without sun,
stars or even compass. The stillness of the prairie was painful. And the
scattered trees of the openings in the deepening shades of the evening
looked more like muffled ghosts with huge umbrellas, than the beautiful
groves they had appeared when seen by the light of day. Pushing on
through the darkness, I soon found I was nearer my destination than I
supposed. Leaving the groves on the right and passing over the prairie
to the left, I had not gone far when a light was visible in the
distance. On approaching, I found that I had reached Ceresco, where I
was most hospitably entertained by Rev. Uriel Farmin, a Local Preacher
and a member of the Association.

The Wisconsin Phalanx came from the southeastern portion of the
Territory and settled at this point in May, 1844.

Soon after their settlement, Rev. Wm. H. Sampson, Presiding Elder of
Green Bay District, visited the place and held the first religious
service of which I can obtain information. Not long after the minister
in charge of the Winnebago Lake Mission at Oshkosh visited Ceresco, and
formed a class of seven members. The names, as far as ascertained, were
Rev. Uriel Farmin and wife, Mrs. Morris Farmin, Mrs. Beckwith and
George Limbert. The first named was appointed Leader.

The Association had erected two long buildings, one for a tenement house
and the other for a dining hall. The first was built with a wide hall
running from one end to the other. On either side of this hall suits of
rooms had been provided for the accommodation of the several families,
giving to each family at least a parlor and one or more sleeping
apartments, according to its needs. Here families were as exclusive in
their relations as good neighborhood could well require. The dining hall
was a long, narrow building, giving in its width, barely room enough for
the table, a row of persons on each side, and the free movement of the
waiters behind them. The tables would accommodate one hundred and fifty
at a fitting. In the rear of the dining hall, there was a large kitchen
in which the cooking was done for the entire Association. The service of
the kitchen, as well as every other department, was performed by persons
who either volunteered or were assigned to their positions by lot, and
were paid by the hour from the common fund. Divided into squads, each
section had a foreman or directress, elected at reasonable intervals. It
was expected that all the members would take their mea