The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc, Part 54

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 774

USA > Wisconsin > Dodge County > The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc > Part 54

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" The greatest excitement we have seen in this city in many a day was caused on Monday last by the circulation of a story that 800 Indians were in camp the other side of Horicon, and that they had murdered fifteen families and were almost ready to sack the place. The story came stronger in the afternoon, and the excitement increased. Mayor Lander received dispatches that 1,500 Indians were at Horicon. In a short time, all the guns, pistols, corn-cutters and pitchforks in town were in the hands of determined men and on their way to Horicon, but when part way there, it was learned that the scare was a humbug, and our valiant warriors came back. The most laughable part of the story is that a man came riding through the country at full speed, warning the farmers to flee for their lives, and a great many started with their families for town. We noticed some with beds and blankets aboard, on which they intended to sleep during the night. It was a ' big scare,' and there were few here who were not melting bullets, or in some way trying to fortify their homes against the bloody foe soon expected to be met. We learn that Horicon was crowded to its utmost extent with men living in this county, and even some were there from places as distant as Milwaukee. The story grew out of a squabble between an Indian and a Dutchman near Smutt's Point. The Indian's pony had got into the Dutchman's wheat, and the Dutchman shot the pony ; the Indian threatened to scalp the Dutch- man, who rushed into town, swearing, 'Py dam, I vas kilt.'"

The Horicon Gazette, whose editor witnessed the most interesting phases of the excitement, also published an article on the subject, as follows :

" Last Monday was the most exciting day ever known to the inhabitants of Horicon. Early in the morning, a messenger from near Kekoskee came to the village, post haste, and reported that fourteen houses had been burned at Kekoskee by the Indians, and some of the inhabitants murdered. It was also reported that 800 Indians were on their way to Horicon for the purpose of burning and pillaging the town. The news spread like wildfire. Ladies packed their valua- bles, and some of the people came down town with their arms full of dresses and other choice articles. Crowds of men stood on one corner, and the women upon another, the men busily discussing the question of ' What we ought to do ?' and the women crying. *

Wagon loads of farmers came in from the surrounding country. Many of the men armed them- selves, but such a motley collection of fire-arms we think was never before got together in this or any other place. Muskets, shot-guns and rifles, old and rusty, with here and there a bludgeon or pitchfork, comprised the greatest part of the arms. Word was telegraphed to Milwaukee for

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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.

aid. Meantime, several loads of men proceeded to Kekoskee to see what was really the trouble. While they were gone, a large company came to our aid from Hustisford. * *

* A little after noon, those who went to Kekoskee returned and reported 'all quiet ' there. They said that there were only twenty-five or thirty Indians to be seen around the encampments, and that they appeared to be thoroughly frightened at the advent of so many armed white men among them. * * One of our citizens made a speech in the afternoon, and as the public mind did not seem to be satisfied with the hasty examination by the parties who went to Kekoskee, it was resolved to ascertain, if possible, the cause of the report. A com- mittee was accordingly chosen, who chartered the steamer Michael Winter, and proceeded to the Indian camp at the head of the lake. On Tuesday morning, they returned and reported the result of their investigation. The report concludes as follows :

* * * Your Committee then proceeded to investigate the origin of the rumor of slaughtered families and burning houses, and found that it proceeded from the fact that in the spring a German named Dagan had threatened to shoot one of their [the Indians' ] ponies, and that, about two weeks since, one of their ponies was shot, the Indians say, in Dagan's field, and, they believe, by him. Thus, on Sunday last, an Indian having procured liquor, and being partially intoxicated, accused Dagan of shooting the pony, and chased him around a stump, but did not draw his knife from his girdle. The man Dagan called on his neighbors to watch his house and stacks, fearing they would be burned. From that the rumor spread and grew, as it became, truly alarming. * * * *

" ' S. T. HARSHAW, Secretary.' "

" ' S. S. SMITH, Chairman.

CHAPTER IV.

THE COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERSY-BURNING OF THE RECORDS-THE NEW COURT HOUSE-THIE ABSTRACT OFFICE-A CASE OF EMBEZZLEMENT-DODGE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY -HEALTH OF THE COUNTY-ANCIENT RELICS-DODGE IN THE WAR.

THE COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERSY.

The question of a permanent location for the seat of government of Dodge County having long since been settled, and there being but a very few of the individuals who, at an early day, took an active part in the almost sanguinary conflict, or series of conflicts, which attended that settlement, now alive or residing in the once " disturbed district," a history relating thereto, written at this late date, must necessarily be lacking in minor details. The first movement in this direction was made in 1844, when an election was held for the purpose of choosing a Board of Commissioners, whose duty it should be to locate the county seat of Dodge. There were a number of candidates, representing different parts of the county, but the following named gentle- men received a majority of the ninety-four votes cast : Jacob P. Brower, of Beaver Dam ; John Van Epps, of Fox Lake; Hamilton Stevens, of Fox Lake; Waldo Lyon, northwest corner of the town of Oak Grove, and Buel Austin. Mr. Lyon refused to serve on the Board, and a man named Thayer was delegated to fill the vacancy. The Commissioners merely acted in the capacity of electors, their preference for the location, of course, being known before the election, and Fox Lake was selected as the site for a county seat. In point of population, the selection was, perhaps, the most central one that could have been made; but, geographically, it was far from being judicious. The lack of suitable accommodations, however, prevented the Court from ever being held there, and, for a long time, the Old Gravel Schoolhouse at Oak Grove served as the temple of justice, with Judge Andrew G. Miller on the bench. In the winter of 1845-46, the people of Oak Grove got up a petition, praying the Legislature to change the location from Fox Lake to the geographical center of the county, Martin Rich, who had, a year previous, located a claim embracing the present site of Juneau, being the principal signer. Accompanying the petition was a proposition by Mr. Rich, to the effect that if the location be made upon his claim, he would lay out a village site of forty acres, and donate four acres in the center of the plat for the purposes of a county seat. In addition to this, his proposition went on to state, one-half the lots contained in the remaining thirty-six acres should become the property of the county. Accord- ingly, a law was passed changing the location from Fox Lake, and accepting the offer of Mr. Rich. In the mean time, Mr. Rich not having " proved up " and paid for his claim, his pre- emption title expired, and he was unable to make a deed to the county in accordance with his agreement. But the difficulty was overcome by enlisting the aid of a Mr. Davis, who possessed sufficient ready means to re-locate the land, which he did, with the understanding that a certain number of lots should revert to him upon deeding the property to Mr. Rich, thus enabling the latter to fulfill his contract.

The question of a site for the county seat thus settled, the next thing was a Court House ; so, in the fall of 1846, at a regular meeting of the County Commissioners, held at Oak Grove, Martin Rich was declared to have been " the lowest bidder," and he, accordingly, became the contractor for constructing a county building, " to be built of wood, 40x60 feet in size, covered with basswood shingles and two coats of paint," for which he was to receive the sum of $6,000, one-sixth of the amount being there and then issued in county orders in his favor.

As was to have been expected, a very bitter feeling existed in certain parts of the county against the individuals who had so successfully managed to secure the location of the county seat at a point which then seemed "almost beyond the confines of civilization." There were

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HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.

many "long faces " in Beaver Dam, though the people of " Grubville " bore their defeat with dignity and in silence ; but the denizens of Fox Lake were inconsolable. Mr. Hamilton Stevens, who had so earnestly championed the cause of the "parent settlement," was actually heard to damn "Old Vinegar" on more than one occasion. ("Old Vin." was a beautifully striped horse, at a distance closely resembling a zebra, which Mr. Stevens drove or rode wherever he went). Mr. John Van Epps, one of the County Seat Commissioners, had been very liberal with "the boys " on election day, giving them free access to his "bar'l of shilling whisky ; " so there was but little left for the good people of Fox Lake to drown their sorrow in. A party by the name of William M. Dennis, residing in what is now the Fifth Ward of Watertown, was, perhaps, the happiest man in Dodge County over the result. His motto then was "Anything to beat Fox Lake," and none but those who were defeated in the county seat fight can ever real- ize the smile of supreme satisfaction that overspread William M.'s face on that occasion.

The contention between the gentlemen who figured prominently in this contest is said to have been of the most honorable nature; but there were a few claiming to have been seriously injured in their financial prospects, who vowed terrible vengeance. Threats, idle threats, let us hope, were made that the torch would be called into requisition when the new Court House should be finished. This produced a season of serious thought for the safety of the structure. The contractor, Mr. Rich, sought the advice of wise counsel. Among others whom he consulted was Judge Hiram Barber. The Judge's advice was that the building be made of brick; that, while it could thus be made partially fire-proof, the county needed a substantial and permanent struct- ure for the safe-keeping of its records.

"But," argued Mr. Rich, "the contract has been made for a wooden building, and a por- tion of the money paid."

" The County Board will annul the contract," replied Judge Barber, "and re-let the job, if by so doing they can prevent the destruction of the county's property."

At the next meeting of the Board, the subject was brought up and fully discussed, result- ing in a new contract being drawn, with Messrs. Barber & Rich as the contractors, and pro- viding for the erection of a brick building at a cost not to exceed $4,000, including the $1,000 already paid Mr. Rich, the plans and specifications to be furnished by the Board, and the building to be completed within two years. A Madison architect named Bird was employed to draw the plans, but when the contractors came to examine them, the discovery was made that the ceilings, if the specifications were carried out, would be but nine feet from the floors. The Board subsequently authorized the contractors to make any changes they deemed necessary, and the result was the completion, in 1848, of what is now known as the old Court House, which recently became the property of Judge E. C. Lewis. As part remuneration for his services, Judge Barber received a deed from the county for its half-interest in the forty-acre plat, and afterward purchased of Mr. Davis the lots which fell to that gentleman by virtue of his timely re-location of the original Rich claim.

But the disappointed citizens of Beaver Dam and Fox Lake by no means gave up the fight, and, in 1856, we find them, through their representatives in the Legislature, seconding a scheme (fathered by certain individuals in Watertown, who were always anxious to make that city the county seat of Jefferson County) to set off the lower tier of towns-Shields, Lebanon, Emmet, Portland and Ashippun-and attach them to Jefferson County. An act to this effect was passed by the Legislature. By this means, the geographical center of Dodge County was located about half a mile northwest of Minnesota Junction, on a direct east and west line with Beaver Dam, six miles east of that city. But this "scheme," as one of our Juneau friends is pleased to term it, was "all broke up" by a decision of the Supreme Court in 1857, which held the act to be unconstitutional, for the good and sufficient reason, as provided by the stat- utes, that no county containing 900 square miles or less, can be divided without the question being first submitted to the people. Dodge County contains exactly 900 square miles.

The next periodical attempt to remove the county seat was made in 1869, when the Legis- lature passed an act providing for the submission of the question to the people at the spring

George Il Burg

HORICON.

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election whether or not the county seat should be removed to Beaver Dam; with the further proviso that, in case the proposition for removal should be rejected, the question be again sub- mitted at the gubernatorial election in the coming fall, whether or not the county seat should be removed to Horicon. The Beaver Dam project was defeated by 1,300 majority, while at the fall election, but 500 votes were cast in favor of Horicon.

BURNING OF THE COUNTY RECORDS.

Owing to the accumulation of county records and a large increase in the business pertain- ing to the county offices, three or four years after the completion and occupation of the old Court House, it was discovered that the building was inadequate for the accommodation of all the officers, and it became necessary to provide new quarters for them. With this end in view, a small one-story brick building was erected two or three rods north of the Court House, wherein were located the offices of all the county's servants, save that of the Sheriff and the chambers of the Judge of the Court. For several years, the county building, as it was called, sheltered the County Treasurer, the County Clerk, the Register of Deeds and the Clerk of the Court; but as the business and documents of these officers increased, more room being needed than the place afforded, the Clerk of the Court went back to his original quarters in the Court House, leaving the Treasurer, Register and County Clerk in the little brick, where they remained until the 5th day of September, 1877. About half-past 2 o'clock, on the morning of the 6th, the building was totally destroyed by fire, together with most of the records of the county. The flames were first discovered issuing from the roof of the building by a lodger in the Juneau House. When the doors were forced open the roof fell in upon the blazing docu- ments, burying them in a smouldering mass of burning debris. From the apartment occupied by the County Clerk, the tax-roll records and the two latest order-books were saved. Some tax-sale records and the vouchers of the County Treasurer were rescued from the office of Treas- urer Traynor, the vouchers being in the safe. The plat-books, tract index and forty-seven vol- umes of the oldest mortgages, most of them being satisfied, were saved from the Register's office. Speculation has ever since been rife as to the cause of the fire, but the general impres- sion, backed up by the logic of subsequent events, is that it was an incendiary's work. No reasonable estimate can be placed upon the loss to the county.

The Register of Deeds and Clerk of the Court took up their quarters in the Court House, but, there being no room for the County Treasurer, a small apartment adjoining the saloon of Henry Kellermann, near the residence of Judge Lewis, was rented for the accommodation of Mr. Traynor. But it would seem that the fire fiend was unsatisfied, for, on the night of the 5th of May, 1878, the office of the Dodge County Treasurer was again discovered to be in flames. Judge Lewis' residence and Mr. Kellermann's saloon were also destroyed. Most of the Treasurer's records that had passed through the first fire were saved from the ravages of the second.

COUNTY SEAT REDIVIVUS.

The citizens of Beaver Dam and Fox Lake, disgusted (and yet encouraged), with the situa- tion of affairs at Juneau, determined to make another effort to secure the removal of the county seat. The Legislature of 1876-77 had passed a general act, providing that no question concern- ing any county seat within the State should receive consideration, unless a petition, signed by one-third of the qualified electors (ascertained from the poll lists of the last preceding election), within the county contemplating removal, or other change, shall be presented to the Board of Supervisors of such county, the Board to have power simply to submit the question at the first general election thereafter. After the destruction of the records, on September 6, 1877, the Board of Supervisors convened in special session, for the purpose of making an investigation. Representatives of Beaver Dam were promptly on hand, with a request that the Board adjourn, in order that time might be had for the circulation of a petition in the interest of removal. This the Board refused to do, but, after a short sitting, during which it was discovered that the meeting

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was premature, a sine die adjournment was moved and carried. This gave the friends of the removal scheme fresh hope ; the Board might be called together at any time the consent of a majority of its members could be obtained. Petitions were at once circulated throughout the county for signers in favor of removal ; copies of the poll-lists in all the precincts visited were also made, to accompany the petitions on presentation to the Board. At the same time, the con- sent of a majority of the Supervisors for convening a special session was obtained, and the 28th of September, 1877, found the " Removalists" in full force at Juneau, happy as clams at the approach of high tide. Their only trouble was in finding the end of their petition; it was a long one, and the " Anti-removalists " looked upon every yard of it as a mile in length. It had the names, though, and, when Supervisor Sherman presented it "for the consideration of your honorable body," a special committee of three was immediately appointed to compare the names it contained with those appearing on the accompanying copies of the poll-lists. Still the " Removalists " were happy. But, during the evening, there came unto them a revelation ; an over-elated " Anti-removalist " was the revelator. The copies of the poll-lists showed that the clerks of election had carried their familiarity with their neighbors just a little bit too far. For instance, John Henry Augustus Smith, in exercising the rights of a citizen and freeman, had been written down-not an ass-but plain John Smith. When Mr. Smith was asked to sign his name to the petition praying for the removal of the. county seat of Dodge County to the beautiful city of Beaver Dam, he, of course, desired to add the entire weight of his influence to the project, and therefore subscribed his name in full, "John Henry Augustus Smith," conclud- ing with a flourish calculated to emphasize the last five letters. Just how to make John Henry Augustus Smith tally with plain John Smith was beyond the ken of the special committee of three. John Henry Augustus' name was therefore scratched from the petition. The familiarity of the election clerks, in this regard, was found to have penetrated almost every household. The scratching went on through the night of September 28, 1877, and, when morning came and the Board convened, there was an awful silence. Finally, Supervisor Sherman arose in his seat and moved that the committee be discharged, and that a committee, comprising the entire Board, divided into subcommittees of two, who should act jointly in comparing the names in their respective towns, be appointed. Spalding, of Oak Grove, moved to amend, so as to leave the matter in the hands of the committee until the regular meeting of the Board in November. The amendment was adopted by a vote of twenty-one to thirteen. This virtually killed the removal movement, as it carried consideration of the question beyond the fall election. A subsequent motion, made by Mr. Sherman, to indefinitely postpone, was adopted. And thus ended the last attempt to remove the county seat of Dodge County.

THE NEW COURT HOUSE.

At the November (1877) meeting of the Board of Supervisors, it was resolved to accept the specifications prepared and presented by T. F. Dornfeldt for new county offices, to be built upon the site formerly occupied by those destroyed by fire ; that proposals be advertised for the building of such offices, at a cost not to exceed $14,000, which sum was appropriated from a fund to be raised by an extraordinary levy upon the taxable property of the county. The vote by which the resolution was adopted was subsequently reconsidered, and, on motion, laid upon the table. At a later sitting of the Board, during the same session, a contract for building county offices was awarded to A. Mauk, for the sum of $13,185, Mr. Mauk agreeing to build a Court House, instead, for $10,000 additional, provided the Board, which was then considering the matter, should so determine. Such was the wisdom of the Board, and Mr. Mauk became the contractor to build the Court House upon the plans of H. C. Koch, of Milwaukee. Eight per cent interest bonds, to the extent of $20,000, were issued, and in January, 1879, the build- ing was completed and turned over to the county, at a total cost of about $27,000. It is the general belief that the county seat question has been forever set at rest.

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THE ABSTRACT OFFICE.

" It's an ill wind that blows good to no one," says an old proverb ; and it is a very sorry fire, indeed, that would burn private as well as public records. When the books of the Regis- ter's Office were all, or nearly all, destroyed by fire on that fatal night of September 6, 1877, a little brick building, standing " within a stone's throw" of the county offices, and containing a complete abstract of all records pertaining to all real estate and tax sales in Dodge County, was spared from the flames. These abstracts are the property of W. T. Rambusch and Richard Mertz-and a very valuable property it is, too. Soon after the fire, the Board of Supervisors appointed a committee to wait upon Messrs. Rambusch & Mertz and ascertain the value those gentlemen set upon their treasure, with a view of purchasing it for the use of the county. The committee reported that $50,000 was the lowest figure for which it could be obtained. No action was taken in the matter by the Board. As will appear from the following figures, it is very clear that the owners of the abstract office are not over-anxious to sell. Prior to the burning of the records, the county charged 50 cents for the first and 25 cents for each subsequent con- veyance. After the fire, Rambusch & Mertz very naturally raised the price, placing their figures at $1 for the first and 50 cents for each subsequent. In August, 1879, they adopted the following permanent scale of prices : "From and after September, 1879, we shall adopt the Milwaukee County fee-bill for abstracts, to wit : Full abstracts of title, showing ten instruments or less, $10; for each additional instrument over ten, 50 cents ; partial abstracts and continua- tions of abstracts originally made by us, showing no change in title or instruments, $3; same, showing one or two instruments, $4; for each additional instrument, 50 cents. In all the above cases, an extra charge of $1 will be made for search for judgments, tax sales, mechanics' liens or attachments. No abstract will be continued unless originally made by us. An addi- tional charge of from $2 to $10 will also be made for judicial proceedings, probate examinations, etc. Partial abstracts or continuations, subsequent to September 1, 1877, 25 cents for each instrument." No one will question the right of the owners of these abstracts to regulate their prices by the scale adopted in other counties suffering the loss of their records. Indeed, it would be very unnatural to expect anything else.

A CASE OF EMBEZZLEMENT.

No more appropriate place could be selected within this work for a brief recital of an ugly transaction, still fresh in the minds of every one in Dodge County. At a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors held May, 8, 1878-eight months after the destruction of the County Building by fire, and three days after the burning of the Treasurer's temporary office, south of the old Court House-called " for the transaction of business of a pressing nature," the follow- ing resolution was submitted by the Hon. Sat. Clark, of Horicon, and adopted :

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The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin, containing a history of Dodge County, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc, Part 54

Author: Western Historical Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 774

Author: Western Historical Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 774