The  Wisconsin  Druggist's  Exchange,"  monthly,  was  started 
January  10,  1892,  by  E.  B.  Heimstreet,  secretary  of  the  state 
board  of  pharmacy,  who  still  continues  as  editor  and  publisher. 
The  paper  is  an  eight-page  publication  using  enameled  stock. 
It  furnishes  the  drug  news  of  the  state,  also  a  list  of  examina- 
tion questions,  contains  portraits  and  sketches  of  prominent 
druggists,  traveling  agents,  etc.,  and  is  the  official  paper  of  the 
"Wisconsin  Pharmaceutical  Association,  comprising  a  majority 
of  the  druggists  in  the  state.  It  is  now  firmly  established  as  an 
institution  and  pays  handsome  profits  for  well-rendered  service 
to  its  patrons. 

(Facts  Gathered  from  Letter  by  E.  B,  Heimstreet,  July  3,  1899.) 

"The  Wisconsin  Medical  Recorder,"  a  monthly  journal  of 
medicine  and  surgery,  for  the  whole  profession  (see  title  page), 
was  issued  first  in  January,  1898,  and  although  still  youthful,  has 
proved  to  be  a  decided  success.  J.  P.  Thorne,  M.D.,  editor  and 
"William  Hall,  manager,  comprise  the  firm  of  Hall  &  Thorne,  pub- 
lishers. This  publication  in  pamphlet  form  is  devoted  exclu- 
sively to  the  medical  profession,  as  its  name  implies,  and  is  filled 
with  original  ideas  and  suggestions. 

(Letter  of  Dr.  Thorne,  August  9,  1899.) 

"Pebbles"  was  a  small  weekly  published  by  Mr.  "Cy  Young" 
about  the  years  1895-96.  It  was  evidently  intended  as  a  reform 
organ,  and  its  publisher  was  doubtless  an  honest  man.  At  least 
he  apparently  sympathized  with  the  poor,  tendering  the  service 
of  an  attorney  free  of  cost,  by  the  name  of  "Cy,"  which,  how- 
ever, they  never  accepted.  Needless  to  remark,  his  career  was 
brief  though  pyrotechnic.    Discontinued  in  1896. 


512  HISTOEY  OF  EOCK  COUXTY 

"The  Workingman's  Friend"  was  a  small  weekly  paper  is- 
sued for  a  few  months  by  the  late  James  M.  Burgess  in  1870.  Mr. 
Burgess  was  an  original  thinker  in  his  way  and  injected  consid- 
erable of  his  forceful  originality  into  his  newspaper,  but  the  pub- 
lic was  obdurate  and  the  paper  went  the  way  of  many  others-r- 
into  the  yawning  cavity  of  oblivion. 

"The  Janesville  City  Times,"  weekly,  was  begun  as  an  adver- 
tising sheet  in  August,  1869,  being  limited  to  one  issue. 

Resumed  as  a  campaign  paper  in  September  of  the  same  year, 
with  slight  interruption  it  was  published  by  A.  O.  Wilson  until 
March,  1886,  when  it  was  sold  to  the  Recorder  Printing  Com- 
pany, merging  with  the  "Weekly  Recorder,"  and  is  still  issued 
as  the  "Recorder  and  Times."  At  first  the  "Times"  was  printed 
at  the  office  of  the  "Northern  Farmer,"  but  when  the  latter  was 
foreclosed  the  "Times"  also  suspended  for  about  four  months, 
resuming  publication  in  the  spring  of  1870  with  its  own  material. 

In  May,  1877,  W.  H.  Tousley,  of  Fond  du  Lac,  became  a  part- 
ner, remaining  for  six  years,  when  he  retired,  leaving  Mr.  Wilson 
sole  proprietor. 

The  firm  of  Wilson  &  Tousley  issued  a  small  daily  "Times" 
for  almost  two  years  from  October,  1878.  The  "Weekly  Times" 
was  the  official  paper  of  the  city  for  ten  years  or  more,  and  was 
so  designated  at  the  time  of  its  sale. 

Politically  the  "Times"  was  always  Democratic. 

Remarks. 

During  my  newspaper  experience  in  Janesville,  covering  a 
period  from  1869  to  1894,  as  editor  and  publisher,  a  vast  array 
of  actors  appeared  upon  the  newspaper  stage,  passed  rapidly  in 
review,  only  to  disappear  no  more  to  return.  Some,  it  is  true, 
are  engaged  in  other  pursuits;  others  may  be  engaged  in  the  same 
business  in  unknown  fields ;  a  few,  such,  for  instance,  as  Wheeler 
Bowen,  of  Yankton,  S.  D.,  formerly  of  the  "Gazette,"  are  now 
working  in  prominent  locations ;  but  the  majority  have  long  ago 
crossed  the  dark  river  or  await  the  final  summons  only  for  a 
brief  season. 

Coming  to  Janesville  in  1867,  it  will  be  observed  that  I  am 
the  connecting  link  between  the  present  and  the  past.  Thus  it 
is  that  I  have  had  personal  acquaintance  with  most  of  the  char- 
acters engaged  in  newspaper  enterprises  since  the  first  paper 


THE  JANESVILLB  PEESS  513 

made  its  appearance.  These  include  such  well-known  persons 
as  Levi  Alden,  Charles  Holt,  Hiram  Bowen,  A.  M.  Thomson, 
Daniel  Wilcox,  G.  H.  Bishop,  Dan  Brown,  Andrew  Palmer,  Dr. 
John  Mitchell,  Rev.  Joseph  Baker,  and  possibly  others  much  of 
whose  active  work  was  finished  before  I  became  a  resident. 
While  on  the  other  hand  I  might  reasonably  be  expected  to  rec- 
ollect from  personal  observation  the  doings  of  those  who  were  en- 
gaged in  the  business  on  my  arrival,  or  whose  coming  was  later 
than  my  own,  still  the  facts  presented  were  gleaned  mostly 
through  the  medium  of  letters,  personal  interviews,  and  such 
scraps  of  information  as  have  appeared  from  time  to  time  in  the 
so-called  local  histories.  When  these  have  failed  and  personal 
recollections  could  not  be  drawn  upon,  the  fact  is  so  stated  in 
footnotes.  One  thing  is  certain :  I  have  strenuously  avoided  the 
voluntary  opinion  or  mere  guesswork,  and  have  sought  to  do 
exact  justice  to  each  paper  and  its  publishers.  If  anything  er- 
roneous is  submitted  I  am  ready  to  apologize,  but  only  with  the 
plain  understanding  that  such  errors  are  unintentional  wholly 
and  absolutely.  Again,  it  will  doubtless  appear  that  I  have  omit- 
ted mention  of  certain  publications  altogether,  where  possibly 
the  fact  might  have  been  easily  obtainable  provided  a  man  knew 
exactly  where  to  look.  But  such  provisos  are  fatal,  as  I  am  not 
a  mind  reader  and  therefore  cannot  pretend  to  fathom  the  occult 
mysteries  of  the  publisher  who  when  he  disappeared  from  public 
view  thought  he  was  doing  the  community  a  favor  by  taking 
his  files  with  him.  Very  respectfully, 

A.    O.    WILSON. 
March  12,  1900. 

Since  completing  this  history  still  another  paper  has  made 
its  appearance,  to-wit: 

"The  Irish- American  Star,  by  J.  L.  Mahoney  &  Co.,  publish- 
ers. This  paper  made  its  initial  appearance  on  March  17,  St. 
Patrick's  day,  and  announces  itself  Catholic  in  religion  and  Dem- 
ocratic in  polities.    To  be  issued  weekly. 


XXV. 
POLITICAL  HISTORY  OF  ROCK  COUNTY. 

The  early  population  was  derived  very  largely  from  the  New 
England  states  and  the  state  of  New  York.  It  would  not  be  an 
extravagant  estimate  to  set  the  proportion  of  the  early  settlers 
from  these  states  at  three-fourths  of  the  whole,  and  of  these  three- 
fourths  fully  two-thirds  were  from  New  York.  The  largest  pro- 
portion of  these  settlers  came  to  Rock  county  with  fixed  politics, 
and  there  was  a  very  large  preponderance  in  favor  of  the  prin- 
ciples and  policies  of  the  Whig  party.  There  were,  indeed,  many 
strong  and  influential  members  of  the  Democratic  party,  and 
these  were  able  in  those  days  to  control  a  large  element  of  foreign- 
ers who  had  sought  the  fertile  lands  for  which  the  county  is 
pre-eminent.  This  was  particularly  the  case  with  the  Norwegians 
and  Irish,  great  numbers  of  whom  had  taken  up  their  abode  in 
the  county.  But  the  great  middle  class,  of  whom  we  first  spoke, 
mostly  from  New  York  and  the  eastern  states,  were  the  control- 
ling political  element,  and  it  only  needed  the  proper  leader  to 
organize  this  element  to  enable  it  to  take  the  control  of  the  politi- 
cal afi'airs  of  the  county. 

Rock  county  could  scarcely  be  said  to  have  a  separate  organi- 
zation until  1845.  Before  that  time  Rock  and  "Walworth  counties 
united  in  their  representatives  in  the  legislature ;  yet  each  had  its 
own  county  officers.  But  that  year  Rock  county  was  set  off  by 
itself,  in  a  separate  legislative  district,  and  it  became  conspicuous 
at  once  for  being  the  only  county  in  the  then  territory  in  which 
the  Whigs  were  permanently  and  reliably  the  ruling  party.  From 
that  time,  with  only  a  few  exceptions,  the  Whigs  of  the  county 
maintained  their  ascendency  until  the  absorption  of  the  party 
by  the  formation  of  the  Republican  party  in  1854. 

The  few  exceptions  which  happened  were  mostly  brought 
about  by  the  representation,  by  the  Whigs,  occasionally,  of  an 
illy  selected  and  unfairly  distributed  ticket.  There  was  always 
a  rivalry  betw^een  Janesville  and  Beloit  for  the  best  places  upon 

514 


POLITICAL  HISTOKY  515 

the  ticket,  and  wlien  Jaiiesville  succeeded,  as  happened  once  or 
twice,  in  securing  an  exceedingly  unfair  distribution,  Beloit  threw 
her  influence  against  the  ticket  and  thereby  effected  its  defeat; 
but  these  cases  were  exceptional  in  the  history  of  the  party. 

What  added  much  to  the  stability,  success  and  perpetuity  of 
the  party  w^as,  first,  the  possession  of  men  for  leaders  who  were 
thoroughly  imbued  with  the  correctness  of  Whig  principles,  who 
conscientiously  believed  their  political  doctrines  were  right,  and 
who  possessed  the  intelligence,  the  rectitude  and  the  integrity  to 
give  them  force  and  win  for  them  the  respect  of  the  people ;  and, 
second,  a  newspaper,  which  gave  expressions  to  their  principles, 
which  stood  by  them  thoroughly,  promulgated  them  authorita- 
tively, and  never  allowed  itself  to  be  led  astray  from  the  old  Whig 
doctrines  by  side  issues  or  local  politics.  These  instrumentalities 
were  the  factors  which  took  up  the  grand  material  at  hand,  out 
of  which  to  build  up,  unite  and  consolidate  one  of  the  proudest, 
firmest,  most  harmonious  and  beneficent  political  organizations 
which  ever  existed  in  any  republic. 

First  and  foremost  among  these  leaders  was  the  Hon.  Edward 
V.  Whiton,  who  was  also  among  the  very  first  settlers  in  the 
county.  He  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  was  a  thorough-going 
Whig  of  the  Webster  school,  and,  as  early  as  1838,  he  was  sent 
to  the  territorial  legislature  to  represent  Rock  county.  The  next 
year  he  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  house,  a  position  which  he  was 
eminently  qualified  to  fill.  He  was  subsequently  elected  to  the 
territorial  council  for  several  terms,  in  which  body,  at  one  time, 
he  was  the  sole  Whig  member.  His  eminent  abilities  as  a  states- 
man and  a  jurist,  and  his  strict  integrity  as  a  man,  finally  pointed 
him  out  as  a  person  fit  for  the  justiceship  of  the  supreme  court, 
and  his  long  brilliant  and  useful  career  in  that  position  is  a  mat- 
ter of  record.  As  a  political  leader  he  possessed  qualities  of  the 
first  order.  He  was  too  high  minded  to  descend  to  the  tricks  of 
the  partisan,  but  he  influenced  and  led  men  by  the  force  of  his 
character,  by  the  strength  with  which  he  advocated  his  measures, 
and  by  the  simple  rectitude  of  his  example.  He  was  always  in 
attendance  and  took  an  active  part  in  all  the  primary  meetings 
and  conventions  of  his  party,  and  his  wise  and  healthful  counsels 
in  these  gatherings  were  seldom  disregarded.  As  a  leader  he 
was  prudent,  honorable,  cautious,  yet  inflexible,  and  he  pushed  his 
measures  with  a  will  power  and  determination  which  generally 


516  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

secured  success.  A  great  element  in  his  strength  was  the  evident 
honesty  and  uprightness  of  his  political  convictions,  and  he  had 
a  rare  power  in  enforcing  the  soundness  of  his  opinions  upon  his 
hearers. 

But  so  eminent  and  efficient  a  leader  could  hardly  hope  to 
organize  and  keep  together  a  party  single-handed,  and  Judge 
Whiton  was  not  left  to  fight  the  political  battles  alone.  He  had 
the  ablest  and  best  of  coadjutors  in  the  work ;  helpers  who  them- 
selves were  capable  of  leading,  w^ho  also  Avere  actuated  by  the 
same  high  principles  and  motives  for  and  by  which  he  so  gallantly 
and  disinterestedly  contended.  Without  any  memorandum  of  the 
names  of  the  leading  Whigs  of  the  early  days  of  the  county,  who 
so  grandly  laid  the  foundations  of  the  party,  we  will  not  attempt 
to  give  a  list  of  them. 

Of  the  instrumentality  of  the  press  in  conserving  the  principles 
of  the  party,  of  being  their  exponent  and  constant  advocate,  too 
much  can  hardly  be  said,  and  the  "  Janesville  Gazette,"  edited  by 
Levi  Alden,  assisted  after  1848  by  Charles  Holt,  was,  from  the 
date  of  its  first  issue  until  there  was  no  longer  any  Whig  party, 
an  able,  efficient,  unfaltering  and  consistent  defender  of  that 
party.  It  was  the  political  gospel,  wherein  was  the  word  of  life 
and  the  assurance  of  faith  to  the  votaries  of  that  grand  old  organ- 
ization, and  the  influence  of  its  early  teachings  still  live  in  the 
compact,  harmonious,  invincible  party  which  today  is  predomi- 
nant in  Rock  county.  And  there  was  another  helpful  paper. 
Justice  would  not  be  done  to  that  other  Whig  organ,  "The  Beloit 
Journal,"  edited  by  J.  R.  Briggs,  without  a  most  honorable  men- 
tion here.  Coming  later  into  the  field,  with  a  circulation  not  as 
general,  it  still  did  efficient  and  valuable  service  in  the  party  as  a 
co-worker  with  its  older  colleague.  Always  able  and  candid,  it 
never  became  factious,  as  is  too  often  the  case  with  rival  organs 
of  the  same  party  when  the  conflict  of  interest  might  at  times 
seem  to  justify  factiousness.  It  fought  its  own  battles  and  fought 
them  well,  and  it,  too,  must  share  in  the  glory  of  having  done 
good  and  faithful  work  in  and  for  a  party  whose  history  is  most 
honorably  closed ;  but  those  traditions  will  always  remain  a  bright 
and  conspicuous  chapter  in  the  annals  of  American  politics. 

The  record  of  the  Eepublican  party  of  Rock  county  is  as  bril- 
liant in  its  successes  as  that  of  the  Republican  party  of  the  nation. 
For  over  fifty  years  it  has  gallantly  held  the  fort  in  old  Rock 


POLITICAL  HISTOKY  517 

and  at  the  age  of  fifty-four  is  as  honorable  in  principle,  as  strong 
in  faith  and  as  powerful  in  numbers  as  when  it  swept  the  county 
in  1854.  The  first  Republican  county  convention  was  held  in  the 
court  house  in  Janesville,  on  October  12,  1854.  The  call  was 
signed  by  L.  P.  Harvey  (afterwards  secretary  of  state  and 
governor),  John  Howe,  George  H.  Williston,  Peter  Schmitz,  J.  H. 
Budd,  S.  G.  Colley,  A.  Hoskins,  J.  Dawson  and  E.  Vincent.  The 
call  invited  'Hhe  electors  of  Rock  county,  who  are  determined  to 
support  no  man  for  office  who  is  not  positively  and  fully  com- 
mitted to  the  support  of  the  principles  announced  in  the  Repub- 
lican platform  adopted  at  Madison  on  the  13th  of  July  last,  to 
meet  at  the  court  house  on  the  12th  of  October  to  effect  a  thor- 
ough organization  of  the  Republican  party."  The  convention 
was  largely  attended,  and  a  spirit  of  signal  enthusiasm  pervaded 
the  assemblage.  The  candidate  for  state  senator  on  the  Repub- 
lican ticket  was  James  Sutherland,  who  was  an  early  settler  and 
had  already  become  a  prominent  business  man.  Judge  Noggle 
was  his  opponent,  who  ran  independent.  Mr.  Sutherland  received 
1,011  votes,  and  Judge  Noggle  760.  All  the  Republican  candi- 
dates for  the  assembly  were  elected.  George  H.  Williston  was 
elected  over  John  J.  R.  Pease  by  25  majority.  S.  G.  Colley  was 
elected  over  John  Hackett  by  224  majority.  Joseph  Goodrich 
and  N.  B.  Howard  had  no  opposition.  The  candidates  for  county 
offices  were :  Sheriff,  A.  Hoskins,  then  of  La  Prairie ;  register  of 
deeds,  Charles  R.  Gibbs,  then  of  Plarmony;  clerk  of  the  court, 
E.  P.  King,  of  Beloit;  clerk  of  the  board,  J.  L.  V.  Thomas,  of 
Newark ;  treasurer,  M.  T.  Walker,  of  Milton ;  district  attorney,  S. 
J.  Todd.  Mr.  Todd  withdrew  from  the  canvass.  He  believed 
the  fugitive  slave  law  unconstitutional,  and  avowed  he  would  per- 
form no  duties  under  it  if  elected  sheriff,  and  therefore  refused 
to  be  a  candidate.  All  the  Republican  candidates  were  elected 
by  large  majorities.  Matt  Carpenter  was  the  Democratic  candi- 
date for  district  attorney,  and  G.  B.  Ely  ran  independent.  Each 
received  1,109  votes,  and  Todd  782.  For  some  irregularity  the 
town  of  Turtle  was  thrown  out,  Avhich  gave  the  election  to  Ely 
and  he  received  the  certificate.  Washburn  ran  for  congress 
against  Otis  Hoyt,  Democrat,  and  carried  the  county  by  1,419 
majority. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  party,  in  1854,  the  Republicans 
have  invariably  made  a  clean  sweep  of  the  county  officers  and 


518  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

state  senators.  In  1856  Fremont's  majority  was  2,743;  Wash- 
burn, for  congress,  had  a  majority  of  2,762.  Mr.  Sutherland  ran 
for  the  state  senate  against  Ezra  Miller,  and  defeated  him  by 
1,247  majority.  The  entire  Republican  county  ticket  was  elected 
by  a  large  majority.  Since  1854  the  following  Republicans  were 
in  the  state  senate,  up  to  1879,  named  in  the  order  in  which  they 
served :  James  Sutherland,  four  years ;  L.  P.  Harvey,  four  years ; 
Z.  P.  Burdick,  two  years;  Ezra  A.  Foot,  two  years;  William  A. 
Lawrence,  four  years ;  S.  J.  Todd,  two  years ;  Charles  G.  Williams, 
four  years ;  H.  N.  Davis,  four  years ;  Hamilton  Richardson,  four 
years. 

In  the  assembly  the  persons  who  served  as  Republicans,  1854 
to  1879,  were  as  follows,  with  their  years  of  service:       N.  B. 
Howard,  two  years;  George  H.  Williston,  one   (two  years  as  a 
Whig) ;  S.  G.  Colley,  one ;  Joseph  Goodrich,  one ;  Levi  Alden 
one ;  John  Child,  one ;  John  M.  Evans,  two ;  H.  J.  Murray,  two ;  L 
G.  Fisher,  one;  David  Noggle,  one;  Ezra  A.  Foot,  one;  W.  H 
Tripp,  one ;  G.  R.  Atherton,  one ;  K.  W.  Bemis,  one ;  Z.  P.  Burdick 
three ;  J.  H.  Knowlton,  one ;  George  Irish,  one ;  W.  H.  Stark,  three 
E.  L.  Carpenter,  one;  J.  P.  Dickson,  two;  W.  E.  Wheeler,  two 
J.  K.  P.  Porter,  one ;  Edward  Vincent,  one ;  T.  C.  Westby,  one 
Jeremiah  Johnson,  one ;  G.   Golden,  one ;  S.   S.   Northrop,  one 
B.  F.  Carey,  one ;  Alexander  Graham,  three ;  A.  W.  Pope,  two 
James  Kirkpatrick,  one ;  E.  Palmer,  one ;  Samuel  Miller,  one 
John  Bannister,  one ;  A.  C.  Bates,  three ;  Orrin  Guernsey,  one 
J.  Corey,  one ;  Joseph  Spaulding,  one ;  Jacob  Fowle,  one ;  C.  M. 
Treat,  one ;  D.  Alcott,  one ;  Thomas  Earle,  one ;  Thomas  II.  Good- 
hue, two ;  Guy  Wheeler,  one  ;  Perry  Bostwick,  one  ;  H.  Richardson, 
one ;  J.  Burbank,  one ;  Daniel  Johnson,  one ;  S.  C.  Carr,  two ;  H.  S. 
Wooster,  two ;  E.  P.  King,  two ;  J.  B.  Cassoday,  two  (speaker)  ; 
Daniel  Mowe,  one ;  A.  W.  Pope,  one ;  Burrows  Burdick,  one ;  A.  C. 
Douglas,  one;  J.  T.  Dow,  one;  Pliny  Norcross,  one;  Burr  Sprague, 
one ;  W.  C.  Whitf ord,  one ;  C.  H.  Parker,  two  years  as  Republican 
and  one  as  Greenback;  A. jM. Thomson, two  (speaker)  ;  Seth  Fisher, 
one ;  D.  E.  Maxon,  one ;  Adelmorn  Sherman,  three ;  I.  M.  Bennett, 
two ;  John  Hammond,  two ;  H.  H.  Peterson,  one ;  R.  T.  Powell, 
one;  Willard  Merrill,  one;  O.  F.  Wallihan,  one;  D.  G.  Cheever, 
two ;  E.  K.  Felt,  two ;  David  F.  Sayre,  one ;  H.  A.  Patterson,  one ; 
]\Iarvin  Osborne,  two ;  Andrew  Barlass,  three ;  A.  Henderson,  one ; 
George  II.  Crosby,  one ;  Hiram  Merrill,  one ;  L.  T.  PuUen,  inde- 


POLITICAL  HISTORY  519 

dependent  Republican,  one;  George  Gleason,  one;  S.  T,  Merrill, 
two;  G.  E.  Newman,  one;  Fenner  Kimball,  one;  A.  P.  Lovejoy, 
one ;  R.  J.  Burge,  one ;  William  Gardiner,  one. 

The  Democrats  elected  but  two  assemblymen  from  1854  to 
1879— John  Winans  in  1873  and  J.  A.  Blount  in  1875. 

The  Democratic  party,  by  a  Rock  county  Democrat.  In  the 
light  of  admitted  facts,  we  may,  indeed,  affirm  that  before  Rock 
county,  as  such,  existed,  even  while  its  fertile  lands  were  under 
"government  jurisdiction,"  the  votaries  of  Democracy  found  here 
an  abiding  place ;  and  here,  too,  as  everywhere  else,  they  reckoned 
themselves  a  part  of  the  Great  National  Democratic  Party,  as 
founded  by  Thomas  Jefferson,  and  taught  by  Silas  Wright, 
Thomas  H.  Benton  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  These  were  leaders 
%vhose  followers  were  not  bounded  by  states,  or  hemmed  in  by 
territorial  legislation ;  and,  in  the  early  history  of  the  county,  no 
less  than  at  present,  we  find  the  leaders  of  the  Rock  County 
Democracy,  and  its  rank  and  file  men  of  nerve  and  sagacity.  In 
an  early  day  the  county  was  Democratic,  in  fact,  remained  so 
practically  without  variation  until  a  Free-Soil  boom,  which  here, 
as  elsewhere,  revolutionized  communities,  and  finally  converted 
the  majority  to  the  principles  of  a  new  Republican  party,  whose 
ascendency  has  ever  since  been  maintained. 

Within  thirty  or  thirty-five  years,  covering  the  period  of 
which  we  write,  a  generation  has  passed,  and  yet,  during  all  this 
period,  eventful  without  precedent  in  our  country's  history,  the 
Rock  county  Democrats  have  maintained,  whether  in  the  majority 
or  in  the  face  of  discouraging  odds,  the  same  steady  devotion  to 
Democratic  principles  and  party  discipline  which  has  commanded 
the  admiration  of  all  intelligent  men,  regardless  of  political  status. 
If  scores  and  hundreds  of  Rock  county's  Democrats  forsook  the 
party  and  joined  another  it  shows  that  they  were  thinking,  read- 
ing men,  and,  as  such,  they  still  share  our  respect.  Our  space 
forbids  mention  of  their  names,  but  many  of  them  well  adorn  the 
walks  of  life,  thus  clearly  evincing  the  power  of  early  Democratic 
teachings  and  examples;  many  others,  still  wiser,  if  we  may 
express  it  so,  have  returned  to  their  first  "love,"  where,  we 
trust,  perpetual  sunshine  awaits  them.  David  Noggle,  John 
Hackett,  A.  Hyatt  Smith,  C.  S.  Jordon,  Matt  H.  Carpenter,  Dr. 
John  Mitchel,  J.  M.  Burgess,  Rush  Beardsley,  Robert  Stone,  H.  B. 
Johnson,  H.  W.  Cator,  N.  P.  Bump  and  brothers,  J.  M.  Haselton, 


520  HISTORY  OF  EOCK  COUNTY 

Hamilton  Richardson,  W.  T.  Hall,  Colonel  Ezra  Miller,  J.  W. 
Phillips,  M.  C.  Smith,  James  Murwin,  Anson  Rogers,  Dr.  J.  B. 
Whiting,  Sol.  Hutson,  A.  D.  Wickham,  J.  W.  St.  John,  A.  0.  Wil- 
son, William  Smith,  W.  Skelly  and  brothers,  the  MeKey  brothers, 
Judge  Parker,  Dr.  0.  P.  Robinson,  C.  S.  Decker,  J.  A.  Blount,  A. 
D.  Maxfield,  Moses  S.  Priehard,  Frank  Biddies,  John  and  B. 
Speuce,  D.  Davies,  E.  H.  Davies,  John  Winans,  H.  McElroy,  J.  R. 
Hunter,  Clinton  Babbitt,  Paul  Meagher  and  brothers,  Ira  Malti- 
more,  Paul  Broder,  C.  Sexton,  J.  J.  R.  Pease,  Dr.  W.  H.  Borden, 
John  Livingston,  Matthew  Smith,  A.  Broughton,  Colonel  Russell, 
J.  B.  Doe,  Evan  Thomas,  T.  T.  Croft,  William  Cox,  Robert  John- 
son, Edward  Ryan,  E.  G.  Newhall,  Joseph  A.  Wood,  James 
Church,  Edward  Connell,  J.  W.  Bishop,  S.  G.  Williams  are  or 
were  some  of  them — but  space  forbids  further  mention  of  names. 
It  is  sufficient  if,  by  this  list  (both  living  and  dead),  the  reader 
can  gain  some  idea  of  the  men  and  material  forming  the  ranks 
of  the  Rock  county  Democracy  since  the  county  was  organized. 
We  regret  that  other  names  equally  as  well  known  could  not  be 
obtained  at  this  writing.  But  within  even  this  limited  number 
the  resident  reader  will  not  only  find  many  who  helped  lay  the 
foundation  of  our  commercial  and  intellectual  progress,  but  may 
also  note  many  earnest  and  faithful  builders,  whose  work  is  yet 
unfinished.  If,  within  the  last  twenty  years,  the  Democrats  of 
Rock  county  have  not  figured  much  in  mere  local  government, 
they  have,  at  least,  made  their  share  of  sacrifice  for  the  good  of 
all.  As  citizens  they  are  respected ;  as  taxpayers  their  counsel 
is  sought  the  more  when  difficulties  appear. 


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