A sudden rise in the streams caused me to remain with him two nights, and each succeeding meal was an exact duplicate of the first. My friend informed me that it was impossible, at that stage of water, to ford the river, and my only chance to reach Lewis Valley was to go down the river to a ferry, which must have been near where the junction now is. So bidding my kind host good-bye, in a few hour's time the ferry was reached; after getting a good dinner for myself, and a peck of oats for my horse, I continued my journey, not seeing a house or human being until arriving at Lewis' Corners, where, in a little wood-colored schoolhouse, I found A. T. Fuller teaching about one dozen scholars, three of whom called me Uncle. Taking them in my buggy, we drove to their home, two miles east, near the present village of Newton Center. Here was a niece which I had never seen before, and my sister proudly informed me that Hannah Lorette Downer was the first white child born in Lewis Valley. There were but few families in the valley, but all seemed happy and contented. During my stay, I visited the Douglas' settlement on Black River, made a trip to Prairie La Crosse, hunted in Black Walnut Grove, and fished in Fleming's Creek and its tributaries. The majestic hills and flowing rivers charmed me, and the good feelings among the inhabitants served to make my visit pleasant. In a few weeks the "good-byes" were spoken, and I returned to Michigan. In the spring of 1853, Sarah W. Dana, a Yankee schoolma'am from Amherst, Mass., made my acquaintance, and she just hinted that Mr. Roberts ought to stop "peddling lightning" and settle down. I frankly told her that if I could find a young woman who would do one-half the sparking, perhaps I might be induced to marry. She as frankly replied that she would willingly do twothirds. We commenced business on that basis, and nobly did she stand to her bargain.

On the 27th of July, 1853, the Rev. Mr. Jackson, of Milford, received a marriage fee from my pocket. I told Mrs. Roberts of my travels in the West, of the deep rich soil in the valleys of La Crosse County, of the springs of pure gurgling water, of the nice timber on the hills, of the shiny speckled trout in the streamlets, of the deer that roamed over the mountains, of the bears among the bushes, of the large yellow rattlesnakes in the rocks and of the massasaugers on the marshes; and she said: "Let us go to that beautiful land." In the fall of 1855 (having previously sent money to purchase land in Lewis Valley), we left Michigan in an emigrant wagon, and in about three weeks' time we arrived at Luther Downer's. Leaving wife and baby with my sister, and taking two men with me, we went up the valley to build a house on the quarter-section, which my brother-in-law had selected for me, about seven miles east of Newton Center. We stuck two crotches in the ground, then laid a pole across them, and placed boards, one end on the pole and the other end on the ground, and our temporary shelter was completed. A log fire in front of this made it quite pleasant. We soon had logs cut and hauled for a house, 20x18 feet, and a stable 14x12 feet, and hands invited to help put them up. On the morning of the raising, a snow-storm set in which lasted all day. Of course no one came to help us; so we three rolled up the stable, muddied it outside and inside, put on a roof of boards, called it a house and moved in, and there, as snug as a "bug in a rug," we spent our first winter in Wisconsin, often repeating

"Tossed no more on life's rough billows,

All the storms of sorrow o'er."

The County of La Crosse had been settling up quite fast during my stay in Michigan. La Crosse Valley and La Crosse City had improved very rapidly, while nearer home the Germans were locating about Burr Oak, and the Norwegians were opening up some splendid farms in the lower part of Lewis Valley. A store, tavern, blacksmith-shop and schoolhouse had been built at Newton Center, and there were signs of thrift and energy all around.

Luther Downer, who was a "mighty hunter," spent a part of the winter with us, and many were the deer that fell before his trusty rifle. Little did we think at that time that he was so soon to fall before the reaper, death. But in the spring of 1856, after a short sickness, surrounded by his weeping family and a few friends, the hardy pioneer peacefully passed away to that better land.

In the fall of 1859, my hired man, Thomas Jones, taking a shotgun and dog with him. started out for the cows. When about half a mile from home, he discovered a bear which the dog soon treed. With more of rashness than of prudence he went almost under the bear, and aiming at the fellow's heart, sent a charge of shot into him. The bear growled and loosening his hold of the limb with all but one paw, he hung suspended in midair for a short time and then dropped. As soon as he struck the ground "Peter" jumped upon him. With one stroke of his strong paw, the bear threw the dog to a respectable distance. The dog gave up the fight. Tom then stepped up to the bear, and with a powerful blow broke the bear's skull and ruined the gun. Tom was so elated that he took the bear on his shoulders, and brought him home in triumph. When his excitement was over he could not lift the animal from the ground.

During the many years of the hard times, which commenced in 1857, poverty often stared us in the face and sometimes came very near looking us out of countenance; yet, through all those long years of failures and successes, of sorrows and of joys, we never lost faith in the future, nor once regretted having made our home in Lewis Valley. As business or pleasure frequently calls us to different parts of the county, and we notice the great improvements everywhere made. the easy grades over the ridges, the substantial bridges over the rivers, the well-cultivated farms, the neat and comfortable farm houses, the well-built railroads, the thriving villages, and the city of La Crosse, the pride of the western part of Wisconsin, making a market for the farm products of all the surrounding country, whose business men are the peers of any in the State, we are convinced that our early faith in the future of La Crosse County was well founded.

And now, living on our third farm, having neither "poverty nor riches," surrounded by kind friends and good neighbors, our greatest ambition is—

Judge Lord was born at East Parsonsfield, York Co., Me., on the 10th of June, 1811. Lived at home working on the farm during the summers and attending the common school and the chores alike in the winter. In the spring of 1832, he went into the office of Dr. Moses Sweat and studied medicine till in the fall of that year, when he was called to take charge of the business of an uncle in the town of Cornish, who had been elected to the Legislature. In the spring of 1833, he bought out a stock of merchandise and was at the head of a country store till 1834. He was in the business till 1836. In January of that year, he was married to Miss Abby Clark, the daughter of Hon. Nathaniel Clark, of Leamington, Me., a prominent politician, who was in public service during half of his life, mostly in the Legislature, serving in both branches. In the spring of 1837, Mr. Lord came to the West, stopping for one season at Galena; then went to Platteville, where he engaged in smelting lead ore in 1838, and spent two years and a half. He then entered the law office of Benjamin C. Eastman, who afterward became a member of Congress, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1842. He opened an office in Potosi and remained there till 1853. He was elected County Judge of Grant County in 1849, and served in that capacity till appointed Register of the land office at La Crosse in April, 1853, when he resigned the judgeship and came to this place May 16, at once making arrangements for the land office which was transferred to this locality and opened June 1 He served as Register till July, 1856, and then resumed the practice of law. He has since kept an office. In 1854, he joined Col. Rodolf, his associate in the land office as Receiver, in buying out the La Crosse Democrat with which he was associated for a year. He was also engaged in the lumber business from 1867 to

1871. Though the Judge has reached the allotted age of threescore and ten, he is to all appear. ances as hale and robust as in the prime of life.

THEODORE RODOLF.

The subject of this sketch, a native of Switzerland, was born in the canton of Argovia, October 17, 1815. He devoted his earlier years entirely to educational pursuits, and later graduated from a college of Aaran, the capital of his native canton, and from the University of Zurich. When he was about seventeen years of age, his father immigrated to the United States, with his family, and afterward died in New Orleans, of the yellow fever. In 1834, the mother and her children removed to Southern Wisconsin and settled on a farm near Wiota, La Fayette County. In 1840, we find Theodore Rodolf at Mineral Point, keeping store, employing miners, and trafficking in lead. Thirteen years later, he settled at La Crosse, and there assumed the duties of Receiver in the Land Office, under the appointment of President Pierce, a position which he held, by re-appointment of President Buchanan, until 1861. Since that time, he has been engaged largely in insurance and in real estate operations. Aside from this, Mr. Rodolf has held many other offices-has, in fact, been in some official position most of the

time for thirty years. He was Captain of the Mineral Point Guards from 1848 to 1851, and of the La Crosse Rifles from 1856 to 1860. He was President of the village of Mineral Point two years, a member of the Board of Supervisors of La Crosse County about four years, and Chairman of the same one year. He was Mayor of the city in 1868 and 1870, and a member of the Assembly during the same years, and while in the Legislature did good service on the Committee on Railroads, Lumber, Manufactures, etc. He received the Democratic vote for Speaker the second time he was in the Legislature, but, the Republicans being in the majority, he was defeated. He was Democratic candidate for Presidential Elector at Large in 1864, and the same party's candidate for Elector in the Sixth District in 1868, the Republicans in both instances being in the ascendant. He was Democratic candidate for State Senator in 1876. He has always been a Democrat, and for a long time one of the leaders in Western Wisconsin, and is well known throughout the State. During the administration of Gov. Fairchild, he was appointed by him a member of the Visiting Committee to the State institutions. He has been for several years Secretary of the La Crosse Board of Trade. In many ways, he has made and is still making a very useful man, and is an esteemed and most worthy citizen. Mr. Rodolf is a prominent member of the Odd Fellows' fraternity, and in 1875 was Grand Master of the State. He was Grand Representative and attended the meeting of the Grand Lodge of the United States held in Philadelphia in September, 1876. He was reared in the Reformed Church of Switzerland, but, having found no organized society of that people since coming to Wisconsin, although holding Christian people in high respect, has identified himself with no religious body. His mother, who died at Mineral Point in 1856, was a member of the Episcopal Church, and his sisters belong to the same body in La Crosse.

The wife of Mr. Rodolf was Miss Marie Thomas, of New Orleans. They have had twelve children, six of whom are now living. Four died within as many weeks, of diphtheria. The eldest son, Theodore F., who is a partner of his father in the insurance business, married a granddaughter of Henry Dodge, first Territorial Governor of Wisconsin, and daughter of Gov. Clark, of Iowa, when it was a Territory. She died in September, 1875, leaving two children, who live with their grandfather. Mr. Rodolf has two daughters married and living in La Crosse, the wives of William Servis and F. A. Copeland.

WILLIAM W. CROSBY.

Mr. Crosby was born July 26, 1818, and is the son of Logan Crosby and Sally ( Knox ) Crosby. The ancestors of the Crosby family, consisting of three brothers, came to this country from London, England, in the year 1660. One settled in the Massachusetts Colony on Cape Cod; one at what is now Portland, in Connecticut, and the other in the Province of Maine. Mr. Crosby's family sprang from the Connecticut branch, and tradition says the head of this family's

name was David, and that he was a minister of the Gospel of the Baptist persuasion, and that he also took an active part in the Indian wars then being prosecuted along the banks of the Connecticut River. William's grandfather moved from Connecticut to Massachusetts, and settled in the town of Blandford. He had a family of ten sons and two daughters, and himself with eight of his sons surrendered with Gen. Hull's army. They were imprisoned at Detroit, and the small-pox broke out among the prisoners and two of his sons died of the disease while yet in prison. He, with his remaining sons and some other persons, succeeded in making their escape from Detroit to Northern New York and Pennsylvania. His grandfather settled in Batavia, N. Y., at which place he died. Logan Crosby, the father of William, was born in Blandford, Mass., May 8, 1789, and made that town his home through life. He served in the war of 1812–14. March 2, 1815, he married Sally Knox. She was born in the town of Blanford, February 9, 1790, and belonged to the celebrated Knox family who claim to be descendants of the celebrated John Knox, the great reformer of Edinburgh, Scotland. On account of religious persecution they fled from Scotland and settled in the north of Ireland, from whence they immigrated to America, and settled in the town of Blandford, Mass., where a remnant of the Knox family still remains. The fruits of their marriage were two children, Alonzo K. and William W., the subject of this sketch. Their mother, Sally Crosby, died May 12, 1822, aged 32 years, and Alonzo died in La Crosse, Sept. 1, 1855. Logan Crosby married his second wife, and by her had two children, Sarah and Homer. Homer was killed in an accident, and Sarah married Mr. G. C. Hixon, now President of the La Crosse National Bank. She died in 1856.

The subject of this sketch was married April 4, 1841, to Sarah M. Wright, of Chester, Mass. They settled in La Crosse in 1854. Mrs. Crosby was killed by lightning, August 15th, 1855. September 8, 1856, he married Mary Pennell of Honeoye, New York. The fruits of this union are William Logan, born October 27, 1857, Charles Pennell, born August 3, 1859, Homer, born February, 11, 1865, and Mary, born April 30, 1867. His father, Logan Crosby, died September 29, 1875, at the age of eighty-six years, but his widow is now living and draws a pension for his services of $96 per year.

The following, in the words of the subject of this sketch, may prove interesting. "My father was a farmer in a small way and resided about four miles from the center of the town, which contained two stores, two taverns, a post office and a "meeting house." Nothing but sickness was an excuse for not going to meeting on Sunday. We, boys, were conducted to the gallery by the "Tything" man, armed with a hickory whip-stock about six feet long. Here we were seated and not allowed to look in any direction except at the preacher. If we made a move we were sure to get a "rap" over the head with the hickory. The older ones were seated in the square pews below, that were owned by them and deeded the same as their farms were. In those days we had to stand during prayer, which was from half to three-quarters of an hour long; then listen to the long sermon on the doctrine of election from firstly to fifteenthly. In imagination I can now see the old men and women, the young men and maidens, and children, after the forenoon services in winter, eating their frozen lunch, and trying to keep warm by whipping their hands and stamping their feet, so as to be able to endure the severe cold for the afternoon services. This was from fifty to sixty years ago, before stoves for heating houses and churches were invented. In winter they used to go to the meeting from the outskirts of the town with "ox-sleds." In summer the husband mounted his horse, with a pillion strapped to the saddle, rode to the horse block where he took up his wife and child behind him. The young man waited on his sweetheart in a similar manner. No carriages or wagons in those days. My school advantages were limited to the district school, where the town appropriations were small, and the qualifications of the teacher were reading, spelling writing and arithmetic, and the wages for male teachers in winter were from ten to twelve dollars per month, the teachers having to board around. I was called on to teach when I was but sixteen years old. I informed the committee that I was too young, and that I could not get a certificate, but no would not do, I must go forward and be examined. You can imagine how a green, bashful country boy would feel to be brought in contact with the town committee, who were supposed to know every