John Barlett Knowlton (I45845)
Hit Count:    
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Personal Facts and Details
  Events of close relatives | |
| Birth | 8 August 1812  26 Canajoharie, Montgomery, Ny |
| Death | 11 April 1848 (Age 35) Centertown, Rock, Wisconsin Territories |
| Burial | Cemetery: see notes - prob. St. John's Cem., Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin Territories |
| Last Change | 25 March 2007 - 08:37:12 Last changed by: dcoplien |
Notes
 Note |
Janesville spring or late fall 1836 - if he had come any later, the land that he and his father claimed would have been long gone. Prime lands near the city were all claimed by the end of fall 1837. He may have come before his father, set up a cabin and then his wife, father and all but one brother followed. John's claim was for 40 acres in what was heavily wooded land. It was one of the few areas on the west side of the river, then called Centertown (Center Township) where there was a woods. Wood was not only important for heat and cooking; at the time there was no hewn lumber available. Log cabins were the only form of shelter other than a wagon. Wagons at this time were still pulled by oxen. A history of Janesville with map and photos is forthcoming. land grant of 40 acres 1840 - Rock, Wisconsin Territory 1842 - Centertown, Rock, Wisconsin Territory, this is now Center Township, part of Centertown became the west side of Janesville. Centertown is where John B. Knowlton land grant was located. By a current map, we can estimated his home and his father's first home were because we know the location of some of the other early settlers in the area and have the legal discriptions of their lands. John B. Knowlton 1812 – 1848 1842 state census – Centertown To Janesville 1836~1837 age 22 First commissioner of schools for Center Township -- Centertown Combination Atlas Map of Rock County, Wisconsin ©1873 Everts, Baskin & Stewart, Chicago, Ill. p. 61 This is one of the best farming towns in the county, being mostly prairie land. The first settlement in the town was in October, 1843, by Mr. Andrew STEVENS, at the grove called Black Oak Grove; at that time he had no neighbors within ten miles west or five miles north. There are several fine streams and a beautiful creek in the township. Such desirable situations for farms are scarcely found in the county. In the north part of the town there are some oak openings and very fine marsh for cutting hay. The farms are mostly all under a high state of cultivation, while the building improvements are second to none in the county. Janesville is the nearest market, being about six miles from the centre of the township. The church and school interests of the town are zealously guarded by the citizens. There are several good church and school buildings. [The nearest Baptist Church was Hope Chapel in Janesville, east of the river] The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wisconsin ©1889 p. 1011 Center, in the northwestern part of the county, was organized by a legislative enactment approved Feb. 17, 1842, and then included the present town of Center and portions of Plymouth, Spring Valley, Magnolia, and Janesville west of the river. Magnolia was set off Feb. 2, 1846, and other towns were formed, wholly or in part, from its territory at later dates. Its present limits are those of township 3 north, of range 11 east. Andrew STEVENS, the first settler, located at Black-Oak Grove in October, 1843. His nearest neighbor was five miles away, the next nearest ten. Other early settlers were David and Philander DAVIS, William WEBB, William WARREN and Elijah WOOD. The first election was held at the house of James V. KNOWLTON. Range 11 would be west of John B Knowlton’s land placing him in what is now Janesville Township. This narrows the area down to: north to south; Rock River North of Hwy 14 and south Rockport Rd, west to east; Center/Janesville township border to the west river bank. (see map at coplien.com) His land grant was for 40 acres, his fathers for 80. His brother James later sells about 10 lots which appear to have been on the west side of town, close to Center Ave. -- Rockport, Rock Co. Definition: From Increase Lapham's 1844 Geographical and Topographical Description of Wisconsin: "ROCKPORT, is the oldest village or settlement, in the county, having been commenced in 1836. It is on the west side of Rock river, half a mile below Janesville and at the head of a rapid, having about seven feet fall in a distance of one and a half miles." Wisconsin State Historical Society Between 1836 and 1848, over 240 territorial roads were created under the authority of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature. Earlier roads may have been constructed under the authority of the Michigan Legislature. The 1836 Legislature specifically directed that no territorial funds should be paid for laying out, surveying, opening, or constructing the territorial roads. Instead the expense had to be assumed by individual towns or local and private support. Many of the roads constructed during this period branched off the already-constructed military roads and ran from various settlements along Lake Michigan to the Wisconsin River, as well as to Mineral Point and the lead region in southwestern Wisconsin. Three territorial roads were constructed in 1836. One linked Jane's Ferry (Janesville), Rockport, Centerville, New Mexico (Monroe), and White Oak Springs with the Illinois state line. [Hwy 51] A second connected Southport (Kenosha) to Jane's Ferry [Hwy 26]. A heavily traveled third route connected Milwaukee, Madison, and Blue Mounds. More than 200 additional roads were constructed during the next 12 years. Wisconsin City Land Grant for partners Inman, Breese and Shepard 163 acres Aliquot.Prts Sec./Blk Twnsp. Range Fract. Section Meridian State Counties E½SW 3/ 2-N 1 2-E No 4th PM - 1831 MN/WI WI Rock NENE 3/ 2-N 12-E No 4th PM - 1831 MN/WI WI Rock SWNE 3/ 2-N 12-E No 4th PM - 1831 MN/WI WI Rock 2. From: The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wisconsin ©1889 p. 1021-1022 At one time, this town could boast of four cities and villages - 'Wisconsin City,' 'Koshkonong City,' 'Rockport,' 'Monterey and 'Afton.' Rockport was laid out by Thomas HOLMES in December, 1845, and was the first surveyed village (or city) in the county. 'Wisconsin City' was surveyed by INMAN, BREESE and SHEPHERD, in 1836; 'City of Koshkonong,' in the summer of the same year, by KENZIE, HUNTER and BOOBY; 'Monterey,' by Ira MILTIMORE, in 1850. By an act of the Legislature of Wisconsin, approved March 19, 1853, the city of Janesville was incorporated, and by its charter sections 1 and 2 of the town of Rock were brought within its limits. Consequently, 'Monterey and 'Rockport' are now a part of the territory belonging to the city of Janesville. With sections 1 and 2, there also passed from the town many of the localities "where the pioneers located." -- Janesville Township, then a part of Centertown seems the most likely place for John B. Knowlton’s burial. This area is on both the west side and east side of modern Janesville. Its southern border is Center Ave, near Monterey Park, the Big Rock and Wilson School. -- Since we now know approximately where John B lived, if we are to assume that's also where he died, then the choice of cemetery is obvious, the cemetery for the village of Janesville, St. John's. I have looked at the index of every other cemeteries in what had been Centertown and do not find any Knowlton's. It's possible his stone could be missing. If he wasn't buried at St. John's the next most likely cemetery is Bethel which sits across the road from Center Town Hall. This cemetery is in excellent care and stones dating to 1850 still stand however you can see some graves with no stones. Unfortunately I have not been able to find the names of bodies removed from St. John's to Oak Hill and most of those stones no longer stand. Janesville Gazette, Aug 14, 1985 - a series on the history of Janesville Ghostbusting High school groundbreaking unearthed corpses Most schools have more auspicious beginnings than ghoulishly disturbing the peace. But agitating ghosts was the mortifying fate of one of Janesville's earliest high school buildings, later to be known as Jefferson School and first occupied by students in May 1859. [not the current Jefferson School which is on Mt Zion, present location of Wilson School] Initial site work went far deeper than "breaking ground": Workers had to evacuate the village cemetery. The situation became grave when citizens discovered the corpses had been unceremoniously unearthed and carted to Oak Hill, a recently purchased burial ground. Mrs. M. L. Beers gave this account: "Combine certain elements in nature and an explosion follows. Antagonistic moral elements must have been assimilated at this time, for a disturbance arose that sent a thrill of excitement through the city. Laborers were hired by east side council men to disinter the dead, and wagon loads of unknown anatomies in iscellaneous heaps were carried across the city and again buried to await in peace the last trumpet. This uncanny business, being hastily done, was the match that ignited the fuse. "Injunctions were threatened and there was much wordy warfare. But at length, wiser counsels prevailed and peace was established. And thus above the ashes of the dead arose a commodious institution of learning, the alma mater of many generations, the proud Acropolis of the tree-embowered city below it." The high school was finally built at a cost of $29,750. The three-story building, topped by a cupola, was considered "one of the most imposing and tasteful structures of the city." The whole business shows that all things return from whence they came. The cemetery has long been unearthed and the building was razed in 1947. May they both rest in peace. South ROCK, Town, in county of Rock, being town 2 N., of range 12 E.; centrally located, 6 miles southwest from Janesville. Population in 1850 was 553. It has 8 school districts. |
Media
| There are no media objects for this individual. |
 |
Family with Parents - [View Family (F19800)] |
| Father |
|
|
| Mother |
|
|
| Brother |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Brother |
|
|
| Brother |
|
|
| Brother |
|
|
| Brother |
|
27
Research Assistant
| There are no research logs attached to this individual. |
