The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 62

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 62

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

He gave me at one time an account, the minutes of which I took down, of a journey of his from Fort Snelling, on the St. Peters, to Detroit, Mich., in 1821, in the midst of winter, as follows :

December 6, 1821, he started in a canoe with two men, the ice running thick in the river. His acquaintances tried hard to persuade him to defer starting until the river closed ; but, no, business called hun, and he must go. They soon found themselves in a bad fix, for the ice blocked up under the canoe, so as to raise it six feet above the water. After great exertion, they got to shore, as he said, more pleased than he ever was in his life at getting on land again. They then started on foot, and got only nine miles the first day and encamped. The next day, started down the river bank, packing their food and blankets on their backs, each carrying a gun. the weather extremely cold, and the snow six inches decp. They were five days in getting to Lake Pepin. In crossing the lake, Mr. Whitney broke through ; the lock of his gun catching on the ice was the only thing that saved him. The weather was so cold, some of the time, that they had to stop and build fires to warm themselves to keep from freezing. Thirty miles above Prai- rie du Chien, they got out of provisions, but, seeing a smoke, they made for it, and found Augustin

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

Grignon encamped, an acquaintance from Green Bay. He was on a trading voyage among the Indians ; he supplied the travelers with provisions. In this way, they passed through Prai- rie du Chien, on to Fort Winnebago, and from there to Green Bay, where they arrived in twen - ty-one days from Fort Snelling. After remaining a few days, he took a guide and started on foot for Chicago, where he arrived in ten days, and from there to Detroit in ten days more, making his tramp in forty-one days from Fort Snelling, and said he could then make his forty miles a day, and found it easier than to ride on horseback.

I shipped my goods by water, contracting with Alexander and Samuel Irwin to transport them to Fort Winnebago in Durham boats, and, in order to do so, it was necessary for them to assemble a large number of Indians at the rapids, to help them over with the boats. At Grand Kau-ka-lo, they had to unload and cart the goods about one mile, and the Indians going into the water, pushing, lifting and hauling the boats over the rapids; then re-loading, and poling them up to the Grand Chute, where Appleton is now situated. There they had to unload and carry the goods up a hill and down the other side above the chute, which was a perpendicular fall of three or four feet. The Indians would wade in, as many as could stand around the boat. and lift it over, while others had a long cordelle, with a turn around a tree above, taking up the slack, and pulling as much as they could. When the boats were over, they were reloaded, and then pushed ahead and poled from there to Fort Winnebago. Excepting in low water, they would have to make half-loads over the Winnebago Rapids at Neenah, and, with a fair wind, would sail through Lake Winnebago.

This was the manner of transportation on Fox River at that time, taking fromn fifteen to eighteen days to reach Fort Winnebago, all of which has been changed by the improvement of the river.

Having made my arrangements and engaged Hamilton Arndt as a guide, we mounted and pushed up the river to Depere, where we crossed in a scow, and followed an Indian trail up the river to the Grand Kau-ka-lo, as it was called, where we stayed over night at Augustin Grignon's, a very comfortable place. Here we found his two sons, very pleasant and agreeable young men, having English educations. The ride to-day was delightful to me, for everything was new and pleasant, the trail running on a ridge of land fifty to seventy-five feet above the river, covered with scattered oaks, like an orchard, the ground bedecked with brightest flowers, and descending gradually to the river, which is a broad, beautiful stream, and on the opposite side the banks were covered with a dense forest. Riding over the prairies or openings on the jump, through such scenery, on a narrow foot-path, was something delightful to me. On the 25th, we started and forded the rapids, about eighty rods in width and knec-deep to our horses, as we concluded to go on the east side of Lake Winnebago, this being a new route to Portage. The usual way was to follow a trail on the west side of the lake, and cross the river at Knagg's Ferry, where Oshkosh now is. We struck the lake shore and followed it for a time, but concluded to strike for the road that led through the Stockbridge settlement: but, after wandering through the woods for some time, we went back to the lake shore, and saw an Indian, who directed us to the trail, so we got to the road, which was one continuous mud hole.

We wanted to get to a house for the night. Here was a road cut through heavy timber by the Stockbridge and Brothertown Indians, twenty-five or thirty miles beyond which the road did not extend. We stayed over night at a comfortable log house. In the morning, we rode to Mr. Abner's, where we got a good breakfast. These people have comfortable buildings, fields fenced and cultivated, and I should have supposed we were passing through a white settlement, if I was not told to the contrary. These Brothertowns talk English, and have lost their Indian language. The lands are heavily timbered, and very rich, cach family having 100 acres.

About half a mile further on. we struck the prairie, which to me was a beautiful sight. Here we could sce a grass plat for four or five miles, and not a tree or bush on it. Then again, as we passed on, we would see orchards, as it were, the grass up to our horses' mouths, so that they would nip it as we rode upon the jump.

C. Collepas 4

PORTAGE CITY.

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

We soon came upon the bank of Lake Winnebago, which is about fifteen miles wide and thirty long. Here we found an Indian encampment. Arndt was acquainted with them, having traded with them ; in fact, the chief knew me, having seen me in Mr. Arndt's store at Green Bay. Arndt got him to send two boys to guide us to the crossing of Fond du Lac River, where we had to put our valises and blankets on our shoulders to keep them out of the water while fording the stream, as the water was nearly over our horses' backs. A little beyond, we had no track, but met the mail-carrier from the fort, who told us that Mr. Mullett and party were on the route surveying Government land, and we would get to his tent about time to encamp for the night. Judge Doty and Lieut. Center* had surveyed the road through to the fort, but on the prairie we had no guide; but in the timber they had blazed the trees so we could follow them. When we struck the prairies, we had to judge, as near as we could, our course, and when we reached the timber, hunt up the blazes, and then go on. At evening, we discovered some surveyor's marks, that we thought were made that day, so we hallooed, and were answered, and soon came upon their camp. We found Mr. Mullett a very gentlemanly man, who invited us to partake of his pork, bread and tea, which were their daily fare. After partaking of it, we . wrapped our cloaks around us, and crawled between two blankets, and slept finely. Mr. Mullett said he had not been in from the field for three months, and had been surveying for twelve years. He was from Detroit. I should think it would kill most men to be exposed so much, for they have to wade streams and marshes sometimes up to their arm-pits.

We passed over some fine prairies. In many places they looked like cultivated fields. We would see an orchard in the distance, and before I knew it I was frequently looking for the house, not realizing there was none from fifteen to twenty miles of us. We arrived at Mr. Pau- quette's farm at Belle Fountaine on the 27th, and got a fine dinner of fried venison, etc., and from here to Fort Winnebago there was a good carriage road of twelve miles. At the fort, I met Lient. Lacey,1 Quartermaster and Commissary, who received me cordially, and said he had a bed at my disposal, as his wife was absent. He accompanied me in calling upon the command- ing officer, Col. Cutler,2 and his lady, with whom I was acquainted. The Colonel said the store should be ready for me by the time my goods got here. I also met Lients. Van Cleve,3 Johnston,4 Collinsworthı,5 Ruggles," Hooe and Read,8 together with Surgeon McDougall ; Capts. Low,9 Clark10 and Plympton11 were absent at this time. Dr. L. Foot12 arrived in the fall. Out of thirty-six days,

*Alexander J. Center, a native of New York, a cadet from 1823 to 1827, when he entered the army, serving on frontier duty, participat- ing in the Black Hawk war, and assigned to topographical duty from 1832 to 1836, when he resigned. He has since been much engaged as a civil engineer on canals and railroads; Superintendent of the overland mail route to California; President to a Maryland coal company, and of the Cumberland & Pennsylvania Railroad, retiring, in 1866, to New York City. L. O. D.

1. Edgar M. Lacey, of New York, a cadet front 1822 to 1827, when he entered the army as Second Lieutenant. Ile was First Lieutenant iu 1835; Captain, 1838; eerving from 1831 to 1838 at Fort Winnebago, then at Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, where he died April 2, 1839, at the age of thirty-two years. L. C. D.

2. Col. Enos Cutler, born at Brookfield, Mass., November 1, 1781; graduated at Brown University at the age uf nineteen ; was tutor there a year and then studied law in Cincinnati. He entered the army in 1808 as Lieutenant, promoted to a captaincy in 1810, serving through the war of 1812 as Assistant Adjutant General and Assistant Inspector General. Ile was Major in 1814; served nnder Gen. Jackson in the Creek war, and on the Seminole campaign; was made Lieutenant Colonel in 1826, and Colonel in 1836. He resigned in 1839, and died at Salen, Mass., July 14, 1860. L. C. D.

3. Horatio P. Van Cleve, of New Jersey, a cadet from 1827 to 1831, when he entered the army as Second Lieutenant, resigning in 1836, and becoming a civil engineer in Michigan. L. C. D.

4. Alexander Johnstan, a native of Pennsylvania, a cadet from 1820 to 1824, when he entered the army, serving at Fort Snelling from 1825 to 1827, at Fort Crawford in 1827-28, and at Fort Winnebago from 1831 to 1835, during which he participated in the Black Hawk war, and was in the battle of Bad Axe; Captain in 1836, and died at Pittsburgh, Penn., June 8, 1845, at the age of thirty-nine years. L. C. D.

5. John T. Collingsworth, of Tennessee, a cadet from: 1826 to 1830, when he entered the army, serving on the frontier, being at Fort Winnebago from 1833 to 1836, in which latter year he resigned, and hecame Inspector General of the Army of the Republic of Texas, and died there January 28, 1837, at the age of twenty-eight. L. C. D.

6. Daniel Ruggles, a native of Massachusetts, a cadet from 1829 to 1833, when he entered the army, serving at Fort Winnebago from 1833 to 1835, and again in 1838; served with reputation in the Mexican War, becoming a Captain and Brevet Major and Lieutenant Colonel, resigning in 1861 and joining the Confederates, and surviving the war. L. C. D.

7. Lieut. llooe hae elsewhere been noticed .- Ed.

8. John Chester Reid, a native of Massachusetts, a cadet from 1828 to 1833, when he entered the army, serving at Fort Winnebago in 1833-34, and again in 1836-37; was Aid de Camp to Gen. Gaines from 1837 to 1845; served in the military occupation of Texas in 1845, and tlied November 17, in that year, at Wheeling, at the age of thirty-one years. L. C. D.

9. See the Reminiscence nf Mrs. M. C. Low in another chapter of this hook.

10. Nathan Clark, of Connecticut, entered the service in 1813; rose to the rank of Captain in 1824; he was Brevet Major in June, 1834, and died at Fort Winnebago February 18, 1836. I .. C. D.

11. Joseph Plympton was born at Sudbury, Mass., March 22, 1787 ; entered the army as a Lientenant in January, 1812, serving with distinction on the northern frontier during the war of 1812-15; he was a Captain in 1821; a Major in 1840; commanded in the attack on the Seminalee, near Dunn's Lake, Fla., Jaonary 25, 1842; he was Lieutenant Colonel, September, 1846, and led his regiment under Gen. Winfield Scott in Mexico, and won brevets for gallantry at Cerro Gordo and Contreras. He was promoted to Colonel in 1853, and died at Staten Island June 5, 1860. L. C. D.

12. Lyman Foot, of Connecticut, entered the army in 1818 as a Surgeon Mate, becoming a Surgeon in 1831, and dying at Port Lavaca, Tex., October 24, 1846. L. C. D.

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

the Colonel told me, they had rain, more or less, thirty-one days. I found Burley Follett, Daniel Bushnell and Satterlee Clark, Jr., in charge of the sutler's store, as agents of Oliver Newberry of Detroit, for whom they were carrying on the business. Capt. McCabe,1 Postmaster and Indian agent, was living in the agency house across the river ; a fine jolly man I found him.

My goods arrived on the 1st of July, six weeks from New York. How was that for speed ? July 2, Capt. Low arrived at Duck Creek, four miles from the fort, with his wife and two daugliters in a carriage, and sent up word for men to help them across. So the Colonel sent twenty men to help them across Duck Creek marsh, and they arrived safe at the fort. This fort was situated on a beautiful plateau forty or fifty feet above the Fox River, on the east side of it and of the portage, the river forming an oxbow around it on three sides. The grounds about the buildings embraced ten or fifteen acres, with a substantial board fence. The fort buildings were inclosed with an ornamental picket fence, in a circular form, with walks graded and kept in perfect order, together with the rest of the grounds, and altogether it was a delightful place. The portage is low ground one mile and a half across the Wisconsin River, over which they haul boats. Peter or Pierre Pauquette, a half-breed Indian trader, kept fifteen or twenty yoke of cattle to haul boats across from one river to the other, and finally had large wheels mounted, on which to convey the boats. As the American Fur Company sent all their furs from Prairie du Chien this way to Mackinaw, there were many boats that crossed the portage.

At this time, there were no white American inhabitants outside the fort, except the Indian agent, Capt. McCabe, who had a shock of palsy, and left in August, when I was appointed Postmaster in bis stead, which office I held for twelve years. After he left, the commanding officer at the fort was ordered to perform the duties of Indian agent, and after that there was no other agent at this point, except for a few months, when Thomas A. B. Boyd was stationed bere as sub-agent. Col. Cutler commanded until May, 1835, when he was ordered to New York, and Maj. Nathan Clark succeeded him, who died at this post; and Maj. John Green* took the command in October, 1835, Maj. W. V. Cobbst succeeding him in 1838, he being disabled with palsy. Capt. Low was the chief officer for a short time, when Col. McIntosht succeeded him in 1840. The garrison was reduced to one company, finally, with Lieut. F. S. Mumford§ in command, who was ordered, in 1845, to remove the property and evacuate the fort, leaving Ordnance Sergeant Van Camp in charge of the premises, who soon after died, and William Weir, who left with the last troops, returning (he having been discharged), was put in charge of the property. In 1853, Col. F. H. Marston was ordered to sell the property. He had the lands of the reserve, consisting of about four thousand acres, surveyed off into forty-acre lots, and sold them at public sale. Falling into the hands of a company, they were kept out of the market for a number of years, and the buildings went into decay, and the lands ran to waste.

The fort was located there, I was told, in 1828, by Maj. David E. Twiggs, who came from Fort Howard with a command of soldiers, and lived here in tents until they could build log buildings, in which they wintered, and proceeded to erect the present buildings, into which they moved in 1830. Parties of soldiers went up the Wisconsin River, cut and floated down pine logs, out of which they cut all the lumber with whip-saws, and made shingles, timber, etc. Parties were set at work making brick near the bank of the Wisconsin, and another party sent out twelve miles, near Belle Fontaine, who made there all the lime needed. Fine gardens were made, where they raised all the vegetables necessary for the men and officers.

1. Robert A. McCabe, a native of Pennsylvania, entered the army as an Ensign in January, 1812; participated in the battle of Maguago, in Michigan, after which he was promoted te a lientenancy and to a captaincy in 1824, serving much on the Northwestern frontier. He resigned in October, 1833. IIe conducted two emigrating parties. L. C. D.

* John Green, a native of Pennsylvania, entered the army in March, 1812, serving throughout the war that ensued, attaining the rank of Captain in 1814, Brevet Major in 1824, Major in 1833, Lieutenant Colonel in 1838, and dying at Tallahassee, Fla., September 21, 1840, L. C. D.

+ Waddy V. Cobbs, a native of Virginia, entered the army as an Ensign in 1813, rose to Captain in 1810, Major in 1838, and died at Exeter, N. Il., January 1, 1848.

L. C. D.

1 James S. McIntosh, born in Liberty County, Ga., June 19, 1787; entered the army in 1812; was in the affair at Sandy Creek, and wounded near Black Rock August 3, 1814; afterward served under Gen. Andrew Jackson. He was Captain in 1817, Majer in 1836, and Lien- tenant Colonel in 1839; he served with distinction in the Mexican war, having been wounded during the battles of May 9, 1846, and was mortally wounded at the battle of Molino del Rey, dying in the City of Mexico September 26 of that year. L. C. D.

? Ferdinand S. Mumford, of New York, a cadet from 1834 to 1838; he entered the army as Second Lieutenant; he became First Lieutenant in 1839, Captain in 1848, and resigned in August, 1849. L. C. D.

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

Although I met Twiggs. I had no particular acquaintance with him. He was a large, portly, pompous man, and had the reputation of being an arbitrary, overbearing officer-as Ebe- nezer Childs expressed it, " A little god, who could do as he pleased, in his own estimation." Many acts of his were told in the army, such as horse-whipping the Surgeon, having a soldier tied up to a tree and whipped every day for some time. The same man threatened to shoot him whenever he got out of his clutches; but he never had the opportunity, Twiggs being spared to turn traitor, and surrendered his army to the Confederates in 1861.

When I arrived at the fort, the old chief De-kau-ry had his village on the west side of the Wisconsin River, about eight miles below the portage. His hair was as white as wool, and he must have been very old. He had several brothers, but. from his looks, I should judge that he was the oldest of the family. He died soon after. His mother was pointed out to me some years afterward, when I was told she must be over one hundred and forty-three years old, for she recollected the massacre of the Indians at Butte des Morts, she being there at the time, which was 140 years previous ; but this, I think, must be a mistake, as I am informed that it was not so long since that massaere .* At the time I saw her, she was able to walk six or eight miles to and from the portage. She lived several years after, and finally came to her death by the burning of her wigwam.

Joseph Crelie, the father of Madam Pauquette, lived to a great age. He carried the mail on horseback to and from Green Bay, and seemed to ride a horse as well as a young man, when he was thought to be one hundred years old. He died a few years ago, when, it was said, that from the best information that could be had, he was one hundred and thirty-odd years old, though I do not think he was as old as represented.

In the fall of 1834, the Winnebago nation was assembled opposite the Fort, and received their payment from the Government, through the Quartermaster, together with a quantity of provisions. Over 3,000 men, women and children were assembled, which was quite a sight. I had a boat-load of goods started up from Green Bay, and, as it came on freezing weather, for fear it would be frozen in, I started Satterlee Clark down to put additional men on and rush the boat through. The next day, I jumped on a horse and started to meet them at Lake Pucka- way. I soon found I had taken a wrong road, it being a wood-track, on which the soldiers were hauling wood ; so I took a trail and followed it for some time, but concluded it led me too much east, so I drew up and started in a northwest course, as that would bring me to the road, which I finally struck ; and, knowing there was no other wagon-road, I took it and brought up at Gleason's house, where the town of Marquette now is. Gleason was a Vermonter, having a squaw wife, and was engaged in the Indian trade. He was absent. I found Clark had stored my goods there, and gone to the Fort, so I concluded I had missed him, I having traveled through the woods until I struck the road. The next morning, I started back, and, on arriv- ing at Pauquette's farm at Belle Fontaine, I met Clark, who said they thought at the Fort I must be lost ; that Col. Cutler sent the bugler out with one man, with orders to blow the bugle and fire a gun every little distance. The Colonel, supposing I was not used to the woods, was sure I was lost. We got in all right, but the men did not put in an appearance until a day or two afterward.

During the winter, it was rather a lonely life, to be confined to the garrison, with 'no city or village within 100 miles, and not even a farmhouse to visit. But we managed to enjoy our- selves pretty well, there being ladies enough to form one cotillon, and we often met at one of the officer's quarters, and danced, there being good musicians among the soldiers.

One winter, the soldiers got up a theater, the officers contributing toward scenery and dresses. There being a great variety of character among the soldiers, they got up quite a respectable company, which afforded us much amusement. Then we would sometimes make up a party and go a-visiting, but, to do so, we had to go over 100 miles to Green Bay, Prairie

* If in 1730, then it was 104 years before Mr. Merrell's advent at Fort Winnebago; if in 1746, as the traditions of Angustin Grignon fix the time, then it was only eighty-eight years before. But this aged Winnebago woman conld not have been present, as it was the Sauks and Foxes, and uot the Winnebagoes, wbom the Freuch attacked and deleated. L. C. D.

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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.

du Chien, or Chicago. One visit we made to Chicago is very well told by Gen. Marcy, in a former number of Harper's Monthly,* when we were all taken up on the road for stealing a buf- falo robe, for the purpose of filching money out of us, as they thought we would sooner pay than be detained at a log tavern over night.

About the 1st of March, 1835, I got ready to start for New York on horseback, but the only sure way to go was via Galena, and from there to Chicago, as there were no roads through the country in any other direction, and if I attempted to cross the country to Milwaukee or Chicago, there were no bridges or ferries for crossing the streams. Capt. Harris, from Galena, came up to the Fort on business, and I gladly embraced the opportunity of accompanying him on his return.

The first night, we stayed at Rowan's celebrated house, thirty-five miles from the fort. I had heard much of his inn, and found that it filled the bill. It consisted of two log buildings, with an open space about ten feet between, all under the same roof. After taking care of our horses and getting something to eat, we inquired where we should sleep, and madam told us in the other house ; so we went in, and concluded we should do very well, as there was nothing in the room but a bed and one or two three-legged stools. After lying down, and by the time we were ready to go to sleep. there was an unearthly squeal and grunt of hogs in the open space between the two rooms, only a partition of logs between our heads and them. I was told that Gov. Doty once stayed there, and after supper, as was his custom, rolled himself in his blanket on the floor. The family all lived, cooked and slept in the one room, and in the night the Governor felt something poking about him, and found it was a pet pig the children had running about the house. The Governor felt of the puncheons of the floor, and found one loose, which he raised carefully, and, grabbing the pig, thrust him under, and was relieved of his company that night. The next morning, there was a great search for the pig.

Dr. Worrel, of the army, with a companion, arrived there at one time, and on hearing him called doctor, madam says, " I am dreadful glad you are a doctor, for my children are most rot- ten with the itch." When she was cooking supper, there was a dish of potatoes upon the hearth, and the pet pig stuck his nose in it; the doctor says, "Madam, I would like to be served before the pig." So, in traveling through the country, we came across some curious specimens of humanity.

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The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 62

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