Source: RWPN Father Jacques MARQUETTE, the French Jesuit explorer, passed through this region in 1673. He and his companion Sieur JOLIET stopped for several days in the village of the Mascouten Indians where Marquette now stands. A Vermonter named Luther GLEASON established a trading post there in 1829. Source: History of Early Settlement in Marquette Co. from the 1890 Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Transcribed by Joan Benner MARQUETTE and MARQUETTE COUNTY
Source: Westfield Central Union newspaper, Joan Benner and L. John Ribar Meadow Valley news column was a regular part of the 1916 Westfield Central Union. There is a Meadow Valley 1 mile west of Babcock, in southern Wood County. It is unknown whether this is the same place referred to in the 1916 newspaper, though, as Meadow Valley near Babcock is a wildlife area and not a settled place. MEADOW VALLEY
Source: RWPN Mikana is the Ojibwa word for "trail"; Mecan may derive from it. MECAN
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P296 Mecan is an irregularly outlined town on the eastern border of the county, containing no village or post office and having a distinctly rural population. The Mecan River flows through it from northwest to the southeast. Among the early comers to this town were the Fallises, Stephen and William, who have since been well known throughout the county, the former holding numerous town and county offices. The town officers are: Frank Crown, Chairman; Fred Breise, Town Clerk; Gottlieb Schultze, Assessor; August Bethke, Treasurer. MECAN TOWNSHIP
Source: Tim Stowell The 1886 Post Office Guide lists Merritt's Landing. A United States Official Postal Guide, Part 1, 5th Series, Vol. 2, No. 1 printed July 1939, does not list Merritt's Landing. Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P303 Merritt's Landing is a hamlet of twenty-five inhabitants in the town of Moundville, twelve miles southwest of Montello, and on the line of the Wisconsin Central Railroad. C. A. Merritt, dealer in lumber and proprietor of the only general store, is the Assessor. MERRITT'S LANDING
Source: Wisconsin: It's Counties, Townships and Villages Previously known as Browning. Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P295 Midland is four miles south of Jeddo (in Buffalo Township), twelve miles south of Montello and eight miles north of Pardeeville, on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, the nearest railroad station. It contains the general store of Levi Reeves, two churches, a blacksmith shop and school house. Montello and Portage are the nearest banking points. D. W. Brown is postmaster. Population is about 200. MIDLAND
Source: Joe Wyse The area near highways 23 and M by the Chateau is called Montello Corners. MONTELLO CORNERS
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P296/297 This town, in which is included the village of Montello, the seat of justice in Marquette County, is in the east part of the county and partially on the eastern county line. It is bounded by Shields on the north, Mecan and Green Lake County on the east, Buffalo on the south and Packwaukee on the west. This town is well watered, having White Lake at its northeast corner and the east end of Buffalo Lake northwest of the center. Fox River and branches including Grand River extend across most of the town, and Peters Lake, Birch Lake and Kilby Lake, in the northwest corner are drained into Buffalo Lake through the expansion of Montello creek north of the village of Montello. The Packwaukee and Montello branch of the Wisconsin Central Railroad penetrates the town as far as Montello. The soil is sandy but productive and yields all common farm products and some sorghum. The Montello granite quarries mark what was formerly the most picturesque feature of the scenery of this town. Among the names of settlers of this town may be mentioned those of George Dartt, J. N. Dartt, Riley Dartt, Jason Daniels, Patrick McDonald, James Barry, L. O. Evans, Richard Giddings, Richard Williams, Bonaparte Baker, Joseph Lake, Elkanah Smith, Solon Davis, William Cogan, John Cogan, John Stinson, Timothy Hayes and Edward Murray. Some fo them and others will be found mentioned in the sketch of Montello village, where is located the only post office in the town. Montello's officers in 1879 were S. Fallis, Chairman; John Barry, Town Clerk; L. Holman, Treasurer; John Collins and T. Vaughan, Assessors. MONTELLO TOWNSHIP
Source: Village of Montello History from the Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P297 - 302. Source: Montello Express, May 27, 1876 Montello History as written in 1876 MONTELLO VILLAGE
Source: RWPN James DANIEL settled here in 1849 and named the site Serario after a place in Mexico where he had fought in the Mexican War. Later it was called Hill River because of the granite hills and the Fox River. There are two accounts of how the name of Montello came to be chosen: 1. In the fall of 1849 a meeting was held in the home of J. N. DART. There were a number of suggestions, but Joseph R. DART, who had read of Montello in a novel, carried the majority. 2. French voyageurs and fur traders named the location Mont l' eau, or "hill by the water." Source: Tim Stowell The 1886 Post Office Guide lists Montello, the county seat, as a Money Order and International Money Order office. A United States Official Postal Guide, Part 1, 5th Series, Vol. 2, No. 1 printed July 1939, informs that Montello delivered to 614 rural route box holders and 191 post office boxes.
Source: RWPN So named for the numerous (effigy) mounds remaining from prehistoric times. Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P302/303 Moundville is so named from the numerous remains of a prehistoric age found here, which are elsewhere referred to. It is situated on the southern border of the county, and bounded north by Oxford and Packwaukee, east by Buffalo, south by Columbia County and west by Douglas. The Fox River flows through this town circuitously although in a generally northerly and southerly direction and Buffalo Lake, an expansion fo this stream, pushes its southern extremity far down into its territory. Jones Creek and other small streams are tributary. Settlements in this town began in 1848. The first comers were Isaac Brown, W. L. Gaylord, H. Brown, L. Felton, R. Wells and D. Coon. Soon afterward came some men sent out by the Potters Society, of England. The association paid the expenses of emigration to this country of a certain number of potters, in order that those who remained in England might derive benefit from increased wages incident to the decrease in skilled labor. Among other early settlers were Robert Hume, M. G. Ellison, Rev. Isaac Smith, Thomas Mills, George Skinner, William Watson, George Denby and George Bain. The town officers of Moundville for 1889 were: Isaac Smith, Chairman; B. H. Chapman, Town Clerk; Matthew Mason, Treasurer; S. D. Townley, Assessor. Source: Places & Faces (Marquette Co. WI), Vol. II, by Fran Sprain, �1993, Pages 78-81 A description can be found on pages 78 - 81 about the founding of the Primitive Methodist church of Moundville, circa 1847, when Isaac Smith, a Methodist Minister and part of the Potter's Union preached at Portage WI. Rev. Isaac Smith was from Hanley, Staffordshire, England and preached at Portage and Moundville for a number of years. He died in 1884 and is buried in the Moundville Township cemetery, not far from the church he helped to found. Places & Faces Vol. II is available for purchase from the Marquette Co. Historical Society Source: Dan Nickolai found this in an April 1921 edition of the Montello Express. It was first published "30 years ago", ie 189_, and was republished "to be of interest all, especially the youngest generation". Moundville: The town was named for numerous remains of a prehistoric age found here. Settlements in this town began in 1848. The first comers were Isaac Brown, W.L. Gaylord, H. Brown, L. Felton, R. Wells and D. Coon. Soon after came some men sent out by the Potters Society of England. The association paid the expenses of emigration to this country of a certain number of potters, in order that those who remained in England might derive benefit from increased wages incident to a decrease in skilled labor." MOUNDVILLE
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P303 This is a post village on the Wisconsin Central line, which runs north and south through this town. It was settled in 1848, and now has a population of about 400. This place is fourteen miles southwest of Montello, and ten miles north of Portage, the nearest banking point. It contains a church and a school. Following is a summary of its principal business interests: C. A. Merritt, lumber dealer and propreitor of a general store; H. Ennis, merchant; J. Smith, blacksmith; C. Ellison is postmaster. Source: Dan Nickolai found this in an April 1921 edition of the Montello Express. It was first published "30 years ago", ie 189_, and was republished "to be of interest all, especially the youngest generation". Moundville Station: This is a post village on the Wisconsin Central line, which runs north and south through this town. It was settled in 1848, and now has a population of about 400. This place is fourteen miles southwest of Montello, and ten miles north of Portage, the nearest banking point." MOUNDVILLE STATION
Source: Tim Stowell The 1886 Post Office Guide lists Neshkoro. A United States Official Postal Guide, Part 1, 5th Series, Vol. 2, No. 1 printed July 1939, informs that Neshkoro delivered to 311 rural route box holders and 71 post office boxes. Source: Neshkoro History in 1876 from the Montello Express, June 24, 1876 Transcribed by Dan Nickolai and Joan Benner Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P296/297 The village of Neshkoro, on the White River, sixteen miles southeast of Montello and ten miles northwest of Princeton, the nearest railway point, was settled in 1848, and has a population of about 300. It contains three churches, flouring and saw mills, a foundry and a woolen factory, and is a good local market for farmers. The village was platted in 1852 by Helen M. White. Dakin's two additions to the town were platted three years later. The postmaster in James Sexton. The following list of names and occupations will give a fair idea of the present business interests of the village: Thomas Wells, woolen mills; Thomas Wells, James Sexton and J. W. Johnson, general stores; Christopher Dahlke & Son, flouring mill; I. H. Seibley & Son, foundry; James Knowlton and Fred Abendt, shoemakers; J. Tagatz and John Black, carpenters; J. Tagatz, hotel. In the spring of 1874 the Catholics in and around Neshkoro planned the building of a church proportionate to their number and their means. In the year 1875 they erected the frame of the present building, which was finished a few years later. This was done under the direction of the Rev. John Larmer, who took charge fo the mission in 1876. Before this time they had services in private houses. Under Father James O'Malley the church was begun. Rev. Eleazar De Nilt followed and attended the mission for a year and a half until 1876. In the summer of 1884 Father Larmer had a small vestry built to the church for the convenience of the pastor when he came from Montello (eighteen miles) as well as for proper transaction of affairs. The members of the Neshkoro church up to 1884 were comprised of Catholics from Marquette, Green Lake and Waushara Counties, some coming as far as fifteen miles. General peace reigned in the mission during the time of Father Larmer's administration. He was loved and esteemed by all, and no eye was without a tear at his departure. The priests who attended before Father O'Malley are: Rev. Fagan, now deceased; and Rev. I. Monaghan, who died in a convent in Detroit, Mich., when over eighty years of age. It is a frame church. The membership is about twenty-five families, Irish and German. Wautoma church was begun in 1885 and completed in 1888. It is the best and largest of the mission churches, and the congregation comprises about twenty families. Three other stations in Waushara county are attended from Neshkoro--one near Hancock, one near Oasis and one near Wild Rose. The Princeton church was formerly the St. Marie church. NESHKORO VILLAGE
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P303 Neshkoro, the smallest township in Marquette County, is situated at the extreme northeast corner of the county, and is bounded on the north by Waushara County, and on the east by Green Lake County, on the south by the Town of Mecan, and on the west by the Town of Crystal Lake. It contains no streams or bodies of water of importance, except White River, and is strictly agricultural in its character, having within its borders no villages but Neshkoro, and no other post office than the one there located. Prominent among the early settlers of this town were Michael Powers, Nicholas Gernon, L. D. Ralph, Benjamin Hayes, William Clay, Andrew Scobey and J. A. Wells. The officers of the town of Neshkoro for 1889 were: N. Gernon, Chairman; James Sexton, Town Clerk; C. Dahlke, Treasurer; J. K. Balderson, Assessor. NESHKORO TOWNSHIP
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P302 Newton is on the northern border of the county, in the second tier of towns from the west, and is bounded thus: North by Waushara County, east by Crystal Lake, south by Harris and west by Springfield. Crystal Lake encroaches a little in its territory near the northeast corner, and a short distance west of this another small body of water. Near its southern border Montello Creek is formed by the junction of Bart's Creek and Worton's Creek, both of which flow through the western parts. This town is agricultural in the strictest sense. It contains neither village, hamlet nor post-office, although there was formerly a post-office named Ordino in the northern part. The soil is sandy, but productive, and yields fair crops in good seasons. Among the pioneers in Newton were the Slades and William Boyden. Its history in detail is much the same as that of similar townships in this section of the country. Its religious and educational interests are well developed and supported. The following were the town officers of Newton in 1889, Julius Schaur, Chairman; August Krentz, Town Clerk; William Weishaar, Treasurer; Fred Krentz, Assessor. NEWTON
Sources: RWPN: The Romance of Wisconsin Place Names, by Robert E. Gard and L. D. Sorden The Sun, published at Montello WI [Russell Flats April 1, 1882] Wisconsin: It's Counties, Townships and Villages, by Uncapher and Herrick, Origins, Janesville Wisconsin, 1994 The Express, Montello WI, 1876 [Neshkoro and Westfield] Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890 Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890 Thank You to these Contributors for making this page possible: Joan Benner, Jackie Hufschmid, L. John Ribar, Tim Stowell, Daryl Weishaar, Gary E. Wick and Joe Wyse.
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