Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-02-15
CdRiSTIANA'S CHRONOLOGY
Presented TO the pioueers of that Thrtv-
ing and Wealthy Township-The Rail-
road Principal Factor In Building Up
the Enterprising Town of Westby-
First Events-Etc.

/ FiEBf EteutS-Etc.
lin giving q general resume OF the settle.
| Inent OF the townships OF Vernon county. o.
well as the first events OF Importance trans
names Of eae e1er ps od
tier who first settled In the county, but the
data at hand is not as exact as should be- MOI
does 1t include all of the pioneers.-ED
The town VI Christiana takes it's name
from the capital of Norway, the fret
settler being of that nationality. Il il
situated on the north line of Vernon
county and comprises congressional
township ID, range 4. 1t is bounded
on The north by La Crosse county, on
the east by the town Of Clinton, on the
south by the town of Viroqus, and on
the west by the town OF Coon. The
population of this town is largely Nor
wegian, and it contains some OF the
choicest farms within the county.
The first o. - settlement was made
in September, 1848, by Hans Olson
Libakken, who with his family located
on the southwest quarter OF section 35
About the same time or little later an
American named Carrier settled on SEQ
tions % and q, where he took up state
lands. he lived there but short time
but did small amount II breaking and
hen sold out to Norwegian and moved
from the town. In 1910 and so large
number OF settlers located in the town.
Ole Syverson came 10 1S49; the following
spring settled on the northeast quarter
OF section IS. Soon after he sold out to
John Michslet and purchased other land
on section 81, where he lived for time,
and then bought the forty acres where
the village Of Westby is now situated,
and remained there until his death.
Lars Christopherson was another settler
of 1849. He located on section 35, which
land he afterwards exchanged for 100
acres Gu section "a He had been q
soldier of the Mexican var. Evan Peter.
son came the same year and settled on
section SO, where some years sfterward
he died. Ole Thorstenson also settled
10 1S49 on section 80 He was born in
Norway in 1885, and died few years
after coming to this town. His wife
died in August, 1868. Their son, Henry
o. Gulord, sfterwsrd lived on the same
land. Hans K Larson came in l849
and claimed land on sections %, 90, rs
and 81; his tract was made up of forty
acres from each section. His final pur-
chase, however, was confined to eighty
acres, forty on section % and forty on
section &C. John Michelet settled on
section 35 in June, 1850. Another early
settler was Hans x. Ramsrud, who
located on section %. John Olson Ber-
gum settled on section 33 in the spring
Of 1850. Lars 81. Galstsd came the
same year, locating on section "a
Among other settlers Of 1850 were liver
p. Hegge, who settled on section 20
with his father, Peter Olson and Inge
breth Homsted, who located on section
II. He was prominent and we'll
known citizen. He died about 1875
Ia 1851 Ingebreth Homstsd settled on
section IL. He was native of Norway
but came to this vicinity from Dane
county. He remained on this section
until his death. Clement Bsrgh locsted
the same year on section 81, wns-s he
resided until his death. Els aged wid-
ow still lives there. Ole Running,
another settler of 1851, settled on SEQ
ton 81; from there he moved to Viro.
qua, aad still later left the county and
has since died. Lars Olson settled on
section % in 1857. He was born in
Norway in 1880, and came to America
with his two brothers.
The first school house in the town
was built on section So, in 1881. Dur
ing this year the first tenn of school
was also taught.
The first tavern for the accommods-
ton of travellers YVES the residence Of
Rngebreth HomstEd, on section IL, who
settled there in 1851. This was q pop.
ular stopping place for travellers for
many years. Mr.. Homstad died March
IA, 1879.
The first death known in the town
was that of a man named Ole Anderson,
nonresident who was on his way to
The Black River lumber region from
Dane county. He got az far as the
house of a German settler, near the
present village of Westby, and was I'M
able to proceed further. After few
days painful illness he died. This was
about the middle of September, 1849.
he was buried on the farm where he
died.
The first child born il the town was
Brown Olson, son OF Hans and
Caroline o son, who we're the first set
Tiers in the town. This birth occurred
March 80, 1850. Mr.. Olson died two
years ago. He was prominent In town
and county affairs chairman, member
of the legislature and sheriff. His fam.
lily still occupy the old homestead
The parties to the FIRST marriage were
John Olemenson and Martha Ingebreth.
son. They were married in 1851.
The first religious services were held
by the early Norwegian settlers, at pri'
vate houses. The town now contains
more and expensive churches than any
town in the county.
The following incident illustrative Of
pioneer life and hardship. is given in the
language Of the writer, Hans Nelson, Of
Westby:
"In 1S49, there being no grist mill
nearer than Prairie du CHEN, the set
tiers had to 20 to that place for their
milling and to purchase their -four.
Upon one occasion, l remember T. Un-
seth went to Prairie du Chien to buy
-four and other necessaries of life, but
unfortunately, the storekeeper made
grand mistake and loaded up barrel OF
white sugar instead of barrel OF -four.
When Mr.. Unseth got home his dsugh.
ter at once got up in the wage to open
the supposed -four barrel, the family
being entirely out of any kind OF bread
stuff at the time. Upon taking ont the
head OF the barrel, what was her sur
prise at finding the contents to be white
sugar instead OF -four. Imagine the
situationl No -four in the house; sugar,
however good, would not make bread.
AS she thought Of their predicament
the woman began to CRY. Fifty milee
from mill! Not morsel of bread to eat
and barrel of sugar instead OF -four!
"What was to be done? The only way
was to thresh some grain out OF the
stalk. And how was this to be done,
unaided by machinery? Why, We sim
ply made round ring, 25 feet scross, on
the ground, and let oxen tread it out in
the good old fashioned way. After
threshing came the grinding. This was
not by the modern roller process, but by
turning an old country coffee mill.