Harmony Town

Harmony Town

Tliis township, known as town 3 5 nortli, range G west, was the sixth one organized in Vernon co'o-nty. It comprisesforty full sections and four half sections, of land containing in all 26,880 acres, or 3,840 more than a full congressional town. Tile land is mostly owned by residents, who have strenuously endeavored to cultivate and improve it and in comparison witli other town in the county, will prove that their efforts have not been in vain. The United States government still owns and controls about 806 acres of land in the town. Only one stream of any note flows through the town, lending fresh life and strength to the already fertile soil. This is the North Bad Ax river, whioli enters the town in the eastern part on section 24 and takes a westerly course through sectioiLS 23, 22, 21, 20 and 19, making a suddin turn in the latter, and flowing southerly through sections 30 and 31. It leaves the town on the southwest quarter of the latter section. This stream is well fed by numerous tributaries, flowing from all parts of the town. Good springs are also plentiful and supply pure, fresh water for drinking and cooking purposes.

Early Settlkment

The first white settler in Harmony town, and a resident here at the present time, was William Struthers, who came in 1848, and in 1850 made the first entry of land, of 160 acres, ''comprising the east half of the northwest quarter and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 24, town 13 north, range 6 west." Mr. Struthers is a native of Rockbridge Co., Va., and served with distinction in both the

Mexican and civil wars. At the close of the former he located in this town. Mr. Struthers and David Calkins are the only ones of the early settlers now living in the town.

The Granite State furnished another pioneer in 1850 in the person of David Calkins. He was born in the rock-ribbed State of New Hampshire in 1821, and in 1844 removed to Lowell, Mass. In 1847 he was seized with that irresistable (but not fatal) malady, the western fi ver, and removed to Chicago, 111., where he manufactured wagons. In 1849 he married Mary Craft and in 1850 removed his family to this town, locating on section 23, where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Calkins have eight children.

Between the years 1848 and 1852 there were several persons located in the new town, among whom may be mentioned the follow ing: James Harkness, Orrin Calkins, Elias Rogers, Edmond Rogers, Edward Rogers, John Raywait and Samuel Kelsie. Mr. Keisie was, perhaps, the second settler in the town and David Calkins the fourth.

The county having been opened up for settlement, new settlers were constantly arriving, and in 1852 the town of Harmony welcomed several of them. Robert Patterson and liis family came in and located land on section 21. Mr. Patterson was born in 1802 and dieil in 1875. His wife still survives him. Their son, E. O. Patterson, was born in 1820 and now resides on section 15.

In 1854 Vermont contributed a settler, Horace Keyes, who was born in 1800, and now owns land on sections 20 and 21 of this town, where he has resided for twenty-nine years.

Two years later Alvin Baker and wife, the former a native of New York and the latter of Pennsylvania, came into the town and settled with their family on section 21, where the family still reside. Mr. Baker is now deceased. Their cliildren, men and women grown are John, Joseph, Marion, Hester and Lydia

Another old settler of Harmony town is S. W. Moore, who lias been a resident here since 1858. He is a native of Washington Co., Penn.; married Nancy McClurg; was in the Union army from 1863 till 1865, and now owns 360 acres of land.

Among other settlers who came in prior to 1860 were: Philando Bartlet, Chester Morley, Harvey Sheffield, J. L. Smith, Murray Chase, James Scott, Andrew Ellis, Daniel Aiken, Powell Brothers, Richard Sylvemut, Jesse Esler, Henry Esler and George Esler; also, James Chauncy, Levi Nobles, Calvin Allen, H. P. Buswell, E. Crandall, John McLees and F. M. Moore.

First Things Organic

Harmony township was organized in 1855. At that period there were but five townships in the county, represented on the board of county commissioners as follows: Bergen, John M. McLees; Jefferson, Isaac Spencer; Viroqua, William H. Good; Bad Ax, Andrew Briggs; Kickapoo, William H. Austin. A petition for a new town was offered to the board by John M. McLees, and after due consideration it was granted, and also an order for an election of town officers. At this election the following named persons were selected to act in their different official capacities: Chairman, R. S. McMichael; clerk, Harrison Keyes; treasurer, Horace Keyes; side board, I. L Smith and Daniel Kelsie; superintendent of schools, Orin Calkins, succeeded in 1858 by Hartwell Allen.

Religious

As previously stated, the first religious services in Harmony town were conducted by Rev. Munion, at a private residence, in 1852. After this initial sei-mon preaching was had in the different dwellings throughout the townas occasion would permit, and a Sabbath school was permanently organized in 1863, under the auspices of the Baptist Church, with D. W. Horton as superintendent, assisted by his wife. Since that period it has been conducted by D. W. Horton and Jesse Cowen, and this present year has an average attendance of thirty-five scholars, with A. Nobles as superintendent.

Baptist Church

a few persons met to consider the propriety of organizing a Baptist Church. Delegates from the congregations at De Soto, La Crosse and Sparta were cordially invited to attend tiie meeting, which was held at the Hockley school house Jan. 29, 1870. Rev. Thomas Slade, of La Crosse, was chosen moderator, and D. C. Jackson, of Sparta, as clerk. The Church was duly organized, and Elder S. E. Sweet was their first pastor. He remained with the congregation until Dec. 3, ISYO, when he resigned, and on Christmas day following Elder Green, a returned missionary, delivered a fine sermon, and remained about six weeks. During this time many were added to the Church. On April 21, 1872, Rev. Houghton received a call to the pastorate and remained two years. He then went to Viroqua, where he still resides, but occasionally preaches for his old charge. The congregation is quite small at present, many members having removed to other localities.

There is only one church building in the town at the present time. That is yet uncompleted, but is owned jointly by the Methodist and United Brethren congregations, both having discontinued their organizations some time since for want of means to bear expenses.

Educational

There are at present in Harmony town five school buildings, aggregating in value the sum of 16,000, with an average enrollment of 431 scholars.

The postoffice called Enterprise was located on section 11, in 1866, and H. M. N. Rayner was appointed postmaster. He filled this position until 1882, when the office was discontinued for reasons unknown.

Village Op Newton

In 1851 Edniond Rogers built a saw-mill on the present site of the village, and in ]^'56, Orin Calkins erected the first residence. During this same year (1856), Mr. Calkins laid out and platted a village to be known by the name of Newton. It is located on the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter, and the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23, being about twelve miles distant from Viroqua

The fiist physician in the village was Dr. Marshall, who located therein in 1872. The present physicians are: Dr. C. R. Muzzy, who came to Newton in 1^82, and Dr. John Dewitt.

Personal

John Guist was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, in 1838, and moved with his parents, in 1K49, to Vernon Co., Wis., near Viroqua. Mr. Guist first homesteaded forty acres of land in Harmony town in 1865 on section 11, where he now resides. He enlisted in the I 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and remained in the State on garrison duty from 1861 to 1862, and was discharged by reason of his right hand being disabled. Mr. Guist was married in 1H61 to Edith J. Sheldon. Their two children died while quite small, and in 1864, Mrs. Guist fol- lowed them "over the river." In 1868 lie again married. His second and present wife was Mary A. Burcham, by whom he has had six children - Robert E., Cynthia J., Mary E., Claudie J., Causie M., and an infant son.

William Johnston resides on section 20, where he pre-empted 100 acres in 1850. He -was born in Cuyuga Co., N. Y., in 1808. In 1817 he accompanied liis parents to Ontario, N. Y., where he received iiis education. In 1830 he was married to Jane Dickworth, and in 1850 they came to Harmony town. In 1862 his wife died, and in 1863 he was married to Betsy Kish. By his lirst wife he had nine children, two of whom are living - Martha, wife of Edward Patterson; Lora,w ife of Lee Sterling. He had two sons in the army, but neither lived to return home.

Hon. John M. McLees came to what is now the town of Harmony, in 1852. He was born on the 2d of March, 1829, in Blue Rock townsliip, Muskirigiini Co., Ohio. His father, Joseph McLees, a native Irislmiaii, but of Scotch-Irish ancestry, came to America in 1801. He was a farmer and loc.ited upon a farm in Muskingum Co., Ohio, 1^17, where he lived until the time of his dc.lli in December, 1848. Thus he lived and did upon the first land he owned in America. John Ni's mother was formerly Hannah Morrison, al.fo of Scotch-Irish origin. She died in September, 1863, at Duncan Falls, Ohio. John M. remained at home, receiving a limited common school education, until twenty-tlnce years of age, when he came west, landing at Warrens Landing on tlie Mississippi river, in the town of Bergen, on the Uth of April, 1802. On the 20th of May, of the same year, he located upon the farm which is still his home, in what now constitutes the town of Harmony. Mr. Mc- Lees was married on the 13th of June, 1849, to Sarah J. Ilerron, a native of Muskingum Co., Ohio, born Aug. 7, 1825. Her parents were Alexander and Elizabeth ( Myers ; Herron ; the father a native of the Emerald Isle, and the mother of Pennsylvania. They have been blessed with eight children, seven of whom are living - Joseph H., of the town of Jefferson, Vernon county; William C, who died Oct. 5, 1870 ; Neal D., of the town of Jefferson, Vernon county ; James A., now of I5rown Co., Neb.; Daniel O., John W., Isaac S. and Abraham L. all of the town of Harmony. When Mr. McLees came into what was then Bad Ax county, the primitive was all too plainly apparent. He has passed through the experience of pioneer privation, danger and difficulty, which is incident to the first settlement of every country. At that time the entire county comprised the civil town of Bad Ax ; later, Bergen was created, and his home was t rown into its limits ; and in 185.?, the town of Harmony was created, and was so named after the postoffice by that name of which Mr. Mc- Lees was postmaster, at his suggestion. In 1854 Mr. McLees held his first office, that of assessor of the town of Bergen. In 1855 he was chairman of the board for that town. He was again assessor in 1858. The same year he was elected justice of the peace, and, being reelected, served four years. In 1867 he was a member of the town board, and in 1868, became chairman. The same year he was chosen to represent the first district of Vernon county, in the Assembly. In 1878 and 1879 he was chairman of the town board, and therefore a member of the county board. He was a member of liie committee of the county board for the erection of the new county buildings, serving as such for two years, until the work was all completed. It will thus be seen that Mr. ilcLees has led an active, prominent life. He is now possessed of a competency, owning about 800 acres of land, which is well improved and supplied u itli comfortable buildings. He devotes his atteniion to the management of his farm ; raising grain and stock, and also dealing in the latter. Personally, Mr. McLees is a hale, hearty, jovial man, weighing about 200 pounds

Lars Olson is a native of Norway and was born on the Rumegan farm in 1849 and in 1851 emigrated with his parents to Dane Co., Wis. In 1852 he came to Harmony town and made a permanent settlement. Mr. Olson was married to Ellen Larson, in 1878, and they are the parents of one child - Lina O. Mr. Olson now owns 200 acres of land on section 15, with thirty-eight acres under cultivation. Mrs. Olson is also a native of Norway, but has been a residentof Harmony town for thirteen years.

Hartwell Allen was born June 26, 1833, in the town of Richford, Vt. where he received a thorough education. In 1856 he was married to Harriet S. Phillips, of Underbill, Va. In the same year himself and wife came to the town of Harmony and both have been foremost in the rank of education ever since. He is employed with his wife in teaching school and superintending schools in the town, in which capacity he served six and a half years. He was chairman of the board of supervisors in 1800, also in 1870. Mr. Allen, by honest industry and integrity, has saved sufficient to purchase 240 acres of land in the town of Harmony.

H. Parker Buswell, son of Ebenezer Busvvell, and one of the most respected citizens of this town, found a home here in 1856. He was born in the good old State of New Hampshire, in 1831, and remained among its granite hills until 1856. He received a good education at the common schools and in 1856 came to this county, entering forty acres of land on section 21. The year following his settlement he was elected superintendent of schools and served for three years. In 1860 he was elected treasurer of the town but resigned the office in 1861, to enlist in the 1st Wisconsin Light artillery He served nine months and was forced to resign on account of ill health. Still wishing to lend his feeble aid in defense of the country, in 1864 he again enlisted, this time in the Ist Wiscon- Heavy Artillery and was honorably discharged in 1865, at the close of the war. Since coming back to his home he has been constantly in office with the exception of one year. Mr. Buswell has increased his farm of forty acres to one embracing 130 acres, but he still resides on the old homestead, first entered from the government. He was united in marriage, in 1858, to to Mary E. Thompson, who bore him five children - Loren A., Jackson P., Emma J., Mittie A. and Lyman A. Mrs. Buswell departed this life in 1867, and Mr. Buswell married for his second wife Josephine Berais. She is the mother of five children, tliree of whom are now living - Lillian B., Olive A. and Gracie M.

John Stevenson, who became a resident of Vernon county in 1856, was born in the Dominion of Canada, in 1835. Two years later he was taken by his parents to Muskingum county and in 1842 to Noble Co., Ohio, and there resided until 1856, when the family came to Vernon county and located in Jefferson town. Our subject entered land in Hamburg town, and in 1866 purchased 160 acres of Nelson Ford, in the town of Harmony, adjoining his first entry, where he has since resided. In September, 1864, Mr. Stevenson enlisted in the 43d regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, participating in the battle at Johnsonville, Tenn., and was honorably discharged in 1865. He was united in marriage, in 1862, to Rachel A. McLees, a sister of John M. McLees, one of the pioneers of Harmony town. They are the parents of six children - Hattie M., James E., Joseph W., Effie A., Walter J. and Nellie A. Mr. Stevenson was a menibei of the General Assembly of Wisconsin in 1876 from the first assembly district of Vernon county.

To most of our readers the name of D. W. Horton is very well known. He located in this county in 1860, and has been an enterprising and energetic farmer since that date. His father, Ebenezer Horton, was boi'n in Wallingsford, Vt., in 1798, and in 1835 removed his family to Medina Co., Ohio, where the husband and father died, in 1879. Five chil- dreii were born to Ebenezer and Mary Horton, all of whom are living. D. W. Horton was but four years of age when his parents removed to Medina Co., Ohio, and he was there reared and educated. In 1860 he came to Harmony town and bought eighty acres of land on section. 10, of William Herron, and has increased this farm to 200 acres. In 1S64 Mr. Horton enlisted in the Union army, and served with honor until the close of the war. In 1S63 Mr. Horton married Mary V. Classon. Mrs. Horton was borti in Rock Co., Wis., in 1841, and is a daughter of Clark Classon, who settled in Beloit, Wis., May 15, 1836, when the village consisted of one log house. One of his daughters, Emily, was the second white child born in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Horton have three children - Mary, aged eighteen, Nellie, aged fifteen, and Hattie G., aged eight years.

Jesse Cowen was among the settlers who located here in 1861. He i.s a native of Noble Co., Ohio, and was reared and educated in the grand old "Buckeye State." In 1801 he came to Vernon county and purcliased ot his mother the southeast quarter of section 4 in Harmony t()wnshi|). In 1863 he came to the conclusion that it was not best i'li- man to be alone, and he accordingly sought and won the hand of Lydia Powell, who was a year younger, but also a native of Noble Co., Ohio. This young couple have been blessed with five children - Albert H., Amanda J., EdnaC, Nancy C. (born Jan. 10, 1875, and died at the age ot one year) and R. B. Hays. Mr. Cowen has been honored with oflices of trust in the township for the past fourteen years, a fitting tribute to the confidence and esteem in which he is held by his neighbors.

Andrew Newton, who located in the village of Newton in 1863, was born in Lebanon, Penn., in 1838. He there received a fair education, and in 1858 removed to Chicago, where he worked at the blacksmith trade for five years. He then came to Jefferson town, and from the date of his arrival until 1872, was engaged in farming. In 1872 he removed to Harmony town, and since then has been doing a large and prosperous business, working at his trade. He is the owner of a large shop, a fine residence and several vacant lots in the village. In 1865 he married Elizabeth Huoett, of this town 't'hey are the parents of four children - Alice B., Eugene, Oscar and Mattie.

1825. He came to these United States in 1867 and first located on Coon Prairie, but two years later bought 1 20 acres of land on section I, where he has since resided. He has cultivated this land and now owns one of the best improved farms in the county, and is considered a most prosperous farmer. He was married in Norway to Randi Olson, who has borne him five children - Christian, Ole, Thomas, E<lward and Matia. Mrs. Thoreson died in 188), and Mr. Thoreson was again united in marriage, in 18-^2, to Carrie Knudson. They have an infant daughter - Regina.

Engebret P. Hage, a well known farmer of tills town came in 1869. He was born in Norway, in 1852, and located in Vernon Co., Wis., when but seventeen years of age. His fatlier, Erlaiid P. Hage, came to the United S ates in 1S67. He was born in Norway, in

1826. He, with his wife and six children, (Engibret, his oldest boy, being left in Norway for t>o years) located in this town, on section I, where he died in 1875. His wife, Marit P. Hage, was born in Norway in 1830. She is still living, on forty acres of land selected from the old homestead, and with whom our subject resides. E. P. Hage purcha.-ied 210 acres of land at tiie idiuiuistration sale, after his fathers' death and has improved it considerably. He has a library containing over 150 volumes, and a fine collection of old coins and a number of old relics.

August Larkie was born in Germany, in 1H52, and came to Vernon county with his parents in 1870. Mr. Larkie was married in 1874 to Mollie Snick, and this union has been blessed with two children - Aiorena and Mena. Mr. Larkie now own sixty-six acres of land on suction 4.

Lorin A. Aiken, proprietor of the grist mill atNei^'ton, tlie finest mill in Vei-non county, was born in New Hampshire, in 1847. In 1851 he accompanied his jtarents to Dodge Co., \\ is.; in 1855, to Waushara county; in 1858, to Dane county; in 1865, to Columbia county; in 1867, to Walworth county; in 1871, to Racine county; in 1876, to Chicago; in 1877, to .Milwaukee; and in 1879, to the village of Newton. He purchased the combined grist and saw mill that was erected in 1868, by Martin Allen, and fitted it up with the latest improved machinery. It is supplied with four run of buhr stones, and three sets of roller mills, and has a daily capacity of 100 hushels of wheat and 150 bushels of feed. The saw mill is operated by water power. Mr. Aiken also owns and farms 110 acres of land, on section J !. Ill 1864 he enlisted in .the Ut Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, and served till the close of the war - a period of ten months. Mr. Aiken was united in marriage, in 1869, to Emma Cave, of Columbia Co., Wis. They have six children - Albert, Percey, Lester, Elmer, Eva M., and Garfield.