HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY              8 
 
tive world behind me." Hollis Crocker gave 
Major Deviese a home over thirty-one years ago. 
For nearly a third of a century has his untiring 
care of and for him been a subject of wonder 
to-all who do not know his good heart. No re- 
ward or hope of reward has ever been his; and 
God's richest blessing can be but a feeble 
recognition of this man's love of humanity, as 
shown in his care of fellow being-unfortunate. 
No son could do more, or do it more willingly. 
Hollis Crocker is a pioneer in every sense, hav- 
ing settled here in 1842, and undergone all the 
hardship, privation and disadvantages attend- 
ant upon the building up of a new country. 
his wife was born at Gratiot's Grove, Wis. Ter., 
in 1829. She was a granddaughter of a Swiss 
colonist, who came to the Red River colony, 
(Lord Selkirk's settlement) in 1821. Her mother 
made the trip by way of Hudson Bay, from the 
mouth of the Rhine, and in 1823, down the Red 
river, Lake Travis and St. Peter's river to Fort 
Snelling in a canoe, and from  thence to La- 
fayette county, this State. 
Pierce Bradley came to the mines ih an early 
day, and erected one of the first cabins where 
Exeter village was afterward built. He was 
engaged at mining. 
James Slater came to the mines in 1828, and 
remained a short time. 
James Hawthorne came at about the same 
time as Major Deviese, and for a time the two 
were in partnership. Mr. Hawthorne left the 
mines in 1833. 
Edward D. Beochard, a Frenchman, was min- 
ing at Exeter in 1828, and remained until 1833, 
except a period during the Black Hawk War. 
Ile went from here to Lafayette county. 
BUSINESS GROWTH IN EXETER. 
In 1835 Kemp & Collins bought out Mr. 
Dougherty's interests at this place, and also the 
same year, bought 600 acres of Iand south of 
the mines, including that which Major Deviese 
had broken. Mr. Dougherty, later, moved to 
Otter Creek, Lafayette county, and died there. 
Kemp came from England; and Collins---who 
 
was of Scotch descent-from Ireland. They re- 
mained in Exeter only a few years, when Joseph 
Kemp returned to England. Later, he came 
back and died at Wiota. William Collins suc- 
ceeded to the real estate and left about the same 
time as Kemp. He came back and sold the land; 
then went to California. 
In 1841 Exeter had become quite an impor- 
tant place in the new Territory, and apparently 
had a prosperous future before it. 
The first hotel was a log affair, erected by 
Brainard Blodgett, in 1840. The same year, 
Ezra Durgin erected a small log tavern. Both 
sold whisky. Blodgett left, a short time later, 
and went to the Wisconsin pineries where lie 
was drowned. He was succeeded in business by 
Alvah B. Humphrey. The latter, and his wife, 
lived here until 1854, when they went to Mon- 
roe, where they died. Ezra Durgin went to Cal- 
ifornia. 
Thomas Somers came in 1840, and when the 
first postoffice, "Exeter," was establislheq, in 
1841., he was made postmaster. Mr. Somers 
died at Exeter in 1851. In 1846 the first frame 
house was built by Mr. Somers. He sold to 
Charles George, who opened a hotel. Thomas 
Somers - followed Kemp & Collins in trade. 
Then in succession came "Wild Yankee" Litch- 
field and John Burke, Freeman Safford, Eph- 
raim Bowen, Hayward & Lindslay. It is not 
known where Litchfield went; John Burke went 
to Iowa; Hayward to California and is now 
wealthy; Lindslay went to Sheboygan and en- 
gaged in lumber business. 
The last hotel kept was by James Hayden, 
who closed it out in 1856. 
In 1834 Tom Welch and wife came to Exeter. 
Mrs. Welch is remembered by the old pioneers 
for her general recklessness, and disposition to 
run the machine without regard to what others 
might call respectability. Tley farmed some, 
and kept "boarders, whisky, etc." Welch died 
there. The widow married a man naniie; Flah- 
erty and started for Oregon, and the husband 
died ofl the way. It is said the woman, later, 
 
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