- As early as summer of 1836, Col. James M. BURGESS visited
what is now the town of Lima and
- made a claim on Section 17, but as he never improved it,
it is to be presumed it lapsed. He was followed in June, 1837,
by Solomon L. HARRINGTON and Thomas VANHORN, who located and
built a saw-mill on the west branch of Whitewater Creek in the
east part of the town. In the same year, came Mr. Joseph NICHOLLS,
who made a claim and built a cabin on Section No. 1, where Mr.
Stephen BURROUGHS now lives. He combined the elements of strength
and good-nature with that of woodcraft in a great degree, and
not being blessed with much of this world's goods, on one occasion,
after a bee hunt, in which science he excelled, he drew 300 pounds
of honey on a hand-sled to Milwaukee, returning with a barrel
of flour and some other commodities.
- In the winter of 1837-38, the next arrival was Curtis UTTER,
who made a claim on Section 36,
- where he resided until his death a few years since. In 1838,
George B. HALL arrived and located on Section 19, and was followed
next year by Azel KENNEY and Prosper CRAVATH, Jr., who located
on Section 13, where a house had been built for KENNEY on the
site now occupied by the residence of Miles G. CRAVATH, Prosper
CRAVATH building on land adjoining, now owned by the heirs of
Chauncey LANGDON. With Mr. KENNEY came a young man named Newton
BAKER. In 1840, the town received a large accession to its population
by the arrival of a colony from Cortland, N.Y. The colony consisted
for the most part of Deacon Prosper CRAVATH and his large family,
with Levi and Giles KINNEY, Deacon Zerah HULL, James HULL, Ara
HARDY and their families, all of whom located in what are known
as the CRAVATH and HALL neighborhoods.
- The first Death - The first death of an adult to occur in
the town was Newton BAKER above
- alluded to, who laid down his life on September 19, 1839,
the cause being typhoid fever.
- The First Wedding was that of Mr. Solomon L. HARRINGTON and
Margaret PALMETER, June
- 7, 1841, the next being that of Oliver SALISBURY and Miss
Emily CRAVATH, which took pace on July 22 of the same year.
Mr. SALISBURY had erected a house on the farm now owned by J.
M. FRITTS, on Section 14, which was the first frame house between
Whitewater and Milton. In that house was born on January 24,
1843, the first white child in the town (now living), Albert
Salisbury, at present of the Whitewater Normal School.
- The First Church built in the town was constructed of logs
in 1845, by the Methodist denomination,
- and was familiarly known as the log chapel.
- The Organization - Up to February 24, 1845, when it received
a separate organization, the town of
- Lima formed a portion of the town of Milton, and after being
so created it received the name of Lima at the request of Mr.
Paul CRANDALL and a few others, being called after some Eastern
township. On April 1, 1845, the first town election was held
at the schoolhouse in District No. 9. At that election, Prosper
CRAVATH received the choice of the residents for the office of
Chairman of Supervisors. The other Supervisors were John CHILD
and Abram Allen. Paul. CRANDALL was elected Town Clerk; William
P. STILLMAN, Treasurer; John H. TWINING, Collector; N. KEMBLE
and Azel KINNEY, Assessors; Bryce HALL, Abram ALLEN, Nelson SALISBURY,
Commissioners of Highways; Ebenezer RIDER, Paul CRANDALL, Azel
KINNEY, Commissioners of Common Schools; Prosper CRAVATH, Sealer
of Weights and Measures; John H. TWINING, Giles KINNEY, Constables;
John CHILD and Horace G. HAMILTON, Justices of the Peace.
-
- [Transcriber's note: I do not have the next page.]
-
- Taken from "History of Rock County, Wis." (c)1879,
p. 514-515.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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