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 11

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 11

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Assembly-Asaph Whittlesey, 1860; Samuel S. Vaughn, 1871; Sam S. Fifield, 1874-5-6. Sen- ate-Sam S. Fifield, elected to fill vacancy 1876, and re-elected in 1880.

The first County Judge was John W. Bell, who held office till 1877, when Edwin Ellis was elected, and has held it to the present time.

The present county officers are :

Board of Supervisors, James A. Wilson, Chairman, Ashland; John Boch, of Butternut. Sheriff, John Maertz; County Treasurer, W. R. Sutherland ; County Clerk, M. J. Hart : Clerk of Circuit Court, John Elsner ; District Attorney, J. J. Miles; Register of Deeds, Ernest H. Nelson ; Superintendent of Schools, E. C. Smith ; Sur- veyor, George Parker ; Coroner, Ira Eble.

The population of the county in 1860 was 513; in 1865, 256 ; in 1870, 221 ; and in 1880, 1,559.

The town of Ashland was organized in 1863, being erected from territory once known as the town of Bay- port. Ashland has received several additions, at dif- ferent dates, and in 1876 some of the area was detached from its jurisdiction. As is incidental to new county governments, changes are made in town lines, for pur- poses of convenience.

In 1863 the county seat was removed from Ashland to La Pointe ; but in 1872 Ashland County was re-or- ganized, and in 1873 the county seat was returned to the original place. At the first town election after the re-organization ninety-three votes were polled, and the result showed the following officers elected :

Board of Supervisors, Sam S. Fifield, Chairman; Antoine Perinier, Benjamin Armstrong. Clerk, N. W. Goodwin : Treasurer, James A. Wilson ; Assessor, Charles H. Pratt; Justices of the Peace, Benjamin Armstrong, James M. Davis, James A. Wilson ; Con- stables, James McGuire, George Fleming, Edwin Snow, Napoleon La Rock ; Overseer of Highways, Conrad Goeltz; Sealer Weights and Measures, R. W. French.

The first meeting of the Town Board of Ashland was held July 17, 1872, at which meeting committees were appointed " for jail building," "office furniture," the building of bridges, grading of streets, etc. Licenses

were established for the sale of beer and ale at $50, and $50 more were added for wines and other liquors : bonds required in the sum of $2,000 under the State law, and $500 under the town license law. July 24, same year, school district No. 1 was organized. August 7, $620 were appropriated for a town jail.

In 1871 a special election was held in town of La Pointe, which then included all the territory in Ash- land County, and at which it was decided to issue $200,000 in bonds to the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company, running thirty years at seven per cent., in consideration of $200,000 of the company's stock and the building of the road through Ashland County. The road was finished and cars running in June, 1877. In 1880, the county up to this time failing to meet the interest on the bonds, propositions for a compromise were made by the bond-holders, represented by E. H. Abbott. Prior to this time the railroad stock had no market value. Several different propositions having been made; and, finally, in January, 1881, the rail- road stock having gone up to twenty-five cents on the dollar, an agreement was entered into, whereby the whole amount of the bonds was to be returned by the issue of new bonds, called " county of Ashland fund- ing bonds," amounting to $100,000, running twenty years, at five per cent., and the turning over of the railroad stock, $13,000 in cash, and all the tax certifi- cates and deeds held by the county. At this writing $168,000 of the old bonds have been taken up and canceled.

Wisconsin Central Railroad .- During the Spring of 1870, a preliminary survey was run from Ashland to the southeast corner of the county. Capt. Rich ran a second line from Penoka Gap to Ashland ; upon this second survey the location was made the following year. In March, 1872, the contractors, Messrs Stoughton Bros., began the labor of construction be- tween Ashland and Penoka. The work was under the supervision of Capt. Rich, and was carried on in the face of many disadvantages. Some of the subcon- tractors were obliged to give up their share and turn it over to the Phillips-Colby Construction Company, who were the builders of the road, but who finally had to suspend work on account of financial embarrassments. In 1873 construction was continued and the road com- pleted from Ashland to Penoka. Nothing was done in 1874 and 1875. In the Winter of 1875-6 a new survey was run from Penoka south, and on Saturday, June 2, 1877, five years from the day the first blow was struck at Menasha, the last spike was driven.

Hon. Asaph Whittlesey, in his " Recollections of Ashland," said : "On the second day of June, 1877, I had the honor of driving the last spike, which took place at Chippewa Station, amid the shoutings of a large assemblage of people, including laborers upon the road, and in a few moments thereafter, the first train from Milwaukee passed over the road on its way to Ashland, amid great rejoicing and demonstrations of joy over the victory won. At Ashland, also, the ex- citement became intense, and though it was late on a Saturday evening when our train reached the town. the illumination of the place brought to view a field of faces crazy with excitement over the event they were celebrating. As for myself, I confess I felt very much

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

like saying, . Now, let thy servant depart in peace.'" The country through which it runs in Ashland County is very rough. Some of the best engineering skill has been displayed, the road being a difficult one to build. This is notably the case between Penoka Iron Range and Ashland. The elevation at the " Gap," where the road crosses, is about 800 feet above the level of the lake. Bad River, with its wild, weird scenery, is a crooked stream. It is full of rapids, deep and dangerous whirlpools, and subject to sudden over- flows. The road follows this stream for seventeen miles, crossing it seventeen times in nine miles, requir- ing expensive bridges. The largest one - White River bridge - is the largest of the kind in the world,

the Wisconsin & Lake Superior Mining and Smelting Co., commenced work on "Penoka Range," with head-quarters at Ironton. Other prospectors came in soon after. Docks and warehouses were built at Iron- ton, but the company afterwards moved its head-quar- ters to Ashland ; a road had been cut by the company from the "range" to Ironton and one to Ashland. The cost of getting provisions to the "range" was enor- mous. The company invested some $25,000. Mr. Herbert was first put in charge, but was removed shortly after, and Gen. L. Cutler given control. Some twenty log cabins were built ; three towns were platted, one at Penoka, one at Lockwood, and one at the Gorge. Surveys for a railroad from the "range " north and

ASHLAND.

with one exception. It is 1,560 feet long, 103 feet high, and cost $140,000. The river is a small stream, with its banks only a few rods apart, but it runs through a wide bottom valley, which made the bridge a necessity. At Silver Creek is another structure 650 feet long, 92 feet high, costing $60,000.

There is now in course of construction the North Wisconsin running from St. Paul and Hudson north toward Chequamegon Bay, and the extension of the Northern Pacific from Duluth east.

Penoka Iron Range is a fine undeveloped vein of iron ore. It runs east and west across the county, through Townships 44 and 45. It is about twenty miles in length. The range has been explored by eminent geologists and experts, and valuable veins of iron and copper discovered. Samples taken at random have yielded 622 per cent. of iron. The facilities for manufacturing are excellent. The immense forests of hard maples on and abont the range will furnish the necessary charcoal for smelting. It is within easy access, Lake Superior being only twenty-nine miles distant. In May, 1857, a company of capitalists, called

south were made. Other surveys and explorations were commenced ; a block-house was built at Penoka and also at the Gorge. The men who had charge of the company's interest returned to Milwaukee in December, 1857. The panic, striking the company, left it in bad shape financially, but more stock was sold, and the work went on. At first the company had some difficulty in getting possession of the land. They finally came into full ownership in 1858, but the range was abandoned July 1, 1858. Since then very little has been done.

Ironton, which was settled at the time of the iron excitement, was situated on the south shore of the lake, one-half mile west of the Montreal River. The village was platted in 1856-7, by McEwan, Herbert. Mandle- baum, and others. Warehouses and docks were built, and the place thrived for about four years, when it was abandoned.

ASHLAND.

Ashland is situated on a plateau, about thirty feet above the level of the lake, on the south shore of the Che- quamegon Bay. The village stretches along the shore for

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.

two miles. It has a fine harbor, large enough to float the heaviest fleets. The village is beautifully located, is well drained, and is healthful. It is one of the prominent Sum- mer resorts of the State, about 1,500 arrivals being reported in 1881. The weather is always cool and the air good. Those persons who suffer from hay fever find relief in this region.

On the fifth day of July, 1854, Asaph Whittlesey and George Kilborn left La Pointe, in a row boat, with the de- sign of finding a " town site" on some available point near the " head of the bay." At 5 o'clock, P. M., of the same day, they landed at the westerly limit of the present town site of Ashland. Mr. Whittlesey gives the following ac- count of the landing : "As I stepped ashore, Mr. Kilborn exclaimed, ' Here is the place for the big city !' and (hand- ing me his ax) added, ' I want you to have the honor of cut- ting the first tree in the way of settlement upon the town site;' and the tree which I then felled formed one of the foundation logs in the first building erected upon what is now known as Lot 2, Block 105. This building was 14x10 feet square; had but one door, which faced the south, and but one window, which was upon the north side, fur- nishing a full view of the bay."

Mrs. Whittlesey and her little daughter arrived on the 16th of August. Capt. Moses Easterbrook, of the steamer " Sam Ward," invited a number of the La Pointe people to join him in an excursion, September 7, 1854, and in the after- noon landed at Ashland. The "Sam Ward," therefore, was the first steamer to land at the new city.

On September 12, 1854, the second house built on the town site was completed. It stood upon Lot 5, in Block 6, and was 13x15 feet, one story. In this building Mr. and Mrs. Whittlesey found a temporary home, until the completion of the third cabin, which was built upon the town site in 1854. Mr. Whittlesey prepared the logs for this building himself, with but the help of a yoke of oxen. Mrs. Whittlesey as- sisted him in raising the logs to the chamber floor and ad- justing the joist for the second story. It was built upon Lot 6, Block 6, and was 20x30 feet in size. It had "floors of lumber," a " front stoop," " back kitchen," " mud oven " and " mud chimney." This house has quite a history, be- sides being the residence of the first settlers. The Whit- tleseys moved into it in November, 1854, and the same month the first dancing on the town site was done there. In this house, during the following Winter, the Rev. L. H. Wheeler, of the Odanah Mission, preached the first sermon. In March, 1855, the first post-office was established there, and there the Fourth of July celebration for 1855 was held. It was the birth-place of the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Whittlesey, in May, 1856," she being the first American child born on the town site. The first election of Ashland county officers was held in November, 1856. Within its walls the first Sabbath school was organized by Ingraham Fletcher in 1858, and the same year it was the scene of a tragedy, in which Robert D. Boyd was shot and killed by Henry Cross, which occurred January 10, 1858. While in a fit of intoxica- tion, Boyd approached Cross with a drawn butcher knife, in a threatening manner, as if about to strike, when Cross drew a revolver and fired two shots, one entering Boyd's heart. Cross was arrested and acquitted. Of their first celebration of Fourth of July (1855), Mr. Whittlesey gives the follow- ing description : "On the day referred to, the Declaration of Independence was read by Asaph Whittlesey, and this, with the delivery of an oration by A. W. Burt, with singing and amusements, constituted the first public Fourth of July cele- bration in the history of Ashland. The exercises were had at Whittlesey's house, in the after part of the day, and ex- tended late in the evening, when music and dancing were

* A diary of that date In the possession of Jas. A. Wilson gives the daughter of Conrad Goeitz, born November 7, 1855, as the first birth.

added to the festivities of the day. The ladies present were Mrs. Haskell, Mrs. Whittlesey. the two Mrs. Corser and Mrs. Farley. The gentlemen present were J. T. Haskell, George Kilborn, Lawrence Farley, Austin and John Corser, Asaph Whittlesey, A. W. Burt, A. J. Barkley, Adam Goeltz, John Donaldson, Conrad Goeltz, Andrew Scobie and Dun- can Sinclaire. The children present were Eugenia E. Whittlesey (less than three years old), George, son of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Corser, also a child of Mr. and Mrs. John Corser, and William, John, Joseph and Hattie Has- kell, children of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. T. Haskell."

Ashland was given its name by Martin Beaser, who was an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, and gave the new town the name of Clay's homestead.

Mr. Whittlesey was the first Postmaster, appointed in 1855. The amount of post office money he returned to the Government at the close of his term of service was $8.53.

When the petition was sent to Washington asking for the establishment of a post-office at Ashland, La Pointe Co. Wis., there was another office by the name of Ashland in the State and it was therefore given the name of Whittlesey, which it retained until July 30, 1860, when the obstacle to a change being removed, it was given the name of Ashland, and was designated as being in Ashland County.

G. L. Brunschweiler surveyed and platted the town site of Ashland, embracing Lots 1, 2 and 3, and the north half of the southwest quarter, northwest quarter of southeast quarter and northeast quarter, Section 5, Town 47, Range 4, in 1854.

Schuyler Goff, County Judge, entered the same at the United States Land-office at Superior, under the laws then governing the location of town sites on Lake Superior, December 11, 1856, for the benefit of the owners and occu- pants. "Asaph Whittlesey owned one eighth, George Kil- born one eighth, and Martin Beaser three fourths."

The second family was Mr. and Mrs. John. P. T. Haskell, who came November 2, 1854. They left about a year after.

Many new comers arrived during the first few years after the settlement, among them Martin Beaser, who located permanently in Ashland in 1856, and was one of its founders. He was born in Erie Co., N. V., October 27, 1822. He left Bufalo when fourteen years of age ; went to New Bedford, Mass., and engaged in whaling for seven years; then returned to Buffalo for a short period ; went to Lake Superior, via Mackinaw, by steamer, and from there to Ontonagon in a small sailing vessel; resided in that place and was in the mercantile business ; had made several trips to the vicinity of Ashland ; finally, in February, 1856, he with Dr. G. L. Brunschweiler and two Indians, with a dog-train, came over on the ice to Ashland, and, with others, laid out the village plat. His family came in September, 1856. He engaged in the mercantile business until the war broke out, and was drowned in the lay while attempting to come from Bay- field to Ashland, in an open boat, during a storm, Novem- ber 4, 1866. He is buried on the island, at La Pointe. Mr. Beaser was ranked among the first settlers of Ashland. He was closely identified with enterprises tending to open up the country ; was wealthy and expended freely ; was a man of fine discretion and good common sense ; when others were discouraged at Ashland's future, he was full of hope, and stuck to it till his death.

Among others who came during 1855 or a few years later, were Austin Corser, John Corser, Conrad and Adam Goeltz, A. J. Barclay, G. L. Brunschweiler, M. II. Man- dlebaum, George R. and Albert C. Stuntz, Martin Roehm, Dr. Edwin Ellis, Henry Drixler, Capt. J. D. Angus and wife, Mrs. Beaser, Mrs. Conrad Goeltz, and John Beck and family.

The first cabin was begun by Kilborn & Whittlesey, July 5, 1854, and was twelve by fourteen feet in size; the second cabin was built by Kilborn & Whittlesey, September

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

9, 1854; the third by Asaph Whittlesey ; the fourth by Conrad Goeltz ; the fifth by Martin Beaser ; the sixth by Myron Tompkins; the seventh by Lawrence Farley ; the eighth by Charles Halmet ; the ninth by Anthony Fisher ; the tenth by Frederick Bauman. Martin Beaser bought the first yoke of oxen. Two hundred bushels of potatoes were raised on the town site in 1855. On December 3. same year, the steamer " Algonquin " arrived and left 225 barrels of freight and 70,000 feet of lumber. The first saloon was opened by Jonas Whitney, in 1856, and about the same time Martin Beaser opened the first store.

Martin Beaser built a dock in the Fall of 1855. In May, 1856, this dock was carried away The steamer " Su- perior" came into the bay, saw the fragments of the dock, and instead of landing, put back to La Pointe. In those days the steamers " Lady Elgin "and " Superior " landed freight. The imports in 1854 amounted to $981 ; in 1855 to $4,256. "Vaughn's division of Ashland " was pre-empted by S. S. Vaughn, October 25, 1856. Bay City was surveyed and platted the same year, a stock company, of which Dr. Edwin Ellis was the agent, owned the town site. A store, hotel and several other buildings were erected. Bay City was vacated in 1860 and part of the original plat restored in 1872. It was called "Ellis's division of Ashland." In the early days of Bay City a dock was built about 100 yards east of White's factory, about 500 feet into the lake. It was made of cribs of logs pinned together with wooden pins. These cribs had no piling; they were fastened together by stringers. On the morning of April 1, 1855, the people awoke to find the ice and dock had disappeared. In December, 1855, two docks were built ; one, the Bay City dock, near the sash factory, and the other at the foot of Main street. These docks were carried away May 1, 1856; the Bay City dock was rebuilt, but during the Winter of 1856- 7 the ice was too much for it, and at the opening of navi- gation it had disappeared, except the sunken cribs, which are still visible.

Mineral excitement and the prospect of a railroad brought many new-comers during 1856-7 ; but the gloomy days of 1858-9 were exceedingly dark for Ashland; and one after another of her citizens became discouraged and de- parted -- many going to Ontonagon, Bayfield and La Pointe. Martin Roehm and wife (who were the first couple married in the town) alone remained, and were the sole in- habitants of the place for a number of years. In 1871 many old settlers returned. The Ashland post-office was again established, with James A. Wilson as Postmaster.

In 1872 the Wisconsin Central Railroad began work at the bay, and at the same time many people arrived : houses were erected and the re-construction of the city progressed rapidly. The improvements in Ashland for the year 1872, not taking into consideration the cost of the railroad or the iron bridge at White River, amounted to $244,800.

Post-office .- Asaph Whittlesey was the first Postmaster. Martin Beaser was appointed his successor. The office was discontinued in 1863; was again established in 1872, and James A. Wilson commissioned Postmaster. He has continued in that position ever since. During the time Mr. Whittlesey was Postmaster mail was received via Chippewa Falls once a week. In 1860 the route was from Superior City to Ontonagon semi-weekly. In 1872, when the office was re-established, mail was received tri-weekly via Lake Superior and Bayfield by "packers," but the Postmaster and citizens of Ashland were obliged to arrange for private service from Bayfield by subscription. In 1873 this route was continued to Ashland. At that time the Government was paying contractors $41.25 a trip from Superior City to Ashland, which was expensive, considering the amount of mail received sometimes. The Postmaster's salary was

small; no allowance was made for transportation, and the people suffered continuously from vexatious delays until the railroad facilities obviated the difficulties. A daily mail is now received.

Schools .- The first school was taught in 1859, Miss Julia Wheeler being the teacher. School was kept in a house of Duncan Sinclair, which is now occupied by Charles L. Judd. September 30, 1872, the School Board appropriated $3,000 for two school-houses, one for Bay City and one for Ash- land, the latter to be situated on the corner of Illinois and Third streets. The buildings were finished by the end of the year. Owing to the long distance between them, another school was started in the middle of the village in 1875, in a building on Second street. The average attend- ance is about 115 scholars.

Religious .- The Methodist Episcopals organized the first Protestant society, and built their first church in 1872, hav- ing at that time about a dozen members. The first pastor was Rev. W. D. Bennett. He was succeeded in turn by W. G. Bancroft, who officiated until 1876, when Rev. John T. Cheynoeth was located here and remained until 1879, at which date Rev. Mr. Howes, the last clergyman appointed to the charge, entered upon his pastorate.

The Congregationalists organized in 1872, with but a half- dozen members, and chose W. E. Safford pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. W. E. Driemer. As there was not strength enough to maintain two church societies, the fore- going organizations were abandoned, and a new society, under the forms of Presbyterianism, was created, with Rev. Angus McKinnon pastor.

St. Agnes on the Lake Catholic Church was established by Rev. Father Quigley from Bayfield. Work was begun on the new church in 1873, but it remains unfinished, though services have been held therein since 1877. Father Quig- ley left in 1874, and was succeeded by Father Chebul, who remained till 1875. After this date missionary services were held occasionally by Fathers Geuin and Buh up to 1877. Prior to that time services were observed in private residences. Father Buh was the first priest to hold serv- ices in the new church in 1877. He left in the Fall of the same year, when Father Schuttlehofer, who has charge of the missions from Stevens Point to Bayfield, took charge, and held services regularly at short periods till 1879. The mission work was then resumed by the Franciscan Brothers, who have charge of it still, in connection with this church. A Sisters' school will be opened in October.

Societies .- Ancient Land Mark Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 210, was organized in 1877, with the following charter mem- bers : Edwin Ellis, Sam S. Fifield, Geo. White, James A. Wil- son, E. C. Smith, T. D. Green, R. W. French, W. W. Rich, B. F. Bicksler, James T. Kent, J. J. Miles. At the first election the following officers were elected : Edwin Ellis, W. M .; Sam S. Fifield, S. W .; George White, J. W .; James A. Wilson, treasurer; J. J. Miles, secretary ; R. W. French, S. D .; B. F. Bicksler, J. D .; E. C. Smith and T. H. Green, S .; James T. Kent, tyler. Present officers are : Sam S. Fifield, W. M .; W. M. Tomkins, S. W .; M. J. Hart, J. W .; E. H. Wilson, secretary ; R. W. French, treas- urer. Present membership about 30.

Ashland Lodge, No. 263, I. O. O. F., was instituted Au- gust 8, 1881, with the following charter members : Michael J. Hart, J. M. Davis, David Powers, S. Osiander, A. H. Brooks, John Young, Jacob Beck. The following officers were elected : Angus McKinnon, N. G .; Michael J. Hart, V. G .; David Powers, secretary ; J. M. Davis, treasurer ; A. H. Brooks, permanent secretary.

In August, 1876, a Good Templars' lodge, called Polar Star lodge, No. 217, was organized with thirty-five charter members. The following officers were installed for the first

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.

term : T. W. Peck, W. C. T .; Mrs. M. J. Hasey, W. V. T .; B. F. Bicksler, W. Chap .; W. M. Tomkins, W. R. S .; Miss Ella Peckham, W. A. S .; P. M. Beaser, W. F. S .; Miss Ida White, W. T .; C. M. Moore, W. M .; Miss H. M. Tomkins, WV. D. M .; Miss Clara French, W. I. G .; H. D. Thompson, W. O. G .; Miss Kate Hayes, W. R. H. S .; Miss Anna Til- den, W. L. H. S .; Edwin Ellis, P. W. C. T. The lodge flourished for two years, at one time having a mem- bership of seventy-five, and was a power in the community. In the Summer of 1878 some of its active members re- moved, and it ceased to exist.

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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