Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-02-19
OTHER-DAY REFLECTIONS.
sPRIGHTLY BRooKvILLE HALF.
CENTURY AGO
General Rogers Turns Back Over the
Pages of Memory-Bits of
the Pioneer History
San ANTONIO, Texas. JANUARY p.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, JANUARY q.
DEAR soR:-Affer reading p. ].
Layne's reminiscent letter on Brook
vile, and the people there, in the SOS,
turned back the leaves in my memory
book and recalled the names of those
pioneers who were the builders of
Brookville, of which that good citizen.
Jonathan H. Swain, IS left to tell the
tale of the rise and fall of that ancient
hamlet. Abram Stiles was the earliest
settler His name was often seen
signed as chairman Of the town board,
James H. Layne as supervisor, and ID.
A Barnard clerk of Bad AK, to many
public notices of laying out highways.
etc, when Bad Ak town extended from
the Mississippi river to the eastern
/ boundary of the county. Isaiah VIII
lians of Brookville, vase member OF
Company /, Sixth Regiment, served
we'll in the ranks sin the battle of
| Antietam, when. at the very climax
of human endurance. a ball passed
through his right lung. He was left
with the mortally wounded to die, but
he would not let loose OF life with one
ball hole through his vitals. He was
recalled from the valley of death. re-
turned home, and with the Brookville
| hegira found new home in Kansas.
Another man occurs 10 my mind, Cap
tain Newton NJ. Layne, brother of p.
j. Layne. He was a noble young
christian, studying for the ministry at
the commencement of the civil war,
when he was commissioned captain and
recruited Company G. in the Eighteenth
Wisconsin volunteers The Vicksburg
campaign was too hard for his consti-
tuition. He returned home, but to die.
His death was at the time when the
writer was in Viroqua, and ne assisted
in lowering bis body to the grave. IL
was cold day in January, 1864, many
degrees below zero, when his mortal
remains were LAID to rest in the church
yard at Brookville, where they now lie,
forgotten, by the public at least, with
out flowers on memorial day, without
school childrens' voices singing, where
no assembly of citizens gather to de-
eorate the grave OF young patriot.
| Sometime / will go and strew flowers
on the forgotten mound, in memory of
the young captain whose destiny was
onward
Brookville, at one time in its zenith,
was surveyed and plated into village
lots, had a small store, postotiice, a
smithery, school house and church. The
store, postoffice and shop were recalled,
put out of business by the commercial
metropolis, Bad Ak. The school house
withstood many temptations to quit,
but now has modern brick building
and a good enrolment of rural children
to attend its sessions. The church is
still maintained, and jonathan Swain
is the lone survivor of the days when
Tom Brown and Matilda Southwick
were the teachers Mir. Swain and his
good wife are taking life comfortably
in Viroqua, enjoying the fruits of their
early laborg and looking forward 60 the
reward that follow consistent christian
lives.
It would be amiss at this time not to
mention the early days of Bad Ax--now
Liberty Pole. 1t was then the great
trading center, the heart of Bad AK
county, with three stores, three smith
! les, wagon repair shop, two rag car
pet looms. a college, vestry and chapel,
three saloons, a postoiIice, a squire
and constable, hotel and dance hall, a
music teacher and a dancing master.
People came from afar to trade, to
have plows sharpened and coulters
mended The dance hall, on many oc-
casions, was well filed with old and
young Mart Finley giolrned the music,
while all the time from twilight till
dawn they swung the girls, they grand.
! right ard left and gaily promenaded
down the center, and I call on my
/ friend John Nj. Vance, as a survivor, TO
arise and explain. The college course
was begun in the Elementary speller,
McGuffie's reader, and finished with
Rays arithmetic. Sidney Higgins tool;
the reward of merit" in spelling.
Several Of the alumni served well in
the Union army and still live.
OF those who came toBadAx in an early
day, John Robson, Mrs Thomas Cade,
Mrs. Nathan Coe, Mrs. Weber and Mrs.
Groh have survived the sixty years,
and can look back with pride at the
building up and advancement of the six
decades they have lived in the vicinity
of Liberty Pole. Bad AK was the first
postoffice established north of Prairie
du Chen, and when navigation on the
Mississippi closed mail for all points to
Saltwater was carried in one mail sack
via Bad AK. The writer was a deputy
postoffice at Bad AK the year our pre-
sent Viroqua postmaster was swaddled,
and often saw belated letters for the
Hudson Bay trappers posted for Winni-
peg via st. Paul ard the Red River
! trail.
The name Of Bad AK was changed by
! the county board, to Franklin" and
it is at this time ore of the fairest ham
lets in the county; with population IN
the second and third generations Of the
! forebears, many who came in sailing
vessels from afar, and with small capt
tai, have met every demand. and their
reward is the best farms, buildings and
stock in Vernon county. Aideu Bad AK,
/ welcome Vernon, thrice welcome Frank
| lin. z. M. ROGERS
Special WashiHgton's birthday
dance after the Opera Electric next
Saturday digit. Music by the Maeder
orchestra All are invited.
HORSES WANTED