Rock County, Wisconsin - Chapter 7: Towns of Rock County, 1879

Chapter 7: Towns of Rock County

This town - the southwest one of the county - comprises within its limits the original surveyed Township 1 north, of Range 10 east, containing thirty-six sections of land, equivalent to thirty-six square miles of territory. The south line of the town is the boundary line between the States of Illinois and Wisconsin - the base line, as it is termed, of the Government surveys in this section. The west line of the town is a part of the county line between the counties of Green and Rock. North of Avon is the town of Spring Valley ; east of it, the town of Newark. In its primitive state, about one quarter was prairie ; the balance, burr oak and white oak openings. As already mentioned, all that portion lying southwest of Sugar River was surveyed by the General Government during the first quarter of the year 1833 ; the residue, in the first quarter of 1834.

By an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved February 11, 1847, Avon was set apart and named, and a "town meeting" directed to be held pn the first Tuesday of April, 1848, at the house of Willian Crippen. Previous to the erection of Avon as a separate and distinct town, its territory formed a portion of the town of Newark. Among the names of the early settlers may be mentioned Joseph Kinney, Jr., Joseph Huntley, William Crippen, H. Beales, W. F. Thompson, William Grimes and Joseph Watson. Some of the pioneers of this town were Norwegians. In a beautiful valley in the northeast part of Avon, which they christened Luther Valley, they built a church in 1847, and, a few years after, laid out a village, calling it Bornitz. Rev. Claud Lars Clauson was the first Pastor in this neighborhood. Among the pioneers of that nationality in Avon may be mentioned Cleophus Holverson, Lars Simonson, Inbred Ingerbretsen, Gunder Holver, Gens Knudson, Peter Holverson and Andrew Armudson. From the first, the Norwegians have, as a class, ranked high as honest, industrious, enterprising and moral citizens. They assume the habits, manners and customs of Americans with facility. The population of Avon in 1850 was 579 ; in 1860, 908 ; in 1870, 886 ; in 1875, 878.

Ill the town of Avon there is one village, Avon Center. The town has no railroad, although one has been projected through its territory. About one-fourth of Avon lies southwest of Sugar River. The town has but one post office - Avon Center.

This town was constituted by an act of the Legislature of the Territory of Wisconsin, February 17, 1842. At its organization, the town embraced an area equal ttf about four townships, including the territory of the present Avon, Newark, Beloit and Turtle ; that is to say, Township No. 1 north, of Ranges 10, 11, 12 and 13 east, except the two eastern tiers of sections in Township 1 north, of Range 13 east, and also excepting the north section in the third tier of the same township. But, as a counterpoise to this loss, Sections 19, 20, 21, 28, 29, 31, 32 and 33, of Township 2 north, of Range 13 east, were added to it, giving it an irregular shape. It was afterward reduced to its present territory, consisting of Township 1 north, of Range 12 east, and containing thirty-six sections of land ; that is, thirty-six square miles. It is the center one of the five towns forming the southern tier of the county, and lies immediately upon the Illinois line. Rock River runs through it from the north, crossing Sections 1, 2, 11, 14, 23, 26 and 35, giving an agreeable diversity to the landscape ; or, in the words, of a local historian, ''cherishing the verdure on its margin, affording sites of beauty on its bluffs, and imparting power to the busy mill-wheels in its course."

The first settlement in this town was made in the year 1836, the particulars of which will hereafter be given when the history of the city of Beloit is reached - the first settler locating within what are now its chartered limits. From that time, settlements rapidly multiplied, so that farming lands were pretty well taken up in claims as early as 1838. So rapidly, indeed, was the increase of the population that, notwithstanding the fertility of the virgin soil and the unremitting industry of the settlers, the demand for farm products was greatly in excess of the supply ; but some of the most thoughtful and far-sighted foresaw that this state of affairs could not long continue, and some expressed their apprehensions that the time was not far distant when they would be called upon to face a serious difiiculty in the lack of a market for their supplies. And such proved to be the result ; for, after the harvest of 1889, a bushel of wheat would not purchase a pound of saleratus, and a certain party found it impossible to purchase a pound of tobacco for any quantity of that staple.

At a meeting of the electors of the town of Beloit, held at the district schoolhouse pursuant to notice on the tifth day of April, A. D. eighteen hundred and forty-two,' Hazen Cheeney, Esq , was chosen Chairman, and Edwin Bicknel Clerk.

On motion, voted to allow the Superrisors of this town 6 shillings per day for their services for doing business while in town and one dollar per day when called out.

Voted to set the office of Collector up at auction, and the one that will give the most to the town out of the five per cent allowed by law shall have the office.

Voted that this meeting stand pledged to support the man for Chairman of the Board of Supervisors who will pay the most to the town out of the two dollars per day allowed him by law in said office.

On motion, voted that all swine be restrained from running at large after the first day of May next, and that any person finding a swine in the highway or running at large, may take the same into his possession and keep the same for the space of fourteen days by posting up a description of said hogs in three public places in said town, and if at any time during said six days the owner shall demand said swine and by "paying fifty cents per head and their keeping and all damages said swine may have done the person so restraining, he may be permitted to take the swine.

Voted that no, bull over one year old shall be permitted to run at large in this town, unless the owner shall have a certificate permitting the same from the Board of Supervisors ; and any owner so offending shall forfeit the sum of one dollar.

Voted that all fines and forfeitures imposed by this town shall be collected by action of debt before any Justice of the Peace competent to try the same.

On motion, voted that this meeting now proceed to ballot for seven officers. Whereupon David J. Bundy; (Chaii-- man) ; .Joseph Colley and John P. Houslin were declared to be duly elected the Board of Supervisors for the ensuing year.

It appears from the foregoing that public pledges at that early day, as now, were not -always held sacred, for Mr. Kidder had the pledge, but Bundy obtained the votes. When the newly elected officers came to be sworn in, the record indicates that the oath was strengthened to correspond to the weighty interests which were to be affected by the respective functionaries. Thus a Fence Viewer was sworn only to support the Constitution of the United States ; a Commissioner of Highways, to support the Constitution and be a good officer ; but, the Chairman of the supervisors, in addition to taking care of the Constitution and doing the duties of his office, was sworn to "do equal right and justice by all men;" and it is 'believed that he did.

There are no villages in the town of Beloit ; but the city is wholly within its limits. It has two railroads - the Madison Division of the Chicago & North- Western and the Western Union. The former enters the town from the south at Beloit and leaves it on Section 3, passing into the tow^n of Rock ; the latter, after passing i;n a southwest direction through the towns of Clinton and Turtle, enters the town of Beloit near the city, and, running a short distance in the place last mentioned, passes into Illinois. The town is well watered and timbered, and is one of the wealthiest agricultural towns in the county.- Most of the farms are large and under a high state of cultivation. The improvements are excellent. The town has but one post office - Beloit.

This town is situated in the southeast part of the county on its eastern boundary line, and was organized by act of the Legislature, approved February 2, 1846. Prior to this date, the south half of the present town was included with Clinton, and the north half in the town of Janesville. It now includes Township 2 north, of Range. 14 east.

The first settlement was made by Brastus Dean in the year 1836. The other early settlers were Andrew McCullagh, William C. Chase, James Winnegar, Joseph Maxon. William B. Aldrich, C. Dykeman, William Wyman, L. S. Blackman and Alva Blackman. At the present time, the farms of this town are nearly all under good cultivation, and the improvements generally first-class. A very small portion of the southeast corner of Section 36 (which is, of course, the extreme southeast corner of the town), is traversed by the Western Union Railroad. It has no railway station. The village of Emerald Grove is situated in the northwest part of the town. Bradford has two post offices - Emerald Grove and Fairfield.

Center

The town of Center is situated in the northwestern portion of the county, and was organized by act of the Legislature, approved February 17, 1842. It included the present town of Center, and portions of Plymouth, Spring Valley, Magnolia and Janesville, west of Rock River. By an act approved February 2, 1846, the town of Magnolia was set off from it. Subsequently, other changes were made by the formation of new towns, and its present limits are included in the territory known as Township 3 north, of Range 11 east. The first settlement in the town was made by Andrew Stevens in October, 1843, at the grove, called Black-Oak Grove. At that time, he had no neighbors within ten miles west, or five miles north. The following per- , sons settled in this town soon after : David Davis, Philander Davis, William Webb, William Warren, Elijah Wood. The first election was held at the house of James V. Knowlton. The town at that time embraced about three and a half townships, about nine miles wide from north to south, and running from Rock River on the east to the Green County line on the west nearly eighteen miles.

The land of this town is rich and productive, and under high cultivation. The building improvements are generally of an excellent character. The first church was organized in 1846, by the Methodists. The next church organization was the Baptists, and in 1854, a Congregational denomination built a small chapel on Section 34.

" My visit to this town," are the words of a pioneer, " was in the spring of 1843. At this early day, political excitement ran high. In the spring of 1844, the whole territory within the town was thoroughly canvassed, and every voter brought on the ground except one (thirty-two in all). It being known how every man had voted, there was found to be a tie vote for every office in town. The last voter was then sent for - Anthony Partridge - who came and voted, selecting names from the two tickets. Every man for whom he voted was elected."

Clinton

The town of Clinton was organized by an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved February 17, 1842, and comprised the territory of the present town, the south half of Bradford and portions of Turtle and La Prairie. By an act approved March 23, 1843, five sections in the present town of Turtle were annexed and made a part of it. These boundaries were subsequently changed, and at present it comprises the whole of Township 1, north of Range 14 east, being the southeastern township in the county.

The first settlements were made in the month of April, 1837, on the west side of Jeiferson Prairie. The first explorers were Dr. Dennis Mills, Milton S. Warner, Charles Tuttle and William S. Murray. The land had not then been in market. Selections of land were made and taken possession of in the name of the Jefierson Prairie Company. Soon after, Stephen E. Downer and Daniel Tasker and their wives visited the location, and selected claims on the southeast side of the prairie. In July, Oscar H. Pratt and Franklin Mitchell, from Joliet, 111., made claims. The settlers who came soon after, were Stacy L. Pratt, three sisters and father, Ai and Reuben P. Willard, Humphrey and' Ezekiel Brownell, Stephen E. Downer, Daniel Tasker, Martin Moore, Henry Wheeler and their families. Settlements were also made in October by H. L. Warner, Henry Tuttle, Albert Tuttle, Griswold Weaver, Mrs. Milton S. Warner, Mrs. D. Mills an Miss Harriet Warner, who joined the settlement on the west side of the prairie.

The first town meeting held was on the 5th day of April, 1842, at the house of Charles Tuttle. The following persons were elected for the different offices for the ensuing year : Col. William Stewart, Chairman of Supervisors, and Jacob H. Randall, Herman Murray, Assistant Supervisors ; Lovell R. Gilbert, Assessor ; Henry Tuttle, Town Clerk ; Griswold Weaver, Treasurer ; Reuben P. Willard, Collector ; James Chamberlin, Henry Tuttle, Horatio J. Murray, Commissioners of Highways ; David M. Pratt, Charles Tuttle, W. S. Murray, Commissioners of Common Schools.

Pulton

In the month of June, 1836, Robert and Daniel Stone started from the State of Michigan and came to the Territory of Wisconsin. Continuing their course westward until they reached the valley of the Rock River, they saw at a glance that the stream, with its abundant waterpower, and the clean, smooth prairies, with their rich soil, possessed advantages which needed only the stalwart arms and resolute hearts of hardy men to develop into excellent homes. They followed an Indian trail up the river, until they came to the mouth of the Yahara (Catfish), where they made their claim, and became the first settlers of the town of Fulton. In 1837, they plowed the first furrow, broke seven acres of land and planted it with corn and beans. The seed corn cost them $5 a bushel. In the spring of 1838, they built the first log house, and were now ready to offer their hospitalities to all who came. Robert and Daniel Stone came from Parishville, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.

In 1837, George R. Ramsay came from the State of Vermont to Chicago; remained there for a time and worked upon the harbor ; he then went to Milwaukee, and from there to Rock River and made a claim in the town of Fulton, where he is still living. William B. Foster came in 1837, and located upon the river in the south part of the town. His place became a prominent landmark in consequence of a ferry which he established and run for a time, known as Foster's Ferry. Elijah True and family came in 1838 ; bought a part of Foster's claim and settled upon it. Lyman Morse, George E. Cowan, Silas Hurd, Anson Goodrich and William Squires settled in 1838. Morse located upon the river at a point afterward known as Morse's Landing and Morse's Prairie: Hurd and Cowan settled upon the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Hurd. Afterward, they divided their property, and Cowan settled upon Morse's Prairie, where he became closely identified with the organization and political interests of the town, and its first Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Goodrich located near the foot of Lake Koshkonong, where he established and run a ferry, known as Goodrich's Ferry. A bridge now occupies the site. William M. Squires settled in the eastern part of the town, where he still lives, a friend to everybody, especially to all old settlers. In 1841, Messrs. Gould and Young built the dam across the Yahara (Catfish), and began to build a saw-mill. He died, and the property was bought by Peck & Tripp, of Whitewater, who completed the mill. Emanuel Canker bought out the interest of Tripp. The new firm, Canker & Peck, commenced preparations to build a grist-mill, which they completed in 1846. The mill, after passing through various hands, is now owned by the White Brothers.

George E. Cowan and Mary Ward were married in 1840, at the house of Silas Hurd, it being the first marriage in town. In 1840, death claimed his first victim in the person of Mrs. Proctor, who died in the house of Cloudin Stoughton, and was buried on his farm. The first child was born in 1839. The first school was taught in a part of the house of William B. Foster, in the winter of 1841. by Dr. Rollin Head, now of the town of Albion.

During the winter of 1843, the settlers met at the house of Lyman Morse, drew up and signed a petition, asking the Legislature to organize their town, to be called Franklin. There being another town by that name, they changed it to Fulton, and passed the act of organization. The first Tuesday in April, 1848, the voters of the town (some twenty in number) met at the house of William B. Foster and held their first town meeting, electing George E. Cowan, Chairman ; Elijah True and Cloudin Stoughton, Supervisors ; R. T. Powell, Town Clerk ; Lyman Morse, Treasurer ; William White, Assessor ; R., T. Powell, George R. Ramsay and Mr. Holman, School Commissioners, and David Kelly and Thomas Vaughn, Justices of the Peace.

Dr. Guy Stoughton, owning land on the river at the foot of Lake Koshkonong, believing that the fall was sufiicient to make a good water-power, contracted with Mr. Hanchett, in the spring of 1845, to build a dam. The dam was completed during that year, and a saw-mill built, which was run for several years, and then converted into a grist-mill. The first bridge across the river was at Indian Ford ; built in 1845, by private subscription ; Stephen Allen, builder. In 1848, the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Railroad was built through the town.

The brothers Pomeroy came from the State of Ohio, settled in the town, and commenced the culture of tobacco, with which they were familiar. The soil being adapted to its growth, it spread until it became one of the leading interests.

Among the leading farmers of the town are Robert Stone, Silas Hurd, Orrin Pomeroy, L. H. Page, Orson Cox, James S. Hopkins and James Van Etta, each cultivating several hundred acres of land.

In order not to impoverish their lands, the farmers have gone largely into stock-raising, and the bulk of their coarse grains is fed out upon their farms. Beeves, horses, sheep and the products of the dairy are all heavy items in the marketable proceeds of the farm, and upon which a vast amount of money is realized. But tobacco is the crop for which Fulton is most distinguished. Portions of the counties of Rock, Dane, Jeiferson, Walworth and Green comprise pretty much all of the tobacco-raising territory. It can be readily seen that tobacco in this portion of the State is, and is to be a leading product. It is found to mix admirably with stock-raising. Tobacco requires a rich soil, and is considered as an exhaustive crop, but the stock-raising makes up for the heavy draft upon the soil, and the farms, instead of losing in fertility, are more than holding their own, and they have never been more productive than now. This year, there has been some apprehension as to the effect of the dry weather, but late rains have mostly removed all fear from that source, and the prospect for this year's crop is very encouraging. Nothing now but early frosts can endanger the yield, and though some pieces are late, most of the crop will be secured in reasonable season, and the outlook for this important crop and all others, is inspiring and hopeful.

Harmony

This town was first settled by Mr. Daniel A. Richardson in 1837, he building a shanty on Section 17, but soon after, in company with Charles and Alexander Hart, located permanently in Section 24. They were soon after followed by Arvah Cole, Jeremiah Warner and Ansel Dickinson, who settled in the same neighborhood. In the same year, William and Joseph Spaulding also began a settlement on Section 17, where they still remain. They were followed a Year or two later by Phineas Arms and John N. Dean, who located in that neighborhood. In 1840, Mr. John Turner became a resident and tells some funny stories about the pioneer settlement. One of them is to the effect that Mrs. Dean, being on one occasion very sick, her husband, one of the early settlers, called upon a resident and asked him to go and bleed her. Mr. Turner, being surprised at finding a surgeon in the person of his neighbor, asked him how he was going to do it and was informed, " with a pen-knife." Mr. Turner placed his services and regular lancets at Mr. Dean's disposal, who, it is needless to say, accepted them in preference to the pen-knife.

In the early settlement of the town, the residents were much troubled with gophers, and, upon one occasion, a bargain was made between Mr. Warner and Mr. Dean that the former should abate the nuisance on the latter' s farm at one cent per head. With bucket and water. Warner succeeded in taking, up to noon on the first day, about two hundred and twenty gophers, upon seeing which, Mr. Deans broke the contract, on the ground that Warner was making too much money.

It was in those early days and in that neighborhood that Judge Knowlton first conceived the idea of studying law, and it happened in this way. Being a good axeman and a generally handy man, he was engaged to do a certain amount of carpentering, taking the lumber from the stumps. A neighbor near by, having purchased some calves, turned them loose to forage for themselves. Mr. Knowlton, on going for his coat at night, to the bush whereon he had hunj^ it, found that the calves had ruined it. He went to the owner and demanded a monetary reparation of the damage, which was refused, so he hurried off" in search of Blackstone. Professing to have discovered a legal authority, he returned to the owner of the stock, and, with more threats than logic, frightened the unfortunate man into paying a good round sura for the loss of his property. The study of law became a favorite one with Mr. Knowlton after that.

In those primitive days, neighbors, living miles apart, signaled each other by the discharge of fire-arms and by lights hung aloft on dark nights.

In the town is a very fine elevation known as Mount Zion. It was called so by two clergymen who were journeying from Chicago to some other point in the Northwest, and upon reaching the top, being delighted with the magnificent view, one exclaimed - " This is Mount Zion." From this natural observatory the eye takes in at one view at least one hundred and forty thousand acres of the finest agricultural land in the State.

During the emigration period from 1842 to 1850, the population increased to over 1,850. About 1845, the first teachers' association was formed, E. W. Stevens, President, and T. C. Dowell, Vice President. >

The town was organized by an act of the Legislature, approved by Gov. Dodge, March 11, 1848, and composed the north half of Township No. 2, and all of Township No. S north. Range 13 east, in the county of Rock. The first town meeting was held April 4, 1848, at the schoolhouse near Mount Zion ; upon which occasion John C. Jenkins and Justice P. Wheeler were elected Supervisors, and Cyrus I. Mitchell, Town Clerk. At a subsequent date the north half of Township No. 2, was detached and became a part of La Prairie. Preceding the organization of March 11, 1848, Township No. 3 had been apart of Janesville. The population of Harmony as shown by the State- census of 1855, taken by J^mes M. Deans, was 805. The next decade showed the population to be 1,104. That of 1875, as taken by Addison More. 1,136. The population is made up mostly from New England and the Middle States, with the exception of a few first-class foreigners, principally Scotch, English and Germans.

In the war of the rebellion, Harmony came to the front with money and men, and did her full and patriotic duty, always in advance of time and at every call. The records show a phalanx of about one hundred and nine men accredited to the town, all of whom did honor to the principles for which they fought. Harmony paid in cash to her- " brave boys " who went out |21,633, with an additional cost of $2,700, making a total to the town of |24,333.

Many of the enterpising farmers have blooded-stock horses and cattle which compare well with the best in the State, while the fruit and vegetable growers compete for first prizes at public fairs.

February 17, 1842, Township 3 and the north half of Township 2 north, of Ranges 13 and 14 east, and all that part of Townships 3 and 4 north, of Range 12 east, lying east of Rock River, were organized into a separate town by the name of Janesville. On the 21st of March, 1843, that part of the town of Janesville comprised in Township 3 north, of Range 14 east, was detached and organized into a separate town. On the same day. Township 4 nprth, of Range 12 east, was also organized into a town by itself. The organization of these two towns of course greatly reduced the size of the town of Janesville ; but, on the 10th of April of the last mentioned year, all that part of Township 3 north, of Range J.2 east, was annexed to it, so that it then contained the two originally surveyed Townships 3 north, of Ranges 12 and 13 east. Afterward, in 1850, the east half (which was Township 3 north, of Range 13 east) was organized into a separate town ; and thus the town of Janesville was made to include territory six miles square - Township 3 north, of Range 12 east. This is still its size, after deducting therefrom so much of the city of Janesville as lies therein.

The town of Janesville is superior farming land, both prairie and openings,, well wooded and well watered. Rock River flows through its eastern half, from north to south. The first bridge built across the stream was in this town. It was constructed by A. W. Pope and others in the northern part of the town, on the Milwaukee and Madison Territorial Road. This thoroughfare, until the completion of a railroad to the city of Janesville, was the most important one in the county. " Near this bridge," says a writer in 1856, " is a tavern, the Rock River House, and a few miles farther west, on the road,- is the celebrated farm owned by Gen. J. 0. Johnston. This farm consists of about 3,000 acres, 840 acres under improvement, 600 in crops, and 240 in timothy meadow. Gen. Johnston, the past year, raised 360 tons of timothy hay ; 5,000 bushels of wheat; 10,000 bushels of corn; 1,500 bushels of oats; 800 bushels of rye; 500 bushels fit potatoes. He has six horses, two mules and 260 head of cattle, of which 125 are cows, and eleven yoke of oxen, and employs from fifteen to thirty men. He cuts all of his grain and hay with machinery - reapers and mowers. He has a large and most commodious brick farmhouse, with convenient barns and out-buildings. These, together with the superior quality of his land, render his establishment one of the most desirable, not to say the largest in the State."

The same writer mentions, among others of the largest farmers, at that date, in the town of Janesville, the names of Z. P. Burdick, Charles Terwilliger, Thomas Welch, E. Strunk, Gideon Chapin, E. W. Barker, H. P. Culver, Henry Search, James Carl, Robert Shaw, David Jefiris, H. H. Simonds, John B. Carl, George Johnston, John Holmes, William Brace and William R. Hall. As the first settlement in this town was , identical with that of the village and city of Janesville, an account of it is reserved for a place in the history of the latter.

Town Officers elected April 5, 184^. - Supervisors, W. H. H. Bailey, Chairman, George E. Cowen and Jesse E. Corless ; Assessors, Anson W. Pope, Asa Comstock and' Clowden Stoughton; Collector, Miles J.Perry; Treasurer, Lewis E. Stone; Clerk, John P. Dickson; School Commissioners, James H. Knowlton, Asa Page and Harrison Stebbins ; Road Commissioners, John Strunk, William Virgin and Joseph Spaulding ; Pence Viewers, Levi St. John, John N. Dean and William Spaulding; Constables, Miles J. Perry, William Goodlander and Joseph Fellows ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, William P. Hammond.

A. C. Bailey and Enos C. Dickinson ; Commissioners of Highways, Phineas S. Page, Asa Comstock and Joseph Spaulding ; Fence Viewers, John N. Dean, Harvey Story and Gideon Chapin ; Constables, William Goodlander and M. A. Page ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, William P. Hammond; Overseers of Road Districts, No. 1, John P. Wheeler; No. 2, Elijah Isham ; No. 3, John Strunk ; No. 5, Pheneas Arms ; No. 9, Erastus Dean.

Town Officers elected April 2, 184-4- - Supervisors, John L. Kimball, Chairman, John N. Deans a,nd Levi St. John ; Assessor, Asa Page ; Collector, Enoch L. Roberts ; Treasurer, Lewis E. Stone ; Clerk, John P. Dickson ; School Commissioners, Joseph Spaulding, Justus P. Wheeler and Anson W. Pope ; Commissioners of Highways, William Holmes, Jr., Virgil Pope and Phineas S. Page; Justices of the Peace, Anson W. Pope and Arvah Cole; Constables, Enoch L. Roberts, George H. Wheeler and James H. Pope; Sealer of Weights and Measures, William P. Hammond; Overseers of Road Districts, No. 1, Levi St. John; No. 2, Elijah Isham; No. 3, Charles Stevens; No. 5, David Stevens; No. 6, Jesse G. Hancock; No. 7, Erastus Dean.

Town Officers elected April 1, ISJfB. - Supervisors, John L. Kimball, Chairman, Henry P. Russell and John Wynn ; Assessor, John J. R. Pease; Collector, E. J. Marvin; Treasurer, Otis B. Lapham ; Clerk, John !P. Dickson ; School Commissioners, A. W. Pope, James M. Burgess and A. J. Wood; Commissioners of Highways, Henry H. Green, Harvey Story and George W. Taylor; Fence Viewers, E. C. Story, Sanford Williams and Henry K. Belding ; Constables, E. J. Marvin and Isaac Scofield ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, B. F. Hart ; Overseers of Road Districts, No. 1, B. S. McMillen ; No. 2, Albert Warner; No. 3, Rufns Alexander; No. 4, I. Schofield; No. 5, Harvey Story; No. 6, Caleb A. Sawyer; No. 7, K. Lindsey; No. 8, C. C. Phelps; No. 9, H. K. Belding ; No. 10, Sanford Williams; No. 11, 0. Dileno ; No. 12, Erastus Dean.

Town Officers elected April 6, 184-6. - Supervisors, Otis B. Lapham, Chairman, William Holmes and William Spaulding ; Assessor, George H. Williston ; Collector, Alfred Dewey ; Treasurer, Otis B. Lapham ; Clerk, Edward P. Lacy ; School Commissioners, Anson W. Pope, LeviAlden and Henry P. Culver; Commissioners of Highways, B. F. Pixley, A.' C. Langdon and S. D. Thompson ; Justices of the Peace, Moses S. Richards, Anson W. Pope and Arvah Cole ; Constables, Alfred Dewey, Elhanan W. Stevens and William Wood ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Galen Amsden ; Pathmaster for District No. 1, William Brown ; No. 2, Thomas Welch; No 3, Joshua Holmes; No. 4, Jessie Miles; No. 5, Amos Humes; No. 6, Elisha C. Story ; No. 7, J. J. Van Kirk ; No. 8, John E. Young ; No. 9, David Stevens ; 'No. 10, Sanford Williams ; No. 11, Asa Blood ; No. 12, Anthony Mitchell ; No. 13, Lucius Bingham ; No. 14, Timothy Jackman.

At a special meeting of the Town Board, held March 13, 1847, Elihu H. Strong was elected Chairman of the Board of Supervisors to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of 0.

Town Officers elected April S, 184.7. - Supervisors, .Yolney Atwood, Chairman, William. Spaulding and L. D. Thompson ; Assessor, George H. Williston ; Collector, Miles J. Perry ; Treasurer, Lewis E. Stone ; Clerk, William A. Lawrence ; School Commissioners, Levi Alden, David r. Daniels and William W. Stilwell ; Commissioners of Highways, L. D. Thompson, Henry D. Culver and A. H. Stevens ; Justice of the Peace, W. F. Tompkins ; Constables, M. J. Perry, Volney Atwood and John Young ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Thomas Shaw ; Pathmaster for District No. 1, B. McMellen ; No. 2, L. A. Bachelder; No. 3, John Mitchell; No. 4, William W. Keys; No. 5, Anson W. Pope; No. 6, Harvey Story ; No. 7, Daniel Andrust; No. 8, A. H. Stevens; No. 9, Moses A. Page; No. 10, Edward Aiken ; No. 11, Lewis E. Stone ; No. 12, Henry P. Culver ; No. 13, Samuel Hamilton ; No. 14, Thomas Shaw.

Town Officers elected April 4., 15^5. - Supervisors, Henry P. Culver, Chairniaii, Francis Dane and Virgil Pope; Assessors, Volney Atwood, S. W. Smith and 0. R. Phelps; Collector, Allen C. Bates ; Treasurer, S. W. Smith ; Clerk, B. F. Pixley ; School Commissioners, S. W. Chittenden, John Nichols and L. S. Stevens ; Commissioners of Highways, Alfred Hoskins, James Bunco and Blihu Whittier ; Justices of the Peace, M. S. Pritchard, Lewis E. Stone and James R. Pope ; Constables, Allen C. Bates, Miles J. Perry and H. W. Seymour ; Fence Viewers, J. Jackman, Stover Rines and A. Hyatt Smith ; Sealer of Weights and Measures John M. May; Pathmaster for District No. 1, Lucius Scales; No. 2, John Rook; No. 3 Jeremiah Blount ; No. 4, Thomas Newberry ; No. 5, Harvey Brace ; No. 6, B. S. McMillen , No. 7, James Bunco ; No. 8, John P. Dickson ; No. 9, George W. Austin ; No. 10, Thomas Lappin ; No. 11, James Bear ; No. 12, William Brace.

Town Officers elected April 3, 184.9. - Supervisors, Jesse Miles, Chairman, Gilbert Dolson ; Assessor, John J. R. Pease ; Treasurer, Jared M. Hazelton ; Clerk, C. G. Gillett ; Superintendent of Schools, Andrew Palmer ; Justices of the Peace, William Truesdell and A. C. Bates, for two years ; A. T. Colbourn and John P. Dickson, for one year ; Constables, 0. R. Phelps, J. M. Corson and Charles R. Hollenbeck ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, James Burgess; Pathmaster for District No. 1, William Macloon; No. 2, Thomas Lynch ; No. 3, Jerry Blount ; No. 4, David Noggle ; No. 5, L. D. Thompson ; No. 6', Justus Dayton ; No. 7, Martin Green ; No. 8, James M.. Burgess ; No. 9, Peyton Russell ; No. 10, Elias Trenton ; No. 11, Adam Shoemaker; No. 12, William Brace.

There being a tie in the number of votes cast for George Barnes and E. Lewis, for the oiEce of Associate Supervisor, a vacancy was created, the filling of which is not of record.

Town Officers elected on the first Tuesday in April, 1850. - Supervisors, Morris C. Smith Chairman, William Brace and George Barnes ; Assessors, John J. R. Pease, Thomas Lappin and Peter B. Flagler; Treasurer, Whilden Hughes; Clerk, James H. Ogilvie ; School Superintendent, James Sutherland ; Constables, George S. Bangs,- Martin Dewey and Jared M. Hazelton ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Elihu H. Strong ; Pathmaster of District No. 1, William Macloon ; No. 2, Herman Rice ; No. 3, Barvey Brace ; No. 4, S. D. Smith ; No. 5, Mathew Terwilliger ; No. 6, Amasa Southwick ; No. 7, N. P. Bump ; No. 8, Charles Cole ; No. 9, William Hodson ; No. 10, Thomas Lappin ; No. 11, James Bear ; No. 12, J. P. Warren ; No. 13, Lindley Thayer. A. T. Gray, John P. Dickson, Allen C. Bates and William Truesdell were elected Justices of the Peace the same year.

Town Officers elected on the first Tuesday in April, 1851. - Supervisors, Morris C. Smith Chairman, W. Brace and Robert Christie ; Assessors, J. J. R. Pease, Thomas Lappin and Joseph Croft ; Treasurer, William Kemp ; Clerk, Samuel C. Clark ; Superintendent of Schools, James H. Budd ; Justices of the Peace, James M. Corson and A. C. Bates; Constables, Martin Dewey, G. W. Brown and Cyrus Miner ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Z. Doty. Pathmaster for District No. 1, William Macloon ; No. 2, Thomas Lynch ; No. 3, A. Bacheldor ; No. 4, Thomas Histop ; No. 5, L. P. Stanard ; No. 6, Justus Dayton ; No. 7, Chester Munn ; No. 8, John Morrisey ; No. 9, William Hodson ; No. 10, Elias Fenton ; No. 11, James Bear ; No. 12, Albert Warner; No. 18, S. D. SmitB; No. 14, P. B. Flagler.

Town Officers JEleeted on the first Tuesday in April, 1852. - Supervisors, Morris C. Smith Chairman, Jerome B. Davis and William Brace; Assessors, Joseph H. Budd, Hiram Taylor and Nelson P. Bump; Treasurer, Enoch L. Roberts; Clerk, James H. Ogilvie; Justices of the Peace, J. J. R. Pease and William Truesdell ; Constables, Morris P. Cobb, Samuel Demaray and Samuel H. Belton ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Elihu H. Strong ; Overseers of Highways, Charles Yates, John Bailey, Hiram Bishop, John Whitworth, W. R. Hall, James Bunce, Nelson P. Bump, Hudson H. Chase, E. H. Bennett, Averill King,.E. W. Barker, W. W. Key, Thomas Strutt and Richard Hardy.

The foregoing were all the officers of the town of Janesville so long as its territory included thirty-six sections of land, or previous to any portion of it being included within the chartered limits of the city of Janesville.

This town is located on the eastern border of the county, east of Harmony, and is bounded on the north by Lima and on the south by Bradford. It was organized by an act of the Legislature, approved March 21, 1843. It includes all of Township 3 north, of Range 14 east.

The first settlement was made in 1887. The first family was that of Norman Smith, who made a claim on the present site of Johnstown Center, on Section 28. The second family was that of Caleb B. Hill. The other early settlers were : Elisha Newhall and his sons, Wright and Elbridge G. Newhall, Noah Newell, John A. Fletcher, Daniel Phelps, Daniel McKillip, John Putnam, John A. Pickett and William Virgin. The first frame house was built by Daniel McKillip.

This town is bounded on the north by the town of Lima, east by Walworth County, south by the town of Bradford and west by the town of Harmony. Sections 30 to 36 inclusive, and the half of Sections 19 to 24 inclusive, are in Rock Prairie, near the northeast corner of it, while the remaining sections are what are called " openings." The difference in soil between the two portions is bo strongly marked that it can readily be observed even where the land is under cultivation. As early as 1856, this town numbered many enterprising farmers ; on'the list, among others, were William Galbraith, John McGrath and brothers, Robert Barlass, John and William Zuill, John Wynn, David and John McLay.

La Prairie

The town of La Prairie is located in the southeast quarter of the county. It received its name from the fact that the whole town is almost entirely an open, unbroken prairie. The name is from the French, signifying " the meadow, or, the pasture." It was organized by act of the Legislature,, approved March 26, 1849, by which act those parts of the towns of Harmony and Turtle, which were then comprised in Township 2 north, of Range 13 east, were set oiFand organized as a separate town. The west half of Section 6 was subsequently set off to the city of Janesville. The first town meeting was held at the house of Justus P. Wheeler, on the 3d day of April, 1849 ; whole number of votes cast at this meeting was fifty-six. The town officers elected were : Justus P. Wheeler, Henry Cheesebro and James Chamberlain, Supervisors ; Guy Wheeler, Town Clerk; Charles G. Cheney, Treasurer; Levi St. John, Assessor.

The town is traversed by the Chicago & North- Western Railway, which enters its borders at Shopiere Station, on the south line of Section 35, passing out on the west line of the town, on Section 7. This is a rich agricultural town ; the farms are under a high state of cultivation with good improvements.

" This town," continues the writer, " is a rolling prairie, of deep soil, with an underlay of sand and gravel ih the western and northwestern part. There is plenty of lime rock in the blufiFs of the central and eastern parts of the town. The only surface water that can be boasted of is Turtle Creek, which -rises in Walworth County, watering and fertilizing the town of Bradford from side to side, entering LaTrairie on the east line of Section 36, and passing out on the south line of 35, into the town of Turtle. Running within the limits of La Prairie less than two miles, it passes through the town of Turtle, nearly from corner to corner, and falls into Rock River (a,s before mentioned) just below the State line at Beloit. This stream rose during one of the nights of June, 1851, ten or twelve feet above the usual level, carrying off mill-dams, bridges, fences, sheep, hogs and other property to a large amount. The water was highest about daylight, reaching as high as Clark W. Lawrence's door-step, leaving a tree in the upper casement of the schoolhouse window, and filling JVIr. Chamberlin's house above the windowstools.

" The only timber now (1856) standing in this town is on Sections 5, 6, 35 and 36, amounting to less than a quarter-section. The inhabitants are supplied with good water in great abundance^ by digging wells from fifteen to eighty-five feet deep, and with wood, by hauling it from the neighboring towns, a distance of from three to ten miles. The mail route from Racine and Chicago passes through La Prairie. The Chicago, Fond du Lac & St. Paul Railroad [now the Chicago & North- Western] enters the town on the south line of Section 35, and passes out on the west line of the southwest quarter of Section 7. Some of the early settlers of Rock County made their first ' pitch ' in La Prairie.

" Samuel St. John and family were among the first who made a permanent settlement on Rock River within the limits of the county. He wintered with the first seven or eight who built the log shanty on the east side of the river, at the rapids. His was the first claim made in La Prairie. He and his brother Levi claimed and afterward purchased at the land sales in Milwaukee the whole of Section 6. He built a good log house on the west half of the section, now* (1856) standing within the limits of the city of Janesville. William Mertrom, about the same time, made a claim on Section 5, and built a log house, which Nehemiah St. John purchased and occupied for several years. Nathan Allyne, in 1835 or 1836, made a claim on Section 35, broke several acres, put in and raised crops without fence, except dogs. Lucius Burnham made a claim on Section 36, in the spring of 1837, and made his first improvement in 1838 ; built the first frame barn now (1856) standing in La Prairie. Clark W. Lawrence came into this county with his father and family in 1836, made a claim on Section 36, and built the first frame house. Mr. Waterman, James Chamberlin and L. B. Allyne located on Section 35, in 1837 or 1838.

" The town being all prairie - only a small quantity of timber in the northwest and southwest corners of it - other towns in the county filled up rapidly with settlers, while La Prairie remained stationary. Justus P. Wheeler made his purchase in the fall of 1840 ; Eliakim Thatcher in 1843. A man by the name of Hocum made a claim on Section 3 ; afterward sold to Mr. Covil. Charles C. Cheney, Henry Cheesebro, William Loyd, Adelmon Sherman and Ephraim Leach, Jr., made their purchases in the years 1844 and 1845 ; Alraerin Sherman, Peter Shufelt, James I. Hoyt, William G. Easterly and Mr. Ford, in 1846."

Lima

As early as the summer of 1836, Col. James M. Burgess .visited what is now the town of Lima and made a claim on Section 17, but as he never improved it, it is to be presumed it lapsed. He was followed in June, 1837, by Solomon L. Harrington and Thomas Vanhorn, who located and built a saw-mill on the west branch of Whitewater Creek in the east part of the town. In the same year, came Mr. Joseph Nicholls, who made a claim and built a cabin on Section ^o. 1, where Mr. Stephen Burroughs now lives. He combined the elements of strength and good-nature with that of woodcrp,ft in a great degree, and not being blessed with much of this world's goods, on one occasiop, after a bee hunt, in which science he excelled, he drew 200 pounds of honey on a hand-sled to Milwaukee, returning with a barrel of flour and some other commodities.

In the winter of 1837 - 38, the next arrival was Curtis Utter, who made a claim on Section 86, where he resided until his death a few years since. In 1838, George B. Hall arrived and located on Section 19, and was followed next year by Azel Kenney and Prosper Cravath, Jr., who located on Section 13, where a house had been built for Kenney on the site now occupied by the residence of Miles' G. Gravath, Prosper Cravath building on land adjoining, now owned by the heirs of Shauncey Langdon. With Mr. Kenney came a young man named Newton Baker. In 1840, the town received a large accession to its population by the arrival of a colony from Cortland, N. Y. The colony consisted for the most part of Deacon Prosper Cravath and his large family, with Levi and Giles Kinney, Deacon Zerah Hull, James Hull, Ara Hardy and their families, all of whom located in what are known as the Cravath and Hall neighborhoods.

The First Death. - The first death of an adult to occur in the town was Newton Baker above alluded to, who laid down his life on September 19, 1839, the cause being typhoid fever.

The First Wedding was that of Mr. Solomon L. Harrington and Margaret Palmeter, June 7, 1841, the next being that of Oliver Salisbury and Miss Emily Cravath, which took place on July 22 of the same year. Mr. Salisbury had erected a house on the farm now owned by J. M. Fritts, on Section 14, which was the first frame house between Whitewater and Miltori. In that house was born January 24, 1843, the first white child in the town (now living), Albert Salisbury, at present of the Whitewater Normal School.

The First Church built in the town was constructed of logs in 1845, by the Methodist denomination, and was familiarly known as the log chapel.

The Organization. - Up to February 24, 1845, when it received a separate organization, the town of Lima formed a portion of the town of Milton, and after being so created it received the name of Lima at the request of Mr. Paul Crandall and a few others, being called after some Eastern township. On April 1, 1845, the first town election was held at the schoolhouse in District No. 9. At that election. Prosper Cravath received the choice of the residents for the oflSce of Chairman of Supervisors. The other Supervisors were John Child and Abram Allen. Paul Crandall was elected Town Clerk ; William P. Stillman, Treasurer ; John H. Twining, Collector ; N. Kemble and Azel Kinney, Assessors ; Bryce Hall, Abram Allen, Nelson Salisbury, Commissioners of Highways; Ebenezer Rider, Paul Crandall, Azel Kinney, Commissioners of Common Schools ; Prosper Cravath, Sealer of Weights and Measures ; John H. Twining, Giles Kinney, Constables; John Child and Horace G. Hamilton, Justices of the Peace.

The advent of the ChicagOj Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, then known as the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien road, in 1852, while it did a great deal of good in opening up the country, has done a great deal of harm ; for, in order to secure it, a great many of the farmers were led to mortgage their farms in the belief that as soon as the road was completed the Company would pay the principal and interest, but they had to pay both themselves.

The residents of the town are now comparatively well ofi", and they have of late been paying considerable attention to the raising of stock, sheep culture especially receiving a large share of it. At one time, the township was one of the head centers of thoroughbred Merino sheep in the State, and, at the present time, there are large numbers of very fine flocks.

The Lyceum. - In the winter of 1862-63, J. B. Lewis, H. J. Wilkinson, S. Morgan and others organized a lyceum, holding their meetings in a schoolhouse in the north part of the town. In the fall of 1866, they formed a new organization known as the Farmers' Union Club and Lyceum. .They have a library of about one hundred volumes, largely composed of agricultural works, nearly all of which were donated. The members of the Society claim to have been instrumental in procuring, in 1872, the re-enactment of the town insurance law of 1859, and, the spring of 1872, they organized a town insurance company, which has now a capital of over 1200,000. The Secretary of the Company avers that it saves the farmers $1,000 per annum in insurance. Its operations are confined exclusively to the town in which it is located.

Magnolia

This town is situated in the northwest part of the county, adjoining Green! It was organized by act of the Territorial Legislature, approved February 2, 1846. By this act, it was made to include Township 3 north, of Range 10 east, its present limits.

The first settlements made in the town were in 1840, by J. N. Palmer, Joseph Prentice, Andrew Cotter, W. Adams, W. Fockler, Abram Fox, Jonathan Cook, Edmund Basy, Ambrose Moore, George McKenzie, Widow Hines and her son, William L. Hines, and Sanford P. Hammond.

The Chicago & North-Western Railway, formerly the Beloit & Madison Railroad, enters the town on the eastern border, on Section 24 ; runs northerly, passing into the town of Union from Section 2. A reliable record gives the following, among others, of the principal farmers in Magnolia at an early day : N. B. Howard, James A. Robson, William P. Hammond, A. K. Barrett, Jopthan Laiten, T. M. Lockwood, James M. Smith, William Huyke, Ezra Miller, Charles S. Dunbar, Hiram Barr and James F. Jones.

The town of Milton includes within its limits Township 4 north, of Range 13 east. Prairie du Lac is mostly in this town and is one of the richest and most beautiful in the county. There are several small lakes on this prairie, hence its name (Lake Prairie). Otter Creek, running through the north part; Lake Koshkonong, extending into the northwestern portion, and a small section of Rock River just as it leaves the lake, furnish, together with springs, small streams and marshes, a good supply of water. The northern part of the town is mostly openings and quite rolling ; the southern part, prairie and openings. The town was organized in 1842, and included, at that date, the whole of the present town of Lima. The first board of officers were : Supervisors, N. G. Storrs, Chairman ; P. A. Cravath, G. W. Ogden ; Town Clerk, 0. W. Norton. A writer, in 1856, says : " The inhabitants are noted for their industry, peaceableness and temperate habits, there not being a place in the town where ardent spirits are sold."

" Milton is located in the northern tier of townships in Rock County, being eight miles north of the city of Janesville, and began to attract the attention of settlers in the year 1836, at Which time its first settler located within its borders. It contains about 23,000 acres of territory, but owing to a number of small lakes scattered here and there, and a portion of Koshkonong Lake occupying a part of Sections 5, 6 and 7, about 1,000 acres are rendered useless, and besides this there are fully 1,000 acres of low or marsh lands, which are of no avail for purposes of tilling. Deer Lake (Clear Lake) is situated on Section 20, and is (1856) a beautiful sheet of pure water, of nearly circular form, averaging about half a mile in diameter. Its bed and shore are composed of gravel and white sand, and, being clear and deep with dry blufiy shore, it is, indeed, beautiful as well as of utility to the farming community near it. Other small lakes, furnishing water for farming purposes, are situated on Sections 25 and 26.^

" The only stream of water of which this town can boast is a small one called ' Otter Creek.' It rises in the township to the east of this, and, running through Milton in a northwesterly direction, empties into Koshkonong Lake. In consequence of the levelness of the country through which it flows, and generally having low banks, no very valuable water-power is obtained. Yet Daniel F. Smith, who. by the way, was the first settler to bring his wife to this town, constructed a dam with a ditch or race, by which means a tolerable water-power was obtained, whereupon he built a saw-mill, which was of great service and convenience to the first settlers in this part of the country, but from scarcity of water and suitable timber, and also by opposition from other mills of later origin and of greater pretensions, this has been neglected

" Along the southern boundary of this town lies a small prairie called 'Du Lac Prairie.' ,It is about five miles in length and ranging from one-half to one and a half miles in width. Near the center of this prairie and near the village of Milton is a table-land of nearly circular form of a mile in diameter, rising about seventy-five or eighty feet.. The top of this table-land is level, and, like the rest of the prairie, has a rich, black loamy soil, fertile and productive.

" The timber in this part, like the most of the southern portion of the State, is burr, white and black oak, with an occasional basswood, poplar and soft maple in and about the low lands. Koshkonong Lake, together with some of the smaller ones, produces an abundance of wild rice, which, although formerly used as an article of food by the Indians, now only furnishes food for the great numbers of wild geese and ducks which frequent these lakes.

" The first settlers came in 1836, among whom were D. F. Smith, Stephen D. Butz, Aaron T. Walker, Alfred Walker, Peter McEwan, George W. Ogden, Elias Ogden, I. T. Smith and E. Hazzard. Although some of them came in 1837 - 38, they were nevertheless the first settlers - the pioneers of this township. At that time, the now city of Janesville was only occupied by two cabins - one by Samuel St. John and the other by H. F. Janes. Their place of market was Chicago, as even Milwaukee was of but humble pretensions, and none only those who have tried its realities can appreciate the pleasures of packing provisions, even in scanty supplies, from the frontier settlements for an hundred miles back into a wilderness country, there to gladden the hearts of friends who had frequently felt conscious of other demands of human nature than beautiful country and a clear sky ; and before the country itself could support human life, trees had to be felled, cabins reared, and the soil had to be broken and prepared and crops sown, and even then the laborer had to await the harvest. Many were the 'days of toil and anxiety, attended with deprivations of every kind tending to ease and comfort that the first settlers endured, and they were only rendered tolerable by smiling Hope, as she whispered of comfortable homes and plenty in future. And, indeed, at this dg,y, they have all been realized.

" The person who can claim the honor of having done the first ' breaking ' (plowing) in this town is Stephen D. Butz, and he, with his sister, constituted the second family in the town. This plowing was done in 1836, on Section 28. Peter McEwan made the first rail fence, but to the Walkers can be ascribed the honor of inclosing the first field, raising the first crop of. wheat and potatoes. The wheat was from two bushels sowing. The first potatoes were bought by A. T. Walker from an old miner on Sugar River, and ' packed ' home on horseback. While on his way home, he was offered $5 for his bushel by Mr. Janes, of Janesville, but money was no object in comparison to the much coveted potatoes.

" In the year 1838, the few settlers were favored with that valuable acquisition to all communities - a blacksmith. Orrin Sprague, during that year, established a blacksmith-shop on Prairie du Lac. He, being a man of ingenuity and mechanical skill, was just such a man as the times needed ; he could mend a plow or make one, or do any other work in his line which was required by the farmers. He made many plows, and made them so faultlessly that he acquired the reputation of being the only man in this section who could make a breaking-plow that would ' run to a charm ; ' and without giving him anything more than his due, we can say that he fairly and faithfully won that reputation. About the year 1839, quite a number of families came into the town from Allegany County, N. Y., and among them were Joseph Goodrich, H. B. Crandall, James Pierce and Ebenezer Phelps.

"This township was not organized until the year 1842, when, with many other towns, it organized under an act of our Territorial Legislature. At that time, Milton and Lima were both united under the name of Milton, and Lima was not organized as a separate township until 1845.

" As early as 1838, the settlers, without regard to sectarianism, united and supported religious meetings. They gave to their minister such of their substance as they could spare, and their subscriptions for the support of ministerial labors were duly paid in labor, produce (wheat, corn and oats then being an acceded legal tender), and cash ; the last of which articles, so scanty that, when it touched the palm of the hand of the official, it felt truly spiritual. With the increase of population and wealth, the town has become blessed with the salutary influence of three organized churches, each having a separate edifice for its devotions. The Seventh- Day Baptist Church at that time numbered 180 members, the Presbyterian Church 36, and the Methodist about the same as the Presbyterian.

"At this time [1856] the town numbers between 1,300 and 1,400 inhabitants, of which between 300 and 400 reside in the so-called village of Milton. We are now benefited by the ' Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad,' and also the ' Janesville Branch,' alias ' Southern Wisconsin Railroad." [The railroads in the town, as at present named, are the Prairie du Chien Division of the C, M. & St. P. R. R., and the Monroe Branch of the same road ; they have have also the C. & N.-W. Railway.] The benefits of a speedy market, and ready communication with the East and South are apparent. Property has increased rapidly in value ; money more plenty, and consequently business is brisk and every branch of industry is on the progressive plan.

'' This town has ever been noted for its health, and even its morals have not been overlooked. Its first settlers, having a tincture of the blood of our Pilgrim Fathers coursing through their veins, have studiously and piously endeavored to keep those hot-beds of sin and iniquity - grog shops - out of this town."

A list of the prominent and largest farmers of Milton, at an early day, contained the names, among others, of Joseph Goodrich, Peter McEwan, James Stockman, James Craig, Isaac T. Smith, N. Maxson, J. E. Culver, John Alexander, Stephen D. Butts, H. B. Crandall, John Livingston, M. T. Walker, Ezra Hazzard, Levi H. Bond, D. T. Hudson, Jeremiah Dennett, Gr. T. Mackey, Joel Wood, Alfred Walker and J. Bunnell.

On the 1st day of September, 1836, Aaron and Alfred Walker, the first white settlers in the town of Milton, pitched their camp on the south side of a little lake, called Walker's Lake - which is now nearly dried up - on the northwest quarter of Section 36, where they still reside. They erected a little log cabin near the lake and lived in it during the winter of 1836-37. This was the first cabin built in the town, and was afterward used as the residence of the first Pastor in Milton, Rev. Daniel Smith, of the Congregational Church. Mrs. Smith died in this shanty in the fall of 1839, and was the second person buried in Milton Cemetery. No gravestone ever marked the spot, and the identity of her grave, with others, is lost. Diadama, wife of Hezekiah Waterman, died October 12, 1839 (leaving an infant child, H. H. Waterman), was the first person interred in the cemetery.

The second shanty built was by a Mr. Lane, on the southwest quarter of Section 26, but he did not occupy it; he also talked of building a mill on the outlet of Storrs' Lake, then a living little stream, about the center of the northwest quarter of Section 25. Fe sold his claim to N. (x. Storrs, and afterward built a mill, one of the first, and known as the Herrington Mill, on a little spring run on the southeast quarter of Section 24, in the town of Lima, where the early pioneers got oak lumber for clapboards, floorings, well-curbing, etc. It was a much needed and a well patronized institution.

D. F., or " Dan " Smith, as he was called, erected the first mill and was a man of m,ark among the early settlers of Milton. He was a little rough, but full of daring, pluck and energy ; could eat a "wolf meal " of frozen pork and beans, wade or swim through floating ice and swollen streams, camp out anywhere or in any weather, and furnish more labor for both men and teams from Milton to the northern pinery than any other pioneer ; he had a whole soul and a generous heart withal. As an incident illustrating the man : A Methodist minister in an early day was sent by "Uncle Joe" to "Dan" to solicit something to keep the minister's soul and body together. The man went to Smith's and found " Dan " butchering hogs; he introduced himself, told his calling and the condition of his larder. " Dan" looked at him a moment, then taking down a dressed hog, and, placing it in the minister's vehicle, told him to " take it and go and preach like the devil." The astonished dominie expressed great gratitude and went away wondering how many really better men he had in his Church.

The first white woman that settled in the township was Mrs. Eliza Smith, who came in May, 1837. Mrs. Hannah Bowers came, with her brother Charles, in October, 1837, to keep house for a,nother brother, S. D. Butts, in a large, commodious (?) log house that it had taken the neighbors three days to build. The board roof was put on the day of her arrival, but there were no floors, doors or windows. It stood near Mr. Butts' present residence on the northeast quarter of Section 28. On March 18, 1838, the first regular religious meeting was established in this house by Revs. Halstead and Pillsbury, two young Methodist ninisters. The next meeting was held there April 15, 1838. These meetings were continued once in four weeks by these brethren.

The third white woman settler was Mrs. Sarah Storrs, wife of N. G. Storrs. They came in December, 1837, staying the first night at Farnum Chickering's, a bachelor, on the east end of the prairie ; Chickering gave them his bed and slept on the floor. Mr. Storrs' settled on the south half of Section 26, occupying the shanty put up by Mr. Lane.

The first white boy born in the town of Milton was Daniel Smith, sou of D. F. and Eliza Smith. He was born February 24, 1839, at Otter Creek. He, with a younger sister, died in February, 1844, with fever, and were buried in the cemetery at Otter Creek.

The second white boy born in Milton was Leffingwell Culver, son of Jonathan E. Culver, born in August, 1839. He is still living, and resides at Rochester, Minn.

The first white girl born in Milton was Mary Butts, daughter of S. D. and Rebecca Butts, born September 3, 1839. She died February 22, 1876, and is buried at the Milton Junction Cemetery. The oldest native-born citizen of Milton is H. H. Waterman, born October 12, 1839. The next oldest native-born citizen is Joseph Goodrich Carr, born March 19, 1840.

The first marriage in Milton was that of James Murray to Margaret McEwen, January 1, 1840. Mr. Murray was a painter, lived in Milwaukee, and is now deceased.

William Douglass married Caroline L. Walker, November 27, 1840. They were the second marriage, and now live at Deansville, in Dane County, Wis.

The first death in Milton was that of Jane Bowers, daughter of Andrew and Hannah Bowers. She died September 14, 1838, of quick consumption, iiged fourteen years eleven months and twenty-five days. Her funeral was held September 15, 1838, at the house of S. D. Butts. A sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Adams, of Beloit ; quite a large congregation attended. She was buried on the bluff, between Milton and Milton Junction, near the spot now covered with evergreen trees ; the most central, eligible, beautiful and appropriate spot for a cemetery in the town of Milton. She was subsequently removed and buried in the cemetery at Milton Junction, by the side of a younger brother. The second death in Milton was a son of Mr. Storrs, buried in the grove on the west side of Storrs' Lake. Nothing now marks his grave.

The first meeting held by the Seventh-Day Baptists was the first Sabbath succeeding the 4th of March, 183y, at the house of Joseph Goodrich. But two families of this denomination were here - Henry B. Crandall's and Joseph Goodrich's. They established regular weekly meetings, holding them alternately at the houses of Goodrich 'and Crandall. In 1840, the Seventh-Day Baptist Church of Milton was organized, with about forty members.

Elder StiUman Coon was their first Pastor, visiting them in the fall of 1840, and returning and settling among them about the 1st of July, 1841. Joseph Goodrich proposed the purchase of , forty acres of land, by the Church, for his first year's salary, with such donations of provisions, etc., as they could make him This was accepted, and the land made him a good home, subsequently becoming valuable, being located at Milton Junction, where Elder Coon lived and died, a useful and a universally respected man.

In 1838, Joseph Goodrich purchased a claim on Sections 26 and 27, and erected a house 16x20, the first frame building in the town of Milton, and dug a well, the first one in Milton.

The town of Newark is situated in the southwestern part of the county, its south boundaryline separating it from the State of Illinois. It was organized by act of the Legislature, approved February 2, 1846, and included the present town of Avon, adjoining it on the West. The first town meeting was held at the house of I. D. Marvin, April 1, 1846, when the first ofiicers were elected.

In the year 1842, Mrs. Gunale, a Norwegian widow lady, made the first location in the town, and erected the first log cabin. The following year, she was followed by several of her countrymen. In the year 1844, purchases and improvements were made by Nathaniel Strong, J. B. Smyth, John Stephens, Peter McVain, A. G. Felt, P. P. Chase and others.

Plymouth

The town of Plymouth is situated in the southwest quarter of the county, bounded on the north by Center, east by Rock, south by Newark, and west by Spring Valley. It was organized by act of Territorial Legislature, approved' March 8, 1848, by which act it was made to include all of Township 2 north, of Range 11 east, of the Government survey.

Early times in Plymouth are well described in the following from the pen of one of its pioneers, written in 1856: "The town of Plymouth was first settled in the spring of 1841. David Douglass, Stephen C. Douglass and Samuel Colby arrived with their families from Michigan on the 31st of May, and pitched their tent near the center of Section 2, on the bank of a branch of Bass Creek. They made use of their tent and covered wagons, of which they had three, for a habitation, until they were enabled to build a house for the, elder Douglass, which was but partially roofed when they removed into it with all of their effects. It was destitute of doors, windows and chinking. On my arrival on the 8th day of July following, I found them as above stated, and though the population, of the house was rather dense, room was made, and we were domiciled with them.

"Our nearest neighbors east," continues the writer, "were Jasper P. Sears, on Rock River, and Judge Holmes and family, who lived on the farm now (1856) owned by David Noggle. To the west were John Crall, Abraham Fox, John D. Holmes, Alanson Clawson, Wendel Fockler, George W. Adams and father, with their families, some nine miles distant. I believe it was eleven miles south to a settler; and north seven miles to Lemuel Warren's. Over this area of country embracing some six or eight townships of land, the beasts of the forest - the wild-cat and wolf - held undisputed sway. I speak of them because the saucy rascals more than once took my fat pigs from my door, and were unwilling to give them up even when hotly pursued.

" The first civil ofiice in the town of Center (that is, that part of Old Center, now [1856] called Plymouth) was filled by the writer. He held his appointment from the Governor and Council in the winter of 1841-42. The next winter was extremely severe. The first snow fell on the night of the 8th of November, and continued until the 7th of April - a period of five months - with uninterrupted good sleighing. Much of the time was severely cold, with strong winds and drifting snow, which continued to increase until it had attained to a depth of nearly two feet. Road tracks across the prairies would catch the drifting snow until they attained the elevation of two to four feet, which very much endangered the safety of meeting teams, as, in turning out, the horse that stepped from the path would often sink and plunge so deep that its mate would fall upon or over the struggling animal, and both flounder for life in the deep snow, with more or less icy crusts to cut and maim them. Freeport lay some forty miles southwest of us, at which place we used to get our corn and oats to feed, plant and sow. In a snow-storm, it was rather a hazardous route to travel. I may as well speak here of one of the many little incidents of that winter.

" On one cold and frosty morning, I started for Freeport for a load of corn. On reaching the summit of the ridge of prairie above Bachelor's Grove, that divides the waters of Bass Creek and Sugar River, near what was then called the 'Lone Tree,'! discovered a team and sleigh, loaded with men, driving in a direction to cross ray track some distance ahead. We soon met. They anxiously inquired for the nearest house. I directed them to the house of John Crall, a distance of some two milts. They had started from Monroe for Janesville two days before, had missed their way and wandered over the trackless prairie for two days and nights without food for man or beast, and had (as they said to me at the time) just concluded, should they not find some other relief, to kill one of their horses and roast the flesh or eat it raw. In such a dilemma, one would be led to suppose they were not very much displeased to discover a team ahead. There were four gentlemen, I think, in the sleigh. If I mistake not, three of them were brothers by the name of Hart, half-brothers of Daniel A. Richardson, who was then trading in Janesville. The name of the other gentleman I do not remember. Long will they remember their cruise on the prairie.

" As an evidence of the severity of that winter, I will here state a fact with which most of the settlers of that day were familiar, which was that coons were so emaciated that when, on a pleasant day, they ventured from their holes in the trees, in quest of food on the ground, they were unable to return for want of strength, and were frequently found by the hunters frozen to death at the foot of the tree in which they had lived, thereby betraying the whereabouts of those who had been more cautious, or unable to get out. In the fall of, 1841, while looking for a piece of land that I might be supplied with fire-wood, and fencing timber, I accidentally ran upon a dilapidated set of bogus tools in a small grove near the head of the south branch of Bass Creek, southwest of my farm, some three miles. There was a cast-iron press, weighing some eighty pounds, an iron bar, used, perhaps, as a lever with which to turn the screw to make the impression in coining ; also a small hand-vise, a steel spring and steel punch with which to cut the pieces to be stamped ; and German-silver plates cut into strips the width of half-dollars, a small box, containing a meal-bag and a buckskin mitten, in which was found, in an unfinished state, thirty-nine half-dollars. The effort was evidently a failure, owing either to inexperience in the operators or the imperfection of their tools. The press I still have in my possession. It serves as an anvil when I am disposed to do my own smithing. I have also the hand-vise, punch and spring, which I intend to preserve as pioneer mementoes. The lynching of blacklegs at Rockford, 111., and vicinity was going on while I was on the road through Indiana and Illinois from Michigan to this town. The Driscals were shot and the gang dispersed. Perhaps the camp that I found was connected with the Rockford gang, and routed by the Lynching League. I gave the grove in which their tools were found the name of Bogus, by which cognomen it is known to this day.

" In the spring of 1842, the system of town government was first adopted. That portion of Township 3 north, of Range 12 east, lying west of Rock River; Township 2 north, and the half of Township 3 north, in Range 11 east, and Township 2 north, and the half of Township 3 north, in Range 10 east, were embraced in one. town by the name of Center. Two families in Township 3 in Range 12 east, on the west side of Rock River ; five in Township 2, north ot Range 11 east, and six in Township 2 north, in Range 10, were all the inhabitants in this large town. Had all the electors gone to the first town meeting, we could have polled but a trifle more than half the number of votes that there were offices to be conferred.

" The first town meeting was held at the house of James H. Knowlton, where Judge Holmes first settled, just above Monterey. But nine votes were cast at that election. The names of those elected to serve as town officers were respectively as follows : Supervisors, William Holmes (Chairman), David Douglass, John Crall ; Town Clerk, Samuel F. Chipman ; Treasurer, David Douglass ; Assessor, William Holmes, Jr. : Commissioners of Common

Schools, John B. Knowlton, Abram Fox, David P. Douglass; Commissioners of Highways, Walter Inman, Joshua Holmes, Alanson Clawson ; Fence Viewers, Washington Adams, Stephen C. Douglass and William Holmes, Jr. ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, John 'D. Holmes ; Overseers of Roads - District No. 1, Joshua Holmes ; District No. 2, Samuel F. Chipman ; District No. 3, Wendel Fockler. Had there been a full turn-out, we could have polled sixteen Votes, and eighteen offices were to be conferred upon those sixteen electors.

" During the session of the Legislature for 1846-47, Township 2 north, of Range 10 east, was set oif and organized into a town by the name of Spring Valley ; also the' south half of Township 3 north, of the same Range, taken from Center, and the north half of Township 3 taken from Union, were set off into a town called Magnolia. I was called upon by both of those towns to administer the oath of office at their organizing meetings. There were some ten or a dozen electors assembled at each place.

"In the same session of the Legislature, I believe, that portion of Township 8 north, Range 12 east, belonging to Center, was set off to Janesville, which left the former twelve miles in extent north and south by six miles east and west, the north half of .Township 3, in Range 11, having been attached to Center in the division forming the town of Porter. In the session of 1847-48, the inhabitants of Township 2; Range 11, petitioned to be set off as a separate town. It devolving upon them as the pe^titioning party to find a name, they presented that of Plymouth, and their prayer was granted. It will be seen, therefore, that the pioneers of Plymouth are the first settlers of Center. The first town meeting of Plymouth was held on the 28th day of August, 1848. The names of the officers elected were as follows : Supervisors, Caleb Inman (Chairman), George Ayres, Samuel Smiley ; Town Clerk, Kiron W. Bemis ; Treasurer, Daniel Bemis ; Justices, Caleb Coryell, James Whitehead, Samuel F. Chipman ; Assessors, Harrison 0. Inman, Henry Waterhouse, David, Douglass ; Collector, Luke Coryell; Commissioners of Highways, Charles F. Cook, Ole Grulekson, Jacob Fisher ; Commissioners of Common Schools, Kiron W. Bemis, Archibald Smiley, David P. Douglass ; Constables, Alfonzo C. Stewart, Luke Coryell, Elisha C. Taylor; Overseers of Highways - David Douglass, District No. 1 ; Joseph Hohenshelt, District No. 2 ; Neals Auckson, District No. 3 ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, John Pence. The town at that meeting polled 71 votes.

Two railroads - the Monroe Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and the Madison Division of the Chicago & North- Westerns-pass through the town, crossing each otter at a point on Bass Creek, at Hanover Junction, where there is an excellent water-power.

Porter

This town lies in the northwestern part of the county, its northern boundary separating it from the county of Dane. By an act of the Legislature, approved February 2, 1846, it was incorporated by the name of Oak. At the next session, an act was approved changing its boundaries and name. It was made to include Township 4 north, of Range 11 east, its present ' limits. It received its name in honor of one of the principal land proprietors in the town - Dr. John Porter. The first settkrs were Joshua Webb, William Webb, John Rhinehart, John Winston, Joseph Osborn, Robinson Bent, Charles Stokes, Solomon Griggs, John R. Boyce> John Cook and Daniel Cook. Porter is an excellent agricultural town, and the improvements are of a superior character. Some of the residences are very fine.

A list of early farmers shows, among the largest, Daniel Lovejoy, Horace Fessenden, Samuel Pound, Jerome Vaughan, John White, Earle Woodbury, Levi Sanires, C. Vaughan, Robert Mervin, J. P. Miller, William Webb, J. Pound, Roger Shepherd, Dennis McCarthy and Stephen Allen.

By an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved March 8, 1839, all of " the country included within the boundary of Rock County " was " set off" into a separate town by the name of Rock. Its boundaries, therefore, were co-extensive with the present limits of the county ; but no town organization followed this "setting oiF." Almost three years elapsed before it was organized. It was then reduced almost to its present proportions ; for the act of the Legislature, approved February 17, 1842, restricted it to " Township 2 north, of Range 12 east, excepting fractional Sections 1 and 2, lying north and west of Rock River," which was " organized into a separate town by the name of Rock." It was also declared that the first election should "be held at the house of Jasper Sears." As the city of Janesville afterward absorbed the whole of " Sections 1 and 2, in Township 2, north of Range 12 east," the town included, as now, the whole of the township just named, except these sections. In fact, therefore, the town of Rock, after the passage of the act providing for its organization, never contained quite thirty-six sections of land, or six miles square.

The first town election was held April 5, 1842, when the following ticket was chosen : -Supervisors - George W. Brittain (Chairman), James Heath and J. P. Sears. Town Clerk, Ira Washburn ; Assessor, Rufus Washburn ; Treasurer, Richard S. Inman ; Collector, J. Wesley Inman. Commissioners of Highways - Clark Classen, Prosper A. Pierce, William Youngs. Commissioners of Common Schools - Ira F. Washburn, George W. Brittain and John Inman. Sealer of Weights and Measures, Richard S. Inman.

Mention has already been made of the settlement, in this town, of John inman, the Holmes family and others, in 1835, and of Dr. James Heath in 1836. In the month of September, of the last-mentioned year, Hiram Brown and family arrived. In the spring of 1837, Dr. Heath built a house, sixteen feet square, on Section 2, at "East Wisconsin City," where he opened a store and tavern, which were the first in the town. Here the "customer" was served, the "travelers and boarders" lodged, while the family found ample room besides. Travelers were laid upon tiers of shelves up the sides of the house, like dry goods, while " commoners " took the floor. Business increasing, and the Doctor thinking his house too small for the accommodation of his store and tavern, entered into partnership with Mr. Sexton, and removed his goods into another house, which had been erected about eighty rods from the "tavern." Here more room was afibrded for the replenished stock of the new firm. During this year, John Inman & Co. started the first stage. It made its regular trips from Racine to "East Wisconsin City," during the summer. Dr. Heath keeping the " Stage House." "Any person curious in such matters," says a writer in 1856, " can now be shown that identical ' tavern,' the auger holes into which the pins were put to sustain the 'travelers' shelves,' and also the remains of Heath & Sexton's store, by going to a point about one-half mile west from the Institute for the Blind. True, the landlord will not be there to greet him, nor will he see, probably, the stages from Racine unloading their passengers, nor the impatient customers inquiring for dry goods and groceries ; but he will see the house, empty though it be, and the oak trees which stand as faithful sentinels over the ruins of ' East Wisconsin City.' "

"Dr. Heath, although a tavern-keeper, merchant and farmer, was, by profession, a physician - a man, too, skilled in his calling ; and, in addition to his varied and multiplied duties, he was often called upon to administer to the relief of the sick. Being called upon one very dark night in the spring of the year to visit a patient upon the west side of the river, he, supposing that he could ford the stream, mounted his horse and plunged into the surging waters. Soon his animal was swimming with the current, and, by some means, the Doctor lost his balance and found himself afloat upon the river. His cries for help soon brought his wife to the bank, who was unable to render any assistance, except by encouraging him to try and hold out till help could be procured. Thus matters stood, the Doctor floating down the river, his wife rushing through brushwood and water-holes along the bank to keep up with her husband for nearly two miles, when help was procured and the Doctor rescued, though very much exhausted and chilled. His saddle-bags with the medicine floated ofi", but were found near the mouth of Sears' Creek, some years after, rifled of their contents. Not a long time subsequent to the Doctor's accident, there was a man drowned at Holmes' Ferry of the name of Connad. This was probably the first death In the town of Rock.

" From this time," continues the writer, " settlements increased, until nearly the entire town was in the hands of an industrious and intelligent population. In November, 1836, Richard

Inman' arrived with his family and entered the land upon which he now (1856) lives, in Section 27. Mr. Glauson settled on the Youngs' farm in 1837. The farm formerly known as the Delano farm, afterward as the Ratheram farm, was settled by Jeremiah Roberts in 1837. The farm upon which the village of Afton is situated was settled in 1837 by Hiram Brown. In the year 1838, the first settlements were made on the west side of the river by Rufus and Ira Washburn and J. P. Sears. The same year, the farm of Maj. Inman was settled by Mr. Fox. G, W. Brittain settled in the town ia 18^8. Brestol made the first claim upon D. W. Inman's farm in 1838. In 1841, Israel Inman, John Daugherty and Mr. Burt arrived. In the year 1840, Ezekiel Clapp and Prosper A. Pierce, from the State of Vermont, settled on Section 2. A large part of their purchase is now within the limits of the city of Janesville. About this time, Elijah Nourse settled near 'that first log cabin.'

" In 1842, Mr. Van Antwerp arrived. In 1841, J. F. Willard purchased Mr. Warren's claim in Section 10. Antisdells, Comstocks and Newtons came about the year 1843-44. In 1850, a colony from Rensselaer County, N. Y., settled in the northlvest part of the town. Among them were Z. P. Burdick and his brother, M. L. Burdick, A. P. Hayner, Israel Smith and, subsequently, Mr. J. P. J. Hayner. These arrivals added not a little to the agricultural reputation of the town, as they pursued the Eastern mode of farming, which contrasted very favorably with the loose Wisconsin method. The first ' breaking ' done in Rock, or in the county, was on the northwest quarter of Section 11, upon the farm of J. F. Willard, by John Inman, in the spring of 1836. It was ' cropped ' with buckwheat, and produced a fair yield. He was compelled to go to Rockford to get his plow sharpened, it taking two days to make the trip. The first house erected on the west side of the river was by Ira Washburn, in 1838. The first wedding in the town of Rock took place at the house of Richard Inman, March 30, 1840, the parties being George W. Brittain and Miss Sylvania Inman.

" If the opinion of speculators and large real- estate operators from the East is entitled to consideration and respect, the town of Rock stands number one, if not more, in regard to superior locations and natural advantages for building up cities and villages ; for surely no town in the county has figured so largely in that department as the town of Rock. Its corner and water lots have made no small figure in Wall street ; its lithographed city plats have been honored with a conspicuous place in all the great land-agency ofiices of the country. At one time, this town could boast of four cities and villages - ' Wisconsin City,' ' Koshkonong City,' ' Rockport,' ' Monterey ' and ' Afton.' Rockport was laid out by Thomas Holmes in December, 1835, and was the first surveyed village (or city) in the county. ' Wisconsin City ' was surveyed by Inman, Breese and Shepherd, in 1836 ; ' City of Koshkonong,' in the summer of the same year, by Kenzie, Hunter and Booby; ' Monterey,' by Ira Miltimore, in 1850. By an act of the Legislature of Wisconsin, approved March 19, 1853, the city of Janesville was incorporated, and, by its charter, Sections 1 and 2 of the town of Rock were brought within its limits. Consequently, ' Monterey ' and ' Rockport ' are now a part of the territory belonging to the city of Janesville. With Sections 1 and 2, there also passed from the town many of the localities where the scenes before described transpired."

Spring Valley

The town of Spring Valley lies in the southwest portion of the county, its western boundary separating it from Green. It was organized by act of the Legislature, approved February 2, 1846. Its territory includes Township No. 2 north, of Range No. 10 east. The first town meeting was held at the house of Nicholas E. Phelps.

John Crall was the first settler. Among those who soon after made claims, were James Kirkpatrick, Erastus C. Smith, Robert Taylor, Roderick M, Smith, James Bradshaw, Almerin Sprague, Amos Remington, Allen Hurlbut, S. G. Mills arid Solomon Rose.

The Monroe branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad passes through the central part, entering on the east at Orfordville, and passing out on Section 19 across the western boundary of the county.

Turtle

The town lies on the south boundary line of the county, in the southeast part, adjoining the town of Beloit on the east. It was organized by act of the Legislature, approved February 2, 1846, and included in its limits Township 1, and the south half of Township 2 north, of Range 13 east. Subsequently, the last half township was set off to La Prairie. Among the first settlers were D. B. Egery, D. Bennett, R. Dole, Chauncey Tuttle, John Lewis, A. Lewis, S. G. CoUey and John Hopkins. The first town meeting was held April 7, 1846. Chairman, James Chamberlin ; Clerk, Horace Rice. The second Chairman was R. Dole, elected in 1847 ; then followed, in 1848, F. A. Humphrey; 1849, P. J. Erkenbrack ; 1850, P. M. Hinman. L. P. Harvey served until 1854, when B. F. Murray was elected. Alexander Bruce held the position during 1855 and 1856. In 1857, A. I. Bennett ; 1858, F. A. Humphrey ; 1859, Alexander Bruce; 1860, A. I. Bennett; during 1861 and 1862, H. J. Murray ; 1863, F. A. Humphrey ; 1864, John Hammond ; 1865, H. J. Murray. From that time, until 1870, the Chair was occupied by Chauncey Ross; then Thomas Holmes held the position until 1874, when J. H. Cooper was elected. In 1875, Chauncey Ross ; 1876, Thomas Holmes ; and last, but not least, S. H. Slaymaker, D. B. Egery, Daniel Bennett, Chauncey Tuttle, John Lewis, Abel Lewis, Samuel G. CoUey, Richard Dole and John Hopkins. The town has two lines of railroadspassing through its territory : The Chicago & North-Western, which runs through Sections 1 and 2, in the northeast corner, passing into the town of La Prairie, and the Western Union, which enters the town on the east boundary on Section 13, and crosses it southwesterly, passing out in Section 31.

The following is a list of a number of pioneer settlers of Turtle and vicinity, their former place of residence, in what town first located, and the date of settlement :

Union

This is the most northwestern town in Rock County, and sixteen miles northwest of Janesville. It was incorporated by act of the Legislature, approved February 17, 1842, and at that time included what is now Union, Porter, and the north half each of Center and Magnolia. Its present limits are included in what is known as Township 4, north of Range 10 east.

The town is nearly evenly divided between timber and prairie. The face of the country is generally rolling, but not bluffy or broken, and the town is well watered by Allen's Creek and tributaries, and is under good cultivation. Considerable attention has been given of late years to the culture of tobacco, with much success.

The earliest settlers of this town were: Ira Jones, Stephen Jones, Boyd Phelps, Charles McMillen, Hiram Griffith, John Sayles, Erastus Quivey, Washington Higday, Samuel Lewis, Jacob West, John T. Baker, Levi Leonard and Willis T. Bunton.

The Chicago & North- Western Railway passes through the town, entering on the south line, on Section 35, and running northerly, passes into Dane County, on Section 6.