USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 38
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SAUK COUNTY COMPANY; HEADQUARTERS, REEDSBURG
Colonel Wyse raised a company for. the Spanish-American war, and, though it got no nearer the scene of hostilities than Tennessee, that fact was neither the fault of the captain nor his boys. Like good sol- diers they went where they were sent, without grumbling. Captain Wyse's command was first assigned to the service as Company F, Fifth Wisconsin National Guard, but at the conclusion of the war became Company B, Tenth Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard. It has since become Company A, First Wisconsin Infantry. He remained as its captain until 1908, when, having reached the age of sixty-four years, he was retired with the rank of colonel. He. is, therefore, the most notable person in Sauk County, from the standpoint of a strong and distinet personal link which joins together the continuous military history of Sauk County.
COMPANY A, FIRST WISCONSIN INFANTRY
William J. Meyer succeeded Mr. Wyse as captain and continued to command the company for a period of four years; H. B. Quimby
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followed in 1912, and Leo M. Darrenougue, his successor, has been captain since August, 1913.
The first lieutenants of the organization, in succession, have been W. L. Burdick, A. H. Clark, L. M. Darrenougue, L. Rosenthal and H. Prange; the second lieutenants, A. H. Clark, William J. Meyer, L. M. Darrenougue, A. E. Perry, Herman Miller, L. Rosenthal, H. A. Mortell and Thomas H. Tudor. From an examination of the names, the fact will be readily deduced that promotion in Company A has been decided according to the best rules of the civil service.
On July 2, 1917, 163 members of the company, under Captain Dar- renougue, left their headquarters at Reedsburg for Camp Douglas, and later for Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, pledged to whatever service might be required of them in the conduct of the world's war. Perhaps a quarter of the stalwart young men who stepped out with such vim had already seen soldierly service on the Mexican frontier. The membership was drawn from several points in the county outside of Reedsburg. Reedsburg was very much alive the night before, and the morning of their departure for Camp Douglas several Civil war veterans brought out their old snare drums to call together members of the Grand Army of the Republic Post, who headed the procession to the train. In the ranks of the latter was Veteran George Claridge, who numbered a grandson among the sergeants of the present-day company.
Besides Captain Darrenougue, were the following officers of Com- pany A: First lieutenant, Herbert H. Prange; second lieutenant, Thomas H. Tudor; first sergeant, Arthur F. Prange; supply sergeant, Rhinehart H. Miller; mess sergeant, Charles D. Graham; sergeants, Arthur HI. Schroeder, Thomas H. Babb, Loyal T. Claridge and Rollin B. Curtis; corporals, H. W. Richards, Frank E. Dwyer, Emil J. Nad- ler, Wm. G. Essers, R. F. Rosenthal, Rex Cummings, George H. Knight, James R. Sweeney and Boyd C. Ladd; mechanic, Ora Smith; musician, Leon H. Kelley; cooks, J. J. Miller and Merrel C. Noyes; first class privates, Leo E. Buelow, George W. Capener, Roy E. Case, Myron Howland (discharged), Harold Hawkins, John C. Hoefs, W. Hollings- worth (discharged), Raymond Hiller, Anton Hillman, Irwin Kerrigan, Frank Kostka, Tony Kostka, Ewald Kunkel, R. Lindenberg, Harold R. Meyer, Hugo Ochlers, Harold Palmer, E. A. Romelfanger, J. H. Springbrunn, Royal Thurber, Roy Wettstein; privates, Guy Andrews, .James Apker, Alfred A. Argyle, Otto Arndt, Henry C. Buelow, George P. Bannan, Frank HI. Barbo. Charlie H. Behnke, Clyde J. Bennett, .John P. Blake, Harvey C. Bohn, Robert E. Braun, Frederick H. Brown, George Butterfield, Elmer Byrns, Frank Canariem (dropped), Clarence C. Carr, Walter T. Carr, Fay Carter, Elmer R. Clark, Lester V. Clark, Otis Clark, L. W. Connors, Cyril Cooper, Herbert Crane, Theodore M. Crary, Edwin L. Cummings, Charles B. Curtis, Elsworth E. Dedie,
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Doran A. Dieter, Clarence Dix, Rinold Duren, Peter Ennis, Harry Feinberg, J. D. Fellows, Fred Fisher, Chas. H. Fuhrmann, Phil J. Gibbons, Vaughn Gibbons, Rush R. Grant (transferred), Herman Grantin, Alvah Hackett, M. H. Harrison, Loyd Hastings, Everett Haw- kins, Henry Hein, Robert C. Hein, Will Higbie, C. M. Hitchcock, Wal- ter Jennings, Martin D. Johnson, Bodo H. Karll (discharged), Howard Kimball, John V. Kohlman, Horace Knight, Leo Kreuger, Herman G. Krug, August P. Kunkel, Albert L. Kunce, Thomas G. LaRue, Arthur Lewis, Frank W. Lindsay, Harry Lounsbury, Wm. Luchsinger, Theo- dore Luepke, Merton Maynard, Peter M. McDonald, Basil McGuine, Hubert McNamara, John L. MeNanaram, Harry McNamer, James F. Mead, Stephen Miles, Fred H. Miller, Garfield Morcom, Leslie Mussen, Fred Nadler, George Niebuhr, George N. Niles, Morton J. Pettit, Clyde Potter, Wm. B. Powell, Francis H. Rabuck, Walter Roehrs, William Rose, Fred J. Runge, Earl Schroeder, Ernest Schulgen, Herbert Schultz, George H. Schultz, Walter W. Schultze, George W. Schu- macher, Herbert Schuster, Orrie Schwartz, Olin Serstead, Carl N. Sherman, Fred M. Silver, John Starona, Max Stein, Byron W. Stevens, Harry Strickland, Jopho Stupfell, William Timlin, Roger Tracy, Edmund Volk, Robert S. West, H. Zuehlke.
COMPANY I
Company I was organized at Baraboo and after a short stay at Camp Douglas left that place for Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, on Thurs- day, September 27th. Soon after arriving at Waco the company was absorbed into other units and its identity lost. Those who went from Baraboo to Camp Douglas and then to Waco were as follows: Captain. Carl R. Swinson; first lieutenant, Paul L. Stewart; second lieutenant, Ernest A. Isenberg; first sergeant, Otto Arndt; quartermaster sergeant, George W. Hattle; mess sergeant, Fred A. Jaquish ; sergeants, Earl W. Veerhusen, Earl L. Powell, Arthur F. Bender, Joseph F. Nickel, Edward W. Coughlin, Otto F. Bates; corporals, Randall H. Herfort, Frank M. Koons, George E. Tinkham, Edward Edwards, Richard S. Mahler, Russel W. Brodie, Charles M. Kellogg, Ralph Sanderson, James F. Bray, Guy A. Henderson, Ray S. Groenier, Wayne A. Hagen, Hershel Jester; mechanic, Vernon A. Caflisch ; cooks, Stephen J. Kamowski, Simon Hille- brandt, Tony Holtman; musicians, Miles A. Bell, Emmett W. Dwyer; first class privates, Horace C. Cahoon, Robert F. Holmes, Ralph W. Ketchum, Marco Marriott, James E. O'Neil, John A. Sansum, William P. Schlinger, Dewey P. Schuster, Herbert E. Steckenbauer and George M. Weirich ; privates, Dewey A. Armbruster, Forrest M. Barber, Stewart R. Brand, Clarence Braun, Raymond M. Briscoe, Thomas L. Bass, Ernest . P. Breithaupt, William R. Bullian, Thomas Cullin, Elmer Chickering, Edward Cox, Eli Drea, Donald M. Duncan, Raymond M. Daniels, Leslie
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P. Deakins, George Dell, Morad D. Doher, Clarence E. Freising, Joseph G. Gamelien, Eddie Gertsen, George L. Gilmore, George W. Guthrie, Steve Hajostek, Floyd M. Harrison, Hoyt O. Hoisington, William A. Holmes, Ora J. Holsaple, Henry C. Howe, Daver Haser, Homer Heffron William Hinderleiter, Andrew Jerrett, John R. Jones, James R. Jones, Lawrenee H. Kaiser, Wyland E. Kier, Louis Kosine, Charles Kremarek, William A. Krueger, Arno J. Krohn, Mike Koloff, John C. Kress, Joseph A. LaBerge, Andrew Leonard, Lawrence Lerch, Joseph L. Lobermeier, Henry E. Lowell, Frank P. Miller, Wess Miller, Herbert E. Moog, Henry Neuman, John F. O'Brien, Clarence A. Olson, Oscar H. Ohlert,. William J. Ohlert, Martin Panschock, Carl Paulson, Verne C. Payne, Carl E. Peterson, Arthur M. Rooney, Benjamin C. Rossow, Henry Rossow, Earl Reynolds, Leo G. Salmons, Clarenee E. Schenck, Louis M. Schultz, Charles Switzer, Joe Surmal, Lou Sanger, Joseph W. Turner, Emil W. Trachsler, Charles Turlo, Joe Zadkovich, Jakin C. Voie, Steve Pietman, Clarence Kroeger, Daniel Bickford, Dewey White, Charles M. Wallace.
THE HONOR LIST
When the time came for the draft the following were selected as the exemption board for Sauk County : Sheriff William Welk, chairman, Baraboo; County Clerk Frank A. Cooper, secretary, Baraboo; Dr. L. W. Sayles, physician, Baraboo; H. E. Paddock, La Valle; August Siefert, Reedsburg; Wilber Cahoon, Baraboo; Robert Buerki, Sauk City.
Following were the first drawn, leaving for Camp Grant, Rockford, Ill., on Tuesday, September. 4, 1917: Edward Alfred Lins, Spring Green ; Roland Steuber, Prairie du Sac ; Ivan Brenizer Terry, Reedsburg ; John Fred Huebbe, Ableman; Erwin Hein, Merrimack; George John Kropp, LaValle, Edward Roland, Blakewell and Earl Adelbert Webster, Barahoo.
With bands playing, speeches given and citizens marching the fol- lowing left on Wednesday, September 19, for the same eantonment : Walter Deane DuBois, Baraboo; Roy Clifton Page, North Freedom ; Wm. E. Huntley, Reedsburg; George W. Buelow, Spring Green; Glenn James McDonnell, Spring Green; Anthony Hudzinski, Kilbourn ; Hiram C. Thompson, Baraboo; Angelo Spino, Devil's Lake; Ervin Crosby, Prairie du Sac; Verne W. Traehsler, Baraboo; David H. Smith, Baraboo; Claude H. Haskins, Baraboo; Louis Patrick O'Connor, Spring Green; Bert Vogel, Reedsburg, Emil Schulz, Lime Ridge; Andrew Alt, Plain; Forrest A. Fish, Reedsburg; Geo. A. Dennis, Merrimack; Raymond W. Buelow, Plain ; Albert Timm, Reedsburg; Martin MeCarthy, Reedsburg : Oswald Dapra, Baraboo; Wm. Andrew Bahrke, Ableman; Benjamin W. Elsing, Sauk City : Emil Busse, Reedsburg ; Ernest Kocack, La Valle; Fred Amacher, Spring Green; George Fred Schlueter, Loganville; Chas. Fred Pawliseh, Baraboo; Carl Hummel, Reedsburg: William Korth,
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Lime Ridge; Edward Dhaenens, Reedsburg; Ed. Arthur Westedt, Logan- ville; Wm. F. Bluemchen, Baraboo; Emmet R. Kauphusman, Baraboo; Edwin Hugo Smith, Ableman; Archie Erwin Van Wormer, La Valle; August Riske, Lyndon Station; Elkanah Beaver, Baraboo; Clifford Ed- ward Huntley, Reedsburg; Ewald Burmester, Reedsburg; August Rhode, Reedsburg; George Fred Hinz, Ableman ; August Frederick Yeck, North Freedom; Arthur Fred Steinhorst, Reedsburg; Burr Henry Dickie, North Freedom; David Judson Sparks, Reedsburg; Leon V. Webster, La Valle; George W. Schmidt, Spring Green; Carl H. Lehman, Prairie du Sae; Edwin H. Grosklaus, Prairie du Sac; Jacob Carberry, Plain; G. R. Ewald Kleinschmidt, Prairie du Sac; Will HI. Behn, Reedsburg ; Frank Volz, Ableman; Clarenee Martin Egerer, North Freedom; Ivan Lester Lowrey, Spring Green; Hartley James Thompson, La Valle; Joseph Gonsolin, Lime Ridge; Galen F. Bell, Reedsburg; Harry Schultz, Ableman; Orrin Leon MeIntosh, Spring Green; Edward Ludwig, Bara- boo; Edward Hunter Holzner, Prairie du Sae; Walter Ernest Dwars, Ableman ; Clarence E. Page, North Freedom; Clarence Thomas Pollard, Spring Green; Russel L. Williams, Baraboo.
The next group to depart was on Wednesday, October 3rd, for the same place. There was a memorable demonstration on the day they left. The list is as follows:
Ernest Chas. Klemm, Baraboo; August C. Lucht, La Valle; Leo Schmidt, Baraboo; Harley Orson Powers; James Riley Stone, Reeds- burg; Leo Darrow, Reedsburg; Herman C. Sehilling, Lime Ridge; Edward Henrichs, Reedsburg; Edward A. Marquardt, Baraboo; Edward Robert Harmel, Baraboo; Paul Amaro, Baraboo; Gerhard Edward Reuter ; Ruben Kingery, La Valle; Rudolph B. Kinney, Lime Ridge; Carl Wm. Albrecht, Baraboo; Ernest John Rehbein, Baraboo; Edward Streich, Loganville; Louis W. Jacobs, Baraboo; Walter H. Hanusa, Plain : Harley E. Jones, Baraboo; John E. Joseph, Prairie du Sae; Arthur E. Kasdorf, Baraboo; Bennie Williams, Cazenovia; George Burga, Sauk City; Charles Stup- fell, Baraboo; Ralph Leslie Sarrington, Delton: Fred Kosin, Baraboo; Verd Osborne, Loyd; Albert R. Luedtke, North Freedom; David Bayard Reese, Spring Green; John Stempke, Merrimack; Alvin M. Claridge, Reedsburg; Osear Wagner, Loganville; Robert Lee Frazier, Reedsburg.
Many others from the county joined the colors early in the war, their names not appearing in either of the foregoing lists. Only a portion of the names could be obtained.
Among those first to reach France were Dr. Rollo F. Fisher, Robert Osborne, Adelbert Stewart, Rollo .Bates, Frank Wood and William Baker, Baraboo.
Among those in the armies of the United States in this country are the following: Dr. B. N. Robinson, Frank Link, Lyle C. Clark, Clifford LaMar, John P. Sprecher, Howard I. Potter, Dr. Clausen Stekl, John W. Troy, Lloyd E. Battles, Leslie J. Luder, Arthur F. Luder, Earl E.
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Luder (three brothers), Baraboo; Melvin G. Wagner, Reese Schlag, Bert King, George Battaglia, B. M. Bickford, Edwin C. Accola, Prairie du Sac; Waldo Trueb, Town of Troy; George Just, Arthur Kuoni, Sauk City ; Milton Fraust, Town of Sumpter; Homer M. Cosper, George E. McKee, Evan G. Baer, Herman H. Lins, William Dickson, Jesse Hud- son, William Bills, Gustave A. Muller, Alfred Rieder, Robert Emmet Dunbar, Spring Green; Dr. P. H. Fowler, Plain.
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CHAPTER XIV
BIRD'S-EYE VIEWS
SAUK COUNTY IN 1853-SKETCH BY MOSES M. STRONG OLD-TIME AMUSEMENTS (BY MRS. L. H. PALMER)-REMINISCENCES OF C. O. BAXTER-PALM TO THE ALBAN FAMILY-ARRIVES AT SAUK PRAIRIE -DENISON SHOOTS A LYNX-FIRST SETTLERS IN THE COUNTY-VISIT TO INDIAN VILLAGES-FIRST WHITE CHILDREN BORN IN THE COUNTY -EDMUND RENDTORFF'S RECOLLECTIONS-FIRST FRAME HOUSE IN SAUK CITY-CAPT. LEVI MOORE-THE CAPTAIN AND THE COUNTY SEAT FIGHT-STUBBORN IN A JUST CAUSE-DOG SAVED BY BUCK- ARCHIBALD BARKER-IN THE PIONEER PINERIES-MINING ADVEN- TURES-SHIPWRECKED-RETURNS TO BARABOO-HIS BEST FORTUNE -JOHN B. CRAWFORD-W. C. CANFIELD WRITES OF WALLACE ROWAN -DR. M. M. QUAIFE WRITES OF BARABOO'S FIRST SETTLER-LIVELY INDIAN TRAFFIC-PARTNERSHIP WITH ABRAM WOOD -- DEATH AND CHARACTER-FIRST POMOLOGICAL EFFORTS OF TIIE CANFIELDS- FATHER AND SON START FIRST NURSERY-OTHER PIONEER FRUIT GROWERS-NATURAL ADVANTAGES-QUAKER SETTLEMENT IN THE LITTLE BARABOO VALLEY-FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE, POSTOFFICE AND HOTEL-FARMS AND MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD-"UNCLE" JAMES STAN- LEY-LARGE CHURCH AND SCHOOL-NOTABLE TEACHERS-A HARD TEMPERANCE TEST-SCATTERING OF THE COLONY-A REVISIT TO TIIE OLD CHURCH-PIONEER METHODISM (BY REV. T. M. FULLERTON)- PLACE NAMES RELATING TO SAUK COUNTY-THE OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION-SAUK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Midway in this undertaking of presenting the history of Sauk County and before considering in detail the institutions and the strong individuals identified with its civil' and political divisions as they exist today, the writer pauses to "take an account of stock," to show a number of pictures of the early times drawn by some of the actors of the pioneer period, and to bring together several items of information which, although unelassified, have been by no means overlooked. With these matters collated and presented, the way seems clear for the mar- shalling of the city, village and township histories in detail.
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SAUK COUNTY IN 1853
For a number of years before the territory graduated to statehood, as well as afterward, the Wisconsin Gazeteer, published at Madison and edited by John W. Hunt, accomplished much in advertising the advan- tages and material worth of Badgerdom. In the edition published in 1853 the following sketch of Sauk County appeared; it may be called an etching, or a thumb sketch, and as such may fittingly introduce this chapter. "Sauk county," the Gazetteer says, "is bounded on the north by Adams, on the east by Columbia, on the south by Iowa and Dane, and on the west by La Crosse, Bad Ax and Richland. It was set off from Crawford in 1839; established and annexed to Dane for judicial purposes in January, 1840, and fully organized in 1844. The boun- daries were changed March 6, 1849, and further changed in 1853. The seat of justice is at Baraboo on the river of the same name, a few miles southeast from the center of the county. It is connected with the Third judicial circuit, the Second congressional and the Twenty- third senatorial distriet and, with Adams, sends one member to the Assembly. The number of square miles is about 800. The soil in every part where cultivation has been attempted produces well, and seems particularly congenial to wheat. The timber, except on the Bara- boo bluffs, is oak in its different varieties. There is almost an inexhaust- ible body of heavy timber, consisting of sugar maple, elm, basswood, ironwood, hickory, butternut, oak, cherry, etc. The surface of the county is generally undulating-in some places level, in others hilly --- presenting, perhaps, as great a variety as any county in the state. Its leading geological formation is old red sandstone. On the higher points there are occasionally found the remains of carboniferous limestone, so abundant in the Northwest. The Baraboo Bluffs are sometimes con- sidered as a formation peculiar to themselves; but as geologists do not seem to agree as to what they are, the opinion is ventured that they belong to the same elass as the prevailing strata, but that by the action of some powerful vitrifying or igneous nature, their density has been increased and their general appearance somewhat changed. They are harder, finer grained, and often much more highly colored than the common sandstone. Large masses of conglomerate are often found among these, especially on the higher portions. These masses are com- posed of sand and smooth round stones of almost all sizes from that of a pin head to several feet in diameter. In the diluvial deposits along the banks of the river are found masses of conglomerate in a transition state, a part firmly consolidated, a part only slightly so. No traces of fossil remains have yet been discovered, except in the carboniferous limestone. There are no mines in the county worked at present with any degree of profit. There are strong indications of copper and a considerable quantity (five tons) was onee dug on Copper Creek near
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Reedsburg. Small fragments, weighing from an ounce to several pounds, are often found in different parts of the county, and there is at least a possibility that extensive mines may yet be found. A beau- tiful article of purple freestone oceurs on the Baraboo bluffs, and a good quality of marble near the southwest part of the county, though neither yet has been much explored. The principal streams are the Wisconsin and Baraboo rivers, Honey, Dell and Narrows creeks. The Wisconsin river has as yet only been used for the purpose of naviga- tion, though at present attention is being called to the construction of a dam. Dell Creek is a good sized stream for mill purposes; is about 15 miles long and remarkable for the deep gulehes through which it runs. There are several interesting caves in the sandstone rock in the vicinity of this stream. Narrows Creek is about 12 miles long and affords several good mill sites. There is one mill in operation on the stream, and at its mouth is laid out the town of Excelsior. Honey Creek is about 25 miles in length, which, together with the rapidity of its current, renders it particularly serviceable as a water power. Sev- eral mills are already in operation upon the stream, and others are in process of erection. The Baraboo river, however, is the most important stream as a water power within the county, if not in the state. It is some 80 miles in length. There are already seven dams aeross it, each propelling from one to three mills. The rapids of this river at Bara- boo are about two miles in length. The bed of the river is rock; the amount of the water is about 4,500 inches; the fall, 50 feet. There are already in operation along these rapids 4 sawmills running 5 saws; 1 flour mill with 2 run of stone (another with 2 run was burned in the fall of 1852) ; 4 lath and pieket factories, 1 carding machine, 1 iron foundry, 1 machine shop, bark mill and several turning lathes, and but a small portion of the water is used. Other machinery is in process of erection along the stream, and many good mill sites yet lie untouched. Devil's Lake is perhaps the only lake in the county worthy of notice. It occupies about a square mile, is situated a little over two miles south of the foot of the Baraboo rapids and about three miles from Baraboo. On the east, south and west of the lake the rough, rocky banks rise from the edge of the water, almost perpendicularly, to the height of 150 to 200 feet [about four times the height named .- Editor.], the smooth, erystal water and the steep, craggy rocks presenting the most perfeet contrast. On the north, the land gradually rises for a short distance and then as gradnally slopes away to the Baraboo river. Although several attempts have been made the depth of the lake has never been fathomed. Of the prairies, Sauk Prairie is much the largest. It is about sixteen square miles in area, bounded on the north by the Baraboo Bluffs extending along its western side, and on the south and east is the Wisconsin River. Its surface is undulating, soil
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good and a considerable portion is cultivated. There are several smaller prairies in the county, from one to five miles in extent.
"The following is a pretty accurate detail of the mercantile and industrial establishments and farms, dwellings, schools and churches in the county : 13 taverns, 22 stores, 5 groceries, 4 drug stores, 7 tailors, 3 distilleries, 1 brewery, 2 steam sawmills, 4 grist mills, 1 foundry, 1 furniture shop, 1 machine shop, 9 shoe stores, 15 blacksmiths, 6 wagon shops, 4 eoopers, 5 tinners, 3 jewelers, 1 carding machine, 6 lath and picket factories, 1 pottery and 1 tannery ; 302 farms, 7 manufactories and 821 dwellings; 4 district schoolhouses, 3 select schools and 3 churches. Population in 1840, 102; 1842, 393; 1846, 1,003; 1847, 2,178; 1850, 4,372.
SKETCH BY MOSES M. STRONG
"It was from 1836 to 1840 that the first settlements that became per- manent were made in Sauk County. I have inquired of some few of the old settlers but cannot give you information as to who was the first settler. Though the information seems to point to James Alban, it is sufficient to know that three or four years previous to 1840 quite a number did settle upon that beautiful prairie. (The summer of 1839 was the first summer that the civilized white man occupied that prairie.) On the 11th of January, 1840, an act was passed to establish the County of Sauk and describe its limits. In 1842 Richland county was established. Its boundaries were also fixed by law. The creation of Richland county cut off four towns from Sauk on the West, leaving Woodland still at- tached to Sauk county althongh surrounded by four other counties. This is the formation of the boundaries of your county, so that since 1842 they have remained as they at present exist. But the delincation on the map of what were to be boundaries did not make it a county in any such sense as the Supreme Court have decided to constitute a county which is organized with the machinery for carrying on its judicial and civil affairs; so that it uever in reality became a county until as late as 1844, when an act was passed to organize the County of Sauk, which provided that the first election should be held on the 2nd of March, 1844. By the same act three commissioners were appointed to locate the county seat. They located it, according to my present impression upon . Sauk Prairie, at any rate it continued there until 1846 when it was located by the vote of the people. The result was that the county seat was located at Adams. Do any of you wish to know where Adams was? I can tell you that Adams was Baraboo. When I first went to your county to practice, I practiced at Adams, the county seat. After Adams was made the county seat, it was 730 days before the court house was so far finished that it could be used, and an act was passed in 1848 for holding court in the new court house in the town of Adams, now city
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of Baraboo. You must indulge me, my friends, in these matters of history. I have been engaged for the last ten or twelve years in trying to write up the history of the Territory of Wisconsin and the years that preceded the territory, and it is human nature to think that whatever interests one's self will be of interest to others; hence old men talk over their personal affairs much to the disgust of the rising generation, but very much to their own satisfaction.
ROADS ACROSS "THOSE BARABOO HILLS"
"Roads are one of the most important things in the early settlement of any country ; and there is no place where they were more important than across those Baraboo Hills.
"I recolleet the first time I came over, on the way I met a boy. Said 1. 'There are two roads leading over to Adams. Which is the best one? Which would you advise me to take?' He said, 'They fork out here about two miles above. When you get there you will see the forks. You can take whichever you please, and whichever you do take, you will wish before you get there, you had taken the other.' And so I did.
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