History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 42

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298

USA > Wisconsin > Richland County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 42
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > 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).

"The village of the Prairie des Chiens is situated about one league above the mouth of the Ouisconsin [Wisconsin] river. On the east bank of the river there is a small pond or marsh which runs parallel to the river in the rear of the town, which, in front of the marsh, consists of eighteen dwelling houses, in two streets; six- teen in Front street, and two in First street. In the rear of the pond are eight dwelling houses; part of the houses are framed, and in place of weather-boarding, there are small logs let into mortises made in the uprights joined close, daubed on the outside with clay, and handsomely whitewashed within. The inside furniture of their houses is decent, and indeed, in those of the most wealthy displays a degree of elegance and taste.

"There are eight houses scattered round the country, at the distance of one, two, three and five miles; also, on the west side of the Mis- sissippi, three houses, situated on a small stream called the Giards river, making, in the village and vicinity, thirty-seven houses, which it will not be too much to calculate at ten persons each, the population would be 370 souls; but this calculation will not answer for the spring or autumn, as there are then, at least 500 or 600 white persons. This is owing to the concourse of traders and their engagees from Michilli- mackinac and other parts, who make this their last stage, previous to their lauching into the savage wilderness. They again meet here in the spring, on their return from their wintering grounds accompanied by 300 or 400 Indians, when they hold a fair; the one disposes of rem- nants of goods, and the others reserved peltries. It is astonishing there are not more murders and affrays at this place, as there meets such an heterogeneous mass to trade; the use of spirit- nous liquors being in no manner restricted; but since the American government has become known, such accidents are much less frequent

*This is the only statement extant crediting Mr. Dubuque with having been oneof the early settlers in what is now Crawford county. It is an error. - ED.

290

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

than formerly. The prairie on which the vil- lage is situated is bounded in the rear by high bald hills. It is from one mile to three quar- ters of a mile from the river, and extends about eight miles from the Mississippi, to where it strikes the Ouisconsin [Wisconsin] at the Petit Gris; which bears from the village south- east by east.

"If the marsh before spoken of was drained (which might be easily done), I am of the opin- ion it would render the situation of the prairie healthy, which now subjects its inhabitants to intermitting fevers in the spring and autumn.

"There are a few gentleman residing at the Prairie des Chiens, and many others claiming that appellation; but the rivalship of the Indian trade, occasions them to be guilty of acts at their wintering grounds, which they would blush to be thought guilty of in the civilized world. They possess the spirit of generosity and hospitality in an eminent degree; but this is the leading feature in the character of frontier inhabitants."

TRADITIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS OF PRAIRIE DU CHIEN .*

Charles Brisbois, son of Michael Brisbois, was born in 1798. After the peace of 1815, he engaged in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, and returned home in 1843, after twenty-eight years' absence. He was a lieuten- ant in Capt. Wiram Knowlton's company, raised in the Mexican War to occupy Fort Crawford, at Prairie du Chien, while the regulars had gone to the front for service during that war ; and was engaged in the removal of Indians to the west, and died of fever in the old garrison at Prairie du Chien, in 1848:

Michael Brisbois, Sr., was arrested after the war, charged with treasonable practices during the British occupation, in 1814-15, and sent to St. Louis for trial. Col. Thomas H. Benton de- fended him, and he was acquitted. He really took no active part in behalf of the British,

simply furnishing supplies, as he had to the Americans, as a mode of livelihood. He died at Prairie du Chien, in June, 1837, at the age of seventy-seven years, greatly respected. He was six feet in height and quite stout in form. His widow survived him several years.

Ilis oldest son, Michael Brisbois, Jr., was born, doubtless, at Prairie du Chien, about 1790. He was a lieutenant in the British Indian ser- vice, and served under Col. Mckay in the af- fairs at Prairie du Chien, in 1814, accompany- ing the American prisoners as far as Rock Island, whence they proceeded by themselves to St. Louis ; and he also served under Lieut. Graham in repelling the Americans at Rock River Rapids. He was as unusually fine in his appearance as a man, as his Winnebago mother was as a woman ; and acquired a very exten- sive knowledge of Indian languages, which in- duced Gov. William Clark, of St. Louis, super- intendent of western Indian affairs, to obtain his services as Indian interpreter. About 1820 he was out deer hunting near St. Louis, and was shot by some unknown person, thus ending his days in the prime of life. He had married a daughter of Pierre Antaya, one of the early Prairie du Chien pioneers, and had a daughter. He was a man of remarkable agility ; could easily jump over an ordinary tent, six feet in height. He spoke with ease and fluency all the Algonquin languages, and was very active with the Indians during the British possession Of Prairie du Chien in 1814.

Pierre La Pointe's wife was a sister of the great Sioux chief, Wau-pa-sha ; they raised a family. Their danghter, Mrs. Antoine La Cha- pelle, whom La Pointe taught to read and write, was the mother of Theophilus La Cha- pelle, who, in 1841-2, represented Crawford county in the Legislative Assembly, and in 1842 -4, in the Legislative Council, and now, quite aged, is in the Insane Asylum at Mendota. B. W. Brisbois' wife was a daughter of Mrs. Antoine La Chapelle. La Pointe was a very sensible, good man, and greatly serviceable to

*Adapted from an article by B. W. Brisbois and L. C. Draper, in the IXth Vol. of the Collections of the State His- torical Society of Wisconsin.

291

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

the pioneer settlement, as well as to the In- dians.

Joseph Crele, who died in Caledonia, Wis., Jan. 27, 1866, was about ninety-four years old when he passed away, and not of that fabulous age as reported-so several old people at Prai- rie du Chien, who had long known him, agree. Mr. Brisbois has no knowledge of Crele's father having resided at Prairie du Chien. Crele was accustomed to fibbing and exager- ating his age. Once M. Brisbois, Sr., accused him of it, when he confessed his frailty in that direction, with tears. He appears to have set- tled at Prairie du Chien in 1791, when he must have been quite a young man.

James Aird, a Scotchman and Indian trader, was another early Prairie du Chien pioneer. He emigrated from Mackinaw. He had many trading operations with Joseph Rolette. He died not very long prior to 1820-supposed from a beard of the wild rice getting in his throat. Ilis death occurred in a building located where the Sherman House now is. lle had no family. He was over six feet in height, and was greatly respected. Mr. Brisbois has no knowledge of Aird's brother, George, mentioned in Capt. Anderson's narrative as among the traders, about 1810. Hle probably died not very long thereafter. The names of neither of the brothers appear among the volunteers against Prairie du Chien, in 1814.

Of the capture of Prairie du Chien by the British, in 1814, Mr. Brisbois, though only eight years old at the time, has a very yivid re- collection of that notable event, and its attend- ant circumstances. He can, however, give no particulars of the Indian leaders. It must have been at Kickapoo river, now Wauzeka, which was the locality of a former Fox village, twenty-one miles from Prairie du Chien, that Augustin Grignon and Michael Brisbois, Jr., with a Sioux and Winnebago Indian, left the main British force under Col. MeKay, and went to Prairie du Chien to procure some person to take back to the colonel, from whom he could

gain intelligence. Arriving in the night, they took Antoine Brisbois, residing three miles above the town, and brought him to the Ferry Place, on the Wisconsin, then called Petit Gris, some five or six miles from Prairie du Chien, where they left their canoe, and there awaited the arrival of Col. McKay. While yet in Prairie du Chien, young M. Brisbois, Jr., ventured to his father's residence, Michael Brisbois, Sr., and mounted a fence near by, to get as good a view as he could of one of the American gun-boats. Those on the boat, noticing his too inquisitive ob- servations, fired a rifle shot at him, the ball pass- ing between his legs and lodging in his father's house. This was not far from the American Fort, and near the present Dousman residence.

Mr. Brisbois thinks Joseph Rolette was quite active during these operations. He was stationed on "the Point," some two-thirds of a mile above the fort, and was fired on by the Americans under Lieut. Perkins, from the fort on the mound. Thinks Capt. Yeizer, who commanded the gun-boats, was cowardly ; he ent the cables and left; otherwise the British could have been repulsed ; and being thus left without the aid of the gun-boats, Lieut. Perkins was com- pelled to surrender his fort to the British forces. Most of the citizens, Mr. Brisbois thinks, joined the British. Of the American cannon balls found in recent years, Horace Beach, of Prairie du Chien, has one, and the late Mrs. Dousman had two-fired from a three-pounder, and lodged in a ridge nearly a mile from the fort, up the river, near where Rolette's party were stationed. Yeizer had several cannon on the gun-boats, and was said to have had 250 men; while the Brit- ish had only one small cannon. Although there was much firing on both sides prior to the sur- render, yet the actual damage was slight, the British and Indians suffering no loss. Capt. Rolette was sent with dispatches to Mackinaw; and when his boat hove in sight of that island garrison, large numbers thronged the shore, anxious to obtain the earliest tidings from Prai- rie du Chien. "Capt. Rolette, what's the news?"

292

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

"A great buttle-a sanguinary contest," re- sponded the heroic Rolette, with an air of great solemnity and importance. "How many were killed ?" "None." "How many wounded ?" "None." "What a bloody contest !" vocifer- ously shouted the crowd, as they escorted the hero from the boat to the garrison.

While the British held Prairie du Chien, An- toine Dubois and one Champignier were sent several miles into the woods, to procure a supply of meat for the garrison, as related by Capt. An- derson. They were both shot by a treacher- ous Sioux, at one discharge, killing Champig- nier outright and mortally wounding Dubois. The latter made a trail of gun-powder, some five feet from the dead body of his companion, completely encompassing it, well knowing it would prove a protection against wolves ; and then made his way, as best he could, to Prairie du Chien. This murderous attack on the two unsuspecting Frenchmen occurred in Gi- ard's Coulee, some five or six miles west of the Mississippi. When a party repaired to the spot from Prairie du Chien, some thirty persons in all, including several youths not over fourteen years of age, they found Champigniers's body untouched by the wolves, though the tracks of these animals were plenty outside of the powder lines, but none within.

Two Sioux chiefs were apprehended, and con- fined in the fort as hostages until the culprit should be found; he was soon brought in, when the chiefs were released. The condemned Sioux was shot by six men, selected for the purpose, all firing a platoon together, just a little south of Dousman's mound, at the streets where Mr. Dousman commenced a pond. Mr. Brisbois witnessed this execution, as did indeed the whole garrison, the inhabitants of the village, and such Indians as were present. The doomed Sioux had no sympathizers. The wounded man, Dubois, lived some three days. Rolette's first wife was a sister to this unfortunate man; and, it may be added, Dubois's wife was a sister of the famous Sioux chief, Wau-pa-sha. LaPointe,

as already stated, had also married a sister of this noted warrior.

When it was known that peace had been made between the United States and Great Britain, the British evacuated Prairie du Chien. In the succeeding night there was a meteoric shower, and the same night the fort burned down causing its total destruction. It was quite gen- erally supposed that it was set on fire by some of the British party, though some pretended it was caused by some stray meteor from the heavens.

Francis Michael Dease, an old trader, is re- membered by Mr. Brisbois. He was rather above the common size, with dark hair, and was fond of children. Capt. Dease shared in the capture of Prairie du Chien in 1814. 1Ie ap- pears at this period to have filled the double position of sub-Indian agent under Col. Diek- son, and captain of the militia of Prairie du Chien. His life was mostly devoted to the In- dian trade, and he was engaged in both the North West Fur Company, and the Hudson's Bay Company service. Ile was never married, and died on Red River, now Manitoba, Ang. 15, 1865, at the age of seventy-nine years.

Of Col. Robert Dickson, the British leader of the Sioux, Winnebagoes and Menomonees, Mr. Brisbois has a good remembrance. He had a red head and a red face. When at Praire du Chien, he always stopped with Mr. Brisbois, Sr., he would bring newspapers with him, and was a great reader.

Though he knew Capt. Duncan Graham, Mr. Brisbois can give no particulars of his career. He was a small sized man, quite unassuming, upright in his intercourse with his fellow-men and highly respected.

Ile was the father-in-law of Alexander Fari- bault, lately deceased, who was the founder of the flourishing town that bears his name. Capt. Graham was an officer in the British Indian de- partment, and was present in command of a party of Dakota or Sioux warriors, composing a portion of the force that was defeated by Col.

293

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Croghan, at Lower Sandusky, in 1813. He be- came a citizen of the United States subsequent to the war, and traded with the Sioux Indians for many years; he died in 1844, or 1845, at Wabasha, where he had been living with his son-in-law, Joseph Buisson. He must have been seventy-five years old or more at the time of his demise; and for several years previously had passed his leisure days in going from one part of this wild region to another, being a man of remarkable physical vigor, although of slight build.

The crop of 1819 having failed in Lord Sel- kirk's colony on Red river, Duncan Graham, with one Laidlaw, was employed in the spring of 1820 to conduct three boats from Prarie du Chien, laden with 200 bushels of wheat, 100 bushels of oats and thirty bushels of peas, to Pembina. This timely supply cost Lord Sel- kirk about $6,000.

Capt. Graham was a native of the Highlands of Scotland, descending from a good family' Ile appears to have shared with Robert Dickson and the Indians in the campaign of 1813 on the Maumee, and at Fort Stevenson, and the next year at Prairie du Chien, and the Rock River Rapids. He married a half-breed Dakota woman - a descendant of Penechon, a noted Sioux chief, said to have been the son of a white trader of that name, who lived on the eastern shore of Lake Pepin-and as the Indians used to relate, the first white man ever seen by their ancestors. Capt. Graham had one son. Alex- ander, and four daughters, the latter marrying respectively : Alexander Faribault, James Wells, Joseph Buisson and Oliver Cratt. For his war services, Capt. Graham was granted lands in Canada, which from litigation never realized him anything. He is said to have been the first white man who penetrated so far in the northwest as the Devil's Lake, in Dakota, an island in which was named after him.

At a very early period, one Grant was said to have penetrated the country on what is now Grant river, discovered lead there, quined some

of it and buried the mineral. He went away, and never returned for it. As late as 1827, Joseph Brisbois, B. W. Brisbois and Julian Larriviere went in quest of the hidden mineral searching all along to the head of the river, but found none. B. W. Brisbois used to hear his father speak of Grant. Mr. Brisbois has no further traditions of him. Grant river took its name from him, and his early lead discovery there, and Grant county took its name from the river.

Wau-pa-sha, the distinguished Sioux chief, derived his name in part from wan-pa, leaf, called The Leaf, or Red Leaf. The French called him La Feuille, The Leaf-sometimes The Falling Leaf. His village was at the pres- ent locality of Winona. Ile was a full blooded Sioux, rather small in size, with a Roman nose, and Caucasian countenance. Once when eutting a willow, his knife caught, and accidentally de- stroyed one of his eyes, and he ever after wore a black handkerchief over that half of his face. Ile died of small-pox, at Prairie du Chien, in the fall of 1835.

One of the Car-imau-nee family of Winneba- goes was known as Tete de Chien, or Dog's Ilead. Ile lived in 1827, at English Prairie, now Muscoda. He was a prominent man, of considerable good sense and very honest. The Indians cultivated some fields there, and lived there as one of their changeable localities. Lawence Rolette, a brother of Joseph Rolette, had a trading establishment at that locality.

Pierre Pauquette related to Mr. Brisbois this incident: Once Gov. Doty was traveling with an Indian, and pointing to Fox river, asked its native name. Supposing the governor meant the element, and not its particular geographical name, the Indian responded "Nee-nah," water, Doty not doubting that he had now learned its aboriginal name, endeavored to have it restored, but did not succeed to any great extent. Pau- quette eited this as a case in point, showing how geographical blunders sometimes oceur.

294

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Baribault, was the name of an old Canadian French trader, who had his trading post on what is now known as Baraboo river, and which stream took its name from him. As Mr. Bris- bois, Sr., knew him well, and often spoke of him, he must have traded there the latter part of the last century, or early in this. Mr. Bris- bois does not know what became of him, or anything further of his history.

SETTLERS BETWEEN 1820 AND 1840.

Judge James Duane Doty became a resident of Prairie du Chien in the fall of 1823, but removed to Green Bay the following year. Her- cules L. Dousman came in 1826, in the employ of the American Fur Company. Joseph M. Street eame to the place as United States In- dian agent, in 1828, and remained until some years after the Black Hawk War, when he was transferred elsewhere. In 1830, Thomas P. Burnett came to Prairie du Chien as sub-Indian agent, and removed into Grant county, seven years after. I. P. Perrit Gentil became a resi- dent in 1832. J. T. Mills eame to the prairie in 1834, as a tutor in the families of Col. Zachary Taylor and Joseph M. Street. Some men who were stationed here in the military service of the United States, made selections of eligible locations within a short distance of the prairie, to which they returned after their term of ser- vice had expired ; among whom may be men- tioned Edward Hughes. John MeClure, J. P. Hall and Daniel Frost.

In 1835, after the removal of Gen. Joseph M. Street, Indian agent, to Rock Island, and the Rev. David Lowry to his Indian school, there were but four American families (strictly sneh) remaining in Crawford county outside of Fort Crawford ; and these four-all on the prairie-were those of J. H. Lockwood, Samuel Gilbert, Ezekiel Tainter and John Miller. There was one Irish family and three or four discharged soldiers, who had concluded to make the Prairie their home. All the remainder in in the county were of French and mixed blood.

There were, in all, about 500 souls, not includ- ing those in Fort Crawford.

In 1836, John H. Folsom came to the Prairie, and remained here until December, 1839, when he removed to what is now the town of East- man. He remained there until May, 1840, when he returned to Prairie du Chien, where he has ever since resided. Rev. Alfred Brunson reached Prairie du Chien, July 16, 1836. There also, this year, came E. W. Pelton, William and James Fisher, Milo Richards and John Thomas.

In the fall of 1836, the total population out- side of Fort Crawford, was 537 in the county, including one slave. The names of the heads of families, and the number in each family, were as follows :

NAME OF HEAD OF FAMILY

White Males. Females. White

Total.

Samuel Gilbert ..

Antoine La Chapelle.

Piere La Chapelle.

J. H. Lockwood ..

Joseph P. Mills.

Henry Curtis.

John Miller.

John Molston ..

William S. Lockwood

Thomas P. Burnett.

Richard Curtis.

Edward Hughes

Ezekial Tainter

Allen Hill.

H. L. Dousman.

Thomas P Street.

Charles Menard, Sr

Francis Galino ..

Antoine Rabonad

Peter Loambare

Peter Grimard .

Dennis Courtis,

Fredrieh Stramb ..

Francis Larrivier.

John Limery

Isaac Harrison.

Joseph Martin ..

Francis Chenneviere

Baptiste Larivier.

Charles Minare

John Colton.

Jettedier P. Hall.

James Gilbert ..

Charles Antoine

Francois Provost.

George Brishois

Joseph Brisbois.

Michael Brisbois.

Pierre Larivier

Julien Larivier.

Baptiste Larivier

Louis Barrette.

Maria Lapoint

1 1

4 1

Louise Querie

18432241 1 3 4 3

Joseph Dunsau

Joseph Thomas.

Liman Frost

4 3

7 3

Pierre Barrette,

Hyacinth Lapoint.

1219 1

Louiser Revoir,

424114 1 1 4

295

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

NAME OF HEAD OF FAMILY.

White Males.|

White Females.

Total.

NAME OF HEAD OF FAMILY.

White Males.

White Females.

Total.

Alexis Cowchevier,

A. Hagon

Baptiste Gauthier.

Strange Powers (Poze)

G. Genthery

A. Brunett

Francis Lapoint ..

Augustin Bnissou

H. Lane ...

Joseph Demerlor

Joseph Benson.

Margaret Davis.

D. Frost

Joseph Labat ..

Alonzo Jefford.

Margaret Cambell.

H. S. Allen

H. H. Sibley.

Joseph Rejette ..

J. B. Brown ..

H. Hermaringer,

Jules Sleephach

Joant St. Cyr

J. Boefseaen

Isane Monrow

M. L. Brine.

James Heed.

Joseph Lord

William Wilson.

L. Lisabell

Exevier Hrizzet.

Louis Martin.

Joseph Ruse

Joseph Bouscan

Ellen Grenio

Joseph Brillard.

Thomas llore.

E. Lanitor

Oliver Cherrier

J, Moore

J. B. Dallam

Silas Holloway

William Holloway

Total ..

337

196

537

I 1 1

Era Putman

Women at do do

Children de do de

do do

Slaves of both sexes do

do do

Marie Fostnot

1. Dourille

L. Cardinal.

1. Dourille Fillion.

L. Shurena.

Oliver Landrich

J. B. Noro ..

S. Harthe.

Joseph Godfrey.

Alexander Gariepie. G. M. Ganlin.

Francis St. John ..

2 2

A. Martin

1 1 1

Charles Bruce

John Vale ...

J. Griffin

Nathaniel Manning

Thomas-(Name erumbled out) George-

4 1

H. Colbert.

8. Hudson

J. 11. Dermerer

L. Dermerer

1), Cambell J. Pitt

C. Noble

J. Searly

4219192663311 1

Alexander Famboust.

P. Allard.

John Miller ..

Charles Lapoint

Areange Gallernean.

Jeremiah Quin.

Whiteside Argus.

Betsey Hawkins ..

Richard Hartwell.

Christofer Antoyer.

John Dunlap.

William Parsons

1 1 1

1 1 1 18 1 1 1 1 1 1

Total

* 1 Male slave.

+ 1 Female slave.

$ 1 Free colored male,

1 Free colored female,

PRESENT RESIDENTS OF CRAWFORD COUNTY, WIIO WERE LIVING HERE IN 1836:

Town of Prairie du Chien: Edward Hughes, John McClure, Felicite Duseaum, Flavian Cher- rier, Louis Stram and wife.

City of Prairie du Chien: Mrs. Peter Grim- mard, John H. Folsom, Charles Menard, O. B. Thomas, Oliver Cherrier, Mrs. Julian Lariviere, B. W. Brisbois, Mrs. Laramie, Joseph Duneau and Louisa Dechamp.

Town of Eastman: Nicholas Chenevert, Comb Cherrier, Mrs. Comb Cherrier, James Fisher and William Fisher.

Town of Bridgeport: Theresa Barrette.

Of these, four were born in Crawford county: Theresa Barrette in 1805; Louisa Dechamp and Mrs. Julian Larivere in 1807; and B. W. Bris- bois in 1808.

George Fisher ..

J. Vauahin.

Abraham Prepagnier

Tunis Dell ...

J. Mareeinstire.

John Bruner

J. Ilidy William Hayley

Isaac P. P. Gentil

3 1

5 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3

William Shuster Samuel Lamb

1 1 2 1 1 1

S. Shimmerhorne.

1 1

Joseph MeDorn

A. Lemmons J. Thompson John Penell

1 1 1 1

Barnard W. Brisbois

Alexander Dupinc P. Felix ...

4 1 1

C. McNillage John Cambell

B. Marshall

John P. Finly Elisha Brown

1 2

The number of offleers and men stationed at Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien in W. T. 206

850

Joseph Morisette Joseph Moquin. Joseph Champigne

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 42

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1298

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899. [from old catalog]; Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1298