Silas Stedman

Silas Stedman is considered the founder of Sheboygan Falls. He was born in Massachusetts in 1785, and moved to 1835. Seeing how many resources were available in the Sheboygan area, Stedman decided to bid on the land. In 1837 Stedman initially plotted out what was then the town of Rochester (now Sheboygan Falls), and in 1846 the town was officially plotted. Stedman died in 1869, and is buried here, in the Sheboygan Falls Cemetery.

Silas Stedman was born November 24, 1785 in Chicopee, Massachusetts, to parents Phineas Stedman, Jr., and Sarah Howard. Silas became a prominent member of the community, and from 1831-1832 served as a House Representative in the Massachusetts legislature. In 1827, Silas married Elizabeth "Betsy" Bowles.

In the 1830s, Silas felt the urge to move West. He arrived in Chicago and walked along the shores of Lake Michigan until he arrived in Sheboygan in 1835. The story goes that, while exploring the area, Silas heard rushing water coming from a steep incline. Upon investigation, he found the waterfall in what would later become Sheboygan Falls.

Once Silas recognized how many resources were available in the area, he traveled to Milwaukee to await the Wisconsin land sales in November. Along the way, he stopped at Payne's Mill and met Lt. Randolph Marcy and Samuel Beall. Together, they decided to bid for the land that Stedman had found. While in Green Bay for the land sale, they met three other men; Governor James Doty, a man named Jones, and Albert G. Ellis. All three men agreed to join their bid for the land. The land was then sold to the group at $13.50 per acre.

After the purchase of the land, Stedman briefly returned to Massachusetts to bring back his wife, Betsy. While he was gone, he contracted a man to build a sawmill for him. Unfortunately, the project was not complete upon his arrival, and would not be completed until a year later. Over the coming years, Stedman slowly bought out his partners, and is ultimately credited with the plotting what was then the town of Rochester. Later, the town would be renamed Sheboygan Falls, as there was already a Rochester in the area, and mail carriers were struggling to direct mail.

In 1863, Silas was appointed the Post Master of Sheboygan Falls. This role became a military position during the Civil War, and led to him becoming Colonel Stedman. He was referred to as Colonel for the rest of his life. In 1869, Silas passed away.

Interestingly, sometime between 1850 and 1860, Silas and Betsy invited John E. Thomas and his family to live with them in their home. Since Silas and Betsy never had children, John E. Thomas became the son that they never had. They were so close that the two families are buried together here, in Sheboygan Falls Cemetery.

Dodgson, Rick. Our History, Sheboygan Falls Police Department. December, 2018. Accessed March 30th, 2024. https://www.sheboyganfallspolice.com/about-us/our-history/.

McBride, Sarah. Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin Historical Society. Accessed March 30th, 2024. https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS7159.

Reitberger, Kay. Sheboygan County, Wisconsin Genealogy and History. Accessed March 30th, 2024. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sheboygan/genealogy/news20.htm.

"Town of Sheboygan Falls First Settled in 1835." The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan) April 29th, 1927. 46.