The town of Ironton, one of the most romantic spots in the state of Wisconsin, a spot where romance and love itself have become traditional, lying squarely west of the town of Reedsburg, has a story truly historical. The territory within the present confines of the town originally formed a part of Marston, and was organized under that name about 1852. The town of Marston was divided at a later date, and the towns of La Valle, Woodland, Ironton and Washington were organized.

The first man to settle in the town was William Cochran, a married man, who brought his family hither in 1846. He built a shanty some little distance south of the site of the village of Ironton. The death of his wife, in April 1850, was the first fatality within the town. Mr. Cochran was a sportsman, by instinct, and spent most of his time hunting rather than in improving his claim.

Possibly the next settlers of the town were the Jessop brothers, Joseph and John, who came in May 1849. They were natives of Brairley, Yorkshire, England, sons of John and Mary (Saville) Jessop, and came to the United States in 1849, and came directly to Ironton. The birth that summer of Elizabeth Jessop, to Joseph Jessop and wife Ann, was the first in town.

In the annals of pioneering the name of Reuben Thornton stands as that of one of the very earliest settlers. Mr. Thornton was a native of England, as was his wife Betty. In 1849 they immigrated to America, coming at the time directly to Ironton where they ever after resided. Mr. Thornton was always active in public work, and is credited as having made the suggestion that led to the naming of the town of Marston, when that great town was organized. Mr. and Mrs. Thornton were the parents of a large family of children: John, who married Hannah Harrison; Richard; Charles; Sarah; Hannah, who married Phillip Babb, and Emma, first wife of John Tordoff.

The family of Frederic J. Groat were also settlers in 1849. Mr. Groat was a native of New York, son of Frederic Groat, and at an early date removed with his people to Berkshire Co., Mass., where he grew to manhood. When a young man of about twenty-two years of age, he returned to his native state, and in 1846 married his brother Jacob's widow, Clarissa Groat. This lady was a native of Lennox, Berkshire Co, Mass., daughter of Cornelius and Rachel (Newman) Spurr. This woman had one son by her first marriage, who died at Vicksburg, during the Civil war. In 1848 Mr. and Mrs. Groat came to Wisconsin, stopping in Dodge County, where they remained until spring, 1849, when they went to Reedsburg. That fall they located in Ironton, where they afterward resided. Mr. Groat was a minister for many years. To Mr. and Mrs. Groat were born several children: Francis, who married Jenny Butman, Ironton; Camelia, who married Walter Roys, and lived for many years in La Valle; Esther, who married William Burchell, and also resided in La Valle; Mary, Ella, Ina. Mr. Groat was a soldier of the Union Army, and served in the capacity of Sergeant.

Of the settlers of 1850 few names appear with more prominence in the annals of pioneering than that of Humphry. The pioneer, George Humphry, was born in Yorkshire, England, and at the age of eighteen came to America (1840). In 1845 he was married to Nancy Donley, daughter of Felix and Catharine (McGregor) Donley, the lady being a native of Glasgow, Scotland. Upon their marriage they came to Whitewater, Wis., and resided there until 1850, when they settled in Ironton. To Mr. and Mrs. Humphry were born seven children: William, Isabella, Mary, George, who married Miss D. Evans, and lived for many years in Ironton, Nelson, Esmeralda, later Mrs. L. N. LaRue, of Ironton, and Catharine. After the death of her husband at an early date, the widow engaged in hop-growing, and the Humphry Seedling was the result of her propagation.

George Washington Gray, mentioned extensively in connection with the town of Washington, was a settler of 1850 in the town of Ironton, but early moved away.

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Clossey, the latter a daughter of Felix and Catharine (McGregor) Donelry, like the wife of George Humphry, were settlers of 1850 also. Mr. Clossey was a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, born in 1813, son of Thomas and Susan (Kelley) Clossey, who came to New York in the year of the great fire in New York City; later he went to Hudson, and was married in 1842 to Mary Donley. Her people were originally of Scotland, but went to Ireland, where she (Mary) was born, and in 1835 came to the United States. In 1845 the family came to Wisconsin and after spending five years in Rock County came to Ironton, where they established permanent residence, and became prominent in the community. Mr. and Mrs. Clossey were the parents of a large family: Edward, who married Isabella Pine, and went to Minnesota; John, who married Margaret Sammond, and remained an Ironton farmer; Thomas, who married Margaret Welch, and also resided on an Ironton farm; William J.; Felix D.; Catharine, and Joseph. This family is still represented in Sauk County.

Of the settlers of 1851 we are able to make mention of several. One of these was Nehemiah Austin, who earlier located in the Little Baraboo valley, further west, but who acquired land a part of which now comprises the village site of Ironton about this year. The Austins are mentioned in connection with John D. R. Mitchell, Woodland history. Joseph Gaylord Blakesley, familiarly referred to as Squire Blakesley, was another settler in 1851, and brought with him a large family. His wife's name was Ruby Bliss. They settled in the town of Marston, and their original land is now contained in the town of La Valle, but members of this family soon became connected with the village of Ironton, where for more than half a century Blakesley's Store has been traditional, so the facts concerning them may fittingly be given in this sketch of Ironton. The children of Joseph Gaylord Blakesley were: Phoebe, who married Leander Wheeler, more of whom follows; Clarine, who became the wife of J. T. Lunn, esteemed early Sauk County Educator; Ephriam, who married first, Mary Ballard, daughter of Hiram Ballard, and had three children, Eulella J., Charles G., and Alfred J., and for a second wife married Caroline A. Huntley, daughter of Ludwick and Charlotte (Smith) Huntley, widow of George Swift, and had two children, Mary L., and Lee C. Blakesley; Noah G. Blakesley, who married Mary E. Blanchard, daughter of O. C. and Hannah (Kezear) Blanchard.

From 1851 on, the settlement of Ironton was very rapid, and within a few years the whole community was settled. William All, Abram Stansfield and Charles H. Sands came in 1853. William All, son of Peter and Mary All, was born in New York state in 1818, and moved with his parents from one place to another, finally locating in Washington County, where he married in 1843 Miss Phoebe Hurd, daughter of Zenus Hurd, the lady a native of Vermont. In 1844 Mr. and Mrs. All came to Wisconsin settling temporarily in Dane County, where they resided until 1853. The All children were: Peter, who married Lydia A. Davis and resided for many years at Ironton; Elizabeth, who married John Markham and went to Dakota; Julia A., who married William A. Wright and resided at Ironton; Lucretia D., who married P. Burgess of Ironton; Chloe A., Olive A., Josephine E.

Charles H. Sands, remembered as a prominent farmer of the early days was a native of Benton, Yates Co., N.Y., born in 1830, son of Nathaniel and Jane (Weyart) Sands, but early went to Cayuga County, where he resided until coming to Walworth County this state, in 1846. After a residence there the family located in Dane County, and in 1853 in the town of Ironton. The following year he married Elizabeth A. Atkinson, daughter of John Atkinson and went farming. There were several children born of this union: Jane, who married A. Hughes, of Ironton; George G., Orin L., Annie, Charles H., William and Arvin C. In 1864 Mr. Sands moved from a farm in Section 5, to one in Section 9; the following spring enlisted for the Civil War. Mrs. Sands died in 1872 and the following year Mr. Sands married Mrs. Susan Bostwick, widow of Charles Bostwick, and daughter of Anthony Emily. Charles and Susan Bostwick had three children: Isa, who married Howard Wickersham; and Willie and Nelson.

Abram Stansfield, also a farmer by occupation was an Englishman by birth, born in Yorkshire, England, in 1813, son of John and Susan (Dobson) Stansfield. His early years were spent in his native place, and he married there in 1838 Miss Grace Marshell, daughter of William and Ann Marshell. Coming to America in 1849, the family spent three years in New York and one year in Massachusetts prior to coming to Ironton. Later Mr. Stansfield served his country in the Civil War, and was raised to the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant. Of their two children, only one grew to maturity: William.

Another early family of this town was that of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cushman, who came in the fall of 1854. Mr. Cushman, descended from early Puritanic stock, was a native of Ohio, while his wife, Julia Robinson, traced her descent from John Robinson, who came to America from Scotland about 1759. Mr. and Mrs. Cushman located near Lime Ridge first, and he was the first postmaster of that place, but later the family moved to Ironton, where the family opened a wagon shop. The children of this couple are: Wellington Bruce, who married Ella Aackerman, and is now deceased of Independence, Kansas; Belle, wife of Robert L. Bohn, Lime Ridge; Nelson Ackley, who married Mary Elizabeth Harris, and resides in Reedsburg; Julia, who married first R. J. Sanders, and second, Judge Halsey, and now resides, widowed, at Colorado Springs, Col.; Blanch, wife of E. F. Truck, Kearney, Neb.; Charles E., of Hooper, Neb.; Edward F., married Lulu Osborne, now deceased. His widow resides at Lincoln, Neb.

Nelson and Emeline (Warner) Wheeler

Of all the settlers in the town, whose posterity is still represented in the community perhaps none have more local representatives than Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Wheeler, pioneers of the year 1854. Mr. Wheeler was born in the state of New York in 1811, son of E. F. Wheeler, and there grew to manhood and married Emeline Warner. Upon their marriage they moved to Ohio, and lived there until their removal to Ironton in 1854. The Wheeler farm is in the southern part of the town, and was the original town of Washington, near the Gray farm, and was, like that, set into Ironton by a re-survey made some time later. Mr Wheeler was a farmer by occupation, and was ever a man of prominence. He was a member of the Wisconsin Legislature during the term of 1859.

Nelson and Emeline Wheeler were parents of seven children: Jane, Henry, Leander, Robert, Alonzo, Emily, Mary, Nelson Duane.

Jane Wheeler married LaFayette Ackerman and died early in life.

Henry Wheeler married Electa Benson, daughter of Almeron and Lucinda (Stanton) Benson, and had four children: Will, of Madison, Orton, of Baraboo, ; Elias of Reedsburg and Emma, wife of Albert Dorge, formerly of Reedsburg, and now of LaCrosse.

Leander Wheeler married Phoebe Blakesley, daughter of Squire Blakesley, and was for many years an active Ironton farmer. His children are: Ruby, deceased; Nelson, who married Jesse Wood of Washington township, and resides in Reedsburg; Walter, who married Gertrude Lewis, and lives in Lime Ridge; Arthur, at Cornell, Wis.; Mate and Hattie, twins, the former the wife of Ed. Bohn and well known milliner of Reedsburg, and the latter the wife of Walter Fish of Winfield; Edna, wife of Walter Walling, Reedsburg; Bert, of Aniwa, Wis., Frank, married Alma Webster, now of Reedsburg; Charles, married Lillie Gonslin, Reedsburg; and Guy, who married Blanch Dorrow and resides upon the Wheeler farm in this town.

Emily Wheeler married James Priest and lives in Superior.

Mary Wheeler married Ed. Blank, and resides, widowed, in Reedsburg; she has three children; Genevieve, wife of Fred Young, Reedsburg, Nina, wife of Art Coleman; Edward, of Stevens Point, Wis., and Hanson, prominent educator of Little Falls, Iowa. Hanson Blank is a gifted modeler, and his model of Col. Charles Lindbergh has won considerable popularity. Mrs. Mary Blank, nee Wheeler, deserves special mention here as one of the oldest active society ladies of Reedsburg. Mary Blank's coffee at Old Settlers Meetings has become a tradition.

Duane Wheeler married Louise Fuller. His children are: Alvin, who married Daisy Bennett of Winfield; Harry, of Baraboo; and Alta (Mrs. Judd).

Families of 1855

Among the settlers of this year were James L. Benson and his wife. Mr. Benson was son of Almeron and Lucinda (Stanton) Benson, as was the wife of Henry Wheeler, a native of New York, the husband of Louisa Martin, daughter of Herman and Sarah Martin. They located upon a farm and were for many years prominent farmers of the town.

David Bryden was another settler this year, 1855. He was born in Scotland, in 1831, and was the son of David and Jenet (Lees) Bryden, his people having been people of wealth and position. In 1854, leaving all his relatives behind, he came to America, and after spending one year in Waukesha County, came to Section 28, where he began improving a tract of virgin timber. In 1859 he was married to Miss Julia Swallow, daughter of Lucien Swallow, pioneer of 1849 in Reedsburg. They were the parents of four children: David, who married Eulella Blakesley, daughter of Ephraim Blakesley, and is now several years deceased; Annie, who married Arvin Sands and resides in Iowa; Jessie, who married Chester Miller and died in Chicago two years ago (1926); and Edna, wife of Charles H. Stone, Reedsburg.

The family of Ephraim Smith came also in 1855. Mr. Smith was a native of Rutland, Vermont, son of Oliver and Deborah (Thomas) Smith, and was born in 1826. In 1836 his parents removed to Ohio, settling in Delaware County, where he grew to manhood. In 1845 he married Betsy Wheeler, daughter of Lyman and Mahala Wheeler. In 1855 the family came directly to this town, and located on land in Section 24. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born nine children: Albert U., who married Mary Johnson, and resided on a farm in the town of Washington for many years; John L., who married Ellen Seldon; Melissa, who married H. St. John, and lived in Woodland; Jeremiah; Mahala, wife of S. Z. Hudson; Joseph E.; Clarinda; Emmett and Malinda.

William A. Kester brought his family to the town this year also. His wife was Sarah R. Washburn, and the family came hither from Ohio, where they had resided for many years. One of their children was Charles R. Kester, aged resident of Reedsburg, who had lived for more than seventy years in the Upper Baraboo Valley, for many years in this town where he was a prominent farmer of his day. Charles Kester married the widow of Amos Ford, Civil War hero, and had two children: X, who married Allen Reese and now, widowed, resides with her father; and Charles Earle. Mrs. Kester died in middle life and Charles Kester later married Electa, the widow of Henry Wheeler, who is now also deceased.

Story of the Iron Mine

To the casual observer, what remains of what once existed on the spot where for nearly forty years dozens of strong-bodied men engaged in digging iron ore, the complete abandon and tragic stillness of the wood and hillside ore-pits can't but cause him to reflect upon what has been, rather than on what there is. Today all that remains of the Ironton iron mine is the great pit, halfway up the hillside, hemmed in by a blanket of underbrush, stalwart trees. It is scarcely visible to the unknown frequenter as he climbs around the hillside. His eyes are attracted by the dilapidation of an old log building, standing squarely in the center of a wide clearing; and we picture the old house as the writer photographed it last summer, especially for this work. To the right, the clearing is bordered by a thick wood, tall oaks lift their spreading tops toward the sky. Here, in this wood, is the scene of the mining days, pits, pits, pits, dozens of them, some larger than others. You climb around these minor pits, and at last stand in awe before a mighty depression in the earth that is possibly a hundred feet in depth and more than that in width and breadth. This is the big, or main pit: It is pictured herewith, as it appears today. [picture omitted-editor] There is nothing more to see. But turning back a page from memory and from ancient archives we can realte the story of the days when Ironton was the industrial center of the whole Baraboo Valley

Discovery

Just who was the first to discover the ore deposits is uncertain; it has been credited to Henry Perry, who came to these parts with Don Carlos Barry in 1844, but in fact that Perry died seems to dissipate the belief that he was the individual. To the gentleman who accompanied David C. Reed here in 1847, and who died soon after, it was likewise been accredited. This is the more probable, for Mr. Reed is said to have learned of its existence from his friend, and it is a fact that he visited the location with Mr. Powell, another friend, in 1848. Mr. Powell appears to have entered it and received a deed for same on Jan. 3, 1849, which was transferred to Reed the 8th of January, same year. Thus it is evident that Reed once held the property.

Jonas Tower

The development of the mines began with the coming of this experienced miner to the site in 1855. Mr. Tower was a man of means and came from Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he had recently wed a fashionable lady of that place. In 1852 he came to Mayville, where he built a foundry. There learning of the Ironton deposit he started for Reedsburg, and, upon reaching that place, sought out Mr. Reed, its owner, and together the two men journeyed to the bluff over-looking the present site of the village of Ironton. Standing there, enrapt in the magnificent view before him, he remarked to Mr. Reed, in a voice that was full of pathos, "This will be my home; I shall remain".

Upon examining the deposits, he was instantly satisfied as to their worth, and that year completed the purchase of the property. Those were days of hardships and handicaps, and two years (or possibly three) were to elapse before a foundry was completed. The first thing he did was build a dam on the Little Baraboo river, at Ironton, at the present site of the mill, and near this the foundry was established.

In 1858 he began the erection of a fine pioneer house, the object of which was to attract his young wife (a fashionable lady of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., society) to share his life in the western wilderness. This lady, so the story goes, was a very gifted woman, and had remained in the East, refusing to come west. But after the house was completed that fall, the finest in all the countryside (and may it be added there was nothing to compare with it for many miles, save perhaps the Andrews house in Winfield, or the McClung house in Lodi) she was finally induced to join her husband.

So in the autumn of that year four huge teams from the foundry were dispatched to bring the mew mistress of the Tower House of Ironton. Thus it was that the village of Ironton came into being, and the mines came to be opened.

During the early days the burning of charcoal for use in the furnace was a great industry, and it gave employment to a large number of people. Mr. Tower continued to operate the mine, and grew rich at it, and at his death in 1878, the estate was valued at $170,960. At the time of Smith's demise Moses R. Doyon was head superintendent, and Francis Byrne was high in offical capacity, having come to Tower's employ in 1855, and remained with the mining company throughout.

Upon the demise of Mr. Smith, his sister, Mrs. Moses D. Herrick became chief heir, and her son-in-law, Moses R. Doyon, was superintendent. Under this management the mines were exhausted, and Francis Byrne came into possession of the property, which is still held by his heirs, the Byrne brothers of Ironton and Mrs. Miller of Baraboo.

Ironton, the Village

This village came into existence in 1855, when Jonas Tower and others, namely R. Dickinson, J. and E. Tout, C. Keith and Putnam Fuller acquired the village site and organized a firm with the idea of plotting a village. Within a short time, however, his partners withdrew, and Jonas Tower was left alone to prosecute his claim. Within a few years a number of buildings came into being, saw-mills, churches, schools, etc., and with the prosperity of the mines, the village grew. Ezra Hagaman put up the first frame house in the village on August 6, 1856, but soon sold to Mr. Sandgren. The first store held in the village was by Tower & Company, and was kept for the purpose of furnishing supplies to the men connected to the mines. The first private store was that of Tout & Fuller. The following year, 1857, Benjamin Paddock opened one, which he conducted until about 1870. Later, in 1873 the Blakesley store was established.

A postoffice was established at Ironton in 1855, or early in 1856, with N. H. Austin postmaster. Benjamin Paddock succeeded Austin and Peter Crook, another name frequently associated with the story of the Iron Mines, was also at one time postmaster.

Education

A district school was established in 1857. The first record of the district was dated September 29, of that year. The officers were Putnam Fuller, Director; William W. All, Treasurer; and Nehemiah H. Austin, Clerk. It was voted that a school tax of $50 be raised for school purposes, and that "the site of the schoolhouse be removed", by which it is understood that there must have been a schoolhouse prior to the date on the record. An old settler remembers the existence of one on Brownell's Hill, and another described as "Pearson's" which stood "a mile away". Whether or not these were maintained under the district school system, he is unable to say. At the next meeting of the board, it was resolved to purchase Joans Tower a schoolhouse site in the village for $150. Upon this site an educational edifice was later built. It was a brick structure and cost $600.

Prior to this action of the board, E. M. Tout taught a class in a dingy apartment under Fuller & Keith's store, and Miss Sarah E. Bailey of Reedsburg gave instructions to a limited number of pupils in the carpenter-shop kept by Mr. Johnson. B. F. Blackman and John F. Wilcox appear to have been the first to teach in the brick schoolhouse, and taught in 1859. Among the early teachers were: Miss V. Long, Alma Weir, Nellie Davis, Rosa C. Glass, O. T. Green, Jabez Brown of Woodland, Frances E. Danforth of Reedsburg, Ella Keith, Miss Meyers, Miss Ellinwood, Phoebe Bates, Lorenzo brown of Woodland, Miss Sprague, Miss Walker, J. T. Lunn who later became County Superintendent; Mary A. Wood, W. T. Cortleyou, D. E. Morgan, Frank L. Twist, of whom more elsewhere, Mary Wood, Kate Fitzgerald, Hannah Mann, Lizzie Stowe and H. M. Johnson.

Religious Institutions

One of the first religious institutions of Ironton was the Catholic Church, organized in 1862, which year a parish church was also erected, at a cost of $300. Among the families instrumental in its organization were those of James Douglas, Frank Kernan, and Henry Martin and Mr. Frank Byrne. Father Montague was the first pastor, and he came from Lyndon Station twice each month. He was followed by Father H. Steeley, who filled the pulpit from his charge in Westford, Richland County. Now the parish has a resident pastor.

In 1872 a Methodist church was organized, but previous to that meetings were held in the schoolhouse. Mrs. Tower was especially interested in Methodism, and engaged itinerant preachers to come to the schoolhouse meetings. The church, erected in 1872, cost $3,000. The early pastors were Revs. Walker, Dudley, Thomas, Holcomb, and Tyake.

Baptist services were conducted here at a very early date by Elder Conrad, then Rev. John Seamans, later A. D. Barbour, pastors of neighboring charges, but later a church was organized.

Settlers in Carr Valley

So far as is known Mr. Carr was the first settler in this region, and the community takes its name from this circumstance. Mr. Carr came about 1850, and lived in what isknown as Upper Carr Valley also. He settled on the W. E. Bible farm. Possibly the next settler to come was Ira Allen, locating on the farm now known as the Charles benson farm. His wife was Rebecca Bkiss, and they had previously resided in Sheboygan County. Mrs. mary Bible, Reedsburg, is hus daughter.

Among the other settlers in this valley were: J. Doyle, on the John Doyle farm; James Frank, on the D. Andrews farm; a Mr. Bennett where Peter Vosen Jr., now lives; Mr. St. John, on the Bradie Smith property; John Osborne, on the Eugene Gasser farm; Mr. Mackintyre, where John Burgess now lives; Owen Manville, on the Thos. Manville place; Patrick McDonald, on the Herbert Bingham farm; C. Collins, on the Jabez Marshall farm; E. Small, on the Frank Gasser farm; Mr. Davis, where the Ora Schuluter family reside; then there was Andrew Hillestad on the Daniel Webb place; Nelson Osborne, where Peter Vosen, Sr., now resides, and William Griffin, on the Abraham Griffin farm.

The first school in this community was established about 1854, and a schoolhouse was built on the Griffin fram. Some years later a frame building was put up and used for a schoolhouse. This stood on the David Webb farm.

From a letter written the editor this summer is taken the following extraction: "The Ironton Iron Mines affected the district in a way, for much of the wood cut on the farms was made into charcoal to be used in the furnace, in smelting ore. Rock for the building of the furnace was quarried on the Bradie Smith farm, on the Wm. Griffin farm, and on the hillsides one often finds the old dug-out roads which led to the furnace at Ironton."

Other settlers in the Lower Carr Valley country were the Casey family, who resided in a little cabin in what was then known as Wigwam Hollow, a ravine which starts on the William Griffin farm and opens toward Ironton. The father's name was Hugh Casey. John Casey, an early pupil of the first school on the Griffin farm, now residing at Ironton, writes that the schoolhouse stood in a grove of trees just north of the road that climbs the hill across the Jerry Doyle farm, and thinks the first board was comprised of the following individuals: Abraham Griffin, Mr. Mackintyre and Mr. (Doc.) Thompson, who later moved to Valton. The first teacher was probably Ellen Keith, sister of Charles Keith; possibly Miss Theresa Green, aunt of Ed. Mortimer of Ironton, was the next teacher. Theresa Green married Nelson Osborne. A Mr. Conklin lived on the James Francis place (now the Andrews farm). His children are John Conklin of LaValle and Mrs. Rachel Wells of Loganville.

In regard to School District No. 9, we would say that it was started in the early 1850s and that Alexander P. Ellinwood was the first teacher. In reply to inquiries Mr. Archie Thomas wrote as follows: "The earliest record seems to be 1865. Miss Emeline Finch was the teacher at that time. The first building was a log structure, but that was abandoned about 1865 and a new building erected. The latter was abandoned in 1875, when a frame house was built. The first schoolhouse Archie Mallon can remember was on the old Keith farm. Later it was down in the valley across from Ernest White's house. Now, of course it is on the ridge and there have been two schoolhouses there."

Lime Ridge