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Hixon Township was
the first of the townships on the northern county line.
It was organized by act of legislature in the year 1873. It encompassed
the two townships west of it until 1880 when the town of Withee was
formed.
It was sparsely settled until the railroad
of Wisconsin Central came through the town and a railroad station
was established in the central part of the town. Some large lumber
mills were built which eventually led to the clearing of land the development
of the first farmsteads. Manufacturing was primarily limited to
the processing of timber products, principally lumber.
Several small streams, two large streams,
the Black River and Popple flowed through the township. There
was a stage line running from Neillsville through Christie. Greenwood,
Hemlock and Longwood, ending at the Village of Withee. There was
a large general store at Longwood where the post office was also located.
It was owned and managed by Joseph Gibson. The postmaster was
Mr. G. F. Lantz. The Longwood locality was the oldest part of
the township.
The first and largest general store to
be owned and managed in Withee was that of W. S. Tufts. Other
businesses were another general store, a grocery/confectionery store,
a hotel, a blacksmith shop and a saloon. There was a large lumber
yard which was supplied by the mills along the railroad nearby.
The large mills of D. J. Spaulding were located on the Black River,
about two miles from the village.
The railroad's existence through the township
proved a great benefit. Building of mills and producing lumber
was a valuable asset to the township's development.
In 1875, the population of the township
was 260 and five years later it hit 500! In 1895, Mr. W. S. Tufts
was postmaster of the Village of Withee. The chairman of the town
of Hixon was Wm. Mead, the clerk was C. W. Funk; treasurer, Philo Mead
and assessor, Pat Sheehan.
The township of Thorp was divided from
west Hixon April 3, 1876 and the township of Hoard was formed from east
Hixon, March of 1889.
Source: "Clark County Illustrated"
Clark Co., WI; by Saterlee, Tifft & Marsh (1890)
On this 1874 Clark County,
WI Township Map, Hixon encompasses today's townships of Hixon, Withee
& Thorp as well as portions of Hoard, Longwood, Reseburg & Worden.
(Map of the Current Township Boundaries)
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