USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > Madison > A history of Madison, the capital of Wisconsin : including the Four Lake country : to July, 1874, with an appendix of notes on Dane County and its towns > Part 12
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"It is with great pleasure that I transmit to you an account of my mission since August 1. I feel deeply indebted to the Providence of God for preserving both my family and myself in the enjoyment of health, which, of all earthly blessings, is 'Heaven's best gift to man.'
" During this quarter, I have preached at Madison every al- ternate Sabbath, and the rest of the time in the vicinity. On the morning of the 4th ult., we consummated the organization of a church at this place, with two male and seven female members, which number we hope to enlarge at our next com- munion. I dispensed, upon this occasion, the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and feel assured that all the services were duly appreciated by this infant church. Some professors from abroad, members of the Presbyterian Church, being present, commemorated with us the death of our common Lord. In the evening, the ordinance of baptism was administered to an infant of one of our members.
"I am happy to state that we have a good attendance upon the Sabbath, and also upon all the appointments made in my former report. In the month of August, during an extra ses- sion of the Legislature of this Territory, I called a meeting, the object of which was to obtain a history of the rise and progress of churches in different parts of the Territory. The meeting was well attended, and of great interest. It appeared that many churches which were formed of the fewest possible materials, have grown into considerable influence, and are now exerting themselves in the most laudable manner in promoting the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom. It appeared also that revivals of religion had been enjoyed during the past year in several places, particularly at Prairie Village, near Mil- waukee, at Racine, and at Platteville, in Grant county.
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"I have twice visited Prairie du Sac, a settlement beautifully located on the borders of the Wisconsin river, some thirty miles northwest of Madison. Besides preaching here, I, by a special request, delivered a temperance address to a very atten- tive audience. I am, however, uncertain whether we will be able to succeed at this place in effecting the organization of a church, as several of the inhabitants, being Presbyterians, are strongly prejudiced in favor of this sister denomination.
"I have hitherto continued, and design to continue my ser- vices at Sun Prairie, a settlement twelve miles northeast from this place. This part of the country is admirably adapted for a dense population, and is now growing rapidly. The people here are very anxious to enjoy the preached gospel; and, so far as I have been able to ascertain, they constitute a moral popu- lation. Several heads of families are members of different churches; and how far time may accomplish unity of feeling in regard to their views of religion, remains to be developed.
"It is expected that in my first reports I should give a de- tailed account of men and things as I find them, for the infor- mation of our friends at the east. It is due to this community to state that intemperance does not prevail here to the same extent that it does in New York; while profanity and Sabbath breaking are prevailing vices - at least in many places. *
"I have already received several communications from my friends at the east. I expect many of them will emigrate in the spring. Thus materials for new organizations will be fur- nished, and as time rolls on, treasures of moral worth and true piety will enrich and gladden our land. I hope we may have your constant prayers, that the Great Head of the Church would make us doubly useful, not only in promoting the ex- ternal order of the Church, but especially in the conversion of souls. I am, respectfully yours in the Lord,
"ELBERT SLINGERLAND."
On the 26th of November, ABNER NICHOLS and J. GEORGE advertised that they had opened the Madison Exchange on DoTY's corner, between the American and Madison Hotels, and had purchased a splendid billiard table, etc., and that gentlemen
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annoyed by the growl of the "Tiger" could find comfortable accommodations at the Exchange, where "Uncle GEORGE" would at all times be in readiness to attend to their wants.
The following persons, it is believed, came here in 1840: EDWARD CAMPBELL, ANDRUS VIALL, DANIEL BAXTER, J. A. CLARK, E. QUIVEY, - LEONARD, GEORGE HYER, CHAUNCEY LELAND, DANIEL M. HOLT, JACOB GEORGE, ELIAS J. WILLIAMS, GEO. TRUMBULL, N. A. WEBB, WM. HOADLY, E. S. SEARLES, JULIUS T. CLARK, A. BOTKIN, Rev. WASHINGTON PHILO, JOHN- SON J. STARKS, HENRY GULLION, JOHN MALLO.
On the 26th of December, a meeting of printers was called to consider the expediency of procuring an act of incorporation for the Madison Typographical Society, of which GEO. HYER Was Secretary.
Rev. Dr. ALFRED BRUNSON, of Prairie du Chien, writing of his first visit to Madison as a member of the Legislature of 1840-1, says: " At that time there was a wagon stage running from the Capitol east and west three times a week in summer, and on runners in the winter. The one going west, went by Mineral Point and Platteville to Galena, and of course did not reach Prairie du Chien, the place of my residence. Our only means of reaching Madison was by private or hired conveyance. In my first visit, myself and several others hired a sleigh and and driver. Lodging places were few and far between, and we had to fix our stages of day's travel accordingly, requiring two nights out to make the one hundred miles. The only houses on the road were log cabins, not very large, and if the company was large, lodgings were in heaps, and mostly on the floor.
"The road we traveled, till within sixteen miles of Madison, was the old Military road leading from Fort Crawford (Prairie du Chien), to Fort Winnebago (Portage City), on the dividing ridge between the waters flowing into the Wisconsin river on the north, and those flowing south into the Grant, Platte, Pe- catonica and Sugar rivers. This road was one of the best nat- ral roads I ever saw. After crossing the Wisconsin we had no water to cross ten feet wide in the whole distance; nor was there a bridge or a foot of dugway except between the
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Wisconsin and the ridge. The road of course had to wind in a serpentine course to keep the ridge, and up and down the ra- vines to reach and descend from the ridge. Wild deer and other game were plenty along the road.
" The old and first capitol was then in use, and for the time was considerable of a building. It served not only for legisla- tion, but for courts, plays, shows and for Divine worship, there being no other place in the town where such assemblages could be accommodated. The dwellings, stores and shops were in "magnificent distances," so much so, that pigs and poultry were in little danger of getting so mixed as to lose their iden- tity.
"I think there were but two hotels - the old American and the Madison. The American (afterwards burned down), stood on the site of the present "Park Savings Bank." It was of wood, two stories above the basement, with a spacious attic; and such was the crowd when the Legislature was in session, that the attic (all in one room), was filled with beds on the floor to accommodade lodgers, and it got the cognomen of the "School Section." The Madison Hotel was not so large, but equally crowded, and besides these, every private house that possibly could accommodate boarders, was filled to overflowing. The Territory was generally well represented on such occasions, and every one had " an ax to grind." I boarded at a private house near the Third Lake.
" The streets and sidewalks were not in their present state of repair, and in soft weather locomotion was not a desirable ex- ercise. We had some thaws that winter that would do credit to a more southern and eastern climate; a thing seldom seen in Wisconsin, and the mud and slush were such as to call for boats and canoes almost, to get from one place to another. A jocose member of the Assembly offered an amendment to a bill to pre- vent obstructions in the street leading from the Park to the Third Lake, that would prevent the fish from coming up the street to the Park.
. "At that time, being a Territory, Congress paid the expenses of the government, and the spirit of the majority of the Legis-
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lature was to create as many offices as possible, so as to give a place to partisan favorites and friends to pay them for election- eering, and to secure their votes at future elections; also to get as much money as possible out of " Uncle Sam," to circulate in the country. I objected to this course, on the ground of need- less expense, and that it was constituting a precedent for our future State that would be a burden when we had to foot the bills ourselves. But when the vote was taken, I found myself in a slim minority.
" At the close of the session, it was found that considerable stationery that had been bought for the use of the Legislature at the public expense was remaining, affording an opportunity for another " steal," and a motion was made to distribute it among the members. This I also opposed, as being improper, uujust and dishonest, but I, with a few others, were voted down. It was alleged that preceding Legislatures had done so, and that the present one had the same right; and when my share was laid upon my desk, I objected to receiving it, but was told that it could not be returned to the secretary's office and be retained for another year, and if it was so returned, it would be stolen before the year rolled round, and that if I did not take it, others would. This policy was the beginning of that system which was afterwards known as the "Forty Thieves," who ruled the Territory and the State for years, on the prin- ciple " to the victor belong the spoils."
" Bad as this Legislature was in this and some other respects, the citizens of the place said it was a great improvement upon its predecessors. Whether this was a fact, or a mere compli- ment of flattery, I had no means of knowing. The next ses- sion composed chiefly of the same men, was like unto the other.
Political hobbies were mounted and rode at John Gilpin speed. Log rolling was the order of the day. You help me and I will help you, was the ruling spirit of that body. Per- sonal or party interests were the motive power with a majority, and but few seemed to inquire whether a proposed measure was in itself right or wrong, but whether it would be for the
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interest of the party, himself, or his constituents; and the his- tory of legislation in both the Territory and State has not ex- hibited as much improvement in these respects as is desirable.
In those times when the Legislature assembled, it seemed to call together the worst elements of society. Faro banks, a thing called "the Tiger," and other gambling institutions, were said to exist, and to be run with great boldness, and in defiance of both moral and civil law, and many poor wights were said to be stripped of all the money they had. Bad whisky, in large quantities, was said to be consumed, much to the damage of the consumer. Lager beer had not then been inaugurated, but other vile drinks equally detrimental were said to be in common use. There were, however, some redeeming spirits in the place, both among citizens and visi- tors, and divine service was kept up in the capitol on .Sun- days, morning and evening, during the whole session with large attendance, the moral effects of which were quite visible.
We find but little information of the growth of Madison in 1841. The newspapers had but very little to say about local matters, but their columns were filled with articles on the political questions of the day. There appeared to be more in- terest in the merits and demerits of Gov. JAS. DUANE DOTY, and Gov. HENRY DODGE, than in any other subject; both these gentlemen had their admirers as well their opponents. This state of feeling, unhappily, existed for a number of years.
From the report of the County Commissioners for the year ending January 14, 1841, we learn the receipts were $2,362.61, and the disbursements $1,912.09, balance in hands of the treas- urer $450.52, to meet outstanding orders of $409.96. The Com- missioners were, E. PECK, S. MILLS and P. BRIGHAM.
The National Hotel was erected this season on the corner of Main street and Washington avenue (the present site of the Vilas House) by ZENAS H. BIRD. It was a two story framed building, and was used as a hotel, with a succession of land- lords, until about 1852, when it was purchased by Hon. E. B. DEAN, Jr., and removed to lots 2 and 3, block 88, on Clymer street, where it now stands, and is used for a dwelling house.
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GEO. HYER, Esq., became associated with C. C. SHOLES, in the publication of the Wisconsin Enquirer in the month of April, and was succeeded in February, 1842, by J. GILLETT KNAPP.
The National Anniversary was advertised to be celebrated as usual, the officers of the day as published, were DAVID BRIG- HAM, President, N. F. HYER and A. A. BIRD, Vice Presidents, JULIUS T. CLARK, Orator, Dr. T. M. WILcox, Reader, and WM. T. STERLING, Marshall. We do not find any notice of this cel- ebration, and suppose it was not much of an affair.
A contract to bridge the Catfish was awarded by the Board of County Commissioners, to THOS. JACKSON, for $295.50, which was built during the summer.
E. M. WILLIAMSON, Esq., * one of our prominent men, came here in the month of September.
The following named persons, with others, were residents of Madison and Dane county in 1841, as appears from their names attached to calls for political meetings in February and June: DAVID BRIGHAM, JAS. MORRISON, E. BRIGHAM, I. H. PALMER, JESSE A. CLARK, DAVID WILDER, VOLNEY MOORE, S. CLARK, T. & D. BREZEE, H. W. POTTER, OSTON COOK, JACOB GEORGE, L. HUMPHREY, S. H. TAYLOR, A. C. DICKINSON, W. M. TAYLOR, NICH. SMITH, J. T. CLARK, A. A. BIRD, T. M. WILCOX, S. MILLS, P. W. MATTS, E. MOORE, H. CLARK, A. NICHOLS, C. H. BIRD, E. M. WILLIAMSON, A. LULL, W. W. WYMAN, J. R. BARNARD, JAS. O. REEVE, CYRUS HILL, GEO. L. COATES, W. G. VAN BERGEN, WM. N. SEYMOUR, JOHN CATLIN, N. T. PARKINSON, ABEL RASDALL, W. T. STERLING, JOHN STONER, AMOS HARRIS, HORATIO CATLIN, WM. C. WELLS, C. C. SHOLES,
* E. M. Williamson was a native of Bedford, Westchester county, New York, and born October 19, 1801. He came to Milwaukee, March 28, 1840, and settled at Madison, which he still makes his home. He has held various offices under the Territorial organization; Deputy Register of Deeds, Deputy Sheriff, Justice of the Peace, County Surveyor and Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners. Since 1846 he has been engaged almost exclusively as Land Agent.
Mr. Williamson was married at Rochester, New York, October 1, 1850, to Miss Eliza A. Wallace.
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DAVID HYER, B. HANEY, J. W. THOMAS, CHAUNCEY LELAND, JOS. VROMAN, ABEL DUNNING, DARWIN CLARK, G. P. DELA- PLAINE, ADAM SMITH, EDWARD CAMPBELL, N. F. HYER, P. B. BIRD, THOS. DAILY, A. P. FIELD, A. BOTKIN.
On the 22d of December, 1841, application was made to DAVID BRIGHAM, JAS. MORRISON and BURK FAIRCHILD, School Com- missioners for the county of Dane, to set off township 7, of range 9 east, to be organized as School District No. 1. This is believed to be the first action had relative to the organization of schools under Territorial laws, in Dane county; the applica- tion was signed by Dr. ALMON LULL, IRA W. BIRD, E. QUIVEY, PETER W. MATTS and NICHOLAS SMITH. The commissioners. took the same in consideration, and on the 25th reported fav- orably, and set off the territory described as district No. 1. On January 24, the district petitioned the commissioners to en- large the district by including town 8, which was attached February 15.
1842. On the 11th of February, Hon. CHAS. C. P. ARNDT, a. member of the Council from the county of Brown, was killed by Hon. J. R. VINEYARD, a member from Grant county. A. discussion had arisen in the Council on a motion to reconsider a vote by which the nomination of E. S. BAKER as Sheriff of Grant county was rejected a few days before. During the progress of the discussion, violent words passed between the two parties. The first, conceiving himself to have been in- sulted, approached Mr. VINEYARD, after the adjournment, for the purpose of seeking an explanation. A slight rencontre then took place, when the latter drew a pistol from his pocket and fired. Mr. ARNDT reeled for a few paces, then sunk on the floor, and almost instantly expired, having been shot through the heart. The funeral services were held at the Council Chamber, and the remains taken to Green Bay for interment.
Mr. VINEYARD immediately surrendered himself to the Sher- iff, waived an examination, and was committed to jail. After a short confinement, he was brought before the Chief Justice of the Territory on a writ of habeas corpus, and admitted to bail. He was afterwards indicted for manslaughter, and was tried
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and acquitted. Immediately after the homicide, VINEYARD sent his resignation to the Council, which refused to receive it or have it read, and immediately expelled him. No occur- rence ever happened in the Territory that caused more ex- citement than this event. Mr. VINEYARD subsequently removed to California, and has since deceased.
On the 18th of February, 1842, the two houses of the Legis- lature elected JOHN Y. SMITH Commissioner of Public Build- ings. The work on the capitol was finished by Mr. BAXTER the year following, and the fence placed around the square in 1842; the cedar posts having been cut partly on the banks of the lakes, and partly on the Wisconsin river.
The third newspaper established here was the Wisconsin Democrat. It was a six column weekly, and the first number was issued on the 18th of October, 1842. J. GILLETT KNAPP and JOHN DELANY, editors and proprietors. It was a radical Democratic State-Rights paper. It continued under those persons until February 9, 1843, when JOHN P. SHELDON and GEORGE HYER took possession. It was continued without fur- ther change until March 14, 1844, when it was suspended. The printing material was afterwards purchased and used for print- ing the Argus.
In May, 1842, JAS. MORRISON, President, and SIMEON MILLS, Secretary, of the Board of Trustees of Madison Select Female School, announced that they had secured the services of Mrs. GAY as teacher.
In relation to the business prospects of the village, the Madison Express, of September 15, 1842, has the following no- tice:
" With the greatest pleasure, we have lately noticed several glowing descriptions of rapid improvements going on in neigh- boring towns. We heartily rejoice in the prosperity of our neighbors, and should certainly envy not their good fortune, even were we totally disregarded by the inconstant goddess in the distribution of her gifts. Happily, however, by dint of good fortune and the industry and enterprise of her citizens, Madison is going ahead. The improvements this season
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nearly, if not quite, equal all before. Facilities for the conve- nience and comfort of the inhabitants, as well as the accom- modation of the public, are progressing daily. Several fine buildings have been completed, while others for dwelling houses, shops, stores and various other purposes, are still going up, and will be finished in the course of the fall. The capitol square is being fenced and cleared of its rubbish, which adds much to the appearance of the town. Notwithstanding the hard times, the improvements have been larger, and business much better than the most sanguine among us anticipated. Quite a number of emigrants have settled around and among us, and our streets are daily thronged with strangers in pursuit of business or pleasure. Though we cannot boast of as great .an increase in population, wealth or improvements as the lake- board towns, and many other portions of the Territory, yet we can assure them, one and all, that we are gradually, steadily and surely coming up in the world. As it is the transaction of public business here which fills our streets with the greatest bustle and activity, everything is of course comparatively dor- mant during that portion of the year when neighboring towns are flowing with life and business. But the cups will soon turn, and while the lake towns are frozen up and idle, old Jack-frost will but increase our glee, and in turn make 'our town' resound with the tumult of business, not surpassed by other parts of the Territory during the most favorable .season of the year."
The appearance of Madison in the early days of its history, while very beautiful in dry and pleasant weather, was far from attractive under different circumstances. C. C. BRITT, Esq., of Portage City, has given the following anecdote as an illustra- tion :
" In the year 1842, or possibly 1843, Gen. JOHN A. BROWN, who afterwards became a well known citizen of our state, and his friend Dr. GOODHUE, an English gentleman of high culture and skill, were residing at Rockford, Ill. Having heard much of the beauties and promise of Madison, they resolved to jour- ney thither and see with their own eyes if all they had heard
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was indeed true. Accordingly on a fine,summer's day they started on their tour of inspection, expecting, of course, to find something akin to the "promised land." Unfortunately for Madison, and to the chagrin of our tourists, the weather had become rainy on their arrival, and the highways very muddy. They sought shelter at the old " American," then kept by " Uncle JIMMY MORRISON," as he was familiarly called by every one in those days. The unpleasant weather continued for a day or two, and with slight intervals of sunshine. All travel- ers have observed the unpleasant hue that a rainy day will spread over otherwise pleasing scenery; so with our friends. But being men of determined character, and as they had come to see the town, they were not to be thwarted by foul weather; so they traversed the embryo city through streets and " across lots." In their rounds with such unpleasant sights as often greet the eye on a rainy day in frontier settlements - too much dram drinking, and an occasional stupid fellow taking a drunken snooze in the mud at the roadside. This was not peculiar to Madison alone, and they knew it, but combined with the mud and the rain, and the newness of the place and its surroundings - the lack of material improvements for a capitol city even at that day, all tended to impress our strangers very unfavorably, and particularly the worthy Doctor, accustomed as he had been to the refinements and comforts of his old English home; and as they sauntered along the shores of Fourth Lake, amusing themselves with casting pebbles into its bright waters, or skim- ming them on their placid surface after the manner of their boyhood, the Doctor became utterly silent and remained so for some time, evidently pondering upon some weighty matter. At last he turned suddenly to his companion, and with his finger pointing threateningly at him, exclaimed in words more ex- pressive than elegant, "JOHN A!if you tell anybody that I ever was in Madison by - I'll kill you!" and then strode rapidly to his hotel, accompanied of course with his chum. They im- mediately settled the reckoning with the landlord, and bade good bye to Madison, and started for home, perhaps as thoroughly disgusted with the place as it was possible for men of their ar-
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dent temperament to be. In after years, Gen. BROWN would mirthfully relate this incident of his first visit to Madison, showing how unreliable it is to form impressions under unfa- vorable circumstances."
Mr. BRITT further says he visited Madison some three years later, also in rainy weather, and he freely admits that the ap- pearance of the place even at that date was not sufficiently at- tractive, or its promise for improvement so good as to [induce him to make a settlement. Subsequently he moved here and made it his home for a brief period. The settlement of the town was greatly retarded, as has been heretofore stated, from the fact that all the desirable lots and lands in Madison and the country adjacent were owned by non-resident speculators, and could not be purchased except at prices largely in advance of their true value.
JOHN Y. SMITH, Esq.,* a prominent citizen, came here in the
*John Y. Smith, was born in LeRay, Jefferson county, New York, Feb- ruary 10, 1807. He was left an orphan, without means, at a very early age. He learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed for several years. In 1828, at the age of 21 years, Mr. Smith came to Wisconsin, and first settled at Green Bay. He afterwards resided, for a brief period, in- Milwaukee, and in the county of Waukesha. He came to Madison in 1839, as Commissioner for the Building of the old Capitol. Considerable of the work upon that building was executed with his own hands. In 1843, he removed his family to this place. In the same year, the office of Commissioner was abolished, and that of Superintendent of Public Prop- erty established, and Mr. Smith was appointed the first incumbent of the new office, which position he filled till 1846. In this latter year, he built a residence on Clymer street, in this city, which he occupied till he moved to his farm some two miles into the country, about two years ago.
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