St. Croix County Biographies and Historical Sketches

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 St. Croix County Townships Map | St. Croix County (1909) | Early History of St. Croix County | Villages, Townships & Municipalities | St. Joseph, Troy & Warren Townships | Stanton & Star Prairie Townships | Rush River, Somerset & Springfield Townships | Richmond Township, City of New Richmond | Kinnickinnic & Pleasant Valley Townships | Hudson Township & City of Hudson | Forest, Glenwood & Hammond Townships | Eau Galle, Emerald and Erin Townships | Baldwin, Cady & Cylon Townships
Eau Galle, Emerald and Erin Townships

Eau Galle Township

Eau Galle is one of the southern tier of St. Croix County townships. It is bounded by Baldwin, Cady and Rush River townships and Pierce county, drained by the Eau Galle and Rush rivers and crossed from north to south by a railroad. Its villages are Wildwood and Brookville. Eau Galle was one of the first townships in the county to be settled. The early settlers were William Holman, Andrew Dickey, Joseph Barnish and Uriah Briggs. The township, including township 28, range 16, was organized in 1858 with William Homan as chairman and the Messrs. Babcock and McCartney as supervisors. In early days the whole township was known as Brookville. A postoffice was established in 1853 with William Holman as postmaster. Mr. Holman built the first sawmill the same year. Originally an active sawmill district, the township is now rich in farms and does a large business in general farming, stock raising and dairying. The township contains 22,046 acres, having an average valuation of $26.11. There are 375 horses, valued at $22,500; 2,550 neat cattle, valued at $35,700; 660 sheep and lambs, valued at $1,980; 170 swine, valued at $850. The value of real estate is $575,800, of personal property at $87,500, making a total valuation of $663,300. Following is the acreage devoted to various crops in Eau Galle township in 1908: No wheat; corn, 95; oats, 5,437; barley, 1,368; rye, 135; flaxseed, 265; potatoes, 100; cultivated hay, 4,175. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

Emerald Township

Emerald is one of the interior townships of the county. It includes township 30, range 16, and is drained by the Hutton, Dry Run and Carrs creeks. The Central Wisconsin traverses the northeastern part and has one station, Emerald village, a populous settlement, which is the center of the trade of the township. The pine and hardwood timber, which originally covered the township, is now largely cut off. The township was organized in 1861, the first meeting being held the first Monday in April of that year at the home of Thomas Ross, an old settler. The township is rich in farm lands and its people are progressive and industrious. Emerald is bounded by Cylon, Forest, Glenwood, Baldwin and Erin townships. The township contains 22,266 acres, having an average value of $24.09. There are 400 horses, valued at $24,000; 1,700 cattle, valued at $23,800; 460 sheep and lambs, valued at $1,380; 250 swine, valued at $1,250. The total value of real estate is $536,400, of personal property $66,200, making a total of $602,600. Following is the acreage devoted to various crops in Emerald township in 1908: Wheat 27; corn, 266; oats, 2,978; barley, 760; rye, 205; flax seed, 153; cultivated hay, 1,837. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

Erin Township

Erin township, originally called Erin Prairie and still known by that title among the older citizens and their descendants, includes township 30, range 17, and is bounded by Stanton, Cylon, Emerald, Hammond and Richmond, being another of the six interior townships. It has several lakes and in the northern part is drained by several rivers and creeks. The villages are Erin, in the central part, and Jewetts Mills, on the lake in the northern part. Both ar populous villages and form excellent trading points. The latter village is located on the Wisconsin Central Railroad. John Casey entered the first land in 1854. The first house was built on section 17, in May 1855, by John Ring. Among the settlers in 1855 were about twenty families, among whom are the following: Michael Hughes, Peter Queenan, James, Michael and Thomas McNamara. The township was organized in 1858 with the following supervisors: Richard Joyce, chairman, Alexander Stevens and Peter Queenan. William McNally was the first school teacher, also the first school master. As the name of the township has an area of 22,522 acres, valued at $31 an acre. There are 485 horses, valued at $29,100; 1,800 neat cattle, valued at $25,200; 350 sheep and lambs, valued at $1,050; 325 swine, valued at $1,625. The total value of the real estate in $708,100, of the personal property, $76,200, making a total valuation of $784,300. Following is the acreage devoted to the various crops in Erin township in 1908: Wheat, none; corn, 749; oats, 7,382; barley, 1,576; rye, 80; flaxseed, 370; potatoes, 750; cultivated hay, 3,275.  (taken from "History of the St. Croix County",  published in 1909)