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CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
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BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE
Cornell University Library F 587B9 K42 History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin / b
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A.D
Cornell University Library
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THOMAS A. HOLMES.
HISTORY
OF
BUFFALO COUNTY,
WISCONSIN.
BY L. KESSINGER. =
ALMA, BUFFALO COUNTY, WIS .: 1888.
1695749
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1888, by L. KESSINGER, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
PREFACE.
When, about a year ago, I commenced work on the book, which now lies before the reader, I expected to present it much sooner to the public. It would be perfectly useless to enumerate any of the causes of the delay, but it is not to be denied that the book itself has unquestionably gained by it. Such as it is I commit it to the judgment of the readers, and beyond such apologies as have been made at different points for special reasons, I do not feel in- clined to make any further.
The arrangement of the book is by topics. To proceed by towns would have compelled much useless repetition, and would have narrowed the horizon of investigation and history. In some cases that arrangement would have been impossible. A perusal of the index will in a very short time furnish the clue to every matter reasonably expected to be related in the book.
Perfection is not claimed, but in justice it is to be supposed that I did the best I could under the circumstances. Not being myself an admirer of long preliminaries, it can not be my inten- tion to inflict any such upon my readers.
To the many friends, who have contributed to the work, I have, in most cases given due acknowledgment and thanks at the particular points, in which they helped and encouraged me. If, as is still possible, any one should have been omitted, I hope he will pardon the oversight, which certainly was not intentional.
Alma, Buffalo Co., Wis., Dec. 19. 1887.
L. KESSINGER.
IV
INDEX.
A695749 INDEX.
A
PAGE.
AGRICULTURE
366
Table of dates when land came into market
369
Entries in Mineral Point.
370
La Crosse Land Office. 370
Table of land and its value 375
of Grain products 378
Roots and Potatoes 382
Beans and Peas and Sorghum 383
384
Table of Seeds 385
" Fruits
386
" Bees and Honey 387
" Cattle and Calves
389
" Dairy Products.
390
" Sheep, Lambs and Wool
391
" Hogs
392
" Horses and Mules 393
" Agricultural Employees 394
County Fair 396
C
CHARITIES PUBLIC. 519
CRIME
516
Statistics of 517
E
EARLY EXPLORATIONS 169
Jean Nicolet. 169
Marquette and Joliet 174
Louis Joliet
179
Father Jaques Marquette S. J 180
Greatest Crops
V
INDEX.
EARLY EXPLORATIONS (Continued.) PAGE.
Louis Hennepin
183
Daniel Greysolon Du Luth 195
Captain Jonathan Carver 199
Carver's Cave.
204
Carver's Grant ..
204
Forts on Lake Pepin
207
Nicholas Perrot 208
Le Sueur
209
211
List of first settlers
216
EDUCATION.
Superintendence at first
after 1861
Report of 1855 and 56
428
1866
428
1876.
428
1885
429
¥ 1886
429
Teachers of graded schools
430
Schoolhouses
43
Apparatus and furniture.
433
Employment of teachers
434
Teachers' Institutes 437
School visitation 439
Earliest schools and their teachers 441
Table of these. 443
Private schools
444
Roman Catholic Schools
445
Norwegian Lutheran Schools 445
Other Protestant School 445
Sunday Schools
446
Art Education 446
Graphic Arts 446
Results. 447
Howard Library Association 449
Literary Societies 449
Reading Circle. 450
Educational Columns 451
426 427
EARLY SETTLEMENT
424
Vİ
INDEX.
EARLIER MARRIAGES
PAGE. 483
Early Settlers, list of
557 to 608
G
GEOLOGY.
22
Geological formation
22
Geol. Report-Range Ten West
25
Range Eleven West
Twelve "
Thirteen "
" Fourteen“
Buffalo County
Trempealeau Mountain
Geological Formations.
Geol. Periods and Epochs
Potsdam Sandstone.
Artesian Wells
Lower Magnesian Limestone
Economical Products
St. Peters Sandstone
Galena Limestone
Quarternary Formation
35
Glacial Period
35
Champlain Period 36 36
37
Fall of Twelve Miles Bluff
38
3
Iron Mines new
39
former
40
I
INDIAN HISTORY 87
Difficulties
88
Traders
89
Missionaries
90
Pronunciation and Translation
93
INDIANS
96
Algonquins
97
Iroquois-Hurons 98
Dakotas or Sioux 98
26 27 28 28 29 30 30 31
31 33 33
34 35 35
Recent Period ..
Present changes
INDEX.
VII
INDIANS (Continued.)
PAGE.
Winnebagoes
98
Indian Manner of Living
99
Want of domestic animals.
100
Hunting and fishing
101
Agriculture
102
Canoe
103
Tobacco
104
Pipes
106
Houses
109
Clothing
112
Family life
114
Wyandot Government
116
Civil government
I17
Its functions
119
Crimes and punishments
121
Outlawry
121
Military government.
122
Reflections
122
Sickness and cures
123
· Burial
Burial of the Chieftain
Omaha Chief
127
Mourning for the dead
129
Wars
131
Mode of fighting
133
Fire arms.
135
Horses
136
Prisoners
136
Character of Indians
137
Sign-language.
140
Upper Mississippi Confederations.
141
Winnebago Confederacy
141
M
MOUND BUILDERS
73
General remarks
73
Capt. Carver's description
74
From Randall's History of the Chippewa Valley 75
Judge Gale's opinions 75
125
126
VIII
INDEX.
MOUND BUILDERS, (Continued.)
PAGE.
Indian Graves 76
From the work of J. P. Mclean 78
Reference to Scott's "Antiquary 78
Operations of David Wyrick 79
Relics of Mound Builders
80
Origin of Mound Builders.
82
Addenda .. 85
Opinions of Dr. P. R. Hoy
85
MANUFACTURES.
399
Table of capital invested
401
continued. 402
" flouring mills. 404 406
" saw mills
Wine.
407
Table of breweries
408
Cigars 409
Iron and articles of it
409
Leather and articles of it. 410
Wagons, carriages and sleighs 410
Creameries and Cheese factories. 410
Other industries 411
MAP, remarks on. 654
N
NATURAL HISTORY.
41
Zoology
41
Mammals
42 43 43
Winter residents
45 46
Amphibians
47
Crustaceans.
48 49
Botany-Phænogamous plants
54
Partial List of fungi
66
Appendix of Cultivated plants .- A. Useful
66
B. Ornamental
69
Birds
Summer 'residents
Fishes
Insects
INDEX.
IX
PAGE.
ORGANIZATION 277
Act of, Chapt. 100 Session.
277
Laws of 1853-Amending it Chapt. 1 279
Session Laws of 1854 .- Act to organize Trempealeau County 280
Act to divide La Crosse Co. and organize Monroe County
280
First election and voters
282
County Board of Supervisors
283
Committees of the same
284
First meeting
287
Election of 1859
293
Contention about the county-seat.
294
Change of County Board to Commissioners
298
Return to the old system
313
Sheriffs
318
Clerks of County Board
319
Treasurers
319
Register of Deeds
320
District Attorneys
320
Clerks of Circuit Court.
320
County Superintendents
321
County Surveyors
321
Coroners
321
County Judges
322
Present County Officers
322
P
PIONEERS-Thomas A. Holmes 216
Shakopee
217
Chaska 227
John Adam Weber ..
228
Henry Goehrke
229
Andrew Baertsch
231
Nicholas Leisch
231
Christian Wenger 232
233
Victor Probst
Joseph Berni 235
X
INDEX.
PIONEERS (Continued.)
PAGE.
John Conrad Waecker
236
Caspar Wild 237
Madison Wright 237
General Remarks 238
Development of Towns .
POLITICAL HISTORY
Wisconsin Territory.
246
Governors of the same
249
Secretaries " "
250
Legislative sessions.
251
Representation of Crawford County
252
Hon. Jos. R. Brown
253
Constitutional Conventions of Wisconsin
255
State organization
256
Sessions of Legislature
256
Senators. .
260
Assembly, members of
261
Present apportionment
262
State officers
263 263
Governors
Lieutenant Governors
264
Secretaries of State
264
State Treasurers
264
Attorneys General
265 265
. Supreme Court.
266
Circuit Court.
266 Educational Institutions
266
Charitable, Reformatory and Penal Institutions 266
State Board of Supervision 267 267
United States Senators
268
United States Court, Western District
268
United States Government
269
History of Politics
269
POPULATION .
Enumeration of 1885
412
413
Classification by nativity 413
State Superintendents
Representatives
239
241
INDEX.
XI
POPULATION (Continued.) PAGE. Table of Census since 1855 with percentage of in-
crease
416
Table of annual increase 417
Character of population 418
Society
420
PRESS
Historical notes
453
Fountain City Beacon. « Advocate
454
Buffalo County Advertiser
454
« Journal
455
66
Herald
459
Other papers
459
English, German and Norwegian papers
460
PUBLIC HEALTH.
477
Public Health Laws
479
PUBLIC SOCIETIES
494
Turners
495
At Buffalo City
495
At Fountain City 496
At Alma 496 -
Shooting Societies
497
at Alma
498
West Wisconsin and Minnesota Schuetzenbund
Singing Societies
Concordia at Alma
502 503 506
Arion of Beef River Valley
507 507
Germania of Fountain City
508 508
Harmonie of Waumandee.
508
Howard Library Society
509
Pioneer Societies. 510
Old Settlers' Club of Modena 510
Base Ball Clubs 511
General Remarks 511
" Fountain City 499 500
Frohsinn of Alma.
Harmonia "
Frohsinn of Lincoln.
Republikaner 456
452
454
XII
INDEX.
PAGE.
RELIGION .- Catholic Churches
461
at Fountain City 461
Alma 462
Buffalo City
462
66 Waumandee. 462
"
Montana
462
Canton
464
Protestant Churches.
Lutheran Congregations
464 464
Lyster Norwegian
464
Thompson Valley Norwegian
465
Bennett
465
Naples Norwegian
466
at Fountain City
466
at Buffalo City
466
at Lincoln 467
at Waumandee 467 467
at Glencoe
Reformed Churches
467
at Alma
at Fountain City
467 467 468
in Beef River Valley
in Waumandee 468
in Eagle Valley. 468
Churches at Mondovi
469
Methodist Episcopal
469
Baptist
469
Congregational 470
Unitarian Church at Gilmanton
470
Churches etc. in Modena
471
Evangelical Association
473
at Alma
" Belvidere 473
473
Montana
473
" Waumandee 474
" Lincoln 474
" Fountain City 474
462
Glencoe
INDEX.
XIII
RELIGION (Continued.)
PAGE
Church in Deer Creek Valley 474
on Beef Slough. 475
General Remarks 485
S
SECRET SOCIETIES 512
Masons, Alma Lodge 512
Odd Fellows, Steuben Lodge 513
Grangers 513
513
Mondovi Lodge. Alma
514
Grand Army of the Republic
514 514
Fimian Post-
J. W. Christian Post. 514
Temperance Societies
514
St. Patrick's T A. S. of Waumandee and Glencoe
514
Independent order of Good Templars 515
Sunshine Lodge 515
Knights of Pythias 515
Mondovi Lodge 515
Alma
515
SOCIETIES PUBLIC-See Public Societies.
SOLDIERS
521
of Mexican war
521
of Late war- 521
Soldiers resident in but not furnished by BuffaloCo.
523
1st Rgt. Cavalry
528
2d “
528
6th Battery Light Art.
530 531
1st Rgt. Infantry
3d יו
531
5th
66
531
6th 66
532 536
8th 66
536
9th ..
538
10th
541
United Workmen-Fountain City Lodge
513
7th
Soldiers furnished by Buffalo Co 525
XIV
INDEX.
SOLDIERS (Continued.)
PAGE.
12th Rgt. Infantry
541
15th “
541
16th “
541 541
18th “
542
21st
542
25th
542 552
34th
552 552
36th "
553
40th 6
553 553
48th
49th “
555
50th “
555
Conclusion
556
Supplementary list of resident soldiers 556
557
TOPOGRAPHY,
1
Geometrical description
1
Date of Survey .
3
Situation in Wisconsin
3
on the globe 4
in Mississippi Valley 4
Tributaries to River 4
Subsidiary streams
1. To Chippewa River 4
2. " Buffalo River. 7
3. " Waumandee Creek 10
4. " Trempealeau River 12
Perpendicular Configuration 14
Climate 18
TRANSPORTATION. 325
First Steamboat.
326
Galena and Minnesota Packet Co
327
Seasons of Navigation at St. Paul. 331
do. at Winona. 332
17th
26th
35th
SETTLERS EARLY LIST OF .. T
XV
TRANSPORTATION (Continued.) Diamond Jo Boats
PAGE.
333
Steamer Lion.
334
Robert Harris 334
Percy Swain 335
Green Bay Railroad 335
Chippewa Valley Road 336
Stickney's Survey 337
Winona, Alma & Northern 337
Chicago, Burlington and Northern Time-Table
340
Town Roads 341
State Roads. 341
Improvements 342
Graded Roads 343
345
Primitive Transportation
346
Mail Service
347
List of Postoffices 350
351
Beef Slough Company
353
First Drive. 355
Mississippi Logging Company 358
Pool or Chippewa Logging Company 358
Situation of Camps. 360
Scalers' Reports 360
Organization of 9th Lumber Inspection District 360
Appointment of Inspectors. 361
Working Organization on the Slough
361
Earlier Rafting Exploits
364
TowNs, Introduction 609
City of Alma
6I1
Town of Alma 618
" Belvidere 620
City of Buffalo 623
Town of Buffalo 627
" Cross 629
" Dover 630
Village of Fountain City 631
Town of Gilmanton 636
INDEX.
Immigrants' Travel
Rafting
XVI
INDEX.
TOWNS (Continued.)
PAGE.
Town of Glencoe
638
Lincoln 639
66
" Maxville
640
66 Milton 642
66 יו Modena 643
Mondovi
644
Montana 645
647
66
Nelson
649
Waumandee. . :
650
66 Naples.
TOPOGRAPHY.
SURVEY .LINES.
The county of Buffalo, in its present extent contains the fol- lowing Townships:
Range 10, Township 24,
full.
23,
do.
22,
do.
וכ
20, fractional west of Trempealeau River.
19,
do. and between Trempealeau and Mississippi River.
Range 11,
24,
full.
23,
do.
"
22,
do.
21,
do.
66
20,
do.
19, East of Mississippi River.
18,
do.
Range 12,
¥
24,
full.
23,
do.
22,
do.
21, fractional, East of Mississippi River,
20,
do.
19,
do.
Range 13,
24, full except Section 6.
23, full.
21,
do.
18,
do.
2
TOPOGRAPHY.
22, fractional, East of Mississippi River.
21, do.
20, do.
24, fractional, East of Chippewa River.
Range 14, 23, do.
do.
22, fractional, East of Mississippi River.
The whole area is equal to 690.5 square miles accounting sec- tions having fractions within, but boundaries full as whole, and sections fractional according to the area in acres put down on sur- veyors' maps.
Hence we find: Township 24 = 149.796 sq. miles.
23 = 157.989 do.
22 = 141.115 do.
21 = 112.177 do.
20 = 77.662 do. 18 = 6.048
19 = 45.731 do. do.
Total 690.518 square miles.
The county is widest on the line between Townships 23 and 22 being there 27} miles or nearly so, and it runs to a point indi- cated by the junction of the Mississippi and Trempealeau rivers in Section 16, Township 18, Range 10; the northern boundary is a fraction less than 24 miles long there being only 28.50 chains of the northern boundary of Section 6, Township 24, Range 13, on the east side of the Chippewa River. All the Ranges in this county are West of the fourth principal meridian and all the Townships are North of the Wisconsin base line, which is identical with the southern boundary line of the state, that between Illinois and Wisconsin, situated in North latitude 42° 30'. The divisions mentioned in the above are those established by what is called the Government Survey, on which not only the calculation of areas but also the description of all lands, and the title to all real estate is primarily based. The subjoined table for which I am in- debted to General J. M. Rusk, now Governor of this state, who procured it for me from the General Land Office in 1874, when he was a Member of Congress, shows when the land in this county was surveyed by order of the Government.
TOPOGRAGPHY.
3
DATE OF SURVEY AND BY WHOM SURVEYED.
NO. OF TOWNSHIP
RANGE
WHEN SURVEYED BY WHOM SURVEYED
Tp. 18 North
.
10 W. 11 «
1848 and 1849 1848
D. A. Spalding. do.
19
20
21
21
1851 and 1852
do.
10,11
1852
do.
22
.66
12, 13
1851
do
22
14
1850
S. W. Durham.
66
23
10
1852
66
23
11,12
1851
23
66
13
1849
S. W. Durham. do.
"
23
14
1850
24
10, 11, 12
1852
John Ball.
24
13
1849
24
14
1849 and 1850
S. W. Durham. do.
18
16
1848
du.
1848
do.
1
10, 11, 12 10, 11, 12, 13 10, 11, 12 13
1852
John Ball.
22
John Ball. do. ::
SITUATION IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
Buffalo County is situated in the central western part of the state, rather a little south of the central line which is in Township 23 or a little north of the line of that Township. It is on the Mississippi River and extends along the same from the mouth of the Chippewa River to the mouth of the Trempealeau River. The Mississippi River separates it from the Counties of Winona and Wabasha in Minnesota, the Chippewa River on the western bound- ary from Pepin County and the Trempealeau River from Trem- pealeau County. The north line of Township 24 North is the line between Pepin and Buffalo County from the Chippewa River to the line between Ranges 10 and 11 hence to the line between Ranges 9 and 10 it divides Buffalo from Eau Claire County. The latter Range line divides Buffalo from Trempealeau County from the northeast corner of Township 24, Range 10, which is also: the northeast corner of the county south to the southeast corner of Township 21, where it intersects with the Trempealeau River. From that point the Trempealeau River forms part of the bound- ary down to the mouth. In the same way does the Chippewa River form the western boundary of the county from Section 6, Township 24, Range 13 to the mouth of the river in Section 4, Township 22, Range 14.
4
TOPOGRAPHY.
SITUATION ON THE GLOBE.
The 44th degree of North latitude runs through the village of Trempealeau in the county of the same name and about 2 miles south of, but close enough to the most southern point of our county, to mark its geographical limit as to latitude. Hence there are 40 miles (approximately) to the northern boundary of the county, which, according 70 statute miles to one degree of latitude would be in about 44° 34' 17" of North latitude. As to longitude I find that longitude 92° West of Greenwich, England or 15° West of Washington, D. C., is about half a mile east of the line be- tween Range 13 and 14 and 91° 30' West of Greenwich = 14° 30' West of Washington is about one mile east of the straight eastern boundary line of this county.
SITUATION IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
Buffalo County is in the upper part of the Mississippi Valley upon the left bank of the stream, immediately below the lower end of Lake Pepin, which point is almost identical with the mouth of the Chippewa River, extending down to the mouth of the Trempealeau River. All the drainage of the County goes directly or indirectly into the great river. The main tributaries from the county or its boundaries are:
1. Chippewa River including Beef Slough;
2. Buffalo or Beef River;
3. Eagle or Waumandee Creek;
4. Trempealeau River.
The subsidiary streams of the above tributaries are:
1. TO THE CHIPPEWA AND BEEF SLOUGH.
a. Big Bear Creek joining the main stream above Durand in Pepin County, but having the most considerable of its head waters in this county and draining especially the greatest part of Township 24, Range 12 to the north the same Township being known as Canton.
b. Upper Spring Creek coming from the northern part of Township 24, Range 13 flows west into Beef Slough.
c. Little Bear Creek is formed by the confluence of the North Branch coming from the southwestern part of Township 24, Range 12 flowing south, and the South Branch coming fron the western part of Township 23, Range 12 (Modena) flowing north, either of
5
TOPOGRAPHY.
which might be considered as the source of the creek. After uniting the creek flows west receiving but one considerable affluent from the north, but from the south it receives Norway Creek, Center Creek, and Cascade Creek; it flows into Beef Slough.
d. Schaeublin's or Bygolly Creek from the western part of Township 23, Range 13 flows southwest into Beef Slough.
e. Deer Creek from the northern part of Township 22, Range 13 flows nearly south into Beef Slough.
f. Lower Spring Creek from the center of the same Township flows west into Beef Slough.
g. Iron Creek flows into the swamp or lake connected with Beef River at its confluence with Beef Slough.
Before proceeding further on this part of our work we will consider the Chippewa River as far as it forms one of the natural boundary lines of our county, and Beef Slough which is in fact the eastern branch of the river and may have been in ancient times the main branch of it.
A look upon the map annexed to this description will satisfy us, that the current of the Chippewa has in the northern part of Section 12, Township 24, Range 14 an apparent tendency to enter into Beef Slough and that the so-called main channel sets off at almost a right angle from the center line of the stream above. There is no rock or hill at the division point, and it is therefore a surprise that this abrupt turn in the river ever took place. It is not the intention of the author to speculate on the causes underlying that fact, and if in a subsequent part of the book a rather apocryphal anecdote should be given, which might show that even in modern times at certain stages of the water Beef Slough at its head has been taken for the main stream, we do not want to have that picked up as an argument.
This departure from its general course is maintained by the main Chippewa for little more than half a mile, when after another rather abrupt turn, it returns to its former direction flowing about twelve miles nearly south, deviating but three miles west in that distance. On its right bank it is closely hemmed in by precipitous bluffs, and if now and then a valley cuts in to westward from the river, it is still considerably above the stream, even where it ad- joins it. The only subsidiary entering the river from the right
6
TOPOGRAPHY.
bank during this long run is Plum Creek, which comes from Pierce County. On the left bank is the delta between the River and Beef Slough known by the common name of the Chippewa Bottoms. The only considerable offset from the river on that side is Little Beef Slough, running southeast into main Beef Slough through sections 23, 24, 25 and 26 of Township 24, Range 14.
Beef Slough is a branch of the Chippewa River setting off from the main channel at the turn in section 12 above mentioned. It then pursues, though with considerable meanderings and numerous sharp turns, a general southern course, never getting out of the eastern range of sections until down to the Township line between Townships 23 and 22, Range 14 when it enters upon Township 22 at the southeast corner of Section 2 still continuing south to the corner of Sections 1, 2, 11 and 12 when Perrin or Par- rain Slough sets off to the west, while Beef Slough begins to take a general southeastern direction, which it kceps, with some deviat- ions and many turns, until its confluence with Beef River a short distance above the entrance of the latter into the Mississippi. It would be difficult to decide from a study of the maps, which of the many sloughs laid down in Township 22, Ranges 14 and 13 west, was at the time of the survey (see table) considered the main slough, if. indeed, the matter received any particular considera- tion. At present the one used for driving logs from Flat Bar to the rafting works is indisputably entitled to the preference. A number of points or localities along the Slough have received temporary names, invented and applied by the men working along the Slough, for their own convenience and mutual information, and communicated to the people living in the neighborhood. In the discussion of the history of the Beef Slough Company, and the development of the rafting business and its connections or relations to other industries these names may become significant and be employed. Beef Slough unites with Beef or Buffalo River in Section 26, Township 22, North of Range 13 West, and their united waters join the Mississippi River in Section 34 of the same Township near the quarter section corner between Sections 34 and 35. This part of the Slough or River is navigable for good sized stern wheel steamboats which are employed as raft tugs or push- ers. In Section 21 there is a so-called cut-off by which such
7
TOPOGRAPHY.
boats may pass between the Slough and the Mississippi in the stages of high or even medium water, which has been used during the season of navigation by the steamer Lion from Wabasha, (a ferry boat carrying the mail and furnishing communication.be- tween Wabasha, Beef Slough and Alma.)
2. BUFFALO OR BEEF RIVER.
While it may be of no consequence in regard to other rivers in or about this county, it is necessary for an understanding of some historical events to trace this river from its headwaters or sources to its mouth. Older maps use the name of Buffalo River, newer or more special ones call it Beef River, which latter appel- lation is the one in common use among the inhabitants of this and the adjoining counties of Trempealeau and Jackson. The sources or headquarters of this river are in Township 24 North of Range 5 West of the fourth principal meridian, where it appears as a south and a north fork. The source of the south fork is about one quarter of a mile east of 91° West longitude, that of the north fork some two or three miles farther east. Which is considered the main channel or branch I do not know, but both join in Section 10, Township 24, Range 7, West at or near the present village of Osseo. From there the river flows in a general western direction, and enters this county in Section 12, Township 24, Range 10, from which point it continues its general western course down to the present village of Mondovi, which is located at the corner of Sec- tions 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Township 24, Range 11. The river flows south of, but close by the plateau on which the village is situated, but from that point it starts on its new course southwest to its junction with Beef Slough and finally the Mississippi. On its right bank it is closely followed by a range of hills and little plateaus, on the left bank the valley is usually wider, the hills more distant and more accessible. Grassy lowlands, sometimes swamps, are along it, but more of them on the left than on the right bank. This river is not navigable, though for a venture loaded flatboats may have descended it from Mondovi at a favor- able stage of water. There are no meander points put down on the government survey maps, until the river enters Township 22, Range 13 about four miles above its mouth, from which point it seems to have been considered navigable by the surveyors. Of its affluents I will but mention those which enter it in this county.
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