USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume I > Part 42
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
In the Green Bay Advocate of July 10, 1856, in black headlines, are the words, "The Mormons-Beaver Island. The authorities of Mackinac and Washington Harbor are forcing all Mormons to leave Beaver Island. Priest Strang, who is slowly recovering, has arrived at Kenosha with a number of his followers. A few have come to this city (Green Bay) with all their traps and calamities. The authorities have fixed a day for them all to leave the island after which no quarter will be shown them."
On that very date Strang was dying; to his colony on Beaver Island no quarter was shown, and the Mormon deportation was in some respects as pathetic as was that of the Acadians from Nova Scotia long years ago.
A fragment of the colony landed at Green Bay and strayed to the town of Pittsfield, where they made a home and were numbered among the best of its early citizens. Along the Door peninsula are still to be found descendants of the Mormon refugees, and in strolling over the pleasant stretches of Beaver Island only a few blackened logs uncovered some seasons since mark the spot where a king in the early fifties was crowned and reigned in our free republic.
The condition of the industry of brick making around Green Bay may be summarized in the following list of manufactures, their location and product :
Christian Hansen, two and a half miles northeast of Green Bay. Product, hand molded common brick.
Roffers & Albers, south of Green Bay. Common soft mud brick and drain tile, the former both red and cream color.
....
TWO VIEWS OF THE YARDS OF THE GREEN BAY BRICK COMPANY
PUBLIC LIFE>
TILDEA +
331
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
Barkhausen Brick Company, just south of town. Product, both red and cream colored brick, either common or dry press.
John Hockers, south of Green Bay, on the east side of the river. Soft mud common brick, the top clay burning red and the bottom clay white.
John Van Laanen. Common soft mud brick, red with white spots, the latter due to cream burning clay in the mixture.
Duck Creek Brick Company, at Duck Creek, near Green Bay, soft mud common brick, both red and cream color.
Green Bay Brick Company, at Duck Creek, common soft mud brick, both red and cream color.
Brown county's growth, along agricultural lines, has been very great within the past thirty years. It is an interesting study but requires more time and space than can be given in the present history. The Brown County Agricultural Society was inaugurated in 1857, with Henry S. Baird as president. Land was purchased west of Webster avenue, which was then out in the woods, for a fair ground, but the first fair was held on the property now owned by St. Joseph's Academy, in the year preceding the war.
The population is increasing in a greater ratio than the agricultural produc- tion and the demand for such produce, independent of outside consumption, is thus continued active and reliable.
The fertility of the soil, and its advantageous location, have made it an especially favorable point for market gardening. The most important work along this line at an early day was done by John M. Smith of Preble. In the month of October, 1866, Smith purchased three acres of land, with the inten- tion of making a market garden. It was the year the demand for products was immediate, more land was purchased, the business grew and extended until about fifty acres were put under cultivation. This successful experiment in gardening was an incentive to the whole country around. Smaller truck gardens were planted in every direction until the whole county is under cultivation. The report from the Smith gardens for one year was 100,000 bushels of carrots and turnips, 3,000 bushels of onions, and 30,000 bunches of celery, and 100,000 cabbages. Today the figures are far beyond anything imagined at an early day.
Father André, in 1672, kept a record of the rise and fall of the tide in the bay, and for two centuries this phenomena, observable along the great lakes and especially noticeable in Lake Michigan's estuary, Green Bay, was com- mented upon by explorers and travelers. Governor Cass and his party, com- ing to Fort Howard in 1820, encamped on the west bank of Fox river, "a mile above its discharge into the bay," and liere the governor ordered a stake to be driven at the water's edge in order to observe the rise and fall of the tide. Schoolcraft notes in his journal, "The junction of Fox river with Green Bay affords one of the most favorable positions for witnessing a phenomenon which has attracted the attention of travelers from the earliest times, without, how- ever, as yet, having elicited any very satisfactory explanation of an apparently reversed order of nature. I allude to the appearances of a regular tide at this place. In the year 168y the Baron La Hontan, on reaching Green Bay, remarks that where the Fox river is discharged into the bay he observed the water of the lake swell three feet high, in the space of twenty-four hours, and decrease as much in the same length of time. In 1721 Charlevoix remarks similar appear-
332
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
ances .* * * In 1819 Captain Henry Whiting, of the United States army, made a series of observations during seven or eight days, upon these oceanic appearances which serve to show that the water at Green Bay has a rise and fall daily but that it is irregular as to the precise period of flux and reflux and also as to the height it attains. It appeared from frequently inspecting this gauge during the period of our stay, that there was a considerable rise and fall of the water-that there was a difference as to the time consumed in passing from its minimum to its maximum height, and that although it arose against a strong wind blowing out of the river, the rise, under these circumstances, was less than in ordinary cases."
BRIDGES
The bridges in Brown county, at an early day, were built at the expense of the county, the first one being built at De Pere. This was a floating bridge, which dipped perilously when a heavy team passed over it. Green Bay depended entirely on ferry service until 1862, when Walnut street bridge was built. Throughout the county the question of bridges was a serious one. There were many streams like Ashwaubenon creek, Duck creek, the Suamico river, and other good sized streams that required substantial bridging, and caused the county much expense and a constant drain. The county board was kept busy as settlement increased, discussing the best and most economical kind of bridge to be put in the float bridge being the one most used, and on December 14, 1851. a contract was let for a bridge on Duck creek to John P. Arndt. The board voted to have a "good and permanent bridge built on Duck creek where the float bridge now is. Such bridge to be built twelve feet wide with four abutments, to have good sound two inch plank, and good railing on each side, and be six feet above the usual high water, good substantial string pieces, well finished, and the ends of said bridge are to be graded and filled in such a manner that it will be easy to get on and off."
The first bridge across Fox river was built at De Pere in 1850-51 and a float bridge across East river in 1856, but the ferry did service between Green Bay and Fort Howard until Walnut street bridge was built in 1862.
The bridges now put in by the board throughout the county are usually of stone or concrete, solid and good to look at, with low parapet and strong piers.
A fine steel bridge connects the two De Peres and there is also one at Wrights- town and across Plum creek. Bridging Fox river at Green Bay are three, for passengers and vehicles, the one across Walnut street being a large leaf bascule structure completed in 1910. The Manitowoc extension line of the Chicago & Northwestern has a solidly built stone structure crossing Fox river in Allouez, the Kewaunee & Western has one at the mouth of Fox river, as has also the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul just north of Porlier street.
( Reference for Chapter XXVII : State Agricultural Reports. )
CHAPTER XXVIII
COUNTY AND TOWN INSTITUTIONS
The institutions under the control of the county board are the Brown county poor farm, the county asylum in the town of Preble and the county workhouse. the latter in the town of Ashwaubenon, erected in 1895. The management of these institutions is excellent. The State reformatory in the town of Allonez, a large institution, is located on high ground overlooking the river and on the line of the East De Pere electric line.
On September 16, 1892, a franchise was granted to Jackson I. Case and Charles Il. Holmes to construct and operate a street railway, "the cars to be run by electricity" in Green Bay, and in July, 1894, the first car made its initial trip under the name of the Fox River Electric Company. The Green Bay Traction Company now operates interurban lines to Duck Creek, East De Pere, West De Pere and Little Rapids, and connects on the west side at Kaukauna with a continuous line to Oshkosh and other Fox river valley cities. Ridge Point, a beautiful and extensive park on the shores of Fox river, is owned by the Interurban Traction Company.
On August 24, 1894, David McCartney, of Fort Howard, obtained a charter from the city council to construct an electric railway in the city of Fort How- ard. The road was incorporated and built by McCartney that same year. The road ran from Broadway west on Kellogg street to Oakland avenue, south on that street to Union park then east on Third street to Broadway and north to the starting point. It proved a great convenience to a limited number but was discontinued after a few years, the Traction Company gaining control of the line. The electric interurban runs through the towns of Howard, Ashwaubenon, Lawrence, De Pere, Allonez, and a continuation of the Green Bay street railway takes in part of the town of Preble.
BROWN COUNTY BAR
The Brown County Bar Association was organized April 4, 1857, with Henry S. Baird, president, and E. H. Ellis, secretary. Thirteen members signed the constitution : David Agry, James H. Howe, J. F. Loy, Joseph F. Dickenson, Timothy O. Howe, Myron P. Lindsley, John Last, John C. Neville, James S. Baker, S. B. A. Haynes, Orlo B. Graves and B. J. Brown. H. S. Baird con- tinned to preside until his death in 1875. He was succeeded by John C. Neville. On the death of Mr. Neville in 1898, E. H. Ellis became the president of the bar and he in turn was succeeded by John H. M. Wigman, the present incum- bent.
In 1861 when the county was divided into three districts the system of supervisors was changed to the one originally in use, of three commis-
333
33-
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
sioners, one for each district to administer the affairs of the county. The last meeting of the old board of supervisors was held December 18. 1861, "which is the last session of the Brown County Legislature," so the clerk, M. P. Linds- ley records. The members of this last board of supervisors, according to the old law, were: John Last, chairman; Charles L. Wheelock, Green Bay city ; John P. Dousman, Bellevue ; Roswell Morris, Fort Howard ; Con Doherty. Glenmore ; D. Duquaine, Green Bay ; L. LaPlante, Scott : J. Jubelius, Humboldt ; B. Hart, Holland; Dominick Brunette, Jr., Howard; D. Harkness, Lawrence ; Chris Knutz, Morrison : Caspar Hansen, New Denmark: Patrick Burns, Eaton; C. P. Aldrich, Preble ; H. P. Hayden, Pittsfield : William Cashman, Rockland : John Brill, Suamico; R. G. Thompson, Wrightstown; J. S. King. De Pere; William Field, Jr., Village of De Pere.
The first commissioners under the new law were Henry S. Baird, chairman ; Randall Wilcox, De Pere; and Chauncey N. AkIrich, Preble; and was called the "New County Board." These commissioners held until January 11, 1864, when Randall Wilcox and Henry S. Baird were replaced by John Last and Michael Quinn, C. N. Aldrich continuing from the former board. In 1866, John Last, C. N. Aldrich and James Buck in place of Quinn. January 2, 1867, H. S. Baird, William Cashman, Rockland; and C. N. Aldrich; 1868, Henry S. Baird, William J. Fisk, Patrick Hobbins. The last three were serving in May. 1871. when the former system of a supervisor for each town was resumed. Frederick S. Ellis was elected chairman. The other members constituting the board at their first meeting were: Joseph Thomas, Bellevue; John Cook, De Pere : B. F. Smith, De Pere village; Joseph Dunk, Eaton; W. J. Fisk. Fort Howard: Gerhard Oldenburgh, Fort Howard: J. J. Rasmussen, Fort Howard ; Andrew E. Elmore, Fort Howard; Cornelius Doherty, Glenmore: Guillaume Mainsart, Green Bay: W. C. E. Thomas, Green Bay; Christian Woelz, Green Bay : Patrick Dockry, Holland ; Guillaume Tillens. Humboldt: David Harkness. Lawrence: John G. Grosse, Morrison: Matthew Lewis, New Denmark.
The office of County Clerk was inaugurated with the first meeting of the County Board of Supervisors in 1848. The following is the list of those who have held office in Brown county since that date, to the present time.
LIST OF COUNTY CLERKS
John V. Suydam, 1849-1850. Earl S. Goodrich, 1851-1852.
William Field, Jr., 1853-1854.
Myron P. Lindsley, 1855-1850. Lucian B. Wright, 1857-1858. Oscar Gray, 1859-1800. Myron P. Lindsley, 1861-1868.
John B. Eugene, 1869-1870.
Matthew J. Meade. 1871-1879. Patrick Ryan, 1879-1892. Dan H. Martin, 1893-1904. Elmer S. Hall, 1905-1913.
335
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
LIST OF THE CHAIRMEN OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM 1848 TO 1913
Randall Wilcox, De Pere, 1848-1852. Jonathan Wheelock, Lawrence, 1852-1853. John P. Arndt, Green Bay Borough, 1853-1854. Jonathan Wheelock, 1854. Disqualified by removal from town of Lawrence. Andrew Reid, elected to chairmanship.
Daniel W. King, Green Bay city. 1855-1856. John P. Arndt, 1856-1857. Lorenzo Brown, Bellevue, 1857-1858. David Agry, Green Bay city, 1858-1860. John Last, Green Bay city, 1860-1861. Henry S. Baird, Green Bay city, 1861-1864. John Last. 1864-1867. Henry S. Baird, 1867-1870. Frederick S. Ellis, Green Bay city, 1870-1876. John Last, 1876-1878. B. F. Smith, De Pere, 1878-1879. J. J. Rasmussen, Aslıwaubenon, 1879-1884. MI. P. Persons, De Pere, 1884-1887. J. J. Rasmussen, 1887-1895. Henry F. Hagemeister, Green Bay city, 1895-1898. John M. Hogan, Preble, 1898-1899. Anton Boex, De Pere. 1899-1900. H. F. Hagemeister, 1900-1904. Paul Scheuring, West De Pere, 1904-1913.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR BROWN COUNTY 1912-1913
The present list of supervisors is Paul Scheuring, chairman ; W. E. Burdeau, vice chairman : Elmer S. Hall, clerk.
Green Bay City- First Ward. Chris Vande Sande. Second Ward, Joseph L. Thomas. Third Ward, August Bodart. Fourth Ward. N. Feldhausen. Fifth Ward, E. W. Servotte. Sixth Ward. James Reed. Seventh Ward, Fred A. Bowser. Eighth Ward, T. J. Oliver. De Pere City- First Ward, Fred Altmayer. Second Ward, Jacob Guerts. Third Ward. Paul Scheuring. Fourth Ward, William Counihan. Allouez-Eric Wiese. Ashwaubenon-M. J. Malloy. Bellevue-Peter Boerschinger. Depere-John Denoble. Eaton-John Rozek.
336
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
Gienmore-Walter Brotski.
Green Bay-Desire Ferrier. Hobart J. A. Powless.
Holland- - Patrick Setright. Howard -. George J. Cormier.
Humboldt-Ilerman Ileurkens. Lawrence-Thomas Cavil.
Morrison-Tim E. Dorsey.
New Denmark-H. F. Buckman.
Pittsfield E. G. Boyden.
Preble --- Phil. Haevers. Rockland -- Thomas Dillon. Scott Edward Greenwood.
Suamico W. E. Burdeau.
Wrightstown- John F. Manders.
Wrightstown Village-Lewis Knuth. Pulaski Village ---- 11. T. Peplinski.
The present handsome and commodious courthouse was finished in 1910, at a cost of $400,000. The special committee having the erection of the court house in charge were: Paul Scheuring, W. E. Burdeau, F. A. Bowser, Chas. Caughlin, Thos. Dillon, Jos. H. Servotte, H. E. Metzner.
On entering the building the mural decorations attract instant attention, two large paintings representing the "Landing of Jean Nicolet" and "Old Fort Howard," the latter from the well known daguerreotype taken in 1851. How Major Haller, an officer stationed at Fort Howard in 1850, told in a letter writ- ten some years ago how the picture was taken: "I employed an artist then in Green Bay to take a daguerreotype of Old Fort Howard in October, 1851, from the balcony of Thomas Green's hotel, the Washington House. He left his camera open too long the first trial, and agreed to count fifteen only, and then close it. On the second trial I was to pay the price of the picture whether good, bad or indifferent.
"The second trial was a most perfect success. The buildings and flags were perfect but above all the blue of the sky and white clouds were there, true to nature in color as well as form.
"While the artist was taking the scene I stood on the small board wharf riin- ning out into the river as if I had just landed while the boatmen were in the act of shoving the boat away.
It is fitting that the history of Brown county should close with this last glimpse of the old fort, which is perpetuated by the County Board on the spa- cious walls of the new courthouse. As years go by, and the county increases in wealth and importance the sources from which all this prosperity and progress have sprung, the first epoch-making years of Brown county will grow in value and interest.
As those who lived in the old time took pride in their county, in its gradual growth and widening influence and were intensely loyal to the vision of its great- ness ; so we of today should be doubly proud of old Brown, for its great past history, for its grasp of higher economic conditions, for its beauty of landscape, its unexhausted resources and the promise of greater good that it holds for the coming years.
-
BROWN COUNTY COURTHOUSE
AUTOR, LENOX ANE TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
BROWN COUNTY MISCELLANY
T. O. IIOWE POST NO. 124
T. O. Howe Post, No. 124, Department of Wisconsin, Grand Army of the Republic, was organized December 29, 1883, with the following charter mem- bers: Dennis J. Murphy, Joseph Rubens, A. Howland, B. F. Garlock, Leander Blair, John Atkinson, Alex Gillis, Chas. M. Daggett, J. P. Macy, James Sprague, J. H. Leonard, J. I. Foote, Charles Enoch, E. A. Phillips, H. J. Huntington, Nicholas Gill, Edward Lefebvre, John B. Willis, Chas. Photenhauer, Michael Durocher, W. T. Moger, Julius Schraum, B. C. Brett, (). L. Harder, John M. Shoemaker, Ernst Nebel. H. J. Huntington, post commander ; John Shoe- maker, adjutant. At present, Edward P. Weise is post commander, and Julian W. Hinkley, adjutant. The Post has quarters in the Brown county court house.
FIRST BASEBALL TEAM IN BROWN COUNTY
A recital of historical events "up to date" could not be said to be complete without mentioning matters pertaining to our great national sport-baseball. In this respect, Green Bay can lay claim to being well up among the first to start a club to play games with clubs in other cities. In 1866, on May 5th, a meet- ing was held in Empire hall, located in the Earl building where the Kellogg bank now stands. At this meeting the following officers were elected: President, A. W. Kimball; vice president, J. Leslie Cady; secretary, John M. Norris; treasurer, Seymour Butler ; directors, John J. Tracy, L. S. Saner and Charles D. Suydam. The name adopted for the club was the "Stars." Great enthusiasm was shown at this meeting and it was decided to commence practicing at once. A committee was appointed to locate a ground and this committee selected and laid out a field in the block on Monroe street between Quincy, Doty and Stu- art, the home base being about where the Lowert house now stands. Only a part of the infield was actually fit for ball purposes, in the vicinity of second and third base, and beyond, and it was all stubble and hillocks from the roots of old ce- dars and hazel bushes, but it served a purpose to commence with and practice was diligently and very patiently pursued at stated times, when weather would permit, for about a month.
A second meeting was called on June 8th, and at this meeting quite a mem- bership was enrolled and two teams were selected from among those who showed they could play. Again practicing was pursued and on July 4th two teams were mustered up and played their first game for the public to witness. Owing to the many other attractions for that day there was a very small at- tendance and only five innings were played, the score being 24 to 35. The game Vol. 1-22
337
338
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
was brought to an abrupt ending by a piece of playing not exactly according to the rules. L. S. Saner, who was pitching, and Chet G. Wilcox, who was catching for one of the sides, took it into their heads to both try to catch the same fly ball, the result was much like two trains approaching and trying to pass each other on the same track-result. a collision, Wilcox's elbow found a lodging plump in Saner's mouth. The damage done consisted in two of Saner's teeth disappearing in some way which were never found and Wilcox lying stunned for a while on the ground.
In the meantime Oshkosh was waking up and organized a club under the name of "Everetts," of which Henry ( Ilank ) Harshaw was one of the moving spirits. He paid a visit to this city and proposed that the two clubs meet in the near future and play a game. It was finally decided and the first game was played in this city on August 30th. The team representing the "Stars" con- sisted of A. W. Kimball, catcher; L. S. Saner, pitcher ; John M. Norris, short- stop: Leslie Cady, first base; Chet. G. Wilcox, second base; Seymour Butler, third base; Himes, left field; Charles Suydam, right field ; and John J. Tracy. center field. The grounds they had up to this time were hardly fit to play games on with outside teams so a new location was found "upon the hill" in the block surrounded by Jackson, Van Buren, Chicago and Mason streets, an ideal and good level field being found there, and the game with the Oshkosh team took place there. The game resulted in a victory for the Oshkosh boys by a score of 51 to 48, the visitors making 17 runs in their first inning while the home boys scored but a lone run in theirs. After this first inning, however, the boys seemed to have recovered from their apparent "stage fright" so they kept steadily reducing this big lead for the next three innings. In the next two in- nings, however, the visitors scored 10 runs to the Stars 5, but in the last three innings the boys scored 19 runs to the visitors 5, having given the visitors two "goose eggs"-considered wonderful in those days.
A return game was arranged for to be played at Oshkosh on September nith. A little change was made in the lineup of the Stars, Mather Kimball and Fred W. Basche playing instead of Himes and Tracy. Kimball playing at third, Butler and Basche in the field. In this game both teams showed excellent train- ing.
FELIX JOANNES.
THE COMING OF THE FIRST GERMANS
In 1842 the first Germans arrived in Brown county. settling in and about Green Bay. Of these Mr. Albert Weise was first to land here, having met Judge Arndt in Newark, New Jersey, who persuaded him to travel with him, promising him employment in his shipyards located on the shore of Fox river, corner of Washington and Stuart streets. Mr. Weise hailed from Saxe-Thüringen, a most beautiful and romantic country ; many of our Germans were at home in this picturesque land of the Thüringer wald or forest.
After a few years of hard work at building carts and carpentering in the Arndt shipyards Mr. Weise built wagon-shops on Walnut street, corner of Madison, being a wagon-maker by trade, giving employment to many Germans. His good mother, Caroline Weise Straubel (by second marriage) with her husband, arrived in 1847, making a home for themselves and children on
€
THE STARS-FIRST BASEBALL TEAM IN BROWN COUNTY
(From Left to Right of Picture)
Jack Parish Mather Kimball-John Day Will King- Chet Wilcox-Lewis Tyler E. J. Shaylor- George Saulsbury Weston Kimball
PUBLIC LIEK, !
AUTOR, LENDA ANE TILDEA POLAZAIONI
339
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
Monroe avenue, close to Walnut street. There the good people harbored all Germans coming from the long and perilous journey, giving a bed of straw and comforter on the attic floor when no other space was available, but always broth- erly love and harborage for the stranger in a strange land. Among those who found shelter here were Albert and Fred Scheller, of Thüringen, the former a tailor, the latter a millwright who became a much respected farmer of Preble. Descendants of both reside in Green Bay and on the Preble farm. The Zeutzius family of Bay Settlement arrived on the same boat with Mr. Weise. Heinrich Möller, Carl, Edward and Emil Rothe arrived a few years later. The first mentioned, with the aid of Mr. Kapp, built the Moravian church in 1852.
Joseph Fohrman, Paul Fox and Mr. Juley, a tailor, arrived the latter part of 1842, emigrating from Cochem-on-the-Rhine. Mr. Fohrman erected the first brick building in the county, a two-story square house with flat roof on which Mannebach's band gave a concert to celebrate the completion of so stately a home in the wilds of Brown county. The brick used was shipped from Buffalo. This house stands on Adams street between Doty and Stuart. The roof has been changed and an addition built, and members of the Fohrman family occupy the home.
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.