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Fond du Lac County |  Brandon  |  Fairwater | Reeds Corners

Metomen is situated in the centre of the west tier of towns in Fond du Lac County, and is in Range 14, east, Town 15, and is bounded north by the town of Ripon, east by Springvale, south by Alto, and west by Green Lake, in Green Lake County.

The town was organized and named in the fall of 1845. Frank Bowman, who lived on section three, just across the line in Alto, but owned the five forties lying directly opposite in this town, was the person who christened the town, he proposing the name of Metomen, which is of Indian origin, signifying "corn ground," and it was adopted by the settlers. (G. M. West, Metomen, Springvale, Alto and Waupun, During the War, Times Office, Brandon: 1867)

From 1878 Historical Atlas of Wisconsin

This is called the richest town in Fond du Lac county, cities not included. This reputation is sustained by the taxes paid in 1879 by Metomen, which were about $300 in excess of those in any other town.

The town as a whole is a rich, undulating prairie, scarcely one-twentieth of its area being timber.

Its elevation, its gradually rolling surface and deep, warm soil combine to render it attractive and productive. Other portions of the township claim equal fertility. Much of the land is higher than any of the surrounding country - is, in fact, a watershed from which the streams flow southeasterly, northerly, and westerly. The East Branch of the Rock River rises in Metomen. The Grand River, in the southwest corner, affords mill privileges at Fairwater. Wells upon the high prairie are not deep, but furnish exhaustless water supply.

The land has been well adapted to wheat-raising, but, lately, attention has been profitably turned to stock-raising, particularly of sheep; and wool is becoming a leading export. For general farming purposes, Metomen is excelled by few in the State. (History of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Western Historical Company, Chicago: 1880)¹

Fairwater's "Jim Town," ca. 1903 (courtesy Winton & Cirena Lenz)   Fairwater's  German school and Lutheran church, ca. 1900; the school building was constructed in 1860 as the First Regular Baptist Church (courtesy Oliver & Frances Stelter)   Sketch of Almon Osborn's farm in the vicinity of Reeds Corners (from History of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, 1880)   Brandon's Main Street, 1907 (courtesy Florian Laper)   The Brandon railroad depot, ca. 1907 (postcard courtesy Milton & Janice Born)

COMMUNITIES

• Brandon
• Fairwater
• Reeds Corners & Metomen (Chronology to 1880)

CENSUSES

• 1847 Wisconsin Territorial Census
• 1850 Federal Census
• 1855 Wisconsin State Census
• 1860 Federal Census
• Registered Voters, 1868
• 1870 Federal Census
• Reading the 1870 Metomen Census
• 1877 Brandon Incorporation Census
• 1885 Wisconsin State Census

LAND PATENTS AND PLAT MAPS

• Land Patents
• Land Patent Map (PDF format)
• 1862 Plat Map (PDF format)²

CEMETERIES

• Brandon Cemetery
• Fairwater Cemetery
• Reeds Corners Bethel Cemetery (Reeds Corners Road in section 3)
• Round Prairie Cemetery (Highway 49 in section 21)
• Swartz Family Cemetery (Radio Road in section 4)
• Union Prairie Cemetery (County T in section 25
• Wood Cemetery (County JJ [Liner Road] in section 5 of the town of Alto)

BIOGRAPHIES AND AREA HISTORIES

• Town of Metomen Biographies

• Ripon's Booth War, 1860
• Civil War Veterans Credited to Metomen (from History of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, 1880)
• Roster of Civil War Veterans (All Sources)
• Company C, 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry
• Creation of the Brandon-Markesan Railroad, 1882-83
• "A Pioneer Boyhood," James B. Pond (from The Century Magazine, 1899; Pond's description of his experiences growing up in northern Alto Township in the 1840's and 1850's)

NEWSPAPERS

• Brandon Scrapbook
• Fairwater Scrapbook 
• The Fairwater Register
• Creation of the Brandon-Markesan Railroad, 1882 (Brandon Times)

¹Like 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. Viewers are cautioned to verify the information presented.

² 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)