Sherwood Township, Clark County, Wisconsin

Sherwood, as it is presently known, was the seventeenth town in the county created by an order of the county board on the 8^th day of January, 1874, it consisted of township 23, Range 1, East; and is the southeastern town in Clark County. It was originally called the town of Perkins, taking its name from Hugh Perkins, ones of the prominent settlers residing there. The first town meeting was held at the house of Perkins on the first Tuesday of April, 1874.

It was known as the town of Perkins for a little over two years, when the county board of supervisors changed its name from Perkins to Sherwood Forest, under which name is existed for nearly twenty years.

In 1884 Hugh Perkins became involved in an altercation with one Isaac Meddaugh, a resident of the town, at the saw mill belonging to Perkins, the quarrel resulting in the death of Meddaugh. Perkins was arrested, charged with murder. In November, 1884, when confined in the Clark county jail (not the present one) he broke jail and made his escape.

Nearly four years after in October, 1888, he was re-captured at Windsor, Ontario, opposite Detroit, Michigan. He was tried in June, 1889, and was convicted of manslaughter in the first degree. This verdict was set aside by Judge Newman, and Perkins was again tried in December, 1889, the jury finding him guilty of manslaughter in the second degree. On appeal to the supreme court this last conviction was reversed, and a new trail ordered, but nothing further was done with the case.

Not wanting the town named for a convicted murderer, the name Sherwood Forest was suggested by Gov. C. C. Washburn, who had lands and logging interests in the town. It was an appropriate name, purely sentimental, but like its ancient namesake in Notthinghamshire, England, was suggestive of the tradition of Robin Hood, Little John, Friar Tuck, and Maid Marian. On the 12^th of January, 1900, the county board, on the application of the chairman of the town, changed its name from Sherwood Forest to Forest.

At present the name of the town stands for nothing. It is neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red herring.

Source: Robert J. McBride's 1909 History of Clark Co., WI.

Sherwood at the Turn of the Century

The town of Sherwood, formerly the town of Perkins and later Sherwood Forest, lies in the southeast corner of Clark County. The surface of the township is somewhat level, though there are ridges running through the town with one or two high bluffs. Until the past few years, the farming land of the town had been hardly developed. In the past the town was considered valuable principally for its timber, but since the timber has been cleared off and the land has dried out because of the clearing, the land has been producing better crops. Grass, oats, corn, barley, peas, potatoes and all garden vegetables do well in that area.

In the past few years, the town of Sherwood has developed much faster than in the past. Good roads are being constructed and there is now a first-class turnpike to City Point on the Green Bay railroad, Pittsville and Lynn on the C. M. & St. P. and Granton and Neillsville on the Omaha railroad.

There are lumber, lath and shingle mills in the town where the settler can buy or have prepared material for building. The town is well supplied with schoolhouses and has a fine town hall where religious and other public meetings are held. There are two post offices in the town, namely Dewhurst and Nevins, supplied by a stage line from City Point. In 1895 the population was 182 and in 1900 it had increased to 231 with settlers constantly coming in. Land in this town is comparatively reasonable in price. The present town officers are as follows: Chairman, Robert Sparks; Town Clerk, Byron Pickering; Treasurer, J. Jacobson and Assessor, G. Maxfield. Clark County Press, Feb., 1902