Barron County, Wisconsin - Chapter 10: The First Settlers, 1922

The story of the early settlement of Barron County has been told in the previous chapter regarding early agriculture. The loggers began operations at Prairie Farm in 1848. Levi Vance settled over the line in Dunn County, section 5, township 31, range 13, in 1850. John Banks settled near the county line in the present town of Prairie Farm in 1855. The census of 1860 showed as permanent residents of the county only two families, and two single men: John Banks and George W. Jones, being the family men and farmers, and Thomas Snyder and Joseph Abair being the two single men, and hunters. There may, however, have been a few cabins missed by the census taker.

In 1870 there were 538 persons living in the county. In the mean time, a few had come and gone, especially bachelor homesteaders, pre-emptors or squatters, who stayed for a time and then sold out such rights as they may have acquired. But such temporary residents left but little impression on the county. It was those living here in 1870 who may be considered as the real pioneers of the county's progress.

The splendid library of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin has in its possession, among a priceless store of other documents, the original census schedules for the Ninth Federal Census (1870). Through the courtesy and help of Joseph Schafer, superintendent of that society, and his assistants, the editor of this work has secured a transcript of that portion of the 1870 census, which applies to Barron County, and it is given herewith as a valuable contribution to Barron County history as well as a memorial to those sturdy pioneers who paved the way for present prosperity.

The list gives the actual residents of the county living here in the early summer of 1870. Other men who later established their families here had been in the county and worked here, but had not at that time located here.

Isaac Sprague, 35, farmer, New York. Jane Sprague, 32, housekeeper, Michigan. William Sprague, 12, Michigan. Charles Sprague, 8, Wisconsin. George Sprague, 6, Wisconsin. Frank Sprague, three months, Wisconsin. Samuel Chambers, 25, farm laborer, England. Thomas McGovern, 23, farm laborer, Maine. Fautson Kusner, 20, farm laborer, Hesse Darmstaat. George Bridgam, 20, farm laborer, Maine. Josiah Harmon, 18, farm laborer, Wiscon¬ sin. Andrew Gilbertson, 22, farm laborer, Norway. Zach Johnson, 35, black¬ smith, Norway. Jacob Smittle, 22, farm laborer, Baden. Albert Staege, 20, teamster, Baden. Canute Johnson, 25, farm laborer, Norway. Ole Woodside,

22, housekeeper, Mechlenburg. Robert Kipp, 24, farmer, New York. Helen Kipp, 20, housekeeper, New York. William Pitts, 63, farmer, New York. Anna Pitts, 35, housekeeper. New York. Belle Pitts, four months, Wisconsin. William Van Waters, 21, teacher, Ohio. William Pitts, 23, farm laborer, Minnesota. Jno. Pitts, 16, farm laborer, Wisconsin. Jane Pitts, 14, at home, Iowa. James Pitts, 8, at home, Wisconsin. Francis Finley, 56, farmer, Penn¬ sylvania. Margaret Finley, 46, housekeeper, Pennsylvania. Alfred Finley,

23, teacher, Pennsylvania. Chas. Finley, 21, teacher, Pennsylvania. Samuel Finley, 16, teacher, Pennsylvania. Edward Finley, 13, at home, Wisconsin. Henry Doorley, 41, farmer, Wurtemberg. Katharina Doorley, 36, house¬ keeper, Wurtemberg. Frank Doorley, 18, at home, Pennsylvania. Harry Doorley, 16, at home, Pennsylvania. Laura Doorley, 14, at home, Pennsylvania. Julia Doorley, 12, at home, Pennsylvania.

Canada. S. P. Barker, 37, overseer in camp, Maine. Jno. Cavanaugh, 28, bookkeeper in camp, Ireland. Edward Dingly, 28, logger, Wisconsin. Ole Evanson, 24, logger, Norway. Jno. Hasta, 26, cook, Norway. Geo. Anderson,

19, at home, Canada. Selina LaBrie, 15, at home, Minnesota. Melina LaBrie, 13, at home, Canada. Edward LaBrie, 11, at home, Canada. Henry LaBrie, 6, Missouri. Pauline LaBrie, 1, Wisconsin. Jno. LaBrie, 26, farmer, Canada. Sarah LaBrie, 24, housekeeper, Missouri. Iris LaBrie, 1. Wisconsin.

Prosper Forest, 35, farmer, Canada. Lucy Forest, 33, housekeeper, Canada. Prosper Forest, 12, at home, Canada. Esaid Forest, 10, at home, Canada. Eugene Forest, 8, Canada. Ozemi Forest, 6, Canada. Mary Forest, one month, Wisconsin. Maria Forest, one month, Wisconsin. Tusand Peridam, 62, farmer, Canada. Lucy Peridam, 65, housekeeper, Canada. Chas. Aman, 31, farmer, Canada. Georgia Aman, 33, housekeeper, Canada. Charles Aman, 10, at home, Canada. Noah Aman, 2, Missouri. James Aman, one month, Wisconsin. Edward Pluid, 25, blacksmith, Canada. Julia Pluid, 25, housekeeper, Canada. Edward Pluid, 1, Wisconsin. David DeMerse, 41, farmer, Canada. Aurelia DeMerse, 35, housekeeper, Canada. Salomi DeMerse, 13, at home, Canada. John DeMerse, 11, at home, Canada. Ernest DeMerse, 1, Wisconsin. Jno.

William Young, 43, overseer in camp, Canada. Sawler, 43, foreman in camp, New Brunswick. Bards Thompson, 25, teamster, Norway. Ole Rom¬ berg, 27, logger, Norway. Jno. Haukins, 18, logger, Canada. Cor. Gilmanson, 21, logger, Norway. Peter Sanderson, 23, cook, Norway. Edward Sebeth, 21, logger, Germany. James Mathews, 27, logger, Canada. James McNeil, 33, logger, New Brunswick. Jno. Lynch, 26, logger, Canada. Arthur O'Keif,

25, logger, Canada. Lars Money, 20, logger, Norway. J. M. Holmes, 32, car¬ penter, Canada. Wm. Kaughan, 40, logger. James Hickey, 27, logger, Canada. Peter Scou, 26, overseer in camp, Norway. Andrew Scou, 24, cook, Norway. James Harrington, 53, overseer in camp, New Brunswick. J. Paulson, 19, cook, Norway. Geo. Gilbertson, 22, logger, Norway. Mart Brakin, 21, logger, Norway. Casp Brockmeir, 45, overseer in camp, Germany. Nelson Hyacith, 20, logger, Norway. Erick Gilbertson, 22, logger, Norway. Andrew Hovey, 32, logger, Norway. Inglert Edwards, 28, overseer in camp, Pennsylvania. Peter Dobl, 26, blacksmith, Norway. Oliver Lenad, 30, carpenter, Norway. Chas. Brown, 30, logger, Baden.