Whitestown Town

Whitestown Town

The town of Whitestown is located in the northern tier of towns in Vernon county, and the third town west of the eastern boundary of the county. The town is bounded on the north by Monroe county, on, the east by the town of Forest, on the south by the town of Stark, and on the west by the town of Clinton. The town contains thirty-six sections. It was named in honor of Giles White, the first settler in the town.

The surface of tlie town is very rough and rolling, but five large streams of running water and numerous springs contribute to the fertility of the soil, and form an abundant supply for stock and living purposes. The main stream of the Kiekapoo riyer enters the town on section 2, taking almost a direct southerly course through the town, and leaves on section 34. Brush creek enters on section 4, and empties in the Kiekapoo river on section 2. The north and south branches of Billings creek flow through the town of Forest, uniting near the center of section 13, of tliis town, and joining the Kiekapoo river on section. 26. Weister creek enters the town on section 30, leaving on section 31; and Warner creek enters on section 36, and flow.s into the Kiekapoo river on section 35.

Early Settlement

William Finnell settled on section 3, in 1856. The same year O. H. Millard came and opened a store at Ontario. His family came the following spring. He was still in trade in 1884.

Germany was the birth place of Henry Se'- bach, one of the first citizens. He was b )rn in 1827, and came to the United States the same year. He entered a quarter section of land on section 34, where he still resides.

M. W. Steadman, who first saw the light of day in the "old Bay State," was the fourth to locate his family in the new region. He camo in the spring of 1855 and entered 160 acres of land on section 3. He was born in Berkshire Co., Mass., in 1813; was married in Madison Co., N. Y., in 1844, to Maria White. They have three children - Ellen, wife of Robert Sandoii; Martha, wife of William Sandon, and Lorenzo. Mr. Steadman now operates the feed mill and carding machine of Robert Sandon, in the village of Ontario.

W. W. Joseph also came in 1855, and entered land on section 11. He is now deceased. He was followed by John Ostrander, who settled on section 23, but is now living in one of the western territories.

Three mechanics from New York came in the spring of 1856. George Prentice, a native of Chenango county, Nathan and Elvanis Culver, who were born in St. Lawrence county. The latter was also a millwright by trade.

Lewis Daniels accompanied M. W. Steadman and Creorge Prentice to Whitestown, in 1855, but after remaining a short time returned to Ohio, his native State.

The year 1857 witnessed the advent of several new comers. Anthony Lamb settled on section 1, where he entered forty acres of land, and where his widow still resides. In 1863 Mr. Lamb enlisted in the United States service and departed this life in a government hospital. An Englishman and a native of the Empire State, also cast their lot in the new settlement, and at the present time none are more highly esteemed than these two pioneers - Robert Sand-m and O. H. Millard.

Organic

This town was organized in 1856, and the first election for town officers was held at the store of George Prentice, in the village of Ontario, April 7, 1857. There were but fourteen votes polled, and when these were counted it was found that the following named persons were elected to their respective offices : Giles White, chairman, Washington McFee and William Hart, assistants ; George Prentice, clerk ; Willard R. Hart, treasurer ; Washington McFee, assessor ; Myron Tuttle, superintendent ot schools. The present officers of the town are : Henry O. Connell, chairman, Michael Nevin and August Kreigle, assistants ; Addison Sloggy, clerk ; George Prentice, treasurer ; William Fish, assessor.

Uecokd Of First Events

The first mill in the town was a saw-mill, erected by Mr. White in the summer of 1865, on the Kickapoo river on section 2, and run by water power.

The first couple married in the town of \Vhitestown was Washington McFee and Mrs. William H. Tiderick, in 1857, M. W. Steadman, a justice of the peace, officiating. The first sermon was preached by Rev. Revels, in 1857.

Religious

There are two bodies of worshipers in the town - the Norwegian Lutheran Church and the Baptist Church, the latter of which is located in the village of Ontario.

The Norwegian Lutheran Church was organized in 1868, with Rev. Prince as the first pastor. The church edifice is 20x30 feet in size, and was erected in 1875 at a cost of $320. The first trustees were: Barde Evensen and Christian Thompson . The present trustees are : Mathew Allison and Ole Oloson. The first pastor, Rev. Prince, was succeeded by the present one. Rev. Halverson. The congregation, at the present time, numbers about seventy souls.

The Baptist Church, of Ontario village, was organized in 1859, by the Rev. B. S. Tuttle, with the following named members: Myron W. Steadman, M. Curtis, Maria P. Steadman, Caroline White and Ellen Sandon. The congretiou was quite small at tirst, and for some years met for worship at the dwelling. houses of its members. In 1875 they had secured enough funds to erect a church, and it was finally com- pleted and dedicated to the service of the Master, on Aug. 24, 1879. Rev. W. F. Phillips officiated, with Robert Sandon as clerk, and M. M. Curtis and M. W. Steadman as deacons. The building is of frame, 32x50 feet in size, and the cost of erection was about $1,200. The present membership is sixty-five, and the present officers are as follows: Elder, W. F. Phillips; clerk, O. H. Millard; treasurer, T. L. DeLap; deacons, H. J. Phelps and R. Sandon.

Educational

Great progress has been made in the town in matters of education, as in those of agriculture and religion. The population has increased, and better facilities are needed. The present school population of Whitestown is 329, and they gather for instruction in six different school buildings, with an aggregate valuation of $2,000.

In 1884 there were three cemeteries in the town, ihe oldest of which was at the village of Ontario. Another was on section 6. This was a Norwegian burying place, and known as the Brush Creek Cemetery. The other was situated near the village of Rockton.