Moving along in the book "Sawdust City" by Lois Barland, we are actually to a point in the book that she is calling "The Beginnings" (I guess what we've been previously reading was just an introduction). Anyway, here's more: The Village of Eau Claire by Marshall Cousins The reader should not confuse the platted Village of Eau Claire City laid out in 1856, with the political unit, of the same title, organized in 1868. The political unit embraced within its limits all of the platted "Village of Eau Claire City" as well as Adin Randall's first and second additions. The plats are shown on the map of the City of Eau Claire today, but the political unit does not show. Frantz Alexander Von Siebenthal entered 75 acres at the U. S. land office in 1855. He and his brother, Charles F. came to America from Switzerland in 1853. Charles located first in New York but Frantz came west and finally located in Eau Claire where Charles and his family came in September, 1856. In the family was a six weeks old boy, Frank R. Siebenthall, born on the Erie Canal. Frantz A. Sibenthall enlisted July 2, 1861 in D Company Sixth Regiment. He was wounded at the battle of South Mountain, September 14, 1862, and was killed in action July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg. He is buried in the National Cemetery at Gettysburg. Mr. Siebenthall paid the U. S. Government $94.50 for the tract of 75 acres. March 15, 1856 he sold the tract to Ira Mead for $756. December 2, 1856, Ira Mead deeded this tract and other lands to Adin Randall for a named consideration of $20,000. James F. Moore and Wallace M. Spear were the engineers who ran the lines and made the plat of the Village of Eau Claire City. Mr. Spear was a La Crosse man. Mr. Moore at that time was already a resident of Eau Claire and became active in the affairs of the town, village, city and county. Adin Randall and Ira Mead signed the plat as "Proprietors." Charles Sebenthall was burned to death when Ingram and Kennedy's mill burned in 1880. His son Frank, married Ida S. Graham and the couple had three girls, Mrs. Clara Stepp, Mrs. Earl Ferguson, and Mrs. Harold Conrad and 3 sons. Frank sold farm implements at 131 River Street (Graham Avenue). The old Chas. Sebenthall family homestead was at 729 Second Avenue. Frank had five sisters who became Mrs. Will Korn, Mrs. John Kidd, Mrs. George Knapp, Mrs. Frank Adler. Eliza died unmarried. Town Organization The town was organized on April 1, 1856 by the election of Chapin M. Seeley, Ephraim Wheeler Robbins and Moses A. Page as supervisors, and a full list of town officers. Sixty three votes were cast. The boundaries of the town were the same as the boundaries of Eau Claire County today. An act of Legislature approved October 6, 1856, by Governor Coles Bashford changed the Town of Eau Claire into the County of Eau Claire. The fifth ordinance of the county board provided for the erection of a new town, called Half Moon Lake, and that the first Tuesday in April, 1857 a town meeting be held at the Niagara House, in the Village of Eau Claire City. March 11, 1858 the name was changed to Half Moon and again on November 27, 1861 it was changed to West Eau Claire. Agreeable to the ordinance of the County Board, on April 7, 1857 the voters of the new town assembled at the Niagara House, on Water Street. The meeting organized by the election of George W. Deming as chairman, Wm. S. Newburg as clerk, and J. E. Craspe and J. D. McVicar as inspectors. The following town officers were elected; Chairman, Ira Mead; supervisor, James F. Moore; supervisor, Peter Truax; clerk, George W. Deming; treasurer, Ephraim Boree; town superintendent of schools, Ira Mead; justices, Lenard W. Farwell, two years, George W. Deming two years; Augusta Geer one year, Michail Hanley one year; pound master, Ephraim Boree. Mr. Boree did not qualify as treasurer, and November 28, 1857, the town board elected Mr. Deming as treasurer. Ira Mead, the town chairman and superintendent of schools, was also the county judge. +++++ We'll be reading more of these men who were on the town board the next time we get together. -- Nance mailto:nsampson@spacestar.net