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Home Wisconsin County Histories 258
History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
brought up on a farm also teaching school while a young man. He was a member of the Ver¬ non Legislature in 1858-9. He has lived in Ver¬ non county since 1856, except two seasons spent in Minnesota and two years spent in Juneau Co., Wis. His wife's maiden name was Lucia Thomas, she was born in Franklin Co., Vt. They have four children: Harriet, wife of William Mutch; Mrs Cornelia Williams; William T., of Hastings, Minn., and J. M. Jr., of Dakota terri¬ tory.
In November, 1866, John R. Casson was elected county clerk. He has been re-elected seven times—in 1869, 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1879 and 1881, and is the present incumbent, having served the county a greater number of years than any other man who has ever held office here.
John R. Casson was first elected county clerk in November, 1866, and has served continu¬ ously in that capacity since Jan. 1, 1867. Mr. Casson was born in Albany, N. Y., March 2, 1833. His parents, Henry and Mary Casson, removed with their family to Brownsville, Penn., in the summer of 1833, and in 1848 again sought a new home, this time in the "far west." They located at Hennepin, Putnam Co., 111., where the father, brother and sister still live; the mother died in 1872. When thirteen years of age Mr. Casson obtained em¬ ployment as a clerk, and was engaged alter¬ nately in clerking and attending school for some years. He finally went to Freeport, 111., and a short time after, in December, 1854, came to Viroqua. He was employed as a clerk until August, 1862, when he enlisted in com¬ pany A, 25th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Upon the organization of the com¬ pany, Mr. Casson was made 2d sergeant; was promoted to a 2d lieutenantcy Sept. 13, 1862 ; elected as 1st lieutenant, Jan. 20, 1864, and chosen as captain of his company April 11, 1865. He participated in all the skirmishes and battles of "the 25th," "and with Sherman marched down to the sea."   He formed one in
that glorious review of western troops at Wash¬ ington, at the close of the rebellion, and was mustered out of service June 7, 1865. He re¬ turned to Vernon county, and was in the em¬ ploy of J. H. Tate, as a clerk, from Sep¬ tember, 1865, till December, 1866. In the fall of the latter year he was elected to his present position, and his character and actions as a citizen, a soldier, and a public official, have won for him the confidence and esteem of the community and the county at large. Mr. Cas¬ son married Lydia A., daughter of Dr. E. W. Tinker, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. They are the parents of four children —Harry I., a clerk in the pension department of the United States, at Washington, D. C.; Lulu E., wife of A. W. Campbell, of the law firm of Harris & Campbell, Aberdeen, Dak.; William E. and John E.—all natives of Viroqua.
Rufus Gillett was the first sheriff of the county, being elected in April, 1851. Rufus Gillett came from Illinois, in 1847, and settled upon a farm in township 13, range 4, now the town of Viroqua. He remained upon the place until the time of his death, a few years ago, and his widow still survives him. Mr. Gillett was a man of sterling worth and integrity. He held the respect of all who knew him.
James M. Bailey was elected sheriff in November, 1851, and re-elected in November, 1853. Bailey was a Kentuckian by birth, but came to Bad Ax county, from Grant Co., Wis., where he had been engaged at mining. He settled upon land on West Prairie, which is now included in the town of Sterling. About 1873 he removed to near Victory, in the town of Wheatland, where he still lives.
In September, 1855, Jeremiah M. Rusk was elected sheriff and served for two years. He is the present governor of Wisconsin.
William P. Clark succeeded J. M. Rusk as sheriff, being elected in November, 1857. Clark was a relative of, and came from the same place as  did J. M. Bailey.   He, also, settled
Title History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.
Title of work History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.
Short title History of Vernon County, Wisconsin
Author Union Publishing Company
Description This 1884 history of Vernon County, Wisconsin, covers such topics as geology and topography, Indians, the Winnebago War, the Black Hawk War, early settlers and pioneer life,politics and government, courts, railroads, pioneer reminiscences, Vernon County residents in teh Civil War, agriculture, medicine, newspapers, schools, and the towns, and villages of Bergen, Christiana, Clinton, Coon, Forest, Franklin, Genoa, Greenwood, Hamburg, Harmony, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Kickapoo, Liberty, Stark, Sterling, Union, Viroqua, Webster, Wheatland, and Whitetown. Biographical sketches of residents of the counties are included.
Place of Publication (Original) Springfield, Illinois
Publisher (Original) Union Publishing Company
Publication Date (Original) 1884
Format-Digital xml
Rights We believe that online reproduction of this material is permitted because its copyright protection has lapsed or because sharing it here for non-profit educational purposes complies with the Fair Use provisions of the U.S. Copyright Law. Teachers and students are generally free to reproduce pages for nonprofit classroom use. For advice about other uses, or if you believe that you possess copyright to some of this material, please contact us at asklibrary@wisconsinhistory.org.
Identifier-Digital Vern1884000
State Wisconsin;
County Vernon County;
Decade 1820-1829; 1830-1839; 1840-1849; 1850-1859; 1860-1869; 1870-1879; 1880-1889;
Title 258
Page Number 258
Format-Digital jpeg
Full Text 258 HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY. brought up on a farm also teaching school while a young man. He was a member of the Ver¬ non Legislature in 1858-9. He has lived in Ver¬ non county since 1856, except two seasons spent in Minnesota and two years spent in Juneau Co., Wis. His wife's maiden name was Lucia Thomas, she was born in Franklin Co., Vt. They have four children: Harriet, wife of William Mutch; Mrs Cornelia Williams; William T., of Hastings, Minn., and J. M. Jr., of Dakota terri¬ tory. In November, 1866, John R. Casson was elected county clerk. He has been re-elected seven times—in 1869, 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1879 and 1881, and is the present incumbent, having served the county a greater number of years than any other man who has ever held office here. John R. Casson was first elected county clerk in November, 1866, and has served continu¬ ously in that capacity since Jan. 1, 1867. Mr. Casson was born in Albany, N. Y., March 2, 1833. His parents, Henry and Mary Casson, removed with their family to Brownsville, Penn., in the summer of 1833, and in 1848 again sought a new home, this time in the "far west." They located at Hennepin, Putnam Co., 111., where the father, brother and sister still live; the mother died in 1872. When thirteen years of age Mr. Casson obtained em¬ ployment as a clerk, and was engaged alter¬ nately in clerking and attending school for some years. He finally went to Freeport, 111., and a short time after, in December, 1854, came to Viroqua. He was employed as a clerk until August, 1862, when he enlisted in com¬ pany A, 25th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Upon the organization of the com¬ pany, Mr. Casson was made 2d sergeant; was promoted to a 2d lieutenantcy Sept. 13, 1862 ; elected as 1st lieutenant, Jan. 20, 1864, and chosen as captain of his company April 11, 1865. He participated in all the skirmishes and battles of "the 25th" "and with Sherman marched down to the sea." He formed one in that glorious review of western troops at Wash¬ ington, at the close of the rebellion, and was mustered out of service June 7, 1865. He re¬ turned to Vernon county, and was in the em¬ ploy of J. H. Tate, as a clerk, from Sep¬ tember, 1865, till December, 1866. In the fall of the latter year he was elected to his present position, and his character and actions as a citizen, a soldier, and a public official, have won for him the confidence and esteem of the community and the county at large. Mr. Cas¬ son married Lydia A., daughter of Dr. E. W. Tinker, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. They are the parents of four children —Harry I., a clerk in the pension department of the United States, at Washington, D. C.; Lulu E., wife of A. W. Campbell, of the law firm of Harris & Campbell, Aberdeen, Dak.; William E. and John E.—all natives of Viroqua. SHERIFF. Rufus Gillett was the first sheriff of the county, being elected in April, 1851. Rufus Gillett came from Illinois, in 1847, and settled upon a farm in township 13, range 4, now the town of Viroqua. He remained upon the place until the time of his death, a few years ago, and his widow still survives him. Mr. Gillett was a man of sterling worth and integrity. He held the respect of all who knew him. James M. Bailey was elected sheriff in November, 1851, and re-elected in November, 1853. Bailey was a Kentuckian by birth, but came to Bad Ax county, from Grant Co., Wis., where he had been engaged at mining. He settled upon land on West Prairie, which is now included in the town of Sterling. About 1873 he removed to near Victory, in the town of Wheatland, where he still lives. In September, 1855, Jeremiah M. Rusk was elected sheriff and served for two years. He is the present governor of Wisconsin. William P. Clark succeeded J. M. Rusk as sheriff, being elected in November, 1857. Clark was a relative of, and came from the same place as did J. M. Bailey. He, also, settled
History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Together with...
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Certificates of Vernon County
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History of Wisconsin
Chapter I. Pre-Historic and Settlement
Chapter II. Wisconsin as a Territory
Chapter III. Wisconsin as a State
- [Plate]
History of Vernon County, Wisconsin
Chapter I. Area, Position and Physical Features
Chapter II. Topography and Geology
Chapter III. Ancient Inhabitants
Chapter IV. Early Explorations
Chapter V. The Winnebago War
Chapter VI. The Black Hawk War
Chapter VII. United States Land Surveys
Chapter VIII. First Settlement of the County
Chapter IX. Pioneer Life
Chapter X. First Things
Chapter XI. Formation and Organization of the County
Chapter XII. Territorial, State and Congressional Representation
Chapter XIII. County Government
Chapter XIV. Civil Sub-Divisions of Vernon County
Chapter XV. The Courts of Vernon County
Chapter XVI. The Bar of Vernon County
Chapter XVII. The War for the Union
Chapter XVIII. Pioneer Reminiscences
Chapter XIX. Election Returns
Chapter XX. County Representation
Chapter XXI. The Medical Profession
Chapter XXII. Agriculture and the Agricultural Society
Chapter XXIII. The Press
Chapter XXIV. The Great Tornado
Chapter XXV. Previously Published Historical Sketches
Chapter XXVI. Miscellaneous
Chapter XXVII. Poets and Poetry
Chapter XXVIII. The Schools of Vernon County
Chapter XXIX. Various Things
Chapter XXX. The Town of Bergen
Chapter XXXI. The Town of Christiana
Chapter XXXII. The Town of Clinton
Chapter XXXIII. The Town of Coon
Chapter XXXIV. The Town of Forest
Chapter XXXV. The Town of Franklin
Chapter XXXVI The Town of Genoa
Chapter XXXVII. The Town of Greenwood
Chapter XXXVIII. The Town of Hamburg
Chapter XXXIX. Town of Harmony
Chapter XL. The Town of Hillsborough
Chapter XLI. The Town of Jefferson
Chapter XLII. The Town of Kickapoo
Chapter XLIII. The Town of Liberty
Chapter XLIV. The Town of Stark
Chapter XLV. The Town of Sterling
Chapter XLVI. The Town of Union
Chapter XLVII. Village and Town of Viroqua
Chapter XLVIII. Town of Webster
Chapter XLIX. The Town of Wheatland
Chapter L. Town of Whitestown
Chapter LI. Honorable Mention
Chapter LII. Miscellaneous