WI BIO - Dodge Co - RICH, Joel

History of Dodge County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1880, p 611

Joel RICH, farmer, Section 21 [Juneau, Oak Grove Township, Dodge County, 
Wisconsin], P. O. Juneau [Dodge County], was born 24 February 1824 in 
Caroline, Tompkins County, New York, son of Martin RICH, who emigrated from 
Vermont at an early day with his father, Joel, who owned the land where 
Ithaca [Tompkins County, New York] now stands, and thought he was getting a 
good price for it when he sold it about 1810 for ten cents an acre.

The present Joel RICH [the subject] came to Juneau, Dodge County, Wisconsin, 
in 1844 and settled on 160 acres in Section 21 [Oak Grove Township]. At that 
time there was not a piece of land entered from his farm to the lake 
[probably Beaver Lake, northwest of Beaver Dam]. Joel RICH built the first 
frame house in Juneau [Dodge County], built the dam at Horicon [Hubbard 
Township, and partially in Oak Grove Township, Dodge County] and put up the 
first frame building there [Horicon]. At that time 1,500 Indians were 
encamped near Horicon. Mr. [Joel] RICH was the prime mover in the struggle 
to get the Court House located at Juneau, canvassing the county in that 
interest. Beaver Dam was called "Grubville" at that time, having two or 
three houses, and the mail came once a week from Watertown [a border 
community in both Dodge and Jefferson Counties].

In July 1846 he [Joel RICH] married [his first wife] Esther WRIGHT [a maiden 
name?]; she [then Esther RICH] died in 1853. Their children [the children of 
Joel and Esther RICH] were: (1) Julia E., who married H. PERRY; and (2) 
Allen E., [Ellen E.?], who married Thomas JONES. In 1856 Joel RICH married 
his second wife, Helen M. HART [a maiden name?], who was born in New York. 
They [Joel and Helen M. RICH] have had five children [the first four are 
living at home]: (1) Joel; (2) Nettie; (3) Bessie; (4) Martin A.; and 
(5) Ina, who married Henry MARKEL and is living in Waupun [Dodge or Fond du 
Lac County, Wisconsin].

In I873 Mr. [Joel] RICH was appointed Director and Warden at the State Prison 
at Waupun and held that office till 1878. Mr. RICH has one of the finest 
residences and places in Dodge County. [Waupun is a border community, 
located in both Chester Township, Dodge County, and Waupun Township, Fond du 
Lac County, Wisconsin, but the prison is located in Dodge County. See the 18 
September 1896 issue of the Dodge County "Pioneer" for the death notice of 
Sylvanus RICH, brother of Joel RICH.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly