The history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, containing an account of settlement, growth, development and resources biographical sketches the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin, Part 69

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 840

USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > The history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, containing an account of settlement, growth, development and resources biographical sketches the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin > Part 69

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"Why, Mrs. Garrison, you won't shoot them, will you ?"

"Yes, I will, if they come around here again while Mr. Garrison is gone."

" Well, I'll load the gun for you, but I wouldn't shoot them, for I'm afraid they would rise and murder us all."

"I don't care; we might as well be murdered outright as to starve for want of provisions they steal from us. Put in a good big load, Bob," she continued.

Accordingly, Bob loaded the gun heavily with powder and "bouble B " shot, and, having finished the operation, wended his way toward the prairie. He had been gone about an hour, when, just as he came in sight of the house upon his return, he heard both barrels of the gun discharged almost simultaneously, and at the same instant saw an Indian, near the house, spring into the air and fall upon his face in the road, evidently badly wounded if not killed. Two other Indians, his companions, caught him up and ran with him toward their camp. To say that Bob

* Pork, Indian meal, bread.

+ Gen. Kellogg himself.

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

· was frightened, was no name for it. He fully expected that the Indians would retaliate, and per- haps destroy the settlement before night. He ran at once to the house, and upon his arrival found Mrs. Garrison just struggling to her feet, rubbing her shoulder and moaning with pain. The recoil of the gun had thrown her violently to the ground, and almost dislocated her shoulder. " Good heavens," exclaimed Bob, "what have you done, Mrs. Garrison ?"

" I really don't know. I wish he had been at my end of the gun. I believe my shoulder is gone."

" Never mind your shoulder ; where is the gun ? Let me load it for you at once," said Bob, " they may come back here and kill you."

" Yes, that is right, Bobby, load it up again. But don't put in so much next time ; it shoots both ways."

"Why, Mrs. Garrison," exclaimed Bob, "I believe you have killed that Indian."

" I hope so," she replied ; " I'll teach them to steal my pigs."

" What were they doing ?" queried Bob.

" Why," said she, " I had started to the pig-pen with a pail of swill, and what should I see but three great strapping fellows in the pen taking out one of my best shoats. I called to them to puckachee [go away ], but they called me a squaw and laughed at me. I dropped the swill and brought the gun. When they saw me coming with that in my hand they dropped the pig and ran around the stable. I ran to the upper side, and, putting the gun over the fence, got a good rest, and when they came in sight, I took the best aim I could and pulled both triggers at once-I was afraid one barrel might miss-and the recoil of the gun knocked me nearly a rod, I should think, by the way my shoulder feels. But, Bob, do you really think I killed him ?"

" I am afraid you have, Mrs. Garrison, and you must go away from here at once ; they will come back and murder you."

" What ! go away and leave all these things to be stolen, and the animals to die of starva- tion ? I shall do nothing of the kind; and if they come, the dogs and this gun will hurt some of them. I don't believe they will trouble me again.">

THE INDIAN SCARE OF 1844.1

I was, at the time, living with William Farnum, Sr., on the prairie near the Bluffs. Some time in the night, Albert Jemison waked us up and told us that Mrs. Brewster, who lived between Baraboo River and the Bluffs, had come over the Bluffs barefooted and out of breath, bringing the news that old Richard Clark had been killed by the Indians, and his house burned, and that the savages were coming this way. We asked him what we should do, and he said that every one must take care of himself. Then he left, and I, wishing to do something for myself and country, went to John Hoover's, near by, and told him that the Indians were coming, and that we must do something for the people. So I took a small pony of his and started over the prairie to give the alarm. I called first on Uncle Bill Johnson, telling him the story as Jemi- son had told me. He asked me what we were to do, and I said, as Jemison had done, that every one must take care of himself. I then called on Philo Barber's brother, waked him up and told him that the Indians were upon us. The strong man trembled like an aspen, and faltered, " What shall I do ?" Again I gave Jemison's advice : " ' Take care of yourself.'" I next called on Thomas Tabor and family, and the same question was asked, " What shall we do ?" with the same response given. I had now reached the lower part of the prairie settlement. The Tabor men concluded that discretion was the better part of valor, and asked to go with me back to the Bluffs. There was a terrible confusion by this time. Wagons could be heard going in every direction, and voices everywhere were asking, " What shall we do ?" Thomas Tabor made some provisions for his wife to make her escape-in some wagon; I think-to where they were think- ing of making a place of defense. Then one of the Tabors got on that wee pony behind me. Both would have done so had there been room on its back, but two were all that could squeeze

* Subsequent events proved the wisdom of the latter assertion ; for Mrs. Garrison lived to mourn the death of her husband, and, in due course of time, she married Dr. Taylor, and died recently, in Chicago, at a ripe old age .- EDITOR.

f By James A. Taylor.

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

on. When we got to the Bluffs, we learned that all the people were collecting at Uncle Bill Johnson's for self-protection. Some came in wagons, some on horseback and others on foot. They brought all the old guns and pitchforks that they could get in the hurry, and such treas- ures as they possessed. I believe that Uncle Teel brought his cook-stove. There were about one hundred and fifty persons in all. It was arranged that the women and children should go into the cellar, and the men stand battle. While waiting for the attack, the women were running bullets, and all was bustle and confusion, some asking and others advising what to do. *

We had been in suspense all night, and still no signs of the Indians ; and we held a coun- cil of war, and concluded to send a scout to reconnoiter the grounds in the neighborhood of Uncle Clark's house. But not a soul dared to act as scout except John Grey. He took a horse (a gray one) and started alone on his mission. An hour and a half passed, and he did not return, whereupon we became more and more alarmed, and a company of men, headed by David Baxter, started out to find what had become of him. They went about a mile and met Johnny return- ing. They heard his story, and then put spurs to their horses and rushed back, crying " The Indians are upon us !" What a consternation and confusion they created ! The women and chil- dren fled to the cellar, and stout hearts stood still in terrible anticipation. But from John Grey we learned the true story. He had been to Uncle Clark's house. It was not burned, and Uncle Clark had no remembrance of having been massacred. In fact, he had seen or heard no Indians. Baraboo slept peacefully, undisturbed by the war-whoop of the savage. The people now con- cluded to disperse, and, as a closing scene, word was given to take aim and fire. But, to our amusement, and consternation likewise, only one gun went off. By the time daylight began to break, the fort was vacated.

It seems, from what I can learn, that Mrs. Brewster had started barefoot over the Bluffs to Sauk Prairie on business, and had met an Indian, who frightened her. Uncle Clark had that day been burning some brush heaps, and the great smoke led Mrs. Brewster to believe that the house was burning. Her imagination did the rest.

EARLY CHRISTIAN EFFORT IN SAUK COUNTY.

It was my privilege to be one of those inevitable men on the frontier, a Methodist itinerant preachier, as early as the spring of 1841. I was not, however, the first of my class to visit Sauk County. That honor, I think, belongs to Rev. James G. Whitford, now of Volga City, Iowa. It has been suggested to me that, possibly, Rev. John Crummer preceded him, but of this I have no knowledge sufficient to form a belief. Mr. Whitford, after spending a number of years of widowerhood, part of them near St. Paul, as an Indian and frontier missionary, very naturally desired to find a fellow-sufferer of the gentler sex, hoping, as many do, that by uniting their sor- rows they could bear them more joyfully. Mrs. Sarah Sayles, the widowed daughter of Henry Teel, who had removed to the Bluffs on Sauk Prairie in 1840, attracted him. During his visits here, he preached to the few settlers that gathered for the purpose, and, I believe, formed the first class in Sauk County ; but of the date, and of all the names, he has no record. The class was formed at the house of Father Teel, still standing at the foot of the bluffs, which, for several years, was the place of meeting. Mr. Whitford and Mrs. Sayles were united in marriage by Rev. Mr. Simpson on the 15th of August, 1841, and this was probably the first marriage in Sauk County. My first record relating to this county mentions meeting Rev. Henry W. Reed, now of Epworth, Iowa, Presiding Elder of the Dubuque District, and J. G. Whitford, on their way to Sauk Prairie, May, 1841, to hold a quarterly meeting. Mr. Reed was then Presiding Elder of the Platteville District, Rock River Conference, which embraced all this region of country, and Mr. Whitford was stationed at Mineral Point, associated with this County Circuit. I was his assistant. They left an appointment for me a few weeks from that time, and promised the people a preacher for the next year. I reached the Prairie on the 23d of June, 1841. The only road there from Mineral Point was by way of Blue Mounds, and the only vestige of habitation

* By Rev. T. M. Fullerton, written in 1872.

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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

between Brigham's tavern and the river at about where the Lower Bridge now is, was Mr. Thomas' Station, near Cross Plains. All the supplies for the Upper Wisconsin pioneers were drawn on the military road leading to Fort Winnebago, now Portage City. Mr. Thomas had established a way station for teamsters and travelers. From this road, a way was opened from about the present Alden Corners to the river. The crossing at Lower Sauk Village was the only ferry then between the Fox River and the shot-tower at Helena. I copy the entry in my journal, as made on my first visit on the above date :

" After riding through a heavy rain-storm on a very bad road, I crossed the river and got to Father Teel's, at the Bluffs, just at dark. I have often heard of this prairie, but, like the Queen of the South, I can say 'The half has never been told me !' It is on the west bank of the Wisconsin River, eight miles long and four wide, being about eighty-five miles from the mouth of the river. The lower part of it is about ten feet above high-water mark, and it gradually rises until the northern part is fifty or more feet high. The soil is in places sandy, but very pro- ductive and all adapted to cultivation. This was once the great headquarters of the Sac nation of Indians, and large fields of their corn-hills are yet plainly visible. These were driven hence by the Winnebagoes, and subsequently they gave place to the whites, some of whom first settled here about two years ago. There are now about two hundred and seventy inhabitants on the prairie. A flourishing little village is commenced on the river."

To show what sad havoc thirty years will make with a man's opinions of taste, and, if you look at me as I read this, with his personal appearance, I continue the quotation :

" There is here an Hungarian Count-so he calls himself-who claims to have large quantities of money, and is expending it liberally in improvements. There is also an Englishman here who claims to have been a lord in the old country. He is in partnership with the Count. They both look like savages, wearing a long beard above as well below the mouth. And they are the great men of the place, and others adopt their customs and make themselves as ridiculous as possible."

On Thursday evening, June 24, I preached at the Bluffs, from 1 Cor., xiii, 13; Friday evening, at the Lower Village, in an unfinished schoolhouse, from Rev., iii, 20; Sunday, A. M., at the Bluffs. and in the evening, again at the village. At the Rock River Conference held at Platteville, closing September 2, 1841, I was appointed to Muscoda Mission, in Platteville Dis- trict, Rev. Henry W. Reed, Presiding Elder. The mission embraced all the settlements on both sides of the river, from Muscoda to Fort Winnebago. Before the close of the year, I had appoint- ments at Muscoda, Blue Mounds, then known as Centreville, near Meeker's lead furnace, Helena, (Highland, four miles north, was not even thought of then), Ridgeway, Blue Mounds, Sauk Village, Honey Creek Mills, Bluffs and Baraboo. It required three weeks to make my round, involving a travel of over 200 miles, for there were scarcely any roads. My first appointment at Honey Creek Mills, where several families had settled, was September 16, and the text was James, iv, 8, the meeting being at Mr. Gould's, and there were eighteen present. At this point we afterward held the meetings at a Mr. Crain's, whose wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Finding the distance so great to go and return by way of the Mounds, I crossed the river at Helena (Mr. Alva Culver, who boarded the shot-tower men, keeping a scow for the purpose), on the 30th of September, and went up to Sauk on the old Indian trail. This route I traveled eight or ten times during the year. The trail was circuitous, bearing out from the river and crossing several wet marshes, where my little Canada pony could not bear me up. To avoid the inconvenience of dismounting in a quagmire nearly knee deep and wading twenty rods, as I often did, I sought a better route. Sometimes I went up the river bank, but logs and gorges, to say nothing of the bluffs, coming to the water's edge, made that a difficult road. I tried several times to vary the former track, to split the difference between the impassable river bank and the swampy trail, but, like almost all bargains on splitting the difference, I found my- self badly sold. I settled down at last to the conviction that it is safe to follow the trails of Indians until civilized highways are made. There were no settlers in this country, west of Honey Creek, till the fall of 1841 or the spring of 1842. Mr. Wilson, the shot-tower cooper, moved

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his family to the mouth of Wilson's Creek in the latter part of 1841. He was a well-informed Scotchman, and had a family of well-posted children. I stayed with him one night, when I was informed it was an established family order that, by turns, one should read history or some other solid work-of which he had a good library-each night, while all the others worked and lis- tened. Hence, the intelligence of the children was remarkable for a frontier family. Soon after. a Mr. Turner settled about where Spring Green now is, and several young men took claims on the prairie. On the 30th of May, 1842, I preached in Mr. Turner's house to the family and three young men who came in. My text was, " The time is short ;" 1 Cor., vii, 29. That was undoubtedly the first attempt at preaching in Spring Green. In 1841, there was a temporary bridge built across Honey Creek at the mill, which saved me trouble. Before that, I had made my pony swim the creek at the crossing of the trail, and had taken my baggage across on a log. Sometimes my pony concluded it was as easy for me to walk and carry my luggage as it was for him to carry that and me too. Once I walked immediately behind him for about seven miles. West of this bridge a Canadian, Mr. Brisset. with a young Yankee wife, settled in 1842; I spent one night in their little cabin. Still west of him a mile or two, in a beautiful valley, after the burning of the grass, I saw a field of several acres of parallel ridges, about five feet apart, very nearly straight, that must have been used many years before, for large white-oak trees grew all among them. They were more artistic than any remains of Indian cultivation I have ever seen.

My first visit to Baraboo Mills was October 5, 1841. Notice of my coming had not been given, and we therefore had no meeting. At that time, the saw-mill had been repaired, a new dam put in and some men employed. An old man, Mr. Draper, a member of the Baptist Church, was some way interested in the mill, and it was called Draper's Mill. He invited me to come and establish meetings there. A Mr. Hill, from one of the New England States. had built a log cabin about ten or fifteen rods east of the mill, and boarded Mr. Draper and the hands. This mill was not far from half a mile above the ford on the Baraboo River. On the 16th of October, Tuesday evening, I preached in Mr. Hill's house to eleven persons, from 2 Cor., v, 20 ; which was certainly the opening of the Gospel for the first time in Baraboo Valley. None of those present professed to be Christians, save Mr. Draper. After that, my appointments were regularly filled there, except once, when the roads were impassable. On Sunday, February 6, 1842, I formed a Methodist class at Baraboo Mills, consisting of Solomon Shaffer, leader, Ollie Shaffer and Parmelia Gibson, all of whom were Methodist immigrants, recently arrived. Mr. Shaffer was the mill blacksmith, and lived in a house newly built south of the mill. Mrs. Gibson and family had settled about a mile above the river, on the north side. Before I left the circuit, there were one or two families moved in above the Gibsons, I think about five miles up the river. I visited them once, but have no record of the names. My impression is that one of them was Jones. On the 10th of April. Mrs. Mary J. Hill, the woman of the house where our meetings were held, joined the class. She was the first convert to religion in the valley, having made a profession in the early spring of 1843. The unfinished schoolhouse at Lower Town, as Sauk City was then called, was very uncomfortable as a place of meeting ; besides, the people there- were chiefly Germans, and had little sympathy with our forms of religion. Early in the winter of 1841-42, we got the privilege of holding our meetings at the house of Mr. Skinner, and there- after had no services at Lower Town. About the 1st of April, 1842, Rev. Phillip W. Nichols came with his family to Upper Town as a Presbyterian Home Missionary, under the auspices of the American Board of Commissioners for the Home and Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church. He had formerly been a Methodist itinerant preacher, but, for reasons satisfactory to himself and his church, his connections with that body was dissolved. He had connected himself with the Congregational body; but at that time in Wisconsin Territory, under what is known as the " Union," a minister of either the Congregational or Presbyterian Church could serve the other without change of ecclesiastical relations. So he was a Presbyterian Pastor, but a Congregational minister. The scattered Presbyterian friends here had received him as a missionary, with an appropriation from the mission fund of $400, they agreeing to furnish him

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a dwelling, fuel and provisions for one year as their part. He was the first regular Pastor for Sauk exclusively ; for, although I preceded him, my parish embraced Grant, Iowa, Dane and Richland Counties, besides Sauk, and all the settled regions beyond. Again, his salary equaled $700 or more, while mine could, according to our law, be no more than $100. He had $100 missionary funds ; I but $50, aside from which I only received during the whole year 92 cents. He had a pleasant home with his family; I boarded round like the schoolmaster of the times. He was a man of years of experience in the ministry, and knew the inconveniences of Methodist pioneering ; I was inexperienced in both. It is therefore no wonder at our first interview at the house of Mr. Skinner after I had preached and called on him to close, he gave me and the audience to understand that he thought I had vast room for improvement. We first met April 13, after which we alternated in holding meetings at Upper Sauk. My principal home during the year was at Father Teel's. I spent nearly a week there once in three weeks, and myself and horse shared the best they had. The family consisted of two old persons and George, about seventeen, and Charles, about twelve. Mother Teel was more than a mother to me, for she saved my life once, at least, by her skill in treating a dangerous disease successfully. No poor itinerant ever met with more generous hospitality than I did at that " Methodist Tavern." and my home there is among the most cherished memories of my life.

I finished my year on July 20, having traveled about 3,500 miles, besides visiting generally about the settlement, preaching nearly 200 times to congregations ranging from two, the lowest, to thirty, the highest, averaging eight. I could count my congregation every time for the whole year without making a mistake. The people were generally poor, consisting in most instances of newly married couples, just beginning life for themselves. But they were exceedingly kind, and I may add, patient, for I was often ill, and at best, could poorly interest, much less profit them. But it was a valuable year to me, rich in privations, trials and opportunities, and one I can never forget, because of its pleasures. At the Conference of 1843, held at Chicago, Sey - mour Stover succeeded me on the Muscoda Mission, while I was sent far hence to the Gentiles ; that is, among the Chippewa Indians at the head of Lake Superior. Mr. Stover is still living near Chicago. His connection with the Sauk County people did not prove very happy. At the end of his year, the mission was left off the minutes. In 1844, it was again favored with mention, but not called " Sauk Prairie " and left "to be supplied," being yet in Platteville District, Benjamin T. Kavanaugh being Presiding Elder. Being far away, I have no knowl- edge as to who was the supply for that year, but he probably was a Badger.

467

HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.

CHAPTER VIII.

TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.

PHYSICAL FEATURES-ELEVATIONS-THE BARABOO QUARTZITE RANGES-WISCONSIN'S AMAZON -FLORA AND FAUNA.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Sauk County is situated midway between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, in the center of the south half of the State. Upon its south, southeast and northeast sides, sweeps the rapid current of the Wisconsin River, one of the largest tributaries of the " Father of Waters," into whose channel every stream in the county eventually finds its way. The county is bounded on the north by Juneau, on the west by Vernon and Richland, on the south by Iowa, southeast by Dane, and east and northeast by Columbia County.

The soil embraces every variety, found frequently in strangely close proximity. Stiff clays are sometimes found terminating abruptly in beds of sandy loam, or gradually intermixing with them, so that a single farm often embraces many varieties. Marshes occur along the water- courses, sometimes of considerable extent, though rarely of a swampy character. Rich bottom lands occasionally hem in the streams, while fertile prairies, for the most part of quite limited dimensions and skirted with timber available for farm purposes, greet the eye of the traveler in nearly every portion. The largest of these is Prairie du Sac. But one of the greatest glories of Sauk County is her extensive and heavily timbered lands, lying nearly midway between her northern and southern limits, and running the entire length from east to west.

The largest branch but one of the Wisconsin River is the Baraboo, a stream of perhaps one hundred miles in length and running through the county from east to west. Directly south of this stream lie the famous Baraboo Bluffs, a range of hills with occasional subranges shoot- ing off, which also stretches entirely across the county. Upon this range, and its offshoots, are located the large supplies of timber. The east end of the Baraboo Bluffs is geologically very interesting. Here nature has cut many freaks. The bluff is from three to four miles wide, and for this distance has but few spurs, but is indented here and there with small streams, in the valleys of which there seems to have been a general tear-up. The redeeming feature of this local- ity is the abundance of timber. Passing from this mountain-like end of the Baraboo Bluff, which averages from four hundred to six hundred, and at some points eight hundred, feet above the Wis- consin River, to the line of Range 4, we leave the flinty or vitrified sandstone and come upon the Lower Magnesian limestone and the lower sandstone. Here the top of the divide softens down to good farming land of a clay loam-white-oak soil. The top of the ridge, being wide enough for a farm and in some places two abreast, thus forms a solid chain of farms, not only on the main ridge, but for some distance on the spurs. As we pass into Range 3, in Town 11, the Baraboo Bluff meets and unites with other ranges, which radiate off to the south, northeast and north, the main bluff passing out of the county to the northwest. These " divides " form broad, elevated tables of excellent lands, well timbered with red and white oak and poplar. There is but little rough land.

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The history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, containing an account of settlement, growth, development and resources biographical sketches the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin, Part 69

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 840

Author: Western historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 840