Once upon a house — and every word of it on the record.

Beloit

• 1840 The Hanchett family came to Beloit, bought forty acres in Sec. 34, and Mr. Hanchett built the dam across Rock River at Beloit.
• August 7, 1840 Caleb Blodgett, the first white settler at Beloit, died.
• 1840 By fall, the Rock Prairie Norwegian settlement was established, consisting of five homesteads: Gravdal, Hallan, Odegarden, Lars Skavlem, and Gullik Halvorsen Blakstad (Skavlem); Gisle Hallan had taken possession of his new home in Sec. 6, Town of Beloit, and Gullick Halvorsen Blackstad (Skavlem) located on Sec. 28 during the spring and summer.

Rock County

• September 1840 The parents of Paul M. Green came to Rock Co. and purchased 120 acres on Sections 4 and 5 (Milton).
• 1840 Easton and Gusta Johnson arrived in Rock county and settled in Avon township.
• Fall 1840 A church and parsonage were erected on a lot at the southwest corner of Section 36, known as the First Congregational Church of Rock County, at a cost of about $500.

The region

• 1840 The lands in Rock and Jefferson Counties came into market; the sale was at Milwaukee; settlers could first obtain title to the land that year.
• Summer 1840 An organized school was set up in the shanty first occupied by the Ogdens.
• 1840 Rock County members served in the Fourth (extra) Session of the Second Legislative Assembly (James Maxwell, Edward V. Whiton, John Hackett, Hugh Long).

Nation and world

• August 5, 1840 James D. Doty was re-elected Territorial delegate.

Beloit

• October 1841 A settler came to Beloit, which then had about three hundred inhabitants, all on the east side of the river.
• April 4, 1841 A settler arrived in Beloit on a Sunday morning, having walked from Racine in the spring of 1841.
• 1841 A Beloit settler went to Michigan in 1841 and then came to Wisconsin, locating at Beloit.

Rock County

• September 1841 Silas and Cynthia Hurd arrived in Rock county, settling in a log cabin on the Rock river east of Indian Ford.
• Fall 1841 Rollin Thorpe came to Rock County and purchased 160 acres in Sec. 11, Town 4, Range 13.
• Spring 1841 W. Wood came to Rock County, locating in Harmony, Sec. 1.

The region

• 1841 The Government sent a military detachment to enforce the removal of the Rock River Winnebagoes beyond the Mississippi.
• October 22, 1841 Quarter-section entries were recorded for Margaret Oles Dater (Mrs. Gullik Springen) and Erek Gulbeitson.
• July 12, 1841 A quarter-section entry was recorded for Geesley Saberson Hollen.

Nation and world

• September 13, 1841 President Tyler appointed James Duane Doty governor of the Territory in place of Dodge; another passage gives the appointment date as September 30, 1841.
• January 25, 1841 Dunn was commissioned as secretary of the Territory in place of William B. Slaughter.
• December 7, 1841 Henry Dodge took his seat in Congress for the first time.

Beloit

• Summer 1842 The central bridge at Beloit (a toll bridge built by a private company, a timber trestle structure framed by John P. Houston) was built over Rock River; it was later given to the village in 1844.
• February 17, 1842 The town of Beloit was constituted by an act of the territorial legislature.
• July 6, 1842 The corner stone of the "old stone church" (Congregational) was laid at the northwest corner of Broad and Prospect streets, Beloit; the edifice was erected in 1842 (built in 1842 and 1843).

Rock County

• Fall 1842 A house of worship was constructed on the northeast quarter of section 35, town of Milton, and the congregation became known as the First Congregational Church of Rock County.
• July 1842 Adrien Bassett and Annie Gates came to Rock County.
• February 17, 1842 The town of Rock was organized into a separate town.

The region

• February 19, 1842 Goelick (Goelicke) Holt (Gravdal) was registered as the purchaser of land.
• September 26, 1842 Land was registered to Ole Newhouse (several parcels) and Kittel Newhouse.
• September 29, 1842 Land was registered to Abram Hobartson (Herbrand Halvorson Skavlem).

Nation and world

• May 9, 1842 The government patent was issued to Mr. Crane for lots 6 and 7 (he had entered them in 1838 and had reconveyed them to the parties in interest before receiving the patent).

Beloit

• May 15, 1843 The Moseley family reached Beloit.
• 1843 The Winslow family came to Beloit.
• May 1843 Benjamin Brown joined the Congregational church in Beloit.

Rock County

• November 1843 James Sowle came to Rock County and settled on Sec. 26, purchasing 240 acres; the land was deeded to him from the Probate Court in the fall of 1843.
• 1843 The subject's father moved to Rock county and settled on land his father had purchased.
• 1843 E. Bowerman came to Wisconsin and settled in Fulton Township, Rock Co.

The region

• April 12, 1843 An act was approved appointing commissioners to alter the Beloit–Madison road and lay out roads from Janesville to Ellis's Mill and to Mineral Point.
• 1843 The log schoolhouse at the "big ford" of Rock river was used until 1843, when another log house was occupied by the school.
• 1843 Surveyor Willard Barrows noted Black Hawk's wigwam and grave while surveying.

Nation and world

• December 4, 1843 Henry Dodge took his seat for his second term as delegate at the commencement of the first session of the twenty-eighth Congress.

Beloit

• 1844 John Chamberlin and family came to Beloit; he took up 160 acres in Sec. 8 and built a log cabin.
• 1844 Bennett Wooster came to Beloit and began farming about three miles east.
• April 1844 A settler built and moved to the west side of Rock river at Beloit, the second residence there.

Rock County

• 1844 The Flagler family moved to Rock county and settled on a quarter-section in section 12, Janesville township.
• 1844 The Cleophas Holverson family moved from Dane county to Rock county, settling on forty acres in Newark township.
• May 1, 1844 A settler came to Rock County (Milton Junction).

The region

• 1844 The red frame schoolhouse of the joint districts of Rock and La Prairie was erected.
• Winter 1844 Julius Gilbert and Francis Smith "shantied" on the s. e. qr. of section 34; they were young men and single.
• 1844 H. Caldwell purchased 80 acres on Sec. 3, Range 12 north.

Nation and world

• 1844 A township was settled.

Beloit

• September 1845 A tavern-keeper came to Beloit and bought eighty acres of land in Section 4, building a log house.
• 1845 The first bridge across Rock River at Indian Ford was built by private subscription, Stephen Allen, builder.
• January 1, 1845 A merchant (a Buffalo former resident) came to Beloit and commenced business as a merchant.

Rock County

• 1845 Arrivals and settlements in Rock County recorded without more precise dates: A. Wyatt Smith removed to Janesville ; Capt. William Macloon came from Boston and settled at Janesville ; A. M. Simmons (father) settled in Harmony about 1845 ; a Beloit lawyer removed to Beloit ; Ezra Philo Doty came to Janesville ; a Walworth lawyer came to Wisconsin and located at Janesville ; a New York farmer bought a farm at Beloit ; a Connecticut man took up eighty acres in Sec. 18 at Beloit ; the Millett family located in Beloit ; Hans and Bargitt Halverson's family came to Newark, buying land in Section 12 ; a Durham Co. settler located in Newark, buying and improving two farms ; the Case family moved to Clinton and settled on 160 acres ; L. Burdick's neighbors ; a Rhode Island man located in the town of Lima ; Abram Caufman emigrated to Center ; an 1837-born resident came to Wisconsin ; E. Footville-resident moved to what is now Footville ; a settler located on his present homestead in Center ; families emigrated to Wisconsin ; a Bennett came to Wisconsin and taught school in Union ; Leonard Bullard's family settled in Union Township ; a Hancock Co., Me., man located in Union Township ; the Hubbard family settled on land entered in 1840 in Union Township ; a Cortland Co. man located in Union Township ; a settler bought 200 acres and built one of the first log houses in Plymouth Township ; Jacob Fisher came to Plymouth Township about 1845 ; a Steuben Co. man located at Darien ; a New York man came to Wisconsin locating at Johnstown ; a Scotland-born man came to America in 1845 and settled on a farm in Harmony ; A. Douglas entered forty acres of land settled in 1843 ; Johnstown settlers from New York located there, purchasing farms [B156]; G. came to Rock County and bought a farm of forty acres of government land ; M. Wilcox located and bought 100 acres in Harmony ; the Miller family came to Harmony Township, buying 240 acres ; families from Ohio settled in Milton township ; a father settled on a 1,000-acre farm in Lima township ; the Marquart family moved from Ohio and settled in Wisconsin ; an Irish couple (Clinchy) came to Wisconsin and bought a farm northwest of Beloit ; a family settled in Milton township ; Thomas bought eighty acres in section 6, Bradford township ; the Moore family located near Milwaukee ; the Bradley family settled on a farm in Turtle township ; Mr. Fifield's brothers later joined his lumber business ; a resident came to Janesville prior to January 1845 and served as probate judge for Rock County in 1845 and 1846 ; Carpenter engaged in general merchandising in Beloit .
• Spring 1845 A Norwegian family (Keesey) came to the United States and purchased and settled on a farm in Rock County.
• October 1845 A Freeborn came to Wisconsin and wintered in Cooksville, Rock County.

The region

• February 24, 1845 Prior to this date Rock and Walworth counties constituted one election district; the territorial legislature of 1845 passed an act dividing the district and constituting Rock County an election district.
• 1845 Charles C. Cheney, Henry Chesebro (Cheesebro), William Loyd, Adelmon Sherman and Ephraim Leach, Jr., made their land purchases (in 1844 and 1845).
• 1845 The first church organization on Rock Prairie was made by Diedrichson; Lars H. Skavlem was one of its members.

Nation and world

• April 8, 1845 Henry Dodge was appointed governor of Wisconsin Territory; the 1908 history gives his term as beginning May 13, 1845, a discrepancy with the April 8 date.
• July 6, 1845 The First Congregational Church at Johnstown Village was organized by Rev. Stephen Peet.

Beloit

• 1846 The first Catholic services recorded in Rock County were held in Beloit by Rev. Father McKernan, who celebrated mass in the house of Captain Powers.
• 1846 Settlers came to Beloit in 1846: a Connecticut-born settler (40 acres in Sec. 7), a Herkimer Co. N. Y. settler (120 acres in Sec. 21), William Shaw of Ireland (farm outside the city), and a teacher seeking occupation.
• 1846 The Chamberlin family moved to Beloit, to a farm a few miles west of Beloit.

Rock County

• July 8, 1846 A Vermont-born settler came to Rock County and bought ninety-five acres on Sec. 1.
• March 13, 1846 Gullek Olsen bought the S.E. ¼ [of a section, Rock County land].
• Spring 1846 A Rhode Island-born carpenter came to Wisconsin and located in Rock County, buying 160 acres of government land.

The region

• February 2, 1846 A charter was granted to Beloit College by the Territorial Legislature.
• 1846 Some 1,250 Winnebagoes came back from Iowa and settled along the Fox and Wisconsin, Kickapoo and Lemonweir valleys.
• Spring 1846 A settler located at La Prairie, Sec. 11, purchasing a 160-acre farm from the Government.

Nation and world

• January 14, 1846 Morgan L. Martin, territorial delegate, introduced in the House of Representatives a bill to enable Wisconsin to adopt a constitution and form a state government.
• August 6, 1846 The congressional enabling act for Wisconsin statehood became law.
• August 8, 1846 Congress approved an act granting land to aid the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers and to connect them by canal.

Beloit

• Fall 1847 A man came to Beloit and bought eighty acres in Sec. 15.
• Fall 1847 Deacon Samuel Hinman moved to Beloit from Prairieville (now Waukesha).
• Fall 1847 A man came to Beloit, Wisconsin, and was interested in land speculations for eighteen months.

Rock County

• Fall 1847 A family came to Rock Co. and bought a farm of eighty acres in Sec. 25, Newark Township, and 80 acres in Sec. 30, Beloit Township.
• Fall 1847 Settlers arrived in Rock County townships in 1847: D. I. Daniels, Royal Wood, John Nichols, W. Cator, I. Woodle, Frank Wheeler, A. Lawrence, John M. Keep.
• December 1, 1847 A census of Rock County was taken, showing Janesville at 2,587 and Beloit at 1,851 (the county total from P3 being 14,720).

The region

• Fall 1847 The cholera (superinduced by misery and starvation) occurred among the Winnebago people.
• Fall 1847 A grist-mill on Bad Fish Creek (built by John Shepard) was completed.
• Fall 1847 A man helped haul stone for the foundation of Middle College.

Nation and world

• Fall 1847 A man was appointed by Gov. Dodge and confirmed by the Legislative Council as Attorney General of the Territory.

Beloit

• Spring 1848 An unnamed settler came to Wisconsin and located at Beloit, where he farmed.
• 1848 The earliest school on the west side of the river in Beloit was taught by Miss Foot.
• Spring 1848 The Crossman family came to Wisconsin; one son settled at Beloit.

Rock County

• February 1848 A farm of seventy-three acres in Rock County was purchased.
• August 17, 1848 Surveys were commenced in Rock county for the Rock River Valley railroad.
• December 20, 1848 A meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Madison & Beloit Railroad Company was held at Janesville, with stock subscriptions agreed to.

The region

• February 21, 1848 The territorial legislature approved an act authorizing A. Hyatt Smith, Ira Miltimore and associates to erect a dam across Rock river.
• 1848 Mr. Millett bought 240 acres of Government land in Section 9.
• August 19, 1848 A charter was granted the Madison & Beloit Railroad Company by an act of the first legislature.

Nation and world

• May 29, 1848 Wisconsin was admitted into the Union.
• November 24, 1848 A supplementary treaty was made with the Stockbridges.
• May 8, 1848 William Pitt Lynde was elected Member of Congress for the First District.

Beloit

• 1849 Benjamin Willford came to Beloit and bought 109 acres in Section 17.
• 1849 A Beloit family built their home (the father being the first drayman in Beloit).
• 1849 A biographical subject came to America and to Beloit, settling on a farm of 576 acres in the towns of Rock and Beloit.

Rock County

• 1849 A father left his native land and came to the United States, settling in Section 33, Johnstown township, Rock county.
• 1849 A settler came to Rock County (from Walworth County).
• 1849 Harvey Frost came with his family to Wisconsin, locating in Union, Rock Co.

The region

• November 1, 1849 A meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Beloit & Taycheedah Railroad was convened at the Planters' Hotel, Watertown, for the purpose of organization.
• 1849 The (Jones) mills were completed.
• 1849 Mr. Hugh Lee made the first survey, of the Rock River Valley Union Railroad, from Chicago to Fond du Lac.

Nation and world

• 1849 A post office was established at "The Grove," called "Evansville" in Dr. Evans's honor.