Orfordville Village

Orfordville Village

an outgrowth of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, upon which it is situated, was first settled in 1850, by Mr. Isaac Wright, who located on a farm south of the railroad; but it was not until 1857, when the road was completed to it, that it began to grow. The village was laid out in 1855, by Mr. J. T. Dodge, a surveyor of Janesville, and included about sixty acres, a large portion of which was subsequently set back for farming purposes.

The first store was opened by Mr. Edwin Harrington about 1855, and the next year Messrs. Daniel Mow and David Harris built a store which was operated by a Mr. Greenleaf. The next year Messrs. Thompson and Diamond opened a grocery and liquor store.

The first birth in the village was in the family of Mr. Coleran, in 1857, the "boy" being now known to his compatriots as *'Patsey*' Coleran. The first marriage occurred in 1856, the contracting parties being Mr. Edward Wright and Miss Edith Clark, and the first death in 1859, the victim of the *^ man on the pale horse '* being Mrs. David Harris.

The Name The Post Office

This mark of civilization was established in 1857, under the name of Orfordville, the first mail received being brought from Brodhead on horseback, on June 6, 1857, and it is said that Mr. William Drysdale was the recipient of the first letter delivered. The mail was then received three times per week, but the presence of the cars inaugurated a daily mail, which has since been increased to two per day, one from the east and one from the west. As showing how the business has increased, it may be stated that the receipts, which in the first year were about $80, are now about $600. Following is a list of the Postmasters: 1857-62, George Helmbolt; 1862-67, Burr Sprague; 1867-69, George Helmbolt; 1869, three months, John C. Lacy; 1869-70, Isaac Wright; 1870-7*2, George W. Stetson ; 1872-74, Giles Fisher ; 1874 - 79, L. C. Fisher, the present incumbent.

The Cemetery

In 1858, a cemetery association was formed and a cemetery one acre in extent located, half of which was from the land of Mr. George Helmbolt and the other half off the ground t)wned by Mr. Daniel Mow. The Trustees elected were: C. C. Coon, S. T. Green, - . Koderick, George Helmbolt and Amos Remington, they choosing as officers, Amos Remington, Free* ident, and George Helmbolt, Secretary and Treasurer.

That ground remained in use until 1862, when the present ground was located. It is situated half a mile east of the village and contains three and one-half acres, all of which is tastefully laid out and planted with many handsome shade trees.

The Churches

The Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest in the village, having been organized at a very early day, but owing to the fact that there were no recorcb, the exact date could uot be ascertained. Meetings were held, however, for a long time, in the schoolhouse, but in 1860, Mr. Daniel Mow donated the present site, one acre in extent, and a church was erected. It is a frame building 40x50, and cost $1,600.

The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed in this wise. In 1870, amisunderstanding arose between the Rev. C. F. Magelson and his congregation, he being then Pastor of a church of a similar denomination in the town of Newark, and, in consequence of that misunderstanding, he and thirty-two families withdrew from the main body and organized in Orford. The next year they built the present church, at a cost of $4,000. It is a frame building, with a seating capacity of about three hundred, and very handsomely decorated inside. At the same time they erected a parsonage at a cost of $1,700, adding to it ?ery largely this year.

The Schools

The first school opened in the vicinity of Orford was that taught by Miss Clara Sprague, in the year 1846, in the house now occupied by Mr. Isaac Wright. That building was utilized until 1848, when a new building was erected. That in turn gave place, in 1862, to the present frame building, which was erected in that year at a cost of $1,000. It was first opened by a Mr. Race, as a winter school, but since then has passed through the hands of a great many different teachers, the last one being Miss Silverthorn. It is under the control of a District Board, composed as follows : B. F. Gifford, Director ; D. P. Lacy, Treasurer ; James Mow, Clerk.

/. 0. 0. F, - Waupega Lodge, No. 76, was first organized in Footeville, the date of the charter being January, 1864. After some time, however, it was allowed to go down and in 1870 its headquarters were removed to Orford, and a re-organization under the old charter effected, with the following charter members : Isaac Wright, J. Howlind, Simon Strous, William O'Brien, Levi Pepper, Jonathan Cory and K. Gisley. The first officers were : N. G., J. Howlin ; P. G., K. Geisley ; Secretary, Simon Strous ; Treasurer, Isaac Wright. They have now a membership of about 64 and are worth about $300 in cash. The present officers are : N, G., George Helmbolt; V. G., Alfred Gavey ; Secretary, Simon Strous; Treasurer, L. C. Fisher.

Spri7ig Valley Division^ No, 98^ Sons of Temperance^ was organized on February, 20, 1875, with the following charter members: T. H. Minard, James E. Morse, Rev. F.Potter, T. M. Purdy, D. C. Chipman, Miss Mary Crowell, Miss Alice Merrill, Mrs. Delia Morse, Miss Eliza Carver, Miss Emma Hanna, Frank Purdy, Henry Gifford, George Gavey, P. Francisco, J. Schermerhorn, Mrs. Schermerhorn, H. R. Billings, Miss Lillian Gavey and E. C. Minard. The first officers were: W. P., James Morse; W. A., Mrs. Delia Morse; R. S., E. Purdy ; Treasurer, T. M. Purdy ; F. S., E. C. Menard ; Con., Henry GiflFord. The present membership is six^^- five and the Lodge is worth about $50 in actual cash. The present officers are : W. P., F. E. Smiley ; W. A., Miss Lily Taylor ; R. S., A. W. Hastings ; A. R. S., Miss Hattie Taylor ; P. 8., Miss Ellen Beck ; Treasurer, Henry Peterson ; Chaplain, Daniel Mow ; Conductor, F. E. Purdy ; A. C, Miss Ella Gifford; I. S., Miss Maggie Noonan ; 0. 8., J. F. Dickey ; P. W. P., C. H. Rossiter.

The first hotel in the village was built and opened in 1857, by Mr. 8. A. Thompson, who kept it until 1859, and disposed of it to Mr. T. M. Purdy. That gentleman then assumed the character of boniface for about a year, but as it did not suit his disposition or from some other cause, he retired and leased it to Watson Beach, who kept it until 1861. He was succeeded in the character of mine host by John Lockridge, who abdicated in 1864, giving place to Mr. A. B. Fitch, who kept it for two years and retired, the next man to tempt the fickle goddess in the capacity of a hotel-keeper being John Secrist. He retained it until 1870, when it passed into the hands of Levi Pepper, he, in August, 1879, making way for the present proprietor, Mr. H. A. 8kavlin, who by his courtous and kindly demeanor, is making hosts of friends. He is also the Deputy Sheriff of Rock County, an arduous position, which he fills to the satisfaction of all.

The business portion of the village is composed as follows : One hotel, two blacksmithshops, three shoemaker-shops, a harness-maker's shop, an attorney, the first in the village - Mr. George Helmbolt - and a doctor, the first in the place, D. P. Lacy, M. D.

Orford numbers among its residents a gentleman, Ralph Whitehead by name, who, in 1859, in company with a Mr. J. A. Bartlett, took one of the most unique voyages on record. The two built a side-wheel boat large enough to accommodate them comfortably and started for Pike's Peak, Colorado. Leaving Hanover, they ran down Bass Creek and Rock River, over the dam at Rockford to Rock Island. Thence down the Mississippi to Hannibal. From there they went to Alton, to the mouth of the Missouri. Up the '' Big Muddy " two days, then back and down the Mississippi to St. Louis. From there they proceeded to the mouth of the lUi- ' noi^ River, and running up there arrived at Peoria, where they abandoned the enterprise, owing to financial depression. The whole journey took about ten weeks, and in that time they must have covered about 1,500 miles. The boat itself was very cleverly constructed, the wheels being operated by means of a crank similar to those employed by section-men in running handcars along the railroad. Mr. Whitehead speaks very favorably of his ship and declares that if he was a younger man he would go again.

Lima Center

or, as it is sometimes called. Child's Station, is situated on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee k St. Paul Railroad, and was first located in 1853, by Mr. M. A. Childs, who erected a house upon the ground now occupied by the village. He was also the Postmaster, and, with Mr. L. H. Child, built and occupied the first store. Mr. John Trueman, however, had settled in the vicinity and built a house as early as 1845.

In 1857, the United Brethren Society organized and built a church at Bullock's Comers, where they worshiped for a long period. The first members were Ebenezer Bullock, Robert Bacon, James Bartlett, William Fritts, Levi Bullock, N. Smith and Clatie Salisbury. In 1868, when the Methodist denomination, who had a fairly large membership in Lima, desired to erect a church, the Brethren sold theirs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and helped move it up to the village, upon condition that they should be allowed to occupy it. To this the Methodists consented, and the arrangement continued until 1871, when the United Brethren erected their present church edifice, it is a frame building, with a seating capacity of about two hundred, and cost $1,500. The Society now numbers twenty-five members. The present Pastor is the Rev. Daniel Grover; Sunday-school Superintendent, Robert Bacon.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1868, with about twelve members. At first, there was -considerable opposition to the organization of a church of any particular denom* ination, the cause assigned being the presence of representatives of almost every sect, and it was deemed advisable to erect a free church. A fatal objection was found, however, to the organization of such a church in the absence of a minister who would be willing to sacrifice his own creed ; so, after numerous meetings and a little hard feeling, the Methodists carried the day and formed their society. Subsequently, they purchased the meeting-house of the United Brethren, situated at Bullock's Corners, and moved it up to its present location, the parchase money, together with the cost of moving, aggregating $2,500. The present Pastor is the Rev. J. S. Eldridge ; Sabbath-school Superintendent, Ezra Sage ; membership, fifteen.

The Cemetery, - The land, two acres in extent, comprising the cemetery, was oriffinaUj owned by Mr. John Childs, who, in 1847, donated it to the village for that purpose. In the same year, it was laid out and divided into lots. The location is a very desirable one, and neither pains nor expense have been spared to render it a fitting resting-place for the loved ones who have drifted out onto that mysterious sea whose wavelets gently lap the shores of the land of eternal rest. It is dotted over with many handsome tombstones and monuments, the general appearance of which is a-good index to the minds of the people who placed them there. The present Trustees of the ground are Messrs. George A. Warren, Fred Gould and Andrew Brown.

The business portion of the village is comprised in a blacksmith and wagon shop, two stores, two churches, a good school, built in 1857, taught, last term, by Miss Rose Wood; t cheese fisictory, turning out about ten cheeses per day, and a post ofiice, under the charge of Mr. Elijah Hull.