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 * 1 : ' 
 
 History of Portage County, Wisconsin, written by A. G. 
 v 
 Ellis, and read at the Centennial celebration, held at the 
 
 city of Stevens Point, Jul)- 4th, 1S76. 
 
 STEVENS POINT. WIS. 
 STEVENS POINT JOURNAL JOB PK1NT. 
 
 1876. 
 
 
r£7 
 
 S9B1 
 
 Mr. President, Fellow Citizens, Ladies 
 and Gentlemen:— The government of the 
 United States having existed for a century, on 
 the 4th of July, this year of our Lord, 187(1, 
 by common consent a celebration suitable to 
 the Centennial is being made throughout the 
 length and breadth of the land. Congress, on 
 the 13th of March last, passed a joint resolu- 
 tion of the two houses, recommending the 
 people of the State to assemble in their sever- 
 al counties or towns, on this Centennial an- 
 niversary of our national independence, and 
 cause to have delivered an historical sketch of 
 said county or town from its foundation ; and 
 that a copy of said sketch be tiled in the 
 Clerk's office of said county, and an addition 
 al copy, in print or manuscript, be tiled in the 
 office oi the Librarian of Congress: and the 
 same having been further recommended by 
 the President of the United States in his pro- 
 clamation of the 25th of May last, this paper 
 is respectfully submitted responsive to such 
 resolution and proclamation, as for Portage 
 county and the city of Stevens Point, State oi 
 Wisconsin, to-wit : 
 
 Portage County is nearly central of the 
 Stale, having Adams and Waushara on the 
 south, Marathon on the north, Waupaca on 
 the cast and Wood on the west. It was set 
 ofl from Brown county in 1836, comprising 
 what is now Columbia county; Wisconsin 
 Portage (from which the name is derived) be- 
 ing the center. In is i 1 the boundaries were 
 much enlarged by the addition of all the ter- 
 ritory north of Sauk and Portage, being ranges 
 •1, 3, t, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, east of the meridian, 
 to the north line of the State; it was attached 
 to Dane county for judicial purposes. In Jan- 
 uary, L844, by act of the legislature, Portage 
 
 county was fully organized and the inhabi- 
 taats at the same time authorized to make 
 choice by a vote of the people of a seat of jus- 
 tice. This vote was had on the 18th of April 
 of that year. Fort Winnebago, at the Wis 
 cousin Portage, and Plover, were the contest- 
 ing points The vote of Bull Falls was un- 
 derstood to have turned the scale, and decid- 
 ed" the question in favor of Plover, which 
 thenceforward became the county seat. 
 
 The first house built here was by 
 Houghton and Batten. The County Commis- 
 sioners on the day of 1ST granted a 
 tavern license to Luther Houghton at Rusfi- 
 ri'Ie. The house stood a little southwesl of 
 the present village of Plover, then called 
 Rushville. 
 
 The election of officers succeeded in the 
 fall, when the following named persons were 
 chosen, to-wit : County Commissioners, Math- 
 ias Mitchell, Benjamin F. Berry and Luther 
 Houghton ; Sheriff, Nelson Strong, who ap- 
 pointed Geo. W. Mitchell his deputy ; George 
 Wyatt, Clerk of Court, Clerk of County 
 hoard and Register of Deeds; John Batten, 
 '1 rcasurer. The first Court was held at Plov- 
 er, (in a house or store belonging to Keith & 
 Miles) on the 1st Monday of April, 1845, lion. 
 David Irwin, Jr., presiding. The first case en 
 the docket was that of Abraham Brawlcy Vo. 
 A idrew Dunn and Henry Carpenter. 
 
 In ls-fii Columbia county was set oil' with 
 limits almcst identical with those of Portage, 
 a- taken from Brown county in 1836. Adams 
 county was set oil' in 1848, Marathon in 1.850, 
 and Wood in 1856, leaving Portage with its 
 present constitutional limits. It is about 30 
 miles square, W>uld be exactly so, but that 
 three townships were nicked oil on the south- 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY. 
 
 west, to be put into Wood county. It now 
 contains, according to public survey, towns24 
 and 25, north, in range (> east, and towns 31, 
 22, 23, 24 and 35, north, in ranges 7, 8, !t and 
 10 east; twenty-two townships in all, having an 
 area of 506,880 acres. The Wisconsin River 
 enters it in town 25 north, range 9 east, and 
 leaves it in town 23 north, range <i east. The 
 MHitheasterly partis openings, with scatter- 
 ing bur oak timber; the northeasterly part 
 (but thinly settled as yet) is closely timbered, 
 white pine prevailing. The face of th« coun- 
 try is slightly undulating; it is beautifully 
 watered. The streams, besides the Wis-con- 
 siu, are the Big and Little Plover, Mill Cieek, 
 Bau Pleine and Buena Vista Creek. The soil 
 in the openings is sandy alluvion, favorable 
 to agriculture; that in the timbered part is 
 generally heavier, inclining to gravel and clay. 
 Portage county, :ts indeed Wood and Mara- 
 thon, was first sought out for its pine lini- 
 ber, and lumbering has been the lending busi- 
 ness from the first, though the openings are 
 now well >L-t t k*il and covered with £ood farms, 
 that branch of industry being found quite re- 
 munerative 
 
 Forty years ago this county, with the whole 
 Upper Wisconsin, was an unbroken wilder- 
 ness ; possessed by tie' Indian tribes, who 
 held the right of soil, Dubay's trailing post 
 having the only home in the whole regions 
 As early as 1831 Daniel Whitney of Green 
 lay, having obtained a permit for that pur- 
 pose from tie- War Department, commenced 
 the building of a saw null at Whitney Kapids, 
 below Point Ba*. Other parties, Messnfj 
 Grignon A: Merrill, soon followed, going fur- 
 ther up; and soon land lookers, searchers tor 
 pine, were tilling the' country. This alarmed 
 the Indians, who began to complain to the 
 government agents. In ls:;i;, Gov. Dodge$ 
 supt. of Indian Affairs, negotiated a treaty 
 at Cedar Point, on Fox River, with the Me- 
 nomonees lor a cession of a strip ot land three 
 mill's in width on each side of (lie Wisconsin? 
 from Point Bas, 40 miles up the River to Big 
 Bull Falls. This was specially to cover the 
 operations of the lumbermen. In ls:_!.i this 
 cession was ordered surveyed by the .Survey- 
 or General at Dubuque, which was donf 
 forthwith, Joshua Hatheway, Esq., of Mil 
 wauky being the Deputy [Surveyor. This 
 tract was tiered at public sale at Mineral 
 Point in 1840, which fairly opened tie- coun- 
 try to the extent of this Strip, at least, to oc- 
 cupation and settlement Sealers in the pio- 
 per sense of the term, were at this time (I h 
 but few. The following named persons are 
 recollected as being in the county at that 
 date: Abraham Brawley, Horace Judd, John 
 <-. Mebard, Thomas McDill, Richard V< 
 V.. 11. Mctcalf, Solomon Leach, John Bomb- 
 er, Antoine Pricourt, Gilbert Conant, Valen- 
 tine Brown, Charles Maddy, Peter Cane, Jobs 
 Raish, John Eckels, Thomas Harper, James 
 Harper, James Sitherwood, A. M. MeCaulev, 
 H. W. Kintrsbury, Conrad Rotherman, Orrif 
 May ice, Hugh McGr< e.-, Daniel Campbell, So* 
 mou Story, Peter Barnard. 
 
 There is no data whereby to fix the number 
 
 3 
 
 of inhabitants at that time in what is now 
 Portage county. It is believed it could not 
 have been more than one hundred. But the 
 opening of the land — the six mile strip — to 
 market, was heralded far and near, and peo- 
 ple began to pour in from the southern part 
 oi Wisconsin and northern Illinois; and in a 
 tew years thereafter the population of the 
 Pinery, including Portage county, might have 
 been numbered by thousands. The water 
 powers, eligible sites lor mills, Mere rapidly 
 taken up; (Jonant Rapids and Mill Creek were 
 among the first in this county. The first 
 house was that at Dubay's trading post, on 
 the east branch of the Wisconsin River, town 
 25; but the first saw mill built in the county 
 was that upon Mill Creek, by Abraham Braw- 
 ley, in L839. Perry & Veeder occupied a site 
 on this stream about the same time. Camp- 
 bell & Conant built one on the Conant Kapids 
 of the Wisconsin, the same year. Bloomer & 
 Harper built the following year at McGrecr's 
 Rapids, (now Jordoli) on B*ig Plover. In fact 
 the lumbering business took Ion-strides in 
 1S40, 1841 and 1S42, mills going up at all ad- 
 vantageous points on the Wisconsin and its 
 tributaries. The commencement oi this busi- 
 ness of reducing the huge pines to boards and 
 shingles and de.ivering them at Galena, Du- 
 buque or .St. Louis, was a serious undcrtak- 
 ing,involving great outlay ofcapitaland labor 
 as well as risk ot money, life and limb, Not- 
 wi hstanding all, it was'embarked in by thou- 
 sands of men, with their teams and outfits, so 
 that in three or four years the woods were 
 alive with choppers, loggers and teams, and 
 the rivers with rafts of logs and lumber, As 
 the business increased, men began to cast 
 about lor means of obtaining supplies at less 
 cost than wagoniug them all the way from 
 southern Wisconsin or northern lllinoi , which 
 brought about a trial oj'tfu soil. Some of the 
 lumbermen even, began raising farm pro- 
 ducts, and not a tew private adventurers risked 
 breaking on the openiugs and planting both 
 roots and small grain, such experiments prov.- 
 Lng successful: many of those who had cone' 
 up into the Pinery with their team- to ad- 
 vance their fortui.es in the logging business, 
 changed off their bobsleds lor wagons ami 
 ploughs and settled, down quietly to farming, 
 selling their potatoes, com, oats, wheat, ece., 
 to the lumtnbermen. Notwithstanding all, 
 thelumbering business took the lead, engross- 
 ing the chief outlays of capital and employ- 
 ment of laber. It is somewhat difficult to 
 furnish an estimate of it as lor Portage coun- 
 ty at this time, as it was running in con- 
 stant connection with the whole Wisconsin 
 Pin erv from Point Bas to Eagle River. In 
 L8o~ the business of the river was estimated 
 i.. give constant employment to nearlj 
 men, and tie- yearly product to be not less 
 than one hundred and twenty million feet, 
 valued herein tin- Pinery at the sum of on, 
 /nil/;,,,,., four hundrcdaud twenty-tight tho 
 dollars. What proportion ot the h lioli 
 would be n»lit to put dow i to Portage coun- 
 ty at that linn-, is somewhat uncertain: sure- 
 ly not less than one sixth, which would-:." 
 30,000,000 feet, at a valuation ol two bat 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY. 
 
 and thirty-six thousand dollars per annum! i 
 This in 1857 
 
 The market for this lumber at that day was 
 all along down the waters from Portage City 
 to St. Louis, and the only mode of egress was 
 by the rivers. All that is changed now ; that 
 is, we are no longer confined to the rivers for 
 means of' getting lumber to market. The 
 cars have reached us; we have 3 railroads 
 passing through the county, all of which are 
 used more or less in sending off the lumber, 
 though not all of it toes by ears ; a large por- 
 tion is still committed to the water. 
 
 Phescnding it by ears, however, is working 
 ;i great change in the business. Formerly 
 .there was much uncertainty as to time when 
 returns could be had. It was, is still, but sel- 
 dom that a Beet leaving here could be ^ot out 
 on the same rise of water. Frequently it re- 
 quired two and sometimes even three Hoods j 
 to carry a fleet to St. Louis; indeed maiiv 
 years the drouth and low waters prevailed to 
 'that degree that scarce a fleet of lumber could 
 he got out in course of the season. Rafts 
 lay in the water, tilling with sand, the grubs 
 decaying, so that it became necessary to haul 
 and re raft it, all which caused serious delay 
 an I treat da mage. This is avoided by send. 
 |ng by ears. Now an operator going into the 
 woods can calculate with reasonable certain- 
 ty (by shipping by rail) how Ion-' he will have 
 to hold his investment, that is, provided he , 
 (Mil make sales — a ri-k he has to encounter in 
 either ease, whether shipping by cars or tiood. 
 
 In 1848, at the treaty of Lake Poygan, the 
 Menominees ceded all tlu'ir land on the Wis- 
 consin, tastwardly to the Fox River. The 
 surveys followed soon alter. The Stevens 
 Point land ollie • was opened in 1853 ; land 
 sales were rapid ; speculation overrun the 
 country ; immense tracts of pine and other 
 lands were < ntered, all which quickened the 
 lumber trade, as also, in a good degree, the 
 farming in Portage county. 
 
 In the year 1855-6 certain parties represent 
 ing the Milwaukie A: Horieon Railroad Com- 
 pany, (which road was built and in operation 
 from Horieon northwesterly as lar as Berlin) 
 appeared in this county, at Plover and Stev- 
 ens Point, soliciting aid for the purpose <>! 
 extending said railroad from Berlin to Plover 
 ami Stevens Point. Their negotiations and 
 solicitations were continued here for more 
 than a year, res ulting in their obtaining bonus, 
 mortgages and deeds ol land in exchange for 
 their stock, as is believed to be an amount 
 little short of 600,000 dollars. All this time 
 nothing had been done hut on paper; not a 
 shovel full of earth had been moved, do sur- 
 vey and location of the road, no right of way 
 obtained, not hint, whatever towards con 
 structiou. The money crisis of 1857 came on, 
 when, presto, the whole thing colapsed, van- 
 ished into thin air. But the operators had 
 seemed tie- bonds and mortgages and the. 
 deeds of land, and some years afterwards it 
 was found these securities had gone into cir- 
 culation, as commercial paper! Some of our 
 citizens have since been sued on them and 
 judgments obtained against them. Such was 
 our first experience in getting the blessings of 
 railroads. 
 
 The Congress of the United States in lSlU 
 passed an act making a liberal grant of land 
 to aid in building a railroad from Portage 
 City, or from Fond du Lac, Berlin oi Men. 
 . sha. Ha Steven* Point to Lake Superior. Af- 
 ter some most unaccountable delav, the ! _cg- 
 islature accepted the grant and passed an 
 act chartering two companies, one to build 
 from Portage City and the other from Meu- 
 asha or Berlin or Fond du Lac, via Stevens 
 Point to Lake Superior, and turning over the 
 bonds to iheni on condition of full 1 ment of 
 terms of the charters. Hon. Geo. Reed, of 
 Manitowoc, after many difficulties succeeded 
 in getting the companies organized— the two 
 <■ nsolidated into one and moved towards eon- 
 s ruction oi a railroad, On his first appear- 
 ance here in IMi ), he could get no audience of 
 l lie peopl ■, the "rate head and bloody bonesf ol 
 the old Horizon fraud met him at every turn. 
 With the exercise, however, of a comiuenda 
 hie patience and perseverance, he was able, 
 li iiliy to be neard ; which being done, the 
 proposition met with favor. It was at once 
 found that Judge Reed, unlike the Hqrrieon 
 gentlemen, meant business: people of the 
 county, especially at Stevens Point , g've mos' 
 assured countenance and support tot he meas- 
 ure: snvey and location of the road from 
 Venaslia .o Stevens Point was made forth- 
 with, and very soon a preliminary survey 
 quite through to Lake Superior. Capitalists 
 to take; hold id' the enlcipri-e were found in 
 Boston: a construction .ompany with Mr. 
 Colby ot Boston and a gentleman from Chi 
 e.it'o, E. B Phillips, Esq., was organized, eon- 
 tracts for building the road from Mcnasha to 
 Stev.'iis Point soon followed, the road was 
 built and equipped, and the first train of cars 
 arrived in Stevens Point on the 20th day of 
 November, 1872. This was a new era for For- 
 t tc county; a treat impetus to business im- 
 mediately followed, the city of Stevens Point 
 being chiefly affected by it. That winter and 
 t he following summer the work was prosecut - 
 cd northwesterly, not only through the coun- 
 ty, but PH) miles towards Lake Superior. This 
 railroad en crs Portage county in town 2 ',, 
 north, range 10 east, and passing through the 
 south part leaves it in town 25 north, range 
 (j east. 
 
 A \ ear after this the Green Bay A: Minneso- 
 ta railroad was built from Winona, on the 
 Mississippi. This road enters the county in 
 town 2 ; north, rant'' 10 east, forms a junction 
 with the Wisconsin Central about a mile west 
 of Amherst, and passing through Plover, 
 leaves the county in town 23 north, range i 
 east. 
 
 Besides its main line from Milwaukee to 
 Lake Superior, the Wisconsin Central has a 
 branch railroad known as the "Portage 
 Branch," frcm Stevens Point in a direct line 
 to Portage City. It is now nearly completed. 
 
 The Wisconsin Valley railroad, IromTomah 
 to Wausau, going north, enters Portage coun- 
 ty in town 24 north, range (j east, forms a 
 junction with the Wisconsin Central nearly 
 on the line, between towns 24 and 25 north, 
 and leaves the county in town 25 north, range 
 7 east. 
 
 These four railroads, all now built, equipped 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY 
 
 5 
 
 with train* running daily, have greatly in- 
 creased the population and quickened tini 
 business of Portage county.* Tin- amount "f 
 indebtedness incurred i>\ the county in rail' 
 road behalf, is 100,000 dollars in bonds, voft 
 cil, issued and delivered to the Central in aii| 
 of their direot line. A like amount was voted 
 in aid cf tin 1 Ptfrtage Branch ; the company, 
 however, through delays, failing to construct 
 the road in stipulated time, the County Board 
 repudiated the bonds; the matter is in lit- 
 igation. These two parcels ol bonds for 100,- 
 0H0 dollars each, constitute the entire indebt- 
 edness ol Portage county. 
 
 For several years previous, uneasiness had 
 existed in regard to the location of the seat 
 of justice at Plover, the pica being that it 
 should be at the business center of the coun- 
 ty, which was Stevens Point. Frequent dis- 
 cussions and agitations of the matter ensued; 
 finally it was referred to the Legislature, 
 which in 1867 passed an act requiring a vote 
 of the people to settle the question. The 
 vote was had, and carried in favor of Stevens 
 Point, and the county scat was removed in 
 1869. The county buildings, a court house 
 and jail of beautiful stone, were erected in 
 1868-9, at a cost ot 32,000 dollars. 
 
 To return once more to the lumber trade : 
 We have before estimated the product for 
 Portage county in"1857 at -20,000,000 feet pet- 
 annum, with a valuation of $-336,000. That 
 was nearly 20 yeais ago ; the business has in- 
 creased vastly since that day ; nearly ten 
 times the capital is now invested in the trade; 
 the logging part of it has been comparative- 
 ly increased, and the number and especially 
 the capacity of the mills greatly enlarged. At 
 that day only the old style of up and down 
 saws was used; these are all now laid aside — 
 made to give place to the rotary. T. e best 
 of sash saws would cut from 10 to 15 thou 
 sa:.d per day; the rotarys now cut from 20 to 
 30 thousand, and many of them more than 
 that. Besides which very great improvements 
 have been made in the streams for handling 
 togs, such as booms, roll-ways and slides. 
 There arc now in actual operation within the 
 bounds of Portage county 25 saw mills, and 
 16 shingle mills. An experienced, practical 
 lumberman, estimates the quantity manufac- 
 tured within the county for the year past, 
 from 25 saw mills, at seventy-nine million, 
 nine hundred thousand, and of shingles, from 
 16 mills, at thirty-two millions. The quanti- 
 ties will be somewhat increased the current 
 year, say not less than 80 million feet of lum- 
 ber and 40 million of shingles. And all this 
 from pine alone, the immense forests ol hard- 
 wood being comparatively untouched. This 
 much for the lumber. 
 
 *.— Old Portage county, before Colum- 
 bia was set off, had a railroad defacto in early 
 times. It was in what is now Wood county. 
 In 1830, Gideon Truesdale, operating Kings- 
 ton's, Fay's and Draper's mills, at what was 
 then known as Draper's, now Biron's Rapids. 
 built a wooden railroad a mile and a half east 
 to a small grove of pine, and on which he got 
 out his logs, hauling the car with oxen, yoked 
 tandem. 
 
 Besides the uU-y of Stevens Point, there are 
 several villages in the county : as Plover, Bue- 
 na v*ista,Amberst .Jordan, Eau Pleine, Almond, 
 McDillville and Springville. 
 
 Plover, six miles south of Stevens Point, has 
 a population of some live hundred; the tun 
 railroads, the Stevens Point and Portage, and 
 the Green Bay & Minnesota, form a junction 
 here, having on each, both freight and pas- 
 senger trains running daily ; it is quite a mart 
 of trade for farmers; ha.-, several good puhlie 
 buildings — as a large public school bouse*, two 
 nice churches, a hue grist and flouring. mill, 
 and several hotels, smith's shops. and stores, 
 with a live newspaper — the Plover Times; it is 
 one of the most pleasant places in the county 
 for private residences, with good society. 
 
 Amherst. 14 miles east of Plover and some 
 15 from Stevens Point, is perhaps the most 
 flourishing village in the county; it is directly 
 on the Wisconsin Central Railroad, the Green 
 Bay & Minnesota forming a junction with the 
 Central about a mile west of it ; here dwell 
 some of the most enterprising men of the 
 county ; there is a population of about six 
 hundred; one church, an excellent public 
 school house, several taverns and stores, and 
 two first class flouring mills. Surrounded by 
 the best farming lands, in the; hands of well- 
 to-do, astute pushing operators, Amherst un- 
 doubtedly has a most encouraging and hope- 
 ful future. 
 
 A glance at the farm products for 1875, 
 shows under cultivation : 
 
 In wheat 12,128 acres 
 
 " oats 5,066% " 
 
 " corn 8,827% " 
 
 " barley 305% " 
 
 "hops 370 " 
 
 "rye 4,143 " 
 
 " all other crops, including grass, 15,445 " 
 
 Total acres under cultivation, . .46,295, 
 at an estimated value of 51(5,655 dollars. 
 
 The assessed value of personal property in 
 the county, consisting of horses, cattle, sheep, 
 swine, farming utensils, manufacturer stock, 
 and other personal property is, $577,510.0."), 
 divided as follow*: 
 
 Horses $ 93,003 
 
 Cattle 109,022 
 
 Mules 4,407 
 
 Sheep 9,93o 
 
 Swme 7,958 
 
 Wagon* 35,275 
 
 Watches 4,335 
 
 Pianos and organs 12, ( 1:;.-, 
 
 Shares bank stock 5,590 
 
 Merchants and manufacturers stock.. 104,320 
 
 All other personal property 130,915 
 
 Total assessed valuation for 1876 of 
 all property, both personal and real. 
 
 is set down at '.$2,491,003 
 
 % should be added for current value 830,331 
 
 Making a total valuation of both 
 personal and real property of.. .$3,321,334 
 
 A majority of the population of the county 
 engage in agriculture: they have organized a 
 spirited Agricultural Society, which has existed 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY. 
 
 ten years; has a large li-t of members; Wm. 
 V. Flemming Esq. is President, H. S. Rood 
 Viee President, Wm. Loing Treasurer, and A. 
 J. Smith Secretary. Fairs are held annually, 
 always well attended, and the exhibitions 
 highly credible; the fair grounds are at Am- 
 herst. 
 
 OF MANUFACTURES, 
 
 There are but few aside from the lumber 
 trade: chiefly confined to grinding of wheat 
 and other grains ; there has been put up, as 
 they were required from time to time 8 toed 
 and flouring mills; the data is not quite per- 
 fect, but it is estimated that thev have ground, 
 hitherto one year with another, 30,000 barrels 
 of flour and 1,500,000 pounds of course grain 
 —all the product of the county. 
 
 The manufacture of flour will doubtless b i 
 considerably increased this year, a new mill 
 of lars^e capacity, 5 runs of stone, having just 
 been completed in Stevens Point. 
 
 At Stockton there is a very credible estab- 
 lishment for the manufacture of cheese. 
 
 Population of the county for 1876 is 14,870. 
 
 Portage county as at present organized is 
 divided into 16 towns, besides the city of 
 Stevens Point, 17 in all, to-wit : 
 
 Plover, Sharon, Stockton, Stevens Point, 
 Linvvood, Pine Grove, New Hope. Lanark, 
 Hull, Grant, Ean Pleine, Buena Vista, Bel- 
 mont, Amherst, Almond, city of Stevens 
 Point, 
 
 The county officers are, John Stumpf, Coun- 
 ty Judiie. J. B. Carpenter, Countv Clerk, John 
 Eckels, Sheriff, Wm. Albcrtie, County Treas- 
 urer, Ole O. Wogsland, Register of Deeds, 
 Wm, H. Packard, Dist. Attorney, Jas. E. 
 Rogers, Clerk Circuit Court. N. G. Hinman, 
 County Surveyor, J. O. Morrison, Superinten- 
 dent Schools. 
 
 The Count)/ Hoard consists of C. E. Webstei, 
 of Almond, chairman; A. H. Bancraft, < > I 
 Amherst; S. F. Devoin, Belmont; Geo, P. Nu- 
 gent, Buena Vista; R. B. Whitehouse, Fan 
 Pleine; Adolph Panter, Grant; Robert Maine, 
 Hull; Ira Whipple, Lanark; Gunder O. Wem 
 me, New Hope; Geo. W. Franklin, Plover; A. 
 M, Harris, Pine Grove; Jas. Meehan, Linwood, 
 John Landers, Stevens Point; Henry Cate, 
 Stockton; Jos. Oesterle, Sharon; Stevens 
 Point city: Mathew Wadleigh, 1st Ward; N. 
 H. Emmons, 2d Ward; E. D. Brown, 3d Ward. 
 
 There are 80 public and several private 
 schools organized in the county, all in a sound 
 flourishing condition; these schools employed 
 in 1874, according to County Superintendent's 
 report, from time to time during the year, no 
 less than 144 teachers; and it required that 
 year, to keep the schools properly goin^, 01 
 teachers continually; the number of scholars 
 in attendance was 3,221; whole number of 
 
 children in the county of suitable age to at- 
 tend school, 4,930. 
 
 Amount of money appropriated for all 
 school purposes during the year, . . .$30,560.25 
 Amount disbursed " "... 24,508 15 
 
 " paid to male teachers 5,789.35 
 
 female " 12.291.62 
 
 There are 82 school houses, built in the 
 county, all in good order — some of them quite 
 expensive; these houses are generally fur- 
 nished in the most approved, modern style, 
 and are calculated to accommodate comforta- 
 bly at all seasons no less than 4,300 pupils; the 
 150 teachers are not only duly qualified ac- 
 cording to requirements of the statute, but 
 they are understood to be an emulative corps 
 of educators, equal to any other in the state, 
 and under the direction of our excellent Coun- 
 ty Superintendent, J. 0. MorrUon, Esq., are 
 establishing for themselves most enviable rep- 
 utations, and laying the youth as well as the 
 older oi.es, under lasting obligations. 
 
 There are three live newspapers, the Times 
 published at Plover, and the Pinery and the 
 Journal at Stevens Point. 
 
 There are 14 practicing attorneys, It physi- 
 cians and surgeons settled and in business in 
 the county. 
 
 Portage county is an inclined plane, flipping 
 slightly to the south, with neither mountain 
 range nor deep valley — not an acre of waste 
 land ; and though 200 feet above the level of 
 Lake Michigan, we are nevertheless, geologi- 
 cally speaking, low down — on the old sand 
 -tone ; but little clay, and scarce a particle of 
 lime stone is to be found either in Portage 
 county, or all the. "Upper Wisconsin:"— there 
 is a moderate quantity of marsh, but it is by 
 no means waste land — much of it yields ex- 
 cellent grass, both for pasturage and hay; and 
 better than that, cranberry marghm&rQ found 
 here, and with slight improvement, become 
 the best paying lands of all. 
 
 Building stone of a superior quality and in 
 great abundance is found along the Wiscon- 
 sin river ; and an excellent quality of brick is 
 made from a mixture of clay and sand, 2)4 
 miles north of Stevens Point. 
 
 The future of Portage county can scarcely 
 be doubtful ; with her climate unexcelled 
 in salubrity, excellent soil, pure water, her 
 unsurpassed facilities for safe and speedy com- 
 munication, her great natural resources, her 
 rapidly developiuir improvements, both phys- 
 ical, moral and social, her excellent schools, 
 her energetic population, with all the ele- 
 ments of moral excellence, her course, under 
 the blessings of a Benign Providence, must be 
 onward and upward, till she shall stand sec- 
 ond to none other in Wisconsin ; who ever 
 shall take note of her at another centennial .' 
 will find her densely populated with an intel- 
 ligent, virtuous, patriotic people. 
 
I0m§ fp« 
 
 Is near the center of Portage county, in Sec. 
 32, Town 24 north. Range 8 cast, on the <nst 
 bank of the Wisconsin River ; it is the lanreft 
 town on the "Upper Wisconsin ;" and some 
 people have wondered how it come so '! In 
 early times — 1839 and 1840— head quarters of 
 the -'Wisconsin Pinery" were lower down the 
 river— tirst at Grand Rapids and then at Plov- 
 er ; the latter having been laid out on speed- 
 lation by Francis Dunn and Moses M. Strong 
 in 1841, and the scat of justice for Portage 
 county soon after located there ; large hotels 
 were built h >th at Plover and at Grand Rap 
 ids, and other appointments made with a view 
 to business centers of the Pinery ; no one 
 thought of Stevens Point in any such connec- 
 tion; accidentally or otherwise, people were 
 found stopping here: the occupants them- 
 selves had not the remotest idea of founding 
 a town ; they were merely pursuing their 
 business; which was forwarding supplies from 
 the lower country to Big Bull Falls, which 
 was being done by wagons thus far, where 
 the teamsters came to the end of the road; 
 but they found a good river, and a smooth 
 slack water navigation, for 30 miles up: — to 
 extract a few words from the Stevens Point 
 Hand Book published in 1857 : "No one at the 
 beginning had a suspicion that there was to 
 be a town here; it has come to its present size 
 in the "natural way," without force or arti- 
 fice of any kind. It is made by its location 
 at the foot of a long slack-water in the Wis- 
 consin from Little Bull, and at the head of 
 the great chain of the Conant Rapids. Some 
 12 years ago, a lumberman — George Stevens, 
 urging his way up the river with a load of 
 goods for Big Bull Falls, stopped his ox wag- 
 on and load near the slough, at the foot of 
 (what is now) Main street, put his goods un- 
 der a few boards, and went back to Portage 
 City for another load. A day or two after his 
 return, he put his goods into a dug out, 
 and went up the river. This point thus be- 
 came a landing and place for trans-shipment 
 from wagons to boats, and was soon known 
 as Stevens' Point. A ware-house was then found 
 necessary, and the increased resort soon called 
 for a tavern. The raftsmen in their downward 
 
 course found it a proper place to make com- 
 plete outfits for entering the great chain of 
 rapids. Provisions, cable, and other articles 
 were required, which soon produced stores of 
 different kinds at the place. Thus matters 
 went on for a year or two, when the owners 
 of the ground were forced to lay off a few 
 lots for building purposes. This decided its 
 tate, and made it a village before either the 
 lot owners or the settlers were aware of the 
 fact." 
 
 The lumbermen had occupied G'onant Rap- 
 ids and Mill Greek, as early as 1840 ; very lit- 
 tle had been done at Stevens Point, as far as 
 can be learned, sooner than ls44: — accounts 
 differ very much as to the tirst building put 
 up in the place; some say it was a ware limine 
 at the foot of Main street, and built by Ghas. 
 Maddy and Henry Mularky; others affirm that 
 in the fall of 1844, Abraham Brawley built a 
 log house on the fiat, just above the Shaurette 
 Rapids, which he moved into in December of 
 that year; while still others say that Matthias 
 Mitchell built a tavern house on what is since 
 known as the old Phelps stand; and not to 
 admit the claims of any of these to priority, 
 it is maintained by one wb.3 came here as ear- 
 ly as 1842, that early in the fall of 1844 Math- 
 iiis Mitchell built a shanty near the foot of 
 Main street, positively the very first thing in 
 shape of a house, pus up in Stevens Point ; 
 after all, the preponderance of testimony 
 seems to be in favor of the house of A. Braw- 
 ley on the flat, as the first one built within 
 the city limits; the ware house followed, and 
 then Mitchell's' t» vera. The next building put 
 up was a house by Richard Gardner, just west 
 of the store of N. F. Bliss. 
 
 The first rapid piece of lumber over Shau- 
 rette rapids, was run from Wausau, by Hiram 
 Stowe, in 1842. 
 
 In 1845, Richard Johuson built a log house 
 just aboye Shaurette Rapids on the east side, 
 and commenced darning the Wisconsin River 
 on the rapids, preparatory to building a saw 
 mill; the dam was not completed till 1840-7, 
 
 Kingsbury built a tavern house on the south 
 side of Main street in the winter of 1845-6; it 
 was burnt soon after. 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY 
 
 The place now became a general resort; two 
 or three tavern houses were up and occupied 
 
 one on the smith side of Ma n street, near 
 
 where the old Doet. .Morrison store now 
 Btands; the granting ol a license to Mr. Kings- 
 bury by the County Board, is the first not ice 
 ot Stevens Point iu the records of that body. 
 
 Places to sell goods followed; the first stock 
 that we hear of was by Robert Bloomer; an- 
 other by the two Mr, Campbells; and being 
 the resort of the river men, saloons became .1 
 matter of first necessity; two were soon ran- 
 ning— the Star and the Ocean Wave. By this 
 time — 1846-7 — there were some '20 buildings of 
 all sorts, and Stevens Point was a village. 
 Frontiers men with their wives and children 
 had braved the forest, the climate, and driven 
 their stakes here. Now caii.e the appoint- 
 ments of society and civilization; Miss Ainan- 
 dina Hale, now Mrs. N. F Bliss, kept a pri 
 vate school— the first in Stevens Point, in a 
 board shanty on the ground now occupied by 
 the. Mansion House. A preacher ap- 
 peared about this time— one of the Methodist 
 persuasion— a Mr. Hurlburt. 
 
 A highly respectable physician and surgeon, 
 Doctor Bristol, arrived; he rode from Point 
 Bas to Bull Falls; he died in 1848; and was 
 buried in the cemetery out of town ; that is to 
 say, on a swell of ground since graded down, 
 just in front of Claflin'S jewelry store; a wor- 
 thy man passed away in Dr. Bristol; a "tear to 
 hi* memory;" would that we could say "peace 
 to his ashes;" but alas! the "the march ot im- 
 provement"— inexorable necessities ot a city, 
 removed them from their resting place in the 
 cemetery, and where they now are, who can 
 tell? that grave yard has disappeared; in its 
 place ;.re a graded street, side walks, houses, 
 stores, and' other improvement s too numer- 
 ous to mention. 
 
 With the doctors and the preachers, came 
 also the lawyers; the people had been peace- 
 able enough so far, but who could think of a 
 town without something to get tolks by the 
 ears? Thomas Mormon, John Delaney and 
 Wm. L De Witt were the. first disciples of 
 Coke and Littlejohn. Mr. Mormon represent 
 this district in the Legislature in 1840-7. * 
 
 Growing apace, as all great towns always 
 do, it became one of commerce, and must 
 have its money lender ; it had one, John Wet- 
 land was its first banker and broker ; he lived 
 where Mr. John Walker's stone block now 
 stands. E. G. Bean assumed to act, (by what 
 authority is not apparent) as a magistrate; 
 his first official act was to unite in the bands 
 of matrimony Mr. J. K. Mitchell with Miss 
 Fannie Luther— these parties of Plover ; Mr. 
 
 *This Mr. De Witt, a son of the venerable 
 Surveyor General De Witt of the State of New 
 York, was an accomplished Civil Engineer, as 
 well as an Attorney, and by direction of the 
 state authorities, in 1850 made a careful sur- 
 vey and reconnoisance of the Wisconsin Riv- 
 er, from Point Bas to Big Bull Falls: His re- 
 port, accompanied with the necessary profiles, 
 and plattings, was published in pamphlet in 
 1851. 
 
 Abraham Brawlev, also assuming Che magis- 
 terial robes, celebrated his first official act in 
 our city by marrying Mr. Henry Blanchere to 
 Mrs. Powe, a widow lady. 
 
 ■Jut this Esquire Brawlev had other matters 
 in hand, than tying knots hymenial or dis- 
 pensing justice; he was indeed our first repre- 
 sentative ;o the Legislature, as well as im- 
 mersed head and heels in the lumber trade; 
 but in the midst of all, he found lime, as he 
 had occasion, to attend to agriculture; true, 
 he lived on the bottoms that overflowed twice 
 at least a year — a poor place we would say 
 tor farming; but stepping back a few paces to 
 higher groin d, he fenced, ploughed aud plant 
 ed a fine field where now stands our stone 
 courthouse; his labors were well repaid ; no 
 better corn or potatoes and garden stuff gen 
 erally ever burtheued the earth than Mr, 
 Brawley raised there in 1S45 and 0. 
 
 Stevens Point was thought by some at this 
 day as rather a rough place; the people at 
 Plover were aecunstomed to stigmatize it as 
 "up in the Pinery;" out of the pale of civiliz- 
 ation, while they were among people of cul- 
 ture and taste, ai the county seat. Well, the 
 denizens of the Point accepted the situation 
 without demur ; they were in the Pinery, and 
 must submit to their fortunes. 
 
 As soon as the ice left in the spring, or even 
 before, the "suckers" began to run] up ; I 
 need UJt stop here to tell who or what the 
 suckers were: they were bipeds; and though 
 able to swim on occasion (as when they got 
 knocked off a raft) yet their scales and tinny 
 adornments were more imaginary than real; 
 they ran up however every spring in immense 
 shoals, filling all space, and making no little 
 noise, and sometimes creating excitement; 
 they were on the whole a rather harmless, and 
 eminently useful race; their number was any- 
 thing, from hundreds to legions, according to 
 times and circumstances; while the rafts were 
 running, they were running also, and gener- 
 ally on the water. But let the river go down 
 and the rafts stop, which they did of course 
 every summer; when instantly the suckers, 
 from above, from below, from all quarters, 
 made a "straight shoot" for Stevens Point; 
 there they were counted (no they could not 
 be counted) but they appeared in huge shoals, 
 overwhelming all places and persons; the on- 
 ly wonder is that they were not the fearful 
 roughs the people of refined Plover would 
 have the world believe; they were in tact, gen- 
 erally, under the circumstances, a merry- 
 hearted, generous and well behaved set of 
 Boy-, as ever ran a river, or pulled an oar; all 
 honor to the suckers; their day is nearly past; 
 the locomotive has come and their occupation 
 is about gone. 
 
 While on the matter of the rivermen, there 
 are two characters, pre-eminently such of 
 Stevens Point, which we shall be pardoned 
 for noting: the one is the ifr(/7s//«m— the oth-» 
 er the Pilot: mention is made ot the first in 
 the 18th number of the 1st volume of the Pin- 
 ery news paper, published here in April, 1858; 
 speaking of the river and the rivermen that 
 paper had the following: 
 
 '•Old Wisconsk.— For the last 8 months this old 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGK COUNTY. 
 
 "follow has been so quirt a> scarcely 
 '•to remind us of hi* existence;— even the lit 
 -tic children mounted his back and played 
 
 "with his mane with impunity;— he seemed a 
 ^'fallen hero, and so destitute "I life thai some 
 "even doubt his ability to riseagain. B,H the 
 "I ng sunny days of March and April have 
 "thawed him out, quickened hi- sluggish 
 "nerves and restored hi- wasted strength. 
 "Like a Li in n t refreshed with a long s'eep, he 
 "has awaked and shaken bimself, and as if 
 "conscious of i long delinquency in businc-Sj 
 "Ue seem- in haste, to be oil towards the Fatbv 
 "6rof Waters. He trembles in every limb, and 
 "his \ oice like the linn's roar, is heard among 
 "the rocks: to the uninitiated he seems a i<t- 
 "rOr, but not so to t lie Raftsman; -accustomed 
 "to his modes, he treat- bis marine.- and foain- 
 "ing as so much swagger, and mounts his hack 
 "with as little concern as a jockey would an 
 "old hack. Nor is it for mere sport aloi e i hat 
 "the man of Fines essays such a noble steed; 
 "he harnesses him to his chain of a dozen or 
 "twenty rafts, and compels him to drag fori 
 "ward in his course to the Mississippi a train 
 "that would put to shame thai ot any rarlf 
 "road in Christendom. Well, the thing is 
 "going on here now; and all you down yonder 
 "that are fond of "grand sport," should come 
 "and see our Raftsmen drive old II isciwwse." 
 
 Mich was the view taken by the newspaper 
 man of the Raftsman in 1853. All those eaj 
 gaged in running out the lumber were Rafts- 
 men; hut the other c assspoken of— the Pilots 
 —were few; oiilv those oi lone,' experience — 
 skill in managing the whole operation of tak- 
 ing lumber from the niiils and delivering it 
 safely at the point of destination — it might lie 
 Dubuque or St. Louis— and only those who 
 had character and reputation, were entitled to 
 the more honorable distinction of Pilots: they 
 were hut few at the day we speak ot — twenty 
 at most. The Stevens Point Hand Book speaks 
 of tin/ Pilots : s follows: — 
 
 "The piloting of raits over these interinina- 
 ble falls, from Jenny Bull, to and below the 
 Dells, requires great skill, practice, courage, 
 and extreme peril and hard labor. — This 
 branch of the business has produced a class ot 
 men known ae Pilots, wh > have become 
 masters, both of the rapids, and the capitalists 
 in the lumber trade; as nothing can he done 
 without them; at least in getting the, product 
 to market after it is cut out at 'he mills. 
 When engaging by the day, they make their 
 own terms at from five to fifteen dollars. 
 Those of the better character, with a little 
 mean:', ahead, are accustomed to job the Inisi- 
 ness, entering into contract with the producer 
 to take the boards in pile at the mill-, and 
 furnishing all necessary men and outlays at 
 their own cost and charges, to deliver the lum- 
 ber at Dubuque or St. Louis, at a stipulated 
 price per thousand feet. Partaking somewhat 
 of the rigorous, wild character of the liver 
 and its whirlpools, they are nevertheless for 
 the most part, men of generous impulses, en- 
 ergetic, honest and trustworthy; I icing fre- 
 quently entrusted not only with' the custody 
 ot a year's earnings of a large establishment, 
 in its transit to market, but with the sale of 
 
 the rafts, the disbursement of large amount- 
 oft he proceed- to hand-, and the rendition of 
 final accounts to the o\> ners." 
 
 As with Hie Raftsmen so with the pilots; 
 their occupation too i~ being abridged in a 
 good degree by t lie locomotive: many of them 
 hav ■ not braved the perils of the dee], fir 
 nought; they have made their business n suc- 
 cess, and arc quietly enjoying the fruit ot their 
 
 toil. 
 
 The old Count v Board (records p. 89) on the 
 t'.th of .1 muar\, 1847, '•re. -ted f 22 N., P. (1 
 F.. into a school district, to he numbered oru 
 and to in- known a- the Grand Rapids District. 
 
 On the nth April, 1847, they erected T. :l-\ 
 N., R. i'. lv, (which i- on:- eitv of Steven- 
 Point) into a - hool district, to he known as 
 the Stevens Poit t Distric; and numbered /"•<>. 
 
 The first election was directed to he held at 
 the house ot A. It Baneraft. We. are unable 
 to tind any organization of this Stevens Point 
 D'i-trict ai that time, byelectio.i of District 
 Officers. 
 
 Under date oi May 24, 1847, the Hoard 
 creeled T. 23 N., R. 8 E., into a school dis 
 trict to he numbered three, and known a- the 
 Plover District. 
 
 All this time, the County of Portage had 
 never been divided into towns, and was prac- 
 tically under the government of the three 
 County Commissioners. 
 
 )\\ the '.nh of January, 1849, the Commis- 
 sioners being B. W, Finch, S. R. Merrill and 
 Win. V. ETeuiming, tin- county was divided 
 into towns as follows: — 
 
 "All that part of Portage county south of a 
 line running east and west, one mile south of 
 the north line of Town 23 N., Range 8 E.. 
 shall be named the town ol Plover; the first 
 election of town officers to he at the house of 
 Geo. Neeves, Grand Rapid-. 
 
 All that part ot the county lying north ol 
 the north line oi Plover, and south of the 
 north line of Town 27, shall he called and 
 known by the name of Middletown; and the 
 first election shall he at the house of Freeman 
 Keeler, Duhay's trading post: — 
 
 All that part of Portage county north of 
 Town :l'i shall constitute one town and be 
 known by the name of bull Falls; the first 
 election to be at the bouse of Thomas Uin- 
 ton. We have no data to describe the elec- 
 tion and organization ot this town of Middle- 
 town, which included Stevens Point; tho' it 
 is said A. Brawley was a Justice ol Peace, and 
 Samuel W. Rollins, Constable. 
 
 On the 1st ot March, 1850, we tind the Coun- 
 ty Board further dealing with the matter of 
 the boundaries of township-;; the only impor- 
 tant change made in our affairs, was to re- 
 move the seat of government from Middle- 
 town to Stevens Point, and ordering elections 
 to be held at the house ot Hinton A: Phelps. 
 
 The town of Stevens Point now fairly set 
 up for itself with regular township govern 
 ment, N. F. Bliss was elected Justice ol the 
 Peace, Abraham Brawley, Orrin Mayhee, and 
 Supervisors, Brawley chair- 
 man; -las, S.Young Town Clerk, Ira Yaughan 
 Assessor and Collector, and a Mr. llolden 
 Superintendent of Schools. A, H. Baneraft 
 
IO 
 
 HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY 
 
 was Sheriff of the county, Win Griffin was 
 thc first Post Master; had to go to Plover for 
 the mails, there being no post route to Stev- 
 ens Point. 
 
 About this time School District No. 1, Stev- 
 ens Point, was organized; Di 
 rector. Treasurer, and N. K. 
 Bliss District Clerk; according to the Clerk's 
 report tor September, 1K50, the school had 
 been taught seven months, by Miss B. Ale 
 LnugMin, who was paid ?2.» per month; the 
 number of children in attendance was (id: — 30 
 girls and 36 hoys. A new school house had 
 been erected the year before, valued at $600. 
 
 The population' at that date (sept., 1850,) 
 was estimated at some 200. Our town was 
 now some live years old: — it was acknow- 
 ledged tlw place of transhipment from wagons 
 to boats, (canoes); no practical wagon road 
 bavintr yet been made Irom this to Big Bull ; 
 tho' that place was growing apae •; mills hav- 
 ing been built there, and a other points above, 
 all which required lanre amounts of supplies, 
 which found their way from Stevens Point by 
 river in boats. As a central point of business 
 for the pinery, on- town had (in 1850) three 
 hotels, four stores, two rousing saloons, black- 
 smith shops, carpenters, mill- wrights, wagon 
 ers, traders — especially dealers in lumber and 
 shingles; one of the residents of that day 
 hands in the following tnemorandu u: lie .-ays 
 "we had two hotels; Joseph Phelps kept the 
 Mitchell House; Bro rn it Grover kept the 
 City Hotel; the Star saloon was kept by Wal 
 ton & Walsworth: the Ocean Wave b\ Sailor 
 Jack and a Mr. Watts:— Matt Campbell and 
 John Campbell, successors to Robert Bloom- 
 er, kept store, where Krembs' hardware store 
 now is; — John Strong had a store near Sloth- 
 ewer's old store; — the principal traders and 
 business men were, Matthias .Mitchell, lumber 
 dealer and owner of the town site; Young A: 
 Maybee, lumber dealers; Thos. Hinton, lum- 
 ber dealer; A. Bra i ley, mill owner and lum 
 her dealer; Campbell & Brothers, merchants 
 ami lumber dealers ; B. Finch, lumber deal 
 ci" Valentine Brown, Horace Judd, Azro Minn 
 and Annus .McCauley, river pilots; Jas. Cran- 
 dall, boarding house keeper; Seneca Harris, 
 boot and shoe maker and dealer; Anson Rood, 
 builder and merchant; Francis Lam ere, board- 
 ing house; (), Wiswald and J Young, hotel 
 keepers; John Welland, money lender and 
 banker " 
 
 Some enterprising parties, J. L. Prentice 
 surveyor, had explored easterly as far as the 
 branches of Wolf river for a road, hence 
 called the Green Bay road:— it served the pur- 
 poses of selecting and lo ating farms, and ex- 
 tending settlements in that direction as far as 
 To-morrow river, and a little beyond. To this 
 lime. Gills Landing on the wolf river, wasjust 
 being heard of; but scarcely a wagon track 
 from there here was known: — there was a road 
 traveled somewhat, from Strong's landing on 
 t he Fox i iver, (near Berlin) through to Plover: 
 — but practically nearly all the supplies came 
 up the great wagon road from Galena. 
 
 \ strip ci land t luce miles in width on each 
 side of the Wisconsin had been brought into 
 
 market as early as 1840: — the land office then 
 being at Mineral Point:- the Indian title to 
 the Upper Wisconsin country generally, was 
 extinguished in 1S4S, and the lands were sur- 
 veyed and in market soon after. In August, 
 1852, < iongress passed an act creating two new 
 land districts — one at La Crosse, and one at 
 Stevens Point: the latter was opened the sum- 
 mer of L853; — Abraham Brawley having been 
 appointed Register, and Albert G. Ellis Re- 
 ceiver It was thought sales would hardly pay 
 expense?! 
 
 How different the result V The rush was 
 unprecedented; the offices were thronged 
 night and day; the Register and Receiver were 
 soon compelled to double their clerical force, 
 lo keep up current hu.-iness; the thorough- 
 fares were crowded— new stage lines had to be 
 established for the r->ad, and new hotels lor 
 the travelers:— the money was coin— all gold 
 in those days: manv thousand dollars went 
 into the Receiver's office daily: two, three and 
 even four clerks were kept on the road carry- 
 ing oil' the funds to dep isitaries, at Dubuque 
 and Chicago. 
 
 Stevens Point felt the impulse; population 
 began to increase — new buildings went up in 
 every direction: the Pointers thought the 
 Millenium had come sure. 
 
 Our citizens began to think they could no 
 longer exist without a railroad; and specula- 
 tors in that line at .Milwaukee were of the 
 same opinion; — in L85T, agents of the Milwau- 
 kee & ilorieou railroad appeared here solicit 
 ing bonds and mortgages, and deeds of con- 
 veyance in exchange for their stock, promis- 
 ing to have the cars here from Berlin within 
 a twelve month: — our people responded — 
 bled freely:- -not less than 400,000 dollars 
 worth of securities were handed over to these 
 agents; we are charitable enough to believe 
 that they intended to build a road! Alas for 
 human hopes! A money crisis, succeeded the 
 good tinns, anil the Horieon railroad scheme 
 \ ani.-hed. 
 
 Next came the hard times — credit was at an 
 end; everybody suspended, and our flourishing 
 little city eolapsed with all the rest of the 
 world. Prices ol lots went down: — buildings 
 'ii tint outskirts were without occupants: we 
 had a great fire in 1858, which swept half the 
 business part of the town; these vacant 
 buildings in the outskirts were found of use; 
 i hey were moved in to replace those destroyed 
 by the fire: this process has been repeated — 
 lor we have endured two destructive confla- 
 grations within the last decade. 
 
 In the midst of all this, some ambitious 
 minds could no longer endure township gov- 
 ernment: — application was made to the Leg- 
 islature; and in IS5S, that body granted us a 
 city charter. The city of Stevens Point by 
 that charier, was nearly -?J/, miles square, 
 embracing within it about 4,200 acres. 
 
 The charter was accepted by the people; 
 tin- first election held on the26th davof June, 
 1858. 
 
 Win. Scholfield was chosen Mayor. 
 
 A, J. Aldrich, Marshal. 
 
 c. B. Jackson, Police Justice. 
 
HISTORY OF POSTAGE COUNTY 
 
 II 
 
 H. B. Martin, rreasurer. 
 
 ■T, j. Cone, Assessor. 
 
 C. B. Curtis City Clerk. 
 
 W. B. Agnew, Surveyor. 
 
 The Aldermen wew : A. 6. llamackcr and 
 Valentine Brown, 1st Ward. II. Fuiyason 
 and Martin Perkins. '3d Ward. Anson Rood 
 and S. W. Homsted, 3d Ward. 
 
 For the next ten years, matters progressed 
 with lew changes: the shock occasioned by 
 the late money cr eis gradually wore off: the 
 energy of our people restored business ; es- 
 pccially that of the lumber trade; it was con- 
 tinually on the increase;— in 1865, the product 
 of our Stevens Point operators in the trade, 
 either as producers or jobbers, could not have 
 h en less than 50 million feet of boards; ' e- j 
 sides lath, pickets and shingles. Al i this time j 
 our communication with the world below was 
 by wagons; no ears nearer than 00 or 70 
 miles. * 
 
 Iu 1869, we had a new excitement about 
 railroads; Hon. George Reed of Menasha, (or 
 Manitowoc,) suddenly dropped down upon us, , 
 proposing to talk railroad to our people; no | 
 one would listen; the blessings of the old Hori- | 
 eon fraud had not yet healed, it was lony; be 
 lore he could be heard: — at last an audience 
 was given, and it was perceived that he was 
 in earnest, and had the wherewith; — that isto 
 say, charters from the Legislature controlling 
 the application of the large land grant made 
 by Congress in 1864, to aid in building railroads 
 from Berlin, Fond du Lac or Mcna-ha, and 
 Portage City, to Lake Superior; and Congress 
 havi ig made our City a point in the proposed 
 railroad, we could not well be given thego-bv, 
 provided one should ever be built at all, on 
 the grant. 
 
 After numerous consultations our people 
 looked with favor i-m the undertaking, in the 
 hands of Judge Reed; they nominated a di- 
 rector as lor this city, and pledged the corpora 
 ation for certain amounts of local aid — to pro- 
 
 * The Wisconsin is not a navigable river up 
 stream: — it was attempted in 1850: — the En- 
 terprise, (apt. Harris, a boat of 100 tons bur- 
 then, ascended as far a Point Bas, laden with 
 Mill iron and lumberman's supplies for Clin- 
 ton A; Rablin; the water tailing, she encount- 
 ered untold difficulties in getting down again: 
 tlie navigation ot the Wisconsin, above" the 
 Dells, was considered impracticable. About 
 the year 1853, an enterprize was set on toot, 
 by Anson Rood, and others to navigate the 
 river from Stevens Point, upwards, to Little 
 Bull Falls, and thciue to Wausau:— a small 
 boat, the Northerner, was put on, under steam: 
 a year or two after a larger boat — the City of 
 Seevens Point, was built, and the next year' the 
 Wausau, for the short route between Little 
 Bull and Wausau; — these boats run lor some 
 three years; before any good wagon road had 
 been made from Stevens Point to Rig Bull:— 
 as soon as that was well accomplished, the 
 transportation business, and most of the trav- 
 el, went to the road by wagons and stages:— 
 the boats, no longer paying well, were run 
 out and sold on the lower river. 
 
 (Hire the right of way and make a survey and 
 location from Menasha to Stevens Point. It 
 took two years to mature all plans, find cap- 
 italists to advance moneys, to make contracts 
 and construct the road; but it succeeded at 
 last; and on the 20th of November, L872, our 
 people had a celebration over the arrival of 
 the first train of cars from Menasha! It de- 
 cided the late of Stevens Point:— our popula- 
 tion iu 1869 was about 1200:— business was 
 with a slow coach; many were disheartened, 
 and we were accustomed to hear every day, 
 people talking of leaving. Our population 
 now is over 4OJ0: — nobody is going away, but 
 everybody seems coming Property — town 
 lots,— have doubled, trebled in value; — all 
 kinds ol business has revived:— the town has 
 spread out in all directions, and no longer any 
 doubt about our success. 
 
 The Wisconsin Central Railroad, (with the 
 Milwaukee Northern and its connection di- 
 rectly to Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago) 
 is oi.e of the institutions of the state; it has 
 built, equipped and is operating 180 miles of 
 new road; besides the Portage Branch, 78 
 miles, now nearly complete. She is finishing 
 her mam line through to Vshland — equal to 
 about 340 miles in all of her own railroad pro 
 per, besides her connections south of Men- 
 asha. Stevens Point is her headquarters, hav- 
 ing her extensive freight and passenger de- 
 pots, her turn table, round house and new, ex- 
 tensive machine shops, all here. 
 
 Within the last lew days, anew railroad move 
 is on fort — to-wit, an extension of the Green 
 Bay & Minnesota railroad from Plover to Stev- 
 ens Point: — a survey of the route has actually 
 been made, and as we understand, estimates 
 are being prepared to enable the company to 
 determine thequestion of extending or not. 
 
 As a tew of the improvements worthy of 
 note in our city, we may mention, first, our 
 extensive water power, central of the city, on 
 the Shaurette rapids of the Wisconsin River: 
 — this dam is considered permanent — furnish- 
 ing a vast power, but a small poition of which 
 is thus far utilized; — there are on it, two grist 
 and flouring mills — one quite new and tirst 
 class, built of stone in most substantial man- 
 ner, of a capacity of 5 or 6 hundred barrels of 
 flour a week: built and owned by Messrs, Lam- 
 pert, Wagner <fe Co. 
 
 The water power is chiefly owned by ex- 
 Mayor Clark, who has an extensive lumber- 
 ing establishment upon it: all the improve- 
 ments being a;, yet on the ea-t side. Mr. Clark 
 has just completed the rebuilding of his saw 
 mills, at a cost of 6 or 9,000 dollars! In all he 
 runs 22 saws: two double rotarys— with gantc 
 edgers and trimmers for each: — all the ma 
 chineryis new and of the most approved kind: 
 — the mill is calculated to cut 100 thousand 
 per tlay when in full operation, and is doubt- 
 less one of the most complete in the Pinery. 
 
 There are a number of other mills of various 
 description running by steam: — four saw mills 
 and six shingle mills. But a most important 
 improvement touching the lumbering interest 
 is the Stevens Point Boom; ii is supposed 
 to be permanently built, at a cost of about 
 
12 
 
 HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY. 
 
 40,000 dollars; having a capacity of 100,000,0 10 
 feet <>l loirs. 
 
 The railroad company has extended .side 
 l racks to all t he mills on hot li sides of t he riv- 
 er, which facilitates the shipment of lumber 
 and shingles by rail: nineteen million feci of 
 lumber and thirty-six millh ns of shingles are 
 said to have goneout by rail the current year. 
 
 Our institutions of literary and moral char 
 aeter, are not excelled by any town ol its size 
 in the siate. We have a Catholic. Church with 
 a very large congregation, and Sunday school: 
 there is an excellent private school by the 
 Catholic Sisters ol Noire Dame, attached; a 
 second Catholic Church n. in progress of erec- 
 tion, in the northern part of the 1st Ward. 
 
 We have five Protestant Churches well at- 
 tended, with .Sunday schools in all. Our pub- 
 lie schools are worthy special mention: they 
 are under supervision of a Board of Education, 
 created by special enactment, consisting of. six 
 members — two from each ward: — the schools 
 arc graded into five departments, occupying 
 four buildings with nine different schools; 
 nine teachers, besides a Principal: — the num- 
 ber of cnildren in the city attending both pri- 
 vate and public schools the past year, is some- 
 thing over 1200. 
 
 On the 5th of March, 1875, the Legislature 
 passed an act providing for the establishment 
 ol "free High Schools," whereby towns, vil- 
 lages and cities, in addition to their common 
 schools, might, on a vote of the inhabitants, 
 organize free schools, of a higher grade, than 
 under the common law, and provide for tin' 
 teaching ol such branches as should tit the 
 pupils for entrance into the State University, 
 on certificates of the local School Board: the 
 l>eneiits to the towns, villages and cities, of 
 this law, will he very great: — it. is understood 
 our city Board of Education have taken meas- 
 ures for securing the advantages ol this act, 
 by the immediate establishment of a Free 
 High School in the city of Stevens Point. 
 
 The amount of moneys received Irom all 
 sources into the School District Treasury for 
 the year past is 4, IMS dollars. The amount 
 disbursed : — 
 
 To teachers i< $3,862 
 
 For other purposes 1,086 
 
 Total • S4,94> 
 
 Of fire proof buildings, of .-tone, brick, and 
 two brick vaneered dwellings, there are a 
 dozen and a hall — all lair structures: — the 
 ot . er one thousand buildings, are wood— dry 
 pine, inviting the element, which has tor the 
 thin! time swept the business part of our lit- 
 tle city: — these conflagrations have incited 
 our people— business men and property hold- 
 ers, to find protection — prevention Ifpoesib'e 
 
 Of these destructive tires: the outcome of 
 
 which has been the organization of a most 
 vigorous, efficient Fire Oompang, and the fur- 
 nishing of the city with lire engines — of which 
 there are two — a hand engine and a steamer: 
 
 the latter a splendid affair, at a cost, as is 
 said, of lorty-seven hundred dollars: it has 
 paid for itself and more already; we have 
 scarcely had wfn-e since its appearance. 
 
 There are several other institutions in the 
 
 ci y for moral, religious and intellectual im- 
 provements, anions - which is a library <iss<)rin- 
 tum and reading circle, comprizing the intelli- 
 gent portion ol the population:— it hasexisted 
 five, years and is steadily advancing; exercis- 
 ing a marked influence Vim- e,nod: it has regu- 
 lar meetings for reading, lor discussions, and 
 social intercourse; a handsome library of some 
 volumns, and promises welt lor the fu- 
 ture. 
 
 The population of t' e city, as per census 
 taken one year since, was :\:UY.',; — 
 
 Assessed valuation of property §669,819 
 
 To which ai least one third should lie 
 
 added tor current value 228,273 
 
 True value $893*092 
 
 We have said ih •■ city is on the east side ol 
 Hie Wisconsin river:- this must have a slight 
 amendment.— there are some three mill.-, and 
 i hiily houses on the west ide, and beyond 
 doubt the town will extend on that .-id'' rap- 
 idly. \ substantial bridue, on live stone and 
 timber piers, spans the river at. loot ol (lark, 
 street— a quarter of a mile above tl e Shau- 
 re'lte dam: the railroad bridge of the Wiscon- 
 sin Central, — a. structureo! iron, on four stone 
 piers, spans the river a quarter of a mile he- 
 low the mill dam. 
 
 Stevens Point is not without a fair supply 
 of the learned profession.-: — of 
 
 Attorney at law, we have 10 
 
 Physicians and Surgeons 7 
 
 ( le. gymen 8 
 
 Civil Engineers :; 
 
 Professors and Tea< hers of Music 15 
 
 Qualified Teachers of schools 2U 
 
 Editors and Authors <> 
 
 Daguerrian Artists and Portrait Painters... 3 
 
 Resident Officials. 
 Hon. c. W. fate, Me triber of Congress for 
 
 8th Congressional District. 
 
 Hon. G. L Park, Judge of Circuit Court. 
 
 Horace Grant, Esq., U. S. Post Master. 
 
 .III-. P. Dor.-ey, Ksq., Ganger, 
 
 .lames E. Rogers, Clerk Dist. Court. 
 
 John Eckles, Sherill' 
 
 Prank Whedock, Under Sheriff. 
 
 John Stumpf, County Judge. 
 
 J. B. Carpenter, County Clerk. 
 
 Wm. Albert ie, County Treasurer. 
 
 Ole O. Wogsland, Register of Deeds. 
 
 Win. H, Packard, Dist. Attorney. 
 
 W. G. Hinman, County Surveyor. 
 
 J. 0. Morrison, Co. Supt. of Schools. 
 
 John K. McGregor, Principal ol Schools, 
 
 Of the City GouncM. 
 lion. J. D. McLean, Mayor. 
 Frank Wheelock, Marshal. 
 N. F. Bliss, Police Justice. 
 Alexander Krembs, I Aldermen lst Ward . 
 John O. Johnsen, ) 
 Owen Clark, ' AUl . . 2ml NV . ml . 
 E. R. Herren, \ 
 
 John Slothower, I AW 3rd w . ml 
 John Ball, ) 
 
 John Stumpf, City Clerk. 
 | James Bellinger, I P()li( , ( . ln . m . 
 Edward Dunegan, \ 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY. 
 
 Almansoii I ftton, City Attorney. 
 K. ll. Estabrook, city Physician. 
 .1 I.. Prentice, City Engineer. 
 Tin Board of Education 
 
 llun. G. L. Park, President. 
 Win VVeston, Owen Clark, Geo. W-M-t, E. 
 I). Brown. 
 A G. rlamacker, Clerk. 
 
 Of the Fire ( 'ompany. 
 Henry Curran, ( !taief. 
 Charles Krembs, Foreman. 
 
 Of the Various Hocieties. 
 MASONIC. 
 Forest hapten' of B. A.. Masons, No. 34. 
 Charles Chai'ee, K. P. 
 11. 1). McCulloch, K. 
 J. K. MeG tgor, Sec. 
 John ('adman, Treas, 
 
 F.rt rgreen Lodge, No. 93. 
 C has. Chafec, W. M. 
 A. F. Wyatt, F. W. 
 John C.-dman, J. W. 
 Emmon6 Burr, Sec. 
 A. G. Ilainacker, Treas, 
 Monadnmk Encampment No. .VJ, 1. 0. 0. F. 
 L. D. Conery, C. P. 
 M. W. Blan hard, G. P. 
 J. H. Smith, S. W. 
 W. P. Goodhue. S. C. 
 John Stnmpf, Treas. 
 J. B. Marshall, J. W. 
 
 Sltnurette Lodge, I. O. 0. F., No. 'M. 
 M. W. Blanchard, N. G. 
 J. H. Whiting, V. G. 
 
 A. M. Pratt, Sec. 
 
 L. D. Conery, Treas. 
 
 Stnmpf Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., No. 22o. 
 John Stnmpf. N. G. 
 David Lutz, V. G. 
 Win. B. Koppe, See. 
 Jacob Lutz, Treas. 
 
 I. 0. of G. T. 
 J. D. Wyatt, W. C. T. 
 Olive. Aldrich, W. V. T. 
 J. T. Kean, W. R. S. 
 J. D. Whitney, W. F, S. 
 Martha Grant, X . T. 
 Alex Empey, W. M. 
 Mrs. Gottery, W. A. M. 
 Clara Wert, I. G. 
 Fred Richardson, O. G. 
 E. C. Sennett, L. D. 
 Rev. D. W, Smith, W. C. 
 J. H. Carlisle, P. W. C. T. 
 
 I. 0. ofG. T. No. -I. 
 W. C. T — S. L. Bean. 
 L. II. S.— Emma Redfield. 
 
 B. 11. S.— Lizzie Clark. 
 W. 8.— F. L. Jackson. 
 W. F. 8.— F. Redtield. 
 W. T.— Mary Albertie. 
 W. M.— Sam. Davis. 
 
 A. M. — Virginia Brawley. 
 A, S.— Acidic Packard. 
 P. W. C— C. H. Lincoln. 
 
 I. G. — lennic Bccillc. 
 
 o. <;.— I'oin Boyd. 
 
 W. ('.—Mrs. Watts 
 
 W. V. T.— Rhoana Pane. 
 
 Stevens f'oint Library Association. 
 President— E. R. Herren. 
 Vice President— D. L. Jones. 
 See, — Webster Brown. 
 Tnas.- II D. McCulloch » 
 
 Librarian— Mrs. L. S. McCulloch. 
 Executive Committee — W. K. Barnes, Mrs. 
 D. R. Clements, Miss Julia Oman. 
 
 Stevens Point Ladies' Benevolent Society, 
 
 President — Mrs. 8. Hungerford. 
 
 See.— Mrs. Dr. Phillips, 
 
 Treas.— Mrs. Dr. McCulloch. 
 Wisconsin Cent rid Railroad. 
 
 President— Gardner ( lolby. 
 
 Vice President — Charles Colby. 
 
 Genl. Manager— E. B. Phillips. 
 Germania Maennerchor. 
 
 President — Jacob Lutz. 
 
 Vice President — John Stenger. 
 
 Secretary — Anton Ortmaier. 
 
 r l reasurer — John Weutrieh. 
 Temple of Honor 
 
 W. T. C— D. L. Jones. 
 
 W. V. T.— L. R. Lamb. 
 
 P. W. T.— E. R. Herren. 
 
 W. R.— W. E. Brown. 
 
 W. A. R.— G. W. Hnngerford. 
 
 W, F. R.— W. A. Osborn. 
 
 W. T.— P. C. Claflin. 
 
 W. C— A. A. Joss. 
 
 W. M.-W. R. Barnes, 
 
 W. A. M.— J. E. Smith. 
 
 W. G.— A. J. Thomas. 
 
 W. S. — K. Johnson. 
 
 L. D.— II McDonald. 
 
 Juvenile I. 0. G. T. 
 
 Superintendent— Mrs L M Smith. 
 
 Executive Committee— Mrs Elizabeth Gottery, 
 Mrs Emma Carlisle, Herman George, Mrs Licta 
 Knox. 
 
 C T-Wm Gottery. 
 
 V T— Emma Kingless . 
 
 Chaplain— Edward Gottery. 
 
 R S — Henry Ilainacker. 
 
 A R S— Elizabeth Gottery. 
 
 F S— Harry Raymond. 
 
 Treas— Nellie Hungerford. 
 
 P C T— Lucy Hungerford. 
 
 Marshal— Walter Wert. * 
 
 Ass't Marshal— Jennie Empey. 
 
 Inside Guard — Clara Allen. 
 
 Outside Guard— Robby Rood. 
 
 Right. Supporter— Hatty Davis. 
 
 Left Supporter — Anna Slothower. 
 
 Tims have we set forth something— not by any 
 means all that ought to be said of Stevens Point- 
 As a point for business, where the enterprising 
 man may find his exertions rewarded with abun- 
 dant success:— as a pleasant, agreeable, healthy 
 location for family resilience, and one of good 
 social and moral influences— for all these it may 
 be most truly commended to the searcher for a 
 western home. A line salubrious elimaae, a beau- 
 tiful location on a large river, with two new rail 
 roads connecting us directly with the world, north, 
 south, east anil west: -the plat nearly level, just 
 undulating enongh fur good drainage ; pine water, 
 both of the Wisconsin river, and only 12 feet he- 
 low the surface, uniformly pure and sweet: -the 
 
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY. 1 4 
 
 cily has 4iiik) inhabitants, with ixoml improve- will greallv incense, fill her marts of trade wUI 
 
 ments; a hundred houses being in process of be crowded, her streets bordered wit h fine build- 
 
 ereciion to-day. Some of our neighbors have ings. her institutions of education, religion and 
 
 kindly suggested our being already overgrown- morals multiplied;— refinement and intelligence 
 
 that another year will witness our decline -our mark the character ol her people— all this and 
 
 population seceding! This has been said by much more it is but reasonable tolookfor; -and 
 
 them of us for the last ten years, .-ill the while. ii we who now inhabit here, be true to our trusl 
 
 however, our population steadily increasing, im- —handing down to our children the blessings of 
 
 provements extending in ;ill directions, till now it our free government, with our institutions, young 
 
 is fairly conceded that such an amount of capital though they yet are, of edm ation. moral and civ- 
 
 i s^n vested here, in real estate, mills and machin- il. unimpaired, may we not hope to bequeath to 
 
 ery, in stores, hotels, churches, school houses. our state a commnnity of virtuous, patriotic peo- 
 
 &c., <fcc, as sets that question at rest. Seventy pie, an honor to our name., emulating in their 
 
 years hence, when Stevens Point shall celebrate turn our example of handing down to their cnil- 
 
 its Centennial, what may we not expect her to dren those priceless gifts of liberty and freedom 
 
 ndesenl '■ but t hat she will continue her upward to the latest posterities. 
 par onward course: -that wealth and population 
 
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