USA > Wisconsin > Winnebago County > History of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, and early history of the Northwest > Part 25
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"We have called upon you, and have shaken hands with you with a good heart. We have come to ask your aid We want you to pub- lish what we say. You see that I am grow- ing gray. I am an old man. I have seen many years. I was quite a young man when the Americans came to my place at Green Bay. It was in 1816. They shook hands with us, and told us they had come to live among us, and make us happy, and that if we followed their counsel, we should have no trouble. At a council we held, in 1827. at Little Buttes des Morts, General Cass told us the same thing-that the Americans were our friends, and if we followed their advice we should always be happy. Again, in 1836, at Cedar Point, we met Governor Dodge, who came from the General Government to treat with us, and told us that whatever he prom- ised, our Great Father, the President, would perform. Our Great Father, he said, was very glad that we had submitted to his wishes, and made a treaty to cede a part of our lands. And he promised that our Great Father, the Pres- ident, would always protect us like his own children, and would always hold our hands in his. Governor Dodge told us that our Great Father was very strong, and owned all the country, and that no one would dare to trouble us, or do us wrong, as he would protect us. He told us, too, that whenever we got into difficulty or anything happened we did not like, to call upon our Great Father, and he would
have justice done. And now we come to you to remind our Great Father, through your paper, of his promise, and ask him to fulfill it. We always thought much of Governor Dodge, as an honest man, and we thought more of him when he came to us on the part of the Government. We believed all that he told us. We have done what we agreed to do. We have been always friendly with the whites, and have taken up arms for them against our Indian brothers. If any of our young men were foolish, the chiefs were the first to rebuke them, and to give them advice. We have respected our white neighbors, and now we want their help. It was at the payment, at Lake Pauwaygan (Poygan), made by Colonel Jones, that this boy was born. I then lived on the Wisconsin River, and was notified to come to the payment with my tribe. The roll had all been made up, and the payment was to be made the next day. During the night this boy was born. I was told of it in the morn- ing, and asked Colonel Jones to put his name on the roll. The Colonel said this could not be, but if the chiefs were willing, the child should have his share. They were all willing; the boy's share was given to me, and I gave it to his mother. It was this same child-the same one now taken from 11s. And now we want your help to get back the child. We still hope to find him. We cannot give him up. We want you to satisfy the public that the child is ours. We hoped to take him home with us this time. We came from a great dis- tance. . Once before the child was carried off by force, after the law had decided in our favor, and now he is again carried away. We are grieved and disappointed. This is why we ask your help."
RECOLLECTIONS OF HON. C. L. RICH.
Mr. Rich migrated from Lewis County, New York, to this county in October, 1845, and entered the lands now comprised in his pres- ent farm. At that time the county was a wilderness, with only three or four log-houses between Oshkosh and Neenah.
Mr. Rich in his migrations landed at She- boygan, and started on foot for Winnebago County. After reaching Ceresco he took the Indian trail which passed around the head of Rush Lake for Stanley's Ferry (now Oshkosh), and arrived at the river shore at dark, when he was ferricd over and put up at Stanley's tav- ern, on the present site of the Gang Mill. This tavern, with Amos Dodge's little Indian trad- ing post and a few log-houses, constituted the Oshkosh of that day.
About two hundred Indians were encamped
سية وإرسـ
119
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
1845.]
on the river shores near the ferry; and just after Mr. Rich's arrival Mr. Stanley came into the house with a pail of water and remarked to his family, "Charley Carron pushed me as I passed him, " when a woman said: "Stanley! You have got to kill that Indian, and you may as well do it now as any time."
In a little while Stanley, who had again went otit, came back to the house and said that Car- ron had struck at Dodge with a knife, and that the knife had entered a plug of tobacco in the pocket of the latter.
Mr. Rich now witnessed the scene that fol- lowed. Dodge picked up a handspike and struck Carron a blow with it that felled him, and then followed up the blow by giving Car- ron a terrible mauling. In the melee another Indian was accidentally struck by Dodge, which occasioned considerable feeling among the Indians who thought it had been done pur- posely. The only whites on the scene were the Stanleys, Amos Dodge, Charley Wescott, C. L. Rich and two other travellers. Therow was kept up until midnight, when the Indians got Carrow back to his camp and quiet pre- vailed.
In the morning Carron came into the house and took breakfast with them, and friendly feelings prevailed between the formerly bellig- erent parties. The fumes of the whiskey had passed off, and Carrow, for the time being, was a sadder but wiser man. The principal dish on the breakfast table was muskrat stew, and this was the first time Mr. Rich had ever tested its excelleney.
After a general exploration of the country, he selected his present location and entered and paid for the same. Sometimes parties of Indians would camp on his place, and at first he was a little apprehensive. During the next year (1846), an immense immigration poured into this county and log-cabins sprang up in every direction; breaking and splitting rails was pushed with great vigor, and the work of improvement continued, until Winnebago County presented an expanse of cultivated farms.
In 1846 Mr. Whittemore, one of Mr. Rich's neighbors sowed two hundred acres of winter wheat, and harvested a splendid erop, thirty bushels per acre of the finest quality of grain. Mr. Rich was also successful in raising winter wheat. The herds of Indian ponies, which, at that time, were running at large, sometimes grazed it too close, but the settlers had the use of the ponies as a compensation. The best quality of wheat sold at the time for fifty cents a bushel.
Mr. Rich's fine farm which he settled on at
that early day is now in a high state of culti- vation. It is situated on Section 35 of the Town of Oshkosh, and contains 345 acres, with spacious barns and outbuildings, one of which is one hundred and twenty-five feet by forty-five feet, with twenty-four foot posts The yield of wheat has averaged twenty bush- els per acre. In connection with this farm Mr. Rich has a stock farm in Outagamie County, containing one thousand acres, on which he pastures all his young stock and where he keeps seventy milch cows, the milk of which is con- verted into cheese at the factory on his place.
The old pioneer seems to have stuck his stakes in a good place for him, for he has pros- pered financially, physically and socially, hav- ing been a representative man of this county since his advent. He has been for several terms a leading member of the County Board, and represented his county in the State Legis- lature as senator.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Compilation of Early Official Data of Winnebago County- Compiled from the Records and Other Authentic Sources, Expressly for this Work, by W. H. Webster - Organiza- tion of County - First Election - Proceedings of County Board - Elections-First Town Organization Embraces the Whole County - County Expenses - Locating County Seat - First Term of Court -Organization of Towns - Erection of County Buildings - Court House, Etc.
BINNEBAGO COUNTY first set off from Brown County, by act of the Legislature, January 6th, 1840, with following boundaries: North, by the north line of Township 20; east, by the line dividing Ranges 17 and 18, extending through Lake Winnebago; south, by the north line of Township 16, extending into the lake, until it intersects the aforesaid line, and west by the lines divid- ing Ranges 13 and 14 (the same as at present.)
Nathaniel Perry, Robert Grignon, and Mor- gan L. Martin, were, by the same aet, appointed Commissioners to locate a seat of justice at any point in the county, and to purchase the quarter section of land, for the use of the county, upon which the same was located.
We find no record showing that these duties were ever performed or any organization per- fected or authorized by or under this act; but prior to this, by an act approved March 8th, 1839, a town was organized from Townships 20 and 21, Ranges 16 and 17, to be called Winnebago, the first election to be held at Perry's dwelling-house; also, the Town of
120
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
[1842-44.
Buttes des Morts, from Townships IS and 19, Ranges 15, 16 and the fractions in 17, the first election to be held in the house of Webster Stanley.
February 18th, 1842, an act was approved organizing the counties of Winnebago and Calumet, from and after the first Monday in April, 1843; the first election to be held in the school-house in Manchester (Calumet County), the first Monday in April, 1843, the said coun- ties to remain attached to Brown County for judicial purposes. The same date, an act authorizing Webster Stanley to keep a ferry on Section 23, Town 18, Range 16.
Monday, April 4th, and Tuesday, April 5th, 1842, an clection was held at the house of Webster Stanley in the Town of Buttes des Morts, without authority of any kind, and town officers were elected (for result see Town of Oshkosh). This was the first election within the county, and, being unauthorized, was legal- ized by the Legislature, March 29, 1843.
By an act of the Legislature, approved December 6 ,1836,to amend certain acts passed by the Legislature of Michigan, dated March 6th, April 17th and 22nd, 1833 it was pro- vided " That each county within this territory now organized, or that may be hereafter organ- ized, be, and the same is declared, one town- ship for all purposes of raising taxes, and pro- viding for defraying the public and necessary expenses in the respective counties, and to reg- ulate highways; and that there shall be elected, at the annual town meeting in each county, three supervisors, who shall perform, in addi- tion to their duties assigned them as a county board, the duties heretofore performed by the township board." (The clerk was also to act as county and town clerk. )
An act approved December 20, 1837, pro- vides for the organization of a board of county commissioners to consist of three qualified electors. -
Act of April 1, 1843: "The Town of Buttes des Morts, County of Winnebago, shall here- after be known as Winnebago, embracing all territory within the limits of said county, and future elections shall be held at the house of Webster Stanley."
ELECTION OF SUPERVISORS.
In accordance with the act of 1842, the annual town election was held at the house of Webster Stanley, the first, Monday, April 4, 1843, and "on motion, W. C. Isbell was chosen moderator, and sworn by W. A. Boyd, clerk." The result was the election of Wm. C. Isbell, chairman; L. B. Porlier and Chester Ford, supervisors, and Geo. F. Wright, clerk, with a
full set of officers. (See Town of Oshkosh.)
These supervisors and the clerk subsequently performed the duties of the County Board in pursuance of the law of December. 6, 1836, and April, 1, 1843, already quoted, and the follow- ing is a verbatim copy of the record of pro- ceedings at the first meetingas a county board.
COUNTY BOARD MEETS.
"Board of County Supervisors met at the house of Webster Stanley, May 1, 1843 Pres- ent, Wm. C. Isbell, Chairman, and Chester Ford, Supervisor; a quorum. Wm. W. Wright, County Treasurer, filed his bond, with C. J. Coon and Edward E. Brennan as sureties; approved. George F. Wright was unanimously appointed Clerk of Board of Supervisors. The Board adjourned to meet again on Satur- day, the sixth instant, at one o'clock P. M."
May 6, Supervisors met according to adjournment. Present: Their honors, Wm. C. Isbell, Chairman, and Chester Ford, Super- visor. Voted to raise by tax, for county pur- poses, fifty dollars. Resolved to adopt this seal: device, an cagle holding a snake in his claws. May 6, 1843, county estimates:
Dickenson $2 25
*Election, Sept., 1842 7 00
Election, May, 1843 8 00
Stationery 25
Clerk Board Supervisors 2 00
Election Returns . 8 00
September Election, 1843 10 25
Supervisors' Annual Meeting 8 00
Special IO 00
Clerks, stationery . 2 00
Treasurer
1 00
Total . $58 75
SPECIAL ELECTIONS.
May 1, 1843, a special election was held for sheriff in the district of Brown County, at the same time and place (house of Webster Stan- ley), and by the same officers, for judge of probate, for the district composed of Winne- bago, Calumet, Fond du Lac and Marquette counties; also, for justice for the Town of Buttes des Morts; Clark Dickenson, Ebenezer Childs and Jason Wilkins, received the highest number of votes for justices, of which there were twenty polled, sixteen for sheriff, and twenty-five for judge of probate.
These election returns are each certified by Wmn. C. Isbell, chairman, Chester Ford, supervisor, G. F. Wright, and Clark Dicken- son, clerks.
January 22, 1844, the Legislature passed an act, authorizing the voters of Winnebago to vote at the next town meeting, for and against being attached to Fond du Lac County, for
121
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
[.I844-47.
judicial purposes; and on the twenty-sixth of the same month, to vote at the general elec- tion, on the fourth Monday in September, next, for and against State Government.
FIRST ELECTION OF COUNTY OFFICERS.
At the annual town election held at the house of Webster Stanley, April 2, 1844, for the Town of Winnebago, under act of April 1, 1843, Harrison Reed was elected Chairman; Wm. C. Isbell and C. R. Luce, Supervisors; Chester Ford, Jason Wilkins and George F. Wright, Justices.
The highest number of votes cast for these officers was twenty-three. For being attached to Fond du Lac County, twenty-five votes; for remaining attached to Brown County, five votes.
The first county clection was held the fourth Monday in September, 1844, resulting in the clection of W. C. Isbell, Register of Deeds; George F. Wright, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors; Wm. W. Wright, Treasurer; Ira F. Aiken, Coroner ; Samuel L. Brooks, Dis- trict Attorney. Highest number of votes polled was nineteen. For State government, four; against, nineteen.
Representatives and members of the coun- cil were also voted for; also judge of probate, of which T. J. Townsend received twenty, and R. F. Eaton two. A sheriff was also voted for.
October 1, 1844, the County Treasurer made the following (verbatim) report :
To the Board of Supervisors of Winnebago County, Wisconsin Territory:
The undersigned submit the following report of the state of the treasury, for the cur- rent year. There has been received into the treasury, of
H. A. Gallup. collector of laxes $36 75
J. L. Mead I 60
J. L. Mead 30
W. C. Isbell and G. F. Wright 1 99
Emmett Coon
I 84
G. F. Wright 2 50
J. L. Mead . 3 55
C. J. Coon 1 16
Making
$49 76
To costs on lands sold to county, on thirteen tracts $ 3 80
Two per cent. commission, for receiving and paying out moneys . 1 00
One quire writing paper 25
Orders redeemed 44 71
Total . $49 76
All of which is respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM W. WRIGHT,
Treasurer.
April 21, 1844, report of County Treasurer,
of lands sold for taxes of 1843: twenty-eight descriptions sold; amount of tax, $25.47; costs, $7.97; total, $33.44.
LOCATING COUNTY SEAT.
February 22, 1845, an act was passed pro- viding for the election of three commissioners, to locate the seat of justice in Winnebago County.
At the annual town meeting, April, 1845, Clark Dickenson and Robert Grignon, were elected such commissioners. H. Reed and Joseph Jackson receiving an equal number of votes, a special election was held April 24th, when Harrison Reed was elected ..
July 16th, the Board met at the house of Webster Stanley. Robert Grignon presented a proposition from Augustine Grignon, for locating the county seat at Big Buttes des Morts. Clark Dickenson presented a like proposition from Chester Ford, for locating near the mouth of the river; and Harrison Reed a verbal offer for a location on Section 27, Town 20, Range 17, near Winnebago Rapids. Board adjourned to July 31st.
July 31, 1845, Board met, pursuant to adjournment, and located seat of justice on land offered by Augustine Grignon, according to the survey of the County Surveyor, viz: Three hundred feet square in Section 24, Town 19, Range 16 (Buttes des Morts). This land was deeded by Mr. Grignon to the county October, 1845.
ORGANIZATION OF TOWNS.
In 1846, settlements were made in various parts of the county, and February 11, 1847, the Legislature set off and organized four additional towns, viz: Buttes des Morts, (see Omro), Brighton (see Nekimi, Neenah and Rushford); also organized Winnebago (see Oshkosh). For the territory and particulars of organization of these towns, the reader is referred to their history, by the names just indicated.
LOCATING COUNTY SEAT.
February 8, 1847, three days prior to this last act, was passed an act fully organizing Winnebago County for judicial purposes, from and after Jannary 1, 1848, the county seat to be located on Section 24, Town IS, Range 16, for the next three years; provided, the proprietors of said town shall furnish suit- able buildings for holding court, free of cost to the county; and after the expiration of that time the voters of the county may vote on the question of raising a tax for the erection of county buildings.
March 13, 1847, L. M. Miller and Edward
16
122
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
1847-50.]
Eastman made a proposition to donate land for the buildings.
The Board of Supervisors examined the land offered, but considered it inexpedient to locate the county seat at that time.
March 24, 1847, proposals were offered by Miller & Wolcott, by Wm. W. Wright, andby Joseph Jackson. After due deliberation the board accepted the proposition of L. M. Mil- ler and S. A. Wolcott, and located the pres- ent site.
April 2, 1847, L. M. Miller, Samuel H. Farnsworth and Sewell A. Wolcott, proprie- tors of the plat of the first addition to the vil- lage of Oshkosh, presented a deed of ten lots in block 19 of said addition, which was accepted
FIRST TERMS OF COURT.
January 12, 1848, Judge A. G. Miller of the Third Judicial district of the Territory of Wis- consin, issued an order for holding a term of court for Winnebago County, in pursuance of the act of February 8, 1847, on the second Thursday of May next at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, to which time all writs are return- able.
March 28, 1848, Edward Eastman, having been appointed clerk of said court, was, by the County Board, directed to furnish suitable rooms for the convening of the term of court on the second Thursday of May.
On the second Thursday, May 11, 1848, the following grand jurors reported: Asahel B. Foster, Thomas Palfrey, Lloyd Chaffee, Commodore C. Stickles, Wm. M. Frost, Thomas Kimball, George W. Giddings, Albert Pride, Edwin B. Fisk, David Evans, Joseph Jackson, Lucius B. Townsend, Henry C. Finch, Luke B. Brien, James M. Gerlick, James Ladd, Samuel Mitchell, Chester P. Gallup, Nathan Ripley, David Chamberlain, Clark Dickenson.
Judge Miller not being present, the clerk adjourned to the twelfth, when the jury were discharged.
On the seventh of August a special election for circuit judge was held, at which Alexander W. Stowe was elected, and "October 16th a session of the Circuit Court was begun and held at the school-house in the Village of Osh- kosh. Present, A. W. Stowe, Chief Justice; N. P. Tuttle, Sheriff; Edward Eastman, clerk of the late District Court. " The following per- sons appeared and were sworn as grandjurors: Benjamin Strong, Theodore Pillsbury, Samuel Clough, Barna Haskell, Henry C. Finch, Irvin (Erwin) Heath, Luther M. Parsons, Josiah Woodworth, J. L. Schooley, John Monroe, A. H. Green, James Woodruff, Eli Stilson,
William Luckey, David Chamberlain, W. N. Moulthrop and John Nelson.
Under the act of February 8, 1847, before mentioned, the first court-house was erected by a subscription of the citizens, and so far completed that a term of court convened therein April 9, 1849. This building was erected on the present court-house square.
ORGANIZATION OF TOWNS.
The towns of Utica and Winneconne were set off and organized by act of the Legislature, March 11, 1848. (See Uticaand Winneconne. )
August 28, 1847, an act of the Legislature was approved, authorizing county boards to set off, organize and change the name of towns.
By an act of March 15, 1849, the name of the town of Buttes des Morts was changed to Bloomingdale; and the Town of Vinland set off and organized. (See Vinland.) On the twenty-first of the same month an act wast approved setting off and organizing the Town of Clayton, and on March 22, re-organizing the towns of Winnebago and Brighton.
November 7, 1849, the Town of Nepeuskun was set off from Rushford, (see Nepeuskun) and organized by the County Board in pur- suance of the act of August 28, 1848; and on the same day a resolution was passed by the County Board, appropriating three hundred dollars from the county treasury for building a jail; provided, the people of the Town of Winnebago shall raise two hundred dollars for the same purpose; said jail to be built of oak timber, the walls and floor to be twelve inches thick, fourteen feet wide by twenty-eight feet long, and not less than ter feet between joists. It was voted that Alber G. Lull be employed to superintend the build. ing of the jail, and instructed to let the con tract to the lowest bidder. The contract wa let to Kendrick Kimball, and the jail com pleted and accepted February 5, 1850.
The Town of Algoma was set off and organ ized by authority of the County Board, Febru ary 5, 1850 (see Algoma), and the same date by the same authority, the name of Brighto was changed to Nekimi. On the fourteenth c November of same year the Town of Blac Wolf was also set off from Nekimi and orgar ized by the County Board.
ELECTION ON REMOVAL OF COUNTY SEAT.
April 2, 1850, at an election held in Winne bago County, for and against the removal ( the county seat to Buttes des Morts, there wer 472 votes for removal and 690 against; th towns of Algoma, Utica and Neenah not mal ing returns to the Clerk.
POLIDT UNLICE neueneu Wie
123
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
1849-59.]
CHANGE IN BOUNDARIES OF COUNTY.
On the 8th of March, 1849, the boundaries of the county were largely extended by the addition of a number of townships acquired by the United States at the treaty with the Menominee Indians, October 18, 1848, and known at the time as the "Indian Land " This tract was subsequently set off to other counties at various times, until March 28, 1856, when eight townships were attached to Shawano county, and the remainder to Oconto county; again reducing the county to its present limits.
November 4, 1851, the counties of Winne- bago and Waupaca elected an assemblyman, Winnebago casting 1,563 votes, and Waupaca I28.
November 11, 1851, the town of Winchester was organized by the County Board. (See Winchester.)
December 30, same year, the County Clerk was order to quit-claim to August Grignon the land heretofore conveyed to the county for seat of justice.
Winnebago and Waupaca counties jointly elected a county judge, May 29, 1852.
November 11, 1852, the Town of Poygan was organized by the County Board ..
ERECTION OF COUNTY BUILDINGS. .
In 1853, the subject of erecting county buildings was agitated, and a petition was pre- sented to the County Board to that end. A committee was appointed, November 19th, to consider the matter and report. This commit- tee reported December 15, that they had examined several sites, but recommend the present one, and the erection of a fire- proof building for county offices, twenty- four by thirty-four fect, and fifteen feet high, with three rooms, one for the Reg- ister, one for Clerk of the Court and Sheriff, and one for Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and Treasurer. They also reported against undertaking to build a court house and jail, until the Legislature of the State should pass an act authorizing the county to issue bonds for that purpose. This report was adopted, and Eli Stilson, Joseph H. Osborn and Seth Wyman were appointed a committee to let and superintend the erect- ing of the fire-proof offices. The contract was let to Markham and Dexter, who completed the low brick building, in the northwest cor- ner of the square, which will be generally remembered. The contract was eighteen hun- dred and eighty-five dollars; completed in 1854.
The town of Orihula was organized by the County Board, January 4, 1855, and the name subsequently changed to Wolf River. (See Town of Wolf River.)
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