Wyeville Village

Wyeville Village

This town was organized on the first day of April, 1856, the first tOAvn meeting being held on the first Tuesday of April in this year, at which M. Aney, B. S. Blake and A. W. Gibbs were elected supervisors; Samuel H. Griswold, town clerk; George B. Aney, assistant clerk, and Anson Spinner, justice of the peace; later on A. AV. Gibbs having moved away, Sanford A. Haushaw was appointed supervisor in his place on the 28th of January, 1857.

Among the first settlers was Manuel i\Ietzger, who came direct from Germany and settled on a piece of land south of and near the present village of Norwalk, the farm now being owned by Mrs. Abraham Smith. He built a stone house of rough stone on a hillside, and this, undoubtedly, was the first building erected in the town of Eidgeville. From his early residence there the entire valley has acquired the name of "iMetzger's valley," by which it is known even to tlie present time. At about the time that Metzger came other settlers drifted in, among whom were Silas McGary, Anson Spinner, L. II. Gonger, Sebastian Feldmuir, David AVoodliff, George and M. Aney, John Bell, Henry Vieth, John AVallz, Jacob Aney, Carl Zimmerman, Oliver Hale and Isaac Ilargrave, and many others, following each other so quickly that it is difficult to get all of the names.

The Lutherans erected the first church in this town in the year 1870, but prior to that time preaching had been had by an English ^Methodist preacher whose name cannot be recalled. Tlie first sermon in German was delivered by Henry Esch, the father of Congressman John J. p]sch. ]\Ir. Esch later moved to Sparta. This sermon was delivered at the log school house in the town of Ridgeville, and after that for a number of years Mr. Esch held religious services in the German homes in that vicinity.

Beginning Avitli the earlier days the cause of education received due attention, and soon after the organization of the town a small log building was erected upon Emanuel Aletzger's farm, about three-fourths of a mile south of the present village of Norwalk, and school was opened and has continued. At about 1875 a frame building was erected in the village of Norwalk, one mile north of the first place.

tlit'ir full naiiK' cannot in all cases he (riven. Ilie following is the list as near as can be ascertained : Mr. Jiluni, Jacob Root, Abraham P""airbanks, John Brnnner, C. ^leyers, Jacob Ilettnian, Silas ]\lc('ary. James Shanbin, Fred Vincenz. A. Vinccnz. F. Hellerman, Ileiiry Kroeger, William ^lunz. Tom ]\lcGary, John Woodliif, Henry ]\IcGary, Delos Crandcl. ^Ir. Sherwin. Leander Perry, Thomas Jones, Samuel Jerred, Fred Smelling. ^Ir. Grosset, ]Mr. Vanalstine, J. ('. ]Munz. George ]Munz. .Mr. Baidver. William Williip, John IIolz, >Mathew Flock. AVilliam Cari'. Aiidriw Xolan, John Xolan, Oliver Hale, August Rath, William ("harideg. Sigiium Congei", ^Ir. Edwards and ]\Ir. Richards.

This town in the earlier days was quite heavily tindjered and attracted the business of lumbering, which was commenced by Ilaldeman Brothers and Luethe in 1887, by the erecting of a saw mill on the ^Morris creek, near the present school house. It was operated l)y steam and conducted for some time. A grist mill Avas built in tlie town in 1898 by Bergman Brothers and is still in operation. A feed mill Avas erected by ("hrist Hett and p]ugene IMcGary in 1883-4.

The advantages for a trading point led ]Mr. B.dz to build a store at what is known as Ridgeville. at the four-road crossing, where, at present, Paul Kewitt is living. This Avas erected in the early 50 's, and after the Northwestern Railway Avas built, stores Avere built up by Dolson and Sanbert on or near the place Where Norwalk is uoav situated.

Fred IJettman built a blacksmith shop near the railroad crossing, south of Avhat is knoAvn as NorAvalk in L-^57. and at al)out the same time one Avas erected in Ridgeville 1)y A. Englert on Avhat is noAV one of Fred Zlemer's farms, so that in tlie early days nearly every requirement of the inhal)itants as far as stores, mills and shops Avere concerned, Avas satisfied.

With unceasing toil of the early German pioneers and continued by the later generations, the tOAvn of Ridgeville has becouK^ one of the richest farming connnunities to b' found, perhaps, in this jiart of the state; its ridge lands are \ei-y fertile and lieautiful farms can he found along the i)latcau raising cro])s of various kinds as Avell ada]>tcd to the gi-owing of ajiples and other fruits.

Present officers: Fred AV. Xoth, chairman; Charles Ilanisch and Fred AVoodliff, sujiervisors; Fred F. Leulhe, clerk; Herman AVendorf, treasurer; Anton Kroeger, assessor; John H. Alannel and AndreAv Anderson, justices. Population, 775.