OUTLINE SKETCHES s^^tjk: ootjtvt y^. O U T L I N K SKETCHES OF SAUK COUNTY ; CJ ITS HISTOEY, FROM THE FIRST MARKS OF MAN'S HAND TO 1861, |lt]5 S;0ii0j}i'iij)h|», BOTH ■V7"KITTE1>T .A-lSriD ILLXJSXIi-A.TEID. By AVILLIAM II. CANFIELD, CIVIL ENGINEER. BARABOO, WIS.: A. N. KELLOGG, FRINTER, REPUBLIC OFFICE. 1861. ^ TO THE PUBLIC. It is tlie desire of the undersigned to present a collection of historical, topographical, and physical observations and facts, relative to this portion of the country. It being an even period of time, when the United States census has been taken, and now com- pleted, and seeing the necessity of preserving such facts and observations as have already been collected, and collecting still others, it has seemed to me appro- priate now to present to the public the following work. WM. II. CANFIELD. AXTTQUITY I shall devote a few pages to tlie antiquated liuman- ity of tlie western liemispliere — to those who looked upon the same scenes we look npon, and tilled the same soil that we are tilling, and laid their bones w^here we must lay our own. I have mostly quoted from such authors as have ■suited my views, and, perhaps, have done them injus- tice in giving so little of their laboj's, merely taking their theories, without bringing forward many of their proofs and arguments. But for our purpose it must suffice. He that is interested in antique man, must read where the subject is investigated at length. This must, of necessity, be a mere syllabus. The world is now so full of available knowledge, our travelling fjicilities so good, that distant people become, in our imagination, our neighbors. Their widely different ]nanners, their social life, their religion and govern- ment, become common place to our feelings and reflec- tions. Bayard Taylor and many others, yek, almost daily visitors are telling us many things of the frigid zones, and the people who inhabit them ; while Dr. Livingston and others, are furnishing similar informa- tion relative to the torrid zones. But where is the author who can tell us about the Mound-builders who once so numerously inhabited Sauk county and the adjacent country, at least a thousand years ago ? It C ANTIQUITY. opons a great field for inqniiy, and for our imagina- tioiis to play in. In now turnins; our thonglits to tlie acts of Man, we naturally look for a beginning. But where ? With Lis geological footprints ? We will leave that to the geologist to explore. We next get the marks of his hands in the erection of his sepulchres, monuments, and cultivated fields. We here are in the very midst of them. Who were, or what were the peoj^le ? and when did they exist ? AVere the climate, the soil, and natural productions the same ? and were they the an- cestors of the present Indian races ? Did they culti- vate the earth, and live a vegetarian life ? or by the chase ? These, and many other queries, naturally arise. We will not attempt to theorize much, but give such informati(5n as we are in possession of, and shall quote largely from I. A. Lapiiam's ^'■Antiquities of Wisconsin^ This work all who are fond of such inves- tigations should possess. It was published in June, 1855. He commenced the work in behalf of the American Antiquarian Society, but it was finally pub- lished by the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. Laphani made the surveys and compilation without charge or compensation, other than the incidental expenses. Surely the State cannot be ashamed of such a son. Who were these mound-builders ? Like the Central American Indians, were they peculiar to themselves, and nothing, either in this or the eastern hemisphere, like them ? After surveys and examination of works in the vicinity of Racine, Dr. Hoy says : " In conclu- sion I must remark that whatever be the leo-itimate inference drawn from similar works -and remains in ANTIQUITY. 7 other jolaces, concerning the state of civilization attain- ed by the mound-builders, the evidence here goes to prove that they were an extremely barbarous people, in no respect superior to most of the savage- tribes of modern Indians." Mr. Lapham says : " It is not strange that changes should, from time to time, take place in the character and habits of a people so rude and so little advanced in civilization. Different tribes have different habits, and tlie stronger one may have overrun and swallowed up the weaker, and thus changed its customs and de- stroyed its institutions. In this way the mode of burial, and even the religious ceremonies, might be altered ; those of the conquerors being substituted for those of the conquered. History records many such, events. The inhabitants of Egypt have ceased to build pyramids and sj^hinxes ; the Greeks have ceased to erect temples ; and yet we have reason to believe that their descendants occupy the same country. Is it more strange that the ancestors of the present Indians should have erected mounds of earth, than that the ab- origines of any country should have had habits differ- ent from their posterity ? We need not, therefore, look to Mexico, or any other country, for the descend- ants of the mound-builders. We probably see tkem in the present red race of the same or adjacent re- gions." " If the present tribes have no traditions running back as far as the times of Allouez and Mar- quette, or even to the more recent time of Jonathan Carver, it is not strange that none should exist in re- gard to the mounds, whicli must be of much earlier date. It is by considerations of this nature, that we 8 ANTIQUITY. are led to tlie conclusion that the mound-builders of Wisconsin were none otliers than the ancestors of the present tribes of Indians. " Another fact is important in this connection. The mound-builders occuj^ied the same localities that are now the favorite resort of the present Indians, who still often make use of the mounds for the burial of their dead. They have a kind of veneration for them, which may be the result of a lingering tradition of their sacred origin. The implements and utensils of the mound-builders v/ere the same, in many cases, as those used by the recent inhabitants, before their in- tercourse with the whites ; and, as it has been quite clearly shown that the latter have, in former times, erected mounds of earth over their dead, we may con- sider such facts as tending to prove the unity of these people. "It is a fiict of some importance in the deciding upon the general characteristics of the mound-builders, that they have selected the same localities as their suc- cessors, and j^robably for the same reasons, to wit : the greater facility of subsistence." Of the contents of the mounds, — -remains of ancient workmanship, (fee, he says : " It is important to determine with certainty whether the relics found buried are the work of the original mound-builders, and placed there at the time of erec- tion of the mounds, or have been deposited subse- quently. This can usually be done with a reasonable degree of certainty by one accustomed to such investi- gations. '• So far as I have had opportunity to observe, there ANTIQUITY. 9 are Ho original remains in tlie mounds of imitative form, beyond a few scattered fragments tliat may have gained a place there by accident. Many of the mounds have been entirely removed, including the earth be- neath for a considerable depth, in the process of gra- ding the streets in Milwaukee, and it is usually found that the natural surface had not been disturbed at the time of the erection, but that the several layers or strata of mould, clay, gravel, tfec, are continuous be- low the structure as on the contiguous grounds. " Great numbers of the smaller conical tumuli are also destit;ite of any remains. If any human bodies were ever buried under them, they are now so entirely ' returned to dust ' that no appai'ent traces of them are left. If we assume that each mound was a place of burial, we must infer, from the absence of utensils, that the common practice of depositing with the dead the implements to be used in the other world, is of comparatively recent origin, since some of these, at least, would have resisted decay. The middle-sized conical mounds, and those of larger dimensions, almost always contain evidence of the deposit of one or more human bodies. These are always very much decayed, only one skull having been found sufficiently entire to enable Dr. Hoy, with much skill and labor, to restore it sufficiently to make out its general characteristics. A fortunate combination of circumstances had caused this preservation. The skull, and some other bones, were enveloped in a peculiar kind of clay, which seems to have possessed a preservative quality beyond that of ordinary earth, of which most of the accumulation was composed ; and on the very top of the mound was 10 ANTIQUlTt. 11 larsfe tree, wliicli had shed off the rains for seVetal centuries. "Many peculiarities of this cranium are pointed out by Dr. Hoy. The following are its dimen- sions : Longitudinal diameter, 6.8 Length of head & face, 8.2 Parietal diameter, ... . 5.3 Zygomatic diameter, . . 4.9' Occipito-frontal arch, .13.8 I Facial angle, TG*^ " To give the reader more particular information re- specting the supposed characteristics of this interesting relic of an ancient people, I have, with the assistance of a ^phrenological friend, prepared the following ' chart.^ For the locality of the ' organs,' cfec, refer- ence was had to Spueziieim, whose works have become a portion of the literatm'e of the country, and are to be found in all important libraries. Although the principles of this professed science may not be true in all their details, yet its nomenclature affords the means of presenting the conformation of the skull in a defi- nite manner. The fio:ure followino; the name of each organ, indicates its relative development ; signifying' deficiency, and 6 veiy full or unusual prominence. AFFECTIVE OEGANS. r. PEOPENSITIES. Destructiveness, • -4^ I Combativeness, 4|. Amativeness, 6 Secretiveness, 5 Philo progenitiveness, . . 6 Acquisitiveness, 4^ Adhesiveness, 5 Constructiveness, . .- . .■ . . 2^ Lihabitiveness, 5 I II. SENTIMENTS. Cautiousness, (very full,) 6 Conscientiousness, 4i Approbativeness, 5 Hope, 4^ ANTIQUITY. U Self-esteem, 4 Benevolence, 3 Reverence, 3 Firmness, 4 Marvelloiisness, 3 Ideality, ^ 4 Mirtlifulness, 3^ Imitation, 2^ INTELLECTUAL ORGANS. III. PERCEPTIVE. Individuality, (large,) . . 6 Configuration, 2 Size, 6 Weight and resistance, . 3^ Coloring, 3 Locality, 5 Order, 21 Calculation, 2 Eventuality, 5^ Time, 2 Tune, 2i Language, (uncertain,) . 5 IV. EELECTIVE. Comparison, • • 4.^ I Causality, 5 This chart shows that the affective, or feeling facul. ties, prevailed over the intellectual in the proportion of 4.3 to 3.9 ; and the several groups of organs are developed in tlie following order : Propensities, 4.8 Sentiment, 3.9 Reflective, 4.7 Perceptive, 3.8 " Whether these figures can be relied upon as indica- ting the character and disposition of the individual to whom the skull belonged, may be doubted ; though it T\dll be perceived that their indications correspond with the general character of the aborigines, in the large cautiousness, individuality, * CM-5 T, fU '.HCX < ', ^ < #"'K ^\v>iiir/«///,. r^^""V ..^"^ «^V'V^ c ,v^^ >y/ ^ y .^'' 4'\ ^ $& p.^^ '&*.... % #€^^ """^Sife. itei? ^^. .S.A'. J/iii'»d TS sitiiu tmJ upon ''''"''''•'^'illl,;, TumiiLi [/~ 'Sect, of th>i /v. W. Corner Mound . Aztnlaii. ^t- 4 Ant's Wifi. '<< "■a ^''-'^.'j'"'"'!!,,, *.-♦, '■»r^„ "''y , '^"'VX'"'' *> >•' **# . "'""';>rrll*'"\ ,^;;s«ii:irs^";:;::::;g;;^^ ._ ^ ""' jijij»""'i(iii,,iiimiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiii/mtoi* 4f A *'*,.\v(""i"HUiiicii(iiininim///««£ E ■*/„ii;7;;S', V I""" # * ^^^ """wo* '"•"4 . PLAN 01 A CROUP OF ANCIENT MOUNDS. np;n H I! S fomvs, ^'^-.. ~~- "'i^"^ """"!• - »''///,., ''"*^/!'^-".;. ^'""^1?^ A]^TIQUITY. 13 Tlie heavy projecting jaw and tlie flattened occiput, ;are quite characteristic of these ancient mound skulls. Facial angle, 76"". Internal capacity, eighty cubic inches." Dr. Hot says : " In regard to the antiquity of the works at Racine, it may be stated that on the mound from which I ob- tained the pottery, there was a burr-oak stump which •contained 250 rings, and the tree was cut ten years since, when the land was first occupied. Near this, I excavated another mound, on the centre of which were the remains of a lai'ge stump, which must have been much older. Immediately under the stump I obtained the cranium before mentioned. A stump on the long mound, at A., (plate ii.,) has 310 rings ; and near by are the remains of a large tree, and an oak stump five feet in diameter. These facts indicate an antiquity of at least a thousand years." As regards their general arrangement and order, Mr. Lapham says : "As is the case with the works of other forms, there are no two precisely alike in their dimensions, or in their direction with reference to the cardinal j)oints. But it has been observed that the larger extremity, or head, is usually directed towards the south. They vary in length from one hundred to four hundred feet. Their usual height of the body may be stated at four feet, from which there is commonly a gradual diminu- tion, both in the height and width, to the extremity. It is frequently impossible to decide exactly where it terminates. They are almost always associated with mounds of round or oblong form, usually having about 14 ANTIQUITY. the same general direction. A¥liere tliey occupy the edge of elevated ground, the head generally points obliquely towards the low ground, and the projections, or " logs," are on the side towards the ridge. " Examples may be found of all forms, from a true circle through the oval and elongated oval to the ob- long mounds and long ridges. " Again, there is a succession of mounds, from the simple ridge of considerable size at one end, and gi'ad- ually diminishing to a point at the other, through the intermediate forms ha^dng one, two, three or four pro- jections, to the turtle form. In this way, also, we may trace a gradual development, so to speak, of nearly all the more complicated forms. It is not pretended to assert that this was the order in which the mounds were erected, or that the aborigines gradually acquired the art by successive essays or lessons. Indeed, we are led to believe that the more complicated forms are the most ancient. " The relative ao;es of the different works of Wis- consin, so far they can be ascertained from the facts now before us, are probably about as follows : First and oldest. — The animal forms, and the great works at Aztalan. Second. — The conical mounds built for sepulchral purposes, which come down to a very recent period. Third. — The indications of garden beds, planted in regular geometrical figures or straight lines. Fourth. — The plantations of the present tribes, who plant without system or regularity, in small hillocks. " Thus the taste for regular forms and arrangements, and the habits of construction with earthy materials, Seem to liave been gradually lost, until all traces of them disappear in our modern degenerate red man. " The animal-shaped mounds appear to be peculiar to Wisconsin ; for the few obscure instances noticed in Ohio, by Messrs. Squier and Davis, can hardly be deemed an exception to this remark. They indicate a difterence in the character of the people occupying these I'egions, but not greater than often exists be- tween the neighboring tribes or nations." These ancient earth- works are very abundant in Sauk county — I think more so than in any other part of the State, it being about central to the country occupied by the animal-shaped mound-builders, which is of about 150 miles circuit. They are the most abundant in the valley of the Wisconsin river, and about the Baraboo rapids. There is one fine excep- tion, however, in the group of mounds in the town of Dellona, on section 17, town 13 north, range 5 east. It contains many mounds, in many different forms: the parallel ridge, elliptical, square and octagon inclo- sures containing from two square rods to nearly one acre, with single and double walls, now about two feet high. Within the octagon inclosure is a pit, resem- bling ' a fallen-in well, and considerable broken pot- tery, &c., were found. There are animal and bird- shaped mounds, and the round, or tumuli. These latter seem to be of a more recent date, from their being more acute. They are so steep that is difficult for teams to get on to them for the purpose of culti- vation. Time has not yet levelled them as much as the rest. Near James A. Maxwell's residence, Baraboo, there I G ANTIQUITY. are aiilmal-sliapect mounds inverted, i. e., auimal-sliapecl excavations. The garden-bed mounds do not, in this- county, seem to be in company with other mounds, but, so to speak, are back more in the country, i. e.,. back towards the head of the streams, and in regions not calcuhited for iishing, but agricultural purposes, as the region about BablVs prairie, and for several miles, either \^lxy, where you can find large fields of them. ' T]]ese beds are aliout six feet wide, and from six to twelve inches high, and about one and a half feet apart, and parallel to each other. In fields of from ten to one hundred acres, the beds will have several different directions, as if different families had cultiva- ted each his own field, according to the lay of the ground and the taste of its meml)ers, (and I guess they got good crops, for they here had a good soil.) The mounds of imitative foi'ins, and tumuli, are so plenty near the Wisconsin river, which forms the north and east boundary of the county, that we will not describe the different groups, but say, in general terms, that they occupy the most pleasant spots along the river, such as the Indians and our own people love to occupy", except the open prairies, on which I do not remember to have seen any. In looking over the dif- ferent groups, I have noticed that the tumuli, or sepul- chral mounds, usually occupy a central part of the ground, with the beast and bird mounds, and other forms, occupying the outskirts, as though they Avere mock guards to the dead. One mound that I survey- ed several years ago, is in the shape of a night hawk, with a small flat mound under its left wins:, havino; the bill of the bird turned towards it, as thougli it were ''n\\ ' Form ot (til Amicitt jYlunnd on Sei-?> TIO YJi 7 E Scale SUfUn Hie Tn cli 9»FT. r» Jut iN(_n THE 31 A ^ MOTIMD «% ANCIENT WOUMO II .; Sc*i# t\ Koos TO Oft: ilrcH. «„*\5 ,T# *r> V ,'!.-■* c^ - i ..'"■■■■■ *'"_ Mounds arAnvieiit EuTtitnuiks jtitiicUed on >Sec.36 TJ3J(RSE j Scale I i rods ht the liuh. 1 i ANTIQUITY. 10 successors, who are in tlie liabit of burying articles of supposed value and utility witli tlieir dead." On page 45, while speaking of the Aztalan mounds, he says : ^' The analogy between these elevations and the " tem- ple mounds " of Ohio and the Southern States, will at once strike the reader who has seen the plans and de- scriptions. They have the same square or regular forms, sloping or graded ascent, the terraced or step- like structure, and the same position in the interior of the enclosure. This kind of formation is known to increase in numbers and importance as we proceed to .the south and southwest, until they are represented by the great structures of the same general character on the plains of Mexico." I have never seen any works that seem to be of an offensive or defensive character. There is a passage in the observations of J. W. Bond, in his " History of Minnesota,^'' page 360, which indicates an opposition to my theory. He says : " The third species of elevations which I shall no' tice, have the form of embankments, rather than mounds. They are artificial, found usually in the river bottoms and low planting lands, and formed l^y carry- ing out, spring after spring, the corn roots and other trash off the fields, and piling them along the outer edge, or on the row between two fields. In many in- stances of j)atches that have been planted for ten or twenty years previous to the introduction of the plow, I have seen these embankments from two to three feet high, and of all conceivable shapes ; some rhomboidal, some liexao:onal, and some oval. I remember haviusj noticed them first many years ago, in Little Six, where, 20- AXTIQUITT. I presume, they may still be traced, as I am not aware that those old fields, (which were on the opposite side- of the river, and about two miles below the site of the present village,) have ever been plowed. The thought has occurred to me, that perhaps some which have been regarded as Indian fortifications in other parts of the country, may have a similar origin." I do not wish to set up any antiquarian theory, and try very strenuously to defend it, without more read ing and observation ; but this quotation from Mr. Bond's history, I do not think is applicable to our mounds and tumuli, for many reasons before given, and others not herein given. With these observations, we dismiss the subject of the mounds. There are in this region, as well as the entire Northwest, numerous works that show great skill, and yet are not made by the hands of man. They are the works of the Beaver. When these animals are entirely destroyed, their works will remain for a long time to command our admiration. I have seen from five to ten dams, wdthin a space of half a mile, upon some small spring branch, and have often noticed where they have dammed quite large streams. It would seem as though the whole country had once been alive with them. A gentleman from Baraboo, in travelling through the northwestern portion of this State, came upon a fresh dam with an inhabited village in it. In relating what he had seen, he said : " I said, at once, they were poor dam builders, (this ANTIQUITY. Si gentleman liad built dams,) for instead of building their dam at right angles with and straight across from bank to bank, they constructed it in a waved line, ob. liquely up the stream. But upon inspecting it, I re- canted my opinion immediately. The philosophy that governed their action was too apparent — it was to make a long waste-ware, for they had holes cut through every few feet, to the water's edge, that the floods might pass through in a thin sheet upon the grass, thus doing less damage than it would if it passed off in a body. On a small stream emptpng into the dam, they had, as far up as a grove of aspens, (three-quarters of a mile,) made 'slack water navigation,' by building dams at the requisite distance apart, for the purpose of floating to their village their winter's supply of food. In this grove the trees, from six to sixteen inches in diameter, were felled, and cut up into pieces from four to six feet long, and floated to their village and sunk, and when the bark had become partially rotted, their food was ready. I concluded, even if I could converse with them I could give them no better knowledge than they possessed, at least of dam building. I left with great satisfaction, having learned much, wishing them a long and happy life." AMERICAN INDIANS. Tlie origin of tlie present American Indians lias iDeen a subject of niucli theorizing and speculation. I do not remember to liave read any that comes so directly home, as probable conjecture on this subject, as Joim Y. Smith's theory, contained in his address before the Wisconsion State Historical Society, delivered in Jan- uary, 1859. He recapitulates, on page 150: " Firsts That, with Earth and Man as they are, the dispersion- of the race over the whole world would in- evitably result from placing a single human pair upon the eastern continent. " Second^ That all the tribes of this continent are of Asiatic origin. " Tliird^ That they sprang from numerous small cen- tres, and that, with rare exceptions, those centres were placed upon the northwest coast. " Fourth^ That these original centres were derived partly from the accidental dispersion of population through the Aleutian and other islands of the Pacific, and partly from the extreme northeast of Asia, across Behring Straits. " Fifths That from these centres upon the northwest coast, the Indian tribes spread over the whole of North and South America. " Sixth, That the civilization of Mexico and Peru was introduced subse(piently to the first occupation of those AMEEICAN mDIANS. 23 countries, tliG former by castaways more direct from the civilized regions of Asia, by Avay of tlie northwest coast, with rare instances of castaways from Europe, who mino-lecl their blood with the Asiatic stock, and slightly modified their manners and institutions ; and the latter by similar migrations from Asia alone, either through the north, or, more ^^I'obably, the south tem- perate regions of the Pacific. " Seventh^ That the means by which the various cen- tres of Indian population arrived upon this continent, as well as the incongruities observed in their ideas and institutions, while they unite in pointing to an Asiatic origin, indicate, no less distinctly, that all the Asiatic nations were represented in the formation of the In- dian race, and hence, that all attempts to trace them, as a whole, to any one of them, must prove abortive. '•'■ EigMli^ When we consider that as early as the time of Solomon, some of the Asiatic nations possessed suf- ficient knowledge of naval architecture and navigation to fit out ships for a three years' cruise, we cannot avoid the conclusion that many instances of castaways upon this continent must have occurred before popula- tion could have had time to extend itself to the ex- treme northeast of Asia and across Behring Straits, or by induction from island to island, across the Pacific to the American coast." It will not be compatible with my design to support these propositions by many or very lengthy quota- tions, but recommend aU who not already read it, to get and give it a careful perusal. " Montezuma told Cortez of a connection between the Aztec race and the nations of the old world. The 2-i AMERICAN INDIAKS-. general facts of their foreign origin, tlieir migration by water, and subsequent journey ings southward along the shores of the Pacific, are well established by their pictorial writings and charts, which, by the aid of Aztec instructors, the Spanish conquerors learned to decipher. The Aztecs also kept chronological records by tying sticks in bundles, by cycles, and by these it has been ascertained, with a reasonable degree of cer- tainty, that they landed on the continent between the years 1038 and 1064. But the Aztec were by no means the original inhabitants, and hence have been denied the title of Aboi'igines. They w^ere preceded by the Toltecs, and they by the Olmecs, the farthest glimmerings of whose history come dow^n to us, almost from the commencement of the Christian era." — Na- tional and Tribal History. " The tradition of the appearance, from time to time, of remarkable personages, so different in appearance, and so superior in knowledge to the races among whom their lot was cast, should not be regarded as mere Indi- an myths. " The discovery has been made, in one of the cen- tral counties of this State, of an image, carved in mar- ble, found in the earth, about a foot below the surface. The head was broken off, but otherwise the relic was perfect. It was presented to the State Historical So- ciety by Hon. Levi Hubbell, and may be seen in the Society's rooms." " Prof. J. M. Jamison, of Carroll College, formerly a Missionary, pronounces it an image Budh, which the Budhists of China and Burmah, and the Jain sect of India w^orship." There is deposited in the Sauk County Cabinet, at AMEEICAN INDIANS. 35 Baraboo, a relic wliicli I should tliink might be here described as additional proof on this subject. It was deposited by Tylee F. Ayees, and was found by him when a boy, in his father's garden, town of Peru, Clin- ton county, New York. It is a small female figure, in a sitting posture, upon a glol^e of six inches diameter. The globe was broken, and it is now placed upon a wooden one of the same diameter, as a substitute. It is afac-simile, or nearly so, of one found in Michigan, and described in the Genesee Farmer^ of 1837, as follows : " We have now before us a very curious and inter- esting specimen of ancient art, presented to us by a friend, the work, probably, of a people who inhabited this country previous to the present race of aborigines; for it displays a perfection in the arts far surpassing the rude state in which they at present exist among this people. This relic was found in Michigan, in one of those ancient fortifications which are scattered over our coun- try. It is a piece of sculpture, the material of which resembles, somewhat, black slate, but is as hard as flint. A knife will make no impression upon it. It evidently must have been carved when in a softer state than the present. It was, probably^ formed of some earthy material into proper consistence to be cut, and then hardened by baking. " The figure is that of a female, sitting on the ground, in an attitude and aii' of sadness and despon. dency, leaning her head upon the back of her left hand, the elbow resting upon a small vessel in the form of a cask ; the right hand resting on the knee, and holding something which appears to have engrav- 2G AJIERICAN INDIANA. ed on it some written characters, but T^^liicli are toa small and indistinct to enable us to discern tbeir form. Over tlie bead is thrown a loose drapery, falling down upon the shoulders and back, leaving the left arm, on which she reclines, and the left breast, naked, but folding across, in gracefid folds, over the right arm and breast, and covering the front part of the figure. On the fore part of the head, which is not covered by the drapery, the hair is gracefully parted, and a portion of it hangs down in tresses upon the left breast. The little cask on which she leans, shows the staves in reg- ular order, with three hoops at the top, and two at the bottom. The head of the cask comes up even Mvith the chime, and seems to be formed of narrow strips, like the staves ; on the fore part of the cask there ap- pears to have been something attached like a handle, but of what form is not distinguishable, as a portion of the front part of the figure is broken off. Around the cask lengthwise, over the hoops, passes something like a band, which was designed, perhaps, for the pur- pose of carrying it. From the size of the vessel, com- jpa/red with that of the figure, we should judge its use was to carry water. Every part of the figure and its appendages is very distinct, and the sculpture admirably performed, and yet the whole height, by exact measurement, is but one inch and one eigldJi. The head, which displays very perfectly the features, and even a countenance indicative of wo, is not larger than a good sized pea. What this tiny figure was meant to represent, when was the age in which it was made, and who were the peoj)le whose ingenious artists could produce such AMERICAN INDIANS. 27 works, are interesting inquiries, but will probably never be satisfactorally answered." " Col. Charles Hamilton Smith, of Edinburgh, in liis treatise on tlie Natural History of the Human Species, suggests that tlie Cliicliemecs were from tlie Aleutian Islands — understanding tlie word caves as a figure, denoting vessels or canoes. Mr. Schoolcraet addressed a letter to Lieutenant Maury, asking liis opinion on tliis point, and several others relative to the navigation of the Pacific and Polynesian waters by means of the rude vessels of early ages. In his reply, to which we have before alluded, this scientific navi- gator says : " At page 261, the Colonel had a stronger case than he supposed. The Aleutians of the present day act- ually live in caves or subterranean apartments, which they enter through a hole in the top. They are the most bestial of the species." " You wish me to state whether, in my opinion, the Pacific and Polynesian waters could have been navi- gated in early times, supposing the mnds to have been as they now are, in balsas, floats, and other rude ves- sels of the early ages ? " Yes ; if you had a supply of provisions, you could run down the trades in the Pacific on a log. There is no part of the world where nature would tempt sav- age men more strongly to launch out upon the open sea, with his bark, however frail. " Most of the islands are surrounded by coral reefs, between which and the shore the water is as smooth as a mill-pond. The climate and the fish invite the sav- age into the water ; and the mountains which separate 28 AMERICAN INDIANS. valley from vnlley, make it more easy for the natives to go from valley to valley by water tliau by land ; for the scorise upon the mountains, with the bramble by the way, offer barriers to those naked people which are almost impassable. On the other hand, there is the refreshing water, the smooth bay, the floating log, or even the unhusked cocoa-nut to buoy him along. I have seen children there, not more than three years old, swimming off to the shij:* with nothing but a cocoa- nut to hold by. This voyage accomplished, (from one part of an island to another), there is the island in the distance to attract and allure ; and the next step would be — if we imagine an infant colony on an island of a group — to fit out an expedition to some of those to leeward. The native then finds a hollow log split in two. Like children here, he has dammed up his little mountain streamlet with a dam of clay across. He does the same vdth his trough, kneeding the clay and making a dam with it across either end. He puts in a few cocoa-nuts, a calabash of water, breaks a green branch thick with foliage, sticks it up for a sail, and away he goes before the wind, at the rate of three or four miles an hour. I have seen them actually do this. * ''' * * But by some mishap, in the course of time, his frail bark misses the island or falls to leeward ; the only chance then is to submit to the winds and waves, and go where they will bear." '^ Lieutenant MArRY then remarks that the Pacific Islander very soon gets above the use of such rude con- trivances, and describes their method of constructing canoes that will carry twenty persons, or more. " The foregoing remarks of Lieutenant Maury ap- AMERICAN INDIANS. ^9 pear to relate particularly to tlie islands in warmer latitudes of tlie Pacific ; but by similar means the Aleutian chain, partly by accident and partly by de- sign, would inevitably be reached, one after another, by people from the northeast of Asia, till the whole chain would be traversed, and the continent at length reached. Thus the Aleutian chain may have furnish- ed numerous centres of population on the continent — ■ not immediately Asiatic, but of Asiatic origin, and having become thoroughly savage in the long period of many generations required for their dispersion through the whole chain of the American coast, and the winds and currents forbidding all return, by any process known to them, it is not strange that the exis- tence of this continent should have remained unknown to the civilized countries of Asia, from which they may have originated. " Another natural channel of migration from the rude tribes of the extreme northeast of Asia, is Behr- ing Straits. Some writers have regarded this as tJie point from which the entire American population was derived, and have looked no further. That it was one of the routes by which the Indian fathers reached the continent, these can no longer exist a reasonable doubt. Lieutenant Maukt, in the letter before quoted, says: " ' Captain Eay, of the whale ship Superior, fished two years ago (1848) in Behring Straits, and saw ca- noes going from one continent to the other.' " If this was done in 1848, it may have been done in 148 as well. But it would not naturally take place until population had been pushed to the extreme north- 30 AMERICAN INDIANS. east of Asia. Migration by tliis route, was, most ]3rob- ably, first by accident, and afterwards by design ; and yet, tlie barbarous people having no conceptions of the nature of their discovery, or that they had discovered a new continent at all, the knowledge of it would not be likely to find its way back through the intervening barbarous hordes, to the civilized portions of Asia. But to conclude that this is the only route by which Asiatics could have reached the continent, would be as unphilosophical as it is inconsistent with well known facts. It was, doubtless, one, and only one, of several ways by which the American continent was furnished with its numerous centres of population." We will content ourselves with these few extracts from Hon. John Y. Smitti's relative to the origin from Avhich our aborigines came, and compile a few extracts of history relative to the occupants after the white man knew them. Rev. Alfeed Beunson, formerly Indian Agent, in his article in tlie fourth volume of the Wisconsin State Historical Society's Collections^ says : "The earliest inhabitants of the territory now included within this State, of whom we have any positive knowledge, were the ancestors of the present Indians of this vicinity ; and from the best light I have been able to ascertain upon the subject from In- dian traditions and the earliest history of the country, the Dacotahs, or Sioux, were the occupants and own- ers of the soil of what is now our entire State, to- gether with Minnesota and the northern parts of Iowa and Illinois. This occupancy we can trace back for about two hundred and fifty years. AMERICAN nNTDIAISrS. '3l " Among the most prominent, and, indeed, tlie sec- ond in importance of antiquity of the Indians found in what is now Wisconsin, were the Chippewas, the chief or principal nation of the Algonquin or Algic race. Their proper name is Ojibewa. Their orig- inal location was Canada, over the entire region of which they seem to have spread their cohorts, totems, conquests and villages. It is said by some that they came from the west, down the north side of the great Lakes and drove the occupants of Canada south of the St. Lawi'ence river. At what period they commenced to encroach upon the territory of the Dacotahs, is not known to history, but it appears to have been as early as the year 1600 of the Christian era. " They traveled mostly in canoes, following the lakes, straits and rivers, making portages where their course was obstructed by falls, and across the intervening lands between lakes and water courses. They first crossed the straits at St. Mary and Mackinaw, and then worked their way south by slow degrees, having to contend with the Sioux at every advanced step. They worked their way to Green Bay, and even south of it, and to La Pointe, and the head waters of the St. Croix, Chippewa, and "Wisconsin rivers, prior to 1668, but were driven all back as far as St. Mary's in 1670, and hence, as Shea says, our northeastern b)order and northwestern Michigan was the area of the first meet- ing of the Algic and Dacotah races. Here clans of l)oth their wide spread families met and mingled at a very early period ; here they first met in battle, and mutually checked each other's advance. " The chief or principal Algic family, are the 32 AMERICAN INDIANS. Ojibewas. The Algic family made a firm stand in Wisconsin not much before 1726. " The Sacs and Foxes probably left the Wisconsin river in 1766, and commenced their settlement at Rock Island. Their alliance was in 1760 or 1761, by some authorities, and as early as 1686 by others. The confederated tribe was diiven from Green Bay up Fox river, and from thence to the Wisconsin and Mis- sissippi. Carver found them, the Sacs at Sauk Praii'ie, the Foxes at Prairie du Chien, in 1766, five or six years after the formation of the alliance. The Sacs are also known as the Sauk or Saukees. " The next tribe in point of importance in early oc- cupancy of our State, was the Winnebagos. But there is so much discrepancy in dates on the origin and numerical strength of this tribe, that, if I had not seen them myself, I should almost doubt their exis- tence. One thing, I think, is well settled, and that is, they are not of the Algic race. Some of Siiea's authorities found them at Green Bay as early as 1639. Winnebago is the name given them by the Algic or Algonquins, which means ' fetid.' It was because they were said to have come from the salt water, which the Indians style fetid water. This name, however, is corrupted. Weene means filthy, or fetid, he, water, go^ gives its character. Weene-le-go is the name of the water in a marsh that is scented or filthy, and the Algic race gave this people this name because they were said to have come from the salt water, or marsh- es. They called them a Dacotah tribe, probably, be- cause they were at peace with the Dacotahs ; but, as there is no analogy between their languages, there is AMERICAN IKDIAI^S. 83 no probability of sucli relationship between them. " The Winnebagos caJled themselves Ot-cJia-gras. " The Winnebagos, ever since their ingress into this country, have been a despised people by the Indian races and whites, their character being sly, under- handed, treacherous and cowardly." " The same author says : ' The eastern portion of what is now Wisconsin being the common battle ground between the Dacotahs (Sioux) and Algic races, it is probable that the former, as an act of kindness to a wandering, homeless people, and as a matter of policy on their part, gave the Winnebagos the country between them and their enemies.' He says there is * strong reason to believe that they were driven from Mexico upon the approach of the Spaniards. They were found in the neighborhood of Green Bay about the year 1630.' "When Caevee visited the Winnebagos, in 17G6, they had left Green Bay, and were residing on Fox river and the lake which bears their name, and after the Sauk and Foxes had left the Wisconsin river, the Winnebagos occupied that region, w^here the present white population found them, and whence they were removed when taken from the State to Iowa." " JoiEsr Metcalf, w^ho now resides at Upper Mills, Baraboo, and has been acquainted with the Winnebagos from before the Black Hawk war, at Helena, says, from inquiries frequently made, he learned that they came from the south — below the Missouri river ; that they obtained the privilege from the Sacs and Foxes to locate upon the Wisconsin river for a few years only, until they could recruit, as they had 84 AMERICAN IXD1A^"S. become reduced by wars. When they were well rested and strong, they claimed the country by might." Relative to their disposing of these lands and their removal, an article published in the Sauh County Standard^ December 19th, 1850, says, in describing the Baraboo Valley : " For at least many years before their removal, the Winnebagos made choice of this valley for their home. Here, within a distance of three miles, were their vil- lages, four in number, and there, near our village, was their council house. On these rapids were their fishe- ries, from which they obtained some of their supplies. There, on the south side of the river, only a league distant, were their sugar camps — groves composed almost entirely of the sugar maple. I never beheld handsomer. They are nearly girdled down by their frequent tappings. Those small prairies and frequent thickets on the north side of the river, made fine haunts and green pastures for deer and small game, as well as the lordly elk. On the range of bluffs, be- tween this place and the Wisconsin river on the south, on those heavy oak ridges, are fields well calculated for the bear. Was there ever a country better calcu- lated for the Indian to enjoy his life according to his own peculiar nature and habits ? But alas ! that fell destroyer of his social and religious happiness, as well as his moral being — Civilization — a word that comes to his understanding as — do ye to others what you can that is bad, and do ye not unto others any good acts which you would have done to yourselves. The crafty white man held out the bait, the trappings -of his art, and their gaudy show dazzled the judgment of a majority of their rulers, for which they sold their bii'thright and the bones of their fathers, to their su- perior and much civilized white brethren. At this move the tribe in general, together with one of their AMERICAN INDIANS. 35 cliiefs, (Dandy,) remonstrated. He would not sign the treaty, and objected to leaving tlie country, but was, with the rest of the tribe, forced to leave for their new homes west of the Father of Waters, and several hundred miles north of their present location. He, with his adherents, returned, and were, by the United. States dragoons, hunted up and again remo- ved ; but they again returned, ajid for the last year have been upon the border of our settlement, doing no one any harm except in the imagination of some soft- brained men, who sometimes succeed in getting the women a little excited. "After the "Winnebago treaty was ratified, those wayward and resistless pioneers, waiting to have a new field opened for their enterprise, immediately took possession of their cornfields and gardens. This very much annoyed the Indians, and, to use the words of one of those pioneers as related to the writer, ' they would make up all kinds of faces, and call me all the hard names they could think of — blackguard and make sport of me, and even threatened to kill me, and I thought sometimes they would ; but I told them they dare not injure me, or any thing I had; if they did, every Indian of the tribe would be hung." This man could speak their language with as much fluency as his own, and therefore understood all they had to say to him perfectly well. It is a saying that 'men brought up in the woods are not to be frightened by owls,' and I would say of these early settlers, by Indi- ans, either. " The time fixed upon for their removal, was the 12th day of May, 1849 — a day that wiU long be re- membered by the Winnebagos, the real test to their feelings not having come till then. To leave the graves of their friends, (which, to an Indian, is no light mat- ter,) the haunts of their younger days, a country to which they might well have become attached — all these things were brought fresh to their minds on the 36 AMERICAN INDIANS. morning of the 1 2th, by the United States dragoons being present to assist in their removal ; and, said an eye witness, their lamentations and cries were heard yet while out of sight ;' and, said the same person, ' there was not a member of their tribe, save some of their chiefs, who would not have given all they pos- sessed to have the bargain made by them recanted. But our Christian m-ode of making treaties with the Indians is to get some kind of a bargain with some or all their chiefs, and then show them the sword and a map of the country west of the Mississippi, and the Indians have learned to understand the rest," The Hon. Heney S. Baird, in his Recollections of tJie Early History of Northern Wisconsin, says : " For many years prior to 1824, the northern por- tion of Wisconsin was occupied by the Winnebagos, Menominees, Chippewas, and some Pottawatamies. The two first named tribes owned nearly all the coun- try in the present State, lying on Lake Michigan- and the Mississippi, Wisconsin, Fox and Wolf rivers, The Winnebao^os on the west side of Winnebas-o Lake, ana the Upper Fox and the Wisconsin Rivers, The Menomonees on the east side of the Lake, Fox and Wolf rivers. Green Bay and the west shore of Lake Michigan. Both of these tribes were then pow- erful, and held in great awe by the few white inhabit- ants then in this country. The Winnebagos, in 1824, numbered, perhaps, upwards of six thousand. The Menomonees between three and four thousand. Their character and habits differ very essentially. The for- mer tribe, although they could scarcely be called either brave or warlike, were yet worse — they were cruel and treacherous; and would much rather dis- patch an enemy in secret ambush, than face him in fair and equal combat. They were friendly to the British, ancl for many years were their pensioners, go- ing openly every year to Canada to receive their pres- AMEinCAN INDIANS. 37 ents from tlie Britisli Government. Tliey liated tlie Americans, and in tlie war of 1812, espoused the cause of the former, and proved the most sanguinary foes of the United States troops in the battles of the Thames and River Raisin, and in the massacres at Mackinaw, Chi- cago, and other places. Even in later years, they viewed the citizens with suspicion, and kept them in constant fear ; and it is well known that they not only instigated the Sacs and Foxes, in the Black Hawk war, to commence hostilities, but participated in their battles. But these were not the worst features in the character of the tribe. They possessed vices of a more mean and groveling nature — they united the art of stealing to that of lying. If they could catch the traveler's horse, or lay hands upon any of his bag- gage or property, it was appropriated at once to their own use. It would seem that they even trained their miserable dogs to steal, as I experienced on more occa- sions than one, when the whelps eat the strips of raw hide attached to the oars of the boat or canoe, while encamped at night near one of their villages. Their lying propensities were proverbial, and if the traveler ever made inquiry of any of their tribe for informa- tion about his route or about the country, he could only be sure of being right by acting contrary to their suggestions and answers. " Far different were the characters and habits of the Menomonees. As a tribe, they practiced neither of the low vices of thieving or lying. Unlike their neighbors, whose characters I have just portrayed, they were neither treacherous nor belligerent. Always friendly to the whites, they gained the friendship and confidence of the latter. It is true, that during the war of 1812, this tribe, togetlier with all the northern and western tribes, joined the British, and fought under their standard ; but this must be attributed to the fact that the whole of this northwest w^as, at that period, in subjection to that power, rather than the 38 AMERICAN INDIANS. inclination of the Menomonees, wlio were induced to believe tliat the Government of the United States was entirely unable to keep possession of the country, and protect the Indians in their rights." I find, in J. Wesley Bond's History of Minnesota, page 211, a few items relative to the Winnebagos, which must be particularly interesting to us who live upon lands bought of them, and upon their village sites, where their " fires are hardly yet extinguished." "The Winnebago Agency is located about forty miles back from the Mississippi river, on Long Prairie river, about 140 miles north from St. Paul. Long Prairie is about sixteen miles long, and, on an ave- rage, one and a half miles wide, stretching from the northeast to the southwest, and from the high and cen- tral location of the Agency buildings lying around it, presents a highly picturesque and agreeable view. This tribe numbers about 2,500 souls. The first recorded treaty by the United States with this tribe, was made in 1816. They were again included in a treaty made at Prairie du Chien in 1825; and at the same place, in the year 1829, another treaty was made with them by which they received $30,000 in goods, and $18,000 annuity for thirty years, and 3,000 pounds of tobacco and 50 barrels of salt, annually, for the same period. And again, they treated in 1832, with an annuity of $10,000 for twenty-seven years, with a stip- ulation to establish a boarding school for them at Praire du Chien, for the same period, at an annual cost of $3,000, and $3,700 more, annually, for farmers, blacksmiths, physicians, oints of bold and })ald blufi^* look- SECOXD SKETCH. 45 ing down into tlie valley, and sometimes into tlie river. The fall of the river from Portage to its mouth, is 2^ feet per mile, while that of the Mississipj)! is "but Cl- inches per mile from the mouth of the Ohio to St. Paul, including its two rapids. (Geological report of Iowa.) But in comparing this and other branches with the " Father of waters," we must consider that the Missis- sippi is at the bottom of the great basin, and that its supplies fall from the water sheds into it as rivulets run from the liill sides into the creek. But I believe that this stream is the most rapid of any of its brandies. In front of you is a lovely prairie, richly wooded about, and imbossed upon its distant edge by the Baraboo blufts. Upon your left, and partly behind you, the bluff sides are profitably cultivated to the grape. One vineyard, that of Mr. Keiil, will make this season 20 barrels of wine, besides selling a large quantity of the fruit. This is the largest plantation, but Me. HufiLEY is the pioneer grape man. In this vicinity there are several quite extensive vineyards. Upon the river you see steamboats, and see it spanned by two bridges, one at each town. Where but 23 years ago, the Indians were lords of the soil, there are within the town of Prairie du Sac, on an area of 31 square miles, all with- in sight, 380 dwellings and 1,900 inhabitants. Upon this prairie, then, so beautifully clothed in myriads of flowers of every shape, shade and color,* and the luxu. riant grasses,— you see a plaid work of farms striped by roads and dotted with buildings. The high chimneys indicating steam propelled machinery ; you see in each * " Not less thuu SOO sp('cios."--T. J. IUi.b. 46 SECOND SKETCH. village steamboats lying upon the river and people mov- ing in all directions. To the South-west of you, at the lower end of the prairie, and 1-i miles from the mouth of Honey Creek, you see a prominent point of bluft'that forms a land mark of the country. At its base the creek is dammed. At the East of the dam the fine flouring mill of Messrs. Merkihe w, Eowell & Co. stands. It is 32 by 50 feet, is built of themagnesian lime stone from the top of this bluff, and has four run of stone at present. There is also a shed built for feeding teams in, which is the first appendage of the kind in the County. In 1859 the flour made at this mill took the first premium at the State Agricultural Fair. The creek here furnishes about 1,000 inches of water— cal- culated on the edge of the dam. At the West end of the dam stands the old mill, now used for chopping and coarse grinding. Hufus Meeeiiiew is now the active man of the firm, and a man who prides himself much in the milling business. Here was the first dam Ijuilt in the County. Robeet Bryant built it in 1841 and got his saw mill running in 1842, but it never did much business. He sold to II. B. Staines who put into operation a pair of 28 inch burr stones and a shaking bolt. This bolt was some two feet wide and eight feet long, placed in an inclined position — the ground wheat falling on the upper end, and the bran running ofl' at the lower end. This mill was a little improvement on " Uncle Bill's" — Wm. Johnson's — bis; coftee mill. But we would sometimes have to wait a day or two before getting our small grist, and tend mill ourselves. It re- (piired more than common honesty to toll our own grist. iSTAiNEs sold to Mix, who put up a respectable building mut torn OOD- ing, ! al- !om- our- 201 sur- re- 5TE- eas- ., to tes, iiip- orn the eat, % of red 'om ; of s of ) ine nty 6SC0ND SKETCH. if and put to work two pair of 30 incli burrs with smut mill and other usual fixtures appertaining to a custom mill. Wilson was the next proj^rietor, J. K. Wood- ruff next, Hexry Rowell next, then Merrihew & Eowell, who built the new mill shown in the engravings and lastly its present firm. From the favorable locality of this mill, it has al- ways all the custom work it can do. Since the com- pletion of the new mill it has done a good deal of flour- ins;. Of the 31 miles (19,840 acres) area of this town, 5,201 acres are under cultivation or nearly one-fourth its sur- face. (In quoting from the United States census re- port of the Southern Assembly District, made by Ste- phen B, DiLLEY, Deputy Marshal, it must be a pleas- ure to all to learn that he did his work of taking it, to the letter of the law.) Of the population 687 are from the German States, 75 from other foreign countries, 82 from New Hamp- shire, 79 from Vermont, 116 from New York, 352 born in Wisconsin and the remainder divided among the other States of the Union, There were grown in 1859, 23,764 bushels of wheat, 18,085 bushels of Indian corn and. 15,618 bushels* of oats. The next year, which will long be remembered for the abundance of our crops, there were raised from nearly the same number of acres, 50,109 bushels of wheat, 30,882 bushels of corn, and 23,663 bushels of oats. (See Town Assessor's agricultural statistics.) There were produced in this town 107 gallons of wine in 1859, which is more than all the rest of the County has produced. 48 PECONl) SKETCH. The tliree Villages of this town are very pleasantly Jocated upon the Wisconsin river, and are within two miles 11]) and down the river, and at some future day- will be united into one town. There are now two Post (^Hices, — one at Sauk City and the other at the village of Prairie du Sac. Thei'e was formerly a good deal of antagonism existing between these two places ; Upper town being settled principally by Americans, and Low- er town by Germans. They are, however, now good neighbors, and entertain a friendly feeling towards each other. Sauk City, the lower town, now contains a]>out 1,000 inhabitants. It has (now being completed) a stone School House 40 ])y GO feet, a Catholic Church 90 by 129 feet, (see engraving), a free Congregational Hall 20 by 40 feet, 3 Taverns, 6 Dry-Goods Stores, which sell $05,000 w^orth of goods per year, 1 Hardware Store that does a heavy business for a country tow^n, 2 Drug- gists, 4 Brew^eries, 1 Distillery, that does a small busi- ness, for all Germans w^hen they come to tow^n to trade must have their lao;er beer, — 6 Shoemakers, 4 Black. smiths, 2 Wagon makers, 1 Jeweler, Weknee, an old resident, 1 Tobacconist and a Furnace. — See engra- ving. It is now double as large as shown in engraving and propelled by steam. There are a corresponding number of artisans and professional men. There is about $75,000 w^orth of merchandise sold annually. There is a bridge across the river which is 1020 feet long, built nearly on the Hall plan, and is a fine and substantial truss work ; and a Bank, that withstands the pressure of the times. There is a collection of about 300 specimens of natural history ; about 250 specimens SAllil^i^lY 101 XDKVhv lOlIN ROSCHF ■lOOJSD B1OST039L iH of dijfferent species of stuffed birds which were collect- ed mostly in and about this neighborhood, and consti- tute perhaps four-fifths of such as inhabit, as well as those that frequent this State. It is truly interesting as well as instructive to look upon so large a collection made mostly in our neighborhood, and notice the great variety of plumage, the many different and singular forms. We often ask in looking at them, is it reallj true that this bird and that bird inhabited Sauk Coun- ty. This region of Country has some rare specimens of ornithology. This collection is the property, and was made by Charles Dininger, a German gentleman. From the fact of their being ]3ut up neatly, accurately and with an air of life-like appearance, they are valua- ble to the student and an ornament to the County — there will be a list prej)ared for our future sketches by an experienced taxidermist and ornithologist. There is a German newspaper printed here, the first copy of which was issued by Lochine, as printer, and C. DuRR, editor, Nov. 23, 1853. It came into the hands of its present owners in October 1856 ; L. Crusius prin- ter, H. Kleinpell editor. Its name is Pioneer Am Wisconsin — in English, Pioneer on the AVisconsin. It now has a circulation of 350 and is doing a good li\Ting business. SECOTID SKETCH. &1 Tliis is strictly a family boarding school, under th© immediate supervision of Professor H. J. Turner, for- merly of Utica, New York. French is the common language spoken in the family. It was opened at Sauk City in the spring of 1854, and averages about thirty students from some of the best families in the State. William H. Claek, more familiarly known as Ma- jor Claek, located here as a lawyer, in the spring of 1842. He boarded with Esquire Alban, and I believe had his study and office in the Esquire's Log House <3hamber, and of course was the first lawyer in the County. James S. Alban became his student at law on rainy and other leisure days. He moved into Sauk County December 21, 1838, crossing the river on the ice. His family consisted of his wife and three children. His wife who had been in poor health died shortly af- ter her arrival. She had the reputation of being an excellent woman. Consequent upon his circumstances, Mr. Alban labored at various kinds of manual labor. He could shell out rails equal to " Old Abe," and has since obtained political position as well as Mr. Lincoln. He has been twice elected to the Senate of this State, is Probate Judge of Portage County, and has just re- ceived the appointment of Colonel of the 18th Regi- ment of Wisconsin Volunteers. There is one class of seventeen members in this and upper town Village, of " Albrights," from Jacob Al- bright, a Pennsylvanian, who founded this sect. Their correct corporate name is " Evangelical Association of North America," and another class of nineteen, back at the Honey Creek bluffs. There is but a slight differ- ence between this sect and the Methodist. 63 fECOJTD SKETCH. There is a " Dutch Reformed Church" of fourteen or sixteen members, here whose corporate name is the " Evangelical Reform Church." There is a sect of " Atheists" also. They first styled themselves "Humanists" and held their first meeting at Sack City, October 24, 1842. They were in- corporated, however, by the name of "Free German Association of Sauk County," June 3, 1853. There are 70 families in all who are associated together of this creed; 20 in this town, 35 in Honey Creek and 15 in Mirrimack. They met with violent opposition at first from other sects, especially the Catholics, whose desire to persecute only strengthened them the more. Their members constitute, to say the least, a very respectable portion of the community, and their meetings are mark- ed with civility and decorum. They employ a salaried speaker. Charles Durr, now deceased, was their first speaker and Edward Shroeter their present sj)eaker. The lectures are u})on some science or biography, or any subject the speaker may consider useful. Decla- mation by young men after speaking and singing, con- stitute their services. Feasts, dancing, and amuse- ments are also participated in on Sunday. The following is a short sketch of the histor}' and .origin of the Roman Catholic Church, at Sauk City, as furnished by Rev. F. H. Weinhart : " In the month of September, A. D., 1845, there came the first Priest and Missionary, Rev. Adelbert Inama, of Tyrol, to this place. AVith the then small congregation of eight families he built a frame Church 20 by 3() feet, which, however, scarcely completed, after the first service was held therein, accidentally became a spoil of the flames. ^.- '■' **!• '■ BECOin:) SKETCH. fit "In the year 1847, the Rev. A. Inama, who then re moved about three miles East of Sauk City, with the intent to found a congregation there also, (in which he succeeded beyond all expectation, having since built a beautiftd Church, 45 by 90 feet,) was followed by the Rev. Maxmilian Gaertuer. Up to 1852 the divine ser- vice was held in the public School House of this place, when the foundation to a stone Chui'ch 50 b}^ 105 feet (not 90 by 129 feet,) was then laid, of which Charles J. Ross, of Sauk City, is the architect. " The conoTeo'ation then vet beins; a very small num- "ber, only a part of said building, 35 by 50 feet was erected, in which the divine service was held up to the present time. " Up to the year 1858, the congregation gradually increased to the number of about 80 families, at which time the Rev. ]\I. Gaertuer i-eturned to his old home, Tyrol, and was then succeeded by the Rev. F. li. Wein- hart, also a Tyrolese by birth, who is still attending the congregation. The work of the building was then continued with united zeal, and in 18G0 the walls were completed. During last summer (1861,) the Church became entirely enclosed. "Had it not been for the late money crisis, and the now pending war Ijetween the North and the South of this great American Republic, the work would have progressed farther, but with the aid of divine providence the congregation expects to complete the building du- ring the coming year, 1862. " The Church is also in possession of two beautiful bells, one of which was purchased by the congregation some time since, and the other was presented to the Church by Casper Horrnung, in the spring of this vear, 1861." F. H. WEINHART. 54 SECOl^D SKETCH. Chas. O. Baxtee, Esq., in a letter says : "Wm. H. Ca]^field, Baraboo, " Dear Sir: — At your request I reduce to writing, from memory, a few items in relation to tlie early his- tory and settlement of Sauk County. " Early in the Spring of 1838, Berry Haney receiv- private information from George W. Jones, who was then dele_o:ate in Congress from Wisconsin Territory, that the Treaty with the Winnebago Indians, for their lands North of the Wisconsin river, was ratified. Ha- ney at that time was engaged with Col. Abner Isichols, of Mineral Point, in staging between Mineral Point and Fort Winnebago. They had two men in their em- ploy by the names of Jonathan Taylor and Solomon Shore. Haney at that time w^as living on Black Earth Creek, at the place now called Cross Plains. On the receipt of the intelligence of tJia ratification of the Treaty, as above mentioned, he sent Taylor to the Wis- consin Biver, opposite Sauk Prairie, there to await the coming of Shore, who went vvdth Haney to Fort Win- nebago to purchase a skiff to take down the river to Sauk Prairie, in order to get across. They met at that point according to previous arrangement, crossed over and proceeded to mark out their claims. The first one marked out by them was for Berry Haney, on what is now Sauk City. Taylor claimed the next above Ha- ney, and Shore the next, which claim I afterwards pur- chased and own at this time, Planey, I believe had the first land broke in Sauk County. In June 1838 he em- ployed James Ensminger and Thomas Sanser to break ten acres, for which he paid them one hundred dollars. The first place in the shape of a dwelling on Sauk Prai- rie was built by Ensminger and Sanser. They dug a pit in the ground about four feet deep, 12 by 16 or 18 feet square, logged it up and covered the hole with hay and earth, making a sort of root-house. This they did for the purpose of preventing the Indians from burning them out, as they had threatened- SECOITD SKETCH. 65 "James S. Alban (who is now Judge Albaa of Por- County) and family moved on to Sauk Prairie in Jan- uary 1839, being the first family I believe in Sauk County, or what is now Sauk County. I believe it is claimed by John Wilson, of Wilson's Creek, that he and family were the first. Plow this is I cannot say ; I have always understood, until a few years since, that Alban and family were the first. "I left Rock Island for Wisconsin about the 1st of April, 1839, on board the old steamer Fayette. I ar- rived at Galena in due time, and there took stage, — or rather wagon — for Mineral Point. The proprietor was John Messersmith, Esq. We arrived at his place at Elk Grove, at noon, where we were very politely en tertained by the Esq. and his family, and after an ex- cellent dinner we proceeded on our way. W^e arrived at Mineral Point in the evening of the same day. I there lay over one day for the stage — or rather wagon again — to Madison. At Mineral point I met Berry Haney, who introduced me to A. A. Bird, of Madison, who was also waiting for the stage, and to many prom- inent citizens of the Point. We were one day in going from the Point to Haney' s place in Black Earth Val- ley, where I arrived, I believe, on the 6th of April. A few days after I arrived at Planey's place, Haney, Jo- seph Denson, from Iowa Territory, and myself started for Sauk Prairie. We followed a dim trail to the river, left our horses on the South side and crossed over in an Indian canoe. " We visited several of the cabins and claim shanties, and among others we visited D. B. Crocker's, which was situated where the village of Prairie du Sac is now situated. While there a little incident occurred that may be w^ortli relating. " The day was pleasant and we were all seated out in front of his cabin, admiring and conversing upon the beauties of the country, w^hen some one of the company discovered an animal of some kind approaching the hQ BSCOZTD SKETCH e:rove below us, from the prairie. Some supposed it to be a deer, others that it was a wolf. Densou being aa old hunter and good marksman, proposed to go down and try to get a shot. He took Crocker's gun and went down to the grove, Avhere he soon disappeared. Presently we Jieard the report of the gun, and very soon saw Denson wdth his hat off, running wdth all speed towards us, making signs to us to come to him. We all ran as fast as we could. When we came up to him he told us he had shot an animal, the like of which he had never before seen. He said when he lired it leaped into the air about ten feet, and then he thought it was making after him, which was the cause of his running and giving us signals to come to him. Aftes re-load- ing his gun, we cautiously advanced to the spot, and there found a monster lynx pierced through the heart. " The only families that were then settled in what is now Sauk County, were James S. Alban and Albert Skinner, unless John Wilson. AVilson wvas living at Wilson's Creek at that time. There were several young men making and improving claims when I came, the names of all of whom I believe I recollect. "H. F. Crossman, Burk Fairchild, D. B. Crocker, William Billings, AVilliam May, Nelson Lathrop, E. B. Harner and an old bachelor, by the name of Hun- ter. " The third family that moved in, w^as named Parks, and the fourth Jonathan Hatch's. "We celebrated the 4th of July, 1839, where the village of Prairie du Sac, now stands. There were 25 persons present, of wdiom four w^ere females, — Mrs. Al- ban, Mrs. Skinner, Mrs. Parks and Mrs. Haney. The • other population of the County, or what is now Sauk County, were present. At that time we were in Craw- ford county. In the winter of 1839 and 1810 we pe- titioned the Legislature to strike out a new county, call it Sauk, and attacli it to Dane for all purposes, which was done. eOSCOND SKETXOH. 05 — ^more blossoms than leaves or spears of grass. Bat now you see — only now and then — a vacant, unoccu- pied green spot ; the blossoms have disappeared by the feed in o; of cattle. Their seed could not fall to the ground to spring up again to bring blossoms for future years. But how is it with the sjjot of land and sur- rounding country where we landed in the fall of 1840. All then was covered Avith Indian hills ; thousands of deer bones, glass neck -pearls, arrow points of flint, and Indian graves were everywhere to be found. Yes, here they hunted, fished, raised corn and died. Time has decayed the bones ; the new generation, children oi Germans, have picked up their glass pearls, le. In the chase we had lost much time and greatly exhausted ourselves, and did not notice a tremendous thunder storm coming over us. The Count's head was wound- ed and we had nearly lost liim. We arrived at last at camp drenched to the skin, where, in the dark and rain, we found everything wet ; the tent torn into pieces, and its contents swimmino- iu water — no fire — cold and shiv- ering. You can believe we made pretty sour faces that night; butnever mind, the night passed; at day-break we regaled ourselves as best we could. Fine sunshine warming us up again, we endeavored to cross Honey Creek. But to do this we had no idea what a difficult job it would be. We tramped up and down the creek through mud, heavy underbrush, and Avere by thorns half torn to pieces. At last we were so lucky as to find a place where the trunks of fallen trees }n.y partly across the stream. Now we ventured out balancing. But such balancing I had never done before in my life. I used to balance in dancing saloons, in Hamburgh, New York, and even in a log caljin on the Wabash riv- er ; but here, surely it could not go very well, from sheer nervousness on account of being in such a critical position. I declare I was not afraid of water, as in my former days I was called a pretty good swim- er; but that swampy mud by the shore! — if any shore was there, nobody could tell where, or whether a bottom could be found ; then to swim in mud is a considerable piece of art, and I knew, not so easily done, as I had experienced before in a piece of Honey Creek swamj). However, over we must and did go. But oh ! our BECO^^D SKETCH. 6J^. traveling assistant bad to come over yet, besides all our guns, tent and baggage. Finally, all crossed safely, which consumed a half day's labor. Xow we traveled on, up hill and dou'n hill, for hours, nntil we struck an Indian trail, which set us in good spirits. Not under- standing how to travel by compass, however, we took ours, out which showed us (green horns,) about the di- rection we wished to take, but on we traveled, follow- ing that trail. After many hours, up and down, round and about, we came out in an entirely contrary direc- tion from what we wished to travel ; we stood upon a height and saw our Wisconsin rivei-, where we finally camped. Being now not very far from Helena, we visited for the first time the oldest settler in Sauk County, Mr. John Wilson. W^e traveled and camped out several times along Pine river, where ^\'e met a great many Indian graves, but no settlers. Near the head of this river we discovered a cave, in which Ave slept that night. The next morning brought us a most disagreeable aftair. Wc soon noticed that over night our most woi-thy traveling companion, our horse, had got loose, and was now — who knows where ? Here we sat in the wilderness — with kettle, coffee-pot, blankets, tent, (fcc, 1 JUL the horse Avas gone. With empty stom- achs, my brother and I started immediately in search of the four-leg. We searched and searched — traced back where Ave had traveled the day before, not notic- ing much how fast the time passed by. At last, fa- tigued and A'ery near giving up all hopes of finding the horse — there, there Ave came in sight of him, far — far away — so far Ave could hardly distinguish him. Really we had to combine all our enei-gy ttj advance Avith some- thing like good humor. The four-leg Avas eating grass very comfortably, while he kept walking sloAviy on, bound homeward. Noticing this, we had to march faster, to cut him off by and by, but to do this, it cost us a "heap" of drops of sweat, until Ave got so far — now commenced a chase, and a trying, and ti'ying over ^8 McoND s;e:etch. and over again, to catch that our traveling compan- ion. AVe learned noAv, if we had not learned it before, what independence means — that horse — really he show- ed himself an independent one. He tricked us out con- tinually. On that day we learned some experience in Western horse-catching ! My legs seemed to me to have turned over to the age of sixty or more years ; my brains — in what condition they were is hard to tell ! At last ! At last ! we caught him, and almost dropped down, so exhausted we were. Now came the return- ing to our cave, which luckily we found at last ; we had done enough that day, which lasted then but a short time, and it was sunset. Next morning we started together from our cave, but met also with a most un- lucky day. We had traveled all day, and not noticing that we traveled in too much of a circle, at evening- found ourselves at the same spot vre had left in the morning — our cave. During the folloAving clay we en- deavored to do better — came at last to a creek but knew not which one it was, and being bound for home we followed it down. We had exhausted our provis- ions; the large and fat coon the Count had killed was goDe. By climbing upon a high bluff we convinc- ed ourselves we were going straight ahead and right. With half empty stomachs, we calculated with joy at about what hour we should reach Sauk ; but as it often goes — so here — we soon found we had made a mis- calculation. We had to pass a great hindrance, which consisted of a lai'ge tamarack swamp, many of which at that time were along the Honey Creek valley. We were anxious to get home and not willing to march for miles round it, so we concluded to cross it in a straight line, but we had to suffer for it. At the commencement, for a good while, Ave did not care for the great elastic- ity of the ground ; but our marching went over into a kind of jumping, somewhat like grasshoppers. It often happened that in jumping to wliat seemed a pretty Bolid place, on arriving we would find ourselves in mud SECOND SKETCH. 69 — first knee deep, afterwards deeper — but the hardest trouble was our traveling companion, that independent liorse, with all the baggage. O, Jerusalem ! — hot and sultry it was; our bellies fallen in, our skin pretty near the bones, and no inside fat present, sAveating all the time. Now that liorse got stuck sundry times, not alone we had to carry the bao-o-ao-e ! no — we had to car- ry the horse too, mostly through this mud and nasty smelling swampy concern. I consider it yet half a miracle how it was possible that we crossed this place, but it came to a fact that we crossed it, and Ave were thrown into astonisliment at the fact! But hurrah now for sweet home ; this Ave reached at sun-set, totally torn and dirty, having l^een out eight or ten days. Our German settlers glared and stared at us. I believe they could not make out whether Ave came direct out of, or from the moon. In fact Ave looked Avorse than any European beggars, Winnebagosor chimney sweeps. " The Count soon employed a carj^enter, Mr. Mor- gan, an Englishman, Avho put him up a frame house for his family. This Avas the first one erected in Sauk City. I purchased it in latter years, and have kept it in repairs. It stands yet, and is occujjied by one Mr. Cowles. More frame buildings Avere then put up. That of Mr. eJohn Gallards and one under tlie name of the United States Hotel, noAv occupied-by Hiram Miller;''-* that now occupied by J. AVerner, Sr.; then a part of the District School building; then that of the Catholic Church — but before this latter building Avas finished, during church time it caught fire, and burned doAvn in a feAv moments. It Avas full of persons at the time Avho liad to fly for their lives. It Avas supposed to have ta- ken fire by someone emptying his pipe before entering chui'ch. Erom the abundance of shavings which lay ai'ound, the Hames spread rapidly. Provisions at one time being rather scarce, a civil re- * This was a palace of a building far so nc\r a coiinfry, and for auv time, will make a fine appearance. It was thoroughly built and furuibbed. W. H. C, 70 SECOND SKETCH. bellion broke out in tLe village among the workmen of tlie Count and Bryant. The motto oftlie rebels had previously been, "pork and potatoes for breakfast, potatoes and pork for dinner, u Sac, May 27, 18G1. Wm. H. Caixfield, Esq, "Dear Sik : — Pursuant to your request, I take pleas- ure in furnishing a brief history of the Congregational Church of this place. "In January, 1841, the Rev. S. Chafee, hy request of the few members of the Church of Christ who had emigrated to Prairie du sac, and were living without being organized into a Church, visited the place, preach- ed a sermon and organized a Presbyterian Church, con- sisting of nine members — all having presented letters of dismission and recommendation from other Church- es, to wit : Calvin Fiink, Lydia L. Frink, Mary E. Frink, Xathan Kellogg, John C. Kellogg, Charles F. Parks, Burk Fairchild, Jane Axtell, and Elizabeth Parks. During the year 1842, there were 9 additions ; in 1843, 0; in 1844, 2; in 1845, 3; in 1846, 3 ; in 1847, 4; in 1848, 1; in 1850, 2; in 1851, 4; in 1852, 5; in 1853, 2; in 1854, 3; in 1856, 4; in 1857, 2; in 1858, 10; in J 859, 6 ; in 1860, 11 ; — total 87. Of this num- ber twelve have been removed by death ; three have been excommunicated and forty-five have received, on application, letters of dismission and recommendation to other Churches. Among the latter number are six- teen who were dismissed on the 25th of November, last, at their own request, on account of exceptions being taken to the Meeting House being granted previously for funeral services, at which time a I* niversalist Cler- g}^man preached the sermon. The minister insisted that the use of the house should not be granted by the trustees for any purpose, without the consent of the minister. A majority of the Church and society dis- sented from these views, and on account of this differ- ence of ojjinion, myself and fifteen others seceded from the church, — leaving at present twenty-seven members. 80 SECOND SKETCH. " The Ministers who have supplied the pulpit since the first organization are as follows : — Rev. W. W. Nichols, from April 1842 to April 1844; Kev. E. G. Bradford from April '44 to April '47 ; Rev. W. Coch- ran from October '47 to November '48; Rev. E. G. Miner from October '51 to October '53; Rev. J. G. Kanouse from June '54 to June '55; Rev. D. T. Noyes from October '55 to November '58; Rev. H. Hutchins from 1st December '58 to 1st December 1860. The pulpit has been supplied since November last, by the Rev. John Silsby. "At a Church meeting held Nov. 29, 1844, the or- ganization of the Church was changed from Presbyte- rian to Congregational, and assumed the name of the First Congregational Church of Prairie du Sac, by a unanimous vote. The Church edifice was erected du- ring the year 1851, at a cost of about $1,000, and will seat 200 persons. Since that time a bell has been pro- cured by subscription from the citizens of the village for the purpose, at a cost of $300." Yours, very truly, S. H. BASSINGER. The town of Sumpter, (formerly Kingston,) is about midway the length of the Sauk Prairie basin, — back from, and not touching the river. The South-east part comprises the North end of Sauk Prairie, and is sec- ond in fertility to none in the County, if indeed in the State : it is now in a high state of cultivation. The South-west is divided up a good deal by high and nar- row ranges of bluffs, the character of which will be more particularly described in the Honey Creek basin. On the West side lies "Stony Pocket." The word " Pocket" is a Western phrase, indicative of a small ba- sin nearly surrounded by bluffs. This pocket is a large one, being about three miles in length and two broad. THIRD SKETCH. SUMPTEE. DESCRIPTIVE TOPOGRAPHY. The town of " Sumpter," formerly called " Kingston," lies about midway of the length of the Sauk Prairie Basin, back from, and only touching the Wisconsin river at the southeast corner post of the town. The southeast part of the town com- prises the northern portion of Sauk Prairie, and the land is perhaps second in quality to none in the northwestern states. It has for a quarter of a century been well cultivated, and the residences, and farm buildings are large and of a good char- acter. The southwest part is considerably cut up by high and nar- row ridges or bluffs, from two to three hundred feet high. It ' is these Otter creek bluffs that catch the eye of the weary traveler, as he commences to descend the Baraboo bluffs on his way from the county seat to Prairie du Sac, and few have traveled that way from whose lips have not escaped an excla- mation of delight as their eyes -ranged over the lovely scene presented by the sea-like expanse of level prairie, checquered with farms and their various crops and grasses ; dotted along the edges with scattering timber, and bounded all along the western horizon by the picturesque spurs of the main line of bluff which thrust themselves out into the prairie-like head- lands into the sea. To the south, in the extreme distance, are faint blue lines of hills on the other side of the Wisconsin river, while to the east, the bold bluff on the south shores of the same completes the frame of the picture. This scene, hightened as it is, by contrast to the almost savage wilderness of the road across the bluffs, is perhaps the finest "extended" view in all Sauk county. The Otter creek bluffs are not only beautiful, but they contain immense quarries of very good and handsome building stone, which is a calciferous sand stone, overlaying the Potsdam. It is in layers of from one to twelve inches thick, of a color vary- ing from a light cream to one several shades darker ; is easily quarried and dressed ; and by a tasteful arrangement of the diflferent shades of color, a very good effect can be obtained in building. These quarries vary in their lithological character. Some are more chirty or flinty than others. One opened by Chas. Abbott, has a strata of what seems to be Serpentine, probably orthocerata, described in Report of Geological Sur- vey of Wisconsin, by Jas. Hall, p. 147. There is a deposit of sand rock, of a few feet in thickness, forming a bench in the bluff side, owing to its more frable nature. Quarries are opened above and below this bench. Those below are usually more chirty than those above it. Above the calciferous sand stone are beds of Dolomite, from which lime is bnrned. With good means of transportation, these quarries must be a large source of wealth to their owners, and to the country generally. Upon the west side of the town is a recess or bay, surrounded on three sides by bluffs, viz : The Main Baraboo Bluff on the north ; the Honey Creek Bluffs on the west ; the Otter Creek 'Bluffs on the south, and opening out on the east on the Sauk Prairie. This is what is locally called a " Pocket," and in this case is " Stone's Pocket," so called from the fact of five families of that name residing there, three of which are in no wise re. lated to each other. It is three miles long by two broad, and contains 3,840 acres, of which 8-10 is susceptible of cultivation. The high lands are a clay loam, and the bottom lands the same with a greater accumulation of vegetable matter. A small por- tion, however, has a sandy loam soil. The northern part of the town lies upon the south shed of the Baraboo Bluffs. It has a heavy clay soil and much of it very stony. Originally, it bore a growth of white, red and black oak, some hickories, also a few burr oak and maple in the vallies. Most of the oak was '-made" into rails by the farm- ers on the prairie before the ceremony of purchasing from the United States Government was performed. It is now, where un- cleared, covered with a dense second-growth, which is already beginning to yield an income to those prairie farmers, who have added every foot of it to their real estate. The bluff, sides are cut by many and deep ravines, on the sides and bottom of which are quantities of sharp angular fragments of quartzite — B. 6E. fi'tW 1..™ K<'»/*ri> „iV . '*^"" , IT Mviim\ j ..J blocks of sand stone, sand stone partly metamorphosed, grani- tic boulders and masses of conglomerate, talcose slate and beds of nearly pure talc — tumbled and jumbled so that when you pass over them you balance from point to point, if indeed you are so lucky as to " make a point." In the bottom of these canyon- like ravines — among these rocks, shrubs, ferns, lichens and mosses drips pearly drops forming slender threads — ripples and gurgles the purest of water. A gentle channel emerges and flowing out into the intervale, joins others, thus forming small creeks, available for stock, and from its softness rejoices the heart of the farmer's wife at the wash tub. The land upon the bluff sides and top is so filled with stone as to be generally unfit for cultivation, with the exception here and there of small tracts. Near the northeast corner of the town upon the north boundary line lies Devil's Lake — " Spirit Lake " — " Lake of the Hills." A very small portion of it lying within the limits of the town. CHRONOLOGar. The town of Kingston (now Sumpter) was one of the original five towns of Sauk county, organized May 10th, 1849. It was so named by Henry Teal and Charles Kern, who were former residents of Kingston, Lucerne, Penn. It has been believed by some that it derived its name from a family of Kings, who settled near the centre of the town. The old gentleman, Mr. Hozy King, soon opened a tavern, and at one time had a small stock of goods. This place became known as King's Corner. In March, 1856, Solomon King laid out a village plat at the Corners and called it New Haven. It is better known now by the name of King's Corners than New Haven. (The old gentleman was living with his second wife. She with her second husband. He had ten children and she ten, yet between them they had but nineteen). The first Town Meeting was held at the house of James Moreland, April 3d, 1849. Jas. I. Waterberry, chairman; Isaac Gibbs and Sam'l Shaw were elected supervisors; Prescott Brig- ham, town clerk; Sam'l Mather, assessor; Ransome E. Stone, school superintendent; Cyrus Hill and David Randall received an equal numbe:* of votes for treasurer; R. Baxter was appoint- ed clei'k in place of P. Bryan, who had resigned. 1850 — Calvin Danforth, Wm. Farnam, John Thelke, super- visors; D. R. Baxter, clerk; Hiram Bailey, assessor; R. E. Stone, school superintendent; Albert Jameson, treasurer. June 15th, T. B. Cowles was elected treasurer in place of A. Jame- son, resigned. 1851 — Sam'l Shaw, John Dennett, Chas. Kern, supervisors; D. R. Baxter, clerk; J. I. Waterberry, assessor; A. Jame- son, treasurer; R. E. Stone, school superintendent. 1852 — R. E. Stone, Ira Ball, Michael Quiggle, supervisors; Fred. S. Roper, Phillip B. Stamates, assessors; Calvin Johnson, treasurer; Sam'l Shaw, school superintendent. 1853 — J. I. Waterberry, Eli Davis, F. S. Roper, supervis- ors; Philo Barber, clerk; J. W. Fyle, assessor; Geo. Gatwinkel, treasurer. 1854 — Eli Davis, Nicholas Furst, John Dennett, supervisors; Chas. Naffs, clerk; Rob't Colburn, assessor; Geo. Gatwinkel, treasurer; Norman Wood, school supei'intendent. 1855 — John Dennett, David Shell, Peter Perry, supervisors; Thomas D. Long, clerk; David Zimmerman, treasurer; Ryland Stone, Isaac Gibbs, John F. Stone, assessors; R. E. Stone, school superintendent. 1856 — Eli Davis, Sam'l Mather, Wm. Farnam, supervisors; T. D. Long, clerk; John Dennett, treasurer; T. D. Long, school superintendent; Peter S. Young, Sam'l Waterman and Chas. Kern, assessors. 1857— Jas. I. Waterberry, Wm. Johnson, Geo. C. Babcock, supervisors; Thos. D. Long, clerk; David Zimmerman, treas- urer; Wm. W. Perry, superintendent of schools; Eli Davis, assessor. 1858 — Thos. D. Long, Hiram Houghton, A. Hall, supervisors; O. S. Knapp, clerk; D. N. Barber, treasurer; J. I. Waterberry, assessor; C. S. Abbott, superintendent of schools. 1859 — R. E. Stone, A. L. Justine, C. Farrington, supervis- ors; O. S. Knapp, clerk; D. N. Barber, treasurer; C. S. Ab- bott, J. I. Waterberry, assessors; G. W. Waterberry, superin- tendent of schools. 1860 — R. E. Stone, John Dennett, Chas. Kern, supervisors; Wm. W. Perry, clerk; Harvey Durkee, treasurer; Eli Davis, assessor; L. B. Swallow, superintendent of schools. 1861 — O. S. Knapp, John Dennett, Chas. Ryone, supervis- ors; Wm. W. Perry, clerk; Harvey Durkee, treasurer; A. J, Sears, superintendent of schools; Wm. Johnson, assessor. 1862 — S. M. Burdick, John Dennett, Chas. Teal, supervisors; Wm. W. Perry, clerk; H. Durkee, treasurer; Eli Davis, asses- sor. 1863 — S. M. Burdick, Chas. Teal, P. S. Young, supervisors; Wm. W. Perry, clerk; H. Durkee, treasurer; Eli Davis, super- intendent of schools; Eli Davis, assessor. 1864 — M. Willis, J. B. Cowles, Geo. Gatvs^inkel, supervisors; W. W. Perry, clerk; H. Durkee, treasurer; Eli Davis, assessor. 1865 — M. Willis, J. B- Cowles, Geo. Gatwinkel, supervisors; W. W. Perry, clerk; H. Durkee, treasurer. 1866 — M. Willis; W. W. Perry, clerk; H. Durkee, treasurer; R. Barber, assessor. 1867— W. W. Perry, Thos. G. Francis, John Thilke, super- visors; Edwin Burnette, clerk; Harvey Durkee, treasurer; R. Stone, assessor. 1868— W. W. Perry, John Thilke, John Dennett; Edwin Bur- nette, clerk; Harvey Durkee, treauser; A. Jameson, assessor. 1869 — R. E. Stone, D. F. Denison, Joseph Lunich, supervis- ors; Wm. A. Johnson, clerk; Harvey Durkee, treasurer; Ryland Stone, assessor. • 18*70 — Wm. W. Perry, P. W. Carpenter, H. Gatwinkel, su- pervisors; W. A. Johnson, clerk; H. Durkee, treasurer; Ryland Stone, assessor. There being a town of Kingston in Green Lake county, causing confusion in mail matter, the County Board in 1861 changed the name. In the midst of the excitement at- tendant on" the firing on Fort Sumpter, and its defense by Maj. Anderson, they gave it the name of Sumpter to commemorate that event. November 14th, 1855, the town of Merrimack was organized out of Kingston territory. Sections 23 and 24 of town 11 north, range 6 east, was set off to Baraboo, 1862. Of the old settlers, who are heads of families, and still (1870) reside in the town, (enumerating down as far as 1857) the fol- lowing list is given : 6 1838 — Albert Jameson and wife, Wm. Johnson and wife and son Roswell. 1840— Mrs. Henry Teal, Charles Teal, Alex. H. Johnson and wife, Mrs. Andrew Hodgett. 1843 — Eli King, August Stadtman, John Schlag. 1845 — Geo. Gatwinkel, Henry Gatwinkel. 1846 — Jacob Hutz, (Sauk county, 1842,) Mrs. P. Brigham, Alonzo Waterberry, Charles and Henry Rork, John Thilke, (Little Prairie, 1 844,) E. Van Valkenberg. 1847 — R. E. Stone, Valentine Accola. 1849 — Wm. Astle, Thomas Stone, Charles Payne, John Den- nett. 1850— D. Shell, Henry Hill, S. M. Haskins. 1851 — Wra. Perry, Seymour Perry. 1852 — Jacob Elmandorf, Ralph Elmandorf, Sarah Elmandorf Reynolds. 1853 — Wra. Seibecker, John Wierich, son of Peter W., John Leiser. 1854 — Willis Waterberry, (about.) 1855 — Peter Knudschi, John Steiber, James Mather, J. W. Gordon. 1866— W. P. M. Johnson, R. White, J. S. Knapp. 1857— Charles Abbott. If the unmarried of both sexes and married women were added, there would probably be over fifty persons who would have over a twenty-five years' residence in the town. Chakles Paeks, whose parents resided for a short time at the bluff's, and now (1870) are living near Arena, Iowa county, was the first child born in the town, Feb. 1840, and the second one in the county. It is said in a note at the bottom of page 58, Second Sketch, that Sarah Leland was probably the second child born in the county. This must be an error. She must have been about two years old when her parents moved into the county. As an instance not only of the kindheartedness and christian charity, but also as an example of the difficulties that besei the early settlers, we give the account of the action of Mrs. P. Brig- ham, of Kingston, at the Bluffs, she having learned from her husband, that a family in Baraboo, were in most destitute cir- cumstances, being reduced to grinding a little corn in a coffee mill daily for their bread, and the other provisions being nearly- exhausted and their boy, an infant with a broken leg, no surgeon nearer than Madison. Mrs. B. next morning had her horse saddled and packed with flour and pork, and such medicines as were likely to be useful or were available and started alone with the burden of relief. She lost her way upon the bluffs, taking the wrong trail, there being nothing worthy of any more definite name to follow, had many fears in crossing a swolen stream, (Skillett creek) but finally arrived safe at her destina- tion. Her aid was most acceptable and unexpected, and it is probable that that family must often think with grateful hearts of that brave^ kind Woman at their door, with her well laded horse. She found that a neighboring woman, Mrs. Rosaline Peck, and the father had apparently set the bone correctly and the babe was doing well (so it proved.) Mrs. B. the Sabbath following, made a second visit, accompanied by Mrs. Henry Teal, both on horse-back. (This naration the author can parti- cularly vouch for, its coming so near home.) Mrs. Teal now (1870) is generally known as grand-ma Teal; her kind heartedness ( and indeed that of the whole family ) is well known. She has brought up as tenderly as though they were her own, seven orphan children. One of whom was married to her son Charles, with whom the good old lady, still active and lively in her 84th year, now resides, ( 1870 ) at the old homestead at the bluffs. Her roof has always been a shelter to friends and strangers alike. John Hooveb, Sen., came into the town about 1843, and soon opened a public house at the Bluffs, upon the east road, so called, and for many years made it a pleasant home for the traveller. This pleasant couple of Pennsylvanians are now ( 1870 ) in their graves. The nationality of the first settlers of the town, can be seen quite truly by the census reports. That of 1860 shows a popu- lation 959, of which 359 were born in Wisconsin, 101 in the Eastern States, 122 in N. Y., 51 in Penn., 44 in Ohio, 80 in other states, 31 in English dominion, 178 in the German states. Putting aside those born in Wisconsin, the relative numbers between foreign and native born are 394 that moved from the states hither, and 209 from Europe. The health of the town is superior — being nearly free from malarious diseases. The census report of 1860, shows a mor- tality of 18 persons: 1 Apepsy, 2 congestion of the lungs, 1 inflamation of the lungs, 1 asthma, 2 typhoid fever, 1 liver com- plaint, 2 cholera infantum, 2 spinal complaint, 1 cholic, 1 croup, 2 scarlet fever, 1 diphtheria, 1 accident. The census report of 1870 shows there to be out of a popula- tion of 847, but six deaths this year, 2 of these were by accident, 1 diphtheria, 1 bilious fever, 1 Hepatitis, 1 Lung feyer. There are 154 families. The oldest person 80. These statistics abun- dantly prove it a salubrious climate. In fact the county and this part of the "norih west" is an invigorating, healthy climate. It seems from the census report of 1870, that the poulation has diminished 112 persons. This diminution is not owing to poverty of soil or natural disadvantages, the reverse is the fact. The iSrst farms cultivated in our county were here. We have before affirmed the soil to be second to none other in the western states. The climatic statistics of the U. S. census reports proves its perfect healthfulness. This diminution of j^opulation is caused by farmers becoming wealthy, and enlarging their homesteads, and from the fact also of its being entirely an agricultural town, there being within its borders no growing villages or cities. AGBICULTTJRAL. The town of Sumpter when first settled, and before the soil had its wheat growing j^roperties partially exhausted, grew very large crops of wheat, and for many years it was its chief product. The farmers never have indulged to any extent in speculative crops, i e, when compared to the other towns of the county. When we shall treat the county as a whole, on the subject of agriculture, we will give a comparative table of its products. The crop is not reported in the U. S. census reports of 1860 and 1870. These reports give the crops grown in 1869 and 1869: 1859. 1869. Acres Improved 8,712 9,167 Horses ^42 478 Milch Cows 309 396 Working Oxen 107 6 OtherCattle 467 511 Sheep 382 1,558 Swine : 465 881 Bushels Wheat 31,137 53,028 " Rye 961 690 " Indian Corn 18,775 33,629 " Oats 28,935 48,291 Pounds Wool 1,471 5,204 Bushels Potatoes 6,240 8,723 Bushels Peas and Beans 46 97 1859. 1869. Pounds Butter 19,611 30,995 »< Cheese 3,858 470 Tons Hay 587 1,866 Bushels Clover Seed 8 39 " Grass " 61 29 Pounds Hops 15,102 Pounds Bees Wax 90 80 " Honey 3-35 70 Bushels Buck Wheat 65 460 " Barley 85 3,441 Gallons Wine 107 " Cane Molasses 248 917 Value of Orchard Products . . . $192 $1 ,866 It is difficult to come to anything like an accurate conclusion as to the prosperity or productiveness of a country from the census reports. The United States reports of 1860 for the crops of 1859, was a very low average, on account of the ex- treme drouth that season. The wheat crop averaged but 3|- bushels to the acre. The United States census reports for the next decade, 1870, which was for the crop of 1869, was again very low ; it being another dry season. This year the average of the wheat crop was but 5 8-10 busliels to the acre. It is a fact that the country is not subject to drouths. The Town As- sessors report for the year of 1861, given, the crop of 1860 shows an average of 22^ bushels of wheat to the acre. The average for the decade is about 13 bushels to the acre. IMPROVEMENTS. The only village plat in town is New Haven, formerly called King's Corners, on section 3, T. 10 N., R. 6 E. It contains 9 dwellings, 2 blacksmith shops, 2 small wagon shops and a church building. It was layed out regularly, March 22, 1856, by Solomon King. A district school building is within a few rods of the plat. In the same month, 19th, the village plat of Otterville, was laid out by Charles Hedges, on Section 4, T. 10 N., R. 6 E., near a steam sawmill, built the year previous, by Wm. Farnam and Ephraim Kellogg ; they had a small grist mill attached, mostly for grinding feed. About a mile from this there was another steam saw mill, built by Robt, Baxter. The Machinery from both of these mills is now removed, the inhabitants have desei'ted Otterville, and the village lots turned into farm fields. There are Y public school houses, 2 of stone, 6 of wood. That of district No. 1 is the best. It is a wooden building, large, well built and nicely furnished, cost $1,600. No. 2 has the poorest, but they intend to build another year. 10 There are three small wooden church buildings, a Methodist, Evangelical (gerraan,) and "Lutheran (german.) The Wiscon- sin river improvement will touch the N. E. corner of the town, and the Baraboo Air Line R. K., the N. W. corner. This latter improvement is being constructed, and fast pushing on to com- pletion. There is a post office called Bluff Post Office, at the bluff, upon the East road, so called. SOCIALISTIC RELATIONS. There are none other than district schools and religious societies in the town. The first class of that was or- ganized in the county, was formed in this town, at the Bluff, and at the house of Henry Teal, 1840, the Rev. James Whitford officiating, Henry Teal, Geo. Teal, Lucy Brig- ham, Catharine Kellogg, Martha Brigham, Thomas B. Cowles and Andrew Hodget, were the members of the class. Martha Cowles thinks Elder Nicholes, a Congregational clergyman that had settled at the village of Prairie du Sac, preach- ed the first sermon at Sauk and Baraboo. Mr. T. B. Cowles thinks perhaps that a traveling Baptist missionary by the name of Mathews, preached the first sermon in the county. Mrs. Henry Teal is quite positive that John Crum- mer preached the first. While boarding with her at Willow Springs, he determined to preach the first sermon in Sauk county, that the honor might rest with the Methodist denomination. Accordingly, in May, 1 840, he repaired to the Wisconsin river on Saturday, and found a log stable, opposite Lower Sauk, that was empty. In this he put his horse, cutting grass with his pocket knife, sufficient to sustain the animal until he should return the next day. A German set him across the river in a " dug out." He then went to John Hoover's, at the Blufl's. Here, the next day, he delivered his sermon and returned to Willow Springs. The next Methodist service was held by Reed and Whitford, at Henry Teal's. The next by Thomas Fullerton, who was the first circuit preacher that made stated appointments, to this class. In 1842, there was organized, what was called the Sauk Prairie Mission, its territory extended from Black Earth creek, in Iowa county, to Dekora^ iu Columbia county. The second quarterly Conference was held at Benjamin Johnson's, on Sauk Prairie, Dec. 28, 1844; B, T. Kavenaugh, presiding elder of the 11 mission, A. M. Badgee, preacher in charge. In 1845, Henry SuMMBES, presiding elder, P. S. Richardsox, preacher in charge. At this early day, the life of the itinerant was one of constant toil, privation and hardships. In 1847, E. Speingkb was the presiding elder, E. Hawes, preacher in charge; in 1849, Edwin S. Bunce, p. c. (preacher in charge) Black Earth and Dekora was set off this year. 1850, C. Hobert, p. e. (pre- siding elder) of the district, including the Sauk Prairie Mis- sion; Edward S. Bunce, p. c. 1857, W. Wilcox, p. e., Wm. OsBORN, p. c. 1853, 1. Searls, p. e., J. M. Wells, p. c. 1854, I. Searls, p. e. J. H. Scott, p. c. 1855, J. C. Braynard, p. c. 1856, M. HiMBAUGH, p. e.,H. Palmer, p. c. 1857, ditto. 1858, M. HiMBAUGH, p. e., RowBOTHAM, p. c. 1859, ditto. 1860, A. H. Walters, p. e., R. Fancher, p. c. 1861, A. H. Walters, p. e., A. Hall, p. c. 1862, A. H. Waltees, p. e., R. Gould, p. c. 1863, E. Yocum, p. e., R. Gould, p. c. 1864, E. Yocum, p. e., J. S. Lake, p. c. 1865, E. Yocum, p. e., W. B. Hazeltine, p. c. 1866, ditto. 1867, J. H. Bachman, p. e., E. McGiNLEY, p. c 1868, J. H. Bachman, p. e., I. A. Sweat- land, p. c. 1869, J. H. Bachman, p. e., W. W. Wheaton, p. c. 1870, ditto. There are some members of the Baptist church, who attend service at Prairie du Sac, where the society have a chapel. There are perhaps twenty members of the First Day Advent church, in town ; they are organized but have no house of wor- ship. In the N. E. part of the town, there is a society of Albrights, or properly "Evangelical Association of North America;" they have a membership of 28, and have a chapel on the N. E. cor- ner of John Thilkb's farm, 24x30 ; the society was organized March 23, 1863. About a mile north of this, at the Cross roads, by Willhblm Sbibbcker's there is a Lutheran Chapel and a Lutheran society of fourteen families. It was organized in 1862 ; in 1863 the building was erected. In this part of the town there are a good many Germans, that adhere to the " Free German Association, of Sauk County." Their lecture room is in the town of Merrimack. 12 A FARCE. In the summer of 1845, there was a farce played upon the inhabitants of Sauk, by a Barabooan — a man who was a mono- maniac upon the subject of Indian troubles. On the 18th day of August, 1845, in the evening, he got very much frightened, by — some say boys, others think it was but his crazy immaginatiou. Be the cause what it may, the facts were these: He went to his sister's house and told her that she must leave immediately — that the Indians were burning the houses and murdering the people at Baraboo village — that he saw the flames and heard shrieks from the people. She partly dressed her children — took her shoes and stockings in her hand, and in company with her brother and an Irishman by the name of John Gray, who was board- ing there, started in haste for the Sauk settlement, six miles distant, in the dead of night, with children half dressed and barefooted, over the rocky road, and as soon as time could per- mit, reached A. Jameson's house, and urged him " for God's sake " to alarm his neighbors, for the people were all massacred at Baraboo. These persons were considered truthful, and Mr. J. did not doubt for a moment that it was just as they had stated, and, as is natural, the ever-quick immagination never allows an alarm to subside, and from house to house he ■went ; and others went ; and in a short time the whole settle- ment was in a boil of excitement. Women and children crying and urging their fathers and brothers to make haste. Some packed their most valuable things; some took provisions, one man took oats for his horses and nothing for themselves. In a short time the bluff settlement was en route for the Sauk vil- lages, alarming their neighbors as they went (who had not got the news by rumor.) The towns were reached and alarmed, and word sent on to the extreme lower end of the prairie, and before daylight all Sauk was rendezvoused at Upper Town — had companies organized and officered — Count Harasztha was chosen captain. A blacksmith, in fixing a gun, discharged it and wounded a person slightly. Scouts were sent out as the day dawned, constantly feeling their way to Baraboo. They found the people there at their usual employments, and entirely ignorant of the intense excitement of their Sauk neighbors. This practical joke, although a large one, was pleasantly taken, 13 because it was evident that the intention was good and came from a monomaniac. Judge Stephen Bates, a much respected citizen at Lower Sauk, relapsed from an indisposition, that he seemed to be recovering from, in consequence probably of this excitement, and in a few days died. He had been a man of a very active mind, and during his whole indisposition the family had been extremely careful to keep his mind quiet. (He had been Judge of a Circuit Court of the State of New York, and was one of the jurors in the celebrated Morgan suit — the revealer of Free Masonry. Judge Bates was the father of Curtis Bates, formerly of Sauk City.) Samuel Shaw, of Upper Town, soon after this affair, gave vent to some poetic mirth relative thereto, as follows : Indian War on Sauk Prairie — August, 1845. by samuel shaw. Good sir, attend and hear a friend, Chant forth a measured ditty, Droll things I'll tell which once befell Around Sauk Prairie City ! The moon rode high in vaulted sky, And men did rest on pillows, Nor dreamed of ill as they lay still. While " varmints " lurked in willows. From Baraboo hills, o'er rocks and rills. Hard by the Devil's Lake, sir, At dead of night, in sore affright, Ran men o'er bog and brake, sir. "Without a gun, to Sauk they run, And tell a fearful story ; The scalping knife was taking life, Around lay corses gory. The news did spread, and roused from bed A score of sturdy yeoman ; Upon their feet and in the street. To fight the Indian foeman. From door to door ran half a score, And fire-locks did rattle, I'm sure no knight e'er felt more fight, Than these in hope of battle. 14 From friends to friends the news extends, And Parson raised a broom-stick ; * E'en aged dames caught war-like flames, f "While Satan twirled the drumstick. Aroused that night, one man in fright. Got up hind-side before, sir ; Four petticoats near, put on in fear, And then cried, give me more, sir. And others — some, to jug of rum Did go for consolation ; And then "hiccup " with courage up. To face this tribulation. On moon-lit green there soon was seen A band of valiant freemen ; Armed for the field with sword and shield. And guns in moon light gleaming. In martial ire, with eyes of fire. All ready at command, sir, 'Tis right at first to know the worst, Are Indians out in band, sir ? Then they propose where sun arose ' To send and watch their motion ; The matter sift, ask Red Men if For fight they have a notion ? Through woods and rills, o'er rocks and hills, O'er prairie del] and fern, sir, To Baraboo where owls hoo, hoo, § Did go Sauk prairie men, sir. To seat of war they now repair, No' Indians there were prowling ; One Peter Funk, that night lay drunk, And raised a hideous howling. * Said to have really occurred. The late Rev. Mr. B , the stated minister at what was then called Upper Town, was on that night lodging with one of his friends out on Otter Creek, and heing aroused by the cry of (Indians) was soon seen with a hroom-stick in his hand, resolved on a desperate defense. + Certain old ladies are said to have manifested strong belliegerent symptoms. § It will be borne In mind that Sauk Prairie was settled before the Baraboo valley, and at the time of this occurrence the latter country was sparcely inhabitated, and gave no indications of Its subsequent rapid growth and prosperity, and the owls were then the most noisy inhabitants of that region. 15 The which was heard by talking bird, Who for his life did scrabble ; On that dread night, in horrid fright. Did scare us with his gabble. The public mind rejoiced to find No danger thence was pending, The fright was bad, no fight they had, The dread of carnage ending. The clash of arms no more alarms. Bland peace smiles on our prairie ; Far, far from strife, runs even life, Altho' our fortune vary. Albert Jameson has kindly comunicated the following for these "sketches:" Kingston, Nov. 25, 1870. " Friend Canfikld : I received a few lines from you, wishing me to give you a few of the particulars, respecting my coming into this county. My first visit here, was Dec. 12th, 1838, in company with Andrew Hodgett, Alexander Bills and Nelson Lathrop. "We crossed the Wisconsin river upon the ice, the snow was about six inches deep. After meandering as much of the prairie as we could, we camped, in what has since been called the Hoover Hollow, from Johk Hoover, who settled at the mouth of it. We swept away the snow and made preparations for the night ; some making a fire, some collecting pine bows, their being in this gorge, as well as others, along this range of bluffs, a few pine trees, for a bed. These we had to substitute for blankets, for we had none. I was engaged in getting sup- per which consisted of rather plain fair, simply corn meal wet with cold water and baked upon a stone. After our repast, we retired to our lodgings, and spent the night pleasantly. We located our claims on the 20th ; ray claim I am now living upon. We then started for the river. Esqr. Alban had moved over the river with his family that day. We put up that night with him, and was entertained as well as could be expected under the circumstances. To the best of my knowledge, Mrs. Alban was the first white woman living within what is now the county of Sauk. Wm. Johnson came in a short time after we located our claims. Cyrus Leeland, I think, came here 16 the following June ; he brought his family with him, and Mrs. Lekland was the second white woman upon our prau ie. I did not bring my family until I had been here a year or thereabout. I had been here about a year before I knew any thing about the Baraboo, except by the Indians. The first woman that crossed the bluffs, was Mrs. Peck, in company with Eben Peck, her husband. They had to cut their road through the brush over the blufi's. Like other new places, the very first settlers labored under many and great inconveniences. Our nearest mill was south of Mineral Point some 20 miles, owned by I. J. Sheldois". I never expected to have seen so great a change take place as has in the settlement of this county, in so short a space of time. The improvements, commerce, &c., are nearly equal to the older states already. Yours Truly, A. Jameson. WILLIAM Johnson's first settlement in sauk county. I have learned from Mr. Johnson and family that he left Bel- mont in the fall of 1863. When they arrived at the Wisconsin river it was sufiiciently frozen to cross on foot. They left their team at the river, with a man to care for it, and went to the blufis, near the Honey creek Valley, and crossed over into what was called the " Pocket," to a cabin occupied by one Lathkop, where they spent the night. The next day they went to the point of the bluff where he now resides, and liking the location set his men immediately to work. There had been a storm, commencing with rain and then freezing, which festooned every twig and branch with ice. The day was clear, making, says Mr. Johnson, the most brilliant display of ice adorning, that he ever saw. They threw up a small cabin near the spot where now stands the steam saw-mill, and spent the winter in getting out rails. Thirty or forty Indians lodged near them. They were fair neighbors, and dealt with their white friends considerably, never, but in one instance, having any difiiculty. Then an In- dian insisted on having flour when they could spare no more, and was about helping himself, when Caret, (his oldest son,) caught hold of his clothes in such a way as to walk him hastily on tip-toe out of doors, to the great amusement of the other Indians. V'.V.W OIMVILLIAM .U}lUf»ONS KY.SUnV^iVY. o,. .tatiUPrinrit 17 The next spring he came on with five ox teams, a set of blacksmith's tools, a large breaking plow, and a mill similar to an overgrown coffee mill. He got the mill of Col. Moore, of Belmont, Iowa, and Moore got it of an old pioneer, who it is said, ground for toll. It is believed to have cracked the first kernel of corn in the northwest, as well as the first in Sauk county. It was capable of grinding nearly a bushel an hour. The old mill should be preserved as a memorial. They got J. E. Albak to help them across the river. It was with much difficulty they got the cattle into the water, but finally succed" ed. One yoke, however, would not swim, sinking and rising like a drowning person. They finally got them started beside their two canoes and made good progress until their feet struck a sand bar, where they made a stubborn halt, and efi'ectually anchored them out. They coaxed and vrhipped; the cattle turned their yoke. They unyoked them to keep them from drowning, and tied each one to a canoe, and put the boys (John Robbhsts and George Folen, both of whom are now dead,) into them, and Johnson and Alb-1n got into the water and crowded them off the bar. They then made a great efibrt to get into the canoes. The boys were frightened almost to death, for neither of them coitld swim. They might have taken hold of their horns and kept the canoes away from them; but instead of so doing they broke everything, except the paddles, they could get hold of, over their heads. They soon got them imfastened and let them go their own way, and the boys landed upon an island. They were too poor canoeraen to get to Alban and Johnston, v^^ho were obliged to swim to them. But they had time to do that and get back to the oxen before they landed on the opposite shore. One ox was thought to be dead. They hauled him out and he finally came to and got well ; but from that day to the day of his death he could not bo got near ohe Wisconsin river. They started in above Upper Town, and landed upon this side, below town, a distance of a mile and a half from where they started. That summer he broke 60 acres for themselves, and as much more for their neighbors. The next summer they fenced and • put into crops what land they had broken ; and their harvest was never better. In the fall he moved his family here. After this harvest the little mill was of much use. It was a f ule of 18 the family th.at one man should grind before breakfast enough for the day's use. The neighbors also made much use of this mill. When the land came into market, Mr. Johnson entered 640 acres. He has sold none except what he has deeded to his sons ; having now 400 acres. He had three girls and a boy by his first wife, and eight boys by his present wife — some of whom are married. He has been and now is an energetic man, and has probably assisted in laying more roads than any other man in the county, excepting surveyors. He is a member of the Methodist church. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Wm. Johnson, Albert Jameson and Samuel Shaw, have many thanks from the author and compiler of " Outline Sketches of Sauk County," for their reminisences. We feel particularly thankful to Louis Claud for assistance in arrang- ing part of the matter of this " sketch " and for valuable suggestions. Errors and omissions are incidental annoyances — criticism a purifier. The friends of " Outline Sketches " will do a favor to the author and public, by pointing out to him those omissions and errors when noticed. DEVIL'S LAKE •sji S a basin of water 1^ miles long, north and south, by f '^iH.miles wide, east and west. It is located in the south part ,of the town of Baraboo ; a small portion of it in the north part of Siimpter, Sauk county, Wisconsin, niched in the Baraboo bluff, 2^ miles south of the village of Baraboo. The Baraboo bluffs are a wide range of bills with much moun- tain-like scenery in them. Their highest points are from 700 to 800 feet above the Wisconsin river. They are composed chiefly of pal-azoic rock, and have by convulsions been rent, shook, canyoned and piled, from whence comes the mountain-like scenery. In the pass where the lake is located, the bluff ap- pears to have completely parted from base to base as though a river had' passed through, and subsequently filled up from 150 to 300 feet with glacier debris. Near the" north end the lake basin was scooped out, and is now filled to the depth of 50 feet with pearly and very soft pure water; the rock-bound shores rising over 400 feet above it. This primitive-like rock scenery being so far distant from a mountain chain, renders it the more interesting. It has already become a favorite place of resort for pleasure seekers. It has for the past few years' profitably supported a public house at the north end, the 3Iinni- Waiiken, and at this time there is another in course of erection at the south end. The land-lord of the Mlnni- Wauken, S. Hardley, has a small steamboat "the Capitola," together with a fleet of row-boats. The south end of the lake is known as Kirkland, where there are pleasure grounds. At the north end Louis Claude, an English gentleman, has fine grounds, and buildings in rural design. The lake has no visible outlet, yet it has a small inlet. At times it overflows to the north into Babbling Brook, thence into Baraboo River. At the present time, IS'ZO, the Chisago & Northwestern Rail- road Company are constructing the Baraboo Air Line Railroad through the gap at the east shore. There has been much written and published relative to it, much of 20 which is exaggeration. It is an easy matter for many minds to find myths and legends to si)in yarns of, to weave into ballads, epics or fertile prose. So much of ^nch matter has been served out to the public and greedily swallowed, it would be extremely difficult to disabuse the venerating of the reality of their exist- ence. It is said that Indians will eat no fish caught out of the lake. The earliest settlers — those who associated with tlieirred brother — knew their canoes were upon the lake, and that they hunted about and fished there the same as elsewhere. From much careful inquiry of those early settlers, it does not appear that " Nitchie " had any legends of this lake ; yet from their known legend characteristics, it is not utterly improbable but that he may have had. There has been efibrts made to cbange the' name of the lake to " Lake of the Hills " and " Spirit Lake." The name so stands upon some maps. Laterly it has fallen back upon its "bad manitou " name, given by our forest brother, in square Enrrlish. "fjSfl) H. WOOD, of Portage City, (the well-known mer- chant), after a visit with his family to the lake, Ogives the " Portage Register " an epic of what he there saw and imagined. We copy the "Baraboo Republic's" synopsis of it : " My Geological Friend, will you please permit your fancy to retrospect the 20,000 years last past when the old pancake for- mation call Wisconsin was 'without form, and void;' when the vast sandbed from Dekorra to the Lake Superior rej^ion was overflowed, and the water commenced to recede toward Green Bay ; when the little clamshells on the top of Lone Rock began to petrify, and the ' Old Granny' rocks on the Kickapoo were just getting their noses out of the water. " Previous to this, old Vulcan, who had been forging thun- derbolts, — which, ' let off",' had upheaved the Blue Mounds and the Illinois prairies — found his works moving along in the region of Dekorra. Here, with a regular 'peacemaker,' he tore open the gap at Dekorra, letting the pent up waters through the rocks. This in the end will be a great blessing to the Missis- sippi river country, giving it a ship canal to the great lakes. 21 Never'.beless it spoilt the mighty chaunel of the Fox, and ren- dered .it necesst'ry to cut the Portage canal and expend a good deal of money. So much for explaining the origin of the Wis- consin river. "But old Vulcan, though drowned out at Dckorra, fanned the expiring embers of his furnace at Merrimack, and came rushing on toward the upper Barraboo, casting and lieaving up the Baraboo bluffs, at a r&te which must have astonished the mound builders. Gaining force as he proceeded, and wrathy from his Dekorra ducking, his upheavals soon assumed the volcanic form, and his eruptions were of a high old order. For three miles down this valley did he cast forth rocks, from one hundred tons weight downward. But the grand expn-ing effort of his whole northwestern experience was at the ' Devil's Lake.' Hero he piled quartz rock to the extent of the weight of a small country like France, and his last upheavals were of the Califor- nia order, getting particles of gold mixed up with the molten quartz, when Jupiter interfered with his extravagant spree, and Ordained that the people of the Baraboo hills should henceforth and forever be the virtuous sons of toil. The Baraboo (which at that time was agitated by a tearing flood) let in the water to the tune of a lake four miles in circumference ; and this lake, then, is the crater of the last volcano in the United States. So disgusted was the old blacksmith, that he put out for the country of the Andes, where he has ever since kept up his fires. But, doubtless, as soon as the ship canal is finished, he will com- mence operations upon Louisiana soil, and not only rib that alligator country with mountains, but stop up all but one of its dozen mouths, thereby afl:ording slackwater navigation, like the Hudson, its whole length. So you see that in this matter of a ship canal. Providence is on our side; and the mighty god, Vulcan, having deserted, and drowned the devil in his own lake, is enlisted in the improvement enterprise also. " But we must go to the other end of the lake. Most of the party go by boat. But three of us, valiant men who ' lap water like a dog,' chose to climb the rocky steep and go over the mountain. No donkey can aid us here ; we are not fooling about the sloping Alps now; We are climbing the Devil's Lake precipice, and can make no comparisons till the devil gives the world another. A man who can climb a greased pole can gen- 23 erally climb up here ; but when we undertake to descend at the other end, towards the vineyards of N. C. Kirk, Esq., and in a broiling sun, then the case is different. ' Can we get down here, Mr. Kirk?' we shouted when we got to a point wliere we could not see over. ' Not there ! steer to the right and take it coolly,' said he. Coolly ! We -have swam the Wisconsin when the current ran from shore to center, but we never were so com- pletely used up. Ice-water, fii'e-vvater, and lake-water, with the cool shades, finally calmed our heaving bosoms, and Ave pro- ceeded to view the paradise of Wisconsin. You might have a combination of Madison with the "76 farm, and the St. Luke f^rm opposite Portage, added to the New York Central Park, and still you would want Kirk's groves, lake-front, lawns and ancient mound — where he exhumed the pre-Adumite sketeton in a sitting posture — to make paradise complete. The designs of providence are often seen in the selei'tion of the right man in the right place. Adam might have been well fitted for a landlord, but he must have suffered terribly for guests when he made companions of serpents. On the contrary our friend Kirk has hosts of friends about him, and no pleasure party leaves his beautiful shades, eats bis grapes, apples, and drinks his nectar — of which he has a cellar full — without pro- nouncing him the prince of good fellows, generous to a fault, and worthy of the ownership of such a charmed spot. " We advise you — the yeomanry of the northwest — when you do go anywhere, to go to the Devil's Lake. Take along your en- tire families, and always stay over night, at least ; patronize our friend Hartley of the Minni-Wauken House to the best of your ability. If the funds are short you can camp in the Sug^ar Ma- ple groves, and hire his boats. If you can afford to enjoy his comfortable quarters and his cheer, it is worth all it costs; and as he is landlord, captain, engineer, fireman and pilot combined, he is like his many occupations, ' a host in himself;' and better than all, he has no cringing flunkeys about him to sponge your loose change for naught, like the eastern watering places. We have traveled some, and confess we never saw a spot where nature taught the great lesson of her ' bosom's upheaval " as here ; and if the world but knew what was here — as it soon will — there is nothing in four states that will compare with its attractions." 23 The following short, truthful didactic verses are truly multum inparvo, by S. S. G., dated Baraboo, January 25th, 1870: (fb^ STOOD upon the northern shore one summer day, Before me, silent, calm, and deep, its waters lay, )A mighty mirror, framed by God's own hand With granite rock and beach of golden sand. Wondering I gazed on mighty cliffs that tower, Rock piled on rock, as if by earthquake power ; Riven and carverned, silent, dark and drear, Whose shadowy shapes frown o'er the waters clear. While nature's turrets, walls and gothic spires Stand sharply lined lit by the sunset fires ; And hardy pines, upheld by fissured rock, Sigh to the breeze, or brave the tempest's shock. No wonder that the red man, Nature's child, When first the dun deer led him to this wild. Surveyed the scene, and, struck with awe and fear, Felt the dread presence of an evil spirit near. 'Twas said when lightning flashed athwart the sky, And the loud thunder shook the mounds near by, Their inmates rose, and oft in birch canoe Sj)ed o'er its seething waves swift as the arrow flew. The " pale-face," even, ponders o'er its weird design, And dreams of ages past, beyond the reach of mind, When mountains rose like billows of the sea. And formed a valley where a lake we see. 24 |TSr the report of the " Geological Survey of the State of Wisconsin," vol. l,p. 11, by James Hall, the character of the rock about " Spirit Lake," as it is here called, is des- cribed : " The quartzite rock is compact, nsnally redish brown, often pink in the more crystaline portions ; while in some localities it is ferruginous, and again, nearly white. In the fresh fracture and usually upon the weathered surfaces, no lines of lamination or bedding are perceptible. When exposed in cliffs, it is tra- versed by numerous nearly verticle joints or fissures, which are sometimes so numerous that the exposed portions are divided in this way, and fall down in small pieces, entirely covering the slope. In favorable positions the times of bedding are dis- tinctly perceptible, and the mass is clearly stratified — the alter- nation of fine and coarse material, and the diagonal lamination of some parts, are as clearly distinguishable as in a modern sandstone. " In the vicinity of ' Spirit Lake ' and other places between the Baraboo river and Sauk Pi-airie, these rocks appear in great force. The cliffs bounding that lake are about 400 feet above its level, and we have from 100 to 200 feet in nearly perpendic- ular cliffs. In ascending over the exposed edges of these strata, the lines of bedding are in some places seen ; and to- wards the upper part of the exposufe, beds of conglomerate occur, in which the pebbles, varying from the smallest size to more than a foot in diameter, consist of the brown quartz rock. This condition would indicate that the mass became indurated and was subsequently broken up and its detritus aggregated into a consflomerate." 25 The following crude verses are founded on a legend, which is said to have given Devil's Lake its not surpassingly euphoni - ous, but very suggestive title. They are respectively dedicated to my friend ChIndler, (J. c.) * * * * * Beij. D. House. MINNI-WAUKEN, A LEGEND OF DEVIL S LAKE. NAMELESS Lake with sullen roar Broke on the rocky strand ; While Demons of the lake and shore Seemed clasping hand in hand. And geni of the ether blue, With gnomes beneath the earth, Seemed met in conclave leal and true, To shriek their ghostly mirth. The wind awakened from its lair. The clouds drove to and fro, And chased the waves in upper air, As surged the lake below. And foam-drops from that upper main, To meet the waves beneath, Fell in a cold and sleety rain, Which covered hill and heath. Yet, in yon glen, the camp-fires seem To scoff the Storm-King's thrall ; And with their bright an4 ruddy gleam They rend the midnight pall. And round the blaze in circling ring. With tomahawk in hand. The Chiefs a war-song madly sing. To cheer their warrior band. But, borne upon the midnight blast, A shuddei-ing sound was heard, — As though, on rushing pinions, passed Some evil-omened bird. 36 Fell o'er that throng a hush profound, As though each heart were chilled ! As nearer came that weird sound, The ghostly song was stilled. Each warrior grasped his ashen bow, And sprang into the shade To watch the coming of the foe. Concealed, but undismayed. And through the darkness of the night There strode a stalwart form. Whose eye was fixed upon the light Which pierced the driving storm. He halted not until he'd crossed The camp-fire's gleam of light, Which, with a bloodred glow embossed The storm-king's shield of night. * The scalp-lock o'er his shoulders fell. And, from his hair, the sleet Seemed changed as by a demon's spell, To blood drops at his feet. Five hundred braves were at his back — With stealthy step they trod ; Each warrior stepping in the track He left upon the sod. With folded arms across his breast. He spake, with flashing eye : "The wolves have left their coward nest ! For well they knew 'twas I !" He scarce had ceased ere bow-strings' twang Was heard from out the shade, And war-cry answering war-cry rang From brave 'gainst brave arrayed. Shriek answered shriek — from hill to hill The cry was oft repeated ! Till echo, answering echo, told The tale of foe defeated ! 27 The fires gleamed brighter from the glen, Where erst the war-song sounded ; But they who sang were prisoners then, And by their foes surrounded. The lake's wild roar was heard below ; The pine trees moaned and shivered ; The braves defeated knew their fate, — Yet, not a muscle quivered. They thouglit, that in the happy grounds Along the sparkling rivers, That they forevermore would hunt, With never failing quivers. The conquering chieftian bids his braves With thongs of bark to bind their slaves. And lead them to the lake ; That they, before they leave this land To join the phantom hunting band. Their thirst might freely slake. But when they reach the rock-bound shore, His voice is heard, above the roar That rages on the strand ; And thus he speaks unto his braves : "These wolves who robbed our fathers' graves. Shall bleach upon the sand ! " The fish shall feed from oflf their bones ! Their beds shall be upon the stones That lie beneath the waves ! Their scalps shall in our wngwams hang! Their bow-strings in our hands shall twang ! And they shall have no graves ! " Then, as his order loud was given. Their death song chanted up to heaven. Above the wild wind's roar. Their scalps from off their heads were torn. And at the belt of victors worn. And they cast from the shore ! The morning's sun in gloom arose ; — But they who drowned their conquered foes 28 Were treading forest path. The waves still lashed their roclc -bound shore, And seemed to vent, in sullen roar, A very Demon's wrath. Adown the rocks, far up the side Of hill which raised its head in pride, A chieftian slowly came ; And he alone, of all his band, Still deadly weapons held in hand, — His eyes flashed vengeful flame. And for his braves, who slept below, A curse he chanted, deep and low, — And these the words he spake : " Forever cursed be the face Of all these hills, and all the space Which holds this cursed lake ! "And Minni-Wauken be thy name. And cursed be thy waters ! For thou shalt have the darkest fiime With all our sons and daughters. " And nevermore the red man's oar Shall dip the cursed water Made foul by death and Satan's breath Breathed from a field of slaughter. " For Manitou has cursed with woe These murderous waters, ever ; And on this shore shall never more Be slung the red man's quiver ! " To them its shore forevermore Was like the Stygian river Where souls in wo roam to and fro, " Forever, and forever." * * * * * * ^ Fair lake ! thy name should never more Be linked with thoughts infernal; While there are blooming on thy shore So many gardens vernal. 29 Despite the red man's bitter curse, Upon tliy southern border A vineyard ripens in the sun, Mid nature's wild disorder. Fair Kirkland ! thou didst break the spell ! Thy groves, with beauty laden. Have changed wliat proved the red man's hell Into the white man's Aiden. And, '■'• Minnehaha " be thy nnme, — Thou Lake of laugliing waters ! For thou shalt know the brightest fame, With all our sons and daue^hters ! A LEGEND OF DEVIL'S LAKE. BY MISS MAKY E. DAETT. ^^ESTLED close down between Avild, rocky hills, Feeding no rivers and ted by no rills, I Devil's Lake lies, like a jewel rare, Drojjped from the ocean's casket there On the stern gray rocks — they'd forgotten where — By wandering nymphs of the upper air, But though forgotten, and bound to the place By the unyielding clasp of its shore's rude embrace Like a sad, prisoned spirit, it still seemed to be Ever murmering low for its home in the sea; And in pity, perchance, for the painful unrest. That at times heaved so wildly its beautiful breast. Pines have grown up midst the rocks on its shore, And whisper to it of the ocean's deep roar. As fanciful breezes, with lingers unseen. Toss their dark boughs into wavelets of green, Like time-worn battlements crumbling away, "Whose dark sides with lichens are softened and gray. And over whose fragments of iinshapen stone, A soft smile of verdui'e is gracefully thrown, 30 Stands bluflfs, that, like Titans, their feet in the tide, Seem guarding with vigilance all save oiie side Of this crystaline lake — here its pi'isoning band Is as fair as though formed by a sea-nymph's hand, Of feathery willows and wave-washed sand; And back from it with a gentle swell, Stretches a forest, where song-birds dwell, And squirrels play in the checkered shade By its maple boughs and old oaks made. Here, in these years of which we are told So many legends and stories old, Camped for a while a roving band Of Indians by the lakelet's strand. And, with the maidens of the tribe. Bathed in its crystal water Ke-she-ah-ben-o-qua,* their chieftian's only daughter. Slender her form, her motions full of grace, As full of strange, dark beauty her delicate young face — Dark as though a shadow from the midnight of her hair Enamored by its loveliness, was softly sleeping there. But grace of form and feature were lost in sweet surprise When the gazer felt the liquid light that trembled from her eyes; So much of soul was in the" look, so arch and yet so innocent, 'Twas love and timid playfulness in one expression blent. Yet oft that deeper light would steal into her eyes. Which speaks a depth of feeling, boundless as mid-sea skies, When listening to the wild music the woodland birds would make, Or the low-whispered murmurs of the wavelets of the lake. Down through the regal woods of June, The sun poured fierce the heat of noon. All life had fled the open glade, And even in the deepest shade, A hunter who had thither strayed By some strange freak of fate or chance From far off, sunny, vine- wreathed B^rance, For sight of living creature sighed. At length the waters of the lake he spied — ♦ The early dawn. 31 Its hills all blue as though a vail Of azure from the sky Had dropped between their tree-tops green And his expectant eye. He hastened on with quickened pace, Impatient to survey This new-found gem of loveliness Dropped sadden in his way — But i^ausf s, for a form of grace Starts up before him, fair as dream Of twilight, crowned as evening's queen With stars and pearly dew- One startled glance from her soft eyes, And, while yet lost in pleased surprise. She vanished from his view. And left him wondering if some spirit — The guardian of the wave — Had not just vanished fi-om his sight To seek her mystic cave ! And she, Kesheahbenoqua, Fled to a deeper shade. To question why so strange a face Appeared to her, a simple maid, At such a time, in such a place. "Was it some form that she had seen. Returned to earth from that fair shore Whose hills, arrayed in fadeless green, Departed spirits wander o'er ? The eve dispelled the mystery, As she drew near the camp. Just as the faint new moon lit up Her silver crescent lamp. Smoking the pipe of peace, Close by her father's side Was that strange face she'd seen, That form of regal pride ! She rather felt than saw his eyes Raise from her father's face To read the sweet confusion That lent her cheeks new grace, 32 As tremblingly she hastened To seek the wigwam's shade Ere her timid heart's emotioii To the stranger was betrayed. The months rolled by, and autumn came, Yet still the hunter staid. As wandering as the Indians there, Their camp his own he made. With them he chased the slender deer, And>»trapped the grim black bear, Engaged in every dangerous feat A fearless soul might dare ; Until the glory of his deeds, His skill in every art. Had won the envy or the love Of cvei'y dusky heart. And one heart more than all the -rest Watched for the even tide To call him from the distant chase To linger by her side — To lay some trifle in her hand, Perchance a single flower. Or bird, with sun-briglit plumage. Caught in some woodland bower. You'd have known why the early dawning Had given to her its name. By her cheek so like Aurora's When lit by the dawns first flame, When his step, making music, was heard in the wood, And she knew in a moment more His shadow Avould fall on the grass where she stood, Close by the wigwam door. One night she parted from his side, And strayed along the shore Where, in the moonbeam's silver tide. She'd wandered oft before — Oft when her heart had known no thought Beyond the pearly shell The wave soft rippling o'er the lake 33 Washecl landward by their swell. But now her heart was far too full Of a great new-found joy To think of vanished scenes or hours, Of childhood and its toy; For on her lips burned loves first kiss, And life for her had known no hour More perfect in its bliss. Yet though so happy, was it fear. Or some foreboding shadow near. That kept within her joyous breast A vague, strange feeling of unrest ? The wind, in whispering to the lake. Its haunting raeraories seemed to wake, And though the night was silver bright, And every wave was gilt with light, Theiv murmur seemed a captive's sigh, Or some low dierge's melody; And through the eve she'd seem to hear The breathing of a presence near. Oh ! had the form she most should dread, Windago, lirst iu every chase, The warrior of the stern, dark face, Whose lengthened gaze she'd ever fled. Haunted their moonlit trysting place ! When early morn, with dewey lips, First kissed the slumbering lake And smiled to see its sleeping waves In dimpling ripples wake, Each lover sought the chieftian's side, To ask the maiden as his bride ; The one, with all that hate could paint Stamped on each dusky lineament, Showing the maid's foreboding true In every glance his fierce eyes threw HTpon the other, who like stone. Scarce curved his lips in quiet scoi'n. The chief possessed one passion — pride — All others in his breast had died, • Or in this one were lost. 34 Love never had his bosom stirred — He felt no meaning in the word. The question, then, within his mind. Was not whicli suitor was most kind — Which loved his daughter most ; But whicii, as hunter, could exceed The other in some daring deed. He paused a moment. In a tree Towering high o'er a cliff, He'd seen an eagle seek her nest The night before, when in his skiff He fished along the shore. The 2)lace is found without much search, For near the shore two groups of birch On either side the rocky way Their graceful, silvery branches sway ; Then higher up for many feet Only nude rocks, one's footsteps meet — One fragment, huge and gray, has on its side The ripplemarks of some old tide — And then a pine, with fire-scathed base, Helps mark the pathway to the jilace ; A half-burnt tree still higher stands ; And then, defying feet and hands, A hill-top fortress crowned with pines. The looked-for cliff against the sky reclines. Not long the silence was nnbroke : Pointing towards it, the chieftian spoke — " He siiall the chosen suitor be Who first from the boughs of yonder tree An unfledged eaglet shall bring to me." Scarce had they heard the chief's reply, Ere they had flung their blankets by. And reached their boats upon the strand. One hasty glance their pathway planned ; Quick the time their paddles make, O'er the waters of the lake. As swift their steps from block to block, Up that wild mass of broken rock. O'er fallen trees and fissures deep, 35 Through which the startled reptiles creep, Through briars tliat, with cruel grasp, Claimed blood as tribute for their clasp — No pause — no rest — in their wild race. Save one dread moment, face to face, When they had reached the crag's rude base And then no words the silence broke : Their eyes alone the challenge spoke. With flashes of tliat vivid fire. Subtle as thought, without a name. That bursts from souls when all aflame. Telling the deadly purpose of their ire! And then, as with new madness, stung. Up the steep crag the pale-face sprung. Resting his feet he knew not where — Whether on ivy, rock or air. That he had gained upon his foe. Was all he wished or cared to know. The fatal tree was reached at last, And upward he was climbing fast, When to its base the red man came. Something more than rage or shame Was in that upward glance of flame — A deadly purpose nerved his frame ! Eager to know the lover's fate — Too eager in the camp to wait — The maid, with others crossed the tide, And clambered up the mountain side. She found a spot where naught coiild hide The sequel she must wait — A moss-crowned rock, quite near the base Of the gray, frowning precipice — And there, with eagei', upturned face, She stood in wild suspense. She saw him seize the eagle's nest. And place an eaglet in his breast ; But ah ! too late, he came to know, His weight was resting on a bough Within Windago's grasp. In vain his arms are stretched to clasp 36 The trunk in their Embrace : They only met a fiendish form And a more fiendish fiice. One upward glance — 'twas a look of pain — A frantic grasp that was all in vain — And then far down by the maiden's feet Was a pool of crimson gore — A broken branch — a shapeless form — An eaglet— nothing more I A cry, as when a heart's string break, A moment trembled o'er the lake ; And then, as mocking its despair, A yell of triumph filled the air, For Windago had gained the band, -Holding an eaglet in his hand ! Like one who walks in some dread dream. Unconscious quite of reason's beam. The maiden found the water's side. Here, the dark horror of the scene, Rushed o'er her like a tide — The mangled corse — the exultant yell — Windago's smile as Pierie fell — Oh ! agony ! could she ever wed That face that smiled above her dead ! Oft, as they'd glided o'er the lake, When every wave was bright, Pierie had sjjoken of a land That never knew a night ; A land where all love's dreams are true — Where lovers never weep — Whose gates sliould open to their view When death should bid them sleep. She'd seek its shore — why should she wait ? Perchance she'd meet hira at its gate; If not, to lie beneath the breast Of darkest waters, were rbore blest Then life, with her dark fate. Storms long since have swept away The tree that held the nest ; 37 But, towering high above the rest, To mark the spot, they say, There stands a huge, rough rock to-day; And, 'tis said, when through the sky The hoarse autumnal breezes fly, , Scattering the garlands of gold and red Autumn has wreath'd round the forest's head, The maid comes back from her watery grave, And wanders at night along the shore, Where oft with her lover she'd wandered of yore ; Wreathing her arms, slender and bare. With the long, dark waves of her midnight hair ; And then o'er the rock, like a spectral shade. Glides the shadowy form of the Indian maid, And a mournful sob and a wailing cry Sweeps through the pines with a shivering sigh; As, like a smoke-wreath, she fades away Into the mists of twilight gray. Woe to the warrior, maid or child, That meets this spectre, weird and wild, Or hears the notes of the vengeful cry That fills the air as it passes by ! A CATALOGUE OF THE Indiginous Animals of Sauk County, LISTED WITHOUT MUCH KEFEKENCE TO OKDER OR GENEEY. Man. — We have tlie marks of his toil in long gone-by years. Hoary Bat — Little Brown Bat. — The latter the most plenty. Hoy's Shrew Mole — Common Shrev) — Silver Mole — Star Nosed Mole. Hedgehog. — Were more common when the country was new. 'Wild Cat. — Are common. Canada Lynx. — Not very rare, Prairie Wolf. — Are giving place to the Gray Wolf. Foxes. — Are increasing. Fisher. — Were plenty when the country was new. Weasel — Minh. — Either are not very plenty. Otter. — Quite plenty. Skunk. — Was almost unknown when, the country was new ; now plenty. Badger. — Plenty when the coiuitry was new ; now very scarce. Bacoon. — Plenty. Black Bear. — Have been plenty. Cinnamon Bear. Squirrels. — The gray most common ; Red next ; Black, Fox, Cat, Flying, Striped and Ground Squirrel; all very common. Striped Gopher or Leopard Spurmaphile — Gray Gopher — Pocket Gopher. Woodchuck or Ground Hog. — Very common. Beaver. — Their old dams are upon most small streams in abundance. Jumping Mouse. — Rare ; seen by R. H. Douglas. Beer Mouse — Prairie 3Iouse — '3Ieadozc Mouse. The Norway Bat and Black Bat are exotics. Musk Bat. — Very plenty and much hunted, for his fur. 39 W7iiie Porcupine. — Very rare. Northern Hare. — Seldom seen. Gray Babbit. — Scarce when the coxintry was new, but now very plenty. Water Rabbit. — That resorts to water when pursued, sinking below the surface except the nose and eyes. Deer. — Have been plenty, and yet some left. JSlJc. — But one or two has been killed by white men in the county. Buffalo. — Had all left before the country was purchased of the Indians. OF REPTILES. TESTUDINA.TE, Soft Shell Turtle. — Paddles for feet. Painted Turtle — Snap- ping Turtle — Blanding^s Tortoise — Box Turtle. SAUREA. Green Lizard. — Not common, lliere are t\vo or three va- rieties of Skink Lizard. We have one variety of the Glass Snake., which is cLassed as a lizard. SERPENTS. Black Snake. — Not common. Ming-Necked Snake. — Not coinmon. Yellow Rattlesnake. — Common when the country was new. Massasauger Snake. — Common when the country was new. Black Rattlesnake. — Uncommon. Bull Snake. — Common when the country was new. Green Snake — Striped Snake. — Common. Blow Snake. — Common M'hen the country was new. 3Iilk Snake. — Very rare, if any. Water Snake. — Common. Blue Bacer. — Scarce. RattlesnKike Pilot. BATRACHIANS. Green Frog — Pickerel Frog — Wood Frog — Tree Toad — Warty Toad. TAILED BATRACHIANS. Salamander — Bed-Backed Salamander — Mud Puppy. — Often caught by fisherman. FISHES. Perch — Beam — Bass — Pickerel — Trout — Silver Eel — Shovel- hilled Sturgeon — Lampery — Yelloto Perch — Striped Bass — Cove Bass — Barter — Lake Sheephead — Fel Pout — Shiner — j)cice — White Sucker— Black Sucker — Red Horse — Pickerel — Horned Pout — River Whitefish—Gar Pike. This completes the list of the Indiginous Vertebra^ creation of Sauk county. It is not expected to be perfect or complete. Should " Outline Sketches " prosper, a list.of Insects, Articu- late Molusks and Radiates, may be given in a future number. Also a list of Plants. R. 7 E .^' \ I FOURTH SKETCH. MERRIMACK. DESCRIPTR^E TOPOGRAPHY. I) HIS town lies at the upper or east end of tlie Sauk Praire basin, between the Wisconsin river and the Baraboo bluffs, and upon their southern slope. Its topography is peculiar and interesting, showing the many evidences of the great physical forces of the glacieral period. Swirl holes from 50 to 100 feet deep, and 20 rods at the top less or more, and conical hills 50 to 100 feet high. The general snrface of the ground looks like a "chopped up sea." We believe that there is no portion of country in this part of the State, in a circuit of at least fifty miles that we are acquainted with, that exhibits so plainly glacial deposits. There are abundance of marks upon the bluffs N. W. of the town that has been smoothed off and scratched by gla- ciers. The valley in which Devil's Lake lies has been filled up by glacier debris, and probably the Lake was scooped out by the same forces. There are frequent small ponds and isolated marshes, affording water for stock. Where the Chicago and JSTorthwestern R. R. Co. have cut through the small hills, it shows most beautifully, this drift deposit. Here is a sand bed, then perhai)S clay or gravel next, and so on dejjosited irreg- ularly. The soil upon the farms differ as much. A farm may have all grades of soil, from barren sand- beds to the richest alluvial. The earth in places con- tains many boulders from a small siz(» to a cubic ysLrd; mostly granitic. The soil of the town will average fair, making a good, and well watered district of country. The AVisconsin river being upon the south, and the? Bar- aboo bluif with its numerous springs upon the north, with small isolated ponds and marslies through the middle, also the Searl's creek that is formed from the springs of the bluflf, passes nearly through the middle of the town to the Wisconsin river. Unlike the water from the bluffs west of the Lake gap, it is hero hard. We can account for it on no other principle ex- cept that east of the Lake gaj) the soil on the top of the bluff is tilled with cobble lime stone, whereas west of the gap there can scarcely be one found. The south- ern face of the bluff east of the gap is soft sand rock, conglomerated with quartzite pebbles and boulders. There is a most beautiful exposure of this rock at Paf- rey's grist mill, between the N. E. and N. W. quarters of Sections 22 and 23. The face of the bluff has part- ed from 20 to 50 feet, to the depth of about 100 feet; and extending about a quarter of a mile back into the bluffs. Through this dell runs a small creek. The con- glomerate, about 50 feet thick, is here most beautifully exposed through the entire length of the dell. This is indeed a romantic looking place. The town is well timbered with a great variety; on the bottoms grow wil- low, white maple, elm, birch, cherry, ash; on the knolls and bluffs white, n>d, black and burr oak, hickory and poplar and hazel; some pine about the rocky cliffs. Hence w^e have a town of good land, an abundance of water and timber, and a fair stone ( sand stone ) for building. The abutments and piers of the 11. R. bridge at Merrimack, across the Wisconsin Kiver, are partly being made of this rock, taken from the bluffs near Pafrey's mill. The town was the favorite abode of the ancient mound builder. There are numy large and interesting groups of mounds, containing many perfect and beautiful shaped aninuxl mounds. CHROiSrOLOGY. )HE town of Merrimack, according to record, was organized ''April 3d, 1855. According to previ- ous notice, tlie qualified voters of the town of Kingston residing in township No. 10 and 11 north, range 7 east, met at the hall of Walter P. Flanders the 3d of April, A. D. 1855, at 9 o'clock a. m., for the purpose of organiz- ing a new town to be called Merrimack, and to hold tlie first annual town meeting for electing the respective town officers for said town." E. G. Buck was elected chairman of inspectors. Sam- uel W. Hovey and Luther Crosshy for inspectors. M. Quiggle, S. W. Hovey and M. Brindler were elec- ted supervisors; H. M. Manly, assessor; Jas. G. Train, treasurer; Clias. Naffz, clerk; Norman Wood, superin- tendent of schools; John Quiggle, Sam'l Shaw and J. M. Haines, justices of the peace; J. Emerson, constable. 1856 — M. G. Todd, Lyman Hodsdon and M. Brend- ler, supervisors; Chs. N. Naffz, clerk; J. G. Train, treasurer; H. M. Manley, assessor; N. Wood, school superintendent; Chs. Naffz and A. Tood, justices of the peace; I. Shipman, L. Bailey, constables. 1857— M. G. Todd, N. Furst, L. N. Smith, supervi- sors; Chs. Naffz, clerk; J. G. Train, treasurer; H. M. Manley, assessor; N. Wood, school superintendent; A. B. Bradley, I. Shipman, justices of the peace; F. L. Roper, A. Eschenback, constables. 1858 — This year hogs were restrained from running at large. A. B. Bradley, N. Furst, H. M. Jones, super- visors; J. M. Haines, clerk; J. G. Train, treasurer; A. B. Bradley, superintendent of schools; M. Quiggle, Chs. Naffz andD. B. Randall, assessors; David Swartz, L. Prems, I. Shipman, constables. 1859— J. G. Train, N. Wood, Marvin Simonds, super- visors; J. M. Haines, clerk; H. M. Jones, treasurer; D. B. Randall, assessor; E. P. Barber, superintendent of schools; Chs. A. Leach, constable. 1860 — N. Furst, M. Quiggle, L. Premo, sui:)ervisors ; J. M. Haines, clerk; H. M. Jones, treasurer; J. G. Train, scliool superintendent; Sani'l Shaw, Chs. Naffz, jus- tices of the peace; D. B. Randall, assessor; Wm. Ham- ilton, I. Shipman, James Morey, constable. 1861 — N. Wood, B. Boquer, L. Premo, supervisors; Levi Wright, clerk; Chs. Naffz, treasurer; N. A. Bur- gess, superintendent of schools; N. Furst, assessor; C. L. Parkhurst, const. J. G. Train, represented the south- Assembly District in the Legislature, 1858 and 1859. 1862— N. Wood, (ch'n) B. Boeguer, S. W. Hovey, su- pervisors; G. A. Terrill, clerk; Chs. Naffz, treasurer; J. M. Haines, assessor; L. C. Parkhurst, constable; Wm. Butterfield, M. G. Allard, justices of the peace. 1863— S. C. Eoby, (ch'n) H. J. Todd, M. Quiggle, su- pervisors; L. Wright, clerk; Jas. Morey, treasurer; I). B. Randall, assessor; I. Shipman, constable. A special town meeting was called, Dec. 12th, and $800. raised as bounty mone}'', to induce men to enlist into the volunteer military service of the United States to save a draft that would be made upon the town for volunteers. 1864 — A special town meeting was called Feb. 17th, to authorize the town to raise ^200. for each volunteer required to fill the quota of the draft; the money to be borrowed. The town was so authorized. J. M. Haines, (ch'n) Wm. Thilke, H. J. Todd, super- visors; L. Wright, clerk; D. F. Farnam, treasurer; N. Furst, assessor; I. shipman, constable. A special town meeting was called Oct. 8th, to author- ize the town to borrow $2,600 to pay men who volun- teered in the military service of the U. S. The town was so authorized. 1865 — A special town meeting was called Jan. 14th, to raise $3,000 to pay each volunteer $200 to enlist. Wm. Thilke, (ch'n) H. M. Jones, J. M. Coats, suj)er- nisors; A. N. True, clerk; D. F. Farnham, treasurer; N. Furst, assessor. 1866— S. C. Roby, (ch'n) Wm. Slade, A. Eschenbach, supervisors; L. Wright, clerk; Douglas Cramer treas- urer; T. E. Mauley, assessor; C. C. Noyes, constable. 1867— J. Morey, (cli'n) Wm. Slade, A. Eschenbacli, supervisors; L. Wright, clerk; D. Cramer, treasurer; T. E. Mauley, assessor. A special town meeting called to settle with H. W. Bostic for the loss of a horse by an imperfect bridge. 1868— N. Wood, (ch'n) P. C. Moulton, A. Franzell, supervisors; A. N. True, clerk; H. T. Quiggle, treasu- rer; Wm. Thilke, assessor. 1869— D. B. Randall, (ch'n) C. A. Hills, B. Brown, supervisors; G. Norris, clerk; D. Schwartz, treasurer; D. J. Farnham, assessor. 1870— H. Bailey, (ch'n) Geo. Shepard, Geo. W. Mor- ell, supervisors; G. Norris, clerk; D. Cramer, assessor. Special town meeting called Aug. 27th, to authorize the town to subscribe the capital stock of the Baraboo Air Line R. R. company, which was agreed to, to the amount of $10,000. Upon the question there was 167 votes cast, 99 for, 66 against giving town bonds to said B. A. L. R. R. Co., when it shall have been completed through the town. In 1860 Mr. Samuel D. Coats settled in the town. Mr. C. is a portrait and landscape painter. He has all he can do in portrait painting at from $20 to $100 apiece. His delineations are very true to nature. We append a list of the old settlers that are still liv- ing in the town, enumerating as far down as 1856 : 1844 — Zoeth Eldridge, who is now the oldest settler in town. 1847— D. B. Randall. 1848 — Henry W. Shaw, David Sutton, Harmon Kuntz, David Swartz, T. Burkhard, F. Risler. 1849— Wm. Thile, C. Steidtman, Robt. Coulborn. 1850 — Isaac Emerson, S. K. Hovey, L. Crosby, N. Furst, Hiram Bailey, Geo. Fris, D. & T. Swartz, Her- man Kunts. 6 1851— J. W. Peck, J. Premo. 1852— A. Gross, Wm. Keitel. 1853 — D. J. Farnham, Lyman Hodsdon, Clias. Bower, Wm. Kruger. 1854 — Sam'l Cramer, N. Wood, A. Esdienback, F. Boegn^r, B. Weiging, A. Coiborn, Wm. Wiglow, 1855 — 4 Terrill girls, Elizabeth, Cornelia, Emma and Hattie, and a son, G. A. Terrill. 1856— John Goggin, L. Gould, L. Premo, P. C. Monl- ton, T. E. Manle}^, T. Scheigner, D. Cramer, M. Quig- gle, H. Quiggle. George Wood settled in 1843, where Zoeth Eldridge now lives, and was the first settler in the town. The Post Office was first called Collamer, but after the town was organized, it was called Merrimack. The JSfoiionality of the early settlers can be seen from the Census Report of 1860. There came from Maine, 3; Conn., 6; N. H., 34; Vt., 49; Mass. 10; K. I., 6; N. Y., 127; Penn., 46; Ohio, 31; 111., 10; Canada, 33; Eng., 57; Wales, 1; Scotland, 1; Ireland, 44; Germany, 107; Prussia, 1; Switzerland, 10; Those born in Wisconsin, 240. The HeaWi of the town may be judged of by the Census Report of 1870. 2 died this year of Consump- tion; 2 of Lung Fever; 1 by Accident; out of a popu- lation of 621. There are three more Males than Fe- males. The oldest person enumerated is 77 years. 144 families. AGRICULTURAL. >ERR1MACK is adapted to a wide range of Ag- riculture. Its abundance of water renders it vlilu7ible for the production of butter, cheese, and stock. Its great variety of soil adapts it to any of the cereals grown in this latitude. The farmers thus far have con- fined themselves mostly to the production of wheat, oats and corn. The Census Reports of 1860 and 1870, giving the crops of 1859 and 1869 are as follows: 1859. 18f!9.| 1859. 18R9. Acres improved 2,6-^4 5,027 Pounds of Butter 9,505 15,495 Hordes 24 S3(> " Cheese 9,505 8i'4 Milch Cows no 219lTon8 of Hay 58T 839 Workini? Oxen 82 10 Bushels of Clover Seed OtherCaltle SB 13s[ " Grass " 26 Sheep 138 758 Swine 252 325 Bushels of Wheat 10,939 21,.509 Rye 50 2-^9 Indian Corn 8,590 17.805 Oats 11.049 17 778 Pounds of Wool 148 2 417 Bushels of Potatoes 2,3ti4 2,298 Pounds of Hops 6,757 " Beeswax 5 17 " Honev 3.35 235 Bushels of Buckwheat 20 2.35 Harley 775 777 Gallons of Wine 30 30 " Cane Mcjlasnes... .365 36 1 Value of Orchard products. . $608 603 IMPEOVElMEISrTS. HE town contains one village whicli was laid out in September, 1865, by Walter P. Flanders, and named Merrimack by Mrs. J. G. Train, from Mer- rimack, N. H. It commands a fine view of tlie river and the snrroud- ing scenery is pleasant. It was first called Brown's cabin; as soon as the cabin was fairly completed, Brown was mysteriously missed and has never since been heard of. Chester Mattson, who was then a bach- elor, built the second house and Geo. Grant's family occupied it. Mattson and Grant opened a tavern, (we believe Thomas Trott was also an interested party) and a ferry across the Wisconsin river. The place became known as Matt's ferry. It is as well known by this name at present, as Merrimack. Mattson made energetic efforts to get a direct road from Madison to Baraboo. He succeeded in getting a State road laid; the papers bearing date Oct. 2d, 1848. It soon became a great thoroughfare and known as "Matt's Ferry road." Mattson was a visionary, speculative, energetic, enterprising man. No old settler can ever forget the Old bachelor. Flanders purchased of Matt- son and Trott, and laid the town out as before stated. W. P. Flanders built a store in 1852 (when half com- pleted, it burned down but was immediately rebuilt.) and put into it a stock of goods. In 1853 J. M. Haines and Lyman Hodsdon purchased this property and put in a good stock of general country merchandise, and for nine years did a liberal and profitable business. 8 For the last decade of years it has not improved much if any. Since the building of the Chicago and North- western railroad, it has taken a lively start. Its status in 1870 was 150 inhabitants, 1 tavern, 2 stores, 2 black- smith shops, a wagon shop, a physician, no lawyer or settled clergyman. There is a wire ferry across the river; the wire cord being 1,200 feet long. W. P. Flan- ders had for several years a dairy of 25 or 30 Hereford- shire cows ; it is now sold out. At present it would be difficult to give the true popu- lation or business of the place while the R, R. is being constructed. The R. R. bridge will be 2,000 feet long and 35 feet above the water. Its anticipated advantages. It is situated at the cros- sing of two great National thoroughfares, viz: the Ship Canal from Green Bay to the Mississippi river, and the Chicago and Northwestern R. R., the through line of the Northern Pacific R. R. It has a rich country sur- rounding and tributary to it. In 1844 Harris Searl built a small grist mill upon Searl's creek, in S. E., N. W. quarter Section 4, Town 10 north. Range 7 E. It affords here about 50 inches of w^ater. When the mill was completed so that he ground a little for himself; there came a great freshet that swept out a part of the dam and undermined the mill so that it tipped partly over. The damage was so great it was never repaired. In 1846 David King built a grist mill at the bluff on a branch of the Searl creek, using a good deal of the furniture of the Searl mill. He used a 26 foot overshot water wheel. In 1849 it burned down in mid-day, while they were eating dinner. He then built a saw mill, with an 18 foot overshot water wheel, below the grist mill site; it would saw but 400 or 500 feet of lumber in a day. In 1851 he completed a new grist mill with a 36 foot overshot water wheel. He did a fair business for a few years. In 1857 Mr. King died. David King was a man that will be held kindly in the memory of all 9 who knew him. The community was much indebted to him for his mechanical ingenuity. He was a blacli- smith, gunsmith, carpenter and mill-wright ; was enter- prising, hard-working, steady, sober, and an honorable man. Mr. Narracong bought this mill and put in a steam engine in 1855. It did not meet his expectations and proved a complete failure. Fordice Roper in 1856 built a new mill farther up the stream, near the mouth of the dell. Frederick Roper then came in possession of the mill. He used a 40 foot overshot wheel. He sold to Isaac Gibbs. In 1860 Frederick and John Ro- per built a distillery, and for 10 years manufactured a small amount of whisky each year. Many a farmer exchanged a few bushels of Rye for a few gallons of . Robert Parfrey purchased of I. Gibbs, the Ro- per grist mill in 1865, and put in a 60 foot overshot wheel and did a very good business. He has now a small reacting 6-inch wheel, under 75 foot head. The little creek here falls within a half-mile, probably 300 feet, chafing and foaming down the side of the Baraboo Bluffs through a little canyon, making line scenery. There was a steam saw mill and machine shop built in Merrimack in 1858 or '59. Its money transactions became tangled, and it has for many years lain idle. The Wisconsin river, at an early day, was considera- bly navigated, but for a few years past the trade has fallen off in consequence of better R. R. facilities. It is now being used more, as the Fox river is better im- proved for the shipment of grain; and for the last two seasons a steamer has made daily trips from Prairie du Sac to Portage. There is no reason why there should not be a large amount of business done through this channel, when the Government shall have finished the improvements now in progress of construction. SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS RELATIONS . • HE Free Will Baptists organized a society March 6, 1851, at the house of S. W. Hovey, and called it the Free Will Baptist Society of Merrimack. Elder Maynard assisted. Melinda Maynard, Betsy Hovey, 10 Mary Olds, Salvina Premo, S. K. Hovey, Anne Premo, Mary Bostic, S. W. Hovey, Chancy Olds, Joseph Pre- mo, Minerva Premo, Dorcas, Michael and Lewis Premo, were the members. At the present time there are 20 resident members. The Methodist and Free-will Baptist are the most numerous religious sects. The first class of Methodists was organized at the Ferry in 1853. It had six members. Esau Green (now deceased.) class leader, and his wife; Wm. Swet, and Mrs. Swet his mother; John Cornish and wife. It now, 1871, numbers about 35. Geo. Pigg is the present class leader. In 1856 there was a class formed at the bluffs, A. Baker, (class leader.) Mrs. Polly Bailej^, Sarah Mathews, Mrs. Louisa Farnham, and Edward Rich- mond. It now contains 25 members. In 1860 they erected a chapel 20x30, which is located about in the centre of the town. It is the only edifice of the kind in town except the Humanist Hall, although the Free- will Baptists are about erecting one in the village of Merrimack. In 1860 Elder Warren Cochran assisted in organiz- ing a Congregational Church. It had six members. Elder C. preached here for a short time, after Rev. Jas. S. Jenkins six months. The Society has for some years been discontinued. ' The Humanists have an organization and a hall, in the S. E. part of town, but owing to a split that exists amongst them, they number but three or four families. Carl Durr (deceased.) settled in Merrimack in 1848 and became a gifted humanist speaker, and was much ad- mired by his people, and much respected by all who knew him. There are many Irish Catholics in town, but they have no church. They attend divine service at Bara- boo and Caledonia. The people of Merrimack have always been liberal in support of Common Schools. At the Ferry, for 10 or 12 years, they kept up an excellent lyceum, and at times paid lecturers to lecture to them. The Good Templars have organized twice but have let their order perish. ERRATA. CORRECTIONS AND OMISSIONS IN AND OF THIRD SKETCH. In Wm. Johnson's narrative, on 16tli page, the date 1863 should be 1838. Alex. Johnson settled where he now lives, in 1839. Isaac Gibbs came in 1840. James Dncy came in 1841. H. J. Farnham came as a boy with his father, in 1843. Charles Gibbs " " " " 1843. U. S. Kendall settled here in 1845. Saml Mather's wife and four children — Jesse, Sarah C, Shively and Howard, in 1845. Laura, widow of the late Jesse Baxter, and a son, H. J. Baxter, in 1849. H. Durkee in 1849. J. Squires in 1850. J. Astle in 1850. Geo. Weirick in 1851. Peter S. Young in 1850. O. S. Knapp instead of P. S. Knapp in 1856. The name of Thos. D. Long, that occurs several times in the list of town officers, should be Thos. D. Lang. Charles and Henry Rorck should read Charles and Theodore Rorck. I \ CATALOGUE OF BIR3>S Bv Wm. II. Canfjkld Remark.St In 18GG I published in the Baraboo Re- j)ubliG a list of the birds that dwell with us, or visit lor a time our county. I was as- sisted in preparing that list by E. F. Hobart Charles Deinenger, Richard Douglas. George R?eley, Mrs James A. Maxwell and others. At tliis time there are from four to five hundi-ed stuft'ed birds, and mammals, in oar county. It is with, certain pride that I can record so many apostles of natural history, and the fine arts among our people. Near the borders of our coun- ty at Portage City, Jlr. Steber has, I un- derstand, two or tlirce hundred birds and animals stufted. Hence here in a small area of our State, we can'show some seven or eight hundred birds and animals. At Kilbqj^iru City resides a gentleman, J. J- Brown who compiled in 1847 a work up- on fishes, and angling of 330 pages, beauti- fully and artisticly arranged, entitled "The American Anglers Guide." He has at l)resent but a small cabinet of stufled fish- .es. Before proceeding to the list, I cannot forbare giving some reflections upon the bird part of creation. How beautiful their form ! a common expresion is, when speak- ing of any' ling that in form to our eye is a model, we say, "that's a bird." How agile and graceful are their movements ! our sight Clin hardly follow tue humming bird. AYlien we consider how thia a substance the atmosphere is, and how easily birds navigate it, it seems wonderful. Bee the eagle leave his perch after a graceful flap of the wing which launches him as it were to sea, in the open space ; he then soars, or sails without apparent effect, bear- ing up his heavy body to a height beyond our vision, where he rides at pleasure, using his telescopic eye to watcli and select the object of his prey. The cormorant sits upon the water a model craft. How beautiful their plumage ! Ornithologists seem to have searched the vocabulary of our language to find sufficient color meas- uring words to express the livery of birds, asl)lush-ash, blush-blaclc, rufous, metalic- green, steel-blue, violate-reflections, dark- plumbeous. How sweet, pensive, plantive, bold, syn- phoneous, delicate their songs ! Jenny Lind may try to immolate the bobolink, but father Bob is peerless in liis song still, a three ounce wood thrush o-r a two ounce canary bird gives forth clearer more liarmonious and sweeter songs than can man with all of his inventions. How useful and even essential to man's exi^itence arc the birds. Owls were im- ported into England as destroyers of the mole, a pair of birds with their young, bring liourly to its nest hundreds of pes- tifterous insects and worms. A neighbor of mine, counted seventy angle-worms which a robin picked up after a shower, and ate in a few minutes. Certain falcons delight to feed upon reptiles, let us then protect our protectors. Angels are given wings; the emblem of our nation is a bird. The NAMES OFTIIE ElKDSTHAT DWELL IX AND VISIT Sauk County.— (Stationary birds will be marked witli a ^,. The names or initials of persons who has stuffed specimens to exhibit, will be given with the name of the bird, or the person who has recognized the siDccimen here. As this is no attempt at a histor}--, but a mere catelogue names, ornithological authors will not be noticed. I follow in class, order and genera "Ten, ney's school zoology. Order of Raptors, or Birrs op Prey Vulturida or Falcon Family. Turkey Buzza rd. The Gray Eagle when on the wing ia often mistaken for the Turkey Buzzard. W. H. C. Duck Hawk or Peregrine Falcon* C. D. Goss Hawk. C. D. Sparrow Hawk C. D. W. H. C. Red Tailed Hawk. C. D. Marsh Hawk. C. D. Sharp Shinned Hawk. C. D. White breatcd Hawk, or American Buz- zard*. C. D. Broad wingd Hawk*-. C. D. Rough legged Hawk*. C. D. American Fish Hawk*. C. D. Bald Eagle, or Washington Eagle.* C. D., W. H. G. Ger Falcon*. R. H. D. Black Hawk. * at the upper narrow^s ol the Baraboo River, Col. S. V. R. Ableman shot one and -preserved the head and feet. Winter Hawk*. R. H. D. Stn'gida; or Owl Family : Great Horned Owl,* C. D. Snowy Owl,* C. D. Barred Owl,* C. D. An owl in C. D.'s collection somewhat resembling the Snowy owl. except it h&s horns. Name not ascertained. Mottled or Screech Cwl,* CD. Hawk or day Owl, 0. D. Long Eared Owl,* C. D. Little Owl,* R. H. D. Short Eared Owl,* R. H. D. Cinerous Owl,* R. H. D. ORDER OF SCANSOIUi OR CLIMBERS. CucitUdoi or Cuckoo Family. Black billed Cuckoo, C. D. yeUov^bllled Cuckoo, C. D. Pkidw or Woodpecker Family. Red Headed Woodpecker, C. D. Pilated " or Black Wood- cock,* C. D. Golden Winged " C. D. Yellow Bellied " R. H. D. ' Downey ' " W. H. C. Harry , " CD. Reu-bellied,* ' " W. H. C Brown-headed,* " W. IT. C. Black,* " E. F. H. ORDEROPTi^SESSORlESOR PERCIIEKS. Trocliilidm^ or Humming-bird Family. Ruby-throated Humming-bird, C. D. As this is a large family, I suspect that there are other generics that make their summer residence with us. Cypselidm or swift Family. Whippoorwil, C D. AlcedinidcB or King-fishcr Family. Belted Kingfisher. Colopteridoi or fiy-catcldng Family. Kingbird or Bee-marten, CD. I in- sist that this bird docs catch and eat bees, some authors to the contrary. Mr. E. W* Etans, of our town, stated to me last sum- mer that he had stood beside a white-clover field and saw a kingbird catch and eat many bees that were then at work upon the clover. Pewit or Phosbe-bird, C. D. Wood Pewee, R. H. D. Small-headed Pewee, R. H. D. Crested Flycatcer, R. H. D. Blue Grey'Pcwee, R. H. D., froiji Wil- son. Yellow-throated flycatcher, R. H. D. Red-eyed " " TurdidcG or Tlvrusli Family. Wood Thrush, CD. Wilson " R. H. D. Hermet Golden crowned Thrush R. H. D. Common Robin, C D. Tliis is not, as some suppose, Robin Red Breast, which is an old country. bird A Speckled Robin in C D.'s collection mostly wliite, it nvay be an albino. Blue Bird. SylticoUda'. or WarUer Family. Maryland Yellow-throai, C D. Water Thnsh, Black-tliroated Blue Warbler, C D. '■ Green " " Yellow-rump Warbler, C D. Yellow-throated " " Black-burnian " *' Bay-breasted " " Chestnut-sided " " Black-poll Yellow-poll " " Black and ydlow " " Bay Green Black-cap Fly-catclier, C. D. Bed-start, C. 1). When we first moved ito the woods in 1842, three miles from araboo, a pair of these birds became so ime that they wonkl perch upon one's lonlders or head. One day one sat quite while upon a goose-quill pen that I held I my hand. Scarlet Tannagcr, (Red Bird, C. D.) Canada Warbler, R. H. D. Orange-crowned Warble, R. H. D. Black and White Creeper, R II. D. Illrnndinidai or Sicalloic Family. Barn Swallow, C. 0. Cliff White-billed " " Bank Chimney " " BymbyrAUiclm or Waxwing Family. Bohemian Chatterer or Waxwiug,* C. )., W. H. C. Ceder Bird,* W. H. C. Lanidce or Slirike Family. Tlie Great Northern Shrike or Butcher- Jird,* C. D. LiotrichidcB or MocJcincj-Bird Family. Cat Bird, C. D. Brown Thrush, C. D. Ruby-crowned Wren, C. D. House Wren, R. II. D. Marsh " I Wood Golden crested Wren, C. D. Sliort-bilkd Marsh Wren, E. ;F. n. :CeH]dadce or Creeper Family. American Creeper,* C. D. ^\ hite-bellied Nu-' gether for ocular study of students audi citizens. It woulil be a splendid conunence- ment if Mr. Denmger's cabinet could be obtained for this. Ijouse. He \h desirous of selling \\..— Bamboo Independent Print. SAUK CITY ADVERTISEMENTS. TUB FIRST SAUK eOUNTY BEET SUGAR COMPANY, At Black Hawk, Town of Troy, SAUK COUNTY, : WISCONSIN. OFFICERS : JOHN SCHNELLEH, Prest. JOHN WAGNER, Sec'y. H. OCHSNER, Treasurer. WM. WEFERLING, SapH. DIRECTORS : John Sciinet.lek, John Wagneu, Henry Ochsner, Wai. Weferong, G. Baumgartii, John A. Sprecher, Martin Meiser. Published by CRRSIUS & KLEINPELL. Terms: $3.00 Per Annum. JOB PRINTING of every description in the German and English Languages correctly and neatly executed at Reasonable Terms, ATTORNEY-AT'LAW AND NOTARY PUBLIC, Sauk City, Wisconsin. Agent of Etna, Hartford, Home, New York, Underwriters Agency, New York, and Milwaukee Mechanics' Fire Insurance Company. Agent of tlie Breman-HamLurg Steaaiers. SAUK CITY, -»---» WISCONSIN, CHABLES HALASZ, "Wholesale and Retail Dealer in all Kinds of LUMBER, TIMBER, SHINGLES, LATHS, PICKETS, &C., &C., SAUK CITY, WISCONSIN. Wholesale and Retail Dealer in all Kinds of LUMBER, TIMBER, iSHINGLES, LATHS, PICKETS, &C., &C. Also Dealer in Dry Gnofis, Groceries, Sootu, Shoes and Hnrilteare, &c. S-A.TJK: CIT^ST, ... -w^iscoiiNrsiJsr. p. JOS. SCA.I3DE, Sauk Cityj - - - - Wisconsin. Sauk City Advertisements— (concluded.) J. ^TEIDT & CO., Dealers in DRY GOODS, GROCERIES, BOOTS, SHOES, CLOTHING, Hats, Cui)s, Clothhif/ 3Iade to Order. SAUK CITY, - „ - _ WISCONSIN. Dealer in DRY GOODS AND GROCERIES, BOOTS, SHOES, HATS, CAPS, &C. Sank City, Wisconsin. Sauk City, _ _ - Wisconsin, BRE^VER, SauJc City, _ _ _ Wisconsin. OUR. SPIEHU, 13oot aiid. Slioe j^Xalcei*. Custom Work made to order. Repairing neatly done. Sauk City, - _ - Wisconsin. CASPER HOMBERCER, Dealer in Dry Goods and Groceries, Boots, Shoes, Hats, Caps and Yankee ITotions. C. BOLLER9 Dealer in Dry Groods, GJ-rocerieSj &:c^ ScCm SAUK CITY, - - . . WISCONSIN. SAUK CITY PLAININa MILL. •-.-e • Sasli, Doors and Blinds, Monldmgs, Newel Posts and Banisters. 0^^^ Orders SolicUed. Sauk City, Wis, ^_ PHJLI P HOEFER. J. J. HELLER, Dealer in Stoves, Hardware, Iron, Tinware, (xroeeries, Notion, Etc., Etc. Guttering and Job Work done to order. SAUK CITY, WIS. PRAIRIE DU SAG ADVERTISEMENTS. BAXTER HOUSE, PEAIRIE DU SAC, WISCONSIN. D, R. BAXTER, Proprietor. LIVERY STABLE, PRAIRIE DU SAC, WISCONSIN. D. R. BAXTER, Proprietor. PRAIRIE DU SAO ACADEMY. THREE TERMS PER YEAR. Particular attention given to those desiring to teach. W. J. PECK, Principal. N. B. — Instrumental and Vocal Lessons given on Piano, Melodeon and Organ. Also Pianos, Melodeons and Organs for sale. Prairie du Sac, Wis. W. J, PECK. DR. J. WOTRINQ, Sn.rg'eon. and I>ent:ist« Pkairie Dir Sac, : Sauk County, Wisconsin. S. M. BLAKE, M. D., ECLECTIC PHYSICIAN, SUEGEON AND OBSTETEICIAN. Office, Prairie du Sac, opposite the Empire House. Dentist. Prairie du Sac, _____ Wisconsin. A. H. ARMOR, I* li o t o g- X* a i> li e r . Prairie du Sac, - - - Wisconsin. Tlioinas Baker, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE AND NOTAEY PUBLIC. Agent for the Home, Andes and Security Fire, and Charter Oak Life Insurance Companies. PRAIRIE DU SAC, WISCONSIN. Prairie du Sac Advertisements— (coiickukd) Conger & Bros., Dealers in Dry Goods, Clothing, Groceries, Etc., Etc. Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. David Mayers, Prairie du Sac, - Wisconsin. F. A.. Oertel, Prairie du Sac, - - Wisconsin. Sylvester [Parr, Manufacturer and Dealer iu Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. HC. J. Ochsner, Manufacturer and Dealer in .®®(©^^ Amm ummmu^ Also, dealer in Hide?, Calf and Slieep Skins, Furs, Toys, Willow Ware, Children Carriages, Hats, Caps and Gloves. ^ Prairie du Sac, Wis. PRAIRIE DU SAC, WISCOlSrSIN-, DEALER IN Dry &oods and Grroceries, ^Di)t§, ©ips„ @o.Q)ts iijicd ib. Meier, blacksmiths and wagon-makers. Wagons, buggies, sleighs and other articles of the trade made and i"e- paired. Baraboo, Wisconsin. PKennelly, blacksmith. Corner of Bridge and • Water streets, Baraboo, Wisconsin. BARABOO ADVERTISEMENTS-(continued) Bara"boo Iron TV^orks. WOOD TURNmO AND SAWING. Manufacturer and dealer in iron and brass castings, and -will furnish steam engines, water-wheels, mill-gearing, shafting, leather and rubber belting, iron and wood woi'king machinery, wrought and cast-iron vices, bellows and anvils, machinist and blacksmiths tools, etc , etc. W. E. KITTRID GE. Proprietor. M, Butler, merchant tailor, cloths, cassimers, trimmings, etc., Baraboo, Wi-sconsin. HH, Webster, blacksmith. All kinds of work in • the line, promptly attended to. Baraboo, Wisconsin. James Dykins, maker and repairer of wagons, bug- gies, sleighs, etc., Baraboo, Wisconsin. 1^ Thompson, carpenter and builder, Baraboo, Wis- • consin. Jet; J. Draper, dealers in all kinds of fresh and salt • meat and sausage, Baraboo, Wisconsin. MHerschinger, feed store, dealer in all kinds of pro- • duce, cattle, and all kinds of stock. Baraboo, Wisconsin. A Andrews, manufacturer and dealer in boots and • and shoes. Cash paid for hides and pelts. Baraboo, Wisconsin. Stephen Horfstetter, saloon on Oak street, near Post- olflce, Baraboo, Wisconsin. WM. Power, merchant tailor. Cloths, cassimers, trimmings, etc., Baraboo, Wisconsin. Charles Pfannstiehl, baker, confectioner, grocer and restaurant. Baraboo, Wisconsin. CHawes, Fashionable Boot and Shoe Maker. For • Ladies and Gentlemen Desiring work in the latest style, and warrant- ed to suit. Baraboo, Wisconsin. )aral)oo City wholesale and retail Brewery. Geo. Bender, Proprietor. Baraboo wholesale and retail Brewery. G. Roland, Proprietor. ake House, by H. B. Sheldon. East end of Devil's Lake. VVTm. Brown, attorney-at-law, Baraboo, Wisconsin. \r W. Wheeler, attorney-at-law, Baraboo, Wisconsin. BARABOO ADVERTISEMENTS-(contmued) m PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY, AT Baraboo, Sauk County, Wisconsin. WM. HILL, Editor and rroprietor. TERMS— $2.00 per vcar. The Official Paper oJ Sauli County. Established in 1S55. MANUFACTURERS AND DEALEKS IN BOOTS AND SHOES, Two Doors west of Sauk County Bank, BARABOO, : : : WISCONSIN. J- W. ELLIOTT, Harnessmaker, SADDLES FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN FOR SALE. Hl^i^iSSiS iOUGJrfjT AMP miM. A full supply of nil kinds of JIAMNESS FURNITUUE nhvays on liancl. Whips that. CAN JiE HEAT \c\\\\vi\\i injuiy, we always have a good supply of Old Stand, North Side of the Public Square. Baraboo, Wisconsin. j)araboo Valley Nursery — A. G. Tuttle, Proprietor. A^ Trees and Vines adapted to the climate of the Northwest, at Whole sale and Retail. The Baraboo Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of all kinds' of Furniture and Cabinet Ware, Bedstcnd.s, Wood Seat Chairs, Lounees, Cribs, Table and Stand Legs, Baraboo, Wisconsin. M. ,T. JiUOWN, president and 3Ianafj,r. A. A. AVERT, Secretary. Island Woolen Manufacturing Company, Baraboo, Wisconsin, manufacturers of the Best all Wool, Hard Twist, Plain and Fancy Cassimeres, Doeskins, Tweeds, Flannels, Blankets, Yarns, &c., &c. All kinds of Custom-Work done at Short Notice. Baraboo Flouring and Custom Mills. R. H. Strong, Proprietor. piaude, Canfield and Thompson, Architects, Civil V^ Engineers and Surveyors. Baraboo, Wisconsin. Andrews &, Thatcher, manufacturers of Agricultural Implements, Plows, Wagons and Buggies, Cultivators, &c., &c. Also do a General Repairing Business. Plows and Plow Repairing a Speci- alty. All Work Warranted. W. VV. ANDREWS. J. THATCHER iNNiwAUKEN HousE, Devil's iLake — S. Hartley, Proprietor. M BARABOO ADVERTISEMENTS-(coDciuded ) STAFFORD, DROWN & CO., BARABOO, : : : WISCONSIN, DEALERS IN DRY GOODS, GROCERIES, CROCKERY, BOOTS, SHOES, HATS CAPS, CLOTHS, CLOTHING, YANKEE NOTIONS, Etc., Etc., Etc., Etc/ All kinds of Fann Produce taken in exchange for Goods at Market Rates. SELL DRY GOODS, GROCERIES, BOOTS, SHOES, HATS, CAPS, CROCKERY, GLASS-WARE, NOTIONS. And bny Farm Produce at Reasonable Rates. BARABOO, : : : WISCONSIN.. MANUFACTURERS OF HUBS, SPOKES, SAWED FELLOES, Capacity, fifty sets Wagon wood-work complete per diem of ten hours. BARABOO, : : : WISCONSIN. TDonneley, Blacksmith, New Haven or • Corners, Sauk County, Wisconsin. MERRBMACK ADVERTISEMENTS. King's G'W. Calkins, Pliysi