History of Buffalo County Wisconsin 10847607, Part 29

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USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > History of Buffalo County Wisconsin 10847607 > Part 29

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From the notes on " Pioneers " and their lives we find that in 1840 Thomas A. Holmes, and Major Hatch must have been living at Holmes' Landing (Fountain City) and might have been enum- erated. Holmes was probably there in 1845 also, and there were others at the place then and in 1850, but if enumerated at all, were included in some large district between Black and Buffalo Rivers. In the following enumeration I have used the Census Report of 1885, supplemented by inquiries made at other sources.

POPULATION.

413

CENSUS OF 1885. ENUMERATION.

TOWNS, VILLAGES AND CITIES.

WHITE.

TOTAL.

Male.

Female.

Alma

414

333

747

Alma (City)

811

710

1,521

Belvidere

407

351

758

Buffalo

354

300

654

Buffalo (City)

136

134

270

Canton

388

343

731

Cross

356

325

681

Dover

375

339

714

Fountain City, village

487

479

966

Gilmanton

346

285

631

Glencoe

434

368

802

Lincoln

316

294

610

Maxville

415

343

758

Milton

222

213

435

Modena

399

385

784

Mondovi (340 in vill.)

487

. 457

944

Montana

489

469

958

Nelson

1,133

635

1,768

Naples

418

379

794

Waumandee

500

454

954

Total

8,887

7,596

16,483

No colored persons in the county in 1885.

TABULAR STATEMENT, SHOWING THE NATIVITY OF THE POPULATION OF BUFFALO COUNTY.

United States

10,771.

Germany .

3,409.

Great Britain

163.

Ireland

342.

France.

22.

British America

161.

Scandinavia

1,323.

Holland.

39.

Bohemia

25.

All others

228.

Total

16,483.

414

POPULATION.

The only thing correct in the above is the addition. It is true, the distribution is quite ingenious, and offers a handsome oppor- tunity to hide the more important facts behind statements that may or may not be correct, and are hardly worth while disputing, A person born of German parents is certainly of German descent, though born in the United States. The part of our population of German descent must be set down as between seven and eight thousand. Ten of the towns and corporations of the county are almost entirely inhabited by Germans, while in Nelson one third, in Cross perhaps one half, and Glencoe and Canton and other towns quite a number must be added. In this we must, of course, count in the Swiss, since they have no separate column, and can not very well be placed anywhere else. Most of them are actually of German descent, since the German is their native language. As with the Germans, so it is with the Scandinavians and the Irish. As to the natives of France, I would like to see the twenty-two Frenchmen, whose native language is the French, and who have lived in this county in 1885. Fifteen years before, there might have been that many persons born in the empire of France, but just about that time they were forcibly expatriated, their native country being annexed to Germany. If there are thirty-nine Hol- landers, genuine Dutch, in this county, it is strange, that I never got acquainted with any one of them. There may be some, who understand that language, or are from a part of Germany under Netherland sovereignity, the principality of Limburg, for in- stance. As for natives of Bohemia, I think I can count upon my fingers more than fifty, of whom about ten are of Czechish descent, the remainder of German. Who, then, is a Bohemian? And who are those of all other nativities? For the historian this table is of no value.

There would be some excuse for this report, if a politician could gather any instruction from it, but even for that it is unfit. There is but little purpose in analyzing our present population according to the nativity of each individual, but something might be said of the location of the different nationalities. By na- tionality I only mean to indicate people of the same descent, using habitually the same language in their family intercourse and their religious assemblies, this being the only true distinction between Americans, Germans, Norwegians, Irish and Scotch among our

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416

POPULATION.

combined. The town of Maxville contains a very mixed popu- lation, Scotch, Irish, a few Germans, some Norwegians, but prob- ably a majority of Americans. Almost the same might be said of the town of Canton, although I know of no Scotch family in it, and the Germans are much more numerous than in Maxville. The Town of Mondovi has a populous settlement of Norwegians in its southwestern part with some in the southeast corner. There are a few Irish families also, but the town is certainly American in its character. The town of Naples contains a majority of Norwe- gians, the southern and eastern part being almost entirely settled by thein, while they are scattered along the north end also. This is as nearly as I can give it the ethnographical distribution of the population of this county. with perhaps the exception of the Poles or Polanders. They are scattered along the edge towards Trem- pealeau County in which they are certainly more numerous than in ours. A population may, of course, be arranged or distributed on other principles, but this should be done in discussing other topics, for instance agriculture and manufacturing, or perhaps re- ligion or politics. A few comparisons are perhaps of some interest. The population of Buffalo County is one ninety-fifth or a little more than one per cent of the population of the state of Wisconsin.

The militia, that is those men who are fit and would be liable for militia service in case of necessity, is 17} per cent of the popu- lation. Resident veterans number about one-tenth of the militia or 12 per cent of the population.

According to the census of 1885 there are 8887 males and 7595 females, an excess of 1292 males. I am indebted to the State Historical Society for an abstract of every census taken since Buf- falo County had a separate political existence.

Census of 1855= 832 GAIN.

" 1860= 3,864=3,032 = 364 + per cent.

¥ " 1865= 6,776=2,912 = 75 +

" 1870=11,123=4,347 = 64 +

" 1875=14,219=3,096 = 28 -

16 " 1880=15,528=1,309 = 9 +

" 1885=16,483= 955 == 6 +

In the above table the plus sign (+) means a small fraction more than the percentage stated; the minus sign (-) means a small

417

POPULATION.

fraction less. According to this table the average gain was as follows:

From 1855 to 1860 = 73 - per cent per annum,

1860 " 1865 = 15 + 1865 " 1870 = 13 -

1870 “ 1875 6-

1875 - 1880 = 2- 1880 " 1885 = 1 +

It being a rule established by experience that the population of a free country, in times of peace and ordinary conditions of life, would increase about 2} per cent every year, or 25 per cent in ten years, we are naturally curious as to what may have caused the startling decline in the increase of our population. One of these causes is the direct emigration from our county to points farther west, where it helped to create such gains in population as we have had in "that blissful, never to be forgotten age, when everything was better than it has ever been since, or ever will be again," as Diedrich Knickerbocker says in his "History of New York." An- other cause was the rapid falling off of European immigration since 1870, especially from Germany. The former large gain in every year could not come from any other source than immigra- tion, natural increase amounting at that time to but little, when many of the settlers were unmarried men, and there was some dif- ficulty to get married, for a partner was not very easily found. By the time immigration began to decline we might have hoped for a natural increase, but then, or soon thereafter, the rush for the west- ern country began. From about 1880 until 1884 there was, for in- stance, an actual decrease in the number of persons of school age; that is, of the age from 4 to 20 years. Emigration, though not en- tirely stopped, is now no longer alarmingly numerous, and as people of all kinds of creeds or opinions conform to the biblical precept to "increase and multiply," we may hope to see the stand- ard of increase in our population elevated to the normal level after a while.

Our present population is about twenty times as large as that of thirty years ago. Its density is equal to a little less than 24 persons to the mile on the general average. In some towns there is less, and in the cities and villages there is much greater density.

The density of population in the town of Canton is a little over

418

POPULATION.

and in the town of Dover it is a little under twenty persons to the square mile, or about 32 acres to every person. In the town of Naples the density is twenty-six and one-half; in that of Mondovi, outside of the village, for which I made allowance of one square mile, it is but 17 and one-fourth. Of other towns, which are ir- regular in shape, it is not very easy to calculate the density, and, after all, the calculation of the average amounts practically to but little, except for the purposes of comparison.

Something perhaps, is expected to be said of the character of our population, though on the other side it must be remem- bered, that as a unit, or taken altogether, it can scarcely be ex- pected to possess such a thing. Having grown to twenty times its original bulk during thirty years, it has continually changed the relative proportions of its constituent elements, and although the last census claims that the greater part of it was born in the United States, there was perhaps not more than one-third of it actually born in Buffalo County. To write a characteristic of the preponderating nationalities seems like carrying "coal to New- castle," or, to use a more local comparison, "water into the Missis- sippi." When the county has once grown twice as old as it now is, there will be some occasion for analyzing the character of its pop- ulation, as by that time the amalgamation of the elementary con- stituents has had a reasonable time for its accomplishment. If, however, we would characterize the population with regard to the occupations or industries by which they are living, or which are carried on by them, we may set down the great majority as farm- ers or cultivators of the soil, and the remainder as engaged in such manufactures and employments as are intimately connected with agriculture, either in working up its produce, or in disposing of its surplus, and furnishing means for carrying it on. The only ex- ception is the Beef Slough Company, whose business is to handle logs in transit, while our local saw mills do not much more than furnish lumber required in housing the agricultural population and the products of its industry, be the same grain or live stock. The part of the population which is in no way connected with agriculture or the manipulation of its products is very small. Merchants we have in sufficient number, but very few of them have entirely cut off the trade in all kinds of produce, while mills, breweries, creameries and cheese factories draw their raw material

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420

POPULATION.

Wherever there is a considerable population there is what is facetiously called "society." This is not the voluntary or involun- tary association of individual persons for mutual benefits usually called human society. This form or grade of society has long ago been superseded by the state and organizations connected therewith. "Society" is actually not so much an association as the effect of an assumption, that certain persons are by some criterion to be recog- nized as suitable companions, and that this recognition is to be mutual and exclusive .. Hence not every body belongs to "Society." The criterion or standard of decision for or against recognition as a member of "Society" is a certain submission, more or less exact- ing, to a code of manners and habits of thought and expression rather arbitrarily adopted or thoughtlessly imitated. Somebody has defined manners as minor morals, but to the impartial ob- server, and to the student of history, it is doubtful whether any kind of morals had particular influence on a person's standing in what is to be understood by "Society" as defined above. I will not, however, increase the number of those who rail at Society ; it is sufficiently large already, and its labors have but seldom had the desired effect. I intend merely to put on record that "Society" existed at an early period in our county. The doings of Society at that time were, as very often at the present, manifested by and at social gatherings called balls. In order to distinguish these balls from the concurrence of other people for dancing and drink- ing, Society issued "invitations." A proof of this is the following relic found among papers of Mr. Peter Polin:

NEW YEARS BALL.

SIR :- The company of Yourself and Lady is respectfully solicited to attend at a Ball given at the

ALMA HOUSE ON FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 31st, 1858.

MANAGERS:

Mr. Palen, Alma.

J. S. Lewis, 1 Fountain City.

S. Loomis, S

F. Fetter,

F. Brown, Buffalo V.

M. Gaser, Buffalo City.

M. J. Prindle, Durand.

John Lagore, Mondovi.

Wils. Crippin, Nelson.

Wm. Coon, Eau Claire.

Floor Manager-W. H. Gates.

Music by the Mondovi Band. Tickets $2.50. Alma, December 10, 1858. (Free Press Print, Eau Claire.)

421

POPULATION.

I am indebted to Mr. Martin Polin for communicating the above. There are a few curious features in it, and most of the names suggest reminiscences of persons and things now almost for- gotten. A few explanations and corrections are needed to make the matter intelligible to the younger generation.

Mr. Palen meant Mr. Polin; Mr. S. Loomis may have been at Alma, but was probably at Gilmanton, the "Loomis' Settlement" as it was then called; Buffalo V. probably meant Buffalo Village, the beginning of the City of Belvidere, which has now disappeared, except from the record. I don't remember any F. Brown in that place, although I came to Buffalo City about three months after the date of the above. J. S. Lewis meant John D. Lewis; Mr. Gaser was J. J. Gasser, a native of Unter-Hallau, Canton of Schaff- hausen, Switzerland, to which place he afterwards returned. He was a son-in-law of. Dr. Wm. Spuehr, then living on the Sand Prairie in the town of Eagle Mills. I do not recollect much of him, although I probably saw him before he departed with his wife in a skiff, intending to go to Cincinnati, as I was told. His wife died on that trip. John Lagore is John Legore, still living at the town of Naples, of which at present he is chairman. The other names are given all right, and well known to most old settlers with the exception of Wm. Coon of Eau Claire. I do not consider any one of those named on the invitation as a typical society man. The Alma House mentioned in the invitation is the same built and kept as early as 1855 by John R. Hurlburt and his wife, well and gratefully remembered by many of the pioneers. It was af- terwards kept by W. H. Gates, then by Squire J. A. Hunner, and after him by S. S. Cooke. Under the latter two it was called the American House. It passed into the hands of Jacob Warninger, and served as a tenement house until it burned down August 23, 1885. It has not since been rebuilt.

From the general tenor and form of the invitation it must be inferred that the proposed ball was an American arrangement, for if it had been a German one there would have been more German names on the invitation, and those probably spelled correctly. The wide range over which managers had been picked up also indi- cates the same, and I venture to say that neither the Fountain City people nor any outside of Alma attended, except, perhaps, Mr. Loomis and Mr. Legore. As for the execution of the invita-

422

POPULATION.

tion, it was passingly well printed on the first and embossed leaf of a small sheet, much as such things are done now-a-days. It must not be concluded from the issue of this invitation that only those were admitted who received it, for in that case the affair would not have paid. But whether it did pay or not the historian is not informed. Naturally, Society has prospered and multiplied among us, and an elite exists, for which, of course, the cities and villages afford the best opportunities of growth and display. It has well been said that it takes a great many different people to make the world, and there is evidently room enough for them, and still some left for those who consider themselves entitled to especial privileges, because they are not like other people. After all, the exclusiveness claimed and practiced by this so-called "Society" is harmless enough, and easily kept up, since the wise will not in- trude into it. The great majority of our population agree with the wise.

One great difference between society arrangements of to-day and thirty years ago is, that managers for balls need not be picked up over three counties, they are to be had in abundance in every village, and sometimes those try to manage the ball or the floor, who can not manage themselves temporarily. Whether any- thing similar to the last named circumstance happened in earlier times, may be suspected, but evidence is wanting. There is one Cause, which is now at the bottom of the above mentioned "So. ciety " movement. It is the growing prevalence of young people. There have never been two persons, no matter how nearly they were related,who in every respect agreed in thought and action. We do not even always agree with ourselves. But when the dif. ferences of age are combined with those of education, of experience and of numberless other conditions, it would be very singular, if they would not manifest themselves. The fact is that our young folks have never experienced the hard times of their fathers, and do not believe in their modes of thinking and procedure. They consider themselves much wiser, or at any rate smarter, and they also consider everything smart, that differs from ordinary ways and ideas. While it is laudable to strive for progress, it is also not without good reason, to think of the exertions by which the foun- dations of all progress had to be built up. The possession of the means for an easier life, for more extended enterprises, is, however,

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424

EDUCATION.

Theoretically, education means the development of all the human faculties, but in the application of this definition there are so many differences as there are heads to digest the aim and devise the means of accomplishing it. The popular, not to say vulgar, idea of education is that of an accumulation of knowledge without much regard to its intrinsic value, its logical correctness, and its general utility. And in practice education is very often the restraint of human minds by straight-jackets of many fashions, by shackles and manacles worked out by cranks and fanatics, and denominated sciences and systems. These systems and pretended sciences are born of definitions, hatched and pampered by more definitions and finally die of a surfeit of definitions, if they escape being strangled by common sense. Some people have an idea that education is synonymous with scholarship, and that, there- fore, it begins and ends in the schoolroom. Men of experience, possessed of the necessary candor to confess the mistakes they may have committed in common with other folks, will speak dif- ferently. They know and will admit, that education is begun long before the child is old enough to enter school, and that there are but too many children for whom in school hardly more can be done than to conquer their perverse habits, especially their thoughtlessness and restlessness. Nor does education end in the schoolroom, if it ever ends during a person's life. There are pupils who are docile and impressible enough, who will cram their heads full of all kinds of scholastic material, but never acquire the habit of keeping it fresh, bright and available by making use of it, while there are others who are perhaps not passive enough to re- reive and retain a great quantity of information, but who, either for natural combativeness and ambition, or sometimes by force of adverse circumstances develope into very useful and even dis.

425

EDUCATION.

tinguished members of human society. Some are profound and slow, others are shallow and quick, many are ambitious and un- scrupulous, so that there are as many shades and colors of mental difference as there are individuals to be educated. Perhaps the same facts appear different to different observers, and as there is neither a yardstick nor a microscope to determine with any exactness who is right or wrong, every one adheres to his or her own opinions, occasionally seeking to defend the same by skulking behind a bulwark of systems and throwing invectives at every op- ponent. But returning to facts and history, I have to state that I shall not inquire into the possible presence or absence of educa- tion of the supposed pre-historic and the waning race, having dis- posed of these under the proper heads of Moundbuilders and Indians. Hence we have only to inquire into the ways and means of education provided by the permanent settlers, the beginning, progress and present status of all the arrangements developed for the purposes of education, as it is understood among the people, whether this understanding is entirely correct and comprehensive enough or not. Every one of the early settlers came from a civil- ized country and had such an education as opportunity. had af- forded to him, and there were not a few among them, who felt and deplored what apeared to them a total or partial want in that mat- ter, and all were generally determined that their children should have as good or better oportunities as they themselves had had. It is, however, clear to every body, that a few men, or a few families, could not begin to start a school, and it is equally clear that we must live, before we can study. The population, rapidly as it increased during the first five or seven years (1853-1860) was at the time of the organization of the county small and dispersed over a large district, so that there were actually but few in the same place or neighborhood. An inquiry made at the office of the State Super- intendent of Public Instruction reveals the fact that the first report to that office of the schools of Buffalo County was made in 1856, three years after the initial steps for the organization of the county. Every citizen knows, or ought to know, that the constitution of our state provides for the education of all the children of proper age living within its boundaries.

Certain organizatory arrangements had to be made for the pur- pose by laws and this organization may be sketched as follows;

426

EDUCATION.

a. Each town was by the Town Superintendent divided into school districts, each of which was governed by the district board.

b. The Town Superintendent had to license teachers and to report to the County Clerk, the district clerks having to report to himself.

c. The County Clerk had to make the report for the whole county to the State Superintendent.

d. Other laws were similar to present practice, and have since been only revised and enlarged.

It being a constitutional provision that the revenues of the State School Fund were to be divided according to the number of persons of school age, or from 4 to 20 years, a census had to be taken annually in every district, and as there is no such census extant previous to-1956 it is probable that no school district was formed before 1855 In looking up the real estate transactions of Jos. Berni I find that not earlier than 1856 he transferred a certain piece of land to School District No. 1 of the Town of Belvidere, one of the earliest districts, certainly one of the three reported the same year. "There is some reason to suppose that school was kept in the district during the winter 1855-56. The same must be con- sidered for the other two districts, of which one was in the Town of Belvidere, and the other in the town of Buffalo, the latter evidently at Fountain City. It would be a historical curiosity to know who acted as town-superintendents in the two towns. In the town of Belvidere, for instance, there were always but very few who were competent for that office, and I apprehend that this was at that time generally the case, even in towns settled almost exclusively by Americans. It is true that everybody feels competent to criti- cise the teacher, but that is not to be wondered at, since most citi- zens feel competent to exercise their dearest privilege of criticising. every thing and everybody from the President and the whole gov- ernment of the United States down to his humblest neighbor.

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History of Buffalo County Wisconsin 10847607, Part 29

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