This file
part of www.dodgejeffgen.com website
Stories of Early Days in Jefferson County
(As reported in the Jefferson
County Union, 27 March 1874)
E.P. May responded to the sentiment "Early
Merchandising" and stated that his father brought a stock of goods into
this town in 1839. A small shanty constituted the store building. People came
from quite a distance to trade. Remembered seeing Mrs. Cyrus
Curtis of Palmyra, visiting the store on horseback. When they first
moved in, their household goods, were detained and the
neighbors kindly loaned them knives and forks enough to eat with. The goods in
the store were kept in a box, and when customers came in they were taken to the
box and a proper selection made. Mr. May eulogized the mercantile integrity
which has always characterized the merchants of this place, from its early
history down, and cited the fact that in the great panic of 1847 {NOTE: WE
BELIEVE THIS SHOULD READ 1857} nit a failure occurred here, and all bills were
met. He also spoke of himself and father, as being the first discoverers of the
noted iron mines of Mayville. Several tons of the ore was taken to Michigan to
be tested and from the iron thus obtained was made the first stove manufactured
from Wisconsin iron, which stove Mr. May still has in his possession. In
response to the sentiment "The first blacksmith shop", Mr. R. C.
Dodge was called upon. In the summer of 1836 he left N.Y. and came to Milwaukee
whence in company with Alvin Foster he came to Hebron. Mr. Sargent
was the pilot. The first house erected in Hebron was called the American Hotel.
A saw mill was erected the same summer, and started a blacksmith shop in August
1836. The wolves ate the leather off the first pair of bellows he used. In
October of the same year J. W. Ostrander and Volney
Foster, came to our settlement and together we cut a road through the heavy
timber to Masters Rapids, now called Jefferson. We were two days at the job. At
that time no one was living in the town. Mr. Dwight Foster and Mr. Pritchard
came in November. The mill was built and commenced sawing in February, 1837.
During the winter went with D. Foster to Illinois, after a
grist of flour, and it was a poor article at that. I made a claim where
I now live in 1836. My family came February following. Three houses were then
erected. Blankets served the purpose of doors and windows.
At
this stage of the proceedings Mrs. R. W. Manning presented to Mrs. Dwight
Foster a beautiful cake from the ladies of the Congregational Church, in honor
of her being the oldest settler of this town now living. Mrs. Manning prefaced
the presentation by first offering a short cake, made and baked in an old
fashioned way. The cake of cakes was handsomely ornamented and elicited
much admiration as also did the womanly and feeling words with which Mrs.
Manning presented it. In respond to the toast "The Churches", Rev.
Mr. Montague of the Congregational Church society and Rev. Mr. Thomas of the M.
E. society dwelt with considerable interest upon the manner in which the seeds
of Christianity were first sowed in the wilderness. Mr. Montague read the names
of the first founders of the Congregational Church.
A
preliminary meeting was held at the house of Phinneas
F. Morrison, October, 1841. On the 9th day of the same month at the house of
Milo Jones, the following persons formed the first Congregational Church in
this town: Phinneas F. Morrison, Laura Morrison, Lucy
Morrison, Charles Rockwell, Caroline Barrie, John Brown, Margaret Brown, Nancy
M. Barron, Caroline Veeder, Susan Pritchard, Cemantha West, Sally Jones, Asa
F. Snell and Louisa Snell.
Rev.
Mr. Thomas stated that the nucleus of the present M. E. Church of Fort Atkinson
was a class organized in 1840, at the residence of Jessie Roberts north of the
village, consisting of the following persons: Jessie Roberts and wife, Mr.
& Mrs. Adams, Mr. & Mrs. Carter, Mr. and Mrs. Wade and two daughters,
Mrs. Cran, and F.J. Roberts
and wife.
The
preaching was sometimes at Mr. Roberts, but more generally in the village. At private houses, then in a cooper shop and subsequently in the
school house.
Prof.
Q.C. Emory responded to the sentiment "Our
Schools". He read from an essay of Mabel Phelps.
The first regular school was taught in 1841. Mr. Emory spoke of the present
prosperous state of our schools contrasting the present and past, and he paid a
just tribute to those pioneers who laid the foundations of knowledge broad and
deep, that those who came after them might enjoy the fruit of their wisdom.