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 85
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EARLY HORSE-RACING FEATS.
The first horse-racing done in Waukesha County was, of course. done by the Indians. A few of the very earliest white settlers were fortunate enough to be witnesses of these extraordinary equestrian exhibitions ; but not unless they understood Pottawatomie, or chanced to pass the race grounds while the racing was in progress ; for the Indians posted no bills-simply passed the announcement from one to another. The most important rendezvous for the dusky jockeys was Mukwonago, where, on lands afterward owned by Henry H. Camp, one of the earliest set- tlers, races were held at various periods. They were much more elaborate affairs than the racing of more modern times and people. They were exhibitions of speed, horsemanship, equestrian feats, battle attitudes, and of the physical prowess of the riders.
The races to test speed were generally short, but swift and spirited. The other exhibitions consisted of riding upon the side, rump, neck, or almost under the horse; in a standing or reaching posture ; in jumping from one horse to another while the animals were speeding at a wild rate; in leaping to the ground and back to the horse while on the run, and in performing various maneuvers with guns or poles. The manner in which both horses and Indians thus performed was remarkable indeed, Solomon Juneau declaring that before the warriors were demoralized by whisky and the whites, the equestrian exhibitions which he witnessed the first year he was in Wisconsin [he passed the greater portion of the first fall, winter, and spring at Muk- wonago] surpassed in horsemanship and physical training, anything he had ever seen or read of. Although greatly degenerated, the few races had by the Indians after the whites came to Waukesha County were said to be exciting and interesting in the extreme. The aborigines had no horse-trots ; the racing was to test running qualities.
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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.
The Pottawatomies built no race-tracks; had no grand stand; engaged no hands of music ; had no policemen, and charged no admission. The exhibition was free to all. Mr. Juneau said that, although little or no labor was expended in preparing a place for the curious performances, the grounds were very good, as level prairie ground was selected, which, by much using, be- came quite smooth, free from grass, and hard. The dress used by the riders was occasionally fantastic, but not elaborate, as clothing was a burden that interfered seriously with the gymnas- tic performances. The horses, which were ridden without saddles of course, were ponies, and smaller than the trained and race-horses of the present day. There will never be another Pot- tawatomnie horse-race in Waukesha County.
A DISTINGUISHED COUNTY.
There are many reasons why Waukesha may properly be recorded as a distinguished county. True, of late she has settled down to quieter ways, taking comparatively little part in all those public affairs and deliberations in which, during her earlier years, she was almost always a leader. Waukesha County did not furnish leaders for one party merely, but for both and all of them. Dur- ing the active periods of their lives, the most distinguished members of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Wisconsin made Waukesha County their home. From here they made the suggestions that moved public affairs in all parts of the State.
For years Prairieville was called " the hub," because it was the acknowledged headquarters of the powerful and successful agitators and political managers of the Territory and State. " The time was," said a distinguished official in a recent visit to Waukesha, " the time was when it was considered a crime to make up a State ticket of any kind without giving one or two of its most important positions to men from Waukesha County."
Prairieville was for many years the place for holding all the conventions, railroad meetings, and public gatherings for Milwaukee County, although Milwaukee was a larger place and had more hotels. But a lack of ample hotel accommodations was nothing to be considered in those days, for the latch-string to every house hung out, and all friends in a common cause were welcome to the best the house afforded.
It was the headquarters for the Democratic party in its earlier days; for the Abolitionist and Liberty parties ; and, during the first few years of its existence, furnished some of the most active and influential men of the Republican party. But, " the cat will mew, and the dog will have its day ;" so Waukesha County has seen her greatest political day pass into oblivion, and most of her persistent and stirring leaders borne to the grave, or established in office in other States. For a county with no large cities, and only sixteen towns, the list of those who have made her distinguished is a long one, as follows : William A. Barstow was Secretary of State in 1850-51; Governor in 1854-55, and Colonel in the army. Alexander W. Randall was Gov- ernor two terms, from January 4, 1858, to January 6, 1862, earning the title of the " War Governor of Wisconsin ;" was First Assistant Postmaster General, and United States Minister to Rome under Lincoln, and Postmaster General under President Johnson, thus giving to Waukesha County the honor of furnishing the only Cabinet Minister Wisconsin ever had. Eleazer Root was the first State Superintendent of Schools, and the author of the School Law in the State Constitution. E. M. Randall is Chief Justice of the State of Florida, holding before his appoint- ment to that position, various offices in this county, as did also his brother, Alexander W. Randall. Charles D. Parker, who, if he was not born in Waukesha County, came here when a mere child, was Lieutenant Governor from January 5, 1874, to January 7, 1878, being elected the second time, while William R. Taylor, with whom he run, was defeated by Harrison Ludington, for the office of Governor. He is not now a resident of the county. Cushman K. Davis, who made his mud pies, received his education and did his courting in Waukesha County, was Governor of Minne- sota in 1874-75. W. W. Randall, brother to A. W. Randall, was during several years United States Consul to Valparaiso, Chili. Robert G. Ingersoll, whose father was a Presbyterian minister at Waukesha, spent his college and more callow days here ; and his brother, Dr. Ingersoll, is still a resident of the county. I. M. Bean, a Colonel in the army, is now Collector of Internal.
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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.
Revenue, for the first and largest Wisconsin District. Elihu Enos, Postmaster at Waukesha, is a member for Wisconsin, of the Republican National Committee, serving his second term. Rufus Parks, who died in the town of Summitt, in September, 1878, was the first Receiver of Public Moneys for the Milwaukee Land District. William B. Cushing, born in the town of Delafield, was one of the most noted men in the navy during the war of the Rebellion, his name being famous in the military circles of the whole world. Edward Daniels was State Geologist, a Colonel in the army, and prominent in the so-called " Booth war," and Enoch Totten, Timothy 0. Howe's son-in-law, now has the largest law practice in the highest courts, of any man who appears before them. He resides in Washington. A list of distinguished names like this, ramifying to almost every department of military and civil life, is seldom found in a single county.
In 1847, the Albany, N. Y. Journal, said " the county of Waukesha seems to have especial charge of the politics of the Territory of Wisconsin," which was true. At the beginning of the war, however, Waukesha lost her office of " guardian of Wisconsin politics." But she has made a name that will always be bright and prominent in the history, not only of the State, but of the nation.
COUNTY POOR-HOUSE AND FARM.
The first paupers which Waukesha County was called upon to provide for, were cared for under contract, by the week, by Findlay McNaughton, at his log house in Vernon. During some years, the number of paupers was not great. They received excellent care and treatment under this plan, and the expense to the county was merely nominal, until the numbers began to grow considerably larger.
Finally, his old house becoming too small, Mr. McNaughton abandoned it and erected a commodious wooden building, suitable for both a residence and poor-house, on the northwest , quarter of Section 2, town of Vernon-which structure is a portion of the present poor-farm buildings-where he continued to be poor-keeper.
On the 6th of December, 1866, Mr. McNaughton sold his farm, consisting of 16516% acres, with all its buildings, to the county for $9,000. In 1874, a new building of brick, three stories in height, was erected, in which were placed grated and barred cells for the insane.
The poor farm now has ample accommodations for its paupers, and cares for the insane fully as well as could be expected, it being well understood that the keeper has not the facilities always provided for caring for the inmates of regular insane hospitals ; nor can these unfortun- ates have the skilled medical treatment which is so necessary in such cases. After the county system was adopted-that is, paying the expenses of supporting paupers by general taxation, the first person taken was an unknown child left at the " Exchange Hotel," in Waukesha, and recorded as " No. 1, December 1, 1857." From that time until December 31, 1858, the record of inmates shows that 72 different paupers were received in that time, and that 40 remained at the end of the year. During the next year, 81 different persons were cared for ; and from that time to 1880 the record shows an average of about 70 different persons cared for per year. This would be equal to keeping 1,610 paupers one year. There are now 48 inmates at the poor farm, 20 of whom are insane or idiotic, and several of the former are " incurable," and never leave their cells. Their unfortunate condition entails a large amount of care and labor upon the keeper.
The farm is a good one and is in an excellent state of cultivation, producing almost every- thing required for the keeper, the inmates and their attendants. A little flour and the usual plain groceries are generally all the farm does not produce, except fresh meat during the warm weather, which the inmates have once or twice each week, to better insure good health. Cows, sheep and swine are raised on the farm, generally sufficient to supply all wants. Sometimes the young pigs are sold on foot and pork bought with the proceeds. There are eleven cows on the farm at this time, and from them the keeper's large family of paupers is supplied with milk and butter. The diet of the paupers consists of bread, butter, vegetables, salt meat generally, milk and tea, coffee and milk ; of such food as this they have an abundance.
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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.
A large share of the work about the building is performed by the female inmates, and all the male paupers who are able to labor at all are required to work according to their strength, on the farm. This is better for them and better for the county.
Findlay McNaughton, the first Superintendent of the poor farm, held the position until the appointment of George C. Pratt, in 1872; Mr.'Pratt was Superintendent about three years. Since the expiration ofhis term in January, 1875, J. T. Morris has held that position.
The county poor-house had its origin in a poor-house for the town of Waukesha, begun on the farm of Matthew Wright. George C. Pratt, then Chairman of the town, had this primitive institution nominally in charge.
For the year 1879, the cost of maintaining the poor farm and house, including the Superin- tendent's salary, was about $92 per week, or a little over $4,500 per annum. During the year 1857, the last one before adopting the county system, the county paid $6,500 for the support of her panpers.
POST OFFICES IN WAUKESHA COUNTY.
The first post office established within the boundaries of the present county was callep Prairieville, and David Jackson was Postmaster.
In 1843, the county contained the following post offices : Delafield, Menomonee Falls, Muskego, Mequanigou (now Mukwonago), New Berlin, St. Marie's, Summit and Vernon. It will thus be seen that Oconomowoc, now the second place in Waukesha County in importance and population, was not large enough to have a post office, several other places that are still the merest villages, being then of greater size and importance.
On the 1st of January, 1851, the county contained the following post offices : Big Bend, Brookfield, Bullion (discontinued), Delafield, Denoon (discontinued), Eagleville (discontinued), Genesee, Golden Lake, Hartland, Howards (discontinued), Lisbon, Mapleton, Marcy, Menom- onee Falls, Merton, Monches, Monterey, Mukwonago, Muskego Center, Oconomowoc, Okau- chee (discontinued), Ottawa, Pewaukee, Prospect Hill, South Genesee, Summit, Sussex, Ver- non, Waterville and Waukesha.
The post offices for 1880 are as follows : Waukesha, in the town of Waukesha; Oconomo- woc, Monterey and Mapleton, in Oconomowoc ; Waterville, Dousman, Golden Lake, Summit Center and Nashotah Mission, in Summit ; Ottawa, in Ottawa; Eagle, in Eagle; Mukwonago, in Mukwonago; Genesee, North Prairie Station and Genesee Depot, in Genesee ; Delafield, in Delafield ; Hartland, Stone Bank, North Lake, Monches and Merton, in Merton; Sussex, in Lisbon ; Pewaukee and Duplainville, in Pewaukee ; Vernon, Big Bend and Dodge's Corners, in Vernon ; Durham Hill, Tess Corners and Muskego Center in Muskego ; Prospect Hill and New Berlin, in New Berlin ; Brookfield, Elm Grove, Brookfield Junction, Butler (on the line be- tween Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties) and Marcy, in Brookfield ; Menomonee Falls and Fussville, in Menomonee.
There are now thirty-seven post offices in the county, and there was but one in 1837. David Jackson, the first Postmaster, carried or sent the mail to Milwaukee once each week, if there was any to send, and on his return brought back whatever mail there was directed to the only office in the county. Now the county sends and receives more than one hundred mail bags per day. If there is anything astonishing in the present century it is the perfectness of the facilities for handling mail, transmitting intelligence in all forms with wonderful speed and almost abso- lutely unerring accuracy. Not only is information sent, but money and numberless small articles-and never with loss to the sender-are transmitted to all portions of what, in the modern sense, is the civilized world. All the business connected with the transmission of mails is in the hands of the Government ; not as a means of revenue-for its Post Office Department annually costs much more than it brings in-but that the public may be equally well served in all places, whether the community be rich or poor, large or small.
WAUKESHA COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
Archimedes discovered a lever which would move the world, if he only had whereon to place his fulcrum. When the day of modern newspapers came, centuries after Archimedes had turned
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Albert Campbell
DELAFIELD
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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.
to dust, there appeared the lever, the fulcrum and the place whereon to stand to move the world. For good or for evil the influence of newspapers is felt everywhere ; and it is generally for good, because, being always before and depending upon the public, anything wrong or antagonistic to the best interests of the people, in any publication, always results disastrously to itself.
Waukesha County has always been blessed with newspapers of more than ordinary honesty, ability, influence and respectability. The general intelligence and prosperity of a community may be fairly measured by the character of the newspapers published therein, and the liberality with which they are supported. An intelligent, thrifty and enterprising community demands newspapers of the same attributes, and sooner or later that demand is always supplied. Wau- kesha County has not been in advance of her newspapers, from the days of the first American Freeman, down to the present publications, and possibly has not been up to them in liberality and enterprise. The county had very good local newspapers before she had many schoolhouses, churches or many inhabitants to support them. They have kept fully up to an excellent stan- dard ever since; always praising and pointing out to the world, without money or price, the advantages of soil, health, climate, location, growth, society, education, culture and enterprise of the place ; inciting new improvements and enterprises, where they did not already exist, and wielding, in the case of one or two of them at least, a strong influence in shaping political and State, as well as local, affairs. They have, therefore, played a very important part in the development and growth of the locality and the State, and the best history would rightly be considered far from complete if it contained no accounts of the various newspaper publications of the county.
Waukesha County is particularly prosperous and famous as a summer resort. Her position in this respect would have been far less advanced had it not been for the and received from her newspapers, which are always eager to say a good word for the community where they are published. It is hardly necessary to except the schools and the churches in pointing out that the most powerful and influential agents in the civilization, advancement, history, public welfare, growth, prominence and prosperity of any community, is its cordon of newspapers. Their labors are unceasing, their efforts tireless. They have always a paragraph for the climate, location, soil, inhabitants, schools, churches, manufactories and natural advantages, thus attracting con- tinually new settlers and increased capital. If the public stood by the newspapers as the news- papers have ever stood by the public, editors and publishers would be as forehanded as any other business class, instead of dying early and poor, which is very frequently the case. But Wauke- sha has done tolerably well by her newspapers, for most of them are more than ordinarily pros- perous. But they should be rich, as to their unceasing praise of the locality as a summer resort and desirable location for the sick, more than to all things else combined, does it owe its present wide notoriety and prosperity.
First Newspaper .- The first newspaper not only in the village of Waukesha, but in what is now the county, was the American Freeman. The material on which the Wisconsin Enquirer, the first paper published in Madison, was printed, was taken to Milwaukee and used by C. C. Sholes to publish the Milwaukee Democrat, which he began in 1843. He continued his paper for six months, and becoming dissatisfied with the position of the Democratic party on the slavery question, changed its name to the American Freeman, and espoused the cause and principles of the Liberty party, then just beginning to attract public attention. A few months-just twenty- eight weeks-sufficed to demonstrate to Mr. Sholes that Milwaukee would not support an anti- slavery publication, so a stock company, consisting of the friends of the Anti-slavery cause every- where in the State, but mostly at Waukesha, was formed, and the paper moved to Waukesha, then Prarieville, in September, 1844, where the Anti-slavery doctrines more strongly prevailed. To be more particular, Mr. Sholes sold his entire newspaper ontfit to the Territorial Liberty Association, and entered into a contract to publish the Freeman at Waukesha during the next three years, solely in the interest of the Abolition party. The Executive Committee of the Liberty Association leased the printing material to Mr. Sholes for the purpose mentioned. The property of the association was divided into equal shares, and each member subscribed and
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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.
paid for as much as he could afford of this stock. In August, 1844, when the Freeman was purchased of Mr. Sholes, the Liberty Association publishing stock was held and owned by the following persons :
Milwaukee-Edward D. Holton, David McDougal, E. Cramer, J. R. DeReimer, John Ogden, J. J. Miter, Mr. Eggleston, Asahel Finch, Jr., R. N. Kimball, J. G. Kendall.
Prairieville-V. Tichenor, W. D. Bacon, Thomas Brown, George Hawley, T. H. Olin, N. Clinton, H. N. Davis, J. McNeil, S. Hinman, E. D. Clinton, Nelson Olin, S. R. Manning, B. Douglass, G. Wright, W. S. Barnard, Daniel Chandler, Edward Manning, W. Morley.
Pewaukee-David Miller, J. H. Waterman, H. C. Waterman, A. J. Palmer, A. Clark. Beloit-Benjamin Brown, Rev. S. Peet, D. Cleary.
Southport-Charles Durkee, R. B. Waldo, Hohns & Branch, William Lay, S. Hall, R. H. Deming, Charles Clement, T. Newell, Rev. Mr. Seward, J. B. Tillson, John C. Hohns, A. P. Wightman.
Racine-Jacob Ly Brand, S. N. Smith.
Burlington-E. G. Dyer, R. C. Brown, O. Perkins, John Aitken, C. P. Barnes, P. M. Perkins, E. Perkins & Son, John Bacon.
Wauwatosa-E. D. Underwood, Richard Gilbert.
Aztalan-J. F. Ostrander.
Lisbon-S. Dougherty, A. Nottingham.
Salem-Lemuel Booth, D. C. Sanborn, W. Wagoner, H. C. Wain, W. Munson.
Brookfield-Moore Spears, J. L. Irwin.
Caledonia-Ansel Briggs.
Shares were $5, and certificates of stock were issued to all stockholders on payment of the same.
New shares were sold as fast as the men interested could get the necessary funds. In February, 1845, forty-three shares were sold, and so on at subsequent Liberty meetings.
Mr. Sholes continued as editor about one year, and in 1845 Rev. Ichabod Codding became editor. Although the paper eked out a precarious existence, occasionally levying upon its friends for the support that was absolutely necessary to keep its head above water, it never wavered from its strong Anti-slavery principles, urging their adoption with a vigor, faithfulness and ability that made its influence felt wherever it was perused. Finally, C. C. Olin, still a resident of Waukesha, became possessed of a majority of the stock, and ultimately the whole of it. On the 3d of November, 1846, T. D. Plumb became C. C. Olin's partner in the publication of the paper, that date beginning the first number of Volume III. Just one month later, Ichabod Codding bought out Plumb, the publishers being Olin & Codding. On the 18th of January, 1847, Mr. Codding withdrew from the firm and C. C. Olin became sole proprietor. In April appeared an article congratulating the readers of the Freeman that "henceforth Sherman M. Booth, of New Haven, Conn., a graduate of Yale College, and who, with I. Codding, had edited the Christian Freeman, will have charge of the editorial department of the paper. He (Booth) has been a Liberty man always, and an Abolitionist twelve or fifteen years."
On the 24th of May, the Freeman was issued from Milwaukee, and July 19, 1848, the firm of Olin & Booth was changed to Codding & Booth. The latter was noted afterward as the rescuer of Joshua Glover, an alleged escaped slave, and the former as the most eloquent and powerful speaker in the whole Northwest. The paper was published, while at Waukesha, in the third story of what is now Blair's stone machine-shop, then owned by its builder, W. D. Bacon. Mr. Olin and Mr. Codding went about the country together in the interest of their paper and the Anti-slavery cause, the latter rousing the people by his wonderful oratory, and the other singing Antislavery songs and taking subscriptions. It was the ablest paper in the great North- west, and was constantly assailed in the most virulent manner by the pro-slaveryites, North and South. Mr. Codding is dead; Mr. Booth is in Washington; Mr. Olin is a real-estate and insurance agent in Waukesha ; C. C. Sholes is feeble with age, and a large number of the Free- man's early shareholders are dead.
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HISTORY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY.
While at Waukesha, the Anti-slaveryite residents of the vicinity were obliged to board the type-setters and employes of the Freeman, its income not being sufficient to even pay their board- bills, which, in those days, were small as compared to the present. But that its employes were compelled to live upon the charity of the people was of little consequence ; the paper must be published, as the cause it advocated with such eloquence, bravery and ability as is rare even in this advanced newspaper age, would be without means or channel through which to reach the people, if it should suspend.
Waukesha Advocate .- This paper, begun after the bill to divide Milwaukee County passed the Legislature, was the liveliest newspaper ever published in Waukesha County. It was printed on the material in the American Freeman office at Waukesha, and was published just as fast as possible-not daily, but oftener than once a week. It was continued until after Milwaukee had been cleft, and sixteen of her towns erected into the county of Waukesha. Old settlers still keep copies of this paper as specimens of early red-hot journalism.
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