Porter Town

Porter Town

This town lies in the northwestern part of the county, its northern boundary separating it from the county of Dane. By an act of the Legislature, approved February 2, 1846, it was incorporated by the name of Oak. At the next session, an act was approved changing its boundaries and name. It was made to include Township 4 north, of Range 11 east, its present ' limits. It received its name in honor of one of the principal land proprietors in the town - Dr. John Porter. The first settkrs were Joshua Webb, William Webb, John Rhinehart, John Winston, Joseph Osborn, Robinson Bent, Charles Stokes, Solomon Griggs, John R. Boyce> John Cook and Daniel Cook. Porter is an excellent agricultural town, and the improvements are of a superior character. Some of the residences are very fine.

A list of early farmers shows, among the largest, Daniel Lovejoy, Horace Fessenden, Samuel Pound, Jerome Vaughan, John White, Earle Woodbury, Levi Sanires, C. Vaughan, Robert Mervin, J. P. Miller, William Webb, J. Pound, Roger Shepherd, Dennis McCarthy and Stephen Allen.

E. D. BARNARD, farmer. Sec. 32; P. 0. Evansville; born in New York Aug. 27, 1827 ; he carae to Wisconsin in 1847, locating in Porter Township, Rock Co., and engaged in farming.. In 1850, he went to California, remaining until 1853, then returned to Porter Township, and resumed farming. He married, in Porter, Rock Co., February, 1850, Miss Susan Webb, a native of New York, who died in 1863, leaving five children. Mr. Barnard married again, in the same place, in August, 1875, Miss Jane Osborn, a native of Canada. They have one cliild. He is owner of 400 acres of land.

JOHN DA WE, farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Pulton; born in Devonshire, England, Jan. 15, 1835; he came to America in 1856, locating in Fulton Township, Rock Co., Wis., in September of that year. He engaged in i'arming, which he continued until 1867, when he removed to the village of Edgerton, where he opened a pruduoe and commission business. In 1869, he engaged in general mercantile business^ In 1871, he gave up mercantile business, and went to farming in Albion Township, Dane Co., until 1876 ; he then purchased a farm of 160 acres, in Porter Township, on which he has since remained. He is one of the members of the Board of County Supervisors, and has held several local offices. He married, at Fulton, Rock Co., in 1858, Miss Anna S. Downing, a native of Pennsylvania, who died April 4, 1872, leavin- three children. He married again, in Dunkirk, Dane Co., Oct. 29, 1873, Miss Anna S. Spike, a native of Yorkshire, England. They have two children.

THOMAS EARLE, farmer, Sec. 21 ; P. 0. EvansviUe; bom in Ayrshire, Scotland, Dec. 15, 1815 ; he came to America in 1840, and to Wisconsin in 1844; entered Government land in Porter Township; in 1854, he went to California, where he remained until 1857, then returned to his farm in Rock Co.; he was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature in 1853; he has also been Sheriff of the county, and has held several minor offices. He married in Hamilton Co., Ohio, March 17, 1874, Miss Mary A. Waters, a native of Ohio ; has five children living - lost two. He is the owner (jf :^80 acres.

AUSTIIV B. FESSEIVDEIV, farmer, Sec. 24; P. 0. Fulton ; born in Chautauqua Co., N, Y., in 1840 ; his father, Horace Fessendcn, settled with his family in Porter Township, Koek Co., Wis., in 1844, and engaged in fa.iming, which he followed until his death on July 12, 1860. Mr. Austin B. Fessendcn, raised on his father's farm, has chosen his father's occupation, and makes farming his business; he is a member of the County Board of Supervisors, and has held several local offices. He married, Sept. 5, 1860, Miss Emily E. Vaughn, a native of New York, born Aug. 10, 1842; have six children - Orpba A., born March 26, 1862 ; Forrest G., April 13, 1865 ; Fred C, Feb. 14, 1867 ; Luella M., Aug, 15, 1869; Frank W., July 19, 1'871 ; Elma S., April 12, 1877. Mr. Fessendcn is owner of 140 acres of land.

JOSEPH GIBBS, farmer, Sec. 27; P. 0. Fulton; born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., March 1, 1846 ; his father settled with his family, in 1853, in Porter Township, Rock Co., on the farm now owned by Mr. Joseph Gibbs, his son, which he managed until his death, June 11, 1860, since which time the farm has been owned and managed by Mr. Joseph Gibbs ; he is a member of the Board of Supervisors, and has held several local offices. He is the owner of 233 acres.

EDWARD (wIIiliEY, retired farmer. Sec. 4; P. 0. Cooksville ; born in Northumberland, England, Feb. 11, 1811 ; he came to America in 1843, locating in Porter Township, Rock Co., Wis., in May of that year, and purchased of the Government 200 acres of land, on which he has since remained. He married in Porter Township, Rock Co., Wis.. April 1, 1854, and his wife died May 28, 1875,

EUGENE HARRIS, farmer. Sec. 20 ; P. 0. EvansviUe ; born in Porter Township Oct. 23, 1847 ; his father. Miles Harris, settled in Wisconsin in 1842, where he engaged in farming. Mr. Eugene Harris married, in Janesville, Rock Co., Dec. 25, 1869, Miss Sarah J. Tolles, daughter of Myron Tolles," one of Rook Go's early settlers. Mr. Harris has one child, born June 12, 1874 - Cora E. He is the owner of 260 acres.

G. W. HAYLOCK, farmer, Sec. 11 ; P. 0. Fulton; born in England Jan. 16, 1831. He came to America in 1842, and to Wisconsin in 1844, locating at Menomonee, where he engaged in the lumber business, which he continued until 1867, when he removed to Rock Co., where he purchased a farm in Porter Township, where he has ever since been engaged in farming, having one of the very beht farms in the county, consisting of 120 acres. He married in England, March 10, 1857, Miss Mary A, Towle, a native of England, born Sept. 21, 1833. Mr. Haylock has three children^Georgo W., born Match 10, 1861 ; William, born Jan. 19, 1864; Earnest A., born March 22, 1869.

BENJAMIN S. HOXIE, farmer. Sec. 6; P.O. Cooksville; born in Maine August 6, 1827. Came to Wisconsin in 1846, locating at Cooksville, Porter Township, Rock Co., and engaged in house-building. In 1875, he began to manufacture cheese, being the proprietor of the Cooksville Cheei-e Factory, which has a capacity for using the milk of 600 cows. He was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he held for two terms, and was re-elected in 1879. He has been Notary Public for a number of years. He was Grand Worthy Patriarch of the Sons qf Temperance, and, in 1862, attended the National Convention of that Order at London, Canada. Married in Union Township, Rock Co., Jan. 22, 1851, Miss Ellen A. Woodbury, a native of Vermont, who was born Nov.' 7, 1827. He has three chiU dren - Eva J., born Nov. 15, 1852 ; Mary A., born May 30, 1856 ; Cora B., born May 6, 1864.

EEVI K5IEPPER, farmer. Sec. 21 ; P. 0. EvansviUe ; born in Pennsylvania Feb. 21,1829, cam^ to Wisconsin in the spring of 1848, and located at Beloit, where he was a farmer. In 1853, he moved to Porter Township. In 1856, he bought a farm of forty- four acres. He now oWns 133 acres; Married at Beloit, Nov. 4, 1850, Miss Anna M. Waters, a native of Ohio.

WM. H. liEEDIiE, miller and farmer ; P. 0. Cooksville; born in Cooksville, 'Porter Township, Sept. 26, 1849, his father, Wm. Leedle, having settled in Cooksville, Rock Co., in 1848. Mr. Wm, H. Leedle, in 1878, purchased the mill known as the Rock County Mills, which has a capacity for grinding of thirty bu-'^hels per hour. He is also owner of 167 acres of land.

JOHN LIENAN, farmer. Sec. 9; P. 0. Cooksville; born in Germany Jan. 29, 1826. He came to America in 1847, and, in 1855, he settled in Porter Township, Rock Co., Wis., where ho has since been engaged in farming. He married in Madison, Wis., July 7, 1857, Miss Helen Wheeler, a native of Wisconsin, who died in 1868. He married a second time in Madison, Wis., Miss Mena Milltr, a native of Germany. Mr. Lienan has a family of four children living, having lost one.

JAMES McBRIDE, farmer, Sec. 5; P. 0. Cooksville; born in Canada Jan. 2, 1842 ; came to Wisconsin in 1869, locating in Porter Township; he engaged in farming ic 1873. In 1873, he was elected Constable, holding the office two years. He married in Porter Township, Sept. 9, 1871, Miss Mary J. McCarthy, daughter of Mr. Dennis MeOarthy, one of Rook County's earliest settlers, who settled in Rock County in 1 840. Mr. McBride has four children ; is owner of sixty acres of land.

DEXNiS lIcCARTHY, farmer. Sec. 10; P. 0. Fulton; born in the County Cork, Ireland, March 18, 1804; he came to America in 1830, and, in 1840, ho came to Wisconsin and located in Piirter Township, where, in that year, he took up Government land and began improving for farming purposes; he is still residing on the land purchased of the Government thirty-nine years ago, and which is now managed by two of his sons, Dennis, Jr.-, and Charles W. Mr. McCarthy and family are members of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the founder of the church of that denomination situated on a portion of his land and built in 1842 ; rebuilt in 1867. Mr. McCarthy married in the State of New York, in May, 1 830, Miss Jane Tait, a native of the County Donegal, Ireland ; he has seven children livinc; - Catharine, born May 6, 1840 ; Mary, Dec. 25, 1842 ; Ellen, May 20, 1844 ; Jerry, Dec. 25, 1846 ; Dennis, Oct. 4, 1849 ; Charles W., Aug. 10, 1851; Jane, Jan. 1, 1853, died March 4, 1855; Jane S., born May 10, 1855, Owns 360 acres.

CHARIiES MILLER, farmer. Sec. 7 ; P. O. Cooksville; born in Pennsylvania Oct. 11, 1822; came to Wisconsin in 1844, locating in Union Township, on Jug Prairie; he engaged in farming; in 1867, he moved into the township of Porter, where he at that time purchased 160 acres. He married in Fulton, Rock Co., Jan. 1, 1851, Miss Catharine J. Butts, daughter of Mr. Michael Butts, one of Rock County's early settlers, and whose brother, S. D. Butts, it is believed, broke the first sod in Rock Co., which was in Fulton Township in 1835. Mr. Miller has twelve children. He owns 1,200 acres.

G, E. NEWMAN, farmer. Sec. 6 ; P. 0. Cooksville ; born in Oxford Co., Me., Oct. 26, 1823 ; came to Wisconsin in 1850, locating in Union Township, Rock Co., and engaged in farming ; in 1854, ho sold his farnl and engaged in the mercantile business in Cooksville; in 1836, he bought a farm of 160 acres ; in 1859, he gave up his business and turned his attention to farming. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1874, and re-elected in 1878, but failed to qualify ; he was elected to the State Legislature for 1876. Married in Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 19, 1848, Miss Elizabeth Wardall, a native of England ; has six children.

JOSEPH K. P. PORTER, farmer, Sec. 5 ; P. 0. Cooksville; born in Massachusetts July 25, 1819 ; came to Wisconsin in 1846, and located in Porter Township, Rook Co., on the farm he now cultivates, of 320 acres ; in 1850, he engaged in the mercantile business in Decatur, Green Co., and in Cooksville, Rock Co., which he continued until 1856, when he again turned his attention exclusively to farming. He was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature in the fall of 1858. Married in Lowell, Mass., Feb. 21, 1847, Miss Ann E. Bacon, a native of Bedford, Mass. ; he has four children - Helen R., born Sept. 13, 1848 ; William B., Nov. 18, 1850 ; Amy C, June 30, 1853 ; Joseph B., March 18, 1857.

D. F. SAY'RE, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Fulton; born in Morris Co., N. J., Jan. 14, 1822; he studied law in Morristown, and graduated in 1844 at the University of the city of New York in 1849 ; he came to Wisconsin, locating in Fulton, Rock Co., where he engaged in the practice of law until 1851, when he purchased a farm in Porter Township, Rock Co., and has since engaged in farming; in 1873, he was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature. He married in Morris Co , N. J., June 10, 1851, Miss Sarah B. Ely, a native of that State. Mr. Sayre's family consists of four children. He owns 240 acres.

HARRISON STEBBINS, farmer, Sec. 8 ; P. 0. Cooksville ; born in Vermont June 8, 1820 ; came to Wisomsin in 1841 ; located in Janesville, Rock Co., and taught in the first school in that tity ; he was also a surveyor; in 1844, he moved to Porter Township and engaged in farming and survey r ing ; in 1866, he built the grist-mill on Catfish River, still owned and operated by him. He was County Surveyor for three terms of two years each ; he assisted in organizing Rock County into school districts, In 1847, was elected Superintendent of Schools ; he was elected to the Legislature about 1850. Married, in Montpelier, Vt., June 15, 1841, Miss Mary A. Bassett, a native of that State ; he has three children. He is Postmaster at Stebbinsville.

MRS. LIZZIE STONE, widow of Mr. Robert Stone, Sec. 24 ; P. O. Fulton ; ftlr. Stone was born in Ireland ; his parents emigrated to New York when ho was very young, with his brother ; he came to Wisconsin in 1836 or 1837 ; they were among the earliest settlers of Rock County. He

JOHN WHITE, farmer, Sec. 15 ; P. 0. Fulton ; born in Scotland in 1803 ; he came to Wisconsin in September, 1842, and settled in Porter Township, Rock Co., where he engaged in farming. He married in Scotland, May 8, 1832, Miss Jane Stewart, a native of Scotland; he has five children. Mr. White and his sons - Alexander, James S. and Charles - own 950 acres of land, and, in 1869, his sons bought the Fulton Mills, Qonducting it since then under the firm name of White Brothers. Alexander White was born in Scotland Feb. 5, 1836; he married in Madison, Wis., April 19, 1865, Miss Amelia Pyre, a native of New York; two children. Charles White was born in Scotland Aug. 18, 1837; he married in Janesville, Dec. 10, 1865, Miss Mary A. Taylor, a native of Rock Co., Wis.; six children.