USA > Wisconsin > Dodge County > The history of Dodge county, Wisconsin, containing its early settlement, growth an extensive and minute sketch of its cities war record, biographical sketches > Part 45
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122
ARTICLE V.
Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amend- ments to this Constitution, or, on application of two-thirds of the Legislatures of the several States, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution when ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress ; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article : and that no State, without its consent. shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.
ARTICLE VI.
All existing debts and engagements shall be valid against the United States under this Constitution.
This Constitution and the laws of the United States made in pursuance thereof: and all treaties made under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land. and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby ; anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.
Senators and Representatives, members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution : but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
ARTICLE VII.
The ratification of the Convention of nine States shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same.
DONE in convention by the unanimous consent of the States present, the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of the independence of the United States of America the twelfth.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF we have hereunto subscribed our names.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President and Deputy from Virginio.
[Other signatures omitted.]
303
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Proposed by Congress and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States. pursuant to the Fifth Article of the original Constitution.
ARTICLE I.
Congress shall make no law respecting religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
ARTICLE II.
A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State. the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
ARTICLE III.
No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
ARTICLE IV.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons and property against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause. supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
ARTICLE V.
„No person shall be held to answer for any infamous crime unless on an indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger ; nor shall any person be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb for the same offense ; nor shall he be compelled, in any criminal case, to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law ; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.
ARTICLE VI.
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation ; to be confronted with the witnesses against him ; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
ARTICLE VII.
In suits at common law, when the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States than according to the rules of the common law.
ARTICLE VIII.
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual pun- ishments inflicted.
304
HISTORY OF WISCONSIN.
ARTICLE IN.
The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or dis- parage others retained by the people.
ARTICLE X.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the people.
ARTICLE XI.
The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by citizens of another State. or by citizens or subjects of any foreign State.
ARTICLE XII.
The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot for President and Vice President, one of whom, at least. shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves ; distinct ballots shall be made for President and Vice President, and distinct lists made of such ballots and of the number of votes for each. which lists they shall sign and certify and transmit sealed to the seat of government, addressed to the President of the Senate; the President of the Senate shall, in presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted ; the person having the greatest number of votes for Presi- dent shall be President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed ; if no person have such majority, then from those having the highest numbers. not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose imme- diately by ballot the President. But, in choosing the President, the vote shall be taken by States, each State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or mem- bers from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice. If, whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, the House of Representatives shall not choose a President before the fourth day of March next following. then the Vice President shall act as President, as in the case of death or disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice President shall be the Vice President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice President ; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States.
ARTICLE XIII.
SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
SEC. 3. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
ARTICLE XIV.
SECTION 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, or subject to the juris- diction thereof, are citizens of the United States, and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States ; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property without
305
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law.
SEC. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the States according to population. counting the whole number of persons in each State, including Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote is denied to any of the male inhabitants of a State, being twenty-one years of age and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty- one years of age in such State.
SEC. 3. No person shall hold any office under the United States or under any State, who having previously, as an officer of the United States of any State, taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid and comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two- thirds of each House, remove such disability.
SEC. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, including pensions and bounties, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave ; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
SEC. 5. Congress shall have power to enforce. by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
ARTICLE XV.
SECTION 1. The right of citizens to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, or by any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
SEC. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
-
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF COUNTIES AND CITIES
WITH GUBERNATORIAL AND PRESIDENTIAL VOTES.
Note .- The Republican or Democratic majority in each county is given as between Smith and Mallory. Green- back majority is only given when the vote for Allis exceeds the others, and is taken from the highest vote.
GOVERNOR. 1877.
PRESIDENT. 1876.
Smith.
Mallory.
Allis.
Maj.
Ilayes.
Tilden.
Mīaj.
Adams
580
233
116
R.
3.17
981
442|
R. 539
Ashland
86
163
D.
77
109
189
D.
80
Barron
459
203
53
R.
256
644
257
R.
387
Bayfield
40
34
2
R.
6
86
74
R.
12
Brown.
1387
1740
1015
D.
353
2755
3647
D. 892
Buffalo
1075
810
76
R.
265
1186
1162
R.
24
Burnett
336
2-4
R.
312
285
. 28
257
Calumet.
450
1130
389
D.
680
1012
2145
D. 1133
Chippewa
685
693
589
D.
18
1596
1774
D.
178
Clark.
449
153
816
G.
367
1255
660
R. 595
Columbia
20-18
1597
118
R.
451
3532
2493
R. 1039
Crawford
806
1008
146
D.
202
1355
1604
1). 249
Dane
3613
3903
614
D.
290
5435
5726
D). 291
Dodge ..
2333
4267
381
D. 1934
3236
6361
1. 3125
Door
477
126
283
R. . 351
1095
596
R. 499
Douglas
21
28
D.
42
67
D.
25
Dunn
1174
407
412
R.
767
2033
894
R. 1139
Eau Claire.
1208
805
597
R.
403
.2266
1785
R. 481
Fond du Lac.
3086
3414
1249
1).
328
4845
5660 D. 815
Grant ..
2620
1938
1037
R.
682
4723
3198
R. 1525
Green.
1823
849
580
R.
974
2601
1735
R. 866
Green Lake
879
896
215
1).
17
1739
2348
R. 303
Jackson
802
391
521
R.
411
1507
718
R.
789
Jefferson
1917
2418
206
D.
201
2874
4134 D. 1260
Juneau
1045
883
463 R.
162
1714
1458, R. 256
Kenosha.
938
907
51
R.
31
1610
1432. R. 178
Kewannee
247
555
20, D.
311
561
1654
D. 1093
La Crosse.
1968
1115
521 R.
853
2644
2481
R. 163
La Fayette
1409
1800
269
R.
109
2424
2299
R.
125
Lincoln
27
15
169
G.
142
71
174
D. 103
Manitowoc.
1365
1951
98
D.
586
2700
3908
D. 1208
Marathon
301
755
746
D.
454
668
1796
D. 1128
Marquette.
447
730
76
D.
283
697
1112
D. 415
Milwaukee
5843
6388
1228
D.
545
9981
12026
D. 2045
Monroe
1102
1096
1019
R.
6
2558
2030
528
Oconto.
1059
764
157
R.
295
1813
1174
R. 639
Outagamie
777
2005
992
D. 1228;
1859
3608
D. 1749
Ozankee ..
437
1579
17
D. 1142
583
5480
D. 1897
Pepi
521
171
123
R.
350
836
394
R. 447
Pierce
1523
545
408
R.
978!
2135
985
R. 1152
Polk.
916
363
60
R.
553
1019
362
R. 650
Portage
1080
917
728
R.
163
1855
1794
R.
61
Racine
2304
1906
112 R.
3981
3560
28801
R. 680
1514 R. 225
Iowa ..
1461
1175
1021
R.
286
2651
R.
COUNTIES.
GUBERNATORIAL AND PRESIDENTIAL VOTES-1877-1876-Continued.
COUNTIES-Continued.
Smith.
Mallory.
Allis.
Maj.
Hayes.
Tilden.
Maj.
Richland
1201
729
705
R
472
2038
1591
R. 447
Rock
3375
1620
781
R. 1755
5755
2814 R. 2893
St. Croix
1558
1489
93
R.
70
1775
1736 R.
39
Sauk ..
1826
922
574
R.
904
3395
2201 R. 1194
Shawano
269
605
92
336
582
873 D. 291
Sheboygan.
1598
1737
750
139
3224
3633 D.
409
Taylor.
195
254
53
59|
240
246 D.
G
Trempealeau
2483
731
176
R. 1452
2360
790| R. 1570
Vernon.
1678
416
846
R. 1262
2764
1117 R. 1647
Walworth
2904
1374
160
R. 1530
4212
1970. R. 2242
Washington
994
2187
187
D. 1993
1321
30-17
D. 1726
Waukesha ..
2484
2388
270
R.
96
3129
3335
D. 206
Waupaca.
1473
990
772
R.
483
2642
1592
R. 1050
Wanshara
1282
257
377
R. 1025
2080
548
R. 1532
Winnebago
2068
2238
1887
D.
170
5092
4426
R. 666
Wood.
247
196
601
G.
354
658
745
D.
87
CITIES.
Appleton
231
522
201
291
549
91]
D. 362
Beaver Danı.
320
361
6
D.
41
357
465
D.
108
Beloit
377
109
240
268
745
627
R.
118
Berlin
219
197
36
R.
456
312
R.
144
Buffalo
25
17
R.
8
14
31
D.
17
Centralia
16
5 97
G.
81
64
93
D
29
Chilton
31
128
33
D.
97
Chippewa Falls
2.9
294
143
D.
65
475
572| D.
97
Columbus,
210
123
R.
87
254
212; R.
R. 189
Fond du Lac.
862
884
520
D.
22
1382
1542 D.
160
Fort Howard.
150
85
195
G.
45
669
288 R.
81
Grand Rapids.
50
42
110
G.
60
121
191 D.
70
Green Bay.
432
333
181
R.
99
696
647 R.
49
lludson
226
207
3
R.
166!
1036
848 R.
188
281
314
42
D.
33.
514
544 D.
30
La Crosse.
712
671
351
41
1085
1549 D.
464
Madison.
740
1057
13
D.
317!
834
1252 D.
418
Manitowoc
349
284
17
R.
165
201
344
D.
53
Milwaukee.
4816
5027
1050
D.
211
8218
9625
D. 1407
Mineral Point
260
249
R.
11
348
R.
24
Neenah.
115
146
376
G.
230
511
385; R.
126
New London
844
125
118
D.
41
206
208
D. 16
Ocontu.
270
311
6
41
399
506
D.
107
Oshkosh.
724
954
375
D.
230
1496
1910 D.
414
Plymouth
215
405
7
D.
160
366
532
D. 166
Prairie du Chien
155
267
3 D.
112
215
377
D. 162
Prescott.
87
61
10
R.
143
108 R.
35
Racine.
1052
921
82|
R.
131
1672
1324 R.
848
Ripon
270
239
33
R.
31
297
R.
6-1
Shawano.
55
73
13
Đ.
18
83
R.
4
Sheboygan.
2.18
440
68
D.
192
575
873 D.
298
Stevens Point
252
270
145
D
18
428
563
D.
140
Watertown
2232
687
164
D.
445
372
1295
D.
92:
Waupaca
210
19
20
R.
161
280
52 R.
225
Wausau.
76
170
300; G.
130
210
595 D.
385
18
1
R.
161
1205
1013!
224 R.
26
Janesville.
771
605
31
Kenosha
Menasha
146'
311
67
D.
R
5
Oconomowoc
172
167
24!
28
D.
58
660
512 R.
148
Eau Claire.
620
459
250
3
R.
R.
19
250
1
D.
1
GOVERNOR. 1877.
PRESIDENT. 1876.
238
2
Portage
127
21
D.
POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
Area in square SÌiles.
POPULATION.
Miles R. R. 1872.
STATES AND TERRITORIES.
Area il square Miles.
1870.
1875.
Miles R. R. 1822.
State's.
50,722
996,992
1,671
Pennsylvania.
46,000
3.521,791 217,353
258,239
136
California.
188,981
560,247
1,013
South Carolina ..
29.385
705,606
925,145
1.201
Connecticut.
4.674
537.454
820
Tennessee.
45,600
1,258,520
1,520
Delaware.
2,120
125,015
227
Texas
237.504
818,579
865
Florida.
59,268
187,748
466
Vermont
10.212
330,551
675
Georgia.
58,000
1,184,109
2,108
Virginia
40,904
1,225,163
1,490
West Virginia ...
23,000
442,014
485
Indiana ..
33,809
1,680,637
8,529
Wisconsin
53,924
1.054,670|
1,936,729
1.725
low ...
55,045
1,191.792
1,350.544 3.160
Kansas.
81,318
364,899
528,349
Total States
1,950,171 38,113,253
59,587
Kentucky
37,600
1,321,011
1,123.
Louisiana
41.3461
726,915
539
Maille.
31,776
626,915
871
Arizona
113.916
9,658
3922
Massachusetts.
7.800 1,457.351 1.651,912 1,606
Dakota
147,490!
14,181
Dist. of Columbia.
60
131,700
Idaho.
90.932
14,999
Montana.
143.776
20.595
New Mexico
121,201
91,874
375
New Hampshire.
9,280
318,300
Wyoming ...
93,107
9,118
498
New Jersey.
8.320
906,096 1,026,502 1,265
New York ..
47.000 4.382,759 4,705,208
4,470
Total Territories.
965,032
442,730
1,265
Ohio.
39.964 2,665, 260
3,740
Oregon .
95,2441
90,923
159
Aggregate of U. S .. 2,915,203 38,555,983
60,852
· Last Ceusus of Michigan taken in 1974.
· Included in the Railroad Mileage of Maryland.
PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD; . POPULATION AND AREA.
COUNTRIES.
Population.
Date of Census.
Area in Square Miles.
Inhabitants to Square Mile.
CAPITALS.
Population.
China
446,500,000
1871
3.741,846
119.3
Pekin.
1,648,800
British Empire.
226.817,108
1871
4,677,432
48.6
London.
3,251,800
Russia ...
81,925,400
1871
8.003,778
10.2
St. Petersburg
667,000
United States with Alaska.
38,925,600
1870
2,603,884
7.78
Washington
109,199
france ..
36,469 800
1866
204,091
178.7
Paris ..
1,825,300
Austria and Hungary
35,904,400
1869
240,348
149.4
Vienna
833,900
Japan.
34,785,300
1871
149,399
232.8
Feudo ...
1,554,900
Great Britain and Ireland
31,817,100
1871
121,315
262.3
London
3,251,800
German Empire
29,906.092
1871
160,207
187.
Berlin
825,400
Italy .
27.439.921
1871
118,847
230.9
Rome.
244,484
Spain
16.642.000
1867
195 775
85.
Madrid
32,000
Brazil.
10.000.000
3,253,09
3.07
Rio Janeiro,
420,000
Turkey
16. 163,000
672.621
24.4
Constantinople
1,075.000
Mexico.
9.173,000
1869
761.526
Mexico
210.300
Sweden and Norway
5,921.500
1870
292.871
20.
Stockholm.
136.900
Persia ...
5,000,000
1870
635.961
7.8
Teheran.
120,000
Belgium.
5.021,300
1869
11,373
441.5
Brussels.
314,100
Bavaria ..
4.861,400
1871
29,292
165.9
Munich.
169,500
Portugal.
3,995,200
1868
34.494
115.8
Lisbon.
224,063
Holland
3.688.300
1870
12,680
Hague ..
90,100
(w Grenada.
3,000.000
1870
357.157
8.4
Bogota.
45.000
Chill .
2,000,000
1869
132,616
15.1
Santiago.
115,400
Switzerland ..
2,669,100
1870
15,992
166.9
Berne.
36,000
Peru ...
2.500,000
1821
471.838
5.3
Lima
160,100
Bolivia.
2,000,000
497,321
Chuquisaca.
25,000
Argentine Republic.
1,812,000
1869
871,848
Buenos Ayres.
177.800
Wurtemburg
1,818,500
1871
7,533
Stuttgart
91,600
Donmark.
1,784.700
1870
14,753
120.9
l'openhagen.
162,042
Venezuela.
1,500,000
368,238
4.0
Caraccas
47,000
Baden ..
1,461.400
1871
5,912
247.
tarlsruhe
36,600
Greece ..
1,457.900
1870
19.353
Athens.
43,400
Guatemala
1,180,000
1871
40,879
Guatemala
40,000
Paraguay.
1,000,000
1821
63,787
15.6
48,000
Hesse
823,138
2,969
277.
Darmstadt
30.000
Liberia
718.000
1871
9,576
74.9
Monrovia .
3,000
San Salvador.
600,000
1871
7.335
81.8
Sal Salvador
15,000
Hayti ..
572,000
10,205
56.
Port au Prince
20,000
Nicaragua.
350,000
1871
58,171
6.
Managua,
10,000
Uruguay ..
300,000
1871
6.5
Monte Video.
44,500
Honduras
350,000
1871
17.092
7.4
Comayagua
12,000)
San Domingo.
136,000
17,827
7.6
San Domingo.
20,000
Costa Rica ..
165.000
1870
21.505
7.7
San Jose ...
2,000
Hawaii.
62.950
7.633
80.
Honolulu.
7.633
Stutes.
Alabama
5,113
Arkansas. .
52,198
484.471
25
Rhode Island.
1,306
39.864
Michigan®
56,451
1,184,059 1,334,031
2,235
Minnesota.
83.531
439.706
598,429
1,612
Missouri ..
65.350
1.721,295
2,580
Nebraska.
75,995
123,993
246,280
828
Utah.
80.056
86,786
Nevada
112,090
42,491
52,540
593
Washington.
69,944
23,955
North Carolina ..
50,704 1,071,361
1,190
Mississippi.
47,156
827,922
990
Maryland
11,184
780,894
830
Colorado.
104,500
Illinois
55,410 2,539.891
5,904
1,760
857,039
Territories.
7
Ecuador.
1,300,000
218,928
5.9
Quito
Asuncion ..
4.
2.1
241.4
75.3
28.9
70,000
290.9
POPULATION.
1870.
1875.
Je Backen
HORICON
HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY -TOPOGRAPHY -GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS-GLACIAL-SPRINGS AND WELLS - WATER POWER-IRON DEPOSITS-PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY -EARTHI MOUNDS-INDIAN OCCU- PANCY-THE BLACK HAWK WAR-UNITED STATES SURVEYS AND LAND SALES.
INTRODUCTORY.
Each year is thinning the ranks of the adventurous pioneers who broke the pathway of emigration into " Old Dodge," and the unpropitious hand of Death still pursues its silent voca- tion, relentlessly smiting, one by one, the brave men and women who first established the land- marks of progress and civilization in the fastnesses of a vast wilderness, whose only inhabitants were a race of cruel savages. No tongue can tell, no pen can portray, the hardships and vicis- situdes endured by the little band of Argonauts who, forty years ago, quit the friendly shelter of parental roof-trees, many of them forever, and wandered away in quest of titles to broad acres of virgin soil in the Far West. The bent forms, the furrowed brows, the tremulous voices of the few who have weathered the storms of frontier experience, and are spared to sanctify with their presence the little home dominions that have grown up about them, is sad, yet eloquent evidence of the trials confronted by the early settlers of Dodge County. Their decds deserve a place in history that will long survive even the monuments of marble that may mark their graves.
It is the duty of the historian to treat of facts as they have existed "down through the dim vista of time." Therefore it becomes necessary for us to ascertain something of the prim- itive history of the earth beneath, as well as of men and things above. As there is no fact without a foundation (else it could not be a fact), it is proper that this chapter should begin with certain events scientifically ascertained to have occurred at some remote period between the date of Noah's flood and the discovery of America. (As a class, scientists are usually very accurate in their chronological records).
TOPOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTY.
Dodge County, in common with other parts of Wisconsin, presents many remarkable and interesting topographical features, and, according to Prof. T. C. Chamberlin, the State Geolo- gist, was once far beneath the waves of a broad ocean. The inequalities, he says, which it now presents, are due to subsequent changes, the results of three classes of agents, acting at different times and under different conditions, namely :
1. During the long ages between the emergence of the land and the drift period, the streams were cutting their beds deeper and deeper into the rock, and rendering the former level
A.
310
HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
surface more and more irregular. The softer rocks were more readily eroded than the harder ones, and this helped to increase the unevenness. There was a tendency of the streams, so far as the slope favored, to follow the less resisting belts of soft rock, and, as these run in a north- erly and southerly course in this region, the main streams had that direction. The little streams gathered into the larger ones in a manner not unlike that by which the branches of a tree are united unto the trunk. The unevenness of surface produced by erosion of this nature produces a certain kind of system and symmetry readily recognizable. As this erosion occupied the time preceding the glacial period, we may conveniently designate the features produced by it. pre- glacial. We have the best example of this kind of surface conformation in the lead region, over which the drift forces did not act, and which has not been resubmerged, so that we have the results of this class of action pure and simple. As we proceed eastward into the region of drift action in the central part of the State, these features are modified more and more by the results of glacial action, until in Eastern Wisconsin they become wholly obscured, except in their grander outlines. Dodge County lies midway between the extremes.
2. The modifications of the surface constituting this first class of topographical features were produced by running water; those of the second class, which were formed next in order of time, were caused by ice, in the form of glaciers, it is confidently believed, and by the agencies brought into action through their melting. The work of the ice was twofold : first, in the level- ing of the surface, by planing down the hills and filling up the valleys ; and second, in the cre- ation of a new, uneven surface, by heaping up in an irregular and promiscuous manner the clay, sand, gravel and bowlders it had formed, thus giving the surface a new aspect. Among the features produced by the action of the ice, are parallel ridges, sometimes miles in length, having the same direction as the ice movement ; hills of rounded flowing contour, sometimes having a linear arrangement in the direction of glacial progress ; mounds and hummocks of drift promis- cuously arranged on an otherwise plain surface ; oval domes of rock (roches moutonees); sharp gravel ridges, often having a tortuous serpentine course, transverse to the drift movement ; pecu- liar depressions known as " kettles," and half-submerged rock gorges, known as " fiords,"-all of which combine to form a peculiar and distinctive surface contour. The melting of the ice mass gave rise to swollen lakes and flooded rivers, which eroded at some points and filled up at others, and so still further modified the face of the country. All these peculiarities, being the result, directly or indirectly, of the ice action, may be denominated glacial features.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.