The chronology
1854
142 published events.
Overview
In Beloit and Rock County, 1854 brought new institutions and infrastructure: Beloit's first Catholic church was built, a fire department and its first engine company were organized, a new Female Seminary was established, and the Northwestern railroad bridge over Rock River was completed. Railroads advanced across the county, with the Galena & Chicago Union reaching Footville and operating to Afton, the first post office established in Edgerton, and the Janesville Daily Gazette beginning and then suspending publication. Rock County also purchased its poor farm, elected county officers including Sheriff Alfred Hoskins, and held its first Republican County Convention as the Republican party was organized in Wisconsin and Rock County, absorbing the Whigs. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+10 more)
Settlement continued throughout the year, with arrivals recorded in Rock County and vicinity: the Baker family, Austin B. Burpee to Janesville, families to Harmony, Lima, La Prairie, Center Township, Union Township, Milton, Bradford, Shopiere, and elsewhere. Settlers also came season by season—a prospecting visit and land purchase in Lima in spring, the S. B. Swift family to Edgerton, Almeron Eager buying eighty acres in Union in fall, and an Irish-born settler arriving in Beloit. A light choleraic epidemic visited Rock County in 1854. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+1 more)
Beyond the county, the legislature directed that a State Lunatic Asylum be built near Madison, the Bank of Milwaukee was established, and the Milwaukee, Fond du Lac & Green Bay Railroad consolidated with the La Crosse & Milwaukee company. Congress granted seventy-two sections of land in aid of the state university, the Missouri Compromise was repealed, and a treaty was made with the Chippewas of Lake Superior at La Pointe. Cholera deaths were recorded in Newark, and James G. Percival superseded Edward Daniels as state geologist. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+4 more)
Month by month
- January 1854A lawyer began service as County Judge of Rock CountyRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- January 1854The Milwaukee, Fond du Lac & Green Bay Railroad consolidated with the La Crosse & Milwaukee companyThe regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- February 1854Gilbert Randolph came to Edgerton and built the American HouseRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- February 7, 1854Judge Doolittle held a special term of court for Rock CountyRock CountyGrade A · 2 independent sources
- March 1854A settler came to Wisconsin and located at La PrairieRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 6, 1854The Rock County Agricultural Society held a Quarterly MeetingRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 22, 1854The Rock County Board of Supervisors purchased the county poor farmRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 30, 1854The legislature approved an act directing a State Lunatic Asylum be built near MadisonThe regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- March 31, 1854The legislature granted a new charter to a school, changing its nameNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- Spring 1854The Missouri Compromise was repealed, prompting one lawyer to repudiate both old partiesNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- Spring 1854A banker was elected Alderman of the Second Ward of JanesvilleRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- Spring 1854A settler made a prospecting visit to Wisconsin and bought land in the town of LimaRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- Spring 1854The school was re-organized under its former teachersNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- April 4, 1854James Sutherland was elected nominal superintendent of the Janesville schoolsRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- May 1854Foster purchased his partner Briggs's interest in the paperBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- May 12, 1854A supplementary treaty was made with the Menomonee nationThe regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- May 31, 1854Cadman came to Wisconsin, locating eleven miles west of BeloitRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 1854A town was laid out at the junction of Bass (Afton) creek with the Rock riverBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 1854The case of the State vs. David F. Mayberry was tried before Judge DoolittleBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 1854Rev. William Porter was appointed Associate Professor of Mathematics; Professor Lathrop resignedBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 1, 1854Free-Will Baptist members of Magnolia and Union formed a corporate body at EvansvilleNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- July 4, 1854The Janesville Daily Gazette issued its first daily editionRock CountyGrade A · 2 independent sources
- August 12, 1854James G. Percival superseded Edward Daniels as state geologistNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- September 4, 1854An address was read before the Rock County Agricultural Society and Mechanics' InstituteRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- September 13, 1854The Rock County Agricultural Society and Mechanics' Institute held its Annual Cattle Show and Fair in JanesvilleRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- September 30, 1854A treaty was made with the Chippewas of Lake Superior at La PointeThe regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- Fall 1854Almeron Eager came to Rock County and bought eighty acres in the town of UnionRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- Fall 1854Caswell's parents sold their Rock County farm and moved to Fort AtkinsonRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- Fall 1854At the general election, Wisconsin chose members to the thirty-fourth congress, including Daniel Wells, Jr.The regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 1854The first engine company was organized, with Frank S. Lawrence as ForemanBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 7, 1854The Janesville Daily Gazette suspended publicationRock CountyGrade A · 2 independent sources
- October 12, 1854The first Republican County Convention was held in the Court House in JanesvilleRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- October 16, 1854Washington James of Beloit married Cordelia Macklem of SharonBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- November 7, 1854Rock County elected county officers, including Sheriff Alfred HoskinsRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- November 16, 1854Mr. Dickinson arrived in Janesville by rail and stageRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- December 15, 1854Congress approved an act granting seventy-two sections of land in aid of the state universityNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- December 22, 1854The Northwestern railroad bridge over Rock river was completedBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
During 1854
Events the sources date only to the year.
- 1854The first Catholic church at Beloit was built by Father NorrisBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Another congregation built a house of worship at a cost of $1,500 on a lot given by Peter McEwenThe regionGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1854Rev. John M. [Baker] served by appointment following Judge DoolittleNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A Congregational society built a small chapel on section 34The regionGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1854The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad leased the Beloit & Madison road, which was built to Footville and placed in operation to AftonRock CountyGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1854A seventh judicial circuit was formed by act taking effect that yearNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A Beloit merchant engaged in an exchange and banking businessBeloitGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1854Hammond & Thorne built a small steamboat on Rock River below the upper damBeloitGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1854Hudson & co. conducted the American House from 1854 to 1858Nation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A congregation erected its present church at a cost of $1,300Nation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A farm owner sold his Emerald Grove interest and moved to La PrairieThe regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The Beloit & Madison railroad was consolidated with the Milwaukee and Mississippi railroadThe regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Louis C. Hyde and George B. (with Brittan) conducted a Beloit bankBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A Mr. Sherman opened a suspended hotel as a temperance houseNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A Beloit citizen engaged in the produce business, buying hogs, cattle and grainBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The first post office in Edgerton village was established, with William B. Hall as PostmasterRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Caswell was elected District Attorney of Jefferson CountyNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854James W. Strong taught at the college and entered its freshman classBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Rev. J. Dearborn's pastorate (1850–1854) ended and Rev. William Douglas served 1854–1856BeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The Galena & Chicago Union railroad reached Footville, and emigrants began to flow inRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The upper or Milwaukee Street bridge in Janesville was completedRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Cholera deaths occurred in the town of Newark; one settler's wife died of cholera thereNation and worldGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1854A man named Rockwell, from Utica, N. Y., started a "wild-cat" fire insurance company in JanesvilleRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The re-organization of the Janesville Gas-less Morning Gazette context: the Janesville Morning Gazette became quiescent in 1854Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854James Sutherland, A. P. Harvey, H. Tuttle, Z. P. Harvey and others held county offices for 1854Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A young printer entered the office of Joseph Baker, publisher of the Free Press, to learn the tradeBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The Free-Will Baptists erected their church at EvansvilleNation and worldGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The Republican party was organized in Wisconsin and in Rock County, absorbing the WhigsRock CountyGrade A · 3 independent sources
- 1854The Janesville library of the State Historical Society numbered 407 volumesRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A resident was elected to the State Legislature from the Janesville district ; another from the city of JanesvilleRock CountyGrade A · 2 independent sources
- 1854Father McFaul's care of the Beloit Catholics ended in June 1854, and Father Kundig cared for them the next three monthsBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Mr. and Mrs. Hutson moved to Edgerton from Indian Ford and built the red brick part of the U. S. Hotel buildingRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Wayland University was established as a college at Beaver DamThe regionGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854A daily newspaper, "The Battering Ram," a Free Soil paper, was listed among Janesville publicationsRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The town of Center received $244.80 from the State School FundRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Ezra Goodrich raised the original stock of Milton AcademyRock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854The Du Lac Academy's charter was renewed under the name "The Milton Academy"Rock CountyGrade A · 1 independent source
- 1854Nelson Coon sold the Exchange hotel and built the United States HotelBeloitGrade A · 1 independent source