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 149

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 149

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The county officers for 1881 are : Judge, M. Kirwin ; Sheriff, M. H. Murphy ; Clerk of the Court, Hubert Talge; District Attorney, W. A. Walker; County Clerk, Henry C. Buhse; County Treasurer, Gottleib

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN

Damler; Register of Deeds, A. D. Jones ; Superintend- ent of Schools, John Nagle ; Surveyor, John O'Hara ; Coroner, Franz Simon.

As Manitowoc County remained attached to Brown for judicial purposes, until Wisconsin became a State, no Territorial term of court was held here. On Sep- tember 25, 1848, Alex. W. Stow, Judge of the Fourth Circuit, held a session of court in Manitowoc Rapids, being, under the State constitution, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court. Nothing was done further than to appoint E. Ricker, Clerk, and O. C. Hubbard, Sheriff, continue one case, and admit E. H. Ellis, James L. Kyle and J. H. W. Colby to practice. After the removal of the county seat to Manitowoc, in 1853, ses- sions of the court were held in that city. Manitowoc County is now a portion of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Norman S. Gilson, of Fond du Lac, Judge. Sessions of the court are held in the city of Manitowoc the second Monday in January and the first Monday in June. The County Judge is M. Kirwin.

EARLY HISTORY.

As has been intimated in the general early history of the county, the present site of the city of Manito- woc was occupied at different times, previous to the advent of white settlers, by several tribes of Potta- watomies, Menomonees, Chippewas and Winnebagoes, who disputed with each other the right to the territory. The Winnebagoes had nearly disappeared from this locality when travelers first commenced to pass over the future site of the city, at the mouth of the Mani- towoc River, on their way along the shores of Lake Michigan, to the settlements of Fort Howard and Green Bay. The Pottawatomies, who are supposed to be the aborigines of this portion of the country, held an undefined claim upon the western shore of the lake, but by the treaty in Chicago, in 1833, relinquished it. Their presence was little noticed near the site of the city of Manitowoc for some years before that date, but the Chippewas and Menomonees were quite plenty, and had several settlements at the mouth of the river as late as 1822. A trail had been established by white men over nearly the same route now taken by the Chicago & Northwestern and the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western, from Chicago to Milwaukee, from Milwaukee to Sheboygan and Manitowoc, and thence to Green Bay, the important difference being that Green Bay, and the settlements which had grown around it, and the garrison at Fort Howard, were the pivotal and starting points for the line of travel which set in before boats ran regularly or railroads were thought of. Four years before this trail had been opened, Col. A. Edwards made a trip from Green Bay to Chicago in a canoe, exploring the coast as he went. When he arrived opposite the mouth of the Manitowoc River, the site of the present city, he found many In- dians busily engaged in spearing whitefish, and there must have been quite a settlement there in 1818.

In 1821, Col. Ebenezer Childs took passage from Chicago on one of the Mackinaw boats, which were then making irregular trips, landed at Manitowoc, and then proceeded on horseback to Green Bay. Although generally peaceable, the old Indian spirit of revenge upon the " pale face " sometimes cropped out. It was

about the same time that Col. Childs made his jour- ney to Green Bay that Dr. Wm. S. Madison, army sur- geon at the Fort Howard garrison, obtained a leave uf absence to visit his family in Kentucky. The party which accompanied him was some distance in advance when the present site of Manitowoc was reached, and hearing the report of a gun, returned to find that a Chippewa Indian had shot him from his horse. Be- fore medical assistance could arrive from Green Bay, Dr. Madison had expired. The Indian, whose name was Ke-tau-kah, could give no reason for committing the cowardly act. The murder, which was the first to occur in the city or county of Manitowoc, was com- mitted in the Spring of 1821. Ke-tau-kah was taken to Detroit, and after a trial in which no extenuating circumstances appeared, was executed December 27 of that year. After the trail had been opened along the lake shore in 1822, the presence of a white man to the Indians at the mouth of the Manitowoc River be- came less a rarity. In 1825, Col. Wm. S. Hamilton, son of Alexander Hamilton, passed along the route with a drove of cattle for the Fort Howard garrison, and in 1827 Col. Childs again made his appearance on his way to Green Bay. It would seem that the native tribes began to understand that the white man "had come to stay," for in February, 1831, the Menom- onees ceded their lands to the General Government, and gradually abondoned their corn fields, hunting and fishing grounds at Manitowoc. As stated, in 1833 the Pottawatomies relinquished their claim, and explora- tions from Green Bay, Chicago and Milwaukee com- menced with more earnestness. During that year, Daniel Le Roy, Morgan L. Martin and P. B. Grignon explored from Green Bay south to Milwaukee. Even then a small Indian village stood upon the present site of Manitowoc. In 1834 a land office was established at Green Bay, the first entries being made by Louis Fizette and Wm. Jones at Manitowoc. The latter was the brother of Benjamin Jones, who is regarded as the father of the village and city of Manitowoc. Fizette sold his lands, which comprised the present site of the city, to John P. Arndt, of Green Bay. During the wild land speculations of 1835-36, the latter dis- posed of the property for $100 an acre. Jones's tract extended south three miles along the lake shore. The land survey of the county had been made by A. G. Ellis, of Green Bay, in 1835, and the region compris- ing and around Manitowoc was soon alive with survey- ors and agents of land speculators, who, in 1836, in- dulged in the wildest dreams over the possibilities of the entire country lying along Lake Michigan. Rumors of extensive gold deposits in Kewaunee were about on a par with a supposititions railroad to the Pacific, which was to directly benefit Manitowoc. It was at this time that John P. Arndt sold the land he had pur- chased from Fizette, and his was no isolated case.

In the Spring of 1836, William and Benjamin Jones, of Chicago, and other land speculators, mostly from the former city, organized the Man- itowoc Land Company. All of the present site of Manitowoc had come into their possession, being now mostly held by Benjamin Jones. The company was best known by the firm name of Jones, Clark & Co. They at once made energetic preparations to establish

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HISTORY OF MANITOWOC COUNTY.

a settlement at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. Mark Howard, E. L. Abbott and Farnham were sent to clear away the dense forests of tamarack which ob- structed the site of the future Manitowoc. The timber, principally along the river banks near Sixth and Seventh streets, was felled, and cut up into wood for steam- boats which had not yet appeared. The town was platted in the Summer, stakes marking the sites of future cities were being planted in the dense woods all around, land was bought and sold at fabulous prices- in fact Manitowoc was taken with the fever which rav- ished the country for the next year. The settlement at the mouth of the river was the particular pet of Jones, Clark & Co. They purchased quantities of lumber from Jacob W. Conroe, who had erected a rough saw-mill at Manitowoc Rapids, and that which they did not use in the erection of buildings was shipped to Chicago, the first exported from the county. In April, 1837, the company sent a force of forty laborers, be- sides carpenters, to Manitowoc to erect buildings, among others being Moses and Oliver Hubbard and D. S. Munger. A frame house was built for Benjamin Jones, senior member of the firm Jones, Clark & Co., then resided in Chicago, a cotemporary with William B. Ogden. It is still standing on the northeast corner of York and Seventh streets. At the time that Mr. Jones was about to make this important move, both for himself and Manitowoc, he was in his forty - third year, had been four years a resident of Chicago, having previously lived in Buffalo. When but a mere lad, he had seen service in the War of 1812, and all his various experiences had been such as to make him sturdy, brave and enterprising.

In July, 1837, his dwelling house having been pre- pared, he arrived in Manitowoc. He had become the owner of 2,000 acres of land comprising the present site of the city, and immediately commenced its upbuild- ing, which he made his work for forty years. With him, on the schooner "Oregon" came P. P. Smith, then a boy of fourteen, whom he took into his family. His brother William remained in Chicago, became wealthy, and was one of the founders of the University of Chi- cago. The arrival of the head of the firm which had already accomplished considerable for the settlement, put additional life into it. Building continued, new settlers came in, and lots were selling before the finan- cial crash as high as $1,000 or $1,200. In the Spring of this year, Mr. Jones' daughter Addie was born. She is now the wife of Dr. S. C. Blake, and was the first white child born in Manitowoc and the county. Mr. Jones commenced the "National Hotel," adjoining the present "Windiate House" during this year. In July, E. L. Abbott, one of those sent out by Jones, Clark & Co., to clear away the town site, was united in mar- riage to Maria Smith, sister of P. P. Smith, who was also a member of Mr. Jones' family. Benjamin Jones married the couple himself, having been appointed the first Justice of the Peace and the first judicial officer of any kind. But in the midst of this prosperity of a growing village, in the midst of the joys of christenings and marriages the dark panic of 1837 rushed over Manitowoc. Flourishing settlements had grown up at Two Rivers and the Rapids, so that the population of the county was 160. Manitowoc was the metropolis,

however, with sixty souls. The money crash came al- most like a clap of thunder, and the population of the whole county was reduced to sixty. All the mills shut down, with the exception of Conroe's at the Rapids, workmen were leaving in alarm with their families, the prices of land fell to their normal level and far below, and a general stagnation settled over the formerly brisk and prosperous settlement. Only four families were left in Manitowoc-those of Benjamin Jones, Oliver Hubbard, D. S. Munger and Joseph Edwards. In 1839 the first school taught in the county opened under the tutelage of S. M. Peak. P. P. Smith, then sixteen years old ; was one of the dozen scholars in attendance. The building was near Sixth street.

After the panic up to 1846, the arrivals practically ceased. Those who did come were mostly lumbermen and French fishermen, who had no intention of making a permanent settlement. From 1848 to 1850, and thereafter up to the commencement of the war, the city and surrounding country rapidly increased in population. In 1854, Manitowoc received a temporary set-back in the form of the cholera, which proved unu- sually fatal that year. It had been slightly visited during the seasons of 1849-50, but during 1854 it caused much alarm, being especially prevalent on the north side of the river.

THE WAR PERIOD.

The county center of organization and excitement during the war was, of course, Manitowoc. When the news from Sumter was fairly digested, not only was a company of home guards raised to keep order in town, but a company of volunteers was formed. Tem- ple Clark was elected captain, the organization becom- ing known as Co. A, Fifth Regiment Wisconsin Vol- unteers. Co. B, of the Ninth Regiment (German), F. Becker, captain ; a company which joined the Four- teenth, and another (Norwegian) the Fifteenth ; a fourth which fought with the Twenty-first, and a fifth with the Twenty-sixth (German), Henry Baetz, cap- tain; two companies for the Twenty-seventh, and many mustered in as artillerymen and cavalrymen, marched from Manitowoc during the early portion of the struggle, and did good service in the cause. Later three companies were raised for the Forty-fifth, Forty- eighth and Fifty-first regiments. The large volunteer force raised made but one draft in the county neces- sary, and that took place in the city of Manitowoc.

Among the higher grade of officers who went from Manitowoc were Maj. Gen. Fred. Salomon, now United States Surveyor in Utah; Lieut. Col. Ten Eyck, G. Olmsted (deceased), Maj. Charles H. Walker (de- ceased), and Maj. Henry Baetz, of the State Board of Emigration, Milwaukee.

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.

Travel by water is unimpeded to the adventuresome. The trail of 1822, along the lake shore of Manitowoc County, and to which reference has been made, was the first, regular course laid out through her borders. Later, private parties found it necessary to cut roads through the county for their own convenience. In 1839, a county road was surveyed from the mouth of the river to the Rapids and Two Rivers, J. W. Conroe

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

being appointed by the Board of Supervisors to super- intend its construction. As the county became more thickly settled roads were extended in all directions, and the subject of railroads became the one uppermost in the minds of the pioneers. For twenty-two years, the people of Manitowoc County strove to obtain con- nection by railroad with southern and western points. If the Chicago, Milwaukee & Green Bay project had not been abandoned, in 1850, she would have obtained connection with Milwaukee. George Reed's schemes, a few years later, to make the place the nucleus of a grand system of railroads to connect with the Pere Marquette steamers, likewise came to naught. Work

upon the Manitowoc & Mississippi Railroad was com- menced in 1855, upon the section between Manitowoc and Menasha, but the line was abandoned in 1857. Although the people were enthusiastic and confident, so scant were their purses that they were obliged to abandon the task of connecting these points by means of a plank road. During all this period, however, they were discussing with more and more earnestness the necessity of improving the harbor and river of Manito- woc, and after repeated, but not disheartening, failures were enabled, in 1866, to see the work fairly begun. This subject is fully treated in the history of Manito- woc City. Having thus opened one avenue of relief, the county seemed to have paved the way for better fortune. In 1872, communication was opened with Appleton, and the prosperous section tributary thereto, while the next year by the extension of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western line from Sheboygan, it was enabled to receive the benefit of direct rail communi- cation with the Cream City of the South. This line is now its most important means of communication. The road extends northeast along the shore of the lake, passing through Centerville and Manitowoc City ; thence northwest and west through Reedsville. The southwest corner of the town of Schleswig is cut off by the Wisconsin Central Railroad, which touches the flourishing village of Kiel. There are forty-three miles of railroad in operation, the machine shops and round house of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Com- pany being located in Manitowoc. Water communica- tion, north and south, by means principally of the Good- rich Transportation Company and the Chicago & Lake Superior lines, gives the county the benefit, with the railroads, of connections with all the commercial points. Telegraphic communications with Milwaukee was es- tablished in 1864. A line had previously been par- tially established between Manitowoc and Green Bay, but was abandoned.

Mail routes were in existence almost as soon as the first trails were broken through the woods. But the first regular post-office was established at Manitowoc Rapids while J. W. Conroe was building his mill. That gentleman received the appointment of Postmas- ter. The mail-carrier was one Francis Flinn, a hardy Irishman, who made two round trips a week from Green Bay to Milwaukee. This feat he accomplished on foot. In 1839, the business of the route had so in- creased that Capt. Henry Edwards assumed the task of keeping these sections of the State in communication, and accomplished it on horseback. The post-office re- mained at Manitowoc Rapids for ten years, when it

was removed to Manitowoc, G. Malmrose receiving his commission as Postmaster. To enumerate the offices established at all points in the county, would be tire- some, as well as uninteresting. With the advent of railroads, communication by letter increased in the usual ratio.

For the year ending December 31, 1880, there were exported from the county, 614,000 of brick ; 466,310 pounds of butter; 161,698 dozen eggs ; 988 tons of feed ; 2,927 tons of hay ; 8,400 posts ; 40,652 bbls. of flour ; 6,000 bushels of wheat ; 15,016 cords of wood ; 18,745 bbls. of peas.

As assessed by the town and city assessors, and finally equalized by the committee of the Board of Su- pervisors, in Angust, 1881, the following figures repre- sent the total value of all property in the county of Manitowoc: Cato, $549,335; Centerville, 421,569; Cooperstown, 343,054; Eaton, 335,266 ; Franklin, 403,- 063 ; Gibson, 408,255; Kossuth, 668,848; Liberty, 437,211 ; Manitowoc, 422,924; City of Manitowoc, 916,175 ; Manitowoc Rapids, 814,751; Maple Grove, 436,908 ; Meeme, 564,799 ; Mishicott, 487,189; New- ton, - -; Rockland, 295,663; Schleswig, 479,175 ; Two Creeks, 102,732; Two Rivers, 212,809; City of Two Rivers, 201,327. Total, $8,863,966.

The bonded indebtedness of Manitowoc County amounts to $216,000, which sum was voted to aid the construction of its railroads. Of the $129,818.30 in- debtedness incurred by its towns, cities and villages, $114,000 was appropriated to the same purpose.

The Federal census enumeration shows that the in- crease in population from 1850, which practically ends the early history of the county, has been as follows : 1850, 3,702 ; 1860, 22,416 ; 1870, 33,369 ; 1880, 37,381. The detailed table of the last returns is found below :

City of Manitowoc, 6,324; City of Two Rivers, 2,052; Town of Cato, 1,875; Eaton, 1,635 ; Franklin, 1,867; Gibson, 1,739 ; Kossuth, 2,165 ; Liberty, 1,385; Manitowoc, 1,276; Manitowoc Rapids, 2,076 ; Maple Grove, 1,523; Meeme, 1,609 ; Mishicott, 1,554; New- ton, 1,867; Rockland, 1,236 ; Schleswig, 1,994; Two Creeks, 630; Two Rivers, 1,326 ; Centerville, 1,548; Coopertown, 1,700 ; total, 37,381.

In January, 1842, the County Commissioners granted the petition of the citizens of Manitowoc Rapids, that the town hall be used as a school-house, when not needed for town purposes. In July of the next year a tax of one-half a mill on a dollar was levied throughout the county for educational purposes. In the Fall of 1844, two School Commissioners, Oliver Clawson and E. L. Abbott, were appointed. They divided the county into three districts, No. 1, including Two Rivers; No. 2, Manitowoc Rapids, and No. 3, Manitowoc. On Octo- ber 10, 1844, elections were held for the different dis- trict officers, and the school organization was fully ef- fected. The system continued substantially the same until the creation of the office of Superintendent of Schools. As the State increased in population, how- ever, the original three districts were of course subdi- vided.

From the last report made to William C. Whitford, State Superintendent of Schools, by the Superinten- dent of Manitowoc County, are taken the following statistics which show the present condition of the dis-

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HISTORY OF MANITOWOC COUNTY.

trict schools better than could any general language. There are 108 school-houses in the county, and 137 teachers are required. Of the 15,919 who are of school age, 8,403 have attended. The buildings will accom- modate 9,901 pupils. The total valuation of school- houses in Manitowoc County is $104,366 ; of sites, $12- 437, and of apparatus, $6,043. These figures, it will be remembered, represent merely the district schools of the county. There are besides, a number of private and parochial institutions, which have an attendance of several hundred. In addition to the money raised by taxation throughout the county for the support of her district schools in 1881, the apportionment of State money which has been made for this year amounts to $6,606.38. The whole machinery of the county system (which embraces the city schools), glides along smooth- ly under the guidance of John Nagle, the present Su- perintendent.

the business and commercial center of the county. The in- dustrious and thrifty German element prevails, and since the land has been cleared of timber, saw mills and ship yards have given place, under its influence, to every variety of manufacturing. Flour mills, foundries and machine shops, breweries, planing mills, tanneries, carriage works, etc., etc., have sprung up on all sides. Mercantile houses, which walk side by side in thrift with manufactories, are substantial and prosperous in Manitowoc. The resident portion of the city is chiefly on the North Side, where are situated many fine residences. Here is also its magnificent public school, which, with the Presbyterian Church, is one of the prominent landmarks of Manitowoc. The grounds adjoining the buildings form, in all essentials, a beautiful park. Two public parks, Washington Square on the South Side, the North Side Park, and a number of private gardens,

MANITOWOC.

The first meeting of the Board of Trustees, under the village charter, was held May 12, 1851, the Supervisors be- ing : John Zinns and Charles Hottelman, First Ward; M. Fellows, James Bennett and J. E. Platt, Second Ward. It was ordered that a set of by-laws be drafted for the village government, and that a map be made of its chartered limits. George Reed was chosen President, and S. A. Wood, Clerk. The village of Manitowoc was first platted in 1856, by F. Salomon. The plat was recorded on May 25 of that year, and acknowledged by H. Baetz. Manitowoc retained its village organization until 1870, when it was incorporated as a city.

Manitowoc is a place of over 6,000 inhabitants, situated on Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. The city lies on both sides of that river, the land gradually rising both from it and the lake, thus providing a beautiful location and effective means for drainage. Manitowoc is

add to the attractiveness of the city, and besides its business interests, its schools, its churches, its public and private gardens, and its societies, which all have their part in form- ing a complete city, Manitowoc has a public library of 2,000 volumes, which is a credit to the city. Having thus given a preliminary and general sketch, the details will be found following.

The city of Manitowoc was incorporated March 12, 1870, and the first meeting of its Board of Aldermen held April 13, of that year. Peter Johnston was elected its first Mayor, and served two terms. Charles Luling was chosen to the office in 1872. A. D. Jones was the incumbent from 1873 to 1877 inclusive, and John Schuette from 1878 to 1881. By the city charter, the municipal govern- ment is managed by the usual officers : Mayor, Clerk, Treas- urer, City Attorney, the heads of departments, which con- sist of a Board of Health, Police, Fire, and Public School Department, and the Board of Aldermen, representing four wards. There is also a Harbor Master, Assessor and Street

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

Commissioner. Mayor J. Schuette is one of the rich and popular Germans in which the city of Manitowoc abounds. Its health is in the hands of Drs. R. K. Paine and Frederick S. Luhman, while peace and order is preserved by Hugh Morrison, Chief of the Police Department and the force under him. The City Treasurer for 1881 is Charles Gelbke ; City Attorney, C. W. White; Clerk, Fred. Heineman; Sur- veyor, Charles Ertz.

Fire Department .- The first engine house, a frame build- ing, was erected in 1857, on the North Side. During the same year the South Side house was built. The Third Ward structure, built of brick (?), was erected in 1875, at a cost of $1,400. The department, the Chief Engineer of which is William Stephani, consists of the Manitowoc Steam Engine Company, No. 1 (North Side), the South Side Steam Engine Company, No. 2, and the Phoenix Hook and Ladder Company. A company was first formed in January, 1857, after the village of Manitowoc had been incorporated about six years. The present organization was effected in 1872, the second steam engine being purchased in 1876. The department numbers forty members.

Public School Department .- The public schools of Mani- towoc are under the general supervision of the County Su- perintendent, John Nagle. There are four buildings devoted to educational purposes, the most prominent of which is the magnificent edifice, corner of North Seventh and State streets, erected in 1872, for the accommodation of joint school district, No. 1, and the fine building in the First Ward, corner of South Eighth and Hamilton streets, erect- ed in 1871. The former is a three-story and basement brick building, surmounted by an elegant and lofty cupola, sur- rounded by extensive play grounds, and is, all in all, one of the finest structures of the kind in the State. J. M. Rait is principal. The First Ward building, convenient and tasty, was built at a cost of $25,000. Its principal is F. W. Young. There are two buildings in the Third Ward, one, corner of South Thirteenth and Marshall streets, the other on South Twelfth street. The former, of brick, cost $1,500; the latter, a frame building, was built at a cost of $1,200. O. S. Brown is principal of the district. Other salient facts in regard to the general condition of the schools of the city and county, have already appeared.

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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