The land through time

Beloit

• 1850 The Fletcher family (William D. and Mary C.) settled at Beloit.
• 1850 A family came to the United States from Norway and settled in Beloit (later moving to Newark township).
• 1850 An individual came to Beloit in 1850 to work on paper mills.

Rock County

• November 19, 1850 Preliminary steps were taken toward the formation of an agricultural society in Rock County, with a call made on farmers to meet at the Court House in Janesville.
• 1850 An individual came to Wisconsin and located in Rock County, settling in Plymouth.
• 1850 An individual came to Rock County in 1850 and settled in Lima.

The region

• 1850 A willow tree was set out from a little sprout near a house in Waterloo (now Shopiere).
• 1850 An act of the Wisconsin legislature was passed regarding the Oak Hill Cemetery Association.
• 1850 Land that had been pre-empted in 1844 was sold.

Nation and world

• 1850 The Madison & Beloit Railroad Company was authorized by an act of the legislature to extend its road and its name was changed to the Rock River Valley Union Railroad Company.

The property

• June 1, 1851 The raceway bank above where the Blodgett Mills are broke, and the released water swept across the river and flooded the opposite side, causing considerable damage.

Beloit

• March 10, 1851 The Beloit school board engaged Herman Belden (or Belding) to excavate the cellar for a new brick school house at nine cents per cubic yard.
• July 4, 1851 The school board contracted with Stephen Downer to lay up the walls of the new Beloit schoolhouse at $1.80 per yard.
• August 19, 1851 A loan of $1,500 at 10 per cent was obtained from Milton Harvey of Colebrook, N. H., for the Beloit school building.

Rock County

• January 6, 1851 The Rock County Agricultural Society (and Mechanics' Institute) was organized at a meeting of farmers and mechanics at the courthouse in Janesville.
• February 3, 1851 The second meeting of the Rock County Agricultural Society and Mechanics' Institute was held at the courthouse in Janesville.
• 1851 A man came to America in 1851, staying in New York until coming to Wisconsin in 1854; settled in Rock Co. in 1859.

The region

• December 1851 The church (corner stone laid 1848) was occupied / first services were held in the building.
• January 8, 1851 The Oak Hill Cemetery Association was organized under an 1850 act of the Wisconsin legislature.
• January 8, 1851 The fourth session of the Wisconsin legislature commenced.

Beloit

• 1852 A settler came to Wisconsin about 1852, locating at Beloit.
• 1852 A contractor removed to Beloit and purchased a farm of 444 acres.
• 1852 E. W. Carpenter sold out the Avon water-power and store and returned to Beloit.

Rock County

• 1852 A farmer sold his Dane County land in 1852 and moved to Union Township, Rock Co., buying 243 acres.
• 1852 A machinist removed with his family to Rock County and settled on a new farm in the township of Janesville.
• 1852 A settler came to Wisconsin in 1852, locating in the town of Rock.

The region

• April 17, 1852 A law was approved granting Peter Myers the right to maintain a building in Rock river.
• February 18, 1852 The Beloit and Madison Railroad Co. was incorporated.
• Spring 1852 The mill (upper dam establishment) was re-built and enlarged after flood damage.

Nation and world

• 1852 The Beloit and Mississippi Railroad Company was chartered in 1852, with a capital of three millions of dollars.
• July 30, 1852 An act of congress was approved creating the Stevens Point land district.

Beloit

• 1853 The Henry Knile family came to Beloit in 1853 and bought the east half of Sec. 29.
• October 5, 1853 The Supervisors of the town of Beloit passed a resolution to issue bonds to the Racine & Mississippi Railroad Company.
• May 1853 Mr. Ritcher came to Wisconsin in the latter part of May, 1853, and located in Beloit.

Rock County

• 1853 The Synstegard parents came from Norway about 1853, walked from Milwaukee to Rock county, and bought 220 acres in Avon township.
• Fall 1853 Mr. Rogers came to Rock Co. in the fall of 1853 and settled on Section 33.
• 1853 The Gibbs family settled in 1853 in Porter Township, Rock Co.

The region

• 1853 George Crossman purchased eighty acres (Sec. 34) in 1853.
• January 19, 1853 An Agricultural Convention was to be held at Madison, to which the Rock County society was asked to send delegates.
• 1853 The removal of the Winnebagoes was continued up to 1853, when from 700 to 900 still remained.

Beloit

• Fall 1854 An Irish-born settler came to Beloit
• July 1854 A town was laid out at the junction of Bass (Afton) creek with the Rock river
• 1854 The first Catholic church at Beloit was built by Father Norris

Rock County

• 1854 Settlers and families arrived in Rock County and vicinity: the Baker family to Rock County ; Austin B. Burpee to Janesville ; an Irish family to Center Township ; a settler to the town of Lima ; a settler to Harmony ; a settler to the town of Rock ; a settler to La Prairie ; Wilden Hughes moved to La Prairie ; a settler located at Shopiere ; a settler purchased land at La Prairie ; a young resident of La Prairie ; a settler located at Milton ; Elijah Bullock settled in Wisconsin ; a banker removed to Argyle, Lafayette County ; a settler located in Union Township ; a settler located at Bradford ; a settler located in Bradford ; a family bought land on Section 10, Harmony ; the Dillenbeck family located in Harmony Township ; the Wilcox family settled on a 110-acre Harmony farm ; a physician came to the village of Milton ; a gunsmith located in Beloit ; Simon Nolan came to Janesville ; the Grinnell family settled at Johnstown ; the Fillingham family landed in Buffalo, N. Y. ; the Hansen parents were married in Janesville and moved to Beloit ; John Murray moved to Wisconsin and engaged in stonecutting ; a father returned and bought a Clinton township farm ; the Leonard's wife (a teacher) died ; a family removed to Fulton township ; a Norwegian father emigrated and settled on a farm in Dane county ; Mr. and Mrs. Finney/Hutson-related English families moved to Edgerton [P366, cited above]
• Fall 1854 Almeron Eager came to Rock County and bought eighty acres in the town of Union
• 1854 Rock County was visited by a light choleraic epidemic

The region

• 1854 Another congregation built a house of worship at a cost of $1,500 on a lot given by Peter McEwen
• 1854 The Bushnell House was completed
• 1854 A Congregational society built a small chapel on section 34

Nation and world

• 1854 Rev. John M. [Baker] served by appointment following Judge Doolittle