Cassville Town

Cassville Town

The first mention made of the present site of Cassville is by Mr. Shaw, a boatman on the Mississippi, who stopped at this point to bargain for a freight of lead ore on his trips down the river between 1816 and 1820. It would seem from this that there were habitations here at that time of French and Indians, but, as Shaw was obliged to go to Fever River for his lading, the probabilities are equally strong that no mining that could be dignified by the name was done here at that time. The next few years the place was undoubtedly deserted, as Mr. Thomas Hymer, as related by Mr. James Grushong, stopped at Cassville for some time in 1824, on his return from a trip to tho Selkirk Settlement, occupying a deserted cabin, there being no other occupants there at that time. The first signs of settlement came in 1827. Mr. Orris McCartney in his recollections, says : The first furnace was built at Cassville by Judge Sawyer ; Tom G. Hawley built the first house at the same time. The next link in the chain of evidence is furnished by Mr. Levi Gilbert, who came to Cassville in 1827, and states that Judge Sawyer erected his furnace that year, and " was to give a free Fourth of July dinner, but hearing of Indian troubles decamped July 3." These statements place the probable date of settlement in that year.

The following year quite a number of new ones came in, among them Orris McCartney and Alexander Ramsay ; Henry Hodges and Thomas Shanley are also reported as coming this year. Those who came, however, did not remain long at this time with the exception of Mr. Ramsey. Between this date and 1831, but very little is known of the young settlement. In the lastnamed year, Maj. Glendower M. Price arrived at the little settlement with his young bride, and bringing with him an extensive line of goods, with which he opened the first store in Cassville, in a building on the bank of the river standing on the present site of Grimm's warehouse. The log dwelling house of Maj. Price stood on the ground now occupied by Geyer's warehouse, while between them stood afterward the "block-house" that served as a place of refuge for so many early settlers during the troubles of 1832.

The following description of early life in Cassville, by Mrs. A. J. Long, will present to the reader's mind in vivid colors the scene as it appeared to Maj. Price and his newly- wedded bride upon their arrival in 1831 :

" Going West was not then what it is now. The trip that is now made in a few davs, then took months of travel by steam, canal and stage. The boat in which they ascended the Mississippi lay six weeks on the rapids. It was the old Science, the first that landed at Cassville. There were in thfe place a few log dwellings, and one building put up for a store, on the shelves of which was soon arranged the stock of goods which had been brought on from Philadelphia. The country was yet in its primeval wilderness. Lancaster, the county seat of Grant County, was, at that time, not thought of, while between Cassville and Prairie du Chien there was but two or three farms. To the young and beautiful wife, fresh from the city, the wild, free life, with the grand and imposing scenery, had a charm that could not be furnished by city life. The bright, new dream was soon to be dispelled by the breaking-out of the Black Hawk war, which turned the previous enjoyment into a feeling of anxiety as the dangers that surrounded the young settlement became apparent. Maj. Price was one of the early pioneers to whom the friendly Indians looked for protection during the troubles of 1832. They stood in mortal fear of the Sacs and Foxes. Maj. Price, having on one occasion been called to Prairie du Chien on business, left his wife in charge of the block-house which had been erected. Into this all the women and children, except Mrs. P., crowded at the least approach of danger. Late in the evening, of the day on which Maj. P. left home, there was heard by the whites and Indians a long, low whistle peculiar to the hostile Indians. There was an instant stampede and the little fort was soon full. The poor, frightened Indians came crowding around ' Capt. Price ' (as they loved to call Mrs. Price), "^Sg'Dg her to protect them from their foes, not thinking of her own danger. She let them in, and barred her doors and windows, and there, in her big log kitchen, she counted upward of fifty Indians, men, women and children ; but, before midnight, they were relieved of their fear. The whistling had been done by a mischievous fellow, who wanted to see how the people would act in case of an attack. All was explained to the frightened savages, and they were prevailed upon to vacate Mrs. P.'s kitchen and return to their wigwams. It would have been a hard task, had not the scouts came in and reported the hostile Indians at least twenty-five miles distant.

"At another time during the war, when Maj. P. was from home, the alarm was given that a large body of Indians were preparing to surprise them the next night. Not knowing what would become of them with so few protectors, Mrs. P. wrote an order to the commanding ofiicer at Prairie du Chien for more soldiers, and ordered a man to mount a swift horse and set out immediately. All night long the lady walked the floor, her mind harassed by fear of the Indians, and chagrin lest it was a false alarm. Early the next day the soldiers arrived with one of their superior oflBcers. Mrs. P. had found out by this time that it was a false alarm, and made every apology for causing the oflScer and his soldiers so much trouble. But he would not listen to her, telling her that her courage and forethought alone would have saved the helpless inhabitants from certain death.

" Often, when a little girl, have I heard one of those pioneers (Maj. Anderson) tell the following incident: There were .a small number of Sac Indians and whites, who accidentally came across each other near the Wisconsin River The order was given to shoot all men, women and children. Among others, he himself shot a boy about ten years old who was eating honey with a spoon out of a hollow tree. He shot off the boy's hand which held the spoon. As soon as the spoon fell, the boy picked it up with the left hand and again commenced eating honey, taking no notice whatever of the mangled arm.

" In the month of June, 1834, Mrs. Price's sister and husband and two children arrived in Cassville, direct from Philadelphia. The husband and wife were very young. The oldest child two years, and the youngest (your humble servant) just three months. It was 10 o'clock in the forenoon when the boat landed. Mrs. Forbes and her husband and children were met on the sandy shore by Maj. Price, who was quite surprised to see them, they not being expected until fall. ' How surprised sister Harriet will be,' said Mrs. Forbes. ' Indeed she will,' said the Major. Mrs. Forbe's attention was arrested by a queer looking figure advancing toward her. It was a woman dressed rather plain, in fact, quite common, barefooted, and with a tin pan held over her head. Mrs. Forbes stood perfectly still thinking she saw a craizy woman. The woman still advancing sideways, with her hand held over her brow the better to see the strangers. Presently she threw down the pan, and starting on a run to her own house, crying out, ' My sister Anna has come ! Anna has come ! ' Presently her excitement cooled down, and she went to meet her sister and almost smothered her and the little ones with kisses. After the first greetings were over her sister said, ' Do the ladies in the West wear tin pans on their heads in place of bonnets, as I saw you.' ' Oh, no, I was going to gather greens for dinner.' Walking into the parlor, Mrs. Price introduced her sister to the visitors, who were present, they almost forgetting to acknowledge the introduction, so busy were they gazing at the pretty young lady dressed in the latest style.

" Presently dinner was announced. The table was set in the big log kitchen. When they were all seated, the next thing to notice was the bill of fare. This Mrs. Forbes did, and the result was as follows : Bacon and greens, bread and butter. She was highly amused at this company dinner, but soon found it was about all the country afforded. Butter was $1 per pound, and eggs 50 cents per dozen.

" ' Didn't you get homesick before you got acquainted with your neighbors? ' asked Mrs; Forbes, after their guests had gone. ' Not much, old Macwa and I were such good friends. ' Who is that? ' said her sister. ' Oh, he is only a tame bear we got of the Indians. He and I go walking up the river bank every day. A few days since we went to walk on the river bank. I was in no hurry to race as usual with him, so concluded to take my own time. After awhile we started, and he, in his glee, caught hold of my dress, and before I was aware of it, away he flew with the whole skirt of my dress fluttering in the breeze as he ran.'

"Next morning after breakfast Mrs. Price sat her churn, filled with cream, on the porch, intending to churn at once. She stopped to say a few words to her sister, when she heard a queer sound, and running to the door she saw Mackwa with the churn turned over and he lapping up the rich cream as fast as he could, while his head and shoulders were covered with it ; he had eaten out of the churn as long as he could reach it, and when he could not reach it any longer he turned it over on the floor.

"Another day some clabbered milk was given to the bear. Now Mackwa was very fond of clabber ; while he was eating, a little pig came to help him ; he caught the pig in his paws. Mrs. Price heard the pig squeal and ran to the rescue, but it was too late. The squeels came fainter and fainter from poor piggy, till Mackwa, satisfied that the pig would do no harm, laid it down and went on with his clabber.

" Soon after the close of the war, an old Indian chief, War Eagle by name, came to see Maj. Price, bringing his grandson, a little four-year-old, with him. The chief soon made known by signs and broken English, that he wanted to sell the child, and the old man's price for his grandson was just two bottles of whisky. And he actually sold him to the Major for the whisky.

" Wisconsin must have been colder then than now, for I have heard more than one pioneer say, that the coffee which would be spilled in the saucer would freeze hard before the family were through with breakfast, and with great blazing fires at that. People used fire-places, there were no stoves in the country then. Provisions were scarce forty years ago. They could only get sour flour and tainted pork, and had to pay $80 per barrel at that.

" Mrs. Price's sister was so afraid of Indians when she fir^t came West, that she would fairly scream at first sight of one. But before the year passed, she often went into the country to spend the day, leaving the baby (the writer of this) in charge of an Indian woman, whom she well knew, would spend the day in all probability in a wigwam with her Indian friends. The presence of the soldiery at Prairie du Ghien was needed for a long time, and, being acquainted with Maj. Price, were always invited to the latter's table whenever they chanced to be in Cassville. Upon one visit of this kind, Mrs. Price, having no girl, waited upon the table herself. One of the military gentlemen, being young, goodlooking and vain, endeavorfed to make the acquaintance of the pretty waiter girl, and in order to further his desires, displayed a splendid gold ring which - he wore, in as conspicuous a manner as possible behind his chair whenever the ci devant waiter girl passed near him. Fortunately for his equanimity, he never found out that the lady to whom he displayed his egotism and ring was Mrs. Price herself. At another time, a fine-looking officer called to see Maj. Price. Mrs. Price, again having no hired help, was busily engaged scrubbing her kitchen. The officer knocked at the door and asked if the Major was at home. He was not, and so the gentleman was informed. ' Is Mrs. Price at home? ' was the next question. Not wishing to be known, as she was looking so badly, the instant reply was, ' No, sir.'

" The officer walked out, but soon returned to make more minute inquiries, and by way of recompensing Peggy for hindering the scrubbing, offered her a kiss and a large apple. She declined the kiss but accepted the apple. Frequently during her husband's absence, Mrs. Price was obliged to run into the store (which stood close to the dwelling-house), by the back door, to wait on some rustic neighbor who could not wait till the Major's return. She was called to open the store a few moments after the officer stepped out. Among others, the officer lounged into the store. Directly a neighbor came in and said, ' Good morning, Mrs. Price, I would like to get some nails.'

" Mrs. Price's face turned scarlet. The officer looked at her a moment, and then went to her and asked her why she called herself Peggy. She told him it was because she was looking so badly. Every apology was made that could be, she readily excusing him, declaring that she ought not to have misled him.

" This same pioneer aunt is ah old lady now. She is living in Missouri. She went there four years prior to the breaking-out of the rebellion, and as a matter of course, passed through trials at the time of the war. Being a strong Union woman, she often had trouble with the rebels, but she stood firm and came out all right. Hers has been a life filled with stirring events ; a true pioneer life. May peace and quiet crown her declining years, and blessings be in store for her for the untold good she has done for many poor suffering ones."

Among those who came about this time were Col. Landers, Mr. Rich Ray and William W. Weyman. Ray had entered or pre-empted the southwest quarter of Section 20. Col. Landers had a claim at the mouth of the hollow. Maj. Price, after his coming had pre-empted and entered Section 29. The most of the above-named had gone away by 1836, which date marked the first " boom " felt by Cassville. As has been stated elsewhere, Southwestern Wisconsin had, at this time, " great expectations" in regard to securing the capital of the territory within its borders, making each little burg for the time being a center of interest and a prominent factor in the solution of the new problem. Added to this was an era of speculation the like of which has not since, nor is it likely ever will be, seen in this country. Under these circumstances, a. partnership or company organization was formed between several Albany and New York gentlemen, who purchased the Ray and Price pre-emptions, with the exception of three lots reserved by the latter where his store and dwelling stood, and commenced the village of Gassville.

Prominent in the plans of improvement was the erection of a mammoth hotel, which the proprietors fondly hoped would shortly furnish quarters to numerous honorables and all the hangers-on and officials which usually do congregate in State and Territorial capitals such as it was then expected Gassville soon would be. Under these circumstance, the Denniston House was commenced in the spring of 1836. It was located upon what was known as the Price preemption, the Ray pre-emption being at that time in litigation. But few buildings stood at time upon the site of the present village. Opposite the present residence of Dr. Cronin stood a tavern erected years before, and at this time kept by Capt. Estes and Capt. Reed. This, with the buildings of Maj. Price and a few other log cabins used for different purposes, were the only signs of a town then showing up. The new building was pushed forward during the year. By the next year the wing had been completed, and the main part well advanced. Gassville had, however, failed to secure either territorial or county honors, and following upon this came the panic of 1837, which for many years paralyzed the industries of the country, and put an effectual stop to all improvement. The property afterward became the bone of much contention between the proprietors, which effectually prevented any settlement in the new town. In 1838, Mr. Luther Basford erected a dwelling in the town followed shortly by others. Among the early experiences in the young town, Mr. Basford relates the following : " The only law we had in those days (183L) - 37) was that dispensed by Judge Lynch's court. While at work upon the hotel, a discharged soldier was employed to cook for the company's hands. One evening it was discovered that some clothing, together with a razor, had been stolen from one of the men. Suspicion fell upon the cook, and a committee was appointed to examine his effects, the result being a confirmation of the suspicions by a discovery of the stolen goods. A court was organized, the man furnished with counsel, and a fair trial was given him. After hearing all the evidence in the case, the jury pronounced the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to receive twelve lashes on the bare back, the lashes to be laid on by the man owning the property stolen. After receiving his punishment, the fellow was ordered to leave town, which hint he was not slow in taking, and that was the last we ever saw of him. Another case came up soon after, where we had the satisfaction of meeting out justice to a different kind of an offender. This man was a drunken, worthless scamp who lived upon his wife's earnings, and pursued a systematic course of brutality toward her. One Sunday evening we were startled by cries of ' Murder ! " proceeding from the cabin occupied by them. Upon reaching the house, we found the fellow engaged in beating his wife in a brutal manner. We did not stop to inquire further, but took the ruffian out, thrust a rail between his legs, and treated him to a free ride about town. Having punished him in this manner for a time, we then took him to the Furnace Branch, which was covered with a thin coating of ice, and ' dipped ' him several times, after which it was suggested that his room was better than his company, and if he had any regard for his health he would get out of town as soon as possible, and not again return under a promise of a repetition of the same treatment with 'variations. He left and that was the last we ever saw of him.

Among those who erected cabins about the same time as Mr. Basford, were Messrs. Manahan and McNamee. A few others came in, increasing the list slowly, but a blight seemed to have settled over the place ; the streets became filled with dog-fennel instead of being worn by the feet of tradesmen and customers. Says one early settler : " In 1842, the only path in the place was from Richard Hamer's store to his house." A new era soon opened up, and the next year a change for the better was noticable. A correspondent of the Qrunt County Herald^ speaking this year (1843) of Gassville and its prospects past, present and future, says:

"Cassville owes its existence to the stirring enterprise and memorable folly of 1836. It s situated in Section 20, Township 3 north, of Range 5 west, upon the bank of the Missisiippi, upon a point entirely free from islands, and upon the margin of a beautiful plain nearly balf a mile in width, and bordering the river for miles. This plain, which rises just suflSciently ibove the river to afford the utmost facilities of a landing, and be at the same time forever iTuarded against the possibilities of inundation, appears to the eye a perfect flat, but in reality rises to a very considerable, though an extremely uniform grade. The plain is terminated with 1 bluff of singular variety and beauty. Considered vertically, it presents three sections entirely different from each other, and remarkable for the extent to which this difference is preserved. The first section, rising to an angle of about fifty degrees, and to a height of seventy or eighty, is entirely grass-covered and appears from the town a surface of almost exact uniformity. The next is a belt of rock forty or fifty feet in width, varying only from a perpendicular elevation by a gradual falling back of the snccessive strata. The last section, which varies from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five feet in height, makes up a community of scenery at once noble and enchanting. Connect this scenery with the broad unruffled river, the bright foliage with which the extensive bottom bordering its opposite shore, is covered, all richly and harmoniously blended, and we have before us a site over which no point upon the Mississippi is at liberty to boast.

" The village commenced in 1836, declined in 1837, and was nearly deserted in 1838. It has revived this year, and is now speedily and steadily filling up, already numbering a population of 125. The town comprises twenty-five good dwelling-houses, and several stores and offices, exclusive of a building erected by the proprietors of the town, and by them designed for a place of entertainment. The dimensions of the wing of this mansion, composed of wood, are 26x60, three stories in height. The main building, of brick, is 50x55, five stories high, its stateliness comporting well with the grand scenery about."

Notwithstanding the confident tone of the above, the growth of the town was very slow from this time forward until 1855. The wildness of the country about gave rise to numerous adventures with the wild-eyed denizens of the forest, one of which is thus related by Mr. Daniel R. Burt, one of the early pioneers: "I often had occasion," says Mr. Burt, "to pass from one settlement to another, frequently in the night, and on such occasions it was not unusual to have the company of several wolves. When on horseback, armed with a pistol and club, it was not difficult to keep them at a proper distance, but when on foot and alone, with no firearms, they were not pleasant companions, as I can attest from an experience in the winter of 1838. At that time the snow was about eighteen inches deep, having a sleet crust over it of sufficient strength to bear the weight of a man. I happened to be at McCartney's, near Cassville, and pressing business with a man by the name of Thompson, residing not far from the present village of Patch Grove, forced me to travel over the intervening distance late in the winter's day. It was in fact about dusk when I commenced my journey, and I had not traveled over two miles before I came upon two large gray wolves, that appeared more fond of my company than I was of theirs. They continued to follow me, keeping from fifteen to twenty yards in my rear, with no signs of withdrawing. I unfortunately had no fire-arms, my only weapons being a dirk-knife with a five-inch blade, and a stout stick. These I carried ready for instant service, and thus we traveled over the hard white crust, the wolves keeping about the distance named above. Occasionally I would turn on them with my knife and club and a yell that would not have disgraced a Sioux Indian, when they would retreat for a short distance, but as soon as I turned they would turn also, and again follow me. At times, however, when I passed over inclinations so great that I could not keep my feet, these white-teethed howlers would rush up on me, sometimes coming within five or six yards before I could regain my footing, when they would again retreat. I took pains after one or two experiences of this kind, to avoid ground of this nature, although it carried me somewhat from my course. I found, much to my pleasure that my repeated assaults was telling on my adversaries, and as discovered they were losing courage I regained mine and turned on them the more frequently. After having followed me a distance of some seven miles, they gradually allowed the distance between us to increase until finally, we parted company for good, much to my relief, and I reached my destination without further annoyance. The honor of a repetition of an escort of this kind was never coveted. Having passed the greater portion of my life upon the frontier, I have always regarded this as the most thrilling of my experiences."

The town continued to lay under the ban of litigation until the year 1856, when the " Brunson interest " was purchased by ex-Gov. Dewey, who proceeded with customary energy to build up the stagnant village. A correspondent, writing of the rapid progress made this and the succeeding years, said : " Until July, 1855, no title could be secured to town lots, and all building improvements were hardly contemplated until after that time. The amount of money expended on improvements during the last year is not a small item for a town no larger than this. In the course of the past fifteen months, we have expended $65,000." Another writer at a later date, says : " The population' in May, 1855, was 149. In December, 1856, it was 421. The original cost of the Denniston House was $45,000. Gov. Dewey put on it $15,000. In 1856, the town had three stores, three hotels, three saloons, three blacksmith-shops, one wagon-shop, two cooper-shops, two shoe-shops, and two tailor-shops, one hardware store, one cabinet-shop, and several carpenter and joiner shops. About $6,000 has been eixpended upon the levee. In 1858, the population numbered over 600. The township was quite large, polling 330 votes. There were three mercantile firms doing a business of $200,000 annually, three large warehouses, a smelting furnace, a steam saw-mill, cutting at the rate of 10,000 feet per day, a brewery, and fifty other buildings. But one church, (Catholic, built early that year), and two hotels besides the Denniston."

From this period on, the growth of the village has been steady, though at times, quite slow. It is a favorite shipping point for a large section, and at present contains two excellent general merchandise stores, and four others of lesser capacity, four blacksmith and wagon shops,, two tailor-shops, one bakery, one saddler's shop, two milliner's shops, five saloons, one furniture-shop, one hardware store, two boot and shoe stores, besides a steam saw-mill. For many years Cassville included among its business institutions a brewery, but lately this has not been operated. The health of the village is cared for by two physicians, both of the old school style of practice. The first man of medicine to locate in the town, when in its infancy, was I)r.«5ii ^Hull, who afterward removed to Potosi, where he died.

Schools And Churches

Catholic Church. - This church was erected early in 1858, services, previous to its erection, being held in the schoolhouse. The building was not fully completed until a later date. The first priest in charge of the parish was Father Powers. Upon his retirement, Father Zuiber followed as priest in charge. In 1872, owing to the long distance many of the members had to come to attend divine worship, a division movement was inaugurated, which resulted in a church being built on " the ridge," in that year. The year following, the congregation divided, those living near the newly-built church attending divine worship thereafter at that place. The present Pastor of the church at Cassville is the Rev. Father Gardhaus.

Baptist Church. - December 1, 1875, the first organization of the present Baptist Church was effected. The original members were Mr. D. B. Stevens, Mrs. D. B. Stevens, Mrs. M. Stevens, Mrs. Pugh, Mrs. Anton Engels, Mr. F. W. Bartlett, Miss Alice Cannon, Miss Annie Crouch, Miss Lucy Bishell. The first oflBcers elected were: Deacon, D. B. Stevens ; Clerk, F. W. Bartlett ; Treasurer, D. B. Stevens. From the date of organization up to 1880, the Sabbath services were held in the basement rooms of the Denniston House. In the above year, work was commenced upon the present church edifice, a plain but neat building of red brick. Operations were carried rapidly forward, and October 2 and 3, 1880, the dedication ceremonies took place. The first Pastor was the Rev. Stevens, of Bloomington, who served as such until the fall of 1880. The present Pastor is the Rev. William Clack, of Prairie du Chien, who divides his time between that charge and Cassville.

The officiary at present is as follows : Pastor, Rev. William Clack ; Trustees, Nelson Dewey, Samuel Okey, D. B. Stevens, F. W. Bartlett, Anton Engels ; Deacon, D. B. Stevens.

Educational. - The first schoolhouse was built on Section 16 previous to 1836. It was built oflogsafterthestyleof these earlier institutions of learning. Split "puncheons" formed the floor, the ragged edges of which left full many a crack through which the summer breezes could whistle. The first teacher whose name still lingers in the hearts of the earlier settlers is Miss Elizabeth Walker. To this lady there happened during her occupancy of the rude educational throne an experience at once startling and nearly fatal.. Through one of the numerous cracks in the puncheon floor Miss Walker dropped her thimble. Stretching down her hand to recover it, she was suddenly bitten twice by a rattlesnake. Realizing at once her danger, she started for the village, where medical treatment was at once brought into requisition, with the result that the lady's life was saved. Not caring for any further incidents of this kind, the floor was torn up by the settlers, and the venomous reptile killed in his hiding-place. School was also held in the " Council House," a building erected by the company for town purposes previous to the building of the "Yellow Schoolhouse " in 1845. This building, which stood one block north of the Denniston House, served for many years as the guiding road to the mysteries of hidden learning. In 1860, the village had outgrown this modest structure, and the main portion of the present building was erected. This in turn was found too cramped quarters for the fast-coming youngsters, and some years later an addition was built, which, when completed, furnished Cassville with one of the finest school buildings in the county. Three teachers are at present employed, the Principal being Mr. Knapp.

Town Organization

Cassville was organized as a town in 1849, it being one of the original towns of the county. It at that time embraced, besides its present limits, the town of Glen Haven. In 1859, it was divided, the present town if Glen Haven being set off" as a new town, leaving Cassville's boundaries as at present defined. The first town-meeting was held at the Cassville House, on Tuesday, May 3, 1849. J. M. Scott was elected Chairman, and E. H. Gleason, Secretary. On motion, the Chair appointed a committee of five, namely. Oris McCartney, I. C. Lander, E. H. Gleason, Luther Basford, and A. D. Ramsey, to make nominations for the several town offices, who, after being out a short time, selected a list of officers to be voted for. James M. Scott, Lewis Reynolds, and J. McDonald, were appointed Inspectors ; and E. H. Gleason, with H. G. Patrick, Clerks. 1 ielow is given a list of town officers from this date up to the present time :

1849 - Supervisors, Orris McCartney, Chairman, M. K. Young, John Dodge ; Clerk, G. M. Price; Treasurer, C. A. La Grave; Superintendent of Schools, William Pollock; Assessor, A. D. Ramsey ; Justices of the Peace, C. L. La Grave, I. C. Lander, James M. Scott, G. M. Price ; Constables, William Winney, Samuel Winsor, Samuel Becket, J. M. Castner.

1851 - Supervisors, C. A. La Grave, Chairman, L. S. Reynolds, T. C. Scott ; Clerk, A. A. Bennett ; Treasurer, James M. Scott ; Assessor, Orris McCartney ; Superintendent of Schools, M. K. Young ; Justices of the Peace, C. A. La Grave, H. Catlin (E. Kidd, to fill vacancy) ; Constables, Charles Wamsley, S. Winsor, W. J. Winney.

1852 - Supervisors, Thomas C. Scott, Chairman, L. S. Reynolds, Thomas Rogers ; Clerk, A. A. Bennett ; Treasurer, L. Basford ; Assessor, Orris McCartney ; Superintendent of Schools, M. K. Young ; .Justices of the Peace, William Curtis, H. B. Goodman (A. A. Bennett, to fill vacancy) ; Constables, Charles Wamsley, W. Winney, William Frashier.

1853 - Supervisors, John D. Harp, Chairman, W. M. Scott, Thomas Rogers ; Clerk, A. A. Bennett ; Treasurer, L. Basford ; Assessor, Orris McCartney ; Justices of the Peace, C. L.

1854 - Supervisors, John D. Harp, Chairman, M. M. Scott, D. Tarter ; Clerk, A. A, Bennett ; Treasurer, L. Basford ; Assessor, Orris McCartney ; Superintendent of Schools, Douglas Oliver ; Justices of the Peace, J. D. Harp, Orris McCartney ; Constables, W. J. Winney, C. Wamsley.

1855 - Supervisors, J. D. Harp, Chairman, p. Tarter, W. J. Winney ; Clerk, William Curtis ; Treasurer, N. Goodenough ; Assessor, M. M. Scott ; Superintendent of Schools, A. A. Bennett ; Justices of the Peace, C. L. La Grave, A. A. Bennett ; Constables, M. Metcalf, J. Browning, W. J. Winney.

1856 - Supervisors, John D. Harp, Chairman, W. J. Winney, Henry Burgess ; Clerk, William Curtis ; Treasurer, N. » Goodenough ; Assessor, Orris McCartney ; Superintendent of Schools, M. K. Young ; Justices of the Peace, J. D. Harp, Orris McCartney (J. H. C. Sneclode, to fill vacancy) ; Constables, M. Metcalf, T. C. Sovereign.

1857 - Supervisors, William P. Dewey, Chairman, Henry Burgess, Mat. Metcalf; Clerk, R. Thomas ; Treasurer, William Curtis ; Assessor, John Coombs ; Superintendent of Schools, M. K. Young ; Justices of the Peace, William P. Dewey, A. A. Bennett (H. Burgess, to fill vacancy); Constables, M. Metcalf, H. W. Palmer, William Clement.

1858 - Supervisors, William P. Dewey, Chairman, Henry Burgess, E. A. Kidd; Clerk, L. S. Mason; Treasurer, W. Curtis; Assessor, John D. Harp; Superintendent of Schools, L. S. Mason, Justices of the Peace, J. D. Harp, Henry Burgess; Constables, W. A. Brenner, Mat. Metcalf, William Clement.

1860 - Supervisors, William P. Dewey, Chairman, John Geiger, Enoch Groom ; Clerk, L. S. Mason; Treasurer, Sam Morris; Assessor. Henry Burgess; Superintendent of -Schools, A. R. McCartney; Justices of the Peace, Henry Burgess, F. M. Waldorf; Constables, John H. Dickenson, Jonas Halstead, Henry Hanger.

Liscum ; Treasurer, J. Bernhard ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, H. "Burgess, J. Frohmann ; Constables, A. Petermann, S. Adrian, W. F. Rice.

1869 - Supervisors, Nelson Dewey, Chairman, H. Seipp, W. M. Larnard ; Clerk, F. P. Liscum ; Treasurer, Julius Baumgartner ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, James R. Bark, L. M. Okey ; Constables, A. Petermann, H. Hauger, John Plimpton.

1871 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, 0. B. McCartney, J. Bernhard; Clerk, H. Burgess ; Treasurer, E. C. Forbes ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, J. D. Harp, L. M. Okey ; Constables, P. Baumgartner, A. Grimm, H. Seipp.

1872 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, 0. B. McCartney, Charles Kleinpell ; Clerk, H. Burgess ; Treasurer, E. C. Forbes ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, 0. B. McCartney, R. Thomas ; Constables, John Engler, John Plimpton, A. Key.

1873 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, 0. B. McCartney, C. Kleinpell; Clerk, H. Burgess; Treasurer, A. Grimm; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, J. D. Harp, H. Burgess ; Constable, W. F. Rice, A. Key, W. Derisch.

1874 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, C. Kleinpell, L. M. Okey ; Clerk, H. Burgess ; Treasurer, A. Grimm ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, J. H. C. Sneclode, William Klinkhammer ; Constables, A. Key, John Engler, J. Plimpton.

1875 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, L. M. Okey, H. Abrath ; Clerk, H. Burgess ; Treasurer, A. Grimm ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, H. Burgess, G. H. Oroom ; Constables, T. Teasdale, W. F. Rice, G. Shrader.

1876 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, H. Seipp, H. Hauger; Clerk, H. Burgess; Treasurer, A. Grimm ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, J. H. C. Sneclode, William Klinkhammer ; Constables, T. Teasdale, J. B. Ortscheid, W. F. Rice.

1877 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, L. M. Okey ; Enoch Groom ; Clerk, H. Burgess ; Treasurer, A. Grimm ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, H. Burgess, G. H. Groom ; Herman Seipp (to fill vacancy) ; Constables, J. B. Ortscheid, T. Teasdale, J. Gedartz.

1879 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, L. M. Okey, E. G^oom; Clerk, H. Burgess; Treasurer, A. Grimm ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, H. Burgess, G. H. Groom, H. Seipp (to fill vacancy) ; Constables, J. B. Ortscheid, L. J. Ishmael, Joseph Barrow.

1880 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, L. M. Okey, E. Groom ; Clerk, H. Burgess ; Treasurer, A. Grimm ; Assessor, J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, H. Seipp, J. B. Ortscheid; Constables, Joseph Barrow, William McCarnish, J. L. Finley.

1881 - Supervisors, H. Grimm, Chairman, L. M. Okey, E. Groom ; Clerk, H. Burgess ; Treasurer, A. Grimm; Assessor. J. D. Harp ; Justices of the Peace, H. Burgess, J. D. Harp ; Constables, Joseph Barrow, W. Williams, Mat. Adrian.

Source changes here: from History of Grant County Wisconsin, by Castello N. Holford, published 1900; 3,625 words in this source stream.

Early History And Growth

Captain Shaw landed at this place in 1816, as mentioned on page 9. Thomas Hymer, afterward 6f Potosi, on his return from a trip to the Selkirk settlement stopped at this place in 1824, occupying an old cabin, probably built by a French trader. Levi Gilbert came to the place in 1827 and has stated that Judge Sawyer put up a furnace there that >rear, and was to give a free Fourth of July dinner, but hearing of the Indian troubles, he left July 3. The same year Orris McCartney and Alexander D. Ramsey came and settled a few miles from the village, where they opened farms. The next spring McCart¬ ney went to Beetown and spent a few months there and then returned to his farm. A. K. Barber and Woodward Barber also came in 1827. Thomas G. Hawley is credited with building the first house in the new village. Henry Hodges and Thomas Shanley came in 1828, but did not stay long. They are said to have built a log warehouse.

Nothing further can be learned of the young settlement until 1831f when Glendower M. Price, a young man of considerable means, came there from Philadelphia with his newly married wife and opened a store in a log building on the river bank, on the site of Grimm's ware¬ house. When the Black Hawk War broke out Price, with his young wife, held his position, improvised a fort out of a large log housev raised a company of scouts from the refugee miners and commanded them, and after the war was always called Major. Sometimes in his absence his wife commanded the refugees and friendly Indians at the fort, being called Captain Price.

Isaac Lander preempted land at the mouth of the hollow, Ray took up the southwest quarter of Section 20, and Price Section 29. The land, however, did not come into market until 1834.

Wisconsin was made a territory July 4, 1836, taking in all the present States of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, and part Of the Dakotas. Months before the bill passed and was approved by the President persons in the East pitched upon Cassville as an eligible and central location for the capital of the new territory, and laid out a city here, buying the claims of Price and Ray, except three lots reserved by Price. The new town company was composed of Garrett V. Denniston, a lawyer of Albany, New York, and Lucius Lyon, who had been Surveyor-General of Michigan Territory. There may have been others in the company, but no other names appear as grantors on the records of deeds to the lots sold by the company. The company im¬ mediately began the erection of a mammoth brick hotel, five stories high, which was to shelter the legislators and State officials to-be. Daniel Banfill, afterward a Lancaster landlord and contractor for the shoddy court-house of 1837, appears to have been the contractor. It cost'$45,000. But before the greAt building was completed, or nearly completed, the great fight for the location of the capital was over and Cassville had lost, and the "big brick* * long stood with lonely halls andyacant rooms, a monument to blighted hopes and failing ventures.

" Cassville stands on the east bank of the Mississippi, surrounded by very pretty scenery. The eye can rest on the soft and soothing, the grand and sublime. There will be found everything necessary for the promotion of man's comfort and the exercise of his energies. In a word, nature has done all in her power to make it one of the most de¬ lightful spots in the far West.''

Nelson Dewey came in 1 836 as clerk for the town company. Writ¬ ing in 1887, he thus describes early buildings and builders of Cassville: "Daniels, Denniston & Co built in 1836 the two houses in which G. Prior and F. M. Cronin now live. Clovis A. Lagrave and Charles L. Lagrave built in 1836 the present frame building adjoining Geiger's brick store, and Charles Bensill in 1836 built the now old building on the alley on Block 11. G. M. Price in 1836 built the building now owned by Holloway Stephens on Lot 11, Block 3. It was originally built on Lot 10, Block 11, and Ezra and John Gleason kept store in it in 1837 and 1838. The latter died in Prairie du Chien. The former was living in Chicago when I last heard of him. Charles L. La grave now lives in Minneapolis and Clovis A. Lagrave lives in California."

" This town is situated on the east bank of the Mississippi River five hundred miles above St. Louis, forty-five by land above Galena, and about the same distance below the mouth of the Wisconsin River. The site is upon a beautiful prairie, twelve or fifteen feet above high water-mark at the shore, and extending back five hundred yards, as¬ cending in this distance eight feet to a precipitous bluff two hundred feet high. The prairie is about four miles long, slightly broken by ravines above and below the town plat ; but the plat itself is of so uniform a surface as not to require the cost of a dollar to grade either a building lot or a street. The plat is four hundred yards wide, by eleven hundred and ninety long, or nearly one-fourth of a mile by twothirds of a mile. In this bluff, about fifty feet above the surface of the plain below, are two bold springs, which discharge water enough to supply a population of ten thousand

"The present population is not numerous, but immigrants, and set¬ tlers are daily arriving. The carpenter's wages were about fiv$ dol¬ lars a day ; but the physician, there being but one in the village, does not make more than his board.

"The few roving Indians who still linger on the east bank of the river supply the inhabitants with venison from the forests and fish from the river.

" The inhabitants are fashionable, liberal, and attentive to stran¬ gers. They are chiefly from Philadelphia and. western New York. There is no church, though religious service is held occasionally in a private house by a visiting Methodist, and Presbyterian.

"Such is a brief notice of Cassville, as it is. But I look upon it as the germ of a great city. Its commerical position is unquestionably the best in the territory, on the east side of the Mississippi. It must become the emporium for all the trade above the latitude of 42° 3 V (the Illinois line), and extending on either side one hundred miles into the interior. Steamboats are constantly arriving at this point from St. Louis and other towns on the river. .During our visit of five days, the arrivals of steamboats were daily, as no regular line had yet been established. One of the first acts of the territorial legislature will be to grant a charter for a railroad from Milwaukee, on Lake Michigan, to Cassville, passing through a highly fertile region, the line of which, in ten or twenty years, will resemble the thoroughfares of New Eng¬ land. The greater portion of this land can now be purchased at the government price - $1.25 per acre. Following upon this improvement, a canal will be constructed from the waters of Green Bay along the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi, the trade of which will descend to Cassville as its nearest market. Opposite Cassville, lying along Tur¬ key River, is one of the most fertile regions of the West. This river is navigable for keel-boats forty miles ; and tho' the land is not yet sur¬ veyed, and, consequently, not in market, yet such are its attractions to the immigrant, that this whole distance of forty miles is already 'taken up' by settlers - and this is less than four years after its pur¬ chase from the Indians. Indeed, I see no reason why Cassville shall not become the emporium of as great an inland trade as Boston, Al¬ bany, Buffalo or Detroit, in whose latitude it is situated."

William Hall entered land in Section 28 in 1836, but soon sold it to John Bantram. Thomas Nagle (afterward of Patch Grove) came this year. Simon 1. Daniels was a prominent comer in 1836. It is thought that he was one of the proprietors of the town site. He was a lawyer from Michigan. He bought a press and type front St. Louis (the first to be brought into the county) to print a paper at Cassville. The issue of the paper was delayed ; Daniels went to Patch Grove on business, was taken sick and died at the house of Moses Hicklin, March 11, 1837 ; the business prospects of Cassville vanished, and Cassville, instead of being the first place in the county to have a news¬ paper, did not get one until more than forty years after Platteville had one. The press and type were stored in the basement of the big brick, and years afterward the wondering boys found some of the type scat¬ tered in the sand of the river bank.

Among the new comers in 1837 to the village or vicinity were Thomas A. Adkins, David and William Richards, Leander Judd, Geo. H. Morris, John T. Tower, Wm. H. Cash, Ezra Hall, Richard Hamer, William Whiteside, Ferah B. Farnsworth, Clovis A. and Charles L. Lagrave, John Ryan, Robert Campbell, George H. Cox, Allen Breed.

Richards, William Sauser, Thomas J. Page, John B. Lesperance, Chas. E. Bensell, James Blunt, Arthur Worth (afterward a county official), Benedict Monahan, and Bernard McNamee. N. H. Suttle opened a store there that year.

January 19, 1838, an academy w^s incorporated at Cassville with the following trustees: Garrett V. Denniston, T. M. Street, G. M. Price, Joseph H. D. Street, D. R. Burt, Thomas Shanlev, Thomas P. Burnett, Orris McCartney, Daniel Richards, J. E. Dodge, James Boice, H. R. Colter, Dr. Hill and A. S. Sheldon.

In 1839 the comers were Justus M. Dickinson, William Pollock, Jon¬ athan S. Sprague, and John J. Kirk¬ land, and probably others; but many who had come in previous years went away.

The village was very much in the decline in 1840, but in 1843 it seemed to be reviving. A correspondent in the Herald that year said: "It has revived this year and is now speedily and steadily filling up, already num¬ bering a population of 125. Thetown comprises twenty-five good dwelling houses, and several stores and offices."

Among those who came in the forties and became well-known there and elsewhere were William Prior, Samuel Scott, William Pol¬ lock, and Robert Lumpkin.

By 1847 the place seems to have declined very much. A. county officer visiting it that year recorded that the place consisted of "a few log houses around the big hotel and the commission store of Lagrave. There are only twenty-five or thirty families in the place." He also said that there were only three houses in sight from the road between Beetown and Cassville.

One cause of the languid existence of Cassville was the unsettled condition of the titles to lands in the village. This continued until 1856, when ex-Govemor Dewey purchased the "Brunson interest" and cleared the titles. He devoted himself with energy and consider- able success to building up the town. Cassville had now become a port of export for the great wheat crops of Blake's Prairie and was a busy place. The number of teams loaded with wheat sometimes to be seen in the village was astonishing. There were fifty houses built in the village in 1856. That year Irish & Co. built a steam saw-mill. The principal merchants, shippers, and commission men then were Raffauf & Geiger and Lagrave & Co. In 1859 the important firm of E. Brinekmann & Co. was formed. In 1856 the place contained three stores, three hotels, three saloons, two tailor shops, three black¬ smith shops, one hardware store, one cabinet-shop, one wagon-shop, several carpenter shops, two cooper shops, two shoe-shops, and a population of 421 against 149 a 3rear and a half before. In 1858 the population was more than 800.

Among the prominent "institutions" of Cassville in early days was the ferry across the Mississippi, an important factor in the traffic of the place. In 1836 it was conducted by William Walker. Braton Bushee and C. L. Lagrave conducted it from 1843 to 1846, when their license was revoked and William Pollock carried it on to 1850, when Bushee & Lagrave were again licensed and conducted the ferry until 1852, when Orris McCartney received a license. It was afterward run a long time by Herman Grimm.

For the last few years one of the largest business establishments of Cassville has been the canning and pickle factory of P. Hohenadel, Jr. Its products have already established a high reputation all over the United States.

The building of the Chicago, Burlington & Northern Railroad in 1885 gave the business of the place a material advance, and it has since been fairly prosperous. The population of the village was in 1870, 551 ; in 1880, 610 ; in 1895, 931.

The town of Cassville was one of the original sixteen towns organized in 1849. It contains all of Town 3, Range 5, and Town 3, Range 6, lying on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi. Up to 1859

In territorial times the precinct had the following justices: Eph Dunbar, Orris McCartney, Daniel Richards, 1843; C. Hood, Clovis Lagrave, Ezra H. Gleason, 1844; Robert Whiteside, Wm. Pollock, T, Wilkinson, 1846; C. A. Lagrave, 1847-48.

Town Officers

1851 - Supervisors, C. A. Lagrave, L. S. Reynolds, T. C. Scott; clerk, A. A. Bennett; treasurer, James M. Scott; assessor, Orris Mc¬ Cartney; supt of schools. M. K. Young; justices, C. A. Lagrave, H. Catlin, E. Kidd; constables, Charles Wamsley, Samuel Winsor, Wm. J. Winney.

1864 - Supervisors, clerk, and treasurer same as in 1863 ; assessor, Thomas Grattan ; justices, Henry Burgess, Aug. Taggart ; constables, Herman Grimm, W. E. Groom, Henry Hauger.

1869 - Supervisors, clerk, and assessor same as in 1868; treasurer, Julius Baumgartner; justices, James R. Bark, L. M. Okey ; constables, A. Peterman, Henry Hauger, John Plimpton.

1874 - Supervisors, Herman Grimm, Chas. Kleinpell, L. M. Okey; clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1873 ; justices, J. H. C. Sneclode, Wm. Klinkhammer; constables, A. Key, John Plimpton, John Engler.

1875 - Supervisors, Herman Grimm, L. M.Okey, H. Abrath; clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1873 ; justices, Henry Burgess, G. H. Groom ; constables, Theo. Teasdale, W. F. Rice, G. Shrader.

1881 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1877; justices, Henry Burgess, J. D. Harp; constables, Joseph Barrow W. Williams, Mat Adrian.

1884 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1882 ; justices, J. B. Ortscheid, Thomas Grattan; constables, James L. Fin¬ ley, Wesley Williams, John Seipp.

1886 - Supervisors, Herman Grimm, Enoch Groom, Joseph Breuer; clerk, treasurer, and assessor, same as in 1885; justices, Henry Seipp, J. B. Ortscheid; constables, Al. Dietrich, John Engler, W. Williams.

1887 - Supervisors, clerk, and treasurer same as in 1886; assessor, John Engler; justices, J. H. C. Sneclode, Henry Burgess, F. W. Klinkhammer ; constables, Hubert Schulter, Frank Liscum, Philip Berntgen.

1890 - Supervisors, Herman Grimm, Henry Seipp, William Klindt; clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1889; justices, John B. Ortscheid, F. W.Klinkhammer; constables, Albert Diedrich, Jacob Kirschbaum, Chris Bernhard.

1891 - Supervisors, Herman Grimm, F. W. Klinkhammer, S. W. Okey ; clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1889 ; justices, J. H. C. Sneclode, Henry Burgess ; constables, Hubert Schulter, William Holt.

1892 - Supervisors, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1891 ; clerk, J. M. Burgess; justices, Wm. Klinkhammer, J. B. Ortschied; consta¬ bles, William Holt, Wesley Williams* Nicholas Wilkomm.

1893 - Supervisors and assessor same as in 1891 ; clerk, J. H. C. Sneclode; treasurer, Chas. W. Engler; justices, J. M. Burgess, Frank El well; constables, Hubert Schulter, Simon Akerman, William Wood.

1896 - Supervisors, clerk, treasurer, and assessor same as in 1894; justices, J. H. C. Sneclode, Frank Von Gartzen ; constables, Hubert Schulter, F. Barnes.

1898 - Supervisors same as in 1897 ; clerk, Frank Casper; treasur¬ er, Benj. Petty; assessor, Nicholas Wilkomm ; justices, John Behlmer, Frank Casper; constable, L. H. Okey.

Village Officers

The Cassville Current. - This paper was started December 12, 1885. Walter W. Pollock was editor and publisher. It was a six-column folio. The typography was of unusual excellence for a country paper. It was printed at the Teller office in Lancaster. Although not printed at home, it fully covered the field of Cassville local news and interests. It was published about a year, when the publisher found a more invit¬ ing field and the paper was discontinued.

The Cassville Index - This paper was first issued March 8, 1888, by Charles DeWitt and his wife, formerly Mrs. Lou P. Lesler. Both had formerly been publishers of the Boscobel Dial . The paper was an eight-column folio. In August, 1 889, John Foley became the publisher and has conducted it ever since. It is Populist in politics. As a local paper it is a credit to the village in which it is published.

St.Charles's Catholic Church. - From 1851 to 1856 mass was said in the residences of a few Catholics in this neighborhood by the Rev. Fathers Hobbs and Vivaldi. In the latter year Cassville became a mission to Potosi and was attended once a month by Rev. Fathers Gibson and Zuber, the latter preaching to the German Catholics. In 1857 a handsome brick church was built. In 1866 Rev. Father Thiele became the resident pastor and was followed by Revs. J. A. Moes, J. M. Albers, M. De Becke, Th. Schraudenbach, J. Gmeiner, M. J. Meurer, J. Decker, A. Gardthaus, L. C. Drexel, A. M. Rossbach, and Francis C. Pischery. On April 30, 1889, the corner-stone of the present church was laid and the building was dedicated November 20 of that year. It is 50X100, Gothic in style, costing with furnishing about $15,000.

A school building was begun in 1893 and the school opened. Feb¬ ruary 4, 1894, with sixty-three pupils. The present attendance is eighty or ninety. There is a society of Catholic Knights belonging to the congregation, Branch 34, with the following officers : Patrick Mc¬ Dermott, president; G. P. Dietrich, vice president; F. J. Dietrich, sec¬ retary; J. W. Niemer, treasurer; Michael Esser, trustee; A. J. Dietrich, sentinel. There is also a Married Ladies' Sodality and the St. Rose Young Ladies' Sodality with about forty members.

The Baptist Church . - The present Baptist Society was organized December 1, 1875. The original members were D. B. Stevens and his wife, Mrs. M. Stevens, F. W. Bartlett, Mrs. Anton Engel, Mrs. Pugh, Miss Alice Cannon, Miss Annie Crouch, and Miss Lucy Bishell. The first officers were: Deacon and treasurer, D. B. Stevens; clerk, F. W. Bartlett. Up to 1880 services were held in the basement of the Denniston House, but in that year a brick church was built, and dedi¬ cated October 3rd of that year. The first minister was Rev. George D. Stevens, who served until 1880. After that Elder William Clack, of Prairie du Chien, preached at Cassville as well as his resident town. Mr. Stevens again came as pastor and remained until 1893, when Rev. Thomas Evans came and served as pastor until 1895, when he was succeeded by Rev. Thomas H. Scruggs, who remained until 1898.

Cassville has a lodge of A. 0. U. W. with the following officers: Clarence Brockert, M. W. ; R. O. Caldwell, Foreman ; John Schnering, Overseer; Herman Grimm, Recorder; R. French, Financier; Jacob Bernhardt, Receiver.

The first school was taught at Cassville in 1834 by Miss Maria Barber, afterward the wife of Alexander D. Ramsey. In 1835 Miss Barber taught at a point about half way between the village and the McCartney settlement to accommodate both settlements. At this school one of the girls, Elizabeth Walker, dropped her thimble through a crack in the floor and reached her hand down to get it (the puncheon floor presenting rather capacious cracks) when a large yellow rattle¬ snake bit her on the hand. R. Shipley came along on horseback just then, and he tore up the the floor and killed the snake before taking Miss Walker to receive medical treatment. She recovered after a se¬ vere illness. School was also taught in the Council House, a building -erected for town purposes, and in a room of the "big brick.'' About 1850 a small frame school-house was built jn the village.

In 1860 the main portion of the present building was erected, and a few years later a large addition was built, making a commodious school building. The place now has a graded school and a high school with W. P. Colburn as principal.

Biographical

A prominent figure in the early history of Cassville was Orris Mc¬ Cartney. He was born in Harford, New York, May 9, 1794. At the age of seven, his mother dying, he went to live on the farm of his un¬ cle near Cooperstown and afterward lived with his sisters. In the War of 1812 he enlisted in Captain Gideon Orton's company and went to Plattsburg, arriving the day after the battle there. In 1817 he came west, stopping la year or two in Ohio and several years in Illinois, where he married Miss Eliza Barber. In 1827 he came to the lead mines writh Major Rountree, locating at Cassville and Beetown, as before stated. He was for a short time one of the owners of the famous "Bee Lead," but traded his interest for a six-horse team and