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     Congressional township 1 north, range 9 east, of the fourth principal meridian, comprises the civil town of Spring Grove, forming the south-eastern corner of Green county.  On account of the correction lines of the government survey, this congressional township embraces 24,989.92 acres of land.  This town is bounded on the north and west by the towns of Decatur and Jefferson, respectively; on the east it is bounded by Rock county, and on the south by the State of Illinois. The surface of this town is quite rolling, but no abrupt bluffs exist except at, or near the Clarence bridge, across Sugar river. This river crosses the north line of the town, by way of the northwest quarter of section 2, and flows in a southeasterly direction, to leave the town through the southeast quarter of section 13. Spring creek, main branch, heads on section 30, and on section 10 is joined by a smaller branch which heads on section 7. The creek, thus formed, flows into Sugar river, from the west on section 12. The soil in Spring Grove is varied. East of Sugar river is a sandy prairie, with timber skirting the river. West of the river, the low lands set in, which are covered with a soil of rich, black loam; these level lands extend from the river toward the higher lands.   Except along the river, this land is not timbered.  On the farm of Thomas Hamilton, an elevation seventy feet high rises from the level lands around, covering about ten acres.  This is called Rock Hill. There is but little soil on the top. The rock crops out on all sides, shaded by scrubby timber. The north tier of sections, west of the river, are nearly all made up of rolling prairie, with a soil of dark loam and clay, and gravel subsoil. Sections 31, 30, 32 and 33, all have more or less prairie land. Originally the surface was timbered with different varieties of oak, maple, basswood and considerable black walnut and other varieties of hard wood. The timber soil is generally a black loam, with a clay mixture, and clay and limestone subsoil.
     The natural advantages of this town in wealth of soil, can hardly be overestimated. It will compare favorably with the best in the county. To own a farm in Spring Grove was a passport to credit in early days. The town was settled by men from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York mostly, and some from Indiana. All the early settlers were American born. A better class of men have never settled in any town in the county. "A good soil attracts good men." At present the town ranks with the best in the county, in real and personal property valuation. Its people are thrifty, enterprising and intelligent. Good residences, fine barns, orchards, etc., are seen in every neighborhood. The farmers generally are giving much attention to stock raising.
     The principal farm products grown in the town of Spring Grove, during the year 1882, were as follows: 3,865 bushels wheat; 132,975 bushels of corn; 122,794 bushels oats; 48 bushels barley; 5,786 bushels rye, 8,004 bushels potatoes; 1734 bushels apples; 155 bushels clover weed; 595 bushels timothy seed; 5,253 tons hay; 190,820 pounds butter; 100,350 pounds cheese.

     The principal farm products growing in the town at the time of making the annual assessment in 1883, were as follows: 500 acres wheat; 6,005 acres corn; 4,220 acres oats; 103 acres barley; 599 acres rye; 102 acres potatoes; 225 acres apple orchard; 12,840 bearing trees; 5,008 acres grasses; 3,515 acres growing timber; 1,200 milk cows, valued at $33,600. The live stock in the town in 1883 was as follows: 738 horses, average value $64.33, total $47,482; 3,010 head of cattle, average value $19.92, total $59,989; 11 mules, total value $640., 1,849 sheep, average value $2., total, $3,709; 2,237 hogs, average value,$5., total $11,192.

Catharine Kline was married in the fall of 1839 to Horace Griffin. Theirs was the first marriage in this town. They removed to Missouri several years ago. Jane died in this town.  Mary is now the widow of J. H. Clemans, and lives in Spring Grove.  Samuel Myers settled in the southwest part of this town. His widow now lives in Monroe. William Kline, in 1853, was married to Mary Ann O'Neal, daughter of Robert E. O'Neal. Four children were born to them three of whom are living—Luella, wife of D. C. Allen; David L., living in Nebraska; Flora R., wife of Charles Hawkins, of Avon, Rock county.  Mrs. Kline died Aug. 5, 1864.  Jan. 2, 1871, Mr. Kline was again married to Mrs. Lucinda Newcomer, widow of George Newcomer, who died at Petersburg, Va., in 1865. He was a member of the 38th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, company E.  Mr. and Mrs. Newcomer had seven children—Jacob, living in Brodhead; Joseph, living in Clay Co., Neb.; Mary, wife of Jacob Keller; Susan, wife of Peter Wrenchel; Eva, wife of Charles Robinson; Sarah, wife of John Hawkins, and George, deceased. William Kline resided in Missouri from 1856 till the fall of 1861.  He now resides on section 20, of the town of Spring Grove. Isaac Kline and his son, John Kline were, by a short time, the earliest permanent settlers in the town of Spring Grove.
     James W. Kildow is one of the earliest settlers in Green county, living in the town of Spring Grove. His residence here dates from the year 1837.  Mr. Kildow was born in the old "Mother of Presidents," Virginia, Nov. 15, 1815. His father, John Kildow, left his home in eastern Virginia, in 1817, intending to go to Ohio and make a home for himself and family. In those days, money was hard to get, and of uncertain value, when obtained.  Before starting upon his journey, he changed all his money for Wheeling bank bills, but before reaching that place, was met with tidings, saying, "Wheeling banks are busted." (so in the good old times, banks did burst.)   His journey ended abruptly. He stopped in Bridgeport, Fayette Co., Penn., where, being a miller by trade, he rented a grist mill, which he operated about six years. He then rented another mill in the same county, about twenty miles distant, on George's creek. This mill he also operated about six years.  After this he followed the trade of millwright the remainder of his life. He died in Fayette county in 1838. His wife died in 1832. They reared a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters, seven of whom are now living, (1884). James W. Kildow, subject of this sketch, left Pennsylvania, Feb. 22, 1837, in company with James Chadwick, Jo. Reed, William Hurlbut and Dan Goodwin. The party all came to Wisconsin, separating at Galena, James Chadwick and Mr. Kildow coming to Green county. The journey by boat, from Wheeling, occupied twenty days, being delayed by ice and other causes. Mr. Kildow made his first stop at the present site of the city of Monroe where he made a temporary home.  In 1839, he bought land on section 25, of the town of Jefferson. This land he partly improved, and held until 1844, when he bought land on section 30, in this town, and made his residence there until 1857, at the same time owning land on section 20. He was married Nov. 12, 1840, to Keziah, daughter of David Davis, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this work.  This union has been blessed by ten children—David, born in October, 1841, and died at the age of eighteen months; Levi W., born in February, 1843, and died the same year, Joshua P., born in October, 1844; Thomas C., born in February, 1847, and died in May, 1853; John Q. A., born in April 1849, and died in August, 1850; Josiah N., born in June 1851, Polly, born in August, 1853, and now the wife of J. T. Clemans; Alfred B., born in July, 1855; James N., born in September 1857, and Willis born in September 1860. Mr. Kildow was the first postmaster of the first postoffice in the town of Spring Grove,

which position he occupied from 1845 to 1857, when he moved from the neighborhood. About two years later, his wife, Keziah Kildow was made deputy postmistress of Pe Dee post-office. She held that position until 1862. September of that year Mr. Kildow was commissioned postmaster, and held the office until 1867. He is a man widely known in Green county, and possesses hosts of friends. His integrity, and firmness in maintaining his convictions of what he believed to be right, are well known.  He was, in the old time, an abolitionist of the "Garrison and Wendell Phillips" faith.  At the organization of the town of Spring Grove, he was elected chairman of the board of supervisors, from 1842 to 1858. He has held the office of justice of the peace, town clerk, town treasurer, also a member of the side board. He was a voter in the first election held after the organization of the county.   He has always been a prominent citizen. His residence is on section 22, Spring Grove.
     Joshua P. Kildow is a son of the pioneer, J. W. Kildow, and was born Oct. 4, 1844. He enlisted in company K, of the 22d Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Aug. 11, 1862.  In March, 1863, he was discharged on account of sickness. Recovering his health he re-enlisted, Oct. 5th, of that year, in Battery D, 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, was sent to the Louisiana department and stationed at Fort Jackson from Feb. 1864, to July of the same year.  He then went to Brasher City, where he remained till July, 1865. He was mustered out at Alexandria, Va.  Mr. Kildow was married Feb. 21, 1867, to Caroline Keller, a sister of Mrs. George W. Zimmerman. They have eight children—Mary Jane, Rebecca F., James W., Nora E., Attiel B., Nancy E., Charles A. and Ethlyn M. Alfred B. Kildow was married to Mary A. Clawson, Feb. 22, 1881. Her parents were named Hannahs; but they dying when she was an infant, she was adopted by a family named Clawson, and afterwards went by that name.
     Horace Griffin came in the fall of 1837. In November of the same year he married Catharine Kline and settled on section 21. After living there about twenty years they removed to Missouri, where he died.
     Thomas Judkins had arrived earlier in the fall of 1837. He had entered land on section 29, in 1836, and the following year brought his family, consisting of wife and two sons. They lived here about twelve years and finally, some years later, removed to the State of Oregon.
     Alfred Blakely, a single man, came with the Klines' in 1837, but never made his home here.
     David Davis and his family came from Fayette Co., Penn., in 1838, and lived in a cabin owned by Jehu Chadwick, in the town of Jefferson, until Mr. Davis could erect a cabin on the land he had purchased on section 5, of this town.  He erected a hewn log cabin and put in the first sawed lumber floor ever laid in Green county.
     David M. Davis, son of the pioneer settler, David Davis, resides upon land located by his father in 1838. David Davis (pioneer) came here from Fayette Co., Penn., accompanied by his wife and eight children, six boys and two girls. He purchased 280 acres of government land on section 5. The children were—Nancy, now-widow of A. Barmore; Keziah, wife of J. W. Kildow; Thomas, who returned to Pennsylvania and died there in 1845; James N., living in Cadiz; David M., living on the homestead farm; Joel, living in Rock county; Samuel A., living in Franklin Co., Iowa; and William, who died in 1865. After coming to this county Mr. and Mrs. Davis had five children born—Dr. E. Davis, who lives in Magnolia, Rock county; Zachariah P. who enlisted in company K, of the 22d Wisconsin regiment, and was killed at the battle of Resaca, May 15, 1864; Joseph, who was a member of the same company and regiment, died June 30, 1871; John Quincy, who died Nov. 1, 1876; and Levi, who died Sept. 15, 1874. One of the elder sons of David Davis preceded the family to Green county. Joshua

P. Davis came in 1837, for the purpose of looking up a location for his father's family. He died at the home of Jesse Mitchell, in the town of Sylvester, Feb. 17,1838. David Davis was one of the solid, substantial men of the town of Spring Grove. He was ever kind and hospitable and always foremost in any work tending to the public welfare. A most valuable member in a new community. He was one of the members of the first Baptist Church organized in the county, acting as deacon in that organization. He died Feb. 7, 1882, in his eighty-ninth year, passing away willingly, in hope of a better life, for which he was fully prepared. His wife's death occurred in February, 1871. David M. Davis was born in Fayette Co., Penn., Nov. 22, 1829. He resided with his parents until he attained his majority. He was married Dec. 25, 1850, to Charlotte Ann South, by whom he had one son— Enoch T.  Mrs. Davis died Aug. 16, 1853, in consequence of being bitten by a rattlesnake. Mr. Davis was again married Oct. 21, 1854, to Mary Hugh, who died Sept. 19, 1855.  July 10, 1856, he was married to Frances C. Boughton, and by this union there were ten children, of whom seven are living—Charlotte A., Marquis A., John C., Jehiel Z., Viola, Frances C. and Joseph N.  The three deceased were—Mary Jane, Leonard J. and an infant.  Mr. Davis was again bereaved by the loss of his wife, which occurred Nov. 7, 1882.  March 3, 1883, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Davis. One child has been born to them—Bertha Elizabeth, born Jan. 7, 1884. Enoch T. Davis was married Oct. 27,1874, to Belle Brown and they have two children—Elsie S. and Dallas E. He lives in a separate residence upon his father's farm. David M. Davis succeeded to his father's estate, to which he has made additions and now owns one of the largest farms in the county. It contains 443 acres, all of which, except twenty-three acres, is under cultivation. He met with a serious loss in 1882, having his barn destroyed by fire. His residence is large and commodious. Mr. Davis is a man who commands the respect and esteem of all, and one of the leading men in this community.
     In the fall of 1838, Stephen Bowen came from Warren Co., Ind, and settled on sections 18 and 19. He died in Kansas. His daughter, Sarah, married Joseph Grayson, who came here in 1841. Grayson had been through the Canadian Patriot War, sometimes called McKenzie's War. They went to Missouri, where Mrs. Grayson died. Martha Bowen married Isaac Trombley, who came here from Ohio, in 1844. She died here. Mr. Trombley married again and removed to Kansas, where he still lives.
     Hezekiah Bussey came from Indiana, and settled with his family on section 20, late in 1843. He died in 1872.
     William Bussey, a son of Hezekiah, came in 1838. In 1844 he built a mill on section 15, on Spring creek. John and George, two other sons, came in 1842. John now lives in Arkansas. George lives in Juda. Nelson Bussey, the youngest son, settled here in 1843. He still lives in this town. He served in company B, 31st Wisconsin Volunteers, and later in the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery. He now lives on section 32.
     Daniel and Mordecai Vanderbilts came early in the "forties" and settled on section 18. They were good citizens, active in public matters. Both died in this town.
     French Lake was born in Virginia, in 1807. He came to Lafayette Co., Wis., in 1827, and settled in this town on section 7, in 1839, having selected and bought 760 acres of land of the government in 1836. The first night in September, when he moved here alone, (he remained a bachelor until 1851), he tied his oxen to a tree where his fine residence now stands, and removed a small portion of the turf, and making an excavation below, buried his money—of which he had plenty. Replacing the turf and hanging his camp kettle over it, he made his fire and cooked his supper, sleeping soundly, under the wagon box. The kettle hung there

until he built his cabin. No burglar-proof time lock safe could have made his money more secure. But his method of deposits became known not long after, for a Mr. Riley came one morning wishing to borrow $10. The parley was concluded by Mr. Lake saying he could have it to-morrow, but Riley must have it to-day. Lake says, you wait and have dinner with me, and ostensibly going to the spring for water, betook his spade, and removing the nicely adjusted turf in the grass plat, where he done his banking, he lifted the old sack, and hearing a step, he turned and there stood Riley, laughing. Lake was confounded and, for some days, could not decide where to locate his deposits again. Mr. Lake is a very energetic man, has always made money and is wealthy, owning nearly 1,300 acres of land. He has been a widower for several years. His love of the south and present sympathy with the "lost cause," has embittered many against him, but for all, he is a good citizen.
     Mrs. Rachel M. Ten Eyck, is the widow of the late Jacob Ten Eyck, who was born in Albany Co., N.Y., in 1800. His father, Caspar H. B. Ten Eyck, moved during the early part of the century to Bembroke, Canada West, with his family. Jacob Ten Eyck was married in Green Co. N. Y.,0ct. 6, 1835, to Rachel M. Van Der Zee. They lived in Canada until the outbreak of the "Patriot War’ or McKenzie's War" so-called, when he went to the State of New York. About the time of leaving Canada Mr. Ten Eyck bought of Rodolphus D. Derrick 540 acres of land, (it being a part of Mr. Derrick's purchase of 1,200 acres) on sections 3 and 4, town of Spring Grove. He settled on this purchase during the spring of 1839. He had for a short time previously lived in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Ten Eyck have had seven children—Lavina, born in Canada, Sept 17,1836; Albert A., born in New York, Sept. 1, 1838; Caspar H. B. born July 17, 1840, who died in infancy; Caspar A., born Dec. 26, 1841, died Jan. 22, 1848; Catharine A., born Oct. 26, 1843; Egbert, born Sept. 20,1846, and Cecelia, born in 1853. Catharine was the first white child born in this neighborhood. Mr. Ten Eyck early gave his attention to growing stock, and improving his herds, and to this can be charged indirectly his death which was a sad event, having been killed by one of his bulls, Sept. 3,1876. At the time of his death he was one of the largest land owners in the county, having 1,200 acres which is now all in his children's possession. His son Albert A., was married to Amanda M. Moore. They live in Decatur. Lavina was married to M. D. McNair, March 31,1870. They have two children—Egbert D., born Jan. 7, 1871, and Jacob D., born April 28, 1880.   Mr. McNair has a residence joining his wife's property where he resides. Catharine was married to Peter D. Taylor. They live in Spring Valley, Rock county.  Mrs. Ten Eyck has been an invalid over thirty years, yet is possessed of a cheerful, patient mind, and a clear and vigorous intellect, often relating incidents of the early settlements especially of Peter Emell, the Frenchman, and his Indian wife, who often called, always decorated in her best apparel to take tea with her, oftimes bringing others with her. They would follow Mrs. Ten Eyck to the chamber, cellar and garden, when she would supply them with meat and other eatables, and relating of the herds of deer that bounded through the brush and thicket that then surrounded the place, and of the wild turkeys that came and gobbled near the door feeding from the corn they found there.
     R. D. Derrick, or 'Squire Derrick, as he was called, bought 1,200 acres of land in the town Spring Grove and Decatur, and settled on section 3, in 1840. He was one of the leading men of his time.
     Henry Dixon came in January, 1843, driving a team from New York State and settled on section 2. He left some years later, and lived in Rock county for some time; but finally died in Brodhead.
    Elder G. R. Patton came from Pennsylvania, in September, 1843, and lived in this town one

year, then removed to the town of Jefferson, where he still resides.

     The inspectors of this first election were: R. D. Derrick, chairman, David Davis and Stephen Bone; clerk, A. D. Tenney.
     The present officers of the town, elected April 1, 1884, are as follows:  Supervisors, Daniel Dunwiddie, chairman; William H. Coldren and Isaac Brobst, Jr.; clerk, O. W. Martin; treasurer, J. B. O'Neal; assessor, Fred Ties; justices of the peace, J. W. Kildow, E. R. Allen and Avery Tracy; constables, J. P. Kildow, A. L. Allen and S. C. Williams.

postmaster, office at his residence on section 33. Route, Rockford to Monroe, J. W. Kildow, contractor.  A few months later Mrs. Keziah Kildow was made deputy, and the office removed to the residence of J. W. Kildow, on section 27. In 1862 Mr. Kildow was commissioned postmaster and kept the office until 1867, when he left temporarily, and Fred Ties was made postmaster. He kept the office on section 33, until succeeded by Mrs. Harriet C. Coulter, in January, 1869, who is now (1884) the postmistress. The office is kept at her residence on section 22.
     James R. Coulter was born in the town of Green, Richland Co., Ohio, April 1, 1820. His father, David Coulter, was a farmer.  At the age of sixteen years James was apprenticed to the trade of bricklayer and general mason work, which trade he followed until twenty-eight years old, then finding his health was failing abandoned it, and became a farmer. He was married in Ohio, Oct. 12, 1846, to Harriet Chapel, who was also a native of the town of Richland, Green county, born Oct. 3, 1819. Two years later he commenced farming, which he followed in Ohio until 1852, when glowing accounts reached him concerning Spring Grove in Green Co., Wis., and he was induced to come here.   He arrived May 28, 1852, and bought forty acres of land on section 22, and forty acres on section 28, and made his home on the former, where he has since lived. The land was all new and unimproved excepting four acres cleared. Mr. and Mrs. Coulter have not been blessed with children and have been peculiarly unfortunate with adopted children, for they Sept. 13, 1855, adopted Rossie, daughter of John A. Emminger, of Ohio; she was born May 6, 1849, and was married to Fred Ties, of this town and died in January, 1884. Simon A. Coulter, born Oct. 4, 1852, a son of Mr. Coulter's brother, F. C. Coulter, (who lived in this town from 1855 to 1857) was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Coulter, Feb. 10, 1863, and died Sept. 24, 1876. At the time of the adoption of Simon A., Lavina Jane was adopted, who was born Jan. 16, 1861, and was married Nov. 4, 1878, to John N. Lambert, and she died Feb. 3, 1884. F. C. Coulter, the father of these last two children, enlisted in the Union army in an Iowa regiment, and died in the hospital at Keokuk late in 1862. Mrs. James R. Coulter is and has been many years postmistress of Pee Dee postoffice. The family are much esteemed through the township. Another brother, Thomas M., has made his home with them most of the time since 1855. Mr. Coulter has been justice of the peace two terms and elected the third time but would not serve. He was elected the first time in the spring 1865 and re-elected the spring of 1868, and served till the spring of 1870, and elected the third time, in 1884, but would not serve.
     Oakley postoffice was established 1861.  The present postmaster is Frank Miller.

     At Union on section 30, is a well kept ground.  Samuel Myers was one among the first buried there.
     Another private cemetery known as "Kline's ground," is located on section 29.  A man named Tiffany who used to run the Kline Carding mill, was the first buried there.

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    No. 2 has a frame school house on section 36, valued at $665; forty-three pupils.

    No. 3 has a new frame house on section 34, valued at $600; sixty-seven pupils.

    No. 4 has a frame house on section 21, valued $1,000; sixty-four pupils.

    No. 5 has a stone school house at Clarence on section 2, valued at $600; forty-three pupils.

    No. 6 has a frame house on section 5, valued at $600; sixty pupils.

    No. 7 has a frame house on section 14, valued at $450; thirty-nine pupils.

    No. 9 has a new frame house on section 9, valued at $1,200; thirty-nine pupils.

    Joint district No. 8 embraces territory in the towns of Jefferson and Spring Grove.  The school house is located in Jefferson.  Six pupils belonging to this district reside in Spring Grove.

here are remembered, John and Daniel Hauver, Mott Harrington, George Aurand and his brother.
     In 1884 Frank Miller was the only merchant.
     Samuel Mattison, the oldest in years and in service of any blacksmith in Green county, is the blacksmith of the place. He commenced here before the war, and has worked for over fifty years in iron, and moat of the time in this town.

same manner at Resaca, Ga., during Sherman's Atlanta campaign in the summer of 1864.
     Of those who died of wounds and disease, were Ransom Condon and John Penn of the 18th Wisconsin, and William Barnhouse, John A. Farmer, Isaiah Kirby, Joseph L. Show and Chester W. Williams, of the 18th Wisconsin, company B; and George Newcomer of the 38th Wisconsin. There may be some others, but we have no knowledge who they were, if any.
     Of those who were wounded in battle and recovered, and are still living in Spring Grove and vicinity, we give the names of George W. Davis, Mahlon I. Bussey, Frederick Teis, Henderson Farmer, J. W. Young and James D. Davis, all of company B, 18th Wisconsin Volunteers, and all wounded in the charge at Jackson, Miss., on the 14tb day of May, 1863, except James D. Davis, who was wounded in Alabama with five others of company B from other parts of the county, including the names of George S. Loucks of Brodhead, who was shot through the body, the ball piercing the lungs; and J. R. Knapp, since dead; William H. Denson and George W. Webb, belonging to other towns. There are doubtless many other matters of interest pertaining to Spring Grove in the war deserving a historical record or mention, that for want of correct knowledge and information, I am not able to give. Of company B, 18th Wisconsin Volunteers, which I had the honor to command until about the close of the war, I would mention the names of Hiram E. Bailey and William H. Spencer, killed at Shiloh; John C. Bryant, killed at Corinth; James M. Carpenter, at Vicksburg, all of Green county. Of those wounded in the different engagements through which they passed during the war, and of those who died of wounds and disease from other parts of the county, for lack of a correct record of the same, we will not try to give it. There were a good many of them. At the close of the war honorable promotions were conferred on several old veterans. Commissions of captain to Henderson Farmer, and that of lieutenants to Frederick Teis and Peter Vauorman, and non-commissioned appointments of sergeants to George W. Davis and one or two others.

with us, that we should erect for him, on his land in this county, a cabin house, as he intended to more out here as soon as he could dispose of his property there. By this time three other young men of the neighborhood, to-wit: Daniel Goodwin, William Hurlbut and Joseph Reed, concluded to accompany us, (all of us just entering upon our majority). So about the middle of February the elder Mr. Chadwick went to Bridgeport, a thriving town on the Monongahela river, sixty miles, by water, above Pittsburg, to make arrangements with the officers of the steamer, Empire, then building at that place, for our transportation to St. Louis, (her point of destination).  The officers enjoined Mr. Chadwick to have us on hand on the 23d of that month, as the boat would positively sail on that day. So on the 22d of February, 1837, in company with James Chadwick, Daniel Goodwin, William Hurlbut and Joseph Reed, I left my native home in Pennsylvania, arriving at Bridgeport that night. Upon our arrival we found that the boat was not completed, which detained us at that point several days. But we at last got off, and arrived at Pittsburg, where the steamer was to take on her furniture. But on arriving at that place, the boat's furniture was not ready, (the furniture was made at that place). After waiting a number of days, for the boat to start, we became restless under delays and demanded of the officers a return of our passage money, but after repeated promises of starting "to-morrow," and after as many failures to get off, the officers finally made arrangements with the steamer, Loyal Hannah, and we were transferred to that steamer. The next day after our transfer to the latter steamer, we got started. The boat ran down to Wheeling, Va., stopping there a number of days awaiting the arrival of the western members of Congress, (who, in those days, traveled from Washington to their western homes, by stage, to Wheeling, from thence by river steamers to points on said river, nearest their residences). But on the 10th of March, we got started from that place, having on board the great Daniel Webster, (who, that year, made his great western tour), and a number of other western notables, including the notorious G. W. Jones, delegate from this, then Territory, who acted as second for H. A. Wise, of Virginia, in the duel between Wise and Billey, which resulted in the killing of Billey. The boat having to stop at all principal places to give the great Daniel an opportunity to address the people on the political topics of the day, but more especially the great principles of the whig party.  At St. Louis, we took passage on the steamer, Astoria, for Galena, but when arriving at the mouth of Small Pox creek, the river at the head of the island was gorged with ice, so that the boat could not proceed, and not knowing when the gorge would break, we left the boat and proceeded on foot to Galena, at which place we arrived about noon the day after leaving the boat. At Galena we parted company with Goodwin, Hurlbut and Reed, they going to Mineral Point and Chadwick and myself, going (coming) to this (Green) county, leaving Galena about 2 P. M., stopping over the first night out at White Oak springs. The next morning Chadwick was quite unwell, attributing his sickness to the rancid butter that he had eaten for supper, which out-ranked any officer that was in the northwest at that time. We concluded not to take breakfast at that place. Thinking that a morning's walk of a few miles would improve Chadwick's appetite, we started, intending to take breakfast at Gratiot, which they told us was on our route, about five miles ahead, but not knowing, at that time, that two log cabins and a stable covered with straw, constituted a western village, we passed through it without stopping, wending our way across almost a trackless prairie without seeing a habitation, until we came to Wolf creek, a small tributary of the West Pecatonica, where we had to stop over night, as our next stopping would be ten miles ahead. At this place, we found two cabins and a diminutive grist mill. One of the cabins was occu-

pied by the miller and his family, which consisted of a man by the name of Curtis and himself. The other was occupied by a man and his family, by the name of Hastings, who kept entertainment and bad whisky. After supper I went over to the mill (which was located on the opposite side of the stream from the tavern) to take a look at its working machinery, which I found to be of the most primitive order. In conversation with the miller, he told me he had bargained his mill to a man from the east whom he expected to take possession next June, and in case he sold, he intended to erect, in company with a man by the name of Gillet, a more pretentious one on Richland creek, a stream that heads in Green county, near Monroe, this mill site being at a point on said creek where Orangeville, in Stephenson Co., Ill., is now located. At the mill was a customer from Rock Grove, having a grist to grind, who said he was going to return home next day if the mill could get his grist ground out by morning, and we could accompany him as he had to go the same route, an invitation which we gladly accepted. At this place an incident occurred which for a short time affrighted us badly. On my return to the tavern from the mill I found an acquisition of some three or four to our company, who were drinking and playing cards, and I made up my mind that the place was a tough one. Chadwick being tired and unwell, had retired early. Among the guests was a man by the name of Armstrong, who resided near Wiota. Though somewhat set up, he was not taking part in their card playing. With him I soon got into conversation. He had come into the country prior to the Black Hawk War; had taken quite an active part in the war; was very communicative and inquisitive. In reply to his questions I told him where we were from; where we were going to; what our professions were; and that we had come to the country to build mills and houses, but, I continued, from the appearance of the country and the quality of the timber, (which up to this place we found to consist only of the veriest scrub burr and white oak varieties) we had a good show of starving in that line. He replied that he expected that we would have to rough it for a few years at least. As the conversation began to lag, I retired to bed, but not to sleep, for I must confess that if I ever had the blues it was at this time; but in time tired nature succumbed and I fell into a sound sleep, to be awakened by Chadwick punching me in the ribs with his elbow and whispering my attention to the fact that a person was removing the clabboards from the roof near where our bed stood. In a few moments I was completely awake. I silently raised myself on one elbow to watch the movements of the man, who, by this time, had got through into our room; and, after standing awhile and looking around, apparently in an amazed condition, he started a few steps in the direction of our bed, stopped, looked around, finally turned and walked to the other end of the room and threw himself down on some old clothes that lay in the corner of the room. By this time I was in a profuse sweat, having nothing in our possession with which to ward off an attack if the man had intended one, but I soon came to the conclusion that the man meant us no harm, as in a few minutes he was in a sound sleep and snoring loud enough to wake the seven sleepers. In the morning we told the landlord of the circumstance. He immediately went up stairs, waked the man up and brought him down. The man proved to be one of the parties of the night before, who, having filled up with bad whisky, had started for his shanty some three or four miles away; had got bewildered, and had wandered around the greater part of the night; had finally in his wanderings got back to the tavern, where (he said) he had thumped on the door to wake up the landlord, and not succeeding, concluded to gain an entrance in the manner above described. In the morning we started in company with our guide, traveling some fifteen miles or more to Brewster ferry, on the

Pecatonica river, where was kept a small boat for the purpose of crossing. Here we found a small improvement on the south side of the river, while the dwelling stood on the north side. Here in crossing we had to (after drawing the wagon as near the water as possible) separate the oxen from the wagon, ferry the oxen over, then return for the wagon, which we had to run on the boat by hand; after crossing the wagon, hitching on the oxen and pulling the wagon up the river bank. On reaching the high prairie, east of where Oneco now stands, we separated from our guide, he pointing out to us the direction we should take to reach New Mexico, a place laid out the summer before by Jacob Andrick, intending it for the county seat of Green county, (as there was a movement on foot at that time to have a new county laid out), and containing at that time one house. At this house we inquired for a man by the name of William Woodle, (that being our point of destination), a son of the elder Thomas Woodle, who some years previous had moved to Illinois, but in 1836 had moved to this county, and had settled three miles east of where Monroe now stands. Mrs. Andrick could not tell us where he resided; had heard the name; thought he lived east of there; telling us to go about a mile northeast where we would find a store and they could inform us where he lived. After traveling the distance and direction indicated by Mrs. Andrick, we came to a log house in which was kept by a man by the name of Smith a small grocery store with a sprinkling of dry goods. Smith at the time of our arrival was shaking lustly with the ague, the first case of ague I had ever seen. At this place we learned that it was three miles to Woodle's, and being tired and hungry, having eaten nothing since early morn, we concluded to stop over night, which we did at Joseph Paine's, who, at that time, resided near the store, and kept entertainment, arriving at this place on the evening of March 30, 1837. After supper we walked over to the store, where we found several persons discussing the county seat question—some congratulating Mr. Paine and some Mr. Andrick, on having the county seat. I learned from their conversation that, in addition to Mr. Andrick's town, which he named New Mexico, Mr. Paine had laid out a town, which he called Richland City, as a competitor to Mr. Andrick's, neither of them having their plats recorded, as required by law. At the first session of the first legislative assembly, which convened at Belmont, in December, 1836, in the bill defining the boundaries of the new county was a section declaring that New Mexico should be the county seat. Mr. Paine, finding that his point could not succeed, proposed to Mr. Andrick to purchase a half-interest in his (Andrick) site, but Mr. Andrick was obdurate, and refused to sell, so Mr. Paine slipped off to Mineral Point and had his town recorded New Mexico. Now, in those days the mail arrived at this point when the mail carrier came; provided, he did not let it wash away when crossing the streams of water on his route, and the carrier would arrive once a week when the water in the streams would let him; hence, at this particular time they had not had a mail for over a month, hence they had not heard anything definite about the county seat question since the passage of the bill. The next morning on our way to Woodle's we met young Thomas Woodle, a brother of William, who was at that time making his home with William. He said he was going to the store on an errand and proposed to us to accompany him, which we did.  At the store there were several persons, and among them a big strapping Indian, who proposed to run a foot race with Woodle for the treats. Woodle accepted, the distance they were to run stepped off, the judges chosen, and the racers started. The judges decided that Woodle was the winner, but Mr. Indian refused to treat, claiming that he understood it that the one coming out ahead was to buy the whisky.  Arriving at Woodle's we concluded to rest over Sunday, visiting with the Woodle's.   The next Monday after our

arrival, in company with the two Woodles and Joseph Smith, (a former brother-in-law of the Woodle's,) we started to look up the Chadwick land, which was five miles east of Woodle's. After finding it (which we did by means of the section and quarter stakes which the prairie fires had not yet destroyed,) and selecting a location for a cabin, we returned to the store to procure an outfit for housekeeping, which (with us) consisted of two coffee pots, two tin pans or platters, a frying pan, two tin cups, one empty oyster can, two Indian blankets, (as they were named,) one pound of coffee, a few pounds of flour, and ten pounds of bacon, (the two latter articles we procured from Daniel S. Sutherland as they was not to be had at the store.) We returned to the land and commenced operations by first putting up a small shanty to live in while building a more pretentious one.   The shanty we built out of logs, by splitting them; and for the want of better material we roofed it with brush. Having got the shanty completed the second day, we moved into it and began cutting logs for the cabin. The second night after moving into our shanty there came up a snow storm, snow falling to the depth of six inches.   Our roofing not being close enough to turn the snow, in the morning we found ourselves under a covering of three or four inches of snow; the weather turning quite cold and having about enough logs cut for a cabin we concluded to abandon the shanty for the present and go back to Mr. Paine's and try and find some way of getting our traps from Galena, as we needed some of the tools, as at that time we did not know how to build cabins without tools. Upon our arrival at Mr. Paine's (or I should rather say at the store) we found a Mr. Palmer or Parmer, who said that himself and another man (I think Mr. Lutteral) was going to start in a few days to Galena with a load of lead mineral, and was to bring back a part of a load of groceries for Mr. Smith, the merchant. Chadwick proposed to him to bring out our traps, which he consented to do, provided Chadwick would accompany them, saying he did not know what them d—n steamboat men had done with them tools, and was not going to spend time hunting them up; and as there was no other alternative Chadwick consented to go. In the mean time I agreed with Mr. Paine to work on his tavern house which he was about erecting on his town site to be used as tavern and court house, until Chadwick returned. But as Mr. Sutherland was to boss the job and lay out the work, and as Mr. Sutherland could not commence work until the following week, I had a few days of leisure which I improved by taking a stroll down Richland creek to look up any mill sites that I might find, and especially the one mentioned by Mr. Curtis in my conversation with him at Wolf creek. On my return to Paine's, the next Monday morning, I found Mr. Sutherland on hand, and I commenced work on Paine's tavern and court house, the first frame building I believe erected in Green county. In a few days after I commenced work on this building a man by the name of Burrett came to where we were working, and after a short conversation with Sutherland inquired of him if he knew of any millwrights in his (this) neighborhood, saying that, himself and a Mr. Gray of Mineral Point had entered into partnership to build a saw mill on Whiteside branch, a small tributary of east Pecatonica stating that a Mr. Armstrong (my communicative friend at Wolf creek) had informed him that a couple of millwrights a few days previous had passed Wolf creek on their way to New Mexico. Mr. Sutherland pointing to me replied, "I presume that man is the one you are looking for." I accompanied Burrett home, took a level of his mill-site, and agreed with him to build his mill the coming summer.  Burrett agreeing to let us know when he got ready to begin, as he had to build a cabin at the site to accommodate the hands employed, as his residence was at least a mile distant, and the hands would have to bach it. On my return to Paine's I again went to work on his house. On the return of Chadwick

from Galena, (having been gone at least ten days,) we resumed work on the cabin.  On the afternoon of the following Saturday we went to Paine's (which we usually did every Saturday to stay over Sunday except when we staid at the cabin and took a stroll over the prairie and through the timber adjacent thereto) where we found a young man from Ohio by the name of John Crawford, a cousin of Chadwick, who had heard of our coming through Chadwick's folks, and had come out to take a look at the promised land.   Crawford agreed to stay and work with us during the summer, going with us the following Monday to work on the cabin. A few days after Crawford's initiation to our manner of life and mode of living, occurred one of those laughable incidents which materially assists in driving away that lonesomeness which I believe is the common inheritance of all or nearly all early pioneers of western life, who having left the advantages, pleasure and busy scenes of civilized life, and having settled in those western wilds, miles, miles from any human habitation, save that of the wild Indians, to hew out for himself and family a home. The incident was this. On one of our frequent visits to New Mexico we visited the cabin of Hiram Rust and Jarvis Rattan, located near where Monroe now is. We saw them turning their pancakes which they were cooking in their frying pan. After the pancake was sufficiently baked on the first side they would take hold of the handle of the pan, would give it a few vigorous rotary motions sufficient to loosen and give the pancake a certain rotary impetus, would suddenly change the motion of the pan to a vertical one by which means they would flop the pancake bottom side up to complete its cooking. After seeing them do it, we would for the purpose of amusement after the days work was done, practice this slight of hand performance.  Chadwick in a short time became quite an adept at it. After Crawford's arrival, Chadwick would often perform it for the purpose of showing Crawford (as he said) what could be done.   One morning while Chadwick was baking pancakes for breakfast, Crawford who was near-sighted got on the opposite side of the fire, squatted down on his haunches for the purpose (as he said) of seeing how Chadwick did it. Chadwick mistaking the degree of baking given the pancake, when he undertook to flop it over, the pancake instead of coming over doubled up and falling upon the rim of the pan, bounded into Crawford's face, but happily for him the pancake was not very hot, so that he was but little burnt; but it made Crawford terrible mad and he was for whipping Chadwick thinking that Chadwick had done it intentionally, but upon Chadwick's solemn protestation of innocence and myself keeping in between them for a few minutes, Crawford's good nature (and he had a good share of it) returning the thing passed off pleasantly, but it gave us a full half hour's good laughing.  The cabin completed we gathered up our traps taking them to Woodle's. Next day went to Paine's where we worked on Paine's house two or three days, when Mr. Burrett came after us to commence work on his mill. Arriving at the cabin we found four hands employed in its completion, whom Burrett had engaged to work on the dam and mill pit. Here we had to bach it and although we, us millwrights, were exempt from any cooking, as Burrett in his contract had to furnish the cook, but often did I think of and endorse the sentiment of the miner when lying in his bunk and looking at his partner getting their breakfast, exclaimed: "Joe, there has an idea struck me." "The devil," replied Joe.  "I would rather believe that lightning would strike you, but since you have been blest with a stroke pray tell us what it is." "Well," replied Jim, "while I have been lying here and looking at you trying to fork that meat out of the fire where you spilled it, by upsetting the frying pan in which it was cooking, while you was trying to get them potatoes out of the ashes where you put them to roast, what a great invention woman was."  After we had been at work on

the mill a short time we received word that the elder Mr. Chadwick had moved to the country and was settled in the cabin and requested us to pay them a visit, so on the following Saturday we started on foot a distance of twenty miles to visit them; the day being one of those cool, drizzling, rainy days in May, which frequently occurs in this country. When getting within a mile or a mile and a half of the Chadwick cabin we came to a cabin in which a man by the name of Joseph Woodle and his family was living, who had come from Pennsylvania, and who had built his cabin since we had left. We stopped to have a hand-shake, and it being near evening they insisted that we should take supper with them, which we did, as we had had nothing to eat since morning. By the time supper was over the sun was down. We started to find Chadwick's, but instead of going around the timber (both of the cabins being in the edge of the timber, the one occupied by Woodle on the north edge and the one by Chadwick on the south) as we had been in the habit of doing, we concluded that we could save time and distance by going through it, but in doing so we missed the cabin, and when we came to the prairie we became bewildered and did not know which way to go, as by that time it had got very dark, but like all lost persons each had his course marked out, and each one knew his course was right, so in turn each would lead awhile until we became satisfied that each one was lost, and coming to a precipice (over which Chadwick fell) we concluded to call a halt and put up for the night, but as our clothes were thoroughly wet and the night cold, and having no means of making a fire we could not stop traveling. So selecting a large white oak tree (we did not know at that time that it was white oak) on the top of the bluff we walked around it all night, and I thought it the longest. night ever made. Before leaving it I took my knife and made a peculiar mark in the bark so that if I should see it again I would know it. When daylight came we concluded to travel west as we were satisfied that we were east of Richland timber, and if we could strike that timber we could find some settler, but as it was still very cloudy and as we were lost we could not tell which way west lay, but determined to strike out and try to find a section stake which would decide the course for us to take.  After traveling a short distance in a southeast course we came to the section stake at the southeast corner of section 16, in what is now the town of Spring Grove. We then started west through the timber and on coming out on the prairie at the southwest corner of Spring Grove timber we came across John Kline, who had a few days previous moved to the country from Laporte Co., Ind., and who at the time was encamped in his wagons on section 29; his father having the fall previous entered land on that section. Kline at that time was going across to Richland timber to try to find an old neighbor of his by the name of Harcourt, who the previous year had moved to the country and settled somewhere near Richland creek. We told him how we were lost and had lain out all night, and inquired if he could direct us to a resident by the name of Chadwick who had just moved into the country.   He said that he could, as his wife's uncle, a man by the name of Riley, had been out and had entered land at a grove a few miles north of us and that his (Riley's) land joined that of lands owned by that name (Chadwick). We went with Kline to the divide between the waters of Spring and Richland creeks where he pointed out to us the timber grove where his uncle Riley had made his entry. Kline finding out that we were millwrights said that his father and himself intended to build a saw mill the coming fall, and that his father intended to bring a millwright from Indiana, but if we would do the work he would induce his father to leave the millwright at his home. We arrived at the cabin that afternoon, and found Mr. Chadwick's folks much excited, as Woodle, the man we had taken supper with the night before, had come to Chadwick's that fore-

noon to visit with us, and inquiring for us was told that we were at work on Burrett's mill, when he related the circumstances of our leaving his residence the night previous about sundown. Mrs. Chadwick insisted that her, husband and Woodle should immediately start out to look us up as she believed that we had either perished or were scalped by the Indians, as a number of them had passed in sight of the cabin the previous day; the latter she insisted being the more reasonable conclusion, Mr. Chadwick and Woodle, taking their guns with them, went to the highlands southwest of the cabin and saw us ascending on our way to the cabin from the south, all parties arriving at the cabin nearly at the same time. We completed the Burrett & Gray saw mill the latter part of September, as the work was materially delayed for the want of the irons, as they had ordered them from St. Louis and from some unexplained cause they did not arrive for two months after being ordered. After the completion of the saw mill, we commenced work on the Kline saw mill, the first mill erected in the town of Spring Grove. After getting out the timber for the mill, cold weather setting in, we suspended work on the mill and went to Galena for the purpose of getting work in some of the shops, but failing in this we hired to a contractor to assist in getting out timber for some buildings to be erected in that place the next spring. We went upon an island in the Mississippi river, a few miles below that place to obtain the timber. After we had got out a quantity of timber, the sheriff, at the instance of the county commissioners, came to the island and attached it, the commissioners claiming that the timber belonged to the county, under an act of Congress giving to the different counties all the unsold overflowed lands lying within the county. Again being without employment, we concluded to take a stroll through Iowa, finally turning up in Burlington, where the second session of the first legislative assembly was in session (Wisconsin and Iowa being at that time under the same Territorial government). Upon our arrival at that place we called upon our representative (William Boyls) from this county, who informed us that he had introduced a resolution in the assembly that would settle our county seat question, and kindly invited us to call in the next day, which we did in the afternoon, when we found Mr. Boyls' resolution under consideration. The resolution, in brief, was one defining what was the intention of the former session in locating the county seat of Green county, declaring that the intention of the legislature was to locate the county seat at the point known as Andrick Town. Now, to a novice like myself, I did not think there would be any opposition to its passage, but I was mistaken, for it met with a most determined opposition from a number of members. Finally the measure was disposed of by a member moving an amendment to strike out the words "Andrick's Town" and insert '"New Mexico," which prevailed, thus leaving the question as it was. From Burlington we went to St. Louis, and upon the opening of navigation in the spring we returned to Green county and again commenced work on Kline's mill. While at work on the mill, in one of our strolls through the timber, we came across the tree that we had tramped around the greater part of the night in May, 1837; it stood on the bluff, near the center of section 16. After the partial completion of the mill there arose a misunderstanding between the Kline's and a neighbor by the name of Judkins about the water flow of Judkins' land.  Work on the mill was suspended. We then went to work on a small grist mill for Dr. Vanoaljah, on Cedar creek, in Illinois, and afterwards on a saw mill on Richland creek. In October, this year (1838), I was taken down with the typhoid fever at Mr. Chadwick's, where I lay a number of weeks, hovering between life and death, the doctors and everybody else, including myself, believing that I could not possibly live. But through a vigorous constitution, and the kind care and at-

tention that I received from Mother Chadwick, I finally recovered; and here let me record, for the gratification and encouragement of her descendants, that if there ever was a mother, Mother Chadwick proved to be one to me at that time, and as long as memory holds its sway will I ever remember with gratitude with what care, sympathy and patience she administered to my wants on that occasion. But that is long years ago, and Mother Chadwick has long since passed to her final rest and reward, while I am left here to struggle on only a few years longer, at best. After my recovery we built a small house and barn for Levi Wilcox, some three or four miles south of where Cedarville now stands. In March, this year (1839), having learned of the death of my father, I concluded to visit my old home in Pennsylvania, but being detained so much in Galena and other points on the river between there and St. Louis, on account of low stage of water in the river and the sinking of the steamer on which I had taken passage, I concluded to return, having, previous to starting, agreed to build a barn for Mr. Chadwick the coming summer. I returned in May, and we finished and started the Kline saw mill that month, as, previous to that time, Kline and Judkins had settled their difficulty, and Judkins had deeded to Kline a right of flow.   After starting the mill we went to work on Chadwick's barn. And here I must relate a circumstance that shows what manner of man Jacob LyBrand was, who at that time kept a variety store in New Mexico. While working on the roof of the barn I broke my hatchet. The shingles for the roofing being made out of hard wood, and no pains being taken to joint the edges, it was impossible to lay even a fair roof without some means of straightening their edges. It's true, we might have fastened them in the bench vise and taken a plane or draw-shave to them, but this was a feat that I felt no disposition to undertake, so I went to New Mexico to buy one of LyBrand, knowing that he kept them on hand.  After looking them over and inquiring the price, (which I thought was enormous,) I asked LyBrand if his price was not pretty steep. "Why,'' he replied, "do you think it too much?" I said I thought that it was, whereupon he laid the hatchet back on the shelf. I then went to where some carpenters were at work on a building near by, thinking to borrow one, but they having none they could spare, I went back to the store, intending to buy. Upon going in I said to LyBrand that I guessed I would have to take that hatchet. He replied that I could not have it. "Why not?" I said. He replied, "Did you not say that the price was too much? And I don't intend any person shall buy any article of me that says the price is too much." I then related to him the circumstance of my breaking the hatchet, and the necessity of my having one. He said, "Oh, I will loan it to you," which he did.  After I got through using it I returned it, proposing to pay him for the use of it, but he refused to take anything for the use of it. After completing the barn we went south of Cedar creek and built a house and small barn for Dr. Vanvalzah, on his farm, he having previously sold his mill property on Cedar creek to Mr. Neightic. The winter of 1839-40 we ran the Wilcox saw mill, on Richland creek. In the summer of 1840 we built a house near Cedarville for Reason Wilcox, and a barn at Walnut Grove for John Kleckner. In October, of this year, Chadwick took unto himself a life partner, marrying a daughter of Deacon David Davis; and I, feeling unwilling, if not unable, to fight the battle of life single handed, concluded to take a partner, choosing for this purpose a sister of Chadwick's wife, and no time throughout our married life have I regretted the choice I—or rather, I should say she made, for in my opinion, in this matter of marrying the girls have it all their own way, for Shakespeare, or some other person who has had experience in these matters, truly says that—

myself—a partnership that had lasted nearly three years, and during all this time, so far as I know, there was not a harsh word or unkind feeling existed between us. Shortly after marrying, Chadwick settled on and opened up a farm on section 22, in now the town of Jefferson, this county, and myself on section 19, town of Spring Grove.  In the spring of 1841 I built a house for Samuel Myers, at the then saw mill of Kline & Myers (formerly Kline's mill), on section 20, being the first frame built in the town.  In the summer, fall and winter of this year, I did a number of jobs in the neighborhood, laying floors, (which formerly consisted of hewed puncheons,) making doors, putting in additional windows, etc., in houses, as the lumber for that purpose could be obtained at the saw mill. In the summer of 1842 I built a barn for John Kline on section 29, now owned by Hugh Alexander, the first frame barn erected in the town, and in the fall I assisted in the building of a store house for John Fisher, in Rock Grove. The winter of 1842-3 was an unprecedented hard one, snow falling to the depth of one foot or more, on the 12th of November, and by March had accumulated to fully three feet, and continued to lay on until in April. The month of March was terrible cold, the thermometer at Rock Grove ranging from one to six degrees below zero every morning throughout the month, except the last morning, when it commenced thawing, and a great number of cattle throughout the country died from exposure. In the spring of 1843 I built the carding mill on Spring creek for Kline & Myers. After completing the carding mill, I was employed by a Boston company to run a grist mill at Winslow; they having erected one there in 1841. I ran the mill until the following May. Returning to Spring Grove, I built the second saw mill on Spring creek, on section 15, for William Bussey. This summer (1844) was a terrible wet one, raining almost continuously from March to September. Work on the mill was much delayed on account of the rain and high water in the creek. We laid the foundation timbers for the mill three different times, and as often having them washed out. At one time some of them being washed two miles below. The wheat and oats crops were nearly ruined by the continuous wet weather. In the fall of this year I built myself a new residence, on section 30, being the second frame house built in the town. This winter (1844-45) the residents of Spring Grove and adjacent country petitioned the postoffice department for a postoffice to be named Spring Grove, and located at my residence and the appointment of myself postmaster. This request the department refused to grant, on the ground that the office asked for was not on any established mail route. The residents then entered into an arrangement whereby each one was in turn to carry the mail from Monroe and Rock Grove, the nearest postoffices to this point, and through the kindly intercession of Mr. Walworth, then postmaster at Monroe, I was granted permission to handle the mail and account to Mr. Walworth (a kind of side office). In 1847 or 1848 Congress established a mail route from Rockford, by way of Monroe to Mineral Point, and the office was included in the lettings, and I was commissioned, postmaster. This office I held until the summer of 1857, when I resigned, as I intended to change my residence to a more easterly part of the town, for the purpose of farming, as I had become tired of carpentering, having to be absent so much from my family, a profession that I have since followed, except at short intervals, when I would starve out at it, and was forced to resort to the tools to replenish my larder. Upon my resigning the postoffice the patrons of the office petitioned for the appointment of Matt Herrington as my successor. Herrington & Hauver at that time, were in trade at what is now called Oakley. The department referred the application to Alpheus Goddard, then postmaster at Monroe (that being the role of the department at the time).  Mr. Goddard being an uncompromising demo-

crat and a firm believer in the Jacksonian policy, that to the victors belong the spoils, refused to endorse Mr. Herrington upon the ground that Mr. Herrington could not repeat the party shibboleth, and not finding a democrat to his liking in the neighborhood who would accept the office, the office was transferred into the town of Jefferson, two miles northwest of its then location, and Israel Lake appointed postmaster. After the removal of the office it became very inconvenient to those patrons living in the east part of the town, so they petitioned the department for a new office to be named Pee Dee, and located at the northeast corner of section 33, and with our recent experience in choosing an incumbent, we thought best to select a democrat for that position. This office was established in June or July, 1859, with G. W. Zimmerman postmaster. In a short time Zimmerman becoming tired of the office, as it interfered too much with his farm duties, he arranged with my wife to run the office as deputy, and the office was transferred to my house, on section 18. In the fall of 1862 we were having a very exciting congressional election, growing out of our diversity of views on the war measure. The State central committee (of which Mr. Rublee was chairman) sent to the office (directed to the postmaster,) a package of political documents, including the address of the central committee with a request that the postmaster distribute this package (as was the rule with all packages so directed), was given to the postmaster, who upon receiving it declared he would not distribute them, saying that if the committee wanted them distributed they could come and do it themselves. Upon hearing this I wrote the chairman that in the future in sending such documents to the office, to direct them to either E. R. Allen or myself, saying that the postmaster was an old line democrat having no sympathies with the republican party, not even suggesting a change, when in less than a month, I received a commission as postmaster, with a notice to the incumbent to turn the office over to me, which was the cause of two of the most surprised men ever in the town. This office I held until 1867, when I resigned (having sold my farm) for the purpose of changing my location, and Fred Teis was commissioned my successor, who ran the office a short time, resigned, and the present incumbent, Mrs. Coulter, was commissioned.  In 1868 I moved with my family to Kansas, intending to make that State my future home, but becoming dissatisfied with the country, I returned in 1870, with broken health and $800 out of pocket, to Spring Grove, where I intend to reside until the Master calls, "Come Home.'' In politics, from boyhood I was a firm believer in those divine truths as promulgated from that immortal instrument, the Declaration of Independence and corner-stone of our American edifice, that all men are created equal, and from early manhood I have been a persistent advocate of those truths, and when in 1842, the first political anti-slavery society was organized in Green county, I was one of the immortal seven (as we were facetiously called) that assisted in its organization, and continued a member of that party until 1854, when the party was merged in the republican party, and have been a member of that party up to the present time; and I have voted at every election that has been held in the county since its organization, excepting the two years that I resided in Kansas.  Upon the temperance question my neighbors say I am fanatical, and perhaps I am so, as I have not taken any alcoholic or fermented beverages for over fifty years, and I can see nothing but evil, and only evil, in its use. I am also a strenuous advocate of woman franchisement, as I cannot comprehend by what theory or law of creation men have rights that women are not entitled to; and I fully endorse the exclamation of the old deacon, who, when his elder was preaching, (his subject being man) said when he spoke of man he included woman as by creation they were the same as man, with a little variation," exclaimed, "Yes, bless God."
    SPRING GROVE. March, 1884.

sent to the parole camp at St. Louis. In December, 1863, he was exchanged, and rejoined the regiment at Huntsville, Ala. He was in the campaign against Atlanta, and in the heroic battle at Allatoona Pass. Mr. Davis has a trophy captured in that battle, a Queen Anne musket full six feet in length, captured on the skirmish line. Veteranizing with a part of the regiment, he returned to Wisconsin on a furlough in December, 1864. Then returning to the command rejoined Sherman's grand army at Goldsboro, N. C., in April,1865. He was in the battle of Kingston, N. C., and was in line at the grand review of the army at Washington in June, 1865, and was mustered out with the regiment at Milwaukee. Mr. Davis was married to Ann E. Brant, daughter of John A. Brant, Oct. 1, 1865, and commenced keeping house on seventy acres of land purchased from his father on section 30. He has since added eighty acres of adjoining land in the town of Jefferson. They have a very comfortable home enlivened by four children—Francis E., born Oct. 25, 1866; Mattie J. born July 8, 1869; Judd E., born Aug. 24, 1870; and George B., born June 10, 1873. From 1866 to 1883, with the exception of one year, Mr. Davis has served as justice of the peace. He is a member of the W. W. Patton, G. A. R. Post, No. 90.
     Thomas Hamilton lives on section 34. He has a farm of 240 acres, with fine buildings. He was born in the State of Indiana Aug. 4, 1822. When quite young, his father, George Hamilton, moved to Edgar Co., Ill., where he died in 1842. When sixteen years of age, Thomas took his fortune in his own hands. Leaving home he went to Winnebago Co., Ill., worked at farm work until 1842, when he came to Green county. The first few years he worked summers in the villages of the county, and in the winter in the pineries, running in the season on rafts below; thus he was occupied until he was married in 1845. His wife was Levanche Randall. By this marriage six children were born, five of whom are living—George, residing in Brodhead; Thomas, of Winnebago Co., Ill.; Alexander, in the same county; Emma, wife of Myron Bliss, of Winnebago Co., Ill; Eva, wife of F. Burke, resides at Virginia City, Nev.; Lenora, wife of Isaac Davis.  She died at the residence of her father in February, 1875. In March, 1866, Mr. Hamilton was bereaved by the death of his wife. He was again united in marriage with Mrs. Jane Forbes. widow of Isaac Forbes. She was living at the time of marriage in Davids township, Stephenson Co., Ill. By her first marriage she had two children—Emma and William. Emma married Mr. Hamilton's son, George. William Forbes is married and lives in Brodhead. Thomas Hamilton has by his second wife five children—Walter E., born in 1868; Josephine E., born in 1870; Kate Maud, born in 1873; Scott, born in 1878; and Eleanor, born in 1881.
     Daniel Dedrick was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., Feb. 22, 1836, and came to this town with his father's family in 1842. His father, Nicholas Dedrick, came from Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. Daniel lived with his father until 1847, in which year, March 3, he was married to Melissa A. Ward, who was born in Michigan. Her mother was the second wife of Daniel Vanderbilt. Mrs. Dedrick has one boy—Eddie Dedrick, living in Topeka, Kansas, and a daughter, Lovinna, also at Topeka, Kansas. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Dedrick moved to Durand, Wis., and later a short distance out in Bear creek valley, taking a homestead claim, and working at carpenter's trade, in which work he was engaged at the outbreak of the Civil War. He enlisted Aug. 9, 1862, in company G, 25th Wisconsin Volunteers, and served two years and two months, when he was discharged on account of disability. After this he moved to Pontiac, Mich. Remaining there only a few months, he went to the oil country in Venango Co., Penn., locating at Rouseville. He there engaged in livery and express business and kept a boarding house three years or more, but domestic trouble caused a separation from his

wife. Then he gave up his town business and became a contractor for drilling oil wells, and followed that occupation until he lost his property. He returned to Spring Grove in 1877, and bought lot 6, on section 2, thirty-three acres, where he now (1884) resides in a house built by an old settler, B. J. Tenney, who about thirty-four years ago sold out and went to Salt Lake with the Mormons. Mr. Dedrick's present wife was Sarah Jane Gordan. He was married to her in June, 1870. She was born in Pennsylvania. Their first child, Charlie, died at the age of thirteen months.  They have two daughters—Mabel F. M., born May 15, 1872, and Zada Bell, born Jan. 11, 1880.
     Charles A. Warner was born in Madison Co., N. Y., June 20, 1820. He learned the blacksmith's trade when a boy and at nineteen years of age was out from his apprenticeship. In May, 1842, he came west to Milwaukee, and in September of that year to this county, buying 160 acres of land on section 11, town of Sylvester, remaining only long enough to commence some improvements. He went to Southport, on Lake Michigan (now Kenosha) and worked at his trade the following winter, returning to improve his land the summer of 1843. In the fall he returned to Southport and remained there at work until the fall of 1844, when he went to McHenry Co., Ill. There he ran a shop which he owned four years, then in the fall of 1848 he returned to this county and located in the village of Decatur, then about to be platted. While in McHenry county, Mr. Warner was married to Elizabeth Ward, Dec. 7, 1847.  She was born in Vernon, Oneida Co., N. Y. At Decatur Mr. Warner built a shop and worked there about eight years, when (1856) he moved his family to the village of Clarence, in order to be able to improve 192 acres of land which he had some years previously bought on section 1, town of Spring Grove. Mr. Warner worked at his trade a short time in Clarence, but in the spring of 1857 made his residence on his land on section 1, where he now (1884) lives. Mr. and Mrs. Warner have had four children born to them—Ella E., born Nov. 1, 1849, now wife of Willie D. Bigelow, of Sun Prairie, Wis.; Francis Ward, born Nov. 20, 1851, and died Sept 26, 1856; Charles M., born July 8, 1857, and now lives at home; Catharine C., born July 18, 1861, now living at home. Mr. Warner has led an active life, never idle in his younger days, if not hard at work, could generally be depended upon to bring in game or fish. He and Dr. Springsted were fast friends, and it was a bad day for all kinds of game, when they started out for a hunt. Mr. Warner speaks kindly of his old friend as a man, and of his skill as a physician.
     Daniel Dunwiddie, one of the pioneers of Green county, is living on section 6. His fine farm comprises lots 3,4 and 5, fractional additions to section 6, 127 acres, and fifteen acres of adjoining land. He also owns twenty acres of valuable timber near by in Decatur. He has occupied this place since 1847. Mr. Dunwiddie was born in Green Co., Ohio, Jan. 6, 1822, and is a son of John Dunwiddie, who reared a family of eleven children, ten boys and one girl, all of whom lived to be married, and rear families. Seven of the family were living in 1884. At the age of twenty-one, (1843) the subject of this sketch came to Green county, and lived with his uncle, Thomas Woodle, an early settler. In 1846 he bought the southwest quarter of section 34, in the town of Sylvester, and in December of that year was married to Rebecca Austin. She was born in Burlington Co., N. J., but at the time of her marriage was a resident of Kosciusko Co., Ind. Her parents were, for nine years, residents of Green Co., Ohio, and it was there that Mr. Dunwiddie formed her acquaintance. Mr. and Mrs. Dunwiddie first settled on his land in Sylvester and after living there one year, he sold, and purchased his present farm. They have had nine children born to them—Priscilla, wife of John Swan, born Feb. 5, 1846; Ezra, born Jan. 12, 1848; Celista, wife of Alonzo Barnes, born Nov.

2, 1849; John M., born Dec. 1, 1851; Louisa, born June 29, 1854, and died April 23,1856; Theresa, born Dec. 4, 1856, now the wife of W. F. Holcomb of Yankton, Dak; Idella, born Sept. 17, 1861, now the wife of Charles Cronk, of Dane county; Minnie, born Oct. 30, 1863, and died May 5, 1866; and Myrtle, born Dec. 15, 1865, and living at home with her parents. Mr. Dunwiddie is an active, public-spirited citizen, and has served as town supervisor fifteen or sixteen years, a part of the time as chairman.
     Moses Kirby was born near Oldtown, Hampshire Co., Va., in 1812. While a child his parents, James and Prudence Kirby, emigrated to Pickaway Co., Ohio. His mother died there and in 1828 his father moved from there to Vermilion Co., Ill. His father died some years later near Vincennes, Ind. The subject of this sketch was married in 1833 to Rachel Corry, and ten years later removed to Stephenson Co., Ill., and in the fall of the same year settled in Spring Grove, buying 160 acres of land on section 26 where he now lives. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby have had six children—Julia Ann, wife of William Clements, residing in Champaign Co., Ill.; John, living in the same county; Isaiah went with company B, 18th Wisconsin Volunteers, and found a soldier's grave at Corinth, Tenn.; Elisha, living in Spring Grove; Lovina, wife of Polk Waller, of Winnebago Co., Ill., and Mary, married to Leroy J. Mc Kinley. She and her husband live with Mr. Kirby on the old homestead. They were married July 30, 1869. They have had five children, three of whom are living—Olive, born Oct. 4, 1870; Myrtie, born Dec. 31, 1880; and Arthur, born May 16, 1883. The two deceased are—Jennie, born Dec. 21, 1874; died Sept. 5, 1876. Warren, born June 1, 1877; died April 12, 1880. Mr. McKinley's father is William McKinley, a merchant in Rockford, Ill. Leroy J. was born in Winnebago Co., Ill., April 20,1849. When a few weeks of age his mother died, and he was reared by Mr. and Mrs. James Waller of Avon, Rock Co., Wis.
     William H. Oneall was born in Warren Co., Ind., Feb. 15, 1829. His father, Robert E. Oneall, came to this town in its early days, going in 1843, from Warren Co., Ind., he rented a farm of the old settler, Samuel Myers, on section 19, where he lived one year; then on Mr. Judkins' farm two years. Mr. Oneall brought quite a large family here, consisting of a wife and seven children—Susan, now married to Philo Tracy, and living in Buchanan Co., Iowa; William H., the subject of this sketch; Rebecca, was married to Matthew Farmer, and died in Buchanan Co., Iowa; Martha Jane, who was married to P. Atwood, and died Nov. 22, 1882; Thomas K., who lives in Benton Co., Iowa; Mary Ann, who was married to William Kline, and died in 1864; Elizabeth R., who was married to Peter Albert, and now living in Buchanan Co., Iowa. There were born to the parents, six children, after their settlement in this town —Sarah E., who was married to Charles Morton, and lives in Parker, Dak.; John B., who lives in this town; Alexona, who is the wife of Joseph Keihle, and lives in Independence, Iowa; Edwin and Robert E., who died quite young; and Charlie, now living in Nebraska. Mr. Oneall bought on section 36, a claim, (now owned by Cyrus Putnam), and lived there several years, then moved to Richland Grove, and subsequently bought prairie land in the town of Jefferson. He shortly sold this land, and went to Iowa, leaving his family here. Engaging in business in Iowa, he made an occasional trip back to visit his family. While on one of these trips coming home, he was taken sick, and died not far from home, after a short illness, in May, 1854. His wife died Jan. 10, 1855. William H. Oneall was married to Marcia Jones, Aug. 3, 1856. She was born in Ashtabula Co., Ohio, and was a daughter of James Jones, an early settler of Rock Co., Wis. They have six children—Teta Jane, born July 6,1857,who was married to George Johnson, and now lives in San Francisco; Cynthia L., born Sept. 3, 1858, now wife of Oliver W. Martin; Florence A., who lives at home;

Wyatt E., born May 14, 1866, at home; Catharine V., born April 15, 1871, at home; and Ora E., born Oct. 27, 1874, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Oneall commenced their married life where they now live. It was formerly the home of their mother, and at that time contained eighty acres. It was an old farm, settled back in 1841 by Aaron Cooley. It is located on section 22. Mr. Oneall lives on section 15, and there owns 120 acres, and owns also 130 acres on section 16. He is one of the sterling men of the town, and has served the public on the board of supervisors.
     John B. Oneall, son of the old settler, Robert E. Oneall, was born Dec. 21, 1844. After the death of his father and mother, which occurred when John was about ten years old, he was partially homeless, and consequently was early thrown upon his own resources. The first year after his parent's death, he went to Iowa and lived for a time with a married sister. Coming back, he lived until about nineteen years old, with his brother, William H. Oneall, then with a young, patriotic impulse, he enlisted in the army, in company B, 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, Aug. 23, 1863. He participated in twenty-four engagements, among them, were Dandridge, in east Tennessee, and one near Dalton, Ga., May 9, 1864, and last, but not least, the one at West Point, Ga. He was always on duty, and never, except to visit sick comrades, saw the interior of a hospital. He was honorably discharged with the regiment, July 19, 1865. Feb. 14, 1867, he was married to Mary A., daughter of Charles Woodling, who came here from Indiana, in 1846. He was born in Union Co., Penn., and went to Indiana in 1837. He was one of the sterling men of early days, in Spring Grove. The newly married couple settled on the Woodling estate, in the place his wife's father had lived, who died in November, 1852. His widow subsequently was married to William Farmer. She died July 4, 1871. The present home of the subject of this sketch was occupied by him in September, 1871. It was the property of Mrs. Oneall's mother, at the time of her death. The farm is a very valuable one, with good improvements and fine buildings. They have two children—Carie J., born March 23, 1868; Hancy A., born Oct. 13, 1870. Mr. Oneall is one of the trusted citizens of Spring Grove town, and is now (1884),