USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume I > Part 38
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The system of a limited number of county commissioners still appealed strongly to other parts of Wisconsin Territory where settlement had not increased as in Brown county, but the law providing that the chairman of the town board act also as a county supervisor, thus securing equal representation, received strenuous support from Brown. In January, 1845, the bill again coming before the legis- lature, the Howard board of supervisors resolved : "That the petition circulated especially in Green Bay praying the legislature of Wisconsin for a repeal of the law establishing the township system of government, would if repealed be detrimental to the small towns in the county of Brown, giving them no proper representation on the county board-besides we are opposed to the vacillation of constantly making and repealing laws. And also we would state that the inhab- itants of Howard are altogether in favor of the present system and opposed to being thrown back on the county commission system-and request our repre- sentatives to oppose the prayer of said petition."
The list of voters in Howard as given in 1842 included the names of David
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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
Jones, the Dominick Brunettes, father and son, Prentice Beebe, Samuel Ryan, Joseph Paquette, D. W. Hubbard, Josiah Baldwin and E. B. Sherwood.
Samuel Ryan, chairman of the Howard board of supervisors from 1842 to 1857, was one of the town's earliest residents, having come to Fort Howard with the first troops in 1816. Ile resigned from the army and became an active and sterling worker in the new town. His son, Samuel Ryan, Jr., was also closely identified with the life of Fort Howard and Green Bay. He was prom- inent throughout the state as an able newspaper man, edited when very young one of Green Bay's first newspapers, the Republican, and later became the founder and incorporator af the Appleton Crescent ( 1846).
During the forties, continuously, Lemuel Tyler acted as clerk until April 6, 1847, followed in order by Samuel Ryan, Jr., A. G. Pullman, Thomas M. Camm and James Ryan. Edson B. Sherwood's last entry is April 3, 1843.
From time to time the place of meeting was changed and rent to the amount of five dollars a year was occasionally paid for the use of a member's house, fire, etc. The office of constable required an oath of office as being a responsible position.
In May, 1850, the Howard board made an agreement with John P. Arndt for the erection of a bridge over the first creek south of Fort Howard, and further on in the year, Colonel Samuel Ryan with Dr. Urial H. Peak, as road commissioners, spent a day pleasantly and profitably in surveying a road from the ferry which ran across the river from Cherry street to the termination of the bridge. The labors of the worthy commissioners on that May day is perpetuated in the meanderings of Pearl street.
On July 1, 1850, it was resolved by the board that the school monies belong- ing to the town of Howard be divided equally between the several districts in the same town, there being supposed to be about $128, more or less, in the hands of the town treasurer applicable to school purposes, viz: $42.66 2-3 to each dis- trict. Thomas M. Camm, clerk.
In 1856 the county board passed a resolution to the effect that "Fort" should be inserted and precede "Howard" when the settlement was named. An act to incorporate the borough of Fort Iloward was passed in February, 1856, and approved by Governor Bashford October 13th of that year.
The notice of the first borough election is thus given: "Whereas by an act of the legislators of the state of Wisconsin, approved October 13, 1856, the borough of Fort Howard was made a corporate borough. Therefore, take notice that an election of the officers of said borough consisting of a president, six trustees, a treasurer, superintendent of common schools, two constables, one assessor and two justices of the peace, will be held at the village schoolhouse in said town on Saturday, the first day of November next. Signed-Oscar Gray, Dexter Gray, Willard Lamb, John Gray, D. W. Hubbard, Thomas M. Camm."
John Tiernan declared on oath that he had posted a notice of which the annexed was a copy on three public places in the borough of Fort Howard.
The election for borough officers was held at the village schoolhouse on the day designated and the poll list of fifty-six years ago is an interesting one, fifty- four in all, and includes some of the most sterling of the men of Brown county : D. W. Hubbard, P. W. Gregg, O. Gray. S. M. Durand, T. J. Bailey, D. I. Hub- bard, E. A. Cooley, Iliram Hubbard, Dennis McCarty, Patrick Burns, G. Leittel, M. Despins, M. Vanifleck, J. A. Beattie, J. C. Fox, D. Hunt, M. S. Shaler, F.
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Blesch, W. Pamperin, P. Supey, W. B. Smith. Garret Doyle, John Tiernan, F. Yeates, John Gray, Otto VanStreland, Jn. Chadwick, H. I. Hoffman, John Jeffreys, Charles Rossiter, C. W. Tremain, J. S. Fisk, E. Crocker, Chas. Brahne, Geo. Aull, Hendrick Ernits, H. C. Taylor, John Finnegan, Myron Graves, Theo- dore Kemnitz, Anton Zeus, Jas. Faulkner, Win. Knowles, S. Hudson, T. M. Camm, W. Baker, T. McDonough, B. Gillett, Wm. Miller, T. O'Keefe, D. W Bromley, R. Chappell, W. E. Peak, John Doran, J. Callighan, J. Noeeder, D. S Davies, Jas. Potter, P. Ilendricksen, B. Redman, John Slat, M. Earny, E. Hunt, J. Nepert, N. M. Stone, J. Wolfarth, Charles Dodge. W. Persons. W. Taylor, M. Smith, E. Brahme, Dexter Grey, H. W. Peak, T. VanLaanen, F. Hoeilmich, T. Hanrahan, E. Shaler, H. VanLaanen, M. Barlement, M. Hanrahan, C. E. Dubois, J. Anderson.
The first officers elected were : Robert Chappell, president, and trustees, Daniel W. Hubbard, William J. Fisk, Charles Rossiter, Thomas J. Bailey, Francis Blesch and Oscar Gray ; superintendent of schools. U. H. Peak ; treasurer, James A. Beattie ; assessor, James Callighan ; E. A. Cooley and H. C. Taylor, justices of the peace ; William Knowles and D. J. Hubbard, constables: E. A. Cooley, clerk of the borough.
The boundaries of Fort Howard in the town of Howard, county of Brown, are included within the following limits and boundaries, to-wit: Commencing at a point on the channel bank of Fox river one mile below or down said river, of the north line of Private Claim Lot No. 2 of the west side of Fox river, thence one mile westwardly parallel with the said north line of Private Claim No. 2; thence one mile at right angles with said last line to the north line of said Private Claim No. 2 : thence by and along the channel bank of Fox river, thence along said channel bank to the place of beginning, is hereby created into a bor- ough corporate and shall be known and designated as the borough of Fort Howard.
The original size of the borough covered by the charter was just one mile square and exact rules for its government are given. In many ways the Fort IToward borough had shown itself. even at an early day, a progressive business place. Its proximity to a military reservation in a measure handicapped its growth and independence, but as the influence of the garrison was withdrawn the inhabitants showed themselves well equipped to take up the reins of govern- ment. Within a few years it became a manufacturing center. One of the earliest and most solid industries was the Fort Howard foundry, being established in 1856, with Otto Tank as president.
The first large brewery was erected by Francis Blesch in 1858, where the best of beer was manufactured ; the earliest one being that built by Philip Hannon on the east shore of the bay, just south of the old stone dock.
The story of Otto Tank, and his first coming to Fort Howard in 1850, has been often told and the glamour of romance now surrounds this incident in the life of the town. The distinguished families in Norway and Holland to which both Tank and his wife belonged, the choice household furnishings that trans- formed the little log cabin on the banks of the river where they made their home into a veritable bit of enchanted ground, even the foreign oddities of dress and manner rendered them conspicuous in the little community to which they immi- grated sixty-three years ago. The colony of Scandinavians who came to this
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western town under Tank's auspices formed an industrious and thrifty addition to the population of the newly created borough.
Velp, in the town of Howard, is Duck Creek's business center. The carly set- tlers were the Cormiers, Lewins, Burdons, Pamperins, Brunettes, Landwehr, Pringles and others.
When the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad came to the town and a large elevator, docks, fish warehouses, and mills were built the wealth of the place increased rapidly.
GREEN BAY
Nov. 19. 1853-An adjourned regular meeting of the board of trustees for the borough of Green Bay was held this day at 7:00 o'clock P. M. Baron S. Doty, president, and George O. Ilaywood, R. P. Harriman, Louis Hoeffel and Dr. D. C. Ayers, trustees, and S. S. Johnston, marshal, were present. The clerk reported that at the fire on the Ist inst., his office was consumed and in it the records, papers and seal belonging to the borough of Green Bay were lost. The reading of the minutes of last meeting were consequently dispensed with.
JOHN V. SUYDAM, Clerk.
Jan. 3. 1854-11. S. Baird elected president to succeed Baron Steuben Doty. South ward was represented by Orlo B. Graves, Louis Hoeffel, D. C. Ayers ; the North ward by Washington Parish, Daniel II. Whitney, Paul Fox.
S. S. JOHNSTON, Marshal.
Jan. 7-John P. Arndt, chairman of the committee of the old board on draft- ing a city charter, reported in part, and asked for further time, which was granted. On motion it was resolved that HI. S. Baird, Esq., president, be appointed a committee to whom shall be referred the city charter for revision. The clerk stated that he had procured a new seal for the borough, a fac simile of the one burned, of which the impression hereto annexed is a true copy, at a cost of $5.00, whereupon it was ordered that the sum of $5.00 be allowed for the seal.
Jan. 14-Resolved that each and every member of this board who shall be absent ten minutes after the time appointed for the holding of any meeting shall pay a fine of fifty cents and if the clerk shall be absent as aforesaid he shall be fined $1.00.
The meetings of the board shall be held on the first Monday evening in each month at 6:00 o'clock.
Daniel Butler, Esq., treasurer of the Green Bay, De Pere & Kaukauna Plank Road Co., reported that $1,000 in bonds issued to the Green Bay & De Pere Co., and $1,600 issued to the Green Bay & Kaukauna, together with $1.400 issued to secure payment of first year's interest on said bonds were destroyed by fire in the store of said Butler on the Ist of November last, making the amount destroyed by the fire $18,400.
Green Bay & Kaukauna Plank Road Company.
Green Bay & Tacheedalı Plank Road Company.
Green Bay & De Pere Plank Road Company.
Mar. 18, 1854-Committee reported not to put repairs on East river bridge and recommended the construction of a float bridge. Marshal be required to immedi-
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ately bar each end of said bridge and to put up notice thereon, forbidding all persons from crossing the same.
Affidavit of D. Butler that bonds were actually consumed and destroyed and order to replace same.
First meeting of the Green Bay city council, May 6, 1854, at 2:00 P. M., the aldermen met at the town hall pursuant to the provisions of the city charter. Present-Francis Desnoyers, John Day, Paul Fox, Amos Saunders, North ward ; and John P. Arndt, Frederick A. Lathrop, Louis Carabin and Charles Leclaire from the South ward.
On motion the meeting was organized by the appointment of John P. Arndt, chairman, and then was adjourned to the engine house.
On motion the aldermen then proceeded to elect a president by ballot. John P. Arndt was elected.
On motion it was resolved that the board proceed to canvass the votes given in the North and South wards for mayor, treasurer and superintendent of schools. W. C. E. Thomas having received 126 votes was elected mayor against D. Agry, 40 votes, and Baron S. Doty, 30 votes; treasurer, Burley Follett ; superin- tendent of schools, Daniel Butler.
On motion the president appointed Messrs. Desnoyers, Saunders and Day, a committee to conduct the mayor-elect to the chair, which being done the mayor addressed the council with appropriate remarks and recommendations relative to the organization of the city and the future government of its officers.
Jolin P. Arndt offered a code of rules and regulations. The vote on passage of ordinances was taken by yeas and nays. Ordinances passed.
John P. Arndt, street commissioner for South ward for 1853, made a report showing that for the repairs and improvement of streets and bridges, $225.84 had been expended. Amount collected in taxes, etc., $227.25, leaving a balance of $1.41. Saturday evening, June 17, 1854, a float bridge was ordered built across East river. That same evening, $10.00 was appropriated to defray the expense of sending to Taycheedah to obtain information relative to the Green Bay & Taycheedalı Plank Road Co. Nathan Goodell was elected or appointed street commissioner.
Thus was accomplished the successful organization and incorporation of the city of Green Bay, which is now, in the year 1913, regarded as one of the fore- most commercial towns in Wisconsin. The records of the common council from the first assembling in the old engine house, which was later, it is said, moved from its position on Washington street to the triangular space formed by Washı- ington, Adams and Chicago streets, is a history that contains much interesting reading and the different methods of procedure and the gradual evolution of the little country town, its consolidation with Fort Howard in 1895, and its rapid growth in wealth and importance is a gratifying tribute to the men who at various times have been at the head of city government.
The first policeman was appointed under date of December 7, 1854. Petition from citizens of Green Bay (unanimously signed) asking for the appointment of a watch, as a more efficient protection against the danger of fire. On motion of Alderman Arndt, the marshal was authorized to deliver the fire engine to any fire company that may be organized before the next regular meeting of the council. Previous to that time a volunteer fire company had been organized with
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Charles D. Robinson as chief ; W. P. Knapp, ist assistant, and Israel Green, 2d assistant.
Following this action of the city council, Germania Fire Company No. I was organized, followed almost immediately by Guardian No. 2. It is presumed that the Germania was given the custody of the primitive fire engine, for in Febru- ary, 1855. there is a petition presented signed by firemen and the secretary of Germania No. 1. asking for an appropriation of $1.00 per day to pay for keeping up a fire in the engine house.
The ferry at the foot of Cherry street had been leased by Carlton B. Wheelock, who for years paid the sum of $25.00 per year for the privilege, his assistant being August Spierschneider, and the old gray horse who turned the windlass of the chain, was so faithful in his duty that when turned out to graze he would only allow himself a few moments of respite, then, no matter how tempting the feed, would begin to walk the weary round. Captain Wheelock reports that he ran the ferry at a loss during the year 1855, as he had not been able to effect a landing on the opposite shore as there was no street corresponding to Cherry on the west side of the river and he was obliged to purchase land for a landing place.
An ordinance of April 3. 1855, ordains that every white male inhabitant within the city of Green Bay above the age of twenty-one years or under the age of fifty, for the year 1855. shall be taxed to labor on the streets within the limits of the city for one day, or pay the sum of seventy-five cents for a substitute.
The first recommendation for a plank road on Washington street was filed on July 30, 1856, and the work was later intrusted to J. Wallace Arndt and Charles R. Tyler at the price of $50.00 per rod. This was the first street im- provement commenced in any Brown county town.
LIST OF MAYORS OF GREEN BAY
The mayors of Green Bay from its incorporation in 1854, are:
1854-W. C. E. Thomas. 1872-Charles D. Robinson.
1855-Francis Desnoyers. 1873-Alonzo Kimball.
1850-Harry E. Eastman. 1874- Charles E. Crane. 1857-Harry E. Eastman. 1875-Charles E. Crane. 1858-Burley Follett. 1876-Fred S. Ellis. 1859-Nathan Goodell. 1877-Charles E. Crane.
1860-E. Holmes Ellis. 1878-Charles E. Crane.
1861-llenry S. Baird. 1879-Charles E. Crane. 1862-Henry S. Baird. 1880-John C. Neville. 1863-Burley Follett. 1881-William J. Abrams. 1864-Nathan Goodell. 1882 -- J. H. M. Wigman.
1883-William J. Abrams.
1865-Myron P'. Lindsley. 1866-Charles D. Robinson. 1884-William J. Abrams. 1867-James S. Marshall. 1868-Anton Klaus. 1885-Charles Hartung. 1886-Charles Hartung. 1860-Anton Klaus. 1887-Charles Hartung. 1888-Arthur C. Neville. 1889-Arthur C. Neville.
1870-Anton Klaus. 1871-Alonzo Kimball.
1
DE PERE IN 1856 From an oil painting
GREEN BAY IN 1856 From an oil painting
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
AUTOR, LEMAX APEC TILDER FOUNDATIONL
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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
1890-James HI. Elmore.
1902 .- Joseph 1I. Taylor.
1891-James H. Elmore. 1903-Joseph H. Taylor.
1892-James H. Elmore. 1904-Robert E. Minchan.
1803-James 11. Elmore. 1905-Robert E. Minchan. 1894-James H. Elmore. 1906-Robert E. Minchan.
1895-James H. Elmore. 1907-Robert E. Minchan.
1896-Frank B. Desnoyers. 1908-Winford Abrams.
1897-Frank B. Desnoyers.
1909-Winford Abrams.
1898-Frank B. Desnoyers.
1910-Winford Abrams.
1899-Simon J. Murphy.
1911-Winford Abrams.
1900-Simon J. Murphy.
1912-Winford Abrams.
1901-Simon J. Murphy.
De Pere was incorporated as a village, March 6. 1857. although the first plat of the town was made under authority of the De Pere Hydraulic Company in 1835. In 1837, by a vote of the people of Brown county, De Pere became the county seat and a courthouse was built on the northeast corner of Wisconsin and George streets.
From its first organization it became important from the usefulness or utility of its waterpower, the legislative council of Michigan authorizing William Dickenson, Charles Tullar, and John P. Arndt to build a dam across the Fox river at the head of the rapids in said river, called Rapide Des Peres, in the county of Brown, to erect a mill, or in any other manner to make use of the waterpower created thereby, and to build wharves, warehouses and other buildings, either below or above the dam. On the 8th day of September following, the same parties, with six others, entered into articles of association for the purpose of building said dam, and on the 3rd day of December, 1836, the council and house of representatives of the territory of Wisconsin, incorporated them under the name of the Fox River Hydraulic Company. The following summer, they com- menced building their dam and making other improvements.
On the roth day of March. 1838, the company issued a report and prospectus in which they say: "Eighteen months ago, where stood a solitary dwelling, is now the seat of justice of Brown county, with a splendid court house, jail, a three-story public house, a schoolhouse, postoffice, warehouse and dock, one store, one grocery, one blacksmith shop, one cabinet shop and twenty-eight dwell- ing houses, some of which are the most splendid and best buildings in the territory."
The allusion to the splendor of the De Pere residences at this date probably refers primarily to the beautiful house built by the founder of the city, William Dickenson. It was a spacious and noble dwelling, according to the testimony of contemporaneous writers. The following description of the old house was given in a paper :
De P'ere flashed upon our vision like a dream of fairyland; though in early spring the earth had already spread its carpet of green, dotted here and there by beautiful wild flowers, and the birds were already singing of summer, 'Dickenson's Folly' stood like a grand old castle-in ruins and deserted. We got out of the wagon and walked around the castle, in front of which stood a locust tree apparently many years old." The Vol 1-20
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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
great pillars of this colonial mansion were placed on the porch of the large house built afterward by Captain John Cotton on the heights of Beaupre.
The village officers elected on the incorporation of the village were:
President-Randall Wilcox.
Village Clerk-James T. Reeve.
Board of Trustees-William Field, Jr., John O. Roorback, Thomas C. Morgan, John F. Lessey, Gustave S. Marsh, Edwin C. Merrill.
Village Treasurer-Joseph Keiper.
Village Marshal-William P. Call.
Constable-William Armstrong.
Superintendent-John F. Lessey.
No record can be found of the government prior to 1857, although a town board, as in the town of Howard, probably existed.
De Pere, while still the county seat, is thus described as destined to become the great commercial emporium of the western lakes. "Here commences the grand improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers-here must be made the trans-shipment from lake vessels and steamers to a smaller class of steamboats, plying from this point to St. Louis, on the Mississippi, making De Pere a grand depot for the exports and imports of one of the most fertile countries of the world."
De Pere's manufacturing importance increased yearly. The dam across Fox river at De Pere is fifteen hundred feet long and creates a waterpower unsur- passed by any other in the United States. Charles A. Lawton writes of the growth of manufactures at De Pere :
"In 1843, Joel S. Fisk, erected the first flour mill with a capacity of fifty barrels of flour per day. This mill is known to all as the Dunham mill.
"In 1855. Elias Sorenson established the first shipyard at De Pere. In the same year, Square & Sabine built a sawmill on the West side, which was sold to James Ritchie in 1860.
"In 1856, Wm. A. Kinsley built a mill on the East side. In 1858, Randall Wilcox and Eugene Wager built the stone mill on the site of the present Dousman Milling Company's mill. A stave factory was built on the West side on the new canal, by Seldon & Bliss, in 1864. In the same year, the De Pere Company erected a large building on the West side, which was occupied by C. A. Lawton & Company as a planing mill for a number of years. About this time the manufacturing of De Pere was at its height. In addition to these already men- tioned, the E. E. Bolles W. W. Co., Marsh shingle mill, the old Wilcox sawmill. Rynan's flour mill, Kingsley's sawmill, Ritchie mill, and Andrew Reed's sawmill, all running full force. But in the spring of 1865 the war closed and business was paralyzed, and for several years De Pere made no progress.
"In the spring of 1870, business revived, and the wheels moved once more. and there was added to our manufacturing plants, Collette's stave and sawmill, the Fox River furnace and the National furnace, two factors that had more than any other one thing to do with the clearing up and developing of the farming country. The De Pere Steam Forge and the De Pere Iron Works, in the spring and sun- mer of 1873, were turning out one freight car per day and giving employment to over 100 men. The panic of 1873 changed all this prosperity and sent many of the firms to the wall."
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West De Pere was platted by Dr. Louis Carabin, of Green Bay, who inaug- urated there the first brick kiln in Brown county. It was incorporated as a village in March, 1870. West De Pere outstripped immediately all its sister towns in com- mercial growth, East De Pere and Green Bay competing with it only within com- paratively recent years.
In 1883, the state legislature passed an act incorporating the city of De Pere, comprising what is now the First and Second wards, as also an act to incorporate the City of Nicolet, now the Third and Fourth wards. In 1887, the legislature upon petition changed the name of Nicolet to West De Pere. In 1889, the electors of the two cities voted to consolidate and in 1890, the act was approved by the legislature.
Other manufactures in 1881 were the De Pere Mills, Dunham & Davis, Fox River Mills, Mathias Reynan, Arndt Brothers & Co.'s Mill, "Novelty" Manu- facturing Company, Charles Lawton, president, which has grown into the large plant operated today for the manufacture of motor machinery, under the name of Lawton & Son.
Boat building which was begun at an early day by John P. Arndt and others has its largest plant at the present time in De Pere, the property of D. Kidney, and under the name of the Kidney Boat Building Works. An enormous number of motor boats, canoes and rowboats are turned out each year and shipped to all parts of the United States.
The old stone mill built by Randall Wilcox in 1857 stood until recently on the site of the present milling plant of the John P. Dousman Company.
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