History of Reedsburg and the Upper Baraboo Valley, by Merton Edwin Krug, Publ. February 1929 by the author. Printed by Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wis., Page 36

We will pause a moment to relate an incident that is indeed historical, even though it may seem absurd and a bit out of place.

Reedsburg had been in existence two years before a child was born, and owing to the fact that immigration was scant, fears were entertained that the settlement would eventually die out (what with the destruction of the dam), unless something was done to renew the population. In those early days there was but one road leading into the village, and that was from Baraboo hitherward. It was the villager's sentiment that the Barabooites stopped all travelers and offered them inducements to settle there, and, if possible, prevent them from journeying further - which was very commendable to the enterprise of Baraboo though adverse to the growth of Reedsburg.

Mr. REED, who was always ready for emergencies, hit upon a plan to increase the population by home culture; and accordingly offered a choice of any unsold village lot to the woman who presented the town with the first baby. Mrs. Austin SEELEY went immediately to Baraboo and took a motherless baby to raise. But it was decided that nothing imported could be recognized. It must be home-born. There were some eighteen married women in the village who could enlist in the enterprise, and the sequel shows that nearly all made up their minds to go into the real estate business; since fifteen babies were born during the succeeding year, the first being a son to Mrs. Jacob MOWERS, who was named J. Rowdy MOWERS. This is supposed to be the first birth in the village proper.
Submitted by Carol