Histories: Trempealeau Co. Historical Accounts:
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 10:
Newcomb Valley
-As transcribed from pages 169 - 171
Newcomb
Valley lies wholly in the town of Arcadia, opening into American Valley
near the Penny schoolhouse, where the branches of the creek meet above
the Miller and Bear pond. The valley runs east about four miles to the
foot of the Preston hills. There are a number of small valleys
known as coolies on either side in which good farms are located; among
them are the Erickson, Hanson and Arneson farms, while the combes or
coolies on the north side are known as the Knudtson and Rud farms and
neighborhood. The main valley was settled in 1866 by Isaac
Newcomb and his brother Harold, who came from Lewis Valley, La Crosse
County, where they settled with their parents in 1855, emigrating from
Tioga County, Pennsylvania. (In 1868 the parents also removed to
Newcomb Valley, making their home with Isaac, with whom they lived out
their lives, the father dying in 1873 and the mother in 1879.) So
far as can be learned a family by the name of Van Scroch had for a
short time occupied a log hut on an 85-acre tract, which Isaac Newcomb
purchased through N. D. Comstock as agent, of Lot D. Rice, he getting
his title from Dr. Bishop, who bought the lands from a Mrs. Hessey
Vallandingham, the widow of the Kentucky soldier. She never
occupied these lands. Mr. Newcomb homesteaded 160 acres adjoining
this tract, which he improved and made into a valuable farm.
The early settlers who may be said to have been the pioneers in the
valley were Isaac and Harold Newcomb, Andrew Knudtson, Arney Olson Rud,
Stiner Knudtson, Lewis and Lars Hanson and a man named Rockwell.
At the close of 1866 there were no settlers in the valley except the
Newcombs, nor east to where Hans Solberg lived near Lake Slough.
Solberg was known as Stocker in those early days. James
McKivergin had settled in Preston on the old McKivergin farm, and the
only tract over the hills was a single plow furrow to guide the
traveler to these settlers' claims. The Knudtsons, Ruds,
Ericksons and Hansons came in in 1867 and 1868, as did Mr. Scow.
After that time settlers continued to locate in the valley, so that in
1876 all the lands had been taken up and were occupied. The
Newcombs began improving their lands and in 1867 built houses and other
buildings upon them. In the fall of 1868 the Penny schoolhouse
was built, a mere board shell, and the winter term in 1868-69 was
taught by W. L. Cummings, who boarded around with such settlers as were
able to keep him. At some places Mr. Cummings was obliged to
crawl to his bed because of the meagerness of the living and sleeping
accommodations. he boarded principally with Jerry O'Brien, Ira
Penny, Isaac Newcomb and John Truman. Other early teachers there
were Kate Rudolf, Ida Smith and Eva Allen. The schoolhouse in
Newcomb Valley was built in 1875 and was first taught by Ida Smith.
When Isaac Newcomb arrived he brought with him four cows, four head of
young stock and a yoke of oxen, and with these possessions and 245
acres of land was considered as a well-to-do man.
The country was mighty new and people possessed of little money, but
all were stout-hearted patriots determined to "make good," which many
of them did after the coming of a railroad in 1874. About the
only farm implement in the neighborhood was a dung-fork owned by Ira
Penny, which he loaned with misgivings to his neighbors. The
story of these early days might be written elaborately into pages of
local incidents and gossip, among the most interesting being the bear
story published in the Arcadia Leader in 1874, a newspaper owned by N.
D. Comstock, and published after the new village was started on the
Trempealeau River bottoms, where the flourishing village of Arcadia now
stands.
Newcomb Valley for many years had and now has a number of excellent
farms, and its people are among the most intelligent and progressive
families in the county, with comfortable homes and farm buildings,
blooded stock and being well provided with all farm conveniences,
showing thrift and contentment.
(By Stephen Richmond.)