USA > Wisconsin > An illustrated history of the state of Wisconsin : being a complete civil, political, and military history of the state, from its first exploration down to 1875 > Part 56
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In the manufacturing industries, there has been a marked improvement within the past decade. Ten years ago the manufactures of the county were Innited to a few agricultural implements, and flour, with a small amount of lumber sawn from the trees of our native for- ests. In 1870 the inanufactories turned ont articles of considerable over a mil- lion dollars in value, exclusive of flour and feed. The past decade has wit- nessed a very great improvementin farın- buildings and farm-limprovements gen- eraily. The old log-houses have nearly all disappeared, and with them have gone the unsightly straw-covered stables and granaries.
A marked improvement is noticeable in fruit-raising. The orchards have not only greatly increased in number and extent, but have improved in thrift and general appearance. The small fruits are also raised In vastly greater quanti- ties. All hardly varieties of berries prove productive and profitable. Grapes are also raised to a considerable extent. In public buildings there has been a de- cided improvement during the past dec- ade, especially in school-buildings.
Hog-raising and pork-making have In- creased in a marked degree, and, for the past ten years, have given the farmers the fairest sum of net profit of any branch of industries. In this branch of industry, there is the most radical and noticeable change. Up to 1860, a very large per cent of pork raised iu the county was slaughtered on the farin; now but a very small per cent, it being mostly sold on foot, and taken to the clties for slaughter.
Geneva Lake, ten miles long and three wide, Delavan Lake, Landerdale Lake, Silver Lake, and others in the county, are beautiful bodies of water, and, to- gether with the numerous creeks and streams, afford an abundance of deii- clous fish. Whitewater Is the largest viliage in the county, and has many large inannfacturing establishments, among which may be mentioned Ester-
WALWORTH COUNTY. - The soil of this county consists of a clay and black loain, most of it of an excellent quality. The prairie-soil of this county is equal iu fertility to any in the North-west. The county contains 144,640 acres of land, all owned by actual settlers, and about | ly's reaper and seeder shops, and Win- three-fourths of it under cultivation. I chester's wagou-shops, both of which do
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a very large business, and add very | yet undeveloped, which will afford ex- much to the prosperity of the village. cellent sites for factories and inills.
At Delavan is located the Deaf and Dumb Asyhun of the State. Elkhorn is the conuty-seat of the county; and both of these are beautiful and thriving villages.
The Milwaukee and St. Panl Railroad runs through the northern part of the county, the Western Union through the central; and the Chicago and Lake Su- perior Air line, and other lines, are in prospect.
The schools throughont the county are in excellent condition, the climate salubrious and healthy, and the people generally intelligent and thrifty.
Whitewater is a flourishing village, situated on the Milwaukee and St. Panl Railroad, in the north-western part of Walworth County, and ahont half-way between Madison and Milwaukee. It is surrounded by a rich agricultural dis- trict, and has an excellent business for its superior facilities for shipping grain and produce. Manufacturing by water- power, one of the most important essen- tials to its prosperity, is carried on ex- tensively ; there being a large paper-mill in successful operation, and several Hlouring mills. Two of the important institutions here are Esterly's Reaper Factory, and the establishment of Win- chester, Partridge, & Company, manu- facturers of humber-wagons, plonghs, road-scrapers, thimble-skeins, &c ; and the superior quality of their workman- ship is such, that a ready sale is pro- moted thronghont the State. The State Normal School is one of the finest speci- mens of architecture in Southern Wis- consin ; is locatedin the suburbs, upou a sightly elevation; and the efficient corps of teachers, and the extraordinary snc- cess attending its management, speak for it a high degree of popularity and usefulness.
Population, 1875, 4,395.
WASHINGTON COUNTY. 1 - Washington County contains twelve townships, aud is twenty-four miles long from north to south, and eighteen miles wide The general topography of the county is roll- ing. The soil is clay, mixed with a sand- loamn. There are 276,480 acres of land in the county : about five-eighths of this amount is under enltivation. All lands of the county are in possession of actual settlers, and worth, on an average, twenty-eight dollars per acre. The fa- cilities for water-powers are average. The Milwaukee River, and the Cedar and Rubicon Creeks, with their trimmta- ries, furnish abundant water for gene- ral purposes.
There are several water-powers at West Bend, Barton, and Cedar Creek,
1 We are Indebted to F. A. Noll and .Joseph Ott of West Bend for this sketch. - C. R. T.
Iron ore has been discovered in Hart- ford, but undeveloped. It is of the same quality as that at Iron Ridge, which will eventually be of great bene- fit to the industrial interests of the county and State. The prevailing tim- ber is oak, maple, basswood, beech, ehn, &c. Brickyards are carried on; but the brick are not of the first quality. In the south-east part of the county, there is a quarry of fine building-stone. Sev- eral streams traverse the county. The Milwaukee and La Crosse Railroad passes through the county. Future railroad facilities are only prospective. The county is strictly agricultural. More than nine-tenths of the inbabit- ants follow agricultural pursuits.
The climate and water are excellent; and, taken all in all, it is a good county to live in.
West Bend, the county-seat, has five churches and five schools; Barton, two churches and two schools; Kewaskum, two churches and several schools; Hart- ford, four or five churches aud several schools; and Schleisingerville, two churches and several schools. The schools throughout the county are well supported. Teachers receive from twenty-five to sixty dollars per month. The great majority of the inhabitants are Germans; but, in the south-west cor- ner of the county, Irish are well repre- sented.
WAUKESHA COUNTY.1- The county is situated directly west of Milwaukee; and its average distance is less than twenty - five miles from the city, its nearest being eight miles. The surface of the county is rolling. The soil is various, but mostly loam and clay. County contaius 368,640 acres of land, more than one-half being under culti- vation. Of the balance, three-fourths are capable of improvement.
Neither Government nor State now holds any land in the county. There are several good water-powers in the county, mostly improved. No mineral deposits have been discovered; but quarries of stone abound of the finest quality. Lime enters largely as commerce of several towns, especially Waukesha, Pawaukee, and Menomonee.
The county is well watered with springs, creeks, and rivers; none navi- gable. A mineral spring has recently been discovered at Wankesha, named Bethesda. It is said to have cured sev- eral chronic cases, and is becoming somewhat celebrated for its curative properties. Milwaukee and St. Panl, and Milwaukee and Mississippi, Rail- roads run through the county. The
" We are indebted to John E. Seabold of Waukesha for this sketch. - C. R. T.
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
educational interests of the county are . generally sustained; and its common schools are weil conducted.
The prevailing timber is white and red oak, maple, basswood, ash, elm, and somne cherry and black-walnut.
There is some brick-clay discovered in the county, but not yet much used. Potter's clay, in considerable quantities, is found in the towns of Merton, Menom- onee, and Lisbon, and in the latter place used by potters.
The principal source of industry of the county is farming; but, of late, stock- raising has also been extensively entered into. Sheep are found in great abun- dance; and wool commands a good price in Waukesha village, which is quite a prominent wool-market, and has a large woollen-factory in constant operation. This factory employs a large number of hands of both sexes; and its manufac- tures, especially its shawls, have be- come quite celebrated. Large additions have lately been made to buildings and machinery, and facilities for business increased.
WAUPACCA COUNTY. - In the north- west part of this county are many bluffs and hills. The soil there is, in many places, rather stony, hard of cultivation, and not as fertile as in the valleys.
In the rest of the county, the surface is generally level, or gently undulating, capable of being easily cultivated, and producing all kinds of crops and fruits adapted to a northern latitude.
The eastern and north-eastern part is heavily timbered, consisting of oak, maple, birch, ash, cherry, hickory, but- ternut, elin, basswood, iron wood, poplar, tamarack, pine, and, in a few places, hemlock. In the northern part is much valuable pine, which finds a way down the Wolf River to a steady market. During the season when the logs are "driven," the river is often completely blocked with logs, forming "jams," in many instances, for miles; thus com- pletely stopping the passing of steam- boats for days, and sometimes for weeks.
The principal crops raised are wheat. Winter and spring wheat are both raised, and do well; as do corn, barley, oats, rye, buckwheat, peas and beans, pota- toes, &c.
The raising of stock pays well; and much that is excellent is being intro- duced. Many parts of the county ap- pear to be peculiarly adapted to the raising of sheep; and some good blood is being imported. In 1870 the wool- crop of our county was 33,301 pounds. The long wool, or "mutton varieties," appear to be the most popular. Sheep are remarkably healthy here, and gener- ally fat.
east part of the county are the Little Wolf, Embarras, and Pigeon Rivers, and in the south and west are the Wanpacca, Pearl, and Little Rivers, - all excellent, and capable of much im- provement.
The Waupacca Woollen-Mills are lo- cated on the Waupacca River, at Wau- pacca, the county - seat, and turn ont much excellent cloth.
Several brickyards have been started at Waupacca, Weyauwego, Fremont, and perhaps one or two other places, where excellent brick are being manu- factured.
A pottery has been running for some time at Weyauwego, where excellent light - colored crockery-ware is being made.
A bed of the same kind of clay has been found at Fremont, and only awaits "skill and enterprise to bring it out."
The Wolf traverses the eastern part of the county, and is navigable for steam- boats during all stages of the water. A large and profitable amount of boat- ing has been done for many years.
Small lakes abound in different parts of the county, whose clear, pure waters are well stocked with fish. The pike, pickerel, black-and-white or silver bass, perch, catfish, sturgeon, &c., abound in our lakes and streams, and are caught by our wily anglers in great profusion.
The railroad-facilities are good. The Central Wisconsin enters the county near the south-east corner, and passes through in a north-westerly direction towards Lake Superior. The Green Bay and Lake Pepin Road passes through the north part of the county, crossing the Wolf River at New London. Other roads are in contemplation.
Some towns in the county are settled mainly by emigrants from the Middle and Eastern States. A few have a large proportion from Germany, Denmark, Norway, and other parts of Europe. Sober, intelligent, industrious, and en- terprising as the majority of them are, it is no wonder that our county is so fast improving in wealth and real prosperi- ty, and already ranks among the lead- ing counties of Northern Wisconsin.
Free schools are found in every neigh- borhood, where the children of the poor enjoy all the advantages of a liberal edu- cation with the sons and daughters of the wealthy. The school-code is one of the best in the world.
WAUSHARA COUNTY. - Wanshara County comprises eighteen townships, and is in the shape of a parallelograni, being eighteen miles wide and thirty-six miles long. General topography of the county is level; some bluffs in the north- ern and central towns; swampy at mouth of Pine River and Willow Creek. The three eastern towns are heavily tim-
Our county has no lack of excellent water-powers. In the north and north- | bered, with the exception of some quite
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
large tracts of marsh. These marshes are valnable for the cultivation of cran- berries. The soil in the timber portions of the county is of a clay-loam; on the prairie, black loam; and, in the openings, sandy. County contains 207,360 acres of land; one-tenth being under cultivation.
The county is well watered by Pine River and Willow Creek, both good inill- streams, on which are several saw and grist mills. In addition to these streams, almost every farmer has what he calls a fountain, or flowing well, the water never freezing in the coldest weather in winter, and always sufficient to supply any amount of stock. The forests of the county contain all varieties of tim- ber, such as are found in North America. They have large beds of clay, that make cream-colored brick, and, with the facil- ities for manufacturing, would be equal to any manufactured in the State; also potter's-clay of excellent quality, which makes superior stone-ware.
Of the principal rivers and streams, Fox River on the south, Wolf River and Lake Poygan on the east, are navigable. Pine River, Willow Creek, and Mecan River are larger streams, and stocked with fish. Small gaine is abundant. Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, at Berlin, is half a mile from the south line of the county, and will be extended through it. The Wisconsin Central passes four miles north; and a road front Princeton to Stevens Point will he built from Berlin to Weyuawego, through the three eastern towns, con- necting the Milwaukee and St. Paul with the Wisconsin Central Railway.
The principal industry of the town is agricultural; wheat, rye, corn, oats, and potatoes being raised to perfection. A large amount of hay is also raised. There are seven custom flouring-mills, ten or more saw-mills, and three carding-ma- chines in the county. All these would be well sustained.
WINNEBAGO COUNTY. - Concerning this county, J. H. Harris of Oshkosh writes as follows, "The topography of the county is rolling, not hilly, with no swamp-land to speak of. There is some marsh-land on the borders of Lake Butte des Morts and the Fox River, probably not exceeding five hundred acres in the whole county; and that is considered worth about one-third as much as up- land, for the excellent quality of hay it produces.
"There are in this county 268,522 acres of land, of which three-fourths are un- der cultivation; the exception being in wood - lots, pasture - grounds, and the marsh above spoken of. The whole of this land is capable of cultivation when wanted, except the marsh. The land of the county is mostly all owned by actual settlers. The value of improved land is from thirty-five to fifty dollars per acre.
"The Lower Fox River at Neenah and Menasha, at the outlet of Lake Winne- bago, affords the best of water-power, and is capable of being improved to a large extent.
" There are no minerals in the county, except a small tract of pure silicon or white glass sand, which is capable of extensive operations in the manufacture of glass, but not yet improved.
"The timber of the county is mostly red, white, and black oak, with small tracts of land in all parts of the county, on which basswood, hickory, ash, and elm prevail.
"The railroad-facilities of the county are the Chicago and North-western, the Milwaukee and St. Paul, the Oshkosh and Mississippi; and through a small part of the county, on the north, is the Wisconsin Central, with a northern ex- tension connecting at this place, in pros- pect.
"The sources of industry are agricul- ture, manufacturing, and lumbering. The principal crops raised are wheat, corn, oats, and potatoes."
Oshkosh is the principal city; and, be- fore the destructive fire which swept over the city in the summer of 1874, it was one of the handsomest and most prosperous cities in Wisconsin. Al- though the fire destroyed much of its beauty and wealth, it is still one of the leading cities of the State. Menasha. Neenah, Omro, and Winneconna are thriving towns.
Oshkosh, the county-seat of Winnebago County, is situated at the mouth of the Upper Fox River, and on the western shore of Lake Winnebago, a magnificent sheet of water, thirty-five miles in length, and ten to twelve miles in width. The river, from the mouth up to Lake Butte des Morts, has an average width of about one-eighth of a mile, and is from twenty to thirty feet in depth, forming a harbor of spacious dimensions. The current of the river is very slow, and subject to no freshets; consequently the harbor for logs, timber, steamers, barges, &c., is ample, and safe beyond all contingen- cies. The situation of the city is oue of much natural beauty; being on a slight- ly elevated plateau, which gradually rises from the shores of the river and lake. Its main business-street is one of the handsomest in the State, is paved with the Nicholson pavement, and is largely composed of fine brick struc- tures. Many of its other streets are very attractive with elegant private residences, several of thein of palatial dimensions, and of much beauty of finislı and design.
In many localities, the native forest- trees have been preserved. These beau- tiful oaks add inuch to the handsome appearance of Algoma Street, which is well built up for a distance of two miles.
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HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
The high - school building just erected, at a cost of sixty thousand dollars, is a magnificent brick-structure, of elegant architectural proportions. The court- honse is also a splendid massive brick building, and is a credit to the city and connty. Among the many church-edi- fices are several fine structures.
The lake-shore locality of this city is one of the most delightful and desirable sites for private residences. From the mouth of the river, north, the shore is a beautiful one, sloping gradually to the water, and terminating in a gravelly beach. The broad waters of Lake Win- nebago stretching away in the dim dis- tance; the handsome points and bays, and the high lands of Calumet County on the opposite shore, forming a scene of natural beauty that is seldom eqnalled.
It is one of the most important towns in the north-eastern part of the State, and has had an unparalleled growth. The city, however, has suffered severe- ly by fire; and the business-portion of the city has frequently been in ruins; and the one of April 28, 1875. was very disastrous. The enterprise of the people is shown in the rapidity with which it has been rebniit, and a better class of buildings erected. The city had, a few years since, seventeen saw - milis, six shingle-mills, three planing-miils, four breweries, three printing-offices, eleven churches, and a large number of stores and mechanical shops. Not having any statistics of the city since the fire, we cannot give an account of them. Few citles have better advantages for growth and prosperity than Oshkosh; and with the resources of the water-power of the Fox River, and its railroad-facilities with Milwaukee and Chicago on the sonth, and Green Bay on the north, it cannot but be one of the most important of the cities of Wisconsin The lumbering- business of the city is a prominent one.
Population, 1875, 17,015.
Menasha is pleasantly situated on the north branch of the Fox River, and the village of Neenah on the south branch; the limits of the two villages joining on the sectional line running through the centre of Doty's Island. The two vil- lages really constitute a community of one comnon interest in general matters. The water-power at these points is great, and is put to use in the large number of manufactories that are located on the streams. A few years since, there were fifteen flouring-mills, with forty-five run of stone. The manufacture of spokes, woollen-goods, chairs, and paper, is largely carried on. Both of these places have fine blocks of cream-colored brick, excellent hotels, schools, some fifteen churches, and all varieties of trades and occupations.
The population of Menasha and Nee- nalı, in 1875, was 7,193.
WOOD COUNTY. - Wood County is sit- nated nearly in the geographical centre of the State. About two-thirds of the area of the county is rolling; the re- maining one-third is flat and swampy.
The soil of the central and northern portion is a rich loam, containing a mix- ture of clay, sand, and vegetable-would. The soil of the southern and eastern sections is lighter, containing more sand. In the south-western portion are exten- sive marshes and meadows, peculiarly adapted to the culture of cranberries and stock-raising. The county contains five hundred and thirty thousand acres of land, of which only about thirty thousand acres are under cultivation. Two-thirds of the balance are capable of being improved.
About two-thirds of the surface of the county is a vast, heavily-timbered for- est of white-pine, white and red oak, white and black ash, maple, hemlock, and butternut.
Good clay for the manufacture of brick is found in all localities of the county.
The water-powers on the Wisconsin River, in the eastern portion of the coun- ty, of Grand Rapids, Centralia, Port Edwards, and Point Bausse, are deemed equal to any in the country, not except- ing the Falls of St. Anthony, or the rapids of the Lower Fox. They consist of a series of rapids about twelve miles in extent, falling, in the aggregate, nearly a hundred feet, and furnishing a con- tinuous chain of water-powers on both sides of the river, of almost uulimited capacity.
The river can be improved at a trifling expense: in fact, it is already fitted by the hand of Nature for extensive use; it being divided by islands into several channels, as it were natural canals, npon which mills can be erected and operated at very little cost for dams or other im- provements.
At present, there are situated upon these water-powers five saw-mills, hav- ing a capacity for entting fifty million feet of Inmber per annum, a flonring- inili, a foundery and machine shop, a planing-mill, and several shingie-milis; and these without the digging of canals, cutting of channels, or other expensive improvements.
There are also many smaller water- powers in the county, sitnated upon Mill Creek, Hemlock Creek, and Yellow River.
Lands in this county are very cheap. Many of them were bonght up years ago for small patches of pine that were on them, and have since been sold for taxes to the county. The county is now pre- pared to give a good title to many of them, and will sell them on very favora- Į bie terms to actual settlers.
CHAPTER XLVII.
WISCONSIN'S WOMEN.
Short Biographical Sketches of the Pioneer and Prominent Women of Wisconsin.
WE give, following, a short chapter on the leading women of Wisconsin of the past and the present. The means within our reach for procuring the proper data for these sketches was not calculated to insure complete success in every instance: indeed, in many cases we were wholly unable to procure the desired information. Many causes united against the progress of this chapter. In the first place, a number of the subjects most desired had passed away, leaving no records behind them, save those lodged in the memories of scattered friends. These were often incomplete, and always difficult to reach. Nor were we in any better condition with regard to those now living. Most of the latter were shocked with the idea of having any portion of their lives preserved in history. Owing to these and other difficulties, we are unable to present any thing like a complete biographical dictionary of the prominent women of the State. How- ever, the result of our labors in this direction will, we think, be full of interest to every reader. We are indebted to the good taste and great perseverance of Miss L. De F. Park of Madison, for most of these sketches. She has collected all of the materials for this chapter, and finished for the press many of the sketches. The trace of her graceful pen is visible in the sketches of Mrs. Harvey, Mrs. Doty, and many others.
. born at Blandford, Mass., June 11, 1802. In the bloom of young woman- hood, while visiting friends near what is now the city of Cleveland, O., she became acquainted with Col. J. C. Fairchild; and they were married on the 4th of April, 1826. The first twenty years of their married life were spent in or near Cleveland : but on the eighth day of June, 1846, they estab- lished for themselves a new home in Madison, with whose history their own was thenceforth honorably identified. When they took up their residence in
MRS. SALLY FAIRCHILD. - She was | dren, -the only daughter, Mrs. Sarah F. Dean, and the three sons, all of whom have since won distinction in the service of the country. Of that family, after the death of the father (in July, 1862), Mrs. Fairchild was the revered head, whose presence seemed at once its bond of union and its crown of honor; for she was in a pre-eminent degree one of those whom we delight to honor, and of whom it may be said, " Her children rise up, and call her blessed." And how many are the men and women whom her large-hearted and unwearied hospitality have made Madison, they left behind them in ; to look upon her home almost as their Ohio the grave of their first-born, who own, who will, at the mention of her name, do her memory an almost filial had died in infancy, but were accom- panied hither by all the remaining chil- homage !
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