Histories: Trempealeau Co. Historical Accounts:
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 10:
A. D. Tracy is one of the pioneers whose name is preserved among the place-names of the county, Tracy Valley being a locality which has been known by its present designation since he first settled there, and which will bear his name as long as the early history of the county is honored and remembered. Mrs. Nettie F. Jones has written an article regarding her father and his times, which is a valuable contribution to early history. She writes: "My father, A. D. Tracy, for whom Tracy Valley is named, moved here in the summer of 1858, with my mother, two brothers, Frank and Anfred, now dead, and sister, Stella (Mrs. P. J. Linderman), from Lone Rock, Richland County. They lived the first winter in a log house on what is now known as the Bert Field farm. In the spring of 1859 he built a shanty on the land in Tracy Valley, now owned by Paul Christopherson. Henry or Hank Robbins and Will Hine did the first breaking for him with their ox-team. Robbins owned the land lying west of it and built a log house, which was afterwards occupied by Mike Murty and P. B. Williams.
"This log house was converted into a school house, with long benches and rude mammoth desks, one row all around the outer edge of the room. One of the first teachers was Sallie French of Eau Claire. Another was Hannah Gordon. I think my first teacher was Mary Cox, sister to A. G. Cox. She is Mrs. F. N. Thomas and lives now in Berkley, Cal., and has a very bright mind and pleasing manner yet. Other teachers there were Mrs. Lucinda Stone (sister of Mrs. John McKenney), Jerry Marvin, Maggie Anderson, Anna Streeton, Alice Muzzy, Emma and Ada Martin.
"A. D. Tracy's brother John came soon after and settled on the farm south, which is now owned by Hans Vold. The only living member of this family is Glenn Tracy, who lives in Seattle, Wash. For some time the only house between A. D. Tracy and Osseo was a log one built by James McIntyre's father, located a little north of what was afterwards the Wm. Maxwell place, now owned by Alex. Gjestvang. The people who lived there were named Sumner. Possibly it was from them the township of Sumner derived its name.
"One day when Stella Tracy was a little over three years old she started out (unknown to her mother) to call on Mrs. Sumner. When she reached there she was afraid to go in on account of the dog and after she had passed she was afraid to go back past the house, so she decided to go to Osseo. She went the whole distance alone through the woods three and one-half miles and reached the "tavern" kept by R. C. Field, Sr., and when they asked her where her folks were she said they were home of course, and she had come to play with Lizzie. They sent Hiram Field back on a pone to tell the folks where she was.
"At that time teachers' examinations were conducted by township examiners. I don't know what they were called, but my father served in the town of Sumner at that time and I have head him tell how one of the teachers rode over on a pony, and he had her spell a few words, read aloud, do a few "sums" in mental arithmetic and locate a few places on the map, and he gave her a license to teach.
"Wm. Lindsay was one of the pioneers of Tracy Valley, settling on the farm now owned by Esley Thompson. He and John Tracy served in the Civil War. Wm. Buzzell, John Lovesee, Sam Bunn, Valorus Campbell, Dennis Lawler and John Ross were residents of the Valley at one time and each in turn planted for others to reap."
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 10:
A. D. Tracy
-As transcribed from pages 211 - 212
-As transcribed from pages 211 - 212
A. D. Tracy is one of the pioneers whose name is preserved among the place-names of the county, Tracy Valley being a locality which has been known by its present designation since he first settled there, and which will bear his name as long as the early history of the county is honored and remembered. Mrs. Nettie F. Jones has written an article regarding her father and his times, which is a valuable contribution to early history. She writes: "My father, A. D. Tracy, for whom Tracy Valley is named, moved here in the summer of 1858, with my mother, two brothers, Frank and Anfred, now dead, and sister, Stella (Mrs. P. J. Linderman), from Lone Rock, Richland County. They lived the first winter in a log house on what is now known as the Bert Field farm. In the spring of 1859 he built a shanty on the land in Tracy Valley, now owned by Paul Christopherson. Henry or Hank Robbins and Will Hine did the first breaking for him with their ox-team. Robbins owned the land lying west of it and built a log house, which was afterwards occupied by Mike Murty and P. B. Williams.
"This log house was converted into a school house, with long benches and rude mammoth desks, one row all around the outer edge of the room. One of the first teachers was Sallie French of Eau Claire. Another was Hannah Gordon. I think my first teacher was Mary Cox, sister to A. G. Cox. She is Mrs. F. N. Thomas and lives now in Berkley, Cal., and has a very bright mind and pleasing manner yet. Other teachers there were Mrs. Lucinda Stone (sister of Mrs. John McKenney), Jerry Marvin, Maggie Anderson, Anna Streeton, Alice Muzzy, Emma and Ada Martin.
"A. D. Tracy's brother John came soon after and settled on the farm south, which is now owned by Hans Vold. The only living member of this family is Glenn Tracy, who lives in Seattle, Wash. For some time the only house between A. D. Tracy and Osseo was a log one built by James McIntyre's father, located a little north of what was afterwards the Wm. Maxwell place, now owned by Alex. Gjestvang. The people who lived there were named Sumner. Possibly it was from them the township of Sumner derived its name.
"One day when Stella Tracy was a little over three years old she started out (unknown to her mother) to call on Mrs. Sumner. When she reached there she was afraid to go in on account of the dog and after she had passed she was afraid to go back past the house, so she decided to go to Osseo. She went the whole distance alone through the woods three and one-half miles and reached the "tavern" kept by R. C. Field, Sr., and when they asked her where her folks were she said they were home of course, and she had come to play with Lizzie. They sent Hiram Field back on a pone to tell the folks where she was.
"At that time teachers' examinations were conducted by township examiners. I don't know what they were called, but my father served in the town of Sumner at that time and I have head him tell how one of the teachers rode over on a pony, and he had her spell a few words, read aloud, do a few "sums" in mental arithmetic and locate a few places on the map, and he gave her a license to teach.
"Wm. Lindsay was one of the pioneers of Tracy Valley, settling on the farm now owned by Esley Thompson. He and John Tracy served in the Civil War. Wm. Buzzell, John Lovesee, Sam Bunn, Valorus Campbell, Dennis Lawler and John Ross were residents of the Valley at one time and each in turn planted for others to reap."