USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 68
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
integrity of character, it may be said that locks and keys were unknown in the country, and places of abode were left open to the reception of the public, who received a cordial welcome and free invitation to partake of such hospitality as the "cabin " afforded. Upon the return of the lone miner to his " sod-banked hut " after a hard day's work, he would frequently be cheered with the sight of some weary prospector, who had there, in his absence, taken up lodg- ings for the night. They would separate in the morning, perhaps, never to meet again. Min- ing tools were left out and remained undisturbed. Debts were contracted without reserve at the first interview with the new-comer, and he seldom failed to promptly meet his obligations. A miner would enter a store, or go to a smelter who usually kept miners' supplies, and would say, " Sir, I have just arrived in the mines. am out of money, and wish to go to mining ; if you will let me have some tools and provisions, I will pay you in a few days, or weeks at the most." The prompt and friendly reply would be, " Yes, sir, you can have them," and the pay, sooner or later, was almost sure to come. This custom was so universally prevalent that business men have been heard to declare that they never knew debts so promptly paid even in States where there existed stringent laws to enforce their collection. The inhabitants had come together as a band of brothers, and extended the right hand of fellowship to each other, pledging mutual assistance in times of danger and in times of need.
As illustrating the spirit which then prevailed among farmers and miners, the following instances are cited. They are from the address of Peter Parkinson, Jr., one of the oldest and most hospitable of the survivors of a regime rapidly passing away :
" The first occurred at the head of Apple River, in the present town of Monticello : An old settler resided there, engaged in farming and smelting, raising a crop of wheat among other products. To prepare the wheat for flour, he was obliged to thresh it out with an old-fashioned flail. After this had been done, in order to separate the kernels from the chaff, the old gentle- man was obliged to trickle it down out of a bucket, standing, the meantime, upon a three-legged stool, while two of his boys stood by, each one having hold of a strong sheet with which a cur- rent of air was created to blow out the chaff. In the succeeding year, a man settled in the neigh- borhood who owned a fanning-mill. The old settler expressed his gratification, and remarked to his sons : 'Now, boys, we can borrow neighbor Jones' fanning-mill, and you won't have to clean wheat with the sheet any more.' Accordingly, when the crop was ready for cleaning, one of the boys went over to borrow neighbor Jones' fanning-mill, but that individual declined to negotiate for its temporary transfer, on the ground that it cost too much money to loan. The boy returned indignant and disposed to criticise neighbor Jones in an austere manner, but the old gentleman rebuked his son's inclination. "Don't say anything,' he observed, 'I will cure him.' Soon after the wife of Jones sickened and died, and, although he was the opposite of a good neighbor, he felt a tender regard for the dead wife, and, overwhelmed with grief at his bereavement, made a most supplicating appeal to the old settler for the loan of his buggy, the only one there was in the country, to visit Galena to procure necessaries for the funeral. The buggy was accordingly sent, accompanied by kind messages, and the man was told to keep it as long as he wanted its use, the old settler going over with his family and rendering such assistance and consolation as was in his power.
" When the funeral was over, Jones, being unwilling to trust the expression of his appre- ciation to another, went himself to the settler's residence, and, after returning his thanks in the most pathetic manner for the buggy's use, took out his wallet and said :
"' Now, what shall I pay you for the use of the buggy and also for breaking it ?' as he had the misfortune to do.
"'Not anything, neighbor Jones, I was glad that I had it in my power to oblige you in your great misfortune.'
"' No,' responded Jones, ' I will not be satisfied at all to let it go in that way. You must certainly take something for breaking the buggy, at least.'
"' No, sir ; not one cent ; it will not more than make us even on the fanning-mill score any way.'
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
" If Jones had been sentenced to be hanged," continues the chronicler, " he could not have looked more humiliated. For a moment he was speechless ; at length, laying his hand upon the neighbor's shoulder, he said : 'Now, neighbor - , for God's sake forgive me for that mean trick. If I am ever guilty of another as mean, I hope you and the rest of the neighbors will tar and feather and ride me out of this neighborhood on a rail.' After that, there never was a more obliging neighbor than Jones."
The other instance was located in the town of Fayette. An old settler in that township had opened a farm, which extended out into the prairie, on which, at the back of the farm, some diggings had attracted a miner, who had erected a cabin. He was surrounded by a large family of small children, and, during the winter, it was difficult to obtain wood in sufficient quanti- ties to warm his cabin. A portion of the farm was under fence, and, in an emergency, the miner was accustomed to supply his necessities with the rails from this source. Another miner, cog- nizant of this fact, communicated the depredations to the farmer, which was also overheard by one his sons.
The settler thanked his informant for the kindness manifested, and, turning to his boy, exclaimed :
" Well, John, what had we better do with this man for burning our rails ?"
"Why," said the lad, " I think we had better haul him a load of wood."
Pleased with the generous ideas of his son, the farmer directed him to hitch up the big team, go into the grove and haul the miner as large a load as could be piled on the wagon, at the same time to inform the miner that when it was gone, if he would let them know, they would haul him more.
This proceeding brought the culprit to a realizing sense of his disgraceful conduct. He visited the farmer and made a thousand apologies, offering to pay for what had been taken and to compensate for the injury by any service he could render. The old settler took it coolly, however, told him it was all right, that he would have no occasion to repeat the levy ; when he got out of wood to let him know and he would send him some more. This generous act cured the miner of his propensity to steal and resolved him into a respectable man.
THE PIONEER WOMEN.
'If the men were of a superior type, their counterparts, increased and multiplied a thousand times over, were to be found in the pioneer women. Reference to them has already been made, but only superficially, and the writer cannot refrain from appropriating the syllabus of an address made in that behalf years ago by Peter Parkinson, Jr., to whom it may be said, not alone the pioneers of La Fayette County are indebted for perpetuating the history of those times, but whose facile pen and eloquent voice have always been employed as occasion demanded, in pre- serving for the emulation of posterity the virtues and inestimable worth of those who laid the foundation for that prosperity which is to-day visible whithersoever the eye may turn or the feet may wander.
They are justly entitled to the highest praise, observes Mr. Parkinson, that language can express, justly entitled to the appellation of " second pilgrim mothers." All that was noble, womanly, magnanimous, intellectual and self-sacrificing was fitly expressed in the characters of Wisconsin's pioneer women, especially so of those who resided in and contributed to the devel- opment of La' Fayette County. Prior to emigrating to the West, they had enjoyed the com- forts of a good home and social surroundings, but, impelled by a noble spirit of enterprise and independence, they accompanied their husbands to an unbroken wilderness, inhabited by savage Indians, and endured with fortitude and resignation, the untold hardships, privations, toils and dangers incident to the settlement of a new country, with the resignation and courage of heroic souls. They lived in camps, sheds, cabins and " dug-outs," such as would to-day be considered unfit to furnish a precarious shelter to farmers' stock. To meetings of a public character which called the people together, they journeyed on foot and horseback, behind the husband, or went thither by the uncomfortable means of transportation afforded in ox-carts. The spectacle has
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
frequently been witnessed, a man escorting his wife to meeting in a large ox-wagon that would bear up six thousand pounds of mineral, himself walking. What would the girl of the period think of this mode of going to church or any other resort of public gathering to-day? What would they think of this mode of going to parties ? Upon one occasion, when the night was cold and stormy and the ladies could not walk, a ball was given, and the means of conveyance used was a large ox-sled, upon which the guests were huddled, and went to the ball.
Among those who were prominent in their day and generation, was Mrs. Henry Dodge, wife of the old Indian fighter. a woman of high Christian virtues, amiable disposition, and overflowing with benevolence and charity for all. Mrs. John R. Coons bore a similar relation to this period, as is reported of Mrs. Gen. Knox, during the Washington administration in the Federal capital. Mrs. Henry Gratiot and Mrs. Fortunatus Berry, of Gratiot's Grove, were veritable ministering angels to the homes of the sick and afflicted. Many a poor, sick and disconsolate miner, in his dark, gloomy hut, has breathed a prayer of thanksgiving to these noble women for timely aid in dark days of sickness and destitution. Mrs. John Ray, of Willow Springs, the gay and fash- ionable lady of early times, the belle of social gatherings ; Mrs. Elias Pilling, Mrs. Joseph Bai- ley, Mrs. John P. Sheldon, Mrs. D. W. Parkinson, Mrs. Carroll, Mrs. Lamb and many others were women of most excellent qualities, both of head and heart, who would have honored any community in any land wherein fortune might have cast their lives. Mrs. Col. Moore, of Prairie Springs, Mrs. A. C. Ransom, and Mrs. David Southwick, of Gratiot's Grove, were the popular and esteemed ladies of early times, at whose hospitable homes the weary traveler received boun- teous fare and a generous welcome. Many is the old man of to-day who came into Wisconsin a stranger, and was received by these noble women as though he had been one of their own sons, and was comforted and sustained on his lonely pilgrimage through distress and darkness that knew no limit. They were indeed women of noble hearts, of kindly impulses, tender sensibili- ties, sympathizing with the sorrows and ills of life, and ready upon all occasions to mitigate the distresses that were not of occasional occurrence.
As these pages are read, bright memories will blossom out of the shadowy past, glorifying and beautifying its dimness and tinting the vanished years with colors of never-ending fascina- tion. Many herein mentioned have long since gone, like visions of the beautiful, to be seen no more. Many yet remain who have almost reached the Biblical limits of human life, and are wait- ing to say " Now let thy servant depart in peace," leaving as a heritage to their descendants in long years hence, the ripe and perfect glory of a domain of which they laid the foundations.
The great mass of those who participated in the foundation of the county sleep after their labors and their works do follow them. A numbered few remain who have survived the rush of matter and the wreck of worlds, contemplating the scene as a Rock of Ages cleft for the good and faithful servant.
" Rock of Ages cleft for thee Sings above the coffin lid, Underneath, all restfully, All life's joys and sorrows hid. Nevermore, O storm-tossed soul ! Nevermore from wind or tide ; Nevermore, from billows' roar, Wilt thou need thyself to hide- Could the sightless, sunken eyes, Closed beneath the soft gray hair, Could the mute and stiffened lips Move again in pleading prayer- Still, aye, still, the words would be " Let me hide myself in Thee."
The year 1828, while replete with trials and hardships, against which no soul rebelled and no voice was raised, also shone with promises in rainbow tints, that have long since attained the most complete fruition. Out of the darkness there shone a light; out of the sorrow came an exceeding joy. Much was done this year which resulted in untold benefits to generations yet unborn. The arable land was prepared for farming ; houses were erected and other improve-
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
ments projected ; a school was established, and religious services became a portion of the most defined character in the weekly lives of the inhabitants, and the mines, which have long since become celebrated as sources of inexhaustible wealth, were first brought into prominence. In this connection, a history of the Irish and Elevator Diggings, from the pen of a ready writer, is appropriated :
EARLY HISTORY OF THE MINES.
About one mile north of Shullsburg is a large tract of mineral land, which, on account of the nationality of the first discoverers of lead ore therein, was called the "Irish Diggings," by which name it is still known. The "Irish Diggings " includes all the land lying between Shullsburg Branch and South Ames Branch, and embraces nearly four thousand acres of land, of various degrees of richness.
In the year 1826, mineral or lead ore was first discovered on this tract, and more or less mining done until 1832, when the Black Hawk war interrupted all mining operations in this neighborhood, and work was not regularly resumed until 1834, when, by treaty made with the Indians, all the country lying south of Winnebago Ridge was opened to the whites for mining purposes. During this year, an Irishman by the name of Doyle discovered what is still known as the " Doyle Range," from which, in the short space of two years, and with none but the primitive means of mining. he raised about five million pounds of lead ore, which. at a former price of lead, would net the snug sum of three hundred thousand dollars.
During Jackson's administration, Doyle, who was the most successful, or rather "fortu- nate," miner of his day, made a visit to Washington, and gave a public dinner to the President and a number of the most distinguished men of the time, who were then assembled, the Presi- dent occupying the first position at the table, and Doyle the second. A general good feeling pervaded the occasion, and Doyle was highly complimented on his prosperity as a miner. After his return from the capitol of the nation, Doyle became dissipated, and the good nature and liberality which his good fortune engendered was the means of leading him into excessive indulgence in liquor, and connected him with those who are ever ready to share the for- tune of the successful, so that. in a few years, his entire wealth had been squandered, and, after a number of years of poverty and suffering, Doyle, once the wealthiest man in this part of the country, died, neglected and alone, in his cabin, situated on the same ground from which he had dug his fortune.
When, in 1848, the land came into market, a large portion of the "Irish Diggings " was purchased by John McNulty. No active mining operations have been conducted on this tract for years, with the exception of the Mount Hope Company's Works, which are located on what is called the " Hawthorne Range," and the " McCoskee Cave Range."
This company has been in operation some time, though they have not worked continuously. Their present operations were confined to the Cave range, where they sunk a shaft to the depth of eighty feet, and removed the water by means of a horse-pump. Their mineral was mostly under water, and the work done proved the ground to contain very rich deposits of ore.
Some time after, they drilled a six-inch hole in the bottom of their pump-shaft, and at the depth of about one hundred and twenty feet from the surface, bored through one sheet of min- eral about fourteen inches in thickness, and also one about ten inches.
On striking the opening containing those sheets, the water rushed upward with such force as to carry up the heavy borings of lead and rock at the bottom of the pump-shaft to the surface.
The "cave " proper is situated about one hundred and fifty feet south of the pump-shaft. Some years ago, about one hundred thousand pounds of mineral was taken from this cave, mostly above water, and the company sank two shafts on the old works, and, at the depth of about forty feet, struck heavy deposits of lead ore, which, however, was mostly submerged in water.
Some splendid specimens have been taken from these works, some of which weigh in the neighborhood of three hundred pounds, and the public was assured by Mr. J. H. Wicker,
Joseph Blackstone,
WHITE OAK SPRINGS.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
Superintendent of the company's works, that, if the water was removed, he could work twenty men on mineral at that time.
Lying easterly from the Mount Hope Company were the mines of Meloy, Kelly & Pulis, the Dr. Lee Diggings and the Stump Grove or Bull Pump Diggings, and also Henry's Diggings.
It is estimated that the entire tract of land known as the " Irish Diggings," including the subdivisions mentioned in this article, has, altogether, produced since its first discovery the enormous amount of fifty million pounds of lead ore, which would be worth about THREE MILL- ION DOLLARS.
Almost the entire amount of mineral raised from this tract of ground was taken from the upper opening, above water, and what united wealth lies yet hidden in the openings beneath, where, experience teaches us, the richest and most extensive deposits exist, is a problem which can only be solved by time, energy and capital.
The east half of Section 9 and west half of Section 10, being on the west side and con- contiguous to the corporation of the village of Shullsburg, is what is known as the " Deep Clay Diggings." In all the lead-mining region the overlying clay is from two to ten feet deep, except in this particular locality, where it assumes a depth of forty feet, forming what might be termed a basin of clay. Between the clay and rock was deposited the lead ore, and in some instances running down a few feet into the rock where there were gash crevices. The largest veins, or rather those that were the most profitable to the first workers of these mines, with the primitive means then in use, were the north-and-south sheets. These would often be thirty and forty feet in depth and from one to six inches in thickness, yielding ore of surpassing richness and purity in large quantities with but little labor.
The east-and-west veins were in junk form lying over crevices in the rock ; and, being from five to fifteen feet in width, and immediately under the clay, were more difficult to work on account of the danger of caving and burying the miners alive.
Accidents were frequent, though but few persons lost their lives, and those that did, through gross carelessness. These mines were first discovered in 1828, by two men named Height and Blenick. They took a compass, and getting the bearings of the celebrated "Black Leg " range, followed the course some four miles, and discovered what has since been known as the " Willow Range," so called from the large amount of willows that grew up through the old workings. During the years 1828 and 1829, other parties coming in, new discoveries were made and a large amount of lead ore was raised.
The "Black Hawk war," having caused a suspension of operations for several years, and after its close the low price of lead not justifying the working of these mines, nothing further was done until the summer of 1841.
The winter previous having been unusually dry, it enabled some Suckers, who at this time were flocking to the mines in large numbers from Southern Illinois, to sink deeper than ever had been done before, and resulted in the discovery of large deposits of ore underneath the old working. This caused a general stampede among the miners to the new discovery.
The village of Shullsburg, which the year before consisted of one "Bull Pump." and some dozen miners' cabins, sprung up with the rapidity of Jonah's Gourd. Balloon frame hotels, boarding houses, stores and those sure attendants upon all excitements where men are sup- posed to become suddenly rich, the dram shop and gaming table, were here with all their blan- dishments. Faro, seven-up, euchre and poker were the order of the day and night too.
Many a poor Sucker that had just received his sovereign for a bunch worked out in the clay, enough to have started him well in life, would come to the village in the evening, and, going into the Slide, a famous resort, and getting excited over the "faro bank," would pull out his purse, shake out a sovereign, get it exchanged for checks and commence chubbing in. After a few chubs, finding it gone, to retrieve his fortune, he would try another and another, until his last cent would be gone, then thrusting his hands into his empty pockets, and whistling "The Girl I Left Behind Me," turn and leave the house, ready to again begin in the morning to seek for another bunch in the deep clay.
I
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
Men of nearly all the nationalities being thus suddenly gathered together, did not tend to produce that feeling of brotherly love that should pervade in communities of sober habits and strict Sunday piety. Strife and discord often prevailed, ending in broken heads or bloody noses. Parties feeling themselves aggrieved at the encroachments of others upon their claims, and not considering themselves strong enough to drive away the other parties by force, would call in the aid of some noted bully, giving him a fighting interest if he succeeded in driving the other parties off. Often Mr. Bully got his match and fled the field.
The following incidents are related by an old settler: "Passing a grocery one evening, we heard loud voices and very strong language denouncing some person in peculiar set phrases not very complimentary. We soon discovered that a party of men, headed by a noted bully, were freely imbibing forty-rod whisky, and arranging a plan for driving a man off a certain piece of ground, supposed to contain a rich deposit of lead ore. Bully was demonstrating in strong and forcible language, if not eloquent, that he felt himself competent to send all or any person to the regions of Pluto, who should oppose his entering in and quietly enjoying peaceable posses- sion of the premises. It having been whispered about that said bully was more of a man of bluster than of deeds, and knowing that the other party was no coward and possessed of a good deal of mettle, the meeting promised some rich sport, and we made up our minds to be there. Next morning, repairing to the place, we found about fifty men on the ground, to witness the affray, and the possessor of the ground taking the sod off preparatory to sinking a hole down to the supposed mineral wealth beneath. In a few minutes, bully put in his appearance, fol- lowed by his backers. It was apparent that he had not forgotten to fortify himself with his morning dram, and in doing so had ' taken a long pull, a strong pull and a pull all together, boys,' of a large amount of fighting whisky. Upon coming on the ground, his first salutation was, ' What are you doing there ? You get out of that !' The other replied, 'Sinking a hole on my range.' Bully answered, 'You git off of our range; we don't want any hole sunk there, and if we did we can sink it ourselves.'
" The other party now laid down his spade, and stepping out of the hole and going toward bully, said, ' You have come out here to take a fighting interest with these men who have no right here, and drive me off my diggings. Now, as this is not the first time you have tried your hand at this game with other men, I am willing, if you can whip me, to give you full possession of the ground, so shuck yourself and wade in.'
" This was rather a poser to bully, the thing looked fight, and that, too, with a determined man. Bully looked to one backer and another, and finding all his party on the back-out, after a few hurried whispers, turned and left the field, followed by the hoots and jeers of the crowd. Next morning there was one bully less in town than the day before.
" Going out to work one day after dinner, we saw a crowd of men gathered about a shaft, and, hearing angry voices, went up to ascertain"the cause. We found two men in an angry dis- pute about the right to a certain piece of ground, which both claimed with equal pertinacity. Angry words soon brought on more active demonstrations. One party drew an old pepper-box pistol and commenced firing on the other. He replied with a volley of rocks, so they had it turn about, first pistol and then rock, until the pistol was emptied of its contents, when the holder threw it down and turned and fled, in the full belief that he had riddled his antagonist. Hc rushed to town, and, finding a horse ready saddled and bridled hitched to a post, without stopping to ask the owner's leave, unloosed it, and, mounting, made the best possible speed for ten miles to Frink & Walker's barn, on the stage route between Galena and Chicago, left the horse by the side of the road, and, taking passage East, left the country. The last that was heard of him, he was following at the tail of a plow near Rome, N. Y., pondering on the mutability of all earthly things, and sinking sucker holes on the deep clay, in particular. The man of rocks got one ball hole through the rim of his hat, the old pistol as the spoils of war and full posses- sion of the diggings.
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