History of LaFayette County, Wisconsin [Chicago: Western Historical Company. 1881]   HBLee Library F587.L2 H6
     Page 640
     "Blanchardville, a small, quiet, unpretentious village of about 300 inhabitants, located on both sides of the Pecatonica River, in Blanchard, the most northeasterly township of the county, was laid out about 1856 by A. Blanchard, an old citizen of that portions of the State, and responsible in a large measure for the growth and prosperity of the immediate vicinity.
      When the high-handed proceedings of Mormons who had settled and built up the city of Nauvoo, aroused the wrath of the citizens of Illinois, which culminated in the death of the Prophet, the followers of Joe Smith, as well known to later generations, disappeared from the scene of the tragedy: and, while many of them croseed the Mississippi and departed for their present refuge, a large number became distributed over Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and other states. Among there latter was a colony under the leadership of Zenos Gurley, who obtained title to land in the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section $, in the present county of LaFayette, immediately contiguoug to the present village of Blanchardville. Gurley constituted himself the vice-gerent of JoeSmith, and in that capacity essayed to guide his followers to the promised land of Mormon felicity and independence. Among those who accompanied Zenas in a fiduciary capacity, lietenants as it were, were Henry Deam, John Cunningham, Messr. Horner, Hammond, and Bishop, aided by proselytes secured after establishing themselves at the base of a range of the Blue Mounds, prominent among whom was Samuel Clure, and a large following which accompanied him from Nauvoo. These interrogative marks on the highway of civilization erected cabins, constucted a dam, mined, farmed and worshiped according to their creed, performing the latter office in a church which they built on the present farm of P.M. Baker, about a quarter of a mile north of Blanchardville.  Though the number of Gentiles who had taken up claims in this portion of Wisconsin at that early day was limited, they were sufficient in number to restrain the Latter-day Saints from polygamous practices which were for the time ignored in public, if not denounced and reserved for future days.
  .....During his reisdence in the land of refuge, and while the refugees were miserably impoverished, a vision came over the spirit of Gurley's dreams and pointed out to him, as he claimed, an undiscovered land near Walwick, in which would be found inexhaustible supplies of mineral. These could be reached with little labor, and wouli resolve the Impecunious believers into wealthy squires. When this vision was promulgated with elaborate eloquence and finish, the rich men of the flock convened and advanced the money to enable the visionarty to prosecute his discoveries. While this was in progress, so entirely convinced were the Mormons of the good day comings, that arrangements were made for building a tabernacle, and land was set apart for its occupation; but after many days repeated failures of Gurley and his henchmen to realize, begat a suspicion that his vision was a vain fantasy of the brain, and, closing up their purses, the abandoned, its site disposed of to Josiah G. Baker, and the followers of Aenas became as a tale that is told, Some of them remained in the vicinitym others departed for more congenial fields their leader returned to Illinois, where he died and the building of Blanchardville followed in the wake of these events.
      Along in 1855, A. Blanchard, who had been a resident of Wisconsin for many years ....purchased Horner's mill......(he developed Blancardville.)

 History of Grant County, Wisconsin by Castello N. Holford [Lancaster: The Teller Print: 1900]
      page 549
      Town Officers    1890...justices...J.H.Jeffrey
                                   1891...constables..Wm N. Morgan
                                   1892..justices, W.H.Jeffrey...Wm Harker; constables...Wm B. Morgan
                                   1893...clerk, W.H.Jeffrey...justices, John Murphy
                                   1900...clerk, Wm Morgan