History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc., Part 10

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052

USA > Wisconsin > History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc. > Part 10

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"Toward the beginning of September, after having coasted along the shores of Lake Huron, we arrived at the Sault ; it is thus that they call half a league of rapids in a beautiful river that forms the junction of the two great lakes, Huron and Superior. It was, therefore, on the 2d of September, after having surmounted this Sault, which is not a water-fall, but only a very violent current obstructed by numerous rocks, that we entered into the upper lake, which will hereafter bear the name of Monsieur Tracy, in acknowledgement of the obligation under which the people of this country are to him. The form of this lake is almost that of a bow, the southern coast being very much curved, and that of the north almost a straight line. The fisheries are abundant, the fish excellent, and the water so clear and transparent that one can see, to the depth of six fathoms, what lies at the bottom. The savages respect this lake as a divinity, and sacrifice to it, either on account of its mag- nitude, for it is 200 leagues in length, by eighty its greatest width, or because of its bounty in supplying the fish that nourish all these people, in the absence of game, which, in this vicinity, is very rare. They often find at the bottom of the water, pieces of pure copper, weighing from ten to twenty pounds. I have often seen them in the hands of the savages, and as they are superstitious, they look up- on them as so many divinities, or as presents made to them by the gods, who are at the bottom of the lake, to be the cause of their good fortune; for this reason they pre- serve these pieces of copper, wrapped up among their most precious movables; there are some who have preserved them for more than fifty years, others have had them in their families from time immemorial, and cherish them as household gods. For some time there was visible a great rock entirely of copper, the top of which projected above the surface of the water. This gave occasion to by-passers to go and cut off pieces from it. Nevertheless, when I passed by that place, nothing could be seen of it. I believe that the storms, which here are very frequent, and similar to those on the sea, have covered this rock with sand; our savages wanted to persuade me that it was a divinity, and had disappeared for some reason which they did not state. As for the rest, this lake is the abode of twelve or fifteen different nations, some coming from the north, some from the south, and others from the west, and all repairing to the shores most appropriate for fishing, or to the islands, which are very numerous in all parts of this lake. The in- tention of these people in repairing to this place is partly to seek a livelihood by fishing, and partly to carry on their little commerce with each other, when they meet together. But the design of God has been to facilitate the publica- tion of the gospel to a wandering and vagrant people. Having then entered into Lake Tracy, we employed the

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

whole month of September in coasting along the southern shores, where I had the consolation of saying the holy mass, having found myself alone with our Frenchmen, which I had not been able to do since my departure from Three Rivers. After having consecrated these forests by this holy action, to complete my happiness, God conducted me to the borders of the lake. and put me in the way of two children whom they were embarking to go into the interior. I felt strongly inspired to baptize them, and after all neces- sary precautions, I did so, considering the danger they were in of dying during the Winter. All past fatigues were no longer regarded by me ; I was inured to hunger, which always closely followed us, having nothing to eat but that which our fishermen (who were not always successful), supplied us with from day to day. We afterward passed the bay, named by the late Father Menard "St. Theresa." It was here that this generous missionary wintered ; here laboring with the same zeal which caused him afterward to yield up his life, searching after souls.

"After having gone 180 leagues along that coast of Lake Tracy which looks toward the south, where it has pleased our Lord to put our patience to the proof, through tempests, famine and fatigues by day and night, finally we arrived, on the first day of October, at Chagouamigong, for which we have for so long a time looked forward. It is a beautiful bay, at the bottom of which is situated the great village of the savages, who there plant their fields of Indian corn, and lead a stationary life. They are there to the number of 800 men bearing arms, but collected from seven different nations, who dwell in peace with each other, thus mingled together. This great collection of people has caused us to prefer this place be- fore all others, at which to fix our ordinary residence, that we might with greater convenience attend to the instruc- tion of these infidels - erect a chapel there -and com- mence the functions of Christianity. This quarter of the lake where we have stopped, is between two large villages, and as it were, the center of all the nations of these coun- tries, because fish are abundant there, which form the principal subsistence of these people. We have erected there a small chapel of bark, where my sole occupation is to receive the Algonquin and Huron Christians, instruct them, baptize, and catechise the children."

Allouez found at Ashland Bay (as we now shall call it) the people formerly called the " Hurons of the Tobacco nation," from the region south of the Georg- ian Bay of Lake Huron. "They have been con- strained," says the missionary, "as well as the others [that is, other nations, then at the bay] to quit their country to avoid the Iroquois, and to retire toward the extremity of this great lake [Superior], where the distance and the lack of the chase secures to them an asylum from their enemies. Formerly they formed a part of the flourishing church of the Hurons and had the late Father Garnier for pastor. They have their village quite near onr residence [at the bay of Chegoime- gon or Ashland Bay] which has afforded me the means of undertaking this mission with more assiduity than the others more distant." The name of the bay is variously spelled : Chagouamigong, Chequamegan and Chegoimegan.

The exact location of the chapel is in obscurity ; one tradition claiming Section 27, and another point- ing to Seetion 22, Township 50 north, Range 4 west, as the site. The range was unquestionably somewhere within those seetions, on the shore of Pike's Bay.

The mission was afterward removed to Madeline Island, near the present hamlet of La Pointe.

Ten or twelve petty Algonquin tribes soon assem- bled at the bay, to hang on the war kettle and prepare for a general invasion of the land of the Sioux, which lay to the westward, " toward the great river called Messipi," as the missionary declared. These Sioux were first seen by Allouez at the extremity of Lake Superior-Fond du Lac-whither the father had trav- eled. He declared " they were almost at the end of the earth, according as their say." The expedition organizing by the Algonquins at Chegoimegon against this tribe was given up at the solicitation of Allouez. Tranquility being thus insured, the missionary adorned his chapel of the Holy Ghost at the spot henceforth called " La Pointe du Saint Esprit" or, simply, " La Pointe" in the course of time, and began to gather his Indian Church. His chapel was soon an object of wonder, and wandering hunters of many a tribe came to the spot; among whom were Chippewas, Potta- watomies, Sacs and Foxes, Kikapoos, Miamis and Illi- nois. His mission comprised two towns, - one inhab- ited by Ottawas the other by Hurons. He visited the Chippewas at the Sault Ste. Marie and the Nipissings at Lake Alempegon. It was thus that in two years he founded the missions of the Ottawas and Chippewas and revived those of the Hurons and Nipissings.

The Relation of 1667, says :

" During the two years that Father Allouez has remained among the Ontaouacs, he has observed the customs of all the nations that he has seen, and has carefully studied the means that may facilitate their conversion. There is em- ployment for a good number of missionaries, but there is nothing for them to subsist upon; one part of the year they live upon the bark of trees, another part on pulverized fish bones, and the balance of the time on fish, or on Indian corn, which sometimes is very scarce, and sometimes suffi- ciently abundant. The father has learned by experience, that, the fatigues being great, the labors continual and the nourishment light, a body even of bronze could not withstand it, consequently it is necessary to have at the missions, men of courage and piety, to labor for the sub- sistence of the missionaries, either by cultivating the earth, by fishing, or in following the chase; who would construct lodgings and erect some chapels to excite the veneration of these people, who have never seen any thing finer than their birch bark cabins. With these views, the father re- solved to come to Quebec himself, and labor to carry these designs into execution. He arrived there on the third day of August, of this year 1667, and after remaining two days only, his diligence was so great that he was pre- pared to set out from Montreal with a score of canoes of savages, with whom he had come down, and who awaited him at that island with a great deal of impatience. His equipage was composed of seven persons : Father Louis Nicholas, to labor, conjointly with him, for the conversion of these people, and one of our brothers, with four men, to be employed at the stations in securing a subsistence for them. But it has pleased God that the success of this en- terprise should not correspond with their good intentions, for when there was question of entering the canoes, the sav- ages became so ill humored that the two fathers only, with one of their men could obtain places in them."

Though forced to leave their French companions at Montreal, the two missionaries reached their mission

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.

in safety. Nicholas, however, soon left La Pointe ; fol- lowed in September, 1669, by Allouez, who was suc- ceeded by Father James Marquette.

" Divine Providence," says the last named mission- ary, " having destined me to continue the Mission of the Holy Ghost, which Father Allouez had commenced, and where he had baptized the principal personages of the Kiskakonk nation [Ottawas], I arrived there the thir- teenth day of September [1669], and I went to visit the savages who belonged to the parish, which is, as it were, divided into five villages." A war between the Sioux on the one side and the Ottawas and Hurons on the other, in 1671, induced Marquette to break up his es- tablishment at the Pointe. He went thence to Mack- inaw and the Jesuit Fathers were never again seen at La Pointe.

APOSTLE ISLANDS.

Madeline Island, on which is located the village of La Pointe, contains the oldest settlement in northern Wisconsin ; and, if we include the primitive races, goes back to the remotest ages. The Jesuits, includ- ing Father Marquette, located on this island in the latter part of the seventeenth century. After living here several years, they finally abandoned the place. In 1800, M. Cadotte, an old French trader, settled on the island, and erected fortified dwellings, the location now being known as the " old Fort." Here he lived the remainder of his life, and died July 8, 1837. At the commencement of the present century, the Ameri- can Fur Company established its head-quarters here, on the south side of the island; but the harbor being a poor one, they removed across the island to the present village of La Pointe, in 1835. Warehouses and docks were built. Here poured in the trade of the surrounding country, and La Pointe saw its palmiest

days. The company's buildings were afterwards burned, and the place abandoned. Indistinct traces of these ruins can yet be found near the Catholic cemetery. In 1830 the Rev. Sherman Hall established a mission here. It was afterward removed to Bad River. On July 28, 1835, the Rt. Rev. Frederick Baraga arrived on the island. He says: "I found some Canadians and Catholics who were in the service of the American Fur Company; also some half-breeds, who were civilized and had been baptized." Bishop Baraga partially completed a church by August 29. He then celebrated his first mass in the imperfect church. In order to secure funds for the completion of the edifice, he left for Europe September 29,1836,and returned Octo- ber 8, 1837, having received by contributions enough to finish the church, which was effected in August, 1838, and called St. Joseph's. It was dedicated September 27 of the same year. This building was demolished, and a new church built and dedicated, August 1, 1841. Au- gust 14, 1844, Bishop Henni arrived, and confirmed 122 Indians. Bishop Baraga continued here many years, going finally to Marquette, where he died. He was succeeded by Father Chebul, who remained for several years. Since his departure, services have been held mostly by missionaries.

Built into the wall of the present Catholic Church is an old structure supposed to have been erected 200 years ago. This supposition is erroneous, as the church

dates but half a century back. In the present church is a painting, which is known to be 200 years old, but if one should judge by the canvas and nails, it might date back several hundred years.

On March 28, 1843, the first treaty on this island was made at La Pointe by Robert Stuart, United States Commissioner, with the Chippewa Indians, whereby they ceded all their lands in Michigan and Wisconsin to the Government, the Indians stipulating the right to hunt on these lands. By this treaty $75,000 were allowed them by the Government for the satisfaction of debts to the white men. One of the largest items was some $27,000 to the Astors, then connected with the American Fur Company. In 1854, another treaty was made by Commissioners Gilbert and Harriman, when the Indian reservations were defined. At this time La Pointe Indian Agency was established. La Pointe, in its early days, was mostly governed by the American Fur Company. John W. Bell came here in 1835. The population at that time was about 2,000, composed of In- dians, voyageurs, traders and half-breeds. The only persons known to be living now, who were there at that time, are : John W. Bell, Theophilus Remilliard, Ignace Roberdoux and Matilda Perinier. A dock was built in an early day, but is now in ruins. The village has a good school-house : but where once was a pros- perous, busy little city, now only a few fishermen remain. The area of the island is 14,804 acres. La Pointe for a long time was the county seat of Ashland County, and the head center of the town of La Pointe, Ashland County. This town was vacated on June 17. 1879, and the territory added to the towns of Ashland and Butternut.

Basswood Island has an area of 1,980 acres, and is noted for its brown stone quarries, from which the stone was taken for the Milwaukee Court-house. Michigan Island, with an area of 1,556 acres, has a few farmers; a Government light-house stands on this island. Presque Isle, area 10,054 acres, has good stone quarries ; Outer Island, area 7,999 acres, has a Govern- ment light-house ; Hemlock Island, area 1,340 acres ; Oak Island, area 5,077 acres; Raspberry Island, area 224 acres, has a Government light-house ; Willey's Island, area 350 acres, the fishermen have made some improvements ; Rice Island, area 1,100 acres; Bear Island, area 1,824 acres ; York Island, area 104 acres; Sand Island, area 2,868 acres ; Steam-boat Island, area 24 acres. The other islands are named Little Steam- boat, Ironwood. Devil's, Wilson's, Gull, and Long Island, upon which is a light-house. These islands, twenty-two in number, contain good soil for all kinds of vegetables. Grain and fruits grow well. The islands are heavily wooded with almost every kind of timber natural to this latitude. Being surrounded by water, the soil is protected from early frosts. The Winters are somewhat warmer than on the mainland. The majority contain five undeveloped stone quarries. The greatest length of the islands is thirty-five miles, and the greatest breadth twenty miles.

HON. JOHN W. BELL, retired, Madeline Island, P. O. La Pointe, was born in New York City, May 3, 1805, where he remained till he was eight years of age. Ilis parents then took him to Canada, where his father died. He had gotten his education from his father, and served an apprenticeship at three trades-watchmaknig, ship-building and coopering. He then moved to Ft. La Prairie, and started a cooper

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

shop, where he remained till 1835, when he came to La Pointe, on the brig "Astor," in the employ of the American Fur Company as cooper, for whom he worked six months, when he took the business into his own hands, and continued to make barrels as late as 1870. It was in 1846 or 1847 that Robert Stewart, then Commissioner, granted him a license, and he opened a trading post at Island River, and became interested in the mines. He explored and struck a lead in the Porcupine Range, on Onion River, which he sold to the Boston Company, and then came back to La Pointe. In 1854 he was at the treaty between the Chippewas of Lake Superior and the Mississippi River, and was appointed Enrolling Agent on their new reservation, on the St. Louis River, where he went, but soon came back, as the Indians were not willing to stay there. He was then appointed by the Indians to look up their arrearages, and while at this work visited the national capital. He was appointed County Judge for La Pointe County, and held till 1878. Ile was elected on the town board in 1880. Has been Register of Deeds a great many years. Has held most all the different county and town offices, and at one time held or did principally the business for the whole county. He has seen La Pointe in all of its glory dwindle down to a little fishing hamlet ; is now Postmaster at his island home, where he occupies a house put up by the old fur company. He was married in 1837 10 Miss Margaret Brebant, in the old Catholic Church, by Rev. Bishop Baraga. They had seven children-John (deceased), Harriette (now Mrs. La Pointe), Thomas (deceased), Alfred (now Town Clerk), Sarah E., Mar- garet (deceased), and Mary (now Mrs. Denome).

THE MAINLAND.

At the period of first settlement of Ashland, La Pointe County had but one town, which was called La Pointe ; but outside of Madeline Island there was no real estate on the tax roll, except perhaps a few sec- tions around Bayfield. On March 12, 1856, a petition was presented and the town of Bayport was set off. This included all the mainland. Election was held on the first Tuesday of April of the same year. Schuyler Goff was elected Chairman, J. T. Welton and Asaph Whit- tlesey, Supervisors. The annual statement made in 1857 showed the indebtedness of the town to be $25; in 1858 it was $22.75; and at that election $195.50 was levied. The first bills allowed in 1857 were : Ed- win Ellis, $9.25; J. T. Welton. $9; A. J. Barkley, $5.50. At the town meeting in 1858, the first bill act- ed upon was that of Asaph Whittlesey, Superintendent of Schools, amounting to 75 cents.

The town of Bayport organization was kept up about ten years, when the settlers became reduced in num- bers, and the town was vacated.

The first United States survey around the head of the bay was made in 1848 by S. C. Morris, Deputy United States Surveyor. George and Albert Stuntz survey- ed around Bark Point and Ashland in 1854-5, though it was several years before the survey was completed. It was while on one of these expeditions that young Barber, son of Hon. J. Allen Barber, deceased, of Lan- caster, was drowned in the Montreal River, at the foot of the falls, by being sucked into a whirlpool.

In 1860 the county was constructed from a portion of the territory of La Pointe County in pursuance of an act of the Legislature. The first election was held in June, 1860, and resulted in choice of the following of- ficers : Martin Beaser, Clerk of the Board of Super- visors, Clerk of the Circuit Court and District Attor- ney ; J. O. Smith, Sheriff; Junius T. Welton, Coroner ; Andrew Cramer, County Treasurer ; John W. Bell, Register of Deeds ; Albert C. Stuntz, Surveyor. The first meeting of the County Board, which was a special meeting, was held May 10, 1860. John W. Bell was elected Chairman. The first annual meeting was held November 13, 1860. A petition praying for the vacation of the village of Bay City was granted. The County

Treasurer's report showed : State tax collected, $5.93 ; county tax, $35.58; town tax, $6.27 ; school tax, $3.96 ; highway tax. $7.06. Bills amounting to $314.70 were reported and allowed. At this time the assessed valu- ation of lots in Bay City was $1.04; Ashland, 2.08 ; Houghton, $1.56 ; La Pointe, $2.33.

In 1867 the county was divided as follows : Dis- trict No. 1, comprising all of the mainland of the county ; district No. 2, the island of LaPointe or Mad- eline Island ; district No. 3, comprising the whole group of the Apostle Islands, with the exception of Madeline Island. This year the town of Bayport was declared vacated, and made a part of the town of La Pointe. July 3, 1867, the County Board ordered a "good Winter road" cut through from some point on the lake shore between Ashland and Fish Creek to Long Lake ; from there to Packwayuwang Indian vil- lage. At this time the County Clerk's salary was $100. The County Superintendent of Schools received $25. October 17, 1871. the village of Ashland was made an election precinct. In 1872, $3,000 were appropriated to build a turnpike road from Moffett's Bridge to Goose- berry River, and for the grading of Main and Front streets, Ashland, and sidewalks for same. In 1872 the town of Ashland was set off from La Pointe. That year $1,000 were appropriated to the town of Ashland for building bridges across Fish Creek and for work on Moose Lake road.

Ashland for several years was the county seat, until the waning population of the village caused the records to be removed to La Pointe, where the seat was located till 1-73, when it was removed back to Ashland.

July 19, 1876, the Board of Supervisors voted $3,500 for the purchase of lots in Block 72, Vaughn's addi- tion, for a court-house site. In April, 1877, the Board adopted the plans of S. V. Shipman, of Chicago ; and proposals for the construction were advertised. In September the contract was let to B. F. Bieksler. of Ashland. The corner-stone was laid October 3, 1877, with great ceremony by the Masons and other societies. Addresses were made by Hon. Sam S. Fifield and Asaph Whittlesey, of Bayfield. The building is now occupied by the county officers, but some parts remain unfinished. The edifice stands in the center of a block, affording a fine view of the bay. It is a two story frame, brown stone basement, with dome on roof, fronting eastward. The basement is used for county jail, the first floor for the county offices, and the second story for court and jury rooms. It is nicely furnished, and contains the latest improved vaults. When com- pleted it will be the finest court-house in Northern Wisconsin.

In 1878 the town of Juniper was organized from territory in La Pointe and Ashland towns ; but by ac- tion of the County Board was vacated March 6, 1879, and made a part of the town of Butternut.

April 9, 1878, two Supervisors, John W. Bell and A. W. O'Malley, appeared at a meeting of the County Board, both claiming to be Chairman of the town of La Pointe. The Chairman of the town of Ashland rec- ognized Mr. Bell, and the County Clerk, Mr. O'Malley. Supervisors Wilson and Bell proceeded to organize with Mr. Wilson as Chairman; but the County Clerk refused to record the minutes of this Board,

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.

whereupon John McCarty was appointed clerk pro tem.

At a subsequent meeting charges were preferred against the County Clerk, and he was cited to appear before them. Failing to do so, he was removed, and E. F. Prince appointed to fill the vacancy. After Mr. Prince had qualified for office he demanded the records of Mr. Willis, the County Clerk, but the latter refused to turn them over. Action was commenced in the lower courts by Mr. Prince. Considerable excitement and feeling were displayed at this time. The county business was blocked, both clerks had different offices for business, the books being divided between them ; the safe was carted back and forth, once in the night time. Finally the case was taken into the Circuit Court and very able legal talent of the State was en- gaged. In this court it was decided in favor of Mr. Willis. Mr. Prince took an appeal to the Supreme Court, where the decision of the Circuit Court was reversed, and Mr. Prince took possession.

The county has furnished the following members to the Legislature :

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Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1052

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052