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 25-28

MORE SETTLERS. Before the year of 1849 had passed a number of other new settlers had come. We cannot name them in the order of their arrival because there is no record of that.

Some time in 1849 Mr. POWELL sold his interest in the mill to Caleb CROSWELL, and CROSWELL in turn sold his interest the same year to William VAN BERGEN. A postoffice was established during 1849. Horace CROSWELL, brother of Caleb, being appointed postmaster. The mail was brought once a week from Baraboo by a man who made the journey on foot. Horace for a time kept the postoffice in Lavina REED's pocket, she was a nice young lady of course and he a single man. Later Eber BENEDICT was appointed deputy.

Mr. BENEDICT and family had come up from Walworth County sometime during the early fall of 1849. He was a native of Connecticut, born in 1800; and was therefore in his forty-ninth year. By vocation he was a carpenter and he built a shop near the mill. The building was fourteen by twenty feet and served the needs of a dwelling-house, postoffice, boarding-house, shop. This house was erected on a Friday. On Saturday night it became a dance hall. On Sunday it was used as a church. But Monday Mrs. BENEDICT moved her family in. Needless to say Mr. BENEDICT was the first professional carpenter in Reedsburg.

Mrs. BENEDICT, whose maiden name was Harriet SKIDMORE, was 35 at her invasion of the village. She was a lady of considerable medical skill, an excellent nurse, and for a time the only physician the village had. Her services were always to be had and the price was nothing but gratitude. She can be called Reedsburg's pioneer nurse and doctor.

The year of 1849 brought a few other settlers. Z. T. CARVER and his wife and two children came. So did Daniel CARVER. The latter located on a farm. Mr. VERNOY and family, J. P. MOWERS, Horace CARVER and Samuel CHASE also settled here that year. Two brothers, D. B. RUDD and E. O. RUDD, later proprietors of RUDD's Mills on the line of the West Wisconsin Railway, were also pioneers in 1849. They were single, and brought with them their mother and sister to keep house for them. This sister, some years later, married Rollin M. STRONG.

Samuel LEONARD and his two sons were also forty-niners. His sons were Alfred F. LEONARD, later a grocer on Main Street, and John LEONARD. They were accompanied by George HUFFNAIL. Mr. HUFFNAIL and Alfred F. LEONARD were married, with children, and had come with the intention of opening a farm. They staked their claim in Winfield, but soon Mr. HUFFNAIL bought the LEONARD's interest in the tract and the latter returned to the village where they established various businesses. Interesting stories of Mr. HUFFNAIL's early struggles are related in the chapter on Winfield. Another gentleman of 1849 was J. S. SAXBY. He was married and had a daughter, Amanda. Lucian B. SWALLOW and his family came also in 1849. He had a daughter, Frances. At first the SWALLOWs appear to have been farmers, for Mr. SWALLOW did not open his blacksmith shop until 1853. Mrs. SWALLOW, whose maiden name was Malinda CUTTER, was a descendant of John ROLFE. Another daughter, Julia SWALLOW, then a mere child, later became Mrs. David BRYDEN of quite recent memory.

Of the young, adult, unmarried people who helped make the history of early Reedsburg, we have records of the following: Frances SWALLOW, and Washington GRAY, the young man who came from Ohio with James W. BABB, whose marriage in May 1849, was the first in the township. Horace CROSWELL, first postmaster. Joseph L. GREEN and Miss Lavina REED, who were later husband and wife. Samuel CHASE  *** More on the CHASE family *** , Keyes BISHOP,  Miss RUDD,  who became the wife of Rollin M. STRONG. Agnes McCLUNG, the millwright's daughter. Amanda SAXBY. This lady conducted the first missionary school, in her father's shanty, during the winter of 1849. There were seven scholars. This school, however, was of short duration.

Submitted by Carol