Ontario Village

Ontario Village

The village of Ontario was laid out and platted, in 1857, by Giles White. It was named Ontario, at the request of O. H. Millard, after his native county, in the State of New York. Giles White erected the first frame house, in 1856. George Prentice opened the first store, in 1856. Giles Wliite erected the first saw mill, in 1855. The first blacksmith was H. I. Bushnell. The first shoemaker was Sidney Mills. The first physician in the village was Dr. W. R. Hart, who settled in 1857 The first school building was erected in 1859. The present school is a graded one, and the building was erected in 1870. The first flouring mill was erected by George Prentice, in 1859. The first hotel was erected, in 1862, by S. D. Cottrell. The first wagon-maker was Hiram Timerman, who settled in the village in 1864. The first surgical operation in the town was performed by Giles White, which came about in the following laughable manner: Mrs. Hiram Bushnell, who was one of the pioneer women, had been afflicted for some time with an in-growing toe nail, and one day she was about the mill, where Mr. White was at work, when she was complaining of her toe, and remarked to him, that she wished some one would cut her toe off. Mr. White, in fun, said "I will cut it off, if you say so." Mrs. Bushnell told him to do it; so he told her to go to his bench and get a big firmer chisel and he would do it. He had no idea she was in earnest, but she got his chisel and placed her foot on a solid block and told him to go ahead. Mr. White took one look at the toe, which had become badly swollen, and with the nerve of an expert army surgeon he took his mallet, and, with one blow, severed the toe and bound it up in good shape.

Business Dieectoht Of 1884

Drugs, Groceries and Crockery. - S. Sloggy and H. J. Phelps. Mr. Sloggy settled here iu 1859, and claims that his father's family is the last one of that name in existence.

Reminiscence Of Nathan Culveh

"I was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in September, 1820, and resided there until 1831. I then accompanied my parents to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where I received such an educalion as could be obtained in the common schools at that time. I learned the cabinet and chair-maker's trade with my father, and worked in his factory until 1844 and then removed to Platteville, Grant Co., Wis., and there rebuilt the Morehead mills. In 1846 I moved to Fayette Co., Iowa, and there commenced the erection of a mill. I remained about one year, but owing to poor health moved to Black River, Wis. There I worked at millwrighting and lumbering for nine years, then in 1856 I came to the new settlement in the town of Whitestowu and constructed a mill for Giles White and also one for Thomas Wilkerson. In 1858 I pre-empted 1 10 acres of land on section 2 and now own 100 acres of land on the same section, a residence and four acres ol land in tlie village of Ontario, and a flouring mill. The grist mill is supplied with one run of buhrs for wheat, and one run for feed corn and buckwheat, and one middling mill, with a capacity altogether of 100 bushels of wheat per day. In 1861 I enlisted in the 18th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry ,and participated in the engagement at Pittsburg Landing and when near Corinth, Miss, was taken prisoner by Baxter's cavalry, Sept. I, 1862; was taken fifty miles to where Baxter's band were camped. There I found two soldiers that had been taken the week before. One was a surgeon, the other a commissary sergeant, both members of my regiment, and also eight prisoners that belonged to the 15th Michigan regiment. The ne.xt morning we were all put into one two-horse wagon - twelve of us - with one team of mules attached. We had to get out at every hill wo came to, and as it w.is over forty miles to the railroad where we wei l to take the cars it took all day to get to Gen. Price's headquarters. We were put in a building about 22x80 feet. One door and two windows at one end and one door and one window in the other end was all the chance for any air. The enemy had a number of their own men in there, making, in fact, about as many as could stand up. The dust was over an inch deep on the floor and it would have been almost suffocating but for the tobacco chewers, who were very industrious. All that could find room laid down in the dust that night with our heads to the wall and the next morning such a dirty, dusty set of men never was seen before or since. The surgeon and the commissary sergeant had been taken away during the night. The next day we were put aboard some box cars and I'liund seats on some molasses barrels in the bottom of the cars. We rode for two daysand one night. They run the train pretty fast, and when ihe cars stopped we were ordered to march about )Me-half mile and were halted on a piece of low land with a heavy guard around us; no of any kind, nor anything l)ut the 'ground to sleep on. We ascertained we were near Jackson, Miss. At this place we were given i"or our rations corn meal and fresh beef. They ti'd US to sift our meal and take the bran to make cofi!ee. They said they had no coffee for us. After we had been there two days, in the night it began to rain, and we had to stand uj) and-take it as it came. It made me think of home. We would often talk and wonder what the enemy would do with us. One said that if our men would come near the town the enemy would have us shot. We would often talk among ourselves, as we were forbidden to talk to the guard. We were there .about eight days, and then received orders to be ready to march. At l.Tst we were marched to the cars, put aboard, and the train soon started. After about a two hours ride we found ourselves at Vieksbiirg, Miss. At this time there were about 300 prisoners, and we were all marched a short distance to the jail, and were put in the jail yard, with a high brick wall around us, and with guards on toj) of the wall. Oui' rations at this place were a piece of "johnnycake," two and one-half inches wide at one end and running to a point at the other, three and three-quarters inches thick, and a piece of fried pork one and one-eighth inches square, and one quarter inch thick. These we received twice a day. We were there about four days, then were ordered in line, and the enemy's officer took our name, weight, height, complexion and color of our hair and eyes; then we were marched out and down to the river aboard a confederate boat, and steamed up the Mississippi river till we met a gun boat, the Tyler, and were put aboard. It was getting dark, and the gun boat started slowly up the river. The next morning about 9 o'clock we were given a piece of hard lack, which was so mouldy and musty that some would throw their share overboard, saying they would rather have nothing than to have spoiled sea bread. We received but two a day, bad as they were. After two days had passed one of the officers of the boat told us he was short of provisions, but that there was a plantation a short distance up the river. He further said that they went on shore one day to go to this house, and had quite a battle with twenty-tive or thirty guerrillas. He said to us, "now all that will volunteer to go fall in line." We quickly fell in line on the boat, seventy-two of us, and after being organized, and our salutations made, went ashore and marched up to the place. We put out pickets all around the plantation, some distance from the house. There was not a white person on the place, but about -200 negroes, who appeared very glad to see u?. We were there about three hours, and no opposition was shown to us. The signal was given, and we all returned to the boat. We got fifteen sheep, twelve geese and two cart loads of green corn. We now thought we would get something good to eat soon, for we were very hungry. When night came on our supper consisted of the same hard tack. It set us thinking, and at last we talked it over and settled on a plan. We knew where the muskets were located that we had used, and knew they were loaded. We had an attack all planned, and were wailing for the signal when every soldier would grab a musket. We have seen hard fare, but not so hard as we did on this boat. We had now been on the boat some four days. In some way our plan must have leaked out, for when it came the right time of day for our hard tack, we got none, but still a little later they came with coffee, boiled mutton and bread, the first good "square meal" we had for a long time. We got our regular meals for two days, and then our transport boat came and took us off, and we went up the river. On our way up the guerillas fired into the boat and shot one man in the foot. This was about all the damage they done. We were taken to Cairo, 111., where the most of us got furloughs and went home. They would not give a furlough for longer than thirteen days, so I joined my regiment at Corinth, Miss. I married Minerva Woods, and three children were the result of this union - Arabella, Clarence and Frank. I was divorced from my first wife, and subsequently married Louisa Doener."

Post Office

Now, in the days of railway postal cards running their ceaseless race from ocean to ocean, one can scarcely conceive of the inconvenience endured by the early pioneers in securing their mail. Prior to 1857 the settlers had to depend upon passers by, going to and from Madison, for their mail. The nearest postoffice was then at Readsburg, a distance of over fifty miles, then it was shortened up . to Coon Prairie (Cashton) and in 1875 it was brought from the Chicago & Northwestern railway, at Norwalk. But in 1884 the facilities were much improved. At this date mail was received at Ontario from Norwalk daily, from Viroqua twice a week and from Viola three times a week.

0. H. Millard was appointed the first postmaster in 1857 and served till 1862, when he was removed by the presentation of a forged petition amounting to a complaint. Mr.

Millard was fully vindicated in this matter and the blame will ever rest where it should - on the man who thus became guilty of forging names to a petition for his removal. Mr. Millard was succeeded by George Prentice. T. L. De Lap is the present incumbent. In 1882 the money order office was created, and the first order was issued to William Sandon, August T, and sent to O. I. Newton, Sparta, Wis. The first order paid was issued at Mistic Ridge, Conn., and paid to Mrs. Mary Raferty. The annual amount of business done at the Ontario office aggregates about $8,000.

Good Templar Lodge, No. 115, of Ontario, Wisconsin, was organized in 1883, with the following named charter members : Robert Sandon and wife, H. H. Steadman and wife, H. J. Phelps, L. V. Steadman and wife, W. Sandon and wife, Walter Chritchett, C. F. White, H. H. Goodnough and wife and Edwin Lamb and wife. The membership has increased quite rapidly, and at present numbers fifty. The lodge is doing a good work, and deserves the support and encouragement of all worthy citizens.

A temperance society known as the Temple of Honor was instituted at Ontario which was in operation about six years. It commenced with a membership of eight and increased to sixty-five. This society went down on account of numerous removals from the place.

George Prentice built a grist mill in 1859 on Brush creek. This mill soon passed into the hands of Giles White, who later sold the water power back to Mr. Prentice, and moved the machinery to another locality. In 18oI Giles White built a mill which contained two run of stones. This was situated on the Kickapoo

The Village Of Rockton

The village of Rockton was laid out and platted "by Hon. Van S. Bennett, in 1873, on section 34. The plat contains eight blocks or squares, and the name Rockton was meant to be in harmony with the rough and rocky surface of the country near the village.

Business Directory Of 1 884

Dry goods and general stock. Van S. Bennett; blacksmith, J. C. Winson ; fiouring mill, Bennett & Widraer; saw mill, Bennett & White ; hotel, M. P. Chase.

Secret Societies

The postoffice in this village was established in 1871 and Jesse Harness was its first postmaster. He was succeeded by the present incumbent. Van S. Bennett.