History of Grant County, Wisconsin, preceded by a history of Wisconsin, Part 84

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: [Chicago : Western Historical Co.?]
Number of Pages: 1050

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BY MRS. R. CHAMBERS.

My father, Edward P. Coombs, first came to the West from Fayette County, Penn., in the spring of 1834; at that time, Wisconsin was almost an unknown region. He first worked at Mineral Point, but, during the summer. looked out and bought his future home in what is now the southwest part of Lancaster, on Section 29, I think. That fall, he returned to Pennsylvania, bringing with him some of the products of the new country, among which was onions raised from

P. B. Ma Ilyre

MUSCODA.

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

seed-something that was unknown in his old home. In the spring of the following year (1835), he moved his wife and family, consisting of six children, two boys and four girls, to their new home. Six weeks were occupied in the journey from Pennsylvania to what is known as Hurri- cane Grove. While they were waiting for a boat at St. Louis, the celebrated chief Black Hawk arrived at that city with a number of his followers on a steamer. On arriving at Cassville, my father left his family there while he went ahead to procure teams to transport them and their effects the remainder of the distance. He soon returned with some of his neighbors with their ox-teams, and in these they set out for the new home. Two days were occupied in making the journey of less than twenty miles, all hands staying over the night of the 1st day of May at the cabin of Silas Burt in Old Beetown. They found these early settlers very kind and hospitable. Upon arriving in the Hurricane, they went to live in the cabin of Martin Bonham until their own was erected. Young Bonham was a young, unmarried man, keeping at the time a " bachelor " establishment, and when he heard that there were girls in the family that had just arrived, he said he hardly knew which way to run, his clothes were so ragged. However, he concluded to come in from the field where he was, and, until the day of his death, the family found him ever a kind neighbor and friend. Little did we children know in those times of toys or playthings. one china doll dressed in silk and hung up in state was all I remember seeing, and that was, of course, too good to be used on any occasion. When our parents went to town they would bring us a treat-some green apples which were an object of much curiosity. One thing that made a lasting impression on my childish mind was a storm that occurred in the summer of 1844 or 1845, I think. It came up so suddenly that those who were any distance from home did not have time to get there. My brother was plowing in the field when he perceived it coming and unhitched his horse and started for the house, but was forced to abandon the attempt and seek shelter un- der a strawstack, from which shelter he saw the roof of the stable carried away. The rain poured in torrents, and terrific flashes of lightning and peals of thunder rent to air. It seemed as if the wind would sweep everything before it. My married sister was alone in her home when the roof of the house was taken off, and she was left standing in the middle of the floor, and the rain pouring in torrents around her. When the storm had abated, we counted from our window thirteen trees that had been leveled, and I think the woods in that vicinity will still bear traces of the great storm.

My father was by trade both a carpenter and a blacksmith, and, when he came to Wisconsin, he found employment for a share of the time in making chairs, tables, bedsteads, coffins, and, in fact, everything in this line needed by settlers in a new country. To-day, after the lapse of more than thirty years since his death, we find specimens of his handiwork. He had served for a time in the war of 1812, and contracted a disease from which he never recovered, although he was never a pensioner. He died in March, 1849, but from the ravages of another disease than this.

In 1849, began the great Californian exodus from this county. A few went out in the spring, scouts as it were of the hundreds and thousands that were to follow. The next spring, the excite- ment ran still higher ; young men were getting their traps together, loading their covered wagons, to which were hitched two, four or six horses, or oxen, as the case might be, and setting off for their five months' trip across the plains. The excitement continued for several years, until it was dreaded to see spring come, as it seemed as if every one who could would go; at times it was doubtful what we would do for inhabitants, so great was the exodus. In the spring of 1854, the writer, being duly commissioned by J. C. Cover, the Town Superintendent, began a new career as teacher. My first school was in District No. 5, Town of Lancaster, where I had twelve pupils, and received $10.50 per month, boarding myself. Of those twelve pupils, one, Francis M. Irish, is dead. The remainder are, I think, all living. Six of the boys were soldiers in the war for the Union. Five returned to their homes when peace was declared. Three of the girls became teachers.

Of our family of ten children, seven are now living. My mother, eighty-one years of age, is living with my brother in Hurricane Grove.

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

BY IRA W. BRUNSON.

I was born in Sing Sing, N. Y., May 3, 1805; raised in Danbury, Conn. In 1827, moved: to Columbus, Ohio, where I engaged in the hatters' business-being a hatter by trade-which I stopped in 1835. In the early part of 1836, left Columbus and came to Wisconsin, in com- pany with my brother Alfred, and Henry Patch, in a keel-boat. down the Ohio and up the Mississippi Rivers ; landed at Prairie du Chien.

That fall, in September, I returned to Ohio, in the stage, to settle up my business ; returned to Wisconsin on horseback, in the winter. Left Columbus the latter part of January ; the mud, at that time, was about knee-deep to a horse. Arriving at Fort Wayne, snow was fifteen inches ; at South Bend, it was again bare ground ; at Michigan City, snow was two feet deep; at Chi- cago, it was once more bare ground. I crossed Rock River at Rockford, Ill., on the ice ; stayed over night at the Twelve-Mile-Grove. The only house was a cabin, with neither chink nor daub. In the morning I started north, intending to reach Freeport and stay overnight.

Came to a house when the sun was about an hour high, and inquired the way to Mineral Point ; was told to go to the mill and stop overnight, which was about three miles' distance. On reaching the mill, I found it to be a saw-mill, but could find no house. I wandered about in search of a house until it commenced getting dark. I could see a dark-looking place ; thinking it was a grove-houses were then built in or near groves-I started for it, but on reaching the place found neither house nor road ; concluded I would be obliged to stay out all night, and started off in the northern direction, the wind being in the northeast. I kept the right cheek

against the wind, so that I would keep the same course. Traveled until I reached a large creek, which, being open, and not knowing anything as to its depth, did not dare. to push my horse into it, and concluded to stay overnight there. I turned my horse loose, that he might feed upon the grass above the snow, the snow being about one and one-half feet deep. I then made a path about a rod long, between two trees, and walked to and fro; not having anything of which I could make a fire, had to keep moving. After walking some time, I began to get tired, and laid myself down, resting my head upon my saddle; for fear of falling asleep, I took a chew of tobacco. I soon fell asleep. I dreamed I was drinking beer, and I then swallowed my tobacco, and I awoke. I felt sure had it-not been for the tobacco I never would have awoke.

I again took the path and again walked to and fro, and watched to see the sun rise, so as to point my compass. At daylight, I found that a gang of wolves were near at hand. Taking my bearings, I found I was on the edge of the prairie and timber land, and about six miles west of the Pecatonica. I then mounted my horse and started east; after I had gone about three miles, I found the road, and then started north. Arrived at the grist-mill and house about 11 o'clock, and after eating dinner started for Mineral Point.

Toward evening, I arrived at a house, and wanted to stop overnight. but was not allowed to stay. I, however, obtained a place to remain about a mile farther on. Next night I stayed at a miner's cabin, on Peddler's Creek, now known as Linden, and the next night arrived at Henry Patch's.

In the following spring, in 1837, opened a store at Cassville, in company with a man named Sellars, and remained there until a house was built at Lancaster by James Bonham, on the same lot now occupied by Burr's store; moved my goods and started the first store in Lancaster. About the same time, Maj. Price sent out goods by George Cox, and commenced a merchandise business in a log building with frame attachment, near the big spring ; he also was Postmaster. I continued in the merchandise business until 1839.

William Richards kept the first boarding-house in a log-house built by Boice, who formerly owned the land where Lancaster now stands, and sold the same to Maj. Price, who laid out the town of Lancaster.

While he was keeping there, a quarrel arose between him (Richards) and the boarders. The boarders all left, and employed a Frenchman to do their cooking, and had their kitchen beside a log near where the Phelps House now stands ; had their dining-room in a small frame building,

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

on a lot where George Ryland's bank is standing now. Richards afterward moved back to Cass- ville on his farm. They lived in that way for two or three weeks, not a lady in the town. My brother Alfred and his wife, on their way between Platteville and Prairie du Chien, had broken his wagon, and were obliged to stay overnight, his wife being the only woman in town. In the meantime, Richards was succeeded by Capt. Reed.

The first court held in the county was held in Cassville, in the first of 1837. Judge Dunn was Judge of the court ; John Fletcher was Clerk. The second court was held in the same build- ing that we used as a dining-room.

The first road in Grant County [Laid out by the county .- ED. ] was laid in June, 1838; Commissioners, J. Allen Barber, James Bonham and myself; Jared Warner, Surveyor; was laid from Brunet's Ferry, on the Wisconsin, to Platteville. Second road in the same year from Cassville to Platteville, by the way of Hurricane Grove ; I was one of the Commissioners. The first assessment in collecting taxes was known as the " tax sale of 1838." In 1839, they found in what is called the Burlington Statute that the law had been changed. forbidding the employment of the Sheriff or Deputy Sheriff in collecting the taxes, and authorized the County Commissioners to appoint a Collector. About the 1st of December, in 1839, the County Commissioners appointed me Collector in the county, which business I commenced to perform immediately ; although cold winter and short days, I made my return in time. The next year, at election, I was elected by the people, and served three years in succession.

Judge Haywood was County Treasurer ; Nelson Dewey, Clerk of County Commissioners. I made my returns to Judge Haywood. The county taxes were collected by a County Collector for eight or ten years, until the State Government came into operation and town system was adopted. The fees of the County Collector (while I was Collector) were 5 per cent for collecting and 5 per cent for advertising delinquent lands, and 25 cents for each certificate of sale. In 1840, the fees amounted to $1,400 or $1,500.

The first celebration on July 4, that was held in the county (if not in the State), was held at Cassville in 1837. Maj. Anderson was President of the occasion, and I had the honor of being Vice President. [This is meant as the first public celebration. Maj. Rountree had cele- brated Independence Day in 1827. as mentioned in another place .- ED.] T. P. Burnette deliv- ered an oration, which was re-published in the Herald a few years ago.

The first Convention held in the State was held at Madison, in the summer of 1838. Maj. John H. Rountree, of Platteville, and Orris McCartney, of Cassville, and myself, went as dele- gates from Grant County, traveling there and back on horseback.

Grant County, like all other new counties, was in the habit of making a non-resident land- holder pay well for the Government; they would assess non-resident land about double that of resident. I have known of land belonging to residents being assessed at $2.50 and non-residents at $5, both pieces lying side by side.

People were generally free-hearted and liberal. If a traveler should come to a miner's cabin or any house and not find any one at home, and he should go in and eat what he wanted, there would be nothing thought of it. For instance: I came to Tom Parish's, who kept a tavern in what is now known as Wingville, just at nightfall. In the morning, I asked what the " bill was." He replied, "I never charge my neighbors anything;" my home was over twenty- seven miles from there.

In the early settlement of Wisconsin, there was a gang of desperadoes in and about Snake Hollow (now known as Potosi), who gave tone to the character of the whole country. A dis- pute arose between Samuel B. Roundtree and William Clark and their crowd on one side, and Moor and Watson on the other, respecting the right of a mineral lot. It first began with a law-suit, and then Moor and Watson gave James Crow, another hard character, what they called a "fighting interest " in the lead. Roundtree and Clark were rather afraid to attack Crow them- selves; they accordingly employed three men to dispose of him. One night Jim Crow was in a grocery in the upper part of the hollow ; Evans, Cooley and Derrich came up from the lower end of the hollow on horseback, and leaving their horses at the door of the grocery, went in,

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

took a drink, saw Jim Crow standing at the fire-place as they again went out the door. Evans turned, holding the door partly open, drew a pistol, fired at his victim, the ball passing through his body, and he fell dead. They jumped on their horses with a loud yell, and went down the hollow again. They were finally captured and brought to Lancaster. The examination com- menced in the afternoon before Squire Dewey in a log building standing opposite the present site of the Mansion House barn. The building being two stories high, the examination was held up stairs, [afterward changed to down stairs-ED]. The Sheriff had a guard of about twenty men stationed there on the stairs (they were under my charge and armed with rifles), with orders that no one should go up only as they were summoned. The court continued all night, and the next day about noon they were committed to jail by Squire Dewey. Not knowing that the Sheriff would receive them without an order from Judge Dunn, I started out to Elk Grove to obtain an order to the Crawford County Sheriff. At the same time, Rountree's lawyers sent to a man to get a writ of habeas corpus from Judge Dunn ; we went together. I obtained the order, and the other man the writ of habeas corpus to bring the prisoner there before Judge Dunn. The prisoners were brought before Judge Dunn and were admitted to bail of $2.000 to appear at court.' After that, the people were exasperated at seeing murderers running at liberty. They (the people), raised a company of about two hundred men, well armed, and gave orders to Rountree, Clark and all concerned in it to leave the country forthwith, or they should be lashed to a log and sent down the Mississippi River.

When the court met again, the prisoners did not appear. A motion was made to take judgment against the bail, but Judge Dunn said that if the people arose and drove them away, the bail could not be held responsible. None of them dared make their appearance for a long time. I afterward heard that Roundtree died in a hovel in Fair Play. I believe that all engaged in the killing of Jim Crow came to some bad end.

BY T. M. FULLERTON.

I arrived from Missouri, in Grant county, on Sunday morning, July 22, 1837. We slept on the bank of the Mississippi River at the mouth of Platte River the previous night. What is now Potosi was the point we were aiming to reach. The place was known throughout the mines as " Snake Hollow." Among the first discoveries of mineral was a rich deposit in a cave, on the west side of a ravine two miles in length. Several thousands of pounds of this mineral was white as chalk, and very pure, resembling chalk, except in its remarkable weight. In ex- ploring this cave, the miners, in winter, discovered many snakes in a torpid condition; hence the name given to this locality, In 1837, a few houses had been erected at the mouth of the " hollow " and named La Fayette. Nearly a mile further north, another group of shanties was called " The Hollow," and afterward Van Buren, which was the name of the post office. About a mile further north was the "Head of the Hollow," afterward known as Jackson. These three parts were, by Legislative act, in 1839-40, called Potosi, and the post office so named. Southeast of La Fayette nearly a mile, opposite the mouth of the Grant River, and being the ferry landing on the Wisconsin side, began to be a village called Osceola.

My destination at first was La Fayette, where I was selling a small stock of goods on commission. There was a similar establishment up in the hollow. But the inhabitants were chiefly adventurers engaged in mining, and except such things as they needed there was little call for merchandise, there being but a half-dozen or so of families in the southern part of the county. As a matter of course the society was rough, and morals were almost dispensed with. Drinking, gambling, stabbing and shooting were far too common, and " Snake Hollow " became throughout the mines notorious for its wickedness.

In 1837, there was, between " The Hollow " and " The Head of the Hollow," a small log Catholic chapel, the only evidence of Christianity to be found there. A priest resided there, and his little plantation bell called his people to occasional worship. During that year, Rev. John Crummer, an Irishman, came once or twice to preach the Gospel as the Methodists under- stand it. He was the regular " circuit rider " on a circuit embracing all of Wisconsin west and

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

south of Blue Mounds. The preaching-place was a very small miner's cabin in which the family ate, slept and lived. The room did not exceed twelve by fourteen feet in size. The congregations were able to get in and room to spare. In August, 1838, the Illinois Conference sent Rev. Isaac I. Stewart to the Platteville Circuit, which embraced all of Grant and parts of other counties. During the spring of 1839, Rev. James G. Whitford, just returned from the Indian Mission at Caposia, now in Minnesota, came as Mr. Stewart's assistant. In the latter part of that year a class was formed, consisting of Thomas Clayton, Leader, Thomas J. Crock- well, Local Preachers; John Crockwell, Catherine C. Crockwell, George Medeira and wife, James R. Short and wife, and Jonah Pedlar and wife. They had been members before coming to the place. A weekly prayer-meeting was established, and preaching was had once a fortnight, all in the small residence of J. R. Short.

In the conference year of 1839-40, Rev. H. W. Reed was in charge of the circuit, and Mr. Whitford continued as assistant. They had thirty-two regular preaching-places in four weeks. In December. 1839, we began a Sabbath school, the first, I think, in Grant county. We had procured a log house for meeting purposes, about fourteen by sixteen feet in size, formerly used as a drinking saloon, and the scene of several stabbing and shooting affrays. It became our chapel for several years, and was the spiritual birthplace of many sinful souls. On the 2d of January, 1840, Messrs. Reed and Whitford began special revival services, assisted sometimes by neighboring local preachers. It was my good fortune to be the first fruits of that revival. During the three weeks the meeting continued, forty-two were converted and joined the class of Methodists already organized. The awakening was general and the reformation of the place was very marked. The influence did not stop with the meeting, but continued for more than a year. During the summer of 1840 Rev. James Gallaher, an Evangelist, formerly Pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, held a series of meetings. and organized a Presbyterian Church, but left them without a Pastor, and they soon began to decline.

Out of the Methodist revival several went out to preach. Robert Langley, a tailor, intem- perate and profane, was reformed and converted. He subsequently became a member of the conference, did good service in the itinerant ranks, and died in the ministry at Reedsburg, August 16, 1874.

William Vance was our chief infidel, being a correspondent of infidel papers and a lecturer of his neighbors. He did all he could for two weeks to hinder the revival, but finally yielded to his convictions, was converted and preached several years as an itinerant. He went South and I lost track of him.

James W. Simpson went among the Chippewa Indians as a teacher, intending to be a missionary, but was thwarted in some cherished purpose, became a trader with the Indians at St. Paul, and gave up all pretensions to piety, dying some ten years ago.

This writer, after fifteen months of activity in church work at Potosi, went to Iowa County in March, 1841, and became a ", circuit rider," continuing, with two interruptions for a short time, to this day.

Before leaving Potosi, arrangements were well on the way for building a Methodist Church, which was completed and occupied soon after.

On the 10th of October, 1840, the first temperance society was organized, called the "Snake Hollow Grant County Temperance Society." The pledge adopted was :

" We will neither drink nor make use of any ardent spirits or alcoholic liquors, unless for medicinal purposes in cases of sickness, believing ardent spirits are of no benefit to man in his daily pursuits of life ; we will, therefore, discountenance, and, so far as lies in our power, pro- hibit the use of them in our respective places of residence." Nineteen signatures were appended. The officers were : William G. Thompson, President ; William Drake, Vice President; Lansing D. Lewis. Corresponding Secretary ; John H. Dodson, Recording Secretary ; and Robert Langley, Treasurer.

The annual meeting was held in just three months, January 11, 1841. There were then one hundred and two members. The officers then elected, were Hon. James P. Cox, President ;

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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.

George Medeira, Vice President ; T. M. Fullerton, Secretary ; R. Langley, Treasurer ; C. C. Drake, T. J. Crockwell and Simon E. Lewis, Managers.

Although we had no vote in the Presidential election of 1840, excitement ran high, and " Tippecanoe and Tyler, too," was a thrilling watchword. George Medeira had recently come to the place with a stock of goods. He purchased and moved his family into a small log house, but proceeded to build a good frame residence on the same lot. Into this he had just moved when the convention nominated Harrison for the Presidency. Immediately he had his carpenters en- large the door of the old log house to six feet in width. A fence board was used for a latch ex- tending clear across the door, and six inches beyond it. To this was attached a three-quarter- inch rope, going through the door, and a block of wood four inches square, and ten inches long, fastened on the outer end of the rope. On the walls outside were stretched all the coon-skins he could procure. Then he moved his furniture and family back to the log cabin, and lived there till after .election. This illustrates the feeling on one side with the "latch string always out," and the other side was equally enthusiastic.

This Medeira was a very excitable man. In 1830, he lived in a miner's hut a mile or more south of Mineral Point, where, in a fit of jealousy, aggravated with liquor, he mortally stabbed a worthy young man with a penknife. He was arrested in Galena, and was the first man ever put in jail there, as stated in the weekly Gazette of that city, February 18, 1881. He was in- dicted at Mineral Point for murder, the indictment quashed on some technicality, and never renewed. While living in Potosi, he was an active and useful member of the Methodist Church, a very kind and benevolent man. But his excitable nature sometimes led him into rash acts, causing him much sorrow, and not a little expense. When I left that village for an itinerant life, meaning to go afoot for want of means to buy a horse, he presented me with one, saddled and bridled, saying, " Take him in the name of the Lord," and accompanying me out of town on another horse, with blessings.

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History of Grant County, Wisconsin, preceded by a history of Wisconsin, Part 84

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: [Chicago : Western Historical Co.?] Number of Pages: 1050

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: [Chicago : Western Historical Co.?]
Number of Pages: 1050