Barron County, Wisconsin - Chapter 17: Township Organization, 1922

Barron County embraces twenty-five Government survey townships, divided into twenty-three political towns. Each of the political towns coincides with a Government survey township, except Maple Grove, Chetek, Dallas and Dovre, which each occupy one and a half Government survey townships.

The whole county was at one time called Dallas and afterward changed to Barron. Some of the towns were created with their present boundaries. Others were created with much larger areas, and later curtailed. In the early days there was considerable shifting about of boundaries between the townships. The present towns of Dallas, Rice Lake and Lakeland are not the original towns created. The name of the original town of Dallas, as noted, was changed to Barron, the name of the original town of Lakeland was changed to Cumberland, and the name of the original town of Rice Lake was changed to Stanley, and the present towns of Dallas, Lakeland and Rice Lake were created later.

In the early days, townships were created by the county board, and boun¬ daries shifted by the board upon petition by the voters. The more recent towns were created by the board upon petition, after a favorable vote by the inhabi¬ tants of the territory affected.

Barron Township occupies Township 34, Range 12. The entire county originally embraced but one town, called Dallas. Feb. 6, 1869, the county board ordered that the name of the town should be changed to Barron. By gradual curtailment the present boundaries have been reached. The story of its early government is told in the chapter in the volume on "Early County Government." The present officers are as follows: Supervisor, E. J. Mc- Kinny (chairman), W. R. Cuthbert and A. J. Dragseth; theasurer, Olaus Lee; clerk, Martin Rockman; assessor, H. M. Palmquist.

Chetek Townsip occupies Township 33, Range 10; and the east half of Township 33, Range 11. The town was created March 30, 1874. It then con¬ sisted of Township 32, Range 10; the south half of Township 33, Range 10; the east half of Township 32, Range 11; and all of the east half of Township 33, Range 11, lying south and west of Lake Chetek. The first town meeting was ordered held at the schoolhouse in District 2. In the act creating the town¬ ship, the present spelling is used. But for many years the county clerks spelled the name with an "S" instead of a "C." By official action on Jan. 16, 1883, by the county board, the present spelling was confirmed. The first town meeting was held in the schoolhouse in what is now the City of Chetek, April 7, 1874. C. P. Hepburn, H. J. Dixon and W. R. Smith were appointed inspectors of the election, and A. S. Jopp, clerk of the election. Eighty-eight votes were cast, the first being that of E. J. Banks. The following officers were elected: Super¬ visors, Daniel Beagle (chairman), H. B. Ross and J. C. Stewart; clerk, W. R. Smith; treasurer, P. Lousley; assessors, H. J. Dixon and C. P. Hepburn; jus¬ tices, W. Bell, Washington Bird, A. S. Jopp and D. Morley; constables, Thomas Gotham, Christ Olesen and B. L. Eighmey; sealer of weights and measures, A. Cleveland. Washington Bird, elected justice, did not qualify, and W. W. Flynn served in his place. The present officers are: Supervisors, W. F. Bar¬ ber (chairman), Alfred Joelson and Ed. Solum; treasurer, W. H. Ross; clerk, C. L. Brekken; assessor, John Waldal.

Sumner Township occupies Township 34, Range 10. The town was created March 30, 1874, and then consisted of the north half of Township 33, Range 10; Township 34, Range 10; the west half of Township 35, Range 10; all that part of Township 33, Range 11, lying north and east of Lake Chetek; and Sections 23, 24, 25, 26, 35 and 36, in Township 34, Range 11. The first town meeting was ordered held in the schoolhouse in District 17. The books in the possession of the present clerk date back to April 6, 1878. At that time the officers elected were: Supervisors, A. J. Barton (chairman), William White and Peter Olson; clerk, S. J. Packard; assessor, C. M. Covell; treasurer, Thomas McDonald. The present officers are: Supervisors, J. B. Stearns (chairman), Albert Halvorson and John A. Werts; treasurer, William Lycke; clerk, Wilbur Stuck; assessor, A. W. Kingsley.

Stanfold Township occupies Township 35, Range 12. The town was created March 30, 1874. It then embraced Township 36, Ranges 10 and 11 ; the west half of Township 35, Range 10; the eastern third of Township 35, Range 11. The first town meeting was ordered held in the schoolhouse in District 12. It is in¬ teresting to note that the town as then created did not embrace any of the present town of Stanfold. By additions the boundaries were exended until they took in the present town, and curtailments cut off all the original area. The early records are not in the possession of the present clerk. The earliest rec¬ ords in his custody date back to the town meeting of April 6, 1897, when the following officers were elected: Supervisors, E. A. Selleck (chairman), Victor Olson and Albert Wiesner; clerk, Joseph Engstrom; assessor, George Austin; treasurer, L. M. Knutson. The present officers are: Supervisors, James Han¬ son (chairman), George Larson and Peter H. Peterson; treasurer, John 0. Steen; clerk, Carl Frederickson ; assessor, Ole Lokken.

Rice Lake Township occupies Township 36, Range 11. The town was created March 30, 1874. It embraced the western two-thirds of Township 36, Range 11; all of Townships 36 and 36, Range 12; Township 36, Range 13; and all of Township 34, Range 11, except Sections 23, 24, 26, 26, 36 and 36. The first town meeting was ordered held in the court house. The name of the town was changed to Stanley by a vote of the county board, on May 11, 1882. Then for many years there was no Rice Lake Township. At the spring election of 1896, the voters of Township 35, Range 11, expressed themselves favorable to a separation from the then town of Stanfold, and the county board confirmed the act Nov. 10, 1896. The first town meeting was ordered held at the home of Philip Roux, on April 6, 1897. The officers elected on that date were: Super¬ visors, Aristide Mero (chairman), Christ Bauman and Louis E. Olson; clerk, Ernest D. Demers; assessor, Louis Gagner; treasurer, James C. McLaughlin. The present officers are: Supervisors, John Heldstab (chairman), Jeff Roux and Charles Fligel; treasurer, Otto Siewert; clerk, John Svacina, Jr.; assessor, Christ Heldstab.

Prairie Farm Township occupies Township 32, Range 13. The town was created March 30, 1874. It then embraced Townships 32 and 33, Range 13; and Townships 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, Range 14. The first town meeting was ordered held in the hall of Knapp, Stout & Co., in the present village. The first officers were elected April 7, 1874, as follows: Supervisors, S. K. Young (chairman), Henry Holmes and August Roemhild; treasurer, Isaac Sprague; clerk, Fred Telke; justices of the peace, S. K. Young and Ole Holmen; assessor, Ole Holmen; sealer of weights and measures, Casper Rassbach; constables, L. C. Selvig and Lewis Wart. The present officers are: Supervisors, Frank N. Roem¬ hild (chairman), Albert O. Breen and M. T. Downs; treasurer, Carl J. Johnson; clerk, Frederick Paulson; assessor, A. L. Gumbert.

Dallas Township occupies Township 32, Range 12. Originally the whole county was known as Dallas. The name was changed to Barron on Feb. 6, 1869, and then there was no Dallas Township until March 30, 1874, when the present Dallas Township was created with its present boundaries. The first town meeting of the present town of Dallas was held in the schoolhouse of sub¬ district 7, on April 7, 1874, and the following officers elected: Supervisors, B. B. Fuller (chairman), W. T. Cole and N. C. Gylstad; clerk, Charles Salsbury; treasurer, Joseph Pecore; assessor, D. Pooler; justices, Francis Finley, S. Wygant and D. A. Russel; constables, T. Wintrone, J. Cottington and T. Brooks; sealer of weights and measures, G. M. Hufnail. On motion, the town voted to raise $80 for general town purposes and $20 for the poor fund. The clerk's an¬ nual salary was fixed at $20. The present officers are: Supervisors, I. H. Baland (chairman), J. S. Dowd and Albert Bakken; treasurer, O. M. Borgen; clerk, Willis Salsbury; assessor. Ole Wahl.

Lakeland Township occupies Township 36, Range 13. It was created Dec. 30, 1875, and embraced Townships, 34, 35, and 36 in Range 14; Township 35, Range 13; and Sections 31, 32, 33 and 34 in Township 36, Range 13. It will be seen that the town as thus created embraced but four sections of the pres¬ ent township. The first town meeting was ordered held at the home of R. H. Clothier, in Section 18, Township 35, Range 13. Jan. 1, 1880, the name of the town was changed to Cumberland. For some years there was no Lakeland Township. Nov. 10, 1901, a new Lakeland Township was created, embracing Township 36, Ranges 13 and 14. The first meeting was ordered held the first Tuesday in April, 1902, at the home of W. L. Hunter, in the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 32, Township 86, Range 13. The first offi¬ cers elected in the old township were: Supervisors, A. J. Cook (chairman).

O. A. Ritan and G. W. Caddy; clerk, George Corsar; treasurer, R. H. Clothier; Assessors, N. Wallace and William Horning. The officers elected April 1, 1902, for the new township were: Supervisors, Andrew Atoll (chairman), Ole J. Score and A. W. Mayberry; clerk, William Robinson; treasurer, Herman A. Frey; assessor, G. T. Anderson. The present officers are: Supervisors, Charles A. Ness (chairman), Mike Paulson and Oscar J. Okerson; treasurer, Anton Ballmer; clerk, Henry A. Anderson; assessor, G. W. Hatch.

Cedar Lake Township occupies Township 36, Range 10. It was created March 21, 1876, and then embraced Townships 36 and 36, Range 10. The first town meeting was held April 4, 1876, in the schoolhouse of District 4, in Township 35, Range 10. The first officers were: Aristide Mero (chairman), Leroy S. Merritt and George McFarland; clerk, Joseph Loveland; treasurer, Joel Ackerman; assessor, Arthur Richie; justices, Herber Angle, Thomas C. Jackson and C. E. Wallace; constables, John Cammiek, John H. Jackson and A. O. Dale; sealer of weights and measures, James McIntyre. The present offi¬ cers are: Supervisors, Frank Morkin (chairman), Herman Thalke and Fred Mabuse; treasurer, August Mabuse; clerk, Joseph Kringle; assessor, John Ewen.

Maple Grove Township occupies Township 33, Range 12; and the west half of Township 33, Range 11. It was created with its present boundaries, March 22, 1876. The first town meeting was ordered held in the schoolhouse of District 2, in Township 33, Range 12.

The first town meeting was held in Maple Grove Township April 4, 1876. Austin F. Skinner was chosen chairman and John W. Harrison and William Miller inspectors. William J. Smith and William Hooker were chosen clerks. N. M. Rockman, John Garrett and Kennedy Whitmore were chosen a commit¬ tee to recommend the amount to be raised for general funds for the ensuing year. Henry Rose was chosen pathmaster in Road District No. 3; A. D. Bergland in Road District No. 1, and I. B. Timblin in Road District No. 2. It was recommended by the committee that the general fund to be raised be $300, which was put to vote and carried. A poor fund of $50 was also voted, and in the same manner a highway fund was provided for by a tax of ten mills on the dollar. It was moved that the town clerk's salary be $50 for the ensuing year, and that the assessor be allowed $2 per diem, both motions being carried by vote. At the election held the same day, J. G. Johnson was elected chairman of the board of supervisors, receiving 26 votes out of a total of 49 cast, there be¬ ing several other candidates. For supervisor, A. O. Berg received 36, T. H. Johnson 44 and William Miller 4. Nels A. Kringle was elected town treasurer, receiving 33 votes out of a total of 45. Mr. Hooker was elected town clerk, receiving 30 votes out of a total of 44. Henry Whitman received 30 votes out of 44 cast for town assessor. For justices of the peace, Otto Thingvald re¬ ceived 35, A. F. Skinner received 34, William Miller 35, and William Hooker re¬ ceived one. For constable, Elbert Skinner received 34, T. Amundson 35, J. W. Harrison 14, H. Whitman 15 and J. Barnes one. For sealer of weights and measures the total number of votes cast was 36, of which L. Isaacson received 32 and J. G. Johnson four. The town hall is a small frame building located on the line between Sections 14 and 23, and as near the center of the town as it could be conveniently placed. It was built not many years ago.

The present officers are: Supervisors, A. W. Johnson (chairman), Charles McAdams and Charles Elmlinger; treasurer, Peter Highes; clerk, F. F. Ed¬ monds ; assessor, Elmer Hanson.

Clinton Township occupies Township 34, Range 13. It was created March 22, 1876, and then embraced the north half of Township 33, Range 13, and all of Township 34, Range 13. The first town meeting was ordered held in the schoolhouse of District 7, in Township 33, Range 13. O. Bayler was the first chair¬ man; E. H. Johnson and J. D. Rohdes, supervisors; and J. B. Thurston, clerk. The present officers are: Supervisors, John J. Malone (chairman), Charles

Turtle Lake occupies Township 83, Range 14. It was created May 9, 1879, and occupied Townships 33 and 34, Range 14. The act was to take effect the first day of March, 1880, and the first town meeting was to be held the first Tuesday in April, at the schoolhouse in District 6. The earliest records in the possession of the present clerk are those of April 6, 1900. The officers elected at that time were: Supervisors, Jacob Palm (chairman), August Klockeman and Amable Delage; clerk, August Belanger; treasurer, William F. Pabst; assessor, Charles Sindelar; justice of the peace, August Klockeman; constable, Martin Anderson. The present officers are : Supervisors, C. D. Cochran (chair¬ man), William Jones and William Rohlf; treasurer, Frank Sindelar; clerk, August Meyer; assessor, Anton Leisz.

Dovre Township occupies Township 32, Range 10; and the east half of Township 32, Range 11. It was created Nov. 13, 1879, and embraced Township 32, Range 10; and all of Township 32, Range 11, east of the Menomonie (Red Cedar) River. The first town meeting was ordered held at the Brunker schoolhouse in Section 29, Township 32, Range 10, on March 31, 1880. No organiza¬ tion, however, was perfected under this act. The first town meeting was held in April, 1891, and the following officers elected: Supervisors, John Jorstad (chairman), H. J. Myers and A. A. Dahl; clerk, Anton Anderson; assessor, An¬ drew Eng; treasurer, J. M. Moe. In transcribing these records, the present clerk, J. H. Peterson, adds the noteworthy fact that although this meeting was held thirty-one years ago, every officer then elected is still living, and all but one, John Jorstad, who is at Elko, Virginia, are still living in the township. The present officers are: Supervisors, H. J. Myers (chairman), P. A. Holton and Charles Osberg; treasurer, Anton Anderson; clerk, J. H. Peterson; asses¬ sor, Julius Knysberg.

Cumberland Township embraces Township 35, Range 13. The name as ap¬ plied to the present Township dates from Jan. 1, 1880, when the board or¬ dered that the old town of Lakeland, created Dec. 30, 1875, would henceforth be known as the town of Cumberland. Later another Lakeland Township was created. The first officers are given under the head of Lakeland. The present officers are: Supervisors, John Hellstrom (chairman), Anton Erickson and Ole Jacobson; treasurer, James Carlson; clerk, Grover Jacobson; assessor, R. B. Phillips.

Vance Creek Township occupies Township 32, Range 14. It was created Jan. 3, 1882, with its present area. The act was to take effect March 31, 1882, and the first town meeting was ordered held at the schoolhouse of District 3.

The present officers are: Supervisors, Ole E. Lien (chairman), Anton Grote and Carl Fall; treasurer, Tom Stafne; clerk, Clint Wilson; assessor, Hans Kettleson.

Stanley Township embraces Township 34, Range 11. The name came into existence May 11, 1882, when the board ordered that the old town of Rice Lake, created March 30, 1874, should henceforth be known as Stanley. Later another Rice Lake Township was created. The first town meeting after the name of Stanley was adopted was held in the Wold Schoolhouse in School District 1, on April 3, 1883. The officers elected were: Supervisors, S. E. Washburn (chair¬ man), Ole Jorstad and H. W. Snashall; clerk, R. A. Wheeler; assessor, Hans Lunde; treasurer, John P. Tester. The present officers are: Supervisors, Oscar Anderson (chairman), Herman Raawe and Henry Kisling; treasurer, Thomas Gulickson; clerk, F. C. Durkee; assessor, P. S. Scott.

Oak Grove Township occupies Township 36, Range 11. It was created Nov. 11, 1884, to take effect March 31, 1886. It embraced Township 36, Ranges 11 and 12. The first town meeting was held on April 7, 1886, the first officers elected being: Supervisors, H. J. Mitchell (chairman), Patrick Russell and Ole Brain; clerk, Patrick Haughian; assessor, John Kennedy; treasurer, Law¬ rence Russell ; justices, A. S. Green, Patrick Haughian, Harry Hains and H. J.

Mitchell; constables, Peter Tome, Michael McGinnis and Thomas Donnelly. The present officers are: Supervisors, George J. Sander (chairman), F. P. Roubal and A. M. Chrislaw; treasurer, Harry Olson; clerk, Charles J. Westby; assessor, M. A. Parks.

Almena Township embraces Township 34, Range 14. It was set off from Turtle Lake on Nov. 8, 1899. The first meeting was ordered held in Weber's Hall, in Almena village, on the first Tuesday in April, 1900. The first town officers were elected April 3, 1900, and were as follows : S. W. Sparlin (chair¬ man), A. Breisemeister and John Oakes, supervisors; Otto Heider, clerk; Math Dold, treasurer; Joe Blechinger, Louis Larson and S. W. Sparlin, justices; Math Dold and Math Hellev, constables; John A. Cornwall, assessor. The present officers are: Supervisors, Julius Soltau (chairman), W. F. Weise and Joseph Blechinger; treasurer, Adolph Simon; clerk, Charles Wanner; assessor, P. J. Reuter.

Bear Lake Township embraces Township 36, Range 12. It was created from Oak Grove Township, Nov. 12, 1901. The first meeting was ordered held at the schoolhouse in District 3, on the first Tuesday in April, 1902. The first offi¬ cers elected were: Supervisors, John Le Jeune (chairman), Joseph Dockal and Anton Sorensen; clerk, Peter Yost; treasurer, Anton Cimfl; justices, Peter Thome and Peter Yost; constable, John Thome; assessor, Joseph Hobel. The present officers are: Supervisors, Anton Cimfl (chairman), John G. Kolar and James Vanek; treasurer, Joseph Schleiss; clerk, W. C. Ellis; assessor, John Le Jeune.

Crystal Lake embraces Township 35, Range 14. In the spring of 1902 a vote was taken on the division of the town of Cumberland. It would seem that the people who were to remain in the old town were more anxious for the sepa¬ ration than the people who were to constitute the new town, for in Township 35, Range 13, the vote was 200 for the proposition and 75 against it, while in Township 35, Range 14, the vote was 53 for the proposition and 47 against it. The county duly created the new township on Nov. 12, 1902. The first meeting was ordered held on the first Tuesday in April, 1903, at the home of Petriocorco, in the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 13. The first officers elected were: Supervisors, John Rafferty (chairman), Swan Swan¬ son and N. J. Lilliedale; clerk, Paul Ries; treasurer, Joseph Zaccardi; assessor, J. A. Bergstien; justices, Paul Ries, Richard Diffore, Erminio Ricci, N. J. Lilliedale; constables, Sam Ranallo and Charles Lee. The present officers are: Supervisors, Claus W. Carlson (chairman), James B. Peer and Antonio Luciano; treasurer, Martin Vogt; clerk, A. N. Levings; assessor, S. B. Bird.

Doyle Township embraces Township 35, Range 10, west. The question of the division of the old town of Cedar Lake was submitted to the voters at the regular spring election of 1903. Seventy-six of the seventy-seven votes cast in Township 35, Range 10, were in favor of the division, and twenty-nine of the thirty-five votes cast in Township 36, Range 10, were in favor of the division. The new town of Doyle, named for John J. Doyle, a pioneer, was accordingly created by the county board on Nov. 12, 1903, the act to take effect on the first Tuesday in April, 1904, when the first town meeting was to be held in the schoolhouse of District 2, Section 9. The first officers elected were: Supervisors, John J. Doyle (chairman), Bert Smith and Ole N. Bradseth; clerk, Otto Hanson; treasurer, Holstein Hanson; assessor, John J. Oleson; justice, Otto Hanson. The present officers are: Supervisors, James G. Hathaway, Chris Orsund and Nels Larson; treasurer, Iver Tillung; clerk, Seymour Bradseth; assessor, L. B. Reed.

Arland Township embraces Township 33, Range 13. It was set off from Clinton and Prairie Farm by the county board on Nov. 16, 1904. The act was to take effect on the first Tuesday in April, 1905, at which time a meeting was to be held at Hagen's Hall. The first officers were: Supervisors, Ole Johnson (chairman), L. Hubaseh and Fred Olsen; clerk, Henry Bergstrum; treasurer, Peter Quam; assessor, Peter A. Miller. The present officers are: Supervisors,

Maple Plain Township embraces Township 86, Range 14. It was cut off from Lakeland by the county board on Nov. 15, 1906. The act was effective on the first Tuesday in April, 1907, the first town meeting being held in the schoolhouse in District 4, Section 27. The first officers were: Supervisors, A. Stoll (chairman), G. B. Anderson and Claus Bloomquist; clerk, J. P. Ross; treasurer, Jacob West; assessor, 0. M. Robinson; justices, Frank Mattson and J. P. Ross; constable, H. J. Fritze. The present officers are: Supervisors, Henry Peterson (chairman), Chris I. Larson and Oscar Esplin; treasurer, Herman Luke; clerk,

The county officers for 1921-22 are as follows: County and juvenile judge, A. F. Wright; registrar in probate, Fern Wright; county clerk, F. S. Woodard; deputy county clerk, Ellen J. Johnson; county treasurer, S. R. Pollock; sheriff, J. H. Johnson; register of deeds, C. D. Blassingham; deputy register of deeds, Clara E. Ellsworth Zwicher; district attorney, J. W. Soderberg; clerk of cir¬ cuit court, E. V. Babcock; deputy clerk of court, C. M. Babcock; county sur¬ veyor, J. A. H. Johnson, Chetek; coroner, J. H. Wallis, Rice Lake; county super¬ intendent of schools, Regina Kohten; county superintendents' clerk, Ellen N. Johnson; supervising teacher, Laura Hanson; highway commissioner, Edward Gleason; county agricultural agent, W. A. Duffy; county, nurse, Ruby McKen¬ zie; county agent clerk, Elizabeth Hinkle; divorce counsel and public adminis¬ trator, H. G. Ellsworth; income assessor, Alfred E. Emmerson, Chippewa Falls; sheriff, J. H. Johnson; under sheriff, D. G. Clemmons; deputies, A. W. Mc- George, F. C. Lang and Walter D. Williams; chairman of the county board, R. B. Hart, Cumberland ; county highway commissioner, Edward Gleason ; state road and bridge committee, F. W. Swant, Arland; C. D. Cochran, Turtle Lake; and W. F. Barber, Chetek; committee on common schools, W. A. Gierhart, Almena; E. C. Smart, Hillsdale; J. J. Burke, Cameron; soldiers' relief commit¬ tee, Lester West, Barron; R. C. Peck, Rice Lake; A. L. Miller, Cumberland.