In 1866 Otis Churchill, Willard Rider and Oscar Fowler were hired by a group of potential settlers in Milwaukee to explore the Rock Elm area of Pierce County for possible settlement. Upon their return, Willard Rider went to Dodge County to Charles A. Hawn and David L. White, who ran a sawmill there and persuaded them to move their mill to Pierce County with the promise of 25 families from Milwaukee settling there. A horse tramway to Maiden Rock, a shipyard to build boats and barges to ship lumber down river from there were all promised.
The plan was approved of by Hawn and White and they relocated along with S. J. Fox to Rock Elm. Mr. Fox opened a store, Hawn and White shipped their mill to La Crosse by railway, then by boat to Maiden Rock and lastly by ox team to Rock Elm and in six weeks they were sawing lumber.
The only one of the promised 25 settlers to arrive was the family of Otis Churchill. Other early settlers included William Craig and family in 1865, the James C. Miles family in 1863 and William H. Miles in 1865. The James Collett and Alexander family arrived in 1863 as well.
Hawn and his sons, Ed, Jay and Cassius continued to run the mill for many years and also dabbled in land speculation, buying property in Rock Elm and adjoining townships. In partnership with George H. Nichols, they were successful in finding some gold and diamonds in the area, but not enough to mine. Mr. Hawn was prominent in local politics and later was elected assemblyman from Pierce County.