USA > Wisconsin > Lafayette County > History of Lafayette county, Wisconsin > Part 87
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There is also a mill on Fever River, two and a half miles south of New Diggings, which was built a number of years since by Simon Alderson, but is now owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Rich- ardson, widow of Joseph Richardson. The mill is supplied with two runs of stone, and does a large custom business.
VILLAGE OF SHULLSBURG.
One of the more populous and flourishing villages of La Fayette County, formerly the county seat, is located on parts of Sections 10 and 11 of the town of Shullsburg, twelve miles from Darlington, eighteen miles from Galena, and seventy-five miles from Madison. The town is handsomely built, particularly the residence portion, and is the business point for farmers for many miles around. Shullsburg Branch, a comparatively sluggish stream, courses the village from east to west, but the water-power thereof, if any exists, has never been utilized.
It was not until about 1840 that the present village began to make itself known, though cabins had been in existence upon its site for several years. The village of Gratiot's Grove, lying south of Shullsburg, where it had been laid out by the Gratiots several years previous, commanded public patronage, and with Old Shullsburg, west of the present village, disputed the continuance of such patronage. Subsequent to the establishment of Gratiot's Grove, extensive mineral discoveries in the immediate vicinity of Shullsburg, including the Badger, Irish, Giant. Clay and other diggings, attracted the presence of miners, and laid the foundation for the pres- ent village.
In 1840, Beon Gratiot, who had previously laid claim to the greater portion of the west half of Section 10, whereon the village is in part built, and where most of the mining had been carried on, sunk a shaft at the north end of the ravine running north and south, for the pur- pose of erecting a pump to drain the mines of water which greatly impeded their operation. The mines to be thus benefited were known as the "Elevator Diggings," which had been discovered during the year 1838 or 1839, by a man named Glover, and are represented to have been of surpassing richness. The difficulty of "working" the same was the origin of Beon Gratiot's venture in erecting what has since been known as the " Bull Pump," so called because of the motive power employed to move what in the light of subsequent improvements was a bulky, unwieldy affair, requiring the exercise of care and diligence, not only to keep it in motion, but also to preserve its utility. It was built and placed in position by Charles Rodolph, standing about two hundred yards south of the present residence of Edward Weatherby, and for many years did service in aiding the miners who delved in those diggings for ore. Gra- tiot's house stood on the site now occupied by the home of Edward Weatherby, on the west side of the ravine, in the vicinity of which he erected a number of cabins for the occupation of his men, thus paving the way for other settlers who came with their families and located there- abouts. There were no streets in those days, and improvements then projected or completed were of the most primitive character. Nevertheless, the " settlement," if such it might be called, was known as " Quality Hill," though what influences may have been exerted to secure this aristocratic appellation for the vicinage are not of record. This small, unpretentious begin- ning has resulted in a city of character and influence, while its whilom rivals have disappeared and left scarcely any relics to indicate that they ever existed. Gratiot's Grove is stated to have been a most flourishing municipality, with two hotels, a number of stores, private residences, etc., and a population as numerous as it was cosmopolitan. Merchants, miners, speculators, visitors and politicians jostled one another on the comparatively unimproved streets and avenues. Ministers of the Gospel, with lawyers and physicians, disputed for prominence in minister- ing to the moral, litigious and physical exigencies. The old fort which had been erected during the Indian troubles, had long since outgrown its uses and protection, and was rapidly becoming a relic of beneficence the charity of which was no longer needed. The importance of the Grove
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
as a depot for the arrival of stages was then at its zenith, and scarcely a day passed but that these vehicular conveniences were made the mediums of a large influx of settlers, prospectors, visitors and adventurers. Numbers of these remained and became residents of " Quality Hill," or sought riches and prominence in other portions of the county ; others proceeded to Galena, Dubuque and elsewhere, while some returned whence they came, and have been lost in the rush of matter, the wreck of worlds or the crowds of humanity which have since fretted a brief hour on the stage of life.
Old Shullsburg, located about half a mile west of Shullsburg of to-day, on the ridge oppo- site Estey's furnace, was then coming into prominence. The improvements completed then consisted of the cabin of Jesse W. Shull, after whom the town was named, which was partially built on the south side of the hill as a protection against the biting winds of December ; a gro- cery or two ; one or more stores with a number of miners' huts and other stray buildings scat- tered here and there as the leaves of autumn. Dublin, so called from the number of Irish who therein resided, lay north of the old town and contiguous to the Irish Diggings, which were then being vigorously worked with results the opposite of discouraging. Though promising, the rivals that Dublin was obliged to contend with, which, in addition to Gratiot's Grove and Old and New Town, included " Devil John Armstrong," whose pugnacity is historical in these parts, were too strong, and prevented the "town's " realizing even a portion of the hopes and anticipations indulged respecting its growth and building up. In spite of these contending, opposing elements to the success and growth of Shullsburg, the future village increased in pop- ulation, influence and importance more rapidly than either of its rivals, and, within the decade in which it was projected, outstripped them all. Among the early settlers who established themselves in the neighborhood were John Moore, Robert Allenson, William Howdle, Ralph Atkinson, Joseph Curry. Cuthbert Nattrass, Thomas Swansbank, Jonathan Dawson, William Hetherington, Benjamin Collinson, Edward Weatherby and Richard Brown, all especial miners who had emigrated with their families from the North of England ; Thomas James, who resided in a log house erected by Andrew Sterrett, and is still standing, the first house west of the late Dr. Milliken's residence ; Caleb Potwin, who put up a store on his present residence lot; J. M. Brewster, also a storekeeper, having his residence and warehouse on the site now occupied by Peter Meloy's store ; Mr. Gray, who lived in a building where Abraham's saloon is now located, etc., etc .; Marshall Cottle, during that period, opened a saloon in the building on Water street erected by " Squire " Devine; Townsend & Bennett erected a building on the lot whereon William Miller now lives ; Samuel Rickert and Gilbert Simmons, a building adjoining Town- send & Bennett's improvement ; Darwin E. Moulton, a store; E. C. Townsend, a blacksmith- shop, opposite Potwin's store, the first in the city except that established by William Bottom- ley. These precedents having been established, other improvements followed in the wake of each other, and settlers came in quite rapidly. Among the latter were John K. Williams, Zebediah Gates, the McNulty family, Solomon, William and Edwin Osborne, Alexander Mock, Thomas Hoskins, J. H. Knowlton, John Ryan, Jeffrey T. Halsey, Samuel Huddleston, Samuel McAtee, Jackson Drake, the Meloy families, James McFerren, W. H. Howard, who opened a livery stable, James Stewart, A. A. Overton, W. P. Boyce, Charles and Harry Brockway, John Cottle, John Hill, Joseph Pulis, Dennis Tynan, who resided on the Clay Diggings, where he committed suicide, Charles Pole, Andrew, John and David Roberts, and many others who have left no footprints on the sands of time to guide the historian in his researches.
The population of the place between 1840 and 1845 had increased, it was believed, to an aggregate of not less than five hundred. Three stores offered proposals for public patronage ; a log schoolhouse, wherein school was taught by Mr. Overton, occupied the lot whereon Thomp- son's furniture store now stands, and was also used for religious, judicial and other purposes. The frame Catholic edifice was in part completed, and mass was said within its finished interior ; but churches and schools were not in general demand, if one may judge from the experience of a citizen, who stated to the writer, that, sitting on his doorstep Sundays, he could hear the min- ister announcing his text when his voice was not drowned by disputes in the crowd gathered on
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
the hill south of the " Bull Pump," when they engaged in horse-racing, gambling and kindred amusements. The Catholic Church, frame, and Henry Potwin's store, were built in 1841.
In 1842, or thereabouts, Edward Vaughn built a store, where Risken has since operated. That summer, Meloy & O'Connor erected a building for similar purposes on the present site of Miss Roberts' millinery store ; John Higgins succeeded Morris Mead as a grocer, and B. L. Heath, with Gilman Seavey, Azael P. Ladd, M. D., and others, became more immediately iden- tified with the material interests of Shullsburg.
About 1844, Beon Gratiot returned to St. Louis to pass the remainder of his life free from business cares and annoyances. Before doing so, however, he assigned his mineral claims, which had not at that time come into market, to William Hempstead, who entered them at the land sale held in Mineral Point during 1847, and which have yielded more mineral than any other piece of land in the State, it is claimed. Soon after this time, the California fever attacked the miners about Shullsburg, and soon assumed the form of an epidemic. The mineral here, it was argued, was difficult to obtain, in consequence of its being under water, and requiring an enor- mous expense to drain. Among those who fled to the land of promise from Shullsburg in search of gold was George Hicks, who " tramped " the roads thither, wheeling a barrow all the way, and arriving at the City of the Golden Gate in safety. While the epidemic was at its height, Edward Weatherby leased land of Hempstead about one-quarter of a mile south of the " Bull Pump " upon which to mine, and discovered some of the largest leads ever known in this vicinity, the first discovery being made on New Year's Day, 1850. These enterprises added a new impetus to the growth of the town. Fresh relays of miners came in and began prospecting, and with them came traders, smelters, merchants and the hoi polloi, who always gather at points where success of a pronounced character has been experienced in any department of life. Mr. Weath- erby's pumps were used with effect in draining the mines of water until May 30, 1857. At that date their employment was abandoned, and the building of the "Bull Pump " level com- menced. This was completed after two years' labor, at a cost of $5,000, and was continued south into lands owned by John McNulty's estate, making rich discoveries of mineral and accom- plishing the object for which it was designed. Another level was built by Mr. Weatherby, pro- ceeding east from the " Bull Pump " shaft to the line of Henry Stephens' estate, draining the water and enabling miners to make discoveries of ore both in Stephens' and Rickert's estates. In 1860, still another level was carried from Estey's furnace through Estey's, Griffin's and Brock- way's lands into the west level of the " Bull Pump," which was completed in 1868, making a continuous level from Estey's furnace to the McNulty and Stephens properties, about three- quarters of a mile. The Elevator Diggings, to drain which the original level was built, have been worked continuously up to the present day, and are now regarded as a promising invest- ment for capitalists.
In 1847, Capt. Augustus Estey settled in the village, and erected a furnace on the Shulls- burg Branch, west of the town site, which proved a source of infinite convenience to miners, who had previously been obliged to dispose of their mineral to William Hempstead, and haul their sales to that gentleman's furnace in Galena.
During the year last above mentioned, Iowa County was divided, and the southern portion thereof organized as La Fayette County, with the county seat at Avon or Center, a village in future, near the present site of Darlington, where the county owned lands. By act of the Ter- ritorial Legislature of 1848, it was provided in express terms that Shullsburg should be the county seat until another place was selected, and suitable buildings provided ; accordingly, when the constitution took effect, that village became, de facto et de jure, the county seat, the contin- gency contemplated by the act of 1848 not having occurred. This adoption of Shullsburg cre- ated considerable excitement throughout the county, and much trouble resulted between the residents of Avon and Shullsburg for the dignity and emoluments appertaining to the location of that centripetal attraction. The Legislature of 1849 recognized Center as the county seat, by the provisions of an act passed in that year ; but the Supreme Court decided that the Legis- lature was powerless to pass a declaratory law on the premises, and that votes cast thereunder
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
for the removal of the county seat from Shullsburg were void. In 1852, an act of the Legisla- ture providing for the removal of the county seat to Avon was adopted, subject to confirmation by a vote of the people. This was refused, and the court house and jail were contracted for, the same to be erected in Shullsburg. The contract was let to a builder in Mineral Point, from whom it was obtained by E. C. Townsend, who built and furnished the structures at a cost of $5,000. The jail was of stone, and has since been razed. The court house, which is of brick, was sold to School District No. 6 in 1867, together with the grounds, and reconstructed for school purposes, to which it has since been devoted.
The effort was again made, in 1856, to procure the removal of the county seat to Center, which was accomplished, but returned to Shullsburg under a decision of the Supreme Court. The question remained quiescent until 1861, when, owing to the excitements growing out of the war and other causes, the removal was again agitated, this time the village of Darlington being substituted for Avon or Center. A bill was passed by the Legislature, which, upon taking the sense of the people thereon, was adopted by four votes, and the " glory of Ichabod " had departed.
From the earliest days, Shullsburg was what is modernly termed a " very busy place." Miners and merchants made money and lived rapidly. The accumulation of wealth was reserved to the more thrifty, as also to those whose inclinations did not tend in the direction of certain phases of life that were to be seen in the village in a condition of perfection, always duplicated where money comes easy. Gambling and horse-racing were amusements and customs indulged and honored. The El Dorado, on Water street, and the Montezuma, adjoining the La Fayette House, were houses with which the residents of those days are familiar as the resorts of gam- blers, wherein games of chance were represented and soldiers of fortune most did congregate. Thousands of dollars are said to have been lost and won in these resorts, and disputes and dis- turbances were of frequent occurrence. But these factors in the civilization of frontier towns have long since been eliminated from Shullsburg's progress, and places in that village which knew them once know them no more.
In 1846, the present village was laid out and platted, the survey being made by Washington Hinman, assisted by Zebadiah Gates. The original town consisted of thirteen irregularly shaped blocks, intersected by Mineral, Gratiot, Iowa, Judgment, Church, Water and Main streets, and was ex-appropriated out of lands owned by William Hempstead. Since that date, a number of additions have been made to the original town, including Northeast and Northwest Shullsburg, Bottom- less Addition, Sterrett's Addition, Roberts' Addition, Hunt's Addition, Marvin's Survey, Ste- phens & Mitchell's Addition, Griffin, Ryan & Mead's and Smith's Additions, aggregating one hundred and thirty-two blocks of various dimensions, intersected by streets and avenues the nomenclature of which possess to a certainty the merit of genius if devoid of originality, as will be admitted when reference is had to the list, which is made up in part of Friendship, Goodness, Justice, Peace, Pious, Truth, Mercy, Wisdom, Charity, Happy and Virtue streets. Soon after, there was a large rush of people from Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and elsewhere, who thronged the La Fayette and Reynolds Hotels in Shullsburg, the Lamar House, at Gratiot's Grove, and such other havens of rest as were found accessible to the traveler. Improvements kept pace with the increase in population, and the old log and puncheon huts and tenements yielded place to comfortable frame stores, churches and residences. It was not until 1849 that brick was employed for building material, the first brick house in the town having been erected during that year. It stood, and still stands, at the eastern end of Water street, where it was located, planned and completed as a residence by John Roberts nearly a third of a century ago. This innovation was favorably received by the citizens, and the example thus furnished inspired those who were contemplating homes and warehouses to construct them of brick or stone. In this and the few years immediately succeeding, the population of Shullsburg diminished by drafts drawn thereon for emigration to California. This had the effect, however, of relieving the town of the thousand and one adventurous characters previously enumerated on the town's bills of residence, and their absence was in part supplied by substantial citizens, who, by their labors and enter- prise, contributed materially to building up and beautifying the home of their adoption.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
In 1854, the cholera ran wild through some portions of the county, and many in the flush of youth and health took on the pale seal of the master of mortality, and were laid to rest in the village churchyard. The first victim to the disease in Shullsburg was Dr. A. P. Ladd, who died July 26 of that year, and, while the death rate of this town was not so heavy as at other points, those who were here and witnessed its visitation bear testimony that it was bad enough. In Gratiot's Grove, the fatality was not confined to any portion or class, but was distributed about with lavish hand, twenty-one victims paying the tribute of their lives to its call in the Lamar House. Its effects were visible for years, and those who survive the calamity recur to it to-day with feelings of terror.
About this time, railroad enterprises which were then extending their feelers over the Northwest, were directed toward Shullsburg with a view to ascertaining what encouragement would be extended the location of a line thitherward. Meetings were held, at which speeches were made and resolutions adopted calculated to inspire the projectors with confidence. But, owing to some unexplained reason, the line was abandoned without even a survey having been made. Again, in 1867, it was thought that the village would be visited by a road from Mon- roe to Dubuque, and, notwithstanding the proffer of a generous aid, the management of the enterprise felt constrained to retire from the undertaking without accomplishing anything that would electrify the world or promote the welfare of Shullsburg. At present, the same corpora- tion are negotiating for the building of the road, and it is anticipated that by October 1 the route will be open for business.
The panic of 1857 may have retarded the growth of the village, and possibly was attended with that result. Though not so sensibly affected as other portions of the country, Shullsburg participated in the dire consequences of that disastrous year, from which its recovery was slow and unsatisfactory. Not until the business boom growing out of the war reached the town, increasing business, appreciating the value of mineral, and creating a demand for commodities, did Shullsburg renew its vitality, so to speak, to any appreciable extent, and inspire the citizens with hopes for an improvement in the condition of affairs resulting from the panic.
During the war, the village, as the metropolis of the town, equaled expectations in the quotas, both of men and money, contributed for the " maintenance of the Constitution," and left no demand in that behalf without responding. Two companies of troops were raised in the vicinity, and money, supplies and other auxiliaries to the support of the Government and com- fort of the soldiers were furnished most liberally.
By act of the Legislature, published March 30, 1861, the west half of Section 11 and the east half of Section 10, in Township No. 1 north, of Range 2, in which were comprehended the limits of Shullsburg, was incorporated as a village, with general powers and perpetual suc- cession, since when the body politic has been governed as a municipal corporation. The follow- ing officers have served since the incorporation of the village in accordance with this act :
1862-Edward Meloy, President ; John Griffin, John H. Blakey, John K. Williams and Edwin Osborne, Trustees.
1863-Edward Meloy, President ; John K. Williams, Edwin Osborne, John Griffin and John H. Blakey, Trustees.
1864-Edward Meloy, President ; John K. Williams, George W. Hayden, Richard Tres- trail and Hugh Cummings, Trustees.
1865-Edward Meloy, President; John K. Williams, Hugh Cummings, Joseph Pulis and Richard Trestrail, Trustees.
1866-Richard McKey, President ; Andrew Habenstreet, Philip Swift, John L. Hardy and Joseph Pulis, Trustees.
1867-Edward Meloy, President ; Richard McKey, Joseph Pulis, John K. Williams and Thomas Cavanagh, Trustees.
1868-J. M. Brewster, President ; Samuel Rickert, John Higgins, James Cummings and M. M. Stanley, Trustees.
1869-George E. Weatherby, President ; M. M. Stanley, John Newton, Thomas Swin- bank and Robert Trestrail, Trustees.
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HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY.
1870-Thomas McNulty, President ; John L. Hardy, F. Hillmeyer, William Ahern and Thomas Swinbank, Trustees.
1871-Thomas McNulty, President ; Thomas Swinbank, Thomas B. Bray, Samuel Rick- ert and Alfred Quinch, Trustees.
1872-Thomas J. Law, President; Frank Hillmeyer, P. C. Meloy, C. W. Priestley and Owen Carey, Trustees.
1873-Thomas J. Law, President; Thomas McNulty, Charles M. Priestley, Peter C. Meloy and Owen Carey, Trustees.
1874-Richard Brown, President; William Simpson, William Look, Thomas McNulty and F. A. Thompson, Trustees.
1875-George W. Douglas, President ; Thomas McNulty, John Nichols, F. C. Frebel and Robert Redshaw, Trustees.
1876-George W. Douglas, President ; Thomas McNulty, F. C. Frebel, John Nichols and Robert Redshaw, Trustees.
1877-Charles W. Priestley, President; Thomas McNulty, James Roberts, Charles Berg- ener, Jr., and Richard Ivey, Trustees.
1878-F. C. Frebel, President ; John Hebenstreit, Frank Hillmeyer, John Nichols and Joshua Watson, Trustees.
1879-P. B. Simpson, President ; John Hebenstreit, Owen Carey, Frank Hillmeyer and J. T. Brewster, Trustees.
1880-J. M. Brewster, President ; John Hebenstreit, Owen Carey, W. J. Honeycomb and C. W. Priestley, Trustees.
Clerks .- William Ahern, 1862-69 inclusive; Richard Ivey, 1870-71 ; John Barry, 1872-73; John Stevens, 1874-75 ; William Ahern, 1876-80 inclusive.
Marshalls .- Charles Miller. 1862-63; Joseph Bowden, 1864; Earnest H. Plush, 1866 ; Michael Doyle, 1867 ; R. H. Williams, 1868-70; A. A. Townsend, 1871; John A. Byrne, 1872; A. A. Townsend, 1873-76 inclusive ; John Henry, 1877-80 inclusive.
Treasurers .- George W. Hayden, 1862-63; Andrew Habenstreit, 1864; Michael Tier- nay, 1866 ; John L. Hardy, 1867; William Look, 1868; John Higgins, 1869-70; William Look, 1871; Richard Ivey, 1872-73; Jeremiah Coughlin, 1874; William Oates, 1875; Thomas Pursell, 1876; William Oates, 1877; William Kuelling, 1879; Thomas H. Rule, 1880.
Assessors .- Richard Ivey, 1862-63; H. H. Brannon, 1864; Charles E. Miller, 1866 ; Thomas Tague, 1867; Richard Ivey, 1868; William Dawson, 1869; Joseph Higgins, 1870; H. H. Ensign, 1871; Joseph Pulis, 1872-73; George Wortley, 1874; Joseph Pulis, 1875; George Wortley, 1876; John Stevens, 1877; R. Brown, 1878; Edward Roy, 1879-80.
During the past twenty years, the village has grown, not rapidly but steadily ; and, when the railroad shall have been completed to its location, as is expected, the opinion is ventured by the inhabitants that a new impetus will be given to its prosperity and advancement. At pres- ent it contains a population estimated at twelve hundred, composed of an intelligent, enterpris- ing class of citizens, who represent a large proportion of the wealth and character for the pos- session of which the county occupies a prominent position in public estimation. Educationally and morally, the village occupies an enviable degree of repute, and, in all the departments of life, Shullsburg is most creditably represented.
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