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RUBICON
Rubicon is known as congressionaly township 10 north, range 17 east. It is bounded on the east by Washington
county, on the south by Ashippun, on the west by Hustisford and on the north by Herman. There are several large
streams with good water power traversing the town. It contains 22,088 acres of land, which will produce splendid
crops of wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, potatoes and hay. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul passes through
the northeastern part, having for a station the hamlet of Rubicon. The only other station in the town is Neosho.
Fremont City is a hamlet lying in the east part of the town on section 13.
Daniel E. Cotton is given credit of being the first white man to set up his stakes for the establishment of a home
within its confines. He arrived in February, 1845. Soon after coming he began the erection of a sawmill. In the
following spring Dennison Baker located here, together with a number of others and it was not long before the country
was well settled. The town was organized in 1846 and the following board was elected: Sylvester Taylor, chairman;
Dennison Baker, assessor; Nelson Chase, collector; John S. Terry and Ryland Parker, justices of the peace.
In 1845 Dennison Baker purchased one hundred and twenty acres and commenced farming. He built the first hotel at
Neosho, which he ran one year. He became one of the largest landowners in the town.
From personal sketches published in a former history of the county, the data for which were given by the persons
themselves, or immediate representatives, discrepancies appear between the statements of the persons themselves
and what has just been said of the earlier settlers here. The compiler pens these sketches and gives them to the
reader for what they are worth:
William C. Garrett was born on the Isle of Man and came to Wisconsin in 1842. He reached Milwaukee and from that
village walked to the town of Ashippun, remaining one year, when he moved to Rubicon, where he purchased one hundred
and sixty acres from the government in section 27. He went to New York that year and returned in 1844, when he
purchased forty acres more in section 28, and in 1848 he added forty acres more. He put up the first log cabin
in the town.
William Mercer was an Englishman, who came to Wisconsin in 1844 and located at Rubicon, where he purchased one
hundred and twenty acres.
William Kendall was a native of New York. He immigrated to Wisconsin in 1840 and located in Walworth county with
his father, who died there. In February, 1846, Mr. Kendall removed to Rubicon and purchased one hundred acres on
section 31, which he afterward sold and in 1848 opened a hotel in Waukesha county. He returned to Rubicon and started
a wagon shop at Dukey's Mills. In 1851 Mr. Kendall went to Neosho and built a wagon factory, which was considered
one of the best in the county.
John L. Mann was also from New York. He located in Rubicon in 1846, purchasing one hundred and forty five acres
of land at that time. He was considered a splendid citizen and an excellent farmer.
Andrew Snyder came with his father to Rubicon in 1845 and settled on an eighty acre tract of land, where all the
hardships of a pioneer were experienced in clearing the land of timber, putting up buildings, making fences and
the like.
William Ives was a Yankee and came here from Connecticut in 1846, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres
of land. He became a very successful farmer and stock raiser. He also dealt largely in dairy products.
William Blorr was born in Staffordshire, England. He came to Wisconsin in 1845. In 1847 he removed to Rubicon and
purchased forty acres on section 20, to which he afterward added two hundred and eighty acres. He became a very
successful farmer and dealer in live stock.
Jerome P. Hawn immigrated to Wisconsin in the spring of 1848 and located in Rubicon with his father, who afterward
moved to Pierce county and died there in 1877.
John J. Putnam was born in Vermont and immigrated to Wisconsin in June, 1847. Two years later he moved to Rubicon,
where he purchased eighty acres and became a large breeder of fine sheep. He built a sawmill at Neosho in 1857,
which commanded a very large business.
Conrad Houser was one of the substantial German citizens of Rubicon town. He located here with his father in 1851,
and became one of the largest landowners in Dodge county.
Oliver B. Goodwin was another early settler of the town, coming in the '40s. James H. Goodwin, a native of New
York, arrived here in 1852, and purchased eighty acres.
John Baer was born in Germany, came to Wisconsin in 1853, and located at Milwaukee, where he engaged in the manufacture
of furniture. He removed to Rubicon in 1856 and opened a furniture factory at Neosho.
Peter Remmel came from Germany in 1854 and took up his home with his father in this town. He soon thereafter purchased
a farm of fifty three acres in Hustisford, which he sold in 1874 and returned to Rubicon, opening the Wisconsin
House at Neosho.
THE VILLAGE OF RUBICON
This place is a station on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. It was first platted in 1866, although
previous to this the formation of a village was begun. The survey of the plat was made by W. M. Morse and the site
lies on part of sections to, II, 14 and 15, town of Rubicon.
John G. Anderson built the first house, which was a log affair, but soon thereafter John Russell put up a frame
residence. Here he opened the first store in the village. In 1856, C. O. Page established a general store.
Previous to the coming of the railroad a postoffice had been established in the neighborhood. It was then moved
to the village and its name changed from Upton to Rubicon.
Stoughton Rickard is credited with having built the first hotel, which was erected in 1857, and afterward sold
to Edward Judd. Shortly after the war the property passed into the hands of M. Trumer, who was the landlord a great
many years.
Rubicon has a population of somewhere in the neighborhood of too, composed mainly of Germans. There is a Catholic
church, a large building, which was erected in 1871, at a cost of $5,000. It has since been remodeled. In connection
with the church is a parochial school. There are also district schools close to the villlage.
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, RUBICON
This congregation is attended by pastors from Neosho. The society was first organized in 1870 by Rev. D. Thill,
and is composed of German families. The first church was built of logs during the year 1854, and was located in
the town of Herman, between Rubicon and Woodland. After a society was formally organized a new church was erected
in the village of Rubicon, and in 1885 it was remodeled and greatly improved. In the same year a two story brick
veneered schoolhouse was also erected by the congregation.
NEOSHO
The village of Neosho is situated on portions of sections 29 and 3o, and is a quiet and thriving place. It was
incorporated in 1902 and now has a population of 304.
Daniel E. Cotton was the first settler in this vicinity, coming here with a companion by the name of Rathburn,
in the month of February, 1845. Soon after his arrival he commenced the erection of a sawmill on the Rubicon river,
which two years later he sold to L. S. Van Orden. Dennison Baker settled here the following spring and the next
year there was quite an influx of people seeking new homes. It might be here mentioned that Sylvester Taylor, the
first chairman of the board of supervisors, located in this village. He afterward removed to Watertown and died
in Oregon.
L. S. Van Orden was a man of splendid qualities of heart and mind. He started the first store in Neosho, and died
April 30, 1858.
Miss Melissa Darling opened the first school.
The State Bank of Neosho is an institution that meets the needs of a busy, prosperous community. It is safe and
sound, having a capital of $15,000 and deposits of $66,000. E. R Greene is president; J. K. Douglass, cashier;
M. T. McCallow, assistant cashier.
The Standard is a weekly publication, edited by G. W. Moulton. The present officials of Neosho are: President,
Martin Leicher; clerk, Martin McCallow; assessor, Nick Haupert; treasurer, Herman Dehne.
ST. MATTHEW'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
In the year 1848, at a point about two miles from the village of Neosho, a small log church was built by the
people of the Catholic faith. In 1863 this building was replaced by one of stone, in which services were regularly
held by the Revs. Rehrl and Deisenrieder. In the same year, St. Matthew's church, a small frame building, was erected
near the village and was dedicated by Dr. Joseph Salzmann. There was not at this time enough people of the faith
to support the two churches and it was decided that the two congregations should unite, holding services in St.
Matthew's church. From this time until 1867 the congregation was attended by pastors from Hartford. Rev. D. Thill
became the first resident pastor, assuming charge in 1867 and remaining until 1871. During his ministration he
erected a schoolhouse, built an addition to the parsonage and made other needed improvements. Rev. Thill was succeeded
by Rev. N. Schaaf, who remained from 1871 until 1884. He was succeeded by Rev. F. X. Heller, who remained until
December, 1893. September 3, 1894, the church and contents were totally destroyed by fire and as the season was
too far advanced to complete a new building, a basement was hurriedly finished and here during the winter months
services were regularly held. In the following summer a house of worship was completed at a cost of $8,000.
ST. MARY'S CHURCH, WOODLAND
St Mary's church at Woodland is attended as a mission from Neosho. In 1862 a small frame structure was erected
in this village, but in 1871 this was replaced by a more substantial brick structure.
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