Vernon County, Wisconsin - The Town of Genoa, 1884

The Town of Genoa

Genoa was organized in the spring of 1S70, a portion of it being taken from the town of Bergen and a part from the town of Wheatland. It is bounded on the nortli by the towns of Bergen and Harmony, on the east by the towns of Harmony and Sterling, on the south by Wheatland town, and on the west by the Mississippi river. It is seven miles in distance north and south and six miles from east to west, and comprises territory embraced within congressional townships 12 and LS, ranges 6 and 7 west. It contains an area of about 24,000 acres.

The town is watered by two branches of the Bad Ax river; the north branch entering the town on section 16, passing through a corner of this section into section 37 of town 12, where it unites with tlie other branch which enters the town on section 17, runs northwest through sections 17, 8, 7 and 12, where it makes a junction with the north branch. From section 12, the main stream courses through sections II, 14, 15 and 16 and there unites with the Mississippi river.

There are many spring brooks arising along the bluffs of the Bad Ax river, which are tributaries to this stream. The general surface of this town is extremely rolling. The valleys and table lands being the best farming lands.

Early Settlbment

The first settler was William Tibbitts, who entered 160 acres of land on section 22, in 185o. He'was followed the same year by Elias Shisler, who entered 120 acres of land on section 22, where he was still living in 1884.

Maj. N. W. Hamilton was one of the settlers of 1853. He was born in Fayette Co., Ind., in 1820, and settled in the town of Jefferson, this county, in 1854, where he entered land which he afterward sold to Ramsey and Miller, and then entered eighty acres of land in the town of Genoa, on section 4, moving there in 1858. Mr. Hamilton was married to Alnudia Clark, in 1853, by whom he has four children - Emla, Isabell, Irila and Jenett. He was the first school treasurer of the town of Genoa, and held the office for eleven years.

James M. Bailey was born in 1815, in Virgina, and settled in Vernon county, near Viroqua, in 1819. He was under sheriff, and at the following election was elected the second sheriff of the county. He moved to the town of Genoa in 1877, and settled on section 19, town 12, range 7 west. He was married to Elizabeth

James Stevenson was born in Ireland, in 1840, and came to America in 1857, and to the town of Genoa in 1863, where twenty years later he was still living on a farm of 200 acres on section 12. He was married in 1862 to Isabel Hamilton, of Vernon county.

Elijah Powell, who was born in 1820, in Mercer Co., Ohio, came to this town in 1865, and purchased 160 acres of land on section 4, town 1.3, range 7. He was married in 1842 to Mary Rayner, who died in 1843. In 1814 Mr. Powell married Martha McKee, who died in 1854, and in 1862 he again married a Miss Shelby. Mr. Powell has been the father of seven children.

W. H. Knower, one of the most intelligent farmers in Vernon county, was born in 1830, in R)ckHeld, Mass. At ten years of age he moved with his parents to the city of New York, where he received a thorough education, and came west in 1850 to better his health. He taught school in Milwaukee in the winter of 1850-51, and in 1855 came to Ve rnoncounty and taught school until 1865, when he settled on his farm in the town of Genoa, on sections 1, 2 and 11, of township 12, range 7 west, where he owns 240 acres in one tract. He was married in 1852 to Mary Elliott, of Bangor,Maine, by whom he has had four children - George, Charles, Susie and ITranklin.

Fibst Events

The first election of what is known as the town of Genoa, was held April 7, 1860, at the village school house of Genoa. The first officers were : E. Page, chairman, Peter Shumway and Willis Masker, supervisors ; William Burlock, clerk ; John Greeman, treasurer ; Willis Masker, assessor. Officers of 1883 : William Riley, chairman, VVilHam Hall and August Vegline, supervisors; Mathew Monti, clerk ; Barnard Gadola, treasurer ; John Carpenter, assessor.

The only religious societies in Genoa, in 1S84, was that of the Roman Catholic, who organized at an early day. This Church is made up largely of Italians. Other denominations have held meetings from time to time at school houses.

Genoa postoffice was established in 1854, on section 29, on the site of the village of Genoa. The first postmaster was Jacob Kelsie, who was after a time succeeded by James McGrath, Mathew Monti, Wra. Burlock and J. B. Bozola, who was postmaster in 1884.

Romance postoffice was established in 1854, on section 6. The first postmaster was John Tewalt. He was succeeded by William Fox, who still held the oftice in 1884.

The Village Of Genoa

and was first named Bad Ax, after the only river in the town of Genoa. For a time it was thought the name Bad Ax quite appropriate as the people were for years kept in fear, by the bad characters that constantly infested their vicinity, from off the Mississippi river, as it was quite a .steam-boat landing for steamers, plying up and down the river. However, in 180S, the people thought the name had a tendancy to keep the town from being settled by the better class of people, and hence they changed the name. The original plat of the village contained twenty-one blocks. Block 12 was donated to the public, for public uses, by Joseph Monti, and afterward became the public square

1 he first house was erected by David Hastings, in 1853. The first store was opened by -loseph Monti, in 1854. A wagon shop was put in operation at once; also a blacksmith shop run by Ferdinand Guscetti.

The first saw mill was built by William Ofiicer, in 1858. The business of the place ii 1884 was represented as follows: Mathe-n Monti and Albert Zabolia, dealers in dry goods, boots, shoes, crockery and hardware.

The St. Charles Catholic Church was organized in 1862, and a church edifice erected two years later, in the village of Genoa. This building was 24x36 feet, and cost $500. The Church was organized by Rev. Father Marko. In 1884 the Church numbered about 300.

There were two cemeteries within the town of Genoa, in 1884. One situated a half mile from Bad Ax city (Genoa), on land owned at an early day by Samuel Kels e, on section 21. The other burying place was on section 28.