The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 103

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1082

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St. Patrick's Total Abstinence Society .- A total abstinence society was organized in St. Patrick's Church. of Ripon, October 17, 1875. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the work of securing converts at once begun. The Society has been very successful, constantly increasing its numbers and influence. It now consists of 250 members, including women and children. Its meetings are held regularly on the fourth Sunday of every month, in the base- ment of St. Patrick's Church. The officers of the Society are as follows : President, Rev. E. A. Graves ; Vice President, E. Raymond ; Secretary, B. F. Keenan; Treasurer, William Bres- nahan ; Marshal, James Brenan.

Ripon Improvement Association .- The idea of forming an association of this kind originated through an article in the August number of Scribner's Monthly for 1878, written by Dr. B. W. Dwight, of Clinton, N. Y. George L. Field, of the First National Bank, wrote to Dr. Dwight in relation to the article, who sent the constitution of the " Rural Art Association," of Clinton, which had been in existence many years. With this information for a foundation, Mr. Field began the labor of forming a similar association in Ripon. An informal meeting of invited persons was held January 26, 1880, at the residence of J. Bowen, but no organization was perfected, though George L. Field, Prof. C. A. Kenaston, E. L. Runals, A. Everhard and J. Bowen were appointed to draft a constitution. They reported at the residence of A. Everhard, February 2, 1880, at which meeting the constitution was adopted. Article II gives the objects as follows : " The objects of this Association shall be in general the improvement and advancement of public and private grounds, the cultivation of rural art and taste among its members, and the development of such enterprises as may furnish a field for co-operation in rendering the place more desirable as a place of residence."

At a meeting held at the residence of George L. Field February 16, 1880. the following officers were chosen for one year: President, J. Bowen ; Vice President, A. Everhard : Secre- tary, O. U. Akin ; Treasurer, L. E. Nohl ; Executive Committee, C. A. Kenaston, C. B. Seward

HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

and G. L. Field. In no city has an association of this kind a more promising field for its labors. The natural beauties of Ripon are acknowledged ; its inhabitants are wealthy, and for the most part cultured, and the soil is rich, deep and productive. One of the objects of this Association is to lay out a fine drive way to Green Lake from Ripon.

Ripon Educational Club .- The idea of forming a club of this sort was brought to Ripon by Mrs. S. F. Crosby, from Lansing, Mich., and took material shape in 1878, with the follow- ing charter members : Mrs. S. F. Crosby, Mrs. A. M. Cowan, Mrs. L. F. Chamberlain, Mrs. M. F. IIanchett, Mrs. A. V. Everhard, Mrs. P. Thompson, Mrs. J. M. De Frees, Mrs. W. B. Kingsbury, Mrs. J. Grant, Mrs. H. HI. Mead and Miss Lizzie Clark. The first officers were as follows: President, Mrs. S. F. Crosby ; Vice President, Mrs. C. T. Tracy ; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. P. Thompson ; Recording Secretary, Mrs. A. M. Cowan; Assistant Secretary, Miss Lizzie Clark; Treasurer, Mrs. A. V. Everhard ; Membership Committee, Mrs. W. W. Robinson. The object of the club is mutual mental improvement only, and it has been an It is on a firm foundation, and considered an established feature of Ripon. unexpected success.

Ripon Rifles .- This is a military company organized, drilled and equipped under the Wisconsin militia law. It was organized March 28, 1877, with Hugo Schultz, Captain; Ferd- inand Thiel. First Lieutenant; Ed Kaath, Second Lieutenant, and the following privates: F. Steinbring, William Mathwig, A. Steinbring, F. Degner, M. Kruger, HI. Willwock, S. Schmud- Iach, F. Dannalls, John Mathefes, Charles Giese, William Kohl, William Reck, Martin Wiz- orick, George Bishholz, G. Derizen, William Dregor, F. Butzin, William Drews, C. Eggart, M. Gartzke, G. Gehlhaar, II. Grutzmacher, F. Grutzmacher, John Haas, G. Hildebrandt, A. Hildebrandt, John Hasse, O. Johnson, William Kaath, G. Kohl, G. Litz, R. Lubitz, Tom Lam- bert, John Milahn, H. Martwig, F. Manthei, H. Martin, Fred Milke, G. Otto, J. Pischke, L. Prutz, John Prill, W. Rapp, Ed Steinbring, T. Steinbring, M. Streich, F. Schrandt, H. Schrader, A. Sauger, E. Tobolt, F. Timm, Charles Timm, C. Tobolt, G. Teske, William Weg- ner, A. Weishaar, John Weinke, M. Wizinske, William Zunmerman, C. Zimmerman, F. Zweiger, William Zweiger, Aug. Zick, F. Ziebart, William Quast, Henry Kohl. Meetings are held in Grange Hall, but the company has an armory in Kleifoth's block. It has a good martial band. The state donates $300 annually.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

Wisconsin Phalanx Mills .- The first mill in Ripon, or Ceresco, was the saw-mill built by the Phalanx or Fourierites in 1844, and run by a "flutter-wheel." The first grist-mill was also built by them a little more than two years later on the site of the Ceresco Mills. It had but one stone, with a capacity of about three bushels per hour. But this was ample for the time. Mr. Dellinger, who took charge in 1848, was the first practical miller, and he made some improvements in the wheel, which increased the capacity of the mill to six bushels per hour. The water-wheel for driving the flouring-mill consisted of a hollow wooden "log," attached in the center to the shaft, from which the machinery received its motion. Both ends of this "log" were closed and a large hole cut in opposite sides of it near each end. The water being let into this "fog" from below rushed out at these holes, and the re-action gave motion to the "log," or wheel. This quaint little mill was rebuilt by Brockway & Dellinger in 1851, who had purchased it from the Phalanx the year before. It is still standing across the street from the Ceresco Mills.

Stephen Bates was the first man to do grinding in the Phalanx Mill. In 1845, buhrs for grinding coarse flour were fixed in the saw-mill and served the purpose of something better until the grist-mill was completed.

Gothic Mill .- The "old stone mill," as it is now called, was erected on Silver Creek, where that stream crosses Scott street, in 1853, and was opened for business in December of that year. It was a stone building, three stories high, and run by water. D. P. Mapes, the proprietor, was its builder. It was in use about twenty years, coming into the hands of G. W. Dellinger in 1862, who is the present owner of the building and the water-power. The Gothic was always a custom mill.

V Stan ( DECEASED. ) RIPON

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

Treanore &. Blodgett's Wagon Factory .- In 1853, Harvey Dodge & Son erected a two- story shop on the corner of Jackson and Blackburn streets and began the manufacture of wagons, carriages and sleighs. In 1860, the firm became Dodge & Manville, consisting of C. F. Dodge and E. Manville. They erected, as their rapidly increasing business demanded, four additional shops, three of brick and stone and one of wood. They gave employment, finally, to forty men, and turned out a large amount of work, making lumber-sleighs in lots of 100 during several years. In 1874, the firm became Dodge & Mitchell; in 1877, C. F. Dodge, and, in February, 1878, Treanore & Blodgett, the present proprietors. This firm carries on the most extensive business in the manufacture of wagons, carriages, cutters, phaetons and sleighs of any in the western portion of Fond du Lac County. This firm owns the business, but not the buildings.

Ripon Mills .- The milling operations of G. W. Dellinger, owner of Ripon Mills, extend fa" beyond his present mill property. He at one time owned the entire water-power of Ripon, extending from Scott street one mile west to Ceresco, and owned and had in operation at once the three flouring-mills then within its limits. giving personal attention to all of them. He erected into their present shape the Ceresco and Ripon Mills, and the water-power which now drives them. In 1862, Mr. Dellinger bought the Gothic Mill and water-power of H. T. Hen- ton, and also three-eighths of the old Ripon Mills, built in 1850 by D. P. Mapes, at the foot of Mill street. He at the same time owned and run the Ceresco Mills. In 1864, he purchased of J. B. Maxfield the balance of the Ripon Mills. In 1865, he sold half of the Ceresco Mills and purchased the woolen-mill water-power of Dodge & Manville for $1,600. In 1866 and 1867, Mr. Dellinger converted the Gothic, Ripon and woolen mills water-powers into one power, with a head of fifty feet, which is greater than that of any similar one in the State. During these two years, he also erected the present Ripon Mills at the foot of Mill street. This build- is five stories high, has six run of stones and a capacity of 1,100 barrels of flour per week. The usual product, when all the stones are running, is 1,000 barrels per week. The total cost of the mill and water-power was $36,300. The mill is one of the best in the Northwest, every stick of timber being dressed and of the best quality. The "trunk" which carries the water from the Scott street dam to the mill is ninety-four rods long and cost $3,600. It contains 40,000 feet of lumber and 19,000 pounds of iron. In 1869, Mr. Dellinger sold the Ripon Mills to A. K. Shepard, of Albany, N. Y., but was compelled to take the property back in 1879. Immediately upon coming into possession of them again, Mr. Dellinger rebuilt the Scott street dam, putting in a fine stone structure, laid in cement, at a cost of $1,000. The mills now have water enough, except during a short period in the summer, but are supplied with ample steam- power for such occasions. The products of Mr. Dellinger's mills are not sold in this country alone, large orders being shipped direct to England and Scotland.

Ceresco Mills .- In 1860, G. W. Dellinger moved across the street the old Phalanx Mill and erected on its site a four and one-half story mill, with an overshot water-wheel, twenty-five and a half feet in diameter, for power. The water was carried under the street in a trunk to the wheel-house, where an elbow raised it to the top of the wheel, which was one of great power. In 1865, II. B. Bateman purchased a one-half interest in the property and immediately added another stone and purifiers. In 1870, the overshot water-wheel was taken out and four turbine wheels put in its place, which were made by W. Il. Elmer, of Berlin. One is a ten-inch and three are thirteen-inch wheels. In 1875, Mr. Bateman became sole proprietor. Since he entered the mill, an addition 40x44 feet has been added, and a large steam engine and boilers for use during low water. The water-power has a head of twenty-eight feet, which affords a strong moving force. In 1879, machinery for producing " patent flour " was put in by Mr. Bateman. The capacity of this mill is 100 barrels of flour per day.

Ripon Packing Company .- The Ripon Packing Company was organized and incorporated in 1873, with a capital of $8,000. The stockholders were J. J. Smith, C. F. Hammond, B. W. Smith and W. J. Corner, of whom J. J. Smith was President. and C. F. Ilammond was Secre- tary and Treasurer. The buildings, located at the intersection of Scott street and the Chicago,

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, were erected in 1873-74, and are 100x160 feet on the ground. They are equipped with all the appliances for canning cucumbers, tomatoes, horse-radish, making catsup, chow-chow, and putting up mixed pickles and sauces. The Company contracts with the farmers for any desired number of acres of cucumbers, or other stock, at a certain price per bushel or hundred weight, the cucumbers to be from two to three and a half inches in length and all delivered at the factory. The Company is prosperous, transacting a little less than $20,000 worth of business per season. The present stockholders are C. F. Hammond, W. J. Corner, A. P. Harwood and D. V. N. Harwood, of whom C. F. Ilammond is President, and D. V. N. Harwood, Secretary and Treasurer.

Laning &. Son's Planing-Mill .- This building was erected in 1874 by A. Laning, on the site of a burned structure used for a similar purpose, on Fond du Lac street. In 1879, A. Laning, Jr., became a partner in the business, under the firm name of Laning & Son. The machinery, which is for dressing, matching, sawing and ornamenting lumber, is driven by steam, and is of the most modern patterns. The mill has a good patronage, as there is no other similar institution in the vicinity.

Zinth's Foundry .- In 1859, Lucius Thatcher erected a two-story wooden building on Jack- son street, at the crossing of the Sheboygan & Fond du Lac Railroad, for a foundry and machine-shop. Afterward, D. W. Furniss became a partner in the business with August Zinth, the present proprietor. In addition to custom founding and repairing, the " Prairie City Seeder " and horse-power threshing machines were manufactured during several years at this shop. Harrows, plows and smaller agricultural implements are now manufactured. In 1872, Mr. Zinth became sole proprietor. All Mr. Thatcher had to begin business with was one pair of oxen. He got trusted for most of the building and the steam machinery, but, being an excellent mechanic, he soon built up a large business.

Goodall's Carriage Factory .- In 1874, H. J. Goodall erected, on Jackson street, a brick and stone carriage factory, sixty-six front and two stories high, and began the manufacture of "light work," or carriages, cutters, phaetons and buggies. In 1875, W. T. Runals purchased an interest in the business, and the firm was Goodall & Runals until 1878, when the proprietary interest returned to H. J. Goodall, in whom it still remains. Fine work is a specialty, Mr. Goodall having been granted the first premium on carriages and phaetons at every competitive exhibition where his work has been entered. When running at full capacity, the factory has employed twenty men.

Hazen &. Son's Windmill Factory .- In 1871, L. Hazen invented and had patented a wind- mill, the manufacture of which was immediately entered upon by Hazen Brothers, on Fond du Lac street. In 1878, S. Hazen secured a patent for a geared and pumping mill, which is wholly unlike any other ever put upon the market. The patent was upon a rotary vane, hinge and shifting works. In 1880, S. Hazen made a further improvement in the mill, which consists in a stationary vane, a hollow iron standard, and an eccentric wheel for changing the rotary to horizontal motion, which is a great saving in power and friction. These mills, together with a patent harrow, are now made by S. Hazen & Son, at their factory on Scott street, at the cross- ing of Sheboygan & Fond du Lac Railway, who maintain agencies in nearly all parts of the United States and Canada, patents having been secured in both countries.

Haas' Brewery .- The only Brewery in Ripon belongs to John Haas. The building was formerly the old " woolen-mill," built in 1850, just below the Ripon Mills, by S. Ford, and run later by S. R. Patton, now of Oshkosh. It is well calculated for the brewing business. In addition to his local trade, Mr. Haas has 'large orders from the surrounding cities, to supply which he erected a substantial stone bottling-house near his brewery. Bottling and shipping beer is now one of the prominent features of his business.

Powers' Cooper-Shop .- J. J. Powers carries on a large business. His first factory or shop was in a portion of the old Ripon Mills building, which was burned in 1879. He erected a new shop on the old site immediately after the fire, three stories high. It is conveniently located. being connected with Ripon Mills, for which Mr. Powers does a large amount of work,

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

by an apparatus for sending barrels from one building to the other. Mr. Powers now employs six men.

RIPON CEMETERIES.

Ceresco Cemetery Association .- The first cemetery in what is now Ripon was laid out by the Wisconsin Phalanx in 1845, in the northwest corner of the village of Ceresco. The lot was deeded from the Phalanx to the Association by R. D. Mason, Jacob Beckwith, Jacob Woodruff, Carlton Lane, John Irving and Russell Smith, and contained five acres and twenty-six rods. Warren Chase, now a newspaper publisher at Santa Barbara, Cal., laid out the grounds-made a plat of them-by a rude pocket compass. The first burial in this cemetery was that of Caro- line Danks, one of the Fourierites, and the next was that of Uriel Farmin, a child. The cemetery has been little used for many years. At the first death and burial, the Phalanx people marked the sad event by appropriate demonstrations of sorrow.

Ripon Cemetery Association .- The first burial in Ripon was that of Timothy J. Mapes' wife on College IIill. The next was that of Samuel Pedrick, who died in September, 1850. A few others were buried on College Hill before a cemetery was set apart. These, or the most of them, were removed to the present cemetery a few years later. The original deed, which trans- fers from J. Bowen to D. Sabin, D. P. Mapes, E. L. Northrup, Dana F. Shepard and E. P. West, two acres and four rods of land in the northwest quarter of Section 21, is dated March 8, 1853. Although there are no records, it appears a cemetery association had been formed before this, in 1852, as J. Bowen, Avery Brown, T. J. Mapes, D. F. Shepard, J. Wil- bur, S. G. West, E. P. West, A. P. Mapes, G. F. Lynch, A. B. Beardsley, M. King, J. McConnell, H. S. Eggleston, A. MeStevens, William Light and A. G. Kellogg, sub- scribed $100 to " save the deed " of Ripon Cemetery in February, 1853. In the course of a few years, officers were chosen who kept no record of the affairs of the Cemetery Association. which soon fell into a deplorable condition. From the latter part of 1859 to 1863, no officers were chosen at all on this account, and lots were occupied without approved record or title.

After various troubles, the remaining members of the old Cemetery Association met, March 17, 1863, to re-organize under the State laws. They therefore elected Dana F. Shepard Trustee for one year ; George N. Lyman and A. M. Skeels, for two years, and B. G. Webster and Solon G. Dodge, for three years. Ripon Cemetery, located just west of the college campus on the southwest quarter of Section 21, which had been used up to this time, without its affairs being properly attended to, was found to be in a mixed-up and unsatisfactory condition, and many conflicting claims were alive. In 1863, after these matters were adjusted as well as possible, four acres additional were purchased of J. Bowen for $500. In 1866, a lot was purchased of Mrs. Mayo for $100, and in 1869, still another of M. Lehan. Now, although the lots are mostly taken and the cemetery limits begin to show signs of being too small for a city the size of Ripon, there can be no enlargement of the grounds, on account of a statute which forbids the erection of new or the enlargement of old cemeteries within the limits of cities.

The Presidents of Ripon Cemetery Association have been Dana F. Shepard, who served six years ; E. Manville, H. T. Henton, and W. W. Robinson, the present officer, who has had the office since 1871. The Secretaries have been S. G. Dodge, M. W. Seeley, B. G. Webster. Byron Kingsbury, and George L. Field, the present official, who was chosen in 1878. Samuel Sumner has been Treasurer since the beginning of 1865.

The cemetery now contains 633 lots, nearly every one of which has been disposed of. A movement to secure another cemetery lot, ontside of the city, is now in contemplation.

CONFLAGRATIONS.

The fire that destroyed the greatest amount of property in Ripon was in April, 1869, when all the offices and stores were burned fromn Zobel Bros.' present building, on the east side of Public Square to Jackson street, and then east on that street to Dodge & Manville's shop. The loss in dollars was not great compared with the number of buildings burned, as they were old

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

wooden rookerics which were immediately replaced by substantial ones of brick and stone, thus beautifying the city. One of them, however, was of stone, and a fine structure, which Mr. Bowen, to whom it belonged, built for the post office. There were nine blocks destroyed on Public Square, entailing a loss of $45,000.

The greatest number of buildings were burned September, 1868, when all those on the east side of Broadway, or Main street, were burned from the corner of Public Square through to Blossom street. These were also wooden buildings, and worth but little, the conflagration, therefore, resulting in beautifying the city. The loss was about $20,000.

In the winter of 1876, Samuel Sumner's large stone and briek block on the corner of Scott street and Publis Square was burned, together with S. Salisbury's grocery store next to it. The upper floor of Sumner's block was occupied by W. M. Lockwood's large photograph gallery. The loss was about $10,000.

On the 10th of January, 1877, the Centennial Block, corner of Public Square and Main street, burned from a cause generally unknown. The block was a very large one, fronting on Main street and Public Square, of brick, and two stories high. It was built in 1876 by E. C. Kellogg. The loss was $34.625, and the insurance about $20,000.

A very disastrous fire, in some respects, occurred February 6. 1879, when the post office on West Fond du Lac street, near the Unitarian Church, was burned. The entire edition of the Ripon Free Press, unnumbered letters and papers and all the stamps, money and paraphernalia of the post office were destroyed. Two brick and stone blocks, one belonging to E. L. Runals, and the other to Rev. J. Allen, were burned. The Postmaster, II. S. Town, received an appro- priation from the Government in 1880, to re-imburse him for the loss of money and stamps, for which he was personally liable. At this fire the total loss was about $12,000.

RIPON'S FIGIITING CAREER.

The position of Ripon from the first, as regards county-seat facilities, was of a desperate character. Nor did the completion of a railroad to the city relieve her in that respect, coming as it did from Waupun. It so happened that the seat of justice of Green Lake County was on wheels, moving from Marquette to Berlin, and to Princeton, and to Dartford, all of which was an aggravation to Ripon, because she felt certain that if the city were within the limits of Green Lake County, she could capture and hold the prize with but half an effort. But Ripon was in Fond du Lac County, where she could no more get the county seat than she could get the State Capital. Then Ripon would bend her energies to getting out of Fond du Lac County. But there, again, the State Constitution lay like a rampant lion right across her path.

An act of the Legislature could not set her out of Fond du Lac County ; it must be supple- mented by a vote of the people of the county. The case looked desperate, but Ripon was bound to try. She sent a trusted friend to the Assembly, in the full belief that he could obtain the necessary legislation, and he did. At that time Fond du Lac County had one Senator and five members of the Assembly, and the whole six-except the member from the west district-were opposed even to submitting the act to the people. They fought it in every way and shape; in the two Houses, in the newspapers, in the streets and in the saloons. The odds were fearful-five against one, but the one carried it by a vote of sixty-eight to eighteen in the Assembly, which was so large a majority that the Senator took counsel of his prudence and did not undertake to defeat it in the Senate. It went through, so the people were to vote on the question of "detach- ing Ripon" at the next general election. And now commenced an agitation, the like of which probably no other county in the State ever saw. It was, in fact, Ripon against the rest of the county of Fond du Lac, for it was soon very plainly seen that there was not-outside of the city and town of Ripon-one single person that was willing to let Ripon go. The county held on to Ripon with a more desperate grip than the Egyptians did on to the Israelites, and in the end the county was more successful than the Egyptians. Ripon selected fifteen workers, mak- ing them a campaign committee with powers to do anything, undertake anything, or promise any- thing in the name of the community. Following are the names of this committee: George N.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

Lyman, George W. Mitchell, William M. Taggart, E. L. Northrup, H. H. Mead, J. Bowen, Wilham Starr, B. B. Spalding, A. E. Bovay, D. P. Mapes, A. M. Skeels, George W. Parker, T. B. Robins. J. Dobbs, 1I. S. Eggleston. These men raked the county over from end to end and from side to side, the whole suinmer through, appealing to individual voters by every con- sideration that could be thought of. to let Ripon go. Never was a community ronsed to such a degree of unanimity before. Every man made it his own individual fight, and thus the strug- gle went on from the day the bill was passed until the votes were counted. It was the plan of the committee to post two men at each and every polling-place throughout the county-outside of Ripon-on election day, and for this purpose assignments were made long beforehand, that the men might get in their work and become acquainted with their precinets during the summer. The result was that Ripon was finally defeated by an adverse decision of the Supreme Court; not on the constitutionality of the act-for that was affirmed-but on the counting of certain crooked votes which turned the scale. It was a fierce struggle and a bitter defeat; and no man who was in it has the least desire to go through any such fight again. In fact, this campaign may be said to have ended Ripon's fighting career. Since that time, she has been gradually losing her belligerent material and settling down into the quiet ways of peace. The men who were in that struggle have gone this way and that ; some to the other world, some to the cities and some to the farther West, leaving Ripon to the possession of the shades of Academus. a quiet old age and the repose of a peaceful conscience.

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The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 103

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1082

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1082