History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 56

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Wisconsin > Part 56

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Township 8 north, of Range 8 east (Springfield) .- This township was surveyed into sec- tions by John Mullett, Deputy Surveyor, with the assistants last mentioned ; commenced lis labor March 19, 1833, and finished the same on the 24th of the same month.

Township 9 north, of Range 8 east (Dane) .- John Mullett, Deputy Surveyor, with the same assistants before mentioned, surveyed this township into sections, in the first quarter of 1833.

Township 5 north, Range 9 east (Oregon) .- This township was surveyed into sections by Lorin Miller, Deputy Surveyor, assisted by Russell Baldwin and Joshua Hathaway, Jr., Chain- men, and Richard Reese, Marker. Mr. Miller began his labors September 23, 1833, and ended on the 30th of the same month. In his notes, he says: " The last half of this town is good second-rate rolling land, and the whole town timbered with burr, white and yellow oak. The west half, except the marsh, is hilly and rather broken. There is little or no water upon the upland. It has a bad marsh on the west side, with a stream passing through it."

Township 6 north, Range 9 east (Fitchburg) .- Lorin Miller surveyed this township into sections, assisted by Russell Baldwin and Harvey Booth, Chainmen, and Richard Rees, Axman. Mr. Miller commenced his survey December 7, 1833, and completed the same on the 14th of the month, when he wrote: " This is a good township of land, mostly gently rolling, with a good soil ; is not well watered ; otherwise holds out many inducements to the farmer. It has some springs and streams on the east side. On this township we saw many deer and prairie wolves."

Township 7 north, of Range 9 east (Madison) .- Orson Lyon surveyed this township in December, 1834. In his field-notes, he says: "The township is rolling and second-rate land, timbered with burr, white and black oak. It has an undergrowth of oak and grass. The bank of the Third Lake is high, dry and rich land, except a part of the southwest side of the lake, in Section 25, which is low and marshy, also the southeast and west side of a pond [Lake Wingra], in Sections 26, 27 and 28. The bank of the Fourth Lake is, with few exceptions, high, dry ground, timbered with black, white and burr oak. In Section 1, there is a perpendicular bluff of rocks about sixty feet high. There is, in the northwest part of Section 1, a fine grove of sugar-trees, containing about two hundred acres of ground. The lakes are shallow, and well sup- plied with a variety of fish."

On Section 6, on the southeast side of the military road, Mr. Lyon sketches a house with a field adjacent. It is on the northwest shore of the lake, which he numbers "Fourth " Lake, now Lake Mendota. This incipient settlement is noted by the surveyor as " Mitchell's." On the east side of Fourth Lake, in Section 1, the " perpendicular bluff" he speaks of, is McBride's Point (" Maple Bluff"). The grove is called "Sugar Grove " by Mr. Lyon. There is an Indian trail leading from Mitchell's around the west end of " Fourth Lake," in a southeast direction along the west end of " Third Lake," thence onward in an easterly direction along the south side of the last-mentioned lake.

Township 8 north, Range 9 east ( Westport) .- All west of the military road in this town- ship-that is to say, the two west tiers of sections nearly-was surveyed by John Mullett, in the second quarter of 1833. He was assisted by Mahlon Blaker, Marker, and C. H. Stowell, John Brink and H. M. Draper, Chainmen. The residue of the township was surveyed in November and December, 1834, by Orson Lyon, assisted by Harrison Fleshor and John Straight, Chain- men, and Madison Young, Marker. Mr. Lyon says: "The north part of Fractional Township 8 north, of Range 9 east, is high, rolling and hilly prairie, and first-rate land. The south and

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

east part of the township, with the exception of the marshes, is rolling and second-rate land, timbered with black, burr and white oak, with an undergrowth of grass. The marshes are level, second or third rate. with a growth of grass. The bank of the lake (the north side of Lake Mendota) is rolling first and second rate land, timbered with black oak, white oak, sugar-tree and linn. The southwest part of Section 27, and the southeast part of Section 28, is low, marshy ground and third rate."

Township 9 north, of Range 9 east ( Vienna) .- The west half of this township, or so much of it as lay west of the military road, was surveyed into sections by John Mullett, Deputy Sur- veyor, who began his work April 11, 1833, and ended the next day. He was assisted by Mah- lon Blaker, Marker, C. H. Stowell, H. M. Draper and John Brink, Chainmen. The east half of this township, or so much as lay east of the military road, was surveyed by Orson Lyon, Deputy Surveyor, in November, 1834. Of the tract surveyed by him, Mr. Lyon says : "The fractional township (east half of what is now the town of Vienna) is nearly three-fourths high, dry and rich prairie, with a growth of grass and weeds. The remaining is fourth rate, and thinly timbered with burr and white oak, having an undergrowth of oak and grass. Near the corner of Sections 13 and 24, on the east side of the sections, there is a circular mound fifteen chains in diameter at the base, and about 120 feet high. In the middle of the township, the land is hilly and broken from the south part of Section 12 to the southwest part of Section 21, from a half to three-fourths of a mile in width, the remaining part rolling and nearly all first-rate land."

Township 5 north, of Range 10 east (Rutland) .- This township was surveyed by. Lorin Miller, Deputy Surveyor, into sections, assisted by Russell Baldwin and John Hathaway, Jr., Chainmen, and Richard Rees, Marker. The survey was commenced October 2, and completed October 9, 1833. Mr. Miller says: "This township is composed mostly of fine rolling land, well timbered, though not densely, with burr, white and yellow oak. A deep creek [Bad Fish] rises near the north west corner, meanders across diagonally and leaves at the southwest corner, which with its tributary forms a stream of some importance, but is without sufficient fall for machinery. Its bottom is wide and marshy."

Township 6 north, of Range 10 east (Dunn) .- This township was surveyed by Lorin Mil- ler, Deputy Surveyor, who commenced his survey December 3, 1833, and completed the same March 2, 1834. He was assisted by Russell Baldwin and Harvey Booth, Chainmen, and Rich- ard Rees, Marker. Mr. Miller says: "This is a good township of land, and is watered with First and Second Lakes and two ponds, with Catfish Creek and a number of small streams, and has few marshes. Its waters abound with different kinds of fish, such as cat-fish, pike, blaok bass and rock bass. Gecse and ducks are found in abundance. The land is rolling, and has many artificial mounds in different parts of the township. Between Sections 34 and 35 is a nat- ural mound. In turning north at thirty chains you come to the foot of a circular ridge, the hase of which is fourteen chains, including the diameter of the circle. In the middle of this hollow is a beautiful natural mound, twenty-five feet in height; and beautifully sloping at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and entirely detached from said ridge. On the top of this mound (or nearly so) is a burr oak tree fourteen inches in diameter, and in exact line of the survey."

Township 7 north, of Range 10 east (Blooming Grove) .- This township was surveyed in May and June, 1834, by Orson Lyon, Deputy Surveyor, who says: "The township is thinly timbered with burr and white and black oak. The north half is first and second rate, and gently rolling, except the marshes and swamps. The north part of the lower lake [ Waubesa ] is bounded by large marshes each side ; the water is shallow a considerable distance from the shore, and is well supplied with a variety of fish. The shore of the north or upper lake [Monona] is high and dry, good soil, and the lake is from two to four miles across, the water clear and shallow. No mineral of any description is known to exist within said township."

Township 8 north, of Range 10 east (Burke) .- Orson Lyon, Deputy Surveyor, surveyed this township into sections in September and October, 1834. He was assisted by Harrison Flesher and John Straight, Chainmen, and Madison Young, Marker. " This township," says Mr. Lyon, "is high, dry, rolling land, except the marsh in the west part of the township, which

375

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

is low, wet land, and of little or no value. The prairie is first-rate soil, the woodland second rate, timber rather scrubby burr, black and white oak. The southeast part of the township is hilly and broken. On the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 24, there is a natural circular mound, about 20 chains in diameter at the base and 100 feet high. At thirty-seven chains and sixty links east of the corner to Sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, there is a natural mound 3 chains in diameter at the base and 25 feet high. No mineral is known to exist within said township."

Township 9 north, of Range 10 east ( Windsor) .- This township was surveyed into sections in November, 1834, by Orson Lyon. He was assisted by the parties mentioned in the last township. Mr. Lyon remarks: "The south and west part of this township is rolling, first and second rate land, thinly timbered with burr, white and black oak, with an undergrowth of oak, hazel and grass. The north and east part is rich, rolling prairie and first-rate land, with a growth of grass and various kinds of reeds, except a part of Sections 12, 13 and 24, which is thinly timbered with black, burr and white oak, and has an undergrowth of oak, hazel and grass."

Township 5 north, of Range 11 east (Dunkirk) .- Lorin Miller, Deputy Surveyor, com- menced surveying this township into sections on the 12th of October, 1833, and completed his work on the 20th of the same. He was assisted by Russel Baldwin and Harvey Booth, Chain- men, and Richard Rees, Marker. "The aggregate quality of the soil of this township," says Mr. - Miller, " is perhaps a shade better than second rate. It is tolerably well watered by the Catfish [now the Yahara] and four small tributaries, two on either side. A narrow skirt of prairie is divided from the Catfish by a like skirt of good timber. A good, dry, rolling prairie extends from the northwest quarter of the township far to the north, the soil of which is a dark, sandy loam. The Catfish Creek, or outlet of the Four Lakes, meanders pleasantly through the township, and abounds in fine fish and water-fowl, especially wild geese."

Township 6, north of Range 11 east ( Pleasant Springs) .- Lorin Miller surveyed this town- ship into sections, assisted by the same parties as last mentioned. He commenced November 24, 1833, and completed March 3 following. Mr. Miller has this note : " This township, though divided by its share of crooked marshes, may be ranked as good second-rate land. The soil is generally a warm, light, sandy loam, which will richly repay the cultivator. It may be said to be well watered by the narrow marshes, in which is running water, in some places contracted into brooks, but mostly expanded over the marsh. The First Lake [Kegonsa] is a beautiful sheet of pure water, abounding in excellent fish and a great variety of water-fowl, which offer fine inducements to the sportsman. The Catfish Creek, at a moderate expense in deepening the channel, may become (and undoubtedly will) navigable for steamboats from Rock River to this lake, a distance, by its meanders, of about twenty miles. A branch of the Whitewater Creek [the latter now known as the Koshkonong] rises on Section 24, and running north leaves the town on Section 12. The surface of the township is for the most part rolling, timbered with burr, white and yellow oak, rather thinly. A fine old sugar grove is noticed on Section 20. The evident remains of artificial mounds and embankments furnish food for the speculations of the curious."

Township 7 north, of Range 11 east (Cottage Grove) .- This township was surveyed in May, 1834, by Orson Lyon, assisted by Claudius J. Pettibone and John S. Faber, Chainmen, and Madison Young, Axman. Says Mr. Lyon : " The southeast, north and northwest parts of this town- ship are rolling prairie, and first-rate land. From the northeast to the southwest part of the township, there is a line of marshes that lie so flat and low that they cannot be drained so as to be of any consequence. The ridges of dry land between the marshes are thinly timbered with white oak, black oak and burr oak ; poor, second-rate land. The streams are deep and muddy, the currents dull and sluggish. There are no springs except those which rise up in the marshes. This township might be called second rate."

Township 8 north, of Range 11 east (Sun Prairie). In September, 1834, Orson Lyon sur- veyed this township into sections, assisted by Harrison Fletcher and John Straight, Chainmen, and

376

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Madison Young, Axman. Mr. Lyon says : "The northeast half of this township is rolling and first-rate land, containing about three and a half square miles of prairie ; the remaining part timbered with burr, white and black oak, except the marsh in the southeast and northeast corner of the township. The southwest half, with the exception of the marsh, is rolling and second-rate land, thinly timbered with burr, black and white oak, with an undergrowth of oak and grass. The marshes are level and third rate, and have a growth of grass."

Township 9 north, of Range 11 east (Bristol) .- This township was surveyed by Orson Lyon into sections in October and November, 1834, assisted by the same parties last mentioned. The remarks of Mr. Lyon concerning this township are as follows : "The southwest and north- west part of this township is a rolling prairie and first rate. The east and north part, second rate, and is rather wet; timbered with burr, white and black oak, with an undergrowth of oak, grass and weeds. The northeast part of the township is well supplied with water by springs rising near the heads and on the borders of the marshes.'

Township 5 north, of Range 12 east (Albion)-Lorin Miller commenced October 22, 1833, to survey this township into sections, he completed his labors on the 1st of November fol- lowing; assisted by Russell Baldwin and Harvey Booth, Chainmen, and Richard Rees, Axman. Mr. Miller remarks : "This is a good township, with the exception of its marshes ; soil dark, sandy loam, well timbered with white, burr, and yellow oak and hickory, and is tolerably well watered, though some of its sections are otherwise. Sections 25 and 36 are bounded on the east by Lake " Kuskonong " [Koshkonong], which is but an expansion of Rock River. This lake abounds in a variety of fish, such as pike, black and rock bass and catfish. Also at this season of the year are seen an innumerable multitude of ducks, wild geese and some swans. It has a stream called Muskrat Creek passing through its center, and another, crossing its northeast corner, called the Whitewater [now Koshkonong], the bottoms of which are marshy and bad."

Township 6 north, of Range 12 east ( Christiana) .- Lorin Miller surveyed this township into sections November 16, 1833, and completed the same on the 23d of the same month, assisted by the same party last mentioned. " The larger half of this township " says Mr. Miller, " consists of high, dry, rolling prairie of rich, light, sandy loam, tolerably well watered by the Whitewater [Koshkonong] which crosses the northwest corner of the township and intersects the northeast corner of the same, meanders across the east side and leaves at the southeast corner. The Muskrat Creek rises in marshes on southwest quarter of the same and leaves on Section 32. The several streams are skirted by good oak timber, some hickory and aspen. The mounds (artificial) are worthy the attention of the curions."

Township 7 north, of Range 12 east ( Deerfield) .- This township was surveyed into sec- tions by Orson Lyon in April and May, 1834. Mr. Lyon says : " This township is thinly timbered with white, burr and black oak, except in the marshes and swamps, which are timbered with tamarack ; the growth in the marshes is flags and grass ; the marshes and swamps are nearly connected through the township, and lie so flat and low that the land is of little or no value. The land between the marshes is rolling; soil, sandy, second and third rate. No mineral, no natural ør artificial curiosities are known to exist within said township."

Township 8 north, of Range 12 east (Medina) .- This township was surveyed in June and September, 1834, by Orson Lyon, assisted by Peter M. Hannaman and Immanuel Richey, Chainmen, and Madison Young, Axman. Concerning this township, Mr. Lyon says: "This township is rolling, second and third rate land, timbered with burr, black and white oak, with an undergrowth of oak and grass, except the swamps and marshes, where the growth is tamarack, grass and flags, with low, level, wet and third-rate land."

Township 9, north of Range 1º, east ( York) .- Orson Lyon surveyed this township in 1834, assisted by Harrison Flesher and John Straight, Chainmen, and Madison Young, Axman. The remarks of Mr. Lyon are as follows: "This township is first and second rate land, timbered with burr and white oak, with an undergrowth of oak and grass, except the southwest corner of the township, which is low, level and marshy ground, and of little or no value. The water in the marshes in many places is impregnated with copperas; besides the marshes the township is watered by several spring brooks."

377

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

DANE COUNTY INCLUDED IN THREE LAND DISTRICTS.

By the end of 1833, a large amount of the public land in Wisconsin, south and east of the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers, had been surveyed; and, the fact being reported by the Surveyor General, two land districts were erected by an act of Congress, approved June 26, 1834. These districts embraced all the land north of the State of Illinois, west of Lake Michigan, south and southeast of the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers, included in the then Territory of Michigan. The area was then divided by a north-and-south line, drawn from the base line to the Wisconsin River, between Ranges 8 and 9. All east of that line was called the Green Bay Land District ; all west, the Wisconsin Land District. A land office of the eastern district was established at Green Bay ; of the western district, at Mineral Point.

In general terms, it may be said that all of the present county of Dane, lying west of a north-and-south line drawn along the western extremity of Lake Mendota, including what are now the towns of Perry, Primrose, Montrose, Blue Mounds, Springdale, Verona, Vermont, Cross Plains, Middleton, Black Earth, Berry, Springfield, Mazomanie, Roxbury and Dane, fell into the Wisconsin Land District ; all east of that line, including the present towns of Oregon, Rut- land, Dunkirk, Albion, Fitchburg, Dunn, Pleasant Springs, Christiana, Madison, Blooming Grove, Cottage Grove, Deerfield, Westport, Burke, Sun Prairie, Medina, Vienna, Windsor, Bristol and York, also the city of Madison, fell into the Green Bay Land District.

Public sales of the surveyed lands in the two districts (and all the present territory of Dane County had been surveyed), were held in 1835, at Green Bay and Mineral Point, immediately after which the whole that remained unsold was open to private entry at $1.25 an acre.

By an act of Congress of June 15, 1836, the Milwaukee Land District was erected out of the southern portion of the Green Bay District, including all the land lying between Range 8 east and Lake Michigan, bounded on the south by the Illinois State line and extending north so as to reach to and include the tier of townships numbered 10 north ; also Townships 11 and 12 north, of Ranges 21 and 22 east. Of course, in this new district fell all of the townships now included in Dane County that are in Ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12 east, and the present county limits were no longer-any portion of them-in the Green Bay District.

The land office for the new district was located at Milwaukee, where the first public sale of lands, which had been surveyed after the other lands had been offered at Green Bay and Mineral Point, was held. This was in the spring of 1839, but as all the lands in the townships last mentioned had been offered at public sale in Green Bay and Mineral Point, in 1835, of course they were not again put up for sale; but parties desiring to enter lands in those townships had to go to Milwaukee to purchase of the Government instead of Green Bay, as formerly.

CENSUS OF 1836.

The first enumeration of the inhabitants living within what are now the limits of Dane County was taken in July, 1836, when its territory was a part of Iowa and Milwaukee Counties. It so happened that three of the families were living in the county last mentioned, hut were so near the line (though actually in Milwaukee County) that they were enumerated in Iowa County. In numbering the inhabitants, the names of the heads of families only were noted ; but the males were numbered separately from the females ; thus :

HEADS OF FAMILIES.

Males. Females. Total.

Ebenezer Brigham*

Berry Haney*

Wallace Rowan*

Michel St. Cyrt

John Emelt ....

Abel Rasdallt

2 2

Whole number.

* Resident, in fact, in Iowa County-in that part which afterward became the western half of Dane County .- ED.

Resident, in fact, of Milwaukee County-in that part which afterward became the eastern half of Dane County. The name "John Emel" was undoubtedly intended for the Frenchman whose real name was Oliver Emell, frequently found written " Armel " as previously ex- plained .- ED.

378

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

Subsequently, but before Dane was erected into a separate county, Eben Peck and wife came to the East Blue Mound, at Brigham's place, while Wallace Rowan and family moved into what was afterward set off as Columbia County, at Poynette. When, therefore, the capital of Wisconsin Territory was located at Madison-November 28, 1836-the country now included within the limits of Dane County, contained not less than twenty-nine inhabitants.

YE ANCIENT PIONEERS.

Abel Rasdall was a native of Kentucky, born August 15, 1805, in Barron County, son of Robert and Elizabeth Rasdall. He was raised a farmer. When a young man, he went to Mis- souri and engaged in lead mining, and in 1828 went to Galena and assisted awhile the late James Morrison in his mining operations at Porter's Grove, about nine miles west of Blue Mounds, and soon engaged in the business of an Indian trader, locating his cabin on the eastern shore of Lake Kegonsa, about a half-mile south of its outlet. He married a Winnebago woman by whom he had three children. She was a real help-meet to him in the Indian trade, but, accom- panying him to Fort Winnebago at some Indian payment there, she sickened and died of small- pox, Rasdall alone attending her and burying her remains. He had been vaccinated when young, and did not take the disease. He subsequently married another Winnebago woman ; they had no issue, and when her people migrated west, she concluded to go with them-so Ras- dall and his Indian wife cut a blanket in two, each taking a part, the Indian mode of divorce. In his trading with the Indians, Rasdall did not, by any means, confine himself to his trading establishment, but would pack several ponies with goods, and would take a tour among the Indian camps and settlements, and dicker off his goods for skins and furs. He obtained his goods at Galena, where he disposed of his furs and peltry. Not only ponies were used for packing and transporting goods, but Indians also. In 1846, he was married to Mary Ann Pitcher, in Madison, by whom he had three sons. Mr. Rasdall died at his home at Token Creek, Dane Co., Wis., June 6, 1857, at the age of nearly 52 years. He will long be remem- bered as an early settler of the County, his trading adventures around the Four Lakes having commenced as early as 1831.

" Among those [early settlers] recently deceased," wrote one of the pioneers soon after the death of Rasdall, " was Abel Rasdall, who, I believe, was one of the first settlers in the Four Lakes region. His first settlement was at Porter's Grove, which is situated about nine miles from the Blue Mounds, at which place he had charge of some business in connection with James Morrison. This was in 1828, and the same year they were joined by Ebenezer Brigham. Mrs. Morrison joined her husband in January, 1829. Henry Dodge preceded them by but one year in the occupancy of this region, having located near his present home in 1827. Mr. Morrison built two cabins, in 1828, near the locality now known as Porter's Grove, one of which was designed as a repository of goods. The means of traffic with the Indians were then very limited, consisting mostly in the exchange of goods of various cheap kinds for furs, of which the Indians had no just knowledge. Their goods consisted mostly of calico, woolen cloth, wampum and beads. There was nothing like a fixed system of exchange. An article of goods worth one shilling would often readily exchange for the skin of an otter worth $5. The Indians had no idea of the value of anything, and had no frugal ideas with regard to means of living. They subsisted mostly upon animal food, which generally consisted of ducks and fish. There was a root used by the Indians which they regarded as a substitute for potatoes, which was found in marshes, growing in a succession of bulbs. Mr. Rasdall said it had no resemblance to the arrow- root either in root or top. I was quite unable to get a satisfactory impression of what it was. Mr. Rasdall bad not seen it for several years. The name given it by the Indians was No-ah- how-in. Mr. Rasdall was once cast ashore from Lake Mendota, and, having no provisions, sub- sisted upon this root for ten days. This was in 1835, while arranging a trading establishment near Lake Kegonsa. At a prior date, whileon an excursion near the same lake, he saw a bear, and soon after, coming across the wigwams near its outlet, he informed the Indians, who will- ingly sallied out, being in great want of food, and soon succeeded in capturing it. They readily

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 56

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1304

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304