USA > Wisconsin > Waupaca County > History of Waupaca county, Wisconsin > Part 9
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married Eleanor Knowlton, and came West to New London In 1854. He stopped there but a short time, and in 1855 located per- manently at Clintonville. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had ten children, eight of whom are now living. George Victor Bennett, the eldest, was the first white child born at Clintonville.
Bennett is a very eccentric individual, being careless in the ex- treme as to his personal appearance, and very short and gruff in his address, putting the rough side out ; but his heart is large, and his generosity has kept him poor, when most men with his oppor- tunities would have been millionaires. He is a man of marked ability. For instance, upon his arrival in this country he knew nothing of surveying or locating lands ; but in an incredible short time he was an undisputed authority on woodcraft, and his services were sought by the wealthy dealers in pine lands, the lumbermen, and the settlers who were looking for homesteads. By tiresome tramps of weeks duration he made himself familiar with the whole region between here and the great lakes, traveling alone to Lake Superior twenty years ago.
During the intervals between his trips into the woods, he worked at clearing a farm just outside the city limits, where he now lives. He has served as Justice of the Peace, Chairman of the Town Board of Supervisors, and was Town Treasurer eight successive years.
When the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western railroad reached New London, it was found necessary to secure the services of some one familiar with the northern country, one who had a knowledge of surveying, and, withal, possessed good judgment. The next place the road was to strike was Clintonville, and one day a car- riage load of railroad officials drove into town. They looked the town over, (it didn't take them long, either), and made inquiries regarding the country between here and Marion. The residents referred them continually to Bennett, until their curiosity was aroused, and the redoubtable Chet. was sent for. Chet. appeared along in the afternoon, attired in a very primitive costume, and wanted to know what was up. The railroad men were at first in- clined to be incredulous as to his reported knowledge of the country, and were more than ever puzzled when he told them that he "didn't know much that would benefit them." However, after a conversation of several hours, and a ride the next day as far as their carriage could take them, they discovered that in Bennett
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they had a prize, and engaged his services forthwith. For seven years he worked for the railroad company. He had to lay out a route that touched all the large bodies of pine, but which had to conform to the lay of the country so that the cost of building would not be too expensive. This great piece of work he did to the satisfaction of his employers. Chet. made a map of the country where he thought the road could be built, and from time to time went to Milwaukee and laid his diagrams before the officials. These diagrams and maps were furnished the railroad corps of civil engineers, who were expected to follow them. There were times, however, when the engineers thought that they would do a little business on their own hook; but they would immediately find themselves in a box, with a hill a hundred feet high to tunnel through, or an impossible grade to overcome. It is, in fact, a mat- ter of record that the route laid out by Bennett in the first place has been followed by the road without deviating in any place more than eighty rods. A remarkable piece of work, surely.
A majority of the lakes north of here were named by him, and the entire country is as familiar to him as his own farmyard. It is his boast that he can sit in a coach and ride from here to Lake Gogebic and designate every section line crossed by the cars. In an early day he located a great majority of the homesteaders, placing the first settler in Dupont, Grant, and Pella.
In 1863 Bennett enlisted and served nearly two years with the Third Wisconsin Infantry.
Many interesting anecdotes are related of him. He was the first Justice of the Peace in the Town of Larrabee, and during his term of office did presumably what no other Justice ever did-divorce man and wife. It happened in this way : Mr. Pullis and wife were stopping at a summer resort (a deserted lumber camp) in the Town of Matteson, and during their sojourn got by the ears and agreed to separate. The husband, who, it seems, was not the brightest of individuals, presented himself before Squire Bennett, told his tale of domestic infelicity, and demanded a divorce. Ben- nett informed him that he thought divorce proceedings could hardly be instituted in his court ; but the fellow was obdurate, and insisted that the Justice could divorce in "York State," and what would be legal in the great State of New York must be legal in Wisconsin. After a long argument, Bennett finally went to the camp, and found that the woman was as determined upon a di-
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vorce as was her lord ; whereupon he wrote a document approach- ing in character a quit-claim deed, and presented it to the pair and made his escape. Several years later he was in the vicinity of Omro, where the divorced woman's parents lived, and found that she and her husband had never lived together after the Clinton- ville separation. Great is the majesty of the law !
On one occasion Chet. assumed the role of a detective with marked ability. To begin at the beginning, it is necessary to state that the Clintons built a dam on the site of the present one, and also a little muley saw mill. One night in 1857 the little mill was burned. It was a great blow to the owners and to the few settlers in this part of the country, who relied upon it to furnish them with lumber to improve their none too comfortable dwellings. The origin of the fire was a great mystery, but finally suspicion was attached to Widow Johnson, who lived several miles down the New London road, and whose sons had been arrested by the · Clintons and jailed for stealing shingles. However, proof had first to be obtained, and that was no easy matter. Finally, U. P. Clinton and Bennett concocted a scheme worthy of more experi- enced heads in detective work, also admitting into the plot Wel- come Hyde, of Bear Creek, who now resides at Appleton. The first act in this backwoods drama was a quarrel between Bennett and Clinton, the particulars of which soon spread among the handful of people that composed the population of eastern Wau- paca County at that time. Clinton accused Chet. of firing his mill, and of course the accused was highly indignant. He traveled around among his neighbors, and sang a very bitter song against Clinton. Then Clinton swore out a warrant before Squire Terrill, of Bear Creek, and placed it in the hands of Constable Frank Granger, for the arrest of Bennett upon a charge of firing the mill. Granger deemed Bennett a trifle desperate, and took along · a posse of men to make sure of his arrest. They finally found the object of their search at the Widow Johnson's cabin. After con- siderable parleying he went along. At the examination, Bennett proved an alibi, and was discharged. In a few days he visited the widow again, and in her presence swore that he would be re- venged upon Clinton. The widow sympathized with him, and ar- ranged a plan to assist him in burning Clinton's barn, and at last acknowledged that she and a man by the name of Brackett had poured oil upon Clinton's mill and burned it. The gentle widow
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was placed under surveilance, but Brackett had left the country. It was finally ascertained that he had gone to La Crosse, and thither posted Chet. upon the fellow's trail. Upon arriving at La Crosse Bennett represented himself as a trapper, La Crosse at that time being a rendezvous for many of this class of men. He formed the acquaintance of a fur dealer, and intimated that he would like to go into partnership with some likely trapper, if the trader knew of any such. The trader said that he did know of a man who would fill the bill, but he at present was on a trip. His name was Brackett. Chet. waited quietly for his prospective partner, and in a few days saw him land from a boat and go to the trader's with a bundle of pelts. The Clintonville detective followed his man, and was within a few feet of him before he was recognized, and hand- cuffed him without delay. Bennett had been deputized as an of- ficer before leaving Waupaca County, but would have asked as- sistance of the local officers had he not learned that the Sheriff was a relative of Brackett.
Without any delay he secreted his prisioner until he could leave town on a train in the evening. Upon the arrival of the train, he handcuffed himself and the prisioner together, and started for Oshkosh. The officer and prisoner were roughly dressed, and, being chained together, attracted the attention of everyone on the train, many supposing them both to be criminals who had escaped from an officer. A great many questions were asked them, to which no replies were made .· At last a gentleman approached them and relieved himself by remarking : "I am fully convinced that one of you fellows is an officer, and the other a prisoner, but I'll be blamed if I can determine which is which." Bennett suc- ceeded in placing his prisoner safely behind the bars, but he broke jail twice, and disappeared. The Widow Johnson was sent up for ten years, and died in prison.
Although Mr. Bennett is a man of undisputed pluck, he never engaged in a fight with a man in his life, and in all his travels in a wilderness inhabited by wild beasts and wilder men, he never car- ried a more offensive weapon than a common jack-knife.
As a long distance traveler he is without an equal. He has easily inade sixty miles a day with a fifty-pound pack, crawling through windfalls and wading streams. A complete history of his life would be valuable in many respects, and would show that our unassuming friend has done more for his fellows, directly and in-
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directly, than many heroes and men of much renown. Long may he continue among the people to whom he never failed to offer a helping hand.
CHAPTER XXIII.
TOWN OF WEYAUWEGA -SETTLED IN 1848 - ORGANIZED IN
1852-GILLS LANDING PLANK ROAD - AN INDIAN MURDER - A SUCKER STORY - VILLAGE OF WEYAUWEGA.
The Town of Weyauwega comprises the north half of Township 21 north, Range 13 east, and Sections 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, and the north half of Sections 29 and 30, of the same township. It is bounded on the north by the Town of Royalton, on the east by Caledonia and Fremont, on the south by Fremont, and on the west by Lind.
The first settlement was made by Henry Turtel- lott, Amos Dodge, and M. Lewis, in 1848.
In 1849, Walter Weed and Benjamin Birdsell built a saw mill on the site of Steenbergh's old mill. At that time they sold lumber, at least half clear, for $5 per M. Shingles, shaved by hand, sold for $1.25 to $1.50 per M.
The first child born was Mary Miller, now wife of Parlan Saunders.
The first marriage was Matthew Lincoln and Olive Smith, in 1850. The ceremony was per- formed by Albion Brandy, Justice of the Peace.
The first death was a child of H. Tourtellott, in 1849.
The first school was taught by Miss Chandler, in a shanty where the village now is, in 1850.
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The first church (Presbyterian) was built in the village in 1854.
The first sermon was preached in 1851, by Elder Miller, a Methodist.
The first saw mill was built at Evanswood, in 1848-49, by Townsend, Powell & Lincoln. It has since burned.
The first grist mill was built at Weyauwega, by Weed, Birdsell & Co., in 1855.
The first postoffice was established at Weyau- wega, in 1850, with Benjamin Birdsell as post- master.
The first mail route was from Green Bay to Plover, with O. E. Dreutzer for carrier.
The first survey was made in 1849, by W. B. Mumbrue.
The town was organized March 5, 1852. The first town meeting was held at R. Baxter's hotel, April 6, 1852. The first town officers, elected at that meeting, were: Chairman - C. L. Gumaer; Supervisors-Melzor Parker, Carr Barker; Clerk -A. W. Potter; Treasurer - Warren Jenney ; School Superintendent-Brit Burt; Justices of the Peace - L. L. Post, George D. Tarbell, Melzor Parker, Ira Sumner; Constables-J. B. Hunt, H. Tourtellott, J. Bergstressor; Sealers of Weights and Measures-Robert Baxter, Joseph Post; As- sessor-Henry Doty; Fence Viewers-Joseph Jen- ney, W. W. Barnes. The inspectors of election were Elijah W. Wrightman, A. W. Potter, and
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Charley Hare. Seventy votes were cast. Fifty dollars school tax was raised. John Boyd was chosen Overseer of Highways.
The first law suit was before George Tarbell, Justice of the Peace, who tired of the office, and immediately resigned in disgust.
In the Spring of 1850, C. L. Gumaer started the first store. James Devens was his clerk.
L. L. Post started the first general store, in the Fall of 1851. He got in fifty barrels of salt at one time, and it was quite a question if he would ever dispose of such a large lot. But he soon sold out at $5 to $6 per barrel.
The first saloon was started by George Thier- man, in 1852.
In 1850 Robert Baxter planted the first apple tree, and in 1852 Allen Hubbard raised the first fruit.
In 1850, Robert Baxter built the first hotel, now the American House.
. Thomas Smith put up the first blacksmith shop, in 1850.
In 1851, A. Tibbets built the Weyauwega House. He kept a bar, and the next winter had much trouble to keep his whisky from freezing.
The present Borngesser House was opened in the Fall of 1851, by Robert Baxter and Charles Hare.
In 1855 the Baptist church was built. The meet- ing to organize was held September 9,1854. Elder
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Prink was Moderator, and Duncan Baxter, Clerk. B. P. Farley was the first Deacon. The Trustees were A. D. Farmer and George Farley.
GILLS LANDING PLANK ROAD.
In the Summer of 1853, a plank road was built across the bottom land, from Weyauwega to Gills Landing, on the Wolf River. It was built by sub- scription. John Gill paid $100, Weed & Birdsell about $200, and the balance of the cost was made up by settlers. Before this plank road was built, there had been, at Gills Landing, a small building at which steamboats landed, and from which passengers and freight were taken in small boats to Wilcox's place, on the Waupaca River, which could be reached by teams. Soon after the plank road was built, the passengers and freight that had reached Plover and Stevens Point by way of Berlin and Portage City commenced to seek the Gills Landing route. A stage was put on in 1854, by a man named Myers, who lived a few miles out of Plover, and in a few years the great bulk of the passenger and freight traffic to Plover, Stevens Point, Grand Rapids, and Wausau was carried on over this route. The building of the Wisconsin Central railroad was a death blow to Gills Land- ing and the plank road.
INDIAN MURDER.
Hon. L. L. Post once gave us an account of an . Indian homicide which occurred near Weyauwega. It will bear repetition :
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Soon after the first settlement of Weyauwega, some Indians belonging to the Wa-ka-nu-kin tribe were making sugar in the "Coffin sugar bush," just above the mouth of the Waupaca River, about a mile and a half east of the Village of Wey- auwega. Two of them got to drinking whisky, and finally quarrelled, when one stabbed and killed the other. The Indian law was that the murderer must die, unless he could buy himself off from the friends of the victim.
In this case the murderer was poor, and had nothing to offer as a ransom. The avenger was on his track; the blood of his victim called for vengeance. His life was a forfeit to the violated laws of his tribe, unless some arrangement could be made with the relatives of the murdered In- dian. In this emergency he applied to Mr. Tourtel- lott, an Indian trader, who lived near.
The members of the tribe took the body of the murdered Indian, in a canoe, to Winneconne for burial. The murderer was compelled to accom- pany them. At Winneconne a grave was dug, and the body deposited in it. The murderer was then set on the edge of the grave, with his feet hanging in. In case no arrangement could be made with the nearest friends of the deceased, he was to be knocked on the head, tumbled in, and buried with his victim.
Mr. Tourtellott was on hand with a lot of goods, and opened negotiations. The friends of
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the dead Indian were rather hard; but, after a long banter, a compromise was effected, the In- dians receiving nearly all of Tourtellott's goods, with a pony thrown in. Thus the murderer's life was saved, and Justice satisfied. The Indian had to hunt and trap a long while to pay the debt.
Such was Indian justice! Is ours any better ? We want time for reflection before answering that question.
THOSE SUCKERS.
The first settlers in a new country soon learn to dispense with the luxuries and many of the actual necessaries of life. The pioneers of Waupaca County were no more favored than other people in like condition. When beef was scarce they would content themselves with the game to be found in the woods. When pork could not be pro- cured they sought something cheaper, until the sucker finally became a standard article of diet, especially in the southern and eastern parts of this County.
When the Winter ran too far into the Spring, and suckers appeared in no haste to leave their Winter quarters, their absence at times would be severely felt by whole communities; and when they did come, what rejoicing! We can give an il- lustration :
The Spring of 1855 was very backward, the an- nual visit of the suckers being delayed about ten days. Everybody was anxious for their arrival,
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for everybody was sucker-hungry. At length, one Sunday morning, while a preacher was in the midst of his discourse, at Weyauwega, a shout was heard on the street: "The suckers has come, the suckers has come!" What a change came over that congregation! The day and the occasion were forgotten; and it is asserted that even the minister joined in the general rush for the mill pond. We will not vouch for the truth of the last assertion, but do not think that, under all the circumstances, it would have been much disgrace to the "cloth."
The town officers for 1889 were: Chairman- A. V. Balch; Supervisors-J. A. Baxter, A. Wal- rath; Treasurer-O. A. Rich; Clerk-Orin San- ders; Assessor -J. M. Jenney; Justices of the Peace - George Walrath, S. W. Sterling, John Quimby, Louis Larson; Constables-Gust. Bork, George Hopkins, Alden Menton.
VILLAGE OF WEYAUWEGA.
The Village of Weyauwega was incorporated by act of the Legislature in 1856.
The first officers were: President-Louis Bos- tedo. Tobias Hutchinson was one of the trustees. Supervisors-First Ward, Louis Bostedo; Second Ward, Tobias Hutchinson.
Weyauwega is pleasantly situated on the line of the Wisconsin Central railroad. It is surrounded by a good farming country, has an intelligent, enterprising population, and is promised a pros-
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perous future. The Waupaca River furnishes good water power. There are 5 churches, 1 high school, 7 dry goods stores, 4 grocery stores, 3 drug stores, 2 jewelry stores, 3 hardware stores, 2 millinery stores, 2 furniture stores, 2 shoe shops, 1 harness shop, 1 tailor shop, 2 meat markets, 4 blacksmith shops, 1 wagon shop, 1 livery stable, 2 hotels, 2 lawyers, 2 physicians, 1 newspaper and printing office, 1 bank, 1 saw and planing mill, 1 grist mill, 1 basket factory, 4 saloons, 1 brewery. The pop- ulation is about 650.
THE FIRST PAPER.
The first paper, The Weyauwegian, was started in July, 1855, by William C. Tompkins. It was afterwards The Herald, then The Times, which was owned and edited by F. W. Sackett. In March, 1877, J. C. Keeney started The Chronicle, which is now successfully edited by A. L. Hutchin- son, present District Attorney.
The village has a well organized hook and lad- der company.
VILLAGE OFFICERS.
The village officers for 1890 are: President-F. M. Chase; Trustees-W. H. Weed, Thomas Brett, Charles Goodenow, John Borngesser, L. D. Post, G. Scheel; Clerk-John L. Rhode; Treasurer- Thomas F. Wilson; Police Justice-J. F. Corbett ; Marshal - A. W. Balsley; Supervisor - Jerome Crocker; Chief of Fire Department - John Born- gesser.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
TOWN OF BEAR CREEK - FIRST SETTLEMENT BY WELCOME HYDE, IN 1854-FIRST OFFICERS ELECTED IN 1856-ONE OF THE BEST FARMING TOWNS.
The Town of Bear Creek comprises Township 24 north, Range 14 east. It is bounded on the north by the Town of Larrabee, on the east by Outagamie County, on the south by Lebanon, and on the west by Union.
The first settlement was made by Welcome Hyde, in 1854. Ludwig Shoepke, L. E. Phillips, S. C. Packard, and N. H. Phillips came in 1855, and L. B. Williams in 1856. All were from the "Old Bay State," except Mr. Shoepke, who was born in Prussia.
The first school house (log) was built in 1859, on Section 24.
The first school was taught by Mrs. L. G. Will- iams, in the Summer of 1856. It was literally a "high school," being in the attic of L. E. Phillips' house, ingress and egress being effected by means of a ladder on the outside.
The first birth was a child of Louis and Mary Shoepke, in May, 1857.
The first death was that of the same child the following June.
The first marriage was that of August Shoepke and Louisa Baisler, April 26, 1859, O. Bowman, Justice of the Peace, officiating.
Welcome Hyde is a native of Vermont. He
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cleared the first land, and raised the first crop, on Section 13. His two boys were the only children in town for three years, and were the only pupils Mrs. Williams had in her " high school."
L. G. Williams is the oldest native inhabitant. He was born June 21, 1857.
The first church (Lutheran) was built in 1867.
The first sermon was by Elder Peet, in 1857, at the house of Welcome Hyde.
The first saw mill (steam power) was built in 1865, by J. J. Demming.
The first postoffice was established in 1857, with A. B. Phillips as postmaster. It was on the mail route from Menasha to Shawano. F. Fairbank was carrier.
The first town meeting was held in April, 1856, at the house of Welcome Hyde. The following of- ficers were elected: Chairman-Welcome Hyde; Supervisors-C. Clinton, Chet. Bennett .*
G. House kept the first store.
Welcome Hyde planted the first apple trees, and raised the first apples.
Bear Creek contains some of the most valuable farms in the County.
The town officers for 1889 were: Chairman- Charles Shoepke; Supervisors - William Pheelkey, T. Lundt; Treasurer-H. Reinke; Clerk-C. L. Kleum; Assessor-August Russ; Justices of the
*Larrabee then belonged to the Town of Bear Creek.
J. W.
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Peace-John Keifer, C. A. Schamon, Alfred Lar- son; Constables - J. Schroeder, William Teitiz, August Bowk.
CHAPTER XXV.
TOWN OF IOLA -SETTLED IN 1853-FIRST ELECTION OF OF- FICERS IN 1855- VILLAGE ON IOLA - THE TOWN OF HAR- RISON CREATED IN 1890.
The Town of Iola consists of Township 24 north, Range 11 east. It is bounded on the north by the Town of Harrison, on the east by Helvetia, on the south by Scandinavia, and on the west by Portage County.
The first settlement was made in 1853, by Knud Erickson and J. Gundersen.
In 1854, Colonel J. W. Chandler and S. S. Chan- dler moved in. M. R. Baldwin came in 1855.
The first block house was built in 1854, by S. S. Chandler. In 1855, M. R. Baldwin built the first frame house.
The first hotel was started by J. B. Bennett, in 1856.
The first store was started in 1855, by C. K. Blandin.
The first saw mill was built in 1854, by S. S. & J. W. Chandler.
The first grist mill was started by Baldwin, Wipf & Shannon, in 1860.
The first postoffice was established in 1856, with C. K. Blandin as postmaster.
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The first school was taught by Miss Mary Tag- gart, later Mrs. Caldwell, in 1855.
The first school house was built in 1856.
The first marriage was that of Judge Osborne and Miss Sarah Chandler, in 1855.
The first death was that of Mrs. McIntire, in the Spring of 1856.
The first child born was Maria Gunderson, in 1856.
The first town meeting was held in April, 1855. The first town officers were: Chairman-M. R. Baldwin; Supervisor-John Gunderson; Clerk- S. S. Chandler.
The first sermon was preached by Rev. J. J. Hatch.
The first law suit was before J. B. Bennett, Jus- tice of the Peace.
The first apple trees were set out by G. Sterns and H. Farley, in 1856; but S. S. Chandler raised the first apples.
Portions of the town are hilly, but the soil in the valleys is good, a black loam in many places, and very productive. There is yet considerable pine in this town.
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