Have you ever wondered what people who lived in Monroe in 1860 were doing or where they came from? Monroe had only been incorporated as a village two years earlier in 1858. In this column you will see how people made a living in 1860 and where they were born. There may be some occupations that you have not heard of before. This information comes from a book, “Becoming A Village: Monroe, Wisconsin in the 1850s,” a book that I compiled in 2008. There is a list of individuals in the book with their specific information listed.

The census from 1860 is very informative about the families, business people, industry and farms that existed in the village of the time. For each family it will give the name of each person, their age, the country or state of their birth and an occupation if they had one. The federal census statistics stated there were 2,207 persons in the village; I only found 2,173 on the actual census. 

Of the people whose birth places were listed, 111 were born in Germany, 11 in Prussia, three in Saxony, three in Bavaria, one in Austria, four in Holland, and 91 in Switzerland. There were a total of 224 persons born in continental Europe. From the British Isles there were 44 born in England, 111 in Ireland, four in Scotland and four in Wales. From North America there were 56 born in Canada and two in New Brunswick. 

There were 69 born in Maine, 28 in New Hampshire, 55 from Vermont, 52 from Massachusetts, three in Rhode Island and 24 in Connecticut. That made 231 who were born in the New England states. From other eastern states, there were three born in Maryland, three in North Carolina, 12 in New Jersey, 185 in Pennsylvania, 335 in New York, 174 in Ohio, one in Delaware and 13 in Virginia. There were 553 people born in Wisconsin, the oldest of whom was a 29-year-old schoolteacher. Of the others born in the Midwest, there were 80 born in Illinois, 40 in Indiana, two in Minnesota, and 15 in Michigan. From other states, there were five born in Iowa, eight in Kentucky, one or two in Missouri, two in Tennessee and three in Texas.

The fact that there were 231 people who lived in New England would explain why the town square and the court house in the center was designed in a style similar to those in New England. When one studies the family units listed in the census records, it might be possible to find out by which path the family migrated to Monroe. 

There were a number of occupations represented in the village in 1860. One of the surprises was that there were 76 farmers and two farm laborers in the village. In addition, two were listed as surveyor and farmer. More can be learned about the farms in the agricultural census information in the book. There were seven clergy listed, one each from the Methodist, Baptist, Universalist, NS prys, and Qn advent, Catholic (born in Ireland), and congregational denominations. There was also a person listed as a Congregational minisher [sic]. In addition there were two agents, three apprentices (one to a shoemaker and one to a barber), two artists [who were actually photographers], six bakers, two barbers, 17 blacksmiths, one boarding house operator, one book binder, one book dealer and one bookkeeper. There was one brakeman, three brewers, one brick maker, four brick masons, four butchers, eight cabinet makers, 57 carriage makers or trimmers, two civil engineers, 33 clerks, three convicts, nine coopers, and one person listed as deaf and dumb. Kaziah Jinings was listed as a doctress. In addition there were two dentists, two druggists, two Ec. Physicians, one Hompt [Homeopathic] physician, six physicians, and one student of dentistry. There were seven lawyers, one retired lawyer, and one law student.

There were seven schoolteachers, three music teachers, and seven teachers [with no specifics]. There was also one hostler, three hotelkeepers, one guest and boarder, one livery stable operator and two draymen. Also included were 10 grocers and a grocery clerk, three jewelers, one liquor merchant, one salesman, seven saloon keepers, one watch maker and one goldsmith.

There was one wool sorter, one weaver, eight tailors, eight seamstresses, three milliners, one mantan maker, two sewers and one who did washing and sewing. There was one editor, 33 merchants and 12 printers. There was one manufacturer, one gunsmith, two harness makers, one machinist, three marble cutters, six millers, two potters, 23 shoe makers, one tobaccoist, five tinners, one tanner and eight wagon makers.

There were 56 laborers, six joiners, eight masons and one moulder, There was one steam engineer, two firemen for engines, two railroad agents and one conductor. In addition, there were four lumbermen, four plasterers, 14 painters and four stone masons.

Finally, there was one mail agent, three miners, one musician and saddler, three patent rights vendors, two peddlers, one real estate agent, 53 servants, one speculator, one undertaker, one theatrical person, one horse jockey, one independent, one grain merchant, one grain buyer, one grain dealer, one forwarding clerk and one forwarding merchant.

I find it interesting that there were already seven lawyers at that time. If you are interested in more information from this book, you may browse through it at the Monroe Public Library. I also have copies available for purchase for $15. I’ll be sharing more information from the book in future columns.

— Matt Figi is a Monroe resident and a local historian. His column will appear periodically on Saturdays in the Times. He can be reached at mfigi@tds.net or at 608-325-6503.