My Family Tree

SILAS BARNUM CHATFIELD, son of Levi CHATFIELD, Jr., was a cousin of that Levi Starr CHATFIELD, who, for a term of office between 1845 and 1851 was state treasurer of New York, and for whom a Minnesota county was named. Silas was born in Connecticut, October 21, 1822; lived as a boy in Chenango and Madison counties; came to Troy from Ohio in 1846; married Mary E. HOLCOMB, December 22, 1849. She died December 31, 1854, leaving two children. In 1857 he married Catharine L. G., daughter of Jacob KLING and Dorothy GASPER. There were seven children of this marriage. He died February 8, 1908. Mrs. CHATFIELD was for nearly thirty years a contributor of "items" to the newspaper at Elkhorn, relating to the families within the Adams post office delivery.
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Find A Grave Memorial# 114920035
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Silas Barnum Chatfield 1822-1908
S. B. CHATFIELD, one of the early settlers and prominent farmers of Walworth County, was a native of Connecticut, born October 21st 1822.

When he was but two or three years old, the family moved to Chenango County, New York. Here the mother died, when he was but seven years old, and three years later, the father died. Thus, at the age of ten years, he was left to the mercy of the world to care for himself.

He was under the guardianship of his uncle, who bound him to a farmer by the name of Theodore Burchard, of the town of Hamilton, Madison County, with whom he lived until he was l8 years of age. Then Mr. Burchard rented his farm to Mr. James Stratton, who wished to have young Chatfield remain on the farm, so he served out the balance of his time there.

Upon reaching his majority, Chatfield was given $100, two suite of clothes and a Bible, and, as he was now his own master, he served as a laborer for farmers.

He attended school one term, and in 1846, started West to seek his fortune. On his way West, he stopped with his guardian, David Bard, who then resided in Ohio. Here he received. $87, which was his share of his father's estate.

He then came to Wisconsin, arriving at Troy, November 1, 1846, with $301 in money and a few carpenters tools, which he had purchased on his way to the west.

He at once went to James Stratton, who had come West, and settled in Troy in 1843. where he made it his home until Dec. 22, 1849 when he was married to Mary E. Holcomb. They settled on a farm of 80 acres which Mr. Chatfield had previously purchased.

December 31, 1854, his wife died, leaving two children--Norman A. and Levi L. In 1857, he was married to Catherine L. G. Kling, daughter of Jacob and Dorothy Kling, by whom he had seven children:
George K., born June 8, 1858; Dewitt C., born Aug. ll, 1862; Omer C., born April 24, 1860; Jane E., born Feb. 22, l664; (Jane was accidentally burned to death, June 28, l8?l, when her clothing took fire from sparks flying out of the stove} S. Libbie, born July 2?, 1869; Alice J., born June 22, l873; Seneca B., born November l5, 1875.

Mr. Seneca Chatfield now owns 118½ acres of land. He purchased 24 acres of marsh lend on Section 32, at $10 an acre, and with improvements it is new valued at $60 per acre.

In politics, he is a Republican, and in religion, a Baptist. He has raised sugar cane and manufactured cane syrup for fifteen years, taking an interest in its growth and best methods of manufacture.
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HISTORY OF THE ADAMS COMMUNITY
By Seneca Chatfield - 1952
Many years ago this community had been Indian Territory, a part of the Northwest Territory, which was now beginning to be settled. Most of the traveling was done on horseback, over trails, until roads were finally cut through the woods. Travel was difficult at first, for they often had to ford streams and clear paths. There seems to be no reports of finding Indians here at the time but there was plenty of evidence that they had been here because of the number arrowheads which were found.

The Porters, the first settlers, came probably in the 1830's but others were soon to follow, coming from the East, especially from New York. The opening of this new territory encouraged people to venture out and make new homes. This territory was really not the west as we consider it today, but it was as far as the frontier went at that time. A man by the name of Pillsbury, a circuit rider missionary, staked a claim on the farm. He held the land until Silas B. Chatfield came and bought it from Charles B. Ackley in 1847. Pillsbury was no farmer, but he rode on horseback from place to place preaching and staying in different homes as he went along. This farm was later passed on to Silas Chatfield's son, Seneca B. Chatfield.

These ear1y pioneers had very little money and perhaps just a few possessions. They received the land they homesteaded on for a very reasonable price, from the government. These pioneers built their own homes, schools, churches and made many of their own tools. They had to clear wooded land and plant their crops. They farmed with oxen. Mr. Chatfield's ox yoke later went to his grandson, Frank. in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

NAMING THE COMMUNITY
Before going too far I shall tell how this community came to be called Adams. The people wanted to name it Porter for Sam and Silah Porter, the first settlers. When they tried to get this name it was found that there was another community named Porter in the state. They finally chose the name Adams after John Quincey Adams, President of the USA from l825 - 1829.

EARLY HIGHWAYS
The first road in this community was County Road 1, which was a secondary road to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Many large wagons were seen along the highway drawn by oxen. Sometimes there were two pair of oxen pulling the heavy loads of lead from southwestern Wisconsin lead mines to the smelters in Milwaukee.

There seems to have been some difficulty in getting the other highway, which is now Highway 20, through on account of the marsh. It was finally put through the middle of section 19, with a quarter section on each side, thereby being called, The Quarterline Road.

On the bend of the road, there was some difficulty also getting land for the road from the man that owned the 40 acres on the eastside of the road. This also caused a bend in the road at the intersection where the Little Prairie Road and Highway 20 meet at Adams Corners. All the land for the road had to come from the farm on the westside of the road. The gravel used for the road came from a gravel pit on the Chatfield Farm. The gravel pit was located along the Little Prairie Road.

ADAMS SCHOOLS
In the winter of 1839-1840, Mrs Ladd of Mukwonago, Wisconsin taught a school in the log home of Samuel and Silah Porter. The entire number of pupils, taking in all the grades was seven.

One of the old residents of the town, a youth back then, says they occasionally had a "Spelling School". His early triumph was achieved on such occasion; he spelled down the school. The scholars consisted almost, if not entirely of the Porter children. This first home school was at the address What is now known as, W4406 County Road J.

The first schoolhouse was a log building. It was situated in the woods just south of the Chatfield home, where Zimmerman Road and County Road J meet. It was built in 1840.

On May 6th 1843, The Walworth County School school districts. Part of the east ½ secs. of La Grange 12, 13 and 14 were put into the Troy school district and was called, Joint District No. 2 of Troy and La Grange.

The log school building was used for a number of years, until people decided they needed a new school. The people gathered together one night at the school to vote on the question. There were two factions; one wanted to move the school up to the corner. The other faction wanted to leave it where it was. There was much disagreement. The side that wanted it moved stayed after the meeting and the others had gone home. They then tore down the logs, and a new school building had to be built. A new yellow frame building very up to date for the time, was built on the corner where the present school building now is. This school was used until 188l, when the district decided to build the brick building. The brick was completed at a cost of $1,305.87.

The old frame school building was sold to John Coombs for $15.00. He moved it to his farm just west of the school on the north side of the road. the old school building was used for many years as a horse barn and tool shed. The Ed Wolfe family lived on this farm for many years. The address of the farm is W4750 State Road 20.

Some of the first teachers in the new brick school building were Mae Titus, of Lake Beulah, Will Mayhew of Elkhorn and Grant Lawton of La Grange. There were no waxed floors, polished desks or conveniences that schools have today. The children studied by the light of kerosene lamps. Many times a boy would attend school only in the winter months as he often needed to help on the farm. Therefore sometimes he was quite old before he finished his education. Children often had to walk a long distance to get to school, for there were no busses to ride on.

ADAMS CHURCH
During the early years of the Adams community there were no churches. So church services were held in the schoolhouse. Some of the first settlers went to neighboring towns for their church services much as they do today.

In 1881 after the new school was built, Silas Chatfield and Hirand Nourse first started church services. John Messerschmidt served many years as superintendent for the Sunday school children. People came from quite a distance, even Little Prairie. Some came by horses and others walked.

In 1917 the people built a church building. This was quite a change from the schoolhouse. Every year the members would serve a chicken supper to which people would attend from all around the area. Frank King was always remembered as chief cook for the oyster dinners.

THE ADAMS POST GFFICE
The Post Office was located about ¼ mile west of Adams corner on the Henry Coombs farm. Henry Coombs wife and sister took care of the Post Office. Thomas Coombs would carry the mail from Adams to Palmyra on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

On July 27, 1887 a very bad hail storm came up, it pounded and frightened Thomas's horses so badly that he was forced to drive into Behling's Blacksmith Shop, in Little Prairie until the storm stopped.

Thomas Coombs was getting too old to carry the mail, so in l888. DeWitt Chatfield carried it. Mrs Silas Chatfield was appointed Postmistress and the Post Office was moved to the Chatfield home.

There were 24 mailboxes where people's mail would be kept until they would come to pickup their mail. The children were told to stay away from the mail boxes or Uncle Sam would get them, as you see, this was government property.

ADAMS CEMETERY
When the settlers first came it was their custom to bury their dead on their own land. So when Silah Porter died, she was buried on the southwest corner of their farm. When Silas's first wife died, he gave a portion of his land for the present cemetery. Mrs. Silah Porter was then moved to the cemetery also. All the names of the dead buried there have tombstones and can be read. There is one Civil War veteran, named Gribben buried there. Nobody seems to know where he was from.

BLACKSMITH SHOP
On April 1, April Fool's Day, George Chatfield started to build a blacksmith shop. The shop was built on the southwest side of Adams Corner's. As he was a very strong built man, another man came to help George learn the trade of a blacksmith. It was here that most of the area horses were shod. We can readily picture George as such the man in the poem "The Village Blacksmith".

After there was not much more need for a blacksmith in the area the building was moved to the John Coombs farm and used as a garage.

THE ADAMS CREAMERY
The area farmers, as a Co-Op built the Adams creamery in 1893.
This building was built on the southeast corner of the intersection.
Harvey Marr, of Whitewater, Wisconsin put in the cheese making equipment. They made just cheese until 1896. Then cheese and butter, and finally just butter.

Will Lloyd was the first cheesemaker. There was quite a list of butter makers to follow. Mrs. Daniel Hooper served as secretary until 1902. Then Seneca Chatfield took over and served until 1917. In the winter the farmers would gather with their teams and go to Pleasant Lake to cut ice for the creamery icehouse and also for their own icehouses. The butter maker lived in a house on the northeast corner of the Adams intersection.

Farmers would come to the creamery from miles around with their horses and wagons loaded with cans of milk. During the summer time the neighbors would gather to make ice cream for the socials, which were held on neighboring lawns. They made good homemade chocolate, vanilla, lemon and sometimes sherbet. All the boys and girls loved to gather around and help clean off the ice cream that was left on the ladles.

In 1917, there were lots of changes and not enough need for the creamery. So in 1918 the creamery was sold at auction and torn down by Andrew Schroeder of Eagle, Wisconsin.

SORGHUM MILL OF ADAMS
The Sorghum Mill was built and operated by Silas B. Chatfield and his son Seneca for many years on the Chatfield farm just east of Adams Corner.

Farmers would come with their wagonloads of cane to have the juice squeezed out. The juice would then be cooked until it turned into a heavy dark molasses like syrup. The sorghum syrup was used for cooking and baking.

On April 22, 1914, when a tornado came through, the sorghum mill was destroyed and never rebuilt.

CATASTROPHE5 OF ADAMS
On April 22, 1914 a tornado completely swept away the home and all other farm buildings of the Richard Bogie farm at W4785 State Road 20.

Everything was scattered far and wide. Squawking chickens ran around without feathers, a large hay rake was placed in the basement. The well, by some act of fate, was covered over with a large platform of cement moved there by the force of the wind. The best of all was that no human was killed, although some were in a bad condition. The only living thing that lost it's life, was a horse that was killed when the wind hurled a 2 x 4 through it's neck, some of the piano keys were found seven miles away in Eagle, Wisconsin.

The same tornado also destroyed the sorghum mill as described earlier.

In 1881, there was a very bad snowstorm that kept everyone home for days.
In 1936, there also a very bad snowstorm, with drifts piled so high; people had to travel through the fields in most places, There was no school or mailman for several days. There was very little travel except for those that had to get out.
Then again, there was the big snowstorm of 1947, that almost as bad as the passed snowstorm, except by now there were better snow equipment to clear the roads.

This history of the Adams community
was written by Seneca B. Chatfield in
1952, at the request of Alfred Gruling,
to be preserved for the Historical Society.
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USA Census, 1850
Name: Silas Chatfield
Event Place: Troy, Walworth, Wisconsin
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Birthplace: New York
Birth Year (Estimated): 1823
House Number: 71
Family Number: 74
Line Number: 19
Affiliate Publication Number: M432
Affiliate Film Number: 1007
GS Film number: 444994
Digital Folder Number: 004206493
Image Number: 00132
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Silas Chatfield M 27 New York
Mary E Chatfield F 19 New York
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USA Census, 1860
Name: Silas Chatfield
Minor Civil Division: The Town Of Troy
Age (Expanded): 37 years
Page: 150
Affiliate Publication Number: M653
GS Film number: 805434
Digital Folder Number: 4300460
Image Number: 00620
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USA Census, 1870
Name: Silas B Chatfield
Birth Year (Estimated): 1823
Gender: Male
Age (Original): 47y
Race: White
Birthplace: Connecticut
Event Place: Wisconsin
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Silas B Chatfield M 47y Connecticut
Catherine Chatfield F 38y New York
Norman A Chatfield M 19y Wisconsin
Levi Chatfield M 17y Wisconsin
George Chatfield M 11y Wisconsin
Omer Chatfield M 10y Wisconsin
De Witt Chatfield M 7y Wisconsin
Jane Chatfield F 6y Wisconsin
Libbie Chatfield F 11m Wisconsin
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USA Census, 1880
Name: Silas B. Chatfield
Event Place: Troy, Walworth, Wisconsin
Gender: Male
Age: 56
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Farmer
Ethnicity: American
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birthplace: Connecticut
Birth Date: 1824
Spouse's Name: Catherine Chatfield
Spouse's Birthplace: New York
Father's Birthplace: Connecticut
Mother's Birthplace: Connecticut
Page: 225
Page Letter: B
Entry Number: 4332
Affiliate Film Number: T9-1450
GS Film number: 1255450
Digital Folder Number: 004244778
Image Number: 00048
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Self Silas B. Chatfield M 56 Connecticut
Wife Catherine Chatfield F 48 New York,
Son Levi Chatfield M 28 Wisconsin
Son Dewitt Chatfield M 17 Wisconsin
Dau Libbie Chatfield F 10 Wisconsin
Dau Alice Chatfield F 7 Wisconsin
Son Seneca Chatfield M 3 Wisconsin
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USA Census, 1900
Name: Silas B Chatfield
Event Place: ED 99 Troy township, Walworth, Wisconsin
Birth Date: Oct 1822
Birthplace: Connecticut
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Father's Birthplace: Connecticut
Mother's Birthplace: Connecticut
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 43
Marriage Year (Estimated): 1857
Page: 8
Sheet Letter: A
Family Number: 178
Reference ID: 48
GS Film number: 1241821
Digital Folder Number: 004120647
Image Number: 00305
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Silas B Chatfield M 78 Connecticut
Wife Cathrine Chatfield F 68 New York
Son Seri S Chatfield M 48 Wisconsin [Levi Leroy]
Son Seneca Chatfield M 25 Wisconsin
Granddau Ina Chatfield F 14 Wisconsin
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Wisconsin, State Census, 1905
Name: Silas B Chatfield
Residence Place: Troy, Walworth, Wisconsin
Age (Original): 82y
Birth Year (Estimated): Abt 1823
Birthplace: Connecticut
Relationship to Head of Household (Original Language): Head
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Family Number: 164
Page: 507
Line Number: 24
GS Film number: 1020987
Digital Folder Number: 4236870
Image Number: 00289
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Silas B Chatfield M 82y Connecticut
Wife Catherine Chatfield F 72y New York
Son Seneca Chatfield M 29y Wisconsin

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