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 13
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desire to restrain the lower nature, and love the higher laws of existence. The animal must go down, the man come up ! But the love and practice of these higher laws is the result of patient and gradual culture.
Washington placed us in the school of democracy and self-government and we have not yet graduated. Self- government is yet partial, for selfishness, cruelty, injustice and hate still live. Popular government does not emanci- pate, and our boasted institutions are no safer and stronger than the nature of the people is pure and truth loving.
And authority must not cause Americans to think by proxy-this means slavery! Neither must authority be arrogant, but conducive to loving and intelligent obedience, Superiors must not think for inferiors in a democracy, hence, education among the masses must be studiously encouraged. Voters must be enabled to think for them- selves and think rightly. Every voter is a king. The prime duty of a democracy is the spread of general intelli- gence among its people indiscriminately. Six hundred thousand voters in this land that cannot read and as many more that cannot write is a dangerous record to let stand. We are writing and talking much about the dangers of our social life, and the remedy is not negative but posi- tive. That positive remedy is the spread of education among all classes. The thing of supreme importance to the liberties of this land is the common school. The point of supreme concern with us is not the upper but the lower stratum of society. Educate the lower stratum. General intelligence in a democracy is master. The district com- mon school should be the very best school in this republic; and manned by the teachers of finest brains and truest hearts. The education of every child to self-denial and obedience is the only way to a better manhood, and a solu- tion to our knotty questions. As a nation we have at- tained our first stage of progress which is material wealth. But the desire of wealth without work will work our ruin, as we have seen in ancient civilization.
We must encourage the working classes, and not tread on them. They are the backbone of any democracy. These
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are discouraged by monopolies and organized wealth when they consider their unproportional progress. Yet this stir of life at the bottom of the social fabric indicates strength and high ideals in the government. The high bottom pressure can be managed by plying wisely the principles of love, fraternity and equality of opportunity to all classes alike. The common school is the fundamental organ of our safety, along with which moral principles must move as a deep guiding force, rendering the idea of self-govern- ment more practical as we go on thus to attain a larger manhood, we shall inevitably have better laws, better order, better homes and better citizens, all pledging per- petuity.
Then all sang the "Star Spangled Banner." President Dey told a funny story of how he bought his first hog. Short volunteer speeches were given by Sam Ryan, Henry Kethroe, Jos. Rork, Henry Dickerson, Wm. Briggs and Dr. Riley of Ohio, After singing "America" the meeting adjourned.
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
Pioneers' Meeting, Feb. 22, 1894.
In pursuance of notice the twenty-second anniversary of the Outagamie Pioneers was observed at Odd Fellows Hall. A very large number assembled to greet the members of of the association whose ranks are thinning so fast. There has never been, perhaps, more interest manifested in this organization than on this, its twenty-second birthday and never a larger and more characteristic attendance. About 125 sat down to the heavily laden table. Many white heads were present and many friends greeted one another in groups that will never celebrate another anniversary entire. John Dey, the venerable president who has held the office since 1875 with the exception of three years, occupied the chair, and had gathered to the occasion all his sons and daughters. Elihu Spencer, secretary of the association for almost as long, still held his pencil as badge of office.
During the past year fifty-two have passed to the other world.
The officers were all re-elected as follows: President, John Dey; vice-president, Henry Kethroe; treasurer, John McGillan; secretary, E. Spencer; executive committee, William F. Johnston, H. Hardacker, E. A. Abbott, A. A. Winslow and Ira Scott.
After dinner an orchestra of John McGillan's children entertained the guests with several instrumental selections.
Rev. H. P. Haylett opened the formal exercises with prayer. A vocal trio "We're Growing Old Together," followed.
President Dey gave a short introductory speech and called upon Chas. Wolcott who carries the weight of eighty winters on his shoulders. He read a poem eminently suit- able to the occasion. Mr. Dey then called the vice-presi-
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dent, Henry Kethroe, who gave a very humorous account of "an operation" performed by Dr. Mosier along in the 40's. Judge Boyd then followed with a speech.
This is not to be a formal oration, but merely a familiar talk to old friends and neighbors, an introduction to the speakers to follow. It is pleasant to meet once a year in the sort of a winter picnic to keep up our acquaintances. In the early times to which we look back, one of the chief supports of the city was Lawrence Institute, indebted for its life to Rev. Sampson, and for financial success to Reeder Smith. It drew people here to educate their children. As late as 1862 it was financially a boon to the city and socially it furnished the best society. It may still be proud of her sons, many of whom have gone out to honor and fame. Why do I say so much about Lawrence ? Because she is my Alma Mater, and I love her ; and because the people must not be allowed to forget her.
The water power was utilized slowly and supported hundreds of families and laid the foundation for a slow and steady growth of county and city. Other neighboring cities have fallen behind, but ours has advanced with every census. As soon as the water power developed, the rail- roads and telegraph came, and the success of the town as a center was assured; the telephone and electric light fol- lowed.
A philosopher says, "tell me the books a nation reads and I'll tell you the character of her people." Tell me the character of the first settler of a country and I'll foretell the future of that country. Without any conceit, we can predict for our city and county a steady advance in pros- perity.
The city will continue to be a center of wealth and cul- ture; and when the old citizens pass away, the wheels of the Fox will grind on whether the administration be Re- publican or Democratic.
Judge Boyd then read a letter from W. S. Warner, who came to Wisconsin in 1844, and bought the first city lot in 1849. He built the first hotel and lived in a house that two men built in a day and a half, but which needed um-
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brellas to supplement the shingles. Of the heads of families then here, only Trerice, Buck, Randall and him- self survive. The first white child born here was Frances Blake.
After remarks by President Dey a collection of $13.64 was taken up. Remarks were made by Judge Ryan, Jos. Moyer, H. D. Ryan, C. A. Abbott, Wm. Briggs, Judge Goodland.
There were present fourteen who lived here prior to 1850 and seventy-five prior to 1860.
The following is a list of members who died during the past year :
NAME.
RESIDENCE.
AGE
Margaret McCoy
Freedom
70
Anton Smith
88
Hugh McGann
66
E. Geenen. ..
85
Mrs. E. Geenen.
83
F. Murphy.
66
74
J. F. Johnston
Appleton
66
G. I. Brewster
77
Mrs. John Goodland.
66
67
Mrs. F. Bielenberg.
6 6
61
Miss Hattie Gridley
71
Mrs. Chas. Mory.
54
Nick Wirtz
66
73
E. C. Goff.
66
73 70
Alex. McCoy
66
65
L. D. Dallas. .
66
67 70
John Schultz.
49
Joseph Rork.
78
Michael Palinbach.
Greenville
77
Mrs. M. Knapstein
70
C. Bacon
74
Mrs. Boardinan.
70
Louis Perrot.
63
Lawrence Barclay
81
Mrs. John Palın.
66
81
Henry Nieland .
66
49
Mrs. Lucinda Hunt
Hortonville
81
Asa Preston
80
Mrs. Asa Preston.
6
78
Mrs. Freeman Nye.
66
66
C. H. Ware.
66
80
Mrs. John Steffen
70
Mr. Klein.
66
74
Andrew McNutt.
70
Albert Douglas.
... .
.. . . . . . . . . . .
23
.
.
.
. .
. .
.
. . .
. .
·
A. H. Conkey
66
.
.
Mrs. E. C. Foote.
66
.
.
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
NAME. .
RESIDENCE.
AGE
Mrs. Samuel Rhoades.
Dale
68
A. B. Zehner .
45
Mrs. Nellie Van Alstine
45
John Earle .
.6
65
Mrs. Royer
65
Mrs. Seif.
66
80
Eli Danks
70
Mrs. C. Behm.
70
Mrs. Fairbanks.
Grand Chute
75
Erastus Saxton.
66
67
Mrs. Wmn. Meidam
66
66
Mrs. Barry Center
Center
72
E. Nash
Ellington
86
Peter Tracy
66
80
Henry Manley
66
.. . .
67
Pioneers' Meeting, Feb. 22, 1895.
The Pioneer Association of Outagamie County met pur- suant to notice, in south Odd Fellows' Hall in Appleton, Feb. 22, 1895, at 10 o'clock a. m., for their annual festival. The meeting was called to order by John Dey, the presi- dent. E. Spencer was present as secretary. The first business in order was the election of officers for the ensu- ing year, which resulted as follows: President, John Dey; vice-president, Henry Kethroe; secretary, E. Spencer; treasurer, John McGillan; executive committee, W. F. Johnston, Ira Scott, C. A. Abbott, A. A. Winslow, George R. Downer. At 12 o'clock adjourned for dinner. About one hundred pioneers sat down to a sumptuous dinner pre- pared by the ladies in true pioneer style.
At 1:30 p. m. the meeting was called to order for busi- ness. Prayer was offered by the Rev. P. S. Bennett. The program was as follows:
Music on the piano by Miss Spicer; opening remarks by John Dey; memorial of the pioneers who have died since our last meeting, by John Dey; remarks by Rev. P. S. Bennett; song by J. H. Bowles. A collection was taken up amounting to $13.88.
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
Then followed a paper prepared and read by H. M. Cul- bertson, of Medina, as follows:
The word presenting itself most conspicuously at this moment is "pioncer." A word conveying the idea of going before, or opening the way of. The term it very appli- cable to the first settlers in a timbered country as Outa- gamie county was, yet many a locality bears the record of its pioneers experiencing greater hardships.
The history of this locality begins, really, with the treaty drawn at Cedar Point, on the lower Fox river, Sep- tember 3, 1836, between the Menomonie Indian tribe and the United States government through its commissioner, Henry Dodge, governor of Wisconsin territory, signed by twenty four chiefs of the Menomonie nation and eventually by Andrew Jackson, president of the United States, whereby the latter became owner of the land lying between the lower Fox and Wolf rivers, together with other territory, estimated at 4,184,320 acres.
In 1843 that part of Outagamie county lying east of the Wolf river was surveyed into congressional townships, and the first land sales were recorded in 1845.
The first attempt of settlement was that of Dominique Ducharme on the bank of the Grand Kakalin, (Kaukauna Rapids) upon land which he bargained for from the Indians. This was before the year 1800 and was not permanent. In 1813 Augustine Grignon settled there permanently, he also having procured land from the In- dians.
The next settlements, as I have been able to learn, were that of E. B. Abbott, on section 11 of Freedom in 1843, and St. Mary on section 12 of Grand Chute and the Beebe family joining the Oneida Reservation on the west, all about the same time.
The first indication of change in nature's field in the western part of the county, was October 7, 1845, when Francis Gilbert bought the land now occupied by Stephens- ville. Nine days later Limus Thompson, bought a half interest and early settlers say that the first map they saw
11 #
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
of the country had this location marked, Thompson's Mill. When the mill was built remains with me a question; it was there, however, in 1847, and owned by William H. Bruce.
The Knapp brothers made shaved shingles in a shanty on the site of the present village of Hortonville during the winter of 1847-8, and March 25 Alonzo E. Horton pur- chased the land, the first sale made in the township, and began the first works for a saw mill which was completed and cut the first log Aug. 2, 1849.
December 28, 1847, Arthur C. Minto, John Stanfield and Thomas Swan, in the employ of George Bell of Ball Prairie, built a shanty and made rails in Uncle Sam's Rat river cedar swamp in the town of Dale; but the first land sale was recorded to Capt. William Young, April 12, 1848. The first school house was built of logs in the spring of 1850, by Harvey Greenfield and Peter Garret, a quarter mile south of Medina. They also manufactured and put in the furniture, consisting of benches made by putting legs into basswood puncheons, such as they used, when boys, and had procured their education on. The first term of school was taught during that summer by Mrs. Greenfield.
The first land sale in Greenville was eighty acres border- ing on the county line to Francis Perry, April 7, 1847; but not being able to meet any settler who ever saw Mr. Perry it is doubtful if he was a settler. The first school was taught by Mrs. John Segar is the fall of 1850 in a part of present dwelling house on the farm of the late Louis Perrot.
The statement of these plain historical facts, however, does not picture in the average mind of to-day the reality of pioneer life, even though time would permit and we were to enter into detail; but, for a moment, let us forget our surroundings, and the conditions of our country, and imag- ine ourselves on some high pinnacle looking down upon a great stretch of unbroken timbered country crossed by many a stream and tributary, with deer, bear, wolves and other wild animals plentiful, and not a single highway or thoroughfare, except an occasional winding Indian trail
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
leading to some favored spot, trading post, or other con- vening place, reckoned only by the approach to the "next moon," or "next snow."
Yes, there was a thoroughfare; it was yonder same beautiful stream playing to-day between two picturesque banks upon one of which this beautiful city now stands. A thoroughfare opened long ages and ages ago, when the forefathers of some ancient class of humanity afar in advance of the earliest possible means of reckoning, in the days of antiquity, lived here and traversed it in their simple way. We may look down upon yonder aged stream and imaginarily see Jean Nicolet, the first white man to pass between its banks, two hundred and sixty years ago, or even the four hundred years which America has been known to the civilized world is naught compared with that which elapsed before that date, so remote a time that when considered the articles of speech cease action, but the mind is carried into some fanciful realm or great oblivion.
So I say, let us look down upon a vast stretch of unbroken timbered country, ne'er touched by the hand of civiliza- tion's progress, and see the Indians, the remnant, or improvement of some unknown race of humanity, the owners of their soil, convened at Cedar Point, (where prog" ress is to-day building the future city of Kimberly) con- vened to sign away forever the home of a long ancestry.
Ah ! look at yonder tree fall, the hand of progress has touched, an opening is made in yonder forest, a little cabin arising by an industrious hand, and by the camp fire stands awaiting the partner in life, afar from any fellow men. Where are their provisions and implements of toil ?
Here are three men: Reeder Smith, W. H. Sampson and H. L. Blood in 1847 locating the Lawrence Institute among the trees of the very block upon which this building now stands; and a year later surveying and platting the village of Appleton, and a few days later, John F. Johnston alone clearing away the brush on the corner of Johnston and Durkee streets erecting a rude frame to receive boards for a future home.
164
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
Mr. Johnston went to the Duck Creek saw mill with his team and procured a few boards, and while applying them to one end of the frame to serve a partial shelter, an approach- ing familiar voice startled him of which Mrs. Johnston says, "He asked me what I was going to do there, and I told him, live with him." J. S. Buck, D. W. Pierce and James Blood were their guests the first night.
Towards the last of March of this same year, 1848, Zebediah Hyde, his son Louis, and Alva McCrary with ox team, wagon, and few supplies, opened a track sufficient to permit a wagon to wind its way among the trees and made a land looking tour. The selections were on the site of the present village of Medina and there they built the first settlers cabin in the town of Dale.
About two weeks later John Culbertson, his son Matthew, and Alexander McKinzie came looking for land, making their selections in Greenville, and April 18, four days after buying, Matthew began cutting logs for his home, the first established in Greenville.
Here and there settlers were now pouring in, and the 11,695 acres taken in Greenville during this year of 1848, the most of which was for actual settlement, illustrates the true character.
But we are asked, in consideration of the time required to remove this great growth of timber, and it being those with limited capital who made this effort to procure homes for their families, and the country being equally new for many miles around and the settlers on a common level, where did they get their provisions ? What source had they for income ? What means was there of supplying their needs?
Ask him who went before, who opened the way of. Ask him who endured the hardships and experienced the priva- tions. He whose home was the little cabin 12x14 with a roof of puncheons, with a fire place, and a chimney built of sticks and mud, "out in the cold," a small window, per- haps none for a time, a rude door hung on creaking wooden hinges, all of which he made himself, and lastly but not least, the puncheons laid upon pins in the logs for shelves
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
and the two hooks on the wall near the fireplace. There's a relationship between those hooks and the pioneer's scanty shelves. Did you ever know where the pioneer kept his game overtaker ?
Where is the young man of to-day ?
What is his position and determination ?
You know best. Picture the two on yonder wall; and the young lady of refinement and well-to-do parentage; and she of the woods, fifty years ago. Who could offer a single suggestion ?
Who could wish to be thrust into the position of the hard working laborer coming home at night broken down with fatigue, the evening repast a scanty one, and to-morrow he must shoulder the sack of corn, has he raised any yet ? He has no money, there are no roads, has he a team ?
Yonder he goes through the woods with half his first crop on his shoulder, a bushel of corn, and the mill twelve miles away. A storm overtakes him. He is delayed two days. He has sold his corn and bought an equal weight of corn meal and a piece of calico and returns happy. Wel- come indeed is he, the good wife has served the provisions sparingly, a piece of venison remains, but she ground parched corn in the coffee mill to satisfy the hunger of her children.
It was this pioneer who planted the first golden foot- prints of prosperity in the bottom of each furrow combining two extreme and wonderful epochs in the history of our country; one the distant unknown past, the other the event- ful future. For this historic character, the pioneer, who wrought the change from the dormant period to that of industry and progress, once forever, I fondle a token to his continued memory.
The eventful past fifty years can be considered but naught in comparison with the possible future. Year after year, generation after generation will come and go; cen- tury after century will pass away; and reflecting upon our country's future possibilities, for him in yon far distant future who may wish to reflect, as we to-day, in commem- oration of the historic past, I would letter in marble bold
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
that when he passes down the aisle in yonder Riverside he would pause and read, "John F. Johnston, the first settler of Appleton."
We can never again see the pioneer's rude cabins arising and dotting our land like the increase of the stars of even- ing, we can only cultivate tokens of regard and sympathy. Sympathy is not the expression when we think of little four-year-old Clark Webley in 1853 lost and perishing in the woods, for he who planted the settlement, cleared the forest, subdued the land and harnessed the outgrowth, carries many a silvery lock marking the advance pages of his biography, and
In years to come, when all are gone, And closed the door from earthly song, "Twill be to all a story sweet To learn their lives, howe'er replete, And muse upon their every care, But the pioneer will not be there.
Paper, by Mrs. A. Bottensek, of Dale; music on the guitars, by Misses Eva Shepherd and Jesse Maine.
Paper, by Mrs. George Downer, as follows :
The paper that I have prepared is a short biography of two of the pioneers of Outagamie county, Wisconsin, Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Brooks, and also a sketch of their pioneer life in Seymour.
My father, Porter Matthew Brooks, was born in Riger, Monroe county, N. Y., June 18, 1821. In September, 1831, he removed with his parents to Medina, Ohio, and to Waterloo, Wis., January, 1842. He was married at Lake Mills, Wis., June 3, 1845, to Miss Lydia Streeter, of Water- 100, Wis., and on June 3, 1895, they will celebrate their golden wedding at Seymour. To them were born nine children, three of whom are now living, C. S. Brooks of Beaver, South Dakota, Ettie M. Wheeler of Glenwood, Wis., and Ida M. Downer of Appleton, Wis. His father, Porter Brooks, was born in Haddam, Middlesex county, Conn., in 1786, died at Seymour, Wis., April, 1867.
His mother, Annie Matthews, was born in Peachen, Vt., in 1796, died June, 1821, at Riger, N. Y.
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
My mother, Mrs. Lydia Streeter Brooks, was born in Rossie, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., May 29, 1825, and with her parents removed to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 1841. Her father, Reuben Streeter, was born in New York state, April, 1797, died June 7, 1853, at Waterloo, Wis.
Her mother, Lucretia Hulburt, was born at Northfield, Mass., March 7, 1797, died March 9, 1867, at Waterloo, Wis.
In the winter of 1864 my parents left their former home in Waterloo, Wis., to make for their little family a home in what was then a dense forest in Outagamie county. They left their old home, their relatives, and life-long friends to make a new home and form ties and associations among strangers. We all stayed four weeks at Aunt Sally Munger's, whose name is familiar to all the old pioneers, and whose old log house still stands in the city of Seymour.
Our new home which was three miles north, was then ready for us, and on the twenty-second of February, thirty-one years ago to-day, we moved into our new house. It was a little log house about 12x16 feet, no windows whatever, the door was a horse blanket and the barn was attached to the house on the north side, which was for economical purposes, I suppose, as common lumber was twenty-four dollars a thousand.
How well I remember our first supper in our new home. We had no table that night and so mother spread a table cloth on a tool chest and our little family of five gathered around it for our evening meal, which consisted of bread and butter and jelly and tea, the butter and jelly was brought from Waterloo, but after that "only as we had company which was not very often." We drank hemlock tea and crust coffee; neither was very expensive, but it is a luxury we do not have now. Some of the neighbors pre- ferred sage tea, some had none at all. In the following spring we had a window consisting of one pane of glass, 8x10, put in the gable end of the house. The same spring father made thirty-seven pounds of maple sugar which lasted our family to the following spring.
That year while my father and brother were making a clearing around the house, one large tree fell on the roof
.
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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
and broke through the shingles and rafters, but that was a common occurrence in pioneer days.
Our nearest neighbor, Wm. M. Ausbourne, lived one-half mile south; he was the first settler in our town, we had no other neighbors, until we came to what is now the city of Seymour, two families were living there, one house is still left, "the old log house on the hill."
We were without the luxuries of life, although we had sufficient for our necessities; there was plenty of wild game such as deer, rabbits, squirrels, partridges and pigeons, and occasionally a bear; the meat was thought to be almost as good as beef. The first year we had no potatoes or meat, only wild game. The next year we had potatoes, and that winter we liad beef; the way it hap- pened was, that while the cattle were brousing in the chopping where a clearing was being made, a tree fell on one of them and it had to be killed; it was not tender, juicy steak by any means, but we found no fault; pork was $24 a barrel and not many of the settlers could afford such a luxury as salt pork; our nearest neighbor, Mr. Ausbourne, had pork, true it was fattened on acorns, and five pounds would fry into one, but pork was pork in those days.
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