USA > Wisconsin > Winnebago County > History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its Cities, Towns, Resources, People > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
154
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
.
voyageurs could boast a spare article. A few old rags were at length rummaged out of the boat, and cast into the waves. For a moment all flattered themselves that the experiment had been successful, the sail fluttered, swelled a little, and then flapped idly down against the mast. The party were in despair, until, after a whispered consultation together, Julian and Ed- win stepped forward as messengers of mercy. In a trice they divested themselves of jacket and vest and made a proffer of their next garment to aid in raising the wind. At first there seemed a doubt in the minds of the boatmen whether they ought to accept so magnificent an offer; but finding, on giving them a preparatory shake, that the value of the contribution was less than they had imagined, they, with many shouts and much laughter, consigned them to the waves. To the great delight and astonishment of the boys, a breeze at this moment sprung up, which carried the little vessel beautifully over the waters for about half the distance to Garlic Island. By this time the charm was exhausted, nor was it found possible to renew it by a repe- tition of similar offerings. All expedients were tried without success, and, with sundry rather disrespectful reflections upon the lady whose aid they had invoked, the Frenchmen were com- pelled to betake themselves to their oars, until they reached the island. Two or three canoes of Winnebago arrived at the same moment, and their owners immediately stepped forward with an offering of some sturgeon which they had caught in the lake. As this promised to be an agreeable variety to the noontide meal (at least for the Frenchmen), it was decided to stop and kindle a fire for the purpose of cooking it.
We took advantage of this interval to recommend to the boys a stroll to the opposite side of the island, where the clear, shal- low water and pebbly beach offered temptation to a refreshing bath. While they availed themselves of this, under the super- vision of Harry, the black boy, we amused ourselves with gath- ering the fine red respberries with which the island abounded. Our enjoyment was cut short, however, by discovering that the whole place, vines, shrubs and even, apparently, the earth itself, was infested with myriads of the wood-tick, a little insect that, having fastened to the skin, penetrates into the very flesh, caus- ing a swelling and irritation exceedingly painful, and even dan- gerous. The alarm was sounded, to bring the boys back in all haste to the open and more frequented part of the island. But we soon found we had not left our tormentors behind. Through-
.
155
BEAUTY OF THE VIRGIN SCENERY.
out the day we continued to be sensible of their proximity. From the effects of their attacks we were not relieved for sev- eral succeeding days; those which had succeeded in burying themselves in the flesh having to be removed with the point of a penknife or a large needle. After partaking of our dinner, we stepped on board our boat, and, the wind having risen, we were carried by the breeze to the farther verge of the lake, and into the entrance of the river, or, as it was called, the Winnebago Rapids [now Neenah]. On the point of land to the right stood a collection of neat bark wigwams, this was Four Legs' village. It was an exciting and somewhat hazardous passage down the rapids and over the Grand Chute [ at Appleton], a fall of several feet; but it was safely passed, and at the approach of evening the boat reached the settlement of the Waubanakees at Kau- kauna. These are the Stockridge and Brothertown Indians, the remains of the old Mohicans, who had, a few years before, emigrated from Oneida county, in the State of New York, to a tract granted them by the United States, on the fertile banks of the Fox river. They had already cleared extensive openings in the forest, and built some substantial and comfortable houses near the banks of the river, which were here quite high, and covered for the most part with gigantic trees."
The same month word was received of the close of the Black Hawk war, and Mrs. John Kinzie returned from Fort Howard to Fort Winnebago, and thus describes her journey through this region by boat: "Our crew was composed partly of French- men and partly of soldiers, and, all things being in readiness, we set off one fine bright morning in the latter part of July, 1832. Our second day's alternate rowing and poling brought us to the Grand Chute [now at Appleton] early in the afternoon. Here, it is the custom to disembark at the foot of the rapids, and, ascending the high bank, walk around the fall, while the men pull the boat up through the foaming waters. Most of our party had already stepped on shore, when a sudden thought seized one of the ladies and myself. 'Let us stay in the boat,' said I, 'and be pulled up the Chute.' The rest of the company went on, while we sat and watched with great interest the prepara- tions the men were making. They were soon overboard in the water, and attaching a strong rope to the bow of the boat, all lent their aid in pulling as they marched slowly along with their heavy load. The cargo, consisting only of our trunks and stores, which were of no very considerable weight, had not been
156
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
removed. We went on, now and then getting a tremendous bump against a hidden rock, and frequently splashed by a shower of foam as the waves roared and boiled around us. The men kept as close as possible to the high, precipitous bank, where the water was smoothest. At the head of the cordel was a merry simpleton of a Frenchman, who was constantly turning his head to grin with delight at our evident enjoyment and excitement. We were indeed in high glee. 'Is this not charming?' cried one. 'I only wish-' The wish, whatever it was, was cut short by a shout and a crash. 'Have a care, Robineau! Mind where you are taking the boat!' was the cry, but it came too late. More occupied with the ladies than with his duty, the leader had guided us into the midst of a sharp, projecting tree that hung from the bank. The first tug ripped out the side of the boat, which immediately began to fill with water. My com- panion and I jumped upon the nearest rocks that showed their heads above the foam. Our screams and shouts of the men brought Lieutenant Hunter and some Indians, who were above on the bank, dashing down to our rescue. They carried us in their arms to land, while the men worked lustily at fishing up the con- tents of the boat, now thoroughly saturated with water. We scrambled up the high bank, in a miserable plight, to join the general lamentation over the probable consequence of the acci- dent. 'Oh! my husband's new uniform!' cried one, and 'Oh, the minatures in the bottom of my trunk !' sighed another, while 'Oh, the silk dresses, and the ribbons, and the finery!' formed the general chorus. No one thought of the provisions, although we had observed, in our progress to shore, the barrel of bread and the tub of ice, which Lieutenant Hunter had providently brought for our refreshment, sailing away on the dancing waves. By this time fires had been made, and the articles from the trunks were soon seen covering every shrub and bush in the vicinity. Fortunately, the box containing the new uniform had been piled high above the others, in the centre of the boat, and had received but little damage; but sad was the condition of the wardrobes in general. Not a white article was to be seen. All was mottled-blue, green, red and black intermingling in streaks, and dripping from ends and corners. To add to the trouble, the rain began to fall, as rain is apt to do, at an incon- venient moment, and soon the half dried garments had to be gathered out of the smoke and huddled away in a most dis- couraging condition. The tent was pitched, wet as it was, and
157
BEAUTY OF THE VIRGIN SCENERY.
the blankets, wrung out of the water, and partially dried, were spread upon the ground for our accommodation at night.
"A Hamburg cheese, which had been a part of my stores, was voted to me for a pillow, and, after a supper, the best part of which was a portion of one of the wet loaves which had re- mained in a barrel too tightly wedged to drift away, we betook ourselves to our repose. The next morning rose hot and sultry. The mosquitoes, which the rain had kept at bay through the night, now began to make themselves amends, and to torment us unmercifully. After our most uncomfortable and unpalatable breakfast, the first question for consideration was, what we were to do with ourselves. Our boat lay submerged at the foot of the hill, half way up the rapids. The nearest habitation among the Waubanakees was some seven miles distant, and this there was no means of reaching but by an Indian canoe, if some of our present friends and neighbors would be so obliging as to bring one for our use. Even then it was doubtful if boats could be found sufficient to convey all our numerous party back to Green Bay. In the midst of these perplexing consultations a whoop was heard from beyond the hill, which here sloped away to the north, at the head of the rapids. 'There is John; that is cer- tainly his voice!' cried more than one of the company. It was, indeed, my husband, and in a moment he was among us. Never was arrival more opportune, more evidently providential. Not having learned our plans (for the unsettled state of the country had prevented our sending him word) he had come provided with a boat, to take us back to Fort Winnebago. Our drying operations, which we had recommenced this morning, were soon cut short. Everything was shuffled away in the most expeditious manner possible, and in an incredibly short time, we were trans- ferred. to the other boat, which lay quietly above the Chute, and were pulling away toward Winnebago lake. We had re- solved to go only so far as the vicinity of the lake, where the breeze would render the mosquitoes less intolerable, and then to stop and make one more attempt at drying our clothing. Ac- cordingly, when we reached a beautiful high bank near the Little Butte [now Menasha], we stopped for that purpose again, un- packed our trunks, and soon every bush and twig was flutter- ing with the spoils of the cruel waves. Hardly had we thus dis- posed of the last rag or ribbon when the tramp of horses was heard, followed by loud shouts and cheers ringing through the forest. A company of about twenty-five horsemen, with ban-
-
158
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
ners flying, veils fluttering from their hats, and arms glittering in the sun, rode into our midst, and, amid greetings and roars of laughter, inquired into the nature and reasons of our singu- lar state of confusion. They were Colonel Stambough and Alex- ander Irwin, of Green Bay, with a company of young volunteers, and followed by a whooping band of Menominees, all bound for the seat of war. We comforted them with the assurance that the victories were by this time all won and the scalps taken; but, expressing the hope that there were yet a few laurels to be earned, they bade us adieu, and rapidly pursued their march.
We crossed Lake Winnebago by the clear, beautiful light of a summer moon. The soft air was just enough to swell the sail, and thus save the men their labor at the oar. The witchery of the hour was not, however, sufficient to induce us to forego our repose after the heat and annoyances of the day; we therefore disposed ourselves betimes, to be packed away in the centre of the boat. How it was accomplished no one of the numerous company could tell. If any accident had occurred to disturb our arrangement, I am sure it would have been a Chinese puzzle to put us back again in our places. The men on the outside had much the best of it, and we rather envied those who were off watch, their ability to snore and change position as the humor took them. We reached Powell's just in time to have gone ashore and prepare our breakfast had we had wherewithal to prepare it. We had hoped to be able to procure some supplies here, for hitherto we had been living on the remains of my hus- band's ample stock. That was now so nearly exhausted that when we found the mess-basket could not be replenished at this place we began to talk of putting ourselves on allowance." 1
A picture of the country out of which the county of Winne- bago was carved, was written by Colonel Charles Whittlesey, in which he gives a graphic account of its appearance just at the season when it was to become the home of the pioneer. He says in part : "About the first of September, 1832, after procuring horses and equipments, a stock of provisions, blankets, coffee, and liquor, a company of four took their departure for the Portage. The road since constructed between Forts Howard and Winnebago, not being then laid out, our route lay along the Fox river. The station we had just left, though sufficiently endowed by nature, had nothing in its then condition to cause regret
" These extracts taken from "Wau Bun" are only changed in places to connect extracts and name places. "Wau Bun," by Mrs. John Kinzie.
159
BEAUTY OF THE VIRGIN SCENERY.
on leaving it. Had the contrary been the case, the pleasant scenery of the river and the singular mixture of civilization and barbarism exhibited by the few people we saw; the unusual com- bination of valley and hill, of prairie and woodland, that dis- tinguished the country, would have banished all regret. During the second day we passed some most lovely situations on the banks of the river. The most romantic boarding school Miss never imagined a more enchanting display of nature. The coun- try was elevated into rolling meadows fifty or sixty feet from the bed of the stream, and covered with scattered oaks, beneath which the coarse grass flourished in high luxuriance. This river is obstructed by four considerable falls, beside rapids, but the only communication for goods, provisions, etc., to the military and trading posts in that quarter is by navigation on this stream. At high water, a small river boat, of fifteen to twenty tons, is pushed against the current, till it comes to a fall, or "chute," the cargo is here taken out until the "voyageurs" can force the craft up the rapid by main strength. In low water it is with difficulty a bark canoe will swim. An Indian farm showed itself occasionally on its banks, but our path generally lay through a wild pasture, well stocked with the prairie hen. Near night we passed the "Little Butte des Morts," or Hill of the Dead [in West Menasha], where the treaty of 1827 was held. It is a large mound, apparently artificial, on the summit of which still stood the flag staff of the American commissioners. The mound is reputed to contain the relies of departed warriors. Early. in the day we had crossed an open space of a few acres, where the Sauks once met the French in battle; which con- tained several small mounds, but apparently the result of winds acting upon a light soil. We slept at a hut on the western shore of Lake Winnebago, near where the Fox river empties into it [at Oshkosh]. From the rapids below the lake to the Portage this stream is sluggish, and though crooked, is of sufficient depth for transportation of boats. It is rather a succession of shallow lakes than a continuous river, bearing the wild rice in endless profusion. This plant strongly resembles the southern rice in the kernel, and somewhat in taste, furnishing excellent food for ducks and Indians. Where the water is still, it comes up from a depth of ten to fifteen feet, extending above the surface, in a dense green mass, about as high as grown flax. In the fall and winter, the Indian pushes his canoe through it, and shakes out the seed over the gunwale into his boat. It also serves to
160
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
shelter him in his insidious designs against the wild ducks, who congregate among it, and lay claim to what they wish to eat. After pushing our way in a flat through a thick growth of this vegetable, about two miles, we were on the opposite shore of the river, near the spot [near Omro], where the father of "Grizzly Bear" is said to have lived, raised pumpkins and entertained the whites. Here commences a low, rolling prairie that con- tinued about fifty miles. The trail passed two Winnebago vil- lages, one of which was called Yellow Thunder [near Eureka], from its chief. The Winnebago is the reverse of a Menominee. Tall in figure, haughty in his mien, proud of his nationality, and ever ready for war, he indulges in less drink and idleness than his neighbors, practices theft and murder, and repulses the ad- vance of the white man. We had too often seen their treachery and duplicity, to be anxious to spend much time with them, and would have been quite willing that they had dispensed with fol- lowing us out of the village on horseback.
We arrived at Fort Winnebago late at night, having made 140 miles in two and a half days. Fifty miles of this day's travel lay in a rolling prairie, over which a two-horse carriage traveled in company, although no road had been constructed. Nothing occurred to hinder the progress of a vehicle except an occasional marsh. On the right of our track lay at irregular distances the Fox river, and "Opukwa" or Rice Lakes, which were distantly seen as we rose the swells of the country. The garrison is at the portage between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, on a handsome rise, overlooking the immediate valley of both streams. This valley is a meadow or swamp about half a mile across, over which the waters of both channels mingle in time of flood. floating boats from the valley of the Mississippi to the valley of the lakes. Goods destined for posts on the Upper Mississippi from the east, are here carted across and committed to the current of the Wisconsin. This river has capacity for steamboat navigation, but is filled with movable sand bars from the portage to its mouth. From the fort there were traveled roads leading to the Mississippi at Prairie du Chien, or Fort Crawford, at the mouth of Fever River, near Galena, and at other points."1
" "" Whittlesey's Recollections, " - "Wis. Hist. Colls., " 73.
XII. THE TRADING POSTS.
As described under the Winnebago the retired soldier of the French Canadian army Sebrevior de Carrie located some day between 1729, and 1760, on Doty Island, married the Queen of the Winnebago, Glory of the Morning, traded with the Winne- bago, raised a family who with their descendants, became re- nowned in the border annals of this historic waterway. De Carrie appears to have been the first settled trader of our county. Colonel Whittlesey slept in a hut at the present site of Oshkosh, on banks of Lake Winnebago in 1832, but there is no account of its builder or owner.
Captain Augustin Grignon and Judge James Porlier estab- lished a trading post at Big Butte des Morts as early as 1818. The log cabins were erected about 200 feet south of the present farm residence of Mrs. B. A. Overton, along the bank of the small creek crossing her farm in the town of Oshkosh, up from the shore of big Lake Butte des Morts, about half a mile east of the present village of Butte des Morts, and were still standing in 1868, but are now destroyed. The business of the frontier store, properly known as "trading post," was to trade to the Menominee and Winnebago Indians, beads, colored calicos, felts, guns, powder, ball, axes, knives and hooks and lines, salt, sugar and whisky, in exchange for the furs of the bear, deer, beaver, marten, otter, fox, hare, wild cat and such other wild animals as the hunter secured in the winter chase. Beaver skins were used as money value for all commerce on the river. The pelts, salted and tied in bundles, were taken in small boats or canoes down the rapids of the Fox river to Green Bay, and then over the bay and Lake Michigan in small boats to Mackinac Island, where they were sold to the Southwest Fur Company, after- ward the American Fur Company, of which John Jacob Astor was the head, the boats returning with a new stock with which to carry on the Indian trade.
Judge James Porlier, of the firm, had his home in Green Bay, where his old home still stands, the oldest house in Wisconsin.
.
161
1
162
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
He was well born of the French nobility, a man of culture and refinement; and the regard awarded him by his neighbors was universal and sincere, who tendered him every evidence of es- teem and respect, says General Albert G. Ellis. He was the fore- most citizen among that romantic host of the French Regime, who had discovered and peopled the west. Very gentle in his manners, and in conversation remarkable for the purity and ele- gance of his language, and not less so for the high moral tone of his sentiments. Born in Montreal in 1765, and educated in her best schools, he moved to Green Bay in 1791, where he engaged in the fur trade, became an extensive dealer, his enterprises reached over all the rivers in winter trade with the Winnebago and Menominee. By the treaty at the Cedars, he was allowed $7,500 for goods sold the Menominee. He died at Green Bay, July 12, 1839, at the age of seventy-four. His neighbors kept him constantly in office. As judge he had the authority to per- form the marriage ceremony, and as such officiated at the mar- riage of Rev. Eleazer Williams, the Lost Dauphin, to Mary Magdaline Jourdain, at the home of her father, Joseph Jourdain, in 1823. Judge Porlier was a Lieutenant in the British service in the war of 1812, and participated in the defense of Mackinac in 1814. On the occupation of the country by the Americans, and being commissioned Chief Justice of Brown County and Judge of Probate, he translated the laws of the territory from English into ' French. Brown county comprised the region of this county until 1840. Judge James Porlier married in 1793, Miss Marguerite Griesie, whose father was a Frenchman, clerk to Pierre Grignon, and mother a Menominee woman; and mother and daughter re- sided with that tribe on the St. Croix river. In 1859, three sons were still living. One of these was Louis B. Porlier, of Butte des Morts, born in 1815, who had married the daughter of Cap- tain Augustin Grignon. Their son Charles married Margaret Duchine, and their residence is Oshkosh. They have seven chil- dren-Sophia, Louisa, Martin, Louis, Charles, David, Joseph, Al- fred, Ross, Jessie.
Captain Augustin Grignon was a type of that elegant French gentleman known through the frontier and in his day one of the leading men along the river, whose area of influence ranged from Green Bay to Portage. IIe was born in Green Bay, June 27. 1780, and lived much of his life in the region set off into Winnebago county, where he lies buried with his consort in a cornfield in unmarked graves on the banks of Big Lake Butte
163
THE TRADING POSTS.
des Morts. 'His father was Sieur Pierre Grignon, who was born in Montreal of pure French descent, early engaged in the fur trade at Green Bay, about the period of English occupation in 1763, and became a leading citizen and head of an immense family, hundreds of whose descendants still live along the Fox river. He died about 1795, at sixty-five years of age. All his descendants are tall, noble looking men, after their ancestor, who was six foot tall. For his first wife he married a Menominee woman, the only issue of whom to have descendants was Pier- riche Grignon, who married a daughter of Glory of the Morning, the Queen of the Winnebago, and resided at the portage. By his second marriage with Louise Domitilde de Langlade, when she was seventeen, in 1776, there were born to them nine chil- dren. She was the daughter of Captain Charles de Langlade, the celebrated border partisan and warrior, the hero of ninety- five battles fought in border warfare and leader of the western savages in the French and Indian war, and the Revolution. He led the savages at the defeat of Braddock, and to the burn- ing of St. Louis. With his father they were the first settlers and real founders of Wisconsin.1
Augustin de Langlade, the father of Charles, was of noble mili- tary French family, and his mother was a sister of the Ottawa King, so Charles was a half blood; and by his marriage to a beau- tiful French girl his daughter, mother of Captain Augustin Grignon was a creole quarter blood. Pierre Grignon, his father, being pure French, would make Captain Augustin Grignon have but one-eighth Indian blood in his veins.
Captain Augustin Grignon is mentioned by old-time residents with profound respect and veneration as an honest and enterpris- ing business man, and the natives held him in high esteem. IIe was noted for his princely hospitality; no person ever met a Frown at his door or went away hungry. He early made his home at Kaukauna, at least before 1820, where he had a trading post and maintained ox teams and wagons to carry the goods of voy- ageurs up the river around the Kaukalin rapids.
He married in 1805 Miss Nancy McCrea, the daughter of a trader of the name of McCrea, and a Menominee woman, a near relative of Oshkosh, Old King. Iometah and Tomah. Six children were the fruits of this marriage, three of whom were alive in 1859. She died at Big Butte des Morts October 24, 1842, at the age of fifty-three years, and lies buried in the cornfield near the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.