Sparta City (part 1 of 2)

Sparta City

Situated in a fertile valley, surrounded by great advantages, on nearly all sides farming lands as good as are to be found anywhere, is Sparta, tlie county seat of this county.

Ever since it became a village of any appreciable size the beauty of the location and surroundings have always impressed itself upon visitors and at the outset in this chapter, perhaps, no better description of the beauties of the place can be found than is contained in the following extract which was written in August, 1867, by a special correspondent of the Chicago Tribune. Parts of the article are here quoted and certainly the description is beautifully worded and will apply ;is well today as it did forty-four years ago :

"Imagine a beautiful fertile valley through which tiows a river fed by numerous trout brooks whose soft, clear waters babble of the spring in the highlands where they were born. Surrounded with a chain of blutfs, some near, other remote, among Avhich winds the river and its tributaries through smaller valleys which arc here lost in the greater one. Near at hand, scarcely more than one mile away, are bluffs, forest covered, whose well divided proportions are clearly cut against the blue sky. On each side of the retreating valleys the bluffs appearing on the opposite side are confouiuled in the distance by misty and dim lookiug shadows as though the valley was entirely surrounded by a coronal of hills.

"The flat land, smooth, clcai- and grassy, dotted Avith clusters of graceful trees; thus natui-e planned and fashioned it and now from this elevated spot where I stand the setting sun of a long August day illuminates the beautiful village with its din and bustle, and tasty residences and farmhouses which everyAvhere dot the landscape." After the opening of the state roads between Hudson and Prairie du Chien, and by way of Sjiarta to Black River Falls, and subsequently from Portage to LaCrosse in 1849 settlers began to come towards the western part of the state, particularly in what was then LaCrosse county. As has been written, IMonroe county was at one time a part of LaCrosse and was detached from it in 1854. It is undoubtedly authentic tluit Frank Petit must have settled here in 1849. "Sir. Searle, who was clerk of the court at Black River Falls at that time, made the statement that he and a man in his employ visited Black River Falls in September of that year. In the evening of the first day they encamped where Tomah now stands, proceeding on their way in the morning, and owing to a terrific storm they had lost their way and had nothing to guide them except the range of bluffs. Their only chance of getting out of the situation was to follow these bluffs and l)y them reaching the Mississippi. They had no provisions, but killed game to supply their needs ; they traveled south, as they thought, until they came to a small stream and some small timber, where they encamped for the night as best they could in a drenching rain and without food, as their ammunition being wet they could not obtain any game. The next day, towards night, they struck a trail near the stream where the marks of shod horses evidenced that some white man had crossed there. They followed this trail hoping to find a human being somewhere. That night they encamped near Castle Rock and the following day, in a storm which had continued all that night, the party struck Robinson's mills, where they obtained the first food they had had since their own supplies gave out.

Here the travelers took a rest for two days and began their return homeward. At the point where the two crossed the river they determined to ascertain what description the land bore and they marked the southwest quarter of section twentyfour in township seventeen, range four west, Avhicli is now included in the site of the city of Sparta.

Having discovered a chance for a Avater power at this point, ^Ir. Searle at once went to Baraboo and applied for a warrant for the land. On his return he took teams loaded with lumber and a few men to help him and came to a road over a big ridge on his land, but on his way hither he discovered that the real mill site was above that point, and leaving his lumber he immediately set out for Baraboo, and applied for another warrant, but one of his men had betrayed his intention to Dr. Angle at Baraboo who promised the man a half interest for the description of the land having on it the mill site. These two immediately set out for Mineral Point in order to go through the usual form necessary to make an entry and to entitle them to full possession of the land. Searle took the stage and Angle Avent on horseback

Mild tlnis lijid tile advantage of speed and beat Scarlc by one hour, tlius beeoiuing the owner of the hind. So had the question been settled otherwise, "Angelo" wouhl probably have been called "Searlo" or something of the kind. Mr. Kearle having lost tile luiddle site and not knowing that a city was to spring up on that forty acres took no farther interest in this claim and sold it for ^30.00. He also states that upon looking for iiis lumber he found that Petit had followed the rule that necessity knows of no hiw. and had used it in building a house for himself near Castle Kock. William Petit houglit a claim of 160 acres of land near the crossing of these two state roads, and Avhere the site of the city now is; he built a log cabin on the bank of Beaver creek at the point about where the library is located ; when his cabin Avas completed on the 5th day of July, 1851, it was the first building of any kind erected in Sparta.

The large amount of travel on the road and the need of a resting place at this point, induced Petit to make a tavern of his dwelling and though the cabin contained but one room and a loft, the latter apartment having no fioor, except such a one as was made of a few rough slabs made for this purpose, and put down loosely. There were few, if any, beds in the house and travelers wrapped their blankets about them and laid down upon the hard floor to lie lulled to sleep, if that was possil)le. by the howling of the hungry wolves Avhich often stuck their cold noses through the crevices between the logs and snift'ed in anticipation of what a good meal they could have, if it Avere possible to get inside.

At this time supplies had to be brought from LaCrosse, Avhich then consisted of a land office and about a dozen houses, a hotel and one or two general stores. The varieties of food Avere feAV and the opportunities to get them Avere still fcAver, and consequently Petit "s bill of fare at the inn Avas very meager.

In August 1851 EdAvard AValrath arrived and at once made arrangements to settle and in October of the same year his father, Kev. Fredrick AYalrath, a ^Methodist clergyman, and the remainder of the "\Yalrath family became residents of this place. The elder AYalrath entered a claim a mile or so south of Petit 's but not having a house built, in the fall lie made arrangements and did share the Petit cabin Avitli the OAvner, until such time as he could build one. The Petit cabin being scantily furnished, and "\Yalratli having no place to store his household goods, they Avere used in common, but the combined possessions of the tAvo families were not sufficient for the need of the inmates of the lioiise and the guests. Great inducements having been offered by the state government to parties in search for homes by offering thirty years time at 7% interest within which to pay for hind and the location of the land office in LaCrosse caused a great deal of travel by the way of Petit 's tavern, which resulted in a gradual settlement of the land near by.

Richard Casselman also located here in 1851 and built a log cabin on the spot that is now the northeast corner of Oak and Water streets which he used as a blacksmith shop ; his house was a little back of the shop towards the creek. William Kerrigan, the father of Mrs. W. N. AYells, Avas then a lad, apprentice to Mr. Casselman and came with the Casselmans to this place. J. D. Damman, Lyman Andres, A. H. Blake and Russell Hill came to Sparta about this time. Damman building a log house where the hotel Lewis now stands which was afterwards sold to Harron who kept a hotel in it. A. H. Blake built a log house on a littk^ hill not far from Casselman 's and Mr. Hill located a dwelling farther to the west.

The Rev. W. H. Card, a Baptist clergyman, came in 1851 and preached the first sermon in Petit 's house. Ed. Walrath, not believing the minister's assertion that he would hold services there that Sunday, went out trout fishing. AYhen he returned Mr. Card was half finished with his sermon, and to save time, and to have dinner in season. Edward seated himself in the doorway and at the same time listened to the elder's remarks and cleaned the fish. The minister was somewhat indignant at his conduct as a lack of respect for himself and for the Sabbath, and frowned upon the young man. After the services were over Walrath asked Mrs. Petit if she would cook the fish, to which she gave consent and notwithstanding his previous objection the minister ate heartily of the trout which were set before him at that meal.

George A. Fisk who died in 1866 came to Sparta in 1851 and married Catherine E. Walrath in 1857 ; ^Irs. Fisk survived her husband a great many years and lived to a ripe old age, passing away October 20, 1910, and in connection with the early settlement of the village it will be of peculiar interest at this point to get in Mrs. Fisk's OAvn words, an account of the first winter passed by she and her father, IMr. Walrath, in Sparta, where they arrived on October 10, 1851. A sketch of the first winter of her residence in Sparta written by Mrs. Fisk will be read "with s])ec.'ial interest by all and more particularly by the elder residents of the city. She entitles it, "My First AVinter in Sparta."

"Ill l!io spring of 1851 my father made up his mind to break up the old home and emigrate to Wisconsin. Ilis children were getting the AVestern fever, one son and daughter liad already left the home nest. It was more than father and mother could bear so the farm was sold and the goods were packed. That was the beginning. How Avell I remember the packing up. Three large dry goods boxes about as big as a small barn, it seemed to me, were bought. I remember father telling mother not to put in anything heavy. She had already packed her splint bottom straight back sewing chair. Alothcr made the remark to sister Sarah, 'I can't leave the chair I rocked all mv babies

"In these boxes were stored all things needful. Among them Avas a red cherry bureau, part of her setting-out outfit, as it was called in those days, when young people took each other for better or worse. It was not very large and was packed full of dried fruits. Tucked in every corner of the box was bedding of all kinds, maple sugar, twenty-five yards of carpet and many other things. AVe took the packet on the canal as far as BuiTalo. then across the lakes to ]\Iihvaukee and from there to my sister's home in Fond du Lac county where we spent the summer, while my brother Edward went to LaCrosse with a party looking for a homestead. On his return father bought a horse and what they called a Democrat wagon (fii-st democrat ever in Sparta "i. a ,ioke as well as wagon.

"There were some teamsters who wauled to see the wild west -and they offered to bring our goods through for their board and lodging. It took nine days. The Avay Avas long and most of it nothing l)ut an Indian trail. Sometimes they came to what was called a swale or wet marshy ground. AVe would have to bridge it. Every wagon had a scythe and great forks fastened to one side. Father would call a halt, grass and hazel brush were cut and carried to fill the wet places before we could cross over. Sometimes the boys Avould want to rush things so as to hurry along, but father would build it safe for others that came after. AA^e stopped one afternoon in Lemonweii- A^'alley to pick cranberries. The farmer told father he could liave all we could pick in three hours. AVe picked a barrel and the farmer furnished tlie ])ai'rel to put them in.

The City Of Sparta 249

sun was setting so beautifully as we drove down the hill near where the Old Ida House used to stand ; across the little stream (Beaver Creek) to the old Globe Hotel. I have never since seen such a beautiful sunset. Father said to mother, 'It's like Paradise.' The hotel had one window and a door with a wooden latch and buckskin string to lift it. Father was delighted with the outlook over the prairie. Not many trees then.

"He took up a claim beyond where the Milwaukee de})ot noAV stands. j\Iy father and brothers were carpenters so it did not take long to build a log cabin. AVe moved in our new home on the loth of November without a chamber tioor or window or door. Rag carpets and blankets were tacked over tlie places for windoAvs and doors. That night came the first snow. It made us wish for our old home. The boys soon had doors and got windows from LaCrosse. The lumber came frm Black River Falls and it took three days to go and come.

"Then when the boxes were unpacked such a mine of wealth. Lots of warm bedding, a little sewing chair, red cherry stand and bureau, three flag bottom chairs, small book case with Watt's sermons and Clark's Commentary and other books, twenty-five yards of rag carpet, a bolt of cotton cloth and curtain calico, you could see your face in (the first ever in Sparta), lots of dried fruit, dishes and table linen. AVe were quite comfortable. AYe had an elevated oven cook stove. They were the style those days. The boys made some tamarack bedsteads for the chamber. The roof was shingled with shacks, all that could be bought at that time. It was a terrible cold winter and lots of snow. Some mornings mother would have to come upstairs and sweep up the snow before we would go to breakfast. Mother had tacked cotton cloth on the rafters over our beds.

"We only had one mess of potatoes all winter. A lady where father stopped when he went to Black River to preach gave him a half bushel. ^Mother said she would cut out the eyes and the rest she would cook. I never saw so many eyes in potatoes before or since. In the fall father bought two kinds of rutabagas of ]\[r. Frank Petit who lived four miles out and a- lot of pumpkins. Grandma Petit told mother how to make pumpkin butter that was delicious. Those rutabagas were the loveliest things, all the apples we had that winter. Some were white.

"Brother Edward made a lovely couch out of those boxes. It had back and arms long and wide enough to sleep on when the preachers would raid us. AYe had so many boards for the sitting room, so many for the dining room and tlie rest for the kitchen. Our pantry was just holes in the logs, boards across and curtained with curtain calico, the same as the couch Avas covered with and everything matched. The sitting and dining rooms were carpeted. The boys made benches which wei-e covered Avith curtain calico."

.Mr. W'iihiilli. a .Methodist minister, began his missionary labors in tile county by preaching his first sermon in Sparta in November, 1851; his congregation consisted of five persons; after tliis he held meetings wherever the people Avould have him do so, journeying for miles through an almost travelless Avoods to hold services for some family avIio had sent him an invitation. Sometimes going on horseback but oftener on foot. Truly a pioneer in the cause of Christianity. Occasionally the entire population of the valley Avould turn out and accompany him in a sleigh to some place farther on in tlie Avoods. and eA^en then the sleigh would not b(^ full. A ]\Irs. Parks. Avho resided six miles from Sparta, upon one occasion sent him word that she and her little ones could not Avalk doAvn to Petit 's to hear liini preach and dared him to meet lier and her family half Avay. And he did. The meeting Avas held, the parties each making a journey of three miles and ])ack for the sake of enjoying the services. During uuiny occasions this minister of the gospel Avas often pursued by Avolves Avith which the forests abounded. He Avas, hoAvever. never injurinl by any of these blood-thirsty animals, and eA^ery one at tliat tinu^ Avas more or less annoyed by tliem. They surrounded dwellings and made the night hideous Avith their hoAvlings, plundering Avhenever an opportunity offered, and to rid the nuisance the people resorted to ti'aps as well as hunting them Avith guns.

A number of adventures are recorded with these aninuils and one concerns Captain Fisk, avIio, having been out in the country in company Avith the tAvo daughters of ^Nlr. Walrath. Avas returning after dark; there Avere good roads and they Avere going along nicely when ]\Ir. Fisk discovered they Avere being chased by five large Avolves. He made no meulion of the fact to the girls but Avhipped the horses to a fasti-r speed but still the Avolves Avere gaining upon them and matters Avere becoming serious, Avhen the bolt that holds the Avhitifle-tree dropped out thus necessitating a stop, lie sprang out to remedy the damage and fortunately found the bolt for Avhich he Avas searching, and at that time the girls noticed how strange his voice sounded, and kept looking l)ackAvards. FolloAviug his glances to see Avhat was the troul)le they beheld the panting wolves almost within reach of their arms. It was a trying position, none of the party had a weapon of defense and their only liope was flight. The horses had not been frightened by the pursuance of the wolves but became so upon hearing the slight screams of the girls when they discovered their danger. Fisk sprang into the sled, urged the horses forward and struck backwards with his whip at the wolves ; if it had not been for the strong wdiip he had the wolves would certainly have jumped into the sled. Mile after mile they went in this way. It can be readily imagined that minutes were hours to the pursued party in this race for life. The wolves repelled by the whip tried several times to cut off the flight by attempting to get into the road and trip against the horses at the point of meeting ; the constant bloAvs with the whip, however, caused them to fall back, and the chase continued, the wolves snapping their teeth and keeping close to the sled until the clearing was reached and the settlement appeared in view, and then only, did the wolves give up their pursuit. It was an incident long to be remembered by those who w^ere engaged in it.

Other wild animals as well as wolves and also wild fowls of all kinds were plentiful in this region at this time ; old settlers say that prairie chickens were so numerous that only partial crops of grain could be raised owing to the fact that these birds would devour every kernel of grain they could see and hang around the fields in great flocks. They were such a nuisance that they were obliged to destroy large numbers of them in self-protection.

The year 1852 brought many interesting events and ]\Ir. Petit in this year laid out the old court house square and platted a number of lots around it ; there being sufficient population in the village a meeting of the citizens was called and a resolution was passed to the etfeet that the village should have a name ; there w^as considerable discussion as to hoAv this name should be decided upon, but it was finally agreed that Mrs. Petit, the mother of the tw^o Petit boys, should have the privilege of choosing the name and she gave it the name of ''Sparta."

A little later in the same year Lyman Andrews built the first frame house in the city upon a lot given for the purpose by Mr. Petit, who was offering to give lots to all who would erect buildings upon them ; the lot was at the Northeast corner of the square and the building was erected, opened as a tavern and was called the Sparta Exchange. G. H. Ledyard, a Portage jiian wlio had been peddling; tliroiifjli this section of the country since its first settlement, opened a store in the log cabin at tliis time the first store in the village. 'I'lie fii-st biiihling for use as a store was erected by C. J\athbun on what was then known as Cassebnan's corner where the Greve's block was subse(iueutly l)uilt. Samuel Fisk arrived in Aucrust and lived in the house Avith Casseliiiaii uiilil he could Imild one foi' his family. Tliis was located wdiere the Chicago & Northwestern Railway depot now stands; George A. and W. ^\. Fisk were the sons of Daniel Fisk. In the spring of 1852 the first election of any kind was held in tlie village and seventeen votes Avere cast; T\. J. Casselman, AVilliam Petit and Lyman Andrews were the committee of election; Sparta being at that time a ])art of the town of Leon in the county of LaCrosse.

In December of the same year Samuel Hoyt arrived and began looking for a home; he bought a lot from .Mi-, llarron for $16 and built a cabin upon it and subsequently ^Ir. llarron became dissatisfied and offered Mi-. Hoyt the lot adjoining the other as a gift if he would pui-chase his oxen and farm so lie could leave the place. Hoyl lundc llic purchase and Harron moved away.

People at this time were constantly filing ncAV claims througli the land office in LaCrosse and taking up land and it was necessary, of course, to have witnesses to the fact of their residence on the land for a sufficient time to enabh' tlieiu to get title. AVilliam Petit, James Phillips, AVilliam King and William Kerrigan it is rehilcd once went in company to tlie land office at LaCrosse. Reluming they passed tlii- cnhin of a Avomaii known as mother Paddock, wlio was noted for her masculine attributes. The old lady was the possessor of a dog which had a bad habit of i-unning out and barking at teams and Kerrigan, nu)re for mischief tlian anything else, fired at the dog not thinking that be could hit it at so great a distance and it was. his misfortiuie to wound the animal in the neck. A whib^ aft(M'wards E. AVali-ath and K. Tliompson passed that way and took dinner with her at which they saw tlie dog, which was then fully recovered with the exception that it had lost its voice. It would go all through the motions of barking b\it could not make a souiul. Walrath, for a joke pointed to his companion and said: ''Mrs. Paddock, here is the man who shot your dog." Going to the supposed offender with her fists doubled ui^ and with a threatening attitude the old woman said, ''Sir, all that keeps me from cowhiding the man who shot my dog is that I believe him to have been drunk at the time, therefore not accountable for the act." Thompson got a little pale about the mouth and did not seem to have the usual relish for his dinner and after that both AValrath and Thompson failed to stop for meals at ]Mrs. Paddock's on their way to Sparta from LaCrosse.

This year the first logging was done on the LaCrosse river. No sawmills had as yet been built in this section and the logs had to be driven to Neshonoc. Kerrigan and the two Phillips l)rothers did the driving. A number of amusing incidents occurred in the log driving. It seems that AVilbur E. Fisk had started out with the company of loggers, but being inexperienced in log driving he covild not keep his footing when on the logs in the water and he got on one log which began to roll rapidly and he began to dance trying to keep his feet. Faster and faster they went and getting frightened, sprang into the water and clasped the log with his arms ; but the log had acquired such a momentum that he was whirled over and over in and out of the water with great rapidity and he was finally rescued with much diificulty nearly strangled and chilled to the bone. He did not continue any farther in the business but took the nearest road for home satistied that he was not suited for log driving. Later in the same year a sawmill was erected in Angelo by Seth Angle.

The year 1853 brought many interesting events to the little village; a post office was established and AVilliam Petit appointed and installed as postmaster and made Richard Casselman deputy, who used his hat for a post office. At the beginning there was only one mail each week and it did not amount to more than a few letters and one or two papers so that it was no great task to "distribute the mail;" and as a rule those who wanted to get their mail went to Mr. Casselman and upon inquiring for it, he would take down the post office from his head and hand out the letter if there was one. Mr. Petit, however, had some difficulty with Casselman and appointed Lyman Andrews his deputy, Avho dignified the office by keeping it at the Sparta Exchange. Soon after this, Petit sold out his entire interest in the village to A. F. Bard and moved away while Casselman was appointed postmaster and served in this capacity for several years. A. H. and Hilton Blake during this year erected a sawmill in the village on the bank of Beaver creek and were it still standing it would be in the middle of Water street in the down town district. Court street was then called Elaine and it bore that name until the erection of the court house on the court house square.

There were a few new coiners during this year some locating in the village and some on farms near by. AV. S. Newton established a hardware on Oak street early in ]\Iay. Andrew Allen in September opened a store where ]\Ir. Harron had formerly kept a tavern; this year the medical profession made its bow to the community in the person of Dr. George A. MilJigan. who was most joyfully received ])y the inhabitants and was the first physician to locate in the county of Monroe. He is still living in the city of Sparta at a very advanced ag" having retired from practice a number of years ago ; ^laj. Morrison ]Mc^lillan arrived in 1853 and located on a farm in the villago and afterwards became quite prominent in county affairs. Timothy Barker was also another of the settlers at this time, he building a two story house; in addition to these, there were probably eight or ten more new settlers in or near Sparta during this year.

The fine pul)lic school system of Sparta had its humble beginning in 1853 with the erection of a small board shanty about 12 X 16 feet in size, which afterwards served the double purpose of a school house and church. ]\Iiss Sarah AValrath was the first teacher regularly employed and opened the teaching under adverse circumstances but with the pluck and vim Avhicli characterized the earlier inhabitants.

During this year there was a miniature Indian war precipitated in the vilhige which proved, however, to be almost entirely one sided but which brought the desired results. It seems that the "Winnebago Indians, as had ever been the case, claimed all the territory to be theirs previous to the coming of the white people; this tribe at that time had degenerated somewhat, were very inferior to the Chippewa Indians who lived farther north, and the settlers invariably had nothing to do with tlie AVinnebagos but were annoyed by them at times, as they would steal, and in certain cases became quite impudent.

One instance, which aroused the ])eople of the village, occurred in the summer of 185)}, Avlien an Indian came to the home of R. H. ^McMann in Big Creek, about four miles from Sparta and demanded food of him and ui)on being refused, pointed his riHe at the farmer and threatened to shoot him unless it was produced. This so enraged Mr. ^Ic^Iann that afterwards he made a complaint to the authoi-ities in Sparta and the news having gotten among the people, a volunteer companywas formed for the purpose of punishing the Indians ; every man in the village and within two miles around volunteered his service and the company was organized, numbered about twenty-five men ; a camping party of about forty AVinnebagos, to which the Indian belonged who had threatened Mr. McMann, were camped about two miles from his farm ; to this point marched the brave little army intent upon punishing the AA^innebago and inflicting a lesson which would be lasting. Upon arriving at the Indian camp, a demand was made for the Indian who had threatened McMann and they were informed that he would be whipped as a punishment. To their surprise, the AVinnebagos made no resistance whatever, but allowed the whites to take possession of the Indian and not only that, but to take their guns away from them which were fired otf and stacked together. The Indian was stripped of his clothes and severely Avhipped by Mr. AIclMann with a blacksnake. The red man, however, stood with folded arms and not moving a muscle on his body, proudly erect and disdained to show any sign of suffering. AA^hen McMann had inflicted sufficient punishment, the Indians were marched to the village and arranged in front of the Sparta Exchange where they were given food by the proprietor, Lyman Andrews ; they all ate heartily except the Indian who had been whipped, he refused to touch the food. AVhen the meal was done the settlers told the Indians to go and gave them to understand that they must stay away and never be seen in that part of tlie country again ; this heroic treatment had its effect and it is related that there was no trouble with Indians afterwards, although one time soon after the people of the village had a serious scare from a rumor to the effect that the Indians were to massacre the whites in revenge for this whipping; it proved, however, to be without foundation.

Eighteen fifty-four brouglit things of big interest to the people of the little village; for during the winter a bill Avas pending in legislature to set aside the county of Monroe from LaCrosse county and a lively little contest was on as to where the county seat should be located; whether at Leon, which was then quite a settlement, or at Sparta; the bill was finally passed and approved by the governor IMarch 21, and it provided that Sparta should be the county seat of the county and on the first Tuesday in April the first election was held at which the full quota of officers were elected and the records show that a total vote of seventy was jjollcd in tlic cnlirc rounty. Nearly all oL' the eounty ofHeers were residents of the village of Sparta and contained many well known names.

A. 11. Hlake was elected county judge, E. AValrath, sheriff; AVilhur Fisk, register of deeds; John Barker, clerk of the court; Samuel Iloyt, county treasurer; A. B. Cornel, district attorney. This year brought several new settlers, all of whom it is impossible to enumerate, but among them early in July was George AV. Koot and family. Mr. Koot bought the house of Lyman Andrews, then known as the Sparta Exchange, together with the stock of goods and continued the business, hiring ]\Ir. Andrew's dining room table as a counter for a shilling a week. J. i\I. Sugden came up from St. Louis that year and l)uilt the first brick chimney in the village in Mr. Root's house. Sugden erected a paint shop on Water street, and it was at the time the largest building on that street; people called him crazy for |)n1ting up such a large house for a paint shop. Doctor Gage, in an article on the early settlers, says of I\Ir. Sugden :

"Sugden, one of the pioneers and a first class painter and paper hanger, found this, at that early period a not very inviting field for these pursuits, but iew buildings then Avarranted this class of adornment and he betook himself to bricklaying, in the Avay of making small chimneys for the roofs of small houses as a means of turning an honest penny, and he became known as the handsome bricklayer, l)ut whether this term was to be applied to the individual himself or to his work has never yet been with certainty known."

Among others, Charles Dickenson and family came this year and was one of the men who at one time conducted the Log Tavei-n which stood where the Hotel Lewis now is. At the time of his arrival there were about fourteen houses in the village.

Things looked so promising for the future that a Fourth of July celebration was indulged in and every one within twenty or thirty miles of the village participated, making it a grand occurrence. George Flint, of LaCrosse. delivered the address and the day was passed in amusements of various kinds, a dinner, and finished by a dance; the day was marked by a further event which became historical ; the siirveyors of the ^Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway passed through theVillage on that day in running the line from ^lilwaukee to LaCrosse.

Business advanced and among the stores opened in 1854 was that of Rich & Blake, ^Fr. "Wouldrich, D. Logan, S. D. Jackson. In August, the first ^Master-^Iason Lodge was organized through the efforts of Major ]\Ic]\Iillan ; the lodge met in a grove for the first time and afterwards held meetings in the loft of a small building. Among the settlers we also note the name of Benjamin Stevens, a mechanic, and his son, 0. D. Stevens, who afterwards kept a meat market ; S. M. Holbrook, an omnibus man, and Charles Goss. This year was marked also by the erection of the Monroe House, a little frame hotel, which stood upon the corner now occupied by the Baptist church, and Andrew Allen also built the Allen House, which subsequently was used as a store.

This year also saw the publication of the first newspaper ever issued, if it may be called a newspaper, being the "Monroe County Citizen," which was published by a man by the name of L. Reising, who came from somewhere in New York and brought a little printing press. He issued a few numbers of this paper and, not meeting with financial success, the publication was discontinued.

The majority of the settlers who came in during the year 1853-54-55 were from Cattaraugus county, in the state of New York, and there were so many of them that they became known as the "Cattaraugus delegation."

AVe are unable to get the names of all of them, but among them L. S. Fisher appears, who arrived in 1855 and was elected clerk of the county board in 1856, served as deputy postmaster under Casselman and in that year opened the first exclusive grocery store in the village and in 1857 he went into the furniture business, doing well until 1860, when he was elected county treasurer, which position he filled until 1862, when he became commissioner on the board of enrollment for the Sixth Congressional District ; subsequently during the latter part of his life served as postmaster a great many years in the city.

Dr. S. P. Angle was also from that county and located land and built a sawmill where Angelo now stands, and his son. Oscar, located at that point on a large farm, Oscar afterwards engaging in the livery business on Water street, subsequently became sheriff of the county.

J. J. McKay, the second member of assembly of this place, also was a Cattaraugus man and so was Carlton Rice, -who took up practice in the county, A. F. Bard, L. Leas. Joseph Powell, Rufus Robinson, L. Moseley, G. Harvey and S. H. Sturns, M'ho served so many years as, clerk of the circuit court, B. S. Winship, proprietor of the Winship House, at that time the eating room for the INIilwaukee & St. Paul Railway, was a Cattaraugus man.

Iloldeu & Ward, who conductt'd the grocery store at the corner of Oak and Court street, the ]\lcClure family all came from that county, settled here in 1852. J. J. ]\IcClure built a store south of the Globe Hotel, which was situated on what is now known as tlie library corner, he carried on a boot and shoe business; the Rockwell family, S. H. Dalaby came from Cattaraugus county, C. AV. ^McAIillan, who served several terms as sheriff, was one of the delegation and arrived in ]85o. ^Morton Leonard, Lyman Andrews, AVilliam H. Blyton, AY. S. Newton, and Henry Foster all came from that county. sonu» as early as 1853.

Hiram and Henry Foster arrived in 1855 and Hiram built the Globe Hotel the same year, but soon afterwards sold it to AYilliam Burlingaine, who kept it for a number of years. Henry Foster bought out 0. C. Poles, who was about to start a harness shop upon the arrival of the Fosters and he kept the business for a good many years afterwards.

Very few of the old residents Avho came as early as 1855 are still alive, and among them is H. A. Streeter, who now resides in the city at a very advanced age. He came in 1855 and his memory is quite clear as to the settlement in the village at that time.

He states that the stage station at that time was at George Griffins, a log house with a barn connected which stood \ipon the Hotel Lewis corner. S. D. Jackson had a store then somewhere along in where AIcAIillan's Furniture Company is now located ; the building was of rough boards and he afterwards built a store on what was called the knoll Avhere the barn of D. F. Davis now stands. Air. Streeter boarded when he first came here, but desired to l)uild a house and makes the remarkable statement that he started the building on Alonday, Avith tht^ help of a man named Andrew Dickenson, and had it completed and moved in by Tliursday: it was a frame building, very ]>rimitive in its construction and he i)roeeeded, after the house Avas done, to make a bedstead, and he states that he made a "feather bed" out of cotton l)atten for the mattress.

A table was erected of rough boards, several three-legged stools constructed, and this little home was complete and he and his wife moved in ha]ipy in the possession of that much. This building stood where F. Baldwin's blacksmith shop is located.

Air. Streeter bought the lot there, because he thought the l)usiness portion of the village would go that way, as there was a jewelry store located there. He states that AA'illiam Kerrigan had a blacksmith shop in the corner where Roberts & Jones' grocery store is located. The shop at first having no covering over it whatever, but consisted of an anvil block and a bellows ; at that time a sawmill was located here where the dam now is on Water street bridge and Mr. Streeter found employment with the proprietor of the mill.

In this year Sparta experienced its first serious flood. i\lr. Streeter relates that owing to the heavy rains the fiood came down the creek in a wave, which he states was at least eight feet high and crushed everything as flat as a floor ; the dam was washed out and the mill ruined; this dam was rebuilt, but in its history it was washed out in the earlier days five times.

There was considerable agitation in 1855 with regard to the liquor question, and it appears that a man by the name of Samuel Crosby built a building where Gustad's store now is and opened a grocery and liquor store, and thereby, of course, caused indignation among the temperance people.

C. AV. Pott, a harness maker, who arrived in Sparta that year, saw two Cattaract men drinking in the store and had Mr. Crosby arrested for selling liquor without license. This coming up before Justice McKay, would not allow Mr. Pott's testimony, saying that he had not tasted the liquor and could not swear to what it was and for failure of proof the jury found the. defendant not guilty. It got to be a regular thing and it seems that this man, Crosby, was tried six different times in an effort to convict him of this oft'ense of selling liciuoi*. At last they did find sufficient proof and he was fined $20 by the justice.

But this did not rid the place of the liquor nuisance and the temperance people got up another plan ; the women Avould take their knitting work and sit in the front part of the store, hoping thus to keep tlu^ men away and to break up the business ; but that did not do as the men who desired to drink marched boldly in and called for what they wanted, so the ladies were obliged to retire in good order with the reflection that that method of stopping the liquor traffic was a failure. Other incidents of laAv suits in the earlier days abounded and have naturally connected with them the names of J. M. Morrow and L. AV. , Graves. It is related that in 1857, G. W. Warring was then justice of the peace and it apears that Air. Graves and AVilliam AYright were the parties in a suit before his honor, and S. F. Holbrook, L. M. Rose, AY. S. Newton and AY. L. Johnson were chosen as jurors with A. Cross, constable, in charge ; after hearing the evidence, the jury would not agree, but the court refused to discharge tliem until they were ready to render a verdict. The jury Avas quite disgusted ;il lliis and they went back in the room, climbed on the table ami one of tlu'in removed a board from the ceiling and made their escape unknown by the officers, who afterwards searched for them in vain, while the reprobates were enjoying a game of poker in the corner of the Ida House. This is a law suit that never has been finished as the jury never rendered a verdict.

In 1855 and 1856 settlers arrived in such numbers that it is impossible to attempt to give the names of but few ; buildings sprang up everywhere and the spot which had so lately been the hunting ground for the Indians became alive with busy people. S. D. Jackson built himself a residence and also a store building which was afterwards occupied by Dodge Brothers; in 1855, Jackson opened up with a large stock of goods; subsecpiently taking into partnership AV. AV. Allis, who came from California in 1858.

R. M. Dunlevy was one of the new comers in 1855, and entered into the dry goods business, at first clerking for S. D. Jackson; he continued for six or seven years, and at the end of that time became a member of the firm, Mr. Allis retiring. j\Ir. Jackson was acknowledged to be one of the best merchants in Sparta and Air. Denlevy's experience with him fitted him to enter into the business alone when Jackson removed to a larger field. Dunlevy l)ranched out into the wholesale and retail business in all kinds of fancy dry goods and kcjit a 1)uyiT in New York and Boston markets.

During 1855 the Rev. L. C. Herrick, a Baptist clergyman, took up his residence here and 1)uilt a sawmill on Beaver creek near Allen's grove, and the same year another Baptist preacher. Rev. S. Gustin, came to Sparta and went into the nursery business. These contended for the pastorate of the Baptist society to such an extent as to Ix'come quite unfriendly and unfortunately it resulted in the temporary disorganization of the Baptist society.

J. D. Condit arrived in 1855 also, and his brother, A. IT. Condit. ])uilt a drug store, the first, on llie nortli side of Beaver creek and also became interested witli Milton .Montgomcrx- in publishing the AVatchman, which was })ublished on the second floor of the building owned by Condit. J^ortei- Aylesworth, a blat'ksmith, ai'rived in 1856 and became proprietor of the AFonroe House which he kept until 1857, when he Avas l)urned out. The next year he built the old AVarner House, which stood some (tls- tanee south of where the present Warner House now stands. Among others in 1855 were L. M. Newbury, E. J. Campbell, Joseph Kline, wlio settled in Leon Valley, G. B. Holden, who engaged in the lumber business and became interested in the Sparta AVoolen ]\Iill, and J. D. McDowell, who worked for a time for AV. S. Post, in the mercantile business. McDowell went into business for himself in 1857 by opening a boot and shoe store Avhich he continued to carry on for several years.

Business had grown to such an extent by this time that banking conveniences were necessary and in 1858 the Bank of Sparta was started by J. D. Hemphill ; seven years later it was organized under the general banking law as the First National Bank of Sparta and subsequently in its history it became the State Bank, now being known as the Bank of Sparta.

Hagaman Palmer arrived with his family in 1856 in company Avith five other families, among them being S. P. Greenman, the well known hotel keeper, who carried on the Ida House for a number of years, and Francis Brock. Palmer went into partnership with J. D. Coudit in the dray business and also engaged in land speculation, entering and buying some 6,000 acres mostly in Monroe county. He brought his five sons with him, all of whom afterwards engaged in business in the city ; William Palmer became county clerk : John Palmer in the livery business ; Daniel Palmer became a partner in the firm of H. Palmer & Co. ; George and Henry carried on a flour and feed store.

H. E. Kelly, who afterwards became collector of internal revenues started in the dry goods business in 1856. L. S. Bingham took up his residence here and entered the hardware trade ; he built a three story building on AVater street near Oak. J. A. AYarner came about the same time and clerked for McFarland a number of years, afterwards going into business as a wholesale and retail dealer in Greve's block. AI. A. Thayer and A. A. Alunn arrived the same year, Air. Thayer was register of deeds for nine terms and also went into the banking business. J. AI. Alorrow and L. AY. Graves arrived during the same year and so did J. Andrews. In company witli Frank Skillman and Captain Fisk, AndrcAvs erected the first foundry in the city, which was located near the Alilwaukee & St. Paul Railway depot ; J. A. Gillman, who arrived in 1856, subsequently became owner of the foundry and after that several changes in ownership followed and passed into the hands of J. J. Owsley in 1865 and a year later was destroyed by fire.

of ImikI donated by J. D. Damman, the town reserving the squ;ii-f mIk'I'c the present eoui-t liouse is, Avhich was given by AVilliani Petit, for a park. Additions to tlie village were platted by J. D. Dannnan, Kiehard C'asselinaii. H. Hill and E. S. Blake, and at that time there was niueh rivalry between the two sides of the river as to which shonld have the court house. The second building, however, was built in Petit "s square after some li'oiihle with Dannnan over his gift. This yeai- a public hall was opened, situated on the corner of Oak and AVater streets, opposite the Greve's block; this building was two stories high and cdihpleted l;)y R. AV. Bowles, the hall receiving the proud name of "Liberty Hall;"" and then the village arrived to. the dignity of having theatrical perfoiiuances for the amusement of its inhabitants; the very first show M'hich appeared was a magician who drcAv a large crowd, and it is related that the crowd was so large that it Avas too heavy for the floor and just as the magician was about to perform one of his startling feats the floor gave way and down went the audience and magician with all his slight of hand machinery on top of them, so that a grand disappearing act was successfully performed which was not in the program.

The day that the Liberty Hall floor broke seemetl to he a day of accidents; it is related that the frame of the IMethodist church had just been raised and Benjamin Stevens and IMorton Bump, two carpenters, were putting u]) the frame of the belfry, when one of the ties broke, lotting down llie timbers and the workmen at the same time; Stevens was severely hurt, but Bump escaped wilii slight injury; during the same day a man fell from the top of a building on Oak street, but was not seriously injureJ.

Wedding bells rang for the first time in 1855 when Edward Wairalh and Miss Blake were nuirried, and in the following year Henry Talmadge and Anna Bradshaw.

The hard tinu\s of 1857 seriously etfected the business and settlement of the village, and during Ihat year Sparta was nearly at a stand still; very few new comers arrived and little occurred which was of interest. The settlers, however, continued their efforts in building up the place and dui-ing that year 1\. and O. P. ]\IcClure built the first grist mill which was erected on the site of the old saw mill on Benver creek. Subsequently T. B. Tyler erected a woolen mill on the same site at a cost of .+-^,000. This old building is still standing and is known as the Sparta "Woolen !Mill i)roperty.

Among the settlers in 1857 were Dennis Lawrence and wife, the later a fashionable dressmaker. AVilliam Potter, a meat market man, who afterwards getting the gold fever, went to Pike's Peak and was given up for dead, but soon afterwards returned to Sparta and resumed his old vocation. Thomas B. Tyler arrived in 1857 from Pennsylvania, though a native of the east, he loved his new location and was one of the men who did much to build up the village.

A good story is related of Mr. Tyler which is as follows : Previous to his coming to Sparta, he had been engaged in the drug business at Coudersport, Pa., and there was acquainted with several men who afterwards came to tlie west. So it was no unusual thing for a Coudersport man to call on ]\Ir. Tyler's place of business when he came to Sparta. One day J. D. Condit happened in at Mr. Tyler's place of business when the latter was out, and a few minutes later a deaf and dumb man entered. Like all unfortunates of this class, this individual began to stare at everything, without making his business known. Condit thought he saw a chance to play a joke on Mr. Tyler, so stepped to the door to look for him, and met him coming. "There is a man waiting for you. Perhaps he is from Coudersport," said J. D. The individual was now looking at some pictures, and had his back turned to the pair. Mr. Tyler was a quiet, unassuming man ; so he brushed back his hair, straightened up his collar and coughed. The stranger did not seem to hear him. Mr. Tyler again arranged his collar and hair, and stepping a little nearer, said: ''You wished to see me, sir?" No answer, no backward glance. The gentleman reddened perceptibly, but again jerked at his collar and brushed back his hair, with the question now put in louder tones, "Did you want to see me, sir?" The stranger still continued his examination of the pictures. Redder and redder Mr. Tyler grew, and when he next asked the question he bawled it at the top of his voice. The man, however, took no notice whatever of him, and a look of blank amazement was spreading Tyler's face, when IMr. Condit,

The opening of the ^lihvankee & St. Paul railroad to this plaee in 18.58, gave a new impetus to business and to immigration. The track was laid as far as the tunnel from the east, and also westward from the tunnel to LaCrosse. But the tunnel itself was something that required months to complete. An engine and some cars Avere drawn over the bluffs for use on the western part of the line ; and for some six months the trains ran to and from the tunnel on both sides, passengers having to foot it across the bluft' from one train to the other. During this time Sparta had no railway depot, - a freight car, switched oft' of the main track, answering the purpose, as it was of ample dimensions to hold the waiting passengers and their baggage at that time. Later, a neat depot was erected with other necessarybuildings; and later still,, a dining hall and hotel known as the ~\Vinship House.

The Letson Brothers, in 1858, put up a sash, door and blind factory. L. H. ^Mather came to Sparta the same year, built a block of buildings on AVater street, and opened a drug store which he kept for several years. Mr. ^Mather's enterprise is to be seen all over the city. He erected more handsome buildings here than any one man in this place. J, W. Smith and family made their advent this year. ]Mr. Smith engaged at that time in the harchvare business. His son. J. E. Smith, kept a variety and auction store on Oak street. J. J. French, a dealer in guns and ammunition, Avith II. Palmer & Co. D. B. Howe, of the firm of Ayleswortli & Co. D. ^McBride and family were among the new comers of 1858. D. McBride was the editor of the "Herald," which has been conducted since that time to the present with only a slight interruption. I\lr. ]MeBride was postmaster at Sparta for eight years, commencing with President Lincoln's administration.

Late in Decem1)er of the same year another newspaperman, Capt. D. "W. C. AVilson, took up his residence here. He did not at that time, however, enter a ju-inting office. During 1860 and 1861 he served as .iustice of the peace. Tii the summer and fall of 1861, lie held war-meetings, and in November of tliat year was made lieutenant of Company D of the Eighteenth "Wisconsin Regiment, going into service January. 1S&2. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 6, 1862, and was in various prisons in Alabama and Georgia, until paroled at Richmond, Virginia, which occurred in October of the same year. Re-entering service, he remained there until 1864, when he returned to AVisconsin. He was elected to the assembly in 1865, and to tlie senate in 1866. During 1868, he was traveling correspondent of the "]\Iilwaukee Sentinel," and two years later he took a half interest in the "Sparta Eagle." In 1872 he bought the whole ''Eagle" office and changed the name of the paper to the "Monroe County Republican." A. AV. AVilson, a brother of Captain Wilson, also settled in Sparta in 1858. Dr. ]\I. R. Gage was another of the new comers of 1858, practicing his profession here many long years except the two years that he Avas surgeon of the Twenty-fifth AVisconsin Regiment. At one time after the war, Dr. Gage was connected witli II. Palmer in the drug business.

The next year, 1859, T. B. Tyler built a grist mill near the Mihvaukee & St. Paul railroad depot. This mill has passed through many hands since its building. D. D. Cheney, who settled in this place in 1861, and H. Greve owned it at one time. It is now owned by Bergman Brothers. The mill had a capacity of three hundred barrels per week, and employed six men. H. C. Brooks, was head miller, T. D. Freneli. a brother of J. J. French, came from the south this year, and settled in Sparta, going into business with J. M. Sugden, a partnership which lasted about four years.

Among the settlers of 1861 and 1862 we find A. Saxe, a furniture manufacturer on Oak street ; J. J. Owsley, who bought out Tyler's mill and run it some five years, during tlie first year of which time the dam went out seven times. S. M. Owsley, a son of J. J. Owsley, now a grocer on Oak street ; R. S. AVells, surgeon dentist, and AV. H. AA^hite, a dealer in agricultural implements. James Francis became a resident in Sparta in 1861, and a little later went into the grocery business at Johnson's old stand, corner of Oak and Court streets, which Air. Johnson, deceased, had left vacant. Subsequently he moved into a brick block further east on Oak street, and then added dry goods to his stock of groceries. Dr. Bennett, a well-known physician of Sparta, located in 1861,

George Dunn came in 1861 and in connection with AI. Erickson and AV. H. Blyton, erected a large block of brick buildings between Alain and Oak streets on AVater; Dunn opened a wholesale and retail dry goods business there and still continues in the same store building with the retail business. Chauncey Blakeslee came from Neilsville and commenced business with a large stock of dry goods in the Dunn building.

The bcjiinniiig of the AVar of the Jiehellion affected the growth and l)iisiness interests of the vilhige to a marked degree; prices went up and tlie poorer classes had a hard time to get the bare necessities of life.

The citizens of Sparta and \icinity exhibited true patriotism and furnished a large portion of the several companies that went from the county. At the receipt of the news of the fall of Fort Sumptcr the indignation and war-like spirit of our modern Spartans were fully aroused, and at no place in the United States was the President's call for troops more promptly responded to than in this village. As soon as it was known that a call had been formally made for volunteers, enlistments commenced, and continued so briskly that only a small portion of those who tendered their service were accepted. The first company organized in Sparta was known as Captain Lynn's, and its members were first enlisted for a period of three months, but as soon as it was known that troops were required for a longer period of service the company was reorganized and nearly every man who had enlisted for the short term reenlisted for three years, or during the war. The company was ordered about the 6th of June. 1861, to proceed to Camp Utley, Racine. AVis.. where it was assigned to the Fourth Regiment, AVisconsin Volunteer Infantry, under Col. Halbert E. Paine, and became Company I of that regiment. It left Sparta with the following named commissioned officers: Captain, John AV. Lynn; first lieutenant, Levi R. Blake; second lieutenant, Ansyl A. AYest.

Captain Lynn was killed on the gunboat Tyler, July 1."). 1862. while on an expedition toward A^icksburg, the steamer having been fired into by a rebel battery. Shortly after this the regiment was in a thirty-days' siege of A'icksburg, but disease so weakened the men that at the end of that time the siege was abandoned. They had a successful battle at Bisland, Louisiana, near Bayou Teche, and a little later they made an attack upon Port Hudson, where Capt. Levi Blake fell mortally wounded. The battle of Port Hudson proved very disastrous to the regiment. On September 1, 1863, the AYar Department gave orders that the Fourth AVisconsin be equipped as cavalry, and it Avas thereafter known as the Fourth AVisconsin Cavalry.

Company A. Third AVisconsin, Barstow's Cavalry, was organized about mid-summer, 1861. by Capt. Jerry Dammon, of Sparta. Its first lieutenant was Robert Carpenter, of Sparta, and second lieutenant, Leonard Morley, of A^'iroqua.

The City Of Sparta 267

Janesville, Wisconsin, where it was mustered into service. The regiment left the state and went via Chicago to St. Louis, IMarch 26, 1862. "While on the Northwestern railroad, near Chicago, it met with a very serious accident, which resulted in the loss of twelve men. Company A alone having seven men killed and several were severely injured.

Captain Damman, who went out in command of the company, resigned March 9, 1863, and was succeeded by Capt. Robert Carpenter, who retained command until the date of his muster out of service, January 30, 1865.

Company D, Eighteenth "Wisconsin Infantry, was raised in the month of November and December, 1861, and was called the Northwestern Rangers. The company was recruited by George A. Fisk, D. W^. C. W'ilson and Peter Sloggy. At an election for officers a vote of the members of the company was taken and resulted in the election of Fisk as captain, W^ilson as first lieutenant, and Sloggy as second lieutenant. The company left Sparta and proceeded to Milwaukee, January 14, 1861, and was assigned to the Eighteenth "Wisconsin Infantry, under the command of Col. J. S. Albin, of Plover.

This regiment was at the battle of Shiloh and in the sieges of Corinth and Vicksburg, at the battle of Champion Hills, and at that of Allatoona mountains, as well as in several lesser engagements ; and it suffered severely from disease, engendered by the sickly climate. Its gallant colonel lost his life at Shiloh, w^hicli proved a disastrous battle to the raw recruits. Yet Governor Harvey said of them: "]\Iany regiments of that fight may well covet the impressions which the Eighteenth have left of personal bravery, heroic daring and determined endurance."

Company C, of the Nineteenth W^isconsin Regiment, was organized in December, 1861, and mustered into service by Capt. J. A. Chandler, of Sparta. Charles Case was first lieutenant, and Henry B. Nichols second lieutenant.

Captain Chandler resigned July 30, 1862, and Charles Case was promoted to the captaincy. The latter also resigned and Henry B. Nichols became the captain of Company C February 7, 1863. The company Avas mustered out of service April 19, 1865.

The Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Regiment w^as organized by Col. Milton Montgomery, of Sparta, and was mustered into service September 14, 1862. Company D was the company enlisted at this place, and its officers were : J. D. Condit, captain, and Mort. E. Leonard and Charles S. Farnham, lieutenants. Captain Condit resigned on account of sickness, July 15, 1863, and Mort. E.

Leonard Avas put in command of the company. The latter was wounded in the action of Decatur, Ga., July 22, 1864, but returned to duty in November of the same year. At the same battle Colonel ^Montgomery was Avounded and taken prisoner. His arm, which had been shot off by a rifle ball, hung dangling to the stub for a period of forty-eight hours before amputation took place. The gallant colonel did not. however, resign upon his release from prison, but continued with his regiment until mustered out June 7, 1865. The regiment suffered very much from sickness during its service. At one time 500 of the men lay sick, and less than a hundred were fit for duty. This happened at Snyder's Bluffs, ]\Iiss., in 1863. The regiment Avas in several skirmishes, of which lack of space prevents particular mention.

The Thirty-sixth Wisconsin Regiment w^as organized under the government call for 500.000 men. Company C of this regiment was recruited by Capt. George A. Fisk, of Sparta, and was mustered into service ]\Iarch 4, 1864. Luther B. Noyles was first lieutenant, and C. E. Bullard was second lieutenant.

Company C lost several men. C. L. Cleves, DarAvin Cole, DaA'is Douglass, A. B. Ligales, P. C. "Walker and Charles L. McClure Avere killed in action. E. H. Amidon, R. B. Balcom. H. BroAvu, Thomas Casner, "William Dayton, H. AV. Hudson, John HopAvood, Eldridge Rathbun and John "Wilkinson died of Avounds received in battle. Of those Avho died of disease many gave up life in the Salisbury and Anderson\'ille prisons. The folloAving is a list of such of Company C's men as died of disease: George C. Cross, AYm.. B. Snyder, Alfred 0. Barnes. IM. A. Butts, Dan. A. Barton, P. Farr, Nathan Graves, Henry HathaAvay, James Hubbell, EdAvard Nichols, John Printz, Cyrus Sour, Samuel Smith, J. E. Stevens, L. VanBorst, AValter YanVickle, J. B. AYolcot and Chas. Young.

A portion of the First Battery, the LaCrosse Artillery, Avas from Sparta. S. Hoyt Avas one of the number. This company Avon the applause of Major General ^McClernand and of ]\Iajor General Reynolds, for gallant conduct on the field, and for its cleanliness and good behavior in camp.

Sparta sent 142 citizens to the Avar, sixty-three of Avhom reenlisted at tlie close of their first tcnii. The colonel of the Seventh AVisconsin Regiment, W. AV. Robinson, Avas a Sparta man. Col. AV. W. Rol)inson Avas born at Fairhaven, Vermont, December

Randolph A. Richards The City Of Sparta 269

14, 1819, and was educated at Rutland Academy, Castleton Academy and Norwich Military Academy. During the Mexican war he served as first lieutenant and captain in the Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteers. He was a resident of Sparta at the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion, having first visited and selected a farm near that place in the summer of 1851. In the spring of 1861 he took an active part in the organization of the company then being recruited here, giving it quite a thorough course of lessons in discipline and drill. In August of the same year he was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the Seventh AVisconsin Volunteers, and served in that capacity until January 31, 1862, when he was promoted colonel of the same regiment. He commanded the Seventh Wisconsin in the following named engagements : Thornburg, Rappahannock Station, AVhite Sulphur Springs, Gainsville, Fredericksburg, FitzHugh Crossing, Chancellorsville. Laurel Hill and Bethesda Church, and the Iron Brigade in the following: Brandy Station, Beverly Ford, Gettysburg, Birchland, AVilderness, November, 1863 ; Wine Run, Wilderness, 1864 ; Spottsylvania Courthouse, North Anna, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. He was severely wounded in his left leg at the battle of Gainsville, August 28, 1862, from the effects of which wound he has never fully recovered. For services rendered during the war he has recently been appointed United States Consul at Lamatove, Madagascar.

Many of the newcomers of Sparta were in the war previous to their coming here. J. AV. Currant, at one time register of deeds, and Michael McComber each lost a limb in battle ; Rufus S. and H. K. Dodge were also in the army. H. K. Dodge tells of many occurrences of the war which are very remarkable and which are not in history. One of these we will give here, the truth of which the editor will not vouch for : Dodge was once stationed at a point to repel a large force of rebels, a belt of trees dividing the two armies. Air. Dodge finally got out of bullets and substituted some balls of snuff, which the sutler had for sale. The effect was wonderful. In a few minutes the whole rebel army was sneezing, and they kept at it until consternation seized them and they broke ranks and fled. Air. Dodge went in pursuit and was surprised on crossing the ground which they had occupied to find it strewn with noses. He says he picked up two and a half bushels of them. AA'hat use he made of them in trade he does not say, and as he was the only person who knows the information died with him.

business enterprises and llie growth of the comnuinity, wliich had been interrupted b,y the war, contiiiind and many new names were added to the roll, too many to here enumerate, among them l)('ing Colonel Shuter and Dr. A. B. Niehols. who opened a Tui'kisli l)ath estal)lishment nnder the AVarner House. This institution was conducted successfully for several years, and in connection Avith artesian water Avhicli has mineral properties became quite a resort for treatment of various diseases. In the spring of 1865 the courthouse was built in Petit 's square, which included the sheriff's dwelling, and in that year J. L. IMather built tlu* Sparta paper mill, which a few years later was sold to Farnham, Shuter & Co., who in turn sold it to 0. T. Newton, and he continued to operate it up to the time of his death, when it went to his sons, George and Harry, and having burned a few years after Avhile owned by these boys it never was rebuilt. The water power, however, is used in furnishing power for the electric light plant, which furnishes light and power to the city and vicinity, running under the corporate name of 0. I. Newton Sons' Co. Air. George Newtcn is at present the manager. The paper mill at OIK" lime manufactured about 4,000 pounds of paper per day and ('m])l<)y('d twenty men.

About this time the hoj) fever had been raging over this part of the country and large numbers of persons in Sparta and vicinity had gone into the business. At one lime it is stated there were over three hundred acres planted to hops within a mile of Sparta, and the same condition of aifairs was true in ditferent ]>arts of the county, especially around the two larger villages, Sparta and Tomah, and the editoi- remembers with great ]>leasure some of his experiences at "hop picking time,*' and it in those days became a common thing to refer to events which took place at or near ''hop i)icking time."

The firm of II. Palmer & Co. were, perhaps, the most extensive dealci's in hops. The tirm was composed of, in addition to Air. Palmer, U. Af. Cargill and John Alotl'at. They handled at cue time as high as $500,000 Avorth.of hops annually.

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Another thing which struck this part of the country at this time and caused great excitement was the rumor that oil had been discovered in the valley of the Kickapoo river, which runs along the southern portion of the county. A man named Ticknor, Avho (daimed to be an oil operator from the oil regions of the cast, jissured the people of the existence of oil in that section. They visited the spot and saw crude petroleum boiling from the spring; smelt it, tasted it and w^ere satisfied. And the times that followed were indeed exciting for awhile. A "Gem Petroleum Company" was formed in which this man Ticknor was the head and a heavy stockholder ; lands were leased from farmers at exorbitant prices in that section, and the capital of this celebrated industry was the famous village now known as "Oil City." Stocks in the oil company were in demand and everyone who could raise enough money invested it in a share or more, and this man Ticknor, in order to accommodate his friends, so to speak, sold nearly all of his shares at a large advance.

During this time wells Avere being bored in the "oil" region and after the stocks had been pretty well distributed it was discovered that all they got from the wells was water, not oil; then the bubble burst, for it was discovered that Ticknor had sunk a barrel of crude petroleum under the spring for the purpose of deceiving the people ; stocks went down and the Gem Petroleum Company w^ent out of existence; the oil excitement, much to be regretted, had practically ruined several good citizens, financially.

It w'as discovered, however, in digging the Avells near the Kickapoo river that the water was of remarkable purity and a movement Avas set on foot to investigate the matter in the city of Sparta, and sink a well ; a meeting of citizens Avas called and a subscription taken u]^ to defray expense and George W. Waring Avas engaged as chief engineer and commenced the Avork ; a Avell Avas sunk in Petit 's square and floAving Avater Avas reached at the very first attempt at the depth of three hundred and fifteen feet, the Avell floAving one hundred gallons jjer minute, and still fioAvs in the court house park. The medicinal qualities of the Avater Avere soon discovered by the various citizens who drank it, as a remedy for different diseases. It Avas used to such an extent that the Avater was submitted to chemical analysis and it Avas discovered that it w^as composed of v^arious minerals, principally carbonate of iron, Avith a fair percentage of carbonate of magnesia and sulphate of soda, togetlier AA'ith various solutions of lithia. ammonia, lime, calcium, sodium, iodide of sodium, and several other ingredients. The carbonate of iron was considered a fine tonic, as it helps digestion and reddens the blood globules, and persons i)artaking of this water as a treatment for general diseases were greatly l)enefited. Sparta became somewhat famous as a health resort, people coming from long distances to drink the Avaters and to take treatments at the Turkish bath establishment. At the present time this business has again Ix'cn icvived and the basement of the AVarner House fitted up as a sanitarium.

In 1867 J. D. Condit purchased the Warner House and entered into the management of it; this was a year in which considerable building was accomplished, notal)ly, the woolen factory, which was completed and put in operation in September; the manufacture of printing pax)er at the paper mill was begun; the brick building two stories high across from the Hotel Lewis was built in this year and owned jointly by Palmer, Gage, T. B. Tyler and Simpson & Co. A large brick school building was erected on tlie site where the grade school now stands and the building at that time was considered one of the best and cost $18,000.

In looking over old newspaper files for this year, 1867, it is amusing to know that a game of base-ball was played at Tomah in July between the Sparta Eagles and Tomah Amateurs, in which the score was fifty to thirty-five in favor of the Sparta Eagles.

An income tax which is now the subject of so much discussion is no ncAv thing in the state, as it was in existence during the year 1867, but was finally discarded as a revenue measure. An issue of the Sparta Democrat, May 28, 1867, contains a statement published of the income taxes returned from the congressional district, comprising Yornon, ]\ronroe, Juneau, Adams, Jackson, Clark, Trempclcau, Uuft'alo, Pierce, St. Croix, Polk and Burnett.

The Opera House block was l)uilt dui-ing 1S()7 and 1868 by Herman Greve and is the building which is still known as the old Opera block; J. A. Gilhnan built a grist mill on his land in the southern jiortion of the city in 186S, having previously straightened the river in order to make the water ])ower; and the building of this mill created considerable litigation; the Dodge Bi-others Company, of G. T., R. S. and II. K. Dodge, bought a building on cornei- of ]\lain and AVater of S. D. Jackson in 1872 and engaginl in the iiuM-cantile business, which establishment is still conducted at the old site in a fine brick department

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Rice & Burton engaged in the grocery business at the corner of Franklin and Water streets, the firm subsequently becoming Burton & Graves, and they continued in business for several long years and only retired in 1910. D. J. Lambourn opened a drug store in 1870 and Ira A. Hill entered into the same business in July, 1871. In 1872 L. M. Newbury and J. P. Ward erected a large foundry, known as Sparta Iron AYorks. which has several times been enlarged and is now owned and controlled by the Canfield Brothers, Lee and Robert, and does a flourishing business in the manufacture of well drilling machinery.

In 1873 the building of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad through the village marked a new incident in its history; and the Adllage, in order to get this railroad, paid the company $50,000 and considerable difficulty arose over the issue of these bonds in subsequent years, but they were all finally paid and the village relieved from the burden of this great debt. These bonds were voted by the citizens believing that the railroad would open up for better trade, a very fertile region lying on the southeast and especially from the Ridge country and beyond ; though at this time there were several stage lines running out of Sparta to Cataract, Wilton. Ontario and Viroqua ; these lines were run on a regular scheduled time table like a railroad and carried freight and passengers.

The next decade marked a very substantial growth to the village, not only in building but in trade and general progress, with the exception of a drawback or two caused by disastrous fires. And in 1876, in common with villages and cities everywhere throughout the United States, Sparta held a fitting celebration of the centennial year; not only the commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the independence of this country, but also to celebrate the progress of this hustling little village.

In 1876 the Seminary building at the corner of I\Iain and K streets was commenced in the latter part of September by the Sisters of Charity of La Crosse ; this was the start of an institution which has grown to large proportions and become one of the valuable educational institutions in this part of the state and is treated more extensively at another place in this work.

On the 28th of September in this year occurred one of the most disastrous fires which has ever visited the village or city; it commencing at Lee & Palmer's livery stable, in which a large

I)art of their oquipinent, including fifteen horses, was lost, and it spread on Water street and crossed over to Oak street and destroyed Heller's dry goods store, then situated on the corner; tlu' property which was 'hiinicd including the bus l)arii of lIoll)rook & Lee; Heller building and stock of dry goods; the building of James Francis; Henry Foster "luiildii^g and stock of harness goods: the AVilliani Kerrigan building; J. X. AVagoner building; John Matchett Hotel and furniture; C. H. Ford hop house and fixtures; G. B. Holden lost his valuable library; the preparations for fighting fire were then not of the best, but finally was checked, the total b)ss of something over $40,000, which was a severe blow to the business interests of the village at this time. Investigation failed to trace the cause of the fire, although it was decided that it must have been of incendiary origin. ]Most of the buildings were rebuilt soon after, including the Heller block, which was erected in a more substantial manner than ever and a new stock of goods bought and opened for business within a year.

On the 22nd day of February, 1877, Sparta had been settled for such a length of time tliat some of its citizens then considered themselves "old settlers" and they liad a pioneer reunion in the Ida Hall, one at which the loudest kind ot a time is recorded. The principal movers in this celebration were C. B. ]Mc('lure, Elsa Rice. T. B. Tyler, S. N. Dickinson, J. J. French. S. F. IIolbrook, r. AV. IMcAIillan. AA\ H. Blyton, X. P. Lee, J. King, H. Austin, Z. K. Jewett, J. B. Palmer.

In 1887 George Matchett assumed control of the Ida House, which he conducted for several years. Thayer 6c Kingman erected the brick building now occu])ied by the Alonroe County Bank and in tlie same sunnner and at the same time J. A. Harvey and Jacob Schram erecte<l l)ricl< blocks.

Early in 1877 an excavation was conunenced for the building of the new AVarner House as it now stands and in 1879 the celebration of tlie comjiletion of tliis building was undertaken on a large scale; .). 1). Coiidil was owner and builder and the citizens took part in this matter of so dedicating this fine hotel structure in good style; committees were appointed which included the names of prominent citizens in all of the lu^arby villages and towns and invitations were issued quite generally and which were responded to very lilierally. Guests arrived from ^Milwaukee, La Crosse. AVin<ma, Tomah. Kendall. Black River Falls, Alauston and even some from St. Paul and ]Minneapolis to join the festivity, and ;i baiuiuet was served, followed by dancing, whieh was kept up until the small hours of the morning. The receipts of the occasion M'ere $765.50 and the amount of enjoyment gotten out of the occasion by the participants was on an equally large scale.

On September 17 of this year Viroqua celebrated the opening of the new railroad known as the "Viroqua Branch" from Sparta through that city ; a special train was run and a large number of the citizens participated in the celebration.

Having survived floods, fires, panics and other smaller drawbacks it still remained for Sparta to have a cyclone and this came in due time, striking the city about 9 :30 on the morning of June 10, 1880, and for a time the destruction of the entire city seemed imminent ; as it was, the Chicago, Mihvaukee & St. Paul Railway engine house was wrecked; M. B. Oster's hop house was bloAvn down; J. L. Woy's elevator was unroofed; the depot school house was moved of¥ its foundation six or eight feet while school was in session ; the roof was blown off the D. D. Cheney building on Water street ; numerous chimneys w^ere blowai down in different parts of the city; at the north school house the teacher, Jessis McMillan, and one pupil were struck by lightning; Patt ]\Ioss also experienced a shock and was knocked fiat. The house of A. B. Holden was blown down and the buildings on the fair ground wrecked.

In 1881 Sparta arrived at the dignity of having an opera house with a real stage, which was completed in what was known as the Old Opera block by Ira A. Hill and T. B. Tyler, who then owned the building; the stage Avas nicely fitted up and equipped with scenery and good setting was furnished for the house and for a long term of years was the opera house for entertainments of all kinds, including roller skating.

There Avas little of general interest during the next ten or tweh^e years, Avith the exception of the fact that it Avas incorporated as a city in 1883 and during this period two of Sparta's beautiful churches Avere erected and the armory building Avas also put up ; in 1888 the Methodist Church congregation erected and completed their ncAV church, Avhich has since been remodeled and enlarged, hoAvever, but this building Avas the first real substantial structure OAvned by the ^Methodist Society.

In the folloAving year the daAvn of better municipal improvements came Avith the purchase of ]M. A. Thayer of machinery Avitli AA'hich to establish an electric light plant ; this Avas put into operation in a year or tAvo with the main plant at the village of Angelo, run by Avater poAver. This Avas the beginning of the excellent electric lighting system "vvliich is now enjoyed by the inhabitants of the city, having been later acquired by the 0. I. Newton Sons' Company and enlarged and improved so that at the present time there are two plants, one at the Angelo dam and the other at the old paper mill dam in the city, furnishing street lighting and power for machinery and an excellent system of lighting for stores and residences.

In 1889 the Congregational Socidy comi)leted its l)eautiful church ; and to Dr. "William Crawford is due great credit for the successful carrying out of this great undertaking. Few cities of its size can boast of so beautiful a church structure; after two and one-half years of struggle the society, on August 20, 1889, held the dedicatory exercises and the church was opened fi»r religious service.

Following the installation of an electric light plant an agitation for a system of water works began in 1890. but owing to the state of the city's finances during that year no move was made to install such a system.

Sparta having maintained a military company for a great many years, being known then as Company I of the Third Regiment, Wisconsin National Guard, and the company having occupied ditferent buildings during its career and suifered twice from loss by fire, the patriotic citizens of the city got together and formed an Armory Association ; George Dunn was elected president and AVilliam II. Blyton secretary; this organization took prompt steps towards the erection of a commodious armory; stock was sold and money sufficient for the purpose collected, and that year a contract for the building was let to J. AV. Blake, of Viroqua, for $4,850; December 18, 1890, tlic Imilding was opened for use by the public; the dedication was observed l)y an address by John J. Esch, which was followed by a nuisical entertainment, ])eing the production of a "Trial bv Jury," a Gilbert and Sullivan opera given by local people; this building was maintained for a number of years by the Armory Association, being rented by the military company for its armory, and has at various times been improved; it has now passed out of the hands of the Armory Association, as the purpose of this organization has been accomplished, and it is now owned by the Abonita Guard Association, Avhicli is the civil organization comprising the members of Comi)aiiy L of the Third Regiment, AVisconsin National Guard, and such members as have served a certain time of enlistment in the comi)any ; the society is prac-

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On August 19, 1891, the corner-stone of the Masonic Temple on the corner of ]Main and Water streets was laid with impressive ceremonies. Within the stone were deposited articles of historical interest which may some day come to light. The building has been greatly improved since then and is owned by the Valley Lodge No. 60, Free and Accepted Masons.

Coming down to the year 1896, an unprecedented growth in the city by the erection of business buildings, public buildings and residences ; it perhaps marks the year of the greatest growth that Sparta has ever enjoyed and the cost and number of the buildings erected during that year are worthy of note ; a complete list of all the money expended in building is not here given, but the following is the list of the buildings erected : new hall and in tlic following year, 1897, the Baptist Church was finished and dedicated on the 7tli day of February, and the year 1896 also saw the dedication of the magnificent new court house erected by the county of ^Monroe; the exercises took place on the Lith day of ]\Iarch in that year and were attended by representatives from every town, village and city in the county of ]\Ionroe ; the exercises were followed by a banquet in the evening, with probably more oratory let loose than had ever before been the case in IMonroe county, for it was a proud occasion for the citizens of this county; they had erected and completed a court house which is a model both for beauty and usefulness. The excellent arrangement of the business offices and court rooms and the provisions of ample vault space for several long years to come, Avas a wise foresight of the building committee.

]\Iilitary circles were astonished l)y the fact that Company I of the Third Regiment, AVisconsiu National Guard, was mustered out in 1895 and the citizens became thoroughly aroused with regard to the necessity of giving more support to a military company; steps were immediately taken to reorganize the company and a temporarj^ organization was perfected at which T. 0. Thorbus was elected captain ; F. L. French, first lieutenant, and R. B. ]\IcCoy, second lieutenant.

Enlistments were rapidly procured and on July 15, 1S9G, a new company, known as Company L, Third Regiment, "Wisconsin National Guard, was mustered in by Col. Charles King, the adjutant general of the state of AVisconsin, the same official who had mustered out Company I; R. B. IMcCoy Avas mustered in as captain ; F. L. French as first lieutenant, and John P. Rice, second lieutenant; a large audience attended the exercises and the citizens of Sparta felt that they had redeiMued themselves in this particular. But there is one thing Avhich this history will not fail to record, and that is that while the citizens of Sparta are patriotic, they have not at all times interested themselves in the military company and it has ])een hard work for the officers of the company to overcome the opposition which has been oflfered t(t the enlistment of young men and it has been difficult at times to nuiintain the company standard.

Under Captain jMcCoy the com])any Avas rapidly brought to a high state of efficiency, and none too soon, for it Avas destined to some actiA'e service. Trouble had been brcAving for some time in Cuba and early in 1898 Avar being declared by this country against Spain, there Avere exciting times in Sparta. To the

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President's call for troops Wisconsin quickly responded, and on April 28th, with tiags flying, cheered by thousands of friends and relatives, Company L boarded the special train which carried a part of the Third regiment to Camp Harvey at Milwaukee. The record of the company is told elsewhere and is a good one.

Spring, summer and fall passed slowly. The boys at the front were sadly missed. Eagerly the newspapers were read for news of them and a letter from one of the company in Porto Rico was an event. The glad news flashed over the wires the latter part of October that the Third regiment had landed in New York. Great preparations were made to receive the company, and at 10 :30 a. m., October 30th, the company arrived, truly having the appearance of veterans. The celebration was elaborate and joyful, with a note of sadness for those who had been left behind.

The war over, business once more settled down to its usual routine. Rumors came that the American Cigar Company desired to establish a company in this part of the state for the sorting of tobacco, and steps were immediately taken to secure the locating of it, and the efforts of the citizens who had the matter in charge were so successful that in May, 1899, assurance was given that the plant would come to this city. Later on ground was purchased and buildings were erected, which were completed and opened for business January 12, 1902 ; a capacity for the handling of 1,800,000 pounds of tobacco, or about 60,000 cases, and during the sorting season the plant employs in the neighborhood of 400 hands.

Other good news came to Sparta in 1899, and that was the purpose of H. J. Heintz to erect a salting station in this city, which was done in that year, and subsequently enlarged, proving a great benefit to the farmers in the vicinity in encouraging the raising of cucumbers for pickles, for v\^hich a good price is paid.