History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 13

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168

USA > Wisconsin > Green County > History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 13

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There are two exceptions to the foregoing general statement. A short distance south of the center of section 18, in township 1 north, of range 6 east (town of Cadiz, Green county), the Blue limestone re-appears in its full thickness, with all its characteristic fossils, but only cov- ering a small area of ground. The second ex- ception is situated on the southeast quarter of section 11, in township 3 north, of range 7 east (town of Mt. Pleasant, in Green county). It is known as the Marble Quarry, so named on ac- count of the fine polish which may be given to the stone. The Blue limestone has here the same thickness, both of the thin and thick beds, as in the western part of the Lead Region. All the characteristic fossils are present, and in short, it presents all the usual lithological ap- pearances. It appears to have been deposited in a basin-shaped depression, as the top of St. Peters is found to be much lower here than any where in the vicinity. Although separated many miles from other onterop of the Blue limestone, it is evident that it was deposited under the same conditions, as in other localities. It makes a good article of burning-lime. * It takes a high polish, equal to marble, although large pieces can not be obtained.

The Blue and Buff limestone are the lowest formations in which any ores are found in suffi- cient quantities to repay mining in the Lead Region. Large bodies of lead ore have from time to time been taken from this formation,

but it seems to be more especially productive of zine, both as carbonate and sulphuret. Organic remains are found in the greatest profusion and in a very fine state of preservation, the rock in many places being entirely composed of them. In the Buff limestone, they usually occur as casts.

Galena Limestone .- The Galena limestone is by far the most important in respect to its me- tallic wealth of all the formations before con- sidered. In it are contained all the mines of the southern and western parts of the Lead Re- gion; and whenever mining has been carried on in the underlying Trenton limestones, lead is usually present in the overlying Galena. This limestone is the prevailing surface rock in the Lead Region. Its northern outcrop con- forms closely to the main water-shed, being parallel to, and always within a few miles north of it. Its surface area is given as follows for each range in the Lead Region:

Range 1

West. 176

137

108

6 6

East.

190

179

189

164

103

144

Total

1,613

Square Miles.

The Galena limestone is almost invariably a very compact, hard, crystalline rock, of a yel- lowish gray color, with numerous small cavities, sometimes filled with a softer material and sometimes lined with small crystals of calcite. The upper portion is usually thick-bedded and free from flints, the layers being from one to four feet thick, while the lower portion almost invariably consists of several feet of layers from one to two inches thick. Good exposures of parts of this formation are frequently to be met with; it may be seen in cliffs and ledges on nearly all the streams in the Lead Region. It always weathers irregularly in these natural ex-

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

posures, leaving the surface full of small cavi- ties dne to the removal of the softer parts.

The formation is characterized by layers of flints, which, however, are not constant in their occurrence in the same beds at different locali- ties. In some places, there are several beds of flints, which seem to be connected with the openings, and serve as a guide to them, while in others they are either entirely absent or oc- cupying very different geological positions. The flints are sometimes found in separate layers, deposited conformably in the rock and often in irregular pieces distributed through the strata. They seem to be confined principally to the middle and lower parts of the formation although not entirely absent from any part.

The Galena limestone is, in many places suc- cessfully quarried as a building stone. This is chiefly the case in the southern and western parts of the region where the Bluff limestone or St. Peters sandstone cannot be obtained. The chief objection to it is the frequency of cavities and soft places in it which render it difficult to dress, and cause it to weather irregularly. For foundations, or any work where beanty of finish is not the chief object, it is a good and durable stone. The organic remains of the Galena lime- stone are quite abundant, but do not exist in such profusion as in the Blue limestone.

We have before remarked that the clay soils and sub-soils of the Lead Region appear to con- sist chiefly of those portions of the overlying Galena limestone and earthy Cincinnati shales which being insoluble in water were not re- moved by the gradual process of denudation.

Exceptions to the clay soil, usually found in the country covered by the Galena limestone, are found in the eastern part of La Fayette, and frequently in Green county, where the soil is quite sandy, owing to the disintegration of calcareons sand layers frequently found there in that formation. A few localities are cited be-

low where the sand is so abundant that the formation might be considered a sandstone were it not for the occasional ontcrops of Galena limestone in place. In the western part of the town of Jordan, Green county, (township 2 north, of range 6 east), on sections 2, 11 and 14, the ridges have a great deal of sand contained in the soil. The roads are frequently sandy, similar to those in a sandstone formation. Ly- ing entirely withont the drift, this circumstance led to a search for and discovery of the original beds.

At the village of Martin, on the southeast quarter of section 82, in township 1 north, of range 6 east (town of Cadiz, Green county), on the Pecatonica river, at the saw-mill, is a large stone quarry, of which the upper portion consists of Galena limestone in thin beds, containing considerable calcareous sand between the layers. The sand here is found in place.

On the ridge near the quarter-post on sections 29 and 32, in township 2 north, of range 6 east (town of Jordan), a great deal of sand is to be seen at an elevation of 150 feet above the top of the St. Peters; numerons concretions of iron are also to be found, similar to those usually found in the upper bed of that formation. East of the center of section 34, in township 3 north, of range 6 east (town of Adams), is another sandy ridge.

The agencies of the glacial period do not ap- pear to have had anything to do with transport- ing the component materials of the soil; and, although a slight transportation has taken place, it is always merely local. For instance, in the valleys of the creeks which lie in the St. Peters sandstone, the soil is usually a rich clay loam, richer, in fact, than that of the adjacent ridges, because the best parts of the upland soils have been washed down and distributed over the surface of the valley.

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

ALTITUDES IN GREEN COUNTY.

Places.

the Sea.

Jordan

280 feet

858 feet

Willett.

310

888

Farmers' Grove.

540

1,118

Bem

500

1,078

Perry .

460

1,038

New Glarus P. O.

390

968

Monticello ..

280

858

Monroe Court House.

440

1,018

Clarno ..

357

935

Twin Grove.

410

988

Juda

243

821

Sylvester.

287

865

Dayton .. .

218

818

Brooklyn.

400

978

Attica P. O.

250

. .

828

Albany

240

818

Brodhead.

220

798

Oakley

340

918

. .

LEAD MINES IN GREEN COUNTY.

Moses Strong, in "Geology and Topography of the Lead Region," in Vol. II. of "Geology of Wisconsin," says:

"These [near Monroe] are the most easterly diggings in the lead region, and are chiefly in- teresting for that reason. They are situated about three miles and a half north of the city of Monroe. At present only two parties are at work:

" T. H. White & White .- Situated on the northeast quarter of section 14, in township 2 north, of range 7 east [town of Monroe]. The ore is found here in a flat sheet, accompanied by pipe clay, about twenty-three feet below the

Above Luke Mich.

Above

surface. The general course of the sheet is northwest and southeast, and produces only lead ore. The ground is quite free from water. The present parties have been working here six years, during which period they have produced 90,000 pounds of lead ore.

"Frame & Company .- Situated on the south- east quarter of section 10, in township 2 north, of range ? east [town of Monroe], on the land of Henry Wilber. This is an east and west range, about half a mile northeast of the pre- ceding. It was discovered in 1844, and has been proved for a distance of 700 feet. The lead ore is found in both vertical crevices and flat openings. There appear to be three princi- pal vertical crevices, connected in places by horizontal sheets. They were worked by John Monahan from 1870 to February, 1872, chiefly in the winter season, during which time he pro- duced 50,000 pounds. Mr. Frame took the ground in 1874, and produced 4,000 pounds in the first six months. The production since then could not be ascertained. The ground is quite dry, and the workings are about fifty feet below the surface. It is not probable that any exten- sive deposits exist in this vicinity. The ground appears rather to be such as, by careful work- ing, will afford moderate wages to a few per- sons."*

*Mr. Strong's observations were made in 1873.

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

CHAPTER III.

ABORIGINES OF GREEN COUNTY.

As early as the year 1615, Samuel Champlain, while among the Huron Nation, at the head of the Georgian bay, in Canada, had heard of a tribe of Indians living many leagues beyond Lake Huron called the Fire Nation, or more ac- curately the Prairie Nation, better known at a later date as the Mascoutins. Their homes were upon the Fox river, of Green bay (where they had a village); and their territory extended southeastward, it is believed, as far as the site of the present city of Chicago. Their most northern village is thought to have been located within what are now the limits of Green Lake Co., Wis .- somewhere on Fox river between the present Berlin and Lake Puckaway. The nearest tribe to the Mascoutins down Fox river was the Winnebago, whose ancient seat was on the borders of the lake which now bears their name. In the immediate neighborhood of the Mascoutins, but up the river as is supposed, were located the Miamis and the Kickapoos. So far as is known, the valley of the Wisconsin river below the "portage" (now Portage, Co- lumbia Co., Wis.) was without inhabitants. The time we are now speaking of was before the year 1634-before any white man had set foot upon the soil of any portion of what is now the State of Wisconsin. It was a number of years subsequent to the date just mentioned, before the Sacs and Foxes made their appearance upon Fox river. Having thus described the inhabi- tants to the northward and northeastward of what is now Green county at the earliest known period, let us turn our attention to the tribe be-

lieved to have been the occupiers of this imme- diate section of country, 250 years ago.

There is a map extant, dated 1632, made by Samuel Champlain. On this map a Nation is located where was "a quantity of buffaloes." This Nation is conjectured to have been the Illinois. These Indians occupied the country to the southward-the territory now constituting the State of Illinois; at least the northern por- tions of it, extending some distance into the present State of Wisconsin and including what is now Green county. The tribe of the Illini (or Illinois) was afterward driven beyond the Mississippi, but subsequently returned to the river which still bears their name. But their hold upon the territory so far north as the south- ern part of the present Wisconsin, was undoubt- edly very weak at that period, and doubtless was soon entirely lost. The Mascoutins and their kindred, the Kickapoos and Miamis, emi- grated south, and the whole region between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers on the north, and the Rock river on the south, including the present Green county, was taken possession of by

I .- THE SACS AND FOXES.

The Sacs and Foxes came from the east to Fox river and then moved westward to the Wis- consin. Of all the tribes who have inhabited this State, they are the most noted. The Sacs were sometimes called Sauks or Saukies, and the Foxes were frequently known as the Outagam- ies. They are of the Algonquin family, and are first mentoned in 1665, by Father Allouez, but as separate tribes. Afterward, however,

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

because of the identity of their language and their associations, they were and still are con- sidered one Nation. In December, 1669, Allouez found upon the shores of Green bay a village of Sacs, occupied also by members of other tribes, and early in 1670 he visited a village of the same Indians located upon the Fox river of Green bay, at a distance of four leagues from its mouth. Here a device of these Indians for catching fish arrested the attention of the mis- sionary. "From one side of the river to the other," he writes, "they made a barricade, plant- ing great stakes, two fathoms from the water, in such a manner that there is, as it were, a bridge above for the fishes, who by the aid of a little bow-net, easily take sturgeons and all other kinds of fish which this pier stops, although the water does not cease to flow between the stakes." When the Jesuit father first obtained, five years previous, a knowledge of this tribe, they were represented as savage above all others, great in numbers, and without any per- manent dwelling place. The Foxes were of two stocks-one calling themselves Outagamies or Foxes, whence our English name; the other, Musquakink, or men of red clay, the name now used by the tribe. They lived in early times with their kindred the Sacs east of Detroit, and, as some say, near the St. Lawrence. They were driven west, and settled at Saginaw, a name de- rived from the Sacs. Thence they were forced by the Iroquois to Green Bay; but were com- pelled to leave that place and settle on Fox river.

Allouez, on the 24th of April, 1670, arrived at a village of the Foxes, situated on Wolf river, a northern tributary of the Fox. "The Nation," he declares, "is renowned for being numerous; they have more than 400 men bear- ing arms; the number of women and children is greater on account of polygamy, which exists among them-each man having commonly four wives, some of them six, and others as high as ten." The missionary found that the Foxes had retreated to those parts to escape the per-

secutions of the Iroquois. Allouez established among these Indians his Mission of St. Mark, rejoicing in the fact that in less than two years he had baptized "sixty children and some adults." The Foxes, at the summons of De la Barre, in 1684, sent warriors against the Five Nations. They also took part in Denonville's more serious campaign; but soon after became hostile to the French. As early as 1693 they had plundered several on their way to trade with the Sioux, alleging that they were carrying arms and ammunitions to their ancient enemies, frequently causing them to make portages to the south ward in crossing from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi. Afterward they became reconciled to the French; but the reconciliation was of short duration. In 1712 Fort Detroit, then defended by only a handful of men, was attacked by them in conjunction with the Mas- coutins and Kickapoos. However, in the end, by calling in friendly Indians, the garrison not only protected themselves but were enabled to act on the offensive, destroying the greater part of the besieging force.

The Nation continued their ill will to the French. The consequence was that their terri- tory in 1716 had been invaded and they were reduced to sue for peace. But their friendship was not of long continuance. In 1718 the Foxes numbered 500 men and "abounded in women and children." They are spoken of at that date as being very industrious, raising large quanti- ties of Indian corn. In 1728 another expedi- tion was sent against them by the French. Meanwhile the Menomonees had also become hostile; so, too, the Sacs, who were now the allies of the Foxes. The result of the enterprise was an attack upon and the defeat of a number of the Manomonees; the burning of the wig- wams of the Winnebagoes (after passing the deserted village of the Sacs upon the Fox river), that tribe, also, at this date being hostile; and the destruction of the fields of the Foxes. "They were again attacked in their own country by the French in 1730, and defeated. In 1784 both the

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

Sacs and Foxes came in conflict with the same foe; but this time the French were not as suc- cessful as on previous expeditions. In 1736 the Sacs and Foxes were "connected with the gov- ernment of Canada"; but it is certain they were far from being friendly to the French.

The conflict between France and Great Brit- ain, commencing in 1754, found the Sacs and Foxes allied with the former power, against the English, although not long previous to this time they were the bitter enemies of the French. At the close of that contest, so disastrous to the interests of France in North America, these tribes readily gave in their adhesion to the con- querors, asking that English traders might be sent them. The two Nations, then about equally divided, numbered, in 1761, about 700 warriors. Neither of the tribes took part in Pontiac's war,

but they befriended the English. The Sacs had emigrated farther to the westward; but the Foxes, at least a portion of them, still remained upon the waters of the river of Green bay which perpetuates their name. A few years later, however, and the former were occupants of the upper Wisconsin; also to a considerable distance below the portage, where their chief town was located; also spreading over the re- gion now including Green county; so that this immediate country was peculiarly Sac territory. Further down the stream just mentioned was the upper village of the Foxes, while their low- er one was situated near its mouth at the site of the present city of Prairie du Chien. At this date, 1766, and even later, what is now Green county was within the territory claimed as theirs. Gradually, however, they retreated down the Mississippi until, before the close of the century, all their possessions in what is now Wisconsin was in the extreme southwest. They no longer had their hunting grounds to the northward of the Wisconsin river. Another tribe, had, as it were, crowded them out.

During the War of the Revolution the Sacs and Foxes continued the firm friends of the

of the Wisconsin river to the United States; so that they no longer were owners of any lands within this State. From that date, therefore, these allied tribes cannot be considered as be- longing to the Indian Nations of Wisconsin. They were generally friendly to Great Britain during the War of 1812-15, but they soon made peace with the United States after that contest ended. A striking episode in their subsequent history is the Black Hawk War, which will be narrated in a subsequent chapter. The exact date of the Foxes leaving the Wisconsin river country is unknown. They sold the prairie at the mouth of that stream to some Canadian- French traders, in 1781, and subsequently va- cated their village. Probably about the begin- ning of the present century they had abandoned this region as their home, although they long after visited it for the purposes of trade.

Why the Fox Indians Left the Lower Wisconsin. [By Jonathan Carver. ]

On the 8th of October [1766] we got our ca- noes into the Ouisconsin [Wisconsin] river, which at this place is more than 100 yards wide and the next day arrived at the great town of the Saukies. This is the largest and best built Indian town I ever saw. It contains about ninety houses, each large enough for several families. These are built of hewn plank, neatly joined and covered with bark, so compactly as to keep out the most penetrating rains. Before the doors are placed comfortable sheds, in which the inhabitants sit, when the weather will per- mit, and smoke their pipes. The streets are regular and spacious, so that it appears more like a civilized town than the abode of savages. The land near the town is very good. On their plantations, which lie adjacent to their houses, and which are neatly laid out, they raise quan- tities of Indian corn, beans, melons, etc., so that this place is esteemed the best market for traders to furnish themselves with provisions of any within 800 miles of it.

The Saukies can raise about 300 warriors, who

English. In 1804 they ceded their lands south | are generally employed every summer in mak-

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

ing excursions into the territories of the Illi- nois and Pawnee Nations, from whence they return with a great number of slaves. But those people frequently retaliate; and, in their turn, destroy many of the Saukies, which I judge to be the reason why they increase no faster.

Whilst I stayed here I took a view of some mountains, [Blue Mounds], that lay about fifteen miles to the southward, and abounded in lead ore. I ascended one of the highest of these, and had an extensive view of the country. For many miles nothing was to be seen but lesser mountains, which appeared at a distance like haycocks, they being free from trees. Only a few groves of hickory and stunted oaks, covered some of the valleys.

So plentiful is lead here that I saw large quantities of it lying about the streets in the town belonging to the Saukies, and it seemed to be as good as the produce of other countries. On the 10th of October we proceeded down the river, and the next day reached the first town of the Outagamies. This town contained about fifty houses, but we found most of them de- serted, on account of an epidemical disorder that had lately raged among them, and carried off more than one-half of the inhabitants. The greater part of those who survived had retired into the woods to avoid the contagion.

On the 15th we entered that extensive river, the Mississippi. The Ouisconsin, from the car- rying place to the part where it falls into the Mississippi, flows with a smooth but strong cur- rent; the water of it is exceedingly clear, and through it you may perceive a fine and sandy bottom, tolerably free from rocks. In it are a few islands, the soil of which appeared to be good, though somewhat woody. The land near the river also seemed to be, in general, excel- lent; but that at a distance is very full of moun- tains, where, it is said, there are many lead mines.

About five miles from the junction of the rivers I observed the ruins of a large town, in a

very pleasing situation. On inquiring of the neighboring Indians why it was thus deserted, I was informed that, about thirty years ago, the Great Spirit appeared on the top of a pyramid of rocks, which lay at a little distance from it toward the west, and warned them to quit their habitations; for the land on which they were built belonged to him, and he had occasion for it. As a proof that he, who gave them these orders, was really the Great Spirit, he further told them that the grass should immediately spring up on those very rocks from whence he now addressed them, which they knew to be bare and barren. The Indians obeyed, and soon after discovered that this miraculous alteration had taken place. They showed me the spot, . but the growth of the grass appeared to be no ways supernatural. I apprehended this to have been a stratagem of the French or Spaniards to answer some selfish view; but in what manner they effected their purpose I know not. This people, soon after their removal, built a town on the bank of the Mississippi, near the mouth of the Ouisconsin, at a place called by the French Les, Prairies Les Chiens, which signifies the Dog Plains; it is a large town and contains about 300 families; the houses are well built, after the Indian manner, and pleasantly situated on a very rich soil, from which they raise every necessary of life in great abundance. I saw here many horses of a good size and shape. This town is a great mart, where all the adjacent tribes, and even those who inhabit the most re- mote branches of the Mississippi, annually as- semble about the latter end of May, bringing with them their furs to dispose of to the traders. But it is not always that they conclude their sale here; this is determined by a general coun- cil of the chiefs, who consult whether it would be more conducive to their interests to sell their goods at this place, or carry them on to Louisi- ana or Michillimackinac; according to the de- cision of this council, they either proceed far- ther or return to their different homes.

HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

The Mississippi, at the entrance of the Ouis- consin, near which stands a mountain of con- siderable height, is about half a n.ile over; but opposite to the last mentioned town, it appears to be more than a mile wide and full of islands, the soil of which is extraordinarily rich and but thinly wooded.

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History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 13

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168