The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 111

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement > Part 111

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Poynette Temple, No. 95, is a juvenile Temperance Lodge, under the auspices of the Grand Lodge I. O. G. T., and was instituted August 1, 1879, by Miss Emma Sprague, of Watertown, Wis. Its first officers and charter members were Charles Turner, C. T .; Mally Squire, P. C. T .; Jennie Gleason, V. T .; Esther Montford, F. S .; Harry Russell, R. S .; Bertie Norton. T. For its first quarter in 1880, the officers were Samuel Jameison, C. T .; Kittie Wheeler, V. T .; Harry Russell, R. S .; Henry Butler, T .; Esther Montford, F. S .; Louis Brown, M .; Mally Squire, C .; Charles Butler, I. G .; Josie Montford, O. G.

Post Office .- A petition was forwarded to the Post Office Department, in care of J. A. Doty, the founder of the village of Pauquette, then a member of Congress, in the winter of 1850-51, for the establishment of an office at this point. It was the desire of the citizens that it be called Pauquette, but the department read the name as if it was Poynette, and so named it. The name was accepted by the citizens, and no effort was made to have it changed. John . Thomas was the first Postmaster, and received his appointment in the spring of 1851, since which time Stephen Brayton, Ira S. Allen, Abram Padly, Willard Knight, E. Fred Russell, Ambrose Powers, Harlow J. Youmans and Isaac C. Sargent have occupied the office. It was made a money-order office July 1, 1877. J. F. Bohling & Co. drew the first order in favor of Calvin Chesney, for $7.50. During 1879, the amount drawn was $12,000. Amount paid, $2,500.

Schools .- In 1852, a school district was formed comprising Sections 34 and 35, in the town of Dekorra, and Sections 2 and 3, and north half of 10 and 11, in the town of Arlington, and

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

called Joint District No. 4 of the towns of Dekorra and Arlington. A schoolhouse was built one-half mile south of the village of Poynette. It was a one-story frame, 18x28, and was used until 1867, though for several years previous it had become too small to accommodate the pupils of the district. A room was rented in the village for the higher department, the primary alone occupying the school-room. In 1865, the question of a new school building was agitated, cul- minating in the erection of a large two-story house, which was first occupied in the fall of 1867. R. M. Bashford was the first Principal in the new building. He was followed by H. A. Thomas, S. M. Wallace, D. W. Gilfillan, Kennedy Scott, J. K. Hastie, Nora C. Waters, J. M. Bush- nell, Sylvanus Ames and J. H. Hamilton. In the Primary Department, Laura Copeland, Ada Maxwell, Laura A. Downs, Briggetta A. Waters and Mary Ellen Axon have served-Miss Waters occupying the position from 1870 to 1878. The district has usually paid from $60 to $75 per month, more generally the latter sum, for principals, and $30 to $35 for assistants.

Cemetery Association .- On the 4th day of December, 1865, an association was formed under the general law, and a board of trustees elected, consisting of Hugh Jamieson, Phinneas Watson, Isaac C. Sargent, H. J. Sill and Stephen Brayton. Seven acres off the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 35, Township 11, Range 9, was purchased of Bray- ton & Tomlinson for the sum of $50 per acre, which was surveyed and platted for burial pur- poses. A child of Rev. Rufus Fancher was the first buried therein.

Cheese Manufactory .- Articles of incorporation were filed in the office of the Secretary of State, February 3, 1876, by E. Fred Russell, W. C. Gault, William Forrest, John Collins and Hugh Jamieson, under the name of Poynette Cheese Manufacturing Company. Hugh Jamie- son was elected President ; James Mack, Secretary ; E. F. Russell, Treasurer. The capital stock of the association was placed at $2,500. During the spring, a large two-story building was erected and 30,000 pounds of cheese made during the season. J. Noyes was Superintendent of the manufactory during the first season ; E. O. Madison, the second, and C. J. Harrison assumed the management. In 1879, the entire stock passed into the hands of Hugh Jamieson, who con- tinued the business as a private enterprise.

TOWN OF FORT WINNEBAGO.

On the 9th day of January, 1849, all of Township 13, in Range 9, lying east of Fox River, with much other territory, was organized into the town of Winnebago Portage, by the County Commissioners, the balance of the township being Menomonee lands, and of course not then surveyed by the United States. On the 8th of January, 1850, the County Board of Supervisors organized this township into a town by itself, and named it Port Hope, all west of the river being still unsurveyed. The house of A. T. Spicer was designated as the place for holding the first town meeting. July 19, 1850, Section 33 was taken from the town and attached to Fort Winnebago, then composed of the greater part of Township 12, Range 9, and other territory. December 15, 1852, the section was restored to the town. A change having been made in the organization and name of the town on the south, the name of Port Hope was changed at a meet- ing of the Board of Supervisors, held November 18, 1853, to Fort Winnebago, the latter name being thought to be appropriate, on account of the old fort being in the territory comprising the town. March 23, 1858, a portion beginning at a point in the center of Fox River, where the east and west quarter line of Section 33 intersects the center of said river, running thence west along the quarter line through Sections 33, 32 and 31, was taken from the town and annexed to the city of Portage.

The first permanent settlement of the town was made in 1848. Previous to this time, a number of persons had, for a short season, lived here in the neighborhood of the old fort, none of whom could be reckoned as permanent inhabitants of the town. In May, 1848, Jonathan Whitney came from Green Lake County, and, looking over the ground, selected the southwest quarter of Section 3 as the place of his future home. Charles Baker came shortly after, and settled on Section 2, while John W. French, Lyman J. Barrows, J. M. Hatch and Mr. Green

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

followed; French, Green and Hatch locating their claims on Section 1. August Putsch came in the fall and settled upon Section 10. In 1849, quite a number settled in the town, among whom were Asa Baldwin, Avery T. and Henry Spicer, who also settled upon Section 10; " Bachelor" Brown, on Section 13; Isaac Pasco, Daniel M. Brown, Robert B. Willis, Augustus Rood, Jr., Calvin Eastman, Aaron Chesebro, Jacob Lorenzo Wood, Michael Keegan, John Sweeney, Edmund Swift, Alexander Gamble, James Gamble. Sr., James Gamble, Jr., Dominic Moran, Patrick Leeman, John Hogan, John Hogan, Michael Hogan, Matthew Fitzharris, Walter Kelly, Patrick Lovell, Patrick Canall, William Kelley, Michael Coughlin, Thomas Coughlin, James Casey, James Roach, Dennis Cushing, John Cushing, William Cushing, M. O'Hare, William Geary, Paul Duffey, John O'Keefe, James Meany, M. Joyce, Daniel Breen. In 1850, came Abraham Grier, Joseph Spain, Robert Grier. These men were mostly from Ireland.

In 1849, a colony of English came in, a portion of whom settled in the northeast part of this town, but the greater number located over the line in Marquette County. They established a ferry across the Fox River, on Section 4, to which they gave the name of Emancipation Ferry, for the reason that they felt themselves emancipated from the virtual position of serfs in the mother country and here were made freemen.

In the fall of 1848, Mr. French built a saw-mill on Fox River, which was kept running for several years, but was torn down in 1855, and a grist-mill erected in its place, by two brothers named Chapman, who afterward disposed of it to Dates Brothers, at Portage. At this place it was proposed to establish a village to be called Milford, but beyond naming it nothing was ever done. Jonathan Whitney kept a stock of groceries here in the fall and winter of 1848, selling out the same in the spring of 1849 to Mr. Barrows.

Early in the year 1849, a petition was circulated and numerously signed, asking the Depart- ment to establish a post office in the northeast part of the town, for the convenience of the large settlement there formed. The request was granted, and Jonathan Whitney was appointed Post- master. The name given to the office was Port Hope, so called from the hope to establish here upon Fox River a port, which would be the commencement of a new village. In 1880, Mr. Whitney was Postmaster, having served from his first appointment till that time, with the excep- tion of the years 1857, 1858 and 1859. The town on its formation in 1850 was called Port Hope from the post office.

The first birth in the town was Edmund, son of Charles Baker. The second was Almeron W., son of Jonathan Whitney, who was born February 19, 1849, and was killed in the battle before Petersburg, June 18, 1864, aged fifteen years and four months.

The first couple united in marriage were Milton French and Miss Pearce, in 1849.

The first school was organized in the summer of 1849, a room being rented of Asa Baldwin for school purposes. Miss Charlotte Baldwin was the first teacher. In 1850, a log house was erected on Section 10, for School District No. 2, the first schoolhouse in the town. The house was built on the volunteer plan, all the men of the neighborhood turning out to assist in the work. In 1880, the town had seven school districts, with a like number of good substantial school edifices.

Fort Winnebago, west of Fox River, was surveyed into sections and quarter-sections in July, 1851. There were at that time one house on Section 4; two on Section 5; one on Sec- tion 7; two on Section 8; one on Section 9; one on Section 16; one on Section 17; one on 18; two on Section 19; two on Section 20; one on Section 21; two on Section 29; two on Section 30; one on Section 31, and one on Section 33-in all twenty-one houses.

The first sermon preached in the town aside from any that might have been preached at, or in the vicinity of, the fort. was at the house of Asa Baldwin by a preacher belonging to the Primi- tive Methodist Church. This was in the fall of 1849. One Saturday evening, the reverend gentleman rode up to Mr. Baldwin's place, and inquired of him if they had ever had preaching in that neighborhood. Mr. Baldwin, who was one of those bluff, yet kind-hearted men, curtly replied, " No, sir, we never had." " Would you like to have a sermon preached here, then ?" asked the preacher. "Yes, by -, if it is the right kind." " Can you get me a room in which to preach ?" "You can have my house." "Can you give notice so I can have a hearing ?"

Ww. E. Field

FALL RIVER

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

" I will send my boy around to tell the neighbors, and I guess it will be all right." Mr. Bald- win then asked the minister to stop with him, which invitation was accepted. Before the hour arrived for the sermon, the preacher had learned that the neighborhood was made up of those hold- ing various religious opinions, while some had no opinion on religion at all. It being his first visit in this vicinity, he thought he would preach so as to hurt the feelings of no one. When the hour arrived, a respectable congregation had assembled and services were begun. The preacher, in his remarks, which were of a general nature, stated that all denominations were working for one end, and that it did not matter what party label one wore, if his conduct was all right; heaven was the object of all-for which place all had embarked. Notwithstanding different roads had been taken. it would not matter when they reached the heavenly region by which route they had come. In illustration of this thought he said that the general course from England by which Wisconsin was reached, was to take a steamer at Liverpool, come to New York, and there take the cars for this State. Now he came from England to New Orleans, thence by the Mississippi River to the State, but he was here all the same, and he supposed he was all right ; and it was just as satisfactory as though he had come by way of New York. While this thought was very consoling and satisfactory to some, one old gentleman, a member of the Regular or " Hard- shell " Baptist Church, jumped to his feet, started out, and, slamming the door behind him, remarked : " A man that will preach such stuff as that ought to be locked up!" The subject was discussed pro and con by the whole neighborhood for years, and old settlers say the effect of that sermon was still felt in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.

Fort Winnebago is traversed centrally from south to north by the Fox River, along which are considerable marshes, as also along French Creek, a tributary of the Fox, in the northeastern sections. The Fox River marsh has an altitude of about two hundred feet, the rest of the town generally not over 250 feet. In the middle and western portions, and again in the southeast corner are issolated sandstone bluffs rising 350 to 400 feet.

The early settlers of this town had to endure the same privations as experienced by others, but not for so long a time, as Portage soon began to be quite a business place, with a market sufficient to supply all their wants; but during the first few years, grain was hauled by teams to to Milwaukee, the teamsters returning with merchandise for the tradesmen in this vicinity.

On the 11th day of August, 1836, Robert McPherson entered the first piece of land, being the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 25. He also'entered the southwest quarter of Section 27, receiving his patent for both November 7, 1837.

The first town meeting was held the first Monday in April, 1850, at the house of A. T. Spicer. Annual meetings have since been held; a list of the principal officers elected each year, up to and including 1879, we give below.

A noted character in an early day in Wisconsin was "Count" Haraszthy, a Hungarian refugee. He settled at what is now Sauk City, but occupied for awhile the island on Section 27 in this town, and furnished the fort with wood. Agoston Haraszthy was born in the year 1812, in the Comitat of Bacska, Hungary. His family was one of the oldest and most influen- tial of the old nobility-the name appearing frequently in the history of that country over a period of 760 years. He was educated to the law, as was the custom there. At the age of eighteen he was a member of the body guard of the Emperor Ferdinand, which was composed of nobles. Then he was Chief Executive Officer of his State. He then became the Private Secretary of the Viceroy of Hungary.

When the Liberal movement began in 1839 and 1840, he at once took the lead of that party in his State, but was afterward, upon the failure of that movement, compelled to leave his country. He came at once to New York, and, after traveling over the United States, he wrote and published a book upon their resources. The work was designed to invite emigration from Hungary, and was the first work upon that subject ever printed in the Hungarian language.

Soon after, in 1840 and 1841, he made the State of Wisconsin his home, purchased large tracts of land, founded several settlements, built bridges, constructed roads and established ferries.

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

Having in his possession valuable State papers, the Austrian Government opened negotia- tions for their surrender. The question was referred to Lewis Cass, who succeeded in gaining permission for Haraszthy to return to Hungary and remain for one year. This he did, settling up his affairs ; and although his landed estates were confiscated, he succeeded in saving $150,000, which he brought with him to this country, together with his family, and a large . portion of the family plate and paintings.

Returning to Wisconsin, he engaged, in 1842 and 1843, in mercantile pursuits ; built and owned steamboats, filled large contracts with the Government for supplying Fort Winnebago with wood, living at one time on the island in Fox River, in what is now the town of Fort Winnebago, Columbia County. He was also engaged extensively in agricultural pursuits. He was the first to plant the hop in the State, and encourage its cultivation. The Commissioner of Agri- culture reports that the product of this crop in the county where it was then introduced, for the year 1866, amounted to over $2,000,000.

He was at this time also at the head of the Emigrant Association of Wisconsin, which brought over large colonies of English, German and Swiss emigrants, and settled them upon the fertile lands of this State. He gave to the Catholic Church a tract of 640 acres of land, upon . which has since been erected an extensive monastery.

When news came of the revolution in Hungary in 1848, he was the leader of those who gathered arms and ammunition, and sent them to his countrymen ; also expending large sums from his own private purse for the same object.

Concerning his career in Wisconsin, a writer in 1874 gives this graphic description : " In 1842, a wealthy Hungarian nobleman named Haraszthy, with a company of attendants and servants, numbering about twenty, came to the United States, intending to settle in the territory of Wisconsin, and form a colony. His arrival in Milwaukee, at that time a frontier village of not less than 3,000 inhabitants, was hailed as an important event. Of course, a gentleman trav- eling all the way from Europe with such a large retinue, and paying promptly in gold for every- thing he purchased, was notably presumed to be possessed of fabulous wealth, and his coming to that far-off territory was hailed as a harbinger of great prosperity.

In the early summer of 1842, he set out from Milwaukee with six of his party, leaving the rest to await his return, on a prospecting tour in the western and central portions of the State. On the shores of a beautiful lake, not many miles from Madison, he selected a plot of 4,000 acres, staked off the boundaries of the tract by the surveyors's mark which he found cut in trees, and built a couple of huts on the lake shore, to fix his right of possession. With an attendant he returned to Milwaukee, where the United States Land Office was, to pay for his land. Here he found only the Register, the Receiver having gone to Washington to settle his accounts. This last mentioned official was the only one entitled to receive money for land, and he would not return in less than a month's time. Haraszthy would not wait so long, and the Register proposed to accommodate him, take his money, enter the proposed purchase on the books and send him the proper vouchers by a special messenger, after the Receiver's return. This was agreed to, and the nobleman paid $5,000 in gold, taking an informal receipt. He departed the next day with the remainder of his party, and reaching the land, he at once set to work to build houses, naming his colony Good Hope.

Two months elapsed, but no messenger came from Milwaukee. Haraszthy was not alarıned, believing that in dealing with a Government official, he was all right. Before the end of three months, however, a cadaverous individual made his appearance on horseback at the colony, claiming to own the identical tract of 4,000 acres, having purchased and paid for it immediately after the Receiver's return, aud offered to sell it to the nobleman at an advance of 100 per cent. Haraszthy hastened to Milwaukee to find that the land grabber had really paid for the land, but with the identical gold which, three months before, the nobleman had left with the Register to secure the same purchase for himself, while that officer had since resigned and left the place. The Hungarian was exasperated at the swindle ; went back to his colony ; burnt every house and shanty he had erected, broke up camp and started west, where he located on the Wisconsin

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River, purchasing over six thousand acres of land, three miles below an old settlement known as Prairie du Sauk.

He called his new colony by his own name, and had it incorporated. It soon grew to be a flourishing village, through Haraszthy's enterprise. He started a horse-ferry across the river, made excellent roads, established flouring-mills, lumber-mills, stores, and subsequently ran a small steamboat down the Wisconsin River as far as St. Louis. But yearly recurring prairie fires destroyed his crops and many of his buildings; and besides, the commercial crisis of 1847 crippled him severely. His family had joined him in 1844, and in 1846, he succeeded in having his place selected as the county seat, building a court house at his own expense. Still, the many losses between that year and 1849 told heavily on his finances, and, with a long train of over fifty associates, he started overland to California.

He settled at San Diego, was elected Sheriff of the county, and rendered valuable aid in suppressing the Indian war of that period. He laid out what is known as "Middle San Diego," and, in 1852, was elected a member of the Legislature. Being a working member, he had a place on the principal committees, and distinguished himself by his opposition to all schemes of fraud and monopoly.

In 1852, he removed to San Francisco, and devoted himself to agriculture and horticulture upon his property at Crystal Springs, in San Mateo County. He was appointed by President Pierce as Assayer in the United States Branch Mint, and at a later period was made melter and refiner. After his resignation of these positions, serious charges were made against him, but upon a thorough investigation they were proven to be wholly without foundation, and he was honorably acquitted. During this time, he built the present metallurgical works, which have rendered such important service, and also he received patents for improved processes for the refining of gold.

In 1856, he removed to Sonoma, and devoted his whole attention to viniculture. He founded a horticultural society, and began importing vines from abroad. He was the first to advocate the raising of vines without irrigation, planted the most extensive vineyards, and at once put himself at the head of the wine interest. He may with propriety be called the father of viniculture in California.

In 1858, he wrote a treatise on the culture of the vine and the manufacture of wine, which was published by the State of California for gratuitous distribution. This publication gave the first impulse to this interest, and from that time California became the wine State of the Western Continent. He was the first to employ Chinese labor in his vineyards, and the first to adapt the redwood timber to the making of casks for wine.

In 1861, he was appointed by the Governor of California as a Commissioner to visit the wine countries of Europe, which resulted in the importation of 400 different named varieties of grape vines, which have now been planted quite extensively in most of the vineyards in the State, from which are made the most valuable wines now produced there.

The book written by Haraszthy, entitled "Grape Culture, Wine and Wine-Making," is is conceded to be the best yet written. Upon his return from Europe in 1862, he was chosen President of the California State Agricultural Society, having been Vice President for three terms prior thereto. In 1863, he organized the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, to which society he conveyed his 400 acres of vines in Sonoma.

In 1868, Haraszthy went to Nicaragua, with the intention of engaging in trade; but his active mind and talent for improvement would not let him rest. He became interested in . an extensive sugar plantation, and began clearing new lands and planting more canes. Having procured from the government of Nicaragua valuable privileges for distilling, he erected an extensive distillery for the manufacture of spirits for exportation. He also turned his attention to the textile fibers of the country, and was waiting patents for improved machinery for their cleansing and preparation for market.

In the winter of 1869-70, he returned to California to purchase machinery, and to charter a vessel with which to open the trade between San Francisco and the ports of Nicaraugua. It

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was his desire to make the rich products of that country tributary to the wealth and material progress of California.

Agoston Haraszthy, or, as he was usually called in Wisconsin, Count Haraszthy, met bis death on the 6th of July, 1870, in Nicaragua, on the Hacienda San Antonio, near the Port of Corinto. This hacienda, consisting of one of the largest sugar plantations in Central America, and comprising, outside of it 100,000 acres of land, was, at the time, owned by Agoston Haraszthy, Gaza Haraszthy, his eldest son, and Dr. Theodore Wassmer. The business they were engaged in was the production of sugar, the distillation of rum and the sale of timber from their hacienda.

It appears that on the forenoon of the 6th of July, Haraszthy left his dwelling to go to a new landing, where they were putting up a saw-mill, to meet a Mr. Lewis, who had the con- tract. Not finding the latter, he spoke to the workmen, saying the mill was too far from the river, and would have been better on the other side. He then rode toward the bank of the river to a point, some few hundred yards away, where there was a crossing. Here, in the bushes, he tied his mule, and, spreading his oilcloth cloak upon the ground, must have laid on it for a time. Thence his footsteps, two days afterward, were traced to a large tree, whose limbs touched the other bank. and which, in the rainy season, was used as a sort of natural bridge to pass to the other side of the stream. About half-way over, a large limb was found to be freshly broken, and it is supposed that in attempting to cross, Haraszthy lost bis balance, fell into the swollen stream and was drowned. An Indian boy, passing, saw him go to the tree, but as it was a usual occurrence paid no further attention, and that was the last ever seen of him. His body was not recovered, nor was there ever found any trace of it or of his clothing, but as the stream emptied itself but a few miles below into the ocean, it may have been swept out and devoured by the man-cating shark, so abundant in those waters.

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The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 111

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1104