History of Monroe County, Wisconsin, past and present : including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county [microform], Part 1

Author: Richards, Randolph A., 1863-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : C.F. Cooper & Co.
Number of Pages: 1038

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HON. JOSEPH M. MORROW

HISTORY OF

MONROE COUNTY WISCONSIN

PAST AND PRESENT

Including an account of the Cities, Towns and Villages of the County

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RANDOLPH A. RICHARDS

ILLUSTRATED

1912 C. F. COOPER & CO. CHICAGO

MTHS

INTRODUCTION

After more than half a century of growth since its organization as a county, it seemed fitting that an historical account of its set- tlement, development, its people and institutions should be made at this time and preserved; its primary importance is the placing in book form and for all time the earlier historical incidents sur- rounding the settlements of the various towns, cities and villages, and that the time was almost too late and the work too long neg- lected became very apparent to the editors when the search for material began, for with the passing of the early settlers, com- paratively few of them still live in different parts of the county. have gone forever the opportunity to get early facts in some instances.

To properly and adequately write the History of Monroe County has been a task encompassed with tremendous difficulties : it has been accomplished after laborious research and the co-opera- tion of many of its oldest citizens, whose aid the editors acknowledge most gratefully, for without it some parts of this work would have been impossible.

Despite its difficulties its preparation has been fraught with much interest, which grew as the work progressed; Monroe County from its humble beginning having been, through the untiring energy and perseverance of its pioneers, brought to be one of the finest counties in the State of Wisconsin, holds indeed a wonderful story of progress; its two cities, built to stay, whose schools, churches and institutions are equal to any in the state, whose people are progressive and possess a fine sense of civic pride are alone worthy of the efforts of the historian; in addition to that its beautiful little villages. its rich agricultural resources and dairying interests place it in the front rank in many respects.

In preparing the account of the Indian tribes the editor wishes to acknowledge the valuable material secured from Lawson's "History of Winnebago County"; the uniform courtesy and help- fulness of the various newspaper editors of the county has been of immense value.

In gathering the great mass of material necessary for this

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY

important work the editors have had to arrange. sort out and select such as was of historical interest which could be regarded as correct : that there are omissions on some subjects, there can be no doubt but the instances of this are almost wholly brought about by the neglect of parties called upon, and in whose possession facts alone were, have caused such omissions, but the editors believe that nothing of important historical value has been left out and have endeavored to cover every representative sub- ject and the story of every interest has been related impartially. R. A. RICHARDS. 1912. Editor-in-Chief.

EDITOR'S NOTE

All the biographical sketches published in this history were submitted to their respective subjects, or to the subscribers from whom the facts were primarily obtained, for their approval or correction before going to press, and a reasonable time was al- lowed in each case for the return of the typewritten copies. Most of them were returned to us within the time allotted, or before the work was printed. after being corrected or revised, and these therefore may be regarded as reasonably accurate.

A few, however, were not returned to us, and, as we have no means of knowing whether they contain errors or not, we cannot vouch for their acenracy. In justice to our readers, and to render this work valuable for reference purposes, we have indicated these uncorrected sketches by a small asterisk (*) placed imme- diately after the name of the subject.

C. F. COOPER & CO.

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I. The Menomonee Tribe 9

II. The Winnebago Tribe. 12

III. The Winnebago Chiefs. 33

IV. The Black Hawk War 45

V. Early Settlement 63

VI. Making a County. 66

VII. The Legend of Castle Rock 79

VIII. Railroads 82

IX. West Wisconsin Railroad 87

X. Monroe County Newspapers 91

XI. Monroe County in the Civil War 99

XII. Enlisted Men in Rebellion. 116

XIII. Commissioned Officers 132

XIV. Died in the Service. 139

XV. Henry W. Cressy Post, G. A. R. 147

XVI. John W. Lynn Post. G. A. R. 162

XVII. The Soldiers' Monument. 171

XVIII. Government Military Reservation 175

XIX. Circuit Judges 188

Agriculture and Dairying 204

XX. XXI. Apple Industry 209

XXII. The County Seat War 214

XXIII.

The Country Schools. 227

XXIV. The Insane Asylum and Poor Farm 240 XXV. The City of Sparta 244

XXVI.

Sparta Schools 287 XXVII. Banks of Sparta 301

XXVIII.

Lodges and Societies of Sparta 306

XXIX.

Sparta Free Library. 312

Sparta Fair Association 316

XXX. XXXI. Manufactures and Business Enterprises of Sparta 319

XXXII.

Churches of Sparta. 325

XXXIII. Tomah, Menomonee Chief. 333

XXXIV. City of Tomah 339

XXXV. Tomah Schools 363

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

XXXVI. Churches and Lodges. Tomah .. 372

XXXVII. Helping Hand Society, Tomah. 377

XXXVIII. Tomah Library

379

Civic Improvement Club, Tomah

381

XL. Manufacturing Interests, Tomah

386

XLI. Banks of Tomah 389

XLII. Tomah Indian School. 392

XLIII. State Public School

395

XLIV. Villages 398

XLV.

Berry Culture 411

XLVI.

The Spanish-American War 414

XLVII.

The Military Companies 429

XLVIII. The Legal Profession. 440

XLIX. The County Court. 473

I. The Medical Fraternity 482

LI. Township History 503

LII. Women's Christian Temperance Union 539

LIII. German Lutheran Churches 543

LIV. Norwegian Churches 579

LV. Biography 582

History of Monroe County

CHAPTER I.

THE MENOMINEE TRIBE.

Perhaps not as closely identified with the earlier days in this section of the state as the Winnebago Indians, still the Menomi- nee tribe played its part in the history of the territory in which Monroe county is situated, especially as members of the tribe in large numbers crossed the state from the eastern side fre- quently to trade and from this tribe came the noted chief, Tomah, whose name the city of Tomah now bears.

The Winnebago and Fox tribes were the first Indian nations in this section of the country and as they gradually withdrew before the advance of civilization, the Menominee tribe followed them; by the treaty of 1836 this tribe came to the territory around Neenah and occupied Winnebago county for a long number of years. They were there when the first settlers came and left numerous traces of their occupaney in that county ; they were of great assistance to Marquette, the explorer on his visit to the Western Territory and were not as warlike a tribe as the Winnebago, but were said to have been good-natured but selfish and avaricious ; although they did not steal or lie and the men made brave warriors.

Their war parties traveled far and aided the French in the battle of Detroit against the Fox and other tribes, they assisted in the ambush in Monongahela. They were with Langlade fighting under the banner of the French, when Montcalm fell on the plains of Abraham: they fought under Burgoyne at his invasion from the North and at Bennington, so that their exploits for a long series of years had made them a tribe to be reckoned with. After the War of 1812 the Americans maintained an Army Post at Prairie du Chien where the Menominees often camped and frequently wintered in the Mississippi valley. The first

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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY

missionary among them was a Frenchman by the name of Allouez in 1669 and since that time they have been under the teachings of many good priests, among whom have been Andre and Mar- quette, and they now have their churches, schools and missions at Keshena, but to them cling some of their weird songs and customs and they still propitiate the Manitou of the red man with offerings of tobacco and presents and make provision for the journey of the dead to the " Happy Hunting Ground."

In 1848 the Menominee tribe had to cede all their lands in Wisconsin at the treaty of Poygan and they were removed to Minnesota, but the district assigned them, not being found suit- able to their wants, they were, with the consent of the Wisconsin Legislature, allowed to remain in this state.

In 1852 they were removed to their reservation on the Wolfe river, nine miles north of Shawano, containing 276.480 acres of timber lands. This removal caused them much distress and the next year. Oshkosh. the renowned chief of this tribe. represented to the Government that his tribe had never been so poor and destitute of provisions.

Perhaps the most celebrated of the chiefs was "Old King." who died in 1821 at the age of 100 years. This old fellow had a varied career. His village was situated north of Green Bay and he resisted all attempts of the Government to move him west of the Mississippi, and in 1852 led most of the tribe up the Wolfe river to their present reservation within a few miles of their ancient home. His grandson was Chief Oshkosh, after whom the city of Oshkosh was named. The Americans had a small garrison in the old fort at Mackinac Island at the outbreak of the War of 1812. Col. Robert Dixon organized a band of Wisconsin Indians, including the Menominees under their then chief. Tomah: with Oshkosh in the party they proceeded by boats and canoes from Green Bay and there captured the stockade without any loss on either side. During the war the Americans could not repossess the fort. Colonel Dixon with the Fox river Indians, including the Menominee tribe under Tomah. defended the fort in a hard battle with the Americans to capture the stronghold in 1814.

Major Holmes was killed and a chief named Wee-kah. of the Menominee tribe was killed near the same spot. In 1813 Oshkosh went on the warpath with Tecumseh against Fort Meigs and later under Proctor and Dixon attacked Fort Sandusky: this chief was no doubt with the Menominee war parties which fre- quently went out against the Chippewa Indians in the northern

THE MENOMINEE TRIBE

and western portions of the State. He died at Keshema Angust 20, 1858, and a few days before his death his picture was painted by the artist Brooks, and it now hangs in the room of the his- torical society at Madison. Succeeding Chief Oshkosh came Neopope Oshkosh and Old Carron, the latter being said to be a son of a French trader; he was a fierce old warrior and served in all of the French wars and was with Montcalm on the plains of Abraham. Then came Glade or Connote, the son of Old Carron; he was said to be an orator and a fine speaker who made sensible remarks and to the point.

Tomah was the most noted son of Old Carron, born in 1752 in Old King's Village opposite Green Bay ; his life and character are given in a subsequent chapter in this work and will not be extended here. lometah. the main war chief, was a brother of Tomah and a son of Old Carron, was born in 1772. He was an honest, quiet Indian who died at Kenosha in 1864. These are the names of some of the old chiefs of the tribe and it would. indeed, be an extensive chapter to attempt to follow out the succession down to the present time. It is sufficient to say that this tribe has followed the usual course of Indian tribes, degener- ated somewhat from the fine physique of the earlier Indians and eursed with the usual appetite of the Indians for the "fire- water," as they term it. Some of the children have been sent to the schools at Carlyle, Pennsylvania, made good progress and the average number of them became good citizens; gradually the tribe is undergoing that change which will bring them from their partial state of ignorance into that of education and civilization.

CHAPTER II.

THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE.

ORIGIN.

Closely connected with the events surrounding the earliest settlement of western Wisconsin is the history of the Winnebago and Menominee tribes, who roamed all this section of the country as early as 1632. Archeologists have concluded that the Winne- bago was the first tribe of Indians who came to Wisconsin, as they made their first home on Doty island, and were there visited by Nicolet, the first white man to come to Wisconsin, and this war-loving tribe of savages were so prominent in pioneer days they became the most important tribe in the state. Recent investigations have led many students of Indian history to sup- pose that the Winnebago were builders of the mounds. They have been phonetically assigned to the Siouan family of Indians, a family which originated on the Atlantic coast.

The Siouan tribes occupied a vast region. 70,000 square miles in extent, along the eastern foothills of the southern Alleghanies, from the Potomac on the north to the Santee river on the south. including all central Virginia, or one-half the area of the state, and two-thirds of North Carolina, and all the northeastern por- tion of South Carolina, with an Atlantic coast line of 200 miles in the Carolinas. The Carawba and other cognate tribes of the Siouan stock related by archeologists through a study of seraps of their language occupied parts of these regions down to a very late date. This region is regarded as the "original home of the Siouan race." That the migration of the tribes of the plains was from the East is evident from "the older dialetie forms to be met with in the East. and the concurrent testimony of the Sionan tribes themselves." The language of the East was okler in its forms than the cognate dialects of the West. The move- ment was doubtless by tribes and slow, constantly fighting their way along the pathway to their future home. After crossing the mountains they passed down the New and Big Sandy rivers to the Ohio. down which they slowly passed, remaining a long time

THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE

at the falls of the Ohio, now Louisville. As early as 1701. Gravier said, the Ohio was known to the Illinois and Miami as the "river of the Arkansa." The name of the tribe is now Kansa or Quapaw of the Winnebago branch of the Siouan stock. living then on the lower Arkansas river. Traditions of the Osage, Mandan and almost all the tribes confirm this. Two of the plains tribes, the Kansa, cherish saered shells which they assert were brought with them "from the great river of the sunrise." It is possible that the Winnebagos also brought the sea shells with them. They have been found in large numbers in Wiscon- sin. Mr. Clarence Olen, of Oshkosh, has several picked up in Winnebago County. When the migration took place is not known. Doubtless it was of gradual progress during several centuries. When De Soto looked over the broad Mississippi from the Chaska mounds at Memphis in 1541 he found these "Capaha," or Kwapa, the southern branch of the Winnebago, already established on the western bank, though still a considerable distance north of their later location "down the river," the converse of Omaha, which means "up the river." In their slow march towards the setting sun the Kwapa probably brought up the rear, as their name lingered longest in the traditions of the Ohio tribes, and they were still near that stream when encountered by DeSoto.

The principle reason of this movement from Virginia was the presence, both North and South of powerful and hostile tribes leaving them only one way of retreat across the mountains. As late as 1728, as mentioned by Byrd. the Iroquois had "an implac- able hatred" for "the Siouan tribes of the Sonth." who still clung to their ancestral domain. From the mouth of the Ohio the Winnebago worked their way up the Mississippi. As they are first known from Champlain's map (1632) as located on Lake Winnebago it is supposed they made the journey by the Wiscon- sin river to the Portage into the Fox river, where they descended to the spot on the Doty island, under wide branching oaks and elms, which they occupied so many years. There is evidence in their traditional wars with the Illinois, the Menominees, the Potawatomi, Sauk and Foxes, that the maintenances of this Siouan wedge in the beautiful region of lake, forest and prairie, occupied very soon for hundreds of miles in all directions by Algonquin tribes, was attended by constant and bloody warfare.

The oldest map of the region, now known as Lake Winnebago and the Fox river, is Champlain's map of 1632, on which he names the "Nation des Puans" on a lake named "Lac des Puans," which discharges itself through a long river to Lake

JHISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY

Superior. That the map was intended to represent Lake Wine- bago and the Fox river is now accepted and seems the correct interpretation from the latter known habitat of the Winnebago. The map is said to be made up from information furnished by Western Indians visiting Quebec. It furnishes the evidence that both Lake Winnebago and the Fox river were the earliest names of all the physical objects in Wisconsin, and the lake has ever since retained the name given it by Champlain, two years before any white man had been within several hundred miles of the state.

It was two years after the date of this map that Nicolet visited Wisconsin in 1634. "delegated to make a journey to the nation called 'Gens de mer.' People of the Sea. and arranged peace between them and the Hurons, from whom they are distant about three hundred leagues westward." The account of Nicolet's journey was not published until 1643. nearly ten years after his visit, and then only mentioned as an incident in western travel, giving such vague description of places and topography that it was not until over two hundred years afterward that John G. Shea discovered, in 1852. that "Gens de mer." the People of the Sea. referred to the Winnebago, and that Nicolet visited Wisconsin; and the year (1634) of his coming was not settled until 1876. In 1643 Jean Boisoean's map was published, in which he followed the main topography features of Cham- plain's map, placing "La Nation des Puans" on " La des Puans" and named the river from which it discharged "R des Puans."

Charlevoix, who visited the tribe in 1720. names them "the Otehagras, who are commonly called Puans." Father Hennepin in his map 1697 has this same name spelled Ocitigan placed against Lake Winnebago. The name by which the Winnebago are best known to all the old French writers is "Puans" or "Puants." This is said to have been an erroneous retranslation by the French of the Algonquin name for the tribe, which was Ovenibigontz. It is from the English spelling, and the French Oni being pronounced as "we," and the free pronunciation of the Algonquin name, handed down in the Jesuit Relations, that the modern name is derived: and the Bureau of American Ethnology have determined that the plural of Winnebago shall be the same as the singular.

Most writers have amused themselves by giving the reason why the Winnebago were, called Puans. The French word for Quenibigout% of their Indian neighbors, the meaning of which was feted or putrid or foul-smelling as variously given. It has

THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE

been noticed that as early as 1632 and 1643 the tribe and Lake Winnebago, where they lived, and the Fox river had all been named Puans. No one knows why their neighbors gave them this name. As long as 1720 Charlevoix had said they were called "Puans, for what reason I do not know." Yet he did try an explanation : "They seated themselves on the border of a kind of lake (Winnebago), and I judge it was there that living on fish which they got in the lake in great plenty they were given the name of Puans, because all along the shore where their cabins were built one saw nothing but stinking fish, which infected the air. It appears at least that this is the origin of the name which the other savages had given them before us, and which has com- municated itself to the Bay." John G. Shea says their name Quenibigoutz given them by the Algonquins, means "feted," therefore the French translated it by the "Puants."

The name of Puans was frequently more roughly translated "stinkards," as used by Angustin Grignon as late as 1857. In 1816 Mr. Biddle mentions, "the Winnebago. a bold and warlike tribe, who lived at Lake An Paunt or Stinking Lake, now Lake Winnebago"; and the eccentric student of English, Radisson. wrote of them in 1659. as at "the great lake of the Stinkings": while Allonez, before his visit to them. mentions their lake of "the Stinkards" in 1666, so that this "ill smelling" name has cling to the tribe through all the centuries down to the present moment.

The explanation of their name is simple when relieved from the numerous explanations that have been given, for the most part erroneous. Dr. Dorsey. a student of the Sionan language, says the Siouan root Changa or HIanga signified first, foremost. original, ancestral. Thus the Winnebago call themselves Hochanga-ra, "the people speaking the original language." The student of dialect can easily trace in the various spelling quoted above the attempt to reduce the gutteral sounds of the Winnebago name to a written language, though their explana- tion and definitions have often gone far afield. Their name as known to the whites, however, is not so easy to understand. The migrating Algonquin tribes despised the Winnebago, as they were of a different stock, speaking a different language, and tried at once to drive them ont; but these savages were no match for the Winnebago, who had the power by numbers or prowess to maintain their place in their new home. If the name by which they were called by these Algonquin neighbors, Ouenibigoutz. had been translated at Quebec when first heard by the French,

HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY

as mean, base or vile in place of Puans, it would have more correctly expressed as intended the extreme disfavor of their neighbors, and this is the rational explanation of the name which has come down to ns as Winnebago.

Perrot, as related by La Potherie as the earliest traditions of the tribe, gives the circumstances of their fall as their dis- regard of others' rights. He says the nation was populons, very redoubtable, spared no one and violated all the laws of nature. as they were Sodomites, and even had intercourse with beasts. If any stranger came among them he was cooked in their kettles. They declared war on all the other nations, though they had only stone hatchets and knives. When the Ottawa sent envoys to them they were eaten; and then the nations formed an alliance against them, which occasioned civil war among themselves. They finally united all their forces in one village of five thousand men ; but an epidemic occurred which reduced them to one thou- sand five hundred. "Despite all these misfortunes they sent a party of five hundred warriors against the Foxes, who dwelt on the other shore of the lake, but they perished in a tempest." It is supposed this was on Little Lake Butte des Morts, as it had been stated the Puans resided on an island which it is supposed was Doty island, where they had lived from the earliest times ; and the Fox tribes resided on the opposite side of the lake from very early time. Reduced to despair and famine the other nations took pity on them, ceased to make war. and the Illinois sent five hundred men, including "fifty of the most prominent persons in their nation." to carry them a supply of provisions. "Those man caters received them with the utmost gratitude." but at the same time meditated sacrificing the Illinois to the shades of their dead. A large cabin was erected to lodge their guests, but while the Ilinois were daneing their bow strings were ent and the Winnebago "threw themselves on the Illinois and massacred them, not sparing one man, and made a general feast of their flesh." In a few years the Ilinois assembled a large army, com- posed of all the nations, and came to avenge their dead. "Having reached the island (Doty island) over the ice they found only cabins-the Winnebago had gone to their hunt- traveling in a body-that they might not be surprised by the Illinois." The hostile army followed the hunters in the dead of winter. coming up to them on the sixth day, and laid siege to their camp. "So vigorous was their attack that they killed. wounded or made prisoners all the Puans except a few who escaped. and who reached the Menominee village, but severely

THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE

wounded by arrows." He again refers to these traditional events as those of "the ancestors" of the tribe as he knew them, and which refers to "ancestors of" the Puans of possibly 1660. There is no record to say how many years before, though it is doubtless several score, for fifty years before La Potherie was published Rev. Jean Claude Allouez had told this same story of the massacre of the Winnebago by the Illinois as "about thirty years ago," which would be in the year 1640; "all the people of the nation were killed or taken captive by the Illinois, with the exception of a single man, who escaped, shot through the body with an arrow," and adds that when the captives were permitted to return to their homes this one was made a chief as having never been a slave. John G. Shea, commenting on this disastrous defeat of the Winnebago, says, if this strange event took place at all we must ascribe it to an earlier date than 1634, when visited by Nicolet, who found them prosperous, and we can hardly suppose a tribe almost annihilated and then restored to its former numbers in thirty years.

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History of Monroe County, Wisconsin, past and present : including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county [microform], Part 1

Author: Richards, Randolph A., 1863- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago : C.F. Cooper & Co. Number of Pages: 1038

Author: Richards, Randolph A., 1863-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : C.F. Cooper & Co.
Number of Pages: 1038