The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 80

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899

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Toward the latter part of December, 1835, after Inman and his party had commenced the first settlement in Rock County, Samuel St. John and family arrived. Mr. St. John was the first white man to bring a wife and children to the valley. The weather was bitter cold, and the sufferings of the mother and her two small children can better be imagined than described. The family found shelter beneath the roof of the Holmes-Follmer mansion, but, within a very short period of time, were comfortably housed in their own quarters. Mr. St. John, assisted by Inman and his pioneer associates, erected a cabin on the east end of the flat, within a few rods of the spot where the Emerald Grove Road branches from the Beloit. Road. The next acces- sions to the small settlement were Dr. James Heath and wife. They arrived at the cabin of Samuel St. John, on the 18th of January, 1836, and were provided with accommodation thercin. In February, Henry F. Janes made his claim, but soon went back for his fam- ily. With the winds of March, came Judge William Holmes and wife, their daughter, Mary Catherine, and their two young sons, John and George. Mary Catherine Holmes was then budding into womanhood. She must have been the belle of the valley, being the only young lady in it. She is now the much-beloved and highly respected wife of Volney Atwood. one of the leading citizens of Janesville. Judge Holmes went to live temporarily with his sons in their cabin on the hillside. Their first work was to construct a rude ferry-boat on the river. This finished, they built a commodious log house on the west side of the stream, about one hun- dred rods east of the " Big Rock," and, by the middle of the summer, moved over the river into their new quarters.

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

Fresh arrivals became of frequent occurrence. Rock River Valley was known far and wide, and it soon became evident that the settlement, at no distant period, would develop into a thriv- ing frontier village. Judge Holmes foresaw this. The vision of a great city flitted before his eyes. Where would it be located ? Who should own it? These were the questions which puzzled the brain of the Judge. It was not a problem of jurisprudence. Had it been a point of common law, he could have decided it instanter. But before him was the prospect that, within his day, an important city must grow upon the banks of Rock River. By skillful man- agement he might own half the lots within its limits, and leave to his heirs a legacy of untold value. There was no time to lose. People were arriving from every direction. Log houses were being thrown together every day. The Judge could hear his neighbors' chickens crow, so populous had the settlement become. In the opinion of the Judge, the land on the north side of the river embraced in the Big Bend, presented the greatest attractions for a village site. Accord- ingly, he determined to secure the services of a surveyor and lay it out in lots at once. The Judge's remarkable foresight prompted him, in order to forever set at rest any dispute as to title which might arise in the future, to have all documents pertaining to his embryo village drawn in the names of his sons, Thomas and Joshua. Upon reflection, however, it occurred to him that the idea of two men owning an entire city might, when the property became valuable, appear so preposterous that his sons would be dispossessed. So he concluded to let a few of his most intimate friends into the scheme, as will appear from the following description of the property taken from a copy of the record now on file in the Recorder's office of this county.

Know all men by these presents, that we, the undersigned proprietors, have surveyed and laid off a town by the name of Rockport, situated on the north side of Rock River, in Towns Nos. 2 and 8 north, Range 12 east, being the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 36, Town 3 north, Range 12 east, and fractional Section 1, in Town 2 north, Range 12 east, except the west half of the northwest fractional quarter of the aforesaid Section, numbered on the Receiver's receipt 117 and 131.

The streets are sixty feet in width, with the exception of Milwaukee and Galena; these are eighty feet. The aleys are fifteen feet in width. The lots in Blocks 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31, are 80x150 feet ; Lots 1, 2. 3, 6, 7, 8, in Block 13; 8, 9, 10, 11, in Block 9; 4, 5, 6, in Block 27; 8, 9, 10, in Block 29; 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, in Block 14, are of the same size. The lots in Blocks 16, 17, 18 and 19, are 39, 6 feet on Canal street, and vary in length from 101 to 137 feet. Those in Block 21 (Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14), are of the same width, but vary in length from 33 to 53 feet. Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, in Block 21, and those in Blocks 22 and 23, are 52,5 feet in width. and vary in length from 71 to 198 feet. Those in Blocks 2 and 9, fronting the public square, are 52,3, feet in width, and 120 feet in depth. The fractional lots vary in size as the streets and river pass through them, more or less diagonally. The public square is set apart for a Court House and other necessary buildings, but in case a county site should not be located at that place, then the aforesaid lands shall be considered as belonging to the inhabitants of said [Rockport], to be disposed of as they may think proper.

THOMAS A. HOLMES, JOSHUA HOLMES, G. S. HOSMER, GEORGE REED, ( By his attorney, G. S. Hommer ). H. S. HOSMER.

TERRITORY OF MICHIGAN, L BS. COUNTY OF MILWAUKEE.

Be it remembered, That on the 12th day of January, A. D. 1836, came personally before me, the undersigned Justice of the Peace for said county, Thomas A. Holmes, Joshua Holmes, G. S. Hosmer, George Reed (by his attorney, G. S. Hosmer), and H. S. Hosmer, and acknowledged that they signed and sealed the foregoing town plat for the purposes therein mentioned. Given under my hand.

ALBERT FOWLER, J. P.

I, Cyrus Ilawley, Register of Deeds of the county of Milwaukee, aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of the record now remaining in this office, as recorded in Vol. A, of Deeds, Mortgages, etc., pages 83 and 84.

F. W. HAWLEY, Dep. Reg. Mil. Co.

Rockport contained about one hundred and fifty-eight acres within its limit lines. It included the water front on the west side of the river, from the Big Rock to a point opposite the present winter quarters of Burr Robbins' menagerie, extending north about the same distance. A few lots were disposed of to new settlers soon after the survey was made, and a year later,

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

Thomas Holmes, who had become the nominal manager of the property, disposed of a large number of the lots to Eastern parties, realizing handsomely from the sales, but taking mort- gages for the most part, which were afterward foreclosed. Herman Le Roy, of New York, a brother of Daniel Webster's second wife, owned an undivided thirty-two acres' part of Rockport.

The establishment of village sites became a mania in the settlement about this time, and every man believed his claim afforded unparalleled advantages in this regard. John Inman had located on the west side of the river, about three-quarters of a mile below the present Monterey bridge. The apparent success which attended the progress of Rockport induced him to sacrifice what might have been made a good farm, to the purposes of a village site. A copy of the plat, taken from the records of Milwaukee County, is now on file in the Recorder's office in Rock County. On the back of the instrument is the description of Wisconsin City, and signed thereto are the following names : John Inman, Jeremiah Price, Josiah S. Brase, James S. Sey- mour, John H. Hardenburg, George C. Seelye and Edward Shepard. The site was surveyed by Samuel Morris, on April 26, 1836. The instrument is acknowledged before Edward W. Casey, a Justice of the Peace of Chicago, and Richard [. Hamilton, Clerk of the Cook County (Ill.) Commissioners' Court, on May 17 of the same year. Mr. Inman was very happy in his selection of names for the streets of his village. Many cities founded at a more recent period, which have grown to large proportions, have not been more fortunate in this regard. We find the name of the immortal Washington inscribed on the plat as marking one of the thoroughfares of Wisconsin City. Van Buren, Webster, Seymour, Chatham, Inman (in honor of the founder), Prescott and a host of other famous men, were the unconscious possessors of similar monuments in Wisconsin City. Crossing these diagonally were Indiana, Illinois, Grand and (what appears to have been a great boulevard) Broadway streets. Inman took his plat-about all there was of Wisconsin City-and went to Chicago for the purpose of interesting speculators in what was designed to be " the leading city in the great Northwest." He met Sydney Breeze, then a land speculator, and afterward Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Mr. Breeze was not in a very speculative mood, it seems, as he only purchased half the village. The price he paid is not known, but Inman came back in new clothes, bringing a fresh supply of provisions, and was thereafter spoken of by the settlers as " a sort of lucky dog, anyway." A few months later, Mr. Breeze sold his interest to Knowles Taylor, a New York silk importer, for $20,000, taking his pay in the Gotham merchant's fabrics, and disposing of them to Chicago dealers at a sacrifice for cash.

John D. Clute, an eccentric land purchaser, who, it is said, owned property in every State in the Union, as well as the Isles of Great Britain, in some way became possessed of an interest in Wisconsin City. Having heard of the wonders of the West, he determined to visit Rock River Valley and see his new purchase. The stage-coach being his only means of conveyance from the point in Pennsylvania where he was then stopping, to Chicago, he was several days in reaching the Lake City, and a hundred miles of prairie and plain still divided him from Wis- consin City. In due course of time, Mr. Clute reached his goal-that is, he came to Rock River, where his further progress was at an end for the time being. During the summer of 1836, Dr. Heath had located and built on the south side of the river, opposite Wisconsin City. Mr. Inman had also established a temporary ferry at that point, and, on the evening of Mr. Clute's arrival, had crossed the river, and was "swapping jokes" with the Doctor when the strange individual rode up and inquired his way to Wisconsin City, saying that, among other pieces of property he owned in that place, there was a parcel known as " Hotel Block," and he desired to reach it before nightfall. Inman was something of a wag, and, perceiving that the stranger was laboring under a very pleasant hallucination, he suggested that he postpone his visit until morning, when the city would appear to very much greater advantage. Mr. Clute consented, and was provided with accommodations by the hospitable Heath, Inman remaining also. During the evening, Mr. Clute was entertained with glowing descriptions of the country, the beauties of Wisconsin City being especially dwelt upon. Next morning, the trio crossed the river. Inman, taking the lead, directed his companions to follow. Pursuing a narrow trail

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

until the party reached the top of a slight elevation a few rods from the river, Inman came to a halt, and, turning to Mr. Clute, said : "This is Hotel Block ; here to the right is College Square, and adjoining Hotel Block on the left is Church Square. We now stand about the center of Wisconsin City."

Mr. Clute visited Janesville a few years ago to look after some property belonging to his scattered estate. He related the circumstances of his first visit to the Rock River Valley, and confessed that he was " badly sold." In 1848, H. Hyatt Smith and others purchased a tax title of Wisconsin City for $800. A few cabins had been erected upon the site, and the frame- work of a tavern, which was never completed, reared upon " Hotel Block."

In the spring of 1836, John P. Dickson and W. H. H. Bailey, with their families,' arrived, and were followed in a few days by Henry F. and Edward Janes, Levi Harness, Curtis Davis, and later by Levi St. John, who brought with them their loving and trusting helpmates and other household gods. Owing to the arrival of additional inhabitants in Henry F. Janes' absence, it is generally believed that, had it not been for the fact that a cabin was awaiting his occupancy, (for, it will be remembered, he had located his claim in February previous), he would have gone further west.

Janes' log cabin became the headquarters of most of the new arrivals thereafter, and t soon became necessary to enlarge it by the addition of two stories (on the ground). John B. Dickson built near the spot where his comfortable home now stands. Mrs. Dickson had the reputation of being the best cook in the settlement, and their little log residence, sixteen fet square, was frequently the scene of jollity and social enjoyment. Both of these very excellent people still live. Although Father Time has marked them with his indelible evidences of early trials and their faces bear the impress of care, still their memories are bright, and Mr. Dickson will tell you with much pride that he can read these lines "without his glasses."

As the valley continued to fill up with people, disputes would arise as to the possession of land claims, and they frequently led to long and bitter contention.' Not a few aggressive, qua relsome and fractious individuals found their way here, and finally made themselves so obno: ious that it became necessary for the better class of citizens to take steps toward the adoption of measures for self-protection. Edward V. Whiton and George H. Williston were among the arrivals in the carly part of 1837, and they took an active part in the drafting of a code of lav=8 with this end in view.

True, it was after the Territorial organization, but the statutes which had been framed for the government of Wisconsin did not arrive for many months after their adoption. They were printed in the city of New York, and, to add to the delay, the vessel, by which the first few copies were sent, was lost on one of the northern lakes.

Judge Whiton, John P. Dickson and Major Johnson composed the first committee appointed by the citizens to arbitrate upon all questions in dispute between settlers. They framed a Con- stitution and sat as a sort of Court of Commissioners. Most of the contests were in the nature of land claims. There was no appeal from the decision of the Arbitration Committee; it was the only and the highest tribunal, and many, in fact, all the titles quieted by it stand good upon the records to-day.

Soon after the arrival of Messrs. Dickson, Bailey and Janes, the claimants of Rockport were importuned to relinquish certain portions of the village in the interest of others, in order that a combined effort might be made to locate a county seat upon the site. The Holmeses and the Hosmers refused, however, to sell or exchange one foot of Rockport, preferring to remain the sole possessors of what, in their opinion, had every prospect of becoming the leading city of the West. Lots in Wisconsin City were also at a premium, and, though the latter presented unexceptional advantages for the location of the county seat, it better suited Inman's purposes to sell for cash to parties at a distance, than give deeds to his neighbors on credit, though the security was perfectly good.

Judge Holmes, having refused to sell a part of his village to Mr. Janes, he could not, with the accommodating spirit becoming an early settler, decline to loan him his whip-saw. With

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

this borrowed utensil, Mr. Janes constructed a ferry-boat, and established a ferry opposite his little log cabin. The place became very popular, and was patronized by almost every one pass- ing through the valley. A sale of Government lands took place about this time. All the unclaimed parcels on the west side of the river were sold in accordance with law, and several sections on the east side also fell under the auctioneer's hammer. The quarter-section upon which Janes' house stood, however, was overlooked in the sale. Here was an opportunity to. establish a rival of those metropolitan villages, Rockport and Wisconsin City. Accordingly, in the spring of 1837, Mr. Janes surveyed and platted the land for the village which was to per- petuate his name. It extended north to a point where Fifth street intersects the river ; thence east to Jackman street. Its southern boundary was what is now Racine street, near the residence of Mr. John P. Dickson. The western limit was formed by the east bank of the river.

The success of Janesville thenceforward was undeniable and indisputable. The persever- ance and energy of the hardy pioneers who had battled against the storms of fate, now showed some signs of bearing fruit. Wisconsin City and Rockport faded from the list of villages with great expectations, and, in a few years, could not even claim the distinction of being respectable suburbs. They went entirely out of sight. In after years, the 700 acres of land in the bend on the west side of the river was sold for $3.500. The same property is now estimated to be worth $5,000,000.

Mr. Janes had what he supposed to be a pre-emption claim, but, in 1840, he was dispos- sessed by the County Commissioners, who made a new plat of the land, and entered it for the purposes of a county seat. This was done in accordance with an act of Congress relating to lands upon which county seats should be located, and providing for the issuance of quit-claims to claimants and settlers for a nominal consideration. A small portion of the property was restored to Mr. Janes, in consideration of his relinquishment of all future claim. It was gener- ally believed at the time that the United States Supreme Court would have restored the prop- erty, on the ground of priority to right to title.

Seth B. St. John was the first white child born in what are now the city limits of Janes- ville. The date of his birth was January, 1836. His father was Samuel St. John, the fifth white settler in this part of the valley. A misapprehension has prevailed in the minds of not a few persons, who believe J. W. St. John was the first white child who saw the light of day in the early settlement of Janesville ; but the doctor says the honor is not his ; it belongs properly to his cousin Seth, who now resides somewhere in the vicinity of Portage.

The first death within the same limits was that of the mother of Seth B. St. John, and the first wife of Samuel St. John. Mrs. St. John was buried on Hugh's Hill, half a mile south of the place of her death. As an illustration of the privations endured at that early day, it is related that the coffin containing the remains was made of rough boards which had previously done service as part of a wagon body. Soon after this sad bereavement Mr. St. John returned to Vermont, his native State, but, in a few years, came to Janesville, bringing with him a second wife.' She, too, soon sickened and died, and was laid upon the hill beside the first. In due course of time Mr. St. John again entered the matrimonial state, but Death, the fell destroyer, soon claimed him as a victim, and he was taken to Hugh's Hill and deposited between his two earlier loves, leaving a widow in sorrow and years.

A pioneer relates the circumstances connected with the death of a poor sickly barber, who traveled from one county seat to another with the Circuit Court retinue which, as late as 1843, accompanied His Honor. "The next morning," says the relator, "when the body was prepared for burial, the messenger who had been dispatched to a settlement about twelve miles away for a minister to give solemnity to the occasion, returned and reported that he had failed to find any such person. We were in a dilemma, and the town was canvassed to find a person who would undertake the office, but without success. Just at this moment, a team drove up through town with a man sitting on the top of a load of bags. His clothes were white with flour, he had been down in Illinois to mill, and was going north to his home with his grist. As he reached a

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

point in the street opposite the tavern door, a man, who was supporting himself against the cor- ner of the house, reeled out into the middle of the road and stopped the team, at the same time addressing the driver with-' I say, stranger, can you pray ?' The man sat for a moment in blank astonishment, when I stepped up and explained our trouble; he answered the question of the drunken interrogator in words something like these : 'Well, stranger, you put a difficult question to me. When I lived in Rochester, in York State, I could pray. I was a member of a Christian Church, and in prayer-meetings frequently led in prayer ; but, since I have been out here in Wisconsin, I have lost the habit, and I don't know what kind of a fist I will make of it, but, if you can do no better, I will try; ' and he tied his horses, put himself in advance of the procession, which was ready to move. We wound our way up the hill to a half-acre devoted by the county to the burial of the dead, where the poor barber was consigned to the grave, there to rest until the last trump-no, until the county could sell the lot to the future city whereon to build a schoolhouse, and then the poor barber, with many another body having no loving friends to care for it, was gathered up and thrown into a common trench, there to remain until man's cupidity shall find some other use for the small piece of land so occupied."

EARLY GROWTH.

In June, 1839, Ward & Lappin opened the first store in Janesville. They occupied a one story frame building, fourteen feet square, which stood where Bennett's building now stands, On Main street. Their stock was invoiced at $350, and comprised such articles as are to be fourad in the country store of the present day. At this time, the principal citizens of Janesville were John P. Dickson, W. H. H. Bailey, Henry F. Janes, Judge Holmes, Charles Stevens, Lukke Stoughton, Dr. Guy Stoughton, John Langdon Kimball, Gen. Sheldon and Thomas Lappi. The frame building occupied by Ward & Lappin, the frame dwellings owned by J. P. Plummer I, and Janes' log tavern, were the only. buildings on the west side of Main street. On the east sid there were the Stage House [see " Hotels "], a little frame building occupied by Janes, a frame dwelling on the site of Fredendall's Block, and another frame on the Court House Square. The residence of Judge Holmes in Rockport was the only frame building on the west side of the river.

In July, 1840, Ward & Lappin dissolved partnership, and Mr. Lappin commenced bu ness on his own account, with a stock valued at $140. Mr. Lappin bought some sugar and molasses in Galena, at an expense of $50 for transportation, and then walked to Chicago to buy his dry goods. When he had made his purchase, and the goods were invoiced, it was found that he exceeded his money by $15, for which the house refused to trust him.

In 1841, D. A. Richardson opened a store a few feet north of Mr. Lappin's establishment and, early in 1842, Mr. Lappin built a two-story frame store on the present site of Lappin Block, and soon took W. H. H. Bailey in as a partner. In July of that year, Janesville co .- tained two stores, ten dwellings, two taverns, and between seventy and eighty inhabitant McClure & Felton, a Milwaukee firm, also opened a store with a large stock of goods. In 184 -= 44, they failed in their venture, and were succeeded by Stoughton, Lawrence & Co. This firm su sub- sequently became Lawrence & Atwood.

In December, 1843, there were thirty-six dwellings and 333 inhabitants. In August, 184 15, there were 157 dwellings and 855 inhabitants. Of these buildings, twenty-six were built of brick, nine of stone, seven of logs, and 115 were frames. Cows were not allowed to run st large in the streets then, as now, and there was but one lot in the village with a fence about - it. The west bank of the river, whereon stands the principal portion of Janesville to-day, was cor. ered with burr-oaks, and in some places with an undergrowth of thick hazel-brush. There were but four buildings on that side of the river then-those of Judge Holmes, J. B. Doe, Hiram Bishop and Mr. Holcomb. The Madison road was the only one opened from the bridge on te west side, and that passed through where the Corn Exchange and Trinity Church are now located. A tri-weekly line of four-horse stages passed through from Milwaukee to Galena ; two weekly two-horse stages connected the village with Madison, and tri-weekly lines were run to

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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.

Dixon's Ferry and Racine. A weekly mail wagon ran to Chicago. In December of this year, there were nine dry-goods stores, one commission store and three groceries, with an estimated aggregate value of goods of $100,000. There were also six lawyers, five physicians, one news- paper, three church congregations and two schools, with 217 scholars. As stated above, the population at this time was 855. Of these, 397 were natives of New York, 65 of Vermont, 34 of Ohio, 26 of Pennsylvania, 25 of Massachusetts, 17 of New Hampshire, 15 of Maine, 15 of Michigan, 12 of Connecticut, 12 of Indiana, 8 of Virginia, 6 of Illinois, and 1 each of Iowa, Rhode Island, Maryland and New Jersey. Of the foreign population, 66 were from England, 35 from Canada, 21 from Ireland, 11 from Norway, 10 from Wales, 7 from Scotland, 5 from Germany, and 2 from la belle France. There was also one colored-a woman one hundred years of age. Joseph Hanchett and Eliza Ricord, aged respectively sixty-seven and seventy-nine years, were the oldest white inhabitants in Janesville at the time.

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The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 80

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 899

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899