ELDORADO TOWNSHIP
Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin
1862
Town Plat Map*
Civil War Veterans Credited to Town of Eldorado
Eldorado
Social News, The Fairwater Register, 1903-1905
Wisconsin Gazetteers for the Village of Eldorado
Genealogies:
Early Watson
& Edwards Pioneers of Township (Robert Edwards)
Eldorado - Township 16 north, of Range 16 east, bounded on the north
by Nekimi (Winnebago County), east by Friendship, south by Lamartine, and west by
Rosendale - was named, in all probability, by John 0. Henning, now of Hudson, editor of
the first paper in Fond du Lac County. Its' surface is considerably but gently undulating,
and contains less prairie than most of the other towns in the vicinity. It has
considerable heavy timber, some oak openings and several marshes; one, called Eldorado
Marsh, being of considerable size. From them an immense quantity of wild hay is cut, while
some portions have been seeded to tame hay and make productive meadows.
The first settlers were Moses S. Barnett, Theodore R. Sheldon,
William Hall and others, who located within its borders early in 1846.
Stephen Claggett, Alex. Cronk, and Thomas and James Merchant settled
in the town in 1846, after the first settlement. In 1847, Cyrus and Joseph Pasco, John and
Robert Cowhan, John Claggett, John F. Steele, William Dilts, M. Duel, Isaac Claggett, John
Adams, David Austin, E. and William Williams, A. R. Wilber, Nelson Phillips, A. M.
Donelly, H. Dilts and perhaps others.
It was a large town at first; an act approved March 11, 1848, making
what is now Eldorado and Friendship a separate town called Eldorado. The first town
meeting was held in April, 1848, at the house of Cyrus Parks, at which M. S. Barnett was
chosen Chairman, and James Cowhan, Town Clerk. Another act, passed February 1, 1849,
divided the original town into the present towns of Eldorado and Friendship, the first
election being held in April, 1849, at the house of William C. Walcott.
Eldorado is well wooded, the sale of cord-wood, stave-bolts and
materials for hard-wood work being an important item with its inhabitants. It is also well
watered, has a good soil of loam (except the marshes) and in some parts is well adapted to
sheep raising, which is profitably followed. No license for the sale of intoxicating
drinks was ever granted in Eldorado, and never but once did the town give a Republican
majority on a State or national question. The first school was taught by John F. Steele in
the north portion of the town. Now there are six schoolhouses within its limits in which
there is a good attendance. There are also three church buildings, on Sections 18, 15 and
26, the first being built about 1860. The Sheboygan & Fond du Lac Railway, which
maintains a depot near Eldorado Mills, passes through the
extreme southwest corner of the town. The West Branch of the Fond du Lac River flows
through the southern portion of the town, affording water-power at Eldorado Mills, where
Scribners large flouring mill is in operation. This stream, in an early day, also turned
M. S. Barnetts mill, built in 1846, and the first of any kind in the town.
The inhabitants of Eldorado are largely Irish-Americans, though a
good sprinkling of Germans and Americans is found.
The records being burned, only the following Chairmen and Town
Clerks can be presented: 1861, L. M. Dunham, Thomas Woods; 1862, C. W. Frederick, William
Kirkwood; 1863, C. W. Frederick, William Kirkwood; 1864, C. W. Frederick, William
Kirkwood; 1865, C. W. Frederick, William Kirkwood; 1866, C. W. Frederick, William
Kirkwood; 1867, C. W. Frederick, David Ackerson; 1868, C. W. Frederick, David Ackerson;
1869, C. W. Frederick, L. M. Dunham; 1870, C. W. Frederick, L. M. Dunham; 1871, C. W.
Frederick, L. M. Dunham; 1872, James Lewis, L. M. Dunham; 1873, James Lewis, George
Gibson; 1874, C. W. Frederick, George Gibson; 1875, C. W. Frederick, W. S. Hall; 1876,
John Remer, George Gibson; 1877, John Remer, George Gibson; 1878, John Remer, Mark Crain;
1879, James K. Scribner, Mark Crain.
The first to make a location in Eldorado was Harvey Anderson, in the
fall of 1845. In May, 1846, Moses S. Barnett, now of Neenah, Wis., made a permanent
settlement.
The first land was entered by Samuel Sanborn, on the northeast
quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 31, in 1846.
The first grist-mill was built in 1857 by Hiram Wheeler and James K.
Scribner on Section 31.
The first store was opened in 1849, on Section 7, by N. Jorgensen.
The first schoolhouse was built in November, 1848.
The first sermon was preached by Elder E. N. Wright, a Free-Will
Baptist, in the fall of 1848, at Cyrus Pascos house.
The first child born was Charles A. Wolcott, July 30, 1847.
The first death, George Barnett, in 1847.
The first marriage, Stephen Claggett to Margaret ONeil, in 1847.
The first post office was established in the spring of 1848, by
Necoli Jorgensen, called Bothelle. Not far from this time, John 0. Henning was postmaster
on the east side of the marsh, and some think his commission was received before
Jorgensens.
History of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin,
Western Historical Company, Chicago: 1880**
* From W. T. Coneys, Map of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin,
Bogert & Haight: 1862 (Copied and Indexed by Sally Powers Albertz, Wisconsin State
Historical Society library Pam 93-3904 Mss Sect)
** Like many similar publications of the period, Western's 1880 history
relies heavily on interviews with early residents conducted many years later. Narratives
were subject to selective, sometimes creative recollection, and the resulting work should
be appreciated for the historical publication that it is but viewed with a critical eye as
a history. We caution viewers to verify the data contained in these early stories.
