Wells Drilled

Introduction
One way we can document the settlement of Somers Township is knowing when our pioneers built houses and barns. Drilling wells was not only important, and a convenience, to the household but most farmers had wells drilled or hand-dug for the barn area.  It was not uncommon for a farm to have several wells.  The list below is not complete but it answers the question of "when" did farmers pay for this feature.  All entries below were found in the Racine Journal New.  The date in parenthesis represents the newspaper publication date for that entry.  For fiurther informationn please research other postings for "Barns of Somers" and "Houses of Somers" in this blog.

Abresch (04-10-1914) "John Abresch had a well drilled last week."

Anderson (01-06-1905) "John Dosing is drilling a well for Peter Anderson near the village."

Anderson (07-27-1906) "Fred Donsing struck water at a depth of 183 feet for P.M. Anderson."

Bailey (12-26-1905) "Mr. John Donsing struck water at a depth of 180 feet for Mr. A.P. Bailey last week."

Birch (10-31-1911) "The Zion City Well Drilling Co. is making a well for William Birch."

Bohm (06-23-1916) "John Kemp & Co. of Union Grove reached water at a depth of 184 feet at August Bohm's last week."

Corbett (12-08-1908) "Mr. Boles of Franksville struck water at Mr. Thomas Corbett's at a depth of 160 feet last week."

DeLine (04-27-1899) "John Kemp & Co. reached water at a depth of 140 feet at Frank DeLine's last week."

Fink (08-27-1896) "James H. Fink has succeeded in getting water at a depth of 170 feet and has put up a windmill."

Gascoigne (03-27-1907) "John Donsing struck a good flow of water at a depth of 20 feet at Thomas Gascoigne's Saturday."

Gitzlaff (10-11-1900) "John Donsing is digging a well for August Gitzlaff."

Grimshaw (02-23-1899) "John Kemp & Co. reached water at a depth of 125 feet on Mrs. Grimshaw's farm on Tuesday after four days' work."

Hansche (09-09-1901) "James Janson in engaged drilling a well for Will Hansche of Berryville.  Mr. Hanson states that he has work engaged ahead to last him until late in the fall."

Hanson (03-27-1903) "James Hanson reached water at a depth of 180 feet on the farm of Knud Hansen.

Huck (10-17-1911) "Joseph Huck is having a well bored."

Paulson (11-18-1923) "Martin Jensen, the well driller, struck a fiine flow of water at a depth of 24 feet for Hans Paulson."

Sorensen (03-27-1903) "James Jansen is presently drilling at F.J. Sorensen's/

Spence (04-15-1914) "John Donsing is putting in a water system for Misses Harriet and Annie Spence."

Strong (08-15-1905) "John Donsing drilled a well for L. Strong last week."

Piper (11-17-1921) "The well drillers are still at work at the Russell Piper farm.  They have reached a depth of 900 feet and no water.  Water finally struck at 918 feet.