History of Northern Wisconsin
History of Northern Wisconsin
Publisher Chicago The Western
Historical Company, A.T. Andreas, Proprietor
1881 Copyright The Western
Historical Co.
Reprint The Ralph Secord Press Iron Mountain MI. 1988
Calumet County
CHILTON.
Soon after this absorption and riddance of
an element which had been a check upon the advance of settlement, the county
began to fill up in sections further from Lake Winnebago. In January, 1845,
Moses Stanton located on the site of the present city of Chilton, and in May his
daughter Catherine was born. In 1846 he had a saw-mill and two years later a
grist-mill in operation. His energy soon drew settlers to the spot. Frederick
Sircher came in 1847, and Nicholas Chesboro in 1848. During this year also a
number of industrious Irishmen, who had been employed in building the Sheboygan
and Fond du Lac plank road, became residents of Chilton and increased its claims
to be called a village. Through the influence of James Robinson, an honored
citizen (since deceased), the town of Portland, afterwards Chilton, was
organized, by special legislative act, in 1853. In December the county seat was
fixed at Chilton, and every thing promised well for its continued growth. James
Robinson, who had represented the county in the Legislature the previous Winter,
was elected Chairman of the first Town Board, which convened at the hotel of
Otto Schucht, on Sircher street, April 21, 1853. Post-office conveniences had
been enjoyed for two whole years, the first United States official in Chilton
being L. Fields, Sr. Chilton certainly promised to be what it became, a thriving
burg. Moses Stanton, its founder, lived here for over seventeen years,
universally respected, and died in 1862. His wife still survives him.
Originally the village was called Stantonville, but in 1852 John Marygold, an
Englishman, became proprietor of the place by purchase, and began to plat it. It
was surveyed by A. Merrill in August of that year, and named "Chilington" by its
owner, in remembrance of his native town. He sent a verbal message by one
Patrick Donahoe, to have the change in name recorded at Stockbridge, the county
seat. Such a burden upon his brain was too great for Patrick to carry, and
before he arrived at his destination he eased it by dropping the middle syllable
from Chil-(ing)-ton. "Chilton" was therefore recorded as the name of the new
village.
Although by popular vote the county seat had been located at
Chilton Center, about half a mile from the village, the citizens were not
satisfied, but wanted a change made to Chilton itself. No buildings were erected
for three years, although contracts had been let and the material for them was
on the ground. In l854 Harrison C. Hobart settled in Chilton in the practice of
law. He took up the cause of Chilton vigorously, and chiefly by his and Mr.
Stanton's efforts the change in location to the present court-house square was
made, as previously stated. With this advantage gained, and some years
afterwards the construction of the Milwaukee & Northern Railroad, Chilton left
such rivals as New Holstein and Gravesville far behind.
The first child
born in Chilton was the daughter of Moses Stanton (Catherine) in May, 1845; the
first death his second daughter, Eliza, born in September, 1846, and died in
January, 1848.
Miss Jane Scott taught the first school in the Summer of
1848. The first religious services were held in the same building by a
missionary from the Stockbridge House.
In January, 1848, the first
marriage ceremony occurred between Hugh Wilson, of Racine, and Miss Mary Hume.
The first Fourth-of-July oration was delivered by B. J. Sweet, then a law
student, in 1852.
Chilton is situated on the south branch of the
Manitowoc River, and contains a population of 1,200, the prevailing nationality
being German. Its people are industrious and thriving, a good general trade
being carried on in addition to a variety of manufactures. The corporate limits
of the city embrace a territory nearly two miles square.
By act of the
legislature the city was incorporated March 11, 1877. The charter was adopted by
one majority on the twentieth of that month, the vote being 108 to 107. F. R.
Gutheil was elected Mayor. The officers for 1881 are Mayor, Dr. D. La Count;
Clerk, H. Arnold; Treasurer, William Rothmann. The city is divided into three
wards.
Fire Department. - The Fire Department consisting of a hand-engine
company and a hook-and-ladder company, was formed in 1875. The membership of
both organizations is sixty. D. D. Ebert is Chief of the Department.
Schools. - In 1849 Moses Stanton erected a log building for a school-house, on
land near where the post-office now stands. A frame building, on the site of the
present district school-house, succeeded it. The two-story stone structure now
occupied was erected in 1870. The value of the property is $5,000. The school
(District No. 1) is divided into a Grammar Department (graded) and a High
School. The Principal of the latter is J. E. Luce, and of the former, J. O.
Luce. Out of a total enrollment of 449, the attendance is 216. During the past
Autumn the building has been renovated and improved. Its crowded condition,
however, calls for an increase in accommodations.
The Press. - There are
no newspapers published outside of the city of Chilton. Of the seven established
in the county, four survive. The first number of the first newspaper, The
Chilton Times, appeared September 26, 1857, editorially and financially under
the management of John P. Hume. Charles W. Fitch was its proprietor until May
27, 1858, when the former purchased it. Up to the time of his death, 1881, Mr.
Hume conducted the paper alone, and became as well known and as much beloved as
any man in Calumet County.
The Times is now edited and Managed by his
sons, W A. and J. P. Hume, under the firm name of Hume Brothers. It remains
Democratic in politics and issues on Saturday.
The Calumet County
Republican was published at Gravesville from 1859 to 1862, when its editor and
proprietor, J. N. Stone, suspended the paper by laying down the pen and taking
up the sword.
The Calumet County Reflector was established at Chilton in
1867 by William M. Fogo. Mr. Fogo sold it in 1868 to E. N. Sweet, who, after
publishing the journal tsro years, removed his office to Nebraska.
The
Stockbridge Enterprise was established by the Corning Brothers, Cyrus and
Sidney, in March, 1873, who, after a short time, sold it to T. C. Stearns. In a
few weeks both himself and wife were found dead, a narcotic lying near. Some
held their deaths to be suicidal, others accidental. With them the Enterprise
ceased to exist.
The Stockbridge Union was established by the Corning
Brothers at the same time as the Enterprise. After editing it for a few months,
F. A. Willman purchased the journal in the Summer of 1873, and in September of
that year came into the possession of H. Arnold, its present editor and
proprietor, who removed it to Chilton and changed its name to The Wisconsin
Demokrat. It is independent in politics The Volksboteestablished in March, 1877
by George Schleyer, is Democratic in politics. He continues its editor and
proprietor.
The Calumet County News was established in February, 1880. It
is published at Chilton, edited by H. W. Wing, and is Republican in politics.
The News is issued weekly.
A daily paper has never been published in the
county.
Saint Augustine Church (Catholic). - Among the early settlers of
Chilton there was quite an admixture of those professing Catholicism. Their
number, however, was not great enough to command the attention of a bishop until
1854, when the Rev. Father Debeck paid missionary visits to Chilton. Father
McMahon was the first resident pastor, and commenced to build a church in 1855,
just back of the present edifice. It was not completed till 1860. He remained
for ten years, and was followed by Father Morris and Father Dulcee. Father
Schraudenbach continued his ministry until 1869, when Father Andelschack
succeeded him, remaining seven years. Father Uerbak built the present edifice in
1879, at a cost of $16,000. The Rev Father Lorigan is the present pastor, and
has over l,000 communicants in his care.
Saint Mary's Church was
organized in 1877, and a building erected during that year at a cost of $9,000.
The parish school building in the rear of the church and the parsonage were
erected in 1879. The school is in charge of the Sisters, and has an attendance
of about eighty. Rev. Father Gaellweiler is the pastor of the society, having
under his charge eighty families.
The Union Church. - This society was
organized and incorporated in the Spring of 1877. The church building was
erected on land donated by Zachariah Stanton, son of Moses Stanton, and the
first sermon preached by Elder Todd. The membership of the society is about
thirty. The Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians and Baptists worship in the
same building. The Union Church is entirely unsectarian.
Societies. -
Chilton has a lodge of Masons (No. 154) organized in 1866, and two lodges of Odd
Fellows-No. 295 and No. 207.
Chilton Turn Verein was organized in August,
1871, and its hall erected during that Fall and the following season at a cost
of $2,000. Its membership is thirty; first speaker, H. Arnold.
Hotels. -
The Chilton House was built in 1855 by J. C. Green. Mr. Vicking became the
purchaser, and continued the same until 1867, when he sold it to Messrs. LaCount
& Feind. F. W. Esser soon became the proprietor. In 1879, it was bought by E.
Rossburg, its present proprietor.
The Central House, situated near the
railroad station, was built by F. Reinboldt. It fell into Charles Koinke's hands
the present owner.
The Wisconsin House. - Before 1875 the old building
was occupied as a gents' furnishing store. It was remodeled the same year by Mr.
Jackals for a hotel, and in 1876 sold to Joseph Bersch the present owner.
The Western House was built in 1874 by Menig & Goeddertz. In 1875, Charles
Menig became sole Proprietor, as at present.
The American House was built
in 1855 by Mr. Ortlieb. It was sold in 1875 to A. Mason, and to A. McHughe. J.
D. Parker has been the owner since 1877.
Banks. - In 1859, Col. Bean
established the Shawano Bank at Chilton. He turned the institution over to Meyer
& Sprague in 1860. The bank suspended during the trying times of 1862. From that
date up to January, 1875, the village was without a bank. Kersten Brothers then
established the German Exchange Bank, which is still doing business under their
management. Its capital is $7,600; resources $89,169.27.
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.
The Union Flour Mills were erected by Mooney & Zech
in 1874. In 1876, Zech Brothers bought the former's interest, and are the
present proprietors. The manufacture is forty barrels daily.
Reblitz
Brothers' Flour Mills were erected in October, 1880, by the present proprietors.
They have four run of stone, and turn out on an average thirty barrels of flour
daily.
Philip Becker's Brewery is the oldest establishment of the kind in
the city, a small building being erected by J. Paulus in 1860. It was bought by
Mr. Becker in 1875. He has so added to the original establishment that the
capacity of the brewery is at present 1,200 barrels of beer annually.
F.
R Gutheil's Brewery was established in 1867, by its present proprietor. Its
capacity is about 400 barrels of beer per annum.
Dorschel & Co.'s Sash,
Door and Blind Factory was erected in 1875 by William Dorschel, the head of the
firm. The partnership with William Kartheaser was formed in 1878, the latter
being the "Co." About a dozen men are employed on an average and $3,500 is the
amount of business transacted annually.
The Chilton Stave Factory was
built in 1881 by 0. D. Bishop, its present proprietor, and has a capacity for
turning out 600,000 staves pet annum.
Stendel & Goesling's Plow Works
were established by the present firm in 1875. They manufacture plows,
cultivators and buggies, and do an annual business of $5,000.
Besides the
above A. Vahldieck, Junkee Brothers and L. D. Geisse have small machine shops,
the second named a foundry.
For some years Benjamin F. Carter and his son
operated a large brick yard in Chilton, but upon the death of the latter, work
was temporarily suspended. It is probable that it will be revived again during
the coming season.
George D. Breed is about to establish a large cheese
factory in Chilton.
