The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 78

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

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On the 1st day of September, 1875, the first social picnic gathering took place at the fair grounds, in the city of Fond du Lac. The affair was a grand snecess, exceeding the expectations of the most sanguine. There were admirable addresses by Gustave de Neveu, Capt. D. P. Mapes, Dr. Elliot Brown, and C. K. Pier. In September, 1876, another pienic took place, but not upon so extensive a scale as the previous one. The result was a variety of styles and dishes, from corn bread and baked beans on tin plates, to the daintiest viands served with all the latest silverware accompaniments, representing the simple habits of 1836, by the side of the aristocratie styles of 1876. The affair, notwithstanding an adjournment on account of the unfavorable condition of the weather, was in all respects satisfactory and enjoyable.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

Gustave de Neveu delivered another excellent address, and Edward Pier, while protesting that he would not make a speech, addressed the attentive audience for an hour or more, during which he related the interesting story of his own experiences in this uninhabited country.

From year to year since the event last described, officers of the Club have been elected. There have also been gatherings with the usual festivities and speeches. The members of the Club, with the years of their arrival in Fond du Lac County, are as follows :

L. F. Stowe, 1843; A. C. Whiting, 1844; William Galland, 1843; T. S. Henry, 1850 ; E. W. Davis, 1847 ; Thomas Worthing, 1844 ; H. D. Hitt, 1848; Egbert Foster, 1846; Gil- bert M. Lee, 1844; A. A. Swan, 1846; William C. Woolcott, 1846 ; Peter V. Sang, 1842; K. Gillett, 1846 ; M. W. Simmons, 1847 ; Daniel Roberts, 1845; N. Coffin, 1848 ; James Cornell, 1848; William Walker, 1845 ; John Meiklejohn, 1846; William Adams, 1847 ; David Lyon, 1844; A. T. Germond, 1846 ; Edward Beeson, 1836 ;* Chauncey Griswold, 1844; Rob- ert C. Wilson, 1847; C. P. Phelps, 1842; A. A. Loper, 1845; D. D. Trelevan, 1843 ; L. Canfield, 1849 : Joseph Kinsman, 1848; D. C. Vaughn, 1845; Charles Clark, 1842; Hiram Edgerton, 1846 ; Henry Barnett, 1845; W. C. Greene, 1845; Warren W. Greene, 1845; A. H. Miller, 1846 ; Levi M. Tompkins, 1846; Elliott Brown, 1846: George W. Carter, 1844; D. A. Raymond, 1839; Elihu Colman, 1847 ; C. E. Wooldridge, 1844 (died April 21, 1877) ; J. W. Valentine. 1846 ; C. N. Kendall, 1843; William Stewart, 1828 :* Jacob Carter, 1844 ; George D. Curtis, 1845 (died in 1878); Charles Olmsted, 1843; Daniel Eggleston, 1844 : Charles Chandler, 1848; J. C. Wedge, 1844; A. C. Everest, 1846; E. H. Jones, 1848; J. A. Watrous, 1844; Joseph Stowe, 1844 (died December 28, 1876); L. K. Lewis, 1850 ; Thomas Bryant, Joseph Jackson, -; Aaron Walters, 1847 ; James Ewen, 1850; Thomas S. Weeks, 1850 ; : Stephen Oberreich, 1850; H. K. Langhlin, 1849 ; Joseph King, 1838; J. M. Gillett, 1846 (died May, 1879) ; George H. Ferris, -; H. I. Davidson (born in Fond du Lac County in 1849; died June 5, 1876) ; George C. Hicks, -; James M. Hawkins, -; Daniel Clark, 1846; Robert Longstaff, - : E. B. Ingram, 1848 ; John Bralcy, 1849 ; A. A. Shepherd, 1844; Ilosea Mann, -; Jerome B. Johnson, 1849 ; C. F. Kalk, 1849; George K. Campbell, 1850; J. II. Spencer, 1850; F. F. Parsons. 1842; Charles H. Dille. -; Otto Rollman, 1848 ; James Parratt, 1850 ; Henry Cornell, 1849; Justus Warner, -; Hugh Hubbard, 1844; E. E. Fitch, 1846; B. Spencer, 1846; Dana C. Lamb, 1847 ; Levi Dyer, -; Henry Westervelt, -; William A. Germond, -; Isadore Hebert, 1838 : George E. Wright, 1848; Charles H. Anderson, 1844; Warren Anderson, 1845 ; R. L. Mor- ris, 1845 : David Chamberlain, -; B. T. Miller, 1850; Alexander Gillis, 1846 ; Nathan I. Lewis, 1847 ; C. L. Pierce, 1846 ; F. Dalhem, -; W. W. Howe, -; William I. Rip- ley, 1844; Louis Russell, 1848 : Edward Pier, 1838 (died November 2, 1877) ; S. A. Chase, -: C. K. Pier (born in Fond du Lac County, in 1840); E. T. Browe, - ; N. S. Thomp- son, -: H. W. Wolcott, 1845; Gustave de Neven, 1838; Calvin Hazen, 1844; John Hazen, 1844; Chester Hazen, 1844; L. E. Hazen, 1844; Sanford Hazen, 1844; Philip F. Bodamer, -; George F. Davis, -; B. F. Sweet, Peter Mensch, -; Justin Hitchcock, 1848; Benijah Taylor. 1847 ; Jolin Berry, 1848: George Lyons, 1844; J. W. Barnes, -; O. L. Helmer, - ; James T. Greene, 1845; William H. Hiner, 1850 ; Fayette McKie, -: William M. Phelan, 1850 ; Aaron Worthing, 1843; Oscar Berry, 1848; Edgar Wilcox, -; Samuel Martin, -; Constant Soule, -; William Soules, -; T. A. Root, -; C. B. Parratt, 1850 ; S. B. Stiles, 1843; L. Q. Olcott, 1847 ; L. A. Bishop, 1846; Truman M. Fav, ; William A. Cheeney, -; Chauncey M. Balcom, 1845 ; Henry Wheeler, -; John S. Burrows, 1849 ; George S. Denniston, 1848 ; George A. Moon, 1847 ; Alexander Cronk, 1848 ; W. D. Marshall, ---; George Moon, 1845 ; Duane Moon, 1845; M. J. Alderman, 1847 ; J. L. Thwing, -; Clinton Mattison, 1846 (died July 21, 1876, aged fifty-five years) ; James S. Thompson, -; Patrick Kelly. 1836 ;* Warren A. Meiklejohn, (born in the county in 1849) ; Francis D. McCarty, 1838; Edward B. Parsons, -; John F. Steele, 1848 ; John S. Horner. 1836 ;* Peter Vandervoort, 1846 ; John Nichols, -

* Those who settled in the State prior to or during 1850, were eligible to the Old Settlers' Club, even if they had not resided in Foud du Lac County until more recently.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

1843; Harvey J. Carter, 1847 ; B. F. Moore, 1841 ; Joseph Olmsted, 1838; Amasa P. Sim- mons, 1838; E. A. Carey, 1845; J. C. Lowell, 1847.

Before his death, which occurred December 28, 1876, Joseph Stowe furnished to the Old Settlers' Club the following brief statement :

"Of Joseph Stowe and Priscilla, his wife: Joseph Stowe was born at Springfield, Vt., October 7, 1795. My father, Joseph Stowe, Sr., was born at Concord, Mass., in 1750, and was a Revolutionary soldier. I settled in Fond du Lac in 1844. There were four houses here at that time. Thomas Green kept the post office in his desk drawer. I built the largest house in the county, five miles west of the village, where we had preaching every Sunday by Baptist, Congregational and Methodist ministers. At my house, Edward Beeson and others being pres- ent, we organized the first temperance society. Eli IIooker (now of Waupun), Elliott Brown and E. W. Drury were the first temperance lecturers. The first school teacher in our neigh- borhood was Ezra Crofoot. Selim Newton, a man from Taycheedah, and myself, were the first County Highway Commissioners. We surveyed the highways leading from the west, north and east county lines to the village. I suppose I am the oldest man of the old settlers now living, being thirty-nine days short of 80 years of age. I settled in Fond du Lac with a family of ten children. That family has increased until (August 30, 1875,) they number about seventy- five children and grandchildren now living, and they are scattered from Ohio to California."

COMMON SCHOOLS.

Fond du Lac County, although well supplied with high-school. academy and college advan- tages within her own border, has not neglected her common schools. The State made liberal provision for the district schools, setting aside one section of land in every town, in addition to the general income from school lands, and in most instances, Fond du Lac County has taken judicious advantage of these provisions.

In the summer of 1842, the first schoolhouse ever erected in the county was built by James Duane Doty, J. L. and B. F. Moore and Henry Conklin, in the village of Taycheedah. A school had been opened in 1840 by Harriet Harding in Edward Pier's residence, and another in a private residence at Taycheedah, a few months afterward ; but as they were supported by private donations, they could not be properly called public schools. In 1879, thirty-seven years after the first schoolhouse was built, Superintendent McLoughlin's report shows that the county contains 124 " regular " school districts ; 53 parts of districts and 43 "joint " districts. In these districts, which do not include the city of Fond du Lac, the college at Ripon or any of the numerous private, select and parish schools, 8,492 children of school age, and 62 not of school age, were registered. The whole number of teachers employed was 307, who taught 124,524 days, and received as salaries, $37.840. There were in the county in 1879, outside of the city of Fond du Lac, 14,485 children of school age, of whom 10,941 can be accommodated in the various schoolhouses. The whole amount of school money received from all sources was $58,444, of which $37,840 was expended for teachers, fuel, repairs, libraries and all other expenses.

Good teachers have been employed, considering the small wages paid, as the examinations by the County Superintendents have been made more rigid each year, and teachers' institutes have been held once or more each year for practical training in the art of teaching.

Up to 1862, the system of town superintendents of school had been in vogue from the organization of the State. At the November election of that year a school superintendent for the whole county was elected for the terin of two years. There was a good deal of clamor against the change, the reason offered being that each town knew and could supply its own wants best and cheapest. In 1871, the county was divided into two districts, and a superintendent was elected for each. The Eighteenth Senatorial District, or the western portion of the county comprised one district, and the six towns in the eastern portion, comprising a portion of the Twentieth Senatorial District, constituted the other superintendent's district. In 1875, this plan was done away with, and the whole county made to constitute one district, except the city

522

HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

of Fond du Lae, which has a school superintendent of its own. Since the town system was abolished, the different county superintendents have been as follows :

1862 and 1863, Eleazer Root ; 1864, 1865, 1866 and 1867, Isaae N. Cundall ; 1868, 1869, 1870 and 1871, D. B. Lyon ; 1872 and 1873, W. L. O'Connor for the Eighteenth Senatorial, and Morris Moriarity for the Twentieth Senatorial District ; 1874 and 1875, W. L. O'Connor for the Eighteenth Senatorial, and James J. Kelly for the Twentieth Senatorial District ; 1876 and 1877, W. L. O'Connor (for the entire county); 1878, 1879, 1880 and 1881, Edward MeLoughlin.

The salary of the County Superintendent is $1,200. He is required to visit all schools, attend all teachers' institutes, examine all applicants for teachers' certificates, and make annually a report of all matters pertaining to the public schools of the county.

At the beginning of 1880, the public schools of Fond du Lae County are reported to be in a more flourishing condition than ever before.

Following is a paragraph from a report by Edward MeLoughlin, the present County Super- intendent :

" Connected with our school work, are teachers' institutes and associations. The former is held once a year, for two weeks ; and the latter once a month, on Saturdays, in four different parts of the county. Their object is the better preparation of the teacher to manage, instruct, and discipline his school. One fact we mueh regret is, that pupils of more than ordinary promise are taken from the rural distriet school and sent to some high school or college, when, by providing competent teachers, the entire school would be immeasurably benefited by their remaining."

Eleazer Root, of Ripon, was the first County Superintendent. He was also the first State Superintendent of Wisconsin, serving three years. He was a member of the second Consti- tutional Convention, and drew up the article on education which was adopted by that Conven- tion as a portion of the State Constitution.

LITERATURE AND THE FINE ARTS.

In all eo.nparatively new countries, where men are compelled to build homes for their children and fill the coffers for the future rather than luxuriate in the accumulations of the past, less attention is given to literature and the fine arts, than in older localities where the forest has been felled, the glebe overcome and homes established. There is not less of genius, or poetry, or music in the sturdy inhabitants of new countries, nor less inelination to cultivate and enjoy the beautiful; but there are fewer leisure moments and less opportunity for improvement. The pioneer poet must repeat his lines as he treads the furrow, and the artist stiffen his joints with the ax or spade.

NATHANIEL P. TALLMADGE.

The first volume to attract attention, and the largest of any published by a resident of Fond du Lac County, was " The Healing of the Nations," by Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, which was finished in November, 1854. It contained 537 pages. The book was published by Mr. Tallmadge for the purpose of placing before the public what were deseribed as the "inspired utterances " of Charles Linton, a young and uneducated Pennsylvanian. The book attracted considerable attention. Mr. Tallmadge was one of the founders of the Episcopal Church of Fond du Lac, but the " Healing of the Nations " was Spiritualistie in its tendencies aud argu- ment. The following paragraph will indicate the manner in which his doctrines were pre- sented :

" I have always maintained, and still maintain, the Bible is the word of God ; and I agree with that accomplished scholar and jurist, Sir William Jones, who declared that the Scriptures contain, independently of their divine origin, more true sublimity, more exquisite beauty, more important history, pure morality and finer strains both of poetry and eloquence, than could be collected within the same compass from all other books that were ever composed in any age or idiom. And where I hear clergymen denouncing Spiritualism as denying the truths of the Bible,

A. E. Bovu RIPON.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

I can only say, 'they know not what they do.' They might, with greater propriety, denounce all denominations of Christians, except their own, because they differed from each other as to what are the truths of the Bible. The Roman Catholic believes in transubstantiation-in the real presence-that the real body and blood of Christ are contained in the consecrated wafer. He goes to the Bible for the truth of this doctrine. Some Protestants go to the same book to prove this doctrine rank blasphemy. Most of the Christian world finds in the Bible the doctrine of the Trinity, while the Unitarian sect, one of the most intelligent and intellectual in this country, finds in it the unity of the Godhead. The same might be said of all the various doctrines, of the different religious sects and denominations; they are all according to their respective advocates, to be found in the Bible, however inconsistent or antagonistic they may be. When then, these reverend gentlemen tell us that Spiritn- alism denies the truths of the Bible, will they be so good as to agree upon and inform us what these truths are? Christ never taught sectarianism. That has been taught by the creeds of men. Ont of these creeds has sprung the antagonism of the Christian world-an antagonism which brought Cranmer and Latimer and Ridley and Servetus to the stake-and which would bring Spiritualists to the stake also, if we were not so far advanced in the light and progress of the nineteenth century. Every real Christian looks forward to the time when this antagonists shall be done away, and we shall stand on one broad platform, founded on the doc- trines taught by Christ, instead of the doctrines taught by the creeds of men."

MARTIN MITCHIELL.

In 1854, Martin Mitchell, a man prominent in the affairs of Fond du Lac City and County, compiled and published a history of the towns and county-the first and last given to the public up to date. It contained about 100 pages, and was printed by J. A. Smith, then publishing the Western Freeman newspaper at the city of Fond du Lac. The work was quite an undertaking at that period, and contained some information which might not otherwise have been preserved. It was the first book published in Fond du Lac County.

JOHN W. WHINFIELD ..

Mr. Whinfield has been a prolific writer. Some of his favorite themes were reform in spelling and punctuation, protection, political economy and manufacturing. He wrote a pamphlet in 1867, upon iron industries and iron manufacturing in the Western States, which contained valu- able information. It was written, the author advertised, "with a view to the establishment of iron works in the Western States, and the use of peat as a fuel." From his work this quota- tion is made :

"It may be asked how one who has written and argued so much upon the injustice of pro- tection, can now consistently come forward with a proposition to partake in the profits assured by that injustice ?

"To this there are various and sufficiently satisfactory answers. In the first place, with- out protection, the wealth of these Western States in ores, and the best and cheapest of fuel, would enable us to compete with European manufactures and leave a large margin of profit, to which must also be added, the cost of transportaton and other incidental charges upon importa- tions.

" Again, the pertinacity of Eastern manufacturers, and the excess of wealth they have already acquired, through protection, to the vast cost of the West, will for a long time defeat the desultory efforts of the advocates of free trade. It behooves the West, therefore, for self- protection alone, that it should make an effort in its own behalf, and that it can do so and profit- ably compete, in this field of enterprise with the East, will be shown in the text.

"But there is another and more generous motive to excite Western minds-a natural de- sire for, and a pride in, the progress and prosperity of their country.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

"To the writer, something may be allowed for old associations-as the old hunter prieks his ears to the music of the hounds-something for a desire to bring his property into profitable use, but chiefest of all-for the time with him has long passed when any of the selfish pleasures wealth can purchase could be much appreciated-a pardonable ambition to be numbered, among those who have been of service to their generation.'

This last paragraph in the extract refers to the author's efforts to secure the establishment of iron-works near the deep peat beds on the " Ledge," a short distance cast of the city of Fond du Lac. A further quotation is made :

"Among the results attending the establishment of an iron-work in this neighborhood may be enumerated :

" The production of a superior quality of pig-iron, peculiarly calculated for stove work, hol- low-ware and all kinds of fine castings, holding out inducements to the makers of such articles to settle here.

"The production of heavy castings from the blast, or first smelting, at a much cheaper rate than from the cupola, which necessitates a second melting.

" The production of a superior quality of merchant iron, equal to Juniata iron, and manu- factured at a much less cost. The ductility of this iron, the economy with which it may be worked, the saving in cost and in working, from the abundance of the cheapest and best fuel for their purposes, would gather round the supply iron-workers in every department of iron- ware, and consequently a large working population would be brought into the country.

"The first work of this description, would be the forerunner to many others of a like character, still adding to the smaller factories and multiplying the population, to the permanent benefit of the agricultural interest, the vast increase in the value of property, and the rapid and permanent improvement of both city and country.

" Those great undertakings, which only wealth profitably invested can accomplish, would be carried out to their full extent-drainage and roadmaking in particular-would be among the first improvements.

" The contemplated railways -- the Sheboygan, and the Air Line to Milwaukee, with others in addition-would become a necessity, and for all which our own resources would be sufficient for providing material and converting it to the different purposes required.

" To have a just idea of what iron-works would do for Wisconsin, it is only necessary to. call to mind Belgium, and, indeed, England, and ask the question-What would either of these countries have been without her iron-works ?"

DAVID P. MAPES.

In 1873, David P. Mapes, the "founder of Ripon," published a volume of nearly three hundred pages, entitled, " History of the City of Ripon and of its Founder." The peculiarity of his style may be discovered from an extract, taken from the preface :

" Before writing this history of myself and of the towns I have aided in building, I will say that I have been frequently asked to write it out and get it into book form. If there is anything in my long life and experience worth keeping on the shelves of the book-ease, or taking down and reading, here it is ; and you who have had my acquaintance will see it is the 'old Captain,' right over. I have not attempted to show the scholar or the statesman, but simply to give a true history of myself and times, as I have seen them, for I have learned that those who attempt to pass themselves off for something they are not, are discovered at once by the discriminating public. * So here it is. As thoughts have come to me I have penned them ; and you, critics, take them and deal gently with the old man, for such now they call me, if I do feel young. I have written this without gloves, for I meant it should come barehanded, if the hand may appear." The book has met with a liberal sale.

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY.

ABBIE BEESON CARRINGTON.

In musical circles, on both sides of the Atlantic, the name of Fond du Lac is familiar as the birthplace and home of Abbie Beeson Carrington. She was born June 13, 1856, and up to August, 1875, was a pupil of C. F. Kumlau's, in Fond du Lac. She then went to Boston, and entered the New England Conservatory of Music, graduating from that institution in June, 1877. Being encouraged by the professors of the Conservatory to study in Italy for the opera, she sailed with her parents (Edward and Susan E. Beeson) September 1, 1877, for Milan, where she became the pupil of Signor Guiseppi Parini and Madame Marini, in vocal culture ; Madame Boreome, in language, and Signor Ranconi, in elocution. After studying one year in Milan, Mrs. Carrington accepted an engagement under the nom de plume of Iola Barbo, and sung as prima donna in several of the cities in Northern Italy during the fall and winter. Returning to Milan, she continued her studies until July, 1879, when she sailed for New York, where she now resides.

Mrs. Carrington's first appearance after returning to America was on Wednesday evening. October 7, 1879, at Boston. This paragraph, from the Musical Record, of that city, is only one of scores of similar import published on that occasion :

" Abbie Carrington achieved an immediate and triumphant success. She sung the 'Shadow Song' from Meyerbeer's ' Dinorah,' and for an encore the 'Bolero,' from Verdi's . Sicilian Ves- pers.' She also sung ' Hear Ye, Israel.' Her voice is rich, sweet and flexible. She is very artistie in her method. The former selections were sung with the utmost ease, grace and flueney, while in the latter she evinced rare dramatic skill. Her debut was a complete triumph."

Soon after, she engaged with Theodore Thomas, in New York, where her success was equally flattering, and also filled several engagements with the most popular concert companies. and now with the Mendelssohn Quintette Club. The commendation she received from the musical and secular press of Italy and America would make a volume ; the Italians, the most severe musical critics in the world, being even more enthusiastic in her praise than her own countrymen. While Mrs. Carrington was singing in Italy, the Boston Folio published a lengthy article upon her success in that cradle of music and art, of which this is an extract :

" An Italian impressario, desiring a soprano prima donna, after a hearing, chose her from several applicants, offering her a lucrative engagement, including two benefits, and in one year from the time she entered Milan she made her debut in . Traviata,' making an almost unpar- alleled success for a debutante. She was called before the curtain nine times, and in the confu- sion, 'Brava ! brava !' could be heard from all parts of the house. During her stay in Piacenza, the scene of her first triumph, she was visited by many citizens and musicians, con- gratulating her upon her grand success. She was at once offered engagements by several impressarii. During this engagement, she constantly gained in the favor and admiration of the critical Italians, both for her singing and her acting, and at the close of the engagement she was waited upon by a committee of citizens, who thanked her for the great satisfaction and delight she had given them.

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The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 78

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