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.

              482
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
territory was divided into the present towns of Christiana and Clinton.
The first election in the present town of Christiana was held at the house of Nels Han¬ son Napurd, on section 33, April 7, 1856. The following were the officers elected: J. R. Bjor¬ seth, (chairman), David Wilt and Hendrick Johnson, supervisors. Lars Christopherson was elected town clerk, but did not except the office and William McKnight was appointed in his stead. Hendrick Johnson was elected assessor; no other town officers are recorded as being elected at that date.
The town officers for 1883 were: Timothy Madden, chairman; Jacob Olson and Ole Bent- son, supervisors; A. J. Moen, clerk; E. C. Bratlie, assessor; Julius Johnson, treasurer.
Andrew J. Moen, the present town clerk of Christiana, resides on section 33, where he settled in January, 1869. He was born in Nor¬ way in 1844; came to the United States in 1867. He lived in Minnesota two years, coming here from that State. His father, who came to Vernon county, several years later, now lives in the town of Coon.
Timothy Madden resides on section 15. He is the present chairman of the town board. He came to the town in 1855, was born in the city of New York, in 1818, of Irish parentage. Mr. Madden came to Wisconsin in 1852 ; spent some time in the pinery regions and came to this town in 1858.
POSTOFFICES.
In 1884 the town was accommodated by three postoffices, Westby and Newry, on section 14, and Lovass on section 8. The first postoffice in the town was established in 1857, and was called Coon Prairie. The first postmaster was George Smith, who had the office on section 5, town 13, range 4. It was then removed to the house of John Benson, on the same section, and subsequently removed to the house of Mr. Whittaker. It was then moved to across the town line into Christiana and kept at the house of Robert Lange.    Later it vibrated across the
line from one town to another j until the estab¬ lishment of the postoffice at Westby, in 1879, when the Coon Prairie office was discontinued. The first postmaster at Westby was Andrew Johnson, who was shortly succeeded by Nicho¬ las Nelson, who still held ths office in 1884.
Newry postoffice was established in 1868. This office was first kept by Peter Bredle, at his house on section 11. The second postmaster was Frank Delle, who kept the office at his store on section 14. In 1884 the office was kept by Christopher Christopherson, who received his appointment in the spring of 1872.
Lovass postoffice is so called from Jacob Lovass, the first settler of that part of the town. It was established, March 15, J 875, when Christian Olson was appointed post¬ master and was still in charge in 1884. Mr. Olson keeps a small general store at this point, which is located on section 8.
MILL.
The only mill in the town of Christiana is a saw mill built in 1862, on the south branch of Coon creek, on section 8. It was erected by Iver A. Amunson. The object in view, by the builder of this saw mill, was to cut lumber from the fine hard wood found in this section of the county. After running a fe\^ years it was taken down and replaced by one of a greater capacity, which was propelled by steam power. In 1883 this was removed to the northeast corner of section 7.
EDUCATIONAL.
The advantages for schooling in this town have always been fair, though perhaps below the average town of the county.
The first school was taught in 1851 in a building erected that year on section 35. It was 22x26 feet and at the time it was built was among the best in the county. A few years later this building was burned.
In 1884 there were seven school houses in the town, located in seven sub-districts.   *