Rock County, Wisconsin

From: Wisconsin Gazetteer by John Warren Hunt ©1853 Beriah Brown, Printer, Madison p. 113 Courtesy of Lori

JANESVILLE, Town, in county of Rock, being town 3 N., of range 12 E.; located in the southeast corner of which is Janesville, the county seat. The population in 1850 was 3,419. It has 12 school districts.

From: Combination Atlas Map of Rock County, Wisconsin ©1873 Everts, Baskin & Stewart, Chicago, Ill. p. 48 Courtesy of Lori

The city of Janesville is located int he southeast corner of this township, and occupies, including outlots, about two miles square; the balance of the township is very excellent farming land: both prairie and openings exist. The town is well watered and wooded; the Rock River passes through the eastern portion of the town, and is skirted all along with heavy timber. The face of the soil is more broken than that of some towns, owing to the river bluffs extending back somem distance. It is said that the first bridge built across Rock River in the county was in this town, by A. W. POPE and others, in the northern part, on the old territorial road, which was formerly one of the busiest thoroughfares in the State so far west of the Lakes. The names and location of the early settlers are identically the same as spoken of elsewhere in connection with the settlement of the county; that being the case, it is useless to rehearse it here.

From: The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wisconsin ©1889 p. 1013 Courtesy of Carol

February 17, 1842, township 3 and the north half of township 2 north, of ranges 13 and 14 east, and all of that part of township 3 and 4 north, of range 12 lying east, lying east of Rock River, were organized into a town by the name of Janesville. On March 21, 1843, that part comprised in township 3 north, of range 14 east and township 4 north, of range 12 east, was organized into a town by itself. On the 10th of April of the last mentioned year part of township 3 north, of range 13 east, was annexed to Janesville. In 1850, the east half, which was township 3 north, of range 12 east, was organized into a separate town; and thus the town of Janesville was made to include township 3 north, of range 12 east. Among the prominent farmers of the town thirty to forty years ago were Z. P. BURDICK; Charles TERWILLIGER, Thomas WELCH, E. STRUNK, Gideon CHAPIN, E. W. BARKER, H. P. CULVER, Henry SEARCH, James CARL, Robert SHAW, David JEFFRIS, H. H. SIMONDS, John B. CARL, George JOHNSTON, John HOLMES, William BRACE and William R. HALL. As the first settlement in this town was identical with that of the village and city of Janesville, and account of it is reserved for a place in the history of the latter. The first supervisors were W. H. H. BAILEY (chairman), George E. COWEN and Jesse E. CORLESS.