Rock County, Wisconsin - Chapter 10: Rock County Villages, 1879 (part 2 of 2)

F. ^ A. iHf., Fulton Lodge, No. 69. - On August 8, 1855, a dispensation was granted to the following gentlemen composing the officers to establish a Lodge at Indian Ford, now known as Fulton Center, viz.: W. M., Isaac Miles ; S. W., B. Hopkins ; J. W., Robert Stone ; T., E. Miles ; Sec, R. T. Lawton. On July 2, 1856, a charter was granted to the following gentlemen, as officers: W. M., Brastus Hopkins ; S. W., Robert Stone ; J. W., Albert Warner ; T., B. L. Hopkins ; Sec, Isaac Howe. On December 16, 1867, the members decided to remove their headquarters to Edgerton and their thirty members thereupon located and set up their insignia in the hall of the Methodist Church where they are at present. Their membership is now fifty-five, and their present officers are : W. M., W. W. Child ; S. W., M. Kizer; J. W., C. W. Burdick ; T.. ; Sec, H. C. Son.

On March IjO, 1857, a meeting was held for the purpose of forming a Cemetery Association , at Edgerton, the necessity for such an organization having arisen through the action of Mr. John Fassett, who had presented the inhabitants of the village with three acres of land for burial purposes. After some preliminary business had been disposed of, the voters present balloted for the election of nine trustees or directors which resulted in the choice falling upon the following gentlemen, viz.: John Hutson, John Fassett and Elias Downing for three years ; P. F. Davis, J. 0. Slocum and R. Robinson for two years ; Guy Stoughton, Stiles Hakes and William C. Banks for one year. The officers were : President, John Fassett ; Secretary, J. 0. Slocum ; Treasurer, P. F. Davis ; Sexton, Jerome Fassett. The cemetery, under the name of the donor, was then laid off into lots. The first person to occupy one being the Rev. Mr. Thorington, a Presbyterian minister who was killed while boarding a train of cars at the depot, soon after the opening of the ground. The size of the ground proved fully up to the requirements of the village until 1868, when it was found necessary to enlarge it by the addition of two acres. As it is now it contains five acres of ground on the beautifying of which no pains have been spared. It is about three-quarters of a mile from the village on a slight hill, and, as it is well drained, trees and shrubs of every name and nature flourish here. There are also many handsome monuments in it. The present officers of the organization are G. D. Sherman, S. D. Norton, H. W. Stillman, P. C. Burdick, C. H. Dickerson, E. Palmer. R. Robinson, William C. Banks and Elias Downing ; Secretary and Treasurer, J. R. Lusk.

The first office in Edgerton village was established in 1854, William B. Hall being in as Postmaster. The gentlemen filling that office subsequent to that date were, Messrs. Charles Clark, Schuler Fassett, Byron Coon, L. M. Kellogg and E. A. Burdick (the present incumbent). The gross receipts of the office at the present time are about $1,500 per annum.

Edgerton Cornet Band

This institution was organized on April 1 of the present year, with ten pieces, as follows : Leader, L. K. Jessup, E flat ; Thomas Westlake, E flat ; Charles Mabbett, B flat ; M. Burdick,

2nd B flat ; Jacob Bady, solo alto ; Will Hudson, alto ; John Smith, baritone ; Johnny Hain, tuba; Edward Davis, snare drum ; Royal Malpress, bass drum.

Though they have only been in existence as a band about four months, the members have been the recipients of numerous compliments upon their efficiency, which is beyond question very great.

On the opposite side of the road, but at the same distance from the village, stands the Roman Catholic Cemetery. It was laid out in June, 1869. The land comprising it (two acres in extent) having been purchased for Mr. Townsend at a price of $50 per acre. It is laid oft' into lots 11x30, the occupant of the first being a man named Burns. The fiirst Trustees were Joseph Pollard, Thomas Burns and John McGrath. The present officers are, Mallichia Conway, Thomas Burns and Thomas Quigley, Trustees ; Edward Rooney, Clerk. The ground is also well planted with shade trees, and filled with very handsome monuments.

Old Milton

By the non-observant visitor, the fact that the village of Milton possesses a population of about 1,000 persons will hardly be conceded, for the reason that it is so overshadowed with shade trees of every name and nature, that, at first sight, it appears to partake more of the nature of a village in the woods than a thriving little town.

Its Origin

The year 1837 saw the "star of empire," in the person of Mr. Peter McEwen, taking its way westward. He arrived on the site of what is now the village, and, with the words characteristic of the hardy pioneer, " That's good enough for me !" he determined to settle, the land that he most desired (what is now the Park), having a furrow plowed around it indicating that it had already been claimed, he at once set out for Janesville, where he found the owners, with whom he at once consummated a sale. This comprised the half of what was subsequently, and is now known as Section 27.

About August, 1838, he was followed by Mr. Joseph Goodrich and Mr. James Peirce, and later by his brothers William and James McEwan, who also brought on their mother and four sisters. In that year, also, came Mr. N. G. Storrs, and he and Mr. McEwen together presented Mr. Goodrich with a total of 240 acres, which included the site of the Park, railroad depot, and the house in which his son, Mr. Ezra Goodrich, at present resides.

As Mr. Peter McEwan was the first white man to locate in the village, it is but natural that he should have been the first to erect a habitation. It was constructed of logs, was twenty feet long, and broad in proportion, and, while decidedly rough, was presumably very welcome as a shelter. This style of architecture lasted until the year following, when Mr. Joseph Goodrich erected a frame building, which was at once the pride and quasi-envj of all his compatriots.

In 1838, there being then a fairly large population, a meeting was held at the house of Mr. Peter McEwan for the purpose of drawing up a petition to the Government, in the form of an application for the establishment of a post office. At that time, the place was called Prairie du Lac - a name so closely resembling that of another post office, Prairie du Sac, that the Government refused to grant the prayer of the petitioners, the reason assigned being that it would cause confusion in the delivery of letters, but stated that if the petitioners would change the name of the place, their request would be acceded to. Accordingly, the next year, the meeting reconvened at the house o" Mr. Joseph Goodrich, and, upon a motion made by Mr. Daniel Butts, who had a high opinion of the gentleman, the place was christened Milton - really after a place in Pennsylvania, although it was thought and believed Mr. Butts suggested the name

As population increased, the necessity for the establishment of a trading-store became apparent, and, to meet that waijt, Mr. Joseph Goodrich established a small store in 1839, where the majority of the goods used by the inhabitants were purchased.

The First Tavern

In the same year, i/lr. Goodrich opened a tavern, under the sign of the Milton House, on the site now occupied by the present hostelry of that name. It was constructed of wood, which was afterward glorified by the addition of a coat of red paint, and there, in the mute language of the old-time hostelries, he dispensed "comfort for man and beast."

Of the great events in the short, but not altogether unpleasant, life of humanity, perhaps those looked forward to with the greatest interest, especially in a new settlement, are the marriages and births, and, therefore, it is not surprising that, as in Milton, all subsequent events should be reckoned by the date of the first marriage. The first persons to be adjudged guilty of matrimony in the new settlement were Miss Margaret McEwen and Mr. James Murray, who were aided and abetted in their course during the year 1839, by the Rev. Daniel Smith.

To Mr. David Sprague, who first saw the light in 1838, must be ascribed the honor of being the first white child born in Milton village. At least, it is generally conceded that the honor is his.

This melancholy event, the first death, occurred in the fall of 1839, the victim of the old man with the scythe being Mrs. Hezekiah Waterman, who, far away from home and old associations, was laid away to rest in the acre and half of ground which then comprised the cemetery of Milton.

The first inclosure for cemetery purposes consisted of one acre and a half, which was donated and laid out, in 1839, by Mr. Joseph Goodrich. Up to 1870, that small lot served all the purposes of a mausoleum, but, in that year, it was found necessary to enlarge it by the addition of two acres, which were purchased by the Trustees from Mr. David Sole. Aside from the tender care lavished upon it by the hands of the inhabitants of Milton, many, if not all, of whom have friends interred there, the place is well adapted by nature for the purposes to which it has been put. Located on a gentle slope on a portion of Mr. Goodrich's farm facing to the east and surrounded on every side by smiling fields of grain and carefully planted with evergreens, there is little except the monuments of glistening marble to remind the casual visitor that he stands in the midst of death. All is calm, and one can wander there for hours without feeling a symptom of the morbid dread usually experienced on entering inclosures of a similar character.

It is filled with very handsome monuments, prominent among which stands a large monolith erected to the memory of Mr. Joseph Goodrich. There are others there, simple in design, simple in inscription, but their mute faces, uplifted toward the skies, tell a tale of heroism and devotion, to country, beside which towering fronts of marble and gilded inscriptions, expressive of the general worth of the departed, are as naught. Those stones mark the last resting of soldiers who died in defense of the institutions under whose rule they had been reared. Among them are Amos G. Burdick, Company H, Second Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, afterward attached to the Fourth Washington Battery, who was wounded at the battle of Antietam and died at the age of twenty-five years, after passing through seventeen battles. Marvin B.

Stannard died at Fort Donelson, Tenn., March 29, 1863, aged seventeen years, and David K. Potter, of the Third Cavalry, who died at the age of forty-seven years. The present Trustees are Dr. 0. Allen, D. C. Burdick, William McEwen, G. C. Plumb and Paul M. Green.

Manueactueing Interests

The Union Flouring-Mill, which partially represents this portion of the "anatomy " of Milton, was erected in the summer of 1877, at a cost of |7,000, by Mr. W. H. Lane, who still controls it. It is a thirty-horse power, three-run mill, and has a general capacity of 400 bushels per day. The trade is jnerely local, and the business done that known as custom. Mr. Lane gives employment to four men.

The Milton Cheese Factory is still in its infancy, having been started on June 24, 1878, by Messrs. Crumb & Phillips, in a building erected by the Milton Dairymen's Association at a cost of $500. The present capacity of the factory is three cheeses per day.

A branch establishment of the Burdick Punch Manufactory is also located at Milton under the superintendency of Mr. D. C. Burdick. None of the punches are manufactured there, however, the shop being used simply for the purpose of putting them together, a work at which Mr. Burdick and one other man are constantly employed.

Improvements In Architecture

An improvement of this nature was first noticeable in 1844, when the old academy was built. Prior to that time all buildings had been constructed of wood, but this one flashed upon the astonished beholders in all the glory of gravel and mortar, a mixture which gave it the appearance, when seen afar off, of a handsome stone building. That was followed in 1850 by the erection of a brick house (the first in the village), the builder of which was Mr. William Stillman.

The Park

Among other adornments which within the past years have been added to the natural beauties of Old Milton, must be reckoned the public park. This superb piece of ground, containing twenty acres, is located in the very center of the village, and was the munificent gift of Mr. Joseph Goodrich, by whom it was laid out. It is handsomely planted with shade trees, which in the summer give out an invigorating breeze to those of the weary inhabitants who seek their shelter.

In addition to being an institution of which ail the people of Milton feel proud, it has something of an historical interest inasmuch as it is said that at one time the trails of Black Hawk's "young men " and Maj. Atkinson's " Long Knives " were distinctly visible across it.

Milton Cornet Band

In the fall of 1873, this institution, without which no picnic, dance or frolic in Milton would be a success, was organized with eleven pieces. They purchased second-hand instrftments and went to work, and are now considered one of the best bands in that section. At present, they number sixteen pieces, the names of the players of which are as follows : Evan Davis, Leader; W. H. Plumb, R. H. Saunders, G. W. Post, R. Barless, Charles Post, Clark Post, W. R. Collins, H. H. Pember, W. P. Clarke, C. F. Saunders, D. F. Brown, 0. E. Larkin, L. J. Plumb, W. B. Anderson and J. C. Fane. The instruments they possess are now worth $250.

A Bit Of Unwritten History

In the year of grace 1837, there lived and flourished on what was called Teboe's Point, near Lake Koshkonong, an old French trader, named Joseph Teboe, a Canadian by birth, who, after trapping on the banks of the St. Lawrence and throughout the Canadas for many years of his life, turned his face toward the setting sun and wandered on till he came to Milwaukee. There he remained for some time, finally coming to the point above mentioned, where, to all intents and purposes, he was a fixture.- Teboe, unfortunately for himself, had no regard for the law of the land, which says in substance, though not in word, " thou mayest not have more than one wife," for he counted among other possessions, four bronzed ladies who called him husband, and from whom, it is said, he exacted obedience by the aid of a rope, a boot, or any other weapon which, for the time being, he could convert into an instrument for the purposes of flagellation.

With such a multiplicity of gentle "partners of his joys, and sharers of his sorrows," many people would imagine that Teboe must have been very happy. But he wasn't. He had a failing, and that failing was and is known among the sons of men by the short but expressive term whisky. Yes, Teboe drank, and whenever he got into what is termed by Shakespeare, " the sere and yellow leaf," to which must be added "of pure cussedness," then his feelings would overstep the bounds of prudence, and he would "bang " his unfortunate wives about the head, and carry on in such an outrageous manner as to finally "get himself disliked." At other times, when the demon of drink was upon him, he would wander off, to be absent some weeks. Upon one of these latter occasions, about Christmas, 1839, he went away and was never heard of until about March 12, 1840, when his son Frank astonished the settlement at Milton by the inquiry, " Have you seen my father? " The gentleman addressed replied no, and then it transpired that he had been missing since Christmas.

Raymond, Aaron Walker, Chickering, George Hale and George Ogden was immediately organized to look for him, which they did, but without success. They first went to the lake, in the neighborhood of where he used to live, and inquired of the squaws there assembled as to Teboe's whereabouts, but they vouchsafed no satisfactory reply, merely intimating that he was across the lake with his feet and hands frozen off. The party immediately started to go across, followed by the squaws, but they had not gone far, when the latter raised a "yell," thereby collecting the "bucks" of the camp around the whites. For a time, "things looked a little blue " for the latter, but the Indians, much to the disgust of the squaws, refused to fight, and allowed them to go on their way rejoicing, relieved, no doubt, at having been excused from giving their personal attention to a carving and scalping bee.

Their quest, however, was entirely vain, for they never saw more of Teboe, and it has since beei) supposed that his wives took umbrage at some reflections he cast upon his son's marriage to a squaw, he having lived in expectation of bringing the boy up like a white man, and marrying him to a white woman, and that, in pursuance of such umbrage, they had killed him.

Teboe's Point is still among the institutions of the lake, and, to a few of the residents of Milton, the name of Teboe still brings back long-forgotten memories of early pleasures and early hardships.

Temperance Societies

Milton Division, No. 96, Sons of Temperance, was organized March 2, 1875, by the Rev. H. D. Jencks, Grand Chaplain, with the following charter members : Rev. J. Fassett, Rev. W. T. Millar, J. C. Plumb, William McEwen, H. R. Waterman, Asa Weaver, E. D. Ketty, Webster Millar, S. I). Harvey, C. H. Teetar, M. J. Plumb, B. B. Markle, F. B. Cole, E. S. Hewitt, F. M. Palmeter, W. H. Plumb, Perry Millar, W. H. Coon, A. M. Miller, R. S. Thompson, Mrs. F. P. Cole, Mrs. W. T. Millar, Mrs. J. R. Plumb, Mrs. C. C. McEwen, Misses Anna Millar, E. M. Fuller, M. J. Fassett, Laura Millar, Carrie Plumb, Josie R. Sowle, Jesse Cole, J. L. Davis, Ida M. Monroe, H. M. Boton and M. S. Burdick. At the conclusion of the initiation ceremonies, the following oflBcers were elected: W. P., Rev. W. T. Millar; W. A., Mrs. F. P. Cole; R. S., M. J. Plumb; A. R. S., Mrs. Anna Millar; F. S., A. M. Millar; T., Josie R. Sowle ; Chap., Rev. J. Fassett ; Con., Perry Millar: A. C, Miss M. J. Fassett ; I. S., Miss Esther Fuller; 0. S., W. H. Coon; P. W. P., William McEwen.

The growth of the Division up to the present time has been a very rapid and very sure one, and it has done much to foster the growth of temperance principles in the minds of the young and old people who have come under the influence of its members.

First Congregational Church. - On August 13, 1838, a meeting was held at the house of Mr. Ansel Dickinson, on Rock Prairie, near Mount Zion, wherein it was determined to organize a church of the above denomination. After the usual discussion incident to the formation of such an organization, the following persons signed the roll, thus constituting themselves the charter members : Ansel Dickinson and wife, Mrs. Lucille A. Nathan, Mrs. Sarah D. Stoors, Phineas and Mrs. Maria Arms, Aaron T. and Jason Walker.

At the conclusion of the proceedings, which were presided over by the Rev. W. M. Adams, that gentleman administered the sacrament of the Last Supper, and the meeting adjourned.

Up to 1840, service was conducted in private houses ; but in the "fall of that year, a church and parsonage were erected upon a lot of land located at the southwest corner of Section 36, the logs being contributed by the congregation, and the lumber for the sides, roof and interior decoration being brought from Waukesha County, thirty miles distant. It was 20x30 feet, and cost about $500, and was known as the First Congregational Church of Rock County.

In the winter of 1845-46, it was removed to the site of the present church, and was subsequently known as the First Congregational Church of Prairie du Lac (Prairie of the Lakes), which name it continued to bear until 1850, when it was again changed to that of the Milton First Congregational Church.

In 1854, the congregation commenced the erection of the present church, upon a lot by Mr. Peter McEwen. It is of brick, with a stone basement 34x50 feet, and cost, when completed, in 1856, $2,600. On February 26, 1857, it was thrown open to the public, for the purposes for which it was intended, the Rev. Melzer M. Montague preaching the dedicatory sermon, the final act of dedication being performed by the Rev. H. Foote, of Janesville. The living is worth $1,000 per annum, and the membership is about two hundred. The following is a list of the Pastors from the date of the organization of the Church to the present time :

The first Trustees of the Church were : President, N. G. Stoors ; Secretary, J. H. Williston ; Treasurer, Joseph Spaulding ; Associates, A. Dickinson and Jason Walker. The present Trustees are: President, Rev. William Walker; Secretary, J. C. Plumb; Treasurer, John Alexander; Associates, D. B. Wood, David Smith and 0. Fuller.

Methodist Church. - In the fall of 1846, the Milton M. E. Church was organized by the Rev. Matthew Bennett. The first members were the Rev. Abraham Bullis and wife, William P. Ind and wife, Jacob .Bowers, Mrs. D. Soles, Miss C. C. Atherton and Rev. A. Warren, and wife. Services were held in private houses for some years, but in January, 1854, a meeting was held at the schoolhouse for the purpose of taking into consideration the advisableness of erecting a church. The immediate erection of such a building having been resolved upon, Messrs. Abram Bullis, William P. Ind, Jacob Bowers, Leander Hallock and Charles M. Drake were appointed

Trustees to take charge of matters and things appertaining to the work, Messrs. William McEwen, David Smith and David B. Wood constituting a Building Committee. At a subsequent meeting, held on August 20, 1855, Messrs. T. J. McComber, Joel Wood and David Welsh were added to the list of Trustees. , The church, constructed of wood, with a stone basement and a seating capacity of 225 persons, was finished in 1854, at a cost of $1,500, the land upon which it was erected being presented by Mr. Peter McEwen. During its long existence, the Church has had a large membership, but of late years it has fallen off, until now it has but sixty-five members. Theliving, however, worth $750, per annum, is still as large as formerly.

The present Trustees are Milton D. Walsh, N. V. Wilcox, William McEwen, R. Richardson, C. Perry, N. Reynolds, S. S. Obour and William P. Ind.

In 1848, a parsonage was built, which was in use for a number of years, but finally became so dilapidated that the Pastor declined to live in it any longer, so it was "repudiated," and the present house and lot donated for that purpose by Mr. James Vincent, a member of the Church.

Seventh-Bay Baptists. - This sect, which has now a large representation in the village of Milton, held their first meeting, for the purpose of organizing a society, at the house of Mr. Henry Crandall, on November 6, 1840, and, on November 12, articles of faith and a constitution were adopted. There were then sixty members, who, for a long time, worshiped in the house of Mr. Crandall above mentioned. Subsequently, a change was made to the house of Mr. Joseph Goodrich, and again to the old academy, where their form of religious worship was indulged in every Sabbath until 1852, when the present church was built, at a cost of $3,000, upon two lots donated by Mr. Joseph Goodrich.

The present number of communicants is 275, who, by their combined efforts, make up the $800 per annum at which the living is valued. In connection with the Church is a very good Sabbath school, ruled over at the present time by Mr. B. F. Tetsworth.

The First School

The first establishment of a scholastic nature in the neighborhood of Milton was taught in the log house of Mr. Henry B. Crandall, where his residence now stands, at Milton Junction, December, 1839. The scholars, some twenty in number, rendering obedience to - Miss Olive Hall, a young lady who was employed for the purpose by Mr. Crandall, at the munificent salary of $6 per month, she boarding at his house and doing chores for her board. The following year, to wit, on September 24, 1840, Miss Hall quit teaching, and went to keeping house, the much-favored gentleman being Mr. James Pierce, whom she married on that date.

The second school in the village was established in the summer of 1840, in the house of Mr. S. D. Butts, the teacher being Miss Martha Head. It lasted, however, only six weeks, and then closed.

In the fall of that year, school districts were organized at Milton, Rock River, and in the Carr District, the teacher at the first-named place being Eneas C. Dickenson, who taught for about three months. The teachers at Rock River and Carr District being respectively Miss Esther A. Coon and Nathan S. Coon.

Milton .Junction

Notwithstanding the fact that the Prairie du Chien Railroad had for more than six years run its trains past what is now this populous little village, it was not until 1858, when the C. & N.-W. track became an established fact, that West Milton, as it was then called, began to show any signs of life. It is here that, as early as 1836, people, or more correctly speaking, one person, Mr. Stephen B. Butz by name, had been in that neighborhood, and that in the following year he was followed by Mrs. Hannah Bower, the first white lady in the town, and subsequently by Mr. Henry Crandall, Elder Stillman and Coon in 1839 and 1841 respectively, but no attempt was made to form a village at that spot until the time indicated above. There was no necessity for it for one reason, as Old Milton was only a mile distant, and for another, if another were wanting, there waS no inducement to build.

The Settlement

Upon the arrival of the iron roa_d of the C. & N.-W. in 1858, as above stated, at what is now the Junction, Mr. Gr. W. Mathews erected on the present site of the Morgan House, a hotel, which he kept under the sign of the Mathews House, and which was the first house in what was subsequently the village of West Milton. It was a small one-story frame house, but served all the purposes for which it was intended. In 1861, Mr. William T. Morgan purchased his interest, and in the spring, he erected a magnificent eating-house and hotel combined, at a cost o'f $18,000. He controlled its workings until 1862, when his brother Thomas purchased an undivided half-interest in it, and together they kept it until December 24, 1872, when it was burned to the ground. Nothing daunted, although they lost a large amount of property, they returned to the charge, and in the following year, erected the present fine building, which Mr, John C. Stetson controls, under the name of the Morgan House.

In 1862, as Mr. William Morgan had a large vested interest in the place, he deemed it but right and "proper that it should have "local habitation and a name," and, accordingly, with his brother, Mr. I. P. Morgan, purchased thirty-four acres of land from Mr. Silas H. Ci-andall, and had it surveyed and platted, that portion of the business being left in the hands of Mr. (now Professor) W. C. Whitford, who, in addition to numerous other accomplishments, possesses that of surveyor.

There being then a fairly large representation in the village, a meeting was held for the purpose of getting up a petition to the Government asking for the establishment of a post office. The petition was forwarded and the residents made happy by the fact of their petition being granted. An office was established, and Mr. John W. Wood, who, at that time, kept the only store in the village, was transformed into a Federal office-holder by the reception of a letter, appointing him Postmaster. He retained the office three years, being succeeded by Mrs. Frances Bullis, who was in charge one year. She gave way to Mr. J. Cassel, who kept it two years, and was in turn succeeded, in 1868, by Mr. C. F. Bulen. the present incumbent. He receives five mails, consisting of 100 pounds of matter per day, which he disposes of, however, in a satisfactory manner.

Educational Facilities

As far back as 1840, a school was taught by a Miss Olive Hall in the log house then occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Butz, and, in 1842, a school building was erected near Mr. Henry Crandall's house, but its location did not please that gentleman, and he refused to give a deed to the land, giving as a reason that the children were too noisy, so they were forced to move, and put up a new building. That building was used until 1868, when, at a meeting held on

September 28, a committee, consisting of L. T. Rogers, C. Homes and C. W. Clark was appointed for the purpose of canvassing the village with a view to the establishment of a graded school. Apparently, the canvass was a success, for on October 12, the Board decided to raise $1,000 for the purpose of erecting a new schoolhouse, and, on January 13, at a meeting of the legal voters, the Board was instructed to purchase a site. The building was completed in the same year at a cost of $4,000. It is a frame building, 34x50 feet, and has ample accommodation for the number of little ones who throng its interior daily.

In the light of a good example, and also for the purpose of rendering honor where honor is due, the following incident is well worth relating:

" For a long period, unlike the way of the transgressor, which is popularly supposed to be hard, that of the little folks on their way to school was exceptionally soft, particularly in wet weather, and, as there were no funds available for expenditure on sidewalks, the little ones aforesaid, under the guidance of their indefatigable teacher, gave an entertainment in the building, which netted them a sum sufficient, to construct a sidewalk over half a mile long. As an instance of what education will do, it is a very valuable one.

The following is a list of the Principals since the transformation into a graded school : Daniel W. Burdick, Mrs. Sarah Anderson, Miss Lucinda Estelle, Miss Maggie Schenck, Mrs. Sarah Anderson, Mrs. H. C. Curtis, Mr. 0. E. Larkin. The Assistants were Miss Carrie Saxe, Miss T. A. Hamilton, Miss Cora Holmes, Mrs. Harriette M. Wells, Mrs. Ursula W. Green, Mrs. C. L. Burdick, Mrs. M. Larkin, Miss Myrtie I. Larkin and Miss Maggie Mowat.

The Seventh-Day Baptist Church was organized on November 15, 1875, with about eighty members. In 1877, the society built their present church, at a cost, including land, of $4,000. It is of wood, 36x55 feet, and will seat about 400 persons. The present membership is 250, who make the living up to its worth of $600 per annum. The following is a list of the first Trustees, who were re-elected and are at present in office : Messrs. W. G. Hamilton, S. G. Burdick, C. S. Vincent, G. S. Larkin, James Pierce and H. B. Crandall. The Pastor is the Rev. L. C. Rogers.

The M. E. Church was organized in 1867, with twenty-five members, who, in the same year, erected the present church at a cost of $3,600. It is a large frame building, capable of seating 250 persons. The first Trustees were Messrs. Joel Wood, Michael Miso, S. C. Carr, R. J. Greenman, I. P. Morgan, Abraham Bullis, I. P. Bullis, S. A. Kennedy and G. T. Mackey. Among the present incumbents of that office are Messrs. Joel Wood, William James, M. Miso and J. S. Badger. The Church is and has ever been supplied by the minister of the same denomination resident at Old Milton.

The Seventh-Day Baptist Church Society was incorporated on November 6, 1869, the following being the first Trustees : L. T. Rogers, T. S. Larkin, Thomas Price, R. J. Greenman, Clark Needham and A. G. Burdick. The present Trustees are Messrs. L. T. Rogers, R. J, Greenman, C. W. Cornwall, B. F. Tetsworth and Henry Estee.

There is another society of this denomination at Rock River Settlement, which owns a cemetery and a church. The former was laid out on land donated by Mr. G. N. Coon, and contains one acre and a quarter, the first Trustees being Thomas S. Rogers, James Pierce, Henry W. Green, George N. Coon, Lester J. Rogers and Christopher S. Vincent. The present Trustees are S. S. Pierce, P. H. Maxon, Calvin Hull, S. S. Green, L. T. Rogers and James T. Price. The church known as the Rock River Seventh-Day Baptist Church was organized on April 17, 1856, with sixty members. On June 1, following the organization of the church| Messrs. L. V. Crandall, Asa C. Burdick and Lester T. Rogers were elected Deacons of the Church, Asa Burdick being chosen to fill the office of Clerk, which he did with much satisfaction until 1859, when he was succeeded by Benjamin F. Rogers, who held the office until 1861, when he gave place to L. T Rogers, who has held the office until the present time.

Up to 1863, the members of the Church held their services in the schoolhouse, but in that year the Church and society erected the present handsome building at a cost of $2,000. It is 32x50 feet, and capable of seating about three hundred persons. It is located on the section line between Sections 7 and 8, on Rock River, near the foot of Lake Koshkonong. At the annual meeting of the Church, held in June, 1875, a committee was appointed to confer with the Seventh-Day Baptist Society at Milton, with a view of uniting with them in securing a Pastor to preach in both localities ; but nothing was ever done, for the reason that the Milton Society had decided to organize a Church at Milton Junction, and desired the Rock River Society to remove their meeting-house to that place. This the Society decided to do, but after the organization of a church at the Junction, some thirty of the members of the Rock River Society united with them, and helped them to build a church.

During the year 1874, the Rev. Mr. Rogers, after his fourteen years continuous service, resigned, but has continued to preach whenever his health would permit, until the present time,

Milton Anti-Horse-Thief Association was organized March 8, 1860, with the following charter members : Joseph Groodrich, John Alexander, William Jones, M. W. Crumb, Milo Smith, A. W. Smith, L. T. Rogers, P. J. Macomber, John McCubbin, Perry Sweet, John Livingstone, Daniel Brundige, Phillip Margart, R. Killam, Nicholas Maloney, Albert Holmes and Alva Jones. The first officers were: William Janes, President; John Alexander, Vice President ; L. T. Rogers, Secretary ; .Joseph Goodrich, Treasurer. On March 13, 1862, there being then 140 members, the society re-organized in conformity with an act approved by the Legislature on April 11, 1861, authorizing the formation of such societies. It has now 100 members, and its officers are : President, J. G. Carr ; Secretary, L. T. Rogers, Treasurer, J. C. Carr.

P. of H., Du Lac Grange, No. IS, was organized on March 7, 1873, with the following charter members : Robert Stockman, H. W. Maxon, G. W. Dennett, R. C. Bond, H. H. Stockman, S. C. Carr, J. G. Carr, J. J. Dennett, C. H. Greenman, John Alexander, P. Margart, S. G. D. Butte, S. G. Bond, J. Weston, John Stockman, W. Crumb, Mr. E. M. Dennett, Mrs. Agnes Stockman, Miss Martha Stockman, Carrie Stockman, Elizabeth Stockman, Mrs. P. S. Carr, Mrs. T. B. Carr, Mrs. F. B. Bennett, Mrs. S; G. Bond and Mrs. S. C. Maxon. The first officers were: W. M., S. C. Carr; Overseer, John Stockman; Secretary, L. T. Rogers; Treasurer, Richard Bond. The present officers are: W. M., J. G. Carr; Overseer, J. J. Dennett ; Secretary, R. H. Stockman ; Treasurer, Milo Smith.

The Lodge has now a membership of about fifty, and is in a Very flourishing condition, having property, including cash, worth |700. The present officers are: P. G., N. E. Maxon; N, G., H. H. Stockman; V. G., Fred Brandt J Secretary, John Stockman; Treasurer, Joseph

Sons of Temperance, Welcome Division, No. lOS, was organized March 22, 1875, with the following charter -members : Mrs. M. V. Waldron, Hannah Spence, Anna Nelson, Mary Nelson, Cora Holmes, Rev. J. A. Waldron, A. W. Maxon, George H. Butz, M. A. Cornwall, Henry Waldron, J. Wood and Henry Wood. The following is a list of the present officers: W. R., J. S. Badger; W. A., Miss R. H. Stockman; R. S., C. E. Badger; A. E. S., George Mi so; T., R. H. Stockman; F. S., C. Fi Lane; Chaplain, Mrs. G., W. Barrett; Conductor,

Ladies' Crolden Star, I. of T., was organized June 5, 1878, with the following charter members and officers: Mrs. I. J. Greenman, Matron; Mrs. H. R. Hinkley, R. M.; Mrs. M. Hazard, L. M.; Mrs. George H. Button, Treasurer; Mrs. S. 0. Button, Secretary, and Miss Maggie Mouat, C. S. The Lodge now comprises thirty-four members, who meet in Odd Fellows' Hall, on the second and fourth Tuesdays in each month. The present officers are the same as those with which the Lodge was organized, with the exception of the office of Treasurer, Secretary and Corresponding Secretary, which are respectively filled by Mrs. Button, Mrs De Lancey Rogers and Mrs. Nettie Mullin.

The lot (one acre) upon which the quiet little city of the dead is located, was donated by Mr. Henry B. Crandall, and was placed under the Qontrol of Trustees on February 6, 1871. They were Stephen E. Butz, Lester F. Rogers, and A. S. Crandall.

On April 15, 1872, it was enlarged by the addition of three-fourths of an acre, and the whole divided into 253 lots, 15x13. It is a handsome ground, naturally, . and its beauty is much heightened by a row of evergreens planted on three sides, and a row of elms on the fourth; It is also intersected with well-kept walks four feet in width, which add very much to its neat appearance. The present trustees are S. D. Butz, I. P. Morgan and L. F. Rogers.

In the year 1861, Mr. I. P. Bullis started a carriage factory in a blacksmith's shop 22x30 feet, but in the course of a few years was obliged to enlarge it to its present capacity of 30x68 feet. He now gives employment to four men, and turns out in the course of a year ninety carriages.

Owing to the inducements held out by the residents of Milton Junction, who promised to give a lot and $250 in money to any person who would erect a planing-mill in the place, Mr. J. C. Rogers, in 1869, built the present structure, but in consequence of his taking into partnership Mr. I. D. Tetsworth, whose only crime consisted in his having money, the $250 was never forthcoming.

It was intended originally as a door, sash and blind factory, and the firm invested $1,500 in it, but the business not coming up to his expectations, Mr. Rogers sold out, in 1874, to I. D. Tetsw(Jrth & Co., who thereupon invested $20,000 in improvements, principal among which is a two-run feed mill, and turned it into a planing-mill. The firm, as at present constituted, consists of Messrs. I. D. Tetsworth, B. F. Tetsworth, and G. S. Larkin, the latter a son-in-law of the old gentleman.

The first office in Milton was established at the old town in 1852, by the American Express Company, Mr. W. P. Morgan being the agent. He remained in charge until 1864, the greater portion of the time at Milton Junction, when Mr. A. 0. Perkins assumed charge of it, and was succeeded by Mr. Charles Potter, who kept it until 1866, being in turn succeeded by Mr. H, R. Hinkley, the present incumbent, under whose administration the two companies. United States and American, do a joint business of $5,000 per annum.

Fulton Village

Away off among the hills and in a sequestered nook on the banks of the Catfish Creek, called by courtesy a river, stands this little village of 150 souls. Its communication with the outside world is held by way of a good road to Edgerton, four miles distant, where it comes in connection with the iron road of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway.

Its first introduction to civilization was made in 1846, when Mr. Emanuel Corker arrived from Whitewater and erected a frame house upon the site now occupied by Mr. White, the proprietor of the mill. While living there, and before he was disturbed in his solitndo he commenced the erection of a grist-mill, the same which still, by the creaking of its wheel, reads to mankind the ever-to-be-remembered proverb, " The mill can never grind again with the water that is past." He was not permitted, however, to enjoy his seclusion long, for he was speedily joined by James Merwin, Edward Hyland, Nelson Coon, David L. Mills and Stiles Hakes, all of whom located in that neighborhood.

About that time, also, came Mr. Henry M. Dickinson, who was destined to play an important part in the administration of aflfairs in the settlement, inasmuch as he, very soon after his arrival, opened the first store in the village.

As the place had so soon attained to the dignity of a store, the propriety of opening a tavern impressed itself upon the minds of the residents, who thereupon aided and abetted Mr. Nelson Coon in the erection of a hotel, which was subsequently opened by Mr. Phillip Davault, under the sign of the " Fulton House," which name it still bears, although it is now under the proprietorship of Mr. Spencer Gove.

The Congregational Church

With an increased population, came a desire for some of the comforts incidental to a gathering together of old-time friends, principal among which was the wish to celebrate divine worship in a becoming manner. Accordingly, in 1851, the following persons assembled and organized a Church of the above denomination, viz. : Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Bowman, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. K. Wallen, Mrs. T. E. Green, Mr. Robert T. Powell, Mrs. Lucius H. Page and Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Green.

For some time, religious worship was held in the schoolhouse, the first ministers in the place being the Rev. Mr. Reese, a Baptist minister, and the Rev. Levi Schofield, a minister of the Presbyterian Church, who preacl^ed on alternate Sundays. This mode of keeping the Sabbath Day holy did not long continue, however, for, in the following year, the residents commenced the erection of the present brick church upon a lot, the property of Mr. Webster Pease, for which they had traded one, the gift of a Mr. Keep, a resident of New York City. It is a handsome little building, capable of seating two hundred persons, and, when finished, cost $3,000. The present membership is about one hundred and twenty persons.

Following is a list of the ministers from the date of the organization to the present time : Rev. Francis Lawson, Rev. Robert Sewell, Rev. Franklin Sherrell, Rev. D. W. Comstock, Rev. Hanaford Fowle, Rev. Milton Wells and Rev. Oscar J. May, the present incumbent.

Down upon the banks of Catfish Creek, already mentioned, stands an unpretentious building which, as far as looks are concerned, might be anything but the creamery of Mr. James Clough, which has not only the honor of being the first if not the only one in Fulton Township, but has the additional honor of being the first in Rock County. It was established in 1857 by the present proprietor, who, in that year, turned out 38,000 pounds of butter, and, last year, made no less than 50,000 pounds and a similar number of pounds of cheese. The material necessary for the manufacture of such large quantities of butter and cheese is obtained from the farmers within a radius of from six to eight miles, and gives constant employment to six teamsters drawing it in.

The arrangement of the interior is very systematic, and must have cost considerable time and skill in the carrying-out of the plans. There are two large milk-rooms, containing four wooden tables, with a ledge around them, upon which the cans of milk are placed. Around them is permitted to flow large quantities of water, which is pumped from the creek by a forcepump attached to a shaft driven by water-power. This has the effect of cooling the temperature of the milk, which, when ready, is placed in a large churn holding about fifty pounds, which is then set in motion by a large dash attached by a centrifugal wheel to the shaft before mentioned.

A better idea of the magnitude of the business may be gained, perhaps, when it is stated that, last year, Mr, Clough paid out $700 per month for milk and wages - the latter to ten persons. He has now about $2,000 invested in it, and is shipping his product to Boston, Phila-. delphia and New York, and expects, this fall, to send a quantity to Europe, a market with which he is not entirely unfamiliar, inasmuch as he has already sent large quantities of cheese there. He gives employment to ten persons.

The grist-mill now owned by the Messrs. White Bros, was purchased by them some ten years ago. As before stated, it was built by Mr. Corker about 1846, and, after passing through numerous hands, was purchased by them for $15,500. It is now a four-run mill, with a capacity of fifty barrels per day. They ship to BuflFalo, N. Y., and give employment to four men. The firm have about $20,000 invested, and are doing a very good business.

The First Schoolhouse

was established in a frame building erected in 1847, by Mr. David L. Mills, now a resident of Evansville, which remained in use until 1864, when the present brick building was erected at a cost of $3,400. The present Principal is Miss Etta Warner, who has dominion over forty-five of the little ones who give their attendance there.

The first Sunday school was started in 1849, under the superintendency of Mr. Frank Sayre, who has retained charge of it ever since. He has an average attendance of about fifty scholars.

was located in 1861, upon two acres of ground donated by Mr. Ephraim Sayre, who had it divided into lots. It is well taken care of by the residents of Fulton, and contains many handsome monuments. The present Trustees are Messrs. Fred Green and Frank Sayre.

in the town of Porter, was laid out in 1842, by Mr. John Cook, who purchased the west half of Section 6, and platted a few acres which he called by the above name. In the same year, he built a saw-mill on the Bad Fish Creek, and, in 1844, sold out to John Shepard, who forthwith commenced the erection of a grist-mill, which is still standing. It was completed in 1847, and, after numerous changes, passed into the hands of the present owners, Messrs. Rice & Barber. As at present constituted, it is a three-run mill, with a capacity of from thirty to forty barrels per day. In 1845, two years prior to its completion, a room in it was used as a meeting-house by the Free Baptist Society.

The first store in the village was opened in 1845, by John D. Chambers, who did a thriving business. In the same year, the owner of the east half of Section 6 platted the ground on the east side of Main street, and laid out the village of Waucoma.

The first post ofiice was established in 1849, the mail being carried on horseback from Union, on the main stage- road from Janesville to Madison, the officer in charge being J. D. Chambers, who held it for a number of years, when he was succeeded by John Collins. The present Postmaster is B. S. Hoxie - C. H. Woodbury, Assistant.

One of the first doctors to settle in the place was a Swede, named Smedt, who was as much noted for his piety as for his profanity. Upon one occasion, he was engaged in sewing up the throat of a man named Buzzell, who had concluded not to remain longer in this vale of tears. The man being nearly unconscious, resisted somewhat, when the doctor asked, " What vou cut your froat for, Bossell? do you know you go right straight to hell?" which was, to say the least of it, consoling.

The Church has always been represented here. In 1847, the Methodists established a circuit preacher, and organized a class, and, about the year 1860, the Congregationalists organized a church, holding regular service in the commodious brick schoolhouse. This year, they com^ menced the erection of a church edifice ; B. S. Hoxie, architect and builder.

The village at present supports two stores, one grist-mill, two blacksmith-shops, one agricultural implement shop, one tin-shop, and a cheese factory. The other buildings are a Masonic Hall and Good Templars' Hall, and a brick schoolhouse.

, The early settlers now remaining are Joseph K. P. Porter, J. D. Seaver, John Savage, Harrison Stebbens, Thomas Morgan, F. W. Seaver, J. T. Dow, B. S. Hoxie, Earle Woodbury and Hamilton Wells. Among the early settlers were also A. Wells, Allen Hoxie,, Daniel Cook, Ahel Shepard and George Cook.

Indian Ford

BO called because, in 1836, Black Hawk and his braves forded the Catfish River on the site of *hat is now the village - owes its existence to a Mr. Guy Stoughton and his brother Clouden Stoughton, who obtained a charter of the water-power from the Government ; erected a dam there and built a mill, in 1843. Mr. Guy Stoughton, the gentleman to whom the credit of the latter work must be given, was the first bona-fide settler and claim-holder on the village plat, and erected the first house thereon. Mr. Silas Hurd and Mr. George E. Cowan were the , first settlers in the neighborhood, Mr. Hurd selecting the site of his present farm one mile from the ford, in 1888.

The first store and tavern in the village were kept in 1840, by a man named Ellett, in a portion of the building now occupied by Mr. Robert Johnson.

The first school was opened about 1842, in a frame building, which was erected at a cost of $500, the money being all collected by subscription. The first Trustees were Messrs. James White and Silas Hurd. The present are Messrs. R. N. Johnson, Edwin Schofield and Silas Hurd. The present Principal is Mr. John Call. The manufacturing interests are represented by two grist-mills, each of which is a three-run mill, and does a small amount of business. The rest of the business is confined to a blacksmith-shop run by Mr. E. H. Rogers, and a store and saloon combined, run by a gentlemen known to his compatriots as "Bob " Johnson, who, however, is a very popular man, and has the respect and friendship of every one in that locality.

Janes' Settlement

near Johnstown, derives its name from the settlement there, in 1842, of the Janes family. It at present consists of the residences of about a dozen families and a church, erected in 1861 by the Free Will Baptists, at a cost of about $2,000. It is a frame building, with a seating capacity of about two hundred, but the present membership is not more than one hundred.

Old Johnstown

SO called in contra distinction to Johnstown Center, is a village of about one hundred persons in the town of Johnstown. It owes its existence, in a great measure, to the presence of Messrs. Carter, Fletcher, Cammell and Hill, who settled on the location of the village about 1839, and built the first house. In the matter of religion, the people are not behindhand, as they have a very good frame church, erected by the Presbyterians some years ago.

Johnstown Center

was first located in 1837, by Norman Smith, who made a claim on the present site of the village, on the property owned by Henry P. Johnson. The residents now number about one hundred and fifty persons, and appear very well to do. Among tlie institutions of the village is a fine frame church, built in 1847 for a Free Church, at a cost of about $2,000. The first minister was Elder Mills, who came and preached there about the time the church was finished, but the pastorate is vacant at present.

The business portion of the village consists of two blacksmith-shops, two stores, a very good frime hotel - the Johnson House - a shoemaker's shop and a post ofiSce.