Sauk County, Wisconsin - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 12 of those read), 1880 (part 2 of 2)

The first-born was a child of B. Haney's, born 1838, in the dug-out at Lower Sauk. The Indian scare on Sauk Prairie, an episode of 1845, caused some very funny exhibitions of character and odd doings. A brief allusion to James Taylor's experience at that time will very aptly illustrate what happened generally. The first that James Taylor heard of the matter was Johnny Gray waking him up, crying, "The Indians are coming I Flee for your lives 1 " Taylor mounted an old black mare he had, and generously started to rouse the people. He first waked Ed Tabor. Tabor wanted to get up behind, so Taylor took him on. Then they went to Tom Tabor and roused him, and took him on. From this they went, as fast as the old mare could waddle with her load, to get the people out, and finally pulled up at Ben Johnson's and run bullets all night. No Indians came during the night, yet in the morning they all turned out and formed in battle line, determined to have a smell of powder if they could not win any glory. James Taylor commanded, ''Make ready! Aim I Fire!" At the last command one old musket went off solemnly, like an echo from a tomb, telling them what they had escaped. Since that time, Mr. Taylor has been known as the General.

In 1847, Ed Juessen, who is now eminent as a lawyer and speaker in Chicago, and brother-in-law to Carl Schurz, tended sheep with Charles Naffs on Sauk Prairie, for Count Haraszthy. One day, either by accident or for mischief, they set fire to the prairie ; and, the whole condition of things being, as a result, too hot for the young chap, he left, and thereby made his fortune.

There has been a mill on Honey Creek, in this town, since 1841. The original builder was a man by the name of Robert Bryant, who started a saw-mill. From him it passed into the hands of H. B. Staines. He bought some of the mill fixtures of an old grist-mill in Merrimack, including an enormous overshot wheel, and began refitting the mill, but, before he was entirely done, sold to Mix & Wilson, who finished his work and made other improvements. J. R. Woodrass bought the property about 1856 or 1857, but soon after sold to H. Rowell. From him it passed into the hands of the firm of Merrihew & Rowell, who in the winter of 1859 and 1860 built a stone mill, which was burned five yeai's after. The mill property being involved, it was soon afterward taken on a mortgage by Merrihew's father-in-law. Nothing further was done here until 1877 or 1878, when Martin Luddi bought and built the present large frame mill. This mill has three sets of four-foot buhrs, and one pony buhr. The dam has a seven-foot head, and three turbine wheels are used. This is the only mill in town.

Berry Haney and Albert Skinner were the first ones who, according to various accounts, attempted to settle their diff'erences, about an early claim, by fist and bludgeon. In the melee, Skinner came out second best ; he having been somewhat lame from wounds received in the Black Hawk war, as well as being under sized, could not hold his own.

A thrashing machine was brought in here as early as 1843, by George Owens, of Prairie du Sac, and was said to have been the first in this county or Dane County at that time. He received one bushel in ten for thrashing.

The first settlers had to go some thirty miles to mill, to what was then known as Hickox Mills, now Ruggles' Mills, in Richland County, this being the nearest point, in 1840, where they could get grinding done.

In 1860, a grand Republican rally and mass meeting was held at Reedsburg, to which about twelve wagon-loads of people went from Prairie du Sac Town.

One of the principal industries, among the Germans, especially, of this locality, is the raising of wild and tame grapes, the wild grapes being raised exclusively for the purpose of m;iking a wine which very mucli resembles port wine in color and flavor. Tame grapes are raised in large variety for domestic use, and for making wine also.

A Baptist minister, Elder Conrad, established a Baptist society at Prairie du Sac at a very early day. He first held services in the house of H. Page, then afterward in a schoolhouse, until the society purchased the old Presbyterian Church. They were close communion. The first religious debate in town was between Elder Conrad, and Elder Cavanagh, Methodist. The church has no minister at present.

There is an Evangelical, or Dutch Reformed, Churcli in the southwest corner of this town. The society was incorporated in the spring of 1851. The church is a neat-looking structure, 24x32 feet. On the map it is called Lutheran Church, which is an error.

At the first town meeting, held on the 3d day of April, 1840, subsequent to organization of first towns, of which this town was then one, the following officers were elected :

Chairman, Nathaniel Perkins ; Charles Halasz and Samuel Kelsey being Side Supervisors; Town Clerk, Cyrus Leland ; Assessor, Archie Hill ; Treasurer, P. B, Stamatz ; Superintendent of Schools, J, B. Woodruff; Justices, Charles 0. Baxter, Lyman Grossman, John Kupell and Henry Myers ; Constables, H. K. Howard, Albert Mann and Archie Hill ; Overseers of Highways, E. P. Tabor, John Accola and Henry Myers ; Fence Viewers, B. Howe, J. Hatch and John Gallard. At this election, it was decided that the town meeting should be held next at Prairie du Sac.

At the general election, November 6, 1849, the whole number of votes cast was 185. Of these, Nelson Dewy received over three-fourths for Governor.

The amount of school tax collected here this year was $639.32. The tax collected for town purposes was $204.10. Expense during said year was $165.23.

Nothing special occurred in connection with the next town meeting, aside from the election of officers, and voting of funds for fiscal purposes, unless mention be made of $200 appropriated to build a bridge near the old mill of J. C. Wilson.

At the general election held November 8, 1853, 276 votes were cast, there being an increase of 56 votes over the last general election. At this election, the Prohibitory Liquor Law, submitted by the Legislature, was voted upon, there being 192 votes against it, the balance for the law.

In 1855, swine were restrained, by order of the board, from running at large. This order was repealed soon after by a special meeting of the voters. But again, at the town meeting held April 1, 1856, the swine question again came up, and was definitely settled by their being restrained from running at large in the future.

Town Of Sumter

This town was called Kingston up to 1861, when, on account of the confusion of mails with Kingston, Marquette Co., the name was changed to Sumter,* in honor of Fort Sumter. The town is somewhat irregular in shape, especially on the northern boundary, which makes it two sections larger than the regular towns. It is bounded north by Baraboo and Freedom, south by Prairie du Sac, east by Merrimack, and west by Freedom and Honey Creek. The surface of this tow^n is as agreeable to look at as it is, in the main, available for the purposes of husbandry. It lies nearly in the center of the Sauk Prairie basin, and, therefore, embraces all of the best features of surface contour and soil. Along the northern part of the town extend the Baraboo Bluffs, from which can be obtained a view of the bottom lands of the town, and of Sauk Prairie generally, and as charming as fancy could suggest or desire. On the southwest may be seen narrow belts of bluffs, outlying and environing the ever-recurring pockets, which break away on the south and east into undulating prairies, covered with well-cultivated farms, margined and dotted with clumps of timber. Probably no more picturesque or truly beautiful scene than this is afforded in the county. The bluffy portion of the country here, as elsewhere, is all taken up by the farmers, to be used for pasturage an<l timber. ( )f this there is a fair supply, but principally a young growth (except back in the Baraboo Bluffs), the larger trees, apparently, having been cut down. The tillable soil is second to none in the county. The bottom lands are, principally, a deep, rich loam, occasionally mixed with sand. From this, passing onto the bluff's, the soil becomes a stony clay, which, although both heavy and cold, is highly productive when well tilled. The town is very well watereil, especially in the central and north part, where numerous small streams head, and which ultimately unite, forming Otter Creek. Anything that can be raised to advantage anywhere in the State, either for home use or the market, can be produced here. The cereals, vegetables, fruits, etc., of all kinds, indigenous to this climate, readily grow and mature here ; while, for grapes and stock, no part of the county or country is better ; the geological formations, and prehistoric remains in this town, present some exceedingly interesting features, especially the former. There are large beds of calciferous sandstone located in some portions of the bluifs that are well adapted to building purposes, and, as though for an accompaniment, dolomite lies above ready to be burned into lime for cementing the stones into building wall. One of the formations particularly valuable for geological research is the Mendota limestone, which abounds here in large quantities. Mr. R. E. Stone, a practical geologist living in Stone's pocket, has found some very valuable specimens of trilobites here. One feature in this connection, which Mr. Stone has observed, is that specimens of these animals are sometimes found in this locality, lodged in the interstices of quartzite rock, two hundred feet above the level of their natural home. Who can explain this ?

Recently, Mr. Stone, in connection with the State Geologist, opened one of the Indian mounds here, to find it occupied by the skeletons and implements of the former inhabitants. The most noticeable features were, that the mound was built above the natural earth level, and that the bodies were covered by clay, brought from some other locality.

Other notes in the ajbbve connection might be given, but these are sufficient to give a fair idea of the condition of the town. The inhabitants are mixed. But the American element predominates, and has always done so since the first settlement. The social, moral and intellectual status is above the average.

This was one of the first settled towns of the county, the date of its first settlement being nearly cotemporary with that of Prairie du Sac. It is pretty generally conceded that the first parties to come into the town were Albert Jameson, A. Bills, A. Hodgett and N. Lathrop, who came here on a prospecting tour during the month of December, 1838 ; also John Hoover came in about this time, or soon after, and tFncIe William Johnson, who is now the oldest of the first settlers living in the south part of the county. None except Mr. Johnson remained longer that winter than was necessary to make their claims. He and his help threw up a cabin near where he now resides, and lived in it the rest of the winter. The next summer, Uncle William brought the first breaking-team into the town, and with them the old double-geared breakingplow that is said to have done the first breaking in the town. It now stands at the door of an old tumble-down log cabin, a dilapidated memento of early days.

The first families to settle in the town were Charles Parks and Zena Harrington. They came in the summer of 1839. In November, of this season, A. Jameson moved in.

In 1840, Henry Teel, John Hoover, Andrew Hodgett, Isaac Gibbs, Alex Johnson, Charles Teel, P. Brigham and William Cary were here, some of them possibly having come during the fall or winter of 1839. During 1840, Uncle William Johnson brought in his family. There may have been more settlers here in 1840 than above enumerated, but nothing can be learned of such persons.

No attempt wrll be made to trace the number of settlers who came in before 1850, only the names of those now living here who came in before that time will be given. William Johnson, old Mrs. Jameson, old Mrs. Teel, Henry Teel, Isaac Gibbs, A. Waterbury, J. C. Payne, J. Freeman, George and H. Gatwinkle, H. J. Farnham, U. H. Kendall, J. W. Gordon, Samuel Haskins, Theodore Rock, Robert Colburn, R. E. Stone, H. Durke and A. Stedman are about all that are left of the early comers, and they will soon move away to give place to others.

The first birth in the town was the second one in the county, Charles Parks, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parks, who was born in February, 1840.

The first marriage, that of Phillip Blodgett, of New York, and Susan Harrington, daughter of the above-named gentleman, was executed about 1840.

Another of the early marriages is worthy of mention. The Rev. James G. Whitford, who wanted a wife, came to town in 1840, to visit the Widow Sayles, a daughter of Mrs. Teel. Mr. Whitford held religious services and organized a class while the wooing sped, and finally, on August 15, 1841, they were married, the Rev. Mr. Simpson coming from a distance to perform the ceremony.

It is the opinion of some that Mr. Whitford was the first minister who preached in the county, but Mrs. Teel avers that the Rev. John Crummer, a Methodist minister, came in May, 1840, and preached at John Hoover's, and Mrs. Teel certainly ought to know, considering that the other minister was her own son-in-law. The Rev. Thomas Fullerton was the first circuit rider to come here and fill stated appointments. He came the 23d of June, 1841.

A post office was established here in 1850, named the Blufif office, with Prescott Brigham as Postmaster. It was located afterward at what was called New Haven. There is now no post office in town.

The above-mentioned place was regularly laid out on Section 3, and platted as a village in the spring of 1856, by Sol King ; before that, it was called King's Corners. There were at one time a tavern, store, several dwellings and mechanics' shops, and a church, here, but at this time the village is a thing of the past.

A steam saw-mill was built at the foot of the bluffs, on Section 4, and near Otter Creek, in 1855, by H. J. & William Farnham and E. Kellogg. They also had a small grist-mill attached. Two years after, the mill passed into the hands of Mr. Babcock, who afterward sold it, and then, about 1866, for want of business, it was discontinued.

A short time after the above mill was built, a man by the name of Hedges laid out and platted what was called the village of Otterville, near the mill. Another saw-mill was also built near here about this time by Robert Baxter ; but this, like its predecessor, has long since ceased to operate, and the village of Otterville is now no more forever.

In 1866, Luther Daniels built and opened a store on the east road, in Section 2. Daniels also kept the post office here, but the institution failed in about a year. The post office was then suspended, and the building passed into the hands of Isaac Gibbs.

The first reaper was brought into town by Henry Teel, and the first article that could, grind anything from corn, cob and all, to small grains, was an overgrown coffee-mill, brought in by Uncle William Johnson. This mill is still in existence, and is said to have done grinding for pioneers all over the West. Like Uncle William, it is now rather too old to repair, and, with the old plow, needs to lay on the shelf.

In the Methodist Church class, organized in 1840 by Rev. Whitford. there were the following members : Henry Teel, George Teel, Lucy Brigham, Catharine Kellogg, Martha Brig ham, Thomas B. Cowles and Andrew Hodget.

After the Rev. Fullerton had been coming here for about a year, what was called the Sauk Prairie Mission was established, extending from Black Earth Creek, in Iowa County, to Dekorah, in Columbia County. The second Quarterly Conference was held at Benjamin Johnson's, on Sauk Prairie, December 28, 1844. B. T. Kavenaugh was Presiding Elder of the Mission. In 1849, Black Earth and Dekorah were set off.

The present Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in 1862, and first stood at New Haven. Five years ago it was moved to its present location and repaired.

In the northeast part of the town, there is a society of the "Evangelical Association of North America;" they have a chapel on the northeast corner of the John Thilke farm, 24x30 ; the society was organized March 23, 1863.

There is also a Lutheran society in the town that was organized in 1862. They have a chapel, built in 1862, situated on the cross roads, one mile north of the above church.

There are a good many Germans that belong to the "' Free German Association of Sauk County," who have their lecture-room in the town of Merrimack.

The refining of sorghum is followed here each year quite extensively. Knapp & Waterbury have an evaporator, bought in 1850. This was the first in this town, or adjacent towns. Henry Hill started one soon after. But, on account of wrong quality of cane, their work was not satisfactory. There is also another one owned by John and George Weisch, and another man, which is in part the relics of an evaporator bought by sixteen or eighteen farmers in company, several years ago, but which, like all of them at that time, proved of no use. The cane used here is principally white amber.

There is a cheese-factory in town, established by Peter Young and Henry Hill, which was opened to the public in May, 1878. This is the first and only cheese-factory in Sumter. It has a capacity for handling 3,500 pounds of milk per diem, there being one vat. Each year they have made a large quantity of choice cheese, both for themselves and their patrons.

The first town meeting was held April 3, 18-19, at the house of James Moreland. Officers elected: J. S. Waterbury, Chairman; Isaac Gibbs and Samuel Shaw, Side Board; Prescott Brigham, Clerk; David Gulliford, Treasurer; Samuel Mather, Assessor; R. E. Stone, Superintendent of Schools; L. B. Smith, Alden Maynard and Samuel Shaw, Justices; Daniel Barber and David Gulliford, Constables ; William Johnson, P. Blodgitt and William Farnham, Overseers of Highways ; N. Gordon, Charles Kern and Samuel Dewey, Fence View^ers ; James Moreland and Samuel Shaw, Sealers Weights and Measures.

1850 - Calvin Danforth, William Farnam, John Thilke, Supervisors; D. R. Baxter, Clerk; Hiram Bailey, Assessor; R. E. Stone, School Superintendent ; Albert Jameson, Treasurer. June 15, T. B. Cowles was elected Treasurer in place of A. Jameson, resigned.

1858 - Thomas D. Long, Hiram Houghton, A. Hall, Supervisors; 0. S. Knapp, Clerk; D. N. Barber, Treasurer; J. I. Waterbery, Assessor; C. S. Abbott, Superintendnet of Schools.

1861 - 0. S. Knapp. John Dennett, Charles Ryone, Supervisors ; William W. Perry, Clerk ; Harvey Durkee, Treasurer ; A. J. Sears, Superintendent of Schools ; William Johnson, Assessor.