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 76

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 76

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5. Then spake the Geneseeans and said unto them, O ye blind guides ; ye that strain out the facts, and make us swallow your falsehoods ; what came ye out for to see ? a Reed shaken by the wind ? Do you not all understand that your leaders were conceived in sin and rocked in the cradle of iniquity ?

6. And the Reedites answered and said unto them, Our ways are as much above your ways as Summit is north of Genesee ; and our interest is as far from your interest as Summit is from the center of Waukesha.

The following article, purporting to come from Dr. Castleman, was written for the Advocate by us [A. F. Pratt], and the answer by A. W. Randall :

SOFT SOAP OFFICE, SIGN OF THE WEATHERCOCK, } DELAFIELD, March 28, 1846.

To the Publishing Committee of the Waukesha Advocate :

GENTS-At a meeting of " those settlers upon canal lands who are opposed to division," held at my office, a few nights since, I had the honor of being one of a committee appointed under the following resolution :

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to wait on the Publishing Committee of the Waukesha Advocate, and ask them to resign.

Believing myself more competent than a majority of the committee, I have "taken the responsibility' to

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

address you on this subject. The project which you advocate has consumed the most of my time for the last six weeks. As many of you have known me for the last ten years, it would be needless for me to add that every act of mine has flown from the purest of motives, believing, as I do, that some of our people, whom I have the honor to represent, are opposed to "this kind of division." I will not attempt to disguise the fact that I have " labored in vain," traveling this county, to convince the tax-payers that their taxes would be increased by division ; and I will assure you, gentlemen, that I am convinced that the only sovereign remedy for " our disease " is to persuade you to resign. You are so well aware, gentlemen, of the object of this request that it is unnecessary for me to state it here, or the reasons which might be advanced to induce you to comply. Suffice it to say that it is from no objection to your holding the office, the duties of which we are satisfied you perform honorably and efficiently ; but we do humbly object to the unhealthy influence you exert through this community. For the satisfaction of myself and other disappointed aspirants, whose budding prosperity has been so suddenly nipped, I beg leave to request a reply at your earliest convenience. Accept, gentlemen, assurances of my respect and esteem.

Yours, in haste, PILL GARLICK.

ADVOCATE OFFICE, April 1, 1846.

Pill Garlick, Esq. :

SIR-Your letter in which, under a resolution of certain persons in Delafield, you, as member of a committee of three appointed for the purpose, ask the Publishing Committee of the Waukesha Advocate to resign their office, is before me as agent for that committee. I have the honor to state to you, in behalf of that committee, that the office they hold is one of honor and profit, and it would be doing injustice to the power that appointed them, to resign and leave their office vacant, before the object was accomplished, and the funds placed in their hands. After this, if the public good requires it, they will resign or do anything that they can do according to law. One of the committee has written to Gov. Smith for his views and opinions in relation to the course we ought to pursue. When his answer is received, it will be made public. In the meau time, we advise you to urge upon your friends that they take out for your especial henefit a commission called "lunatico stultus."

I am, with much feeling and commiseration, your devoted friend,

JOHN CHILBLAIN.

We would here remark that the friends of "division" carried the election by a large majority ; the principal voting, however, was done at Waukesha and Summit, which, we believe, . cast more votes than they ever have since. At Summit, Mr. Reed and his friends kept the polls open three days, and stopped every teamster from the east and west, and secured his vote. At this poll, Deacon Joseph Turner, a very conscientious man, being Chairman of Supervisors, and having taken a solemn oath to prevent all frand, etc., it was more difficult to poll all our votes. The election was held at Justice Sloan's office, which stood where Mr. Sanner's tailoring establishment now stands, and a pane of glass was taken out of the window to receive the votes ; but in order to satisfy the old Deacon that all were legal voters, a box was placed on the outside for boys to stand upon, so they would look like men to these honest inspectors of the election.

I will now resume my own narrative.

After the settlement of the county seat question, which was decided in favor of Waukesha, we then of course had to have county buildings. They were built the next year of our famous Waukesha limestone. They are of no great dimensions, but of a good, substantial character and will answer the purpose for years to come. But we do not feel proud of our county jail; it is simply a disgrace to our county and ought to be replaced with a good, substantial, modern jail building in connection with the Sheriff's residence, at once, as our county is out of debt, and abundantly able to make such an improvement without its being a burden to any of the tax- payers. Our county offices are most of them detached from the court house in a fire-proof building; those that are located in the court house have fire-proof vaults, so that all of our county records are safe in case of a destruction of the building. By 1846, Waukesha had grown quite rapidly, and our main business street had taken quite a start for a new town, as it was indeed new. Our abundance of limestone gave us a great advantage in making permanent improvements. We could build much cheaper than with wood. This stone could be made into lime cheaply ; sand was also abundant, near at hand, and most anybody with energy and a little money could build in Waukesha County. It is not likely Waukesha ever will be much of a commercial county. We have scarcely any manufactories even now, but we had thirty years ago the most beautiful country villages in Wisconsin, and the improvement is still onward. M. D. Cutler and Charles R. Dakin, a prosperous merchant amongst us, donated ten acres ofland to Carroll College. A building was erected by the liberal donations of the people, and the school was opened by E. Root, as its first Principal. Soon after, Dr. Savage, from New York, came and took the presidency. Other places around us had taken the lead in these matters, and Dr.

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Savage, after a few years of struggle and hard work, died, leaving the college with but a very small endowment, and it has remained to this day a feeble and unremunerative place of learning. The grounds and building are beautifully located and should be well patronized. Up to 1851, our only outlet to Milwaukee was by carriage road; but we began to feel, before that, a railroad would be of some benefit to us. Therefore the subject was agitated in Milwaukee and along the proposed line until the enterprise took such shape that the work was really commenced and the Milwaukee & Waukesha Railroad was built to Waukesha in March, 1851, and the same year it was finished as far as Whitewater. Since that time, our prosperity has been onward until now we have a population of nearly 30,000, and the prospect is good for a large increase within the next ten years. The public press has done something for Waukesha. The first paper was pub- lished here in 1845, by C. C. Sholes, and was called the American Freeman. It was Anti- slavery through and through, and as it was the pioneer paper in that direction in the West it soon had a wide reputation. The enterprise was projected by the strong men of our then new Territory by issuing stock in $10 shares, Mr. Sholes being the editor and publisher. After the first year of its existence I became the owner of the paper by buying the stock and assuming the liabilities, and published the Freeman in Waukesha some three years, Ichabod Codding being its editor. We made it hot for all proslavery sympathizers. The circulation of the paper was largely increased, when S. M. Booth, direct from Connecticut, became the editor and half owner. We after this moved the press and fixtures to Milwaukee and changed the name to the Milwaukee Free Democrat. From that time forward, for some eight years, were recorded most momentous events in the history of our county. A strong and influential party had made its appearance and was not to be put down until slavery was wholly abolished, which was finally accomplished by the bayonet in a most sanguinary civil war. I cannot close without saying that the pioneer period of my life embraced by far its happiest days. There was no aristocracy, fine feathers, stiff necks or big feeling in those days. We all felt an interest in each other and each other's prosperity, and worked accordingly. The interests of the whole never suffered because of some petty personal jealousies. We were all together and worked shoulder to shoulder. Those were glorious old days, free from factions, neighborhood wrangles, scandals and efforts to outdress or override each other.

WAUKESHA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

This flourishing society, with its predecessor, has the honor of being the oldest duly organized agricultural association in the State of Wisconsin, though others had charters granted by the State sooner than any in Milwaukee or Waukesha Counties. This first agricult- ural exhibition, only the most meager accounts of which have been preserved, was conceived and pushed to an end by the late Joseph Turner, Talbot C. Dousman, of Waterville ; E. W. Edgerton and George Paddock. Possibly some others had something to do with its formation. The exhibition was held, probably, on land now owned by Mrs. Dunbar, in Waukesha Village, on the west side of the street, perhaps thirty rods south of the Glenn Spring, on the 28th of October, 1842. The grounds were not even inclosed, a disastrous drawback in the manage- ment of a fair thirty-eight years later. What the admission was is not recalled by those pres- ent, but the exhibition is generally believed to have been free, and that a collection was taken up to secure enough cash to pay the premiums. By whom the premiums were awarded is not recorded, further than that "Joseph Turner was Chairman of the committee." They all were paid, however, to men who resided in what subsequently became Waukesha County. The whole credit of the affair, therefore, belongs to this county, though the name of the first organization was the " Milwaukee County Agricultural Society." The awards, amounting to about $40, were as follows :

For the best working cattle the premium of $3 was taken by George Paddock, of Warren (now Merton). Talbot C. Dousman, of Genesee (which then comprised Ottawa), took the prize for the best four-year-old oxen. Prizes of $2 each were awarded to George Paddock and Nelson Olin, of Genesee, for the best three-year-old and two-year-old steers, respectively. T. C. Dousman

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received $1 for the best pair of yearling steers ; George Paddock also received $1 for the best two-year-old heifer ; James Holton, of Prairieville, for the best yearling, and E. Rowley, of Prai- rieville, for the best heifer calf. Curtis Reed, of Summit, was awarded $2 for the best milch cow, and Thomas H. Olin, of Pewaukee, $1 for the best bull calf.

Of the horse kind only four received premiums ; B. F. Chamberlain, of Prairieville, tak- ing $2 for the best stallion horse; Hosea Fuller, Jr., of Pewaukee, the same for the best two- year-old colt, and T. C. Dousman the same for the best mare and colt.

Two-dollar premiums were taken by George Paddock for the best ewe and for the best buck lamb, and by Nathaniel Walton, of Prairieville, for the best fine-wool buck. Mr. Walton was also awarded $1 for the best ewe lamb.

In the line of hogs, Barstow & Lockwood, of Prairieville, and E. W. Edgerton, of Sum- mit, took $2 premiums for the best boars over and under a year old; J. B. Winton, of Prairieville, for the best sow and pigs, and James Holton for the best sow under a year old.

Discretionary premiums were awarded as follows : To John Long, of " Mequanago," $2 for the best four-year-old bull; James Holton, $2 for the best three-year-old heifer ; Mrs. Na- thaniel Walton, $2 for the best sixty-six yards domestic flannel ; Mrs. Joseph Turner, $1 for the best stocking yarn ; Nelson Olin, for best plowing, $3, and John McDermid, of Prairieville, for second best plowing, $2. The officers said that McDermid's plowing was slightly the better, but Olin's was done more rapidly, a fourth of an acre being plowed by him, without extra driver, in forty-three minutes, the furrow being nowhere less than four inches deep. The same work took McDermid forty-four minutes. There were three competitors at the plowing match, which took place on Nathaniel Walton's farm, not far from where the Wisconsin Industrial School for Boys now stands, and it was an interesting and spirited contest. The award of the judges was by no means satisfactory, McDermid's friends claiming that the quality of the work was of far more importance than the quantity, and Olin's friends claiming the contrary, which latter claim was officially sustained. That plowing match was the principal theme for animated discussion during weeks and months after it was over with, and resulted in various other matches in the county.

To close the exhibition, a little speech was made, and the President, Joseph Turner, thanked E. W. Edgerton for a cabbage head three feet in circumference and weighing fourteen pounds three ounces. Mr. Edgerton was the only exhibitor at that memorable fair who took his premium in thanks, though not the only one who was paid in full. Thus ended the first agricultural fair in the county, and, so far as known, in the State.

In the Milwaukee Sentinel of December 21, 1842, appeared the following notice :

Notice is hereby given that the first annual meeting of the Milwaukee County Agricultural Society, will be held at the Prairieville Hotel, in the town of Prairieville, on the third Thursday in January next, being the 17th day thereof, at 12 o'clock M., for the election of officers and the transaction of such other business as is calculated to pro- mote the interest of the society. The unexampled success which has attended its efforts since its organization, should encourage the hearts and give a new impetus to the exertions of the whole agricultural community. Matters of in- terest, and business of importance, are expected to be brought before the society. A general attendance is requested, not only of the farmers, but of all interested in the enterprise.

PRAIRIEVILLE, December 13, 1842.

JOSEPH TURNER, President.

In response to the above call a meeting was held at Prairieville on Tuesday, January 17, 1843, at which the following proceedings, copied verbatim, were had :

The annual meeting of the society was held at Prairieville, on Tuesday the 17th of January, inst. This being the time for awarding premiums for grain and field crops, the Executive Committee awarded to Joseph Turuer $3 for the best yield of corn raised on one acre, it being seventy-three and nine seventy-fifths bushels, weighing seventy- five pounds to the bushel in the ear; this was the second crop from a piece of land known as oak openings, without any manure. Owing to the season, which was very unfavorable, there was no competition for field crops. It is gen- erally believed that no farmer realized more than half a crop of corn the past season.

The society, after disposing of the ordinary business, proceeded to the choice of officers for the ensuing year : Joseph Turner, of Prairieville, was elected President; and Sylvester Pettibone, of Milwaukee; M. Field, of Mequanigo; W. W. Treadway, of Eagle; Nelson Olin, of Genesee; S. Sanborn, of Summit; D. Bonham, of Lisbon; T. H. Olin, of Pewaukee ; J. C. Howard of Lake ; S. R. Manning, of Prairieville ; A. A. Flint, of Vernon ; I. C. Loomis, of Franklin ; P. V. Monroe, of New Berlin ; Judge Brackett, of Brookfield ; William O. Underwood, of Wauwatosa ; G. S. West, of Greenfield; A. Rowe, of Menomonee ; J. Brazelton, of Granville ; L. Parker of Muskego ; William Shew, of Oak Creek and G. Paddock, of Warren, Vice Presidents ; C. L. Rockwood, Recording Secretary ; William A. Barstow, Cor- responding Secretary ; Elisha W. Edgerton, Treasurer; E. D. Holton, H. N. Davis and G. C. Cone, Executive Committee.

Thompson Richmond LISBON.

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

The spirit manifested by the farming interest in the county argues well for this enterprise, and it is hoped that no farmer will hereafter be discouraged from entering the lists as a competitor, though the season should prove unpro_ pitious.

It is expected that the friends of the society will be such the coming year, that the amount and number of premiums will be greatly extended.

PRAIRIEVILLE, January 17, 1843.

JOSEPH TURNER, President.

No exhibition or fair was held in Waukesha during the year 1843. Finally, after Wauke- sha had been separated from Milwaukee County, two fair associations were organized, one for each county. But the Mexican war, the increasing interest in politics, and the business of mak- ing the Territory into a State, occupied the attention of the people to such an extent that neither organization accomplished much in their proper directions. Therefore, after due consultation and public notice, on the 9th of January, 1852, a meeting of the Waukesha and Milwaukee County societies was held at the court house in Waukesha, and a consolidation effected under the title of the " Milwaukee and Waukesha Agricultural Society." No fair was held for the year 1852, on account of some difficulty with the State Fair officers, of whom grounds for the exhibi- tion had been engaged. The next year, 1853, a fair was held at Waukesha. There was not much of a fence around the fair grounds, and many who are prominent business men to-day in the county were caught stealing in without tickets, while some succeeded in getting in without being caught. Lyman Goodnow was gate-keeper at the fair held in the stone schoolhouse, soon after it was finished, at Waukesha. He also sold tickets, which were 10 cents each. The managers gave out bunches of them which were charged against Mr. Goodnow, the account being balanced by the return of the money or the tickets. At the close of the fair, Mr. Good- now emptied over $70 before the fair managers, which he had taken in for tickets, while they had only $20 charged against him. He was far more honest than the good-natured managers were accurate. They took his pile and wrote him down as an honest man. At this fair, the address was delivered by A. D. Smith.

In 1854, the Milwaukee and Waukesha societies dissolved partnership, and January 10, of that year, a meeting was held at the court house, and a society for Waukesha County alone or- ganized. George C. Pratt, Robert Black and I. N. Cadby composed the committee on constitu- tion. In September, of that year, the new society held a fair at Waukesha; also in 1855 at the same place.

In July, 1856, a meeting was held at the court house in Waukesha, to organize a county society under the law passed the previous winter. W. D. Bacon, Martin Field and A. G. Han- ford composed the committee that prepared the articles of association, and George C. Pratt, James Davis and Horatio N. Davis composed the committee authorized to purchase grounds. They first purchased ten acres of Nathaniel Walton, on the northwest corner of northwest quarter of Section 10, near the State Industrial School, at Waukesha; but as it was not satisfactory, W. D. Bacon transferred to them, in exchange for the first purchase, ten acres where the grounds now are, on the southeast corner of the west half of the southwest quarter of section 3. Afterward, in 1869, additional land was purchased, so the society now owns about fifteen acres. The grounds are provided with the necessary buildings and a half-mile race-course, and the society is in a flourishing condition. Exhibitions have not been held every year since the society was organized, owing to temporary difficulties ; but of late the fairs have been very suc- cessful. The attendance has been large, the exhibitions of unusual merit and the receipts satis- factory. This association has several times taken the banner offered by the State Agricultural Society for the best general exhibition of all articles. In fine stock of all kinds and fruits, it has excelled during several years.

The Presidents, Secretaries and Treasurers of the society since 1852 have been as follows, in the order named:

1852-E. W. Edgerton, Cyrus Hawley, Talbot C. Dousman. 1853-Talbot C. Dousman, R. N. Messenger, S. S. Daggett. 1854-T. C. Dousman, George C. Pratt, George Hatch. 1855-B. R. Hinckley, S. S. Case, George Hatch. 1856-57-James Davis, H. N. Davis, Chauncy C. Olin. 1858-John Gale, George C. Pratt, John Forbes. 1859-Thomas P.

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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.

Turner, George C. Pratt, John Forbes. 1860-Talbot C. Dousman, Henry Shears, John Forbes. 1861-Winchel D. Bacon, M. Sellers, R. B. Hammond. 1862-W. D. Bacon, C. C. White, R. B. Hammond. 1863-64-65-W. D. Bacon, Vernon Tichenor, R. B. Ham- mond. 1866-Edward Porter, O. M. Tyler, J. L. Smith. 1867-68-Edward Porter, Elihu Enos, J. L. Smith. 1869-W. D. Bacon, W. V. Tichenor, O. M. Tyler. 1870-Edward Porter, W. V. Tichenor, O. M. Tyler. 1871-W. D. Bacon, W. V. Tichenor, O. M. Tyler. 1872-J. C. Starkweather, F. H. Putney, O. M. Tyler. 1873-Isaac Lain, Frank H. Putney, A. J. Frame. 1874-Isaac Lain, F. H. Putney, O. M. Tyler. 1875-T. C. Dous- man, F. H. Putney, O. M. Tyler, 1876-77-W. A. Nickell, George C. Pratt, M. S. Hodgson. 1878-John Porter, G. C. Pratt, M. S. Hodgson. 1879-Ephraim Beaumont, M. L. Butter- field, George F. H. Barber. 1880-Isaac Lain, M. L. Buterfield, Geo. F. H. Barber.

DAIRYING IN WAUKESHA COUNTY.

The dairying interest in Waukesha County has assumed quite an importance, mostly con- fined to cheese factories. We find Messrs. George Lawrence & Son started a new era by building a fine, large commodious building for a creamery, calling it the Rose Glen Creamery (the name of the farm at the time). They began operations May 6, 1878, and for two years have never failed to receive milk every day, winter and summer. They manufacture both but- ter and cheese. A. J. W. Pierce started a smaller creamery the same time at Summit Corners, in Summit. This was run not over successfully for the owners, but helped build up the high repu- tation of Waukesha County for producing gilt-edge butter.

Messrs. George Lawrence & Son were the winners of a nickel-plated milk scales valued at $100, for the best single tub of butter made in America; also, received the first prize for creamery butter made in Wisconsin, and A. J. W. Pierce received the second prize for creamery butter made in Wisconsin. The products were exhibited in New York City December 8, 1878, at the first international dairy fair ever held in this country. This places Waukesha County not only in a very exalted position in this particular line, but at the head of all counties in the Union for first-class butter. In 1879, F. Schultis, of South Genesee, and - Steel, of Gen- esee, converted over their cheese factories into creameries. These are all the creameries to be mentioned that are in operation at the present time. Private dairies, or small cream- eries, where the milk from only one dairy is supplied, are quite numerous throughout the county.

Waukesha County abounds in sweet, nutritious grasses, and has a bountiful supply of clear cold water from the best springs in the country. All that is required is the skill of man to utilize the great advantages nature has provided, by caring for the cows and by the scientific handling of their product. The creamery plans of handling milk are numerous, but generally, and doubtless with the best success, milk is set in cold spring water, as at Rose Glen Creamery. Such creameries have running springs in their buildings, so arranged that the water can be let off or allowed to run over the top of large tanks, as may be required. " Setters " eight inches in diameter and nineteen inches deep, of tin, are used to set the milk in these tanks of water. The milk is skimmed after setting twenty-four hours. The cream is held twenty-four hours longer, and allowed to sour slightly. Revolving churns are used, run by steam power. When small particles of butter, the size of small shot, present themselves, the churn is stopped, strong brine is put in, and after a few revolutions of the churn the buttermilk is drawn, when new brine is added and the butter washed thoroughly, after which spring water is thrown in and the butter washed again. This leaves the butter entirely clear of buttermilk. One reason why Waukesha County butter stands so high for its keeping qualities, is that manufacturers use one ounce of the best dairy salt to each pound of butter-more than is used elsewhere.

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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 76

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