Cashton Village

Cashton Village

Eighteen miles south of Sparta, on an elevation 700 feet above the county seat of Monroe county, overlooking one of the prettiest districts of farm lands in western Wisconsin, stands the village of Cashton. The land Avhere the village is located is on section thirty, township fifteen, north of range three Avest, in the town of Jefferson, and was formerly OAvned l)y Andrew Nelson and Hans Larson, the latter of whom is still living near the village.

On September 28, 1879, AVilliam Byer came to the place from Sparta and bought the first lot sold where the ]\Iitchell building stands at present, on the corner of Front and Broadway streets, and on this lot Mr. Byer started to erect a small ])uiiding. Two or three days later Peter E. Nelson arrived on the scene and thus the Village of Cashton made its start. There was no place to board, and ]Mr. Nelson had his food sent up to him from Virequa for about three weeks. During the fall ot! 1870 nine business places and two dwelling houses were built ; the business buildings Avere AVilliam Byer, shoeshop and boarding house ; H. D. Tate, merchandise ; W. H. H. Cash and AV. Surdam, merchandise ; Lee and Holderson, grain warehouse ; Coats & Company and P. Sederson, grain warehouses ; Lars Peterson, blacksmith shop ; John J. Krain, a saloon ; Newbury & AVagner, lumber office and the depot of the Chicago, Alilwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company. Air. Byer boarded a large number of the earliest citizens, as there were no married ukmi in the village for some time except himself, AI. Daniels, Avho was the depot agent, and Lars Peterson. His beds Avere made of tAvo by fours and boards nailed together and filled Avith straAv, and the boarders Avere obliged to sleep three in a bed.

Early in the spring of 3880 a ncAv start in 1)ui]ding Avas made by Utziner & Dahl. Avho built a hold and saloon : Hansen & Bates, hardware store; Air. Tony, a grocery store; and Dr. J. B. Growbridge. the first jihysician. arriA'ed and occupied the si^cond story of the Bates store as his office, and iu the spring erected a small building and opened a drug store. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Erank Dule, Sr., moved from Newry and erected the building now OAvned by his estate and the Odd Eellows jointly, and the same fall C. & J. Cremer erected a saloon on the north corner of what is now the Heilmann property. James Lord, who was running a small store at Hazen's corner, moved to the village and went into business there. George Hargrade also built a wagon shop the same year, and Louis Perkins a blacksmith shop and a residence.

One thing that troubled the people of Cashton very much during the first years of the existence of the village was the water supply. For a long time the only water works in the village were four barrels which were set in a small building near the depot, and Mr. P. R. Mitby was engaged to haul water from the railroad tank and from Jersey's spring, and the people went to him for their water. A little later Mr. Cash made a contract with someone to drill a well to furnish water for the village, and agreed to give a public square on the west side for a park if the well was completed, but it failed to materialize and so Cashton is still without her park, although there is now a sufficient water supply.

In June, 1881, the citizens met for the purpose of devising a way to provide sufficient water for the village, and propositions were made and accepted for a well which was drilled by John Miuroth, in the street, near Broadway, then a part of the town of Jefferson, permission having been given by said town to have the well drilled. A water association was organized and its officers were : President, M. Daniels ; vice president, J. Dahl ; secretary, John King ; treasurer, John Konper ; trustees, J. W. Wagner, G. V. Hargrave and P. E. Nelson. On May 31, 1892, the water association voted to turn over its property to the village of Cashton, which was incorporated June, 1892. An election having been previously held to determine the question, which result was a vote of fifty-five for and ten against it.

The village for some time after the railroad was built was called "Hazen's Corners," but by the persistent efforts of Mr. Cash, who owned and controlled a large portion of the village property and who built the railroad for the company, it was christened ''Cashton."

On May. 23, 1892, the first election was held, there being sixty-two votes cast ; the following officers were elected : President, P. E. Nelson ; trustees, John Cremer, Martin Jackson, A.

Roessler, Frank Delle, A. A. Du ]\[ez and L. A. Lane ; clerk, E. E. Gaines; treasurer, C. II. Campbell; police justice, A. Heizer; justice of the peace, L. B. Perkins; marshal, C. ^l. Culver; constable, "William Schrier. The village in the last ten or twelve years has made rapid strides in improvements, putting in quite a little macadam streets and enjoying water works and an electric light plant.

A bank was organized at Cashton by "Watson Earle, John C. Ford, L. "W. Earle, Peter Nelson and some others, which conducted a good business as a private bank for a number of years, but in order to conform to the state law, it was incorporated in 1903; it subsequently built the handsome building in which it has its home. The bank has been well managed under the direction of L. M. Earle, its cashier, and enjoys the confidence of the community, and serves a large clientage of depositors.

The population is today about 568, and the present officers of the village are : E. 0. Dosch, president ; P. J. Hegge, clerk ; L. M. Earle, treasurer ; J. H. "Wilgrubs, assessor ; John Cremer, supervisor; Emet Peterson and H. S. Evert, justices of the peace. On "Wednesday, October 5, 3904. the village had a grand jubilee celebration of a quarter of century of its existence and an elaborate program carried out which was much enjoyed by the thousands of people who came to participate. There is a high school and graded schools, conducted by a corps of competent teachers, giving fine educational facilities to the children of the village ; the high scliool being taken advantage of by many pupils from surrounding towns.

The Congregational Church, of Cashton, is the only church in the village. It was organized September 22, 1892. Practically all the citizens subscribed liberally for the erection of a house of worship. The amount subscribed and $500.00 from the Congregational Church Building Society, of New York, constituted the "Building Fund." The building was soon completed and regular church work started. ^Ir. A. A. Du ]\Iez has been Sunday school superintendent from the first. ^Irs. Rena (Johnson) Barth has been the faithful organist.

The pastors who have served the church are the following: Rev. John AVillan, Rev. Henry S. Evert. Rev. Lewis B. Nobis, Rev. James Rowe, Rev. Christian S. Johnson, ^\r. Richard G. Ileddon and Rev. Henry S. Evert, the present pastor. The church has been thoroughly remodeled and recarpeted and rewired for best electric liglits. tlius making it a modern struc-

The history of the village of Kendall begins with the assurance of the Chicago & Northwestern Eailroad in 1870 and its completion in 1872. It was the civilizer of this then wild region.

The man from whom the place took its name was a railroad contractor and never was a resident. He bought a considerable portion of the land on which the village is built while helping put the railroad through. In the early fifties, however, a railroad survey was made up the valley, and this, with the promise of a grist mill at Glendale, was the inducement held out to prospective settlers and purchasers of land by Jason AVeaver, of Ohio, who had preempted most of the available government land.

For twenty years before the railroad was built the pioneers of Clifton and Glendale townships did their milling and merchandising at ]\Iauston, Wonew^oc, AVilton, Sparta, New Lisbon and Elroy. The pioneers often carried in from these places on their backs the bare necessaries of life, or when they could they used ox teams, it was not until about 1861 that horses began to be used. Because of the unusual advantages, for this rough country, presented by the location occupied by the village for yards, tracks and switching purposes, a larger tract other than the right of way was secured by the railroad company. A fourteen stall round house was built, and this was the center of a busy crew of artisans required to run the shops and machinery used in making and repairing for the company. The village was incorporated October 8, 1894, wdien 0. B. Wyman was circuit judge. AYalter Baxter was the first president, and the first trustees were Andrew Felker, G. F. Lillie, Charles Torrence, John Kier, AV. S. Canney and James Gammon ; other officers were AV. T. Cutland, clerk ; G. L. Adrion, treasurer ; John Rose, assessor ; Lewis Buswell, supervisor ; Thomas Pierson, marshal ; Samuel McQueen, constable, and R. B. Dunlap, justice of the peace. Thus the rule was transferred from the town board, which met at the village of Glendale.

The first setback the village had was in 1886. when the railroad division was moved to Baraboo ; that took away a large number of families, but other things came to fill the vacancies and Kendall still enjoyed the advantage of being a registry station and the end of the "hill division," where extra crews and engines were kept to doiihle over the three tunneled liills Ijotween the village and Sparta. This railroad condition continued until the eompletion of the new line from Sparta to ^Milwaukee. The round house and coal sheds were then closed, the station force reduced and most of the remaining railroad men transferi-ed to points on the new line, over which the hulk of the freight was now sent; this, however, has had no noticeable effect upon the business and prosperity of the village.

The second great drawback experienced by the village was on ]March 31, 1893, when a fire started in the brick veneer store of G. F. Lillie and wiped out the entire block of frame buildings. Plans were at once made to rebuild on a more substantial basis. Inside of a month the work of erection was begun, brick replacing the old frame structures, and by September 30tli the splendid buildings now adorning the street were occupied by their owners and business was going along better than ever before.

Commercial Interests

Immediately after the fire Henry Senz, then a resident of Clifton, bought the corner OAvned by J. J. Kelley and built one of the best hotel structures in any small town of the AVest. The hotel is noAv owned and conducted by J. L. Ilayward. In October, 1903, the Kendall State Bank was incorporated by G. R. Hill, 0. R. Holmes, L. H. Felker and Charles ^Marquette. Since then it has twice increased its capital and in 1911 completed and occupied its own handsome brick building. The village has five general stores, two hardAvare stores, a strong agricultural firm, a drug and jeAvelry store, tAvo grist mills, a splendid farmers' creamery, tAvo blacksmiths, tAvo physicians, furniture store, lumber yard, harness shop, tAvo real estate dealers, tAvo hotels, restaurant, dentist, telephone system, photographer, barber, dray line, livery, four churches and three saloons. At this Avriting the village is putting in a AvaterAvorks system. Not the least important factor in the life and progress of the village is its ncAvspaper, the Kendall Keystone. The paper Avas established in Januai-y. 1904, by Clarence S. Dodge. In July, 190."), it Avas pui-chascd by Alexander R. McCleneghan, Avho has since conducted it. He came to Kendall from tlic desk of a city daily ncAvspaper, but as a youth he had learned the mechanical part of the business in a country neAvspaper office, and his practical experience in every branch of the Avork has enabled him to make the Keystone one of the brightest and most prosperous country papers in the state.

Churches Of Kendall

As near as can be ascertained Methodist preaching began in this vicinity as far back as 1854. "Grandpa" Moore preached in school honses for a number of years until the Rev. ]\L Doolittle took charge of the work. The first church building was erected soon after; later the building now in use was built and the old one sold to the Baptist denomination. The Glendale Methodist Church is connected with this charge and is supplied by the same minister. The church building there was purchased from the Episcopalians, who have no present organization. Later Wilton was also made a part of the same charge. Hoffman Corners was formerly includeci, but the membership was so reduced by removals that in 1911 services were discontinued there and the building sold.

The history of the Baptist Church antedates the Civil War, when, in 1858, one Elder Stevens, a pro-slavery southerner, began preaching in Glendale. The church became disrupted during the war and Avas not revived until 1874. In that year J. H. Bowker organized the Baptist Church of Kendall and Glendale, afterwards taking in Elroy. It was perhaps due to the efforts of John Baldwin, resident here until his death, that the organization owes its continued existence. The church building purchased from the ]\Iethodists was used until 1910, when the present modern building was erected. The Baptists now have as handsome a church home as can be found in any village of the size in the state and maintain all the customary church activities.

The Catholic Church began its existence in Kendall thirty years ago, the Rev. Father Kellar being the first pastor. He was followed by Father J. H. Herman, who resided in Union Center and had charge of the churches of that place, Elroy, Kendall and Wilton. AA^hen the church was first organized in Kendall there were but few families to support it ; the building of the church depended upon those few and though started immediately after the society was formed it stood for five years with only the roof and sheathing as a protection against the rigors of winter. Previous to its erection the services were held in halls and private houses. The present building Avas completed about twenty-three years ago, but in 1911 was extended and much improved to meet the needs of a large, growing and prosperous congregation. The present pastor, the Rev. J. II. ]\IcAteet, has had charge of the churches at Kendall and Wilton for twelve years, living at Wil- tun aiitl lioUliiiy service Mt tlio two jjlaces on alternate Sundays. He is now located at Kendall, the AVilton church being in charge of another pastor. At this writing the church here is erecting a $.'5,000 home for its pastor; it has become the strongest of all the churches in the village.

The German Lutheran Church has a brief history. The Kendall society was organized in ]909 by the Rev. Otto Engle, who came from Mihvaukoe, and a fine church building was at once erected and dedicated. The communion is a growing one, embracing many farmers and families adjacent to the village. The pastor resides at Norwalk and has charge of the church there, also holding service in the Kendall church every third Sunday.

Kendall Assembly, No. 265, Equitable Fraternal Union, was instituted December 23, 1902. with seventeen charter members. The first officers were: President, Herbert IMist; treasurer, E. R. Gallagher; secretary, Jesse W. Jones. There are now fifty-five members in good standing.

The Camp of Modern Woodmen of America was organized in August, 1888, with thirteen members. Al Wyman was the first consul and Dr. G. R. Hill the first clerk and medical examiner. The membership at one time was over 100.

Tunnel Lodge, Knights of Pythias, was organized August 21, 1907, with thirty-five charter members. G. R. Evans was the first chancellor commander. The present membership is fifty-four.