Dane-Green County WI Archives History - Books .....Brooklyn 1877
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Book Title: Madison, Dane County And Surrounding Towns...

BROOKLYN.
BY J. W. HASELTINE, ESQ.

  THE town of Brooklyn is situated in the northeast corner of Green county, and
borders on the towns of Rutland and Oregon in Dane county. In the northeast part
of the town there is some very good land, partly of burr oak opening and good
prairie, with some fine groves of timber, while on the east side of the town
there are a few sections of good prairie land. The balance of the town is oak
openings, much of it quite high and rolling, and not of the best quality.

  The first land bought for actual settlement was by the writer, on the 26th day
of December, 1839, on the north half of section three, and which he still
occupies. The first house in the town was built by W. W. McLaughlin in the fall
of 1842, on the south half of section three, and who occupied the same farm up
to the time of his death, April 2, 1877. The names of the early settlers of the
town are J. W. Haseltine, W. W. McLaughlin, Charles Sutherland, Elder John Sawin
and his three sons, Alvin, Ethan and Lorenzo, Stephen Smith and three sons,
Jonathan, Charles and Emery, Leonard and Ezra Doolittle, Amos D. and William
Kirpatrick, Sylvester Gray, C. D. W. and Arah Leonard, Jeremiah Anderson and son
Amos (the father now occupying the farm first selected, aged eighty-two), Nelson
J. and Franklin Patterson, William B. Patterson, William R. Smith, Sr., and
William R. Smith, Jr., and John Pace. Henry Montgomery and his three sons, Cyrus
A., Tracy and John, were early settlers in the town. Cyrus A. and John still
reside here. The father died in 1846, and was the first death in the town.

  Of the above list of persons, those who have died are W. W. McLaughlin, John
Sawin, Stephen Smith, Wm. Kirkpatrick, Sylvester Gray, Amos Anderson, Wm. R.
Smith, Sr., and John Pace. Others have moved away, so that few of the very early
settlers remain.

  Alonzo Melvin with a large family settled on a farm on section one, about the
year 1850. Five sons of the family enlisted in the army of the late war of the
rebellion, and suffered terribly by disease and death. Shepard and Taylor died
suddenly of disease contracted while in the army. Fordice R. was shot through
the wrists and disabled for life. He holds the office of treasurer of Green
county, and has done so for three terms or six years, ending January 1, 1877,
and as such has proved himself an honest and capable officer. Oliver was also
brought home from the army terribly diseased, but has finally recovered and is
now a resident of the town. Austin A. was the only one of the five who came back
unharmed. Alonzo, the father, died two years since, full of years, honored and
respected by all who knew him, one of nature's noble, honest men.

  The town was organized and the first town meeting held in the house of Nelson
J. Patterson, on the 7th day of April, 1849, the writer acting as clerk and
making the first election returns from the town to Monroe, the county seat. The
following officers were elected: Chairman of the Town Board — Amos D.
Kirkpatrick. Town Clerk—O. P. Stowell. Assessor—W. W. McLaughlin.
Treasurer—Martin Flood. Superintendent of Schools— G. G. Godfrey.

  Names that have been prominent among the town officers are W. W. McLaughlin,
who was chairman of the town board many years, and assessed the town twelve or
thirteen times, and has twice been a member of the legislature. Amos D.
Kirkpatrick was chairman several years, also a member of the legislature once or
twice. C. D. W. Leonard has also been chairman many times, and twice a member of
the legislature from the north assembly district in Green county. Town clerks
have been, O. P. Stowell, James McCoy, for eleven successive years, J. W.
Haseltine, Ed. Netherwood, M. F. Ross, and others.

  The town is well provided with school houses and has two Methodist churches,
one in Attica and one in Brooklyn. At an early day the village of Attica was
laid out on Sugar river, in the southwest corner of the town, and at one time
contained a flouring and saw mill, a carding machine, a fulling and cloth
dressing machine, and also distillery. The village is situated on Sugar river,
and has an excellent water power, but now has only a good flouring mill, owned
by Joseph Bartlett.

  The village of Brooklyn is situated in the northeast corner of the town, on
the railroad, midway between Evansville and Oregon, six miles from either. It
contains four stores, a cheese factory, a good lumber yard, a livery stable, two
hotels, a postoffice, two blacksmith shops, two harness shops, and does a large
produce and stock business, conducted by E. J. Andrew & Sons.

  B. S. Axtell is the oldest merchant and is postmaster. He commenced business
here soon after the railroad was built, and does a safe business. L. J. Wilder
keeps a good store and is an excellent business man. The Marvin brothers manage
the hardware, and honest Charles S. Gray runs the "Grange Store." E. J. Andrew &
Sons have an elevator with large storage capacity, and conduct a good business
in produce and stock. They maintain an excellent market, and are ever ready to
deal honorably with their customers. They have done much to make Brooklyn a good
market for a large section of country. Lovejoy & Richards sell the lumber. Frank
Lane does a lively livery business. Conradson, in wood and iron is "a workman
that need not be ashamed." Melvins & Blair own the cheese factory, and have a
reputation for making good cheese. J. A. Leonard, blacksmith; W. A. Morrow,
harness maker; J. R. Richards, harness maker; E. H. Graves, railroad agent; E.
D. King, confectionery and restaurant; D. H. Glidden, hotel; Miss Mattie Wallace
and Mrs. Addie Murray, milliners.

  Brooklyn is gradually improving, a few buildings going up every year, and is a
great convenience and help to this section of the country.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Towns Adjacent Section

MADISON, DANE COUNTY AND SURROUNDING TOWNS;
BEING A HISTORY AND GUIDE
TO PLACES OF SCENIC BEAUTY AND HISTORICAL NOTE FOUND IN THE TOWNS OF DANE COUNTY
AND SURROUNDINGS, INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNS, AND EARLY INTERCOURSE
OF THE SETTLERS WITH THE INDIANS, THEIR CAMPS, TRAILS, MOUNDS, ETC.

WITH A COMPLETE LIST OF
COUNTY SUPERVISORS AND OFFICERS,
AND
LEGISLATIVE MEMBEES, MADISON VILLAGE AND CITY COUNCIL.

ILLUSTRATED,
MADISON, WIS.:
PUBLISHED BY WM. J. PARK & CO.,

BOOKSELLERS, STATIONERS AND BINDERS, 11 KING STREET.
1877.

COPYRIGHT.
WM. J. PARK & CO. 1877.

DAVID ATWOOD, STEREOTYPER AND PRINTER, MADISON, WIS.

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