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Early property owners migrated here from out East

A photo gallery of this Mystery Place is HERE

The Junghen farmstead is located at N807 County Highway K in the town of Sharon. It is one of more than 70 farms with a barn quilt on one of its buildings. Their quilt is called “Windmill.”

The first owner of this farm property, which I found in the 1857 plat map, was Nelson Wilcox.

The 1873 plat book shows the owner as Charles Sikes. His parents were George and Elvira Sikes. George Sikes was born in Connecticut in December 1816. He moved with his parents to New York. As a young man he traveled to the South and West and came to Walworth County in 1843 with his wife, Elvira.

George Sikes farmed his 160 acres and eventually moved into the village of Sharon. He died in October 1881. Elvira died in 1906.

Their son, Charles, was born Nov. 4, 1849, on their farm. He was one of five children. In addition to farming, the son was in the creamery business for several years. He also was assessor for the township and village of Sharon.

Charles Sikes married Ella Dennis on June 1, 1874, and they had one son, Albert, born in 1879. Albert eventually moved to Milwaukee.

The 1891 plat book indicates that J. Sherman was the owner of this farm. In doing some digging in Albert Beckwith’s “History of Walworth County,” I found that this J. Sherman was Elisha Judson Sherman. In the 1900 book the owners are shown as Sherman and Osmond. Then in 1907, the farm was owned by J.H. Osmond.

Sherman was the son of Benjamin and Sarah Sherman. He was one of four children. The family came from New York in the fall of 1850. They first settled in Lake Geneva and then bought 160 acres in the town of Sharon. Benjamin eventually moved into the village of Sharon. He died on March 12, 1884; Sarah had died in the fall of 1861.

Joseph Osmond married Ida Sherman on Dec. 1, 1881.

Joseph Osmond came to Sharon on Dec. 2, 1882. He worked on the farm of his father-in-law for several years before buying it. He farmed and raised livestock for 27 years. Then he purchased a feed mill in Sharon in 1907.

The 1930 plat book shows Mrs. Ida Osmond as the farm owner. By 1966 Charles Junghen is shown as the owner.

The 1982 plat book shows William Junghen as property owner. In 2010 the plat book indicates the owners as William and Donna Junghen.