History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 88

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

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This was a few years after the Black Hawk war, and the defenses and tent paraphernalia of the military were still standing. Mr. Alvin Foster's house, where the Mesdames Pratt were left to board. was built of rough-looking logs, but there were brightness and sunshine inside. At that time, the house accommodated seven families. The Pratts and Mr. Williams having so pleasantly settled the women folks, returned to take up their claims near Whitewater Creek. They found that the Birges had " jumped " the claim to the southeast quarter of Section 5. Quite a warm dis- pute followed, which resulted in the Pratts relinquishing that claim. The Pratts still retained Section 8, however. They then all went to work to build their two houses, living like brothers with Mr. Prince, now called "Captain." The bunks had to be increased by three, but it was all the jollier. When the new log houses were up, the inmates thereof often returned the good treatment which the "boys" had received in " Bachelor's Hall." Having thus established their homes in the wilderness, it happened sometimes that the Pratt sisters were left to keep a kind of a "Widows' Retreat" while their husbands were away on business. They were quite often put to their wit's end to keep off the horrors in other words, the Pottawatomies -- dirty and disagreeable, but, as they afterward found, not dangerous. On one occasion, when the two women were alone, one of the noble specimens of red men advanced stealthily toward the Pratt residence, and placed his greasy blanket over the only window which admitted cheerful light. He then, to the extreme horror of the young women, strode into their living room where the table was set. This arrangement seemed to strike him in so favorable a light that Mrs. Freeman invited him to partake of the viands. The Pottawatomie had forestalled the invitation, how-

Samu Mark

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

ever, and was making most alarming preparations for a "sweep." Having accomplished this move in a scientific manner, his keen eyes roamed in search of other tasks to undertake in the same agreeable line. Spying several bottles on a shelf, filled with pepper sauce- - the good, hot old kind hofmade vigorous motions for "whisky! whisky!" Mrs. Pratt shook her head, bnt the persistent son of the forest was not to be thus satisfied. He evidently thought he was being fooled. Seeing that nothing but the pepper sauce would do, Mrs. Pratt took down a bottle and passed it over. The Pottawatomie emptied its contents, rubbing his stomach and smacking his lips under the impression that he tapped a brand of XXX "fire-water" which went "right to the spot." To the great relief of the frightened women, the big red man left, his face express- ing as much satisfaction as could be stamped on his copper cast. That he appreciated the favor shown was proven from the fact that soon afterward the Pottawatomie returned with a fine- looking woman his squaw- and presented Mrs. Freeman with a fine pair of moccasins. From the first, he seemed to have slighted her sister. Mrs. Norman: and upon that occasion partially explained his antipathy by looking at her and rubbing his own hair vigorously. Her hair was of a fiery red and did not comport with his idea of female beauty. Suffice it to say that, al- though they received several severe frights from the Indians during the first of their stay in Whitewater, no harm came to them.

In September of that year (1837), Zerah Mead arrived from St. Lawrence County, N. Y., to select a home for himself and young bride. He put up at the Prince House, and commeneed the erection of an edifice (18x22 feet) with a shingle roof! Oh, the glory of that roof! It was meant to honor the young bride, no doubt, and it did. It was the first shingle roof which ever showed itself in Whitewater. In October, the Pratts had finished their house and returned for their wives. Soon after, Squire Mead finished his "residence," and went back to Northern New York for his wife. which left Prince's boarding-house compratively empty again. "Deacon" Willard B. Johnson was also one of that jolly bachelor crew, who, with Dr. Brewer and Charles Hamilton. had elaims on Sections 7 and 18. William Birge, just after he had settled down in his new house, sold the old Barron claim on Section 4 (which he had purchased), to Daniel Butts, who built a house south of where the plow factory afterward stood. In December, Rufus Clark came, with his wife, to live with the Birges. Thus, by the close of the year 1837, the entire northwestern part of the town, including the site of the present village of Whitewater had been "sparsely settled." This first winter of 1837-38 proved to the old settlers what a jewel they had among them in the person of "Joe Nichols," who had made a claim and settled in the adjoining town of Lima. Possessed of a large dog. as hardy as himself, he made frequent ex- cursions throughout the country, and was surveyor, message-bearer- everything required by a new country. He made one trip to Milwaukee, taking with him 200 pounds of honey on a sled and returning with provisions. On another occasion, trusting to a pair of unruly oxen, they broke from his control when upon the seductive and level surface of Round Prairie, upset his barrel of honey and scattered the sweets upon the plain. He was such a favorite that when the Pratts and Birges and others heard of his catastrophe, a subscription paper went a circuit of twenty miles and "Joe " was more than reimbursed. The records do not indicate that the hardy marshal of the "Sovereigns" ever trusted oxen with honey again.

To digress a little from the straight line of narrative, the "Sovereigns " composed a court which sat upon the claims of the town and vicinity, which were entered in a book-and woe be to him who did not recognize the entries therein as law and gospel. Representatives were al- ways present at the land sales in Milwaukee. During the one of 1839, it is said that some rash mortal dared to bid for land upon which another had a claim, and whose name was entered in black and white in that awful book of judgment. "Joe Nichols " being the executive officer of the court, had the offender by the collar before the last figure had escaped from his mouth, and good authority stamps it as a fact that the guilty man was never relieved by so much as the quiver of a muscle until he had been thoroughly ducked in the waters of Menomonee River. Such was the " Sovereigns" code-sometimes harsher -but unrelenting in the prosecution of its judgments at all times.

In October, 1838, Richard Hoppin and David J. Powers arrived at the creek, the former claiming the southwest quarter of Section 1. The latter came here through the instrumentality of Mr. Johnson, who remained most of the time in Milwaukee acting as a kind of immigration

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

agent for this section of country. Mr. Powers came alone and on foot, and the next year built the first store in the village and town for Benjamin Bosworth.

By the spring of 1838, "the sameness " of being obliged to go to Elgin, Ill., or to Milwan- kee, for flour, became simply intolerable. Mr. Butts must either improve the water-power and erect a grist-mill, or leave the job to some one who could. Mr. Butts could not, but thought his brother-in-law, John Shaw, could. By the fall of the year, it became patent that Mr. Shaw couldn't. The Sovereigns resolved to drive Mr. Shaw off the premises if he didn't build or give somebody else a chance to. Under the circumstances, he protested. A committee then proceeded to Milwaukee to look up a capitalist who could build them a grist-mill. Asaph Pratt, who had just come West to visit his sons, suggested Dr. James Tripp, whom he had met on the lakes as a proper person to carry on the enterprise. Suffice it to say here that arrangements satisfactory to all concerned were completed. Dr. Tripp came to Whitewater from East Troy and built the mill, which he had in running order by the next April. His generosity and business qualities, combined with the money which his wife brought into the new settlement-$12,000-a large sum then-made him the virtual founder of the village of Whitewater. The history of the early settlement of the village will be given more in detail in succeeding pages. Other early settlers, up to 1845, outside the village, may be mentioned: H. J. Starin, northeast quarter of Section 4, September, 1840; F. J. Starin, in the southern portion of Section 10, 1840; Ole Tolf- con, Section 27, 1843; Hans Arverson, Sections 27, 28 and 34, 1845; Thomas Thomison, Sec- tion 34. Afterward came A. Larson, G. Erickson and quite a colony of Norwegians. in the southeastern part of the town.

WHITEWATER'S EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The early history of the town of Whitewater has embraced the narrative attempting to picture pioneer life in the settlement and in its vicinity during the first two years, up to the time when arrangements were made with Dr. James Tripp, of East Troy, to build the grist-mill. The committee of Sovereigns which went to Milwaukee in anticipation of the land which over- looked the water-power being bid off at the Government sale, advertised for November 19, 1838, consisted of Messrs. W. B. Johnson, David J. Powers and Norman Pratt. At the meeting of the Sovereigns held previous to their departure, it had been resolved that "the interest of the settlement demanded the erection of a grist-mill on Whitewater Creek, at the mill site on the south half of Section 4, and that no one should be permitted to bid off the said south half at the land sale unless he would give sufficient bond to erect a mill and have it in operation within one year; that Shaw should either give the bond or sell out at a fair price; and, if he would do neither, to drive him off the premises." A few days before the sale was expected to take place, the above gentlemen, backed by the Sovereigns and their resolution, proceeded to Milwaukee to look up a moneyed man. Several were willing to build the mill, but no one would pay Shaw anything for his claim. But Shaw was on hand, and, aided by several relatives from Rock . Prairie, proposed to hug his treasure until he got a good price for it. But after threatenings and counter-threatenings-the Sovereigns even admit to this day that Shaw was plucky, if he wasn't rich-bloody talk from the Sovereigns and defiance expressed, but more implied, a trade was made before the 19th, by which the claim was passed over to the committee for $500. Dr. Tripp, who had been on a visit to his native State, New York, had struck up a pleasant ac- quaintance in the boat with Asaph Pratt, on his way to visit his sons in Whitewater. The Doc- tor, in the course of their conversations, mentioned his desire to buy a water-power, and this was the fortunate combination of circumstances that gave the settlement its grist-mill. Then and there Dr. Tripp agreed to take the property off their hands and make the improvements. On the 20th, a quit-claim deed was executed as follows:

This agreement made this 20th of November, 1838, between Willard B. Johnson, Norman Pratt and David J. Powers, of the first part, and James Tripp of the second part, witnesseth, as follows, to wit : Whereas, the said parties of the first part have this day conveyed by quit-claim to said party of the second part, all their right, title and interest to the south half of Section 4, Township 4, Range 15, in Walworth County ; and, whereas, the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) has this day been advanced by said Tripp, and placed in the hands of Elisha Newell, of Rock County, to be paid to John Shaw, Stephen Butts and Daniel Butts, from whom said Johnson, Pratt and Powers purchased said premises ; provided they the said Shaw. Butts and Butts shall not in any manner interfere so as to prevent the said Johnson, Pratt and Powers from purchasing said premises at the coming land sale at the minimum price. Now, if the said Tripp shall in any

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

manner he prevented from purchasing said premises at said sale, then said Johnson, Powers and Pratt are to refund to the said Tripp the sum of five hundred dollars. The said party of the second part agrees to and with the said parties of the first part, that he will erect, or cause to be erected and put in operation on said premises, within one year from the coming land sale in this district, a good, substantial grist-mill, such as the wants of the inhabitants of the surrounding country shall require.

In witness whereof the said parties have set their hands and seals this 20th of November, 1838. In presence of W. HOOKER.

WILLARD B. JOHNSON. SEAL. [

NORMAN PRATT. SEAL.

JAMES TRIPP. SEAL.

D. J. POWERS. SEAL.

Of the $500, $200 were paid by the Buttses to William Birge for his interest in the Barron claim, $60 to Barron, and $240 was divided with Shaw. The land sale was postponed to the succeeding February, but the temporary scare was the means of getting the grist-mill erected sooner than it otherwise would have been. By the middle of April, Dr. Tripp commenced to build the dam and mill, and, on June 27, the frame was raised. The following is from the graphie pen of Prosper Cravath, who had settled in the town of Lima in March: "It was a raising in which every one felt interested, and all were present, ready with a right good will to lend a helping hand whenever required. Men came from Lima, Johnstown, Richmond, La Grange and the fort, for they felt scarcely less anxious than the home population for the success and speedy accomplishment of the work. Near the old log house, a stone oven had been built, and this was the occasion of its first trial. Mrs. Tripp was on hand to superintend its manage- ment, aided and abetted by plenty of female help, and it was astonishing to behold what tri- umphs of culinary skill were drawn from its capacious recesses. When the frame was raised' and the last rafters properly joined, all repaired to the house, where a well-provided repast, got- ten up in Mrs. Tripp's inimitable style, awaited them. After partaking heartily of the good things, and doing full justice to both their appetites and the dinner, they adjourned to the prairie, which is now Birge's Addition, and dividing into companies, enjoyed a good round game of ball, varied with other athletic exercises." In September, one run of stones was in operation, and William Birge got his grist to the mill first and had it ground. The previous- month, Seth M. Billings had become a resident of the settlement, and Samuel Taft built a. blacksmith-shop. In October, 1839, Benjamin Bosworth, who emigrated from McHenry County, Ill., opened the first store. It was built by D. J. Powers, who says of it: "Mr. Bosworth made his appearance and contracted with me to put up a log house, which was done, as per contract, in the thirty days of September, although I had to draw all the logs four miles for the body, and to raft the lumber from Bark Mills (Hebron) for the finish; $160 was the price paid. The goods lay in the building three days and three nights without door or window, unwatched and unstolen, although people by this time had become quite plenty (they in fact came to mill from as far as Sun Prairie, Dane County). I mention this circumstance simply to show the primitive honesty and friendship of early settlements: theft and meanness of most kinds are usually an after- growth." Mr. Bosworth never resided in the village, a young man named Weed aeting for him.

Mr. Powers also used to tell a story illustrating the straits to which the women of those times were sometimes put to satisfy their social longings: "In 1839, the ladies in the neigh- borhood of Whitewater-the men being absent to attend the land sale-paid Mrs. Powers a visit, yoking up the oxen themselves. After getting through their visit, they undertook again to hitch up, hut, having forgotten how to do it, they got the oxen hitched to the sled, but they were un- fortunately put on with their heads to it; but, by perseverance, they finally succeeded in getting the oxen reversed and went home all right. This might seem a trifling matter now, but it was evidence of pluck on the part of these pioneer women."

Many commenced to take up land around the settlement at this period, especially in the town of Lima. They threw their business into the creek-not literally-and it became evident .. that a future village was to be. Joseph and D. J. Powers, now living on the "Joe Nichols'" claim, in Lima, wished to build a hotel, but wanted to see something more in the shape of a. village before they accepted Dr. Tripp's donation of land. The Doctor hesitated for awhile, arguing that this would seem like making too much fuss over a mill, a blacksmith-shop and a ' store, bnt finally sent for Prosper Cravath, from Lima, to survey and plat. The following is Mr. Cravath's account of his work, written in 1858: "On that day (October 20), Dr. Tripp -.

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

together with most of the settlers and the surveyor, repaired to the highest point of Block 13, there in solemn council assembled, to determine the plan of the village, which they agreed should be christened Whitewater. The place chosen for their observations afforded an unob- structed view of the grounds to be surveyed, and they could note the most pleasant places for residences, as to also determine where a street would accommodate the greatest number of de- sirable locations. Main street was established as a Territorial road: this was a fixed fact. Taking this as a starting-point, they located Whitewater and Center streets where they now run, and the cross streets the same as in the present plan of the village proper, except that First street extended to Whitewater with the same angle as in Second street, and what is now Block 9 and Lot 9. Block 13, was to be a common or kind of appartenance to the village. It was never designed for a public park, or a public triangle, but was to be used for no particular pur- pose, or, as the Doctor said, 'it was to be kept as a place for the boys to play ball on.' The space between Church and Franklin streets was reserved for church and cemetery grounds. Having fixed upon the plan, the Powers made choice of their acre, where Whitewater Hotel now stands-Lot 1, Block 1. The surveyor then proceeded to stake out the lots in Blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4, between Main and North streets and the lots fronting Whitewater street, being Blocks

2, 3, 4. 5 and 6, Tripp's Addition. These extended back to the pond, and no one then dreamed that, in coming time, they should be crossed by the track of the iron-horse. These they con- cluded would be of sufficient number for all that would build for several years to come." But the founders of the village were happily disappointed. In the summer of 1851, Chapman & Ludington's Addition was platted, and the next year, R. A. Tripp caused to be surveyed Tripp's Addition. Birge's Addition increased the limits of the village in 1854; Dann's Addition in 1855. Scores of buildings graced these sections of Whitewater, and it began to assume its present ap- pearance of picturesque comfort.

But this is going on too fast. A death, the first in the village, occurred on September 19. 1839, and the occasion was doubly draped in mournful feelings, because a young man, only in his twenty-second year, was strieken down in the flower of his hope. Jothan N. Baker was buried near where the Methodist Church now stands. As the cemetery site changed, his re- mains were removed. The ceremonies were conducted by Deacon Justus Carpenter, of Cold Spring. And let local history not fail to make mention that a year previous to this untimely event, in November, 1838, the first sermon was delivered by Elder James Flanders, a Methodist eirenit preacher, in the house of W. B. Johnson. In April, 1839, Warren Earl, a young law- ver, settled in Cold Spring, but moved into the village in October, presumably to give more at- tention to the first snit regularly tried there. In June, the summons had been issued, and, in October, Mr. Earl and his legal opponent, Prosper Cravath, was on hand to meet him, the case being William Birge vs. W. B. Johnson, a suit for payment of a certain amount on account of work performed and varions articles of produce furnished by plaintiff. Mr. Johnson denied the correctness of the charges. Mr. Cravath, for the defendant, obtained a decision in his favor from Squire Mead, before whom the suit was tried. This was his first case, although he did not then claim to be a regular practicing attorney. This was the first of Mr. Earl's practice also, whom Mr. Cravath cheerfully accords the honor of being the first lawyer who conducted the first regular law-snit in town. Squire Mead, who had been appointed Justice of the Peace in the spring by Gov. Dodge, had just obtained a copy of the Territorial statutes to help him over the rough places, and was quite more than moderately elevated over the legal tone which he had been able to instill into his decision. His tenure of office was virtually a life one. When alive, he often would laugh over his harrowing experience of the first few months in his tenure of office, when he neither had legal authorities for his decisions, nor conld obtain a scrap of help from his brother Justices- William Bowman and Jednthan Spooner.

The next year (1840), "Squire" Wheeler was appointed Justice, so that Squire Mead was seconded in his glory in other words, he was not alone in his glory. Settlement rapidly in- creased around Whitewater. In July, Powers' House was opened by a grand dance, in which the boys went for their girls for miles around; a Congregational society was formed; a post office established in April ; the town subdivided and the old log schoolhouse erected in short, everything was astir, as will be shown more in detail under the proper heads. In October, 1840, Dr. Tripp moved into his log house in the village, and, November 18, 1840, Julius Birge,

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HISTORY OF WALWORTH COUNTY.

William's son, was born and took his rank as the first white child who commenced life in the town of Whitewater. Dr. Tripp continued his regular policy of donating lots to every one who would settle in Whitewater, and W. B. Johnson kept up the supply of new-comers from Mil- waukee. In the winter and spring of 1841-42, the Exchange Hotel, now the Kenney House, was erected by Squire Parsons. Its opening was celebrated on July 5-the 4th being too un- propitious for outdoor sport. During 1843, W. B. Johnson relinquished all his claims here, having failed to meet certain payments upon the lands. This was considered a village calamity. An event looked upon in the nature of a loss was also the departure at about the same time of David J. Powers, who went to found the village of Palmyra. But an irreparable loss was the departure from this life of Dr. James Tripp, on September 4, 1844. Earnest, kind-hearted, he died in the harness of hard work, in his fiftieth year -- passed away before he had reaped the fruits of his labors. Dr. Tripp died in "the best room" of the log house, still standing near Whitewater Creek, as part of the Winchester & Partridge Company's Works. His friend, that

sturdy young blacksmith, L. A. Winchester, was with him the last night which he passed on earth, and helped to bear his body to its last resting-place. The old log house, with its rough- hewn rafters and plastered crevices, still stands. One of its sides is boarded up: its roof is shingled; another side is still exposed in its original shape, but weather-beaten by forty years of storms. The old oak tree, looking as if it had grown into the old log house, still throws its rough and protecting arms over it. The two old doors still open into the little low kitchen and the more spacious "best room; " but the euchre-players, who made the rafters of the bed-room above ring with their mirth are gone-Mrs. Tripp's generous oven is gone -- and in the place of the good old times stands an old warehouse, filled with the products of a great manufactory. When Mr. Winchester looks through the dark windows, he sees something more than spokes and axletrees.

Dr. James Tripp was born in Schenectady, N. Y., September 5, 1795, and was his wife's senior by seven years. Mrs. Tripp lived in Whitewater thirty-seven years after her husband's death.

A REMINISCENCE.

In December, 1872, Zerah Mead wrote as follows: " Walking along the railroad east of the depot, one sees a great many buildings on the east side of the track, which, on inquiry, are found to belong to and are occupied by Winchester & Partridge for the manufacture of wagons, plows and scrapers-all of which I pass over as a marvel of enterprise. except the south side of the railroad track. One day last week, walking along the track and seeing the clump of build- ings on the south side, I took a fancy to see what they contained, and. on inspection, found sheds and buildings in all directions, filled to the roof with felloes, spokes, axles, tongues, bol- sters, hounds, boards for boxes, plow and scraper material, plank, and the Lord knows what else. Winding my way through this labyrinth of lumber, I came upon what is known as the ' Tripp House,' it being the residence of Dr. James Tripp, the enterprising founder of the vil- lage of Whitewater. It is a double house, one part log and the other part frame, and in this house Dr. Tripp lived with his family, and there he died. I helped to take his remains out of this house and bury them in Grove Cemetery. The sight of the old house awakened some rem- iniscences of those early days, which I offer as an apology for doing what I am not accustomed to do, viz., appearing in print before the public. Another reason I have for this communication is that there are some erroneous ideas about the first settlement of our village which I would like to set right before I and the old house pass into oblivion, as there is only one person besides myself remaining in Whitewater that was here when the old house was built, and that is my friend and fellow-townsman, Freeman L. Pratt.

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History of Walworth County, Wisconsin, Part 88

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