1865, located on the southeast quarter of section 28. Amanda Smith was the first teacher employed in this district. This school house was still in use in 1884. The school house in joint district No. 5 was built in 1868 or 1869; it was a log house on the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 17. Ellen Marshall was the first teacher. A frame building was erected in 1880, on section 17, in which Maggie A. King taught the first term of school. The first school in district No. 7 was held in Joseph McCoy's house, on the northwest quarter of section 10, in 1858, by Emeline Moses. RELIGIOUS. The Wesleyan Methodists organized a class at the school house on section 3, in 1862. Rev. John Markee and Alpheus Bray were the first preachers. Among others John B. Eastman and Joseph McCoy and their wives were members of this class; the former was chosen class leader. The following preachers have served this church: Rev's. Markee, Bray, Alonzo Atwood, Josephus Good, Willam Mulleinx and Townsend, who proved to be an imposter. The Roman Catholics held their first mass in this town in the school house soon after it was built. Father Joseph Hyneck was the first priest. In 1873 they erected a church, located near the school house. Father Martin Bulin was priest at the time the church was in course of erection. In 1884 Father Anton Slama was serving the Church. The United Brethren held services in the school house on section 17 in 1876. Adam Shanbough | was the first preacher; he organized a class that year, consisting of twelve members: James McKitrick and wife, Myron Van Deausen and wife, John Van Deausen and wife, Rebecca and Amanda Harness. James McKitrick was steward and class leader. The following are among the number of preachers employed: Rev. D. K. Young, Rev. Pound, Rev. Charles Hibbard, Rev. William Smith and Rev. E. Casper. The first religious services in the southwestern part of the town were held in the log school house on section 30 by John Crandall, a Baptist minister who organized a society of twenty members, who worshipped in the new log school house. A branch of this society have a church in the town of Stark. DISCONTINUED POSTOFFICES. What was known as Muncie postoffice was established in 1862. Jacob N. Poorman was appointed postmaster and kept the office at his house. It was on the mail route from Tomah to Orion. Mr. Poorman resigned in 1870 and the office was then discontinued. A year later Robert Robinson was appointed postmaster and held the office at his place on section 27. He was succeeded by Isaac Smith. Goole postoffice was established in 1857. J. C. Cooper was appointed as postmaster and kept the office at his place on section 3. He was succeeded during the war by D. C. Burdick, who lived on section 12. J. B. Eastman succeeded him. The office was finally removed to the town of Forest. CEMETERIES. The first cemetery of the town is the one situated on section 30, known the Newburn Cemetery. Another burying place is located on section 32 at the "cross roads." SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS. age, Robert Butcher was one of the pioneers of Union town. He was born in Lancastershire, England, in 1829. When twelve years of his parents left their native land for America, and made a settlement in Carroll Co., Ohio. There the father bought a piece of timber land, and Robert assisted him in converting it into a good farm. In 1855 he married Frances Marshall, and in the fall of 1856, loaded up their household effects and shipped by rail to Lone Rock, Wis. Mrs. Butcher, being weakly, took the cars for Lone Rock, Wis. Mr. Butcher, Moses Marshall and family came through with a two horse team, driving some stock before them. They were thirty days making the trip have since resided. Mr. Dixon has been engaged in agricultural pursuits, principally, but for some years kept a stock of goods at his house, and supplied the early settlers with the necessities of iife. He was married at Water from Carroll county to Bad Ax Co., Wis. They settled on section 5, of town 13 north, of range 1 west, on land that had been entered the year previous. Mr. Butcher immediately built a log house, 16x18 feet in dimensions, in which the family lived several years. He has imford, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sept. 7, 1848, to proved his farm, and taken an active interest in Miranda Clapper, a native of Kinderhook, town affairs. He has served as chairman of the Columbia Co., N. Y. They are the parents of board of town trustees, town treasurer, and at two children-Jessie and Seward. pres nt is town clerk, a position to which he has John B. Eastman was one of the pioneers of been elected for ten successive terms. Mr. Vernon county. He was born among the rock and Mrs. Butcher have been blessed with eight ribbed hills of New Hampshire, Feb. 6, 1824. children, seven livi g-Joseph M., Elizabeth P., When six years of age, he accompanied his Isaiah M., John J., Henry S., Katie and Charles father's family to Vermont, settling at Norwich, G. and Mary M. Elizabeth, the eldest daugh- where John was reared and educated. When ter, was married to William McFarland, and nineteen years of age, he went to Lowell, Mass., died when twenty-five years of age. and was there employed as a watchman on the Merrimac corporation for two years. Four years later, he went to Clintonville, now Clinton, Mass., and secured a like situation, which he held about two years. He then suffered a lameness in the foot, and was disabled from work until 1850. In that year, he returned to Vermont on a visit, and again coming to Lowell, open a variety store. He continued this for two years, then gave the charge of the store to his wife, who had been his assistant, and embarked in the restaurant business. He disposed of his stock in the fall of 1855, and started west to find a new location for a home. He stopped a short time with an aunt in Green Co., Wis., and from there, his uncle accompanied him to Bad Ax, (now Vernon) county, where he bought land on sections 1 and 12, in what is now the town of Union. He then returned to Massachusetts, and April 4, 1856, started with his family for their new home. He arrived at Albany, Green Co., Wis., on the 11th day of April, and sometime in May, his brother, Ebenezer, and family, arrived from New York. In June the two brothers visited their new location, and built a log cabin 12x14 feet in size and covered with bark. They then returned to Green county, and remained there until in September. The last of that month the two brothers and their families started for the William Dixon first visited this county in 1855, and made a permanent settlement in Union town, in 1856. He was born in England, Aug. 7, 1817. His parents were of Scotch nativity, and had lived in England but a short time. In 1828 they emigrated to America and settled in Oneida Co., N. Y., where William grew to manhood. At the age of seventeen he was apprenticed to a blacksmith to learn the trade, and served four and one-half years. After working as a "jour" for a short time, he went to Troy, N. Y and opened a machine shop, which he operated two years. After two years at his trade in Fultonville, Montgomery county, he went to Waterville, Oneida county, and there bought town property. Failing health induced him to seek a new climate, and in 1855 he visited Wisconsin. Being well pleased with the county of Vernon, he entered land in town 13 north, of range 1 west, now known as Union town. He returned to New York and spent the winter, coming out again in the spring of 1856. A year and a half later he went back to New York, this time to dispose of property there. He returned in the spring of 1859, and in September of that year was joined by his wife, who had traveled the entire distance alone. They settled on section 3, where they new home, and arrived the first day in October. They stopped over night with J. C. Cooper, and in the morning removed their household goods to their own cabin. A few nights after it commenced to rain very hard, and the water poured down inside as well as out. Mr. Eastman held an umbrella over the children; about this time a voice, calling for admittance, was heard above the storm. Its owner was admitted and proved to be George Jepson. The storm lasted the entire night, and the new-comer was forced to stand upright under a piece of bark during the long hours till the dawn. The entire assemblage were very damp the next day, but the sun came out, and with the wind as an assistant, soon dried their clothes, and no sickness or evil effects followed this long to be remembered drenching. Mr. Eastman commenced to build a house for himself as soon as possible, and moved his family into it on the 19th of November. On that same day snow commenced falling, and in the morning the ground was covered with a mantle of white, two feet in depth. Before this disappeared, other snows followed, and through the winter measured five feet in depth, not entirely disappearing until spring. The new-comers passed their first winter in the rude structure of logs, and tried to be happy and contented. When spring opened, John B. commenced clearing his land, which was heavily timbered, and finally succeeded, by hard and unceasing toil, in improving a fine farm. The family resided in their first log house until 1875, when he erected the present frame residence. In early life, Mr. Eastman kept a stock of goods at his house, and carried on quite a trade with the earlier settlers. He was elected town clerk, trustee, justice of the peace, and filled various other offices. He died Aug. 21, 1876, leaving a large circle of acquaintances to mourn his death. One son, George H., was born in Southboro, Mass., March 21, 1850. He has always resided with his parents, receiving his education in the district school. He was joined in marriage, Oct. 28, 1874, to Martha, daughter of Rev. John and Permelia (Davidson) Markee. Four children have blessed this union-Miranda, Grace, Permelia and Edith. Mr. Eastman occupies the old homestead in company with his mother. On Jan. 26, 1869, John B. Eastman took a boy to raise. He was Samuel D. Lowman, aged two and a half years, and during his stay in the family has proven to be good, honest and steady in whatever he has done. He is now attending school at Ontario. Hugh Kerr is one of the pioneers of Union town and a prominent farmer of this section of Vernon county. He is of Scotch descent, but was born in county Antrim, Ireland, April 15, 1827. He was there raised to agricultural pursuits, receiving only a moderate education. When twenty-two years of age he came to America and stopped for a few months at Smith's Falls in the province of Ontario. From there he went to Belmont Co., Ohio, where he was joined in marriage, in 1853, to Angeline S., daughter of Robert and Mary (Scott) Milligan. That same fall they went to West Virginia and spent one year. They then returned to Ohio, and in 1857 came to Vernon county. Mr. Kerr purchased a tract of timber land on section 31, town 13 north, of range 1 west, now known as the town of Union. There were three acres of this land partially cleared, in the center of which was a small log cabin. The year following Mr. Kerr built a hewed log house, in which the family lived until 1874, when he erected his present commodious frame residence. His farm now comprises 218 acres, 100 of which are under good cultivation, and the entire farm is considered one of the best in the town. Mr. Kerr is a man well read and thoroughly posted on all questions of the day, and highly respected by a large circle of acquaintances. Himself and wife are the parents of four children - Eliza J., wife of Harvey J. Eastman; Robert A., a graduate of Rush Medical College, of Chicago, and now practicing medicine at Peoria, Ill.; John J. and Homer I. T. S. Jordan, one of the early settlers of Union town, is a native of Indiana, born near Richmond, Wayne county, in December, 1827. His father, James Jordan, was a native of Pennsylvania, his mother, of Tennessee. In 1833, at about the time of the well remembered "Indian scare," they removed to Illinois and located at Reed's Grove, where the settlers found it necessary to work under protection of a strong guard. James Jordan attended the first land sale at the then small village of Chicago, and entered the present site of the city of Joliet. After three years in his new home, he sold his property and returned to Indiana, that his children might enjoy better educational facilities. He located at Blountsville, Henry county, erected a hotel and also engaged in mercantile pursuits. Three years later he went to Greenville, Delaware county, in the "Hoosier State," and was landlord of a hotel for one year; then purchased and cleared a farm in Well's county. He finally removed to Leesburg, Kosciusko county, where he bought town property and where his wife died in 1844. After the death of his mother, T. S. commenced life for himself. He readily secured employment as a farm laborer in Delaware county and was there married, in 1848, to Martha J. Babb, a native of Clinton Co., Ohio. He resided in Delaware county ten years after his marriage, and in 1858 removed to Bad Ax (now Vernon) county and bought land on section 28, of town 13 north, of range 1 west. The family lived in their "moving wagons" until a cabin was erected, in which they resided until 1879, at which date Mr. Jordan erected a comfortable frame dwelling house. He has cleared a larger proportion of his first purchase and has added to it until he now owns 160 acres. In September, 1864, he enlisted in company I, 12th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers; joined Sherman's army at Atlanta, Ga., and participated in the march to the sea, and northward through the Carolinas. He was honorably discharged May 31, 1865, and returning He was em home, resumed his farming operations. Mr. Jordan has been prominent in town affairs. He was elected superintendent of schools in 1860, and was chairman of the board of town trustees for ten successive years. In 1876 he was the elected choice of the people for the State Legislative Assembly, and served one term. Mr and Mrs. Jordan have four childrenWesley S., Ann Eliza, LeRoy and Clara Bell. A brother of Mr. Jordon, James M., was born in Madison Co., Ind., in May, 1830. He was but fourteen years of age when his mother died. He then started out for himself. ployed in farming in the States of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. He was joined in marriage, in December, 1851, to Mary Ann Babb, who was born in Clinton Co., Ohio. They settled in Delaware Co., Ind. In 1854, in company with his brother, T. S., he came to Wisconsin and visited Bad Ax county, but made no claim. He returned to Indiana and remained in Delaware county until 1858, when he came in company with his brother and bought land on section 28, of town 13 north, of range 1 west. He first built a log cabin, 19x21 feet in size, with a stone chimney at the end (southern style). As they had no stove, his wife cooked their food in the fire place for five years. They lived in a log house about five years, then built a frame house, in which they now reside. They have five children-Alpheus T., Timothy S., Emory G., Joseph C. and Lydia B. Their son, Oliver B., was born July 10, 1854, and died in Minnesota in December, 1878. David B. died in infancy. Mr. Jordon has been a successful farmer. He has added to his possessions by buying land adjoining, and now has 160 acres in a body, which was formerly heavily timbered, but a great portion of which is now in a good state of cultivation." Isaac D. Poorman owns 240 acres on sections 29 and 32, and has been a resident of Union town since 1861. He is the eldest son of Jacob N. and Eliza (Babb) Poorman, and was born in Delaware Co., Ind., Sept., 30, 1843. His early life was spent at school and on the farm, and in 1861 he accompanied his parents to Vernon county. On Nov. 27, 1863, he enlisted in the 2d Wisconsin Cavalry, company G, and served under Gen. Sherman and Maj.-Gen. Thomas until the close of the war. He was discharged in December, 1865, and in 1867 was married to Mary A. Smith, also a native of Delaware Co., Ind. He then settled on section 32, where he is engaged in raising grain, especially wheat and clover, and is also deeply interested in the improvement of the stock in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Poorman are the parents of five children-Rosetta May, Almeda, Eliza Bird and Alma Bertha, twins, and Brud. Jacob N. Poorman is a native of the "Keystone State," and came to Wisconsin in 1861. He located a quarter section of land in this town, forty acres of which are located on sections 21, 22, 27 and 28 respectively. He was born in Franklin Co., Penn., in November, 1821. His father, Daniel Poorman, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and died in 1824. When Jacob was but seven years of age his mother removed to Montgomery Co., Ohio, and in 1840 settled in Delaware Co., Ind. He was there married in 1841 to Eliza Babb, a native of Clinton Co., Ohio. He bought a piece of land in Delaware county, and cleared up a farm, living there until 1861. His mother had died in Indiana about 1841. Mr. and Mrs. Poorman have been blessed with thirteen children, nine of whom are living-Mary S., Isaac D., Barbara E., Susan, Martha J., Laura E., Sarah C., Eli S., Louisa B., William H. and Benjamin F., (twins), Margaret C. and Jacob L. Sarah C. was born Nov. 9, 1850, and died Aug. 26, 1851. Margaret C. was born Nov. 24, 1860, and died April 7, 1861. Martha J. was born March 4, 1848, and died Oct. 13, 1868. Louisa B. was born Sept. 3, 1854, and died Aug. 23, 1877. Mrs. Poorman departed this life Aug. 7, 1883. A. James McKitrick settled in Union town in 1861. He was born at Deerfield, Morgan Co., Ohio, Jan, 14, 1838. His younger days were spent alternately at school and on the farm. He was married in 1859 to Martha A. Berry, born in Deerfield township, Morgan county, Feb. 13, 1842. They remained in their native county until 1861, when they came to Vernon county, and Mr. McKitrick purchased land on sections 17 and 18, building a log cabin on the former section. He lived in that primitive abode until 1879, when he erected on section 18 his present residence. He has made extensive improvements on his land, and now owns one of the best farms in the town. Mrs. McKitrick died June 12, 1883, leaving six children-Irwin E., Clarence W., Elva May, Bertrand Dupree, Laura E. and Stella J. 1861. David Sabin settled on his present farm in He came from Richland county, and purchased land on sections 27 and 28, and immediately commenced to clear a farm. He built a good two story hewed log house, which he still occupies. He was born in Washington Co., Penn., Sept. 17, 1831. When he was eight. years old his parents removed to Ohio and settled in Knox county, where his mother died four years later. When he was fourteen years old his father removed to Indiana and settled in Blackford county, where he soon after broke up housekeeping, and David then started out for himself. He found employment among the farmers of Delaware county, where he grew to manhood. He was there married in January, 1854, to Matilda Babb, who was born in Clinton Co., Ohio. He bought a farm there, on which they lived until 1858, when he sold and came to Wisconsin and settled in Richland county. He bought land on Mill creek, built a log house and remained there until 1861, when he sold and came to Bad Ax county, as before stated. His farm now contains 160 acres. They have nine children-William C., John B., Emma H., Eli D., Oliver C., Anna, Daniel A., Mary E., Rose B. and Alla A. Annie was born May 14, 1861, and died Oct 16, 1878. Lorenzo F. Chesbro settled on his land in 1875. The farm is located on section 9 and |