Lincoln Town

Lincoln Town

AVas set ofl: November 22, 1860 ; originally included territory comprised in it and towns of LaGrange and Grant. In April, 1861, the first town meeting Avas held, at Avhich AV. L. Hay ward was elected chairman ; M. C. Hart and Benjamin Miller, supervisors; AVilliam Parsins, toAvn clerk; C. C. Miller, town superintendent ; A. Alaynard, assessor, and AVilliam Farnum, toAvn treasurer.

The first settler in the territory of the present town, Avhich is township nineteen, range one west, was either AV. T. Alaynard or a man by the name of Isaac Cooper, each of Avhoni came into the town in 1855. In 1857 Hannibal Hamlin Lamb came and erected a building Avliich became familiarly known as "Lamb's Tavern" until it was burned doAvn, the last occupant of which Avas a son of the original founder, and in this house Avas held the first tOAvn meeting, at wdiich Calvin Beers Avas elected chairman ; L. N. SAveet and William Randall, superAdsors; AY. A. Barber, toAvn clerk ; Clifford AYoodard, treasurer, and J. L. Burk, assessor, this being a temporary organization.

The first saAvmill in this ncAV toAvn Avas built in 1861 and Avas knoAvn as "Beer's mill," but reliable information shoAvs that it was built by other parties. It Avas in this mill that the first school was taught in the tOAvn, and the first sermon preached, and the first Sunday school held Avithin its Avails. The first sermon was preached by old Elder Medd, as he Avas fandliarly knoAA^i, and one other minister, Avho came into the town early and was knoAvn as "Pappy Lea," Avho also conducted services here. About the year 1863 Kiiiory's saAviiiill and also Snow's mill wore built. Emory's mill Avas later known as Lowrie's, and in Ihis mill a boiler ex])losioii kilb'd. or fatally injured, John Lidtlle and Mr. Gilson, the father oT W. E. Gilson, who is at present a resident of the town.

In ]8(i7 WaiTcii and Gand)le bnill the sawmill at Ihc place which is now the xiMage -of Warrens, aiul there lias been several stationary and portable sawmills located in the town for a portion of the lime. l)nt oid.N' one of early date, which became established as a i)ermanent business, is the George Warren Company, of Warrens, which conducted a sawmill business for a great many years, and it lias now become a mill for finishing lundier ready for the builder. This firm has grown to such ])roportions that they noAV conduct a Idacksmith shop, repair shop, grist mill and a bank, each business being located in connnodious buildings.

There is also located at Warrens the Rex ]\Ianiifacturing Company, owned liy C. O. Siiipper, and this plant is a sawmill and jdaning mill, manufacturing and repair shop, and is conducted in a substantial stone liuilding. For the first years of its existence and up to 1871 mail for this town came directed to Tomah. but at that date a postoffice Avas established near Warren's mills, and James Gamble bcn-ame the first ]K)stmaster. serving until 1875. when AY. A. Barber Avas appointed, and he has served continuously in that capacity up to the present time. The name of the ]iostoffice Avas changed to AYarrens. For the southei-n j)oi'ti()ii of the toAvnship mail Avas i-eceived at the Tomah postoffice until the establishment of a j^ostoffice at Kirby and then there Avas a Aveekly, and afterAvards, a daily service from AYarrens until the rural routes Avere established. In the toAvnship there ai'c noAV three rural routes starting from Warrens Avhich. to a great extent, cover the toAvn.

The cranberry business is of considerable imiiortance and has been lor a great many years. Aluch capital has been invested in inipiiixing the cranberry marshes, until noAv it has becoim^ a i)ermanent industry. Here also at the village of AYarrens is a profitabh^ point for the sale of Avild blneberrjes and blackberries, and (juite a number of farmers in this vicinity have gone into raising strawberries, raspberries and cultivated blackberries, so that it is a rai)idly groAving industry, and even apples are being raised to some extent mi tlie heavi(M- soil of the ridge lands. The toAvn has many up-to-date and jjrogressive farmers, and in common with most of the toAvns in the county, the dairying industry has become piominent and the breeding of thoroughbred cattle

During- the Civil AVar the town furnished four sokliers, all brothers, and were the sons of Landlord Lamb, of "Lamb's Tavern:" Louis A. Lamb, Galon A. Lamb, Henry Lamb, and William Lamb, w^ho all returned honorably discharged, Galon A. being the only one wounded, and he still resides in the town. Some of the earlier pioneers are still living, notably L. N. Sweet and wife. G. R. Baker and wife, W. A. Barber and Avife, Clifford Woodard and wife, George Munson, F. G. Warren, Louis Morse, T. R. Gillett, B. L. Gillett, L. L. Gillett, and W. H. Gillett.

The present town ot^eers are: George F. Goff, chairman; August Burkholz and J. P. Pederson, supervisors; H. H. Harris, clerk, and L. B. Lauser, treasurer.

An incident is told of one of the earlier settlers, an old-time hunter, Silas Patterson, who bears on his person the marks of an attack of a large black bear, being at that time (not many years after the Civil War) in need of aid in purchasing supplies for a hunting trip. Mr. F. G. Warren w^as asked by Patterson to loan him the money with Avhich to make the purchase, stating that if Mr. Warren would trust him he would pay him as soon as he got the bounty on a nest of young wildcats he had located. ]\Ir. Warren replied that he "did not care to take chances on wildcat security," but much to his surprise, a few days later Silas came in, bringing the cats ^nd exclaiming, "What did I tell you!"

At the breaking out of the Spanish-American war Lincoln sent two men, Mett Rose and James Larson, who enlisted in Company K, Third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, served through the campaign in Porto Rico, returning with that regiment in October, 1898, and were mustered out.