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 8
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" You wish also to have me inform you of some of the names of the men who composed Mr. BIRD's party that came to build the capitol. If you had asked for this information some years ago, I think I could have remembered them all, but now I can but give you the names of some three or four which are not on the list you sent me. There was WILLIAM and JOHN SYMONDS, brothers. The youngest had been brought up at a tavern and was useful about the house, we offered him forty dollars a month, and BIRD released him for our benefit. The elder, WILLIAM, was a carpenter and continued work on the capitol. He afterwards married the daughter of an old settler that kept a house of entertainment near Dodgeville, by the name of SKINNER. After we came to Baraboo to live, he, WILLIAM, moved with his young wife to Sauk Prairie. After we left the log tavern, JOHN SYMONDS, with another of BIRD's men, JEFFERSON HOLMES, went down to St. Louis and died there. HOLMES came back to Madison and worked on the capitol, and also for us afterwards. There was another party, named PEASELEY, who afterwards married BIRD's sister, JANET. Mr. PECK married them. They first settled at Sun Prairie, on the place afterwards called by Col. BOTKIN the '76 farm.
"I think I. H. PALMER did not come with BIRD's men, but soon after. He subsequently purchased lands at Lodi, where he made a permanent residence and where he still lives.
" Another of the early comers was a Mr. HOLLOWAY, who was a surveyor, and came with DoTY to complete laying out the town of Madison. There were five BIRDS, brothers to A. A. BIRD, that worked more or less on the capitol: PROSPER B., CHARLES, I. WASHINGTON, ZENAS B. and WILLIAM. I. W. BIRD had his arm badly injured by a saw in a shingle machine in the old steam mill. I do not recall the names of more of the workmen.
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"It may be interesting to make a note of the first born child in Madison -- my own daughter, born September 14th, 1837. When she was less than a week old, Judge DOTY, one of the Commissioners for the erection of the Capitol, and Treasurer of the Board, arrived from Green Bay, with a large sum of specie, guarded by Capt. JOHN SYMINGTON and a squad of soldiers from the garrison at Fort Howard, accompanied by CHARLES C. SHOLES, an early editor and legislator of Wis- consin. They put up at our house. DOTY ordered a table spread with wine, and he and [his party standing around it, as solemn as a funeral - prophetic shadows go before - sipped their wine, and named the young babe WISCONSIANA. SIM- EON MILLS said as my boy's name was VICTOR, his sister's name should be VICTORIA - in honor of the young queen, who had, but a few weeks before, ascended the English throne; so that name was added, making her full name WIS- CONSIANA VICTORIA PECK. She has been married several years to NELSON W. WHEELER, Esq., an attorney-at-law, Baraboo, Wisconsin."
Mrs. PECK in closing her article says that she is now sixty- six years of age and resides in the upper part of the building which she erected at Baraboo -the first in the village of which she is the first settler. She lives alone, and says she has had a full share of life's troubles and disappointments, and has received but few of its favors.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
CHAPTER III.
VISIT OF GEN. W. R. SMITH, 1837 -FIRST LEGISLATURE - " WISCONSIN ENQUIRER " AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS - DANE COUNTY COMMISSION- ERS - POLL LIST OF 1839 -" MADISON EXPRESS " - JUDGE J. G. KNAPP'S ACCOUNT, 1838 - JULY 4 CELEBRATION - SCHOOLS - MER- CHANTS - P. E. CHURCH ORGANIZED - R. L. REAM'S REMINISCENCES, 1838-9.
IN the summer and fall of 1837, Gen. WM. R. SMITH made an ex- tensive tour through the Territory of Wisconsin, and in 1838 pub- lished, at Philadelphia, a small volume entitled "Observations on Wisconsin Territory," a work containing much desirable information for emigrants aud tourists. Gen. SMITH shortly afterward removed to Wisconsin ,and made it his permanent residence, locating at Mineral Point. His account of Madison and the Four Lake country, is very interesting, but too lengthy to be republished. We have, however, made liberal extracts:
" Although the Seat of Government is laid out on the strip of land between the lakes, and the public buildings are located here, yet an extension of city lots has been made by the land proprietors all around the Four Lakes. The different sites bear the name of East Madison, North Madison, the City of the Four Lakes and Mandamus. I have called Madison a contem- plated city; let it be remembered that six months since, the site of the city was government land; now, there are about thirty houses in a state of forwardness; a steam saw mill near completion; a population of above one hundred active mechan- ics and laborers employed in their own improvements, and in the erection of public buildings which are already in a forward state; add to this picture of enterprise and industry, the excel- lent accommodations which are obtained at the public house of Mr. PECK, and the traveler may well be surprised at the rapid progress of the city of Madison.
"The connection between the Fourth and Third Lake is not navigable for steamboats at present (!) the stream is narrow
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and rapid. It is in contemplation to cut a canal through the city to connect the lakes. The distance from the head of Fourth Lake to the foot of the First Lake is about fourteen miles, and on the western bank of this lake is laid out a town, called " The City of the First Lake." I did not visit it, and cannot therefore speak of its localities. The site of the "City of the Four Lakes," * opposite to Madison on the north side of the lake, is a most beautiful location. Gov. DODGE, in his first message to the Legislature, said that the Indians had been known, in high water, to pass in canoes from Wisconsin river to the Four Lakes, the distance being only twelve miles. He there- fore thought it a work of but little labor to make a communi- cation between these two points. It is quite probable that the Legislature at its next session will make a law for that pur- pose .¡
" The Fourth Lake is a beautiful sheet of water, six [eight] miles from east to west, and four [six] miles from north to south, in its widest parts; its regular circumference being in- terrupted by the protrusion of wooded points of land into the lake. The water is from fifty to seventy feet deep, and always preserves its pure clearness, and sea like appearance in color, although sometimes disturbed into a considerable tumult of waves by high winds. The Third Lake is less than the
*" The City of the Four Lakes " comprised fractional part of section 6, of town 7, range 9; 300 acres laid out. The town was platted and put on record July 7, 1836, M. L. Martin, W. B. Slaughter and J. D. Doty, proprietors.
+ Such utterances by observant and intelligent men, give a direct clue to the leading ideas of the time. The mania for gain, ran to villages and canals. Not to own a " village site," was to be rated a poor man -not to put faith in navigation of any streams, however small, was to lack in spirit of enterprise. A row of villages around Fourth Lake, was the dream of speculation. A canal connecting the Rock and Wisconsin riv- ers, was looked upon as a certainty of the future - and an immigration that, in a few years, would enrich every one, was staple belief, and acted upon in all the usual transactions of life, and something assured. The present generation will smile at all this - to the early settlers, it was a bitter experience.
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Fourth, and the Second and First Lakes gradually diminish in size until the river of the Four Lakes continues its regular course to the junction of Rock river. * *
"Springs arise all around these lakes, particularly the Fourth Lake, supplying the great mass of waters; but a principal source is a considerable stream of two or three branches, emptying in, on the northern shore of Fourth Lake. No situation can be conceived more beautiful than the shores of this lake; the land rises gently all around its margin, receding and rising gradual- ly into a gentle eminence, for about a mile from the lake, and the whole of this lovely shore is studded and adorned with spots of wood and thick groves, giving the idea of the park scenery in England, or the rich views of Italy; and more beautiful than either, in its natural state. The lake abounds with the finest fish, perch, bass, catfish, buffalo fish, muskelonge, from a pound weight to thirty pound and more. The shores are lined with fine shingle and white sand, and amongst the pebbles are found chalcydone, agate, and cornelian, and other fine and beautiful stones suitable for seals, breastpins, and other ornaments, not only often but in abundance.
" With regard to the several additions to Madison, laid out around the eastern and northern shores of the Fourth Lake, the towns may not for some years meet the sanguine expectations of the several proprietors, but it may with truth be said, that in whatever proportion population may increase in all or any of these places, compared with other parts of the Territory, there cannot be found in any part of Western Wisconsin situ- ations more healthy, and more fertile, or prospects more beau- tiful in respect to land and water scenery, than around and in the vicinity of the Four Lakes; this region must in a short time be thickly inhabited." * *
It will be noticed the predictions of Gen. SMITH have not all been fulfilled; while the city of Madison has become all that he anticipated, the Catfish is not yet navigable for steamboats and not very likely to be for years to come - the projected canal across the city, was abandoned, which also may be said of the various cities laid out on paper around the lakes. Many persons
7
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in the speculative times of 1836 and '37 invested in this kind of property, but only to find that they were losers instead of gainers.
Hon. J. T. KINGSTON, of Necedah, Wisconsin, informs us that about the 20th of December, 1837, in company with S. B. PILKINGTON, he passed through Madison, from Racine. He arrived here the next morning, and proceeded north to the Wis- consin river. The prospects of Madison did not at all appear promising at that time to him, and the business of 'mining was the only one that held out any inducements to immigrants.
The Legislature of the Territory met for the first time in Madison, on the 26th of February, 1838. The capitol was not yet in a suitable condition to receive the Legislature, so that the members of the Council met in the little room on the left side of the hall of the American Hotel, and the House of Rep- resentatives in the basement dining room, in which permanent organizations took place. In the basement room Gov. DODGE delivered his first message at the new seat of government. A resolution was adopted appointing a joint committee to exam- ine the public buildings, and report their condition, together with the probable accommodation to be afforded the Legisla- ture. The committee reported the next day that they had the assurance of the Commissioner, Mr. BIRD. that the Representa- tives Hall and Council Chamber would be in readiness on the succeeding day for the Legislative Assembly. They also re- ported that the keepers of the three public houses would be fully prepared, during the week, to accommodate the members, to- wit: at the Madison House, two rooms that will accommodate six persons; at the Madison Hotel, two rooms that will accom- modate four persons each; and at the American Hotel, eight rooms sufficient to accommodate twenty-six persons; and, fur- ther, that not more than fifty persons can be accommodated with sufficient rooms for the transaction of business. A few days later, two rooms on the south side of the capitol were pro- nounced in readiness for the reception of the wise men of the Legislature, representing 18,130 inhabitants, the population of the then Territory of Wisconsin. The counties of Green,
.
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FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN.
Dane, Jefferson and Dodge were represented in the Council by Col. EBENEZER BRIGHAM of Blue Mounds. Speaking of the Representatives Hall, Col. CHILDS says: "The floors were laid with green oak boards, full of ice; the walls of the room were iced over; green oak seats, and desks made of rough boards; one fire-place, and one small stove. In a few days the flooring near the stove and fire-place so shrunk, on account of the heat, that a person could run his hands between the boards. The basement story was all open, and JAMES MORRISON's large drove of hogs had taken possession. The weather was cold, the halls were cold, our ink would freeze - so that, when we could stand it no longer, we passed a joint resolution to adjourn for twenty days, and I was appointed by the two houses to procure carpeting for both halls during the recess. I bought all I could find in the Territory, and brought it to Madison, and put it down, after covering the floor with a thick coating of hay. After this we were more comfortable."
Judge J. G. KNAPP, in his "Early Reminiscences of Madison," in speaking of the first Legislative Session at Madison, says: "Having organized the Legislature, the next question was for members, officers and lobby to find places to eat and sleep in. Though we paid metropolitan prices, it cannot be said that we had exactly metropolitan fare. But men were remarkably accommodating in those early times, and without a grumble could eat 'hog and hominy' or 'common doings' when 'chicken fixings' could not be had, and they could occupy a ' field bed' when they were required to sleep 'spoon fashion.' A frontier life is a mighty leveller - much like poverty mak- ing men acquainted with strange bedfellows. The ‘school section' of the 'American,' embracing most of the garret, was marked into lodging places by cracks in the floor, and its other rooms were equally crowded. At the Madison House, only six men were placed in a room sixteen feet square, and four others had a place at the fire during the day and evening. The floors of the Madison House were also nightly covered with shake-downs for travelers and transient visitors. Happy were those men who could find places in the few private houses
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where four men might find two beds in a cold room ten or twelve feet square."
Gen. GEO. P. DELAPLAINE, a well known citizen, removed here in September, 1838. He was engaged for a time with JAS. MOR- RISON as a clerk the Commissioners' Store.
. For the sake of preserving some additional facts connected with the early history of Madison we may add, that the first New Years was duly commemorated at the hospitable house of Mr. and Mrs. E. PECK; and her husband's brother, LUTHER PECK, could discourse sweet music from the violin; and a dance was inaugurated, which lasted two days and two nights. In those days, with but a weekly mail, and that sometimes irreg- ular and uncertain, and but four families in the place, some show of sociality and good cheer became necessary, to chase away the ennui that might otherwise have crept in during the long and tedious winter.
The first wedding in Madison took place at Mr. PECK's, on the 1st of April, 1838. The happy bridegroom was JAIRUS S. POTTER, better known as LONG POTTER, a tall lank fellow, to contra-distinguish him from HORACE POTTER, denominated SHORT POTTER; and the bride was Miss ELIZABETH ALLEN, who worked in PECK's family. Gen. MILLS procured a pretty bouquet of early flowers from the high sandy ridge dividing Third and Dead Lakes, to grace the occasion, and Mr. PECK, who was a justice of the peace, tied the matrimonial knot, which was followed by a dance, Mrs. Peck officiating on the violin, except when she herself tripped gracefully over the floor, when Mr. EBEN PECK was her substitute. Mr. POTTER remained in Madison until his death, about 1841; and his widow has long since passed away. Gen. MILLS, DARWIN CLARK, and Mrs. PROSPER B. BIRD, who were present, speak in terms of pleasant remembrance of this primitive wedding; and Gen. MILLS adds, that the spring of 1838 opened unusually early, or he would not have been able to procure the beautiful bouquet of wild flowers to grace the wedding festival.
On the 8th of November, 1838, the first number of the " Wisconsin Enquirer" was issued, the first newspaper pub-
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lished here, JOSIAH A. NOONAN* was the editor and proprietor, who had the usual enterprise of frontier printers in getting his office opened.
Mr. NOONAN had ordered a press and material from Buffalo to come by way of the lakes to Green Bay, and thence up Fox river on barges to Fort Winnebago, whence it was to have been carted over-land to Madison. The bill of shipment came in due time, but weeks passed, and nothing was heard of the material. The season was getting late, and no press. Finally Mr. NOONAN engaged Mr. HYER to mount a pony, and go to Fort Winnebago, forty miles distant, and make inquiry about the missing material, and if nothing was heard of it, to con- tinue on to Green Bay. There were then no roads, no guides, no regular stopping places; by the route taken there was no clearly defined track between Madison and Fort Winnebago, and but one stopping place, a half breed's house, within ten or twelve miles of the Fort. But from Fort Winnebago to Green Bay there was a good military road, running east of Lake Winnebago, affording a good route, and convenient stopping places among traders and Indians. On reaching Fort Winne- bago, Mr. HYER gained information that convinced him that the press and material had been thrown overboard, in a storm, in Lake Huron, off Mackinaw; but it was months after the unfortunate event before its fate was fully known. Satisfied that it would be useless to look further for the missing printing material, Mr. HYER started back the next morning for Madi- son, reaching there that night, and gave such information of the matter as he had been able to learn. This led Mr. NOONAN
* Josiah A. Noonan, Esq., was a native of Montgomery county, New York, and educated as a printer, with Chas. S. Benton, of Little Falls, New York. In 1836 he removed to Michigan, and in 1838, after the location of the seat of government, to Madison, Wis., and was publisher of the " Wisconsin Enquirer," and elected territorial printer. In 1840 he removed to Milwaukee and published the " Milwaukee Advertiser" and afterwards the "Morning News." He was subsequently appointed Post- master, which position he held a number of years. He was subsequently interested in the Humbolt Paper Mill, near Milwaukee, and more recently has removed to Chicago, where he is the publisher of the " Industrial Age."
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to purchase the " Racine Argus," and transfer the material to Madison, followed immediately by the publication of the "Wis- consin Enquirer," the first number of which appeared on the 8th of November, 1838, and on which Mr. HYER set the first type. With a single hand press, and scarcely any conveniences, this little office issued a newspaper, the bills, journals, reports, and laws of the Legislature, including a revision of the laws then in force. It was published in a room over the Commis- sioner's Store on King street. It was a six column weekly and commenced its career full of spirit and energy. In the intro- ductory, the editor says: " With party politics we shall not for the present take any very active part, believing that there is nothing in the situation of the Territory that makes it neces- sary for the newspapers in it now, to burthen their columns with labored discussions of the common political questions of the day."
The paper, however, was not long free from politics. The greatest strife was of a local nature. Parties at that day, had not become fully organized. In April, 1839, Mr. C. C. SHOLES became a partner. Other changes took place subsequently. GEORGE HYER, J. GILLETT KNAPP, HARRISON REED, DAVID LAMBERT and BARLOW SHACKLEFORD were interested in its management. It was discontinued after June, 1843.
1839. - An election for Board of Commissioners of Dane county, was held in May, at Madison, which was the only voting place, and SIMEON MILLS, EBEN PECK and JEREMIAH LY- CAN were elected. At their first meeting, May 15, at the Madi- son Hotel, they chose LA FAYETTE KELLOGG, Clerk; JOHN STO- NER, County Treasurer; WM. A. WHEELER, Assessor; R. L. REAM, Register of Deeds; DAVID HYER, Coroner; ADAM SMITH and J. UBELDINE, Constables. On the 25th of May, Gov. DODGE appointed JOHN CATLIN, District Attorney; ISAAC H. PALMER, Judge of Probate; N. T. PARKINSON, Sheriff; ISAAC ATWOOD, Public Administrator; G. P. DELAPLAINE, District Surveyor, W. N. SEYMOUR, Justice of the Peace, vice S. MILLS, resigned, and JOHN T. WILSON, Auctioneer.
A subsequent meeting of this board was held May 15, at
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which time most of the persons elected presented their bonds, which were accepted. On the 16th two election precincts were established, one at Madison, and the other at Mound- ville (Blue Mounds); at the former, PROSPER B. BIRD, DARWIN CLARK and J. S. POTTER were appointed Judges of Election, and at the latter, PRESCOTT BRIGHAM, J. C. KELLOGG and SIDNEY CARMAN. On the 4th of June, G. P. DELA- PLAINE filed his bond as District Surveyor, and N. T. PARKIN- SON, as Sheriff. On the 5th of July two supervisors were chosen; No. 1, EDWARD CAMPBELL, No. 2, HORACE LAWRENCE and H. LAWRENCE, CHAS. S. PEASLEE and ISAAC ATWOOD to act as commissioners to lay out a county road in the direction of Fort Winnebago. Tavern licenses were fixed at $20 at Madi- son, and $12 in other parts of the county. On the 6th of July, the Clerk of the Board was authorized to receive proposals for the erection of a county jail, 24 feet long, 18 feet wide -- two rooms - one story high, of square timber -walls eight inches thick, and SIMEON MILLS was directed to make a loan of $1,000 to defray the expenses. On the 22d of the same month, ROBERT L. REAM was elected Clerk of the Board, vice L. F. KELLOGG re- signed. Bids were received for the erection of the jail from P. W. MATTS, GEO. VROMAN, J. S. POTTER, NELSON HART & CO. ISAAC ATWOOD, A. RASDALL, DAVID HYER, THOS. JACKSON and N. T. PARKINSON, ranging from $1,139, the bid of J. S. POTTER; to $2,000 - that of A. RASDALL. The contract was awarded to Mr. POTTER, who, failing to give bonds, it was given to N. T. PARKINSON, for $1,348. The building was erected on lot 10, block 113.
On the 25th of May, 1839, the " Enquirer" contained an ar- ticle respecting Dane county, in which the whole population was estimated at three hundred, more than half of whom re- sided at Madison. This was doubtless too high an estimate, as the population by the census of 1840 was but 314. The village then contained two stores, three public houses, three groceries and one steam mill - in all thirty-five buildings. The same article states that prices had ranged during the year then passed as follows: Corn, $1.25 per bushel; oats, 75 cents; potatoes,
1
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$1.00; butter, 372 cents to 62} cents per pound; eggs, 372 to 75 cents per dozen; pork and beef 7 to 12 cents per pound.
GEO. O. TIFFANY and SIMEON MILLS advertised, September 20, to run a stage semi-weekly from Milwaukee to Madison in connection with the established line to Mineral Point.
The amount of the assessment roll placed in the hands of the collector, was $2,974.71.
On the 30th of September the Board gave a bounty of $3.00 for wolf scalps. On the 3d of October the amount was reduced to $1.00.
As a matter of curiosity we give the names of the voters at Madison precinct, as taken from a poll list, August 5, 1839, now in possession of DARWIN CLARK, Esq. Some of the voters were not residents of the village, but living outside of the lim- its. At that time but few farms were cultivated; land was abundant and at moderate prices, and the voters were located but a short distance in the country: BERRY HANEY, A. A. BIRD, GEO. A. TIFFANY, JOHN VOSBURG, GEO. VROMAN, WM. N. SEYMOUR, DARWIN CLARK, W. W. WYMAN, W. G. SIMONDS, Dr. ALMON LULL, JOHN CATLIN, JOHN T. WILSON, SIMEON MILLS, ABEL RASDALL, W. G. VAN BERGEN, EBENEZER BRIGHAM, N. T. PARKINSON, CHAS. H. BIRD, JEFF. KINNEY, SAMUEL CHAPPELL, ZENAS H. BIRD, REUBEN BROWN, ABRAM WOOD, LUCIUS HAM- MOND, PROSPER B. BIRD, ISAAC H. PALMER, EBEN PECK, THOS. JACKSON, JONA. BUTTERFIELD, CHAS. S. PEASLEE, JOSIAH A. NOONAN, R. L. REAM, W. B. SLAUGHTER, GEO. H. SLAUGHTER, J. PELKIE, ADAM SMITH, A. WAKEFIELD, W. A. WHEELER, W. HOADLEY, DAVID HYER, H. LAWRENCE, J. F. POTTER, GEO. BA- KER, OLIVER ARMELL, JOHN STONER, JOHN BETTS, HENRY FAKE, N. C. PRENTISS, NELSON HART, THOS PERRY, ISAAC ATWOOD, HIRAM FELLOWS, RICHARD PALMER, and LUTHER PECK. Total, 54 voters.
The " Madison Express" was the title of the second paper established in Madison. The first number was issued on the 2d day of December, 1839. W. W. WYMAN, editor and publisher. It was a neatly printed six-column weekly paper, starting off in support of the then Territorial administration, and claiming to
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