Harkness family arrived in the 1830s
Photo at left: This home in Lafayette Township is in the area where Harkness Family originally settled. More Mystery Place photos in the GALLERY
If you travel on Bowers Road, just north of Wisconsin Highway 11, you will see a lovely brick home on the east side of the road.
According to Butterfield’s History of Walworth County, Daniel Harkness settled in this spot in November 1837.
The 1857 plat map indicates the farm covered 320 acres, but another source says it was James Harkness who bought the land in 1837 and brought in his first crop in 1838.
James Harkness, along with Sylvester Smith and David S. Elting, were directed on May 6, 1839, by the Walworth County Board to lay a road beginning at the east end of section 23 in Lafayette, westward toward section 26.
James Harkness Sr. was a captain in the Walworth County Militia in 1842. He served as town supervisor and was chairman of the town board in 1854 and 1855.
The 1873 plat book shows that J. and D. Harkness owned the land. In the 1891 plat book, the land in section 24 was the J. Harkness estate, and the 1907 plat book lists Hannah Harkness as owner.
In 1921, the property was owned by Frank Mildofer and in 1930, Dyke and Marie Harkness were owners.
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