USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 44
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Oaks-An abandoned postoffice in the Town of Woodland, onee called Friendswood, from the Friends in the neighborhood.
Oliver-Village site, platted in the Town of Freedom in 1911 and named for Henry W. Oliver, who was engaged in the mining industry.
Otter Creek-A stream in the towns of Sumpter and Prairie du Sac, so named for the animals which onee inhabited the stream.
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Otterville-An abandoned postoffice near the head waters of Otter Creek.
Palmer Creek-Stream in Greenfield, named for Isaac Palmer.
Parfreys Glen-Beautiful glen in Greenfield, named for Robert Par- frey. There was once a mill and distillery there.
Pecks Prairie-A level tract cast of and adjacent to the City of Baraboo, named for Eben Peck.
Pewits Nest-A water-fall and gorge on Skillet Creek. W. H. Can- field says in his "Outline Sketches" that the place received its name in 1843 from the circumstance of an ingenious, eccentric mechanic building a workshop in a recess of the solid sand-rock, ten feet above a deep pool of water. The shop could not be seen from the mouth of the canyon or from the top from any direction save one. Hence, by the early settlers it was dubbed "Pewits Nest."
Pine Creek-A stream which flows into Skillet Creek, named for the timber on its banks.
Plain-Village in the Town of Franklin, once called Cramers Cor- ners because Solomon Cramer, John Cramer and Adam Cramer owned the land. A number of rough buildings were put up at the corners and the place became known as Log Town. J. H. Carpenter of Spring Green says the place was called Plain because the inhabitants were plain people.
Pleasant Prairie-See Websters Prairic.
Plum Creek-Stream in Woodland named for wild fruit once abun- dant in the locality.
Plummer Lake-A lake in Fairfield named for Edward Plummer. Plum Valley-See Plum Creek.
Point Sauk-The highest land in Sauk County, being about 1,620 feet above sea level. The point was named by the United States Geographic Board in 1907 and is located on the P. Fitzsimmons farm, near the center of section 15, Town of Greenfield.
Podunk-See Climax.
Poor Dickie-See Climax.
Prairie du Sae-Town and village, named for the Sac or Sauk Indians once residing there-Prairie of the Sacs or Meadow of the Sauks.
Prentice Creek-Stream in Greenfield named for Alexander Prentice. Quiggle Creek-Stream in Merrimack, named for D. M. Quiggle. It was once called Searl Creek for H. Searl, who built a mill there.
Quisisana-Resort on the Wisconsin near Kilbourn, "Here you find health." The name was given by Mrs. Lydia Ely, Kilbourn.
Reedsburg-Town and city named for D. C. Reed. The city was originally spelled Reedsburgh.
Rattlesnake Knob-An elevation in the Town of Dellona inhabited by rattlesnakes.
Reboek Prairie-Level tract of land in La Valle, named for early owner.
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Riches Postoffice-Discontinued postoffice in the northeast portion of the Town of Troy, named for Robert Riches.
Rock Springs-See Ableman.
Rosalietown-Deserted hamlet on the Wisconsin River between Mer- rimack and Prairie du Sac, named for Mrs. Rosalie Naffz, wife of Charles Naffz.
Rowells Mills-See Loddes Mill. Also discontinued postoffice.
Rowley Creek-See Jackson Creek.
Russells Corners-Discontinued postoffice in Fairfield, named for John B. Russell.
Sandusky-Postoffice in the Town of Washington, named by William Dano and Joshua Holmes for Sandusky, Ohio, their former home.
Sauk-The county, from the tribe of Sauk or Sac Indians. When the county was organized January 10, 1849, the word Sauk was familiar, the Indians having formerly dwelt at Prairie du Sac, where they had quite a village. The words Sac, Sauk and Saukies are synonymous and Ozaukee is the Chippewa form for the tribal name of Sauk. According to Legler the word is commonly asserted to mean "people living at the mouth of a river," while Gannett interprets it as signifying "people of the yellow earth." In 1849 Alfred Brunson wrote that Sauk County received its name from Sauk Prairie within its limits.
Sauk City-Village first called Harszthy for Count Augustine Harszthy, one of the founders. The name was difficult to remember so it was changed to Westfield, but as the word city, when attached to names of places, was popular then, it was later called Sauk City, after the name of the county.
Sauk Prairie-In his history of Wisconsin published in 1846, I. A. Lapham says: "The prairie is about eight miles wide and extends eighteen miles along the Wisconsin. Its name is given in allusion to its form, being that of a sack or bag and not from Sauk, the tribe of In- dians."
Saukville-Section between Prairie du Sac and Sauk City, now in- cluded within the limits of the villages.
Searl Creek-See Quiggle Creek.
Sibertz Creek-A stream in the eastern part of Greenfield, named for Jacob Sibertz.
Skillet Creek-Capt. Levi Moore built a cabin near Skillet Falls and named the stream and falls from the waterworn holes in the soft sand-rock because they looked much like iron vessels called "skillets."
Skillet Falls-See Skillet Creek.
Sligo-An early Irish settlement in Winfield, named for Sligo in Ireland.
Spring Creek-In Winfield, named for the many springs along its course.
Spring Green-Town and village. There is much uncertainty and
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there has been much discussion as to the naming of Spring Green. The Spring Green News of July 10, 1902, says that according to the late Samuel Huntley the prairie was the first in the spring of the year to show vegetation; hence the town was known by that name many years previous to the existence of the village. As Spring Green lies in the bend of the river the cold ice water keeps the vegetation back, but when it comes it comes with a rush.
Sumpter-Town once called Kingston. When Fort Sumter was fired upon the name of Kingston was changed to Sumpter on account of there being another Kingston in the state. The name Sumpter was wrongly spelled on an early map and the letter "p" is still inserted.
Stead Prairie-Level tract of land in Baraboo Valley, named for early owner.
Troy-Town named by Jonathan W. Harris for Troy, Richland County, Ohio, his former home.
Tuckerville-Discontinued postoffice in the Town of Washington named for William Tucker. The vicinity is now called Hill Point, from a hill located there.
Twin Creek-Streams in Winfield, so named because there are two alike.
Upper Narrows-See Narrows.
Valton-Postoffice in the Town of Woodland, probably a contraction of Vale Town or Valley Town.
Washington-Town, probably named for first president, and not for Washington Gray, a resident of the town.
Websters Prairie-Level tract between Baraboo and Delton, named for H. H. Webster. On the early maps it was called Pleasant Prairie.
Westfield-Town, named for the Village of Westfield, now Logan- ville. C. P. Logan came from Westfield, New York, and gave the name to the village. The original Westfield was in Massachusetts, so named because on the western boundary of an early survey.
Westfield-See Sauk City.
White Mound-Postoffice in Franklin, named for a hill called White Mound.
Wilson Creek-A stream in the southwestern part of the county named for Thomas Wilson, a Scotchman, who came to Helena to work in the shot tower. He crossed the Wisconsin River as early as 1838 to explore the country and moved into Sauk County in 1840. Discontinued postoffice in the southwest corner of Troy, named for Thomas Wilson.
Winfield-Town, named for General Winfield Scott.
Wisconsin-The early French missionaries, travelers and cartograph- ers rendered the name Miskonsing, Miskous, Meskousing, Ouisconsing, . Ourisconsing, Ouisconsink, with other variations, although before the arrival of the Americans Ouisconsin seemed to be in the majority. The English spelling was first Wiskonsan (closely phonetic), but Congress Vol. 1-27
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seemed to prefer the hard e, and this was retained in place of k, despite the protests of Governor Doty and many territorial newspaper editors. Thus the official spelling became Wisconsin and the territorial legis- lature on January 30, 1845, approved by resolution the act of Congress nine years before, concludes the historian. The territorial legislature, January 30, 1845, passed a resolution declaring the name of the terri- tory, "Wisconsin." The same orthography was used by Congress in es- tablishing the territorial government. The act by Congress was ap- proved April 20, 1836. As to the meaning of the word, it is doubtless obscure. Scholars are generally agreed, however, that it is of Chippewa (Algonquin) origin, and has been given such varied translations as wild, rushing channel, beautiful little river, gathering of the waters and muskrat house.
Witwen-Discontinued postoffice in the Town of Troy, named for G. and J. P. Witwen, who built a mill there.
Woodland-Town. There is some doubt as to the origin of the name but probably named on account of the abundance of timber.
Woodlawn-Discontinued postoffice in the Town of Washington, named for Dr. William A. Wood.
THE OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION
In the summer of 1872 the old settlers of Sauk County formed an association, both for social intercourse and for the purpose of preserving historical data relating to the county, whether in the form of docu- mentary evidenee or individual narratives. Their annual meetings were made the oceasions of thus gathering as friends and eolaborers in various walks of life, and of periodically presenting sueh facts as fell within their personal experiences in their native or adopted county. These proceedings were published regularly and contained much matter which has been utilized in the preparation of this history, and for which due acknowledgment is hereby given.
The first meeting of the Old Settlers' Association of Sauk County was held June 20, 1872, in the grove near William Johnson's (Uncle Billy's) house, in the Town of Sumpter. In the following, its officers, well represented some of the best known pioneers then living: Presi- dent, Charles Halasz, Sauk City ; vice presidents, Cyrus Hill, Columbia County ; William Johnson, Sumpter ; J. Hatch, Baraboo; A. Hill, Prairie du Sae; Marvin Blake, Town of Baraboo; J. Thilke, Town of Prairie du Sac; Enos Kimball, Freedom; secretary, William H. Canfield. Its members, who numbered more than 140, had settled in territorial times, previous to 1849. Archibald Barker, who came in June, 1837, the first of the living pioneers, gave place, in the estimation of some of the mem- bers, to Jonathan Hatch, the oldest actual settler then living in Sauk County. Unele Billy Johnson eame only a few months after Mr. Hatch.
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Mr. Halasz continued as president for a couple of years and was succeeded by Capt. Levi Moore, William H. Canfield continuing as secretary and giving such general satisfaction that at a meeting held in June, 1884, he was elected to the office for life, "provided he would serve." This he did, and no other personal force was so strong as his in keeping the association alive. In fact, with his death in 1913, it may be said to have dissolved as a tangible organization.
Charles Hirschinger also made a popular president and long served . as treasurer of the association. T. M. Warren, S. J. Seymour, D. K. Noyes and Frank Hlackett also headed its affairs with credit.
With the organization of the Sauk County Historical Society in 1905, the association virtually resolved itself into a body of rapidly dwindling old settlers and friends who met wherever the spirit moved and the enfeebled body would allow; and even the social feature of the association was largely impaired by the numerous sectional and family "homecomings," which became so customary. During the eight years which was spared to him after the formation of the Historical Society, with its infusion of new blood and interests, Mr. Canfield, who seemed never to grow old mentally, applied himself with characteristic enthu- siasm and helpfulness to its promotion.
THIE SAUK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
With the organization of the Sauk County Historical Society and its incorporation on November 25, 1905, the formation of a museum was begun. Rooms were secured in the new courthouse and the Board of Supervisors from time to time has made appropriations for the building of eases and the purchase of other equipment.
Special attention has been given to four classes of objects, archae- ological specimens, pioneer relics, war souvenirs and written or printed matter, including books, documents, letters and the like, which are of a historical value.
As to the Indian artifacts, the collection contains rare pipes, caches, discoidals, banner stones and gorgets, besides thousands of axes, arrows, spears, drills and other of the more common objects. The Christian Schmidt Collection contains over six hundred specimens from a remote neighborhood of the county and were saved from being scattered or going to some other instituion by the generosity of the donor. Of three eaches reported from various parts of the county, the society is in pos- session of two of them.
In the Grand Army of the Republic room may be seen the large collection of badges worn by the late Philip Cheek and by his wife, also the collections of Judge and Mrs. William A. Johnson and C. S. Blanchett. Other cases are filled with guns, swords and other relies from the fields of conflict of half a hundred years ago. A few of the
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objects come down from the Revolution and other wars. D. Joseph Johnson, the curator and a veteran, has made a special effort in this de- partment.
The strongest feature of the museum is the display of pioneer relics, particularly hand-made tools. Not only are there flails, rakes and shoes of wood, but also a great array of objects wrought in iron and other metals. The display is said to be the best of its kind in the state. From territorial times there have come to the society flint lock guns, candle- stick lanterns, bear traps, hoe cake griddles, trade axes and other tools.
The Alford Page collection deserves special mention. One case is filled with polished Baraboo and Wisconsin River unios and with speci- mens made from stalactites found in a quarry near Prairie du Sac. The
SOCIETY
HISTORICAL ROOMS AND MUSEUM
beauty of the shells and the novelty of the stone objects are a source of wonder to the visitors.
An effort has been made to obtain copies of the school books used in pioneer times; books written by local people, and records left by early school boards and other officials. The society has become a depository for the records of clubs and similar organizations.
Things pertaining to rafting, staging and pioneer farming, to the political and religious life, to the early industries and amusements that are now gone, are being collected and exhibited.
"Hanging on like a tar bucket." is a familiar expression ; yet tar buckets of the '30s and '40s are rare today. Of the many brought to the county dangling behind the slow-moving, loud-ereaking linch-pin wagons, the society rescued the last in the region roundabout and the wooden affair may be seen to the right and near to the top of the illustra- tion.
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The educational value of these many relics may readily be appre- ciated and they are a source of pleasure and profit to the thousands who view them day after day.
The incorporators were: George J. Seamans, H. E. Cole, A. B. Stout, Verne S. Pease, E. G. Marriott, and J. W. Carow.
The present officers are: H. E. Cole, Baraboo, president; Mrs. J. G. Train, Baraboo; E. D. Ochsner, Prairie du Sac; G. J. Seamans, Reeds- burg, vice presidents; H. K. Page, Baraboo, secretary ; Mrs. E. V. Alex- ander, treasurer.
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FIRST HOUSE IN BARABOO
Erected by Abraham Wood in 1839. Drawn from description by Mrs. E. S. Erswell in 1909
FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE IN BARABOO
The first schoolhouse in Baraboo was of logs and built in 1843. It stood on Seventh Avenue between Birch and West streets. Drawing by Ronald Hargrave
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CHAPTER XV
THE CITY OF BARABOO
ORIGINAL PLAT OF ADAMS-BARABOO PLATTED-BROOKLYN AND BARABOO -EARLY POSTMASTERS-POSTMISTRESS LUCY F. PERKINS THE BARA- BOO WHISKY WAR-THE RIVER ON A RAMPAGE-VILLAGE ADDITIONS- VILLAGE GOVERNMENT-MUNICIPAL OFFICERS AND FINANCES THE FIRST SCHOOL AND TEACHER-UNION VILLAGE SCHOOL SELECT PRI- VATE SCHOOLS-NEW UNION SCHOOL-FREE HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED -PRINCIPAL SCHOOL OFFICIALS-THE PRESENT HIGH SCHOOL-THE WARD SCHOOLS-THE POSTOFFICE TO THE PRESENT-BARABOO FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY-MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS AND UTILITIES-THE PRESS OF BARABOO-THE CHURCHES OF BARABOO-THE FIRST M. E., FIRST BAPTIST, CONGREGATIONAL, FIRST PRESBYTERIAN, GERMAN M. E., TRINITY EPISCOPAL, ST. JOSEPH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC, EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN (ST. JOHN'S), GERMAN EVANGELICAL AND CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCHES-SOCIETIES AND LODGES-THE MASONIC BODIES IN BARABOO-THE ODD FELLOWS OTHER SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES -- THE PATRIOTIC ORGANIZATIONS-SOCIAL, LITERARY AND REFORMATORY-THE CIVIC LEAGUE-THE BAND-CHARITABLE AND RELIEF INSTITUTIONS-FINANCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS INTER- ESTS-BARABOO COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION-THE RINGLING BROTHERS.
The founding of the settlement at the Baraboo Rapids by Eben Peck, Wallace Rowan, Abram Wood, James Van Slyke and others, from 1839 to 1846, eventuated in such an industrial center as to give it the name of the Baraboo Mills. Attention was naturally drawn to the locality as a more desirable site for the county seat than Prairie du Sac in the eastern border of the territory to be accommodated. As noted, in the winter of 1845-46 the Territorial Legislature was petitioned to re-estab- lish the seat of justice by a vote of the people, and the election which resulted moved the county seat to the Baraboo Rapids. The county board then appointed twelve commissioners to designate the exact point on the Rapids. The latter next arranged with the school district for the southeast quarter of section 35, town 12 north, range 6 east, which had been previously claimed by the educational authorities.
On the day of the land sale in 1846 Prescott Brigham, one of the commissioners, purchased the tract named as a private individual, there
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being no funds in the public treasury for that purpose, and subsequently deeded it to the county. Mr. Brigham was elected the first register of deeds after the county seat was relocated. He was enterprising and popular.
ORIGINAL PLAT OF ADAMS
The county commissioners platted the quarter section named into a village, the professional work being done by Charles O. Baxter, county surveyor. He was a great admirer of John Quincy Adams and the plat, which was recorded in April, 1847, bore the name of Adams. In his field notes, the original Village of Adams is thus described: "Com- meneing at the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of Section 35, Town 12, Range 6; thence east forty chains to the quarter post between Sections 35 and 36; thence south thirty-nine ehains sixty-four links to the section corner on the town line; thence west on said line thirty-one chains fifty links to the Baraboo river; thence north forty-one and west four chains; thence north seventy-eight and west six and eight one hundredths chains to an open line through Section 35; thence north thirty-five chains fifty-five links to the place of beginning-the plat eover- ing the southeast quarter of Section 35, Township 12, Range 6, except a small fraction on the south side of the river."
BARABOO PLATTED
About this time George Brown eaused a survey to be made of his property, the greater portion of which lay on the south side of the river. He called his plat Baraboo, which is technically described as follows: "Commencing at the northeast corner of Section 2, Town 11, Range 6; thence south six chains thirty links to the Baraboo river (eight chains fifty-eight links to the south bank of the river) ; thence south twenty-two chains seventy-five links; thence west twenty chains; thence north thir- teen chains; thence east twenty chains to the east line onc chain seventeen links south of the river-the plat covering forty aeres, a strip equal to about thirty lots lying along the south side of the river being reserved for private use" by Mr. Brown for mill and other purposes. The plat extended north of the river to the extent of thirty-four lots, 62 by 132 feet in size.
BROOKLYN AND BARABOO
On the 14th of January, 1849, the board of county commissioners ordered that the village plats of Adams and Baraboo be consolidated under the name of Brooklyn. They continued, however, to be separate bodies until May, 1866, when the two communities were united under the
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village charter of Baraboo, although the name of Adams had been dropped as early as 1852, at the suggestion of the postal authorities, and all mail was sent accordingly.
EARLY POSTMASTERS
In the meantime the "old box" of a courthouse and the sham wooden jail had been built, the former on the north side of Fourth Street, fac- ing the square. The courthouse was built by Edward Sumner and completed in April, 1848. The year before Dr. Seth P. Angle had been appointed first postmaster of Adams, with an office on Water Street. The postmaster also was interested in a drug store on the north side of the courthouse square. Eber Z. Crandall succeeded Doctor Angle in July, 1848; Benjamin L. Purdy assumed the position in June, 1849, and held over the year 1852, when the villages on both sides of the river took the name of Baraboo in the postal guide.
POSTMISTRESS LUCY F. PERKINS
Lucy F. Perkins, the only woman to occupy the office, was appointed in May, 1853, and bravely conducted its affairs, in the midst of dis- tressing private complications, in what afterward became known as the "old Perkins home," just east of the present high school building on Second Street.
The following by her son, ex-Congressman George D. Perkins, goes into some touching details: "Lucy Forsyth Perkins was Baraboo's postmaster under the administration of President Pierce. Following the election in 1852 certain friends of my father interested themselves in my mother's behalf and their success was to her like manna from heaven. There are old citizens of Baraboo who remember her and her painstaking and faithful service. I understand that the home where we lived and where the office was, midway between Under the Hill and the Court House district, is still standing. There it was she kept her own house and postoffice.
"In 1849 our family removed to Baraboo from Milwaukee, which had been our home for two years. Prior to that we had been broken up to make a vain search for my father's better health. He opened a law office in Baraboo and was for a time justice of the peace, but his ail- ment grew upon him and on the 13th of September, 1851, at my uncle's home in Milwaukee, where he was interrupted in a journey, he died. At that time there was my mother and four children, the oldest being Henry, who was fifteen. The railroad from Milwaukee extended as far as Wau- kesha. When my mother got back to Baraboo, after the funeral, she had a little household furniture and just one dollar in money. I had pre- ceded her, coming out with a teamster on a high load of merchandise,
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and the trip occupied ten days. I had earned fifty cents and this was added to my mother's capital. She prepared to take boarders, and she began with one boarder, Dr. Alexander. It was a great campaign she started upon, the campaign to keep her little family together, and to give her girls and boys such opportunities as the little town afforded. She was never deserted by her courage.
"The Baraboo postoffice when I first knew it was nearly opposite where Mrs. Col. Noyes now lives. B. L. Purdy, who recently died at Fairbury, Neb., was postmaster. My brother Henry was in his service at the time of my father's death. He afterwards took an apprenticeship in the home printing office. With John W. Blake he leased the Republic, established by Colonel Noyes, and later he became part owner with A. N. Kellogg. He sold his interest to Mr. Kellogg and he and I came to Iowa. We got out the first number of the Cedar Falls Gazette in March, 1860, and in the course of a few months my mother and two sisters joined us in the new home. In 1869 I came to Sioux City and it was here my mother died, April 26, 1898, as she was approaching the 86th year of her age. To the last of her life she remembered with tender affection the old friends of Baraboo.
"Speaking for myself it is almost, needless to say that there can never be another place to me like Baraboo. I knew every nook and corner of it, and nearly every stone on the precipitous banks of Devil's Lake. It was the home of my active boyhood. I was near my 20th year when I left to engage in the serious undertaking of starting in business for myself. We used to have good times in those old hard times. We had sleighing, as you have now; we had spelling matches, as you may not have now; we had fishing, better than you have now, and we had our swimming holes and the waters from the dams. I knew every dog and animal thereabouts; and it is still a delight to say I knew some of the girls. You would not like the old Baraboo, I cannot help liking it, and the picture of it, as a photograph, will not leave me while I have a memory."
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