Page 586

DANE COUNTY TOWNS -VERONA.
              ADDITIONS B3Y J. T. HAWES.
  My father and mother and three children moved into
the town of Verona on the 7th day of March, 1843. It
was a very cold day, with deep snow, which lay on the
ground untuil April, when men went to the town meeting
in sleighs. It was a remarkably long and hard winter,
and many cattle starved to detath. I well remember in-
stances of men cOining fifteen miles to get a load of
straw, when we would give them the load and keep
them over night. We had moved on to Mr. Samuel
Taylor's farmi, so had plenty of feed. At this time
there was only one other faniily in the town, Peter Mar-
tiii's, one mile from us. The next nearest was Joseph
Vroman, five miles east, Ed. Camipbell seven miles
north, and McFadden, seven miles south. We living on
the road from Janesville to IMineral Point, and as it was
the only house for a long distance each way, having a
good barn, something very scurce in -those days, it was
a regular stopping place for all travelers.  Among
the notables nwho used to frequent our house was Judge
Irvin, .ions. Moses NL and Marshal M. Strong, Ebenezer
Brigham, of Blue Mounds, George Delaplaine, etc. J. G.
Knapp and E. AM. Williamson, of Madison, used to make
it their home while acting as surveyors in that part of
the county. Judge Irvin was always accompanied by
his famous horse Pedro, and dog York. My father
one winter boarded old Pedro for the judge. If my
memory serves me right, the first child born in the town
was Ebenezer Collins. He wvas born in the evening.
My mother was present, and early the next morninog she
was called to attend the birth of Olive Wheeler, a daugh-
ter of William  A. Wheeler, who lived at the Badger
Mills.
  The first religious services in the town were held at our
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