First Settlers

The first claim in the future village was made by Solomon Shore in the spring of 1838. Albert Jamison and William (Billy) Johnson staked claims to some good farm land in the middle of the prairie in the same year. Such claims were under squatter's sovereignty until payment was made ($1.50 an acre) and legal title was obtained at Mineral Point beginning October 27, 1843.

The first white family to settle here was James S. Alban who arrived on Dec. 20, 1838. He owned land where Schwartz Insurance is located (corner of Water St. and Prairie St). Charles B. Haney, born on Nov. 30, 1839, son of Barry and Anna Haney was the first white child born in Sauk County. The Haney family was one of the first families to settle in Sauk City. In 1839 D. B. Crocker laid claim to the principal part of Prairie du Sac as it stands today and helped plat blocks 1-17 including one block in the center for the school. Crocker built a log building in block 2 and stocked it with merchandise brought from Milwaukee by oxen. This was the first store in Sauk County. In 1844, an agreement, with John Le Messurier, Daniel B. Crocker and Arba Seymour ratified the town plat. In 1844 the county seat was voted to be on the school block and a wood structure was built and became the first governmental building of Sauk County. Agostin Haraszthy of lower Sauk was not happy with this and taking up a reversion clause on the property as the issue got a new vote for the location of the county by choosing Baraboo as the site. The vote in 1846 won by one vote and so the county seat was moved to Baraboo.