USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > Early Milwaukee : papers from the archives of the Old Settlers' Club of Milwaukee County > Part 5
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The premises at 416 Broadway went from Mr. Brown to J. P. Whaling, Feb. 5, 1851 for $1,000 and from him to D. H. Chandler, May 2, 1852 and from the latter to Allen Wheeler for $3,000 Jan. 1, 1853. He deeded it to Fred Clark for the same amount Jan. 1, 1853, and the same day Fred Clark deeded it to his wife Roxana Ann Wheeler. She died, and Allen Wheeler was appointed guard- ian of her children Dec. 26, 1856. It was next sold by order of the court to Henry Cadwell for $9,000 and the next time it was sold it was by Herman L. Page, then sheriff of Milwaukee county on forclosure of a mortgage to Eliphalet Cramer for the sum of $5,900, August 14, 1858. Mr. Cramer was given a deed of it by A. J. Langworthy, sheriff, Nov. 5, 1859. November 10, 1859, Eliphalet Cramer deeded it to Oliver Al Blake, no consideration being named, and on May 3, 1865, Lewis A. Blake and wife deeded it to the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, for the sum of $9,000. February 11, 1868, the Insurance company deeded it to Mrs. Marilla Hewitt for $13,000 and she to Judson A. Roundy, August 13, 1876, no consideration named.
Philetus Yale, our venerable fellow citizen, who still survives at the age of 87 years, was the purchaser from Mr. Brown, of the premises at 418 Broadway, and erected his house there in 1851. He writes to me in regard to the matter as follows :
"I think the attic of my house was finished when built. There were five houses alike-two stories with basement. Everything was cheap then; the bricks were but $3.50 per thousand and bought of our old friend James H. Rogers ; masons $1.75 per day, laborers fifty cents, good carpenters $1.25 and common ones at $1.00. James S. Brown owned four lots in block 12 and sold the two corner lots located on the corner of Main and Wisconsin street, to Wm. B. Young for $3,000. The two lots on which we built
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our five houses were valued by Mr. Brown at $2,500. Myself and Ashael Finch and Geo. W. Mygatt bought three lots of 24 feet each at $1,000 and Mr. Brown kept two. The five houses covered the sixty foot lots and were built in the year 1851. I lived in the house that I built nine years when I converted it into a store which still stands on the premises at 418 Broadway.
George W. Mygatt, well known to all old settlers as one of the first architects of this city, bought the lot at 420 Broadway, and lived in the tenement that he erected many years ago. He used the lower story of his house for an office, where he conducted business for many years. Henry C. Koch, one of most distin- guished men in his profession, could at an early day be seen there learning the rudiments of his art, which has brought him fame and fortune. Mr. Mygatt sold to Mat Keenan, Oct. 6, 1873, for $10,000. The north 24 feet of lot 10, was sold by Mr. Brown to the late Ashael Finch, who built that tentment of this once famous row. Whether he ever resided there I am unable to say, but I think that he did and for several years. On August 6, 1858, he sold it to Win. J. Whaling, who lived there for a time, and one of whose daughters died there. Mr. Whaling sold to Alfred Chapin, and Mr. Chapin at once deeded it to his wife, August 9, 1858, and they in turn to Mrs. Mary Shanks, Nov. 2, 1865, for the sum of $8,000. Mrs. Shanks kept it until Feb. 23, 1867, when she deeded it to Romanzo B. Rice for $12,000. The following December he sold it to Geo. W. Peckham, for $13,000. Geo. W. Peckham conveyed it to Rufus P. Peckham, Jan. 19, 1871; W. H. Peckham, et al May 1, 1876, to Amelia R. Maschauer for $10,500, and she to Chas. H. Haskins, and he to the Wisconsin Telephone company, Oct.18, 1882 for $11,500. The house had been converted into a store about 1862 or 1865 and in this store the celebrated firm of Wadsworth Adams & Co., commenced in the wholesale and retail grocery and liquor business, that at a later day ended so disastrously to the members of that firm. Allen Wheeler before named was an in- surance agent and conducted business at the corner of Huron and East Water streets.
Lucas Seaver was the proprietor of the Commercial Advertiser, which expired about the year 1851. He was afterwards city
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treasurer. He was an excellent singer, and he and Mrs. H. D. Torry sang at the concert given in Gardiner's hall December 30, 1850, for the benefit of the Fireman's Protective association in which the sum of $1,000 was raised for the relief of volunteer fire- men who were disabled. The concert was under the direction of Hans Balatka, and H. N. Hempsted. At that time Miss Helen Matthews also sang an original song composed for the occasion by Mrs. Mary H. C. Booth, who was the wife of Sherman M. Booth, the then editor, and proprietor of the Free Democrat. The air was that of the old time song "Roll on Silver Moon." Mrs. H. D. Torry also sang an orignal fireman's song written by her husband H. D. Torry, who was at that time an artist with his studio in the "Emporium" on Mason street, near East Water street. Mr. and Mrs. Torry left the city very soon after this time. Mrs. Torry, and Lucas Seaver, were general favorites in Milwaukee in that day, and usually sang together at most of the entertainments given to amuse the citizens of this then ambitious city.
This story would scarcely be complete without a further mention of the second, and third, "Young's Block." Mr. Young, with characteristic energy, at once commenced the erection of anorther building after the destruction of the first. This was com- pleted in the year 1852. In it was a hall for public use, which was known as "Young's Hall," and which soon became the most popular place of amusement in the city. This new structure soon fell a victim to the unsparing element of fire, and was again totally destroyed on the 21st of June, 1859. Again Mr. Young bent his energies to the construction and erection of another building, which he commenced in the year 1859, and completed in the year 1860, and which still remains a monument to his industry and genius. The frequent losses which he had sustained caused him to become embarrassed financially, and the ownership of this property soon fell into other hands. Mr. Young, removed to St. Louis, where he died, his fortune, like those of many other and no less energetic, and ambitious pioneers, having melted away.
The Miller Block as it is now known, has already passed from the possession of the first generation of owners of that name, into that of the second, and has become one of the most valuable prop-
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erties in the city, which it is predicted will be greatly enhanced during the coming years.
Philip A. Hall bought the south 24 feet of block 9, Oct. 10, 1851, and the building thereon for the sum of $2,800. He bought it of Mr. Brown. He did not remain in Milwaukee very long but he continued to own the house until 1853, when on the 18th day of March of that year he gave a power of attorney to sell the property.
The Bellview hotel, afterwards called the Milwaukee House, was commenced in the year 1835, and was not fully completed until 1837. The first proprietors were Daniel Wells, and Dr. T. J. Noyes, of whom it is said that they kept it "Like hell" for a short time, and then sold out to Henry Williams and B. H. Edgerton, and they to George E. Meyers, and he to Capt. L. H. Cotton and Luther Childs. They in turn sold out to George Myers and Charles Hurley, and they transferred it to George E. Graves, Nov. 22nd, 1839. Graves transferred it to Daniel Wells, Jr., and he to Hurley and Ream and they to Jones Whitney and Caleb Wall, in the year 1842.
Wall & Whitney transferred the hotel lease to Peleg G. Jones of Waukesha in October 1845. P. G. Jones was the last proprietor of the old Milwaukee House and continued to manage it until it was finally closed up which was quite a time before its removal from the original site on Wisconsin Street.
Anecdotes of Pioneers
Read by Peter Van Vechten, Jr., in 1894.
There were no old men in Milwaukee in 1845-that is, men over 50 years old. John Dunbar, the father-in-law of Jason Downer, was the oldest man I recollect. A gray-headed man was a rarity. But all those young men then are gray-headed now.
There were many queer signs on stores, and advertisements in the papers to attract attention. H. N. Connant was in the cloth- ing, gents' furnishing goods and hat business on East Water street. He had for his sign three hats instead of three balls and announced that there was "great excitement" at his place. Uncle Ben Throop had his store a few doors north, on the ground now occupied by A. C. Feldt. He had a stuffed deer skin, with head and horns, set up and it looked like a live deer. His advertisement read : "No ex- citement ; all perfectly cool. No flattery at Uncle Ben's."
Edward Emery, the confectioner on Wisconsin street, sold his candy two sticks for a cent apiece, and every week he entertained us with a fresh supply of machine poetry.
B. F. Fay, No. 139 East Water street, sold dry goods, groceries, etc .; notified the people that he had 100 barrels of whiskey, the latest brands, a staple article for the West; S. L. Rood had 10,000 goose quills, from which pens could be made that would kill more men politically than the same number of swords. John Ogden would give you a fresh cut of beef steak at the Red Market on East Water street, north of Wisconsin street. R. W. Pierce made friction matches in the West ward. They were also called Loco Foco matches, and it also was the name given to the Democratic party. At one of the meetings in Tammany hall, New York, the lights were put out suddenly, and a man whose name was Job Haskell had a box of Loco Foco matches in his pocket. He immediately struck a light with his friction matches. That act gave the name of Loco Foco party to one branch of Tammany. Job Haskell lived in Milwaukee in 1845 and went to Port Washington in 1848 and died there. The fire department was frequently called upon to stop the friction and put out the fire in Pierce's match factory.
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Fred Wardner announced that he had experienced a "heavy earthquake," caused by the fall in prices of his goods. Royal Houghton's advertisement was "West ward, ho, forever," for his dry goods and groceries. R. D. Jennings' "West Ward Store" had made new arrangements by which he could undersell everybody. Henry Sayers said : "The cry is still: 'They come to the People's Store.'" Joe and Lindsey Ward were perfectly willing to ex- change their goods for wheat. "War, war, war, with Mexico !" had not affected the prices at A. G. Dayan's store in Heide's block, so that he could supply all that came to him for relief. The great fire in New York had not destroyed the stock of E. C. Kellogg ; his gro- ceries were safe in his store on East Water street; below Huron, Ludington & Co. held the corner store, and their customer, John T. Perkins, had his planing mill on the canal ; John Lapointe and Alex- ander Bangley their sash, blind and door factory; Locke & Rich- mond, pail and tub factory. Nearly all the merchants sold sash, doors, pails and tubs. They paid for them in goods by orders drawn on them by the manufacturers, given to their workmen. All stores had running accounts with each other, and the manufacturers and the carpenter and mason contractors drew orders on the stores to pay their men. At the end of the year the accounts were settled, and the balance paid by a due bill. George W. Mygatt was an archi- tect and contractor. At the end of the year he always managed to be in debt when the accounts were settled, due bills given for the bal- ance and receipts passed. He would give a sigh of relief as he said : "Thank God, that bill is paid."
Among the new firms that came that Fall was Sexton & Crane. They opened the first exclusive wholesale dry goods store in Mil- waukee, November 17th, 1845, in the United States Hotel block, first door north of the hotel entrance, No. 132 East Water street (now 332). Their store was 20 by 50. They occupied only the first floor and basement or cellar. Lorin Sexton of the firm did not come to Milwaukee, but sent out Mr. Crane and Milton E. Lyman to open up and commence business. Six or eight months of western life was enough for Mr. Crane. I never saw so homesick a man as he was, all winter. He went east in the Spring. of 1846, sold out his interest to John Wing, Jr., and never came here again. Wing came out with his family, and the firm changed to Sexton & Wing. They
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stayed there until 1848, when they moved to No. 139 East Water street, in the store vacated by B. F. Fay when he went to Prairie du Chien or Bridgeport, Wis.
M. E. Lyman took a prominent part in Odd Fellowship and in all public matters of interest to Milwaukee. Thirty years ago he moved to Bailey's Harbor, Wis., where he was still living in 1893. Christian Preusser had his jewelry store on East Water street, south of the postoffice, in a frame building, on the ground where George Burrough's trunk store now stands, and he is the only one in busi- ness in 1845 that has not changed his line of business and is in the same business today.
The farmers about Milwaukee had more oxen than horses. It was something new to an eastern man to see an emigrant with his family and farming implements in a wagon, drawn by oxen, coming to the west to make himself a home. Another novelty was the prairie schooners, loaded with pig lead from Mineral Point, Shullsburg, and vicinity, drawn by four or six yoke of oxen. The bull whackers with their long handled whip stock made the air ring cracking their whips like pistol shots. They became very expert and delighted to show their skill in picking a fly off the left ox's ear without hitting the ox. The lead at that time was all shipped from here to Buffalo, and the ox teams hauled loads of goods back for country merchants.
There were nineteen lawyers practicing law in 1845. Of that lot, only two are living-A. R. R. Butler and Wilson W. Graham. Ashael Finch and William Pitt Lynde were the leading law firm. Jonathan E. Arnold was the leading criminal lawyer ; A. D. Smith, Isaac P. Walker and Don A. J. Upman were prominent. James Holliday came about this time. Soon after his arrival he was en- gaged in a case in which Ashael Finch was opposing counsel. Mr. Finch had a bad habit of calling the opposing counsel a liar. Some- one told Holliday that it would probably occur with him. True to the prediction, when they were engaged in an animated discussion, Finch called Holliday a liar. Holliday coolly and deliberately walked up to Finch and knocked him out in the first round. Judge Frasier called time, brought both before the bar, and fined them fifty dollars. Holliday immediately paid his fire and resumed his
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argument as if nothing had happened. Mr. Finch never repeated it, either in or out of court.
The last notable event of 1845 was on the 30th of December, the robbery of R. K. Swift, banker and broker, who had his office over where Houghton Brothers' bank is now located. During a tem- porary absence, $580 was taken. The man who took it was con- science stricken and about one week after went to Bishop Henni and gave up the money, which was returned to Swift. It was pretty well known who the man was, but Swift received his money and the man ease of mind when he found he was not to be prosecuted. It was surmised that the hounds of the law were on a warm scent and that rather facilitated the movement of the fellow's conscience.
In 1846 it was certain that the Dutch had taken Holland, and the Germans, Germany, and there was danger of their encroachment upon the American liberties in Milwaukee. There were two military companies in Milwaukee-the Washington Guards, Capt. David George, and the Milwaukee Rifles, Capt. Henry Miller, George Bros- ius, first lieutenant. The rank and file were all Germans. The people were not as well acquainted with the foreign element then as they are now, and in the minds of some those foreigners had not been here long enough to forget the fatherland and become Ameri- canized, and in case of any trouble, could they be depended upon ? It was a matter of considerable discussion, and it was thought ad- visable to have a Yankee company. All Americans here were called Yankees in those days.
A call to organize a military company was circulated and fifty or more names were obtained. We met in the old Military hall on Oncida street. Gen. Rufus King was elected captain ; Hon. James B. Kneeland, first lieutenant; J. N. Bonsteel, second lieutenant ; H. C. Abay, orderly ; Wm. P. Lynde, quartermaster, and Hiram Auch- moody was drill sergeant. Auchmoody had been a marine soldier, but he had been on land long enough to get off his sea legs. Our uniform was made by Giesburg & Brocus. We met for drill in the Military hall. The Mexican war broke out in 1847. Most of the members of a warlike spirit went to Mexico and the company soon dwindled down to its officers and one private, and disbanded.
The Winters were long. Shut up from November until May,
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except the old stage wagon and tri-weekly mail from Chicago, we had to spend the time in dancing parties and mischief. To get a sell on someone and particularly on some eastern man who happened to be here, or some new comer, was a pleasure not to be omitted.
Winchell, the delineator of character, was here, giving an enter- tainment. He was as sharp as most people that are on the road. It was a difficult matter to catch him. Uncle Ben Throop had an Indian whistle which had been the means by which considerable amusement had been furnished for a dull Winter. It was made of part of a reed fish pole and painted with Indian hieroglyphics in gorgeous style. Double-headed Brown borrowed it, took it down to the United States hotel where Winchell stopped, put it in the office in a conspicuous place over Clerk Churchill's desk. When Winchell came in, it caught his eye, and he said to Churchill: "What's that?" Churchill said: "An Indian whistle." Winchell said: "Let's see it. I used to be quite an expert on those things when I was a boy." He filled himself with wind enough to blow the cylinder head out of a steam engine and blew a cloud of powdered charcoal in his face, eyes and mouth. The music that was made by the people watching him was not such as Winchell expected to come out of the whistle, that he paid too dear for. It cost him several bottles of cider and he said he would buy a basket for them if they would only keep it still. Winchell immediately wanted to negotiate for it, but Churchill could not sell it without Uncle Ben's consent. It was finally given to him, and I made another for Uncle Ben.
Water Front and Shipping in the '50s
Read Before the Club July 6th, 1888, by M. A. Boardman.
Water, whether it be a lake or sea, a river or a brook, and the craft that float thereon, has a fascination for a full-jeweled boy.
The ideal Jack with his curling locks, expansive shirt collar and flowing pants is as attractive to the wonder-eyed lad as the beau ideal of ye gentle savage as pictured by Cooper.
Many an hour and many a day have I spent midst our shipping, and the aroma from pitch and tar is as sweet smelling today as in the days of youth.
Like most boys I had an undefined itching to become a "jolly sailor man," and I was always a good sailor-from the shore, even as the boastful baseballist who plays best from the grandstand.
Of course the mariner of today is not the same man he was thirty years ago, so far as our inland seas are concerned. Steam is so far succeeding sail that expert seamen are not required and even the schooner has now so much wire rigging that the man before the mast barely needs to know how to make a splice or run a bow-line, and for this reason it looks as though the projectors of a naval school who have agitated the subject lately are "off their reckoning." What is there to be taught a boy in school about ships? Do our ship- masters sit up nights looking for a clear sky to manipulate their sex- tant and quadrant to learn their latitude or longitude? Shall the boy of Wisconsin be taught the uses of a marlinspike, or how to figure a logarithm? Hardly; and it looks somewhat like a jest to advocate such a scheme.
My first knowledge of Milwaukee and Milwaukee's nautical affairs was attained in August, 1847, arriving at the old "North Pier" with my elders on the side-wheeler Nile. To follow the subse- quent history of this steamer would be to bring up memories of the past and our surroundings of that-to me-early date. Screw boats were not on the lakes at that time, and we landed at a pier in the
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lake because the river in its natural state was too small, shallow and winding for good sized boats to ascend.
The little hookers, at this time, warped up the stream, running their line ahead from spile to spile, creeping up the tortuous stream from the mouth to their destination. This mouth was near Bay View on the site now occupied by the Menomonee Iron Company's docks and the stream led up via the present yard of Wolf & David- son. The steamer Nile went ashore at the foot of Michigan street in 1848, was raised and floated to just about this spot, viz., the foot of Washington street, where the famous yellow warehouse stood. It was intended to repair the steamer, but some malcontented workmen fired her-1850-when she burned at her dock and sank, demoraliz- ing the old yellow house at the same time. She was raised again and was to be metamorphosed into a schooner, but the hull was found warped, and so she was towed up the river to the island just north of Cherry Street bridge, where she was supposed to have reached her final resting place ; but not so, for the rains fell and the floods came and a Spring freshet was too much for her and she drifted down into the draw of the Red bridge and proved herself a nuisance, and ac- cordingly she was hauled into the lake and swallowed up. (I have some well-preserved oak from her.)
Skating rinks were unknown and we needed none for we were supplied with good ice on the river to all points-from the mouth to the second dam at Humbolt. Now the presence of vessels, the warm contributions from the sewers and the swell from the lake have taken this field almost entirely from us. These same causes with the inter- ference of numerous bridges have robbed us also of our Winter race course. The stretch from Spring Street bridge to Walker's Point was the chief resort for many years, and all classes gathered here for trials of speed.
Spring freshets are among the bygones. Having fewer bridges, more ice and a greater supply of rapidly accumulated water, we then experienced rapid currents, ice gorges, broken bridges and damaged cellars and some battered shipping, but those incidents have passed. The island referred to where the Nile lay is now Cape street from Cherry to Pleasant. The Red bridge is historical. The color of its coat gave it its name. The draw was unlike any other, it being lifted
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to a perpendicular instead of a floating swing. This was the place where the "bridge war" culminated, and cannon were brought out to shoot or intimidate the enemy who proposed to make the east and west sides of our town a dual city.
The bridges in existence in the early 50's were the Red at Chest- nut, and carried across the stream on spiles. A float at Spring street, also one at East Water and Ferry called Walker's Point bridge, and also two stationary ones, at foot of West Water and one at the south end of Kinnickinie avenue, across the creek of same name.
All of the territory south and west of this Menomonee bridge is "made" ground. From Reed street over the old Union depot west- ward, in 1851 and 1852, not a building existed. In the Menomonee valley where we have so many miles of slips and docks the classic Menomonee silently meandered in an indefinite bed, surrounded by flags and cattails. Norman Richmond's brick paper mill stood near the foot of Second street and in wet weather, water stood over much of the territory from here to the American house, on the site of the present Plankinton house, and the few buildings were approachable at times of flood only by elevated walks. Having told the story so many times I have taught myself to believe that my assertions are true that I have skated from Spring street to the Menomonee.
A short bridge spanned the bayou at Oneida and River streets, and where River street strikes north, was water enough to float the biggest of schooners. This bayon ran north nearly to Juneau ave- nue and was crossed by a bridge also at the foot of Martin street, for there was a good stretch of solid land between the bayou (River street) and the river proper. Quite an extensive lumber yard occu- pied this territory west of the bridge. It was run by a man named Englehardt, if I remember correctly. Scores of times I have crossed here to deliver the Evening 'Sconsin and the Commercial Adver- tiser. About this time Pierce ran for President and in political harangues it was stated that he had once been a printer and it oc- curred to my boyish mind, Why cannot I be President in the proper time, for I am a brevet printer? How nearly my thought has been fulfilled you will know when you are reminded of who filled the chair for four years previous to our Dr. Dadd.
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