History of Sherwood Township, Clark County, Wisconsin

2001, by Kay Scholtz

Sherwood Township was created in 1874. Residents held a meeting on January 8, 1874, at the home of Hugh Perkins, to discuss the matter of forming the township and actions were taken. At this time the proposed new township was a part of Washburn Township, located in southeastern Clark County, Wisconsin.

The name Perkins was chosen, and in April of 1874, it became Clark County's southeastern most township covering six square miles (a standard township size). Hugh Perkins was no doubt instrumental in forming the township. The name Perkins, however, was discarded in 1876 after its citizens presented a petition requesting a name change to the Clark County Board in August of that year. The petition was granted, and the township's name then became Sherwood Forest, upon suggestion of Mrs. Thomas J. LaFlesh. This name remained official for twenty years until it was shortened in 1900 to Sherwood. The forests of Sherwood no longer remained after extensive logging. The area by now was mostly farmland, the result of hard labor in clearing remnants of the once towering pine.

It appears many residents first settled in the township in the early 1870's. It can also be noted that many settlers came to this area from Waushara County and Portage County, Wisconsin. Also, the La Crosse, WI, area, location of C. C. Washburn and several other lumbermen, provided a few residents and many absentee landowners.

Sherwood Forest Township had two separate school districts near the beginning of its inception. The township was divided equally at the center from east to west. The northern half of the town was know as School District No. 1; the southern half was known as School District No. 2. On town tax rolls, landowners' real and personal property tax assessments were listed separately by these school districts. Later, as the juvenile population increased and dispersed itself throughout the township, there were as many as four school districts in Sherwood. Two of the one room school houses remain today. One is used as a residence, and the other as a hunting club.

At one time or another, five post offices operated in Sherwood. Beginning in 1879, Nevins post office operated out of the home of its first postmaster, Thomas LaFlesh. Nevins, named for Sylvester Nevins, was located in Section 3 but its name often was used to refer to much of the northern half of the township. Byron Pickering, purchaser of the LaFlesh property in about 1889, assumed the role as postmaster. During 1880, a post office called Popple, was created in the southern half of Sherwood Forest. In turn, the name Popple, probably referred to the southwestern area of the township. Benjamin Seeley was the first postmaster of Popple. When Seeley moved away, Isaac Meddaugh took the position as postmaster of Popple. Other post offices in the township were; Irene (northwest); Brook (central); and Dewhurst (southwest).

The large white pine trees brought the first people to Sherwood, and when they were logged off the township residents began creating farmlands. Early residents also operated sawmills to create lumber, shingles, barrell staves, etc. from the hardwoods as well. A cheese factory was located centrally in the township for some years but burned down around 1930.

Sherwood today is still composed of farm land, and wooded acreage as well. It is well known for the hunting of whitetail deer. A county park with a large manmade lake created by the W.P.A. in the late 1930's, is located in the southwest part of the township with camping and fishing facilities.