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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Alanson
Boomer,
L E
Boomer
and
Boomer’s
Dam
Alanson Boomer
Alanson Boomer, farmer, Secs. 9 and 8; P.O.
Watertown; born
L E Boomer
At the Government sale the land was bought in
his brother’s L. E. Boomer’s name.
Mr. Wood
The land was all wild, but Mr. Wood, who had
squatted on one of the sections and whom they bought out, had built one of the
earliest log houses erected in the township, in which Mr. Boomer lived till
1841, when he went back to New York; from that time till 1845, it was in the
hands of a tenant; then Mr. L. E. Boomer came West and took possession.
Indians used frequently to come to trade, but
they had no trouble with them, never even had anything stolen, which Mr. Boomer
attributes to keeping whiskey away from them and treating them as honorably as
he would white men. At one time his
brother anticipated trouble and wrote to the Governor, who sent arms to the
settlers, but fortunately it proved a false alarm.
Boomer Dam
In 1849, Mr. L. E. Boomer built a dam and
saw-mill, and made bricks as well as farming.
Alanson Boomer
In January, 1858, Mr. Alanson Boomer bought
his brother out after being East sixteen years.
He built himself the handsomest farmhouse in the county, in 1861, and
also erected all the barns and outbuildings; he now owns 350 acres of land, and
raises principally wheat, oats, barley and corn, and makes a specialty of
fattening stock, keeping about forty head constantly ready for the market. Married Miss Lydia Van Wormer, of Watertown
Township, January 12, 1862; they had one little boy who died when 1 month old;
he has since adopted two children, the first a boy [editor’s note: Mason], who was drowned when about 8 years
old, and then a little girl named Alice, now living. He was Ward Supervisor two years.
Derived from: The History of
Jefferson County, Wisconsin by C.
W. Butterfield, 1879
1847
06 30 Specimen of brick from the first
kiln burnt at the new yard of L. E. Boomer, one mile below the village, on
the east side of the river. Watertown Chronicle
1850
Democratic State Register, 04 09 1850
We took occasion, a day or two since, to visit the saw mill of our fellow
citizen, L. A. Boomer, Esq, a couple of miles below the village. Mr. B, has one of the finest powers on the
river, so far as our observation extends.
He has erected during the past winter a large double saw mill, which
commenced sawing the past week—-and from the work performed while we were
there, we are satisfied that there is no better establishment of its kind, in
this part of the country. It is
furnished with the latest improvements, and the lumber turned out is of
superior quality. We think the location
of the mill to be one which will be; a great convenience to the people of
Watertown, and a source of profit to its enterprising proprietor. We wish him the success to which his energy
and perseverance justly entitles him.
1854
12 27 BOOMER BRICK
YARD CAN BE LEASED
The subscriber will lease his brick yard for a term of years to an
energetic practical brick maker.
The yard is one mile south of Main Street and is the largest and best in
the city, with a clay bank 80- rods long, sand and water are abundant and convenient.
The demand is brisk for all the brick that can be made for years.
There is not a better location in the state for doing a large and
profitable business. With proper
management and industry, a good manufacturer can make his pile every year.
Whoever leases should apply soon, as the clay should be dug and wood cut
and hauled this fall and winter.
L. E. BOOMER
06 30 DROWNED
A man named Patrick Cullen, who has been working on
the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad
in this city, was drowned last evening about 8 o’clock attempting to cross the
river at Boomer’s dam. WD
1861
08 01 BUILDING RESIDENCE
In various parts of our city new dwellings may be seen erected this
summer. In the suburbs we notice that Mr.
A. [Alanson] Boomer is building another of those fine and large brick
residences which attract so much of the attention of visitors and strangers who
get a passing glimpse of them. [Boomer
built himself the handsomest farmhouse in the county, in 1861, and also erected
all the barns and outbuildings; he now owns 350 acres of land, and raises
principally wheat, oats, barley and corn, and makes a specialty of fattening
stock. -The History of Jefferson County,
Wisconsin by C. W. Butterfield, 1879.]
WD
1872
11 06 MILL PROPERTY SALE
Mr. Benjamin Nute
has purchased of Mr. F. Misegades the Boomer Dam
Water Power and Mill property in the southern
part of the city. Mr. Nute is putting a
new run of stone into the grist mill, and will soon proceed to the making of
some necessary repairs on the dam, with the intention of engaging in the
flouring business. WR
1873
10 22 MILL UP AND
RUNNING
The grist mill on
the Boomer Dam property, in the southern part of the city, recently purchased
by Mr. B. Nate, is now fitted up and doing a custom business.
1874
12 16 THE STAFF OF LIFE
The flouring mill
of Mr. Benjamin Note at Boomer's Dam, in the southern boundary of the city, is
now turning out, some fine grades of flour, which we have reason to know is of
excellent quality for family use. Mr. T.
Samuels is agent for the sale of Mr. Nute’s flour, at his flour and produce
store on First Street.
1891
05 15 BOOMER DAM
PROPERTY SOLD
H. [Henry] Daub has purchased the old Boomer dam property from the heirs of the
[Dwight?] Nute estate, which includes the old mill, the east half of the water
power and three acres of land. WG
DAM REMNANTS BEHIND THE SUPER 8 NOW
1897
07 02 DEATH OF ALANSON BOOMER
Another old and well-known resident, of
Watertown, Alanson Boomer, has been called to his final abode. He died Friday morning at 4 o’clock. Mr. Boomer was 82 years of age and had been a
resident of Wisconsin for sixty-one years.
He had been ill since Thursday.
He leaves two daughters, Mrs. Chas. A. Vanghan,
of this place, and Mrs. M. Douglass, of Waterloo. The funeral was held Sunday afternoon at two
o’clock. Services were conducted at the
house by Rev. G. C. Weisa. Alanson Boomer, wife Lydia and son Mason are
buried in Oak
Hill cemetery. (Jefferson
County Union, 07 02 1897)
1900
05 29 STEAM BOAT ON ROCK RIVER
Messrs. Simon Molzahn, Charles Feisst and Andrew Roegner
are the owners and officers of a neat little steam launch which has its
moorings in Rock river, below Boomers
dam. The boat is twenty-two feet in
length, will accommodate a dozen persons, is fitted with an eight horse-power
engine and is propelled by a steam wheel.
It is of light draft and capable of developing a speed of eight miles an
hour. The launch was given a trial trip
to Hahn’s lake last week and it is proposed during the summer to make
excursions down the river as far as Jefferson — a most delightful and
picturesque trip. S. Molzahn is captain
of the craft, Mr. Roegner chief engineer, and Mr. Feisst
navigating officer. WR
1967
07 27 RESTORATION OF BOOMER DAM
The restoration of Boomer Dam will be one of the
subjects which the common council here will devote some attention to when it
meets next week. At Monday night’s
committee meeting the council will be informed of a report of a meeting held at
Jefferson which Mayor A. E. Bentzin attended and at
which the Jefferson County Conservation Alliance backed plans for the Rock
River stream improvement project in the area of the Bethesda Lutheran Home.
The question involved is the raising and restoration
of Boomer Dam which is several hundred yards south of the Watertown sewage
disposal plant. The idea is to raise the
water 18 inches in the Bethesda area to eliminate the unsightliness of weeds,
rocks and debris that accumulate in the low water level.
The amount of money available is $3,600 of which
$1,800 is furnished by the state in lieu of the state for bounty that used to
be available to Jefferson County. This
fund is now used for conservation projects but must be matched by the
county. Part of this money would also be
used to rip rap the shore line with rocks on the west side of the river in the
Bethesda Home area which has a lot of fill put there by the
city. This would eliminate washing out
at high water levels. This project not
only becomes a stream improvement project but also a stream beautification
project within Watertown city limits.
Cross-References:
Boomer Street named in honor of the Boomer clan
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin