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Plainfield |
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One of the most wide-awake and driving villages on the line of the Wisconsin Central Railroad is Plainfield, situated in the western part of Waushara County. In 1852, E.C. Waterman settled on land which is now the site of the village and erected a shanty, 16x12, which he used as a dwelling house and "hotel." This building was afterward enlarged into the neculeus of the Plainfield House, still standing on Main Street. Mr. Waterman died in the village. In March 1855, W.W. Beach, still living and one of the most honored of her citizens, settled in the village and built the next house. Charles Hamilton was among the very earliest settlers of the town. He, with Messrs. Waterman and Beach, built the first schoolhouse, and Mary Chester taught the young ideas how to properly grow. The very first settler in the town was William Kelley, who located on a piece of land just south of the village in 1848. For some time after, the little settlement which was collecting on the present site of Plainfield was called Norwich; but when a post office was to me located and it became necessary to choose a name, "Plainfield" was decided upon, at the suggestion of E.C. Waterman, the Postmaster, and Charles Mann. The former erected the second house after Mr. Beach's and the latter the third. The location of the post office and platting of a village is alwasy the signal for a fresh growth. Having been named, the village was platted the same year by S.W. Hall, Surveyor, for E.C. Waterman, proprietor. Other additions have since been made, the most important being Hamilton's addition. Previous to 1855, quite a number had located in the town, among the most prominent being Judge T.H. Walker, the first County Judge, who came in 1850; Jesse Bentley and family, in the same year, and Samuel Westbrook in 1852. The first grist-mill, a saw-mill being run in connect with it, was erected by Cady & Camberlain in 1856. This was burned in 1857 and rebuilt. The first general store in the village had been opened the previous year (1855) by Beach & Chester. Thus the groundwork was laid by 1856 for the present energetic little village, which now has half a dozen flourishing general stores - hardware, drug and miscellaneous establishments, several manufatories and hotels, a school, two churches and a newspaper. One of the best buildings in the village was erected by J.B. Mitchell in 1880. His hotel is one of the best in this section.
The village school has two grades. The Baptist denomination has a society, but no selected pastor. The Methodists have a new church building, dedicated in the summer of 1881, and a society of seventy members, whose pastor is Rev. W.H. Chynoweth.
J.W. Durham operates a grist and planing mill, and James Ingall is about to put a feed and flour mill in operation. O'Cain & Williams run a flour-mill. There are two wagon shops, owned by J.L. Kretzer and McKeague & Brother. A mere mention of the leading features and business men of the place gives some idea of the life and energy to be seen daily on its streets.
J.T. Ellarson is proprietor of the Plainfield Times, which has now entered its sixth volume, and is Republican in politics.