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 12

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 12

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A Library Association was organized in November, 1872. The first officers were : Sam S. Fifield, president ; Jas. A. Wilson, treasurer; C. H. Pratt, secretary. The society prospered for several years. Meetings were held often, and debates and reading of essays were a feature of the pro- gramme. The association kept up until the town library was started, when this organization was discontinued.

The Press .-- The first paper published in this locality was the Bayfield Mercury, by Hamilton Hatch. Its initial number was issued June 20, 1857, at Bayfield, in the building now owned and occupied by James Chapman. It was printed, with an occasional omission, until October of the same year, when it was discontinued. The office materials, press, etc., were put in charge of S. S. Vaughn, who sold them to pay the debts incurred in the original purchase. A part of the type was sent to Detroit. In October, 1859, Joe H. Campbell purchased the press and started the Bayfield Press, with a part of the Mercury's material. The Press was issued irregularly until some time in the Spring of 1861, when it "starved out," and the material was shipped down the lake. The papers were the same size as the present Press; both were Democratic, and regular Simon-pure Breckenridge- Bourbon at that, though Joe Campbell himself was an Abo- litionist. On the 13th of October, 1870, the Bayfield Press was established and issued by Sam S. and H. O. Fifield, edited by the latter. Its publication was discontinued June 1, 1872, the Ashland Press succeeding it the week following at Ashland, being printed with the same material, and pub- lished and edited by Sam S. and H. O. Fifield, Sam S. having joined H. O. in the Ashland enterprise and assumed the editorial and business management, with H. O. as local editor. The Press was continued under this management until June 1, 1874, when Sam S. purchased H. O.'s inter- est, enlarged the paper, and has since published it.

The Chronicle made its first appearance, April 3, 1880, edited by W. M. Tomkins. It received a liberal support from the people of Ashland County; but, being run as a branch of an Oshkosh publication, upon the latter failing, the Chronicle suspended, about three months after its in- troduction here.

The Hotel Chequamegon was erected by the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company in 1877, under contract of Perinier & White, of Ashland. It was opened, under the manage- ment of Pratt & Andress, August 1, 1877. In 1878, Pratt was succeeded by Stephen Knowlton, and the firm became An- dress & Knowlton. In 1879, Sam S. Fifield was the lessee, with Charles L. Andress as assistant manager, who ran it till May 1, 1880, when Abner Ross superintended it till August 1. He was succeeded by Samuel H. Brown, who now man- ages it for the railroad company. The hotel is situated on an elevated plateau, about 300 feet from the lake. It is built in the shape of the letter L, 120 feet front by So deep ; has a wing back, for kitchen and laundry; is three stories in height, affording 400 feet of verandahs; contains sixty guest rooms; large dining-room, with seatings for 100 people ; large office and parlors on ground-floor ; is fitted with electric bells, and furnished nicely throughout; has a bowling-alley and billiard room attached. Its supply of

water is pumped from the lake to reservoirs to an elevation, so as to give force at the hydrants; and has large grounds surrounding it, with a park in front.

Colby House, the first hotel and third frame building erected in Ashland, was built by J. M. Davis, the present proprietor, in the Spring of 1871, and was rebuilt in 1881. It is situated on Second and Vaughn streets, and has a capacity for forty people.

There are numerous other hotels in the place, among which should be mentioned the Lindell Hotel, Hopkins House, Central House, Penoka House, Scandinavian Hotel, Peterson's Hotel, and White River House. Several private boarding-houses receive guests during the Summer season.

The Lumber interest of Ashland is assuming consider- able proportions. There are three large mills located here, and the promise of two more to be built before another year passes by. It is estimated that the cut for the season of 1881, will amount to 20,000,000 feet, most of which is shipped east by the lakes. There are probably 2,000,000,000 feet tributary to Ashland.

Ashland Lumber Company erected the first mill on Chequamegon Bay in 1872. The company was organized at the same time, with the following officers : C. A. Sheffield, president ; E. H. Moore, secretary and treasurer. The same officers hold now with the exception of Mr. Moore, who was succeeded by W. R. Sutherland in 1874. The mill has a capacity of 50,000 feet in eleven hours. The company ships a large portion of its lumber west, via Duluth, for the Northern Pacific trade, but the better grades go east to Chicago, and have shipped considerable as far east as Burlington, Vt.

Union Mill Company .- This company was organized April, 1878. The mill was built the same year. The first officers were : H. J. James, president ; S. Blake, vice-presi- dent ; W. R. Durfee, secretary ; George Remington, treasurer. The present officers are : H. J. James, presi- dent and manager; J. H. James, vice-president ; W. R. Durfee, secretary and treasurer. The company owns a fine dock. The mill has a capacity of 55,000 feet per day. The estimated manufacture for season 1881, is 7,000,000 feet. Their shipment goes mostly to Chicago, with some to Duluth and the Canada trade.

Mueller & Ritchie built their mill at Bay City in 1881. It has a capacity of 60,000 feet per day.

There is also a planing mill, sash and door factory, George White, proprietor.

The usual trades are represented here by shops and work- men.

Ashland Boom and Canal Co. was organized in 1881. The officers are : R. F. Sprague, president ; H. M. Fuller, vice-president ; T. J. Potter, treasurer; John H. Knight, secretary.

The first brewery was built in Bay City, but was discon- tinued after a short time. The Ashland Brewery was built in 1872, by Frank Schottmuller. Additions were made in 1878. The products are disposed of locally.

The steam boats of the Lake Superior Transit Company for Buffalo and Duluth, connect with this point at Bayfield. The Lake Michigan & Lake Superior Transportation Com- pany's boats touch at this place, en route to Duluth and Chi- cago. The steamer " Manistee," belonging to this company, plys between Hancock and Duluth, touching at this point. The little steamers "Favorite" and " Eva Wadsworth," carry freight and passengers between Ashland and Bayfield.

The first dock built in new Ashland was constructed by S. S. Vaughn, in 1872, at the foot of Lake street into the lake about 1,000 feet. In 1881, during the storm, the drifting logs lifted off a part of the upper covering of the dock for about 250 feet. The Wisconsin Central Railroad

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

dock was built in 1873; runs into the lake 1,500 feet ; cost $30,000, and is one of the finest in the country.

In 1872, E. F. Prince established an express line, be- tween Ashland and Duluth in connection with the Lake Superior Express, connecting at Duluth with the United States Express Company, in Summer by the lake and Winter by stage, this continued to the time when the rail- road was completed, when it was discontinued, and the business is now done by the American Express Company.

In December, 1872, the panic striking the country dis- organized the plans of the railroad company to such an extent that the Phillips-Colby Construction Company was obliged to suspend work on the Lake Superior Division. This suspension threw out of employment 800 men, who were located in various camps along the line between Ash- land and Penoka. Orders were received by Capt. W. W. Rich, superintendent, to notify the men to quit work and to remain in camp till the paymaster came. Some two weeks elapsed before he arrived with the funds, during which time many of the gangs mutinied, and, in attempting to pay off, the paymaster and his assistants were driven from the line back to town by a mob at Kelley's camp. On arriving in town, Capt. Rich demanded protection for him- self and assistants and the property of the company. The town authorities, being helpless, called upon Nelson Boutin, Sheriff of Ashland and Bayfield counties, residing at Bay- field (united at that time for judicial purposes), who, on the night of January 1, 1873, arrived with forty-two men armed, equipped with muskets, under command of Capt. Pike, of Bayfield. The Sheriff and posse remained in Ash- land two weeks and preserved order until the men were paid off and safely transported out of the country, Subse- quently the State Legislature passed a bill paying Sheriff Boutin and men for their services.

In 1873 the Town Board purchased ten acres for a cem- etery, situated about one and a half miles south of the vil- lage, on a high range overlooking the bay. The first man buried there was John Maituguin, who was killed October 24, 1873.

In July, 1874, an attempt was made to blow up the county jail, but without any effect. None of the five boys were ever caught.

January 1, 1878, will long be remembered by the citi- zens of Ashland and Bayfield as being the scene of one of the most extraordinary occurrences ever recorded in the history of the Lake Superior region, viz. : an excursion from Ashland to Bayfield and return on New-year's-day by the steamer " Eva Wadsworth," Capt. Patrick.

October 15, 1880, witnessed one of the worst storms on Lake Superior ; considerable damage was done about the harbor, a number of small boats were demolished, the dock at the hotel was badly wrecked, and about 150 feet of Vaughn's dock was washed away. Other docks and boat- houses were more or less damaged.

The Government established a Signal Service station at this point in June, 1881, under charge of M. J. Hart, who is also State Treasury Agent. John Maher is the lumber inspector.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

B. F. BICKSLER, furniture, Ashland, was born in Fairfax Co., Va., Jan. 19, 1834. He was raised on the farm, but learned the car- penter's trade, and came to Bayfield, Wis., where he worked at this business. In 1856 he went to Michigan, but returned to Bayfield, where he began the manufacture of shingles. In 1872, came to Ashland, where he worked at his trade, aiding in the building of the court-house and the Chequamegon llotel. In 1874 he opened a furniture store, under the name of Bicksler & Co. He bought the other interest, and now conducts the business himself, also working at his trade. He car- ries a stock of $2,000, and does a business of $4.000. In 1859 le mar- ried Miss N. A. Pike, of Bayfield. They have had seven children-

Burd, Lizzie and Frank, living; Rosa, Walter, Eddie and Flora, de- ceased. Mr. Bicksler is a Mason, and belongs to the Methodist Episco- pal Church.

THOMAS BARDEN, real estate, Ashland, was born in Maysville. Mason Co., Ky., Oct. 22, 1848. and came to Superior City in 1857, with his parents, who live there now. In 1871 he was engaged as one of the engineer corps on the survey of the North Pacific Railroad from Lake Superior to Red River, under Gen, Spaulding. At about the same time he became interested in the local department of the Superior Times. In 1872 he moved to Ashland, and opened a real estate office ; also taught school, the first in what is called new Ash- land. He bought the Superior Times in 1876, and is now its proprietor, He is also interested in lumbering. He has been on the Democratic Central Committee, and held the position of Deputy United States Marshal.

CHARLES A. CAMPBELL, saloon, Ashland, was born in Roch- ester, N. Y., Feb. 6, 1845. In 1861 he enlisted in the 13th N. Y. V. I .; re-enlisted in the 3d Mich. Cav., and, in 1865, was mustered out. He went to Missouri, and traveled generally through the South, and then, having contracted a fever in Texas, went to Montana and Dakota. He stopped for a while in Bismarck, and then came to Ashland County, and kept a hotel in Chippewa until the Spring of ISS1, when he came to Ashland and opened a saloon. He was married Nov. 3, 1880, to Hattie Tyler, of Bayfield. They have one child, Lewis Ellis.

J. M. DAVIS, hotel, Ashland, was born in Belmont Co., Ohio, 1826. He came to Minnesota, and located near St. Paul on a home- stead farm of 160 acres, having been a soldier in the Mexican war, un- der Gen. Taylor. He remained on his farm for two years, when he went to steamboating, as clerk and bar-keeper, which business he continued till 1864, when he opened a hotel at Lake Como, Minn .; from there he moved to St. Paul, and thence to Ashland in 1871, and built the first hotel there, called the Colby House, which he rebuilt in 1881, the build- ing costing some $6,000. In 1862 he married Miss Sophia Johnson, of St. Paul. They have two boys-George and Charlie.

W. R. DURFEE, lumberman, Ashland, came to the shores of Lake Superior in 1856, and engaged in trading in furs on Vermillion Bay and Rainy Lakes. In the Summer of 1865, when the gold excitement occurred, he was estimating and locating claims on Superior River and near Fond du Lac. In 1872, came to Ashland, and helped to organize the Union Mill Company, of which he is a partner, and in Spring, 1881, was appointed Indian Agent.

EDWIN ELLIS. M. D., Ashland, was born in Oxford Co., Me., May 24, 1824; commenced his education at Farmington Academy, after- ward attending Colby University, in Waterville, about 1841 and 1842; went to Bowdoin College, taking final course of lectures in the Univer- sity of the city of New York. He then returned to Farmington, Me., where he entered on his practice, remaining there till 1854, when he moved to St. Paul, Minn., and in February, 1855, moved to Ashland and squatted on his present location, He went to Dubuque, and getting the survey ordered, came back and took up his land, and proceeded to settle the section, and had some thirty families here when the panic of 1857 came. One after the other left, until, 1861, he, too, went away, and took the Indian boarding school on Bad River, where he staid till 1866. He then went to Ontonagon, Mich., and opened a drug store, and practiced till 1873, when he returned to Ashland, having granted half of his property to the railroad company, the other part being what now constitutes Ellis's Addition to Ashland. He is engaged in his profes- sion, and has a drug store. He erected his dwelling in 1873. In 1878 he was appointed County Judge, and now holds the office. He was married in 1850 to Miss Martha B. Baker, of New Sharon, Me. They have four children-Augusta S., Danielia, Edwin H. and J. Scott. Dr. Ellis was first master of the Masonic Lodge, which was organized in 1877.

SAM S. FIFIELD, editor and proprietor of the Ashland Press, is prominently identified with the history of Northern Wisconsin. lle was born in Corinna, Penobscot Co., Maine, June 24, 1839; the second son of Samuel S. and Naomi Fifield, The name is one noted for its pioneer experiences ; both the father and mother springing from old and well-known families. The early years of the subject of this sketch were spent in the city of Bangor, where his parents located when he was but three years of age. He attended the city schools, until the death of his mother caused the breaking up of the family, and sent him, a lad of ten years, to seek his fortune. For four years he was employed as chore boy and clerk in a store ; but at the expiration of that time, his father concluded to remove West, taking the two sons, H. O. and Sam S., with him, to Rock Island, Ill., arriving there Oct, 2, 1853. The older son is now a well-known editor in northern Michigan. In the Spring of 1854, the family removed to Prescott, Pierce Co., Wis., landing in the State on the 17th of April. Three days later, Sam ob- tained employment as clerk in the store of John R. Freeman, where he remained about one year ; then became clerk and steward of the Pres- cott Hotel, owned by C. P. Barnard, now of St. Paul ; remained until

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.

Oct. 20, 1856, when he entered the store of Wells & Stillman, gen- eral merchants, and served until the firm closed their business in the Fall of 1858. During the Winter of that year, Sam clerked for J. M. McKee, dealer in books and stationery ; and in the Spring of 1859, not being able to obtain employment to his liking, he shipped as night watch with Capt. A. B. Green on the steamer "Equator," plying between Prescott 'and Taylor's Falls. He was soon promoted to steward and second clerk, which position he held when the steamer was wrecked, near Hudson, in May. After completing the season on the "Kate Castle," he returned to his former place with J. M. McKee, where he remained until Feb. 16, 1860, when, having formed the acquaintance of Capt. Frank H. Pratt, now a merchant of Rush City, Minn., then foreman of the Prescott Transcript, published by Charles E. Voung, he accompanied that gentleman to Taylor's Falls, as an apprentice and business assistant in the publication of the Taylor's Falls Reporter, the first paper worthy of note established in the upper St. Croix Valley. Mr. Pratt, accom- panied by his family and young Fifield, arrived at the Falls on the 19th of February, 1860. The press and materials for the office were taken there at the same time, and the paper was issued a few days later ; the proprietor setting the first stick of type, and his apprentice pulling the press that printed the first sheet. Soon after the office received Ed. Folsom, present editor of the Journal, as "devil," and the subject of our sketch was promoted to the foremanship. He remained with Mr. Pratt until January. 1861, when ill health compelled him to give

Dam. Sifield.

up the business. After a short visit to his friends at Prescott, he re- turned and accepted the position of toll-keeper on the bridge between Taylor and St. Croix Falls. Here he remained until Nov. I. 1861, when, a situation being offered him as foreman of the St. Croixan, a paper that had but a few months previous been established at St. Croix Falls by J. D. Reymert and Junius A. Bartlett, he accepted it. On the Ist of December, the press and material were taken to Osceola Mills, the county seat of Polk County, and the Polk County Press was issued, the entire type-setting and press-work being done by him. On the 2d of April, 1862, he purchased the newspaper from Mr. Reymert, and became its editor and proprietor. From that day the Polk County Press and its editor were recognized institutions of the upper valley, the paper increasing rapidly in influence and circulation, and its editor gaining a wide-spread acquaintance throughout Wisconsin and the Northwest. It was in stirring times that the Press was first issued. The dark clouds of war and treason overshadowed the Republic. The Press was im- mediately enlisted on the side of loyalty and the Union, and was earnest in support of the Government and its flag. The St. Croixan under Rey- mert's control was Democratic, but under the new management it threw party to the winds, and supported the policy that Lincoln inaugurated to crush treason and save the Union. Its columns, during the long years that saw the beginning and the end of the great rebellion, teemed with earnest, patriotic editorials, and contained a history of the defeats and victories that followed the trail of its glorious armies. After peace, the Press became the earnest advocate and representative of Northern Wisconsin, and did much to attract attention to the varied resources of Polk County, and the country generally, inducing immigration and capital into the val-

ley. In the busy and toilsome life that had so far followed his fortunes, Mr. Fifield had found time to study and gain a good practical business education, which adverse circumstances had deprived him of acquiring in the usual course of school training. After he had fully established him- self in business, he took to himself a partner, in the person of Miss Stella A. Grines, niece of Silas Humphrey, then a merchant of Taylor's Falls. They were married at Prescott, Sept. 20, 1863, and since with her husband, she has become well known and highly esteemed by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. The times that had witnessed the establishment of the Press had also drawn together the kindred souls of the earnest and patriotic men of the frontier, and its editor soon became intimately associated with the leaders and politicians of that day. The Press became the leading advocate of Republicanism for the northern tier of counties forming the frontier district of Wisconsin, which began to attain political importance and return large Republican majorities. Meantime, the northern counties, owing to the building of the Wisconsin Central Railroad, from Milwaukee to Ashland, assumed importance, and the development there presenting a favorable opportunity for business enterprise, Mr. Fifield decided to remove to Ashland and join his brother, whom he had already established at Bayfield in the printing busi- ness, in starting a newspaper at the terminus of that road. The ma- terial, good will and patronage of the Polk County Press were quickly transferred to Charles E. Mears, who had served with the proprietor as devil, journeyman and partner, and in the Spring of 1872, after twelve years of constant and active labor, he removed to Ashland, and estab- lished, with his brother as partner, the Ashland Press, of which he is now editor and sole proprietor, He was elected chairman of the first Board of Supervisors of the new town, and has since been prominent in many of its business enterprises and as one of its foremost citizens. During his residence in the St. Croix Valley, he held several offices of honor and trust in his town and in the State Legislature. In 1870, he was assistant Sergeant-at-Arms of the Assembly, to which position he was promoted by the unanimous vote of his party in 1871 and 1872. In 1874, he was elected to the Assembly, receiving a majority of 1,326 votes over his Democratic opponent, Amos Gray. He was returned by largely increased majorities in 1875 and 1876. He was chosen Speaker of the Assembly of 1876, receiving the unanimous nomination of his party caucus. In the Fall of 1876, he was elected State Senator to fill the un- expired term of Hon. Henry D. Barron, who had resigned to accept the judgeship of the 11th judicial circuit. In the Fall of 1879, he was again elected Senator for the term of two years, viz .: 1880 and 1881, his term expiring Jan, 1, 1882. While in the Legislature he has served on many important committees. Of Mr. Fifield it can be truly said that he is a self-made man. By his industry and business integrity he rap- idly gained warm personal friends, who have never had occasion to re- gret his acquaintance or their fellowship with him. He has served his constituency with ability, fidelity, and with an earnestness that has been successful in gaining for his section of the State both favor and prominence. As his history shows, he commenced as a poor boy, and worked his way up the ladder by his own exertions, and his record is one that is certainly creditable to himself and his many friends.

CHARLES FISHER, merchant, Ashland. was born in Detroit, Mich., Nov. 6, 1827. He lived at home until 1849, and received his education in Detroit. In 1849 and 1850 he entered the service of S. McKnight, at Plymouth, and soon after went to Eagle River as a clerk. He was engaged in this business for years, and lived somewhere on the shores of Lake Michigan up to 1871, when he came to Ashland, and with S. S. Vanghn put up Vaughn's Dock, and engaged in a forwarding and commission business. In 1873 they met a loss in a railroad tie con- tract, and in 1875 dissolved partnership, but continued in the store until 1878, when he commenced taking contracts for building and merchandis- ing. He owns or has an interest in considerable real estate. In 1860 he married Miss Anna McGlancey, of Ireland. They have had eight children-Thomas Mary, James, Anita, Willard, Max, Ellis and Ada, the latter not living. Mr. Fisher was Deputy County Treasurer in 1877 and 1878, and has held town and school offices.

R. W. FRENCII, hardware, Ashland, was born in Dummerston, Windham Co., Vt., March 20, 1830. He went to live in Erie Co., N. Y., where he learned the tinner's trade. He worked in Buffalo and from there went to Racine, Wis., back to Pennsyl- vania, then to Ohio, and finally went to LaCrosse, Wis., and bought a shop and built a dwelling ; but, thinking to do better, he went to St. Paul for a short time, and then returning to LaCrosse, sold out and moved at once to Superior City, Wis. In IS72 moved to Ashland and opened store to a good business in hardware and stoves. Ile now carries a stock of $2,500 and does a business of $4,000 a year. In 1853 he mar- ried Miss Rosetta Marr, of Ohio. She died, leaving eight children-Ellen (now Mrs. Tanner), Emma, Eva, Fred, Clara, Mary, Frank and Rosa. In 1873 he married Miss Mary Vosburg, who died in 1874; he then married his present wife, Miss M. J. Ilasey, of Maine. He belongs to the Masonic lodge, and is deacon in the Presbyterian Church.

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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