The Morgans: Thomas purchased a half-interest in the eating-house/hotel, the brothers purchased thirty-four acres from Silas H. Crandall which was platted into village lots, and William gave the place its name of Shopiere.

The evidence

• “Morgan purchased his interest, and in the spring, he erected a magnificent eating-house and hotel combined, at a cost o'f $18,000. He controlled its workings until 1862, when his brother Thomas purchased an undivided half-interest in it, and together they kept it until December 24, 1872, when it was burned to the ground. Nothing daunted, although they lost a large amount of property, they returned to the charge, and in the following year, erected the present fine building, which Mr, John C.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/16-rock-county-ch10-villages.md, PDF p. 684 / book p. 688

  Butterfield, C. W., et al. The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879. Cornell University Library via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/cu31924028871585.

  Grade A: Found on a page of one of our sources