Township of Unity, Clark County, Wisconsin

"Clark Co. Illustrated" by Saterlee, Tifft & Marsh, 1890.
Transcribed by
Robert Lipprandt

Residence of J. A. Pettet.

The above is a cut of the residence of J. A. Pettet, in the village of Unity. On the Wisconsin Central line, in the eastern part of the county. Mr. Pettet runs the leading hotel in Unity, and owns and rents several houses and lots in the village. He was born in Jefferson county, N. Y., in 1843, and came to Wisconsin with his parents in 1851. In 1861 he enlisted in Co., B. 8th Wis., Infantry. He served four years in the war, until 1865. He resided in several different towns in the eastern part of the state, until 1879, when he moved to Unity. Since living in Unity he has been engaged in the mercantile business and livery in connection with his hotel.

Unity Township, Clark County, Wisconsin is located on the Eastern boundary of the county, and contains thirty - six sections or square miles. The township which composes it is described as township twenty - seven, range one East. It was organized as a separate town by act of legislature passed in 1873.

The town has been settled by people from several different Eastern states, and by people from different parts of our own state. The foreign element in the town consists chiefly of people of German descent, and a hard working and energetic class of inhabitants. The settlement of the town dates from the building of the railroad along the East line of the county, and was continued, at first, to the Eastern part, but during the years that intervened, this settlement has spread out and reached across the entire town, though much of the town is but sparsely settled.

Unity, like many of the surrounding towns had, and still has, a rich supply of the very best pine and hardwood timber. There are large saw mills at the village of Unity, and in one or two other parts of the town, which will be supplied with timber for many years to come from the forests within the limits of this town.

There are a few large farms in the town, and small farms are being started by new settlers in various parts of the town. The soil at once proves to be very fertile and productive, and farming becomes profitable as soon as the timber is taken from it. Hay, oats, wheat, barley, rye, potatoes and corn are the best crops, and are raised quite extensively on some of the larger farms here. The surface is rolling enough to furnish good drainage.

A branch of the Popple river has its source in this town, and there are some small tributaries to this branch in the town, watering the surface sufficiently.

The line known as the fourth principal meridian forms the Western boundary, and the Wisconsin Central railroad runs along the Eastern boundary line. This road passing along the Eastern edge of the town is a great advantage to the farmers who have land covered with timber, and it not only gives them a market for their timber while they are clearing their land, but will furnish transportation for their farm products to market after the timber is taken away.

The village of Unity, which is situated on the line partly in Clark county and partly in Marathon county, is on this line of road. It is one of the lively little towns which are found along the line of this road, and contains about five hundred inhabitants, about half of whom are on the Clark county side and the rest on the Marathon county side. It is situated on a hardwood ridge of considerable elevation and in the midst of what is now, but more especially will be in a few years, a rich farming country.

 

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There are large mills in the village which manufacture lumber, shingles and lath, and which employ quite a large number of men.

The mercantile business and trades are all well represented here, and the town has a thrifty and prosperous appearance. There is a find large church building in the village, and a large graded school, which is well equipped with a well furnished and well built school building.

There are several lodges in the village, including Odd Fellows and Good Templars. There is also an Encampment which was instituted in May, 1881.

The post - office is kept by Mr. Cook on the Marathon county side. There is also a post - office known as Waterman in the Northwestern part of the town.

There are several district schools throughout the town, which are all nicely conducted and well attended.

The town is already quite wealthy, but will be much more so within the next five years, when its resources are more thoroughly developed.

There were only 174 people in the town in 1875; in 1880 the inhabitants numbered

381; in 1885 the number had increased to 682 and it now estimated at 800.

The officers of the town for 1890 are as follows: Chairman, Cullen Ayer; clerk,

N. C. Ransom; Treasurer, C. G. Flood; assessor, C. O. Graham.

 

 


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