History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 86

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044

USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County, Wisconsin > Part 86

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).

570

HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

tribute to his genial qualities and kindly heart. While residing in Galena, he became acquainted with and married Elizabeth Carpenter, an estimable lady, and a step-daughter of Gov. Briggs, late of Andrew, Iowa. Mrs. Wilson remained in widowhood for a number of years after the death of her husband, and then was re-married to a Col. Cobb, a gentleman who resided a short time during the war in Potosi. They soon afterward disposed of their pleasant home here, and went to reside at Farmington, Mo., the place whence the Colonel had migrated during the troublesome times. Both have since passed to their long repose. Dr. George M. Wilson, an only son, survives them, and is practicing medicine in Missouri.

Another merchant of note was the late Simon E. Lewis, who passed from the scenes of life in July, 1874. He was probably the shrewdest, most energetic and successful of all who were here engaged in business at an early day, securing by his industry, tact and enterprise an ample fortune, which his children now enjoy. Mr. L. was born in Austria, on the Upper Danube; leaving his native country while yet a young man, to seek and carve out for himself a name and fortune in a strange land, which the limited opportunities and over-crowded state of affairs denied to him and others like him in his own land. Landing in the New World alone and almost penniless, he makes his way westward to the then almost frontier of civilization, and takes up his residence at Bowling Green, Mo., where the natural avocation of his people leads him to engage in the mercantile business. From the beginning, he is a prosperous and rising man. Learning of the fortunes being so readily made in the Upper Lead Mines, he closes his small establishment in Bowling Green, and the spring of 1840 finds him domiciled in Potosi, selling large quantities of supplies to the miners and neighboring farmers, who were then struggling in the swaddling clothes worn by all settlers in a new country-scarcely able to live and gain a foothold on the soil. Of course they needed credit, and Mr. Lewis soon became abundantly able and freely gave them all the credit their circumstances required. He thus secured a large and profitable trade, and became well and widely known to all the leading men of the county. About the year 1847, Mr. Lewis was joined by a younger brother, Mr. John P. Lewis, and for several years thereafter the business was conducted in the firm name of John P. Lewis & Co. Other partners succeeded, and branches of their growing business were established at Wingville, Lancaster and British Hollow. He purchased the interest of Julius Augustine in the steam saw-mill located at the mouth of the Hollow, erected by Messrs. Kin- ney & Angustine, in the year 1853, which for many years did a large and profitable business, and was a partner in the saw-mill and mercantile business, the firm being known as Kinney & Co., until a few months before his death. In the year 1857, he was elected to and held the responsible office of County Treasurer, discharging its duties in a creditable and efficient man- ner. Mr. Lewis was long known in this community, and exerted a large influence in the busi- ness circles as well as over the political and social interests of the town. His second son, George H. Lewis, succeeded him in the mercantile business. His amiable widow remains upon the homestead, while the other members of his family are Dr. John S. Lewis, of Dubuque, Iowa; Josephine McKee, the wife of John McKee, a well-known citizen of Leavenworth, Kan .; Eugene H. Lewis, a promising a young lawyer of New York City-a junior partner in the law firm of Chamberlin, Carter & Hornblower-the first-named individual being the late notorious carpet-hag Governor of Georgia, and T. G. Lewis, a student of Beloit College, Wis. Cyrena, his eldest daughter, and wife of Dr. Taylor L. Graham, died a few years since, and sleeps beside the affectionate father whom she loved so well in life, in the old Van Buren Cemetery, on the ridge west of the village.

Celestine Kaltenbach was then, as now, Postmaster, which position he has held for the past forty-three years almost continuously, being the oldest Postmaster in the State. He received his first appointment from Amos Kendall, August 28, 1838, under the administration of Presi- dent Van Buren, and has discharged its onerous duties so faithfully and well, that no adminis- tration has seen fit to remove him. He is a worthy man and good citizen, besides being a prom- inent merchant of forty years' standing ; has held several offices of trust and responsibility in school, church and town. In former years, no man exercised a wider or more salutary influence.

571

HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

over the community, and especially his own countrymen, than did Celestine Kaltenbach. He is still spared in the vigor of health, and in the enjoyment of happiness, surrounded by his esti- mable wife and children, a worthy and well-preserved monument of early life in the mines.

There were many others doing business here worthy of extended notice, but space forbids other than a brief reference to their names-all of whom, or nearly all, are now ont of active basiness, have removed from the place or been gathered in by the Great Reaper. To close the list, I will simply mention the names of those most familiar to my memory : Haines & Hollub, I. G. Ury, Langworthy & Williams, Block & Kaltenbach-the senior member of the firm being Elias Block, now a wealthy banker in San Francisco, who was succeeded in business by his brother, Hyman E. Block, who married the eldest daughter of his partner and became an active and influential citizen of the town (now a prominent commission merchant of St Louis), Mr. A. B. Southworth (a relative of the celebrated novelist, Emma D. E. N. Southworth), tinsmith and dealer in stoves. He closed business here about the year 1850. Mr. S. afterward located in San Francisco, where he accumulated a large fortune in the lumber trade. Bicknell & Arm- strong kept a drug store ; and there were the usual number of shops, saloons and other places of resort which constituted a well-regulated mining town. Samuel Vance and his brother James conducted a thriving business in general merchandise at British Hollow, where was also the old brewery and several saloons in full blast, furnishing potations to the thirsty and thrifty English miners of that village. A small store was kept by Edward Lafont at Rockville, and another by Harrison Pauley. At the German settlement. Peter Zeng and Peter Ort, brothers-in-law, sup- plied their freshly-arrived Tentonic brethren with their native beverage, and, in generous mugs, made them forget their exile and "Fatherland." Old Peter Zeng, who has now reached his fourscore years, is yet hale and hearty, and walks as sprightly as of yore. He was the first German who located in the settlement-now fifty years ago-and began the building of a town by the erection of a small log house. Others soon followed. and the settlement bids fair to be- come as famous as "fair Bingen on the Rhine." The mines were flourishing, buildings sprang +up on every side, a church soon followed, and the sweet tones of its vesper bells soon greeted the ear and told the listening world a Christian people here had come to dwell. The old church building is now converted into a Sisters' school, while a new and more stately edifice, one of the finest in the State, supplants the old, and rears its lofty spire amid the sunny clouds. And Peter has lived to see this wonderful change; and now, with his "ault frau," contented and happy, blessed with plenty and surrounded by his children and grandchildren in untold num- bers, awaits the coming of that time, when, together they shall " wrap the drapery of the couch about them and lie down to pleasant dreams."

In those days, dancing parties were of frequent occurrence in the settlement and were greatly enjoyed by young and old of all classes, creeds and countries. The "sound of revelry by night" and the sweet tones of the violin, with clarionet accompaniment, as executed by John Guion, Von Bernard Marcus and his brother musicians, and as it comes gently floating down on the stream of time, is still ringing in my ears ! Oh, those delicious sounds !.

"'Twas music in the sinner's ear- 'Twas life and health and peace."

Nor were these gay waltzing parties without their little episodes. Rude barbarians from the surrounding neighborhood often crept in to disturb those who had met to smile upon the pretty German girls and enjoy the fleeting moments as they passed. And when there was too much malt in the brew, as sometimes happened, black eyes and broken noses were the consequence.

On one memorable occasion, a fracas of this kind happened at a gathering of this kind, when a tenderfoot, unused to border scenes and Western customs would have imagined the inno- cents were all about to be slaughtered.

Sam and Henry Redman were wild boys living in the vicinity, and when under the influ- ence of liquor, had no respect for the civilities of life. They were present, as they had often been before-dressed after a peculiar fashion of their own, wearing red flannel shirts, open at the collar, and without coat or vest. Around their loins was girt a miner's belt in which each

572

HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

carried a large hunting knife, ready to flay a deer or scalp a man as the occasion might present. The girls " swung to their partners" and whirled in the giddy evolutions of the waltz; while the strong, but gentle arms which encompassed their lovely forms, were ever ready to fell with ponderous blows him who dared to supplant them in the smiles of these angelic objects of their adoration.

"Love framed with mirth a gay, fantastic round;"

they smiled, perspired, and told the measure of their love with laughing eye and gentle pressure of the hand, when all at once the scene was changed. Big, loud, unmentionable oaths flew thick and fast and the place became suddenly blue with the profanity of the intruders. The girls, panting, trembling, and in utter dismay, fled from the room and were as quickly followed by their more courageous but not less discomfited companions. The candles were extinguished and for the nonce darkness brooded over the scene. The Redmans had sprung a coup d'etat and were the sole possessors of the place. They whooped, hallowed, danced, and sung their ribald songs and on the light being restored, revealed them brandishing their gleaming knives in the air ; while, at intervals, with fiendish grin and lurid oaths, they would drive their glitter- ing points into the rough logs as if pinioning to the walls the victims of their hate. After a time-when fear of sudden danger had subsided-some of the bolder of the German boys vent- ured to return and remonstrate with the outlaws-the outrage was condoned-a truce agreed upon-the Redmans were invited out to partake of a fresh glass of lager-the dance went on and once more "peace reigned in Warsaw."

A brawl or a personal encounter with the roughs who frequented the dancing parties which constitutes one of the chief amusements in the early settlement of the town, was no uncommon occurrence and often ended with serious results to some of the parties engaged.

But I pass to other and more important matters. Among the smelters of that day I re- member William T. Ennor, Joseph Pettey and Albert W. Emery, of British Hollow, and William Lightfoot and Thomas Pallier, of Potosi, only two of whom, Joseph Pettey and A. W. Emery are still living. The mining interest greatly declined after the discovery of gold in California, and the five years succeeding 1849 saw the lead mines of Wisconsin almost depleted of its min- ing population. Some returned in after years to explore their abandoned diggings, but- mining as a source of wealth and employment has never regained its former importance.

James Alderson, during the fifties, made the first improvementupon the old mode of mining with windlass and tub, by the appliance of steam power and machinery and going beneath the water for the shining ore. He mined at " Adney Patch " near British Hollow, and succeeded in raising large quantities of mineral. This gave a new impetus to the business and attracted capitalists, in search of profitable investments, to the mines. A company organized in Pitts- burgh, attracted thither through their agents, purchased the Alderson diggings ; ran them for a few years with moderate success, when, tiring of their bonanza they re-sold to James Alderson & Co., who, after expending many thousand dollars in machinery and sinking shafts here and at other points, abandoned their works as unprofitable. Another company called the Graham Mining Company, organized in Milwaukee, and of which Hon. J. C. Hathaway, now of Beetown, wasagent, purchased from Gov. Dewey, in the sixties, a tract of mining land supposed to be rich in lead ore, known as Preston Point, and commenced mining operations and continued with varied success down to the year 1879, when they, too, suspended operations and sold their lands for a mere nominal sum, having sunk not less than $50,000 in the enterprise. Practical miners were always of the opinion this company did not mine with that judgment which is the result of long acquaintance with mining operations, and hence their failure. Drifts, or tunnels, were run into- the hill, for many hundreds of yards ; the workmen tediously and expensively cutting their way through solid rock at a cost of $3 to $5 per lineal foot, to drain the main crevices of water and thus be enabled to reach and unearth the large mineral deposits there contained. They succeeded partially in removing the surface water, but never came upon any remunerative beds- of ore. Their failure was a disappointment not only to themselves, but the community at large, who still believe untold wealth lies imbedded in our bluffs and hills ; and that at no very distant

573

HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

day, its sources will be reached, their treasures revealed, and the glittering ore in untold million pounds reward the skill of man.

About the year 1850, or perhaps earlier, the great railroad projects leading out from the lake shore westward to the Mississippi, were being much discussed both through the public press and in business circles. The Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was the first to start the grand race for the banks of the Mississippi, which, after crossing Rock River in the year 1851, reaching Galena, where it remained a short time, in the year 1853, and was continued some- time during the year 1855. Dubuque was made the western terminus of the road mainly through the efforts of Hon. George W. Jones, then the accomplished Senator from Iowa. Milwaukee, fully awake to the importanceof railroad communication with the growing West, was making strenuous efforts to anticipate her more fortunate rival, Chicago, and reach first, with the iron borse what was regarded then as the ultama thule of trade-the banks of the Mississippi River.

The unparalleled immigration to and rapid settlement of Minnesota at this time gave the Upper Mississippi an importance unequaled in the history of the world. Everything and every- body seemed to be moving toward St. Paul and intermediate points ; during the summers from 1850 down to as late as 1858, the splended steamers of the packet companies were thronged with passengers and loaded to the guards with freight all bound northward to this new country, whose salubrious climate and prolific soil have not disappointed their then most glowing anticipations. Milwaukee, young, moneyless, and sinewless as she was, bent all the energies of an indomitable will to this great task and commenced grading and laying the iron track toward the setting sun.

Potosi, alive to the importance of securing the western terminus of this road, commenced a railroad project with the view of meeting the eastern road half way and escorting the iron horse to the river. Meetings were held, speeches were made, articles written and published in the columns of the Potosi Republican, Lancaster Herald and other local papers, all lauding the en- terprise and expatiating upon the benefits to be derived therefrom. By the united efforts of William R. Biddlecome and Robert M. Briggs, the members of the Legislature from the Potosi and Beetown districts, a charter was secured and the Potosi & Dodgeville Railroad Company became one of the most important institutions of the land. Briggs secured his election by promising his constituents it should be built by the way of Beetown with a double track "like two rowe of brass buttons on a double-breasted vest." The books were opened and many shares of stock subscribed, but it is needless to add, the project was beaten by our more enterprising neighbors in the north part of the county, who mortgaged their farms for stock, and thus secured the location of the road in the Wisconsin Valley.

BY DANIEL R. BURT.

I first came to the country in 1835, after having made my location at Lancaster, or near where Lancaster now is situated; in 1835, I left that point in company with Lucius Ashley for the object of finding a water-power on Grant River to be used for manufacturing lumber for the improvement of the country, and where, if required, it could be shipped by water to any point on the Mississippi. We left with a horse on the 10th of December, 1835, the snow about four inches deep. Learning that it would be difficult to obtain forage for the horse, we left it with Mr. Fitzgerald, then living some three miles from Lancaster, on the Boice Prairie, and thence proceeded through the Platte timber, and examined the Platte River. Not being satisfied with the Platte, concluded to examine Grant, commencing our examination at the point where now stands the warehouse on Grant Slough, following it up to the first fall or rapid water, now Burton, where I subsequently built the aforementioned mills. We spent some two hours in searching for sec- tion lines without success, and darkness began to settle down upon us, and having eaten our last rations at breakfast, though we had killed a fine turkey, concluded we must try to find our way back to the point where we left our horse, having been three days out traveling over a por- tion of the country never before seen by either of us, without a track or trace of civilized man to guide us. Our three days of travel had led us to almost every point of the compass, zigzag, circuitous and of all directions. Ashley declared he had no opinion of the proper course to be

574

HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

taken and that I must pilot; accepting the proffered berth, we commenced our journey over a country broken up by deep ravines, and covered with timber of which we had never before seen, or without any guide to direct us. We had not traveled half a mile before the darkness and brush compelled a halt; breaking up some fine brush to lay my head upon for the night, the snow four inches deep and without anything to eat since morning, I laid myself down to rest for the night, leaving Ashley on guard-duty some twenty feet from me with a double-barrel rifle, and a small fire we had improvised, with instructions to awaken me at 12 o'clock to relieve him. It commenced snowing about this time and was quite dark. The wolves having scented our turkey and our fire, approached rather unpleasantly near with their hideous howlings, and awakened Ash- ley's attention, if not his admiration, of their music, interesting him so deeply that he declined to be relieved through the night. Tying a handkerchief over my face, with a heavy overcoat and other heavy clothing, I slept through very comfortably, the snow having fallen about four inches through the night and covering me to that depth. " I was not in the least disturbed in my sleep; with a large tree at my head, a large cudgel at my side, and a revolver in my pocket and Ashley on guard as above stated. The wolves parted company with us before morning; as soon as the day appeared clearly, we commenced our journey for the point we had left our horse, distant, as subsequent examinations have shown to have been about ten miles; the snow continuing to fall we reached that point at 9:45 o'clock, coming out of the timber directly on a line from the point of starting from the house. I cannot describe, the force that directed my course during the time and distance of this walk of ten miles, being on a direct line turning neither to the right or left to avoid obstructions, or to accommo- date by the topography of the country, I have said I could not describe the force that directed this journey, though I have an opinion, which, without demonstration, remains only an opinion. Be pleased to allow me briefly to notice two other incidents similar, if not parallel. I drove into the Territory of Wisconsin in June, 1836, a span of horses which were used and kept at my place at Waterloo through the summer and winter of that season. In the spring of 1837, after the feed became good, while ranging on the river bottoms, about the 15th of May they disappeared; after hunting for them two days without success, I became impressed that they had left for Tecum- seh, Mich., from whence they had been driven a year before. I commenced my journey and hunt four days after they had been seen traveling, as near as I could judge, a direct course to the point named, a distance of sixteen miles, without any road, through an unsettled country; I crossed Little Platte, north of Platteville, there being a cabin at the ford, and the first one seen thus far on my route. I learned that my horses had preceded me three days, stopping but a short time and traveling East, I continued on stopping overnight at Belmont; starting early I continued my journey as near the same direction as possible, crossing the Pecatonica River; about eight miles further on I met two gentlemen of whom I learned that the horses had passed their cabin one-half mile distant about four hours in advance of me, and I became hopeful and pressed on, eight miles further, I came on my horses, caught them and commenced my return well satisfied, giving me food for reflection to determine how it was possible to strike their trails, lose it again, and then again and again lose and strike it, and at last ride directly on them, passing over an unsettled country and without roads, a distance between forty and fifty miles of a wilder- ness. Again, in June, 1840, I hired this same team to Samuel Ashley to make the jour- ney to Milwaukee, returning by Chicago; on his return stopping overnight eight miles east of Freeport. In the morning the horses were missing from the stable in a manner to impress him they were stolen. He spent three days in a fruitless search through the coun- try and returned leaving all at the place named. I listened and carefully noted every circum- stance of their loss and came to the conclusion that the horses were not stolen. I left the next morning for Freeport, and reached the house he had put up at about 1 o'clock the next day, examined the stable and the surrounding country ; spent an hour to determine what course to take, concluding at last to follow up a small river, as it was called then by the name of Yellow River, coming down from the west-by-south, and every mile I traveled became more impressed that I should find my horses. The first cabin that I passed in a distance of six miles,

575

HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

was off my route about one-fourth of a mile, and standing on an eminence. On approaching, I was impressed that I should learn something from my horses there. I rode up and meet- ing a man at the door, made the inquiry about the horses, and if any had been seen; he requested me to describe my horses, and when they had strayed; I did so quite minutely, and as soon through, he replied, "your horses are in my stable," where I found them, took possession and returned again well satisfied. I have given you one incident, showing the rude manner of cross- ing streams under pressing and difficult circumstances. It became necessary to communicate with the miners, who had lately settled at Snake Hollow; about the first of August, 1836, S. Ashley and myself left for that purpose, traveling the divide between Grant and the Mississippi, reaching Grant near where the ferry is now kept. The water, too deep to ford and about twelve rods wide, presented rather an unpleasant obstruction ; but the river must be crossed; we impro- vised a rude raft from a drift-pile, tied the logs together with grape vines, fastening another vine- to the head of the raft, Ashley being properly seated with gun, ammunition and my clothes, I swam in and taking the grape vine between my teeth, commenced towing the raft, Ashley and his goods, he sitting as an impression figurehead to the craft, and safely and dryly landing, and in a few moments shot and killed a large buck weighing upward of 200 pounds. I must give an inci- dent in connection with an Indian of the Pottawatomie tribe. Subsequently to the first time I was visiting the place, to find section lines to enable me to locate for the mill, I was traveling on the ice of the river, and at some distance ahead I discovered a movement that impressed me that it was an Indian endeavoring to keep the tree between me and himself; I had no arms but a. small revolver. I soon discovered that it was an Indian with a gun; on approaching opposite the tree he left it and came down on to the river, and walked with me about one mile; when approaching a tree near the river, he sprang upon the bank placing the tree between me and. him; I did not feel overly comfortable until I had passed out of the range of his rifle, occasionally looking over my shoulder with peculiar feelings during the time. The next October, I met him. again, took him home with me, kept him overnight and treated him friendly and kindly, and in two weeks he came back with his family, hunting and spending the winter near me. I pur- chased all the meat and fowl of him at 1 cent a pound. He remained off and on for three or four years; he was sometimes threatened by the hunters if he did not leave, but always came to. me for protection. Usually having six or eight men working for me, he felt quite safe. He called himself Monamonquett. For a few of the first years of my residence at that place, it was splendid hunting and fishing; I have often seen herds of thirty deer feeding at a time, not sixty rods from the house, and in the winter when chopping timber between Grant and the Mississippi, the deer would feed on the tops of the fallen timber, often in herds of twenty. You could meet with flocks of turkeys, from ten to forty, by traveling a short distance in the timber.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 86

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1044

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044