Easton: A Trip Into the Past

Introduction

August 20, 1925, Kathryn Colby of Grand Marsh wrote: "The village of Easton is a small but thriving town of about 50 people. There are two stores, a grist mill, cheese factory, the telephone central, blacksmith shop, and town hall."

Easton is a small town of about 250 people. The township of Easton is about 35 square miles. My main focus throughout this history is Easton township east of Highway 13.

I chose Easton because my great-great-grandfather was one of the first permanent settlers in this area. Also, the past fascinates me.

The first thing I did to research Easton was to pull out a couple of old newspaper articles I'd saved for about a decade. I asked people who had lived in Easton for a very long time about things which I didn't know. They were all extremely helpful.

In many cases, some of the past is lost. People have died or moved away and I could not find out some things. In several ways, I feel it would be much easier to just travel back in time to satisfy my curiosity.

I intend, one day, to get this printed and give a copy to the people who helped me. I'm hoping that anyone who reads this will tell me of any errors they know of and supply items I have no knowledge of.

In the Beginning...

The original boundaries of Adams County were set out in 1848. At that time, the boundaries reached west of the Wisconsin River to include most of what is now Juneau County. In 1849, they were changed and the county was enlarged. In 1853, it was again enlarged and organized for county and judicial purposes. In 1855, the question of dividing the county went to the voters in the November election. The issue was fought with spirit and some bitterness; but friends of the division won and the county was divided at the Wisconsin River. A probable reason for the division was the isolation of the halves of the county caused by the Wisconsin River. Only 30 years ago (abount 1950), the Highway 82 bridge was built, so only two bridges join the two counties now. (1)

This dispute did not seem to cause any trouble in the small town of Easton. Easton in one of the few towns in Adams County to have survived over time. Many others have died. (1)

The first white man settling near Easton previous to 1850 was a gentleman by the name of Medberry. (2)

In 1849, Jonathan C. Colby settled with his wife and five children--emigrating from Topsfield, Maine, to Easton. Stopping for awhile on the banks of White Creek, they were known as the first white settlers there. He moved to Easton within a year, surveyed 160 acres, entered a claim, cleared the land, and erected a shanty. At this time the land was all Indian land and not on the market.(2)

In 1854, Amos Brown settled in Easton, followed in 1855 by William Bidwell and Oliver Martin York. Other early settlers were William Stevens, Mr. Neff, David Stevenson, Honorable John A. Henry, William E Gibbens, and John Walton. (2)

(1) County Clerk's Office, Adams County Court House, Robert Dittburner

(2) Adams County Times, Adams, Wisconsin

Stores, Blacksmith Shops, and Town Hall

The first store in Easton was built by Charles Capron about the time of the Civil War. After a few years, he sold it to Mrs. Hay. Later when they moved to Minnesota, Henry's bought the store. Mr. Henry, once our assemblyman, sold it to Thomas Colby in 1907. In 1934, it burned down and they moved to a store on the outskirts of White Creek. It was never rebuilt. (1)

Risks built a store around 1880-1890 on the north bank of the mill pond. This store did not last. (1)

About 1900, Chris Witt built a store across the road from the first store mentioned, this being on the south bank of the pond. It was later sold to the Kurths and members of that family who ran it until 1945. Previous owners after the Kurths have been Guy Elliot, Ervin Neugart, and William Henriksen. The owners now are Dale and Dorothy Dent (1984). (1)

The first blacksmith shop was built in the 1880's by William Eddy. This was on the south side of the mill pond, near where the Easton Tavern now stands. In the early 1890's, William Gibbens started a blacksmith shop in an old log hut in the back of his parent's home. Being successful in his work, he built a new shop west of the school house. Here he made wagons, sleighs, stage coaches, and row boats. For power, he dammed up the creek and used his own water wheel. He also shod horses. His was the first gasoline engine seen in Easton. (1)

The next blacksmith shop was built in 1925 by Charles Everlet, who was in business until his death in 1930. (1)

The town hall was built in 1925 on land donated by Jim Bidwell. A few years ago, several organizations began holding meetings there, such as: Ladies Aid, Community Club, Sunday School, Farmer's Union, Grange, 4-H, Young Peoples, and Homemakers. In 1951, an addition was added. (1) It was the dance hall formerly at White Creek. The tavern had it, then the town bought it. The Easton Homemakers gave plays to raise money for the Dance Hall. In 1970, bathrooms and a new kitchen were added.

(1) Adams County Times Newspaper, Adams, Wisconsin

Bits and Pieces

A weather station was built about 1850 behind where Darrell Kurth now lives. (1)

A saw mill was built by T.C. Hammon in or around 1936 around where Dave Hermann now lives. (1)

The telephone central was built in early 1900's at the southwest corner of 11th Avenue and County Trunk A where Marini's now live. It was later moved next to Menzo Babcock's on the east side. (2) It was run by Bidwells, Stevensons, and Powers. (4)

In Brookside, there was an old one-room school house. It was called Jackson School. Bert Allen's wife taught there at one time. (2)

The people of Easton at one time raised sheep, but the wolves became too numerous and sheep could no longer be raised. (3)

Organized by the people of the immediate area of Easton, each contributing money towards it, a cheese factory was built about 1904 on the south side of the mill pond, east of the stores and blacksmith shops. Today it is the Easton Tavern. (4) George Randall was the first cheesemaker. (5)

In 1930, a roof was put on the cheese factory for less than five hundred dollars. (1)

Grandfather Gibbens made shoes for people around Easton and Gridley "Grandpa" Powers made shoes so they could be worn on either foot (Civil War time). (4)

The Colbys ran the post office in the early 1900's; it was later handled by the Kurths. (4) The post office was part of the store at one time. The stage would begin in Friendship, and go to Adams Center, then Easton. After Easton, it moved on to White Creek, where horses were exchanged. It then moved on to Plainville, and to Kilbourn (now Wisconsin Dells). This trip was made by one man and usually took the better part of the day. People could get a ride to Kilbourn if they needed one, but no more than two people could get a ride at one time. (3)

Early in the 1850's, Jerry Bacon dammed up the mill pond making it possible for Mr. Willis and Mr. Parker to build the Easton Grist Mill. This stood until the late 1940's and had been in constant use until two years before it was torn down. (4)

The old stone house was built by Mr. Walton in 1876. The old grist mill was run by him, and later was owned by Fred Witt. It was at one time a roller flour mill. (5) Witts ran the Easton Mill until Thomas Colby bought it from him. The Easton Mill specialized in buckwheat flour; whereas, the White Creek Mill specialized in wheat flour.

Just east of the grist mill, there was once an old carding mill which was built by John Lambert. (3)

Mrs Capron, Mrs Jerry Schoff, and some others had spinning wheels, swifts, and reels for winding yarn into rolls. After the wool was carded, they spun it into yarn, and sometimes wove cloth. Sometimes they put warp with wool yarn and sent it to the fullers at Baraboo to be fulled, by which process made it thick, heavy, and smooth. Then it was made into men's trousers. (5)

Bert Allen, still a resident of the area, had the first garage about 1920. (4)

Civil War veterans from Easton were: Silas Lanphear, William Stevens, William Bacon, William Gibbens, Jefferson Pishion, James Bidwell, Amos Brown, Silas Garthwait, George Garthwait, and Jake Bidwell.(4)

(1) Marion and Charles Gibbens

(2) Bert Allen

(3) Blanche (Frost) Wilson

(4) Adams County Times, Adams Wisconsin Dec 1974 - Jan 1975

(5) Mary Pishion

Written by Jeanne M Colby 1984