Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin. Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890, portions transcribed from P297 - 302 Montello, the seat of justice of Marquette County, is located on the Wisconsin Central Line, on both sides of Montello River or creek, which furnishes good waterpower, and at the foot of Buffalo Lake, a beautiful sheet of water extending nine miles west from the village and affording the town one of the most delightful locations in central Wisconsin. The village contains a population of nearly 800 people, who are supported by manufacturing industries and by the various trades and commercial pursuits required to supply the demands of a fast growing, thriving and enterprising town. It is the terminus of a "spur" of the Wisconsin Central Railroad, a Grand Trunk Line running through the center of the State, north and south, to its metropolis, the city of Milwaukee, which has extended its track to Chicago, making the Central a through route from Chicago to St. Paul. The country surrounding Montello is of sandy loam soil, well covered with timber and dotted with numerous lakes of clear, cold water, where wild fowl and fish abound in countless numbers. The country is fast settling up with an enterprising and industrious people. Montello (it is expected) will have at no distant day, the benefit of the western extension of the Chiacago & Northwestern Railroad, a survey of which was made some time ago. This road would open up a vast country west and would be of immense value to the place... Montello has an extensive brick yard, a planing mill and sash and door factory, two large lumber yards, one grist mill and one feed mill, an immense granite quarry where stone for monuments, building purposes, paving and macadam is quarried in great quantities; four dry goods and general stores, two wagon and carriage shops, blacksmith shops, tailor shops, shoe shops, bakery, meat-market and a large list in the various lines of business and trade... This flourishing little town in the historic highway of the Fox River Valley was at one time the site of an Indian village. Being so near the "portage", Father Marquette is said to have done much missionary work at this point, where he landed from his canoe, preparatory to making his voyage to the Mississippi via the Wisconsin River. Missionary work by the Catholics was also continued when the first white settlers came in 1849. Early Settlers Jason Daniels was the first white settler on the site of the village, locating in June, 1849. About the same time the Dartt's, J. N. and Joseph R., located at Montello, which had been named "Seralvo" by Mr. Daniels. In the fall of 1849, a meeting of half a dozen settlers was held at the house of J. N. Dartt, to give the settlement a name, as a post-office was soon to be established there. Five or six propositions were made, but Joseph R. Dartt, who had read of "Montello" in a novel, carried the day for his favorite name. Between 1850 and 1852 came John Lewis, Dr. H. J. Pratt, the Kelseys and others. Phillips & Giddings erected a store and E. K. Smith opened a hotel. July 3, 1851, the first plat of the village was made by Henry Menton, surveyor, for G. H. Barstow, E. B. Kelsey and Henry S. Crandall, proprietors. The plat was filed for record Aug. 22, 1851. The village however, as now located, covers the plat made Dec. 31, 1855, by W. H. Gleason, surveyor, for E. B. Kelsey and George H. Dartt, proprietors. This was filed for record under the name of North Montello in 1856. Montello was incorporated as a village by an Act of Legislature in 1868...one of the early names of this place was Hill River, derived probably from the juxtaposition of the high granite outcropping the river at this point...the county seat is Montello, and the courthouse is a plain, substantial building of stone and dark red brick, erected in 1864... Early Inns and Hotels The first hotel in this place has been referred to. Its first proprietor was succeeded by Mark Derham, he by John Stemsson, he by James Stafford, and he by E. McCaffrey, the present proprietor. It is known as the American House. The first proprietor of the Fountain House was A. P. Clayton, the second was Thomas Eubanks, the third was William Ennis, of whom John Ennis was at one time a partner. The Ennises were succeeded by the present proprietor, P. Croarken. S. D. Perkins was the first landlord of the Perkins House. His successors were Dolese & Shepherd, who changed the name to the Montello House, as it is now known. Their successor and the present manager is L. N. Stevens. The Eagle Hotel was opened by Mr. Loomis, who gave place to John Lewis. Banks and Businesses The Bank of Montello was organized in 1854, by E. B. & C. S. Kelsey. It long since went out of existence. The present Bank of Montello was opened in 1880, with E. G. Newhall as president, and A. E. Moore as cashier. They were succeeded by the present owners, John and A. J. Barry, father and son. This bank has an adequate capital, and does a conservative business. It is an institution helpful to the business interests of Montello and its surrounding country. Among Montello's business interests of all kinds at the present time, may be mentioned by the following: Druggists: Barry Brothers & Pratt Marble & Granite Works: Andrew Burns Proprietors of General Stores: Campion & Campion, J. Lyman Cook, C. F. Reskie and Austin Wilkins Farm Implement Dealer: Lawrence S. Chittenden Hardware Merchants: M. G. Ellison and Samuel Erb Dry Goods Merchant: Axel Kehlet Harness Maker: Theodore H. Lee Grocer: Martin D. Leonard Lumber Dealer: James McDonald Proprietors of Planing Mill: Norcross Bros. Jeweler: Ira Ward Furniture Dealer and Undertaker: Evan R. Williams Proprietors Flouring Mills: Montello Milling Company, with L. N. Stevens, manager A large woolen mill was formerly in operation here, also. Newspapers The Marquette Express was removed from Oxford to Montello in the spring of 1862, and its name was changed to the Montello Express. Its editor and proprietor was Dr. S. A. Pease, who at that time became a resident of the village, where for years he has been well known. Dr. Pease conducted the paper until February, 1874, when it was sold to Goodell & Cogan. In March, 1877, the firm became Cogan & Bissell, the partners being J. T. Cogan and C. H. Bissell. In 1879, C. H. Bissell and J. T. Cogan assumed controll of the Express. Mr. Bissell has succeeded Mr. Cogan and has made a success of the paper...he has a well-equipped office with steam power. The Marquette Young American was started by F. A. Hoffman in 1855, and suspended in 1862. The Quarries The interests here of the Berlin and Montello Granite Company are so extensive as to furnish employment to a large number of men, and so important as to make the name of Montello known in all parts of the west. The site of the Montello quarries was early known as "the hill", but it was not until 1879 that the possibilities of the unsightly pile of granite were realized. It remained for Mr. Claude B. King, a Chicago newspaper man, to make the discovery which led to Montello's present fame as a granite producing point. He was a brother-in-law of Mr. L. A. Perkins of Montello, and while visiting him in the year mentioned, conceived the idea which has since taken form in the great quarries. Upon his return to Chicago, he unfolded his idea to J. H. Anderson, a dealer in granite and stone, and manufacturer of monuments. Mr. Anderson saw that Mr. King's idea had much in it, and he joined Mr. King in forming the Montello Granite Company. About six months later a stock company was formed, of which Messrs. King and Anderson, and John and Hugh O'Neil were active members. In the fall of 1883, Anderson bought the interest of the O'Neil's, and soon afterward King became involved in litigation, which was ended only by the death of the latter, whose interest passed to Mr. Anderson. Meantime, in 1883 the name of the concern had been changed to the Wisconsin Granite Company, in which E. S. Pike and Mr. McGinnis had become partners. In 188_ (illegible, 1884?), Anderson acquired the interest of Pike and McGinnis. Previous to this (in 1883) Anderson, Pike and McGinnis had acquired title to the quarry property at Berlin. The name of the concern was now changed to the Berlin and Montello Granite Company. Of this Company, Jason H. Shepard is president; J. H. Anderson is vice-president and general manager; C. B. Beach is secretary and treasurer; and William H. Barstow is superintendent of the Berlin quarries, and John Dolese are the remaining members. William McBain became superintendent of the Montello quarries in 1879, and was succeeded by E. Burns, the present superintendent, in 1884. The office of the Berlin and Montello Granite Company is at 162 Washington Street, Chicago. The plant at Montello for quarrying, manufacturing anf handling stone cost about $12,500. Improvements put in within the year just closed cost upwards of $10,000. From eighty to one hundred men are employed, and an annual business of $85,000 to $100,000 is done. The fact that the stone at Montello is so little affected by frost that it splits in cold weather about as easily as warm, is greatly in favor of the place, as operations can be carried on here through the winter months. A visit to the quarries is not the least of many inducements to people from abroad to tarry awhile in Montello. Churches The church history of Montello began with the missionary labors of the Catholic priests. Then came the foundation of St. John's (Catholic) society in 1856, when the first church was built. While the improvement of the Fox-Wisconsin River was going on, in 1848-49, which was virtually the origin of Montello, a priest travelled on foot among the workmen, engaged in religious labors. Until he declared his identity, his occupation was not suspected. The first resident priest was Father A. Fagan. The house of worship was completed in August, 1876. The pastor at that time was Rev. John Larmer. The church and priest's house stand on an eminence overlooking the village and the Fox River. From this point may be obtained as charming a view as may be found in any part of the State. The present pastor is Rev. P. M. Honeyman. The Methodist Episcopal society was organized in 1869, and the church was built in 1873. All protestant denominations worship in the Methodist church. G. A. R. Veterans Post W. S. Walker Post, No. 64, G. A. R., was mustered Tuesday evening, Feb. 28, 1883, by chief mustering officer, Col. O. L. Holmes, assisted by D. A. Hanks, both of Baraboo. The officers elected and installed were: John Lewis, C. J. Daniels, S. V. C.; C. F. Roskie, Chap.; M. G. Ellison, Qm'r; P. Croaken, O. D.; William Hartwig, O. G.; F. H. Couse, Adjt; S. Eastman, Sergt. Maj.; John Graham, Qm'r; John Lewis was re-elected Commander, Dec. 21, 1883. His successors have been: Jason Daniels, elected Dec. 6, 1881; F. A. Hotchkiss, elected Dec. 11, 1885; John Lewis, elected Dec. 19, 1886, and re-elected Dec. 9, 1887; M. G. Ellison, elected Dec. 11, 1888, and re-elected Dec. 13, 1889, and now serving. The other officers now serving are: Austin Wilkins, S. V. C.; Simeon Eastman, J. V. C.; James Kelly, Qm'r; J. H. Valentine, Adjt.; L. S. Wilkins, Surgeon; Samuel Farrington, Chaplain; Gordon Reynolds, O. D.; William Hartwick, O. D.; C. F. Roskie, Sergt. Maj.; C. B. Ayers, Qm'r Sergt. The Montello branch of the Wisconsin Central Line, from Packwaukee, was completed and put in operation in January, 1882.
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