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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 25-28

More Settlers.

Before the year of 1849 had passed a number of other new settlers had come. We cannot name them in the order of their arrival because there is no record of that.

Some time in 1849 Mr. Powell sold his interest in the mill to Caleb Croswell, and Croswell in turn sold his interest the same year to William Van Bergen. A postoffice was established during 1849. Horace Croswell, brother of Caleb, being appointed postmaster. The mail was brought once a week from Baraboo by a man who made the journey on foot. Horace for a time kept the postoffice in Lavina Reed's pocket, she was a nice young lady of course and he a single man. Later Eber Benedict was appointed deputy.

Mr. Benedict and family had come up from Walworth County sometime during the early fall of 1849. He was a native of Connecticut, born in 1800; and was therefore in his forty-ninth year. By vocation he was a carpenter and he built a shop near the mill. The building was fourteen by twenty feet and served the needs of a dwelling-house, postoffice, boarding-house, shop. This house was erected on a Friday. On Saturday night it became a dance hall. On Sunday it was used as a church. But Monday Mrs. Benedict moved her family in. Needless to say Mr. Benedict was the first professional carpenter in Reedsburg.

Mrs. Benedict, whose maiden name was Harriet Skidmore, was 35 at her invasion of the village. She was a lady of considerable medical skill, an excellent nurse, and for a time the only physician the village had. Her services were always to be had and the price was nothing but gratitude. She can be called Reedsburg's pioneer nurse and doctor.

The year of 1849 brought a few other settlers. Z. T. Carver and his wife and two children came. So did Daniel Carver. The latter located on a farm. Mr. Vernoy and family, J. P. Mowers, Horace Carver and Samuel Chase also settled here that year. Two brothers, D. B. Rudd and E. O. Rudd, later proprietors of Rudd's Mills on the line of the West Wisconsin Railway, were also pioneers in 1849. They were single, and brought with them their mother and sister to keep house for them. This sister, some years later, married Rollin M. Strong.

Samuel Leonard and his two sons were also forty-niners. His sons were Alfred F. Leonard, later a grocer on Main Street, and John Leonard. They were accompanied by George Huffnail. Mr. Huffnail and Alfred F. Leonard were married, with children, and had come with the intention of opening a farm. They staked their claim in Winfield, but soon Mr. Huffnail bought the Leonard's interest in the tract and the latter returned to the village where they established various businesses. Interesting stories of Mr. Huffnail's early struggles are related in the chapter on Winfield. Another gentleman of 1849 was J. S. Saxby. He was married and had a daughter, Amanda. Lucian B. Swallow and his family came also in 1849. He had a daughter, Frances. At first the Swallows appear to have been farmers, for Mr. Swallow did not open his blacksmith shop until 1853. Mrs. Swallow, whose maiden name was Malinda Cutter, was a descendant of John Rolfe. Another daughter, Julia Swallow, then a mere child, later became Mrs. David Bryden of quite recent memory.

Of the young, adult, unmarried people who helped make the history of early Reedsburg, we have records of the following: Frances Swallow, and Washington Gray, the young man who came from Ohio with James W. Babb, whose marriage in May 1849, was the first in the township. Horace Croswell, first postmaster. Joseph L. Green and Miss Lavina Reed, who were later husband and wife. Samuel Chase Keyes Bishop Miss Rudd, who became the wife of Rollin M. Strong. Agnes McClung, the millwright's daughter. Amanda Saxby. This lady conducted the first missionary school, in her father's shanty, during the winter of 1849. There were seven scholars. This school, however, was of short duration.

MR. William G. Gerlach, dealer in farm implements and manager of a general hardware store in Lime Ridge, was born to George and Matilda (Reich) Gerlach, in Viola, Richland Co., Wis., Sept. 16, 1887; married, June 24, 1911, Pansy Stevenson; she was born Aug. 21, 1890, in Barnum, Crawford Co., Wis., daughter of Seth and Ella (Lathrop) Stevenson.

Mrs. Mabel Buxton, nee Lawton, was born Aug. 10, 1876, in Pardeeville, Columbia Co., Wis., daughter of John and Ida (Hoffman) Lawton; she came with her parents to North Freedom in 1880, where the family has since been resident. She was married, April 24, 1907, to Asa D. Buton of Hillsboro, Wis. He was born Oct. 7, 1882, son of Levi and Rachael (Searles) Buxton; and died March 30, 1916. They had four children: Elmo M., born May 10, 1908 - he is now in the Aviation Corp., at Scottfield, Belleville, Ill.; John L., born April 15, 1910 - employed in Chicago; Ida Rachel, born Sept. 13, 1913, at home; Charles Benjamin, born April 15, 1916.

Spencer C. Fish, son of Lewis and Sarah (Darrow) Fish, was born in the town of Winfield; married May 13, 1903, Nellie Mulligan, daughter of James and Mary Ann (Hurley) Mulligan. Their children are: Bernice M., Bernard T., Rosella M. (Mrs. Meredith Pelton), William S., Lewis J., deceased, Gertrude E., Walter J., Agnes C., Margaret E., Laurence E., and Robert A.

Daniel Sullivan, son of Daniel and Kate (Hedrington) Sullivan, was born at Baraboo, Wis., in November 1864; married Oct. 4, 1899, Elizabeth Kelley, daughter of William and Elizabeth (O'Donnell) Kelley. This lady was born in Winfield, Sauk Co., Wis., Sept. 6, 1868.

Charles Osenroth, son of Henry and Dorothea Osenroth, was born Oct. 25, 1888, at Wonewoc, Wis.; married Dec. 19, 1914, Vanelia Kleeber, daughter of A. L. and Lizzie (McIntosh) Kleeber. Mrs. Osenroth was born Dec. 21, 1892, in Winfield. They have two children: Dorothy, born Nov. 17, 1917; Margaret, born March 29, 1922.

James O'Conner, son of Hugh and Ann (Werner) O'Conner, was born in the township of Excelsior, Aug. 11, 1866; married Bernice Swetland, daughter of George and Emma Caroline (Fosnot) Swetland. This lady was born in Winfield, where her grandparents, Joseph and Hester Ann (Miller) Swetland settled in 1850. Her birth date is Sept. 27, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. O'Conner had four children: Roland, born May 25, 1897; Faye, born 1899 - married Bert Vogel, June 22, 1921; three children, Fred, Robert, James; Vada, born Nov. 6, 1900, married Clinton Churchill Dec. 22, 1920 - two children, Lucille and La Veta Dorothy; Gale, born April 26, 1905; died with the influenza, Feb. 13, 1920.

Ernest Retzlaff, son of Carl and Eva (Prieskorn) Retzlaff, was born in Prussia, Germany, April 1, 1870; married, Feb. 27, 1895, Miss J. Maud Cole. This lady was born July 7, 1875, in the town of Reedsburg, daughter of Rodney and Anna Maria (Beebe) Cole. They had four children: Obee, born Nov. 27, 1895 - married in 1921, Miss Jessie Simpson - they have three children, Harold, born April 12, 1922 - Betsy Jane, born Jan. 13, 1924 - and Virginia, born July 1925; Harold, born Aug. 24, 1899 - died Jan. 2, 1919; Wylder A., born April 8, 1904 - at home; Vernie, born Oct. 10, 1907 - married Grant Olson Nov. 20, 1926 - they reside in the town of Reedsburg - have one daughter, Irene, born Christmas morning, 1927.

Peter J. Horkan, son of James and Mary (Gallagher) Horkan, was born July 12, 1875, in Winfield; married Nellie McCabe, April 29, 1903. She was born Dec. 14, 1880, daughter of Edward and Mary (McConen) McCabe, in the town of Winfield. They have seven children, all living; Francis, born May 30, 1904; Leo, born Oct. 16, 1905; Mary, born April 3, 1908; Harry, born Sept. 26, 1910; Bernard, born Dec. 28, 1911; Arvilla, born Oct. 14, 1916; Willie, born Oct. 25, 1919.

Mrs. Margaret Donahue, daughter of James and Margaret (Mulligan) Muligan, was born Oct. 21, 1853, in Caledonia, Canada; married Dennis Donahue Mary 3, 1881. He was a son of Dennis, Sr., and Mary (Crowley) Donahue, born march 4, 1882; married Belva Allen - residence, Hudson, Wis.; Mary Agnes, born July 22, 1883 - died April 22, 1890; Julia Theresa, born Feb. 19, 1886 - died April 25, 1890. William, born May 19, 1888 - married Vernie Ninmann; Gertrude, born Nov. 1, 1891 - married A. L. Langslow, residing at Cleveland, Ohio; Walter, born Dec. 12, 1894 - married Blanch Bond.

Edward Donahue, son of Michael and Ann (Carey) Donahue, was born Dec. 25, 1874, in Reedsburg, Wis., married Nov. 24, 1905, Mary Elizabeth Horkan. She was born Feb. 4, 1876, in the town of Dellona, daughter of George and Bridget (Davenport) Horkan. They have had eight children: Mary Elizabeth, born Sept. 5, 1906; she is Physical Education Teacher in a Milwaukee school; Charles Austin, born Nov. 24, 1907, at home; Ann Cecelia, born June 8, 1909 - she is a Stenographer in the Westinghouse Electric Company, of Milwaukee; Grace Theresa, born Sept. 22, 1912 - she is a Senior in the Reedsburg High School; Helen Agnes, born Feb. 2, 1915; Eleanor Margaret, born Sept. 22, 1917; Edward Michael, twin brother, died Dec. 24, 1918; John Hillary, born Oct. 13, 1922; died Jan. 13, 1923.

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Walter Craker, son of Zacariah and Elizabeth (Marcher) Craker, was born in the town of Reedsburg, July 13, 1854; married Celestine Pickering, daughter of Nathan and Charlotte (Brown) Pickering. This lady was born Dec. 15, 1858, in Ironton, her people having been active in the Quaker settlement of northwester Sauk County. Mr. and Mrs. Craker were the parents of four children: Elsie, born Sept. 24, 1881 - married June 24, 1908, Hugh Stephenson of Sioux City, Iowa - died Dec. 11, 1918; Glen, born Oct. 8, 1855, in Winfield - died Oct. 12, 1890; Hazel, born Feb. 28, 1891, in Winfield - married Arthur Haas, Feb. 11, 1911 - one son Jean (Sonny), born Aug. 12, 1912; Gladys, born April 25, 1892 - married June 19, 1918, Proctor Thompson - and died Sept. 18, 1920, leaving one son, Proctor Thompson, Jr., born June 14, 1919.

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