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 42

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 42

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WALTER L. HOUSER, editor and founder of the Buffalo County Herald, was born in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1855. In the year 1865, he left his native State in company with his mother and came to Wisconsin, locating with her in River Falls, Pierce County, where he received a com- mon school education. He afterwards read law with Abner Morse, and then commenced learning the printer's trade. In 1876 he moved to Mondovi, his present home, where he established the Buffalo County Herald. This is a Republican paper, seven-column folio, and has a cir- culation of 500 copies, being one of the best in the county, and is a strong advocate of the temperance cause. The subject of this sketch was married in 1877 to Miss Susie Legore, daughter of John Legore, one of the oldest settleis in the town of Naples. Ile is a member of the A. .O. U. W., Mon lovi Lodge, No. 23, and also of the Good Templars, he- ing a strong worker in that cause, and was Clerk in the Senate of 1879 and 1880.

DANIEL B. IDE, of the firm of Ide & Darling, general merchants, Mondovi, was born in Vermont, Dec. 16, 1832, and came to Wisconsin with his parents in 1847, locating at Fox Lake. In the Fall of 1858 he opened the first store in the town of Naples in company with L. Wast, in a small building near where the Strong Hotel now stands, on Main street. Mr. Ide has been School Clerk for one term. and was a liberal contributor to Baptist Church which was erected in 1873. Ile was mar- ried in 1860 to Miss Charlotte A. Wast, daughter of Charles Wast, one of the early settlers in the town of Naples. They have three children- one son and two daughters.

J. W. McKAY, District Attorney, Mondovi, was born in Highland Co., Ohio, Feb. 27, 1828. In 1852, he removed to Knox Co., I 1., where he lived three years, and engaged in farming. He then removed again to Trempeleau County, and remained until August, 1857, when he went to Hastings, Minn, with his family, with the expectation of getting work at his trade, either building or wagon-making. He was unsuccessful, and finally came to Alma, arriving in the night, with only fifty cents in money, and no friends or acquaintances, with the exception of Mr. Som- erfield. After a number of hardships, such as are peculiar to a pioneer life, he obtained work and became prosperous. About the beginning of the Rebellion he enlisted, Aug. 15, 1862, in Co. G., 25th Wis. Vol., as a private, and served until June 7, 1865, when he was honorably dis- charged as a commissioned officer. He returned to Buffalo County and engaged in building wagons. He sold his business in 1869, and went to Clark County and went into lumbering. He made several changes from there, and in 1877, he returned to this county and located in Mondovi, and began the practice of law. He has held different offices; for many years has been Justice of the Peace, and in 1877 he was elected as Prosecuting Attorney, and in 1879 he was re-elected. He has been twice married, first to Isabella Pierce, a native of Fayette Co., Ohio ; she died in April, 1855. They had two children, only one of whom is living, Emily Jane. He married, for his second wife, Miss Emily Wood, a native of Catarau- gua Co., N. Y. They have four children-Nellie Melissa, Louisa Belle, John William and Floyd.

EZRA H. MEYERS, machine and blacksmith shop, was born in Pennsylvania, June 29. 1851, and in 1853 came with his parents to Dane County, where they resided until 1868, at that time moving to Buffalo County on a farm. Here the subject of this sketch remained until 1870, when he commenced to work at his trade in Mondovi. He lived there one year and then engaged with N. R. Fisher & Co., where he re- mained six years. In September of 1880 he commenced his present busi- ness and employs two men, and is now making preparations to add a wagon shop to his other business. He was married, in 1875, to Miss Frances Le Gore, daughter of John Le Gore, she being the first white female child born in the town of Naples, on the 20th of March, 1857. They have one son. John F. Mr. Meyers is a member of the A. O. U. W., Mondovi Lodge No. 23.

ROWE & BARROWS, dealers in groceries, glass and queens-ware, Mondovi. This firm was established on the Ist of April, 1881, Mr. Barrows having become a resident of Mondovi in 1860. Hle was horn in New York, Sept. 19, 1846, and after coming to the town of Naples, engaged in farming, at which he continued until the breaking out of the war. He enlisted in the 53d Wis., Co. D, V. I., in March of 1865, serving until the 29th of May, when he was disabled for further service and returned home. Irwin Rowe, of the above firm, was born in Penn- sylvania in May of 1849, and has served four years as Under Sheriff of Buffalo County.

JOHN W. WHELAN, lawyer, Mondovi, was born in Waukesha County, Nov. 1, 1845. Here he received a common school education, and in 1866 entered upon a collegiate course in the State University. He was a graduate of that institution in the class of 1871. In 1872, he went to New Orleans, where he remained one year, after which he went to Ft. Worth, Texas, where he read law with Judge Barkley for one and a half years. He then returned to the North, in the Winter of 1874. teaching school at Cedar Creek. In the Spring of 1875, went to Eau Claire, where he studied law with Ellis & Davis, and was admitted to the Bar in the Circuit Court on the 5th of April, 1876. He opened his first office at Mondovi in the Fall of the same year, where he has practiced ever since. He was married in April, 1878, at Mondovi, to Miss Anna Allen, who was born in Saratoga Co., N. Y.

WILLIAM W. WYMAN, jeweler and druggist, Mondovi ; became a settler of the town of Mondovi in 1860, and in 1861 enlisted in the 6th Wis. Battery. After serving two years he was discharged, on being disabled, and he then returned to Buffalo County, and in 1865 opened a jewelry store in the village of Mondovi. his being the first in the village. In 1877, added a stock of drugs to his former business. He is a general collecting agent, and has been Justice of the Peace for six years; also County Clerk for two years. lle is a member of the Town Board of Naples, and also of the A. F. & A. M., Bernett Lodge, No. 150 and the A. O. U. W., Mondovi Lodge, No. 23. He is a native of Canada, hav- ing been born there on the 22d of June, 1842, his parents, James and Nancy Wyman, having settled in Dodge County in 1844, the former be- ing a native of Vermont, the latter of Maine.

GILMANTON.

The post - village of Gilmanton is situated near the center of Section 14, in the town of the same name. About one mile northwest of the village is an eminence known as Mount Tom, which is noted as one of the landmarks of the region, while Eagle Peak occupies the center of Section 28, and is another of those striking formations. The village is

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

supplied with power by Elk Creek, a large branch of the Buffalo River.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

J. W. HOWARD, merchant and Postmaster, Gilmanton, was born in Orange County, Vt., Feb. 23, 1832. When old enough, he went to Randolph, Mass., where he was engaged in the manufactory of boots and shoes for fifteen years. In 1865, he came to Gilmanton, and started a general merchandise store, it being the first one in the village. He was married in November, 1867, to Miss Irene Martin, who is a native of Vermont, and by whom he has two sons- Leigh H. and Dwight A. The subject of this sketch has held the office of Post- master of Gilmanton for fifteen years, and has been Town Treasurer four years. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., Mondovi Lodge, No. 23, and also of the Knights of Pythias, Mineapolis Lodge No, I, being a member of "Howard Public Library" at Gilmanton, which was founded by Sidney Howard, who gave $500 fund, the interest of

which, was to purchase books to establish a public library. It now contains Ioco volumes.

JOEL MANN, retired farmer, Gilmanton, was born in Orange County, Vt., December 18, 1819. He came to Wisconsin in 1861 and bought some land and a mill-site in Buffalo County, in company with his father, and then returned to Vermont. In 1862 he came back and erected a mill on the site which he had previously bought, and which he still owns, having made his home there ever since. He now makes his home with his sister, Mrs. E. M. Kenyan, who was married in 1866 to W. H. Kenyan.

WILLIAM H. MOWER, merchant and farmer, Gilmanton, was born in Walworth County in 1844 and in 1856 went to Eau Claire with his father, who was engaged in the lumber business. The subject of this sketch, although only a boy, drove the first stake in surveying the city of Eau Claire, and also run the first ferry-boat across the Chippewa River at that point. In 1861 he enlisted in the late war, in the 16th Wis., Co. G. V. I., serving until August of 1865. He was married in 1880 to the- widow of D. C. Loomis, of Gilmanton.

BURNETT COUNTY.

NATURAL FEATURES.

This county lies in the northwestern corner of the State, its western line being the Saint Croix River. Douglas County bounds it on the north, Ashland and Chippeway on the east, and Barron and Polk on the south. It contains about forty-four townships of land.

The county is, to a considerable extent, high and rolling. The chief source of business is lumbering. About 150,000,000 feet of pine are annually cut and sent down to markets on the Saint Croix and Missis- sippi. A large quantity of hardwood timber is found in the other parts of the county, suitable for farming pur- poses. Another valuable industry might easily be carried on, namely, the growing of cranberries, as many thousand acres of marsh land are there, awaiting improvement. Already the profits of this trade are being appreciated, and thousands of acres of marsh are made to yield a handsome return on moderate in- vestments. The country is well drained. The lakes and rivers of the region abound in choice fish.

Water-powers are to be found on Wade, Wood, Clam, Yellow and Namekoggan rivers. There are numerous lakes of crystal purity scattered over the county. Among these one called Spirit Lake, because of Indian traditions associated with it, is perhaps as noted as any.

Like other pine-growing regions Burnett has much light sandy soil, the western portion being of this character, as a general thing ; but the central district is of a richer nature, and is well adapted to agricul- ture. There are extensive beds of sandstone in differ- ent sections, the underlying rock being of that forma- tion.

The greater number of settlers are of hardy Nor- wegian stock, and make thrifty citizens. There is an ample local market for all that can be raised or manu- factured in the county, in other than the lumber trade.

This portion of the State was the home of the Chippeway Indians. They were, as a band, long since removed to Lac Courte Oreille Reservation ; but soli- tary companies of these aborigines wander over the country to the present day, like ghosts of departed rulers.

The first white man whose presence is remembered

beyond dispute since the days of the early missionaries, who have left traces in many places of their piety and unselfish devotion to the cause of the Cross-was a trader named Drake. He is said to have been murdered by the Indians in 1847. Joseph Covillion traded with the Indians in 1854. His post was at Yellow Lake on Yellow River.

The honor attaching to the title of founder of the. county belongs to Canute Anderson, whose name at once reveals his nativity. The Norwegian blood in his veins nerved him to endure the hardships and priva- tions of life in the wilderness. He came to this county May, 1855, locating in the southwestern portion at what is now called after him-Anderson. A small hamlet marks this site on Section 2, Township 37 north, Range 19 west. Mr. Anderson was unmarried at the date of his arrival, but afterward married and became head of a family. Nearly eight years elapsed after his location before other settlers followed him ; but event- ually the advantages of the section were made known, and immigration settled thitherward. Among the earlier arrivals were Magnus Nelson-for many years County Judge-Ole Berg, Thor Ingebrigsten.

Canute Anderson built the first store, saw-mill and grist-mill. He was also builder of the pioneer hotel, and put up the first framed house. The latter was constructed in 1856, and was used for the accommoda- tion of the sparse traveling public-mainly lumber- men. The store was built in 1865, the mills in 1867, and the hotel in1870. The first blacksmith shop was built in 1862 by A. Byneall.

'A stage route was opened from Sunrise, Minn., to Bayfield, over which the Minnesota Stage Company carried the United States mails in 1860. That year the company named constructed bridges across the Clam, Yellow and Namekoggan rivers, they being the first improvements of the kind made in the county. The first post-office was called Burdo. It is now known as Anderson.

The first school-house was built at Anderson, and Miss Caroline Cooper taught the first term therein.

This county contains the site of a deserted village, which once caused hearts to beat high in anticipation of wealth and power. In 1855 a railroad was projected

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HISTORY OF BURNETT COUNTY.

through the wilderness, to be called the Saint Croix & Lake Superior Railroad. The prospect of completing this line along the Saint Croix River induced specula- tors to plat a town at what would have been a very desirable point, if the actuating cause had not been removed. The village of Neshodana sprang into sudden being, on the bank of Yellow River, one mile above its confluence with the Saint Croix. A large saw-mill, costing $10,000, was built; a store erected and furnished; several houses, probably a dozen, built and occupied by families, and all the excitement attending the location of a new Western town and future railroad city experienced. It was a total failure. This was the first village located in Bur- nett County. The survey was made by A. J. Foster. Graves & Co., of Milwaukee, built the mill and started the store. Others invested large sums of money. The panic of 1857 effectually ended all thought of the railroad, and the bright dreams of the owners were forever dispelled. The name of this village was changed to Gordon, and in 1856, upon the organization of the county, it was designated as the county seat.

ORGANIZATION.

By an act approved March 31, 1856, the territory bounded by a line beginning at the southeast corner of Township 38 north, of Range 12 west, from thence running north on the range line between Ranges 11 and 12 to the northeast corner of Township 43 north ; thence west on the north line of Township 43 to the Minnesota State line ; thence south on that boundary line to point where it intersects the north line of Town- ship 37, and thence east on that line to the place of beginning, was set apart as the connty of Burnett. By the same act the county seat was located on the northeast quarter of Section 37, in Township 41, of Range 16, at the same place afterward known as the vil- lage of Gordon. It was also at the same time attached

to Polk for judicial purposes. In 1864 the county was fully organized for county and judicial purposes, and the county seat located, placing it on Section 14, in Township 38, of Range 19 west, at the place now known as Grantsburg. The governor was required to appoint the first county officers. He accordingly desig- nated N. H. Hickerson, County Judge ; Canute Ander- son, Clerk of the Court; Peter Anderson, Register of Deeds; Martin B. Johnson, Sheriff; S. Thompson, Treasurer ; Jacob Larson, District Attorney ; Adam Seed, Coroner ; Michael Johnson, Surveyor, and Mag- nus Nelson, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors. In 1866 the three townships, all numbered 37, but in Ranges 18, 19 and 20, were detached from Polk and added to Burnett. In the same year, by an act of the Legisla- ture, approved April 12, Burnett was again attached to Polk for judicial purposes ; the act, however, only to affect the Circuit Courts, the County Court not being abolished. This remained in effect until 1871, when by an act approved March 14, Burnett was again organ- ized for judicial purposes, and all acts to the contrary repealed. The five towns, numbered 37, Ranges 10 to 14 inclusive, which formed a part of Burnett, are now the northern tier of Barron County.

By the census of 1880 the county contained 3,140 population.

GRANTSBURG.

The capital of the county was founded by Canute An- derson, in 1869. It is situated on the banks of Wood River, about three miles due north of Mr. Anderson's original site, and is platted on more than half of Section 14, Township 38 north, Range 19 west. It contains a substantial court- house, built in 1875 at a cost of $6,000. A small jail was erected in 1870.

The press is represented by the Burnett County Sentinel, established by Marion Wescott, February, 1875. It is now published by W. E. Talboys. It is a weekly, and is Repub- lican in politics.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

CALUMET COUNTY.

LOCATION AND NATURAL FEATURES.

In territorial extent Calumet County is one of the smallest in the State, having an area of only 330 square miles. Its greatest width east from Lake Winnebago is fourteen miles, and its extreme length from north to south twenty-four miles. To the north lie Outagamie and Brown counties ; to the east Manitowoc ; Sheboy- gan and Fond du Lac bound it on the south, and Lake Winnebago on the west. The main stream of the Manitowoc River divides at the boundary line between Calumet and Manitowoc counties, the two branches drain a great part of the territory. The entire eastern, northern and southern portions of Calumet are thereby drained indirectly into Lake Michigan, while the region bordering the shores of Lake Winnebago is accommo- dated by small streams flowing into that body of water. Most of the land has been so long cleared of its former heavy growth of pine that it is well adapted to agri- cultural purposes, and is easily cultivated. On the shores of Lake Winnebago and extending some miles eastward the usual water formations are found, while along the Calumet River marsh conifer formations pre- vail. The general subsoil consists of a red marly clay, while along the banks of the Manitowoc River are quite marked deposits of peat. Calumet County, in fact, differs little in its natural features from Manitowoc. The same grains thrive-wheat, corn, barley, oats, etc. The working of the dairy products is also profitable. Valuable stone quarries exist in the northeast and the west, and will prove a source of wealth to the county. Considered in a sanitary point of view, Calumet is favorably located, escaping, as it does, many of the damp and unhealthy winds of Lake Michigan ; and yet, having Lake Winnebago to the west, it avoids the hot, dry seasons of localities farther towards the inte- rior of the State. Its average elevation is 350 feet above Lake Michigan.

Calumet County has obtained a reputation over the State and beyond for the excellent quality of her cheese. Thirty factories are scattered in her different towns. Stockbridge takes the lead in this industry ; but the whole region bordering the lake is splendidly adapted to the raising of the dairy products. The western slope of Calumet County toward Lake Winnebago is in fact the agricultural district par excellence.

The Agricultural Society was organized in June, 1878. O. R. Potter was elected president, a vice-pres- ident being chosen from each town.

The name of this county is suggestive of peace and its attendant arts. Nor is the suggestion a specious one, for the history of this region has but few, if any, counterparts in the country. The pipe of peace be- tween the aboriginal and the invading races was smoked by those who foresaw the inevitable approach of civil- ization ; and the county presents the anomaly of having first been redeemed from native wildness by the

race which formerly possessed the rights of savage ownership.

The immediate derivation of the name was a Me- nomonee village, lying upon the east shore of Lake Winnebago, in what is now the town of Calumet in Fond du Lac County.

EARLY OCCUPANTS.

There are numerous evidences of a prehistoric occupation of this region. In common with many regions contiguous to large bodies of water, and which possess natural advantages for the easy preservation of human life, this county contains mounds which were the work of a race long since extinct.

Under the more modern divisions of men's owner- ship. the county formed a part of the Winnebago Ter- ritory, although no Indians, other than civilized bands, have occupied the land since the advent of the white man, with the exception of a few wandering bands of the Winnebagoes, Chippewas, Pottawatomies and Me- nomonees, who occasionally passed through, remaining only a few days. The last band of any considerable size who remained in the county was "Littleway's band " of fifty Menomonee warriors, who, with their women and children, had their Winter camp, for a number of years prior to 1848, on the Manitowoc River near the site of the present railroad depot at Chilton.

SETTLEMENT.

As the first strokes in the name of civilization were delivered by Indians, it is necessary to glance back and ascertain the canses which led up to this unusual but commendable result. The fertile region was chosen as the home of bands known as Brothertowns and Stockbridges. These educated men selected large tracts of land lying on the east bank of Lake Winne- bago, and there cut the first tree, erected the first cabin, made the first clearing and engaged in the first agricultural labors in the county. Their supplies were taken by boat up the lower Fox, and thence wearily carried on men's backs to the places designated as the new homes. Many of those who made the venture remained to enjoy the fruits of their industry, and they and their descendants now form a conspicuous part of the substantial citizens of the county. The Brother- towns eventually outstripped the Stockbridges in the march of improvement, being the first and most anx- ious in their application for the rights of citizenship, and otherwise indicating that they possessed at a very early day the true American spirit. It is interesting to trace back the cause of this difference to a period over a hundred years ago. The cause is a common one, and which has always operated favorably -a mixture of many shades of blood, which has always brought strength. In the latter part of the eighteenth century, the Farmington Indians were settled in the North At- lantic States. By an unchecked course of miscegena-

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HISTORY OF CALUMET COUNTY.

tion, considerable Negro blood had been poured into their veins. Many of them had even been sold into slavery, and were, all in all, brought down to a very low condition. Moving further north they were finally emancipated through the endeavors of Capt. Hendricks, one of their former chiefs, who proved their origin and originally pure American blood. David Fowler, an educated Montauk Indian, then induced them, in company with remnants of Narragansetts, Mohegans, Pequoits and other tribes of former power, to migrate further to the northwest and settle upon a tract of land granted by the Oneidas, near Utica, N. Y. Here a union was formed, and the nation became Brothertown and its people the Brothertowns. In 1822 they were removed to Green Bay, and commenced the formation of Brothertown colony in Calumet County in 1833-34. Marks of colored blood crop out at times quite prom- inently, even to this day. Upon their first settlement they seem also to have brought with them the instincts of land cultivation and the love of some fixed spot, however humble, to be called home, which traits be- long to the colored race in contrast to the nomadic dis- position of the pure blooded Indian. When the Broth- ertowns settled in their new New York home, the Stock- bridges had been torn by the Oneidas and the whites to a shred of their former power, and were living upon a small reservation only about five miles square, which the former had granted them in Oneida County. They came to Wisconsin with the Brothertowns, and com- menced to settle in the town of Stockbridge during the same year as the former, in 1833. A tract of land along Lake Winnebago had been obtained by the leaders of the two tribes in 1831, but the real settle- ment did not begin until two years later. Since then the now organized towns of Brothertown and Stock- bridge have generally kept pace with other portions of the county in material and even mental improve- ment, having sent several representatives to the Legis- lature, and developed educated and refined citizens. Others have become wealthy and have sent their chidren to college and university ; but as regards gen- eral prosperity the verdict is that the Brothertowns have outstripped the Stockbridges ; and the explana- tion which has been given of the fact is deemed both sufficient and original. The first settlement formed by the Brothertowns was called Deansburg, in honor of their former Indian agent, Thomas Dean. It after- wards became "Ball's Corner." Foremost among those who located were William Dick, father of Hon. William H. Dick, Elkanah Dick, Randall Abner, Thom- as Cumnock and S. Adams. Soon after this settle- inent was formed, a number of Stockbridges located near the shore of Lake Winnebago. The settlers were not citizens, and therefore could receive no organ- izing authority from the Legislature ; but each tribe assumed substantially the town system of government, and proceeded like other pioneers to clear the country of timber and erect their dwelling houses. The Broth- ertowns, after a three-years struggle with rough forest provender, employed Moody Mann, a white settler, to build them a mill, the cost of which was to be defrayed from their annuity fund. At first the mill ground by water-power, and was the pioneer of its class for miles around. In the meantime (1834) John Dean, formerly

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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