Clark County, Wisconsin - Chapter 9: Township Organization, 1918

There are thirty-two organized townships in Clark County, thirty-one of which embrace a Congressional Township each, and one of which, Mentor, embraces three Congressional townships. The oldest township is Pine Valley which, at the organization of the county, embraced the whole county. The youngest township is Butler, organized on the first Tuesday in April, 1916. All the townships have been created by the county board, upon the petition of residents. In the older townships the people had no voice in the matter, other than by petition and protest, but the creation of the younger townships has been submitted to a referendum vote of the people in the territory concerned. In creating the townships, the board sometimes named the dates upon which the act was to take effect, and sometimes named none, but in all cases the organization was perfected upon the first Tuesday in April, following the creation.

1 - Pine Valley. Pine Valley originally embraced the entire county, then consisting of a larger area than at present. Noy. 20, 1856, the boundaries of the township were reduced to contain the present area of Hewett, Lynn and Grant, the south third of Mentor; and all of Pine Valley except Sections 1, 2,3, 4,5 and 6. December 8, 1860, to take effect March 1, 1861, a change was made by which the area was to consist of what is now Lynn, except the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; Grant, except the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; Pine Valley, except Sections Jy \2iy tb, Ay and 6; Hewett and Seif; and the south two-thirds of Mentor. The creation of Lynn, March 21, 1862, to take effect at once, left Pine Valley with the present towns of Seif, Hewett; the south two-thirds of Mentor; and Pine Valley, except Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. November 20, 1866, Mentor was created with its present boundaries, thus cutting off two townships from Pine Valley. Jan. 8, 1874, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in Township 24, Range 2 West, were detached from Weston and added to Pine Valley, and the present town of Seif was detached from Pine Valley and added to Weston. The creation of Hewett, Nov. 20, 1874, left Pine Valley with its present boundaries.

2 - Weston, as created Nov. 20, 1856, embraced the present towns of Thorp, Withee, Hixon, Hoard, Mayville, Worden, Reeseburg, Longwood, Green Grove, Colby, Butler, Mead, Warner, Beaver, Unity, Hendren, Eaton, Loyal, Sherman, Seif, Weston, York, Fremont, the north two-thirds of Mentor, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in Pine Valley, and ten townships in Taylor County. The first town meeting was to be held at Weston's Bridge. By a change made December 8, to take effect March 1, 1861, Seif and the middle third of Mentor were taken from Weston and placed in Pine Valley while the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in Lynn and Grant, were taken from Pine Valley and added to Weston. The act of March 31, 1862, to take effect that day, took from Weston, Fremont and the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in Lynn, to form a part of the new town of Lynn. By act of Feb. 28, 1865, to take effect March 1, 1865, Loyal was formed from Weston, embracing Hixon, Hoard, Mayville, Longwood, Green Grove, Colby, Warner, Beaver, Unity, Eaton, Loyal, Sherman, and six townships to the north now in Taylor County. November 20, 1866, the creation of Mentor with its present boundaries took a township from Weston. July 20, 1869, the creation of Eaton left Weston, with the present towns of Worden, Reeseburg, Butler, Mead, Hendren, York, Weston, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in the present town of Pine Valley, and the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in what is now Grant Township. The creation of York, Feb. 24, 1873, took from Weston the town of York and the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4,5 and 6 in Grant. The creation of Hixon, Feb. 24, 1873, left Weston, consisting of the present town of Weston, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Pine Valley, and Butler, Mead and Hendren. January 8, 1874, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Township 24, Range 2 West, was cut from Weston and added to Pine Valley, and the present town of Mead was detached from Weston and given to Eaton, while Township 25, Range 3 West (Seif) was taken from Pine Valley and restored to Weston. It was ordered that the next town meeting of Weston be held at Hyslip's school house in Section 14, Township 25, Range 2 West. Two days later, Nov. 16, 1874, the present town of Hendren was added to Eaton and the present town of Butler to Warner, leaving Weston with the present towns of Weston and Seif. The creation of Seif, Nov. 17, 1900, left Weston with its present boundaries.

3 - Levis, as created Nov. 20, 1856, consisted of Dewhurst, Washburn, Sherwood and Levis. The first town meeting was to be held at the mouth of Wedge's Creek. January 3, 1873, the creation of Washburn left Levis consisting of the present towns of Dewhurst and Levis. The creation of Dewhurst, Nov. 15, 1901, left Levis with its present boundaries.

4 - lLynn was created March 21, 1862, to take effect at once. It consisted of the present towns of Fremont and Lynn, and all except the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the present town of Grant. The first meeting was to be held at the house of John D. Wage. Grant was created in 1868, leaving Lynn consisting of Fremont and Lynn. Fremont was created March 12, 1874, leaving Lynn with its present boundaries.

5 - Loyal was created Feb. 28, 1865, to take effect March 1, 1865, It embraced the present towns of Hixon, Hoard, Mayville, Longwood, Green Grove, Colby, Warner, Beaver, Unity, Eaton, Loyal and Sherman, and six towns to the north in Taylor County. The first town meeting was to be held at the house of George Huntzicker. July 20, 1869, the creation of Eaton left Loyal with the present towns of Hoard, Mayville, Green Grove, Colby, Beaver, Unity, Loyal and Sherman. November 15, 1870, the creation of Beaver left Loyal with the present towns of Loyal and Sherman. January 3, 1873, the creation of Sherman left Loyal with its present boundaries.

7 - Grant was organized at its first town meeting, April 7, 1868, and was probably created a few months previous to that time, though no entry of its creation appears in the county records. A map inserted in the county records and dated July 20, 1869, gives Grant with its present boundaries. But an act passed March 9, 1870, "in order that the boundaries might be more fully defined," describes Grant as consisting of all of the present town, except the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4,5 and 6. November 11, 1873, to take effect March 20, 1874, the north half of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 was detached from York and added to Grant, leaving Grant with its present boundaries. 8 - Eaton was created July 20, 1869, to take effect March 1, 1870. It consisted of the present towns of Thorp, Withee, Hixon, Longwood, Warner and Haton, as well as ten towns to the north in what is now Taylor County. The first meeting was held at the home of S, C. Honeywell. The creation of Beaver, March 15, 1870, took from Eaton six of the townships in what is now Taylor County. The creation of Hixon, February 24, 1873, to take effect February 24, 1873, left Eaton with the present towns of Warner and Eaton. January 9, 1874, the present town of Mead was detached from Weston and added to Eaton. November 14, 1874, Warner was created, leaving Eaton with its present boundaries. But, Noy. 16, 1874, the present town of Hendren was added to Eaton, Eaton then including the present towns of Hendren and Eaton. The next meeting was to be held at the home of George Huntzicker. The organization of Hendren, the first Tuesday in April, 1911, left Eaton with its present boundaries. The first town meeting in Eaton was held April 5, 1870, at the home of S, C. Honeywell. The motion for the temporary organization was made by Jones Tompkins. The pro tem officers were: Chairman, W. H. Mead; side inspectors, Cabel Edmonds and James Edmonds; clerk, C. W. Carpenter. It was voted to raise $1,900, of which $1,000 was for road purposes, $500 for incidental purposes, and $400 for school purposes. The first board met May 3, 1870, and consisted of Thomas Steel, chairman; Jacob Huntzicker and W. H. Mead; C, W. Carpenter, clerk.

9 - Beaver. November 15, 1870, to take effect March 1, 1871, Beaver was created, consisting of the present towns of Hoard, Mayville, Green Grove, Colby, Beaver and Unity, and four townships in Taylor County. The first meeting was to be held at the home of P. H. Burgess. The creation of Colby, Mayville and Unity, March 30, 1874, left Beaver with its present boundaries.

10 - Sherman. January 3, 1873, Sherman was created with its present boundaries. 'The act was to take effect March 1, 1873. The creation was reaffirmed Feb. 24, 1873, to take effect April 1, 1873. The first meeting was to be held at the Cole school house. A petition asking for the organization of Sherman was presented to the board Feb. 4, 1870, a remonstrance filed, and the question dropped for the time being.

March 1, 1873. The creation was reaffirmed Feb. 24, 1873, to take effect April 1, 1873. The first meeting was to be held at the home of O. W. Babcock. January 8, 1874, Perkins (later Sherwood Forest and now Sherwood) was set off, leaving Washburn with its present boundaries.

12 - York was created Feb. 24, 1873, to take effect April 1, 1873. It consisted of the present town of York and the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in what is now Grant Township. The first meeting was to be held at the home of Leroy B. Osgood. November 11, 1873, to take effect March 20, 1874, the north half of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were taken from York and added to Grant, leaving York with its present boundaries,

13 - Hixon was created Feb. 24, 1873, to take effect April 1, 1873. It consisted of the present towns of Thorp, Withee, Hixon, Worden, Reeseburg, Longwood and six townships in what is now Taylor Township. The first meeting was to be held at the home of Joseph Gibson. The creation of Thorp, Jan. 21, 1876, left Hixon with the present boundaries, all of Hixon, Longwood, and all of Withee and Reeseburg, except Sections 6, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31. March 8, 1877, all of Town 29, Range 3, not already a part of Thorp was taken from Hixon and added to Thorp. November 15, 1877, a petition was presented, asking that Town 29, Range 3, except the western tier of sections be detached from Thorp and added to Hixon. November 16, 1877, all of Town 29, Range 3, was taken from Thorp and added to Hixon; a protest was later filed. January 16, 1878, a petition was rejected asking that Town 29, Ranges 3 and 4 West, be constituted the town of Maple Grove. The creation of Withee, Jan. 11, 1879, left Hixon with the present boundaries of Hixon and Longwood. The creation of Longwood, Nov. 16, 1895, left Hixon with its present boundaries.

14 - Colby was created Nov. 12, 1878, to take effect March 30, 1874. It consisted of the present towns of Colby and Green Grove. January 8, 1874, the date of March 30 was changed to April 6. The first meeting was to be held at the home of G. F. Cook. Green Grove was created Noy. 11, 1886, leaving Colby with its present boundaries.

15 - Mayville was created Noy. 12, 1873, to take effect March 30, 1874. It consisted of the present towns of Hoard and Mayville and four towns in Taylor County. January 8, 1874, the date of March 30 was changed to April 6. The first meeting was to be held at the home of Sumner May, Hoard was created in 1889, leaving Mayville with its present boundaries.

16 - Unity was created with its present boundaries Nov. 12, 1873, to take effect March 30, 1874. January 8, 1874, the date of March 30 was changed to April 6, The first meeting was to be held at the school house in District No. 5.

17 - Sherwood. Perkins was created with the present boundaries of Sherwood, Jan. 8, 1874. The order was to take effect April 6, 1874, and the first meeting was to be held the first Tuesday in April, 1874, at the home of Hugh Perkins. August 24, 1876, the name was changed to Sherwood Forest upon petition of Stillman Ellis, Thomas J. La Flesh, William W. La Flesh, Joseph A. James, Peter McGinnes, Sidney Benedict, Thomas Sparks, Joseph Sparks, Byron Pickering, Jesse Sparks, J. F. Sparks, Fred

18 - Fremont was created with the present boundaries, March 12, 1874. The order was to take effect April 6, and the first meeting was to be held at the Heathville school house the first Tuesday in April. In the act of creation the township is not named.

19 - Warner was created Nov, 14, 1874, the act to take effect the first Monday in April, and the first election to be held at the home of W. H. Begley, the first Tuesday in April. It consisted of the present towns of Mead and Warner. November 16, 1874, the present town of Butler was added to Warner, Warner then including the present towns of Warner, Mead and Butler.

20 - Hewett was created with its present boundaries Noy. 20, 1874. The act was to take effect the first Monday in April, 1875, and the first meeting was to be held at the hotel of James Hewett at Hewettville.

21 - Thorp was created Jan. 21, 1876, to take effect April 3. The first town meeting was to be held at the schoolhouse in District No. 4, The town consisted of the present towns of Thorp and Worden and a strip one mile wide and twelve miles long along the western boundary of Withee and Reeseburg. March 7, 1877, all of Town 29, Range 3, not already a part of Thorp, was taken from Hixon and attached to Thorp. November 16, 1877, all of Town 29, Range 3, was taken from Thorp and added to Hixon. A protest was filed Nov. 12, 1878. January 16, 1878, a petition was rejected asking that Town 29, Ranges 3 and 4, be constituted the town of Maple Grove. The creation of Withee, June 11, 1879, left Thorp with the present towns of Thorp and Warden and Sections 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31 in Reeseburg. The creation of Worden May 13, 1893, left Thorp with its present boundaries.

22 - The next town to be organized was the town of Withee, the twenty-second in the county. Some years previous to its organization strenuous efforts had been made by the settlers in Township 29, Ranges 3 and 4 West, to secure a new town. A petition on file in the county clerk's office is given here entire, partly on account of the forcible language used, but mainly for the reason that the list of the signers is of itself a partial directory of the settlers living in the northwest corner of the county in the middle seventies.

"To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of the County of Clark: We the actual settlers and voters of Town 29, Ranges 3 and 4 West, petition your honorable body to lay out a new town to comprise the territory in Township 29, Ranges 3 and 4 West, to be known as the town of Maple Grove, for the following reasons: Our geographical position demands it; our ingress and egress demands it; our whole road system demands it; and the harmony of the citizens demands it." Signed: J. A. Douglas, town clerk, Thorp; E. A. Boardman, chairman town Thorp; F. M. Fultz, George Beachwood, N. B. Starks, O. Starks, George Bahr, M. McCaffery, B. R. Buyatt, J. Bunyea, George W. Richard, S. S. Warner, J. C. Smart, S. A. Warner, Peter Bellinger, J. 5. Boardman, P. Carney, W. Buyatt, Isodore

June 11, 1879, Withee was created, consisting of all of Town 29, Range 3, and thirty-one sections in Town 28, Range 3, leaving Sections 7, 18, 19, 30 and 81 in Thorp. The act was to take effect at the next town meeting to be held at the home of Bernard Brown, Section 9, Town 28, Range 3, the first Tuesday in April, 1880. A similar act was passed Nov. 10, 1880, by which the town, in addition to the above, was to consist of Section 6, in Town 28, Range 3, and the first meeting was to be held at the store of E. A. Boardman, Section 30, Town 29, Range 3, the first Tuesday in April, 1881. The creation of Reeseburg, May 13, 1893, left Withee with its present boundaries.

29__Green Grove. April 6, 1886, the voters of Colby voted unanimously in favor of dividing the township. In accordance with the vote the supervisors created Green Grove with its present boundaries, Nov. 11, 1886. The first meeting was to be held at the Green Grove post office, southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 12, on April 5, 1887.

25 - Reeseburg was created with its present boundaries, May 13, 1893. The first town meeting was to be held at the school house on Section 16, the first Tuesday in April, 1894.

27- - -Mead was created Nov. 16, 1895, and consisted of the present towns of Mead and Butler. The first town meeting was held at the home of William Volrath. The organization of Butler, the first Tuesday in April, 1916, left Mead with its present boundaries.

30 - Dewhurst was created with its present boundaries, Nov. 15, 1901. The first meeting was to be held at the Primmer school house in April, 1902. It was created as Mound; but the name was almost immediately changed to Dewhurst.

31 - Hendren was organized the first Tuesday in April, 1911, with its present boundaries, Notice of election on the proposition was served March 15, 1910, and at an election held April 5, 1910, the proposition was formally decided by a vote of 108 to 43. The vote in Range 2, was 105 yes and 17 no, while the vote in Range 3, was 3 yes and 26 no. The town was created as Wilcox, May 27, 1910, but the name was changed the next day to Hendren,

39. Butler was created by the county board Nov. 11, 1915, and the first regular town meeting held the first Tuesday in April, 1916. It was originally proposed to name the town for Ignac Cesnick.

In addition to these townships, one more has been created, but is now outside of the county. November 13, 1874, Medford was created, consisting of Township 31, Ranges 1 East and 1 West. The act was to take effect the first Monday in April and the first election was to be held the first Tuesday in April, at the home of John Bigger. But Townships 30 and 31 were cut off from Clark County before the act was to go into effect.