USA > Wisconsin > Outagamie County > The pioneers of Outagamie County, Wisconsin : containing the records of the Outagamie County Pioneer Association; also a biographical and historical sketch of some of the earliest settlers of the county, and their families, their children, and grand-children > Part 12
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3. Wanted, pioneers in our school matters. The In- dians in Outagamie county had as good a body as the white man, but not as good a brain, or rather, a brain he didn't use as well. You old settlers brought muscle to this county, but you brought something more important, i. e., the mental training you got in the district schools and acadamies and colleges of the east. It is because you planned and studied, because you could think that you brought a better civilization. You founded schools here, but there's plenty of pioneer work needed in them yet. If what is reported in one of our papers last week in reference to a school in the town of Osborne is true, then pioneer educational work is needed there as surely as thirty years ago. The school question has been an embarrassing one to some, politically, the past year, but that will all blow over. I judge it has already, and then the men and the women in this county will have to take it up and do pioneer work. Some work that will impress on us the fact that civilization in Outagamie county will go back, that we shall approach barbarism again if we do not see to it that every child in our county is well educated. Statistics prove that a common school education adds 50 per cent to the productive power of the laborer, considered as a man machine, an academic or high school education increases it 100 per cent, and a college education 250 per cent. Pauper- ism is increased twenty-two fold by illiteracy. See how well it pays. We have four to five million illiterates. Sup- pose they can earn $100 a year, now increase that 50 per cent by a common school education and you have $200,000,- 000 more than we pay for education. Wanted, then, more pioneers in the schools of Outagamie county.
4. Wanted, pioneers for our newspapers and our pulpits. Aside from our schools the great educational forces in our counties is the newspaper and the church. Neither are
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where they cannot be improved, but as a minister I can very clearly see the mote in the eye of my brother of the news- paper, while he as clearly sees the beam in his brother minister's eye. Our papers rank well with the papers of any county, but the coming paper will give more attention to industries and schools and reforms and science and arts and religion, and far less to scandals, trials, prize fights, races, crimes, and accidents. Far more to fair dis- cussion and far less to unfair partisanship. I would like to see a paper issued in which every article should have the author's name signed to it, no matter if it was an editorial or a personal. The old settler with a paper once a month was not so far behind those of us who have two papers a day, and books so cheap no one can read a hun- dreth part of those accessible to us, because he thought upon and used the intelligence he had. It has been said "civilization has given us ears and we have lost the use of our feet ; it has given us watches and we cannot tell the hour of the day ; it has given us the nautical almanac and we do not know a star in the sky ; it has given us vast libraries and we have ceased to think." And there's some truth in that. The pioneer needed in the mental field to-day is one who will read less and think more, read fewer books and better ones, and who will make the paper and the book that is sent out to our county something that will educate instead of degenerate.
5. Wanted, pioneers in the moral field. The people who settled in Outagamie county believed in the decalogue. They started a society simple and strong and moral. If we, their children, do not do pioneer work in moral prob- lems it will not be their fault. Outagamie county sent 1,400 men to the war of the rebellion. But there is more chance for pioneer work in morals now than forty years ago. A community, like a child, has greater problems to solve as it grows in age and experience. So there faces us to-day questions in reference to rights and wrongs that were hardly thought of by the pioneers of 1850. I spoke of the tramp problem ; forty years ago they did not know the meaning of the word.
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In 1850 there was probably not a saloon in Outagamie county. Now we have not far from a hundred.
Forty years ago almost every man and woman was work- ing for themselves. Now three-fourths are employed by the remaining one-fourth. Then social life was simple, now we are crystallizing or hardening into sets and circles and grades and classes. Then there were a few foreigners, now a large majority are of foreign birth or parentage. Remember, the pioneer is one who works and who works in new fields. So the woman who to-day is helping solve the servant girl question will be just as much a true pioneer as the one who, forty years ago, barred her little cabin against the Indians. The man who will shoulder a moral principle to-day and walk out into new places in government or society with it is just as much a pioneer as one who shouldered an ax forty years ago and went out to make a clearing in the woods. And all this pioneer work will do as great things for the coming fifty years as surely as the old settlers' work did the past fifty. The romantic days, the stirring, the effective days are not gone. There's more to be done for our county than has been. Greater improvements can be made the next half century than the last half. So that fifty years from to-day some of you can meet here and tell of as great changes, of as honest struggles and toil, and of great victories, as those of us here to-day who have seen the changes of the last century.
Wanted, then, more pioneers for Outagamie county. Can we have them ? How shall we get them ?
And here we shall have to learn of and follow the old pioneer, for he had the spirit and the aim that must enter all pioneer work. Our methods will not be the same but our characteristics, our qualities of life must be.
You study the old pioneers and you find they possessed these elements of life:
1. A determination to better their condition.
2. An ambition to get a home of their own.
3. A pride in their work.
4. Pluck and patience and perseverance in what they undertook.
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5. Good cheer and neighborliness toward others.
6. Faith in themselves and in God.
You cannot make a pioneer without a large number of these qualities. If then we, who are here to-day, have inherited or will cultivate these graces we are not going to disgrace the old pioneers or squander the inheritance they have brought to us.
When we shall, all of us, see that it is a duty and a possi- bility for us to better our condition. Not sink down into the ruts of any business and be moored there, when we see that the great aim of every one should not be to find the best job, but to make the best of what he now has, and make that a better one. When we get ambitious to have a home of our own, when we take a pride in our work and put into it our very best self ; when we go out into life in the great spirit of neighbor and brother, not whining but hopeful, not discouraged but full of good cheer; when we see that any one to win must have some faith in himself and then must remember that he cannot get along in this world unless God is his friend and helper-then there will be no longer a call for more pioneers.
I congratulate to-day the old pioneer who is with us, but more the one who has again emigrated. The qualities of life they developed, the characters they carved out, must surely have better fields, more room, choicer champion- ships for growth there than here.
But I also congratulate the coming pioneer. I do not care whether he be on the soil or in the shop, in the store or school. We need them all. There's a magnificent field before us.
We are living, we are dwelling In a grand and awful time, In an age on ages telling, To be living is sublime.
I hear the tread of pioneers, Of nations yet to be.
The first low wash of waves where soon Shall roll a human sea.
The rudiments of empires here
Are plastic yet and warm,
10
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The chaos of a mighty world Is rounding into form.
Let us then be up and doing, With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait.
In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of life; Be not like dumb driven cattle, Be a hero in the strife.
At the close of the address a voluntary contribution of $9.03 was taken up for the benefit of the society's treasury.
Miss Mabel Wolcott recited very naturally and power- fully the patriotic selection "Independence."
A collection was taken up for Bertie Johnston, the blind lad who had furnished the music of the afternoon, amount- ing to $6.00.
President Dey at this point gave a brief historical sketch of the old pioneers who had departed this life since the last preceding meeting. A somewhat remarkable circumstance is that for the last three years, some member of the society has died either on the day of the meeting or very close to it. This year it was B. B. Murch. The other pioneers who had died during the year were: John Stephens, S. J. Perry, Miles Perry, Stephen Root and wife, William Root, William Young, William Nau, Elizabeth Rupple, John McMurdo, Sr., Mrs. M. McComb, Rev. M. Harrington, Mrs. Leach, Mrs. A. C. Beach, F. E. Adsit, Mrs. Spofford, Mrs. Mullet, F. B. Torrey, Caspar Herman, Isaac Cobb, James Lake, Rhoda Watson, Fred Wise, Mrs. M. R. Barteau, Mrs. Lempke, Mrs. Zhart.
John Stephens was first president of the society in 1872.
A letter of greeting from Mark A. Mosher of Milwaukee, was read by J. F. Johnston. Brief remarks were then made by Mrs. L. C. Baer and Mr. Joseph Rork, portraying the difference between pioneer life and existence at the present day. James Webly related the sad story of his boy who wandered away into a swamp in early days and although three hundred men searched, his clothes and
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bones were not found until three months after, where he had died of starvation and exposure.
Brief remarks were made by E. A. Abbott and J. F. Johnston. Mr. Johnston built the first shanty in Apple- ton and was first postmaster of the village. Volunteer speeches were then made by C. E. Spicer, and Rev. A. A. Drown. H. D. Ryan moved that the society next year pur- chase a bell to be placed on the president's table and each speaker be limited to three minutes -especially the presi- dent ! He also protested against so many "fish " stories. He was something of a liar himself and proceeded to prove it much to the edification of the audience, but he didn't like to hear other people tell such whoppers.
Mr. Ryan was followed by A. Greenfield and William Verity.
This concluded the speaking. Mrs. L. C. Baer and Mrs. L. B. Mills were appointed to prepare papers for the next meeting, and the president was authorized to appoint some member of the society to prepare during the year, short obituary sketches of any members who might be called to join the majority. The meeting closed with prayer by Rev. John Faville.
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Pioneers' Meeting, Feb. 22, 1892.
The surviving pioneers had a glorious reunion at Odd Fellows' Hall, a large representation being from the coun- try towns, the city also furnishing its quota. The forenoon meeting was for the purpose of selecting officers for the ensuing year, with the following result: President, John Dey; vice-president, Henry Kethroe; secretary, E. Spencer; treasurer, John McGillan; executive committee, W. F. Johnston, John McGillan, C. A. Abbott, W. W. Briggs. Adjourned for dinner, which consisted of a sumptuous re- past, furnished from ample baskets brought by the pioneers' wives and daughters, which was partaken of to the excellent music of the Center Cornet Band, which also added greatly to the afternoon entertainment, the music being well interspersed among the speeches.
The afternoon session was called to order by President John Dey, who proceeded to pronounce brief eulogies upon the late Judge Myers, W. H. Sampson and others.
Mrs. D. Huntley read a well prepared biography of the late Mrs. Pomeroy.
Rev. R. H. Pooley spoke upon the pioneer theme as applicable to the whole country and the world.
Dr. Lummis paid a noble tribute to the life work of the late Rev. W. H. Sampson.
Rev. John Faville made some very happy and timely remarks upon thoughts suggested by the day.
A vocal selection was admirably rendered by Eugene McGillan, followed by a recitation by little Wells Nesbitt, which brought out great applause.
Remarks were then made by Vice-President Kethroe.
Venerable Charles Wolcott contributed a short poem, which elicited enthusiastic applause.
Then followed the annual address by Mr. A. B. Whitman,
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Mr. Whitman showed how this pioneer meeting was typical of many other reunions held this day in Wisconsin; and taking Washington's birthday for the occasion of such meetings was very appropriate, because he was also a per- son who did a great deal of pioneer work in Western Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.
The history of this part of Wisconsin and Fox River Valley is rich with achievements of the old explorers, La Salle, Marquette and others, back in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
He also told how the French voyagers and trappers traversed this country coming up from the St. Lawrence River Valley, and many of these French names are now given to places in this state. He also gave a brief account of the different Indian tribes that occupied what is now Wisconsin, speaking of the Sioux, Chippewas, Menominees, Winnebagos, Outagamies and also spoke of the chiefs of some of the noted Indian tribes, Black Hawk, Gray Eagle, Dekorah and Oshkosh. He showed how Green Bay and Sheboygan were the principal ports to reach this part of Wisconsin and described the early means of traveling by battaux and ox-cart along the blazed pathway: He also showed that the principal immigration started into Wis- consin in the '40's, coming from the eastern states and the western countries of Europe. He also spoke of these early settlers as a sturdy class of people; and that both men and women were the very people to build up the great common- wealth like Wisconsin. He also spoke of a few of the early settlers in different parts of the county, mentioning the Grignons, Lawe, Meade, Beaulieus, Verstegen, Simpson, Conklin, McNab, Batley, McGillans, and mentioned a few of those in the central and western part of our county, Leith, Johnson, Breiterick, Smith, Rexford, Pews, Hyde, Horton, Walker, McMurdo, Steffens, · Briggs, Perrys, Cul- bertson, Young, Williams and many others in different parts of the county. He also described the early settlers of Appleton and town of Grand Chute.
He spoke of the great work done by pioneers in building roads, clearing up farms, starting cities, building mills,
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together with the hardships of early life in Wisconsin, and he pictured how the men and women of those days lived a happy, simple life and gave their hospitality and sympa- thy to strangers and neighbors coming into this wilder- ness.
"Within less than fifty years it is remarkable how this county and vicinity has been transformed into a settled state, filled with cities, some strung along the Fox river like a string of pearls; with the railroads, steamboat lines, great mills and factories and all the other advantages and inventions of the ninteenth century."
He mentioned a few of the incidents of pioneering, showing some of the humorous events as well as the sad and serious that happened years ago, and how they spoke of a person as a neighbor although often living five to eight miles away. In closing he spoke of the character of the pioneers.
The pioneer must be a man of strong faith filled with bravery and capable of hard labor; his wife must be a strong- minded and noble woman, ready to undergo what they had to for the sake of bettering the condition of their family. How the memory goes back to those days when she, the pioneer wife and mother, fulfilled her duties in the family, yet a friend to welcome the stranger. How she worked and planned for the comfort, with her limited means, yet how much of life she gave to us in those days when with- out notice and preparation she welcomed all with hospi- tality. The pioneers were neighbors in the truest sense of the word. They expressed sympathy to all in the need of assistance, or gave aid to all; and an acquaintance made in those days will be a lasting friendship forever. The aid and comfort that they gave was meager, but it came with a true, warm spirit and was sincere and heartfelt.
We often turn back to those days as the best and happi- est, and so they will always be remembered, not because they were freed from suffering and care and work; but because in sharing each others hardships and living in that common sympathy, we fully became acquainted with each · other, met as neighbors on a same common level. And
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it is that simplicity which binds us to these early days. The history of Outagamie county has not yet been written, but some one who is a ready writer should begin now to gather material to write such a history, so as to preserve the early life and reminiscences of the pioneers before they have passed away; then this history will be read by the future generations who must always be thankful for what those early settlers have done for them. Such a history must show the plain, simple pioneer with his family slowly entering into this wilderness, who often had to hew the road for his team to advance, and who in the beginning had many years of hard struggle to get a bare existence ; those men planted the seed of civilization, out of which has come the present condition of our state, cities, rich farm- ing country, great mills with lines of commerce and travel, schools, churches and colleges; all built upon the basis that they commenced.
The history and record of the settlement and develop- ment of Wisconsin in all its different counties will be filled with the scenes and pictures which show how the wilder- ness was converted into a commonwealth. It will require the best historical talent to fully set forth the work and character of these men and women who came here from 1830 to 1860, and settled among and in the forests of this state, preparing homes for their children and future generations.
In closing I will add that this small remnant of pioneers have assembled here to-day and the others that are scat- tered over the county should meet to recount these scenes and events of which so much can be said, so that their children and the people living here to-day can always give them due respect and veneration. And when all you pioneers shall have passed away, it will be right for your children and their children's children to meet and com- memorate it as the Forefathers' Day for the State of Wis- consin.
Remarks were also made by H. D. Ryan, W. W. Briggs, Mrs. Joseph Rork and others.
The music by the descendents of Center pioneers de-
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served especial mention for its excellence, and thus closed another session of the pioneers.
Pioneers' Meeting, Feb. 22, 1893.
The Pioneer Association of Outagamie County held its annual meeting in the Odd Fellows' building. The at- tendance was unusually large. The meeting was called to order in the morning by President John Dey. New officers · were elected as follows: President, John Dey; vice-presi- dent, Henry Kethroe; secretary, E. Spencer; treasurer, John McGillan; executive committee, W. F. Johnston, C. F. Abbott, A. A. Winslow, Ira Scott, Joseph Rork.
Then the meeting adjourned for dinner. Four long tables were stretched the length of the hall' and at least one hundred and seventy-five sat down to a bounteous repast furnished by the ladies of the society. This was the most largely attended anniversary meeting the society has held in many years.
The afternoon session was opened at 1:30 with prayer by Rev. John Faville. The audience sang a national air to Miss Anderson's organ accompaniment. Daniel Huntley read a paper on the late George Lanphear. A collection was then taken up to cover the expenses of the meeting and amounted to $13.18.
The report of the finance committee was read. President Dey made his ninth annual address, in which he spoke fit- tingly of the members who had passed away during the pre- ceding year. Following is a list of those who have died, 29 in all: Jackson Tibbets, George Lanphear, Fred Hecker, Wm. Masefield, Michael Wood, Duncan McNabb, Frederick Baker, Louis Buchman, Tim Farrell, Patrick Grogan, Mrs. Peter McGregor, C. Mitchell, Mrs. Boy, Mrs. Celia P. Doane, Albert Balliet, Theo. Kober, A. H. Burch, Mrs. A. Wood, Jos. Gmeiner, Jos. Jack, Jacob Rupple,
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Fred Raprager, Louis Sager, Mrs. A. Zaner, Mrs. Feld- schmidt, Wm. Wendt, Jos. Buchholz, Wm. Johnson, F. C. Van de Bogart.
Rev. Mr. Pooley followed in an eloquent address on "The Birth and History of Liberty." Following is in short what Rev. R. H. Pooley said:
Venerable and Honored Pioneers:
This memorial day brings its sweet thrill of joy to you locally, and also to our national millions widely scattered, because it bears in its bright sunshine the music of patriotism.
Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays, with seventy- seven years between their cradles, occur the 22d and 12th of each February. The greater of these men, orators and history have failed to decide, but together they represent the truest type of the purest Americanism that has been or is likely to be known. Great men are inspiring. They are the solitary landmarks. History crystalizes about these as rock candy crystalizes about some firm substance. They are vastly more than steel engravings! History traces the great social movements of our world, whether malevolent or benevolent to these few individuals. Per- haps history raises great men unduly above the com- monality of humanity. But far be it from me to lower Washington an inch on the magnificent pedestal where a grateful country has placed him-Washington, great in the field, greater in the cabinet, noble in the home, grand among his fellows, illustrious before his God, masterly wherever duty called him, or fiery trials and ambition tested him, till proved in every joint of a patriot's harness, he stands forth invulnerable, the most triumphant speci- men of a nation's pride. But a great man is largely made by the occasion, brought into being by other men and forces, and so he becomes great through the unsung emi- nence of others. And for the same reason that Mount Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe, because standing upon other repeated elevations rising from the sea, so our nation, the last and greatest is chiefest among her fifty
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other sisters, because she had profited by their civilization out of which she has developed. Our splendid liberties did not hatch from the Mayflower or from Washington's cabinet, but rather from Mt. Sinai and Mt. Olivet two and three milleniums ago. Nationally we owe a debt to the past we can never pay; and so our patriotism must justly extend to the liberty loving nations of all lands. We spring from the loins of gigantic fathers, who lifted us upon their shoulders that we may be taller than they. Our sympathies and patriotism may be too narrow but can't be too broad. We are the only civilization of history founded by a civilized people. American institutions began with the flower of the seventeenth century culture, and the glory of the Anglo-Saxon stock, the Miltons, Cromwells and Shakespeares, and were bible-loving, Sabbath-keeping and God-fearing men. Now society may call you pioneers common people, but God calls no faithful man or woman common. And when this nation wanted its Washingtons, Lincolns, Garfields and Grants it has always looked among your kind to get them. But you pioneers have reasons to feel proud that you stand in the last century of the pioneer business; and this fact is rendered so because of written history, which forbids great discoveries and inventions to be lost, and thus repeat themselves. Written history will cause the world henceforth to hold the good it attains. Wisconsin will never have any other first settlers but you.
We owe much to written history, which has preserved the greatness of the past for our profit, and will retain for the future the best we can achieve. We have not achieved it all. Be it remembered that in a vital sense we are slaves yet, if not externally, internally. There is no true liberty save internal liberty. No nation is ever free until its indi- vidual members are free, and no man is ever free until he is free in his conscience and affections, leaving unselfish and selfsacrificing. Outward freedom on statutes may mean inward bondage, but such is not true self-government- which is a better term than the much abused word, liberty. No man or nation is truly free until there is a mastering
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