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 132

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 132

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CARL W. SCHIELD, of the firm of Schield & Kuhl, furniture dealers, Merrill, was born in Milwaukee, Nov. 26, 1858. He settled in

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HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY.

Merrill in 1866, and began business. He was married Dec. 10, 1880, at Merrill, to Amelia Wilke, who was born in Germany, Dec. 19, 1858.

JAMES W. SCOTT, proprietor Merrill livery stables, was born in Canada East, Sept. 6, 1842. He first settled in Oasis, Waushara Co., in 1855, where he lived seven years. Then he went to Minnesota, and drove stage for several years. From there he went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and then to Denver, in the employ of the Wells & Fargo Stage Co. He lived there three years, driving between the latter place and Salt Lake City. From there he went on the Cheyenne and Wyoming stage ; then to the Kit Carson and Lake Station stage road, and from there to Baxter Springs, Ark., where he was a short time on the Baxter Springs and Sherman, Texas, route. From there he went to Ft. Smith, Ark., and drove to Pierce City, Mo. Then he drove from Ft. Smith to Muskogee, Ind. Ter. From there he returned to Sherman, Texas, and drove to Gainesville, Texas. Then to Ft. Smith, Ark., where he rigged up a four-horse team and wagon, took his family, and came overland to Wausau. They were two months on the route. Then he went to freighting, to Lake Somo, and then ran a freight and express between Wausau and Merrill ; also ran a stage one and one-half years, until the advent of the Wisconsin Valley Railroad. He was born in Canada East, Sept. 6, 1842. He was married Sept. 1, 1872, at Ft. Smith, Ark., to Mrs. Margaret Campbell. She was born in Indian Territory, Jan. 28, 1845. She has one son by her first husband, named John Campbell. They have one boy, named Clyde Scott.

CHARLES E. SEARL, watchmaker and jeweler, Merrill, was born in Grand Rapids, Wis., March 14, 1851. He spent his boyhood in that city. Then his parents moved to Adams County, where he lived over a year, when he returned to Grand Rapids and learned the jeweler's trade. He lived three years and a half, then went to Wautoma. He came to Merrill, November, 1879. He was married at Wautoma, Dec. 23, 1875, to Emma A. Bean, who was born in Wautoma, Dec. 31, 1859. They have had three children-Eddie W., Glen C. (now deceased), and Karl.

O. B. SMITH, lumberman, Merrill, was born in Erie, Pa., Sept. IO, 1823. He first settled at Trapp River, in 1844. He lived there but a short time, then went to Wausau, and made that his headquarters until 1853, dealing in lumber and logs. Then he located at Merrill perma- nently, and has since followed his present business. He was married at Kanesville, Ill., in 1856, to Sophronia Ravlin, who was born in Clymer, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., Nov. 22, 1832. They have five children-Katie, Frank and Fred (who were twins), Dora and Charles.

WILLIAM F. SPIEGELBERG, miller, of the firm of Loysen & Spiegelberg, Merrill, was born in Germany, March 28, 1850. He first settled in Wolf River Township, in December, 1854, with his parents, and lived there until the Fall of 1877; came to Merrill, and engaged in his present business. He was married, at Merrill, June 14, 1880, to Ida Plisch, who was born in Berlin Township, Marathon Co., Wis., Dec. 23, 1858. They have one child, Lenora F. The mill of this firm was completed in August, 1878, and has a capacity of from seventy-five to 100 bushels in twenty-four hours.

MITCHELL W. SWEENEY, druggist, Merrill, was born in Grand Island, N. Y., June, 1850. He came, with his parents, to Milwaukee, in the Spring of 1855, remaining there about one year ; then went to Grand Rapids, Wis., where he spent his school-days, he also learning the drug business there. In 1870, he went to Wausau, first clerking in a drug store three years ; then beginning business for himself. This he followed three years; then sold out and went into the lumber business. After following that three years, he came to Merrill, where he is in the drug trade. He was married, at Grand Rapids, 1871, to Lill A. Burdick ; she was born in Deposit, Broome Co., N. Y., Sept. 3, 1853. They have two children, Albert H. and Ethel B.

WILLIAM H. SWINEHART, County Treasurer, Merrill, was born in Avoca, Iowa Co., Wis., Feb. 9, 1855. He spent his boyhood days at the above place, and afterward attended a classical and musical academy at Madison. Graduated at Northwestern Business College, in Madison, June 1, 1874. He went to Merrill, in December following, and engaged in the employ of State Senator Thomas B. Scott, as book-keeper until Jan. I, 1881, when he assumed the duties of his present office, having been elected in November, 1880. He was married, at Merrill, Dec. 17, 1877, to Rhoda J. Kline ; she was born at Gilletts, Bradford Co., Penn., January, 1862. They have one child living, named Leta T. Lena M., born Jan. 6, 1879, is not living.

JULIUS THIELMAN, proprietor City meat market, Merrill, was born in Watertown, Sept. 21, 1858. He lived there until seventeen years of age, and then went to Grand Rapids, Wis. June 1, 1881, he came to Merrill, and opened his present market. He was married, at Grand Rapids, March 18, 1879, to Minnie Plaumer. She was born in Berlin, Prussia, March 28, 1858. They have one child, Amanda.

ROBERT WEISS, hardware, Merrill, was born in Cassville, Wis., June 28, 1857. He spent his school-days there, and in the Spring of 1875 made a journey to Iowa, and located at Shell Rock ; he was there nearly two years, and learned the tinner's trade; then he came to Mer- rill, with a capital of $35 cash. He has been quite successful, as he car-

ries a good stock and is doing a good trade. He was married, at Mer- rill, April 9, 1880, to Mrs. Martha J. Wells, who was born in Yarmouth, N. S. They have one boy, Anton.

JAMES S. WESCOTT, County Superintendent of Schools and Deputy Register of Deeds, Merrill, settled in Horicon, in 1876. He lived there over one year, occupied in the Presbyterian pulpit. He came to Merrill as Presbyterian minister, and remained in that capacity until his election to the Superintendency of Schools in 1880, when he ceased preaching. He was born in Ramapo, Rockland Co., N. Y., Jan. 21, 1848, and was married, in Merrill, April 30, 1881, to Eva Walker. She was born in Friendship, Allegany Co., N. Y., Aug. 11, 1864.

JACOB F. WHITING, practicing physician and surgeon, Merrill. Was born in Bangor, Me., Sept. 24, 1844. He came to Oconto in the Fall of 1856, with his parents, where he remained until the Fall of 1877. He then went to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he studied medicine for two years, graduating from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, March 26, 1879. From there he went to Medary, D. T., and there began the prac- tice of medicine. In the Fall of 1879, he returned to Oconto, and in October, 1879, he came to Merrill, where he entered upon the practice of his profession. He was married at Oconto, Sept. 1, 1865, to Emma Lewis, who was born at Hillsdale, Mich., Feb. 2, 1846. They have four children-Isabel M., Henry W., Annie C. and Jennie.

JOHN WILEY, M. D., Merrill. Was born in Argusville, Mont- gomery Co., N. Y., April 5, 1825. His parents settled near the State line of Wisconsin and Illinois, in the latter State, in 1848, where soon after their arrival, the subject of this sketch began the study of medicine with Dr. Lewis Wood. He continued with him four years, during which he taught several terms. He then practiced a short time with Dr. Blanchand, of Delavan, and from there went to Waukau, where he remained about two years in the practice of his profession. From there he went to Sha- wano, having received inducements to go there, by the Government, as physician for the Indians. He remained about thirteen years in the above place, and during the time, he was elected County Treasurer of Shawano County, which he held ten years. He was also elected to the Legislature for the session of 1859-60. From there he moved to within three miles of Fond du Lac, and engaged in the lumber business and farming. He remained there about eleven years, then moved to De Pere, and practiced medicine. He remained in De Pere one and one half years, then moved to Merrill, where he is at present practicing his profession. He was married at Waukau, November, 1852, to Elizabeth T. Dousman, who was born in Green Bay, in 1827. They have four children-John D., Rosalie, Helen M. and William.

VAN R. WILLARD, dealer in lands, proprietor of abstract office, real estate office and lawyer, Merrill. Settled in this place in the Spring of 1874. He was elected Register of Deeds, at the organization of Lin- coln County, in 1874, re-elected in 1876, 1878 and 1880. He was born in Buffalo, Tioga Co., Penn., June 8, 1842. He lived at Neenah, where he spent his school days, until the beginning of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in Co. G, 3d Wis. V. I. He served three years, and was mus- tered out at Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., June 8, 1864. From there he re- turned to Neenah, Wis., and soon afterward attended Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, at Milwaukee; graduated the following Winter. He afterward studied law, and was admitted to the Bar, at Green Bay, in March, 1873. He was married at Beaver Dam, May 24, 1867, to Cyn- thia E. Perkins, who was born in Owasco, Cayuga Co., N. Y., in 1849. They have one child, Lee M.

WILLIE G. WINCHESTER, groceries and provisions, at the upper part of town, in Prospect Park. Was born in Boston, Mass., Aug. 25, 1858. He came with his parents to Menasha, in 1866, and spent his boyhood days there for eight years, then he went to Oshkosh ; was there four years, and attended school, and clerking in a store. During this time, he went to Iowa, and made a short visit. From Oshkosh he went to Manville, on the Wisconsin Central [Railroad, and remained until October, 1879, employed for Mr. H. H. Chandler, also acting as Post- master. From there he came to Merrill ; still in the employ of Mr. C., and remained with him until May 1, 1881, then he began business for himself.

EDWARD F. ZASTROW, dry goods and groceries, Merrill. Came with his parents to Concord, Jefferson Co., in 1861, where he spent his school days. He came to Merrill, Feb. 16, 1879, and began in the mercantile line with a partner. After seven months, he purchased the whole interest, and soon after closed the stock out. He then bought a new stock of merchandise, and again began trade. He was born in Ger- many, Nov. 5, 1852, and was married Feb. 29, 1876. His wife's maiden name was Johanna Oestreich, she was born in Milwaukee, Dec. 4, IS54. They have two children, Arthur F. and Ollie I.

UNION .- This settlement is partly in the town of Mer- rill and partly in Rock Falls, and consists of a dozen fami- lies from the prairies of Illinois. It is eleven miles to the city, and a road is to be built to the place. The location is on a ridge of hardwood timber, and they have made a good

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

beginning. Among the settlers are S. W. Monroe, W. Spaids, C. C. Monroe, G. Goodier, Sr., H. J. Monroe and G. Goodier, Jr. This makes the twelfth Union in Wiscon- sin.

ROCK FALLS .- This is the place that the old settlers call Grandfather, in honor of the falls, which tumble down a good many feet, well nigh a hundred. The average histor- ian rejoices over any name, however awkward or inappro- priate, if it is unlike any other name, and it might as well be said right here that Wisconsin has shown a want of in- vention in this regard that is most exasperating. Names seem so scarce that three rivers had to be called Menomo- nee, two or three Fox, not to mention hundreds of other evidences of a paucity. of names that can offer no excuse for its existence except downright stupidity. Now these remarks are made for the benefit of Lincoln County and Northern Wisconsin generally, which will have so many names to bestow in the coming time. But to return to

GRANDFATHER .- This place has a stage line to Merrill, and it has hotels and saloons, and is logging head-quarters for the region. It has the elements of growth.

DUDLEY-On Prairie River, eighteen miles northeast of

Merrill. A new settlement. Two and one-half years ago it was an unbroken wilderness; now it is dotted with dwel- lings and openings for farms. Fifty families already have homes here. William West, Henry Dudley, M. M. East- man, E. E. Sweet and others came from Winnebago and Calumet counties.

ACKLEY .- This settlement, eighteen miles from Merrill, on the east, is filling up rapidly. John Nelson, Ben. Tyler, F. P. Kennedy, G. Berry, M. Berry, M. Lloyd and D. Hodgkiss are among the pioneers here.

PINE RIVER .- A settlement a few miles below Merrill, on the railroad and Pine River, with several hundred peo- ple, and half as many transient men during a part of the time. Large amounts of cord wood are delivered at the station. There are good schools, and improving farms all around.

OTTER RAPIDS .- The location of a lumber camp, well up in the county. Joe Kathon, in 1880, put in 3,000,000 feet of logs, and G Gumaer, a like amount ; John Wood- lock, 5,000,000, and McDonald's lower camp, 5,000,000.

PRAIRIE RIVER .- This is an embryonic town, with ele- ments of a future prosperity, a few miles up that river from Merrill.

LA CROSSE COUNTY.

THE WINNEBAGO CONFEDERACY AND INDIAN OCCUPA- TION.

For this article we are indebted to Judge George Gale's valuable work, " The Upper Mississippi," to whose compilation he gave years of labor and research, and which was the crowning effort of a most noble and useful life :

When Sienr Jean Nicolet visited the O-chunk-o-raws, or Winnebagoes, at Green Bay, in 1639,* he spoke of them as then " sedentary and very numerous," but this fact has since been doubted, as, the following year, they were nearly exterminated by the Illinois, and if so easily exterminated, it was thought they could not have been very numerous. Again, it was said by authors, that the Winnebagoes were only an insignificant band of the Sioux, speaking a dialect of the Sioux language. But later investigations into the language of the Ochunk- oraws and several other Western tribes, seem to estab- lish the fact that they are the parent nation to a con- federacy of an independent language, reaching from Lake Superior south to the Red River, and composed of the Winnebagoes, Menomonees lowas, Missouris, Osages, Kansas, Quapaws, Otoes, Omahas, Poncas, Man- dans, and perhaps others.

On this subject, Rev. William Hamilton, who had for fifteen years been a missionary among the Iowas, and had published a grammar of their language, in an-

swer to questions from H. R. Schoolcraft, wrote as fol lows: " There is no more difference between the lan- guage of the Iowas, Otoes and Menomonees than be- tween the language of a New Englander and a South- erner. A few words are common to one tribe and not to another. They say the Winnebago is the full lan- guage. This may be true; if so, the Iowa, Otoe and Missouri languages would be one dialect ; the Omaha and Ponca another ; the Konza, Osage, Quapaw and Apaches (a band of the Osages), another ; or, perhaps, the Omahas, Poncas, Konzas, etc., might all be called * one dialect. * * The Osage, Konza, Quapaw, etc., are the same language. The Omaha and Ponca are the same. Many words of the Winne- bagoes are the same in Iowa."-("Schoolcraft's History of the Indian Tribes," Part IV, pages 405, 406.)

In the same volume, page 227, J. E. Fletcher, Esq., Indian Agent to the Winnebagoes, writes : " The Win- nebagoes claim that they are an original stock, and that the Missouris, Iowas, Otoes and Omahas sprang from them. These Indians call the Winnebagoes their elder brothers, and the similarity of their language renders it probable that they belong to the same stock. Even in 1670, the Winnebagoes told Rev. Father Allouez that ' there were only certain people of the Southwest who spoke as they did.' "

To this testimony we may add that of Mr. Saterlee Clark, an old Winnebago trader. and one of the few who ever learned the language, that he could converse with and understand the lowas, and that the Iowas called themselves O-chunk-o-raws. Also the statement of the Winnebagoes to Gen. Sully, that they spoke the

*Jean Nicolet visited Green Bay in 1634, not in 1639, as has been stated by historians for many years. Recent investigation has developed this fact. l'ide " History Northern Wisconsin," Western Historical Co., Chicago ; " Nicolet's Discovery of the Northwest," by C. W. Butterfield ; Robert Clark & Co., Cincinnati ..

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HISTORY OF [LA CROSSE COUNTY.

same language as the Omahas; and the further state- ment of James Reed, Esq., of Trempealean County, Wis., to the writer, that he had not been able to learn the Winnebago language on account of its being so deeply gutteral, notwithstanding he had many years spoken Sioux, been a farmer and trader among them, and had a cousin of the chief Wabasha as his wife. This, we imagine, makes a strong case against the asser- tion that the Winnebago is only a dialect of the Sioux.

When Sieur Nicolet assembled four or five thous- and Winnebagoes, Sioux, Illinois and Pottawatomies at Green Bay, in 1639 [1634-see foot note] for a gen- eral council, is it not probable that there came also the Menomonees, Iowas, Osages and other kindred bands of the Winnebagoes, and from their numbers he cor- rectly came to the conclusion that the Winnebagoes were "sedentary and very numerous ?" They then evidently occupied the territory from near Mackinaw, southwest to the Red River, extending east as far as the Illinois River, the Mississippi and the Lower Ohio Valley. For over thirty years later, and after the ad- vent of the fugitive Algonquins, the eight Illinois bands were on Illinois River as their real homes, al- though Marquette, January 25, 1673, found the Peo- rias on the Mississippi when descending the river ; but they had returned to the Illinois when he came back, some two months later. Rev. Father Allouez also found the Illinois on the Illinois River in 1677. Thus was evidently situated in the Winnebago Confereracy in 1634, "sedentary and very numerous.

O-CHUNK-O-RAW.

The tradition of the O-chunk-o-raw claims that the tribe was created at the Mok-kau-shoots-raw, on Red Earth Banks, on the south shore of Green Bay. They were known to the Algonquin tribe by the name of " Winnebagoec," or people of the salt water; and as the Algonquin word for salt water and stinking water was the same, the French gave them the name of La Puants, or stinkards. They, however, call themselves O-chunk-o-raw.

The tribe was spoken of by Sieur Champlain, who visited Lake Huron in 1615, and the singularity of their name probably induced the French Governor of Canada to send Sieur Nicolet, his Indian interpreter to visit them in 1634, in hopes of discovering the Western ocean .* They continued to occupy Green Bay, Fox River, and Lake Winnebago until modern times, and were generally allies of the Sacs and Foxes in the old Indian wars. They were, after 1754, allies of the French while they held Canada, and afterward of the British, until the close of the war in 1812.

In 1816, the United States concluded a treaty of peace with the Portage bands, under the chief Choo- ke-kaw, or the Ladle, more commonly known by his French name, " De Cora." This band agreed to sep- arate themselves from the balance of the tribe until they made a treaty of peace also, and delivered up their prisoners. The O-chunk-o-raws joined the tribes

at the great council with the United States, held at Prairie du Chien, August 19, 1825. This gave to the Winnebagoes the country bounded as follows: "South- easterly by Rock River, from its source near the Win- nebago Lake to the Winnebago village, about forty miles above its mouth ; westerly, by the east line of the tract lying upon the Mississippi, herein secured to the Ottawas, Chippewas and Pottawatomies of the Illinois ; and also by the high bluff described in the Sioux boundary, and running north to Black River; from this point the Winnebagoes claim up Black River to a point due west from the source of the Left Fork of the Ouisconsin to the Portage, and across the Port- age to Fox River; thence down Fox River to the Winnebago Lake, and to the grand Kau-kaulin, in- cluding in this claim the whole of Winnebago Lake."

In a second treaty, August 11, 1827, between the United States and the Chippewas, Menomonees and Winnebagoes, our Government stipulated that "the sum of $1,000 shall be annually appropriated, for the term of three years; and the sum of $1,500 shall be annually thereafter appropriated as long as Congress thinks proper, for the education of the children of the tribes, parties thereto, and of the New York Indians near Green Bay, to be expended under the direction of the President of the United States.

In 1827, some Winnebagoes attacked and killed eight Chippewas near Fort Snelling, whereupon the Commandant of that fort took four of the offending Winnebagoes and delivered them to the Chippewas, who immediately put them to death. Red Bird's band soon after attacked two keel-boats at the mouth of Coon Slough, on the Mississippi, killing two and wound- ing six whites; while Red Bird himself killed two whites at Prairie du Chien. The settlers at once or- ganized for war, electing Gen. Dodge, commander. Gen. Atkinson, with a small force of regular troops, marched up the Wisconsin, and, joined by the forces of Gen. Dodge, advanced to attack the Winnebagoes in force at the Portage ; but on their arrival received overtures from the Indians, who delivered up Red Bird and six others as the guilty parties, which ended the difficulty.

The next year, 1828, the United States made an un- successful attempt to purchase the Winnebago lands, including the lead mines, and failed.

In 1829, by a treaty concluded at Prairie du Chien, concluded August 1 of that year, the tribe ceded their territory south of the Wisconsin River, and west of a line running south from Lake Puckaway, by Duck Creek, Fourth Lake, near Madison, Sugar River and Pee-ku-tal-a-ka, by which the Winnebago interest in the mines was secured to the United States. The consid- eration for the territory purchased was $8,000, paid annually for thirty years; $30,000 in goods paid down, and 30,000 pounds of tobacco, and fifty barrels of salt, delivered annually for thirty years.

By treaty, on September 15, 1832, the Winnebagoes ceded to the United States all the balance of their lands south of the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, for which the Government gave them an interest in the " neutral grounds" west of the Mississippi, an annual annuity for twenty-seven successive years of $10,000, and further agreed to establish and maintain a school at Prairie du

* Nicolet's mission was to confirm peace between the Hurons (allies of the French) and the Western tribes, for the purpose of increasing the trade in furs. His journey was not one of exploration, in a geographical sense, but was commercial in its character. He went westward to wilh- in about three days' travel of the Wisconsin, not the Mississippi, as has been erroneously stated.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

Chien for twenty-seven years, at an annual expense not exceeding $3,000; support six agriculturists for twenty-seven years; pay not exceeding $2,500 for twelve yoke of oxen and agricultural implements ; pay the Rock River band 1,500 pounds of tobacco per an- num ; and pay $200 per annum each for the services of two physicians, one stationed at Fort Winnebago and the other at Prairie du Chien. The treaty contained some small grants of land to half-breeds, and required the surrender of eight Indians, charged with the mur- der of some whites in the Black Hawk war.

By another treaty, November 1, 1837, the Winne- bagoes ceded to the United States all the balance of their territory on the east side of the Mississippi River, and certain interests on the west side, for which the Government paid $1,500,000. Of this amount, $100,- 000 was to be expended in goods, horses, provisions, opening farms and expenses of the removal of the In- dians west of the Mississippi, where the tribe engaged to go in eight months after the ratification of the treaty. However, they did not perform that agree- ment until 1840. A new treaty was entered into at Washington, D. C., October 13, 1846, by which the tribe surrendered all their interest in lands in the United States, for which the United States engaged to give the tribe 800,000 acres of land north of the St. Peters, or Minnesota River, for a residence, and pay in addition $190,000. The chiefs selected a tract north of the Watab, but the tribe was generally dissatisfied with the location, and the most of them remained scat- tered about the country.

In 1853, a new treaty was made, by which they were allowed to change their location to the Crow River; but the ratification of this treaty was refused on the remonstrance of the people of Minnesota. The matter was compromised by the United States, and in February, 1855, the chiefs were permitted to select their land on the Blue Earth River, south of the Min- nesota. Here the tribe settled the same Spring, high- ly satisfied with their land, and immediately com- menced building houses and improving land. So well had they succeeded that the Government Agent at St. Paul, in 1860, reported as follows :

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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