Bergen Town

Bergen Town

This territory is located in the western part of Vernon county, and is bounded on the north by the county of La Crosse; on the east by- the towns of Hamburg and Harmony; on the south by the town of Genoa, and on the west by the Mississippi river. The town comprises forty-five full congressional sections of land, and nine parts of sections, containing altogether about 30,000 acres.

The Mississippi river washes the western lini' of the town, and along its entire length, am" inland for two or three miles. Inuumerabli sloughs and water courses are seen, al! finding an outlet in the mighty "Father o waters." These sloughs are called Coon, Moi mon. Middle, etc:, and some are navigable, a: Warner's Landing is located on one of the larger ones, just north of Bergen postoftice. Thr Coon river enters the town on the northeast quarter of section 25, and takes a westerly course through sections 26, 27, 28 and 33, emptying into Coon slough on section 32. The northeastern and southeastern portions of the town are not as well supplied with water courses as the central and western parts, but furnishes to the settlers an abundant supply of good spring water.

Early Settlembnts

In 1S52 two natives of Norway, coming to this western country, met by chance, and both concluded to locate in what is now the town of Bergen. Halver Jorgenson selected his future home on the south side of Coon river, on section 26, and has since resided there. The other,

They were followed the same year by Christian Allison, also a native of Norway, who located on section 13, and lived there till his death, in 1868.

In 1853 there were three new-comers in the town, all natives of Norway. Peter Olson settled on section 14, where he died in 1873; William Nelson located on section 26 and died some years ago; John Peterson made his home on section 22, where he still resides.

A year later (1854), S. C. Stetson and family, natives of Otsego Co., N. Y., located on section 1 1 , town 1 3, range 7 west - in the southern portion of the town, where Mr. Stetson was eiisraged in farming until 1880, the date of his death. Mr. and Mrs. Stetson were the parents of one child - Huldah - who is now postmi.strt'ss at the Rest postoffice.

Great Britain also furnished a settler in 1855. Samuel Sims, who resides on section 10, was l)orn in Derbyshire, England, in 1821. In 1847, when he had arrived at the age of manhood, he came to the United States and first settled in New York. In 1851 he went to New Jersey; and in 1853 he went to Pennsylvania, and in 1855 came to the town of Harmony, entering eighty acres of land on section 6. In 1863 Mr. Sims enlisted in the United Statet navy, and was assigned to duty on the gunboat Shamrock, where he served until his discharge in 1864. He was married in 1848 to Mary Egal. Three children were given them - Elizabeth, wife of Samuel McKown, John W., who mar- ried Miss Estella Henry, and Theodore. Mrs. Sims departed this life May 7, 1883, since which time Mr. Sims has made his home with his son, John W.

Engrebret Engh, who located here in 1855, was born in Norway in 1817. He came to the United States in 1853, and first settled in the eastern part of this State, In 1855 he came to Vernon county with his family and purchased from the government a farm of forty acres, which he has since increased to 120 acres, located on sections 26 and 27. He devotes the greater part of bis time to his farm, and takes especial pride in the raising of good grain. In 1848 he married Martha Hanson, and four children have been born to them - Isaac, who married Thea Rorerud, and is a clerk in the postoffice at La Crosse; Hagbarth, who is a minister by profession. He graduated from Luther College, at Decorah, Iowa, in 1878; from the University of Christiana, in Norway in 1882, and from Luther Seminary, Madison, Wis., in 1883. In 1884 he will take charge of the Lutheran church, at Portland, Oregon. John M. married Lena Rindal, and at present is treasurer of the town of Bergen. Emma is the fourth and youngest child.

Austria followed in the footsteps of Norway, :ni(l in 1866 gave to Vernon county a sturdy pioneer. Frank Parsch, one of the most prosperous farmers in the town of Bergen, was born in Austria, in 1831. In 1856 he came to America, and the same year followed the tide of emigration to Wisconsin. He came into Vernon county and bought a farm of eighty acres on section 11, which he has since increased to 100 acres. Mr. Parsch is an intelligent and enterprising citizen, and for eight continuous years was selected by his neighbors and friends to serve them in the capacity of town treasurer.

He was married in 1861 to Frances Heikel. Six children have been sent to bless this union - Amelia, wife of Peter Graw ; Charles, Gustave, Henry, Anna and John.

Among the settlers of 1856 was A. Davis, who came from Columbia county and located on section 14, town 18, range 7, where he was still living in 1883.

In 1860 and 1861 several new comers made their appearance, and the following named settlers have made energetic farmers and highly respected citizens :

Joseph Lisso, who resides on section 14, was born in 1846, in Germany, and when ten years of age his parents came to the United States, and first settled at Cleveland, Ohio, where they remained but two years. In 1858 they removed to LaCrosse, Wis., where they remained two years, and then came to Vernon county and settled on section 14, of Bergen town, where the father entered 120 acres of land. The father died a few years later, and the farm was given to Joseph, which he has increased to 200 acres. Mr. Lisso was married, in 1809, to Elizabeth Dengeline, by whom he has four children - Elizabeth, Mary, Anna and Emma. Mr. Lisso's mother and step-father, Mr. and Mrs. Dettove, are now residing with him. Mr. Lisso is one of the wide awake, enterpiising and accommodating farmers of Bergen town.

John Zink, a prominent German farmer, of the town of Bergen, was born in Germany in 1843. He received a very fair education, and in 1861 emigrated to the United States, and to this town in the same year. He entered forty acres of land on section 33, but left his farm in 1864 to join the 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He served till the close of the Rebellion, when he received an honorable discharge. He returned home and has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits. His farm has been increased to 1 (iO acres and he has lately erected thereon a commodious and substantial dwelling house, at a cost of about $1,500. Mr. Zink was united in marriage, in 1863, to

Mary Kissell, of Vernon county. Nine children were born to them - John, Joe, Sarah, Mary, George, Rhoda, Frank, Charles and Anna. Mrs. Zink departed this life in 1882.

Reinhold Bay, who resides on section 23, was born in Prussia, in 1838. In 1861, when but twenty-three years of age, he came to America, and the westward tide bore him to the State of Wisconsin. He founded a new home in the town of Bergen, where he purchased 117 acres of land. This has been increased to 177 acres, and Mr. Bay is known as one of the leading farmers of this town. In 187ii he was elected lo the office of school clerk, and at present is clerk of Bergen town. In 1864 he married Iluldah Will, and the result of this union has been the birth of ten children - Emil, August, Reinhold, Matilda, Emma, Theodore, Gustave, Ida, Bertha, and Albert.

First Things Organic

In 1853 the board of county commissioners granted permission to organize a new town, to be known as the town of Bergen, nine miles long, from north to south, and six miles wide at its widest part, from east to west. The first election was held at the residence of John Warner, and the following officers were chosen conduct the affairs of the new town for the ensuing year : Chairman, Orin Calkins ; assistants. Philander Bartlelt and Ransom Burnett; clerk, J. P. Ilarkness; superintendent of schools, John Raywalt ; assessor, Lafayette Everson. The present officers of the town are as follows: Chairman of the board of supervisors Wesley Pulvei; assistants, Mathias Bryn and Peter Grow; clerk, Reinold Bay; treasurer, John Engh; assessor, Torger Olson.

Bergen postoffice was located, iu 1856, on section 4 and John Warner was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by the present postmaster, John Cumniings.

The second office established was on section 21, and called Stoddard. Mr. Bochee was the first postmaster, and subsequently Peter Wandenskie, the present incumbent.

Rest postoffice was first opened in 1873, ou section 11, and S. E. Stetson was made postmaster. At his death his daughter Iluldah was appointed to fill the vacancy.

The settlers of the town of Bergen are a steady, industrious and unassuming class of citizens, consequently the history of the town is as yet of a rather limited character. It will increase, both in volume and interest in the years to come.

Religious

In 1883 there were two religious societies within the town of Bergen - the Methodist Episcopal and German Lutheran. The former was organized by a class of twelve members, in 1860, and have always held their services at the Dudley school house, on section 25.

The Geinian Lutheran Church was organized in 1867 by Rev. Barts, who was succeeded by Rev. Rhine, and the latter by Rev. Ording, the present pastor. Some twenty members constituted the organizing congregation, and since then the membership has been increased to thirty-five.

Educational

The oldest burving ground in the town is the oile in the southwest part of the town, near the German church, on section 16. There are also several small private cemeteries throughout the the town.