The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc, Part 104

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1050

USA > Wisconsin > Waukesha County > The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc > Part 104

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Three years ago, we packed no pork, But our BACON wished to cure, So to the east-to say the least- 'Twas sent, I'm very sure.

And then it cured, and dried and cured, Until one pleasant'day, A homely youth by the name of BOOTH Our BACON stole away.

We have no schooners, brigs or ships, Nor oceans blue and bright, But then 'tis known to one and all, Our SAYLES are oft in sight.

Our Postoffice, in by-gone days, Was called a BARRON place- But by a BARSTOW it was bereft Of every BARRON face.

But that BARS-Tow has been cut of, And it really gave him pain, To find the office called the "Post,'' A BARRON place again.

Now I'm going to leave this town, And I'm a hungry sinner, Who will agree to tender me A good substantial dinner ?

What do I like? I do not like- I like not beef, pork nor greens ; But then I guess I'll take a mess Of pretty, little black-eyed BEANS.

In 1871, the above rhyme was received with considerable gusto at the meeting of the County Old Settlers' Club, at which time a pioneer could not resist the temptation to immortalize him- self by adding the following :

In '71 the scenes have changed, We miss some faces, dimes and pence ; Some are scattered-some laid low, Like CUTLER's old rail fence.

. .

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

And since that old rail fence has gone, The town has really put on airs- Now sports its pickets, trees and walks, From ELLIOTT's up to BLAIR's.

In by-gone days, to cross the street, You'd need a sounding pole; Now you can go from BEAN to BACON, And never wet your sole.

Now, I'll bid you all good-bye, It's time I end this ditty ; This village I never more will see, For soon 't will be a city.

WAUKESHA IN 1842.

A writer in 1842 thus describes the village : This village, like most of those in our vicinity, is rapidly progressing in beauty as well as population. We are glad to see in this, as well as other of our inland towns, such a degree of good taste and good sense in the construction of dwell- ing houses. Few places near us have greater beauties of location than Prairieville, and we are glad to see, even in a new country, some sympathy between the locality and the inhabitants. Sit- uated near a small prairie of about three miles in length, it has all the advantages of prairies, open- ings and a well-watered soil. But about five years have passed since the place was first claimed, yet the census just taken shows a population of 682. Probably one-half of this is in the village and its immediate vicinity. The water-power on the Fox (Pish-ta-kee) River, by far the best of that region, is the nucleus around which this town is gathered. This has been improved by the erection of the extensive flouring-mills of Barstow, Gale & Co., which by the inducements held out to the farmers in that vicinity for a ready market for their wheat, has caused nearly all the, public lands to be taken up. Other mills, on smaller streams, have likewise caused a considerable- accession to the population and improvements of the town. The Prairieville mills have sent to. market during the past year 6,000 barrels of flour, the Globe, or Dakin's mills, 1,000 barrels. This is the principal article constituting the business of the place, though other articles are of course sent from thence. The village is not wanting in the different mechanical arts, having most of those which are usually found in places of its size. We understand that some ten or twelve dwelling houses are erecting, or under contract, in the village ; and it bids fair soon to rival, in business and population, some of our towns on the lake shore, and to become a thrifty, substantial and populous town. It certainly holds out as great inducements to mechanics and tradesmen as any country town in the Territory.

WAUKESHA IN 1844.

Some peripatetic person, who signed himself " Unchangeable Frizzle," wrote as follows to the Green Bay Republican, dating his letter at Prairieville, September 25, 1844 :

"Since last I wrote you, I have paid a flying visit to some of the interior towns in this (Milwaukee) county-Wauwatosa, Brookfield and Prairieville. None particularly attracted my attention. Of these villages, Prairieville is the most pleasantly located, as well as most important. They all possess, however, great natural advantages, being in the midst of an increasing population, having a salubrious climate, and a soil equal to any in the world. I find, however, as might be expected, that most, if not all, the land in this vicinity has long since passed out of the hands of the Government. Consequently, good land cannot be obtained near the city, unless at an exorbitant price. Immigrants, therefore, if they wish to obtain land at nominal prices, would do well to visit the counties of Fond du Lac, Marquette or Winnebago, which are certainly as inviting as Milwaukee County. Prairieville is a growing, prosperous village, and will soon be the most important manufacturing town in Wisconsin. Everything about the vil- lage evidences the briefness of its settlement and also its future importance. It contains the most enterprising, able and best educated men of any new place I ever saw. They look into the future before doing anything, and already they are the leaders of nearly all Territoral move- ments."

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

WAUKESHA IN 1853.

The village of Waukesha was incorporated in 1852, and now (said a writer for the State Historical Society in 1853) has a population of about 2,200. It contains one saw-mill, one flouring-mill, two foundries, one railroad-car factory, one machine shop, one thrashing machine manufactory, two breweries, nine blacksmith shops, nine boot and shoe shops, two paint shops, one cooper shop, one carriage and wagon manufactory, two tailor shops, two millinery establish- ments, two jewelry shops, three saddle and harness shops, two cabinet warerooms, two tin and sheet-iron manufacturing establishments, two stone-cutting establishments, two butcher shops, three drug stores, three stationery and book stores, three hardware stores, five dry-goods stores, seven groceries, three hotels, two livery stables, nine physicians, one daguerrean room, one por- trait painter, one dentist, seven lawyers, twelve ministers of the Gospel, besides Rev. Dr. Savage, President of Carroll College; eight churches, the court house and jail, a college, a female semi- nary, the Waukesha County Bank, two printing presses, one literary paper and two newspapers.

WAUKESHA IN 1860.

In July, 1860, a poetical person, name unknown, visited Waukesha, and, after taking in the beauties of the place, in an exuberant moment, furnished the following for the newspapers : " Things beautiful in conformation, added to natural advantages, delight the eye and add refinement and taste to cultivated minds. The astromomer loves to turn the horoscope of his vision, with intensified gaze, on the star-bespangled heavens, and, while the mind feasts and ranges through the fields of astronomic lore, the heart beats with a stronger filial love to that Great Father, who has spread such a coruscation of shining worlds and planetary orbs in their undimmed and continuous splendor over our heads, and whose silent yet speaking beauty is best described by that poet who spoke thus :

" What though in solemn silence all Move round this dark terrestrial ball ; What though no real voice nor sound Amid their radiant orbs be found ; Yet still in reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice- Forever singing as they shine, The hand that made us is Divine !'

" But when we turn our gaze from things which can only be reached in part by the con- ceptions of our imaginations, and look at our feet upon the botanical world, with its blooming verdure and scented pathways, exhibiting to our gaze not only 'the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley,' but its twenty-eight thousand different varieties of herbs and flowers that bud, bloom and grow on this green carpet, yielding beauty, utility and fragrance to man, we may well find ample scope for the exercise of mind and imagination in depicting things beautiful and landscapes delightful, whether they be local or general. But before we wander any farther in the general kingdom of landscape beauty, we will endeavor to localize our thoughts and descrip- tions to the beautiful and pleasant village of Waukesha, the county seat of Waukesha County. This delightful village of 3,000 inhabitants is situated in the midst of one of the most fertile districts to be found in the State of Wisconsin; its location is twenty miles by railroad from Milwaukee on the Milwaukee & Mississippi road, and lying on a beautiful prairie, with the Fox River running through its center. Nature has been most lavish to the place in gifts, both of soil and landscape, and art hath superadded, in the erection of spacious churches, elegant hotels, model schoolhouses, beautiful mansions and nonpareil stone side-walks on almost every street.

" But as I purpose being brief in my description, I will commence with the educational advantages of the place. And first, I may state that there is an excellent college, well filled with students, under the supervision and presidency of the Rev. J. A. Savage, D. D. Here are stu- dents in attendance from all parts of the State, and the faculty and institution, generally considered, are inferior to none in the West. The Young Ladies' Seminary, under the superintendency of

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

Rev. Mr. Staples, assisted by a lady preceptress, is earning deserved popularity, and promises great usefulness in the education of females. We have also a beautiful and spacious Union. School on the east side of the river, located on a three-acre lot, enclosed with a neat picket fence, and surrounded with shade trees. The house is built of dressed or cut stone, and seemsa fit place for

' Pedagogues to rule-in human nature wise, and learned to boot -- To teach the young idea how to shoot.'

" There are also eight churches-six of which are large enough to seat from four to eight hundred persons each. They are as follows: One Episcopalian, one Presbyterian, one Roman Catholic, three Methodist (one of which is German Methodist), and one Congregational. One might reasonably suppose there were not many sinners from the amount of church accommoda- tions, but of this I judge not.

. " The private residences of the more wealthy and prominent citizens are palatial and comfort- able. Among others, we note the following : The beautiful homestead of M. D. Cutler, Esq., situated in nearly the center of the village, and containing an area of about seven acres ; in shape it forms a parallelogram, with one of its longest sides fronting 600 feet on Wisconsin street. Around it is thrown a neat picket fence, and inside it is filled (apart from the neat and spacious dwelling) with fruit trees of all kinds common to our soil, and shade trees of almost every imag- inable class and description. If the reader were to walk around this delightful spot in a summer day, and inhale the fragrant and scented air which rises from plants and flowers, as well as feast his eyes upon the general beauty of the scene, he might well fancy himself in a suburb of the once-famed Alhambra.

"The architectural beauty and surrounding embellishments of the residences on College Hill of William White, Esq., Rev. Dr. Savage and William Soper, Esq., are ahead of most that can be found in a Western or even Eastern town. And a little farther north, on the same street, are those of C. R. Dakin and T. D. Cook, Esq., the latter of whom is the owner of the famous flag and cut-stone quarries which are being so extensively worked at this place, and of whom it is not saying too much, that by unwearied industry and assiduous attention to his business, he has cut his way, within the past ten years, through rocks and difficulties to wealth and position. Such men ought to succeed.

" On Carroll street is to be found the sash, door and blind factory (with planing-mill), of W. P. Babcock. Also, near the stone quarry of Messrs. Davis, Barnes & Blank (an energetic, wide-awake stone company, by the way), is to be found the machine shop and factory of Messrs. Hartwell & Palmer. It is a large stone building, erected this summer, with every necessary facility for doing a big business. The integrity and scientific knowledge of Mr. Hartwell as an architect and master builder are a sufficient guarantee for the success of the establishment.

" On the corners of Carroll and East Division streets are located the beautiful residences of R. Walker, Leander Hill and H. A. Kennedy. This last-named gentleman was, until recently, a resident of Cincinnati, but removed his family to Waukesha in consequence of its healthy local- ity and superior educational advantages. Having established a model provision and grocery store in our midst, he may be considered a permanent fixture.

" On Main street there are several beautiful cut-stone buildings for residences, among which is that of N. Burroughs, Esq. Mr. B. is one of the oldest business men in the place, and the blessings of all good housewives ought to rest on his head for the large assortment of premium and nonpareil cooking stoves he has always on hand to facilitate the culinary labors of the kitchen.

"On the west side of the Fox River the neat and tastefully arranged residences of R. N. Kimball and William Blair, Esq., attract the attention. They are two of the solid men of 'Boston,' and are always to be found in the right place. Mr. Blair employs a large number of hands the year round in his machine shop for the manufacture of thrashing machines, fanning mills of all kinds, plows, drags, and farming apparatus generally. And, in connection with this business, he has an extensive demand for castings from all parts of the State, which keeps his molding furnace in full blast the year round. Mr. Kimball, the owner of the flouring and saw mills in this place, is putting a large steam engine into operation in his flouring-mill, which will

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

enable him to do all the custom grinding farmers may want, with promptness, and merchant grinding to suit. When his arrangements are perfected, the mill will turn off 100,000 bushels of wheat annually. Mr. Kimball's business tact, united to an indomitable energy which he has devoted to the growth of the place, makes him a valuable member of the commu- nity, and it is a pleasure to know that he is well appreciated.

"In the business part of the town are some cut-stone blocks that will compare favorably with those of larger cities. Among such is that of Dr. Smith (4 stories high), C. C. Barnes, D. C. Davis, C. L. Robinson, C. Jackson, N. Burroughs, Andrew Aitkin and Wm. Clark.

.. "During the last year, the State Reform School has been completed, and is now ready for occupancy. It is a splendid stone building about sixty feet high, with towers, etc., which gives it quite a picturesque appearance. . A portion of the furniture for this structure was manufact- ured at the prison at Wanpun, and has already been received. The officers for the management of the institution have already been appointed, but as yet ,there are no inmates. The building cost about $45,000.

" We must not forget, among other institutions of the place, that there are two regularly chartered banks ; the Waukesha Co. Bank, generally conceded to be a bank in the fullest sense of the term, and one of the foremost in the State, in amount of capital and general good manage- ment. The name of its President, A. Miner, Esq., is sufficient guaranty for probity and honor- able dealing. The acting Cashier, Mr. C. Miner, although young in years, is ripe in experience, and thoroughly posted in financial matters, and has all the qualities requisite for the place. The Forest City Bank has for its President S. A. Bean, Esq., a good financier, and a gentleman of large acquirements. The Cashier, Mr. M. G. Townsend, is a model business man, of genial address, and a great admirer of 'Abe Lincoln.' Success to the institution.

" Of doctors and lawyers we have a great number. 'Brutus was an honorable man,' and so are they all honorable men-ever ready to attend to you in body or estate, and in as satisfactory manner as any of their class.

" There are two extensive nurseries or horticultural gardens, owned by A. McCall and A. G. Hanford, Esqs. Mr. Hanford is widely known throughout the West as being skilled in the chemical appliances of agriculture properly carried out, also horticulture and botany. He has a large nursery, where everything in his line can be found in quantities to suit.

" In the way of prominent men, we have made our ' mark,' having furnished two Governors for the State, and, in the estimation of many, possess the requisite material for a first-class Sen- ator, to fill the forthcoming vacancy.

"I may now state, for the benefit of those who read this brief outline, that it is not written for the purpose of 'setting off' anything connected with the village or surrounding country in an exaggerated or false light, but as a bona-fide exhibit of everything spoken of. Genuine beauty requires no paint to make it more lovely ; so the concentration of art, industry and talent in local and socialized forms will still vindicate their worth and establish their just supremacy over indo- lence, thriftlessness, . or a want of mechanical skill in any department of business. I might add that the growth of farms, in agricultural fertility, stock and general good husbandry, is the basis of support for all towns and villages in the West ; that the country surrounding our village gives its yearly solution by the increasing yield of grain, stock and produce of all kinds, garnered by the husbandman, that our farmers are getting rich, as their barns and spacious residences give some faint token, if compared with those of six or seven years ago. Very few have got the rest- less spirit of ' moving' in their minds, so common in the West ; they are generally satisfied that they have found the farmers' El Dorado, and mean to dig and plow, and drag and hoe, and find not the fool's ' mica, ' but the substantial reward that agriculture invariably throws into the lap of industry. 'The first creditor is certainly the plow,' and it is the basis of our wealth in this new country. If it is not carried on with vigor and success, the artizan's hammer will lie unem- ployed upon the bench-the merchant will find no business to transact in his counting-room- and the vessels that now traverse our lakes freighted with merchandise will lie with their keels rotting in the stagnant waters of our harbors. "

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

WHAT WAUKESHA, VILLAGE CONTAINED IN 1865.

In 1865, an enterprising individual prepared the following table of contents for the village of Waukesha :

Waukesha has seventeen dealers in groceries, viz. : H. W. Stone, J. A. Dunbar, Wm. H. Boyle, Chas. Cork, Buckner & Lawrence, A. Harrison, John G. Eisman, Tyler Brothers, Jameson & James, C. S. Hawley, C. Jackson, Charles Stein & Bro., I. M. White, Isaac Coller, Patrick Murphy, John W. Fallon, Thomas Bigwood.

Dry Goods stores, seven, viz. : Miss E. H. Clarke, Buckner & Lawrence, John G. Eisman, Jameson & James, Chas. Stein & Bro., Isaac Coller, D. Foster.

Hardware Dealers, three, viz. : N. Burroughs, J. Haertel, Julius Reise.

Druggists, three, viz. : I. M. White, C. S. Hawley and C. Jackson.

Dealers in Paints and Oils, three, viz. : N. Burroughs, I. M. White and C. Jackson.

Confectionery Shops, eight, viz. : U. Petrie, G. N. Coleman, P. Murphy, T. Bigwood, A. Harrison, C. Cork, Wm. Boyle, H. W. Stone.

Book and Stationery Dealers, three, viz. : C. S. Hawley, I. M. White and C. Jackson.

Hat and Cap Dealers, viz. : R. L. Gove & Bro., Tyler & Frame, J. G. Eisman, Chas. Stein & Bro., and Isaac Coller.

Crockery ware Dealers, three, viz. : Chas. Cork, Isaac Coller and Jameson & James.

Clothing Stores, four, viz. : Chas. Stein & Bro., Isaac Coller, Jacob Sanner, Jameson & James.

Boot and Shoe Manufacturers, eleven, viz. : R. L. Grove & Bro., Tyler & Frame, Dan'l Gallagher, Heit & Sehrt, G. C. Bergeler, Icke & Lindner, Dan'l Flynn, Thos. Casey, Jacob Schwindt, Fred Krannick, P. Evans.

Harness and Saddle Makers, three, viz. : D. R. Prindle, John Mulligan and Joseph Harding.

Painters, three, viz. : W. S. Rowe, James Clarke and Fred. Cunningham.

Blacksmiths, six, viz. : Wm. Blair, John Fallon, Poole & Worden, Michael Fallon, John Patterson, Peter Lowe.

Wagon and Carriage Makers, four, viz. : Church & Reeder, Fred Slawson, A. Markle and Conrad Dehl.

Cabinet Makers, six, viz .: Phillip Hepp, John Gaspar, Simeon Weifenbach, C. Salmen, A. Wehr and M. Clauson.

Jewelers, two, viz. : C. A. Estberg, Wm. Langer.

Tailors, five, viz. : Jacob Sanner, T. N. Coleman, R. Kenzie, G. Sperl and Wm. Sonth- ward.

Milliners, Mantuamakers, etc., five, viz. : Miss E. H. Clarke, Miss Howie, Miss Warr, Miss Bornheimer and Mrs. McFarland.

Marble Workers, three, viz .: Butterfield & Bennett, E. P. Knowles and B. Leonard.

Carpenters and Joiners, sixteen, viz . : M. S. & C. S. Hartwell, W. P. Babcock, J. F. Peffer, Chas Zimmermann, L. L. Hill, Wm. Phelps, Richard Hill, Conrad Komet, S. Raynor, A. Blank, Robert Beggs, A. C. Billings, J. Vreeland, Silas Ware, D. Kelly and Wm. Schu- maker.

Stone Cutters and Masons, nineteen, viz .: T. D. Cook, Michael Gleason, Ed. Gleason, David Creighton, Arthur Cowan, Henry Hepp, C. Wardrobe, Jas. Lynam, Samnel Eales, John Dickmann, Mathias Schock, Ed Baker, James Sullivan, Charles George, Michael Bennett, Michael Devlin, E. Barnes, Jacob Koenig and C. Ester.

Coopers, three, viz. : A. T. Wiest, Luke Chapleau and A. J. Smith.

Steam Planing Mills, three, viz .: M. S. & C. S. Hartwell, Wm. P. Babcock and Wm. Phelps.

Tinsmiths, three, viz .: N. Burroughs, Jolin Haertel and J. Reise.

Iron Foundry, one, viz. : Wm. Blair.

Machine Shop, one, viz. : Wm. Blair.

Re, C, Hathaway OCONOMOWOC.

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

687

Gunsmith, one viz. : B. Clarke.

Currier, one, viz. : S. A. Allen.

Thrashing Machine Manufacturers, one, viz. : Wm. Blair.

Sash and Blind Factories, two, viz. : M. S. & C. S. Hartwell and Wm. Phelps.

Hotels, three, viz. : The "Exchange," by F. M. Putney ; "Union House " by M. Schafer, and "American House," by J. B. Cable.

Saloons, seven, kept by P. Bannon, H. A. Meyer, Chris Nohl, Pat Murphy, G. Dingeldein, John Sperber and Wm. J. Ware.

Billiard Saloons, two, viz. : Wm. J. Ware and John Sperber.

Lumber Dealers, one, viz. : Silas Richardson.

Wheat Buyers, four, viz. : R. N. Kimball, Thos. Haynes, D. W. Kent, and J. W. Thomas. Daguerrean Galleries, two, viz. : O. E. & H. C. Tyler and J. B. Bates.

Attorneys and Counselors at Law, seven, viz. : Vernon Tichenor, A. Cook, Wm. Soper, J. Bourbon Hunt, Wm. S. Hawkins, S. A. Randles, F. W. Monteith.

Surgeons and Physicians, nine, viz .: John G. Cook, R. Dunlap, Moses Barrett, J. Smith, Hugo Philler, A. Kendrick, V. L. Moore and A. Fowler & Son.

Dentists, two, viz. : W. D. & A. Holbrook.

Barbers, two, viz : L. Reidel and Wm. Davis.

Newspapers, two, viz .: Freeman, by L. B. Wright, Plaindealer, by A. F. Pratt.

Banks, two, viz. : "Farmers National " and " Waukesha National."

Flouring Mills, two, viz. : R. N. Kimball and W. S. Barnard.

Saw Mill, one, viz. : R. N. Kimball.

Carding Machine, one, viz. : Ira Kimball.

Butchers, four, viz. : Jones & Wallace, Phillip Herbrand, Ch. Ester and Mrs. J. Angrave. Draymen, three, viz. : M. Thompson, Fred. Bergeler and Conrad Brunner.

Livery Stables, two, viz. : Silas Barber and Geo. W. Thustan.

Breweries, two, viz. : Stephen Weber and H. A. Meyer.

Bakers, one viz. : Louis Thielmann.

Schools, six, viz. : Carroll College, Female Seminary, High School for boys, Union School, and two private schools.

Churches, nine, viz. : Baptist, Congregational, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Catholic, Method- ist Episcopal, German Methodist, Primitive Methodist and Dutch Reformed.

Ministers, eleven, viz. : Four preachers of the Gospel and seven political preachers.

WAUKESHA IN 1880.

In manufacturing importance, Waukesha has not grown to any appreciable extent since the erection of the woolen factory. She has been rapidly growing as a summer resort, however ; has more guests this year than ever before, and has more facilities for their accommodation. The population has also grown, as each succeeding census since the village was incorporated shows. For the decade ending June 30, 1880, the increase has been equal to that of former periods, notwithstanding the panic which laid an iron hand on all industries during a large por- tion of that time. The population is 2,980, an increase of 347 since the census of 1870. The number of dwellings is 635, which is but a small increase since 1870, though more than a mill- ion dollars have been expended in building. Since 1870, the Fountain House, the largest hotel in Wisconsin, has been twice built, the largest portion of the Mansion House erected, and various other buildings, aggregating a greater cost than number, have appeared in the village. On the whole, therefore, the growth of Waukesha Village has been more in wealth and value than in the number of its residents.

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The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages etc, Part 104

Author: Western Historical Co., pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1050

Author: Western Historical Co., pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1050