USA > Wisconsin > Winnebago County > History of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, and early history of the Northwest > Part 57
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Frances Weyerhorst, a native of Holland, came to Black Wolf, then called Brighton, in April, 1846, and settled on section 12, entering the land direct from the government. In 1847, he started a tan-yard, on what was known as Dickinson's Creek. In 1848, he was joined by his sister and father, Mr. Hermann Weyerhorst. In 1855, Mr. Weyerhorst was married to Miss Henrietta Eversz; and they still reside on the spot where the old log cabin stood, a fine, tasty house having superceded the old log house. At one time, during the first years of his resi- dence in the town, he took his sister to visit the Indians, who were encamped on the shore near the south line of the land now owned by Wm, B. Knapp. The Indians were Menomi- nees and numbered about five hundred. They were holding one of their annual feasts, and large quantities of game and fish had been secured for the occasion. A very long lodge or wigwam, nearly two hundred feet long, faced the lake, while hundreds of canoes, many of birch bark and gaily ornamented, covered the beach. On landing from their canoe, Mr. W.'s sister was received by a party of well- dressed squaws, who conducted her through the lodge and exhibited specimens of their weaving and fancy bead work, with as much grace and politeness as could have been expected from a civilized people, The Indians were well behaved and there was no drunken- ness or disorderly conduct, but everyone seemed intent on having a good time.
Alexander Bangs was born in Denmark in 1814, and was married in 1844, to Miss Char- lotta Rendliff, at Copenhagen. In 1848, they moved to the United States and settled, that year, on Government land in the then town of Brighton (now Black Wolf ); where he still resides.
Mr. Bangs' son, Henry, now owns a large part of the old homestead, on which he resides, and another son, Nicholas, owns the Arm- strong place.
Mr. Bangs has ever been regarded as one of the substantial men of the town, and one of its most successful farmers and respected citi- zens, and his sons are young men of most industrious and exemplary habits.
Mr. Nicholas Bangs settled in this town in 1845. The Armstrongs and one other family were the only settlers between him and Fond du Lac, a distance of twelve miles. While
making a trip to Fond du Lac in a sail boat, in company with Mr. Murphy and a Mr. Strang- man, all residents of the town, the boat was capsized, between Long Point and Fond du Lac, and all three were lost. Mr. Bangs was a man of much culture, and highly esteemed for his many good qualities.
Milton Cleveland came from Oswego County, New York, in 1849, and settled in the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf ), on Section 7, and resides yet on the same location where he first stuck his stakes. His finely cultivated farm is one that he has hewed out of the wilder ness, and its creditable appearance well attests the industry and successful management of its prosperous owner.
Henry C. Morgan moved to Black Wolf in 1851, and built a large saw-mill at the mouth of Murphy's Creek, and also a steamboat dock. The mill was run very successfully for several years, and shipped large quantities of lumber. Steamboats landed daily at the dock, while vessels were almost constantly loading lumber. The hard times of 1857, and the general depres- sion of the lumber business, made the manu- facture of lumber at this point unprofitable, and the mill stopped. A few years afterwards the enterprising proprietor died, and thus passed away a man of remarkable energy, fine business ability, great public spirit and of unquestioned integrity. After Mr. Morgan's death, the mill was moved away and the little hamlet that sprang up around it disappeared.
Mr. Warren Morley moved, in 1849, into the now town of Black Wolf, and settled on Section 21, where he still resides. In 1850, he built a steamboat dock on his bay, where steamboats daily landed, to wood. On the breaking out of the war, his sons were among the first to enlist; and seven of them were in the service - Isaac, Aden, Arual, Asahel, Rich, Francis and Albert. Two died in the service - Isaac and Rich - and Francis died a few days after his return home. Asahel received a gunshot wound in the knee at the battle of Winchester.
Daniel Madden, with his father, moved to this town in 1849, and settled on Section 18, where he continued to reside until a few years since. By industry and good management he converted the tract on which he settled into a highly productive farm, and became one of the most thrifty and successful farmers in the town, having acquired a comfortable compe- tency.
Charles Morgan was born in Allegany County, New York, in 1813, and was engaged in early life in farming and lumbering. He was mar- ried, in 1836, to Mary P. Medbury and moved
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
1847-79.]
with his family, to Black Wolf, in 1857, where he engaged with his brother, H. C. Morgan, in the lumbering business, they having a saw- mill located near the mouth of Murphy's Creek, at the village of Perryburg. After two years spent in this business, Mr. Morgan sold out to his brother, and then purchased the farm which he now occupies, What was then a rough, stumpy tract of land, is now a farm of broad, smooth fields, well fenced. A pleasant resi- dence, called Lone Elm, with large barns and well appointed outbuildings, forms one of the illustrations of this work. Mr. Morgan's stock and grain barns compare very favorably with the largest and most convenient in the County. Mr. Morgan was elected chairman of the Town of Black Wolf in 1861, and has held the same office eleven years since, while seven years of this time he has been a member of the County Board. At one time, while a candidate for member of Assembly, in the third district, he lost his election by only five votes; and at another time, while candidate for State Senator, was defeated by only forty votes. Lone Elm will always be remembered by the numerous friends of the family for the overflowing kind- ness and generous hospitality of its host and his family.
George Fleming was born in Hampshire County, Virginia, in 1819, and removed with his parents, when eight years old, to Crawford County, Ohio. At the age of eighteen, he came to Milwaukee; and . four years later shipped as a sailor before the mast, on the lakes. In three months he was mate of the vessel, and within two years was half owner and master of the schooner called the Milwau- kee. Mr. Fleming followed the lakes for thir- teen years, eleven years of which time he was master of the vessel. At the age of thirty- five, Mr. Fleming quit sailing and opened a hotel at Milwaukee, where he remained till 1857, when, with his family, he removed to Black Wolf, and settled on his present farm, Section 20, an illustration of which appears in this work. Mr. Fleming, though raised a sailor, has proved to be one of the most suc- cessful farmers of the county.
In 1847, Mary Sweikert, now Mrs. Endress, then a young woman, came, without relatives or friends, from Germany to the United States. She made her way to the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf) and made a pre-emption claim on Section 20, chopping the logs herself, and, with the assistance of her neighbor Pat. Murphy, put up a small cabin. She was poor and was obliged to work out to support herself. Taking advantage of her absence from her claim, certain parties tried to dispossess her.
Her things were thrown out of doors, and the cabin burned. The indignant neighboring set- tlers made it so warm for the claim-jumpers that they withdrew. By the help of friends, Mary soon had a larger and better cabin in place of the burned one. A second attempt was made to rob her of the claim by a party named Covey, who built a shanty on the south side of her land. Mary, having had some experience in fighting for her rights and feeling pretty confident of the support of her neigh- bors, made an attack on the intruder. Armed with a hand-spike, she advanced on the enemy; finding the shanty unoccupied, she removed the door and windows and such boards as she could get at, and then burned the dismantled shanty to the ground, removing the plunder to her own cabin as contraband of war. From this out she was allowed to remain in peace- able possession. In. 1848, she was married to Joseph Endress. His health was not very good, so the bulk of the work devolved on Mary. She chopped the wood, split rails, held breaking-plow, cradled grain and drove her own oxen to Oshkosh, hauling wood in the coldest winter weather. Mary's husband died in 1871, and the same year she built a good frame house in place of the old log one, where she still lives with her son Joseph, enjoy- ing the fruits of her enterprise and hard labor.
Captain Nehemiah Merritt came to Oshkosh in 1849, where he owned forty acres of land, which is now in the heart of the city. In 1851, he purchased a farm from Jackson Swift, on the lake shore, on Section 1, Black Wolf, where he settled with his family. Mr. Merritt, in early life, was a seafaring man, and just pre- vious to coming to Oshkosh, was engaged in the lumber trade at Kenosha, Wisconsin.
George Merritt was born in Oswego, New York, in 1832, and came with his parents to Grand Haven, Michigan, in 1835, where his father kept the light-house eight years. He went to South Port, Wisconsin, in 1847, where the family remained till 1849, when they moved to Oshkosh. In 1864, George was married to Miss Emma Boyd, and settled on his present farm, and the same year was elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors.
James Sanderson migrated from England, in 1851, to the Town of Black Wolf. Mr. San- derson took an active part in town affairs, and was elected chairman of the Board of Super- visors in 1859, and again in 1865, 1866, 1872 and 1873. On the night of the 23d of March, 1875, Mr. Sanderson was killed at Vandyne Station, near the south line of the town, by the night train going south. Mr. Sanderson was a passenger on that train and was to have
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
[1849-79.
got off at that station. The conductor had refused to stop the train at Vandyne, as it would be contrary to orders, and it is supposed that Mr. Sanderson attempted to jump from the train and was caught by the cars. By his public spirit and obliging disposition he had endeared himself to his neighbors and towns- men, who sincerely mourn his loss.
James Howlett was born in 1805, at Bram- field, England, and came to Prince Edward's Island in 1827. In 1849, he came, with his family, to the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf ) and settled on Section 29. He lost his first wife in 1852, and was married to Mrs. Morse in 1855. He had nine children, John, Ann, Sarah, Jonah, Alfred, Mary, Martha, James and Ella. Of these three are dead, Jonah, Sarah, and James, who was a soldier and died at Cairo in 1865.
Wm. Howlett, Sen. was born in Bramfield, England, in 1809, and moved to Prince Edward's Island at the age of seventeen. In 1849, with his family, he moved to Wisconsin, settling on Section 28, Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf) where he now resides. Of his children, William, James, Miriam, Melvina, Jonah and Richard, all are living but Jonah, who was killed by a fall from a building at Pike's Peak, in 1861.
Wm. Howlett, Jr. was born in Prince Edward's Island, in 1832, and came to the United States, with his parents, in 1849, making his home in what is now the town of Black Wolf, following the business of farming and lumbering. In 1868, he was married to Miss Hattie Carlisle, and still resides on his farm on Section 29.
Mr. Z. C. Skinner was born in Sherburn, Chenango County, New York, in 1830. He received a common school education, and was married in 1853 to Miss Eveline C. Fowler. In 1856 Mr. Skinner and family moved to Wisconsin, purchasing a farm on Section 20, Town of Black Wolf, where they still reside.
W. B. Knapp was born in Chenango County, New York, in 1822. He was mar- ried to Miss Betsey White in 1842, and in the year 1858, he moved, with his family, to Osh- kosh. After a residence of one year in the city, they moved to Jefferson, Wisconsin, liv- ing there four years, when they returned to Oshkosh. A year later Mr. Knapp purchased the farm where he now lives, situated on the lakeshore in Section 1, Town of Black Wolf. Mr. Knapp's brothers, George, Andrew B., Levi, Elias and Frederick, have been long and favorably known as citizens of Winnebago County.
George A. Randall's place, of which a view
is given, is one of the loveliest places in the county. It was formerly the residence of the late John Harney, Mr. Randall's father-in-law. Mr. Randall is a civil engineer by profession, and of the highest proficiency in his calling. He was chief engineer of the Green Bay & Mississippi Railroad, the construction of which he superintended from its beginning to its terminus. He also acted in the capacity of engineer in the old Fox and Wisconsin Im- provement Company. A few years since he moved on to his beautiful place in Black Wolf.
Edward and James O'Beirn settled in this town at an early day. James is now a resident of Oshkosh. They are both men of high cul- ture, and of much travel, both on the Conti- nent of Europe and also in this country, in- cluding trips to Panama, California and Ore- gon. James was, for a period, a resident of New Orleans, where he acted in the capacity of professor in a college.
John Hicks and family were among the ear- lier settlers, and were much esteemed by their old neighbors. All the members of this fam- ily have removed from the town.
William Colburn moved to the town at an early day, and is well known as a most esti- mable man and a good neighbor.
William Bowen came a little later, and pur- chased William Greenwood's farm, which is now in a state of high cultivation, with good improvements. Mr. Bowen is one of those hospitable men whose latch-string hangs out.
Hans Matteson is a native of Denmark, and came to the United States in 1847, stopping at Kenosha. He moved to Nekimi in 1849, and thence to Black Wolf in 1858, settling on Section 29, where, with his family, he still resides.
James O'Connell settled in Black Wolf in 1849, on a quarter section of land, where his widow and three of his sons, William, James and Maurice, now reside.
Doctor Gudden, a man of much ability. and thorough culture, settled in the southeastern part of the town in the fall of 1851 He exer- cises great influence, not only in town matters, but in county affairs, and has held the office of county register of deeds, and was for a period editor of the Wisconsin Telegraph.
The Germans now form a considerable part of the population of the town.
THE SWISS SETTLEMENT.
In 1845, a party consisting of Frederick Zentner, Sr., John Zentner, Joachim Rhyner and Felix Geiger, with their families, left Switzerland for Wisconsin, and made a tempo- rary stay at Waukesha, where they were joined
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1846-79.]
by John U. Elmer and Fred Marty. In 1846, John U. Elmer and Fred Marty came to the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf ), looking for a place to make their homes. They were so well pleased with this town that they returned to Waukesha and induced their Swiss friends previously named in this sketch, to return with them to this place. Here they bought land of the Government and of the Fox River Improvement Company, in the interior of the town. In 1848, Oswald Geiger, Beat Rhyner, Albert Elmer, Abram Swiefel, Rodolf Hosley, Peter Elmer, John Zentner, Sr., John Pfeiffer, Martin Wooster, Rudolf Eisley, Peter Babler, and others, coming from the same canton in Switzerland, attached them- selves to the young settlement. These hardy pioneers had cast their lot in a wilderness of heavy timber, without roads, schools or churches, the nearest settlement being several miles distant. Log houses were built and clearings made. The growing village of Osh- kosh, about seven miles to the north, soon became a good market for wood, and one of the peculiar sights of the early days was the long line of ox-teams, loaded with wood, on their way from the Swiss Settlement to Osh- kosh. When the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was completed through the town, in 1858, the railroad company purchased thou- sands of cords of wood from the settlers. From the sales of wood and the produce from their farms, the settlers soon became fore- handed, the log buildings were replaced by good frame houses and barns, roads were made, school houses and churches were built, while the ox-teams gradually disappeared and good horse-teams took their place, and at this date (1880) there is not an ox-team to be found in the town. Prosperity has rewarded the sturdy industry and frugality of this people, and the Swiss, at this time, are reckoned among the best farmers of the county.
Oswald Geiger is one of the early settlers, having come to this town in 1848. He was elected justice of the peace at the first town election, and his brother Felix one of the first supervisors. In 1854, Oswald was elected town clerk, and has filled the office up to the present time. He is one of the best town clerks in the county, the records and papers being kept in a very creditable manner.
John Rhyner came to this town, with his father Joachim Rhyner, in 1848, He was married to Helena Mohlsted in 1856, and set- tled on Section 29. He lost his wife in 1873, and the next year was married to Judith Zwicky, and still resides on his old farm
Chas. Rauer, a native of Prussia, came to
Black Wolf in 1851, and settled on his present farm. He soon became prominent in town affairs and was elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 1858, 1874 and 1879, being the present chairman.
TOWN ORGANIZATION.
The Town of Brighton was organized in pursuance of an act of the legislature, approved February 11, 1847. The organic election was held April 5, 1847.
The Town of Brighton included in its limits the present towns of Black Wolf, Nekimi and part of Algoma. In 1850, the name of the Town of Brighton was changed to Nekimi; and on the fourteenth of November, 1850, the County Board set off the Town of Black Wolf.
ORGANIC ELECTION.
The organic election of the Town of Black Wolf was held in the log school-house of Dis- trict number 2, now known as the Fleming district, on the second day of April, 1851.
John Mandeville acting as chairman and Nicholas Bangs clerk. Forty-four votes were cast and the following named persons were elected town officers: Warren Crosby, chair- man; Felix Geiger and Hiram Hutchinson, supervisors; Josiah P. Swift, clerk; Oswald Geiger, Nicholas Bangs and Ira Aiken, jus- tices of the peace; Edward Waite, assessor; Seth G. Gates, treasurer; Nicholas Bangs, superintendent of schools; Miles Baker and Joseph Koplitz, constables; David Ford, sealer of weights and measures. On September 13, 1851, Wm. R. T. Armstrong was appointed superintendent of schools to fill vacancy occas- ioned by the drowning of Nicholas Bangs.
SECOND TOWN ELECTION.
At the town meeting held April 6, 1852, William Boyd was elected chairman; William Howlett and Joseph Koplitz, supervisors; War- ren Morley, Elisha Bennett and John Mande- ville, justices; Wm. M. Greenwood, clerk; Seth G. Gates, treasurer; John Harney, super- intendent of schools; John Harney, assessor.
TOWN OFFICERS.
The present town officers are Chas. Rauer, chairman; August Beduhue and Fred Zentner, supervisors, Oswald Geiger, clerk, Albert Koplitz, treasurer; Casper Zwickey, assessor; Chas. Rauer, Alfred Howlett and Jacob Elmer, justices.
SCHOOLS.
The first school district established was joint district number 1; which embraced part of the now towns of Black Wolf, Nekimi and Algoma; and a log school house was built near the site of the present Boyd school-house
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in the fall of 1846, and a school taught that win- ter by Miss .. Eliza Case. The first school, in the present limits of Black Wolf, was taught in dis- trict number 2, now known as the Fleming school district. A log school-house was built in 1850, on the site of the present frame build- ing and the first school taught by Warren Crosby, who received, for his services, twelve dollars a month.
According to the School Superintendent's Report there were, in 1878, five school houses in the town and 343 children of school age.
FIRST BIRTH - FIRST DEATH.
The first white child born in the town, was William Armstrong, son of Wm. R. T. and Catherine Armstrong, in 1845.
The first death was that of Jessie, a child of Alpheus and Mrs. Hicks, in 1846. The sec- ond was Ed. Swift, in 1849.
FIRST MARRIAGES.
The first marriage in the town was that of Joseph Endress to Mary Sweikert, in 1848. Others among the earlier marriages were those of Warren Crosby to Miss Delilah , and Captain William Powell to Miss Ann Howlett.
TOWN OF NEKIMI.
CHAPTER LXXI.
Face of the Country - Soil -Timber - Water - Early Set- tlement - First Schools - Early Residents - Town Organ- ization - First Elections - The First Road Laid in the Town - First Marriages, Births and Deaths - Schools - History of the Welsh Settlement
THE Town of Nekimi, situated on the southern border of the county, was GT originally forest land and openings; the . eastern part being timberland with tracts of interval or natural meadow. The western portion of the town was openings. The surface is slightly undulat- ing in the eastern part and more rolling in the west - the soil varying from a deep black loam to a rich red clay soil on a limestone base and is very generally excellent wheat land and highly productive. It is now in a high state of cultivation and most of the cultivated fields cleared of stumps, so the farms present a hand- some appearance. The fine dwellings and ample barns and out-buildings give evidence of prosperous husbandry. There are many ele- gant residences and some of the finest farms in the county are found in this town.
Good stock water is abundant, and good well water readily obtained by digging.
The interval land, of which there is consid. erable, makes the best of meadows, so that the town has the natural resources for a pros- perous farming community. It also has good social and educational advantages and its prox- imity to cities gives additional social and bus- iness facilities and near markets. A portion of the original forests have been preserved and in many places a second growth has sprung up which has attained the dimensions of good sized trees.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
The first settler within the present limits of Nekimi was William Greenman, who settled in the western part of the town in the summer of 1846. He continued to reside there until the time of his death. Several members of his family still live there. The next settlers were David Chamberlain and A. M. Howard, who came early in the fall of 1846.
Robert W. Holmes migrated from the State of New York to Wisconsin in November, 1844, and settled in the now town of Nekimi, in the fall of 1846, having the March previous entered the land on which he settled in Section 2. When he entered his land there was not a settler between his place and Rosendale Creek, and not a settler in the present limits of the town, That summer, Wm. Greenman, David Chamberlain and A. M. Howard moved on to land in the present town, and the same season William Crossett and Chauncy Foster built a blacksmith-shop on Crossett's claim, which is the farm now occupied by Milan Ford.
George, Daniel and Henry Vincent came the same fall and built a log house.
Stephen W. Bennett, now a resident of the town, was one of the first five settlers, his father, Elisha Bennett, moving into what became the town of Brighton, in 1846, although his land became subsequently included in what is now Black-wolf. Stephen helped to haul the logs for the school house which was built near the site of the present Boyd school house, in the winter of 1846-47.
FIRST SCHOOLS.
It seems that one of the first efforts of the settlers was to provide educational facilities for their children; and it is very creditable to them, that they had hardly erected their prim- itive log houses when they built a log school house. These first few settlers that came in the summer and fall, had a school-house built and a school taught the following winter.
The building was situated about ten rods west of the Boyd school-house and on the
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1846-79.]
north side of the road, being now the town of Algoma.
Mr. Holmes helped to split out the punch- . eons for the floor. The school teacher was Miss Eliza Case, and she afterwards became the wife or George Vincent.
In the winter of 1847-48, a school was opened in the southwestern part of the town. It was taught by John S. Brown in a little pre-emption shanty on Section 29.
WILLIAM SIMMONS.
One of the first settlers in the southwestern part of the town was William Simmons, a view of whose fine residence furnishes one of the illustrations of this work. He migrated from Wyoming County, New york, to the west in 1846, where, after traveling in various localities, he finally arrived at Milwaukee in April 1847. From there he went by stage to Fond du Lac. The frost was coming out of the ground and the roads were almost impassa- ble. He paid stage fare for the privilege of carrying a rail on his back with which to pry the wheels out of the mud. They forded Rock River at Theresa, and, at this point, the passengers had to get out in the mud and water knee-deep, and pry the stage out. It required two days to make the trip to Fond du Lac. Here he met John Banister, surveyor and land agent, and from him procured plats of the townships now Nekimi and Algoma, and started to look up a location. Taking the Indian trail from Fond du Lac to Waukau, he followed it to a point in the now town of Nekimi. Two miles from Fond du Lac he passed the last house that he found on his route for a dis- tance of twenty miles. At this point the trail intersected a blazed road, over which a few waggons had passed. Night was coming on with a drizzling rain, and it became a matter of the first importance to find a place where food and shelter could be obtained. After considering which course, north or south, would be most likely to lead to the nearest house, he decided to try the latter, and after about six miles travel he brought up at Hyde's tavern, in Rosendale. Tired and desponding, he resolved, when he retired that night, to return to a more civilized country; but in the morning, which dawned bright and clear, things wore a more pleasing appearance, and the beau- tiful country looked so attractive that he deter- mined to select a home. Not having money enough to enter a quarter section of land, he was compelled to make a pre-emption claim; so he went back to what is now the Town of Nekimi, and selected the south-east quarter of Section 29, on which he built a shanty in which
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