Madison City (part 15 of 20)

In the fall of 1S46, N. A. Perry arrived at the present site of Clinton, and erected the first house, in which he boarded the hands who were at work on the mill-dam. In the following year, the mill itself was built by Thos. and Nathan G.Van Horn. In the fall of 1848, the first store was opened by Wardner Earle, and in the fall of 1849, Christiana postoffice was removed from Mayhew's to this' place. Not many years after its settlement a brewery was established in this place by one Lewis, but after a few years its place was taken by a distillery, built by Mr. Jacobson, which, however, has not been in operation for some years. The present proprietors of the Christiana mills are O. II. Lee & Co., and the present merchant is C. Tollefson, who is one of the most prominent citizens of the place, and who is doing quite an extensive business.

The first settlers at Utica were Samuel Head and S. H. Coon, who arrived in December, 1845, and who immediately built the first house, which was a onestory log affair (12x16) with a shed roof. In this they wintered, and in the following spring built an addition of equal size, making a gable roof. In 1846, Hampton Crandall, W. H. H. Coon and Eandolph

Brown arrived, and in a short time this portion of the town was settled, principally by people from central New York. These settlers, who, excepting Mr. Mayhew, were the first Americans in the town, instead of locating, as most of the Norwegians had done, in the openings, nearly all settled on the prairie. The first store in Utica, which was of gravel, was opened in 1851 by Le Roy Crandall, now of Lawrence, Kansas, and here soon after the removal of Christiana postoffice from Mayhew's to Clinton, Utica postoffice, named in honor of Utica, New York, was established. The old gravel store was taken down in 1872 and replaced by a larger one of wood, now owned by W. H. IT. Coon. This made the second store in the place, one having been erected by F. E. Olsen in 1869.

As has been before mentioned, to Clinton belongs the distinction of being the place in which the first and only distillery in the town was started, and to Utica, we believe, belongs the honor of being the starting point of temperance reform in this section. Soon after the organization of the town, a town meeting was being held at this place, in the old gravel school house, still standing but unused. Some of the candidates from the eastern portion of the town had furnished a keg of whisky, which was to serve the double purpose of catching votes and enlivening the occasion generally. The dispensers of this beverage improvised a bar-room in the end of a shed belonging to one of the neighboring settlers, and were having an exceedingly jolly time, when the owner of the shed came in, and embracing a moment when all were busily drinking, seized the keg, and, carrying it into the middle of the road, put a heavy fence rail through it, greatly to the damage of the whisky, and the disgust of the imbibers.

The early settlers endured many hardships, and often carried on their agricultural operations in the most primitive manner. The section of a large round tree, usually shod with iron, often formed the wheels of their carts or wagons, and until the introduction of threshing machines in 1848, the prevailing mode of threshing was indentical with that which has been practiced in Oriental countries for the last three thousand years. A large dry spot of ground was cleared off evenly, and packed as hard as possible. Upon this the grain was placed to the depth of a foot or more, with the heads in, and five or six yoke of oxen were driven over it until the grain was all trodden out. The straw was then thrown off with forks, and the grain separated from the chaff with fanning mills. The first threshing machines, introduced at the date mentioned, were without separators, and were an improvement upon the method described in little else than speed and cleanliness. To sell their grain, a trip to Milwaukee, which was then their only market, was necessary, and which usually occupied a week, the wheat bringing from thirty to fifty cents, and in some instances even less.

with Rev. Mr. Dietrichsen as pastor. The same year a log church was built by this society on section 27, which was superseded in 1858, by a neat and commodious building of stone. During the first pastorate, one of the members, who was under discipline, made his appearance at church services one Sunday, and was peremptorily ordered out. He declined to leave, when the militant clergyman ordered some of the members to throw him out of doors by main strength. Feeling himself seriously aggrieved, he sued the pastor before Justice David Still man, at Albion Center. His attorney was Bjorn Anderson, father of Prof. R. B. Anderson, of the University of "Wisconsin. (By the way, the Professor's mother was the first white woman in the town of Albion.) The pastor pleaded his own case, but was beaten and fined five dollars. Not long after this, becoming disgusted with this country, he returned to Norway, where we hope that he conducted his pastoral affairs so successfully, that from a clergyman militant, he became a clergyman triumphant. Mr. Dietrichsen was succeeded in 1850, by Rev. A. C. Preus, and he in 1860, by Rev. J. A. Ottesen, the present pastor, who is widely and favorably known among his countrymen in this and adjoining states.

In addition to the church already mentioned, there are three other church organizations: the Methodist and Presbyterian, located at Cambridge, and which are mentioned in the chapter following, and the Seventh- Day Baptists, which are located near Utica. This church was organized in 1850, with Rev. Z. Campbell as pastor, and has a very neat and pleasantly located house which was built in 1866. The present pastor, Rev. Geo. W. Burdick, is a young man of much promise.

In the early days of the town, before newspapers were so generally taken by farmers, it was necessary for politicians and candidates for office to take greater pains to look up their country friends, and enlist them in their behalf, than at present. Intent upon looking up their friends, Judge J. G. Knapp and Mr. Wilcox, the former being candidate for district attorney, and the latter for state senator, came into the town, and after a meeting at which they spoke, put up for the night with one of the most prominent citizens in the vicinity. As the house was small, and pretty well filled already, they occupied a bed belonging to a young man who was expected to be absent for the night. Rather late the next morning, a brother of the gentleman with whom they went home, supposing that the usual occupant of the bed had returned in the night, and thinking it was high time he was awake, went into the room, and seeing an empty meal bag, took it and laid it over the heads of the candidates very smartly several times. We are told that their astonishment at being thus suddenly and rudely wakened from a sound sleep, was only equaled by his consternation upon seeing that he was belaboring a couple of strange gentlemen from Madison; indeed, even now, though twenty-five years have elapsed, he

The first public school was kept by Mrs. Wm. Mayhew, at her husband's tavern, in the winter of 1845-6. The first school house, which was a rough log structure, was built very soon after on section 10, and which remained standing until within a few years. From these small beginnings in educational matters, WTe have achieved very satisfactory results. We have now ten school houses in the town, the majority being almost new, those of districts No. 2, 5 and 7 being more than usually elegant buildings of brick, well furnished. District number 5 is in Cambridge, and is a commodious two story house, and is kept as a graded school.

In common with nearly all the towns in the vicinity, until within a few years, the principal crop has been wheat, but since its yield has been so seriously affected by the chinch-bug and other causes, many of our best farmers have engaged more extensively in the raising of live stock, and as a consequence, have largely increased the area of their corn fields. In 1876, the acreage of the various crops was as follows: Timothy or clover, 1,859; oats, 1,922: wheat, 2,155; corn, 3,457; barley, 1,166.

Previous to 1871, but a small amount of tobacco was grown in the town, but as those who had cultivated it found the soil adapted to it, and as it was at this time bringing a high price, many farmers engaged extensively in its culture. The subsequent de- cline in prices, consequent upon over production, drove many to abandon it, and though not now so extensively grown as a few years previous, its culture is still quite an important branch of agricultural industry, the area grown in 1876 being 328 acres.

By Hon. Geo. Dow And A. B. Carpenter

Cambridge village is situated on the extreme eastern part of the county, in the township of Christiana, and about twenty-four miles southeast of Madison. It is beautifully situated on both sides of the Koskonong creek, with picturesque surrounding of oak openings and prairie lands. Immediately south of the village the country was very marshy, but now sufficiently improved to be used for pasturage; though in the early settlement of the town and before a road was made through, it was almost impassible in wet weather, and here it is said Black Hawk and his people took refuge in 1S32, after passing through Fort Atkinson, on his way to the Mississippi. On the dry spots between Cambridge and Clinton, he and his people could camp safe and dry, while the difficulty of access precluded any possibility of his being molested by the troops. Here, Black Hawk says, his sufferings were very great, as there was but very little game or fish to be had, and his people were obliged to dig roots and bark the trees to satisfy their hunger, many of the old people dying from actual want. The marching and countermarching of the troops deceived them so much that it deterred the young men from separating to hunt or fish, although abundance of both game and fish were to be found immediately outside of their surroundings. Since these times, considerable change has taken place in the character of the land in the vicinity of Cambridge, as also in other parts of our county, the results of cultivation and the extensive destruction of forest trees without supplying their place with other timber. Many of the early settlers can remember localities where were rapid flowing streams, that are now highly cultivated fields.

In 1847, Joseph Keyes (father of E. W. Keyes, of political fame), Abel Keyes, and A. B. Carpenter, now of Beloit, purchased the water power and land forming the village, and surveyed and laid it out in July of the same year, and, early in the following fall, built the first dwelling house. During the same year they built the inevitable adjunct of an American village, a saw and grist mill, together with a store for the sale of merchandise.

The same vear the Hon. Geo. Dow and Mr. Wheeler built a hotel (the Cambridge House), and another store, and there also were several trades establishments. In 1856 Mr. Dow brought a carding machine into the village for the preparing of wool.

At the close of the first year, the village grew so rapidly, and daily receiving additions, that it numbered about 500 inhabitants, and celebrated its anniversary with that of the nation's on July 4th, 1848, on which occasion there were delegates from Madison, Lake Mills, Jefferson, Fort Atkinson and other adjoining towns, numbering about 3,000 persons. The proces- sion formed in front of the Cambridge House, and was preceded to the stand by the Cambridge Rifle Company and the Madison Brass Band. Prayer was offered by Rev. Wm. Cargen, the Declaration read by Wm. Welch, Esq., of Madison, and the oration by Dr. L. Ravella Humphrey, of Beloit.

The first store in the village was kept by A. B. Carpenter and Norman Dutcher, under the firm name of A. B. Carpenter & Co. The upper part of the store was used as a dwelling house, and access obtained by a ladder which, for better protection, was swung up at night. For several years the Indians were rather troublesome from their begging propensities, but were never hostile except in some of their drunken carousals, when it was then deemed unsafe to either encounter or have them near the village.

"When Cambridge was first laid out, the surrounding land was still unentered, and could be purchased at government figures, and Mr. A. B. Carpenter at that time entered 1,000 acres, which has proved to be among the richest and most fertile lands in the state. The laying out of the village was done under an assurance from the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad that they would pass through there; a promise which they never kept, but toward which the early settlers spent large amounts of money in expectation of their so doing. Wheat in those days brought 25 cents a bushel, and oats 10 cents, and had to be marketed in Milwaukee, where merchandise was brought back in exchange, sometimes packed in flour barrels,

In 1864, Hon. George Dow built a woolen mill, and a large amount of superior woolen goods have been manufactured there, and sold throughout both the county and state. In IS 74, a cheese factory was also started by Mr. Dow, and has met with merited success.

The 'scenery around Cambridge is beautifully diversified by prairie, woodlands, cultivated farms and small lakes, the principal one of which is Ripley, or Dow's Lake. It is of considerable depth, and embraces a circuit of four miles in circumference; its water pure and clear as crystal, and, together with the other lakes abounding in the numerous varieties of fish to be found in the lakes around Madison, as also all kinds of game, in fact, the country around Cambridge was noted at one time as the hunter's paradise. Mr. Dow recollects seeing as many as 200 deer in a drove, and often 75 to 100.

There are two churches in the village, one Methodist and one Presbyterian. In early times, the people attended church in an old log cabin; and for want of better, sat on fence boards laid across stakes of wood. The Methodist church was organized in 1848, and the present pastor is Rev. Mr. Hansen. The Presbyterian Church in 1817, and its present pastor, the Rev. John Patterson.

the most skillful surgeons, is well and widely known throughout all the northwest. He studied his profession in Europe among the universities of England, Holland, Germany, Russia and Norway, and entered the Holland service as a surgeon, was for over two years in that capacity in the empires of China and Japan. Dr. L. C. Clark is also a physician and surgeon in the village, with a good wide practice throughout the township and those adjoining, where he is highly esteemed for his professional ability and courtesy.

The present population of Cambridge is about 400 inhabitants, and the business is principally confined to supplying the wants of the surrounding country. Anions those eno-aored in business are the following: S. H. Butler, cabinetmaker; Messrs. George Dow & Son, commission merchants; Thomas Overson, hardware dealer; A. H. Kroerh, manufacturer of artificia) limbs; Thomas Slagg, drugs and groceries; James T. Gilbert & Brother, hotel keepers; Olson & Hodges, merchants; J. C. Dundas, physician and surgeon; L. C. Clark, physician and surgeon; Hans Anderson, boot and shoe maker; John Johnson, tailor; P. A. England, and Samuel Irwin, blacksmiths; T. N". Save, boot and shoe maker, Ho vey, Bros. & Co., merchants; and David Schoe, manufacturer of agricultural machinery.

Pleasant Springs

The town of Pleasant Springs, about twelve miles southeast from Madison, is bounded on the north by Cottage Grove; on the east by Christiana; on the south by Dunkirk, and on the west by Dunn. In the government surveys, it is designated as township six north, range eleven east of the fourth principal meridian.

The first town meeting was held at the house of John Patterson, April 4, 1848. Only twenty votes were cast, and the following named were declared duly elected: Supervisors - Daniel Wheeler, Chairman, John Patterson, John Ketcham. Clerk - John Sunderman. Justice of the Peace - Daniel Wheeler. Commissioners of Highways - John S. Dailey, Peter S. Markham, Archibald Griffith. School Commissioners - John Sunderman, Archibald Griffith, Jacob Stombough. Assessors - John Patterson, Robert McComb. Treasurer - Winard Dingman. Constahie - Ezra H ortan. Jfence Viewers - Jacob Wald ruf , Jacob Patterson. Among other early settlers were K. H. Roe, A. Seaverson, K. Kittleson, K. A. Juve, K. A. Joitel, Francis B. and John W. Ames, James Bronte, Abraham Devoe and Zina Gilbert.

spring on the land of Ole Evenson, on section twentyseven, and numerous smaller ones in different parts of the town. The first church was built where the Lutheran church now stands, on section fourteen. The first sermon preached by Pastor W. Dietrichson, under a large oak tree on A. K. Juve's farm, September 2, 1844. The first school was taught in a private house. The first school house was built on section twenty-five.

From a historical sketch of Dane county, in Harrison & Warner's Atlas, we find the following: "Abel Rasdall, one of the pioneers of the Four Lake region, was born in Barren county, Kentucky, August 15, 1815. When a young man, he went to Wisconsin and engaged in lead mining, and, in 1828, went to Galena, and assisted awhile Col. James Morrison in his mining operations at Porter's Grove, about nine miles from Blue Mounds. He soon engaged in the business of an Indian trader, locating his cabin on the eastern shore of First Lake (now in Pleasant Springs), about half a mile south of its outlet. He married a Winnebago woman, who was a real helpmate to him in the Indian trade. She sickened and died of small pox, Mr. Basdall alone attending her, and burying her remains. He subsequently married another of the same tribe,* but when her people migrated west, she concluded to go with them, so Rasdall and his

[* This squaw had no nose, her former husband having inflicted the Indian penalty for infidelity. She always covered her face with her blanket. - Pub.]

Indian wife cut a blanket in two, each taking a part - the Indian mode of divorce. * * Galena was the point at which he obtained his goods, and where he disposed of his furs and peltry. He did service in the Black Hawk war, and was one of fourteen men who were sent forward as a scout when Gen. Dodge was pursuing the Indians from Rock river westward, before the battle of Wisconsin Heights. The party, which was commanded by Capt. Gentry, was sent forward to reconnoitre and prevent a surprise by the main body of Indians, which they were assured were but little in advance, as was afterwards proven, for this was the morning of the memorable 21st of July, near the eve of which was fought the battle of Wiscon sin Heights."

About the same time Joe Pelkie and Louis Armell, French Canadian traders, were located here. They also had squaws for their wives. Josiah A. Noonan, when appointed by Judge Doty to make arrangements for a surveying party to go to Madison and meander the shores of Third and Dead Lakes, with a view of platting out the western addition to " Madison, accompanied the party on horseback, and, after staying with them four days, provisions being very scarce, started for First Lake. The first night he put up with Pelkie and Armell, where he found good forage for his horse, and an abundance of potatoes and salt for himself. The next morning, with a couple of good, large potatoes in his overcoat pockets, he started for Fort Atkinson. The country he found poorly surveyed, being unable to make his lines or courses, and was necessitated to take the wind for his guide. The old Indian trail between Fort Atkinson and First Lake crossed sections thirteen, twenty-three and twenty-four, and is, where the ground has not been disturbed, very plainly marked by a deep track on the prairie.

The surface of this town is gently undulating, consisting of prairies, oak openings, and marsh or meadow, well watered and particularly suited to grazing. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture, the soil being remarkably fertile; wheat, oats, corn, barley, rye, potatoes, hay and tobacco are produced in abundance. In live stock it is one of the leading towns, having fine breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Pleasant Springs tinds market for its produce in Madison, Stoughton, McFarland, Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Cambridge and Christiana, nearly all of which have fine milling privileges. The town has two fine churches, and six school houses, one of which was built and furnished, with apparatus and a fine large bell, at a cost of nearly $1,900. This is claimed to be the best country school house in the state, till "other counties are heard from."

From Liberty Mound, on section two (which is the highest point of land in the county except Blue Mounds), on a clear day, may be had a fine view of the lakes, Madison, Blue Mounds, the country towards Sun Prairie, Stoughton, Utica, Fort Atkinson and Jefferson.

A peculiar featnre about tlie political history of the town is, that up to 1853, it was entirely democratic in its elections, but from that date up to the present, it has cast a decided republican vote. The change in political views was so very sudden and almost unexpected that, at the first election in the above year, only one democratic vote was cast.

It w^as also about this time, says Hon. John A. Johnson, or little after, that Hon. ¥m. It. Taylor, since governor, was elected to the state senate over Hon. H. H. Giles. Mr. Giles was at that time railroad station agent at Stoughton, and a fierce onslaught was made upon him during the campaign by the friends of Mr. Taylor, as being the agent and representative of a great monopoly, while Mr. Taylor was the friend per se of the abused farmer. The democratic stump orators showed very clearly that the railroad was charging 12 cents per bushel freight on wheat from Stoughton to Milwaukee, when six cents was ample compensation, and intimated that if Taylor was elected monopoly would be destroyed, and the price of wheat would be raised at least six cents per bushel. This was a pretty strong argument, and at last one Pleasant Spring farmer determined that he would vote for Taylor, though he was a little mixed as to the position he was to be elected to, as his knowledge of English was not the most profound. The farmer marketed his wheat at Stoughton, and he had heard Taylor's name coupled with the six cents raise in wheat. When he heard of Taylor's election ho joyfully loaded liis wagon with wheat and wended his way to Stoughton to realize the higher price, supposing he would find Taylor duly installed as station agent, the position which he with his vote had helped to give him. Arriving at the depot his first inquiry was as to the price of wheat, and finding it had not advanced at all, demanded an interview with Taylor. When informed that he had been basely cheated into giving a democratic vote and for such a reason, his feelings may be better imagined than described. He wrent home supremely disgusted with the corruptions and dishonesty of the country.

On the farm of J. I. Williams, bordering on Kegonsa, or First Lake, are a number of Indian mounds. Through the courtesy of the officials of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, passengers are landed or taken on 'at the "Sugar Bush," a large grove on Mr. Williams' farm. The use of this grove is freely given for camp meetings, picnics, hunting parties, etc. The lake abounds in fish, while the woods and fields are well supplied with game. The final outlet of the Four Lakes, the Yahara, has its source at the eastern point of the lake. This crosses sections twenty, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty-two and thirty-three. Mr. Williams proposes to launch a beautiful little steamer, now being built in Pittsburg, upon the lake the present season, and by whose courtesy and liberality we are enabled to present to our readers, an exquisite engraving of this elegant steamer as she will appear on Lake Kegonsa. She is fifty-six feet long, four feet six inches deep in hull, nine feet broad, with a lower and upper deck, and is propelled by a twenty horse-power engine. She is designed by him as a pleasure craft, to be u&ed for personal enjoyment, and to add to the interes{ of the place by using it for pleasure parties, picnics, etc., if the proper encouragement is given, to meet expenses of running it, and is designed to be the beginning of an investment which will convert the Sugar Bush Grove into one of the most enjoyable, as well as one of the most complete places of rational pleasure in the state, believing that Madison will wake up to a sense of '' Its best Holt" and stretch its arm down to Kegonsa, so that while Madison may be the head source of pleasure, the Sugar Bush Grove with its peculiar charms will be indispensable to her pleasure-seekers. It is hoped that some day soon, all obstacles to a free access to all the four Lakes will be removed, and the charms' of these matchless bodies of water be more fully brought forth by easy intercourse through Yahara's inviting current.

The present town officers are : Supervisors, William Seamonson, chairman, Elias Nichols, Ole Moe; clerk, E. T. Cleven ; assessor, Lewis Iverson; treasurer, Gunder Edwards; justices of peace, Oliver Johnson, Ole A. Drotning.

Bristol

The town of Bristol is about thirteen miles from Madison, tlie center being nearly midway between Madison and Columbus. It lies on the northern boundary of Dane county, which is separated by the town of Hampden from Columbia county, and is known on the government survey as township 9 north, of range 11 east. It was formerly a part of Sun Prairie.

The town was first settled by David Brazee, and shortly afterwards by P. ~W. Davison, M. Sweet, William W. Patrick, and William II. Clark. The first town meeting was held at the house of George C. Smith, in 1848, and W. W. Patrick was elected supervisor.

The early history of the town does not abound in as many incidents and occurrences as some of its adjoining towns, having no place of public note or resort, in consequence of its being somewhat oft' the usual beaten road, and thus had few of those interesting way marks which are known to enliven and amuse the traveler in those early days. Still, it was by no means deserted, commercially speaking, for one of the main traveled roads went through the southeast part - being the old state road running from Beaver Dam, through Columbus, to Madison. It was a common event in those days to see the red man roving over its wild and beautiful prairies, whose trail went through the town leading from Horicon lake, the head waters of the Rock river, to Madison lakes. The surface of the land presents a picturesque landscape, being as a rule quite level, and about equally divided between wood and prairie. But like too many other towns in the county, its beautiful forests are being cut down too fast, and not enough of other trees set out to supply the want which we will ultimately be compelled to feel, if no proper provision is made for tree planting. There are no rivers of any size in the town, although a good stream, called Waterloo creek, which rises in the northern part of the town, and then runs southeasterly into the town of Medina, gives an excellent water power throughout most of the year, and the old stone grist mill, formerly built by Mr. Aiken, having been divested of its old fashioned water-wheel, and replaced with one of the improved style, by Mr. Alexander Stevens, its present owner, is doing a good, continuous business in the custom line, except durring very dry periods, when the old mill has a vacation, and the humming of its machinery ceases until nature causes the streams to rise, which again furnishes the gratuitous motive power, and sends the old mill to work

The red man of early days, who traveled his foot beaten trail leading through the southeastern part of the town, could no doubt give some graphic descriptions of a lake generally known as " Brazee's

Lake," where he employed himself in trapping and other amusements. But in this enlightened age this same lake is a bone of contention, so to speak, and a source of trouble for the white man, out of which law suits have arisen. The difficulty arising from it is somewhat of a complicated nature, so much so, that a suit to determine the real owners of it has been carried from one court to the other, and is now pending in the U. S. court. A reference to the facts, which seems to be as follows, will not be out of place here.

The lake, like some other bodies of water in this vicinity, has year by year been gradually drying up, until at the present time the husbandman's plow traverses it instead of the Indian's canoe, and wdiich covering over 200 acres, more or less, persons owning land on its border, very naturally supposed that their farms were getting larger in proportion, while a second party comforted themselves by supposing that they w^ere the lucky ones, and had bought the lake (now a fertile piece of land) from the government, having entered it at ten shillings per acre.

The two main traveled roads are what are known as the Columbus and the Bristol roads; the first, or the old state road, runs through the eastern part of the town, while the other runs almost due north and south from the north end of the town through to Sun Prairie, its " twin sister," and for beautiful landscapes and sightseeing, as well as the fertility of the soil and number of improved farms and farm build- ings which lie on either side of this road and others which intersect it, is hard to beat in the county; in fact, there is no waste land in the town, and the time is not far distant when Bristol will be among the foremost in wealth and population.

The inhabitants of the town are chiefly Americans, Germans and Norwegians. The former having settled on the prairies in the southern half of the town, and the Germans in the timber land in the northeast part, while the latter occupy the northwest portion, which is about equally divided between prairie and wood land.

In politics the town is about equally divided, and, during the civil war, Bristol sent her regular number of soldiers to defend the government, some of whom never returned alive, but whose names will ever be held in deep remembrance by our citizens. The town has been represented in the legislature by Hon. K. AY. Davison, in its early history, and by Hon. J. M. Flint in later years. Messrs. Hidden, Chipman, Davison, and Haner have been chosen to represent the town on the county board at various times.

The liquor traffic question has long since become a mooted one, and although the intelligent voters of the town have decided that those who sell liquor must pay a high license, still there are plenty of them in the northern part of the town licensed to keep saloons.

ucational privileges are generally good. There are in the town two churches. The M. E. church, generally known as the "Bristol Church," is located on the Bristol road about 2f miles from Sun Prairie, and is a good edifice, containing an audience room, and a basement which is used for lectures, donations, etc. It is also occupied once a week by the "Grangers," who have an excellent Grange in good running order. The other, a Catholic church, and one of the finest edifices in the county, is in the northwest part of the town, known as the "Settlement." The town cannot boast of a "Town House," though repeated attempts have been made at "Town Meeting's" in that direction, but thus far they have not yet been successful.

There are in the town two stores, the largest of which is owned by John Arians, who also keeps the post office. The town was formerly one of the principal wheat growing sections in the county, but of late years the people are turning more attention to raising of stock and to dairy pursuits. There are two cheese factories that are producing an excellent quality of cheese, and well patronized. One is owned by Mr. Chipman, who keeps a large dairy himself, about a mile from Sun Prairie, on the Bristol road; the other is owned by Mr. John Arians, in the northern part of the town, and who is, as mentioned above, also proprietor of the store. There are in the town several blacksmith and wagon shops.

places that have made wheat raising a staple production, it has felt the hard times and the effects of the "chinch bu«;s." But the fact that farmers are now more scrupulous in preserving the prairie chickens and other birds that have been wontonly killed off, and also raising more hay than wheat, will, in a great measure outflank this terrible pest. The farmers of Bristol are fully aware that they are the owners of their lands, and must use diligence and care to preserve their crops from injuries, and as a means toward carrying out these facts, prohibit the trespass on their lands for the hunting of prairie chicken, which they deem their friend, and the enemy of thousands of insects that prey upon their crops. A very exhilarating sport in the way of hunting, and one which would meet with a hearty response from the farmers, can be had by hunters coming in the winter and ridding the town of the wolves (which are numerous in this and adjoining towns since the "Peshtigo fire"), that kill the sheep in large numbers.

The town, like all others, has had its share of law suits, and we will relate an incident or two. A number of years ago, one of the former town treasurers deposited the town moneys in a Madison bank, which failed, and the town supposed by some to have lost it, while others thought the treasurer responsible for the whole amount. During the unsettled condition of the issue between the town and the treasurer, a bill was introduced into the legislature for his release, and which passed, and left the town to whistle for the

Notwithstanding the fact that the town is known to have good, smooth level roads, and bridges, still, not long since a $5,000 suit was commenced in court by a party who complained to the supervisors of the shaky condition of one of the town bridges, and had received injuries to his horse and vehicle therefrom, so brought suit accordingly. But it puzzled both the supervisors and the complainant to find out a few days afterwards where the dangerous place was. They had driven across into a neighboring town before they discovered the offending bridge, and then only after having been shown it by an individual who claimed he thought he saw the accident. The joke was thought too good for both the town and complainant, except the unnecessary legal expense the town was put to.

Bristol without doubt has some of the best kept roads in any town, being in a great number of places shaded on both sides of the highways by beautiful trees. Thrift and energy are visible among its citizens as is witnessed by their comfortable homes, and the hiffh class of intelligence. Let the business man and visitor see the town of Bristol before they pass judgment on Dane county, and they will be pleased with its rich soil, beauty of landscapes and general appearance. From its elevated plain can be seen the Capitol of the state, and on a clear day the far off " Blue Mounds " in the distance.

By S. W. Graves, Esq

Tins township lies on the southern boundary line of the county, which separates it from Union in Rock county. It is about fourteen miles southeast of Mad ison, and is known as township 5 north, of range 10 east.

The first permanent settlement commenced in the summer of 1842, by three families, Joseph Dejean and family, John Prentis and his father and Dan Pond. They settled in one corner of the town on the old Janesville and Madison road. The next year two other young men came in and took up claims in the same neighborhood. There was no settlement made in any other part of the town until 1814, when Squire Jonathan Lawrence and son, and myself and family came from Vermont, on the fifth day of July, and went back into the woods, as it was termed then. We took up a section of land and commenced a settlement by clearing, breaking and building our cabins ready for winter. During the fall four other cabins were built, of which two in the northern part of town, were for Jeremiah Douglass and Goodrich Cummings, and one adjoining me for Gideon Cummings, while Richard Priest, who came late in the fall, settled at a large spring in the center of the town. He came from In-

In early spring of 1845, there came in a large number of people from Vermont and settled in the south part of the town, which took the name of the Vermont settlement, while in the northern part there came in quite a number from Maine, among whom were the Douglasses, Dammons, and Caslies, and a few from New Turk and Ohio, and settled there, and it wras known as the Maine settlement.

It was estimated that there were about 400 inhabitants in the town in 1845. We had the advantage over many other towns in the first settlement, as there were no speculators' lands that could be held in reserve for the rise in value. The town had not those peculiar attractions for them which other towns possessed, with their large prairies and groves of timber, as the entire town was almost all burr oak-openings, with considerable marsh and a small part prairie in the north. The lands belonged to the general government, and were open for entry at any time, but most of the settlers that came here were poor and not able to enter these lands; some could enter a 40 acres and some an 80 acres, and so we organized claim societies to protect one another in the settlement of our homes. I must relate to you some incidents that occurred in 1845-6, which will illustrate the method we had of protecting each other. Our societies were thoroughly organized by officers. If any one attempted to enter any land that wras already claimed by a settler, lie was immediately notified to appear before the executive board to give a reason why he entered the land; if he persisted, he was immediately notified to settle satisfactorily with the claimant, and if not, to leave town immediately. There were a few cases where they would not settle, and if they attempted to build their cabins, the people would meet in mass and tear down the same.

In the winter of 1846, the legislature passed a law giving the people the right to organize into towns in Dane county. The people of our town met soon after the passage of the law, and organized themselves into a town, and called it Eutland after the name of a town in Yermont. On the first Tuesday in April, 18-tfi, we held our first election,- and elected as Supervisors - Jonathan Lawrence, chairman, David West and Henry Edmonds; Town Clerk - S. W. Graves; Road Commissioners - David Tipple, S. W. Graves and Goodrich Cummings.

Since the settlement of our town, we have progressed slowly but steadily in agricultural pursuits, being all farmers. There are no large streams or villages, no manufactories, but a few mechanics. Our soil is good and well adapted for farming purposes; and as a farming community, we are very well located as to markets. There are no railroads in town, but we have the advantage of two, viz.: the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul, which runs along near the east line of the town, and very convenient for the people on the east side of the town to get their produce to market, while the Chicago & Northwestern road just enters one corner of the town and runs along near the west line, which gives us a good market with Chicago. Our market towns are Stoughton and Edgerton on the east, Oregon, Brooklyn and Evansville on the west.

Since we have changed our mode of farming (less wheat for chinch bugs to devour), and gone to raising clover, neat stock, wool and pork, butter and cheese, we have done much better, getting rich slowly.

We have three churches, the Free-Will Baptist at the north part of the town, with a good meeting house; the United Brethren church at a little village on the west, with a small meeting house; and a Methodist church, with a good house of worship in the village of Brooklyn, in the township of Rutland, the village being on the line of two towns. There is quite a church of regular Baptists in town, but they unite with the church in Union, and have a good house of worship there.

Our town is organized into eight school districts and some joint districts, with very good school houses, and all maintain schools from six to eight months in the year.

We have but few natural curiosities, and they are some that used to attract our attention in an early day. A small river rises in the northwest corner of our town and runs southeast, and leaves the town at the southeast corner, and along this river there are a great number of springs; there is one spring so large that it runs a grist-mill within ten rods of its head with two runs of stone. There is one mound spring twenty-four feet in diameter, and so deep it is difficult to find bottom. I have sounded it twenty feet and found none. There is a lake, known as Island Lake, which in early times was considered a curiosity. It has' an island near the center, of about three acres, which was once thickly wooded with good rock maple trees, with no others within twenty miles. They were so fine, and all claimed them, that it led to a series of troubles, which left no other alternative, in order to settle the matter, but to go on the island and cut them down. Our stone quarries, of which we have quite a number, are full of interest to the geologist in hunting out the fossil remains.

The health of our town, from its first settlement until the present, has ever been good, which is owing to the numerous springs of pure water and the elevation of the land, which is ever receiving pure air from the surrounding hills, and no sunken places to engender diseases.

There are no Indian relics, no camps, trails, graves or mounds. When I first came into town the Indians were very numerous. They would often pitch their tents near some spring, and hunt deer for weeks and then move off.

In speaking of our town politically, perhaps this is a delicate subject, but I will give you a little something that has taken place in the political arena in the settlement of our town. In the south part, in the Yermont settlement, the Ohio people and part of the New York people were whigs. The Maine people in the north part of the town were democrats, but the whigs had a majority. We used to have some warm times in the first settlement, but in the organization of the republican party in 1S55, all of the Vermont settlement, all of the Ohio, and most of the New York people joined the republican party, but the people of Maine, to a man, held to their old party, and some of the old people were so disaffected that they left the town. Since the organization we have remained very strong republican, keeping a very even tenure; no ups and downs; there being two hundred republicans to twenty or thirty democrats. It lias ever been termed the banner town of the county. Most of the first settlers of the town are not here now; many have died, others have left. All of the Maine people except one have left town. The present inhabitants are a majority American people, some Welch, some Scotch, a few English, and quite a settlement of Danes.

Burke By John Douglas

This town is known as township 8 north, of range 10 east, and is equally divided into oak openings and prairie, with a marsh in the westerly part. Two branches of Token Creek enter the town. The eastern branch on section 3, and the western on section 6. then unite on section 7, run thence through the town of Westport into Fourth lake, being the largest stream that flows into the lake. The town received its name after the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, one of Ireland's illustrious orators and poets.

In 1847, it was made as one of the four towns of Windsor; the first town meeting was held at the house of Horace Lawrence, Charles M. Nichols being elected chairman, and Ira Mead, clerk,. In 1852, it was organized as a separate town, and its first meeting held at the house of Adam Smith, when he was elected chairman, and John Douglas, clerk.

The Indian trail from Koshkonong and Third lakes, to Fort Winnebago (now Portage City), passed through the town, near the Indian Spring, on section 26. It was a well beaten track, and is still seen, where cultivation has not obliterated its traces, and on which the early settlers frequently saw as many as five hundred to one thousand Indians,with their wives and little ones, pass and repass in a week.

On section 10, in Mr. McMarran's field, there are two ancient circular mounds, and on II. P. Hall's lands, section 2b, there is a mound in the form of a cross, while on section 30, on the farm of Henry Satchjen, there is a large oblong mound, running in a northwest and southeast direction, which was probably used at one time as a fort. These are all losing their identity by frequent cultivation of the soil.

Horace and William Lawrence came herefrom Vermont, in 1837, and built the first house in the town, on section 11, now owned and occupied by Washington Woodward. Lawrence lived here in the year 183S, and had a well known fame as a remarkably good hunter. In the winter he has been known to kill a score of deer, besides a great variety of other game. He is still noted among hunters as a good shot. Horace kept "bach" for some little time, but afterwards started a hotel, which for a number of years was known as the " Prairie House." When he raise! his first barn it is said that nearly every white man in Dane, and some from Columbia county were present. The barn was afterwards destroyed by lightning.

The road to Fort Winnebago lay near the Prairie House, and many notables, even in early times had occasion to pass and repass through the town. Before the Mexican war, Gen. Scott (then only a colonel), together with Jefferson Davis and Zach. Taylor, being appointed by the United States government as inspectors of the military forts in the west, put up at the Prairie House, where they were entertained with tlie common fare of deer, prairie liens and pork. Gen. Scott was the marked man among the others, not only for his tall and manly bearing, but also for the precise care he had of his person, performing his ablutions regularly and systematically. It is reported that they held a council with the Indians here.

The Indians were quite numerous in those early times, and were always peculiarly desirous of obtaining a little fire water, a privilege they then possessed, and which extended as well to some of the whites - indeed., the whites were known to be particularly fond of " Pecatonica " and " Rock River," pet names given for several kinds of whisky, and of a very poor quality at that. The Indians traded back and forward in the town for a number of years until targe game became scarce, when their visits were not as frequent.

When Alex. Botkin settled on sections 27 and 28 (the '76 farm), the Indians always camped near his house, and in his dealings with them he at first had some trouble, in consequence of their innate thieving propensities and greed, but afterwards he became a person of considerable importance among them, so that on one occasion, when they had come in larger numbers than usual, he (in order that a proper understanding might exist between them and himself) assembled a council of all the chiefs in his house. Sitting down on the floor in a circle, while he stood in the center, he explained to them that they might camp near his house if they wished, but must not steal liis corn or hay; in fact (as lie well knew the Indian character as being; unsafe to give a gift without some equivalent) he would give them nothing; but if they had venison or anything to sell, he would willingly purchase the same. The council agreed to his request, and he had no trouble with them afterwards.

The mail was carried from Madison to Fort Winnebago, through this town, crossing the Creek a mile above the village on the old Indian trail, in the town of Windsor. There was no wag-on road leading to the fort at that time, and business required to be done there had to be reached by passing across the creek at the old Indian trail. The only two houses on the road were the Lawrences', afterward called the " Pra irie House," and Wallis Rowan's, near Poynette.

Chas. S. Peaslee, now living in Sun Prairie village, was an early settler on what is now known as Robert Ogilvie and A. C. Cummings' farm, on sees. 27 and 28. The frequent changes occurring among the settlers makes it difficult to trace up all occupants of this lovely spot; but soon after we find Alexander C. Botkin, Esq., lived here, near the beautiful rise of ground close to the road, that is now so tastefully surrounded with evergreens and other trees. He put up a sign, with the two large figures, '76, on it, in honor of the year in which the Declaration of Independence was made (1776), a term by which the farm is known even up to the present time, although it is also known as the " Courtney Place," because an English sea captain of that name bought it, and there built a stone castle. It was struck by lightning and burned when the Hon. II. B. Sanderson owned and occupied it in 1870. It has not been rebuilt since, the walls still continuing to stand like some ancient ruins of feudal times. One of the former owners of the place, D. J. Powers, set out the poplar trees on the southeast side of the road, while Mr. Courtney planted those on the northwest side. J. C. Plumb, the celebrated nurseryman, now of Milton, Pock county, at one time leased this place, and many of the evergreens and fruit trees are of his planting. He was well known for a new variety of plum he raised. But the best were those in the house, and as good things are often moving, so they were transplanted to another place.

There was also a sign board placed on the hill beyond this farm, at the forks of the Portage and Columbus roads, but it is reported that there were rival taverns on each of these roads, and the sign board was frequently cut down by the landlords of these respective taverns, in the hope that travelers getting the wrong road, might patronize the house of the depredator.

Prairie fires were the dread of early settlers, and were sometimes caused by the Indians setting fire to the long grass for the purpose of driving the deer. These fires burned with intense heat, and traveled with great rapidity, making extraordinary leaps across creeks or any barriers that the settlers might have prepared to impede their progress and prevent the burning of their fields of grain or stacks of hay. Many a time, when the husband would be absent on business or at the market, have the wife and children been compelled to spend the whole night righting these fires from their homes, and when accomplished, would fall exhausted and powerless at the last place they extinguished the flames.

The late Alexander Botkin used to relate an incident of a semi-comic character, that we must try to repeat here. To be able to whip the prairie fires, required a great deal of skill and tact, so that the operator would put out the fire without scattering it or allowing any sparks to attach themselves to the hazel brush used as a whip, and thus avoid throwing fire backward when swinging the brush. A live Yankee from Vermont (visiting a neighbor of Mr. Botkin's), and who exhibited no capacity for knowing less than his western friends, whom, in fact, he rather conceived to be behind the times, and so was able to show them a little, started out one day to burn the grass round some stacks of hay, that had been put up in a meadow close by, just as Mr. Botkin stood on a knoll among some buckwheat. Looking for a moment toward the man to see what his object was, he saw him deliberately strike a match and light the grass on the windward side, then, with his hazel brush, commence whipping the flames. lie had not proceeded far before he found that it required considerable alacrity to be able to control the fire, and, as with Yankee energy, he strove to subdue the flames, it was but faint as compared with the consternation that afterwards seized him, when he felt an intense warmth on his back and turned to see the cause. lie had whipped the fire into the stacks, and they were in a blaze. It was but a moment more and he was next seen rushing at a frantic speed across the prairie, seeming to imagine that every step he took, was but one ahead of the devouring flames, while Mr. Botkin stood, the lone, but convulsed spectator of what he thought was Yankee confidence with a great deal of energy.

Men in those times seemed to be able to endure a greater amount of fatigue than they can at the present time. To travel on foot between here and Milwaukee was a very frequent occurrence, and was accomplished in about twenty-four hours. Mr. Botkin had at one time twelve acres of heavy oats to cut, and engaged four men to cut them. Two of them were men of about six feet hight, while the others were ordinary size. The tallest men cradled the oats, while the others bound them. Starting about seven in the morning, in the evening at sun down, the oats were all cut and bound. They cut very large swarths, and the binders kept up with each cut of the cradle.

Wolves were the scavengers of the prairie, and were also great pests around the farm. When any cattle died, they were removed to a convenient place away from the house, when in the evening, and often shortly after the carcass was left, the wolves would assemble in packs, and the night be made, with their

About 1841, Abel Rasdall and Adam Smith settled on section 14, on land now owned by Mr. Ilepker. They built a log cabin and broke up some of the land, but shortly after, Mr. Smith concluded to build a hotel, which he conducted for a number of years, and which was known, far and near, as " Smith's tavern." The building is still standing, and many pleasant and pleasing associations are connected with this home and household. He kept the first postoffice in town, and has held that office for a number of years, as well as others of trust and honor. Sylvester Dunlap kept a store here for some years, and built up an excellent business. In 1848, one of the first school houses in town was built on the present site of Mr. Smith's elegant brick residence, but the school having been located in a more suitable place the old building was moved back, and is used by him as a granary. The new school house is located on a triangular piece of land, surrounded by some burr oaks, with the public highways on three sides of it.

Simjjlicity of life was always a marked feature among the early pioneers, and not less so was the implicit confidence they extended to each other and to entire strangers, as the following incident will show. When William Yroman, now of Madison, left New York to come to Madison, he came by way of Milwaukee. After waiting for some days, and finding that lie could not get through by stage, in consequence of the roads being in a bad condition from recent rains, he resolved to walk the distance on foot. After meeting with considerable difficulties (passing over the newly-formed causeway in the town of Deerfield, knee-deep in water), he came near the town of Burke, where he met a young man on horseback, who inquired of him if he was going to Madison, and if he was acquainted there. Answering in the affirmative, that he had a brother there, the young man looking at him a moment, and at the same time dismounting from his horse, told Mr. Vroman that he knew his brother, and as he seemed tired, he must ride to Madison ; then directing him where to stable the horse, that he might find it conveniently when he again returned, left him in possession of the animal, he being then on his way to Watertown. The young man was then unknown to Mr. Vroman, but he afterward found him to be the Hon. Adam Smith, whose confidence in him, a stranger, was an astonishing phase of western life that he had never experienced before, nor had even any conception of. The simple fact that Mr. Smith knew his brother, George Vroman, was the measurement by which he judged the new acquaintance by the old.

Rough exteriors often cover warm hearts, and we are not guilty of flattery when we relate another incident just as pleasing. A poor German, near Mr. Smith's, had lost his horse just at the very busiest season of seeding, and the man being unable to purchase or hire another, was in the awkward predicament of failing to get his seed in the ground. Adam Smith, hearing of the circumstance, rode over to the man's house, and, ascertaining the facts of the case to be so, told him he might come over to his barn and get one of his horses, which he could use until he had completed his seeding. This act at ordinary times might not have been deemed of much importance, but all farmers know the preciousness of such generosity, at a time when days are as months to them.

In early times the roads across the prairies were numerous, and often crossed each other in such a manner as to be perplexing to those unacquainted with the different tracks, who were liable to lose their way if not fortunate in striking the right one. On these roads emigrants' ffoods and lead from the mines at Blue Mounds were hauled by ox teams and covered wagons, popularly known as " prairie schooners." The teamsters and occupants, when they halted for the day, would usually select some suitable place that was known to provide shelter for themselves and grass for their animals. On the farm of II. P. Hall, section 28, there is a large burr oak that was a common resort, and was well known among the pioneers and immigrants as the " Traveler's Home." The tree is about ten feet in circumference toward the base, and about seven feet from the ground there are five branches that spread out from the trunk nearly forty feet. It occupies as much ground in Mr. Hall's orchard as ten apple trees would, and stands in full view of the road, strong and vigorous, spreading over the ground like a great mammoth tent. Many a weary traveler has eaten his frugal meal under its sheltering branches, and it was a frequent occurrence to see as many as a dozen of the " prairie schooners " either at anchor or sailing in sight of this noble oak, where hotel charges were as free as the air of the wide spread prairie, accommodations being plenty and grass and water near at hand.

Alexander Lamere, a Canadian Frenchman, was an early settler. He owned a farm on section 10, which he sold to Mr. McMurran and Martin Lewis. He was at one time engaged in the service of the Hudson Bay Company, and when residing here, usually occupied himself hunting and trapping. He was well known from the peculiarity of his costume, which was a suit of buckskin, with a little hatchet belted on behind him. He married a squaw, and removed with her when her tribe went west, by order of the United States Government.

Martin Lewis, who settled on section one, built his house on the edge of the prairie, which was a visible land mark for some distance round, and especially serviceable as a lighthouse in the night for travelers crossing the prairie, who took the lights in his windows to enable them to take their bearings.

In 1841, G. A. Spaulding, from Vermont, settled on section 3, on the old Indian camping ground near Token Creek. He built part of the house now occu- pied by G. W. Loomis. lie kept a hotel there for a number of years, and by the aid of his worthy wife and estimable daughters, it was a favorite resort in its day. The bridge across the creek was built near the house, about two years afterwards, 18-43. lie also built the house now occupied by L. M. Fuller, who is a very useful man among his neighbors, having an intuitive ability to take hold of any mechanical work for repair or construction which may be given him.

Messrs. Hanchett & Harris opened the first store in town at Token Creek in 1848. It was a small building, 14x18, with an upper chamber, and stood a little north of the present store. They occupied the ground floors, while Messrs. Davy & Robinson, two Englishmen from London, used the upper room as shoemakers, and were well known as good workmen. Mr. Davy had at one time been a sailor, and the constant custom of sleeping in a hammock had become so habitual to him, that he had one attached to the rafters of the room in which he slept. He had a taste for natural history, and for years had engaged himself in the preserving of flies, bugs and birds, of which he had large assorted specimens. Dr. R. K. Bell was the first physician in the town. He first lived at the Prairie House, but afterwards built a house at Token Creek. He was a young man of noble appearance, fine ability, and very successful in his profession; but he died young.

Hill," and which in old times was looked upon as the lighthouse of the prairie, by which travelers were able to steer their course when crossing the open country. It was for many years their only way-mark and guide to find the harbor of Token Creek.

Mr. Goodrich and Mr. E. C. Bullis were the first blacksmiths of any note, and were afterwards succeeded by M. C. Connor, who is still in Token Creek, but has for some time back retired from the forge. Mr. Bullis' house was moved from the south part of the town of Bristol to its present site, a distance of five miles, and is occupied by Mr. Connor.

Selden Combs and brother at one time had a brick yard at the Creek, but it is not now in operation. When the war broke out, Capt. William A. Fields, who kept the hotel, raised a company for the war, and had them drilled in the village. [The first store in the village was built by John Douglas, who came here in the year 1847. He is a part owner in the mill, and is also engaged in surveying. It is related of him that at one time, while engaged surveying for a Norwegian, who could not speak or understand English, they came to an Indian wigwam, and it was a matter of astonishment to the Indians that Mr. Douglas and the Norwegian were compelled to understand each other by signs, as well as the Indians were them. Three nationalities were here represented, but the red man was as favorably situated as his more civilized brothers, since they could do no more than talk by signs. The compass which Mr. Douglas carried was a subject of great wonderment to them, as they kept turning it over to examine it. When elected to the office of superintendent of schools, he rode round the county on a black pony, that was too lazy to run away, and when he came to the school to be visited, if no convenient hitching place was at hand, a rope carried in his saddle bags, Jacob's staff, that he carried with him, were made serviceable for the occasion, and the pony was staked on the prairie until again required. On one occasion, as justice, he married a couple under the shade of an oak tree, and who sat in their open baggy during the performance of the marriage service. It is reasonable to suppose that the couple were made happy, and though romantic like, yet in those early times it was more difficult to catch a justice than to be caught by one.]

The road by way of Token Creek was in old times very much traveled, as people passed through the village on their way to Fort Winnebago and the pineries. It was no uncommon thing to see five or six four-horse coaches pass each way in a day, and equally so to see a score of teams in sight. On one occasion, in the winter, a company of twenty- live teams passed through the village, and they enlivened the occasion by one of the occupants of the sleighs playing a violin with his hands delicately encased in gloves. There were also, on another occasion, 200 head of cattle and thirty-seven teams, loaded, and on their way to the pineries. The manner of supplying the early setclers with cattle and horses was, for parties from the south to start in the spring, when the grass was getting up, and drive before them droves of cattle and horses with bells round their necks, which enabled the drivers to hunt up any that strayed from the herd.

Ezra Gould was an early settler on section 32. A painful incident is connected with his respected wife, who became blind by accidentally running against the sharp point of the spindle of a spinning wheel. She is now living at Belleville, and is a diligent and tidy housewife yet, even under her severe affliction.

The farmers hauled their wheat to Milwaukee to market, and the small amount paid them for their grain very often brought them back in debt, unless they were fortunate in bringing back merchandise or immigrants.

Deer were plenty, and seen in droves of from 25 to 100. But the Indians at one time went out on a biff hunt, and drove the deer toward Fourth Lake, in the town of Westport, and killed over 500, which, together with the continued shooting of them by the early settlers, has made their appearance scarce. Mr. II. P. Hall, for a number of years, kept a small deer park; but, four years ago, during a storm, his fence was blown down, and seven of the deer escaped, and are supposed to have bred in the woods, as three or four have been shot in the neighborhood.

On the elevated prairie land owned by G. J. Margerum and S. A. Cummings, there -was at one time a remarkably good race course. From this position a magnificent view is obtained of Madison and the sur- rounding country. The sporting men from Madison, as well as others in and out of the state, would gather at this course in large numbers, and witness many good horses try their speed and excellence in in equestrian display, even to rivalling Hiram Woodruff. When Kittie Miles, from Canada, ran a race here, she broke from the course and ran a distance of two miles, to the barn of Adam Smith, and gave the race to her competitor, " Little Flea," from Long Island, New York. The celebrated trotter, Tobby was trained on this course.

S. L. Sheldon, the well known agricultural machine dealer, settled here about 1854, on sections 32 and 33. He owned 150 acres - TO on section 32 and 80 on 33. There were only seventeen acres under the plow, forty heavy timber, while the balance had been at one time timbered like the forty, but was then thickly covered with an underbrush of from ten to twenty feet high. He afterwards added enough land to make his farm 540 acres, and set out an orchard of over one thousand trees, put out about two miles of shade trees, and built about the same amount of fencing that year. The farm originally belonged to an early jnoneer by the name of West, and who, as a type of all of that class of persons, was unable to bear the inroads of civilization, so, as his name indicates, he sold his farm and went West.

Mr. S. taught school in the old log school house on his farm, which was one of the first district schools, but in 1855, having sold that part of it to Alex. Lisk, in the winter he taught in his own log cabin, where he kept "bach," superintended the work of three hired men, did the housework, and sawed and split fire wood in the evening. He built the barn now owned by Samuel Drakely, on the southeast side of the road. In 1857, he started the selling of agricultural machinery, being the third person in the business in this county. The first was P. L. Carman (of the firm of Gray and Carman), and the second James H. Hill, (of the firm of Davis and Hill), now engaged in the drug business on King street, Madison. His business, from this small beginning, has kept steadily increasing until he is now the largest individual dealer in agricultural machinery in the United States. From this increase, he was obliged to sell out his farm and confine himself entirely to business in the city and elsewhere, so that in 1 864 P. L. Carman and T. S. Phillip bought each a part of the 540 acres. He expended about $10,000 in improvements and sold for $14,000, leaving 250 acres under the plow. A small portion of that farm was afterwards sold by P. L. Carman for $450 an acre, without any buildings on it.

The first reaper trial in this section occurred on the farm of II. P. Hall, and between Mr. Porter, the representative of the McCormick, and S. L. Sheldon, of Seymour and Morgan, which last was the successful machine.

An incident connected with the above trial is recorded in regard to one of the agents who was exhibiting the McCormick machine. He, at one time, had been engaged in business in the east, but suddenly disappeared from his accustomed quarters, and. was never heard of again. As the trial went on, Mr. Hall's father, who was visiting at that time, came out of the house to witness its progress. As he approached one of the agents, the old gentleman was seen to be particularly scrutinizing of the personal appearance of the man, and finally burst out with the

When did you come out here?" No two men ever looked at each other with greater astonishment than they did, the one an extensive creditor of the absenting defaulter, and the other the veritable debit. It is needless to add that he also went west; at least he was mysteriously absent a second time.

An illustration of a conscientious regard for the true meaning and intent of law is related of Mr. Sheldon. In 1857, he was elected assessor, and fulfilled the requirements of the office to the satisfaction of all concerned, and was again elected to fill the office. During this same year the legislature changed the old law so as to require the assessor to put in the land at its real value. He sacredly performed his duty, and the result showed a larger increase of taxes and a very large amount of dissatisfaction among the tax payers, and, though a very popular man in the town, the feeling against him for the proper discharge of his duty was such, that he could not have obtained a reelection to office at any price or under any consideration.

Dane Cockty Towns Bueke

was a resident of it, displaying the same zeal and energy which he has in his business calling, and, in his new home, is the leading incentive to all modern improvements in agricultural machinery.

P. L. Carman came to Wisconsin in 1847. He first located in Columbia county, while we were under the territorial form of government. In 1853 he removed to Madison, where, as dealer in grain and coal, and agricultural implements, he was known for many years, but for more than twenty years, and up to 1874, he was best known in Wisconsin and Minnesota as agent for the "Buffalo Pitts" Thresher. In August, 1864, he purchased that portion of the Sheldon farm, in the town of Burke, on sections 32 and 33, which lay on the west side of the Sun Prairie road, containing about 260 acres. In the same month he divided the land and sold to Wm. F. Fitch about 120 acres, comprising all the buildings and improvements, reserving the remaining 140 acres for a residence. He moved into the Sheldon house at once, and thus became a resident of the town of Burke, and commenced improving his place by breaking ground for a new dwelling on the first day of September, having bought, resold and made building contracts, all between the 16th of August and the 1st of September, 1874. A large and substantial brick dwelling house Avas completed and occupied by himself and family on the 10th day of December the same fall. The site selected for improvements, adjoined the Grover farm, and was covered with a thick growth of timber and underbrush. The buildings were located with great care, and the grounds laid out with a view of making a beautiful wooded lawn. By having the grounds laid out and plotted, and by working according to a settled plan, together with the expenditure of not a little persevering industry, he succeeded in making one of the pleasantest and most beautiful homes on the street. The one main feature of the place was the cool green lawn, containing some six or eight acres, surrounding the buildings shaded by its native trees, and added evergreens and shrubbery, and well-kept drives.

J. C. McKenney wTas the assistant United States Attorney at the time of the breaking up of the whisky ring, and successfully prosecuted that portion of the rino- which was tried in Madison. As the result of his success in the prosecution of these cases in Madison, he was employed by the government as a special attorney to conduct the prosecution of the cases of the same nature in Milwaukee. After the close of this engagement, he opened an office in Milwaukee, for the general practice of law, where he is still engaged. His family lives upon the farm, which he still occupies as his home.

Fitch, stepson of the Hon. Judge Hood, was occupied by him early in the spring of 1865, and extensive improvements commenced on the buildings and farm under the immediate supervision of 1ST. B. Van Slyke, Esq. It was occupied as a home by Judge Hood and family (together with that of Mr. Fitch), for a number of years, until Judge Hood became a permanent resident in Washington. Mr. Fitch is now connected in an official capacity with the Chicago & North western Railway.

Mr. H. N. Moulton has recently purchased the old Isaac Smith farm, on section 33, and has added considerable to the general appearance of the place, both internally and externally. Its proximity to the highway makes it very observable, as also the addition of a neat bay window, that during the winter Mrs. Moulton had tastefully filled with house plants, whose blossoms in the cold, bleak months of winter, have gladdened both the eye and the heart, and made it a green spot in the memory of every passer-by. Mr. Moulton is engaged in business in the city, and drives to and from every morning and evening.

"Where John Brigham lives, on section 32, there was at one time a good hotel. It was built and kept for a number of years by Eleazer G-rover, and was a well-known -resort for travelers. Bennet Britton also owned and kept a hotel on the farm at present owned by Gen. Harnden, which was also a desirable resort in old times. It now stands a little further back than it did formerly. Gen. Henry Harnden is perhaps not usually known to have been the person who captured Jefferson Davis, when he appeared in his unmanly suit toward the close of the late rebellion. He was colonel of the First Wisconsin cavalry that pursued and overtook Davis, near Irwinville, Georgia. The facts of that remarkable capture are still fresh in the memory of our citizens, but the indefatigable endurance of the general and his brave men will never be fully known even from the lips of those who were participants in the long night and day rides which finally resulted in the capture of Davis. When taken prisoner, he expressed a great deal of contempt for the United States government, who were employing their troops, he said, to harass women and children, and pacing backward and forward in front of Gen. Harnden and his command, tried to assume an arrogance of speech which was significant of an effort to impress persons with an idea of his importance, and also that he was not receiving the respect due to him, being simply acknowledged as Mr. Davis. A lady of the partjf, said to be Mrs. Davis, sallied forth from one of the tents, and in an imploring and disturbed manner, expressed herself in the hearing of the soldiers that they must be careful not to irritate the president, as some of them might get hurt.

Gen. Harnden bought this farm of Maj. Meredith, about four years ago, since, which, he has greatly improved it by rebuilding the fences, sinking a new well, putting up a wind mill, and building a tenement house. The farm is at present under a very high

Maj. Meredith bought 80 acres of this farm from Capt. Albert Pierson, in 1S66, and, after tearing down the old Britton barn, he built a large new one, and afterwards added 120 acres more, which he bought of Mrs. Carpenter, the widow of the fo inner owner, who lived in Ohio. He conducted a general farming business, but being Superintendent of Public Property under Governors Fairchild and Washburne, did not give the attention to the farm that he otherwise would. The Major was among the first volunteers in the Second Regiment, and was First Lieutenant in Company H. He was wounded at the battle of Bui] Run of July 21, 1861, by which he lost the use of his arm. He was commissariat of General Pope's command.

" Cincinnati Heights," formerly known as " Rock Terrace," is the residence of J. M. Dickson, a retired capitalist, who has 300 acres under cultivation. He gave it the present name in honor of his former place of residence, Cincinnati. Nature has made it a lovely spot, and from here you have a grand view of Madison, with the Lakes on each side. In the distance is the far-famed Blue Mounds, where memory recalls the place where the first settler lived, Ebenezer Brigham, who in those pioneer days, when he dug for lead, was obliged to carry it on his back to Mineral Point, twenty miles distant, and return with his supplies in the same manner. The surroundings of

The first proprietors of the " Heights," were John Tweed and J. Y. Bobbins, but shortly afterwards Robbins bought out Tweed, and became sole owner. He took a great interest in the raising of stock of the very best; buying only premium cattle wherever he had an opportunity, and keeping nothing but the best swine, cows, and horses. He was the occasion of of the great impetus given to the surrounding country in the raising of pure stock. An extensive nursery was also carried on by him, under the able superintendence of the late L. P. Chandler, who was for many years foreman with the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder.

An idea may be given of the extensiveness of Mr. Robbins' farm, when it is stated that the Hons. J. J. Crittenden and Thomas P. Marshall of Kentucky (when in Madison during one of the political campaigns) were the guests of Mr. Robbins, and on being escorted by the Governor's Guards out to his residence, he received them with a greater number of his employes than the whole military company, besides the display of flags and emblems were larger than had been made at Madison.

Being a great admirer of the late Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, he made a cheese that weighed 1,620 pounds, that was exhibited at our State Fair in 1860, but which he intended presenting to Douglas the same year, if he became the successful candidate for president of the United States. He did not get elected, so the cheese was reluctantly cut up and distributed among a number of Mr. Bobbins friends, who pronounced it a first class article. To make the cheese Mr. Robbins had his teams scattered over the town solicting milk from the other farmers, whose contributions he paid for.

The farm now "owned by H. P. Hall, on sections 20, 21,28 and 33, embraces, with other purchases, the farm once owned by Vm. F. Porter, Esq., who put up many of the buildings. Mr. Hall has since made extensive improvements, adding greatly to the number and extent of the buildings. He has a large dairy and furnishes milk to the citizens of Madison. The farm is known as the " Orchard Farm " for the reason that there were once 2,600 apple and fruit trees on the land. There are now about 1,600 apple trees of hardy varieties in thriving condition, many of the tender varieties of apples, pears, plum and cherry trees having proved too tender for this climate. This is perhaps the largest orchard farm in the county.

This farm embraces some 66S acres of fine land, well proportioned for profit and convenience, abundantly supplied with wood and water, and has most likely, the finest and most complete set of farm buildings in this section of the country. There are five dwellinghouses, five large barns with stables, ice house, observatory, etc. The basement used for cows is of solid masonry, 60 by 120 feet. Water is conducted from tanks to parts of the buildings and adjacent fields, with a constant supply for over 200 head of stock. In the summer of 1858 Mr. II. made some seven miles of ditch, the main one being 8 feet wide, 4 feet deep and 3-§- miles in length, to improve a large meadow which was unprofitable, the neighbors expressing their pity for the waste of money, and folly of the Yankee farmer. It may be interesting to know that that portion of the farm, some 340 acres, has become firm land, bearing heavy grass, and for years been adapted to the use of machinery and suitable for driving upon with horse and carriage at all seasons of the year. The drainage has been followed up where needed, till within a few years, and is now complete. The main house stands off the road with a beautiful lawn of two acres in front, surrounded in part by a magnificent circle of evergreens, which are some thirty to forty feet high, and form a shaded driveway, which for magnificence is hard to excel, even in older or wealthier portions of our country. The views from parts of the farm are extensive and charming, embracing views of Madison, the lakes, asylum and Blue Mounds. This farm was entered for premium farm in 1S60, and though then in a crude condition, the committee of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, made the following mention: this entire farm was in a state of nature. We find the buildings all in excellent condition, comprising every convenience of an old New England farm that has been improved a hundred years He depends upon no one tiling' to make his farm profitable, but is developing each branch of agriculture with zeal, system and apparent success. His horses are good, substantial animals, without running specially to fancy; his cattle are all good, and means are being used for their improvement, .... and everything is kept in a manner that indicates good skill and economy in his operations He

As hioji as 13J- bushels of wheat have been raised on an acre of land, and 138 bushels of corn, under most favorable seasons and circumstances. Mr. Hall being one of the executive committee for a number of years afterwards, was of course precluded from making a contest for a premium a second time.

The amount of capital invested in this farm is an exhibit, not only of the great confidence and faith which Mr. Hall has had in the rich and prolific bearing of the soil, but of that stability of aim which has had the power and the will to make even the sterile lands subservient to his purposes. There has been expended in the way of improvements over $70,000, an amount that would (in proportion to what is deemed certain investments in commercial circles) startle and amaze many. The tact of managing his farm and hired help is Avell worth imitation by all who find that their bane is poor help. He is particular in his first agreement with his hands, so that no misunderstanding may occur by which either party may be disappointed in their expectations; and then he is also in sympathy with them because of a rule he has of not asking too much, knowing that human endurance has a limit both physically and morally. He requires no extra labor, however trivial, that is not compensated by its equivalent in pay. There are over thirty souls that live and are dependent on the labors of this farm.

When the bustle and hurry of spring, summer and fall work have somewhat relieved the constant friction of their bearing on the hired help, Mr. Hall gives them a social entertainment, in which they have music, together with a choice selection of the creature comforts. On one occasion the Madison brass band resolved to compliment Mr. H. and family by a serenade, and engaged an express wagon to carry them out to his house. After discoursing some of their sweet strains, the hospitalities of the house were kindly proffered them. The teamster having delivered his charge, tied his horses in a convenient place, and prepared for a night's frolic. As the hours moved on, the horses became restive and finally broke loose and ran away. "When informed by some one of the fact, the driver, who was of Teutonic origin, came rushing out in an excited state, addressed every one he met with the exclamation: " "Who tie mv horse loose ! Who tie my horse loose f " The horees were afterwards found tied loose, about two miles distant on the Token Creek road.

Mr. Geo. J. Margerum, lately of Youngstown, Ohio, has bought the farm, on section 22, formerly owned by II. P. Hall, and now known as " Fairview Farm," and has made some very extensive changes there.

The improvements are of a superior character and he seems to take advantage of his opportunities, as may be seen by the neat and useful observatory he has constructed; in putting his windmill to a double purpose. The frame is boxed in with wood, and neatly painted, while inside a stair is built with convenient platforms at each alternate angle, which leads to the top, and from which a commanding and pleassing view is obtained of the rich and beautiful fields, all over the country; the churches of Sun Prairie, the Blue Mounds in the distance, towns of Westport, Springfield, Dane, Vienna, "Windsor, are all set out before the eye in panoramic beauty, while Madison, with its surroundings, lies in queenly grandeur in the sunlight of her magnificient lakes. Mr. Margerum intends adding still further to the conveniences of the tower inside and out. He has made some purchases of choice horses, cattie and sheep, and purposes engaging in the raising of stock, having prepared his large barn $nd other buildings for that object.

Mr. Robert Ogilvie, the present owner of the '76 farm on section - , is engaged in raising pure breed Clydesdale horses. His farm is still kept under good cultivation, although he is much occupied with his business in the city of Madison. He has concentrated a great deal of attention in the raising of pure stock, but more especially horses. That our readers may have some conception of the character of these horses, we herewith submit a description of them, showing their breeding and pedigree:

"Marquis of Lorne," two years old, and will now weigh over 1,600 pounds, and from the time he was a foal by his mother's side up to the present, he has never failed to carry away the first honors in any ring wherever shown, at the many state and comity fairs he has attended.

"Robbie Burns " is a powerful brown horse seven years old, stands 1G}4 hands high and weighs over 2,000 pounds, on remarkable good legs, great bone and .substance, combined with superior action and good temper. He is pronounced the most perfect model of a Clydesdale horse in Scotland or America, lie was bred by Mr. Wilson Brittlebog, Kilburnie (Scotland) and sired by Rabbie Burns, the property of Mr. Clark, Manswraes, Kdburchan. His dam was also one of the successful mares that carried off the prizes at several of the local fairs in her district. Robbie Burns was first exhibited at the great horse show in Milwaukee, and took second in his class and second in sweepstakes, being beaten in both only by the farfamed "Donald 01111116.' ' He took first prizes hi Quincy, 111., and first at the great horse fair hi St. Louis, which has ever been regarded as the largest and most prominent agricultural fair held on this continent.

" Duke of Buocleuch," one year old, a worthy Son of the famous Donald Dimiie. who won the international medal at the Centennial Exhibition hi Philadelphia last year.

" Princess," a pure bred hn ported Clylepdale mare, six years old, weighing over 1,900 pounds, and has been a first prize winner at every fair where she has been shown since her importation to this country.

"Gypsy Queen," five years old; another pure bred, imported Clydesdale mare, who took first in her class two years ago at the great horse show at St. Louis,

In addition to the above, Mr. Ogilvie has many other valuable horses, which undoubtedly place his entire stock superior to any other in this state. There are other specialities here, apart from his horses; in the way of good hogs and cattle. The hogs are particularly good, being first prize and sweepstakes winners at our state and county fairs; they are the justly famous Berkshire breed, now so popular among the first feeders and breeders of the present day. The cattle are pure bred and graded short horns, and like everything else on the farm, are not to be surpassed anywhere.

There is a spring on the farm that is known as the head of the " Clyde Creek " which flows in a southwesterly direction, through the town of Blooming Grove into Third lake. Philo Dunning for some years had a saw mill on the stream, at a place which was known by some as "Millwood."