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 133

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 133

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"There have been raised by individual Indians as high as sixty acres of wheat on a single farm. The reservation presents the appearance of as much im- provement as the surrounding country, and, in fact, when viewing the comfortable log and frame houses that dot the reservation as far as the eye can reach, it presents a far different scene than is usnal to be found upon Indian reservations, for wigwams are becoming as rare as houses were but two years since."

The same year the teachers of the Indian schools reported one hundred and eighteen pupils enrolled, of which sixty-two were males and fifty-six females ; that they were instructed in the ordinary English branches, and had " as much educational capacity as can be found in any school of equal size."

In the midst of their prosperity, when their civiliza- tion had become almost a certainty, the occurrence of the " Sioux massacre," in June, 1862, dashed their fond hopes to the ground. Notwithstanding the Winneba- goes took no part, bnt offered the services of their war- riors to our Government to help. punish that rebellious

nation, yet the exasperated inhabitants of Minnesota demanded their removal, and Congress, by a special act, directed the President to transport them to the Missouri River with the friendly Sioux.

Accordingly, in May and June, 1863, without any any treaty, they were loaded upon steamers and taken to the Missouri River, where, in the language of a missionary to the writer, " they were, like the Sioux, dumped in the desert 100 miles from Fort Randall."

When the purposes of the Government became known to the tribe, the old chiefs, De Cora, Winne- sheik, Dandy, and their families and some others, fled to Wisconsin, where, near the tunnel, in the Fall of 1864, the venerable old chief, De Cora, who captured Black Hawk in 1832, and sent him to the Government Agent at Prairie du Chien, died in poverty.

Soon after the Winnebagoes were landed at Crow Creek, Dakota Territory, they pronounced the country. not fit for cultivation, and were generally dissatisfied. They soon commenced the manufacture of canoes to return down the river. Brig. Gen. Sully visited their reservation, and July 15, 1863, sent a dispatch to Gen. Pope, in which he remarked : " I find both tribes (Sioux and Winnebagoes) very discontented, and if troops are not constantly kept here, I think there will be trouble.

"The Winnebagoes I find hard at work making canoes, with the intention of quitting the agency and going to join the Omahas, or some other tribes down the river. I had a council with them yesterday, in which they said they had been promised, when they left their last reservation, to be settled on the Big Sioux River. How true that is, I can not say. They also stated that nothing would grow here. They dare not go out to hunt, for fear of the other tribes, and they would all starve to death. This I believe to be true, without the Government intends to ration them all the time. The land is dry, sandy and parched up."

In a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, dated the following day, Gen. Sully remarked :

"I state this from my own knowledge of the coun- try. The land is poor, a low, sandy soil. I don't think you can depend on a crop of corn even once in five years, as it seldom rains here in the Summer. There is no hunting in the immediate vicinity, and the bands of Sioux near here are hostile to them. The Winnebagoes tell me they are friends of the Omahas, and speak nearly the same language. It is their wish to be united with them on the Omaha reservation, and, as they say, the Omahas are in favor of this also. Their last removal from Minnesota was hard for them, for they were not implicated in the late massacre."

The Indian Agent for the Omahas, October 16, 1863, reported the continued arrival of small parties of Winnebagoes at that reservation in a destitute condi- tion, and he was soon after instructed from Washing- ton to provide for all that arrived. In September, 1864, over 1,200 had arrived, and the agent, with the consent of the Omahas, had assigned them a tract of land for temporary cultivation, and they had harvested 100 acres of corn.

Soon after this the Winnebagoes contracted with the Omahas for nearly one-third of their reservation at about thirty-nine cents per acre, of which the Indian Agent said, September 13, 1865 ; " If this arrangement

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HISTORY OF LA CROSSE COUNTY.

be ratified by the Senate the coming Winter, they will become possessed of lands (240 sections) ample in extent for all the purposes of the tribe, abounding in wood and water, and for agricultural purposes equal to the best farming lands in Nebraska."

This contract was finally ratified by the United States Government.

Speaking generally of the Winnebagoes, the Indian Superintendent of the northern department, in Septem- ber, 1865, said : "I can not too strongly recommend this unfortunate and much-abused tribe to the fostering care and protection of the Department. Hurried from their comfortable homes in Minnesota, in 1863, and located at the Crow Creek Agency, where it is impos- sible, one year in six, to raise a crop, either of corn, wheat or potatoes, they have suffered more than any other tribe in the country. They are now subsisted by the Government on the Omaha Reservation, in Nebraska, whither they have all sought refuge to escape starvation, and, under the most favorable auspices, they must continue a charge upon the Government to a greater or less extent for nearly two years to come."

In the August report occur these remarks: " This tribe is characterized by frugality, thrift and industry to an extent unequalled by any other tribe of Indians in the Northwest. Loyal to the Government and peaceful toward their neighbors, they are entitled to the foster- ing care of the General Government."

The removal and unsettled condition of the Winne- bagoes broke up their schools and religious instruction, and in December, 1864, thirty-eight chiefs and head men, at their Omaha residence, petitioned their "Father," the President, among other things, as fol- lows : " It is our sincere desire to have again established among us such schools as we see in operation among your Omaha children. Father, as soon as you find a permanent home for us, will yon not do this for us ? And, Father, as we would like our children taught the Christian religion, as before, we would like our school placed under the care of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. And last, Father, to show you our sincerity, we desire to have set apart for its establish- ment, erection and support all of our school funds, and whatever more is necessary."

The population of this tribe has been variously estimated at different periods. Thus we find in a French document that they had 230 warriors in 1736 ; according to Sir William Johnson, in 1763 they had increased to 360 ; Capt. Carver, in 1766, reduced the number to 200. By a census of the tribe in 1859, they were found to number 2,256 souls, of which 1,055 were males, and 1,201 females ; but by the census of 1865 the whole number had diminished to 1,900. The latter census probably did not include the stragglers in Wis- consin, which were still there in 1866. They have been a vigorous, athletic race, and received from the Sioux a name-O-ton-ta-kah-said to mean " the large and strong people."

In the Spring of 1866, the Winnebagoes finally settled on their Omaha reservation and commenced building houses, of which they had been destitute these years ; they also put on white men's clothing, and have cheerfully settled down, hoping to have a perma- nent home.

The Agent, in his report of Angust 20, 1866, said : " There have returned to the tribe, within the past few weeks, about one hundred soldies, who have served with credit to themselves and to their tribe, in the de- fense of their country. I consider the Winnebagoes one of the best tribes of Indians in the country, and with proper treatment they will soon become a self- sustaining, prosperous and happy people."

By the treaty with the United States, ratified and proclaimed March 28, 1866, the Winnebagoes released their Crow Creek Reservation, and accepted their Omaha Reservation, paid for by the United States. They also were to receive 100 cows, 400 horses, 20 yoke of oxen, and wagons ; have a steam saw and grist mill, and necessary buildings for a complete agency erected, and are to be paid the expenses of re- moval and subsistence for one year.

In the account of Rev. Alfred Barenson, of Prairie du Chien, he says :

Some of Shea's authorities found them at Green Bay as early as 1639. Winnebago is the name given them by the Algonquins, which means " fetid." It was because they were said to have come from the salt water, which the Indians style fetid water. This name, however, is cor- rupted. Weene means filthy or fetid, be water, go gives its character Weenebago is the name of the water in a marsh that is scented or filthy Quinnebago is the French of it. The Algonquins called the Winneba- goes a Dakota tribe, but as there is no analogy between their languages, there is no probability of such relationship. They called themselves Otchagras, but were nicknamed by the French voyager, Puants, fetid, probably translating the Algic into French, and no less than ten different names are given them by different writers.

The various names, and the variations of the same name, are thus treated by an article relating thereto in the Wisconsin Historical Collection of 1856, page 137, which is taken in turn from the Jesuit Relations of 1659-60, 1669-70 :

They are a Dakota tribe, and this name is that given by the Algon- quins, and means "fetid." The French translated it by the word Puants, giving it as a name to the tribe and to Green Bay (Sagard). The early missionaries (Brussana, p. 64, and Marquette) state that they were so called by the Algonquins, as coming from the ocean or salt water, which the Indians style "fetid water." Nicolet called them more properly Gendes mer (men of the sea). The Hurons called the tribe Aweatsiwaent-rhorons, and the Sioux, Otonkah or Sturgeon (Schoolcraft), but they call themselves Otchagras (Charlevoix), Hochungara or Ochun- garand, or Trout Nation, or Horogi (fish eaters), Schoolcraft. Guynon states in his Recollections, page 286, that the name was given by the Menomonees, Win-ne-pa-go, or filthy. They were the original inhabit- ants of Wisconsin, and were often troublesome and hostile. They were allies of Pontiac in 1763, were defeated by Wayne in 1794, and adhered to England in the war of 1812.

From Capt. Carver's North America, page 13, the following statement is given of his first meeting with these Indians :

On the 25th of September, 1766, I arrived at the great town of the Winnebagoes, situated on a small island, just as you enter the east end of Lake Winnebago. Here the Queen who presided over this tribe re- ceived me with great civility, and entertained me in a very distinguished manner during the four days I continued with her. The time I tarried here I employed in making the best observations possible on the country, and collecting the most certain intelligence I could of the origin, lan- guage and customs of this people. From these inquiries, I have reason to conclude that the Winnebagoes originally resided in some of the provinces belonging to New Mexico, and being driven from their native country, either by intestine divisions or by the extension of the Spanish conquests, they took refuge in these more northern parts about a century ago.

My reasons for adopting this supposition, are first from their unalien- able attachment to the Mandawessie Indians (Sioux), who, they say, gave them the earliest succor during their emigration, notwithstanding their present residence is more than 600 miles distant from that people. Secondly, that their dialect differs from every other nation yet discovered, it being very uncouth, guttral jargon, which none of their neighbors will attempt to learn. They converse with other nations in the Chippeway

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

tongue, which is the prevailing language throughout all the tribes, from the Mohawks of Canada to those who inhabit the borders of the Missis- sippi, and from the Hurons and Illinois to such as dwell near Hudson's Bay. Thirdly, from their inveterate hatred to the Spaniards. Some of them informed me that they had made many excursions to the southwest, which took up several moons. An elderly chief, more particularly ac- quainted me that, about forty-six winters ago, he marched at the head of fifty warriors toward the southwest for three moons. That during this expedition, whilst they were crossing a plain, they discovered a body of men on horseback, who belonged to the black people, for so they call the Spaniards. As soon as they perceived them, they proceeded with caution, and concealed themselves till night came on, when they drew so near as to be able to discern the number and situation of their enemies. Fnding they were not able to cope with so great a superiority by day- light, they waited till they had retired to rest, when they rushed upon them, and after having killed the greater part of the men, took eighty horses loaded with what they termed white stone. This I suppose to have been silver ; he told me the horses were shod with it, and that their bridles were ornamented with the same. When they had satiated their revenge, they carried off their spoil, and being got so far as to be out of reach of the Spaniards that had escaped their fury, they left the useless and ponderous burthen with which the horses were loaded in the woods, and mounting themselves in this manner returned to their friends. The party they had thus defeated I conclude to be the caravan that annually conveys to Mexico its silver which the Spaniards find in great quantities on the mountains lying near the head of the Colorado River. The Winnebagoes can raise about 200 warriors. Their town contains about fifty houses, which are strongly built with palisades, and the island on which it is situated nearly fifty acres. It lies thirty-five miles, reckon- ing according to the course of the river, from Green Bay.

PRELIMINARY.

Wisconsin was very early known, having been first visited by a white man in 1634, less than a score of years from the date of the landing at Plymouth Rock, and the introduction of slavery into the colonies. Most fortunately for the welfare of the State, it has always been the home of freemen. In the year above men- tioned, it is established that an adventurous French- man, Jean Nicolet, first set foot within the present State, and ascended Fox River to within three days' journey of the Wisconsin. It has previously been stated that he approached the Mississippi ; but this is now known to be an error. It is painful to add that this venturesome explorer met his death in 1642, in the St. Lawrence River, while engaged in a benevolent mission to rescue a defenseless Aborigine from a re- lentless enemy. Nicolet visited Wisconsin but once, spending the Winter of 1634-35 at Green Bay, and then returning to his home near Quebec.

No State in the Union, whose annals commence at a date so remote from the present, has been subject to so numerous a change of rulers or a more peaceful career in her history than Wisconsin. From 1670 to 1760, the territory was tributary to France. In the latter year, Green Bay was wrested from France by the English giving that nation virtual control of all the French possessions west of Lake Michigan, con- firmed by the treaty of Paris in 1763.

During their occupation the laws of Canada were enforced over the Northwest; Jonathan Carver made his explorations ; the Northwestern Fur Company was organized, civil government established by the Quebec act, and its possession retained by the aid of Indians until 1783. In that year, the territory came into the possession of the United States, and by Jay's treaty, concluded in 1795, the donation was further vested, together with its forts, trading-posts and dependencies.

Until 1800, Wisconsin Territory was attached to Virginia and Ohio, afterward transferred to Indiana, Illinois and Michigan ; its dependence upon these sev-

eral commonwealth continuing one hundred and sixty- six years.

BEGINNING OF LA CROSSE COUNTY.

All the territory now embraced within the State of Wisconsin was attached to the Territory of Michigan as early as 1818. On the 16th of October of that year, it was divided into two counties, Brown and Crawford, by an act of the Legislative Council.

Brown embraced all the lands lying north of Illinois, and east of a line running due north, from the north- ern boundary of that State, through the middle of the Portage, between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. Craw- ford, all of the State lying west of that line to the Mississippi River. A reference to the map will show that the latter county was probably one-third greater in extent than Brown. Within its limits was included the " Carver Grant," which excited great interest in its day, the confirmation of which would doubtless have invalidated the titles of settlers and dispossessed them of homes.

This grant, it is claimed, was made to Capt. Carver, May, 1, 1767, for and in consideration of services ren- dered to the Dakota or Sioux Indians, by How-no-paw- ja-len (Turtle), and O-toh-ton-goom-lish-con (Snake), two chiefs of the tribe. It extended from the Falls of St. Anthony to the mouth of Lake Pepin, thence east- ward about one hundred miles ; thence north one hun- dred and twenty miles, and thence west on a direct line to the place of beginning, comprehending about ten thousand square miles and six millions of acres. Every effort was made by the heirs of Capt. Carver to secure from the United States and Great Britain, a confirma- tion of this grant, but without success.

Thus was the Territory defined by metes and bounds until October 9, 1829, when Crawford County was di- vided, and Iowa County created out of the land lying east of the Mississippi River. Four years later, Mil- waukee County was established and set off from Brown County, being bounded by the south and east lines of the State, the north line of Township No. 12, and the eastern line of Iowa County. The District Court for these counties convened'once a year in each of them, the first term being held in October, 1824, at Green Bay, Judge Doty presiding. Among the cases, there were twenty-eight for illicit co-habitation, arising from the custom of traders and French settlers taking sqnaws to wife; upon being arraigned, the accused pleaded guilty, but sentence was suspended till the close of the term, when all who were able to present a marriage certificate were released upon the payment of a nomi- nal fine, while those who failed to procure the necessa- ry certificate, paid an assessment, quoted at $50.

The act of Congress establishing the Territorial Government of Wisconsin, approved April 20, 1836, provided that the territory included in the present States of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and a part of Dakota should constitute a separate Territory, and that all power and authority of the government of Michigan should cease from the 4th day of July of that year. Territorial officers were appointed and qualified, and a census gave a total of 11,683 residents, divided between Brown County, which contained 2,705 ; Crawford County, 850 ; Iowa County, 5,234, and Milwaukee

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HISTORY OF LA CROSSE COUNTY.

County, 2,893. The apportionment made on this basis gave Brown and Milwaukee two Council and three Legislative members each ; Iowa County, three mem- bers of the Council, and six members of the Legisla- ture, and Crawford County two members of the Legis- lature.

At that time, from Chicago to the Pacific, there were but three newspapers published, viz., the Adver- tiser at Milwaukee, Green Bay Intelligencer, and Bel- mont Gazette, the locality of the two last mentioned being indicated by their names, all of them being born in 1836, and the Belmont Gazette, in the hope of ob- taining the Territorial printing. There were scarcely any landings on the Mississippi north of St. Louis, and no roads save those established by the Government be- tween military posts, communication being either on foot or by horse, over well-worn Indian trails. Set- tlers who were able to come hither either by keel boat or canoe were fortunate, but limited. Those who made their way by the slow and wearisome wagon from the last outpost of civilization at Milwaukee and Chicago, by no means numerous, left hope behind upon entrance to the gloomy forests or while crossing the low, lonely prairies. Yet it is to the glorious self-de- nial of these bands of pioneers that the present pros- perity of the Great West is dne.

On the 12th of June, 1838, an act providing for the division of Wisconsin and the organization of Iowa Territory was approved by the President of the United States. The census of May, 1838, showed an increase in the population of over 6,000, and a new apportion- ment was ordered.

In 1849, Crawford County embraced the territory included in its present limits in addition to that now contained in Vernon, La Salle, Monroe, Buffalo, Trem- pealcau and Jackson counties, as also the southern tier of townships in Clark County. In February, 1851, the Legislature of Wisconsin adopted an act providing that the portion of Crawford County lying north of Town- ship 14, north of Ranges 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, should be organized into a separate county to be known as La Crosse. It extended eastward to within twenty miles of the Wisconsin River, and north ninety miles for the entire width of Clark County. The election for town and county officers was decided to be holden on the first Tuesday in the following April. Chippewa Coun- ty was attached to La Crosse for judicial purposes, and the county seat was located at the village of La Crosse, upon condition that the people of the township furn- ished suitable buildings for county purposes. On the 11th of February, 1853, La Crosse County was divided, and Jackson County created, and the condition of af- fairs was continued before that slice was taken off un- til 1854.

By that time, the inhabitants of the original county had become numerous, not to say crowded, and it was decided to cut out a piece or parcel of land of sufficient dimensions for county purposes and become independ- ent. With a view to that end, a bill was introduced into the Legislature in January, 1854, providing for the creation of Trempealean County, and on the 24th of that month became a law. Three months later, Monroe County was apportioned from La Crosse, and on the 3rd of March, 1857, the present boundaries of

La Crosse County were defined and legalized by an act of the Legislature, approved on that day. So much for the incorporation of the county.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME LA CROSSE.

The origin of the name is a subject of interest, and there are several theories and statements in that behalf which will be referred to in the order of date as they occurred.

The first is a tradition to the effect that Cath- olic missionaries, at an early day, erected a cedar cross near the banks of the Mississippi, on which a crucifix was placed at the intersection of the cross-bar, or be- low it, protected by a pane of glass held in place by wax. The date of locating the cross, or its location, of course is mere conjecture. As is known, the Span- iards introduced the custom of setting up a cross upon their first discovery or landing, thus signifying to all comers that the land was claimed by Spain, which de- rived its title direct from the Holy See. This custom also obtained with the adventurous, self-denying mis- sionaries of the Catholic Church, who by this means indicated that the land was dedicated to the service of Christ.

In a statement submitted by Henry B. Coons, of Potosi, published further along in this book, it would appear that the village whence the county obtained its name derived its nomenclature from French Catholic missionaries, who, en route to Prairie du Chien, which city they also settled and named, halted on their way down the Mississippi, and encamped upon the prairie, where they erected a cross, and called it Prairie la Crossette, by which it was known among the Indians and half-breeds.

Mr. William Staats Tippetts, of Tippetts' Landing, confirms the statement regarding the cedar cross, in a letter nnder date of May 28, 1881. He says: "In 1840, I went by steamboat to La Crosse, which I found to be covered with knolls and sand burs. The bank of the river was about forty feet high, and sloped back about 100 feet from the water. Where Lloyd & Clark's store stands were five or six Indian graves, made in the usual manner. At the head of one was a cross made of red cedar, hewn out about six feet high. At the crossing, a small niche had been cut or carved out, and a piece of window glass had been inserted, behind which was a wooden image of our Savior, finely col- ored, like I have seen in the residences of the Prairie du Chien people. This was a rough-hewn cross, very old to all appearances. * * *

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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