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 271

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 271


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).


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and W. H. Oviatt, physicians, and M. C. Phillips and F. M. Guernsey, attorneys. Clintonville is bound to succeed as a good business point of the county. The official roster for 1881 is: J. A. McNeil, President of the Village Board; C. S. Sutherland, Supervisor; F. M. Guernsey, Clerk ; E. Brix, Treasurer.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


ENGLEBERT BRIX, general merchant, Clintonville ; is a son of John Brix, and was born Nov. 1, 1854, in Bavaria. The family came to America in 1853, settling in Sheboygan Co., Wis. In 1856, they removed to the town of Larrabee, Waupaca Co., where a quarter section of wild land was bought. Many a frontier adventure was experienced by this family. All goods were sent to and received from New London, via the Pigeon and Embarrass Rivers. Englebert Brix began his present business in 1878. Ile is a Romon Catholie. Mr. Brix has been married three times ; has fifteen living children. His first wife, Julia Michealoski, died in Neenah, leaving a son, John, now twenty-two years of age. The second wife, Magdalena Adnes. died in Larrabee, leaving eleven children. By the present wife, née Genevieve Bardolf, he has three enildren.


A. P. KNAPP, merchant and Postmaster, Clintonville, was born Aug. 19, 1838, in Kingsbury, Washington Co., N. Y .; re- moved to Shawano in 1857 ; taught the local school two years, and engaged in farming and lumbering ; was a resident of Shawano till 1877, when he located at Clintonville; was for a time a part- ner of W. H. Stacy; bought him out in 1879, and has since managed his own store; was appointed Postmaster Feb. 12, 1878. Mr. Knapp had been for three years previously, Postmaster of Pella, Shawano Co. He is a member of the Congregational Church and is Sabboth School Superintendent. Was married to Miss Mary E. Wiley, who was born near Ithaea, N. Y. They have six children, all of whom, except the youngest, were born in Shawano Co.


JOHN A. MeNEIL, President of the village of Clinton- ville, son of Donald Mc.Neil ; is of Scotch lineage. He was born Oet. 6, 1847, in Pembrooke, Renfrew Co., Ont .; was educated there and accompanied his parents and eight brothers and sisters, to Embarrass, Waupaca Co., Wis., in 1869. He was engaged in lumbering until 1878, when he came to Clintonville and bought the Bugby House. This he thoroughly rebuilt and gave it his own name-MeNeil House; did a flourisbing business up to Feb. 1, 1881, when the hotel was burned to the ground. May 17, 1881, he sold the site to W. H. Staey, who has since erected a large and well equipped house there. Mr. MeNeil is now en- gaged in a very satisfactory livery business. He realized over $2,000 insurance on the hurned hotel. His father died from an aceidental fall in November, 1879.


H. A. MEILIKE, druggist, Clintonville ; born July 3, 1854, in Pomerania, Prussia; came in 1876, to the United States; located, in 1878, at Clintonville and owned a saloon for a time ; then began his present business. Mr. Meilike is a live, aetive man and is rewarded by a good patronage.


W. H. STACY, of Staey & Lawson, Clintonville, is one of the representative pioneers of Central Wisconsin ; born Oct. 22, 1836, in Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., he remained on the paternal farm until 1856, when he removed to Belle Plains, Sha- wano Co. There began a business career which has done much to develop the natural resources of this part of the State. Mr. Stacey, with various partners, has, during the past twenty-five years, built as many flouring-mills, saw-mills, factories, hotels, and shops as any man in Shawano or Waupaca Cos. He removed from Embarrass to Clintonville in 1873, purchasing a half interest in N. P. Clinton's then embryo village ; has since been associated in business with Messrs. Stewart, Gillis and Metzner. The pres- ent strong firm was established in June, 1880. The business of which Mr. Stacey has control here is as follows : A large imple- ment and wagon-material factory. run by both water and stean


1112


HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.


power, employing five men ; a flouring-mill, with four runs of stone and one set of rollers. capacity, 1,000 bushels per day; a large general store, where as much business is daily transacted as in any place in this county ; and a hotel recently completed on the site of the MeNeil House, which was burned March, 1881. Mr. Stacey has a fine home and an interesting family.


C. S. SUTHERLAND, druggist, Clintonville; is a son of James and Hannah ( Stephenson ) Sutherland ; born Jan. 9, 1851, in New Brunswick, Canada West. In 1855, his parents located in Portage Co., Wis. There he attended school, and lived until after the death of his parents. At twenty, he began teaching, and alternately taught and attended Lawrence University for several ycars ; was elected County Superintendent of Schools in Portage Co. in 1877 : taught six months; resigned his school, and began his present business. Has since formed a partnership with Mr. House, the firm doing a satisfactory business, carrying a large and complete stock of goods usually found in a first-class drug store.


F. H. WARD, proprietor of the Ward House, Clintonville ; horn in 1846, in La Salle Co., Ill. ; spent his early life on a farm,


preached in 1851, by Rev. John Baxter, a Congregational elergyman. The first church built, was by the Presbyterians in 1873. The first store was built by Benjamin Binckley, in 1850, and the first saw-mill by Messrs. Conant & Russell in 1856. The first teacher was Miss Strond, who taught in 1851, the first schoolhonse being built in 1853. First town officers-Ira Sumner, Chairman ; A. T. Montgomery, John Buckley, Supervisors ; M. B. Patchin, Town Clerk ; Henry J. Schroeder, Treasurer.


The village of Fremont is situated on the east side of the Wolf River, and contains 300 people. It has a hotel, seven stores, two schools (one graded) and one steam saw- mill. The Odd Fellows have a flourishing lodge.


Quite a tragic event, in the estimation of both whites and Indians living in this vicinity, was the death of Wan- Ke-John, a brave war chief of the Menomonees. The event occurred during the summer of 1852, while the tribe were


RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM A. SPRINGER, FREMONT.


and at the same time engaged in buying stock and driving it north. He moved to New London in 1865, and for several years followed the livery business there. In November, 1868, he came to Clinton- ville, buying what was then the only " hotel" or stopping place at the " Pigeon." In 1872, the Ward House was built, and has since been deservedly well patronized. Mr. Ward is a Mason, and a genial, wholesouled landlord.


FREMONT.


This is the smallest town in the county, containing but twenty sections of land. North of it are the towns of Weyanwega and Caledonia, and west Lind and Weyauwega. It is in the southern tier of towns, being organized in 1865. The first town meeting was held in the village of Fremont, in April, 1865, the first settlement having been made as far back as the spring of 1849, by Riley Eastman. The post offiec was first established on the east side of the river in 1853, with Ira Sumner as Postmaster. Its location was afterward changed to the west side. The first sermon was


on their way down the river to Winneconne after ammu- nition. According to W. A. Springer's account, a Chip- pewa, with whom Wau-Ke-John was not on good terms, shot him through the heart from his boat, as the chief was about to land on the marsh above Fremont. On the other hand, Hon. H. C. Mumbrne, who was in that locality at about the time of the occurrence, was told that the affair was accidental, that the unfortunate chief, being between two Indians who were quarreling, one of them shot at his enemy, and mortally wounded Wan-Ke-John. At all events, the mourning among the whites and Indians was sincere. The body was buried with honors, at the " back lodges," near the cut-off, two miles above Gill's Landing.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


CYRENUS KINSMAN, merchant, Fremont ; horn Oct. 10, 1831, in Northfield, Washington Co., Vt .; came to Wisconsin in 1847, locating near Milwaukee, where he remained about nine years ; he then spent a year in Fond du Lac Co., Wis., and, in 1856, came to Fremont ; his brother, C. C. Kinsman, and himself,


1113


HISTORY OF WAUPACA COUNTY.


then bought the old Sumner House, in which he was interested a year ; he then engaged in farming ; in 1861, he enlisted in Co. A, 8th W. V. I., served two years and four months under Grant and Sherman, participating in the battles of Frederickton, Farm- ington, Corinth, Iuka, Island No. 10, Jackson, and the seige of Vicksburg ; his company was the first to stack arms in the capital of Mississippi ; Mr. Kinsman was honorably discharged in Madi- son, Wis., Jan. 1, 1864, on account of disability ; for eight years thereafter he was in partnership with J. N. Kinsman in the mer- cantile and produce business. Mr. Kinsman and C. H. Sherburne own about 1,200 acres of marsh land on the Wolf River, and Mr. Sherburne and himself own a store in Fremont. He married Mrs. Mary A. Sherburne (nee Smedley); by her he has two chil- dren-John C. and George A. By her former husband Mrs. Kinsman has two sons-C. H. and William E. Mr. Kinsman has an elegant home on the outskirts of the village; it is a hand- some two-story briek, the upright 24x30, 21 feet high, and wing 18x24. In politics, Mr. Kinsman has served as Supervisor, and is now serving his third term as Town Treasurer. He is a mem- ber of Weyauwega Lodge, A., F. & A. M.


J. N. KINSMAN, merchant and Postmaster, Fremont ; born Sept. 21, 1828, in Northfield, Washington Co., Vt. In 1856, he, with his brothers-Cyrenus, C. C., and a brother-in-law, John Bender-came to Fremont, bought twelve village lots, on one of which Messrs. Bender & Kinsman built a warehouse. They were partners fourteen years. Then the brothers, Cyrenus and J. N., were together three years. Since then he has had various partners, but is now alone in business. He has been Postmaster here for the past four or five years; is a member of Fremont Lodge, No. 213, I. O. O. F., and Weyauwega Lodge, No. 82, A., F. & A. M. He married, in 1863. Jane C. Chalmers, a native of Manchester, England ; Mrs. Kinsman is a thoroughly educated and accomplished lady ; her early life was spent in France, and she is familiar with half a dozen languages ; they have three chil- dren-James, Ollie and Guy, all born in Fremont.


WILLIAM A. SPRINGER, farmer and nurseryman, Sce. 26, P. O. Fremont. Born April 21, 1818, in the town of Movers, Clinton Co., N. Y. In 1849, he came from there to Little River, Waupaca Co, Wis .; here he and C. F. Eaton re- built the dam and restocked the saw-mill of E. Townsend. In 1850, he came to Fremont and pre-empted part of his farm on


Springer's Point ; bought it in 1852. Springer's Point, so named for him, was his home until 1874; he then settled where he now is ; has 260 acres; ten acres are devoted to the nursery; Mr. Springer makes a specialty of hardy varieties of apples. He originated the Wolf River, the Addie, and the Mary. At one time Mr. Springer was a large land-owner, and bought, sold and exchanged land without end. He has, doubtless, cleared and im- proved as much land as any man in Waupaca Co. His is the only nursery in the county. He married in his and her native towu, Joanna Eaton ; they have two daughters and two sons; the girls were born in New York State and the sons in Fremont. Mr. Springer is an Odd Fellow.


JOSEPHUS WAKEFIELD, Fremont, was born at Water- town, Jefferson Co., N. Y., Oct. 10, 1819; received an academie education ; studied law with Judge Hubbard, of New York ; held a Captain's commission, under Gov. Wright, in a Watertown mil- itary company ; weut South in 1846; came to Wisconsin in 1849; first settled in Outagamie, then a portion of Brown Co .; was a member of the first Board of Supervisors of said county, and first Postmaster at Medina, Superintendent of Schools, ete. Came to Waupaca Co. in 1855 ; settled in Fremont, where he still resides; is now engaged mainly in farming ; served as District Attorney during 1871 and '72; was Court Commissioner for six years, com- meneing in 1872, and has long held the office of Justice of the Peace; was elected to the Legislature in the fall of 1881 and is an old and respected resident of Waupaca Co.


DUPONT.


This town, one of the northern tier, and west of Larra- bee, was first settled in 1857, by O. A. Quimby, it being organized in 1864, with the following officers: M. Griffin, Chairman ; O. A. Quimby, M. Farrell, Supervisors ; J. P. Quimby, Treasurer ; O. A. Quimby, Justice. B. Quimby taught the first school in 1859, the first house for educa- tional purposes being built the next year. Rev. Silas Miller preached the first sermon in 1859. There is no church building in the town. G. W. Quimby owned the first store, built in 1866, the first saw-mill being erected two years later by Dr. J. W. Perry. D. J. Quimby was the first Postmaster, the office having been established in 1863.


1114


HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.


WAUSHARA COUNTY.


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.


The area embraced by this county is about 414,000 acres of land. It is estimated that fifty per cent of this may be called "openings;" thirty per cent marsh; fifteen per cent timber, and five per cent prairie. The chief disadvan- tage of the soil, in both the prairie and the openings, is its extreme sandiness. The timber is oak, hickory, maple, bass and ash. The eastern part of the county has the most productive soil, and the marshy portions are admirably fit- ted for cranberry culture, and for hay raising; immense crops of the former are harvested in the southeastern part. Wild fruits grow in great profusion, which argues the suc- cessful production of the cultivated kinds. Large deposits of marl are found, which is valuable as a fertilizer. There are considerable beds of the quality of clay that produces cream-colored brick, and which is also adapted to the making of stoneware. The principal crops are wheat, rye, oats, corn and hops. About 15,000 acres of wheat are sown annually. The character of the surface is generally level, though there are some bluffs in the northern and central parts. The region is well watered, lakes varying in size from one acre to a section of land, being scattered profusely over it. Lake Poygan encroaches on its eastern boundary, and covers about four sections of land. The Fox cuts off the southeastern corner, and is its largest river; it flows in a northeasterly direction, and no stream of any size enters it within the limits of the county. Pine River, that drains the northeastern half and enters Lake Poygan, is the stream second in size; it affords fair warer-powers. Willow Creek, which performs the same office for the central and south- castern section, and has its outlet but a short distance from the Pine into the same lake, is next in importance. White River and Pine Creek are tributaries of the Fox, and drain the southern portion. All these streams offer facilities for manufacturing. Both lakes and rivers abound in fish. It is said that, "at one time there were so many fish below the dam at Poysippi, that people took them away by wagon loads, catching them in their bare hands, and throwing them into their wagon boxes as fast as they could pick them up." By the boring of artesian wells, water can be obtained at a depth of from fifty to one hundred feet. Almost every farm has a fountain or flowing well. The Wisconsin Cen- tral Railroad passes through the western tier of towns.


EARLY HISTORY.


The territory within the present limits of Waushara County was, in 1848, owned by the Indians, but, in Sep- tember of that year, two brothers, Isaac and William War- wick, veterans of the Mexican war, made a claim to land on Section 2, now in the town of Marion. They built a log shanty 8x10 feet, and covered it with sods ; but later, Isaac took two yokes of oxen and went to Stevens' Point for Inumber, with which they put their house in more substantial shape. The Indian Agent and the Chief of the Menomonees ordered the Warwicks to leave, but the Chief recalled his order in consideration of their breaking up some land for a field of


corn for him. In 1849, a new road was opened from Berlin to what is now Wautoma ; other lands were purchased, and new settlers arrived. Philip Green, in the winter of 1848-49, settled on the present site of the village of Wautoma, build- ing a shanty ; but the following spring he sold to Mr. Atkins, who kept a tavern there during the winter, in the summer keeping a tavern near Strong's Landing.


Warren was settled in 1849, by John C. Williams, W. F. Chipman, John A. Dedrick, and others, the first shanty being built by - Waterman. Lewis H. Bagg and Mr. Shepherd settled Sand Prairie. The first school was a select one, taught by Mrs. Diana Carr, who lived with Mr. Bagg's people at the time. The first district school was opened in 1851.


Warden, a bee-hunter, was the first settler at Leon, though he remained bnt a short time. This was in 1849. In the same year, at Mount Morris, in the central part of the county, claims were taken by E. W. Alford and William Tibbett; in the western part, town of Plainfield, by Thomas Kelley and his son, William N. Kelley, W. W. Beach, Leonard Wilcox and William Lord; the latter kept a tavern in the town of Oasis. Mr. Beach did not settle until some time later. In 1852. E. C. Waterman and Charles Hamil- ton located in Plainfield.


ORGANIZATION.


The county of Waushara comprises eighteen townships. It is in the form of a parallelogram, and is thirty-six miles long and eighteen miles wide. It was organized by an act of the Legislature approved February 15, 1851. It was organized into one town, bearing the same name as the county, and the county seat was temporarily located at Sacramento. It was attached to Marquette for judicial purposes. The first town meeting was held at the house of Cyrus Langworthy. The first election occurred in 1851, and Thomas H. Walker was made County Judge ; Joseph Garland, Clerk of the Board ; Allyn Bourdman, Clerk of the Court; George Babcock, District Attorney ; Vernon Evans, Sheriff; James Saunders, Treasurer ; J. S. Bugle, Register of Deeds ; Charles N. Strumway, Surveyor, and A. B. Foster, Coroner. The vote was canvassed by E. W. Daniels, D. H. Robinson, Justices, and I. R. Rogers, Clerk pro tem. The Board of Supervisors-C. N. Shumway, Mathew Devoe, and I. R. Rogers-had their first meeting, at the house of C. Langworthy, on the 11th of November.


In 1852, the county was organized for judicial purposes, and in September, 1854, the county seat was removed to Wautoma. There were 740 votes cast on the question of removal, 397 of which were in the affirmative. When the county business was first removed to Wautoma, the court sessions were held over Marble & Curtis' store, withont cost to the county. The rooms for the Treasurer and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors was furnished by C. M. Shumway ; that for the Register and Clerk of the Court, by Alvah Nash; that for the Sheriff's office by W. C. Webb, while the schoolhouse was used for the Grand Jury room. Within


HISTORY OF WAUSHARA COUNTY.


one month after the election, all the officers were at the new county seat. The first building owned by the county for a court house was bought in 1857, of G. W. Smith, for $1,237, the deed being given April 30. There has been but one change in the boundary of the county, and by that two sec- tions-one containing the old county seat, Sacramento- were made a part of Green Lake County.


WAUTOMA.


This is a pleasant, quiet little village, the county seat, situated nearly in the center of Waushara County. Its population is about 500. Besides a general trade of some amount, it has a grist mill, run by water-power, Aug. Weisliner, proprietor ; two wagon manufacturers, J. & T. McKeague and Charles Kingsley, respectively, proprietors ; a glove and mitten manufactory, S. M. Olds, proprietor. Wautoma has no railroad, but has communication with the iron band through a line of stages from Plainfield to Berlin.


The original settler upon the site of the village of Wau- toma was Phillip Green, in the winter of 1848-49; he built a log-house, which was used as a tavern. Soon after, a Mr. Atkins purchased his claim, and, later, the Shumway Brothers, who settled in the early part of 1850. The country was then rich in pine, and the latter improved the water-power, built a saw mill and store house, and christened the settlement "Shumway's Mills." The next year John Bugh opened a farm a mile and a half from the village, and is identified with its growth. F. Munson bought a stock of goods from Ohio in 1852, and opened the first general store in Shumway's storehouse. In 1853, from Dane County, came David L. Bunn, present County Judge, and estab- lished a store. About the same time, L. L. Soule located himself and family upon the land where his residence now stands, and, as he expresses it, " built a house around them." His law office was over Judge Bunn's store. Mr. Soule has resided here since, having been District Attorney ten years, and a man of prominence in business and his profession. The first hotel was the Wautoma House, N. W. Boynton, proprietor.


The original plat of the village of Wautoma was recorded December 24, 1853, S. W. Hail, surveyor, and William Everhard, proprietor. The latter had purchased the Shum- way claim, which included the land platted. G. W. Smith purchased of him a half interest in the village property, and the two built a grist-mill, which was in running order by the winter of 1854. This year was an important one for Wautoma. She received several important accessions to her population, among other arrivals being that of Dr. Moses Barrett, a physician, afterward County Treasurer, and the recipient of many public favors. Marble & Curtis established another general store. The county seat, which for the past three years-since the organization of the county, in fact-had been located at the village of Sacra- mento, on the Fox River, three miles from Berlin, was changed by vote of the people to Wautoma. There has been no reversal of the popular vote which located Wautoma as the county seat. This decided, the village grew as rapidly as others in its vicinity up to the time that it failed to obtain connectiou by railroad. Now it has a population of some five hundred, as stated, has a fair general trade, four manufactories, a hotel, a village school, two churches- the Congregational and M. E .- two lodges of A., F. & A. M., and a flourishing weekly newspaper, controlled by


J. T. Ellarson, who also is proprietor of the Plainfield Times.


In March, 1859, the Waushara Argus was established, as the Waushara County Argus, by Pulcifer (D. H. ) & Co., at the village of Pine River. In May it was removed to Wautoma, but without change of proprietors. J. W. Rist & Co. became the proprietors in the fall of 1859. Up to March 1, 1863, when the name of the paper was changed to the Waushara Argus, the different proprietors had been : W. C. Webb, 1860; Hall & Stowers, 1861 ; A. P. Lackerby & Stowers, 1862. In 1865, W. S. Munroe succeeded Mr. Lackerby and the control of the same passed from his hands into those of R. L. D. Potter in 1867. In 1872, Mr. Munroe became sole proprietor again. Thus he continued until August 13, 1880, when J. T. Ellarson became editor and proprietor. He still continues to act in the latter ca- pacity, but in September, 1881, S. A. Jewell became editor. The Argus is a good county paper, and is a stanch Republican in politics.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


J. N. P. BIRD, Wautoma ; was born at Munsville, Madison Co., N. Y., Oet. 9, 1835. In 1837, his parents removed to Mad- ison, Wis., taking him with them, where he remained until 1859. During the years 1857-58, he was engaged in baking and con- fectionery business ; in 1859, removed to Wautoma. At the breaking-out of the war he enlisted in the three months' service, but the company was not organized ; re-enlisted in the " North- western Tigers," July, 1861 ; the company was assigned as Co. I, 7th W. V. I. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant, Dee. 27, 1861 ; April, 1862, through some jealousy, there was an attempt made to have him shot for exciting a sedition ; he was arraigned and tried by a Field Court Martial; managed his own defense, com- pletely showing up the falsity of the charge, wringing from the Captaio, who preferred the charge, tears as well as the statement that he had never disobeyed an order or behaved himself unbe- coming an officer and a gentleman ; was in due time acquitted and presented by his company with a valuable sword, sash and belt as a testimonial of their appreciation He was wounded at the second battle of Bull Run ; was placed on recruiting service; pro- moted to Captain Feb. 27, 1863 ; was assigned to duty in 22d Army Corps, in command of paroled prisoners' camp, and through his exertions the prisoners were relieved from much suffering. In time the men were seut to their regiments and the civilians dis- charged and furnished transportation home. The camp was re-or- ganized as a eamp of distribution, Capt. J. C. Davis commanding, Capt. Bird. Acting Assistant A. G. Soon Capt. Bird was placed in command ; during the winter was relieved from this camp and took command of the 3d Division, rendezvous of distribution, Va., composed of the New England troops, where he won additional honors, and received from his eommand a valuable gold watch, and many other testimonials of esteem, as well as being frequent- ly complimented for the soldierly bearing of his men and their perfeet military discipline. While in command of this division, he was frequently detailed temporarily to aet as A. A. G. and A. Q. M. G., and filled a number of other responsible positions, all with credit. About March, 1864, he took charge of the two mess houses in eamp, with about 300 detailed men, where he lost none of his popularity, as the following re-print from the Soldiers' Journal, a Virginia paper, will attest : " Capt. Bird, who has won such an enviable reputation as commander of the 3d Division, has assumed charge of the two mess houses, where he is reaping ad- ditional honors." August, 1864, he returned to his old company, theu in front of Petersburg, and remained with them in the trenches, etc., until mustered out of the service, Sept. 26, 1864, hav- ing then over-served his time of enlistment. He returned to Washington, settled with the Government without any disagree- ment in accounts, save that he gave the Government eredit for six




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