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 16
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* William N. Seymour was a son of Hon. Wm. Seymour who represent- ed the 20th Congressional district of New York, in the 24th Congress of 1835-37, and who was a member of the New York Assembly in 1832 and 1834. He was born at Binghampton, Broome county, New York, April 22, 1808, and came to Madison January 29, 1838, and has resided here since that time. He has held many offices in the town, village and city. He was the acting Justice of the Peace for a long series of years, and was the first clerk of the city council in 1856. Esquire Seymour is still living at Madison, and is one of the well-known characters of the city. For many year he has suffered from paralysis.
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the Lake House, were two in town, one of which stood near the East Madison depots, and the other on the lake shore a short distance beyond the SPRECHER Brewery, occupied by Mrs. HOUGHTON. Those beyond the Catfish (now known as the Yahara), were those of GROVER, GOULD, THOS. DAILY and the old Seventy-Six house, then occupied by ALEX. BOTKIN, Esq. About the same time, 1846, I was requested to go to a place near where the MacFarland station now is, to visit one of the fam- ily of JOHN REED. He came over from Second lake (lake Wau- besa) in a boat, but proposed that I find my way to his cabin by passing around the lake, a portion of the way to be guided by an Indian trail which I had not seen. I was not enough confi- dent that I could find the way, so he then proposed to take me across the lake in a boat, to which plan I assented, on his repre- sentation that his place was but half a mile from where we would land; but it proved to be as much as two miles and a half. As we passed along the Catfish between the Third and Second Lakes (lakes Monona and Waubesa), we observed an encamp- ment of Winnebago Indians on the east shore, which probably numbered as many as a hundred. This man REED soon after abandoned his family, and his wife became the wife of MATTHEW DUNN.
" Hon. HENRY DODGE, being then Governor, GEO. P. DELA- PLAINE was his Private Secretary, which position he also occu- pied during the administration of Governor DEWEY. JOHN CATLIN was Secretary of the Territory, and JONATHAN LARKIN was Treasurer. It was during that year that JOHN CATLIN and E. M. WILLAMSON commenced the arrangement of the Dane County Abstract Office, which was supposed to be the second one in the Territory. One had already been com- menced in Milwaukee. SIMEON MILLS had an interest in the Argus office although he was not an active worker on the paper, JOHN Y. SMITH having the editorial supervision. DANIEL M. HOLT was a printer in the same office. The Madison Express was then published by W. W. WYMAN, and the Democrat by BERIAH BROWN. The Argus and Democrat were soon after consolidated, and a new Whig paper started by
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ATWOOD & BUCK called the Wisconsin Express. ELISHA BUR- DICK was Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and was suc- ceeded by ROYAL BUCK. E. M. WILLIAMSON was Surveyor and laid out some of the early roads in the county. DARWIN CLARK had already established his cabinet shop on the corner of his present place, which business he has maintained with more than usual stability, as well as the character of a worthy and reliable citizen. GEO. A. CARY and CHAS. BIL- LINGS were the village blacksmiths, and CASPER ROUSE worked for them, and afterward established the business for himself. Mr. ROUSE is now a resident of Marion Center, Kansas. PETER H. VAN BERGEN (who built the Congregational church), H. C. PARKER, A. L. HARRIS, JOHN EASTON and - - GILCHRIST were the village carpenters and joiners. BARLOW SHACKLE- FORD occupied the house which stands next the Hooley Opera House on Clymer street, where he died in November, 1846. ORLIN ROOD lived on the farm west of the town that is now owned by D. CAMPBELL. JAMES Dow lived in a place dug out of a side hill and covered by a roof not far from the " CARY Farm," and perhaps, it was on that place. JAMES was one of nature's noblemen, but for the habit of using strong drink - a habit which he greatly regretted, and made many efforts to desist from. He had been a sailor, and was a native of Scot- land. THOMAS WALKER came here from New York by sug- gestion of E. B. DEAN, and established himself as a tailor. That place had mostly been occupied by NICHOLAS SMITH, who soon after became a merchant. LUTHER WILSON and DECATUR VANDERCOOK established a livery stable during that summer. ALONZO WILCOX was the shoemaker, a vocation which he still pursues at Spring Green, Sauk county, Wisconsin; although he is well fitted for what are commonly regarded as higher vocations, although this idea is but a myth, provided the part one bears is acted with fidelity. P. W. MATTS owned and occupied the house next THOMPSON's Hotel, and was elected Sheriff, 1841-2. J. R. BRIGHAM returned that season, having just graduated at Amherst College, and entered the law office of A. L. COLLINS soon after his return.
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" The only physicians in the village or county were H. A. TIFFANY and Dr. SPENCER. Two persons of more discordant character and characteristics could not well be found. The first named seemed to have plunged into the profession with- out much preparation, but the simple character of most of the maladies had required but the most simple routine treatment, and the possession of an abundance of assurance gave him a large practice. Dr. SPENCER had enjoyed the best advantages the country afforded, which he had well improved and but few persons any where are better qualified for the work of a medical practitioner. Notwitsthanding this, his practice had been much less than that of the other incumbent. A habit which too often prevails among persons on the frontier may have had some influence in diminishing his patronage, but it is said that he became strictly temperate after he left here.
" After the establishment of the Democrat as competitor of the Argus (which was an organ of the same political party, or rather the organ of a party within the party), the contest was sharp for the legislative printing. BERIAH BROWN had his friends as well as the Argus, but he is said to have put forth more effort to secure success. A characteristic little speech in a caucus, held before the printer was elected, will indicate the character of some legislators. A new member was requested to inform the caucus upon whom he wished to have the place con- ferred. He arose with more than common deliberation, which was said to have been somewhat prolonged on account of his ample form having become wedged into an arm chair, and expressed the opinion, that Mr. BROWN ought to have the place, adding, ' we have eat his oysters, and drinked his licker, and it will not be right to go back on him.' "
JULIUS T. CLARK, Esq., now of Topeka, Kansas, has fur- nished his early reminiscences, as follows:
"In the year 1840, I had completed my legal studies, and was attracted to Madison by reports of the natural beauty and salubrity of its location, as well as by its prospective advan- tages as the future capital of the State. I arrived in Madison in the month of August in the year above named. On my way
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from Ottawa, Ill., where I had been residing, I passed through Beloit and Janesville, the former containing some half a dozen houses; the latter, but one, made of upright boards, and which was built for the accommodation of the stage, which was run- ning somewhat regularly on that route. There were then a number of buildings in Madison, the principal ones being the American Hotel, on the northwest corner of Pinckney street and Washington avenue, and the Madison Hotel, on the south side of King street, east of the Capitol grounds, (both since burned), one frame store building belonging to JAMES MORRI- SON, just above the Madison Hotel, a small printing office, and several dwellings - some of logs and some of boards. The walls of the old Territorial Capitol were up, and the building enclosed, but the inside was almost entirely in an unfinished state. On my first visit, as above stated, I found the District Court in session, Judge IRVIN presiding, and S. MILLS, Clerk, with quite a number of cases on the docket, mostly marked with the names of JOHN CATLIN, WILLIAM N. SEYMOUR and DAVID BRIGHAM, as attorneys, SEYMOUR having rather the largest number of cases. This fact may account for my form- ing a partnership with him in the law practice, which lasted a year or more. The improvements at Madison were, at that time, confined almost entirely to that part of King street lying between the east corner of the Capitol grounds and Third Lake, and that part of Pinckney street fronting the northeast line of the Capitol grounds. W. W. WYMAN and J. A. Noo- NAN were each publishing a paper, the former an administra- tion paper, and of which I had the editorial charge for some time, and the latter an opposition paper, as parties then ex- isted. The steam saw mill, where most of the lumber was manufactured for the construction of the Capitol and other buildings, stood on the bank of the Fourth Lake, at the foot of the hill just below the residence of the late B. F. HOPKINS. With the exception of the small portions I have named above, almost the entire area of what is, at this day, the beautiful city of Madison, was in its wild and native condition: and what is now the most attractive portion of the city, was then, and for
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some years later, almost an impassable forest, with a dense un- dergrowth of young trees and briars, through which I used to make my way hunting for partridges and other game, with great difficulty. I refer to the ridge or high lands on the south- eastern border of the Fourth Lake. But the greatest change has taken place in the character of the level stretch of land lying between the two lakes on the east side of the city. In the early settlement of the place, most of that part of the city was covered with water, especially in the spring of the year, when the lakes were full. At such times, fishermen in their boats would spear abundance of fish in its shallow waters. The first real, and at all successful attempt to redeem this flat from the water was made by Gov. FARWELL, in connection with the German Baron MOHR, by means of ditching and planting trees, about 1849-50. The low land on the south side of the town, extending from the Third Lake, by the Fourth Ward school building, around to the north of the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien depot grounds, was also for a long time covered more or less with water, and, in some portions, was impassable at all times.
"The original plat of Madison only extended half a mile from the Capitol on the west. The history of the University addition is this: The Congress of the United States had donat- ed to the State of Wisconsin a certain quantity of land for the establishment and endowment of a University to be located at or near the Capitol. The duty of selecting a site and commenc- ing operations devolved upon the Board of Regents elected by the Legislature in 1848, of which board I was a member. The other members were: E. ROOT, S. MILLS, H. BARBER, A. L. COLLINS, J. H. ROUNTREE, J. BANNISTER. T. W. SUTHERLAND and RUFUS KING. Adjoining the town plat on the west, was a quarter section of land which included in its boundary the ele- vation upon which the University buildings now stand. This quarter section we found could be purchased at a moderate' ex- pense, if I remember correctly, about twelve dollars per acre. The Regents purchased it, reserved forty acres for University purposes, and platted the remainder as an addition to the city,
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to be sold for the benefit of the University fund. From sales of these lots there was realized nearly or quite an amount suf- ficient to erect and complete the first of the buildings now on the grounds, in addition to the original cost of the land. I do not know the exact number of the population of Madison when I came, but it was quite small, as the census for that year (1840), showed the population of the whole of Dane coun- ty, including Madison, to be only 314. The growth of the town from the time I became a citizen, was not very rapid, for sev- eral years. Even in A. D. 1846, when I commenced my im- provements on blocks 94 and 95, on the banks of the Fourth Lake, it was the first instance in which any improvement had been made in that part of the town, and almost the first on the northwest side of the Capitol park. Even after I had com- pleted and was occupying my house, my friends would jokingly ask me how I liked my country life, and whether I had any dif- ficulty in finding my way back and forth. The brush which I grubbed out in clearing a place for my house, was made into a fence, which answered a very good purpose for some time in that capacity.
"One reason, perhaps, why the growth of Madison was slow, at first, may lie in the fact that for several years, at almost or quite every session of the Legislature, an effort was made to re- move the Capitol to some other place, generally to Milwaukee, and this effort upon the part of the members from that place, as well as the general hostility which its citizens entertained, or at least, were thought by the people of Madison to entertain towards Madison, tended to create an aggrieved and embittered feeling towards the former city; which I doubt not still exists to a greater or less degree, in the minds, at least, of the early settlers of Madison. Another fruitful source of trouble and perplexity at that time was the uncertainty regarding the title to the town lots. There were three plats of the town on re- cord, each of them differing from the others and made by two different parties. Time and the adjudication of the courts have long since settled these questions which were once a prolific source of litigation and strife. If any one is curious to know
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the nature of these contests, an examination of the records of the courts of that time will give him all desired information.
"The town, for some time, had but little business to sustain it, except what it received as the Capital of the Territory, through the Legislature, the courts and the residence of the state officials; and the affairs of government were then man- aged with more economy than now. The Territory was in all parts sparsely settled, and during the sessions of the Legisla- ture such of the more prominent settlers as were not actual members of that body, were very sure to be present, either look- ing after some public or private interest, or to pass the time in social enjoyment; for it is one of the pleasantest recollections of that period, that there was a heartiness and warmth of at- tachment and good fellowship felt and manifested without stint among those early pioneers, which has not existed since their time. It was not uncommon to have social entertain- ments given, at which there would be present invited guests from Green Bay, Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Mineral Point, Platteville, Prairie du Chien and all the then settled parts of the State; and this, notwithstanding the almost entire want of any public conveniences for traveling either in the matter of roads or vehicles. Such an one had just been held and very largely attended only the day before the cruel fate of the la- mented ARNDT - a very sad termination to one of the most successful and pleasant festive gatherings that the village has seen either in its earlier or later history. Among the guests was the father of ARNDT. He was one of the old residents of Green Bay, and was quite advanced in years, - a gentleman of great respectability and unblemished character. He had made that long and tedious winter journey for the purpose of meeting his son, around whom the hopes and affections of his declining years centered with a very strong paternal fondness,- and not without reason, for the younger ARNDT possessed in a high degree, in addition to his mental endowments, those amiable and social qualities which attached to him very warmly those who shared his friendship. The Territorial Council, of which ARNDT was a member, occupied the room on the east side, or
13
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rather in the east corner, and the House of Representatives the room at the north corner of the old Capitol. It was at the close of the morning session, which had been somewhat stormy - and the debates which had been elicited on certain nomina- tions made to the Council by Gov. DOTY, had been considerably personal, and acrimonious and irritating in their character, es- pecially on the part of him who was soon to leave the room a homicide. The President had experienced some difficulty in maintaining order during a portion of the debate just before the adjournment; and fearing a personal collision, as soon as he declared the session adjourned, he stepped rapidly from the desk to place himself between the irritated parties, but failed to reach them in time to avert the catastrophe - the fatal shot had been given, penetrating the heart of the unfortunate ARNDT, who fell back into the arms of those who were stand- ing near, and expired immediately without a struggle. His father was in the opposite hall at the time, and hearing the commotion, came, with others, into the Council Chamber, little imagining the deep interest he had in what had transpired. I was present during the whole of the morning session, and near the parties at the time of the occurrence, and thus a witness of the whole tragedy; and of all the sad recollections of that event, that which is the most vivid, is the unutterable anguish and desolation of the elder ARNDT when he saw his son, so lately full of life and hope, lying on the floor, still in death. As to the character of the deed, I never had a doubt. The slayer had been the aggressor from the beginning, and had employed ir- ritating and insulting language in the course of the debate, and when called upon for explanation, met it on the moment against an unarmed man with the deadly shot.
" I have mentioned the store of JAMES MORRISON as the first which was opened, and the only one for some time after my ar- rival in Madison. It had been established for the purpose of affording supplies to the contractors and workmen on the pub- lic buildings. As his stock became exhausted, he neglected to replenish, and for some time we were dependent for our sup- plies upon a peddler's cart, which made us an occasional visit,
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with the most needful articles of dry goods and notions - the proprietor of which was, if I remember right, a Mr. L-, who is now a wealthy banker in a neighboring city. I believe 1 have forgotten who started the next store. It might have been J. D. WESTON, followed by the Messrs. DEAN and others. Of course there were not any church buildings at that early day. Before I came-two churches had occasional services, a Presby- terian and an Episcopalian. The first preacher of the former was a Mr. QUAW, who remained but a short time on account of ill-health, and was succeeded by Rev. E. SLINGERLAND, who effected a permanent organization; in A. D. 1841, my brother, J. M. CLARK, became pastor of the church, and con- continued with it between two and three years, when he was appointed Chaplain of the post at Fort Winnebago. The pas- tor of the Episcopal church was the Rev. Mr. PHILO, a very kind, earnest and simple-hearted man; a characteristic anec- dote of whom I cannot resist the impulse to repeat. During the sessions of the Legislature, there was (a common thing in the west in those days), a good deal of gambling practiced; and although severe laws had been enacted against it, yet so little attention was paid to enforcing them, that there were several places in the town where gambling was carried on in as public a manner as though it had been an ordinary, innocent amuse- ment; several members of the Legislature being among the most ardent of its devotees. In the winter of 1841, the la- dies of the town took the matter in hand, and made an earnest and energetic effort for the suppression of both gam- bling and drinking. Through their influence, a mass meet- ing was held in one of the halls of the Capitol to consider the best means of accomplishing the desired object. Everybody at- tended, citizens, strangers, members of the Legislature; all were there, men, women and children. All sides of the ques- tions being represented, the discussions which followed were considerably animated, some of the speakers finding their speech and their poise a little too difficult from the present fect of having imbibed a little too freely before going. It was said, among other things, that the laws already passed were
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amply sufficient to meet the case, if honestly and faithfully ad- ministered, and that the fault, if anywhere, was with the offi- cers, whose duty it was to see to the proper execution of the laws. W. N. SEYMOUR, who was then, and for years afterwards, justice of the peace, was present, and taking the remark as a personal reflection upon his official integrity, arose and defend- ed himself from the charge. After he had taken his seat, Mr. PHILO, or 'Dominie ' PHILO, as he was more commonly called, arose, and addressed the chair as follows: 'Mr. Chairman: I arise to move to make a motion. The motion which I wish to make, I hold in my hand. I will read the motion. "Motion; That WILLIAM N. SEYMOUR is a good and sufficient Justice of the Peace, and I hope the motion will prevail.' The character of the motion, together with the earnestness and naiveté of manner in which it was delivered, was too much for the gravity of the house to stand, and the meeting was forced to adjourn amidst a perfect tumult of cheering, without being able again to address itself to the consideration of the subjects for which it had been held; and Mr. SEYMOUR's right to be considered 'a good and sufficient Justice of the Peace,' was not regarded as an open question from that time.
" I might relate anecdotes of other early pioneers, and recall other experiences; but perhaps I ought rather to apologize for even the personal sketches I have already given. That which may interest the parties who participated in those early inci- dents and experiences, and who find a real pleasure in recalling them, can scarcely be supposed to awaken anything like the same degree or kind of interest in those who only know the city, as what it has since become. If the city is beautiful to-day, with its gem of a Capitol, its shaded, clean kept streets, its almost palatial residences, and its numerous tidy homes, the result of its prosperity and accumulated wealth, it was no less beautiful when the log cabin of ABEL RASDALL overlooked the beautiful Monona and grassy slope on the shady woodland which bordered its clear waters. My years of absence have not diminished my love for its well remembered haunts. There is not a spot of that piece of earth which lies so sweetly between
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the waters of the unfolding Lakes, which is not endeared to me by many an incident whose recollection is still fresh as when they transpired. Nature and art stimulated by its natural beauty, have both conspired to make Madison distinguished as a most lovely city; and my earnest desire in its behalf is, that its citizens may ever be as distinguished for virtue and intelli- gence, and all that beautifies and ennobles human life."
1847. In the month of February, the Wisconsin Argus was enlarged to seven columns. Mr. S. MILLS retired from the firm, and the same changed to TENNEY, SMITH & HOLT. During the Constitutional Conventions of 1846 and 1847-8, the paper was issued as a tri-weekly.
At the spring election, April 6, the following persons were elected town officers: WM. C. WELLS, Chairman; A. RASDALL, C. BUSHNELL, Supervisors; J. R. BRIGHAM, Clerk; D. CLARK, Treasurer; H. HILL and D. A. BARNARD, Assessors; Squire LAMB, Collector; D. H. WRIGHT, J. G. KNAPP and B. HOLT, School Commissioners; C. BUSHNELL, A. HARRIS and G. M. OAKLEY, Justices. Vote for State Constitution - ayes, 154; nays, 125. For suffrage to colored persons - ayes, 18; nays, 176. A tax of one per cent. was levied for town pur- poses. The election for corporation officers was held March 1, and the following persons elected by a majority of 60 over the opposition ticket: A. L. COLLINS, President; B. HOLT, C. BUSHNELL, W. PYNCHEON, D. B. SNEEDEN, G. A. CARY and W. WELCH, Trustees; J. R. BRIGHAM, Clerk; B. W. WILSON, Marshal; N. S. EMMONS, Treasurer; J. T. WILSON, Assessor.
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees, held March 23, all that portion of Dane county known as the village of Madison, was organized under the name of "Madison Village School District No. 1."
An enumeration of school children, taken March 10, showed that there were 142 children between the ages of four and twenty. The amount of school money apportioned the dis- trict was $232.48. The annual statement of the Board, made for the year ending October, 1847, showed that two male and one female teachers were employed. School taught by a male
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