The six mile square that would become Warner was first surveyed in June of 1847 by a crew working for the U.S. government.

Then in November of 1847 another crew marked all the section corners in the township, walking through the woods and swamps, measuring with chain and compass.

[3][4] When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description: This township is low gently rolling Soil about Second rate and heavy timbered with W. Pine Sugar Lyn Elm Birch (?)

Black River runs through this township from North to South Swift water and like a torrent rough(?)

[5] An 1873 map of Clark County showed one road, reaching up from Neillsville through Greenwood and Warner, across the Popple River and into what would become Longwood.

[8][7]: 123 By 1880 the Town of Warner was six miles from north to south and eighteen miles across, reaching from the west edge of Clark County through the modern town of Warner.

Only a few roads had been added east of the Black River, mostly in the southeast corner north of Greenwood.

Farmers had begun to settle along these roads, especially in the south, and other schools had appeared: a mile and a half northeast of Greenwood, near the future crossing of Century Road and School Avenue, where Capitol Avenue crosses County O, and north of where Popple River Road crosses O.

[9] An 1890 promotional pamphlet described Hemlock: "The little village of Hemlock, on Black River... has two large mills, one flour mill and one lumber, shingle and lath mill.... Hemlock is the northern terminus of the telephone line which extends south to La Crosse, and east to the towns of the Wisconsin Central Line.

Much of the town was still owned in large chunks by loggers and speculators, with J.J. Hogan a new major owner.

Another sawmill had appeared on the Black River just north of Greenwood, and the Fairchild and Northeastern Railroad cut across the southeast corner of Warner, heading from Willard toward Owen.

[12] A 1914 flood of the Black River washed out Hemlock's dam and mill.

Three cheese factories had appeared: one east of Hemlock where Kingston Road now crosses highway 73, another where Sidney Avenue now meets Century Road, and another where County O meets MM.

13.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.