History of Caledonia
Press, New London
Friday, Oct. 3, 1902
p. 1
CALEDONIA
Early Data Relating to its First Settlement.
The Town of Caledonia originally consisted of Township 21, Range 14, but when the Town of Fremont was formed, Sections 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32 were taken therefrom and attached to Fremont.
Caledonia is bounded on the north by the Town of Mukwa, on the east by Outagamie County, on the south by Winnebago County and the Town of Fremont, and on the west by Fremont, and Weyauwega.
The town was organized in 1853.The first town meeting was held in 1854, at the house of James. McHugh.
The first town officers were: Chairman--Thomas Gore; Supervisors--John Fife, Jacob Whitaker; Town Treasurer--John Littlefield.
The first settlement was in 1849, by James NcHugh (sic), who built the first house (log) on Section 24.It is still standing.
The first child born in town was a boy of James McHugh.
The first death was that of a boy of John Littlefield, August 25, 1856.
The first marriage was F. M. Fowler and Sara J. Littlefield, June 22, 1854.The marriage ceremony was performed by A. B. Kinnear, Justice of the Peace.
The first school taught was by Miss Phoebe Littlefield, now Mrs. Lyman Otis, in 1854.
The first church (Lutheran) was built in 1867.
The first sermon preached in town was by Elder Mitchell, a Baptist, in 1855.
The first saw mill was built in 1870, by “Con” Ruggles, who also built the first grist mill in the same year.
The first postoffice was established in 1854, and called Readfield, with John Littlefield as postmaster.The mail route was from Menasha to Waupaca, and the mail was carried by ----Johnson.
Theodore Conkey did the first surveying in 1846 -- the Government survey.
The first law suit in town was Frank Houghton vs. Harvey Jewell, in 1854, before Thomas Bishop, Justice of the Peace.
The first store was started by A. M. Ward.
In 1853, John Littlefield planted the first apple trees, and in 1860 he raised the first apples.