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 51

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 51

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AN ANCIENT DOCUMENT.

A very curious, ancient and interesting deed is given place in this volume for two reasons. One is that it seems to be the first record of the first conveyance of any land in what is now Waukesha; and the second, that it is believed to show that the now world-famous Waukesha Mineral Springs were known and named more than a century ago, and were the unmovable and, indestructible boundary-line marks of a tract of land mentioned in the following document :

To all peopleto whom these presents shall come, Greeting : Know ye that we, Tomaroa, or Gabriel; Petaguage, or Michael ; Maughquayah, or John Baptiste; Couroway Kicounaisa, or Fish; and Tontowaraganih, or Peter, sometimes called La Cloche, or the Bell, Kaskaskias Chiefs; Maughquinthepe, or Bear's Head; otherwise called the Black Dog; Mein- quipanmiah, Achiswewah, and Eschawinikiwah, Pervariahs and Cahoquias Chiefs; chiefs and sachems of the differ- ent tribes of the Illinois nations of Indians, and being and effectually representing all the tribes of the said Illinois Indians, send greeting:

WHEREAS, William Murray, of the Illinois country, merchant, one of the grantees hereinafter named, as well for himself as on the parts and behalfs of the several other grantees herein also after named, did at several confer- ences publicly held with us, the said chiefs and sachems, at Kaskaskias Village, in the Illinois country aforesaid, treat and confer with us, the said chiefs and sachems, for the purchase of certain quantities or tracts of land belonging and appertaining unto us and to the several tribes or nations of Indians whom we represent; and

WHEREAS, We, the said chiefs and sachems, have deliberately and maturely considered for ourselves, and con- sulted with the natives of our several tribes or nations, of the requests and proposals made as aforesaid by the said William Murray, for himself and others, to us, the said chiefs and sachems; and

WHEREAS, We, the said chiefs and sachems, as well as the other natives of our several tribes or nations, are fully satisfied and contented (for the consideration hereinafter mentioned) to grant and confirm unto the said William Murray, and to the other grantees hereinafter named, the several tracts or quantities of land, hereinafter bounded and described :

Now know ye, therefore, that we, the said chiefs and sachems of the several tribes of the Illinois Indians afore- said in full and public council assembled, at Kaskaskias Village aforesaid, for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings, to us in hand paid by the said William Murray, and for and in consideration of the following goods and mer- chandise to us, the said Tomaroa, Petaguage, Maughquayah, Couroway, Kicounaisa. Tontowaraganih, Maughquin- thepe, Achiswewah, Meinquipaumiah and Eschawinikiwah, paid and delivered in full council aforesaid, that is to say, 260 strouds, 250 blankets, 350 shirts, 150 pairs of stroud and half-thick stockings, 150 stroud breech-eloths, 500 pounds of gunpowder, 4,000 pounds of lead, one gross of knives, thirty pounds of vermilion, 2.000 gun-flints, 200 pounds of brass kettles, 200 pounds of tobacco, three dozen gilt looking-glasses, one gross of gun-worms, two gross of awls, one gross of fire-steels, sixteen dozen of gartering, 10,000 pounds of flour,

Plate B.

Fig . b Indian Grave on Turtle Mound

Indian Grave

Fig.f.

TURTLE MOUND GROUP WAUKESHA.

Road to Milwaukee

-- HOTEL

Indian

Trail

Plate C.

Farthworks near Carroll College at Waukesha:

Scale 100 feet to an Inch.

CARROLL COLLEGE

Indian Trail

The Bird Waukesha Scale. 40 ft. to an Inch/

Plate D.

Mounds in School Section ·Town of Pewaukee Scale . 40 feet to an Inch:

Plate E.

Earthworks in Vernon Scale : 100 ft. to an Inch/

NO Indian Path

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

500 bushels of Indian corn, twelve horses, twelve horned cattle, twenty bushels of salt and twenty guns, the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, have granted, bargained, sold, aliened, released, enfeoffed, ratified, and fully confirmed, and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, release, enfeoff, ratify and fully confirm unto the said William Murray, Moses Franks and Jacob Franks, of the city of London, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, Esquires ; David Franks, John Inglis, Bernard Gratz, Michael Gratz, Alexander Ross, David Sproat aud James Milli- gan, all of the city of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, merchants ; Moses Franks, of the same city, attorney at law ; Andrew Hamilton and William Hamilton, of the same city, gentlemen ; Edmund Milnes, of the same city, goldsmith and jeweler; Joseph Simons and Levi Andrew Levi, of the town of Lancaster, in the county of Lan- caster, and province aforesaid, merchants ; Thomas Minshall, of York County, and province aforesaid, Esquire; Rob- ert Calender and William Thompson, of Cumberland County and province aforesaid, Esquires ; John Campbell, of Pittsburgh, Westmoreland County and province aforesaid, merchant; George Castles, of the Illinois conntry afore- said, and James Rumsey, late of the same county, merchants, their heirs and assigns, in the severality, or unto his Most Sacred Majesty George III, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, defender of the faith, etc., his heirs and successors, for the use, benefit and behoof of all the said several above-named grantees, their heirs and assigns, in severalty, as aforesaid (by whichever of these tenures the said grantees may most legally hold the same), the two several tracts or parcels of land hereinafter described and bounded, viz .:

One tract or parcel of land, situate, lying and being on the east side of the River Mississippi, beginning at the mouth of the Heron Creek, called by the French the River of Mary, being abont a league below the mouth of Kaskaskias River ; thence a northward of east course, in a direct line back to the Hilly Plains, eight leagnes or thereabouts, be the same more or less; thence the same course, in a direct line, to the Crabtree Plains, seventeen leagues or there- abouts, be the same more or less; thence the same course, in a direct line, to a remarkable place known by the name of the Big Buffalo Hoofs, seven leagues or thereabouts, be the same more or less; thence the same conrse, in a direct line, to the Salt Lick Creek, abont seven leagnes, be the same more or less; then, crossing the said creek about one leagne below the ancient Shawanese town, in an easterly or a little to the north of east course, in a direct line to the River Ohio, about four leagues, be the same more or less; then down the Ohio by the several courses thereof, until it empties itself in the Mississippi, about thirty-five leagues, be the same more or less; and then up the Mississippi, by the several courses thereof, to the place of beginning, thirty-three leagues, or thereabouts, be the same more or less; and also one other piece or parcel of land, situate, lying, or being on the east side of the Mississippi, beginning at a place or point in a direct line opposite to the mouth of the Missouri River; thence up the Mississippi by the several conrses thereof, to the mouth of the Illinois River, about six leagues, be the same more or less ; then up the Illinois River, by the several courses thereof, to Chicagou, or Garlick Creek, about ninety leagues, or thereabouts, be the same more or less ; then nearly a northerly course, in a direct line, to a certain place remarkable, being the ground on which an engagement, or battle, was fought about forty or fifty years ago between the Pewaria and Renard Indians, about fifty leagues, be the same more or less ; thence, by the same course, in a direct line, to the two remarkable hills* close together, in the middle of a large prairie, or plain, abont fourteen leagues, be the same more or less ; thence a north by east course, in a direct line, to a remarkable spring, known by the Indians by the name of Foggy Spring, ; about fourteen leagues, be the same more or less ; thence the same course, io a direct line, to a great mountain to the northward of the White Buffalo Plain, about fifteen leagues, be the same more or less ; thence nearly a south west course, in a direct line, to the place of beginning, abont forty leagues, be the same more or less ; and also all minerals, ores, trees, woods, underwoods, water, water-courses, profits, commodities, advantages, rights, liberties, privileges, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever, to the said two several tracts or parcels of land, belonging, or in any wise appertaining, and also the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof. and of every part and parcel thereof, and all the estate, right, title,, and interest, use, prop- erty, possession, claim and demand of them, the said Tomaroa, Petaguage, Maughquayah, Conroway, Kicounaisa, Tontowaraganih, Maughquinthepe, Achiswewah, Meinquipaumiah and Eschawinikiwah, chiefs and sachems afore- said, and of all and every other person and persons whatsoever, of or belonging to the said nations, of, unto, and out of, the premises, and every part and parcel thereof; to have and to hold the said several tracts or parcels of land, and all and singular the said granted or bargained premises, with the appurtenances, unto them, the said William Murray, Moses Franks, Jacob Franks, David Franks, John Inglis, Bernard Gratz, Michael Gratz, Alexander Ross, David Sproat, James Milligan, Moses Franks, Andrew Hamilton, William Hamilton, Edmund Milnes, Joseph Simon, Levi Andrew Levi, Thomas Minshall, Robert Calender, William Thompson, John Campbell, George Castles and James Rumsey, their heirs and assigns, forever, in severalty, or unto his said Majesty, his heirs and successors, to and for the use, benefit, and behoof of the said grantees, their heirs and assigns, forever, in severalty, as aforesaid; and the said Tomaroa, Petaguage, Maughquayah, Couroway, Kicounaisa, Tontowaraganih, Manghquinthepe, Achiswewah, Meinquipaumiah and Eschawinikiwah, for themselves and for their several tribes of the Illinois nations, and all and every other nation and na ions, tributaries and dependants on the said Illinois Indians, and their and every of their posterities, the said several tracts of land and premises, and every part thereof, against them the said Tomaroa, Petagnage, MIaugh- quayah, Couroway, Kicounaisa, Tontowaraganih, Maughquinthepe, Achiswewah, Meinquipaumiah and Eschawiniki- wah, and against the said Illinois nations, and their tributaries, and dependants, and all and every of their posteri- ties, unto the said William Murray, Moses Franks, Jacob Franks, David Franks, John Inglis, Bernard Gratz, Michael Gratz, Alexander Ross, David Sproat, James Milligan, Moses Franks, Andrew Hamilton, William Hamilton, Edmund Milnes, Joseph Simon, Levi Andrew Levi, Thomas Minshall, Robert Calender, William Thompson, John Campbell, George Castles and James Rumsey, their heirs and assigns, in severalty, or unto his said Majesty, his heirs and suc- cessors, to and for the only use, benefit and behoof of the said grantees, their heirs and assigns in severalty, as afore- said, shall and will warrant, and forever defend, by these presents.

* Supposed to be pre-historic mounds which have since been leveled.

+ Foggy Spring is supposed to be either the Mineral Rock or Bethesda Spring.

346

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

In witness whereof, we, the said chiefs and sachems, in behalf of ourselves respectively, and in behalf of all the different tribes of the Illinois Indians as aforesaid, have hereunto set our hands and seals, in the presence of the persons subscribing as witnesses hereunto, at a public council held at Kaskaskias Village aforesaid, this 5th day of July, in the thirteenth year of his Majesty's reign, and in the year of our Lord 1773.

TOMAROA, or GABRIEL

(being baptized), a Chief of the Kaskaskias. His X mark. PETAGUAGE, or MICHAEL (being baptized), a Chief of the Kaskaskias. His X mark. MAUGHQUAYAH, or JOHN BAPTISTE (being baptized), a Chief of the Kaskaskias. His X mark. COUROWAY, a Chief of the Kaskaskias. His X mark. KICOUNAISA, or FISH, a Chief of the Kaskaskias. His X mark. TONTOWARAGANIAH, or PETER

(being baptized), a Chief of the Kaskaskias. His X mark. MAUGHQUINTHEPE, or BLACK DOG, a Chief of the Pewariahs. His X mark. ACHISWEWAH, a Chief of the Pewariahs. His X mark. ESCHA WINIKIWAH, a Chief of the Pewariahs. His X mark. MEINQUIPAUMIAH, a Chief of the Cahoquias. His X mark.

Sealed and delivered in the presence of us. The word (thousand) in the twenty-eighth line of the first page being first written upon an erasure. The word (course) in the fifteenth line and the word (Murray) in the twenty- eighth line of the second page being first interlined; and also (Meinquipaumiah), the last subscribing chief of the Cahqouias, his name was first interlined in two places in the first page, and the same chief's name was also interlined in three places in the second page of these presents before signing.

Sealed and delivered in presence of us. All the foregoing interlineations, erasure and writing on the erasure being first made, the considerations in the above written deed-poll being also delivered in our presence to the said chiefs, the said deed was translated or explained by Richard Winston in French to Michael Dannee, an inhabitant of the said village of Kaskaskias, and to Piero Bloit, Indian interpreter for the Crown, who explained and interpreted the same to the said Indian chiefs in council. The said Michael and Piero Bloit, interpreters, cannot write their names.

DATCHSERUT, J. MERIER, LAPIEB, PATT KENNEDY, WILLIAM CONNELL, PAGE, LACHENAY, VIVIERT, Captaine le Milice, J. MORRIS, RICHARD WINSTON, French Interpreter.

KASKASKIAS, Illinois Country, ss.

Personally appeared before me, Richard Winston and Michael Dannee, of the country aforesaid, inhabitants, and Piero Bloit, Indian interpreter for his Majesty at this place, who, being solemnly sworn upon the Holy Evangel- ists, do depose and say as follows, viz .: The said Richard Winston deposeth and saith that he acted as French inter- preter during the negotiation of the purchase of the lands in the foregoing deed-poll, bounded and described ; that he, the said Richard Winston, did, to the best of his knowledge and understanding, faithfully interpret and explain in the French language, to the said Michael Dannee and Piero Bloit, the purport or tenor of the aforesaid deed-poll, the considerations therein expressed, the boundaries of the lands thereby bargained and sold to the grantees therein named, and was a subscribing witness to the executing of the same deed, as well as prosent at the delivery of the con- sideration in the said deed mentioned. The said Michael Dannee and Piero Bloit depose and say that they both acted as Indian interpreters in the said transaction; that they, to the best of their knowledge and understanding, did faithfully interpret and explain to the several chiefs whose marks are affixed to the foregoing deed grant, the pur- port of the same, as it was interpreted or explained to the deponents in the French language by the said Richard Winston; that the said Michael Dannee and Piero Bloit were present at the executing the aforesaid deed or grant, hut that they cannot write their names.

RICHARD WINSTON, MICHAEL DANNEE, His X mark. PIERO BLOIT, His X mark. HUOH LORD,

Captain Eighteenth Regiment, Commandant Illinois Country.

FORT GAGE, July 20, 1773.

Enregistre au Livre V., en mon etude, aux Kaskaskias, pages 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, et 29. Deuxieme Septembre, 1773.

VIEERAULT LEMERANCE, Notaire Public.

347

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

According to the terms of the above document, land enough (about one-half of Waukesha County was supposed to have been included in the tract), for two goodly States was bargained away for a canoe-load of "truck."

FIRST SETTLEMENT OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

The precise date of civilized man's first visit to Waukesha County is not and never can be known. A man named Vieu, Solomon Juneau's father-in-law, visited Prairie Village and Mukwon- ago in 1804-05. He was a trader, to whose business Mr. Juneau succeeded. In 1817, Samuel A. Starrow was in Pewaukee, Brookfield, Menomonee, and probably Lisbon and Berlin. But none of these visits were of long duration. The first resident, of whose doings there is any certain account extant, was Aumable Vieau, Solomon Juneau's brother-in-law, now a resident of Muskego. As nearly as he can recollect, he was sent by his father to Prairie Vil- lage in 1827, to trade with the Pottawatomies, then the sole occupants of this vicinity. Here he remained about two years, and, during that time, never saw any person but the Indians. When, therefore, his father came, he found he had lost his language-the French-and could only converse in Pottawatomie, with which his father was also familiar.

The Indians, at that time, were exceedingly hostile toward the whites, and all that saved the Vieaus from assassination was the fear amongst the tribe that any violence toward their French friends would cut off the supply of ammunition, calico, beads and tobacco. Mr. Vieau's home, while with the Pottawatomies, was not far from what is now known as the Mineral Rock Spring, in Waukesha Village. They had a very large village at this point, one at Pewaukee and one at Mukwonago. Mr. Vieau lived with them entirely. He not only sold goods for his father, but went from place to place to collect of the Indians, thus learning nine tribal languages, all of which he understood perfectly and spoke fluently. The traders granted the Indians credit, some to the value of $10, some $25, some $100, and some as high as $500, and, says Mr. Vieau, they always got their pay. This pay it was particularly Mr. Vieau's business to collect, which he did by taking various kinds of skins. He could have had any amount of land anywhere in Waukesha County, as the Pottawatomies would have willingly given him all he wanted; but the idea that the country would ever be settled by the whites, or that the Indians would so soon disappear, or that the land would ever be valuable, never occurred to him at that time.

Mr. Vieau visited all the principal points in Waukesha County during several years. But these visits, even though lengthened into years, can by no means be properly termed settle- ments. The parties mentioned did not intend to make Waukesha their home; did not even come to look for land.

The first persons to enter the county, after due deliberation, with the intention of cultivat- ing the soil and establishing homes, were Morris D. and Alonzo R. Cutler, who arrived at Waukesha, probably, about the 7th of May, 1834. A young man of the name of Henry Luther, who worked for the Cutlers by the month at La Porte, Ind., accompanied them in the same capacity to Waukesha on their first visit, but never became a permanent settler. A local historian thus describes the journey of these three :

"Their journey to Milwaukee was not a pleasant one, for roads were unknown in those days. The settlers' houses had not yet been established so as to answer the purposes of inns to weary emigrants. They journeyed on horseback, following the shore of the lakes, bivouacked wherever night overtook them, taking their food from their knapsacks and making their beds with the blankets which were fastened to their saddles. When they turned inland from Mil- waukee, they found a delightful change from the monotonous scenery of the lake. Oak open- ings were spread over the undulating surface of the ground, and at the feet of these monarchs of the forest, there was no undergrowth of tangled brush to obscure the view or to impede the progress of the travelers. The green grass of the prairie received the shimmering sunlight through the leaves above, and clumps of wild roses and prairie-flowers of a hundred hues added

348

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

the beauty of infinite variety to the prospect. Now and then the loftier heads of tamaracks would indicate the marshy ground which they must avoid, but these did not occur so often as to excite fears regarding the salubrity of the new country. We can well imagine that, when these three youths had reached the eminence overlooking the magnificent valley of the Pishtaka (or Fox River), they considered it as nearly a realization of an earthly paradise as was likely to be attained through years of wandering. Far over the hills in every direction appeared the soft, velvety green of the oak trees, while at one side of the amphitheater at their feet was spread out a little prairie on which only an occasional tree relieved the monotony of the wild grasses and flowers. Near the foot of the western bluffs, the serpentine Pishtaka sparkled at intervals through the overhanging verdure, and a dozen miles away appeared the lofty range of Delafield Hills, blue and dim in the distance. Near them were clumps of hazel-bushes, on which the pale-green buds gave promise of a plentiful harvest of nuts, and the myriads of strawberry- blossoms at either hand awakened thoughts of luxurious repasts in the near future. The smoke rolled lazily up from Indian encampments for miles along the river, and to the hospitality of the wandering Pottawatomies our travelers were glad to entrust themselves, while they. pursued their investigations with more minuteness."

The Cutlers at once blazed out their claims on the east bank of the Fox River, one of which embraced the water power. In fact, the rapids at this place, which, with the then far more liberal flow of water, were mainly instrumental in stopping the young "Hoosiers " at Waukesha, for the stream at that time promised to become a valuable piece of property for manufacturing purposes. The Cutlers at once began the erection of two " claim shanties," one, perhaps, between Blair's machine shop and the post office, and the other near the site of Morris D. Cutler's present residence. The immediate surroundings were thickly covered with hazel brush and a tangle of other small trees, with here and there a large oak. The house nearest the river, erected for Alonzo R. Cutler, was finished a few days before the one on Morris D. Cutler's claim. This was the first settlement, these two the first settlers, and these the first claims made in Waukesha County. As the centuries roll on, and all vestiges of primitive Wau- kesha County are crushed out and polished away by the half billion people who will inhabit the United States before they are as old as China, let it never be forgotten that the two brothers, Morris D. and Alonzo R. Cutler, the former being still a hale and active resident of the village of Waukesha, were the first settlers of Waukesha County. The honor, however, of being the pioneer settler, mostly belongs to Morris ; for, while his brother only remained a few years, he has resided upon his first claim over forty-six years, and intends to end his life upon the same spot. He is put down as an "odd character," and he certainly is the possessor of numerous eccentricities. During the first years of his residence in Waukesha, Mr. Cutler went bare- footed and bare-headed in summer, and he frequently had no boots for winter. In place of boots or shoes he wore cloth moccasins-without stockings-made in his own rude way. He frequently labored all day in the open air of the coldest winter weather with "overalls " for pantaloons, and a single shirt for coat, vest and overcoat. Thus he earned the reputation, among the other pioneers, of being "tougher than a biled owl." Mr. Cutler is still straight, broad-shouldered and bony, though past the allotted three-score and ten years, and no day passes that he does not perform more or less manual labor. The Real Estate Journal, whose editor has known Mr. Cutler forty-four years, contained the following sketch in January, 1879 :

" His wealth has not been obtained by speculation or by taking any chances whatever, but by buying 160 acres of land of the Government at $1.25 per acre, platting it into village lots, and, at first, selling them at a low price, very frequently receiving nothing in advance; but there was always an obligation behind to build on lots so sold, thus enabling many a poor man to make a home for himself in a very short time. Of course, some never paid up the principal or interest, the property thereby reverting back to the original owner ; but no man can say that Mr. Cutler ever took advantage of his position to distress one living being. On the contrary, he has very often been imposed upon by his leniency. We believe it is a fact that cannot be contradicted, that he has never foreclosed a mortgage on any property he ever sold in Waukesha.

349

HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

A good many of our people call Mr. Cutler penurious, declaring he never gives anything to any object. That is because they do not comprehend his motives. He gives more to the poor every year than all the rest of the people in Waukesha. He never gives to an object simply because some one has solicited aid from him. He does things in his own way, and takes his own time for it. None can say that Mr. Cutler has not done a good deal for Waukesha-more than any one or half a dozen men that are reputed to be well off. 'Well,' say they, 'he has no one to care for, and can afford to give to almost every object that is presented to him.' What he has he honestly earned, and no man has a right to say how or in what way he shall dispose of it. He has made valuable donations to Carroll College, to most of our churches (in the way of lots, or by selling at reduced prices), and many a family can attest to his generosity. His good old father, now ninety-seven years old, was at his house less than one year since, and, being acquainted with him, we called upon him, and, after some conversation, he said : " How is Morris- getting along here, where he is dealing with so many that have bought property of him ?' Then he said : ' I hear a good account of him in one thing, and that is that he is good to the poor."

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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 51

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