History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 91

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 958

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In 1843-44, I was the Pastor at Mineral Point, including Dodgeville and Peddlers' Creek. There was no parsonage. Rooms were hired for the preacher of N. Coad. The first part of the chapel above described was then finished, and was considered a very fine thing. In it, on my first Sunday, I heard for the first time instrumental music in a church, and it converted me from doubts of its propriety. It was within the altar railing, and consisted of a bass viol, by George Priestly, a clarionet and two flutes.

For several years succeeding this, my home was in Dodgeville. By this time the chapel, now used as a parsonage, had been built in the Hollow. The schoolhouse in Dodgeville, north of the old burying-ground, a small frame was used by Presbyterians and others, and sometimes by us for occasional religious services.

At this time, also, 1845, Mineral Point had assumed the importance of a station, and Dodge- ville and Linden constituted the Dodgeville Circuit. The Bennett Chapel was built about this time, and we had also occasional meetings at the Baker settlement, north of Linden, and at Garrison's.

Mining interests increased during these years, and many emigrants came from Cornwall, England, from Wales and Norway, and the material welfare of the country advanced rapidly.

A serious drawback occurred in 1849, in the California fever, which carried away many good citizens and members of the church. And one bad feature of this excitement was the great sacrifices many made. Property was sold for almost nothing to raise means to get away with, and many died on the plains.

But the worst blow Dodgeville ever received was the cholera of 1850. Early in the season, it broke out at Wingville, and our Dr. David Sibley, a good physician and a local preacher in the Methodist Church, was sent for to attend the first attacked, a Mr. Storms, formerly of Dodge-

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ville. When he arrived there on Friday, he found a panie, and many other cases. By Mon- day morning his medicines were exhausted, and he was taken himself. His fleet horse brought him home by 10 o'clock, but in collapse. IIe died by 3 o'clock P. M. The citizens came in the rain at 10 o'clock and put that body, which had been coffined, in the grave, in the absence of and against the remonstranees of his wife. A few weeks after, a man in the Hollow went into the mine at 8 A. M., was brought home about 10, put in a rough box and buried at 4 P. M. The panie began. They died with cholera and fright so fast that there were sometimes five bodies at the burying-ground at once. "Jack " Knight and a few other fearless souls remained all day long at the old cemetery, interring them as they were carted hither, few of them in coffins, and most just rolled up as they died and hurried away warm with animal heat. About tive hundred fled to the high prairie northeast of Linden, but a terrible storm of wind and rain in the night blew away their tents and coverings, and they were saturated with water. Some fled to Highland and died there ; others returned to die at home. A well man or woman could be found nowhere. In six weeks, 136 out of abont nine hundred of population were buried, most of them in very shallow graves. This closed the old graveyard, and came very near closing Dodge- ville. During nearly all that fearful time, I was abed, for I was among the first victims. Within a year after, and ever since, I have been fully convinced that panie killed more than the cholera, and that hasty burials killed many. My own experience was that to overhear the word pro- nounced by one at a little distance partially paralyzed me. And such was the general fear that it brought on the bowel symptoms, and the paralysis following brought the cramps and collapse.

A BRIDAL TRIP.

The following sketch is from the pen of Mrs. Daniel Ruggles, who dates her frontier expe- riences in Wisconsin from the fall of 1841. Mrs. Ruggles then came to the town of Ridgeway a young bride, where she has since lived, having been one of the very first women in the town, and, up to date, one of the last, with the prospect before her of many more years of usefulness in the enjoyment of the fruits of the past years of labor and deprivation : " My coming to Wis- consin," she says, " was in itself quite an episode in my life, as I not only left the home of my youth and severed the warmest ties of friendship, but I also was going on my bridal tour, after the marriage experiences which my husband speaks of in his reminiscence. I remember, as it it were but yesterday, our embarkation on the Great Western on the 7th of November, 1841. Every nook and cranny of the huge vessel was seemingly crowded with emigrants, who were, with the exception of one young lady, all men. The weather was so intensely cold that the decks had to be covered with salt to keep off the ice; and, what with the cold weather and a pork-and-potato diet, my voyage, although a ' bridal tour,' of necessity, was not very agreeable.

Having visited Fort Detroit, and taken a look at Mackinaw on our way, we finally, on the 1st of December, landed at a sloughy place with a few shanties and one hotel stuck up, known as Milwaukie. Here my husband found a man with a team, who was going to Hazel Green. in Green County, whom he hired for $10 to take us out to Ridgeway. The next morning, we embarked on a new but not more agreeable conveyance, and started for our future home.

" The details of that journey, if fully given, would almost fill a small volume, so I will men- tion only a few incidents. Every old settler knows full well how agreeable the journey must have been forty years ago to one utterly nnused to roughing it. On the way, we stopped at the little hamlet of Prairieville, which has since become a famous watering-place, known as Waukesha ; also at old Fort Atkinson and 'Troy, where we found an Eastern family, and, as much or more to our liking, a comfortable bed.

" We stopped over one night near Madison, sleeping in one corner of a room thirty feet long, that had twelve beds set up in it, with the heads all to the north ; it is to be presumed for con- venience sake, rather than to have them toward the North Star. I did not sleep much that night ; the variety of snores was too much for my nerves, and effectually banished Morpheus from behind the curtain that separated my bed from the others. At Madison, we were enter- tained by James Morrison, a genial landlord, who, it is said, was one of the very first settlers in

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this country. That same evening, we stopped at the 'Campbell House,' in the town of Cross Plains, Dane County, where seventeen others also stopped the same night. They were mem- bers of the Legislature, and among them was Maj. Roundtree, of Platteville. I presume, if any of them should see this, that they will remember the occasion, and how the landlady had to walk out on a plank to the fire in order to keep out of the water in the kitchen. At Blue Mounds, or Brigham's Place, we were kindly cared for by Mr. and Mrs. Parks, who have since lived in Iowa County, and have been reckoned among the best of my friends.

" During the winter of 1842, well remembered among the old settlers on account of the early fall of snow which did not leave until the last of the following April, I lived with the family of George W. Hickcox, well known as one of the noblest men of the early days. That year, the Governor of the Territory issued a proclamation for Thanksgiving. Mr. and Mrs. Hickcox being Eastern people, were only too glad to continue the favorite customs of their native New England, and at once invited in a few friends, and thus was celebrated the first Thanksgiving in this section of the country. Among those present were John Messersmith and wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Parks. On Christmas Day, we all went to Mr. Messersmiths', where were assembled a goodly representation of the pioneers of the surrounding country. Those who were there that are now living will well remember the affair as one of the pleasantest of ' Lang Syne.'

" In the spring of 1843, my husband bought four yokes of cattle, at $50 per yoke, and began work for himself, teaming, breaking, etc. On one of his trips to Milwaukee, he purchased articles for housekeeping ; then we moved into a cabin formerly owned by James Morrison and began living under our own vine and fig-tree, so to speak. During this season, the house where we now live was built by Judge Wilson, and on Christmas Day we moved in, and have lived here happily ever since. At that time, our nearest neighbors were five miles distant, and all of our friends commiserated us that we were so foolish as to settle in such an out-of-the-way place.

". In January, 1844, Judge Wilson was married to Amanda Wigginton, and boarded with us the next summer. I remember at one time during that season how we got out of candles. The prospect of sitting in the dark to look at each other not being pleasant, I thought I would see what I could do to provide a light ; so taking a trumpet-weed, I drew in a tape, then poured in tallow, and thus succeeded in getting as good a light as we were wont to have before such a thing as kerosene oil was known.

"The first years that we lived in this valley, deer were very plenty, and hunters from Min- eral Point, Madison and Janesville used to come out here and stay weeks at a time. Among those who came quite often, who were very successful, were the Messrs. Lathrop. O'Neill, Sublitt, Toay, Fields, the Kelleys and Van Meters. They generally came to have a big time ; telling yarns and playing seven up were the amusements of the evenings. At one time, there were seventeen dressed deer hanging in the trees near the house, the victims of those fun-loving Nimrods. The first women besides myself in the valley, which might then have been termed the vale of lonesomeness, were Mrs. Bassett, Mrs. Dodge and Mrs. Martell.

"The cholera of 1850 was the most terrible affliction that has ever visited the county since I have resided here. It raged in Mineral Point, Dodgeville and Highland, creating fearful havoe among the people. At that time, our house became a sort of rendezvous for a good many families. 1 have always thought it a judgment of God visited upon the people for their wicked- ness and uncleanliness. However, the good suffered alike with the bad, as is always the case.

"In 1860, I took a trip East, and, for the first time, rode on the cars, at that time a some what novel experience. Who could have predicted forty or even thirty years ago that this country, then almost perfectly wild, would be at this time so completely settled and cultivated, and supplied with almost every necessity of the highest civilization. . I never think of it that I do not wonder what our successors of forty years will witness."

CHAPTER XI.

SOME OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY'S ILLUSTRIOUS DEAD.

HENRY DODGE-GEN. WILLIAM R. SMITH-HON. MOSES MEEKER-HON. CHARLES DUNN-HON. STEPHEN P. HOLLENBECK-COL. THOMAS STEPHENS-HON. HENRY M. BILLINGS-HON. ELINU B. GOODSELL-GEN. CHARLES BRACKEN-GEN. JOHN B. TERRY-JOHN FALLS O'NEILL-COL. D. M. PARKINSON-HON. THOMAS JENKINS-IION. LEVI STERLING-CAPT. WILLIAM HENRY- JOHN MESSERSMITH-ROBERT S. BLACK-JUDGE L. M. STRONG-JUDGE JOIN BONNER-GEORGE MULKS-HON. GEORGE L. FROST-SCHUYLER PULFORD, M. D .- MAJ. CHARLES F. LAGATE- EDWARD D. BEOUCHARD-GEORGE W. BURRALL.

HENRY DODGE.

BY PETER PARKINSON, JR.

Henry Dodge, the subject of the present sketch, was born at Vincennes, Ind., October 12, 1781. At the time of his birth his parents were emigrating to that portion of the Spanish Province of Louisiana which now constitutes the State of Missouri, his father, Israel Dodge, being attracted thither by the large grants of land offered by the Spanish Government to all persons who would settle west of the Mississippi River. In this State, in Ste. Genevieve County, he grew to manhood amid the turmoils and strifes of Indian border warfare and the strifes and difficulties incident to the discovery and working of lead mines.

Upon the change of Government from France to that of the United States, he was (when barely of age) appointed Sheriff of Ste. Genevieve County, a place which he filled until Mis- souri became a State, some twelve or fifteen years. At the commencement of the war between the United States and Great Britain, he raised a company of mounted volunteers to protect the frontiers from the merciless Indian hatchet and scalping-knife, in which arduous and dangerous duty he was peculiarly successful, so much so that during that war he rapidly rose from the rank of Captain (filling all the intermediate positions) to the rank of Brigadier General, to which he was appointed by President Madison. In these various positions, he laid the foundation for that remarkable reputation as an Indian fighter, which became almost " world wide." He was also appointed by Mr. Madison Marshal of the State of Missouri, and continued in the same office until he left the State, of whose militia he was elected the first Major General. He was also chosen a member of the State Convention of 1820 from Ste. Genevieve County, and aided in forming a constitution and State Government for that State. In this State he was extensively engaged in mining and smelting, and in the manufacture of salt.

In 1827, he emigrated to Wisconsin, then Michigan Territory, and arrived in the mines a few days prior to the commencement of what is known as the Winnebago war of 1827. He found the people of the lead mines few in numbers, and almost destitute of arms, congregated at and about Galena, between which place and Peoria (then called Fort Clark), on the Illinois River, there were no inhabitants. Although he was not a resident of the State of Illinois, hie was at once chosen commander-in-chief of the lead-mine forces (so called at the time). He immediately put the country in a state of defense as best he could by causing block-houses to be built on the heights surrounding Galena, also at Gratiot's Grove, New Diggings, etc. But choosing rather to be on the aggressive than the defensive, with thirty mounted men he crossed the " ridge," the " Rubicon," and going in the direction of the present village of Mineral Point, and when between the two Pecatonicas he encountered Winneshiek and his band moving from the Wisconsin River into the mining region. The Indians fled at the first onset and made their escape through brush. Gen. Dodge, however, captured the son of the chief (young Win- neshiek who afterward became at the death of his father the head chief of the Winnebago

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nation), after a hot pursuit of many miles. Gen. Dodge a few days afterward conducted another expedition from Gratiot's Grove, using his young Indian prisoner as a guide to conduct him and his volunteers to his father's village, which occupied then the present site of Freeport, Ill., but the Indians eluded pursuit. He afterward led another expedition, consisting of nearly four hundred men from Gratiot's Grove, the then point of rendezvous to co-operate with Gen. Atkin- son between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. On this expedition, Gen. Dodge and his men swam the Wisconsin River four times. They captured Decorrie's village, and were present at the treaty of peace concluded by Gen. Atkinson with the chiefs and braves of the Winnebago nation. They surrendered the six men who had murdered the French family at Prairie du Chien, and led the attack on the keel-boat at La Crosse in July, 1827. With this treaty the war closed, and we were permitted to resume the business of exploring the country in pursuit of lead ore.

In October, 1827, Gen. Dodge located at what is now Dodgeville (named for him), Ezra Lamb and - Putnam having first discovered the Indian lodes worked by the savages and their friends (the French or English) perhaps for ages before.

Gen. Dodge built the first rude log furnace east of the Ridge, so called, upon the waters of the Rock River, without law, and in the exercise of squatter sovereignty, until he was elected Superintendent of the lead mines.

During this time, he had concluded several treaties of peace with the different bands of the Winnebagoes, making them extensive presents, and coneiliating their good will in every way that he could. At the same time, however, he was making preparations to fight them in case of emergency or necessity, and for this purpose had procured 150 Yangee guns from Galena. Had also built a palisade fort just below the present town of Dodgeville. Here he was visited by Thomas McKnight, the lawful Assistant Superintendent of the lead mines, and by Mr. Marsh. Indian Agent from Prairie du Chien, and formally ordered him to leave the country, or the dig- gings, as was the common parlance of the country at that time, alleging that the country belonged to the Winnebagoes ; all of which he respectfully declined to do, affirming on his side that while the Indians and the people both were in favor of his remaining and occupying the country, he should do so, and the officers had no right to interfere.

It was then threatened by the officers that the regular troops would be marched to remove him, upon which he remarked (perhaps with some severity) "Let them march sir; with my miners I can whip all the sore-shinned regulars stationed at Prairie du Chien." The regulars, however, were not marched against him, and he continued in peaceable possession until in March, 1828, when on foot, and in a canoe he went to St. Louis to visit ex-Governor William Clark (of Lewis and Clark's expedition), General Superintendent of Indian affairs, and succeeded in con- vincing Gov. Clark (who was his early and faithful friend), that it was expedient to allow the people to remain in the Indians' country until it was purchased, an event which all knew must soon occur.

In after years, the writer of this sketch has heard the old General relate these circumstances, and notwithstanding the better equanimity of his mind, that age, and the contemplation of grown subjects, had produced, when he came to the driving-off part of it, by the regular soldiers, his eyes could not avoid emitting some of the fire that was no doubt kindled in his mind at the time the threat was made.

In 1829, at an election held at Mineral Point, Gen. Dodge was at one and the same time elected by ballot Colonel of Militia and Chief Justice of the County Court. This was the first movement toward the civil organization of Iowa County. All the other officers of the county were then chosen, and John C. Chastine was appointed an agent to visit Detroit to induce the Legis- lature to pass a bill confirming what the people at this mass-meeting had done, and the Legisla- ture accordingly did so, with the approval of the Governor (Lewis Cass.)

In the years of 1830 and 1831, Gen. Dodge with his associates, John H. Rountree (now of Platteville, Grant County), and James P. Cox (now dead), held courts at Mineral Point and Helena, on the Wisconsin River.

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HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.

In 1831. Gen. Dodge was elected to the Legislature of Michigan, this then being a part of that Territory ; but, owing to the threatening difficulties connected with the Black Hawk war, he was prevented from attending.

In the month of May, 1832, this war broke out, when Gen. Dodge was, in virtue of his Colonel's commission of militia-still more in virtue of his great fitness for the position-placed at the head of all forces and movements for the defense of the country, and, in this capacity, he conducted all the movements of troops and families in the country. The families were secured in forts at the prominent points, and all the men that could be armed and mounted were put into the field. as rangers and reconnoiterers. With this force, which did not at any time exceed one hundred men, Gen. Dodge was constantly in the field, scouring the country from the Four Lakes to the Rock River on the south, and from the Mississippi to Rock River on the east. He made one ex- pedition to Dixon, on Rock River, and one to Ottawa, on the Illinois River. Both of these expe- ditions were made for the purpose of securing some assistance from the Illinois forces to protect the vast frontier of the mining region, but without availing anything; no assistance could be had, and this entire country was dependent on Gen. Dodge and his handful of miners for protection, not only from the Sacs and Foxes, but also from the treachery of the Winnebagoes, of whom we stood in much more dread than we did of the Sacs and Foxes.

But such were the active, prompt and judicious movements of Gen. Dodge that no serious damage was done to the frontiers until the massacre on the Spafford farm, near Wiota. But, for their temerity in this matter. they paid doubly dear. In two days afterward, the same party, as was supposed, were overtaken by Gen Dodge and twenty-one of his volunteers, in the memorable battle of the Pecatonica, on the 16th of June, and every one of them killed-seventeen in nnm- ber. This battle was memorable for its fierceness and destructiveness. No war party of equal size was ever before so completely annihilated in so short a time, and with so small a loss on the part of the whites-three only of their number being slain.

This battle was also memorable as being the turning-point of the war, being the first re- pulse that the Indians had received, they having been victorions in all the engagements previous to this battle. Previous to this, they had been upon the aggressive ; but, from this time forward, they were upon the defensive.

Soon after this battle, re-enforcements were received in this country, and Gen. Dodge was permitted to dictate the movements of the army, and, from this time to the close of the war, the Indians were hotly and vigorously pursued, and overtaken at the Wisconsin Heights on the 21st of July, where they were badly beaten, sixty-eight of their number being killed on the ground, and many wounded so that they died of their wounds on the march. On the 3d day of August, they were again overtaken at the Bad Ax, on the Mississippi River, and almost entirely de- stroyed. This battle terminated the war with Black Hawk, and its happy termination in so short a time and with so small a loss to the whites is most certainly attributable mainly to the prompt and judicious movements of Gen. Dodge, after he acquired control of the army. It is said that old Black Hawk should have said, after the war was over, that, if it had not been for Gen. Dodge and his " Badgers," that he could have whipped Gen. Atkinson and his "Pork- caters." and raised corn to boot.

During the war with Black Hawk, Gen. Dodge did many things in this country for which he never received public credit.

On his own personal responsibility, he secured all the arms and munitions of war that were had for the defense of the country, both in the forts and in the field. He also procured, on the same responsibility, all the provisions that were used for the men and their families, in the forts as well as in the field. Mr. John Atchison (merchant), of Galena, who furnished these provis- ions, said: " Gen. Dodge, I am afraid to trust the General Government, but if you will give me your word that I shall have my pay, you shall have the provisions." The General gave his word, and the provisions were provided accordingly.

Gen. Dodge was not a wealthy man by any means, but his word was good for almost any amount. He also had the men in the forts mustered into service, and drew pay for the same

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through his influence in Congress. Had it not been for this policy of his, the country would most undoubtedly have been abandoned, for the inhabitants could not otherwise have remained here, having no means of subsistence.

Immediately after the close of the war, Gen. Dodge was appointed by President Jackson to the command of the two regiments of dragoons, for the purpose of exploring the Rocky Moun- tain country, visiting and holding treaties of peace and conciliation with the various tribes of In- dians inhabiting that country-a very delicate and important trust, as well as hazardous ; but so well did he discharge this important trust, that, at its close, the Congress of the United States voted him a unanimous resolution of thanks, for the faithful, judicious and prompt manner in which he had discharged the important trust confided to him.

He was three years in this service, and at its close he was appointed, by the same Presi- dent, Governor of the Territory of Wisconsin, which took on its Territorial form July 4, 1836. He continued its Executive (except two years he was Delegate to Congress), during its Territo- rial existence. Upon its becoming a State, he was elected one of its first Senators, Isaac P. Walker, of Milwaukee, being his colleague.

He remained in the Senate twelve years, and during that time he was regarded as one of its most useful and influential members. As Governor of Wisconsin, his administrations were the most satisfactory to all parties, perhaps, of any of the Executives that the Territory or State has ever had.

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History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 91

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 958

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 958