History of Reedsburg and the Upper Baraboo Valley, by Merton Edwin Krug, Publ. February 1929 by the author. Printed by Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wis., Page 360-366

West of the town of Westfield, south of Ironton, bounded on the west by Richland County and the south by the towns of Bear Creek and Franklin, the town of Washington is the most southwestern of those covered in this book. While not as old as the other towns, comparatively, in point of early settlement it has as much of a local literature and more perhaps than most of the other towns.

Originally the boundary of this town enclosed a part of the present Ironton, and the first settlement was made on that part which after a later survey, was set into the town of Ironton by George Washington GRAY. It was this man who accompanied Mr. BABB here from Ohio in 1846. As early as 1848 he entered his claim on what is now the south Ironton line. The following year, 1849, the family of Lucian B. SWALLOW having came to Reedsburg from Ohio, he was married to Frances SWALLOW, a daughter. Remaining in Reedsburg and on Babb's Prairie, that year, in the spring of 1850 he built upon his claim and established his family. The town of Washington was named in honor of this pioneer. Later the GRAY family left the county.

Russell O. MYERS is credited with having been the first settler in the present confines of the town. This gentleman was a native of Columbus, Chenango county, N.Y., born Sept. 14, 1819, his parents having been Oliver and Amy (HALL) MYERS. Remaining in the place of his birth where he married Jane McINTYRE in 1850, he brought his family to Sauk County, and entered 160 acres of government land, where he immediately began improvements. To Mr. and Mrs. MYERS were born two children. Byron L., who married Margaret J. JOHNSON, daughter of George JOHNSON, and resided in the township; and Daniel H. In 1870 the wife died and some time later Mr. MYERS married Eunice L. HALE, daughter of Addison HALE. They had two children, Russell O. and Eunice L. twins.

Sevyer SELDON was the next settler. Among the pioneers of 1852 were Clark MILLER and Lewis LUMERY. Of those the MILLER family were perhaps the earliest. Mr. MILLER was a native of the East, but at an early date located his family in Kentucky. His wife was Matilda WOOD. In 1836 the family left Kentucky, moved to Indiana. In the latter state they resided until 1852 when they came to Washington, then town of Marston, where the family afterward resided. E. S. DRAKE came in 1853. Mr. Aden TUCKER and family came as early as that year also, for it is known that a daughter, Miss Jane TUCKER, taught a private school in her father's house in 1853. The TUCKER family located in the valley west of Loganville, near the head of Narrows Creek, and the community known as Tuckertown takes its identity from its pioneer settler.

The year of 1854 brought a notable influx of settlers into the town. Of these Gilbert WHEELER was one of the earliest. He was a native of Brown County, N.Y., but early went to Pennsylvania. From there he came to Walworth County, Wis., and thence to Washington in 1854, locating on land in Section 14.

Another prominent settler this year was Harvey W. REEVE. This family came from Ohio, of which state both the father and mother were natives, and located on virgin land in this township, on Section 17, in November 1854. They entered the town on Oct. 20 of that year, and spent their first night in an old log cabin standing on Section 31. This crude habitation was called the "Mansion House". It had walls and a roof and an opening for a door, but was without floor, and was hardly large enough for the party, which consisted of Mr. REEVE's family, and three gentlemen friends. The following day the party moved into a similar dwelling on Mr. REEVE's land, and ten days were to elapse before a commodious log house could be built. After a year's residence the family moved to a site now known as Sandusky, a locality that at that time seemed destined to become important as a center between the thriving village of Reedsburg and other villages to the southwest, as a tavern, town and stagecoach stopping place. Mr. REEVE was one of the most enthusiastic promoters of the village, and upon locating at that point, in company with a Mr. William COBB, built a steam sawmill. This did not prove profitable enough for two, and within a year he sold his interest to his partner, and shortly after opened a general store. For a time the village enjoyed some growth, and in 1855 it was made a postoffice. William DANO, another early settler in the community was appointed postmaster. Mr. REEVE became postmaster in 1861, and conducted the affairs of the office, along with his store, for many years, with decided success.

Mr. REEVE was a native of New Lyme, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, born in 1823, and represented a long and honorable line of forbearers. His grandfather was a captain in the Revolutionary War, and his father a soldier in the War of 1812. In Ohio he grew to manhood, and married Elizabeth DODGE, daughter of Edward and Ursula (WILLIE) DODGE. To this union were born eight children: Dora A., who married I. W. FRANCIS, and went to Dakota; Ida F.; Rose A., who married Charles W. TOWNSLEY; Emma C.; Westley E.; Nettie N.; Hurbert L.; George C.

Joseph POWELL, another settler of 1854, was one of the first of the old world immigrant families to located in the town of Washington. He was a native of Tipperary, Ireland, son of Robert and Elizabeth (RINGWOOD) POWELL. In 1832 he came to New York and began to make shoes. In 1835 he married Esther BELCHER, also a native of Ireland, and about 1842 left New York and located in Lockport, New York state. Here the family resided for ten years, coming about 1853 to Beloit, Wis., and the ensuing year to Washington. He located on Section 32 and engaged in farming and shoemaking. Mr. and Mrs. POWELL had twelve children, four of whom died in infancy. Those who survived early life were: William J., who resided for many years in Ohio; Robert I., who was a soldier in Co. E, 32d Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and is supposed to have died a prisoner in South Carolina; Frank H., also a Civil war soldier, of Co. H, 36th W.V.I., married Emogene SMITH and resided at Sandusky; George A., married Augusta SMITH and lived in Iowa; Edward L., who married Annie MAXWELL and lived at North Freedom; Rachel, who married Joseph KENNEDY; Joseph B., who married Ida SAULSBURY and lived in the town of Washington.

Dr. William WOOD will long be remembered as another early settler of this township, a pioneer of 1854, an accomplished physician, a permanent settler of the county. He was born in Vermont in 1811 and resided in his native town, Thetford, Orange County, until 19 years of age, when he commenced the study of medicine in Ellisburg, that state. Later he removed to Watertown, N.Y., where he completed his studies. He began his practice at Chaumont, N.Y. In 1836 he was married to Betsey Ann BALL, daughter of Eleazer and Mary (FARLIN) BALL. They remained in the East until 1852 when they came to Lone Rock, and two years later to Washington, settling in Section 25. The WOOD family consisted of seven children: Samuel, married Frances GRAY; Naomi, who married C. D. SPOON and died in early life; William, a member of the 23d W. V. I., who died in early life; William, a member of the 23d W.V.I., who died in a hospital at St. Louis; Albert, married Ida ORGAN and resided for many years in Washington; Mary, Francis and Jesse.

Other families to come this year (1854) were those of Addison HALE and A. C. HARRIS. Mr. HALE was a native of Ohio, where his parents, Levi and Eunice (DOWNING) HALE went when that state was the western frontier. There he remained until 1839 when, with a number of other Ohio frontiersmen, he came to Walworth County, this state. In 1843 he was married to Olive Lavisa BACON, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (SWEENEY) BACON. Residing in southern Wisconsin until the spring of 1854, the family started for the wilderness of Westfield, and reached their lands on the tenth day of May. Mr. and Mrs. HALE had seven children: Alvina, who married Samuel MILLER, Washington; Eunice L., who married R. O. MYERS, Washington pioneer; Alonzo A., who married Nettie HALLOCK; Melissa; Elmer E. and Viola M.

A. C. HARRIS was a native of Stamford, Bennington County, Vermont, born in 1827, son of Francis and Angeline (MAY) HARRIS. His early life was spent in Vermont, and there he married Mary E. POTTER, daughter of Lyndon and Lucy B. POTTER, the POTTERS having been an early Vermont family. To this union was born one son, Arthur E., who came with the family to Washington in 1854. Prior to coming the family spent several years in Ohio. The HARRIS family located in Section 9, where the mother died in 1863. In 1865 Mr. HARRIS married his second wife, Jane A. JAYNE, widowed sister of his first wife. They had one daughter, Angie May. This lady married Albert REBETY, and, widowed, Luther CRAKER. Mr. and Mrs. CRAKER reside in Reedsburg. Arthur E. HARRIS, son of A. C. and Lucy E. (POTTER) HARRIS, married Elizabeth WELTON and lived in Washington until his untimely death. His widow resides in Reedsburg with a daughter, Miss Lucy HARRIS. Other children of Arthur and Elizabeth HARRIS were: Bernice, wife of Albert THORN, Reedsburg; Mary E., wife of N. A. CUSHMAN, Reedsburg - this lady has been Reedsburg librarian for over twenty years; and Frank, who died in childhood.

The Lyndon POTTER family also came to Washington at an early date, and were rural folk, descendants of Roger WILLIAMS.

From 1854 on the settlement of the township was rapid. One of the earliest settlers of 1855 was Jeremiah BUELL He was born in New Hampshire, Sept. 7, 1802, son of Reuben and Mary (CRISCO) BUELL. When he was but a small child his parents removed to Vermont and from there to Westport, Essex Co., N.Y., where he grew to manhood. In 1831 he was married to Bethiah ROBINSON, daughter of Isaac and Martha (HOWE) ROBINSON. In 1849 the family came to Rock County, Wis., and in 1855, to Washington, locating on a farm on Section 16, where he engaged in farming and blacksmithing. Mr. and Mrs. BUELL were the parents of four children: Mary E., who married D. T. KENYON and resided in Janesville; Clark R., who married Emily M. GROVER and lived in Washington; Jane A., who married A. R. KINGSLEY of Rock County, Wis.; and James A., who married Malina E. MARSH.

Linus F. BENNETT was another settler of 1855, a native of Pennsylvania, going from there to Michigan. In the latter place he married Marcia H. ESTAS, a native of New York, and in 1845 located in Janesville. In 1850 he went to California, in the gold rush, but returned the following year to that city, where he pursued his trade of carpenter and joiner until 1855, when he came to Washington. Ever after he engaged in farming. There were three children in his family: Hattie A., Frederic J. and Edward L., the latter dying at an early age.

John HOPPER, Thomas LYNDON and Frederic SCHOEPHOISTER were settlers that year also. John HOPPER and his wife, Jane E. KIRKPATRIC, had previously resided in Ohio, and their son, W. C. for many years a farmer of the town, was born there

Thomas LYNDON, remembered as a cooper in the village of Sandusky, was a native of Utica, N.Y., son of James and Elizabeth (ROLAND) LYNDON. When Thomas was a child of five his people moved to Rochester, N.Y., but twelve years later returned to Utica, where they resided for several years. In 1841 Thomas LYNDON was married to Louisa M. WEBB, daughter of Gould and Fanny (PARKER) WEBB, she a native of Connecticut. In 1848 Thomas LYNDON brought his family to Wisconsin, locating first in Dodge County, next in Marquette County, and in 1855, in the town of Washington. After a short residence in this town the family moved to Reedsburg, then to Excelsior, but soon returned to Sandusky, where he afterward engaged as a cooper.

The family of Timothy CHAPMAN were among the settlers of the next year, 1856. Mr. CHAPMAN was a native of Ohio, son of Caleb and Deborah (KNOWLTON) CHAPMAN. In 1843 he was married to Mary GARDNER, daughter of John and Edith (SISSON) GARDNER. In 1854 Mr. CHAPMAN came to Wisconsin, locating at Lone Rock, and two years later in Washington, where he engaged as farmer, carpenter and joiner. Mr. and Mrs. CHAPMAN had three children: Nancy, who married Jacob RUNYON; Caleb; and Guy, who married Ann POWERS. Nathaniel HART came this year also. He was born in the Empire State, his parents being John and Elizabeth (EATON) HART. He spent his early years in his native place, and married Lydia NEWMAN, daughter of Joseph NEWMAN in 1843. Mr. and Mrs. HART resided in the East until 1856 and came directly to Washington. They had five children: Orcelia, who married Henry GROVER; Mary E., who married Charles WARD; Charles, married Carrie EARLE; Ada, married Lee COAN; and Maria, who married William WEBSTER, and resided for many years at Sandusky.

Lewis MAXHAM and his wife were among the permanent settlers of that year, also. The father was a native of Sandy Creek, Oswego County, N.Y., son of Asa and Cynthia (SPRAGUE) MAXHAM. In 1845 he came to Elkhorn, Walworth County, Wis., and then moved to Sugar Creek, same county, where he was married in 1849 to Harriet Jane FLITCROFT. Two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. MAXHAM came to Baraboo, and, after living there five years moved to a farm in this town, where they resided for many years. They were the parents of five children: Alice E., who married Henry E. STEWART of Loganville, now residing in Los Angeles; Frances E., who married Vance RICHARDS; Charles W.; Lewis; and H. Leslie, who married Susan Charlotte GOODWIN, and now is a farmer in the town of Reedsburg. The family of William THORNBURGH came likewise that year.

Charles D. SCHULTER, a native of Prussia, Germany, was possibly the first of the German settlers to locate in the town. His wife, who he married in Germany, was Mary MAERHOF. They came to America in 1854, and resided in Rockford, Ill., until 1856, when they located in the town of Washington. In this family were seven children: Caroline M., who became the wife of C. J. H. ERFFMEYER; Christian; Louisa; Charles F., of Reedsburg; Henry, later of Washington; Mary, wife of William SCHOEPHOISTER; and Minde, who became the wife of Fred KOLLMEYER.

Submitted by Carol