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Yale University Library

39002013462198

.with the Historical Address of

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

1943

HISTORICAL ADDRESS,

DELIVERED BEFORE THE

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Racine County, Wisconsin,

By CHARLES E. DYER.

Ponstjtution. By-Laws and J^ist of ^/VIembers.

BACINE:
A. 0. SANDFORD, PRINTEB AND BOOKBINDER.
187I

OFFICIAL RECORD

OF THB

OLD SETTLERS SOCIETY

OP

RACINE COUNTY, WISCONSIN.

WITH THB

HISTORICAL ADDRESS

OF

Charles E. Dyei\,
DELIVERED AT BURLINGTON, WIS.

PBBBUABY 22, 1871.

RACINE, WIS ,
o. axmwotat, pbihtbb aud bookbotdbb,

INTKODUCTION.

The importance of making and preserving some historical
record of the early settlement of Racine County has been a
theme of discussion for several years among the early set.
tiers. Nothing, however, was done towards accomplishing the ob
ject, until a call was prepared and circulated for the purpose
of organizing an "Old Settlers' Society," at Racine, on the
14th day of March, 1870, at which time a Society was
formed, the original and subsequent proceedings of which, in
cluding the address delivered by Charles E. Dyer before the
Society at Burlington on the 22d day of February, are
herein published.
Believing that this record contains much that is valuable to
those who now read it, and that it will be doubly valuable to
those who come after us, and hoping that the Society may
long continue, and that other valuable historical facts may be
obtained and recorded, the Executive Committee of the Society
now present this history of the settlement of the County to
the members of the Society and to the public.

PUBLIC MEETING.
At a meeting of Old Settlers of the county of Racine, held
at the court house, in the city of Racine, March 14th, 1870,
Lorenzo Janes was chosen chairman, and S. B. Peck
secretary.

4 OLD SETTLERS SOCIETY,
The following call for an Old Settlers' meeting was then
read :
"All residents of Racine county, who have been in the
State for more than thirty years, are invited to meet at the
court house, on Monday evening, March 14th, 1870, for the
purpose of organizing an Old Settlers' Society.
" By request of Many Old Citizens."
On motion, it was voted that the Chair appoint a committee
of five to prepare a Constitution, and present it to the meeting
for adoption.
The chair appointed J. A. Carswell, A. Cooper, Alanson
Filer, Benjamin Pratt and C. J. True, as such committee.
During the absence of the committee, many incidents con
nected with the early settlement of Racine were narrated by
L. S. Blake, Eldad Smith, and others.
The committee returned, and reported the following Con
stitution, which report was accepted, and the Constitution
adopted :
Preamble. — For the purpose of reviving old associations,
and renewing the ties of former years, the undersigned do
hereby unite in an association, to be known as the " Old
Settlers' Society of the county of Racine," and adopt the
following
CONSTITUTION.
Article 1st. Any person of good moral character, who has
resided in the State more than thirty years, and is now a resi.
dent of Racine county, may become a member, of this Society
by signing his or her name, and paying an initiation fee of fifty
cents. Article 2d. The officers of this Society shall consist of a
President, three Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer.
and an Executive Committee of five members.
Article Sd. The President, Vice Presidents, Secretary,
and Treasurer shall perform such duties as usually pertain to
their respective offices, but all matters relating to the Society

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 5
shall be under the control and management of the Executive
Committee. Article 4th The officers of this Society shall be elected
by ballot, on the second Monday of January in each year.
Article 5th. New members may be admitted by the Exec
utive Committee, provided that thirty years shall have elapsed
since the applicant's first residence in the State of Wisconsin.
Article 6th. The Executive Committee shall give notice,
through the papers or otherwise, of the time of the funeral of
any of the deceased members, and all members, if possible,
shall attend said funeral, wearing the Society badge.
Artiale 7th. Whenever seventy-five persons shall have
.signed this Constitution,, they may elect officers and organize
the Society; and it is understood that women may become
members of this Society without paying the initiation fee. ..
Article 8th. This Constitution may be altered or amended
at any annual meeting, by a majority of the members present.
Those persons who were entitled to become members were
then invited to sign the Constitution. The following are the
names, and date of first residence :
Names. Date of First Residence
L. S. Blake  February 15th, 1835.
Benj. Pratt  February 15th, 1835.
Eldad Smith  September 22d, 1835.
A. Raymond  September 22d, 1835.
Sheridan Kimball  December  , 1835.
Alanson Filer  November  , 1835.
Samuel G. Xnight  August 20th, 1836.
A. Cooper  October  , 1836.
J. 0. Bartlett  November 6th, -1836.
Adney Wooster  March 14th, 1836.
Nathan Joy  June 1st, 1836.
C. J. True  December 28th, 1836.
Lorenzo Janes  July 15th, 1836.
Wm. S. Derby  June 5th, 1837.

6 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Samuel Hood  .....May 24th, 1838.
Seth P. Phelps   , 1839.
J. H. Gipson  June  , 1837.
Wm. S. Hoyt  Jur.e 21st, 1837.
W. H. Gresitt  May 27th, 1839.
H. Raymond  March 2d, 1839.
J. A. Carswell  June 16th, 1839.
R. H. Baker  June 27th, 1839.
S. B. Peck  June 9th, 1839.
James T. Elliott.  August  , 1839.
Norman Clark  October  , 1836.
Thomas Place  July  , 1835.
Levi J. Billings  November  ,1836.
Angus B.Crane  May 15th, 183'9.
After a sufficient number had signed to constitute a Society,
it was voted to proceed to ballot for officers for the present
year, which resulted in the following choice :
President — Lucius S. Blake.
Vice Presidents — Benj. Pratt, Wm. S. Hoyt, Thomas
Place.
Secretary and Treasurer — S. B. Peck.
Executive Committee — A. Cooper, R. H. Baker, J. 0.
Bartlett, A. Raymond, Pliny M. Perkins.
On motion, it was voted that the Executive Committee be
instructed to fix upon a time and place for holding an " Old
Settlers' Meeting."
On motion it was voted that a copy of the proceedings of
this meeting be furnished the papers for publication.
The Executive Committee then announced that they had
fixed upon the first Wednesday in June next, at the city of
Racine, as the time and place of the first meeting of the Soci
ety, and that further notice would be given of the same.
On motion — adjourned. S. B. PECK, Secretary.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 7
Names. Date of First Residence.
James Walker  April, 1835.
Charles Bunce   , 1838.
E. R. Cooley  May, 1838.
Nelson A. Walker  October, 1835.
R. M. Walker  September, 1836.
John Adams  April 28th, 1835.
Joseph Adams  April 28th, 1835.
Edward Adams  April 28th, 1835.
Walter Cooley  May, 1835.
A. G. Knight  April, 1836.
J. R. Slauson  May 18th, 1838.
Geo. W. Slauson  May 18th, 1838.
Seneca Raymond  June 20th, 1396.
Eseck B. Sears, Caledonia  October 20th, 1836.
Thomas Spencer, "  November 27th, 1836.
Orrilla Spencer, "  May 27th, 1836.
Wm. Sears, "  October 1st, 1836.
Annis Sears, "  October 20th, 1837.
Alonzo Sears, "  October 20th, 1837.
Luther R. Sears, "  ....May 25th, 1836.
Geo. F. Roberts, "  October, 1836.
Cyrus Nichols, "  August, 1836.
Mrs. D. D. Nichols, "  August, 1836.
Mrs. L. J. Warner, "  August, 1836.
Daniel B. Rork, "  June, 1835.
Mrs. D. B. Rork "  June, 1835.
Mrs. P. S. Parker, "  August, 1836.
Stephen Campbell, "   ,1835.
Mrs. Mary Roberts, "  September, 1836.
Mrs. S. B. Peck, Racine  September, 1838.
Mrs. H. R. Walker  October, 1838.
Fordice Lincoln, Yorkville  ."  June, 1836.
C. E. Waite, "  March 12th, 1837.
Lorenzo Waite, "  April 8th, 1838.
Carlisle Waite, "  April 8th, 1838.

8 old settlers' society,
Carlos Waite, Yorkville  April 8th, 1838.
Samuel Ormiston, "  July, 1837.
Mrs. S. Ormiston, "  July, 1837.
Jacob Bussa, "  June, 1837.
Chas. Scofield, "  August, 1839.
Mrs. C. Scofield, "  August, 1837.
James H. Morgan, Racine  May, 1837.
A. H. Blake, Racine  April, 1835.
Mrs. Edith Bartlett, Mt. Pleasant  July, 1835.
Miss Minerva Newman, "  July, 1835.
A. G- Newman, "  July, 1835.
Mrs. Susan Place, "  May, 1840.
Dorance Secor, "  May, 1840.
Luther Secor, "  May, 1840.
David Secor, " ...,v  May, 1840.
Charles L. Morris, " . . . .  July 7th, 1838.
Wm. Place, "  July, 1835.
Patrick G. Cheves, "  May, 1840.
Joseph S. Longwell, "  May, 1835.
Mrs. Jos. S. Longwell, "  April, 1835.
S. H. Sage  February 7th, 1836.
E. Everit  May 17th, 1839.
Samuel E. Chapman  May 17th, 1836.
L. D. Merrills  April, 1837.
Thad. Earle  November, 1836.
Lewis Royce  August, 1837.
Edwin Linccln  June, 1840.
Henry B. Roberts  September, 1836.
Wm. Ballack  March, 1840.
John Ballack  June, 1840.
James Ballack  December, 1839.
Mrs. A. H. Blake   ,1837.
Thomas Adland  May, 1840.
Knud Adland  ,  May, 1840.
Joseph Bishop  December, 1839.
Newton Peck  September, 1836.

RACINE COUNTY WIS. 9
John M. Cooper  May, 1840.
Mrs. Fanny Pratt  September, 1839.
Mrs. Mary Derby  June 5th, 1837.
Norman Huntington  December, 1836.
Martin Beardsley  January, 1835.
Elam Beardsley  January, 1835.
D. R. May  .....October, 1838.
Chas. Scofield  August, 17th, 1839.
Mrs. Simeon Whiteley  April 1836.
Timothy Sands   , 1835.
L. 0. Whitman  '.  !  June, 1836.
James Cooper  October 5th, 1838.
N. H. Palmer  October 5th, 1838.
Ransom Reynolds   , 1837.
Benj. Reynolds   , 1837.
Geo. Allen  June, 1839.
Wm. Bull  September, 1837.
Samuel N. Basey  April, 1835.
S. F. Heath  August 9th, 1837.
Loring Webber  May, 1838.
Mrs. E. M. Baker  December, 1839.
Elihu D. Filer  June 27th, 1837.
Mrs. Delia M. Filer  June 27th, 1837.
T. D. Morris  October 5th, 1838.
Mrs. T. D. Morris  October 20th, 1840.
John Newman  July) 1835.
Mrs. Maria Filer  October, 1835.
Rufus Billings  November 1st, 1836.
Mrs. Rufus Billings  November 1st, 1836.
P. M. Perkins  May 20th, 1837.
E. G. Dyer  June, 1839.
Mrs. E.G.Dyer  June, 1839.
Chas. E.Dyer  June, 1839.
Francis Meinhart  June, 1839.
T. W. Durgin   , 1838.
James Mather  August 18, 1838.

10 OLD settlers' society,
J. P. Mather  May, 1838.
E. Brainard  May 14th, 1839-
John W. Edmonds   , 1840.
Mrs. John W. Edmonds   — , 1840.
Mrs. James Mather, (died Feb. 23, 1871)  August, 1838.
F. H Nims  July 2d, 1835.
Mrs. L. S. Nims  July, 1835.
Mrs. L. A. Everit  July, 1835.
Patrick Callahan   , 1840.
David Smith   , 1837.
Mrs. Lewis Royce  August, 1837.
David Bushnell  ."   , 1836.
Ruth Thompson   , 1840.
Chas. Loomis   , 1838.
Samuel Toombs  >  June, 1839.
Geo. Jones  November, 1839.
Mrs. S. Gardner   , 1836.
Nelson R. Norton  March, 1837.
Mrs. Nelson R. Norton  March, 1837.
Wm. Peck  January, 1838.
Wm. L. Rooker  August, 1839.
C. R. Rooker  May, 1839.
Mrs. C. R. Rooker  May, 1839.
J. C. Rooker  August, 1839.
E. S. Sawyer  May 14th, 1838.
Liberty Fisk  October, 1838.
T. W. Gault  October 19th, 1837.
Mrs. Samuel E. Chapman  December, 1838.
Hiram Page  August, 183';'.
Ira A. Rice  May 24th, 1836.
Mrs. Ira A. Rice  '.  May 24th, 1836.
Alfred Lockwood  June, 1836.
P. R. Mygatt  May, 1836.
Sarah Mygatt  May, 1836.
Edwin Wood  May 27th, 1838.
Daniel Wood  May 27th, 1838.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 11
C. E. Hunt  May 27th, 1838.
Mrs. 0. Sheldon  July lst, 1836.
Mrs. Van Valen  July lst, 1836.
0. Van Valen  January, 1837.
Jefferson Brown  September, 1837.
Wm. Brown  September, 1837.
Mrs. Wm. Brown  September, 1837.
N. Van Arman  June, 1839.
A. Van Arman  June, 1839.
J. Van Arman  June, 1839.
Mrs. Harriet Wood   , 1835.
Mrs. Elizabeth Beardsley  February, 1839.
Mrs. Nancy E. Beardsley   ,1837.
Ezra Beardsley  April, 1839.
Martin Beardsley  January 20th, 1835.
Elizabeth Beardsley  May, 1838.
A. M. Taphorn   , 1838;
Mary A. Merrills  April, 1837.
H. D. Morse  March 29th, 1836.
Marilla Morse  December 11th, 1835.
D. N. Niblack  April lst, 1835.
Samuel Niblack  December 20th, 1834.
Mrs. Harriet Buttles  June, 1836.
Mrs. Ezra Buttles  June, 1836.
Mrs. Emeline Buttles  June, 1836.
Mrs. S. M. Cooper  October 11th, 1837.
Thomas Hood  May 18th, 1835,.
Theodore S. Lane  June, 1836.
Joshua Pearce   , 1840.
Mrs. Catharine Pearce   , 1840.
Samuel Cooper  October 20th, 1840.
Jedediah Healy  October, 1839.
J. D. Wright  (born) January, 1840.
Mrs. Catharine Brown  September, 1838 .
Aaron Putnam  November, 1839.
Mary E. Buttles  December, 1836.

12 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Joel Horner  May, 1835.
Mrs. Sarah A. Carswell  June, 1839.

FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF "OLD SETTLERS'
SOCIETY," OF RACINE COUNTY.
Belle City Hall, Racine, June 1, 1870.
The first meeting of the "Old Settlers Society," convened
at Belle City Hall.
At 10 o'clock A. M., the meeting was called to order by
the President, L. S. Blake.
The Rev. Cyrus Nichols then read the 33d Psalm, and
led in prayer.
-The Rev. M. P. Kinney, of Rockford, Illinois, then ad
dressed the meeting. He first stated that he was one of the
Old Settlers of Wisconsin, and gave a most cordial greeting
to the old pioneers who had gathered at this first meeting of
those, who, for more than thirty years, had toiled and labored
to transform this, then wilderness, into its present fruitful
fields. He paid a glowing tribute to' the patriotism of those,
who, when the first gun was fired at Fort Sumter, had rushed
to the post of danger to save our common country.
He warned his hearers, by the review of the past thirty
years, to be as vigilant in the years to come, that this
beautiful land might ever remain the " Land of the Free and
Home of the Brave."
A Committee on Resolutions, consisting of J. A. Carswell,
S. Raymond and J. 0. Bartlett, having been appointed by
the chair, reported the following, which were unanimously
adopted :
Resolved, That we, the early settlers of Racine county
extend a cordial greeting to each other on this, our first gath
ering, to revive the recollections and renew the friendships of
the early days ; and we would return devout thanks to Him
who has sustained and blessed us hitherto.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 13
Resolvid, That we deem it becoming the Association, and
not improper in us, that we congratulate ourselves that our
early struggles to organize and develope the resources of the
country were not a failure, but a success of which we need
not feel ashamed.
Resolved, That we greet with hearty welcome, all our fel
low citizens, of every nationality, who, though at a later day,
have come in to cast their lot with us, and to aid, we trust, in
building up a community not unworthy of a position in the
" Great Republic;" and hope they may perpetuate the remem
brance of the early days in the settlement of this county by
annual gatherings like this, after we shall have passed to that
land from which there is no return.
Resolved, That for 'beauty of landscape, fertility of soil,
and easy access to market, for agricultural improvement}
for improved stock, for general thrift, intelligence arid morals,
Racine county will, in our judgment, compare favorably with
any other in the State.
Resolved, That we feel proud of our eounty seat, La .
Belle City of Racine, which, from the first until now has
struggled for success, with an energy and self-dependence we
admire, and which success we rejoice to see she has so well
maintained, in her manufacturing and commercial prosperity
of to-day.
Resolved, That we this day recall with sadness, the mem
ory of those who, though they came in to possess the land
with us, are no longer with us ; the' good and true, the earnest
and steadfast men and women who shared with us the toils and
burdens of the earlier days ; ever will we bear them in affec
tionate remembrance.
Resolved, That we honor with our highest regard, those
heroic women who shared the hardships and privations of
frontier life, to settle and improve, and beautify this goodly
county of ours ; and we earnestly hope their examples may
not be a lost lesson upon their fair daughters.

14 OLD settlers' society,
Captain Gilbert Kkapp then came forward, and spoke
of his first visit to this county, and his selection of this city —
till then occupied only by the wandering savage — as his
future residence, he making the first claim upon the banks of
our beautiful lake.
He paid a feeling tribute of respect to those whose familiar
faces he missed in this gathering. Though now absent at the
post of duty, he still cherished the liveliest interest in the
prosperity of this city and county.
The meeting was further addressed by S. E. Chapman, of
Waterford, and Lewis Royce, of Burlington, and Hon. W. C.
Allen. At two o'clock the meeting adjourned for dinner.
At four o'clock, the meeting was again called to order, and
was addressed- by Hon. J R. Doolittle and Elam Beardsley.
Voted, that our next meeting be held at Burlington.
After singing " Auld Lang Syne," adjourned, sine die.
S. B. PECK, Secretary.

REGULAR MEETING.
Racine, January 9th, 1871.
The Society met at the court house, in the city of Racine,
agreeably to a notice published in the papers of the county,
at ten o'clock, the President, L. S. Blake, in the Chair.
The Court being in session, it was voted, to adjourn to Law-
ton's Hall, to meet at two o'clock p. M.

Lawton's Hall, 2 o'clock, p. m.
The meeting was called to order, and proceeded to the elec
tion of officers for the ensuing year.
The result of the first ballot was the election of Nelson R
Norton, of Burlington, for President.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 15
The meeting then proceeded to elect the remaining officers
by ballot.
On motion, it was voted to amend the second article of the
Constitution so that the Executive Committee shall consist of
seven, instead of five; and two more were added to the same.
A motion was then made to change the first article of the
Constitution so as to require a residence of twenty-five years,
instead of thirty ; which motion, after full discussion, was laid
on the table.
It was then voted to instruct the Executive Committee to
call a meeting of the Society at Burlington, on the 22d of
February next, and provide speakers and make all necessary
arrangements for the same.
After a full discussion of the best means of keeping up an
interest in the Society, and securing the objects sought to be
attained, the meeting adjourned.
The Executive Committee then decided to hold their first
meeting at the Supervisors' room in the city of Racine, Janu
ary 20th, at 10 o'clock A. m.
The officers elected for the ensuing yeare were —
President — Nelson R. Norton.
Vice Presidents — Alanson Filer, EleazEr Everit, Jno.
Newman.
Secretary and Treasurer — S. B. Peck.
Executive Committee — J. A. Carswell, A. Cooper, E. D.
Filer, T. D. Morris, J. 0. Bartlett, Wm. Ballack, Chas.
Wait.
S. B. PECK, Secretary.

REUNION.
A re-union of the Society was held at Burlington, February
22d, 1871, agreeably to arrangement made by the Executive
Committee.

16 OLD settlers' society,
At one o'clock . p. M., the meeting was called to order in
Yunker Hall, by tbe President, Nelson R. Norton, who
invited the officers of the Society to the platform.
The Rev. C. D. Pillsbury, on invitation of the President,
then opened the exercises with an appropriate and impressive
prayer. The President then introduced Hon. ChaS. E. Dyer as the
orator of the day, who gave a most interesting discourse on the
early history of Racine County, beginning with the city oi
Racine, and then taking the towns in their order. The narra
tive was one of deep pathos, interspersed with scenes of the
udicrous and mirthful, which held the attention of the audi
ence for more than two hours.
The address was followed by a song from the Teutonia Club,
of Burlington, in German.
The audience then gave a unanimous vote of thanks to Mr.
Dyer for his eloquent address.
On motion, it was —
Resolved, That a subscription be taken up, and the pro
ceeds placed in the hands of the Executive Committee to
procure the publication of the address in pamphlet form ; and
further, that every subscriber shall be furnished said pamphlet
at cost for the amount of their subscriptions ; and also that
the committee are requested to add further items of history,
under the supervision of Mr. Dyer.
On motion, the following committee were chosen to solicit
further subscriptions : A. Filer, J. A. Carswell and Samuel
Hood, Racine ; T. W. Gault, Waterford ; Samuel Ormiston,
Yorkville ; Franklin Nims, P. M. Perkins, BurlingtonJohsua ;
Piearce, Mt. Pleasant; Evan Kaepscadt, Norway; F. E.
Hoyt, and R. North, Rochester ; H. L. Gilmore, Raymond ;
T. D. Morris, Caledonia.
The meeting then adjourned. S. B. PECK, Secretary.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 17
ADDRESS OF CHARLES E. DYER.
Early Settlers of Racine County :
I am commissioned to tell the story of the first settlement of
white men in the several towns now comprising the county of
Racine. It is a story replete with interest, instruction and
romance. It will refresh in your memories, the energy, genius,
adventures, achievements and hardships of the Northwestern
pioneer. The character and extent of this task, I must say to you in
the outset, I did not sufficiently appreciate, when I accepted
the invitation of the Executive Committee of your Society to
address you. You would have been more fortunate, had you
selected one to relate this history who had shared with you
the experiences and fortunes of a frontier life, the memory of
which you would now recall. Sketches are more vivid, and
narrative is more truthful, when they proceed from the pen and
tongue of him who was a witness of the scenes described, and
a participant in the events related. To such an one, the past
returns again as a reality of life ; the days of thirty years
ago come back at his bidding, and the story of the wilderness, '
of storm and flood, of vicissitude and trial, is clothed with an
interest as fresh and inspiring, as the native forest and prairie
where western civilization began its work.
I must acknowledge my indebtedness and express my thanks
to those, who have so kindly aided me in collecting facts and
data connected with the original settlement of the county. I
have been supplied with every source of information at the
command of the first settlers who yet survive, and, snatching
such time as I might, from professional labor, I have, as faith
fully as possible, aimed at accuracy and method in obtaining
and arranging the materials for this address. Doubtless, in-
accuiacies and omissions will be observed, names maybe over
looked, and dates may be imperfect. If so, I trust that such
errors will be attributed to the difficulties at this late day, of
obtaining information which all men who took part in the
early settlement of the county, will concur in pronouncing

18 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,

exact. Many of the first settlers have either died, or gone
to other regions, and the recollections of such as remain,
occasionally differ. It is sufficient to say, that I have con
sulted the best sources of information within my knowledge
and at my command.
In 1832, there were but four white men in that part of
what is now Wisconsin, south of Green Bay and east of Rock
River. They were French traders. During that year the
Sac war broke out and attracted the attention of the whole
country to this region. The title to the land was in the
Indians. By the treaty of 1833, between the Pottawatomie
and other tribes of Indians, all the tract of country now
comprising the southeastern portion of Wisconsin was ceded
to the United States — the Indians, however, to remain in
possession until 1836, the Government reserving the right,
meantime, to survey the tract. In November, 1834, Captain
Gilbert Knapp came to the mouth of Root River, and I find
it recorded in such form that I deem it worthy of implicit
credit, that he was the first permanent American settler upon
any portion of that tract of country now included in the
counties of Racine, Walworth and Rock.
On the 20th of April, 1836, the act of Congress was passed
establishing the Territorial Government of Wisconsin. Severed
from Michigan, it embraced all its present territory, with
that of Minnesota and Iowa, and a portion of Nebraska
and Dakota. There were then six counties in the Territory —
Milwaukee, Brown, Dubuque, Iowa, Des Moines and Crawford.
Under proclamation of Henry Dodge, Governor, the first
election of members of the house of representatives and
council of the Territory, was held on the 2d Monday of Oc
tober, 1836. Gilbert Knapp and Alanson Sweet were elected
from Milwaukee county to this, the first council in the organ
ized Territory. The election of Captain Knapp was, as we
shall hereafter see, signalized by demonstrations of satisfac
tion which must have surpassed all modern political jubilees.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 19
The first session of the Territorial legislature was held I at
Belmont, in the county of Iowa, on the 25th day of October,
18"6. On the 3d of December, 1836, the seat of Territorial
government was located at Madison, but it was provided, that
until the 4th day of March, 1839, the sessions of the legisla
tive assembly should be held at Burlington, in the county of
Des Moines.
On the 7th of December, 1836, the county of Racine was
created by the passage of ah act at the Belmont session, and
the seat of justice was located. at the town of Racine. The
county then included its present territory and that of the
present county of Kenosha, with the counties of Walworth
and Rock attached for judicial purposes. In January, 1850,
the county of Racine was divided, and the county of Kenosha
created and organized.
By an act of the Legislature, passed January 2d, 1838, the
three original towns in the present territory of Racine county
were established, and their limits prescribed, namely : Racine,
with the polls of election established at the hotel of John M.
Myers, in the village of Racine ; Mount Pleasant, with' the
polls of election at the house of George F. Robinson ; and
Rochester with the polls of election established at the house of
Stebbins & Duncan, in the village of Rochester, and also at
Moses Smith's in Burlington.
In the imperfect narative I have prepared, I have thought it
most methodical and satisfactory to take up the settlements of
the different towns of the county, according to their present
names and limits, beginning with
RACINE.
As already , indicated, Captain Gilbert Knapp was the first
white settler at Racine. He came in November, 1834, on
horseback from Chicago. At Skunk Grove there was an Indian
settlement ami trading post, at the head of which was Jam-
beau the name of a French trader, with an Indian wife, and

20 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
well remembered by many of the earliest settlers. The route
from Chicago at that time, and for a, considerable period there
after, was upon an Indian trail, via Grose Point, and thence
to the trading post at Skunk Grove. Captain Knanp came by
that' route, accompanied by two men in his employ, one of
whom, was William Luce. An Indian piloted him from the
Grove to the mouth of Root river. With the assistance of
his men, he built a log cabin on the south bank of the river,
and at about the spot where the planing mill of Miner &
McClurg now stands — the river then flowing in its original
channel, at the foot of what may yet, with close observation,
be discovered to be its former bank, passed round
to the southward at the point where Captain Knapp
located his claim, and emptied into the lake between the pres
ent east terminus of Second and Third streets, but at rare in
tervals, on account of new and temporary formations of the
beach, discharged its waters into the lake near the grounds of
the old light house.
Captain Knapp, by virtue of his location, made claim to all
the land comprised in the original plat of Racine, namely : the
east fractional half of section nine, subsequently known as
lots No.'s 1 and 2, on the north side of the river, comprising
74 acres, and lot No. 6, on the south side, comprising 66
98-100 acres. During the winter of 1834-35, Captain Knapp
went away, returning again in March or April, 1835. He
immediately interested Gurdon S. Hubbard of Chicago, and
Jacob A. Barker, of Buffalo, in his claim at Port Gilbert, on
Root river, and I have in my possession the letter written by
him on the 30th of March, 1835, to Mr. Barker, setting forth
the value of his claim, and soliciting his co operation in the
enterprise of founding and building up a settlement.
On the 2d day of January, 1835, Stephen Campbell, Wm.
See, Paul Kingston and Edmund Weed came from Chicago to
Racine. When these persons arrived, they found Wm. Luce
and another man, in the employ of Captain Knapp, in charge
of the Captain's cabin. Mr. Campbell immediately cleared

21
away a spot in the dense forest, at about the place where the
homestead of Edwin Colvin is now located, and built a shanty.
He soon found that he was within the limits of the claim of
Knapp, Hubbard & Barker, and he thereupon removed far
ther west and built a log house, on v;hat was, in early times,
known as the Campbell fraction, and in later years, as the
harbor addition to the village and city of Racine.
William See, meantime, had located at the Rapids ; Ed
mund Weed had made a claim where Nicholas D. Fratt now
lives, and Paul Kingston had built a cabin and located on the
south limits of the lands claimed by Captain Knapp. After
some conflict he was obliged to yield his claim, and the prem
ises he occupied, became the homestead of Captain Knapp.
In April, 1835, Norman Clark, with five companions
started from Chicago in an open yawl boat, rigged with sails,
belonging to the Government, and which they procured at Fort
Dearborn, for a cruise along the west shore of the lake. Upon
reaching the mouth of Root river, with their canvass spread
before a favoring breeze, they sailed into the river, " wing and
wing." Alanson Sweet, now of Milwaukee, was captain of
the craft, and quite bewildered by the wild and beautiful
scenery around them, almost before they were aware of it,
they had reached Captain Knapp's cabin on the bank, and
" hove to " with all the skill and pride of able and experienced
navigators. Mr. Clark was prospecting: looking for town
sites and corner lots, but he found the present site of Racine
a dense forest, the banks of the river lined with cedar and
most luxuriant foliage ; and |Jlj1||j\, not quite pleased with
the results of his adventure thus far, he and his fellow
voyagers again spread their sails and went to Milwaukee,
where there were two log houses, and where a white woman
had never been. He looked over Solomon Juneau's muskrat
skins and returned to Chicago.
In May, 1835, Joel Sage arrived. He came from Chicago
on a pony belonging to Captain Knapp. A hoosier, whose

22 OLD settlers' society.
name is unknown, had made a claim on the west side of Root
river, in what was subsequently, (and is yet) known as Sage
Town. Mr. Sage bought the hoosier's claim, and in the sum
mer of 1835, went into occupation of a log house which stood
on the top of the bluff, at a point which is now in the center
of State street. One day in the fall of 1835, he found his
shanty torn down to the bottom log. With the perseverance and
and courage of a pioneer, he immediately rebuilt it, and with
renewed determination asserted his claim to the 107 acres of
land which he afterward, as we shall see, successfully pre
empted, and which subsequently comprised that part of Racine
known as Sage Town.
At this point in our history, we find Knapp, Hubbard &
Barker the claimants of the original plat of Racine; Stephen
Campbell in possession of the harbor addition, and Joel
Sage settled upon the tract on the west side of the river.
The warfare which they were obliged to wage in maintenance
of their titles, are not an unimportant or uninteresting feature
of those romantic times. Let me, therefore, give you a brief
record of the fortunes of these pioneers in acquiring their
rights to the lands, upon which to this day, valuable muni
ments of title are founded.
In 1836, Captain Knapp, not feeling entirely satisfied with
his rights as a settler to the lands to which he made claim,
procured from Jaques Vaux, a float title to lots one and two,
section 9, which was the Receiver's receipt issued June 19th,
1834, under the pre-emption act of 1834, and on the 25th of
July, 1836, procured its /J$l£fmejit to Gurdon S. Hubbard.
At the same time, he also obtained from Lewis Vaux, a float
upon lot 6, section 9, on the south side of the river, and on
the 25th of July 1836, procured its assignment to Gurdon S.
Hubbard. In the winter of 1835 and 1836, the city, of Racine was
laid out in lots and blocks.
Subsequently, Congress passed the re-emption bill, by the

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 23
terms of which, no right of pre-emption was granted to actual
settlers upon lands within the location of any incorporated
town, or to any portion of lands which had been actually
selected as sites for cities or towns, or specially occupied or
reserved for town lots.
The float title to the village was consequently decided to be
invalid. But, by an act of Congress, approved May 26th,
1824, the right had been granted to counties, of pre-emption
to quarter sections of land for seats of justice within the
same. The seat of justice of Racine county had been, in
1836, located at Racine, and so on ^he 2nd day of January,
1838 an act was passed by the Territorial Legislature author
izing the county commissioners to sell and convey the right
and title of the county, under the act of 1824, in and to the
east fractional half of section 9 to Gilbert Knapp, his heirs
and assigns, upon his paying to the board, within two years
from the date of conveyance, at the rate of ten dollars per acre
therefor, with ten per cent, interest ; and providing further,
that the county commissioners should immediately enter up
and secure the pre-emption to which the county was entitled ;
and the money arising from the sale by the county to Captain
Knapp, to be disposed of in the erection of county buildings,
for the county of Racine, according to said act of Congress.
The county officers refused to carry this law literally into
effect, and the title remained uncertain until the winter of
1838 and 1839 when an arrangement was made between the
original proprietors and the county officers, by which the for
mer should erect or procure to be erected, county buildings,
consisting of court house and jail, and building for county
offices, and the latter should release and convey their interest
in the lands to the first claimants.
On the 9th day of February, 1839, Samuel Hale, jr., and
John Bullen, as county commissioners, procured a duplicate
of lot 6, east fractional half of section 9, under pre-emption
act of 1834, which, on the 11th day of February, 1837 was,

24 OLD settlers' society,
assigned to Captain Knapp. On the same day, Captain
Knapp gave to the commissioners his mortgage on th^ prop
erty, conditioned for the performance of the agreement that
had been entered into. The county relinquished all of its in-'
terest in lots 1, 2, and 6, in section 9, and the contract for
the construction of the county buildings was assigned to Ros-
well Morris and Wm H. Waterman, who, in 1839, built your
present court house. The jail was bujlt in 1841, in connec
tion with and as part of the log jail built in 1837, arid the
brick building now occupied by the Clerk and Register was
constructed in 1842. Thus, after adversities and -sacrifices,
the proprietors of the original plat, secured to themselves the
rights which they originally supposed they had acquired
by virtue of settlement and possession, and the county of Ra
cine secured the construction of county buildings, which it is
high time were torn down, to give place to more commodious
and modern structures.
In consequence of legislation by Congress, which I have al
ready alluded to, Mr. Campbell, who had settled on the har
bor addition, found himself dispossessed of the rights which
he supposed he had acquired hy virtue of original settlement.
The village of Racine, by M. B. Mead, its President, on the
17th of October, 1843, obtained the title to this property, but
made arrangements with Mr. Campbell, by means of which he
retained a quarter interest, the village securing a three quar
ter interest. This three-quarters interest was disposed of by the
village, and the proceeds were expended on the harbor, which
fact gave to this tract of land its name as the harbor addi
tion. Joel Sage, in retaining his claim and title to the 107 acres,
upon which he located, was spared the trials and troubles
which Congressional legislation had brought to other settlers.
But he had a long and discouraging conflict with fraudulent
float holders, who sought, by all means that were not honest,
to oust him of his possessions. He journeyed to Green Bay,
and there resisted their pretences ; he went to Chicago and

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 25
employed lawyers to assist him in his warfare, and with a just
conception of the first great right and duty of an actual
settler, ho took good care to maintain tho actual possession of
the lands upon which he had located His theory was that
his cabin was his castle ; that possession was nine points in
the law, and adhering with courageous pertinacity to his posi
tion, fraudulent floats and bogus titles could not prevail
against him, and his rights culminated in actual title in 1838,
by virtue of pre-emption.
Having thus stated the manner and circumstances under
which the first title to the lands embraced in the original
plat of the city of Racine, and in the harbor addition, and
Sage's addition to Racine was acquired and perfected, let us
return to the history of the original settlement following oc
currences as near as may be in their chronological order. Up
to May, 1835, we have fpund Capt. Gilbert Knapp, Stephen
Campbell, Paul Kingston, William Luce and Joel Sage per
manently located at what was then called Port Gilbert. In
the summer of that year, E. J. Glenn, Levi Mason and Jas.
Beeson arrived. On the 1 st of October, 1835, Alfred Cary
came, and later in the fall Dr. Bushnell B. Cary, Amazi»h
Stebbins and John M. Myers, joined those settled here. —
Dr. Cary was the first physician who came to the county for
permanent settlement. In December, 1835, Dr. Elias Smith
arrived, and found, in addition to the persons alread named,
Samuel Mars, Eugene Gillespie, Joseph Knapp, Henry F. Cox,
Mr. Stilwell, and Mr. William Saltonstall.
During this year, 1835, five or six frame build
ings were erected, one of which was a two story tavern. In
January, 1836, Wm. H. Waterman arrived. On the 7th of
February, 1836, Sidney A. and Stephen H. Sage, sons of
Joel Sage, joined their father, aad in August, 1836, Mrs.
Bethiah Sage wife of Joel Sage came with Rev Cyrus Nichols
and family. Before the arrival of Mrs Sage, Stephen H. Sage
and his father kept bachelor's hall. They began housekeep
ing together with a barrel of flour and half a barrel of beef.

26 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
They lived on beef, bread and tea, without furniture, crockery,
or beds, until after the opening of navigation in the spring
of 1836.
Albert G. Knight came in the spring of 1836. He arrived
at Southport on the lstof April, 1836, and remained there one
week. He traveled from Wayne county, N. Y., to Chicago
on horseback, and from Chicago to Racine upon foot. He
made a claim near Mygatt's Corners, and another adjoining
the farm now owned by David Wiltsie, in Caledonia.
On the lst of June, 1836, Marshall M. Strong arrived, and
was the first lawyer who settled in Racine county.
During the same month, Norman Clark came. He walked
from Southport along the beach of the lake. In the fall of
that year (1836) his family removed to Racine. He tells me
that on his arrival he found the following persons : Amaziah
Stebbins, Capt Knapp, Alanson Filer, Dr. Cary, M. M.
Strong, Alfred Cary, John M. Myers, Edmund Weed, Wm. H.
Waterman, Jonathan M. Snow, Paul Kingston, Stephen Ives,
Wm. H. Chamberlin, Albert G. Knight, Joel Sage, Eugene
Gillespie, Wm. Saltonstall, Enoch Thompson, Dr. Elias Smith,
Seth Parsons, and in all, about 25 or 30 persons.
Lorenzo Janes came to Racine in August, 1836, but did
not permanently locate until July, 1837.
Samuel G. Knight came in August, 1836, on board the
schooner Paul Jones from Oswego. His father, Timothy
Knight, came with him. Mr. Samuel G. Knight took up his
residence in a small frame house which was standing where
the drug store of H. & W. Smieding is now situated.
James 0. Bartlett came in November, 1836. He was ac
companied by Wm. H. Waterman, who had been after a stock
of goods, and his conveyance was a horse and sulky. The
next day after his arrival, Mr. Bartiett started for Fox River.
He went first to Skunk Grove, thence to Rochester, following
the Indian trail, from Rochester to Burlington, thence 7 miles
below, to a place called Big Bend, where he made a claim. At

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 27
that time, there was not a house between Call's Grove, (now
known as Ives' Grove) and Rochester. He staid at Roches
ter with Levi Godfrey, and at Burlington, with Lemuel Smith.
Mr. Bartlett erected a log pen, about five feet high, and six
feet square on his claim, and slept in it through a long and
rainy night. He inscribed his name on his cabin and on a
tree near by, when he left his claim, and though he has never
since returned to it, he supposes it to be there still !
In 1837, David Wells came, and it is recollected of him,
that while hunting along the Nippersink, in 1843, a fire was
kindled in the tall grass of the prairie, and unable to escape,
he perished in the flames.
On the 14th of May, 1838, Eli R. Cooley came to Racine,
but remained only a short time, returning again in December,
1838, to make it a permanent residence.
In 1839, John A. Carswell arrived. He came on the
steamboat New England, and thinks there were two hund
red people at Racine and in its vicinity at the time. In this
connection, I owe it to Mr. Carswell to say, that to his let
ters entitled "Early Sketches," published in the Racine Ar
gus a lew years since, I am indebted for many facts which I
here relate.
S. B. Peck settled in Racine on the 9th day of June, 1839.
He had been here before, in 1837, and at that time in pass
ing over the prairie on horseback, at the head of Blue riverj
south west of what has long been known as the Wright farm,
now owned by Mr. Francis Holborn, the water was so deep
that his horse had to swim where now roads and streets have
been opened and residences established. Charles Smith has
speared musquelange weighing twenty pounds, on the same
ground. Among the other early settlers at Racine, were Benjamin
Pratt who came in March, 1835, Charles Smith who arrived
on the 2d day of June, 1836, coming with his father Lyman
K. Smith, and with Marshall M. Strong and Stephen N. Ives,

28 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
on the steamboat Pennsylvania; Samuel Lane who came, also,
in 1836: William and John Chamberlin, and Wm. S. Derby,
who, came in '37; Truman G. Wright, and Charles Bunce, who
came in 1838. Lucius S. Blake with his father and two broth-
thers came out' in Feb. 1835, but as we shall see, located in
Caledonia. In 1839, however, Mr. Blake adopted Racine as
his home, and experienced as much of the adventure of pio
neer li^e, as any settler in the county. Samuel Hood was
also one of the settlers of 1838.
I can not undertake to give you a statistical list of all
the persons and their families who settled in Racine prior to
1840. It is quite impossible to do so. Emigration began
actively in 1835, and through the memorable year 1836 it-
increased and continued beyond expectation. The people who
came in 1835, probably suffered greater privations than any
who came subsequently. Without the products of agriculture,
without mechanics, and without roads or means of ready
communication with other parts of the world, together with
the absence of society and protection of law, the difficult
ties of obtaining residences, food and clothing, were almost
insurmountable. Nevertheless, the earliest settlers concur in saying, that
with ail their severe experiences they had much enjoyment.
A common alliance naturally sprang up between them ; each
was undoubtedly inspired by the thought that he was doing
his part to develope and open up a wild and new country
before untrodden by the foot of civilized man, but destined
even in their lives, to greatness in civilization, growth and
progress. As early as 1835 — 36, the village of Racine, as I have al
ready stated, was laid out in lots and blocks. In January
1836, Root river post office was established at the Rapids, and
A. B. Saxton was appointed postmaster. In May of the same
year, however, this office was discontinued, and the Racine
office established. Dr. B. B. Cary was appointed postmaster.
The amount of the first quarterly returns to the P.M. General

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 29
was $37. At the time this office was established, the mail
was carried from Chicago to Green Bay on horseback once a
week. The first survey of that part of the village north of the
river, was made by Milo Jones* and of that part south of the
river by Joshua Hathaway. The first established store
was opened by Glen & Mason, though Capt. Knapp had
previously sold goods to settlers to a limited extent. Eugene
Gillespie engaged in the same pursuit, and on the arrival of
Dr. Smith and Mr. Waterman, or soon after, they established
a mercantile business, and it is said that in the temporary ab
sence of Dr. Smith, the location for their store was selected
near the subsequent site of the store of Lee & Dickson. This
was then a spot far away from the river and far up in the
woods, and there are old settlers who distinctly remember the
dissatisfaction with which Dr. Smith on his return, learned of
the location of his store and said, they had "got so far up in
woods that business wouldn't reach them in twenty years !"
Marshall M. Strong and Stephen N. Ives upon their arrival
also opened a store under the name of Strong & Ives.
The first hotel was kept by Amaziah Stebbins and John M.
Myers, and stood in the center of what is now Main Street
just north of Smith & Waterman's store. It was built by
John Pagan.
In 1837, the Racine House was erected at a cost of over
ten thousand dollars. Alfred Cary built -it, and Albert G.
Knight hauled the lumber for its construction from the Rapids.
A clearing was made in the woods of sufficient extent to en
able the frame work to be done and the raising to be made.
It was an old fashioned raising. Everybody turned out, and
everybody had a good time. Lucius S. Blake burned a por
tion of the lime for the new hotel on a log heap in the woods,
and got fifty cents a bushel for it, which was more than pota
toes were worth. Tom O'Sprig, whose name may conjure up
many incidents and traditions in the minds of old settlers, had
the job of plastering the house. He was a man who alwayn

30 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
put off until to-morrow what he could avoid doing to-day, but
when he was fairly started in an enterprise, the vigor of his
exertions was unsurpassed. He was a mason by trade, and
had, as I have said, engaged to plaster the Racine House, but
procrastinated his job until the. patience of the people who were
waiting for the " grand opening " was quite exhausted. "He
finally concluded that the better the day the better the deed,
and so that Sunday was the day when the job should be done.
Upon beginning his work he found materials were wanting ;
they must be had ; but for that purpose a conveyance was
needed with which to bring them. He had none. It occurred
to him, however, that Stephen Campbell and Paul Kingston
each had a yoke of oxen ; they were probably grazing in the
woods. He knew it would never do to seek the owners and
ask their permission for the use of their oxen on that day, as
both were Sabbath observing men, and at that moment were
probably attending Divine service ; and, therefore, Tom
O'Sprig followed the inclinations of his nature, and set
out in pursuit of the oxen without the leave or liberty of the
owners. Wandering alone in the woods, to his joy he came
upon them quietly grazing. They were docile and submissive,
and he soon placed upon their stalwart necks the yoke he car
ried with him. He endeavored to. drive them by persuasive
"gee's" and " haw's," but to be driven ;is he. would have them
go, they would not. It is said that Tom woke the echoes of
the forest with his demonstrations of rage, but had ultimately
to abandon his adventure in despair. The Racine House re
mained over Sunday unplastered, and Tom was inconsolable,
until he found that the unruliness of the' oxen was attributable
to the unfortunate fact that he had yoked up Stephen Camp
bell's off ox, and Paul Kingston's off ox, and, therefore,
that they pulled a contrary way from that desired by Tom
O'Sprig! The Racine House was, however, in due time completed.
A celebration was had, and in the dancing room which had
been particularly prepared, from the close of day until early

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 31
morn a happy crowd danced away the night under the in
spiration of music, furnished by a hod carrier, on a three
stringed fiddle !
John M. Myers was the first landlord of the Racine House.
He subsequently removed to Milwaukee, where he died, and
the following obituary notice was published in a Milwaukee
paper :
"Died. — In this village, of pleurisy, Mr. John M. Myers,
"aged about thirty. Mr. Myers was keeper of the Milwaukee
"House. He was taken ill on Sunday, and died this morn-
"ing at five o'clock. In him the wife had an affectionate hus-
"band, the children an exemplary father, who live to mourn
"his loss, and the community an enterprising and useful
"man." His son, Henry S. Myers, whose lamented death oc
curred nearly two years since, was the first white male
child born in Racine, and his excellent mother who has ex
perienced all the adversities and hardships of a pioneer life,
yet survives.
The first white child born in Racine was a daughter of Levi
Mason. During the spring and summer of 1836, common labor wan
from §1.50 to $2.00 per day; mechanics labor from $2.50 to
$3.00 per day. Hardwood lumber from $20.00 to $30 per
M. Flour $12.00 to .$20.00, and pork $20.00 to $30.00
per barrel. In the fall of this year, Messrs. Strong & Ive>
.sent to Chicago for two barrels of pork at a cost of thirty
dollars per barrel. It arrived, and a crowd of hungry cus
tomers gathered for supplies. Alas for their appetites and
hopes ! The first barrel opened contained nothing but brine
and pig tails, and it was well written at the time, that "no
Bashaw of ancient history ever had more tails than the won
derful hoosier hog that had been packed in that barrel!"
Joel Sage and Alfred Cary were the first Justices of the
Peace at Racine under legally constituted authority. Mr.

-32 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Sage did not desire or intend to qualify as a magistrate, but
Mr. Cary wanted to get married, and wanted Esq. Sage to
marry him, and so he was induced to qualify !
It has been said that Rev. Cyrus Nichols preached the first
sermon ever heard in Racine. This is a mistake. Mr. Stephen
Campbell tells me that the first sermon was preached by a
Rev. Mr. Robinson, who came as a missionary. Jonathan M.
Snow and Wm, See also preached occasionally, before the ar
rival of Mr. Nichols. Mr. See always began his sermons by
saying: "In my preface, or exordium, I will make but very
few remarks." Rev. Mr. Nichols was undoubtedly the first
clergyman of the Presbyterian denomination in "Racine or
the vicinity.
On the lst of January, 1839, the first Presbyterian So
ciety was organized, and its members were the following per
sons : Mr. and Mrs. Heman Rice, Mr. and Mrs. Benj. E.
Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Cary, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Smith,
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Wells, Mr. and Mrs. Elias S. Capron,
Messrs. Julius Colton, Nelson A. Walker, Joel Sage, Mrs.
Sylvester Mygatt, Mrs. J. P. Hurlbut, Mrs. Cyrus Nichols,
Miss. L. L. Wells, Miss Susanna Traber and Miss Sarah C.
Hall.
The first school house erected at Racine was a structure
sixteen feet square, located where McClurg's block now stands,
and the first school was opened by a Mr. Bradley, in the
winter of 1836. The first school district in the town was es
tablished in i 840, and included all the district of country north
of the present south line of the county, and extending one
mile north and west of the present city limits. There were
six voters present at the organization of the district, and the
whole number of " children in the district at that time was
twenty-eight! Samuel Lane was the first shoemaker, and Wm. Chamberlin
the first blacksmith at Racine. Lane opened his shop in the
old claim house, built and first occupied by Captain Knapp

Racine county, Wis. 33
on the bank of the river. Mr. Benjamin Pratt opened the
first brick yard in 1836, and furnished the brick for the chim-
nies of the Racine House and for the old Light House.
At times there Was a great scarcity of provision. In the
Winter of 1837 — 8, Mr. Myers, Landlord of the Racine
House, hired L. S. Blake to go to Chicago to buy for him a
load of hams and a barrel of flour. Mr. Blake was gone ten
days ; when he returned there was great rejoicing at the hotel-
quarters, and Mr. Myers is remembered to have said on the
occasion: "Now, boys, we shall lire again." There was one
winter when families got entirely out of meat, and could get
none until suckers came, in the spring. In the fall of 1835, a
vessel loaded with provisions arrived from Chicago. In order
to facilitate the discharging of the cargo, the vessel was by
some means pulled up, stern on the beach. The settlers from
the surrounding country came in to assist in getting the pro
visions ashore. It was an exciting time. Capt. Knapp
superintended the business. The wind was freshening ; the
waves were beginning to roll ; the sky was dark and lowering.
Gulls Were flying over the waters as if to admonish the
Wayfarers on the beach of the coming storm. One who was
present, says he shall never forget the excitement of the
moment, when Capt. Knapp with the clear voice of a
mariner, sang out: "Boys, those birds indicate stormy weath
er ! " But so faithful and vigorous were the exertions which
were made, that before the storm came, the cargo was safely
landed and securely -stored.
Lorenzo Janes was the second lawyer who settled at Racine.
When he came, Gilbert Knapp, Henry F. Cox and Joseph
Knapp were carrying on a'forwarding business, and Heath &
Parsons were conducting a general dry goods trade. Albert
G. Knight was keeping the public house previously kept by
Stebbins & Myers. Mr. Janes went first to Gardiner's Prai
rie, in Walworth county, and made a claim. The prairie Was
a garden of flowers, and presented a scene as beautiful as the

34 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY.
eye could rest upon. The hand of man had marred not its
grandeur, his voice had scarcely disturbed the solitude ;
Nature had planted lilies in the valley "to waste their sweet
ness on the desert air," and "Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these."
All the land within the present limits of Racine on the west
s'de of Root river and south of State street, between Huron
and St. Clair streets, was covered with a dense forest and was
cleared off by hand. The lowland just west of the river and
bordering it, was covered with maple trees in 1837, and con
verted into a sugar camp. It was the abiding place of deer
and prairie wolves, and in the spring of that year, Joel Sage
discovered a nest of youflg wolves at the spot where McGinnis'
tavern now stands.
In the winter of 1836 — 7, it was extremely cold, and the
snow deep. Mr. Norman Clark lived that winter in a small
frame house he rented of -John M. Myers, and which protect
ed him from the inclemencies of a rigorous season, only by its
oak and bass wood clapboards. He had made a claim of one
hundred and sixty acres which is now the farm owned by Mr.
John Carlin.
In March, 1837, Peter Wright, who had been living with
Mr. Clark, died of consumption. Consultation was had among
the settlers as to the place that should be selected, not only
for this, but for other burials. Mr. Clark, and a deputation
of settlers went in search of a suitable locality, and wandering
far away in the 'woods, at last selected^ the spot where now
the Racine third ward school house stands, as the village cem
etery. The people were of the opinion, that the location had
been made in too wild and distant a region, but acquiesced in
the selection, because it was a spot that would never be dis
turbed ! There was at the time, one other grave east of the
river which was that of a woman, buried near the present site
of Hart's mill.
In the winter of 1838, the people in the neighborhood of
Mr. Clark's cabin on his claim, got out of salt. They were

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 35
placed in sore extremity, for baked potatoes and salt were
their staples. It came to be understood that a man by -the
name of Mitchell, who lived far away on the prairie, in what
is now Kenosha county, had a barrel of salt. Mr. Clark was
commissioned to go for a supply, and not to look backward
until he had found it. He started on a cOld, winter's day,
traveling on horseback, through deep snow, and after great
search, found the Mitchell cabin on the prairie and the barrel
of salt. He bought a peck, and after a' wearisome two day's
journey, returned home, the bringe'r of great joy, to his wait
ing neighbors. The Mr. Mitchell referred to, is Henry Mitch
ell, of Racine, now eminent as a prosperous and successful
manufacturer of wagons.
The year 1836, was, as all know who experienced its
business history, a remarkable year. It was as memorable in
Racine as elsewhere. The mania of speculation raged wildly.
Capt. Knapp, in the spring of the year, procured his float title
already spoken of. Speculators were traversing the country
looking for water powers and village sites ; farmers and
mechanics threw aside their work, and began to buy and trade-
in village lots that were located in an unbroken forest. Ra
cine was to be a great city, even three years before the land
sales, and I have in my possession, the estimated value of
town lots in Racine, made Sept. 17th, 1836, Which discloses
the interesting fact, that at that time, the value of the proper
ty in what is now the original plat of Racine, was $348,100.
Upon the strength of such an assessment as that, what a pity
they didn't issue some city bonds in anticipation of a railroad,
via Balls Bluff, a charter for which was obtained in 1838 !
The first law suit tried in Racine, I believe, grew out of a
squirrel hunt. Norman Clark and Marshall M. Strong as
the respective leaders, chose sides. On one side were Mr.
Clark, Dr. Cary, Eugene Gillespie, and others ; and on the
other side Were Mr. Strong, Charles Smith, Joseph Knapp,
arid others. It was arranged that all kinds of game should be
hunted ; a squirrel to count a certain number, a muskrat

36 OLD settlers' society,
another, a deer head counting three hundred, and a live wolf
one thousand. They were to obtain their trophies by
any means, foul or fair. Clark and Gillespie heard of a deer
hunter on Pleasant Prairie who had a good collection of heads.
Appropriating a fine horse owned by one Schuyler Mattison,
who was a stranger in town, Messrs. Clark and Gillespie
traversed the snow drifts, found, the hunter, and obtained their
trophies. Meanwhile, Mr. Strong's party had heard1 of alive
wolf in Chicago. It was sent for. Its transportation was
secured in a stage sleigh. But, while at a stopping place at
Wil is' Tavern, a party of sailors with one Capt. Smith at their
head, came out from Southport, and Capt. Smith killed the
wolf with a bottle of gin. Meanwhile, also, Mr. Strong went
to Milwaukee and got a sleighload of muskrat noses, which
out-counted everything. The squirrel hunt was broken up.
Mr Clark had ruined Schuyler Mattison's horse and had to pay
seventy-five dollars damages; and Mr. Strong brought suit
against Capt. Smith 'for killing the wolf with the gin bottle.
George Vail was plaintiff, Esq. Mars was the justice, NOrman
Clark was on the jury. Verdict, six cents damages and costs !
The first newspaper published at Racine was the Racine
Argus. The first number was issued on the 14th day of Feb.,
1838, J. M. Myers, Alfred Cary, Gilbert Knapp, Stephen
Ives, Lorenzo Janes and Marshall M. Strong, proprietors,
and N. Delavan Wood, editor. Its editor announces that, as
an early admirer of Mr. Jefferson, and recognizing in the Dem
ocratic party, political principles of a close affinity to those of
this distinguished man, he shall yield his feeble support to
that party. > A feeble support it. was, for while he had enlisted
the settlers in his newspaper, enterprise to the tune of fifteen
hundred dollars, he had provided ink and paper for only one
copy of his paper. He tried to take from them five hundred
dollars more, but something was saved through the activity of
Mr. Strong, who pursued him to Chicago, and in the second
number it was announced, that " all connection with this pa
per, of N. Delavan Wood, its former editor, has ceased. The

Racine co/nty Wis. 37
Causes which have led to this premature separation are of such
a character that we feel unwilling to disclose them, and shall not
do so unless circumstances require pit." From aud after this
time, Mr. Strong and Mr. Janes alternated in the Wnage-
ment and editorship of the paper. I find it stated in the
Argus of March 24th, 1838, that during the year previous,
fifty thousand dollars Worth of goods were disposed of at Ra
cine* In June, 183-*, the census returns for Racine, Mt.
Pleasant, and Rochester, as posted up in the hotel of John
M. Myers, showed a" population of one thousand one hundred
and ten, but it Was ascertained that seventy-six persons had
been omitted from the list, so that the population in those
towns, at that time, Was in fact, one thousand one hundred and
eighty-six. At the July term, 1838, of the district court, Judge Frazier
presiding, the court sat but four days, and only eight days
had been occupied by court in the three terms held during
eighteen months.
At the summer term of the district court of Racine
county, in 1839, the revised statutes of Michigan were
administered by Hon* Andrew G. Mliler, Successor of
fudge Frazier, and before the close of the term, they
were superseded by the revised statutes of Wisconsin. Judge
Miller first went upon the bench November 8th, 1888.
At, and before this time, the land sale was advertised to
transpire on the 19th day of November, 1838. In conse3
quehce, however, of the necessities of the settlers, and after*
the most persistent applications, President Van Buren post
poned the sale until March, 1839. Mr. Norman Clark was
chosen by settlers in the eastern part of the county, to bid off
their lands, and did so. It is Said that there were but three
men left in Racine, during the land sales, which took place in
Milwaukee. At this time there were twenty-two families in
the village.

38 OLD settlers' society,
The marine lists of 1839, record the periodical arrival at
this port of the steamboats Madison, Columbus, Dewitt Clin
ton, Constellation, Jefferson, and others, whose names are as ^
sociated with the earliest navigatipn of the lakes, and their
arrival was always the occasion of a joyous demonstration.
In the settlement of the country, the word claim was used
to denominate both the tract claimed, and the right to that
tract. The right under a claim was asserted much upon the
same principle that nations claim islands or continents, viz : —
discovery and possession. In the increase of emigration, gov
ernment lines not being yet established, it sometimes happened
that two persons would locate upon the same quarter section.
Disputes arose. All the settlers were, in fact, tresspassers,
and the law of the land could not settle these conflicting
claims. Accordingly, in consequence of the frequency of
these disputes, a " mass meeting " of the settlers of Racine
and of the county, was held on the sixth day of June 1837, at
the house of Benjamin Felch, to organize an association for
protection, and to adopt a constitution and code of laws, under
which, conflicting rights and claims could be adjusted. Gil
bert Knapp was appointed president; Eldad Smith, Walter
Cooley, Zadock Newman, Marshall M. Strong, Samuel Mars,
Isaac G. Northway, Oren Stephens, E. S. Sill, Jason Lothrop,
John Coggswell and E. G. Ayer, were appointed a committee
to draft a code of laws and constitution. At an adjourned
meeting, a constitution was presented and adopted, which pro
vided, among other things, that if a person claimed one
quarter section, he must improve and cultivate at least three
acres within six months from the time of entering his claim,
and within one year build a house suitable for a family, or,
instead of building a house, cultivate three acres more on his
claim. If his claim was situated in woodland, improvement
and cultivation consisted in clearing off the down timber and
brush, and all trees two inches in diameter and under, and en
close the requisite quantity of land with a good fence. If his

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 39
claim laid on a prairie, then he must enclose the proper quan^
tity with a fence, and plough and put in a crop, or plant iri
part and make hay in part. A judicial committee or court,
was created, before which cases could be tried, and by which
questions could be settled, and all the necessar , machinery
put into operation for adjusting disputes, or deciding them by
means of the arbitrament provided. The scheme was as suc
cessful as it was sensible, and it has been well said, that
"when we call to mind the number of inhabitants occupying
"this tract at that time, the improvements which they had
"made upon their farms, the mills they had erected and the
"villages they had built, and recollect that, from the first set-
"tlement of the county until 1839, there had been no legal
"titles to real- estate, and that most of them had invested then4
"all in improvements upon their lands, We can not but wonder
"at their security, and be astonished that the rights of a com-
"munity so extensive, should be so long and so Well protected
"by the mere force of public opinion of right and Wrong.'
I have spoken of the election of Capt. Knapp to the terri
torial council in 1836. Many of the old settlers look back
with pleasure, to the jollification had over his election, at Ra->
cine. He had been nominated as the Racine candidate, at
the first political convention ever held in the county. The
convention convened at Rochester, and Was ever after known
all over the country as "Godfry's Convention.'' Milwaukee was
dissatisfied with the nomination. William See joined the dis^
affection, and headed the opposition ticket. An old fashioned
campaign was had. The little village of Racine was alive with
excitement ; caucuses were held ; electioneering parties trav
ersed the county. Modern "wide-awakes" and "tanners"
pale their ineffectual fires in comparison. On the evening of
election day, the villagers gathered at the hotel to get results.
Returns came rapidly in, and Capt. Knapp Was found to be
triumphantly elected. Dignity, staid propriety, and temper
ance pledges were all laid aside. At the foot of Main street
a tar barrel was fired, and around it a crowd was gathered,

40 old settlers' society,
dressed in disguise, dancing an Indian pow-wow. The lurid
gleams of the fire lighted up the tall oaks'; dinner bells,
cow bells and sleigh bells made music in harmony with the
-whoops and yells of the villagers ; stumps and anvils were
loaded with powder, salutes and minute guns were fired, pro
cessions were formed, stump speeches were made from stumps,
and for five joyous hours' —
Captain Knapp's constituents Were gldridud,
¦O'er all the ills n' life victorious."
I am told that at this time, Dr. Elias Smith, Wm H. Water
man, Eldad Smith, Samuel Mars, Alanson Filer, Charles
Smith and his brother Lyman K., constituted the Whig party
in Racine.
The Racine Advocate was established in 1842. It -was
announced as a newspaper devoted to politics, foreign and
domestic intelligence, mechanic arts, education, temperance,
agriculture and general news. The name of the editor Was not"
given, but on the 21st of October. 1842, Marshall M. Strang
took the editor!s chair, and raised the stirring motto at the
head of his columns : "' Westward, the Star of Empire takes its
way." '' No beter newspaper has ever been published in the
county than was tlie Advocate While under the editoral charge
of Mr. Strong.
I find in the year 1844, another newspaper, which may be
remembered by some, devoted to the cause of temperance and
anti-slavery, and called the Wisconsin ^Egis, Was published at
Racine. It preached a doctrine strong enough on the slavery
question to suit the most radical abolitionist in the days of
Holly, Lovejoy, and Birney.
In 1840, the temporary work on the harbor Was begun. A
survey of the same had, however, been made in 1836, for
which the citizens paid one hundred dollars. Subsequently,
the mouth of the river was dug out on a straight cut, and the
people of Racine assessed their property fifteen per cent., to
build piers and to keep the harbor open, s© that lighters could
come in. The assessment was made at a public court house

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 41
meeting, and Levi Blake is remembered to have said on the
occasion : "It'll 'only cost each of us another lot; let's have a
harbor." Mr, Blake furnished and hauled the first load of
stone that was used in the harbor work. The first pier work
was commenced in 1840, at an expense of three hundred dol
lars, and in 1841 it was continued at a cost of sixteen hund
red dollars. Up to 1844, six thousand dollars had been paid
by citizens in endeavoring to secure a harbor before they com
menced building a permanent one. On the 16th day of March,
1844, the citizens learning that their harbor appropriation had
been lost in the United States Senate, assembled at the court
house, and raised a subscription of ten tnousand dollars, to
build a permanent harbor. On the next day, the work was
commenced, and the first piles were driven with a hand pile-
driver. Where the mouth of the river now is and where the
water is fifteen feet deep, at the time the harbor work was com
menced the stream could be forded without difficulty. On the
2d of November, 1844, the people again in response to an ad
dress from Thomas J. Cram, of the U. S. Topographical En
gineers, voted without a dissenting voice, to raise five thous
and dollars more for work on the harbor. From this time for
ward by means of taxation and private subscription the village
of Racine prosecuted their great enterprise. Its history in
detail, with the thrilling story of the " Rock in the Harbor,"
and 0the time when Ira Dean traversed the streets of the vil
lage, ringing a bell, and shouting: " There's a rock in the
harbor! turn out, turn out!" time and space forbid my
narrating. On the 14th day of July, 1844, the steamer Ches
apeake, Keisey, Master, entered the harbor and passing up the
river, tied up at the dock before Taylor & Cather's warehouse.
She was the first steamboat that entered Racine harbor, or
any other artificial harbor in Wisconsin.
In 1839, Congress appropriated ten thousand dollars for
opening a road from Racine to Green Bay, and ten thousand
pollars for a road from Racine to Janesville, and these ap-

12 OLD settlers' society,
propriations wer e expended in 1839 — 40, under the super
vision of Col. Thos. J. Cram.
The first wheat brought to Racine to be marketed, was in
1840. Mr. Charles Wright purchased it, and paid fifty cents
a bushel in trade. Mr. Eldad Smith purchased the first wheat
for shipment, in 1841, and shipped it in August 1842.
In 1839, the old light house was built, and at that time there
were not more thau half a dozen buildings on the school sec
tion. The school section was laid out in blocks in 1838.
On the 8th of June, 1844, a great commotion was created
in the village by the arrival of the propeller Racine, and the
ceremony of presenting a stand of colors took place. Thomas
Wright, esq. presented the colors and made an eloquent speech
concluding it by saying : "May prosperous winds and favor
ing waves attend her fleet career, and the riches of her earnings
reward the enterprise of her projectors." Capt. Hawkins, of
the vessel made a felicitous response.
The first steam dredge used in the harbor, arrived from
Chicago on the 17th of June, 1844. It was welcomed in the
newspaper as "Mister Steam Dredge" and created a sensa
tion. The first celebration of the National anniversary occurred
on the 4th day of July 1844.
I have already stated that Judge Frazier was the first judge
who ever held a Court of Record at Racine, or in the county.
Henry F. Cox was the first Clerk of the Court; Edgar R.
Hugenin the first Sheriff; Wm. H. Waterman the first Regis
ter of deeds; Eugene Gillespie the first Treasurer; Fred'k
S. Lovell the first Clerk of the Board of Supervisors ; and
Alvin Raymond the first Coroner. They were elected on the
lst Monday in April, 1837.
The first training, was had, or attempted to be had, in the
fall of 1840. Albert G. Knight was Captain of the company.
He had been ordered by his superior officer to call out his

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 43
company for parade, prelimary to general muster. For some
reason, the new militia law contained no authority at all, to
call out the companies of militia. A few knowing ones were
aware of this omission, and thought the Captain was not. But
he was well advised of the fact and determined to a'ct accord
ingly. Having duly warned out the company, and as they
were mustered in line in the morning, Capt. Knight ordered
the name of each man called and as he responded, said to him :
uSir, you are excused for the day." The Captain's duty was
done, and he retired amidst the consternation of his company.
But Tom O'Sprig rallied and reorganized them. The ringing
of a steamboat bell at the head of the column filled up the
ranks, and the Racine militia gallantly trained till noon, when
they adjourned to the Fulton House for dinner, where they all
got so drunk they couldn't muster at all in the afternoon !
On the 8th day of December, 1836, authority was obtained
from the territorial legislature to build a bridge across Root
river, but the first bridge was not built until 1838. It was con
structed by Geo. Fellows and a Mr. Pool. It crossed the river at
the foot of Main street, and was used until 1843, when it was
carried away by the ice in the spring.
On the 27th of December, 1837, the Racine Mutual Fire
Insurance Company was chartered, and on the 11th of Jan.*
1838, an act was passed incorporating the Racine Seminary.
Both of these institutions, I believe, were actually organized.
I may appropriately conclude what I have to say of Racine,
by adding that on the 13th day of February, 1841, it was
made a chartered village, and on the 5th day of August 1848,
an incorporated city.
Mt. PLEASANT.
Wm. See and Edmund Weed settled in Mt. Pleasant, in
January, 1835. Mr. See located at the Rapids, and Mr.
Weed on a claim which now comprises the farm of Mr. Fratt.
At the time of their arrival, two men, one by the name of

44 old settlers' society,
Carpenter and the other Harrison K. Fay were at the Rapids.
In the fall of 1835, Carpenter left the Rapids and settled
within the limits of Capt. Knapp's claim on the north side of
Root river. After his death, his widow, who was the first
white woman who came to Mt. Pleasant or Racine, removed
further north, and continued to occupy what was long known
among the old settlers as "the Widow Carpenter's claim."
In January, 1835, Wm. Smith, now of Pike Grove, made a
trip from Chicago to Milwaukee. George Smith, in '-later
years the eminent banker, accompanied him, and they came
through to Milwaukee upon an Indian trail via. Grose Point,
Skunk Grove and the Ripid-s. Mr. Smith tells me, that at that
time See was the only white man living between Grose Point
and Milwaukee on the route which they traveled. In this
connection it may not be uninteresting to mention that on the
13th of May, 1836, Mr. Wm. Smith sold eighty acres of land
which he owned or claimed in Milwaukee, for ten thousand
dollars, and re-purchased it in 1838, for one thousand dollars.
In April, 1835, James Walker came to Racine on a vessel,
with Capt. Knapp. He was just starting in life, made a claim
in Mt. Pleasant, built a cabin, purchased at the land sales in
'39 the lands to which he had previously made a claim, and has
ever since resided on the same- After Mr Walker's arrival, Car
penter, whose cabin was on the north side of the river, died,
and was buried on the bank of Duck creek, in the depths of
the forest. Mr. Walker madethe coffin in which Carpenter was
buried, and this was the first burial of a white man within the
limits of Mt. Pleasant or Racine.
During the same year, Wm. See built a saw mill at the
Rapids, and Mr. Walker established a turning lathe at the
same place. Mr. Walker also laid the original foundation for
the dam, in the river at. the Rapids.
The Pottawotomie Indians were then abundant in the neigh-
borhood. The principal Indian trading post was at Skunk
Grove, on what is now the farm of Benjamin Reynolds. —

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 45
Another saw mill was also erected at the Rapids, and a stock
of goods brought in by James Kinzie. James Walker was
a member of the jury convened at the first term of court held
by Judge Frazier in Racine county.
In July 1835, Thomas Place settled in Mt. Pleasant. He
was accompanied by his father, Andrew Place, and hy Alva
and Zadock Newman. They|came with ox teams from Chicago
to Skunk Grove, overtaking Daniel B. Rorke at Grose Point,
who became their companion the remainder of the journey.
Andrew Place, Alva and Zadock Newman, had been here in
June before, and made their claims, upon which they now
permanently located, and which comprise the farms ever since
respectively occupied by the families. During the first season
Mr. Andrew Place and the Newmans had to go to St. Joseph,
Michigan, for flour. They went in the winter, with ox teams,
and were gone two months. In 1836, they were obliged to
go to mill at a point sixty miles distant, on Fox River, and in
subsequent years they had their grinding done at Geneva.
Mr. Thomas Place lived six months with Jambeau and was
employed as his clerk. Twice a year the Indians had their
great corn dance, when prayers were vehemently offered for a
good crop of corn.
Mound Cemetery was an Indian burying ground, and
filled with large mounds.
Mr. Place remembers the burial of an Indian chief. A pen
was constructed large enough for the reception of the body,
and chinked up with moistened earth and other material ; the
Indians then placed their dead chief within it, in a sitting
posture, surrounded by some of the relics of his race. For a
considerable time thereafter, the survivprs habitually visited the
grave, where they moaned and wept, pouring whisky on the
body of the dead as their offering to the Great Spirit.
In November 1835, Mr. Alanson Filer made a claim in Mt.
Pleasant of a fractional half section, and subsequently pur
chased at the land sales. His premises were the same now

46 old settlers' society,
known as the homestead of Judge Doolittle. Mr. Filer came
first to the west in the spring of 1833, and settled in Chicago.
It was also in the year 1835, that Samuel N. Basye, Mr.
Hague, Silas Lloyd, Orville W. Barnes, and Mr. Cleveland set
tled in Mt. Pleasant.
In September 1837, William Bull and Daniel Slauson came
together by their own conveyance from Detroit. They had
previously met Jonathan M. Snow, at Grand Haven, who had
there told them of the "promised land" on the west side of
lake Michigan. Upon their arrival here, they stopped at a
log tavern kept by Lewis G. Dole, where now Orville W.
Barnes resides. They then learned that Mr. Snow held a
claim near Dole's tavarn, upon which there was a frame house.
Mr. Bull immediately located in Caledonia, and Mr. Slauson
purchased a claim from a sister of the wife of Samuel Mars,
upon which he planted fruit trees, in '37, and which, ultimately
became the noble farm upon which he lived to a ripe old age,
and where he died after a career of usefulness and prosperity
unexcelled by that of any of the early settlers who preceded
or followed him, in the journey to their last home.
In the spring of 1839, Mr. Bull removed from Caledonia,
and having purchased the claim of Jonathan M. Snow, settled
in Mt. Pleasant and has ever since occupied the farm upon
which, nearly thirty years ago, he began his career as a suc
cessful Racine county farmer.
E. D. Filer, June 27th, 1837, bought a claim in Mt.
Pleasant, upon which there was a poorly constructed log
house. Mr. Filer could not buy a cook stove at that time in
Racine, and the cooking had to be done in the yard by the
side of a log. Mr. F. assisted Morris and Waterman in build
ing the court house at Racine, and was also for a considerable
period, engaged in the construction of Racine harbor. One
cold, blustering Sunday, Mr. Filer, with his rifle on his
shoulder, while in pursuit of a wolf, encountered an elder
of the church, and after considerable discussion, permission

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 47
to pursue the hunt was granted, on condition that he proved
himself a good shot, and gave the elder a good dinner.
Nathan Joy was one of the early settlers in Mt. Pleasant.
He came in June, 1836, by the lakes, from Buffalo to Chicago.
He sailed in the first three master that made a voyage arouno.
the lakes. At Chicago he took passage on a little schooner
called the Llewellyn, for Racine. He bought the claim which
in late years, was the farm of Albert DeGroat. Wallace My
gatt was then at the corners named for him. Mygatt had
a little square frame house on the heights at the corners, which
on a clear day could be seen miles away, and which the set
tlers called the light house. Soon after his arrival, Mr. Joy
and his brother Orsamus made a trip on foot to Fox river.
They took with them a piece of pork for food and a compass
for their guidance. They followed Indian trails, going by the
way of Rochester. Returning, they traveled by night as well as
by day. As the shadows of evening began to fall, and they on
a wild, untrodden prairie, they set their compass by the stars,
and far into the night they journeyed on alone, until they were
worn and weary. Pausing to rest for a moment, they heard in
the distance the murmuring tinkle of a cowbell — indicative,
surely, of a human habitation. They listened again, then turned
their course in the direction from which the sound of the bell
seemed to come. Pushing on in the same direction, dismiss
ing compass and stars from their thoughts, they soon found
themselves in Alva Newman's house, where, thanks to the
music of a cowbell on that lonely prairie, they rested until
morning. In 1838, as the expected land sales were approaching, the
settlers found themselves without means to make their pur
chases. It was a critical time. Many had made valuable
improvements, and there was danger, in consequence of the
expected sales in November of that year, that many would
lose all, which, through many hardships, struggles and priva
tions, they had hoped to secure. A plan was, therefore,

48 old settlers' society,
inaugurated to raise money at the east. A public meeting was
held and if was determined thatthe settlers of the county should
execute their agreement to mortgage all their lands after get
ting title at the land sale, and that Nathan Joy and Michael
Myers, should go as their delegates to eastern cities to make a
loan of $50,000. The bond was executed, giving Messrs. Joy
and Myers full authority, and promising to make their mortg
ages as mentioned. Schedules of the names of the subscribers
to the bond, and of the lands claimed by each, with the im
provements they had made upon the lands, and stating the
amount of money each settler required, were also prepared.
Messrs. Joy and Myers proceeded to the east upon their great
enterprise, and after months of absence, returned, and made
the disheartening report, that not a dollar could be borrowed
upon any or all the lands in the county of Racine ! Fortu
nately, however, the postponement of the land sales until the
spring of 1839, relieved the settlers of the extremity appre
hended, and banished the cloud that appeared to be darkening
their fortunes.
Among the other early settlers in Mt. Pleasant whose names
I now recall, are two who are members of your society, Au
gustus B. Crane who came into the town May 15, 1839, and
Seth P. Phelps who arrived during the same year. Joseph
Nixon and John R. Bassett should also be numbered among
the earliest settlers.
CALEDONIA.
I have the word of Mr. Elam Beardsley, for saying, that he
was the first actual white settler in Caledonia. It has
been said that John Davis preceded him, but though Mv.
Davis may have first asserted a. claim in the town, I think that
Mr. Beardsley established the first actual settlement, and that
Mrs. Beardsley was the first white woman who came into the
county for a permanent home. He came from Michigan, bring
ing with him his family, and on the third night after he set
out on his perilous journey, he and his household jewels slept
in a shanty on his claim in Caledonia.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 49
In February, 1835, Levi Blake and his three sons, C. H.
Blake, E. S. Blake and Lucius S. Blake, set out from their
home near Niles, Michican, for  some place they scarcely
knew where. They arrived at Chicago on the 10th of Feb.,
where they provided themselves with supplies, and a Mackin
ac blanket. They left Chicago, and at night, arrived at Grose
Point, 18 miles north, and were hospitably entertained by the
French traders. The next morning they set out for the nex;
point of prominence, which was Skunk Grove. It was a cold,
winter's day. The snow obscured the trail on which they
were traveling, and they had a long, long, weary day, with
apprehensions of a still more dreary night. Night found
them in a grove about three miles west of the present site of
Waukegan. The cold was intense; they kindled a fire with
the last match that was left them. They spent the night
standing around the fire and constructing a sled. In the morn
ing, leaving behind them their wagon, they proceeded on their
journey. At noon their eyes were delighted with the sight of
a human being leading a pony.
On his approach, he informed them, that he and that pony
were the United States Route Agents on the way from Chica
go to Green Bay with the mail. He gave them directions and
informed them of the land marks that would guide them to
Skunk Grove, which they reached after the darkness of night
had fallen upon them, and after much suffering from the
severity of the weather. Arrived at a trading post at Skunk
Grove, they were the recipients of the hospitality of Jok
Jambeau and his squaw, and remained over night. On the
next morning they began explorations for a place to locate.
At a point on the river three miles northwesterly from Jam-
beau's they found John Davis, who had entered a claim and
was residing upon it. They remained with him several days,
and looked over the country. The representations of the
country which they had heard from others, proved truthful.
They took exception only to the climate, but Mr. L. S. Blake
thinks the winter of 1835 — 36, the coldest he ever experi
enced in] Wisconsin.'

50 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
On the fifteenth day of February, they made their claim.
They staked out as they supposed; enough land for four; but
when the survey was made, it was found that they had only
secured a sufficient quantity of land for two claims. They
then visited the Rapids, and found there, Mr, See, who was
building his mill. Upon returning to their claim, they built a
log shanty without a window in it. They soon returned to
Michigan and removed to Chicago where the family lived two
years. Meanwhile, Lucius S. Blake and his brother, A. H.
Blake, came back to the claim and resided in their cabin two
seasons. They ploughed a portion of the land, made some
fencing, and held the claim by actual occupancy until Mr.
Levi Blake removed to it with his family in the fall of 1837.
Capt. Blake's capacious log house, which he built on his prem
ises, was a land mark in the country. It was always open to
the settlers, and the hospitality of its proprietor gave it the
appropriate name of "Our House." The farm now owned
by James Wilson, constituted part of the Blake claim. Early
in 1835, Edward Bradley and his brother made claims in Cale
donia; and during the summer of 1835 and spring of '36, other
settlers arrived with their families ; among them were Simeon
Butler, Isaac Butler, Thomas Butler, Joseph Adams, and
Shintafer, whom Mr. Blake describes as a daring specimen of a
borderer. I think at about the same time Ezra Beardsley,
the father of Elam Beardsley, and Ira Hurlbut, also, settled
in the town. Ezra Beardsley was known as a sturdy pioneer
of great heart and noble hospitality.
About the 22d of Sept. 1835, Walter Cooley and his family
came to Caledonia, accompanied by Eldad Smith and Mr.
Elisha Raymond, sen. and family. Mr. Cooley came first
to Racine alone, . in May, 1835. He settled on a claim south
west of the Rapids, but afterwards located about one mile
north, on or near a line of blazed trees which at that point,
marked the route from Chicago to Milwaukee. In the spring
of 1836, Mr. Cooley removed to the premises which until a
late day he continued to own as his homestead, and as his

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 51
country resort after he became a resident of Racine. His
removal in 1836 was occasioned by the fact that he one day
discovered, that he had located on the southeast corner of
another man's claim.
Eldad Smith was one of the early settlers in Caledonia,
He arrived in Racine on the 22d day of September, 1885, and
remaining there a short time, went into Caledonia and pur
chased the claim of John Davis. It was a claim covering
two hupdred and forty acres. He built a log house and went
there to live, on the lst day of November, 1835, remaining
until the winter of 1841, when he removed to Racine. He
says t iat in the fall of 1835, in addition to those already
named, Trystam Davis, Mr. Fowler, Mr. Stillman, Hugh Ben
nett, and Hiram Bennett were settled in Caledonia.
Mr. Smith built his house by rolling up logs and putting on
a roof made of shingles of about the size of staves, split out
of white oak logs. He and his family did not suffer for want
of provisions in their new home. He had iu the fall of 1$$$.,
bought two barrels of flour at Chicago, and enough other fl^Dr
plies to last them through the winter. |n January or Feb-,
1836, James Kinzie brought; in a drove of hogs called ^prairie^
racers," and the settlers supplied themselves with pork.
Prairie wolves and Pottawotomie Indians were equally
abundant. Duping the winter there were three encampment
of Indians uncomfortably near Mr, Smith's house. In 1837
or ?8, the Indians were remove^ west of the Mississippi.
Mr. Smith says that in those days they bad neithei ratys,
beggars nor thieves !
As early as December, 1835, Sheridan Kimball settled in
Caledonia. During the si^mme? of that year, Mr. Kimball,
while living in Chicago, heard of a settlement on Roqt river
in Wisconsin,, and in the- month of December, in company with
Sandford Blake, Stephen Sandfbrd and a man whose, name he
cannot now recall, he set out for the Rpot- River settlement. In
the evening of their first day's journey* the party- arrived at

52 ' OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Patterson's tavern, about eight miles from Chicago, where
they spent the night. On the next morning, they resumed
their journey upon a new wagon road through the woods,
which had been previously an Indian trail, one of the eviden
ces of which, was a dead Indian child, deposited in a rude
coffin and lodged in a tree which stood by the wayside. On
the second night of their journey, they arrived at Sunder
land's tavern. In the evening of their third day's journey
Mr. Kimball and his comrades arrived at a log tavern in the
edge of the woods, and were rejoiced to learn that they had
reached the Root River country. Some of the settlers called
at the cabin that night and talked cheeringly of the richness
of the land, the future prospects of the town of Racine, and
the general developement of the country.
The proprietor of the tavern was a Mr. Strong who died
long ago, and was buried near his cabin, two miles north of
Mygatt's corners, and the crumbling walls of which, yet stand.
Leaving Mr. Strong's cabin, Mr. Kimball and his companions
traveled On until they reached the cabin of John Davis, where
they breakfasted.
At the crossing of Skunk Creek, where Mr. Hood now
resides, men were building the first bridge across the stream.
Among them was Symmes Butler who had located near what
is now called Caledonia Center. Resuming their travels , Mr
Kimball and party soon reached the house of C H Blake,' who
Was living in a log cabin on the claim which was afterwards
the home of Capt. Levi Blake. Resting there until toward
evening, they continued their tramp until, at night, they
arrived at the residence of Symmes Butler. He was living
on what was called Hoosier creek. Several families were liv
ing in the neighborhood, among them Mr. Janes, the founder
of Janesville. They were cordially welcomed. The next
morning, as they were preparing to depart, Mrs. Butler
remarked: "When you get out in the woods, you will know
the reason why my husband is so ragged ; he has been run-
ng through the woods so much he has left a rag on every

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 53
bush." With Mr. Butler as their guide, they rambled through
groves of timber and openings, and crossed beautiful prairies
and meadows, with only here and there a claim, and greatly
exhilarated by the thought that all this goodly land could be
bought for one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre! Mr.
Kimball made a claim at that time, and settled on it. In the-
latter part of February, 1836, he returned to Chicago, ,and
immediately made preparations for removing to Root river,
with his aged parents. His brother, Leonard Kimball, pre
ceded them to make preparations for their arrival. About
the middle of March they started with, three yoke of oxen and
a wagon, and were two weeks making their jonrney. Arrived
at their destination, they found an unfinished cabin on the
premises, which was soon completed with its shake roof, rude
stone chimney and elm bark floors.
During the first four or five years of his adventurous life
in his new home, Mr. Kimball was compelled to struggle
against hardships, and destitution. He had in store a small
quantity of provisions and nine dollars in money. Bereave
ment soon followed in the death of his brother, which oc
curred about the 16th of May, 1836.
In the begining of '36, Mr. Kimball went to Chicago, and
delivered stone for Chicago harbor, continuing through
the summer and part of the fall. In the summer of
1837, Mr. Kimball conceived the idea, also, of getting
wheat from a brother, who lived west of Chicago, and taking
it to a mill on Fox river to be ground into flour and then
hauling it to Wisconsin to be sold for twelve dollars a barrel.
He began hauling soon after harvest, and made three trips,
often times supplying on his journeys, the necessities of settlers
whom he met and who were without bread or money.
At the land sale in 1839, Mr. Kimball secured the land
which he had claimed, and continued to reside upon it, until
he removed to Racine whieh has since been his home.
In 1836, Wm. Sears, Luther R. Sears, Jas. Bussey, Joel

54 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Horner, Emanuel Horner, 'Daniel Wooster and his sons, and
Alexander Logan and Thomas Spencer made their settlements.
Dmiiel Wooster and his son Adney, on the 1st day of Janu
ary, 1885, started from the town of Derby, Connecticut, with
his team for tlie west, in search of a location where he could
settle and make a home for himself and family. Traveling
through the states of New York. Mich., Indiana and Illinois,
he reached Wisconsin, in the month of March of the same
year, and located in the town of Caledonia. The spring
following, Mr. Daniel Wooster's son, Julius Wooster, with the
family came to Caledonia by way of Buffalo, around the
lakes. Mr. Wooster remained on the farm where lie first.
located until his death, which occurred about four years since,
John Wheeler and Joseph Cannon were also among the early
Settlers, but the years of their arrival are unknown to met
Esek Sears came in 1838.
1886 is remembered as the year in Caledonia, and even else
where, when the settlers received from Michigan, an importa
tion of flour which nearly cost some of them their li*es. It
was called in those days ''sick flour," and nobody but
Sliintafer could eat it.
Samuel Hood located in Caledonia, May 24th, 1888; Geo.
$, Roberts and Hepry B. Roberts in. 1837, and John Trum
bull in August 1889. Timothy D- Mprrig came in October,
1838, and made a claim, which he sold in 1840. In 1839, he
ami his brother, who owned land adjoining, broke up twenty
afires, which was the first land plowed on the north side of
the prairie. During the following winter and spring, Mr.
Morris made rails and fenced the breaking. He procured
bis timber for rails on the adjoining section, belonging to the,
government. Isaac PJm-c thought he would make rails from
the same timbej. Each tried to get in advance of the other
by -claim— -marking Uncle Sam's best trees with all the speed
of men running a fool race. A few years later, Mr. Morris
sold his original eighty acres and bought the tract where he

RACINE COUNTY WIS. 55
and Isxac Place had cut the timber without lc;ive of Uncle
Sam, and now owns and resides upon it.
Dan'l B. Rork, settled where he now lives, in Caledonia, in
Juue 1837. He bought the claim of Jok Jauibeau. Jam-
beau asked him $2,000 for it, but finally sold it for $525.—
It was fenced in 1834, aud was probably the first claim fenced
east of Rock river. Mr. Rork came to the county in 1835,
and in that year made a claim at Burlington. Other parties
jumped it, but he succeeded in maintaining it, and afterwards
Sold it to Silas Peck for $200. Mr. Rork knew all the settlers
east of Rock river, and assisted in the erection of the first
frame house built in Milwaukee.
Rev. Cyrus Nichols settled in Caledonia in the fall of 1836.
He bought a claim and built a log house, about forty rods
from his present residence. He was a missionary, and traversed
the country preaching to the settlers. On one occasion, when
he held religious services at the trading post at Skunk Grove,
the settlers attended, among them, Mr. Lucius S. Blake,
armed with guns, and he administered to them a sharp rebuke
for carrving fire arms to church.
Mr. Nichols and family, were victims to the "sick flour"
that came from Michigan, although it cost him $22 a barrel.
He says that, although the settlers had but one apartment in
their houses, there was always room for all who came. He
had previouslv lived in Missouri, and there had but one
room in his house and that the kitchen. On coming to Wis
consin he resolved he would have a parlor. He kept his
resolution, and had a parlor, and lived in it : but that was the
only room in the house!
The first white child born in Caledonia was Mrs. Maria
Bacon, daughter of the late Josepli Adams. She was born on
the 2d dav of September, 18-35, and it is an unsettled question
whether she, or Helen Mars, daughter of Samuel Mars, who
was also born in 1885, in Mt. Pleasant, was the first white
person born in the county.

56 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,

BUHLITSTGTOISr.
About the fifteenth day of December, 1835, Moses Smith
and Win. Whiting made the first mark at Burlington; Whiting
claiming on the east side of the river, and Smith on the west
side, near the spot where the Perkins mill now stands. They
made what was called a "jack knife" claim, by putting names
and dates on a tree.
On the 27th of December 1835, Moses Smith, Wm. Whiting,'
B. C. Perce, and Lemuel Smith built a shanty in the little
grove in the river bend on the east side of Fox river. They
cut a large white oak tree near where Muth's brewery now
stands, built a rude log hut on the present farm of David Bush-
nell, spent three days prospecting and surveying on both sides
of the river, and finally constructed a cabin on the west side:
In January, 1836, Enoch D. Woodbridge built the body of
a log house on the east side, which afterwards formed part of
the tavern kept by Ruel Nims.
In February, 1836, Nathan H. Darling made a claim for
Nelson R. Norton, on what has since been, and is yet known
as the Rooker farm.
In April, 1836, Moses Smith took up his residence in a
shanty on the west side of the river, and in May built .a log
house, near where the Perkins mill is situated.
In the latter part of May, 1836, James Nelson built a log
house and. blacksmith shop near what is now the south end of
Durgin's bridge.
In June of the same year, B. C. Perce erected .a building
for a store, which is now, or was recently, standing on the
bank of the mill pond, just outside the present fair grounds.
In July, 1836, Daniel B. Rork came, and claimed the frac
tion of land upon which the greater part of the present village
stands.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 57
In July of the same year David Bushnell located on his
present farm, and reconstructed the cabin which had been put
up in 1835, by Whiting and others. He acquired his interest
in the claim from Whiting, all other parties having, I suppose,
abandoned it. The same property was purchased at the land
sales in 1839, by Stephen Bushnell who came to Burlington
in March 1837. George Bushnell had been here in March, '36.
At this time Burlington was known as "the Lower Forks."
In August 1836, Origen Perkins made his claim in Burling
ton. In September of the same year, Heman Loomis made
a claim to the land which was afterwards his homestead, and is
known as the "Loomis farm," southeast of the village.
In 1836, also, Silas Peck and family arrived, and built a
house adjoining the store building previously erected by Benj.
C. Perce. Later in 1836, George Newman made a claim and
built upon what is known as the " Ayer's. farm." Jared and
and Chas Fox came during the same year.
In February, 1838, Nelson R. Norton located on the claim
which had been made for him by Nathan R. Darling, and con
structed a frame house with lumber which he brought from
Chicago. Mr. Norton had previously resided at Chicago, and
built the first bridge that ever spanned Chicago river.
;. Early in 1837, Origen Perkins and family permanently
located at Burlington, and began their residence in a log house
which he had built in the .preceding year near the brick yard.
Wm. F. Lyon came, also about the same time, with his family,
but remained only a few months, and finally settled at Lyons,
in Walworth county.
jRuel Nims and family arrived in Burlington, (which was
then known as Foxvilje,) on the 10th day of January, 1837,
.and went into occupation, of a log house on the east side of the
river built by Woodbridge, and which during its occupation
by Nims, was the first established public house for travel
ers in Burlington.

58 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
In May, 1837, Pliny M. Perkins came to Burlington from
Joliet, Illinois-, with a drove of hogs and cattle, but did not

From the best information I have, I think Samuel C.
Vaughan came in 1837, and that during that year, he and
Moses Smith built the first mill, which was known as the "up
and down saw mill." It is said, also, that the mill house built
by Mr. Vaughan was the first frame building erected in the
village. On the lst of September, 1837, Lewis Royce, Esq.. settled
in Burlington and built a house west of the present Burlington
railroad depot. He came by way of Racine, and there met
Ephraim Perkins and family and having a team and convey
ance, conveyed them to Burlington, bringing also with him a
barrel of flour. He found at Foxville, Origen Perkins, occupy
ing his new homestead ; Ruel Nims, on the east side of the
river; a small board shanty had also been put up to maintain a
claim on the N. W. | of Sec. 33, and was occupied by one
Putnarn as a trading shop. Silas Peck had just finished a
log house which still stands near the village mill. There was
also an unenclosed frame for a building, on the premises after
ward occupied by Origen Perkins. The log house built by
Moses Smith, near the mill, wag also standing, and these con
stituted at this time the improvements on the present site of
Burlington village. Soon after his settlement in Burlingtop.
Mr. Rqyce established a lime kiln, and burnt about three
hundred bushels of lime, during the first year of its pperation.
Pliny M. Perkins permanently settled in Burlington in
1838 ; Richard Brown settled in the town in 1839 ; Ljberty
Fi?k, in 1838; Ephraim S. Sawyer on the 14th of Maj
1838, making a claim where hp now resides, and buying two
hundred and seventy-five acres at the land sale ; Henry Ed
monds also came in '38, and wa,s the first blacksmith in the
village. His shop whs. in a littje log house near tj^e present
site of the mill.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 59
Clark K. Norton, Thomas Toombs, George Batchelor and
L. 0. Eastman settled in Burlington in 1839 ; Ephraim Per
kins, father of Origen and Pliny M. Perkins, Joseph Rooker
and James Thompson settled in 1840. I am pained to hear,
that on yesterday, [21st of Feb., 1871, J Mrs. Ruth Thomp
son, widow of James Thompson, was carried to her tomb.
Respected and honored by friends of thirty one years acquaint
ance, a good and noble woman, whose long residence in Bur
lington is associated with my earliest recollections, has passed
away. I take this occasion to cast a little leaf upon her
grave, in tribute to her sterling worth of character, and to
those noble, womanly virtues that adorned her life, and will
long be cherished by mourning friends.
In 1840, John W. Edmonds settled in the town and was
the first wagon maker who located in the place.
The first physician who settled in Burlington, was Doctor
Edward G. Dyer, who came with his family, in 1839. He had
visited the place of his future home in 1836, and had on the
night of his first arrival, slept on the bank of Fox river in a
shanty 10x12, on a puncheon floor, with seven other inmates.
He walked most of the distance from Chicago, follow
ing Indian trails, guided occasionally, by a stray settler,
whose hospitality he sought and received, and thus journey
ing on by the dim traces of obscure foot paths in the woods
and on the prairies, he crossed a stream and sat down, in his
weariness, beneath a great oak that was a landmark on his
journey, and smoked his pipe ! At sundown of that day he
arrived at Foxville. At this time Origen Perkins and his hired
man, Moses Smith, Silas Peck, Bostwick Beardsley and Wm.
F. Lyon were the inhabitants of what is now the village of
Burlington .
Later in 1839, when he and his family arrived they took up
their abode, and for a considerable time continued to live in
the log house built in 1836, by Origen Perkins, near the brick
yard, Mr. Perkins having removed to the claim he had made

60 Cld settlers' society,
on the west side of the river. One whom I have long known,
recalls to-day with vivid distinctness, the early years spent in
that humble cabin. He remembers the rude fire place by the
light of which he read his testament at evening; the Indians
peering darkly into the windows; and the wild forests to the
northward, the little events that childhood magnifies into
epocs, the foot bridge across the river, the log house and saw
mill on the west side of the pond, and the luxuriant wild grass
that flourished pn the bottom land west of the stream. It has
passed away like a dream and I will not pause to recall it.
In 1840, Francis and Joseph Wackerman came to Burling
ton from New York. They were the first German family who
settled in the town, but were soon followed by others in con
siderable numbers.
Mr. Pliny M. Perkins purchased the saw mill that was built
by Smith & Vaughan, and subsequently built a grist mill in
which was ground the first flour shipped from Wisconsin to
New York. He opened the first store, in 1839, in a log house
built by Moses Smith, and continued the business there about
a year. He then, with Hugh McLaughlin erected the frame
structure which constitutes the present "Burlington Hotel."
The west half of the building was used for a store and the .
balance for a hotel, which was for several years kept by Mr.
McLaughlin. The completion of the house, in 1840, was
signalized by a grand Now Year's ball.
In the earliest days of trading at Burlington, much of it
was done with the Indians encamped in Milwaukee woods.
In the days of the settlement of Mr. Norton, fish and game
were the staple meat. The settlers sold muskrat skins to buy
butter, and ammunition with which to shoot prairie chickens.
They ground grain in coffee mills, and Mr. Norton has yet
the mill in which he once ground grain for samp.
In 1840, however, times were improved. In April of that
year, David Bushnell planted a crop of corn ; on the third
day after planting, the rows were visible, and on the 4th day
of July it was ripe and ready to harvest.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 61
Game was abundant. Long-billed snipe and sand-hill cranes
were marks for every hunter. On frosty mornings in the fall,
the cranes were accustomed to gather in great numbers, and
hold what David Bushnell calls " regular camp-meetings,"
preparatory to their long flights. Prairie wolves and deer were
also, numerous.
In the winter of 1839, one hundred and five deer, in a
single drove, by actual count, were seen to ford Fox river
near the claim of Mr. Bushnell.
The first crop of grain in the town was raised by Moses
Smith, and harvested in 1837, on the east end of the present
fair grounds.
The first election was held at the house of Moses Smith, in
the fall of 1836, for member of territorial legislature. This
was the election at which Capt. Knapp was the candidate and
elected. ' The first town meeting was held in the spring of 1838.
The Foxville post office was established early in 1837 ;
Moses Smith, postmaster. There was a weekly mail from
Racine to Mineral Point.
The first school house was built in 1839. The first school
was taught in the summer of 1838, by Sarah Bacon. The
first bridge across Fox river was covered with hewed logs,
in the fall of 1837.
Origen Perkins was the first justice of the peace in Burling
ton. On one occasion a man called upon him for a warrant
with which to make an arrest. He found Mr. Perkins digging
a ditch. The complaint must be made then and there, but
the justice had neither paper, pen nor ink. Perhaps, Mr. P.
did not deem the offense a very grave one, but in the emer
gency of the case, he pulled off one of his boots, took from his
pocket a piece of chalk, wrote the complainant's statement on
the boot leg, made him hold up his hand and swear to it, and
then told him he would issue a warrant as soon as he went to
the house !

62 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
The first 4th of July celebration was held in the grove on
the east side of the river in 1839, Dinner furnished by
Stephen Bushnell; address by Elder Lothrop, of Southport.
The first death in the town was that of Miss Amanda Hayes,
who died in July, 1836. The first birth, was that of a son of
George Newman, born in May or June, 1837.
The first woolen mill established in the county, was built in
Burlington, by Ephraim and Pliny M. Perkins in 1843.
In the summer of the same year the " Burlington
Academy " was established, and was in operation with R. D.
Turner as principal, in December, 1843.
1 must draw to a close what I have to say of Burlington.
Let me add that one of its present citizens, Capt. Francis
McCumber, as commander of vessels on the great lakes,
brought to Wisconsin, many of its settlers in 1836-'37-'38-'39
and '40. In July, 1833, he sailed up lake Michigan in the
ressel Thos. Hart, without meeting another craft between lake
St. Clair and Chicago.
The original plat of Burlington constitutes the N. E. fr \
of Sec. 32, comprising 144 acres, or 160 acres including the
river. It was purchased at the land sales in March, 1839, by
Silas Peck, and was surveyed and platted May 21st, 1839, by
A. W. Doolittle.
ROCHESTER.
Levi Godfrey was the first white settler in the town of
Rochester. He came into the country on foot, accompanied
by John B. Wade, and arrived in the fall of 1835. He was
looking for a water power, and upon finding it at the present site
of Rochester village, he made a claim on the west side of Fox
river. He built a shanty sixteen feet square, the first struc
ture erected for human habitation in the town, and brought
out his family to their future western home, in 1836. Mrs.
Godfrey did not see a white woman during the first six weeks
she spent in her new residence. Her nearest female neighbor

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 63
at that time, was Mrs Betsey Call, at Call's Grove. G. W.
Gamble, Gilman Hoyt, Martin C. Whitman, L. 0. Whitman,
and Mary Skinner came into Rochester in 1836, but general
emigration to the town did not begin until 1837. Philo Bel-
den came in June of that year but remained only a short time,
returning to Rochester, however, in June, 1839, when he
made it a permanent home.
The settlers of 1837, were George E. Duncan, George
Stebbins, James H. Gipson, Benj. Flanders, Alonzo Snow
Philander Bartlett, Benj. Bartlett, Thaddeus Earl, G. W
Hoyt, John Freelove, David M. Fowler, Philander Cole, Wm.
Creirston, Sela Whitman, Joseph Clark, Horace Frost, Pat
rick Laughrin, Seth Warner, Royal Flanders, and Trystam
C. Hoyt.
The settlers of 1838, were Horace Andrews, William G.
Lewis, H. S. Hulburd, I. 0. Parker, Calvin Earl, Hilliard
Hely, and Mrs. Robert Adams, who was one of the pioneer
women in the western part of the county.
In '39 Obed Hurlbut, Eleazer Everit, Jacob L. Myers, Jed
ediah Healy, J. H. Hickox, Abial Whitman, Pinkston Wade,
Luther Whitman, G. M. Hely, Richard E. Ela and Henry Cady
made their settlements in the town. William S. Hoyt, and
F. E. Hoyt made permanent settlement in 1840. William S.
Hoyt was in Rochester in '37, but returned to Vermont where
he remained three years before coming west to remain
permanently. Mr. Eleazer Everit purchased two hundred and forty acres
of land at the land sales. There was a saw mill at Rochester,
and preparatory to the erection of a dwelling on his farm, he
hauled two saw logs to mill and got them sawed into lum
ber. He hauled the lumber back to his farm, cut down some
trees for corner posts, and with this material he built his
shanty, which constituted the first place of shelter and abode
for himself, his wife and two children, in the wild interior
region where he was destined to build up a fine estate.

64 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
The first season that. Mr. Everit was on his farm, he broke
up six acres upon which he sowed his first wheat, which pro
duced a good crop. He sold his first load at Southport for
$13, and was paid for it in the currency of a bank, which he
afterwards discovered had failed two years before !
Levi Godfrey kept the first hotel in Rochester which was
opened in 1837. It was at his log house, in October 1836,
that the celebrated " God-fry " convention was held. Dele
gates came from a great distance on horseback, and staid
with him two nights, though it is said to this day that some of
those who left their homes got lost in the wilderness and never
found Godfry's cabin. The convention was evidently antic
ipated as a great event, for preparatory to it, Mr. Godfry
went to Skunk Grove and bought an ox for beef with which
to feed the delegates. Dr. Cary was president of the conven
tion; its members slept in their blankets on the floor at night,
and dreamed over democratic resolutions, as sweetly as if
Potto watomie Indians were not slumbering in an adjoining
camp. In the fall of 1837, Martin Whitman began the improve
ment of a water power on Muskego creek.
The present Rochester water power, was located and estab
lished by Philo Belden, Timothy S. Green and Jeremiah Ford
in 1842.
The first bridge over Fox river, at Rochester, was built in
1836, by Ira A. Rice and John T. Palmer.
In the winter of 1836, Wm. H Waterman, of Racine, made
a claim in behalf of himself, Elias Smith, Henry F. Cox,
Amaziah Stebbins and John M. Myers to the lands in Roch
ester village east of Fox river, and north of Main street ; and,
in 1839 and 40, they operated a mill on Muskego creek.
On the 26th of October, 1839, Martin C. Whitman, Levi
Godfry, Obed Hurlbut, Hiland Hurlbut and Philo Belden, as
proprietors, caused to be platted, all the village property in

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 65
Rochester, on the west side of Fox river and that portion
also on the east side of the river south of Main street.
On the 9th day of May, 1840, Elias Smith, Consider
Heath, David Anderson and Margaret A. Cox, as proprietors,
caused to be platted that portion of the village tract situated
east of the river and north of Main street. The village was
first called the "Upper Forks."
In the earliest years of the settlement, the settlers ex
perienced the usual hardships of a new country. The storms
would beat into their cabins ; the deep snows of long winters
put an embargo upon travel, and fish and game were at times
the chief means of subsistance.
In the summer season, women walked four miles following
Indian trails, and carrying their babies in a basket, to visit
their neighbors. Mrs. Adams tells me that the women of
those days made light of jaunts like these, and that a pan of
johnny cake and a good supply of Old Hyson made a feast
for many a tea party in those wild times. The country was
singularly free from underbrush, and travel through the wood
land was therefore free from obstruction or difficulty. As new
settlers came in, they were welcomed to the cabins of the
earlier inhabitants, and when night came on they would take
their resting places on the floor, in rows, and sleep as sweetly
as if reposing on pillows of down, with angels expressly com
missioned to watch over them.
Richard E. Ela established, in Rochester in 1839, the first
fanning mill establishment in the county. He built his first
mills in the cellar under his house.
Rev. C. C. Cadwell was the first resident minister in
Rochester. He settled there in 1839.
The first church building erected in the town, was built in
1844, by the Congregational Society.
I ought not to omit to mention that Emily Hoyt, daughter
of T. C Hoyt, and now the wife of Allen Stetson, when a girl but

66 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
thirteen years of age, came to Rochester with her father and
brother, in 1837. She was their housekeeper, while they were
making improvements preparatory to the removal of the re
maining members of the family to their western home.
During the mornings of the summer of 1837 she was in the
habit of rising early, to prepare breakfast for her father and
brother. The morning meal over, and while the oxen were
being placed before the plow, she would hastily finish her
work, fasten the door of their rude cabin, go with the team in
company with her father and brother to the breaking field, and
there from morning until night, she followed the plow in wear
isome rounds, rather than remain alone in the cabin, exposed
to dangers from the Indians who were prowling about in great
numbers. Philo Belden built the first brick chimney in Rochester and
went to the mouth of Root River for the brick.
Mr. Oren Wright settled in Rochester on the 2d of January,
1840. He established a turning lathe, and manufactured the
first chairs and bedsteads that were made at any place within
a distance of sixty miles west.
The first death in Rochester was that of Mrs. Wade, which
occurred on the lst day of January 1837 ; and the first white
child born in the town, was Henry Warner, son of Seth
Warner. Mr. Cole and Miss Fowler were the first persons married in
the place. In those days a license was required, and Mr.
Cole journeyed to Racine, on foot, for his license, which cost
him $4.00.
The first Justice of the Peace in Rochester was Seth Warner,
the first doctor, Solomon Blood, and the first religious society,
Baptists, organized in 1837.
In 1839, the principal Indian trail run west from Rochester
to Spring Prairie. In that year and in 1840, there was a
great contest among the people, concerning the establishment.

RACINE COUNTY, WTS. 67,
of roads, and the lines upon which they should run, and there
were not wanting many persons, who believed and urged, that
the Indian trails would and should be adopted, as the lines for
highways and thoroughfares of travel.
I think the most marked Indian trail to be now found in the '
county, crosses the Rochester $g Burlington road, southwest of
Rochester village, and, winds along the crest of the bank of
Fox River for a considerable distance, among forest trees that
stood where they now stand, before Levi Godfrey's adventur
ous spirit had guided him to his early home in Wisconsin.

WATERFOED.
The settlement of what is now the township and village of
Waterford began in 1836. The settlers of that year who yet
survive and retain their original residences, are P. R. Mygatt,
Samuel E. Chapman, Ira A. Rice, Archibald Cooper and
Hiram Page.*' The first family settled in the town was that of
P. R. Mygatt.
A list of the settlers of 1836 may be stated as follows : Ira
A. Rice, Samuel E. Chapman and their wives, May, 1836 ;
Archibald Cooper, September 1836; Hiram Page, August,
1836 ; Levi and Hiram Barnes, summer of 1836 ; Benoni
Bugles, June, 1S36 ; John T. Palmer, May, 1836 ; Arad
Wells, May 1836 ; Alpheus Barnes, Samuel C. Russ, Adney
Sampson, Philip R. Mygatt, Henry and Austin Mygatt,
Elisha Elms and Osborne L. Elms all during the season of
1836. Among the settlers of 1837, were Louis D. Merrills,
Harvey Weage and Frederick A. Weage, Sautell Whitman,
Israel Markham, Orrin Barry, J. S. Cooper, Dyer Buskirk,
Wm. Wade, Mr. Burbank, John Cooper, James Cooper and
Lorenzo Ward.
Nelson H. Palmer and Elijah K. Bent, were among the
settlers of 1838.

00 OLD SETTLERS SOCIETY,
In the spring of 1836, Joseph and Tyler Caldwell settled
in the town of Waterford, made their claims and built a shanty
on the prairie since known as "Caldwell's prairie."
In July, 1836, Abram Ressigue, Wm. A. Cheney and Cal
vin Gault located at the same place, with their families. They
lived in their wagons until they could build a log house.
In the same year, Charles Dewitt, Paftl W. Todd and Wesley
Munger made their settlements on the prairie.
In the fall of 1837, V. M. Willard and T. W. Gault camev
In 1838 Jefferson Brown and D. Wood and families, Ira Cole
man and N. Van Aerman and their families also settled on
the prairie.
In 1839, Lorenzo Ward, John Larkin and Edmund Flagg
made their settlements.
The first frame house built on " Caldwell's Prairie," was
that of Joseph Caldwell, in the fall of 1837. T. W. Gault
and Mrs. 0. Van Valin are now the oldest surviving residents
on the prairie.
I imagine that the first settlers of 1836, when they arrived
on the bank of Fox River, at the place which was destined
speedily to become a prosperous settlement and village, were
at once attracted by the picturesqueness of the scenery which
broke upon their view in its native beauty, and by the high
promise of future prosperity and happiness, which the land to
which they had come, seemed to afford.
On the spot where the dwelling of Samuel E. Chapman
stands, was an Indian council house, called " Cadney's Castle,"
and all around it were Indian cornfields. The river offered
unusual facilities for the establishment of a waterpower, and
it was soon determined to found a village, taking its name
from Waterford in the state of New York. The Indians had
also, for a long time selected the place as their ford across the
stream, which gave the name adopted, additional appropriate
ness.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 69
The founders of Waterford village were Samuel E. Chap
man, Levi Barnes and Samuel C. Russ. 0. W. Barnes and
a Mr. Beebe had first made the claim, but Levi Barnes and
Mr. Chapman bought them out. At the land sales in 1839,
Eliphalet Cramer purchased the lands for Chapman and
Barnes, and conveyed to them.
Mr. Ira A. Rice made a claim on section No. 27, where he
now lives.
The hardships of these pioneers, during the first seasons of
their settlement, were often severe. They had not only to
contend against thieving Indians, but were obliged to trans
port their provisions and seed with ox teams, from Racine,
Southport and Chicago. There were no roads in the country;
streams had to be forded, marshes traversed, and all the diffi
culties of travel which prevail in an unsettled region, encoun
tered. At some seasons, hunting and fishing afforded the
chief means of subsistence. The men worked days, and hunt
ed game and speared fish by torch-light at night.
But amid all their privations, the settlers were very happy,
for they enjoyed the freedom and independence of their rug
ged life. New comers were always welcome to their humble
hospitality ; every cabin and shake-roofed house was open ;
friendship and brotherly love prevailed. There were no drones
in those days. Every man and woman had work to
do, and did it, and when one of the settlers had a job on his
hands that he could not manage alone, all his neighbors gave
him their gratuitous assistance.
When Mr. Merrills came into the town in 1837, he was
obliged to pay $20 for his first barrel of flour, and had to split
rails to pay for it.
During his journey to the west, in 1837, Mr. Merrills was
one day wandering in the woods on the Nippersink, and came
upon a log pen about three feet high and four feet square,

70 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
covered and closely chinked Curiosity prompted him and his
companion to investigate the newly discovered structure.
Through a crevice in the roof they beheld a solitary Indian,
sitting in the corner, painted and feathered, and well armed
with rifle, tomahawk and knife. A hasty and inglorious
retreat to the depths of the forest was immediately made, iii
momentary expectation of a farewell shot from the Pottawoto-
mie "redskin," whose dominion was thus invaded.
Samuel E. Chapman and Levi Barnes built the first log
house in the village of Waterford, in 1836. It was regarded
'"headquarters," and with its shake roof, still stands, slowly
going to decay, but in its speechless old age, reviving in the
minds of the old settlers interesting memories of the past.
In the fall of 1837, Messrs Barnes & Chapman, assisted by
L. D. Merrills, Archibald Cooper, Ira A. Rice, Wm. Jones,
John T. Palmer, Osborn L. Elms, Elisha Elms, and John
Fisher, built the first dam across the river. The first saw
mill was built in the fall of the same year, and the first grist
mill in 1840 by Mr. Chapman.
The first mill stone used in the grist mill was 22 inches in
diameter, and is yet preserved by Mr. Chapman.
Archibald Cooper scored the first timber, and Lewis D*
Merrills hewed it for the saw mill.
The first crops raised in Waterford, were potatoes and ruta
bagas. Rutabagas became a regular farm crop. Mr. Coop
er says that at one time he lived on them alone, fourteen days.
Mr. Chapman brought with him the first rutabaga seed sown
in the town.
For the first johnny cake Archibald Cooper ever ate, he
ground the corn in a coffee mill at the house of Osborn L.
Elms. They had with it molasses made from watermelons.
Among the settlers of 1839, was George Eaves ; and I
judge him to have been a pretty sharp character from the fol
lowing circumstance. A traveler from Milwaukee stopped,

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 71
with his team, over night at the hotel of Mr. Russ. He had
in his wagon what appeared to be a bag of oats. Eaves want
ed oats for his own horses, and so he appropriated the bag and
contents ; but upon giving his horses a liberal supply, he con
cluded that the defrauded traveler was an honest shoemaker,
since the contents of his bag proved to be shoe pegs !
In the spring of 1836, Arad Wells plowed seven or eight
acres on what is now the farm of Ira A. Rice: this was the
first plowing done in the town, and upon the land plowed was
raised the first crop of red clover grown in Waterford.
In the midst of all their hard work and struggle, the settlers
indulged in many amusements. The wolf hunt of 1838 was one,
when the settlers armed themselves with guns, clubs, scythes,
dinner horns and pitchforks and went in pursuit of wolves and
wolf scalps. It is said that the hunters, under competent
officers, endeavored to close in on an entire township. Concen
trating their forces, however, they finally surrounded a tract of
forest, every man watching for his game, and finally all
gathering in the center of the wood, without encountering a
solitary wolf. As a wolf hunt it was, therefore, not a success;
bnt returning home over the " big marsh," they overhauled a
wayfarer with his horses and wagon, journeying to Elkhorn,
with a cargo of whisky aboard. This was game the hunters
could appreciate ! The driver had turned his horses loose, and
was reposing. The party, under the direction of their officers,
formed a hollow square around the wagon. Details of further
proceedings are unnecessary. Weariness overcame many of
the huritcts, and the sequel 'gave celebrity to the wolf hunt of
1838 !
It is said that there were scolding wives in Waterford,
for a considerable time thereafter, arid that the traveler who
had been thus defrauded, successfully obtained the redress for
his wrongs to which in equity and sober conscience he was
justly entitled !

72 OLD settlers' society,
Samuel C. Russ built the first hotel in Waterford. Levi
Barnes was the settlers' first preacher. He was accustomed to
gather his flock beneath the roof of Mr. Chapman's rude
cabin. Some of the settlers were fond of Sunday fishing, and
in one of his sermons he administered reproof for this profane
practice, by saying : "Pioneers and sinners! I come to call
"you to repentance; and as one so called, I declare to you
"that unless you repent of your sins, you are gone, hook and
"line, bob and sinker ! "
The first district school, and the first Sunday school, were
taught by Harriet Caldwell in 1840.
The first justice of the peace in Waterford, was Samuel E.
Chapman, who was appointed by Gov. Dodge.
Ira A. Rice was the first Captain of the Waterford militia.
Archibald Cooper was first lieutenant. Mr. Chapman had
been a captain of light infantry at some time in his life, and
had a wooden sword six feet long, but Capt. Rice reduced him
to the ranks.
One time, when Mr. Rice was a magistrate, a man was
brought before him, charged with stealing sheep. He was
tried, and convicted. For want of a statute sufficiently
penal, justice Rice sentenced the offender to twenty days hard
labor on the highway, and he had to help build a bridge
across Muskego creek.
The first bridge across the river was built by all the
settlers. The first white female child born in Waterford was Louisa
Markham, born in 1837. John T. Rice, son of Ira A. Rice,
is the oldest of the present residents born in the town.
Mr. Merrills made the first cradle and with it, in July 1837,
cradled the first winter wheat that grew in Waterford. He
bought five bushels of the wheat, which was threshed on the
ground with oxen, and cleaned with a hand fan made from
boards split out of an oak log. He paid $3 per bushel for the

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 73
wheat, and fifty cents a bushel for carrying it to mill, at Root
river. He got from the grinding a little bran, a little fine
flour, and a good deal of shorts, but he says it all made good
bread !
The first physician who came into Waterford, was Doctor
Blanchard, but Dr. G. F. Newell, in May 1844, first made it
a permanent location and home.
In May, 1844, a writer in the Racine Advocate, says of the '
village of Waterford, that it contains one hundred and fifty
inhabitants, two saw mills, two grocery stores, one public
house and business enough for another; that it has a good
school, a good state of society, moral and religious, and now
and then an abolitionst.

RAYMOND.
Among the very first settlers in Raymond, were Nathaniel
Rogers and his son Joel Rogers. They were living there, on
the arrival of Elisha Raymond, Sen., and his son, Alvin Ray
mond, who made their settlements in the town, on the 22d of,
September, 1835. Mr. Raymond, Sen., and his son Alvin,
came on the vessel " Agnes Barton," to Chicago, and from
Chicago to Racine, on a little schooner manned by a French
man and two Indians. Upon their first tour into Raymond,
they found the branch of Root River, which extends into the
town, a full, clear stream, with a gravelly bottom, pleasant
banks and unbroken current. Mr. Alvin Raymond in the fol
lowing October, went to the Rapids and labored a year for
Wm. See. Mr. Elisha Raymond bought a claim already
made, covering a quarter section, for $25. He immediately
rolled up some logs in cabin shape, put on some shakes for a
roof, and lived there through the winter of 1835-36.
On the 20th of June, 1836, Seneca Raymond, son of Elisha
Raymond Sen., landed at Racine. He came on' a vessel from

74 OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY,
Oswego, with his own apd his father's family, and at once
joined his father.
Nelson Bentley also arrived and settled in Raymond, in
June, 1836. He drove a double team and wagon, all the way
from Manlius, N. Y. He and Seneca Raymond left Manlius
on the same day, and both arrived at Racine on the same day,
one coming by water from Oswego, and the other by his own
conveyance, each making the journey in precisely six weeks.
In the summer of 1836, Mr. Raymond, Sr., built a capac-
cious two story log house on his claim. A stone chimney was
built in the house from the ground floor, and it gives one a
happy feeling to know of such comfort in a wilderness, as was
afforded in that house by the great old fashioned fire place
with which it was provided.
Timothy Sands, Orson Bump, Reuben Rogers, John Rog
ers, Joseph Drake and John Brewer settled in Raymond in
1836; Caleb J. True, Niles Bentley, Wm. 0. Mills John
Jones and Zachariah Sands in '37; Walter Shumway and Leonard
Upham, in 1838, and Thomas E. Parmalee and Daniel Mc.
Pherson in 1839.
Qn the 12th of May, 1838, Mr. Loring Weber came into
Raymond. He and his family remained at the house of Mr.
Raymond six weeks after their arrival. When I saw Mr.
Weber he could recall none of the settlers yet remaining in
Raymond who were there when he came, except Mr. Nelson
Bentley and Mr. Timothy Sands.
Mr. Weber made his claim in May, 1838, and continued to
occupy it as his homestead, until he recently left the county.
He built the first frame house in the town with oak lumber
which he procured at the Rapids.
Among the other early settlers, were Philetus Crandall,
who settled in 1840 ; and Christian, Fredrick and William
Schwartz, who settled in 1837.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 75
Reynolds Scofield, George Scofield. Charles Scofield and
Dr. John E. Scofield also settled in Raymond in 1837. Dr.
John E. Scofield was the first physician who located in the
town. In September, 1839, James T. Elliot settled in Raymond,
Peter Reynolds in '38, and William Elliot in 1840.
Like the early settlers in other parts of the county, those
of Raymond were subjected to dangers and inconveniences.
They had to grind corn in their pepper mills, for their bread,
and suckers, rice and codfish were staple commodities. Some,
however, brought supplies with them to meet emergences.
Seneca Raymond brought twenty bushels of potatoes with him,
planted them on the 4th of July, 1836, and had a good crop
of one hundred and fifty bushels. At one time, also, Mr.
Weber and Elisha Raymond, Sr., went south and bronght
into the settlement thirty head of cattle and fifteen hogs.
Later in 1841, Mr. Raymond raised three thousand bushels of
grain on one hundred acres of land.
The Indians were troublesome. The Raymond settlement
was not far distant from Jambeau's trading post, and the
Indians with their thieving propensities and meddlesome dis
positions, annoyed the settlers.
On one occasion, Mr. Alvin Raymond fell asleep in the
field where he had been cutting grass. He had his rifle by
his side and was suddenly awakened. Thirteen ponies with
two or three Indians astride of each pony, was the sight
which met his eyes as he awoke. He grasped his rifle, and
upon their inquiring if he had a squaw and a wigwam, they
all went directly to Mr. Elisha Raymond's house. Charles
Raymond, son of Alvin Raymond at the age of three years
could speak the Indian language.
The first religious society in Raymond was the Congrega-
tionalist. Mr. Loring Weber assisted in building the first
meeting house.

76 OLD SETTLERS' society.
The first marriage in Raymond was that of Miss Eliza
Raymond to Willard Flint, which was celebrated on the 27th
day of May, 1838.
The town of Raymond was first called "Black Hawk." by
act of the legislature in 1846, but at the same session an act
was subsequently passed, reorganizing the town, and giving it
the name of Raymond, for the pioneer who had so sturdily
established and maintained his settlement in the town.

YORKVILLE.
Joseph Call was the first settler in Yorkville. He located
at what is now known as Ives Grove, in the summer of 1835.
He built a log house which he afterwards kept as a tavern.
In the fall of 1835, Nelson A Walker bought a quarter sec
tion claim, from Call, at the Grove, immediately went upon it
and worked it from March, 1836 until the fall of that year,
when his family joined him. Mr. Walker says that when he
bought his claim, the only white woman in Yorkville was Mrs.
Betsey Call, and there was no house between the Grove and
Rochester. He found at the Grove, in addition to Call, Sam
uel Kerr, Daniel Whitmore and Samuel Daniels, who each
had a claim, but lived together.
Mr. Walker lived on his claim until 1838, wheh he removed
to Mt. Pleasant, where he has since resided. It is worthy of
mention that when Mr. W. came into the conntry, he walked
from Toledo, Ohio, to Wisconsin.
George Nichols and Charles Nobles were among the earli
est settlers in the town, coming in, in 1836. Early in 1837
or late in 1836, Marshall M. Strong and Stephen N. Ives
purchased. Joseph Call's claim, upon which his tavern was
situated, and in May, 1837, sold it to Roland Ives, who then
located upon it, his family arriving in May 1838. The grove
has ever since been known as "Ives Grove." John Nobles
settled at the same place in the spring of 1837.

77
In 1837, L. S. Blake made a claim of 160 acres in another
part of Yorkville, and sold it to Cornelius Brezee, who set
tled on it with his family in June 1837, and there lived
until his death.
Charles C. Wait and Alexander Gray, accompanied by
Geo. Nichols came to Yorkville, in 1837. Mr. Wait and Mr.
Nichols had made their claims in November, 1836, and
located with their families in March, 1837. Mr. Wait, in
1835, came from Vermont, to Troy, N. Y., via the Champlain
and Troy canal, thence to Buffalo by canal, from Buffalo to
Detroit on the steamer North America, from Detroit to Niles,
Michigan, traveling upon foot, from Niles to St. Joseph, and
thence across the lake on a vessel to Chicago ; thus, in
his own experience, realizing the difficulties and vicissitudes
of a journey to the remote west in that early time.
Mr. Wait is yet the owner of one hundred and twenty acres
of land in Yorkville, for which he received a patent frpm the
government, and which he has never removed from, conveyed
or incumbered.
Reaben Wait, father of Charles C. Wait, settled in York
ville on the 8th of April, 1838. The first school in the town
was taught in Reuben Wait's house, in the winter of 1839 and
40, by Levantia Barnum. Tliere were eight scholars in
attendance, and the teacher was employed by Mr. Wait at his
personal expense,
Among the other early settlers should also be named Edward
Buchan, Robert Bell and Col. F. F. Lincoln who came in
1837. He made his claim in June, '36, then went away, and
returned in September, '37. Mr. Lincoln is remembered to
have traveled through the settlements in the early days thresh-
with a flail.
Mr: Collar and the Northways came in 1836, and were
among the earliest settlers.
Abram Gilmore, in September, 1840, also settled in York
ville where he has ever since resided.

73 OLD settlers' society.
In 1838, Arba B. Terrell located at Ives Grove. He was
a carpenter by trade, and a great mimic, when amusement
among the settlers was desired. He built Elisha Raymond's
first barn in Raymond.
In September, 1838, Owen Campbell bought the claim of
Nelson A. Walker, paid $1,000 for it, and purchased the land
at the land sales. He came out first with Roland Ives, in
1837, and in the subsequent year settled on his claim-as the
future home of himself, his wife and ten children, who were
thus early in years introduced to the hardy experience of
pioneer life. Forty aeres of his claim was improved land.
The settlers in this locality were particularly exposed to ,
prairie fires. The grove standing like an island in the prairie,
all around it the fires were accustomed to sweep, by night and
by day, exposing property and sometimes life to danger.
Dr. Homer Campbell, a son of Owen Campbell, tells me,
that although exposed to some privations and dangers, the
settlers were contented and happy. For meat they depended
chiefly upon game, in the summer season, which was every:
where abundant. They ate their meals from pewter plates,
imd submitted cheerfully to the inconveniences of their situa
tion. Religious services , on Sunday, were held at the houses of
the settlers, when a passing missionary came, or opportunity
was otherwise afforded.
Mr. Campbell was a justice of the peace, in his town, seven
years, and was familiarly known as Esquire Campbell far
beyond his neighborhood.
Ebenezer Heald settled at Ives Grove, in June, 1837. He
occupied the claim of Samuel Daniels, until May, 1838, when
he made a claim in Dover, where he built a log house, which
was burned This misfortune pushed him further west,
and he made a claim and permanently settled in Burlington,
where, in 1840, his daughter, now the wife of Mr. John Wil
son, of Racine, taught school. ¦ &

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 79

, The first white child born in Yorkville, was Mrs. Mary
Jane George, daughter of Nelson A. Walker, born May 13 ih

1838.

DOVER.
Capt. John T. Trowbridge settled in Dover, in '36, made his
claim, which was long a landmark in the county, and was the
first settler. His wife, Mrs Mary Trowbridge, who lived to a
ripe old age, and died but a few years since, and his two sons,
Stewart and Henry, came with him. He had been a sea
captain for twenty-five years, had gone on whaling voyages and
been a prisoner at Calcutta and Dartmoor, and after buffeting
the storms of ocean from early manhood,' he sought a quiet
refuge in the wilderness of the west. His two-story log
house was a point in the travelers journey, and I scarcely re
member the time in boyhood, when "Capt. Trowbridge's place"
was not a familiar expression.
He was the first postmaster in the town. He gave to his
town the name of Brighton, from the place whence he had
come, but in the re-organization of towns, it received the
name of Dover.
He was a justice of the peace, and distinguished himself in
his office as employing it to promote peace rather than litiga
tion. I believe that he also represented his district in the
territorial legislature. The second settler iu Dover was Mr.
Samuel Ormiston, who came in August, 1836, The first
child born in the town was Mr. Ormiston's daughter, Eliza
beth, who was born on the 12th of November, 1838.
J. Sellers accompanied Mr. Ormiston in his settlement in
Dover, and settled on a claim which is now the' farm of Mr.
Walter Bryce.
An incident in the experience of Mr. Sellers is worthy of
notice. He started one morning to go to Pike Grove, and on
his journey called at the house of George Nichols,, in York-

80 OLD SETTLERS' society,
ville. He tarried a few "moments, and bidding his friend
" good morning," set out on his travels. He journeyed to the
end of the day, and at evening found himself again at the
_, house of Mr. Nichols ; nor could he be made to believe that
he had not arrived at Pike Grove, until he was introduced to
the hospitalities of Mr. Nichols' cabin, and was told that on a
prairie without roads, guiding posts, or human habitations, a
bewildered traveler sometimes made a circuitous journey,
arriving at the precise place from which he departed !
Among the other early settlers were Geo. and Rob't McKey,
James Ballock, James Graham, William Cruikshank, Aaron
Putnam and Joseph Scott, all of whom made their settlements
in 1839. Samuel Stenhouse located in the town in 1840.
In the fall of 1838, John Duffus, Archibald Brown and
Peter Manny made adjoining claims. In the same year,
Robert Beatty ond Thomas Green also made claims in Dover.
Mr. Duffus built a shanty on his claim, 10x12. In March,
1839 his daughter, now the wife of Nicholas D. Fratt, and his
son, joined him. Mr. Duffus, his son, and Mr. Brown and
Mr. Manny lived together in Mr. Duffus' cabin, and Mrs.
Fratt kept house for them. She describes the shanty in
which they lived as without a floor, and with a roof of boards
that was slight protection against the storms. It was like the
house that was builded upon the sand ; for one day when she
was making bread and had placed it in the kettle over the fire,
in the corner, for baking, a thunder storm came up, and at
the first flash of lightning, followed by a clap of thunder and
a gust of wind, the roof of her father's cabin was swept away
" and the rain descended and the floods came," and there was
no bread to be eaten in the house that day !
The first marriage celebrated in Dover, was that of Peter
Manny to Margaret Duffus.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 81
NOEWAY.
The first settler in the town of Norway was Thomas
Drought, who came from Lower Canada, with oxen and
wagon, and in September, 1838, made a claim of 160 acres
in section No. 12, in the northeast part of the town, where he
has ever since resided. He was accompanied in his settle
ment by a sister, and was afterward followed by other mem
bers of the family, and the section of the town where he
located has ever since been known as the " Drought Settle
ment." James Ash came into Norway, in the autumn of '38,
and Alfred Thompson and George Drought in '39.
In the summer of 1839, a vessel arrived at Milwaukee,
laden with a party of sturdy emigrants, about forty in
number, fresh from their homes among the Norway mountains.
They were destined for Illinois, but were prevailed upon to
delay their journey, Mr. George Walker, whom good health
had made ruddy and corpulent, urging them to settle in Wis
consin, and another person, from Illinois, whose countenance
fever and ague had sadly blighted, urging them to carry out
their original intention, The healthfulness of climate, as then
judged of by the appearance of the representatives of the two
states, decided the question with the rugged Norwegian
pioneers, and they chose Wisconsin as their future home. —
They had listened with wonder to deseriptions of the great
land beyond the ocean, the strong attachments that bind
dwellers among beautiful mountain scenes to their native
huts had losttheir power of restraint, and now with brave
hearts and determined purpose, they were ready for hard
ship, adventure and work !
A few days after landing at Milwaukee, they lost their
faithful interpreter, who was accidentally drowned in the
river* but furnished with guides, a party of the emigrants set
out upon explorations, and soon found themselves within the

82 OLD S-TTLERS' SOCIETY,
vicinity of Muskego lake. It was a' dry season, and the
marshes resembled prairies in their appearance, surrounded
by forests. Cabins soon sprung up on the hill sides around
the marshes, but the bright hopes of the settlers were
quenched when the spring floods came and converted the
promising prairie land into lakes and morasses. This caused
a removal of the colony further south, and west. Mr. Halver
Thompson settled on the banks of Wind lake; John Nelson,
another of the party, settled on an adjoining claim, which he
improved considerably, and from which he subsequently
removed to Kos Kenong prairie. An American, by the name
of Flether also loeated in the vicinity of these settlements*
In the spring of 1840, Soren Backe and Johannes
Johansen, men of intelligence and means, who had come from
Norway, the preceding fall, and spent the winter in Illinoisj
visited this region. They were looking for a place to establish
a colony. The cluster of beautiful lakes, the clear streams
of, living water swarming with fish, and the forests abounding
with game, which they found in the town of Norway, satisfied
their desires. A cabin was built on the bank of one of the
lakes ; reports of the country were sent to their friends across
the sea, and in the fall of 1840, Even Hansen, known also
as Evan Hansen Heg, arrived with a large company of
emigrants and settled around the lakes. Backe having con
siderable capital which he invested in a large tract of land,
sold parcels to the poorer colonists upon favorable terms, In
a short time the colony increased in numbers, and became the
center of Scandinavian emigration to the state, and Johannes
Johansen, Soren Backe and Evan Hansen were regarded the
founders of the first permanent Scandinavian colony in Wis
consin. Among the other colonists were Sivert Ingerbretsen,
Knud Arslarksen, Johannes Evenseu, Ole Hogensen, Gurder
Gurtesen, Niels H. Narum, John Larsen, Hans Jacobsen,
Peter Jacobsen and Ole Andersen.

RACINE COUNTY, WIS. 83
A trading point was established on Mr. Heg's farm. An
excavation was made in a large Indian mound, and roofed
over and fitted up into commodious apartments for families.
Johannes Johansen received the appellation of "King," and
here the colonists recieved their supplies and mail, and
the first Scandinavian newspaper in the country was published,
called, "Nord Lyset," — Northern Light — and edited by
J. D. Raymert. This was also the birthplace of John P.
Jacobsen, to whom I am indebted for information concerning
the establishment of the first Scandinavian settlement in
Norway. Evan Hansen was the father of Hans C. and Ole Heg.
His name as inscribed on his gravestone, is Evan Hansen Heg,
and I am told that the name Heg was derived from the place
where the family lived in Norway, or the farm which they
possessed, and which was known as "Headquarters."
A log church was built at the central point of settlement,
by the colonists, in 1845. The settlers were a religious
people, and of the Lutheran belief. In the church yard,
where the log church was built, many of the original founders
of the colony were buried, and here, rest the remains of
Hans C. Heg, a gallant soldier, who fell fighting the battles
of his adopted country.
The town of Norway was created by an act of the
territorial legislature, on the 11th of February, 1847, and
the people who gave to the town its name, and who have so
successfully built up the colony originally projected by those
I have named, have distinguished themselves, as among the
most prudent, industrious, and thrifty citizens of the county.

84 OLD settlers' society,

CONCLUSION.
And here my fragmentary and imperfect narrative closes,
and I hasten to a conclusion.
But little more than thirty years ago, the first wave of
civilization broke upon the borders of Wisconsin. It was then
a trackless wilderness. Now, flourishing cities, towns and
villages are sprinkled over her surface, and what was once
her wildest prairies, the returning summer covers with ripe
and yellow harvests.
The migration and settlement of the borderers, whose
experiences you this day recall, reminds one of the history
of ancient times, when " Abram went up out of Egypt, he
" and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him into
"the south. And Abram said unto Lot; 'Is not the whole
"land before thee? Seperate thyself, I pray thee, from
"me.' And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain
" of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere. Then
"Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan."
So these borderers seem once to have lifted up their
eyes and looked abroad upon this new world, and chosen
for their home, " the wilderness, which has been made to
blossom like a rose,"

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