History: Taylor Co., WI Centennial Yr.

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

----Source: 1881 History of Northern Wisconsin, pg. 1023 - 1024

THE CENTENNIAL YEAR OF TAYLOR COUNTY, WISCONSIN

On the 4th of July, 1876, C. W. Cleveland, at the centennial celebration of American independence, delivered an address, presenting the history and condition of the shire, town and county, which was sixteen months old on that day.

Nearly all trades, professions and occupations were there represented.

Two newspapers were catering for public favor, and it may be said were struggling for existence—the News and the Star.

Four steam saw mills were running, one in each village, and one planing mill at Medford.

There were seven hotels, four at Medford, one at Chelsea and two at Westboro.

One physician, S. B. Hubbell; five lawyers G. W. Adams, C. W. Cleveland, S. A. Corning, John A. Ogden and J. K. Parish.

There were three abstract and real estate offices and seven saloons.

Twelve general stores, one hardware and one drug store supplied the wants of the people in their several directions.

COUNTY OFFICERS.

1877-District Attorney, J. K. Parish; County Treasurer, W. W. Fry; County Clerk, P. Doyle; County Sheriff, D. W. Weedham; Clerk of Court, Peter McCourt; Register of Deeds; T. G. Jeffers; Superintendent of Schools, O.N. Lee; Surveyor, H.Ripley; Coroner, R. Peterson.

1879 and 1880—District Attorney, J. K. Parish; County Treasurer, S. B. Hubbell; County Clerk, Peter Doyle; Sheriff, Eli L. Urquhart; Clerk of Court, Peter McCourt; Register of Deeds, Isaac Biscornet; Superintendent, J. B. Anderson; Surveyor, A. S. Russell; Coroner, I. S. Haskins.

Chippewa and Taylor Counties were the Assembly Districts in 1876, and were represented by Cadwalader J. Wiltze, of Chippewa Falls.

In 1877, the Assembly District became Clark. Lincoln, Taylor and Wood Counties. Freeman D. Lindsay, of Neillsville, was the Representative.

In 1878, Solomon L. Nason, of Nasonville, was in the Assembly.

N. H. Wither, of Neillsville, had that honor in 1879 and 1880.

The Congressional District in which Taylor County is situated embraces the northern counties of the State with nearly one-half its whole territory.

The judicial circuit is Lincoln, Marathon, Price, Portage, Taylor, Waushara, Waupaca and Wood Counties. G. H. Park is the Judge.

Valuation of the county in 1880, by the State Board, $1,502,474. Total taxes for all purposes, $44,625. The county has 635,600 acres; 31,500 acres of school lands.

E. F. Blowning, of New York, owns 25,000 acres. It is stated that the land will yield per acre as follows : wheat, 27 bushels; corn, 47 bushels; oats, 50 bushels; barley, 30 bushels; potatoes, 230 bushels; turnips, 400 bushels; carrots, etc., 200 bushels; millet, 3 tons; hay, 2 tons. This has actually been done.

The population of the county in 1875 was 849. In 1880—Chelsea, 301; Deer Creek and Little Black, 766 Medford, 1,017; Westboro, 230. Total, 2,314. In 1880. the amount of lumber shipped on the Wisconsin Central Railroad was 130,000,000 feet.

As the war closed ten years before the county was organized, there is no war record, but here are the names of residents of the county who were in the army:

Lewis Brown, Co. I, 7th W. V. I., millman, Medford, Wis.; M. W. Ryan, Co. I, 3d W. V. C, late Town Treasurer. Medford; Joseph Norton, Jr., Co. D, 7th Maine V. I., proprietor hotel, Medford; Patrick Mallaley, Co. C, 17th W. V. I., farmer, Medford; George Warner, Co. H. 15th N. Y. Engineers, farmer, Medford; Fred. Williams, Co. I, 50th W. V. I., farmer, Chelsea; G. W. Norton, Co. K, 10th W. V. I., farmer, Chelsea; Patrick Gallagher, Co. K, 17th W. V. I., farmer, Chelsea; Lawrence Chametzkey, Co. L, 4th W. V. C, farmer, Medford: Patrick Gaghen, Co. B, 3d W. V. I., laborer, Medford; John Nelson, Co. B, 11th Maine V. I., farmer. Little Black : John Chrisraan, Co. G, 36th W. V. I., farmer, Medford; L. Hardkey, Co. D, 12th W. V. I., farmer, Medford; William Seeger. Co. C, 4th W. V. C, proprietor hotel. Medford; Valentine Chametzkey, Co. E, 26th W. V. I.; W. J. Robinson, Co. B, 8d W. V. I., farmer, Medford; William Perry, Co. F, 7th 0. V. I., farmer, Medford; WiUiam Mars, Co. A, 2l8tW. V. I., farmer. Medford : Charles Roberts, Co. A, 8oth W. V. I., farmer, Medford; A. King, Co. II, Itith N. Y. V. I., grocer, Medford; C. H. Gearhart, 6th Battery. proprietor hotel, Chelsea; Fred. Merhine, Co. C, 53d W. V. I., fanner, Brennen, Price Co.; Ira Penney, Co. H, 4rth W. V. I., farmer, Chelsea; Martin Gordinier, Co. G, 21st W. V. I., farmer, Chelsea; John Worthington, Co. B, 1st W. V. C, trapper, Chelsea; Dan. Walrath, Co, K. 38th W. V. I., farmer, Medford; G. W. Adams, Co. C, 16th W. V. I., attorney at law, Medford; Vincent Hirsch, Co. H, 32d W. V. I., farmer. Little Black; James Ness, Co. G. 12th W. V. I., farmer, Medford; S. A. Cook, Co. A, 2d W. V. C, grocer. Unity, Wis.; Isaac Claggett, Co. A, 2d W. V. C. farmer, Colby. Wis.; James Garnett, Co. A, 2d W. V. C, farmer. Unity, Wis.; H. R. Crowell, Co. A. 2d W. V. C, farmer, Spencer, Wis.; George S. Phelps, Co. A, 2d W. V. C, druggist, Medford, Wis. T. G. Jeffers and Peter Doyle, Co. Q, 8th Missouri Regulars. They live in Medford, Wis., and want to go along.