The chronology
1851
Overview
The year 1851 in and around Beloit was marked by construction of a new brick schoolhouse, flooding from Turtle Creek and the raceway, and changes in the local newspaper field. The school board engaged Herman Belden in March to excavate the cellar at nine cents per cubic yard, contracted with Stephen Downer in July to lay up the walls at $1.80 per yard, obtained a $1,500 loan at 10 per cent from Milton Harvey of Colebrook, N.H., in August, and by October the building was reported to have cost $4,312.71 with half as much borrowed debt as authorized. In June the raceway bank above the Blodgett Mills broke and flooded the opposite side of the river, and on another night in June Turtle Creek rose ten or twelve feet above its usual level, carrying off mill dams, bridges, fences, sheep, hogs, and other property. In the press, Gen. Crabb retired from Crabb & Brown, publisher of the "Badger State," in May, and Dr. John Mitchell started the "Democratic Standard" in October, with the two papers merged into one. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+4 more)
Elsewhere in Rock County and the region, agricultural societies were organized and held their first fairs: the Rock County Agricultural Society and Mechanics' Institute was organized at the Janesville courthouse in January and held further meetings in February and March, its first annual fair at Janesville in October was held jointly with the first fair of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, which had been organized at Madison in March, and attendance at the fairs was at least five thousand. Other organizational activity included the Oak Hill Cemetery Association in January, Johnstown Lodge No. 58, I.O.O.F., in July, Beloit Chapter No. 9, Royal Arch Masons, in November, a meeting at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Beloit in May regarding organization of a Congregational church, and participation by Luther Valley church members in the formation of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Northern Illinois at Cedarville in September. In finance, McCrea, Bell & Co. opened a banking, exchange and collection office in Janesville in January, and the Norwegian Democratic weekly "The Demokraten" was issued in Janesville in June. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+7 more)
Month by month
- January 1, 1851The firm of McCrea, Bell & Co. opened a "Banking Exchange and Collection Office" in Janesville; its first advertisement appeared in the "Janesville Gazette" on January 2, 1851.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- January 6, 1851The Rock County Agricultural Society (and Mechanics' Institute) was organized at a meeting of farmers and mechanics at the courthouse in Janesville.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- January 8, 1851The fourth session of the Wisconsin legislature commenced.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- January 8, 1851The Oak Hill Cemetery Association was organized under an 1850 act of the Wisconsin legislature.The regionGrade A · 2 independent sources
- February 3, 1851The second meeting of the Rock County Agricultural Society and Mechanics' Institute was held at the courthouse in Janesville.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 1851The Wisconsin State Agricultural Society was organized at a meeting in Madison on March 8, 1851.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 2, 1851The next meeting of the Rock County Agricultural Society was held.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 10, 1851The Beloit school board engaged Herman Belden (or Belding) to excavate the cellar for a new brick school house at nine cents per cubic yard.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 14, 1851An act of the legislature providing for the location and erection of a State prison for Wisconsin was approved; the site later determined upon was Waupun, Dodge county.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- May 1, 1851A meeting was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Beloit, agreeably to a petition to the Beloit District Convention, regarding the organization of a Congregational church.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- May 17, 1851Gen. Crabb retired from the firm of Crabb & Brown, publisher of the "Badger State," and Mr. Brown associated his brother with him.BeloitGrade A · 2 independent sources
- June 1851Turtle Creek rose during one of the nights of June 1851, ten or twelve feet above its usual level, carrying off mill dams, bridges, fences, sheep, hogs and other property.BeloitGrade A · 2 independent sources
- June 1, 1851The 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.The propertyGrade A · 1 independent source
- June 18, 1851"The Demokraten," a weekly Norwegian Democratic paper, was issued in Janesville (brought from Racine) by Knud Langland.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- June 18, 1851Levi Hubbell, judge of the second circuit, was elected chief justice of the supreme court by the judges present, pursuant to statute, at the commencement of the next term.Nation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 4, 1851The school board contracted with Stephen Downer to lay up the walls of the new Beloit schoolhouse at $1.80 per yard.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 21, 1851Johnstown Lodge, No. 58, I. O. O. F., was instituted at Johnstown Center, Rock County.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- August 19, 1851A loan of $1,500 at 10 per cent was obtained from Milton Harvey of Colebrook, N. H., for the Beloit school building.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- September 18, 1851Members of the Luther Valley church participated by regularly elected delegates in the formation of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Northern Illinois at a meeting held at Cedarville, Stephenson Co., Ill.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- September 29, 1851Judge Hubbell was re-elected for the full term of six years as judge of the second judicial circuit, to commence January 1, 1852.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 1851Dr. John Mitchell commenced a new paper called the "Democratic Standard," and the two papers (it and the Badger State) were merged into one.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 1, 1851The first annual fair of the Rock County Agricultural Society was held at Janesville, in connection with the first fair of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society; at least five thousand persons attended.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 11, 1851"The Democratic Standard," a weekly paper, was started by Dr. John Mitchell, with George W. Crabb as editor.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 29, 1851The late board of Union District No. 1 (Beloit) were complimented for having erected a school building with only half as much borrowed debt as authorized; the whole cost was $4,312.71.BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- November 4, 1851At the general election, Leonard J. Farwell was chosen governor; Timothy Burns, Charles D. Robinson, Edward H. Janssen, and Experience Estarbrook were also elected to state offices.Nation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- November 29, 1851Beloit Chapter No. 9, Royal Arch Masons, was organized (receiving its charter February 12, 1852).BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- December 1851The church (corner stone laid 1848) was occupied / first services were held in the building.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- December 1851A statement of Rock County assessed and equalized property values, tax rates, and delinquent county tax was published by order of the Board of Supervisors.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
During 1851
Events the sources date only to the year.
- 1851A man came to America in 1851, staying in New York until coming to Wisconsin in 1854; settled in Rock Co. in 1859.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1851A mother came to America in 1851 (wife of Carelius Hansen); the parents were married in Janesville in 1854.Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source