Once Upon a House

The chronology

1857

167 published events.

Overview

In Beloit, 1857 saw several institutional developments: Beloit Council No. 1, R. and S. M. was organized in February, Fire Company 'Ever Ready, No. 2' received its engine, a building was opened to the public with Rev. Melzer M. officiating, and the United Brethren Society organized and built a church at Bullock's Corners. Anson P. Waterman was elected the second mayor of Beloit, a man was elected Constable, and Mr. Conley was elected Supervisor. Hanchett's block, begun in October 1856, was finished. New arrivals included J. Pierron (who brought his family in the fall), Horace H. Brown, French, Winfield Scott, and a man who bought seventy-two and one-half acres in Beloit Township. Beloit College held a convention of its friends at the close of its first decade in July, and eight students graduated. In September the first freight was received at the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad depot in a village, consisting of articles shipped from Janesville. DeLorma Brooks started a weekly Democratic paper called the Herald, and N. O. Perkins published the first number of the Beloit Times, the two printing on opposite sides of the same sheet. The flour and feed firm of Blodgett & Nelson was organized, succeeding to the business of Mr. Hackett; one man bought out a half-interest in Mr. Hackett's milling business, and another man and his father purchased a half interest in the same business. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+17 more)

Elsewhere in Rock County, banking and finance were prominent: the Central Bank of Janesville had its capital stock increased to $100,000, Hoyt & Co. opened as private bankers in Janesville, another bank moved to a building at Main and Milwaukee streets, the Producer's Bank was organized by Alex T. Gray, Edward M., and others, and Ex-Governor William A. Barstow removed to Janesville and opened the Producers' Bank. Three Janesville banks reported $200,000 aggregate capital, $422,000 due depositors, and $425,000 of loans in July. The Hyatt House hotel opened in May, the Janesville Morning Gazette was restored to life in March and then merged with the Free Press as a daily paper, and the State Fair was held at Janesville in September. The railroad line was completed to Brodhead, nineteen miles west of Janesville, and the first mail was received at the new Orfordville post office. A. Hyatt Smith was again elected mayor of Janesville, Amos P. Prichard was elected county or probate judge, and the Fifth and Sixth Wards were created by legislative enactment. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+16 more)

Wisconsin banks numbered sixty in July, with aggregate capital of $4,205,000; the Badger State Bank went out of business, and the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company was incorporated by chapter 129 of the Laws of Wisconsin, though it began business in 1858. The legislature established the House of Refuge for Juvenile Delinquents, located at Waupun, and enacted measures applying school-fund income to town libraries and swamp-land income to normal institutes. James R. Doolittle was elected United States Senator, Judge Whiton was re-elected chief justice, and Congress created the Chippewa land district and appointed geological commissioners. Numerous individuals came to or settled in Wisconsin and elsewhere during the year, and a number of marriages, deaths, and other personal events were recorded. ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ ↗ (+29 more)

Month by month

During 1857

Events the sources date only to the year.