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 29
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"Capt. Low sent messengers to Gen. Scott at Rock Island, while he himself went back to his old post at Fort Winnebago. Jefferson Davis was at this time a lieutenant under Capt. Low, both at Fort Atkinson at Fort Winnebago- "and as gentlemanly a man as I ever saw," adds Major Deviese. The men went on their errand and met Gen. Scott where Beloit now is, on his way from Chicago to the Lead Mines. Scott turned down Rock river to Rock Island. De- viese went ahead to Fort Dixon where he was sick, and Scott sent him home. He was mus- tered out at Wiota, eventually receiving a dol- lar a day for the services of himself and horse during the war."
In speaking of the Black Hawk War, Miss Bingham, in her History of Green County, very truthfully says:
"Although this war lasted only three months, it must not, on that account, be passed by as un- important. It cost about 300 lives, whites and Indians, and even the great rebellion was not a greater source of anxiety, in its time, than was the Black Hawk War to the early set- tlers. Prior to the war, in October, 1829, the southern part of Crawford county, including, of course, the greater part of the future county of Green, was organized as Iowa county, of which Mineral Point was the county seat. Most of the depredations of the Indians during the war were committed in the mining districts of Iowa county. Hundreds of miners left the country and never returned. The movements of the Indians were so stealthy and so rapid that the settlers, separated by long distances from each other, were in the wildest alarm. Their thoughts when awake, their dreams when asleep, were all of the Indians. Finally they sought refuge in the forts, of which the more important were Fort Union, near Dodgeville; Fort Jackson, at
purchase of the lead diggings of Old Buek, the Winnebago miner. During the Black Hawk War he was a trusted scout of Gen. Dodge Judge M. M. Cothren, Hon. Moses M. Strong, and Major Charles F. Legate, for many years neigh- bors of Mr. Beouchard at Mineral Point. unite in testifying to his patriotism and kindness of heart, and regard him as reliable in his historical statements, as the uncertain memo- ries of such aged men usually are .- ED.
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191
HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
Mineral Point; Fort Defiance, five miles south- east of Mineral Point; Mound Fort, at Blue Mounds; Funk's Fort, near Gratiot's Grove; and Fort Hamilton, at Wiota. Other forts were at Plattville and White Oak Springs. Most of the forts were simply yards, with close fences made of upright, ten-foot slabs. There were houses in the yards to which settlers removed their families and household goods. It is the opinion of O. H. P. Clarno that the worst of the war was inside the forts. The children of the various families were soon arrayed against each other in a struggle in which an armistice was a thing unknown, and the mothers not only as-
sisted them, but also engaged in such hostilities on their own account that a dispute as to the ownership of a frying-pan has sometimes been known to lead to the conversion of that pacific utensil into a weapon of war.
"Galena and all the villages of Iowa county furnished volunteers; and, after a few engage- ments, Black Hawk s forces were overpowered, and he himself was taken prisoner before the arrival of Gen. Scott, who, in eighteen days (a rapidity of travel that was thought remarkable), had transported nine companies of artillery from the seaboard around the lakes to Chicago."
192
HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
CHAPTER VI.
UNITED STATES LAND SURVEYS.
The policy pursned by the general govern- ment after obtaining possession of the north- west from Great Britain, in dealing with the various Indian tribes, has been to purchase of the savages their right to particular parts of the country, before presuming to enter upon a sur- vey of it.
QUIETING THE INDIAN TITLE TO GREEN COUNTY AND CIRCUMJACENT TERRITORY.
The United States began to make treaties with the Wisconsin Winnebagoes, in 1816. On the 3d day of June of that year, they held a treaty with them at St. Louis. This one (beld soon after the war with Great Britain, in which the Winnebagoes engaged on the side of the British) was for peace only,-no cession of land on part of the Indians being made to the United States.
In 1820, the Winnebagoes had five villages on Winnebago lake and fourteen on Rock river. In 1825 the claim of this tribe was extensive, so far as territory was concerned. Its southeast boundary stretched away from the sources of Rock river to within forty miles of its mouth, in Illinois, where they had a village. On the west, it extended to the heads of the small streams flowing westward and south ward into the Mississippi. To the northward, it reached as far as Black river and the Upper Wisconsin; in other words, to the Chippewa territory; but did not extend across Fox river of Green bay, although the tribe contended for the whole of Winnebago lake. Within their territory then, in 1825, was the whole of what is now Green county.
Early in 1829, a provisional boundary was established between the Winnebago lands, strictly such, and those belonging to, or expect- ed soon to be purchased by, the United States. By this line, white people could settle on all of the present area of Green county west of Sugar river. East of this still remained Winnebago territory. By a treaty held with that tribe at Prairie du Chien Ang. 1, 1829, all their land (and much more) lying in what is now Green county west of Sugar river was relinquished to the United States. Three years later, at a treaty held at Fort Armstrong (Rock Island), the residue of the present territory of Green county (with a large amount besides) was ceded to the United States. This treaty was pro- claimed Feb. 13, 1833; and, on that day, all the title of the Winnebagoes to this county passed to the United States.
The first surveys by the general government of lands in Wisconsin were made south of the Wisconsin river and the Fox river of Green bay. The northern boundary line of the State of Illinois fixed April 11, 1818, on the parallel 42 degrees 38 minutes north latitude, became, properly enough, the base line of these surveys (as indeed of all the surveys afterwards made by the United States in this State). A princi- pal north and south line, known as the fourth meridian, was run at right angles, of course with the base line, and extending from it to Lake Superior. This meridian line is west of all the territory in Green county. It extends north from the Illinois State line, along the east side of Grant county, and then divides
HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
193
Richland, cutting it into two equal parts. It then runs north through the eastern parts of Vernon, Monroe, Jackson, Clark and other counties; until it strikes Lake Superior a short distance to the westward of the mouth of Montreal river.
Parallel lines to the fourth meridian were run every six miles on the east and west sides of it. The intervening six miles between lines are called ranges. Range 1 east, is the first six miles of territory east of the fourth meridian; range 2 east, is the second six miles, and so on, to Lake Michigan. However, on the west side of the fourth meridian, the ranges are numbered consecutively westward. Range 1 west, is the first six miles of territory west of that line; range 2 west, is the second six miles, and so on, to the Mississippi river.
HOW GREEN COUNTY WAS SURVEYED.
Parallel lines north of the base line (the north boundary line of the State of Illinois) were run every six miles, which crossing the ranges at 'right angles, cut the whole into blocks six miles square, called townships. These townships are numbered by tiers going north, from the base line; the first tier being known as township 1 north, the second tier, as township 2 north, and so on until the extreme north boundary of the State (not covered by water) is reached, which is, of course, the ex- treme north side of the most northern of the Apostle islands, in Bayfield county. Now, if we begin at the base line and count the tiers of townships so as to include the whole of Green county, we discover that we have numbered four of them.
Green county, then, lies in townships num- bered 1, 2, 3 and 4 north. If we begin on the west side of the county, and count the ranges, we find that the county also lies in ranges 6, 7, 8 and 9 east; so we have in all sixteen equal blocks of territory, or sixteen townships of land, and these are numbered as follows:
Township 1 north, of range 6 east; township 2 north, of range 6 east; township 3 north, of range 6 east; township 4 north, of range 6 east; township 1 north, of range 7 east; township 2 north, of range 7 east; township 3 north, of range 7 east; township 4 north, of range 7 east; township 1 north, of range 8 east; township 2
north, of range 8 east; township 3 north, of range 8 east; township 4 north, of range 8 east; township 1 north, of range 9 east; township 2 north, of range 9 east; township 3 north, of range 9 east; township 4 north, of range 9 east.
OUTLINE OF GREEN COUNTY, According to the United States Survey. Range 6 East. Range? East. Range 8 East. Range 9 East.
T.4N., R.6E. T.4N., R. 7E. T.+N., R.8E. T.4N ., R. 9 E.
T.3N., R.6E. T.3N., R 7E. T.3N., R.8E. T.3N., R.9E.
T.2N., R.6E. T.2 N., R. 7E. T. 2N., R.8 E. T.2N., R.9 E.
T.1 N., R. 6 E. T. 1 N., R. 7 E. T. 1N., R. 8E. T. IN., R. 9 E.
Base Line (Illinois State Line).
After the several township lines were run, then each township was sub-divided into sec- tions and quarter sections, called, in surveying language, "sectionized." As a section is a mile square, there is, of course, in every whole town- ship, thirty-six sections of land. For conven- ience, these are always numbered as follows:
6
5
4
3
2
1
7
8
9
10
11
12
18
17
16
15
14
13
19
20
21
22
23
24
30
29
28
27
26
25
31
32
33
34
35
36
T. 1 North. T. 2 North. T. 3 North. T. 4 North.
194
HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
In each whole section, there are 640 acres; and, when a section is divided into four parts, each quarter section contains 160 acres. It is usually in quarter sections that the land of the United States is disposed of; although, if de-
sired, it will be divided into eighty acre tracts, or even forty acres.
The following is a history of the survey of Green county, including township lines and the subdivisions of townships :
TOWNSHIPS.
BY WHOM SURVEYED.
DATE OF CONTRACT.
WHEN SURVEYED.
Township 1 North, Range 6 East (Cadiz). Township Lines ..
Subdivisions
Township I North, Range ? East (Clarno and south part of City of Monroe) Township Lines ..
Subdivisions
Township I North, Range & East (Jefferson) .. Township Lines
Subdivisions
Township I North, Range 9 East (Spring Grove). Township Lines
Subdivisions
Township 2 North, Range 6 East (Jordan) 'Township Lines Subdivisions.
Township 2 North, Range 7 East (Town of Monroe and North part of City).
Township Lines. Subdivisions
Township 2 North, Range 8 East (Sylvester) 'Township Lines Subdivisions
John Mullett
October 10, 1831.
2d year 1832.
George W. Harrison.
February 13, 1832 ... 2d year 1832.
Township 2 North, Range 9 East (Decatur and Brodhead Vil- lage) ...
Township Lines
Subdivisions
Township 3 North, Range 6 East (Adams). Township Lines Subdivisions
Township 3 North, Range 7 East (Washington). Township Lines.
Subdivisions
Township 3 North, Range 8 East (Mount Pleasant) Township Lines ... Subdivisions
Township 3 North, Range 9 East (Town and Village of Albany and a small part of the Town of Brooklyn) Township Lines.
Subdivisions.
Township 4 North, Range 6 East (York). Township Lines Subdivisions
John Mullett
J. W. Stephenson.
September 6, 1832 ...
1st year 1833.
John Mullett
J. W. Stephenson
September 6, 1832.
Ist year 1833.
Subdivisions ..
Township 4 North, Range 8 East (Exeter) Township Lines Subdivisions.
John Mullett
ý Wof Riv JWStephenson September 6, 1832. .. E. of Riv Lorin Miller. November 18, 1833 ..
4th year 1832. Jan. 1834.
Township 4 North, Range 9 East (Nearly all the Town of Brooklyn)
Township Lines
Subdivisions
$ John Mull it. Lucius Lyon ..
George W. Harrison.
February 13, 1832.
2d year 1833.
John Mullett
Lucius Lyon.
George W. Harrison.
February 13, 1832. .. 2d yeur 1833.
§ John Mullett
Lueius Lyon
George W. Harrison.
Date Obliterated.
Date obliterated
§ John Mullett
October 10, 1831.
Lucius Lyon
Date Obliterated.
W. of Riv. G. W. Harrison. February 13, 1832. E. of Riv. G.W. Harrisou. November 18, 1833. .
2d year 1832. Date obliterated Ist year 1833. Ist year 1834.
John Mullett
George W. Harrison.
October 10, 1831. February 13, 1832. ..
4th year 1832.
John Mullett
October 10, 1831 ..
George W. Harrison.
February 13, 183). .. 2d year 1832.
W. of Riv. John Mullett. October 10, 1831. .. E.of Riv Mullett & Brink July 9, 1833. . W.of Riv.G. W. Harrison February 13, 1832 E.of Riv. G. W. Harrison November 18, 1833. .
2d y ar 1832. 3d year 1833. 2d year 1832. Ist yeur 1834.
John Mullett.
October 10, 1831.
George W. Harrison
February 13, 1832. . . 3d year 1812.
John Mullett
October 10, 1831.
George W. Harrison.
February 13, 1832.
4th year 1832.
John Mullett
October 10, 1831
George W. Harrison.
February 13, 1832. . . 4th year 1832.
§ W of Riv. John Mullett October 10, 1831
EofRiv. Mu:lett& Brink July 9, 1833. W of Riv.G W Harrison February 13, 1832. E of Riv. G. W. Harrison November 18, 1833 .. .
2d year 1832. 4th year 1833. Nov. 1832. Feb. 1834.
Township 4 North, Range ? East (New Glarus). Township Lines
SW of Riv. John Mullett October 10. 1831 .. E of Riv Mullett& Brink July 9, 1833
Wof Riv JW Stephenson September 6, 1832. .. E. of Riv. Lorin Miller. November 18, 1833. . .
2d year 1832. 3d year 1833. 4th year 1832. 4th year 1833.
195
HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
WHAT IS TO BE SEEN ON THE GOVERNMENT PLATS.
T. 1 N., R. 6 E. (1833) .*
"Peekatolake" for "Pecatonica," river (This stream is meandered). "Skinner's creek" is noted by name.
T. 1 N., R. 7 E. (1833).
"'T'rail from Galena to Wallace's," from the southwest corner of the township nearly in a straight line to the northeast corner of section 3. "Pait's house"t is marked on the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of section 16.
T. 1 N., R. 8 E. (Date obliterated).
Trail from Galena to Wallace's in a north- east direction through sections 34, 35, 25 and 24. T. 1 N., R. 9 E. (1833 and 1834).
Trail through sections 19, 20, 21, 16, 15 and 14 to section 11, south side of the southwest quarter.
T. 2 N., R. 6 E. (1832).
Road to "Demunn's Trading House," on Su- gar river, through sections 12, 11, 10, 15, 9, 8 and 7.
T. 2 N., R. 7 E. (1832).
"Skinner's House and Furnace" are located just north of the south line of the northeast quarter of section 10, about eighty rods west of the southeast corner of the quarter just named. The road to Demunn's Trading House on Sugar river runs through sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. A branch road runs from Skinner's House nearly north to "Skinner's Diggings," situated near the northeast corner of the north west quarter of sec- tion 3. "Diggings" are marked at the south- east corner of the northeast quarter of section 3, and at the northeast corner and southeast cor- ner of the northeast quarter of section 10.
T. 2 N., R. 8 E. (1832).
Road to Demunn's Trading House on Sugar river, runs through sections 7, 8, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
* EXPLANATION .- The dates given are those of the survey of each township, into sections and quarter sections. These dates are important, in this connection. Thus we see that, in 1833, the Pecatonica was called "Peekatolake," and that, the same year. there is a house in the present town of Clarno, noted by the surveyor as "Pait's House" (meaning, however. "Payne's House, "'undoubtedly); and so on.
+Undoubtedly intended for "Payne's House" (Joseph Payne). -ED.
T. 2 N., R. 9 E. (1832 and 1834).
Road to Demunn's Trading House, on Sugar creek, runs through sections 7, 18, 17, 20, 21, 22 and 23, into section 14. Demunn's Trading House is located on the west side of Sugar river, on the sonth half of the west half of the southwest quarter ofsection 14. A road runs from here up Sugar river on the west side. One runs east, crossing the river on the north half of the north- east quarter of section 23, where an Indian vil- lage* is located on the east side of the river. There is also an Indian village at Demunn's Trading House. The two villages are about three-fourths of a mile apart Sugar river is called "Sugar creek."
T. 3 N., R. 6 E. (1832).
Trail runs northeast through sections 18, 7, 8, 9, 4 and 3, leading on to "The Four Lakes." A road runs easterly through sections 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 23 and 24, to Davis' Diggins.
T. 3 N., R. 7 E. (1832).
Road running easterly across section 19, branches just at the east side of the section ;-- one road running southeast to Skinner's Dig- gins -- the other continuing on easterly to Dough- erty's.
T. 3 N., R. 8 E. (1832).
The road to Dougherty's House and Furnace, runs northeasterly through sections 19, 18, 7, 8, 5 and 4, into section 3. Dougherty's is located near the south side of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 3. A road runs nearly south from Dougherty's through the township.
T. 4 N., R. 6 E. (1833).
At the northeast corner, of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 2, the surveyor says his needle was attracted 3 degrees east.
T 4 N., R. 7 E. (1833).
At the northwest corner of the northeast quar- ter of the northwest quarter of section 1, is marked "Old Indian village."* The huts ex- tend across the section line north, into what is
*White Breast's village."-ED.
196
HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
now Dane county. Trails run in various direc- tions through this township.
T. + N., R. 8 E. (1832 and 1834).
"Old Diggings" are marked on the south line of the southeast quarter of section 27, and "Dig- gings" on the east line of the northeast quarter of section 34.
T. + N., R. 9 E. (1832 and 1833).
[ There is nothing of note to be found on this płat].
THE COUNTY INCLUDED IN TWO LAND DISTRICTS.
By the end of 1833, a large amount of the publie lands in Wisconsin, south and east of the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, had been surveyed. This fact being reported by the surveyor-gen- eral of the United States, two land districts were erected by an act of Congress, approved June 26, 1834. These districts embraced all the land north of the State of Illinois, west of Lake Michigan, south and southeast of the Wis- consin and Fox rivers, included in the then Ter- ritory of Michigan. The area was then divided by a north-and-south line, drawn from the base line to the Wisconsin river, between ranges 8 and 9 east. This line divided the territory of what is now Green county, throwing all of the surveyed townships of range 9 east, on one side; and those of ranges 6, 7 and 8 east on the other. All east of the line, in Wisconsin, was called the "Green Bay Land District;" all west, the "Wis- consin Land District."
From what has been said, it will be seen that the area now constituting the towns of Brook- lyn, Albany, Decatur and Spring Grove, and the incorporated villages of Albany and Brod- head, fell into the Green Bay district; while the residue of the territory now constituting the west three-fourths of the county was included in the Wisconsin district. A land office for the eastern (Green Bay) district was established at Green Bay; for the western (Wisconsin) dis- triet, at Mineral Point.
Public sales of the surveyed lands in the two districts were held, in 1835, at Green Bay and
Mineral Point. Immediately after, the whole that remained unsold was open to private entry, at $1.25 an acre.
By an act of Congress of June 15, 1836, the "Milwaukee Land District" was erected out of the southern portion of the Green Bay district, including all the land lying between range 8 east and Lake Michigan, bounded on the south by the Illinois State line, and extending north ten tiers of townships (sixty miles). Of course, in this new district fell the townships in the present county of Green, lying in range 9 east, now the territory constituting the towns of Brooklyn, Albany, Decatur and Spring Grove, and the incorporated villages of Albany and Brodhead ;- the same that, before that time, was in the Green Bay district
The land office for the Milwaukee district was located at Milwaukee, where the first publie sale of lands which had been surveyed after the other lands had been offered at Green Bay and Mineral Point, was held. But, as all the lands in the east one-fourth of what is now Green county had previously been offered at public sale at Green Bay, of course they were not again put up; but parties desirous of entering land in that part of the county had thereafter to go to Milwaukee instead of Green Bay to make their purchases from the general govern. ment.
THE WISCONSIN LAND DISTRICT IN 1837. (By.Wm. R. Smith .* )
The Wisconsin Land District is bounded westward by the Mississippi, east by the Four Lakes and Sugar river, north by the Wisconsin river, and sonth by the Illinois State line, com- prising an extent of country about ninety miles from east to west, and about fifty miles from north to south, generally covered by the coun- ties of Iowa, Grant, Dane and Green. 'The country east of this section is called the Mil- waukee Land District, and embraces all the re- maining counties of the Territory, except those on the western side of the Mississippi river.
*See "Observations on the Wisconsin Territory." Phila- delphia: E. L. Carey and A Hart, 1558.
'Spotted-arm's village. ED.
197
HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
First impressions with regard to a new country, where everything appears different from what one has been accustomed to see, are always apt to please, whether the country be wild, rugged, rocky and 'mountainous, or com- posed of level plains, denuded sand-hills, and wide expanses of inland waters; such is the character of many parts of the great west; and even here, the first view pleases not only from its novelty of scenery, but abstracted from the idea of its utility to the various wants and oc- cupations of man; no country in a state of na- ture can be unpleasing to the reflecting mind; no object on which the eye may not for a mo- ment dwell satisfied, not even the coral rocks in the midst of the ocean. If such scenes may please, what then may you conceive first im- pressions to be with regard to Wisconsin, when I tell you that fancy must fail in imagining a more lovely country? The agriculturist in vain might seek for a richer or more productive soil; the mineralogist fruitlessly explore the bowels of the earth to discover veins of lead, copper, (and from many specimens, I believe also of iron,) richer than in Wisconsin! This unqualified picture of wealth in the new coun- try, you may think is too strongly drawn; I cannot help it-such were my first impressions of the Territory; they have been the more realized, the more I have traveled in it, and the more information I have obtained. I appeal fearlessly to every person who has been three days in any quarter of the Wisconsin land dis- trict for the truth of my assertions. I believe from all that I have seen that there is not to be found ten acres in any 100 that is not fit for cultivation or for farmer's use. No one can say where mineral is not to be found; wherever it has been properly sought for, it has been ob- tained; and even around Mineral Point, where are the richest lead diggings, and as poor a soil as any that I have seen in the Territory, the land will produce equal to any land in Penn- sylvania with proper and equal cultivation. Mineral is also found in the richest agricultural
districts, and under the finest soil in the Ter- ritory. The disadvantages attending the farmer in such a rich agricultural country must of course be very few, and I shall point them out, I trust, with candor.
In the first place there is a want of timber; in many sections of this country there is an abundance of timber for building, fencing, fire- wood, coaling and all other purposes, yet, gen- erally speaking, in the rich prairies, the groves of timber are small and scattered, not affording sufficient wood for more than one or two large farms, for many miles in extent. Yet this want of timber can easily be remedied by planting the yellow, the white, or the black locust, and the chestnut; these trees are not indigenous; the general forest trees are white oak, burr oak, hickory, black and white walnut, sugar maple, cherry and ash. I am told that locust and chestnut flourish well by planting the seed, and if the farmer on the prairies will turn his attention to throwing up of embankments and thereon planting thorn hedges, which in many places i have seen commenced, the want of fencing timber can scarcely be felt; as for fire wood, a sufficiency may always be readily ob- tained within a short distance of any farm, and if the annual fires on the prairies are prevented or subdued by the care and exertions of the set- tlers, the timber of the country is of the most rapid growth. Thus, the objection of the scarcity of timber has more force in name than in reality, when the rapid growths of planta- tions, the easy cultivation of hedges, and the spontaneous production of indigenous forest trees, where fire is excluded in the prairies, are properly reflected upon.
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