The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1908-09-04
MELVILLE Fifty Years Ago.
IFrom the Milton Journal

MELVILLE Fifty Years Ago.
From the Milton Journal
In your paper of Aug. 18th you pub
lished brief letter and also pictures of
the bridge and river at MELVILLE. The
writer of said article has hoped that
MELVILLE and the beautiful shores OF
grand old Rock river may prove attrac
tive to many pleasure seekers. AS l
looked upon those pictures the lines of
that dear old song Backward, turn
backward, oh time in your flight" went
| fitting through my mind, and I became
child again as turned back the wheel
for fifty years when I used to roam up
| and down the banks of that dear old
stream at MELVILLE. 1t was not called
MELVILLE then. No steel bridge spanned
| its shores, but a rude ferry which was
owned by Arson Goodrich and it was
called Goodrich ferry for a few years.
Neighbors were scarce in those days and
houses were few and far between. We
| did not mind distance then but would
| walk five and six miles 10 pay neigh
borly call. Milton was our nearest post
| office and many time [ have walked it
in company with my oldest brother or
sister to get the letter from friends in
the East These events occurred about
twice year.
The name Goodrich ferry remained
with us until the first bridge was con-
structed; then for a time it was called
Goodrich bridge. [ never knew who
gave it the name of MELVILLE; would
some old settler inform? Before the
bridge came and while we had the ferry
we had school. The first school was
Al
farm of Arson Goodrich and was taught
by a beautiful young lady, who with her
parents moved there from the far away
East. OF course that was a summer
school. When the cold weather came a
log house on the north side of the river
was secured and the school progressed.
The same house and grounds we're owned
later by family of Richardson's. With
what pride did we look upon our beauti
full, large brick school house consisting
of one room, boys sitting on one side and
girls on the other, stove near the door
and water pail on bench near the door.
Our school house was built on high
ground overlooking the river from the
mouth of Lake Koshkonong to the bend
below. It was in this school house
where the writer received the first ele-
ments of an early education. Our teach
er, woman whom we all loved, was
Miss Mary Saunders whose nome was
mile and half up the river near the
church built by the Seventh-day Bap-
lists. After our school house was built
people began to buy and settle at New
Vile. 1t was thought that the Milwau-
kee and st. Paul road which was then
coming on from Milwaukee would cross
the river at our little town. but rumors
were false land of all the sad words of
tongue or pen, the saddest are these, it
might have BEEN" However the disap-
pointment did not prevent them from
building and soon street was laid out
and tavern erected. The landlord was
Daniel Coon and it was hospitable re-
treat as Mr.. and Mrs. Coon made it very
pleasant for the weary traveller. A saw
mill operated by the Coon brothers,
Daniel and Stephen, did thriving bust
ness. Long RATS of logs came down the
river and same were kept at the mill and
soon lumber could be had to build all
the houses and they went up rapidly. A
store was put up opposite the tavern
and its keeper was Mr.. Burdick, Ed
ward, l believe. How important felt
when allowed to go there and purchase
groceries for the family. Always stick
| of candy seemed to get into my bundle
and no candy ever tasted quite as sweet
as that | used to get at Burdick's store.
| A blacksmith's shop was built little
farther up the street and Mike Haskins
used to hammer out many tune on his
| musical anvil II en- came the dwelling
houses as | remember them. Mike Has
kins house, the widow Goodrich and
Henry Monroe houses, and at the end of
the street where the road divides, one on
the right going to east Albion and the
left to Albion Center, there stood Eph.
RAM Davis home and remember their
young people, LATE. Julia, Ann and
Henry, how they used to make the well
kin ring with their merry songs The
houses on the left of this street were
few, only Sam Papple and the Hubbell's
and Sherman's.
Edgerton at that time was nothing
but frog pond, and lively one too.
To reach the lake by land one had to
| walk through dense woods subject to
| being eaten by wild animals such as
| lions and bears, at least that was my
/ impression. Many night | have lain
| with my head covered with the bed
clothes to deaden the sound of the
wolves and owls. 1t is little different
| with me now, for it is the hawk-hawk of
| the auto and the shrill whistle of the
| locomotive and the clang of the street
car that disturbs my slumbers.
| "MoNoNA.n