A Standard History of Waupaca County, Wisconsin. An Authentic Narrative of the Past, with Particular Attention to the Modern Era in the Commercial, Industrial, Educational, Civic and Social Development.

              PIISTORY OF AVAUPACA COUNTY 383
The first settlers were Knud Erickson and J. Gundersen, who located in 1853.
In 1854 Col. J. AV. Chandler and S. S. Chandler moved in, the latter finishing the first log house. The two Chandlers completed their sawmill during the same year.
In 1855 M. R. Baldwin settled and built the first frame house; Miss Alary Taggart taught the first school; Judge Osborne and Miss Sarah Chandler contracted the first marriage, and C. K. Blandin opened the first store.
The first town meeting was also held in 1855 (April), and selected the following officers: Chairman, M. R. Baldwin; supervisor, John Gun¬ derson ; clerk, S. S. Chandler.
The year 1856 developed a number of interesting events. Iola post- office was established, with C. K. Blandin as postmaster, and J. B. Ben¬ nett started a hotel. Alaria Gunderson became the first native white child, and the townsmen built a regular log schoolhouse. G. Sterns and H. Farley set out some apple trees, but S. S. Chandler raised the first apples.
In 1860 Baldwin, Wipf & Shannon started a grist mill at Iola, but that enterprise is fully described in the sketch of the village itself.
The last offi^cials of old Iola Township before Harrison was set off from it were as follows: Chairman of the board, Jacob Wipf; super¬ visors, Ole Solum and C. P. Solum; treasurer, 0. G. Fraquin; clerk, J. C. Johnson; assessor, John Olson; justices of the peace, S. Jameson, A. AVeinman and G. W. Smith.
Bear Creek
Bear Creek, one of the northeastern townships of the county, is, in several respects, the wealthiest of the political divisions which contain neither villages nor cities. It embraces some of the choicest farms and dairy lands, being only exceeded by Larrabee in the value of its real estate, which is placed by the assessor at $1,699,540. The 3,201 neat cattle of Bear Creek exceed in value those of any other township, being placed at $110,057. Outside of Clintonville, there are two cheese facto¬ ries in the township—the Maple Leaf and Nicholson—and the township in every way upholds the high reputation of northeastern Waupaca County as one of the most prosperous dairy districts in Northern Wis¬ consin. There is another way by which Bear Creek demonstrates its material stability—that is, in the high prices which its lands bring in the sales market. In that particular it is second only to Larrabee, the aver¬ age value of lands sold for the past five years being $1,699,540.