History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 80

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 80

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walked steadily into a printing office, and, with his own unaided arm, broke up a newspaper form upon the press, then printing false words derogatory to him. This strength and self-reliance in his personal appearance made the feebleness and loss of sight of his last months peculiarly touching.

His life went out in darkness. The war came. He had foreseen it with deepest pain. He was of those who thought that the election of Douglas over Lincoln would have averted it for the time, possibly would have shifted it along until different circumstances had quietly accomplished the end which came only through blood and anguish. But when the call for men came, and his son Lucius was one of the first five in the State to enlist to serve in any capacity required, he made no objection. It was his country ; and the Union was essential to his idea of it. And, when Cassius, returning from the wilds of the pinery to find the country aflame with the war-spirit, added his name to the already tremendous list, he gave no sigh. He expected, as a matter of course, if there was work to be done, all his boys would do it. And though great tears rolled down his cheeks, already thin and pallid at the rapid approach of death, those pre- cious lives were never recalled, even to comfort his last days. The fortunes of war sent his eldest son, Cassius, back on a stretcher, with a ball in his thigh, to occupy an adjoining bed- room during his father's last days, and, with his mother and sister, to follow, on crutches, the revered form to its last resting-place. But with all the sense of personal loss, with all the frightful sense of danger to his eldest son in the Western Army, his second in the Army of the Potomac, and his third son and youngest child in the navy, now on guard below Richmond, in James River, and then participating in the siege of Charleston, his great grief, his really first thought, was for his country-the fear that peace had fled from it for a long time, if not forever. No victories came to cheer his last days. With failing strength, and nearly extinguished sight, he went out in the darkest days of the war, just when defeat after defeat had begun to teach our armies how large a task had been undertaken. He died July 18, 1862.

CASSIUS FAIRCHILD

was born at Franklin Mills, now Kent, Ohio, December 16, 1829. He was the second son of Sally Blair and J. C. Fairchild, first Treasurer of the State of Wisconsin, first Mayor of the city of Madison, and a gentleman of fine ability, high character, and great prominence in the early history of the State. His mother's grandfather, Capt. George Howard, died in the service of his country just before the close of the Revolutionary war. He had been in Nova Scotia, most prosperously situated, at the declaration of independence, and, sacrificing all his property, had hastened home to fight for his country. His mother's other grandfather, Blair, had also served with honor in the French and Indian war. The elder son died early ; and the family removed to Cleveland, in 1834, where Cassius received his education, with the exception of one year spent at an academy in Twinsburg, Ohio, and a longer period, later, at the school which afterward became Carroll College, in Waukesha, Wis. He learned slowly, but had an accurate and retentive memory. Fond of fun, he had yet caution and self-control, so that he never got into difficulties.

At fourteen, he came to Milwaukee with his uncle, F. J. Blair; and after his return to Cleveland, by most urgent entreaties, he obtained permission from his parents to go all the way back to Milwaukee on horseback, in company with a young man well known to them. This first taste of adventure was enjoyed by him with a keen relish, and made him feel himself a man at once.

With his uncle in Milwaukee, in school at Waukesha, in the duties and pleasures of home life in his father's house in Madison, with an occasional business visit to New York City, his life passed smoothly on, with no more startling incident than his repeated election as Alderman (one year President of the Common Council), and an election, in 1859, as member of the Legislature from the city of Madison.

Thongh previously known to most acquaintances merely as a young gentleman in society, he is said to have possessed at this time an unusual keenness and discrimination as to men, and

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to have so won their respect as to wield a controlling influence over many of his seniors in years and experience.

At about this time, little knowing for what they prepared themselves, some young gentle- men of the city formed a military company called the Governor's Guard. So rare was even the smallest knowledge of military tactics in the State, that nearly every member of this company took high rank, and served with distinction during the war. Among its most indefatigable members were the brothers Cassins and Lncins Fairchild.

At the breaking-out of the war, Cassius was in the wilds of the Northern Pineries, attend- ing, with patience and tact, to a most wearying and vexatious business, in which misplaced con- fidence and kindness had involved his father. Immediately after his return home, he offered his services to the Governor, and in October, 1861, was appointed Major of the Sixteenth Wiscon- sin Infantry. In December following, he was promoted to the office of Lieutenant Colonel. At the battle of Shiloh, a ball entered his thigh, so close to the hip-joint, that amputation was impos- sible, and all tampering dangerous. By the almost superhuman exertions of his father's friend, Judge Thomas Hood, who went for him, he was brought home on a stretcher, down the Tennes- see and the Ohio, and up the Mississippi to Prairie du Chien. During the eight months of emaciation and suffering, the ball and seven pieces of his clothing remained in the wound, baffling the search of a score of surgeons. Through all this suffering and anxious suspense, his cheerful courage and ever-flowing wit made his bedside a delight to his friends. The melan- choly satisfaction of witnessing the last days of a revered and beloved father, and of sustaining his mother and sister through the bereavement, were secured to him by his prolonged suffering. The ball was found by Dr. Brainard, in December, and the foreign substances removed; but they had remained so long embedded in the bone that a new formation of bone had grown over them, and the consequent irritation was very slow to heal. He returned to the field and active service in May, while his wound still required dressing twice a day ; and twice during the suc- ceeding campaign he received injuries which opened his wound, and prostrated him upon a sick bed. During the siege of Vicksburg, the lamented Gen. McPherson was his kind and constant friend ; and Gens. Force, Belknap and others of his companions remember him with expres- sions of affectionate respect.

In March, 1864, he was appointed Colonel. His regiment belonged to the Seventeenth Army Corps, which achieved such a noble record at Atlanta and in Sherman's march to the sea. He remained in the service to the close of the war, and, upon being mustered out, was brevetted Brigadier General for gallantry.

In the summer of 1866, he was appointed United States Marshal, and again removed to the city of Milwaukee, where he resided till he received a strain while acting as pall-bearer at the funeral of a friend, which caused the breaking-open of his wound, with fatal results. He died October 24, 1868. He left two brothers-Lucius Fairchild, then Governor of the State, and Charles Fairchild, of Boston, who had also served in the navy during the blockade of James River, and participated in the siege of Charleston. He also left one sister and a widow, to whom , he had been married ten days before his death. He is interred in Madison.

LEVI BAKER VILAS

was born in Sterling, Lamoille Co., Vt., February 25, 1811. He received an academic educa- tion and a partial course in college. He studied law and was admitted to practice at the bar in his native State in 1833. He at once entered into an extensive and lucrative practice, and soon ranked among the ablest and most successful lawyers in the State. In 1834, he was appointed Postmaster at Morrisville, Vt., but held the position only a short time, as he soon after settled in Johnson, in that State. From this town he was elected a member of the Constitutional Con- vention in 1835, and he represented the town in the Legislature in 1836 and 1837, and was in the latter year clected one of the Commissioners of the Deaf and Dumb and Blind Institute of Vermont. During the same time, he held the office of Register in Probate. In 1838, he removed to Chelsea, and

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represented that town in the Legislature in 1840, 1841 and 1842, and was, in each of these years, the Democratic candidate for Speaker. He served on the Judiciary Committee all the time, and the last year was its Chairman. In 1844, he was the Democratic candidate for Congress, his Whig opponent being the late Jacob Collamer. In 1845 and 1846, he served in the State Senate, and was unanimously elected President pro tem. of that body, which consisted of twenty- three Whigs and seven Democrats, though he belonged to the minority party. He held the office of Probate Judge in Orange County for three years. In 1848, he was the candidate of his party for United States Senator against William Upham. In the same year, he was a candidate for Presidential Elector, and was also a delegate to the Baltimore Convention. He was a mem- ber of the Constitutional Convention of Vermont in 1850, and was the Democratic candidate for President of that body. Such was the public career of Judge Vilas in his native State prior to the age of forty years. He had occupied many years in public life, but had given such attention to his professional work as to become distinguished at the bar, and had accumulated a respect- able fortune. His success was such as is achieved by but few men in any State.

In 1851, Judge Vilas removed with his family from Vermont and settled in Madison. In the first few years of his residence in Madison, he devoted attention to the practice of his profes- sion, but he gave it up several years ago, having accumulated a competency ; but it was among his regrets that he retired so early from active life in his chosen profession, one which he loved so well and in which he had been so eminently successful. He represented the capital district in the Assembly in the years 1855, 1868 and 1873. He was elected Mayor of Madison in 1862. He was appointed by Gov. Salomon Draft Commissioner in 1862 ; was Regent of the University twelve years ; was the Democratic candidate for Secretary of State in 1865, and for Speaker of the Assembly in 1873. In 1878, Judge Vilas was a prominent candidate in the Democratic convention for the nomination for Governor. These are the prominent positions he has held since bis residence in Wisconsin, and he ever discharged his official duties with fidelity to the interests of the State and with distinguished ability.

He was a strong friend of education generally, and he illustrated this friendship in his own works for the State University. Five sons were graduates of this institution. In the University he took great pride, and was instrumental in rendering it efficient aid in many ways. He was also a valuable and working friend of agriculture, having done honorable service for many years as a member of the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society. He has rendered the State excellent service in many capacities.

In the death of Judge Vilas, Madison lost an enterprising and influential citizen-one who was ever alive in advancing the interests of the city in which his Western home was located. His zeal in promoting every city improvement never flagged, and his labors have been effective in the procurement of many things that have resulted in the advancement of Madison.

In 1837, Judge Vilas was married to Miss Esther G. Smilie, daughter of the Hon. Nathan Smilie, of Cambridge, Vt. This union was one of long duration, and a happy one. It was blessed with ten children-nine sons and one daughter-five of whom, with the mother and wife, survive the father and husband. The four sons that now survive their father are an honor to their parents ; three lawyers and one physician, all occupying prominent positions in their pro- fession. Two (William F. and Edward P.) are lawyers in Madison ; Levi M. is located at Eau Claire, and Charles H. is an eminent physician in Chicago.

Both houses of the Legislature took proper action in the passage of resolutions of respect to the memory of the honored deceased. The flag on the capitol floated at half-mast during the day of his death. He died February 6, 1879.

JOHN Y. SMITH.

John Y. Smith was born near Evans' Mills, a small village in the town of Le Ray, Jeffer- son Co., N. Y., February 10, 1807. His father was Peter Smith, an Irishman by birth, who came to this country as a soldier in the army of Gen. Burgoyne, and, after his captivity, deter- mined to remain and become a resident of the country. He was married twice, his second wife

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being a niece of Gen. Ethan Allen. She died, when her son, the subject of this sketch, was about six years of age. A year afterward, his father removed to New Hartford, Oneida Co., N. Y. His circumstances were such that he decided to find places for his children, and break up housekeeping. He himself went to live with his oldest son, Edward, then about twenty-four years of age. His son, John Y., was sent to work in the cotton factory established in that place. He soon after went to live with a farmer, with whom he remained four years, and while with him and about eight years of age, he was kicked by a horse, which fractured his skull and displaced one eye. This injury nearly cost him his life. His employer was a tyrant, and the lad while with him was the victim of much ill usage. After this, he learned the carpenter's trade, reaching his majority and completing his apprenticeship about the same time. From these circumstances it will be apparent that his advantages for education were very limited. His literary training was not received at the schools to any considerable extent, but chiefly in a struggle for life, and under the influence of comparatively few books that he read ; but the train- ing was none the less real, as he made it a practice to study and patiently digest what engaged his attention, eschewing all light and frivolous publications. The writings of Milton, Young, Thompson and Wordsworth in poetry, Edwards and Butler in theology, Isaac Taylor in the field of speculative thought, and Say, Mill and De Quincey in political economy, were his favorite authors. Grammar he never studied, and he used to say that the only rule of it he knew was the one laid down in the book of Job, xxxiv, 3, " For the ear trieth words as the mouth tasteth meat." Soon after finishing his apprenticeship, he made preparations to move to the West. He engaged himself to go with a missionary to the Stockbridge Indians, near Green Bay, to erect or work upon the mission buildings. His employer paid his passage, and advanced him $20 to purchase a set of bench tools. He left Utica, N. Y., on a line boat on the Erie Canal, with $1.25 in his pocket. In about eight day's, he arrived at Buffalo, then a village of limited pre- tensions, and took passage on a small schooner, the " Lady of the Lake," of seventy tons bur- then, and in about four weeks landed safely at Green Bay, on May 18, 1828. His first employ- ment was on the mission house near that place, and afterward at Kaukana, among the Stock- bridges. He built the second frame house and the first flouring-mill in Wisconsin. After passing a year at Green Bay, he determined to return homeward. He was as far as Mackinaw, but after staying there three months, decided to return to Wisconsin-or Michigan Territory, as it was then called-intending to make Green Bay his permanent home. On September 27, 1832, while residing at the Bay, he married Anna Weed Kellogg, daughter of James and Martha C. Kellogg, of Northfield, Conn., who was at that time a missionary teacher to the Stockbridges. This lady died March 3, 1847, leaving one son, Hayden K. Smith.

In the year 1833 and the year following, in company with Asa Sherman, he erected a mill on the public lands near the present city of Green Bay, and a dwelling-house, occupied by them until the Government sale of 1835. Under the pre-emption law of 1834, they selected the quarter-section thus occupied, and each party was allowed a " float," as it was called-the right to enter at Government price, eighty acres anywhere in the land district. Mr. Sherman's " float " was purchased by Morgan L. Martin, and located in what now is the center of the city of Milwaukee. The court house stands upon its site. Mr. Smith located his " float " in Mil- waukee, west of the river and north of Spring street, and it embraced parts of what are now the Second and Fourth Wards. He retained for a long time an undivided half-interest, having dis- posed of the remainder. The rise of property soon after, greatly improved his pecuniary cir- cumstances.

In 1837, he removed to that city, where he remained nearly three years ; a portion of this time working at his trade, and also in cultivating a small farm in the vicinity. In 1839, he removed to a farm about three miles from Waukesha, then known as Prairieville. In the winter of 1840-41, he fell, while chopping in the woods, and sustained an injury in the back which confined him to his house for a number of weeks. His recovery was slow ; it was several years before he could perform hard physical labor. It was supposed his spine was permanently injured. This accident strongly influenced his subsequent career, and seemed to render it necessary for him to engage in a somewhat less laborious occupation.

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He first visited Madison early in 1842, in company with Rev. J. E. Quaw, a Dutch Re- formed clergyman. The Legislature of the Territory in joint convention, February 18, elected him Commissioner of Public Buildings ; and at the succeeding session, in 1843, he was, on the 24th of March, elected Superintendent of Public Property, the former office of Commissioner- ship having been abolished. The old capitol was completed, or nearly so, under his superin- tendence, he doing much of the finer work with his own hands.

In July of that year, he removed his family to Madison, and, in 1846; erected a dwelling- house, still standing, on the corner of Carroll and Clymer streets, where he made his home until he removed to his farm, two miles and a half south of the city.

The Wisconsin Argus was established at Madison, and the first number issued April 22, 1844. The members of the firm were Simeon Mills, Benjamin Holt and John Y. Smith-the latter having entire control of the editorial department. It was Democratic in politics, and was in favor of free trade and a hard-money currency, and ranked high as an exponent of those meas- ures. Mr. Smith remained connected with the paper, with some business changes, until April, 1851, when he retired from it.

While engaged in his editorial labors, he was chosen to represent part of Dane County in the First Constitutional Convention, that met in October, 1846. It does not appear that Mr. Smith made any elaborate speeches, or took a very active part in the work of the convention, except on a proposed section to abolish the death penalty, when he made a speech against such action, which was published in the Argus at the time. The constitution as framed, as is well known, was rejected by the vote of the people. It is believed he was not in favor of its adoption. Mr. Smith married the second time, July 5, 1847, at Madison, Harriet, daughter of John and Abigail Wright, of East Hampton, Mass. She died September 7, 1851. The children by this marriage were two; both are now deceased. He married again, on the 18th of March, 1852, at Brookfield, Wis. His third wife is Sarah Ann, daughter, of Jonathan C. and Achsa, D. Warner, of Amherst, Mass., by which marriage he had two sons now living.

Mr. Smith soon became known as a writer of ability. The first of his publications that attracted attention, was a mock message, written by him as the first " Peoples' Governor," or Governor of the Sovereigns, delivered in the Assembly Hall in 1842. This was the commence- ment of a series of similar messages delivered at the opening of the sessions of the Legislature. It was the means of introducing him to the favorable notice of C. C. Sholes, who engaged him to report legislative proceedings for his paper. This was his first connection with the press, and from this time until 1851 he was steadily engaged in editorial labors.

In 1861, Mr. Smith purchased the interest of E. A. Calkins in the Argus and Democrat, a daily and weekly newspaper, and the publication was continued by the firm name of Smith & Cullaton, H. K. Smith being an associate editor. The daily issue was continued to January 4, 1862, and the weekly until June 10 of that year, when the publication was discontinued. During the war he wrote some army letters to the Chicago Tribune, and other papers, but did not devote himself to the work of a correspondent. In the winter of 1866-67, he wrote for the Milwaukee Sentinel, during the illness of his son, who was engaged on the editorial force of that paper. He was the editorial writer for the Western Farmer in 1867-68, and a part of the winter of 1868-69 for the Sentinel. For about three months in the summer of 1870, he was the editor of the Peoria (III.) Transcript, when he ceased his connection with the press.

On the 24th of April, 1874, while on his farm near the city of Madison, he had his left leg severely fractured from the kick of a horse he was endeavoring to train to service. He re- mained in a critical condition, with but slight hopes of his recovery, and for several days reason had left him to such a degree that he hardly recognized his friends. His sufferings were intense, and he lingered until the 5th day of May, when death came to his relief. He was in the sixty- eighth year of his age.

Mr. Smith's tastes were inclined towards economic subjects, though he wrote readily on other topics; and of his letters, those particularly descriptive of scenery were graphic and entertaining.

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As a public economist he was thorough ; he was uncompromisingly opposed to protection, to paper-money or to usury laws.

As a thinker he was logical, untiring and conscientious rather than rapid. He was usually clear, because he always thought out his subjects patiently and thoroughly before writing.

" It is our boast, indeed," says one who knew him well, " that, in its infancy, Wisconsin had connected with her press, as its most prominent figure, a master mind, deeply versed in the very elements of fundamental law, with sagacity to forecast the future; who would make men think, and of consequence make them studious and thoughtful."

" His mind, it can be truthfully said," continues the writer, "was of the Miltonic cast. He had carefully read and deeply pondered almost every branch of human learning, but his special- ties were logical and metaphysical authors. No writer was so subtle or acute as to confound his clear judgment, confuse his understanding or elude his grasp of mind. He examined every problem with severe minuteness ; traced it to its fundamental principles, and subjected it to an analysis and critical test that left little or no residuum for error. He commenced to question just where other men accept without examination. He spent hours and days in profoundest thought upon propositions the world accepted as standard truth. He was a hard and tireless student, and every production of his pen bore the impress of deep reflection and , closest ex- amination."

In his religious belief, Mr. Smith was a Presbyterian, and took an active part in the organi- zation of the church of that denomination in Madison, in October, 1851 ; and was for a long period identified in its management, holding for a number of years the office of Ruling Elder, nearly a quarter of a century. While not conspicuous in late years in the daily walks of basi- ness life, he was universally esteemed for the uprightness of his character, as well as for distin- guished ability.

Mr. Smith was one of those men that pass a long life's thoroughfare in a quiet, peaceful way. Under the surface of an unpretending and somewhat rough exterior, there was a deep and over flowing fountain of kindness, and a fund of humor that sometimes sparkled with peculiar bril- liancy-of the " clear, sharp kind that was full of point."

Among his principal literary efforts were-

1. A series of articles on the power of Congress over the Territories.

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 80

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