Clark County, Wisconsin - Chapter 7: Early County Government, 1918

The First Period in the government of Clark County is the Pine Valley Period, dating from Nov. 14, 1854, to June 6, 1857.' During this period the supervisors of Pine Valley sat as the supervisors of Clark County. The wheels of government were set in motion, a contract was let for building the court house, taxes were levied, financial matters adjusted, and two townships created, thus making three in all. Even as early as this, the matter of delinquent taxes had begun to be a problem.

The Second Period in the government of Clark County is the Adjustment Period dating from June 6, 1857, to March 3, 1862.° The attention of the board during this period was largely devoted to financial matters, The first court house was completed and occupied, and the first provision made for county help in the matter of roads and bridges. Adjustments were made between the old town of Pine Valley, which embraced all the county, and the newly created townships. Plats of the county were procured, and an abstract of Clark County land entries was obtained from the land offices at La Crosse and Eau Claire. Paupers were proving an increasing expense, both for support and burial. But the bulk of the business which was before the board concerned the tax certificates on land on which the taxes had become delinquent.

The Third Period was the Commissioner Period. The Commissioner System * of County Government went into effect Jan. 1, 1862, and the period in Clark County extends from March 3, 1862, to May 23, 1870.* Under this system Clark County was to be governed not by a board consisting of the chairman of each township but by three supervisors or commissioners elected by districts. However, the change was not so great in Clark as in some other counties, for the board had formerly consisted of but three members, and the boundaries of the new supervisor districts were made to coincide with the boundaries of the three townships, the only difference being that the supervisors were elected as such, and an election as town chairman carried with it no membership on the county board. The question of finances still continued to be an important one. Little cash was to be had; it was difficult for the county to secure enough actual cash to pay the state tax and outside expenses. County orders and tax certificates continued to be the medium of exchange in county affairs, and to a certain extent the same became true of township and county orders. Unpaid taxes and the accumulated tax certificates occupied much of the attention of all the boards of this period, several changes being made in the methods of handling the matter. The county during this period appropriated various funds for the building of bridges, and beginning with $7,000 in 1868 made an annual tax levy for several years to pay for the improvement on the main Black River road. A jail was erected and a poor farm started. Bonds of $100,000 were voted for the Green Bay, Lake Pepin Railway, but were never issued, as the conditions were not complied with.

The boards took but little action in regard to the Civil War. December 23, 1863, a bounty of $10 a month to the families of married men, and a lump sum of $100 to bachelors, was voted to residents who should enlist to fill the county quota, and the money for this purpose was to be raised by the sale of tax certificates, a special provision being made to encourage the sale of certificates on cut-over pine lands. Later it was determined that in case of the death of a volunteer his family should continue to receive the monthly bounty. The townships of Lynn, Mentor, Grant and Eaton were created.

The Fourth or Modern Period of county government dates from March, 1870,° when the supervisor system was resumed. By this time the county had been divided into eight townships, Eaton, Grant, Levis, Loyal, Lynn, Mentor, Pine Valley and Weston, and the board therefore consisted of eight members, one from each township. At the meeting of May 12, 1874, standing committees were appointed on: 1 - Claims of sheriff, justice and constables ; 2 - Illegal tax claims; 3 - General claims; 4 - Town organization; 5 - Appropriations ; 6 - Printing and printers' claims; and since then the system of transacting the business of the county largely by committees, under the general supervision of the county board, has been in vogue.

The act creating Clark County provided that a county judge should be elected on the first Monday in September, 1853, and that the county officers should be chosen at the regular November election of that year, the voting place to be at O'Neill's Mills, and the county seat on Section 2, Township 24, Range 2 West (Weston's Rapids). The county treasurer and the clerk were directed to divide the county into towns at least four weeks previous to the spring election of 1853. But no organization was perfected: under this act, and on March 23, 1854, the legislature passed a supplementary act, stipulating that the whole county should be organized as one township, that the supervisors of that one township (Pine Valley) should be the supervisors of the county until other townships were created, and that the town officers should act as county officers until such coun ty officers as were necessary should be elected in the fall of 1854, The first election of Pine Valley Township was held April 4, 1854. The minutes of that township have been preserved since that date.

At this first meeting, held at the home of James O'Neill, Sr., the following officers were elected: Supervisors, James O'Neill, Sr. (chairman), James French and Hugh Wedge; clerk, B. F. French; treasurer, B. F. French; justices, Moses Clark and James Conlin; assessor, James O'Neill, Sr.; constable, B. F. French; superintendent of schools, James O'Neill, Sr.; overseer of highways, James Conlin, Conrad Dell and Elijah Eaton.

County government in Clark County was inaugurated Nov. 14, 1854, when James O'Neill, Sr., James French, Edward Tompkins, Benjamin F, French, Moses Clark, and S. C. Boardman met at the home of James O'Neill,

Sr., in what is now the village of Neillsville. James O'Neill, Sr., James French and Edward Tompkins (who replaced Hugh Wedge) were the supervisors of Pine Valley Township, who were to sit as the supervisors of the newly created county. Benjamin F. French was the town clerk, and Moses Clark was the justice of the peace. Samuel C. Boardman was the newly elected register of deeds and clerk of the district court. Seated at the kitchen table, Benjamin F. French and Moses Clark canvassed the vote of the election held the week previous. These two gentlemen then withdrew from the table, and the other four held the first county board meeting.

James O'Neill, Sr., was appointed chairman. In order that the business of the county might not be hampered should the validity of the fall election be called in question, Benjamin F. French as treasurer, and Samuel C. Boardman as clerk, both previously elected, were secured in their position by an appointment of the board. The treasurer's bonds, fixed at $500, were duly accepted. The assessment roll of Pine Valley for 1854 was equalized and approved as returned by the assessor, and on this roll a levy was made of $350 for incidental expenses and salaries, $482.78 for state taxes, and 214 mills school tax for the coming term. George Gale was voted $25 counsel fees for his services in connection with the creation of the county. An allowance of $2 a day was made to the canvassers of election. At the adjourned meeting held the next day, the only business transacted was the allowance of $4.00 and expenses to each of the supervisors for two days' service, and $4.00 to the clerk, the supervisors thus presenting the interesting incident of charging the county $2 for a "day's" services which consisted solely in voting money to themselves and clerk. In addition to the pay for two days' services, Mr. French was to: receive twelve cents and Mr. Tompkins twenty-four cents for walking to the meeting.

On Jan. 1, 1855, the board, in addition to financial appropriations, established the office of the treasurer, clerk of court and register of deeds, at the home of James O'Neill, Sr. It was also ordered that a suitable desk, books, stationery, and seal be purchased for county use with the first money in the county treasury not otherwise appropriated, or, if no money came into the treasury, the purchase was to be made "at the expense of the county," meaning doubtless on the county's credit. The device of the seal was to be "a river with a large pine on its bank." The meeting of March 27, 1855, was devoted to financial matters. Already taxes had become delinquent and delinquent land sale notices had been posted.

The board elected in the spring of 1855 consisted of Hugh Wedge, Harris Searle and J. M. Hackett. At the first meeing held Noy. 13, 1855, Isaac P. Cummings sat in place of J. M. Hackett, who was ill, The next day Mr. Cummings was appointed town treasurer of Pine Valley to fill a vacancy.

In the spring of 1856, the whole county still consisted of Pine Valley Township, and consequently its supervisors, James O'Neill, Sr. (chairman), James Sturdevant and James French became the supervisors of Clark County. Their first meeting was held July 14, 1856. At that meeting it was voted to establish the county treasurer's office at the home of Nathan

M. Clapp, who was serving as deputy clerk. The annual meeting, adjourned from day to day in November, was finally held on the afternoon of November 19, On the next day the towns of Levis and Weston were established. The town of Levis, as created, embraced all of the county in Township 23, the present townships of Levis, Dewhurst, Washburn and Sherwood. The first town meeting was to be held at the mouth of Wedge's Creek. The town of Weston embraced all of Townships 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, Ranges 1 East, and 1, 2, 3, 4 West, as well as Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in Township 24, Range 2, that is, all the present towns of Thorp, Withee, Hixon, Hoard, Mayville, Worden, Reseburg, Longwood, Green Grove, Colby, Butler, Mead, Warner, Beaver, Unity, Hendren, Eaton, Loyal, Sherman, Seif, Weston, York, Tremont, the north two-thirds of Mentor, ten townships now in Taylor County, and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in what is now Pine Valley. The first meeting was to be held at Weston's Bridge.

The town of Pine Valley then consisted of all of Township 24, within the county, except the north tier of sections in Range 2 West, that is, all the present towns of Lynn, Grant and Hewett, the south third of Mentor, and all of Pine Valley, except the mile strip embracing Sections 1, 2, 3, 4,5 and 6. The first town meeting was to be held at Neillsville.

The building of the first court house was inaugurated Nov. 22, 1856, when the board voted to purchase the Neillsville public square of two acres and twenty rods, in the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 14, Township 24, Range 2 West, for $300 in county orders, and to levy a tax of $2,000 for the building of a court house and county offices. January 2, 1857, the bids for the court house were opened. The lowest bid of $1,800, by James Furlong, was withdrawn, and the contract was let to Edward Furlong at $1,895. In April, 1857, a great land sale was held, the list of delinquent taxes being so long that its publication in the Jackson County Banner had cost the county $250.80, no less than 1,380 delinquents appearing on it.

The county having been divided into three townships, the town board of Pine Valley ceased to be the county board of Clark County, in 1857. June 6, 1857, the new board, consisting of the chairmen of Pine Valley, Levis and Weston townships, met with James O'Neill, Sr., as chairman, and Levi Moore and Harris Searle as members. At the fall meeting an aggregate valuation of $819,787.63 was placed on the real and personal property of the county, the valuation being $573,397.13 in Weston; $199,- 361.00 in Pine Valley, and $47,029.50 in Levis. To the various appropriations made it was decided to add $1,000 for the payment of delinquent taxes, thus making a budget of $3,171.48, of which Weston was assessed $2,218.34; Pine Valley, $770.80, and Levis, $182.34. A school tax of 14 mill was laid in Weston, of 1 mill in Pine Valley, and of 3 mills in Levis. For bridges across the Cawley Creek, Rock Creek and Popple River in Weston Township, $1,000 was appropriated, the bridge across Black River at Weston's Rapids, having being built and paid for earlier in the year. Wolves having proved a great menace to the settlers, a bounty of 50 cents was voted for the scalps of those killed within the county. The board of 1858 consisted of Daniel Gates (chairman), James O'Neill, Sr., and Harris

In March, 1858, the board duly entered in their proceedings the following: Ordered, that 8. C. Boardman be allowed $45 for a bottle of wine for pauper; also for one stove for court house, also for shovel and pipe and for half a quire of paper. The payment of $45 for a bottle of wine for a pauper furnishes ground for interesting speculation.

February 7, 1859, James French became a member of the board in place of Daniel Gates, who had been elected sheriff, and James O'Neill, Sr., was made chairman, On the same date it was ordered that the register of deeds, clerk of the board of supervisors, clerk of the circuit court and supervisors should maintain their offices in the court house, but that the treasurer would be permitted to have his office at his store in Neillsville. The board for 1859 held its first meeting July 11, the members being James .- O'Neill, Sr. (chairman), of Pine Valley, G. M. Arnold of Levis, and Samuel Cawley, of Weston. In the fall a county tax was laid of $5,570.46 for the ensuing year, of which $1,600 was to defray the expenses of the coming year, and $3,970.46 to pay outstanding orders and accounts. The town of Weston was to pay $3,745.18, the town of Pine Valley, $1,432.78, and the town of Levis, $392.49. Of the state tax Weston was to pay $1,181.83, Pine Valley $452.12, and Levis $123.85. In January, 1860, a contract was made with W. B. Berry to put an underpinning under the court house for $210 in tax certificates. 5S. N. Dickinson (chairman), Pine Valley, B. F. French of Levis, and Charles Renne of Weston, constituted the board for 1860. The first meeting was held April 17, 1860. On the delinquent tax list of March 12, 1860, there were no fewer than 3,338 descriptions of property. A bill had been presented for the publication of 4,536 descriptions at 25 cents each, but it was found that nearly all the lands had been advertised in forty-acre tracts instead of in 80- or 160-acre tracts as they had been returned. April 24, a bounty of $5 on wolf scalps was voted. April 24, 1860, it was ordered that no accounts be paid unless sworn to and verified by affidavits. On the same day $10,000 in tax certificates were voted for the aid of roads and bridges, $5,000 to Weston, $4,000 to Pine Valley, and $1,000 to Levis. January 7, 1861, these sums were halved, and a condition imposed that the towns were to redeem the certificates "without recourse to the county." June 12, 1860, began the trouble between the board and the county treasurer, which continued until after the treasurer went out of office. The treasurer several times refused to allow the board access to the tax certificates and to his records. He sued the county for certain items of expense and lost his case. The board declared the treasurer's bond forfeited and directed the district attorney to bring suit against him. The matter was finally adjusted, the treasurer in time presenting a complete account of the affairs of his office. As a result of the trouble, the treasurer's office was on June 14, 1860, ordered established at the court house.

December 8, 1860, the boundary between Pine Valley and Weston was altered. July 8, 1861, in preparation for the new commission system of county government, the county was divided into three commissioner's districts, Levis to constitute the first district, Pine Valley the second, and Weston the third.

The commissioner system of county government went into effect Jan. 1, 1862. The three supervisors elected Nov. 5, 1861, Geo. M. Arnold, from the First District (Levis), S. N. Dickinson from the Second District (Pine Valley), and Charles Renne from the Third District (Weston), failed fo qualify, a special election was held Feb. 21, 1862, at which Geo. M. Arnold was chosen from the First District, Richard Dewhurst from the Second, and Samuel Cawley from the Third. Their first meeting was held March 3, 1862, and on the third ballot Mr. Arnold was chosen chairman. March 21, 1862, the board created Lynn Township, consisting of the present towns of Fremont and Lynn, and all of Grant, except the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

The second board of commissioners consisted of Samuel Cawley (chairman) from the Third District, James Sturdevant from the Second District, and Geo. M. Arnold from the First District. There were now four townships, but the boundaries of the three districts remained unchanged. January 10, 1863, the order of Dec. 4, 1861, was amended to raise the salary of the county superintendent from $25 to $3800. November 11, 1863, it was reported that the state tax amounted to $1,559.20, a reduction of more than a thousand dollars as compared with the previous year. Buta county tax of $6,000 was levied, an increase of $2,500 over the previous year. Of this $500 was for building a bridge across the Black River west of Neillsville. December 2, 1863, the still pending difference with Chauncey Blakeslee, former treasurer, was settled, the county withdrawing its suit and accepting $1,846.47 as payment in full of all claims against the former official.

December 23, 1863, two years and nine months after the first shot of the Civil War, the county board took its first action in regard to fhe great conflict. On that date a bounty was voted to encourage the volunteer enlistment of actual residents of the county to fill the county quota, bachelors to receive $100 at the time of enlistment, and the families of married men to receive $10 a month during service, payable quarterly in advance.

To raise funds for this bounty, the board, in addition to appropriation all money which might be received from the sale of tax certificates, made a special arrangement for the sale of cut-over pine lands. Certificates on such lands were to be sold at 50 per cent of the face and interest value, but the purchasers of a tract must take up any certificates which might be outstanding against the tract for 1859, 1860, 1861 and 1862, and must file an affidavit as to when and by whom the land was cut over.

The board for 1864 consisted of James Sturdevant (chairman) from the Second District, Samuel Cawley from the Third, and GC. W. Benedict from the First. Land titles assumed a more definite form on June 5, when in accordance with the statutes the register of deeds was ordered to prepare a tract index. July 4, 1864, a license was granted to Millett J. Smith to operate for three years a ferry over the Black River in what is now Dewhurst Township, Section 25, Township 23, Range 3 West. Smith was to have his boat ready for service and an operator within hailing distance throughout the year, except when the river was frozen, when the water was impassably high, or when danger existed from a run of ice or logs in the river. The rates authorized were: Two horses, two oxen or two mules, with vehicle, 50 cents; one horse, one OX, or one mule, with vehicle, 25 cents; live stock, 10 cents each; foot passengers, 5 cents each. The absence of a rate for saddle horses is significant, as indicating their rarity. November 15, 1864, provision was made for raising the state tax of $4,468.45 and the county tax of $4,295.25. The annual salary of the county superintendent was fixed at $300, out of which he was to pay for his own printing and stationery. December 26, the annual salary of the county Clerk was fixed at $600, of the county treasurer at $600, of the district attorney at $250, and of the clerk of court at $75.

The board for 1865 consisted of James Sturdevant from the Second District, Samuel Cawley from the Third District, and Eli Mead from the First District. January 19 it was determined that the widows of Civil War Volunteers from the county should receive a bounty of $10 a month during the term for which their deceased husbands had enlisted, or until the close of the war.

Loyal was created Feb. 28, 1865, to take effect March 1, 1865, the first meeting to be held at the home of Geo. Huntzicker. November 14, 1865, taxes were apportioned to pay the state tax of $3,087.76, a judgment against the county of $1,500, a county tax of $4,500, and an appropriation of $1,000 for a bridge over the Black River, in what was then Levis Township.

The board for 1866 consisted of James Sturdevant (chairman) from the Second District, Eli Mead from the First District, and David H. Robinson from the Third District. At the meeting of Jan. 2, 1866, an appropriation of $3,000 in tax certificates was voted to build a bridge across Black River, about six miles south of Neillsville. January 12 the contract was let to E. H. McIntosh and Samuel Cawley, for $4,500. April 21, a contract was let for the building of the jail to be completed before Sept. 1, 1866. November 13, the tax was apportioned, of which $6,368.21 was for the state tax and $10,900 for the county tax. December 17, 1866, Mentor

Township was created from parts of Pine Valley and Weston. The order was to take effect March 1, 1867, and the first meeting was to be held at the home of Orrin Wilson.

The board for 1867 consisted of James Sturdevant, T. M. Seranton and John Graves. In the fall Eli Mead took the place of Scranton and served out the term. The tax was apportioned Noy. 12, 1867, $10,027 being for state tax and $7,593.09 for state purposes. December 26, 1867, the board appropriated $1,000 to purchase a farm and erect an almshouse. Charles Sternitzky was appointed superintendent of poor for one year, William Welsh for two years, and E. H. McIntosh for three years.

The board for 1868 consisted of Eli Mead (chairman), John Graves and Thomas Reed. A special road law gave an impetus to road building.® The board determined to levy a tax of $7,000 for the improvement of the main Black River road, and appointed Benjamin F, French, James Hewett and Jones Tompkins commissioners to divide the road into working sections of two miles each and to perform other executive work in the same connection. June 15, the annual county tax was apportioned, the amount being $8,000 for general expenses, in addition to the road fund of $7,000 just mentioned. Grant Township was organized in the spring of this year with its present boundaries, but no record of its creation appears in the minutes of the board. September 24, the present poor farm was purchased from L. R. Stafford.

October 3, 1868, the people declared by a vote' of 224 to 144 in favor of the issue of $100,000 bonds to the Green Bay & Lake Pepin Railway Co., the conditions being that the railroad should be built through the county and touch within five miles of Neillsville, $15,000 to be paid when the road was graded and rails laid to the edge of the county, and five miles graded

'within the county, and the remainder to be paid thereafter in installments of $15,000 for each five miles graded. The vote was as follows: Grant, 30 for, 21 against; Levis, 18 for, none against; Loyal 1 for, 60 against; Lynn, 7 for, 8 against; Mentor, 2 for, 30 against; Pine Valley, 144 for, 7 against; Weston, 22 for, 18 against.

The board of 1869 consisted of Eli Mead (chairman), Thomas Reed and Harmon Allen. On the same date $3,000 was appropriated for the main Black River road, and on June 21, $2,000 more. Eaton, consisting of the present towns of Thorp, Withee, Hixon, Longwood, Warner and Eaton, in what is now Clark County, and ten townships in what is now Taylor County, was created July 20, 1869, to take effect March 1, 1870. November 9 the tax was apportioned, $6,157 being for state tax and money due the state on former taxes, $1,000 being for bridge tax, $5,000 for the Black River road, and $10,000 being for general county purposes. November 9, 1869, Eli Mead was granted a license to operate a ferry across Black River above the mouth of the East Fork. December 30 the supervisor districts were readjusted so that the then towns of Levis, Lynn and Grant were placed in the First District, the then towns of Pine Valley and Mentor in the Second District and the remainder of the then county in the Third District. B. F. French was appointed to act with the clerk of the board in charge of deeding tax lands,

The board for the early part of 1870 consisted of Eli Mead (chairman), Harmon Allen and R. Dewhurst. January 3, 1870, a petition was presented asking for the organization of Sherman. The petition was repeated February 4, but a remonstrance was filed and the question dropped. February 4, $3,000 was assessed against the tax roll for the Black River road. March 9, 1870, the boundaries of Grant Township were defined. This was the last meeting of the commissioners.

The Modern Period dates from 1870, when the state returned to the system of county government by a board of supervisors, consisting of the chairman of each township, and representatives of incorporated cities and villages. In Clark County the period opened with eight organized townships and consequently with eight members on the county board: Thomas Steel, Eaton; Levi Marsh, Grant; Eli Mead, Levis; L. M. Le Roy, Loyal; Alonzo Brooks, Lynn (Fred Yankee substituted for a while); G. W. King, Mentor; R. Dewhurst, Pine Valley (O. Cornwell substituted for a while); Charles Renne, Weston. The first meeting was held May 23, 1870, and Richard Dewhurst elected chairman. June 14 the drainage fund of $573.86 was apportioned to Eaton, Loyal, Pine Valley and Weston. June 20 an effort was made to abolish the county system of care for the poor, and to re-establish the township system. June 28, the proposition was rejected. June 29, 1870, an appropriation of $3,000 was made for the Black River road. Nov. 15, 1870, Beaver was created, consisting of the present towns of Hoard, Mayville, Green Grove, Colby, Beaver and Unity. The act was to go into effect March 1, 1871, and the first meeting was to be held at the home of P. H. Burgess. The taxes assessed on Novy. 15, 1870, are interesting, as compared with present day assessments. The school tax was $2,594, divided as follows: Eaton, 144 per cent, $483; Grant, 3 per cent, $198; Levis, 3 per cent, $125; Loyal, 144 per cent, $520; Lynn, 114 per cent, $195; Mentor, 1 per cent, $108; Pine Valley, 2 per cent, $410; Weston, 114 per cent, $544. The superintendent's salary of $350 was apportioned as follows: Eaton, $64.77; Grant, $14.56; Levis, $9.92; Loyal, $82.80; Lynn, $28.68; Mentor, $23.85; Pine Valley, $45.27; Weston, $80.15. The judgments against the county were as follows: A. L. Smith, $446; D. D. Cheny, $5,327.90; A. McDougal (costs), $65.96; George B. Burd et al,, $76.93; J. Weston, $71.59. A county tax was levied of $30,000, of which $24,000 was for running expenses and $6,000 for the Black River road. The amount was apportioned as follows: Eaton, $6,090.80; Grant, $1,248.42; Grant, $1,248.42; Levis, $852.20; Loyal, $6,563.68; Lynn, $2,459.02; Mentor, $2,042.87; Pine Valley, $3,877.68; Weston, $6,865.33. December, 1870, salaries were voted: County Treasurer, $800; Clerk of County Board, $800; District Attorney, $400; Clerk of Court, $100; Superintendent of Schools, $200. The board for 1871 consisted of Levi Marsh, Grant (Ed Sternitzky and Thomas Reed substituted for a while) ; Alonzo Brooks, Lynn; Charles Renne, Weston (J. Sufficool filled out the term); C. H. Burgess, Beaver ; L. D. Bowen, Loyal; Ezra Tompkins, Levis (William Welsh substituted for a while); James Tompkins (chairman), of Eaton; M. A. Garfield, Pine Valley; O, Wilson, Mentor. The first meeting was held May 8, 1871 . For the Black River road $7,000 was levied. Improvements were inaugurated on the Neillsville and Humbird roads, an appropriation of $3,000 was levied, and S. B. Hewett, Chauncey Blakeslee and O. G. Tripp were appointed commissioners to carry out the provisions of the legislative act concerning this highway. The accounts of S. C. Boardman, county treasurer, came up for examination, and a committee consisting of Jones Tompkins, J. B. Jones and Thomas Reed was appointed to review the matter further. Several reports were made, the accounts were several times readjusted, and in time the county secured judgment against Mr. Boardman for serious shortages in his accounts, Feb. 13, 1871, to take effiect April 20, 1872, the county system of care for the poor was established, and the responsibilities placed with the townships.

The board for 1872 consisted of L. D, Bowen, Loyal (L. G. Stow filled out the term); C. W. Hyslip, Weston; J. B. Jones, Pine Valley; Thomas Reed, Grant; William L. Stanton, Mentor; Jones Tompkins, Eaton; Ezra Tompkins, Levis (Thomas J. Welsh substituted for a term); M. E. Westcott, Beaver; William Yorkston, Lynn. The first meeting was held April 23, 1872. Ezra Tompkins was selected as chairman. A levy of $3,000 was made for the Black River road. A report presented May 4, 1872, showed that the poor farm had been rented and its equipment sold. A recapitulation of the assessment, November 13, showed $1,869,214 in real estate, and $352,510.20 in personal estate, making a total valuation of $2,377,937.25, divided as follows: Beaver, real, $206,635; personal, $22,749: total, $229,- 384. Eaton, real, $370,000; personal, $32,333.75; total, $402,936.25, Grant, real, $56,720; personal, $26,354; total, $83,074. Levis real, $84,915; personal $10,694; total, $95,609. Loyal, real, $84,339; personal, $25,310; total, $110,232; Lynn, real, $104,320; personal, $3,292; total, $107,612. Mentor, real, $168,465; personal, $37,842; total, $206,307. Pine Valley real, $238,- 220; personal, $87,227.45; total, $380,302. Weston, real, $655,600; personal, $106,708; total, $762,481. On this assessment a school tax of $4,797.57, a state tax of $7,192.62, and a county tax of $20,400 was levied. Jan. 3, 1873, Sherman and Washburn were created to take effect March qs Sherman consisted of its present area and the first meeting was to be held at Cole's schoolhouse. Washburn consisted of the present towns of Washburn and Sherwood. The first meeting was to be held at the home of O. W. Babcock. It was reported that persons at Sparta had obtained judgment against the county on county orders amounting to $6,325.21. Feb. 8, 1873, the question of a new court house was briefly discussed and laid on the table. February 22, Thayer & Kingston, of Sparta, offered to take over all tax certificates held by the county, either at 75 per cent of their accrued value, or at full face value, and one-half the interest. The offers were rejected. February 24, Sherman and Washburn, which had been created January 3, with the proviso that the acts go into effect March 1, were again created, with the proviso that the acts go into effect April 1. York and Hixon were also created, the acts to go into effect April 1. York consisted of its present area and the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in what what is now Grant Township. The first meeting was to be held at the home of L. B. Osgood. Hixon consisted of the present towns of Thorp, Whitee, Hixon, Worden, Reseburg, Longwood and six townships in what is now

The board for 1873 consisted of M. B. Warner, Eaton; John 8S. Dore (chairman), Grant; N. H. Withee, Hixon; William Welsh, Loyal; William Yorkston, Lynn; Orrin Wilson, Mentor ; W. T. Hutchinson, Pine Valley; William B. McPherson, Sherman; J. F. Cameron, Washburn; Loren Gates, Weston; John B. Mason, York; S. H. Pickett, Beaver, Ezra Tompkins, Levis. The first meeting was held May 1, 1873. In the case of D. L. Safford against the board of supervisors, the district attorney was instructed not to defend the suit, or to take any further judicial proceedings in the action. For the Clark County Agricultural Society $400 was appropriated.

March 1, 1873, the north half of Sections 1, 2,3, 4, 5 and 6, in what is now Grant, was taken from York and added to Grant, thus leaving Grant and York with their present boundaries. November 12, Colby, Mayville and Unity were created from Beaver, to take effect March 30, 1874. Colby consisted of the present towns of Colby and Green Grove. The first election was to be held at the home of G. F. Cook. Mayville consisted of the present towns of Mayville and Hoard, and four townships in Taylor County. The first meeting was to be held at the home of Sumner May. Unity consisted of its present area. The first meeting was to be held in the schoolhouse of District 5. The Chippewa Falls Lumber Co, asked the county for $2.000 to help build a road in the northwest corner of the county, but the request was refused. Land values in those days are shown by the assessment of Nov. 15, 1873, when a valuation of $4 an acre was placed on the land in Pine Valley; $3.50 in Weston; $3 in Beaver, Eaton, Grant, Loyal, Lynn, Sherman and York; $2 in Hixon, Mentor and Washburn, and $1.50 in Levis.

Jan. 2, 1874, Perkins was created from Washburn, to take effect April 6, 1874. The name of Taylor had been suggested, but was rejected. The town is now known as Sherwood. A readjustment was made of the boundary lines between Pine Valley and Weston. An act was passed substituting April 6, for March 30, as the date upon which the act creating Mayville, Colby and Unity should go into effect. A report was made of the money alleged to be due the county from former town and county treasurers. January 9 the present town of Mead was detached from Weston and added to Eaton. March 12, 1874, Fremont was created with its present boundaries, to take effect April 6, 1874, the first meeting to be held at the Heathville schoolhouse.

The board for 1874 consisted of John S, Dore, of Grant (chairman) ; Alonzo Brooks, of Lynn; William Darton, of Beaver; W. D. Eastman, of Fremont; James Hewett, of Pine Valley; A. Muir, of Washburn; 8. H. Pickett, of Unity; R. J. Horr, of Colby; H. W. Renne, of York; John Salisbury, of Sherman; Harrison Saterlee, of Levis; A. F. Sands, of Mayville; John Sufficool, of Weston; M. B. Warner, of Eaton; William Welch, of Loyal; N. H. Withee, of Hixon; Orin Wilson, of Mentor, and T. J. La Flesh, of Perkins (Sherwood). At its first meeting on May 12, 1874, the following standing committees were appointed: 1 - Claims of sheriffs, constables and justices. 2 - Illegal tax claims. 3 - General claims. 4 - Town organization. 5 - Appropriations. 6 - Printing and printers' claims. This was the beginning of the present system of having the detailed business of the county board transacted largely by standing commitees subject to the approval of the board in general. This board made a thorough investigation of the finances of the county, started suits against former officials alleged to be short in their accounts, adopted a stricter rule for making county appropriations, and voted to erect a new court house, so that from this board the modern period was thoroughly inaugurated.