The chronology
1835
Overview
In 1835 the first steps toward settlement were taken at the Beloit site. On July 19 John Inman and William Holmes, on an exploring trip from Milwaukee, visited the present site of Beloit and found no human habitation there. In July Joseph Thibault came to the site and built the first building, a log cabin, and during the year Caleb Blodgett made his first visit, found Thibault there, and quieted his claim for $250. Thibault claimed ownership of a tract extending 'three looks' in every direction from his cabin. John Inman, the Holmes family and others settled within what are now the corporate limits of Beloit City, and William Yost came to Wisconsin and purchased land in sections 11 and 12 of Beloit township. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+1 more)
Elsewhere in Rock County, Janesville saw its earliest settlers pitch camp and erect a first log cabin opposite the 'big rock' in October. Survey contracts for township lines were made with Robert T. Lytle in August, and a further contract for subdivisions west of the river in December. All lands in the county west of Rock River (Range 12) were brought into market by the U. S. Government; Rockport was laid out by Thomas Holmes as the first surveyed town in the county; D. Butts broke the first sod in Fulton Township; and Samuel St. John and family, including the first white woman settler in the county, arrived in late December. Virgil Pope settled in the county, and Joseph and Lydia Spaulding came to Janesville. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+4 more)
In the wider region, land sales were held at Green Bay and Mineral Point, a military road was commenced between Fort Howard and Fort Crawford, and lands of the Fort Winnebago reservation were set apart by order of the president. Michigan assumed a state government after a constitutional convention met at Detroit. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+2 more)
Month by month
- February 9, 1835The lands of the Fort Winnebago reservation were set apart by order of the president.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- April 1835An election was held to select delegates to a convention to prepare a state constitution.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- May 11, 1835The constitutional convention met at Detroit.Nation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 1835Joseph Thibault came to the Beloit site and built the first building there, a log cabin.The propertyGrade A · 1 independent source
- Summer 1835George Goodhue and his uncle Tyler H. Moore came west by lake to Chicago and purchased the site of the Tremont House.Nation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 18, 1835Inman and Holmes, carrying their goods, reached the location of Janesville and encamped that night on the bluff on the east side of the river.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 19, 1835John Inman and William Holmes visited the present site of Beloit, finding no human habitation there.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 20, 1835The explorers left camp to return to Milwaukee.The regionGrade A · 2 independent sources
- July 23, 1835The explorers arrived back at Milwaukee, which then had only two white families.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- August 17, 1835Survey contracts for township lines were made with Robert T. Lytle.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 1835George W. Jones was elected a delegate for Michigan Territory.Nation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 1835A company consisting of John Inman, George Follmer, William Holmes, Jr. and Joshua Holmes started from Milwaukee, accompanied by Milo Jones, who soon left for Fort Atkinson and made a claim there.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 1835The earliest settlers of Janesville pitched their camp and erected their first log cabin opposite the "big rock."Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- Fall 1835A narrator was in Milwaukee, where considerable building had been done during 1835.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- November 15, 1835A man arrived in Rock County and on November 16 made his selections of land.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- December 1835Latter part of December 1835 — Samuel St. John and family (including the first white woman settler in Rock County) arrived after the Inman-Holmes party had made the first settlement.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- December 1835Rockport was laid out by Thomas Holmes, the first surveyed town in the county; one passage dates this to the fall of 1835.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- December 26, 1835A survey contract was made with Robert T. Lytle for subdivisions west of the river.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
During 1835
Events the sources date only to the year.
- 1835William Yost came to Wisconsin and purchased a tract of land in sections 11 and 12, Beloit township.The propertyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1835D. Butts broke the first sod in Rock County, in Fulton Township.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1835Caleb Blodgett made his first visit to the Beloit site, found the Frenchman Thiebeau there, and quieted his claim for $250; one passage dates the purchase to 1835 and '6, and Blodgett is described as temporarily located with his family in a log cabin at Meacham's in 1835.The propertyGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1835A military road was commenced to connect Fort Howard at Green Bay and Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1835The first saw logs cut on the Wolf river for commercial purposes were floated to the government mill at Neenah.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1835Thiebault claimed ownership of a vast tract of land extending "three looks" in every direction from his cabin.The propertyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1835The first public land sales were held at Green Bay and Mineral Point; at Mineral Point, tracts with lead were reserved to the United States.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1835Nathan Allyne made a claim on section 35, broke several acres, and raised crops without fence, except dogs.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source