Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-07-04
Conservatives Rule
at School Meeting
How Local Towns
Were Named

Some time ago the North western
railroad issued a little booklet giving
the origin of the names of the cities
and villages along the lines of their
road. The following gives the origin
of the names in this vicinity:
Galena was named in 1919 by
Samuel K. Miner, an early settler.
from the lead ore (Galena) found in
it's vicinity. The French explorer
called the place "de feve" meaning
the bean, and they called the river it
is on ia riviere de feve" because of
the immense quantity of wild beans
growing on its banks. The name of
the river has been corrupted into
Fever" which gives rise to the inn
preston that the place was un-
healthy.
Hazel Green was named from the
fact that when the town was estab-
lished the location was covered with
hazel (COrylus American) bushes
Fennimore, was named Fennimore
Center from the township with Cen
ter" added thereto. The township
was named for M Fennimore, an
early settler. In 1881 the word Cen
ter" was dropped from the name of
the village.
Montfort, was named from an old
fort, or palisaded block house, that in
an early day was built on a nearby
mound as a protection to the settlers
against hostile Indians It's postof-
fee was successfully called Wing
vile and Podunk, but now agrees
with the name of the village.
Cobb, was named by and for Amasa
Cobb, congressman who secured the
establishment of the postoffice at this
place 1t formerly was called Cross
Plains, because it was at this point
the old territorial road crossed the
level plains or prairies
Lancaster was named by Major
Glendower NJ. Price, who had owned
some of the site. The only inhabitant
of the plat at that time was Aaron
Boyce, whose cabin was convenient to
the spring on the north side of the
present light and power plant. The
name came patronymically from Lam
caster, Pa. The population Of the vii
lage in 1855 was 485.
Buncombe, was named after Bun
cOmbe' Gillette, whose name will be
recalled by some of the oldest resi-
dents of this vicinity.
Rewey, was named for ]. w. ReWey,
who was the original owner of the
town site.
Ridgeway was named from the
township, and that was named be-
cause of the ridges that ran through
it.
Platteville was named by John
Roundtree, the original owner of the
town site, from a nearby stream that
the French called "Plate" meaning
dull, bat, shallow, a term they
thought applicable to the stream.
DodgeviIle was named for General
Henry Dodge, an early and respected
settler and governor Of the territory
of Wisconsin. In a very early day
this place was called "MinersvilIe"
because Of the lead mines nearby.
The name was changed to honor Gen
eral Dodge.
Barneveld was named for John of
Barneveld, one of the heroes of the
wars between the Netherlands and
SPAIN and whose life and times are
made the basis of history by Mot
ley, the American historian. His
proper name was OldenbarneVeld, but
it mas passed into history in the
shortened form.
Benton was named for United
States Senator Thomas H. Benton
cold BuIlion'O of Missouri
Cuba City was named by Craiglow
and Stephens, the owners of the town
site named Yuba from place in Cali
fornia, but the name was rejected by
the postoffice department in Washing
ton. The citizens then gave it the
present name.