Macloon built his residence, the first substantial frame house west of the river (Janesville).

The evidence

• “WILLIAM MACLOON, real estate; born in town of Bath, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Province of Maine, Nov. 20, 1807 ; son of Bbenezer and Elizabeth Macloon ; came to Rock Co. from Boston, in 1845, and settled at Janesville, after having sailed the ocean as master of many vessels for years in general freighting business between Boston, the South of Europe and the West Indies, also in the cotton trade from New Orleans to Buenos Ayres, Cape of Good Hope, Soldina Bay, Bahia, St. Thomas, and back to Boston ; on his last trip on the Atlantic he lost the bark Juan, on the south side of Cuba, from Montego Bay bound to Fagua to fill up for Bremen — -(on the coral reefs); he was part owner; he made a purchase of a sawmill situated on Rock River, at Janesville, and continued there till 1853; built his present residence in 1846, the first substantial frame house west of the river, and no doubt it was built after the ship-builders' style, to stand the gales, and weather the storms of azes ; there is not a crack or a rent in it ; in 1853 he entered the real-estate business, purchased a quarter-section in Town 3, Range 12, Sec. 33, in 1845, and has been improving it since; he raises horses, sheep”

  1879-history-of-rock-county/17-bios-janesville.md, PDF p. 710 / book p. 714

  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