Eden, Wisconsin

In a southeasterly direction from Fond du Lac, bounded on the north by Empire, east by Osceola, south by Ashford and west by Byron, lies the town of Eden - named after the habitation of our first parents. Two ridges of limestone, suitable for building material, extend north and south through the town. Otherwise the surface is gently undulating, and was originally composed of prairies, wide hay mirshes, rather small oak openings and limited belts of heavy timber. In early days, wild plums, cranberries, grapes and crab-apples grew in abundance and were unusually large and edible. The highest point of land in Fond du Lac County is said to be on Section 16 in this town, being 352 feet above Lake Winnebago and about five hundred feet above Lake Michigan. There are several large springs in Eden, and several lakes, in which fish and waterfowl, in season, are abundant. The soil is not alike in all sections, but is generally of a deep, rich loam, with a subsoil of limestone gravel. Farmers can follow almost any branch of agriculture with equal and satisfactory success. The town is well watered by springs, lakes, the West Branch of Milwaukee River, and other small streams, some of which flow north and some south. The lake in which the branch of Milwaukee River takes its rise, flowing nearly south, has another outlet on the north, which flows into Lake Winnebago : and streams in the south part find their way into the Gulf of Mexico, through Rock and Mississippi Rivers.

Passage source: The History of Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin, published 1880.

The mounds, pottery, earthenware and various peculiar articles found in this town, make itj a peculiarly rich and interesting field for the archteologist. These i-elics of an ancient and extinct race have been found in no other town in this vicinity in such profusion and variety.

Passage source: The History of Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin, published 1880.

Joseph Carr is generally conceded to be the first permanent settler in what is now Eden, though he did not enter the first land. In November, 1845, he began building a log house, which was the foundation for the first settlement in the town. In February following, Samuel Rand and Peter Vandervoort came with their families, and immediately put up log houses. The first crops were raised in 1847, and they were of such abundance as to exceed the most sanguine expectations of the hopeful settlers. That fall, settlers began to arrive rapidly, or select locations on which to locate in the spring. Therefore, in April. 1848, by authority of an act passed March 11, 1848, a meeting was held at the house of Peter Vandervoort and town officers chosen. Peter Vandervoort was chosen Chairman, and Samuel Rand Town Clerk. The year before, or some time before, a meeting was held to name the town. The proceedings are thus recorded: "Adam Holiday, an eccentric character, arose to propose a name. After commenting on the many beauties of the place, the richness of the soil, the abundance of fruits and flowers, and the beautiful woods and fields, he remarked that Adam dwelt in the garden of Eden, and that there were holy days there." Therefore, amid some merriment, the town was named Eden.

Passage source: The History of Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin, published 1880.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Eden Town - it names this place 37 more 37 times.