Agricultural conditions: the 1879 history calls 1856 "not an unprosperous" year despite a dry early season that diminished the wheat crop; the same history elsewhere calls 1855 and 1856 "very gloomy" agricultural years (both readings reported).

The evidence

• “The year 1856 was not an unprosperous one, agriculturally speaking, although in some respects decidedly unfavorable. In many districts the earlier part of the season was exceedingly ■dry, which materially diminished the wheat crop.”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/02-wisconsin-as-a-state.md, PDF p. 62

  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