USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Official record of the Old Settlers Society of Racine County, Wisconsin : with the historical address of Charles E. Dyer, delivered at Burlington, Wis., February 22, 1871 > Part 3
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Joel Sage and Alfred Cary were the first Justices of the Peace at Racine under legally constituted authority. Mr.
32
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Sage did not desire or intend to qualify as a magistrate, but Mr. Cary wanted to get married, and wanted Esq. Sage to marry him, and so he was induced to qualify !
It has been said that Rev. Cyrus Nichols preached the first sermon ever heard in Racine. This is a mistake. Mr. Stephen Campbell tells me that the first sermon was preached by a Rev. Mr. Robinson, who came as a missionary. Jonathan M. Snow and Wm. See also preached occasionally, before the ar- rival of Mr. Nichols. Mr. See always began his sermons by saying : "In my preface, or exordium, I will make but very few remarks." Rev. Mr. Nichols was undoubtedly the first clergyman of the Presbyterian denomination in Racine or the vicinity.
On the 1st of January, 1839, the first Presbyterian So- ciety was organized, and its members were the following per- sons : Mr. and Mrs. Heman Rice, Mr. and Mrs. Benj. E. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Cary, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Wells, Mr. and Mrs. Elias S. Capron, Messrs. Julius Colton, Nelson A. Walker, Joel Sage, Mrs. Sylvester Mygatt, Mrs. J. P. Hurlbut, Mrs. Cyrus Nichols, Miss. L. L. Wells, Miss Susanna Traber and Miss Sarah C. Hall.
The first school house erected at Racine was a structure sixteen feet square, located where McClurg's block now stands, and the first school was opened by a Mr. Bradley, in the winter of 1836. The first school district in the town was es- tablished in 1840, and included all the district of country north of the present south line of the county, and extending one mile north and west of the present city limits. There were six voters present at the organization of the district, and the whole number of children in the district at that time was twenty-eight.
Samuel Lane was the first shoemaker, and Wm. Chamberlin the first blacksmith at Racine. Lane opened his shop in the old claim house, built and first occupied by Captain Knapp,
33
RACINE COUNTY, WIS.
on the bank of the river. Mr. Benjamin Pratt opened the first brick yard in 1836, and furnished the brick for the chim- nies of the Racine House and for the old Light House.
At times there was a great scarcity of provision. In the winter of 1837-8, Mr. Myers, landlord of the Racine House, hired L. S. Blake to go to Chicago to buy for him a load of hams and a barrel of flour. Mr. Blake was gone ten days; when he returned there was great rejoicing at the hotel- quarters, and Mr. Myers is remembered to have said on the occasion : "Now, boys, we shall live again.". There was one winter when families got entirely out of meat, and could get none until suckers came, in the spring. In the fall of 1835, a vessel loaded with provisions arrived from Chicago. In order to facilitate the discharging of the cargo, the vessel was by some means pulled up, stern on the beach. The settlers from the surrounding country came in to assist in getting the pro- visions ashore. It was an exciting time. Capt. Knapp superintended the business. The wind was freshening ; the waves were beginning to roll ; the sky was dark and lowering. Gulls were flying over the waters as if to admonish the wayfarers on the beach of the coming storm. One who was present, says he shall never forget the excitement of the moment, when Capt. Knapp with the clear voice of a mariner, sang out : "Boys, those birds indicate stormy weath- er ! " But so faithful and vigorous were the exertions which were made, that before the storm came, the cargo was safely landed and securely stored.
Lorenzo Janes was the second lawyer who settled at Racine. When he came, Gilbert Knapp, Henry F. Cox and Joseph Knapp were carrying on a forwarding business, and Heath & Parsons were conducting a general dry goods trade. Albert G. Knight was keeping the public house previously kept by Stebbins & Myers. Mr. Janes went first to Gardiner's Prai- rie, in Walworth county, and made a claim. The prairie was a garden of flowers, and presented a scene as beautiful as the
34
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY.
eye could rest upon. The hand of man had marred not its grandeur, his voice had scarcely disturbed the solitude ; Nature had planted lilies in the valley "to waste their sweet- ness on the desert air," and "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."
All the land within the present limits of Racine on the west side of Root river and south of State street, betwcen Huron and St. Clair streets, was covered with a dense forest and was cleared off by hand. The lowland just west of the river and bordering it, was covered with maple trees in 1837, and con- verted into a sugar camp. It was the abiding place of deer and prairie wolves, and in the spring of that year, Joel Sage discovered a nest of young wolves at the spot where McGinnis' tavern now stands.
In the winter of 1836-7, it was extremely cold, and the snow deep. Mr. Norman Clark lived that winter in a small frame house he rented of John M. Myers, and which protect- ed him from the inclemencies of a rigorous season, only by its oak and bass wood clapboards. He had made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres which is now the farm owned by Mr. John Carlin.
In March, 1837, Peter Wright, who had been living with Mr. Clark, died of consumption. Consultation was had among the settlers as to the place that should be selected, not only for this, but for other burials. Mr. Clark, and a deputation of settlers went in search of a suitable locality, and wandering far away in the woods, at last selected the spot where now the Racine third ward school house stands, as the village cem- etcry. The people were of the opinion, that the location had been made in too wild and distant a region, but acquiesced in the selection, because it was a spot that would never be dis- turbed ! There was at the time, one other grave cast of the river which was that of a woman, buried near the present site of Hart's mill.
In the winter of 1838, the people in the neighborhood of Mr. Clark's cabin on his claim, got out of salt. They were
1
35
RACINE COUNTY, WIS.
placed in sore extremity, for baked potatoes and salt were their staples. It came to be understood that a man by the name of Mitchell, who lived far away on the prairie, in what is now Kenosha county, had a barrel of salt. Mr. Clark was commissioned to go for a supply, and not to look backward until he had found it. He started on a cold, winter's day, traveling on horseback, through deep snow, and after great search, found the Mitchell cabin on the prairie and the barrel of salt. He bought a peck, and after a wearisome two day's journey, returned home, the bringer of great joy, to his wait- ing neighbors. The Mr. Mitchell referred to, is Henry Mitch- ell, of Racine, now eminent as a prosperous and successful manufacturer of wagons.
The year 1836, was, as all know who experienced its business history, a remarkable year. It was as memorable in Racine as elsewhere. The mania of speculation raged wildly. Capt. Knapp, in the spring of the year, procured his float title already spoken of. Speculators were traversing the country looking for water powers and village sites; farmers and mechanics threw aside their work, and began to buy and trade in village lots that were located in an unbroken forest. Ra- cine was to be a great city, even three years before the land sales, and I have in my possession, the estimated value of town lots in Racine, made Sept. 17th, 1836, which discloses the interesting fact, that at that time, the value of the proper- ty in what is now the original plat of Racine, was $348,100. Upon the strength of such an assessment as that, what a pity they didn't issue some city bonds in anticipation of a railroad, via Balls Bluff, a charter for which was obtained in 1838!
The first law suit tried in Racine, I believe, grew out of a squirrel hunt. Norman Clark and Marshall M. Strong as the respective leaders, chose sides. On one side were Mr. Clark, Dr. Cary, Eugene Gillespie, and others ; and on the other side were Mr. Strong, Charles Smith, Joseph Knapp, and others. It was arranged that all kinds of game should be hunted; a squirrel to count a certain number, a muskrat
-
36
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
another, a deer head counting three hundred, and a live wolf one thousand. They were to obtain their trophies by any means, foul or fair. Clark and Gillespie heard of a deer hunter on Pleasant Prairie who had a good collection of heads. Appropriating a fine horse owned by one Schuyler Mattison, who was a stranger in town, Messrs. Clark and Gillespie traversed the snow drifts, found the hunter, and obtained their trophies. Meanwhile, Mr. Strong's party had heard of a live wolf in Chicago. It was sent for. Its transportation was secured in a stage sleigh. But, while at a stopping place at Wil is' Tavern, a party of sailors with one Capt. Smith at their head, came out from Southport, and Capt. Smith killed the wolf with a bottle of gin. Meanwhile, also, Mr. Strong went to Milwaukee and got a sleighload of muskrat noses, which out-counted everything. The squirrel hunt was broken up. Mr Clark had ruined Schuyler Mattison's horse and had to pay seventy-five dollars damages; and Mr. Strong brought suit against Capt. Smith for killing the wolf with the gin bottle. George Vail was plaintiff, Esq. Mars was the justice, Norman Clark was on the jury. Verdict, six cents damages and costs !
The first newspaper published at Racine was the Racine Argus. The first number was issued on the 14th day of Feb., 1838, J. M. Myers, Alfred Cary, Gilbert Knapp, Stephen Ives, Lorenzo Janes and Marshall M. Strong, proprietors, and N. Delavan Wood, editor. Its editor announces that, as an early admirer of Mr. Jefferson, and recognizing in the Dem- ocratic party, political principles of a close affinity to those of this distinguished man, he shall yield his feeble support to that party. A feeble support it was, for while he had enlisted the settlers in his newspaper enterprise to the tune of fifteen hundred dollars, he had provided ink and paper for only one copy of his paper. He tried to take from them five hundred dollars more, but something was saved through the activity of Mr. Strong, who pursued him to Chicago, and in the second number it was announced, that "all connection with this pa- per, of N. Delavan Wood, its former editor, has ceased. The
37
RACINE COUNTY WIS.
causes which have led to this premature separation are of such a character that we feel unwilling to disclose them, and shall not do so unless circumstances require it." From and after this time, Mr. Strong and Mr. Janes alternated in the manage- ment and editorship of the paper. I find it stated in the Argus of March 24th, 1838, that during the year previous, fifty thousand dollars worth of goods were disposed of at Ra- cine. In June, 1838, the census returns for Racine, Mt. Pleasant, and Rochester, as posted up in the hotel of John M. Myers, showed a population of one thousand one hundred and ten, but it was ascertained that seventy-six persons had been omitted from the list, so that the population in those towns, at that time, was in fact, one thousand one hundred and eighty-six.
At the July term, 1838, of the district court, Judge Frazier presiding, the court sat but four days, and only eight days had been occupied by court in the three terms held during eighteen months.
At the summer term of the district court of Racine county, in 1839, the revised statutes of Michigan were administered by Hon. Andrew G. Mliler, successor of Judge Frazier, and before the close of the term, they were superseded by the revised statutes of Wisconsin. Judge Miller first went upon the bench November 8th, 1838.
At, and before this time, the land sale was advertised to transpire on the 19th day of November, 1838. In conse- quence, however, of the necessities of the settlers, and after the most persistent applications, President Van Buren post- poned the sale until March, 1839. Mr. Norman Clark was chosen by settlers in the eastern part of the county, to bid off their lands, and did so. It is said that there were but three men left in Racine, during the land sales, which took place in Milwaukee. At this time there were twenty-two families in the village.
:
38
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
The marine lists of 1839, record the periodical arrival at this port of the steamboats Madison, Columbus, Dewitt Clin- ton, Constellation, Jefferson, and others, whose names are as sociated with the earliest navigation of the lakes, and their arrival was always the occasion of a joyous demonstration.
In the settlement of the country, the word claim was used to denominate both the tract claimed, and the right to that tract. The right under a claim was asserted much upon the same principle that nations claim islands or continents, viz :- . discovery and possession. In the increase of emigration, gov- ernment lines not being yet established, it sometimes happened that two persons would locate upon the same quarter section. Disputes arose. All the settlers were, in fact, tresspassers, and the law of the land could not settle these conflicting claims. Accordingly, in consequence of the frequency of these disputes, a "mass meeting " of the settlers of Racine and of the county, was held on the sixth day of June 1837, at the house of Benjamin Felch, to organize an association for protection, and to adopt a constitution and code of laws, under which, conflicting rights and claims could be adjusted. Gil- bert Knapp was appointed president; Eldad Smith, Walter Cooley, Zadock Newman, Marshall M. Strong, Samuel Mars, Isaac G. Northway, Oren Stephens, E. S. Sill, Jason Lothrop, John Coggswell and E. G. Ayer, were appointed a committee to draft a code of laws and constitution. At an adjourned meeting, a constitution was presented and adopted, which pro- vided, among other things, that if a person claimed one quarter section, he must improve and cultivate at least three acres within six months from the time of entering his claim, and within one year build a house suitable for a family, or, instead of building a house, cultivate three acres more on his claim. If his claim was situated in woodland, improvement and cultivation consisted in clearing off the down timber and brush, and all trees two inches in diameter and under, and en- close the requisite quantity of land with a good fence. If his
39
-
RACINE COUNTY, WIS.
claim laid on a prairie, then he must enclose the proper quan- tity with a fence, and plough and put in a crop, or plant in part and make hay in part. A judicial committee or court, was created, before which cases could be tried, and by which questions could be settled, and all the necessary machinery put into operation for adjusting disputes, or deciding them by means of the arbitrament provided. The scheme was as suc- cessful as it was sensible, and it has been well said, that "when we call to mind the number of inhabitants occupying "this tract at that time, the improvements which they had "made upon their farms, the mills they had erected and the "villages they had built, and recollect that, from the first set- "tlement of the county until 1839, there had been no legal "titles to real estate, and that most of them had invested their "all in improvements upon their lands, we can not but wonder "at their security, and be astonished that the rights of a com- "munity so extensive, should be so long and so well protected "by the mere force of public opinion of right and wrong."
I have spoken of the election of Capt. Knapp to the terri- torial council in 1836. Many of the old settlers look back with pleasure, to the jollification had over his election, at Ra- cine. He had been nominated as the Racine candidate, at the first political convention ever held in the county. The convention convened at Rochester, and was ever after known all over the country as "Godfry's Convention." Milwaukee was dissatisfied with the nomination. William See joined the dis- affection, and headed the opposition ticket. An old fashioned campaign was had. The little village of Racine was alive with excitement ; caucuses were held; electioneering parties trav- ersed the county. Modern "wide-awakes " and "tanners" pale their ineffectual fires in comparison. On the evening of election day, the villagers gathered at the hotel to get results. Returns came rapidly in, and Capt. Knapp was found to be triumphantly elected. Dignity, staid propriety, and temper- ance pledges were all laid aside. At the foot of Main street a tar barrel was fired, and around it a crowd was gathered,
40
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
dressed in disguise, dancing an Indian pow-wow. The lurid gleams of the fire lighted up the tall oaks; dinner bells, cow bells and sleigh bells made music in harmony with the whoops and yells of the villagers ; stumps and anvils were loaded with powder, salutes and minute guns were fired. pro- cessions were formed, stump speeches were made from stumps, and for five joyous hours-
Captain Knapp's constituents were glorious, .O'er all the ills o' life victorious."
I am told that at this time, Dr. Elias Smith, Wm H. Water- man, Eldad Smith, Samuel Mars, Alanson Filer, Charles Smith and his brother Lyman K., constituted the Whig party in Racine.
The Racine Advocate was established in 1842. It was announced as a newspaper devoted to politics, foreign and domestic intelligence, mechanic arts, education, temperance, agriculture and general news. The name of the editor was not given, but on the 21st of October. 1842, Marshall M. Strong took the editor's chair, and raised the stirring motto at the head of his columns : " Westward, the Star of Empire takes its way." No berter newspaper has ever been published in the county than was the Advocate while under the editoral charge of Mr. Strong.
I find in the year 1844, another newspaper, which may be remembered by some, devoted to the cause of temperance and anti-slavery, and called the Wisconsin Ægis, was published at Racine. It preached a doctrine strong enough on the slavery question to suit the most radical abolitionist in the days of Holly, Lovejoy, and Birney.
In 1840, the temporary work on the harbor was begun. A survey of the same had, however, been made in 1836, for which the citizens paid one hundred dollars. Subsequently, the mouth of the river was dug out on a straight cut, and the people of Racine assessed their property fifteen per cent., to build piers and to keep the harbor open, so that lighters could come in. The assessment was made at a public court house
41
RACINE COUNTY, WIS.
meeting, and Levi Blake is remembered to have said on the occasion : "It'll only cost each of us another lot; let's have a harbor." Mr, Blake furnished and hauled the first load of stone that was used in the harbor work. The first pier work was commenced in 1840, at an expense of three hundred dol- lars, and in 1841 it was continued at a cost of sixteen hund- red dollars. Up to 1844, six thousand dollars had been paid by citizens in endeavoring to secure a harbor before they com- menced building a permanent one. On the 16th day of March, 1844, the citizens learning that their harbor appropriation had been lost in the United States Senate, assembled at the court house, and raised a subscription of ten thousand dollars to build a permanent harbor. On the next day, the work was commenced, and the first piles were driven with a hand pile- driver. Where the mouth of the river now is and where the water is fifteen feet deep, at the time the harbor work was com- menced the stream could be forded without difficulty. On the 2d of November, 1844, the people again in response to an ad- dress from Thomas J. Cram, of the U. S. Topographical En- gineers, voted without a dissenting voice, to raise five thous- and dollars more for work on the harbor. From this time for- ward by means of taxation and private subscription the village of Racine prosecuted their great enterprise. Its history in detail, with the thrilling story of the "Rock in the Harbor," and the time when Ira Dean traversed the streets of the vil- lage, ringing a bell, and shouting: "There's a rock in the harbor! turn out, turn out!" time and space forbid my narrating. On the 14th day of July, 1844, the steamer Ches- apeake, Kelsey, Master, entered the harbor and passing up the river, tied up at the dock before Taylor & Cather's warehouse. She was the first steamboat that entered Racine harbor, or any other artificial harbor in Wisconsin.
In 1839, Congress appropriated ten thousand dollars for opening a road from Racine to Green Bay, and ten thousand pollars for a road from Racine to Janesville, and these ap-
+2
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
propriations wer e expended in 1839-40, under the super- vision of Col. Thos. J. Cram.
The first wheat brought to Racine to be marketed, was in 1840. Mr. Charles Wright purchased it, and paid fifty cents a bushel in trade. Mr.Eldad Smith purchased the first wheat for shipment, in 1841, and shipped it in August 1842.
· In 1839, the old light house was built, and at that time there were not more than half a dozen buildings on the school sec- tion. The school section was laid out in blocks in 1838.
On the 8th of June, 1844, a great commotion was created in the village by the arrival of the propeller Racine, and the ceremony of presenting a stand of colors took place. Thomas Wright, esq. presented the colors and made an eloquent speech concluding it by saying : "May prosperous winds and favor- ing waves attend her fleet career, and the riches of her earnings reward the enterprise of her projectors." Capt. Hawkins, of the vessel made a felicitous response.
The first steam dredge used in the harbor, arrived from Chicago on the 17th of June, 1844. It was welcomed in the newspaper as "Mister Steam Dredge" and created a sensa- tion.
The first celebration of the National anniversary occurred on the 4th day of July 1844.
I have already stated that Judge Frazier was the first judge who ever held a Court of Record at Racine, or in the county. Henry F. Cox was the first Clerk of the Court; Edgar R. Hugenin the first Sheriff; Wm. H. Waterman the first Regis- ter of deeds; Eugene Gillespie the first Treasurer; Fred'k S. Lovell the first Clerk of the Board of Supervisors ; and Alvin Raymond the first Coroner. They were elected on the 1st Monday in April, 1837.
The first training, was had, or attempted to be had, in the fall of 1840. Albert G. Knight was Captain of the company. He had been ordered by his superior officer to call out his
43
RACINE COUNTY, WIS.
company for parade, prelimary to general muster. For some reason, the new militia law contained no authority at all, to call out the companies of militia. A few knowing ones were aware of this omission, and thought the Captain was not. But he was well advised of the fact and determined to act accord- ingly. Having duly warned out the company, and as they were mustered in line in the morning, Capt. Knight ordered the name of each man called and as he responded, said to him : "Sir, you are excused for the day." The Captain's duty was done, and he retired amidst the consternation of his company.
But Tom O'Sprig rallied and re-organized them. The ringing of a steamboat bell at the head of the column filled up the ranks, and the Racine militia gallantly trained till noon, when they adjourned to the Fulton House for dinner, where they all got so drunk they couldn't muster at all in the afternoon !
On the 8th day of December, 1836, authority was obtained from the territorial legislature to build a bridge across Root river, but the first bridge was not built until 1838. It was con- structed by Geo. Fellows and a Mr. Pool. It crossed the river at the foot of Main street, and was used until 1843, when it was carried away by the ice in the spring.
On the 27th of December, 1837, the Racine Mutual Fire Insurance Company was chartered, and on the 11th of Jan., 1838, an act was passed incorporating the Racine Seminary. Both of these institutions, I believe, were actually organized.
I may appropriately conclude what I have to say of Racine, by adding that on the 13th day of February, 1841, it was made a chartered village, and on the 5th day of August 1848, an incorporated city.
Mt. PLEASANT.
Wm. See and Edmund Weed settled in Mt. Pleasant, in January, 1835. Mr. See located at the Rapids, and Mr. Weed on a claim which now comprises the farm of Mr. Fratt. At the time of their arrival, two men, one by the name of
44
OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Carpenter and the other Harrison K. Fay were at the Rapids. In the fall of 1835, Carpenter left the Rapids and settled within the limits of Capt. Knapp's claim on the north side of Root river. After his death, his widow, who was the first white woman who came to Mt. Pleasant or Racine, removed further north, and continued to occupy what was long known among the old settlers as "the Widow Carpenter's claim."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.