Jordan Township
Congressional township 2 north, range 6 east, comprises what is organized as the civil town of Jordan. On the north, it adjoins the town of Adams, on the east Monroe; on the south Cadiz; and on the west the county of Lafayette.
The first settlement, within the limits now comprising the town of Jordan, was made by William BRAZEL in 1837. Others to follow him were: John TROTTER, Curtis HARD, Henry CRARY, Chester STEPHENS, Dr. Edward CHURCH, Lars Larson BOTHAN, Iver IVERSON, Axiel Iverson STORTOTTLE, Mr TOLLEFSON, John and George SHELTON, John SOPER and several others.
The first marriage was that of Addison WELLS to Paulena JACOBS in 1841. She died soon after.
Several cheese factories were built and maintained early in the settling of Jordan.
Extracted from the "History of Green County, Wisconsin" published by Union Publishing Company, Springfield, Ill. 1884; page 890
The first settlement, within the limits now comprising the town of Jordan, was made by William BRAZEL in 1837. Others to follow him were: John TROTTER, Curtis HARD, Henry CRARY, Chester STEPHENS, Dr. Edward CHURCH, Lars Larson BOTHAN, Iver IVERSON, Axiel Iverson STORTOTTLE, Mr TOLLEFSON, John and George SHELTON, John SOPER and several others.
The first marriage was that of Addison WELLS to Paulena JACOBS in 1841. She died soon after.
Several cheese factories were built and maintained early in the settling of Jordan.
Extracted from the "History of Green County, Wisconsin" published by Union Publishing Company, Springfield, Ill. 1884; page 890
Jordan has a diversity of Ways and Means whereby a living can be made by the industrious man.
Congressional township 2 range 6, is Jordan, a picturesque, beautiful township of hills, dales, prairie and woodland. The valuable accessory of two creeks, Skinner and Jordan, traversing the township from northeast to southwest. An old pioneer said there was on an average one good spring for every forty acres of land, evenly distributed throughout the township.
Jordan was not settled as early as some other townships. The first settlement was made by Robert BRAZEL, John TROTTER and Joshua CHILTON, of Illinois. BRAZEL came in 1837, the others in 1839. John and George YAZEL, Nathennel MATHEWS and other settlers, residing in log cabins in the southern part of the township. James MILLER was already on his farm west of the Lattice Bridge which it is said is just over the line in Lafayette County, so near the line they were looked upon as belonging to Green County
Wiota was in the very early day called "The Cape" as some of the settlers had come from a cape on the New England Coast. At the junction of Jordan creek and the Pecatonica, the early settlers believed there would some day be a city. Steamboats came up the river to that point in 1845.
Coates HARD and Henry CRARY side and others came in 1845. HARD dies soon after. He had settled in Jockey Hollow. Lars LARSON came in 1843 and was the first Norwegian in the county. He was followed by other countrymen. These were the first white settlers of the township, who built their log cabins. Life was real and earnest with them. John and George SHELDON came from Virginia in 1836, and first worked as miners at Wiota, and in 1842 settled in Jordan. John was killed in Missouri in the war. He died for the cause that was lost. The first land broken in the township was by William BRAZEL in 1836. He raised the first corn in that year and in 1837 raised the first crop of wheat in the township. The first school house was erected in 1845. The men had a bee, cut and drew the logs and built the house. No nails were used. Its roof was made of shakes, held together by weight poles. The first school was taught by James TENNISON. The first marriage was Addison WELLS and Pauline JACOBS in 1841, performed by Warren OSGOOD, Justice of the Peace. The bride soon died and WELLS was consoled by two other wives. The first religious service was held by a Baptist minister in 1841, early in the summer, in a cabin owned by Joshua CHELTON. The first laid out road was the White Oak and Exeter road. It was a territorial road between Adams and Jordan. History does not tell us who was the first child born in Jordan. These facts are hard to reach. When a man had to travel to Mineral Point for a permit to marry, we must doubt if the births were recorded in all cases. The civil government was only in swaddling clothes in 1840, and records of towns and families were kept in most any fashion.
The family chronology was kept in the head of the mother, or with a burned stick on the logs of the house. Several have claimed the right to the first white child born in the county. Miss Louisa WALLACE set up the claim, and should have been the first child of Green county. The family home was in Exeter, but they were in Galena at that important moment in the life of Louisa in 1830. Andrew CLARNO, a wideawake, active man through the county has often said that the first white child born in the county was a daughter to Nicholas and Eliza HALE in 1841 in the home of Andrew CLARNO.
Excerpts from the Monroe Daily Journal 3 January 1907 previously from the Brodhead Register. (typed as written)
Congressional township 2 range 6, is Jordan, a picturesque, beautiful township of hills, dales, prairie and woodland. The valuable accessory of two creeks, Skinner and Jordan, traversing the township from northeast to southwest. An old pioneer said there was on an average one good spring for every forty acres of land, evenly distributed throughout the township.
Jordan was not settled as early as some other townships. The first settlement was made by Robert BRAZEL, John TROTTER and Joshua CHILTON, of Illinois. BRAZEL came in 1837, the others in 1839. John and George YAZEL, Nathennel MATHEWS and other settlers, residing in log cabins in the southern part of the township. James MILLER was already on his farm west of the Lattice Bridge which it is said is just over the line in Lafayette County, so near the line they were looked upon as belonging to Green County
Wiota was in the very early day called "The Cape" as some of the settlers had come from a cape on the New England Coast. At the junction of Jordan creek and the Pecatonica, the early settlers believed there would some day be a city. Steamboats came up the river to that point in 1845.
Coates HARD and Henry CRARY side and others came in 1845. HARD dies soon after. He had settled in Jockey Hollow. Lars LARSON came in 1843 and was the first Norwegian in the county. He was followed by other countrymen. These were the first white settlers of the township, who built their log cabins. Life was real and earnest with them. John and George SHELDON came from Virginia in 1836, and first worked as miners at Wiota, and in 1842 settled in Jordan. John was killed in Missouri in the war. He died for the cause that was lost. The first land broken in the township was by William BRAZEL in 1836. He raised the first corn in that year and in 1837 raised the first crop of wheat in the township. The first school house was erected in 1845. The men had a bee, cut and drew the logs and built the house. No nails were used. Its roof was made of shakes, held together by weight poles. The first school was taught by James TENNISON. The first marriage was Addison WELLS and Pauline JACOBS in 1841, performed by Warren OSGOOD, Justice of the Peace. The bride soon died and WELLS was consoled by two other wives. The first religious service was held by a Baptist minister in 1841, early in the summer, in a cabin owned by Joshua CHELTON. The first laid out road was the White Oak and Exeter road. It was a territorial road between Adams and Jordan. History does not tell us who was the first child born in Jordan. These facts are hard to reach. When a man had to travel to Mineral Point for a permit to marry, we must doubt if the births were recorded in all cases. The civil government was only in swaddling clothes in 1840, and records of towns and families were kept in most any fashion.
The family chronology was kept in the head of the mother, or with a burned stick on the logs of the house. Several have claimed the right to the first white child born in the county. Miss Louisa WALLACE set up the claim, and should have been the first child of Green county. The family home was in Exeter, but they were in Galena at that important moment in the life of Louisa in 1830. Andrew CLARNO, a wideawake, active man through the county has often said that the first white child born in the county was a daughter to Nicholas and Eliza HALE in 1841 in the home of Andrew CLARNO.
Excerpts from the Monroe Daily Journal 3 January 1907 previously from the Brodhead Register. (typed as written)
1860 Mortality Schedule (extracted from 1860 Federal Census for Green County, Wisconsin)
Names in the 1860 Mortality Schedule Download the file for more information
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Maria Adair
Caroline C Severson
Lewis Whitehead
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Harriet Ellison
John Severson
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Louisa Fritch
Bethsheba Spalding
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Elisabeth Heffele
Riley Spencer
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Wallace Mowry
Betsey Stephens
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| 1860 Mortality Schedule - Jordan.pdf |