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.

              HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
485
The team was without a driver. An examin¬ ation revealed blood stains in the wagon; a search was instituted and the body of Lange was found about three miles south of La Crosse. He had been killed and his head terribly man¬ gled with an ax. It seems that the parties had stopped at a place where beer was fold, and Clear had improved the opportunity of secret¬ ing an ax in the wagon. The day was very cold and after they had resumed their ride, Clear pretending to be cold, jumped out of the wagon and ran along behind it for some dis¬ tance, and then quietly getting in behind, picked up the ax, and struck his unsuspecting coinpan- ion, mangling him in a terrible manner and doubtless killing him instantly. He then drove into the timber, threw the body from the wagon, drove the team into town„ and as it appears, left it to take care of itself. The object of the murder was to secure several hundred dollars that Lange had upon his person at the time. Clear succeeded in reaching Chicago where he was arrested by Elias Solberg, sheriff of La Crosse county. The murder produced intense excitement and when Clear returned to La Crosse, with the sheriff, a desperate effort was made to lynch him, which was finally prevented by strategy. Clear was tried for the murder and sent to Waupun for life, where he remained till recently, when he was pardoned by Gov. Smith, at about the close of his administration.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Nearly thirty-six years have passed since the first settlement was made in the town, and the following named citizens are early settlers, sons or descendants of pioneers, or men prominent in town affairs, at the present writing.
Hans K. Larson, has the honor of being one of the first settlers in this town. He was born in Norway, in December, 1803, and went direct to Koshkonong, Dane cotftty in 1848, and to Vernon county in 1849. He made a claim of a quarter section of land, forty acres on each of the four sections numbered 22, 23, 26 and 27. He finally purchased the eighty acres which lie
on sections 22 and 26. Mr. Larson was married in Norway, and three children were there born, one daughter and two sons. The daughter died in Norway, and in 1849, Mr. Larson's family ac¬ companied him to America. Another son was born on the vessel while enroute to this country. Mr. Larson has been peculiarly unfortunate with his family. His wife died in 1859, and his eldest son, Lars, reached maturity and then died, leaving a family. His second son, Mathias, died at Westby, in 1881. He was a man of in¬ telligence, and at the time of his death was chairman of the town board and justice of the peace. The son, Andrew, born on board the vessel, only lived to be fourteen years old. A grand-son of Mr. Larson, Henry Hanson, son of Mathias, lives with his grand-father. He was the only son of his parents, and born in this town, April 7, 1870. He is a boy of intelli¬ gence and much promise.
M. C. Bergh is a son of Clement Clementson Bergh, who settled in Christiana town in 1849. He was born in Norway, in December, 1816, and emigrated to America with a wife and three children the same year he settled in Vernon county. He purchased forty acres of land from the government, and a like amount from Lars Christopherson, and lived thereon till his death, which occurred May 24, 1878. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bergh, after their arrival in this county. The widow still occupies the old homestead with her son, M. C. Bergh. The latter was born in Norway, in 1846, and married a daughter of Ole Olson, who is now deceased. These par¬ ents have been blessed with the following named children: Clara Menneli, Oscar Melvin, Tilda Maline, Nolle Bolette and Alma Char¬ lotte.    The home farm contains 120 acres.
John O. Berggum was one of the pioneers of Christiana town. He was born in Norway, Feb. 13, 1802. In October, 1836, he married Nellie Johnson, and with his wife and one daughter, also an adopted daughter named Martha Larson, left their home April 3, 1849,