Dane County WI Archives History - Books .....Pleasant Springs 1877
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/wi/wifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 27, 2006, 4:46 am

Book Title: Madison, Dane County And Surrounding Towns...

PLEASANT SPRINGS.
BY A. R. AMES, ESQ.

  THE town of Pleasant Springs, about twelve miles southeast from Madison, is
bounded on the north by Cottage Grove; on the east by Christiana; on the south
by Dunkirk, and on the west by Dunn. In the government surveys, it is designated
as township six north, range eleven east of the fourth principal meridian.

  The first town meeting was held at the house of John Patterson, April 4, 1848.
Only twenty votes were cast, and the following named were declared duly elected:
Supervisors — Daniel Wheeler, Chairman, John Patterson, John Ketcham. Clerk —
John Sunderman. Justice of the Peace — Daniel Wheeler. Commissioners of Highways
— John S. Dailey, Peter S. Markham, Archibald Griffith. School Commissioners—
John Sunderman, Archibald Griffith, Jacob Stombough. Assessors—John Patterson,
Robert McComb. Treasurer — Winard Dingman. Constable — Ezra Hortan. Fence
Viewers—Jacob Waldruf, Jacob Patterson. Among other early settlers were K. H.
Roe, A. Seaverson, K. Kittleson, K. A. Juve, K. A. Joitel, Francis B. and John
W. Ames, James Bronte, Abraham Devoe and Zina Gilbert.

  Pleasant Springs received its name from a large spring on the land of Ole
Evenson, on section twenty-seven, and numerous smaller ones in different parts
of the town. The first church was built where the Lutheran church now stands, on
section fourteen. The first sermon preached by Pastor W. Dietrichson, under a
large oak tree on A. K. Juve's farm, September 2, 1844. The first school was
taught in a private house. The first school house was built on section twenty-five.

  From a historical sketch of Dane county, in Harrison & Warner's Atlas, we find
the following: "Abel Rasdall, one of the pioneers of the Four Lake region, was
born in Barren county, Kentucky, August 15, 1815. When a young man, he went to
Wisconsin and engaged in lead mining, and, in 1828, went to Galena, and assisted
awhile Col. James Morrison in his mining operations at Porter's Grove, about
nine miles from Blue Mounds. He soon engaged in the business of an Indian
trader, locating his cabin on the eastern shore of First Lake (now in Pleasant
Springs), about half a mile south of its outlet. He married a Winnebago woman,
who was a real helpmate to him in the Indian trade. She sickened and died of
small pox. Mr. Rasdall alone attending her, and burying her remains. He
subsequently married another of the same tribe, [1] but when her people migrated
west, she concluded to go with them, so Rasdall and his Indian wife cut a
blanket in two, each taking a part — the Indian mode of divorce. * * Galena was
the point at which he obtained his goods, and where he disposed of his furs and
peltry. He did service in the Black Hawk war, and was one of fourteen men who
were sent forward as a scout when Gen. Dodge was pursuing the Indians from Rock
river westward, before the battle of Wisconsin Heights. The party, which was
commanded by Capt. Gentry, was sent forward to reconnoitre and prevent a
surprise by the main body of Indians, which they were assured were but little in
advance, as was afterwards proven, for this was the morning of the memorable
21st of July, near the eve of which was fought the battle of Wisconsin Heights."

  [1] This squaw had no nose, her former husband having inflicted the Indian
penalty for infidelity. She always covered her face with her blanket.—PUB.]

  About the same time Joe Pelkie and Louis Armell, French Canadian traders, were
located here. They also had squaws for their wives. Josiah A. Noonan, when
appointed by Judge Doty to make arrangements for a surveying party to go to
Madison and meander the shores of Third and Dead Lakes, with a view of platting
out the western addition to Madison, accompanied the party on horseback, and,
after staying with them four days, provisions being very scarce, started for
First Lake. The first night he put up with Pelkie and Armell, where he found
good forage for his horse, and an abundance of potatoes and salt for himself.
The next morning, with a couple of good, large potatoes in his overcoat pockets,
he started for Fort Atkinson. The country he found poorly surveyed, being unable
to make his lines or courses, and was necessitated to take the wind for his
guide. The old Indian trail between Fort Atkinson and First Lake crossed
sections thirteen, twenty-three and twenty-four, and is, where the ground has
not been disturbed, very plainly marked by a deep track on the prairie.

  The surface of this town is gently undulating, consisting of prairies, oak
openings, and marsh or meadow, well watered and particularly suited to grazing.
, The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture, the soil being remarkably
fertile; wheat, oats, corn, barley, rye, potatoes, hay and tobacco are produced
in abundance. In live stock it is one of the leading towns, having fine breeds
of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Pleasant Springs finds market for its produce
in Madison, Stoughton, McFarland, Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Cambridge and
Christiana, nearly all of which have fine milling privileges. The town has two
fine churches, and six school houses, one of which was built and furnished, with
apparatus and a fine large bell, at a cost of nearly $1,900. This is claimed to
be the best country school house in the state, till "other counties are heard
from."

  From Liberty Mound, on section two (which is the highest point of land in the
county except Blue Mounds), on a clear day, may be had a fine view of the lakes,
Madison, Blue Mounds, the country towards Sun Prairie, Stoughton, Utica, Fort
Atkinson and Jefferson.

  A peculiar feature about the political history of the town is, that up to
1853, it was entirely democratic • in its elections, but from that date up to
the present, it has cast a decided republican vote. The change in political
views was so very sudden and almost unexpected that, at the first election in
the above year, only one democratic vote was cast.

  It was also about this time, says Hon. John A. Johnson, or little after, that
Hon. Wm. R. Taylor, since governor, was elected to the state senate over Hon. H.
H. Giles. Mr. Giles was at that time railroad station agent at Stoughton, and a
fierce onslaught was made upon him during the campaign by the friends of Mr.
Taylor, as being the agent and representative of a great monopoly, while Mr.
Taylor was the friend per se of the abused farmer. The democratic stump orators
showed very clearly that the railroad was charging 12 cents per bushel freight
on wheat from Stoughton to Milwaukee, when six cents was ample compensation, and
intimated that if Taylor was elected monopoly would be destroyed, and the price
of wheat would be raised at least six cents per bushel. This was a pretty strong
argument, and at last one Pleasant Spring farmer determined that he would vote
for Taylor, though he was a little mixed as to the position he was to be elected
to, as his knowledge of English was not the most profound. The farmer marketed
his wheat at Stoughton, and he had heard Taylor's name coupled with the six
cents raise in wheat. When he heard of Taylor's election he joyfully loaded his
wagon with wheat and wended his way to Stoughton to realize the higher price,
supposing he would find Taylor duly installed as station agent, the position
which he with his vote had helped to give him. Arriving at the depot his first
inquiry was as to the price of wheat, and finding it had not advanced at all,
demanded an interview with Taylor. When informed that he had been basely cheated
into giving a democratic vote and for such a reason, his feelings may be better
imagined than described. He went home supremely disgusted with the corruptions
and dishonesty of the country.

  On the farm of J. I. Williams, bordering on Kegonsa, or First Lake, are a
number of Indian mounds. Through the courtesy of the officials of the Milwaukee
& St. Paul Railroad, passengers are landed or taken on at the "Sugar Bush," a
large grove on Mr. Williams' farm. The use of this grove is freely given for
camp meetings, picnics, hunting parties, etc. The lake abounds in fish, while
the woods and fields are well supplied with game. The final outlet of the Four
Lakes, the Yahara, has its source at the eastern point of the lake. This crosses
sections twenty, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty-two and thirty-three. Mr.
Williams proposes to launch a beautiful little steamer, now being built in
Pittsburg, upon the lake the present season, and by whose courtesy and
liberality we are enabled to present to our readers, an exquisite engraving of
this elegant steamer as she will appear on Lake Kegonsa. She is fifty-six feet
long, four feet six inches deep in hull, nine feet broad, with a lower and upper
deck, and is propelled by a twenty horse-power engine. She is designed by him as
a pleasure craft, to be used for personal enjoyment, and to add to the interest
of the place by using it for pleasure parties, picnics, etc., if the proper
encouragement is given, to meet expenses of running it, and is designed to be
the beginning of an investment which will convert the Sugar Bush Grove into one
of the most enjoyable, as well as one of the most complete places of rational
pleasure in the state, believing that Madison will wake up to a sense of "Its
best Holt" and stretch its arm down to Kegonsa, so that while Madison may be the
head source of pleasure, the Sugar Bush Grove with its peculiar charms will be
indispensable to her pleasure-seekers. It is hoped that some day soon, all
obstacles to a free access to all the four Lakes will be removed, and the charms
of these matchless bodies of water be more fully brought forth by easy
intercourse through Yahara's inviting current.

  The present town officers are : Supervisors, William Seamonson, chairman,
Elias Nichols, Ole Moe; clerk, E. T. Cleven; assessor, Lewis Iverson; treasurer,
Gunder Edwards; justices of peace, Oliver Johnson, Ole A. Drotning.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Dane County Towns 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.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/dane/history/1877/madisond/pleasant34nms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/wifiles/

File size: 11.2 Kb