Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-16
REMINDS HIM OF OLD DAYS.
The Reporters Looking Backwards" Brings
Back the Memories OF the Sixties.
OBERLIN, OHIO, April 10. 100,

OBERLIN, OHIO, April 10, 1908.
EDITOR WOOD COUNTY REPORTER:-
Through the thoughtful kindness of
Mrs. NJ. J. Warren [ am in receipt of
late copies of the REPORTER contain
ing articles entitled "LOOl<ing Back
ward which so revive old memories
that ! cannot fOrbear to add some Of
my rccOlectiOns of those early times
in your now prosperous city in the
formation and development Of which
[ bore some humble part.
L too am one Of the early subscribers
to the REPORTER, having seen and
read the first number. My settlement
at Grand Rapids was in the spring Of
1857. At that time the men who
were running the town could almost
be counted on ones fingers. George
NeeveS was running the Wisconsin
House and John Compton the Grand
Rapids House. Thomas p. Scott and
|. L. Mosher were the only merchants
| think. L. p. Powers was the only
attorney. G. NJ. Webb, T. f. Bac-
helder and S. Fl. Alban, young sprigs
OF the law coming soon after. The
next spring Jerry Witter and J. Fl.
Lang were admitted to the bar.
Wood county had but recently been
created and the first county officers
now remembered were County Board
of Supervisors, George HieS, II. W.
Jackson, Thomas Whitman and T. B.
Scott; Clerk of the Board, L. p.
Powers: County Treasurer, Emanuel
Dutruit; Register of Deeds, Lemuel
KRONER; Clerk Of the Circuit Court,
j. Fl. Lang, who also was County
Surveyor Ben Buck was the first
sheriff.
At this time there was no protestant
church in the place and but few who
cared to have one. Looking the
ground over it was found that there
were less than dozen who had ever
been church members. Rev. Jesse
Edwards a Presbyterian minister at
PlOver, occasionally visited the place
and held preaching service in the
little frame school house on the hill.
Those interested in such matters
decided to make the attempt to build
church which was accomplished
about the year 1859 Some of the old
settlers yet remaining will remember
the serious accident that happened
while raising the church in which
Robert Lyon had leg broken and
Mr.. Bangs and Rev. J. W. Harris
were seriously injured.
A Congregational church was
organized with eleven members, all
females but two, and Rev. J. w.
Harris was engaged as minister on
the muniticent sa larry Of $500,
A few of the more prominent
residents of the place can be mentioned
here, the ArpinS, John and Antoine.
Hon. Joseph Wood, Eusebe LaVigne.
J. E. Black, John Rablin, Henry
| Clinton and Joseph Homier who were
the leaders in business enterprises
The scenes and incidents mentioned
in your articles "Looking Backward"
are still fresh in the memory of the
writer but need not be repeated here
| The name of j. K. Searl must not be
omitted as one whose familiar face
was daily seen on the streets He
was constable and tax collector for
many years.
! The war of the rebellion soon
followed and the struggle TO raise
recruits and keep our country from
the draft is we'll remembered. John
Compton who was a genuine diamond
in the rough and who took an active
part in the raising volunteers finally
decided he would go himself and
Straighten the rebels out. He was
the leading one to organize Co. G of
the 18th Wisconsin Infantry of which
Judge j. s. Alban was Colonel. This
regiment was pushed forward to the
front without any time taken for