The first settlement in Mazomanie was made by Charles Wilson, Joshua Rhodes and Alfred Senier in 1843. These three men arrived about Christmas of that year, and for some weeks lived in a deserted Indian wigwam which was located about three miles southwest of the present village. Charles Wilson was the duly authorized agent of the British Temperance Emigration Society which had been formed in Liverpool, England, the previous year.
The country into which they came was almost an unbroken wilderness. The nearest settlers were at Cross Plains, ten miles southeast. When Wilson, Rhodes and Senier came from Milwaukee by way of Madison, they stopped at the log houses of Berry Haney and John Thomas at Cross Plains. Only a few other families were in that vicinity, and the first settlement had been made there only three years before. Madison had been laid out and named in 1835, and seven years later was a scattered village of less than four hundred people. In June, 1848, a census showed there were three hundred and forty-two inhabitants, seventy-one buildings, four church organizations and two printing offices. Three years later the population was six hundred and twenty-six.
The manuscript 1 penned by William Kittle and published in 1900 collected information from a wide variety of sources, both documents, and living interviews. The book provides a general history of the township, and then presents a series of brief biographical sketches on the early settlers of Mazomanie. The links below will take you to the start of each historical section as detailed in the contents for the book, and then the specific pages of the book where each biographical sketch is contained. There is no index for the book, nor is there a list of biographical sketches contained within.
- The British Temperance Emigration Society, 1843-1850
- The Railroad and the Village, 1850-1860
- The Period of the Civil War, 1861-1865
- Since the War, 1865-1900
Biographical Sketches of Mazomanie, Wisconsin
Authorities Consulted to Create Manuscript
- Printed reports of the British Temperance Emigration Society from 1846 to 1848 now in the possession of John Gorst.
- A printed report of the Society for 1849 now in drawer A-6 in the circuit court records at Madison.
- Deeds, mortgages and other documents relating to the Society now in the possession of John Gorst.
- Entries of land by the Society in the United States land office at Mineral Point, and now recorded in the office of register of deeds.
- The constitution and by-laws of the Society recorded in the office of register of deeds in volume 6, pages 269-286 of deeds.
- The Madison Argus, 1844-46.
- The Milwaukee Sentinel, 1844, 1845, 1850, 1860.
- The Madison Argus and Democrat, 1855-56.
- The plat book of Mazomanie on file in the office of register of deeds.
- Roster of Wisconsin volunteers, volumes I, 11.
- Adjutant General’s report, 1865.
- Twelve issues of the Mazomanian of 1866 saved by John Greening.
- The issues of the Sickle, 1874-1900.
- The several church record books.
- The village record books kept by H. R. Learnard from 1885 to 1900.
- The United States census reports, 1840 to 1890.
- The Wisconsin census reports, 1885 and 1895.
- The legislative manuals of Wisconsin, 1862-1889.
- The blue books of Wisconsin.
- The session laws of Wisconsin.
- The histories of Wisconsin and of the counties of Dane and Columbia.
- The Wisconsin state historical collections.
- Joseph Bennett. Thomas Wilson. Henry Powell. John B. Stickney. H. K. Learnard. John Gorst. John M. Wilson. David Harrup. George Gillett.
Source: Kittle, William (1861-1942). History of the township and village of Mazomanie. Madison, Wisconsin: State Journal Print, Co. 1900.
- Kittle, William (1861-1942). History of the township and village of Mazomanie. Madison, Wisconsin: State Journal Print, Co. 1900.