Troy Center, Wisconsin

Soldan Powers arrived in Troy May, 1837, and located his claim on Section 10 just north of the present village of Troy Center, At the first town meeting, April 5. 1842. Mr, Powers was honored by being elected to three "offices -School Commissioner, Highway Commissioner and Fence Viewer. Since the division of the town, he has' served fourteen terms as Town Clerk, besides filling various other offices. He was born June 14, 1805, in the town of Marshtield, Washington Co. , Vt., and received his education at the common schools and academies in the vicinity. After leaving Vei-mont, he resided three years in Franklin County, N. Y., two years in Orleans County, same State, two years in Jackson County, Mich., and came to Wisconsin in May. 1837, selecting a claim of 169 acres in Troy and settling tipon it. Dm-ing the first winters in Troy, he taught school, one at East Troy and one at Troy Center. His first school in the territory was taught at Whitewater, and was the first school of Whitewater. - In the fall of 1838, the first board of county officers was elected, and, as Walworth had not, at that time, been detached from Racine County, the retm-ns had to be made to Southport (now Kenosha), the county seat of Racine County. Mr. Powers, being a member of the election board, went on foot with the returns to Southport, aud at that place was unfortunately robbed by his fellow-lodger of all his cash, save 18 pence - a rather small amount for hotel bills and expenses home. In May, 1842, Mr. Powers married Miss Anna Flanders, of Stanstead, Canada East. Of their children now living, there are Levi P., Sarah A. (Mrs. E. Harrington, Kansas), Clarence L. and Mary A. (Mrs. W. C. Gregg. Troy).

Passage source: History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources...its War Record, Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early Settlers; the Whole Preceded by a History of Wisconsin...and an Abstract of Its Laws and Constitution.., published 1882.

Samuel L. Porter, a native of Long Island, settled in Troy in 1837, but afterward removed to Delavan and thence to Baraboo, Sauk County, where he died. Mr. Porter built and run a hotel for many years. That building, which he also occupied as a house, is still standing. Mr. Porter did not enter his land u.atil October 10, 1838, his claim being on Section 17.

Passage source: History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources...its War Record, Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early Settlers; the Whole Preceded by a History of Wisconsin...and an Abstract of Its Laws and Constitution.., published 1882.

The village of Troy Center is located on Sections 14 and 15 in the town of Troy. Previous to the coming of the railroad, a " neighborhood" had sprung up about half a mile north of the present village on Sections 10 and 11. The first settlers there were Soldan Powers, A. M. Perry and George W. Blanchard. in May. 1837. They, with the exception of Mr. Blanchard - who came from Milwaukee- came from (.hicago. The lirst house built was of logs, in size 10x12 feet, and covered with oak bark. This they lived in until a larger one, 10x22, one and a half stories high, was built, in which they lived dui'ing the following winter. A few dwellings were subsequently erected here, but the place assumed no importance until the coming of the railroad, in 1871, when the village was moved to its present location. The land on which the village is built was purchased from J. G. Briggs by some of the railroad officials in 1871, and platted into village lots. Charles Wyman erected the first house on the village plat, during the same year. J. A. Schwartz also built and opened a store at that time. Will- i;im H. Dewitt built a warehouse in 1871. lu November, 1870, N. M. Bunker and L. J. Smith associated themselves under the firm name of Bunker & Smith, and piu'chased this warehouse, which they are still operating, dealing in grain, wool, live stock, etc.

Passage source: History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources...its War Record, Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early Settlers; the Whole Preceded by a History of Wisconsin...and an Abstract of Its Laws and Constitution.., published 1882.

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 Troy Town - it names this place 11 more 11 times.