Mystery Place: East Troy area farm changed hands, names over the years; now known as Deligo Valley
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The Mary Ann Carlson farm is located in sections 14 and 23 in the town of East Troy. Here, at W814 Bell School Road, you can see a log cabin with a “Barn Raising” barn quilt. It is on the south side of the road; their house is just across the road.
Carlson said she picked the quilt pattern because of its historical significance. She has relatives who fought in the Civil War and felt that this was a perfect tribute to her ancestors.
She said, “In the times of the Underground Railroad, if a slave saw this pattern hanging in the window, it was a sign that the home was a safe harbor and that they could find refuge there.”
If I read the information on the 1873 plat map correctly, a large section of land that included this farm was owned by Edwards. Then the owner of the farm was listed as Adam Deist.
The 1882 History of Walworth County has a short biography of A.C. Diest. He was born in Germany in 1853 and came to this country when he was only 6 months old. His family settled in East Troy, where his father worked as a mason before turning to farming.
A.C. lived with his parents until he was 18. He learned the harness business as an apprentice of J.W. Church. After two years he bought the business. He married Isabelle Fraser of East Troy and they had two children: Mary E. and W. Fraser.
Albert Beckwith's History of Walworth County reports that Adam C. Diest was an associate supervisor for the town of East Troy from 1892 through 1895. He was a member of the county board of supervisors in 1901 and 1902. He also is listed as an early dealer in the township.
Jno. Schaub is shown as the owner in the 1891 plat book. Next the ownership changes to F.F. Amman in the 1921 plat book. In 1930 it is shown as Frank Amman.
The 1919 Prairie Farmer's Reliable Directory of Farmers and Breeders lists Frank F. Amman as the owner of a farm in Section 14 of the town of East Troy. He was married to Laura I. Earnshaw; they had one son, Earl. Their farm was named Country Maze Farm.
Amman came to this area in 1886. Plat books through 1948 show Amman as the owner.
The next plat book is dated 1961 and shows the owners as Jordan R. and Mary Jean Carlson. The Carlsons named their farm Deligo Valley.
Jordan Carlson was a teacher at Brookfield Central High School and carpooled with the Latin teacher; together they came up with the name Deligo Valley, meaning “Chosen Valley.”
The 2006 plat book lists their daughter, Mary Ann Carlson, as the owner.
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