Grant County, Wisconsin - Chapter 16: Glen Haven and Waterloo, 1900

Chapter 16: Glen Haven and Waterloo

Settlement and Growth of Glen Haven - The Young Tragedy - The Jordan Murder - Town Organization and Officers of Glen Haven - North Andover - Waterloo - Burton.

Settlement And Growth Of Glen Haven

In 1840 Newton and Richard Ray entered land on Section 12, Town 4, Range 6. The steamboat landing was for many years called Ray's Landing. There was some effort about 1844 to start a town called Mendota on land owned by Washington and Reason Scott in Section 13, but nothing came of it. Louis Reynolds settled in the lim¬ its of the present town in 1840 and Isaac C. Lander in 1844. In 1842 William Jordan settled on his farm on the prairie, and in 1843 James Kilbourn opened his farm. James L. Taylor settled on his farm near Oliver's Mill in 1845.

The land on which the village is situated was bought in 1836 by A. D. Ramsey, of whom it was bought in 1852 by William Pollock, who sold it to D. P. Grinter & Co. in 1855. A log warehouse was built at the landing in 1850. Jesse Brooks, now living in Bloomington, then teaching at Ray's School-house, Section 12, helped to raise it.

In 1850 Marcus H. Hayes established a horse ferry between Ray's Landing and Guttenberg, Iowa. In 1856 a steam ferry was estab¬ lished. The boiler of the boat exploded that year, but a new boat was soon put on. In 1856 the place was first called Glen Haven.

The village was laid out in 1857 by C. P. Goodrich, D. P. Grinter, Marcus H. Hayes, J. B. Sargent, R. Noble, and George Burroughs. A steam saw-mill and a few dwellings were built in the place this year. In 1858 more buildings were put up. Mr. McIntosh came in and by his energy the town was greatly improved, thirty dwellings being built. McIntosh's means failed and the town declined, many build¬ ings being vacant in 1859.

B. Sargent, was bought by McIntosh, who in time removed the ma¬ chinery. After the war a second saw-mill was built, but after a few years' trial it was found not to pay, and the machinery' was removed, the building being used by Scott & Basford as a warehouse.

The village suffered from an extensive fire July 3, 1874. It origin¬ ated in the stone warehouse, then owned by Dr. Grinter, and a strong wind carried the flames across the street to the grocery store of John M. Kill, sweeping from there up Front and Main Streets. The losses were: Dr. Grinter, warehouse and contents, $10,000; John M. Kill, building and goods, $3,000; Joseph Werryr and Clement Schwaller, building and goods, $8,000; estate of David Stewart, building occu¬ pied for various purposes; Mrs. David Stewart, residence, $4,000 \

C. Chandler, wagon-shop; Joseph Arendes, wagon-shop; Isaac Wil" son, residence. The citizens energetically set about rebuilding the burned business houses and it was not long until only' a few traces of the destruction remained.

The first school taught was in what is known as the Ray Schoolhouse on Section 12, east of the village. Jesse Brooks was the peda¬ gogue. The first school taught in the village was in an old frame building belonging to Dr. Grinter. In 1868 a commodious stone school-house was built.

Church of Holy Mary Help. - This mission was established by Bishop Henni in 1864, and is composed almost entirely of German families. It is a mission of the Cassville parish. The church, a sub¬ stantial stone building, was erected in 1864. Connected with the society is the Altar Society for Married Ladies.

The Young Tragedy

On the 14th of May, 1875, one of the most shocking tragedies ever enacted in Grant County took place. Hon. Milas K. Young was deliberately murdered by his son, Albert D. Young, who then killed himself. The murder and suicide was the culmination of a long series of troubles in Mr. Young's family in regard to family property. Sev¬ eral weeks before the tragedy, Mr. Young and his son came to blows, and Albert struck his father in the face with an ax, inflicting a serious, and for a time, dangerous wound.

came to his father's house about half-past eleven. He inquired for his father and mother and was informed that they were in their respective rooms. He attempted to enter his father's room, but could not. He came down stairs, found his revolver, loaded it, and went out and sat down before the house about an hour, apparently waiting for his father to come out. Then he went again to the door of his father's room, and in his efforts to enter kicked loose the casing to which was attached the keeper of the lock. His father attempted to escape from the room by another door, but before he could do so he encountered Albert. Both drew their revolvers and began shooting. Several shots were exchanged, when Albert seized a hatchet and struck his father upon the head until the latter was apparently dead. Albert, who had been wounded by one of his father's shots, then left the house and ran as if attempting to escape. But he soon stopped, reloaded his revol¬ ver, and shot himself through the head, and died instantly.

Dr. Grinter was called to attend Mr. Young, but it was evident from the first that his wpunds were mortal, and he died on the after¬ noon of the second day.

Captain Henry F. Young, County Coroner, summoned a jury, who, upon the inquest, found that Albert Young came to his death by means of a pistol shot from his own hands. The body was buried un¬ ceremoniously on the Young farm, being denied admission to the cemetery.

The funeral of M. K. Young took place at the Ray Cemetery under the auspices of the Patrons of Husbandry, of which he was a promnent member.

Albert D. Young worked for some time on the Grant County Herald , and afterward practiced law at Louisville, Kentucky. He was afterward in trade in company with his brothers. For some bus¬ iness frauds he was about to be prosecuted, either by his father, or with his father's refusal to do anything to avert the prosecution ; but this was only one of a long series of family troubles.

Many years later there was a sad sequel to this tragedy. Of the farm of three hundred acres owned by M. K. Young, two hundred had been taken to pay debts mostly contracted by the sons. But with this remaining hundred acres the widow was unable to make a living, and applied to the town for aid. The chairman, John Ryan, acted as her agent, and made the farm yield a living for her and pay some debt. But the widow still appeared to lead a tormented life, which finally

The Jordan Murder

On the 15th of June, 1868, William Kidd murdered Catherine Jordan in the town of Glen Haven. They had been brought up on neighboring farms, and Kidd was apparently in love with Miss Jor¬ dan, and as she failed to reciprocate, he threatened to kill her unless she married him. On the afternoon of the murder he induced her to ride out with him. Nothing more was seen of her until her body was found near Mark Scott's farm, with her throat cut and bruises on her hands and arms, showing that she had struggled stoutly against her murderer. After the murder, Kidd drove the team to his father's stable, saddled a horse of his own, and rode to Boscobel, where he left the horse and disappeared.

The citizens of Glen Haven and Bloomington offered a reward of $550 for the capture of the murderer ; the county and state each added $500, and the citizens of Fennimore $250 - $1,800 in all. Kidd was captured in Noble County, Minnesota, in October of the year of the murder, by James T. Delaware and Frank Winship. Delaware had formerly lived in Glen Haven and was an old acquaintance of Kidd's. While being brought back to the county Kidd killed himself by taking a dose of strychinne which he had concealed about him. He gave Del¬ aware a full account of his crime and alleged intolerable jealousy as the motive.

Town Organization And Officers

1860 - Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, A. D. Ramsey, Joseph Werry; clerk, William Tate; treasurer, Henry Schneider; assessor, Matt Met¬ calf; supt. of schools, James M. Scott; justices, George Burroughs, A. A. Bennett, Douglas Oliver, L. S. Reynolds ; constables, F. R. Dela¬ ware; Ed. Doughty, Ed. Bownas.

1861 - Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, A.D. Ramsey, William Harkins; clerk, William Tate; treasurer, E. A. Kidd; assessor. Matt Metcalf; supt. of schools, James M. Scott; justices, Douglas Oliver, L. S. Rey¬ nolds ; constables, J. L. Kauffman, John Ackerman, Ed Doughty.

1863 - Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, A. D. Ramsey, John Ackerman; clerk, William Tate; treasurer, James M. Scott; assessor, William Curtis; justices, P. Harkins, L. S. Reynolds; constables, John Acker¬ man, Joseph Werrj\

1864 - Supervisors, E. A. Kidd, A. D. Ramsey, John Ackerman, clerk, William Tate; treasurer, M. Metcalf; assessor, E. A. Kidd ; jus¬ tices, George Burroughs, William Curtis ; constables, George Hender¬ son, John Ackerman. E. S. Tuttle.

1865 - Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, John Ryan, John Ackerman; clerk, William Tate; treasurer and assessor, William Curtis; justices, L. S. Rej'nolds, Peter Thornton; constables, John Ackerman, A. J. Vedder, M. Dolphin.

1866 - Supervisors, clerk, and assessor, same as in 1865; treas¬ urer^. C. Orr; justices, George Burroughs, A. A. Bennett, J. Johnson; constables, John Ackerman, William Hawks, Levi Sigsby.

1868 - Supervisors, E. A. Kidd, John Ackerman, E. Wood; clerk, William Tate; treasurer, E. A. Kidd; assessor, William Curtis; jus¬ tices, William Curtis, William Tate, A. J. Long; constables, A. Ortscheid, John Grandrath, William Keinbrough.

1869 - Supervisors, E. A. Kidd, John Ackerman, John Ryan; clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1868; justices, J. Johnson, L. S. Reynolds; constables, Wm. Bateman, A. Ortscheid, John Grandrath.

1870 - Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, James C. Orr, John Ackerman; clerk, William Tate; treasurer, J. S. Kauffman; assessor, John Ryan; justices, A. A. Bennett, William Tate, C. Heilerman; constables, Wil¬ liam Bateman, William Weeks, A. Ortscheid.

1871 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1870; justices, Luther Basford, Ira S. Bennett; constables, William Bate¬ man, C V. Royster, Joseph Bowers.

1873 - Supervisors, D. P. Grinter, Charles Heilerman, Andrew My¬ ers; clerk, treasurer, assessor, and constables same as in 1872; jus¬ tices, Luther Basford, John Ryan, E. Wood.

1874 - Supervisors, and clerk, same as in 1873; treasurer, Alfred Humphrey; assessor, W. J. Winney; justices, John Ryan, W. N. Ram¬ sey; constables, Richard A. Kidd, M. Kidd, A. Ortscheid.

1879 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1878 ; justices, John Ryan, W. N. Ramsey, A. H. Bennett; constables, Robert Wood, Henry Shrader, C. Brookens.

1880 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1878; justices, W. A. Sprague, A. H. Bennett; constables, Henry Shrader, Thomas Mernaugh, Ben Mueller.

1881 - Supervisors and clerk same as in 1878; treasurer, W. N. Ramsey ; assessor, John Dolphin ; justices, James Wildman, William Ramsey; John Curry, Thomas Myers, Ben Mueller.

1883 - Supervisors, John Ryan, Jacob Ackerman, Wm. Wildman; clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1882; justices, W. N. Ramsay, James Wildman; constables, Nicholas Mann, C. W. Ray, William Hutchcroft.

1889 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1888; justices, Frank' Tate, William Hurst; constables, John Ennor, C. W. Ray, John Barr.

1890 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1888; justices, John Ryan, A. H. Bennett, T. M. Young; constables, A. Ort¬ scheid, John Heller, Conrad Henning.

1893 - Supervisors, William Wildman, S. Chandler, Lewis Kraut; clerk, treasurer, assessor, same as in 1892 ; justices, John Heller, Chas. Kauffman; constables, T. M. Barnes, Milas Weeks, James Greeney.

1895 - Supervisors, William Wildman, Lewis Kraut, Fred Bennett; clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1894; justices, C. D* Smith, L. Biggin, J. H. Dunlap.

1897 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1896 ; justices, none qualified ; constables, Milas Weeks, George Gray, Wil¬ liam Skinner.

1898 - Supervisors, clerk, and assessor same as in 1896 ; treasurer, Joseph Gates; justices, A. H. Bennett, John Ryan; constables, Milas Weeks, William Skinner, Albert Humes.

1899 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1898 ; justices, Fred Handy, John Dunlap; constables, Milas Weeks, William Skinner.

North Andover

About 1850 Douglas Oliver built a flouring-mill on Rattlesnake Creek in Section 21. Some years after he established a store near the mill. In 1857 W. D. Ascough put in a store there and kept it until 1893, when he went west. H. H. Shanley had a store there in 1864. Peacock & Atkinson also put in a store in 1874. A post-office called Oliver's Mill was established there in 1855 and discontinued January 1, 1867, but restored soon afterward with the name North Andover.

Mr. Oliver was enterprising and enthusiastic and turned his flouring-mill into a woolen-mill, which was started January 1, 1867, and was run until 1869, when the machinery was removed to Lancaster. This machinery was purchased in North Andover, Massachusetts, and from this circumstance Mr. Oliver named the place North Andover.

Metropolis Hall, a building owned as a stock concern by the citi¬ zens and used for public and society meetings, # was burned July 1, 1896. The fire was supposedto have been set by an incendiary.

This is one of the original towns organized in 1849. The earliest settler of the town was Daniel R. Burt, who came in 1837 and built the pioneer mill in the western part of the county. Incidents of his pioneer life here will be found on pages 29 and 39. He lived there more than twenty years, and then moved to Dububue. He was a member of the Wisconsin legislature some time. In 1837 Enos P. Wood and Henry Wood settled on Section 25; but they afterward be¬ came citizens of Potosi. George P. B. Campbell and Sanford Chaffee settled in the town in 1844. The latter was the father of Miss Ellen B. Chaffee, a pioneer teacher in Beetown, Lancaster, and Potosi, and still living in Lancaster, also W. H. Chaffee, who was a .merchant in Potosi and who died at sea on a voyage to California, and Mrs. I. G. Ury.

Jeremiah E. Dodge settled in the town in 1835 and was long a prominent citizen of the town. He moved to Lancaster where he died in 1877. Samuel, Charles, and Lucius Ashley came about the time Mr. Burt did. William Ashley came in 1838. Charles Klarman came in 1847. Among the early settlers were William Elwell and his sons, William, James, Frank and Theodore, who became prominent farmers in the town.

A few paying lead mines were discovered on Grant River in the northern part of the town, but Waterloo is not noted as a mining town. The bottoms of Grant River are quite rich lands, but much of the town is clay ridges, not equal to the prairie lands for farming.

Burton

The old mill built by Daniel R. Burt on Grant River in Section 23 was the nucleus about which gathered in early times a postoffice, store, and blacksmith shop, with a few dwellings, but the place was hardly sufficient in size to be called a village. It is said that a small steamboat was built here and navigated to New Orleans in 1852. A village plat was surve\red in July, 1876, by James Wilson. Christian Reifsteck, Hurbert Schul ter, Rebecca Potter, Benjamin Reed, and James Graham were the proprietors. Mr. Reifsteck, the principal proprietor, was for many years the postmaster and storekeeper of the place.