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

SPRINGFIELD.
BY E. HARDING.

  THE town of Springfield, or town 8, north of range 8 east, is situated in the
northwestern part of Dane county, about ten miles northwest of Madison. The dome
of the capitol, and even parts of the city of Madison, are distinctly seen from
several portions of the town. The lands of the town consist of oak openings and
prairie; the surface, especially in the western part, is diversified with high
bluffs.

  The only stream in the town rises in section 10, and flows east, and enters
the town of Westport, into the six mile creek, thence into lake Mendota. Along
this stream are marsh lands that have become valuable by drainage, and on either
side of these are woods and young timber, through which one of the old Indian
trails passed, and in which Indians still occasionally camp. About the year 1850
or '51, the United States government sent west some five hundred Indians, and in
passing through the town, they camped over Sunday on section 10. They were under
the command or control of a government officer from Indiana, popularly called
Cutall, a Frenchman, and whose name we are informed, was Couteau, in French,
signifying a knife. But, be this as it may, he did not, as his name indicates,
cut them in pieces, as there was a numerous return of them the following summer.

  The town was once the scene of a bloody conflict, which, as far as can be
learned, must have occurred between the Sac and Winnebago Indians, as they had
many and desperate feuds before the early pioneers came into this part of the
country. Section 7, on the line between Springfield and Berry, gives evidence of
what one of these contests was, as Mr. G. Hochstesin, for a number of years,
desisted plowing his land, on account of the number of human bones on this
section. There is also at this place one, and perhaps two, mounds or graves,
where some of the slain were buried, and up to a recent date, stones were set,
or piled up, to mark the place. Arrow heads, and other Indian relics are found
on this battle-field, as also in other portions of the town.

  During the Black Hawk war, it is probable that Gen. Atkinson was chief in
command, and that Zach. Taylor, then a colonel, was in command of a part of the
regular troops. It appears from history that a good deal of skirmishing and
fighting occurred all through, the country from Prairie du Chien to Portage. The
road known as the Military road, from Green Bay to Chicago, and west to Prairie
du Chien, crosses the town of Springfield, and the army marching along this
road, at one time encamped for the night on section 9. Jefferson Davis was then
a lieutenant, and was with the army at the time above mentioned.

  It is related that Gen. Taylor left Lieut. Davis at Prairie du Chien and went
to Portage to look after affairs, and that while away, Davis married his
daughter on the sly—perhaps he has done worse things since.

  The town was first settled by Hawley Simons and family, on section 10, in
1841. His house was the first built in the town. The following year Geo. Johnson
and family settled on section 4. Mrs. Simons and Mrs. Johnson were sisters.
Also, about the same time, Wm. B. Slaughter settled on section 35, and Wm.
Bullock on section 34. Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Bullock are still living in the
town, while Mr. Slaughter is now living in Madison, the others being all dead.

  About this time the first post office in the town was established at Clark's
Corners. Mr. Clark was postmaster, and once a week the mail was carried on
horseback from Madison to Sauk. There are now four mails a week by stage between
Madison and Sauk, and three post offices — Ashton, postmaster, C. Dresen;
Springfield Corners, postmaster, Louis Martini; Hyer's Corners, postmaster, D.
R. Hyer.

  The first white child born in the town, was Eunice Johnson, who was born
September 4, 1845. She married Mr. Robert Ford, and both are still (1877) living
here. The first marriage was Mr. Geo. Howard to Miss Sarah M. Murray, in 1844.

  The first physician was Dr. Winston. Since then Drs. S. L. F. Ward and A. A.
Rowley have lived and practiced medicine in the town. Rev. N. Martin of the
Baptist church was the first minister and pastor. The first death was Mrs.
Frances Gillett.

  Several families in England formed a colony and sent to this county three men
by the names of Reeves, Wilson and Goss, as agents to locate lands; these men
came into this town and located lands on sections from 10 to 15 inclusive; and
during the same year, 1846, Messrs. Hillier, Gillett, Bardsley, Tinker, Kay,
Riley, Tymmes, Seston, Boyer and others arrived from England and settled here.
Some of them took possession of the lands and houses provided for them, and
others secured places for themselves. Most, if not all of the families forming
these settlements were poor. The county was a wilderness, without any of the
comforts of civilization, and proved very discouraging to these families who had
come from thickly settled communities, and was epecially so to the women and
children; hut they nobly set their faces to overcome these difficulties. The
Indians gave them some trouble and occasionally a good deal of fright, entering
their homes and demanding something to eat, and seldom leaving until their wants
were well supplied, on which occasions they would eat enormously, and then lay
down and sleep, often for a night and a day, and on getting up would give a
"ugh" and start off.

  Bears and other wild beasts proved a great annoyance. The wolves would carry
off their pigs, and frequently attack the larger animals. Mr. Tinker relates
that they would come at night in packs around his house, howling so terribly
that they were unable to sleep, and he has often shot them from his windows. The
territory paid him a bounty of five dollars for each one he killed.

  The first bread used by these families was made from Indian, or corn meal,
which they prepared by rasping on a tin grater, and the first wheat flour used
in the settlements was very tediously ground in coffee mills. Several of the
families brought these coffee mills with them from England, and one would borrow
of the other until all had ground their grist. They cleaned the wheat by
spreading it on their rough table, and then hand-picking it. The first fanning
mill was owned by J. Knipschild, at what was then called Clark's Corners (now
Springfield Corners); after that the neighbors carried their grists to his place
to be cleaned. The first flouring mill accessible to the people was Hicock's
mill, in Iowa county, and as they went with oxen, it was a long and tedious
journey. On one occasion, Mr. Bardsley relates that he was gone about two weeks.

  It is amusing, at this late day, to hear them tell of some of their
experiences in wood chopping. The idea of chopping down large trees whose bark
seemed capable of resisting the strongest of axes, was something entirely new to
them, and on one occasion three of them traveled all day trying to find soft
trees, but not finding any, returned at night wearied and disappointed with
their day's toil. In one instance, a man built a staging of old logs around a
tree and cut it off, leaving, the stump four or five feet high; he did this for
the reason that the tree was smaller at that distance from the ground. For years
the stump, from its conspicuousness, was a wonder to many, as they could not
comprehend why it was thus cut, until the above fact was learned. But as these
men came from factories in England, it is not matter of wonder that they were
not very expert backwoodsmen. Of those that came over in this colony, Geo.
Gillett, Wm. Bardsley, H. Tinker and Mrs. Hillier are still living in the town.
The others are either dead or removed to other places.

  The town of Springfield was organized in 1848, and the election of .officers
was held at the house of George Gillett, when about twenty votes were cast.
There were also about twenty-seven children in the town between the ages of four
and twenty.

  Officers elected: J. M. Babcock, (chairman), R. Winston, D. Coda, Supervisors;
B. Downing, Clerk. J. M. Babcock died before the close of the year, and P. S.
Rider was elected chairman to fill the vacancy. At the election held April 3,
1877, 266 votes were cast (there are about 300 voters in the town), and 637
children between four and twenty years. During the twenty-nine years that the
town has been organized, nine different persons have served as chairmen. Wm.
Bardsley has served nine years; R. Ford has served four years; N. Martin has
served three years; D. Ford has served six years, and was reelected April 3,
1877. Julius Weisenbom (now of Black Earth), was elected town clerk three years
consecutively. Thos. Binegal, three years consecutively; E. Harding, twelve
years consecutively; B. Esser, three years consecutively; J. Esser, three years
consecutively.

  During the late war the town of Springfield furnished its entire quota of
soldiers for the United States army. Among those entering the army, there were
between fifty and sixty residents of the town. The following are the names of
those who went from the town, so far as ascertained: Lieut. J. B. Hillier, M.
Palmer [1], Lieut. C. Northrop[1], G. Bealer [1], Sergt. J. E. Bardsley, C.
Ford, Corp. J. W. Hillier [2], St. Clair Z. Jones, Corp. M. Queenen [2], A. K.
Pierce, H. Young [2], Sergt. C. Pierce, W Young [3], J. Jones, D. Young [1],
Coval Jones, R. Ford [3], J. Gunther, J. Ford, Wm. Jones [1], R. Bonner [4], J.
Camm, Wm. Gillett, ___ Faumburg, R. Gillett, T. A. Perry [1], S. Slack, Sergt.
J. Dinsmore, Wm. Klausman, D. Dinsmore, G. S. Martin, G. S. Martin, Jr. [2], H.
Martin, R. Lent, A. Goudy [1], A. Quest, Ferd. Pape, ____ Cameron, L. P. Flagler
[1], J. Halter [1], Abram Ackerson, Anton Brandt, J. Stone, C. Howe, Wm. Howard,
____ Kline, ____ Wagner, J. Sebreight, Wm. Marden, P. Shaffhausen, O. Hayes,
____ Lifermon, W. Johnson, D. Perry [1].

[1] Died.      [2] Wounded.      [3] Killed.      [4] Drowned.


  The Young family deserve especial mention. Mr. Young sent three sons to the
army. Wesley was killed in battle, Daniel died in hospital, and Horton had both
arms shot off, but recovering, returned homne and is still living.

  Springfield raised during tbe years 1863-5, twenty-three thousand five hundred
dollars tax for soldiers' bounty; this sum was considerably increased by private
subscriptions, so that in all it probably amounted to near thirty thousand dollars.

  In the neighborhood known as Fordville, there is a library containing four
hundred volumes. This library was first started in 1858, at a cost of about five
hundred dollars; one hundred dollars of this amount was donated in money and
books by persons outside of the neighborhood. The principal persons in
organizing this library were the Fords, Groves, Poyners and Mr. Leitch. The
officers at present are: D. Ford, president; C. Poyner, secretary; C. R.
Chipman, treasurer; A. Ford, librarian. The Library Association holds weekly
meetings, and has had a valuable influence in the community.

  Mr. David Ford has represented the 3d assembly district in the state
legislature two terms.

  Mr. Bernard Esser was elected clerk of the circuit court in 1874, and
reelected in 1876.

  The principal productions of the town for several years have been wheat, corn
and oats; but during the last few years more attention has been given to stock
raising, and a more general plan of farming has been adopted.

  The soil compares favorably with the soil of any town in Dane county.

  Mr. Geo. Kingsley built a cheese factory on section 12, and carries on its
manufacture.

  The first market for the early settlers was Milwaukee, and the usual
conveyance ox teams. The price obtained for wheat was twenty-five cents, oats
ten cents per bushel, and the time occupied in making a trip about two weeks, if
they had good success. If they brought back freight for the merchants in Madison
they did pretty well; but if not, they frequently came back in debt. The markets
now are good. The center of the town is about four and a half miles from
Middleton Station, on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, and about
six miles from Waunakee, on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. These are
both good markets for produce of all kinds.

  By the increase of wealth and comfort, log houses have given place to good
substantial frame, stone and brick structures; and in many places during the
last few years, large and convenient barns have been built, showing that a large
number of citizens have been successful in accumulating considerable property.

  School and church privileges are abundant, so that none need be ignorant for
want of the one, nor wicked for the lack of the other.

  The first school house built in the town was a log building, on sec. 12, known
as Johnson's school house. A good frame structure now stands in its stead. There
are now eleven school and joint school districts, and nine school houses. There
are also two German schools.

  There are three churches: St. Peter's, on sec. 7; St. Martin's, on sec. 27:
Springfield M. E. Church, sec. 22. Rev. Mr. Hoyt preaches the first Sabbath in
each month in the school house, on sec. 12.

  Ashton Lodge, No. 83, I. O. of G. T., has a good convenient hall on the Sauk
road near the centre of the town. The lodge was instituted May 12, 1871, and
meets regularly on Friday evening of each week.

  At Hyer's Corners is a good hotel, with D. P. Hyer as proprietor, who
cheerfully attends to the wants of the traveling public. J. Stebbins keeps a
store there, and is also engaged in wagon making, while C. Vosen has a
blacksmith shop.

  At Springfield Corners, Louis Martini keeps a good store, and does a thriving
business. H. Bohl has a blacksmith shop. Jacob Gross keeps a store on the road
leading from Springfield Corners to Hyer's Corners. F. La Fay has a smithey at
Ashton P. O. and is a good workman. There are four saloons in the town: John
Esser, on sec. 27; C. Dresen, Ashton P. O.; Michel Karls, on section 7; and John
Michels, also on section 7.


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.

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