USA > Wisconsin > Winnebago County > History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its Cities, Towns, Resources, People > Part 48
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David and Thomas Evans entered a tract of about one hun -. dred acres of land on the shores of Lake Winnebago, forty acres of which comprise what is now known as . North Park. They were undoubtedly attracted by the beauty of the tract, and. from the descriptions given, it must have been a perfect "Eden." Even in older days, with its grand old elms and towering cotton- woods, its vine-clad banks and flowery groves, it was regarded as one of the most beautiful spots in our city. Along its shores were high mounds covered with wild grape, plum and sumach. Tradition said that these grounds were the burying places of Indian warriors slain in battle.
The other colonists centered about the beautiful point at the mouth of Fox river, formerly known as Merton's, now Gruen- hagen's point. The settlement was called "Sauk-eer." There was considerable discussion in an early day as to the name that should be given to the new settelment. For a time it went by the name of "Athens." The Wrights were champions of "Osce- ola"; "Fairveiw" and "Stanford" had their advocates. The Evans boys insisted on calling the new settlement "Galeopolis."
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But in 1840 the question was left to a vote, and all parties in- terested, as far up the river as Butte des Morts, were permitted to express their choice. There were many, specially the traders, who were interested in retaining the good will of the Indians, and thy insisted that the little village should be named in honor of the great Menominee chief who had befriended the whites from the earliest days. This party carried the election, and ever afterwards it was known as Oshkosh. The name means "brave," and was given to the young warrior on account of his bravery at Mackinac in 1812. History tells us that these shores were very dear to the old chief, and even after his tribe had relinquished title to the land, Oshkosh, with his followers, was accustomed to come back to his old home and to linger around the haunts of his boyhood days. The early history of this little settlement is very interesting, but lack of space com- pels me to come down to a later date.
Upon the 25th day of March, 1853, the legislature passed a law incorporating the city of Oshkosh. The act is known as chapter 118 of the laws of 1853. In most respects it was like our present charter, although some of its provisions were unique. The mayor was a judicial officer and had the power of a justice of the peace. He also was keeper of the city's seal. We had a marshal instead of a chief of police, and the common council elected a warden instead of a chief of the fire department.
T'pon the 5th day of April the charter was submitted to the people for approval and was carried by a majority of 177 votes. Upon the same day Edward Eastman was elected mayor, W. D. Luscher clerk, A. H. Reed treasurer, E. Neff marshal, and E. R. Baldwin superintendent of schools.
In territory the new city was much smaller than the Oshkosh of today. On this side of the river the north line of sections 23 and 24 constituted the north boundary line of the city; or, to be a little plainer. Oshkosh extended as far north as Irving street, the boundary line crossing Algoma street somewhere south of William Radford's residence and north of the Reeve property, and striking the river north and west of the Hollister mill. On the south side the city embraced what is known as the original Third ward. or the territory bounded on the west by what is now Ohio street. and on the south by what is now Sixteenth street. Lake Winnebago was the eastern boundary of the city. except that there was a little jog from Irving to Merritt streets. so as to exclude the Evans farm, for that beautiful spot did not
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become part of the city until three years later. What is now Main street was called Ferry street. Washington, Broad, Wau- goo and Merritt streets were in existence, but the Algoma street of today was largely a public highway known as the Winneconne road. Algoma was a separate village, and did not become a part of Oshkosh until 1856. Its postmaster fifty years ago was H. C. Jewell, who also was a member of the county board from the town of Algoma. It had an independent ferry and boasted of a saw and grist mill owned by Jewell & Co. Here, too, was located Philetus Sawyer, where for four years he had been en- gaged in the lumber business. The business center of Oshkosh was along the Fox river, in what is now the First, Second and Third wards of the city. It took in the old settlement known as "Sauk-eer," on the lands entered by Webster Stanley, Henry and Amos Gallup and George Wright in 1837, by Henry String- ham in 1838, and on the entries in 1840 by David and Thomas Evans.
The people of Oshkosh were very proud of their new charter, and one of the newspapers, the Oshkosh Democrat, said that "these are progressive days," and that it saw no reason why, "in an age when boys were young men at 15 and girls young ladies at 12," and "when everything around was decidedly, 'fast,' that a 'burg' of 2,000 or 3,000 inhabitants could not shake off the reproach implied in the word 'village' and assume a place among the mature characters of the age." In the lan- guage of the Democrat no such reason existed, and therefore "the charter election has been held and 'Oshkosh is now a city.' "'
At the time Oshkosh became a city Franklin Pierce was presi- dent of the United States, William F. Marcy was secretary of state, and Jefferson Davis, who had been stationed for many years at Fort Crawford, now Prairie du Chien, and at Fort Win- nebago, now Portage, who had frequently passed by the site of our city on his way to these military posts, who began his military career in Wisconsin during the Black Hawk war, who knew every foot of this country, who rose to distinction after- ward in our war against Mexico, was secretary of war. The administration was Democratic, but the appointment of Jeffer- son Davis in the cabinet was unsatisfactory to many northern members of the party, and the Oshkosh Courier, the leading Democratic paper of Oshkosh, published by Charles R. Nevitt
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(recently deceased) and by George H. Read, sharply criticises Mr. Davis and speaks of him as a "nullifier" and "anti-unionist."
Oshkosh from the outset was a hustling city. We have no accurate figures as to its population at the time that it put on its municipal garments, but I estimate that its population at that time did not exceed 2,000 inhabitants, although it sturdily claimed more. In 1850 its population was 1,392, and in 1859 it had grown to a place of 4,121 inhabitants.
It is interesting to know that the year that Oshkosh became a city the Republican party was born at Ripon, Wisconsin, and history gives A. Bovay credit for starting the movement which resulted in the organization of the party which now controls the land. It is also interesting to know that the year Oshkosh be- came a city the state went prohibition by nearly 3,500 and car- ried Winnebago county by 1,217 for to 397 against. Mr. George Gary, by a close vote, was elected to the legislature on the pro- hibition ticket over his Democratic opponent, William R. Ken- nedy. Both of these gentlemen are alive at the time of this writing.
Although its population was small the fame of our fair city had traveled far. The Buffalo "Commercial Advertiser," in its issue of August 13, 1853, the year that our city was born, con- tains a description of Oshkosh. The writer says: "When Polk was inaugurated president an Indian trail ran through Oshkosh and 'when, six years ago, the patriotism of the few white people who had settled here prompted them to celebrate our nation's birthday. tall grass, hazel bushes and other shrubbery had to be cut in order to prepare a suitable place to erect the speakers' stand and prepare the table.' Where the wild grass then fell has arisen a city: where the Indian trail was is the path leading thousands to the happy homes of civilization and to the house of God. It became a city last winter. It takes its name from a brave old chief and warrior of the Menominee tribe, who only a few years since bade adieu to his hunting grounds, by national orders, and, with tears in his eyes, started for a new home be- yond the Mississippi. He has recently returned to some lands which he is permitted to occupy in the northern part of the state. The city which will carry his name down to the end of the re- publie is a rival of Fond du Lac and is destined to become of portly dimensions. The Milwaukee & Fond du Lac railroad will be extended to that place on its way to Green Bay within two years. It is only eight miles from the junction of the Fox and
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Wolf rivers. The latter running through a great timber coun- try and being navigable for 150 miles, Oshkosh must necessarily become a great lumber market. Government lands have come into market and are now being improved, and soon the fruit of the soil to the northwest of Oshkosh will be floated in great quantities down to that port. I saw three or four steamers there at one time, and the number will increase every year. The Amer- ican portion of the settlers are a generous, full-hearted, enter- prising people, proud of their young city and bound to make something of her. Beautiful for situation, may she rise to meet their expectations and become the belle city of Winnebago."
It will be seen from this description that at its very birth Oshkosh was looked upon as a rival of Fond du Lac.
The fame of our beautiful lake over fifty years ago had reached London. In 1853 a description of Lake Winnebago appeared in an English magazine, and the writer especially referred to the delicious white fish and big sturgeon the lake contained.
At the time that Oshkosh became a city it had no railroad. It had telegraphic communication with the outside world as early as 1850. That year a line was run from Milwaukee to Green Bay through Oshkosh. Transportation was carried on by boats and stage lines. The first steamboat which plied these waters . was the Manchester. At the time that Oshkosh became a city the Peytona. D. B. Whitacre, Jenny Lind, Oshkosh, Badger State, A. W. Knapp, John Mitchell and the Menasha were among the craft seen on the waters of the river and lake. The oldest liv- ing steamboat man today is Fred Zentner, who was mate on the Peytona. Only two years ago Kendrick Kimball passed away. He then was the oldest living county officer. Mr. Kimball was deputy sheriff way back when Oshkosh first became a city, and served the papers in the famous Partridge lost child case. At the time it became a city Oshkosh was very much interested in plank roads, and stock companies were formed and stock sub- scribed to build plank roads from Oshkosh to various parts of the country. Over $15.000 was subscribed for a road between here and Fond du Lac. The river was crossed first by ferries, afterwards by a bridge. Oshkosh and Algoma ran rival ferries. Tolls were charged on ferries, bridges and plank roads. The same year that Oshkosh became a city it established a free bridge over the river. Bonds to the amount of $2.000 were issued to buy the old bridge. This issue was the city's first bonded indebted- ness. At the time Oshkosh became a city it had two private
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banking houses, branch institutions from Milwaukee and Fond du Lac-the Oshkosh City bank and Darling, Wright, Kellogg & Co. It had three hotels, the Oshkosh House, M. Griffen propri- etor; the Winnebago hotel, R. P. Edgarton proprietor; and the Brooklyn house, L. B. Reed proprietor. The legal rate of inter- est was seven per cent. but parties could contract to pay twelve, and banks paid five per cent on deposits.
At the time Oshkosh became a city the legislature passed a law abolishing capital punishment. Wisconsin was the first state to do away with the gallows. The next year a'man in Waushara county by the name of Cartwright was lynched by a mob of 150 men, who hung their victim over his own door.
At the time Oshkosh became a city it made a start toward a public library. An organization met at Raymond's store and was known as the Young Men's Library association. In 1857 the library contained 245 volumes. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was hav- ing a big sale all over the world, Oshkosh included. Eastman's book store advertised it, with a key to explain the story. In a few years millions of copies were sold.
At the time Oshkosh became a city the lumbering industry of Oshkosh was in its infancy. The first logging done on the Wolf river was in 1835 by David Whitney of Green. Bay, who cut logs on the shores of Rat river, in this county, to be used in the con- struction of government buildings in Neenah. The first saw mill on the Wolf river waters was built at Shawano in 1843 by Samuel Farnsworth. His lumber was floated to Oshkosh and sold for five dollars a thousand. The first lumberman in Wis- consin was Jeff Davis in 1829, who got out logs for the govern- ment at Fort Crawford. The first saw mill in Oshkosh was erected in 1847 on the site of the old gang mill in the Second ward by one Morris Firman. Here, too, was the first ferry across the river, and was known as the Stanley ferry. Later the ferry was removed to the foot of Main street. On this same mill site Captain James Jenkins afterward operated the gang mill. The first flouring mill was built in the village of Algoma in 1848 by D. W. Foreman & Co. At the same place Foreman & Bashford operated a saw mill. Here, too, in 1849. Philetus Sawyer manu- factured lumber. One of the earliest lumbermen in Oshkosh was J. II. Porter, who ran a mill near what was known as Jackson's point. Mr. Porter was mayor of our city in 1867 and 1869. and is with us here today.' Stilson & Chase, Sheldon & Hubbard. Weed & Gumaer. Ripley & Mead also carried on lumbering oper-
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ations. Asa Hollister, father of Colonel S. W. Hollister, was one of the pioneers in the lumber business in the city of Oshkosh, coming here in 1845. E. L. Paine, C. N. Paine, George Paine, Leander Choate, D. L. Libbey, Lyman O. Rumery, Carlton Fos- ter, R. T. and John Morgan were all interested in lumbering operations soon after Oshkosh became a city. Mr. J. H. Weed, now living, is one of the pioneer business men of our city. In 1853 the first county building was erected. Court in those days was held in Marks hall, near the river. The same year our city boasted of a new bell, which was cast in an Oshkosh foundry, the only one in the state. At that time Oshkosh had a bell foundry and claimed to make as fine bells as anywhere in the United States. This is one of the industries we have lost. At the time Oshkosh became a city T. O. Howe was circuit judge, Edwin Wheeler was county judge, and Bouck & Washburn. Eighme & Kennedy, James Freeman, Col. Charles Wolcott, L. P. Crary, C. Coolbaugh, A. A. Austin and C. A. Weisbrod were among the lawyers of that day. C. A. Weisbrod was also editor of the German paper published in this city, and was one of the first aldermen of the city of Oshkosh. The first city attorney was T. L. Kennen, elected in 1854. when Joseph Jackson was mayor, on the munificent salary of $30 a year. Our city treasurer the first year handled less than $2,000. The physicians of an early day were Drs. A. B. and I. H. Wright, B. S. Henning. Christian Linde, T. P. Russell, and a little later Drs. C. D. Schenich, S. J. Osborn and A. P. Barber. Dr. Russell in 1857 was city physi- cian, and is the oldest member of his profession in the city today. Dr. Kezertee, who died recently, was the oldest dentist. C. Ernst, who also recently died, was the oldest meat market man. The principal merchants a half century ago were A. H. Reed, Joseph Jackson, F. M. Powers, George Ames, Sam Eckstein, Peter McCourt, Edward Eastman, M. T. Reardon, L. M. Miller and S. M. Hay. Mr. Hay, until his death, which occurred in 1906, was the oldest living mayor, having served two terms, 1857 and 1859. J. H. Porter is the oldest living ex-mayor at the present time. Williams Brothers were the leading druggists. J. W. Scott and George Mayer, jewelers. Theodore Frentz was at one time the editor of the German paper, the "Deutsche Zeitung." Outside of the Indian missionaries the first religious service was held in 1841, under the auspices of the Methodist church. in the bar room of Stanley's hotel. where the National Union bank now stands. The sermon was preached by Jesse Halstead, a Metho-
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dist circuit rider from Brothertown, across the lake. He was succeeded by John P. Gallup, in 1843, a regularly ordained Meth- odist minister. His wife is now living. and is the oldest resident of Oshkosh. In 1850 the First Methodist church, corner of High and Division streets, was built, and the same year the First Con- gregational church, organized in 1847, was erected. St. Peter's, Roman Catholic, was founded by Rev. Father Bonduel, for twelve years Indian missionary to lake Pau-way-gan, now Lake Poygan. The spelling of some of these Indian names has changed. In an early day Wisconsin was spelled "Ouis" instead of "Wis," and Outagamie "Ut" instead of "Out," and Oshkosh "Oskosh," accent on the last syllable, "kosh." St. Peter's so- ciety was organized in 1850, although divine services were held several years before, and the first mass was celebrated in a small house on Ceape street. Trinity Episcopal was organized in 1854, although religious services were held for several years earlier. Rev. Franklin R. Haff officiated at the first Episcopal service ever held in Oshkosh March 12, 1850, and was with us until 1906, the oldest clergyman of Oshkosh, both in years and service. In 1854 six persons met at the court house and organized the First Baptist church. There was a Welch Congregational society or- ganized in 1849 with Rev. David Lewis as pastor.
Oshkosh has but little early school history. Up to 1851 it had but one school house and that cramped and badly arranged. There were numerous private schools. In 1871 the writer of this article began his education in a little school kept in Gill's hall, where the Athearn hotel now stands, by a Miss Robinson. Later was the Union school, corner of Merritt and Jefferson streets, and the First Ward school, built in 1859. The present school system of Oshkosh dates from 1868 when the old high school was built. The history of that institution is practically the school history of our city. The high school lot fronting upon Algoma and Church streets is a part of the tract of land for- merly owned by George Wright, Sr. In 1837 Mr. George Wright, Sr., settled upon fractional lot one (1), containing thirty-seven acres. This tract included the beautiful grove of two acres now held by the city and extended from Polk street on the north to the river, and from Main street to Jackson street. Mr. Wright was the third white settler in Oshkosh and obtained his patent from the United States government April 2. 1840. As before stated, Webster Stanley, Chester Gallup. George Wright. Sr., and David Evans, with their families, are to be regarded as the found-
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ers of our city. In 1841 George Wright, Sr., died. His will was admitted to probate in Brown county, for at that time Oshkosh was in Brown county and Green Bay was the county seat. The property passed to a son of George Wright, Sr., Mr. William W. Wright of. this city, who died but a few years ago. In about the same form as it now is it was sold by Mr. W. W. Wright, and, after several transfers, in 1855 it came into the possession of T. A. Follett and Mr. George F. Wright, who was a son of George Wright, St. On December 18, 1855, this two- acre tract was sold by Messrs. Wright and Follett to School Dis- trict No. 1 of Oshkosh, and on the abstract books today the title of the land stands in School District No. 1 of Oshkosh. For more than ten years this tract was used as a park by our citizens, as a common or playground by the boys of the city, and was the gathering place for the people on public occasions. It always went by the very appropriate name of "The Grove." About the time of the close of the Civil war the question of a new high school began to be agitated by our citizens. There was a cry- ing need for such a structure, for an old abandoned church on Main street near the corner of Church street and a three-story brick building, known as "the Cottrell building," near the cor- ner of Main and Algoma streets constituted the chief educational edifices of Oshkosh in those days. In 1866 definite steps were taken to erect a new high school building upon this property purchased ten years before. The school board of that year was composed of Mr. K. M. Hutchinson, its president and superin- tendent, Mr. E. R. Colton, Captain James Jenkins, Dr. Samuel J. Osborn, Dr. A. P. Barber and Mr. D. D. Whitney, who were the commissioners from the different wards of the city. April 27 a building committee was appointed, consisting of E. R. Colton, Capt. James Jenkins and Dr. A. P. Barber. On May 23, 1866, a resolution was adopted authorizing and directing the building committee to procure plans and specifications for the new high school building, and on July 17 of the same year the board of education authorized the building committee to let the contract for the construction of a new high school building. The contract was let and the corner stone laid in 1867. The same year Dr. H. B. Dale succeeded K. M. Hutchinson as superintendent of schools, which position he afterward held off and on for eleven or twelve years. The work of constructing the new building went on through the entire year of 1867 and in the spring of 1868 the structure, although in an unfinished condition, was used for
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school purposes. In 1867 and while the school board was strug- gling with the problem of furnishing the pupils of our city with better school accommodations, a master mind had undertaken the task of grading our schools and instituting therein a definite course of instruction. To Mr. Arthur Everett we are largely in- debted for the school system which now exists in the city. The high school constructed at that time was a model building for the times. It cost upward of $40,000, which was raised by spe- cial assessment. The population of the city at that time was only 10,000 souls and the assessed value of the entire city was only about $3,500,000. May 2, 1901, the old building, which for thirty years had been the principal institution of learning in the city, was destroyed by fire. In June, 1902, the corner stone of the new and more modern structure was laid. At that time the popula- tion of the city had reached more than 30,000 and the assessed value of the property of the city was upward of $16,000,000. It was stated at the laying of the second corner stone that, includ- ing the class of 1868, there had been graduated from the high school 465 boys and girls. The school system of the present time is a most excellent one and, in addition to the high school prop- erty, the city has numerous buildings scattered throughout the different parts of the city. Its school property is very large, and the excellence and high standing of the schools of our city have always been the pride of our citizens.
About the time that Oshkosh became a city its citizens were all stirred up over railroad projects. In 1853 two companies were formed, the Oshkosh & Portage City Railroad Company and the Winnebago Railroad Company. Among the directors were James Murdock, Charles A. Weisbrod, A. G. Lull, Peter MeCourt, Joseph Jackson, G. F. Wright, Sam Eckstein, Edward Eastman, W. C. Knapp, W. II. Weed, L. M. Miller, T. A. Follett and B. S. Henning, the last two of whom were afterward mayors of our city. Gabriel Bouek was director in both companies. In 1856 the common council was authorized to extend railroad aid, but it was not until October 13, 1859, that what is now the Chicago & Northwestern Company ran a through passenger train from Fond du Lac. This was a great event in the history of Oshkosh. To celebrate the entrance of the iron horse into our city an ex- cursion to Chicago was gotten up. Near Watertown the train was wrecked and five of our leading citizens were killed. Among the number were E. R. Baldwin, Charles Petersilea and John Lunt. Many persons, men and women, were injured. The dis-
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aster plunged the entire community into the deepest grief. The same year, May 10, 1859, occurred the first great fire of Osh- kosh. The fire started in an unoccupied barn in the rear of the Oshkosh House and swept everything on both sides of Ferry street from Ceape to Washington and Algoma streets. The en- tire business part of Oshkosh was in a few hours converted into a field of smoking ruins. But with characteristic pluck and en- ergy the entire burnt district was rebuilt with a better class of buildings and Oshkosh resumed her place in the business world. Seven years later, in May, 1866, occurred another great fire. It commenced on the west side of Main street, swept the whole block from High to Algoma, and from Waugoo to the north side of Washington street and as far east as Jefferson avenue, de- stroying the postoffice and public halls. The fires of 1874 and 1875 are more modern and are within the memory of many of the citizens now living. To protect itself against the fire fiend Oshkosh at an early day took decisive steps. Under its original charter the city had power to form fire engine and hook and ladder companies. Service on the hand trucks in case of neces- sity was made compulsory. October 31, 1856, at a meeting held in Mark's IIall, near Ceape street, with Mr. Ossian Cook in the chair, Niagara Engine Company No. 1 was organized with Wil- liam Wall as foreman, and February 4, 1857, it paraded the streets for the first time with its new hand engine, escorted by the Oshkosh City Band. A few days later Germania Fire Com- pany No. 2, with Jacob Gruenewald as foreman and William Neuman assistant, forty members strong, exhibited its new machine to our admiring citizens. The service in those days was purely volunteer, and the young men who protected our property against fire were full of zeal and daring and were ever true and loyal to their calling. Of our fire department our city is now and ever has been 'justly proud, but it owes a debt of gratitude to the old volunteer companies who at the sound of the bell rallied to do battle against the dreaded and ever- threatening fire fiend. A few of the old members are with us today, but most of them have answered their last call.
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