WI BIO - Lafayette Co - SCHELLENGER, George

History of Lafayette County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, p 
797

George SCHELLENGER [also in this source spelled SCHELLINGER and SHELLENGER], 
deceased, who was a farmer [of Wiota Township, Lafayette County, Wisconsin], 
was born 25 February 1810 in Ontario County, New York. In 1828 he came to 
Lafayette County, Wisconsin [page 608 states he came during the summer of 
1828 to the Town of Wiota in Lafayette County], and was one of the first 
settlers in the county. [The land which became Lafayette County was part of 
Iowa County, created in 1829, in what was then Michigan Territory. Iowa 
County then extended to the Mississippi River. The Territory of Wisconsin 
was formed from part of Michigan Territory on 20 April 1836. In 1846 Iowa 
County was reduced in size when Grant and Lafayette Counties were formed from 
parts of it. The border between Iowa and Lafayette County was officially 
established on 23 December 1847 (see pp 480-481). The State of Wisconsin was 
created 29 May 1848.] 

On 19 July 1821 [June 1828?] he [George SCHELLENGER] married [Miss?] Beulah 
LAMB, who was born in Indiana [which was probably still at that time Indiana 
Territory, formed in 1800; the State of Indiana created in 1816.] They 
[George and Beulah SCHELLENGER] had eleven children: Charlie; John; George; 
William; Curtis; Lewis; Lucy; Sarah; Esther; Ella; and William H., deceased. 
[From page 457 of the text: In June of this year [1828], Beulah LAMB opened 
a school on the prairie, in sight of Gratiot's Grove, which was attended by 
the children of settlers for miles around, and continued until fall. This 
was the first school taught in the [Lafayette] County. In the fall of the 
same year [1828] Miss [Beulah] LAMB was married to George SKILLINGER 
[SCHELLENGER], and still [1881] lives, a resident of the village of Wiota 
[Wiota Township, Lafayette County, Wisconsin].

George SCHELLENGER died on 21 August 1878. [On page 609 it states that 
George SCHELLENGER "died here," the text immediately preceding and following 
this discussing the Town of Wiota, "several years ago, leaving his wife, who 
is one of the oldest settlers, and who was the teacher of the first school at 
Mineral Point and Gratiot's Grove." Page 576 also mentions that Beulah LAMB 
was an early teacher in Lafayette County: "The first school taught [in 
Lafayette County] was organized through the instrumentality and influence of 
Henry GRATIOT, as early as 1878. In June of that year Beulah LAMB opened a 
school in a log house on the prairie near Gratiot's Grove, which was ... 
highly appreciated by the people."

Mr. SCHELLENGER was a Republican, and in religion, was a Campbellite. [Page 
503 includes George SCHELLENGER among the prominent members of the Lafayette 
County Agricultural Society. Formed "to improve the conditions of 
agriculture, horticulture and the mechanical and household arts," the Society 
was organized at a meeting at Darlington on 18 July 1857. Officers for the 
ensuing year were chosen, among them George SCHELLINGER, who represented 
Wiota. He is also listed as one of the Society's three vice presidents for 
1861.]

Mr. SCHELLENGER was Chairman of the [Wiota] Town Board in 1875. [From page 
483: The Board of Supervisors for Lafayette County was organized at a 
meeting of the Town Board Chairmen held 04 June 1849 in the Methodist 
Episcopal Church at Shullsburg. "The Committee on Credentials presented the 
following as qualified to represent their localities: George SCHELLINGER, 
Wiota" ... He is also listed on page 491 as representing Wiota on the County 
Board in 1874. From page 482: George SCHELLENGER was chosen in 1847 as one 
of the fifteen members from Wiota Precinct on the first petit jury in 
Lafayette County.]

[From page 607: On 12 January 1849 the Lafayette County Commissioners 
ordered that "the whole of Township 2, Range 5 [Wiota Township on the 1878 
map], and Sections 1, 2, 11 through 14, and 23 through 26 of Township 2, 
Range 4, should constitute a town to be called Wiota. A few years after, 
Sections 33 through 36 of Township 3, Range 4, and Sections 3, 4, 9, 10, 15, 
16, 21, 22, 27, 28, and parts of 17 and 20, of Town 2, Range 4 were added to 
the territory constituting Wiota, making this the largest town in Lafayette 
County." The first town meeting [held to organize the town of Wiota and 
elect officers] was held at the house of H. C. BLODGETT in the village of 
Wiota on the second Tuesday, April 1849. At this meeting "George 
SCHELLENGER" was chosen Chairman.

[From page 484: George SCHELLENGER was one of five members of the building 
committee who recommended that a county courthouse be built "in the village 
of Avon, formerly Hamilton, town of Centre." Avon was afterward annexed to 
Darlington and a new courthouse was built there, Darlington since remaining 
the county seat of Lafayette County. 

[From page 594, in the section on the history of the Town of Gratiot: A saw 
mill was built in the northeast corner of the town in 1839 by John CONNERY, 
J. SLOTHOWER and George SCHELLENGER. They ran it for a time, then sold to 
Selden QUIMBY, from whom it passed to D. BLUBACH. After him J. BARRINGTON 
was the owner. The mill was closed two years ago [1879?].

Submitted by Cathy Kubly