SUGAR CREEK, GENEVA CREEK, which unite to form a branch of the Pishtaka at Burlington; and Turtle creek, and Whitewater, in the western part of the county. Geneva creek is the outlet of a lake of the same name, about twelve miles in length, and affords some valuable water power. Honey creek and Sugar creek rise in range sixteen, and run east parallel with each other about twelve miles, and unite near the east line of the county. There are twenty-four lakes in Walworth county, all very small, except the three following: GENEVA LAKE, eight miles long, and a little more than one mile average breadth, covering an area of 5,423 acres, or nearly eight and a half square miles; and having a periphery of nineteen miles. It was formerly called Big foot lake, from some fancied resemblance of its form to that of the human foot. It is supplied mostly from springs, not having any considerable tributary. It is principally in township one, range seventeen, and its longest diameter lies nearly due east and west. Fontana is at the head of this lake, and Geneva is at the foot. DELAVAN LAKE covers an area of fifteen hundred acres, or nearly two and one-third miles; length, two and a half miles; width, one mile. It is near the source of Turtle creek, a tributary of Rock river, at Beloit. COMO LAKE lies two miles north of Geneva lake; three and one-eighth miles long; average width nearly half a mile; periphery six and three-fourth miles; and having an area of nine hundred and twenty-four acres. ROCK COUNTY Is bounded on the north by Jefferson and Dane; on the east by Walworth; on the west by Green county; and on the south by the State of Illinois: embracing townships one, two, three and four, in ranges ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen, being thirty miles long, from east to west, and twenty-four miles wide, showing an area of eight hundred and sixty-four square miles. It derives its name from Rock river, which runs through it from north to south near the middle of the county. Rock once formed a part of Milwaukee county, from which it was separated in 1836, and organized in 1839. The population in 1838 was four hundred and eighty; in 1840, it was one thousand seven hundred and one; and in 1842, it was two thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven. It is now estimated at seven thousand. The county seat is at JANESVILLE, a flourishing village. with about one thousand inhabitants, situated on the east side of Rock river, at the southeast corner of township three, range twelve, being near the centre of the county. It is situated on a flat, or level, about two hundred yards wide, between the river and the foot of the bluffs, which are about one hundred feet high. The court-house is erected on the bluff, giving it a very prominent appearance. Janesville is the point at which much of the trade between the eastern and western portions of the Territory crosses Rock river, and a bridge is now erected for its accommodation. The distance from Janesville to Milwaukee is sixtyfive miles, and it is the same to Racine; giving the citizens a choice of two ports on Lake Mickigan, which can be reached in the same distance. Janesville is 13 miles from Beloit, 41 from Madison, 31 from Monroe, and about 80 from Mineral Point. A company has been incorporated to construct a railroad from this place to the lake shore. very valuable water power has been created here by the construction of a dam across the river. A BELOIT is situated on a beautiful plain, on the east side of Rock river, near the south line of the Territory, and immediately above the mouth of Turtle creek, a considerable stream, affording a valuable water power within the limits of the town. On one side of the town the ground rises abruptly some fifty or sixty feet, affording very beautiful sites for residences, commanding a view of the town, the river, &c. In 1843, Beloit contained seven hundred and forty-five inhabitants, and it is now estimated to contain about twelve hundred. The water power here has recently been increased by the construction of a dam across Rock river. There are two large flouring mills in operation here, one of them built of grey limestone; and this is also the material used in the construction of the Congregational Church, which is represented as one of the most beautiful churches in Wisconsin. A Seminary was incorporated here in 1837, and a manufacturing company in 1839. The society at this place is represented as excellent, for intelligence, morality and religion. A college is about to be established at this place under the supervision of the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches; it was incorporated in January, 1846. Beloit was incorporated in 1845. ROCKPORT is the oldest village or settlement in the county, having been commenced in 1836. It is on the west side of Rock river, half a mile below Janesville, and at the head of a rapid, having about seven feet fall in a distance of one and a half miles. Post-offices have been established in Rock county at the following places: Beloit, Janesville, Johnstown, Milton, Union and Warren. The land in this county, on the west side of Rock river, was offered for sale at Green Bay, in 1835, during the wild rage for speculation in lands, and much of it was then sold to speculators, who hold it with the hope of an increased value, and without making improvements, or occupying the land. The best locations being thus taken up, this part of the county has been but little settled, although it presents many inducements for the farmer. East of Rock river the lands were occupied, to a considerable extent, before they were brought into market by the government, and consequently have fallen into the hands of actual settlers, and been improved and occupied for useful purposes. This part of the county is, however, almost one continued prairie, that portion not represented on the maps as such being but slightly covered with trees or bushes. This great prairie, the largest in the Territory, is known as Rock Prairie. The eastern portion of the county is based on limestone; towards Sugar river, red sandstone is found. Agreeably to the census, there were in 1840, in this county, 389 horses, 1,804 neat cattle, 131 sheep, 3,560 swine, 1 distillery, 2 grist-mills and 5 saw-mills; and the produce of the preceding year is stated at 24,702 bushels of wheat, 312 of barley, 21,990 of oats, 483 of rye, 741 of buckwheat, 31,329 of Indian corn, and 28,605 of potatoes; 2,089 tons of hay, and 1,400 pounds of maple sugar. LAKE KOSHKONONG, which lies principally in Jefferson county, extends a short distance into Rock; and there are twelve small lakes in the county-none of them, however, exceeding a mile in length. DEER LAKE, on section twenty, in township four, range thirteen, is about a mile long, and covers eighty-seven acres. The following towns have been established in this county by the legislature, the town system of government having been adopted by a vote of the people : BELOIT, township one, in range twelve. CENTRE, townships two and three, in range eleven. CLINTON-township one, in range fourteen. FULTON, township four, in range fourteen. JANESVILLE, township three, in ranges twelve and thirteen, and the north half of township two in range thirteen. NEWARK, township one, in ranges ten and eleven. OAK, township four, in range eleven, except sections six, sever, eighteen, and the west half of sections five, eight, and seventeen. . Rock, township two, in range twelve. SPRING VALLEY, township two, in range ten. TURTLE, township one, and south half of two in range thirteen. UNION, township four, in range ten, and part of range eleven. JEFFERSON COUNTY. It is bounded on the north by Dodge county; east by Milwaukee; south by Walworth and Rock counties; and west by Dane. It is twenty-four miles square, or four townships wide, and four long-being townships five, six, seven and eight, in ranges thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen. Its area is, therefore, five hundred and seventy-six square miles. The county seat is at Jefferson, near the "forks" of Rock river, and very near the centre of the county. It was set off from Milwaukee county in 1836, and organized as a separate county in 1839. The population of Jefferson county, in 1838, two years after the first settlement was commenced, was four hundred and sixty-eight; in 1840, it had increased to nine hundred and fourteen ; and in 1842, to one thousand six hundred and thirty-eight. It may now be safely estimated at five thousand. That portion of the county lying east of Rock river; and north of Bark river, is covered with timber, among which may be found some of the finest trees in the Territory; the remainder of the county is "openings," except a few square miles near the Whitewater and Scupernong, which are prairie. Within the timbered district there is a remarkable series of ridges running north and south, and crossed by the United States road. In a distance of about nine miles, extending through range fifteen and the west half of fourteen, the road crosses no less than sixteen of these parallel ridges and intervening valleys, averaging, therefore, about half a mile apart. There is usually a nar row swamp between them, covered with black ash or tamarack trees. They extend from two to five miles, in a north and south direction, and are gradually attenuated at each extremity. Along Bark river, immediately south of these |