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 53
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353
HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
and 1859, and was afterward Clerk of the Circuit Court of Dodge County. He died at Juneau August 3, 1877. He was such a man as to justify his friends in placing a humble monument over his grave, bearing the following inscription :
" This modest stone, what few vain marbles can, May truly say, Here lies an honest man."
RELICS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
But few of them remain. Their locks, once so luxurious and ample, have wasted, hair by hair, until they seem lank and straggling; their brows, so smooth and fair till recently, grow rigid and furrowing. They are passing away. The oldest male inhabitant of Dodge County is Lewis Barto, of Beaver Dam, who celebrated his ninetieth birthday on the 4th of last July. Calvin Farmer, a resident of the town of Hubbard, was ninety years of age last August. Augustine Butler, who resides between Mayville and Iron Ridge, is the liveliest specimen of human antiquity to be found. He was eighty-nine last September, and is " as spry as a kitten." The oldest female living in Dodge County, so far as the historian is able to learn, is Mrs. Susana Bogert, of Beaver Dam. She was eighty-nine years of age on the 12th of July last. Mrs. Mary K. Lander, mother of W. H., H. W. and A. J. Lander, also of Beaver Dam, celebrated her eighty- seventh birthday on the 14th of last October.
FIRST LAND ENTRY-FIRST DEED-FIRST MORTGAGE.
According to the records of the abstract office of Mertz & Rambusch, the first land entry made in what is now Dodge County bears date of September, 1838, the claimant being Peter V. Brown, an exceedingly good-natured citizen of Watertown, residing in the Fifth Ward of that city. The land is described as Section 33, Town 9 north, Range 15 east.
The first deed recorded in the county was made by David Giddings to Albert G. Ellis, transferring the undivided one-third of Lots 1, 2, 5 and 6, in Section 7, Town 11 (Hubbard), Range 16, containing 184 acres : also Lots 2, 3 and 6, Section 6, Town 11, Range 16, contain- ing 140 acres. "This indenture " is dated January 1, 1839, and was recorded on the 18th of the following month.
The first mortgage is dated October 8, 1847, and recorded November 1 of that year. Sam- uel B. Harkness was the mortgagor and James R. Maloney the mortgagee. The land thus encumbered is described as the west half of Section 26 and the west half of Section 28, Town 13 (Trenton), Range 14.
"BILL DENNIS AND HIS HOG-SKIN."
For several years after the organization of Dodge County, the records were written upon a few quires of foolscap paper (probably 100 pages) sewed together with needle and thread and bound with hog's leather, by William M. Dennis, the first Register of Deeds in the county. The contents of this quaint record book were copied in " Volume A " of Deeds, now the prop- erty of Messrs. Mertz & Rambusch. Mr. Dennis lived in the Fifth Ward of Watertown, and, in attending the sessions of the County Commissioners, went thither to their place of meeting on foot, carrying his book under his arm. The Board never transacted any business till " Bill Dennis and his hog-skin " arrived.
SOME STATISTICS.
In 1838, the population of Dodge County was 18; this included the families of Jacob P. Brower and Hamilton Stevens at Fox Lake, and John and Luther Cole and Amasa Hyland. who lived in what is now the Sixth Ward of Watertown. In 1840, the number of inhabitants was 67; in 1842, 149; in 1846, 7,787; in 1847, 14,905; in 1850, 19,140; in 1860, 44.499 ; in 1870, 47.035; in 1875, 48,394.
The census of 1880 will doubtless show a large increase over the latter figures.
In 1840, the grain productions of Dodge County were 2,100 bushels of oats, 2,000 bushels of corn, 2,425 bushels of potatoes, and 500 tons of hay. The number of horses in the county
354
HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
at that date is given at 40 head ; cattle, 150. In 1850, there were 2,338 farms, 3,561 dwell- ings, and 30 manufactories. In 1860, there were 16,660 children in the county between four and twenty years of age.
The report of the Committee on Equalization for 1879 is as follows :
TOWNS AND WARDS.
Number of acres.
Equalized value per
Total assessed value
Total equalized val'e
Total assessed value
of city and villago
Total equalized val'e
lots.
erty.
erty.
erty.
erty.
Ashippun ...
28,8083/
354,439
424,300
2,335
2,300
71,824
85,000
428,598
511,600
Beaver Dam, town ..
22,344
1
591,689
5-18,000
56,529
69,100
648,218
617,100
Beaver Dam, city.
560
10,000
16,800
404,245
400,000
228,670
254,400
642,915
671,400
Burnett ..
19,66214
687,401
452,200
12,655
10,000
115,112
100,000
815,178
562,200
Calamus.
22,800
5
476,620
410,400
41,108
33,850
517,728
444,250
Chester.
22,0991%
1
377,765
395,000
59,015
51,500
436,780
446,500
Elha
22,4203g
3
609,805
470,000
13,770
10,000
78,886
83,350
702,461
563,350
Emmet
20,756
215
727,864
456,000
80.712
77,650
808,576
533,650
Fox Lake
20,300
1
531,453
507,500
151,995
140,000
215,274
230,000
898,722
877,500
Herman
23,280
3
718,077
489,000
12,430
10,000
115,417
111,250
845,924
600,250
Hubbard
21,205 47-100
3
478,980
445,000
173,077
160,000
131,856
147,900
783,913
752,900
Hustisford
21,821
412,989
438,000
55,897
50,000
109,281
124,450
548,167
612,450
Lebanon
22,484
381,860
404,700
60,528
63,150
442,388
467,850
Lowell
32,443
2
960,775
728,000
121,400
100,000
145,595
146,100
1,227,770
975,000
Oak Grove.
22,331
1
864,415
530,000
111,285
100,000
193,476
184,330
1,169,176
814,330
Portlaod,
22,597
4
382,084
420,000
7,143
5,000
64,044
76,300
453,271
501,300
Rubicon
22,888
3
420,804
459,550
15,735
12,000
90,259
97,450
526,438
560,000
Shields
13,954
4
439,307
275,000
53,810
51,800
493,117
326,800
Theresa
22,690
3
694,537
470,000
39,190
25,000
121,202
107,850
854,988
602,850
Westford.
18,627
4
273,052
364,000
39,889
50,300
312,911
414,300
Randolph, East Ward.
254
10,625
7,600
56,980
50,000
40,557
43,100
108,162
100,700
Wanpun City, South Ward.
405
33,625
12,000
224,175
200,000
135,000
142,100
393,400
354,100
Watertown, city, Sixth Ward.
1,157
47,415
31,200
131,336
125,000
15,880
27,750
194,625
183,950
Total.
544,776
13.928.459
1,672,892
2,778,820
18,380,180
15,837,885
APPORTIONMENT OF TAXES FOR 1879.
TOWNS AND WARDS.
State tax.
County tax.
County school tax.
Supt. tax.
Town in- debtedness.
Total tax.
Ashippuu ..
$ 774,77
$1,263.83
$218.50
$ 57.20
$ 174 72
$2,489.02
Beaver Dam ..
934.54
1,524.45
232.94
68.99
6.34
2,767.26
Beaver Dam City.
1,163.35 }
1,658 09
640.30
262 08
4,740.28
Burnett.
851.40
1,388.83
181.64
62.85
87.36
2,572.08
Calamus
672.78
1,027.45
184.30
49.67
5.64
2,009.84
Clyman ..
790.38
1,2×9.28
185.06
58.35
87.36
2,410.43
Chester.
676.18
1,103,01
92.34
49.92
1,921.45
Elba.
$53.14
1,391.67
229.14
62,98
53.28
2,590.21
Emmet
808.16
1,318.30
177.08
59.66
125.43
2,494.63
Fox Lake
1,328.89
2,167.73
250.80
98.11
13 37
3,858.90
Herman
909.02
1,4×2.82
241.68
67.11
136.08
2,836.71
Hubbard
28,00 5
1,859.92
432.06
84.17
284.58
3,828.93
Hustisford.
927.50
1,512,96
238.64
68.47
87.36
2,834.93
Le Roy
7×1.44
1,274.70
253.08
57.60
2,61
2,369.52
Louiira ..
959.82
1,598.31
308.18
72.33
2,958.64
Lowell
1,476.54
2,408.58
414.20
109.00
222.91
4,631.23
Oak Grove
1,233.23
2,011.67
329.80
91.04
107.52
3,770.26
Portland.
759.17
1,238.38
216.22
56.64
153.37
2.423.18
Trenton ..
1,507.06
2,458.06
228.76
111.26
88.56
4,394.00
Westford.
627.42
1.023.46
180.88
46.32
49.48
1,027.56
991.48 2
1,617.33
332.50
73.19
87.36
3,451.86
Randolph
152.50
248.7G
45.98
11.26
458,50
Waupun ...
536.25
$74.75
115.52
39.59
1,50 G.10
Watertown, Fifth and Sixth Wards
278.58
454.42
406.98
101.43
1,247.82
Total
$25,526.35
$39,125.00
$7,101.44
$1,675.00
$2,362.15
$ 75.789.94
1
780,550
$62,000
100,334
133,150
889,884
995,150
Williamstown
21,293
602,915
404,700
139,600
120,000
130,420
130,000
$72,935
654,700
Watertown, city, Fifth Ward
3 or wo
5
667,885
30,000
93,1 9
86,350
760,994
516.000
Lomira.
23,466
11.
813,278
503,000
79,507
91,000
892,785
647,000
Clyman ..
22,436
577,250
426,000
101,875
95,905
679,125
521,905
5ª
acre.
of lands.
of lands.
lots.
of villages and city
'Total assessed valne
of personal prop-
'l'otal equalized val'e
of personal prop-
Aggregate assessed
value of all prop-
Aggregate equalized
value of all prop-
2,825.00
Shields
494.91
$07.31
161.12
36.54
1,499.88
Theresa
912.96
1,489,25
289.18
67.40
2,758.79
Lebanon
708.52
1,155.75
239 .- 10
52.26
2,155.92
Rubicon
$61.70
1,405.63
278.16
63.61
215.90
Williamstown
3.50
Le Roy
23,203
Trenton
34,50114
1,016.46 )
1,140.20 }
355
AN ABSTRACT OF THE ASSESSMENT ROLLS OF THE SEVERAL TOWNS, CITIES AND VILLAGES, AS RETURNED TO THE COUNTY CLERK FOR THE YEAR 1878, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW.
NAMES OF TOWNS, ETC.
Horses.
Neat Cattle.
-
Mules and Asses.
Sheep and Lambs. !
Swine.
Wagons, Carriages
and Sleighs.
Watches.
Pianos and Melo-
Val. of Merchants' and
Bank and Manufac-
Value of all other Per-
Total value of all Per-
No. of acres of Land.
Val. of aforesaid acres
of Land.
lage Lots.
Ashippun.
137.6
27005
981'$
16991
38
115
3073|8 4793
752 $ 2429
243 $
8256
S ...
30 $ 1355 $ 0845,8
20207 8 99996
22A0833 4
636395 5
3215
Beaver Dam (town)
594
34792
922
12666
2
175
2135
3112
930
1909
307
11
190
180 ..
11436
223.11
767257
115510
Burnett ..
505
41760
1065
19694
12.
1210
1299
3870
G29
2759
216
6330
26
415
19
8101
20610
5562
112050
731021
13310
353
26626
9-22
21175
420
1033
2316
2657
162
3339
10
4
70
5141
61717
22821
505900
Chester.
311
22125
987
17205
2.25
2214
14.40
407
1475
5260
20
325
22
1259
19405
71710
22099
382105
Clyman ..
675
31055
1854
19137
....
1
40
1714
9918
1321
2778
297
5759
16
223
145
24997
106527
697319
16707
Eminet.
613
37876
1729
27219
200
1:40
3938
1084
2513
455
8605
...
350
9753)
70
940
65
3795
78640
120058|
274223
20267
509GGG
149375
528
39810
1627
25300
8
1160
264×
1015
3167
4:20
11771.
170
11
705
36228.
132039
232>X
0733374
173367
Mustisford.
511
25331
1376
19835
ti
-125
1000
5648
931
414
7111
17
50
1090
2800
56705
121190
796630
361900
Lomira
621
$1850
1212
21429
1
2174
4348
111×
30G"
317
97.171
15
82
27
11:25
3053
36750"
121500
23163
10336139
Lowell
840
2571
29685
15
750
2520
3106
1.119
4528
8-190
31
615
25
1450
15506
159090
32584
#77400
J29775
Oak Grove
51415
1×25
28125
13
720
3772
2515
4900
14441
2789
301
5510
4
1€
235
1900
2180
68790
22597
126355:
7952
Rubicon.
172
21812
1028
17355
330
1049
4159
103.1
2500
1988
119
3
70
2650
18160
72183
13951
192818
Theresa.
636
3×145
1860
2252!
4
225
1080
2143
2277
3795
0690
$10
58
2660
18085
170220
31149.61
1606680
Westford.
465
240261
110×
14092
390
1035
889
1648
198
3532
196
16
805
9371
56633
18819
319035
Williamstown
298
32355
1178
15105
6
871
1725
615
1755
407
970
2095
68255
54785
185555
22617
1×-1:175
Randolph Village, East Ward
4380
51
1065
1555
100
170
330
21
110
5650
1875
55.
3695
5010
85015
155385
416
29150
2217756
Watertown, 5th and 6th W's
78
2035
265
3375
2
75
10
10
4
10
58
1705
35
18
625
4150
18735
31655
178970
285
14355
158
23-16
2010
120
420
¥3
223
314
12570
61
1995
51
5015
97900
123418
25×142
540
9872
HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
No.
Val.
No.
Val.
No. | Val.
No.
Val.
No.
Val.
No.
Val.
No. | Val.
No.
Val.
...
253
5
105
32131
112517
20780
881554
Fox Lake.
541
27805
1409
238NX
7.
175
2721
54-18
12G1
2321
2040
385
11:26
371
580
22
1230
12350
49035
139896
2122973
491x11
375896
60815
Le Roy ..
430
30705
934
15910
7
660
1796
3640
631
1735
935
1872
286
1670
1-1
510.
127
43
1006
5310
26019
857XX
22101
41115
Shields.
326
24060
980
17715
5
390
900
1780
51> 563
11996
13
88
9625
1$772
136790
22690
S>1450
10)115
Trenton ..
992
55 165.
2534
39655
13
640
1177
912)
1646
1070
225
32
89
-10
933
25
2030
1337{}
23015
18552
*2G-1
11:00
Wanpun City, South Ward ...
6045
81
..
13753 $ 818202 35312 $ 522383 162 $ 9680) 55491 899019 94049 $59709 8479 $ 205857 675.812355
674.537689 $ 506879.81069816/83341589-547831142$ 17122933.5176810] 200
208260
2232512
951.345
10-175
Portland.
529
26171
1573
21010
11
400
7515
979
3031
504
12989
43
850
-15
23850
76775
37900
58GI
101873
21821
1
Lebanon
4.87
23245
1507
21725
140
2108
יא210
1514
306
7895
6
...
13410.
67680
23313 2
525
31860
1611
17560
=
. 550
1196
2865
993
210
G
17632
107252
22624
Elba
618
33560
1931
24807
2029
2533
11xx
2147
5565
3
deons.
turers' Stock
sonal Property.
sonal Property as
aforesaid.
Value of City and Vil-
Beaver Dam (city) ..
2293031
-1
Herman. Hubbard.
41600
356
6450
364
22
5370
fil'
7
100
6
Total ...
818
222970
12550
990
70116
Calamus.
184
356
HISTORY OF DODGE COUNTY.
PRODUCTIONS FOR 1879.
Following is a statement of the principal farm productions grown in Dodge County in the year 1879 :
TOWNS, ETC.
Wheat.
Corn.
Oats.
Barley.
Rye.
l'otatoes.
Apple Or-
chard.
Grasses.
Growing
Timber.
Ashippun
4167
1082
938
337
32
95
185
1560
345
Beaver Dam, town.
7822
1137
974
608
13
105
146
1261
1535
Beaver Dam, city ..
182
16
23
5
27
36
64
2
Burnett
4830
1256
1068
785
27
100
140
1237
1272
Calamus
4319
81:
865
291
17
87
10
928
1395
Clyman.
7540
1830|
1450
8.85
65.
142
50
345
820
Chester
3700
666
195
77
116
990
047
Elba .
5670
1453
1249
208
140
109
1271
840
Emmet
5790
1208
1406
1127
98
127
127
904
785
Fox Lake
3839
1317
938
344
14
55
16
1497
169
llerman.
6747
1518
1096
410
55.
87
177
2577
4400
Hubbard
5628
763
863
403
84
98
SO
712
2398
Hustisford
3614
1067
1106
568
68
111
83
1081
2497
Lebanon
3767
778F
903
524
228
112
68
992
2502
Le Roy
5077
882
857
42
80
168
1285
2451
Lomira
6080
788
1180
510
37.
158
127
1205
2550
Lowell.
7165
1316
1248
693
5
132
135
804
2058
Oak Grove.
5649
1335
1271
908
24
161
166
2371
1214
Portland
4965
1475
901
500
45
125
157
118
1821
Rubicon
5415
1448
850
2246
75
136
182
1415
2041
Shields
3235
530
63S
456
33
140
63
446
1066
Theresa
6028
676
947
857
200
120
100
1574
3280
Trenton
10962
2695
1802
038
60
156
212
5908
2185
Westford
5441
1170
800
282
18
86
60
735
1455
Randolph, village.
55
90
17
5
28
25
85
30
Watertown, city
179
40
57
33
16
10
19
16
10
Williamstown
4726
785
694
398
140
102
169
1223
1881
Totals.
129962 27000
23385
12335|
1430
2730
2796
28876
41002
A FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.
The Hon. H. W. Lander, in his address before the Old Settlers' Club, of Beaver Dam, June 17, 1875, said : " The first public gathering that was of any importance in this section of the country was in 1845, and I cannot better describe its object and the circumstances con- nected with it than copying from a love-letter, which a certain prominent gentleman of this city wrote to his sweetheart whom he left behind, under date of July 4, 1845, almost thirty years ago. He writes :
"' I have just returned from a 4th of July celebration. It was a County Temperance Celebration, held on Clason Prairie, some four miles from this place. Our procession from this place and the adjoining settlements consisted of some seven or eight double and single teams, filled with all who wished to go, without distinction, as we have no aristocracy here yet ; everybody is estimated here according to character. The procession was led by a two- horse team carrying thirteen young men (or old bachelors, as we are called), about my own age, carrying a banner attached to a staff stained red, with a gilt ball and spear on the top. The banner was white, bearing the following inscription : "Temperance the Hope of Beaver Dam." The other teams followed, bearing the different banners, and two ox teams bronght up the rear, one of them filled with little girls, with a banner bearing this inscription : " We look for better days." The other filled with small boys carrying a banner with this motto: " We leave the rum behind." And before we reached the place for the celebration, there was added to our procession a team of thirty-six yoke of oxen, drawing four wagons chained together, filled with men, women and children, carrying a streamer fifteen feet long, attached to a pole twenty-five feet high. I can assure you that we made an imposing appearance, stretching across the wild prairie. There were nearly six hundred people present ; we were addressed by two or three speakers, formed a County Temperance Society, and then sat down to a regular picnic dinner got up by the ladies, which would have done honor to any occasion. The head of the table was graced with a large pyramid cake, ornamented with a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers, which were gathered by one of our young men while crossing the prairie. The
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prairies are covered with them in their wild state, at this season of the year. The day passed off very finely ; good order and good feeling were manifested by all present. The cause of temperance, I trust, received a new and fresh impetus, and temperance principles were thoroughly planted to grow and strengthen with the growth of this new country.'"
" This then future wife soon after came here, and is now entitled to be called an old settler ; but it is presumed she did not find all wild prairie flowers and pyramid cakes. At this time, and for several years after, there was no excuse for men being bachelors ; any one was, or ought to be, able to support a wife; a calico dress, cowhide shoes and a shaker, were the largest items of expense of dress. All went to church and elsewhere on foot, or rode in a lumber wagon drawn by ox'en. When walking they would put their shoes under their arms, and only place them upon their feet when they arrived at the point of their destination. Wheat was 25 cents per bushel ; eggs, 4 to 5 cents per dozen ; butter, 6 to 8 cents per pound ; pork, 13 cents per pound ; oats. 10 cents per bushel. Hotel fare was not high ; supper, bed and breakfast could be obtained for five shillings in the best of hotels, with cigars and whisky thrown in."
THE GREAT INDIAN SCARE.
The residents of 1861 will remember the famous " Indian outbreak." The following par- ticulars concerning that historical event will be of fresh interest to those who witnessed the effects of the " butchery " upon the populace. The facts are taken from files of the newspa- pers, and are pronounced nearer correct than it would be possible to get them at this late date. The Beaver Dam Aryus, of August 30, 1861, contained the following :
" The greatest excitement we have seen in this city in many a day was caused on Monday last by the circulation of a story that 800 Indians were in camp the other side of Horicon, and that they had murdered fifteen families and were almost ready to sack the place. The story came stronger in the afternoon, and the excitement increased. Mayor Lander received dispatches that 1,500 Indians were at Horicon. In a short time, all the guns, pistols, corn-cutters and pitchforks in town were in the hands of determined men and on their way to Horicon, but when part way there, it was learned that the scare was a humbug, and our valiant warriors came back. The most laughable part of the story is that a man came riding through the country at full speed, warning the farmers to flee for their lives, and a great many started with their families for town. We noticed some with beds and blankets aboard, on which they intended to sleep during the night. It was a ' big scare,' and there were few here who were not melting bullets, or in some way trying to fortify their homes against the bloody foc soon expected to be met. We learn that Horicon was crowded to its utmost extent with men living in this county, and even some were there from places as distant as Milwaukee. The story grew out of a squabble between an Indian and a Dutchman near Smutt's Point. The Indian's pony had got into the Dutchman's wheat, and the Dutchman shot the pony ; the Indian threatened to scalp the Dutch- man, who rushed into town, swearing, ' Py dam, I vas kilt.'
The Horicon Gazette, whose editor witnessed the most interesting phases of the excitement, also published an article on the subject, as follows :
" Last Monday was the most exciting day ever known to the inhabitants of Horicon. Early in the morning, a messenger from near Kekoskce came to the village, post haste. and reported that fourteen houses had been burned at Kekoskee by the Indians, and some of the inhabitants murdered. It was also reported that 800 Indians were on their way to Horicon for the purpose of burning and pillaging the town. The news spread like wildfire. Ladies packed their valua- bles, and some of the people came down town with their arms full of dresses and other choice articles. Crowds of men stood on one corner, and the women upon another, the men busily discussing the question of ' What we ought to do ?' and the women crying. * *
Wagon loads of farmers came in from the surrounding country. Many of the men armed them- selves, but such a motley collection of fire-arms we think was never before got together in this or any other place. Muskets, shot-guns and rifles, old and rusty, with here and there a bludgeon or pitchfork, comprised the greatest part of the arms. Word was telegraphed to Milwaukee for
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aid. Meantime, several loads of men proceeded to Kekoskee to see what was really the trouble. While they were gone, a large company came to our aid from Hustisford. * * A little after noon, those who went to Kekoskee returned and reported 'all quiet' there. They said that there were only twenty-five or thirty Indians to be seen around the encampments, and that they appeared to be thoroughly frightened at the advent of so many armed white men among them. One of our citizens made a speech in the afternoon, and as the public mind did not seem to be satisfied with the hasty examination by the parties who went to Kekoskee, it was resolved to ascertain, if possible, the cause of the report. A com- mittee was accordingly chosen, who chartered the steamer Michael Winter, and proceeded to the Indian camp at the head of the lake. On Tuesday morning, they returned and reported the result of their investigation. The report concludes as follows :
* * Your Committee then proceeded to investigate the origin of the rumor of slaughtered * families and burning houses, and found that it proceeded from the fact that in the spring a German named Dagan had threatened to shoot one of their [the Indians' ] ponies, and that, about two weeks since, one of their ponies was shot, the Indians say, in Dagan's field, and, they believe, by him. Thus, on Sunday last, an Indian having procured liquor, and being partially intoxicated, accused Dagan of shooting the pony, and chased him around a stump, but did not draw his knife from his girdle. The man Dagan called on his neighbors to watch his house and stacks, fearing they would be burned. From that the rumor spread and grew, as it became, truly alarming. * * * * " . S. S. SMITH, Chairman
" ' S. T. IlARSHAW, Secretary.' "
CHAPTER IV.
THE COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERSY-BURNING OF THE RECORDS-THE NEW COURT HOUSE-THE ABSTRACT OFFICE-A CASE OF EMBEZZLEMENT-DODGE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY -HEALTH OF THE COUNTY-ANCIENT RELICS-DODGE IN THE WAR.
THE COUNTY SEAT CONTROVERSY.
The question of a permanent location for the seat of government of Dodge County having long since been settled, and there being but a very few of the individuals who, at an early day, took an active part in the almost sanguinary conflict, or series of conflicts, which attended that settlement, now alive or residing in the once " disturbed district," a history relating thereto, written at this late date, must necessarily be lacking in minor details. The first movement in this direction was made in 1844, when an election was held for the purpose of choosing a Board of Commissioners, whose duty it should be to locate the county seat of Dodge. There were a number of candidates, representing different parts of the county, but the following named gentle- men received a majority of the ninety-four votes cast : Jacob P. Brower. of Beaver Dam ; John Van Epps. of Fox Lake; Hamilton Stevens, of Fox Lake; Waldo Lyon, northwest corner of the town of Oak Grove, and Buel Austin. Mr. Lyon refused to serve on the Board, and a man named Thayer was delegated to fill the vacancy. The Commissioners merely acted in the capacity of electors, their preference for the location, of course, being known before the election, and Fox Lake was selected as the site for a county seat. In point of population, the selection was, perhaps, the most central one that could have been made; but, geographically, it was far from being judicious. The lack of suitable accommodations, however, prevented the Court from ever being held there, and, for a long time, the Old Gravel Schoolhouse at Oak Grove served as the temple of justice, with Judge Andrew G. Miller on the bench. In the winter of 1845-46, the people of Oak Grove got upa petition, praying the Legislature to change the location from Fox Lake to the geographical center of the county, Martin Rich, who had, a year previous, located a claim embracing the present site of Juneau, being the principal signer. Accompanying the petition was a proposition by Mr. Rich, to the effect that if the location be made upon his claim, he would lay out a village site of forty acres, and donate four acres in the center of the plat for the purposes of a county seat. In addition to this, his proposition went on to state. one-half the lots contained in the remaining thirty-six acres should become the property of the county. Accord- ingly, a law was passed changing the location from Fox Lake, and accepting the offer of Mr. Rich. In the mean time, Mr. Rich not having " proved up" and paid for his claim, his pre- emption title expired, and he was unable to make a deed to the county in accordance with his agreement. But the difficulty was overcome by enlisting the aid of a Mr. Davis, who possessed sufficient ready means to re-locate the land, which he did, with the understanding that a certain number of lots should revert to him upon deeding the property to Mr. Rich, thus enabling the latter to fulfill his contract.
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