CHAPTER XVIII SPRING GREEN VILLAGE

CHAPTER XVIII SPRING GREEN VILLAGE FIRST RAILROAD VILLAGE IN COUNTY--THE ORIGINAL TOWN--GENERAL PROGRESS OF VILLAGE-ORIGIN OF NAME, SPRING GREEN--" UN...
Author: Fay Houston
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CHAPTER XVIII SPRING GREEN VILLAGE FIRST RAILROAD VILLAGE IN COUNTY--THE ORIGINAL TOWN--GENERAL PROGRESS OF VILLAGE-ORIGIN OF NAME, SPRING GREEN--" UNCLE JOHN" ON FIRST FREIGHT TRAIN-CENTER OF CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS -PIONEERS OF THE VILLAGE-THE FIGHT AGAINST LIQUOR-THE NAME AGAIN-DISTRICT SCHOOLS-THE CATHOLICS (ST. JOHN CON-

GREGATION)-THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-THE CONGREGATIONALISTS-SPRING GREEN NEWSPAPERS THE BANKS-THE DAIRY BOARD OF TRADE.

The Village of Spring Green, on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul line, is a prosperous center of the large dairy interests of the southwestern townships of the county. Honey and Little Bear creeks also drain and fertilize a splendid live stock and agricultural section, and the Village of Plain, five or six miles to the north, although without a railroad, shares in the riches of the surrounding country. Spring Green with its railroad, which it has enjoyed for over sixty years, is a village of over 800 people, with an outlook of comfort and a bright intellectual atmosphere as well. Its citizens live well physically, and the fact that there are few places in the county where such uplifting movements as those propelled by the Chautauquas are sure of hearty support as at Spring Green speaks, at least, stanch booklets for the intelligence of its residents. The village also has the good sense to own the water works upon which its people depend for their domestic supply and (mainly) for their protection against fire. Spring Green has two substantial banks, a large cheese warehouse, including a cold storage plant, six general stores and eight or ten special business houses, four churches, an up-to-date village school, an old and good newspaper, and enough lodges and societies to fill all the social and benevolent chinks in the lives of its people which are not covered by more domestic friendships and the church organizations. FIRST RAILROAD VILLAGE IN COUNTY

As already noted Spring Green was the first community in Sauk County to secure railway connection. That was in 1856. It was incor495

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porated as a village by act of the Legislature published March 29, 1869, and its boundaries were described as "the southwest quarter and the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 7, and the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter and the north half of the northwest quarter of Section 18, Township 8 north, of Range 4 east; also the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 12, and the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 13, Township 8 north, of Range 3 east, all being in the town of Spring Green, Sauk Co., Wis." Elections for the village officers were fixed for the first Monday in May, and the first set chosen in 1869 were as follows: C. B. Pearson, president of the board of trustees; M. F. Hurley, Henry Kifer, P. W. Runyon, C. W. Farrington, trustees; C. E. Brainerd, police justice; Louis Goedecke, clerk;. C. W. Finn, treasurer; George B. Van Orman, constable. The village was reincorporated in 1878 under the general law, which provided for a president of the board of trustees, six trustees, a clerk, a treasurer, a supervisor for the county board, a police justice, a justice of the peace, a marshal and a constable, all elected by the people, with a street commissioner to be appointed. During the period when the village government was getting into its present shape, C. B. Pearson, J. C. Brainard, J. G. Pelton, E. P. Newell, M. F. Hurley and J. E. McKenna were presidents of its board, and Louis Goedecke, W. A. Wyse, S. P. George, A. Gill and J. N. Finn, clerk. THE ORIGINAL TOWN

The original Town of Spring Green was entered from the Government by William Barnard in 1850. E. B. Evans bought it of him for $600. It was purchased by A. C. Daley in 1856, who, in order to secure assistance in building up a town, sold an undivided quarter to B. F. Edgerton and a third to A. G. Darwin. Messrs. Daley, Edgerton and Darwin were therefore the original owners of the site when improvements really commenced. The property was platted by Surveyor Putnam in the spring of 1857, in the summer the St. Paul Railroad Company built a little depot there, a P. (possibly Pat) West appeared as agent, then trains which.had been running through that corner of the county since the previous July commenced to make regular stops at that point, and the Village of Spring Green took the name of the town which had been organized as such for some seven years. GENERAL PROGRESS OF VILLAGE The general progress of Spring Green was told generally, yet graphically, in 1907 by Miss Maud Lloyd Jones, historian of the Old Settlers Association, who said in a paper read before that body "In the Sauk

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county records we find the following transfers of title in land of the original plat of the village of Spring Green: "United States to Wi. Barnard, September 16th, 1850. "Wm. Barnard to Susan Dowling, February 11th, 1851. "Susan Dowling to Robert C. Field, March 8th, 1854. "Robert C. Field to Evan B. Evans, March 23d, 1854. "Evan B. Evans to C. L. Daley, April 21st, 1856. "C. L. Daley to A. C. Daley, July 5th, 1856. "A. C. Daley to Adam E. Ray, undivided one-sixth, September 9th, 1856. "A. E. Ray to A. G. Darwin, one-half of undivided one-sixth, November 9th,. 1856. "A. G. Darwin to B. H. Edgerton, January 17th, 1857. "B. H. Edgerton to Garwood Greene, November 22d, 1857. "A. C. Daley, Garwood Greene, B. H. Edgerton, A. G. Darwin, to Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad Company, December 1st, 1855. "We also find this entry in the first volume of the plat book: 'Spring Green is situated on sections 7 and 18 of township 8 north, of range 4 east, on M. & M. railroad, and is a healthy and beautiful location. It is the only station in Sauk county and will command the trade of the greater part of that county, as well as a part of Richland and Iowa. It is one and one-half miles from Helena shot tower.' This is signed by H. C. Putnam, civil engineer. ORIGIN OF NAME, SPRING GREEN

"There are many stories as to how Spring Green was so named, but this one seems most nearly correct: The town was named by Mrs. Williams, who lived near where Nortons now live. Mrs. Williams came to Spring Green as a widow named Turner, from Massachusetts, where she had been a school teacher. She had two children, a boy and a girl. After coming to Spring Green she married Mr. Williams. Mrs. Williams was the first white woman who lived on the Spring Green prairie. The United States land surveyors boarded with her, and she asked of them the privilege of naming the town. Her request was granted and she called it Spring Green, because to the north of her home, in the hollows facing the south, the green came so much earlier in the spring than in the surrounding country. "The first building erected in Spring Green village was that which Mr. Thomas Jones built when he arrived. It stood near where the town hall now stands. Mr. Jones lived here with his sons Caradog and Alfred. Mrs. Evans (his daughter) was then living with an aunt in Ohio. One day Mr. Putnam, the railroad surveyor, and his assistants ate dinner with Mr. Jones and then and there they decided to call the village after the town. Vol. I--3

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JOHN" ON FIRST FREIGHT TRAIN

"The railroad was built the summer of 1856. The engineer of the construction train was Mr. Newell. The first freight unloaded here was on July 20th, 1856. It was a J. I. Case threshing machine belonging to Uncle John Jones. Mr. Stickney was agent in Mazomanie, and the machine came that far. Uncle John went there and had it brought with the construction train across the river. It was unloaded on John T. Jones' farm, near the old building on the Barnard farm. This train made the trip from Mazomanie across the river in twelve minutes. The ties were just laid upon the surface of the ground, and we can perhaps imagine how delightful Uncle John's ride was as he sat at the rear of the flat car beside the machine. "In September of that year the first passenger train went through. Soon the depot was built, south and east of the present one. Mr. West was the first agent. He lived in rooms above the depot. Mr. Jones soon came as agent and stayed during the war. CENTER OF CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS

"Probably in no other village in our state will you find the buildings which promote the moral and intellectual education of its citizens grouped in one block as in Spring Green. All this is due to A. C. Daley, who deeded a block for the use of school and church buildings. Any denomination who chose could build a church here. This was indeed a liberal deed and worthy of much praise. On this lot the first school building was erected in 1857. Miss Franklin of Wyoming was the first teacher; Miss Hubbard, the next; then Aunt Ann Wright. In this school building the Methodist society held meetings on Sundays. "The first school exhibitions were held in the freight room of the depot. A platform was made of planks placed upon barrels, and here brave boys recited 'The boy stood on the burning deck,' or Spartacus' speech to the gladiators, while the timid girls held dialogues or sang. "In the early '60s Mr. Silsby of Richland City moved his academy to Spring Green. The building was moved by teams and placed on the hill where it now stands, serving as an abode for the training of young minds. Mr. Silsby conducted a school here until he enlisted in the Federal army. He was also for some time the preacher for the Methodist society here. PIONEERS OF THE VILLAGE

"Mr. Worthington was the first storekeeper in Spring Green. His store was where the Harrison harness shop now stands. This building also contained the postoffice, the Worthington family living in the

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rooms above. Mr. Worthington was an intelligent, public-spirited man of high standards. He did much to mold the life of early Spring Green. "Mr. Strong also owned a store for a short time. Mr. Pound came from Helena and established his business where Cohen Brothers' store now is, with A. C. Daley as partner. Bartlett soon established a store where Hare's shoe store now is. "In these early days Dr. Hubbard, the Spring Green physician, and family lived where Mrs. Hannah Davis now lives; A. C. Daley where John Schoenmann now lives. The Spencer home is now the Barnard house. Spencers were noted for their large and well-kept flower and vegetable gardens. The seeds had been brought from the east but were distributed to all the neighbors.

OLD STRONG'S HOTEL, SPRING GREEN

"The Strongs soon built their hotel. It was a small, wooden building situated on the corner where Post's block now stands. A large round sign in front proclaimed it the 'Rainbow House.' The Walworth family lived just out of the village to the west. Mr. Walworth was an industrious and progressive farmer, and was influential in founding the Methodist society here. THE FIGHT AGAINST LIQUOR

"In these early days Spring Green was a temperance village. Its purity in this respect was very remarkable, in comparison with the other towns along the railroad. Mr. Worthington helped to establish a Band of Hope which was very flourishing for a time. To its weekly meetings boys and girls flocked from far and near. Its programs consisted of

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recitations and songs. Two of its influential leaders were Eugene Hungerford and Uncle Thomas Jones. "Thanks to the land owners, no ground could be obtained on which to deal out intoxicants. In the spring of 1857 the first saloon was put up on the highway across the track on the east side of the road running north by E. W. Evans'. This had no right to live so its days were few. Soon another brave from Lone Rock put up a shanty on the railroad grounds west of A. C. Daley's warehouse. It, too, had but a few days' existence. The next place we see this lawless monster's head is on the corner opposite the Rainbow House to the west. It was run in connection with a small hotel. Now arrest followed, but the first effort at trial proved in a measure fruitless. In about two weeks word was received from this law-defier asking the privilege to return, to pack up and leave, giving assurance that no liquor would be sold, and thus ended this traffic up to the iearly '60s. "The citizens of early Spring Green were industrious, intelligent and public-spirited men and women. The incidents I have related prove to us that their standard of life was high. They believed that right makes might, and though their number was small they dared act as their consciences dictated. Yes, Spring Green has an inheritance to live up to. May she prove herself true to the spirit in which she was founded." THE NAME AGAIN

An old settler furnishes the following additional light on the origin of the name, Spring Green: "In discussing the early history, settlement and development of that portion of Sauk county including Spring Green, Franklin, Bear Creek and Troy, the question naturally arises as to how and why these places were so called and by whom they were so named, and it is to be regretted at this time that there seems to be so little authentic data upon which to base a substantial story having to do with the origin of these names of places, etc." In a history of Sauk County published in 1880, heading an "Introductory Sketch" of Spring Green Village appears the following appropriate verse: " 'Of inviting fields and meadows green, With charming woodlands interspersed between, That greet the eye on every hand, And supply man's wants and adorn the land.' "The lines are suggestive. What a pretty story might be interwoven between the lines, gently leading as it were the vivid imagination of the dreamy writer of romantic fiction to blend for us a bit of legendary lore

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bearing out the contentions we have heard regarding the supposed naming of Spring Green by the native red man many, many years previous to the advent of the more prosaic sturdy pioneer. "I have heard considerable argument over the naming of Spring Green pro and con, chiefly among the older residents, and the very fact that there seems to exist a diversity of opinion and a wide range of thought along this line among the older residents, would seem to indicate that the probability is, at this late date no little difficulty would be experienced in deciding the relative merits of the claims of each individual who might care to suggest the true origin of the name Spring Green.

HARVEST FESTIVAL AT DISTRICT NO. 5 SCHOOL

"However, along this line I should like to offer the following, and allow the reader to draw his own conclusion: About fifteen years ago, in a conversation with Dennis Crehan, at that time proprietor of the St. Paul house, Prairie du Chien, I found that that typical representative of the Emerald Isle was really one of Wisconsin's earliest pioneers, and incidentally that he it was who had been in charge of the work of laying the steel from Milton to Prairie du Chien through Spring Green, he being foreman of the 'track gang' that did the work, and I soon had my father and Mr. Crehan talking what to me was ancient history, and in the course of which recalling of old times came up the question of the naming of the settlements along the route. Mr. Crehan remarking that as the line progressed westward, stations being established at convenient distances apart where there were settlements, present or prospective,

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in case where such settlements had not so far seen fit to take upon themselves suitable names, they were promptly given them, the same in most cases becoming permanent. Asked if he recalled anything in particular regarding the name of Spring Green, he replied that it was his recollection that when the construction crew pushed their camp westward across the Wisconsin river from the Helena site and erected some small buildings at or near the present site of Spring Green village, whether the name originated in the fertile mind of one of the railroad men or was heard by them from others, he was positive that it was then so called, and said he had sent back reports of the work to his superiors from there giving their location as Spring Green. "As this was about August 3d or 5th, 1856, and just prior to the establishment of a postoffice there, it rather disproves the contention that the village was so called in honor of Garwood Green, who was your second postmaster-1856-1859-but does not detract from the idea that the early settlement was at one time termed Green Spring, the name being in poetic accord with the verdant surroundings, suggested in part by the wonderfully beautiful valley in its cloak of luxurious green in the vague 'somewhere' of which occurred a pure running spring, a series of babbling brooklets, the exact location of which, however, must be left to the sacred memories of those who bided here in the long, long ago. Be that as it may, the fact remains to us that the three able writers of history who spent much time securing items for their publication in that vicinity in 1880 after diligent search and inquiry among the older residents, gave up in despair the idea of ever being able to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to how and why, as also by whom, your interesting little city was originally so aptly named Spring Green." .,DISTRICT

SCHOOLS

The first school of District No. 2, in which Spring Green is situated, was taught in the old log schoolhouse on Section 7, even before the village was platted. The owners of the original town presented a lot to the town authorities for a district school a number of years before the village was incorporated. The building was erected and an addition made to it previous to that event, and thus the corporation found a schoolhouse already prepared for the reception of the young people of the village. By 1875 the academy, designed for those who were ambitious for a higher education than was afforded by the district school, had come and gone, and there was a growing demand for the establishment of a free high school. The majority of the villagers voted for it, but the town authorities failed, in some detail, to comply with the law, and the enterprise was temporarily shelved. It came up again in 1876 stronger than ever and the school authorities of District No. 2 then pushed the work along so vigorously that a good building, with high

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school accommodations, was completed in the fall of that year. Since that time the educational advantages of the village have been all that could be desired. THE CATHOLICS (ST. JOHN CONGREGATION) As to the religious privileges enjoyed by the people of Spring Green, the wants of the Catholics appear to have been first met. A number of Catholic families arrived in the spring of 1857, the heads of whom had been employed. on railroad work. Murtah Brennan, section foreman, was one of these. Others, who came at that time with their wives and families, were John McKune, Thomas Norton, Henry Hammil, Michael Dean, Michael Hurley, George Reeley, Patrick King and Patrick McDonald, and Mrs. Alice Fagan and Mrs. Ellen Canty, with their families. The first mass was said at Mr. Brennan's house in 1860 by Reverend Father Stroker, then resident priest at Mazomanie. Messrs. Albert Daley, Garwood Green and A. G. Darwin had donated a block for church and school purposes, and the three congregations each took a- quarter block, the first high school being erected on the fourth quarter. In the year 1866 a small frame church was erected by the Catholics, then in charge of Rev. D. V. McGinnity, of Mazomanie. Father McGinnity left that place in 1867, and he was succeeded by Rev. Theodore Bean, who, for a number of years, had charge of the parishes in Richland County and the western half of Sauk. In the early '60s Rev. L. Spitzlberger of Honey Creek had charge of Plain and Spring Green. In 1875 a parsonage was built at Plain, and from that year until 1902 the church at Spring Green (incorporated as St. John Evangelist's Ciatholic Congregation) was attended by the priests residing at Plain, with the exception of a year or so when Rev. G. Sluyter came from Sauk City. In 1900 St. John Congregation erected the brick church now occupied at a cost of $8,200, a great part of the work having been donated by the people, and in 1902 its first resident pastor was sent, Rev. J. L. Schumacher. In 1907 Rev. Joseph Colling was assigned to St. John's Parish, and in January, 1909, the pastor now in service, Rev. J. B. Brudermanns. In the following year the large parsonage was erected. St. John's Congregation now numbers about 520 members. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The first class of Methodists to be organized at Spring Green was gathered by Rev. John J. Walker about 1861-fourteen members, all told. Their first meetings were held in the old schoolhouse. After about a year, Rev. J. C. Brainard came to the charge and served two years, a little frame parsonage being erected during his incumbency. In 1868 a rough board shanty which might seat a congregation of 100 was erected,

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and three years later a small frame house of worship was built-also on the quarter of Block 4 reserved by the original owners of the village site for religious and educational purposes. Like most Methodist churches of considerable age, the local organization has been in charge of numerous pastors, none of them serving more than two years. In succession, since Mr. Brainard, they have been Revs. R. Gould, A. G. Cooley, J. T. Pryor, W. R. Irish, Henry Walker, Robert Smith, J. T. Bryan, E. T. Briggs, George Haight, D. Clingman, P. K. Jones, I. N. Adrian, James Havens, F. M. Haight, A. D. Dexter, T. J. Ledbrouk, J. T. Cowling, E. H. McKenzie, D. M. Sinclair, A. A. Loomis, J. E. Webster, J. P. Greer, E. A. Smith, Ira LeBarron, T. M. MeClung, Cecil

THE MAIN STREET OF SPRING GREEN

Clifford, J. V. Bennett, F. M. Bruce, George Willet, A. J. Davis, T. E. Foss, F. Applegate, H. A. Dettmers and Robert Powell. THE CONGREGATIONALISTS

The Congregationalists of the young village founded a society, or church, February 15, 1859. The first members were Rev. D. L. Noyes, who served as pastor for over three years; B. U. Strong and wife, Dr. C. T. Hubbard, wife and two daughters, P. West and wife, M. B. West and W. C. Spaulding. Doctor Hubbard was elected deacon and P. West, secretary and treasurer. Among the early pastors of the church were, as successors of Mr. Noyes, Revs. Jonathan Jones, Cochran, Pullen and 0. H. Smith. The present pastor is Rev. Isaac B. Tracy. The Masons, the Odd Fellows, Foresters, Modern Woodmen and Beavers all have busy lodges at Spring Green.

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SPRING ,GREEN NEWSPAPERS

In December, 1877, J. F. Morrow, of Spring Green, established the Dollar Times, a weekly journal with Greenback tendencies and patent outside. It was printed at Black Earth, Dane County, and dated and circulated in Baraboo and Spring Green. Robert T. Warner was editor of the Baraboo edition, while Mr. Morrow conducted the Spring Green issue. It lasted about two years and a half and during a portion of that period was published under the name of the Inter-County Times. The first newspaper printed at Spring Green was the Times, the initial number of which was issued by J. A. Smith, October 14, 1881. But hardly had the paper been introduced to the public before it was rechristened as the Spring Green News. On the date of the first issue of the second volume it was enlarged. In 1882 P. W. Meehan became its proprietor and its name was then changed to the Home News, which it still bears. W. R. Purdy, who had commenced his printing and newspaper career on the Vernon County Censor, came into possession of the Weekly Home News November 15, 1889, Subsequently he received his son, H. C. Purdy, into partnership, and it is still published under the firm name of W. R. Purdy & Son. THE BANKS

The State Bank of Spring Green was founded and chartered under the state banking laws in 1900. F. B. Hyland was president until 1916 when he died and his widow was elected and has been president ever since. Thomas W. King has been cashier practically from the time the bank was started and is still acting as cashier. Joseph Lins has been vice president from the organization of the bank.

The capital is $25,000;

surplus, $5,000; savings deposits at the present time, $400,000. The Farmers State Bank was incorporated in 1913 and opened for business January 29, 1914. There has been no change in the management, which is as follows: E. S. Sherwood, president; John C. Evans, vice president; H. L. Gray, cashier. The resources of the bank are about $150,000. Its capital is $15,000; surplus and undivided profits, $1,400; deposits, $135,000. THE DAIRY BOARD OF TRADE

No one organization is more typical of the present material prosperity of the village and adjacent country than the Spring Green

Farmers Dairy Board of Trade. It was organized in March, 1916, and its officers are as follows: James O. Larsen, president; W. H. Hutter, vice president; Benjamin Cole, secretary and treasurer; Joseph Frank, director. The board comprises sixteen members, each of whom represents a cheese factory. There has been no change since it was organized, except that the first secretary and treasurer was Burton Peck.

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