History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 64

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 64
USA > Wisconsin > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin > Part 64

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).

From Natchez we traveled directly west until we struck the Red river; this we followed up stream as high as where the Fort Towson bar- racks are, and camped on a branch, on a creek, called Le Bontte Run. Here the emigrants halted for a while to recruit, and hold a consul- tation for future proceedings, which resulted in a determination to settle on the prairie land Hear what they called the Cross Timbers, a tract of country watered by numerous streams, well timbered, and with soil of the richest qualities. But the novelty the journey promised at the start had been sobered down toa stern reality during the last six months, and instead of ac- companying the party into the then Mexican territory, I remained with a Scotchman, who

had taken a Chocktow squaw for a wife, and kept a trading post on the head waters of the Sabine river. With this Scotchman, I stayed during the winter of 1819, and in the spring of 1820 went down to New Orleans, with five voy- ageurs, to get a keel-boat load of goods for the Scotch trader, who had entrusted me with the business, for he took a liking to me, and knew of no other person in whom he could put as much confidence. The Red river was a narrow, crooked, turbid stream, steep banks on either side, and filled with snags; but the winter rains had swollen it, so we floated down withont an accident.

On reaching New Orleans, I had no little trouble with the boatmen, whom I did not know how to manage at that time, though ex- perience afterwards taught me the modus oper- andi.

It was eight or ten weeks before I had col- lected all the Indian goods; but what hindered most was the indolence of the French voyageurs, who would go to some of the low dance houses in the town, and spree all night, which made them useless all the next day; so in one or two instances I was obliged to hire Creoles to assist in loading goods that had been brought to the river.

One evening after the boat's load was com- plete, and the men pretty well over the previ- ous night's frolic, I gave orders to move up stream. But, as for starting to go back, the men wouldn't listen to anything of the kind, as there was to be a grand fandango in town that night, and they had all anticipated going there. They went and I remained on board all night to watch the boat and goods.

Next morning the men came staggering in, and threw themselves down on the rolls of calico and blankets, where they slept until afternoon. About 2 o'clock they had all got up and were preparing some food, when I gave them to understand that we must start at sun- down. They gave no answer, and having ate, they went to sleep again.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

As the sun was going ont of sight, I roused the men, directing them to get out the tow-line, poles, and run up stream. They paid no atten- tion to what I said, but gathered around one of their number, a big half-breed, who insolently told me that it would be impossible for us to ascend Red river, because of high water and the strong current at this season of the year. 1 knew the fellow was lying, for I had seen the river the last summer, and knew that if we had any trouble it would be from low water. And I was obliged to give the man a severe whaling, tying his hands and feet, and threatening the others with a similar dose, before they would go to their duty. The men worked steadily that night, part of the time towing and poling, and sometimes taking advantage of the eddies in the lee of projecting points. The big half- breed begged to be released the next morning, and made no more trouble during the trip. The boat soon entered Red river, where we found sufficient water to float us, but had to make a number of portages before reaching what is called La Grange, a small French settle- ment [the French claimed all west of the Mis- sissippi in those days], but the men did not offer to leave at this point, for they paid strict obedience to me since I punished their leader, and were growing more respectful each day as we approached the end of our journey.

We started in June, and had been gone three months, and it being September, I was anxious to get back, for the goods were much needed at the trading post.

On the 23d of September (I kept a journal) we were met about twenty miles below the trader's block-house, by one of his half-breed sons, who had come to take command of the keel-boat and crew, so I might go ahead and give in my report of the trip, before the boat- men had a chance to make any of their usual complaints. This custom was undoubtedly a good one, though I did not take advantage of it to the detriment of the men, but gave a favor- able report of everything. When the boat ar-

rived, Monsieur Jones, as the old Scotchman was called, met them as they landed, praised the men for their faithfulness, and paid them what little might be due them, giving to each a trifling present. Now, I had observed while acting as clerk the previous winter, that a few beads, paints or cheap calicoes, would purchase many valuable furs; and after going down with the bales of skins, I had learned, after receiv- ing the cargo of goods, that a considerable sum was placed to my employer's credit, which made the fur trade appear very profitable in my eyes So I readily agreed to receive what wages were due me in goods, hoping to make a large profit on them. The old Scotchman did not seem over pleased with the goods I had selected by his direction; however, he paid me with some of them. And thus ended my connection with the first and last expedition that I ever accom- panied on Red river, or the lower Mississippi, and also the detailed account of it, which is as correct as memory will allow me to relate.

I clerked for the trader during the fall and winter of 1820, but had very few opportunities to sell my goods, for good reasons; first, the goods I had were not suitable; and if they had been, I could not have traded them, for the old Scotchman, who had been an engage in the Hudson Bay Fur Company, was exceedingly grasping, and would not let me buy fur on pri- vate account, any where near the trading post. This prompted me to make several excursions among the Shawnee and Osage Indians, from whom I got a few packs of valuable fur. But, though there was an excitement abont a trader's life that had a charm for me, yet often, when camped by a sheltered spring, ambition would whisper, " you have another mission to fulfill."

Soon after the grass was well up, in the spring of 1823, I put my trappings on board of an old pack-mule, and straddling a mustang colt, started for Santa Fe along with two fel. lows who had come up from New Orleans, My companions were agreeable enough, but seemed to have no other motive than to see the country

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

and to enjoy some of the pleasures of hunter life they had "hered tell on."

We traveled to the source of the Red river through the Comanche country, north to the forks of the Canadian river, where we took the old Santa Fe trail, which led us over and through the southern spur of the Rocky moun- tains, to Santa Fe, where we arrived without any of those thrilling adventures, or Indian fights, that form the burden of many travelers' stories. We had expected to meet Indians, and were prepared for them, but aside from a party of Kioways, with whom I tried to trade, we did not see any.

At Santa Fe I lost sight of my traveling com- panions among the traders, and soon left the trading post for Taos, where I passed the win- ter. The houses were all one story high, and built of clay on large gray brick. The people are Spaniards, Mexicans, Indians, a mixed breed and a sprinkling of trappers.

Taos was a lively wintering place, and many were the fandangoes, frolies and fights which came off during the season I stayed there. But, though at an age when a young man is most impulsive, I seldom had a desire to join in the dance, and never had but two personal affrays, which, owing to my superior strength, termi- nated in my favor.

In May, 1824, I had become perfectly dis- gusted with Taos and inhabitants, for the latter were a lazy, dirty, ignorant set, and as a whole, possessed less honor than the beggarly Win- nebagoes about Prairie du Chien at the present time. Informing the Spaniard of my intention to leave, I went down to Santa Fe. Here I found a company of traders preparing to cross the plains, and soon made the acquaintance of of a St. Louis merchant, who engaged me to oversee the loading and unloading of his three wagons, whenever at was necessary to cross a stream, which frequently happened.

The whole caravan of wagons, cattle, oxen, horses, mules left Santa Fe in good condition; but the number that reached the Missouri

river was not so large-the oxen and cattle died from thirst, the horses and mules became exhausted and were left-and disease did the business for the men in some cases. It was a hard journey, and one that I never cared to re- peat; yet, it has always appeared to me, that the barren country, east of the Canadian river, would at some day prove valuable. It is rich in minerals. The ground in some places was covered with pieces of a crusted substance that tasted like saleratus. There were several springs of a volcanic nature.

From the merchant, whose name was Camp- bell, I learned much of Mexico, its climate, products, people and geography. Ile had been down the Del Norte and into the interior as far Sonora, where he married the daughter of a Mexican. I took great pleasure in hearing this man talk, and probably I gained more knowl- edge of Mexico from his conversation, than in any other way.

It was October before we got to St. Louis, which place I saw for the first time, and Camp- bell having no further need of my services, paid me in hard Mexican dollars, and I left him.

Having now been absent from home about six years, and possessing the means to carry me back, I was tempted to return. But chance threw me into the society of a person named Knox, a mason by trade, who persuaded me to follow the same business. Being naturally of a mechanical turn, I was soon able to earn fair wages. I worked steadily at the mason work and at bricklaying for fifteen months, at the end of which period I was dubbed a mason, and could do a passable job of plastering-the last accomplishment stood me in pretty well when Fort Crawford was built.

It was in the year 1825 that I had heard of Prairie du Chien, and made up my mind to see the country in that direction. But before pro- ceeding to give you an account of the early history of Wisconsin as far back as the year 1825, let me first tell you what hardy exercise and western life have done for my constitution.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

I should have told you, that when a boy, I was uncommonly large for my years; and it was my delight to swim, ride, run, wrestle, fish and hunt, in all which robust and athletic sports, I greatly excelled, and it is possible, that this love of sport, interfered not a little with the course of my studies, for my father sometimes bad to reprimand me, and limited my hunting excursions to one day in a week, and that was generally Saturday. So, in con- sideration of the short allowance that restric- tion gave me, I frequently extended my hunts to two days, thus including the first day of the week, and appropriating it to my purpose. I can rocollect on one occasion, when abont sixteen years of age, I was along with two or three young companions, hunting ducks and other water fowl, on a small branch of the Mo- hawk river. It was in the spring of the year, and one of the early freshets caused by the melt- ing of the snows on the Catskill mountains, had swollen the creek and overflowed large tracts of low land, thus forming an admirable feeding ground for mallard, widgeon and numerous other wild fowl, that instinet taught to leave the sea coast for these inland marshes, where the food they liked was most plentiful. The ducks flew best in the morning and latter part of the afternoon, and were almost as abundant as they are here on the Mississippi.

What I am now going to relate, happened on our second day ont, which perchance was one of those first days of the week. We had hunted with good success the day before, and were de- termined to have one day more. But the wind had changed, and the weather was raw, and though we waited patiently all the forenoon, the ducks did not come in much, so very few were killed. It was very cold and chilly, but having forgot the tinder-box, ( there were no phosphorus matches then ) we did not light a fire as we would like to have done. Late in the afternoon,-as we were lying in a clump of willows, on a sort of peninsula between the stream and a pond made by the rise, the dueks

began to fly over us in clouds and settle down on the pond. This was what we had been waiting for; but while waiting, we had got so benumbed by the cold wind, that it was with difficulty we could load our guns, and after dis- charging them with indifferent success, I was determined to have a fire, before another duck was shot at. So, directing my companions to collect what dry leaves, twigs and wood they conld, I proceeded to ignite it in this manner: Ilaving arranged the leaves and twigs properly I took a piece of gun-wadding, and filling it with powder, laid it among the leaves, upon which a handful of powder was also thrown, After this, I opened the pan of my fowling- piece, percussion caps being unheard of at that time, and putting in a good priming, pulled back the hammer, and placing the gun near the leaves, pulled the trigger. The "flash-in-the- pan," was instantaneously followed by another flash that made me start backward, with haste. My hair and eye-brows were badly burnt, and my right hand was severely scorched.

The fire burned briskly in the willows but 1, had enough fire in my hand without wishing for more. As we rode home that evening, few words were spoken, and when the wagon stopped in front of our house, I alighted and went di- rectly to my room, So severe were my burns, that they kept me confined to the house for six long weeks; during this time I was under the care of my mother, God bless her! she is dead now. That kind mother tried to impress upon my mind the duty I owed to my Heavenly Father, she advised me to regard the command- ment, "remember the Sabbath," etc., and those early injunetions have never been forgotten though often disregarded. But it was not until the following fall, that I shouldered my gun and commenced to hunt again. Then came back my old roving habit, with it the fondness for manly sports, hunting included.

This early training, together with the almost constant exercise I had experienced, during my wandering mode of life, had toughened my

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

muscles and so completely developed me phy- sically, that I was no mean match for two ordi- nary men; besides the desire to behold new scenes, had grown stronger than ever.

It was no other than a natural consequence then, that having heard of Prairie du Chien, and the "lead diggings" southeast of it, that I should have a desire to take a trip up the Mis- sissippi river to the mineral region, from where reports enme of fortunes being made by pros- pecting-these stories formed alluring induce- ments.

Having some money, and a sound constitution, that five years of border life had made capable of enduring any degree of hardship and fatigne, Ileft St. Louis, and started up the river in a little Ohio steamboat-I believe steamboats commenced running above St. Louis, the same year I left, 1825,-loaded with army stores for military posts on the upper Mississippi. The boat proceeded up stream till we reached the mouth of the Illinois river, where we met a keelboat coming down on board of which was an express, bound with dispatches for the com- manding otlicer at Jefferson barracks. They brought reports of Indian murders in the north, and the same boat bearing the dispatches had been attacked, and had many ball marks on its sides, also a wounded man on board. The steamboat took the express aboard, and was about to return with him, to St. Louis, so I bid Captain Bates good-bye, and left his boat. I learned now, that the mining region was the scene of the Indian troubles, that the inhabitants were leaving the country through fear, and the greatest misery and confusion prevailed at the "diggings." So instead of continuing up the Mississippi as intended, I joined a party of five Frenchmen, who designed going to Green Bay, and having no definite object in view at the time, I agreed to go with them. We had little knowledge of the route, but one of the French- men had somewhere seen an old outline map, and assured us we could reach the lakes by go- ing up the Illinois river. We had entered the

river and gone up a few miles from its month, when we were seen by some Indians who made signs for ns to approach the shore.

After some hesitation we landed, and, to the disappointment of the Frenchmen, were re- ceived in a most friendly way by the Indians, who treated us with roasted ducks and venison. They furnished us a guide for a small reward, and we resumed our course without entertain- ing any further alarm on account of Indians. The weather was delightful, and we enjoyed ourselves as well as early travelers ever did. The river afforded splendid scenery; at times it flowed through large prairies that formed a boundless area of fertile country, covered with luxuriant grass, and on which we frequently saw deer and elk feeding. Water fowl were abundant, and we could feast on them at every meal; while the river was swarming with excel- lent fish, that often formed a delicious addition to our other fare. There was no difficulty in killing game along that beautiful stream. Hardly an hour of the day passed but we had opportunities to shoot deer from the canoes, for it was the latter part of June, and in the heat of the mid-day the animals would come down to the river, where in the shade of small groves that lined the banks, they found a cool retreat. One of our party, a diminutive Frenchman, had a long Canadian duck-gun, of which he never ceased boasting, yet seldom confirmed his words by making use of it. The barrel of the gun, independent of the stock, was full five feet in length. I had curiosity to see how it could shoot, and asked the owner to let me try it. He let me haye the gun and I loaded it with a heavy charge of powder and seven slugs or pieces of bar lead, and then laid it beside me in readiness for the first good shot.

Many chances offered where it was easy to have killed deer, but no notice was paid to them, and we continued to paddle up the river until near noon, when, just as the canoe passed around a headland, I observed a noble stag, standing knee deep in the water, on a bar, near

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HISTORY OF CR . WFORD COUNTY.

the outlet of a small stream. He was about 700 feet from the canoe, with his side toward us, when I raised the long gun and fired. The deer dropped without a struggle, and, on haul- ing hiim ashore, we found that every sing had struck it. Some had entered his glossy side, one broke a shoulder, another the back-bone. The result of the shot so pleased the little Frenchman, that I really believe money would have been no inducement for him to part with his gun; though I would not have given my short rifle for a dozen such. While engaged in securing the choicest portions of the venison, our Indian guide told us that it was but a short distance to a larger body of water, on the shore of which lived the great chief of his tribe, whose name was Much-ke-tay-ke-nay. This piece of intelligence made us think we were near the large lake, Lake Michigan; but we were dis- appointed, for late in the afternoon we entered the foot of Lake Peoria, and were met on land- ing by a number of Indians, from whom we learned that it was more than 200 miles to the nearest trading post on the lake, which was Chicago. We had to remain with this tribe several days, before our guide would leave the encampment; and during which time I saw several Indians of other tribes, one of whom was Black Hawk, who, I afterward found out, was then trying to get these Indians to join the Winnebagoes against the whites in the north- west. At length the councils were concluded, and our guide signified his willingness to pro- ceed. Under his direction we paddled along until we came to the Des Plaines river, from which we passed into a large slough or lake, that must have led us into a branch of the Chi- cago river, for we followed a stream that brought us opposite Fort Dearborn.

At this period, Chicago was merely an Indian ageney; it contained about fourteen houses, and not more than seventy-five or 100 inhabitants at the most. An agent of the American Fur Company, named Gurdon S. Hubbard, then oc- cupied the fort. The staple business seemed to

be carried on by Indians, and runaway soldiers, who hunted dueks and muskrats in the marshes. There was a great deal of low land, and mostly destitute of timber. The principal inhabitants were the agent, Mr. Hubbard, and a French- inan by the name of Ouilmette,* and John B. Beanbien. It never occurred to me then, that a large city would be built up there. But great changes have taken place during the last thirty three years. I read that the old log fort, sur- rounded with its palisades, was torn down two years ago, and that Chicago is now one of the largest cities in the west. Great changes have I seen in my life ; I was mail carrier ju the northwest before there was a white settle- ment between Prairie du Chien and Fort Snel- ling-a government express, and volunteer dur- ing the Sank war-from mere love of adventure, have I wandered through the wilderness of the west. I have explored its lakes and rivers in canoes, boats and on rafts, from Red river in the north to Red river in the south, and to New Orleans. I have traversed its woods and prairies, making myself familiar with western scenes, the early settlers, and native Indians.

The Indians you now see about town occa- sionally, all know me. They seldom come down to the prairie without stopping at my house. It was only three or four weeks ago, that seven Indians came down from Crow Wing. They called on me in the night, and we had a talk together. They said there was no game in the neighborhood of their reserva- tion ; that they couldn't work, and so they had come down, and wanted to know how it would do to go and hunt in Iowa, at the head of Cedar river. I told them this universal change, that I have witnessed everywhere, had been going on there also-that the country was filled with settlers, and deer scarce. The poor fellows looked sorrowful. It was late when they left my

* Antoine Quilmette, whose wife was a Pottawattamie woman, is mentioned in the treaty at Prairie du Cbien, in 1839, with the Chippewas, Ottawas. ete .; and at the treaty of Chicago, September, 1863, provision is made for his children. It would appear that he died during the interim between the two treaties.

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house ; and though I tried to dissuade them from making the attempt, they resolved to go and see their old hunting grounds on the Wis- consin. Many Indians have left their reserve ; and I have no doubt that they find shelter in the islands of the Mississippi, and in the Kicka- poo timber.

The poor red man has has been robbed, de- ceived, and driven from his possession. This I have seen; indeed, I have assisted to drive them from their homes. And yet, no person under heaven sympathizes more sincerely with them. They are almost extinet; they are passing from the face of the earth ! But I look upon it as a decree of fate. Perhaps there are a few persons more sensible of the beanties of nature than I am, and yet so little loth to see those pristine charms effaced, the better to subserve the ad- vancement of art and civilization.

It is near half a century since I came west, and the changes that have been rapidly affect- ing everything are too numerous for me to de- seribe. The growth of Chicago is one of those changes. When there in the year 1825, it could boast of an old log fort, and a few cabins. What is it now ! You know best, for I haven't been there these last thirty years, but I know its inhabitants are numbered at over 100,000 ; and where I once paddled in a dug-out, is now erected large blocks of buildings.

But to go on with my story, we departed from Fo.t Dearborn, in a fishing boat, and proceeded north along the lake shore towards Green Bay. We camped on the beach every night, and finally arrived off Milwaukee bay, which we en- tered ; and went np Milwaukee river about half a mile above the mouth of the Menomonee, and landed on the east side of Milwaukee river, just below Solomon Juneau's trading house. I was not acquainted with Mr. Junean at this time, though I afterwards became related to him through marriage, and learned his history. Seven years before, he had been in the employ of the Hudson Bay Fur Company, in the ca- capacity of voyageur, and had visited Prairie

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History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin, Part 64

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