Madison City (part 16 of 20)

Mr. Henry G ilman owns a fine large farm of 400 acres, on section 22, known as " Hill Side " farm. It was at one time owned by J. V. Robbing, who put a very extensive and expensive lot of buildings on it, and called them the "farm-house," but which were accidentally destroyed by fire, when owned by Dexter Curtis. The thorough and extensive improvements which Mr. Gilman has made, rank with the leading farms in town. He has rebuilt a portion of the barns, refitted the elegant white brick house, situated a few rods from the road, beautifully surrounded with evergreens, and is devoting himself entirely to the raising of stock. He is at present engaged in erecting a barn on the old site of the famous Robbins barn, which was the most complete building for that purpose in the state. The new barn will measure fifty by one hundred feet, and is intended as a rival to its predecessor. The well arranged conveniences which surround his farm are not surpassed by any other in the county, and he is making it his object to spare neither labor nor money in making it a model farm in every particular. There are two cisterns, one of which holds 1,500 and the other 1 ,000 barrels of water, that are in themselves sufficient to house both flocks and herds. He has a convenient platform scale in front of his farm, for the use of himself and neighbors, in weighing hay and cattle. His wells are thirty feet deep in the soil, and then drilled through rock the same distance. While the workmen were engaged drilling, they struck a vein of water that precipitated the drill eighteen inches down, and an endless flow of water at any season and under all circumstances was the result.

Mr. Gilman is a son of Gen. John C. Gilman-, of Water town, one of the oldest pioneer settlers of the state. He and Tim. Johnson were the first to settle in Watertown, having come in the winter of 1836. In the spring of 1817 he was engaged to locate the school lands in the Mineral Point district, and employed John Douglas as surveyor, to assist him. On the discovery of gold in California, the General immigrated there, and remaining a few years returned home, then started for Pike's Peak, and afterwards to Montana, where he died in 1869. Soon after the selection of the land for school purposes, and immediately at the conclusion of the Mexican war, he, in consequence of his acquaintance with the land, located a large number of pieces for those who held land warrants, and at the same time located three quarter sections for himself, in the town of Vienna, which he afterwards bought and sold to his son Henry, who broke up the land and farmed it for some years, but selling out, went into the mercantile business in the village of Sun Prairie, his chief object being to secure better opportunities for educating his children. Having a good chance to dispose of this business, he sold and bought his present location, the Robbins farm. He has again entered business in Sun Prairie, being a partner in the firm of Gilman, Moak and Weigan.

Near the back of his house there is a knoll that is said to be the highest point of land in the town, and which Mr. Robbins, when he owned the farm, was undecided whether to build there or on " Cincinnati Heights." The view from here is equally intensifying in grandeur to that of the others, and with surrounding fields spread round the knoll, is suggestive of the times when chiefs assembled their followers around some such eminence for the purpose of harranguing them. A host could be gathered round this spot, and their leader's every gesture and word seen and heard with distinctness. On the opposite side of the highway, there is a portion of land that looks like a twin sister to this knoll, and may at one time have been part of it. It is on Mr. Margerum's farm, and has been opened and excellent stone obtained for building purposes.

Doctor Wightman and Mr. Damon were the first owners of the farm now owned by La Fayette Stow, on section 23. Mr. Stow has moved the double house

On the road between sections 21 and 22, there is a hill known as " Norwegian Hill " (named so because a number of citizens of that nationality reside near there). It has lately been graded and greatly improved. On the top of this hill, N. B. Yan Slyke, Esq., has a fine farm with a good view of the city in the distance.

Ensign hill, on section 10, is well known as one of the places where a good view of the county can be obtained. It is called Ensign hill, because a gentleman of that name owned the farm on this section. It is noted for its cold exposure in winter, so that a common expression among the neighbors is to say, "as cold as Ensign hill."

Some of the early settlers are, Mr. Dailey, on section 33, Gardner Cotrell on 23, A. D. Goodrich on 9, F. II. Talcott On 15, James Sullivan and H. D. Goodenow on 34, C. M. Nichols and George Nichols on 36, Thomas Itathbim on 11, Thomas Sandon and J. P. AV. Hill on 5, Martin Lewis on 1, S. W. Thompson on 12, Torkel Gulekson and Guilder Olson on 24.

The farm of Sidney II. Hall comprises one hundred and sixty acres of prairie and opening. It is pleasantly situated, and affords a fine view of Madison and the lakes. Brought under cultivatian in 1857, it was originally a grain farm, but at present is devoted to market gardening, and is also the home of a herd of Alderney cattle. An orchard of 500 trees and a well 130 feet deep are the principal attractions of the place. From the bottom of this well may always be heard the rippling of an unseen spring. One of the earliest windmills in the country was set up over this well.

The farm of Adam Smith comprises 520 acres, on sections 13 and 14, and is beautifully situated. It is part prairie, oak openings and meadow lands, and the house is acknowledged to be the most complete in the county. He came west in 1837, and was one of those who worked on the capitol, and afterward purchased the interest of Pineo, the " shingle weaver,'' and made shingles for the capitol contractors. He kept tavern on his present farm for twenty-eight years, and was the first that staked out the road between Token Creek road and Sun Prairie. He also assisted in layingout the one between Cottage Grove and the Creek. "When he kept tavern, his house was much fretpuented, and many social gatherings were held there that recall pleasant recollections among many early settlers.

As justice of the peace, he sometimes made the law subservient to the circumstances of the case. A thief was once caused to pay the penalty of his crime by walking through the slush roads back to the place he committed the depredation, and after suitable apology and a reprimand, was set at liberty; while on another occasion, he threatened to chastise two clients that would not, at his suggestion, come to an amicable settlement. Many and singular samples of humanity put up at his tavern, and if unable to pay, a candid acknowledgment of the fact was sufficient for him, but it sometimes happened that an impostor would try to take advantage of the landlord's generous hospitality. A man of considerable physical power once took breakfast there, and refused to pay because he had no money. Mr. Smith seemed to doubt him, when the fellow, seemingly conscious of his physical superiority, boldly walked off. He was pursued by Mr. Smith, and after a desperate struggle brought back, when $300 in gold was found tied securely round his waist. He was made to pay for his breakfast, and also, as Mr. Smith called it, the legal expenses of bringing him back.

Mr. Smith was considered a dead shot with the rifle. The elk horns that were exhibited for so many years at Kodermund's brewery were supposed to be the results of his rifle.

The grist mill on section 5 was commenced in 1849 by David C. Butterfield, a peculiar and eccentric man, that in early times did some trading with the Indians. He did not complete the mill, but Rasdall and Loomis bought and finished it, and it is still in operation and a great convenience to the surrounding country. Rasdall was an old pioneer settler and Indian trader, and was one of the spy scouts in the Black Hawk war. He was accidentally killed by getting into the gearing of the mill.

Douglas and Parfey built and owned the grist mill in the south part of Windsor, at Token Creek, and soon after Mr. Douglas became sole proprietor. It was badly constructed at first, so that new wheels and gearing had to be put in and the dam thoroughly repaired, making it an expensive investment to the then owner. He now has a half interest it.

At Token Creek, in Windsor, near the line, there is a number of springs which are now being successfully used by Ellis Lawrence as a fish hatchery. He has made two ponds, and has about fifteen hundred trout in them. It promises to be an excellent spot for the purpose he is now engaged in developing.

David Grafton, a veterinary surgeon, who lives on section 3, has a far-famed reputation for his professional skill in the treatment of the diseases of all kinds of Cattle and horses, the latter more especially, and is much sought after amono; those needing his attention. He is a man of remarkably generous impulses, and for which he is even more highly esteemed than he is professionally. "Uncle David," as he is familiarly and affectionately called, has a heart too large to be measured by the world's narrow guage. No neighbor ever feels the sharp shaft of sorrow, that does not find in him a soothing and helpful friend in need; and no wayfarer ever passes his house whose wants are not bountifully supplied, and he set on his way rejoicing. He is a man of upwards of seventy years, but yet is so hale and hearty, that he bids fair to outlive many of his juniors. It will be a dark day

The first and only church is on section 15, with a cemetery attached. It belongs to the Norwegian Lutherans. There is a Grange Hall on section 23, and nine public school houses and eleven school districts, including joint districts. The track of Madison and Portage Hailroad passes through the western part of the town, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul on the southeast, and the Northwestern, the southwest corner.

That part of the road leading out to the Insane Asylum, from Madison, passes over a part of the western line of the town, and is familiarly known as Sugar Bush grove, from the number of maple trees growing there. It is the leading road to the Asylum, and also to several of the towns north of Burke.

The town is near the city of Madison, and one of the principal thoroughfares from the city is a leading artery through the town of Burke to several of the towns in the county, and is known as the "Sun Prairie road." It is directly in a line with the State capital in a northeastern direction. It was at one time part of the old military road to Green Bay. That portion of the road lying nearest the city was for years a source of trouble to the citizens, in consequence of the marshy character of the ground leading over the creek, and impassible in spring or wet weather. Mr.

II. P. Hall agreed with a number of the citizens to fill up the marsh provided they would contribute toward the expense. The work was clone, and is now one of the best parts of the road.

Mr. S. A. Cummings is recently from Massachussets, and has bought what is known as the "Floral Hill" farm, and is engaged in general farming.

C. G. Lewis, son of Martin Lewis, and brother of H. M. Lewis, attorney, Madison, has a fine farm on section one. The road here is beautifully situated for a drive, and those having fast horses often use the street as a place to try their speed. The old gentleman is about eighty years of age, and drives the cows to the pasture like a youngster.

Judge L. B. Yilas owns nearly all of section 36, on which there are some springs that have mineral properties of a medicinal character in them.

The soil is good for grain and stock raising, while water is both good and plenty. Some of the best farms, best buildings and modern improvements are to be found in this town, and with its location and numerous advantages will be ranked among the best in the state. The people are of an enterprising, steady character, made up of several nationalities, and noted for a development of a thorough knowledge of agricultural pursuits in all its bearings.

Tins town is the third from the north and south, in the eastern tier of towns in the county, occupying the whole of township No. 7, range No. 12 east, and was set off from Cottage Grove, which bounds it on the west; and organized as a separate town in 1849. The first town meeting was held April 3, the same year, at the house of D. R. Hyer, and thirty-five votes were polled, and the following officers were elected: Allan E. Adsit, chairman; Emery Sampson and George R. Fryer, supervisors; II. L. Foster, town clerk; Benjamin Potter, treasurer; and Martin W. Adsit, assessor.

Previous to, and during the early settlement, deer were very plenty, and when the sleighing was good, it was a favorite method to hunt with teams, and generally with good success, and so it was suggested that the town should be called Deerfield.

The first house put up in this town was on section 18, on the road from Madison to Milwaukee, by Philip Kearney. The work on the house was done by Judge N. F. Hyer and others. It was intended for a half-way house between Madison and Aztalan, and is said to have been occupied only a short time; but by whom, we have been unable to ascertain. The house was built in the summer of 1839, soon after those long corduroy bridges were finished across the marshes, in the eastern part of the town. The lumber for this house was drawn from Lake Mills, by B. Ingraham, who afterwards settled in the town ; but not having a permanent occupant, it was in a short time ruined, and carried off piecemeal.

Judge Hyer, one of the oldest settlers, has courteously furnished the following exceedingly interesting letter, which we quote in full, and wish he had given us a still further resume of his early Wisconsin history. He resided in Wisconsin from 1836 until 1849, when he left for the South, on account of ill health, residing most of the time in New Orleans. He still continues to cherish a deep interest in everything that relates to the settlement of Wisconsin, both past and present. He writes:

In the fall of 1837, Capt. Stansbury, with Lieuts. J. D. Webster and Charles Hagner, of the U. S. Engineer Department, came to Milwaukee for the purpose of expending an appropriation by the government in making a road from Milwaukee to Madison, on the most direct and practicable route. They being unacquainted with the country, Capt. Stansbury sent for me, then residing at Aztalan, to come and pilot them through, which I did. On arriving at Aztalan and finding comfortable accommodations at the house of Thomas Brayton, Esq., who had recently arrived, and discovering it to be very impracticable to ride through on the route to Madison, on account of the impassable marshes, I was employed to make the survey through, which I did, but not without some suffering,' as there was some nine miles of the way so surrounded with marsh that it was impossible to get on with team or pack horse, so we had to take on our backs the tent, camp equipage, provisions, etc. The day was cold, and we had to wade streams and marshes, and, before reaching the point selected for camping, my pantaloons became frozen to my boots, my boots to my stockings, and stockings to my feet, and my feet, as a matter of course, became somewhat cold, but the sensation was rather that of pain than cold. We soon had a rousing fire; I cut the boots from my feet, and spent most of the night in making moccasins for use the next day. My assistants did not appear to suffer so much. We soon found ourselves tolerably comfortable, and, after partaking of a hearty meal, hastily cooked, began to feel quite well again, and turned in for the night, but soon the sensation of thirst came upon us, when we realized the fact that we had not with us a pad or bucket to get water from the stream (Koshkonong creek) which was near by. One offered to go and get the water, if he had anything to bring it in; another offered his boots for buckets; this being the best we could do under the circumstances, was adopted, and we were thus enabled to quench our thirst. The next day we succeeded in readiing Madison.

The next season, in October, 1839, Philip Kearney, a gentleman residing in the city of New York, father of Gen. Phil. Kearney, of the U. S. army, who was killed in the rebellion, sent his nephew P. J. Kearney with an introductory letter requesting me to assist hi Locating some land in Wisconsin. I started with him for Madison, on his way to Mineral Point, where the Land Office was then kept. Our new road not being then opened, we went by way of Sun Prairie, where lived three brothers, by the name of Lawrence, in a small cabin, who entertained travelers as well as they could; there we arrived about one o'clock, tired and hungry; we wanted our horses fed and dinner for ourselves. We succeeded hi getting feed for our horses, but for ourselves they had nothing but one wild goose; nothing to cook him with, and nothing to eat with him when cooked. Mr. K. wanted him roasted; so a fire was made, and the goose strung up for roasting. Those who have not watched the slow roasting of a turkey or goose, when very hungry, cannot realize our condition while watching and waiting for that goose. Mr. K. at length becoming impatient, asked me if 1 woidd not select a place on our new road about half way between Aztalan and Madison and have a double log house built where travelers could be accommodated. I told him I would, and did; and that is the way the first house in Deerfield was built. Mr. Philip Kearney paid for the land and the house.

The bridges or causeways mentioned above were built for the purpose of facilitating the travel across the marshes by the several stages, whose route lay through the town, and was done by the filling up of the marsh with every kind of brush and waste material found near by, and then large logs felled and laid across. In the wet season it frequently happened that the stages would drive over these causeways, with the water nearly up to the wheel hubs. The changes incident to the cultivation of the soil have materially affected these roads for the better, and they are now dry and substantial.

The first settlers in this town were Norwegians, and and the first Nels Siverson. He settled on section 35, and built a cabin in the spring of 1840. Tie is still living, but resides in Minnesota. In 1842, his brother Ole Siverson, settled on section 33, where he still continues to live. Lars Davidson settled on section 28, the same year, and is still in the town. In June, 1843, Colben Olson and his brother, Stork Olson, settled on section 30, and still continues to reside there; and about the same time, B. Ingraham and David T£. Hyer, the first two Americans in the town, located together on section 9, where the village of Deerfield now is, built a tavern, which they conducted for some years, and then dissolved partnership, Mr. Hyer becoming the proprietor. For a number of years, it was the relay house for the old Milwaukee, Janesville,

Columbus and Madison four-horse stage, where fresh horses were exchanged going or returning, until the Chicago, Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad supplied their more expeditious route. The supplies for the stages were bought and kept here, the oats and hay being obtained from the surrounding farmers, and purchased by Mr. Iiyer. Many a jolly load of passengers stopped at Ilyer's for refreshments, and during the session of the legislature extra coaches had sometimes to be sent out, which made lively times for the tavern keepers. Mr. Hyer was the first postmaster in the town, and held the office as long as he lived here. He now resides in the town of Springfield, and has furnished us the following facts, which we feel certain are but as a drop, compared with the numerous incidents which he must have witnessed and known when he was mine host of the Relay tavern :

About the 1st of August, 1842, I commenced with a force of ten men to build a log house on Sec. 9, T. 7, R. 12 E. (now Deerfield), for the purpose of keeping a tavern for the accommodation of travelers, who were daily increasing in numbers, and within three weeks completed a substantial building, with six rooms. One night, during our stay, we were much annoyed by wolves, who had caught a deer and devoured it within a few rods from our encampment, small remains of which were found scattered about in the morning. At another time, they made an attack on our cattle, that were feeding near by, and caused a great commotion among them ; they bellowed and ran together, the same as they do when they smell the blood of any of their number slain. None were killed, but many of them showed the marks of the teeth and claws of the wolves.

Soon after completing my log house I removed therein, and was appointed postmaster, and the place was duly christened "Deerfield." I built my stables for the accommodation of forty or more horses, and made additions to my house as occasion required, until the ground floor covered a space of 44 by 74 feet, and could conveniently accommodate forty or more persons with lodging-; and a dancing hall 32 by 25 ieet, where parties, often from a distance of twenty-five miles, came for recreation.

In addition to the mail route from Milwaukee to Madison, a new route was soon established from Janesville to Columbus, with twohorse coaches, via Deerfield. The staging on the Milwaukee and Madison hue increased to two daily post coaches, and often two or three extras, and the demand for oats to feed teams, purchased and furnished by me, amounted to from 5,000 to 7,000 bushels annually for five years. The oats were all raised witliin a radius of ten miles of my house. This much was accomplished about fifteen years from the first survey through the wilderness.

The settlers spoken of were only the beginning of more extensive immigration. Lars Torgerson settled here in 1842, and still remains. Charles and Martin Adsits settled in 1845, while Allan E. Adsits and family came in 1846. For four or five years after the first settlement, the town increased in population very rapidly, and has continued to do so up to the present. In 1875, when the census was taken, the population in the town was 906, the largest proportion of which were of foreign birth, such as Norwegians, Germans and Irish.

The only streams of any importance are Koshkonong and Mud creeks. The first named enters the town on section 19, and flows easterly into the large expanse of water known as Krogh's Mill Pond, which covers a portion of sections 13, 14, 15, 22, 23 and 24, leaving the town on the last section. The pond has been the source of litigation between the mill-owner and the property owners on the edge of the pond, in consequence of the large amount of land submerged. The current is very slow on this stream, so that it gives no water-] lower in the town, though over the line in Jefferson county there is a mill privilege. Mud Creek enters on section 34, and empties into the pond on section 27.

The surface of this town is gently undulating. A portion of Liberty Prairie, lying within the southwestern part, is included within its boundaries. The southeastern part of the town is prairie and openings, the northwestern part, bare openings; and the northeast part, heavy timber, with more or less marsh. This timber land was entered by the early settlers in the adjoining towns for timber lots; but as it is now cut off, the land is cleared for agricultural purposes. We have, in the southwestern part, excellent stone quarries, both limestone and sandstone.

Some years ago, there was a saw-mill built on section 20, by Mr. Thompson and Mr. Knudson; but just as it was ready to run, the dam broke, and it was never repaired, as the country being extremely level, the damage caused by overflowing was very great.

Along these streams are excellent hay marshes, as good as any in the county. In the northeastern part of the town, some of the marshes will, in course of time, be valuable for the cultivation of cranberries. In this part of the town there is a large pond, which is called " Goose Pond," from the great number of these birds frequenting here. Hunters find abundance of duck also, and in the fall of the year it is very much patronized.

In educational matters, we have achieved very satisfactory results. We have five good schoolhouses, a number of joint-districts, and some private schools. There are in the town three churches, one Lutheran, Rev. J. A. Ottesen, pastor; one Evangelical Lutheran, Rev. Rasmus O. Hill, pastor; and the other, Roman Catholic, Rev. Father Maher. Each one have regular service performed by their respective pastors.

There are two postofhces in town, one in the village of Deerfield, Henry Bennett, postmaster; and the other at Nora, near the stone church, on Liberty Prairie, Andrew A. Prescott, postmaster; mail triweekly. In the village there is one store kept by Charles Mayer; two blacksmiths shops kept by H. Bennett and Mr. Seeley; and a good hotel kept by Mr. Benj. Baldwin.

For years, wheat has been the principal crop raised, but of late, our best farmers have engaged more in wrhat is called mixed farming, raising of stock, and seeding down their land. In 1876, the acreage of the different kinds of crops was as follows: Timothy and clover, 227 acres; wheat, 2,710; oats, 1,078; corn, 1,015; barley, 1,387; rye, 91; hops, 21; tobacco, 30.

The facilities for marketing our produce in this town are, on the whole, quite convenient. Marshall and Waterloo are on the north, Jefferson and Fort Atkinson on the east; S tough ton and McFarland on the south and west, so that if we have no railroads, we have the consolation that we have ready access to market. The town has no bonded indebtedness.

Cross Plains

The town of Cross Plains, or town No. 7, north of range No. 7 east, is situated just fifteen miles west of Madison. The town was first settled in 1840, by Edward, Hugh and John Campbell. They were soon followed by John W. Thomas, Berry Haney, Francis Wilson, Thomas Arland and Sylvester Bell, who settled in the northern part, and William and Samuel Showers, Itipha Warden, Sidney Morgan, Jno. II. Clark, George P. Thompson, William Howry and David B. Carden, the last gentleman still a resident of the town, in the southern part.

The organization and first town meeting was held on the 6th day of April, 1847, and Kipha Warden, Ira Campbell and Jno. H. Clark were elected supervisors; Berry Haney, clerk; William Showers, treasurer; William Howry, assessor. Four school districts were organized. Shortly afterwards schools were opened and teachers supplied.

The town received its name from two military roads - one from Galena to Fort Winnebago, and the other from Prairie du Chien to Green Bay - crossing on a plain or piece of prairie land, about the middle of the town, and hence the name " Cross Plains."

The town was a favorite hunting ground among the Indians, and was also noted as the residence of Robert Steele, a hunter and trapper, who, as the town became settled, moved away to some other place more suited for his business. In 1845, John Howry came from Virginia and settled on section 19, wThere he still continues to reside.

A great deal of suffering was endured among the early settlers, especially among those who came late in the season. Some were obliged to hunt for roots and herbs to sustain them until harvest brought them their grain, which they carried to Madison to be sold, or rather exchanged, for what was then called store goods. Their grists were taken to Pokerville, in Iowa county, about fifteen or twenty miles distant, and sometimes a great deal farther, if they were unfortunate in finding the mill undergoing repair.

The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad crosses the town on the north, and the Madison, Mineral Point, or Madison and Dodgeville stage road, crosses on the south. The population of the town is about 1,500.

The northern part of the town is laid out in three villages, of which the first is Cross Plains. It was platted by the Baer Brothers, who kept a general stock of merchandise suitable for a country store. John, one of the brothers, is still doing an excellent business. Adrian Yirnig has a grocery and saloon; Engel Uebersetzig, saloon and public hall; Joseph Marx, blacksmith; and Peter Schut, wagon maker. Near- ly opposite Jolm Baer's there is a neat Catliolic Church, built in the Gothic style, and with a parsonage attached for the use of the pastor, Rev. John Friedl, and a large building for the use of the parish and parochial school, which is taught by two of the sisters. Toward the northeast part of the village the Hon. Peter Zander, a wealthy and prosperous farmer, and our ex assemblyman, of 1876, has his farm.

The next village is Christina, platted in 1856, by P. L. Mohr, Esq., then living in Madison, who had selected this spot for a village, on account of the loveliness of scenery it presented, and gave it its present name in honor of his wife. The Indians, in early times, had their wigwams raised there, and visited it often for a number of years after the white faces had taken possession of it. The three story stone grist mill at this village was built in 1858, by Oscar Mohr and Dr. Francis Fisher, who also erected a number of dwelling houses, and carried on a farming and milling business for eight years. A. Dederich and Charles Herman kept hotel in the village in those times. Herman Zinkeisen, who afterwards perished on the illfated steamer " Schiller," carried on the first and most extensive general store and produce business in the village, which he afterwards sold out to R. Pickhardt. In 1856 the mill was sold to A. Kimball, who ran it for three years, and then sold it to Gustave Hering, who put in steam power. Besides being in the milling business, he is largely engaged in the sale of agricultural implements of every description, and adds to his extensive business both energy and thrift. Herman J. Dahmen is located on the opposite side from the mill, and has a general stock of merchandise, with a saloon attached; then there is Cross Plains postoffice and harness shop, kept and owned by F. H. Fredericks, who is doing a lucrative business, and whose handsome princely residence is a short distance from the store. Next comes Michael Strieker, hardware store and lumber yard; Edward Lampman, general merchandise store; and two thrifty blacksmiths, Charles Brendler and Chr. Koch, with Ph. Baerenklau, as wagon maker. There have recentlv been erected two new district school houses two stories high, where the higher and lower branches of education will be taught.

The next village is Foxville, platted in 1857, by Abijah Fox, one of the oldest settlers of the town, then a farmer, on whose land the depot was located. Mr. Fox bought and shipped the first bushel of wheat from that station, in his block warehouse. Joseph Yirnig and Louis Saemann each keep a saloon here, while the Brendler Hotel, owned and kept by Michael Brendler, is widely known among commercial travelers as a first class hotel, and where mine host, Michael, seeks to make his guests comfortable and at home. William Marxs keeps the blacksmith shop; and Carl Jacobi, a first class store of general merchandise.

der of the town, in the vicinity of Black Earth village, is a large rift of bare rocks, and going "south about four miles, you find yourself on a small hill in the center of the town, on the farm of John Laufenbery, an old settler and wealthy farmer; and still farther on you behold the valley of Pine Bluff, one of the richest valleys in the town, about three miles square, and a perfect picture in beauty of landscape. It is called the "Ridge."

Pine Bluff is a solid ledge of high rocks, on the top of which grow quite a number of fine pine trees, a scarcity in this part of the country, which gives the valley quite a romantic aspect, and from which it takes its name.

The Sugar river rises in the southwest corner of of the town, on section 32, and passes through sections 33, 34 and 35, in an eastern direction, into the town of Springdale, in the northeast corner. There is a branch or spring that rises on section 27 and unites on section 35. Near where it enters the town of Springdale is the Mormon Baptismal Pond. In the early history of the town several Mormons settled here, and the whole neighborhood for years were kept in a fevered excitement by the Sunday carnivals they often held George P. Thompson, T. S. Lloyd and George Harlow were some of the leaders among them. George was a son of old Isaiah Harlow, whose grave is in the beautiful burying ground on the hill that is overshadowed with the grove of trees, on Jeremiah Murphy's farm, section 31. There are several of this family buried here, as seen by the neat gray slabs or headstones that mark their last resting place. These graves are designated by some of the neighbors (but by mistake) as those of the Mormons. The only member of the family who became a Mormon was the son George, but who afterwards renounced and would have nothing to do with them. Near this same spot is the grave of Mrs. Odell, whose sudden and mysterious death filled the neighborhood with amazement.

In approaching the town of Cross Plains from the east, on the Madison and Mineral Point road, we come to the dividing ridge or ancient beach, so well defined and preserved as to be observed by every student of geology. This beach, or ancient sea shore on this road, comes within ten rods of the east line of the town of Cross Plains. On its summit there is yet to be seen an old log, behind which Ebenezer Brigham (the first white settler of Dane count}') and Zach. Taylor (ex-President of United States), slept all night.

From the highest part of this ridge, on the Mineral Point road, we have one of the finest landscapes presented to our view that can perhaps be found anywhere in our state, taking in the beautiful valley in which the head waters of Sugar river rise. This valley is surrounded on all sides by the dividing ridge and its spurs, except an opening of about forty rods on the southeast, through which Sugar river flows. There is a painting now in the land office at "Wash- ington, D. C, taken from a point on this ridge near where the Mineral Point -road descends into the valley, which is pronounced by good judges as being the finest landscape painting in that department. It was made by a celebrated English artist, and lakes in the valley with its undulating prairie, the surrounding hills, and the Blue Mounds in the distance.

Any one approaching this valley from the east during one of our beautiful summer evening sunsets, and who may have paused to view this landscape, presenting miles of the most gorgeous and grand scenery, must have been convinced, as the English artist was, that here was a view worthy to be transferred to canvas by any artist.

Politically the town is democratic. During the late rebellion, on the first call for men, it sent twentytwo, of whom Hubert Kremer died in the hospital, while most of the others served through the war. It furnished its full quota of men, so that no draft ever occurred with us.

St. Mary's Catholic Church is built on a small hill near the bluff, and attached to it, is a parsonage and the sisters' house. There is also a new district school, where John Loehrer keeps store and saloon ; William Cullen, of the Pine Bluff tavern and blacksmith shop, and well known as a veterinary surgeon. Henry Winkle is postmaster, and the mail is distributed about four times a week. [Mr. Winkle has filled the office of postmaster very acceptably for over seven years. He keeps store and has a general stock of

Mr. James Bonner lives in the first house built in the town, and known as the old stage house, and which for many years was occupied by Edward Campbell as the relay house for the stages between Madison and Mineral Point.

The Hon. Matt. M. Anderson is one of the leading1 farmers in our town, owning about 350 acres of the best land in the valley. His farm is known by the name of "Anderson's Willow Grove Stock Farm." He is largely engaged in the raising of stock, and has also a large dairy, from which he manufactures a very choice butter, and ships direct to the Philadelphia market. In 1871 he was member of Assembly for our district. James Farrell, Richard Farrell, M. Casey, Henry J. Bollig, Jacob Kalscheuer, Joseph Wallraffj Jeremiah and Ed. Murphy are some of the leading farmers and stock raisers in the southwestern part of the town.

The present town officers are: Henry J. Bollig, chairman, Jerry Murphy and Joseph Schaefer, as Suj>ermsors; Henry "Winkle, Clerk; Bernard Bollig, Treasurer; J. A. Mueller, Assessor.

By Dr. William H. Fox And William Vkoman

Fitchburg postoffice and election precinct were established and named about 1841, at the suggestion of that respected and esteemed pioneer patriarch, Ebenezer Brigham, of Blue Mounds. The precinct included the townships of land that now constitute the towns of Oregon, Fitchburg, Dunn, and, I think, Rutland; the place for holding elections and postoffice, at Win. Quivey's, half a mile south of what is now called Oak Hall, in the town of Fitchburg. There were onlyten or twelve voters in the precinct at that time, and no laid-out road except the old territorial road to Hume's Ferry and Janesville, which went by what is now ex-Governor Washburne's place, and round the head of Lake Wingra or Dead Lake, and then through Stoner's Prairie and southeast to Fitchburg postoffice, continuing southeast on the ridge dividing the waters running: to the Catfish from those of Sue-ar river. The old Daniel Baxter road, so called at that time, ran from the south part of Greeu county to Madison via- where the village of Albany on Sugar river now stands, intersecting the former a little south-east of Fitchburg postoffice, and the lead teamster's road from Mineral Point to Milwaukee intersecting it on Stoner's Prairie, east of these roads to Catfish or Yahara river, and west to Sugar river. The country was then uninhabited. An Indian trail which ran from their village, at the head of lake Kegonsa, crossed Sugar river, where the village of Bcllville now stands, and went on, I think, to Prairie du Chien. This trail crossed the territorial road a little south of Fitchburg Postoffice, and was the principal guide east to the Catfish or west to Sugar river. Towards that river the country was then all oak openings, some hilly, clear of undergrowth, so that it was easy to drive in any direction. Towards Catfish the country was more level, small prairies and oak openings clear of underbrush, the land undulating and mostly a good soil.

In the fall of 1842, Geo. Fox and I, when looking land to locate on, left the trail near where the Cemetery now stands, on the prairie north of the present village of Oregon. We switched off to the north through the woods, to see what we could find, and pretty soon the woods began to look all the same. We were lost, and as the day wore on and we drove pretty fast we began to have a regular frontier appetite. After several hours we brought up at a hunters' camp, where a great many deer and wild duck were hanging on the trees close by. The hunters were absent, but we soon made ourselves at home, and, finding a little bread in a bag, fried some venison steak, and had a delicious dinner, with a drink from the spring near at hand. That spring is the Mr. Murphy spring, dose by the road at Lake View, and only about two miles from where we left tlie trail. We got back to the prairie by following the Lake View stream on the south side, to the pass through the hills where the railroad now runs, and soon made our way to the Fitchburg Postoffice, which was also a hotel, kept by Win. Quivey, where we met the hunters, Messrs. Hume and Postle, from Hume's Ferry, on Rock river, at whose camp we dined. They invited us to call again, and all had a good laugh at our getting lost in the woods.

In the spring of 1843, Geo. Fox and myself commenced to break up and improve the lands on which we still reside. John and Geo. Keenan also commenced to improve farms close by us, and Messrs. Wm. True, Pritcharcl and Nott purchased lands to locate on. That summer, many eastern people came out here viewing lands. They liked the climate, soil and general face of the country; but thought it very far to a mill or blacksmith shop. We had no church or school, and few roads so they could not stand it. Our nearest mills were Mr. Hickcox's, in Eidgeway, Iowa county, Beloit, and Columbus, either one about forty miles distant. The nearest blacksmith shop was at Madison, a long road round the head of Lake Wingra, and and the smith not always in a working mood, so that we often had to improvise a shop to sharpen our breaking plows, by heating the share in a fire made

In the fall of 1844, Badger Mill was built by Joseph Yroman, with his brothers George and William, the first settlers of Fitchburg, and William A. Wheeler, of Verona. They gave a large party to celebrate the occasion, and the people for many miles around assembled. The Scotch settlement on Sugar river was largely represented, and Billy Ray played the Highland bagpipes, and the " Highland Fling " was danced to perfection by many a lad and lassie, who are now grandfathers and grand mothers. The mill was a great convenience to the surrounding country, until the stream dried up (it has now been dry for several years). Joseph Yroman owned the first reaping machine used in the town, about 1847. What the early settlers lacked in many of the conveniences, of life, they made up in self reliance and that kind of genial good neighborship that is usually found among the pioneers. They were hospitable, cordial, ready to do each other a good turn, and were not much troubled with those kind of cast iron conventionalities which take the heart out of social intercourse. They had few elements of discord among them; no pimps; no winners; and had not the fostering care of that self-sacrificing class of people, whose principal occupation is attending to other people's business, and repenting for other people's sins. In the summer and fall of '44-5, settlers began to come in and buy up lands pretty fast. Some were very poor and could not buy, but would claim or " squat," as we called it, on a piece of land, and the earlier settlers to a man stood up for those poor fellows to protect them in their claims, and keep new comers from buying the lands, or "jumping their claims," as it was called. The Fitchburg Mutual Protection Society was organized for that purpose; had a regular book for each claimer to come and register his claim in, and any person jumping such claim would be called to account by the society, which, in this neighborhood, always resulted in having the land restored to the first claimant. Some of our most thrifty, honest and respected citizens got their present homes in that way.

Deer were still very plenty here in fall of '44. One of our neighbors had a dog that caught a large buck by the hind leg, and by some means worried him towards the house; the woman of the house, on seeing the deer approach, sallied out with an axe and succeeded in dispatching him. Joseph Fox, now of Oregon, happening to be pass by at the time, assisted the woman in taking care of the carcass. That same fall there were a great many bears prowling about.

Mrs. Geo. Keenan was spending the day at Geo. Fox's; in the afternoon she started for home, about one and a half miles distant, carrying an infant in her arms; about half a mile from her house she met a full grown bear on the path. She would not turn out of the path into the tall prairie grass, lest she might trip and fall; neither would the bear turn out, but raised himself up for the usual mode of saluta- tion, and as they met, placed his paws over Mrs. K.'s neck. Mustering all possible strength, she held the baby tight with her left arm, with her right dealt the bear a blow on the side of the head, and springing back at the same time, got clear from him; she then took off her sun bonnet and flung it on the path, which he stopped to smell and shake in his mouth, and thus enabled her to get some distance ahead. But soon the bear caught np again and raised for a charge. Mrs. K. turned and faced him, when with an angry growl he caught her, and put one paw on the baby, causing it to cry. She struck him as before, and sprang back, pulling the baby, while the bear also pulled, tearing off its cloak, and then began shaking it in his mouth, while Mrs. K. again ran for the house, which she gained just in time to save another attack. The next morning the neighborhood turned out to hunt for the bear; did not find the old one, but found two cubs in a thicket not far from the house.

The Fitchburg election precinct was merged in the organization of the town of Rome, A. D. 1345 or 6, which included the present towns of Oregon, Dunn and Fitchburg, and was named Rome by some of the settlers from New York state. A road having been laid out from Rooney's on the old territorial road, running north to Madison, also one from near Rock county line running northwest to Fitchburg Postoffice, these roads crossed where the present village of Oregon now stands, and it being not far from the

The town managed its own local affairs; three commissioners the county business. At that time the settlers were mostly unacquainted with the luxury of a county training school for legislative aspirants and other tax-eating systems; consequently their taxes were light - about $1,600 in the town of Rome for all purposes - although roads had to be laid out and bridges and court house had to be built. I was the first treasurer of the town, and as both myself and the town supervisors were a little muddy on the law, I concluded to strike out of my bond the word "law" and insert "justice," according to the best of my judgment. The supervisors did not like to accept that bond, but one of them, Mr. Boise, father of the present Mr. Reuben, of Oregon, said although it was a sort of a Hibernian pioneer bond, yet he thought it would be all right, and they finally accepted it. At that time it was the duty of town school supervisors to meet on a certain Tuesday in April to apportion the school money to the several districts. The}?- met on the wrong day and concluded they could not legally apportion the money. Several young ladies had taught school and they wanted their pay. The money was in the treasury, but there seemed to be no legal way to get it out; then the bond came to the relief of the girls. I suggested that if any school trustee would state in writing that the girls had taught school and were justly entitled to their

About that time an amusing incident occurred, showing the vague and erroneous ideas which prevailed to some extent in the eastern states regarding; the western frontiersmen. A man from Massachusetts came out to see the country and some land in this town that he had bought without previously seeing, lie came to my house to pay some tax due on his land, and asked to see my books to learn the amount. I took from a bureau drawer a large shot bag containing the town money and papers, untied the string and took out a copy of the tax list. With an astonished look he asked if that was the only book, and if I was in truth the town treasurer. I replied that the settlers were mostly poor and did not care to buy anything that they could just as well do without, and showed him how I kept the account. I put the whole amount of money received into the bag, and when it was paid out I put the voucher into the bag, so the account always balanced. He appeared confused and frightened ; said it might be all right, but he never saw business done in that way; would prefer to go to Madison before paying his taxes. My house was. a log one, and located in the woods, in a lonely place, and he evidently thought that he had got into a trap, for after leaving my house he tried to hire an escort to Madison for fear of being followed and robbed. At Madison he

In 1847 or 8, the town of Rome was divided, and the present town of Fitchburg organized as the town of Greenfield, which name collided with Greenfield in Milwaukee county, and caused some mistakes in mail matters, so it was proposed to change the name of Greenfield, in Dane county, to Fitchburg, the name of the post-office, and which it still retains. The first town meeting was held at the house of Mr. William Quivey, near Fitchburg Corners.

There are nine district schools in town, and two churches. The one on section 35 is Roman Catholic, Rev. Father Butler, j>astor; the other, on Syene Prairie, Methodist Episcopal.

Fitchbukg By William Vkoman

Town 6, range 9, town of Fitchburg, is situated in the central and southern part of Dane county, bounded north by the town of Madison, west by the town of Verona, south by the town of Oregon, and east by the town of Dunn. It is one of the best agricultural towns in the county, with very little or no waste lands, about equally divided between prairie and oak openings. The soil is very rich and climate healthy. There are several creeks and springs, of which the Nine Springs, situated in the northeast part of the town, are justly celebrated. In a distance of some sixty rods, nine springs start out of the highlands on the edge of the marsh, and form a creek which empties into Third lake, giving sufficient water to carry a mill. Upon this site the State Fish Hatchery House is now located, and a splendid location it is for the purpose designed, having plenty of pure spring water, and a fall of some fifteen or twenty feet to the marsh, and no danger from overflow or freshets. It seems designed by nature for the purpose now used. The state has erected elegant buildings, and the institution is in successful operation.

In 1837 the first farm was opened in the town by John Stoner, on section 17. Stoner's Prairie was named after him. He never lived upon the farm, but resided in the then village of Madison, lie went out to the farm on Monday mornings and took his rations with him for the week. He erected a shanty, open on three sides, covered with oak shakes, which turned most of the rain ; a fire in front on the ground for cooking purposes; a bundle of straw and blankets; a few camp stools, constituted the furniture in this cabin, in which he managed to keep open house. Many a weary traveler and visitor has partaken of his hospitality, and many a night has the writer of this slept with him in this improvised house, open upon three sides, and nothing- but the broad canopy of shakes.

The first settlers in the town were George Yroman, Joseph Yroman and William Yroman, in 1839. They opened a farm on sections 17 and 20, south of and adjoining the Stoner farm, and in the fall of that year built a log house and moved there. This was the first house built between Madison and New Mexico, now Monroe. They were quickly followed by Dr, William 11. Fox, George Fox, Joseph Fox, James Fox, Rev. Matthew Fox, and the Itev. Win. Fox, their father, (from County Westmeatte, Ireland), William Quivey, Willam True, George and John Keenan,

P. Pritchard, Postle, Frank Nott, the Salisburys, Charles and John Watkins. These were the pioneers of the town of Fitchburg; good, generous, true hearted men, just the men to open up a new country; men that you could tie to; that believed in the golden rule; men of whom you never asked a favor in vain; you were welcome to their homes, and their latch strings always hung out.

The times were hard, the people were poor, and they voted to pay their officers fifty cents per day. The writer of this [Wm. Yroman, Esq.] was elected road commissioner (an office now consolidated with the supervisor), and has now a realizing sense of the labor performed fur the money received. Three towns to travel over, to lay out into road districts, appoint path masters, make out warrants, and lay out roads. I spent twenty days in the service of the town, for which I brought in a bill of seven dollars, and the town board cut me down to four dollars. Four dollars for twenty days' work! Well, the people were poor, and they said we must take turns in holding office. If the politicians of the present day were paid as liberally, they would not be as anxious for office. The next year the town was separately organized as the town of Greenfield, so named on account of its green grasses and fields. It retained this name for two or three years, when it was found that there was a town in Milwaukee county of the same name, which had prior claim to the name, and as two towns of the same name in the state made some confusion in postal matters, the name was altered to Fitchburg. Our nearest grist mill, in 1839, was at Hickox, on Wisconsin river, now Helena, some thirty miles distant. But mills soon sprung up all around us, so that at Fulton, Rock county, Cookville, Dayton and Badger Mills, four miles west of us in Verona, we had them somewhat nearer. The commerce of the country at this early day was mostly carried on by Sucker team, a large Pennsylvania wagon with from four to six yoke of oxen to haul it. We called them prairie schooners, and they used to go in fleets, sometimes as manv as eight or ten wagons together. These covered wagons going over the prairie at a distance, resembled very much a fleet of schooners, hence the name. Their principal loading on the journey to Lake Michigan was lead, and the back freight sundry goods for our merchants. They carried with them long goad poles, some ten feet long, and a lash to correspond; you could hear the crack of their whip for a mile away. They were the kings of the roads. Everything had to give way for them, until stage coaches were put upon the road, when the drivers got long stretches with knives in the end, and raked their teams, sending them bellowing from the road, which caused them to give the stage coaches a wide berth.

In those early days, before the preemption laws were passed, the settlers formed claim clubs for the protection of those that were not able to enter their lands. In the fall of 184-1, I attended a meeting of one of their clubs, near where George Fox now lives. The circumstances were as follows: Two men claimed the same forty of land, one belonged to the club while the other did not; the man that did not belong to the club having obtained the money first, entered the land. A committee of the club waited upon him and insisted on his deeding the land over to the first claimant; refusing to do so, they then called a meeting of the club, and notified him that they would meet at his house on a certain night, and use such persuasive arguments as would induce him to deed over the land. He remained stubborn, so the club met at his house in the evening, some fifty strong, with axes and guns. They surrounded his house in a rather noisy manner, and a committee, sufficient to fill his house, entered with a justice of the peace, the money, deed and all made out; he finally came down gracefully, by signing the deed, and taking the money, and then acknowledging that he signed the deed of his own free will and accord, without fear, favor, or intimidation, although surrounded by some fifty noisy men, threatening all manner of things. I do not think the deed was worth much, but it was never contested, and I think in the end justice was done. Some societies were organized on the princij^le of letting those that came in and entered claims, severely alone, agreeing to

I think that Dr. Wm. II. Fox was the first practicing physician in Dane county outside of Madison, and had a most extensive practice of thirty or forty miles ride, which was done on horseback. I have heard him say that he has ridden many a rainy day, until his boots were filled with water. He was ready at all times to render assistance, either as doctor or friend, and one of our most A'aluable citizens.

Some of the early settlers came into the county in large wagons drawn by oxen. The wagons were covered, and whole families with their household goods would travel in this way until they located. They had a long rope attached to the oxen, and their stock tied on each side of the rope, with a yoke of cattle or horses hitched to the end of the roj)e to keep them straight. There were also what we called emigrants who came by land. Others would come in wagons, move upon their land, turn their wagonbox upside down, and sleep under it; while others would set boards around a tree and move in and cook their meals outside in true camping style, and live in this way with no rent or hotel bills to j)ay, until they could build their log houses. Others would join in with their friends until they could make provision for themselves. Log houses were very elastic in those days - they were like an omnibus, never full, but always room for one more.

helping each other in all things requiring assistance, and would go almost any distance to help. I recollect being at the raising of a large barn, in 1839, in the town of Cross Plains, on what was known as the Campbell Farm, near where Mr. Anderson now resides. I think it was the first frame barn raised on a farm in Dane county. It was a large barn and required a good many men to help in raising it. They came from a distance of twenty-five or thirty miles around, from Madison, Sauk, Blue Mounds, and Ridgeway, Iowa county, and a right jolly set of men they were, when they got together on such an occasion. There were but very few settlers then. I think there were only six farms opened in Dane county at this time. In the fall of 1839, there was an election held in the county, for county officers, and only about eighty votes polled, which also included Sauk county. I remember attending a Fourth of July celebration, in 1845, in the Scotch settlement in the town of Verona; the attendance was from the towns around. The programme was for fun generally, and we had it. Rifle shooting for sheep, home-made Scotch whisky and beer, playing base ball, dancing the " Highland fling" on the green, with Billy Ray and his bagpipes for music. We had more real enjoyment than can be had at any celebration at the present day. But as the mixing of Scotch whisky and beer did not agree with all, some went home wTith a brick in their hat.

Dane By Robert Steele And Mansfield Arries

The surface of the town is quite rolling, and in a few places there are precipitous bluffs. When in its natural state, the town was about equally divided between prairie and timber land, the principal part of the prairie being in the eastern and the timber in the western. The greater part of the town is quite destitute of water. The only stream of water has its source on section eight, and running in a northeasterly direction, crosses the county line near the northeast corner of section four, being the stream on which the Lodi Mills are situated. In some respects this is a remarkable stream, and it is doubtful if any other stream in the county can equal it. Its principal source is what is known as the " big spring," and this alone furnishes fully one-half of the water that drives Mr. Andrews' mill at Lodi, only three miles distant, the stream being fed entirely by springs, from which it derives its name, " Spring Creek," and is not affected by the severest drought, but furnishes a uniform supply of water the year round. The bottom lauds along tliis stream are of the best quality for growing various kinds of grasses, very little being marshy or too wet to be drained with trifling expense, and thus be made the best meadow land in the state. These bottom lands along this creek and a small portion of sections 34 and 35 are the only wet lands in the town. The scarcity of water and the great depth at which wells had to be sunk, was a drawback to the early settlement of the town. Many of the wells are from one to two hundred feet deep, and dug through a hard sandstone rock, but the method of drilling, and the use of windmills have almost entirely overcome what at one time seemed to be an insurmountable difficulty. Now almost every farmer has an abundant supply of pure cold water, which is brought to the surface with but little expense.

The quality of the soil is of the very best for agricultural purposes, being a dark brown loam, from two to twelve feet in depth. In the timbered jiortion of the town the soil is a heavy clay loam, and very productive. About seventy-five per cent, of the land is now under cultivation. The remaining twenty-five is the rough or hilly portion of the town, which is covered with a dense second growth of timber, that, if not wantonly destroyed, will furnish an abundant supply of timber for the future. These rough and bluffy lands present to the casual observer an aspect not the most pleasing, and it must be admitted they are a drawback to the town, yet they are not an entire waste, for had they all been tillable they would doubtless have all been brought under cultivation, and left the town destitute of timber, and perhaps made water scarcer than heretofore. There is another advantage derived from them, that is the abundance of limestone they contain. A good quarry can be found on almost any section in the town containing an inexhaustable quantity of stone of the very best quality for building purposes.

"Wheat was the staple product of the town for the first twenty years, covering a period of time from 1850 to 1870. During this time there were but few failures of the crop, and all that was requried of the husbandman was to break up the virgin soil, sow the seed, and a bountiful harvest was insured. For seven or eight years this crop has been less cultivated, and it is doubtful if the wheat crop of the town for three years back has paid expenses. As the continual droping wears the rock, so the continual cropping of wheat has so exhausted the soil, or those properties of it which are necessary to its growth, that a paying crop was very uncertain. The system of farming has undergone a great change in the last few years, mixed husbandry being adopted by nearly all. The raising of stock and the dairy products are the leading features of farming at the present time, and promise to be very successful. The soil is well adapted to the growth of clover and other grasses, never failing to produce a bountiful crop, except in cases of severe drouths. Corn, oats and barley produce good crops under ordinary circumstances. A large portion of the grain is fed out on the farm, and the farmers are beginning to realize that by keeping stock their lands are rapidly increasing in the productiveness of such crops as are required for stock raisers, and which, during the past eight years have done much toward the improvement of cattle, hogs and sheep.

A cheese factory has been in successful operation at Dane station, for three years, manufacturing the milk of 250 cows, and averaging 65,000 to 70,000 pounds of cheese annually. There is also another, more recently started, adjoining the Win. T. Leitch farm, by George R. Hoisington, which is being very favorably patronized.

Fruit has received considerable attention, but not with the most flattering results. A few of the hardy varieties do well and pay for cultivation. Small fruits are cultivated to some extent, and with a fair degree of success, doing much better than the apple or pear.

It is always interesting to recall the scenes of early life, although it may have been one of toil, privation and hardship. We like to think of the past and talk of the thrilling events connected with it. The old soldier likes to dwell on the past, and repeat the incidents connected with his life, while the sailor loves to recall the perils of the deep. But in no department of life can we find anything of more interest than we find in the pioneers of our country. We like to see the man that built the first cabin in any town, county or state; that struck the first blow in opening up our

This honor must be accredited to Freedom Simons, the first settler of the town of Dane. He, with his family, consisting of his wife and children, immigrated from Cayuga county, N. Y., landing in Milwaukee on the 6th day of September, 1842. To give the reader something of an idea of the privations and hardships which the early settlers endured, we will give a few incidents in the life of this pioneer family.

Arriving at Milwaukee on board a steamer which came to anchor at a considerable distance from shore (there being no docks or piers), they were taken on board a lighter and landed safely where the city of Milwaukee now stands. One small warehouse accommodated all the freight business of the state at that point. After landing, Mr. Simons set to work to find means of conveyance from Milwaukee to Prairie du Sac, the place of his destination. At that time there were no public means of conveyance; no horse teams to be had, so he chartered Avhat was known in those days as a "Sucker team," which consisted of five yoke of oxen. After six days travel, he reached the place of his destination.

In the spring of 1843, he settled in what is now the town of Springfield, near where Hyer's hotel stands, which was the only house between Fourth lake and Prairie du Sac, and took part in the organization of the voting precinct, consisting of all the territory between Fourth lake and the Wisconsin river. At the first election seven votes were polled, and Mr. Simons elected justice of the peace; lie also received the appointment of post master, and the office was named Dane, after Dane county, through the influence of Mr. John Catlin of Madison.

In 1845, he moved and settled on section 32, in the town of Dane. Mr. Simons was not only the first settler in the town, but one of the pioneers of western Dane countv.

In November, Mrs. Simons gave birth to a son, the first white child born in the town. He is now living in Minnesota, bearing the name of his grandfather, Sardis Dudley.

Mr. Simons took part in the organization of the town of Dane, and was elected to the office of assessor. He is a man of great energy and force of character, never neutral on any question, and always taking an active part in town affairs. He is now living in the village of Lodi, enjoying a green old age.

Early in the spring of 1846, Mr. Joshua E. Abbott settled on section 6. He was one of the pioneers of Wisconsin, a native of Canada, and came to Wisconsin in 1836. He was married at Mineral Point in 1840, to Miss Elizabeth Skinner.

The tide of immigration having fairly set in, Gr. O. Babcock and J. R. Waterbury, from St. Lawrence Co., K. Y., and what was known as the Ohio settlement, from Ohio, came in during the summer. This was a valuable acquisition to the town, and it is seldom that a settlement is made up of men and women as well qualified for pioneer life; all, men of a high moral character, and in possession of a liberal education. They wielded a powerful influence in shaping the moral sentiment of the community. Prominent among them were Dr. Eben Blachly, his brother Bell, A. J. Luce, "Win. Dunlap and Samuel Bell.

In this settlement the first school district was organized, and the first school house in the town was built in 1S47; Miss Sarah Blachly teaching the first term. Miss Blachly was married to Bev. Dr. Bradley, of Siain, in the fall of 1848 (the first couple married in the town), and immediately left for their distant field of labor, and a^e still engaged in missionary work. A Congregational church was organized in 1848, with Rev. Mr. Blachly as pastor.

The sketch of this settlement would be incomplete if particular mention was not made of Mr. Luce. He was a man of strong convictions, a fine public speaker and an admirable debater. He was an active politician, thoroughly devoted to the cause of freedom. Many of the politicians of Dane county will remember him from the heavy blows they received at his hands in the discussion of some of the issues of the day. He died in the spring of 1863.

Among the early settlers were Mr. Otto and Peter Bapp and family. In the summer of 1848 a large number of settlers came in, among whom were the

The following, taken from the records of the town, will show the steady increase of the voting population, and the men elected to the respective town offices :

The first town meeting was held at the house of William Dunlap on the 4th day of April, 1848. George O. Babcock was elected moderator, and Bell Blachly and Josiah Fitch, inspectors. D. C. Miller was elected chairman, Alfred Newman and J. II. Waterbury, supervisors. Alfred Newman, town clerk. Nathaniel Martin, John Miller and W. G. Winters, school commissioners. Sperry Tinker, treasurer and collector. John Miller, Freedom Simons and Nathan Martin, justices of the peace. At this time there were twenty-seven votes in the town; in 18G0, two hundred; while in 1876 there were two hundred and eighty.

It will not be out of place to notice some of the privations and hardships incident to pioneer life. A large majority of the early settlers were men of limited means; all were engaged in opening new farms; houses of the rudest bearing were built to shelter them from the pelting storms and the biting frosts.; fire places in one end of the cabin and the old tin oven answered for all the purposes of stoves. Economy of the strictest sort was practiced to procure the necessaries of life. The wool was shorn from the sheep, carded, spun and woven by our good wives and mothers to make clothing for the family. Threshing was done by means of oxen treading out the wheat upon ** the ground. The wheat was taken to mill with oxteams, taking three or four days to get a grist to mill and home again, Badger Mills being the nearest. Wheat could seldom be sold for money or traded for groceries without hauling it to Milwaukee by team, and not unfrequently the expenses ate up the load. What would the farmers of Dane think if they had to haul their wheat one hundred miles by wagon and sell it for forty cents per bushel ? And yet the universal cry of 1877 is '-'-hard times.'''' The common method of traveling was on foot or with oxteams. Traveling with a horse-team and lumber wagon was a luxury seldom enjoyed. What a change has taken place in less than one-third of a century. The old pioneer, when he looks around, pauses in breathless silence and wonders if this can be a reality. Then he could stand on our prairies and see no trace of civilization. The Indian and the wild beast roamed at will over this beautiful country.

From the time the first blow was struck, the work of civilization has gone steadily and rapidly on, and now the waving fields of wheat and corn greet the eye in every direction. The log cabin has given place to the Btately farm mansion, the hovel to the large and commodious barns, and the old rude implements of husbandry to the latest and most improved farm machinery, so that as much can now be accomplished

The farmers are now no longer obliged to spend a large portion of their time in marketing the products of their farms, being well accommodated with railroad facilities. The Northwestern railroad runs nearly through the town, crossing the town line on the east side, about half a mile from the southeast corner, running in a northwesterly direction, crossing the north line at the corner of sections two and three. The action of the town in aiding the Northwestern Railroad Company in building the road shows that the people of the town are awake to everything that pertains to their interest. The town was asked to subscribe ten thousand dollars stock to the Baraboo Air Line Railroad, which was virtually a bonus of that amount to the Northwestern Railroad Company. The amount was promptly voted, and the bonds of the town given for the stock. About the time the bonds of the town were given, the raiload company made the town the following proposition: That they wTould buy the stock at thirty per cent, if the town would pay the balance due on the bonds in cash. Under the able and judicious management of the town board of supervisors, Mr. II. H. Brearton being chairman, the seven thousand dollars was paid in two installments, with seven per cent, interest. Thus the entire indebtedness of the town was wiped out, and its financial condition is good. Town expenses are generally light, but little being required except for the salaries of town officers and school expenses.

Dane Station is situated on the Northwestern Railroad, and is a flourishing little village. The principal business men of the place are: M. Arries, dealer in farm produce ; O'Dwyer & Arries, druggists and dry goods merchants; M. Roland, dry goods merchant, who is also building a new warehouse for the purchase of produce; Knuteson & Bro., blacksmiths and wagon makers; Theodore Stuchen, wagon maker; F. Anhalt, harness maker; A. Ballwey, shoemaker; M. O'Dwyer, postmaster; N. Opdahl, meat market; N. Little, blacksmith; John Hochstine, Joseph Clames, Nich. Little, saloon keepers.

Supei'visors - Thomas Leitch, chairman, William Rapp and Seth Benjamin. Town Clerk - William T. Leitch, Jr. Treasurer - Peter B. Doane. Assessor - Frank X. Endres. Justices of the Peace - William T. Leitch, Jr., G. W. Bell, and Richard Ferrill.

By H. E. Story

This township lies on the southern line of the county, which separates it from the town of Exeter, Green county, and consists of township 5 north, of range 8 east. It is fifteen miles southwest of Madison.

The soil of the town is quite varied. The north half is a heavy, clayey soil, mostly oak opening; the southeast part is rather light, warm and sandy; the southern part is mostly timber and prairie, and is excellent soil. The whole town is well watered, Sugar river running through it, entering on section three and passing into Green county on section thirty-five, and also by the west branch of Sugar river, which enters the town on the western boundary at section eighteen and empties into Sugar river at section twenty-eight. A number of large springs are also well distributed over the whole town. The surface is rolling, timber well distributed. The whole is well adapted to stock raising and the dairy business. There are good marsh lands on the streams.

a number of years of the Madison House, or first house built in Madison, at one time owned by Eben Peck), in company with W. C. Wells, traveled from Monroe, then known as Xew Mexico, and passing through this town towards Madison, which was the only market for produce from Green county in those days, camped the first night at Grand Springs, or on the land that was afterward entered by Mr. Mc- Faddeu, but which was not at that time known as the Springs. After cooking their supper, and having a little fear of the wolves troubling them, they kept a good log fire burning, but did not remain long in the pleasant enjoyment of their frugal meal before they were completely surrounded with droves of of snarling, barking, prairie wolves, but keeping a rousing fire all night and singing negro melodies and camp meeting songs to help the general concert of the roaring, crackling fire and the infernal howling of the wolves, they very early next morning took leave of their new friends. Finding the old road very crooked and uncertain, they were the first that blazed the road between here and Madison by way of Stoner's Prairie, and which for a number of years wras used as the public highway. Mr. Ream says that when he returned from Madison he made the journey to Monroe on foot in one day, a distance of forty miles by the road, and was obliged to wade the Sugar river and a number of its tributaries, together with several large marshes, which resulted in bringing on a severe attack of rheumatism.

Mr. Ream was brother-in-law of Mrs. McFadden, of Grand Springs, and in speaking of the trouble of wolves he relates that on one occasion when returning with a load of provisions from Green county, his sister put him up a good tin can of butter to carry home to Madison. The possessor of a good bucket of dairy butter was in those days a matter of envy by all who knew of it, and while passing over the rough roads and anticipating the pleasure he would have on reaching home and showing his prize, he unconsciously tipped out the basket and traveled four or five miles before he missed his treasure. Taking one of his horses out of the wagon, which he mounted, he started back, but only reached the place where his loss occurred in time to scare off a pack of wolves that had not only devoured the butter, but had gnawed the bucket in pieces.

Myself and family arrived in the town of Montrose at noon on the 16th day of May, 1846. Starting from Chautauque county, New- York, we were twenty-two days on the road. We put up at the house of Mr. Geo. McFadden, where we relished, with a keen appetite, the pork and beans set out before us for dinner. We encountered a great number of hardships in consequence of the rainy weather, the muddy roads being such as to very much impede our progress. Vegetation was pretty far advanced, and the whole country looked beautiful, but we had become so mystified in our continued traveling, that the sun would persist in setting in the north and rising in the south. Go where we liked, it would remain so until time wore it out.

den's barn, and in winter, in the house. The day after our arrival being the Sabbath, the Rev. Mr. Bunting preached from the text : '"Are not the waters of Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them and be clean?" In two or three weeks after my arrival, I raised a balloon-frame house, the first in the town. There being but one sawmill hi the county near at hand, I had to take my turn in getting lumber from the mill, which was about once in two weeks, and then I would get a small load of clapboards to nail on. In the meantime we had no roof over our heads, only a carpet, which did very well except when it rained, and it seemed as though that was every night. The only way we kept dry was for my wife and child to sleep under the umbrella, while I hung my camlet cloak slanting on some chains. With all these inconveniences I enjoyed myself hugely, but my wife would get homesick once in a while, and would often make tea five times a day to get rid of it. Tea is a good medicine for homesick people, and I can recommend it from experience. About three months after we came, we were able to keep dry in our own house, and, though small in size, we often had as many as eighteen living with us. Sometimes as many as three famDies of our friends would stay with us from five to six weeks, until they got located.

The first school kept in this township was taught in my gram barn, Miss Kate Killroy, teacher. All the children for two miles each way made a school of over twenty scholars. We were good friends and neighbors in those days, when we lived five and six miles apart. It was in these times that we drove ox teams to Milwaukee, got forty cents a bushel for wheat, and took eight days to make the trip.

Deer were very plenty then. I remember inviting my wife to go hunting with me (I never was much of a hunter, but I killed a deer once in a while). Starting with my team, I had not gone over half a mile from home before I came broadside upon a big buck. Leaving the reins to my wife I drew up my gun, but it shook so I missed the deer, and my wife teased me so much about it that I never asked her to go hunting again.

The time of my first visit to Madison was in June of the same year I moved here, and I went with Mr. and Mrs. McFadden. We were entertained at the house of W. W. Wyman, who printed the whig paper, and politics ran very high then. His daughter Emily invited my wife to go into the printing office, and her introduction of my wife to her father was, " Father, give this lady a paper; she is a whig." She had made the discovery that my wife was a whig, which in after acquaintance was the cause of many a laugh with Miss Emily, who is now no more. I still live on the farm I entered from the government, and but few of my old neighbors are left here with me.

The year 1846 was a very sickly season; almost everybody in our part of the country had the ague, and before I had been here three months I was taken down with a sickness the nature of which I did not know. There was no doctor except Dr. Fox, and he lived fifteen miles away. I found it necessary to consult some one, so Mr. McFadden showed me the Indian trail, and told me to follow it and it would take me to the doctor's house. I obeyed instructions and found him. He was sitting in his chair, propped up with pillows and bed quilts, and his wife trying to make him comfortable. It seemed he had had the misfortune to fall into a half dug well, having been called up the night before, and had broken some of his ribs and sprained an ankle, and was smashed up in general. But all of that did not prevent him from administering to his patients. He told 7ne I had the ague, and gave me some medicine. I continued after that to have it about one year off and on.

I had but little means left after my farm was paid for; in fact, nothing but my hands, and I truly thought it looked like a sorry day for me. But there was a good deal of teaming at that time from Illinois with flour into the pineries, and one man being too heavily loaded, sold me a barrel of flour for twelve shillings. None knew how thankful I was for that good fortune. My wife and Mary Killroy were the only women in this part of the town that escaped the ague. A family from Vermont, named Rogers, who lived about one mile from me, with a family of seven children, were all down with it, and my wife and Mary used to take turns in baking bread for them. I being sick, my wife would have to hunt the cows at night, and as we had heard awful stories about snakes in Wisconsin (she was terribly afraid of them), she would put on my high topped boots, and when she came to high grass (it was pretty high in those days), she says she ran through it for dear life.

heard a strange noise in the marsh, so I took my gun, thinking of wolves all the time, and started to see. When I came hi the vicinity of the groaning, to my astonishment it was nothing but a bird, stamping around with its feathers all in a rumple, and wliile 1 was contemplating and wondering what the d - 1 ailed it, it took wing and left.

The first postoffice established was called Grand Spring, and remained so until Belleville grew up a village, when it was changed to that place and name. I think our town was first named Grand Spring by Mr. McFadden, after his spring, but there were so many townships that had a spring in their name that the legislature did not grant their request. I think it was named Montrose by P. W. Matts, Esq.

For thirty-one years I have enjoyed Wisconsin life. Whether I live thirty-one years longer or not, I know they will not be any happier. W. W. WlLLOUGHBY.

The village of Belleville is situated on the west bank of Sugar River, on the south line of the county, twenty miles southwest of Madison. It is surrounded by an excellent farming country, well adapted to stock raising and dairy purposes, which is now becoming the most profitable business in the county. A large portion of the farms are stocked with sheep.

The splendid stock farm of William Lysaght's of twelve hundred acres is near the village; he is the largest and most successful stock raiser in the state, and bases his plans on practical and scientific principles. His influence among the farmers, by his knowledge of stock raising, has been a great benefit to the town. He is a gentleman of superior educational attainments, high minded, reliable and honorable, having resided here since the first settlement of the town.

The raising of stock on small farms is now very extensive, and is daily increasing, resulting from the continued failure of the wheat crop for the last fifteen years. Farmers having thus been forced into the stock business have given their land rest, and enriched it, where otherwise it was becoming impoverished by the raising of wheat.

John Frederick located here in 1847, and built a grist mill the next year; he was the first settler on land now occupied by the village, and built the first dwelling house. In 1848, the village was laid out by John Frederick and John Mitchell, owning one-half, or twenty acres each. The village was name*., af u- i' Frederick's native place, Belleville, Canada West. The first marriage solemnized in the village, was by the Rev. Matthew Fox., and in Mr. Frederick's house.

The first district school was organized in 1846, now district No. 3. A meeting was called for all the legal voters in the town, and the attendance was quite large for that time. The especial object, aside from the organization, was the location of the school. After quite a discussion upon the subject, it was found on examination that there were but two legal voters, Geo. McFadden and ¥m. Morehead, and they located the school, However, the remainder retired quietly, and were afterwards well satisfied with the location, it being near the center of the town. There are now sev-

The first school house was built in 1847, an octagon building, one story, and intended at that time to accommodate about forty scholars. The present school house was built in 1869, 28 by 36 feet, two stories high, and will bear comparison with any village school house in the eounty.

The first religious society formed, or organized in the township, was Presbyterian, in 1817, Rev. Matthew Fox, pastor. The meetings were held from that time until the village was laid out, and the school house built, in Geo. MacFadden's barn, at the Grand Spring Farm. Mr. Fox continued to preach once in two weeks, for some time, with great satisfaction, till about 1861. He was honored and respected by all who knew him, for his energy, manliness, and the honesty with which he gave expression to his opinions and sentiments. The church is still in a prosperous condition, and is composed of some of the wealthiest citizens.

Geo. McFadden was one of the early settlers in the section of country now known as the town of Montrose; he established himself near the Sugar river some 18 miles S. and E. from Madison. There was a large spring, and on that he built his log house. At that time there was considerable teaming to the pinery of Wisconsin from Northern Illinois. Mr. McFadden's residence was in the line of travel, and teamsters used to put up there attracted by the spring, his comfortable barn and ample board. The place was known as Grand Spring. Shortly after my arrival in Wisconsin, in 1845, 1 was invited to preach here, and after some time established regular services. For a while I preached in Mr. McFadden's barn, afterwards in Iris house and at a later day in a school house. I organized the Presbyterian church (now known as the Presbyterian Church of Belleville) in that barn, and there administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The place where Belleville now stands was then a wilderness.

There was an Indian trail from Second Lake to Sugar river, and that trail was my guide in those early days. 1 also preached at the Badger mills before the town of Verona was established, and at the residence of Mr. George Robinson held regular services. There I organized the Presbyterian church, now known as the Presbyterian Church of Verona.

I commenced my ministerial work in the place now known as Oregon in August, 1845. The bar-room of the Rome house was my church. After a year's labor I organized a Presbyterian church. Caleb Spooner and Charles P. Moseley were the Elders. The amount of salary raised for me during the second year of my ministry at Oregon was twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents. But few of the first members of the church ar-e now living. In a pastorate of so many years, I have witnessed great changes; have had experience of great hardships; have received many signal blessings and have had many precious evidences of affectionate regard; here I have spent the vigor of my life, and here, as the shadows of life's evening are gathering, I am waiting for the voice of my Redeemer to call me Home.