Watertown Republican

Biographical.

Gen. Luther A. Cole, of this city gave the following very interesting biographical sketch of the early settlers of Watertown, and the northern portion of the county, at the Old Settlers Meeting at Koshkonong, which occurred on the 27th ult.

"On the 25th day of Dec. 1836, the writer of this memorandum with Amasa Hyland, walked from Waukesha, known then as "Prairie Village" to Watertown, then called Johnson Rapids. No house occupied by white people, was between the two places, a distance of 35 miles. At Watertown, I found Mr. Timothy Johnson's family, with two Frenchmen, in a house, the only one there; also five other men in two cabins. These constituted the entire population of the place. At Aztalan, there was a house occupied by Miss Keene and a little sister and seven or eight men. At Fort Atkinson, Judge Foster and family, I believe were the sole residents. At Hebron, on Bark River, was Alvin and Edward Foster, and seven or eight men, building a saw mill, making about 40 persons living in what is now Jefferson county. The last census gives the population as 34,908. More settlers came in soon after that date. I will give the name and present whereabouts of all the male settlers; as far as I can recollect living in this county, previous to 1840. Timothy Johnson, dead. Reeve Griswold, Wis., Louis Boadre, unknown, Bateese Pawpaw, unknown. Philander Baldwin, Kansas. Richard Miller, dead. Nelson Waterman, Wis., J. W. Cole, Wis., L. A. Cole, Wis., Amasa Hyland, dead. C. M. Bouton, dead. C. Raymond, unknown. Joel Bouton, dead Joseph Bouton, dead. J. L. Fisk, dead. Eli H. Bouton, unknown. A. H. Nichols, Wis., J. B. Gordon, dead. Oliver Woolcott, dead. Sylvester Woolcott, Wis., E. S. Bailey, Minn. Benj. Laberee, 82 years old, Wis. Aaron Laberee, dead. Thos. Bass, the first man in the county, died Jan. '37. Clark Waterman, dead. Harris Gilman, Montana. Isaac Savage, unknown. Roger Cooley, dead. John Fitzgerald, Wis. David Griffith, dead. Isaac Hamerson, Wis. David Temple, dead; L. E. Boomer, dead; Alanson Boomer Wis.; V. Wood, unknown; James Atherton, Wm. Barrett, Wis.; John Barrett, dead; Daniel Crowley, dead; John Smith, dead; Wm. Maitland, dead; Ezra Abell, unknown; Lawrence Beaulieu, dead; Victor Beaulieu, Wis.; Wm. Stanton, dead; B.A. Morey, dead; Dudley Little, Ills.; M. Griffin, Wis.; J. G. DeKoy, Wis.; Chas. Morris, Wis.; Jacob Wederman, dead; Elisha Morri, Wis.; L. A. Chadwick, Wis.; Chas. Seaton, dead; John Richards, dead; James Rogan, Wis.; Peter Rozan, Cal.; Patrick, Rogan, Wis ; J. C. Gilman, dead; G.J. Goodhue, Iowa; C. F. H. Goodhue, dead; Ezra Doliver, dead; O. Bennett, dead; S. W. Newcomb, unknown; Wm. H. Acker, dead; W. M. Dennis, Wis.; P. V Brown. Wis.; Wm. Sacia, Wis.; David Sacie, dead; elder Mr. Adams, dead; Harrison Adams, dead; E. R. Adams, Wis.; Cheney Adams, dead; Benj. Piper, 91 years old, Wis.; W. Piper, dead; S. Piper, Wis. ; Chas. Wilkins, Wis.; Wilkins brother, dead; Ira D. Lounsbury, dead; W. P.Owen, Wis.; D. W. Kellogg, dead; Mr. Gardner, unknown; Mr. Hewitt, unknown; Stephen Gray, unknown. The number as near as I can recollect, is 86, of which 40 are dead. The whereabouts of 14, are unknown, and the presumption is, that at least one-half of them are dead, leaving 39 of the 86 named; four more than half, have died in the past 35 years. In a little more time, we shall all pass off to our final resting place."

Thus ends my epistle to the living old settlers of Koshkonong, with many thanks, &c.

LUTHER A. COLE.