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 206

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 206

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).

There are numerous large streams distributed over the county, such as the Kinnickinnic, Rush, Trimbelle and Isabelle rivers, with many smaller creeks, which drain the region completely, and empty into Lake St. Croix, the Chippewa and Mississippi rivers. The cur- rent of the streams is generally swift. and affords mag- nificent water power, a resource that is used only to a small fraction of its capacity. Springs are numerous, and give origin to streams in which abound that gam-

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

iest of fish, the speckled tront, with bass, bull-heads, In the valley of the Kinnickinnic and other streams pike, pickerel, carp and catfish, in the rivers. The lover of wild game, of wood or prairie, here may gratify his taste. The elevated portions furnish high and dry pasture lands ; the bottom grounds, hay and grain, leaving little to be desired by the shepherd and stock farmer; for this reason in later years, wool-growing and stock-raising is becoming a considerable feature in the rural districts. The majority of the people are engaged in agriculture, the principal crop being wheat, which will average, from year to year, fifteen bushels to the acre. A fact worthy of notice is that, flour from wheat of Pierce County took the prize at the world's fair at Paris in 1855, and in 1860, Pierce County farmers took home the great prize banner from the State fair at Madi- son. Hay, oats, corn, barley and potatoes follow in the order of enumeration, and in 1880 the following number of acres of each were raised : Hay, 14,608; oats, 11,105; corn, 7,897; barley, 2,289; potatoes, 796. The milling business, both lumber and flouring, is a considerable industry, and as the expense is light, it is quite remunerative. Lake St. Croix, the Mis- sissippi River and the Hudson & River Falls Rail- way are the highways to market. Fruit growing is not practicable, the climate being too severe for the pear and peach. The apple will endure for a few years, but eventually succumb. The small fruits, however, both wild and domestic, yield an abundant fruitage.

The surface of Pierce County is exceedingly diver- sified, presenting a succession of high ridges and deep valleys, the general course of which are south and southwest. In the western portion of the county, in the valleys of the Kinnickinnic and St. Croix rivers, traces of glacial action are very apparent. Underlying the surface soil there is a deep deposit of sand with lay- ers of gravel, interspersed with bowlders of compara- tively small size, showing that the grinding action of the ice rivers was very complete. The particles of sand and gravel indicate that the original rocks were of primeval origin, as there are large quantities of quartz, granite and trap-rocks, while pieces of copper and agates are frequently found in the moraines. On the higher lands the moraines vanish, and we find instead, deposits of large bowlders, generally granite or trap. In the southwest of the county, there is a remarkable plateau, extending from a point near the mouth of the Trimbelle River to that of the Isabelle River. This table land has an average elevation above the Missis- sippi of about one hundred feet, and presents the ap- pearance of having, at some date, been the bed of an expansion of the Father of Waters-similar to Lake Pepin. Indeed, it is not difficult to trace what may have then been the channel. near the base of the bluffs on the north side, there being a depression having such an appearance, extending from the northwestern part of the plateau to a point oelow Trenton. Between the depressions are numerous elevations of moderate height, which may have been islands when the Father of Wa- ters formed at this point an inland sea. The soil of this traet is a sandy loam overlying a deep bed of fine sand and gravel. The soil of the mounds is a heavy, tenacious, clay loam, well adapted for grass and wheat.

near the northwestern line of the county, there is a rich black sand, containing a large proportion of lime, which is exceedingly fertile and produces excellent crops of grain. Underlying the loam on the mounds of the Trimbelle is found a tenacious, bluish-green clay, similar to slate in some of its characteristics, and still lower down there are strata of a sandstone in reg- ular layers, and which afford a good building stone for the coarser grades of work. It is nearly identical with the beautiful St. Paul stone, but is yellow instead of mottled blue, and cannot be found in as large masses. Under this sandstone is the Potsdam sandstone, which in this locality is an exceedingly friable stone, not being sufficiently tenacious to be of any value for build- ing. This layer is about one hundred feet in thickness and beneath it is a tough limestone known as the Lower Magnesian limestone, which in the kiln affords an ex- cellent brown lime, well adapted for all grades of mason work except finishing. Still lower down is an- other strata of the sandrock, possessing features simi- lar to those above the limerock. In the south part of the county along the Mississippi bluffs there is a stone which would work well under the chisel and be of con- siderable value if economie transportation were at hand. In that portion of the county lying west and north of the head waters of the Trimbelle, the action of glaciers and possibly icebergs is very apparent. The soil is filled in many places with large bowlders of hard trap or granite rocks, evidently rounded by the action of water or ice, while numerous moraines have changed the course of the Kinnickinnic, or in other places, are piled up into hills of considerable size. In excavations in the village of River Falls, there has been found abundant evidence to show that several chan- nels have been cut through the lime-rock underlying the present site and have in turn been filled up with deposits of sand, gravel and soil. Back of the business portion of Prescott is a plateau composed of a coarse gravel, and many feet in depth. It is a notable feature, however, that comparatively few pebbles are found in the beds of streams composed of the primitive rocks, those that form the bed of the streams being very gen- erally similar to the ledge-rock near at hand. The sur- face of Pierce County is about three hundred feet above Lake Michigan. The soil derived from the decompo- sition of the different geologic formations is always of excellent quality, rich in organic matter, as well as in the salts. This gives a rapidity of growth to plants, and a durability that enables it to withstand a long suc- cession of crops. This fact is strongly verified in this region by fields that have returned an average of fifteen bushels of wheat per acre for the past twenty years, having deteriorated but little during that period.

EARLY HISTORY.

As early as 1827, a company was organized at Fort Snelling, on the Mississippi, composed of the leading United States officers : Col. Plympton, Capt. Scott, Col. Thompson, Capt. Brady, Dr. Emerson and Phil- ander Prescott, the latter being Indian interpreter for the Government, for the purpose of securing the land at the present site of Prescott. Twelve hundred acres were claimed, and Prescott appointed to take possession.

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HISTORY OF PIERCE COUNTY.

A cabin was accordingly built, and for the sale of Indian goods, a trading-post was established. This claim was protected until 1841, when an act was passed by Congress, denying all such organizations the right to hold elaims, but giving to any one land upon which he was living at the date of the act. Prescott secured 160 acres of land under this law. The Sioux Indians ceded to the United States Government all the lands east of the Mississippi River, and all the islands in that stream, in 1837. The chiefs removed their bands to the west side of the river, during the follow- ing year, 1838.

This purchase, together with the St. Croix lumber- ing interests, drew pioneers from the States, and many attempts were made to dispossess the Fort Snelling company of their claim. Each attempt, however, proved a failure, as power in high places was too strong for the weak hand of private enterprise.

The fur company became interested about this time, and all hope of settlement, at this point, was abandoned until the Government should give titles to the lands. In the meantime, Prescott had been called to the fort in performance of his duties, as Indian interpreter, and a man by the name of Reed, a discharged soldier, held the claim for the officers of the fort.

Hilton Doe, S. J. Hodgeden, from Ohio, and J. T. Truse and J. D. McBully, from New York, arrived in 1838. In about a week, Doe was left alone. On his arrival, he found only the lone soldier, Reed, and a community of Indians and half-breeds. Doe remained only a short time, when he went below on the river, and held the position of Indian farmer for seven years, returning again in 1845.

The settlement grew very slow, a fact due to the company excluding all settlement on their claim.

William Schaser arrived in 1841, but immediately withdrew, returning again in 1845, and bringing with him his wife, the first white woman in the county. Dr. Aldrich came in 1843. The Thing brothers and the Cornelison brothers came in 1847; W. Lockwood, in 1846; W. MeMurphy and L. Harnsberger, in 1848 ; N. S. Dunbar, Lyman Smith and J. D. Freeman, in 1849 ; Dr. O. T. Maxon, W. J. Copp and Dr. Beardsley, in about 1850.

This county was still a portion of St. Croix County, but in 1849, the town of Elizabeth was set off, and comprised what is now the county of Pierce.

The first officers elected at the organization of this new town, were Wilson Thing, Chairman of the Board ; Aaron Cornelison, L. N. Harnsberger, Supervisors ; Hilton Doe, Clerk ; George W. McMurphy, Treasurer.

In 1851, by an act of the Legislature, the name of the town was changed to that of Prescott, in honor of Mr. Prescott.

Among the other settlers of Pierce County, are : Joel Foster, in the present town of River Falls, in 1848; next to follow and settle in this place were D. McGregor, James and Walter Mapes, in 1849, Mr. Hayes W. Tozer, Mr. Penn and Ira Parks, in 1850. Following them were N. N. Powell, Clark Green, O. S. Powell, Capt. Woods and C. B. Cox. In 1854, a man, named Dexter, had located on the spot later known as Bay City. Incautiously speaking of his claim, the spot attracted the attention of some specu-

lators, who sought to obtain the tract by the summary process of jumping it before Dexter, could obtain a ti- tle, and after making the entry at the land office, they sent down Mr. Markle, then both attorney and survey- or, to run out the tract. Dexter was aroused by this supposed invasion of his right, and, meeting Markle, shot and killed him. Harvey Seeley settled near the present village of Maiden Rock, in 1850; A. Chapman, in 1854; J. D. Trumbull, Amos Harris, G. H. Steele, J. Fuller, M. J. Paine and J. A. Guitteau, in 1855. During that year the movement of emigration was at its flood, and any attempt to mention individual names any farther, would render this sketch tedious. Could we evoke the genius of memory, and draw from those who are passing away so rapidly now, the reminiscen- ces of that time, how many stories we should glean of hairbreadth escapes in the wilds or in the waters- how the hunters returned from the hunt laden with spoil, or of the adventures of the land-hunters, who had found some new paradise in their wanderings over the pathless prairies. We can imagine how, after the long days had passed in toil, and the semi-occasional mail had come in, that those few old settlers would gather around their respective hearthstones and, with their pipes in their mouths, and after carefully perus- ing the papers, not more than a month old, review the events of the times, and compare notes as to progress in breaking and elearing the lands. And especially when the shorter days of Winter came, and alone in the wilderness a month at a time, removed from communication with friends or relatives at their east- ern homes, how the ties of western friendship would seem to draw closer, and the gatherings come oftener, and when the shades of evening came, the ox-sled would be hauled up, the box filled with a generous supply of hay, and the whole family take seats in the bottom, and hasten to visit their neighbors, half a dozen miles away. And then the sorrow, when some loved one was nearing the grave, and the doctor, hasti- ly summoned from a score of miles, gave no hope ; how the sympathies of all the country around was shown in kindly offers-watchers coming a long distance to give their aid, and the funeral gatherings, comprising the neighbors for miles around. There were many bitter trials and hardships not conceivable in these days, but they had their compensations, too, in the enlargement of the love of humanity, in the earnest and true-heart- ed sympathy, and in the unbounded hospitality. Every house was a hotel, but it was a hotel without money and without price, every traveler was wel- come to come and go at free will, and the thought of compensation never entered the minds of those frec-hearted dwellers in the wilds. And what was true of the western portion of the county from '45 to '49, was equally true of the eastern portions, until within a few years. All the change that would be made in the picture, is of dates.

It seems as if there was something in partial isola- tion of mankind that develops the kindlier feelings of the human soul, enlarges its better impulses, and re- creates mankind into more nearly the image of the true man. And this is true even of these men. many of whom led wild lives, and this was but the exeres- cent growth of the circumstances in which they were

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placed, and in no way affected the manliness of ehar- acter which developed itself. It seems, indeed, as if it were a wise provision of nature that the opening of new countries should be attended with a renewal of the simpler life of man, and thus introduce new blood into the world of civilization.

The first death in the county was that of John Lock- wood, about 1851. He was supposed to have been buried on the point, but the body was afterward removed and deposited in the present cemetery.

The first white child born in the county was Eliza, daughter of George Schaser. The second was David, a son of John Rice.

April 24, 1848, Geo. W. McMurphy was married to Maria Antoinette, a daughter of John Rice, this being the first marriage in this county.

The first frame house in the county was built by Geo. W. MeMurphy, near the site of his present resi- dence. in 1849.

In 1851, Mrs. Olive opened a day school in a small building no longer standing, and instructed seven or eight pupils. This was near Prescott, and the first school taught in the county. Pierce County was or- ganized in 1853, with full powers, there being small settlements at various points within its limits. Such was the beginning and early life of Pierce County, which, from its natural resources, and from the energy and character of her early settlers, has developed and matured, till now it is one of the richest of its age in the State. It is divided into seventeen civil townships, one village and one city, the townships being organized as follows : Elizabeth, afterward Prescott, 1849; Greenwood, afterward River Falls, 1954; Martell, 1854; Isabella, 1855 ; Trimbelle, 1855 ; Diamond Bluff, 1856; Clifton, 1857; Oak Grove, 1857; Perry, after- ward Ellsworth, 1857 ; Pleasant Valley, afterward Maiden Rock, 1857; Hartland, 1857; Trenton, 1857; El Paso, 1858; Salem. 1862; Rock Elm, 1862; Spring Lake, 1868; Decifield, afterward Gilman, 1868.

The valuation of all personal property in the county in 1880, was $1.008,455, and of real estate $2,982,572. There are a- present eighty-eight schools in the county, in charge of a competent corps of teachers, and the to- tal valuation of the school property is $47,588. In 1880, the amount of school money received was 819,- 382, and the amount paid out was $38,468.55. In con- neetion with the schools in the towns of El Paso, Gil- man, Hartland, River Falls and Trenton are libraries, which are doing much toward the diffusion of useful knowledge.

OFFICIAL.

Pierce County was organized from St. Croix County by a special act of the Legislature, approved March 14, 1853, and organized with full powers. By the same act, the county seat was located at the village of Pres- cott, with liberty to change the same to any other point at any general election. The same act called for an election of county officers in November, of the same year, and made the Town Board of Prescott the County Board of Supervisors, which board was formed of Os- born Strahl, Chairman of the Board, with Silas Wright and Sylvester Moore, Supervisors. On motion, H. Teachout was appointed Clerk, pro tem. The first

meeting was held at the house of S. Moore, November 15, 1853. The following persons were appointed as Judges of Election : J. R. Freeman, J. Hewitt and O. T. Maxon, Justice of the Peace. At this meeting, they proceeded to canvass the votes of the preceding elec- tion. There were 110 votes cast, the majority of which elected N. S. Dunbar, Sheriff ; J. R. Freeman, Treas- urer ; S. R. Gunn, Clerk of the Court; Henry Teach- out, Clerk of the Board ; J. Oliver, Coroner ; P.V.Wise, District Attorney ; J. F. True, Surveyor. At the first meeting of the County Board, held November 16, 1853, three County Superintendents of the Poor were ap- pointed : R. G. Thompson, Jonathan Bailey and J. R. Freeman. At the same meeting, a tax of fifteen mills on the taxable property of the county was voted, for the current expenses of the county. At the same meeting, a license was granted to Lovejoy & Tell, to run a ferry across the mouth of the St. Croix River. between Prescott and Point Douglas, said parties required to give bonds to the county for a faithful fulfillment of the law in such cases required.

At the special meeting called at the house of O. Strahl, January 18, 1854, J. M. Whipple was appointed to the office of Register of Deeds, the vote being a tie at the general election. It was voted to allow Whip- ple the usual fee, as regulated by law, for transcribing the records of St. Croix County to the records of Pierce County. At the same meeting, Greenwood, now River Falls, was set off, embracing what is now known as River Falls, also the eastern part of Clifton, the north tier of sections of Trimbelle, and six sections of Oak Grove.

The following is an aggregate valuation of personal property as taken from the Assessor's list, of November 16, 1853: Real estate, $24,452; personal property, $3,616; total, $28,068, as certified to by P. V. Wise, Deputy Clerk. That year, at the November election, W. J. Copp was chosen Circuit Judge, receiving in Pierce County ninety-six votes ; and during the same Fall, Mason Stone was elected County Judge. The place of holding the County Court at this time was somewhat varied, using whatever hall or empty room they could secure, the jail being the only county build- ing then erected. The following are the returns of the county election held November 7, 1854: Congressman, C. C. Washburn ; State Senator, Moses S. Gibson ; Assemblyman, Smith R. Gunn; Sheriff, J. Oliver ; County Treasurer, J. Bailey ; County Surveyor, O. Strahl; Clerk of Circuit Court, John Truax; District Attorney, A. C. Stowell; Register of Deeds, S. T. Otis ; Clerk Board of Supervisors, N. N. Powell ; Coroner, C. B. Cox ; County Judge, Mason Stone; Sealer of Weights and Measures, William McMurphy. In ac- cordance with an act of the Legislature, approved March 15, 1861, the question of the removal of the county seat from Prescott to Ellsworth, was submitted to the people with the following results: 973 votes were cast, of which 600 were for removal, the remain- der opposing. At the next session of the County Board, the officers went directly to the point designated in the act, and did business in a board shanty erected for their comfort. Soon after this, there was a meeting of the board held at the new county seat, and this meeting was the scene of a lively contest. The eastern

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HISTORY OF PIERCE COUNTY

delegation presented and contended for a bill calling for an appropriation for the erection of permanent county buildings. The Prescott faction opposed it, wishing only those of a temporary character. No ami- cable settlement could be made, and the meeting adjourned sine die. The following year, April 1, an act was approved, calling for an election to return the seat of justice to Prescott. The effort, however, was a failure, and the seat of government has since remained at Ellsworth.

At a meeting of the Board held April 7, 1861, the sum of $2,000 was voted for the erection of suitable buildings for holding the courts of the county, also for a jail for the use of the said county, the buildings to be erected on the southwest quarter of Section 17, or the southeast quarter of Section 18, or the northeast quarter of Section 19, or the northwest quarter of Section 20, in Township 26, Range 17 west, on any part of said land as may be determined by the Board of Super- visors. The vote stood nine for and five against. At a meeting, July, 1861, it was voted to add $4,500 to the sum already voted. The temporary buildings subse- quently erected, were used until 1869, when an appro- priation of $30,000 was made, and buildings of a sub- stantial kind were erected. During the same year, an appropriation of $3,000 was made, for the purchase of a " poor farm," which is located near Ellsworth, and affords a comfortable retreat for the poor of the county. At a meeting of the Board, held June 19, 1872, it was voted to issue bonds of the county, to the amount of $5,000, for the Normal school fund, said bonds payable March 1, 1873.

The first records of the judicial courts, held at Pres- cott, in 1854, were kept on sheets of foolscap paper and fastened together with wafers, such as were used to seal letters in days of yore. The first case before the court was as follows: "State of Wisconsin, Pierce County; William Woodruff, versus Charles D. Stevens, August Lochmen, and Charles Peschke. In court of. said county. In equity. On reading and filing the bill of complaint, in this case, on motion of S. J. R. Mc- Millan and H. M. Lewis, solicitors for counsel, J. S. Foster, it is ordered that a writ of injunction be issued in the case, pursuant to the prayer of said bill, upon said complainant. Some one, in his behalf, filed with the clerk of said court, a bond for damages, and costs in the sum of $1,700, with surety to be approved by the clerk or judge of said court.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22nd day of May, A. D. 1854, (signed) Hiram Knowlton, Judge of the Sixth Judicial Dis- trict."

The present officers of the county are as follows ; A. H. Lord, Sheriff; Jens B. Jensen, Clerk ; K. W. Lewis, Register of Deeds ; F. B. White, Treasurer ; J. S. Rounts, Clerk of the Court ; F. A. Ross, District Attorney ; H. P. Aines, Judge.

The Press .- The first newspaper published in the county, was at Prescott in 1855, by C. E. Young. The first copy appeared February 14, under the title Pres- cott Paraclete, the editor thinking that to mean " mes- senger." Afterward, learning that the proper meaning of Paraclete was "Holy Ghost," he changed the title to Prescott Transcript. In 1857, The Journal was estab-

lished at River Falls, under the auspices of the Taylor Brothers. Shortly after, Horace Taylor sold his in- terest to his brother, L. A. Taylor, who continued its publication until the Fall of 1868, when he sold it to Messrs. Flint & Weber. In June 1871, the material of the Journal office was destroyed by fire, and the sub- scription list sold to Messrs. Kimball & Morse, of the Pierce County Herald. After fifteen years of conflict with various adverse circumstances, the Journal once again appears on the very soil where it was first planted. This time started and published by A. Morse & Co., Friday, August 2, 1872. November 15, of the same year, it appears as published by A. Morse & Son. Nov- ember 15, 1876, J. D. Moody purchased an interest in the Journal, and the firm became C. R. Morse & Co .. which continued until February 24, 1881, when J. H. Wilkinson purchased Mr. Moody's interest, and the firm became Morse & Wilkinson. It is Republican in poli- tics, and has a large list of subscribers.

In 1857, Messrs. Lusk, Wise and Bailey com- menced the publication of a Democratic paper, en- titled the Pierce County Democrat. This, however, soon sought the "shades."

The Pierce County Herald, published at Ellsworth every Wednesday, was founded by G. W. and M. B. Kimball, in January, 1868, and has been published continuously ever since, never having failed of its regu- lar issue in any week during all this time. It was ed- ited by M. B. Kimball until May 29, 1869, when Dr. D. W. Woodworth was associated with him. The publication of the Prescott Journal was discontinued July 13, 1871, and its subscription list, with the good will of its owners, was transferred to the Herald. At this time, C. R. Morse purchased a half interest, and Dr. Woodworth retired from the position of associate editor. For some time following these changes, the Journal was the only paper published in the county. On the 20th of November, 1872, C. R. Morse trans- ferred his interest back to G. W. Kimball, who again sold it, this time to E. F. Case, October 1, 1875. M. B. Kimball sold his share to E. S. Doolittle, February 22, 1877. Since that time, it has been published by Case & Doolittle. The Herald is Republican in politics, but is moderate and liberal in its views, and devotes more space to local news and the discussion of ques- tions relating to the public good, than to partisan war- fare, and consequently it finds favor and patronage among all parties. It is the only paper that has a general circulation in the southern part of the county, and is, therefore, the only medium through which ad- vertisers can reach the people through that section. Its circulation is 552 copies.

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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