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 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22
Among the other early settlers in Grand Chute that I remember was Sylvester Fairbanks, James Wood, Chas. and Gideon J. Wolcott, W. May, William McGuire, Arnold Beaniliout, Henry Bissmuth, Hugh Sillars, John Nolan,
92
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
Matthew Long, Patrick Hodgins, N. B. Crane, Elihu Spencer, Richard Burke, John H. Beemis, Abram Wrongst, who lived where Mrs. Blanchard Shenen now lives. Timothy Heenan, H. W. Wroe, Nelson Meunep, David Kling, Edward Hafner, Mrs. P. Webly, William McGee, Timothy O'Leary, Seth Smith, Ed. Putney, Hiram Dolley.
My earliest acquaintance in Greenville was Hon. Seymour Hare. He lived where Louis Perrot now resides. In 1849 an old gentleman lived with him, related in some way to his wife I think, who had a terrible scar on the top of his head, that looked like the scar of a wound made by a slash- ing saber cut; he claimed that he received the wound at the hands of an English cavalry soldier, at an engagement between Governor Tegon and General Putman at Haver- nick, in Connecticut, in 1779. This old gentleman left in about a year, and I never heard of him again. Seymour Hare remained only a few years and then left the county entirely.
A couple of hours after I first met Seymour Hare I met Charles Breiterick in the town of Greenville, on a path in the woods. He could not talk English at all, but I made him understand that I wished to go to Appleton and did not know the way. He went with me a mile or more out of his way to put me on the right path. I saw him no more until the Shoiffier trial in May, 1854, when we renewed our acquaintance, and we have kept it up to the present time.
Among my other early acquaintances in Greenville were G. N. Boon and his father, Jonathan Nye, B. G. Wood, John Leffae, A. P. Lewis, E. H. Stone, Adam Miller, Fredrick Miller, John Dey, Hubert Dey, Louis Blake, John Blake, Peter McGregor, L. Barclay, B. Mills, James Webly, Fredrick Bicker, Charles Lueetyee, Lith J. Dwey, Kiles Perry, M. Culbertson, Jas. Culbertson, Mr. Buchholz, John B. Jacquot, Isaac Wicknin, Miron Wicknin, Joseph Jack, Hiram Jack, Michael Shinners, Michael Woods, George E. Darling, Leman Darling, Alex. Culbertson, J. N. Scott, A. McCrevey, A. Bemis, Mr. Carter, Henry Green- field, Robert Tile.
93
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
J. Nye and Mr. Wood had the misfortune to be afflicted with considerable litigation in their day; the both lived to be quite old men, and died seven years since; each left quite large families, and many of them are residents of the county still.
One of the most dark occurrences that ever happened in this county occurred in Greenville in the loss of James Webley's little son in the woods. It was sup- posed by many that he had been carried off by the Indians, but for miles around the people turned out, and searched the woods for a number of days, without success ; but during the summer the remains of a child was found that was supposed to be the remains of Mr. Webley's child, where it had been covered with water when the search was made.
In Dale my early acquaintances were Stephen Balliet, William Young, William Holt, Hiram Rhodes, A. Rhodes, E. Rhodes, C. G. Vaughn, H. Hills, Corilius Koonz, James McChitchie, William Hubbard, W. H. H. Wroe, Edward Spice and W. H. H. Ware.
In 1849 there was a saw mill at Hortonville run by Alonzo E. Horton, and a hotel kept by John Easton. I stopped at that hotel over night during that fall; the house is still standing.
My other early acquaintances in Hortonia were James Hardacker, John McMurdo, Mr. Pool, Norman West and his father, David Briggs, William Briggs, Augustine Briggs, Louis Collar, Matthew McComb, James Lake, R. Lester, Henry Kethroe, M. W. Allen, Joll Illison, Mr. Owen, O. A. Blackwood, Rev. John Reinhart, C. H. Ware and D. E. Woodward.
I doubt if any one lived in Ellington in 1849 but John R. Rynders and Thos. Hilson, but since then came to this town, O. D. Peebles, J. B. Boeman, Peter Schmidt, P. H. Pew, J. Pew, Rodney Mason, William McGee, John Welch, two or three men by the name of McKeewey, Thomas Collon, Daniels.
There was a saw mill at Stephensville in 1849, owned by W. H. Bever, of Green Bay. He had a crew of men at
94
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
work there during the winter of 1849-50, and up to the time that he parted with the property.
The first settlers in Bovina that I recollect, were Milo Cobs and H. Cobs. W. D. Jordon, settled there quite early, also B. W. Main and H. G. Curtis. W. D. Jordon and H. G. Curtis living, the others dead.
My earliest acquaintances in Center were David Barry, Patrick Barry, Peter Hephner, John Leith, F. McGillan, Edward McGillan, James Campion and John Batley. Patrick Barry died quite early in life; David Barry still resides in Center and raised quite a family, F. McGillan raised quite a family, and lived to be quite aged. Many of his children still live in the county.
In Freedom my early acquaintances were E. B. Abbott, Ethan Powers, Jacob Hartman, L. A. Hine, Fredrick Souders, B. Leoeter, Mr. O'Brien, James Jackson, Hiram Rhodes, John Garvy and his family of sons; Robert Sheriff, John Flanigan, D. D. Anger, Mr. Newell, Stadman Hager, Mr. Sanders.
The occasion of my first acquaintance with Fredrick Souders was his calling upon me one cold day in the winter of about 1851 to defend him on a charge brought by D. A. Hine, for resisting him while he was town treasurer. He was trying to make a levy on Souders' property to pay a tax that Souders claimed was wrong. He appeared to be nearly dead with cold, and claimed that Hine with a posse of men had arrested him without a warrant, and brought him to Appleton without giving him a chance to get even a coat. I defended him and got him clear. He always claimed to me that he never recovered from that ride. He died young, leaving children, some of whom reside in this county. It is due to the memory of Mr. Hine, to say that he claimed that he offered to let Souders get his coat or anything else he wanted, but that Souders was so angry and stubborn that he would not take a coat or anything to protect him from the cold, except what he had on when arrested. But the posse of citizens who came in with Hine seemed to sympathize with Souders. Hine soon sold out
95
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
and left, and I have no doubt he always regretted his haste with Souders. * X *
My object has been to be as brief as I could to make and state the names of the people with whom I was acquainted during the first three years of my residence here. I have been able to do it to my satisfaction.
At the conclusion of Judge Myer's address Mr. Breiterick, of Ellington, related his experiences of pioneer life in Outagamie county. His remarks were interesting through- out.
Rev. Leland, although not a pioneer of this county, but of the state, related numerous reminiscences of forming a a settlement at Eau Claire where his father and family located.
Rev. Leland was followed by Mrs. L. B. Mills, of Green- ville, one of the most practical farm-women in the state. The remarks made by this lady were entertaining and amusing.
Mrs. McGillan sang "Home, Home, Sweet Home" in her well-known pleasing manner, Miss Mamie McGillan pre- siding at the organ.
Judge Ryan, a gentleman who is always prepared to crack a joke at the expense of a friend, related how Mr. Breiterick, familiarly known in olden times as the flying Dutchman, bought a legal paper, supposing it was a town order.
Jos. Rork followed with interesting remarks as did also Mr. Briggs and A. H. Conkey.
96
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
Pioneers' Meeting, Feb. 22, 1886.
The annual meeting of the Outagamie County Pioneer Association was held pursuant to notice at South Masonic Hall, in Appleton, on Monday, Feb. 22, 1886. At 10 o'clock a. m., meeting was called to order by E. Spencer, who was . present, as secretary.
The first business in order was the election of officers for the ensuing year. John Dey was elected president; Chas. Wolcott, vice-president; E. Spencer, secretary; John Leith, treasurer. Executive Committee: Jos. Rork, Wm. F. Johnston, John McGillan, Mrs. L. B. Mills, Mrs. Almira Pierce.
Resolved, That the president appoint a committee to draft a con- stitution for a social gathering of county pioneers once in three months.
The president appointed John F. Johnston, Joseph Rork and Henry Kethroe as such committee. Also, the secre- tary was added to said committee. Said committee
Resolved, That the president call a meeting of pioneers at such places as he may designate, some time during the months of May, August and November.
Motion adopted by the meeting.
At 12 o'clock the meeting adjourned for dinner. The ladies had prepared a beautiful repast, to which about seventy-five real pioneers did ample justice.
At 1:30 o'clock called to order for business. Mrs. McGillan and her two daughters discoursed some beautiful music.
Opening remarks by John Dey, the president.
Music by Mrs. McGillan and daughter.
Mr. Joseph Rork was called upon and responded with a few appropriate remarks on his pioneer experiences.
Mrs. Pierce was called and told some very interesting re- membrances of her pioneer life in Appleton.
97
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
Hon. John Bottensek was called and delivered the annual address as follows:
To the Pioneers of Outagamie County:
It was with some reluctance that I accepted the invita- tion of your committee to address you at this time. The time at my disposal for the purpose was too brief to allow me such a preparation as the occasion and the day reason- ably requires. However, to be one your number is reason sufficient why I should try to carry out, feebly though it be, the part assigned to me in the program of these exer - cises. In doing so I do not flatter myself that I shall amuse or instruct you, and yet if I shall be able to make you realize that there is one thing that some of you should do before Father Time cuts you off from these fields of labor, I shall content myself with the effort.
It has long been your practice to make your annual social reunions and festivities the commemoration of the birth- day of him who was "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Therein is great pro- priety. The emotions that arise and the sentiments entertained in the contemplation of the labor and career of George Washington are very akin to those which possess our minds when we recall our own experiences in this wild,
unfrequented region of thirty-five or forty years ago. He was of the foremost of those who in the last century were doing a great work for the present century. Like one who goes into the wild woods, where nature has not yet re- echoed with the first sound of advancing civilization, and there in the solitude of the forest erects his home, clears his land, prepares a home for his family and opens up new country to human enterprise. George Washington was active in exploring the wilds of Pennsylvania and the Ohio, and in preparing in the new country homes for the oppressed in old. In his youth he was characterized by his love of truth and veracity, by diligence in the execution of his duties; in his maturing manhood adding patriotic service to his country when his country was yet Britain, and in his riper years by unexampled devotion to his country when
7
98
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
his country was not Britain, but America. Always faith- ful to his trusts. With remarkable faith he led the armies of his country through suffering and almost hopeless despair and discouragement to final victory, and then, with consummate wisdom guided the affairs of state when the state was most in need of wisdom. To the American youth he is the great example to true manhood. Throughout the land, from the public platform and in the private circle, in the school room and in the streets, his virtues are extolled and his name revered. Every school boy is familiar with his career, and in every library you may find a " Life of Washington."
A stranger with no knowledge of the life, character and services of Washington may stand at the foot of all the towering monuments erected to his glory, and, with mute admiration read the inscriptions thereon, and he shall turn therefrom with no higher emotion than if he had been contemplating Cleopatra's needle recently brought from Egypt and erected in New York. He may visit the capital of the nation, named in his honor, view its monuments, public buildings and works of art, and he shall depart from the city with no clearer conception of his character than from a visit to the house in which he was born. He may visit the art galleries of the nation and there study the portraits of Washington executed with the utmost artistic skill, and he shall go away with no better notion of his patriotism and wisdom than if he had looked upon the portraits of the Indian chieftains adorning the walls of the State Historical Society at Madison.
But give that stranger access to your libraries, let him read the literature on the life and character of Washing- ton, let him peruse the biographies and eulogies of Washing- ton, and presently he shall see and understand him as the American people have seen and understood him these hun- dred years. The books of biography and the literature of the life of Washington exist and increase in number be- cause his character and services were what they were. The monuments erected to his honor and the natural objects which bear his name testify to the fact that Wash-
99
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
ington lives in our literature, in our libraries. Keep your monuments, your cities, towns, states, rivers, and moun- tains bearing his name, but destroy all books and periodi- cals referring to the life of Washington and very soon he would be lost in tradition and uncertainty. Such is the purpose of written history. It becomes the memory of the people of the human race. It connects the past and present. It is a store house in which are gathered the useful things of the past to be used in the present and in the future. It brings the experience of your ancestors and your neighbors, far and near close to you; brings them close together, so that yours and theirs become one continuous, widening field of past experience. And as you by the faculty of memory recall your personal experience of years long past, so through the medium of history you may be able to call to your mind, to remember, the experiences of others re- moved from you by centuries as to time and by thousands of miles as to distance.
Some of you came from the Pine Tree state, and granite hills of New England, some from the thickly settled por- tions of the Empire state, some from the Old Dominion, and the land of Penn, and some from the oppressed lands of Europe and made your homes in the wilderness of this country. Some of you came as of set purpose and well grounded reason, but many, I dare say, came here as if by chance, not knowing just why you came here, but knowing that somehow you did come. All of you have at some time felt as though you did not just know just what you came here for and while perhaps not realizing it, were yet demonstrating that
" There is a divinity that shapes our ends Rough hew them as we may."
Whatever may have been your own intention, your mission has not been altogether to provide a livelihood for yourself and family and to clear up the wild land in order that you might have bread for yourself and leave a patrimony to your children. Somehow you have left something more than cultivated acres for the coming generation, I believe
100
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
that there has been that in the development and growth of this county which you can and ought to bequeath to your children and your neighbors' children, but which will not pass by the last will of your property, and which will not be perpetuated by monuments at your last resting place.
Necessity is said to be the mother of invention. In early pioneer life there are many necessities and many inventions and temporary contrivances to obviate or overcome present difficulties. The applicability of the mechanic arts are very limited. Improved farm machinery is useless until the cultivation of the ground and the clearing of the land is sufficiently advanced to admit of their application. The older and ruder tools for farm labor must suffice for a time. The social wants of a new community are subjects of novel and unusual schemes of management.
In older communities the forms, and manner of conduct- ing municipal matters and government have become settled and uniform, but in a new community they are changeable and unforseen emergencies and must be provided for and met. The management of public and private affairs in a new community often requires original genius for contriv- ing temporary expedients of securing permanent success.
I believe there is much genius in the pioneer life of this community to afford amusement and instruction for future generations. In many respects all pioneer life is very much alike and a thorough acquaintance with the early life of such a community may save other new communities from committing serious errors. One who studied the records of our early school town and county government would often, by reason thereof, be better qualified to manage the public interest of a new community than a better educated man from an older community could do.
In the study of social and economic sciences, it has be- come a habit to do very thorough work in the gathering of facts of minute detail. The home life, the social condi- tions and the trade and commerce of the early colonies are receiving much attention, special studies are being made of the various forms and plans of city and municipal government. Every state and many large cities have their
101
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
historical societies which are gathering all sorts of facts and figures for the use of the future historian. The pioneers of Outagamie county ought to contribute of their experience to the study of the social science.
A century ago the great question before the American people was for a form of constitutional democratic govern- ment best adopted to a new and growing country. The constitution of the United States was adopted and the great experiment of popular self-government began. But the great question of natural government was not all settled by the adoption of the constitution. It was found necessary to propose and adopt amendments to the original. The congress of the United States was one continuous scene of combat and struggle between two or more factions, having each its own interpretation of the constitution and of the relation of the States to the union of States. Not until the last twenty-five years have some of them been settled and that by the sword rather than by the wisdom of statement. The forms of territorial government and extension of the territorial limits of the United States, employed much of the time of the national legislature. But all these questions are, for the present at least, settled. The industrial interests of the country are now in the fore- ground and demand the attention of people. During the settlement of important questions of National and State government the industrial interests received some con- sideration in the form of tariff legislation and numerous land grants to railroads and canal companies for the exten- sion of the commerce of the country and in the adoption of better monetary regulations. But such legislation was first and primarily in the interest of associated and organ- ized capital, and only incidentally in the interest of the middle and lower classes.
To-day the laboring classes are organized all over the land. They are demanding a consideration of their inter- ests. Legislation must now consult the interests of the great mass of people, rather than the wishes of the few. The demand for civil service reform, though at present mostly confined to natural offices, is but the beginning
102
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
of a movement to secure the more faithful execution of the duties of all offices and departments of municipal government from the school district to the State. The effort which every community is making to improve its educational faculties is looking to the welfare of the great masses of the people. The numerous efforts at temperance legislation and reform betoken an awakening of self-inter- est on the part of the people. Social reforms of all kinds are now foremost in the attention and affections of the thinking men and women. But such reforms cannot be based upon fancy and visionary theories. If any progress is made it will be by faithful study of all the details of the experiences of the past. It will be in the study of history, the history of the social conditions and life of each com- munity. To that history the pioneers of Outagamie county can furnish as interesting a chapter as any com- munity in the state. Are there not many facts hidden in the memory of some of you which you ought to place in such form as to be available to the coming generation. What facts the future economist will most need we cannot say, therefore let him have all so that he may utilize what most he needs. Some day some one will employ his leisure time in writing a history of Outagamie county. This history ought to be full of the experiences and of the serious and amusing incidents of pioneer life. Let each one write out in quill his experience and observations and the various incidents of his early life in this county, and file the same in some secure place for the benefit of the historians of your county.
Music by Mrs. McGillan and daughters.
Collection taken up to pay expenses, amounting to $9.40. Mrs. L. B. Mills read a very interesting story paper, narrating her pioneer experiences, as follows:
I, too, notice Mr. Dey's propensity to make those talk who will. Sympathizing with him in trying to conduct a successful pioneer meeting, where the old settlers generally stay at home, or if present when requested to respond to their names, merely say no, or I have nothing to say. Our meetings here like many others, are just what we make
103
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
them. It was with this feeling of meeting an emergency, that I deposited this little paper at the bottom of my pocket, saying, as I did so, my lamp is trimmed and ready if wanted.
I do not see how any one that lived in times gone by, in the woods passed their time in labor, improving the wilds of Northern Wisconsin, that have not something worthy to tell. I told you last when here, I was but a child in 1848 when my parents in company with two uncles and two aunts, brothers and sisters of my mother, came to the northwestern part of Greenville to locate. Owing to a storm we were detained in our journey from Waukesha county, whither we came with ox teams. After the family were housed, the men went to Green Bay to enter the land which had been previously preempted. It was found that he was one day too late, as father's quarter section had been taken, so he located his Mexican land warrant on the quarter next north of it in the adjoining town. Long shall I remember that journey of eleven days with ox teams. There was lots of fun for most of us, but there must have been many cares for those who were older. We usually stopped at hotels and sometimes at private houses. But the last night out we camped. Finding where we could get some hay for the stock, the men rolled some logs to- gether, set them on fire that burned brightly all night. The covers were taken from the big wagons and tents made. This was a novelty to us. I remember aunts ap- proaching the fire to cook supper with tin pans before their faces, and made short stays at that. When the supper was ready we ate it on our laps. It seemed so novel that it was a late hour when all was quiet. I remember wonder- ing if the bears and wolves would come around there. We were assured by the men folks that no wild animal would come near such a fire. We were up early and ready to start by daylight. We had the promise of seeing our new home that day as it was but eight miles away, but the worn out teams and having to cut roads as we went, hindered so much that it was after dark before we reached the desired goal. It was past the middle of November and
104
OUTAGAMIE COUNTY PIONEERS.
was getting cold. We think now we must have all the fall in which to get ready for the winter. But here we were let down in a little log house that was covered with shakes and a floor of oak splints some two inches thick and five or six inches wide and laid from sleeper to sleeper. Well you would have thought it was all sleepers that night if you could have seen the beds on that floor, there was no walking room left. It snowed that night and the wolves howled, but sleep was sweet, we were home. There was a fire place in one side, but no window, on mild days there was a piece of chinking that was taken out to admit light, but generally the fire made our light. After a few days they went to Bruce Mill, now Stephensville and got lumber to make an upper floor; a ladder was made and then we were fixed up for housekeeping. In this house the family lived consisting of eleven persons and of course kept every weary traveler that came along looking for a new home.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.