Those mentioned in the following list of early
settlers who applied for citizenship in Portage County between the years 1850
and 1860 may not in all cases have been the first settlers from the foreign
countries to enter the county, but they were among the first to apply for
citizenship. Many immigrants waited several years before making application for
citizenship; these were in the vanguard:
Frederich Reinhardt, a German from Saxony, settled in New Hope Township. Entered the United States in 1849 and applied for
naturalization at Plover on Dec. 27, 1853.
John Stumpf in 1841; from Germany entered the U.S. applied for naturalization at Plover Nov. 6, 1849.
George Frederick Shilling born in Bendorf, Germany, arrived in the U. S. in 1849; on his way to Portage County in 1859, he
stopped at Sauk City to apply for his first papers.
Joseph Doizik (today spelled Dudzik) was the first Polish settler to apply for citizenship at circuit court in Plover: he
entered the U.S. in June 1859 and applied for naturalization July 25, 1859.
Michael Kozicakowski came from Germany-Poland; he entered the U.S. in 1857; he applied for naturalization in 1861.
Augustin Dimka entered in 1854 and applied for naturalization at Plover in 1859.
Elisha Larson born in the Province of Norway and Kingdom of Sweden entered the U.S. in September 1838 and applied at Plover for
naturalization April 16, 1846.
Curchell Ellison, from Sweden, applied for naturalization at Plover on April 6, 1847.
English speaking Canadians applied for citizenship at Plover: Jermiah D. Rogers in 1849; George W. Kollock in 1849;
Mathew Wadleigh in 1858; Moses Puarieau in 1864; William D. Spurr in 1851 and Hugh Black in 1859.
English immigrants waking application for citizenship in those early days were: Isaac Coulthurst from Liverpool, applied at Plover on Nov. 5, 1849: Abram
Coulthurst, born in Manchester, applied at Plover on Nov. 5, 1849. James Morrison, Nov. 6,1849; two pioneer farmers, Louis Shelburn of Buena Vista and
Ellis Hicks of Almond town-ship applied in 1854 and 1855 respectively; Joseph Diver, a pioneer farmer in New Hope applied in 1866; and two lumbermen, William
Reading and Benjamin Radcliff applied in 1866.
Charles Van Hecke, born in Belgium applied for naturalization at Plover in June 1855.
John Dehlinger, from France, applied for naturalization at Plover on Aug. 11, 1866.
John C. Clarke from Wales entered the U.S. in June 1844 and applied for naturalization at Plover on November 6, 1849.
Hugh McGreer, County Antrim, Ireland, Robert Campbell, County Tyrone, Ireland, and Henry Clinton, County Armagh, Ireland all
applied for naturalization in 1845. The potato famine in Ireland in 1848 brought more Irish settlers in the 1850’s.
Relatives and friends of these “first” people in Portage County may have interesting detail on their lives before and after
coming to Wisconsin, may even have letters, journals, diaries, documents, etc. Inform the Portage County Historical Society so that the record can be made and
preserved.