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 19
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an adjournment of the court. Upon resuming his seat, the Judge cast an anxious look about the room for YORK, but there was no dog present. Sitting unquietly while the clerk called up the business of the session, the Judge took advantage of the first opportunity that offered, to call the Sheriff to him, of whom he enquired if he had seen "YORK." The dog had not been seen since the adjournment. "Very strange, sir, very strange," said the Judge. The case proceeded, but the Judge grew more uneasy with each passing moment, till it became quite evident to those present, that an opportunity would be afforded of witnessing the race. Again calling the Sheriff, he requested him to go to the outer doors and whistle for the mis- sing dog. He did so, and soon word came back that YORK was nowhere to be found. FRANK D. was arguing the case then before the court, and among the most anxious to witness the race. The Judge turned to him, and said, " Mr. D., if you have no objection, and it is agreeable to the other parties, this case will go over till to-morrow morning." " Not the least objec- tion, your Honor," said Mr. D., and the case went over, under an order from the Judge to adjourn the court until 10 o'clock A. M. to-morrow. As soon as the crowd left the room, YORK was set loose, and was very soon at the Judge's side, to the mu- tual gratification of master and dog. All went to the race ex- cept the Judge. On another occasion there was quite a com- motion in the lobby of the court room, which the Judge no- ticed, and called the Sheriff to inquire the cause of it. " There's a bear on the " Point," said the official. "Mr. Sheriff, adjourn the court," said the Judge, and in a few minutes " his Honor " was astride PEDRO, making for the Point, followed by YORK, and a noisy crowd of court visitors. Judge I. was extremely neat in personal matters, and nothing save disrespect to his dog, or inattention to his horse, seemed to displease him more than the dirty, filthy, neglectful personal appearance of many of the wit- nesses and jurymen then attending court. It was difficult ob- taining a full panel in the new county, and to do it at all, the trappers and vagabonds still lingering on the verge of civiliza- tion were frequently summoned to seats in the jury box.
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Old PELKIE, the fisherman, was once summoned in order to make out the number, but on making his appearance to take the oath, the Judge challenged him with-" You dirty French- man, go home and wash yourself, and put on some clean clothes, and then come back and take the oath, sir." The court ad- journed to give PELKTE time to wash and properly clothe him- self.
" Judge IRVIN was, notwithstanding his peculiarities, a most. worthy man, whose precept and example, judges of more mod- ern date, would do well to follow. His integrity was unques- tioned. PEDRO and YORK occupied his thoughts in " term time and vacation," giving no opportunity for reflections that might in their course run counter to justice in the disposal of suits at law. It may be, that justice would be more equal and exact, now-a-days, had every judge his PEDRO and YORK.
" When Wisconsin became a state, Judge IRVIN's occupation was gone. He went to Texas, and the last we heard of him, he was enjoying his horse, dog and gun on his own plantation. What became of PEDRO and YORK, this deponent saith not."
Judge J. G. KNAPP, in his "Early Recollections," thus refers to Judge IRVIN:
"Judge IRWIN, who lost a match with a rich lady in St. Louis, because, in his extreme neatness and parsimony, he would persist in mending his own stockings and sewing on his own buttons, has been drawn to life by Mr. HYER. His affec- tion for his horse Pedro and his dog York, surpassed his love of woman. No picture of the Judge would have been com- plete without these, his constant companions. But Wisconsin became a State, he lost his office, and the pay stopped. He went to Texas (he had never wintered in Wisconsin, unless he was sick so as to be unable to get away,) and took up his residence on the Rio Guadeloupe. I am told that he took part in the late rebellion, and some of the Wisconsin boys, in obe- dience to the order of Gen. WASHBURN, attempted to take him as a prisoner of war, but failed, as he got wind of the hunters and fled. His old friends would have been glad to have seen him here, and heard him again talk of the full blooded, high-
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bred Pedro, and the pure pointer York; or upon visiting him at Camp Randall, to have seen him still mending his stockings, and sewing on his buttons, so that with his usual neatness, he might have borne up, under the fact of his durance, for having fought against a Government which had sustained and even fed him so long.
" When he left, his penuriousness got the better of his love, and though his love for York especially, had at times resulted (as it is said, but for the truth of which I do not vouch,) in judgment against many a poor fellow who slighted the dog, or gave him a sly kick, as happened to the Sage of Muckwan- ago; or one who had even hinted a doubt about the correctness of his always scenting a game bird, as BERRY HANEY did when York came to a 'firm point' on a snow bird. Though the Judge at the time most pointedly rebuked Mr. HANEY, with the positive assurance that snow birds make most excellent pot pies, and were therefore game birds, a fact which York well knew. Though that was rather a novel definition of game bird, yet by it York was then defended, and remained so until the time came for the judgment of the court to reach the offender, then the dog was fully appeased."
The following sketch was taken from the Philadelphia American Sentinel, 1846. We have no knowledge of the writer, who, from the account, must have been in this section in 1835:
" A LEAF OF WESTERN HISTORY. - About eleven years ago, a young gentleman left this city, to take a tour through the Western country. His object at first was to go no further than Fort Wayne in the state of Indiana. He journeyed that far in company with the late Commissioner of the Patent Office, Mr. ELLSWORTH, who had been deputed by the govern- ment of the United States to make a treaty with an Indian tribe, then in the vicinity of the Fort. Mr. ELLSWORTH after remaining there a short time returned to Washington, while the young man, not then more than eighteen years old, pro- ceeded to the state of Missouri, where he met his cousin, about his own age, residing at, or near Hannibal. These young men
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crossed the Mississippi, reaching Rock river, and ascending to the first of the celebrated Four Lakes in Wisconsin, where they engaged the only inhabitant residing there, to carry them in a canoe up the river of the Four Lakes, to the north side of the Fourth Lake, at which place there resided a solitary Indian. In their course up the river, to the Fourth Lake, they saw but one white man, and no Indian, except the one already referred to. The land in the neighborhood had then just come into the possession of the government, and the Indians had of course left that beautiful region of country.
"The travelers slept on the margin of Lake Koshkonong, near an Indian burial place on their journey.
" They stopped also at the point between the Third and Fourth lakes, where the beautiful town of Madison, the seat of government of the territory of Wisconsin now stands.
" At that time, the only town in the western part of Wis- consin, was Mineral Point. Janesville, now one of the finest towns in the interior of the territory, had not then been thought of, nor had Beloit, a large and flourishing town in Rock county. No legislature had then met in Wisconsin, for the territory had just been separated from Michigan. No white man lived near the site of Madison, to think of building a town then.
" Two or three years after that period, it was fixed upon as the seat of government; and a fine spacious building erected for the reception of the legislature.
" The two young gentlemen, who traversed this section of country together, and who looked over it, while the imprint of the Indian was still upon the shores of the lakes, returned East, the one to reside in the city of Baltimore -from whom most of the particulars of this article have been obtained, while the other delighted with this captivating section of the West, as soon as he reached the maturity of manhood, returned and set- tled in Madison, and is now the presiding officer under the char- ter of incorporation, granted to the town of Madison at the last session of the Wisconsin Legislature .*
*Thos. W. Sutherland.
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VILAS HOUSE, FROM CAPITOL PARK. PARK HOTEL.
JONES, Photo.
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" We have published the foregoing remarks mainly with the view of introducing the extract below, showing how rapidly the western towns, as it were, burst into existence, under the tide of emigration flowing in that direction. The Milwaukee Courier gives the following interesting account of the seat of government of Wisconsin, but a few years ago the hunting ground of the Indian:
"Madison, the Capitol of Wisconsin, is exhibiting signs of business and prosperity really surprising. During a stay of two days at the Madison Hotel, last week, we found an average of one hundred persons at the table at every meal. It is the most lovely location imaginable, and nothing can prevent its becom- ing at an early day, a city in population and business, as well as in name. Some idea may be formed of the progressive strides of the town and adjacent country, from the fact that in 1842, the whole county contained but about seven hundred inhabi- tants, which it is expected the census of the present month will make ten thousand."
" We take leave to add, that besides having three well con- conducted newspapers, the town has many valuable stores. The library of the Territory is there and is excellent - and the Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Catholics all have regular worship in that town. Reposing, as it does between two as lovely lakes as are to be seen anywhere, Madison is one of the most enchanting spots in the Republic. As the poet has it:
"This gem-like town o'erlooks the crystal lakes, And smiles in beauty as the morn awakes."
A plan for the University buildings, drafted by J. F. HOYNE, was submitted to the Board of Regents, and was accepted. A central edifice and four dormitories were embraced within the scope of this plan. The central building was to be 150 by 60 feet on the ground, to contain thirteen public rooms, and two dwellings for officers. Of the dormitories, two were to be on each side of an avenue two hundred and forty feet broad, leading from the front of the main structure in the direction
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of the Capitol. Each dormitory was to be 110 by 40 feet on the ground, four stories high, and to contain thirty-two studies, each fourteen by fifteen feet, and each study to have attached two bedrooms and a wood-room. It was estimated that these buildings, together with sundry improvements to the grounds would cost about $90,000. The actual cost of the two dormi- tories and the University Hall is shown by the records to have been $101,631.57. The plan was so far improved that the erection of one dormitory in accordance with it was authorized, and proposals were advertised for its construction, to be com- pleted by January 1, 1851.
Thirteen bids were received by the committee, the most fa- vorable of which was found to be that presented by VARNEY & PARKER, who proposed to complete the building of stone, according to the specifications, at the aggregate cost of $17,800.
JOHN H. LATHROP, LL.D., was inaugurated into the office of Chancellor, January 16, 1850.
The lower story of the Madison Academy was occupied by the preparatory department of the University from February to August, 1850, and here the first collegiate class completed their preparation. In the fall of that year, the first dormitory building was completed, and the third session of the prepara- tory school was held here. The first class then entered upon the college curriculum, and Chancellor LATHROP began the dis- charge of his duties as instructor.
In July of the same year, the Board of Regents directed that a portion of the VANDERPOEL purchase, not needed for a site, should be laid out in village lots, and put in the market. A sufficient amount was realized to replace the original cost of the tract, and yield a profit of $7,682.70 besides. Hon. HENRY DODGE, United States Senator from Wisconsin, made a valua- ble donation to the library, and Chancellor LATHROP a condi- tional loan of his private library.
The population of the village, as taken in 1850, shows 1,525, and the town of Madison, 346; total, 1,871; a gain of 705 since 1847.
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The Wisconsin Express, of February 26, 1850, in speaking of the prosperity of the village and its future prospects, says: "At no former period of time has our beautiful town presented so strong evidences of prosperity as at present."
The sale of school and university lands in Dane county took place 'on the 11th of November; 5,320 acres were sold, and brought $29,280.03. These lands comprised many valuable pieces of property, and were mainly purchased by those pro- posing to make them their homes, and brought good prices.
The first number of the Wisconsin Statesman appeared Au- gust 1, 1850. W. W. WYMAN & SONS (W. H. and A. U. WY- MAN) publishers. It was an eight column weekly, well printed, Whig in politics. It belonged to what was known as the Sil- ver Gray branch of that party. For a time WM. WELCH was associated in the editorial management.
De Norsken Ven, a newspaper in the Norwegian language, was published about the same time, OLE TORGERSON publisher, and was well supported.
The village corporation officers elected this year, were, W. N. SEYMOUR, President; S. MILLS, D. HOLT, Jr., S. F. HONN, D. H. WRIGHT, JEHU H. LEWIS, D. T. DIXON, Trustees; GEO. M. OAKLEY, Treasurer; J. R. BRIGHAM, Clerk; A. VIALL and E. M. WILLIAMSON, Assessors; W. C. WELLS, Marshal.
The corporation assessment of 1850, was: real property, $137,315; personal, $19,850; total, $157,165. Amount of tax levied, $785.33.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was completed this year, on the corner of Pinckney and Mifflin streets.
"To those who have hitherto been skeptical in regard to the expediency of improving the water power of Lake Mendota," says the Express, "we would recommend a visit to that improve- ment, and all doubts in reference to the feasibility of the work will be removed. We visited the works of FARWELL & Co., and were surprised to find so much work had been accom- plished. We found, in successful operation, a saw mill turning out lumber at a rapid rate; a grist mill is also about ready to commence operations, of sufficient dimensions to supply the
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wants of the surrounding country until another mill can be constructed; a turning lathe is also making bedposts, etc. A brewery has also been put in operation. The power is ample to propel eight run of stone, besides such other machinery as may be desired."
L. J. FARWELL commenced building his large grist and flour mill, May 1, 1850. It was finished the following autumn, and contained eight run of stone. He also opened Williamson street and the Fort Winnebago and Milwaukee road across the Yahara or Catfish this season. The valuable improvements made by this enterprising citizen did much to call attention to the desirability of Madison as a place of business and of resi- dence. Mr. FARWELL's large pecuniary means at that time were devoted to the improvement of his real property at this place. He also advertised largely, and spent large sums in dis- seminating information of this section, which, previous to his coming, was almost an unknown country.
A meeting of the legal voters of School District No. 1, town of Madison, was held on the 20th of March, 1850. D. H. WRIGHT, then Town Superintendent of Schools, called the meeting to order, and the following district officers were elected: WM. C. WELLS, Director; BENJAMIN HOLT, Treasurer; and SIMEON MILLS, Clerk. The census taken April 1, of the same year, shows the number of children residing in the dis- trict over four and under twenty years, to be 317; whole num- ber attending school, 153. May 11, of this year, JAMES L. ENos was engaged to teach the District School three months, at $30 a month, at the expiration of which term he was reën- gaged, and continued for two years. It seems that efforts were here made by Mr. ENos to inaugurate the Graded School sys- tem. The school was divided into two departments, Mrs. CHURCH having charge of the primary.
The Wisconsin Argus; of November 19, 1850, says: "As nearly as we have been able to estimate, over 100 (W. N. SEY- MOUR says 117) new buildings have been erected this season, and numbers contemplated could not be commenced for want of material."
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Among the prominent merchants at that time were, TIBBITS, GORDON & KEYES, N. W. DEAN, J. C. FAIRCHILD, W. C. WELLS, DEAN & RUGGLES, W. N. SEYMOUR, DONALDSON & TREDWAY, J. H. LEWIS, FRIEND & BROTHER, WARD & HONN, N. M. DOD- SON, J. B. ROWLEY, D. HOLT, Jr., C. S. NEWTON, CANNON & SADD, and D. CLARK.
The Wisconsin Statesman of September 19, 1850, says of . the mill: " FARWELL's mills are now nearly completed; the building is fifty feet square on the ground, five stories high, and presents to the eye the appearance of beauty, durability and strength. The first tree was cut from the stump about the middle of May last, and by October 15th the building is expected to be complete. The mill is estimated to flour 500,000 bushels of wheat per year. GEO. VROMAN was the master framer of the building, J. L. ROUNDY architect, W. A. WHEELER has charge of the mill-wright department."
September 1st, S. MILLS, Esq., Clerk of School District No. 1, comprising the village, made a report, showing that the whole number of persons of school age was 503; that a school had been taught by JAMES L. ENos for three months, since the formation of the district, as made in March, at $30 per month.
The corporation officers elected in the spring of 1851 were: SIMEON MILLS, President; J. R. BRIGHAM, Clerk; B. HOLT, H. A. TENNEY, W. WELCH, D. H. WRIGHT, L. J. FARWELL and A. A. BIRD, Trustees; JAS. RICHARDSON, Assessor; DARWIN CLARK, Treasurer; A. BISHOP, MARSHAL. The annual receipts into the treasury of the village for 1851, were $994.77, and dis- bursements $908.52. The assessed valuation of real property, $122,780; personal property, $26,050; total $148,830.
The most notable improvements during the year 1851 were the erection of the two fine stone dwellings of Hon. LEVI B. VILAS and JERE. T. MARSTON, on opposite corners of Henry and Langdon streets. That of Judge VILAS was at that time regarded as the most elegant private residence in the state. It is 48 feet front on Henry street, extending 100 feet on Lang- don street, and cost about $15,000.
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In the spring of 1851, Messrs. ATWOOD & BUCK, then pub- lishers of the Madison Express, commenced the erection of a double house, or two houses under the same roof, on Wis- consin Avenue, block 85. A solid center wall divides these houses, and there are no connecting doors leading from one to the other. The building is of red brick, manufactured in the city by PETER H. VAN BERGEN, Esq. The main part is two stories high, with a roomy attic. There is a wing on each side of the main building, one story with high attic rooms. Each house contains, on the first floor, a hall, parlor, sitting room, dining room and kitchen, with various pantries, closets, etc. The second floor contains five good sleeping rooms, with closets for each, and on the third floor there are three sleeping rooms with closets for each. The brick mason work was done by the day, under direction of Mr. A. VIALL, still a resident of Madison. The carpenter work was done under contract by Messrs. JOHN D. WELCH and JOHN O. HOGG. Mr. WELCH died some two years ago, and about a dozen years ago, Mr. HOGG removed to Missouri. The plastering was done under the direction of Mr. GEO. M. OAKLEY, now a resident of Chicago; and the painting by Messrs. MICHAEL and SAMUEL FRANCOMB, both deceased. The owners removed into their respective houses in December, 1851. Mr. ROYAL BUCK occu- pied his house less than one year, when, on the death of Mrs. BUCK, he removed to Fond du Lac. He now resides in Nebraska. In 1853, DAVID ATWOOD purchased Mr. BUCK's house, and has owned them both since that time, and has resided in the one he moved into in 1851. The building was substantially constructed, and is now (1874) a very creditable block, affording good room for two families.
The annual election of town officers this spring (April 1), 1851, resulted in the election of L. J. FARWELL, J. P. MANN and R. T. DAVIS, Supervisors; J. T. WILSON, Assessor; J. J. STARKS, Clerk; N. S. EMMONS, Treasurer; D. NOBLE JOHNSON, Superintendent of Schools; W. N. SEYMOUR and G. C. ALBEE, Justices of the Peace. The receipts of the town to March 26th were $3,268.06, and expenditures $2,579.47.
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The Madison Mutual Insurance Company was incorporated by act of the legislature, approved March 17, 1851. The fol- lowing were the first Board of Directors: L. J. FARWELL, SIMEON MILLS, JOHN CATLIN, N. B. EDDY, A. J. WARD, W. N. SEYMOUR, N. W. DEAN, E. B. DEAN, Jr., WM. WELCH, WM. C. WELLS, DAVID ATWOOD, F. G. TIBBITS and B. F. HOPKINS. Officers: SIMEON MILLS, President; N. B. EDDY, Vice President; B. F. HOPKINS,* Secretary; L. J. FARWELL, Treasurer.
* Hon. Benjamin F. Hopkins was born at Hebron, Washington county, New York, April 22, 1829. His early life was spent upon a farm, and he was for a time clerk in a country store. While yet a youth, the telegraph was brought into use, and after a short experience he became an accomplished operator. In October, 1849, he came to Wisconsin and stopped first at Fond du Lac for a short time, and in November, he removed to Madison and had charge of the telegraph office. In 1851, he procured the passage of a law incorporating the Madison Mutual Insurance Company, which company was duly organized in April and Mr. Hopkins was elected Sec- retary. He served in this capacity five years and was a director to the day of his decease. In 1855, mainly through his influence, the Madison Gas Light and Coke Company was incorporated, and organized in the spring of 1856, with Mr. Hopkins as Secretary. This company was subsequently leased to him for five years and became a success, and he became the owner of a majority of the stock which proved very valuable. He took an active and prominent part in the establishment of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home, and was always a leading member of the Board of Trustees. On Governor Bashford's taking the executive chair, he appointed Mr. Hop- kins his Private Secretary, which position he held in 1856 and 1857. In the fall of 1861, he was elected to the State Senate and served two years, and in 1865 he was elected Member of the Assembly. He was an unsuc- cessful candidate of the convention that met to nominate a congressman in 1862 and 1864. In the convention of 1866, he received a nomination on the 136th ballot and was duly elected. In 1868, he was renominated.
Mr. Hopkins had just completed his first term in congress when disease took a severe hold upon him. He sufficiently recovered to take a trip over the Pacific Road to San Francisco, but in the fall of 1869, he was again taken sick and lingered until the morning of the first day of Jan- uary, 1870, when he died, in the 41st year of his age.
Mr. Hopkins was married first to Miss Ethelinda Lewis, May 25, 1853, who died about two years thereafter. He married second, Mrs. Mary E. Willicutt, September 14, 1857, who survives him, and has since been mar- ried to Hon Arthur McArthur, Judge of the United States District Cour at Washington, District of Columbia.
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The usual celebration on the 4th of July this year (1851) was held, the following persons being the officers: J. C. FAIR- CHILD, President; A. BOTKIN, Vice President; Hon. JAS. ARM- STRONG, Orator; A. A. BIRD, Marshal; BERIAH BROWN, Reader; and Rev. W. LATTIN, Chaplain. The celebration was brought to a conclusion by a sad accident which occurred to Mr. DELANCY THAYER, a journeyman printer in this place. While firing the cannon, the gun made a premature discharge, tear- ing off all his clothes, blowing both of his arms literally to pieces, ruining one eye, tearing and mutilating his face and head in the most shocking manner, and otherwise injuring his body, although not seriously. He was taken to the residence of his father-in-law, Mr. DANIEL MALLO, when his arms were amputated near the shoulder by Dr. A. J. WARD, and his wounds dressed.
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