OXFORD TOWNSHIP
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P304 The town of Oxford is on the western border of the county, bounded on the north by Westfield, on the east by Packwaukee, on the south by Moundville and Douglas, and on the west by Adams County. The surface is generally level and it is a good agricultural town. The head waters of Neenah Creek flow through the western part of the town, and in the eastern part several small tributaries to Buffalo Lake have their sources. On the southern border there is a small marshy lake, extending into Douglas. There is another in the east part and still another in the northwest part, the latter crossed by the road. William Axford, the Ormsby's, H. H. Taylor, William Johnson and Eli McNutt were among the early comers to this town. The town officers of Oxford for 1889 were: B. K. Johnston, chairman; W. J. Ogle, town clerk; S. W. Strouse, treasurer; A. Franklin, assessor.
OXFORD VILLAGE
Source: RWPN A fording place for oxen and wagons across Neenah Creek, important to early travelers. Source: An Old Settler Recollects Oxford in the 1850's from the Oxford Times, July 8, 1915. Transcribed by Joan Benner Source: Oxford History in 1876 from the Montello Express, June 24, 1876 Transcribed by Dan Nickolai and Joan Benner Source: Tim Stowell The 1886 Post Office Guide lists Oxford. A United States Official Postal Guide, Part 1, 5th Series, Vol. 2, No. 1 printed July 1939, informs that Oxford delivered to 250 rural route box holders and 83 post office boxes. Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P304 Oxford Village is on Neenah Creek, fifteen miles west of Montello and seven miles west of Packwaukee, on the Wisconsin Central Line, the nearest railroad station. The nearest banking point is Montello. The village contains a water-power flouring mill, two churches and a public school. the population is about 400. Jason Daniels is postmaster. Oxford was settled about forty years ago and the village plat was filed in 1854 by C. J. Pettebone, David Ormsby, W. V. Miller, P. B. Hillyer, Cornelia Smith, Franklin Abbott, V. G. McCulloch, and J. B. Sanderson. Robert and David Baker's addition was platted in 1857. The present business interests may be thus summarized: General stores, Mr. S. J. Fish, A. F. Myers, R. L. Nickerson; Hardware stores, Jason Daniels, Alonzo Roberts; boots and shoes, E. Hall (store), Charles Nickerson (shoemaker); Drug store, Benjamin Chilson; Sorghum mill, A. Houghtaling; farm implements, W. N. Johnson; Blacksmith shop, C. Lloyd; Harness shop, Alonzo Roberts; Hotel, Samuel Stowe; Flouring mill, James Summerton; Wagon maker, H. H. Ward. Source: Oxford's Businesses in 1915 from the Oxford Times, Nov. 4, 1915. Transcribed by Joan Benner
PACKWAUKEE TOWNSHIP
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P304 The town of Packwaukee is so located that the geographical center of Marquette County falls within its borders. It is bounded on the north by Harris, on the east by Montello, on the south by Moundville, and on the west by Oxford. Most of Buffalo Lake lies in this town and Ox Creek discharges its waters into it near the center. Birch Lake is partially in the northeast corner, extending into Montello and there is a small marshy lake near the east town line nearly a mile south of the Buffalo Lake. The surface of the town is level and well adapted to farming, though in some parts quite marshy. The Wisconsin Central Line runs through this town from north to south, on and along its western border, and at Packwaukee is intersected by a branch from Packwaukee to Montello. Packwaukee was the scene of speculative transactions in real estate long before actual settlement began. As early as 1837 a town named Buffalo was platted by John Noyes and James Lyman on section 29, township 15, range 9, on the south shore of Buffalo Lake, opposite the site of Packwaukee. It was laid out on a liberal scale that made the plat resemble a town of 3,000 to 5,000 inhabitants; but as a matter of fact, there was never really any town there. The land upon which these operations were based was entered by Noyes in 1836 and this was the first land entry in the county. "Roxo" was platted in 1850 in section 15. The tide of immigration in 1850 flowed mainly to Packwaukee, which was named after a friendly chief of the Winnebagos, and for several years it was the leading business center of the county. The Fourth of July was appropriately celebrated here, on the shore of Buffalo Lake, in 1850. James Cook, the first lawyer of the county delivered the oration and a prayer was offered up by Rev. Jonathan Port, a resident of the county, who with his wife was afterward murdered and mutilated by an insane son. Among those who came in 1849 and 1850 were E. Pettingill, E. T. Older, C. G. Barker, Jesse Older, William Ewen, David Phelps, S. A. Pease, John Chapman, E. King and Samuel Wayman. Among later comers were E. McCaffrey, Robert Page, William Peet, Charles Metcalf, Chester Frink, and Town Whitson. The town officers of Packwaukee for 1889 were: C. L. Kendall, chairman; C. H. Chapman, town clerk; W. H. Neale, treasurer; J. H. Clark, assessor.
PACKWAUKEE VILLAGE
Source: RWPN The Fox River and Buffalo Lake were an important water route for Indians and the first white men. There were many Indians living on both sides of the lake and one large settlement was called Packwaukee. The word means "where the water is shallow," "forest spring," "forest opening on thin land," or "land with thin woods." The Indians chose the name to honor Chief Packwaukee, a tall man who walked with a cane, who lived here for many years. The village was platted in 1850 and a post office established. A trading post building is still standing. Early settlers came here to buy things arriving by boats and sold their eggs to be shipped. Wild rice beds in Buffalo Lake were harvested by the Indians for many years. Source: Tim Stowell The 1886 Post Office Guide lists Packwaukee. A United States Official Postal Guide, Part 1, 5th Series, Vol. 2, No. 1 printed July 1939, informs that Packwaukee delivered to 58 post office boxes. Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P305 Packwaukee is a prosperous incorporated village of about 200 population, located in this town on Buffalo Lake and on the Wisconsin Central Line. It is eight miles southwest of Montello. It contains a church, a school and a water power flouring and saw mill. Its business interests may be thus enumerated: general stores by Samuel A. Phoenix and Wilber Brothers; a furniture store by William Haynes; a hardware store and harness shop by C. L. Kendall; hotels by Abram Collins and Thomas Leahy; millinery stores by Mrs. M. Montgomery and Mrs. A. E. Reeves; a flour and saw mill by Charles E. Richards; a jewelry store by E. Rosengrant; a boot and shoe store by William Smith. Mrs. L. F. Seaman is postmistress. The village was platted in 1853 by Ira B. Reed and Samuel McCracken.
PLEASANT VALLEY
Source: (location listed in) Wisconsin, It's Counties, Townships and Villages Source: History of Green Lake County � 1860, courtesy of Gary E. Wick, Princeton Historical Society "The township of Princeton was previously known as Pleasant Valley Township." Source: Daryl Weishaar The Pleasant Valley School was located approximately where Highways 73 and 23 intersect.
PRINCETON
Source: Daryl Weishaar Princeton was platted in 1848, St. Marie village in 1851. My references don�t say when Hamilton was platted, but probably about the same time in the age of speculation. Both of the latter topped out at 125 residents; Princeton prospered. Hamilton was so close to Princeton only one could survive. If you don�t have the right plat map, it was where �J� headed north out of Princeton and barely still in Princeton township, where �J� does a very quick right/left and continues north. If you get to the intersection where �J� turns east and Huckleberry Road continues north you are almost to the site of St. Marie village and a half mile past Hamilton. Hamilton was on the inside of that short right angle east and back to the north. So close to town you wouldn�t notice it by watching the road if you didn�t know where to look. A small trailer park is supposed to be there now. The Portrait Album says Hamilton did have a post office, but it was probably gone by 1860, because at the start of the (civil) war Hamilton was down to 4 houses and a barn (same ref). St. Marie folded soon after, because the 1860 census shows a lot of unoccupied buildings. The 1860 census lists St. Marie as the post office for the entire township. The 1870 census lists Princeton except for a small amount of Dartford (Green Lake).
ROSLIN
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P295 This is a recently established post-office eight miles from Montello and twelve miles from Portage, the nearest shipping point. It contains a general store, flouring mills and other interests. J. Graham is postmaster.
ROXO
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, P304 "Roxo" (in Packwaukee Township) was platted in 1850 in section 15. Source: Montello Sun, Saturday June 3, 1882 Roxo's Early History and Memorable Events
RUSSELL FLATS
Source: The (Montello) Sun "Our emigrants, consisting of Frank Russell, Sam. Russell, Sr., Sam. Russell, Jr., Hugh Russell, John Ogle, Hugh Hamilton, Pete Gaughran and Chas. O'Neil returned this Wednesday morning from Huron, Dakota, where they have all taken up claims. Hugh Russell and Pete Gaughran return next week, to make improvements on what we suppose will be called the "Russell Flats". Source: Daryl Weishaar Russell Flats is in western Westfield Township.
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 Thank You to these Contributors for making this page possible: Joan Benner, Jackie Hufschmid, L. John Ribar, Tim Stowell, Daryl Weishaar, Gary E. Wick
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