Forest Town

Forest Town

This town is located on the northern line of towns in Vernon county, and is the first west of Hillsborough, the northeastern town of the county. The town is bounded on the north by Monroe county; on the east by Hillsborough town; on the south by Union town, and on the west by the town of Whitestown. This town is known as a congressional to^vnship, six miles square, and containing 23,040 acres. In 1880 the population of Vernon county was but 23,23.i, and each of these, with the exception of the surplus 195, could have been locatexJ in Forest town, settling one perso'i on each acre of land.

The town is well watered by three main streams and their tributaries. Warner creek rises in the northeast quarter of section 27, and flows southerly and westerly through sections '27, 34, 33, 32 and 31. On this latter section it unites with the northern branch, which finds a head on section 29 and takes a southwesterly course till it reaches the main channel. The north branch of Billing's creek enters the town on section 4, and passes through sections 5, 8 and 7, leaving the town on the southwestern quarter of section 7. The south branch of Billing's creek rises near the center of section 14, and flows westerly through sections 14, 15, 22, 21, 20 and 19, leaving the town near the southern line of section 18. Two other streams flow through the town. One rises on section 11, and takes a northerly course through section 2, and the other rises on section 26 and flows easterly through section 25. The surface of the town is very rolling and of a rongh character, but very fine farm lands are found on the bluffs, while those in the valleys are better adapted to the raising of stock on a large scale.

Eaely Settlement

In May, 1855, Waldo Stewart came into what is now the town of Forest, and selected a quarter section of land on section 26, which he entered, and on which he resided till 1879. He then sold the old homestead and removed to Illinois, where he departed this life in 1881. The second settler was a native of the "Green Mountain" State. This was Nathan Sherman. He located 200 acres on section 12, and moved there in the fall of 1855, where he still lives. He has been a prosperous farmer, and in 1856 was a member of the town board.

John C. Tabor made a settlement here in 1855, entering land on section 1. The same year a Mr. Eno and family removed out here from Connecticut, and located eighty acres on section 31. A son of Mr. Eno, Edgar by name, still resides in the to«n.

Thomas Andrews and .Jonas Hubbard came in the early spring of 1856, and settled on section 13. Mr. Hubbard yet resides there, but Mr. Andrews is deceased.

Old Vermont again furnished a new citizen and J. B. Nofsinger made his new home on eighty acres of timbered land on section 33. Mr. Nofsinger was made chairman of the town board in 1857 and held that office for eight years.

These early settlers were s oon followed by Cyrenius Lumbart and Matthew Ellis; Samuel Baldwin, who settled on section 12; John W. Williams, who located on section 15, and many others whose names cannot be recalled.

Fiest Things

The first school was taught in 1856 in a log house, thrown together to take adva,ntage of the school fund. It was located on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 12. Roseldah Sherman taught the first school.

The first marriage in the town was James Morgan to Mrs. Jerusha Kies (widow of Albert Kies, deceased), in 1851, Benjamin Roberts, J. P., officiating.

Organic

In the spring of 1856 permission was asked of the county board of supervisors for the erection of a new town to be called Forest. The request was granted and the town set apart. On the 1st of April of the same year an election was held and the following officers were elected:

Religious

The Wesleyan Methodist Church, of Forest town, was organized in 1857 at the residence of John Markee by Rev. Cooley, who preached the first sermon. The following named ministers have officiated in the order they are named: Rev. John Markee, Rev. De Lap, Rev. Bray, Rev. De Lap, Rev. Townsend, Rev. John Markee, Rev. De Lap, Rev. Good, Rev. Mulinx. Rev. Vandresden, Rev. Buckner, Rev. Holcomb. Rev. Harris and Rev. McNoun, the present pastor. The present membership of the congregation is about thirty, and the present trustees are: John Markee, F. M Cleveland and G. Eastman.

O ver twenty-seven years have elapsed since the little log school house was erected on section ly. In these twenty-seven years the population of Forest has increased between eight and nine hundred per cent., and in 1880 numbered 889 souls. Better and more educational facilities are needed at ihi- present time, and the 442 school children of Forest now meet in nine school houses, scattered over the entire town, with an aggregate value of $3,055.

The town is well supplied witli postal facilities, in fact, as much so as any town in the county. The firs't established was at Mount Tabor. This was located on section 1, in 1856, and J. Clark Tabor was the first postmaster.

He was followed in consecutive order l>y John Howell, R. S. Sherman, Eli Sherman, Nathan Sherman, Eli Sherman and John Malosh, the latter of whom is the present postmaster.

The Burr postoffice was established in 1859, on the south line of section 23, and at the intersection of several important roads. Wesley Barton was appointed as postmaster, and he was succeeded by J. Linch, who was postmaster in 1884.

In 1863 it was thought necessary to have an office in the southern part of the town, and Goole postoffice was therefore established. William Giles, the first postmaster, was succeeded by James Kiel, incumbent in 1884.

Valley postoffice was located on section 31, in 1865, for the benefit of the settlers in the western and southwestern portions of the town. Fred Meyers first assumed the duties of the office, and was succeeded by William Copley. Mr. Copley died while iu office, and his widow remained in charge until D. A. Lawton, the present official, took charge of the office.

In 1884 the town contained two burying grounds, the oldest of which is situated on the southwest quarter of section 1 . The other on section 26, near the church.

Earnest Lodge, No. 212, of the Good Templar's order, was organized by the following charter membership, Jan. 1,1881: Mary Sherman, Eli Sherman, George Pepper, Ann Pepper, N. F. Sherman, Emma Sherman, Clara Roberts, John Jeffries, O. J. Jeffries, Henry Pepper, Harrison Pepper, Clarence Sherman and A. Sherman. In 1884 this lodge had a live membership of thirty-eight.

Personal Sketches

The following notices include the names of the most influential and respected citizens of the town. Tbey are deserving of more than passing notice, on account of their prominence in the different lines of business in which they are engaged.

Benjamin Roberts, one of the first settlers of the town of Forest, was born in 1816, in Franklin Co., N. Y., where he received a common school education. Mr. Roberts resided in bis native town until 1854, when he came to

Wisconsin. He first located in Walworth county, but only remained one year, and then moved to Vernon county, and entered 200 acres of land in the town of Forest, on section 1, where he still resides. At the time Mr. Roberts came to Forest town, there were only two families in the town, those of Nathan Sherman and J. B. Nofsinger. The first winter, he was compelled to sell his only team to obtain money to purcha.^e pruvisions, but has since been very prosperous. Mr. Roberts was united in marriage to Maria Tabor, in 1843. Mrs. Roberts was born in 1821, in Lower Canada, and came to the United States in 1837. They have had six children, one of which, Milan, was killed in a railroad accident, between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Five children are living - Elizabeth, wife of Lewis Clute, D. C, who married Lucinda Burris; Clayton B., married to Maria Fowler; Lucias T., who married-Rose Vincent, and Clara. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have nine grand-children, Josie, Grace and Raymond Clute; William and Mirtie Roberts, and Linn, and an infant, the children of Clayton B. Roberts, and Edna and Edmond, children of Milan Roberts, deceased. .Mr. Roberts was elected justice of the peace in 1856, at the first town election.

In the fall of that same year, and about the time that Benjamin Roberts had located here, a sturdy German and his family, including two sons - William C. and Frederick, came here from Hendricks Co., Ind., and were content to begin life anew in the wilderness of timber that covered Forest. Dederick Stelting was born in Germany, in 1796, and emigrated to these United States, in 1838. He resided several years in Pennsylvania, and subsequently in Maryland and Hendricks Co., Ind. In the latter country, he lost his wife Elizabeth, who was born in Germany, 1802, and died in 1854. Soon after, Mr. Stelting removed the remainder of his family to Dane Co., Wis., and in the golden days of October or November, came to the town of Forest, and made a new home for

William C. Stelting, one of the sons mentioned, was born in Prussia, in 1828, and accompanied his father through to this town. Mr. Stelling entered for himself eighty-nine acres of land on sections 14 and 23, and by industry and economy has been enabled to increase his possessions to 209 acres. He is one of the prominent citizens of the town, and when it was first set off, served one year as town clerk Since that period he has officiated as chairman of the town board fifteen years, and treasurer three years. In 1860 he married Sarah A., daughter of John and Permelia Markle. They have nine children - Permelia E., Lizetta E., Otto J., Witto A., Samary M., Alfretta and Loretta ( twins, aged nine years), Waldo and Essie.

Frederick Stelting was born in Prussia, ii. 1834, and accompanied his parents to Americ: when quite small. In Hendricks Co., Ind., Ik learned the cooper trade, and worked at it unii his removal to tliis town, in 1855. In connec tion with a brother, he located 200 acres o land on section 14, where he has since lived He has been energetic and frugal, and has in creased his farm to 311 acres, most of whicl. is well improved. He served as one of tin town supervisors for one year, and in 186:^ married Miranda Markle, who was born in 1844. Seven children have been given them, but only two survive - Herman T. and Austin G. The deceased are C. A., Bird C, Oscar U., Alice and Elsie.

John Revels was but a boy of ten years when his father came into the town of Forest, in 1855. He was a native Hoosier, and born in Orange Co., Ind., in 1845. He grew up to manhood in the town of Forest, and has always made this his home. He has been engaged in agricultural pursuits through life, and now owns forty acres of land on section 6. In 1863 he enlisted in the 3d Wisconsin Cavalry, and was discharged in 1865, on account of his eyes being injured by coming in contact with burnt powder. Mr. Revels was married, in 1865, to Tempa C. McCord, of Vernon Co., Mo. They are the parents of six children - Mary J., Eddie M., John W., Court, Ettie and Herman. Mr. Revels is a member of the Richland United Christian Conference, and is trying to vindicate God's Holy word.

C. M. Carr, one of the most prominent attorneys at law, and business men and farmers of this part of Vernon county, - was born in Thompkins Co., N. Y., in 1817. When eleven years of age, his parents removed to Cuyuga county, in the same State, where our subject grew to be a man, and was engaged in farming and milling. In 1855 he removed to Waukesiia Co., Wis., and for two years was engaged in the saw-mill business. He then entered 12t; acres of land in the town of Hillsborough, ii, this county, and employed his time at farming. He made his home there for twenty-tour years, increasing his land to 140 acres and practicing the j)rofession of law. In 1866, he was appointed by the governor, to the position of supervisor for the eastern district of the county, when the entire county board consisted of but tiiree members, and held the office of justice of the peace for two terms. In 1881 he disposed of his farm, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 23, in Forest town, where he has since resided. For tlie past twenty-five years, Mr. Carr has enjoyed an extensive practice in the justice courts, and is a uiiui highly esteemed by all. He was married, in the winter of 1S45, to Emily Pierce. They have five children - Isaac F., Harry H., Casion .M., Lucia M. and Nelson R.

Richard .J. Harris, who has been a citizen of the ic^wn of Forest for twenty-one years, was born in Rock Co, III., in 1848. In 1853 he was taken by his parents to Stoughton, Wis., and there remained for two years. They then removed to the village of Munford, in (Trant county, and there engaged in keeping hotel for two years. Their next n!ove w^ to Richland Center, Richland county, and three yearti later (in 1860) to the town of Forest. The elder

Mr. Harris bought 160 acres of land on section 16. He now resides on section 14. He owns 480 acres of land, and is one of the most thriving and prosperous farmers in the town. On Jan. 1, 1872, he married Harriet Trail, and the fruits of this union have been the birth of five children. Ihree are living - William H., Nettie J. and George T. Cora, the oldest, died in 1874, and Franklin J. in 1881.

J. J. Marshall, a native of the Buckeye State, settled here in 1865. He was born in Jefferson Co., Ohio, in 1842, and in 1856 accompanied his parents to the town of Union in this county. In 1865 Mr. Marshall purchased a farm of eighty acres on section 31, and immediately moved thereon. He has increased his farm to 220 acres, and is considered one of the representative men of this town. During his residence here he has been honored with the office of town supervisor three years, and town clerk five years, was assistant postmaster in the State Senate, in 1883. He was united in marriage, in 1863, to Mary S. Poorman. They have nine children - John L., Elihu F., Mary E., Flora E., Moses B., Sidney J., Nettie, Esther A. and Jessie F.

John Lathrop, one the prospering farmers of the town of Forest, was born in Cambridge, Vt., in 1838. He there resided until 1863, when he went to Franklin Co., Vt., where he engaged in farming for five years. In 1808 he came to the town of Forest, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 22, which farm he has increased to 200 acres. Mr. Lathrop was married in 1861 to Delia Leach, by whom he had two children - Charlie and Nellie. He was so unf<}rtunate as to lose his wife in 1 878. He was again married in 1880 to Louisa Woods, and they have one child - Adelia. His daughter Ne'lie is now the wife of Lawrence Gregory. IMr. Lathrop has been one of the constables of Forest town for five years.

to Waukesha county, where he lived twentyseven years, and then removed to the town of Forest,where he engaged in farming. Mr. Shaw now owns a pretty little farm of forty acres on section 32, where he resides. He was married in 1856 to Helen Hay, by whom he had one child. Mrs. Shaw died in 1857. Mr. Shaw again married in 1859 Henrietta Beebe, and they have six children - Helen, Henry, Charles, William, Inez and Milan. Helen is now the wife of Eli Sherman. Mr. Shaw was a member of the 7th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry ; enlisted in 1864, and was honorably discharged in 1865.

Elijah Bass was born in North Carolina in 1836, and his parents removed to Ohio the same year. He lived in the Buckeye State until 1870, when he came to the town of Forest and purchased thirty-two acres of land on section 28, where he now resides. Mr. Bass has increased his farm to 152 acres. Mr. Bass was married in 1861 to Elizabeth O'Neal, born in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Bass are the parents of twelve children - Ransom, aged twenty-one, Matilda, *aged twenty, William, aged nineteen, Zachariah, aged seventeen, Mansfield, aged fifteen, Caroline, aged eleven, Ardelia, aged nine, Victoria, aged seven, Martha, aged four, Jewell, aged three, and Simon, aged one and half years. Matilda is now the wife of Warren Newell.

J. C. Rodgers was born in 1855, and is a native of Rock Co., Wis., where he remained until 1860, when his parents then removed to the town of Greenwood in this countj-. In 1870. Mr. Rodgers came to the town of Forest, and purchased 160 acres of land on section 6, where he now lives. Mr. Rodgers was married, in 1875, to Phebe Gaudy, who became the mother of one child - Myrtle. Mrs. Rodgers died in 1878, and he subsequently married Mrs. Jane Pointer. Mrs. Rodgers had one daughter by her former husband - Elizabeth. Mr. Rodger's father, A. W., was born in 1829, in New York. His mother, Sarah, was

Napoleon B. Lathrop, a brother of John Lathrop, was born in Cambridge, Vt., in 1841, where he resided thirty years, and having learned the trade of carpenter and joiner he went to Canada in 1871, to work at his trade. He remained there two years, and in 1873 rem.oved to the town of Forest, where he remained but a short time, and then went to Clayton Co., Iowa, and worked at his trade for three years, and at the end of that time he returned to Forest town, where he has since lived. When he first came he purchased eighty acres of land on section 22, which he now owns. Mr. Lathrop was married in 1880 to Jane Smith. They have two children - Harvey and Eliza. In 1861 Mr Lathrop enlisted in the 2d regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry, and at the battle of Savage Station was wounded in the left shoulder; and at t)ie battle of Fisher's Hill he was wounded in the right side of the face; and at the battle of Cold Harbor was shot out of a tree with wounds in the back and right hip. At this time he was acting as a shai'p shooter, having been detailed in 1863 as one of the Vermont sharj) shooters.

Jesse Delaney was born in Vernon Co., lud., in 1860. He is a son of Robert and Sarah Delaney, The latter died in 1877, and the former in the town of Forest, in 1880. Mr. Delaney grew to manhood in his native county, and in 1877, while a young man, decided to come west and build up his home among the people of the Hadger State. He came to Forest town in 1877, and owns forty acres of land on section 8, where he now resides. In 1882 he was united in marriage to Emma, daughter of William M. and Mary A. Carson. Mr. and Mrs. Delaney have one son - Gideon.

James Kile was born in 1820, and received a common school education. In 1845 he removed to Rock Co., Wis., and there engaged in farming for one year. He then removed to Wiota, Wis., and a year later removed to Moscow, in this State, and lived there fifteen years. In 1877 he came to Vernon county and purchased eighty acres of land on section 33, where he now resides. In 1864 Mr. Kile and son George enlisted in the 37lh regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and were discharged in 1865. Mr. Kile was married in 1840 to Huldah Van Norman, who was born in 1821. They have four children - George, who married Laura Burdick; Mary, wife of Wallace Spears; John, who married Julia Salisbury, and Guila, who married Catharine Salisbury.

John H. Welts was born in New York, in 1839, and lived there until he was eighteen years of age. He then came west to Dane Co., Wis., and there engaged in farmiug until 1862. In the latter year he enlisted in tiie 23d regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was iioiiorably discharged in 1865. He participated in the following named skirmishes and battles: Ciiickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Ciiampion Hill, Black River Bridge, siege of V'icksburg, siege of Jackson, Miss., Spanish Fort and Grand Caton. At the latter he was taken prisoner on hov. 3, 1863, and was contiiied until Dec. 25, l-<63. At the close of the war Mr. Wells returned to Dane county, and iliere remained until 1^77, when he removed to ilie town of Fore-it, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 1, where he now lives. He was married in lt-60to Maria Thompson, who was i)()rn in 1839. They have one daugiiler - Ilattie, aged ten years. Mrs. Wells is the daughter of James and Lydia Thompson.

Alfred Weaver, a native of North Carolina, became a resident here in October, 1879. He was born in 1831, and in Se))tember, 1844, accompanied his father's family to Fayette Co., Ohio. In the fall of 1848 they removed to Grant Co., Ind., where Alfred was married to Sarah I). Revels in the autumn of 1851. In 1859 he removed his family to Sauk Co., Wis. and in March, 1864, enlisted in the 29th regiment, Illinois Volunteers (colored), and served twenty months. He returned to Wisconsin, and in 1870 removed to Indiana with his wife and ten children. In 1873 himself and wife were divorced, and in 1877 he .married ]\Iary Certain, who is the inother of^one child. In October, 1879, he settled on section 8, in Forest township, where he has since been engaged in farming.