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.

              704
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
business for himself, was a clerk for six years, in the general store of N. McRie. In 1882 he erected his present handsome and commodious quarters. The building is of frame, veneered with brick, 25x60 feet in size, containing a store room on the ground floor, and Mr. Jerman's res¬ idence above. In 1883 he erected another build¬ ing, similar to the first, and adjoining the same. These buildings form one of the finest business blocks in the city. Mr. Jerman is a successful business man, and has built up a large trade. He married Blanche Terhune, daughter of Judge Terhune, one of the best known citizens of Vernon county. They have one son-Ray¬ mond L.
James H. Layne, of Viroqua, settled in the town of Franklin, in 1854. He purchased a farm which included what was afterward the village of Brookville, which latter place he laid out and platted. He was born in Amherst Co., Va., in 1812. He removed to Kentucky, in 1828, where he resided till 1852, when he re¬ moved to Macon Co., 111. In the fall of 1853 he removed to Platteville, Wis., and came to this county, as before stated, in 1854. The farm that he owned in the town of Franklin, he pur¬ chased of Benjamin McCormick. Mr. Layne was one of the prominent early settlers of that town ; was chairman of the board of supervi¬ sors several years, and represented his district in the State Assembly, in the session of 1862-3. On his removal to Viroqua, he bought the farm of William Good, which was settled by Moses Decker, one of the well known pioneers of Vernon county, and engaged in farming, and nursery and hop business. He is at present engaged with his son, Samuel P., in the sale of farming implements. Mr. Layne has been twice married. His first wife was Minerva May, a native of Kentucky. She died in 1879. His present wafe was Mrs. Amanda Burnett. He had five children by his first marriage, one daughter and four sons ; daughter died in childhood ; sons all grew to maturity.    Newton M. was born  in  Kentucky,
in March, 1839. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his pro¬ fession. On the breaking out of the civil war, he raised company C, of the 18th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Was elected captain on the organization of the com¬ pany ; was captured at Shiloh; was after¬ ward exchanged, and participated in the siege of Vicksburg. He contracted a disease in the army of which he died.
Calvin Morley is one of the honored pioneers of Vernon county and Viroqua town. He came here from New York, his native State, in September, 1854. Mr. Morley was born in 1818, at Smyrna, Chenango county, where he grew to manhood. His parents, Abner and Amanda (Allen) Morley, were of New Eng¬ land stock, and located in New York after their marriage. At the age of sixteen years, Calvin was employed in a woolen factory, and con¬ tinued in that business until 1853, when he learned the cabinet trade, and worked at it for one year. Upon coming to this county he pre¬ empted a farm in Viroqua town, on which he resided one year, and then removed to the vil¬ lage. In 1861 he enlisted in company C, 18th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. Layne. He served about one year, and was discharged for disability. He participated in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, and after the war, returned to Vernon county, and again engaged in the cabinet trade. He is the pioneer in that branch of trade, having first commenced in 1855. Mr. Morley's principal occupation is painting, which business he still follows-. His wife was Elizabeth P. O'Toole, a native of Massachusetts, who removed to Utica, N. Y., with her parents when a small child. Mr. and Mrs. Morley have six children—William B., Margaret A., Fred, Frank E., Kate  and Grace.
Aaron Riley lives on section 24, where he settled in September, 1854. He came to this town in July of that year. He has 160 acres of land which he bought of the government. He was born in Ohio; was married in  PtIorgan