Dodge County, Wisconsin - Chapter 2, 1880

Chapter 2

Eakly Settlement - Organization - Xames of County Officials - An Interesting Letter FROM James A. Warren - TKKurror.iAL Government - Constititional Conventions- State Government - Congressional.

The pioneer settlers of Dodge County were Luther A. Cole, Amasa Hyland, John W. Cole and Jacob P. Brower. There is a popular, though erroneous, belief that Mr. Hyland was the Nestor of civilization in these parts ; it is also claimed that to Mr. Brower belongs this honor. As a matter of fact, however, the Cole brothers and Mr. Hyland came together to Johnson's Rapids (now Watertown) in December, 1836, and in January following built a log cabin, where they kept what they were pleased to term "bachelor's distress," in that portion of the city of Watertown now embraced in the town of Emmet. Luther Cole and Amasa Hyland engaged their time in clearing a small portion of the joint claim, and preparing the ground for spring seeding, while John W. Cole was " maid of all work," and did the cooking and washing. Hyland and the Coles, therefore, broke the first ground and planted the first seed in the county. During the summer *nd fall of 18-37, they worked on the saw-mill and dam of Charles F. H. Goodliue k Son, in that portion of the city of Watertown lying in Jefferson County, whither the interests of the Coles soon afterward centered.

The one individual, however, who first came to Dodge County, and who, until his untimely death in November, 1846, was identified with the earliest phases of civilization within its borders, was Jacob P. Brower. In company with his father, Paul Brower, and his two sons, J. Lafayette and George W., he settled on the north side of Fox Lake, upon the place now known as the Stoddard farm, in March, 1838. The balance of the family soon followed, leaving Sheboygan in June on board a schooner for Green Bay. Thence the household goods belonging to Mr. Brower were shipped up Fox River to Fort Winnebago (now Portage) in a " Mackinaw," or flatboat ; while the family took passage in bark canoes navigated by Indians, up the same stream into Lake Winnebago, to Fond du Lac. From the latter point, they were conveyed to their new home in a wagon driven by Edward Pier, of Fond du Lac. The Brower colony was composed of the following members : Paul Brower, Rachel Brower, Jacob P. Brower, Martha Brower, George W. Brower, J. Lafayette Brower, Euphemia Brower, Emily Brower, Amelia Brower, T. J. Brower, and Catherine, the domestic.

It was the first full and complete family in the county, and, in fact, the only family that had reached here at that early date. In October, 1838, when the Government land came into market, J. P. Brower sold his interest in the claim to Henry Merrill, and entered, in the name of Gov. Doty, the land upon a portion of which the village of Fox Lake now stands, building a double log house for the accommodation of his numerous family, on the west side of the river, about midway between the present sites of the dam and the bridge.

This auspicious event in the inauguration of the reign of enterprise that has ever since prevailed in Dodge County was soon followed by the advent of Hamilton Stevens and family. Mr. Stevens also made a claim and built a log house within what afterward became the limits of Fox Lake Village. In May, 1889, the families of Thomas Mackie and Joseph Goetschius came and added their energy and population to the new settlement. Others soon followed, and Fox Lake for a time became a general rendezvous for those seeking homes and happiness in this region.

Fort Winnebago, twenty-eight miles distant, was the nearest point at which supplies could be obtained ; and, until the wild soil was tamed and brought within control of the will and industry of man, and the rushing waters of the streams were subdued to his service, tliere were hardships and self-denials endured that the imagination can scarcely comprehend. It was not only before the time of railroads, but, unfortunately, there were few thoroughfares of any description. A Grovernment road had been cut out from Fort Howard to Fort Winnebago, passing within a few miles of the Brower settlement. This afforded the only outlet to civilization on the north. Watertown and Milwaukee had wagon-road communication, but there were no means of reaching the former place from Fo.x Lake as late as 1843, except by driving through the woods, over rivers and ridges. ,The first to undertake this difficult journey were Jacob P. Brower, his son George, and Joseph Goetschius, in July, 1839. They started from Fo.x Lake with three yoke of oxen hitched to a " hoosier " wagon, in which there were a few bags of corn. Their destination was Milwaukee. Arriving at Watertown, they met William M. Dennis, who had just reached that point with his ftimily, having left his furniture in Milwaukee, on account of the almost impassable condition of the road. Negotiations were entered into whereby Mr. Dennis' wagon and oxen were made available, and the Brewers and Mr. Goetschius, dividing their original load, went on to Milwaukee, returning to Watertown with Mr. Dennis' household utensils, thence making the journey to Fox Lake through the woods. The round trip was accomplished in eleven days. A public highway was afterward surveyed and established almost over the identical route traversed by Mr. Browei', passing through Rolling Prairie and Oak Grove. It was the principal road through the county from north to south for many years, and the hills and valleys through which it passes have often echoed the hideous shrieks of " Crazy Joe," " Wicked Pete " and Frank Colt.

During the fall of the same year, J. P. and G. W. Brower made a similar, but less adventurous, trip to Waukesha, where they purchased and returned with the first seed wheat sown in the northern portion of the county.

With the abundance of wild game then to be found in forest or plain, there was no scarcity of meat upon the humble tables of the early settlers ; but it was cheaper for them to purchase this commodity of the Indians than to lose the time necessarily required to hunt it. In January, 1840, George W. Brower and his father learning that some Indians, encamped a few miles south of Fox Lake, had a quantity of venison for sale cheap, left their home for the purpose of making the purchase ; but failing to find the red traffickers at the anticipated place, they wandered about until night overtook them, and were compelled to camp out. Building a fire in the branches of a fallen tree, they stretched their weary limbs beside the trunk of the prostrated oak and slumbered. A heavy snowfall occurred during the night, and, on awaking the next morning they found themselves enveloped in a mantle of white. The log beside which they slept lay but a few feet north of the place where the Beaver street bridge now crosses the river, in the city of Beaver Dam. In all probability they were the first white men to pass the night in that locality.

The next settlement made in the county was by Seymour Wilcox; the date, March 20, 1839, one year after the coming of Jacob P. Brower. Mr. Wilcox made a claim on Rock River within what are now the limits of Waupun. He was accompanied by J. N. Ackerman and Hiram Walker.

A greater part of the land upon which the village of Horicon now stands, was entered as early as December, 1838, by ex-Governor Hubbard, of New Hampshire. His claim included a tract of nearly five hundred acres, but the first settlement made at that point was in December, 1845, by Joel Doolittle.

Beaver Dam occupies the third place in point of priority in early settlement, and Thomas Mackie, upon whom the title of Patriarch of Beaver Dam has been bestowed, is doubtless entitled to the honor belonging to the first settler. Mr. Mackie is still in the land of the living, and, with a degree of positiveness that will admit of no contradiction, informs the writer that his was the first cabin erected within the limits of the present site of Beaver Dam. It stood near a spring, known to the present generation as the Mackie Spring, and a street passing near this hallowed spot bears the name of the venerable pioneer. In the construction of his cabin,

Mr. Mackie was aided by his son-in-law,* Joseph Goetschius, who also settled here a few weeks later. The third settler in Beaver Dam was Morris Firmin, and the fourth Jacob P. Brower, the pioneer of Fox Lake.

The settlement of the eastern portion of the county did not begin till 1844-4.5. Judge Hiram Barber located a claim two miles east of Juneau in the spring of 1844, and, in the fall of the same year, John Chandler and family settled a mile west of the present site of Horicon. Chester and E. P. May, and William and Alvin Foster were the founders of Mayville, in the fall and winter of 184.5. In his explorations in that vicinity, Chester May discovered a peculiar red earth which he supposed was a species of mineral paint. He and his brother entered the quarter-section upon which the substance was discovered, and afterward took a small quantity of it to a blacksmith in Illinois, who found it to be iron, and extracted enough metal from it to make a pot-hook. Three tons of the ore was taken to a blast furnace at Mishawaka, Ind., where it was pronounced worthless, as the ore would not separate. Undaunted, Mr. May returned to his home and was soon on his way back to the Hoosier State with ten tons of the mineral. A large portion of this was wasted before the discovery was made that the trouble resulted from using marl for flux, this ore requiring none. Out of the remainder, a stove and crowbar were manufactured, with wiiich the delighted owner returned in triumph. This was the discovery of the ore beds now known as Iron Ridge.

The first birth recorded in the county was that of Ira, son of Seymour Wilcox ; the date of the interesting event, April, 1841. William G. McElroy and a Miss Collins are said to have been the contracting parties in the first wedding in the county, also in 1841. The bridegroom had to travel eighty miles to procure a license. The happy couple made a wedding tour to the house of the bride's father at Emily Lake, in a sleigh drawn by oxen. This was doubtless the first marriage that occurred in the county ; but there was a match matrimonial between Catherine, the Milesian maiden who came to Fox Lake with the Brower family, and a man named Craig, in the winter of 1838-39. The cooing couple went from Mr. Brewer's house in a sleigh to Fort Winnebago, where the ceremony was performed, and, returning, Catherine resumed her duties as domestic. It is believed that Craig did not belong to Dodge County until after his marriage.

Organization

Prior to 1840, Dodge County (which was created by the Territorial Legislature December 7, 1836, and named in honor of Gen. Henry Dodge, then Governor of the Territory) was attached to Milwaukee County "for judicial and other purposes." The county government was organized in pursuance of an act passed January 13, 1840 ; and, at an election held the first Monday of the following month, John W. Cole, Peter V. Brown, of Watertown, and Morris Firmin, of Fox Lake, were chosen County Commissioners ; Luther A. Cole, Treasurer ; William M. Dennis, Register, and John Fowler and Samuel B. Vinton, Assessors. The Commissioners held their first meeting March 2, at the house of Hamilton Stevens, in Fox Lake. Morris Firmin was chosen Chairman, and William M. Dennis, Clerk of the Board. In consequence of the absence of Luther Cole (who was, at that time, cutting steamboat wood in Arkansas), Hamilton Stevens was appointed Treasurer to fill the vacancy. The house of William M. Dennis, of the Fifth Ward of Watertown, was designated for the offices of Register and Clerk. The regular April and July meetings of the Board were directed to be held at the same place, and those of October and January at the place they were then sitting.

As a matter of history, as well as fact, it may be well to state that the first election held n Dodge County was not entirely free from party strife. The Whigs and Democrats were about equally divided, or near enough so to make the election an interesting one. The inevitable county seat question, then just bud<ling into a first-class political issue, also entered into the contest. Both Fox Lake and Watertown had the county seat fever, and this very naturally created, within the county, a "solid south" and a "solid north." In point of population, the prospects were in favor of the latter, but the result was a great surprise to the dominant faction. There were two polling-places - one at the house of Hamilton Stevens, in Fox Lake, and the other at the house of William M. Dennis, in the Fifth Ward of Watertown. Each party had its ticket, made up from the respective constituencies, and when the ballots were counted, and the people of Fo.x Lake found themselves beaten by a majority of seven, they were sadly impressed, and concluded that Watertown- must be gaining rapidly in population; but it was only a little piece of political strategy on the part of that good and great man, William M. Dennis, who had entertained fifteen of Cole, Bailey & Co.'s mill-hands the night before the election, and voted them the next morning; that was all. The south was "solid" to the extent of 22 votes, while the north polled but 15.

At the next meeting of the Board (in April), Luther A. Cole (who had made a stake in Arkansas and returned to his home), and Jacob P. Brower. were appointed Assessors in the place of Fowler and Vinton, who failed to qualify. At the July meeting, the Board levied a four-mill tux, and, in October, elected Edmund S. Bailey as Collector. From the statement made by the Board at their January session, 1841, it appears that the tax levy amounted to ^159.58, of which ^102.71 had been collected, and that the county expenditures had been ^12(3.40 during the year, in addition to which, the percentage due Jefferson County and the Territory made the sum total of liabilities $1.52. .32. The sum due Jefferson County was for court expenses. Dodge being attached to that county for judicial purposes during the previous year and until it was fully organized, when it was assigned to the Third Judicial District, by an act which took effect March 1, 1844.

The above facts and figures are taken from private records still in existence. The unfortunate destruction of the county's papers by fire, in September, 1877, has caused no small amount of annoyance to the compiler in completing this important chapter of the history, and, for the following names and dates, he is chiefly indebted to Luther A. Cole, of AVatertown ; Judge Hiram Barber and the Hon. J. B. Hays, of Horicon ; G. W. Brower and the Hon. Benjamin Ferguson, of Fox Lake ; the Hon. H. W. Lander and the Hon. David C. Gowdey, of Beaver Dam, and Judge E. C. Lewis and Richard Mertz, of Juneau :

In 1842, John W. Cole, John W. Fowlej" and Peter V. Brown, were chosen County Commissioners. Hamilton Stevens and Wdliam M. Dennis, continued to hold the offices of Treasurer and Clerk and Register, respectively, whether by reelection or sanction of the Board cannot be positively ascertained. The meetings of the Commissioners were held at the places before mentioned until July, 1843, when they met in the present town of Oak Grove, in pursuance of an election on the fir.^t of May previous ; but, in January, 1844, Fox Lake was made the county seat. An act of the Legislature, approved February 13, 1845, provided for its permanent location at the geographical center of the county, as soon as the owners of the land should lay out a suitable village plat of forty acres. The site soon after platted, in compliance with this condition, was first named Victory (in commemoration of the defeat of the Fox Lake county seat champions), but was recorded as Dodge Center, which was subsequently changed to Juneau, in honor of Solomon Juneau.

On the 1st of March, 1844, by an act of the Territorial Legislature, Dodge County was divided, judicially, from Jefferson, and, in April of that year, the first full county ticket for county ofiicers was elected, as follows : Sheriff, Peter V. Brown : Treasurer, Amasa Hyland ; Register of Deeds, Isaac Noyes ; Clerk of the Board and Clerk of the Court (the latter office by appointment by the Judge), William M. Dennis; District Attorney (also by appointment), Charles S. Bristol ; Surveyor, Jacob P. Brower ; Commissioners, Hamilton Stevens, J. P. Brower and Thomas McCaughey.

This Board of officers (with the exception of Sheriff, who held until the fall of 1846) remained in office till the fall of 1845, when an election took place with the following result : Treasurer, James A. Williams ; Register of Deeds, Jacob P. Brower ; Clerk of the Board and Clerk of the Court (appointed), William M. Dennis ; District Attorney (appointed), A. C. Ketcbam ; Surveyor, Judson Prentice.

In the spring of 1846, Sheriff Brown resigned, and G. W. Brower, who was Brown's Under Sheriff, was appointed by Governor Dodge to fill the vacancy.

1846 - Sheriff, David Lewis; Treasurer, Samuel Drown; Register, * J. P. Brower; Clerk, of the Board, William M. Dennis ; Clerk of the Court (appointed), W. H. Lander ; District Attorney (appointed), A. C. Ketcham ; Surveyor, Judson Prentice.

1848 - Sheriff, Whitman Sayles ; Treasurer, John C. Lewis ; Register, Clark Lawton ; Clerk of the Board, John Lowth ; Clerk of the Court, W. H. Lander ; District Attorney, E. C. Lewis ; Surveyor, -Judson Prentice.

18-50 - Sheriff, Mortimer Sayles ; Treasurer, John C. Lewis ; Register, Edwin Giddings ; Clerk of the Board, -John Lowth ; Clerk of the Court, J. B. Ribble ; District Attorney, E. C. Lewis ; Surveyor, Artimedorus IngersoU. ''

1852 - Sheriff, Benjamin Ferguson ; Treasurer, Leonard Mertz ; Register, Narcisse M. Juneau; Clerk of the Board, Edmund Sweeney: Clerk of the Court, John B. Ribble; District Attorney, E. C. Lewis ; Surveyor, William M. Morse.

18-54 - Sheriff, Mortimer Sayles; Treasurer, f Leonard Mertz; Register, Paul Juneau; Clerk of the Board, Edmund Sweeney ; Clerk of the Court, H. D. Patch ; District Attorney, E. C. Lewis; Surveyor, William M. Morse.

1856 - Sheriff, 0. S. Phelps ; Treasurer, Allen H. Atwater ; Register, Lucas S. Van Orden ; Clerk of the Board, John C. Halliger ; Clerk of the Court, Samuel Noyes ; District Attorney, William H. Butterfield ; Surveyor, H. H. Case.

1858 - Sheriff, ;{:D. L. Townsend ; Treasurer, A. H. Atwater ; Register, Dike W. Hall ; Clerk of the Board, John C. Halliger; Clerk of the Court, James Thorn; District Attorney, William H. Butterfield ; Surveyor, George H. Walthers.

1860 - Sheriff, George W. Brower ; Treasurer, Clark Lawton ; Register, Fred. W. De Lorrae ; Clerk of the Board, J. C. Halliger ; Clerk of the Court, James Thorn ; Distrist Attorney, A. J. Rising ; Surveyor, W. M. Morse.

1862 - Sheriff, Columbus Germain ; Treasurer, Michael Ames; Register, Richard Mertz; Clerk of the Board, Charles End ; Clerk of the Court, James B. Hays ; District Attorney, H. W. Lander ; Surveyor, William M. Morse.

1864 - Shei'iff, William L. Parker ; Treasurer, Lawrence Connor ; Register, Richard Mertz ; Clerk of the Board, Charles End ; Clerk of the Court, James B. Hays ; District Attorney, A. J. Rising ; Surveyor, William M. Morse.

1866 - Sheriff, Columbus Germain ; Treasurer, Jacob Bodden ; Register, Richard Mertz ; Clerk of the Board, John J. Thornton ; Clerk of the Court, John Lowth ; District Attorney, Edward Elwell ; Surveyor, W. M. Morse.

1868 - Sheriff, Charles E. Goodwin; Treasurer, Jacob Bodden; Register, William Oestreich ; Clerk of the Board, John J. Thornton ; Clerk of the Court, John Lowth ; District Attorney, Edward Elwell ; Surveyor, W. M. Morse.

1870 - Sheriff, Henry Bertram; Treasurer, E. C. McFetridge ; Register, §William Oestreich; Clerk of the Board, James Higgins; Clerk of the Court, John Lowth; District Attorney, IJA. J. Rising ; Surveyor, Judson Prentice.

1872 - Sheriff, John Leslie; Treasurer, August Wagner; Register, Richard Mertz; Clerk of the Board, Warren Marston ; Clerk of the Court, John Lowth ; District Attorney, S. W. Lamoreux; Surveyor, W. M. Morse.

1874 - Sheriff, Charles End ; Treasurer, Ody W. Traynor ; Register, Christian Hemmy ; Clerk of the Board, Warren Marston ; Clerk of the Court, John Lowth ; District Attorney, -James B. Hays ; Surveyor, ^W. M. Morse.

1876 - Sheriff, Jacob Bodden ; Treasurer, Ody W. Traynor ; Register, Chi-istian Hemmy ; Clerk of the Board, Ferdinand Gnewuch ; Clerk of the Court, Eugene O'Connor ; District Attorney, James B. Hays ; Surveyor, G. W. Morse.

1878 - Sheriff, J. L. Rix ; Treasurer, George Schott; Register, Christian Henimy; Clerk of the Board, John Solon ; Clerk of the Court, James E. Malone ; District Attorney, James B. Hays ; Surveyor, G. W. IMorse.

The Stjpekvisors

With commendable foresight, Sherman & Gowdey, editors of the Beaver Dam Argus, have preserved copies of the printed proceedings of the County Board of Supervisors for the past eighteen years, and we are thereby enabled to give an almost complete list of those serving on the Board since 1860. The system of town representation, then as now, was in vogue - the Chairman of the Town Supervisors, elected in April of each year, serving on the County Board.

At the annual session of the Board held at Juneau November 12, 1861, the following members were present : From the town of Ashippun, George Sanford : town of Beaver Dam, F. H. Kribs; Burnett, A. Lockwood ; Calamus, P. V. Dunn; Chester, Isaac M. Fowler; Clyman, Connor Dempsey ; Elba, George H. Adams ; Emmet, Lawrence Connor ; Fox Lake (town), Stephen Collins, as a substitute for D. J. Pulling ; Herman, Jarius R. Cole ; Hubbard, John W. Stillman ; Hustisford, August Boeing ; Lebanon, John Douglass : Le Roy, Oscar Terry ; Lomira, F. C. Wilson ; Lowell, W. H. Green ; Oak Grove, Charles Billinghurst ; Portland, Dearborn Clark ; Rubicon, N. S. Conklin ; Shields, James Higgins ; Thei-esa, William Milbrot ; Trenton, C. C. Ammaok ; Westford, Oliver Ashley : Williamstown, Jacob St. John ; Beaver Dam City (First. Second and Fourth Wards vacanc), Henry Stultz; Watertown, Philip Piper ; Waupun. L. J. Preston : Fox Lake (village), Benjamin Ferguson ; Horicon, William Decker.

In 1862 (changed to District System, and Supervisors chosen in November, 1861, at the election for Assemblymen) ; First District, Miles Burnham ; Second, George Price ; Third, Lawrence Connor (Chairman); Fourth, Jacob Bodden ; Fifth, George Newton. The seats of Messrs. Burnham and Newton, from the First and Fifth Districts, were successfully contested by J. W. Davis and William M. Morse.

This Board was re-elected in 1862, and served till November, 186-3, with Jacob Bodden as Chairman, when its members were succeeded by Hiram Sawyer, Chairman, William M. Morse, Andrew Willard, John W. Davis and .John C. Bishop.

The succeeding Board, elected in November, 1864, was the same, with the exception of Mr. Davis, P. V. Dunn being returned instead. Mr. Sawyer was Chairman.

This Board, it appears, served till April, 1870, when the old system of town representation having been adopted, the following named individuals were elected : From the town of Portland, L. P. Knowlton ; Calamus, J. C. Clark ; Westford, Michael McKenna ; Fox Lake, G. W. Brower ; Trenton, B. F. Gibbs ; Beaver Dam, M. E. Babcock ; Lowell, W. H. Green ; Shields, John Solon; Emmet, E. O'Connor; Clyman, Th. Schmidt; Oak Grove, A. H. Atwater ; Burnett, J. S. Church ; Chester, D. L. Bancroft ; Le Roy, H. Barnes ; Williamstown, August Schelpfeffer; Hubbard, Carl Hanf; Hustisford, A. M. Greene ; Lebanon, F. Gnewuch ; Ashippun, John Leslie ; Rubicon, W. M. Morse ; Herman, J. R. Merrill ; Theresa, Adolph Fickert ; Lomira, B. P. Bishop. Cities and villages : Beaver Dam - First Ward, Ed. Hohl ; Second Ward, Th. Huth ; Third Ward, E. C. McFetridge; Fourth Ward, Chas. Burchard. Watertown

Letter From An Old Settler

The following very interesting chapter of reminiscences is from the pen of James H. AVarren, now a resident of Swan Lake City, Emmet County, Iowa, who was the first settler in the town of Hubbard, Dodge County. Mr. Warren once wrote an extended history of this county, but, unfortunately, his manuscript was destroyed by fire, together with other valuables. Appreciating the importance of a work of this character, Mr. W. kindly and willingly consented to draw upon his memory for a few facts relative to pioneer days in Wisconsin. By a perusal of his letter, many of Mr. Warren's old Dodge County acquaintances will discover that he has been

IT. C. Hansbkougii, Esq. - Dear Sir: Youvs of October 29 is received. My time is very much occupied at jiresent, but feeling a lively interest in the work in which you are now engaged, I will endeavor to call up some reminiscences of the past, and hope the substance thereof may find a place in your valuable work, so as to live in the future. As I was not the first settler in the county, and my MS. record of the early days is lost, I can speak positively only of such matters as came under my own observation. Of matters pertaining to the settlement previous to May, 184-5, you will he obliged to seek information from others. Not having visited Dodge County for many years past, I know not who, among the old pioneers, may now be living, or, if living, where now located. I will name a few who, if living, could give you much valuable information : Hon. Hiram Barber, A. H. Atwater, Ethan Owen, Waldo and Durkie Lyon, George and Ranslow Smith, Morris Grout, E. C. Lewis, Silas Grover, Silas Hemstreet, Garry Taylor, .James Rogers, Dr. Stoddard .ludd, Alvin and William Foster, Amasa Hyland, Chester May, .Solomon, Narcisse and Paul Juneau, Lucas S. Van Orden, H. D. Patch, Robert Whittaker, Lathrop Horton, Martin Rich, Sr., Alfred Wheelock, and many others whose names I do not now recall. Those above named are such as I call to mind, irrespective of locality, as being among the old pioneers.

Dodge County was organized in 18-14, under the Territorial Government. It was thirty miles square, containing, in round numbers, 900 square miles, and it was provided that it could never be subdivided so as to reduce its area below 900 square miles. Efforts have since been made to divide the county, but have invariably been met by the Constitutional barrier above referred to ; hence its boundaries still remain unchanged.

The first white settlers located in the county about the year 1838, or perhaps a year later. But I desire to go back of this date and relate an incident or two, given me by Narcisse Juneau, at the time I was collecting matter for the history which I prep.ared in 1859 and 1860. There are two towns in the county bearing the names of two daring frontiersmen, viz., Burnett and Clyman. In 1837, these men started from Milwaukee on a hunting and trapping expedition into the then unsettled part of the Territory now known as Dodge County, which at this period contains a white population considerably in excess of forty thousand. Before leaving Milwaukee, they agreed with Solomon Juneau that his son, Narcisse, then a lad of ten or twelve years, should accompany them to act in the capacity of interpreter with the Indians. After the departure of the party, Mrs. Juneau was so troubled with forebodings of evil that she persuaded Solomon to send a friendly Indian on the trail. He overlook the party on the old Milwaukee and Fond du Lac trail, about twenty miles out from Milwaukee, and returned the lad in safety to his anxious mother. Burnett and Clyman proceeded on their journey to the point where the trail crossed the Ossian or East Fork of Rock River, and where the picturesque little village of Theresa now stands. Here they purchased a canoe from the Indians, intending to make their way down the Fork to the Great Winnebago Marsh, afterward known as Lake Horicon. A little before sunset, they had reached a point in the river, called the " 0.\ Bow," in what is now the town of Theresa. The men had hauled up their canoe, started a fire, and Burnett had stepped a short distance away to gether some dry branches for fuel, wlien both men were fired upon by Indians. Burnett was shot dead ou the spot, and Clyman was wounded. By this time it was nearly dark, .and Clyman, seeing no safety except in instant flight, ran at his best speed, hotly pursued by one of the Indians. The darkness increased as he fled from his pursuer, until it was with the greatest difficulty that he avoided injury to himself from coming in contact with trees. He finally came to a large tree that had fallen and lay directly in his way. Leaping over, he dropped behind and partially under it (the Indian jumping over hini and passing on), where he lay concealed till about midniglit, wlien he resumed his flight and after several days' wandering made his way b.ack to Milwaukee. The two Indians who pursued the white men and killed Burnett, afterward told Mr. Juneau the story, fully corroborating the statement as given by Clyman.

About this time, the Indians held a great council, to take into consideration a project for the utter extermination of all the white settlers then in the Territory. This great council was held on the high mound on Rolling Prairie, a little distance north of the old George Smith farm, Solomon .Iune.au, then at Milwaukee, knowing of the council and its object, made his way to the spot. After quietly listening to the "talk" of the red men, he then addressed the council, telling them of the great power and resources of the white men; that, though their plan might be temporarily successful, the final end could be none other than disastrous to the Indians. Mr. Juneau was regarded as a great and good man by the Indians, and, after mature deliberation, his advice was followed, the council dispersed, and the early settlements in the Territory were saved from the horrors of a terrible Indian massacre. The descendants of the early pioneers of Wisconsin owe to Solomon Juneau a debt of gratitude, the magnitude of which few have any idea.

I come now to speak of the first settlement of a few towns which came under my own observation, and of which I can speak positively, .-\mong the first settlers in Fairfiehl (now Oak Grove, I think) were ICthan Owen, .Morris Grout, William Pratt, B. .Snow, Richard F, Rising, J.ames Riley, Allen H. Atwater, John Warren, .Martin

The first whites that settled in the town of Hubbard were Mrs. Deliglit Warren, Edwin Warren, C. F. Warren, wife and one child, J. H. Warren, Mrs. Louisa H. Cornell (widow i and daughter, Edwin Giddlngs, wife and one child, and .liiiues Broughton. This little colony located on Section 5, Town No. 11 north. Range 16 east, the date of settlement being May 19, 184.j. During the summer and fall of that year, quite a colony of Germans made choice of the southern portion of this township, so that at the first town meeting, held at my house on the 7th day of April, 1846, something over thirty votes were polled. Dui'ing the winter of 1846-47, William M. Larrabee, who had purchased from Gov. Hubbai-d, of New Hampshire, a large tract of land on Section 6, commenced building the dam at Horieon, at about the same time laying out the village of that name. He also built a large house of tamarack logH, one part of which was used for a store and the other for a dwelliug-housc. H. B. Marsh opened the fii'st blacksmithshop. Tlie witcr-power and unfinished dam soon passed into the hands of Martin Kich & Sons, who completed the improvement, and, for many years afterward, did a profitable business. The dam was built by Joel R. Doolittle, myself and brother furnisliing all the plank for the flumes.

The town of Williamstown, of which Mayville is the principal village, was first opened up to white settlers in May, 18l-">. by Alvin and William Foster, and Chester .May. These gentlemen selected tlie site for their mills, commenced llie dam and built the saw-mill in the summer of 184.3. Tlie saw-mill frame was raised in the fall of that year, the running-gear put in and the work of sawing lumber commenced some time in November or December. The flouring-mill was put up by the same company a year later. In January, 1848, John Orr, James White and Skidmore E. Letferls, froai the Mishawaka Iron Works purchased the extensive iron-ore beds located in Hubbard and Herman Townships and commenced the erection of the iron furnace at Mayville. Nearly a whole year was consumed in building it. As soon as the furnace was well at work, a plank-road was projected and built from Mayville to (Joonomowoc. The year previous to making the improvements just refei'red to, Samuel Jewett built a large sawmill in tliis township, at a place now called Kekoskee. The water-power at Kekoskee was first selected in the summer of 184-5, by .Stephen Walkley, who sold his claim to Jewett.

Late in the fall of 1845, two men called at the house of the writer hereof and stated that they were looking for land. One of the men appeared to be an Englishman, stout built, .and seemingly in possession of considerable money. His traveling companion had every appearance of a hard char.acter. They remainel a short time and then resumed their course, following the old trail northward. As such occurrences were very IVei-iuent. nothing was thought of it and the fact was nearly forgotten. But the next summer there transpired an event that called all those c.rcumstances fresh into remembrance. James Fletcher and another man were making hay on the borders of the ilreat Winnebago Marsh near the place where the East Fork enters the marsh. In passing to and from their work. I hey had to cross a small creek near where the old trail crossed. Here, hidden under the banks, they discovered the body of a man in the last stages of decomposition. As soon as it could be done, a post-mortem examination was had, with the usual result in such cases. It was evident that the deceased came to his death by violence, the skull having been fractured by a heavy blow, but by whom no one knew. The clothing found around the remains, also the height as appeared by the skeleton, answered the description of the Englislinian before alluded to. I do not remember that any inquiry was ever made for the man.

Lathrop Horion, with his wife, one son and two d.aughtcrs, was the first white man who settled in the town of Herman. The date of his settlement was March, 1846. The first couple married in Herman were the writer hereof and Miss Augusta B. Horton, daughter of the above-named pioneer. I he event took place on the 16th day of September. 1846, James Broughton, Esq., officiating, and every family then living in the two towns - Herman and Huhbai"d - being witnesses of the ceremimy. In the course of the summer of 1846, quite a large number of Germans came and settled in this township, and a little later ihe Cole .Settlement" was begun, in the southeastern corner of the township, at a place now known as Woodland .Station, on the Milwaukee & La Crosse Railroad. The township filled up very rapidly with a good class of German farmers who have developed the hidden riches of the soil and made it in agricultural import.ance one of the first towns in the county.

In the spring of 184-5, a gentleman by the name of Cotton commenced the erection of a dam on the Rubicon, at what is now the village of 'Neosho. But before the mill was far advanced, the whole property passed into the hands of Lucus S Van Orden, who finished the work and laid out the village. By his business energy and steady perseverance, Mr. Van Orden succeeded in building up a lively place and a prosperous business.

Late in the fall of 1844, or early in the winter of 1844-4-5, John Ilustis, formerly of Milwaukee, began erecting a dam on Rock River, .at Hustis' Rapids, now Ilustisford. Mr. Hustis not being a practical mill man, the work progressed rather tardily, but was finally finished, the mills being built and operated with good profit to'the proprietor. .Some difficulty arose between the proprietors of Husti?furd and those at Horieon, during the spring of 1846, on account of the back-water from the HustisforJ dam. and, if my memory is not at fault, the dam was cut down a little so as to prevent its flowing back into the Horieon mills.

the early pioneers of Dodge County, it freq>iently happened that two or three men fell desperately in love with the same piece of land. In all such cases, it turned out tlrat the fellow who could get to the Land Office with his mo'-ey first was thelucky one. These little contests were known as " Green Bay races," theU. S. Land (Office then being at Green Bay. I have a ilistinct recolle-jiion of some of those trials of speed and endurance. In 1844, there were, at Oak Grove, three or four individu,als who each wanted a certain tract of land. I cannot now call to mind the names of all the interested pai-ties, but will relate the circumstance, and undoubiedly some old settler " can supply the names. Two men, each believing that no one but himself knew his errand, had started for Green Bay, to enter the aforesaid tract of land. About dark on that same day, it having become known that two men were on the road to the Land Office, and both after the same piece of land, Kichard F. Rising said to one James Riley, that he (Rising) would furnish the money, and pay a very liberal sum besides, to any man who would get to Green B.ay and enter that land ahead of those who had already been several hours on the road, and well mounted. The reply of Mr.

Riley was, "Give me the money to pay for the land, and if I fail it shan't cost you a cent." The money was forthcoming, and Riley, after laying in a full supply of crackers and cheese, started within fifteen minutes after the words were spoken. Taking a kind of "dog-trot," as he expressed it, he struck out in the darkness of night, and before the next day dawned had passed both the mounted men. Never halting, except to drink from some cool spring or clear brook that came in his way, he made the distance (ninety miles), entered the land in question, and the next day, while on his way back, met the two horsemen, crowding their horses to the full extent of their powers. Mr. Riley is still living, near Rochester, Minn. Mr. Rising passed to his final rest many years ago.

One more incident of this nature, in which llie writer of this article cut a somewhat conspicuous figure. In the beginning of February, 1S48, with my young wife and infant daughter, one week old, I was sitting at the breakfast table, when suddenly the door opened, and in walked, or rather leaped, my friend Charles Taylor. He was not long in slating his business. He said that three men - to wit, Garwood Green, Kufus Allen and George Varnum, had already gone on their way to the Land Office, to jump his claim, an eighty acres of choice land that he had held as a pre-emption for a year or more. Each of the men wanted the land for himself, and fondly believed that he was the only man living who knew aught of his errand. But their departure, as well as their business, became known very early in the day, and Mr. Taylor set out for me, knowing that J.ames White, a member of the Wisconsin Iron Company, had left money with me to purchase for the Company some choice timber-land. The eighty acres in question was just what the Company wanted, and Mr. Taylor deeming the chance for getting his right from the Company better than from speculators of the kind to which Mr. Green belonged, desired me to go to Green Bay and enter the land. In just fifteen minutes after Taylor came into the house, I departed on my errand of justice. Taking a lunch for dinner, I struck out on the old Indian tr.ail for Fond du Lac, and reached that hamlet about sunset, without having seen any one on the way. Putting up at the " Badger House," then the largest hotel in the place, I there found all my competitors ; and not only slept in the room, but actually slept in the same bed with one of them, without exciting the least suspicion of my business. Next morning, I started for Green Bay, which point I reached, entered the land, and made several miles on my way back before meeting Mr. Cireen. He never guessed what was my business until lie laid upon the counter of the receiver (Elisha Morrow) the numbers of land he desired to enter, when he was modestly informed that the particular tract had been entered by Mr. Warren on the previous day. The Iron Company was glad enough to get the land, it being covered with a heavy growth of hard maple timber, which the Company wanted for making charcoal. They did the square thing by Mr. Taylor, paying him handsomely for his claim.

The first marriage ceremony performed in the town of Hubbard took place at my house, and was of a very primitive character. Joseph Hall, Esq., of Walworth County, and Miss Lydia M. Warren, of Hubbard, were to be united in the bonds of matrimony. The time was set for January 2t>, 1846, (he guests all present and waiting for the appearance of the magistrate. The nearest officer, clothed with authority to perfoi-m such ceremony, was Barnabas Snow, Esq., of Oak Grove, thirteen miles distant. Mr. Snow had been called upon, and had promised to be on hand. But, as frequently happens in tlie course of "true love" aflairs, a big snow-storm set in on the morning of the 2tJth, and Mr. Snow being somewhat advanced in years, the result was, no officer of the law was there present to unite two loving hearts and make them beat as one. After waiting till late in the evening, and it then appearing cert.ain that Mr. Snow would not come, and Mr. Hall's business rendering it necessary for him to return as soon as possible, and not liking the thought of returning without his bride, Collins Bishop came to the relief of the anxiously waiting party with a proposition that the couple marry IhimselvPH. Mr. Hall, himself a Justice of the Peace, and knowing that such marriage would be in all respects legal and binding, took the bride elect by the hand and called the party to witness that "I take this woman to he my lawfully wedded wife," etc. The lady then declared in the presence of the witnesses there assembled, " I take this man to be my lawfully wedded husband," etc. The union proved to be a hap]iy one, neither of the contracting parties ever having occasion to regret the steps then taken.

In the pioneer days, it was not always the case that the best men were selected to fill posts of honor. In truth, it was not always that t/ood mnlerial was at hand with which to fill all offices of trust. Men were frequently elected .Justices of the Peace, whose aptness to judge of the qualities of whisky far exceeded their ability to judge of law or to deiei-mine questions of right and wrong. One instance of this kind I now remember having recorded in my manuscript history of Dodge County. In the town of Neosho, near where the village of that name now stands, was a certain Justice of the Peace by the name of Bickford. In the trial of his first case, His Honor became sadly " mixed up." Between his frequent potations of raw whisky and the fearful wrangling of two pettifoggers who slaughtereil the law with relentless tongues, and whose knowledge of Blackstone was confined to hearsay, the said Bickford became so muddled before the close of the trial that he determined to dispose of the case in a new and unheard-of fashion. First, he ordered the Constable to p,ay all the costs. Then in a solemn and impressive manner he burned his docket and closed the performance by deliher.ately swallowing the contents of his ink-horn.

In 1844-45, the Winnebago Indians were somewhat troublesome, though not in open hostility. The settlements then in infancy, scattered over an extensive area, the men poorly supplied with arms and in no condition for defensive warfare, rendered the red men bold and aggressive. In the early part of 184-5, Hon. Hiram Barber, who had entered a large tract of land on Rock River, about two miles east of the present county seat, had commenced making improvements upon his lands. The body of a log-house had been put up, and Mr. Barber was then keeping "bach," as many of the early settlers were obliged to do. One day a large party of "reds" of both sexes, but with a preponderance of " bucks," came to Mr. Barber's cabin. After asking for and receiving a considerable quantity of " cocushigan " (commonly pronounced by the whites, "quashkin." meaning bread), they began a system of appropriations quite inconsistent with the legal ideas of the proprietor of the goods. When the .Judge remonstrated against their unlawful proceedings, two of the old " bucks" attacked him with the manifest intent to " lay him out," and take whatever they pleased. One of the " bucks ' had got possession of a new pitchfork that had been left Standing outside the building, and with that instrument he made an attempt to slaughter his intended victim. The Judge, then nearly forty years younger than now. instantly comprehending the situation, seized the pitchfork, and, wrencbing it from the hands of his foe, dealt the red devil a blow on the head that felled him to the ground, broke the fork-handle in twain, and, for the moment, so far intimidated his assailants as to give him time to jump into his cabin and bar the door before any of the parly came to the relief of their fallen champion. Once inside the cabin, he seized his trusty rifle, and when the whole crowd, male and female, resumed the attack, they soon ascertained that the tables were fairly turned on them, and that it was "puckachee" or die. None of them being just then anxious for a peep into the "happy hunting-grounds," very wisely and suddenly concluded to puckachee. Thus ended wliat might have proved to be a bloody tragedy but for the pluck displayed by .ludge Barber. I might relate other incidents of a like character, in which myself and young wife were conspicuous actors, but fearing that it might be deemed egotistical, prefer to drop the subject.

Social gatherings, where they "tripped the light fantastic toe" from early candle-light till next day's dawn, became quite common as soon as the population was sufficient to admit of such gatherings, by taking in the whole county for fifteen or twenty miles around. For several years, there were no violinists nearer than Watertown, except the writer and Lathrop Horton. These two gentlemen did all the " cat-gut scraping" for the country round about for several years, and until better players came to take their places. Yet it is a notable fact, and we often hear it alluded to by those who took part iu the associations of those days, that the dance was much more enjoyable than the new-fangled dances and stifl" manners of what is commonly termed the " refined etiquette " of the ballroom of the present day. Then there was a union of purpose for mutual protection and enjoyment. All occupied one common level, and no such thing as caste was known among us. Every man and woman stood on his or her good behavior.

As has been the case in the opening-up of all this Western country for settlement, designing speculators - " land-sharks " - made a business of informing themselves as to the choicest tracts of land pre-empted by honest and industrious, but poor men, and then quietly stepping up to the land office, enter the claim. This system had been carried on to such an extent, in the early settlement of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and the southern part of Wisconsin, that it came to be looked upon as little better than " piracy on the high seas." Some of the early settlers in Dodge having already experienced some of the ruinous results of such proceedings, determined to bar the doors, if possible, against a recurrence of the evil. Accordingly, in some towns, particularly in Hubbard and Herman, the people formed themselves into " Protection Societies " for mutual aid in cases such as are above alluded to. TheConstitution, By-Laws, Rules and Regulations of these societies, constituting the written portion of the work, were all carefully drawn, so that if they should, by any chance, fall into the hands of our enemies, there would be nothing that could be construed to mean intended violence, or any attempt to resist the peaceful operations of the law. But it was the unwritten portion of our work where the " fun came iu." Each regular member was provided with a hideouslooking mask made of unbleached cotton cloth, and trimmed with red around the mouth and black around the eyes. Each member was likewise provided with a " frock" of the same material. The idea of this kind of uniform was borrowed from the " Anti-Renters,'' some of whom were members of our order, and had but recently come from the exciting scenes in the anti-rent district of Eastern New York. One of these men once told the writer that he witnessed the " taking-oS"' of " Bub" Steele, a Sheriff who was shot and killed by the Anti-Renters. When attired in full uniform, the " Protectionists " were a terror to evil-doers ; hence it is not surprising that jne fellow in Herman, who had been guilty of a little crookedness in the matter of a neighbor's pre-emption, when visited by a dozen or more of these vigilantes, ran as for dear life, and afterward, in trying to describe the affair, denominated them as " white devils." The existence of these societies had a wholesome efl'ect in Dodge County, and the class of landsharks before alluded to very soon came to know that the east side of Rock River, in Dodge County, was a very unhealthy locality for fellows of that ilk.

During the summers of 1845 and 1846, vast quantities of rich prairie lands were broken up. In the fall of 1846, ague prevailed throughout the county to such an alarming extent that there were not well people enough to take care of the sick. No apparent cause for the prevalence of ague in 1846, more than in any other season, seemed to exist, unless it was attributable to the decomposition of such vast quantities of vegetable matter, the result of much new breaking. Taking into account the population at that date, as compared with any subsequent year, 1846 was the most unhealthy season ever known in Dodge County.

But, Mr. Editor, I fear I am " boring" you. I was not aware that I could remember so much of forty years ago, without the assistance of a single scrap of any kind of record to refresh my memory. Yet I find, on sitting down to this work, I am compelled to sift fine, lest I string out too much. Could I have had three months' notice, 1 coufd have made a much more readable article. Now if you should conclude to insert this simply as a letter containing some reminiscences of early times, you are at liberty so to use it ; or if you think it too long or too scattering iu its make-up, you are equally at liberty to cull out such passages as will best answer the design of your work, and throw the remainder into your waste-basket. I will now endeavor to comply with your request for a sketch of my life up to this date.

I was born in Eden, Erie Co., N. Y., September 4, 1820, and am now past 59 years of age; my father, Obed Warren, was never overburdened with an excess of worldly goods, and, indeed, I do not think he ever cared much about wealth. He was devoutly religious, and cared more for the society of a family and friends than for riches of a worldly nature. From the age of five to eleven, I went to the " district school as it was," where I learned to read, a little of geography, a little of writing, and so much of mathematics as I could pick up by hearing higher classes recite. This w.as the sum total of my school education - the remainder, if any, has been gained from reading and observation. At the age of fourteen, my father, with his family, removed to Cherry Valley, in Ashtabula County, Ohio, where my four elder brothers had gone the year previous, to open up a new farm in the heavy timber-lands of that portion of Ohio. Here I labored hard in clearing away the heavy timber until about the 1st of April, 1845, when, with my widowed mother, two brothers and two sisters, I emigrated to the then Territory of Wisconsin, selecting my home in Dodge County, one and a half miles east of the present village of Horicon. Being one of the first settlers in Hubbard Township, and having taken a lively interest in the settlement and development of the county, I wag chosen Town Clerk at the first town meeting held. From th.at time until the spring of 1859, I was chosen to some office nearly every year. On the ICth of September, 1846. I was married to Miss Augusta B. Horton (then only fifteen years of age), with whom I have lived happily to the present time. Our union has been blessed with three children, a daughter and two sons. The daughter is married, and lives near us. The two sons are both printers, the eldest being foreman in the Upper Des Moines office at Algona, the other, foreman in the Northein Vindicator office at Estherville. From 184(1 to 186(5, I worked principally at carpenter or millwright work. In June, 1859, I removed with my family to Arcadia, Trempeleau Co., Wis., where I remained about four years. It was at this place, in March, 1860, that my house and all its contents, including my " History of Dodge County," then in manuscript, was destroyed by fire. This was a very serious loss of several thousand dollars' worth of property, including a choice and carefully selected library of over four hundred volumes. This library 1 had been thirty-iive years in collecting, and it contained a number of volumes then out of print, and which I have never been able to replace. In March, 1862,1 removed to Eau Claire City, Wis., where I was employed most of the time through the summer seasons in the capacity of millwright in the extensive mills of Daniel Shaw & Co. My winters were passed in the pineries, hewing square timber and scaling logs. In May, 1866, I sold all my possessions in Eau Claire, built a flatboat of capacity sufficient to carry my family and goods, and in it made my way down the Chippewa to the Mississippi, and thence to Dubuque, Iowa. There I sold my boat, and, by rail, came to Iowa Falls, and thence by wagons to Algona. My eldest son, then about fourteen years of age, had commenced learning the " art preservative of all arts," and on his account I bought the Upper Bes Moines office, for $600, paying but a small installment down. Previous to this dale, November, 1866, I had never written more than two or three newspaper articles. But throwing my whole energy into the enterprise, together with the faithful labor of my son, who took the entire charge of the mechanical department, we succeeded in making it one of the largest and (though modesty should forbid me from saying it) best newspapers in Northern Iowa. We enlarged the paper from 24 to 28 columns, and again from 28 to 32, and finally from 32 to 36 columns, all the time increasing the patronage and circulation of the paper in proportion to its size. In 1872, I sold the old Washington pre.ss, the same being the/rs< press ever put upon Iowa soil, and replaced it with a $2,000 Potter power-press, together with all other necessary furniture, job-presses, etc. On the 10th of September, 1875, I sold the office with fixtures and good will, after having been editor and sole proprietor for nearly nine years.

The newspaper business was the beginning of my prosperity, tliough I was somewhat advanced in years when 1 began. During the nine years of my editorial life I also served as Postmaster of Algona three years, and Assessor of Internal Revenue nearly two years. After selling the Upper Des Moines, I embarked in a new enterprise in the adjoining county of Emmet. The venture was nothing less than the founding of a new town, called Swan Lake City, located at the geographical center of Emmet County, with a view to getting the county seat re-located at the new town. It was a bold venture, the county seat having been located for sixteen years at the village of Estherville in the northwest corner of the county. But pluck and untiring perseverance will win. At the October election, 1879, the Board of Supervisors, of which body I have been a member for the past three years, ordered the question of re-location to be submitted to a vote, and the result was a large majority for Swan Lake City. We had a suitable building which we tendered to the county for Court House and county offices, and, on the 29th of October, 1879, the first term of the District Court was held at the new county seat. I have a large circle of friends in Kossuth County, and, in future, will divide my time between Swan Lake City and Algona, at which place I still have a good residence.

Addenda. - After reviewing my manuscript (something 1 very seldom do), I find some important matters that I have entirely failed to notice. The vast bed of iron ore. the brown hematite, or flax-seed ore, was known to exist in Dodge County as early as 1845, but no one knew much of its character or value. We called it the -Ted lands," but had no thought of the vast mine of wealth contained in it. Early in 184."i, I procured from the Land Office at Green Bay, Government plats of Towns 11 and 12, Range 16, and Town 11, Range 17, for the purpose of showing lan<l to new-comers. These I sent to the land office about once in each month for correction, thus keeping myself pretty well posted on entries in those towns. By the aid of these plats I assisted many of the first settlers in making choice of their future homes, and at the same time became so very familiar with the principal sections and quarter posts that I could tell the witness trees at a great number of points without reference to the field notes. It was in this business of laml-looking that I first saw the ore beds. I took a number of people to see the lands beneath which the ore is located, none of whom were suited with it until I showed it to Rufus Allen. The eighty acres covering the richest, and, probably, the deepest portion of the mine, was entered by Reuben Allen, a son of Rufus .\llen. In the summer following, young Allen was killed by lightning, and the property reverted, in law, to his father, who soon afterward sold it to the Wisconsin Iron Company for .?9,000. In February, 184S, myself and Oscar F. Horton were employed by the Wisconsin Iron Company to sink the first shaft, in order, if possible, to find out the depth of the mineral." .Vfter sinking to the depth of twenty-one feet, the ore becoming richer and more compact, so much so that we could no longer dig with shovels, Mr. White became well satisfied that there was an inexhaustible supply of mineral, and directed us to quit digging, remarking at the same time that there was enough ore to supply a hundred blast furnaces for one hundred years, and then have plenty remaining. His estimate of the supply was not so wild a guess as might at first seem probable. The man who first discovered and determined the character of the "red lands" was Edward Cowen, a native of the Isle of Man. Mr. Cowen was brought up in the iron mines of his native island, and at first sight declared the "red " substance to be rich iron ore.

Game and fish were very abundant for some years after settlers began to come into the county. It was no difficult task for a " good shot " to hang up three or four deer in a day. Occasionally a hunter would bring in a huge black bear. I remember one having been killed by .lohn Newsam and Iliram Ward, as late as 1848, that weighed over four hundred pounds.

The winter of 1845-46 set in very severe about the 20th of November. In the latter part of December, 1845, or early in January, 1846. a pack of very large timber wolves attacked our cattle in the night and killed a valuable cow within thirty feet of our door. All the male members of the family were at Mayville. getting in logs to the mill. Not one of the female members knew how to use a rifle, though there were two good ones in the house. They, however, let out a valuable bulldog, and he lasted about thirty seconds. A few nights after this, the same pack killed two fine yearlings for Collins Bishop. The pack was finally broken up by Iliram Ward, who succeeded in slaying one and Oscar F. Ilorton soon after killed another.

I desire to say a few words in relation to the antiquity of the country of which I have been writing. You may, perhaps, deem it of sufficient importance to place the substance in your history. The ancient Mound-Builders, whom I denominate " Aztecs," were at some period spread over the whole of the State and were evidently very numerous. But at what period they came or went away, it is now impossible to determine with any degree of certainty. Sufficient evidence still exists to prove that these people were acquainted with the arts and sciences to a very great extent, understood making bricks, pottery and fine edged-tools, and were in many other respects a civilized and enlightened people. In proof of this theory. I might cite the written opinions of Josiah Priest and many other eminent antiquarians. But instead of quoting other authorities 1 will state " wliat I know " about the matter, and leave you to hunt up other authorities. The great number of mounds scattered along the Rock River, from Mayville to the Mississippi, are proofs that have remained for ages since their authors passed away. Some of these ajipear to have been built for defense, as witness those at Aztalau, and others to mark the final resting-place of some chief, ketmuii or ruler. .Myself and Garry Taylor once opened one of these curious looking mounds. It was located a little way southwest from .Mr. Taylor's house, and was built in the shape of an immense alligator, the whole length of the mound being about sixteen rods. In the center, about where the heart of the reptile might be supposed tu lie, we dug down to the depth of four or five feet, where we foun<l the decayed bones of .a human being. From the position of the bones, it appeared that the body was placed in a sitting posture, the skull being the first reaoheil ; then pieces of the vertebra and small bits of ribs, and all resting upon the pelvic bones, with the leg bones extending out to the eastward. Under the whole mass was a considerable quantity of well-preserved charcoal. On the mound, and within a few feet of where lay this skeleton, was then growing a white-oak tree, fully two feet in diameter.

In the winter of 1849-'i0, 1 had occasion to cut down a very large white-oak tree, standing on the town line between Hubbard and Willi.amstown, on Sections 5 and 32, the same being a " sight" tree. If my memory is correct, the tree was between three and four feet in diameter, and had made a very slow growth. In cutting in on the cast side, at a distance of sixteen inches or more from the outer bark. I found a peculiar looking scar. On examining this scar closely, it was found to be tlie plain mark of some sharp instrument not unlike the ax in common use at this time, (carefully cutting in, above and below the scar, I took out a block or chip six inches square and two inches thick. This chip bore sever.al distinct cuts to the depth of an inch or morS, the cuts being very smoothly made with a keen ax or hatchet. In 1859, I sent the chip to the State Historical Society at Madison, with a full statement of the finding, giving the number of consecutive rings outside of the scar (which I think was something over eight hundred), as well .as the full age of the tree as shown by said rings. My recollection is tliat the tree was over one thousand years old. I visited Madison on the 4th of .luly, 1872, and took a careful look through all the multitude of relics of by-gone years, but saw no trace of my chip. I am ef opinion that it was either mislaid or never reached its destination.

In 1848, while engaged in breaking up a piece of land on his farm, Garry Taylor discovered many piece< of ancient pottery of curious make. He also found in the same field numerous pieces of well-burnt brick, some of which were nearly whole. 1 think Mr. Taylor still preserves specimens of both. His house is situated on a beautiful piece of high ground, on wliat was once a deep bay, forming a part of Lake Horicon.

My theory is that the Great Winnebago Marsh was once a lake, covering an area of nearly 100,000 square miles ; that the barrier formerly existed at the outlet where Horicon now stands, that made it a large, deep lake : that the .Vzlecs knew something of commerce and navigation, and that there once stood a large town or city on the spot where Mr. Taylor's house now stands ; that the bay spoken of was a beautiful harbor for sail vessels and that vessels were built at that place. In support of my theory I will state, that in 1848, while assisting Garry Taylor in excavating his cellar, we found many evidences of an ancient city having existed tbere. Parts of well-burnt bricks, fragments of pottery, and at a depth of four feet below tlie surface, we found Jive ii-oii spHcex, uniform in size and form, five and a half inches in length, with " chisel " points and heads very much like the spikes used in shipbuilding at the present day. These spikes were so completely oxiilized that they were easily broken in pieces. Whether Mr. Taylor preserved those relics of a long past and forgotten civilization or not, I am unable to slate.

I might relate many other facts of a similar character, but with one more I will close this chapter. In the spring of 1847, while plowing on my land on Section 5, I was trying the experiment of deep plowing. With two yoke of oxen on a stirring plow, running "beam deep," I discovered a large quantity (nearly a half-bushel) of flint arrowheads of all sizes from one to three inches long. They appeared to have been deposited all at one time and in an excavation made for that purpose. I had previously noticed large quantities of chips from flint stones used in the manufacture of arrow-heads, not far from where the deposit of arrow-heads was found.

And now, Mr. Editor, I trust you will deem yourself sufficiently bored by my "long yarns," and it will be a relief to me to learn that it does not compel the necessity for some kind friend to pen your obituary before your work is finished. What I have written has been written in great haste. You will, doubtless, discover many grammatical errors as well as errors in spelling, but while correcting these mist.akes you will bear in mind that I never read a page in any work on grammar in my whole life. I fully appreciate the importance of preserving a correct record of events connected with the first settlement of Dodge County. Hoping tliat your etforts maj' be successful and your reward full and ample, I subscribe myself. Fraternally yours,

County Judges

The first County Judge elected in Dodge County was James Giddings. He was chosen at the fall election of 1846, and served four years, being succeeded by George W. Green. Judge Green's successor was Samuel L. Rose, at present residing in Beaver Dam, who resigned in June, 1855, Leonard Mertz being appointed for the unexpired term. Judge Mertz was elected to the office in 1858, and held it by re-election until his death, June 8, 1868. A. Scott Sloan, of Beaver Dam, was appointed to fill the vacancy thus created, and was in turn elected to the office in 1870, holding about six years and a half altogether, and being succeeded by Edward Elwell in 1874. Silas W. Lamoreux is the present incumbent. He was elected in 1878 and his term will expire in 1882.

Constitutional Conventions

The first Constitutional Convention assembled at Madison October 5, 1846, and adjourned December 16 following, having framed an instrument which was rejected by the people at an election held the first Tuesday in April, 1847. Dodge County was represented in the Convention

*- (tov. Doty refusetl to communicate with this Iwily, claiming that tlipy were not legally assembled according to the act of Congress, as no appi-unriation for that obJ«.cl had been previously made by Congress. The Houses continued in session until Decemiier 10, when they adjourned till January :io, 1843. Slt-eling again, another Hdjournnient was taicen until March 6, on which day they came toff«.*ther in pursuance of the resolute old Governor's proclamation, calling them together for the pur|K)se of a special sesnon. The Houses continued in session until Slarcb So, when they adjourned without day. They again a.*semMed March '27, as of the second session, and adjourned finally April 17.

A second Convention was held, which met December 15, 1847, and adjourned February 1, 1848, the result of their labors being the present Constitution of the State of Wisconsin, which was ratified by a large popular vote the second Monday in March, 1848. The Dodge County delegates were Stoddard Judd, Samuel W. Lyman and Charles H. Larrabee.

State Government

First Session of the Legislature, IS4.S. - The constitutional provisions regarding apportionment declared Dodge County to be the Tenth Senatorial District, and divided the county into five Assembly Districts, until otherwise fixed by law, as follows : The towns of Burnett, Chester, Le Roy and Williamstown, one ; Fairfield, Hubbard and Rubicon, one ; Hustisford, Ashippun, Lebanon and Emmet, one ; Elba, Lowell, Portland and Clyman, one ; Calamus, Beaver Dam, Fox Lake and Trenton, one. Section 14, Article XIV, of the State Constitution, provided that " The Senators first elected in the even numbered districts, shall enter upon the duties of their office the first Monday of June next, and shall continue in office one year from the first Monday in January next ; and that those elected in the odd numbered districts, together with the members of the Assembly first elected, shall enter upon their duties, respectively, on the first Monday of June next, and shall continue in office until the first Monday in January next." Such was the common foundation of the '" hold-over" system, which is still in vogue. The first legislators from Dodge County, elected under the new Constitution, were as follows : Senate - William M. Dennis, Watertown. Assembly - Lorenzo Merrill, Charles Billinghurst, Benjamin Randall, Monroe Thompson and Stephen Jones. This (the first) session of the Legislature convened June 5, 1848, and adjourned August 21 of the same year.

Sixth SessioJi, 1853. - Senate - Judson Prentice, Watertown. Assembly - [Apportionment changed by act of Legislature, six Assemblymen being chosen instead of five.] Edward N. Foster. Whitman Sayles, William M. Dennis, Patrick Kelley, John W. Davis and Edwin Hillyer.

Seventh Session, 1854- - Senate - Ezra A. Bowen, Mayville. Assembly - Benjamin F. Barney, George Fox, Francis McCormick, Ruel Parker, Allen H. Atwater and John W. Davis.

Eighth Session, 1855. - Senate - Ezra A. Bowen, Mayville. Assembly - Solomon L. Rose, John M. Sherman, Narcisse M. Juneau, John D. Grifl!in, John B. Ribble and Fred F. Schwefel.

Tiventieth Session, 1867. - Senate - Stoddard Judd, Fox Lake; Sat. Clark, Horicon. Assembly [The number of Districts reduced to four.] - Miles Burnham, James B. Hays, Warren Marston and John Wetherby.

Twenty-fifth, Session, 1872. - Senate [Apportionment changed, one Senator being chosen] - Sat. Clark, Horicon. Assembly [Apportionment changed, six Assemblymen being chosen from the countyf] - Michael Adams, Calvin E. Lewis, Allen H. Atwater, Silas W. Lamoreux, George Schott and John Solon.

Twenty-eighth Session, 1875. - Senate - John A. Barney, Mayville. Assembly - Owen R. Jones, D. W. Coleman, John Lloyd, Max Bachhuber, W. M. Morse and Herman Grube.

Twenty-ninth Session, 1876. - Senate - J. A. Barney, Mayville. Assembly - Patrick Griffin, Columbus Germain, G. H. Lawrence, C. E. Kite, George Schott and James Higgins.

Thirtieth Session, 1877. - Senate - Charles H. Williams, Fox Lake. Assembly [changed to four Representatives] - William Zeiman, F. A. Neuhauser, Leander H. Shepard and Patrick Roach.

An act of Congress, approved April 20, 183G, provided for the organization of the Territory of Wisconsin, and conferred upon the people the right to be represente<l in the National Congress by one Delegate, to be chosen by the votes of the qualified electors of the Territory. Under this authority, the Territory was represented in Congress as follows :

By the Constitution adopted when the Territory became a State, in 1848, two Representatives in Congress were provided for, by diviiing the State into two Congressional Districts, the Second District being composed of the counties of Dodge, Washington, Sheboygan, Calumet, Brown, Winnebu*o, Fond du Lac, Marquette, Sauk, Portage, Columbia, Dane, Iowa, La Fayette, Grant, Richland, Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croi.x and La Pointe. Under this authority an election was held May 8, 1848, and Mason C. Darling was chosen from the Second District as Representative in the Thirtieth Congress.

At the First Session of the State Legislature, the State was divided into three Congressional Districts, Dodge County being included in the Third District. This apportionment continued unchanged until 1861, during which time the county was represented as follows : Thirty-first Congress, James Duane Doty ; Thirty-second, John B. Macy ; Thirty-third, John B. Macy ; Thirty-fourth, Charles Billinghurst ; Thirty-fiftii, Charles Billinghurst ; Thirty-sixth, Charles H. Larrabee ; Thirty-seventh, A. Scott Sloan.

xVt the Fourteenth Session of the Legislature (1861) the State was divided into six Congressional Districts, Dodge County being apportioned to the Fourth District, and Charles A. Eldredge was chosen as the Representative. He remained in office twelve years, serving six successive terms.

The present Congressional apportionment was made at the Twenty-fifth Session of the Legislature (1872), wiien the State was divided into eight districts. Dodge County, together with the counties of Fond du Lac, Manitowoc and Shebovsan, being included in the Fifth District. From this last apportionment to the present time the Representatives from the Fifth have been Charles A. Eldredge, Samuel D. Burchard and Edward S. Bragg.