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 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
In April, 1844, the old Argus office was purchased by Simeon Mills, John Y. Smith, and Benjamin Holt. Mr. Smith assumed the editorial control of the paper, and in his hands it ranked high as an able Democrat- ic paper. In 1846, Major H. A. Tenney became associated with Mr. Smith in the editorial management of the Argus; and that paper became the leading organ of that faction of the Democratic party, then known as " Old Hunkers," and Mr. Smith was recognized as the soundest and ablest writer then in that party in the State. He remained in connection with this paper, till April, 1851, when he retired from it. After a few years, the Argus was discontinued for a time, but was revived in 1860, and in
144
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
winter of 1841, from Green Bay. On February 18, 1842, he was elected Commissioner of Public Buildings. He brought his family in July, 1843, and in 1846 erected his residence on the corner of Pinckney and Clymer streets.
N. W. & E. B. DEAN, were here in 1842, and were prominent. merchants for many years, and still continue residents.
Miss L. A. SMITH advertised, June 7, to open a school in Mr. PARKINSON'S building. On the 12th of June a public meeting was called by I. WASHINGTON BIRD, Clerk of School District No. 1, to vote a tax to build a school house.
J. P. B. McCABE, published in the newspapers a census report of the village he had then completed; and that there were, on the 23d of June, 199 males, 143 females - total, 342; 71 build- ings, including 2 brick buildings of three stories; 4 church organizations: Congregational, Catholic, Methodist and Pres- byterian, with occasional services at the capitol; 2 select schools, 11 attorneys, 1 physician, 2 justices of the peace, 5 hotels, 3 milliners, 1 dressmaker, 17 carpenters and joiners, 2 printing offices, 3 stores, 2 lumber dealers, 3 surveyors, 1 livery stable, 1 cabinet maker, 1 saddler, 1 baker, 2 painters, 2 masons, 1 locksmith, 3 blacksmiths, 2 shoe shops, 1 wagon maker, 1 watchmaker, 1 plaster and 1 brick manufacturer.
The celebration on July 4 was suitably observed. The advertised programme was: E. BRIGHAM, President; J. G. KNAPP, Reader; J. T. CLARK, Poet; Col. A. P. FIELD, Orator, GIDEON LOW, W. C. WELLS, RUFUS BROWN, ED. CAMPBELL, J. CATLIN, J. LARKIN, A. DUNNING, ISAAC H. PALMER and W. B. SLAUGHTER, Vice Presidents; A. BIRD, Marshal; S. CAT- LIN, Assistant Marshal. Col. FIELD not being able to deliver the oration, ALEX. L. COLLINS discharged that duty. Toasts were given by S. MILLS, P. W. MATTS, D. BRIGHAM, J. T. WIL- SON, N. W. DEAN, B. SHACKLEFORD, E. BRIGHAM, J. G. KNAPP, J. MORRISON, GEO. VROMAN, D. G. ADAMS and H. W. POTTER.
1861, Mr. Smith again became connected with it editorially, and continued about a year, when its publication was finally abandoned. Since that time Mr. Smith has had no permanent connection with the editorial depart- ment of any paper. He died at Madison May 5, 1874, aged 67 years.
145
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
During the year ending July 1, 1843, 6,287 acres of land were entered in Dane county by actual settlers.
DAVID BRIGHAM, Esq., died at Madison, August 16, 1843, aged 57 years. He was an elder brother of Col. EBENEZER BRIGHAM of Blue Mounds, and removed to this place in 1839. He was a graduate of Harvard university 1810, was tutor in Bowdoin college, and subsequently read law. In 1818 became established in practice at Greenfield, Mass., where he married his wife who is still living at Madison with her daughter, Mrs. H. G. BLISS. Mr. BRIGHAM was a member and officer of the Congregational church, and at his death was the senior mem- ber of the bar. The Dane county bar, at a meeting held on the 17th of August, passed suitable resolutions on his decease, testifying their respect and regard for their deceased associate, at which meeting ALEX. L. COLLINS, Esq., was Chairman, and L. F. KELLOGG, Esq., Secretary. Remarks were made by Col. A. P. FIELD, THOS. W. SUTHERLAND and ALEX. BOTKIN, Esqrs. His son, J. RIPLEY BRIGHAM, Esq., resided at Madison until 1851, when he removed to Milwaukee, where he is an attorney and counselor.
The Kentucky House, subsequently known as the City Hotel, was commenced in the fall of 1843, and completed in 1845, and was situated on the corner of King and Webster streets, on lot 9 block 107. It was 30 by 45 feet with an ell of 30 feet for dining room and kitchen, two stories high, and would accommodate 50 or 60 persons. It was built by WIL- LIAM M. RASDALL* (who came in the spring of 1842). The
* William M. Rasdall was born in the town of Bowling Green, Warren county, state of Kentucky, on the Ist day of April, 1819, and educated in the same town. His brother, Darius Rasdall, and himself carried on the business of farming, and run a grist mill together three years. Mr. Ras- dall came to Wisconsin in 1842, and took up his residence in Madison, where he carried on the livery business for about two years, and com- menced building the City Hotel. He was appointed Deputy Sheriff and Jailer of the county, which offices he held for four years, terminating in 1849, when he went to California accompanied by a citizen of Madison. On his arrival there he commenced the business of mining, in which he
. continued until 1855, when he returned to Madison. He carried on the
146
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
house had a variety of landlords; a Mr. McCORD stayed a year and a half. He was succeeded by Mr. RASDALL, who con- tinued it till 1849, when he went to California. He was fol- lowed by two Mr. OTT's, by Messrs. PENRITH, DEWEY, CARTER, VAN WIE and CUTTER. On Mr. RASDALL's return he kept it three years and seven months, when he was succeeded by SCOLLANS & TIERNAY. The building was destroyed by fire December 14, 1865.
At the election in October, W. A. WHEELER, A. W. DICKIN- SON, and W. H. HUBBARD, were elected County Commissioners; STEPTOE CATLIN, Clerk of Board of Supervisors; IRA W. BIRD, Register of Deeds; G. P. DELAPLAINE, Collector and PETER W. MATTS, Treasurer.
Rev. Mr. BADGER, taught the public school during the year 1843, and was succeeded by BENJAMIN HOLT, 1843-4.
A writer in the Madison Enquirer, of February 26, 1843, evidently a new-comer, has a long article on the prospects of the Territory, and, being of a poetical temperament, is quite enthusiastic on the present condition and the future of Madison, comparing it with what it was in the past. The following ex- tracts are made, which are to be taken with some degree of al- lowance:
" Where this lovely village now stands, on the shores of these placid lakes, not many years since were clustered the wigwams of the savage tribe, and the beaver and otter plunged and sported undisturbed in the tranquil water. No sound at the evening hour disturbed the solemn silence of the scene, save the plaintive cry of the wish-ton-wish and the long drawn and wild cry of the loon rose from the bosom of the slumber- ing wave, like the low wail from the spirit-land - the solitary hunter leaning on his bow, wrapped in the contemplation of the far-off happy hunting grounds of his sires, bent his dark eye from some gently rising hill on the glorious and ever vary- ing hues of our western summer; and as the light and feathery
City Hotel for three years, and subsequently the Rasdall House. Since then he has opened another building under the same name on Henry street, near the Dane County Court House.
,
147
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
vapors shone in the golden rays from the retiring orb, and stretching afar off in the blue expanse, varied their hues to the violet, deep purple and molten silver - fancied he heard the voices of his sires and the chieftains of other days inspiring him to deeds of heroism and fame.
"How sudden the transition from such scenes as COOPER speaks of in his narratives of the West, to that of our village of Madison, where the clank of the saw-mill, the sound of the blacksmith's anvil, the noise of the hammer and the saw are heard throughout the day, while the lofty capitol, house of en- tertainment, and neat and tasteful private residences, exhibit all the evidences of a place settled for many years; while the merchant, with his well filled store, offers to the inhabitant all the comforts and luxuries of the distant seaport.
"Soon we also shall have our crowded streets, thoroughfares and warehouses, for the spirit is among our inhabitants to do all this, and in a shorter time than our eastern neighbors would judge it possible. Already preparations have been made for a handsome brick hotel to be erected near the public square, an academy will shortly be built on or near the same grounds, also of brick or stone; arrangements have been made by the Rev. MARTIN KUNDIG, of Milwaukee, a Catholic clergyman of distinction, and a former resident of Detroit, for the erection of a handsome church in the centre of the village. The en- ergy with which his congregation are now at work will soon furnish them with a commodious and elegant place of worship.
"From our office window we see the high dome of the capi- tol glancing like silver in the sun's rays, as its bright metal covering reflects the light, and the large park of many acres, encompassed by a neat painted paling, is tastefully adorned with clumps of the burr oak carefully trimmed, while the level and well-kept lawn is intersected with graveled walks leading to the different ornamental gates of the enclosure.
"The capitol is a splendid building of yellow stone. The hall is lofty and spacious, with wide corridors, and there is am- ple light from the dome, which is very similar to that of the New York Exchange. The chambers for the Legislature are
148
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
large, with high ceilings, and handsomely finished, with every accommodation for the members. The offices of the Supreme Court are in this building; Secretary's chamber; and the Pub- lic Library, well selected, and containing many thousand vol- umes of law and miscellany. In this building, the Rev. J. M. CLARK, a minister of the Congregational Church, preaches to a large and respectable audience.
" The capitol is not yet completed in all its details, and much ornamental work remains to be done; but workmen are con- stantly employed on it, and, before many months elapse, we can show our eastern visitors something that any village or city may well be proud of."
The " Wisconsin Argus " was the title of the fourth newspa- per issued at Madison. It was published by SIMEON MILLS, JOHN Y. SMITH and BENJAMIN HOLT, under the firm of S. MILLS & Co. The first number appeared the 22d of April, 1844. Mr.
SMITH had the entire control of the editorial department.
It
was a neatly printed six column weekly, edited with ability, and bore at its mast head the names of POLK and DALLAS. In its democracy, at this time, it was emphatically in favor of free trade, a hard-money currency, etc. In December, 1846, H. A. TENNEY, Esq .. who had been connected with the Jeffersonian, at Galena, Illinois, purchased an interest in the establishment, and became a joint editor with Mr. SMITH -S. MILLS & Co. continuing as publishers.
At the election for county officers, September 26, 1846, the Whig party ticket was elected, viz: I. WASHINGTON BIRD, Sheriff; E. BRIGHAM, W. A. WEBB and L. SANGER, County Commissioners; G. T. LONG, Register of Deeds; JESSE A. CLARK, Clerk of Board of Supervisors; N. W. DEAN, Coroner; P. W. MATTS, Treasurer, and E. BURDICK (Dem.), Surveyor. JOHN CATLIN, who had been Postmaster since August 9, 1837, resigned August 20, 1844, and DAVID HOLT, Jr., was ap- pointed by the President.
On the 7th of November the Wisconsin Argus says, " our town, the trade of which two or three years ago would scarcely support a single shop on a small scale, now contains three es-
149
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
tablishments, each doing a fair, living business. The stores re- ferred to were FINCH & BLANCHARD, J. D. WESTON and DEAN & Co. Mr. R. F. WILSON, now of Eau Claire, who was living here in 1844, says that the wolves were abundant in and ad- joining the Capitol Park. It will be remembered that at this date the village was only staked out, and land marks difficult in some places to find, owing to the luxurious growth of hazle- brush and young timber, and that firewood was so abundant that any one could procure his winter's supply without leaving the limits of the village, and more frequently a short distance from his own residence, in the public streets.
The number of pupils in the public schools had, at this date, 1844, so largely increased, and the population so augmented that it was determined to lengthen the school term, which had heretofore been of three and four months duration, and con- tinue the school during the year. Accordingly, in the spring of this year, Mr. DAVID H. WRIGHT of this city, took charge of the school, and continued it until the spring of 1845. The school now numbered nearly one hundred pupils, the room being filled to its utmost capacity. A novel contrivance in the school room for the purpose of relieving its crowded state, de- serves a passing notice. This consisted of a long shelf built across the end of the room, and above the door, to which a lad- der at one end gave access. This shelf was used for " stowing away " the smaller boys and girls. To save time, the teacher frequently caught the juveniles in hand, and by an expert toss, deposited them in their seat in " the gallery." In the summer of 1845, Miss SMEDLEY taught one term which finished the course of discipline in this building. In the summer of this year another school house was built, now known as the " Little Brick," on Butler street, near Washington avenue. This was built of bricks, and divided by partition into two rooms to accommodate two teachers. It was large and commodious for the time. A. A. BIRD was the contractor; the house is es- timated to have cost $1,000. JEROME R. BRIGHAM, now of Mil- waukee, was the first teacher, in the fall of 1845 and winter following, and was succeeded by ROYAL BUCK who continued two years.
150
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
An act of the Territorial Legislature was passed and ap- proved, January 26, 1844, incorporating the Madison Academy: J. D. WESTON, DAVID IRWIN, SIMEON MILLS, A. A. BIRD, JOHN CATLIN, A. L. COLLINS, W. W. WYMAN, J. Y. SMITH and J. G. KNAPP, incorporators; and on February 22, 1845, an act was approved appropriating and allowing the county of Dane the sum of $2,616, being the amount expended by said county in the completion of the capitol, payable out of any money in the Territorial treasury: provided, that the said sum shall be paid to the Board of County Commissioners of said county, and shall be by them appropriated exclusively for the purpose of building an academy in the village of Madison; the Territory, by payment of said sum, fully discharged from all liability for the money thus expended. Out of this amount the sum of $400 was appropriated to A. A. BIRD, the contractor. By the conditions of the act, a vote of the citizens of Madison was re- quired to be taken on the matter, subject to their approval. The village having voted in favor of receiving said sum, an amendatory act was passed February 3, 1846, authorizing the Madison Academy to receive from said county of Dane the amount referred to.
On the 5th of December, of this year (1845), a public meet- ing was held to draft an act of incorporation of the village, of which meeting C. D. FINCH was Chairman, and SIMEON MILLS Secretary. It was resolved that S. MILLS, S. F. BLANCHARD, JOHN CATLIN and JAS. MORRISON be such committee.
At the next session of the Legislature an act of incorpora- tion was passed, approved February 3, 1846. Col. ALEX. BOT- KIN* became a resident this year. Col. J. C. FAIRCHILD, a
* Col. Alex. Botkin, was born in Kentucky in 1801. At an early age he removed to Ohio, and from thence to Alton, Ill., in 1832. He was a Jus- tice of the Peace at the time of the Lovejoy riots, and took an active part to preserve law and order. He came to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1841, as Assistant Secretary of State under the Territory, and was for awhile a law partner of Col. Alex. P. Field. Col. Botkin was a member of the Territo- rial Assembly of 1847 and 1848, State Senator 1849, 1850, and of the As- sembly 1852. He was a candidate for the first Constitutional Convention of 1846, but was defeated by Hon. John Y. Smith, and was voted for by the
151
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
well known citizen (now deceased), came in 1846, and soon after erected a two-story brick building, corner of Wisconsin avenue and Wilson street. This was regarded as one of the handsomest residences at the time in the village.
A school meeting was called, to be held March 22, 1845, to vote a tax for building a school house, signed I. WASHINGTON BIRD, Clerk.
On the 24th of March, X. JORDAN, Secretary of the Roman Catholic Church, publishes that the foundation of the church building would soon be laid, and solicits assistance.
June 24, notice was given of a Masonic celebration of the an- niversary of St. John, signed by A. A. BIRD, G. P. DELAPLAINE, E. B. DEAN, Jr., and B. SHACKLEFORD, Committee. The oration was delivered by Rev. S. McHUGH. Madison Lodge No. 5 was organized by a dispensation from the Grand Master, June 4, 1844, with the following officers: JOHN CATLIN, W M .; DAVID HOLT, S. W., and A. BIRD, J. W. MARTIN G. VANBERGEN, Treas- urer, B. SHACKELFORD, Secretary, W. W. STEWARD, S. D., DA- VID HYER, Tyler. From a report to the Grand Lodge in 1845, the members composing the Lodge were: J. A. CLARK, E. B. DEAN, W. N. SEYMOUR, A. M. BADGER, ALEX. BOTKIN, R. T. DAVIS, E. CLEWITT, WM. COLLINS, S. F. BLANCHARD and DANIEL M. HOLT, Master Masons; JULIUS T. CLARK, G. P. DELAPLAINE, JOSIAH HARLOW, FELLOW CRAFT, and IRA. W. HULL entered ap- prentice.
On the 19th of December, 1845, the Rev. STEPHEN McHUGH ac- cepted a call, and immediately took measures for the organiza- tion of a parish under the title of "Grace Church, Madison." During his ministry, the " Ladies' Episcopal Benevolent Soci- ety," having, by their efforts, raised the sum of one huudred and fifty dollars, purchased the two lots now owned and occu- pied by the church.
The number of communicants was then twenty-five; among the names of the members were Mr. and Mrs. J. G. KNAPP, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. COLLINS, Mrs. NELSON EMMONS, Mrs. JOHN CATLIN,
Whigs in 1849, for United States senator against Hon. Isaac P. Walker. He died suddenly at Sun Prairie, March 5, 1857, aged 56 years.
152
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
Mrs. ANDRUS VIALL, Mrs. P. W. MATTS, Mrs. JULIUS T. CLARK, the two Misses McHUGH. A. L. COLLINS and J. G. KNAPP, Wardens, and BERIAH BROWN, Vestryman.
In the summer of 1847, Rev. Mr. McHUGH resigned, and on the 11th of August, 1850, a call was presented to the Rev. W. H. WOODWARD, of Pontiac, Mich., who took charge of the par- ish, September 22, 1850. On the 6th November of said year, a brick house was commenced on the church lots intended for a parsonage, and temporarily as a place of worship. On Christ- mas day, Divine worship was first held in the building, and communion administered to fourteen persons. On Easter Mon- day, 1851, the following persons were elected to the vestry: J. H. LATHROP, LL.D., Senior Warden, P. B. KISSAM, Junior Warden, C. ABBOTT, N. S. EMMONS, BERIAH BROWN, JACOB KNIFFEN, Vestrymen. At a meeting of the Vestry, May 7, 1851, P. B. KISSAM, J. CATLIN and N. S. EMMONS were elected Delegates to the Convention. Rev. Mr. WOODWARD resigned the charge of the parish November 14, 1851. No further ser- vices were held till June 13, 1852, when Rev. HUGH M. THOMP- SON officiated, and on the 25th of the same month was elected as Rector. Rev. Mr. THOMPSON subsequently resigned, and the Rev. HENRY P. POWERS officiated from October, 1853, to De- cember, 1854.
We are indebted to ROBERT W. LANSING, Esq., of Blooming Grove, for the following reminiscences of early times:
"In the summer of 1843, having received the appointment of Receiver of Public Moneys at Mineral Point, Wisconsin Territory, I proceeded thither, and, in the first discharge of my official duties, held a public land sale in the month of Oc- tober. I took a steamer at Buffalo, N. Y., and, after a safe and pleasant trip, landed at the nice little village of Milwaukee. From thence, took early stages via Watertown, to the embryo village of the lakes, in the town of Madison, where we spent the Sabbath in calling upon the most notable men, among whom was the late Gov. JAMES D. DOTY, one of nature's truest noblemen, Hon. ALEXANDER L. COLLINS, GEO. B. SMITH, THOMAS J. SUTHERLAND, J. G. KNAPP, SIMEON MILLS, A. A.
153
FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
BIRD, and many others of the early settlers, some of them men' of merit and becoming modesty, with a smart sprinkling of would-be limbs of the law, who were then resident here, and all striving, with the small means they then possessed, to make Madison the grand point for settlement to men of enterprise and capital.
"Madison, at this time, was the veriest representation of a wilderness, which required but the hand of industry to cause her to bud and blossom as the rose in the valley. Arriving at my destination, I settled down to business, and in the society of a people, although much feared and but little loved at a dis- tance, whom I soon learned to admire for their native frank- ness and good feeling, if not for their morality and good breeding. The character of the miners - being principally Cornish - was not that of a strictly mild and moral people, still they possessed and exercised some redeeming qualities, among which, to their praise be it spoken, was their uniform attendance, with their families, at the churches on Sabbath mornings; although, in the afternoons, they employed them- selves in various recreations, but mainly in card playing and drinking. While I was living here, Dr. PULFORD and others had occasion to send east for a rector to take charge of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and for this purpose we sent an invitation to a young clergyman in western New York, who lost no time in answering, desiring to know which was best - to come by steamboat, or to drive his horse and buggy up the lakes. After every possible assurance that the good character of the people would afford ample protection to all new-comers, the reverend gentleman came with a friend, and, when near the village proper, on being informed that they must pass through a rather low and dangerous place in the suburbs, called 'Shake-rag,' they became seriously alarmed, which alarm was greatly enhanced by the darkness of the night; and so they put themselves in an attitude of defense, and having primed and cocked their pistols, the one drove the team, with a pistol pointed ahead in one hand, while the other reversed his position and kept a sharp lookout for any invasion in the rear,
11
154
HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE
and in this condition they at last tremulously, but safely, ar- rived at the domicil of the writer, more scared than hurt, and as free from danger or harm as could be.
"Having received intelligence of the death of one of my children, I left Mineral Point for the home of my family. in Ontario county, western New York, and arrived at Detroit, via Galena and Chicago, by stages, just in time, in November, for- the last steamer to Buffalo that fall, where we landed safely af- ter a very boisterous and dangerous voyage on Lake Erie. Chi- cago, at this time, was a mere sea of mud and water, and, from the only respectable hotel there, passengers for the east had to wade ankle deep through the street to reach the steamer, then plying to St. Joe, in Michigan, from whence we staged it, over logways and through sloughs, slush and rain to Marshall, where we reached the first railway, and went on our way re- joicing to Detroit. I entered my name on the hotel register at. Chicago, adding my official position, not dreaming that from this simple circumstance I was to derive so great a notoriety as preceded my arrival home. But when I arrived at Canandai- gua, where I had many excellent and good friends, I was not a little surprised when they congratulated me upon the fact of my not being an absconding public defaulter, as had been pub- lished by and in the newspaper of the notorious Long JOHN WENTWORTH. Quite a number of the eastern papers repub- lished the libel, and for which they made haste to make ample amends by the payment of money and recantations. The United States Senate afterwards unanimously confirmed my nomination. I returned, in the spring of 1844, to Mineral Point, with my family of nine children, who are all still living but one. From thence I removed to Madison, the day before Christmas, 1845, and opened the 'National Hotel,' on the site of the present Vilas House, and conducted the same on strictly temperance principles for several years.
"Having opened house just before the meeting of the Terri- torial Legislature, the Hon. E. V. WHITON, who was then a. member of the Council, came to me a stranger and selected a room for the session. I trust it will not be thought improper
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.