River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-12-30
CliItOn...Its Early History.
BY AN OLD SETTLER.

AT this period nearly all of Pierce
county was the town of Prescott, st,
Croix county, and the number of votes
polled in it, was from fourteen 10
eighteen.
Previous to 1850, the number of
settlers in what is now Clifton, was
nine, viz; George w. McMurphy, Lewis
NJ. and Ephraim Iarnsberger, Aaron
and Joseph Colnelison, Monroe, Dex.
ter A. and Sylvester NJ. Bailey, and
George Rissue.
DulinS the summer of 1850 the real
settlement of the town commenced
by the accession of Jonathan Bailey.
Albert Smith, Smith r.. Gum, +, l..
Perkins,C. d. Cox, Jas. L. Henderson.
0. Strahl.
Henderson sold his claim to A. F.
Shadduck in the ensuing spring, and
took his departure. Mr.. Cox, famil.
ialy styled 'Uncle Chall ey," settled
in the Hollow in July with his family,
and commenced getting out timber for
mills Immediately, which resulted in
a saw-mill the first winter, and flour.
ing mill the next season, the first of
this kind of property in the north.
western conner of Wisconsin.
These mills were considered, as they
vely Truly were, a great thing for the
new settlement. Instead of eating
flour that was ground four or five hun.
dIed miles from us, and consequently
very dear, some of us who had. raised
a few bushels of wheat could afford to
indulge little merlier appetite.
The Hollow having grown now to be
a place Of business, it seemed to be
necessary to have aname for it, prop
er one, local if convenient, in amtiCi..
patton of establishing a post-oilice
some time in the near future, and the
present name of the town, Clifton at
the suggestion of 0. Strahl, was adopt.
ed as being not only term handy to
speak and write, but fully warranted
by the local scenery. Uncle Charley,
however, had his misgiyinSs. Clifton
was too noted: too high sounding,
'Millville," or "Niill Valley" would
sound more in consonance with the
humility of the place and times. But
the venerable proprietor gave way
this time; however much in the COM
ing years, without any show of con-
tention-perfectly submissive and do
ellie, our good natured Uncle Charley
seemed TO have acquired faculty of
having his own way pretty generally,
Pretty generally right, too, for, with
such clear cool heal on ones Shout.
ders, and such a warm, kindly heart
in the breast, itwele almost impossible
to err habitually.
In these primitive days the horse
was not yet intl oduced amongst us.
lie was too costly, and not 50 well
adapted to the plivations of frontier
life rs the patient enduring OK. The
latter therefore was our fist depen-
dence. Mr.. Cox could dive, and his
noble wife could ride behind the oxen
then. But in time horse was brought
and put up ready for use, and about
the fist work of importance that he
did WAS to kick the owner in the face
with both feet one cold morning, when
being led to water, knocking him
down AMI leaving him insensiblo for a
time. But in few minutes, getting
up the bank to the house, he was able
to speak, and about his first words
were, ''she only did it in play; there
was nothing vicious about the mare,
at ALL" This serene remark, under
such trying circumstances, was a
leading characteristic of the man. lie
very seldom showed temper, but with
a cool, mlsterly will, Mr.. Cox could
handle an opponent az effectually as
one III nunuleu.
The flightful appearance of the
mans face on this occasion, suggested
the necessity of a physician, and he
being willing, your humble servant
hurried up to Hudson eleven miles,
on foot, (for the mare that did the mis-.
chief IAN away to pats unknown) and
got the doctor to come out. Mr.. Cox's
face soon resumed its wonted health,
ana he his station in the mill--and in
the mill has our hero long since &C.
quited fame and fortune, and his
peaceful tent now stands on the gold.
en- shores, beneath the far.off setting
sun.
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