place were a piece of "johnnycake," two and one-half inches wide at one end and running to a point at the other, three and three-quarters inches thick, and a piece of fried pork one and one-eighth inches square, and one quarter inch thick. These we received twice a day. We were there about four days, then were ordered in line, and the enemy's officer took our name, weight, height, complexion and color of our hair and eyes; then we were marched out and down to the river aboard a confederate boat, and steamed up the Mississippi river till we met a gun boat, the Tyler, and were put aboard. It was getting dark, and the gun boat started slowly up the river. The next morning about 9 o'clock we were given a piece of hard tack, which was so mouldy and musty that some would throw their share overboard, saying they would rather have nothing than to have spoiled sea bread. We received but two a day, bad as they were. After two days had passed one of the officers of the boat told us he was short of provisions, but that there was a plantation a short distance up the river. He further said that they went on shore one day to go to this house, and had quite a battle with twenty-five or thirty guerrillas. He said to us, "now all that will volunteer to go fall in line." We quickly fell in line on the boat, seventy-two of us, and after being organized, and our salutations made, went ashore and marched up to the place. We put out pickets all around the plantation, some distance from the house. There was not a white person on the place, but about 200 negroes, who appeared very glad to see us. We e were there about three hours, and no opposition was shown to us. The signal was given, and we all returned to the boat. We got fifteen sheep, twelve geese and two cart loads of green corn. We now thought we would get something good to eat soon, for we were very hungry. When night came on our supper consisted of the same hard tack. It set us thinking, and at last we talked it over and settled on a plan. We knew where the muskets were located that

we had used, and knew they were loaded. We had an attack all planned, and were waiting for the signal when every soldier would grab a musket. We have seen hard fare, but not so hard as we did on this boat. We had now been on the boat some four days. In some way our plan must have leaked out, for when it came the right time of day for our hard tack, we got none, but still a little later they came with coffee, boiled mutton and bread, the first good "square meal" we had for a long time. We got our regular meals for two days, and then our transport boat came and took us off, and we went up the river. On our way up the guerillas fired into the boat and shot one man in the foot. This was about all the damage they done. We were taken to Cairo, Ill., where the most of us got furloughs and went home. They would not give a furlough for longer than thirteen days, so I joined my regiment at Corinth, Miss. I married Minerva Woods, and three children were the result of this union-Arabella, Clarence and Frank. I was divorced from my first wife, and subsequently married Louisa Doener."

POST OFFICE.

Now, in the days of railway postal cards running their ceaseless race from ocean to ocean, one can scarcely conceive of the inconvenience endured by the early pioneers in securing their mail. Prior to 1857 the settlers had to depend upon passers by, going to and from Madison, for their mail. The nearest postoffice was then at Readsburg, a distance of over fifty miles, then it was shortened up to. Coon Prairie (Cashton) and in 1875 it was brought from the Chicago & Northwestern railway, at Norwalk. But in 1884 the facilities were much improved. At this date mail was received at Ontario from Norwalk daily, from Viroqua twice a week and from Viola three times a week.

O. H. Millard was appointed the first postmaster in 1857 and served till 1862, when he was removed by the presentation of a forged petition amounting to a complaint. Mr.

The first officers elected were as follows: Alexander Hill, W. M.; C. G. Stebbins, S. W.; J. F. Keeton, J. W.; Van S. Bennett, secretary and J. G. Parker, treasurer.

The present officers are: Alexander Hill, W. M.; Van S. Bennett, S. W.; H. C. Millard, J. W.; W. J. Wagner, secretary and O. H. Rolfe, treasurer.

POSTOFFICE.

The postoffice in this village was established in 1871 and Jesse Harness was its first postmaster. He was succeeded by the present in cumbent, Van S. Bennett.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

This town was among the first settled in the county, consequently there are clustered in and near the town some of the early settlers of the county and their descendants. To these are here given personal mention in the order, as near as possible, in which they located:

Casper Adler, from a "little German home across the sea," came in 1854. He was born in the village of Baldern, county of Narasheim, kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany, in 1834, and when nineteen years of age came to the United States. He was first employed in a brick yard at Milwaukee, Wis., and afterward on the Illinois Central Railroad and spent the year following at work in a brick yard at Galena, Ill. In 1854 he came to Whitestown and entered forty acres of land on section 34, which he has since increased to sixty acres. married in 1863 to Catharine E. Miller, and six children were born to this union-Rudolph, Joseph, Andrew, Charles, Mary and Caroline. Mrs. Adler departed this life in 1879 and Mr. Adler was again married in 1883 to Mrs. Edith M. Seaman.

He was

William Sandon was born in the city of Northampton, England, in February, 1836. In 1845, when nine years of age, he emigrated with his parents to America, and located in the town of Burke, Dane Co., Wis., where he grew to manhood, receiving a fair education. In 1855 he came to Vernon county, then known

as Bad Ax, and soon after was engaged in hauling supplies to the lumbermen on the Kickapoo river. Two years later he commenced working in the rake factory of M. W. Stedman, where he continued until 1861. He then enlisted in the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry as a private in company G. In March, 1862, he was appointed 2d sergeant. In November, 1862, he was promoted to orderly sergeant and in September, 1863, he was commissioned 1st lieutenant. In the spring of 1864 he commanded company E of his regiment. He was wounded in the battle of Dandridge, Tenn. In May, 1864, the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry took a prominent part in the battle of Rocky-face Ridge, in which Lieut. Sandon was wounded and taken prisoner. He was held prisoner until March, 1865, when he was exchanged and in May was discharged. William Sandon is now, and has been for eight years past, proprietor of the Vernon House at Ontario. In 1859 he was married to Martha Stedman. They have four sons-Charles M., George T., Murt W. and Lou E. He has been chairman of the board of supervisors, supervisor and town clerk.

Mrs. William H. Tedrick and family removed here from Ohio in the autumn of 1855. William H. Tederick was born in Guernsey Co., Ohio, in 1824, and died there in 1852. His wife was born in 1823, and they were married in 1844. Mrs. Tedrick was married in 1857, to Washington McFee, of Whitestown, but died at the residence of her son, Truman, on section 10, in 1882. Truman Tederick was born in Guernsey Co, Ohio, in 1850, and accompanied his mother to this new country. He was married in 1882 to Didama, daughter of Madison Lower, of the village of Ontario.

Giles White, the pioneer settler of Whitestown, was a native of the good old Empire State. He was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1820. His educational facilities were as good as the schools of those days afforded, and in 1837, when but seventeen years old, he made a long western journey to Medina Co., Ohio, in the

northern part of the Buckeye State. He there engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1853, when his health failed. At this time he was a married man with a family, and for two years he traveled constantly over several States, seeking that which is more precious to mortal beings than gold or precious stones-the enjoyment of good health. Finally, in 1855, he selected a home among the timbered lands in the northeastern part of Vernon Co., Wis. He was the first white settler in what is now the town of Whitestown, and located 200 acres of land on section 2. In the following year he erected a saw-mill for the combined benefit of himself and the incoming settlers, and in 1857 laid out and platted the village of Ontario. He was the first chairman of the town board of supervisors, and during his residence here has been actively engaged in lumbering, milling, merchandising and farming. The earnest and energetic efforts given to one and all of these occupations have not been unfruitful of good results, both for Mr. White and the entire community. He has prospered slowly but surely, and of late years has been enjoying the benefits derived from his long labors of toil. In 1843, while a resident of Medina Co., Ohio, Mr. White was married to Caroline, daughter of Ezra and Martha Kelley. Mrs. White was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., in 1824. She is the mother of three children, two living-Angie, wife of Elbert W Sandon, and Cassius F. Mary E. died in 1865.

Elvarus Culver, now a resident of Doniphan, Mo., was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., in 1829. The year following his parents removed to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where our subject was educated and learned the cabinet and millwright trades. In 1856 he removed to the town of Whitestown and purchased a stock of goods from George Prentice. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits, in the village of Ontario, for twelve years. He now owns eighty acres of land in the town, but resides in Doniphan, Mo. In 1852 he married Ruby Oliver, and six

children have been given them- Hettie, wife of William Lower; William, who married Amanda Webster; Charles, Bert, Nellie and Sibyl. Charles, the third child and second son, is a native of Whitestown. He has been a resident here all his life with the exception of eighteen months spent at St. Louis, Mo. He married Emma C. Webster, and they have one sonEddie C. Mr. Culver is the owner of a residence and two lots in the village of Ontario.

George Prentice, one of theleading citizens and prominent business men of Ontario village, was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1816. When twelve years of age his parents removed to Medina Co., Ohio, where George received the benefit of a good common school education. He learned the cabinet maker's trade, and in the spring of 1856 came to Whitestown, Wis. He opened the first store in the village of Ontario, which he conducted for eighteen months. He then sold the stock to O. H. Millard, and in 1859, erected the first grist-mill in the village. This he traded to Giles White for

a stock of goods, and he was again engaged in the mercantile trade for three years. He then disposed of his stock to Elvarus Culver. He then erected a steam saw-mill, but sold it three years after to a Mr. De Hart. Mr. Prentice then leased the grist-mill from Mr. White and operated it for eight years. He subsequently bought another general stock of goods, which he is now selling. Mr. Prentice was one of the pioneers of the town, and has been largely instrumental in improving the village of Ontario. When the town was organized in 1857, he was elected clerk, also in 1859, and has served as treasurer of the town since its organization, twenty-one years.

O. H. Millard, one of the prominent citizens of the town of Whitestown, Vernon county was born in Ontario Co., N. Y., in 1825. He lived in his native place until seventeen years of age, when he went to Ogdensburgh, N. Y., and found employment in a forwarding house. In the spring of 1844 he came west, by way of the