Henry F. Janes commenced running a ferry across the river at Janesville — the 1908 history says "early in 1837 or perhaps late in 1836" (both readings reported); a first ferry and post office are dated 1837.

The evidence

• “Early in 1837 or perhaps late in 1836, Henry F. JaneS commenced running a ferry across the river about where the Milwaukee street bridge is now, in connection with his tavern where the Lappin or Hayes block is situated. He also, in the spring of 1837, made out a plat of the land that he had homesteaded, although the land had not been put in the market and was not until 1839, when it was reentered by the county commissioners, as will be stated hereafter. He sold lots from his plat to a number of persons.”

  1908-brown-rock-county/26-history-of-janesville.md, Vol. 2, PDF p. 15 / book p. 530

  Brown, William Fiske, editor. Rock County, Wisconsin: A New History of Its Cities, Villages, Towns, Citizens and Varied Interests, from the Earliest Times, Up to Date. Chicago: C. F. Cooper & Co., 1908. 2 vols. archive.org/details/rockcountywiscon01brow, archive.org/details/rockcountywiscon02brow.

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