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 158

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 158

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).

Wausau was first platted in 1852 ; it having been seen at that early day, to use a military expression, that it was a strategic point to capture business and trade, although it it was not finally incorporated until 1862.

Wausau existed under a town organization, until April 8, 1861, when in accordance with the corporate act, a village organization was effected. F. A. Hoffman was President of the Board of Trustees. The other members were Charles A. Single, Jacob Paff, John Irwin, John C. Clarke, Th. Single, Clerk. The first meeting provided a village seal. F. A. Farnham was appointed Surveyor; Henry H. Lawrence,

away." On April 9, 1872, the city government was organ- ized. August Kickbusch, Mayor; John Schneider, C. A. Single, August Leemke, R. P. Mauson and Fred. New, Al- dermen ; John Patzer, Clerk.

Since that time the following men have been Mayors of the city : Jacob Paff, August Kickbusch, C. Hoeflinger, B. Ringle, J. C. Clarke, D. E. Plumer and J. E. Leahy, who is the present Mayor, and has held the place since 1879.

The following men have been City Clerks : John Patzer, Henry Miller and J. W. Miller, the present Clerk, who has held position since 1878.

Fire Department .- There is a volunteer fire company, which responds at an alarm of fire. The apparatus of the department consists of a steam fire engine, built by Ahrens, of Cincinnati, hose carriage, hooks and ladders, etc., with a first-class hand engine. The engine house is well appointed, with horses trained to the gong. Chief engineer, F. W. Kickbusch ; engineer of the steamer, Mike Coughlin, who has an assistant and firemen.

Police Department .- The police are very efficient in keep-

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

ing order, with remarkably few arrests, as they have the correct idea that a policeman's usefulness should be gauged by the fewness of the arrests, and not by a reverse standard. The Mayor. ex officio, is Chief of Police. Dave Burnett is the present Marshal. The others on the force, who are uniformed, are : Thomas Dunn, Henry O'Brien, Louis Har- vey, Fred. Tank.

It is gratifying to be able to state, that since the first organization of the city government its affairs have been honestly and economically administered. The present officers are : J. E. Leahy, Mayor; J. W. Miller, Clerk ; George Wesheim, Treasurer ; Phillip Ringle, Assessor ; Dave C. Burnett, Marshal ; M. M. Charles, Justice ; Coon Seim, Street Commissioner ; Justice of the Peace, J. Jones ; Charles W. Nuther. Surveyor ; City Attorney, C. H. Miller.

The Rebellion-During the war the history of Wausaw and Marathon County is not unlike that of all the other counties in Northern Wisconsin. The drum and fife were not unfamiliar sounds in the pineries. The impassioned eloquence of the backwoods orators had its due effect. The enlistments were equal to the demands. Of course, at that time Wansaw was young; there were no railroads, and the river, with its numerous falls and rapids, was of little value as a thoroughfare. The men who enlisted went to Stevens Point, or to their former homes, to go to the front with their friends. The reputation of the soldiers from the pineries was first-class. Among the most prominent of those who joined the Union army, and lived to return may be men- tioned the following : L. B. Folsom, V. Ringle, Robert Johnson, J. W. Lawrence, W. W. DeVoe, M. H. Barnum, Rev. Theodore Green, H. L. Wheeler, Levi Fleming, J. E. Leahy, J. W. Jones, C. A. Single, Th. Youlser, George Reeder, W. C. Silverthorn, M. M. Charles, W. P. Filbrick, C. Hoeffinger, I. A. Kellogg, S. S. Armstrong, C. P. Hazel- tine, D. L. Quaw, Dr W. W. Searls. W. D. McIndoe was the provost-marshal here.

HISTORICAL EVENTS.

April 22, 1857, the first newspaper in the county was is- sued, under the name of the Central Wisconsin, by J. W. Chubbuck and John Foster.

About this time a division of the Sons of Temperance was organized. It was numbered 140. William H. Ken- nedy, W. P .; L. W. Slosson, W. A .; and William Wilson, R. S.

In May, 1857, there was quite a freshet in the river.

In 1857, Mr. B. F. Cooper owned most of the water- power at the Falls in the city. The firm was Cooper & Smith.

During the Winter of 1857-8, a debating club was in operation in the village. They had little trouble in decid- ing questions that afterward took the country four years to settle.

In the Summer of 1858, a road to New London was completed.

The first fleet of lumber left Wausau in the Spring of 1857, on the 22d of March. But it was not until the 29th of April, 1858, that the first fleet got away.

Early in the history of Wausau and other river towns,

the drowning of men while running lumber on the river, was not uncommon. Wausau, having some of the most dangerous places and the longest run, suffered quite severely in this regard.

April 21, 1866, there was an unusual rise in the river ; bridges were swept away, logs, lumber, shingles, etc., went out, entailing a large loss.

On the 11th of May, 1866, there was a serious fire, which destroyed the steam mill of Daniels & Corey, lum- ber, shingles, Mr. Corey's barn and other property was de- stroyed. Aug. Andrews, James Kitchen, John Schneider, Herman Millard and others were losers.

In the early Summer of 1866, important improvements were made in the running part of the rapids and dam.

During the Summer of 1866, there was a ripple of ex- citement over the alleged discovery of petroleum in the county.

The list of voters in 1866, embraced about 200 names.

The court-house was constructed in the Summer and Fall of 1867, at a contract price of $7,500.

The agricultural show ground was cleared off in the Fall of 1867.

In the Fall of 1867, the Big Bull Falls were blown up at various points to facilitate rafting.

A brass band was organized in 1867.

On the 17th of June, 1869, there was a destructive fire, the loss was at least $18,000.

July 4, 1869, the people had a celebration of the day, with the usual splendor. Dr. W. H. Searls was the orator of the occasion.

July 18, 1869, there was a severe freshet, the river rose a foot an hour for eight hours. The Pine River went up nine feet. The losses in Wausau footed up $20,000; di- vided among J. C. Clarke, W. D. McIndoe, A. C. Norway, Alex. Stewart, R. E. Parcher, Gid. Young and several others.

A fire engine arrived July 22, 1869. It was named Wausau, No. I.

August 27, 1869, a post of the G. A. R. was organized, with the following officers and members: M. H. Barnam, W. W. DeVoe, M. M. Charles, Robert Johnson, Alphonso Poor, O. M. Priest, Steve Durkee, Charles Miller, L. B. Fol- som, King Young, T. W. Clark.

October 8, 1869, J. C. Clarke's saw-mill was burned. Loss, $12,000.

The Rib Mills, west of Wausau, were burned in July, 1871, with a loss of $20,000. Benjamin Single was the owner.

July 25, 1871, the lumber yard of J. C. Clarke caught fire, threatening serious loss ; but the fire company, by great ex- ertion, stopped it with little loss.

October 21, 1871, at a special election, to determine whether the county would assist the railroad, was decided in the affirmative.

During the Winter of 1871, Wausau being outside of the line of travel of dramatic companies, a dramatic company was formed, and it is presumed that no candidate for his- trionic honors ever called more vehemently for a horse, with

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HISTORY OF MARATHON COUNTY.

the offer of his kingdom, than did the redoubtable Richard III of that ambitious club.

There was the same Winter a Pine-knot Literary Club, the name signifying the substitution for the midnight oil of greater antiquity.

The construction of a bridge across the slough at Clark's Island was contracted for with D. W. C. Mitchell for $2,- 990, in 1872.

The improvement of the falls in the Winter of 1873, with D. W. C. Mitchell as engineer, and B. F. Cooper as con- tractor, was entered upon.

A hook and ladder company was organized in 1873, on the 18th of April. J. C. Clarke was foreman ; William Wil- son, second foreman; R. E. Parcher, treasurer; William Collins, secretary.

In September, 1873, a new bridge across the Wisconsin River was completed by John Brown.

In 1873, the following lumbermen were in business in Wausau : J. A. Stewart, Joseph Single, Benjamin Single, Cohn & Curran, Kickbusch & Bro., Lawrence & Peters, B. G. Plummer, Ed. Zastrow, J. Leahy, J. C. Clarke, John Callon, Robert Parcher, H. Daniels, McIndoe & Co., Rufus Mason, Kelley Bros., M. Stafford, Herman Miller and James McCrossen.

The whole number of buildings erected in 1873 in the city was 108.

The amount of logs in the boom in 1875 was estimated at 30,000,000.

July 6, 1875, there was a fire. The losers were H. Was- hauer, August Kickbusch and S. Messeneir to the amount of $6,000.

The log crop for 1878 was 54,000,000 feet.

In the Winter of 1878, Mason & Co.'s mill on the Mar- athon City road, eight miles from the city, was built. It has a 65-horse power engine.

The Forest House was burned on the 2d of August, 1878. The loss was $25,000 ; insurance, $5,000. It was owned by C. A. Single.

The Wisconsin River Log-driving Company was organ- ized on the 4th of October, 1878, with a capital of $50,000. T. B. Scott, president ; C. P. Hazeltine, treasurer ; W. J. Scriver, secretary.

There was a fire early in February, 1879, involving in losses, C. H. Mosher, G. W. Casterline, J. C. Gebhart, J. A. Cowan and Ch. Wessner.

June 12, 1880, the river rose thirteen feet above low-wa- ter mark. Railroad communication was cut off for several weeks, and business for days was at a standstill. Much damage was done to the mills, bridges, lumber, etc.

Valuation of the city in 1880 : real estate, $646,417 ; personal, $354,453.

August 10, 1880, the whole community was thrown into an intense state of excitement by the shooting of Dr. E. L. Hogle, a dentist from Stevens Point, who had just located here to practice his profession, by Dr. J. C. Bennett, who had been for some time in business as a dentist here. Dr. Hogle was instantly killed because he was a rival as Bennett

alleged. He was subsequently tried for murder, adjudged guilty and sent to Waupun State Prison for life.

A fire in September, 1880, consumed $4,000 worth of lumber for the Wausau Lumber Company.

Sept. 26, 1880, the Central Wisconsin newspaper was printed for the first time on a power press, the first machine of the kind in town.

The Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad was completed to Wausau on the 8th of November, 1880.

Improvements in Wausau, in 1880, amounted to $III,- 580.

In the year 1880, Clark, Johnson & Co. came from Mich- igan and put a complete outfit of Stearns's machinery into their mill on the island.

The lumber cut for 1880 in the county : Lumber, 49,000,- 000 ; shingles, 28,720,000 ; lath, 5,900,000 ; pickets, 480,- 000.

Feb. 3, 1881, Mr. Bardeen's restaurant was burned from the explosion of a kerosene lamp.

On the 12th of January, 1881, Wausan had a rousing visit from the mayor and other citizens of Oshkosh. Mayor Dale addressed the citizens of Wausau and Gen. Kellogg responded. The hospitalities of the city were freely extend- ed. 'The single men of the party were consigned to the hotels, while men with their wives and the ladies were en- tertained by the citizens in their own homes. It was an enjoyable time.

In October, 1881, the visit was repaid with interest by the people of Wausau, who came down upon their Oshkosh friends in cohorts that led them to think the pineries were deserted.

Early in September of 1881, the Wisconsin River, in consequence of protracted and unusual rains, rose to an un- usual height, but not enough to endanger property. Below at Stevens Point, on account of the rise in the branches coming in below Wausau, it rose relatively higher than here. The great freshet occurred on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 29 and 30. The river was already up at ordinary high water mark, when three and one-half inches of rain fell in a few hours, and the river rose rapidly during Thursday night, and men and teams were put to work on the guard lock, weighting it down with rocks and filling in on the east end at 3 o'clock, A. M., a fire alarm was sounded, and at day- light 500 men with teams were at work. The water crept up to the highest water mark of June, 1880. The upper boom gave way, and 60,000,000 feet of logs came struggling, crushing, jamming, tumbling down upon the jamb piers by the lower divide. They proved equal to the emergency, and stood the awful pressure of logs piled twenty feet high from the solid bed of the river. By noon the water was at its highest, being fifteen inches above the highest point ever known, and fourteen feet six inches above low water mark. The water rushed over the west end of the guard lock and cut away the track of the Lake Shore road. The railroad bridge foundations were washed out, but were kept from floating away by cables.

Herchenback's old mill was undermined and went down,

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

his house was submerged and the stone dam carried away clean. The boom at Clark, Johnson & Co.'s mill gave way, carrying out 725,000 feet of logs belonging to Leahe & Beabe. The losses only in a general way can be recounted. The Railroad Co., $5,000 ; Frank Hushenback, $4,000; Clark, Johnson & Co., $12,000 ; Ely Wright, in goods, $2,500. Other losers by their buildings toppling over, lumber washed away, etc., were B. G. Plumer, J. & A. Stewart & Co., P. B. McKeller, G. Werlich of Big Rib, B. Single on Lit- tle Rib and John Callan on Trapp River. The trains up the river were delayed two weeks by washouts and for a week below on the St. Paul road. One man was drowned at Rib Falls. It was a mighty flood. The roar of the rushing waters could be heard for miles. At the Falls, it was a spectacle seldom witnessed. The foam-crested waves, rolling and tumbling, hither and thither, a mighty contend- ing force, surging on, tossing and hurling giant timbers, an angry resistless torrent.

The Land Office, formerly at Stevens Point, was removed to Wausau, in August, 1872. The land district, with head- quarters here, embraces all that part of the State lying north of the line between Townships 14 and 15, north of the base line; west of the line between Ranges 11 and 12 east of the principal meridian, and east of the line between Ranges 1 and 2 east. The officers of the Land Office are S. H. Alban, Register, and D. L. Quaw, Receiver. These gentlemen have long held their positions, and are thoroughly acquainted with the whole land business, and impart their information in a most cheerful and accommodating spirit, and any land buyer must be, indeed, bewildered, if he can not there have all the perplexing intricacies of the subject made plain. Within a year or two a very gratifying amount of land has been entered by actual settlers, especially in the Spring Brook settlement. After the panic of 1873, the sales were light until recently. There are still many thousand acres of land in the district, subject to entry, embracing lumber and farming lands.

K. S. Markstrum presides over the internal revenue de- partment, dispensing licenses and stamps to the anxious contributors to the interest on the public debt.

R. H. Johnson is Postmaster, and last year built a fine office on Third street, in front of the court-house, which is remarkably well adapted to its purpose. The Central Wis- consin office is in the second story. W. L. Beers is the Assistant Postmaster. The business of the year 1880 was as follows : Stamps sold, $2,830.37 ; money orders issued, $14,234.91 ; money orders paid, $14,787.94 ; number of let- ters registered, 600. Six hundred letters a day, as an aver- age, passed through the office, besides the papers and cir- culars.

Educational .- The schools of the city are controlled by a Board of Education and a City Superintendent, chosen by the City Council. The principal school-house was erected in 1874, at a prime cost of $21,000. It contains seven departments, fitted up with modern improvements, and has a seating capacity of 550. It is in a central posi- tion, and will, at no distant day, be used exclusively as a

high school. The primary schools occupy two smaller buildings, well adapted to the purpose. The First Ward School-house is on the west side, and is a model, built of brick in 1879. As the city increases it is contemplated to build other ward buildings. The following named persons constitute the present Board of Education : R. P. Mauson, President ; B. W. James, Secretary ; J. E. Leahy, William Wislon, John Ringle, John Patzer, R. P. Mauson, Herman Miller. C. D. Abbey, Principal and Superintendent of Schools.

The teachers for 1881 are :

High School-Principal, C. D. Abbey ; Assistant, Fanny Le Gros ; Anna M. Inez, first grade; Clara Brown, second grade; Angie B. Crocker, first intermediate; Lelia V. Arm- strong, second intermediate.

First Ward-Mrs. Maggie Highes, Lavina E. McCros- sen, Ida E. Briery.

Second and Third Wards-Mrs. M. J. Armstrong, Lute Judson, Alzina Mercer, May B. Remington.

Fourth Ward-Amelia Hase, Nellie Single.

Fifth Ward-Nellie L. Wilson, Emma R. Briggs.

The schools were reorganized in 1881, with the High School Principal as Superintendent, and a graded system perfected. The course of study embraces twelve years- three years primary, three years intermediate, two years grammar, and four years for the high school, which fits the pupil for the State University, or for a business life. The high school building has six rooms, well furnished, and five departments. It is located on the corner of Jefferson and Sixth streets. Number of scholars in 1880, 1,130; attend- ance, 868. In 1881, 14,086 ; attendance in 1881, 1,000.

Churches .- In the early history of Wausau, there were but two English-speaking churches, and these were very poorly supported. The six days' labor which pioneer life involved was compensated for by a general deshabille, it being too much like work to prepare even for church, and the day was more of a general holiday than a New England Sunday.

The Methodists were the first in the field, and built a church which was soon burned; but the particulars can be gathered in the special record at each church.

The first minister in Wausau was Rev. X. Cleary, a Con- gregational colporteur. The next was Rev. Y. Lane. In 1854, the Rev. Z. Turner organized the Presbyterian Church, making it monthly visits from Stevens Point. There were four members, and the few Methodists here united with them; but not having a constant service, it soon fell to pieces.

A Methodist Presiding Elder, Rev. W. Yocum, soon after organized a church of that denomination, the Presby- terians uniting with them with the understanding that they would withdraw when a Presbyterian minister should come.

The next year, the Rev. A. Bartow, of Baraboo, re-organ- ized the Presbyterian Church, and Rev. S. Halsey was pas- tor for five years. The society obtained a room over a saloon on First street, where Mr. Fernald's store now is. After- ward the place of meeting was moved to a house on Forest

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HISTORY OF MARATHON COUNTY.

street. The church was then received into the Fox River Presbytery. Soon after this, there being no minister, the church well nigh expired. Mrs. Poor was the only resident member, and with Mrs. Gouldsbury, of Mosinee, constituted the whole membership. During the following year, Rev. W. Stevens officiated, followed by Mr. Payne, a student. The following season an enthusiastic clergyman put in an appear- ance; but the frigidity of the Winter and the unapprecia- tive character of the people soon cooled his ardent temper- ament, and he noiselessly withdrew.

The Rev. Angus McKinnon next undertook the culti- vation of this reluctant field. He applied to the Methodist Episcopal Church for the use of their place of worship, at some stated times when not in use ; but the presiding elder, who happened to be more of a sectarian than a Christian, said, " No, we don't want the Presbyterians here. Stamp them out, root and branch." This excited the sympathy of the German Church, which invited them to their building. Rev. J. Farwell followed, and ministered for six months. This brings the history of the Presbyterian Church up to December, 1875, a period of twenty-one years. Up to this time, the total number of members taken into the Church was twenty-four. At this time, through the recommenda- tion of Rev. B. C. Riley, the synodical missionary, who rep- resented that Wausau was the wickedest place in the State, the Rev. J. Winthrop Hageman, from the East, came, and, as he says, found his friend's statements not exaggerated. When his work commenced, meetings were held in the court - house. Five years afterward, a fine brick church was dedicated, having been built in 1877, with a member- ship of 157, against nine communicants when his ministra- tions commenced. Previous to Mr. Hageman's time, $4,000 had been expended by the home missions to support this church, and there was serious talk of discontinuing the mission. It is now the third in size among the churches of the presbytery. In October, 1881, Mr. Hageman left to take general charge of the forty churches in the presbytery.

Following the usual rule, the Methodists early started services in the frontier town of Wausau. In 1854, the Rev. Mr. Greenleaf, of Stevens Point, had started meetings here in the school-house. In 1855, the mission at Mosinee was organized, with occasional preaching by Rev. C. Baldock. In 1856-7, Rev. M. D. Warner had a class organization, Judge Kennedy assisting; Rev. M. H. Barnum, on a call from the people, preached here about this time for a year. In the year 1858, at the Conference in Beloit, May 12, Bishop Morris made Wausau a regular appointment, send- ing Rev. R. S. Hayward as the first regularly stationed pastor.

Two lots were secured, on the corner of Second and Grant streets, and Mr. C. Philbrick and the minister struck the first blows scoring timber for a church. As reported to Conference in 1859,the church and parsonage was completed. In 1859, Rev. C. D. Cooke was here; 1860, Rev. W. J. Olm- stead was assigned to the post, and had a successful year. For the year beginning in the Fall of 1861, Rev. C. Baldock had Wausau and Mosinee. In 1862, Rev. Mr. Olmstead

was returned, remaining until 1865, when Rev. E. Bassett came. In 1866, Rev. William Willard was here, when the parsonage was burned, with his goods. He remained two years. In 1868, Rev. J. T. Gaskell, who also preached at Jenny, was on this circuit. In 1869, while Mr. Gaskell was still here, the church was burned; and before the embers were extinguished, Dr. W. H. Searles was on the street with a subscription paper to rebuild. In 1870, Rev. E. T. Briggs was the minister. In 1871, Rev. H. B. Crandall. 1872, Rev. Thomas Walker, who did good work for three years, having the lots graded, fenced, etc. Following him were Revs. G. Fallows, Jesse Coles, J. T. Chynoweth, W. W. Stevens and Benjamin F. Sanford, the present pastor, now on second year. The church has fifty-two active members. A fine Sunday-school, of which Dr. Searles was a long time superintendent ; H. S. Alban is the present superintendent. The present edifice was dedicated March 10, 1872. Rev. George C. Haddock and Rev. J. C. Wilson were present, and took part in the exercises.

The Evangelical St. Paul German society has a good church, erected in 1863. There had been preaching here in this faith by an itinerant preacher. The first regular pastor was Rev. Mr. Mohldenke, followed by Rev. Mr. C. Stoeffler, Rev. A. Loup, Rev. P. A. Albert, Rev. F. Kern. The present pastor is Rev. F. G. Reinicke, who took charge in March, 1872, and is still the pastor in charge.

Mr. Reinicke opened a school on coming here, with thirty scholars ; he now has ninety. Besides Wausau, he is a general missionary, holding occasional service in the towns of Maine, Berlin, Texas, town Wausau and other places.

The Universalist church was built in 1869, before there had been a Universalist sermon preached within 100 miles of the place, as it is stated. It was designed and constructed by a ship carpenter, and had sufficient timber to withstand very serious assaults from the elements, and the proportions of the structure would be admirable if one- third of it were submerged. It is in contemplation to rare it several feet lower than it now is, to improve its top-heavy appearance. The first regular minister was Rev. E. Sultz, who did not succeed in securing the confidence of the com- munity to an alarming extent, although he was an able man in some respects. The Rev. Mr. J. S. Fall was the next pas- tor. He was an active and energetic man, with positive opinions which antagonized the prevailing theological be- lief, and his doctrines were not presented with that per- suasiveness that did not repel those who had conflicting ideas. Mr. Fall was a man of blameless character, and he had the full confidence of the Church, and of those who knew him best. Since he left, a few years ago, there has been no service in that church, notwithstanding some of the first people in Wausau are adherents to that form of belief.

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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