History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.

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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
The Institution was originally a private school for the deaf, but was incorporated by act of the Legislature, April 19,1852. It designs to educate that portion of the children and youth of the State, who, on account of deafness, cannot be educated in the public schools. Instruction is given by signs, by written language, and by articulation. In the primary department few books are used, slates, pencils, crayons, pictures, blocks and other illustrative apparatus being the means employed. In the intermediate depart¬ ment the books used are prepared especially for the deaf and dumb; more advanced pupils study text-books used in our common schools. The shoe shop commenced business in 1867;the print¬ ing office in 1878, and the bakery in 1881. The law provides that all deaf and dumb residents of the State of the age of ten years and under twenty-five, of suitable age and capacity to receive instruction, shall be received and taught free of charge for board and tuition, but parents and guardians are expected to furnish clothing and pay traveling expenses.
The taking of the census by the United State, this year, 1850, showed a population for Wisconsin of 305,391—the astonishing increase in two years of nearly 95,000. Many, as already stated, were German, Scandinavian and Irish; but the larger proportion were,of course,f rom the Eastern and Middle States of the Union. The principal attractions of Wisconsin were the excellency and cheapness of its lands, its valu¬ able mines of lead, its extensive forests of pine, and the unlimited water-power of its numerous streams. In 1860 the population had increased to 775,881; in 1870 to 1,054,670, and in 1880 to 1,315,480. By an act of the fourth Legislature of the State, approved March 14, 1851, the loca¬ tion and erection of a State prison for Wiscon¬ sin was provided for, Waupim, Dodge county, being afterwards the point selected for it. The office of State prison commissioner w^as created in 1853, but was abolished in 1874. During that time the following persons held the office: John Taylor, from March  28, 1853 to April 2,
1853; Henry Brown, from April 2, 1853 to Jan. 2, 1854; Argalus W. Starks, from Jan. 2, 1854 to Jan. 7, 1856; Edward McGarry, from Jan 7, 1856 to Jan 4, 1858; Edward M. MacGraw, from Jan. 4, 1858 to Jan. 2, 1860; Hans C. Heg, fi-om Jan. 2, 1860 to Jan. 6, 1862; Alexander P. Hod¬ ges, from Jan 6, 1862 to Jan. 4, 1864; Henry Cordier, from Jan 4, 1864 to Jan. 3, 1870; George F. Wheeler, from Jan. 3, 1870 to Jan. 4, 1874. The State (Law) Library had its origin in the generous appropriation of $5,000 out of the general treasury, by Congress, contained in the seventeenth section of the organic act creating the territory of Wisconsin. At the first session of the territorial Legislature, held at Belmont in 1836, a joint resolution was adopted appointing a committee to select and purchase a library for the use of the territory. The first appropriation by the State, to replenish the library, was made in 1851. Since that time, several appropriations have been made. The number of volumes in the library at the begin¬ ning of 1883 was 16,285.
The fifth Legislature — the Assembly, whig, the Senate, democratic—passed an act authoriz¬ ing banking. This was approved by the gover¬ nor, L. J. Farwell, April 19,1852. The ques¬ tion of "bank or no bank" having been sub- niitted to the people in November previous, and decided in favor of banks; the power was thereby given to the Legislature of 1852 to grant bank charters or to pass a general banking law. By the act just mentioned, the office of bank comp¬ troller was created, but was abolished by an act of Jan. 3,1870. During the continuance of the law, the following persons filled th^ office, at the time given: James S. Baker, from Nov. 20, 1852 to Jan. 2, 1854; William M. Dennis, from Jan. 2, 1854 to Jan. 4, 1858; Joel C. Squires, from Jan. 4, 1858 to Jan 2, 1860; Gys- bert Yan Steenwyk, from Jan 2, 1860 to Jan. 6, 1862; William H. Ramsey, from Jan 6, 1862 to Jan. 1, 1866; Jeremiah M. Rusk, from Jan. 1, 1866 to Jan. 3, 1870. The sixth Wisconsin Legislature commenced its session, as we have