Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-02-01
FRANKLIN'S FIRST rREEMEH
To John Mccullough is Ascribed the
Honor of Making the Eirst Actual Set
fIsmeut

fnent OF the townships Of Vernon county, as
Wen as the first events of Importance trans
pirlng therein. the CENSOR would be glad TO
Include The names of each and every old set
TIER who iirss settled in the county, but the
data at hand is not as exact as should be nor
dess II include all of the pioneers.-ED.1
The town of Franklin is situated in
the southern part of Vernon county,
and comprises parts Of congressional
townships II and II, ranges 4 and 5.
Lit has an area of fifty-two sections o.
about 80, $50 acres. 1t is bounded by
the towns of Jefferson and Viroqua on
the north, Viroqua and Kickapoo on the
east, Crawford county on the south,
and the towns of Sterling and Jefferson
on the west. The only streams within
the borders of This town are few small
creeks, among which are Tainters. a
branch of the Kickapoo river, and
branch of the lower Bad AK river. The
general surface of the country is very
rough and billy. Among the objects Of
naGural curiosity in this town is "Monu.
mental Rock"
To John Mccullough is ascribed the
honor of having made the first actual
settlement in the town of Franklin He
came in 1874 and afterward entered land
and did some breaking. The next spring
he brought his family on. His claim
was on section rs of township II, range
5 west. In 1852 he, with a number of
others. went to California, remained a
year in the gold region, and wrote to his
brother that he was about to return, but
he was never afterward heard of, and it
| ho h Sl.os,.
In 1915 George p. Taylor located on
section 30 of township II, range f. He
remained till 1882, at which Date he sold
to }. @. Adkins. Henry Siefert, a bache.
Ior, came In 1916 and settled on section
Is, where he built a log house. His
mother soon came and kept house for
hlm number of years, when they re-
moved to Iowa. Another settler Of 1916
was Samuel Rice and his brother Hiram
The former brought his family with him
His wife died year or two after their
arrival and he married again, bls left
his family and moved to Mackinaw, |
Michigan. Abram Stiles settled at
Brookvile on section Is, 10 1916 or 1847. |
DIR. Swain and Rev. James A. Cook also |
came the same season. Edward Davis, |
who was among the pioneers of the town,
settled on section 35, township II, range
Is tie was a resident of the county in |
IN 1888, but not living ON the same land |
On which he fret settled. Andrew Briggs, |
a man of considerable ability, and who |
wss efterward a member of the state |
assembly, settled in the town at an early |
time He removed to Readstown where |
he died. Michael Hinkst settled on the |
north half of the southwest quarter of |
ssction 81, township II, range 4, Aug
| 8; lS47, where he was still living in 1884. |
Another early settler was Arson fainter,
whose settlement dates back to 1913 I
He was born in Virgins, Aug. 10, 1928
His father was Stephen fainter, native
of Massachusetts. Among other set.
tiers In the town was Ransom Lamb. |
who came in 1850, where he remained
till his death, in 1871 and G. G. Fortney.
who settled in 1856, and died in 1869
Besides those mentioned as being
among the first settlers we're: George
Pike, Il. ID. Smith, John Britt, Andrew
Henry, James Lawrence, William Utley,
E Inmsn, Ira Wilcox, Isaiah Adams
and Daniel Read, who built the Reads
town mill.
The town of Franklin was the last
territory in the county to which the
name Bad AK was applied. 1t was
changed from Bad AK to Lock Haven"
by the board of supervisors, April 8,
1857. The following year, 1858, it was
given the name of franklin.
The first school house in this town
was made of logs, and located near New
Brookville on section II, town u, range
4. In it WIS taught the first school in
the town of Franklin; Lorenzo Pierce
was the first teacher.
The earliest religious services within
Franklin town were held at private
houses before school house or church
had been erected or even contemplated
The first services were conducted by
missionary of the Methodist Episcopal
denomination from Prairie du Chen.
This was in 1916 A little later a log
school house was built on section II and
services were then held in that. The
Rev. Parkins was the first to preach
regularly here. The names of the first
class organized were, so far as remem- !
bered: DR.. George A. Swain and wife,
5. A. Cooke and wife. The latter named
was the leader of the class and later be-
came local preacher, remaining such
until his death. AS the county increased
In popu alton so did this church in mem
bershlp and spiritual strength. For
some years it was in what was known as
the Bad AK mission, which was after
ward included in the Viroqua circuit,
and later known az the Liberty Pole
circuit The Norwegian Evangelical
Lutheran church, located on section Is,
town II, range 4 west, was the first to
locate in the town The first Norwegian
settler was Torger o. Fortney, who
came 10 1855; others came about the
same time, and soon after services of
this people were held in a church built
of logs, located just over the line in
Crawford county.
Liberty Pole, as an old pioneer re-
marked, sis an imaginary village" At
very early day some town lots were
staked Off and numbered, of which but a
very few was ever sold. Yet this par,
NiCUtoA ASOniiOy LOG Always UScu n Ihuu
mark to both the resident and stranger
1t derived its name from the fact that
The frst liberty pole or flag staff
in Vernon county was erected at this
point July 3. 1913 A postoffice was
established there, called Bad AK, which,
10 1870 was changed to liberty Pole
Hiram Rice sold the first goods at this
point. Jecob Higgins erected a store
at an early day, and he, in company
with Capt Thomas Cade, ran q store for
about year as late as 1863 when Mr.
Cade withdrew from the firm. A Mr.
Smith also traded there little later, az
did Luther Nichols. In 1858, James
Lawrence buried his sister, Mrs. Henry
Williams, on land he owned on section
10, and after a few years gave a piece
of land containing about two acres, to
be used by the town OF Franklin for a
cemetery.
Public Sale of Jerseys.
The undersigned will sell at public
sale, at his farm / ! miles south Of La
Fargo, on Thursday, Feb. s, 1899, the
following jersey cattle; Abont 90 head
of cows and heifers, full blood and
grades, mostly to be fresh in winter and