From History of Reedsburg and the Upper Baraboo Valley, by Merton Edwin Krug, Publ. February 1929 by the author. Printed by Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wis., Page 327-331

 

Ironton - Early Settlement

The town of Ironton, one of the most romantic spots in the state of Wisconsin, a spot where romance and love itself have become traditional, lying squarely west of the town of Reedsburg, has a story truly historical. The territory within the present confines of the town originally formed a part of Marston, and was organized under that name about 1852. The town of Marston was divided at a later date, and the towns of La Valle, Woodland, Ironton and Washington were organized.

The first man to settle in the town was William Cochran, a married man, who brought his family hither in 1846. He built a shanty some little distance south of the site of the village of Ironton. The death of his wife, in April 1850, was the first fatality within the town. Mr. Cochran was a sportsman, by instinct, and spent most of his time hunting rather than in improving his claim. Possibly the next settlers of the town were the Jessop brothers, Joseph and John, who came in May 1849.

They were natives of Brairley, Yorkshire, England, sons of John and Mary (Saville) Jessop, and came to the United States in 1849, and came directly to Ironton. The birth that summer of Elizabeth Jessop, to Joseph Jessop and wife Ann, was the first in town.In the annals of pioneering the name of Reuben Thornton stands as that of one of the very earliest settlers. Mr. Thornton was a native of England, as was his wife Betty. In 1849 they immigrated to America, coming at the time directly to Ironton where they ever after resided.

Mr. Thornton was always active in public work, and is credited as having made the suggestion that led to the naming of the town of Marston, when that great town was organized. Mr. and Mrs. Thornton were the parents of a large family of children: John, who married Hannah Harrison; Richard; Charles; Sarah; Hannah, who married Phillip Babb, and Emma, first wife of John Tordoff. The family of Frederic J. Groat were also settlers in 1849. Mr. Groat was a native of New York, son of Frederic Groat, and at an early date removed with his people to Berkshire Co., Mass., where he grew to manhood.

When a young man of about twenty-two years of age, he returned to his native state, and in 1846 married his brother Jacob's widow, Clarissa Groat. This lady was a native of Lennox, Berkshire Co, Mass., daughter of Cornelius and Rachel (Newman) Spurr. This woman had one son by her first marriage, who died at Vicksburg, during the Civil war. In 1848 Mr. and Mrs. Groat came to Wisconsin, stopping in Dodge County, where they remained until spring, 1849, when they went to Reedsburg. That fall they located in Ironton, where they afterward resided. Mr. Groat was a minister for many years.

To Mr. and Mrs. Groat were born several children: Francis, who married Jenny Butman, Ironton; Camelia, who married Walter Roys, and lived for many years in La Valle; Esther, who married William Burchell, and also resided in La Valle; Mary, Ella, Ina. Mr. Groat was a soldier of the Union Army, and served in the capacity of Sergeant. Of the settlers of 1850 few names appear with more prominence in the annals of pioneering than that of Humphry. The pioneer, George Humphry, was born in Yorkshire, England, and at the age of eighteen came to America (1840). In 1845 he was married to Nancy Donley, daughter of Felix and Catharine (McGregor) Donley, the lady being a native of Glasgow, Scotland.

Upon their marriage they came to Whitewater, Wis., and resided there until 1850, when they settled in Ironton. To Mr. and Mrs. Humphry were born seven children: William, Isabella, Mary, George, who married Miss D. Evans, and lived for many years in Ironton, Nelson, Esmeralda, later Mrs. L. N. LaRue, of Ironton, and Catharine. After the death of her husband at an early date, the widow engaged in hop-growing, and the Humphry Seedling was the result of her propagation. George Washington Gray, mentioned extensively in connection with the town of Washington, was a settler of 1850 in the town of Ironton, but early moved away. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Clossey, the latter a daughter of Felix and Catharine (McGregor) Donley, like the wife of George Humphry, were settlers of 1850 also.

Mr. Clossey was a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, born in 1813, son of Thomas and Susan (Kelley) Clossey, who came to New York in the year of the great fire in New York City; later he went to Hudson, and was married in 1842 to Mary Donley. Her people were originally of Scotland, but went to Ireland, where she (Mary) was born, and in 1835 came to the United States. In 1845 the family came to Wisconsin and after spending five years in Rock County came to Ironton, where they established permanent residence, and became prominent in the community. Mr. and Mrs. Clossey were the parents of a large family: Edward, who married Isabella Pine, and went to Minnesota; John, who married Margaret Sammond, and remained an Ironton farmer; Thomas, who married Margaret Welch, and also resided on an Ironton farm; William J.; Felix D.; Catharine, and Joseph. This family is still represented in Sauk County.

Of the settlers of 1851 we are able to make mention of several. One of these was Nehemiah Austin, who earlier located in the Little Baraboo valley, further west, but who acquired land a part of which now comprises the village site of Ironton about this year. The Austins are mentioned in connection with John D. R. Mitchell, Woodland history. Joseph Gaylord Blakesley, familiarly referred to as Squire Blakesley, was another settler in 1851, and brought with him a large family. His wife's name was Ruby Bliss. They settled in the town of Marston, and their original land is now contained in the town of La Valle, but members of this family soon became connected with the village of Ironton, where for more than half a century Blakesley's Store has been traditional, so the facts concerning them may fittingly be given in this sketch of Ironton.

The children of Joseph Gaylord Blakesley were: Phoebe, who married Leander Wheeler, more of whom follows; Clarine, who became the wife of J. T. Lunn, esteemed early Sauk County Educator; Ephriam, who married first, Mary Ballard, daughter of Hiram Ballard, and had three children, Eulella J., Charles G., and Alfred J., and for a second wife married Caroline A. Huntley, daughter of Ludwick and Charlotte (Smith) Huntley, widow of George Swift, and had two children, Mary L., and Lee C. Blakesley; Noah G. Blakesley, who married Mary E. Blanchard, daughter of O. C. and Hannah (Kezear) Blanchard. From 1851 on, the settlement of Ironton was very rapid, and within a few years the whole community was settled.

William All, Abram Stansfield and Charles H. Sands came in 1853. William All, son of Peter and Mary All, was born in New York state in 1818, and moved with his parents from one place to another, finally locating in Washington County, where he married in 1843 Miss Phoebe Hurd, daughter of Zenus Hurd, the lady a native of Vermont. In 1844 Mr. and Mrs. All came to Wisconsin settling temporarily in Dane County, where they resided until 1853.

The All children were: Peter, who married Lydia A. Davis and resided for many years at Ironton; Elizabeth, who married John Markham and went to Dakota; Julia A., who married William A. Wright and resided at Ironton; Lucretia D., who married P. Burgess of Ironton; Chloe A., Olive A., Josephine E. Charles H. Sands, remembered as a prominent farmer of the early days was a native of Benton, Yates Co., N.Y., born in 1830, son of Nathaniel and Jane (Weyart) Sands, but early went to Cayuga County, where he resided until coming to Walworth County this state, in 1846. After a residence there the family located in Dane County, and in 1853 in the town of Ironton. The following year he married Elizabeth A. Atkinson, daughter of John Atkinson and went farming. There were several children born of this union: Jane, who married A. Hughes, of Ironton; George G., Orin L., Annie, Charles H., Willia and Arvin C.

In 1864 Mr. Sands moved from a farm in Section 5, to one in Section 9; the following spring enlisted for the Civil War. Mrs. Sands died in 1872 and the following year Mr. Sands married Mrs. Susan Bostwick, widow of Charles Bostwick, and daughter of Anthony Emily. Charles and Susan Bostwick had three children: Isa, who married Howard Wickersham; and Willie and Nelson. Abram Stansfield, also a farmer by occupation was an Englishman by birth, born in Yorkshire, England, in 1813, son of John and Susan (Dobson) Stansfield.

His early years were spent in his natal place, and he married there in 1838 Miss Grace Marshell, daughter of William and Ann Marshell. Coming to America in 1849, the family spent three years in New York and one year in Massachusetts prior to coming to Ironton. Later Mr. Stansfield served his country in the Civil War, and was raised to the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant. Of their two children, only one grew to maturity: William.

Another early family of this town was that of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cushman, who came in the fall of 1854. Mr. Cushman, descended from early Puritanic stock, was a native of Ohio, while his wife, Julia Robinson, traced her descent from John Robinson, who came to America from Scotland about 1759. Mr. and Mrs. Cushman located near Lime Ridge first, and he was the first postmaster of that place, but later the family moved to Ironton, where the family opened a wagon shop. The children of this couple are: Wellington Bruce, who married Ella Ackerman, and is now deceased of Independence, Kansas; Belle, wife of Robert L. Bohn, Lime Ridge; Nelson Ackley, who married Mary Elizabeth Harris, and resides in Reedsburg; Julia, who married first R. J. Sanders, and second, Judge Halsey, and now resides, widowed, at Colorado Springs, Col.; Blanch, wife of E. F. Truck, Kearney, Neb.; Charles E., of Hooper, Neb.; Edward F., married Lulu Osborne, now deceased. His widow resides at Lincoln, Neb.

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