CHAPTER XLI. THE TOWN OF JEFFERSON. Jefferson is located in range 5, and embraces | settlers in Vernon county were Messrs. Rice congressional town 13, and twelve sections and McCollough. They found lands adapted of town 12, and therefore has an area of to their wants and soon returned to Grant about 30,720 acres. Coon town is on its north county for the family, and were soon settled, border, Viroqua and Franklin towns on its east, after a fashion, in their new frontier home. Franklin and Sterling towns on its south, and Mr. Graham and his sons erected a rude log Harmony and Sterling towns on its western cabin and resided there "monarchs of all they border. One branch of the Bad Ax river takes surveyed," until that fall, when they were its rise in the northern part of this town. joined by William McMichael and family. Mrs. There is perhaps more than the average amount McMichael was a daughter of John Graham. of farm land in this town. The soil is of the Mr. Graham was born in Virginia, and with very best in the county, and great care has his parents moved to Ohio, where he learned been taken by the settlers to cultivate their the trade of millwright. He married a Miss lands in a proper manner and as a direct result, Lyons, who died leaving four children, two sons the town has more well tilled, highly improved and two daughters. He subsequently married farms than almost any other town within the Miss Reasoner and moved to Grant Co., Ind., county. There are many very large beautifully where he built a mill and operated it till 184C, designed farm houses throughout this town, a when he removed to Illinois. His wife died, large number of which are surrounded by large leaving him nine children to care for. Six of thrifty pine trees, the dark green foliage of these children were living in 1884-Baker, which is a perpetual beauty, which is even Lamech, Mary, Jefferson, Casandrew and increased in mid-winter, when the common Vallie. After coming to Vernon county, Mr. forest trees are leafless. Graham married Mrs. Mary Crawford, whose maiden name was McMichael. By this union there were two children. Mr. Graham erected the first mill in Vernon county; he also laid out the village of Springville. He died in 1862. EARLY SETTLERS. The first settlement of this town was made by John Graham, in July, 1846, who, in company with his three sons, Thomas, Baker and Lamech settled on section 23, town 13, range 5. They moved from Mercer Co., Ill., with four yoke of oxen. They left Illinois in the month of April and came as far as Grant county, this State, where the family halted, while Mr. Graham and Jefferson De Freese came on to Vernon county in search of lands suitable to make homes. At that date the only The following are the names of those who settled in the town previous to 1850: John Graham and his sons Lamech, Thomas and Baker, who came in July, 1846; William McMichael, Isaac Spencer, Edmond Strong, Charles Waters, Isaac Waters, Henry Waters, William Spencer, Edward Cox, Daniel Cox, Charles Cox, Samuel Brice, John Flick and sons, Clement Spaulding, Clayborn Cheatham, D. Cheatham, Dr. J. H. Sudduth and Nicholas Murphy. The Waters family, who came in 1858 or 1859, were the children of Isaac and Abigal (Clark) Waters, natives of Connecticut, who reared eight children, four sons and one daughter of whom were pioneers of Vernon county. The first to come was Charles, who came on at the same time William Spencer did and finally married his daughter-Mary J. Charles followed farming and the nursury business in the town of Jefferson for many years, but finally moved to Grant county and later to Iowa. Henry Waters came previous to 1850. He farmed and run a store at Springville for a time; but in 1884 was living at Fort Kearney, Neb. Isaac Waters, who was an unmarried man at the time of his coming to the county, soon after married Martha Price. He remained about ten years and moved to Minnesota. Clark Waters was the last to come to the the county and settled on section 24. He resides there still. Among the settlers of 1854 was Isaac Williams, who settled on land afterward owned by Col. May. In 1855 William Smith became a resident of the town of Jefferson and in the fall of the same year became associated with Seth Hamilton in the blacksmithing business. In the spring of 1856 Mr. Smith went on the Mississippi river to work, spending two years there. He then moved to La Crosse, where he lived till 1860 and then returned to Springville and resumed work at his trade, continuing until 1875, since which time he has given his attention to farming. He came west in 1855 by railroad as far as Madison, this State, and soon after wended his way overland to Vernon county, where his brother, I. W. Smith, had previously located. In 1859 he married Louise Rowe, who bore him eight children, seven of whom are Among other settlers of an early date was Nathan J. Slack, who settled on section 30, town 12, range 5, in 1858. He first located at Liberty Pole in 1856. In 1884 he was counted among the wealthiest farmers of the town, owning 440 acres of well improved farm lands in this town and 240 acres on the Bad Ax. His wife was Adeline Rogers, daughter of Hiram Rogers. She was born in New York, in 1836. They have two children-Carrie and Charles. John Flick and family, who were quite early settlers, lived near where Lamech Graham afterward lived. They remained where they first settled till the time of his death, Christmas day, 1865. His remains lie buried on the hill just north of the Eureka Mills. Mr. Flick followed farming and stone quarrying; also burned lime. 1884 the family were scattered, some in one State, some in another. The widow was then living in Minnesota. FIRST THINGS. In The first occurrences in the settlement of a country are ever of interest to the reader of local history; and below is a record of many of the first events which transpired in the town of Jefferson: The first settler was John Graham, who came in 1846. The first marriage was Solomon Flick and Mary Graham, which took place in 1850 or 1851. The first death in the town, also in the county, was William Lewis McMichael, son of William and Eleanor McMichael. This occurred in 1846. His remains were first buried east of Viroqua, but later were removed to Springville cemetery. The next death was Thomas, son of John Graham, who died in the winter of 1847-8, and was the first body interred in the Springville cemetery. The first blacksmith shop was operated as early as 1848. the place had a store, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop and a tannery. EDUCATIONAL. William Smith burned the first stone coal used in the town, in 1860. It was purchased in Milwaukee and used in his blacksmith shop. Before this date charcoal had been exclusively Educational matters in the town of Jefferson used for iron work. have ever been watched and cared for, even The first school was taught by Henry Waters from the early pioneer days, with the greatest in 1849. prudence and wisdom. None but the best The first school house was built in 1850, and teachers have been engaged to teach the schools. was located just north of Springville. ORGANIC. This town was organized in 1855, and was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson. The early records are very incomplete, and the only facts relating to its early history is that the first supervisors were: Isaac Spencer, Charles Waters and James Marker; and N. W. Saxton, town clerk. In 1856 the supervisors were: J. R. Savage, James Marker and William Evans; Julius Rowell, town clerk. In 1883 the town officers were: M. Saxon, chairman; E. P. Thompson and M. Hovelind, supervisors; Joseph McLeese, clerk; Michael Rentz, treasurer; I W. Thorp and E. Tigue, justices of the peace; Isaac Groves, assessor. POSTO FFICES. In 1884 the town of Jefferson had two postoffices within its borders. The first postoffice established in the town was at Springville, in 1849. The mail was received from Prairie du Chien twice a week. Edmond Strang was the first postmaster. Among the postmasters have been: James Savage and P. Buffler. The latter was serving in 1883. The first postmaster of Esofea postoffice was Edwin Larson. This office continued only a few years. In 1870 it was again established and M. Rentz made postmaster. He in time was succeeded by A. K. Strand, and he by Nels Johnson, who was followed by Christian Schriven. The first goods sold at or near this postoffice were by Edwin Larson, who, after two years, was followed by A. K. Strand, who engaged in trade about 1873, and continued till 1880, when he was succeeded by Christian Schriven. In 1884 In 1884 the town contained six districts proper and four joint districts, each of which were provided with a fair school building. Joint school district No. 1 owns a frame school building on section 23, erected about twenty-five years ago. District No. 2 has a frame house on section 15, which is about twenty years old. District No. 3 possesses a frame building on section 3, built about 1868. Joint district No. 5 owns a frame building on section 1. Joint district No. 6 owns a very old frame house on section 6. District No. 7 erected a frame house on section 34, about 1868. District No. 8 erected a substantial frame structure on section 16 in 1878. District No. 9 possesses a good frame building on section 31, put up about 1875. Joint district No. 10 erected in the autumn of 1883 a neat frame school house on section 8, of town 12 north, of range 5 west. District No. 14 owns a very old frame structure on section 36. All of the school buildings are in town 13 north, of range 5 west, with the exception of joint district No. 10. RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. The first heralds of the Cross in this vicinity were from the Methodist Episcopal denomination. The first services were held in 1850, by Rev. Perdun, at the house of Isaac Spencer. The United Brethren organized a society in 1859, at which date Rev. Mr. Smith officiated as preacher. Among the first member were: L. J. Wood and wife, J. Brown and wife, Sam |