From History of Walworth County Wisconsin, Vol. 1, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, publ. 1912 - Page 431
Troy Center
Charles WYMAN built the first house, John A. SCHWARTZ built the first store, George DEWITT built the hotel and
William H. DEWITT built the warehouse, afterward owned and occupied by Nathaniel M. BUNKER and Lindsey J. SMITH,
and now by John A. and Albert A. SCHWARTZ. As early as 1837 George W. BLANCHARD, Albon M. PERRY and Soldan POWERS
formed a little group of settlers about a half mile north of the station, but from this no village resulted.
Jesse HALSTEAD and Samuel PILLSBURY were sent as early as 1837 to plant the Methodist Episcopal church in Honey creek
valley. It is not told precisely how and where the members met until 1848 when the Congregational church at Troy was
opened to them. No doubt, too, they made the school houses serve their need. For several years the members seem to
have distributed themselves among the churches of neighboring towns. In 1894 came a renewal of active interest and
Mr. BRIGGS gave the society a lot at Troy Center and a comfortable church was built on it. Its pastors have been
D. B. COFFEEN; Thomas POTTER, 1895; John Albert COLLINGE, 1896; John C. McCLAIN, 1902; Ambrose C. JETT, 1905;
Samuel LUGG, 1907; Horatio S. MARTIN, 1908; Harris E. DREW, 1909; George W. LESTER, 1910.
Mayhew
Mayhew, in section 33, less than four miles from Troy Centre, began in 1871 with John MATHESON's warehouse, store,
lumber sheds and blacksmith shop, and was at once made a station and a postoffice, the latter now discontinued.
Mr. MATHESON was one of the most energetic business men in his quarter of the county, and he saw no reason why the
grain and lumber trade might not be made profitable to himself and locally convenient. He passed thence to East Troy
and finally to Elkhorn. Wherever he went he drew to himself active and profitable trade. Excepting the station, which
was named from Jesse MAYHEW, on whose land it was built, the buildings, all of which were MATHESON's are unoccupied.
Little Prairie
Little Prairie, in section 6 is known as the early home of Adam E. RAY, the HAROLOW, OLDS, and a few other old
families, once numerous there and hard by. Mr. RAY gave or sold a fine field for a cemetery, now well peopled and
well cared for, in 1860; a lot for the Methodist church in 1858; and one for the Bible Christians in 1861. Dexter B.
OLDS gave a deed to the Seventh-day Adventist society in 1867. The membership of these bodies was partly of Lagrange,
and of the country about Eagle and Palmyra. Only the Methodist church is now left, and for ministerial purposes is
joined to the pastorate at Palmyra.
Adams
Adams, at the quarter line of sections 18 and 19, was for a few years named in the postal guide, and a little burial
ground is one mark of its site. It was not a village but a neighborhood. The families of BROPHY, CHATFIELD,
COOMBE, KLING, LACKEY, NOURSE and TERWILLIGER were among those grouped within range of its postoffice delivery.
