Peninsula Genealogical Society - Door Co. WI

 Town of

GIBRALTAR

updated 20 Dec 2012

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Town of Gibraltar
Door County, Wisconsin

Fourth Organized Town in Door County *Source: MARTIN's History of Door County-1881)

See: HISTORY OF DOOR COUNTY for more History of Door County including early settlers.

FORMER NAMES:

None. However, the short-lived Town of Chambers' Island (9 Nov 1858-May 1859) failed to elect town officers and all books turned over to the clerk of the Town of Gibraltar* (Chas. I. MARTIN's History of Door County-1881 p. 56).

YEAR FORMED:

December 1857. All of Door County North of Sevastopol except Washington Island was formed at this time. Chambers Island was added to the Town of Gibraltar in 1859.

FIRST SETTLERS:

Asa THORPE, from New York - Occupation: Farmer. The first settlement was on Eagle Island.

ETHNIC GROUPS:

Norwegians, Scottish and New Englanders (New Yorkers).

OCCUPATIONS:

Farmers and Fishermen.

EARLY BUSINESSES:

(1) Anderson Store- Proprietor: A. ANDERSON (1866-1880)-burned by fire and then rebuilt- location: Ephraim.

(2) Griswold Lumber-Proprietor: L. M. GRISWOLD (1874 to at least 1881) - Sawmill/Lumber - location: Fish Creek on the old SELLECK Property.

(3) Peter Peterson Shipping- Proprietor: Peter PETERSON (1857 to at least 1881), Vessel Shipping, 1872: built pier and shipped wood and cedar.

SOME FAMILIES ASSOCIATED WITH TWP:

ANDERSON/VALENTINE/VALLENTINSON/WALLENTINSON - Ephraim 

ANDERSON-VALENTINE Home in Ephraim  Picture sent to us by Eric VALENTINE-6 Jan 2009.  (Click on picture to see it enlarged).

SAUNDERS-Eagle Harbor,

THORPE (Asa)-Fish Creek;

BEERY (Solomon)-First Town Clerk;

LARSON-farmer,

KNUDSON-farmer,

ONESON-farmer,

WEBORG-farmer,

STANLEY-keeper of Eagle Bluff Lighthouse,

GUSTAFSON-farmer, ANDERSON-from Norway.

 

MORE TOWN OF GIBRALTAR PEOPLE-Biographies found in: History of Northern Wisconsin-1881

ANDERSON, A. (dealer in general merchandise, agent for Goodrich Transportation Co, PO Ephraim)

ANSERSON, H. N. (vessel owner, Ephraim)

BLAKEFIELD, F. G. (dealer in general merchandise, PO Fish Creek)

BROWN, John (Postmaster, Fish Creek)

GRISWOLD, L. M. (lumber, Fish Creek)

JACOBS, Hans P. (Postmaster, Ephraim)

KIHL, Nicholas (farmer, PO Fish Creek)

MARSHALL, John E. (farmer, PO Fish Creek)

NOBLE, Alexander  (blacksmith, PO Fish Creek)

NORTON, John (farmer, PO Fish Creek)

PETERSON, Peter (dealer in general merchandise & pier owner, Ephraim)

ROBERTOY, Frank  (farmer, PO Fish Creek)

SHAW, Peter (farmer, PO Fish Creek)

VOROUS, Levi  (farmer, PO Fish Creek)

 

 

*Index of persons in Chas I. MARTIN's History of Door County-p. 52-56.

 

CHURCHES:

(1) Ephraim Moravian Church: Congregation moved from Fort Howard in 1853 led by pastor A. M. IVERSON -oldest church in northern Wisconsin of continuous service-address: 9970 Moravia St., Ephraim WI 54211.

(2) St. Paul’s Catholic Church-address: Highway 42, Fish Creek, WI 54212.  Church Records start date: Baptisms-1872, Marriages-1903, Funerals-1903, see the Green Bay Catholic Diocese Archives.

(3) FISH CREEK Community Church (Interdenominational)-LOCATION: Fish Creek-address: Main and Cottage Row, Fish Creek WI 54212.  Records microfilmed and are available at your local Family History Center to interloan: Film 1769439 items 1-3.

(4) Episcopal Church of The Atonement- address: 9410 Cottage Row, Fish Creek, WI 54212.

(5) St. Paul’s Lutheran Church -(Norwegian)- ELCA-address: W4167 Juddville Rd., Fish Creek, WI 54212.  Records microfilmed and available for interloan at Family History Centers:  FHL Film #1597665 item 9 & 10.

(6) Seventh Day Adventist-address: 9402 Pine St., Fish Creek, WI 54212.

(7) Zion United Methodist- (also known early as "Door County Mission" and includes Gibraltar and Egg Harbor)-address: N8781 County Highway F. - Records microfilmed and available to interloan at Family History Centers: FHL Film#1597560 item 6 (Vol. I) & FHL Film #1597665 item 4 (Vol. 2).

(8)  Bethany Lutheran Church-Ephraim, Door Co.-Guest minister for over 50 years: Reverend Hoover T. GRIMSBY (1920-2011)-see Town of Gibraltar-Bethany Lutheran Cemetery-Records microfilmed:  FHL Film# 1597665 item 11 and #1769439 item 4.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION-ORIGIN OF TOWN NAME:

General rough, rocky and bluffy surface.

 

LOCATION AND ADDRESS OF TOWN HALL:

Community Center, Highway 42, Fish Creek, Wi 54212.

DAMAGE DUE TO FIRE OF OCT 1871:

None.

POST OFFICES:

(1) Chambers Island (1858-1869)- was its own Township at that time, (1866-1868).

(2) Ephraim (1861-present).

(3) Fish Creek (1858-present).


 

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