Whitewater City (part 5 of 5)

Advent Of Railroads

Along the generally traveled wagon route from Whitewater to Milwaukee, something more than fifty toilsome miles, there were in [849 fifteen taverns, subsisting chiefly from the custom of farmers who hauled grain to the city and teamsters who hauled goods from the city It was evident that the time was nearly at hand for quicker and cheaper transportation. \ railway company was organized in [847 t" build its line from Milwaukee to Waukesha. An amended charter empowered the company to extend it ^ line across the state. In 1840 the western terminus and the route thence from Waukesha were not precisely defined. A line through liberally subscribing villages and townships would warrant a few curves in the road-bed. If the route chosen should be across Jefferson count), leaving Whitewater ten miles from the nearest station, lots at that village would be of little more value than like areas at any cross-roads of Lagrange or Richmond. Here was matter of near concern to village and town. All men agreed that the railway must come this way, but ingenuity and cunning were taxed to their utmost to invent or imagine methods by which the required aid might he given without burden to individuals or community.

In 1850 the directors of this Milwaukee & Mississippi line proposed a simple expedient. Land owners were to buy stock, mortgage their real estate as security for its payment in ten years, and the company would pay the interest from its earnings. Dividends from like source, interest not included, would more than clear away the mortgages and thenceforth the stockholders would derive an assured income from their shares. There were doubters at Whitewater,' but their ratio to the generously confiding was about that of St. Thomas to his more trustful fellow-disciples, which was one to eleven. There were at the village Rufus Cheney. Jr., Eleazar Wakeley and others whose manna-dropping tongues could perplex and dash the wisest of the would-be prudent and persuade men that to shut their eyes was the better way to see clearly into the next-coming years. The good almost within grasp was not tn be foregone by too literal adherence in practice to the maxims of ancient wisdom. Shares were taken, farms and homes were mortgaged, the railway was built, and at the end of the dance the piper was paid.

In [851 the track-layers reached Waukesha, in 1852 they were at Whitewater, Lima, and Milton, and by [856 they had finished at Prairie du Chien. The effect on village growth was at mice so striking as to raise hope to its highest at all the villages of Walworth. Three other lines across the county wen- projected and to each was given local aid. One of these was the Wisconsin Central railway from Chicago to or beyond Columbus, by way of Genoa Junction, Lake Geneva, Elkhorn, Millard. Heart Prairie and Whitewater. Cheney .and Wakeley were officers of this company and. as Air. Cravath ha- told, "entered into the work heartily and energetically, and were very successful in obtaining subscriptions, most of the inhabitants taking from .oie In five shares." 'Lie town issued bunds in aid of this w 1 irk to the amount of forty thousand dollars. Most of the grading done was in 1850 ;iiid 1857. and rails were laid From the State hue to Lake Geneva. The rest of the story has been told in another chapter. The panic period was borne as patiently and manfullj here a- elsewhere throughout the states, and when civil war followed the men and boys of Whitewater were among the earliest in the field and among the soldiers who remained there, after the proclamation of peace, to warn or encourage Maximilian'- loo serviceable French army to "gt\ out of

Business Enterprises

Doctor Tripp sold his grist-mill in 1853 to William Birge, who rebuilt it in 1856 of stone from a Waukesha quarry. Mr. Birge died in i860, and in 1866 John Lean bought the mill. After him were Byron Brown, Charles M. Brown (unrelated) about 1878. A. I. Dexter. 1881, Albert F. and George S. Bridge, 1882, Thomas X. Sedgwick, 1894, Edwin D. Coe, 1905. Some of these may have had but part ownership. The mill is yet in operation for custom work and for production of graham flour. It has always been reckoned among the business enterprises which brought some good to Whitewater.

Asaph Pratt built the "red mill" in 1843 at the upper power in section 8, a little more than a mile from the Tripp mill. Ansel Salisbury bought it in 1857 and it was thereafter known as the "branch mill." In 1888-9 Oliver P. Posey and George W. Chesebro formed the Posey and Chesebro Milling and Elevator Company. A few months later Mr. Posey withdrew and Mr. Chesebro formed a partnership with William J Pike and George H. Goodhue. During the Posey ownership a side track was laid from the station to the mill. The rails remain, but the mill is no more.

George Dann made bricks in 1847 and for years afterward. His kiln was near Cravath street, east side. (Mr. Wood's kiln was near the pond, south of the track.) About 1852 Albert Kendall, in 1866 Augustus Y. Chamberlin were owners and about 1879 Joseph Dann and Edward Roetlie added three more kilns. In [891 Mr. Dann sold the works to Charles Martin, win 1 fired the kiln for two years more. In 1903 came the Whitewater Brick and Tile Company, without local competition. Thomas Van Horn is also named among early brick-makers.

Warren Cole began to make pottery wares in [845, and two years later George (i. Williams bought a half interest. In [855 the firm was James C. Williams & Company. In 1859 it was Daniel Cole anil William Hunter. The works were burned in [867, ami rebuilt b\ Mr. Cole. About 1X70 Michael Ohnhaus, with and without partners, continued the work- for a few years. Timothy S. Abbott then bought the building and changed its product from jugs and flower-pots to cheese-boxes. Mr. Ohnhaus with John Milz bad worked a second pottery about 1859-1805.

Oscar A. Weed made wagons in [843. In [845 his partner was Joseph L. Pratt, who in 1848 opened a larger shop, ami in [860 sold it to Elliot D. Converse. Lucius A. Winchester came in 1844 a- a blacksmith, and with Daniel C. Tripp established a foundry in 1S50. William DeWolf joined the firm in 1852 and the next year plow-making began, and other things useful to farmers were turned out. Plows were made until 1S73. About i860, the firm made stronger by the entry of John S. Partridge, wagon-making became the principal business of this shop, and so continued to be until 1888, before which year the firm had become Winchester. Partridge & Company. Mr. Winchester died in 1890 and Mr. Partridge in 1892. It was not found profitable to continue their work, though twenty years before they had shipped five thousand wagons yearly.

George Esterly, an inventive farmer of Heart Prairie, began at Whitewater in 1856 to make his reaper. The business and the reaper improved yearly, and in 1889 five thousand of his self-binding machines were made and sold. He had begun by contracting at Racine for making his castings and for doing the machine- wrought woodwork. Local shops at Elkhorn and other convenient points contracted to receive the parts "in the knock-down," to add the needful hand labor and the painting, and to deliver to buyers as directed. In another year all this work was done at Whitewater. Like the wagon-works, the reaper-shops drew mind, muscle, business, and wealth to Whitewater, hi 1893 this industry was moved to Minneapolis, "to run a short and disappointing career." At the height of its prosperity it had employed from two hundred to five hundred persons.

About 1S4C) Delorfna and Freeman L. Pratt built and carried on a distillery, on the way to the red mill in section 8. Salmon Hopkins Tuttle and James M. Schultz bought it in 1856. and two years later Mr. Schultz sold hi- interest to Albert W. Curtiss. In T S 5 < » the building was burned and was rebuilt in 1862. This business was closed in 1864. The building afterward became Frederick Coburn's cheese factory, bul was finally left tenantless.

From 1855 for about fifteen years Sheldon C. Hall, with oft-changing partnership, boughl and packed pork and "rendered" lard. Their house was 111 \\ hitewater street, near the station.

Nicholas Klinger bought, about [866, in Birge's addition, lots for a brewery. After his death, about 1906, men of Milwaukee bought the properly ami the business is continued b\ them as the Whitewater Brewing Cyinpany. It is noticeable thai neither Mr. t'ravath not his continuators of the Annals mention either Klinger or the brewery. Yet he made himself famous at home and for a few miles about in such years as men called "dry," for he was full of resourcefulness in hi- contentions with the no-license sentiment of the \ illage.

Leonard A. Tanner paid thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars for it, in 1866. Air. Denison sold his interest in 1884 to Mr Crombie. Charles Allen and Benjamin M. Frees, as the Whitewater Paper Company, took the business, extended and improved it, in 1894 sold it to the Columbia Strawboard Company, and it soon afterward stopped work. In the earlier years this mill produced white print-paper of a fair quality.

Among temporary industries was stove-casting by Powers, Allen & Company in 1857, Peter H. Brady in 1859, and Winchester & DeWolf in 1865. The latter changed its product to mills for grinding corn in the ear. In 1858 Wright and Cash made one-horse cultivators and for several years found a ready sale for the work of thirty to forty men. In 1875 Augustus Y. Chamberlin built a furniture factory, which presently became a coffin factory. In 1880 the Esterlv company returned it to furniture-making for a year and then merged it into the reaper works. Distilling and pork-packing made cooper shops active at times. Cheese-makers came and went, as at other cities.

Such enterprises as have been mentioned gave Whitewater, for a long generation of men, the aspect of a real manufacturing city. The workmen employed were numerous enough to form labor unions, and at times to affect the action of caucuses and conventions and the results of elections for the city and assembly district. Failure of the wagon works and removal of the reaper shops had something like the effect of a great disaster, one not readily reparable. The city has suffered some decrease of population, but so once did Des Moines and Kansas City. Whitewater creek, in both its branches, remains; and doubtless the world needs and in time will use all its water power. Much else remains - enough to make the city a good point for retail trade and for small shops, and a goodly place to visit for such as are so fortunate as to have any noticeable acquaintance there.

Taverns And Hotels

In 1840 Freeman L. Pratt bought the Powers tavern and in 1842 gave it a two-story front and named it the Whitewater Hotel. In 1845 ne s"''' it to Warner Earle, who is said to have pa-sed it to Eli King. Septer Wintermute bought it of Gideon A. Mosher, about 1850. improved it, and named it Montour House. It was burned in 1865, and there an end to it.

In 1845 William C. and Frederick Cady Patterson became proprietors of the Whitewater Exchange tavern. At a later period it was "Swapped" for the Badger State Hotel, once kept by Morris Ensign, which Giles Kinney bought in 1862, improved it. and named it the Cortland House. Asaph Pratt bought the Exchange hotel in 1867 but did not long find it profitable to him. Luther Cadman built the American House and occupied it from 1853 to 1875. [oseph C. Bower built the Bower House and occupied it in 1880. Another landlord was John H. Fryer. It was also called Hotel Duquesne. The Hotel Walworth was built about 1900. One of the old hotels, near the station, is now the Hotel Whitewater. There were other short-term hotels, with but imperfectly remembered landlords.

Banks And Bankers

Alexander Graham and Augustus H. Scoville began business in 1855 as bankers and brokers. In August. 1857, they organized the Farmers and Mechanics Bank, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, and issued currency notes of small denominations. Mr. Scoville was then president and John S. Partridge cashier. The calamity of 1857 did not overwhelm the bank, though the books were closed in 1858 or 1859. Mr. Cravath said that while the monetary panic variously affected business men of the village, none of them quite failed. Within the time between 1856 and 1861 Sheldon C. Hall and Eli C. Hall instituted the Bank of Whitewater. Their losses in the pork trade involved the bank and it was closed in April, 1865.

New Year's day, 1864, the First National Bank of Whitewater began business with Sanger Marsh as president and Charles Morris Blackmail as cashier. Its capital was twenty-five thousand dollars, which was gradually raised to one hundred thousand 'lullnrs. In [911 its officers were C. Morris Blackman, president (died May, 1912) ; Edwin F. Thayer, cashier; deposits, [9] 1, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The Citizens State Bank was organized in 1894. Its present capital is fifty thousand dollars, deposits <>nc million one hundred thousand dollars. Officers, 1911, George L. Marsh, president; Isaac U. Wheeler, cashier.

Religious Societies

In the summer of [842 Elders Alva Burgess and I'hipps W. Lake assembled resident Baptists in William Birge's barn for permanent organization. Elder A. B. Winchell was engaged for service on alternate Sundays. A church was built in 1850, and a second one was undertaken several years later, a fine-looking building of cut stone; but this was sold without having finished it. There is, no doubt, a record of pastoral services, not hidden, but in unknown custody.

Martin Lonigan with his family came in 1844 to section 23, about three miles from the village. At his house Rev. Thomas Morrissey came from Milwaukee in 1845 to say mass, and for a period not recorded he held like service each month at this and other dwellings. Rev. Fathers Kernan and Smith continued this mission work, as did Very Rev. Martin Kundig after them, and he also gave money for a church building fund. Nora Moore's baptism, December 28, 1853, by Rev. James Doyle, was the first at the new St. Patrick's church. John Tiernan supplied the short interval before Richard Dumphy came to the village in 1857 as first resident-priest. After him were Thaddeus Kirwan, 1869; Francis Xavier Etechmann for one month of that year; Hiram F. Fairbanks, 1870: James Fitzgibbon, 1881 ; Sylvester J. Dowling. part of 1S97: Francis P. Reilly, 1897; Matthew E. Downs, 1903-1912. In 1866 a new church was built, with house, schoolhouse and other improvements costing in all about twelve thousand dollars.

Father Fitzgibbon had been Mr. Lincoln's personal friend, and from him received in 1861 the military chaplaincy at Harper's Ferry. In the later vears of his long pastorate at Whitewater he was assisted in turn by Fathers E. P. Lorigan, Philip Klein, M. E. Downs, and S. J. Dowling. He was born in 1827 and died February 5, 1897. Father Downs is a native of Delavan.

Justus and Wealthy A. Carpenter, Deacon Prosper Cravath and wife Miriam (Kinney J, their daughter-in-law Maria P. and daughter Sophronia Cravath, Harriet, James, Roxy and Zerah Hull, Zerah and Ada Kinney, Emily (Cravath) Salisbury, Laura (Cravath) Smith, and Jenny (McGee) Williams met July 3. 1840, at Deacon Cravath's house in Lima, led by Rev. Daniel Smith, to form the Presbyterian church of Whitewater. Most of these became residents at or near the village. For a few months they met at the larger houses of the members, and in June, 1841, housed themselves, for service, at the log schoolhouse, or, in pleasant weather, met under the old trees. In 1842 they met, alternately with the Baptists, on the upper Boor of Mr. Weed's wagon shop. In this or in the next year the Congregationalists built a church at cost of four hundred dollars, on a lot with eight rods front, given by Doctor Tripp for one dollar. This society built again in 1850, and a third time in 1871. This church was burned February 9, 1880. by which event the society's loss was twenty-five thousand dollars. Rebuilding, on a more liberal scale than before, began at once. The list of pastors, with dates of service, is full, continuous and correct, thanks to the kindly help fulness of one of its congregation : Daniel Smith, 1839; Seth Smalley, 1841 ; F. Henry Case, 1842; Martin P. Kinney, 1844; William Sidney Huggins, 1853; William A. Baldwin, T854; Edward Goddard Miner, 1859; Theron Gaylord Colton, 1866; Benjamin

Rev. Richard F. Cadle came in 1842 to form an Episcopal parish. He held service in the useful log school house. (Rev. Washington Philo had been here in the previous year.) But it was not until 1852 that St. Luke's parish was permanently organized. Doctor Tripp had given a lot at Church and Center streets. His widow, Rosepha Ann (Comstock), was one of the early lew and always faithful. In that year a chapel was built, and was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper. This building was burned February 17, 1869, and the corner stone of a new church, of gray stone, was laid in July. In 1880 Mrs. Flavia White gave a fine organ as a memorial to her son, Hon. Samuel Austin White. She had given a bell, worth five hundred dollars, to the chapel. The parish property is now valued at twenty-five thousand dollars. With occasional intermissions in the earlier years the service of this church has been supplied by L. R. Humphrey, 1851-62; Henry W. Spaulding, [864-5; J"'111 McNamara, 1865-8; W. E. Walker, 1868; Charles J. Hendley, [870; Erastus B. Smith, 1X72; Rufus D. Stearns, 1873; Andrew J. McGlone, 1883; Smith Delancey Townsend. 1884; Joseph Marshal! Francis, 1887; John I [owe Jenkins, [889; Joseph Moran, Jr., 1890; Myron Alfred Johnson, 1896; Henry Benton Smith, 1900; Daniel Wellesley Wise, 1904; Rudolph Frederick kcicher, 1907-12. Mr. Francis was consecrated in 1899 as bishop of the mi- 1 1,1 Indiana. Mr. MeN'aniara had been rector at Delavan, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva, and had served as chaplain of a volunteer regiment of 1861. Mr. Moran was killed by a railway accident in 1900

Rev. Johann M. Hametter and Rev. Johann Meier supplied in 1856 the missions at Cold Spring and Whitewater of the Evangelical Association, here lerman-speaking body whose creed and discipline ally it to Methodism. In [865 the two missions joined in one and in 1869 built a church and parsonage in Janesville street. The minister list is: J. G. Mueller, 1857; C. A. Schnake, [859; Wilhelm F, Schneider, 1861 ; Joseph I larlaeher, 1863; I. G. Eslinger, [865; Johann Meier. [866; Johann M. Hametter and Tobias Rabus, 1868; Wilhelm lluelstcr, 1869; Carl Friedrich Zimmermann. 1870; John Dietrich, [872; F. William Pfefferkorn, 1873; Carl Schneider, 1N76; Leonard Strobel, [879; Julius Kahl. 1SS1 ; F. Dite. [884; J. A. Siewert. 1SS7; John Schneller, [890; F lllian. [892; John K. Klein. 1805; AugTSSl F. Ilahcrman. 1897;* Mich el l ebele, [898; Emanuel S. Zimmermann. 1901 ; George Reichert, 1 min; Herman V Franzke, 1909-12.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, of the unaltered Augsburg confession of 1580, was organized May 17, 1881. The society bought one of the old church buildings, beside which is a comfortable parsonage. Before organization Rev. Heinrich Ernst had ministered to the few families from 1865 to 1872, and Christian Johann Koerner to 1880. George Wildermuth came in 1881, Heinrich Bergmann. 1S82; W. Huth. [883; Henry Ohde, 1887- 1912.

Norwegian Lutherans of Heart Prairie, Scuppernong, Sugar Creek and Whitewater have long been joined under one pastorate. A few of the pastors named were Germans who were also masters of the Norsk tongue. Johann Wilhelm Christian Dietrichson came in 1844 to Scuppernong in the northwest corner of Lagrange; Claus Lauritz Clausen, 1845: Adolph Carl Preuss. 1850: Hans Andreas Stub, about 1851 ; Mr. Preuss again in 1855; Nels Brandt, 1856; Olavus Frederick Dims, resident pastor, November, 1858, to June. 1859. The parish was organized formally December 8, 1858. Rev. Herman Amberg Preuss came in 1859, Heinrich P. Duborg in 1861. In Air. Duborg's ten years pastorate the four congregations previously named were - definitely grouped in one pastorate. Mr. Duborg's field of usefulness reached also to Elkhorn, and across into Kenosha county. He was at times assisted bv Herman A. Preuss, Abraham Jacobson, Marcus Frederick R. Wiese, and William Koern, all of whom are named in the record at Whitewater. Carl Christian Aas came in 1871 ; Eskild Peter Jensen, 1876; Christian Matthias Hvistendal. 1880: Rev. Prof. Knudt Bjoergo, 1881 ; A. H. Dahl, 1881 ; Iver O. Schie, 1882: Ole Johnson \kre. 1901 ; Nels Cornelius A. Garness, 1907-12. These services are without noticeable interruption. The first church was built in 1 868 in Cravath street near Wakelev street, and is now a hospital. Ole Bull, the once world-famous violinist, gave one hundred dollars to build this church. In 1907 the society bought the stone church at Main and Fourth streets, built by the Baptists.

In the summer of 1843 a Methodist Episcopal society was organized by Rev. Alpha Warren, of Johnstown. A class of five members was formed with Talma Hamilton as leader. Until 1848 this church was joined with th.it at Milton for pastoral service, ami the service at Whitewater then became weekly. In 1849 the frame work of a church building was raised, but was not ready for dedication until February, 1852. It was enlarged and again dedicated in i860. A third building was begun in T872 and finished in 1878 at a cost of thirty thousand dollars. It is said to be one of the finest Methodist churches, excepting at Milwaukee, in the state. This church is at Centre and Prairie streets, in the neighborhood of the Catholic Episcopal and other churches, the

Universalists organized early in 1868. began building in the fall, and in the next year dedicated their church, its cost ten thousand dollars. Barton F. Rogers, Judson Fisher and Holmes Slade filled the pulpit for the next dozen years. Frederick P. Millar came about 1894.

Education

No lax was levied to build the school house of 1840, but citizens gave logs and labor, each one in proportion to his good will and his power to give, and thus was enclosed Mxtccn by eighteen feet ground space. Though this house had served three or four infant religious societies as a meeting house, and the citizens for various secular purposes, it was found as early as 1844 thai yet more room was needful wherein to seat the fast-coming and fastergrowing youths and maidens before the awful majesty of the teacher. For um of two hundred and forty dollars Thomas Van Horn built the new house of brick, twenty-four by twenty-eight feet in ground dimensions, and thence enclosing two and one-third times the floor space of the log house. This was building for the present with a sharp outlook for time to come. Hut neither pre-calculator nor prophet could then forecast the village growth when ten years later the inscrutable but in this instance unerring judgment of railway builders should mark Whitewater as a suitable place at which to

There was new matter for public discussion in 1852. Another school house must be provided. Then the many-mindedness of many men was again evident and audible. Some men would provide for teaching only the three R's. Others would add one department for most-advanced pupils. A few others would join academic and collegiate courses of study to the common school course, and by borrowing money, if need be, would do this work greatly for Whitewater. George W. Chapman and James Ludington, of Milwaukee, had bought in 1850 of William Birge, about seventy acres and had laid out this land in streets and blocks as their addition, next westward of the Tripp plat. They offered to the academy partisans four lots in block 18, at the northeast corner of their addition. Subscriptions to the amount of eighteen hundred dollars were obtained, but further action was delayed for a year. In the end the district decided by vote to build at block 21, facing the westward extension of Centre street, and this is yet the site of the public school. The new house was ready for use at the beginning of 1855. It has been known as the Union school. A second house was built here in 1867, at a cost of four thousand dollars. The present house was built in 1883 at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars, and has since been improved.

An academic department at the normal school was for long so convenient for Whitewater pupils that a high school was not instituted until 1885. Willi city government in that year came a high school building and city superintendency of schools. These officers relieve the county superintendency of official duty at Whitewater. They have been: Dr. Edward L. Carey, 1885; Dr. Moses Furlong, 1880 and 1X89; Theron B. Pray, 1888 and 1893; Charles H. Sylvester, 1891 : Elmer W. Walker, 1894; Arthur A. Upham, 1896; Henry C. Buell, 1900; W. W. Martin, 1901 ; Charles H. Rittenberg, 1903-12. For the same period of time the principals of the high school have been: William J. Pollock, 1886; W. D. Gibson, 1888; Charles II. Sylvester, [891; Elmer W. Walker, 1892; Harry A. Whipple, 1896; Henry C. Buell, 1899; W. W. Martin, 1901 ; Charles H. Rittenberg. 1903-12. It lias now become customary to make the principal in fact city superintendent, with two more city schools in hi- charge.

In [857 a brick school house was built next east of Grove cemetery at cosl of -ixteen hundred dollars. The present building dates from [872, it- cost about four thousand dollars. In 1894 the city bought the Esterl) house and ground at the head of Centre street to serve as a west side school, though it is but a short distance from the principal -ehool.

The annalists ha e preserved but few name- of earlier teachers, and most of these so initialed as to have but half-preserved them. As teachers of select school, J. B. Hunt in 1846. Ebenezer H. Wilcox in 1847, D. W. Carley in 1849. The last-named was used to tell his slow pupils that he would make them learn tractions if it should take him and them all summer. Perhaps he had taught at Galena, or at one of General Grant's old homes. At the log school Sheldon C. Powers, from Troy, was first teacher and Frederick Cady Patterson in 1842 at the brick school, followed by Dr. John Dunn, and in [844 by Charles E. Curtice. At the school in Centre street "a regular system,'' as Mr. Cravath tells it - which probably meant the organization in four grades, then customary at villages - began with A. A. Lewis as principal in 1855, Rev. A. D. Hendrickson in 1858. H. L. Sherman in 1859, Dr. F. B. Brewer in 1861, Joseph A. Badger in 1863, Elias Dewey about 1869, George W. Reagle, 1879. All else is uncertain or now unknown. Before and after 1885 Luther L. Clark seems to have served several terms at the Union school and also at the east side school. The presence of the normal school has been of great advantage to local pupilage, and has had a wholesome influence in the community in forming a liberal sentiment as to the support of schools of high grade. Broad-minded and in other way capable men of the city, as, for instances, Thompson D. Weeks and Samuel A. White, have been of the board cf normal school regents.

Henry J. Curtice issued the first number of the Whitewater Gazette, January 5, 1855. It was a weekly Republican newspaper, fairly edited and neatly printed, and compared favorably with village newspapers of the time in this state. 1 1 - editor was A. Valentine. Its last number was dated January 1. 1857. whence it seems that its publication day had receded from Fridav to Wednesday. It was then the property of Dr. J. A. Leonard, with A. Emerson as editor. The office equipment was removed to Waukesha.

Hamilton L. and Lallemand II. Rann, who were brothers, came in their ad and with new. well-assorted materials. They published on Friday. March 25, 1^57. the ffrsl number of the Whitewater Register. These young men were excellent news, hook and job printers and were also capable editors. Whitewater had now one of the cleanest and best weekl\ papers in Wisconsin. This office supplied at least three soldiers of the Civil war: L, 11. Rann. George W. Peck (long afterwards ( krvernor of the state), and George H. Beckwith. I. 11. Rann left the linn in 1808 and Horace Greeley Parsons became junior partner. Dr. !-".. C. I'.eujamin bought the office in 1870 and lightened the burden of editorship by buying half-printed sheets from an "auxiliary" publisher.

dwin I). Coe became owner and editor in 1S71. He printed it wholly at home, and the Register at once took its place near the head of the front rank of weekly newspapers of the state; for it now had a quality of editorship that even the Ranns could not have given it. No editor at Whitewater could at all times, in every column, please all Whitewater ; for the growth of the city brought conflicting interests and jarring notions - differences not all at once to be removed or compromised. But however they who differed with or from Mr. Coe might judge him, there was but one opinion of the Register among his fellow editors throughout the state. It was the most desirable paper on their several exchange lists. From the mid-period of his editorship other duties at home, at Madison, and at Milwaukee, made division of editorial labors urgent. He then associated with him successively Howard S. Salisbury, Henry E. Roethe, Edward S. Hanson and Robert K. Coe, his son. At his death, in 1909, this son became proprietor and editor.

Pitt N. Cravath, the brilliant and wayward only son of the pioneerannalist, published the first number of the Puddingstick. in June, 1879. To his mind local opinions on constantly arising matters for more or less public discussion suggested a large kettle of boiling, bubbling, sputtering, hastypudding, or, in the vulgate. mush. These needed only a little culinary attention, a judicious stirring to prevent burning at bottom, and the results would be palatable and nutritious. The name of the paper was indicated at its titlehead by a home-cut engraving, as like an oar as a puddingstick. It was a cause of much rushing of wit to editorial heads elsewhere, and the name was soon changed to Whitewater Chronicle. At first it was politically independent, then leaned indulgently toward prohibition, and in 1884 became squarely Democratic. This change may have moved all the Cravath bones, until then long at rest at Lima and Whitewater, to sorrowful protest.

Russell & Smith bought the paper in 1885 and changed its name to News- Jesse X. Converse owned it in 1888, John C. Clinton in 1X90 and Hall & Cowles in 1893. About this time it became the Gazelle, and was edited by Rev. Frederick W. Millar and others. In 1895 its owners were Wilton & Lawton, in 1897 William R. Hotchkiss. in 1898 Hotchkiss & Bloodgood, in 1901 Frank R. Bloodgood, the present owner. Grant II. Lawton is a son of James 1 1 1 .:i\\ ton, of Lagrange.

There is little need here to trace the beginnings and progress of literary and debating societies and other strivings for the higher culture, for these are common to all American communities. From the arrival of railway trains the village became accessible for the lights of the dramatic lyric, and operatic stage, and for the once and long famous lecturers who carried scientific, aesthetic, sociological, educational, moral, and politico-moral ideas from Boston to the meridian 1800 east or west of Greenwich - the line where west becomes east and east is west. If these singers, actors, and lecturers could not or would not halt at Whitewater it could and would go to them at Chicago, Milwaukee, or Madison. In quadrennial campaigns of nation-saving by elections, men of Whitewater were persuaded or confused by the oratory of men to whom their own time decreed immortality - though this was not always confirmed by the next generation.

Ample provision of churches and capacious and well-arranged public halls made this often a convenient place for holding conventions of civic and religious bodies. Delavan and Lake Geneva have each some distinctive advantages, given by nature or created by its own enterprise ; and so also has Whitewater, which for its business and intellectual life draws something sustaining from two adjoining counties.

A library association existed something earlier than 1858. For a fewyears its efforts were directed to maintenance of yearly lecture courses. In [861 it opened a library for public use, giving out books on Friday of each week. Robert McBeath was then librarian. It may be supposed that the normal school library so far served the wants of the village as to delay any considerable development of its own library. The establishment of the high school had been similarly affected from a similar cause.

Mrs. Flavia White, having bequeathed seventeen thousand dollars to establish a public library in memory of Samuel Austin White, her son. the White Memorial Library Association was incorporated, in perpetuity, in 1903. The trustees of this bequest, as named in her will, were Newton M. Littlejohn, Catherine L. White, Mrs. Jane L. (White) Sherrick, 1). Seymour Cook, "C. Ab. 111.-, Blackman, and Minor G. Halverson. Thane M. Blackmail supplies his late father's place on this board. The city accepted the gift, provided the site, and sustains the library by liberal appropriations. A building of suitable design, worthy of the giver and of the city, was constructed at the sharp angle of Main and North streets - about one-fifth of a right angle. It is so placed as i" leave in front a triangular lawn on which is a fine fountain, given by Julius C. I'.irge, the firstborn "i Whitewater. The cost of building was sixteen thousand dollars. At present the library has nearly six thousand volumes, and 11- beginning has been in charge of Miss Klla \. Hamilton. It is adstered for the city b\ nine directors chosen by wards.

Military History

A militia company, organizing in 1875 and naming itself the Custer Rifles, was not accepted and mustered into state service until July 7, 1877. It then became Company C of the First Regiment. Airs. Elizabeth B. Custer, the General's widow, sent to the company, by Gen. Charles King, a fine photograph of her husband, with a suitable inscription. The Custer Rifles now forms Company C, First Battalion of the First Regiment of Infantry. Wisconsin National Guard, Colonel George H. Joachim now commanding the regiment and Major John P. Joachim battalion commander. The officers of the company have been: Captains - John E. Bassett, 1877; J. Ashley Partridge, 1878; John J. Downey, 1879; John E. Bassett. 1880; Mannering M. DeWolf, 1881; Allan F. Caldwell, 1882; Charles J. Walton, 18S5; John D. Hogan, 1886; Frank B. Goodhue, 1890; Leverette W. Persons, 1896; Frank B. Goodhue, 1900; Edward T. Weyher, 1902; Severt J. Olson, 1906; Jacob E. Kinzer, 1908; Hubert O. Hamilton, 1910; Philip E. Trautman, Jr., 1912.

Regimental promotions from this company were: Charles J. Walton in 1884 to adjutant, Joel W. Richmond in 1885 to adjutant and in [886 to quartermaster, Allan F. Caldwell in 1888 i" lieutenant-colonel ami [89] to colonel, John D. Hogan in 1890 to major, Severt J. Olson in [892 to adjutant. Joseph H. Tobin in 1X94 to sergeant-major. Dr. John Dunn in 1005 to assist ant surgeon. Rev. Joseph Moran in 1895 to chaplain. Colonel Caldwell was appointed assistant quartermaster-general in 1895.

Governor Ku>k ordered this company to Milwaukee in [886 for active service in preservation of tin- peace ami dignity of the state against the rioters of that year, on the occasion commonly called the Bayview riot. The dut) signed was to guard railway property against lawless violence. The company's prompt response to call and its soldierly conduct on duty were creditable to itself and to the whole body of "baby militia" and "tin soldiers." as the rioters jeeringly named the state's armed forces.

In 1898 Captain Persons recruited his company to its full number for service in the war with Spain. The regiment, at the close of the war, was waiting at Jacksonville, Florida, for orders or for transportation to Cuba. (It may be mentioned here, since omitted at another page; that Peter Kauer, Jr., of Elkhorn, who had enlisted at Fort Sheridan for a term of service in Company A, Second United States Light Artillery, went with his guns to Cuba and was present for duty at the battle of El Caney. As far as known he was the only man of Walworth who stood in line of battle in that war.)

Public Utilities

Messrs. Jarvis K. Pike. Asaph Pratt and Asad Williams, in 1842, chose an acre from 1 )r. Tripp's land on the east side and there laid out Grove cemetery. It was managed by the town supervisors until 1848, when an association was formed, two acres of land were added and all the ground was fenced. This now well-peopled territory is wholly surrounded by the city's growth. It was, therefore, necessary to choose a site which would admit expansion in at least one direction. The choice was well made, and in 1858 Hillside cemetery was laid out on the high ground east of Tripp lake and from two sides overlooking the water. The old ground is kept in order, and the new one is constantly improved.

The Whitewater Electric Light Company was formed in 1886, its works near the railway station. Its present officers are Edwin F. Thayer, president: Charles W. Partridge, vice-president and secretary; Oliver B. Williams. treasurer and manager.

Duane Starin gave the city, in 1888, about eight acres of land in his addition, for Prospect park. It is within a few rods of the county line, on high ground with fairly easy slopes to the streets. It is of irregular outline. hut bounded by Straight lines. Thus far it is a Hue natural park, its wide open spaces shaded fairly by tree- of second growth, hut unimproved except with mowing machines and hush scythes. In this state it is both beautiful and useful, - an admirable place for out of-door meetings and amusements - truly a city's breathing place, without trespass sign, policeman or other needless an- .noya

In the same year the city drilled a well at a lower corner of the park. At nearly a thousand feet depth was found water which rose a little away above the surface, and is pumped into the stand-pipe at the highest point of the park. This work was done by C. E. Gray, of Milwaukee, who made a contract with the city to run twenty-five years, for constructing water works and a system of street mains, and whatever else was required for the city's water supply, and to operate the whole system. Mr. Gray received a half acre of ground and twenty-live thousand dollars. This contract expires in 1914, and a proposition to take the works into city ownership and control is about to be submitted to a vote of the citizens at a special election. The system now includes a well six hundred feet deep and two wells of more than two hundred feet depth and the entire present valuation is placed at eighty-eight thousaand dollars.

A city hall was built in 1899 at the acute-angular meeting of Centre and Whitewater streets. It is of red pressed brick and is interiorly arranged for all the departments and uses of the city administration, their records, and the apparatus of the fire department. Its approach from the front is guarded by a siege gun, - a forty-pounder Parrot - its calibre a fraction more than four inches, and under its muzzle a little pyramid of eight-inch shot.

In 1904 the several Masonic bodies built a "temple" at Main and Fremont streets, about forty feet wide by seventy-five feet long and of proportionate height of red brick with stone trimmings. Its overhanging gabled pediment rests on an Ionic colonnade of stone, giving a convenient and sightly front porch. All without is classically plain and therefore tasteful.

A postorfice was established in April, 1840, and the village thus had weekly mails from Troy. David J. Powers was the first postmaster, and after him were Thomas K. LeBarron, Warner Earle, Eleazar Wakeley, Isaac U. Wheeler, 1849; George G. Williams, 1853; Lallemand H. Rann, about 1861 ; Edmund B. Gray, about 1867; Henry O. Montague, about 1869; Pros per Cravath, 1872; Henry McGraw, 1880; Edward F. Donnelly, 1887; Edwin D. Coe. 1891 : John II. Fryer, 1895; Frank B. Goodhue, [899, probably until mi 5. Mr. Fryer remains in the office as first assistant. Aboul (892 thi^ office was raised to the second-class, and it is at the head of five rural free delivery routes. It also ha^ a city carrier system.

Village Incorporation

Forty-two villagers signed a call, published in the Register of March 6, [858, for a meeting at which to consider a plan fur incorporating the village. At this meeting Warren Cole. William DeWolf, Edson Kellogg, Newton M. Littlejohn, Richard O'Connor. John S. Partridge and Augustus II. Seoville were directed to prepare a charter. The Legislature, then in session, passed an act to incorporate the village under this charter. At an election. May 27th. Newton M. Littlejohn was chosen president; Charles E. Curtice. George Esterly, Samuel Field and Mr. Scoville, trustees; Lallemand H. Rann. clerk; Edward Barber, treasurer: Edward F. Tarr. marshal. (Mr. Tarr was also a federal deputy marshal for the district court of eastern Wisconsin, and as such took the census of i860 for his assembly district.) City government began in 1885, but ward division, with a county board member for each, began in 1883. A slight, formal change in 1897 made Whitewater a statutory city of the fourth class.

City Treasurers

The roll of village trustees is of little historic value, but in it are names that old citizens and those of middle- age recall with interest and pleasure. Among these are: Gilbert Anderson, Sylvester Barnes, Peter H. Brady, Byron Brown, George A. Caswell, Augustus Y. Chamberlain, Roswell Coburn, John M. Crombie, Albert W. Curtiss, Benjamin M. Frees, James Gleason, Thomas Goodhue, Gulik Halverson, Job Harrison, Jr., Joseph Haubert, Frederick A. Hurlbut, Edson Kellogg, Francis L. Kiser, Henry Mc- Graw, Henry O. Montague, Ole Posman, Leonard C. Smith, Ole Sobye, John D. Sweetland, Daniel C. Tripp. Salmon II. Tuttle, Dr. Henry YYarne, John Wilson.