Town of TroyTownship MapsTownship Cemeteries As one of the five towns constituted by the act of January 2, 1838, Troy included the next eastward township, set off March 21, 1843, as East Troy. The present town is 4 north, range 17 east. First visitors were Major Jesse MEACHAM and Adolphus SPOOR from Michigan. Others to follow were: BEARDSLEY, ROBERTS, BLANCHARD, FOWLER, HEATH, HIBBARD, MONTAGUE, PERRY, POWERS, SMITH, TRUMAN, KLING, MAYHEW, ODELL, and ROBINSON. Troy was a promising village until it was shunned by the railway builders. It had a mill, tavern, stores, shops, postoffice, etc. The church was Congregational and organized in 1839. It has a cemetery where Major Meacham, his wife and one of her sons were buried. Troy Center in sections 14, 15 was a creation of the railway company which in 1871 needed a station there at a meeting of highways. A post office was established along with other businesses. Mayhew, in section 33, less than four miles from Troy Centre, began in 1871 with John Matheson's warehouse, and other buildings including a post office which no longer exists. Little Prairie in section 6 is known as the early home of Adam E. Ray, who gave or sold a fine field for a cemetery. A Methodist church was there in 1858 and a Bible Christian in 1861. Dexter B. Olds gave a deed to the Seventh Day Adventist society in 1867. Adams, at the quarter line of sections 18 and 19 was a post office for a while and a little burial ground is also there. Never a village, but a small neighborhood. From History of Walworth County Wisconsin, Vol. 1, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, publ. 1912 - Page 431 Troy Center Charles WYMAN built the first house, John A. SCHWARTZ built the first store, George DEWITT built the hotel and William H. DEWITT built the warehouse, afterward owned and occupied by Nathaniel M. BUNKER and Lindsey J. SMITH, and now by John A. and Albert A. SCHWARTZ. As early as 1837 George W. BLANCHARD, Albon M. PERRY and Soldan POWERS formed a little group of settlers about a half mile north of the station, but from this no village resulted. Jesse HALSTEAD and Samuel PILLSBURY were sent as early as 1837 to plant the Methodist Episcopal church in Honey creek valley. It is not told precisely how and where the members met until 1848 when the Congregational church at Troy was opened to them. No doubt, too, they made the school houses serve their need. For several years the members seem to have distributed themselves among the churches of neighboring towns. In 1894 came a renewal of active interest and Mr. BRIGGS gave the society a lot at Troy Center and a comfortable church was built on it. Its pastors have been D. B. COFFEEN; Thomas POTTER, 1895; John Albert COLLINGE, 1896; John C. McCLAIN, 1902; Ambrose C. JETT, 1905; Samuel LUGG, 1907; Horatio S. MARTIN, 1908; Harris E. DREW, 1909; George W. LESTER, 1910. Mayhew Mayhew, in section 33, less than four miles from Troy Centre, began in 1871 with John MATHESON's warehouse, store, lumber sheds and blacksmith shop, and was at once made a station and a postoffice, the latter now discontinued. Mr. MATHESON was one of the most energetic business men in his quarter of the county, and he saw no reason why the grain and lumber trade might not be made profitable to himself and locally convenient. He passed thence to East Troy and finally to Elkhorn. Wherever he went he drew to himself active and profitable trade. Excepting the station, which was named from Jesse MAYHEW, on whose land it was built, the buildings, all of which were MATHESON's are unoccupied. Little Prairie Little Prairie, in section 6 is known as the early home of Adam E. RAY, the HAROLOW, OLDS, and a few other old families, once numerous there and hard by. Mr. RAY gave or sold a fine field for a cemetery, now well peopled and well cared for, in 1860; a lot for the Methodist church in 1858; and one for the Bible Christians in 1861. Dexter B. OLDS gave a deed to the Seventh-day Adventist society in 1867. The membership of these bodies was partly of Lagrange, and of the country about Eagle and Palmyra. Only the Methodist church is now left, and for ministerial purposes is joined to the pastorate at Palmyra. Adams Adams, at the quarter line of sections 18 and 19, was for a few years named in the postal guide, and a little burial ground is one mark of its site. It was not a village but a neighborhood. The families of BROPHY, CHATFIELD, COOMBE, KLING, LACKEY, NOURSE and TERWILLIGER were among those grouped within range of its postoffice delivery.
Township Map circa 1900 Township Map circa 1907 Township Map circa 1923 Copyright 2013 Walworth County Genealogical Society
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