History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 52

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 998

USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth County, Wisconsin > Part 52

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and York making for the woods. Hadn't you better go after them? They may be wanted in the next case." Then, falling back upon the lounge, he listened to the opposing counsel, who cheerfully joined his brother in requesting a postponement. The Judge, after a moment's con- sideration, reluctantly consented to the postponement and adjourned the court. The remainder of the day he spent in the woods with W -- and the two dogs.

He never acknowledged that he had missed a shot. One day, when he was in ill luck, he fired into a flock of ducks several times, failing to bring down the game. At each futile dis- charge he would exclaim: " It is astonishing what an amount of lead those birds will carry!" His legal attainments were summed up by Judge Baker as follows:

" But of truth it can be said of him, he was a lover of justice, detested meanness, was well grounded in the principles of the law, and was possessed of very respectable perceptive and reasoning powers. He seldom consulted law books, with which the bar of those days was poorly supplied, but on the whole, for the times, was a fair and respectable Judge."

THE FIRST INFLUX OF SWINE.

During the carlier years, a pig-sty, or a hog-pen, was unknown. The hogs run in the woods, and fatted on acorns or grew poor for the want of them. The first considerable drove was brought in by Ephraim Perkins, of Burlington, from Illinois, in July, 1837. There were two hundred or more. They were left in the woods on Sugar Creek, in the town of Spring Prairie, where they remained until late in the fall of that year. They thrived well, and were most of them recovered by their owner, or sold on sight and captured by the purchaser. They grew quite wild and shy of pursuers. Mr. Daniel Salisbury, noticing three or four of them in the woods near his place, entered into negotiations with Perkins for the purchase of one. They dis- covered them, but to capture them was impossible. Salisbury pointed out the one he wanted, as they were making through the woods, and bought him on the run for $16. At the end of two weeks, by strewing corn in their way, he so gained their confidence that they came near enough to enable him to shoot his hog. Other large droves were driven in in 1838. One driven in from Central Illinois by R. H. Mallary and C. L. Oatman, of Geneva, was thus described by James Simmons in his history of Geneva:

"These animals were of a breed then familiarly known as the Center breed. Tradition (which sometimes exaggerates a little) describes them as being slab-sided, with slim legs, skins clinging closely to their bony frames and the crown of their heads just in the conter between the beginning of the snout and the conclusion of the tail. They were no doubt nearly related to the Third Row breed, whose long slender necks enabled them to reach and devour the third row of corn through the interstices of the fenee. Some of their descendants are probably still to be found in the country. On their arrival, they were turned into the woods to fatten on acorns, and when wanted for use, were hunted and shot down like deer."

It was years before the wild hogs, sprung from these early droves, were exterminated. Long after the deer had left, the discovery of a wild hog's nest, or the killing of a wild boar, were among the sports of the huntsmen of Walworth County.

RECREATION.

The people were not so absorbed in the labor or overcome by hardships as to lose zost for healthy recreation and relaxation. The violin was tuned early, as soon as couples could be found to dance a square dance. Fourth of July was celebrated in Troy as early as 1837. An old set- tler, in answer to the question whether he celebrated "the fourth " in 1846, replied, "There were only three of us in the town and one gum, but we fired the gun." The singing-school also put in an early appearance. The frequent "raisings" brought men together from long distances. At these gatherings, the work went vigorously on, and the fun was always nproarious before the separation. A broad smile immediately overspread the face of an old sottler at the slightest allusion to an old-time "raising." The memory of the healthy recreations of those days throws a ruddy tint of cheerfulness over the somber and serious labors that made up the daily life of the pioneers.

The long distances necessary to travel havo been already classed as among the annoyances and hardships endured by the early settlers. This proved no obstacle in the way of the young

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

folks, if a dance was at the end of the journey. The swain who received an invitation to a ball fifteen miles away through the woods would lose favor in the eyes of his lass should he fail to get her there in time for the first dance. The ride, or walk. even, was no hardship to them- quite the reverse.

The first grand ball was held in Geneva on the opening of Warren's new hotel, January S, 1838. It was held in the dancing-hall on the second floor; the plastering was not yet on, but the spring floor, which was the especial pride of the landlord, was finished and tested for the first time that night. One hundred gentlemen and ninety ladies were present, from all parts of the county-Spring Prairie, Elkhorn, Delavan, Troy, and even from Elgin, Beloit and other towns beyond the limits of the county. Warren took in $700, which was a princely haul for those times.

The above was by no means the first dance. Mention is made in the annals of Troy of a dance held at Othni Beardsley's on July 4, 1837. That is believed to have been the first in the county. Although not so elaborately gotten up as the Geneva ball, it was a season not to be forgotten by those who participated. It was the closing act in the celebration of the day. It came off in Beardsley's upper room-a sort of cross between a hall and a garret. The roof came down low on the sides, making it necessary for the taller couples to confine themselves to the center of the floor along the line of the ridge-pole. Windows in each end allowed air sufficient for breathing purposes. Here, to the music of two violins, played by Horatio J. Murray and his brother, the dancing went on from the afternoon, all through the night. till the 5th of July had broken into daylight. The women had no surcease, as they were scarce. They numbered only seven-four married and three unmarried. Busy as they were, it is related that each of the maidens received a hurried proposal of marriage before the dance was over from a thrifty young farmer who had an eye to business. One of them accepted, and was married a fortnight after. The marriage proved a happy one.

Following the ball at Warren's was a dancing-school, the first kept in the county. The teacher was A. M. Clark, whose home was somewhere in Illinois. He taught that winter on a sort of weekly circuit, at Chicago, Waukegan, Racine, Milwaukee and Geneva, making the rounds once a week in a rather dilapidated jumper. He carried with him his violin and his rifle, and often came in to fill one of his numerous appointments with a deer he had shot on the way. Ancient fame places him high as a horn-pipe player. He furnished music for dances and taught the accomplishment of dancing in the county for several years, and, in the eyes of the young folks, stood at the head of his profession. Two years ago, he returned to visit the scenes of his early labors and triumphs. He was over seventy, but played for a dance at Spring Prairie during his visit, which was attended by many old and gray, like himself, who, in the ruddy days of youth, had stepped nimbly to the sound of his music forty years ago. There was a tinge of melancholy in the picture, as the dances of Auld Lang Syne, trod with somewhat stiffened steps, the maze of the old dances to the old familiar tunes of the gray-haired fiddler, now broken witlı the weight of years.

Other early musicians who were favorites were Charley Abbott, of Milwaukee, who died some twelve years ago, and Hess, the German, who still lives in Milwaukee. There were also the Murray brothers; Asa Blood, Jr., and his sister Sally, both left-handed players; Hiram Boyce and Henry Bradley, now, and for many years, the Postmaster at Elkhorn.

The first singing-master was Monsieur Durgin, a French teacher who lived at Southport (now Kenosha). He taught at Geneva, Spring Prairie and other places in the county during the winters of 1838, 1839 and 1840. Seth Cowles was the first resident singing-master. He lived in the north part of Geneva. He only taught the rudiments, but that was sufficient to bring the young folks together, and Cowles' singing-schools were popular if his pupils did not attain to a high degree of proficiency in the art or science he professed to teach.

Social gatherings were not confined to dancing parties. Invitations to social parties, where games, story-telling and a bounteous repast made up the entertainment, were responded to from a distance with a hearty unanimity that showed how warmly those old hearts beat for each other.

An account has been given by several of the early chroniclers of a ludicrous denoument, after a panie of fright, which occurred at one of the early gatherings. Two versions of the story are given, differing widely in detail, though both retaining the cathartic ingredient which

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gives them the stamp of essential truth and traces them to a common origin. It serves as a fit illustration of how honest authorities may differ:

THE PIE STORY. (FIRST VERSION IN PRINT.)

" Some of the residents of our village who participated in it, with many from other parts of the county, eannot restrain their laughter when reminded of the pumpkin-pie party at Dr. Hemenway's, on Spring Prairie. The doctor had that year raised a erop of pumpkins, the first in the county, and, to make the most of them, gave notice that a ball would be held at his house, and his guests would be regaled with a plentiful supply of pumpkin pie. The bait took, and scores of Yankees scattered through the country, attracted by it, thronged his double log house and filled it to overflowing. The pies were produced and duly eaten, and the dance commenced, and, for a time, " all went merry as a marriage bell," but suddenly one and another turned pale and left the chamber. Soon all was confusion and dismay. Countenances so lately lighted up with smiles of joy and mirth were now distorted with pain and fear, and the voice of laughter and gayety was changed to signs and groans of distress. The house was at onee turned into a hospital, and the doctor had more patients on his hands that night than had ever before fallen to his lot at one time. He immediately began to search for the cause of this alarming state of affairs, and to inquire into the constituents of the feast. He learned that his family, being en- tirely out of other spices, had seasoned the pies with allspice. This did not explain the mystery until some of the berries were brought for his inspection, when it flashed upon his mind that he had brought with him into the country a large lot of Lee's pills, and laid them carefully away in his pantry. These, after lying there forgotten and undisturbed for a long time, had become dry and hard and been mistaken for allspice. The murder was now out and the wild fears of the company soon subsided and gave place to renewed merriment under the doctor's assurances that this wholesome and timely medication would prove beneficiat to their health. although it would be likely to destroy his prospects as a physician for the season. In due time the com- pany separated in high good humor notwithstanding the disasters of the evening."

THE PIE STORY. (MANUSCRIPT VERSION. )

" In the fall of 1837, Col. Perez Merrick's family, consisting of four sons and three daugh- ters, a number of whom had passed beyond their teens, desired to enlarge their acquaintance with the young people of the surrounding settlements, and proposed having an evening party, as in the days of former years, and, accordingly, an invitation was sent abroad for the young people to assemble at their house (which was comfortable and commodious for those days) on a certain evening designated. When the time came, a large company assembled, some from ten miles distant. All were joyous and happy at meeting each other, and in pronouncing the jests and jokes upon the conveniences of a new country. No time was lost in renewing old acquaintances and making new ones. In due time supper was announced. No pains had been spared to make it a bountiful luxury.

" They having succeeded well in raising poultry that season from a stock which they brought with them from the State of New York, and which was then a great rarity, had a full quantity of chicken-pie. In due time recreations commenced, and the dancing went merrily on for some time, but after awhile one after another was taken sick and obliged to leave the room, and then came a time when all was confusion, dismay and distress among the throng recently so happy and joyous. The strange sensation of the guests led to the suspicion that poison had in some way been administered, and a seareb was immediately made for the cause, and it was soon discovered to be in the allspice, which they had procured at the store the day before. Mr. Craw- ford. having placed a lot of goods in Dr. Hemenway's bar-room, the doctor's medicines had been erowded into a small corner at one end of the shelf where some of the goods were placed, and his pills had been sold for allspice, which was ground and put into the pie. No fears were entertained then but what the cholera would abate, and that they should again be permitted to see daylight."

Still another account has been tendered, locating the scene at the house of Dr. Mills, in La Fayette, in which a pumpkin-pie becomes the mysterious source of trouble. The latter story is deemed too apocryphal to be embalmed in history.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

MORAL AND RELIGIOUS GERMS.

The moral and religious elements and forces brought to bear in molding the general con- duct and character of the community are worthy of record and consideration. Many of the ear- liest settlers who came in, though not, perhaps, ranking above the average of their neighbors for integrity, uprightness and large-hearted generosity, were men of strong moral and religious con- victions, which they held with conscientious tenacity and propagated with untiring vigor. Some of them came out with the express purpose of helping to establish a higher standard of rigliteous living and a place of refuge for the oppressed. Col. Samuel F. Phoenix and his brother Henry were doubtless impelled to sell out a lucrative business in Perry, N. Y., and to move West, in the hope of here establishing a colony, free from the curse of intemperance and irreligion. Samuel marked upon the stakes as he made his first claims about Delavan Lake and Turtle Creek, "Temperance Colony." and wrote home to his brother of killing on the ground a rattlesnake, which he deemed an omen of coming success, in killing the venomons serpent -intemperance," among the people who might settle there. His religious convictions were too ardent for silence, and almost as soon as he set foot in the county, he is found leading a prayer- meeting and preaching lay sermons. On the second Sunday after his arrival, he held what is stated by Rev. S. A. Dwinnell to be the first religions meeting ever held between Fox and Rock Rivers, in Wisconsin .* The meeting was held in the house of Dr. Hemenway, who, though himself a most decided doubter, showed a commendable spirit of tolerance in throwing open his house for the occasion. The account of this and a subsequent meeting, held at the same place on the Sabbath following, is thus given in Col. Phoenix's journal:

"Sunday morning, July 10: I feel deeply my responsibility in respect to the meeting I am ahont to hold. My dependence is in God-nevertheless I look anxiously across the prairie to see if brother Daniel Salisbury is coming ' that there may be at least two or three to meet in the name of the Lord.' At meeting time, all the neighbors, save one family, came together, making an assembly of fifteen souls. A portion of Scripture was read and prayer offered for the special blessing of God on this first effort to hold a religious meeting in the settlement and observe the Sabbath in a religious way. We sung a hymn. I then read my letter of commendation from the Church in Perry. I also gave a little of my religions experience and the blessedness I found in the religion of Christ. I gave reasons for appointing the meeting and spoke of my desire to do good to the souls of my fellow-men. I then addressed the company from Gal., vi, 7-Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. I endeavored, as I always do, to adapt my subject to the wants of my hearers. Brother Salis- bury offered a good prayer and we closed by singing the hymn, . When I can read my title clear,' etc. There were four professors of religion present."

"Sunday, July 17th: I again held meeting at Dr. Hemenway's. When the hour of meet- ing came, there were present, besides the family, Daniel Salisbury, Palmer Gardner and David Pratt and his daughters. Nothing dannted, I went forward and opened the meeting with read- ing the Scriptures and prayer. Had no singing. I discoursed upon the parable of the barren fig tree. Although I was as animated as usual, soon two of my unbelieving auditors were nod- ding. Dr. H. got sound asleep. I had only three adults to preach to. I shortened my dis- course to some twenty minutes. As I closed my discourse, seven more came in, which made the usual number. So we sung a hymn, Bro. Salisbury prayed and we closed. The late comers apologized for their tardiness. I felt to say, 'Can these dry bones live.' Thus has the Gospel been preached for the first time between Fox and Rock Rivers in this infant Territory. May the Lord bless the effort and cause that some good may result! I hope this week to effect an arrangement for holding meeting at Godfrey's (Rochester) and Meacham's (Troy).

" Dr. Hemenway I find to be a rejector of the Bible. In conversation with him I realize how wretched a soul is who has not the Rock, Christ, to build its hopes upon. The Bible is doubly sweet to my taste. O! it is good to be like a new born habe desiring the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby."

Rev. Solomon A. Dwinnell, another carly settler, came in 1836, and. from his arrival, was

*Mr. Dwinnell and Col. Phoenix are probably in error ast> this being the first religious meeting. Rev. Mr. Griffin held an open-air prayer-meeting in East Troy Sunday, July 3, 1836. No sermon was preached on the occasion.

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an earnest advocate of temperance. He instituted and conducted the first series of weekly prayer-meetings hekl in the county. Of his early religious work, he gives the following ac- count:

"The first prayer-meeting in the county was established in May, 1837, at the cabin of D. Campbell, on Spring Prairie, on the spot where Deacon Bacon and his son John have since lived. Some of those who attended walked from Burlington, and others from the north west part of Spring Prairie an extreme of ten miles, and made an assembly of about a dozen in all. The first sermon was preached in June, or July, by a visiting Methodist minister -the only one I heard for some eleven months, at the same house. The earliest Sabbath school known to me was commenced at my house in June, in 1838, by my wife and myself."

Elder Benjamin Perce was the first ordained minister who preached a sermon and hekdl public religious services in the western part of the county. The service was held at the house of Allen Perkins, in Delavan, on the evening of October 7, 1836: his text was from Matthew xix, 20-" What laek I yet?"

The first denominational Christian organization in the county was effected by the Method- ists in East Troy. The old Aztalan Circuit held a quarterly meeting at that place, February 3, 1838. The Presiding Eller was Rev. Salmon Stebbins. The meeting was held at the house of Daniel Griffin, where a class was formed. The first preacher was Rev. Jesse Halstead. There was occasional preaching at other points in the county on Mr. Halstead's eirenit during that and the following year: at Meacham's Prairie (Troy), Spring Prairie and Elkhorn.

In 1839, the Aztalan Circuit was divided and a new eircuit formed from its southern half. It was called the Walworth Cireuit and at first took in Burlington and Rochester, with various points in Walworth County. In 1810, Burlington and Rochester were detached and made into a new circuit, and the name of the Walworth Circuit changed to Troy, as the oldest and largest class was at that place (now East Troy). At that time, Mr. Halstead was succeeded on the cir- enit by Rev. James MeKean. The following sketch of the labors of himself and his immediate successor, Rev. L F. Malthrop, is from Dr. W. G. Miller's book, entitled, "Thirty Years in the Itineracy." The sketch also alludes to work done in the county during the same years by Rev. David Worthington, who had charge of the Rochester and Burlington Cireuit after it was formed, in 1840, and did missionary work in the towns of Walworth County nearest his charge. The sketch is as follows:

" On the new charge (Rochester and Burlington), there were two classes formed by Bro. Worthington during this year. The first was formed in Puffer's Schoolhouse on Spring Prairie in the summer of 1840, and included in its membership, Mr. and Mrs. John M. Cowham, Lan- sing Lewis and Mrs. Lewis. his mother. Bro. Cowham was the leader. The other class was organized in Lyonsdale, with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lyon, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Lyon, Mr. and Mrs. Ansel Waite, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall and Mrs. Jones. Hon. William P. Lyon, of the Supreme Court, subsequently became identified with the society. * * *

"In 1841, Rev. L. F. Moulthrop was appointed to the Troy Circuit. He remained the second year, and had as a colleague the excellent Rev. Henry Whitehead, so long and well known by the preachers of the North west in connection with the Chicago Book Depository.

" At Round Prairie a class was formel. The members, as far as ascertained, were Rev. James Flanders, local preacher. Mr. and Mrs. Houghten, Mrs. Norcross, Father Cornice and Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Cornice.

"At Heart Prairie, the services were held in Father Worthington's log house, where a class was also organized Father Worthington, his wife and two sons, Elijah and Theodore and Mrs. Lewis, were the first members.

" At Delavan, the meetings were held alternately in Mr. Bradway's log house in the village, al at the residence of Mr. Ph enix on the prairie. The class at this place was small, and I an unable to insert in the record more th in the names of Mr. and Mrs. Bradway.

"Elkhorn at this early day, but, as the county seat, commanded an appointment."

The first Baptist Church in the county was organized in Delavan September 21, 1839. Rev. Henry Topping was the first pastor. An extended notice of this church appears in the town history of Delavan A little later, during the year following - 1840 -a Baptist Church

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was formed in Geneva. The first meeting, at which the organization was effected, was held at the house of C. M. Baker. The first pastor was Rev. P. W. Lake.

Still another Baptist Church was formed in Spring Prairie May 27, 1841. Rev. William R. Manning was the first pastor. It was an offshoot from the Baptist Church at Rochester, which was organized by the Baptists of Spring Prairie, Burlington and Rochester in the fall of 1837. Farther mention of this church appears in the town history of Spring Prairie. The three above mentioned are believed to be the earliest Baptist Churches organized in the county.

The Congregationalists organized a church in Spring Prairie in 1840. The first meeting was held in the schoolhouse of District No. 5. The church membership comprised those of like faith living in the town of Barlington, as well as those of Spring Prairie. Rev. S. A. Dvinnall was one of the organizers of the church. Rov. Cyrus Nichols was the first pastor.

The Presbyterians organized a church in Geneva in the spring of 1839. Rev. Lemuel Hall was the first preacher. This was the first church organized in Geneva, and the first of that denomination in the county.

The Congregationalists of Whitewater were the first to organize a church in that part of the county-perhaps; the first in the county. The exact date of the organization at Spring Prairie cannot be obtained; that of the church at Whitewater was July 3, 1840. The first pastor was Rov. Daniel Smith Farther mention of this church appears in the historical sketch of the village of Whitewater.

The first Episcopalian Church in the county was organized in Elkhorn in October, 1841- St. John's Church in the Wilderness. It was established by Bishop Kemper, and was, in its earlier years, under the pastoral charge of the Reverend professors of the Nashotah Divinity School-Breck Hobert and Adams -- who held services alternately.

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History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 52

Author: Western Historical Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 998

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 998