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Early settler drawn to the fertile farmland of Spring Prairie

Photo at left: Barn on the Wilson farm in Spring Prairie. More Mystery Place photos are GALLERY

The small stone structure on the Wilson farm, located on County Highway DD on the eastern edge of the county, is one of two small buildings that remain from the early days of the settlement.

The farm first was established in 1836 and was known as Gardner's Prairie.

Palmer Gardner was the first white settler in the township of Spring Prairie, arriving on April 15, 1836. On May 2, he began cultivating the soil and by May 25, had planted 25 acres of oats. He also planted a garden with corn and potatoes. This was the first garden to be planted and the first grain to be sown in the township.

Gardner had a home on the farm and another larger one in Burlington, to the east. He was born in Massachusetts on Feb. 23, 1803. After he completed school, he became a surveyor and engineer, working on canals on the East Coast.

In 1835, he began his journey west, looking for promising land. He decided that Wisconsin was the best choice and purchased 480 acres in the town of Spring Prairie.

Butterfield's History of Walworth County reveals one of Gardner's frustrations. His farm was quite isolated, so in order to get his plow sharpened, he had to travel to Pike Creek, which is now Kenosha.

It was a Monday when he first traveled to get his plow sharpened and Wednesday by the time he returned. The following day, he went back into to the fields, only to hit a large stone, which broke his plow.

That meant another trip to Pike Creek. He returned home on a Saturday, and decided he needed to buy his own grind stone which he purchased on his next trip to Milwaukee.

Gardner served as a member of the county's grand jury in 1839. He also served as town clerk, road commissioner and was elected to the Territorial Assembly in 1847.

About the time he was building his home in Burlington, his wife became ill and soon died.

After her death, he moved into the completed home and remarried. He owned the farm until his death on Jan. 19, 1888.

By 1907, the farm was owned by John C. Wilson, and has been in the family ever since.

Scott Wilson now operates the farm.