Monroe County, Wisconsin - Early Settlement, 1912

Early Settlement

With the lapse of time, the jiassing away of so many of the pioneers and the laek of records in the various communities renders it difficult to attempt to detail the ditferent points in the county at which the early settlements were made, in anything like chronological order. It is certain, however, that the tirst settlement in the county ivas near what is now known as Oil City in the town of Sheldon, and Esau Johnson, wlio located on the Kickapoo in that town on the 1st day of October, 1842, was the first "white man who nuide his home in the county of Monroe.

He built a little cabin a])Out two miles above Oil City and moved into it with his family. His own Mords probably best describe the manner and reason for his stopping at that place and in an interview given many years ago he said: "In the year 1842 I came with my family down the AVisconsin river on a log raft to the mouth of the Kickapoo, and went to what was then known as Haney's in Richland county. We stayed there and worked on his land until the fall of the same year, when I took an ax and some provisions and started on a prospecting trip up the Kickapoo river until- 1 came to the mouth of Moore's creek, Avhich is in Monroe county. Impressed with the locality I determined to return and bring my family up. Not Avishing to walk back to the farm I holhiwed out a tree, made myself a couple of paddles and sailed down in my improvised boat. I reached the farm the next day and soon had the boat in good condition for moving my family and what few household goods I had up to our new home. I finally left the 'Haney' farm September 10, 1842, and hired two brothers named Clark to help me move. They agreed for a consideration to stay with me until I had my house, built. On the 13th day of October we reached the location I had fixed up and we arranged a timbered shelter for my family Tuitil we could cut logs for a house. Three of us got to work and we soon had the work under way. On the 6th of October, just five days after landing, myself and my family moved in.

This I ])ositiv('ly assert was llic liisl house and I and my family the first white people to make a permanent settlement in INIonroe eoiinty. The two Clarks stayed Avitli me unlil llw m-xt day, wiien they took a ])oat and returned to Ilaney's/"

IMr. Johnson also states that on the lOtli day ol' Orloher Jie started for tlie mouth of the Kiekapoo river to get four head of oxen which iie had left there, and I'lnin thei-e lie went to Prairie du Chien, where he got a load of provisions and hired two men to return and work for him. In this trij) Mr. Johnson claims to have been the first to travel the present road between Oil City and Praii'ie du Chien. Tliere were no otlun- settlers except I\li'. Johnson and his family up until IS-IT, and in the spring of that year Sylvester Bacon and AVilliam Clark joined him and worked for him until the spring df 184*J. Soon after this in that same year Thonuis Lewis and Thompson Ilazen arrived and located at a point about a half mile from the Johnson home and went into the lumbering business. This they continued to handle until ]\ray, 1847, when the business was sold to A. J. ^Martin ; Lewis leaving the county and going down to Grant county and Hazen moved to a point about five miles south of Cashton. where he opened a tavern and located on a farm.

The first white child born in IMonroe county was a son of Esau Johnson, Avho first saw the light in September, 184(3, and the photo of this child noA\- hangs in the office of the county clerk of iMonroe county, at the court house in the city of Sparta.

AVith the opening oL* the state road between Hudson and Prairie du Chien, wdiicli passed through the place where Sparta now is, and tlu^ laying out of the road between Portage and LaCrosse, came the opportunity for new settlers, which was taken advantage of during the years 1849-50-51. Probably the next point at whicli any settlement was made prioi* to 1850 Avas that of Frank Petit, who came to this county in 1849. which is authenticated by several records, and settled at a place near Sparta, w-hich is now knoAvn as "Castle Rock,"' and lie afterw^ards came to the place where Sparta now stands and was its first settler. In 1850 Cliarles Clute came with his family and went to work for Esau Johnson at the sawmill of the latter on the Kiekapoo river. Clute afterwards took up land in the northern part of the county. In 1851 E. E. Shaw. AVilliam Petit, Nelson Turrier and a man by the name of ]\Ietzler, settled in the coujitv, and in July of the same vear R. S. Kinsrman and his two brothers, twins named Rosalbo and Alvarbo, came to the county

From that time until the organization of the county settlements at different points were quite frequent, notably that at Leon in 1851 by E. E. Shaw and companions ; in the town of Jetferson in 1854 by Thompson Hazen who, as has been before mentioned, opened a hotel known as " Hazen 's Corner;" the settlement of the towns which followed the organization of the county in 1851: are treated in separate articles subsequently in this work.

The pioneers who settled in the early day have given many lessons of industry and frugality, coupled with trials, hardships and endurance which so strikingly demonstrates to us the courage and determination of the men of that early time. The first important thing that the settler did was to build himself a house and perhaps until that was finished to live in his immigrant wagon or some rudely improvised shelter. Of course, the house was of logs and very primitive in design, but after it was built, erected by his own hands, it became a home, and in most cases he was content with it. The ingenuity Vfiih which the occupants of these log cabins constructed what they called furniture is sometimes quite interesting and, of course, any such manufactured articles, if any existed during the early 50 's, were imported from a distance ; tables and chairs were made of split logs, the bedstead very often of poles placed over forked sticks driven in the ground ; and many devices were invented in the way of fireplaces for heating and cooking purposes.

As soon as the clearing of land was under way the first crop was raised, which usually consisted of a few vegetables, sufficient for the needs of the family ; meat was supplied by the rifle of the pioneer ; it was plentiful and helped to swell the limited supply of provisions. INIills for the grinding of corn were usually at a long distance, and sometimes the expedient of grinding corn in a coffee mill had to be resorted to, and many other methods devised to make cornmeal flour. But with the advent of more settlers neighborhoods became established, then a school would spring up and here and there a church. The old Indian trails became w^ell-traveled highways and the wilderness was hewn into a semblance of ciA'ilization, creating the foundation of what is today one of the great counties of the great state of Wisconsin.

In the year 1849 a state road was opened between Prairie du Cliien and Hudson, which Avere at that time trading points, passing throngli tlie phu-e where Sparta now is and going around by the way of Bhu-k llivcv Falls and Clear Water, which afterwards became Eau Claire. A little later on a road Avas opened between Portage and LaCrosse, following an old Indian trail, affording a way of travel to the settlements of western AVisconsin, which before that time Avere only reached by way of the rivei-s. At that time there Avas no ]iost office nearer than Prairie du Chien, but Avith the opening of tlu^ higlnvays ])ost offices Avere established at Hlaek Kiver Falls, LaCrosse and scA'eral other points. About that time the diAision of AA-estern Wisconsin into counties began to take place; CraAvford county. Avhich c()in])rised tlie AAhole of AA'estern Wisconsin. AA'as set off with Pi-airie du ('hien as the county seat, and out of this territory Avere carved, at ditferent times, other counties, by the vai'ious acts of the legislature.

Originally, in 1841) LaCiosse county comprised all the territory included in its present limits and that of ^Moni'oe. Jackson. Trempeleau aiul Buffalo counties: settlements being i-;i])id in the next few years and the inluibitants somcAA-hat "croAvded"* as they thought, in 185^. upon ap|)lication to the legislatiu-e. Jackson county was set off. and in isr)4 'ricmpeleaii. Buffalo and Monroe counties Avere established ;ind detached from LaCrosse county. Like all movenuMits looking toAvards progress there Avas opposition to the organization of Alonroe county right iuM'e at home, but neA'ertheless in ]\Iai-ch. 18r)4. a bill ci-eating the county of .Monroe passed the legislature, Avas approved 1)\- the (Jovernor .March 21st. published Alarcli 24th. thereby becoming a law. and .Monroe county Avas placed upon the ma|). Why it Avas luuued "Alonroe" is not knoAvn. but that its subsetjuent histoi-y justified its bearing the name of that sturdy patriot. James Alonro(\ the fifth president of the T'nited States, no one can doubt.

which place sliould be named as the county seat. Tlie argnnient.i of the Spartans prevailed, however, and the hill creating the county named Sparta as the county seat. This ;ic1 prescribed that all that portion of the county of LaCrosse situated and being in range one east, and ranges one, two, three and four west of township fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen be set oflf and organized into a separate county, to be known and designated by the name of the county of ^Eonroe.

It further provided that an election shouki be held in the county of Monroe on the first Tuesday of the following April, and the polls should be opened in all precincts established on or before the first Tuesday of April ; that the vote should be canvassed and returns made thereof to the clerk of the board of supervisors of the town of Leon, who should canvass the same as prescribed by law for the canvass of votes for county officers. and should issue certificates to such persons as received the greatest number of votes for the ofifices respectively for the town and county officers. That there should be elected at such election a county judge, who sliould hold his office until the first day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred fifty-eight, and until his successor was elected and ciualified. There should also be elected three town supervisors, one to be designated as chairman of the board, who should also be the board of county supervisors. That at such election should also be elected a sherifif, a clerk of the court, clerk of the board of county supervisors, a register of deeds, surveyor and coroner and all other county officers required for the due organization of the county for county and judicial purposes. It also provided that the county of ]Monroe should consist of one town and the Ijoai'd of supervisors should be the l)oai'd of county supervisors, and that the said board of county supervisors should have to divide the county into three or more towns at any regular meeting of the board, and also provided that the county seat should be located at the village of Sparta, in the town of Leon. All writs, processes, appeals, suits, indictments, recognizances and othei* pi'oceediugs whatsoever then pending or thereafter commenced, or pending before the Monday next after the first Tuesday of April next, in the county or circuit court of the county of LaCrosse, should be prosecuted to the final judgment, order or decree, might be carried into eflt'ect and enforced in like manner as if the counties of LaCrosse and Monroe were constituted one county ; and all executions, writs, processes or other proceedings may be directed

At the election held in April pursuant to this act, seventy votes were cast for the entire county, and K. J. Casselnian, Loyd Angle and Peter DeCoursey were elected as the town board of the town of Leon, and thereby becaiiif the first county board of supervisors of the county of jNIonroe. .Vt that election the following county officers were elected: A. H. Blake, county judge; Ed. AValrath, sheriff; AVilber Fisk, register of deeds; John Barker, clerk of the court; Samuel Hoyt, county treasurer: A. H. Cornell, district attorney; E. E. Shaw, clerk of the board of supervisors. AVilber Fisk loft the county soon after the election and E. S. Blake filled the vacancy in the ofifice of the register of deeds until the appointment of R. S. Kingman, wliich occurred in January. 1855.

The county board held its first meeting on the lltli day of April, 1854. at which R. J. Casselman and Loyd Angle were present, and without doing anything the board adjourned to the 14th day of April, and on the 14tli the board convened pursuant to the adjournment Avith R. J. Casselman and Loyd Angle i)resent. The first item of business wliidi was ever transacted by a county board of Alonroe county was done at that meeting. The board very solemnly proceeded to pass the resolution to pay the exorbitant price of .^12. 50 to John Foster for the use of the hall in the "Globe HoteF' and for fuel for the same for one year in accordance with the agreement on file in the ofifice of the clerk. At its next meeting, held on the 2d day of May, 1854, Fredrick A. Childs of Sparta was appointed county surveyor until a surveyor should be duly elected and qualified : there appearing to be little use for a coroner none was elected or appointed at that time.

Under the law as it then existed the county board consisted of the chairman of the board of supervisors of each town, and this prevailed up to the year 1861, when by chapter 129 of the laws of that year the entire system was changed and the board was made to consist of three electors; each county was divided into assembly districts, or if there were not three assembly districts, then into supervisor districts, and one supervisor elected for each district, and this system continued until 1870, when the legislature in its wisdom repealed the chapter 129 of the laws of 1861 and the original system was again adopted, which has ever since been in existence. The county board, made up as a rule of the most representative men in the county, and consists at the present writing of thirty-six members. As the interests of towns, cities and villages in the equalization of taxes and other matters have been important, the board has consisted in the past, and does at the present time, of strong and representative men, and during the past fifty-seven years it has had as members at dilferent times most all the men who have been distinguished in their various communities in the county. The roster of several hundred names contains those of men who have done things in the upbuilding of the great agricultural, commercial, dairy and fruit growing prosperity and wealth of the county.

The first estate which came into the county court was that of one H. B. Hanshall, and the first record in that court w^as on the 2nd day of April, 1856, when the bond of the administratrix in the said estate was approved and recorded by George Gale, who was then county judge.

The first term of the circuit court was held at the village of Sparta beginning on the 18th day of September, 1854, the Hon. Hiram Knowlton, judge of the sixth judicial circuit, presiding, and sad to relate the first case which came before his honor was a divorce case in which Ellen Pendelbery was plaintiff and Abraham Pendelbery was defendant. The charge was for desertion for more than one year, to which the defendant made no defense and a decree of divorce was entered on that day by the court giving the care and custody of the minor children to the wife. The action was brought by Denison and Lyndes, attorneys for the plaintiff. At that time it appeared that the district attorney, who had been elected, had left the county and the court on the 18tli of September appointed James I. Lyndes to act as district attorney for tliat term. Upon motion of Mr. Lyndes, Ellworth Lathrop, James Edswell and Carlton E. Rice were admitted as attorneys and counsellers at the law" and solicitors in chancery.

The first jury case was that of Samuel Hoyt vs. AVilliam AValbridge for trespass. A. Holdes was attorney for the plaintiff and Denison and Lyndes represented the defendant. The first jury ever empanelled in the county was drawn and consisted of the following citizens: J. C. Bean, John DeLaney, A. H. Blake, R. S. Kingman. Riley Roberts, Hiram Anderson, B. B. Jones, AVilliam Winters, S. Walrath, A. Fisk. William Kerrigan and J. F. Rathbun. Only one of this number is still living, J. F. Rathl)un, who now resides at the city of Tomah. The plaintiff' was successful and was awarded $50 damages.

a total of orders diawn on tin- t-ounty treasurer of $295.87: i»ut soon the expenses began to multiply rapidly wlien the business affairs of the eounty were fairly lauiicluMl. Salaries, court expenses, olifiec r<'Mls \'nr llic vai'ious otiticcrs. Ices of various kinds provided by law all fomhiiied to rapidly increase the tax rate. AVith the growth of the eounty business the board found it necessary to have a court house and jail. .1. 1). Daimnon having made a plat of his first division to the village of Sparta, offered to donate block four for a location for the county buildings, and as a court house s(juai-e. This was accepted by the county board ^larch H, IS.")."), and at the meeting held on the .Ith of June of the same year the l)oard voted an appi-opriation of not to exceed ^(iOO.nO for a county building. H. .1. ("asselman, John Foster and 11. ]M. Sanford were api)oiuted a l)uilding committee to draft plans, to receive bids and to cause the building to be erected as soon as possible. It was completed for occupancy in 1856, being a frame building containing the court room or hall, and part of the building Avas partitioned off foi- a jail. It stood in th" middle of block four of Dammon's addition, being the one in whieh [he house now owned by Lee Canfield is situated. Soon after its completion the building was leased to the school district for school jmrposes. when not in use for holding court; and on Sundays it was used by the Methodists as a church. There were no otiHces in the building, however, nnd the nect'ssity of renting offices by the county board continued for sevei'al years. Mr. Dannnon in 1862 commenced an action against the county to recover possession of the court house site, claiming lliat the jiritvisions of the deed had been violated as tlie building was l)eing used for school purposes and foi- chuicli purposes ])rincipall\ . A special session of the county board was called Sept( niber 4. ISti:!. a1 which it Mas voted to pay the costs of the suit and settle the same by conveying 111"' i)i'o]ierty back to ^Ii-. Dammnn. which was subsequently (lone.

The block where the preseul coui'1 house stands, whicii had l»een dedicated as a jiark l)y AVilliam Pcttit in isr)2, was selected as the site foi' the county buildings, ami pui'snani 1o a resolution of the bo;ir<l a1 the Xovendier session in ISii:!. the court house and sheriff's dwelling were erected in ISd.") at a cost of j|<22,r)0(). This building Mas considered (piile ample a1 ihe tinu' and served the ])ui'])oses \ery Avell until the growth in population and in the county's business made it necessary to erect more modern buildings. A modern l)i-i(dv jail M'as built in 1<S!)() jiursuant to a resolution of th(^ (M»nnty board, costing about $17,000. and in 1894 the board passed an ordinance providing for tlic building of a new c'onrt bouse, wbicli was erected in 1895-96. It is a tbree-story stone building, with plain but bandsome exterior of red sandstone, having good court rooms, a county board room, commodious offices for all the county officers, with ample vault room in all the offices where records are kept for a long time in the future. It is heated by steam, electric lighted and has all the modern conveniences with steel furniture in all the vaults.

In 1871 the county being then divided into three districts for the care of the poor, the necessity of establishing a county institution where paupers could be cared for became apparent. At a session of the board in February that year a resolution was passed to purchase a farm for the purpose and a committee consisting of James Thomson, J. Caney, D. Homes, AV. AVoodard and J. B. Marsden, were appointed to carry it out. The committee reported at the November session the purchase of the farm of David Cole of 200 acres, situated in the town of Adrian, for the sum of $5,000. This continued to be used as tlu^ poor farm until 1899, but it being some distance from the county seat and the buildings being too small for the growing pauper population the county board authorized its sale, and in 1899 it was disposed of and another farm purchased just north of the city of Sparta, in the town of Sparta. In 1900 a brick home for the poor with modern conveniences was built upon this farm, costing about $11,000.

About this time there was considerable agitation with regard to building a county insane asylum, which finally culminated in 1901, when the county board decided to turn the poor house into a county insane asylum, which was done, and subsequently in 1902 a poor house was erected on another part of the farm. In 1909 the county board purchased the farm of Grant Rogers of 120 acres, which was adjacent to the farm owned by the county. Subsequently and in compliance Avith the requirements of the state board of control a separate building was erected in which was installed a modern steam heating plant. A large steel water tank, giving heavy pressure, was then erected which supplies the buildings with water and affords ample tire protection. So that at the present time this county owns a tine farm of 280 acres a mile of the city limits of Sparta. Avliich is equipped with modern conveniences, a home for the poor capable of housing in comfort thirty inmates, and with the heating plant and water system makes a most complete equipment, representing an investment of about $70,000, all of Avliich is fully paid, and at the time of this publication the county is free from debt, a situation which reflects much credit upon the men who have in the past served on the county board and brought to bear upon the county's business all the careful thought and business acumen Avhich they applied to their own business.

Not only has the county been rortuiiatc in the building up of its own institutions, but through, the efforts of some of its citizens, backed up by natural advantages, one state and one government institution has been esta])lished within its borders - the state public school for dependent children, now located at Sparta, and the government hidian school, located near Tomah. In each instance there was » lively contest between several cities of the stat(' for the location of those institutions; the competition was keen, l)ut against great odds in the many advantageous offers from other places our citizens were victorious and landed the prizes. The state school being established at Sparta by an act of the legislature known as chapter 377, laws of 1885, and now consists of a central or administration building, with several detached cottages, and a hospital, a heating plant and baking plant, all situated on a farm of 165 acres, part of which lies within the limits of the city of Sparta.

The Indian school, established by the government at Tomah, situated on a farm donated by the citizens of Tomah and l.ving about two miles north of that city, consisting of several large buildings, including the administration building, superintendent's residence, dormitories for boys and girls, a heating plant, hospital and several farm l)uildings. In this institution Indian boys and girls are given education in tlie common branches and in addition to that girls are taught needle Avork and domestic. Science, and the boys are instnicted in farming, carpenter work and other useful occupations.

"When the first settlers located in the valleys of the county there were but a few thousand people in the whole state of AYiseonsin, and at the estal)lishment of the count.v government in 1854 there were not more than 700 people in the entire county. The stream of immigration came rapidly, however, and in I860 the county luid grown to a population of 8,000, and from that time forth it rapidly increased so that in 1870 it was 16,550; in 1880 it was 21,607; in 1890 it was 23,211; in 1900, 28,103; and in 1910, 28,888, so that the growth has been well distributed over the past years, has been normal and kept pace with the development of its resources. Its farming population is above the average in methods and intelligence as the wonderful increase in the dairy interests and the great progress made in the raising of small fruits will testify, each of which subjects is treated in another chapter. Its people as a rule are progressive in the matter of education and at the present time its school system is of the best ; and several of the towns in the county have taken the initiative in that most important subject - the building of good roads. Especially is this true of the town of Sparta and through the enterprise of the officers of this town several miles of macadam highway have been constructed and the town has become well and favorably mentioned throughout the state as one which has been a pioneer in this movement.

The year 1911 has seen awakenings in some parts of the county with regard to the fact that its resources are as yet nowhere near fully developed, and through the experiments made by some of its progressive farmers and through the efforts of the Sparta Fruit Growers' Association a strong impetus has been given to the development of fruit lands not only for berries, but for the raising of apples. Experimental orchards, notably the one grown by Fred JMuehlencanip in the town of Ridgeville, and that of J. AV. Leverieh, in the town of Angelo, liave demonstrated beyond a question that a large portion of the ridge and valley lands are adapted to the raising of fall and winter apples and also several varieties of grapes. The prospects of the people of the county for the future seems doubly assured as the interests are varied, comprising cranberry culture, dairy interests, the raising of small fruits and bush l)erries, diversified farming and the prospects of the development in the years to come of the apple and the grape industries. With fertile ridge lands and its well watered valleys INIonroe county gives promise of becoming one of the garden spots of the state of Wisconsin.

In the official life of the county there have been many lively contests for the various offices, especially for those positions which until a few years ago paid fees. P^or many years the sheriff's office was a storm center of many political battles when the fees in one term of office were extremely large, which condition, however, the county board subsequently remedied by putting this office on a salary, as has been done with all the county offices ; certainly a good business move much to the advantage of the taxpayers financially and with no detriment to the service rendered. The office of sheriff" has been held by many well-known cliaracters, among whom may be mentioned the names of Edward AValrath, one of the pioneer settlers ; C. AV. McMillan, George B. Robinson, N. P. Lee, E. Bartels, E. R. Jones, A. J. Carnahan, Leo

Vieth and many others, a complete list of which is ^iven ;i1 the conclusion of tliis chapter. Perhaps tlic most remarkahle record in this otilict' is tliat of ('. ^V. McMillan. Avho appears to have held it at dit^iTcnt times for Mvc tei-ms, and at other times he served as deputy slieriflf' and untU-i- sheritt'. which is a tril)ute to the popularity and political acumen of Mi-. Mc^Iillan in his day.

The ottice of llie connty treasiirei-. county clerk and (dei-k of the court have been iiuu-li s()u<ili1 after and held by many men prominent in llie affaii-s of the comity. The otitiee of the county judge has lieen occupied by such men as Col. George Graham, of Tomah; C. ^1. Masters, of Spai-ta : S. AV. Button, of Sparta, and the present incund)ent. Col. H. 11 McCoy, who has the iionor of heing elected for that office for four terms, beginning in 18i)8. The jurisdiction of this coiu't in this county has never been enlarged to iiKdude civil and criminal nuitters, as has heen the case in some counties in this state, but it consists of the administration of the estates of deceased persons, with authorit}^ to sentence officers wlio plead guilty of certain ofl:*enses. the examination and coiinnitmeut of insane per.sons, and the appointment of guardians of iinnors and those who aiT incapable of managing their own atifairs. and the connuitment to state institutions in such cases as are provided by law. By a law passed by the legislature in 1010 and ]i)ll this court may hold terms at Tonudi as well as at the county seat, and the third Tuesday of each month has been designated as the term day at Tomah when all matters may be heard.

There has been l)rought to the offi<M^ of disti-ict attorney the service of many al)le lawyers in the county, beginning with that of T^. A\'. (ii'a\('s. who served oiu' term. l)eginning in 18(il, and afterwai'ds became w(dl known as a brilliant and resourceful ti'ial lawyer. It was also held l)y Komanzo Bunn, who became judge of tlic Cnited States court for the Avestern district of Wisconsin; by .1. M. Moriow. whose name even now is so well known throughout the state of AVisconsin and Avho served as circuit court judge of tbe si.xth judicial cirmil. .Mr. .Moi'iow held the otlice of district atloi-ney for four terms at different times. David K. - loiM'S sei'vcd foui- teinis as district attorney and latei- was appointed by President ^I(d\inley as I'nite I States district attorney for the western distiMd oi' Wisconsin, which otTfice he held at the time of his <leat li.

The following is a complete list of all the eounty officers from 1854 to 11)11, giving: the years in which they wcmt into office and the length of time each served :

County Surveyors

Monroe county since its organization has at diiferent times ))een in a number of different senatorial districts, and this county has furnished the following senators:

John A. Chandler, of Sparta, in the sessions of 1865 and 1866; DeWitt C. AYilson, of Sparta, in the session of 1868 ; Adelbert E. Bleekman, of Tomah, in the sessions of 1871 and 1875 ; Charles K. Erwin, of Tomah, in the sessions of 1882, 1883, 1885 and 1887; H. W. Barker, of Sparta, elected in 1907 for a teiTxi of four years ; Howard Teasdale, elected in 1910; now holding the office.

Members Of Assembly

For a number of years the county of Monroe was a part of the assembly district comprised of LaCrosse and Monroe counties, so that it was not until al)Out 1861 that a member came from this county. A few years later the county w^as divided into two assembly districts, and afterwards into only one, which is the situation at the present time.

A list is here given beginning with the year in which a member appeared from Monroe county, and after each name will be found the year of the session or sessions at which each member served :

James H. Allen, Sparta, session of 1873 ; AVilliam J. Austin, Leon, session of 1881 ; AA'illiam Y. Baker, Oakdale, session of 1878 ; AYilliam A. Barber, AVarrens, session of 1882 ; Jesse Bennett, Sparta, session of 1869 ; Chauncey Blakeslee, Sparta, session of 1877 ; Adelbert E. Bleekman, Tomah, session of 1873 : AVilliam H. Blyton, Sparta, sessions of 1883-85-89; Robert Campbell,

(ileiidale, session of 1880: David I). <'heney, Sparta, session of ]871; 1). AV. Cliciicy. Spai-ta. session of 1891 : An)ert T. Colburn, Cataract, session of 1876; James D. Condit, Sparta, sessions of 1 ,s:)8-78-79 : TTan-y Doxtader. Toniali, session of 1877; Lewis S. Fisher, Sparta, session of 1887; ^liles LeKoy Ilineiiian. Toniah. session of 1887; .1. H. Hinckley. Toniah. session of iScSiJ; CharU^s A. Hunt. Alelvina, sessions of 1868-70; William W. Jackson, Tomah, .sessions of 1868-7.') ; Fredrick P. Johnson. Ontario, session of 1899; Steven B. Johnson. Tomah. session of 1867; David F. Jones, Sparta, session of 1897; Evan K. Jones, Sparta, session of 1901: John K. Jones, Leon, sessions of 1907-09; James H. Lyon. Glendale, session of 1889; Thomas L. [Martin. AViltou, session of 1895; Thomas ^McCanl, Tomah, session of 1874; John J. [McKay. Sj>arta. session of I860: Joseph [M. [Morrow, Sparta, session of 1862; John O'Brien, AVilton. session of 1881; Charles E. Qnitrs:. Tomah, session of 1893; Carlton E. Rice, Sparta, session of l.Sii4; Jolm F. Kichards, Tomah, session of 1872; Eli 0. Rudd, Rudd's [Mills, session of 1872; George P. Stevens, Tomah, sessions of 1903-05; Joseph .M. Tair. Tunnel City, session of 1865; [Mason A. Thayer, Sparta, session of 1882 ; James Tormey, Tomah, session of 1891 ; George R. Vineent. Tomah. session of 1891 : Levi Wallace, Oil City, session of 1885; P^li AVaste. Sparta, sessions of 1874-75-80: Charles D. AVells, Tomah. session of 1876: DeAVitt C. Wilson. Sparta, session of 1866.