- During the winter of 1843, the settlers
in Fulton, as now bounded, met at the house
- of Lyman MORSE, drew up and
signed a petition, asking the Legislature to organize their town,
to be called "Franklin." There being another town by
that name, they changed it to Fulton and passed the act of organization.
The first Tuesday in April, 1843, the voters in the town (some
twenty in number) met at the house of William B. FOSTER
and held their first town meeting. The settlement of this town
began in 1836-37. The pioneers were Robert and Daniel STONE.
Other early comers were George R. RAMSAY, William B. FOSTER
(who established Foster's Ferry), Elijah TRUE, Lyman MORSE,
George E. COWAN, Anson GOODRICH, William SQUIRES
and Silas HURD. The first wedding was George E. COWAN
and Mary WARD's, at Silas HURD's, in 1840. The
first death was Mrs. PROCTOR's, at Cloudon STOUGHTON's.
The first child was born in 1839. Dr. Rollin HEAD taught
the first school at the house of William B. FOSTER, in
1841. Guy STOUGHTON, owning land on the river at the foot
of Lake Koshkonong, believing that the fall was sufficient to
make a good water-power, contracted with Mr. HANCHETT,
in the spring of 1845, to build a dam. The dam was completed
during that year, and a sawmill built, which was run for several
years and then converted into a gristmill. The first bridge across
the river was at Indian Ford, built in 1845, by private subscription.
This in the central town on the northern border of the county.
It comprises township 4 north, of range 12 east.
- Edgerton, in the town of Fulton, on
the northern border of the county, twelve miles
- north of Janesville, was settled in
1836, laid out as a village in 1854 and incorporated as a city
in 1883. It is an important station on the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul Railway. The shipment of tobacco is the principal
industry, nearly half of what is raised in the State being shipped
from this point. Robert and Daniel STONE and William SQUIRES
were the pioneer settlers. Thomas QUIGLEY came in 1843,
and located sixty acres where the railroad depot now stands.
Soon after him came Lucius M. PAGE, who bought eighty
acres north of QUIGLEY's claim. That part of the village
north of the railroad was laid out by H. S. SWIFT, that
part south of the railroad by Adin, J. and E. A. BURDICK.
Ferdinand DAVIS built the first frame house in 1853; H.
S. SWIFT built SWIFT's block in 1857; the Exchange
and the United States Hotel were built by Nelson COON,
who opened the former in 1854; and the American House was built
in 1854. The first birth was that of Frank HALL, the first
marriage was that of John QUIGLEY and Theresa MALIAN,
and the first death that of Mr. HAKES. The post-office
was established in 1854, with William B. HALL in charge.
The place contains Methodist, Catholic, Baptist and German Lutheran
churches, German and public schools, two banks, two hotels, a
well-equipped fire department, and two weekly newspapers - the
Wisconsin Tobacco Reporter and the Edgerton
Index. Live stock, grain and brick are shipped. Population,
2,000.
- Indian Ford, on Rock River, ten miles
north of Janesville, in the town of Fulton, is so
- called because, in 1836, Black-Hawk
and his braves forded the Catfish River on the site of what is
now the village. It owes its existence to Guy and Clouden STOUGHTON,
who obtained a charter for the water-power from the government,
erected a dam there and built a mill, in 1843. Mr. Guy STOUGHTON,
to whom the credit of the latter work must be given, was the
first bona-fide settler and claim-holder on the village plat,
and erected the first house thereon. Mr. Silas HURD and
Mr. George E. COWAN were the first settlers in the neighborhood.
The first store and tavern were kept in 1840, by a man named
ELLETT. The first school was opened about 1842. The village
contains two flouring-mills, two churches and several small mechanics'
shops. Population, 250.
- Fulton, on the west border of the town
of Fulton, on Catfish Creek, twelve miles
- northwest of Janesville and four miles
southwest of Edgerton, was settled in 1846, by Emmanuel CORKER,
who soon began the erection of a gristmill. Other early settlers,
who came soon after him, were James MERWIN, Edward HYLAND,
Nelson COON, David L. MILLS, Stiles HAKES,
and Henry M. DICKINSON, who opened the first store. Nelson
COON built the hotel, which was opened by Philip DAVAULT,
under the name of the Fulton House. A creamery was established
in 1875. A frame school-house was erected in 1847, and gave place
to a brick one in 1864. The first Sunday-school was organized
by Frank SAYRE in 1849. The gristmill of WHITE
Brothers was purchased by them about twenty years ago. It is
the same built originally by Emmanuel CORKER.
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