Buffalo County, Wisconsin - The whole text, 1888 (part 13 of 13)

The settlement of Maxville was not very early in the history of this county, although the prairies formerly had a very inviting appearance. In 1855 William Bean, John Laffe'rty, Geo. King, Abbott Reed, Michael Aaron and Rev. Edward Doughty came to settle.. The following year 'Barney McDonough, William Allison, Jas. Mair and Herman Fuller came, but the most promising arrival was that of Coleman and Maxvell in 1857, with cattle, horses and household goods. They were deceived by the blooming appearance of the prairie, its easy cultivation, and for a few years, abundant crops. The town of Bloomington was set off from Bear Creek at the same time with Nelson July 20, 1857 and organized at the next town election. At the annual meeting of the countj^- board in 1858 the name was changed to Maxville as a compiliment to Mr. Maxvell. Joe Scafe was then living at the place now owned and occupied by Barney McDonough. Some pretended toJiim that they could not spell the name of the town. Joe was ready for them! It is spelled with a hem, a hai, a hex, a ve, a hi, a double hell and he. He v\ras English, you know! He lives now in Missouri. After a while the prairie was exhausted, and Coleman and a number of others left in course of time, but in about the same measure as the prairie became deserted, the bluffs became cleared and cultivated. Barney McDonough and some of Wra. Allison's family are still residents. Of old settlers I may mention Johnson, Yarrington, Jas. B. Gref::n and others, also J. B. Mace, Morrris Towers, the Carrolls in Mosquito Hollow on the other side of the bluffs etc. Some few remain, others have taken the places of those who left. There was once a postoffice on the prairie, near the schoolhouse of District No. 1, and once there also was a good country store. Both are things of the past. The poplation is American and Irish, The northern part of the town is not very far from Durand, Pepin Co., and does its trading there, where they also have their postoffice. The southern end is adjacent to Little Bear Creek, and trades at Wis'ha Mokwa, Nelson and some times at Wabasha. -

Town Of Milton

The original town of Milton was laid out July 20, 1857, and was much larger than the present one. In May 1858 the name was changed into Eagle Mills, a cheap advertisement of Fetter's and Mehrrnann's mill, or perhaps because this mill and the dam^^ necessary for the mill, and at the same time a highway, caused so much noise and contention. This con tant drain on the county treasury and consequent dissatisfaction finally resulted in the vacation and distribution of the town of Eagle Mills, in which the Town of Waumandee received the northern part, that of Buffalo the remainder. All this is, however, sufficiently explained in the chapter on Organization. When the village of Fountain City was incorporated the town of Milton was reorganized, embracing, however, only those parts which had fallen to Buffalo in the distribution above mentioned. These are described as follows:

The western part is level and swampy, the soil sand with a shallow layer of arable earth, the eastern and southern part is hilly and contains the lower parts of the valleys of the Waumandee Creek and of Eagle Creek, containing a notable portion of swampy meadows, but good soil on the slopes and on top of the bluffs. Adam Weber, one of the pioneers, settled finally in 1853 at the entrance of Eagle Creek Valley, Michael Obermeier in the same year north of him. Soon after and before 1856, Benedict Haney, Henry Kessler, sen., Jacob Blum, Sebastian Klett and Ludwig Moehlenpah came. The brothers Kammueller must have been among the earlier settlers. Carl Rieck and family came Oct. 1855 and so the town filled up. The first election in the original town was held in 1858 in the house of Fred. Binder, resultiag in election of Ferd. B''etter for chairman and Fred. Binder for clerk. There never was a postofRce in this town. Regarding the mill, see chapter on Manufactures, regarding first school see Education. The population of Milton is all German.

Town Of Modena

The description of the Town of Modena is Township 23 of Range 12. The surface is hilly with the exception of some small parts in the western boundary line. The same parts are also sandy, while valleys as well as the surface of the bluffs consist of excellent agricultural lands. The town was set off at the annual meeting of the county board in 1861 and organized next spring. The land had previously belonged to two adjoining towns, the east, half to Gilmanton, the west half to Nelson, which now are situated as described. On the north is Canton, on the south Alma. The settlement of this town was somewhat delayed in comparison with adjacent towns and the first was made by Wm. Odell sr., and his sons, David White and Wm. Odell jr., in 1858. The following year J.W. McKay settled, Fred. Sisson, and R. P. Goddard came in 1860, David Lamphers, Thomas Shane, probably Orlando Brown and others came in 1861 or settled in Brown's Valley at that time. But the great influx of population was about and after the passage of the homestead act, which was taken advantage of by different people, especially by Norwegians in the western half of the town. -A postofBce was established in 1863, and was kept on what is called the Carpenter place, then belonging to Benjamin F. Babcock, the first postmaster. The office was since that time held by B. F. Babcock, O. Brown, E. P. Sweet, W. H. Dunham, L. Hanan, E. J. Carpenter, B. P. Babcock again. Miss M. Babcock, M. N. Goddard, Chas. Ducklow and now is held by N. J. Canar at his house.

There is something like a village in Section 23, not, of course, incorporated, nor regularly laid out, containing stores, schoolhouse, two blacksmithshops, the mill etc. and also the postoffice. The plat is not recorded, but is in the Atlas. There is another postoffice in this town called Urne and situated on Section 6 which was established 1872 for the accommodation of the people of the upper valleys of Little Bear Creek. The postmasters of that office are named in the table in the chapter on transportation. With regard to first school, the mil), religious societies etc. see the pro- per chapters. The population of the town consists of a majority of Norwegians, a considerable number of Americans and some Germans. The trade of this town is yet largely with Alma to which place the road is mostly level.

Town Of Mondovi

The territory of the town of Mondovi is Township 24 of Range 11. It is bounded on the north by the town of Albany in Pepin Co., on the east by Naples, on the south by Gilmanton and on the west by Canton. Beef River flows through Section 13 in a western, through Section 14 in southwestern and through other sections in a generally almost southern direction. The northern part is comparatively level and adjoins the valley of Big Bear Creek. From the hills of this plain and those in the town of Albany flow some streams which form what has been named Farrington's Creek. From the heights in the southern part of the town Dillon's Creek flows toward Beef River. The soil in the corner between this latter creek and the river is largely sandy up to the foot of the hills and there is some sandy land west of the village near the river, but otherwise the land is of as good quality as in most towns. The southwestern part of the town is very hilly, with many valleys between the bluffs. The original town of Naples, of which Mondovi is the western part was set off in the shape it had for so long a time on the 20th day of March 1857, and in 1881 at the annual meeting of the county board the separation of the two towns into Mondovi and Naples was resolved upon.

The first settlers in this town came in 1855 and were H. P. L. D. and P. Farrington, Wm. Van Waters, Thos. Glasspool and Harvey Brown. Rev. B. F. Morse came in 1856. Luther Eager and family came the same year, also John Callahan. At the first election Orlando Brown was chosen chairman, Harvey Brown town clerk, J. W. Bump treasurer and L. D. Farrington assessor. It must be remembered that at this election, and only this the town of Naples consisted of Townships 23 and 24 Ranges 10 and 11 and that Hon. 0. Brown then lived in Townshij> 23 R ii There were only 19 votes at this election, which does not seem to indicate a very dense population for such a large town. The fi marriage was that of Mr. and Mrs. Billings and the knot was tied

The village of Mondovi is laid out about the corner of ?ec. 11, 12, 13 and 14 and the plat recorded in Vol. 4, page 560, May 17, 1869. It is situated upon a level plateau, perhaps fifty feet above the surface of Beef River. It has a very handsome situation and contains numerous stores, two hotels, three churches, a handsome schoolbuilding, two mills, one newspaper etc. Of the churches I have given a lengthy history in the chapter on Religion; the mills are mentioned in the chapter on Manufactures. The village has, according to the census of 1885, 340 inhabitants almost exclusively Americans from the New England .and other eastern states. Some years ago, especially before the construction of the Chippewa Valley railroad, the trade of this region was principally tributary to Alma, as present but very little of it, if any, goes in that direction. Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls furnished always a very good market for cattle, " hogs, eggs and butter and do so yet, though somewhat divided with Durand as a nearer shipping place.

The population outside of the village is' mostly American in the neighborhood of the village, but largely Norwegian in the southwest part of the town. There are also a number of Irish families in different parts of the town.

Town Of Montana

The surface of the town is very rugged, but Bull's Valley and its continuation southwards along Waumandee Creek are wide, and most of Danuser's Valley is also wide, while the side valleys are located between steep bluffs, the northern range of which divides the Elk Creek Valley from Bull's Valley oi rather the upper valley of Waumandee Creek. The eastside of the town belongs to the basin of Trempealeau River. There are numerous swampy places along those creeks that cannot be used for anything but meadows. The land which admits of profitable tillage

- in the valleys as well as on the bluff, is of good quality. Montana is bounded on the north by Dover, on the east by the town of Burnside in Trempealeau County, on the south by Glencoe and Waumandee, on the west by Lincoln. The first settlers within the limits of the town were in that part which is in Range 11 and formerly belonged to Waumandee. The families of Dlrich Von Wald and Christ Kindschy sen., were the first, and came in 1856, also August Helwig, and they settled on adjoining sections. They wore for two years the only settlers. A Mr. Bull settled at the entrance of the valley which was named after him. His place was on the turn of the old state road wcstvvards. John Bugbee was for a long time the only- settler in Bull's Valley, but as he went to the war in 1861, 1 can not say whether he settled before or after that. In Danuser's Valley Conrad Christ and Andrew Florin settled in 1858, Florian Schnoller arid Balthasar Carish in 1859. A Frederick Schmidt also settled there, receiving from a small tamarack swamp near his residence the sobriquet of Tamarack Schmidt. At the time when I first got acquainted with that neighborhood Florian 'Danuser, Thomas Gasser, J. G. Senty, George, John and Leonhard Flury, Martin Nick, Wm. Pieper, Carl Koenig, Gregory Ripley, Geo. Dascher, John Durisch, Christ. Veraguth and others were all living in Danuser Valley or some side valleys, but Bugbee was still alone in Bull's Valley. Henry Wieraer, Carl Herzfeld and the brothers Henry and Ludwig Pabe were the first residents beyond the mountains. This was as late as 1866. So far the eastern part still belonged to Glencoe, the western to Waumandee.

On the 8th of July 1867 the new town of Montana was set off, and organized 1858 at the town meeting held in the log schoolhouse on Danuser's land, Peter Theissen was elected chairman and J. P. Remich clerk. Both of them had come but the year before and hailed from-the eastern part of Wisconsin. Before that time Caspar Meili, sen.. Math. Hansen, Caspar Rupp, Michael Gebus and Jacob Weisenberger and Fred Zeller had been settlers for some time. The railroad land in the town had become open to entry and homesteads were taken up rapidly, so that in a s.iort time the town was well peopled.

Hellmann, Justice of the Peace, performed the ceremonies on the same day and place. The first child born in the town was George Kindschy, son of Christ, and Elizabeth Kindschy. About scliools, churches, etc., see the appropriate chapters. A postoffice was established in 1870. The first postmaster was Fred Zeller, after him Christ. Kindschy, jr., John Kindschy, John Meuh, Aug, Helwig, jr., and xMr.s. C. Walker. The population of Montana is mostly German, with some few Irish, Norwegians and Poles.

Town Op Naples

The Town of Naples is contained in Township 24, Range 10. It is in the northeast corner of the county, and bounded on the north by the town of Drammen in Eau Claire Co., on the east by the town of Albion in Trempealeau (]o., on the south by Dover, on the west by Mondovi. The surface of the town is hilly along the southern boundarj' and these hills or bluffs send their spurs northwards towards Beef River, where they are rounded off, and the valleys between tliem shallow and wide. Along the northern boundary the hills are continuous and one spur extends to the neighborhood of Mondovi. Between this spur and the higher bluffs Bond's Valley is situated, which extends partly into the town of Mondovi. Along Beef River, more or less on both sides sandy plains extend, among the hills there is some swampy land, and the soil is onlj' in a few places rich.

The present town of Naples is the eastern half of the old town of that name, from which the town of Mondovi was separated by a resolution of the eountyboard at its annual meeting in 1881. By its organization at the town meeting in spring 1882 the new town with its old name went into its independent existence. The first chairman was Henry Adams, tiie first clerk L. A. Merritt.

The settlement of the town began at about the same time as that of Mondovi. Henry Adams came in 18-55 and returned to settle in 1856. John LeGore also came in 1855. They were for some time almost the only settlers east of Mondovi and south of Beef River. Both are yet living in the town. It is unfortunate, that there are no more authentic reports about other settlers, of whom many may hav^ come soon after the above. In the absence of these rejjorts I can only give the names of those whom I know by report to have been there a long time. Among them are John Pace, Obed Hilliard, M. S. Merritt, L. A. Merritt, Alexander

Harvey, Joseph Bond, W. B. Rowe, H. Knapp, S. E. Hanscome, Adam Alt, J. E. Rosman and others, who came at different times. Prom the great number of Norwegians in the town, most of whom went on homesteads, it may be concluded that before 1863 the population was not very numerous. Most of the earliest settlers were Americans. With regard to schools, churches etc. see the chapters on Education, Religion, Agriculture etc.

Town Of Nelson

In the town of Nelson we find the following land: 1. All of the fractional Township 22, Range 13, from section 1 to 24, as far as the sections exist. 2. The whole Township 22, Range 14, of which th^^re are but few sections, mostly fractional. 3. All of Township 23, Range 13. 4. All of Township 23, Range 14, that is situated east of the Chippewa River, The eastern half of the town, and almost all of Township 23, Range 13, is very hilly, with deep valleys, from which Trout Creek flows to Beef River, the other Creeks flow partly to Beef Slough, partly to Little Bear Creek. The western part, though level, is mostly swamp land, through which Beef Slough and its many ramifications extend. In Township 23, Range 14, there is a strip of sandy land, which is high above the slough and between it and the hills. Bluflf lands and valleys show the sanie character as elsewhere in the county, but there is quite a considerable area of woodland in the town. The town of Nelson was established in July 1857, jjrobably in about the same shape and extent which it now has, except that the western half of the present town of Modena also belonged to it. The northern mile strip, as it is now called, seems to have been apportioned to Maxville, but was added to Nelson in 1867, separated from it again in 1883, and returned to Nelson by a resolution of the county board at its last annual session. The town is bounded on the west by the Chippewa and Mississippi Rivers, on the south by the city and the town of Alma, on the east by the towns of Alma and Modena, on the north by the town of Maxville. It is the largest town in the county. Settlements of a desultory kind were probably commenced early along the Mississippi and possibly on the Chippewa, but the first settler of whom we know is Madison Wright, who came in 1848 and about whom see chapter on Pioneers. Next after him came Christian Schaeublin probably in 1851. From a statement of Mr, W, H. Gates it appears that in 1852 he came to Nelson's Landing, but settled in Alma 1855. The greater part of the early settlers caaao in 1855 among them Hon. J. L. Hallock, Hon. John Burgess, Andrew Dewitt, Ira Lawrence, Hartman Kohlhepp, Peter Mathew. In the following year Erick Alma, Ole Hanson, John Christenson, Wilson Crippin and others began settlement; in 1857 J S. DeGroff, Luther Hewitt, Archibald Bell and H. H. Hurlburt, and others. After this period it would be tedious to enumerate all the new arrivals, but a good number of them will be found in the lists of early settlers.

The first birth is said to have been a child of Christian and Barbara Schaeublin. The earliest marriage on record to have been solemnized by Wilson Crippin, Esq., was that of Henry Case to Mary Gumbert Nov. 24, 1857, which would precede that of E. A. Warner and Mrs. Dickens by some weeks or months. Among the first deaths was a daughter of Ira Lawrence, who died of the bite of a rattlesnake.

The first election was held at the house of E. A. Warner on Sec. 8, T. 22, R. 13. There were only eight votes, and Wilson Crippin was elected chairman, John Burgess clerk and treasurer; this was in J 858. One of the most influential men of the town, though not one of the earliest settlers was Alexander Swim, a native of Illinois, who lived on the land afterwards owned and occupied by Isaac Butler.

There are at present two postoffices in the town, Nelson and Misha Mokwa. The exact date of the establishment of Nelson post office I was unable to to learn, but as E. A. Warner was the first postmaster, it was not established before 1858 as he had come but a short time before. Nor can I give the exact date when it was transferred to Ed.Giebel, who at that time kept store near the old Farmers' Home Tavern. J. P. Butler, the present postmaster, was appointed July 28, 1886. The office is now kept in the village of Fairview near the railroad station of

Misha Mokwa postoffice was established in 1871. Jas. W. Kelly was the first postmaster. After him the following gentlemen succeeded each other in the office: J. K. Latschaw, Robert Aitkin, J B. Green, Jas. Imrie, Allen H. DeGroff and Wm. Chafee, who was appointed March 15, 1887. The office is kept in the village

Besides this village there are now two others laid out in this town besides an addition. The first in point of time is Fairview, about half a mile northwest of Nelson station, the plat of which was recorded Sept. 5, 1884, in Vol. 33, page.

The Village of Nelson is laid out adjacent to the station of the Burlington and Northern railroad. Misha Mokwa contains a gristmill, one store and one hotel besides other houses. Fairview has several saloons, one store and one blacksmith shop, Nelson one store, one hotel and two saloons, besides "warehouses, depot, coalmagazine, and, I think, the schoolhouse of Dist. No. 5 and a Catholic church, which is not yet completed.

The population of this town is very much mixed, but Germans and Norwegians constitute the majority of it, with the rest Americans, and some Scotch.

Town Of Waumandee

Before the formation of the towns of Montana in 1867 and Lincoln in 1871, the town of Waumandee embraced the Townships 21 and 22 of Range 11 with the eastern tier of sections in T. 21, R. 12 except Sec 13, and also Sec. 25 and 36 of T, 22, R. 12. The two entire townships constituted the' original town, the sections on the west were annexed in the course of settlement in order to afford settlers communications on legal roads, which could not but lead into Little Waumandee Valley or else in the direction to the main Waumandee Valley road. The northwest part of T. 22, R. 11, lay across the bluffs in Hutphjnson Valley and Sec.

0 and 6 were annexed to Alma, for similar reasons, as the sections on the east side of Belvidere had been annexed to Waumandee in former times. In the organization of the above named towns the northern township has been entirely taken away, but at the discontinuance of the town ofEagle Mills the parts in township 20 were added and retained at the reorganization of the town of Milton in 1870 by the legislature. The cause of this is stated in the chapter on Organization. Bluffs and valleys are described in Topography, but it is to be remarked that it is principally the lower course of the two Waumandee Creeks, which lies within the limits of the present town. The land in the immediate neighborhood of the creeks is frequently smampy though at present less, so than formerly. Most of the soil in the valleys is excellent and as the valleys constitute the greater part of the town, it may by rights be said that in regard to agriculture this town ranks first of all towns of the county. A few farms within the limits of this town are on Bluffs principally in the southern and southeastern part of Township 21. They are of the usual quality of bluflf lands. Wood is comparatively scarce within the town, but certainly not as much as in some towns farther north.

Settlements within the town in its former extension began in 1853 with Henry Mueller and M. Profitlich, but in 1854 the first settlers began work in the Big Waumandee Valley. Theodore Meuli seems to have been the first to build on the place now occu- 'pied by the family of J. C. Ganz. A few months later J. P. Runkel settled on his place and Ulrich Knecht in the same neighborhood also J. H. Manz. Robert Henry settled on Scotch Prairie, Carl Suhr and Fred. Schoepp in T. 20. It is possible that John Bringolf came the same year. The following year Conrad Ulrich and his brother George and their brother-in-law John Schmidt, settled in the town, also John Kirchner and family, and Herman and Julius Altmann, Peter Tierney, Mathias Waters, M. Milan, and JohnMaurer and perhaps Christian Schoepp, sen., and family, also Robert Krause. I think Jacob Angst, sen., and family came also in that year. In 1856 John Benston, Adam Klingel, Christ. Mosimann, sen., John Eichtmann, Chas. Hohmann, Henry Waelty, John Ochsner, Jacob Wirth and John Oertly. The latter settled in T. 22. In 1857 Robert Keith settled with a numerous family on Section 25, T. 21, R. 12, Jacob Hauert about half a mile south- west of him, John Neukomm in Schoepp's Valley, J- C. Ganz on Theodore Meuli's place, Mordecai Johnson on the bluff and Fred. Morgan in Eagle Valley, Peter Ruf in Little Waumandee, Zacharias Thaldorfin Oak Valjey. Michael Sendelbach, Aug. Karnath and John Farner also came. In 185^ John Baer may have come to Waumandee, but I remember of his having in 1859 a small clearing just north of the line of Buffalo City on the slough, where he lived. Wm. Thompson came the same year, John Turton the next, also Conrad Ochsner and Wm. Heyden. To enumerate later arrivals would make this sketch tedious.

The first birth was John Tierney a son of Peter Tierney. He was born Jan. 25, 1856. John Waters makes the same claim. The first marriage was that of Herman Altmann to Caroline Kirchner in 1855. The deata of Joseph Kneoht occurred in the same year, so the Atlas says.

At that time there was no mill in operation in this valley or neighborhood and the earliest settlers were obliged to go to Rollingstone to get their grain reduced to flour. That they also had to get groceries and other necessary things in Fountain City or Alma was a matter of course. In 1862 Caspar Schmitz and his wife, now Mrs, Bach, came to the Big Waumandee and began to keep store and saloon near the Catholic Church, and things began to assume an air of civilization. The organization of the town was begun by a resolution of the county board March 13th, 1856 and perfected at the election a few weeks afterwards. It filled up rapidly and about 1870-80 could boast of two stores, two taverns, several blacksmith shops in different parts etc. These were the flush times when crops were large and prices good. But though crops are not so abundant as in those times, farming is still remunerative in the town, only it is more diversified.

There are two post offices in this town, Waumandee and Anchorage. Waumandee postofiBce was established in 1857. J. H. Manz was the first postmaster and held the ofl&ce until 1865, when he turned it over to John Kirchner, who in turn was followed in 1871 by his son Charles Kirchner, the present postmaster. Anchorage postoffice was established Feb. 12, 1868. Hon. Robert

Concerning schools, churches, mills, roads and other things see the chapters on Education, Religion, Manufactures, Agriculture, Transportation etc.

The history of each town is, as I am well aware rather short, and may to some people be unsatisfactory. But, after having treated elaborately of the county as a unit, I could afford to be short in regard to separate towns. Errors and ommissions may also be detected, but for some of them corrections may be found in the " List of Early Settlers," in the lists of " Soldiers," and some seeming contradictions may without much trouble be rectified by slight allowances one way or the other. It is impossible to mentien every one, and some have perhaps been omitted, because I was afraid of falling into errors in regard to them. The reader will find that on the whole I have endeavored to be as impartial as possible. This is one of the reasons why the histories of the separate towns were made so short.

From some of the towns very little information was furnished to me, but if I had made the history of one town so much longer than that of others, there would have been some of the citizens of the seemingly neglected towns who would have ascribed the difference to partiality. Little as I am influenced by clamors of that sort, I wanted to remove the cause for it. In the compilation of these histories I have now and then been obliged to consult the Atlas of Buffalo County on historical points but have done so reluctantly. I have characterized the kind of information in the Atlas as well as the History of Northern Wisconsin before, as collected by strangers and often of persons who overlooked the fact that their own knowledge was only traditional. Experience has taught me a Jesson, during the compilation of this book, a lesson of caution, which increased my natural disposition to criticism, not for the purposes of rebuke and punishment but for the single and superior interest of truth.

Remarks On Map

The map of Bufifalo County annexed to this book is intended to show the general features, especially the creeks and rivers. The boundaries of the towns are incidentally introduced as well as the names. The numbers of the sections have been omitted so as not to crowd or darken it. Those who have been living here for some time must be supposed to have some understanding of the arrangement of sections in a township, and also of the relations of townships and ranges to each other. For these the explanations in the chapter on Topography is certainly sufficient. The numbers of ranges will be found on the top, along the northern boundary line, those of townships on the right hand, partly close to the eastern boundary. The lines indicating railroads were only intended to give the approximate situation, since in a map on so small a scale much more could not be expected. The boundary lines are indicated by lines consisting of dashes and dots between them. Latitude and longitude are indicated according to the statements in "Topography."

The County Board of Supervisors of this county has, on application of a majority of residents, restored the much discussed Mile Strip, that is the northern tier of Sections in the Township 23 of ranges 13 and 14 to the town of Nelson, so that now the boundary line, indicated by dots and dashes, should be one mile north of where it is indicated on the map. This change could not be foreseen at the time when the map was made or when it was printed. I had not even a suspicion of it, or I might have taken courage to effect it on paper at once.

I may be permitted to give a hint to those who may wish the lines of town boundaries a little more conspicuous. One way of making them so is to follow them with red ink, filling the spaces between dots and dashes; another way is to follow them with dry colors in pencils red, blue etc., those, who understand the application of them, will use water colors.