Buffalo County-Early History 1841-1852
Information for this article is from"History of Northern
Wisconsin" published 1881.Buffalo County is located along the Mississippi and the only good landing-places are Alma and Fountain City. HENRY GEORKE,one of the first permanent settlers became dissatified with the bachelor community and thus made a trip to Galena,and returning had a bride. Mrs. Georke (now MRS. BODENSTAB) she became the first pioneer white woman of the county. At the writing of the book she was still living in Fountain City and delighted in telling when her home was the only hospitable roof between LaCrosse and Wabasha.It is said this act of marriage of Mr. Georke was favorably received, and others followed in his path quite promptly.
In August of 1848VICTOR PROBST, andJOHN C WECKER made claims where Alma now stands.In the same year, MADISON WRIGHT opened a wood yard on Section 11, Town 22, Range 14, on the bank of the Mississippi now the town of Nelson.PETER SHANK settled on Section 3, which became the town of Cross in 1850. Peter was the only resident of Cross for 3 years.J.C. Wecker, J.P. STEIN and JOSEPH BERNEY came to Belvidere. Mr. Stein came from Wabasha. Mr.Wecker settled on Sec. 19 amd 30, Mr.Stein on Sec. 33 and Mr. Berney on Sec. 9.CHRISTIAN SCHAUBLIN located on Sec. 36 Range 14 near the town of Nelson in 1852.The book lists other settlers in 1852:ANTON FINK, ANDREW HULLER, FERDINAND SCHAF, andMATHEW PROFUTLISCH, who came direct from the Rhine in Germany. In Milwaukee they purchased ox teams and wagons; coming slowly to settle, in the town of Lincoln. HENRY NEUKOM,HENRY KELLER,CASPER REGLEY, JACOB BOLINGER, AND JOHN MILLER,also settledin the town of Belvidere, in the Spring of the same year and began to open farms. amp (Bufflo County is hilly and scenic probably reminded the men who came of Germany or Switzerland in places)