Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Getty Research Institute https://archive.org/details/historyofmadisonOOdurr_O WISCONSIN STATE CAPITOL A HISTORY OF MADISON, THE CAPITAL OF WISCONSIN ; INCLUDING THE FOUR LAKE COUNTRY To July, 1874, WITH AN APPENDIX OF NOTES ON DANE COUNTY AND ITS TOWNS. BY DANIEL S. DURRIE, Librarian of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. MADISON, WIS.: 1874. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-four,. By Daniel S. Durrie, .in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. ATWOOD & CULVER. STEREOTYPERS AND PRINTERS. MADISON, WIS. PREFACE. The author of this volume has long been impressed with the fact, that much information relative to the early and later history of Madison and adjacent country, had not been written; and that some one should under¬ take the task of compiling the necessary materials for such a work, availing himself of the opportunity now afforded to consult those of our citizens who established themselves here as pioneers and early set¬ tlers, before circumstances should render it impossible to do so. Many of these have passed away; others have removed to new localities, and the few that now remain, will, in the ordinary course of events, be with us but a short period. It is true, that a portion of our history has been written. To Maj. H A. Tenney we are indebted for many interesting facts collected in past time, which were published in a small pamphlet in 1851, and subse¬ quently re-printed. In 1857, Hon. L. C. Draper prepared a similar work, much enlarged; but these pamphlets, while they accomplished the object of their publication, in drawing public attention to the beauty and desirability of Madison as a place of settlement, did not go into the minutiae of our early history, and necessarily were written up only to the date of publication, and are now out of print. The changes and improvements that have since taken place, have been so marked as to entitle Madison to a history more complete and brought down to the present time, and the present work is designed to supply such a deficiency. It is not necessary to offer any apology for local history — the main object of which is to furnish the first elements of general history, to record facts rather than deductions from facts. In these municipali¬ ties — these separate incorporations — are to be found many of the first moving causes which tend to operate on and revolutionize public 4 PREFACE. opinion. Many facts, minute in themselves, are in this view very im¬ portant. The details, which is the appropriate province of the local historian to spread before the public, are not so much history itself, as materials for history , leaving to the general historian, who has before him all these details, to exhibit the connection of the several parts, and their dependence one upon another. The present volume has been prepared from information derived from the Madison newspaper files in the library of the Historical So¬ ciety — from pioneers — from the village, town and city records, and every reliable authority accessible; and, it is believed, that what is herein stated is in all respects true; or, if there are errors, they will not be found important. The writer is greatly indebted to many of the early settlers for the interest they have taken in the publication of this volume, and for their personal reminiscences of early times; among these may be named Mrs. Roseline Peck, of Baraboo, Wis., the first settler of that place as well as Madison; R. L. Ream, Esq., of Washingtonr D. C.; Gen. S. Mills, of Madison; Hon. M. M. Strong, of Mineral Point, Wis.; J. T. Clark, Esq., of Topeka, Kansas; Dr. C. B. Chapman,. Maj. H. A. Tenney, and R. W. Lansing, Esq., of Madison. Thanks are also due to Lyman C. Draper, LL. D., Secretary of the State Historical Society, for valuable assistance. Among this number also, who took a deep interest in the enterprise, was the Hon. J ohn Catlin, one ot our most honored pioneers. This gentleman, while laboring under protracted illness, furnished much information of his early residence at Madison. While this work was passing through the press, and o*n the 4th of August, 1874, he departed this life at his residence at Elizabeth, N. J. y in the 71st year of his age, highly respected by every one. The illustrated edition of this work has been prepared by Mr. H.- P. Jones, Photographer, Madison, whose reputation in his department is unrivalled. Madison, Wis., October 1, 1874. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Aboriginal and French History — Antiquities — Arrival of' Ebenezer Brigham — The Blue Mounds — Visit op M essrf Doty, Baird and Martin, 1828 —The Four Lakes —Indian Troubles at Blue Mounds — The Black Hawk War — Wake¬ field’s Account op Four Lake Country — Capt. Low’s Visit — Early Traders: Armel, Rowan, Rasdall, St. Cyr — Col. Wm, B. Slaughter—Surveys by J. V. Suydam — Topographical. Description op Madison — Hon. John Gatlin’s Reminiscences. 9-44 CHAPTER II. Location op Seat op Government — Territorial Organization — Hon. M. M. Strong’s Early Surveys— Visit of A. F. Pratt, 1887 — Arrival op Eben Peck and Family — Feathersto 1, haugh’s Visit, 1887 —Arrival of A. A. Bird and Party- Woolcock’s Account — Description of Old Capitol — V Hotel — Names op Workmen — S. Mills’ Arri^' of Early Buildings — Mrs. Roseline Peck’s v CHAPTER I T Visit op Gen. W. R. Smith, 1887 — FiRs r Enquirer ” and other newspaper ers — Poll List op 1889 — “ M Knapp’s Account, 1838 — July < chants— P. E. Church Organi 1838-9. £ TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER IY. Dane County Affairs, 1840 — Protestant Episcopal Church His- TORY CONTINUED — NATIONAL ANNIVERSARY, 1840 — CONGREGA¬ TIONAL Church Organization — Settlers, 1840 —Rev. Dr. A. Brunson’s First Visit — Improvements, 1841 — Dane County Residents, 1841 — Schools — Killing of Hon. C. C. Arndt — Newspapers, 1842-5 — Visit of J. A. Brown and Dr. Goodhue — Census, 1843 — Kentucky House — Madison, 1843 — Improve¬ ments : Schools, 1844-5 — Madison Lodge of Free and Ac¬ cepted Masons — Narratives of R. W. Lansing and H. A. Ten¬ ney. 125-165 CHAPTER Y. Village and Town Elections 1846-49 — Water Power — Celebra¬ tion, July 4, 1846— Public Cemetery — Dr. C. B. Chapman’s and J. T. Clark’s Reminiscences — Hope Lodge I. O. O. F. — Knapp’s Account of Capitol Grounds — L. J. Farwell’s Arrival — First Bell in Madison — Organization of Baptist Church 1847 — Trial of Gross for Murder — Growth of Village, 1848 — State Historical Society, 1849 — State University. 166-203 CHAPTER YI. FIyer’s Reminiscences of Covalle, Pinneo, Ubeldeen, Tom Jackson, Judges Frazer and Irvin—Knapp’s Notice of Irvin— A Leaf of Western History — University Property and Improvements — Elections, 1850-3 — Gov. Farwell’s Improvements — Schools, 1850-3 — Newspapers — Madison Mutual Insurance Company— Fourth of July — Presbyterian Church Organization and History — Capitol House — Public Improvements, 1852-4 —Bap- t Church Erected—R. Catholic Church—Madison Institute ^ t g of Railroad to Milwaukee — Bruen’s Block — Lake Cure — Statistics. 204-243 CHAPTER VII. t 1855. — Elections 1855-’61 — GasLight Church — Schools, 1855-6 — Public and -Congregational Church—National Madison Incorporated as a City, at Beds — City Hall —University s'sane Commenced, and New State zation of Military Companies — erland — Of Col. James Mor- 31. 244-284 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 7 CHAPTER VIII. Rebellion History, continued—Death of Gov. Harvey — Elec^ tions, 1862-69 — Public Schools, 1862-69 — Old Capitol Demol¬ ished, and South Wing Built— State Historical Society His¬ tory — Death of Nathaniel Ames — Steam Navigation — Busi¬ ness Statistics, 1865-68 —History of Governor’s Guard — Ar¬ tesian Well — National Anniversaries, 1867-70 — U. States Court House — Public and Private Improvements. 285-826 CHAPTER IX. Efforts to Remove the State Capital — Notice of Col. Bird — History of Grace Church, continued — Park Hotel Com¬ pany— University Ward School House — “State Journal’* Reminiscences — Public Improvements, 1870-4 — Female Col¬ lege —Schools — National Anniversary — Railroad Enter¬ prises— The Messersmith House—Yacht and Boat Clubs — Notice of John Stoner — Presbyterian Church Improve¬ ments— Methodist Episcopal Church — Artesian Well — High School Building — Elections, 1870-4 — Grace Church Chimes — Congregational Church Building — Dane County Cave — Conclusion. 327-381 APPENDIX Madison City Officers. 383-390 Dane County and Towns. 391-41$ MADISON AND THE FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. CHAPTER I. Aboriginal and French History — Antiquities — Arrival of Ebenezer Brigham — The Blue Mounds—Visit of Messrs. Doty, Baird and Martin, 1828 — The Four Lakes — Indian Troubles at Blue Mounds — The Black Hawk War — Wake¬ field’s Account of Four Lake Country — Capt. Low’s Visit — Early Traders: Armel, Rowan, Rasdall, St. Cyr — Col. Wm. B. Slaughter—Surveys by J. V. Suydam — Topographical Description of Madison — Hon. John Catlin’s Reminiscences. It would be interesting, if not profitable, to know when and through whom the section of country now occupied by the city of Madison and adjoining the Four Lakes, was first made known to Europeans; but. it is one of those questions much easier asked than answered. Wisconsin, it is well known, was visited at an early date by the Jesuit Fathers, and a mission established at the Rapids de Pere, on the Fox river, near Green Bay, in 1669. In June, 1673, the Upper Mississippi river was discovered by Father Marquette and his companion Joliet, who passed up the Fox and down the Wisconsin rivers to the Mississippi. This was the great thoroughfare through Wisconsin for a long period but we do not find any record of explorations to the north or 10 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE south of those streams, until Capt. Jona. Carver passed down the Wisconsin to the “Great Town of the Saukies, ” Prairie du Sac, in October, 1766, and while at that place made an ex¬ cursion to what he calls “some mountains that lie about fifteen miles to the southward, and abound in lead ore.” These moun¬ tains are now known as the “ Blue Mounds.” There is every reason to believe that the “Four Lake Coun¬ try” was not unknown to the French traders soon after a trad¬ ing post was established at Green Bay; and it is a well estab¬ lished fact that, early as 1655, there were Frenchmen engaged in trade at that point; and, wherever there is a reasonable prospect of gain, there will be found the hardy adventurer, however difficult the path or dangerous the road. These traders and their employes, while collecting peltries, visited every available location, and it is not a reasonable sup¬ position that this rich section of country, abounding with lakes the favorite abode of fur-bearing animals, should have been overlooked or unknown. Again, it was the interest of these persons to keep the knowledge they had acquired to themselves for their own particular benefit; and, in connection with this subject, Capt. Carver in his narrative* says: “I can¬ not help remarking that all the maps of these parts I have ever seen are very erroneous — the rivers, in general, running in different directions from what they really do, etc. Whether this is done by the French geographers (for all English maps are copied from theirs) through design, or for a want of a* just knowledge of the country, I cannot say.” Some of these maps would indicate that the country south of the Wisconsin was generally swampy, and apparently of little value. “These singular men, the trappers,” says Hon. J. Y. Smith, “ were shrewdly silent in regard to their wanderings and ex¬ plorations, especially when they extended to beautiful and fer¬ tile regions. It was part of their policy to discourage immi¬ gration of those who were devoted to industrial pursuits, as they anticipated therefrom competition and the general decline * “ Travels in the Interior Parts of North America in 1766, ’67 and ’68, by Capt. J. Carver. London. 1778. 8vo.” FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 11 of their trade which must inevitably follow upon the settle¬ ment of the country.” The Four Lake Country, we also know, was the favored locality of that mysterious race who long since inhabited this state, and who have left behind those remarkable mounds and earth-works, fortifications and embankments which are found in the most beautiful locations in .this vicinity. I. A. Lapham, LL.D., in his valuable work on the Antiquities of Wisconsin, refers to some of these mounds, and as they are fast disappearing, and some of them no longer in existence, his account will prove interesting: “In the vicinity of the Four Lakes, where Madison, the capital of the state is situated, the mound-builders have left unusually numerous traces of their former occupancy and in¬ dustry. These lakes are united by a stream called the Catfish, now known as Yahara, through which the waters are con¬ veyed to the Rock river. The mounds, situated six and twelve miles west of the Four Lakes, were among the first of the ani¬ mal-shaped mounds of which an account was published in Silliman’s Amer. Jour., Yol. XXXIY, etc. A figure on the Third Lake (Monona), near the residence of Ex-Gov. Fairchild, was fortunately rescued from oblivion by Mr. F. Hudsoh, in 1842. Its length was 318 feet, and shape of a lizard. In grad¬ ing Wisconsin avenue and Wilson street it had to be removed. On the north side of Lake Wingra, on the road to Monroe, there is an irregular row of mounds, comprising two quadru¬ peds, one bird, and one mound with lateral projections, five oblong and twenty-seven circular tumuli.” Accurate drawings and surveys of these and other mounds in this vicinity are given in Dr. Lapham’s valuable work. The Sac and Fox nations of Indians were for a long period the occupants of the Fox river valley county and of the Wis¬ consin, before the permanent settlement was made. They were a warlike race of old, as we know that nearly two hundred years since, the French who had rarely become involved with the aborigines, were obliged by force of arms to wrest from them the privilege of transit between Green Bay and the Mis- 12 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE sissippi. The lakes were their favorite resort owing undoubt¬ edly to the abundance of fish and water fowl; the shallow bays were literally covered spring and autumn with myriads of ducks. The larger game of deer were numerous, and the marshes* afforded abundance of peltry. The ground upon which Madison is built, was in common with most of the region included between the Mississippi and the Wisconsin and Rock rivers, purchased from the nations in 1825, at which time they relinquished all claim to lands east of the Mississippi. These Indians were reputed among the early settlers to be peculiarly faithless and savage. They seemed to have repented the surrender of their old hunting grounds, and in 1881 we find them again on the east side of the river, greatly annoying the settlers and destroying much property. They were speedily driven back, and entered into a new treaty with the United States, the terms of which were much the same as those of the treaty of 1825. The next year they again returned to the east side of the river, and shortly after took place what is usually known as the “Winnebago Outbreak,” succeeded by the Black Hawk War; after which the Indians were again and permanently removed to the west, and tranquility ensued. The first pioneer settler within the present county of Dane, was Colonel Ebemezer Brigham. This gentleman was so identified with our history, that it is necessary to give a me¬ moir of his life and the events connected therewith. Ho one ever lived in this section that was better known or more highly appreciated than Col. Brigham. He died at Madison, Septem¬ ber 11, 1861, in the 72d year of his age. Ebehezer Brigham was born at Shrewsbury, Worcester county, Mass., April 28, 1789. In 1818 he came to Olean Point in the State of Hew York. The Alleghany river was then the only channel known through western Hew York, and that was only navigated by canoes, rafts or skiffs. He came through in a canoe, and at Pittsburgh took a flat boat down the Ohio river. The villages on the river were all small. During the journey down he saw but one steamboat. On arriving at FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 13 Shawnee town, he landed and walked through to St. Louis. There was nothing at that place hut a small French settlement — not more than three or four brick houses in the town. In 1822 he first set foot upon Wisconsin soil, but not to remain. At Galena he found Col. James Johhsom, a brother of Col. Richard M. Johhsoh, who was just opening the mines, and subsequently he spent a short time at Springfield. In 1827 he embarked for Wisconsin with an ox team. At that time there was a large emigration to the lead mines, in the southwestern part of the state, as the ore was abundant and the price remunera¬ tive. He remained a while near Platteville and was engaged in mining, and with a small party pitched his tent (so to speak) on what is now the Block House branch of the Platte river. From this point the party retreated in haste to Galena, owing to the commencement of hostilities by the Indians. In the spring of 1828 he removed to Blue Mounds, the most advanced outpost in the mines. The only source of food supply was from Galena. Soon after he had raised his cabin he took a trip with two companions to Fort Winnebago to ascertain whether food could not be more easily obtained at that point. The route taken, was north of Fourth Lake, probably on or near the line of the old military road afterwards laid out. They obtained a supply of salt pork, hard bread, powder and some other things, of a sutler, not loading heavily, and on the return struck south, striking the old trail that formerly ran between the Third and Fourth Lakes, following it up to the hill where the capitol now stands, where they encamped over night. Intercourse with the Indians had made known to them the existence of the lake region before they started. From the enchanting view of the spot, he predicted that a village would be built there, and prob¬ ably the future capital of the Territory. The isolated condition where he settled will be apparent from the statement of a few facts. The nearest settler was at what is now Dodgeville. Min¬ eral Point and other mining places where villages have since grown up, had not then been discovered. On the southeast the nearest house was on the O’Plaine river, twelve miles west of Chicago. On the east, Solomoh Juheau was his nearest neigh- 14 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE bor at the mouth of Milwaukee river, and on the northeast, Green Bay was the nearest settlement. Shortly after locating at the Mounds, Mr. Brigham, in com¬ pany with Col. Wm. S. Hamilton and M. Gratiot and some others, visited Green Bay in order to settle on certain bounda¬ ries between the whites and the Indians. The line was fixed upon, and the Indians blazed the trees along this line, notify- fying the whites not to pass it, a prohibition about as effectual as the whistling of the wind. For several years after his coming, the savages were the sole lords of the soil; a large Indian village stood near the mouth of Token Creek; another stood on the ridge between Second and Third Lakes, and their wigwams were scattered all along the streams. When the capital was located here, he was the nearest settler to it, though twenty-five miles distant. Soon after his settlement, he was honored with the appoint¬ ment of magistrate from Governor Lewis Cass. He held this commission four years, and all the duty he performed during that time was to marry one couple. He often related an anec¬ dote of being called upon to go some thirty miles to marry a couple, but on arriving within a short distance of the place, word had been left there that the fair lady had changed her mind, and he must not come any farther. Mr. Brigham, how¬ ever, went on and introduced another friend, who succeeded in making a contract, and the next spring he was called upon to ratify it, and this was the only official act of a four years term of justice of the peace. The principal object of his location at this point, as before stated, was mining for lead, and at the same time cultivating the soil. One of the leads on his land was “ proved 11 before his death to the depth of seventy-five to one hundred feet when the workmen were prevented by water from going deeper. Up¬ wards of four million pounds were taken from this lead with no other machinery than the common windlass, rope and tub. This lead was hauled to Green Bay, Chicago and Galena. On his first trip to Chicago, there was not a house or wagon track between that place and Blue Mounds. He was fifteen days in FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 15 reaching his destination, fording with his oxen and load of lead the Rock and Fox rivers and the smaller streams on the ronte. In this expedition he was accompanied by a favorite dog, for which he was offered in Chicago a village lot, which was situated where now is the most valuable property in that city. In those days the whole site of the town could have been purchased for a few hundred dollars. Col. Brigham, at the organization of the territorial govern¬ ment, was elected a member of the council, and was re-elected, serving nine terms, from 1836 to 1841. When the state government was organized, 1848, he was elected a member of assembly. He died at the residence of his niece, Mrs. H. G. Bliss, at Madison, September 14, 1861, aged seventy-two years. A short description of the Four Lakes, in the vicinity of Madison, and the Blue Mounds, may prove of service, taken from I. A. Lapham’s u History of Wisconsin: 11 There are in all, twelve lakes in Dane county — but the principal, and those most attractive, are the Four Lakes, lying in the valley of the Cat Fish or Yahara, and nearly in a direct line from northwest to southeast. Kegohsa, or First Lake. —This lake is the lowest of the four. Its longest diameter is three and one-eighth miles by two miles in its shortest; its circumference is nine and a half miles, and it covers five square miles. It is situated nine miles above Dunkirk Falls, near the southern line of the county, and lies in the towns of Dunn and Pleasant Springs. Waubesa, or Secohd Lake. —This body of water lies three and a half miles above Kegonsa. Its length is three and a half miles, and its width about two; and with it, has an average depth of about twelve feet. The larger part is in the town of Dunn, and the remainder in Blooming-Grove. Mokona, or Third Lake, is next above, at a distance of seven-eighths of a mile. It is about six and a half miles long, by two broad, occupying an area of six square miles. Madison, the County Seat and Capital of the State, is located on the strip of land about one mile across, between this and Lake Mendota. 16 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE The larger part is in the town of Blooming-Grove and the remainder in Madison. Mehdota, or Fourth Lake. —This is the uppermost and by far the largest of the Four Lakes. It has a periphery of nine¬ teen and one-fourth miles, and covers an area of fifteen and sixty-five one hundreths square miles. Its diameter is six miles by nine. The larger part is in the town Madison and the remainder in Westport. Each lake is surrounded by a broad valley, which, with the bottom lands bordering upon the numerous small streams, flowing into them, on all sides, forms a portion of agricultural country of unsurpassed fertility. The water of all these lakes, coming from springs, is cold and clear to a remarkable degree. For the most part, their shores are made of a fine gravel shingle; and their bottoms, which are visible at a great depth, are composed of white sand, interspersed with granite boulders. Their banks, with few exceptions, are bold. A jaunt upon them affords almost every variety of scenery — bold escarpments and overhanging cliffs, elevated peaks, and gently-sloping shores, with occasional strips of meadow land between, affording magnificent views of the distant prairies and openings. The Blue Moulds are two conical hills, about one mile apart, one in Iowa, and one, the largest, in Dane county, twenty-five miles west of Madison, and twelve miles south of the Wisconsin river. On the western line of Dane county, the highest peak rises to an altitude of 1,931 feet above the sea, and 1,072.5 above the lakes at Madison. Going west from the city, the visitant passes successively across the out-crop of every principal geological deposite in the state. He ascends from the upper layers of the lower or Potsdam sandstone, across the lower magnesian, the upper or ferruginous sandstone, the blue fossili- ferous limestone, the upper magnesian or lead-bearing rock, and ends upon the crest on a layer of some four hundred feet thickness of hornstone — a sharp, siliceous deposit filled with chest nodules, flint and fossilizations. The mounds of all this FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 17 region owe their origin to erosion, and not elevation. They are the outliers of an ancient world — land-marks of ages too remote to he computed by years — boundaries which remain to prove the existence of a former surface over all southern Wis¬ consin, of which in the lapse of epochs more than six hundred feet have been dissolved and carried away by the action of the elements. The Blue Mounds being the highest, dominate all others. Sharp cut valleys and ravines radiate from their hoary sides in nearly every direction. Springs break out along the margins of the successive layers, and streams run to the four points of the compass. It is the source and parent of river and rivulet, seamed by many a scar, but beautiful and grand from every point of observation. The elevation of the mounds is such, that they can be seen fifteen to twenty miles distant. The Indian name is Mu-cha- wa-ku-nin, or the Smoky Mountains, applied to them, it is said, on account of their summits being usually enveloped in a blue haze. The following is a geological section of the eastern mound, as reported by Dr. Locke: Feet. Corniferous rock forming the peak of the mound, - 410 Geodiferous Lime rock or lead bearing rock, - 169 Saccharoid Sandstone, - - - - - 40 Alternations of Sandstone and Limestone, - 188 Sandstone, 3 Lower Limestone at the level of the Wisconsin, - 190 Total, - 1,000 — LapTiani s History of Wisconsin. In the month of May, 1829, Hon. James Duake Doty, * Judge of the U. S. Court, Hehry S. Baird and Morgak L. Martim Esqrs, attorneys of Green Bay, performed a journey to Prairie du Chien on horseback. These gentlemen had in 1825, ’26, ’27 and ’28 taken the same trip by water, by the way of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, which was then the usual and only * For an interesting paper on the “Life and Public Services of Gov. Doty,” by Gen. A. G. Ellis, see Collections State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Vol. 5, p. 369-377. 18 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE mode of communication between the two places. At the time above alluded, to they were anxious to obtain a knowledge of the country outside of this route, and of which no one had previously written. They were accompanied by a Menomonee Indian as guide who led or rode a pack horse. Their route was not a direct one, as the Indian was not well acquainted with the country west of Lake Winnebago, following the Indian trails as far as practicable, they traveled on the east side of that Lake to Fond du Lac, thence by way of Green Lake to the Four Lakes, crossing the outlet between the Second and Third Lakes, the site of Madison, the Blue Mounds, Dodgeville, and crossed the Wisconsin about six miles above its confluence with the Mississippi. They were about seven days in making the jour¬ ney, and saw no white people until they reached Blue Mounds. This was the first party of whites that had attempted and accom¬ plished the land journey from Green Bay to the Mississippi. Attracted doubtless by the beauty of the location, as well as other considerations, Judge Doty made another excursion to this place in 1832, after the termination of the Black Hawk war. It was very evident that with his usual foresight he was impressed as was Col. Brigaam with its desirability for a future town. The year 1832 was memorable for the war of the Sacs and Foxes under Black' Hawk against the whites, and as Blue Mounds and the Four Lake Country were intimately connected with the movements of the army and the flight of the Indians, it will be necessary to give a statement of the events occurring at that time as far as these localities were concerned. In the spring of that year (1832) the Winnebagoes were pro¬ fessedly friendly, but they could not be depended on in case of reverses from the Sacs and Foxes. To guard against surprise, Col. Brigham and the settlers in the vicinity of the Blue Mounds, built a block house in a commanding position on the prairie near the mounds, and about a mile and a half from the Colonel’s residence. The buildings were commenced May 10, and completed about the 24th, and consisted of two block houses each about twenty feet square and a log building in the centre FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 19 about thirty feet by twenty feet large for a store house and bar¬ rack. The whole was enclosed by a picket fence of about one hundred and fifty feet on each of the four sides—the pickets were of stout oak about sixteen feet high, planted about three feet in the ground. James Aubrey had the first command of ffhe men assembled at the fort; E. Beouchard, 1st Lieutenant, and after Aubrey’s death, succeeded to the command until June 14 when he resigned and was succeeded by Capt. John Sherman. On the 6th of June, Aubrey was killed as will pres¬ ently be noticed; at this time there were in the fort, the fam¬ ilies of all the settlers in the neighborhood, as no one knew how long they would be free from attack. In the latter part of May, Col. H. Dodge assembled a com¬ pany of fifty mounted volunteers commanded by Jas. H. Gen¬ try and John H. Rountree and proceeded with them to the head of the Four Lakes where, on the 25th of the month, he held a talk with the Winnebagoes, desiring to know their in¬ tentions as to the Sacs, whether or not they would aid, counsel or harbor them in their country (that nation then had nominal possession of the Four Lake region); if they would, it would be considered as a declaration of war on their part; informing them that the Sacs had lied to them and given them bad coun¬ sel, and that if tliey^ were unfaithful to the treaties, they must expect to share the fate of the Sacs. To all which the Winne¬ bagoes made fair, promises and agreed to remain at peace. About the first of June, Capt. Sherman who commanded at Mound Fort, fearing an attack from the Indians, sent word of his apprehensions to Col. Dodge, who immediately collected from the several posts, of which there were twelve or more in the mining districts, some two hundred mounted men. They proceeded to Mound Fort on the 3d of June, on which day the two Misses Hall, who had been captured by the Sacs at the massacre on Fox river, were delivered up by the Winnebagoes for the purpose of obtaining the reward which had been offered by Gen. Atkinson for their recovery. On the 6th of June, James Aubrey, an inmate of Col. Brig¬ ham’s family, was killed by the Sacs while getting water at 20 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE tlie spring near the dwelling-house; this was about a mile and a half north of the fort, hut in sight of it. It has since been ascertained that the Sacs had been piloted to this place by cer¬ tain Winnebagoes. Suspicion ever attached to this treacher¬ ous people. On the 20th of June, some Indians were discovered in the % vicinity of Mound Fort, and Lieut. Wm. Foece and a person of the name of GrBEEiT, whose family was in the fort, mounted their horses and rode out to reconnoitre. In a short time they fell into an ambush of the Sacs, about two miles in front, and immediately in view of the fort. The unfortunate men were plainly seen endeavoring to escape to the fort, hut they were soon surrounded and killed by the savages, who mutilated the bodies in a most horrible manner. Lieut. Foece had a heavy gold watch by which the hours of standing guard were regulated; at the time he was killed it was in his pocket, and was taken — his body being chopped in pieces and scattered about the prairie. Shortly after, an Indian trader named Wallis Roway, who will be noticed hereafter, was out on the trail, picked up five or six Indian saddles, the. horses having given out in the retreat. On coming up to the body of this savage, he found the prairie tire had passed over it, consuming his pack and clothing. The watch of Foece was found in the asheskmd identified by Mr. Bbigham a few days after. Rowak kept the watch over ten years before finally parting with it. In the march of the command under Henby and Dodge in pursuit of the Indians, the detachment crossed the Crawfish river near Aztalan, and followed the trail until the high grounds between the Third and Fourth Lakes, the capitol grounds and the site of Madison, were reached, and struck the north end of Third Lake. In the timber between Glen. Simeon Mills 1 country residence and the Catfish bridge, then the ford, they overtook the rear guard of the flying foe, where an Indian was wounded, who crept away and hid himself in the thick willows, where he died. A scouting party of fourteen men, one of whom was Abel Rasdall, who will hereafter be noticed, was sent forward by FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 21 Col. Dodge, and preceded tlie main body about two miles, wlio crossed the Catfish just below where the bridge leading out of Williamson street, Madison, now stands. When they arrived at the point where Parker’s planing mill stood, since occupied by Billihgs & Carmah as a plow factory, an Indian was seen coming up from the water’s edge, near the present watering place below the Lake, now Meredith, House, who seated himself upon the bank, apparently indifferent to his fate. In a moment after, his body was pierced with bullets, one of which passed in at the temple and out of the back part of his head. On ex¬ amination, it was found that he was sitting upon a newly made grave, probably that of his wife who had perhaps died of fa¬ tigue, hunger and exhaustion, and her disconsolate companion had resolved to await the advancing foe and die there also. The trail was followed around the southern end of Fourth Lake, passing a little north of the Capitol Park and along the lake near the State University, where it appeared that an ad¬ mirable position for a battle-field, with natural defenses and places of ambush, had been chosen by the enemy; and here they had apparently lain the previous night. This place was near Col. W. B. Slaughter’s farm, afterwards laid out as the City of the Four Lakes, about three quarters of a mile north of the present village of Pheasant Branch. Of the further movements of the army, it is only necessary to say, that the pursuit continued July 21, with occasional glimpses of straggling Indians, some of whom were killed, until about five o’clock in the afternoon, when the Wisconsin river bluff was reached, and a battle took place, when about sixty were killed, and a great number of bodies were afterwards found on the northern side of the Wisconsin, on the route to Bad-Axe. The loss on the part of the whites, was one killed, and eight wounded. On the 2d of August the battle at the mouth of the Bad-Axe river took place, which resulted in the total destruction of a very large portion of Black Hawk’s fol¬ lowers — men, women and children — and the capture and dis¬ persion of the remainder. Black Hawk soon after surrendered himself to the Chiefs Cha-e-tar and Oxe-eyed Decorra, who 22 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE brought him and the Prophet afterwards to Prairie du Chien, and delivered them to Gen. Street, agent of the Winnebagoes, on the 27th of August, thus terminating the war much to the satisfaction of everyone. In the month of September of this year, Col. Chas. Whit¬ tlesey, now of Cleveland, Ohio, made a journey from Green Bay to Fort Winnebago, and thence to Galena, an account of which can be found in Yol. I, Collections of State Histori¬ cal Society of Wisconsin. He passed around the northern shores of Fourth Lake to Blue Mounds, and thence to his destination. A correspondent of the “Madison Democrat” writes from Cadiz, Wis., July 1, 1871, and gives some reminiscences of his experiences in the United States army in 1832-8 in Illinois and Wisconsin, after the conclusion of the Black Hawk war, from which the following extracts are made: “His company, after the treaty with the Sacs and Foxes at Bock Island, September 25, 1832, received orders to go into winter quarters at Danville, Ill., where it remained until April 13, 1833. From that place it proceeded to Dodgeville, where the writer found a cluster of eight or ten log cabins, and where he met Col. Henry Dodge. After remaining there a week the company started for Fort Winnebago via Blue Mounds. Here he found a block-house, but the people had all left on account of the Indians, who had killed some of the settlers. From here he went to the north¬ west side of Fourth Lake, and encamped for a few days. Hear the encampment lived a solitary Frenchman in a log cabin. He, with Col. Brigham, was the population of Dane county at that time. Between the lake and Bellfountain, a name we gave the place, they spent sometime resting them¬ selves and horses; they considered the country utterly worthless , and thought it would never be settled, except that there might be a settlement sometime at Blue Mounds, and one at Platte Mounds, and perhaps a small settlement at the Four Lakes. The company resumed its march, and, on the ground now oc¬ cupied by Portage City, they found the whole Winnebago tribe of Indians encamped. The company, after serving out the FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 23 term of enlistment, returned to Dodgeville, and were discharged July 23, 1833.” In the year 1834, J. A. Wakefield prepared and published a “ History of the Black Hawk War,” a little volume which is now extremely rare. The author served during the campaign. His description of the Four Lakes is interesting, and is here given: “ Here it may not he uninteresting to the reader to give a small outline of these lakes. From a description of the coun¬ try, a person would very naturally suppose that those lakes were as little pleasing to the eye of the traveler as the country is. But not so. I think they are the most beautiful bodies of water I ever saw. The first one that we came to, was about ten miles in circumference, and the water as clear as crystal. The earth sloped back in a gradual rise; the bottom of the lake, ap¬ peared to be entirely covered with white pebbles, and no appear¬ ance of its being the least swampy. The second one that we came to appeared to be much larger. It must have been twen¬ ty miles in circumference. The ground rose very high all around; and the heaviest kind of timber grew close to the water’s edge. If these lakes were anywhere else except in the country they are, they would be considered among the wonders of the world. But the country they are situated in, is not jit for any civilized nation of people to inhabit. It appears that the Almighty intended it for the children of the forest. The other two lakes we did not get close enough to, for me to give a de¬ scription of them; but those who saw them stated that they were very much like the others.” It is probable that Mr. Wakefield would form a different idea of the country in this section, if he could see it at the present time. Forty years have made great changes, and lands which he thought were worthless have brought one hundred dollars an acre and upwards, not making mention of lots be¬ tween the Third and Fourth Lakes, now occupied by the city of Madison. On the 15th and 16th of October of this year, 1832, Capt. Low, of Fort Winnebago, with James HALPinand Archibald 24 HISTORY OF MADISON AJSD THE Crisman encamped on Fourth (Mendota) Lake ridge. At this time about five hundred Indians were located between the site of the present state capitol on the shores of the lake. These Indians came here for the purpose of traffic with a French trader named Louis Armel. Gapt. Low came from the Fort in pursuit of some deserters whom they readily found, as they had imbibed too freely of the French traders’ bad whiskey to be well qualified to secrete themselves. Mr. Armel had his goods in a temporary Indian-built hut near the present stone resi¬ dence of J. B. Norton on Johnson street. Another trader who was doing business in this section in 1832, was Wallace Rowan, a rough and hardy pioneer who located at the head of Mendota Lake, and was there at the outbreak of the Black Hawk war; reference has been made to his finding the gold watch of Lieut. William Force. Not long after he removed to Squaw or Strawberry Point, on the eastern bank of Lake Monona, and with William B. Long entered, in 1835, the fractional tract embracing the point. He wafe afterwards joined by Abraham Wood; but selling out his fifty-two acres to Col. Wm. B. Slaughter, March 28, 1838, he removed to the present-locality of Poynette, where, for sev¬ eral years he kept a house of entertainment, and still later to Baraboo, where he and Wood built a mill, and where he died. Unlike most early Indian traders, his wife was a white woman. Another of the early traders at the Four Lakes, was Abel Rasdall, who from his long residence here is entitled to par¬ ticular notice. He was a native of Kentucky, born August 15, 1805, in Barron county, son of Robert and Elizabeth Ras¬ dall. He was raised a farmer. When a young man he went to Missouri and engaged in lead mining, and in 1828 went to Galena and assisted awhile the late Col. James Morri¬ son in his mining operations at Porter’s Grove, about nine miles west of Blue Mounds, and soon engaged in the business of an Indian trader, locating his cabin on the eastern shore of First Lake, about a half mile south of its outlet. He married a Winnebago woman by whom he had three children, and was a real help-meet to him in the Indian trade, and accompanying JONES, Photo, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 25 him to Fort Winnebago at some Indian payment there, she sickened and died of small pox, Rasdall alone attending her and burying her remains. He had been vaccinated when young, and did not take the disease. He subsequently married another Winnebago woman; they had no issue, and when her people migrated west, she concluded to go with them — so Rasdall and his Indian wife cut a blanket in two, each taking a part, the Indian mode of divorce. Mr. Rasdall’s services in the Black Hawk war have previ¬ ously been referred to. In his trading with the Indians, he did not by any means, confine himself to his trading establishment, but would pack several ponies with goods, and would take a tour among the Indian camps and settlements, and dicker off his goods for skins and furs. He obtained his goods at Galena, where he disposed of his furs and peltry. Hot only ponies were used for packing and transporting goods, but Indians also. In 1846, he was married to Mary Anh Pitcher, in Madison, by whom he had three sons. Mr. Rasdall died at his home at Token Creek, Dane county, Wis., June 6, 1857, at the age of nearly 52 years. He will long be remembered as an early set¬ tler of Dane county, his trading adventures around the Four Lakes having commenced as early as 1831. Another early trader, and perhaps the only one not hereto¬ fore referred to as doing business on the lakes, was Michel St. Cyr. An interesting biography of him has been prepared by L. C. Draper, LL. D., and published in Vol. YI of the Collec¬ tions of the State Historical Society, and from which the fol¬ lowing extract is taken: “ St. Cyr was a Canadian half-breed (his mother’s name was Kee-ho-kau, a Winnebago woman), born about 1806; had al¬ ways lived on the frontier and among the Indians, and could speak English quite well, though he was entirely illiterate. He was a man of ordinary size, about one hundred and fifty pounds weight; with a thin visage, dark complexion, black hair and eyes, a quick step, and a ready, active man generally, in both body and mind. He was amiable, and kind to all, and scorned a dishonest man or a liar. He exercised a commanding 8 26 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE influence over that portion of the Winnebagoes with whom he was associated. He succeeded Rowan" as a trader at the head of Fourth Lake — whisky and tobacco constituted his stock in trade. The whisky was at first dealt out to his Indian custom¬ ers in full strength, and pretty liberal quantities, until they became considerably oblivious, when the liquor was diluted, and finally, as they became still more intoxicated, water was freely substituted, and, as St. Cyr said, answered every pur¬ pose. But this trade was not sufficient for a livelihood, and St. Cyr cultivated about eight acres of ground, surrounded with a rude fence, raising corn, oats, potatoes, and a few vege¬ tables. His cabin was a small affair, about twelve feet square, with a dirt floor; and almost adjoining it was a stable of about the same dimensions. With a Winnebago woman for his wife, and two sons and two daughters, all young, he entertained the very few travelers that passed through the country. When A. F. Pratt and companion stopped there in February, 1837, as related in the first volume of the Wisconsin Historical Collec¬ tions, they had served up to them a kind of pot-pie which relished very well; and after finishing their meal, and inquiring what kind of meat they had eaten, they were informed that it was musk-rat. Indeed muskrats, and occasionally pheasants, seemed to form the principal viands for his table; and St. Cyr would pleasantly observe, that the Englishmen, meaning white people generally, ‘would just as soon eat pheasant as rat, when all were cooked up together.’ ” St. Cyr resided at a point a little north of the mouth of Pheasant Branch, where the City of the Four Lakes was lo¬ cated and plattedj and now owned by Mr. James Liyesey, about six miles from the State University. His place was the near¬ est to the location of Madison. He received from Col. Slaugh¬ ter some two hundred dollars for his trifling improvements, and about the first of July, 1838, he removed first to Minneso¬ ta, and soon after to the Winnebago Reservation in Iowa, and there he died about 1864. His two sons grew'up worthless fel¬ lows among the Indians, and, as some of the Winnebagoes re¬ ported, “ they drink heap of whisky.” FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 27 Michel St. Cyr was one of the half-breed Canadian race of the coureurs des hois, voyageurs and Indian traders, whose wants were few and simple, and who, in manners, customs and acquirements, were but slightly in advance of the Indians with whom they associated, lived and died. It* was only the mere accident of his having been temporarily an early settler of this section of country, and the humble part he took in the primitive survey of Madison, as will hereafter appear, that led to the perpetuation of his name and career in these early rem¬ inisces of the country. In the year 1834 the preliminary steps were taken by the General Government to have the lands in this locality surveyed and brought into market, and we find by the volume of Field Notes in the office of the School and University Land Com¬ missioners, that February 4, Mr. Orsost Lyoh contracted with M. T. Williams, Esq., United States Surveyor General for the States of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, to survey fractional township seven, north of range nine, east of the fourth princi¬ pal meridian, in the Northwest Territory, comprising the pres¬ ent town of Madison. These lands, including others adjacent, were surveyed in the month of December of that year, and certified to by Orsoh Lyoh, Deputy Surveyor, Harrisoh Flesher and Johh Straight, chain-bearers, and Madisoh Youhg, ax-man, on the 6th of that month. Accompanying the notes is a drawing of the grounds and the lakes. In the summer or autumn, 1835, Col. William B. Slaugh¬ ter* entered the tract of land occupied by St. Cyr, and on the *Col. William B. Slaughter was a native of Culpepper county, Va.; born April 19, 1797, and was educated at William and Mary’s College, Va. He removed to Bardstown, Kentucky, where he practiced law from 1827 to 1829, and, in 1830, removed to Bedford, Lawrence county, Indiana. In 1832, was elected a member of the legislature, when he introduced the Indiana resolutions, sustaining President Jackson’s proclamation on the subject of nullification and threatened secession in South Carolina. He was appointed Register of the Land Office at Indianapolis in 1833, which position he resigned the year following, and was appointed to the same office at Green Bay in 1835. While serving in that capacity he was elected 28 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE 20tli of December conveyed an undivided interest to Judge J. D. Doty, with a view of having a town laid out there, and eventually securing the location of the Territorial Capital at that point. Accordingly, Judge Doty employed John Ban¬ nister, a surveyor of Green Bay (who subsequently removed to Fond du Lac, and died there), to lay out the City of the Four Lakes , where Rowan and St. Cyr had successively traded, and where Gen. Dodge had held a conference with the Winneba- goes, May 25, 1832. It was surveyed and platted probably in June, 1836, as the certificate of the plat bears date July 7 of that year. This city (on paper) at one time had high aspira¬ tions for the seat of government, but owing to circumstances not necessary here to state, it failed to win the coveted prize. J. Y. Suydam, Esq., of Green Bay, in a letter to Dr. L. C. Draper, thus refers to his visit to Madison with Gov. Doty for the purpose of laying out and surveying the plat for the vil¬ lage: u On the second day of October, Gov. Doty and myself started from Green Bay on horseback, he with his green blanket and shot gun, that had been his companions on many and a member of the Legislative Council of Michigan, which assembled at Green Bay in the winter of 1835, and was the author of the memorial to Congress praying to disconnect the territory lying west of Lake Michigan from the State of Michigan, and to be organized into a new Territory to be called Wisconsin. He resigned the office of Register in 1841. In May, 1837, he came to the “ City of the Four Lakes,” a plat of which was laid out and put on record July 7, 1836, by M. L. Martin, W. B. Slaughter and J. D. Doty, proprietors. Mr. Slaughter opened up a farm and made it his residence until 1845, when he removed to his old home in Virginia; but at the be¬ ginning of the late war (1861) he returned to Wisconsin, and located in the town of Middleton, Dane county. In 1862 he was appointed Commissary of Subsistence and Quartermas¬ ter by President Lincoln, and served one year, when he retired, and re¬ turned to Wisconsin, where he still resides at his home in sight of the City of Madison. Although in his 77th year, he is strong and active as most persons one half his age. He has delivered a number of lectures on moral, philosophical and political subjects, which have been greatly ad¬ mired for their genius, learning and eloquence. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 29 many a trip through the almost trackless wilds of Wisconsin, and I with my compass and chain. We were both provided for camping out wherever night should overtake us; and for the more solid part of our forage, we were to depend upon the Gfov- ernor’s gun. On our way we stopped at various places, among which were ClifFton, at the north end of Winnebago Lake, where we laid out the village hearing that name, out of respect to an extensive ledge of rock that crops out at that point; and at Duck creek, on the east bank of the Wisconsin river, about eight or ten miles below Portage City, where we laid out the town of Wisconsinapolis. u Finally, after about eight days from the time of leaving home, we reached what was then called 1 Four Lakes.’ We came by the trail that led around by the north side and west end of Fourth Lake, and found near what might be called the northwest corner, and perhaps two miles from where the University buildings now stand, a small log house, occu¬ pied by a man whose name I have forgotten,* who entertained our horses and ourselves nights, and assisted us day times in making such meanders and surveys of the shores of the Third and Fourth Lakes, and other points, as were necessary for mak¬ ing the plat of the future city. This took us, I think, three days. The precise time in which the survey and original plat of the city were made, was during the second and third weeks of October, while the Legislature was in session at Belmont. u While standing at the section corner, on that beautiful spot between the Lakes, then the central point of a wilderness, with no civilization nearer than Fort Winnebago on the north, and Blue Mounds on the west, and but very little there; and over which now stands the principal entrance to one of the finest cap- itol structures in the west — I have no doubt Grov. Doty saw in his far-reaching mind, just what we now see actually ac¬ complished, a splendid city surrounding the capitol of Wiscon¬ sin at Four Lakes, as he remarked to me then, that I need not be surprised to learn that the seat of government of Wiscon¬ sin was located on that spot before the Legislature had adjourned. And sure enough, it so happened. * Michel St. Cyr. 30 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE “We went directly to Belmont, where the Legislature was in session. On arriving there, I immediately set about draw¬ ing the plat of Madison, the Governor, in the mean time, giv¬ ing me minute directions as to its whole plan, every item of which having originated with him while on the ground as being the most suitable, and best calculated, to develop the peculiar topography of the place. “ As soon as the plats were completed, I returned home alone, leaving the Governor behind to carry out his object. On the adjournment of the Legislature, quite a number of gentlemen, I never learned how many, belonging to that body, went to their homes the owners of sundry corner lots in a new town, and the seat of government of Wisconsin was permanently lo¬ cated at Madison, while the temporary locality was to be at Burlington, on the west side of the Mississippi, until the capi- tol buildings were erected and got ready for occupancy. “ Gov. Doty had the honor of naming the county of Dane after some notable person and circumstance connected with the passage of the Ordinance of 1787, for the government of the territory northwest of the Ohio, which he wished might be preserved in this imperishable way; and the name was given to the city by him in honor of President Madison, whose mem¬ ory he held in very high esteem.” Mr. Suydam certifies, October 27,1836, that he had carefully meandered and measured the exterior lines of the plat of the town of Madison; and Judge Doty certifies to its correctness November 4, 1836, at Belmont. It may be desirable at this point to give a brief account of the place selected for the seat of Government, as a matter of his¬ toric interest. The village (now city) of Madison, is situated in latitude 43 degrees 4 minutes and 20 seconds north, and lon¬ gitude 89 degrees 20 minutes west from Greenwich, or 12 de¬ grees 20 minutes west from Washington; another authority makes it nine minutes further west, or ten and one-third miles. The grounds occupy under the city charter, the greater por¬ tion of sections 13, 14, 23 and 24 of town 7 north from the base line or southern boundary of the state, and range 9 east from the fourth principal meridian: these sections have their corner FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 31 under the western doorway of the rotunda of the capitol. This point is about seventy-five miles in an air line from Lake Mich¬ igan, about ninety miles from the Mississippi river, thirty- nine miles from the southern, and two hundred and forty miles from the northern boundary of the state, at its nearest point on Lake Superior, and two hundred and sixty-four from the ex¬ treme northern limit of the state. It is therefore very near the centre of the state of which it is the capitol on an east and west line but far from the center of a north and south line. It is twenty-three miles from the western and nineteen miles from the eastern boundary of Dane county, of which it is the capital seat, and midway between the northern and southern boundaries being fifteen miles from each. The site of Madison is a i undulating isthmus between Lake Mendota (Fourth Lake) on the northwest, and Lake Monona (Third Lake) on the southeast. These lakes are 788 feet above the Atlantic Ocean and 210 feet above Lake Michigan. The most elevated ground within the present city limits, is u University Hill,” the summit of which is about 125 feet above the surrounding lakes. The ground upon which the capitol stands is about 75 feet, and the ridge that skirts Lake Mendota, about 80 feet above the level of the water. Northeast of the capitol, each of the lakes is skirted by a ridge perhaps thirty or forty feet high. Between these ridges the ground is flat, and was formerly a wet marsh. The efforts to reclaim this tract by draining and by lowering Lake Monona have been successful, and a number of dwellings and shops have been erected upon it; also the works of the Madison Gas Light and Coke Com¬ pany. The site of the city, with this exception, is abundantly high and so rolling as to afford perfect drainage and beautiful building sites. Much has been said of its beauty. Horace Greeley, Bayard Taylor and other distinguished visitors have described the charming lake scenery by which we are sur¬ rounded in such glowing terms as to give Madison a national reputation. The visitor has only to survey the city from the dome of the State Capitol, the State University, the Park Ho¬ tel or Yilas House, to satisfy himself that the world affords few more delightful prospects. 32 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Hon. John' Catlin,* now of Elizabeth, N. J., one of the earliest of our pioneers, and who was the first Clerk of the Supreme Court of the Territory, the first attorney and District Attorney of Dane county, and the first postmaster of Madison, has given the following account of the early years of his resi¬ dence : “ The territorial government of Wisconsin was organized and took effect on the 4th of July, 1836. The legislature was convened by proclamation of Gov. Henry Dodge to meet at Belmont in November of that year. I was at Belmont during the session when the Capital was established by law at Madi- *Hon. John Catlin was born in Orwell, Vt., on the 13th day of Octo¬ ber, 1803. He was the son of John B. Catlin, and a descendant of the 6th generation of Thomas Catlin who was a resident of Hartford, Conn., 1645, 6, and from whom a large part of the persons of that name in this country are supposed to have^ descended. His mother’s name was Rosa Ormsbee, daughter of John Ormsbee of Shoreham, Vt. Both of his grandparents served through the Revolutionary War, and died in Ver¬ mont at an advanced age. His grandfather on his fathers side, was one of seven brothers all engaged in the Revolution, and were all stalwart men, remarkable foi size, being all six feet in height and well propor¬ tioned. His grandfather Ormsbee was a Lieutenant and was honorably discharged at the close of the war, receiving $1,400 in continental money for his services, and when he returned to his family in Massachusetts paid $60 — of it for a bushel of corn, so great was its depreciation. Mr. Catlin’s father was a merchant, but when the war of 1812, broke out, retired to a farm on Lake Champlain in the town of Bridport, Addison Co., Vt., where Mr. Catlin was raised, receiving only a common school education with the exception of a year at Newton Academy in Shoreham, and a few months study of French in Canada. When eighteen years of age he took a school and continued to teach for nine winters, during which time he educated himself, studied law with Hon. Augustus C. Hand of Elizabethtown New York, and was admitted to the Bar in 1833. In the spring of 1836 he removed to the west, and settled at Mineral Point, in May of that year, entering into partnership with Hon. Moses M. Strong. When the seat of government was located at Madison, Mr. Catlin was appointed Postmaster and established the office in May, 1837, anc * remov¬ ed to Madison permanently in the spring of 1838. On the election of Gen. Harrison to the Presidency, Mr. Catlin was removed on political FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 33 son, then in the wilderness, with only three white men residing in what is now Dane county. These were Ebehezer Brig¬ ham, Ebeh Peck residing with him at the East Blue Mound, and Abel Rasdall residing at the First Lake. Michel St. C yr, a half breed, residing at the head of Fourth Lake. The legislature formed the plan of organizing a territorial govern¬ ment west of the Mississippi river, and to divide the territory by that river, which was subsequently accomplished, and the territorial government of Iowa organized, and this was the main reason for locating the seat of government at Madison, grounds, and restored by Mr. Wickliff who was appointed Postmaster General under President Tyler. Mr. Catlin continued to hold the office until his election to the council in 1844 when he resigned, as he could not by law hold both offices. On the organization of the Supreme Court in the fall of 1836, Mr. Catlin received the appointment of clerk, and was chief clerk of the House of Representatives of the Territory from 1838 until 1845 when L. F. Kellogg succeeded him to that office. On the organization of Dane County for county and Judicial purposes, Mr. Catlin was appointed District Attorney. In 1846 Mr. George R. C. Floyd being in default to the United States Government as Secretary of the Territory, was removed and Mr. Catlin was appointed to that office by President Polk which he held until the admission of the Territory as a State in 1848. The State of Wisconsin was admitted into the Union, with its western boundary by the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers, leaving out a full organ¬ ized county with a sheriff, clerk of court, judge of probate and justices of the peace which had formerly been included within the limits of the Territory and under its government and laws. A bill had been intro¬ duced at a previous session Congress by Hon. Morgan L. Martin the delegate from Wisconsin, to organize a territorial government for Min¬ nesota, including the district left out on the admission of Wisconsin, but which failed to become a law on account of the slavery question. The citizens of what is now Minnesota, were very anxious to obtain a terri- toral government and two public meetings were held, one at St. Paul, and the other at Stillwater, advising and soliciting Mr. Catlin, who was Secretary of Wisconsin, to issue a proclamation, as the acting Governor for the election of a delegate. On consultation with Governor Dodge who had been elected to the Senate for the new State (and consequently had vacated the office of Governor), and on the resignation of Hon. John H. Tweedy of the office 34 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE which would be in about the center of the territory, between the east and the west, if the territory (now the state of Iowa) should he set olf. They had, however, another reason, which was the settlement of the interior, and the opening up of the country at a time when population was greatly to he desired. Provision was made for building a capitol to he commenced in the spring of 1837, and hy the advice of members of the legis¬ lature I agreed to locate at Madison, was recommended for and appointed postmaster, having been previously appointed Clerk of Delegate, Mr. Catlin repaired to Stillwater and issued a proclamation for the election of Delegate. Hon. H. H. Sibley was elected, and nearly four hundred votes were polled at the election. Gen. Sibley presented his certificate of election to Congress which was referred to a committee which reported in favor of the admission of the Delegate; the committee taking the same view Mr. Catlin had taken, and Gen. Sibley was admitt¬ ed to his seat on the floor of congress by a vote of two to one, most of the southern members opposing, contending that the Territoral Govern¬ ment fell on the admission of Wisconsin. The admission of Gen. Sibley facilitated and hastened the passage of a bill for the organization of a Territorial Government for Minnesota which Gen. Sibley was enable to get passed notwithstanding the opposition of the southern members. Mr. Catlin subsequently was elected to the office of County Judge of Dane county, which he resigned on being appointed President of the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad Company, when he removed to Milwaukee when the principal office of the company was kept. Mr. Catlin rendered efficient service in the building of the Milwaukee & Mississippi road. He was mainly instrumental in procuring in the banking law a provision making first mortgage bonds of railroads to the amount of fifty per cent, the basis of banking, under certain restrictions, a provis¬ ion which enabled him to sell and issue of $600,000 of bonds on the said road, which breathed into the corporation the breath of life, and gave it a grand start towards the Mississippi. Mr. Catlin declined a re-election as president in 1856, and on the nth of February the Board of Directors tendered him their thanks for the able and efficient manner in which for the past five years he had discharged the arduous and responsible dnties of that office. After the failure of the company in the revulsion of 1857, Mr. Catlin was again elected President, and re-organized the company under the name of the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Railway, and was Vice President until the consolidation of the company with the Milwaukee & St. Paul. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 35 of the Supreme Court at its first session held at Belmont in 1836. “ My first visit to Madison was in company with Moses M. Strong, Esq., Josiah A. Noonan and Geo. Messersmith, early in the year 1837 (or in December, 1836) to survey out and find the lines of Mr. Noonan’s* lands lying just west and adjoining Madison. We found the snow very deep, and after a hard day’s work, wading in the snow, we camped at night between the Third Lake (Monona) and Dead Lake (Wingra), where we found some thick timber and a sheltered spot. With a good deal of difficulty we made a log heap fire and eat our snack, and after the fire had thawed the snow, and warmed the ground, we removed the fire to a little distance and made our bed on the ashes where the fire had warmed the ground. The weather was extremely cold, hut we slept warm, and the next morning Mr. Noonan left us on horseback for Milwaukee. The snow being too deep to survey out and find the corners of lots and blocks in Madison, and the weather extremely cold, we returned to Mineral Point to wait for milder weather. “ In February, 1837, I again visited Madison with Mr. Strong, who had been employed by Judge James D. Doty (who platted the town from the township plats without a survey) to survey out some lots and blocks around the public square according to the plat he furnished, so that those persons who intended to build, could find their lots. We found that the snow still covered the ground, and we stuck the stakes in the snow, the ground being too deeply frozen in most places to receive the stakes. We camped in the timber in the low grounds under the hill of the Fourth Lake, and were compelled to abandon our work by a severe snow storm, that so blinded us, that it was with great difficulty we found our way across the Fourth Lake to the cabin of St. Cyr, where we stayed two days, until the storm was over. While here I made a contract with him to erect the body of a log house on lot 3, in block 90, where * These lands were what is generally known as the “ Darwin Meadow Lawn Farm,” now the property of Daniel Campbell. 36 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE the postoffice now stands, which he put up in that month, hut the house was not finished and completed until spring. “ In the spring I drew the pine lumber to finish the house from Helena, on the Wisconsin river, at a cost of over 190 per thousand feet, and was so unfortunate, after its completion in very good style, as to have the inside burnt out before any one lived in it. I again visited Madison in March, where I found Mr. Ebest Peck drawing logs to erect a house which was partially completed in April, and in May he removed into fit, which was the first house built in Madison that any one lived in. Mr. Peck kept on adding to it until it was capacious enough to entertain comfortably, the travelers and first settlers who visited Madison and it was then a great accommodation. On the 27th day of May, 1837, I established the postoffice by appointing Luther Peck as deputy, and the first mails were opened and the office kept in Mr. E. Peck’s house, his being the only family in Madison. u In June, 1837, Mr. Augustus A. Bird, one of the commis¬ sioners of public buildings, arrived from Milwaukee with quite a large number of mechanics, and commenced building a board¬ ing house, office, steam mill, store and hotel, preparatory to the erection of the capitol, and very soon the excavation for the foundation of the capitol building was commenced. James Morrxsoh was the contractor and Mr. Bird was the acting commissioner and superintendent, and had the general man¬ agement. A mail route was established between Milwaukee and Mineral Point, carried on horseback, which first supplied Madison, but afterwards the mail route from Galena, Illinois, to Fort Winnebago, carried in a two horse stage, was changed to go via Madison. u On the 4th of July, 1837, Mr. Simeoh Mills was sworn in as deputy postmaster, and kept the office in a one story log building on lot 8 in block 108 during that year, and the sum¬ mer of 1838, until he became a mail contractor on the route between Milwaukee and Madison. u The second session of the legislature was held at Burlington (now Iowa) in the fall of 1837 and winter of 1838, where I FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 37 spent the winter, and was not therefore at Madison, hut I have been told of the high prices and short supplies that prevailed among the few residents of the town. Flour was $20 per barrel, salt $30, hut other articles were more reasonable. Salt and flour had to be hauled from Galena through the timbers and across the prairies, with scarcely any roads for the first forty miles west of Madison. In the spring of 1838 there was some relief to the high prices, but the times were what men called “ hard ” as there was no money except “ wild cat ” and “ shin plasters,” which soon ceased to be of value. Judge Doty issued his own notes, handsomely engraved, which passed current at Madison and in other places and were all redeemed. The wild cat banks of Michigan flooded the new territory, and after being put in circulation soon became of no value, and made the times harder than ever to the new settlers. What gave rise to the “ wild cat ” ( and “ shin plasters ” was the speculation of 1836-7, caused by the removal of the deposits of the govern¬ ment from the United States Bank to the state banks, which induced the latter to discount freely and greatly to expand the paper circulation of the country, and in the spring of 1837, President Jackson issued the “specie circular” which arrested the speculation, and a general suspension and failure of the banks was the consequence. “ The third session of the legislature was held in Madison in the winter of 1838. Two hotels called the “ American ” and “ Madison ” having been erected, together with several private houses for the accommodation of the members. Mr. J. A. Noonan published the first paper printed at Madison, called the “ Wisconsin Enquirer,” and was the public printer of the legislature. “ The ‘ American Hotel 1 was kept by Messrs. Fake & Cot¬ ton, and the “ Madison ” by Mr. Chas. H. Bird, and the fare was quite passable. There was a number of private houses that boarded members and officers of the legisature. I heard but few complaints of short-commons at that session. “ On the Fourth of July, 1837, we had an impromptu cele¬ bration at Peck’s Mansion house. There were present James D. 38 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Doty, Thos. W. Sutherland, E. P. Deacon, two of the Messrs. Schermerhorns of New York, John Messersmith, Senior, John D. Ansley, Simeon Mills, myself ancl many others nearly all accidentally met on the occasion. We had refreshments with champagne, lemonade, punch, toasts and some conver¬ sational speeches. It was quite enjoyable, the more so from the absence of clap-trap and parade, and the noise of gunpow¬ der usual upon such occasions. The day was fine and the coun¬ try about the four lakes to me, at least never looked more beau¬ tiful. A more enthusiastic company with “ great expectations ” could rarely be found. “ In the spring of 1839, the county of Dane was organized for judicial purposes, and the “ District Court ” opened and estab¬ lished by the appointment of Simeon Mills clerk, J udge David Irwin presiding. There was no business to be done, the legis¬ lature having previously passed a u stay law ” which for the time being prevented the collection of debts. There was no criminal business for the courts of the Territory for a long time after its organization, and this fact is greatly to the credit of the early “pioneers ” or first settlers, nor was there much liti¬ gation. Almost the first business for the courts and lawyers, grew out of the passage of the bankrupt act of 1841, which was passed to relieve the unfortunate debtors of the consequen¬ ces of the speculation of 1836, and the revulsion of 1837. “ Hard times ” prevailed for many years afterwards and until Benton’s u mint drops ” came into general circulation. Dur¬ ing several years of general prostration of the country, gold flowed into the country from Europe to fill the vacuum, caused by the failure of the banks. Opposition to banks and corpora¬ tions generally, was one of the cardinal principles of the Dem¬ ocratic party in those days, and the great mass of the western people were in favor of the doctrine. The hard times continued until 1848, when gold was discovered in California, and soon after the times began to change, and property began to rise in value. The settlement of Madison and the interior of the state was very slow, until the building of the Milwaukee and Missis¬ sippi Railroad, and that caused a great accession of population FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 39 and rise in the value of real estate. The state census of 1855 showed the population of the state to be a little over 300,000, and that of 1860 gave 777,000, thus more than doubling the population in five years. “Notwithstanding the “hard times 11 and the impossibility of making money and “ getting along in the world 11 there was much real happiness and enjoyment among the early settlers, all were friendly and good will prevailed. The “ almighty dol¬ lar 11 had not then taken possession of their souls to the exclu¬ sion of the milk of human kindness for each other, and the ex¬ pectation of what Madison and the future state of Wisconsin were to be, and the future wealth the} 7 were sure to acquire, kept them in good spirits and made life endurable. The absence of fashion and pride, and the chilling influence of wealth made their wants few, and they were content with Mr. Micawber’s philos¬ ophy of “ waiting for things to turn up. 11 “ There was plenty of leisure for hunting and fishing, and both game and fish were plenty. Let me tell a “ fish story 11 right here, which luckily for the truth of history is capable of verification by a living witness, and many living who may have heard it at the time. On the first day of May in 1839, return¬ ing from Cottage Grove with LaFayette Kellogg, Esq., we discovered a large catfish near the shore of the head of Third Lake, and I suggested the idea of stopping to catch him. Mr. K. laughed heartily at the suggestion and said I could not get with¬ in two rods of him. I replied that he did not understand the nature of the animal, and that he was sunning and stupefied by the pleasure. The sun was shining warmly and the fish was near the top of the water, I waded out quietly and putting my hands gently, one under his head, and the other at the tail, lifted him out of the water and landed him safely upon the shore before he was awake from his stupor. He weighed thirty-five pounds! “Judge Frazier, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, appointed from Pennsylvania, was a very able judge, (when not under the influence of liquor), and remarkable for his ability, memory and knowledge of law. A term of the court was 40 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE to be held at Madison, in July, 1838, at the old Madison Hotel, which was only partially finished. The judge came on from Pennsylvania to hold the term, hut the other judges, Dunn and Irvin, did not attend. The judge insisted on opening the court and holding the term as the law required. I informed him that there was no business and no lawyers in attendance. He said that made no difference. It was neces¬ sary to adopt rules, and accordingly the court was opened, the judge dictated from memory, and I wrote the rules, but they were not adopted by the other judges. The climate of Madi¬ son, however, at that dry time at the capital, did not suit the judge, as the “critter” or “0 be joyful” was not there, except some Chinese cordial in the store of Jas. Morrison, which Mr. Bird had charge of, in the absence of Mr. Morrison. This cordial was put up in a very handsome and expensive set of china-ware representing Mandarins, and by the liberality of Mr. Bird, the whole set was emptied by the judge while hold¬ ing the term (about a dozen bottles). When the cordial had all leaked out, the judge took his departure, and never held another term. He died at Milwaukee, November 8, 1838. Judge A. Gr. Miller was soon after appointed in his place, who proved to be a very temperate and upright jurist, and gave gen¬ eral satisfaction. On the organization of the state government, Judge Miller received the appointment of District Judge of the United States Court for the District of Wisconsin, which he held until his resignation January 1, 1873, at the age of 72, having held the office of United States Judge in Wisconsin — Territory and State — over 35 years. “ The rules of practice for the district courts of the Terri¬ tory, were prepared by Judge Miller, and were adopted hy the judges of the supreme court at the term of 1840. These rules were published in primer form, and were the uniform rules of practice in the several district courts until after the admission of the State into the Union. “The only men I remember living in Dane county in 1837, other than the men who came with A. A. Bird to work on the capitol, were Ebenezer Brigham at the Blue Mounds, J ohn FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 41 Kellogg at the same place, the two Pecks, Abel Rasdall at First Lake, Coyalle at Second Lake, Abram Wood at Wood’s Point on Third Lake, and St. Cyr at the City of the Four Lakes. Horace Lawrehce, I think, came during the same year, and also Johm Stoker. Berry Hahey lived at Cross Plains. I staid one night at his place, on my way to Green Bay, in September, 1836. “Col. Ab. Nichols, who built ‘The Worser,’ where the United States Hotel afterwards stood, was a noted person in early times, but, on the whole, a very good sort of man. It was he that named Mineral Point ‘ Shake Rag,’ from a white cloth that used to be hung out to call the miners to dinner. The colonel reformed at the close of his life, united with the church, and became a sincere and devoted Christian.” A. F. Pratt, Esq., of Waukesha, in the first volume of the Collections of the State Historical Society, gives a notice of Judge Frazier, which is re-published in connection with Mr. Catlik’s account of the early judiciary: “ The Territory of Wisconsin was organized in July, 1836. It was divided into three Judicial Districts. Judge DuHKwas appointed for the Western District, Judge Irwih for the Mid¬ dle, and Judge Frazier, of Pennsylvania, for the Eastern. Judge Frazier arrived in Milwaukee on a Sunday evening, in June, 1837. He put up at the small hotel which stood where “ Dickerman’s Block ” now stands, which was called the * * * * Tavern, kept by Mr. Vail. On his arrival he fell in with some old Kentucky friends, who invited him to a private room, for the purpose of participating in an innocent game of “poker” The party consisted of the Judge, Col. Mortoh, Register of the Land Office, and two or three others — friends of the Judge. They commenced playing for small sums at first, but increased them as the hours passed, until the dawn of day, the next morning — when small sums seemed beneath their notice. The first approach of day was heralded to them by the ringing of the bell for breakfast. The Judge made a great many apologies, saying, among other things, that as that was his first appearance in the Territor 3 q and as his court opened at 4 * 42 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE 10 o’clock that morning, he must have a little time to prepare a charge to the Grand Jury. He therefore hoped that thej r would excuse him, which they accordingly did, and he with¬ drew from the party. The court met at the appointed hour — Owen" Aldrich acting as sheriff, and Cyrus Hawley as clerk. The Grand Jury was called and sworn. The Judge with much dignity commenced his charge; and never before did we hear such a charge poured forth from the bench! After charging them upon the laws generally, he alluded to the statute against gambling. The English language is too barren to describe his abhorrence of that crime. Among other extravagancies, he said, that u a gambler was unfit for earth, heaven or hell; ” and that u God Almighty would even shudder at the sight of one.” “ At that time, we had but one session of the Legislature, which had adopted mostly the statutes of Michigan, which al¬ lowed the court to exercise its discretion in granting stays of executions, etc. A suit came up against a man in the Sec¬ ond ward, who had no counsel. The Judge ordered the crier to call the defendant. He did so, and the defendant appeared. The Judge asked him if he had anything to say against judg¬ ment being rendered against him. He replied, that he did not know that he had, as it was an honest debt, but that he was un¬ able to pay it. The Judge inquired what his occupation was. He replied that he was a fisherman. Says the Judge, “ Can you pay it in fish?” The defendant answered, that “he did not know but he could, if he had time to catch them.” The Judge turned to the clerk, and ordered him to “ enter up a judgment, payable in fish, and grant a stay of execution for twelve months;” at the same time remarking to the defendant, that he must surely pay it at the time, and in good fish; for he would not be willing to wait so long for “ stinking fish.” The next suit worthy of note, was against Wm. M. Dehhis, our present Bank Comptroller (1854-57.) He, like his predecessor, had no counsel. His name was called, and he soon made his appearance. He en¬ tered the court room, wearing his usual smile, whittling, with his knife in the left hand. The court addressed him in a loud voice, “ What are you grinning about, Mr. Dehhis ? ” Mr. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 43 D. replied, that he was not aware that he was laughing. The court inquired if he proposed to offer any defense ? He replied that he did, hut was not ready for trial. “No matter,” said the Judge, “there’s enough that are ready; the clerk will enter it 4 continued.’ ” The next case, about which we recollect, was the trial of two Indians, who were indicted for murdering a man on Rock River. They were also indicted for an assault with intent to kill, upon another man, at the same time. The trial for murder came off first. They were found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. On the day following they wfere tried for the assault, etc., found guilty, and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, and to pay a fine of five hundred dollars each. Governor Dodge, however, deeming it too severe to fine and imprison a man after he was hanged, commuted it to imprison¬ ment for life. The Indians were confined in a jail a year or two, but were finally pardoned by the Governor. 44 Judge Frazier soon afterwards went to Green Bay, and held a court, from whence, for want of a jail in which to con¬ fine prisoners, he sentenced a man, for some trifling offence, 44 to be banished to Turkey River.” After the court adjourned, he returned to Milwaukee on the steamboat Pennsylvania. She anchored in the bay, and the Judge, who was dead drunk at the time, was lowered by means of a tackle, into a boat, and rowed to the landing, at Walker’s Point. From the effect of this bacchanalian revel he never recovered. His friend, Col. Mor¬ ton, took him to his own house, called to his aid our best phy¬ sicians, and all was done that human skill could devise, for the restoration of his health; but it was too late; the seeds of death had been sown; he lingered in great distress for four or five days, and breathed his last.* The members of the bar, gener¬ ally, neglected to attend the funeral; and having no relatives in the state, he hardly received a decent burial. His remains were followed to their last resting place by only two members of the bar, (Messrs. Arnold and Crocker,) besides a few friends. * Hon. William C. Frazier, Associate Judge for the Territory of Wis¬ consin, died at Milwaukee, October i8th, 1838, aged sixty-two years.— American Almanac, 1840. HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE 44 they now remain in the old chnrch yard in the First Ward, without even a slab to mark the spot. — “ The above sketch was written by us from memory, for the Wisconsin , last summer. We now republish it for the purpose of doing simple justice to the living, by adding that we have since learned that a son of Judge Frazier came to Milwaukee some years since, and had the remains of his father removed to the new church yard in the Fifth Ward, and prop¬ er tomb-stones erected over them. “December 6, 1854.” FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 45 CHAPTER II. Location of Seat of Government — Territorial Organization — Hon. M. M. Strong’s Early Surveys — Visit of A, F. Pratt, 1837 — Arrival of Eben Peck and Family — Featherston - haugh’s Visit, 1837 —Arrival of A. A. Bird and Party — W. Woolcock’s Account — Description of Old Capitol — Madison Hotel — Names of Workmen — S. Mills’ Arrival — Account of Early Buildings — Mrs. Roseline Peck’s Recollections. As tlie history of Madison is intimately connected with the lo¬ cation of the seat of government, it will he necessary to give a brief account of the organization of the Territory, for a better understanding of subsequent events. Hon. M. M. Strong, in his address in 1870, before the State Historical Society, on “ Territorial Legislation in Wisconsin,” gives a full account .of the organization, and from it the follow- wing extracts have been taken: “ The Territorial Government was established by act of Con¬ gress approved April 20, 1836, and embraced within its bounda¬ ries all the territory now included in the present states of Wis¬ consin, Iowa and Minnesota, and a part of Dakota. Gen. Henry Dodge was appointed Governor, J. S. Horner Secretary, with Chas. Dunn Chief Justice, and other officers. These per¬ sons took the prescribed oath of office July 4. A census of the population was soon after taken, and the time of election appointed for October 10. The election excited considerable interest, growing chiefly out of local considerations. The per¬ manent location of the seat of government, the division of counties, and the location of county seats, were questions that chiefly influenced the election, while the views of candidates in relation to national politics had little or no influence upon the results. The Governor, by proclamation, appointed the village of Belmont as the place for the first session of the Legislature, and October 25th as the time for the meeting. 46 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE “ The great and paramount question of the session was the location of the seat of government. To this all others were subordinate and made subservient. The wild spirit of specu¬ lation, which, in the earlier part of the year 1836, had, like a tornado, swept over the whole country, and which, having in¬ vaded and unsettled the prices of every species of personal property, seized upon the unsold public domain, which was transferred by millions of acres from the control of the govern¬ ment and the occupation of the settler, to the dominion of the speculator; although on the wane in the last months of that year, was still omnipotent, and exerted a marked influence upon many of the members of the Belmont Legislature. “ Numerous speculators were in attendance with beautiful maps of prospective cities, whose future greatness was portrayed with all the fervor and eloquence which the excited imagination of their proprietors could display. Madison, Belmont, Fond du Lac and Cassville were the points which were more prominently urged upon the consideration of the members. Hon. James Duane Doty, afterwards a delegate in Congress, and Governor of the Territory, and more recently Governor of Utah, where he died, had resided for many years at Green Bay as additional Judge of Michigan Territory. His frequent journeys in dis¬ charge of his judicial duties, in the different parts of the Terri¬ tory, had rendered him familiar with its geography and topog¬ raphy, and had given him superior advantages for judging of the eligibility of different points, as sites for the capitol of the Territory and future State. Judge Doty fixed upon the isthmus between the Third and Fourth of the Four Lakes, and in connec¬ tion with Stevens T. Mason, the Governor of Michigan Ter¬ ritory, purchased from the government about one thousand acres in sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, upon the common corner of which the capitol now stands. Upon this tract of land a town plat was laid out, called Madison, and under the auspices of its founder became a formidable competitor for the honors and ad¬ vantages of being selected as the seat of government. Madison town lots in large numbers were freely distributed among mem¬ bers, their friends, and others who were supposed to possess in¬ fluence with them. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 47 “ Nearly four weeks were spent in skirmishing outside the legislative halls, when, on the 21st of November, the battle was formally opened in the council, and the bill considered in Com¬ mittee of the Whole until the 23d, when it was reported back in the form in which it became a law, fixing upon Madison as the seat of government, and providing that the sessions of the Legislative Assembly, should be held at Burlington, in Des Moines county, until March 4, 1839, unless the public buildings at Madison should be sooner completed. “ When the bill was reported back by the committee of the whole, and was under consideration in the Council, where the ayes and noes could be called, spirited attack was made upon it, and motions to strike out Madison and insert some other places were successively made in favor of Fond du Lac, Dubuque, Portage Helena, Milwaukee, Racine Belmont, Mineral Point, Platteville, Green Bay, Cassville, Belleview, Koshkonong, Wisconsinapo- lis, Peru and Wisconsin City; but all with one uniform result — ayes 6, noes 7; and the bill was by the same vote ordered en¬ grossed, and the next day passed the Council. In the House of Representatives the opposition was not so formidable, and on the 28th, the bill was ordered to a third reading by a vote of 16 to 10, and passed the same day, 15 to 11 — thus ending one of the most exciting struggles ever witnessed in the Territory of Wisconsin.” By Section 3 of the act establishing the seat of govern¬ ment, the sum of $20,000 was appropriated for building the capitol building, and three commissioners were required to be chosen by joint ballot; to cause necessary public buildings to be erected at Madison ; to agree upon a plan of said buildings, and contract for their erection; one of their number to be treasurer, another acting commissioner to superintend the erec¬ tion of the buildings. In pursuance of this act, on the 7th of December, Augustus A. Bird, James Duane Doty and John F. O’Neill, were elected commissioners, and, at their first meeting, Mr. Bird was chosen acting commissioner and Mr. Doty, treasurer. The further history of the erection of the cap¬ itol building will be continued hereafter. 48 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE On tlie 19th of January, 1837, the newly located seat of government was visited by Hon. Moses M. Strong* of Mineral Point; Mr. Levi' R. Marsh, who afterwards lived for many years at Prairie du Chien, and a Mr. Potter from the east, who soon after returned and has not since resided in Wisconsin. These three gentlemen left Milwaukee on horseback on .the 16th of January, and traveling by the way of Prairie Village (Wau¬ kesha), Bark river, Fort Atkinson and the half-breed’s on the First Lake, they arrived at Madison in the afternoon of the 19th. They spent the night of the 18th at the half-breed’s on the First Lake, where they were hospitably entertained and feasted with the luxury of a mnsk-rat pie. From this place, following the Indian trail along the east and north bank of the Second Lake (Lake Wanbesa), they reached the south¬ eastern bank of the Third Lake (Lake Monona), near its outlet. Their object being to find Madison, which as yet presented no indications to mark its precise locality, except the marks and * Hon. Moses M. Strong, son of Hon. Moses Strong and Lucy Maria Smith, was born at Rutland, Vermont, May 20, 1810, was educated and graduated at Darmouth College, in 1829, studied law at the Law School at Litchfield' Connecticut, under the charge of Judge Gould, in 1831. He practiced his profession at Rutland (1831-6). In 1833 appointed Deputy Surveyor General of Vermont. In 1836 he removed to Wisconsin and settled at Mineral Point, where he opened a law and land agency connected with surveying. In 1837 he was appointed to survey United States gov¬ ernment lands on the west side of the Mississippi river. From 1838 to 1841 he was United States Attorney for the Territory of Wisconsin; a Member of the Council of the Territory, 1841-2-3, and President, a Mem¬ ber 1843-4, a Member and President 1846; a member of the first constitutional convention to form a state constitution. In 1849 and again in 1856 was elected a member of House of Representatives, and was in 1850 the Speaker of the Assembly. In 1852 he was largely interested in rail¬ road enterprises and has been President of the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad and the Mineral Point Railroad. He has also been interested in the improvement of water-powers on the Wisconsin river, and also in the developement of the lead mines in the vicinity of Mineral Point. Mr. Strong was married in 1832 to Caroline Francis Green, daughter of Dr. Green, Windsor, Vermont, and has four children. Residence Mineral Point. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 49 monuments left by the government surveyors. Mr. Str&ntg had furnished himself with an accurate copy of the government plats which exhibited all the bays, capes and headlands of the lakes, and sitting on his horse, on an elevated point of the shore of the lake he had reached, he could, with his field glass, observe all of them within the range of his vision. Having fixed upon a certain bay in a northwesterly direction, and upon the opposite side of the Third Lake as the one where a section line would probably intersect the shore, the exploring party after, with some difficulty, getting their horses upon the ice, took a straight course for the selected bay, and were so. fortunate as to hit the meander post set by the government surveyors about four years previously, and which marked the intersection with the lake of the section line between sections thirteen and twenty-four. Following up this section line, along what is now the center of King street, the party soon came to the corner of sections thirteen, fourteen, twenty-three and twenty-four, which is the center of the capitol park, and upon which the capitol stands. After remaining a short time and admiring the natural beauty, of the site so recently made by law the seat of government, this exploring party undertook to cross the Fourth Lake on the ice in search of St. Cyr, of whom they had been told at the First Lake, where they spent the previous night, and with whom they intended to spend this night. By some mistake or misunderstanding, the party, instead of going to the west end of the lake, went to the extreme north end, and of course missed the log cabin of St. Cyr, of which they were in search, and leaving the lake at the north end, they took a westerly course, hoping to find the wagon road from Fort Winnebago to the Blue Mounds, but the track was so obscured by the snow that they crossed it without noticing it, and traveled on until night overtook them, when they were compelled to pass the night without food or shelter for themselves or horses. The next morning Mr. Strong found a section corner, and thus learned that they had gone several miles out of their way, and had spent the night on section twenty-one, town eight, range eight east, which is 50 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE now the Ashton postoffice, in the town of Springfield. They soon got the correct course and went on to the Blue Mounds, and thence to Mineral Point. During that winter Judge Doty had employed Mr. Strong, who was a surveyor as well as lawyer, to survey and stake off the capitol square and some lots in the vicinity. On the 17th of February, Mr. John Catlin and himself started from Min¬ eral Point to perform this work, and spent that night at the house of John Messersmith, Esq., about twelve miles east of Mineral Point, where they engaged the assistance of his son George Messersmith, who, five years later, was appointed sheriff of Iowa county by Judge Doty, then Governor of the Territory. Before the surveying party started they were joined by Josiah A. Noonan, Esq., who desired to have some survey¬ ing done on land in which he had an interest, west of and ad¬ joining Madison, and lying partly upon what was called the “ Little Lake ” (Lake Wingra). Mr. Noonan brought Mr. Strong a letter from Judge Doty, with which we have been furnished. Mr. Strong furnished us his diary kept during this survey, and which is as follows: “February 17. Bought surveying chain, shirt and gloves, and same day started with Mr. Catlin for Madison and staid at Messersmith’s. Mr. J. A. Noonan joined us, bringing a letter from Judge Doty, and will go with us to Madison. “ February 18. Bought at Brigham’s provisions for the ex¬ cursion at $15.00, and went on to Steel’s, on Haney’s creek (this was near the Cross Plains station on Black Earth creek), Noonan and George Messersmith in company. “ February 19 . Went to St. Cyr’s and finished Noonan’s work on north side of Fourth Lake, and slept at St. Cyr’s. u February 20. Finished meanders on Fourth and Little Lake, and camped on Little Lake. “ February 21. Finished Noonan’s meanders on Third Lake, and he paid me $70 for myself and Catlin, and then com¬ menced Doty’s work at Madison. “ February 22 . Continued Doty’s work at Madison. Camped FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 51 there (the camp, which was only the lee side of a large fallen oak tree — was on the shore of the Fourth Lake, near the foot of Hamilton street), and at daylight were driven off by a severe snow-storm, and went to St. Cyr’s and spent the day. “ February 23 . Remained at St. Cyr’s by reason of the snow storm. “ February 24. Continued Doty’s work at Madison, and camped there. u February 25. Continued Doty’s work at Madison, and went to St. Cyr’s. “February 26. Returned to Madison and finished all of Doty’s work west of canal, and then went to Rowan’s and slept, having paid St. Cyr $13.50. Rowan lived about twelve miles south of Fort Winnebago, where is now Poynette, on the Madison and Portage Railroad. ” From Rowan’s, the surveying party took the Wisconsin river and followed down on it to Helena, and thence by land to Min¬ eral Point. This work of surveying was the starting point of settlement, and was soon after followed by the erection of a log house by Mr. Ebenezer Peck. In the month of February, Alex. F. Pratt, Esq., now of Waukesha, in company with Augustus Story, started on a tour to the mining regions. Passing through Prairie village, now Waukesha, they proceeded by the way of Fort Atkinson and thence to the Catfish river, near the present site of Dun¬ kirk. Here they encamped, building a fire, which they kept up till morning, on account of the wolves, which watched them closely. The next morning they proceeded up the river, know¬ ing that it would lead them to the Fourth Lake, where there were several wigwams, and where they could obtain something to eat, even if it was not of the choicest kind. We quote from Mr. Pratt’s narrative: “ At about noon we reached the First Lake, and seeing moc¬ casin tracks in the snow, we followed them for a short distance to a wigwam, but found it tenantless. After searching it from top to bottom, we found a few cold roasted potatoes, which, we assure you (after having fasted for twenty-four hours), relished 52 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE well. We remained in this wigwam an hour or two, and then passed on to the point where Madison is now located. At that time, neither the ax, nor “ the shovel and the hoe,” had been hung up or laid down in that vicinity. It was nearly sundown when we crossed the Third Lake. After traveling over the first eminence — where the capitol now stands — we struck a ravine (between capitol square and the present site of the University), where we made a halt, struck up a fire, and encamped for the night, without even making any inquiry about supper. The cold potatoes which we ate at noon, supplied the place of breakfast, dinner and supper. The weather had moderated a little, which, together with the hardships of the journey, and our extreme fatigue, caused us to sleep quite comfortably dur¬ ing the night. The next morning we crossed Fourth Lake, a distance of about four miles, where we saw a small log cabin, which was the first building of the kind we had seen since leav¬ ing Fort Atkinson. We knocked at the door, but all was si¬ lent. We were both cold and hungry, and the sight of a cabin was some relief. We did not wait for ceremony, but bolted in, where we found a squaw and some four or five pappooses. We spoke to her in the Pottawatamie language, but she made no reply. We were soon satisfied that she did not understand us. We then made all the signs that our Indian education or inge¬ nuity would admit of, to show her that we were hungry; but all in vain. We expected that her husband would soon come in and kick us out of doors, without waiting for an explanation, and were at a loss what to do. A white man,* however, soon came in, spoke to us in good English, and seemed glad to see us. He informed us that he was a Canadian, that the squaw was his wife, and that the children were also his. The squaw belonged to the Winnebago tribe, and spoke a different language from the other Indians in the vicinity. u He had been an Indian trader there for years. The lands which he had cultivated had been sold without his knowledge; for, in fact, he took no interest in anything except trading in furs, etc. His wife on being made acquainted with our wants, * Michael St. Cyr. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 53 flew around and prepared for us a supper. It was a kind of pot-pie, which we relished very well. After finishing our meal, we inquired what kind of meat we had eaten, and were informed that it was mush-rat. We remained there till morning, and then left for the Blue Mounds.” The year 1837 is memorable as the beginning of the perma¬ nent settlement of Madison. The Indians who up to this date had nominal possession, became aware that they must move to other homes; the country to be reclaimed from barba¬ rism and subdued to the wants and requirements of civilized life. We have before referred to the purchase of this location by Doty and Mason, and of its selection as the site for the seat of government. In the month of April, Eben Peck* and his wife Bose- like Peck came here from Blue Mounds and became the first settlers. J ohn C atlin, Esq., had been here before Mr. Peck, and * A more particular notice of the pioneer family of Madison is desirable. Eben Peck was born in Shoreham, Addison county, Vermont, in 1804, and was taken to Middlebury, Genesee, now Wyoming county, New York, by his parents when quite a child; and on his return to Vermont in 1827, he established himself in business in Middletown, Rutland county. There he was married, February 24,1829, to Miss Roseline Willard, a native of Mid¬ dletown, born February 24, 1808; the wedding taking place in the house in which she was born, with her parents, grandparents, and numerous friends and relatives present. In 1832 Mr. and Mrs. Peck moved to Mid¬ dlebury, New York, and thence, as Mrs. Peck’s statement shows, in 1836, to Blue Mounds. Mr. Peck went to California and Oregon in 1844; and though since re¬ ported as in Texas or New Mexico, is supposed to have been massacred by savages when crossing the piains. Mrs. Peck’s mother was Julia Ann Burnham; and her grandmother Burnham, (wife of John Burnham, an able lawyer of the Bennington bar), was a sister of Gen. Isaac Clark, of Castleton, Vt., a soldier of the Revolu¬ tion, known as Old Rifle, and who commanded a regiment in the war of 1812, making a successful expedition against Massequoi, Lower Canada, October 12, 1813; was member of the Constitutional Convention, and Judge of the County Court; died at Castleton, January 31, 1822, aged 73. Gen. Clark was the grandfather of Hon. Satterlee Clark, an early pioneer of Wisconsin, and for many years a prominent member of the State Senate. 54 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE had put up a log house on the ground now occupied by the United States Court House and Post Office, hut it was not in use until after Mr. Peck’s house was built and occupied. Mrs. Peck who is now residing at Baraboo, Wisconsin, has contri¬ buted two interesting articles on her early life experience at Madison, published lirst in the Baraboo Republican, in March and April, 1860, which were subsequently republished with valuable historical notes by Dr. L. C. Draper, in Vol. 6, Col¬ lections of State Historical Society of Wisconsin. From these papers much desirable information has been obtained, and from which we have made liberal extracts. Mrs. Peck has also at our request furnished an additional paper. These reminiscen¬ ces throw much light on pioneer life in Madison, and will be read with interest. It is proper to state that the two first pap¬ ers were called out by the fact that a Mr. Geo. W. Feathers- tokhaugh, an English Geologist employed by the United States Government, to make geological surveys in the northwest, on his return to England published a work entitled “ A Canoe voy¬ age up the Minnay-sotor, with an account of the Lead and Cop¬ per Regions of Wisconsin. London, 1847. 2Yols. 8vo.” In this work he refers to his visit to Madison, an account of which will hereafter be given, and took occasion to criticise the do¬ mestic arrangements of Mrs. Peck’s house. His statements in reference thereto, are very unjust and untrue. While at Mad¬ ison he received from that lady every attention and civility that any honorable man would require, but he was a fretful, con¬ ceited Englishman, and nothing pleased him or 1 was good enough for him. His criticisms on her table and accommodations, brought from Mrs. Peck the communications referred to. In quoting from them, we have taken the liberty to omit some portions. “We came direct from Genessee county, Hew York, via Buffalo, Detroit, Michigan City and Chicago, to the Blue Mounds, at which place we arrived, July, 1836 — our goods having been shipped by the way of Green Bay and the port¬ age (Fort Winnebago). The two forts or garrisons were then kept at those points and the Blue Mounds, being situated on FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 55 the old military road from Galena, Mineral Point to the port¬ age, there was considerable travel. A postoffice was soon after established at Col. Brigham’s place at the Mounds. We took possession of his house with every thing appertaining thereto — his large and excellent garden, a number of cows, etc., and boarded himself and his farming and mining hands, during autumn and winter, also entertaining travelers. u On the return of the northern members of the Belmont legislature to their homes, with the information that Madison had been selected as the location of the seat of government, Mr. Peck purchased some lots, and immediately sent hands and teams to erect three large rooms or buildings for their occupancy. The buildings were put up before I saw them.” Of the buildings as erected, and her commencement of house¬ keeping, she says: “ The men employed to erect this first house, were two French¬ men, one named Joe Pellkie, the name of the other is for¬ gotten; they were with a party of Winnebagoes who had spent that winter at the largest of the Blue Mounds; and one Abra¬ ham Wood superintended the work. Wood then lived at Strawberry or Squaw Point — since better known as Winne- quah, on the eastern side of Third Lake; he had a squaw wife, a daughter of the Winnebago chief De Kaury. Wood subsequently removed to Baraboo, and erected a saw-mill there. During the erection of these cabins, which was in March, Mr. Peck made two excursions with teams to Madison, to carry out supplies, and give directions about the work; there was then snow on the ground, and the lakes were frozen, so that Mr. Peck crossed on the ice to Strawberry Point, to stay over night at Wood’s. Pellkie remained in and around Madison for some time; at one time, Berry Hahey, a noted character, shot Pellkie in a dispute about a land claim, and when last heard from, Pellkie was still carrying the ball in his back. The other Frenchman, the companion of Pellkie in building our cabins, had a squaw wife, whose brother was stabbed and killed on the beach of Third Lake. “ In March, Mr. Doty and lady returned, (their residence be- 56 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE ing at Green Bay), and put up over night with us. They found a decent, clean table, a thing seldom found in those days. I informed Mrs. Doty that we were going to settle in Madison. She said if I would be the first housekeeper there, I should have a present, and my choice of the best lot in the place; it was also confirmed by her husband, but, by-the-by, I never got it; and on the 15th of April, 1837, we arrived there, and as we were well aware what our business would be when settled, we provided ourselves accordingly, and purchased at Mineral Point over one hundred dollars worth of groceries, as I have the bills now to show; among the items were one barrel of pork, two of flour, one of crackers, one of sugar, half barrel dried fruit one box of tea, and as good a sack of coffee as was ever brought into the State, besides a half barrel of pickles, put up by myself, also a tub of butter, and jars of plums and cranberries, collected from Blue Mounds’ thickets. All these were carried to Madi¬ son when we moved, besides a good load of potatoes. I also made six more bed-ticks, to be filled with grass or hay as occas¬ ion required, as we fetched but four feather beds with us. “We started from Beigham’s place, at the Blue Mounds, on Thursday, the 13th of April, after dinner, with our teams, I riding an Indian pony. We traveled about seven miles, where some person had made a claim, and had laid about five rounds of logs towards a cabin. We camped therein that night with a tent over us. The next day, the 14th, we pushed on—a more pleasant day I never wish to see; but I had a severe headache before night. We pitched our tent on a little rise of ground, within three miles of Madison; spread down our beds, and rest¬ ed comfortably, till near 3 o’clock on Saturday morning, when we were awakened by a tremendous wind storm, and howling of wolves, and found snow five or six inches deep which contin¬ ued to fall until after we arrived in Madison. “ Well, now, here we are at Madison, on the 15th, sitting in a wagon under a tree, with a bed-quilt thrown over my own and little boy’s heads, in a tremendous storm of snow and sleet, twenty-five miles from any inhabitants on one side (Blue Mounds), and nearly one hundred on the other (Milwaukee). FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 57 What is to he done? Gfo into the buildings with no floors laid, and nothing hut great sleepers laid across to walk on? No; I must have the buildings plastered with lime, and floors laid first — only one saw-mill in the Territory, and that, way up in the Wisconsin Pinery, and not completed, and of course no lumber; but there lies a pile of puncheons—just build me a pen under this tree, and move in my stove, and we will crawl in there. Bure enough, we soon had it completed, and a fire built.* u Some two weeks from this time, or about the first of May, on a pleasant day, there were about fifteen men arrived from Mil¬ waukee, to look a road through, and see Madison. Among the number were A. A. Bird, the two Pixleys, merchants, W. M. Dexxts, and Col. Mortoh, of the Land Office — but I cannot enumerate names. Well, we had a spacious dining-room — under the broad canopy of heaven — where I spread tables for them. A portion of the party, the hired men, set out on their return the next day. We immediately sent a team to the other side of Fourth Lake, where there had been some hay put up by a party of half-breed French and Indians, and got a load of it, with which we filled our bed-ticks; we then laid down puncheons in one end of one of the buildings, spread down our beds, built a fire of chips (hewn from the logs) at the other end between the sleepers, tacked three or four sheets of bed- curtains around the walls, and there they rested; and they staid with us three or four days, enjoying themselves hunting and fishing around the lakes, and looking at the country; and then left for Mineral Point, or perhaps Galena; and in eight or ten days Bird returned, accompanied by Judge Doty, Ebexezer Brigham and others. “Judge Doty observed, ‘Why do you not move into your house ? ’ ‘ Why, my dear sir, 1 I replied, ‘ I must have it plastered with lime first. 1 Said he, ‘ we do not know as there is a lime quarry within a hundred miles of you, and you need * Henry G. Abbot, Esq., of Utica, N. Y., informed the writer that he, with a friend, staid one night with Mr. and Mrs. Peck in the latter part of April, 1837, — before Mr. Bird’s first visit. 5 58 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE not expect to live in this pen until there is one found and burned. No, no, you must move in; we will help daub up the kitchen part on the outside with mud, and when the lime is found you can finish the inside to suit you. 1 So at it they went, (only think, Governors, Esquires and Mayors, in pros¬ pective, daubing cabins!) and by night we were all comfortably situated in the kitchen. And this is the room in which, a week subsequently, the great Scotch-born and English-bred Featherstohhaugh was entertained.” “ The size of this room was twenty-four feet long and eight¬ een or twenty wide — the same length of the dining-room, and situated immediately back of it,— wherein the} 7 used to dance cotillions, three sets at the same time. The other two build¬ ings were joined on the northeast and southeast corners of the kitchen, leaving a passage, where afterwards was erected a frame dining-room, in which many a weary traveler and hun¬ gry wight was fed.” The next person after Mr. and Mrs. Peck, who came to Madison, and has given an account of his journey and experi¬ ences, was G. W. Featherstomhaugh, recently referred to. In coming from St. Louis in this direction, he heard much of Ty- clio-be-rah , or the Four Lakes, and elaborately engraved plans of several cities in their vicinity were shown him. He was as¬ sured that they were flourishing finely — Madison in particular was represented as already a city. Let us now cite his graphic description of Madison and its first house, which he gives as follows, under date May 30, 1837 — passing from Dodgeville to Col. E. Brigham’s, at the Blue Mounds, to dinner: u Pursuing our journey at 1 P. M., we passed the military road leading to Fort Winnebago and Navarino (Green Bay), and soon afterwards got into one of the most exquisitely beau¬ tiful regions I have ever seen in any part of the world. The prairie that had hitherto been distinguished by a regular roll¬ ing surface, here changed its character and took the form of ridges, somewhat elevated, which frequently resolved themselves into masses of gracefully rounded hills, separated by gentle de¬ pressions, that occasionally became deepened valleys. In these, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 59 some of the heads of a stream called Sugar river, a tributary of Rock river, took their rise. * * * “ The aspect of this lovely country at once accounted for so great a population flocking to the lakes, on whose enchanting hanks those cities were founded of which we had heard so much, and to which we were now advancing. Four noble lakes, in the center of a region of such unrivalled beauty, must constitute perfection itself. Our expectations were exceedingly raised. Every movement produced a new excitement: the oc¬ casional glimpse of the shy deer, with their elegant fawns, and the more frequent flushing of the prairie-hen from her nest, gave animation to the still beauty around us. Enraptured with all I saw, I could not but occasionally reflect on the oddity of seven large cities, each capable of containing a population of half a million of people, have congregated so close together. There was Madison City , which was the metropolis; adjacent to this was the City of the Four Lakes , a short distance beyond this was the city of North Madison. Close upon this again was the city of East Madison. Then there was the city of West Madison ,* the city of South Madison, and the City of the First Lake , and the “ City of the Second Lake.” f Of each of these I had a beautiful engraved plan, with all its squares, streets, in¬ stitutions and temples.” In the vicinity of Madison he found some very interesting mounds and other interesting Indian monuments, which he de¬ scribes, and continues: a We hastened on, as the day was drawing to a close, and we had yet some distance to go to Madison City. For some time I had kept a good look-out for some of the enterprising farmers, who must have come from great distances to this fertile coun¬ try, and was rather surprised that we should hitherto have met * The “ City of West Madison” was platted and recorded June 23, 1837. The proprietors were, Steptoe Catlin, Wm. Glenny and Timothy Johnson. f “ The City of the Second Lake ” was owned by J. P. Arndt, J. W. Colton, B. W. and E. W. Edgerton, S. Juneau, F. W. Hawley, E. G. Bry¬ ant, E. Starr and S. W. Beardsley. The plat of the city was recorded October 11, 1836. 60 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE no one. We had not passed a single farm, and concluded that, being an Indian country, the settlers had clustered round the great city we were bound to, and had established themselves near that lake where the best fish abounded. Fresh fish! pro¬ digious varieties! cat-fish, pike, pickerel, salmon, trout, buffalo, perch! What anticipations for men who had for so many days been bolting pieces of tough fat bacon, cured 1,000 miles off. At length we came to a belt of open trees, and, passing through it, we reached the flat, marshy shores of the largest of the four lakes; we could see almost entirely around it, and much did we look; but, alas! no vestige of human dwelling was in sight. “ This considerably changed the current of our thoughts, and materially impaired the beauty of the prospect. Not being disposed to express all we felt, we reluctantly took to the woods again, along the margin of the lake, in the hope to stumble upon some one or other. Night was gradually drawing her veil over everything, and it became rather doubtful whether we should not have — in the language of backwoodsmen — to camp out. Keeping, therefore, all my visions of fried fish in the background for a while, I felt for my box of matches, and, finding it safe, turned my attention — as old Indian travelers always do — to the next best thing, a rousing fire to lay down by. Black clouds were forming in the horizon; we had been drenched thoroughly the day before, and it became pretty cer¬ tain there would be another storm. Groping our way, and oc¬ casionally jolting over the fallen trees, we, at the end of an hour and a half, got to the shore of the Third Lake, having somehow or other missed the Second Lake, where Madison City was supposed to be. We now changed our course again, and keeping to the northwest, and meandering, and wondering and shouting for 1113 " companion, who had got out of the wagon to follow a small trail he thought he had discovered, I at length gave up the attempt to proceed any further, and, selecting a dry tree as a proper place to bivouac near, had already stopped the wagon, when, hearing my companion’s voice shouting for me in a tone that augured something new to be in the wind, I pushed on in that direction, and at length found him standing FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 61 at the door of a hastily patched up log hut, consisting of one room about twelve feet square. This was Madison City , and, humble as it was, it concen¬ trated within itself all the urban importance of the seven cities we had come so far to admire, and to which, according to our engraved plans, Ninevah of old, Thebes, with its hundred gates, and Persepolis, were but baby-houses. Not another dwelling was there in the whole country, and this wretched contrivance had only been put up within the last four weeks. Having se¬ cured our horses, we entered the grand and principal entrance to the city, against the top of which my head got a severe blow, it not being more than five feet high from the ground. The room was lumbered up with barrels, boxes and all manner of things. Amongst other things was a hustling little woman, about as high as the door, with an astounding high cap on, called Mrs. Peck. * * * “ My first inquiry was, whether she had any fresh fish in the house. The answer was ‘'No! 7 Inflexible and unwelcome word. No fresh fish! no large, delicious catfish, of twenty pounds weight, to he fried with pork and placed before the vo¬ racious traveler in quantities sufficient to calm those apprehen¬ sions that so often arise in Indian lands, of there not being enough for him to eat until he falls fast asleep. ‘ Why, then,’ exclaimed my alarmed companion, 1 what T s to be done ? ’ ‘I have some salt pork,’ rejoined our little hostess. 1 Then, madam, you must fry it without the fish,’ I replied. So to the old busi¬ ness we went, of bolting square pieces of fat pork, an amuse¬ ment I had so often indulged in, that I sometimes felt as if I ought to be ashamed to look a live pig in the face. Our land¬ lady, however, was a very active and obliging person; she said she would make us as comfortable as it was possible for her to do. “ Whilst we were at this repast, the thunder storm broke over us, and a deluge of rain came down, streaming through the roof in various places. In the midst of the confusion two other vagabonds came in; one of them a ruffian looking fellow, who said he was a miner, on his way across the Indian country from 62 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Milwaukee; the other, a stupid, boorish, dirty-looking animal, said he had not tasted anything for two days, having lost his way on the prairie; and, having been overtaken the preceding night by a very heavy rain, whilst making his way up a coulee or vale, had been afraid to lie on the ground, and had passed the whole night sitting on a fallen tree. Fortunately there was pork enough for us all.” On the tenth day of June, 1837, Augustus A. Bird, the acting commissioner for constructing the capitol, accompanied by a party of thirty-six workmen, arrived. There was no road at that time from Milwaukee to the capital, and the party were compelled to make one for their teams and wagons as they came along. They left Milwaukee on the first of June with four teams. It rained incessantly, the ground drenched with water, and was so soft that even with an ordinary road their progress would have been slow, but when to this are added the obstruc¬ tions of fallen trees, unbridged streams, hills, whose steepness labor had not yet mitigated, and the devious course which they necessarily pursued, it is not surprising that ten days were spent in accomplishing a journey, which, since the advent of the railroad through the Four Lake country, we are able to per¬ form in a little more than three hours. They forded Rock river near the site of the present city of Watertown, and the Crawfish at Milford. The first glimpse they had of the sun, during their journey, was on the prairie, in this county, now known as Sun Prairie — a name given it at that time as a com¬ pliment to the luminary which beamed forth so auspiciously and cheerfully on that occasion, and possibly to encourage old Sol to persevere in well doing. Mr. William Woolcock, now of Jefferson, Wisconsin, was one who came to Madison to work on the capitol in the second arrival. He has furnished some notes of his coming to Wis¬ consin, and his journey here, from which the following extracts are taken: “ I left Adelaide, Canada West, in May, 1836, to visit the western territories, and came by the way of Buffalo, Detroit and Chicago. At Chicago I found one brick building, the Lake FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 63 House, and thence proceeded to Milwaukee, where I arrived July 3, which contained one framed house, built in 1835 by Solomon Juneau. After spending a short time here I made an arrangement to visit Madison to work at my trade on the capitol building. “About the last of July or first of August, 1837, we started for Madison from Milwaukee, to cut the stone for the State House, viz.: Wm. Seavier and brother, Jesse Bolden and G. Eggleston, with our carpet bags and some tools on our shoul¬ ders, and commenced our journey in the morning on foot. Before we came to Prairieville we saw a large rattlesnake across our path, about six feet long, which we killed. At Prairieville we found one log house and an Indian camping ground. About five miles further we found a man by the name of Pratt, who had a claim of 160 acres, and who had put up a log house, and here we staid over night. The next day dined with a family by the name of Brown, who had also a claim of a quarter sec¬ tion. Within seven or eight miles of the rapids of Rock river, near Watertown, we found three brothers by the name of Setchell, making claims, with whom we staid over night. They had a little shanty built and covered with bass wood bark, and as there was not room for all of us, Mr. Seavier and myself got some long pieces of bark that was coiled up in the sun, pulling the bark open and got into it; it curled tight around us, and so we got clear of the musquitoes that night. The next morning we started for Watertown, where we found Mr. Goodhue preparing to buid a dam and a sawmill. Here we took breakfast and started for Lake Mills, at which place we found a family by the name of Atwood, who had also made a claim on some land, and built a log house. Here we stopped one day to rest and to prepare for the forty mile trip ’ to Madison, as there was no settler this side of that place. We proceeded onward on the Indian’s and Bird’s trail, and came to Sun Prairie where we got a lunch and some water and started on. At ten o’clock at night we came to the camping ground of Bird and his company at Madison, tired, dry and hungry. There was about fifty (?) men and a family to cook for 64 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE them. They expected ns and were glad to see ns, but they had eaten all the provisions they brought with them from Mil¬ waukee, and Mr. Bird had gone to Galena with the teams after pork and flour and other supplies. We slept at the building known as the bedroom, about eighteen feet square and two stories high and the sleeping births were all around the sides, two or three, one above the other, and the bedsteads were made out of small oak trees and covered with marsh hay. I thought it a great treat after walking forty miles, and the musquitoes so thick that the men made a fire on the floor to smoke them out. Work was immediately commenced, and carried on during the summer and fall, at which time the walls were built six feet above the ground and the water table put in place. I cut the corner stone and Jesse Bolder laid it. There was a gathering on the event. A good many persons put in their deposits under it. It was laid on the southeast corner of the building, July 4, 1838. The foundation was completed in November and a small celebration was held, when the work was stopped. The money to pay the hands had to be brought from Green Bay, and Mr. Peck was sent there to bring it. The men usually were paid monthly. He started on foot through the woods alone to Green Bay. In less than two weeks he came back with the paper money. He had to swim the rivers. The money was wet and we had to wait for it to dry before we could get our pay. About the last of November we started on foot for Milwaukee. In May, 1838, Jesse Boldem and myself went to Madison to finish the work, and the con¬ tract to put up the buiding was in the hands of James Mor- risok and A. A. Bird, Superintendent. Mr. Boldem could not agree with Mr. Morrisok, and returned to Milwaukee. I worked all summer at $70 per month — cut the stone arches over the front doors and attended the building generally. The rest of the stone cutters worked by the foot. In November the walls were up, the roof on and the assembly and senate cham¬ bers plastered but not sufficiently dry for the sessions of he legislature, which were held for a while in the American Hotel building.” FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 65 Of the party that came with Mr. Bird, we shall speak more particularly hereafter. The workmen on their arrival, immediately proceeded to erect temporary houses and cabins for their own use, the most of which were put up near the foot of King street, near the Third Lake. The buildings were not of the highest order of archi¬ tecture, since little or no lumber could he procured except such as was cut with a whip-saw. They have all been re¬ moved, except one which was taken to another location. The excavation for the foundation walls of the capitol was soon made, and the workmen proceeded at once to get out stone and timber. It was intended, says Judge J. G. Knapp, u to have the building erected on the corners of the four sections, or the exact centre of the public square, hut as the post of the section cor¬ ners was found standing on the west edge of the level of the square, or where the ground begins to descend to the west, the ground for the foundation was so staked off that the corner should he under the west door, and not in the centre of the building. Moreover, the west wall was not placed on the sec¬ tion lines; consequently both these causes operated to throw the walls away from a coincidence with all the steeets of the village.” This divergence became more apparent in the new and enlarged capitol than in the old; since its location it has been governed by the same lines. The work had so far advanced that preparations were made to lay the corner stone with appropriate ceremonies on the en¬ suing July 4. Mrs. Peck made large preparation for the occas¬ ion, and on that day, according to her account, between two and three hundred persons were assembled.* Among them were Gov. Doty, M. L. Martin, A. Nichols, Benj. Salter, Dr. Ils- ley and John Messersmith. The corner stone—in the ‘ 1 north¬ east corner,” of course — was laid, says Mr. Hyer, by Col. A. A. Bird, acting commissioner, on the 4th of July, 1837, and the ceremony formed on that day the principal part of the “ nation- * Mr. Mills and Mr. Catlin think Mrs. Peck is in error as to the number present — that there could not have been as large a gathering as she has represented. 66 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE al clebration” — the participants in the proceedings being Col. Bird, the men in his employ, Mr. E. Peck and family, and “Little Dandy,” an Indian chief, and his band — the “ na¬ tives ” forming by far the larger party. The celebration was quite a “ spirited ” affair, and lasted several days, until the “ spirits” gave out. Mrs. Peck’s narrative has an interesting account of the cele¬ bration and the preparation made for it: “ Our next large arrival at Madison was A. A. Bird again, with some thirty or forty men, hired in Milwaukee, to com¬ mence operations on the public buildings; he also brought with him a family by the name of Pierce, * with two or three grown up daughters, for the purpose of cooking for his workmen. They immediately put up a log boarding-house, and in a week’s time they had it completed and moved in. Their next work was putting up and enclosing a frame dining-room for us, in the above mentioned passage way, the same height and in range of two of the other buildings, so as to make convenient lodg- *Josiah Pierce, the early settler here mentioned, was born in New Salem, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, May 21, 1783, and was devoted to agricultural pursuits; in 1827 moved with his family from his na¬ tive state to Butternuts, Otsego county, N. Y.; and in the spring of 1837, he migrated with his wife and seven children to Wisconsin. He was engaged by Col. Bird to remove from Milwaukee to Madison, to board some of his workmen on the capitol; and Mr. Pierce and family came with Col. Bird’s party of thirty-six workmen, and ar¬ rived at Madison, June 10, 1837, after a ten days’ journey, with four teams, loaded with provisions, tools, and such other articles as would be most needed, and had to cut out roads, build long “ corduroy ” over swamps, and ford creeks and rivers. Mr. Pierce’s cabin was located at or very near the present residence of William Pyncheon, on the south side of Butler street, a little east of Peck’s primitive residence; the latter was on lot 6, in block 107, on the south side of Butler street. Mr. Pierce’s was the second family that settled in Madison; but his was only designed for a temporary residence, intending to find a good locality, and settle on a new farm. In November of that year, he re¬ moved two miles south of the present village of Monticello, Green county, and made a good location; his nearest neighbors resided in Exeter, seven miles distant. He was an invalid when he settled there; but his health FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 67 ing rooms above. Then comes Judge Doty again, and says, “Madam, prepare yourself for company on tbe Fourth, as a large number from Milwaukee, Mineral Point, Fort Winneba¬ go and Galena have concluded to meet here for the purpose of viewing the place and celebrating the day.” “ Why, what shall I do?” said I, “here is my husband and brother, both blind with inflammation in their eyes, so that I have to feed them, and no lumber either to lay the upper or dining-room floor.” “ Just constitute me your agent,” he replied, “ and I will contract for whatever you want; and there is a crib of lumber just run down the Wisconsin river and lying at Helena, from Whitney’s Mill,” the first and then the only saw-mill in the Territory. He went and contracted for the lumber at six¬ ty-nine dollars a thousand, (I have still some articles of furni¬ ture manufactured from that first lumber, and I prize them as others would relics from Mount Vernon or the Charter Oak); he also contracted for a load of crockery and' table fixtures, pro¬ visions, wines, liquors, pickles, preserves, more bed-ticking, bed¬ ding, and finally everything that I sent for at Mineral Point, and ordered teams to convey them to Madison. “ On the second day of July there was a drove of cattle from Illinois driven through Madison to Green Bay, out of which we purchased beeves and veal. On the same day, my husband was led out blind and put into the stage, with his eyes carefully ex¬ cluded from the light, and sent to Fort Winnebago, for the pur¬ pose of having his eyes operated upon by the surgeon of the garrison, and endeavor to get a quiet, dark room, away from confusion — pshaw, talk about the time that tried men’s souls, improved, and he was able to attend to business for several years. He finally died of consumption, December 25, 1843, aged nearly sixty-one years. He had no enemies, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. His widow, Ruth Pierce, a native of Granby, Connecticut, survived till June 8, 1867, when she passed away, at the good old age of seventy- nine years. She lived to see her family all settled in life, prosperous and respected, and she never regretted her early migration to the Western wilderness. Her son, Hon. Albert H. Pierce, has twice represented the Monticello district in the Legislature, in 1859 and 1868. 68 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE just as if a woman had none — but the recruits had just arrived there from Green Bay, and more confusion than at home, so next day he returned. On the morning of the third our “ gim- cracks ” had all arrived except the lumber, and that made its ap¬ pearance about seven o’clock in the evening. That night our chamber floors were laid, except over the diningroom. We had previously purchased three hundred pounds of feathers of Mr. Rasdall, an Indian trader, so our pillows were all ready and our beds were all spread by daylight on the morning of the Fourth, and by one o’clock our dining-room floor was laid, our dining-table built and dinner set, and between that hour and sundown some two or three hundred persons bolted something besides pork. In the evening there was a basket of champagne carried into the dining-room, and there their toasts were deliv¬ ered, songs sung, dinner bell jingled between times, and good feeling, friendship and hilarity prevailed generally; and next morning they shot my two little pet crows.” Mr. Bird, in his examination before the Territorial Legisla¬ tive Committee, February 15, 1839, states that at the first meet¬ ing of the capitol commissioners, they adopted a plan of the building estimated to cost from $40,000 to $45,000. They did not advertise for proposals for the erection of said building, agreeably to the provisions of the act by which they were ap¬ pointed, because they were of the opinion that it could be built much cheaper than any one would be willing to contract to do it — they" therefore, in the exercise of their discretionary pow¬ ers, concluded to commence and continue the work until they were able to ascertain how it could be done with the least ex¬ pense and best advantage to the Territory. The construction of the work was continued by him until the month of Septem¬ ber following, when notices for proposals were issued for the first time, and a number of bids were presented. Noue of them were accepted, and the work was continued as heretofore until April 25, 1838. On the 20th of February, 1838, the commissioners advertised that they would receive proposals for the erection of the public buildings. The following is a copy of the same: FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 69 “ To commence on top of the water-table — to be built of stone of the following dimensions: one hundred and four feet long, and fifty-four feet wide; the walls to be thirty feet high above water-table, first story thirteen feet between joints, second story sixteen feet between joints, floor timbers one foot deep, a pro¬ jection on both sides of said edifice of four inches thirty feet long, which is the length of piazza, same all cut stone to the top of said wall; the remainder of said walls to be cut on all the corners of the edifice, and the corners of the doors and windows and caps, and sills of the same. First story walls two feet six inches thick, second story walls two feet thick; to be two front doors going into the centre of edifice, to be forty-six windows, 20 lights 11 by 16 inch glass each window; roof to be square with a balustrade rail all round, said roof with a dome in centre, twenty-six feet in diameter lighted with glass on top, re¬ mainder of dome covered with tin above its base. “ Roof covered with pine shingles three eighths of an inch thick; a lightning rod put on immediately after roof is fin¬ ished; two chimney pieces carried up in the walls, with two fire places in each chimney with cut stone jams, two flues carried up in walls with tops equal to the chimney tops with necessary pipe tubes; to be four tin conductors with suitable heads and neces¬ sary gutters made of tin or sheet lead to convey the water into conductors. “ To be a piazza on each front of said edifice twelve feet pro¬ jection, thirty feet long, placed on stone butments settled five feet below the surface of the ground and raised on a level with the basement story, which is five feet above the surface; floor of piazza to be of oak, two inches thick, matched; to be steps the whole length of piazza and railing on the ends with heavy ban¬ nisters; piazza roof to break in with the roof and cornice of main building; the cornice to be executed in the Grecian Doric order; piazza roof to be supported on four columns to each pi¬ azza suitable size, same order of cornice. “ First floor to have a hall twenty-four feet through cen¬ tre of edifice, and one room on each side of hall, partitions to be ten inches thick, to be two doors in each partition; 70 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE to be a flight of stairs on each side of hall to ascend to sec¬ ond story, floor to he laid with oak one and a half inches thick, lined and matched; hall to be plastered three coat work with cornice overhead. Second floor, to be laid with oak one and a half inches thick, matched, to be divided as follows: to be a hall through centre twenty-four feet wide, to be left open twenty-four feet square in centre for the reception of the stairs and the light from the top of dome to lower floor, dome to be finished open overhead through to light in top, with proper cornice and plastering; on one side of main hall to be a hall seven feet wide the whole width of said edifice; one room for council chamber thirty feet square with gallery on one side seven feet wide circular supported on two columns with seats elevated, and stairs to ascend into gallery, under gallery to be a railing on line with columns or breastworks; to be one room thirty by twenty feet on the other side of hall; to be hall twen¬ ty-eight feet long, ten feet wide, and a representative chamber forty by thirty-eight feet, finished same as council chamber; the plastering on this floor to be three coat work, the rooms to be all corniced; the council and representative chambers to be fin¬ ished with an elipsis spring in the corner over head so as to form a pannel of the level part of ceiling; to be twelve inside doors, all of which are to be made of pine two inches thick in modern style, the two outside doors to be double, three inches thick, fin¬ ished with egg and dart moulding, and suitable fastenings and hangings as directed by the acting commissioner; all the doors to be cased with pilasters; all the windows to be cased with pil¬ asters, with pannel jams and backs, to the floor; to be counter check sash, hung with weights, glass of best quality; all the wood work except shingles and floor to be painted outside and in, three coats as directed by the acting commissioner. * * Said edifice to be completed according to said plan and specifi¬ cation, in every particular, by the 20th of September, 1839. The outside of said edifice and the rooms on the first floor to be completed by the 15th day of October next. “ J. D. Doty, John* F. O’Neil, A. A. Bird, Commissioners. “ February 20, 1838.” FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 71 In reply to tlie proposals for said work, bids were received ranging from $24,450 to $125,000, and the contract was award¬ ed to Jas. Morrison for $26,200, April IT, 1838. By an act of Congress, approved June 18, 1838, the further sum of $20,000 was appropriated for finishing the work. At the session of the Legislature, in 1839, a joint convention of the two houses was held on March 8, and N. C. Prentiss, Jas. L. Thayer and L. H. Cotton were duly chosen Commis¬ sioners of Public Buildings to succeed those in office. The work on the capitol was continued by Mr. Morrison, until April, 1841, at which time the work was unfinished. Mr. Prentiss, as Building Commissioner, for and on the part of the Territory of Wisconsin, entered into a written contract with Daniel Baxter, by the terms of which he was required to finish the work as specified in said contract, for the sum of $7,000, to be completed on or before December 1, 1845. It is not necessary to give further details of the history of the erec¬ tion of the capitol building. Much contention arose between the first Board of Commissioners and their successors, as well as the contractors Messrs. Morrison and Baxter and the Ter¬ ritorial Legislatures. Mr. Baxter died a few years since, leav¬ ing an unsettled claim against the State for alleged damages. Hon. M. M. Strong, in his address, says: “The history of the early measures taken to secure the erection of a building in which to hold the sessions of the Territorial Legislature, is a history of peculation with the appropriations made for that purpose, as disgraceful to those concerned in it, as it was destructive of the manifest intentions of Congress. These appropriations amounted to $40,000. The Commissioners elected in 1836, Messrs. Doty, O’Neill and Bird, received this large sum of money, and according to the report of the joint committee, made to the Legislative Assembly on the 3d of January. 1840, they had expended less than half that sum upon the public buildings. They entered into a secret partner¬ ship with the contractor in merchandize and other outside speculations, and, in the language of the report, ‘had done little more than erect a shell of a capitol, which is scarcely 72 HISTORY OF MADISON ADD THE capable of sustaining its own weight, and which, unless it is speedily secured by extensive repairs, must become a heap of ruins.’ All steps were taken which could be to recover by law from the first Board of Commissioners and from the con¬ tractor, the funds which they had misapplied, and, after several years of litigation, the suits were settled by authority of a sub¬ sequent Legislature.” To the first building erected by Ebek Peck, reference has heretofore been made, and Mrs. Peck has given an account of its internal arrangements. The buildings were of logs, and put up on block 107, and was for about a year the only public house in Madison. After Mr. Peck vacated it, he was succeeded by Robert L. Ream in the spring of 1838, and the building was known as the Madison House. In it Miss Yinkie Ream, the artist, was born. The building was demolished in 1857. It had a notable history the twenty years of its existence. The American Hotel was erected by Jas. Morrisom and A. A. Bird, on the corner of Pinckney street and Washington avenue, and was built in 1838. Mr. Levi P. Drake, late City Surveyor, was a workman on it. It was kept by Fake & Cot- tok, 1838-41, by James Morrisok, with numerous successive landlords. The avenue wing of the building was originally a store located on King street, and moved thence. The Pinck¬ ney street, or northwest wing was added about 1851. The building was destroyed by fire September 5,1868. The ground upon which it was located was for a number of years in litiga¬ tion. It was sold a few years since, and the beautiful building known as the Park Savings Bank erected. Few buildings in Madison were as well known as the “ Old American.” The following private history of the u Madison Hotel,” an¬ other of the early public houses, has been handed us: “ In the winter and spring of 1838, the u Madison Hotel ” was built, and kept the first year by Charles H. Bird, now of Sun Prairie. The original building was a small, unpretending structure, to which additions were continually made until it covered considerable ground. On the first of June, 1838, the first session of the Territorial Supreme Court met and organ- Simeon Mills. Col. A. A. Bird. I FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 73 ized in the House, Hon. Chas. Dunk of La Fayette county, Chief Justice. In December of the same year, the Territorial Legislature convened, and the now venerable Gov. Dodge and the leading members of that body took rooms at the Madison Hotel. Chas. H. Bird was succeeded by W. W. Wyman, late of Nebraska Territory, and after him A. A. Bird, the proprietor, took the hotel and kept it about four years. During this period of time, powerful efforts were made, at each session of the Legislature, to remove the capital from Madison, and it was at this hotel the friends of Madison made their head¬ quarters, Bird standing the expense of looking after the waver¬ ing members, and chief in concocting schemes to defeat the removal. Any friend of Madison from abroad, could obtain from Bird board, champagne, and his last cent or unlimited credit, and his only hope of remuneration was to exhaust the resources of the enemy and ruin his credit. “ Bird was succeeded by Jesse A. Clark, now deceased, who purchased the property, and after keeping the house a short time, leased it to a Mr. Quivey, who built an addition; and again, after him, his lessor, Clark, kept the house until the 31st of December, 1845, when he sold to Chester Bushnell, late of Minnesota, and Wm. Welch, of this city. Bushnell sold to J. D. Welch, who, with his brother, kept the house some time, when W. Welch leased his interest to H. W. Yager, now deceased. Boon after P. H. Van Bergen pur¬ chased J. D. Welch’s interest, and with the other Welch kept the house until 1848, when it was leased for one year to Chas. Weed, now deceased, and he was succeeded by Wm. Van Bergen, also now deceased, the brother of P. H. Van Ber¬ gen. Van Bergen kept the house until 1849, when P. H. again took the property, and finally, in 1853, in October, pur¬ chased the half interest of W. Welch and became sole pro¬ prietor. He soon after sold to B. F. Perry, and since that time it has been occupied by numerous tenants. A gentleman by the name of Slater changed the name of the hotel to that of his own; and then, again, it was occupied by a gentleman of the name of Osborn, who gave his own cognomen to the 6 74 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE establishment. But the old building finally went down as the “ Madison Hotel,” and by that name it will ever be known in the history of Madison. At 12 o’clock, March, IT, 1863, the Madison Hotel was the oldest building standing in the city of Madison. Peace to its ashes.” Reference has been made to the party that accompanied Mr. Bird to commence work on the capitol. The following are the names of those known to have been of the party: Josiah Pierce and family of five persons, engaged to keep a boarding house for the workmen, Darwin Clark,* employed May 30, 1837, to April 20, 1838, David Hyer, Thomas Jackson, David Williams, E. Hewitt, Giles Briggs, Henry Gage, J. W. Corning, William and John Symonds, D. Mumford, James Tinline, Gilbert and Delos Bundy, Rich’d Rock- wood, Isaac H. Palmer, Chas. H. Bird, Prosper B. Bird, E. H. Nelson, Geo. W. Eastman, H. W. Thornton, Horace and Wm. Lawrence, Wm. Terril, Jeff. Holmes, C. P. Peasely, Jeff. Kinney, and- Leland. Other workmen subsequently came and a large part of the original number removed to the country or returned east. Among those who came in the second arrival were, Henry Rowe, M. Eggleston, R. F. Ris¬ ing, -Hathaway, R. Penoyer, J. S. Merrill, Edmund C. Maxwell, Owen Murray, Caleb Merrill, Cyrus Clark, * Darwin Clark was) born at Otego, Otsego county, New York, May 12, 1812, and learned the business of cabinet maker. He left his home in April, 1837, with four friends to find a residence in the west, viz: Delos Bundy, Gilbert Bundy, Richard Rockwood and Hiram Sleeper. At Buffalo took the steamer DeWitt Clinton for Detroit, where the party met, having been divided on their way, and proceeded on foot to St. Josephs, Michi¬ gan, their baggage having been sent on by steamer. They crossed Lake Michigan to Chicago and traveled on foot to Milwaukee, where they arrived May 26, 1837. While at Milwaukee he, Rockwood and the two Bundys were engaged by Mr. Bird to go to Madison and work on the capitol building. Mr. Clark has resided here since that time. He has held many town, village and city offices, carrying on a large business in cabinet ware. He was married at Webster, Monroe county, New York, to Sarah L. Good- enow, who died at Madison, March 5, 1854. He * s now living with his second wife. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 75 Wm. A. Wheeler, Geo. Vroman, September, 1837, to March, 1838, Zenas H. Bird, — Whitesides, Jairus and Horace Pot¬ ter, Wm. Seavier and brother, Jesse Bolden, and Wm. Wooloock. On the same day that Bird’s party reached Madison, Simeon Mills, * a well known citizen arrived. From him we have re- *Gen. Simeon Mills was born in the town of Norfolk, Litchfield county, Connecticut, February 14, 1810. He removed with his parents to Austen- burg, Ashtabula county, O., when about two years of age, and was brought up on a farm. At the age of 20 he engaged in mercantile pursuits, which he followed several years. In 1837 he removed to Madison where he has re¬ sided up to the present time, and has been largely indentified in its success. On the 12th of August, 1837, Mr. Mills was‘‘appointed Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Dane, and for some time held the only office of the kind in said county. His first official act was performing the marriage cer¬ emony between Oliver Armel and Joseph Pelkie, two Frenchmen, and two accomplished ladies of the Winnebago nation. In the spring of 1839, the county of Dane was organized for judicial purposes, and Mr. Mills was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of the Territory, and also Clerk of the U. S. District Court of the county of Dane, which last office he held for about nine years. Mr. Mills was the last Treasurer of the Territory in 1848, and on the or¬ ganization of the State Government, was elected the first Senator of Dane county, and received a re-nomination at the expiration of his term, but de¬ clined the honor, and has not been an active politician since that time. Retiring from politics thus early, and devoting himself to business, he has long since taken rank among the wealthy men of Dane county. Mr. Mills was appointed one of the Trustees of the Wisconsin State Hospital for the Insane by Governor Randall, in April, i860, and has held the office up to the present time; it being an honorary position, with¬ out salary, may account for its being so long filled by others than active politicians. At the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, Mr. Mills was Paymaster General of the state, and disbursed nearly the entire war fund of Wiscon¬ sin, and, so far as we know, to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. He has at different times engaged in various kinds of business; but his main energies, for the last thirty years, have been directed to the erection of buildings for rent and other purposes; and he has, probably, erected more buildings than any other four men together that ever lived in Madison. Commencing in Madison, when it consisted of but one log house, he has lived to see it a beautiful city of more than ten thousand inhabitants. 76 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE ceived an account of his travels in 1836 and 1837. At his first visit to Wisconsin he came by the way of Chicago, from which place in June 1836, in company with John M. Wilson, Esq., he proceeded on horseback by way of Galena, Dubuque and Belmont to Mineral Point. At the latter place he remained until the last of December, when in company with Mr. Van Horn, returned by the way of Milwaukee. He left Mineral Point when the thermometer was 32 degrees below zero, and stopped at Camp and Collins’ Diggings in Green County, crossed Sugar river and journeyed toward Janesville, and stopped there with Mr. Holmes. The place was then known as Ptock river rapids. Thence he crossed the prairie, and camped about 18 miles east of where Janesville now is. Next day he journeyed to Troy, Walworth county, and lodged with a Mr. Meacham, thence pursued his way to Mukwanago and stopped a part of the night at a log house, when he and his friend went three miles further, and sent assistance to the place, where he first stayed as the the lady of the house was taken sick, and proceeded to Milwau¬ kee and took the stage road to Chicago, being eleven days on the route. He then returned to Ohio. Mr. Mills stayed at his home until May, 1837, when he con¬ cluded to make a residence at Madison, as the capitol had been lo¬ cated there by the legislature the year previous and the prospects were favorable. He came to Chicago, and with the company of a young man by the name of Benham, proceeded on foot to¬ ward the new seat of Government. Mr. Benham separated from Mills at Janesville, as he had concluded to settle in Wal¬ worth county, and the latter completed the route by himself. In doing so he crossed the Catfish river three times, and at the close of the day, June 10, arrived on the opposite side of Lake Monona near Winnequah. Here he met two Indian boys who were preparing to spend the night fishing. Mr. Mills desired these lads to carry him over the lake, hut they were not willing to do so. Soon after Mr. Mills fell in with a man by the name of Abraham Wood, who persuaded the lads to bring him to Madison, Mr. Mills paying them.fifty cents each for so doing, which settled the question, and they landed him near the East FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 77 Madison Depot. The day after his arrival, he engaged a man by the name of Isaac Towers to put up for him a building of logs, 16 by 18, of hewed logs, on lot 8, block 108, for a store, and went to Mineral Point on his way to Galena, to pur¬ chase goods. At the former place, he met John Catlin, Esq., who had been appointed Post Master at Madison. An arrange¬ ment was made for a co-partnership, and both went to Galena and laid in supplies for the new store. Mr. Catlin appointed Mr. Mills Deputy Post Master, and the office was kept in the same building. This was the first mercantile establishment in the Territory south of Fort Winnebago, between Milwaukee and Dodgeville. As a considerable number of workmen, including one family, arrived at Madison at that time, to commence the erection of the Territorial Capitol, the business of this pioneer mercantile establishment, although not very extensive, was by no means so limited as might well be imagined from the fact that, up to that time, the whole white population of Dane county consisted of Ebenzer Brigham, at Blue Mounds, and the family of Eben Peck, with a few transient guests at Madison. The only mails at that time were received occasionally , from Mineral Point and Fort Winnebago; but in the autumn of that year, a contract for carrying a weekly mail from Milwaukee to Madison, was awarded to Mr. Mills, who commenced the service without delay. The building erected by Mr. Mills, was subsequently en¬ larged and occupied by the publishers of the u Wisconsin Ar¬ gus ,” as a printing office, and subsequently as a dwelling house. About a month after the building was put up, Mr. Catlin ar¬ rived and made his residence here. Nearly all the buildings put up in the summer and winter of 1837-8 have been removed, as well as those erected the few years succeeding. Some notice of these structures will be given. The first framed building put up was a small office for the acting commissioner; the first framed divelling was built by A. A. Bird, on lot 5, block 87, on Lake Monona. It was known as 78 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE the “ Schemerhorn House.” The hoards used were sawed by hand. This building stood for many years and had numerous tenants. It was finally demolished, and an elegant two story brick dwelling occupies its site, and is the residence of J. M. Bowman, Esq. A steam saw mill to saw lumber for the capitol, was built on the shore of Lake Mendota on block 262. Its site is occupied at present hy buildings used for the storage of ice. On the 6th of September, 1837, John Stonee and his family arrived, making the third family, E. Peck and Josiah Pieece being his seniors. I. H. Palmee built a house on King street, below the Madison Hotel, the same season, and moved with his family. Mr. Stonee built his log house the same season near Lake Mendota, on block 262. A few years after he put up a frame house a few blocks northeast, where he made his resi¬ dence until his death, in 1872. A small Norwegian Lutheran church now stands on the lot where he built his pioneer log cabin. John Gatlin built a log house early in 1837, on lots 3 and 4, block 90, northwest corner of Mifflin street and Wisconsin av¬ enue.* A two story frame building was afterwards built on the front of the old building and to face the capitol park. He had also a small stable built of round stones, laid up with mortar. The old part is gone, and the modern portion was sold to Judge E. Wakeley, who removed it in portions to Omaha, Nebraska. In the month of August, of this year, a society was organ¬ ized called the “Madison Lyceum,” for the object of mutual im¬ provement. A debating society was connected with it. The early records of this society are still preserved by Daewin Claek, Esq. Among the number of those who came here this season as residents or transiently, were J. Gillett Knapp, Geo. P. Dela- PLAiNE.f W. N. Seymoue, arrived January 29, 1838; Nicho- * Mr. Catlin, in his “ Early Reminiscences ” (see page 35), has a more particular account of this building. f Gen. Geo. P. Delaplaine was born at Philadelphia, Pa. He removed west in 1838, and settled at Madison. He was for six months chief clerk in FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 79 las Smith, Robert L. Ream, John Easton, Richard T. Davis, James Morrison, Abel Rasdall, Dr. Almon Lull, John T. Wilson, George Payne, David Brigham, Thos. W. Suther¬ land and Lafayette Kellogg, July, 1838, temporarily, and permanently, May, 1839, Wm. T. Sterling, E. M. William¬ son, Geo. Hyer, Josiah A. Noonan, Isaac Atwood. Four families, with their inmates and guests, constituted the entire population of Madison, and with two or three families at Blue Mounds, the whole population of Dane county during the winter of 1837-38. Some of the buildings erected this year, or enlarged, were as as follows: The Madison Hotel, of which a portion was erected the pre¬ vious year, was completed, and the first session of the Supreme Court of the Territory was held in July in the sitting room. Judge Chas. Dunn, of La Fayette county, was then Chief Jus¬ tice, with Judges Frazier and Irwin as associates. Simeon Mills erected on lot 6, block 89 Clymer street, a framed building, which has thus far escaped the march of improvement. It was an elegant structure in its day. It was occupied first by Mr. Mills, afterwards by Gov. Doty, B. Shackleford, Gov. Tallmadge, Gen. David Atwood, Chas. Weed and many oth¬ ers. The building is almost hid by trees, and the high walls of the blocks of stores in the rear on Main street. It is one of the oldest of the landmarks of the city. Jas. Morrison put up a small building in the grounds of the present capitol square, midway between the capitol building and the east corner of the grounds. It was a one story log building, and was removed at an early day. The American Hotel, also built by Morrison, on the north¬ west corner of Pinckney street and Wisconsin avenue, was a noted place in early times. The building was subsequently the mercantile house of James Morrison. He has held a number of offices; was Surveyor, Assistant Clerk of Assembly, 1843, and was Private Secre¬ tary to Governor’s Dodge, Tallmadge and Dewey. During the war of the rebellion he was appointed by Gov. Randall, Inspector General of Militia. Gen. Delaplaine has been a resident of Madison the last thirty-six years. 80 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE enlarged. A frame building, known as the Commission¬ er’s Store, which was put up on the south side of King street, by Mr. Morrison, adjoining the Madison Hotel on the west, about 22 by 30 feet in size, was removed to, and formed the east wing of the American. The house was kept by Fake & Cotton, Mr. Morrisoh, Harvey Sadd and a large number of successors. As before stated, the first session of the Legisla¬ ture was held in this building in the month of February. The American was destroyed by fire, September 5, 1868. A one story framed building was put up on the southeast corner of Main and Pinckney streets, set back from Main street, and was built for Col. A. P. Field, who was Secretary of the Territory at this time, succeeding Col. W. B. Slaughter. It was subsequently altered to a hotel known as the City Hotel, which was kept by A. A. Bird, and also as a store by S. F. Hohh, Jehu H. Lewis and others. It was taken down some twenty years since, and the property purchased by Col. J. C. Fairchild, who erected the block of stone buildings known as the Fairchild Block. One of these early places deserves a longer notice, viz: — the old “ Worser.” This two story frame building, says Judge Khapp, was placed at the northwest corner of Main and Pinck¬ ney streets, on the ground now known as the United States Block; and was built by Abeter Nichols, of Mineral Point, and Jacob George, in 1838. Having partly completed the building, the owners applied for a tavern license, in order to sell liquors according to law, as all good liquor sellers desire to do. For some forgotten cause, perhaps the want of u two spare beds,” they were refused. Licenses for groceries were then some four times the amount of those for taverns; and they desired, like all economical men, to save the difference. On being denied the license, they declared that if they could not keep a tavern, they would keep something “ worser .” And so without a license, “ Uncle George ” opened a u worser ” indeed, where men at the first session of the Legislature could buy strong drink, and in a dark cellar they could fight a certain wild animal, whose den was there. When the United States Hotel was to FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 81 be built, tbe u Worser ” was moved down Main street, ten feet from the new brick wall. There it was burned to the ground, greatly endangering the new building, which was often on fire in the roof, doors and windows. Another of the buildings put up in 1838, was a two story framed building on Pinckney street, adjacent to the American Hotel, as enlarged, and east of the Methodist church. It was built by John Messersmith, Jr. It was opened as a gambling house, and known as “ The Tiger,” and was kept open to the public without fear of the law. For a few years it was a success, but was afterwards used as a dwelling, and an addition placed before it, and in its rear. The property was purchased by Dr. C. B. Chapman, who sold it to J. D. Noble, and by the lat¬ ter to Fritz Maeder, who erected a fine three story brick building in its place. A small frame building was also put up this year by Wm. T. Sterling, Territorial Librarian, on the south side on the flat, but was removed opposite and west of the residence of La Fayette Kellogg, on State street. It was after¬ wards enlarged and sold to Mr. Kellogg, and by him to Chaun- cey Abbott, both of whom made it their residence. It was after¬ ward displaced by the erection of Leonard Nolden’s Hotel on its site. One other building erected this year was the Territorial Li¬ brary building— a one story wooden frame, fifteen feet square, on King street, on the lot known as Dean’s Block, near Main street. Isaac H. Palmer (now of Lodi, Wis.), in the summer of 1838, erected a cottage building on Johnson street, adjoining the present German Catholic Church, which is now owned and occupied by that church as a school, under the charge of the Sisters. It was originally a small one-story-and-a-half house, with two side wings, made of rived oak hewed and planed by hand, with green blinds, and was regarded at the time as the handsomest cottage in the village. It was occupied for a while by Mr. Palmer, and subsequently by Rev. W. Philo, Dr. Spencer and John Eastman, and was sold by the latter to the church. This building, one of the oldest in the place, has suffered some changes, but its timbers are sound and strong. 82 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE During the year, David Hyer built a framed house on Fair- child street, near the office of Register of Deeds. It was one and a half stories high, and was kept as a hoarding house; it has long since been removed. * The site is now occupied by a two story brick’ building, and was for a while the residence of Hon. Lyman C. Draper, and more recently kept as a hotel by W. N. Hawes and Wm. Rasdall as the Rasdall House. L. F. Kellogg, Esq., states that Mr. Peck, after leaving the first log house, put up another on Wisconsin Avenue, near the resi¬ dence of Prof. S. H. Carpenter, that he subsequently sold it to Jas. Morrison, and that it shortly after took fire and was burnt. It was 18 by 22 feet. Abel Rasdall owned a small framed house, put up in 1837 or 1838, on the corner of King and Webster streets. It was a small affair — one room, and was used as a saloon. Mrs. Roseline Peck has, under date of January 24, 1874, kindly given a few more reminiscences of her early Madison life. She says: “I visited Madison, last summer, with my daughter and a lady friend, among the excursionists, and visited the ‘ old stamping grounds, 1 but so changed that I could hardly recognize them. The old log house, which we used as a hotel for about two years, was then leased or rented to R. L. Ream, and was by him kept as a house of entertainment until we left the place, and has since been removed. Mr. Ream was the father of Miss Vinnie Ream, who was born in the cabin after we left it. I think my daughter and Miss Vinnie were the only children born in it after we came away. “You wish to knowhow we enjoyed ourselves at those times; well, in various ways. We had a regular dancing school twice a week the first winter, in the old cabin. There was quite a number of young ladies and middle-aged people. Mr. Stoner brought four daughters, Esquire Bird had a young lady sister. There were two Brayton girls; one lived with Charles Bird and mother, the other at Esquire Bird’s. Chas. Bird married one of them; the other taught, I think, our first school after- * Mr. E. Burdick says he thinks the Hyer House was on the adjoining lot now occupied by Hon. S. D. Hastings. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN 83 wards. A. A. Bird and lady used to call, at our dances, and trip the light fantastic toe, and, frequently, visitors from Mil¬ waukee, Fort Winnebago, Galena and Mineral Point were pres¬ ent. Among them were Uncle Ab. Nichols, his wife and daughter. The latter two went ahead of us in dancing, and staid with us a week. We had two girls as helps of our own, and plenty of the other sex. So we could hardly call it succo¬ tash, there was too much corn for the beans. “We had various other amusements: euchre parties, Christ¬ mas and New Year’s suppers, and verbal and practical jokes in¬ terspersed. We had also turtle soup suppers, the turtles caught by cutting holes through the ice on what was called 4 Mud Lake,’ brought to us by Abel Rasdall. Mr. Peck sent some of them to a Mineral Point hotel-keeper, who informed us he netted $50 on the sale of the soup. The turtles were frozen solid, and rattled together like stones. They were put in the cellar to thaw before we could dress them, and, going down a few days after, I found they had thawed out and were crawling around on the bottom of the cellar. Mr. Rasdall had a squaw without a nose — her first Indian husband had cut it off for her infidelity. She used to draw her blanket over it when she walked out. She removed west with the rest of her band with the United States troops, before we left Madison. “ I have not mentioned our boating amusements. Before any one else was in Madison but ourselves, we found a big canoe, about forty feet long, supposed to have been abandoned by the Indians the year or two previous, in the Sauk war; and while the wind was blowing almost a hurricane from Strawberry Point (then called) across Third Lake, Mr. Peck, his brother Luther, myself and a boy manned and womaned the canoe, with various implements, tools, sheets, etc., and struck out for the place before mentioned, rigged our sails and returned to Madison; but it made our hair whistle; the waves were running high, but we headed her straight, she being such a length she struck two waves at once, which steadied her sufficiently to carry us safely back. We had quite a number of rides in the old canoe, but after ‘Uncle Sam’s boys’ came in, it was appropri- 84 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE ated by others, and soon disappeared. I was determined to have another vessel of some kind to sail or paddle; so, when the Indians were about to be removed, I purchased of the old Chief Watt-con-da, his canoe for six dollars, painted with In¬ dian hieroglyphics, in which I took a number of pleasant rides, until the same parties who took the first boat carried off the other through the Catfish to the further end of Fourth Lake, where they were quarrying stone from the bluff on its bank for the old capitol, and, in rolling them down and loading the scow, they smashed my little boat all to pieces. I was informed of the accident, but never of the person who did it. So you see I paddled my own canoe alone, then, as I have since, in more ways than one. “You wish me to give you some account of the men who built our cabin. In addition to Joe Pelkie and Abraham Wood, whose names I have given in a previous paper, there was a Mr. Lavec, a Frenchman. He had also a squaw wife. It was her brother that was stabbed and killed by another In¬ dian, just below our house, on the bank of Third Lake, which caused such an excitement among ‘ Uncle Sam’s boys,’ as they called themselves, I suppose on account of being employed to work on the capitol at the expense of the government. They collected around our house under great excitement. Some were for taking the murderer prisoner, and sending Governor Dodge word; finally they appealed to an old miner that had been through the Sauk war a couple of years before, who was sitting upon a wood-pile, for advice. ‘Well,’ said he, ‘you are a pretty set of Yankees! What do you suppose Dodge would say to you? I will tell you; he would say you were a set of fools. If that dead Indian was a white man, I would be the first to take him prisoner; but because one-Indian kills another-Indian, not a bit of it! I don’t move a foot. Let them,’ said he, ‘ work at it — it is the only way to civilize them and clean them out.’ The boys finally dispersed to their dif¬ ferent avocations. Old Mrs. Pierce and family were very much frightened, and said we would all be massacred before morning. We finally got them quieted, and the sister of the FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 85 murdered Indian got me to go with her to see the body, and there we found the murderer, sitting upon the body of his vic¬ tim smoking a long pipe, as deliberately as if he had just taken a hearty supper, and was about to retire for a peaceful nap, and to dream of happy hunting grounds. u You wish also to have me inform you of some of the names of the men who composed Mr. Bied’s party that came to build the capitol. If you had asked for this information some years ago, I think I could have remembered them all, but now I can but give you the names of some three or four which are not on the list you sent me. There was William and John Symonds, brothers. The youngest had been brought up at a tavern and was useful about the house, we offered him forty dollars a month, and Bied released him for our benefit. The elder, William, was a carpenter and continued work on the capitol. He afterwards married the daughter of an old settler that kept a house of entertainment near Dodgeville, by the name of Skinnee. After we came to Baraboo to live, he, William, moved with his young wife to Sauk Prairie. After we left the log tavern, John Symonds, with another of Bied’s men, Jeffeeson Holmes, went down to St. Louis and died there. Holmes came back to Madison and worked on the capitol, and also for us afterwards. There was another party, named Peaseley, who afterwards married Bied’s sister, Janet. Mr. Peck married them. They first settled at Sun Prairie, on the place afterwards called by Col. Botkin the ’76 farm. “ I think I. H. Palmee did not come with Bied’s men, but soon after. He subsequently purchased lands at Lodi, where he made a permanent residence and where he still lives. “ Another of the early comers was a Mr. Holloway, who was a surveyor, and came with Doty to complete laying out the town of Madison. There were five Bieds, brothers to A. A. Bied, that worked more or less on the capitol: Peospee B. , Chaeles, I. Washington, Zenas B. and William. I. W. Bied had his arm badly injured by a saw in a shingle machine in the old steam mill. I do not recall the names of more of the workmen. 86 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE u It may be interesting to make a note of tbe first born child in Madison — my own daughter, born September 14th, 1837. When she was less than a week old, Judge Doty, one of the Commissioners for the erection of the Capitol, and Treasurer of the Board, arrived from Green Bay, with a large sum of specie, guarded by Capt. John Symington and a squad of soldiers from the garrison at Fort Howard, accompanied by Charles C. Sholes, an early editor and legislator of Wis¬ consin. They put up at our house. Doty ordered a table spread with wine, and he and [his party standing around it, as solemn as a funeral — prophetic shadows go before — sipped their wine, and named the young babe Wisconsiana. Sim¬ eon Mills said as my boy’s name was Victor, his sister’s name should be Victoria — in honor of the young queen, who had, but a few weeks before, ascended the English throne; so that name was added, making her full name Wis¬ consiana Victoria Peck. She has been married several years to Nelson W. Wheeler, Esq., an attorney-at-law, Baraboo, Wisconsin.” Mrs. Peck in closing her article says that she is now sixty- six years of age and resides in the upper part of the building which she erected at Baraboo — the first in the village of which she is the first settler. She lives alone, and says she has had a full share of life’s troubles and disappointments, and has received but few of its favors. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 87 CHAPTER III. Visit of Gen. W. K. Smith, 1837 — First Legislature— “ Wisconsin Enquirer ” and other newspapers — Dane County Commission¬ ers — Poll List of 1839 — “ Madison Express ” — Judge J. G. Knapp’s Account, 1838 — July 4 Celebration — Schools — Mer¬ chants— P. E. Church Organized — R. L. Ream’s Reminiscences, 1838 - 9 . In the summer and fall of 1837, Gen. Wm. R. Smith made an ex¬ tensive tour through the Territory of Wisconsin, and in 1838 pub¬ lished, at Philadelphia, a small volume entitled “ Observations on Wisconsin Territory,” a work containing much desirable information for emigrants aud tourists. Gen. Smith shortly afterward removed to Wisconsin L and made it his permanent residence, locating at Mineral Point. His account of Madison and the Four Lake country, is very interesting, but too lengthy to be republished. We have, however, made liberal extracts: u Although the Seat of Government is laid out on the strip of land between the lakes, and the public buildings are located here, yet an extension of city lots has been made by the land proprietors all around the Four Lakes. The different sites bear the name of East Madison, North Madison, the City of the Four Lakes and Mandamus. I have called Madison a contem¬ plated city; let it be remembered that six months since, the site of the city was government land; now, there are about thirty houses in a state of forwardness; a steam saw mill near completion; a population of above one hundred active mechan¬ ics and laborers employed in their own improvements, and in the erection of public buildings which are already in a forward state; add to this picture of enterprise and industry, the excel¬ lent accommodations which are obtained at the public house of Mr. Peck, and the traveler may well be surprised at the rapid progress of the city of Madison. “ The connection between the Fourth and Third Lake is not navigable for steamboats at present (/) the stream is narrow 88 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE and rapid. It is in contemplation to cut a canal through the city to connect the lakes. The distance from the head of Fourth Lake to the foot of the First Lake is about fourteen miles, and on the western bank of this lake is laid out a town, called u The City of the First Lake.” I did not visit it, and cannot therefore speak of its localities. The site of the u City of the Four Lakes,” * opposite to Madison on the north side of the lake, is a most beautiful location. Grov. Dodge, in his first message to the Legislature, said that the Indians had been known, in high water, to pass in canoes from Wisconsin river to the Four Lakes, the distance being only twelve miles. He there¬ fore thought it a work of but little labor to make a communi¬ cation between these two points. It is quite probable that the Legislature at its next session will make a law for that pur¬ pose.! “ The Fourth Lake is a beautiful sheet of water, six [eight] miles from east to west, and four [six] miles from north to south, in its widest parts; its regular circumference being in¬ terrupted by the protrusion of wooded points of land into the lake. The water is from fifty to seventy feet deep, and always preserves its pure clearness, and sea like appearance in color, although sometimes disturbed into a considerable tumult of waves by high winds. The Third Lake is less than the *“ The City of the Four Lakes ” comprised fractional part of section 6, of town 7, range 9; 300 acres laid out. The town was platted and put on record July 7,1836, M. L. Martin, W. B. Slaughter and J. D. Doty, proprietors. f Such utterances by observant and intelligent men, give a direct clue to the leading ideas of the time. The mania for gain, ran to villages and canals. Not to own a “ village site,” was to be rated a poor man — not to put faith in navigation of any streams, however small, was to lack in spirit of enterprise. A row of villages around Fourth Lake, was the dream of speculation. A canal connecting the Rock and Wisconsin riv¬ ers, was looked upon as a certainty of the future — and an immigration that, in a few years, would enrich every one, was staple belief, and acted upon in all the usual transactions of life, and something assured. The present generation will smile at all this — to the early settlers, it was a bitter experience. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 89 Fourth, and the Second and First Lakes gradually diminish in size until the river of the Four Lakes continues its regular course to the junction of Rock river. * * * * “ Springs arise all around these lakes, particularly the Fourth Lake, supplying the great mass of waters; but a principal source is a considerable stream of two or three branches, emptying in, on the northern shore of Fourth Lake. No situation can be conceived more beautiful than the shores of this lake; the land rises gently all around its margin, receding and rising gradual¬ ly into a gentle eminence, for about a mile from the lake, and the whole of this lovely shore is studded and adorned with spots of wood and thick groves, giving the idea of the park scenery in England, or the rich views of Italy; and more beautiful than either, in its natural state. The lake abounds with the finest fish, perch, bass, catfish, buffalo fish, muskelonge, from a pound weight to thirty pound and more. The shores are lined with fine shingle and white sand, and amongst the pebbles are found chalcydone, agate, and cornelian, and other fine and beautiful stones suitable for seals, breastpins, and other ornaments, not only often but in abundance. “ With regard to the several additions to Madison, laid out around the eastern and northern shores of the Fourth Lake, the towns may not for some years meet the sanguine expectations of the several proprietors, but it may with truth be said, that in whatever proportion population may increase in all or any of these places, compared with other parts of the Territory, there cannot be found in any part of Western Wisconsin situ¬ ations more healthy, and more fertile, or prospects more beau¬ tiful in respect to land and water scenery, than around and in the vicinit } 7 of the Four Lakes; this region must in a short time be thickly inhabited.” * * * * It will be noticed the predictions of Gen. Smith have not all been fulfilled; while the city of Madison has become all that he anticipated, the Catfish is not yet navigable for steamboats and not very likely to be for years to come — the projected canal across the city, was abandoned, which also may be said of the various cities laid out on paper around the lakes. Many persons 7 90 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE in the speculative times of 1836 and ’37 invested in this kind of property, but only to find that they were losers instead of gainers. Hon. J. T. Kingston, of Necedah, Wisconsin, informs ns that about the 20th of December, 1837, in company with S. B. Pilkington, he passed through Madison, from Racine. He arrived here the next morning, and proceeded north to the Wis¬ consin river. The prospects of Madison did not at all appear promising at that time to him, and the business of mining was the only one that held out any inducements to immigrants. The Legislature of the Territory met for the first time in Madison, on the 26th of February, 1838. The capitol was not yet in a suitable condition to receive the Legislature, so that the members of the Council met in the little room on the left side of the hall of the American Hotel, and the House of Rep¬ resentatives in the basement dining room, in which permanent organizations took place. In the basement room Gfov. Dodge delivered his first message at the new seat of government. A resolution was adopted appointing a joint committee to exam¬ ine the public buildings, and report their condition, together with the probable accommodation to be afforded the Legisla¬ ture. The committee reported the next day that they had the assurance of the Commissioner, Mr. Bird, that the Representa¬ tives Hall and Council Chamber would be in readiness on the succeeding day for the Legislative Assembly. They also re¬ ported that the keepers of the three public houses would be fully prepared, during the week, to accommodate the members, to- wit: at the Madison House, two rooms that will accommodate six persons; at the Madison Hotel, two rooms that will accom¬ modate four persons each; and at the American Hotel, eight rooms sufficient to accommodate twenty-six persons; and, fur¬ ther, that not more than fifty persons can be accommodated with sufficient rooms for the transaction of business. A few days later, two rooms on the south side of the capitol were pro¬ nounced in readiness for the reception of the wise men of the Legislature, representing 18,130 inhabitants, the population of the then Territory of Wisconsin. The counties of Green, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 91 Dane, Jefferson and Dodge were represented in the Council by Col. Ebenezer Brigham of Blue Mounds. Speaking of the Representatives Hall, Col. Childs says: “The floors were laid with green oak boards, full of ice; the walls of the room were iced over; green oak seats, and desks made of rough boards; one fire-place, and one small stove. In a few days the flooring near the stove and fire-place so shrunk, on account of the heat, that a person could run his hands between the hoards. The basement story was all open, and James Morrison’s large drove of hogs had taken possession. The weather was cold, the halls were cold, our ink would freeze — so that, when we could stand it no longer, we passed a joint resolution to adjourn for twenty days, and I was appointed by the two houses to procure carpeting for both halls during the recess. I bought all I could find in the Territory, and brought it to Madison, and put it down, after covering the floor with a thick coating of hay. After this we were more comfortable.” Judge J. Gr. Knapp, in his “ Early Reminiscences of Madison,” in speaking of the first Legislative Session at Madison, says: “ Having organized the Legislature, the next question was for members, officers and lobby to find places to eat and sleep in. Though we paid metropolitan prices, it cannot be said that we had exactly metropolitan fare. But men were remarkably accommodating in those early times, and without a grumble could eat ‘ hog and hominy ’ or 1 common doings ’ when 1 chicken fixings ’ could not be had, and they could occupy a ‘ field bed’ when they were required to sleep 1 spoon fashion.’ A frontier life is a mighty leveller — much like poverty mak¬ ing men acquainted with strange bedfellows. The 1 school section ’ of the 1 American,’ embracing most of the garret, was marked into lodging places by cracks in the floor, and its other rooms were equally crowded. At the Madison House, only six men were placed in a room sixteen feet square, and four others had a place at the fire during the day and evening. The floors of the Madison House were also nightly covered with shake-downs for travelers and transient visitors. Happy were those men who could find places in the few private houses 92 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE where four men might find two beds in a cold room ten or twelve feet square.” Gen. Geo. P. Delaplaihe, a well known citizen, removed here in September, 1838. He was engaged for a time with Jas. Mor- risoh as a clerk the Commissioners 1 Store. ' For the sake of preserving some additional facts connected with the early history of Madison we may add, that the first Neiv Years was duly commemorated at the hospitable house of Mr. and Mrs. E. Peck; and her husband’s brother, Luther Peck, could discourse sweet music from the violin; and a dance was inaugurated, which lasted two days and two nights. In those days, with but a weekly mail, and that sometimes irreg¬ ular and uncertain, and but four families in the plate, some show of sociality and good cheer became necessary, to chase away the ennui that might otherwise have crept in during the long and tedious winter. The first wedding in Madison took place at Mr. Peck’s, on the 1st of April, 1838. The happy bridegroom was Jairus S. Potter, better known as Lohg Potter, a tall lank fellow, to contra-distinguish him from Horace Potter, denominated Short Potter; and the bride was Miss Elizabeth Alleh, who worked in Peck’s family. Gen. Mills procured a pretty bouquet of early flowers from the high sandy ridge dividing Third and Dead Lakes, to grace the occasion, and Mr. Peck, who was a justice of the peace, tied the matrimonial knot, which was followed by a dance, Mrs. Peck officiating on the violin, except when she herself tripped gracefully over the floor, when Mr. Ebeh Peck was her substitute. Mr. Potter remained in Madison until his death, about 1841; and his widow has long since passed away. Gen. Mills, Darwih Clark, and Mrs. Prosper B. Bird, who were present, speak in terms of pleasant remembrance of this primitive wedding; and Gen. Mills adds, that the spring of 1838 opened unusually early, or he would not have been able to procure the beautiful bouquet of wild flowers to grace the wedding festival. On the 8th of November, 1838, the first number of the u Wisconsin Enquirer ” was issued, the first newspaper pub- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 93 lished here, Josiah A. Noonan* was the editor and proprietor, who had the usual enterprise of frontier printers in getting his office opened. Mr. Noox ax had ordered a press and material from Buffalo to come by way of the lakes to Green Bay, and thence up Fox river on barges to Fort Winnebago, whence it was to have been carted over-land to Madison. The bill of shipment came in due time, but weeks passed, and nothing was heard of the material. The season was getting late, and no press. Finally Mr. Noonan engaged Mr. Hyer to mount a pony, and go to Fort Winnebago, forty miles distant, and make inquiry about the missing material, and if nothing was heard of it, to con¬ tinue on to Green Bay. There were then no roads, no guides, no regular stopping places; by the route taken there was no clearly defined track between Madison and Fort Winnebago, and but one stopping place, a half breed’s house, within ten or twelve miles of the Fort. But from Fort Winnebago to Green Bay there was a good military road, running east of Lake Winnebago, affording a good route, and convenient stopping places among traders and Indians. On reaching Fort Winne¬ bago, Mr. Hyer gained information that convinced him that the press and material had been thrown overboard, in a storm, in Lake Huron, off Mackinaw; but it was months after the unfortunate event before its fate was fully known. Satisfied that it would be useless to look further for the missing printing material, Mr. Hyer started back the next morning for Madi¬ son, reaching there that night, and gave such information of the matter as he had been able to learn. This led Mr. Nooxax * Josiah A. Noonan, Esq., was a native of Montgomery county, New York, and educated as a printer, with Chas. S. Benton, of Little Falls, New York. In 1836 he removed to Michigan, and in 1838, after the location of the seat of government, to Madison, Wis., and was publisher of the “ Wisconsin Enquirer,” and elected territorial printer. In 1840 he removed to Milwaukee and published the “ Milwaukee Advertiser ” and afterwards the “ Morning News.” He was subsequently appointed Post¬ master, which position he held a number of years. He was subsequently interested in the Humbolt Paper Mill, near Milwaukee, and more recently has removed to Chicago, where he is the publisher of the “ Industrial Age.” 94 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE to purchase the u Racine Argus '’ and transfer the material to Madison, followed immediately by the publication of the “ Wis¬ consin Enquirer ,” the first number of which appeared on the 8th of November, 1838, and on which Mr. Hyer set the first type. With a single hand press, and scarcely any conveniences, this little office issued a newspaper, the bills, journals, reports, and laws of the Legislature, including a revision of the laws then in force. It was published in a room over the Commis¬ sioner’s Store on King street. It was a six column weekly and commenced its career full of spirit and energy. In the intro¬ ductory, the editor says: w With party politics we shall not for the present take any very active part, believing that there is nothing in the situation of the Territory that makes it neces¬ sary for the newspapers in it now, to burthen their columns with labored discussions of the common political questions of the day.” The paper, however, was not long free from politics. The greatest strife was of a local nature. Parties at that day, had not become fully organized. In April, 1839, Mr. C. C. Sholes became a partner. Other changes took place subsequently. George Hyer, J. Gillett Knapp, Harrison Reed, David Lambert and Barlow Shackleford were interested in its management. It was discontinued after June, 1843. 1839.—An election for Board of Commissioners of Dane county, was held in May, at Madison, which was the only voting place, and Simeon Mills, Eben Peck and Jeremiah Ly- can were elected. At their first meeting, May 15, at the Madi¬ son Hotel, they chose La Fayette Kellogg, Clerk; John Sto¬ ner, County Treasurer; Wm. A. Wheeler, Assessor; R. L. Ream, Register of Deeds; David Hyer, Coroner; Adam Smith and J. Ubeldine, Constables. On the 25th of May, Gov. Dodge appointed John Catlin, District Attorney; Isaac H. Palmer, Judge of Probate; N. T. Parkinson, Sheriff; Isaac Atwood, Public Administrator; G. P. Delaplaine, District Surveyor, W. N. Seymour, Justice of the Peace, vice S. Mills, resigned, and John T. Wilson, Auctioneer. A subsequent meeting of this board was held May 15, at FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 95 which time most of the persons elected presented their bonds, which were accepted. On the 16th two election precincts were established, one at Madison, and the other at Mound- ville (Bine Mounds); at the former, Prosper B. Bird, Darwin Clark and J. S. Potter were appointed Judges of Election, and at the latter, Prescott Brigham, J. C. Kellogg and Sidney Carman. On the 4th of June, G-. P. Dela- plaine filed his bond as District Surveyor, and N. T. Parkin¬ son, as Sheriff. On the 5th of July two supervisors were chosen; No. 1, Edward Campbell, No. 2, Horace Lawhience and H. Lawrence, Chas. S. Peaslee and Isaac Atwood to act as commissioners to lay out a county road in the direction of Fort Winnebago. Tavern licenses were fixed at $20 at Madi¬ son, and $12 in other parts of the county. On the 6th of July, the Clerk of the Board was authorized to receive proposals for the erection of a county jail, 24 feet long, 18 feet wide — two rooms — one story high, of square timber — walls eight inches thick, and Simeon Mills was directed to make a loan of $1,000 to defray the expenses. On the 22d of the same month, Robert L. Ream was elected Clerk of the Board, vice L. F. Kellogg re¬ signed. Bids were received for the erection of the jail from P. W. Matts, Geo. Vroman, J. S. Potter, Nelson Hart & Co. Isaac Atwood, A. Rasdall, David Hyer, Thos. Jackson and N. T. Parkinson, ranging from $1,139, the bid of J. S. Potter; to $2,000 — that of A. Rasdall. The contract was awarded to Mr. Potter, who, failing to give bonds, it was given to N. T. Parkinson, for $1,348. The building was erected on lot 10, block 113. On the 25th of May, 1839, the “Enquirer ” contained an ar¬ ticle respecting Dane county, in which the whole population was estimated at three hundred, more than half of whom re¬ sided at Madison. This was doubtless too high an estimate, as the population by the census of 1840 was but 314. The village then contained two stores, three public houses, three groceries and one steam mill — in all thirty-five buildings. The same article states that prices had ranged during the year then passed as follows: Corn, $1.25 per bushel; oats, 75 cents; potatoes, 96 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE $1.00; butter, 37J cents to 62% cents per pound; eggs, 37i to 75 cents per dozen; pork and beef 7 to 12 cents per pound. Geo. O. Tiffany and Simeon Mills advertised, September 20, to run a stage semi-weekly from Milwaukee to Madison in connection with the established line to Mineral Point. The amount of the assessment roll placed in the hands of the collector, was $2,974.71. On the 30th of September the Board gave a bounty of $3.00 for wolf scalps. On the 3d of October the amount was reduced to $1.00. As a matter of curiosity we give the names of the voters at Madison precinct, as taken from a poll list, August 5, 1839, now in possession of Darwin Clark, Esq. Some of the voters were not residents of the village, but living outside of the lim¬ its. At that time but few farms were cultivated; land was abundant and at moderate prices, and the voters were located but a short distance in the country: Berry Haney, A. A. Bird, Geo. A. Tiffany, John Vosburg, Geo. Vroman, Wm. N. Seymour, Darwin Clark, W. W. Wyman, W. G. Simonds, Dr. Almon Lull, John Catlin, John T. Wilson, Simeon Mills, Abel Rasdall, W. G. Van Bergen, Ebenezer Brigham, N. T. Parkinson, Chas. H. Bird, Jeff. Kinney, Samuel Chappell, Zenas H. Bird, Reuben Brown, Abram Wood, Lucius Ham¬ mond, Prosper B. Bird, Isaac H. Palmer, Eben Peck, Thos. Jackson, Jona. Butterfield, Chas. S. Peaslee, Josiah A. Noonan, R. L. Ream, W. B. Slaughter, Geo. H. Slaughter, J. Pelkie, Adam Smith, A. Wakefield, W. A. Wheeler, W. Ho ad ley, David Hyer, H. Lawrence, J. F. Potter, Geo. Ba¬ ker, Oliver Armell, John Stoner, John Betts, Henry Fake, N. C. Prentiss, Nelson Hart, Thos Perry, Isaac Atwood, Hiram Fellows, Richard Palmer, and Luther Peck. Total, 54 voters. The u Madison Express ” was the title of the second paper established in Madison. The first number was issued on the 2d day of December, 1839. W. W. Wyman, editor and publisher. It was a neatly printed six-column weekly paper, starting off in support of the then Territorial administration, and claiming to FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 97 be devoted to the advancement of the best interests of the people. In 1840, it was enlarged to a seven column paper, and came out decidedly in favor of the Whig party, raising the name of Wm. H. Harrison at the editorial head — declaring for Harrison and Reform. The paper continued with marked success until May, 1848, when it was temporarily suspended. In 1848 the office was purchased by David Atwood & Royal Buck, and the publication was resumed. The further his¬ tory of this and other Madison newspapers will be hereafter continued. Judge Knapp* gives the following account of the communi¬ cations leading to and from Madison at his first visit: u My first recollections of actually seeing Madison and its surroundings carry me back to the summer of 1838, when after a rapid reconnoisance for a canal from Waupun to the head of Duck creek, I came to Madison as a delegate to a Territorial Congressional convention. Our road then ran on the west side of the Fourth Lake (the lakes were numbered, and had no spec¬ ial names in those days), and over the high prairies in the western part of Westport and Vienna, coming in at the paper “City of the Four Lakes,” through Mandamus and around the south end of the lake, so as to enter the present road near the stone quarry. “ But two roads, then, led from the capitol out of town, the one west, partly along State street and University avenue, to near the residence of A. E. Brooks. There it parted, one run- * Hon. Jos. G. Knapp was born at New Lebanon, N. Y., Sept. 21, 1805. He studied law, and removed to Wisconsin, landing at Green Bay, Novem¬ ber 20, 1835. He came to Madison, 1839, and was editor and proprietor of the Wisconsin Enquirer in 1842. He was elected by the Territorial Legislature January 29, 1846, Superintendent of Public Property, suc¬ ceeding Hon. John Y. Smith, and was re-elected February 9, 1847, and March 9, 1848, to the same office. Mr. Knapp practiced law in Madison until his appointment in 1861, as Associate Judge of the Territory of New Mexico. This appointment he held until 1863, when he returned to Wis¬ consin. Judge Knapp has written much for the newspapers and periodi¬ cals on agricultural and scientific subjects generally. He removed to New Mexico in 1873, an d resides at Mesilla. 98 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE ning southwest, leading towards Green county; the other con¬ tinued west beyond the second railroad culvert, at which place it branched for Blue Mounds and Fort Winnebago. The Green county road branched again beyond the Dead Lake, for Hume’s Ferry over Rock river. Janesville was then scarcely begun. This then, and long after, was the road to Rock and Wal¬ worth counties. The east road forded the Catfish river nearly where the bridge now is, and branching soon after, one led to Cottage Grove, where it again parted, one to Lake Mills, and the other to Fort Atkinson. The main track followed near the present road to Sun Prairie, and thence to Lake Mills by way of Marshall, then called u Bird’s Ruins.”f It was by this line the first workmen arrived here from Milwaukee. Near the u T6 ” farm, an Indian trail ran by the Prairie House. Horace Lawrence lived there then, in a little house, keeping “ bach.” This was the only house between Madison and Rowan’s. The trail crossed Token creek a mile above the present village, and then ran over the prairies, striking the military road at Row¬ an’s, now Poynette. By this trail I returned from Madison. Then there were no roads in the direction of Columbus, Beaver Dam and Waupun. In fact those towns were then unsettled, and the lands unentered at the land office. Then the “ City of Four Lakes ” J had a very decided ad- f Bird’s Ruins had its name in this wise: It had been observed by Col. Bird’s party who passed there in June, 1837, that it would make a desi¬ rable location; and as Bird’s trail was for some time the only route of travel between Milwaukee and Madison, Zenas H. Bird, a brother of Col. Bird, took down his small building in Madison, about the spring of 1839, and re-erected it at the crossing of Waterloo creek, and moved there, with the view of establishing a tavern at that locality, and put up a much larger frame for a house; but by the autumn of that year, other routes of travel begun to be opened, and Mr. Bird regarding the prospects as unpromising, abandoned the premises, and returned to Madison; arid left to the action of .storms and weather, the building, in the course of two or three years, fell to the ground—and hence the place was named Bird’s Ruins. The village of Hanchettville, since changed to Marshall, subsequently sprung up there. Mr. Bird, an early hotel keeper, died in Madison in 1843. J A post-office was established here before the one at Madison, but was discontinued August q, 1837. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 99 vantage over Madison. That city, owned mostly by Virginia gentlemen, had houses and people; Madison had no such luxu¬ ries, but it had an energetic proprietor. To-day one is a city with a Mayor and common council, four storied stone and brick blocks, with moss on the roofs, railroads, Nicholson pavements, macadamized streets, sidewalks and stoned gutters, plenty of debts and taxes, thronged streets with noise, dust and jostlings of business, conflagrations and fire engines. The other city is a wheat field, or grown up to brush, with less houses than it had in 1836. The anniversary of National Independence was celebrated in due form (1839). John Catlin, Esq., was President, A. A. Bird and Simeon Mills, Vice Presidents. The Declaration of Independence was read by Geo. P. Delaplaine, and the Ora¬ tion by Wm. T. Sterling. The celebration was a “great suc¬ cess.” Volunteer toasts were given by S. Mills, A. A. Bird, G. P. Delaplaine, R. L. Ream, D. Clark, A. Smith, C. Peas- lee, E. Brigham, Wm. N. Seymour, L. F. Kellogg, Geo. Hyer, and others. Some of the toasts were very severe on the politi¬ cal actions of Gov. S. T. Mason, Acting Governor, who was for some reasons exceedingly unpopular. Of this celebration, Judge J. G. Knapp, who was present, remarks: “ The Madison- ians having determined to celebrate the Fourth of July, and to vary for the occasion the usual diet of bacon and fish, “ Uncle Ab,” of the “ Worser,” had agreed to deliver them a fat steer for the occasion. The evening of the third came, and Nichols also, boisterously happy. Individually he had commenced an¬ ticipating the good feeling, which the keg he carried in his wagon, intended primarily for the “Worser,” but ultimately de¬ signed, after quadrupling its cost in favor of. that institution, for the Madisonians, whose whistles had long been dry. Men drank “ Peckatonica ” and “ Rock river,” in those days, and thought there could be no feast without it. * True to his trust, Nichols had brought the steer, and tied him in a thicket to a burr oak tree, near the intersection of Dayton and State streets, * “ Peckatonica ” and Rock river,” and the names of some other streams, were used to designate various grades of whisky. 100 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE where none of the hungry men could see it. Then taking one more drink from his “ pocket pistol,” he advanced to the crowd of loungers and longers; for the whisky of the u Worser” had long since failed, and all were remarkably dry. The keg was unloaded and tapped in less time than I can tell it, and all hands summoned to drink. So the Fourth of July began, as it not unfrequently happens, on the third. The tethered steer was forgotten, in the joy that whisky, as meat, drink and lodging, prevaded the crowd; and none enjoyed it more than u Uncle Ab ” himself. The Madisonians, next day, celebrated the Fourth in due course. They marched in due form to martial music made by two squeaking fiddles.f Fiddlers and men at the head, and women at the tail of the line. Geo. P. Dela- plaine read the declaration, and William T. Sterling deliv¬ ered a short hut broad winged eagle oration. After which the procession reformed in close order, and with “double quick” marched back to the “ Worser,” and to the public dinner of ba¬ con and fish, the diet of other days, except they had whisky to drink. They eat, they drank, and they danced to the cheery notes of the fiddles, and were right merry. Three days after, when the keg was empty, and no more whisky to he had, “Uncle Ab ” sobered of, and bethought him of the steer tied to the burr oak, and that instead of having been served up on the National feast, he was still under the tree. There it was that the butcher’s knife released him at once from his three days’ fast and from life; and he served to vary the daily diet of bacon and bread on common days of the year.” A school was taught by Mr. Edgar S. Searle, in the sum¬ mer of 1839. Mr. Searle continued one term, and was suc- ceded in the summer of 1840, by E. M. Williamson. These gentlemen and their successors, taught in a small building on the corner of Pinckney and Dayton streets. The building is described as having a wooden frame, the inner walls of brick and entirely destitute of the modern conveniences of school houses at the present day. Four sticks driven into — sometimes f George W. Stoner, Esq., a youth at that time, says that Eben and Luther Peck played the fiddles, and Thomas Hill played the flute. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 101 through — a slab, and convex side down, formed movable seats. Mr. Williamson taught the boys only, his school numbering about six pupils. The girls were taught at the same time by a Miss Pierce, in an old building, situated in the vicinity of Dean’s new block. At this early date, thirteen pupils comprised the membership of the Madison schools. Mr. Williamson con¬ ducted the school two terms, and was succeeded in the winter of 1842, by Mr. Theodore Conkey. The further history of our schools will be continued under the proper dates. On the 14th of December, 1839, Edward Campbell adver¬ tises he had purchased the stock of Catlin & Mills and was pre¬ pared to supply the wants of the people in this section, that they need not be dependent on Mineral Point, Galena and Mil¬ waukee for supplies; and November 26, N. T. Parkinson & Co., advertise the “ Madison Exchange ” on Doty’s corner, half way between the American and Madison Hotels. These two merchants are the only persons who advertised in the Madison Express , the others were small dealers. In November, David Brigham & Thos. W. Sutherland advertised a law office and land agency. The first steps taken for the establishment of a church at Madison were as follows: A paper was drawn up in the follow¬ ing form with the accompanying signers, on the 25th of July, 1839. E. M. WiLLiAMSON v Esq., has kindly furnished a copy of the same: “We, whose names are hereunto attached, believing the Holy Scriptures to be the word of God, and deeply feeling the import¬ ance of maintaining divine services in our town, and preferring the Protestant Episcopal Church to any other, we hereby unite ourselves into a parish of the said church for the above and every other purpose which is requisite and necessary to the same. “ Madison, July 25,1839. “ Signed by John Catlin, J. A. Noonan, Henry Fake, H. Fellows, M. Fellows, A. Hyer, H. Dickson, H. C. Fellows, Adam Smith, A. Lull, Almira Fake, La Fayette Kellogg, George C. Hyer, J. Taylor, A. A. Bird, David Hyer.” 102 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE The history of this church will he continued hereafter. We find that John T. Wilson and Elias J. Williams were in business here as blacksmiths, in 1839. In December Mr. Williams retired. Catlin and Noonan advertised a general land office business; W. N. Seymour & J. T. Clark, attorneys, D. Brigham & T. W. Sutherland were practicing law and land office agency. Jas. Morrison advertised the American Hotel for sale August 31, 1839, and on the 2d of September, it was advertised by Kintzing Pritchette by his attorney M. M. Strong. The title of this property even at that date was in dispute, and was not settled until many years afterwards. Ed¬ ward Campbell advertised that he had purchased the stock of Catlin & Mills, and proposed continuing the business. Mrs. Louisa M. Sawin, formerly Miss L. M. Brayton, says that in 1837 she taught a select school in Madison. The first one in the town. Robert L. Ream, Esq.,* an early settler, now a resident of Washington, D. C., has kindly furnished his reminiscences of 1838 and 1839, which are here given: u In the latter part of April, in the year 1838, I first visited Madison. I traveled there in company with Mr. Wells, who, with a two-horse team, was supplying the people of Madison with produce from his farm in Green county. Madison then consisted of not more than a dozen houses, built and in pro¬ cess of erection, counting every cabin and shanty within three miles of the capitol, and was the only market for Green county farmers. “ Mr. Wells and I left Monroe, then called New Mexico, in the morning, and reached Grand Springs, near Sugar river, late in the afternoon, and camped there for the night. This was before the land there was entered by Mr. McFadden, and the Springs had not yet been named. We built a large log fire, * Robert L. Ream was born in Centre county, Penn., October 16, 1809; emigrated to Ohio in 1832, and from thence to Wisconsin. While a resi¬ dent of Madison he held a number of offices. He now resides at Washing¬ ton, D. C., and has held, for a number of years, a position in the General Land Office. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 103 (to keep off the wolves, as Mr. Wells said), and fried our ba¬ con and boiled our coffee. The aroma from our dainty dishes must soon have filled the atmosphere, for the prediction of Mr. Wells was verified in an incredibly short space of time, by the surrounding of our camp with prairie wolves in droves. Then commenced such a snarling, fighting, barking and howl¬ ing as I never heard before or since. They made the ‘ night hideous,’ and kept up the music with a thousand and one varia¬ tions until morning’s dawn. During the night we chopped down more trees, cut them into logs, and kept up a rousing fire, the roar and crackle of which made a splendid accompani¬ ment to our opposition concert in camp, which consisted of negro melodies and camp-meeting songs, which we had learned from the Hoosier prairie breakers in Greene, where it had been my good fortune to serve an apprenticeship at prairie break¬ ing. Thus we spent a sleepless night (my first night in Dane county). We struck camp early next morning, without bid¬ ding our recently made acquaintances a very formal adieu. “We found the then traveled road very crooked and winding, and running at almost all points of the compass, and when within five or six miles of Stoner’s prairie we halted and took observations. After determining the proper course to take in the direction of Madison, I went ahead with an axe, blazing trees. Mr. Wells followed with his team. We struck the prairie where George Yromax’s farm was afterwards located. The road which I then blazed was afterwards adopted by the public and traveled for many years. After passing through the prairie, we followed the old trail to Madison, where we ar¬ rived the second day. “ Having business at Fort Winnebago, and there being no travel in that direction, I was compelled to make the journey alone, so I negotiated with Mr. Ubeldi^e for a roan-colored, bob-tailed Canadian pony, with cropped mane, large ears and white belly. Mr. Ubeldi^e kept the only livery stable, and this was the only horse to be hired in Madison. On this im¬ posing steed I seated myself next day, and started for the fort, forty miles distant by the trail. There was no wagon road 104 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE from Madison in that direction, and the only two houses be¬ tween there and the fort-were those of Wm. Lawrence near Token creek, and Wallace Rowan’s hotel on the military road, some thirty miles distant from Madison. At this hotel I put up for the night, and being not much used to that particu¬ lar kind of locomotion, was very tired. Rowan’s wife served me bountifully with hoe cake and bacon. I then went to sleep and slept soundly until towards morning, when I was aroused by several cocks crowing simultaneously in close prox¬ imity to my bed. I did not discover until daylight that the foot rail of my bedstead was the roost of Mr. Rowan’s chickens. “ I remained the next night at Fort Winnebago, and pick¬ eted my pony on a grass plot near the hotel, giving him about thirty feet of rope. The hotel was the only house where trav¬ elers could be entertained outside the garrison. Mr. Henry Merrill and his family lived in it. I found the accommoda¬ tions excellent. An amusing incident occurred there that night which I cannot help mentioning. In the room in which I slept were four beds, one in each corner, and all curtained. I occupied one of these beds, and it appears that the other three were occupied by gentlemen and their wives. In the night we were all aroused by a cry of robbers, thieves, Indians, etc. All started up at the alarm, the ladies shrieking with fright. The room was dark, and in the confusion we ran against each other very amusingly. When a light was struck, the scene was ex¬ tremely ludicrous — ladies in their night clothes looking like affrighted ghosts, some of them clinging to the wrong man; men without any night clothes, and very little of any other kind, making frantic exertions to find out the cause of the dis¬ turbance. The supposition was, that some soldiers had been on a carousal, and had mistaken the hotel for the garrison; but, under the charge of Capt. Lowe, such a breach of the regula¬ tions would never have been allowed; and the cause of the alarm was not satisfactorily explained. “ I found my pony safe in the morning. The gallinippers had worried him badly, and kept him in motion most of ^he FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 105 night; the blood was still oozing through his perforated skin. Then, and not until then, did I realize the true force of the ex¬ pression ‘thicker than mosquitoes.’ The atmosphere was lit¬ erally filled with them. In those days, persons in the habit of traveling much, were obliged to protect their faces and heads with gauze or mosquito-bar vails, so very great was the annoyance of these insects. “I will here digress, and relate some of the incidents told me at that time about the frontier soldier’s life. “ It often happens that the government troops in these west¬ ern outposts become badly demoralized and mutinous. When watched so closely that they cannot safely carry bottles or jugs of liquor into quarters, they resort to every imaginable means of smuggling it in. They have been known to saturate their blankets, overcoats and other garments with whisky obtained of the sutler, then pass the guards unsuspected, and, after reaching quarters, wring out the whisky and drink it. “ Shortly previous to my visit to the Fort a mutiny was threatened there. Capt. Lowe was in command. The sentinels at the gate refused to obey orders, which was reported to the captain. He made his appearance in due time, and demanded an explanation. As the sentinel whom he suspected for disloy¬ alty was performing some extra evolutions which the captain did not care to exactly understand, he suddenly raised his right foot, and dexterously brought it with full force against the head of the sentinel, and brought him sprawling at his feet. This improvised tactic — (not in the manual) — was so demonstrative that the mutineers quailed before him, and at once subsided into submission, and no further attempt at mutiny was made during his command at the Fort. “ Returning to Madison, I spent the next night at Mr. Row r - an’s, slept in the same bed, and as before was awakened at cock crowing. At the dawn of day I discovered what I thought was a small flock of sheep, scattered around on the floor, but on closer observation, I found they were Indians. They had come in during the night from some trading post, where they had 8 106 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE obtained new white blankets, and had taken possession of the floor, without ever disturbing my slumber. “ From Madison back to Monroe there was no mode of con¬ veyance, and I made this journey on foot in one day. It was then fully forty miles by the meanderings of the road. There were no bridges, and I was obliged to wade Sugar river and its tributaries as well as several large marshes, in some of which the track lay knee deep under water, and I suffered severely with the rheumatism in consequence thereof. u Aside from the promising prospect of Madison as the seat of government of a great state not far in the future, I became so infatuated with the natural beauties of the place, that I soon determinated to make it my home. Like an emerald gleaming among pearls it nestled amid the clear placid waters of the Four Lakes, and the view from the undulating surface of the country around, was a setting well fitted for the unsurpassed jewels, not unworthy of comparison with the famous views from the shores of Lakes Como and Magaire or the Bay of Naples in the old world. u In the latter part of May or June of the same year I made another trip to Madison, when I negotiated with Mr. Peck for the Madison House, and in the month of June removed my family there and took possession as the landlord. This was the first house in Madison, now passed from our view into chaos, the shadow only remaining — it has been photographed — was not an isolated cabin, but comprised two log cabins built of oak logs, each cabin twenty feet square, one and a half stories high, the inside hewed slightly with an axe to straighten the walls, the cracks between the logs chinked and daubed with mortar. These cabins were set about twenty-four feet apart, the space be¬ tween them boarded up, roofed with oak plank, battened with slabs and floored with puncheons, as was also the balance of the house. There were plentj^ of doors and windows. The grand hall between the cabins made a spacious dining room, answered well for a ball room, and was often used for holding caucuses and secret councils under lock and key. On the north side there was also a cabin built of logs, shed shape, called a lean-to; this FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 107 building, made a large kitchen and room for servants. I take that haclf, there were no servants but the mistress of the house. The hired help occupied it when we had any. To this we built an additional room of frame work boarded with shakes and roofed with shingles, for a family room. “ The pioneers of a new country before the era of railroads, telegraphs or mail facilities, can only realize the domestic trials, troubles and turmoils incident to a back wood’s life. Fortu¬ nately there were few lady travelers on account of the great in¬ conveniences in modes of travel and accommodations on the road. “ There was a number of Indian wigwams around us, some in sight of our doors; at first Mrs. Ream lived in great fear and dread of them, and attributed her peace and the success with which she gained their good graces, to a large bunch of pea¬ cock feathers which she had brought with her, and dealt out to them one by one. They seemed to have a talismanic effect. We made repeated endeavors to civilize them and teach them to be of service to us, but their utter disregard to cleanliness and innate laziness baffled all our efforts. Hired girls were out of the question, and the stronger sex were consequently of¬ ten to be seen bending gracefully over the cook stove or wash- tub, as well as cleaning and scrubbing. On one occasion we were happily relieved for some weeks by the assistance of two- young ladies, the Misses Peirce of Green county. Their help was invaluable to us, but it seemed so, also to others, for they both soon returned to be married to worthy men of their own county. One became Mrs. Rust, the other Mrs. Rattan, both well to do farmers’ wives. Next there came along a Teutonian named Schwartze, with a kit of cabinet maker’s tools upon his back, which he had packed all the way from Milwaukee to Galena, expecting to find work there but failed, then returning by way of Mineral Point, reached Madison broken down, dis¬ couraged . and disheartened and without a penny. I think it was on the 4th of July, 1838, when he arrived, at any rate the people ot Madison were holding a jubilee of some kind, and a ball was coming off at the Madison House. Our newly arrived 108 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE guest desired to engage in the festivities, provided he could borrow some clean clothes suitable to the occasion. These were soon forth coming from our wardrobe, and when properly ar¬ rayed he became the grand attraction of the occasion, and ex¬ hibited his accomplishments by waltzing a long time with a tumbler filled with water on his head. He was nearly sixty years of age, but as agile and as active a boy of ten. As we could converse with him in his native tongue, he was loth to leave, and more from sympathy than anything else, we engaged him to make some articles of furniture, such as could be wrought from oak or basswood lumber as we had no other kind. Among other useful articles that he constructed was a wheelbarrow. When he had finished his mechanical labors we employed him as head cook at the rate of seventy-five dollars per month, and he was also to keep the household furniture in repair. He was exceedingly kind and clever all the time, looking out for our interests. He remained with us several months. I remember one strong blustering day in the fall, Judge Doty and Col. Morrisom arrived with their ladies. They had traveled all the way from Mineral Point without rest or refreshment and re¬ ported themselves, tired, cold and hungry. With orders to get the best supper the house could afford, Schwartze was soon in the dough up to his elbows and some one else was directed to build a fire in a large Franklin stove standing in the best room, which had been placed at the service of our distinguished guests. There had been no fire in the stove during the past season, and it was not discovered until the smoke gave warning that there was a large crack or fissure in the back of the stove. The fact was soon made known to Mr. Schwartze, who felt bound to. see everything about the house in good repair, ran with an un¬ baked loaf of bread in his hands, clapped it on the crack in the stove and filled it up, thus stopping the smoke for the time be¬ ing. He returned to the kitchen congratulating himself upon his ingenuity in improvising so readily this cement. As soon as the stove became heated the dough baked and burned, thus causing a denser smoke than before, and the ladies were obliged to leave the room. Mrs. Ream, who was somewhat more prac- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 109 tical in an emergency than the German cook, soon mixed another cement’of salt, ashes and vinegar, which answered the purpose well, and the weary travelers were soon quite comfort¬ able in their room. “Not long after this, our Teutonic friend, having earned enough money to make a payment on his lot in Milwaukee, disposed of his kit of tools, left for his home in Milwaukee, and we worked our own way as usual. Our customers and pa¬ trons were not at all fastidious. They were satisfied with clean beds, good board and genteel treatment, and this we al¬ ways provided to the fullest extent of our ability. There was by this time a large amount of travel through Madison, and some sixty or seventy men at work on the capitol. We boarded a large number of them, and our house was often crowded, so that floor room could not always be had at 4 two pence per square foot,’ and the difference between the bare puncheons and shakedown was, 4 you pays your money and takes your choice. 1 “We found it necessary to make many improvements to get along. The first of importance was sinking a well on the premises. When the shaft was excavated there could be no one found to build the wall, and I was obliged to do it myself. I used cobble stone, and made a good job it. Having met with success as a well-maker, I turned oven builder, and built an out-door bake oven of clay mixed with straw, which required the same kind of labor and material that caused the children of Israel to rebel against their taskmasters. The oven was a suc¬ cess also, and answered us and our neighbors until Fkank Shaw came from Mineral Point and started a bake shop across the street. Shaw was a genial Frenchman and full of fun. The building he occupied was about eighteen feet square, two stories high. The upper story was used as a lodging room, and the lower story as a bakery and grocery. We kept a temper¬ ance house, and Than’s grocery profited largely by it, as both bread and whisky could be had there on reasonable terms. “Than” unabbreviated, means Nathaniel T. Pakkinson, who was afterwards elected sheriff of the county, and held the 110 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE sheriff’s office in this bake-shop grocery. There was as yet no prison in the county, and when the sheriff made arrests or brought in prisoners, they were at once presented at the bar, treated, and placed in the care of Shaw as jailor, with orders to feed and treat them well; they were then put upon their parole, with orders to report themselves at the bar at least three times a day. It is but just to say that these prisoners rarely forfeited their parole, the kind and liberal treatment they re¬ ceived at the hands of the sheriff as well as their custodian Shaw, endeared them to these officers; and there was no grumbling or cutting down, or disputing sheriff’s accounts in those primeval days. u Covalle and Pelkie furnished us with daily supplies of fish from the lakes until we were sufficiently skilled in fishing to procure our own supplies. Shooting pickerel in the Catfish river soon came to be one of the grand sports of the time. When the fish 4 run up 1 they are shot in shoal water in large quantities, which is done by simply discharging your loaded piece at the fish; neither ball nor buckshot will penetrate the water over an inch or so, but the fish are stunned by the re¬ port and concussion of the water, and, in a twinkling, are on their backs and easily captured. Spearing fish was the next best sport, and many nights have I spent at the outlet of Fourth Lake when the channel was narrow, and a single log which was used for a footbridge spanned the stream, in spearing fish of almost every kind. The water was very clear, and with a good brush fire on both sides of the stream, sufficient light was furnished to see all the fish as they swam by. From the foot bridge you could spear all you wanted. It was not an unusual thing for Ed. Geokge and myself to return with our boat loaded to the water’s edge with fish of many different kinds as the reward of one night’s labor. Fishing with a spoon hook was also a favorite sport, and, when winter came, we fished with scoop nets through holes cut in the ice. In those days we always fished for fish — never for fun. “ On the south side of Third Lake there is a small estuary or inlet from a spring. In approaching that inlet, one time, I FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. Ill espied a red fox near the water, on the lookout for game; being ourious to know what he was after, I kept some distance where I could watch him unobserved. Suddenly he sprung into the water and hauled out a large pickerel, longer than himself, and commenced tearing it to pieces. On my approach, he disap¬ peared with a part of the fish in his mouth, which he had torn from his prey, leaving the back bone plainly exposed half its length, and the fish still alive, although high and dry out of water. That fox must have been hungry, for I had not gone far from the place, when I saw him stealthily retracing his steps to finish his meal. “During the summer of 1838, we had some very violent thunder storms in Madison. An Englishman named Warren, employed in building the capitol, was killed by lightning near our house. Another serious accident of that summer was the falling from a scaffold on the capitol, of a man named G allard, who broke his leg. These men were boarding with us, and de¬ pendent upon us for nursing and attention as well as burial. Another boarder, named Simons, was prostrated a long time with typhoid fever. In those times the duties of surgeons, physicians, nurses and undertakers, were only a few of the ex¬ tra duties which devolved upon the proprietors of public houses. “Jonathan Butterfield, of Topsham, Vermont, and his partner Pinneo, who carried on a shingle factory toward the Sugar Bush, were the kind of pioneers it necessarily takes to build up a new country. They were good workmen, and use¬ ful in their way, and when on a bender, they were the liveliest as well as the noisiest boys in the country. Near our house stood a large oak tree, the one under which Mr. Peck’s family had camped when they first landed in Madison. This was a beautiful tree, valued for its shade as well as for its beauty and from association. Butterfield knew how we prized it, and when strapped , and his credit gone, his last resort was an on¬ slaught on this old tree with an axe, and the only condition on which he would stop from damaging it, was to give him an order on Nelson’s or Than’s grocery. In this manner, to save the tree, we were repeatedly obliged to compromise with 112 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE him; then Pinneo came in for his share of the spoils. Some of the old settlers of Madison will remember the time when Pinneo, on a spree, without hat ; shoes, coat or vest, captured an old white horse which had been turned out on the common ~to recruit, mounted the animal bare-backed, minus bridle or hal¬ ter, in his right hand holding extended the jawbone of some defunct quadruped (either horse or ox), and proclaimed himself Sampson in quest of the Philistines, as he dashed through the most prominent streets of the town, creating a decided sensa¬ tion. There were then no police or constable to interfere with any kind of sport or amusement one chose to indulge in. “Another odd character of those daj^s was Baptiste, the half breed Frenchman, living with some Indians in the adjoin¬ ing woods, who had a natural propensity to possess himself of valuable articles, such as axes, handsaws, hammers, hatchets, shovels, etc., almost any articles for which we had daily use. He often came to know if we had lost anything, and if we had, would at once commence negotiations for the missing article. His terms were from one half to two-thirds of its value. When the contract was concluded to his satisfaction, he would imme¬ diately go to camp and return with it, stating that some had In¬ dian had stolen it. My wheelbarrow was valuable as well as very useful. It was made by a Milwaukee cabinet maker and cost me twelve or fifteen dollars. One day it disappeared. Bap¬ tiste had taken the precaution to ascertain its value before- proposing terms for its surrender. We failed to agree on the price to be paid for its restoration, and I never saw my wheel¬ barrow again. “ Impelled by purely philanthropic principles, we once un¬ dertook to civilize, Christianize and domesticate a wild Winne¬ bago Indian squaw, who answered to the euphonious name of Lenape. This young squaw was about thirteen years old when brought to us in the usual filthy Indian costume. After the- ablution process had been performed, and the vermin extri¬ cated from her head, she was dressed in citizen’s attire and really made an attractive figure. She was expected to assist in some domestic duties, and at first evinced quite a desire tcv FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 113 : learn, but the charm lasted but a few days, when she suddenly dis¬ appeared, and when next seen had donned her native costume,, and returned to her wild, roving indolent habits. “ The Indians were very loth to leave their old fishing and hunting grounds in the vicinity of the lakes, and for several years hovered around in camps in the neighborhood of Madi¬ son, and it frequently happened after obtaining liquor, thah they became very noisy and troublesome, particularly in their' dexterous mode of thieving, which 4 was almost equivalent t J. T. Clark’s Reminiscences — Elections 1847 — Hope Lodge I. O. O. F. — Knapp’s Account of Capitol Grounds — L. J. Farwell’s Arrival — First Bell in Madison — Organization of Baptist Church 1847 — Trial of Gross for Murder — Elections 1848- 49 — Growth of Village, 1848 — State Historical Society, 184& — State University. At the session of the legislature in the winter of 1846, an act was passed, abolishing the commissioner system of government, and substituting town organizations. By the provisions of this act, the towns of Albion, Rutland, Rome (now Oregon), Dun¬ kirk, and Sun Prairie, were set off as separate towns — the re¬ mainder of the county comprised the town of Madison. On the 2d of March, the first charter election for officers of the village under the act of incorporation, took place, when the following persons were chosen: President, Thos. W. Suther¬ land; Trustees, Peter W. Matts, E. B. Dean, Jh, Wm. N. Seymour, Alonzo Wilcox and James Morrison; Clerk, Julius T. Clark; Assessor, Sidney F. Blanchard; Treasurer, Dar¬ win Clark; Marshal, Andrus Vi all. The published statement of the receipts and disbursements of Dane county, from January 11, 1845, to January 9,1846 r were — receipts, $6,166.81; disbursements, $6,493.62. The following persons were elected town officers at the spring election, April f, 1846: Supervisors, Jas. R. Larkin, Edwarh Campbell and Wm. C. Wells; Town Clerk, J. Duane Ruggles; Collector, Andrus Viall; Treasurer, Darwin Clark; Asses¬ sors, Geo. Vroman, John W. Thomas and Wm. Larkin; School Commissioners, J. Gillett Knapp, Benjamin Holt and A. H. Talcott; Fence Viewers, T. W. Sutherland, J. Y. Smith and E. B. Dean, Jr.; Road Commissioners, J. M. Griffin,, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 167 Thos. Rathbun and Abiram Drakely; Justices of the Peace, Wm. N. Seymour, Nat. Wheeler, Barlow Shackleford and Alonzo Wilcox; Constables, Albert Skinner, John Cot¬ trell, James Moore; Sealer, Squire Lamb. The vote for State Government was 200, against, 47. At the same time a tax of two and half mills, on the dollar valuation, was levied for the support of schools, and the same amount for road pur¬ poses. At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors, June 1, a tax of five mills was levied for poor purposes, and $100 for incidental expenses, and on June Bd, tavern licenses were fixed at $5.00 in the country and $15.00 in town; merchants’ licenses $10, and grocers’ $100. The Trustees of the Village, on the 23d of March, 1846, pub¬ lished proposals to lease the Hydraulic power within the corpo¬ ration limits as follows: “ Whereas, it has been ascertained by measurement that there is within the corporation limits of Madison, a fall or difference of elevation between the Third and Fourth of the Four Lakes r sufficient if improved, to create a water power of considerable magnitude; and whereas, the legislature of this Territory did by an act approved February 3, 1846, grant to the corporation of Madison the right to lease, improve or otherwise dispose of said water power, therefore, u Public notice is hereby given that the undersigned Board of Trustees of said Corporation, will receive proposals until the first day of June next, for leasing the right to the water above men-' tioned for a term of years on the condition that the lessee or lessees excavate and complete a canal of 40 feet in width at the bottom and 50 at the top, from the Fourth to the Third Lake along or near East Canal street, dam the present outlet of the Fourth Lake, build two good plank bridges across said canal, the one near the Third and the other near the Fourth Lake, with a substantial railing to each; erect a good flouring mill with at least four run of stone, and such other machinery as the lessee or lessees may see proper, all to be performed within a reason¬ able time, and bonds to he given to the Trustees of the Corpo¬ ration of Madison for the faithful prosecution and completion 168 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE of said work. The Trustees would state for the information of those who may desire to undertake the work, that they have caused a level to be taken, and that the engineer reports a dif¬ ference of 3 71-100 feet between the water of the above named lakes, with the opinion that, by the proper damming, this fall may be increased to 5^ or 6 feet. The distance between the Lakes on the proposed route is about 48 chains, and the nature of the ground favorable for excavation. This cannot but create a great power, especially when it is considered that its head is a lake of some twenty miles in circumference. The undersigned have the utmost confidence in the practicability and advant¬ ages of the work, and feel that they can lease upon terms which will make it a most desirable object to any capitalist who may have the means necessary to undertake its construction. “ T. W. Sutherland, President. “ Peter W. Matts, u Eliab B. Dean, Jr., “ Wllliam N. Seymour, “ Alonzo Wilcox, “James Morrison, ct Barlow Shackleford, “ Trustees. u J. T. Clark, Clerk. “ Madison, March 23, 1846.” In reply to which, a proposition was made by Simeon Mills to lease the water power for sixty years; which proposition was accepted. Subsequently Mr. Mills had a careful survey made of the level of the lakes, and not being satisfied with the result, abandoned the undertaking. In 1848 he erected on lots 6 and 7, block 116, corner of Main and Blair streets, a steam saw mill. On the 6th of December, 1857, he advertised for 1,000 saw logs. The celebration of the 4th of July this year was observed with the following officers: Jona. Larkin, President; M. G. Van Bergen and J. Y. Smith, Vice Presidents; A. A. Bird, Marshal; Beriah Brown, Reader; Wm. Welch, Orator; Rev. S. E. Miner, Chaplain; S. F. Blanchard, D. B. Sneeden, Royal Buck, John T. Wilson, Geo. A. Cary, E. B. Dean, Jr., Ben- The Capitol , from the South Gate. Hospital for the Insane . JONES, Photo. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 169 jamin Holt, Andrus Viall, Beriah Brown, and S. M. Van Bergen, Committee of Arrangements. Of the celebration one newspaper says: u The Honorable Fourth of July arrived in town last Friday night, and notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, many of our citizens were on hand to welcome his approach hy a salute from a 150 pounder (that is to say, the anvil weighed that), and such other “hasty” ceremonies as were suited to the occasion. “ Daylight was ushered in by a magnficent thunder storm, . and in the way of a morning salute, the thunder did the clean thing, while the said anvil lay upon the ground in mute aston¬ ishment. The salute being over, the vapors disappeared and old Sol received the nation’s guest with warm congratulations. The oration, by Mr. Welch, judging from the impression it produced and the various opinions and remarks which it elic¬ ited, must have possessed the rare qualities of originality and strength, if nothing more. The dinner was served up in good style by R. W. Lansing, and the Madison Brass Band enlivened the occasion by a variety of choice music, and we are happy in being able to add that but very little of intemperance or dis¬ orderly conduct was witnessed during the day and evening.” Until the year 1846, Madison cannot be said to have had a public cemetery. The sand ridge, southeast of the depot of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad Company, the university hill, and part of block 61, had been previously used — none were enclosed or otherwise improved. The first act of the corporation for the purchase of burial grounds, seems to have taken place this year, but the purchase was not perfected until two or three years later. The grounds selected was block 180, about one mile northeast of the capitol building, and embraced an area of about three and a half acres. It was subsequently platted into 256 lots, 16 of the larger size equivalent to 64 of the smaller ones being reserved as a Potters Field, leaving 236 lots, 10 by 18 feet each, for private sale; of this last number 139 have been disposed of, leaving for future wants but 117 lots. The ground on the whole is favorably located and adapted to 12 170 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE the end in view, having a subsoil generally composed of sand and gravel. It has been properly enclosed with a neat and substantial fence, at an expense of about $200. The land has an elevation of about thirty feet above lake Monona, on which it ought to have bordered, and has an easy and gentle slope, and was deemed a judicious selection considering the views entertained of the probable future growth of the village. Maj. H. A. Tenney has an article in the State Journal of November 26, 1853, strongly urging the importance of pur¬ chasing a tract of land of forty or more acres, to meet the future wants of the town. The population of Madison this year (1846) was 626, and Dane county 8,289. Two-thirds, and probably three-fourths of the village plat was covered with forest trees and hazel brush. Not over half a dozen houses had been erected west¬ ward or northward of the Capitol square; and the forest north¬ eastward remained unbroken below the street on which the old jail is located. East and west King street (now State street), a part of Morris (now Main street), and those immediately around the square, comprised about all the streets opened for travel. Such was the appearance of the village in 1846, and for four years thereafter its growth was anything but rapid. The amount of real and personal property assessed for cor¬ poration purposes, and the amount of taxes levied for 1846 were: Real, $41,019. Personal, $9,300. Total, $50,319. Amount of tax, $251.60. We are indebted to Dr. C. B. Chapman, who came to Madi¬ son in 1846, for the following paper of reminiscences of men and things as they appeared to him shortly after his arrival: u It is not easy to calculate the advantage which would be conferred upon individuals and communities by the introduc¬ tion into schools and families of a system by which the more important events of each day shall be noted. The small amount of time which would be demanded for a strict adherence to such a custom, seems to indicate that it only requires that some simple form should be introduced in order to secure a more general compliance with the custom. If such statements in a FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 171 diary should only embrace reports of weather and employment of the day, it would enable the person to recur to many other contemporary incidents. I am reminded of what I have stated, as I have set for myself the task of producing an account of my first years in Madison. It has been by the expenditure of much labor and care in the searching for memoranda, that the dates, which will hereafter appear, have been arrived at and made reliable, while more use of exact dates would be much more satisfactory. u It was on the 18th of May, 1846, that I left Bristol, Trum¬ bull county, Ohio, for Madison. There was no railroad in that part of the State; the nearest was the Lake Erie and Mad River Road, from Sandusky, extending southward. I journeyed to Cleveland by private convej^ance, and thence to Milwaukee by the steamboat Wisconsin. Boats were then well patronized by travelers and emigrants, along the chain of lakes, from Buf¬ falo to Chicago. A portion of the Michigan Central Road had been finished, and a small proportion of the passengers left us at Detroit, in order to come onward by that route, which gave but little advantage in time. “We arrived at Milwaukee on the morning of Saturday, May 23d, and, as the stage left there for Madison but three times a week, or on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, we re¬ mained until Monday morning, the 25th. We arrived at Janes¬ ville at 11 P. M., and at Madison the evening of May 26. Our first view of the dome of the old capitol was from the eleva¬ tion north from Deming Fitch’s farm, northwest quarter of section 25. The town site was then mostly covered by a forest of small oaks. The forest along the way through Grreenbush was so dense that we did not obtain another view of the Capitol until near the south corner of the Capitol square. The only building between that corner and the outlet of Dead Lake (Lake Wingra) was the log house of Thomas Duhn - , which was a short distance below the court house. The City Hotel was then the stage house, and stood upon the corner where the Fairchild Block now stands. It was a story and a half house, and was kept by Col. A. A. Bird. It was there 172 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE I took my first repast in Madison. An incident occurred dur¬ ing my first hours in Madison that I have well remembered. On crossing the street, after our evening repast, to the east gate of the Capitol square, accompanied by a fellow-passenger, we met a person with a surveyor’s chain, who walked to the capitol with us, and was ready to reply to our various questions, occasionally attracting our attention to some new beauty of the place. As we passed to the west door, and took a view of the town in that direction, I embraced the opportunity to en¬ quire for the residence of Rev. S. E. Miner, to whom I had letters, when I found I was talking with him. He had just been using the surveyor’s chain for the purpose of preparing for the foundation for the Congregational church. It was the building that stands on Webster street, opposite' the engine house. That building was finished and occupied on the ap¬ proach of the coming winter. Mr. Miner occupied a frame house that stood on the lot now occupied by Wayne Ramsay, Esq., on the corner of Carroll and Gorham streets. It was then owned by R. T. Davis, and afterwards by the successor of Mr. Miner, Rev. Chas. Lord. The only house in that vi¬ cinity was on the opposite corner, and occupied by Hon. Geo. B. Smith. “ The block upon the shore of Lake Mendota, between Wis¬ consin avenue and Pinckney street, was soon after purchased by Julius T. Clark, Esq., who then predicted that that ridge would become desirable residence property, although it was then reached by passing through a thick growth of oaks, and no streets were defined after leaving the Capitol grounds. The streets as well as the lots were covered by a forest of small oaks. John Mallo had a brick yard on the third block west of the corner of the Capitol square. The lot where 1 Brown’s Block,’ formerly ‘ Bruen’s,’ now stands, was mostly covered by small trees, as well as the avenue adjoining, and James Morrison and others had it in use for their pig-styes. The jail, which was a rude log structure, stood near the small brick schoolhouse. It had two rooms, one of which was reached by passing through the first, and the inner room had some of the FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 173 ancient appliances for securing criminals. The only inmate at that time was a James White, who was awaiting his second trial for an attempt to shoot Nicholas Smith. He was con¬ fined by a chain attached to one leg, and was or had divested himself of most of his clothing.* He was tried and convicted three times, and the verdict set aside each time on account of the just belief of Judge David Irwih, that he was irresponsi¬ ble by reason of insanity. His conduct, after he was finally set at liberty, fully justified his course. The next year, the jail was occupied by a Frenchman by the name of GrROSS, who was tried for the murder of a man in what is now the town of Springfield. Although it was alleged that some gold coin that belonged to the man was found in his possession, he was ac¬ quitted. In this jail was also confined, a few years later, the ‘ Monk of La Trappe,’ who was afterward convicted of murder by the Columbia county court, and sentenced to the peniten¬ tiary for life. This Rev. Mr. Leahey had traversed the coun¬ try as a lecturer, which vocation he attempted to resume after his pardon, hut with so little success that he soon gave it up. “ The school in the 1 Little Brick,’ I believe, was then under the supervision of Royal Buck, who was succeeded by David H. Wright; this house and the old Capitol were the only places where religious services were held, until the Congregational church edifice was completed. “There were four hotels when I came, and the fifth was re¬ opened a few months after. These were the ‘ American,’ kept by James Morrisoh; the ‘Madison House,’ by Welch & Bush- hell; the ‘City Hotel,’ by A. A. Bird, and the ‘National, by R. W. Lahsihg. The ‘ Lake House ’ was re-opened the same autumn by J. P. Mahh. “ The number of inhabitants was then said to be 400, which I believe was a liberal estimate. Surrounding the square were the following buildings, as nearly as I can remember: between the north and east corners was the building which was early known as ‘The Tiger,’ the American Hotel, W. W. Wyman’s brick house (unfinished), and the United States Block (unfin¬ ished). Between the east and south corner were the City 174 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Hotel, Shields & Sneeden’s store (on the site of S. Klauber & Co.’s store), A. L. Collins’ and T. W. Sutherland’s law offices, the building now occupied by W. Veerhusen, the Na¬ tional Hotel, S. Mills’ old residence, and two smaller buildings used as saloons. The only house on the side between the south and west corners was the house of Henry Gullion, now a part of F. A. Ogden’s building. Between the west and north cor¬ ner was the residence of John Gatlin, Esq., which stood where the United States building now stands. The only stores were those of Shields & Sneeden, Finch & Blanchard, and E. B. Dean & Co v but J. C. Fairchild added one a short time after. The only house on Main street, southwest from Mr. Mills’ was that of Thos. Dunn, which was in the second block below the Court House. L, F. Kellogg occupied a house nearly op¬ posite his present residence. Peter Kayanaugh had a place near the corner of State street and University avenue, and there was a house about two blocks westward of that, on Uni¬ versity avenue, which was then temporarily occupied by B. Britton. The only house beyond, and near the city limits, was that of A. E. Brooks. Nearly all the buildings were around and near the Capitol square. King street, from the east corner of the park to the Lake House, was the only street that was at all defined by improvements, and these in a rude way. John Stoner lived near the shore of Lake Mendota, the only residence but that of Alex. Wilcox, in that direction. “ An incident which occurred in March, 1849, will indicate the condition of improvements west of the Capitol. As Dr. N. M. Dodson, a medical student, now of Berlin, Wis., was on his way from Galena to Madison, he called at the house of Peter Kavanaugh to enquire the distance to Madison. It was at twi¬ light, or he would have been guided by the dome of the capitol. “ I remained here without my family, who joined me in Sep¬ tember, and I was an inmate of the family of David Holt du¬ ring that time. Mr. Holt was then Postmaster, and had his office on Webster street, near the old Argus office building. We were first established in housekeeping in a rude old struc¬ ture that was situated where J. M. Bowman now resides, and FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 175 then known as the Schemerhorn house, where we remained until the following April. I then purchased the building known as the “ Tiger,” on Pinckney street, where we remained until 1850. That building was said to have been a place where much money was won and lost at faro and other games, during the sessions of the Legislature; an incident not remarkably creditable to our early legislators, although, perhaps, as much so as the incidents of some of the years since that time. It may be supposed that as the times and methods of living were then crude, the Legislature and legislators would partake of the same characteristics. I have the impression however, that those early bodies would compare quite favorably, both in tal¬ ent and definite ideas with most of their successors. “ The two persons I first met in alighting from the stage at the time I arrived, were A. A. Bird and James Halpin. James had charge of the dining room, and made himself generally useful. He soon after engaged at the American Hotel then kept by James Morrison. He made a contract with Mrs. Mor¬ rison to serve for one year, but was to forfeit his wages in case he should return to his old habits. He was successful in com¬ plying with his contract, but shortly after the time specified had expired, under the influence of an event in his family, and of a generous tendency to enjoy the bestowment of hospitality, he joined in convivial circles which he was supporting, and they culminated in the rapid waste of all they had accumulated, including the tidy furniture in their room. After removing from the American to a place on the shore of Lake Monona near the Lake House, where they lived in wretchedness for a time, finding himself without the means for supplying his ap¬ petite for stimulants, he ended his carousal by taking a quan¬ tity of opium that would likely have proved fatal but for the use of the stomach pump. How well he recovered from this habit, and maintained the character of a respectable citizen, and filled the place of trust as Superintendent of Public Prop¬ erty, was observed with peculiar gratification by his friends. But he was not always fully himself on account of a free use of opium and morphine, and this often caused his friends to 176 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE suspect that he had partly returned to his old habit. I believe he maintained his integrit} 7 as to the use of common stimulants, hut his second habit became so strong, that he declared his ina¬ bility to relinquish their use, and he was sometimes nearly as much beclouded in his intelligence as formerly. His life was & peculiarly eventful one. He was a native of Ireland, and from an early age had traversed the ocean as a sailor. He landed from a ship in Quebec during the prevalence of the cholera in 1832, and suffered an attack of the malady, from which he rapidly recovered He then came to the States — enlisted as a soldier, and was with Gen. Z. Taylor mostly in the capac¬ ity of a servant, during part of the Black Hawk War. He was once entrusted with despatches between Green Bay and Prairie du Chien, when he traversed the distance alone, often passing the streams by swimming his horse. In April, 1838, he was a soldier at Newport, Ky., and with a small detachment that was ordered to an upper Mississippi station had taken passage on the steamer Moselle, when she blew up at a Cin¬ cinnati landing. His company were all killed or drowned. He was thrown from the upper deck into the stream, swam ashore, and proceeded to his place of destination and reported in due form. Although a roughish kind of an Irishman, he was re¬ markable for the fidelity with which he fulfilled any trust com¬ mitted to him. “ I cannot recall any who now occupy the same places they did at that time, except Mrs. Brigham, William N. Seymour and the Pyncheons; and Mrs. Brigham is the only person who occupies the same house. David Holt owned and occupied the house opposite Gen. David Atwood’s. The house that was re¬ cently removed from the corner in order to give place to Gen. Atwood’s new residence, was occupied by Peter H. Yah Ber¬ gen, and soon after by Jesse A. Clark. J. G. Knapp was then Superintendent of Territorial Property, and lived opposite the Capitol House (recently known as the Rasdall House), on King street. John Y. Smith, Superintendent before Mr. Knapp, be¬ fore I came, was then of the “ Argus ” firm with Benjamin Holt and S. Mills. He was then occupying a house from FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 177 which that of Hon. S. D. Hastings, was remodelled, but moved to his own house that autumn, where his first wife died the fol¬ lowing March. Mrs. Smith, as well as her husband, was an early resident of Green Bay, where she came from New York when quite young, as a missionary of the Episcopal church. She possessed rare literary qualities which were little known on ac¬ count of her peculiar diffidence. A fragment of her diary, du¬ ring a thunder storm, while passing up Lake Huron, on her way to her new home, will indicate her chaste imagination, and such as has often conferred a world-wide fame. It was this: “ Who hut Jehovah could cause the heavens to groan in thun¬ ders, and to weep in showers.” “ There were two early residents of Madison who were not well pleased with the improvements which were invading the ‘ Four Lake country.” They were from Canada — Canadian French — and I have the impression that they preceded the first permanent residents. These were Louis Montandon and Philip Covalle. Abel Rasdall lived in the log house which had been occupied by the Peck family on Webster street, be¬ low Mrs. Brigham’s residence. Wm. M. Rasdall was Deputy Sheriff, and had charge of the jail at the time before mentioned. Ira W. Bird was Sheriff'and A. A. Bird, Hotel Keeper, Rev. Charles Lord succeeded Mr. Miner as supply of the Congre¬ gational church in the autumn of 1846. He came from Massa¬ chusetts, but had been a missionary at Independence, Mo. He remained until 1854, and bore his part with fidelity in giving caste to our early society, in which Mrs. Lord was a true help¬ mate. His health, or especially his sight, failed for a time to such extent as to render him incapable of performing the neces¬ sary work of preparation, when he returned to his native hills in Massachusetts, where he remained, having so far recovered as to be able for lighter service. After a brief illness, he died at the house of his daughter in Brooklyn, N Y. His predecessor, Rev. Mr. Miner, left the ministry a few years after he left Mad¬ ison, and has recently been engaged in successful business in Kansas. “Justice was for several years mostly dispensed by Esquire 178 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Seymour, * who was one of the most active and useful among our early citizens, and was a generous leader in every new en¬ terprise of whatever kind. As there was no church edifice for several months, the use of the council chamber in the old capi- tol was shared by the Congregational and Episcopal churches. Rev. Stephen McHugh was the minister of the Episcopal church. The Methodists occupied the school house for their services. There was no church-bell until June, 1848, when one was placed in the Congregational church, and this served for common use of the several congregations for about four years. I well remember the first time I heard its tones, as I was re¬ turning from my first excursion to Chicago. The bell was not yet placed in the tower, but was placed near the corner of Webster and Main streets, where ’Squire Seymour would have it rung, and when a respectable crowd gathered around it, would embrace the opportunity to secure contributions to be used in payment for the bell. “ The number of improved farms throughout the county was then, but very few, and consequently, in most cases they were far between. My first excursion outside the village in connection with the practice of my profession, was to Sugar river, about sixteen miles. It was not far from the present residence of Varnum Parkhurst. The patient was a Mrs. Lomary, and the messenger, Samuel Parkhurst. I have the impression that we did not pass more than four houses on the way. My next visit was to John Ensign, who kept a way-side inn called the Prairie house, eight miles north-east from town on the old Fort Winnebago road. The houses passed on the way beyond * William N. Seymour was a son of Hon. Wm. Seymour who represent¬ ed the 20th Congressional district of New York, in the 24th Congress of 3:835—37, and who was a member of the New York Assembly in 1832 and *834. He was born at Binghampton, Broome county, New York, April 22, 1808, and came to Madison January 29, 1838, and has resided here since that time. He has held many offices in the town, village and city. He was the acting Justice of the Peace for a long series of years, and was the first clerk of the city council in 1856. Esquire Seymour is still living at Madison, and is one of the well-known characters of the city. For many year he has suffered from paralysis. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 179 the Lake House, were two m town, one of which stood near the East Madison depots, and the other on the lake shore a short distance beyond the Sprecher Brewery, occupied by Mrs. Houghton". Those beyond the Catfish (now known as the Yahara), were those of Grover, Gould, Thos. Daily and the old Seventy-Six house, then occupied by Alex. Botkin, Esq. About the same time, 1846,1 was requested to go to a place near where the MacFarland station now is, to visit one of the fam¬ ily of John Reed. He came over from Second lake (lake Wau- besa) in a boat, but proposed that I find my way to his cabin by passing around the lake, a portion of the way to be guided by an Indian trail which I had not seen. I was not enough confi¬ dent that I could find the way, so he then proposed to take me across the lake in a boat, to which plan I assented, on his repre¬ sentation that his place was but half a mile from where we would land; but it proved to be as much as two miles and a half. As we passed along the Catfish between the Third and Second Lakes (lakes Monona and Waubesa), we observed an encamp¬ ment of Winnebago Indians on the east shore, which probably numbered as many as a hundred. This man Reed soon after abandoned his family, and his wife became the wife of Matthew Dunn. “ Hon. Henry Dodge, being then Governor, Geo. P. Dela- plaine was his Private Secretary, which position he also occu¬ pied during the administration of Governor Dewey. John Catlin was Secretary of the Territory, and Jonathan Larkin was Treasurer. It was during that year that John Catlin and E. M. Willamson commenced the arrangement of the Dane County Abstract Office, which was supposed to be the second one in the Territory. One had already been com¬ menced in Milwaukee. Simeon Mills had an interest in the Argus office although he was not an active worker on the paper, John Y. Smith having the editorial supervision. Daniel M. Holt was a printer in the same office. The Madison Express was then published by W. W. Wyman, and the Democrat by Beriah Brown. The Argus and Democrat were soon after consolidated, and a new Whig paper started by 180 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Atwood & Buck called the Wisconsin Express. Elisha Bur¬ dick was Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and was suc¬ ceeded by Royal Buck. E. M. Williamson was Surveyor and laid out some of the early roads in the county. Darwin Clark had already established his cabinet shop on the corner of his present place, which business he has maintained with more than usual stability, as well as the character of a worthy and reliable citizen. Geo. A. Cary and Chas. Bil¬ lings were the village blacksmiths, and Casper Rouse worked for them, and afterward established the business for himself. Mr. Rouse is now a resident of Marion Center, Kansas. Peter H. Van Bergen (who built the Congregational church), H. C. Parker, A. L. Harris, John Easton and —— Gilchrist were the village carpenters and joiners. Barlow Shackle¬ ford occupied the house which stands next the Hooley Opera House on Ctymer street, where he died in November, 1846. Orlin Rood lived on the farm west of the town that is now owned by D. Campbell. James Dow lived in a place dug out of a side hill and covered by a roof not far from the u Cary Farm,” and perhaps, it was on that place. James was one of nature’s noblemen, but for the habit of using strong drink — a habit which he greatly regretted, and made many efforts to desist from. He had been a sailor, and was a native of Scot¬ land. Thomas Walker came here from New York by sug¬ gestion of E. B. Dean, and established himself as a tailor. That place had mostly been occupied by Nicholas Smith, who soon after became a merchant. Luther Wilson and Decatur Vandercook established a livery stable during that summer. Alonzo Wilcox was the shoemaker, a vocation which he still pursues at Spring Green, Sauk county, Wisconsin; although he is well fitted for what are commonly regarded as higher vocations, although this idea is but a myth, provided the part one bears is acted with fidelity. P. W. Matts owned and occupied the house next Thompson’s Hotel, and was elected Sheriff, 1841-2. J. R. Brigham returned that season, having just graduated at Amherst College, and entered the law office of A. L. Collins soon after his return. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 181 “ The only physicians in the village or county were H. A. Tiffany and Dr. Spencer. Two persons of more discordant character and characteristics could not well be found. The first named seemed to have plunged into the profession with¬ out much preparation, but the simple character of most of the maladies had required but the most simple routine treatment, and the possession of an abundance of assurance gave him a large practice. Dr. Spencer had enjoyed the best advantages the country afforded, which he had well improved and but few persons any where are better qualified for the work of a medical practitioner. Notwitsthanding this, his practice had been much less than that of the other incumbent. A habit which too often prevails among persons on the frontier may have had some influence in diminishing his patronage, but it is said that he became strictly temperate after he left here. u After the establishment of the Democrat as competitor of the Argus (which was an organ of the same political party, or rather the organ of a party within the party), the contest was sharp for the legislative printing. Beriah Brown had his friends as well as the Argus , but he is said to have put forth more effort to secure success. A characteristic little speech in a caucus, held before the printer was elected, will indicate the character of some legislators. A new member was requested to inform the caucus upon whom he wished to have the place con¬ ferred. He arose with more than common deliberation, which was said to have been somewhat prolonged on account of his ample form having become wedged into an arm chair, and expressed the opinion, that Mr. Brown ought to have the place, adding, ‘ we have eat his oysters, and drinked his licker, and it will not be right to go back on him.’ ” Julius T. Clark, Esq., now of Topeka, Kansas, has fur¬ nished his early reminiscences, as follows: “In the year 1840, I had completed my legal studies, and was attracted to Madison by reports of the natural beauty and salubrity of its location, as well as by its prospective advan¬ tages as the future capital of the State. I arrived in Madison in the month of August in the year above named. On my way 182 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE from Ottawa, Ill., where I had been residing, I passed through Beloit and Janesville, the former containing some half a dozen houses; the latter, hut one, made of upright boards, and which was built for the accommodation of the stage, which was run¬ ning somewhat regularly on that route. There were then a number of buildings in Madison, the principal ones being the American Hotel, on the northwest corner of Pinckney street and Washington avenue, and the Madison Hotel, on the south side of King street, east of the Capitol grounds, (both since burned), one frame store building belonging to James Morri¬ son", just above the Madison Hotel, a small printing office, and several dwellings — some of logs and some of boards. The walls of the old Territorial Capitol were up, and the building enclosed, but the inside was almost entirely in an unfinished state. On my first visit, as above stated, I found the District Court in session, Judge Irvin presiding, and S. Mills, Clerk, with quite a number of cases on the docket, mostly marked with the names of John Catlin, William N. Seymour and David Brigham, as attorneys, Seymour having rather the largest number of cases. This fact may account for my form¬ ing a partnership with him in the law practice, which lasted a year or more. The improvements at Madison were, at that time, confined almost entirely to that part of King street lying between the east corner of the Capitol grounds and Third Lake, and that part of Pinckney street fronting the northeast line of the Capitol grounds. W. W- Wyman and J. A. Noo¬ nan were each publishing a paper, the former an administra¬ tion paper, and of which I had the editorial charge for some time, and the latter an opposition paper, as parties then ex¬ isted. The steam saw mill, where most of the lumber was manufactured for the construction of the Capitol and other buildings, stood on the bank of the Fourth Lake, at the foot of the hill just below the residence of the late B. F. Hopkins. With the exception of the small portions I have named above, almost the entire area of what is, at this day, the beautiful city of Madison, was in its wild and native condition: and what is now the most attractive portion of the city, was then, and for FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 183 some years later, almost an impassable forest, with a dense un¬ dergrowth of young trees and briars, through which I used to make my way hunting for partridges and other game, with great difficulty. I refer to the ridge or high lands on the south¬ eastern border of the Fourth Lake. But the greatest change has taken place in the character of the level stretch of land lying between the two lakes on the east side of the city. In the early settlement of the place, most of that part of the city was covered with water, especially in the spring of the year, when the lakes were full. At such times, fishermen in their boats would spear abundance of fish in its shallow waters. The first real, and at all successful attempt to redeem this flat from the water was made by Gov. Farwell, in connection with the German Baron Mohr, by means of ditching and planting trees, about 1849-50. The low land on the south side of the town T extending from the Third Lake, by the Fourth Ward school building, around to the north of the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien depot grounds, was also for a long time covered more or less with water, and, in some portions, was impassable at all times. “ The original plat of Madison only extended half a mile from the Capitol on the west. The history of the University addition is this: The Congress of the United States had donat¬ ed to the State of Wisconsin a certain quantity of land for the establishment and endowment of a University to be located at or near the Capitol. The duty of selecting a site and commenc* ing operations devolved upon the Board of Regents elected by the Legislature in 1848, of which board I was a member. The other members were: E. Root, S. Mills, H. Barber, A. L. Collins, J. H. Rountree, J. Bannister. T. W. Sutherland and Rufus King. Adjoining the town plat on the west, was a quarter section of land which included in its boundary the ele¬ vation upon which the University buildings now stand. This quarter section we found could be purchased at a moderate ex^ pense, if I remember correctly, about twelve dollars per acre. The Regents purchased it, reserved forty acres for University purposes, and platted the remainder as an addition to the city, 184 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE to be sold for the benefit of the University fund. From sales of these lots there was realized nearly or quite an amount suf¬ ficient to erect and complete the first of the buildings now on the grounds, in addition to the original cost of the land. I do not know the exact number of the population of Madison when I came, but it was quite small, as the census for that year (1840), showed the population of the whole of Dane coun¬ ty, including Madison, to be only 314. The growth of the town from the time I became a citizen, was not very rapid, for sev¬ eral years. Even in A. D. 1846, when I commenced my im¬ provements on blocks 94 and 95, on the banks of the Fourth Lake, it was the first instance in which any improvement had been made in that part of the town, and almost the first on the northwest side of the Capitol park. Even after I had com¬ pleted and was occupying my house, my friends would jokingly ask me how I liked my country life, and whether I had any dif¬ ficulty in finding my way back and forth. The brush which I grubbed out in clearing a place for my house, was made into a fence, which answered a very good purpose for some time in that capacity. “ One reason, perhaps, why the growth of Madison was slow, at first, may lie in the fact that for several years, at almost or quite every session of the Legislature, an effort was made to re¬ move the Capitol to some other place, generally to Milwaukee, and this effort upon the part of the members from that place, as well as the general hostility which its citizens entertained, or at least, were thought by the people of Madison to entertain towards Madison, tended to create an aggrieved and embittered feeling towards the former city; which I doubt not still exists to a greater or less degree, in the minds, at least, of the early settlers of Madison. Another fruitful source of trouble and perplexity at that time was the uncertainty regarding the title to the town lots. There were three plats of the town on re¬ cord*, each of them differing from the others and made by two different parties. Time and the adjudication of the courts have long since settled these questions which were once a prolific source of litigation and strife. If any one is curious to know FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 185 the nature of these contests, an examination of the records of the courts of that time will give him all desired information. 41 The town, for some time, had but little business to sustain it, except what it received as the Capital of the Territory, through the Legislature, the courts and the residence of the state officials; and the affairs of government were then man¬ aged with more economy than now. The Territory was in all parts sparsely settled, and during the sessions of the Legisla¬ ture such of the more prominent settlers as were not actual members of that body, were very sure to be present, either look¬ ing after some public or private interest, or to pass the time in social enjoyment; for it is one of the pleasantest recollections of that period, that there was a heartiness and warmth of at¬ tachment and good fellowship felt and manifested without stint among those early pioneers, which has not existed since their time. It was not uncommon to have social entertain¬ ments given, at which there would be present invited guests from Green Bay, Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Mineral Point, Platteville, Prairie du Chien and all the then settled parts of the State; and this, notwithstanding the almost entire want of any public conveniences for traveling either in the matter of roads or vehicles. Such an one had just been held and very largely attended only the day before the cruel fate of the la¬ mented Arndt — a very sad termination to one of the most successful and pleasant festive gatherings that the village has seen either in its earlier or later history. Among the guests was the father of Arndt. He was one of the old residents of Green Bay, and was quite advanced in years, — a gentleman of great respectability and unblemished character. He had made that long and tedious winter journey for the purpose of meeting his son, around whom the hopes and affections of his declining years centered with a very strong paternal fondness,— and not without reason, for the younger Arndt possessed in a high degree, in addition to his mental endowments, those amiable and social qualities which attached to him very warmly those who shared his friendship. The Territorial Council, of which Arndt was a member, occupied the room on the east side, or 13 186 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE rather in the east corner, and the House of Representatives the room at the north corner of the old Capitol. It was at the close of the morning session, which had been somewhat stormy — and the debates which had been elicited on certain nomina¬ tions made to the Council by Gov. Doty, had been considerably personal, and acrimonious and irritating in their character, es¬ pecially on the part of him who was soon to leave the room a homicide. The President had experienced some difficulty in maintaining order during a portion of the debate just before the adjournment; and fearing a personal collision, as soon as he declared the session adjourned, he stepped rapidly from the desk to place himself between the irritated parties, but failed to reach them in time to avert the catastrophe — the fatal shot had been given, penetrating the heart of the unfortunate Arndt, who fell back into the arms of those who were stand¬ ing near, and expired immediately without a struggle. His father was in the opposite hall at the time, and hearing the commotion, came, with others, into the Council Chamber, little imagining the deep interest he had in what had transpired. I was present during the whole of the morning session, and near the parties at the time of the occurrence, and thus a witness of the whole tragedy; and of all the sad recollections of that event, that which is the most vivid, is the unutterable anguish and desolation of the elder Arndt when he saw his son, so lately full of life and hope, lying on the floor, still in death. As to the character of the deed, I never had a doubt. The slayer had been the aggressor from the beginning, and had employed ir¬ ritating and insulting language in the course of the debate, and when called upon for explanation, met it on the moment against an unarmed man with the deadly shot. “ I have mentioned the store of James Morrison as the first which was opened, and the only one for some time after my ar¬ rival in Madison. It had been established for the purpose of affording supplies to the contractors and workmen on the pub¬ lic buildings. As his stock became exhausted, he neglected to replenish, and for some time we were dependent for our sup¬ plies upon a peddler’s cart, which made us an occasional visit, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 187 with the most needful articles of dry goods and notions — the proprietor of which was, if I remember right, a Mr. L-, who is now a wealthy hanker in a neighboring city. I believe 1 have forgotten who started the next store. It might have been J. D. Weston, followed by the Messrs. Dea;k and others. Of course there were not any church buildings at that early day. Before I came—two churches had occasional services, a Presby¬ terian and an Episcopalian. The first preacher of the former was a Mr. Quaw, who remained hut a short time on account of ill-health, and was succeeded by Rev. E. Slihgerland r who effected a permanent organization; in A. D. 1841, my brother, J. M. Clark, became pastor of the church, and con~ continued with it between two and three years, when he was appointed Chaplain of the post at Fort Winnebago. The pas¬ tor of the Episcopal church was the Rev. Mr. Philo, a very kind, earnest and simple-hearted man; a characteristic anec¬ dote of whom I cannot resist the impulse to repeat. During the sessions of the Legislature, there was (a common thing in the west in those days), a good deal of gambling practiced; and although severe laws had been enacted against it, yet so little attention was paid to enforcing them, that there were several places in the town where gambling was carried on in as public a manner as though it had been an ordinary, innocent amuse¬ ment; several members of the Legislature being among the most ardent of its devotees. In the winter of 1841, the la¬ dies of the town took the matter in hand, and made an earnest and energetic effort for the suppression of both gam¬ bling and drinking. Through their influence, a mass meet¬ ing was held in one of the halls of the Capitol to consider the best means of accomplishing the desired object. Everybody at¬ tended, citizens, strangers, members of the Legislature; all were there, men, women and children. All sides of the ques¬ tions being represented, the discussions which followed were considerably animated, some of the speakers finding their speech and their poise a little too difficult from the present feet of having imbibed a little too freely before going. It was said, among other things, that the laws already passed were 188 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE amply sufficient to meet the case, if honestly and faithfully ad¬ ministered, and that the fault, if anywhere, was with the offi¬ cers, whose duty it was to see to the proper execution of the laws. W. N. Seymour, who was then, and for years afterwards, justice of the peace, was present, and taking the remark as a personal reflection upon his official integrity, arose and defend¬ ed himself from the charge. After he had taken his seat, Mr. Philo, or 4 Dominie 1 Philo, as he was more commonly called, arose, and addressed the chair as follows: 4 Mr. Chairman: I arise to move to make a motion. The motion which I wish to make, I hold in my hand. I will read the motion. 4 Motion; That William N. Seymouk is a good and sufficient Justice of the Peace, and I hope the motion will prevail.’ The character of the motion, together with the earnestness and naivete of manner in which it was delivered, was too much for the gravity of the house to stand, and the meeting was forced to adjourn amidst a perfect tumult of cheering, without being able again to address itself to the consideration of the subjects for which it had been held; and Mr. Seymour’s right to be considered 4 a good and sufficient Justice of the Peace,’ was no t regarded as an open question from that time. 44 I might relate anecdotes of other early pioneers, and recall other experiences; but perhaps I ought rather to apologize for even the personal sketches I have already given. That which may interest the parties who participated in those early inci¬ dents and experiences, and who find a real pleasure in recalling them, can scarcely be supposed to awaken anything like the same degree or kind of interest in those who only know the city, as what it has since become. If the city is beautiful to-day, with its gem of a Capitol, its shaded, clean kept streets, its almost palatial residences, and its numerous tidy homes, the result of its prosperity and accumulated wealth, it was no less beautiful when the log cabin of Abel Rasdall overlooked the beautiful Monona and grassy slope on the shady woodland which bordered its clear waters. My years of absence have not diminished my love for its well remembered haunts. There is not a spot of that piece of earth which lies so sweetly between FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 189 the waters of the unfolding Lakes, which is not endeared to me h} r many an incident whose recollection is still fresh as when they transpired. Nature and art stimulated by its natural beauty, have both conspired to make Madison distinguished as a most lovely city; and my earnest desire in its behalf is, that its citizens may ever be as distinguished for virtue and intelli¬ gence, and all that beautifies and ennobles human life. 11 1847. In the month of February, the Wisconsin Argus was enlarged to seven columns. Mr. S. Mills retired from the firm, and the same changed to Tenney, Smith & Holt. During the Constitutional Conventions of 1846 and 1847-8, the paper was issued as a tri-weekly. At the spring election, April 6, the following persons were elected town officers: Wm. C- Wells, Chairman; A. Rasdall, C. Bushnell, Supervisors; J. R. Brigham, Clerk; D. Clark, Treasurer; H. Hill and D. A. Barnard, Assessors; Squire Lamb, Collector; D. H. Wright, J. G. Knapp and B. Holt, School Commissioners; C. Bushnell, A. Harris and G. M. Oakley, Justices. Vote for State Constitution — ayes, 154; nays, 125. For suffrage to colored persons — ayes, 18 ; nays, 176. A tax of one per cent, was levied for town pur¬ poses. The election for corporation officers was held March ly and the following persons elected by a majority of 60 over the opposition ticket: A. L. Collins, President; B. Holt, C. Bushnell, W. Pyncheon, D. B. Sneeden, G. A. Cary and W. Welch, Trustees; J. R. Brigham, Clerk; B. W. Wilson^ Marshal; N. S. Emmons, Treasurer; J. T. Wilson, Assessor. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees, held March 23, all that portion of Dane county known as the village of Madison, was organized under the name of “Madison Village School District No. 1.” An enumeration of school children, taken March 10, showed that there were 142 children between the ages of four and twenty. The amount of school money apportioned the dis¬ trict was 1232.48. The annual statement of the Board, made for the year ending October, 1847, showed that two male and one female teachers were employed. School taught by a male 190 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE teacher, nine months; and nineteen weeks female teach¬ ers. On the 4th of June, the Board of Supervisors made a report of resources and expenditures to April.6, 1847: Whole amount of receipts, $3,200.48; expenditures, $2,510.82. The Madison Express, of March 23, referring to the growth of the village, says: “From present appearance, building would be, this season, three-fold greater than in any previous year. Among the rest, is the brick academy, which is to cost about $3,000. This building, to which reference has been made as having received aid from the State, was located on lot 4, block 82, corner of Wisconsin avenue and Johnson street. In this building the preparatory department of the State Uni¬ versity was held soon after its organization. The building was demolished in May, 1873, to make room for the new City High School. At a meeting of the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, held in June, 1847, a petition was received for a charter of a lodge to be located at Madison, to be called “Hope Lodge, No. 17.” A dispensation was granted, and the lodge instituted on the 15th. The following persons were the charter members: P. G.’s Charles Holt, C. B. Chapman, J. Y. Smith, Noah Clemens and William Welch. C. B. Chap¬ man, N. G.; J. Y. Smith, V. G.; N. Clemens, Secretary, and Benjamin Holt, Treasurer. The first meeting was held in the brick building on Main street, then known as the “ Argus Building.” Among the early members of this lodge were D. Vandercook, Geo. M. Oakley, J. G. Knapp, Jas. Halpin. The telegraph was this year set up between Milwaukee and Madison. A. C. Ingham and B. F. Hopkins were the first op¬ erators at Madison. The Convention which assembled here December 16,1847, to form a State Constitution, having completed their work on the first of February, was, by the vote of the people, approved in April, 1848, and Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other States, on the 29th of May. The assessed valuation of the real estate of the village, in FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 191 1847, was $39,116, and personal property, $8,600; total, $47,716. Amount of tax, $200. The principal merchants during the year were, E. B. Dean, Jr., assessed $3,500 personal; Shields & Sneeden, $2,500; Nicholas Smith, $1,500; Finch & Blan¬ chard, $600; A. Boyles & Co., $400; R„ Price, $100. July 4th celebration was observed as usual. David Lambert, orator; D. B. Sneeden, reader; and Rev. Ohas. Lord, chap¬ lain. The census of the village was taken this year by E. Burdick, whole number, 1,159, the year previous it was 626. S. Mills advertised, in December, that he was building a saw mill, and wished to purchase 1,000 logs. The Argus , of December 14, says: u One hundred Indians are encamped on the north side of Lake Mendota (Fourth Lake), three miles from this place, and have been there some weeks, and have almost annihilated the deer.” J. G. Knapp, Superintendent of Public Property, in his reminiscences of Madison, 1846-7, says: “ At that time the Park was more than half covered with hazel bushes and oak grubs. The first were destroyed by mow¬ ing, and the last were dug up. The wild grass was succeeded by the present grasses, partly by sowing the seed, and partly spontaneous or self-sowing. The trees then were the merest bush, were trimmed up to about six feet, that being nearly one-half their entire height. In 1847, I contracted with Alex. McBride, at fifty cents a tree, for planting out the row of maples and elms next to the Park fence, he agreeing to war¬ rant their growth. This was done without authority of law, and before any appropriation had been made for that purpose. That legislative body could never have been induced to make such an appropriation, for the reason that there was then the greatest opposition to all appropriations for future benefit; and because there was at that time a determination on the part of many members to remove the seat of government to some other place. It was therefore with the greatest difficulty that the Legislature could be induced to make an appropriation to pay for those trees. I have often asked, what price the State 192 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE would now fix upon those same trees? To these small begin¬ nings, this assuming of responsibility, I look back and see what our beautiful Park has since become — the ornament of the most handsomely located city in the Union, the brightest setting of any Capitol on the continent, if not in the world. If it he such now, when less than half finished, what will it be in a few years, after the hand of the tasteful landscape gardener shall have brought to light its innate loveliness? u Two other acts, the responsibility of doing which I assumed, will he briefly noticed. The old Capitol was, by some strange design of the architect, planned without basement rooms, al¬ though the walls were about seven feet below the base, and had doors and windows at each end. For many years these cellars formed sleeping apartments for the loose hogs of the town, and not unfrequently their music was less enchanting than ^Eolian harps, or grand old organ tones. It struck me that this por¬ tion of the building could be better employed, and as the re¬ moval of some three feet of earth in depth was necessary, I let a contract for that purpose, at twenty cents a yard square. Into this space the dry wood was transferred, and found mak¬ ing much less noise than the hogs had made before. Soon after, that portion of the house having new windows cut on the sides, was made into rooms and offices, and was thus used until the lights were darkened by the construction of the new building.” This year, 1847, L. J. Farwell, * of Milwaukee, attracted * Hon. Leonard J. Farwell was the son of Capt. James Farwell and Re¬ becca Cady his wife, and was born at Watertown, New York, January 5, 1819. His father died in 1830 and his mother in 1824. After a short experience as clerk in a dry goods store, he became apprentice to a tin¬ smith, and followed that occupation until the age of nineteen. He first re¬ moved toLockport, Illinois, with a small stock of hardware and a few tools of his trade, and for the time and place, soon established a thriving busi¬ ness. In January, 1840, he sold out his stock and store, and removed to the then new village of Milwaukee, in the Territory of Wisconsin, and em¬ barked in business on a larger scale, and in a few years was at the head of one of the largest wholesale houses in the west. Ten years later, owing to impaired health and having secured a large fortune for those days, he with- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 193 by the beauty of the location, and foreseeing its advantages as a place of business, made an extensive purchase of real estate, comprising a portion of the village plat and of lands lying ad¬ jacent, which included the unimproved water power between lakes Monona and Mendota. To the active enterprise, the lib¬ eral polic}^ and the public spirit of this gentleman, Madison is largely indebted for her present prosperity. During the follow¬ ing winter, he commenced the improvement of the Madison water power. The fall between the lakes as taken by a number of engineers, varied from three feet ten inches to four feet eleven inches. This variation was unquestionably owing to a variation in the lakes at the several times the levels were taken, lake Monona being much the smaller, would be more affected by a rain storm than the other. Among his first works were the improvements of the water power and the erection of mills to which attention has been before given. His efforts at once infused new life into the settlement. Real estate, hitherto al¬ most without value, began to be sought for, and to improve in price. Streets were cleared of their forests, roads were laid out drew from mercantile traffic to' engage in other enterprises. In 1847, he visited Madison, and effected a large purchase of village property, includ¬ ing the unoccupied water power, and soon after made a trip to Europe and Eastern countries, returning in 1849. On his return, he began the im¬ provement of the water power, the erection of mills, the opening of streets, draining of low lands, and other measures designed to benefit the village. In 1851, he was nominated for Governor by the Whig party, and was elected; the remainder of the state ticket was Democratic. Gov. Farwell was married September 20, 1853, t° Miss Frances A., daughter of Gen. A. N. Corss of Madison, formerly of Watertown, New York; she died at Washington, D. C., April 15, 1868. The financial re¬ vulsion of 1857, proved very severe on the fortunes of Gov. Farwell, as he was largely interested in railroad enterprises, and their value being de¬ pressed, he was obliged to suspend and close up his business. In the spring of i 863 , he was appointed by President Lincoln, an assistant examiner in the Patent Office-, Washington, and three months later, was Principal Exami¬ ner of Inventions, a position he held for nearly seven years, when he re" signed to re-embarkin the’same business at Chicago; at thejatter place, he suffered by loss at the great fire in October, 1871. He has sincethat time lived at Grant City, Worth county, Mo. 194 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE to the surrounding prairies, bridges were built, the low lands drained, road-ways carried through them and lined with shade trees; and buildings and improvements of all kinds begun to rise among the trees, and dot the distant prairies. He matured a comprehensive system of advertising the advantages of the country abroad, and scores of thousands of pamphlets filled with valuable information, were spread all over the eastern states and Europe. Perhaps no one person did more to promote the interests of Madison than Mr., since known as Gov. Farwell. No import¬ ant interest, structure, or association was inaugurated which he either did not originate or contribute to its success by his means or influence. He not only built mills, to which allusion has been made, but started the first woolen factory, and the first machine shop and foundry. He set the example of first grad¬ ing and filling streets, and building side and cross-walks, and in the projected railroad enterprises, designed to benefit Madison, he embarked heartily and liberally. In 1857, owing to the great financial difficulties of that year, he became involved like many others, and his fortunes seriously affected. The citizens of Madison will always bear cheeerful witness to the greatness of his efforts, which had for their object the promotion of her best interests. The information relative to Gov. Far well’s public improve¬ ments and his private life are taken from a Chicago Magazine. Some correspondent furnishes for one of the village papers an account of the first bell in Madison : 44 The advent of the first bell in Madison marks a kind of epoch in our remembrance. It was, if our memory is not at fault, in July, 1847. The occasion which originated the pur¬ chase was a political caucus held in the April preceding, when 4 hunker ’ and 4 tadpole ’ did rend and divide over the large vote of seventy-two persons; all comprised, too, within the limits of the present town of Madison. Unlike the modern style of caucus, it was thought respectful and decent to wait until every person had time to attend and be heard, if he desired to be. The 4 people 1 in those days did not see themselves FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 195 represented by delegates thrust in at the moment before they •could assemble. That practice is more modern. Well, at that April gathering, the first comers waited patiently two hours; and it was found on assembling that watches and clocks disa¬ greed to just that extent. To avoid another such discrepancy, the writer hereof suggested the purchase of a bell which would signal all alike on every public occasion, and that a subscrip¬ tion follow the 1 scrimmage. 1 The result was an early appear¬ ance of Esq. Seymour, who attended to 1 those branches, 1 with the proper paper, which was certainly very generously signed , and the Messrs. N. W. & E. B. Dean, merchants, took it upon themselves to furnish the k instrument. 1 “ Sometime in July aforesaid, about the hour of noon, a solitary team, which had wended its way out from Milwaukee, arrived, bringing the treasure and its hanging arrangements complete — reported at the old Argus office — and the teamster was advised and assisted by the boys, to land his load at the old (then new) Congregational church, as most likely to be the proper place for it — no arrangement having been made or thought of as to where it should be placed. It was scarcely off of the wagon before it was suspended upon its iron frame on the ground, and set to ringing. u The effect of its first vibrations upon the community — nearty all of whom were at dinner — was in the highest degree sensational. As the loud clear notes vibrated through the adjacent forest, and across the clear spaces, it was as if an electric spark had thrilled through every household. Every one rushed to greet the new-comer, and for an hour or two took turns in keeping it at full swing. By a kind of spon¬ taneous effort, and without any one’s consent, it was hauled up into the little 1 dormitory, 1 with legs pointed skyward, the theory of which was a steeple; and for several days and nights it seemed as if the public would never tire of the ringing. Indeed, Esq. Seymour, who was recognized chief in charge, was, we almost suspected, several times victimized by some of the mischievous boys, after the public ear had got sore with listening, and kept on the trot at unseemly hours, to secure the bell rope, which had a propensity to swing loose. 196 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE u The sound of a bell striking upon the ear when one is away from brick and mortar, or a crowd, is always pleasant. But at that time, many had not heard the sound for years. ‘ These valleys and rocks never heard ’ the sound before. Its deep, rich tones broke out suddenly, when none were expect¬ ing to hear them, like a great wave of music, spreading far and wide, over wood, lakes and prairies — reaching to the very few settlers in the country, some of whom came in five miles to hear it rung, or ring it for themselves. It was a sensation of the time; and though Madison has many good bells now, none have ever thrilled the community as this. Its tones are so sweet and familiar, that we yet pause to listen to it, singling it out from the others, even when all are ringing. It marks an era, and ought to be treasured by some of the churches, if it has not been, as the pioneer of its kind — as it was the first whose tones vibrated over these hills and lakes, and heralded the advent of that advancing multitude who now people the shores, and have marked the country on all sides with visible evidences of civilization and Christianity. “ A few weeks ago a notice was made in some of the papers, that a bell was wanted for an engine house, and a proposition to buy one of the church bells. Was this the old one ? I trust not.” The First Baptist Church in Madison was organized Decem¬ ber 23, 1847, composed of twenty constituent members. Rev. H. W. Read became the first pastor; he resigned in March, 1849, when he went out as pioneer minister to New Mexico. In October, 1849, Rev. John Williams was chosen pastor, but resigned the February ensuing, and in the summer of 1851, Rev. S. S. Whitman,* formerly professor in Hamilton Insti¬ tute, New York, came from Belvidere, Ill., and became pastor of the church; but his labors were of brief duration. He died *Rev. S. S. Whitman was born at Shaftsbury, Vt., in 1803. He was educated at Hamilton Literary and Theological Institute, New York, and graduated at Hamilton College. After which he was called to the chair of Biblical Interpretation, in the first named institution. He held this po¬ sition for seven years, and, in 1836, removed to Belvidere, Ill., where he FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 197 after a short illness, on the 2d of January, 1852. The history of this church will be hereafter continued. H. A. Tenney erected his two-story frame dwelling house on Washington avenue, near Carroll street, on lot 3, block 74, and was, as he says, the first settler southwest of the Capitol square, except Henry Gullion’s house, next to Grace Church. All the lots in that portion of the village were covered with trees or brush. Daniel Baxter, in the fall of this year, laid the foundation of the brick dwelling house on the corner of Main and Carroll streets, which was regarded as one of the most elegant private residences in the village at that time. The building was com¬ pleted in 1848. This property was subsequently sold to N. W. Dean, Esq., who occupied it for a number of years, when it was taken down, and the site improved by the erection of the Park Hotel. Mr. Baxter was then engaged in merchandising on King street. His claim on the State for balance due on building the old Capitol has a State reputation, and was regu¬ larly brought before the Legislature yearly. The old gentle¬ man has since died, and his claim is still unsettled. Until the year 1848, the growth of the village was slow, and many causes operated to retard its progress. Imme¬ diately after the location of the capital, all the lands in the vi¬ cinity were entered by speculators and non-residents, and lots and lands were held at a prospective value — much higher than they have reached at any time since. Many years, and many vicissitudes were to be passed, however, before settlers gained much foothold. It was a hamlet in the midst of a mighty waste of natural fertility, and for a long period all supplies had to be wagoned for a distance of a hundred miles on either hand. It was not, indeed, until about this date, that the ad¬ vancing settlers from east and west met midway, and com¬ menced the wonderful change which transferred the country preached ten years, as pastor of the Baptist Church. In June, 1851, he assumed the charge of the church at Madison, Wis., and continued in that office until his death, January 2, 1852. He was then in the fiftieth year of his age. 198 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE into the garden and granary it has since become. The location being at a central point between the Mississippi and Lake Michigan, the advancing army of immigrants, on either hand, found a wide, fertile and beautiful extent of country, at that time nearer market, and therefore holding out superior attrac¬ tions to the agriculturist. They did not, consequently, care to indulge the speculator’s appetite for fancy prices. In the mean¬ time, the fertile valley of the Rock river had been filled with settlers, and immigration began to turn into Dane county, which possesses a soil as bountiful, and a surface as attractive as any county in the State, hut which, before it was tapped by railroads, was too far from market to render the cultivation of the soil remunerative. The beginning of the real prosperity and growth of Madison commenced with the admission of the State into the Union in 1848. The Constitutional Convention then permanently lo¬ cated the capital here. Until this time there had been fears of its removal, and capitalists had hesitated to invest their money in the vicinity. Since that period, its progress in wealth and population has been rapid and constant. u A great many efforts have been made to depict the beauties of Madison, but no words can con¬ vey an adequate idea of what is, indeed, indescribable. The reason of this is that every new point of observation creates a shifting panorama — that no two exhibit the same scenery. From any considerable elevation, a circuit of near thirty miles in every direction is visible. Four lakes lie embosomed like gems, shining in the midst of groves of forest trees, while the gen¬ tle swells of the prairies, dotted over by fields and farms, lend a charm to the view which words cannot depict. From the dome of the Capitol to the dome of the State University, the whole bearing and aspect of the country is so changed as scarcely to be recognized as identical. On the west, the lofty peak of the West Blue Mound, twenty-five miles away, towers up against the sky, like a grim sentinel guarding the gateway toward the setting sun, while the intermediate setting is filled in with swelling hills, majestic slopes, levels and valleys of rivers and FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 199 rivulets. Madison is the center of a circle whose natural beau¬ ties compass all that is charming to the eye, grateful to the senses, pleasing to the imagination, and which, from its vari¬ ety and perfection, never grows tedious or tiresome to the spec¬ tator. The good taste of the citizens has preserved the native forest trees, so that its dwellings are embowered in green, and buried in foliage in the proper season, to-that extent that the whole city cannot he seen from any point of view. It is, in itself, unique, like its surroundings, and the transient traveler gains no conception of the place by barely passing through it. ,r A meeting of the citizens of the town was held, March 11, 1848, of which Geo. H. Slaughter was President; W. A. Wheeler, Geo. Thompson and J. K. Porter of Rock county, were Vice-Presidents, and R. L. Ream, Secretary. A resolu¬ tion was adopted, “ that it is expedient to build a railroad from Madison to Janesville to intersect the Galena and Chicago Rail¬ road.” In the month of April, 1848, an exciting trial took place before Judge D. Irwin of the United States District Court, the case of the United States vs. Jacob Gross for the murder of Charles Kohlman, in which Chauncey Abbott and Geo. B. Smith were counsel for the government, and A. L. Col¬ lins and Thos. W. Sutherland for the defense. The jury brought in a verdict of u not guilty.” Assessed valuation of village property, 1848, was—Real, $48,803; Personal, $12,850—Total, $61,653; Tax, $308.26. The corporation officers for this year were: A. L. Collins, President; J. C. Fairchild, J. P. Mann, C. Abbott, Wm. Pyncheon, H. C. Parker, D. Mallo, Trustees; J. R. Brigham, Clerk; Alfred Main, Assessor, and I. W. Bird, Treasurer. Mr. Brigham served as clerk of the Board from April 1846, to June, 1851. In pursuance of a requirement of the new State Constitution, the first State Legislature held on the summer of 1848, vested the government of the “ University of Wisconsin ” in a Board of Regents, to consist of a President and twelve members to be elected by the Legislature, and hold office for the term of six years. This legislature also located the University in Dane 200 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE county, and appointed a commission for the sale of the Univers¬ ity lands, and the investment of the proceeds. The first meeting of the Board of Regents was held October 7, 1848, at which time it was decided to open a Preparatory Department for the reception of pupils, in February, 1849. John W. Steeling was elected Professor of Mathematics, and appointed to take charge of the Preparatory Department at the time designated. The present site was selected and the purchase consummated the following year. The tract which was pur¬ chased of A. Vandeepoel, was the N. W. 1-4 of section 23, town 7, range 9, except block 9 of the village of Madison. The price stipulated was $5 per acre, and the taxes of 1849. At the same meeting of the Board of Regents, John, H. Lath- eop, LL. D., was elected Chancellor, and his salary fixed at $ 2 , 000 . The Madison Express , which had been published by W. W. Wyman, was purchased October 9 , 1848 , b} 7 David Atwood and Royal Buck, and its publication resumed under the title of 44 Wisconsin Express ,” and was published until Junel, 1852 , during a portion of which time, Alvin E. Bovay was associated with the publishers. During the session of the Legislature in 1852 it was issued as a daily. Proposals were advertised to be received for the erection of the Methodist church, to be built of brick, 36 by 50 feet, on the corner of Mitfiin and Pinckney streets, to be left with Benj. Holt. There was no celebration on the 4th of July at this place; one was held at the village of Cambridge, and many of the residents of Madison participated in it. The annual town meeting of 1848, was held April 4. Wm. C. Wells was elected Chairman of Board of Supervisors, C. M. Rouse and N. S. Emmons, Supervisors; R. L. Ream, Town Clerk; A. Teed way, Alfeed Main and S. M. Van Bee- gen, Assessors; D. B. Sneeden, Treasurer; B. F. Lar¬ kin, Collector; A. E. Beooks, D. A. Baenaed and D. Lae- kin, Highway Commissioners; B. Holt, J. Nelson and D. H. Weight, School Commissioners; A. Bishop, Alfeed Main and FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 201 J. D. Welch, Constables; J. Y. Smith, Sealer, W. N. Seymour and Abeam Ogden, Justices of the Peace. The total amount of expenditures for the year ending April 2, was $1,941.59, and the receipts, $1,371.10. Total indebtedness, $570.40. The firm of Shields & Sneeden, in 1848, built a brick store on Main street, facing the public square. This building was subsequently occupied by Wm. C. Wells, J. P. Mann, Don¬ aldson & Teed way, in 1850, and was by the latter firm occu¬ pied until the fall of 1864. In the spring of 1865, it was sold to McKay & Bro’s, for $15,500; the lot being 33 feet front. D. B. Sneeden built a two story residence on Carroll street corner of Dayton, which was sold afterwards to Dr. A. J. Ward, and is now owned by F. J. Lamb. The corporation officers elected in 1849 were A. L. Collins, President; J. R. Brigham, Secretary; A. Viall, Treasurer, S. Mills, G. M. Oakley, J. T. Clark, N. S. Emmons, J. D. Rug- gles, D. H. Weight, Trustees; A. Ogden, Assessor; Thos. Reynolds, Marshal. The tax of May 30, shows the assessed value of real estate, $62,674; personal property, $25,000; total, $87,674. Tax, $434.37. The corporation and school tax was $4,964.41. The mer¬ chants who were assessed on the stock of goods were Tibbits & Gordon, Seymour & Varney and Lewis & Wright, each as¬ sessed at $4,500. The others were J. C. Fairchild, W. C. Wells, T. Reynolds, S. F. Honn, H. G. Bliss, Smith & Tred- way, A. Boyles and Dean & Co. In the spring of this year, Mr. Farwell commenced making permanent improvements at the outlet of Lake Mendota, and a dam was built across the outlet, and the water in the lake raised about two feet. The Yaharaor Catfish stream which connects the lake, being very circuitous, and its channel obstructed by logs and brush wood, a straight canal was cut from one lake to the other. Lake Monona has since been lowered one foot by re¬ moving obstructions, rendering the water power of much value. Lake Mendota forms a reservoir of water so extensive that the longest drought ever known in the country would not affect it materially. 14 202 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE During the summer, a long building was erected at the out¬ let with a saw mill on one end, and two runs of stone on the other for grist work. Tibbits & Gordon’s brewery was erected the same season just below the mill. The Court House was com¬ menced on lot 2, block 68, on Main street, corner of Fairchild street, and the walls completed the next summer, and it is probably the best county building (except that of Milwaukee), in the State. On the 30th of January, 1849, the State Historical Society was organized at Madison. A meeting of the citizens of Madi¬ son and from other parts of the state met, the evening previous, at the American Hotel, at which time it was resolved to call a general meeting at the Senate Chamber on the 30th. At this meeting, Prof. Eleazar Root was called to the chair, and Gen. Wm. R. Smith chosen Secretary. A constitution was formed and adopted, and signed by all those present, after which the Society proceeded to the election of officers. Nelson Dewey, the Governor of the State, was chosen President; I. A. Lap- ham, Corresponding Secretary, and Rev. Charles Lord, Re¬ cording Secretary. One Vice President was also chosen for each of the twenty-five counties then organized. The Society held annual meetings, at which able historic discourses were de¬ livered by Gen. Wm. R. Smith, Hon. Morgan L. Martin and Dr. N. L. Wood, but during the first five years of its existence it accomplished next to nothing in the way of historical col¬ lections or a library, so little, that in 1854, the library contained only fifty volumes, and all but three of these were state laws, journals and documents, and were deposited in a small book¬ case three by four feet. The Society was subsequently re-or¬ ganized, and under the energetic and untiring efforts of Hon. Lyman C. Draper, its corresponding Secretary, became very successful. Its subsequent history will be noticed hereafter. At a special meeting of the Board of Regents. of the State University, November 21, 1849, the several chairs of instruc¬ tion were established and defined, action was taken with a view to securing a cabinet of Natural Science and a Normal Depart¬ ment instituted, in which instruction was required to be given FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 203 to teachers’ classes during five months in the year. At the time designated by the board at a previous meeting, Prof. J. W. Sterling opened the Preparatory School in the building owned by the Madison Academy, opposite the Presbyterian church on Wisconsin avenue. o John- Nelson, R. T. Dayis and Andrus Viall were elected Supervisors at the election in April, 1849; R. L. Ream, Town Clerk; D. H. Wright, Superintendent of Schools; Newton Emmons, Assessor; M. G. Van Bergen, Treasurer; Wm. Welch, A. Ogden and D. H. Wright, Justices of the Peace. Some business changes in the town are noticed this year. P. H. Van Bergen and Wm. Welch carried on the Madison Hotel. Tib- bits & Gordon purchased the stock of D. Baxter, and Sey¬ mour & Varney were engaged in business. An anniversary of the organization of the Dane County Bible Society was held May 29, and officers elected, viz: John Y. Smith President; J. T. Cla.rk, Vice President; Benj. Holt,. Secretary, and H. G. Bliss, Treasurer and Depositor. On the 7th of June, a temperance celebration was held, and an address delivered by Rev. A. C. Barry. The annual town meeting was held on the 3d of April, 1849, and it was voted $400 be raised for the support of schools, and $1,500 for general purposes. At a special town meeting held on May 19, this amount was changed to three mills on the dollar valuation. At the meeting in April, John Nelson was elected Chairman of Board of Supervisors, Andrus Viall and R. T. Davis, Supervisors; R. L. Ream, Clerk; Nelson Emmons, As¬ sessor; M. G. Van Bergen, Treasurer; D. H. Wright, Super¬ intendent of Schools; and A. Ogden, D. II. Wright and Wm. Welch, Justices of the Peace; A. Main, A. Rasdall and H. Carman, Constables. At the special meeting, G. P. Delaplaine, was elected Assessor, who failing to qualify, R. L. Ream, was chosen to fill the vacancy. The resources of the town for the year ending April 2, 1850, were $3,343.41, and the expenditures $2,831.65; balance on hand, $511.76. John Nelson, in 1849, built the addition to the present resi¬ dence of Hon. Andrew Proudfit, on Washington avenue. 204 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE CHAPTER YI. Hyer’s Reminiscences of Covalle, Pinneo, Ubeldeen, Tom Jackson, Judges Frazer and Iryin — Knapp’s Notice of Irvin — A Leaf of Western History — University Property and Improvements — Elections, 1850-3 — Gov. Farwell’s Improvements — Schools, 1850-3 — Newspapers — Madison Mutual Insurance Company— Fourth of July — Presbyterian Church Organization and History — Capitol House — Public Improvements, 1852-4 —Bap¬ tist Church Erected— R. Catholic Church — Madison Institute — Opening of Railroad to Milwaukee — Bruen’s Block — Lake Side Water Cure — Statistics. The articles that follow were written by the late Hon. Geo. Hyer and published in the Madison Union some years since. They are republished, as they furnish an interesting series of sketches of frontier men who were at Madison in early days: “ Old Coyalle, the fisherman, hunter, trapper, etc., was the only white man found on the present site of Madison when it was first visited by Col. A. A. Bird, in the spring of 1837 . Coyalle was a Canadian of French extraction, and a fair type of the early voyageurs and adventurers who penetrated the wilds of the northwest in search of furs, and whose natural affinities made them at home among the wild men of the forest. Born and bred among the half-civilized border-men, he pressed back into the wilderness as the tide of civilization rolled on its western course, occupying the ground so reluctantly relin¬ quished by the red men and their ready associates, the trappers and traders, whose occupation followed in the train of the receding red men; and with the fading forests dis¬ appeared entirely from the regions which but a few years before were known to the world only as the hunting grounds from which came the rich furs so universally admired in civilized life. Covalle was the descendant of a Hudson Bay trapper, [and followed the movements of his family, and for FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 205 many years thereafter was in the employ of a fur company as a trapper, spending years in the wilds north of the St. Mary’s river, returning to the trading establishments only at stated seasons to bring in his furs and obtain supplies. Nothing pleased him more than the opportunity of recounting his adventures and 4 hair breadth escapes 1 among the men of the wilderness in which he had spent so much of his early life. Tired of this wild life, he left the employ of the Hudson Bay Company, and commenced operations for himself, trapping along the streams emptying into Green Bay, falling back as civilization advanced — giving up his cabin to villages, and his trapping resorts to lumbermen. Following up the Fox river, he kept in advance of the settlements, gathering in the little game that lingered along the line, until he was forced to abandon the vicinity of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and find hunting grounds away from the business routes of white men. Taking his Indian woman, and his small family of half-breed children, with his ever present companion ‘Alex., the fisher boy,’ he came across the country to the chain of lakes, then in the undisturbed possession of the Indians, and built a cabin on the ground now occupied by Mr. Rodermuxd as a brewery, at the outlet of Lake Mendota. Here he was found by the men who came to lay the foundation of the capital of a new state, and here he remained until tired of his surroundings, and long¬ ing for the quiet of the wilderness, he, with his little family, left to join his old associates who had been transferred to the wilds west of the Mississippi. Covalle, though illiterate, was a companionable, good natured man, and interesting in the long stories he used to tell of the happy life he led in the country before it was taken possession of by the white man. He tried hard to accustom himself to the usages of civilized life, but it was unnatural to him, and the attempt only made more apparent the force of early habits. Learning that white men married, he brought his Indian woman before a justice of the peace that his own marriage might be solemnized in the presence of his children, a proceeding which was important to them only as it conformed to the customs of white men. He 206 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE would send to Dr. Lull, the village physician, to treat com¬ plaints that would be thought nothing of in his former solitary life, simply because white men employed the Dr., and many a joke came back to the settlement, of Covalle’s efforts to bring his half-breed family under allopathic treat¬ ment, and ludicrous enough were the attempts of the family to adapt some article of clothing, the gift of white people, to their native costume of buckskin and blanket. The ‘first families’ of Madison will, no doubt, remember the curiosity with which Madam Coyalle and her children looked in upon them through the windows of their houses, refusing to enter the dwellings, and with what interest they would gather at the doors to witness the proceedings of the meetings on Sunday; but these things are now past, and we must dismiss the subject, conscious of having said but little that will do more than bring back the almost forgotten name of Coyalle.” “ None but the ‘ oldest inhabitant 1 of Madison will remem¬ ber Plnaleo, and little was known of him even by them. He was a vagabond naturally, and a long life of dissipation had confirmed him in all his vagabond notions and habits. Phytveo came to Madison among the first, and commenced work as a shingle maker, or 4 shingle weaver, 1 as he styled himself. He built a hut in the woods, near the outlet of Lake Mendota, and when sober, used to retire to it and weave shingles, for which the new settlement offered a ready market. He was a queer looking object; a tall, round shouldered, large nosed, grey eyed chap, never wearing any clothing, in pleasant or foul weather, save a pair of coarse breeches and a red shirt. He claimed to be a Yankee, but had coasted so long up and down western rivers, and had imbibed so much poor whisky, that he had in appear¬ ance and manner nothing to indicate a ‘ down east 1 origin. His cabin was a mere shelter — open in front, and furnished with no article of comfort or convenience save one or two common cooking utensils, and the tools most necessary to his business in shingle making. Though orderly and quiet enough when sober, he was the opposite to it when drunk; and when Pinneo took it into his head to be agreeable, no place or com- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 207 pany was free from intrusion. He was not a very agreeable caller — liis long, gaunt form, bare head and feet, and disgust¬ ingly dirty appearance were anything but agreeable, still they had to be endured, as the possessor of these qualities was none other than Mr. Piuheo, who had a laugh and a joke for every one, and who was ever ready to do the bidding of those choos¬ ing to command his services. When sober,, which was only when every artifice and cunning had failed to provide the means of getting drunk, he would retire to his cabin, work steadily and quietly until a customer came for shingles, for which terms of payment were positive — cash down. When once in possession of money, there was no more work in Prsr- neo, who would, by a more direct route reach town in time to get glorious long before the purchaser made his appearance with the shingles. After he had endured a week’s drunk, his ved face and bare breast shone in the sun with a peculiar bril¬ liancy, and he was a sight as seen in the morning after a night’s lodging under a tree, or under some outhouse shelter, as he shook himself and started for his morning potation at the nearest drinking house. He had not worn shoes for years, and in his drunken frolics he had acquired the habit of kicking out grubs and roots with his bare toes. This he was often induced to do for a drink, and many was the grub kicked out of King street by Pinheo, long before Nicholson pavement or the of¬ fice of Street Commissioner was thought of. His feet looked, in shape and color, like mud turtles, and his toes resembled so many little turtle heads half drawn in, so bruised and battered were they by hard usage. Pustkeo, when drunk, would occa¬ sionally have serious thoughts, and sometimes expressed seri¬ ous doubts as to the propriety of his course of life. His boon companion was one Butterfield, of whom we will say more by and by. When the first minister visited Madison, and called the good people together on Sunday, Peoteo was among the first present. He listened attentively to the opening ser¬ vices, and when the minister began to speak of a better life than men were leading in the new country, Pinheo very de¬ liberately rose from his seat and electrified the small audience 208 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE by saying, ‘That’s so, Mr. Philo, that’s so. Butterfield’s got to be saved; and you just hold on till I bring him in. T Upon which he stalked out of the room; but, failing to find his chum, neglected himself to return. “ Pinheo had but little to commend him, even to a passing notice; still he was a type of many vagabond frontier men, who, whatever their origin, accomplished nothing useful in life. They generally lived and died wretchedly, as did this Pihheo, who lost his life in a miner’s cabin, his clothes taking fire while he was on one of his drunken frolics.” “ The other day,” says Mr. Hyer, “ we were shown through the sale-room of Messrs. Bird & Ledwith’s establishment, and looked upon the rows of beautiful carriages, elegantly lined and so richly ornamented, all bespeaking a wide departure from the olden but joyous time when we went a-riding along the by-ways and over the unbroken grounds that led us where- ever we chose to go, before the streets of Madison were walled with brick, in old Ubeldeen’s one-horse cart — the first pleas¬ ure carriage brought to the capital city. That was long before Bird & Ledwith thought of building carriages — long before Uorh or Kehtzler thought of providing the splendid ‘turn¬ outs ’ that come from their stables, and roll so elegantly along the Nicholsoh pavement — but not long enough to beget forget¬ fulness in the memory of those who, jvith merry laugh and in youthful glee, used to go jolting along in the one-horse ‘gig,’ as we called the old Frenchman’s cart. Wonder if our then young boy and girl companions have forgotten the time when we used to go a berrying, and when it was only necessary to ‘say the word’ to ensure a cartload of as merry romps as ever perplexed the hearts of boys for a berrying expedition, or a frolic among the groves that bordered our beautiful lakes. That was a funny old cart, and would not answer for now-a- days; but we were not so refined and particular then. There were no eyes to please but our own, and ‘who cared?’ Ubel- deeh, the pnvied proprietor of the ‘gig,’was a Frenchman, and this vehicle came with him from the Canadas. It was of the olden style, such as may be seen in the French towns — a FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 209 two-wheeled, cart-shaped affair — having a light box, was with¬ out springs, and open behind for the entree and exit of passen¬ gers. It was drawn by a coarse-limbed Normandy horse, rigged in a heavy block harness — the whole establishment be¬ ing in proportion and appearance, not beautiful but substantial, symmetrical and pleasing only in its unity. When in order for a ride, it was the pride of its owner, who would bring the 4 gig 1 around, back it up to the door, and announce its readi¬ ness for the young ladies, who, taking seats on robes placed on the bottom of the vehicle, the driver sitting on the front hoard, when away it would go, jolting and thumping, with its lively, joyous, frolicsome load. It was fun to sefc the old cart rattle and thump over the stones, or across the pole bridge that afforded the only crossing to the Catfish, or over logs and through brush, as the party jogged on, more in pursuit of fun than berries. “ There were the Miss S-s’, the Miss M-s’, and Miss D-and, that was all; girls were not so plenty in Madison then as now. Can it he that those romping, bright-eyed girls that were then so full of fun, so ready to join in such excursions, and so ingenious in expedients, turning inconveniences into pleasant¬ ries, ready to make the best of everything — careless of what the world might say or think, are now quieted into mature ma¬ trons, perhaps sober thoughtful grand dames, putting away their happy, mirthful, tell-tale faces, that they may assume reserve and dignity, not felt, but more becoming their changed fortune and social conditions? We cannot look upon our pleasant companions of “early times”without regretting, that with years should come so marked a change from the days when the wild prairies and forests were not more free, than the light¬ hearted people who enjoyed in common lot the comforts and pleasures, the cares and privations incident to a new country ; for, though the elegant carriage may roll noiselessly along busy streets, and people may pride themselves upon the show and parade of a splendid 44 turn-out,” we doubt whether there is the same real enjoyment that was found by the young folks who so long ago went a-riding in old UbeldeejCs one-horse gig. Heigh-ho, well that was almost thirty years ago. 210 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE “The earliest inhabitant will also remember Tom Jacksok. He was of Scottish origin, a man of intelligence, but peculiar in his manner, amounting to eccentricity. “Jack,” as he was commonly called, was a ship sawyer by trade, and came to Mad¬ ison to assist in ripping out with a whip-saw much of the lum¬ ber used in the building of the old Capitol. Standing in the saw-pit, the old fellow would laborjiard and patiently during the long hours of the day, looking forward to the pleasures of the mug and pipe at night. He was a man of “ infinite mirth,” good natured but awfully profane in the expression of his views, seldom, if ever uttering a sentence without mixing in a fearful number of hard words. In person, he was a short, thick-set, ruddy looking fellow, grey eyes, and his head, with a very nar¬ row belt of yellow hair about its base, shiningly bald. Jack seldom wore any thing in the shape of a head covering, and when he did, it was but the sorry remains of a plaid cap that he brought from Edenboro’ town with him; so accustomed had he been to going without one, that on returning from his work, he would frequently tuck his cap under his arm, and march off bare-headed; but on being told he was not wearing it, he would place his hand on his bald head, swear good naturedly at his carelssness, and trudge back to the saw-pit for the lost cap, never dreaming that he had it under his arm. We remember seeing Jack very much confused at a fire. The house where he was boarding, a small log house, standing opposite the present Meredith House, caught fire in the night, causing no little con¬ fusion among the boarders. Jack was soon on his feet, as crazy as a bed-bug — could find nothing, and relieved himself by many a hard oath, directed at persons and things about him. In his search for his pants, he caught hold of a sailor-jacket be¬ longing to one of his room mates, and imagining the garment to be his breeches, thrust his feet through the sleeves, and finding them too short for his legs, uttered a fearful judgment upon the man who had cut off the legs of his pantaloons ! Many an anecdote will be remembered of old Jack, by those who long ago listened to his story and song. Tom has been dead many years, and the hope is a fervent one that he has gone to a better place than he often wished his own soul. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 211 u During the territorial existence of Wisconsin, it was divid¬ ed into three judicial circuits, presided over by appointees from the states. Some of these appointees were broken-down pol¬ iticians, or men who failing to gain prominence in their pro¬ fession, where better known, were willing to be exiled to the new territories, where “ dispensing the law ” was distinguished by no very marked display of ability, integrity or legal information, and were generally less noted for their legal ability than for their knowledge and appreciation of u old rye.” A tolerably cor¬ rect idea of some of the western judges at that time, may he formed from an extra -judicial remark of Judge F., while on the bench at Milwaukee. The Judge had imbibed freely of his fav¬ orite rye, and though barely able to retain his seat, he, in his drunken humor, insisted on hearing and determining cases, whether he understood them or not. Making a decision which Col. C., an attorney in the pending case, did not approve of, he called the attention of the u Court ” to a certain provision of law in the statutes of Michigan, then governing the courts of Wis¬ consin. The boozy Judge, in a rather undignified manner, re¬ marked, u To-with the courts of Michigan — I am the law and the prophets.” Such was the law and the prophets in those days. “ But we are getting out of our circuit. The district of which Madison was the centre, was presided over by Judge Irvin, a worthy gentlemen, but peculiar in many respects. He was a fair judge of law, but a better judge of horses and dogs —if he could trace law principles back to Blackstone, he could more readily, and with greater certainty and satisfaction, trace every “ thorough-bred ” back to some famous stock of Virginia, and he knew the degree of every blooded dog he met with. He was a confirmed u old bach,” made his own bed, sewed on his own buttons, and knew every thing in the line of domestic duties, from the boiling of an egg, to the whitening of his high-crowned straw hat, which in course of time, became quite noted through¬ out his district. He was a good talker, but an indifferent list¬ ener — he disliked being talked to, but nothing suited him better than to gossip of himself, his horse and his dog, and indeed it 212 HISTORY OF MADISON ADD THE was difficult to tell from his conversation which of the three he thought most of. Few of the early settlers have forgot¬ ten “Pedro” the long-legged, slender-bodied sorrel horse, rode by the Judge. He was in the Judge’s eye, an ex¬ traordinary animal, and possessed all the points distinguish¬ ing the long line of thorough-bred ancestry, through which Pedro’s lineage could be traced by his master. No suitor thought of getting a hearing in court, until he had first given the judge a hearing as to the ancestry and peculiar qualities of his favorite animal, and so well known had this become, that upon “ his Honor’s ” ascending the bench one morning, he found Pedro’s bridle suspended over the chair, sig¬ nificantly described. Noah P-, a well-known joker of that day, used to say that the bench was full only when composed of Whiton’s boots, Pedro’s bridle and the dog York and Judge I.; but that was speaking lightly of “ the court.” The dog York, if not of the court, was its constant attendant, and woe to the suitor, witness or juryman that showed the dog disrespect. In those days, court room floors were covered with saw-dust in¬ stead of matting, and occasionally some evil-disposed attendant would cover York with saw-dust, in which condition he would ascend the platform to his master, who would store up wrath until he had an opportunity of gratifying it, in imposing a fine or showing his contempt for the wight who dusted York. On one occasion, York was the direct cause of an adjournment of court. Tom H., of “the Point,” and Berry H., of Madison, had arranged for a horse race, which being an unusual occur¬ rence in these parts, the bar, tbe jury and others in attendance were extremely desirous of adjourning court to witness the sport, but the Judge persistently refused on account of the horses not being “ thorough-breds,” and not having an honorable lineage that he knew of; but the fun was not to be lost simply to gratify the whim of “ the court,” and an expedient was re¬ sorted to, to force an adjournment. While Judge I. was at dinner, the dog York was enticed into the “National,” and put in charge of the landlord, with an injunction not to set the dog free, until a crowd about the door of the Capitol indicated FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 213 an adjournment of the court. Upon resuming his seat, the Judge cast an anxious look about the room for York, but there was no dog present. Sitting unquietly while the clerk called up the business of the session, the Judge took advantage of the first opportunity that offered, to call the Sheriff to him, of whom he enquired if he had seen “York.” The dog had not been seen since the adjournment. “Very strange, sir, very strange,” said the Judge. The case proceeded, but the Judge grew more uneasy with each passing moment, till it became quite evident to those present, that an opportunity would be afforded of witnessing the race. Again calling the Sheriff, he requested him to go to the outer doors and whistle for the mis¬ sing dog. He did so, and soon word came back that York was nowhere to be found. Frank D. was arguing the case then before the court, and among the most anxious to witness the race. The Judge turned to him, and said, “ Mr. D., if you have no objection, and it is agreeable to the other parties, this case will go over till to-morrow morning.” “ Not the least objec¬ tion, your Honor,” said Mr. D., and the case went over, under an order from the Judge to adjourn the court until 10 o’clock A. M. to-morrow. As soon as the crowd left the room, York was set loose, and was very soon at the Judge’s side, to the mu¬ tual gratification of master and dog. All went to the race ex¬ cept the Judge. On another occasion there was quite a com¬ motion in the lobby of the court room, which the Judge no¬ ticed, and called the Sheriff to inquire the cause of it. “ There’s a bear on the “Point,” said the official. “Mr. Sheriff, adjourn the court,” said the Judge, and in a few minutes “ his Honor” was astride Pedro, making for the Point, followed by York, and a noisy crowd of court visitors. Judge I. was extremely neat in personal mattery, and nothing save disrespect to his dog, or inattention to his horse, seemed to displease him more than the dirty, filthy, neglectful personal appearance of many of the wit¬ nesses and jurymen then attending court. It was difficult ob¬ taining a full panel in the new county, and to do it at all, the trappers and vagabonds still lingering on the verge of civiliza¬ tion were frequently summoned to seats in the jury box. 214 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Old Pelkie, the fisherman, was once summoned in order tO' make out the number, but on making his appearance to takn the oath, the Judge challenged him with—“You dirty French¬ man, go home and wash yourself, and put on some clean clothes,, and then come back and take the oath, sir.” The court ad¬ journed to give Pelkte time to wash and properly clothe him¬ self. “ Judge Irvin was, notwithstanding his peculiarities, a most, worthy man, whose precept and example, judges of more mod¬ ern date, would do well to follow. His integrity was unques¬ tioned. Pedro and York occupied his thoughts in “ term time and vacation,” giving no opportunity for reflections that might in their course run counter to justice in the disposal of suits at law. It may be, that justice would be more equal and exact, now-a-days, had every judge his Pedro and York. “ When Wisconsin became a state, Judge Irvin’s occupation was gone. He went to Texas, and the last we heard of him, he was enjoying his horse, dog and gun on his own plantation. What became of Pedro and York, this deponent saith not.” Judge J. G. Knapp, in his “Early Recollections,” thus refers to Judge Irvin: “Judge Irwin, who lost a match with a rich lady in St. Louis, because, in his extreme neatness and parsimony, he would persist in mending his own stockings and sewing on his own buttons, has been drawn to life by Mr. Hyer. His affec¬ tion for his horse Pedro and his dog York, surpassed his love of woman. No picture of the Judge would have been com¬ plete without these, his constant companions. But Wisconsin became a State, he lost his office, and the pay stopped. He went to Texas (he had never wintered in Wisconsin, unless he was sick so as to be unable to get away,) and took up his residence on the Rio Guadeloupe. I am told that he took part in the late rebellion, and some of the Wisconsin boys, in obe¬ dience to the order of Gen. Washburn, attempted to take him as a prisoner of war, but failed, as he got wind of the hunters and fled. His old friends would have been glad to have seen him here, and heard him again talk of the full blooded, high- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 215 bred Pedro, and the pure pointer York; or upon visiting him at Camp Randall, to have seen him still mending his stockings, and sewing on his buttons, so that with his usual neatness, he might have borne up, under the fact of his durance, for having fought against a Government which had sustained and even fed him so long. u When he left, his penuriousness got the better of his love, and though his love for York especially, had at times resulted (as it is said, but for the truth of which I do not vouch,) in judgment against many a poor fellow who slighted the dog, or gave him a sly kick, as happened to the Sage of Muckwan- ago; or one who had even hinted a doubt about the correctness of his always scenting a game bird, as Berry Haney did when York came to a ‘firm point’ on a snowbird. Though the Judge at the time most pointedly rebuked Mr. Haney, with the positive assurance that snow birds make most excellent pot pies, and were therefore game birds, a fact which York well knew. Though that was rather a novel definition of game bird, yet by it York was then defended, and remained so until the time came for the judgment of the court to reach the offender, then the dog was fully appeased.” The following sketch was taken from the Philadelphia American Sentinel , 1846. We have no knowledge of the writer, who, from the account, must have been in this section in 1835: “A Leaf of Western History. — About eleven years ago, a young gentleman left this city, to take a tour through the Western country. His object at first was to go no further than Fort Wayne in the state of Indiana. He journeyed that far in company with the late Commissioner of the Patent Office, Mr. Ellsworth, who had been deputed by the govern¬ ment of the United States to make a treaty with an Indian tribe, then in the vicinity of the Fort. Mr. Ellsworth after remaining there a short time returned to Washington, while the young man, not then more than eighteen years old, pro¬ ceeded to the state of Missouri, where he met his cousin, about his own age, residing at, or near Hannibal. These 3 r oung men 216 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE crossed the Mississippi, reaching Rock river, and ascending to the first of the celebrated Four Lakes in Wisconsin, where they engaged the only inhabitant residing there, to carry them in a canoe up the river of the Four Lakes, to the north side of the Fourth Lake, at which place there resided a solitary Indian . In their course up the river, to the Fourth Lake, they saw but one white man, and no Indian, except the one already referred to. The land in the neighborhood had then just come into the possession of the government, and the Indians had of course left that beautiful region of country. u The travelers slept on the margin of Lake Koshkonong, near an Indian burial place on their journey. u They stopped also at the point between the Third and Fourth lakes, where the beautiful town of Madison, the seat of government of the territory of Wisconsin now stands. “ At that time, the only town in the western part of Wis¬ consin, was Mineral Point. Janesville, now one of the finest towns in the interior of the territory, had not then been thought of, nor had Beloit, a large and flourishing town in Rock county. No legislature had then met in Wisconsin, for the territory had just been separated from Michigan. No white man lived near the site of Madison, to think of building a town then. “ Two or three years after that period, it was fixed upon as the seat of government; and a fine spacious building erected for the reception of the legislature. “ The two young gentlemen, who traversed this section of country together, and who looked over it, while the imprint of the Indian was still upon the shores of the lakes, returned East, the one to reside in the city of Baltimore — from whom most of the particulars of this article have been obtained, while the other delighted with this captivating section of the West, as soon as he reached the maturity of manhood, returned and set¬ tled in Madison, and is now the presiding officer under the char¬ ter of incorporation, granted to the town of Madison at the last session of the Wisconsin Legislature.* *Thos. W. Sutherland. Vilas House , from Capitol Park. Park Hotel . JONES, Photo. . FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 217 “We have published the foregoing remarks mainly with the view of introducing the extract below, showing how rapidly the western towns, as it were, burst into existence, under the tide of emigration flowing in that direction. The Milwaukee Courier gives the following interesting account of the seat of government of Wisconsin, but a few years ago the hunting ground of the Indian: “Madison, the Capitol of Wisconsin, is exhibiting signs of business and prosperity really surprising. During a stay of two days at the Madison Hotel, last week, we found an average of one hundred persons at the table at every meal. It is the most lovely location imaginable , and nothing can prevent its becom¬ ing at an early day, a city in population and business, as well as in name. Some idea may be formed of the progressive strides of the town and adjacent country, from the fact that in 1842, the whole county contained but about seven hundred inhabi¬ tants, which it is expected the census of the present month will make ten thousand.” “We take leave to add, that besides having three well con- conducted newspapers, the town has many valuable stores. The library of the Territory is there and is excellent — and the Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Catholics all have regular worship in that town. Reposing, as it does between two as lovely lakes as are to be seen anywhere, Madison is one of the most enchanting spots in the Republic. As the poet has it: “ This gem-like town o’erlooks the crystal lakes, And smiles in beauty as the morn awakes.” A plan for the University buildings, drafted by J. F. Hoyne, was submitted to the Board of Regents, and was accepted. A central edifice and four dormitories were embraced within the scope of this plan. The central building was to be 150 by 60 feet on the ground, to contain thirteen public rooms, and two dwellings for officers. Of the dormitories, two were to be on each side of an avenue two hundred and forty feet broad, leading from the front of the main structure in the direction 15 218 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE of the Capitol. Each dormitory was to he 110 by 40 feet on the ground, four stories high, and to contain thirty-two studies, each fourteen by fifteen feet, and each study to have attached two bedrooms and a wood-room. It was estimated that these buildings, together with sundry improvements to the grounds would cost about $90,000. The actual cost of the two dormi¬ tories and the University Hall is shown by the records to have been $101,631.57. The plan was so far improved that the erection of one dormitory in accordance with it was authorized, and proposals were advertised for its construction, to he com¬ pleted by January 1, 1851. Thirteen bids were received by the committee, the most fa¬ vorable of which was found to he that presented by Varhey & Parker, who proposed to complete the building of stone, according to the specifications, at the aggregate cost of $17,800. Johh H. Lathrop, LL.D., was inaugurated into the office of Chancellor, January 16, 1850. The lower story of the Madison Academy was occupied by the preparatory department of the University from February to August, 1850, and here the first collegiate class completed their preparation. In the fall of that year, the first dormitory building was completed, and the third session of the prepara¬ tory school was held here. The first class then entered upon the college curriculum, and Chancellor Lathrop began the dis¬ charge of his duties as instructor. In July of the same year, the Board of Regents directed that a portion of the Vahderpoel purchase, not needed for a site, should he laid out in village lots, and put in the market. A sufficient amount was realized to replace the original cost of the tract, and yield a profit of $7,682.70 besides. Hon. Hehry Dodge, United States Senator from Wisconsin, made a valua¬ ble donation to the library, and Chancellor Lathrop a condi¬ tional loan of his private library. The population of the village, as taken in 1850, shows 1,525, and the town of Madison, 346; total, 1,871; a gain of 705 since 1847. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 219 The Wisconsin Express , of February 26, 1850, in speaking of the prosperity of the village and its future prospects, says: 44 At no former period of time has our beautiful town presented so strong evidences of prosperity as at present.” The sale of school and university lands in Dane county took place r on the 11th of November; 5,320 acres were sold, and brought $29,280.03. These lands comprised many valuable pieces of property, and were mainly purchased by those pro¬ posing to make them their homes, and brought good prices. The first number of the Wisconsin Statesman appeared Au¬ gust 1, 1850. W. W. Wyman & Sons (W. H. and A. U. Wy¬ man) publishers. It was an eight column weekly, well printed, Whig in politics. It belonged to what was known as the Sil¬ ver Gray branch of that party. For a time Wm. Welch was associated in the editorial management. De Norsken Ven , a newspaper in the Norwegian language, was published about the same time, Ole Torgerson publisher, and was well supported. The village corporation officers elected this year, were, W. N. Seymour, President; S. Mills, D. Holt, Jr., S. F. Honn, D. H. Wright, Jehu H. Lewis, D. T. Dixon, Trustees; Geo. M. Oakley, Treasurer; J. R. Brigham, Clerk; A. Viall and E. M. Williamson, Assessors; W. C. Wells, Marshal. The corporation assessment of 1850, was: real property, $137,315; personal, $19,850; total, $157,165. Amount of tax levied, $785.33. The Methodist Episcopal Church was completed this year, on the corner of Pinckney and Mifflin streets. 44 To those who have hitherto been skeptical in regard to the expediency of improving the water power of Lake Mendota,” says the Express , 44 we would recommend a visit to that improve¬ ment, and all doubts in reference to the feasibility of the work will be removed. We visited the works of Farwell & Co., and were surprised to find so much work had been accom¬ plished. We found, in successful operation, a saw mill turning out lumber at a rapid rate; a grist mill is also about ready to commence operations, of sufficient dimensions to supply the 220 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE wants of the surrounding country until another mill can he constructed; a turning lathe is also making bedposts, etc. A brewery has also been put in operation. The power is ample to propel eight run of stone, besides such other machinery as may be desired.” L. J. Farwell commenced building his large grist and flour mill, May 1, 1850. It was finished the following autumn, and contained eight run of stone. He also opened Williamson street and the Fort Winnebago and Milwaukee road across the Yahara or Catfish this season. The valuable improvements made by this enterprising citizen did much to call attention to the desirability of Madison as a place of business and of resi¬ dence. Mr. Farwell’s large pecuniary means at that time were devoted to the improvement of his real property at this place. He also advertised largely, and spent large sums in dis¬ seminating information of this section, which, previous to his coming, was almost an unknown country. A meeting of the legal voters of School District No. 1, town of Madison, was held on the 20th of March, 1850. D. H. Wright, then Town Superintendent of Schools, called the meeting to order, and the following district officers were elected: Wm. C. Wells, Director; Benjamin Holt, Treasurer; and Simeon - Mills, Clerk. The census taken April 1, of the same year, shows the number of children residing in the dis¬ trict over four and under twenty years, to be 317; whole num¬ ber attending school, 153. May 11, of this year, James L. Enos was engaged to teach the District School three months, at $30 a month, at the expiration of which term he was reen¬ gaged, and continued for two years. It seems that efforts were here made by Mr. Enos to inaugurate the Graded School sys¬ tem. The school was divided into two departments, Mrs. Church having charge of the primary. The Wisconsin Argus, of November 19, 1850, says: “As nearly as we have been able to estimate, over 100 (W. N. Sey¬ mour says 117) new buildings have been erected this season, and numbers contemplated could not be commenced for want of material.” FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 221 Among tlie prominent merchants at that time were, Tibbits, Gordon & Keyes, N. W. Dean, J. C. Fairchild, W. C. Wells, Dean & Ruggles, W. N. Seymour, Donaldson & Tredway, J. H. Lewis, Friend & Brother, Ward & Honn, N. M. Dod¬ son, J. B. Rowley, D. Holt, Jr., C. S. Newton, Cannon & Sadd, and D. Clark. The Wisconsin Statesman of September 19, 1850, says of the mill: “ Far well’s mills are now nearly completed; the building is fifty feet square on the ground, five stories high, and presents to the eye the appearance of beauty, durability and strength. The first tree was cut from the stump about the middle of May last, and by October 15th the building is expected to be complete. The mill is estimated to flour 500,000 bushels of wheat per year. Geo. Yeoman was the master framer of the building, J. L. Roundy architect, W. A. Wheeler has charge of the mill-wright department.” September 1st, S. Mills, Esq., Clerk of School District No. 1, comprising the village, made a report, showing that the whole number of persons of school age was 503; that a school had been taught by James L. Enos for three months, since the formation of the district, as made in March, at $30 per month. The corporation officers elected in the spring of 1851 were: Simeon Mills, President; J. R. Brigham, Clerk; B. Holt, H. A. Tenney, W. Welch, D. H. Wright, L. J. Farwell and A. A. Bird, Trustees; Jas. Richardson, Assessor; Darwin Clark, Treasurer; A. Bishop, Marshal. The annual receipts into the treasury of the village for 1851, were $994.77, and dis¬ bursements $908.52. The assessed valuation of real property, $122,780; personal property, $26,050; total $148,830. The most notable improvements during the year 1851 were the erection of the two fine stone dwellings of Hon. Levi B. Vilas and Jere. T. Marston, on opposite corners of Henry and Langdon streets. That of Judge Vilas was at that time regarded as the most elegant private residence in the state. It is 48 feet front on Henry street, extending 100 feet on Lang¬ don street, and cost about $15,000. 222 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE In the spring of 1851, Messrs. Atwood & Buck, then pub¬ lishers of the Madison Express , commenced the erection of a double house, or two houses under the same roof, on Wis¬ consin Avenue, block 85. A solid center wall divides thes-e houses, and there are no connecting doors leading from one to the other. The building is of red brick, manufactured in the city by Peter H. Vast Bergen, Esq. The main part is two stories high, with a roomy attic. There is a wing on each side of the main building, one story with high attic rooms. Each house contains, on the first floor, a hall, parlor, sitting room, dining room and kitchen, with various pantries, closets, etc. The second floor contains five good sleeping rooms, with closets for each, and on the third floor there are three sleeping rooms with closets for each. The brick mason work was done by the day, under direction of Mr. A. Viall, still a resident of Madison. The carpenter work was done under contract by Messrs. John D. Welch and John 0. Hogg. Mr. Welch died some two years ago, and about a dozen years ago, Mr. Hogg removed to Missouri. The plastering was done under the direction of Mr. Geo. M. Oakley, now a resident of Chicago; and the painting by Messrs. Michael and Samuel Francomb, both deceased. The owners removed into their respective houses in December, 1851. Mr. Royal Buck occu¬ pied his house less than one year, when, on the death of Mrs. Buck, he removed to Fond du Lac. He now resides in Nebraska. In 1853, David Atwood purchased Mr. Buck’s house, and has owned them both since that time, and has resided in the one he moved into in 1851. The building was substantially constructed, and is now (1874) a very creditable block, affording good room for two families. The annual election of town officers this spring (April 1), 1851, resulted in the election of L. J. Fakwell, J. P. Mann and R. T. Davis, Supervisors; J. T. Wilson, Assessor; J. J. Starks, Clerk; N. S. Emmons, Treasurer; D. Noble Johnson, Superintendent of Schools; W. N. Seymour and G. C. Albee, Justices of the Peace. The receipts of the town to March 26th were $3,268.06, and expenditures $2,579.47. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 223 The Madison Mutual Insurance Company was incorporated by act of the legislature, approved March IT, 1851. The fol¬ lowing were the first Board of Directors: L. J. Farwell, Simeon Mills, John Catlin, N. B. Eddy, A. J. Ward, W. N. Seymour, N. W. Dean, E. B. Dean, Jr., Wm. Welch, Wm. C. Wells, David Atwood, F. G. Tibbits and B. F. Hopkins. Officers: Simeon Mills, President; N. B. Eddy, Vice President; B. F. Hopkins,* Secretary; L. J. Farwell, Treasurer. *Hon. Benjamin F. Hopkins was born at Hebron, Washington county, New York, April 22, 1829. His early life was spent upon a farm, and he was for a time clerk in a country store. While yet a youth, the telegraph was brought into use, and after a short experience he became an accomplished operator. In October, 1849, he came to Wisconsin and stopped first at Fond du Lac for a short time, and in November, he removed to Madison and had charge of the telegraph office. In 1851, he procured the passage of a law incorporating the Madison Mutual Insurance Company, which company was duly organized in April and Mr. Hopkins was elected Sec¬ retary. He served in this capacity five years and was a director to the day of his decease. In 1855, mainly through his influence, the Madison Gas Light and Coke Company was incorporated, and organized in the spring of 1856, with Mr. Hopkins as Secretary. This company was subsequently leased to him for five years and became a success, and he became the owner of a majority of the stock which proved very valuable. He took an active and prominent part in the establishment of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home, and was always a leading member of the Board of Trustees. On Governor Bashford’s taking the executive chair, he appointed Mr. Hop¬ kins his Private Secretary, which position he held in 1856 and 1857. I* 1 the fall of 1861, he was elected to the State Senate and served two years, and in 1865 he was elected Member of the Assembly. He was an unsuc¬ cessful candidate of the convention that met to nominate a congressman in 1862 and 1864. In the convention of 1866, he received a nomination on the 136th ballot and was duly elected. In 1868, he was renominated. Mr. Hopkins had just completed his first term in congress when disease took a severe hold upon him. He sufficiently recovered to take a trip over the Pacific Road to San Francisco, but in the fall of 1869, he was again taken sick and lingered until the morning of the first day of Jan¬ uary, 1870, when he died, in the 41st year of his age. Mr. Hopkins was married first to Miss Ethelinda Lewis, May 25, 1853, who died about two years thereafter. He married second, Mrs. Mary E. Willicutt, September 14, 1857, w ^° survives him, and has since been mar¬ ried to Hon Arthur McArthur, Judge of the United States District Cour at Washington, District of Columbia. 224 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE The usual celebration on the 4th of July this year (1851) was held, the following persons being the officers: J. C. Fair- child, President; A. Botkin, Vice President; Hon. Jas. Arm¬ strong, Orator; A. A. Bird, Marshal; Beriah Brown, Reader; and Rev. W. Lattin, Chaplain. The celebration was brought to a conclusion by a sad accident which occurred to Mr. DeLancy Thayer, a journeyman printer in this place. While tiring the cannon, the gun made a premature discharge, tear¬ ing off all his clothes, blowing both of his arms literally to pieces, ruining one eye, tearing and mutilating his face and head in the most shocking manner, and otherwise injuring his body, although not seriously. He was taken to the residence of his father-in-law, Mr. Daniel Mallo, when his arms were amputated near the shoulder by Dr. A. J. Ward, and his wounds dressed. Nicholas Smith, one of the early settlers and merchants of the village, died July 15, aged 38 years. The Madison Sacred Music Society was organized Sept. 11, 1851, by the election of the following officers: John Y. Smith, President; David Holt, Jr., Vice President; Daniel S. Durrie, Secretary and Treasurer; Caleb Jewett and A. S. Wood, Yocal Conductors; WilletS. Main, Eri S. Oakley and Leon¬ ard S. Hill, Board of Managers. This Society gave a concert at the Assembly Hall January 28,1852, and one at the Court House May 26, 1852. The exercises were referred to in the vil¬ lage papers as highly commendable. The Society, however, had but a brief existence. The following account of the organization of the Presbyte¬ rian church, is taken from the records of that church. At a meeting of the Presbytery of Dane, held October 3, 1851, du¬ ring the sessions of the Synod of Wisconsin at its first meet¬ ing in Fort Winnebago, a petition from several ehurch mem¬ bers resident in and near Madison, Wis., and formerly con¬ nected with the Presbyterian, Reformed Dutch, and Associate Reformed churches, asking to be organized into a Presbyterian church, and received into the Presbytery, was presented by Rev- H. B. Gardiner to the Presbytery of Dane, whereupon the FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 225 Presbytery appointed a committee consisting of the Rev. Messrs. D. C. Lyon and Thomas Fraser, to visit Madison, and, if in their judgment the way should be deemed clear, to effect the organization of a church in connection with the Presbytery, with the privilege of inviting clerical members from the other Presbyteries belonging to the Synod to take part in the discharge of the duties of their commission. The committee met at Madison, October 4, 1851, Saturday evening, and after divine service, organized a church consisting of the following members: John Y. Smith, from the Reformed Dutch church, formerly existing in Madison, of which he was an Elder, and the only remaining member resident here, DanielS. Durrie and Anna Holt Durrie, his wife, by letter from the Third Reformed Dutch Church of Albany, N. Y., Mary E. and Clara Gardi¬ ner, by letter from the South Presbyterian church, Galena, Ill., and Jane McFarland, by letter from the Presbyterian church of Mansfield, Ohio. An election of officers was held, and Rev. John W. Sterling, Professor in the State University, and John Y. Smith were elected Ruling Elders, and D. S. Durrie, Deacon. On the succeeding day, Sunday, October 5, after pub¬ lic worship at Lewis Hall, these persons were ordained and in¬ stalled. Rev. H. B. Gardiner* was engaged as stated supply of the pulpit. On the same day, in the intermission between the hours of public worship, the session received four additional members; James McBride, and Mrs. Mary Ann McBride, his wife, from the associated Reformed church of Milroy, Indiana, Mrs. Eliz¬ abeth Jane Fox, from the Presbyterian church of Greenfield, Wis., and William Fox, her son. The church thus organized, occupied for a while, rooms in the second story of Lewis 1 Hall, opposite the site of the pres¬ ent church building, subsequently the building owned by C. Abbott, corner of Mifflin and Carrol streets, and used as a gro¬ cery, or more recently by B. D. Miner as a bakery. * Rev. Mr. Gardiner died at Brooklyn, N. Y., July 23, 1874. 226 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Rev. Mr. Gardiner made a successful effort to obtain funds for the erection of a church edifice the year after his location Jhere, and a framed building was erected, forty by sixty feet on the corner of Wisconsin avenue and Johnson street, with a spire 110 feet above the ground. A bell of the weight of 1,000 pounds was afterwards procured. An election for Trustees was held March 18, 1852, and Rev. H. B. Gardiner was elected President, and J. Y. Smith, D. S. Durrie and J. T. Clark, were elected Trustees. The new church building was completed and dedicated, De¬ cember 25, 1853. Rev. Mr. Gardiner resigned October 21, 1855, and Septem¬ ber 21, 1856, an unanimous call was extended to Rev. Wi. L. rGREEN, of Greenville, Kentucky, to become pastor, which was accepted, and he preached until April 2, 1865, when, owing to ill-health, he resigned. On the 17th of September, 1865, the church invited Rev. Edward G. Read, of Princeton, N. J., to become their pastor, which was accepted, and he was ordained and installed October 11, 1865, with impressive services, in which Rev. J. M. Buchanan, D. D., of Milwaukee, and Rev. Messrs. Fox and Day participated. Mr. Read resigned 1869, and Rev. Richard V. Dodge, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was elected pastor, which position he retained until March, 1871, when he accepted a call to a church in San Francisco, Cal. In the spring of 1873, Rev. L.Y. Hays, of Ottawa, Ill. was elected, and is the pastor at this date, 1874. The population of Madison this year (1851), was 2,306. We are indebted to Rev. J. G. Miller, of this city for the following history of the Church of the Evangelical Association of Madison: “The first German preaching in Madison, while Wisconsin was a Territory, was in the year 1844, by the Rev. J. G. .Miller, from Ohio, who was appointed by the Evangelical Association of that state, and sent by their annual conference in 1844, as missionary to Galena Mission— which field of labor included a part of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. “ His journey commenced from Galena north, in company with FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 227 Rev. John Seibert (the first and then only Bishop of the Evan¬ gelical Association), to Platteville, Potosi, Beetown, Mineral Point and Prairie du Sac. They were the first German minis¬ ters who crossed the Wisconsin river. The Bishop leaving him at this point, he continued on to Portage City, Fond dn Lac, Calumet, Green Bay, Two Rivers, Milwaukee, Prairieville and Jefferson to Madison, where he found a few German families from Pennsylvania, by the names of Mallo and Stoner, also a few other Europeans, to whom he preached from time to time in private houses. u In 1845, the Illinois Conference assigned him the entire Ter¬ ritory of Wisconsin, named Winnebago Mission. His field of labor extended over four or five hundred miles, in which he found many Germans who had not heard the Gospel preached from two to six years. He traveled from four to five thousand miles annually; his salary for the first year amounted to $40.98, and the second year to $47.52. “ In 1846 the conference saw fit to change the name of Win¬ nebago Mission to Madison Mission, and owing to the then pre¬ vailing custom of the Evangelical Association of changing min¬ isters every one or two years, they appointed the Rev. Benj. Eply, from Illinois, as missionary, who, in consequence of sick¬ ness and other causes, was obliged in part to neglect Madison. “ The following year, Madison was taken in charge by Rev. M. Howard, from Jefferson. “About this time, the German population of Madison com¬ menced increasing quite rapidly, and in 1848 and ’49, they were often visited by Rev. J. G. Miller, who preached to them, but during his absence of five years to Pennsylvania and Maryland, the conference appointed Rev. C. A. Schnake, who in 1853, was ordered to organize the society and to commence the build¬ ing of a church, which was erected the following year, in charge of Rev. W. Strasberger, and finished in 1856 by Rev. J. G. Miller, the membership being then about fifty. “ The church being somewhat out of the way, the conference ordered the erection of the second church — the present white brick building at a cost of about seven thousand dollars, includ- 228 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE ing lot, located corner of Pinckney and Mifflin streets, which was completed in 1865, under the directions of Rev. W. F. Schneider. u The present membership, numbering about one hundred and fifty, is in charge of Rev. C. F. Finger and is in a prosper¬ ous condition. The following are the names of the ministers of the Association: Rev. J. Esslinger, Rev. A. Hitlster, P. Held, G. Fritsche, J. Hallacher, W. F. Kaufman, F. Zim¬ merman, —— Von Essen, F. Hudster.” The corporation election of 1852 was held March 1, and the following officers elected: Chauncey Abbott, President; H- A. Tenney, J. H. Lewis, F. G. Tibbits, E. L. Varney, P. H. Van Bergen and Michael Friend, Trustees; R. L. Ream, Clerk; J. J. Starks, Treasurer; A. Bishop, Assessor; J. D. Welch, Marshal. The town election was held April 7, the same year, when the following persons were elected: Philo Dun¬ ning, X. Jordan and J. R. Larkin, Supervisors; James Don- nellon, Town Clerk; C. Zwicky, Treasurer; M. Joyce and R. L. Ream, Assessors; D. Clark, Superintendent of Schools, and William Welch and A. Ogden, Justices of the Peace. On the 25th of May proposals were advertised to be received for the erection of the new hotel for the Madison Hotel Com¬ pany, to be completed by December 1, signed by L. J. Farwell, L. B. Vilas and E. B. Dean, Jr., Executive Committee. The building was to have sixty-six feet front on Main street, and eighty-six feet on Wisconsin avenue, five stories high, built of brick with stone fronts, to contain ninety-six rooms. The work was commenced and the walls of the foundation and the first story of the Capital House were laid this season. The hotel Company as originally composed, proved a failure; they were un¬ fortunate in letting their contract, and the work was suspend¬ ed, when Messrs. Vilas, Fairchild, and Farwell bought the property in the spring of 1853, and completed the Hotel the same season. The cost of the same was about $25,000. The celebration of July 4, was carried on this year without any serious^accident. The officers of the day were: Gov. L. J. Farwell, President; E. Brigham, A. Botkin, J. C. Fairchild, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 229 N. B. Eddy, John Gray, Vice Presidents; Beriah Brown and B. F. Hopkins, Secretaries; D. Atwood, Marshal, with W.*N. Seymour and N. W. Dean, aids; John H. Latiirop, LL. D. ; Chancellor of the University, as Orator; and Rev. Chas. Lord, Chaplain. Williams and Noland, who had leased the grounds of N. W. & E. B. Dean, on Wisconsin Avenue, near the present res¬ idence of Prof. S. H. Carpenter, had an impromtu celebration, at which Leopold Lathrop delivered an address. Fireworks in the evening. The year 1852, was marked by a number of important im¬ provements, owing to the near advent of the railroad to this place and the advantages to be gained thereby. It gave an in¬ centive to all branches of business enterprise, and lots were in demand and new buildings almost if not equal to the ability of mechanics to put up. Among the important improvements may be noticed the stone building erected by Marshal & Ilsley on Pinckney street occupied by the State Bank. This was the first bank organized under the general banking law of the state, and issued the first bank bill put in circulation; the large stone block three stories high, built by John Catlin and Simeon Mills, the same being forty-four feet front on King street; the upper part being occupied as a theatre by Mr. Lan- grishe; G. C. Albee’s brick store on Pinckney street; and about eighty private residences erected. Gov. Farwell commenced the work of reclaiming the low wet land northwest of the Capitol, ditched and planted Wash¬ ington avenue, and planted some six thousand forest trees, mostly cotton-wood and soft maple from the bottom lands of the Wisconsin river, along the streets. The low, moist nature of the ground is well adapted to these trees, and they have had a fine growth. The lands referred to, which were previous to this time, wet and marshy, have become so much improved and benefited that they are at this time quite valuable. Some sixty hands were employed in this improvement. The Wisconsin Palladium , of July 27, 1852, gives a list of manufacturing establishments then in operation: by water — 230 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Farwell & Co.’s large grist mill, one saw mill and turning latlie, machine for wool carding under charge of Dawson & Co., a brewery by J. Keyes; and by steam — a sawmill by Ilsley & Co.; planing mill by H. C. Parker; oil mill, Dean, Ruggles & Co. ; machine shop and foundry, by Barnes & Co.; bedstead and chairs, Conger, Green & Co.; printing press, Brown, Carpenter & Co.; Noland & Co., hominy manufac¬ turers. The following were some of the prominent merchants in the year 1852: Tibbits & Gordon, Wells & Hoyt, Donald¬ son & Tredway, Gray & Starks, N. W. Dean, Jas. R. Mears, Lewis & Holden, Thos. Reynolds, Wright & Tenney, Platt & Chapman, Weed & Eberhard, D. Holt, J. T. Marston. On the 15th of June, 1852, the two Democratic papers, The Argus and The Democrat , were merged in one, and Beriah Brown and Steph. D. Carpenter became joint editors and proprietors of the consolidated paper, which retained the name of both the old ones. The year following, Mr. Carpenter retired and Elias A. Calkins was associated with Mr. Brown until 1855, when the latter sold his interest to James K. Proudfit. Calkins & Proudfit were partners in the publi¬ cation until May, 1857, when Proudfit was succeeded by Geo. Webb, and was continued until the summer of 1859, with some other changes, when it was discontinued, and the printing ma¬ terials were purchased by the Patriot and State Journal offices. The Wisconsin State Journal was established by David At¬ wood, in September, 1852, and the first number of the daily bears date September 80, and was a five column paper. The furniture was entirely new, and the fixtures purchased ex¬ pressly for the office. It was first issued as a Whig paper, but, on the reorganization of parties, became an advocate of the principles and measures of the Republican party. Horace Rublee was connected as associate editor in 1853, and in 1854 was interested as a partner. George Gary came May 1, 1855, but retired in 1856. Harrison Reed was interested in its pub¬ lication, 1859, retiring in 1861, since which last date the paper has been successfully published by Atwood & Rublee, and At¬ wood & Culver, the latter gentleman purchasing the interest FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 23l of Mr. Rublee on liis receiving the appointment of Minister Resident at Switzerland. The Wisconsin Patriot was issued on the 17th of June, 1854,, by J. T. Marston and H. A. Tenney, editors and proprietors. It was a Democratic paper and edited with force and ability. It was published, with numerous changes in its management* until November 14, 1864, when its publication was suspended, George Hyer was connected with Mr. Carpenter for a while, and also Prof. S. H. Carpenter, now of the State University, The assessed valuation of the property of the village was, (1852), real estate, $162,785: personal, $39,780; total, $202,565, The amount of tax, $1,012.82. The number of votes polled at the spring election was 300. The first public meeting of the Madison Young Men’s Asso¬ ciation was held at the Court House on the 9th of February, 1853, with an address by J. N. Jewett, and a discussion on the annexation of Cuba, in which H. J. Northrop, C. T. Wake- ley, A. D. Gray, B. F. Hopkins, J. H. Lewis and J. N. Jew¬ ett were disputants. On the 11th of February, the Statesmans announces that arrangements are being made to have a course of free lectures during the year; Dr. A. P. Ladd, H. S. Orton, J. H. Lathrop, O. M. Conover, Rev. W. Thompson, S. H, Carpenter, A. F. Carman, J. R. Baltzell and others have proposed to assist in carrying out the plan. The first lecture was delivered February 15, 1853, by Harlow S. Orton, Esq., on “Human Equality.” The annual town meeting was held April 5, and the follow¬ ing persons were elected: J. T. Marston, W. D. Bird and DV A. Barnard, Supervisors; James Donnellon, Clerk; C. M, Rouse, Assessor; J. W. Hunt, School Superintendent; and J, R. Larkin and W. N. Seymour, Justices of the Peace. The annual election for corporation officers resulted as follows: A. Tenney, President; F. G. Tibbits, L. Cannon, D. Atwood, B. F. O’Bryan, C. Zwicky and A. Wilcox, Trustees; Wi, Welch, Clerk; J. J. Starks, Treasurer; A. Manning, MarsbaL On the 23d of March, 1853, the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad Company contracted with Chamberlain Cook to com- 232 HIS TOBY OF MADISON AND THE plete the road to Stoughton by September 1,1853, and to Madi¬ son, January 1, 1854. On the 6th day of February, a meeting of the members of the Baptist church was held at the Court House, to organize said church under the laws of the state, at which meeting Deacon Daniel Gorum was chairman. Rev. M. D. Miller, Daniel Gorum, John W. Hunt, Elisha W. Keyes and Willett S. Main, were elected Trustees, and the meeting empowered the Trustees to purchase a lot for a church, and to raise means by subscription for the erection of a church building. At a sub¬ sequent meeting of the Trustees, held February 14, Rev. M. D. Miller was appointed agent of the Society to purchase the lot, circulate subscriptions and to superintend the erection. On the 25th of August, the sum of $3,300 was subscribed, the lot pur¬ chased (lot 5 in block 74), and considerable progress made in the building. The work was vigorously prosecuted under the di¬ rection of Rev. M. D. Miller, who had been elected pastor of the church, and the building was ready for occupancy in Septem¬ ber, 1854, and was dedicated on the 3d of that month, Rev. J. A. Smith, of Chicago, and Rev. Dr. R. A. Fyfe, of Milwaukee, as¬ sisting. At this time, the church membership was forty-one. The church building was constructed of brick, forty-eight by sev¬ enty-eight feet in size, with a basement, fitted up for a lecture room, having seventy pews of black walnut neatly finished. The church was at that time the best building of the kind in the village. Mr. Miller continued as pastor until his resigna¬ tion in 1855, when he was succeeded by Rev. James Cooper, who supplied the church for one year, and in December, 1856, was succeeded by Rev. Wm. R. Brooks, of Perry, N. Y., who occupied the pulpit until December, 1858. The church was supplied by various ministers until the summer of 1866, when Rev. W. H. Brisbane, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was invited to be¬ come pastor, who accepted the same and served until the time of the troubles at the South, when he resigned, and was appointed chaplain to the First Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment- In 1863, Rev. J. E. Johnson accepted a call to preach, and oc¬ cupied the pulpit until 1865, when he retired, owing to ill FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 233 health. He was succeeded by Rev. J. C. C. Clarke, of Chi¬ cago, who preached until 1871, when Rev. Mr. Paige, of the State of Maine, was engaged for about a year, since which time the church has had no settled minister. From the report of the Dane Baptist Association, the follow¬ ing statistics are taken: in 1850, there were 34 members; in 1851, Rev. Mr. Whitman, pastor, 33 members; 1852, Rev. M. D. Miller, 40 members; in 1853, 41 members; 1855, the same; 1856, 61 members; 1857, 68; 1858, Rev. Mr. Brooks pas¬ tor, 50; 1859,81; 1860, 81; 1861,70; 1862, 69; 1863, Rev. Mr. Johnson, pastor, 108; 1864, 131; 1865, 135; 1867, Rev. J. C C. Clarke, pastor, 113; in 1868, 114. On the 2d of July, a meeting was called to organize a fire company, signed by H. A. Tenney, President, H. J. Northrop, SecretarjL The “ Madison Guards,” a military company of 50 men, was formed August 25, 1853, of which J. D. Bradford was Cap¬ tain, J. D. Welch and C. Habich, Lieutenants. The Madison Institute was incorporated by act of the Legis¬ lature, approved July 13, 1853. Its object was “for the pur¬ pose of establishing and sustaining at Madison a reading room and library, and providing for and instituting literary and sci¬ entific lectures, and other means of moral and intellectual im¬ provement.” The Madison Encampment, I. 0. 0. F., was instituted, March 3, 1853, with the following officers: David H. Wright, C. P.; C. B. Chapman, H. P.; Jas. Halpin, S. W.; E.Ilsley, Scribe; H. Nye, Treasurer; E. S. Oakley, J. W.; L. Cannon, S.; A. P. Ladd, G. E.; Chapman, Ilsley and Halpin, Trustees. The assessed valuation of the propertj 7 of the village for the year 1853, was: real property, $210,680; personal, $43,610; total, $254,290. Tax, $1,271.45. The number of votes polled at the corporation election in the spring, was 264. The officers selected for the 4th of July celebration were L. B. Til as, President; D. Atwood and W. N. Seymour, Vice Presidents; H. S. Orton, Reader; A. F. Carman, Orator. 16 234 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE The improvements of the village for the year were large and valuable. Col. J. C. Faiechild erected his large stone block on the corner of Morris and Pinckney streets. It is built of cream colored sandstone, sixty-six feet on Morris or Main street, and seventy feet on Pinckney street, designed for three stores on the first floor, the second story for offices, and the third, a large and commodious hall, 60 by 66 feet. The base¬ ment rooms are entered by a stone stairway on Pinckney street. W. D. Beuen, Esq., of New Jersey, erected his elegant block on Pinckney street and Washington avenue. It is four stories high beside the basement, 80 feet on Pinckney street and 90 on the avenue, built of sandstone, well dressed, and tooth-chiseled style; the basement is reached by stone stairs, and divided into five rooms. The first floor, divided into five large stores, the walls 12i feet between the joists, fronts of double flint French glass, 36 by 46 inches, supported by 12 stone and iron pillars. The second floor is reached by a five foot entrance on Pinckney street, with a flight of stone stairs, and from the avenue by the two flights of iron stairs, and iron balcony, 40 feet long — divided into ten large and convenient offices. The third floor into three large rooms or offices; and the fourth story in one large concert room, with ante-chambers; with an observatory, and was considered the most beautiful and costly block in the State at the time. J. L. Roundy was the architect and builder: Andeus Viall, master mason; A. S. Wood, stone cutter. A new jail, nearly completed, fronts on Henry street T and nearly in the rear of the Court House. It is 36 feet by 56 feet, two stories high; the front part and basement used as the jailor’s residence; the jail proper is divided into fourteen cells, eight below and six above, those in the second story being con¬ siderably larger than those in the first. It is built by the county of Dane. Jona. Laekin, A. A. Bied and J. R. Laekin, contractors, receiving $6,900. The lot cost $400, with fencing, etc., making in all about $7,500. The Presbyterian church edifice was this year (1853) completed. The foundation of the Catholic Cathedral was laid November 17th, and the corner stone laid with appropriate ceremony by FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 235 Bishop Henni, May, 28,1854, on the grounds opposite the Court House on Main street. It is to be 120 feet in length by 60 in width, of fine cut stone. The edifice when completed will be a magnificent structure of great architectural beauty. The spire is designed to have a height of 150 feet. During the year Washington avenue was opened on the west side of the Capitol park, and King, now State street was- very much improved. During the fall, the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad Company selected their depot grounds, and the depot build¬ ing put under contract; the building to be one hundred and fifteen long by fifty feet wide, walls eighteen feet high, piazza and platform ten feet wide on each side — to be built of stone, and to be completed by January 1, 1854. The contract was awarded to Bird and Larkin' who faithfully performed the work. The freight depot, engine house and other buildings were soon after erected. At the time the grounds were selected, which are now sprinkled over with warehouses, dwellings, etc., they were covered with a thick growth of coppice wood, and the whole tract between the freight depot and the lake was a dense thicket of poplar and crab and plum trees. During the year, spiles were driven, and a beginning made at building the railroad bridge over the bay of Lake Monona. The bridge was finished in the spring of 1854 and the depot com¬ pleted. The Methodist Episcopal Church was completed and dedi¬ cated on the 11th of September, 1853. H. S. Orton, Esq., delivered an address at the Court House, October 3, 1853, on the death of Lieut. Gov. Timothy Burns. In the fall of the year, we find that the Court House was used on Sunday as a house of worship. On the 10th of Octo¬ ber, Rev. Henry Powers of the Protestant Episcopal Church, preached at 10L o’clock A. M.; Rev. M. D. Miller, Baptist, at 2i P. M., and Rev. H. B. Gardiner, Presbyterian, at 4 P. M. No notice of its being occupied in the evening. Daniel Gorum built a steam saw mill on Lake Mendota 236 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE near the University grounds, during the year. It was bought by I. E. Brown in 1856, and changed to a foundry — pur¬ chased by P. H. Turner in 1859, and by him sold to E. W. Skinner. Mr. 0. S. Willey, became a partner in 1861 and Hon. S. D. Hastings in 1865. This establishment did a large business in the manufacture of sugar mills; in the year 1865 upwards of 500 of these mills were sold. The property now (1874) belongs to the Madison Manu¬ facturing Company. Dr. J. Warren Hunt, in his Wisconsin Gazetteer , pub¬ lished in 1853, says of Madison: u The present population is about 3,500, with 700 dwellings, 26 stores, 15 groceries, 11 taverns, 2 large printing offices and a book bindery - a grist mill with eight run of stone, 3 saw mills, one iron foundry, a woolen factory, an oil mill, 2 steam planing mills, a hominy mill pro¬ pelled by steam; a bank, the first organized in the State; three churches, with three others to be built during the present season ; and mechanical shops of all kinds.” 1854. On the 8th of April, a meeting was held to organize the Madison Institute, under the new charter, at which time a system of by-laws was submitted, and an election held to select officers for the year. The following persons were elected: J. H. Lathrop, LL. I)., President; G. P. Delaplaine, J. R. Baltzell and W. A. White, Vice Presidents; Frank H. Fir¬ min', Recording Secretary; B. F. Hopkins, Corresponding Sec¬ retary; J. J. Starks, Treasurer; H. A. Tenney, Librarian, with a board of twelve Directors. A spacious reading room was opened in the third story of Bruen’s Block, and the tables well supplied with the periodical and newspaper press of the day. A department for debate was organized and a series of lectures to be delivered during the winter months. The village corporation election took place in March, and the following persons elected: Simeon Mills, President; P. H. Van Bergen, G. C. Albee, G. M. Oakley, resigned, and Chas. Weed, elected, Michael Friend, J. Livesey, A. Bishop, Trustees; D. Noble Johnson, Clerk; D. Clark, Treasurer; D. C. Bush, Assessor; and I. E. Brown, Marshal; and at the FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 237 election of town officers, on the 5th of April, Jehu H. Lewis, E. Summers and H. J. Hill were elected Supervisors; J. Don- nellon, Clerk; E. Doerschlag, Treasurer; David Holt, Superintendent of Schools, and A. Ogden and A. B. Braley, Justices of the Peace. In April, 1851, Damon Y. Kilgore was engaged as Princi¬ pal of the public school, and commenced his labors in the small brick school house on Washington avenue, now known as the “ Little Brick School House.” On the first day there were twenty-three pupils present, of different grades, speaking different languages and presenting a variegated appearance. For various reasons, several of the pupils were sent home the first day to be prepared for school in a proper manner (a judicious use of soap and water), most of whom returned in the afternoon very much improved in appearance. The number gradually increased until the house would not accommodate the pupils, and the school was removed to the basement of the Methodist church. Here the school was no less crowded than before. In the winter term, there were two hundred sixty- seven pupils in one room. This term, he was assisted by his sister, Miss Abby L. Kilgore. In the mean time, efforts were being made to incorporate the village of Madison into a separate school district. On the 25th of September, 1854, a meeting was held and a committee con¬ sisting of W. B. Jarvis, C. Abbot, D. J. Powers, G. P. Dela- plaine, S. G. Stacy and W. A. White was appointed, whose duty it was to procure the passage of an act by the next legislature for the more efficient and permanent organization of the vil¬ lage of Madison as a school district. The following notice will show the result of the efforts of the committee, and the first organization of the present Board of Education: “ School Meeting. —Notice is hereby given, that, pursuant to an act entitled 1 an act incorporating the village of Madi¬ son into a separate School District, 1 approved February 13, 1855, a meeting of the qualified voters of said district will be held at the school room, in the Vestry of the Methodist church 238 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE on Tuesday February 20, 1855, at 7 P. M., to select six persons as the Board of Education of said village, and for tlie transac¬ tion of such other business as may come before them under the provisions of said act. D. S. Durrie, “ Clerk of School District No. 1. Madison .” David H. Wright was elected Chairman of this meeting, and Frank H. Firming Clerk. Six School Directors were elected, who should constitute the Board of Education of the village of Madison, comprising the following gentlemen: Sim¬ eon Mills, W. B. Jarvis, L. J. Farwell, J. Y. Smith, D. H* Wright and W. A. White. In the month of May, 1854, a fire proof stone building was put on the grounds belonging to the Court House, for the offices of the county clerk, register of deeds and judge of pro¬ bate. The building was of stone, one story high, 44 feet in length by 27 feet in width. The work was performed by A. A. Bird, the contractor. The Capital House was completed* and occupied this season. Mr. T. Stevens took charge as landlord on a lease for a term of years. He furnished the house in a superior manner. The railroad bridge of the M. and M. Railroad Co., begun the previous year, was finished in the spring of 1854, and the first train of passenger cars came across the bridge on Thursday the 18th of May. The track, however, was not laid up to the depot until the Monday succeeding; and on Tuesday the 23d, thecel- bration took place. The following is an extract from an article in the Daily State Journal of that date relative to the celebration: “Never was a day more auspicious. The heavens were cloudless, the air warm but not sultry, and in the golden floods of sunlight, the wide landscape of lake and forest and prairie, which forms the charming environment of our village, was 4 like a bright eyed face that laughs out openly. 1 We trust that this is an omen of the success and future prosperity of the rail¬ road, and the enterprising, public spirited men under whose auspices it has been thus far steadily pushed forward. “ There was a larger turnout from the country than we had FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 239 anticipated. By 10 o’clock, our streets were filled with teams, and the sidewalks crowded with people. A great many of them were men who had settled in the country at an early day and had never seen a locomotive railroad. “ By one o’clock P. M., the grounds about the depot were thronged with people anxiously obeying the injunction so com¬ mon along railroads, and looking out for the engine. We should judge that at least two thousand persons from the coun¬ try were about the depot and at the end of the bridge where the railroad crosses the bay. There were conflicting reports respecting the time when the cars would arrive, and the people had assembled rather earlier than they would otherwise, for that reason. Bright colored parasols, ranged in groups along the shore, lent liveliness to the scene. “ The train did not arrive until a little after two o’clock, and many were growing impatient at the delay. At length, the unmistakable whistle of the engine was heard, and the long train, with two locomotives at its head swept grandly into sight — thirty-two cars crowded with people, and drawn by two locomotives. At the rear of the train were several racks, oc¬ cupied by the Milwaukee Fire Companies in gay red uniforms, with their glistening engines. Bands of music attended them, and, at intervals, as the train moved slowly across the bridge, the piece of artillery, brought along by the firemen, was dis¬ charged. It was a grand but strange spectacle to see this mons¬ ter train, like some huge, unheard of thing of life, with breath of smoke and flame, emerging from the green openings — scenes of pastoral beauty and quietude — beyond the placid waters of the lake. “ From two thousand to two thousand five hundred people were on the train. On reaching the depot they were welcomed, in a brief address by A. A. Bird, Esq., the President of the Day, which was responded to in appropriate manner by A. Finch, Jr., the attorney of the railroad company. E. B. Dean, Jr., and Thomas Reynolds were the marshals. A procession was formed, and the multitude proceeded to the Capital Park, where tables were spread and a dinner prepared. The comple- 240 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE tion of this road has infused fresh vitality and energy into- every channel of business, and has already doubled the trade and will speedily double the population of Madison. It is to be continued on to the Mississippi and completed at the earliest time practicable.” The Regents of the University, at their meeting in Februaryr 1854, appointed a committee to advertise for bids for the con¬ struction of the second dormitory building on the plan of the first. The contract was awarded to Messrs. A. A. Bird and W. Larkin, who, with good and sufficient sureties, undertook to complete the building on or before the 1st of June, 1855, for the sum $18,000. The north half of the edifice wfill contain sixteen study rooms, with bed-rooms and closets attached. In the other portions of the building, north of the south entry, are four public rooms, one in each story, thirty-six by twenty-three feet; on the lower floor, the laboratory; on the second, the cabinet of minerals and specimens in other departments of physical science; on the third, the philosophical chamber; and on the fourth, the lib¬ rary. The extreme south wing is to be finished for residence, or for occupation for such studies as may be deemed expedient. In this year, Gov. L. J. Farwell sold to the State one hundred acres of land on the north side of lake Mendota for the location of the u Hospital for the Insane.” It is about three miles from Madison by a direct line across the lake and six miles by car¬ riage road. The grounds also adjoin the track of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad. By an act of the legislature, ap¬ proved March 30, 1854, the Governor was authorized to appoint commissioners to prepare plans and let a contract for the erec¬ tion of a lunatic asylum, substantially on the plan of the asylum in Worcester, Mass., both in respect to design and ex¬ pense. In pursuance of this act, Gov. Barstow appointed com¬ missioners and a superintendent. The contract was awarded to Andrew Proudfit, and the work commenced. On the as¬ sembling of the legislature in 1855, that body annulled the contract on the ground that the plan adopted was much more extensive than had been authorized, and bore no particular re- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 241 semblance to the Worcester Asylum, as well as for other reasons. The result of this action was that the work was suspended. It was revived in 1857, as will appear hereafter. During the year 1854, a new bridge was built across the Yahara, or Catfish; and Ex-Governor L. J. Farwell extended Washington avenue through his lands to the distance of a mile- towards the northeast. This magnificent avenue, which has been opened by the individual enterprise of Governor Farwell- is now more than two miles in length, graded to a level, eight rods in width, and has a double row of trees — the inner row, cotton wood, and the outer, maples — upon each side. It ter¬ minates at a point where the various roads coming into town from the east, northeast and southwest, converge. When with¬ in a quarter of a mile of the Capitol Park, it ascends by a smooth and easy grade, the summit of the elevation crowned by the Capitol. The erection of the “ Lake Side Water Cure,” by Delaplaine & Burdick, was commenced in November, 1854, to be com¬ pleted June 1, 1855. The site selected for this institution is one of surpassing beauty, not equalled in this countr} r , if in any other. The grounds comprise a beautiful oak grove of fifty acres, situated immediately across the west point of Lake Monona or Fairy Lake, about two miles south of the Capitol, and one mile by water, and commanding a fine view of the city of Madison, the lakes, and the surrounding country. Over the grounds, just on the edge of the grove, flows a large and beautiful stream of water, long known for its purity, from which the institution will be supplied. This stream has its source in never failing springs. The building stands upon an eminence about fifty feet above the water, and six hundred feet distant from the shore. The main building is ninety-two feet in length by forty in width,, and four stories above the basement, capable of accommodating from eighty to one hundred guests. There are piazzas extend¬ ing the whole length of the building on the first and second stories. There is also a wing forty feet by thirty-eight, and two stories in height, which is principally devoted to bath- 242 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE rooms. The house is warmed throughout by steam heat — there is also connected with the engine, apparatus for cooking, washing, drying, ironing, supplying reservoir, etc., only one fire being necessary for the whole establishment. Dr. James E. Gross was resident physician at its opening. For some reason, the institution was not a success, and was .subsequently altered and adapted for a public house; as such, it has been well patronized. It is occupied only as a summer hotel, and is a favorite resort for visitors from St. Louis and other southern cities. In the month of February, the Madison Hydraulic Company was chartered, and was fully organized. Its object was to fur¬ nish the inhabitants a full and certain supply at all times of pure fresh water. In doing so, arrangements were to be per¬ fected to take water from Lake Mendota of a depth of at least twenty feet, and, by steam or other power, force it into a re¬ servoir upon a hill in the rear of the University buildings — this hill being about forty feet higher than the Capitol park. A six or eight inch pipe to convey the water east — the whole length of State street — sending off smaller branches at the intersection of streets. It was supposed that water could be conveyed into the third stories of every building about the park, and much higher on the lower grounds. It was also proposed to have two or more fountains in the University grounds, facing the village, and four within the Capitol park. The whole ex¬ pense not to exceed $40,000. The officers of the company were, H. A. Tenney, President; Wm. A. White, Secretary, and Leonard J. Far well, Treasurer. It is to be regretted that the company did not succeed in carrying out their plans. There was not a sufficient amount of stock subscribed to warrant the undertaking, and the pro¬ ject was abandoned. The Bank of the West was organized March 20, 1852, with a capital of $100,000. S. A. Lowe, President, and W. L. Hins¬ dale, Cashier. The bank commenced business on the second floor of Bruen's Block. The Dane County Bank was organized, and went into busi- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 243 ness, October 2, 1854; capital, $50,000. L. B. Vilas, President; L. J. Farwell, Vice President; N. B. Vah Slyke, Cashier; S. V. Chase, Teller; J. H. Slayih, Bookkeeper, and W. F. Vilas, Messenger. The following table exhibits the growth, in population, of Madison, since the first settlement: 1837, - I 1844, - - 2l6 1851, - - 2,306 1838, - - 62 1846, - 283 1852, - 2,973 1840, - - 146 CO 1 - 632 1853, " - 4,029 1842, - > 172 1850, - 1,672 I854, - 5,126 About 1,000 buildings have been erected here since 1847; a portion of them of dressed stone and elegant style, with some of the finest blocks in the west. The projected number this year (1854), is 350. 2U HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE CHAPTER VII. Horace Greeley’s Visit 1855. — Elections 1855-’61 —Gas Light and Coke Co. — Grace Church History, Continued — Schools, 1855-6 — Public and Private Improvements — Congregational Church History, Continued — Fourth of July Celebrations, 1855-61 — Incorporation as a City, 1855 — Business Firms — Peat Beds — City Hall — University Buildings — Hospital for Insane Commenced, and New State Capitol Projected — Organization of Military Companies — Notice of Hon. T. W. Sutherland — Of Col. James Morrison — City Improve¬ ments— Rebellion History, 1861. In the month of March, 1855, Horace Greeley visited Madison, and in May, Bayard Taylor made a visit. Both of these gentlemen wrote flattering letters of their impressions, to the New York Tribune. Mr. Greeley writes: “ Madison has the most magnificent site of any inland town I ever saw, on ar graceful swell of land, say two miles north and south by a mile and a half east and west, rising gently from the west hank of one of a chain of four lakes, and having another of them north northwest of it. These lakes must each be eight or ten miles in circumference, half surrounded by dry, clean oak forests, or rather ‘ timbered openings,’ which need but little labor to convert them into the finest parks in which fair homes ever nestled. A spacious water-cure estab¬ lishment has just been erected in one of these forests across the lake south-eastwardly from Madison, and shows finely both from the city and the railroad as you approach it. The Capitol is toward the south end of the built up city, in a fine natural park of twenty acres, and is not worse planned than most of our public buildings. The University crowns a beautiful emi¬ nence a mile west of the Capitol, with a main street connecting them a lq Pennsylvania avenue. There are more comfortable private mansions now in progress in Madison than in any other place I have visited, and the owners are mostly recent immi- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 245 grants of means and cultivation, from New England, from Cincinnati, and even from Europe. Madison is growing very fast. * * * 514 She has a glorious career before her.” In consequence of the numerous favorable reports regarding Madison as a place of business, published in eastern papers, no western town was more prominently brought before the pub¬ lic. Some of these newspaper correspondents were so profuse in their compliments about the beauty and advantages of Madison as a place of settlement, that a marked effect was no¬ ticed in the increase of population and the advancement in the prices of real property, not only in the village, but in the ad¬ joining country. The following persons were elected corporation officers for the year 1855: P. H.Van Bergen, President; L. J. Farwell, H. A. Tenney, Wm. Carroll, L. W. Hoyt, J. G. Griffin and J. Sumner, Trustees; D. Noble Johnson, Clerk; Alonzo Wil¬ cox, Treasurer; D. C. Bush, Assessor, and I. E. Brown, Mar¬ shal. At this election, 522 votes were polled. The contest, although warm in some respects, had nothing to do with politics. On the 17th of January, an act of the legislature was approved incorporating the Madison Gas Light and Coke Com¬ pany; L. J. Farwell, Simeon Mills, Julius P. Atwood, Fran¬ cis G. Tidbits, Dayid Atwood,. Henry Parkins, Samuel Marshall, N. W. Dean, B. F. Hopkins, Levi B. Vilas and David J. Powers, being the corporators, and who were consti¬ tuted the first Board of Directors. The directors, at their first meeting, elected J. P. Atwood, President; B. F. Hopkins, Sec¬ retary, and L. J. Farwell, Treasurer. At the same meeting, held January 20th, a contract was entered into with H. Park¬ ins & Co., to erect the necessary buildings for the sum of $35,000. The work was faithfully performed, and on the 10th of July, a celebration was had in the village, at which time, two two thousand to twenty-five hundred persons attended in front of the Capitol. Speeches were made by M. H. Orton, W. N. Seymour, J. W. Johnson, C. Abbot, A. A. Bird, and L. B. Vilas. 246 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE The gas works were located on the low ground, northeast of the Capitol, on lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 of block 151. This enterprise, in the hands of the company, did not succeed as well as had been anticipated. The works were subsequently leased by the company to B. F. Hopkins, under whose energetic and skillful management, the gas was soon conducted through the prin¬ cipal streets of the town, and within two years, had over five miles of pipe laid, and the enterprise became a decided success. The election of town officers took place, April 4, with the following result: H. J. Hill, Chairman; R. T. White and R, T. Davis, Supervisors; Willet S. Main, Clerk; C. G. Mayeks, 1^ Reynolds and Geo. A. Bar wise, Assessors; G. C. Albee, Treasurer; Darwin Clark, School Superintendent; Wm, Welch and W. F. Baker, Justices of the peace. In the month of May, Ex Gov. L. J. Farwell commenced building an octagon house, three stories high, each side twenty-five feet in length, making the whole circumference two hundred feet — of dressed stone. It is situated on Lake Monona, three-quarters of a mile from the capitol. The barn and stable is of similar architecture, of stone, one hundred and sixty feet in circumference, the walls of which were early com¬ pleted. John T. Martin, Esq., commenced building nearly the same time, a fine two story stone residence a short distance east of the former. Gov. Farwell occupied his residence for a few years when it was sold to Samuel Marshall, and subsequently was enlarged and altered for a “ Hospital for Wounded Soldiers” during the war, and more recently occu¬ pied as the “ Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home.” In April, 1855, the Rev. J. B. Britt an, of Dayton, Ohio, vis¬ ited Madison, and was invited to take charge of the parish of Grace church. The invitation was accepted, and he entered upon the duties of his charge June 1, 1855. The chapel, en¬ larged and refitted at an expense of $1,000, was occupied for the first time on Sunday, the 17th of June, 1855. The chapel being soon found inadequate to the wants of the parish, a sub¬ scription was set on foot, headed by a generous friend in the FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 247 amount of $1,200, and soon reaching the sum of eight thou¬ sand dollars, for the erection of a church edifice. A plan was agreed upon, and on the 25th of September, the same year, the foundation was commenced. The building committee were ex-Gov. L. J. Farwell, W. A, Mears, H. K. Lawrence, P. H. V an Bergen and I. W. De Forrest. The following account of the building is given in the newspapers of that time. It is in the Gothic style, and com¬ posed of a tower, nave and chancel. The main entrance is through the tower by two large and massive doors. The tower is twenty-two feet square, forming a spacious vestibule. It will be a prominent feature of the structure, and is located at the corner of the nave — fronting on the corner of Carroll street and Washington avenue. It is supported at the angles by mas¬ sive buttresses, diminishing as they ascend, and terminating in handsome panneled and foliated pinnacles, at a height of eight/ feet from the sidewalk. The whole height of the tower and spire is one hundred and forty feet wide, and the building will comfort¬ ably seat six hundred persons. The walls are thirty-three feet high, and the highest point of the gable on which is fixed a neat Greek cross, is fifty-six feet. The east front is lighted by a large trillioned window, twelve feet by thirty, and supplied with stained glass. The sides and ends are supported by heavy buttresses which add to its strength and symmetry. These buttresses terminate in foliated pinnacles. The chancel is twenty-two by eighteen feet, and flanked on respective sides- by an organ room and vestry, and is connected with the nave by a broad and high arch. It is lighted at the end by a triple lancet-window, with stained glass like the one in front. The interior is to be furnished in tasteful and costly style; the ceiling to be an elliptic Gothic arch, richly adorned with stucco work, composed of heavy ribs — interlaced Gothic arches running from the apex of the ceiling to the springing, and ter¬ minating there on elegantly carved corbels. The interstices of the ribs are to be ornamented with carved bosses. The pulpit is of octagonal form, and located on the south side of the chan- 248 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE ■cel arch, and is entered from the vestry; on the north side of the chancel arch is the reading desk and organ. The nave is thirty-six feet high from the floor to the apex of the ceiling. The plan was designed by Messrs. J. & A. Douglas, of Milwau¬ kee, and the whole is estimated to cost, when completed, $16,000. It is to be of cut stone, and when finished, will be one of the finest edifices in the country. The size of the building will he 112 by 71 feet. The nave, 80 by 42 feet, containing 80 pews, and will comfortably seat 500 persons. The building was in readiness for public worship early in .1858; the tower, however, being incomplete and the basement unfinished. The cost of the church, as then completed, was about $22,000. In October, 1861, the Rev. Mr. Brittau having having accepted an appointment as chaplain in the army, ten¬ dered his resignation as rector, to take effect November 1, which was accepted. A Madison paper of April 11, 1855, referring to the improve¬ ments going on, says: “ Never before was the building mania in Madison more ap¬ parent than now. Go where you will — visit whichever part of town you may — and you see on all sides — in every nook and corner— apparently upon every lot, the most active busy- bustle preparations for building. You pass an untouched, vacant lot in the morning, and at night you will find it strew¬ ed over with building materials—a foundation laid, frame raised for a good sized house, nearly clapboarded, and partly painted. This is what we saw last week. There are now no less than 150 and perhaps 200 buildings commenced and in the various stages of completion, in this town, to-day, and yet building has barely commenced. It seems that everybody is coming to Madison, and everybody who does, must build. One stimulus to building this season, is the fact that materials, etc., are much cheaper, as we are informed, than usual.” Another paper says: “ Business in real estate in our city is becoming lively. We have before us the operations of a single individual, during the week last past. From this, it ap- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 249 pears that this person was one party to sales amounting in the aggregate to $33,000. This is simply the operations of one man, in one week, and the property that changed hands is all within the city limits. Others, no doubt, have done as much, and perhaps more, of which we have no account. There has been no time when the business prospects of our place were brighter than at present. Strangers are flocking into the city in large numbers; all delighted with the place, and taking up their residence among us. In addition to an active business in sales of lots and lands, the building of stores, shops and dwel¬ lings is unusually active this spring. New buildings are being erected in every direction, and some of them of a superior order. It is truly gratifying to witness such indisputable evi¬ dences of prosperity. Long may it continue.” Mr. D. Y. Kilgore, Superintendent of the village schools, in his report for the year 1855, says, the. whole number that have attended school during the year is 750; that the whole number of children, by the last census, is 1,600; that the only build¬ ing owned by the village for educational purposes is a small brick school house — fast becoming obsolete and incapable of accommodating one-thirtieth part of those entitled to public .school instruction, and attributes the fact that so large a pro¬ portion of pupils attend no school whatever, to the shameful lack of school accommodations and strongly urges on the Board of Education and the village authorities the necessity of four ward schools and one High School. R. S. Bacon, of Cincinnati, Ohio, during the year, made a purchase of the lot on the corner of Mifflin and Pinckne 3 r streets, for a Commercial and Business College, and Simeon - Mills built a block of four stories adjoining those previously built by Mills & Catlin on King street. They were of stone, uniform with the other. S. R. Fox made a purchase of the grounds on the corner of Main and Carroll streets, for a block of stone buildings, to be erected the succeeding year. Willet S. Main put up his stone block, corner of Mifflin and Carroll streets; Leonard Nolden, a similar building on State street, on the block west toward 17 250 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE the University, to be occupied as a hotel; and the elegant resi¬ dences of J. E. Kendall, corner of Langdon and Pinckney streets, and W. B. Jarvis’ octagon house on Wilson street r were erected; and among others, were the residences of N. B. Van Slyke, Mr. Ashmead, I. N. De Forest, H. H. Hayes, A. Botkin and H. B. Staines. Much attention was bestowed this season upon sidewalks, many miles of which were laid in differ¬ ent parts of the village. The Board of Education established three grades of schools:, the High School, the Intermediate and the Primary, under the immediate supervision of a Superintendent, and the general supervision of the Board, and the system has continued with¬ out material change to the present time. By the act of incor¬ poration, the Board was authorized to borrow $10,000 on the- credit of the village, and the Board of Trustees authorized to- issue bonds for the amount, for the purpose of erecting Union school houses. But the Board of Education were unable to* induce the Board of Trustees to issue the bonds, the latter be¬ ing of the opinion that $10,000 was a larger debt than the vil¬ lage ought to incur at one time, and nothing was done in the way of building that year. In the summer of this year, the Congregational church in¬ vited Rev. N. H. Eggleston of Plymouth church, Chicago,, to become pastor, and its call was accepted. The spirit¬ ual and material prosperity of the church rapidly increased, and within a year, nearly fifty were added to its membership. The church room becoming too narrow for the needs of the congregation, in 1856, they moved first into the large hall of Bacon’s Commercial College, which was then ready for occu¬ pancy, and then built a brick chapel which they occupied until 1873-4. This chapel is situated on the east side of Washington avenue, on lots 5 and 6, block 66, with accommodations for about 500 persons. It was built at the expense of $4,400, with the hope of soon adding to it a church building. In May, 1858, Mr. Eggleston retired from the pastorate and soon after re¬ turned east, where he has been for a number of years pastor of the church in Stockbridge, Mass., so long honored by the min- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 251 istration of Jonathan Edwards. He has since then been connected with the faculty of Williams College, in the chair of rhetoric. The usual anniversary services of the 4th of July were this year changed. Under the direction of Charles G. Mayers, Esq., a regatta was held on Lake Monona, open to sail boats and row boats. It is supposed some three thousand persons, were present. This was the first regatta held on the lake. Horn L. J. Farwell, Alex. T. Gray, G. P. Delaplaine, Dr. Otis Hoyt and Hon. A. McArthur, judges. The whole went off very satisfactorily, and was a decided success. The members of Grace Church (Episcopal) held a meeting on the 6th of August, Rev. J. B. Brittan presiding, and J. G. Knapp, secretary, at which time a committee was appointed,, consisting of Hon. L. J. Farwell, William A. Mears and H, K. Lawrence, to solicit subscriptions for the erection of a» church edifice. The real property of the village was assessed this year at; $284,700; personal, $39,300. The corporation receipts were $5,836.09. Liabilities unpaid, $963.56. The census of the village, as reported January 26, 1855, showed 3,781 males, 3,082 females* total, 6,863. The amount of tonnage received at the Madison depot, over the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad, and forwarded front there, as shown in the tabular statement published, exhibits the amount of business greater, perhaps, than any other town, in Wisconsin, in proportion to its size. The whole amount of merchandise transported over the road westward, was 27,580,318? lbs; the amount received here was 12,596,023, almost one-half of all shipped over the road. The whole number of bushels of wheat shipped eastward was 1,931,407, and from this place, 604,624, almost one-third of the whole. On the 2d of February, 1856, the Board of Trustees of the village appointed a committee, consisting of A. A. Bird, Simeon Mills, Dr. Thos. O. Edwards and J. P. Atwood, to draw up a city charter, and to procure its passage before tho legislature then in session. The bill was drawn, and Madi- 252 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE son became a City by an act approved Marcli 4. On the 11th of March, the first city election was held. Jairus C. Fair- child* being an Independent, and Julius P. Atwood the Democratic candidate for Mayor; the former received 711 votes, and the latter 506, electing Col. Fairchild by a majority of 205. Abraham B. Braley received 784 votes for Police Jus¬ tice, against 419 cast for Wm. Welch; Johnson J. Starks, 632 votes for Treasurer, against 370 for Alfred Main; Fred Mohr, 503 votes for Marshal, against 383 for Stephen Gr. Ben¬ edict. The following Aldermen were elected: First Ward —Adam Kiuetz, Thos. Herran and A. E. Brooks. Second Ward — N. B. Van Slyke, D. J. Powers and John N. Jones. Third Ward—C. G. Mayers, P. H. Van Bergen and A. S. Wood. Fourth Ward—S. M. Van Bergen, Jos. Bobbins and Tim. Kinney. D. H. Weight, Dr. J. W. Hunt, H. N. Foster and D. C. Bush, Justices of the Peace, and W. N. Seymour elected Clerk by the City Council. *Col. Jairus C. Fairchild, was born at Granville, Washington county, N. Y., December 27, 1801. He removed to Ohio in 1822, settling first at Hudson, then at Franklin Mills, Portage county, in 1826, where he was engaged in business as tanner and currier, having for a partner the celebrated “ Capt. John Brown. He removed to Cleveland in 1834, and was engaged in merchandise, and was Secretary of the Cleveland and Newburgh Railroad Company. He removed to Wisconsin, with his family, in June, 1846, and at the organization of the State Government was elected State Treasurer, which office he held from August, 1848, to De¬ cember 31, 1851. Col. F. was prominently identified with the business enterprises of Mad¬ ison, and died here July 18, 1862, aged about 61 years. He left four chil¬ dren: Lucius, who has served six years as Governor of the State, and was distinguished for his services in the late rebellion; Cassius, who died at Mil¬ waukee of wounds received in the war; Charles, now of Boston, connected with the Navy Department during the war, and a daughter, Mrs. E. B. Dean, of this place. Mrs.J.C. Fairchild died at Madison, October 21,1866, aged 65 years. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 253 The officers of Grace Church advertised, February 8, for four hundred cords of stone, with a view to commence the erection of their church edifice. The Daily Argus , of April 28, in speaking of the improve¬ ments commenced for the year, says: “We notice five first- class dwellings going up, five brick dwellings, forty framed dwellings, and sixteen stone and brick buildings for stores, in progress.” The evidence of thrift and enterprise was very ap¬ parent. The number of new comers was large and increasing, and the prospects for the growth and prosperity of the city were never so promising. The State Journal , of June 3, gives the names of the more important business firms and institu¬ tions in the city, as follows: The brick block built by W. D. Brueh, and known as Brueh’s Block, occupied by the Dane County Bank, and J. Richardsom & Co., on the corner, as land agents; Hale & Harris, dry goods; D. S. Durrie, books and stationery, and D. Holt, jeweler, and Wright & Mayers as land agents and agents of American Express Company, all on the first floor. The second floor by Ortoh & Hopkihs, At¬ wood & Haskell, and Hood& Tehmey, attorneys; Drs. Bowem & Bartlett, physicians; Maul & Grimm, book binders; State Agricultural Society, Powers & Skihher, publishers, and State Journal editorial rooms. The third story by the Madison Mutual Insurance Company, Madison Gas Light Company, S. V. Shipmah, architect; the City Council and Clerk’s office; the Nor she Amerikan , Norwegian newspaper; N. W. Deah, office; W. H. Wymax, insurance agent, and Western Telegraph Com¬ pany. The fourth story, the State Journal printing office; Museum of the Wisconsin Natural History Association, and Mr. Bronsoh, artist. The basement by Hale & Harris, as an eating saloon. The building adjoining, on Pinckney street, by S. Marshall, as the State Bank, on the main floor; Delaplaihe & Burdick on second floor, and by ex-Gov. Farwell as a real estate office. The frame building next east, by L. Guild & Co., dry goods; similar building adjoining, by Colwell & Co., drug¬ gists; next, G. W. Gilmah, boots and shoes, the second floor by Dr. J. C. Howells, dentist. The next building of brick, known 254 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE as the Badger Building, first floor, Catlin, Williamson and Barwise, land office and exchange dealers, and Smith & Keyes, as attorneys. The upper part used by the United States Hotel, which adjoins it on the east. The basement by W. H. Noland, barber, and P. L. Mohr, real estate dealer. The United States Hotel, kept by Gilbert Dutcher. In Fair- child’s block, on Main street, S. Klauber & Co., dry goods, occupied two stores on the first floor, and H. B. Merrill, cloth¬ ing; the second floor as the St. Julien saloon; the third floor by Langrishe & Atavater, as a theatre. In the basement, A. P. Dcerschlag, as a saloon. The adjoining frame buildings, by Gleason & Memhard on the first floor, dry goods and hard¬ ware, and G. E. Woodward, attorney; the next, by Isaac Bon- nell, stove store, and A. Neuhoff, clothing; adjoining, by Donaldson & Tredway, dry goods, and second floor by Abbot, Clark and Coit, attorneys, the banking house of M. T. Mar¬ tin; B. U. Caswell’s hat store and French as a saloon. The next brick store, owned by J. C. Fairchild, occupied by D. C. Poole, dry goods and crockery, and second floor by Vilas, Roys and Pinney, Drs. Gray and Brown, Col. Fairchild’s office, and that of Wm. Welch, Justice of the Peace. The adjoining building, the Capitol House, kept by Nelson and Russell, and by Cook and Belden, jewelers, and M. Strauss, as tobacconist. Across Wisconsin avenue, the next business firm is R. T. Curtis & Co. (T. Reynolds), dry goods and gro¬ ceries, in the brick store built by W. C. Wells in 1851; the next by W. B. Jarvis, land agent, and T. S. Woodward, drugs and medicines, and S. R. Fox, hardware; and across Carroll street, Miss McMahon, milliner, A. Abbott, marble shop, and Sanderson, milliner, Reuil Noyes, land office. The adjoining building across Fairchild street being the County Court House. Among other buildings erected this year, was P. H. Van Bergen’s block, corner of Clymer and Pinckney streets; R. S. Bacon & Co., commercial college building; Billings & Car¬ man’s plow manufactory; city engine houses; Fox & Atw'OOd’s elegant stone block, occupied by S. R. Fox; Mrs. Trevoy and A. Rasdall, stone block on King street; James Campbell, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 255 planing mill on Washington avenue south of the Capitol, and several tine private residences. The Merchants’ Bank of Madison was this year organized under the general banking law. Hon. A. A. Bliss of Ohio, President, and C. T. Flowers, Cashier. It commenced busi¬ ness in Bruen’s block, July 2. There was no celebration on the 4th of July. An excursion was had to Mazomanie, in which many participated. There was also a regatta on Lake Mendota. The post office was removed, Jul}^ 27, to their new rooms in P. H. Van Bergen’s block. The office is twenty feet wide by sixty-five feet deep and twelve high. Has 1,100 letter boxes and 100 private drawers. The usual daily mail matter received is from 20 to 50 bushels, and during the sessions of the legisla¬ ture, one to three hundred bushels. The “ Madison St. George’s Society,” was organized and held their first meeting, August 13. The officers for 1856 were: Dr. Jos. Hobbins, President; W. B. Jarvis and R. Shorrocks, Vice Presidents; H. Wright, Treasurer; J. W. Mayhew, Recording Secretary; Wm. Welch, Corresponding Secretary; Dr. Wm. Hobbins, Physician. R. S. Bacon’s commercial college was opened in January, 1856, and was very successful. In the fall of 1858, it was pur¬ chased by D. IT. Tullis. It was continued without interrup¬ tion under his charge until 1865, when, by mutual arrange¬ ment, it passed into the hands of Worthington & Warner, by whom it was continued in Young’s block, on Main street, .and more recently in W. J. & F. Ellsworth’s building on Pinckney street. The Dane county peat beds were discovered this year. Mr. Hough, County Surveyor, made a plat of the peat bog lying on the lands of Cols. W. B. and Geo. H. Slaughter and Wm. Green, lying six miles west of Madison, and immediately on the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad There are three irregularly shaped beds contiguous to each other, which lie in depressions of the surface; the whole outline gives unmis¬ takable evidence of having been, at a remote period, covered 256 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE with water. Mr. Hough estimates that the one hundred and fifteen acres contain nearly 350,000 solid cords of peat. Efforts have been made to manufacture the article to be used for heat¬ ing purposes, but for some some reason they have not been en¬ tirely successful. In 1856, the village having become a city, the Common Council, on the 20th of August, appropriated $24,000 for the erection of school houses in the four wards of the city. Here the matter rested, with some trifling progress in the selection of sites, until after the council had raised from the sale of city bonds, and had at its disposal a large amount of money. The sites for school houses having been selected or assented to, and paid for by the Common Council out of the money set apart for that purpose, at a cost of $6,887.50, the Board of Education immediately thereafter advertised for proposals for the erection of the four school houses, to be built of stone, forty by fifty feet on the ground, and two stories high. When, however, the proposals were received, the season for building had so far passed, that it was deemed advisable to construct but two houses during the season (1856), leaving the remaining two to be erected the following spring. Accordingly, contracts were entered into for the erection of school houses in the First and Third Wards, to be completed by January 1, 1857. After the work had so far advanced that it became necessary to- make payments to the contractors, the Common Council were applied to for money for that purpose, but refused for some reason never made known to the Board. In consequence of this action of the Council, the Board of Education were deprived of the means of continuing the work, or meeting the engage¬ ments they had entered into, and the contractors brought suits to recover pay for work performed and for damages for non¬ performance on the part of the Board. From the report of the Superintendent, we learn that the- whole number of scholars attending school during the year, is 694; less by 56 than the number reported last year. The cen¬ tral or High School was kept in the old Congregational church, and has 133 pupils, of which number 67, are in the higher Eng- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 257 lish and classical departments. Eight teachers had been en¬ gaged. The annual election of city officers for 1857, took place in April. For Mayor, A. A. Bird received 763 votes, and F. G^ Tibbitts, 672 — the former was elected. Fred. Sauthoff was elected Treasurer, receiving 735 votes, and C. H. Billings 683. The Aldermen elected were: Thos. Heeran and C. Zwicky, 1st ward; David J. Powers and J. T. Clark, 2d ward; J. C. Griffin and David Hyer, 3d ward; and Dr. Jos. Hobbins and T. Kinney, 4th ward. The First and Third ward school houses were completed and occupied this year. They are fine two story stone buildings, built after the same plan, and costing the sum total of $9,500, exclusive of furnishing. In each building, the second story has one large study room, capable of seating one hundred pupils, with a recitation room adjacent to and leading out of the main room. The lower story is divided into two rooms communicating vtith each other, used for primary and inter¬ mediate departments. The}^ are each capable of seating sixty- five pupils. The City Superintendent, Mr. D. Y. Kilgore, in his report says: “ At this time, 1857, there are eleven separate schools, in which are employed fifteen teachers. The whole amount expended for rent of school houses, repairs, fuel, incidental expenses and teachers’ wages, is less than $6,000; and that, according to the school census, 1,865 children between the ages of four and twenty, reside within the city limits.” On the 4th of July, the Germans had an extempore celebra¬ tion. Aug. Kreur, Orator. The firemen had also a celebra¬ tion; the Declaration of Independence read by Prof. E. S. Carr, and addresses by Myron H. Orton, Chauncey Abbot, J. W. Johnson and S. D. Carpenter. A circus performance, with caliope music, was a feature in the celebration. The Wisconsin Bank of Madison was organized during the year. M. D. Miller, President, and Noah Lee, Cashier. N. B. Van Slyke and A. A. McDonnell erected their beau¬ tiful residences near Lake Mendota, during the season; and the 258 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE American Hotel was enlarged by an addition, seventy by thirty feet, three stories. Bradford Williams, proprietor. The City Hall building was in process of erection in 1857. The size of the same is fifty by one hundred feet, three stories ]iigh, with a front on Mifflin and Wisconsin avenue. Dok- 3IELL & Kutzbock, architects. The first story, above the base¬ ment, designed for stores; the second floor for the use of the .city council and city officers, and the third floor, in one large joom, for public meetings, concerts, etc. The chapel of the Congregational Church, on Washington .avenue, was commenced in September. The building is forty- three by seventy-two feet. Jas. Jack & Co., carpenters, and J. W. Harvey, masons. The German Catholic Church on Johnson street, between Carroll and Henry streets, and the German Evangelical Luth¬ eran, on Main street, between Broome and Bassett streets, were also erected this year. An act was passed by the legislature, approved February 28, 1857, enabling the Board of Regents of the State University, to borrow $40,000 from the principal of the University Fund, for the construction of the main edifice of the University, to .contain all the public rooms required in an institution of learning of the first class. After much consultation, the board adopted a plan for the edifice, of the Roman Doric style of architecture, combining beauty of outline with convenience of internal arrangement. The drawings were furnished by William Tiksley, Esq., of Indianapolis, an architect of experience and reputation. The edifice to contain a chapel, a lecture room for each department with study annexed for the use of the Pro¬ fessor; apartments for library, apparatus, cabinet, and for col¬ lections in natural science and in art. The plan was accepted, and the contract for the building awarded to James Campbell for the entire work complete at #36,550, he being the lowest bidder. The stone work of the basement story was in an advanced state of forwardness in the fall of 1857, and it was expected that it would be completed .before winter, so as to enable the building committee to com- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 259 plete the entire structure before the first day of November, 1858. The committee in their report say: “The exterior plan of the building is a model of architecture, imposing and massive; and the internal arrangements are such as to most fully meet the wants and necessities of the institution in all its several departments.” The ground was broken for the construction of the building on the first of June, 1857. The following is a brief account of its arrangement: It stands on the highest point of ground in the University Park, one hundred feet above the level of the lake, and the water table of the structure will be more elevated than the dome of the present (the old) Capitol. The general design of the building is a parallelogram, one hundred and forty by seventy feet, and about sixty feet to the cornice; to be sur¬ mounted by a dome whose extreme height will be nearly one hundred and fifty feet. It is not, however, a building of plain surface, like those now erected, but is broken by angles and projections, securing additional convenience and higher archi¬ tectural effect — giving adequate space for its cabinet collec¬ tions, laboratory, scientific apparatus, libraries, reading rooms, society rooms, etc. The old log house on Butler street — the first dwelling erected in Madison — built in the spring of 1837, and occupied by Ebek Peck, the pioneer settler, as a hotel, was torn down to make way for some handsomer if not better structure, in the month of May. It was old, decayed, and must have tumbled in at no distant day, had the work of destruction not been hastened. Very soon after the organization of the State government, the Capitol building became inadequate to the proper accom¬ modation of the several departments, which had been brought into being, and the business of which rapidly increased with the growth of the State. Still, by renting rooms in other buildings, it was made to answer the purpose for ten years after Wisconsin was admitted into union. It had now become apparent that a new capitol must be built without further delay, and the necessity gave rise 2,60 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE to a proposition, in the legislature of that ^ear, to remove the seat of government from Madison to some other points Whether there was any real danger of the success of the proposition or not, the people of Madison became alarmed and voted to donate to the State $50,000 in city bonds to aid in the construction of a new capitol upon the old site. This propo¬ sition was accepted by the legislature, and on the third of March, an act was passed authorizing the enlargement of the State Capitol. By this act, the Commissioners of School and University Lands, were directed to sell the ten sections of land appropriated by Congress u for the completion of the public buildings,” and apply the proceeds towards enlarging and improving the State Capitol. The State also appropriated $30,000 for the same object. The Governor and Secretary of State were made commissioners for conducting the worlw The plans of Messrs. Donnell & Kutzbock, then architects living at Madison, were adopted, and the east wing was put under contract, and John Ryecraft of Milwaukee, received the award, being the lowest bidder, at $92,000. Mr. Ryecraft subsequently gave up the contract and it was awarded to A. A, McDonnell. The work was completed and occupied by the Assembly in 1859. The following is a brief account of the building: The basement is divided into two rooms, twenty- three by thirty-five feet, and two, twenty-six by forty-five feet. In the first stor}^ the same — all these being fire proof, or covered with fire proof arches, the latter to be the governor’s and his secretary’s, and the secretary of state’s appartments. In the upper story an assembly chamber,* sixty-five by sixty- seven feet; one room for the speaker of the house, a clerk’s room, a postoffice, and a cloak and hat room; and the ladies T and gentlemen’s galleries, two separate galleries leading to the latter. In front of this projection, a massive stone platform ten feet wide. The roof above it being supported by ten columns fifty r feet high and about four and a half feet thick. * This chamber was used by the Assembly in 1859, anc * on the completion; of the west wing, that body removed to it, leaving the east room for the use of the Senate. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 261 By an act of the legislature, approved March 6, 1857, the State Hospital for the Insane was established, and L. J. Far- well, John P. McGregor and Levi Sterling were appointed by the Governor as commissioners. The commissioners, at their first meeting, on the 5th of May, elected L. J. Farwell, President; J. P. McGregor, Secretary; and Levi Sterling, Building Superintendent, and employed S. V. Shipman as architect. After the adoption of plans, specifications and detail drawings, notice was published in every city in the State, that proposals would be received until September 1st, A. D. 1857, for doing all the work and furnishing all the materials in accordance with the plan and specifications. On the first of September, the bids were opened and the contract awarded to Nelson McNiel of Portage City, for building the central or main building, one longitudinal and one traverse wing for the sum of $78,500. Mr. McNiel, after making some progress on the work, finally failed entirely, and threw up his contract, which caused much delay in the completion of the building; and it was not until some time in 1860, that it was turned over to the Board of Trustees for the reception of patients. The following is a synopsis of the plan of the buildings, as drawn by the architect, Col. S. V. Shipman: The structure to consist of the centre or main building, with two longitudinal and two traverse wings — the main building to be sixty-five by one hundred and twenty-seven feet; the longitudinal, each forty- one by ninety-two feet, and the traverse wings forty by eighty- six feet; the main building and traverse buildings are to be four stories high — cellar eight feet, first story twelve feet. The second, of the main building, fifteen feet; the third story, thirteen feet; and the fourth stor}^ eleven feet. The first, second and third stories of the wing, will be twelve feet each — the walls of the fourth, or attic story, will be ten feet. The main building and each of the traverse wings are to be sur¬ mounted by a cupola; that of the main building being fifty feet, and of each wing, twenty-seven feet above the roof. Capitol Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, was organized 262 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE in October. Officers: Wm. Wallace, Foreman; Geo. B. Mc- Gie, Assistant Foreman; J. H. McAvoy, Treasurer; Manning Teedway, Secretary. It has sixty members. Mendota Fire Engine Company, No. 1, was organized July, 1857, and has over fifty members. Officers: W. Babcock, Foreman; Chas. Billings and Thos. Thomas, Assistants; J. C. Rudd, Treasurer, Wm. H. Holt, Secretary; C. C. Mears,, Steward. Madison Engine Company, No. 2, was organized soon after. Officers: Geo. Memhaed, Captain; J. Wisler and F. Dingle- man, Assistants; Rich’d Baus, Secretary; Fred. Sauthoef, Treasurer; and M. Henrichs, Steward. The company consists of sixty-one members. The year 1857, will be remembered by many as a disastrous one, in a financial point of view. Early in the fall, what is known as a u monetary panic,” came over the country, and the western states felt it severely — Wisconsin as a state, as Madison as a city. A number of merchants were obliged to yield to the pressure and scarcity of money, and close up their places of business. The private improvements of the city were much affected. During the sessions of the Legislature of 1858, an effort was made to remove the capital to the city of Milwaukee. A bill was introduced into the Assembly, and on its being read a third time, there was a tie vote. Hon. J. H. Knowlton, who had opposed the bill, changed his vote for the removal, which car¬ ried the bill. He then moved to reconsider the vote and to lay that motion upon the table, which was adopted, thus virtually killing the bill for the session. At the city election held March 1, Hon. Geo. B. Smith re¬ ceived 978 votes and Neely Gray 600 votes — the former was elected, and also the following aldermen: Albert Sherwin and Simon Seckels, First ward; Eri S. Oakley and James Jack t Second ward; Darwin Clark and C. Henrichs, Third ward; and Cassius Fairchild and P. L. Dowling, Fourth ward; D. H. Wright, J. W. Hunt, H. L. Foster and P. D. Barry^, Ward Justices; J. K. Proudfit, Treasurer, and A. B. Bealey, Police FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. ■ 263 Justice. The City Council elected Henry Wright, Clerk; K. Edgerton, Assessor; S. Mills, Street Commissioner. On the 4th of July, the usual anniversary exercises were held, Hon. E. Brigham, President; the Vice Presidents selected from various towns; Wi. R. Smith, Reader; Hon. H. S. Orton, Ora^* tor; Rev. N. H. Eggleston, Chaplain, and W. T. Leitch, Mar¬ shal. On the 22d of February, the City Hall was opened for the' first time in the evening, and illuminated by gas. The Hall is a spacious room, fifty feet wide by one hundred feet deep, and twenty-four feet from the floor to the ceiling. Exclusive of the gallery and rostrum, it is forty-six feet by seventy-eight; feet; lighted with fourteen large windows, containing over four hundred lights of glass, and in the evening, by one hundred and fifty gas burners, extending around the room just below the cornice, and two large chandeliers and a number of smaller ones. The whole number of burners in the entire edifice is three hundred and fifty. On the 18th of February, a meeting was held to organize the “Governor's Guards,” and the following persons were elected: Julius P. Atwood, Captain; F. D. Fuller, 1st Lieut.; Chas. L. Harris 2d, and S. H. Donnell 3d; Geo. E. Bryant^ 1st Sergeant, H. Conley 2d, H. Meredith 3d, and Georgia Bacon 4th; V. W. Roth, 1st Corporal, E. T. Sprague 2d, E.^ B. Crawford 3d, Ira W. Bird 4th, and J. K. Proudfit, Bn- sign; J. P. Atwood, President, with E. W. Keyes and C. T. Wakeley, Directors; W. S. Main, Treasurer, and J. K. Proud-- fit, Secretary. A number of changes were made in the officers during the year. On the 25th of February, another military company was or-* ganized, called the “ Madison Guards,” composed mainly of Irish citizens. The officers first elected were: John Willans^ Captain; Thos. Heeran, Matthew Smith, Lieutenants, and J. R. Hyland, Sergeant. On the 12th of July, a meeting was held at the Court House,, to organize a cavalry company, at which meeting A. Bishof was Chairman, and D. S. Curtis, Secretary, to be known as- .264 . HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE tlie “Dane County Dragoons;” the name was subsequently changed to “ Dane Cavalry.” The following were the first elec¬ tive officers: H. S. Orton, Captain; H. C. Bull, A. A. McDon¬ nell and W. D. Bird, Lieutenants; S. H. Carman, J. E. Mann, J. W. Hunt and Timothy Brown, Sergeants; A. Bishop, W. Veoman, J. Rodermund and B. F. Nott, Corporals; A. Bishop, Adjutant, J. C. Squires, Commissary; N. W. Dean, Quarter¬ master; J. Alden Ellis, Paymaster; J. W. Hunt, Surgeon. At a subsequent meeting, held September 18, a number of changes were made in the officers. Rev. N. H. Eggleston, who had been invited to be pastor of the Congregational church in 1855, resigned on the 8th of May 1858, and in November of this year, Rev. Jas. Caldwell was called to supply the pulpit; but after remaining nearly a year, he returned to Illinois, when the pulpit was. supplied by Prof. ,J. D. Butler, of the State University. From the report of the Superintendent of Schools, it appears that there were 934 persons between the ages of four and twent}", and the average number attending school during the year, 524, divided into eleven schools. The German Lutheran church this year erected a frame building for their house of worship, on block 44, on Main street, toward the depot of the Milwaukee Railroad. In 1868, as will hereafter appear, the society erected their new building .on Washington avenue. In the month of February, 1859, Hasbrouck & Gur¬ nee commenced the erection of a three story stone building on Wisconsin Avenue, near Main street. The building was twenty-five by fifty feet, and was occupied by the proprietors as a land office and banking house, the third story was occupied by S. V. Shipman, architect. The building cost about $5,500. jMr. Samuel R. Fox built an elegant stone dwelling house on the corner of Gilman and Carroll streets; it was subsequently sold to and is now the residence of N. B. Van Slyke, Esq. During the year, Julius T. Clark built a large brick dwelling liouse, on his grounds on block No. 94. The premises were subsequently sold to John N. Jones, Esq., who makes it his FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 265 residence. The grounds are regarded as the most beautiful in the city. J. H. Carpenter, Esq., erected a brick dwelling on Wisconsin avenue, west of the Presbyterian church. On the 8th of January, a meeting was called of all persons favorable to the formation of a religious society under the charge of Rev. N. H. Eggleston - , to meet at Porter’s Hall, to adopt such measures as were necessary for a permanent and successful organization. The call was signed by Darwin 1 Clark, J. B. Bowen - , D. Atwood, S. D. Hastings, A. Sher- WIN - , GeO. CAPRON - , D. J. POWERS, 0 . COLE, JAS. MORRISON, E. W. Skinner and H. M. Lewis. Mr. Egglestont was engaged, and commenced his labors January 15, at the Baptist church. On the 12th of July, the church was formally organized under fhe name of the “Union Congregational Church and Society of Madison,” and a Council of Recognition, composed of min¬ isters and delegates from other Congregational churches, was invited to meet on the 14th, at which time Rev. Dr. Smith, of Lane Seminary, was invited to preach in the morning, and in the evening the installation services were held — the sermon being preached by Prof. Fisk, of Illinois. The city election, this year, was held March 7, Frank A. Haskell and Geo. B. Smith being the candidates for the office of Mayor. The former received 397 votes, and the latter 961, and was elected. For City Treasurer, F. W. Lindhorst re¬ ceived 532 votes, and Andrew Sexton, 803; the latter was elected, and also the following aldermen: First Ward, J. Zeph- enning and Wm. Dudley; Second Ward, Jos. Baier and Wm. Hawley; Third Ward, F. C. Festner and Ezra Squires; Fourth Ward, J. A. Byrne and Jos. Hobbins. The assessed valuation of property was, real estate, $2,027,- 466, and personal property, $264,195; total, $2,391,661. The celebration of July 4 was observed with more than or¬ dinary enthusiasm. The officers of the day were, W. W. Tredway, Marshal; A. A. McDonnel, E. B. Dean and F. Briggs, Assistants; J. C. Fairchild, President; J. B. Brit- tan, Chaplain; J. R. Baltzell, Reader; and Hon. A. McAr¬ thur, Orator. The “ Governor’s Guards,” Capt. Delaplaine, 18 266 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE the “ Madison Guards,” Capt. Byrne, and the “ Dane County Cavalry,” Capt. Orton, were in the procession; the engine companies and Hook and Ladder Company also participated. In the afternoon, a regatta was held on Lake Mendota, under the management of C. G. Mayers. One of the features of the celebration in the morning was a Ragamuffin Cavalcade, which attracted much attention. Henry Barnard, LL.D., of Connecticut, who had been elected Chancellor of the University in 1858, entered upon his duties in the month of May, 1859, and on the 27th of July was formally inducted into the office. From the report of the Board of Regents, it appears that the whole number of stu¬ dents in attendance in the several departments was one hun¬ dred and fifty-nine. Chancellor Barnard resigned his position in June, 1860. The Board, however, did not accept of the same until January, 1861. The University was without a Chancellor until June 16,. when J. L. Pickard, LL.D., was elected. He, however, did not accept. During all this period, the internal administration was conducted by Prof. J. W. Sterling, who was made Dean of the Faculty in June, 1860, and continued in that capacity till June, 1865, when he was elected Vice Chancellor. Thos. W. Sutherland, Esq., an early settler, died at Sacra¬ mento, Cal., Feb. 2, 1859. He was the eldest son of Hon. Joel. B. Sutherland, of Philadelphia. In 1835, he first came to Indiana with Hon. H. L. Ellsworth, Commissioner of Patents, as a clerk of a commission to settle some Indian matters. He then crossed the country to St. Louis, thence up the Missouri to Council Bluffs, from which place, with a pony, he trav¬ ersed the then savage wilderness to the upper waters of the Mississippi, at or near the St. Anthony; from thence he pro¬ cured a skiff, and floated down the river to the mouth of Rock river, and paddled his skiff up that stream to the mouth of the Catfish; up the Catfish, through the chain of lakes, to the point upon which the city of Madison now stands, then only inhabited by Indians. Here he spent some time in an Indian camp on the east side of Lake Monona, opposite the Capitol, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 267 and this he then resolved upon as his future home. After a short visit to Philadelphia, he returned, and, as soon as the lands came into market, made considerable purchases in this neighborhood, and settled at Madison very soon after it was fixed upon as the capital of the Territory, and was elected the first President of the incorporated village. In 1841, he was appointed United States District Attorney for the Territory, which office he held four years. He was appointed to the same office by Mr. Polk, in 1848. In the spring of 1849, he took the overland route to California, through the valley of the Gfila, and landed at San Diego. He subse¬ quently removed to San Francisco, where he practised law with success until he was appointed to the office of Collector of the Port of Sacramento by Mr. Buchanan. Mr. Sutherland died of congestion of the lungs, leaving a wife and one child. In his private relations, he was a noble, generous hearted man, highly esteemed by every one, and will long be remem : bered by the early settlers of Madison. The city election of 1860 was held April 3. Hon. Geo. B. Smith* received 724 votes for Mayor, and David Atwood, 718; the.former was elected by six majority. The following Aider- men were also elected: Peter H^ Turner and Farrel O’Brien, 1st ward; D. K. Tenney and J. W. Sumner, 2d ward; Darwin Clark and Kyron Tierney, 3d ward; Timothy Kinney and John Y. Smith, 4th ward; A. B*. Braley was elected Police Justice; J. C. Schette, Treasurer; and P. Nieumann, J. W. *Hon. Geo. B. Smith, son of Judge Reuben Smith, was born at Parma Corners, a village in the town of Parma, Monroe county, N. Y., May 22, 1823. When a child, he removed with his parents to Ohio, and re¬ sided at Cleveland, where he studied law, and also at Medina. In April, 1843, he removed to Wisconsin, and after a year’s residence at Kenosha, removed to Madison, where he still makes his residence. He was District Attorney of Dane county from 1845 to 1851, excepting two years; a member of the first Constitutional Convention, 1846; State Attor¬ ney General, 1854, 1855; member of Assembly, 1859, I $64, 1869; Mayor of city of Madison, 1858, 1859, i860. 268 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Mayhew, H. L. Foster and H. W. Remington, Justices of the Peace. The Bank of Madison was organized April 17, with a capital of 125,000, Simeon Mills, President, J. L. Hill, Cashier, and opened as a temporary place of business, the rooms formerly occupied by the Bank of the Capital. Thq celebration of July 4th was in one sense a county celebra¬ tion. The officers of the day were Hon. L. B. Vilas, President, one Vice President from each township; E. B. Dean, Jr., Mar¬ shal; Rev. A. McWright, Chaplain; Frank A. Haskell, Reader, and Prof. J. D. Butler, Orator. Among other incidents, was the visit of the venerable Nathaniel Ames, a soldier of the Revolution, who was in his one hundredth year. He came from Oregon, accompanied by some forty teams, filled with farmers and their families, to celebrate the day. Mr. Ames was two and a half years in the army, and was present at the execu¬ tion of Andre. The military and fire companies were in the procession. The printers had a small press on wheels, and were engaged in printing and distributing handbills to the crowd. In the afternoon, “Ye Ancient and Horrible Artillery,” in masquerade costume, had a parade which was greatly enjoyed by the visitors. On the 12th of September, Hon. William H. Seward and Hon. Charles Francis Adams visited Madison, and were en¬ tertained b} r the citizens. These gentlemen delivered addresses from the balcony of the Vilas House, and also from the eastern steps of the Capitol. A large attendance of persons from the country was present. Dunning, Jones & Co. commenced building their drug store on Pinckney street, in May, which was opened July 2. It is a fine, three story building, of cut stone, with large show win¬ dows, iron columns, etc. During the season, S. Klauber &Co. commenced building a block of three stores, on the same street, near the corner of Main street, 67i feet front by 100 feet in depth, three stories, stone fronts, which was a fine improvement. The school census of 1860 shows that there were 2,240 per¬ sons in the city between the ages of four and twenty years. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 269 In the latter part of A. D. 1860, it became apparent to the Board of Education, that on account of the lack of means to sustain the schools at that time in successful operation, some one or more of them must be permanently discontinued, and, perhaps, all of them be suspended for a part of the coming year. After a careful examination of the facts in the case, it was finally deemed expedient to discontinue indefinitely, the High School; consequently, at the close of the first school term of 1861, the High School ceased to exist. In order to com¬ pensate, as far as possible, for this loss of educational facilities to the city, an arrangement was entered into with Miss L. L. Coues, wherein she engaged, after the close of the first term of the High School in 1861, u to carry it on as a school of the same grade as before, without expense to the Board, and under ijieir supervision, provided she could have the use of the build¬ ing, furniture and apparatus, for one year, with the privilege of two.” This arrangement was afterwards so far modified as to permit her to open her school, the first term, for the admis¬ sion of females only. In accordance with this arrangement, Miss Coues opened and continued, through the remainder of the year, a female High School, affording facilities for those citizens who wished their daughters to pursue a course of study in the higher branches of female education, to secure these ad¬ vantages at the trifling expense of the mere tuition fees, these fees being paid, not by the Board, but by those who enjoyed the advantages of the school. The Board were satisfied that this, though not what could have been desired, was still the best arrangement for the interests of education in the city, that, under the circumstances of the case, could have been made. In addition to the indefinite discontinuance of the High School, the Board found itself reluctantly compelled to sus¬ pend all the other schools of the city during the summer term. This the Board deemed a serious loss to the children of the city, but a loss necessitated by its restricted finances. The Legislature of 1861 having passed an u act to create the offices of county superintendent of schools,” the Board, in ac¬ cordance with the provisions of that act, adopted, on the 15th of August, the following resolution : 270 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE “ Resolved , That the Board of Education of the city of Madi¬ son do hereby elect that said city r shall, for the next ensuing year, be exempt from the provisions of chapter one hundred and seventy-nine of the General Laws of 1861, being an act to create the office of county superintendent of schools, in accord¬ ance with section eleven of said act.” A copy of the resolution was filed in the office of the Clerk of the Board of County Supervisors. By this action, the Board of Education retained the manage¬ ment of the schools of the city entirely in their own hands, and relieved the city from the burden of aiding in the support of the county superintendent of schools. The number of scholars that attended the city schools during the spring and fall terms, was not quite 650. The amount of money expended during the year, for sustaining the schools under the care of the Board, was $3,460.35. James Morrison, one of the early settlers of Madison, died December 23, 1860, aged 61 years. He was horn in Kaskaskia, Illinois, September 30, 1799. His father, Wm. Morrison, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and his mother was a French lady. In early life, Col. Morrison was engaged with his father in the Rocky Mountain fur trade. He removed to Wisconsin in 1827, and his first business was a lead miner and smelter at Porter’s Grove, near Dodgeville. He came to Mad¬ ison in the spring of 1838, when he immediately engaged in business — was contractor for building the Capitol; in 1838, erected the American House, and was long a prominent citizen of Madison. He did not move his family here till near the close of 1839. He was Territorial Treasurer under Gov. Doty’s and Tallmadge’s administrations, from 1841 to 1845. He was the owner of a large landed property, in Wisconsin, Illinois and St. Louis. He left a widow, who died at the residence of her grand¬ daughter in California, August 28, 1866, aged 66 years, and three daughters — one the estimable lady of Hon. N. W. Dean, of Madison. The funeral took place December 26; Hon. O. Cole, Hon. L. B. Vilas, Hon. T. T. Whittlesey, Col. G. H. Slaughter, Hon. M. M. Jackson and E. M. Williamson, Esq., pall bearers. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 271 The central building of the University of Wisconsin was completed this year. A description of the building has been given in the record of improvements of the year 1857. In February 1861, the Congregational church which had been without a settled minister since November, 1858, invited Bev. L. Taylor, of Bloomington, Ill., to become its pastor. After a faithful and laborious [pastorate of three years, he re¬ signed in January, 1864, and removed to Farmington, Illinois. Previous to Mr. Taylor’s coming, the pulpit had been supplied by Prof. J. D. Butler of the State University. The city election was held on the 2d of April. Hon. Levi B. Vilas* was the only candidate for the office of Mayor, and received 967 votes with 195 scattering. F. C. Festner was elected Treasurer, and the following aldermen: 1st ward, Geo. E. Bryant and P. H. Turner; 2d ward, D. K. Tenney and J. * Hon. Levi B. Vilas was born in Sterling, Lamoille county, Vermont, February 25, 1811; received an academic education and pursued a partial .collegiate course, but was prevented by ill health from graduating; is by profession a lawyer, having been admitted to the bar in St. Albans, Ver¬ mont, in 1833, but has retired from practice. During his residence in Ver¬ mont, he was the first postmaster at Morrisville in 1834. The same year, he removed to Johnson; was elected to the State Constitutional Convention from that place, in 1835, and represented the town in the legislature of J836 and 1837, and was elected by it in 1836, one of the State commis¬ sioners of the Deaf,Dumb and Blind; during the same period, he held the -office of Register of Probate; removed to Chelsea in i 838 , and represented that town in the legislature in 1840-1843, and was the democratic candidate for speaker for the same years; was the democratic candidate for congress in 1844; the next year was elected State Senator from Orange county, and reelected in 1846; he held the office of Judge of Probate for three years in Orange county; and was supported by his party for United States Senator in 1848; was member of the State Constitutional Convention in 1850 from Chelsea. He came to Wisconsin in 1851, and settled at Madison; repre¬ sented the Madison district in the Assembly in the years 1855 and 1868, :and was Mayor of the city from April, 1861, to April, 1862; was appointed by Gov. Salomon and served as Draft Commissioner in the war for the Union in 1862; was a Regent of the State University for twelve years pre¬ vious to its reorganization; was the democratic candidate for Secretary •of State in 1865, and was a member of the Assembly in 1873, and candi¬ date for Speaker. 272 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE A . Ellis; 3d ward, K. Tierney and j. G. Ott; 4th ward, G* B. Seekels and J. Y. Smith. An act was passed, approved April 11, 1861, during the last session of the legislature, appropriating forty thousand dollars for the enlargement of the State Hospital for the Insane. That act authorizes the Board of Trustees, or such committee as might be designated by them, to construct a longitudinal and traverse wing, to be located on the west side of the centre building, corresponding in dimensions with the wings on tho east side of said centre building. In pursuance of a require¬ ment of said act, the executive committee advertised for sealed proposals for furnishing materals and doing said work; and at. the time designated in such advertisement, the several propo¬ sals were laid before the Board, to be examined and their re- respective merits determined. After all of such proposals had been considered in reference to the price proposed and the gen¬ eral interests of the institution, it was unanimously agreed and ordered that the mason work and furnishing the materials therefor, should be let to Joseph Parkins of the county of Dane, for the sum of twenty thousand and five hundred dollars, and that the carpenter work and painting and glazing, with material therefor, should be let to Bradley and Norton of the city of Racine, for the sum of nine thousand four hundred and fifty dollars. In accordance with the said order, contracts were entered into between the executive committee and the aforementioned parties, on the 6th day of June, 1861; and the requisite bonds to secure the completion of the contract and the faithful per¬ formance ol the work, were duly made and deposited by the= several contractors. The heating apparatus, gas pipes and fixtures, registers, window guards and sewerage, are not included in either of the above mentioned contracts, as it was deemed advisable to have that work performed by the State, under the direction of the Board, by purchasing the materials and having them fitted by persons in their employ. The Board of Trustees, in their annual report for 1861, speak of the commendable zeal of the contract- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 27 $ ors in the prosecution of the work, which was commenced on the first of June of that year, and which was so far advanced as to be roofed and enclosed before the winter set in. The Board also report the whole number of patients received into the hospital since it was opened in July, 1860 to October 1, 1861, one hundred and forty-five. It will be necessary, at this point of our history, to give an account of the momentous events which were close at hand, and in which Madison, as the seat of government, took an important part. It is not necessary to recount the causes, running through a long term of years, which led to the insur¬ rection of the people of a portion of the states of the union, against the general government, and arrayed more than a million of citizens in arms — a most bloody war, of four years’ duration, involving the expenditure of almost untold treasure, and the loss, on either side, of hundreds of thousands of the country’s bravest and best men. While all these important events were transpiring, the people of Madison and county of Dane had their share of them. Their coffers were opened, their young men were sent forth, some of them to lay their lives upon the altar of their country, others to return maimed for life, and others to return at the end of the conflict, weary" and worn, crowned with victorious wreaths. As is well known, the state of South Carolina passed an ordinance of secession from the general government, on the 12th of April, and commenced open hostilities by firing from James’ Island upon Fort Sumter, garrisoned by Major Robert Andersok and about seventy men. The Fort was surrendered on the 14th of April. On the day succeeding (15th) President Lincoln issued his proclamation declaring the southern states in insurrection, and issued a call for 75,000 three months’' volunteers, to aid in suppressing the rebellion. In Wisconsin, as in all the other northern states, the public pulse quickened under the excitement, and on every hand the national flag was displayed, public enthusiasm knew no bounds, and in city,, town and hamlet, the burden on every tongue was for a vigor¬ ous prosecution of the war. 2U HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE On the 15th of April, an informal meeting was held at the Governor’s office, to consider events, Judge 0. Cole in the chair, who made a speech full of patriotism and the noblest sentiments. On the day following, Gov. Randall notified Capt. Geo. E. Bryant that the services of the Madison Guards had been accepted, and he was authorized to fill up his com¬ pany; and on the same day the Governor issued a proclama¬ tion for the organization of the First Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers. The enrolment of men for the Madison Guards began April 17th; among others were G. E. Bryant, Chas. E. Wood, C. L. Harris, L. D. Aldrich, L. Fairchild, D. C. Poole, J. K. Proudfit, J. F. Randolph, E. A. Tappan and W. H. Plunkett. Twenty-eight names were enrolled on the 17th, which number was, on the 20th, increased to one hundred nnd eighteen. On the 17th, the Governor’s Guards, by Judge J. P. Atwood, waited on Gov. Randall and tendered their services, which were accepted on the 18th. The company had seventy-three names enrolled. On the evening of the 18th, a large and enthusiastic meeting was held at the Assembly Room in the State Capitol, at which Hon. H. S. Orton presided. A committee consisting of J. N. Jones, L. B. Vilas, W. F. Porter, S. Klauber and Neely Gray was appointed to receive from the citizens of Madison subscriptions for the support of families as shall need aid. At this meeting $7,490 was voluntarily subscribed. On the 20th of April, the Governor commissioned J. F. Ran¬ dolph, late Orderly Sergeant of the Governor’s Guards, as First Lieutenant, to raise a new company for the Second, or reserve regiment, and on the 22d he reported his company full. On the 24th of April, the two Madison companies left for camp at Milwaukee, escorted to the depot by the Fire Depart¬ ment and the Turners’ Association. In the organization of the First Regiment, the Madison Guards were known as Company E, and the Governor’s Guards ns Company K, and of the Field Staff officers, Chas. L. Harris, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 275 Lieutenant Colonel; Harry Bingham, Assistant Quarter¬ master; L. J. Dixon, Assistant Surgeon, and Chas. Fairchild, Assistant Commissary, were of Madison. The officers of Company E were, Geo. E. Bryant, Captain; Wm. H. Plunkett and Wm. H. Miller, Lieutenants; and Com¬ pany K, Lucius Fairchild, Captain; DeWitt C. Poole and Jas. K. Proudfit, Lieutenants. On the 22d of April, a company known as the u Hickory Guards” was organized for perfecting themselves in military tactics. Of this Company L. S. Dixon, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was Captain. Randall Guards was fully organized April 27th, with J. F. Randolph, as Captain, and A. A. Meredith and Nat. Rol- lis, as Lieutenants. The company was known as Company H of the Second Wisconsin Regiment. The two Madison companies with the other companies com¬ prising the First Regiment, rendezvoused at Milwaukee on Saturday, April 27th, of which regiment Capt. J. C. Stark¬ weather of Milwaukee, had been commissioned Colonel; Chas. L. Harris of Madison, Lieutenant Colonel; Dayid H. Lane of Kenosha, as Major, and Alfred R. Chapin of Milwaukee, as Adjutant. The organization of the regiment was completed and mus¬ tered into the United States service on the 17th of May, and the War Department informed that it awaited marching orders. The troops remained in camp until the 9th of June, when, in obedience to orders from the Secretary of War, it left the State for Harrisburg, Pensylvania, fully equipped by the State, with the exception of arms. Of the further history of the Regiment, under the first call, it is only necessary to state, that it was assigned to Maj. Gen. Pat¬ terson’s Division, July 2d; led the advance on Martinsburg, par¬ ticipated in the battle of Falling Waters, in which battle Color Bearer, Fred. B. Huchting, of Company E, Madison, was the first man wounded, and Sol. Wise of Company K, also of Madison, was taken prisoner, and won a reputation for bravery and veteran-like conduct excelled by no other regiment. 276 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE After serving out the time for which it was enlisted, the regi¬ ment returned to Camp Scott, and was mustered out of service August 22, 1861. A portion of the Madison companies, about eighty-five men, arrived here August 23d, and after an ample dinner at the Railroad House, formed a line, and a pro¬ cession of the Young American Cornet Band, the Governor’s Guards, Fire Companies and the Turners’ Society, and accom¬ panied by the State fields piece, marched to the front of the State Capitol, where a welcome address was delivered by Gov. Randall, after which the company dispersed. The remainder of the companies were left at Milwaukee and returned home at their convenience. The Governor having determined to organize more regiments as a reserve for future calls, accepted the proposition of the State Agricultural Society, tendering the use of their fair grounds at Madison as one of the camps. These grounds were already enclosed with a high hoard fence, with several buildings which might be fitted up for use until more substantial ones could be built. Carpenters and laborers were set at work on the 27th of April, under the direction of Maj. H. A. Tenney. William W. Tredway, of Madison, was commissioned Quar¬ termaster General, and at once proceeded, in behalf of the State, to procure clothing, camp and garrison equipage for the Second Regiment, and for the six infantry regiments sub¬ sequently raised under the proclamation of the President. Simeon Mills, of Madison, was about the same time commis¬ sioned Paymaster General, and paid the several regiments from date of enlistment up to the time of their departure for the field. The Second Regiment was ordered to move into camp at Madison, on the 1st of May, which was, by Col. S. Park Coon, named Camp Randall, in honor of the Governor. This regiment was first organized for three months’ service, but, on the 7th of May, orders were received to recruit the regiment for three years or the war, and the Governor, wishing to gratify the enthusiastic desires of the companies who had ten¬ dered their services, proceeded also to organize the Third and Fourth Regiments. During this time, the ladies of this city FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 277 performed a large amount of labor, done at a time when great suffering would have occurred if their timely assistance had not been rendered. The ladies of other cities and villages were also diligently eu gaged in the same benevolent work. The Second Regiment left the State on the 20th of June, and proceeded to Harrisburg, Pa., one company of which was enlisted at Madison, the “ Randall Guards,” known as Company H, of which J. F. Randolph was Captain, A. A. Meredith, First Lieutenant, and Nat. Rollins, Second Lieutenant. This regiment was called upon to suffer much of privation and hardship. They were in the u Onward to Richmond ” movement, participated in the skirmish at Bull Run, July 19, took an active part in the memorable battle of July 21, and won a high reputation for bravery and soldier-like conduct. They were the last to leave the field at the disgraceful finish, and their thinned ranks at roll call the next morning, proved the part they acted. As an evidence of what the Second Regi¬ ment had been through, it is sufficient to state that it left the State June 20, over one thousand strong, and, October 1, re¬ ported for duty six hundred and eighty-nine. Of the “ Randall Guards ” (Company H), in these engage¬ ments, we find the following record: Julius F. Randolph,* Captain, wounded July 21, 1861; A. A. Meredith, First Lieu¬ tenant, wounded, and arm disabled; G. M. Humphrey, First Sergeant, wounded; Theodore D. Bahn, Fourth Sergeant, wounded; S. M. Bond, Fifth Sergeant, wounded; Peter Mor¬ rison, Corporal, wounded; G. A. Beck, private, wounded and taken prisoner; F. M. Buten, private, wounded; Thos. Can¬ ning, private, wounded; Thos. Murphy, private, wounded; E. L. Reed, private, taken prisoner; E. R. Reed, private, wounded; Henry Storm, private, wounded; J. M. Zook, private, wounded. After this battle, a number of changes took place in the officers of the regiment; of these, Lucius Fairchild, formerly Captain of Company K of the First Regiment of three months volunteers, was appointed Lieutenant Colonel; J. D. Ruggles, Quartermaster, and A. J. Ward, Surgeon, all of this place. * Capt. Randolph was killed at the battle of Gainsville, August 20, 1862. 278 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE The Third Regiment, Chas. S. Hamilton, Colonel, was or¬ dered into camp at Fond du Lac, and left for Harrisburg, July 12. Of this regiment, the only company from this section was. the “Dane County Guards” (Company K), of which William Hawley was Captain; Theo. S. Widvey, First Lieutenant, and Warham Parks, Second Lieutenant. The Fourth Regiment encamped at Racine, June 6 , Halbert E. Paine, Colonel, in which Madison and Dane county were not represented by a company. L. D. Aldrich, of this place,, was appointed Adjutant. The Fifth Regiment was called to Camp Randall, June 21, Amasa Cobb, Colonel. Madison was not represented in this Regiment. The Sixth Regiment was called to Camp Randall, June 25, Lysander Cutler, Colonel. Of the commissioned officers, the following were from Madison: J. P. Atw t ood, Lieutenant Colonel; Frank A. Haskell, Adjutant; C. B. Chapman, Sur¬ geon. Col. Atwood resigned on account of ill health, Septem¬ ber 21. There were no companies from Madison. The Seventh Regiment came to Camp Randall in the month of August, and its organization completed September 2, Joseph Yan Dor, Colonel. Of this regiment, from Madison were Chas. W. Cook, Adjutant, and Ernest Kramer, Assistant Sur¬ geon. Dane county was represented by a company called Stoughton Guards. The Eighth Regiment was organized September 4, Robert C. Murphy, Colonel, and was not called to Camp Randall until the 16th. The following commissioned officers were from Mad¬ ison: Geo. W. Robinson, Lt. Colonel; John W. Jefferson, Major; Ezra T. Sprague, Adjutant, and Wm. Hobbins, Assist¬ ant Surgeon. There were no Madison companies. The Ninth Regiment was organized at Camp Sigel, at Mil¬ waukee, and was recruited among the German population, Frederic Salomon, Colonel, 'and was mustered into the ser¬ vice October 26. In this regiment, Company F was composed of the Madison Sharp Shooters, of which company, Dominick Ha streiter was Captain, Martin Voigle and John Gerber, FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 279 were Lieutenants, as the first officers. Some changes were made before they left camp, and Martin Voigle was Captain, and A. P. Dcerschlag, First Lieutenant. The Tenth Regiment was organized at Camp Holton, MiR waukee, and mustered into service October 14, Alfred R. Chapin, Colonel; Benton McConnel of Madison, was Quar- master, and was the only person holding an office. Ho com-- panics were attached to the regiment from Madison. The Eleventh Regiment was organized September 18. If was intended at the outset to be a Dane county regiment, but it was soon ascertained that Dane county had already honored? too many drafts upon her citizens, to be able to fill up the regi¬ ment, and it was found necessary to do this, in part, outside of the county. The Regiment was called into Camp Randall dur¬ ing the month of October, and placed under the command of Col. Chas. L. Harris of Madison, with the following field and staff officers: Chas. A. Wood, Lt. Colonel; Arthur Platt, Major; Daniel Lincoln, Adjutant; Chas. 0. Mayers, Quar¬ termaster, and Jas. B. Brittan, Chaplain; H. P. Strong, Sur¬ geon; E. Everett and C. C. Barnes, Assistants. All of the above, with the exception of the three last named, were from this place. Of the companies comprising the regiment, the following were made up of Dane county volunteers: Company A, u Watson Guards,” officered by D. E. Hough, Captain; P. W. Jones, and W. L. Freeman, Lieutenants. Company B, “Mendota Guards,” J. H, Hubbard, Captain; E. S. Oakley and Jas. M. Bull, Lieutenants, and consisted of 101 men. Com¬ panies F and G, the u Harvey Zouaves ” and u Randall Zouaves,” were made up from Dane and other counties; of Company F, E. R. Chase of Madison, was Captain. The regiment left for the seat of war November 20,1861. The Twelfth Regiment was called to Camp Randall during the month of October, under the charge of Col. George E. Bryant, formerly Captain of Company E, of Madison Guards, First Regiment (three months); of the other staff and regi¬ mental officers from Madison, were: De Witt C. Poole, Lt. Colonel; Andrew Sexton, Quartermaster; Jas. K. Proudfit, 280 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Adjutant (formerly Second Lieutenant, Company K, Governor’s Guards of First Regiment, three months), and Rev. L. B. Ma- .son, Chaplain. There was no Dane county company con¬ nected with the regiment. The Thirteenth Regiment was organized September 17, 1861, and volunteers were from the counties of Rock and Green— Maurice Malony, Colonel. The regiment rendezvoused at Janesville. There were no officers or companies from Dane county attached to it. The Fourteenth Regiment was organized in November, and was rendezvoused at Camp Wood, Fond du Lac, David E. Wood, Colonel. There was no representation in this regiment from Dane county. The Fifteenth Regiment was organized in December, at Camp Randall, and was known as the Scandinavian Regiment, Hans €. Heg, Colonel; Hans Borchsenius of Madison, was Adjutant. The Sixteenth Regiment was organized and ordered into camp at Madison early in November, Benj. Allen, Colonel. Of the field and staff officers from Madison were: Cassius Fairchild, Lt. Colonel; Thomas Reynolds, Major; Geo. Sabin, Adjutant. No Madison companies attached. The Seventeenth Regiment was not fully organized until 1862, although a few of the field officers were appointed in October, 1861. Of this regiment John L. Doran was Colonel; Wm. H. Plunkett of Madison, was Adjutant, but afterwards promoted to Major; Thos. Reynolds was Quartermaster, but December 10th was promoted Major of the Sixteenth Regiment. Mo Madison companies represented. The Eighteenth Regiment was organized the latter part of October, and was expected to occupy Camp Randall as soon as the Twelfth had commenced to move for the seat of war. Jas. £. Alban was appointed Colonel, and the remaining officers from the northeastern portion of the State, The Nineteenth Regiment was an “ Independent,” Regiment, the Colonel, Horace T. Sanders, received his appointment from the War Department. It rendezvoused at Racine, and April 20, 1862, was ordered to Camp Randall, to guard rebel prisoners. Madison not represented. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 281 In addition to the above eighteen regiments of infantry or¬ ganized and sent into the field in 1861, there were three cav¬ alry companies organized. Of Company G, First Cavalry, Stephen V. Shipman was First Lieutenant, promoted to Cap¬ tain of Company E, in 1862; E. A. Calkins, Major, and John D. Welch, First Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant of Com¬ pany L, Third Cavalry; and ten batteries of artillery. The •officers named were from Madison. The next day after the mustering out of service of the First Regiment, its late Colonel, John C. Starkweather, was com¬ missioned as commanding officer of the “ Three-years First Regi¬ ment.” The enlistment went on rapidly, and the companies began to rendezvous at Camp Scott, Milwaukee. Of the field and staff officers, Madison was represented by Harry Bing¬ ham, Quartermaster, and Dr. Lucius J. Dixon, Surgeon. The companies were organized in the counties of Milwaukee, Ke¬ nosha, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and St. Croix. The regiment started for Louisville, Ky., October 28. Such, in brief, is an account of the organization of the first eighteen regiments that were formed in this State during the year 1861. It will be seen that a large number of the regi¬ ments were officered in part by Madison and Dane county men, and the companies of volunteers will show that this county did her whole duty in furnishing her quota for active service. There was one Edwin L. Reed, Company H, Second Wisconsin Regiment, son of L. T. Reed of Stoughton, Dane county, who was sick and in the General Hospital in Wash¬ ington. Hearing that a forward movement was about to be made, he left the hospital and returned to the company, where, on account of his feeble condition, he was ordered into the Regimental Hospital. But when, at last, the regiment was formed and in line to move forward, he was found in the ranks, fully equipped, and determined to go. The captain expostu¬ lated, but without effect. The “ double quick ” at Blackburn’s Ford, Thursday, July 18th, was too much for him, and in spite of his earnest protests he was ordered into the Field Hospital at Centerville, where he remained until after the fight on Sun- 19 282 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE day. At four o’clock, Monday morning, July 22d, discovering the Union forces had all gone, he awoke a wounded friend,, and together they started on the retreat. His progress was impeded by his wounded friend, and at Fairfax, they were both overtaken by the enemy, and were “ furnished transportation ” to Richmond. After intense suffering, Mr. Reed died October 23, 1861, in Libby Prison. Capt. J. F. Randolph was also sick and in hospital, and had been for some time, but when the forward movement was made, he came forward and resumed command of the com¬ pany, and remained in command until he was wounded, July 21, 1861. The history of the war, for the year 1862, will he continued in the next chapter. The National Anniversary was celebrated this year with, more than usual interest. The procession was formed of five divisions, the whole under direction of Wi. T. Leitch, Grand Marshal. The first division was composed of the Dane Cavalry,, under charge of Lieut. Timothy Brown, the governor and State officers, soldiers of the war of 1812, with the venerable Nathaniel Ames, the only revolutionary soldier living in the state, born April 25, 1761, and who was consequently over one hundred years of age; a triumphal car of thirty-four young ladies under charge of Herbert Reed, carrying the National Flag representing the States of the Union, escorted by the Governor’s Guards, Lieut. Fuller; the judges of the various- courts, Dane county officers, the mayor and common council,, the chancellor, faculty and students of the State University,, and the Board of Education. The second division, G. P. Dela- plaine, Marshal, was composed of the State Artillery, Capt. McFarland; the Fifth regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, Col. Amasa Cobb; the Sixth regiment, Col. Lysander Cutler. The third division, S. G. Benedict, Marshal, with the Fire Department of the City of Madison. The fourth division, the military companies from Dane county, the Turn Verein Asso¬ ciation, and citizens of Dane county; and the fifth division,. Philander French of Fitchburg, Marshal, with a grand. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 283 cavalcade of farmers. The officers of the day were, Hon. J. C. Fairchild, President; Vice Presidents, five from the city of Madison, and one from each town in Dane county ; Hon. Byron Paine, Orator; D. McFarland, Reader; Rev. W. L. Green, Chaplain; J. H. McFarland, Chief Gunner. The exercises at the stand were very interesting. Judge Paine’s. address was a thoughtful and philosophical production, clear and vigorous in style, and delivered without the aid of notes — the fine voice and elocution of the speaker giving it additional effect. The State Journal , in an article published in the month of December, says: “The year 1861 has been an eventful one r but with all the trials and hard times, of which people have justly complained in other parts of the country, Madison has been exempt. The business has been prosperous, and the improvements of the t town have been considerable and sub¬ stantial, showing a healthy financial condition of our citizens. Among the improvements that have been made during the year, are: the western wing of the State Capitol, which has been put under contract in accordance with act of the Legis¬ lature, approved March 9, and the work of building so far com¬ pleted as to render its completion during the next summer an easy matter. A wing nearly doubling the capacity of the Insane Hospital, has been so nearly finished that it will be opened for patients next spring. These undertakings are of a public character, and have been prosecuted with commendable enterprise. To the business buildings there has been erected the block of S. Klauber&Co., on Pinckney street, adding four noble stores. G. W. Gilman has put up a fine building adjoin¬ ing, eighty-five feet deep. Church & Hawley have lately extended their manufacturing facilities, adding steam works, and various modern improvements in machinery. A. G. Dar¬ win has added to the hotel facilities a commodious house near the depot of the Milwaukee Railroad. This building is thirty- two feet, fronting the railroad track, and fifty-four feet deep, two story high with a longitudinal wing east of the same, fifty-five feet on the track, and thirty feet wide, with a veran- 284 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE dah on the south and east sides. Mr. J. C. Schette erected a large iron foundry during the summer, which, in the fall, was coverted into a flouring mill. Among the residences, are those of C. L. Williams, Esq., corner of Dayton and Hamilton streets; J. W. Harvey, on Johnson stieet; Truman E. Bird, on Pinck¬ ney street; A. C. Davis, corner of Johnson and Pinckney streets; G. A. Mason, on Johnson street; Mr. Walker, a stone building, in form resembling a castle, on Johnson street; A. Sherwun, Esq., on Gorham street; Thaddeus Dean, Esq., on Wisconsin Avenue.” Prince Napoleon passed through the city August 31st, on his way to St. Paul. He and his suit were locked up in one of the cars. There was a large crowd anxious to see him, chiefly on account of the resemblance his features have to those of his celebrated deceased kinsman. The daughter of Victor Emman¬ uel, his beautiful young wife, was not seen. As the train moved on, the crowd gave him a hearty cheer. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 285 CHAPTER VIII. Rebellion History — Death of Gov. Harvey — Elections, 1862-69 — Public Schools, 1862-69 — Old Capitol Demolished and South Wing Built — State Historical Society History — Death of Nathaniel Ames — Steam Navigation —Business Statistics, 1865-68 —History of Governor’s Guards — Arte¬ sian Well — National Anniversaries, 1867-70 — United States Court House — Public and Private Improvements. The administration of Gov. Randall and other State offi¬ cers, terminated at noon, January 6, 1862, at which time Hon. Louis P. Harvey, late Secretary of State, took the oath of office and assumed the Executive chair. Soon after the bat¬ tle at Pittsburg Landing, on the 7th of April, the certainty that some of the Wisconsin regiments had suffered severely, in¬ duced the Governor to organize an expedition for the relief of the wounded and suffering soldiers. In less than twenty-four hours, supplies were gathered, and on the 10th the party started on their benevolent object. On their arrival at Chicago, they found ninety boxes of supplies, etc., furnished, which were for¬ warded, to accompany the party. Of this large number, sixty- one were from Milwaukee, thirteen from Madison, six from Beloit, and the remainder from various parts of the State. On their arrival at Mound City, they administered to the wants of some thirty soldiers, and also at Paducah and Savannah, where the presence of the Governor and the benefactions of Wiscon¬ sin friends did much to alleviate the sufferings of the sick and wounded. After the party had nearly completed their labors, they took the boat at Pittsburg Landing, on the 19th, for Cairo. Here, a disaster occurred which brought sorrow to many hearts, and the loss to Wisconsin of its patriotic Gov¬ ernor. Passing from one boat to the other (the night being dark and rainy), Gov. Harvey made a misstep, and fell over¬ board between the two steamers. Every assistance was ren- 286 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE dered that was possible, but without avail. His body, which had drifted a great distance down the river, was subsequently recovered and identified by his watch and some other property on his person, and was brought to Madison. This sad event made a deep impression on the public mind. Appropriate commemorative services were held at the Assembly Hall, and addresses delivered by Gov. E. Salomon, President A. L. Chapin of Beloit College, and others. The funeral services took place on the 7th of May, and the remains were taken to Forest Hill Cemetery, followed by a large procession, where they are de¬ posited. The Second Regiment, which had been identified with the Army of the Potomac from its organization to this time, and which was the representative of Wisconsin at the first battle of Bull Run, was about the 1st of October united with the Sixth and Seventh Regiments. In the re-organization of the army under Gen. McClellan, these regiments, together with the Ninth Indiana, were organized as a brigade, and assigned to the command of Brig. Gen. Gibbon. Thenceforth their his¬ tory is identical, and the State of Wisconsin may well be proud of their record, which has procured for them the name of the “ Iron Brigade.” As before stated, the city of Madison and Dane county were largely represented in these regiments. President Lincoln’s proclamation for 300,000 additional troops was made July 1, and five regiments were required of the State of Wisconsin. In consequence of this, the Governor called out regiments 21 to 25, inclusive, to prepare for service. The Twenty-third Regiment was composed, in part, of Dane county men, and we find the following officers as being from Madison: W. G. Pitman, Adjutant. Company A, William F. Vilas, Captain, and Sinclair W. Botkin, First Lieutenant. Company D, Jos. E. Green, Captain, J. W. Tolford, First Lieutenant, and F. A. Stoltze, Second Lieutenant. Company E, Jas. M. Bull, Captain, Henry Vilas, Second Lieutenant. Company I, A. R. Jones, Captain, J. M. Sumner, Second Lieu¬ tenant. The casualities occurring in the service this year, as far as re- FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 287 lates to this section, are here given. The names of privates cannot be furnished, as it is impossible to ascertain their loca¬ tion or place of residence. At the battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 5 (Shiloh), Lt. Col. Cassius Fairchild, of the Sixteenth Regiment, was severely wounded in the thigh. Col. Chas. L. Harris of the 11th Wisconsin, was wounded in the arm and leg, at the battle of Bayou Couche, in which • engagement four were killed and forty-one wounded. At the battle of Cedar Mountains (Antietam), on the 9th of August, Capt. Wm. Hawley of Company K, of the Third Reg¬ iment, was wounded in the ankle, and Lieut. T. J. Widvey of the same company, was taken prisoner. This company went into action with 44 men, and lost, in killed and wounded, 18. On the 1st of November following, Capt. Hawley was pro¬ moted Lieutenant Colonel of the same regiment. Maj. J. W. Jefferson of the Eighth Regiment, was wounded ..at the second battle of Corinth, October 3. In the three days’ fight of the 28th to 30th of August, at Gainesville and Bull Run, the Iron Brigade suffered severely. The Second Regiment went into the fight with 430 men, and lost, in killed, wounded and missing, 286. Capt. Julius F. Randolph of Company H, a well known and highly respected young man of Madison, was killed, with twelve of his com¬ pany, and twenty-three wounded. On the day succeeding the battle, Lt. Col. Lucius Fairchild was promoted Colonel. At the spring election in April, L. B. Vilas was the Union candidate for Mayor, and Wm. T. Leitch the Democratic candidate; 1,359 votes were polled, of which the former re¬ ceived 619 votes and the latter 740, being elected by 121 ma¬ jority. Calvin. Ainsworth was elected Police Justice and F. B. Huchting, Treasurer. The following aldermen were also elected: 1st ward, E. B. Dean, Jr., and G. Grimm; 2d ward, T. E. Bird and A. C. Davis; 3d ward, C. W. Heyl and W. M. Rasdall; 4th ward, C. H. Luce and E. Kavanaugh. The National anniversary was observed in the usual manner. Hon. G. B. Smith, President; T. E. Bird, Marshal; W. F. Vilas, Reader; Rev. W. L. Green, Chaplain; J. H. Lathrop, 288 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE Orator. A fine display of fireworks in the evening, closed the celebration. Prof. Chas. H. x\llen, Superintendent of City Schools, in his report for the year, states that there were at the last enu¬ meration, 2,380 children in the city between the ages of four and twenty years—that the whole number registered in the public schools for the term commencing September, 1862, was 656, and the average daily attendance 423. The superinten¬ dent makes a strong appeal for more and better school accomo¬ dations. The improvements in the city were not as large this year as some others. Among them was the enlargement of Fair- child’s block on Pinckney and Main streets, Bemis and Boud- ler’s meat market, N. W. Dean’s block on State and Pinck¬ ney streets, and the Norwegian Lutheran church, corner of Hamilton and Butler streets. The Regents of the State University this year, established a Normal Department, and Prof. Charles H. Allen, was ap¬ pointed Principal. The department was opened on the 16th of March for the accomodation of students of either sex, seeking to educate themselves for the vocation of teaching. The entire south building was set apart for a boarding house r dormitories and other rooms necessary for the department un¬ der the special charge of the Professor, aided by a preceptress. The number of pupils enrolled at the fall term was one hun¬ dred and sixty-two. On the 16th of March, 1862, the Vestry of Grace Church ex¬ tended a call to the Rev. Jas. L. Maxwell, of Bordentown, N. J., which was accepted, and May 18, he entered upon his work as rector. During his ministry a fine organ was added by the liberality of the congregation, at an expense of some $2,500, and gave its first tones to a public congregation on the evening of Easter Monday, April 22,1867. A northern climate being too vigorous for the health of his wife, Mr. Maxwell sent in his resignation May 1, 1867, and removed to New Jersey. On the 17th of March, 1863, the old Madison Hotel, built in FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 289 1837-8, was destroyed by fire. A history of this, one of the oldest landmarks of the city, has already been given in the early history of the town. The annual election for city officers took place the 7th of April. For Mayor Wm. T. Leitch received 774 votes, and Gen.- Wm. W. Teedway, 519. The former was elected by a major¬ ity of 255. For the office of Treasurer, C. W. Heyl received received 501 votes, Kyron Tierney 461, and T. C. Bourke,. 329; the former was elected, and also the following aldermen: 1st ward, J. Zehxpening, John Monaghan; 2d ward, J. H. Carpenter and H. M. Lewis; 3d ward, Jas. Ross and J. T. Stevens; 4th ward, Jos. Hobbins and H. N. Moulton. An act of the legislature was passed and approved March 26, 1863, providing for continuing the work on the State Capitol, by which the Board of Building Commissioners were authorized to let to the lowest responsible bidder, the contract for the building and erection of the foundations of the South wing and of the rotunda and the erection and completion of the North wing; all of which was to be completed by December 31, 1863, the expense not to ex¬ ceed the sum of $63,000. On the 9th of May the bids were opened, and the contract awarded to James Livesey for $50,855 as the lowest bidder. The work of demolishing the old Capitol building was soon commenced. On the 20th of May the State Journal says: “Heavy weights of lead were found in the win¬ dow frames, which in the aggregate were worth $300. Lead was used in the early time as it was cheaper than iron. The building was a somewhat u imposing ” specimen of architecture, and the imposition became the more apparent as the new cap- itol building began to rise around and above it. It was the scene of many interesting incidents, some of them historical, but the greater part should rest under the mantle of forgetful¬ ness. It was in this building that were held the first Legisla¬ tures after the separate organization of Wisconsin as a Terri¬ tory — here were held the first political conventions — here the two constitutional conventions assembled — here Vineyard shot Arndt, and here he was indicted — here the Dodge and 290 HISTORY OF 31 ADIS ON AND THE .Doty controversies were figured and worked out — here was ^enacted the legislation which has made some and unmade oth¬ ers. The old building has witnessed many changes, has stood through good and much evil report, and finally passes away, to the gratification of the people of Madison, who now consider ■the “ Capitol question ” settled.” u The work of building in the city progressed usually well this spring. A large number of dwellings and business blocks 3,re already considerably advanced, and many others will soon he commenced. Among the fine residences now in process r)f erection, are those of Hon. Benj. F. Hopkins on Lake Mendota, Timothy Brown, Esq., and D. K. Tenney. Gen. Simeon Mills, on his farm east of the city, is building an ele¬ gant country residence. A large number of other buildings, nnd additions to old ones, are being constructed. M. D. Mil¬ ler’s block, corner of Carroll and Main streets, is going on finely, and a new block is to be built between the Fox Block {now occupied by Vroman & Frank) and the building now aised for the Post Office.” The “ Turners’ Hall ” was also built. On the 27th of May, Mrs. Magd aline Stoner, wife of Mr. John Stoner, one of the first settlers of the city, died, aged 71 years and 5 months. Mr. and Mrs. Stoner came here the <6th of September, 1837. He built his cabin near Lake Men- Jota, on the low lands near the ridge, and resided in that neigh¬ borhood till his death. Mrs. Stoner was the mother of four daughters and of a son, who is the first male child born of white parents within the bounds of the city — J. Madison Stoner, now a resident of Colorado. The daughters grew up to womanhood, but soon after died of consumption. The old¬ est son, Geo. W. Stoner, is still a resident of Madison. Mrs. Stoner was an estimable lady, and was highly respected by every one. There was no formal celebration on the 4th of July, this year. The Governor, however, directed the State Armorer, Capt. McFarland, to fire salutes at sun rise and sun set. There was a much larger number of persons in the city than was anticipated under the circumstances. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 291 On the 27th of August, Nathaniel Ames, the sole surviv¬ ing revolutionary soldier of the Northwest, departed this life, at his residence at Oregon, (12 miles south of Madison,) aged 102 years, 4 months and 2 days. The chief incidents of the deceased veteran’s life are familiar to the residents of Dane county, as they have frequently been referred to on the 4th of July and other national occasions, in which the veteran, not¬ withstanding his great age and accompanying infirmities, was always pleased and willing to participate. We have seen his pension paper, dated in 1833, signed by Lewis Cass, which cer¬ tified that he was entitled to draw a pension for his services as a private in the revolutionary army. He witnessed the execu¬ tion of Andre, and was present at other historic events of the revolutionary war. He has been for sixty-five years a member of the Masonic fraternity, and his body was buried by them, at Rome Corners, on Sunday, the 30th inst., at 11 o’clock in the morning. Dele¬ gations from the lodges of this city, and from those of adjacent places, were present at the obsequies of this last revolutionary soldier in the Northwest. The Madison Mutual Insurance Company commenced break¬ ing ground for the erection of their new building on Mifflin street, near the corner of Pinckney street, on the 15th of Au¬ gust. It is to be 24 feet front by 60 feet deep. , An act of the Legislature, approved April 2, 1863, incorpo¬ rated the u Methodist Episcopal Church Building Association,” and a meeting was held on the 22d of August, to raise, by sub¬ scription, 150,000 for the erection of a new church edifice. An agent was appointed to visit the different portions of the State to secure assistance for this object. From the report of the Board of Education for the year end¬ ing December, 1863, it appears that the total valuation of school property in the city, including buildings, furniture and grounds, was $26,791.62. The number of seats in all the pub¬ lic school buildings was 709, while the number of pupils en¬ rolled for the fall term of 1863 was 826. It is intended by the Board, if possible, to erect a new building in the Fourth Ward, 292 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE which will increase the number of seats to about 1,000. The census of school children, as taken this year, makes the whole number between the ages of four and twenty, 2,417, of which number 1,150 are males, and 1,267 females. The High School, which had been closed for nearly two years on account of financial difficulties, was this year re¬ opened with 55 pupils. The “First National Bank” was organized December 15, 1863, with L. B. Vilas, S. D. Hastings, N. B. Van Slyke, Geoege A. Mason and Timothy Beown as first Board of Di¬ rectors. We find the following casualties among the officers of Wis¬ consin volunteers, from Madison and vicinity, during the year: At [the battle of Black River Bridge, May 17, Daniel EL Hough, Captain of Company A, Eleventh Regiment, was mor¬ tally wounded, and died at the hospital June 3. At the battle of Gettysburg, July 1, Lucius Faikchild,* Colonel of Second Regiment, was wounded in the left arm, and suffered amputa¬ tion; and Capt. Nat. Rollins, of Company H, same regiment, was taken prisoner and sent to Libby Prison, where he was de¬ tained until December 10, 1864, when he was exchanged. In * Hon. Lucius Fairchild, a son of Col. Jairus C. Fairchild, was born in the town of Kent, Portage county, Ohio, Dec. 27, 1830; received a com¬ mon school education; is by profession an attorney. He came to Wiscon¬ sin, in 1846, with his parents, and settled at Madison. In 1849, he made an overland trip to California, and remained there until 1855, when he returned to Madison. Was Clerk of the Circuit Court for Dane county in 1859 and i860; in 1861, entered the military service with the First Wisconsin Volunteers, and was commissioned successively Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Brigadier of Volunteers, and Captain in the Sixteenth Regiment, United States Regular Army. At the battle of Gettysburg, where he commanded the Second Wisconsin Regiment, of the “ Iron Brigade,” he lost an arm, and, while recruiting his health* received and accepted the Republican nomination for Secretary of State, to which position he was elected in 1863; in 1865, was elected Governor, and was re-elected in 1867 and 1869, serving six years in that capacity, since which time, he has been appointed by the President, United States Consul at Liverpool, Eng., and is, at this date, filling that office with dis¬ tinguished ability. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 293 the State Journal , of May 12, he publishes a chapter of his personal experiences in prison. At Whitewater bridge, in the vicinity of Cape Girardeau, April 24, Capt. S. V. Shipman of the First Cavalry, with forty men of his company, were surrounded by rebels, and had either to surrender or charge through a force of three hundred. They decided on the latter, and started. A deadly fire was opened on them as they advanced, from the front, but the sabres made such havoc among them that the breach was rapidly widened, and in a few minutes the company had cut their way through, and were on their way to the Cape. When nearly through the broken rebel ranks, Capt. Shipman’s bridle rein was cut by a bullet, and his horse became unmanageable, when the crowd that had before given way, closed around him; and striking right and left, fighting with both sabre and pistol, he fell at last with a dangerous wound. Besides the band of rebels through whom they charged, with hundreds firing at them, they were really surrounded by 3,000, who had four pieces of artillery and 3,000 more troops at some distance. Capt. Shipman’s wound, at first .considered fatal, proved very severe, sixty pieces of bone being taken from it at one time, and at last, after months of suffering, left him a cripple for life. Capt. Shipman was subsequently promoted Colonel. His €harge on the rebels, says Mr. Love, in his u Wisconsin in the War of the Rebellion,” “ Will take rank among the most dar¬ ing and grand exploits of the war.” An act of the Legislature, approved April 12, 1864, author¬ ized the Building Commissioners of the State Capitol to let the contract for the completion of the south wing, and for the center part and rotunda to the top of the roof of the east and west wings, to be completed before December 31, and the sum of $60,000 was appropriated for that purpose. Proposals were received, and the lowest bidder was W. T. Fish, for $42,000. Section 9 of the same act which authorized the work to be completed, provides that the commissioners shall not let the contract for a larger sum than $35,000. In consequence of which, Mr. Fish’s bid was declined and the contract was given 294 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Wm. Goodenow of Milwaukee, for $35,000, who agreed to look to the next Legislature for an appropriation to cover deficiencies- The work was immediately begun and completed by the time specified. In the month of April, Rev. Lewis E. Matson of Racine* was called to the pastorate of the Congregational church, where he preached to the great acceptance of the church, until the summer of 1866, when he resigned to accept a call of the Ply¬ mouth church of Chicago. After a season of brief but ardu¬ ous and successful labor there, he was smitten by disease and died at Lyons, France, June 21,1868. The city election took place April 5. The candidates for Mayor were Wm. T. Leitch* and J. H. Carpenter. The former received 602 votes, and the latter 573, Mr. Leitch being elected by 29 majority. For Treasurer, Tnos. C. Boltrke received 514, and C. W- Heyl 624 votes — the latter elected by 110 majority. For Po¬ lice Justice, there were three candidates, James T. Flower* who received 536 votes; Geo. E. Woodward, 172 votes, and John R. Baltzell, 459. Mr. Flower was elected, also the following Aldermen: 1st ward, Andrew Wald and E. Sprague; 2d ward, H. M. Lewis and Tim. Brown; 3d ward, K. Tierney and Ernest Dcerschlag; 4th ward, J. M. Dickinson and Geo- D. Lincoln. Wm. A. Hayes was elected Clerk, and John Reynolds, As¬ sessor. The assessed valuation of city property, as reported by the latter officer, was, real estate, $1,515,160; personal prop- *William T. Leitch is a son of James Leitch, manufacturer of Edinburgh,. Scotland, and was born October 18, 1808. He was educated at that place and remained there until April, 1829. Arrived in the United States May r 1829, and settled in the city of New York, where he resided nearly all the time until June, 1858, when he removed to Madison. While in New York he was engaged in a large and successful business in the wholesale south¬ ern clothing trade, until the commencement of the late war. He has held the office of Mayor for three terms, 1862, 63, 64; was twelve years President of the Madison Horticultural Society, and ten years ves¬ tryman of Grace Church, and has held other offices. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 29J erty, $550,555.50; total, $2,065,715.50. The amount of the' tax levy was $53,575.36. The Second Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers returned* after their three years 1 enlistment, on the 18th of June. Thejr were received with great demonstrations by citizens of Madison** and large numbers from the country. There was no formal celebration on the national anniversary. Salutes were given at sun rise and sun set by the State authori¬ ties. The newspapers of the 5th gave as a reason for the quiet- of the day, that the people of the city and country but re¬ cently had a celebration at the reception of the Second Regi¬ ment, and did not feel inclined to have another so soon. A celebration was held at Mazomanie, in which some of the prominent men of this city participated. At Camp Randall** the “Veteran Reserve Corps,” which was then in camp, had* an impromptu celebration in a quiet way. A table was spread in a grove, and a good dinner provided. Volunteer toasts and speeches were made. A correspondent of the Journal takes the people of Madison to task for their want of patriotism, etc. Capt. Francis Barnes, this year, introduced on Lake Mo¬ nona the “ Scutanawbequon,” brought here from Lake Kosli- konong. It was 28 feet in length, 11 feet wide, and drew 18- inches of water; four horse power engine, and makes about seven miles per hour. Its introduction was a great success*, and was the pioneer of the steam pleasure boats on the lake.* The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, this year, com¬ pleted their road to this place via Beloit, giving the city a di-' rect communication to Chicago without going to Milwaukee. The business of Madison, this year, was promising, and » number of desirable improvements made. W. J. Su lei van 5 built a block west of the Baptist Church, to the corner of Washington avenue. The former residence of Gov. Far well* on Lake Monona, was purchased for a hospital for soldiers, and * It is proper to state that I. E. Brown had a small steamer occasionally* on Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, sofne years before. It was small irs size, and did not pay for running it. Mr. Griffin, of the Lake Side House,*, also had a boat running to accommodate the guests. 296 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE large additions made to it. It was subsequently used as a Home for Soldiers’ Orphans, and supported by State aid. The German Methodist Church, on the corner of Mifflin and Webster streets, was built — a handsome brick edifice. Gen. L. Fairchild erected a store on Main street, near the Capital House, twenty by sixty-six feet, forty feet high, and three sto¬ ries. A. Kentzler built his large brick stable. The following casualities occured in the government service in 1864, as far as relates to Madison: F. A. Haskell, Colonel of the 36th Regiment, at the battle of Cold Harbor, Va., June -3d, was struck by a rebel bullet in the head and was instantly killed. His loss was deeply felt by the men under his com¬ mand, and a host of friends in Wisconsin; with the Iron Bri¬ gade he had faced the fire at Gainesville, Antietam, Gettys¬ burg and other battles in which the brigade participated. In the same engagement, Adjutant B. D. Atwell, of the same reg¬ iment was wounded, and at the battle at Reams’ Station, Va., August 25, he was missing in the action, and was subsequently a paroled prisoner of war. Lt. Geo. E. Albee, of Co. F, was also missing at the same battle, and was also paroled prisoner of war. C. E. Warxer, of Windsor, Dane county, Captain of Co. B., same regiment, was promoted after the battle of Cold Harbor, to the rank of Major and Lt. Colonel, and was wounded in action at Deep Bottom, Va., August 14, which shattered his left arm, rendering amputation necessary. Wm. P. At¬ well, 1st Lieutenant of Co. G., 37th regiment at the assault on the mined Fort at Petersburg, Va., was so severely wounded that amputation of the leg was necessary. At the battle of Bald Hill, near Atlanta, July 21,1864, Lieut. Col. Thos. Reynolds, of the 16th regiment, was shot while passing over cartridges, by a rebel sharp shooter secreted to the right of the regiment. The ball entered his thigh midway be¬ tween the knee and the hip joint, fracturing the bone, but not enough to require amputation. The 11th regiment took an active part in the operations in front of Blakely, Alabama, and received from the commanding officer, in his report of the engagement, the highest praise 41 for a'O v'MIVK ‘A.US'M M a I a'A SEJLTIfi! FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 297 the zeal, energy and faithfulness of both officers and men, and for the gallantry displayed in that memorable charge on the enemy’s works on the 9th of April.” Particular mention is made of 1st Lieut. Angus R. McDonald, who commanded Co, E, for his gallant and heroic conduct; who on mounting the parapet of the enemy’s works was attacked by six men. He knocked down two men with his sabre, and in return received a bayonet wound m the right lung and a musket ball in the right thigh. Sergeant D. B. Moore, of Co. E, whose timely aid saved the life Lieut. McDonald, shot one, bayoneted another, and when his own gun was shattered, seized another, and compelled the remainder of the party to surrender. The annual reports of the Board of Education for the years 1864 and 1865, were published in the spring of 1866, and from them the following statistics are taken: The whole num¬ ber of children of school age in the city according to the last census, was 3,193. The whole number who have attended school, enrolled since September 1, 1864, 978. The Fourth ward school house was reported under contract, and when com¬ pleted, the pressure on the lower departments will be relieved, that a stricter gradation can be made. There were fourteen teachers in the employ of the board. Mr. J. T. Lovewell, as Superintendent and Principal of the High School and Miss Emeline Curtis, Assistant. The salaries of female teachers were $400. The work on the State Capitol was continued on the South wing this year, and an act of the legislature, approved April 10, appropriated $25,000 for that purpose. The census of the state as taken by the State authorities in 1865, gives the population of Dane county, 51,094 — the town of Madison, 804, and the city of Madison, 9,191. At the annual city election E. W. Keyes and Fred. Briggs were opposing candidates for Mayor. The former was elected by about 50 majority. John Reynolds was elected Treasurer, and the following persons aldermen: A. B. Braley and J. Herron, 1st ward; L. S. Ingman and J. Corscott, 2d ward; 20 298 HISTORY OF MADISON ARD THE E. Sprague and A. Herfurth, 3d ward; J. J. Starks and T. W. Gibbs, 4th ward. The assassination of President Lincoln, on the 15th of April, was sensibly felt here, as in other places. A meeting of the citizens was held, and arrangements made for appropriate mem¬ orial funeral ceremonies. Owing to unfavorable weather the procession was omitted, and the services were held in the As¬ sembly Hall on the 19th. Remarks were made by Gov. J. T. Lewis, Hon. Chauncey Abbott and Rev. Lewis E. Matson. The remains of Gen. Theo. Reed, a son of Prof. Daniel Reed of the State University, who was killed in a recent en¬ gagement before Richmond, Ya., were brought to this city, and appropriate services were held at the Assembly Hall, with an ad¬ dress by Prof. Jas. D. Butler. The remains were interred in Forest Hill cemetery. The 89th National Anniversary was celebrated this year in a suitable manner. The closing of the war of the Rebellion had taken place, and it was decided at the preliminary meetings held by the citizens, to have a great celebration. The follow¬ ing were the officers of the day, and brief account of the exer¬ cises: Gen. David Atwood, President; Vice Presidents, one from each town in the county; W. H. C. Hosmer, Poet; Rev. W. L. Green and Rev. J. L. Maxwell, Chaplains; Col. Geo. E. Bryant, with six assistants, Marshal; Reader, Col. Wm. Vilas; Hon. Geo. C. Bates, of Chicago, was expected to de¬ liver the oration, but failed to appear, and Hon. H. S. Orton filled his place. In the afternoon there was a target practice on the shore of lake Mendota, the gun Napoleon was served by a squad of the veterans of the 3d battery under command of Capt. H. F. Hubbard. The target which was anchored at a distance of a thousand yards from the shore consisted of two dry-goods boxes in a skiff. The shots were well made, and the exercises interesting to the large number present. There was a supplementary celebration held in the Park in the afternoon,, which was enlivened by music from a quartette choir of male singers. I. N. DeForest presided, and speeches were made by J. W. Johnson, S. G. Bean, Rev. Geo. Fellows, Rev. L. E. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 299 Matson and Henry Drew. In the evening, Wisconsin Ave¬ nue was crowded, and a fine display of fireworks was made on the avenue west of the Presbyterian church. The new Yacht St. Louis, that had been recently placed on Lake Mendota, did an extensive business in half hour trips to Pic-nic Point, and Capt. Barnes’ steamer, the u Scut,” was well patronized. The Yacht is a beautiful boat 30 feet in length by twelve feet eight inches broad, and is schooner rigged. In July the clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Dane county published a table of taxes raised by the towns of the county for paying bounties to volunteers and furnishing aid to their fam¬ ilies; from this report, the amount of tax raised in the county, was $485,532.42; raised by private subscription, $153,984.86.; raised by county tax for soldiers families, $9,234.33. Making the whole amount raised by the county, $648,751.61. The town ol Madison raised $7,813.19, and the city of Madison $96,077.00,. of which $23,000 was by private subscription. The City Assessor reports the taxable property of this city, viz: Real property, $1,835,318.00; Personal, $1,163,543.79 — an increase over the previous year of $325,000. The amount of tax to be collected, $36,755.42. The Internal Revenue tax as published for 1864-5, shows. Dane county entire $53,329.85 — city of Madison, $42,044.95, of which last amount, $32,292.75, was from incomes. In addition to the statistics above given, the following show¬ ing the value of the manufactured goods in Madison for the year past, may prove interesting, prepared by W. T. Leitch, City Assessor: Iron manufactured and agricultural implements.$108,685 00 Clothing. 100,806 co Flour, 12,000 barrels... 72,000 00 Tinware. 20,74700 Lager beer. 61,11000 Coal gas. 27,000 00 Cabinet, ware. 14,000 00 Boots and shoes. . 29,508 00 The first bill for a Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home was introduced 300 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE in the Assembly in 1865; but the law authorizing the present establishment was enacted by the Legislature of 1866, although the Home was opened January 1,1866; the necessary means being contributed by private subscription. The amount re¬ ceived from this source, was $12,834.69. The building, on the bank of Lake Monona, not quite a mile from the capitol square? was erected for a residence by Governor Farwell, in 1856. During the war it was purchased by the United States Govern¬ ment and converted into the widely known “ Harvey Hospital,” for the care and treatment of sick and wounded soldiers. The property was purchased by the State for $10,000, and the Home became a State institution, March 31, 1866. Prior to the pur¬ chase of the property by the State, the institution had been opened by Mrs. Harvey and a temporary board of trustees. Under their direction, the building was thoroughly refitted and furnished, and at the time the State took possession, there were eighty-four orphans duly admitted and properly cared for. Mrs. C. A. P. Harvey, the widow of Governor Harvey, was the first Superintendent. On the first of May, 1867, Mrs. Harvey resigned as Superintendent, and General Harnden as Financial Agent. Mr. F. B. Brewer succeeded Mrs. Harvey, and Mrs. Brewer was appointed Matron. Mr. Brewer resigned the 1st of January, 1868, and Rev. I. N. Cundall was elected to the position. After filling it over a year, he resigned, and was succeeded by W. P. Towers, and Mary Towers, his wife, as Matron. Mr. Towers resigned March 1, 1872, and was succeeded by R. W. Burton, who is the present Superintendent. The orphans are not only maintained, but educated and are brought up to habits of industry. Under the law of 1870, six of the pupils of the Home have been sent to the Normal School at Whitewater to be educated at the expense of the State for two years, the expense not to exceed $200 per year for each pupil. On the 30th of September, 1873, there were 153 children in the Home. The Legislature of 1872 appropriated $30,000 for the current expenses, and in 1873, $20,000 for the same pur¬ pose. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 301 During the year 1871, one of the hoys of the Home, Mendel P. Blakesley, of Patch Grove, was recommended by the exami¬ ners as a suitable candidate for the naval school at Annapolis, and in June he went there, passed the examination at the school and was appointed by President Grant. During the year, the Home received $23,000 in bonds and $554.97 accrued interest, after paying all the expenses in secur¬ ing this magnificent bequest; which was the Home’s share of nearly one hundred thousand dollars left by Horatio Ward, deceased, an eminent American banker, who died in London, England, to the various Homes that have been formed through¬ out the loyal states for the orphans by the late war for the res¬ toration of the Union. The philanthropic testator expressed his desire as to the disposition of this fund as follows: “I judge that the interest only, for a time, will be used, and that the bequest will be so managed as to give the orphans, as they become of age, a sum of money to fit them out in life, and thus gradually extinguish the fund.” The Legislature of 1871 enacted a law to the effect that after September, 1871, all children remaining in the Home shall be¬ come the wards of the State, and that the State Board of Chari¬ ties and Reform shall be their legal guardians, with authority to bind out any of the children to such trade or occupation as is deemed best, and to exercise a close supervision over their interest and safety, during their minority. The improvements of the city for the year were numerous and valuable. The beautiful block of Mr. Kohner, on Main street, is one of the finest ever built in the place. It is 33 feet front by 120 feet deep, three stories high above the basement, built of cream colored brick, with large plate glass windows. This building was erected on the site of the old framed build¬ ing known as the Dean and Ruggles building. Some notice of this old landmark which was removed in June of this year to make room for its elegant successor, may not be inappropriate. The building was erected in the summer of 1843, and occupied by Dr. J. D. Weston as a drug and grocery store. He was sue- 302 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE ceeded by Shields & Skeedek,* who largely increased the business. In 1849, E. B. Deak, Jr., and J. D. Ruggles formed a copartnership, and occupied this building. It was next occu¬ pied by Gray & Starks, succeeded by Gleasok & Houghtok^ who established a hardware store, which stock was subsequently purchased by John N. Jokes. On the completion of Mr. Jokes 1 new building on Pinkney street, he/ removed, and the old building was overhauled and refitted for a drug store for Deak & Pardee, who occupied it until the time came for its removal. Among the improvements of the year was the erection of “ Immanuel Church 11 by the German Evangelical Society, on the comer of Pinckney and Hamilton streets — a very neat brick building 34 by 50 feet; the two. story dwelling house of Wm. Yromak, comer of Henry and Gilman streets, and numer¬ ous others. Late in the fall the first Nicholson pavement was laid on Main street, on the southeast side of the park. In closing up the record of the war history as far as relates to Madison and Dane county, the annexed account of the his¬ tory of the Governor’s Guard will prove of interest. It has been prepared with great care by Chakdler P. Chapmak, Esq., of Madison. It will be seen that the Governor’s Guard has a noble record. It furnished some of the bravest of men who served in the recent War of the Rebellion. The “ Governor’s Guard,” an independent company, attached to the Eighteenth Regiment of Wisconsin State Militia, was organized, at a meeting held in the city of Madison, January 30, 1858. The history of the company, from the time of its organiza¬ tion to the commencement of the rebellion, is much the same as that of similar organizations. In common with them, its members had to patiently endure the taunts of overwise civil¬ ians as to the childishness of “ playing soldier,” belonging to the “floodwood” militia, and the like. Their record below is their justification. ^Shields & Sneeden built the brick block next to Verhusen, and re¬ moved their goods from the Weston store. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 303 Their close application to drill under the direction of com¬ petent officers, soon gave them the reputation of being one of, if not the best disciplined company in the northwest. At the time of the first call for troops, in April, 1861, the roll of active members was smaller than it had ever been be¬ fore. At their last street parade they turned out but little over thirty muskets. Promptly on the first news of the call, the company ten¬ dered its services to the Governor, and, after being recruited to the maximum, assigned to the First Regiment of three months men. Since that time (the 20th of April, 1861,) no meetings of the company have been held, and the military history of its indi¬ vidual members, given below, is its history. Can any military organization in the United States, of its age and numbers, show a better record? If so, let the names and dates be published; if not, we claim the championship for the “ Governor’s Guard,” of Madison, Wis. The regiments are of Wisconsin volunteers, unless otherwise mentioned. Brigadier General. —Ltjcius Fairchild. —Capt. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy. (3 mos.), April 20, 1861; Capt. 16th Regulars, Aug. 5, 1861; Lt. Col. 2d Regt., Aug. 20, 1861; Col., Aug. 30, 1862; Brig. Gen. IT. S. Vols., Oct. 20, 1863. Colonels. — Wm. Hawley —Capt. Co. K, 3d Regt. Infy., April 24, 1861; Lt. Col., Aug. 9, 1862; Col., March 10, 1863. T. S. Allen —Private Co. K, 1st Regt., (3 mos.); Capt. Co. I, 2d, April 2, 1862; Major, Aug. 22, 1861; Lt. Col., Sept. 8,1862; Col. 5th Regt., Dec. 25, 1862; Col. 5th, (reorganized), Sept. 5, 1864. John W. Jefferson —Major 8th Regt. Infy., Aug. 8, 1861; Lt. Col. Feb. 2, 1863; Col., June 1,1864. Charles L. Harris— Lt. Col. 1st Regt. Inf., (3 mos.), April 22, 1861 ; Col. 11th, Sept. 2, 1861. George E. Bryant —Capt. Co. E, 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.); Col. 12th, Sept. 27, 1861. Mustered out at expiration of three years’ service. James K. Proudfit —2d Lt. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.), April 2, 1861; Adjt. 12th, Sept. 27,1861; Lt. Col., July 30, 1863; Col., Hov. 21, 1864. 304 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Cassius Fairchild —Major 16th Regt. Inf., Oct. 10, 1861; Lt. Col.* Dec. 10, 1861; Col., March 17, 1864. Frank A. Haskell —Adjt. 6th Regt. Infy., June 2, 1861; 1st Lieut. Co. I, July 5, 1861; 1st Lieut. Co. D, April 18,1863; Col. 36th, Feb. 9, 1864; killed, June 3, 1864. Ezra T. Sprague —Corp. 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.); Adjt., 8th, Sept. 3, 1861; Col. 42d, July 29, 1864. Lieutenant Colonels. — Julius P. Atwood —Lt. Col. 6th Regt'. Infy., May 28, 1861; resigned Sept. 14, 1861. DeWitt C. Poole —1st Lieut. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.), April 20,1861; Lt. Col. 12th, Sept. 25, 1861; resigned July 3,1863. Commis¬ sioned Lt. Col. Yet. Reserve Corps. Thomas Reynolds— Q. M. 17th Regt. Infy., Dec. 7, 1861; Major 16th, Dec. 10,1861; Lt. Col., March 17,1864. Wm. F. Yilas —Capt. Co. A, 23d Regt. Inf., Aug. 14, 1862; Major, Feb. 26,1863; Lt. Col., March 23,1863; resigned Aug. 29, 1863. Chas. A. Wood— 1st Sergt. Co. K, 1st Regt. Inf., (3 mos.); Lt. Col. llth r Sept. 2, 1861; resigned June 7,1863. Wm. H. Miller —2d Lieut. Co. E., 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.), April 20, 1861; Major 2d Cav., Dec. 10,1861; Lt. Col., June 13, 1863. Majors. — Wm. H. Plunkett —1st Lieut. Co. E, 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.) ; Adjt. 17th, Nov. 11, 1861; Major, Nov. 25, 1862. A. J. Ward —Surgeon 2d Regt. Inf., Aug. 6, 1861; Surgeon 43d, Aug. 12,1864. Benton McConnell —Q. M. 10th Regt. Infy., Aug. 22,1861; Paymas¬ ter, Feb. 19, 1863. H. K. Lawrence —Paymaster U. S. A., June 30,1862. Joseph E. GrEen —Capt. Co. D, 23d Regt. Infy., Major, Aug. 29, 1863. Captains. —A. A. Meredith —1st Lieut. Co. H, 2d Regt. Infy., May 9, 1861; Capt, and A. C. S., June 11, 1862. Julius F. Randolph —Capt. Co. H, 2d Regt. Infy., April 26, 1861;: killed, Aug. 28, 1862. Nat. Rollins— 2d Lieut. Co. H, 2d Regt. Infy., April 26,1861; 1st Lieut., June 11, 1862; Capt.. Aug. 29, 1862. Edward R. Chase —Sergt. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.); Capt. Co. F, 11th Regt. Infy., Oct. 2, 1861; Capt. Yet. Reserve Corps. E. S. Oakley —1st Lieut. Co. B, 11th Regt. Infy., Sept. 30,1861; Capt. r Feb. 15, 1862; resigned, Jan. 23, 1863. Wm. G. Pitman —Lieut. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy.,(3 mos.); Adjt.23d Regt. Infy., Sept. 1, 1862; Capt. Co. I, April 6, 1863; resigned, Dec. 16,1863. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 305 - A. R. Jones— Capt. Co. I, 23d Regt. Infy., Aug. 20, 1862; resigned, April 4,1863. J. W. Tolford— 1st Lieut. Co. D, 23d Regt. Infy., Aug. 21, 1862; CapL Co. G, May 11, 1863. Albert Pearson —Chief Mus’n 2d Regt. Cav.; 1st Lieut. 1st Ark. Cay.,- now Capt. Geo. T. Clark —Capt. Co. of Colorado Cavalry, on expedition against Indians. •ifianiLiy ’S ’O uojSniqsB^,, '^d^o—craotfaYug; o ‘H Lieutenants. —Lewis D. Aldrich —Sergt. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy., ($ mos.); Adjt. 4th Infy., June 14, 1861; died, May 21, 1862. Jas. D. Ruggles —Q. M. 2d Regt. Infy., June 12, 1861; resigned Feb. 27, 1863. Theodore J. Widvey —1st Lieut. Co. K, 3d Regt. Infy., April 24, 1861; resigned, March 13,1863. H. B. Lighthizer —2d Lieut. Co. E, 4th Regt. Infy., June 8,1861; 1st Lieut., Aug. 24, 1862; resigned, June 2, 1863. James L. Baker —2d Lieut' Co. D, 23d Regt. Infy., Feb. 6, 1863; 1st Lieut., May 30, 1863. Daniel R. Coit —1st Lieut. 11th'Reg. Infy., May 14, 1861. L. C. Mitchell —1st Lieut., 19th Regt. Infy. George M. Sabin —Corp. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.); Adjt. 16th, Nov. 19, 1861; discharged at expiration of three years’ service, having declined promotion as Lt. Col. 5th Infy. Ed. Illsley —A.. A. Paymaster, U. S. Navy. Geo. E. Bacon —Adjt.-Regt. N. Y. Yols. Jesse T. Gleason —Adjt. 23d Indiana Yols. Wm. S. Hobart —1st Lieut. Pennsylvania Yols., (3 mos.) Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates. — Jas. Murison —N. C. S., 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.) C. P. Chapman —N. C. S., 6th Regt. Infy. Chas. Chittenden —N. C. S., 11th Regt. Infy. J. W. Johnson —Corp. Co. K, 1st Regt. Infy., (3 mos.) Henry Pellage —Leader of Gen. Blunt’s band. Murdered by Quant- bell’s guerillas. T. D. Kanouse —Musician 6th Regt. Infy. Geo. W. Smith —Private in Berdan’s Sharpshooters. T. T. Richardson —Private in Berdan’s Sharpshooters. A. C. Mills —Private, 40th Regt. Infy. BOS HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE RECAPITULATION. Brigadier General,.1 ^Colonels,.9 Lieutenant Colonels,. 6 Majors, .. . . . 5 Captains,. 10 "Rebel Captain,.1 Lieutenants, ..12 Non-Commissioned officers and privates,.9 Total, ..53 1866. The south wing of the State Capitol was completed according to contract, and the rooms and offices put in readi¬ ness for use. The State Historical Society removed their valuable library and collections to the second floor of the wing, which had been appropriated for their use by the State Legislature, and prepared with suitable glass cases and furni¬ ture. On the evening of January 24th, the rooms were formally dedicated by appropriate services in the Assembly Chamber — addresses by I. A. Lapham, LL. D., President of the Society, and Ex-Gov. Edw. Salomon, and singing by a select quartette choir. Hon. J . Y. Smith, in writing of the opening of the new rooms for the State Historical Society, says : u The occasion was one of unmingled satisfaction to the founders and early friends of the enterprise, and of deep interest to the large assembly convened upon the occasion. We know of no enter¬ prise of the like magnitude, which reflects so much credit upon the State as this. While its cost in money has been but trifling, its usefulness is beyond estimate. It will be a favorite and profitable resort for state officers and members of legislatures, professors and students of the University, and the curious and studious of all classes; and future generations of citizens will bless the forethought which provided such a reservoir of knowledge. No stranger should visit Madison without spend¬ ing a day at the Historical rooms, where he will always find a cordial welcome.” FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 307 Mr. Smith also gives an interesting account of the history of the Society, from which the following extracts are taken: “ The State Historical Society, which was organized in Jan¬ uary, 1849, was re-organized under a charter of the legislature of 1853. In the re-organization, Gen. Wm. R. Smith was elected President, and Lymax C. Draper, Corresponding Sec¬ retary. “ The growth and prosperity of this Society began from the date of its rd-organization. Under the energetic and untiring efforts of the Secretary, Mr. Draper, it made rapid progress from this time onward, in the objects for which it was formed — the securing of historical collections. He. opened correspondence with other societies, and with indi¬ viduals throughout the county, soliciting donations and exchanges from every available source, as well as written contri¬ butions and relics relating to the history of our own State, and the result was, that collections rapidly accumulated. “ Mr. D. S. Durrie was chosen Librarian at the election in January, 1856, but for two years his duties were but nominal and rendered without compensation. The Society in 1856, procured rooms in the basement of the Baptist Church, and in 1858, the collections had become so large and of so much interest, that the Librarian devoted his whole time to the duties of that office, in which position he has been continued by the votes of the Society to the present time. “ Chiefly as the result of the labors of the Corresponding Secretary and Librarian, tbe Society has become a success beyond anything of the kind in this section of the country.” The Library* now numbers, January, 1866, 21,366 volumes, bound and unbound, of which 1,136 are bound newspaper files. Of the latter, 138 were published in the last century, several of them by Dr. Fraxklix, and one volume in the century preceding. The Society has, moreover, sixty oil paintings, mostly portraits; over 400 atlases, maps and diagrams, some *The Library contained, January i, 1874 , 57,254 books, pamphlets and documents, 91 oil portraits and paintings, and 2,144 volumes of bound newspaper files. 308 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE of them giving us the vague ideas entertained of the American continent nearly two hundred years ago. The Society has an exceedingly interesting collection of mementoes aud relics of the recent war, and many curious articles, both^natural and artificial, sent it from various sections of the State. The city election took place April 3d. E. W. Keyes,* was the Union candidate for Mayor. Simeon Mills was solicited to be a candidate, which honor he accepted, but declined, before the election. Wm. H. Nolan (colored), received 306 votes. Mr, Keyes, 961, and was elected. There was no opposition to Col, S. V. Shipman for Treasurer, who received 1,402 votes. For Police Justice, Jas. M. Flower received 586 votes, and John R. Baltzell, 825, and was elected by 239 majority. The fol¬ lowing Aldermen were elected: H. Lacher and Jas. Conklin* First ward; H. M. Lewis and John Corscott, Second ward;, Kyron Tierney and M. Neinhaber, Third ward; and Geo. W, McDougal and J. C. McKenney, Fourth ward. The water in the lakes this spring was higher than than for many years. The marsh, north of the capitol, was submerged, the bridges across the Catfish were broken and drifted away, and all travel out of the city by the usual route was cut off. It was some little time before the injuries could be repaired. An act of the legislature was passed and approved for the completion of the State Capitol and heating the same, the latter to be completed by December 1,1866, and the former, December 1, 1867, and the sum of $110,000 appropriated, of which amount $85,000 was to complete the building, and $25,000 for the heating apparatus. As required by the law, the building commissioners received proposals for the work, but the amount * Elisha W. Keyes, Esq., is a son of Capt. Joseph and Cleve Keyes, and was born at Northfield, Washington county, Vermont, January 23 , 1828 . He came to Wisconsin with his parents in June, 1837 . He resided at Lake Mills* Jefferson county, until 1850 , and removed to Madison in December of that year to commence the study of law. He was admitted to the bar October 14 , 1851 , and was elected District Attorney for Dane county, 1859 anc * 1860 * He was appointed Postmaster at Madison in April, 1861 , and re-appointed in 1865 , 1869 and 1873 , an d has been the Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee for a long term of years. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 809 appropriated proving insufficient — the amount of the lowest bid being $151,500 — the commissioners decided not to take any further steps in the matter, but to refer the same to the next legislature. The steam heating apparatus was put in the building during the year, at an expense of $25,000. The Legislature, at the same session, passed an act approved April 11, for erecting one transverse and one longitudinal wing on the east side of the main building of the Hospital for the Insane. On the 19th of June proposals were received from oontractors, and the contract was awarded to A. Proudfit for the mason work at $64,500, and Anderson, Davidson & Co., oarpenter work, $33,500, the whole amounting to $98,000. Dr. A. H. Van Norstrand succeeded Dr. J. P. Clement as Superintendent, April 20, 1864, and discharged his duties until June 6, 1868, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Dr. A. S. McDill, who served until April 29, 1873, and was succeeded by Dr. Mark Ranney, the present Superintendent. The entire length of the hospital building is 569 feet, the center building being 65 by 120 — the first longitudinal wing on each side of the center is 132 feet, and the last, on each ex¬ tremity, is 119 feet. The transverse wings are 87 feet long. These elegant and commodious buildings are surrounded by ornamental grounds, wood and farming lands to the extent of 393 acres, and when the extensions and improvements contem¬ plated are added, will make it a complete institution, creditable to the enterprise and philanthropy of the people of Wisconsin, and well adapted for the care of the unfortunates needing their protection. The construction of the Madison and Baraboo Railroad, with a station in the northeast corner of the hospital farm, gives the institution a railroad connection, the absence of which has heretofore been a serious drawback to the locality. From the annual report of the Board of Education for the year 1866, we have the following items: The whole number of children in the city of school age, 3,366. The present school accommodations are for 965 children; the building of the Fourth Ward School House, on lots 1 and 2, block 48, over¬ looking Lake Monona, was put under contract to Jas. Livesey 310 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE for $12,130, and outbuildings, $500. This building was com¬ pleted during the year, and is built in the Italio-American style T 65 feet front by 42-J- deep with projections in front of 5 by 22 feet, and 7 by 22 in the rear. It is constructed of buff colored Edgerton brick, with magnesian limestone dressing with a. gable or pediment on each four sides, and a bell tower in the center of the roof. It is heated by two furnaces in the basement. Hon. J. G. McMynn, then State Super¬ intendent, pronounces it 6t the best arranged school build¬ ing in the State.” The board propose to purchase lots 2 and 3, block 138, for the Second Ward School, and intend to com¬ mence immediately the erection of a school house modeled after the Fourth Ward School. The Board of Regents of the University, in their report for the year 1866, say they have purchased the lands adjoining the University grounds, some 195 acres, which, with lands now be¬ longing to the institution, 40 and acres, form one tract with an area of 235 acres. These lands were purchased for an experi¬ mental farm, and the funds obtained from the proceeds of bonds issued by Dane county to the amount of $40,000, to be devoted to this purchase. The Government of the United States having in 1862, donated to the State of Wisconsin 240,000 acres of land for the benefit of agriculture and mechanic arts, the in¬ come of a fund to be derived from the sale of these lands, was appropriated to the support of the University. Hon. J. L. Pickard was elected President of the University y which position was by him declined, and it was then tendered to Prof. P. A. Chadbourne, of Williams College, who also de¬ clined, but reconsidered his decision and entered upon his duties in 1867. The value of the University property reported, in¬ cluding the University grounds, agricultural college lands and University buildings was $466,709.18. The library contains 2,600 volumes. On the 21st of May, 1866, a contract was made with J. H. Un¬ derwood, for sinking an artesian well in the Capitol Park, near the building, with wrought iron tubing, eight inches ex¬ terior, and six inches wide; to be sunk five hundred feet. No FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 311 water was obtained at that depth, and the work was continued to the depth of 1,026 feet, or more than 100 feet below the sea level, but without success. As will subsequently appear, the well was made serviceable and used to great advantage. Of this well Maj. H. A. Tenney says: It very clearfy revealed the existence of ancient and intense igneous action beneath, and proves that our primary is not only below all other local min¬ eral ranges, but is equally beneath the deepest borings in the gypsum and salt beds of Michigan and Illinois, the coal reg¬ ions, and the saline deposits of the great plains, and it is more than suspected that it is the central focus of all the deep drain¬ age of this portion of the Continent. The celebration of the 90th National Anniversary was a great success. One newspaper says: “No celebration ever' passed, off more satisfactorily or more creditably to all con¬ cerned.” The stores on the main streets were gaily decorated with banners and flags, and at least 20,000 persons were pres¬ ent; 700 came from Janesville; a train of 12 cars, with 700 or or 800 from Beloit and way stations. Some 3,000 are presumed to have come by the cars. The procession was very large, one; a procession of battle flags, one hundred and forty in number,- borne by those who had served under them; a procession of Soldiers 1 Orphans, Engine Companies, etc. Gen. Lysander Cutler was Chief Marshal, and Gen Cassius Fairchild, Mar¬ shal of the Day. The officers of the day were: Hon. L. S, Dixon, President; Vice Presidents from Dane county towns; Rev. J. L. Maxwell and Prof. J. D. Butler, Chaplains; J. E. Murdock, Reader, and Hon. Levi Hubbell, Orator. A pre¬ sentation of the flags to the State was made with address by Col. W. P. Lyon, and reply by Gov. Fairchild. The exercises were interspersed with readings by Mr. Murdock and singing, by the soldiers 1 orphans. The city assessor in July, published a statement of the taxes of the city — the whole amount, city, state and county, to be collected is $57,760. The total valuation of property, $2,799,686, a percentage of about two per cent, against two and thirty hundredths last year. M2 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE The success of Capt. Barnes’ little steamer the Scut, induced the owner to build a new one, 50 feet long and 11| wide, cap¬ able of carrying 15 tons and 80 persons. The boat was made at Whitewater, was launched on lake Monona, April IT, and did a large and lucrative business. The Captain, with his usual foresight, purchased Squaw Point, Lake Monona, and gave it the name of u Winnequah,” built a large dance room, with re¬ refreshment rooms, a fine bowling alley, and fittted up the grounds with swings, etc., making it one of the pleasantest spots around Madison for pic-nics. Messrs. Young & Bro., built this year on the vacant lot ad¬ joining the one they owned, a block of two stores, 80 feet long and 40 feet wide, of cream colored brick, three stories high, the third story used as a Masonic Hall. The Lake Side Water Cure, on the opposite side of Lake Monona, was, in June, remodeled and prepared for a public house. It was advertised as capable of accommodating 120 guests. The building is four stories, and has all the conveni¬ ences of a first class hotel. B. Frodsham, Esq., was the lessee. It soon became known for the beauty of its location, and was and is a favorite resort for summer visitors from St. Louis and other localities. On the 4th of November, St. Raphael’s Church was conse¬ crated with the imposing ceremonies of. the Roman Catholic Church. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Henni performed the service, and a sermon was delivered by Father Riordan. The large building was filled to its capacity, over 1,000 persons being present. The Bishop administered the rite of confirmation to 250 persons. One of the prominent city improvements, this year, was the erection of the Rasdall House on King street. It is a large and handsome building, 85 by 75 feet, four stories high, and basement, with 72 rooms, and a dining room 58 by 25 feet, large rooms for parlor, reading room, saloon, etc. Andrew Kentzler completed his large brick stable, one of the finest in the State, built of Edgerton brick, and is 74 feet $>y 66 feet, two stories, which, with the old building connected FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 313 with it, makes a building 66 by 132 feet — occupying the whole lot. L. D. Stoke erected a large and elegant dwelling house In the Fourth ward, below the depot of the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. N. W. Deak, stone barn, 33 by 80 feet, in rear of the American Hotel; German Catholic Church, on Johnson street, near State street; B. W. Suckow’s brick dwelling house; Sokeksok & Fredricksoh, stone planing mill and sash and blind manufactory; and framed dwelling houses erected by S. Hegak, C. Heikrichs, J. Y. Smith (double), W. J. Sulliyak, W. Davidsoh, W. Deards, Mr. McGoyerk, and others. In December, the first steam fire engine was received, and tried on the shore of Lake Monona, with one thousand feet of hose. Steam power was used five minutes after the fire was made. The engine was a success every way. An act of the Legislature, approved April 11, 1867, author¬ izing the Building Commissioners to provide, by contract, for the building of the rotunda of the State Capitol, and roofing the same, to be completed by Dec. 1 of that year, and $85,000 appropriated for that purpose. On the 18th of May, the bids that were offered were opened, and the contract awarded to Wm. Goodehow, for the sum of $83,636. The Governor, in his message to the Legislature, January 9, 1868, recommends an appropriation for the construction of the Dome. In the message, he states, u that the artesian well in the park has been sunk to the depth of 980 feet, but, up to that date, had not proved a success — that the completion of the present contract will leave the well 1,000 feet deep. There had been expended upon it $8,622.70. In February, of 1867, Rev. Chas. H. Richards was called from Kokomo, Ind., to become pastor of the Congregational Church, and, on the 10th of March, entered upon his work, in which he still continues. From the Church Manual, published in 1869, it appears that the church has a membership of 226; an admirably manned Sunday School of about 400 members, with an average attendance of 260 since the year opened; a Ladies 1 Benevolent Society, worked actively for the poor ; and 21 314 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Ladies’ Missionary Society, which raises about $300 for the support of a female missionary in India. On the 23d January. Hon, A. Van Wyck delivered an ad¬ dress before the State Historical Society, at the Assembly Hall — the first annual address since the society occupied their rooms in the Capitol. At the spring election for city officers, held in April, Alden S. Sanborn* and Jas. K. Proudfit were the opposing candi¬ dates for Mayor. The former received 856 votes, and the latter 608; Mr. Sanborn being elected by 248 majority. For City Treasurer, Wm. Helms received 579 votes, and Geo. Memhard, 895, and was elected by 316 majority. The Aldermen elected were: 1st ward, Robert Nichols and Sam. Engel; 2d ward, A. R. Jones and M. T. Bailey; 3d ward, M. Christophers and P. B. Kissam; 4th ward, H. N. Moulton and Simon Foren. The Grace Church (Episcopal) received, in April, their new pipe organ, which was the first of the kind introduced in the city churches. It has 680 pipes and 20 registers. The new steamer, u The City of Madison,” was completed and placed on Lake Mendota May 15. It has two engines, 64- horse power each, and boiler capable of running a 20-horse power engine; is 56 feet long, 13 feet beam, 18 feet across the paddle boxes, with a cabin 16 feet by 12. It was built by E. & W. Hendricks, and very strongly constructed, and is de¬ signed to run to the Hospital for the Insane, Picnic Point, and other places on the lake. This was the first steamer built for this lake. The Celebration on July 4 was observed in the usual manner,. * Hon. Alden S. Sanborn was born in the town of Corinth, Orange county, Vt., Oct. 21 , 1820 ; was educated at academies in New England and New York; is by profession an attorney. He came to Wisconsin in 1846 , and settled at Milwaukee; was Treasurer of Milwaukee county in 1849 ; District Attorney of Brown county in 1851 and 1852 , and of Outa¬ gamie county in 1853 and 1854 ; was member of Assembly for the Third District of Dane county in 1862 , 1863 and 1864 , and for the Fifth District in 1870 ; was Mayor of Madison in 1867 , and City Attorney in 1869 . FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 315 with a large gathering of people from the country. J. C. Gregory, President; Rev. J. C. C. Clarke, Chaplain; Prof. B. M. Reynolds, Reader; J. M. Bull, Poet; Capt. A. R. McDon¬ ald, Marshal; Hon. H. S. Orton, Orator. The address of the latter was highly spoken of. From a published account of the sales of merchants of Madi¬ son, as reported to the Assessor of Internal Revenue for the year ending April 30, 1867, whose sales exceeded $30,000, we extract the following: S. Klauber & Co., dry goods, etc., $275,000; S. L. Sheldon & Co., agricultural implements, $250,000; M. E. Fuller & Co., same, $191,500; J. Lenz & Co., (10 months,) $154,000; Dunning & Sumner, .drugs and gro¬ ceries, $105,000; A. Findlay, same, $100,000; Klauber & Ott, groceries, $100,000; Ramsay & Campbell, hardware, $88,000;. J. N. Jones, same, $70,250; E. W. Skinner & Co., agricultural implements, etc., $77,500. From the annual report of the Board of Education, for 1867, we have the following statistics, and also the improve¬ ments carried forward; “The whole number of school children, 3,559; an increase of 193 since 1866; number enrolled during the year, 1,626. The following is a description of the Second Ward School House, which occupies, with its grounds, lots 2, 3 and south¬ west half of 4, in block 138: “ The grounds have a front of 165 feet on Gorham street, and a depth of about 265 feet to Lake Mendota, upon which it has a border of about 165 feet. This site, which contains one acre, is well supplied with native forest trees, and cost $1,650. “ The building is 61 feet front by 42 feet deep, with vestibule projection of five by twenty feet in front, and eleven by twen¬ ty-six feet in rear. “ The basement walls are of stone, laid upon a concrete foun¬ dation, composed of broken stone and cement — are eight feet high. The rooms are well lighted, and floored with brick laid in cement, upon concrete of gravel and cement, and afford am¬ ple room for furnaces and fuel, as well as play room for pupils, in stormy weather. 316 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE “The building above the basement is constructed of Edger- ton brick, with limestone trimmings. It is two stories high, with four gables, and a bell tower rising from the centre to the height of about 60 feet from the ground, in which is hung a 600 pound bell. “ There are four school rooms, each 26 by 34 feet, and 13 feet high, capable of furnishing seats for 64 to 72 pupils, with am-, pie wardroom closets. “ The exterior woodwork is painted and sanded. The inte¬ rior is grained to represent oak. The rooms are warmed by Littlefield’s hot air furnaces, and are each furnished with two ventilating flues, with iron fan registers, which, with the con¬ veniences for opening windows from top and bottom, it is be¬ lieved will insure complete ventilation. U A small room, 10 by 12 feet, on the second floor, may be used as a reception room, or for recitations, or as teachers’ pri¬ vate room. “ The water from the roof of the whole building is conducted to a cistern under the basement of the rear vestibule, which has a capacity of about 250 barrels. 11 The water closets, 18 by 26 feet, are in the rear of the rear vestibule, and so constructed as to form part of the building, and by means of the cistern the vaults can be frequently washed and the contents sluiced into a cesspool some 150 feet distant. A ventilating shaft, extending from the vaults to the top of the smoke-stack, affords an escape for gasses and foul air. u The building was erected by contract with W. T. Fish, Esq., by whom the mason work was done; the carpenter work by Messrs. Sorenson & Frederickson; the plastering by Messrs. E. Sharp & Co.; the tin work and heating apparatus by Messrs. Lewis & Allen, and the painting by Messrs. Pollard & Nel¬ son. The whole work was under the general superintendence of L. P. Drake, Esq., and cost $16,000. The architect was G. P. Randall, of Chicago.” The United States Government having purchased the lots on the corner of Mifflin street and Wisconsin avenue, for a Court FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 317 House and Post Office, the building known as the Catlih dwelling house, was removed in July, having been sold to Judge E. Wakeley, who had it taken apart and removed to Omaha, Nebraska. The first improvements on this corner were a log house put up by Johh Catlih, Esq., the first Postmaster, in 1838, and a two story framed building subsequently added to the front, facing the Capitol square. It was a fine building in its day, and, after Mr. Catlin’s removal, had many occupants, among others, N. B. Van Slyke, Esq,, Wm. A. Mears and E. W. Keyes. To the elegant and costly structure erected on its site, we shall hereafter refer. There was a number of important improvements made during the year. Among them a fine stone block on Wash¬ ington avenue by Dr. J. B. Boweh, on the ground occupied by the Dane county store, the building on which was destroyed by fire the year previous. The buildings are sixty-six feet by sev¬ enty feet deep, and extend to the corner of Webster, and pre¬ pared for three stores. The new Lutheran church, corner of Washington avenue and West Canal street, a stone building thirty by fifty feet; Sharp & Oakley’s brick front building adjoining the Methodist church on Pinckney street, twenty- three by thirty-four feet, two stories; Draper’s meat market, corner of Miffln and Hamilton streets, brick, twenty-two by forty feet; W. J. Sullivah’s extension to his block on Pinck¬ ney street; T. O’Neill’s Hotel near depot of Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, two story brick; Geo. Fess, stone barn in rear of his boarding house, thirty-five by thirty feet, two sto¬ ries brick, and a large number of framed dwelling houses; S. Mills, two story brick store on Main street, near the old post- office. A meeting was held on the 16th of August to organize an association, to be known as the “ Wisconsin Academy of Arts and Sciences.” Nothing however was done until the year 1870, when it was organized under a charter by act of legislature, ap¬ proved March 16 of that year. The following statistics in part, in regard to the railroad business of Madison station during the j^ear 1867, indicates 318 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE something of the amount of business transacted. Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad: Total tonnage east, 16,495,610 lbs; west, 5,415,070 lbs; of this amount were 232,904 bushels wheat, and 386,500 lbs. dressed hogs sent east. Merchandise sent west, 2,143,200 lbs, and agricultural implements, 866,810. Chicago and Northwestern Railroad — sent east, 279,167 bush, wheat and 638,800 lbs dressed hogs. In these statements are omitted minor details of shipments. On the 12th September, 1867, the Rev. Henby W. Spald¬ ing, of Evansville, Ind., was invited by the Vestry to the charge of Grace church, and he entered upon the duties on the 10th of November following. In the year 1868 the basement of the church building was floored, plastered, and put in complete order for Sunday school and evening services, at an expense of $1,874.49, and in the following year the old brick building erected in 1850, and lat¬ terly used as a chapel and Sunday school room, was taken down. In 1868, the Governor of the State, in his message to the Legislature, January 14, 1869, states that the rotunda of the State Capitol is now completed, and that a contract was en¬ tered into in May, 1868, with C. S. Rankin & Co., of Cincin¬ nati, Ohio, for the erection of the dome for the sum of $90,000, the work to be completed on or before December 1, 1869. He also states, that when the dome is finished, the capitol will have cost $528,315.60. The following account of the internal arrangements of the State Capitol, is taken from the “ Legislative Manual:” u The present capitol exhibits an attractive outside appear¬ ance, and is generally admired. The stone for its construction was supplied from quarries near Prairie du Chien and Madison. The inside is handsomely finished, and contains complete con¬ veniences; although more are yet necessary. In the basement are the water closets; boiler room, from which the building re¬ ceives heat; carpenter shops; book room; the roost of the war eagles, u Old Abe ” and “ Andy ” and some committee rooms. On the upper floor, the four passages of which are neatly laid FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN, 319 with squares of blue and white flag, are the departments of the several state officers. In the north passage are the offices of the State Treasurer and School Land Commissioners; in the south passage the offices of the Superintendents of Public Property and'of Public Instruction and the office of Attorney 'General; in the east passage the offices of the Governor and Secretary of State, and in the west passage those of the Adju¬ tant General, legislative clerks and State Agricultural Society, the last of which contains some fine specimens of minerals and other scientific curiosities. From the centre of these passages the rotunda and dome are seen to a great advantage. The sec¬ ond floor is reached by wide iron stairways, ascending from the south and north passages. This floor is diversely laid with red, yellow and black tiles, and in the centre a heavy iron ballus- trade marks the rotunda. In the east is the Senate Cham¬ ber; in the west, the Assembly Chamber; in thp north, the Su¬ preme Court Rooms and State Library, and in the south, the -choicely filled rooms of the State Historical Society. The first purchase of books for the State Library was made in 1837, and it has received additions since, which make it very complete and valuable. The Historical Society rooms, always attractive to visitors, present an array of books, pictures, sculpture and lit¬ erary and other curiosities which are not only interesting and suggestive to Badgers, but to residents of other states. In one of these rooms, the torn and pierced flags carried by Wisconsin regiments during the late war, are carefully preserved in a glass enclosure, and in another room is a rare collection of ani¬ mal, mineral and vegetable curiosities belonging to Mr. Isaac Lyon, father of Judge Lyon, of the supreme court, and the greatest delight of this courteous gentleman is to give all visi¬ tors information concerning them. “ The collection in these rooms have for years past been re¬ garded as very creditable to the State, and to Hon. Lyman C. Draper, the patient and persevering originator of them. Mr. D. S. Durrie, the Librarian, has held that office since January 1, 1856, and has taken an active part in the management to the present time. Since the Chicago fire destroyed the histori- 320 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE cal depository there, these collections can be recognized as the largest and most valuable in the Northwest. “ More iron stairways lead to the galleries and committee rooms of the chambers, and yet more, but narrower ones, lead to the store room where the arms and munitions of the state are kept and to the tholus; from which topmost elevation impressive downward view of the whole rotunda is obtained. The outside of the tholus affords convenience for enjoying an an exceedingly fine view of the city, lakes and surrounding country. “The height of the Capitol from the basement to the gold gilt eagle on the top of the flag-staff is 225 feet and six inches, and exclusive of steps and porticos, the total length of the north and south wings is 228 feet, and of the east and west wings, 226 feet. “ Some impressive scenes have been witnessed in this Capitol during the war, when the legislature were acting on war meas¬ ures, and also when the veteran soldiers, on their return, were welcomed with song and feasting in the chambers. “ As characteristic of the vim and energy of the residents of Wisconsin, it must be stated that the Capitol building pro¬ gressed and heavy expenditures were made on it, while they were sharply pressed to raise their share of men and means for the war. “ The Capitol is surrounded with walks, greenswards, shrub¬ bery and trees, which are carefully kept in good condition, and these, with the pearly white building rising in their midst, elicit the general expression that Wisconsin has a choicely lo¬ cated and elegant Capitol.” The election of city officers took place on the 7th of April, at which time David Atwood* received 859 votes for *Gen. David Atwood was born at Bedford, New Hampshire, December 15 , 1815 . At the age of sixteen years, he removed to Hamilton, Madison county, New York, and commenced work' at a printer’s case. After he became a master of his craft, he traveled extensively through the southern and western states for nearly three years, most of which time he was engaged in the printing business. In 1839 he returned to Hamilton, New FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 321 Mayor, and Wm. T. Leitch 853 votes, the former was elected^ For Treasurer, Jas. Conklin received 1,016 votes, and Chas> Hammer 684; Mr. Conklin’s majority 332. For Police Justice^ J. R. Baltzell received 897 votes, and J. C. McKenney 807; Mr. Baltzell’s majority 90. The following were elected' Aldermen: First ward, S. Engel and A. McGovern; Second ward, R. Wootton and H. Steensland; Third ward, Ole Thompson and P. B. Kissam; and Fourth ward, L. D. Stone and A. S. Frank. On the 27th. of May, the corner stone of the new United- 1 States Court House was laid with appropriate Masonic cere¬ monies, by the officers of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin. Addresses were made by Gov. Fairchild, President P. A. Chadbourne and others. On the 31st of May, the German Lutheran church, on Wash- ington avenue and West Canal street, was dedicated. This church was organized in 1856, and in 1858 the congregation^ built a small meeting house on Main street, near the depot of the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad. This build-' ing was occupied by them until the last year, when the present edifice was erected. It is 32 by 60 feet, 20 feet high, with a belfry. The building is wood and cost about $3,000. At the dedication service, Prof. S. Fritschell of St. Sebald, Iowa, ; Rev. J. Hauser of Cottage Grove, and Rev. H. Vogel, the" Pastor, delivered addresses. York, and commenced the publication of a weekly newspaper called the Palladium , in conjunction with his brother. In 1859 came to the wesb and located a farm near the city of Freeport, Illinois, which he soon after disposed of, and removed to Madison, Wisconsin. He became connected with the Madison Express and remained with it until the fall of 1852 , when he commenced the publication of the Daily State Journal , which he has ever since published; in its early management he was associated" with Hon. Horace Rublee, now United States Minister to Switzerland. Gen. Atwood was a member of the legislature in i 860 , and was appointed^ United States Assessor when that office was first created. In 1868 he held the office of Mayor of the City of Madison. On the decease of Hon. B. F- Hopkins, Member of Congress, Gen. Atwood was elected to fill his unex¬ pired term of office. 322 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE There* was no celebration of the national anniversary by the civil authorities this year. There was a large gathering of people from the country to attend a circus performance. The patriotism of the day seemed confined to the younger portion of the community, who indulged largely in fire crackers and small artillery. The City Assessor published in August, a statement of the valuation of taxable property as follows: Real estate, $2,733,179; personal property, $1,356,745.67, being an increase of one mil¬ lion of dollars since the last year. The report of the Board of Education, for 1868, shows the whole number of persons of school age, 3,485; whole number enrolled since September 2, 1867, 2,087. The expenses of the city schools for the year were, $34,815.58, which amount was for school furniture, repairs, supplies and teachers’ salaries. The amount of taxes levied for city, state, county and school purposes this year, was $88,412.81; in addition to which is $6,000 indebtedness to Madison Driving Park Association, and a bonus to the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chien Railroad of $25,000, for the completion of the road from Madison to Sun Prairie, making the whole amount $119,412.81 — a tax of two and eight tenths per cent, on the valuation. Jas. M. Sumner, this year, raised a three story building on Main street, between Pinckney and Henry streets, 22 by 132 feet, and Simeon Mills erected a fine block of stores on Main .street, 66 feet by 80, on the site of his former residence. The following exhibit shows the gross amount of sales of the leading business firms in the city of Madison, as returned to Assessor Main, for the year ending April 30, 1868. None are included whose sales have not exceeded $25,000. Consider¬ ing the great depression in the value of merchandise the past year, and especially in dry goods and clothing, this list is a very creditable one, and in the aggregate quite largely exceeds the sales of 1866-7, and especially so in agricultural imple¬ ments, the sales in this department reaching $900,000, none .of which were manufactured here except those sold by E. W. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 323 Skinner & Co. Deputy Assessor Main estimates the aggre¬ gate of sales during the year in the city at $3,500,000: S. L. Sheldon & Bro., agricultural implements, - - - $350,000 M. E. Fuller & Co., agricultural implements, - - - 345,000 S. Klauber & Co., dry goods and clothing, ... - 260,300 J. Lenz & Co., dry goods and clothing, .... 127,000 Alex. Findley, groceries and drugs,. 105,200 S. Klauber, King street, groceries,. 95,500 Wayne Ramsay & Co., hardware,. 95,009 Dunning & Sumner, groceries and drugs, .... 93,500 L. P. & M. P, Jerdee, agricultural implements, - - - 87,000 McKey Bros. & G. H. Folds, dry goods, .... 73,300 John N. Jones, hardware,. 68,300 J. L. Bartels, dry goods,. 52, OOo H. Steensland, groceries,. 46,000 W. J. & F. Ellsworth, groceries,. 45,000 J. W. Sumner & Co., groceries and drugs, nine months, - - 45,000 Geo. Paine, groceries and drugs,.41,000 M. L. Daggett, groceries,. 39,000 Huntley & Taft (now G. W. Huntley) groceries, - ' - 36,000 Moseley & Bro., books,. 36,000 E. B. Crawford, clothing,. 45,000 M. Friend, clothing, . 42,090 J. M. Dickinson, dry goods, ------- 42,000 Gray & Co., coal, salt, etc.,. 50,000 E. W. Skinner & Co., agricultural implements, - - - 60,000 The city election of 1869, came off April 9. There was no regularly nominated candidate for Mayor made by the Bepub- licans. The vote for that office was 1,350 for Andrew Proud- fit, * and 145 for Elisha Burdick. For Treasurer Frank * Hon. Andrew Proudflt, was born in Argyle, Washington county, New York, in August, 1820 . He came to the Territory of Wisconsin in June, 1842 , and took possession of some lands in Brookfield, then in Milwaukee county on the Rock river canal reservation, which was not then in the market. He cleared 60 acres for cultivation, part of which was heavy tim¬ ber, set out an orchard and built a barn. This property he sold in 1847 . Mr. Proudfit removed to Milwaukee, and was bookkeeper for Shepard & Bonnell from 1844 1° J 846 . He then went to Delafield, where he improved a large tract of land and built a mill. He carried on a large business at 324 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE Massing received 714 votes, and Willam Habich 784, who was elected by 70 majority. The aldermen elected were, Geo. An¬ derson and D. K. Tenney, 1st ward; M. T. Bailey and A. R. Jones, 2d ward; H. Winckler and J. M. Bowman, 3d ward; U Peter Young and Simon Foren, 4tl ward. Hon. L. S. Dixon received 1011 votes for Judge of Supreme Court, and Geo. E. Bryant 1018 votes for County Judge. The expenses of the city for the past year were $26,919.26, and the bonded indebtedness $254,000 — The assessed value of personal property, $3,839,502. In the month of May, the section of railroad between Madi¬ son and Sun Prairie was finished, thereby shortening the dist¬ ance to Milwaukee twenty miles, and bringing Madison in con¬ nection with Watertown and points east. The first passenger train arrived here from Milwaukee May 22. that place for six years. In 1852 he was elected Commissioner of the Fox and Wisconsin River Improvement, and was re-elected in 1853 . During that year the works were transferred by the State to a stock company, and he closed the business and was engaged the remainder of that season in building three miles of the Milwaukee and Watertown railroad, under a sub-contract. In the year 1854 , he built the south wing of the State Prison at Waupun, and completed the same in October of that year. In Novem¬ ber, 1854 , h e took the contract for building the State Lunatic Asylum at Madison, and had expended over $ 19,000 on the same, when the Legisla¬ ture repudiated the contract. By act of the legislature the matter was settled by a board of arbitrators. In 1855 he disposed of his unsold prop¬ erty at Delafield by exchange with Beriah Brown of Madison. In the year 1858 and 1859 he represented the Madison district in the State Sen¬ ate. In 1864 , he built the north wing of the State Capitol, and laid the foundation to the rotunda and south wing. In the year 1867 he built and completed the last two wings of the State Lunatic Asylum at Madison. In the spring of 1869 , he was elected Maj'or of the city, and was re-elected in 1870 by large majorities. During the war he had a number of contracts for subsistence and other supplies for Wisconsin soldiers. He has also been connected with one of the largest agricultural implement houses in the State since 1862 . Mr. Proudfit is Vice President of the First National Bank in Madi¬ son, and is regarded as one of the most successful business men in the city. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 325 The Roman Catholic Church, known as the “ Church of the Holy Redeemer,” was formally dedicated on the 22d of May by Rt. Rev. Bishop Heuni. The exercises were very impressive, twelve priests assisted in the service. This church was organ¬ ized in 1855 with some forty families, and has at this date about two hundred and fifty members. The building is of Madison stone, 125 feet long, 52 feet wide and 40 feet high. The main audience room is 30 feet at the sides, and 36 feet at the top of the arched ceiling in height, tower 160 feet high. The cost of the building is about $25,000. In the afternoon the Bishop ad¬ ministered the right of confirmation to 102 persons. During a severe storm in the year 1874, the steeple was so much in¬ jured as to require its removal; a new and more architectural one is to be erected. The anniversary of National Independence was not formally observed by the citizens or authorities. Celebrations were held at Mazomaine and Middleton station in this county. The an¬ niversary this year came on Sunday, and as a consequence Sat- turday, Sunday and Monday were more or less observed by the different nationalities as a holiday on Saturday, the Dane County Stock Association had a fair, which, with races adver¬ tized in connection with it, drew a large crowd. The sermons by the city clergymen on the 4th, were of a highly patriotic character. We do not find notices of as many improvements in the city this year as some others. Billings & Firmin' built their Mad¬ ison Plow Factory on Webster street, of stone, two stories in height, 50 by 66 feet. This establishment has been very successful and the excellence of their plows has achieved for them a wide reputation. The small brick chapel on Washington avenue, which had been occupied by the P. Episcopal Church as a house of wor¬ ship, was demolished in the summer. From the report of the Board of Education for 1869, it ap¬ pears that the city schools afforded facilities for 1125 pupils — the whole number of students enrolled since September 2, 1868,* 2,080. Students in attendance at the making of the re- 326 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE port, 969. Number of children of school age, 3,640. The Su¬ perintendent of Schools refers to the necessity of the immediate erection of the University Avenue school house, which had been prominently brought before the public. Simeon Mills erected this year one of the finest residences in the city, on Wisconsin Avenue, near Lake Monona, 66 feet on the avenue and 75 deep, of cream colored brick, with Mansard roof, etc. FOUR LAKE COUNTRY OF WISCONSIN. 327 CHAPTER IX. Efforts to Remote the State Capital — Notice of Col. Bird — History of Grace Church, continued — Park Hotel Com¬ pany — University Ward School House — “ State Journal ,r Reminiscences — Public Improvements, 1870-4 — Female Col- lege—Schools — National Anniversary — Railroad Enter¬ prises— The Messersmith House—Yacht and Boat Clubs — Notice of John Stoner — Presbyterian Church Improve¬ ments— Methodist Episcopal Church — Artesian Well — High School Building — Elections, 1870^4 — Grace Church Chimes — Congregational Church Building — Dane Countv Cave — Conclusion. At the session of the State Legislature, held in 1870, a vig¬ orous effort was made by the citizens of Milwaukee to remove the seat of government from Madison to Milwaukee. Similar efforts had been made from the very first session of the Terri¬ torial Legislature, in 1836. On the 19th of February (1870), a hill was introduced for this purpose, and referred to the com¬ mittee on State Affairs, which was reported back unfavorably. In the report, the committee referred to the want of hotel ac¬ commodations for the large number of persons visiting the capital during the sessions of the Legislature, but saw no good reasons, after the State had expended so large an amount in the erection of the present building, to make a change. On the 28th of February, a memorial was received from the citizens of Milwaukee, making a formal tender to the State, and free occu¬ pancy of the extensive and costly buildings now in process of erection for the County Court House, to be constructed in their interior arrangements under the supervision of the State; the property occupying the whole of block 71 in the city of Mil¬ waukee. To this memorial the Board of Supervisors assented- The bill in the Assembly came up for action on the evening of March 9, in committee of the whole, when a long and ex¬ citing debate took place on the merits of the proposed removal. The bill was reported back to the Assembly, with an amend-* 328 HISTORY OF MADISON AND THE ment striking out all after the enacting clause, when a motion was made that the bill be indefinitely postponed, which mo¬ tion prevailed, the vote being 55 in the affirmative and 31 in the negative. Soon after the adjournment of the Legislature, a meeting was called of the prominent citizens of the city to organize the “ Park Hotel * Company,” which was chartered by an act of the Legislature, approved March 18. Several meetings were held, and propositions made for a site for the proposed building. The lots on the southeast corner of the public square, corner of Carroll and Main streets, were purchased of LL W. Dean", Esq., the company organized, and stock sub¬ scribed to an amount sufficient to erect the building. The work was commenced and continued during the winter, and the house ready for occupancy in 1871. A description of this elegant building will hereafter be given. On the 25th of February, 1870, one of the first and most noted settlers of Madison paid the debt of nature. On that .day, Col. Augustus A. Bird died very suddenly at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. Johh Starkweather, in Green Bay, in the 68th year of his age. He was apparently in good health and had, less than an hour before, walked home from town, and was sitting at the table, when his head suddenly dropped forward, and he was dead. He is supposed to have died from the effects of cancers, of which he had several near the heart. Col. Bird was born on the 1st day of April, 1802, in the State of Vermont. His mother was a daughter of Dr. Bur- , ee rfi e ld . The Township of Deerfield lies on the eastern border of Dane county, in township 7 north, of range 12 east. The town is very well watered by Koshkonong creek, which enters the town on the west line, runs easterly and empties into what is known as Krogh's Mill Po?id } a large body of water which covers a portion of six sections of land. Mud creek enters the town on the south line, and run¬ ning north empties into this pond—large enough in area to be called a lake. Goose Lake lies in the northeast comer on sections 1, 2,11 and 12. Norah P. O. is on section 29. The first settlers in the town arrived 1841-42; among them were David R. Hyer, B. Ingraham, Colben Oleson, and Stork Oleson. Mr. IIyer located on section 9; he was the first postmaster of Deerfield postoffice, established in 1843, and held the office for eleven years. During this time he kept hotel, and bought and kept on hand supplies for the stages running from Madison to Milwaukee and Janesville to Columbus. The first annual town meeting was held at Mr Hyer’s house April 3, 1849. At this meeting, Allen E. Adsit was elected Chairman of Board of Supervisors; Emery Sampson and George R. Fryer, Supervisors; H. L. Foster, Town Clerk; Benjamin Potter, Treasurer, and Martin W. Adsit, Assessor. Population, 1870,1,040. DUNKIRK. The Township of Dunkirk lies in the southeast part of the county on the south line, also known as township 5 north, of range 11 east. It was one of the original towns at the organization of the county in 1846. The Yahara or Cat Fish runs through the town, entering on the north line on section 4, and passes out on the south line on section 35. On this stream are good water powers. The village of Stoughton is located on sections 5 an 8 on this stream, and is also a station on the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, and is a-place of much business. It contains a hotel, three stores, flouring mill, plough factory, Baptist and Episcopal churches, a large wagon factory, a number of mechanical shops and many hand¬ some residences. Dunkirk village is a small settlement on section 21. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad passes through the central part of the town, entering on the east line on section 25, and running northwest¬ erly, passes out on the north line, on section 5. The first town meeting was held in 1846, at the house of Mr. Lyons. Abner Barlow was elected first supervisor. 400 APPENDIX. The surface of the county is gently undulating; the soil is good, and produces the usual varieties of grain, and some tobacco. Population in 1870, 1,194, DUNN. The Township of Dunn is situated in the southeast quarter of the county, and is township 6 north, range 10 east. Lake Waubesa, or Sec¬ ond Lake, covers portions of sections 4, 5, 8 and 9, on the northwest part; Lake Kegonsa, or First Lake, on the eastern side, also takes a portion of sections 13, 23, all of 24, 25 and 26; Hook Lake, in the southwest part, on sections 28, 29 and 32; Mud Lake on section 10. The soil is clay in the openings, and black loam on the prairies. A large number of the settlers are Norwegians. The town of Dunn was so named by mistake. The inhabitants petitioned to have it called Door, but the Town Clerk mistook the word and called it Dunn. The early settlers were A. Weatherby, A. Whitcomb, E. Root, William: Root, H. Prichard, William Calladay and O. B. Moore. The town was organized in 1848. There are eight schools and one church. Indian relics abound on almost every hill. Mounds, in the shape ot animals,, birds and fishes are numerous. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad passes through the northeast corner. On section 3 is the village of MacFarland, a station on the rail¬ road. Population in 1870,1,172. FITCHBURG. The Township of Fitchburg, formerly known as Greenfield, is situated in the south central part of the county, known as town 6 north, of range 9 east. The north tier of sections is watered by a small stream which has its rise in nine springs in section 3, and Penora creek, on the eastern side, on which is located the village of Lake View. Stoner’s Prairie is the name of a post office on a prairie of that name on section 30. At that place, John Stoner, of Madison, made improve¬ ments as early as 1838. Oak Hall Post Office is a small settlement on section 33. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad passes through the town, entering on the south line on section 35, passing northerly out at section 2, into the town of Madison. Syene is a station and post office on the railroad, on section 11. The first settlers were, Wm. Quivey, Jos. Vroman, P. Pritchard, R. W. Salisbury, W. True, Geo. W. Fox, Wm. H. Fox, Geo. Keenan and John Keenan. Wm. Quivey’s log cabin was hotel, Post Office and town house for a long time. The Fox settlement was a well known locality before towns were established in the county. DANE COUNTY TOWNS. 401 At the town meeting held April 4, 1854, S. W. Field was elected" Chairman; Isaac Eaton and M. Grady, Supervisors; R. C. Bennet, Town Clerk; P. S. Nott, Treasurer; C. Postle, Assessor. Population in 1870, 1,152. MADISON. The township of Madison includes all that portion of township 7 north, of range 9 east, except the city of Madison, and is situated near the center of the county. Almost the whole of the northern part is covered by the waters of Lake Mendota, and a portion of the eastern part by Lake Monona. Lake Wingra occupies the larger part of section 27 and parts of sections 26 and 28. The town is traversed by the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, which enters it from the south at section 36, passes north¬ westerly and westerly through the city and town to section 18, where it passes into Iowa county. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad enters on the south line on section 35, runs northerly across Lake Monona, and northeasterly through the city into Columbia county. The history of the town is identical with that of the present city, and' has been given heretofore and is unnecessary to be repeated. On section 6, on the north side of Lake Mendota, Black Hawk and his party were encamped during the Black Hawk war. Quarry town is a small settlement on sections 20 and 21. Population in 1870, 857. MAZOMANIE. The township of Mazomanie is situated in the northwest corner of Dane county, and is composed of sections one to eighteen, inclusive of township 8 north, of range 6 east, and fractional part of township No. 9, lying south and east of the Wisconsin river. The northern half of this township is marsh or meadow land, very rich and productive. The southern half is watered by Black Earth creek and its tributaries. The village of Mazomanie is a thriving place of business; located on sections 9 and 16, and is a station of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, which road passes through sections 16, 17 and 18, in the southwest part of the town. It contains two grist mills, an Episcopal, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Primitive Methodist and Congregational Churches; a good school house, 4 public houses, 2 nurseries, a brewery, and a number of stores and shops. The town was organized in 1855. The first settlers came from Liver¬ pool, England, in the fall of 1843. A Mr. Charles Wilson, Agent for the British Temperance Emigration Society, purchased a quantity of land, a portion of which was occupied by the members of the society. The' names of the settlers were J. Rhodes, J. Ray, J. Homes, G. Robbins,, 402 APPENDIX. J. Kerr, and others; also, Mr. A. Senier, not a member of the society, located on section 18. The first school house was built in 1847, on section 15, and known as Howarth’s,” or the “ old log school house.” The first church was .erected on section 16. It was called the First Congregational Church, and its pastor was the Rev. D. Jones, of Dover, Iowa County, Wisconsin. The first school teacher was Mary Hayes, who resided on section 15. The first marriage that occurred in the town was that of Mr. Leach and Miss Reeve. Mr. Wm. Thompson, after coming to Wisconsin, returned to England for his family. On their way back to Wisconsin, his wife gave birth to a ■son, and they named it in honor of the vessel in which they were travel¬ ing, Patrick Henry Thompson. Population in 1870; town, 569; village, 1,144. MEDINA. The Township of Medina is situated in the northeastern part of Dane ♦county; the eastern side divides it from the county of Jefferson. It is known as township 8 north, range 12 east. The northern portion is watered by Waterloo creek. Spring creek is a tributary in the central part. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad passes across the town, entering on the east side on section 12, passing out on section 6. Deanville is a village and station on section 8. The village of Marshall is located on Waterloo creek, on sections 10 and 15. The town was first settled about 1846. It derived its name from Me¬ dina, Ohio, the former residence of most of the settlers, among whom were Chas. Lum, S. Muzzy, Martin King and Asa Crass. The first town meeting was held April 4,1848, when Chas. Lum was elected Chair¬ man, and Urbane Parsons Town Clerk. In 1847 there was no school house, meeting house, or any other public building, except an inferior tavern. In the fall of 1848 a brick school house was built, which answered the purpose of school house, town house and meeting house, for nineteen years. In 1866 an academy was built, costing six thousand dollars. In 1869 the Baptist and Methodist societies each built a meet¬ ing house. In 1871 a town hall was erected, so the town is now pretty well provided with public buildings. On the site of the present village of Marshall, Zenas H. Bird, a brother of Col. Bird, put up the frame for a large building, with the view of establishing a tavern at that locality; but other routes of travel began to be opened, and Mr. Bird, regarding the prospect as unpromis¬ ing, abandoned the premises. Left to the action of storms and weather, the building, in the course of two or three years, fell to the ground, and DANE COUNTY TOWNS. 403 hence the place was named “ Bird’s Ruins.” Bird sold to Doulass, Douglass to Hanchett, when the place was called Hanchettville. Han¬ chett laid out a large territory, and named it Howard City. The prop¬ erty was sold on a mortgage, and bought by Samuel Marshall, from whom it derives it present name. The village contains an excellent grist mill, hotel, Baptist church, a few stores and mechanical shops. Population, 1870, 1,525. MIDDLETON. The Township of Middleton lies near the central part of the county, adjoining Madison on the west, and known as township 7 north, of range 8 east. This is one of the early settled towns in Dane county. It is watered on the northeast by Pheasant Branch, and on section 1 is the small village of that name. On section 9 is a large expansion of water known as Mud lake, from which a small stream runs westward into Black Earth creek. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad crosses the town, entering from the east on section 13, passing out at section 7. Middleton Station, a place of considerable business, is located on section 11. It contains a steam planing mill, an elevator, four public houses, distillery, a few stores and shops. East Middleton postoffice is on section 27, Middleton post- office on section 30. The town was originally a part of the town of Madison. It was organ¬ ized as a separate town in 1848. The first Supervisor was Thos. P. Whittlesey. f The*early settlers were Wallace Rowan, Michel St. Cyr and Col. Wm. B. Slaughter, a more particular account of whom will be found in the former part of this volume. Rowan early located as an Indian trader, at the head of Fourth lake, and was there at the outbreak of the Black Hawk War, in 1832. He was succeeded as a trader by Michel St. Cyr. Whisky and tobacco •constituted his stock in trade. But this trade v.us not sufficient for a livelihood, and he cultivated about eight acres of ground, raising corn, oats, potatoes, and a few vegetables. His cabin was a small' affair, but he entertained the few traders that passed through the country. This was on the site of the City of the Four Lakes. Col. Wm. B. Slaughter entered the land in 1835, and conveyed an undivided one-half to Judge Doty, December 20th, in that year, with a view of having a town laid out there, and eventually securing the Territorial Capital at that point. It was surveyed and plotted in 1836. But Col. Slaughter being absent at the time of the session of the legislature at Belmont, Madison was the successful competitor for the interesting prize at stake, and the City of m APPENDIX. the Four Lakes met an untimely end. The village of Pheasant Branch is located near the spot. The soil is excellent, and farm products generally are raised in large quantities. There is a large pond or lake situated on section 9. Popu¬ lation, 1870, town 1,589, station 286. MONTROSE. The township of Montrose lies in the southwestern part of the county, on the southern border, known as township 5 north, range 8 east. The town is well watered by Sugar river and its tributaries. The soil is rich and productive. The village of Paoli lies on sections 3 and 10, on Sugar river. Belleville is a small settlement on section 34. The town of Montrose wa3 first settled in 1841, by Joseph Kendricks and George McFadden and families, Elam Elder, then single, and Benjamin Crocker and family. The town was organized in 1847. Daniel M. Holt was elected first supervisor. The election was held at Mr. McFadden’s house. The first white child born in the town was in the family of Mr. Hendricks. The town received its name at the suggestion of Mr. McFadden, after a town in Pennsylvania. Population in 1870,1,157. OREGON. The township of Oregon lies on the southern boundary of the county, in the central part, known on the surveys as township 5 north, range 9 east. It is one of the early settled towns. It is watered in the southwest part by tributaries of Sugar river. The Chicago and Northwestern railroad passed through the town, entering on the south line, on section 36, passes out on the north line on section 2. The village of Oregon is a station of the road on section 12, and is a place of considerable business. It has a Presbyterian and a Methodist church, three stores, lumber yard, broom factory, hotel, and a number of mechanical shops. The town was organized in 1847. It was first settled in 1842-3. Among the earliest settlers were C. P. Moseley, from Connecticut; A. Kierstead, from New Jersey; R. Rooney, from Virginia; Robert Thompson, from Scotland; Joseph G. Fox, from Ireland; R. Boice and Wm. Root. The first town meeting was held in the house of L. S. Pratt. A Con¬ gregational church was organized in April, 1845, by Rev. S. Miner and Rev. S. Peet, with twelve members. In November, 1846, it became Presbyterian under the ministry of Rev. M. A. Fox, its present pastor. The land is undulating, consisting of prairie and oak openings. The DANE COUNTY TOWNS. 405 soil, sandy loam and clay. Brick clay, from which excellent cream brick is made, is found near Oregon village. Population in 1870, 1,498. PERRY. The township of Perry is situated in the southwest corner of Dane county, known as township 5 north, of range 6 east. The town is well watered by small streams, the head waters of the East Peckatonica river. Perry post office is on sections 8 and 17. Forward post office on section 28. The town was named in honor of Commodore Perry, of Lake Erie fame. It was first settled in the spring of 1846, by John Brown, a native of Indiana, who settled on section 27. John Hobart and Anton Kel- lar, from Germany, came later in the year, and located on sections 3 and 10. The next year, Shute Rudy and John Sears, from Kentucky; John Eastman, from Ohio, and S. H. Campbell settled mostly along the southern border. In February, 1848, B. F. Denson, a native of Nortli Carolina, moved in and settled on section 34. During this summer, sev¬ eral Norwegians moved in, prominent among whom were Hans Johnson, on section 20; Lars Halverson, on section 17 ; T. Thompson, on section 17, and Ole O. Barken, on section 4. The last named bought out a Nor¬ wegian who had come the year before. The above-mentioned individ¬ uals may rightfully be considered the pioneers of the town, but of these only Barren and Johnson still remain. N. W. Denson was the first white child — born March 19,1848. A daughter of John Eastman was born April 14th of the same year. The first church was built on section 8, in 1851, belonging to the Nor¬ wegians, of the Lutheran denomination. It was twenty feet square, built of logs, and is still doing service as a church, having been repaired and modified. It served as a school house till the fall of 1852, when the first school house was built. This was located a quarter of a mile east of where Daley’s store now stands. O. B. Daley opened the first retail store in 1853. As a separate organization, Perry dates back to April 4, 1851 —it being a part of Primrose up to that time. After the year 1848, the settlers were mostly German and Norwegians, apparently crowding out the Ameri¬ cans ; among the last to leave were Mr. Denson and Mr. Campbell. Population in 1870, 1,051. PRIMROSE. The township of Primrose lies on the southern border of the county, in the southwest quarter, adjoining Perry on the east, of "which it was formerly a part, known also as township No. 5, north of range 7 east. The Sugar river and its numerous tributaries, water the northern half 406 APPENDIX. of the county. Primrose post office is on section 21. The village of Mount Vernon lies part in section 3, and part in the town of Spring- dale, a small settlement. The town was first settled in 1345. R. Speaks located on section 19; A. Speaks, on section 8; Christian Hendrixon came the next year and settled on section 25. The town was organized in 1845. The first offi¬ cers were: David Thomas, Chairman; Samuel Nassinger and Free¬ man Fisher, Supervisors; and Robert Harrington, Clerk. The first school house, called “ Primrose school house,” was erected in 1847, on section 17. G-. Jackson was the first teacher. Rev. A. Price, of the Lutheran Church, was the first pastor. A mill was built on section 7 in 1858, being the first in the town. Primrose had the honor of sending a member to the Legislature in 1868 — Hon. Gunnif Tollefson. On section 24 is a hill 200 feet high, 100 rods long and 15 rods wide at the top, called Mt. Julia. Among the natural curiosities is the “ Devil’s- Chimney,” on section 11. This is a solid body of rock 50 feet high, 25- feet diameter at the base, and 50 feet at the top. In 1850, a man by the name of Joel Britz climbed to the top, and placed a flag there. He is the first and only man that ever accomplished the feat of ascending the so-called chimney. The flag staff still stands there. Names of visitors from all parts of the United States are engraved on the rock. Population, 1870, 1,015. PLEASANT SPRINGS. The town of Pleasant Springs is located in the southeast quarter of the county, known also as township 6 north of range 11 east. Lake Kegonsa, or First Lake, covers a portion of sections 18, 19, 20 and 30. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad enters the town on the south line- on section 32, runs northerly, passes out on the west line of section 7. The town is watered in the northwest by Big Door Creek and Catfish Creek in the southwestern part. The town is settled largely by Nor- , wegians. The town of Pleasant Springs received its name from a large spring on the lands of Ole Evenson, on section 27. Among the early settlers K H. Roe, H. Severson, Robert McComb, P. S. Markham, John Son- derman, K. Kittelson, K. A. Jute, and K. A. Joitel. The first town meeting was held April 4,1848. The first church was built where the Lutheran church now stands, on section 14. The first sermon was preached by Pastor W. Dietrichson, under a large oak tree, on A. K. Jute's farm, September 2, 1844. The first school was taught in a private house. The first school house was built in section 25. No minerals are known to exist in the town. The soil is good and DANE COUNTY TOWNS. 407 water excellent. Wheat corn, oats, and other cereals are produced in large quantities. There were a few Indian mounds on J. J. Williams’' land, section 19, hut they are now nearly all obliterated. Population 1870, 1,005. ROXBURY. The township of Roxbury lies in the northwestern corner of the county and includes all of township 9 north, of range 7 east, lying east and south of the Wisconsin river. Fish Lake covers a portion of sections 3 and 4. Crystal Lake, part of sections 1 and 2. Crane Lake is on sections 14 and 15. Clifton village is a small settlement on section 6, at which place there is a bridge across the Wisconsin river. River P. O. is on section 7, where there is also a bridge. Alden’s Corners is post office at junction of sections 26 , 27 ,34 and 35. The northwestern corner of the town is very rough and hilly, with some high bluffs. The Wisconsin river extends over two miles on the western side. There are many Germans settled in the town. The town was originally a part of Dane. It was organized April 3 r 1849. Burk Fairchilds was elected Chairman; Lorenzo Farr and Lorenzo D. Miller, Supervisors; Jas. Crowder, Town Clerk; Loren¬ zo Farr, Assessor; James Steel, Treasurer; Z. Bowers; J. Crowder, George Richards and B. Fairchilds, Justices of the Peace, RUTLAND. The Township of Rutland is situated on the south line of the county/ in the southeastern part, known as township 5 north, of range No. Iff east. The town is watered by the Badfish creek and numerous tributaries. Bass lake lies in section 24. Island Lake on section 3, which covers tw° thirds of the section. There is an island near the middle of the lake cov¬ ered with rock-maple trees. No other trees of the kind are found in this section. The village of Rutland is in section 19. The town was fi rst settled in 1842, by Joseph Prentiss and son, Joseph De Jean, Daniel Pond and S. D. Little. They located on the southwest corner of the town, on the old Madison and Janesville road, which was a stage route at that time. No other settlements were made until June, 1844, when Jonathan Lawrence and S. W. Graves came in and settled on section 28, then back in the wilderness. Late in tlm fall of the same year Jeremiah Douglass commenced a settlement on section 11. In 1845, quite a number of people from Vermont located in the south part of the town, which was called the Vermont settlement; and a majority of those people remain in the town at the present day. The same year the Douglasses, Dannons, Casleys and others, from Maine, 408 APPENDIX. settled in the north part of the town. This was called the Maine settle¬ ment. About four hundred people came into the town that year, and afterwards the town was rapidly settled. The lands were all taken in a few years by actual settlers, and none by speculators. The first town meeting was held in April, 1846. Jonathan Lawrence was elected Chairman, and S. W. Graves, Town Clerk. The town was named after the town of Rutland, in Vermont. At present there are eight school districts, with good school houses. There are three churches, be¬ longing to the Methodists, United Brethren and Free Will Baptists, re¬ spectively. The village of Brooklyn, in Green county, touches the south¬ west corner. There is but very little prairie in the town; it was originally burr-oak openings. There are but few natural curiosities. In opening limestone quarries, numbers of fossils have been found — some quite large and per¬ fect. Population in 1870, 1,189. SPRINGDALE. The Township of Springdale is located in the southwestern part of .the county, known as township 6 north, of range 7 east. It is watered by the west branch of Sugar river and numerous tributa¬ ries. Mount Vernon is a small village on section 32; Springdale P. O. on section 25; ClontorfP. O. on section 11. The town contains some remarkable remains of that ancient people who are supposed to have inhabited this country prior to its occupation by the Indian races—the most noteworthy of which are to be found on section 15. Here are three mounds, about fifty feet apart, and extending east and west. They are uniform in size, being about six feet in height above the surface of the adjacent land, and circular at the base, where they are nearly forty feet in diameter. Commencing at the distance of fifty feet from the most eastern mound, and extending in an unvarying direction to the east, there is a long, low .ridge, or bank of earth, one hundred feet in length. The height of this ridge, above the surface of the ground on which it is situated, is four feet, and measures six feet through the base, north and south, a line drawn due east and west would divide the three mounds and ridge exactly in the centre. Being upon elevated land, the view from the site of these mounds would, were it not for the luxuriant young trees by which they are sur¬ rounded, be both beautiful and commanding. In the summer of 1870 one of these mounds was partially explored by Mr. Chas. H. Lewis, a resident of the town, when a well-preserved hu¬ man skeleton was unearthed, together with a stone pipe of curious work- DANE COUNTY TOWNS. 409 manship, two stone knives, some highly polished and perforated pieces of bone, and many stone implements, the use of which is now unknown. These mounds and their contents are objects of great interest to the an¬ tiquarian, as they point to the stone age of Wisconsin, and tend to the elucidation of the great’problem in regard to that extinct and mysterious people, the mound builders of America. Population in 1870, 1,138. SPRINGFIELD. The township of Springfield is situated in the northwestern quarter of the county, adjoining Middleton on the north; known as township 8- north, range 8 east. It is an excellent township of land, hut not as well watered by streams- as many others, except in the northeastern part. Springfield village, a small settlement, is on section 5; Hyer’s Corner Post Office is on section 4: Ashton Post Office on section 26. The town was first settled in 1842, by Hawley Simons, who located on section 10; G. B. Slaughter, on section 36, and Geo. Johnson, on sec¬ tion 4. They all came from New York State. The town was organized in April, 1848. The first church was erected on section 7, in 1858, and known as St. Martin’s Church. The first school house was called John¬ son’s school house, and was located on section 12. The first physician in the town was Dr. Winson, who resided on section 36. Rev. N. Mar¬ tin, of the Baptist Church, was the first pastor. Eunice Johnson was the first white child — born September 4, 1845. The first marriage that occurred was that of Mr. Geo. Howard and Miss Sarah Murray, which took place in 1844. The surface of the country is undulating, in some places hlufiy. Soil generally rich and fertile, the principal productions being wheat, corn and oats. No natural curiosities exist, though Indian relics have been found. Population in 1870, 1,443. SUN PRAIRIE. The township of Sun Prairie is situated in the northeastern quarter of the county, known as township 8 north, of range 11 east. The north¬ ern paat is prairie. The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad passes through the northern part. The village of Sun Prairie is situated on parts of sections 4 and 5, 7 and 9, and is a station on the road. It is a place of considerable business, and large quantities of grain are shipped east. The village was organized under the charter on the fourth Tuesday of March, 1868, when the following officers were elected: Wm. H. Angell, President of the board; Chas. H. Bird, Wm. F. Hardwick and C. R. 27 410 APPENDIX. Babcock, Board of Trustees; William Reeyes, Assessor; G. M. Smith, Clerk. It contains about 1,000 inhabitants, has Baptist, Methodist Epis¬ copal, R. Catholic and Congregational churches and a large school build¬ ing, about a dozen stores, two hotels, two lumber yards, and two livery stables; five doctors, one lawyer, and one dentist, and a number of shops. The history of the origin of the name of the town has been given in the former part of this volume, to which reference is made. The town was first organized as such in the spring of 1848, with A. W. Dickinson, Town Clerk. Population in 1870— town, 984: village, 626. VERMONT. The township of Vermont is situated on the west line of the county, between the towns of Black Earth on the north, and Blue Mounds on the south, known as township 7 north, of range 9 east. It is well watered by numerous streams, the lands adjoining being rich and productive. As a whole the town is rough and hilly. There are no villages or post offices. The town was named by one of the settlers, after his native state. The first settler was a German, named Joshua Harmony, who located here in 1846. J. C. Steele, who located on section 7, and S. Batty, on section 6, were among the early settlers. The town was organized in 1855. The first officers were Whalon Hasbrook, Isaac C. Steele and Jno. Cald¬ well. Aaron Dana, Clerk. The first sermon was preached in the year 1849, by H. Maynard, of the Methodist Church. The first school district was organized in 1850 — Archibald Campbell the first teacher. A Roman Catholic church was built in 1859; a Norwegian Lutheran church in 1860. Population in 1870, 1,244. VERONA. The township of Verona is located in the southwestern quarter of the county, south of Middleton, and southwest of Madison, known as town¬ ship 6 north, of range 8 east. It is watered by Sugar river and Badger Mill creek. The surface of the country is rolling, diversified by hills and valleys, with considerable prairie land. The “ Nine Mounds ” are on section 8; the country adjoining is known as “ Nine Mound Prairie.” Verona village and post office is a small settlement on section 15. The town was first settled by people from England. The first land was sold in 1840. Wm. A. Wheeler built the first mill on Badger creek. The first school house was built on Badger Prairie. Presbyterian was DANE COUNTY TOWNS. 411 the first church organization; A. Burns the first pastor. Margaret Stewart was the first white child born in the town; E. Collins among the first male children. There is a cave of considerable extent in the northern part of the town, on section 5, an account of which may be found in chapter nine of this volume. Indian mounds and relics are found on section 18, and traces of an Indian village on section 33. Also, the remains of an ancient bakery on section 25. The Dane County Poor House is located in this town, on section 14. It was opened for the reception of inmates in 1854. The number of persons admitted since that time is 597. Of that number 60 have died, 475 have been discharged, and 60 yet remain. The farm consists of 152 acres — 90 acres tillable land, 62 acres low land, and 60 acres of wood land. The building is constructed of brick, and is 40 x 60 feet in size. The farm and building cost $10,113.82. Other buildings have been erected, such as sheds, corn-cribs, barn, etc. The inmates are comfortabty pro¬ vided with clothing, bedding, good substantial food, and all necessaries of life usually furnished in such institutions for the support of the poor. Population in 1870, 1,124. VIENNA. The township of Vienna is situated on the north side of the county, the second township north of Madison, and known as township 9 north, of range 9 east. There are no streams in this town, except in section 36. Norway Grove P. O. is located on section 23. The town derived its name from the town of Vienna in New York. Among the first settlers were Wm. G. Simonds, Louis Montander, S. Nicholson, Thos. Liday, David Robertson, A. A. Boyce and Willard Fisher. It was organized April 16, 1849. A. A. Boyce was elected Chairman; Benj. Nesmith and Willard Fisher, Supervisors; Isaac Mann, Town Clerk; Thos. Lindsay, Assessor; Jabez Weston, Treasurer; Jonah Poyner, W. Fisher, A. A. Boyce, Hubbell Fuller, Justices of the Peace. The first church was of the Lutheran denomination, erected 1854— Rev. Mr. Preuss, pastor. The first school house was built on section 7, in 1851. The soil is fine, productive prairie. The timber embraces different varieties of oak and some poplar. Population 1870, 1,177. WESTPORT. The town of Westport lies north of Madison, and comprises all that 412 APPENDIX. portion of township 8 north, of range 9 east, not covered by Lake Mendota. The town is watered by Six Mile Creek and Catfish Creek, with their tributaries. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad enters on the south line at section 36, and passes through the town northwesterly, passing out at section 6. Waunakee is a flourishing village and station on section 8. Westport post office is on section 21. Lake Mendota covers a part of sections 33, 34, 35 and 36. The town derives its name from the village of Westport, in Ireland. Among the early settlers were the Montanders, Boyles, O’Malleys, Collins, etc. The town was organized in 1849. First school was built on section 9, in 1846. First mill was built in 1847. In 1867 a R. Catholic church was erected on section 22. The northern and western portions of the town are principally prairie — the rest marsh and timber. There were some Indian mounds and graves where the Hospital now stands. The Wisconsin State Hospital for the Insane is located on section 35. The entire length ot the hospital building is 569 feet, the centre building being 65 x 120 feet. The elegant and commodious buildings are sur¬ rounded by ornamental grounds, wood and farming lands to the extent of 293 acres, and when some contemplated ..improvements are added, a com¬ plete institution, creditable to the enterprise of the people of Wisconsin and their philanthropy, will suitably accomodate the unfortunates need¬ ing its protection. A more detailed description of the Hospital will be found in the former part of this volume. Population 1870,1,589. WINDSOR. The township of Windsor, lies on the northern line of the county > north of Burke, and known as township 9 north, of range 10 east. It is watered by small streams that flow into the Catfish, and the south¬ east corner by Token Creek. The surface of the country is prairie and oak openings. It is an ex¬ cellent township, and adapted to the production of corn, wheat and other cereals. As originally organized it included the present towns of Vienna, Windsor, Burke and Westport. The first town meeting was held at the house of Horace Lawrence in 1847. The first supervisor was Charles M. Nichols. The Madison and Portage railroad passes through the town, entering on the south line on section 32, and passing out on the north line on section 6. De Forest station and postoffice is on section 17; Morrison DANE COUNTY TOWNS. 413 station and postoffice, on section 6; and Windsor station and postoffice, on section 29, at which place are a few stores and mechanical shops. Population in 1870, 1,256. YORK. The township of York lies in the northeast corner of Dane county, known as township 9 north, of range 12 east. It is watered in the south¬ west part by Waterloo creek. The surface of the country is prairie and oak openings, interspersed with natural meadows. The town was organized April 1, 1848. B. B. Freeman was chosen .chairman, D. E. Emery and Walter Brown, supervisors, Martin Mead, justice of the peace, and Otis B. Lapham, town clerk. It is divided into eight school districts, and has two church organiza¬ tions. York Center is a small village and postoffice at junction of sections 15, 16, 21 and 22. Population in 1870, 1,069. 414 APPENDIX. ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS. On page 282, is an account of the organization of the Baptist Church and the erection of the church building. Rev. Foster Henry, of Ver¬ mont, informs the writer that he made an effort, during a sojourn at Madison in the winter of 1849, ’50, to raise a subscription to build the church edifice. That he succeeded in raising some $6,000, conditioned on the sum of $10,000 being subscribed. The latter amount was not reached and the effort was a failure. In 1854, Rev. M. D. Miller suc¬ ceeded in raising funds for the purpose as the narrative shows. In chapter six we omitted to notice among the organizations in the year 1854, that of Hiram Lodge, No. 50, of Free and Accepted Masons, which was effected on February 21. This Lodge is in a prosperous con¬ dition, as is also the “ Concordia Lodge,” No. 88, which was organized March 20, 1857, which was not noticed. Capitol Lodge No. 1, Independent Order of Good Templars, was insti¬ tuted March 19, 1856, and has prospered well ever since, now possessing one of the finest lodge rooms in the State, in Ogden’s block. Among those who passed through the Four Lake country in early times, and have left a record of their journey, is one family who have been inadvertantly overlooked. On the 8th of March, 1831, John H. Kinzie, Esq., then Indian agent at Fort Winnebago, having occasion to visit Fort Dearborn, left the Fort (Winnebago) in company with his young wife and a few attendants. They encamped the first night on a stream emptying into Fourth Lake, and the next day passed around the lake- Scattered along its banks was an encampment of Winnebagoes who were friendly; they passed on to the “ Blue Mound,” and thence seven miles further to Col. Morrison’s place, and thence to Kelloog’s, to Dixon’s, on Rock river and thence to Chicago. Mrs. Kinzie, in her very interesting work, “Wau-bun, the Early Day in the Northwest,” N. Y., 1856, 8 vo. r has an account of this journey. INDEX Abbott, Abijah, referred to, 376. Abbott, H. 0., visited Madison 1837, 57. Adams, C. F., visited Madison 1860, 268. Ainsworth, Calvin, Police Justice, 287. Allen, C. H.. Supt. of Schools, 288. Allen, Elizabeth, HarriageJ1838, 92. Allen, Gen. T. S., referred to, 303, Albee, G. C., referred to, 229. Aldrich, L. D., in the war, 274, 278, 305. American Hotel, referred to, 37, 72, 79, 80, Ames, Nathaniel, rev. soldier, 268, 282, 291. Apostolic Church, referred to, 127. Armitage, B’p W. E., 392. Arndt, C. C. P., killed, 185-6, 289-90. Artesian Well, 310-13, 358-9. Atwood, J. P., referred to, 252, 274, 304. Argus and Democrat, established, 230-31. Armel, Louis, early trader, 24. Atwell, B. D., wounded in war, 296. Atwell, W. P., same, 296. Atwood & Rublee, printers, etc., 230-31. Sea Madison State Journal. Atwood