Knowlton
1830’s The Metis and French trappers of Green Bay were leaving the area. Some moved to the Wisconsin River area (in the area that would become Knowlton and Eau Pleine); some to where Fort Winnebago would be established, some to areas on the river to the north. By 1840 the Green Bay Metis population was gone.
1836 Wisconsin becomes a territory. Under the Jay Treaty title to the land is held by the Native American tribes that are living on the land. Future Knowlton lying east of the Wisconsin river is located in Brown County, the land west of the river is in Crawford county. After the 1836 territorial census was taken Portage county was founded and was roughly the area now known as Columbia county .
1839 Joshua Hathoway is hired to survey the area. Hathoway’s maps and survey notes survive.
1840 For the Federal census – Knowlton is still in Brown county. (Portage County census data is actually for the area that is today’s Columbia county.)
1841 Portage County was expanded north from Columbia county to the Wisconsin – Michigan border. Knowlton is now in Portage County.
1845 There was no passable road past Plover Portage going north. (Plover Portage is today Plover). Saw mills were operating at Mosinee and Wausau. Knowlton’s first mill does not come until 1855.
1848 Wisconsin becomes a state.
1849 Leonhard Guenther came from Beaver Dam and was in the pinery as early as 1849, working in mills and camps in the neighborhood. His family became prominent early settlers.
1850, February 16 Marathon County is created from Portage County and Knowlton is now in Marathon County.
1851 Marathon County was organized and kept its own records.
1852 Up to 1852, most inhabitants of Knowlton Township were native American and Canadian French, some Scotch, Irish, and Norwegian.
1853 A German family, consisting of Thomas Stark (father), his wife and his two sons, Franziskus and Anthony, settled on land in the present village of Knowlton. Being carpenters, they engaged in making shingles and hewed square timbers for a couple of seasons, which they rafted and floated down to points below. They also had good farms.
1853, August 17 – A local newspaper noted that C. A. Loomis is keeping a house of entertainment (a tavern) and is also putting up a good house with a view of making it a hotel at Twin Island.
1854 JACOB X. BRANDS, . . . built the “Half Way House” between Grand Rapids (today Wisconsin Rapids) and Plover, keeping it for two years. Some have confused this house with the “ Knowlton House”.
1854 Leonard Guenther married Rosalie Stark, daughter of Thomas and Franziska Stark.
1855 A sled road passable in winter for teams hauling supplies was in use by this date, stretching from Stevens Point to Merrill.
1855 A number of land sales occurred in the Knowlton area as settlers moved in. All land sold under the Land Act of 1820 was sold at $1.25 cash an acre. There is a government land sales office open in Stevens Point, Portage County, Wisconsin.
1855, May 1 – C. A. Loomis purchased 46.7 acres, the land known as the Twin Island settlement. He now owns the land at Twin
Island that his hotel sits on. This area would eventually become the village of Knowlton. Loomis would purchase several other parcels of land in the area over the next several years.
1855, June 15 – Andrew Warren purchased 38.72 acres adjacent to Loomis on the north. Over the next several years he purchased hundreds of acres in the Town of Knowlton. Warren was in partnership with his brothers. He bought up huge tracts of land in several states and resold the land at a profit. At this time he was residing in the Wausau area.
1855, September 25 – A local newspaper reported that “Twin Island” is the name of the “opening” of C. A. Loomis, Esq. Here Messrs. Long & Whitney are putting up a Steam Mill, 50 by 70, which they expect to have in running order by the middle of October. The running gear of the mill is to consist of a steam-engine of fifty horse power with the “fixing” and two upright and two circular saws. It is the intention of the projectors to add a “siding saw” next season. The “Twin Island Hotel” kept by Mr. Loomis, is as well a kept house as one can expect to find, to which is attached a large well filled barn for the accommodation of the teamster. The Steamboat makes this a regular landing on the daily trips. The vicinity of Twin Island also boasts of some eight or ten settlers, who are clearing up farms.
1855, December 15 – Abigail A. Loomis purchased the Twin Islands in the river, 15.04 acres
– Samuel Wakley (Waklee) purchased 40 acres to the north of the Twin Island settlement
– Franziscus Stark (Starck, Starik) purchased 160 acres, some wooded land to the north, land to the west of
the Twin Island settlement, and some land to south of the settlement along the river. He now
owned the land his farm and businesses sat upon.
– Ephiraim Brown purchased 75.4 acres near the Twin Island settlement
1856 January 5 – Mr. Brands favors us and the public with a card of his tavern stand, the “Twin Island House”. Those who have been there will not need to be told by us, about the good cheer and kind attentions that await travelers at that house. Those who have not called, had better not take our word, but examine for themselves. They will thank us for the hint.
1856, March 6 – A social Party was held at the Twin Island House by J. X. Brands and music by provided by Rousseau’s Band
1856, March 13– Jacob X. Brands, Esq., has been appointed Post Master at Knowlton, a new post office; place formerly known as Twin Island. Such office was much needed, and Mr. Brands will make a good officer. We understand that a daily line of stages is hereafter to run between Stevens Point and Wausau, making Knowlton the dining place. (JACOB X. BRANDS was born in Knowlton, Warren Co., N.J., March 11, 1818.)
1856, May 26 – The Knowlton House was advertised in the local papers. A standard ad was run every week. The newspaper advertisement read: “KNOWLTON HOUSE, (Known as the Loomis Stand.) By JACOB X. BRANDS. This house is located half way from Stevens Point to Wausau, and three miles north of “Wylie’s”. It has been thoroughly fitted up and enlarged, and is the most commodious house on the road. The Proprietor is an old experienced Landlord. And knows the wants of travelers, and will attend to those who may favor him with a call in such a manner as to give the best of satisfaction.
1856, August 7 – A local newspaper ran the account of a trip upriver. “On Friday last she (the steamboat Northerner) left Rood’s Wharf (Stevens Point), at 5 o’clock, a full load of freight and about 30 passengers. Weather fine; at 6 o’clock at Wade’s place; a quarter before 8 at Mann’s; half past 8 at Wylies’s; half past 9 Dubay’s a quarter before 10 at Whitesides Landing; a 11 o’clock at Knowlton; half past 11 at Warren’s Mill; half past 12 at Drake’s landing; 1 at Bean’s Eddy; at 3 o’clock at Little Bull Falls.
Knowlton – At Twin Islands. Here is the large lumbering establishment of Messrs. Long & Whitney; also Mr. Jacob Brand’s tavern, and a Post Office: it is a center for a considerable county adjacent, and will be one of the points on the river. Mr. Brands keeps a first rate house. “
1856, August – J.X. Brands first son, David, was born at the Knowlton house.
1856, December 15 – David Long and Ebenezar Whitney purchased 40 acres to the east of Francis Stark’s land, (Long and Whitney were reported as putting up a saw mill in 1855 yet this is the first land they purchased)
1857, July 1 – J. X. Brands. NOTARY PUBLIC. Knowlton, Marathon Co. Wisconsin, Will attend to all business entrusted to him under that name.
1858 J. X. Brands made two land purchases after July of 1858, moving his family onto a farm in Portage County.
C. A. Loomis is running the America House in Plover.
1858, August 26 – We were soon on the road again, and after riding over a road for eight miles, so bad that it would be folly to attempt to describe it, we arrived at Knowlton, (Brand’s old stand). We found the house occupied by Messrs Fletcher & Babcock, and we understand they intend fixing it up in good style for the accommodation of the traveling public.—We found Messrs. F. & B with about 20 men, hard at work upon their job, this side of Knowlton. They are driving the work along as though they meant to complete it in a hurry; and as they are hard working, good business men, we may soon expect to have that part of the road completed. It will shorten the distance between Mosinee and Knowlton from over 8 miles by the old road, to about 5 miles. From there to Stevens Point the road is much better.
1858, September 23 – OUR SOUTH ROAD. We noticed some weeks ago the improvement being made by Messrs. FLETCHER & BABCOCK, on their section of the road between Mosinee and Knowlton, and expressed our belief that it would soon be completed.
1858, November 25 – The “Twin Island House” about midway between here and Stevens Point, has recently been opened for the accommodation of travelers, by J. H. Babcock. It is a good house. Give him a call. His card will appear next week.
1858, December 2 – TWIN ISLAND HOUSE. J. H. BABCOCK, proprietor. This well known stand is located about halfway between Wausau and Stevens Point and as the house has been put in proper order it will be a desirable stopping place, especially as the proprietor is determined to give satisfaction to all who may feel disposed to favor him with their patronage.
1859 Fletcher and Campbell buy the mill and boom rights of Long and Whitney at Knowlton.
1859, February 12 – “Ordered on motion that Township No. Twenty-six (26) N Ranges No. eight (8) & nine (9) East & all of Range seven (7) of Said Township No. (26) lying East of the Wisconsin river be set off from the Town of Mosinee to be known and called the Town of Knowlton & that the first “Town Meeting” of Said Town of Knowlton be held at the Twin Island House on the 5th day of April, 1859.”
1859, September 08 – CAMP MEETING. There will be a camp meeting, held at Knowlton, … on the Wisconsin River… commencing on Monday Sept. 7th, and continuing one week or more. We respectfully invite all the preachers and friends on the district to attend.
1860 Listed on the 1860 census for the town of Knowlton is the Thomas Stark family (lumberman), the Leonhard Guenther family (laborer), and the Babcock family (tavern keeper).
1861, February 23 – Calvin Loomis sells the land the Knowlton house sits on to Melinda Lawrence.
1861, April 12 The Civil War begins.
1861, November 26 – Asa Lawrence sells the Knowlton House and steamship landing to Leonhard Guenther.
1865 Leonhard Guenther is listed as the postmaster at Knowlton.
1870 The Stark mill below Battle Island burned, they purchased the old Whitney mill to continue logging. Later they built a new sawmill.
1873 March 3 – By an order of the county board, a committee was appointed, consisting of C. A. Single, Leonhard Guenther, and Michael Baumann … in relation to the extension of the line of rail road from Grand Rapids (Wisconsin Rapids) to Wausau and Merrill. On March 15, 1873, the county board met and the resolution was adopted, with Leonhard Guenther voting aye and John Weeks nay.
1874 A general store is built across the street from the hotel by Leonard Guenther as he anticipated that the railroad would go past his place.
1875 The railroad is completed, but it does not run past the Village of Knowlton. The Knowlton Station is located a mile to the west of the village. Leonhard Guenther loses most of his business at his hotel and store as the stage line business has dried up.
1875 St. Francis Catholic Church is built by Leonhard Guenther.
1876 May 1 – Leonard Guenther committed suicide at his store.
1881 C.E. and A. Guenther, sons of Leonhard, start a planning mill operation.
1882 The Guenther saw mill is located at the former site of Warrensburg, where Warren once had a steam powered saw mill.
A. and Anthony Guenther are becoming prominent businessman in the area. The Stark saw mill is located in the area where Long and Whitney’s saw mill once was, in the village of Knowlton. The Whitmore house has been built.
1883 Mulhollen sells to Ladu and Knoller, who commence running a mercantile in front of the Whitmore house. This mercantile building will one day become the Saloon Dubay.
1886 March 18 – The store at Knowlton next to the church, together with its entire contents, belonging to the L. Guenther estate, was completely consumed by fire on Friday morning. Also burned was the residence of L. Guenther Jr., a few household articles being saved. A temporary store is being fitted up at the hotel, where people can be accommodated with all kinds of fresh groceries.
1898 The factory of the Knowlton Creamery Co. was open for business Monday morning. The company will buy milk or will make butter by the pound and opens with the patronage of about 100 cows.
1901 In Knowlton there is now a creamery, two stores – Mullhollen’s and Guenthers, a post office in the Guenther store, a hotel – the Knowlton house, a tavern and dance hall owned by Hibbard, and Stark’s sawmill.
1903 Adam Fiet buys the saloon and dance hall from Hibbard.
1905 December 10 – A Methodist Chapel was built to the south of the Knowlton cemetery.
1912 The area flooded and Knowlton was in peril of going under water.
1920’s on
Knowlton becomes known for its one lane railroad bridge. The cannery is built. Pickles are shipped from the depot.
Land is being bought up as a dam is to be built. With the completion of the dam, a large lake is created and water now covers a large portion of the old village of Knowlton. The lake is named after John Baptiste Dubay, an old fur trapper who resided in the area. There is an old train dining car that is parked in Knowlton and used as a diner. Fine dining could be found at Club Dubay or the Antlers, both supper clubs. Club Dubay burned down – the Antlers quit operations.
There are gas pumps in front of the grocery store. Later Al’s Garage is built where the old dance hall once stood. The blacksmith shop is gone from the corner. The creamery has grown into a major cheese factory.
RESEARCH HINTS:
To use the census records, you must know the geographical boundaries for the time period you are researching.
If you lived in Knowlton :
from 1830 to 1840, you were recorded under Brown County in the Territory of Wisconsin, the upper Wisconsin (Portage
county was at that time the area known today as Columbia County)
from 1841 to 1848, you were recorded under Portage county in the Territory of Wisconsin
from 1850 to 1859, you were recorded in Marathon County in the State of Wisconsin.
from 1860 to the present you are recorded in the town of Knowlton, Marathon County in the State of Wisconsin.