Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin - Chapter 3, 1880 (part 3 of 15)

Although Fond du Lac at that time seemed to be shut off from the world, by long and almost impassable roads, and lengthened strips of uninhabited country, yet many prominent speculators and strangers found their way there. Now and then one would stray down from Green Bay, or, battling with obstacles (chiefly mud and water), would reach the place from Sheboygan. The buildings which comprised the village were over a mile from the mouth of the Fond du Lac River, 'l^hat part which is now called the Lower City, was a wet marsh, wholly occupied, for a time, by Indians. The log-house first erected in Fond du Lac, which is not now standing, was about half way between the village and the lake, now near the railroad depot.

After navigation opened on the Winnebago Lake, families settled around the river's mouth, and also near the landing, until the village was composed of two important wards, then termed the Upper and Lower Towns. During the year 1849, a steam-mill smoked from morn till evening upon the river. Hotels reared their ample roofs in both divisions, and pretty houses filled the streets rapidly. A Court House, three stories high, was added to the place ; and stores were opened in both the Upper and Lower Towns. From 1848 to 1850, emigration seemed in its highest fever. Day after day came the strangers. The streets grew more dense. The saws ran faithfully. Rafts came in crowds to the mills. The new-tilled soil yielded it».products in double ratio every year. Fond du Lac and the county grew in population and importance with almost incredible speed, until the one became a city, and the other a large aggregation of cultivated farms.

Tbbritoriai, District Court and State Circuit Court - Municipal Court of the City and Town of Ripon - County Court - County Officers, from 1839 to ISSp- County Board of Supervisors - Territorial, State and National Representation - ITavigation of Lake Winnebago - Wisconsin Phalanx.

Territorial District Court And State Circuit Court

The act of Congress establishing the Territorial Government of Wisconsin provided for the division of the Territory into three judicial districts, and for the holding of a District Court by one of the Justices of the Supreme Court in each district, two terms each year in each organized county in the district. The three Justices were Charles Dunn, David Irvin and William C. Frazer. By an act of the Territorial Legislature, approved November 15, 1836, the counties of Brown and Milwaukee (the first named including the Territory afterward designated as Fond du Lac County) were constituted the Third District, and assigned to Justice Frazer. Although in December following, a county was set off from Brown and called Fond du Lac, its few inhabitants (only two, in fact,) were amenable to the mother county, to which its offspring was attached for judicial purposes.- It so remained until 1844; so that the judicial government of Brown County during that period was also the judicial government of Fond du Lac. For nearly eight years after the first settlement of the last-mentioned county, it was as completely under the jurisdiction of Brown County in all things appertaining to courts matters, as though it had been "a part and parcel " thereof.

' By the statutes of Wisconsin Territory of 1839, the counties of Milwaukee,* Brown (to which was attached Fond du Lac, as just mentioned), and Racine, also other unorganized counties, composed the Third District, to which Justice Andrew Gr. Miller, the successor of Justice Frazer (deceased) was assigned. Fond du Lac County continued in this district until the adoption of the State Constitution in 1848, but was divorced from Brown County, as to all judicial matters, four years before ; that is to say, in 1844, when it was organized judicially, as, in 1839, it had been for the purposes of county government only. The first court, therefore, held within its limits was a Territorial District Court, and these were continued until superseded by the State Circuit Courts, upon the admission of Wisconsin into the Union.

The first term of the Territorial District Court for Fond du Lac County commenced in 1844. The court set for the first time at the schoolhouse in Fond du Lac, June 5, Justice Andrew G. Miller, presiding. The other officers of the court were : Isaac Brown, Clerk ; George McWilliams and R. Aiken, United States Deputy Marshals ; John J. Driggs, Sheriff; Alonzo Raymond, Crier ; Thomas W. Sutherland, District Attorney ; and M. C. Darling, Foreman of the Grand Jury.

The first chancery case tried was John J. Driggs vs. Susan Driggs, divorce. Morgan L. Martin was solicitor for the complainant. The petition was dismissed. Driggs was at that time Sheriff of the county. The next suit in chancery was also a divorce case, Lory Ann Stevens vs. Martin Stevens. The complaint was more successful in this case than in the other. The court, decreed "that the marriage between the petitioner, Lory Ann Stevens, and the defendant, Martin Stevens, be dissolved, and the same is hereby dissolved accordingly ; and the said parties, and each of them, are and is freed from the obligations thereof."

The first law case was an action in replevin - an appeal from a Justice's Court. The title of the action was " Augustus Grignon vs. Henry A. Gallup." " And now June 5 [1844], comes the defendant's attorney and moves the court [Andrew G. Miller] to dismiss this appeal for reasons filed ; and the said motion being argued by counsel, if is thereupon considered and adjudged by the court that this appeal and all proceedings in this case be dismissed."

The next case was "The United States vs. Charles E. Amidon," indictment for adultery, found at the June term, 1844. Amidon was tried at the October term of the court following, before a jury composed of George W. Elliott, Robert Wilkerson, Lucius Hawley, Lewis Crofoot, James Clark, Peter Crowell, Edward Beeson, James Wauby, John 0. Hammer, Henry Conklin, John E. Eisher and David Copp - " twelve free, honest and lawful men of the county." The defendant was adjudged not guilty.

When the State Constitution was adopted, in May, 1848, it provided for five Circuit Courts and Districts, . of which the counties of Brown, Fond du Lac, Winnebago, Calumet, Manitowoc and Sheboygan should compose the Fourth Judicial Circuit. The judges for these circuits were to be elected for two, three, four, five and six years respectively, and thereafter each judge should hold oflSce for a term of six years. Kewaunee County, which had always before been attached to Manitowoc for judicial purposes, was added as a separate county to the Fourth Circuit ; but the counties of Brown and Winnebago had been set ofi" into the Tenth and Third Circuits respectively. The terms of court for Fond du Lac County are begun on the third Monday of April and fourth Monday of October of each year ; and every term shall be a special term for the whole circuit. A special term for the whole circuit is also held at Fond du Lac, on the second Monday of February in each year. Alexander W. Stow, of Fond du Lac, was the first Judge of the Eourth Judicial Circuit, holding the oflSce from August 28, 1848, to January, 1851 ; the second was Timothy 0. Howe, of Green Bay, from January, 1851, to April, 1855, when he resigned ; the third wa,s William R. Gorsline, who was elected in April, 1855, to fill the vacancy made by Judge Howe's resignation. In 1856, Judge Gorsline was duly elected, but resigned before his term was finished. David Taylor, who was the fourth Circuit Judge, was appointed to fill the vacancy. Judge Taylor was afterward elected for a term of six years, beginning in January, 1863. The fifth, who is the present incumbent, was Campbell McLean, whose first terra began in January, 1869, and whose second began in January, 1875.

This is a Court of Record, and has exclusive jurisdiction in all cases of appeal from Justices' Courts, in civil cases, within the city and town of Ripon. It has also original jurisdiction and powers in all civil actions within the limits just named, equal to and commensurate with the Circuit Court of Fond du Lac County, to the amount of $50,000. Appeals from this court to the Supreme Court are in all respects the same as from the Circuit Court. This somewhat anomalous court was created by an act of the Legislature of 1861, and the law is incorporated in the Revised Statutes of 1878. The occasion of its creation was because of the city and town of Ripon being so remote from the county seat. The first Judge of this court was P. B. Kissam, from May, 1861, to July, 1862. The second was M. W. Seely, from July, 1862, to May, 1865. Judge Seely was succeeded by E. L. Runals, who held office from May, 1865, to May, 1869. His successor, L. E. Reed, now on his third term, commenced his first term in May, 1869.

County Court

The General Government, in the act organizing the Territory of Wisconsin, provided for Probate Judges, to adjudicate the estates of deceased persons, as also those of minors, idiots and the insane. Until the year 1850, the designation of the office continued to be Judge of Probate, when it was changed to County Judge, and the court to that of County Court. As Fond du Lac County was not organized for judicial purposes until 1844, of course previous to that time matters of administration of estates and the probating of wills were brought before the Brown County Judge of Probate. In that year, the county was organized for all purposes, and a Judge of Probate elected ; but as several counties were attached to this county for judicial purposes, the jurisdiction of the court extended beyond the limits of Fond du Lac, until they were all fully organized.

The first Judge of the Probate Court of Fond du Lac County was empowered to appoint a Clerk ajid also a public administrator. John A. Eastman was the first Register or Clerk ; Rufus P. Eaton, the first public administrator. These offices were subsequently abolished. The first Judge of Probate was Mason C. Darling; the first County Judge (1850) was Charles M. Tompkins. In 1877, the Legislature passed a law conferring civil jurisdiction on the County Court of Fond du Lac County. It was given co-ordinate jurisdiction with the Circuit Court in cases where the matters involved did not exceed f 20,000. This greatly increased the business of the office. In view of this increase of labor, an additional salary of $1,000 per year was allowed by the enactment of 1877.

The terms of the court are begun on the first Tuesday of every month. By general order, every Tuesday of each month, exsept the first, is a special term of court. For the trial of cases under his civil jurisdiction, the law requires the County Judge to hold three general and two special terms at the Court House in each year. The general terms begin on the second Mondays of May, September and January. The special terms begin on the second Mondays in April and October.

County Officers From 1839 To 1880 County Board Of Stipbrvisors

County Commissioners. - Reuben Simmons, John Bannister and Edward Pier, during 1839, 1840 and 1841; George White, Edward Pier and Alonzo Raymond, during 1842, until April, when the county was governed by a Board of Supervisors, composed of a representative from each town.

Board of Supervisors. - George White, of Calumet, and Henry Conklin, of Fond du Lac, for 1842 ; Edward Pier, of Fond du Lac, and John J. Driggs, of Calumet, for 1843 ; Edward Pier, of Fond du Lac, and George White, of Calumet, for 1844; Edward Pier, of Pond du Lac,

Rufus P. Eaton, of Calumet, Frederick F. Davis, of Waupun, and Lester Rounds, of Ceresco, for 1845 ; Edward Pier, of Fond ',du Lac, Lester Rounds, of Ceresco, Almon Osboin, of Metomen, Samuel Sanborn, of Rosendale, Edward Syke's, of Lime, William Stewart, of Byron, and Daniel B. Whiting, of Waupun, for 1846.

1847. - Edward Pier, of Fond du Lac ; George White, of Calumet ; William Stewart, of Byron; Harvey Buell, of Oakfield; Henry C. Giltner, of Forest; A. C. Everest, of Seven Mile Creek ; John H. Adams, of Auburn ; Samuel Sanborn, of Rosendale ; Milton Tolcott, of Alto ; T. C. Snow, of Waupun, and George D. Ruggles, of Taycheedah.

1848. - R. F. Adams, of Auburn ; Edward Pier, of Fond du Lac ; Samuel Sanborn, of Rosendale ; Charles Willard, of Oakfield ; George White, of Calumet ; Milton Tolcott, of Alto; T. C. Snow, of Waupun; William Stewart, of Byron; G. D. Ruggles, of Taycheedah, and A. C. Everest, of Seven Mile Creek.

1849 - George White, of Calumet; Charles Doty, of Taycheedah ; Selim Newton, of Fond du Lac ; H.^ C. Giltner, of Forest ; James M. Adams, of Auburn ; Peter Vandervoort, of Eden ; William Stewart, of Byron ; James Patterson, of Oakfield ; Peter V. Sang, of Lamartine ; Jonathan Dougherty, of Rosendale ; D. P. Mapes, of Ceresco ; Warren Whiting, of Springvale ; H. C. Eggleston, of Metomen ; Samuel A. Carpenter, of Alto ; Moses Campbell, of Waupun, and M. S. Barnett, of Eldorado. The Board was largely increased and somewhat changed by the elections in newly organized towns, and at the last meeting of the year was composed of the following : P. V. Sang, of Lamartine ; Jerome Yates, of Rosendale ; William Stewart, of Byron ; Thomas S. Wilcox, of Auburn ; D. D. Wilcox, of Chili ; P. Vandervoort, of Eden ; George W. Elliott, of Taycheedah ; J. C. Lewis, of Fond du Lac ; W. I. Ripley, of Oakfield ; Warren Whiting, of Springvale ; H. W. Bruce, of Friendship ; William Starr, of Ceresco ; Moses Campbell, of Waupun ; R. P. Baton, of Calumet ; Joseph Wagner, of Forest ; Peter Wilsey, of Metomen, and Henry Boardman, of Alto.

1850 - Edwin Flint, of Fond du Lac ; Francis S. Crons, of Taycheedah ; Joseph Wagner, of Forest ; Thomas S. Wilcox, of Auburn ; Joseph Lawler, of Eden ; D. D. Wilcox, of Ashford ; William Stewart, of Byron ; George White, of Calumet ; H. W. Bruce, of Friendship ; L. M. Dunham, of Eldorado ; C. F. Hammond, of Rosendale ; Robert Jenkinson, of Metomen ; Warren Whiting, of Springvale ; William Starr, of Ceresco ; Samuel K. Vaughn, of Waupun ; Fayette S. Brown, of Lamartine ; James Patterson, of Oakfield ; Daniel Wilcox, of Alto.

1851 - Seth G. Pickett, of Ashford; Thomas S. Wilcox, of Auburn; Henry Boardman, of Alto ; N. M. Donaldson, of Waupun ; James Patterson, of Oakfield ; Daniel C. Brooks, of Byron ; Joseph Lawler, of Eden ; J. W. Whitney, of Osceola ; C. P. Dunning, of Metomen : Henry I. Ackerman^ of Springvale ; Andrew Smith, of Lamartine ; Isaac Brown, of Fond du Lac ; John Y. Westervelt, of Empire ; Joseph Wagner, of Forest ; Warren Chase, of Ceresco ; C. F. Hammond, of Rosendale ; L. M. Dunham, of Eldorado ; Miner Wilson, of Friendship and John Islett, of Taycheedah.

1852 - Edward Pier, of Fond du Lac Town ; E. H. Galloway, of North Ward of city of Fond du Lac ; W. H. Hiner, of South Ward of city of Fond du Lac ; Brigham Payne, of Friendship; N. S. Thompson, of Eldorado; C. F. Hammond, of Rosendale; E. A. Newton, of Ceresco ; George W. Parker, of Metomen ; James McElroy, of Alto ; N. M. Donaldson, of Waupun; A. C. Whiting, of Springvale; F; S. Brown, of Lamartine; Oscar' Hurlbut, of Oakfield; D. C. Brooks, of Byron; William Stewart, of Eden; J. Y. Westervelt, of Empire; Henry Crownhart, of Ashford ; C. D. Gage, of Auburn ; C. W. Prescott, of Osceola ; Joseph Wagner, of Forest ; Charles Geisse, of Taycheedah, and Augustus Hugssen, of Calumet.

1853 - Peter Johnson, of Ashford; William Pool, of Auburn; William Brisbane, of Alto; N. M. Donaldson, of Waupun ; 0. Hurlbut, of Oakfield ; Henry Conklin, of Byron ; Aaron Walters, of Eden ; John Beeson, of Osceola ; G. W. Parker, of Metomen ; A. C. Whiting, of Springvale ; Edward Pier, town of Fond du Lac ; Jerod Chapel, of North Ward of the city of Fond du Lac ; John Nichols, of South Ward of city of Fond du Lac ; J. E. Fisher, of Empire ; Joseph Wagner, of Forest ; T. B. Bobbins, of Ceresco ; G. D. Curtis, of Rosendale ; B. F.

1854 - Isaac Brown, of First Ward, J. M. Taylor, of Second Ward, G. W. Sexmith, of Third Ward, of city of Fond du Lac ; S. N. Hawes, of Fond du Lac Town ; Peter Johnson, of Ashford; William Pool, of Auburn ; R. M. Harwood, of Alto ; Daniel Wilcox, of Waupun ; H. D. Hitt, of Oakfield ; Henry Conklin, of Byron ; Aaron Walters, of Eden ; S. L. Marston, of Osceola ; William Plocker, of Metomen ; A. C. Whiting, of Springvale ; R. R. Crowe, of Lamartine ; John Berry, of Empire ; Joseph Wagner, of Forest ; A. B. Beardsley, of Ceresco ; Bertine Pinkney, of Rosendale ; B. F. Hatch, of Eldorado ; John Stoddard, of Friendship ; 0. R. Potter, of Taycheedah and John Boyd, of Calumet. At a special session for the year 1855, the names of Joel Savage and Alexander Cronk appear, but credited to no town.

1855 - Jacob Haessley, of Ashford ; William Chapman, of Auburn ; Rufus M. Harwood, of Alto ; N. M. Donaldson, of Waupun ; H. D. Hitt, of Oakfield ; C. B. Brown, of Byron ; A. Walters, of Eden ; S. L. Marston, of Osceola ; A. F. Bush, of Metomen ; S. A. Chase, town of Fond du Lac ; John Berry, of Empire ; Joseph Wagner, of Forest ; A. B. Beardsley, of Ceresco; Clinton Matteson, of Rosendale ; P. Macken, of Eldorado ; John Stoddard, of Friendship ; 0. R. Potter, of Taycheedah ; John Boyd, of Calumet ; Henry Conklin, of the First Ward, D. E. Hoskins, Second Ward, J. M. Taylor, Third Ward, George W. Sexmith, Fourth Ward, and E. Delany, Fifth Ward, of Fond du Lac City ; W. B. Disbrow, of Springvale, and E. B. Lyman, of Lamartine.

1856 - Jacob Haessley, of Ashford ; H. Parsons, of Auburn ; R. M. Harwood, of Alto ; Joel Savage, of Waupun ; H. D. Hitt, of Oakfield ; Franklin Nye, of Byron ; A. Walters, of Eden; E. C. Airhart, of Osceola; William Plocker, of Metomen; W. B. Disbrow, of Springvale ; F. S. Brown, of Lamartine ; S. A. Chase, of Fond du Lac Town ; H. Conklin, First Ward, John B. Wilbor, Second Ward, J. M. Taylor, Third Ward, T.; S. Henry, Fourth Ward, and E. Delany, Fifth Ward, of Fond du Lac City ; A. T. Germond, of Empire ; S. K. Barnes, of Forest ; D. P. Mapes, of Ceresco ; Clinton Matteson, of Rosendale ; P. Macken, of Eldorado ; John Stoddard, of B riendship ; T. Magnussen, of Taycheedah ; Joseph Wagner, of Marshfield ; John Boyd, of Calumet.

1857 - K. A. Darling, First Ward, J. B. Wilbor, Second Ward, C. A. Rider, Third Ward, George Williams, Fourth Ward, and E. Delany, Fifth Ward, of Fond du Lac City ; C. D. Gage, of Auburn ; Peter Johnson, of Ashford ; A. Walters, of Eden ; William Mitchell, of Osceola ; Franklin Nye, of Byron ; Charles Carberry, of Friendship ; S. A. Chase, town of Fond du Lac; F. S. Brown, of Lamartine; P. Macken, of Eldorado; Orin Hatch, of Oakfield ; H. N. Jewett, of Springvale ; H. W. Wolcutt, of Rosendale ; Joel Savage, of Waupun ; A. H. Rounsville, of Waupun Village ; 0. L. Olmstead, of Alto ; A. Thomas, of Ripon ; William Plocker, of Metomen; A. T. Germond, of Empire; S. K. Barnes, of Forest; Charles Geisse, of Taycheedah ; J. Wagner, of Marshfield ; John Boyd, of Calumet.

1858 - E. A. Brown, First Ward, Edward S. Bragg, Second Ward, J. M. Taylor, Third Ward, John Maginnis, Fourth Ward, L. Canfield, Fifth Ward, of Fond du Lac City ; J. Goss, of Fond du Lac Town ; John Stoddard, of Friendship ; Delos Wilcox, of Auburn ; John A. Hendricks, of Ashford ; A. Walters, of Eden ; Asher Armstrong, of Osceola ; F. Nye, of Byron ; John Boyd, of Calumet ; A. T. Germond, of Empire ; J. W. Hall, of Forest ; Charles Geisse, of Taycheedah ; H. C. Giltner, of Marshfield ; F. S. Brown, of Lamartine, P. Macken, of Eldorado; W. B. Disbrow, of Springvale; T. Conklin, of Oakfield; B. H. Bettis, of Waupun; A. H. Rounsville, of Waupun Village ; R. M. Harwood, of Alto ; William Plocker, of Metomen ; J. W. Sanders, of Rosendale ; A. Thomas, of Ripon Town ; William Starr, First Ward of Ripon City ; Lyman Town, Second Ward of Ripon City.

1859 - J. H. Hayford, First Ward, E. S. Bragg, Second Ward, T. W. Dee, Third Ward, George Williams, Fourth Ward, and C. R. Harrison, Fifth Ward, of Fond du Lac City ; G. K. Stanchfield, town of Fond du Lac ; John Stoddard, of Friendship ; William Pool, of Auburn; A. Dierenger, of Ashford; J. M. Adams, of Byron; A. Walters, of Eden; C. W.

Prescotti of Osceola; A. T. Germond, of Empire; John Traoey, of Forest; Joseph Wagner, of Marshfield ; John Boyd, of Calumet; Charles Geisse, of Taycheedah ; F. S. Brown, of Lamartine; P. Macken, of Eldorado; W. B. Disbrow, of Springvale; 0. Hatch, of Oakfield^ B. H. Bettis, of Waupun Town; A. H. RounsviUe, of-Waupon Village; J. McElroy, of Alto; William Blocker, of Metomen ; J. W. Sanders, of Rosendale; A. Thomas, of Ripon Town; H. S. Town, First Ward, city of Ripon ; H. T. Henton, Second Ward, city of Ripon. ' James Henderson was admitted to the Board on motion, for that year, but credited to no locality.

I860 - Edward Beeson, First Ward, E. S. Bragg, Second Ward, G. W. Sawyer, Third Ward, R. A. Baker, Fourth Ward, C. R. Harrison, Fifth Ward, of the city of Fond du Lac ; G. K. Stanchfield, of Fond du Lac Town ; John Stoddard, of Friendship ; Charles D. Gage, of Auburn ; A. Dierenger, of Ashford ; N. C. Lewis, of Byron ; A. Walters, of Eden ; C. Mat- -teson, of Rosendale ; A. T. Germond, of Empire ; John Tracy, of Forest ; J. Wagner, of Marshfield ; John Boyd, of Calumet ; Charles Geisse, of Taycheedah ; W. S. Warner, of Lamartine ; P. Crane, of Eldorado ; George F. Wheeler, of Springvale ; 0. Hatch, of Oakfield ; B. H. Bettis, of Waupun Town ; C. B. Whitton, of Waupun Village ; J. McElroy, of Alto ; ' A. Osborn, of Metomen; S. Fordice, of Rosendale; A. Thomas, of Ripon Town; W. Kingsbury, of First Ward, Ripon City ; H. T. Henton, of Second Ward, Ripon City.

1861 - W. D. Sherwood, First Ward, Peter Rupp, Second Ward, B. F. Moore, Third Ward, R. A. Baker, Fourth Ward, and M. Lockwood, Fifth Ward, of Fond du Lac City ; S. A. Chase, of Fond du Lac Town; Charles Carberry, of Friendship; C. D. Gage, of Auburn; Joseph Wagner, of Marshfield; C. P. Phelps, of Byron; A. Walters, of Eden; C. W. Pres- <!ott, of Osceola; John Meiklejohn, of Empire; J. W. Hall, of Forest; John Boyd, of Caliimet; B. F. Smith, of Taycheedah; W. S. Warner, of Lamartine; L. M. Dunham, of Eldorado ; Warren Whiting, of Springvale ; B. R. Harrington, of Oakfield ; Joseph Fairbanks, of Waupun Town; T. W. Markle, of Waupun Village; A. J. Mattoon, of Alto; William Blocker, of Metomen ; Stanton Fordice, of Rosendale ; T. B. Robbins, of Ripon Town ; J. McCord, of Second Ward, Ripon City.

At the election in November of 1861, the form and manner of the county government was at which time a Supervisor was elected for each of the five Assembly Districts. The result was as follows :

1862 and 1863 - Henry C. Bottum for the First District; R. M. Harwood, Second District; B. F. Moore, Third District; John Berry, Fourth District, and S. L. Marston, Fifth District.

Before the election in the fall of 1866, the county was divided into six districts, instead of five. A Supervisor at large was added, increasing the County Board to seven members, and one-half the members were elected every year. Under this plan, the County Board was composed of the following members :

1868 - Gustave de Neveu, at large; A. M. Skeels, First District; B. H. Bettis, Second District; James Ewen, Third District; E. H. Galloway, Fourth District; A. Walters, Fifth District ; Joseph Wagner, Sixth District.

1870 - E. H. Galloway, at large ; A. M. Skeels, First District ; A. J. Yorty, Second District ; Hannibal Woodworth, Third District ; S. A. Chase, Fourth District ; A. Walters, Fifth District, and Joseph Wagner, Sixth District.

The County Board was at this time changed back to the " Town Principle " of representation, the first election being held in April, 1870, and has since continued in that form. The different Boards have been as follows :

1873 - Michael Serwe, for Ashford ; A. Dierenger, Auburn ; G. H. Downey, Alto ; Joseph Fairbanks, Waupun ; E. A. Putnam, Oakfield; John Bell, Byron ; Ignatius Klotz, Eden ; D. Cavanagh, Osceola ; John Wormwood, Metomen ; T. K. Gillett, Springvale ; A. A. Johnson, Lamartine ; D. C. Lamb, Fond du Lac Town ; A. T. Germond, Empire ; J. W. Hall, Forest'; A. A. Loper, Ripon Town; H. C. Bottum, Rosendale; James Lewis, Eldorado; Hector Munroe, Friendship ; B. F. O'Laughlin, Taycheedah ; J. Wagner, Marshfield ; Lambert Brest, Calumet ; George E. Sutherland, First Ward of Ripon City ; J. Dobbs, Second Ward of the same ; L. R. Lewis, First Ward ; C. F. Kalk, Second Ward ; M. W. Simmons, Third Ward ; C. A. Galloway, Fourth Ward; N. Parker, Fifth Ward, of Fond du Lac City; J. W. Oliver, North Ward of Waupun Village.

1874 - John A. Hendricks, for Ashford ; C. Oeder, Auburn ; G. H. Downey, Alto ; Warren Whiting, Waupun Town ; E. A. Putnam, Oakfield; John Bell, Byron; I. Klotz, Eden; D. Cavanagh, Osceola; John Wormwood, Metomen; T. K. Gillett, Springvale; A. A. Johnson, Lamartine ; D. C. Lamb, Fond du Lac Town ; John Meiklejohn, Empire ; J. W. Hall, Forest; A. A. Loper, Ripon Town ; H. C. Bottum, Rosendale ; C. W. Frederick, Eldorado ; Charles Carbery, Friendship ; Michael Wirtz, Taycheedah ; Lambert Brest, Calumet ; William Wolf, Marshfield ; T. W. Markle, North Ward of Waupun Village ; J. Bowen, First Ward of Ripon

City ; J. Dobbs, Second Ward of Ripon City ; T. F. Mayham, First Ward ; C. L. Ailing, Second Ward ; M. W. Simmons, Third Ward ; S. A. Chase, Fourth Ward, and John Gill, Fifth Ward, Fond du Lac City.

Territorial State And National Representation

First Session of the First Legislative Assembly, 1836. - Members of the Council, Henry S. Baird and John P. Arndt. Representatives - Ebenezer Childs, Albert G. Ellis and Alexander J. Irwin.;* District composed of Brown county, which included Fond du Lac not yet organized.

Second Session, 1837-38. - Members of Council, John P. Arndt and Joseph Dickinson.! Representatives - Ebenezer Childs, George McWilliams and Charles C. Sholes.

Special Session, 1838. - Members of Council, Alexander J. Irwin and John P. Arndt. Representatives - George McWilliams, Charles C. Sholes and Ebenezer Childs.

First Session of. the Second Legislative Assembly, 1838. - Members of Council, Alexander J. Irwin and Morgan L. Martin. Representatives - Ebenezer Childs, Charles C. Sholes, Barlow Shackleford and Jacob W. Conroe.

Second Session, 1839. - Members of Council, Morgan L. Martin and Alexander J. Irwin. Representatives - Ebenezer Childs, Charles C. Sholes, B9.rlow Shackleford and Jacob W. Conroe.

Third Session, 1839-4-0. - Members of Council, Morgan L. Martin and Charles C. P. Arndt. Representatives - Ebenezer Childs, Jacob W. Conroe, Charles C. Sholes and Barlow Shackleford.

Fourth {extra) Session, 184.0. - Members of Council, Morgan L. Martin and Charles C. P. Arndt. Representatives - Ebenezer Childs, Barlow Shackleford, Charles C. Sholes and Jacob W. Conroe.

C. P. Arndt and Morgan L. Martin. Representatives - William H. Bruce, J Mason C. Darling, and David Giddings ; District composed of Brown, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties.

Second Session, 1841-4^- - Members of Council, Morgan L. Martin and Charles C. P. Arndt. § Representatives - Mason C. Darling, Albert G. Ellis and David Giddings ; District -composed of Brown, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Portage and Sheboygan Counties.

First Session of the Fourth Legislative Assembly, 184^-43. - Member of Council, Morgan L. Martin. Representatives - Albert G. Ellis, Mason C. Darling and David Agry ; District composed of Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, Sheboygan and Winnebago Counties.

Second Session, 1843-44- - Member of Council, Morgan L. Martin. Representatives - Albert G. Ellis, Mason C. Darling and David Agry ; District composed of Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, Sheboygan and Winnebago Counties.

Third Session, 181(5. - Member of Council, Randall Wilcox. Representativ^es - Mason C. Darling, Abraham Brawley and William Fowler ;* District composed of Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, Sheboygan and Winnebago Counties.

Fourth Session, IS^JS. - Member of Council, Randall Wilcox. Representatives - Abraham Brawley, Mason C. Darling and Elisha Morrow ; District comlposed of Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, Sheboygan and Winnebago Counties.

First Session of the Fifth Legislative Assembly, 184-7. - Member of Council, Mason C. Darling. Representatives - filisha Morrow and Hugh McFarland ; District composed of Brown, Columbia, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage and Winnebago Counties.

Special Session, 184-7. - Member of Council, Mason C. Darling. Representatives - Moses S. Gibson and G. W. Featherstonhaugh ; District composed of Columbia, Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage and Winnebago Counties.'

Second Session, 18 4-8. -^Memher of Council, Mason C. Darling. Representatives - G. W. Featherstonhaugh and Moses S. Gibson ; District composed of Brown, Columbia, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage and Winnebago Counties.

And Of 1847-8

The first convention to frame a constitution for the State of Wisconsin assembled at Madison, the capital, on the 5th day of October, 1846, and adjourned on the 16th day of December following, having framed a constitution, which was submitted to a vote of the people on the first Tuesday in April, 1847, and rejected. In this convention. Fond du Lac County was represented by Warren Chase, Lorenzo Hazen an'd Moses S. Gibson.

A second convention to frame a constitution for the State assembled at Madison, on the- 15th of December, 1847, and adjourned on the 1st day of February, 1848, having framed a constitution, which was submitted to a vote of the people on the second Monday in March following, and adopted. In that convention Fond du Lac County was represented by Samuel W. Beal and Warren Chase.

In 1872, the Eighteenth Senatorial District was made to include the whole of Fond da Lac County, except the towns of Calumet, Marshfield, Forest, Osceola, Auburn, Ashford, Taycheedah and Eden, which, with the county of Sheboygan, formed the Twentieth District. Thig apportionment remains unchanged. The Eighteenth District has thus far been represented by Hiner,- Loper and Sutherland; the Twentieth by Cavanagh, Wolif and Smith.

IV. - Foiro DU Lac County's Representation in the Assembly. 1848 - Charles Doty and Jonathan Daugherty. 1849 - Morgan L. Noble and Jonathan Daugherty. 1850 - Morgan L. Noble and Bertine Pinkney. 1851 - Morris S. Barnett and Charles L. Julius. 1852 - Benjamin F. Moore andN. M. Donaldson. 1853^Querin Loehr, Isaac S. Tallmadge, Charles D. Gage andN. M. Donaldson. 18^4 - Major J. Thomas, N. M. Donaldson, Isaac S. Tallmadge and Edward Bcener. 1855 - John Boyd, B. R. Harrington, George W. Parker and William H. Ebbetts. 1856 - Isaac Brown, Peter Johnson, Joseph Wagner and George W. Parker. 1857 - Edmund L. Runals, M. S. Barnett, John B. Wilbor, Major J. Thomas and Aaron Walters. 1858 - Edmund L. Runals, Henry D. Hitt, F. D. McCarty,.

Joseph Wagner and William. S. Tuttle. 1859 - Alvan E. Bovay, Warren Whiting, John C. Lewis, 0. H. Fetters, elected in place of E. K. Barnes, who died before taking his seat, and Silas C. Matteson. 1860 - A. E. Bovay, B. H. Bettis, John C. Lewis, John Boyd and Walcott T. Brooks. 1861 - C. T. Hammond, B. H. Bettis, Selim Newton, John W. Hall and Horace Stanton. 1862 - C. F. Hammond, W. W. Hatcher, Campbell McLean, John Boyd, and H. C. Hamilton. 1863 - Willian Starr, Freeman M. Wheeler, E. H. Galloway, Samuel O'Hara and E. Foster. 1864 - William Starr, James McElroy, E. H. Galloway, Charles Geisse and Edgar Wilcox. 1865 - D. C. Van Ostrand, J. H. Brinkerhoff, James Sawyer, Thomas Boyd and Jonathan Large. 1866 - A. M. Skeels, George F. Cl»rk, James Coleman, Joseph Wagner and Aiidrew Dierenger. 1867 - A. M. Skeels, A. C. Whiting, James Coleman, L. H. Gary, C. D. Gage and Joseph Wagner. 1868 - Henry C. Bottum, R. C. Kelly, D. B. Conger, S. A. Chase, Nicholas Klotz and Joseph Wagner. 1869 - H. C. Bottum, B. H. Bettis, I. K. Hamilton, W. S. Warner, Andrew Dierenger and Charles Geisse. 1870 - Jerry Dobbs, Jr., R. Sleyster, John Boyd, U. D. Mihills, D. Cavanagh and Charles Geisse. 1871 - J. Bowen, J. A. Baker, G. T. Thorn, U. D. Mihills, M. Lonergan and Joseph Wagner. 1872 - A. J. Yorty, E. Colman and A. Walters. 1873 - A. A. Loper, R. M. Lewis and T. M. Fay. 1874 - David Whitton, T. S. Weeks and Ja:nes Lafferty. 1875 - William Blocker, George Hunter and M. Serwe. 1876 - J. K. Scribner, E. A. Putnam and Lambert Brost. 1877 - W. T. Innis, W. T. Brooks, T. W. Spence and Lambert Brost. 1878 - James Fitzgerald, A. A. Swan, Michael Wirtz and Uriah Wood. 1879 - Henry C. Bottum, Phillip Greening. T. W. Spence and M. Thelen. 1880 - W. A. Adamson, D. D. Treleven, J. F. Ware and I. Klotz.

The act of Congress, approved April 20, 1886, organizing the Territory of Wisconsin, conferred upon the people the right to be represented 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 by the following delegates :

By the Constitution, adopted when the Territory becaihe a State in 1848, two Representatives in Congress were provided for, by dividing the State into two Congressional Districts. The Second District included, along with other counties, that of Fond du Lac. Under this authority,- an election was held May 8, 1848, and Mason C. Darling was elected to represent the Second District. He took his seat June 9 of that year. At the first session of the State Legislature - June 5 to August 21, 1848 - the State was divided into three Congressional Districts. Fond du Lac County fell into the Third District. This apportionment continued unchanged until 1861. The Third District was represented in Congress as follows: Thirtyfirst Congress, James Duane Doty ; Thirty-second, John B. Macy ; Thirty-third, John B. Macy ; Thirty-fourth, Charles Billinghurst ; Thirty-fifth, Charles Billinghurst ; Thirty-sixth, Charles H. Larrabee ; Thirty-seventh, A. Scott Sloan.

At the fourteenth session of the Legislature of Wisconsin - January 9th to May 27, 1861 - the* State was divided into six Congressional Districts. Under this apportionment. Fond du. Lac County fell into the Fourth District. For the next ten years, this District was represented in the National Legislature by - Thirty-eighth Congress, Charles A. Eldredge ; Thirty-ninth, Charles A. Eldredge ; Fortieth, Charles A. Eldredge ; Forty-first, Charles A. Eldredge ; Fortysecond, Charles A. Eldredge.

The present Congressional apportionment was made ac the forty-fifth session of the Legislature - January 10, to March 27, 1872 - when the State was divided into eight districts. Fond du Lac County was included, by that apportionment, in the Fifth District. From that time to the present, the Representatives from this district have been - Forty-third Congress, Charles-

Navigation Of Lake Winnebago

The first white man that ever navigated Winnebago Lake was John Nicolet - the first of civilized men to set foot upon any portion of what is now the State of Wisconsin. This was in the year 1634. His craft was the bark canoe. Then followed the French trader and the Jesuit missionary in their canoes of the same material. It was not until Green Bay had become an American settlement that Durham boats were used upon Lake Winnebago. These were displaced to a great extent by sailing boats and small steamers, not many years subsequent to the first settlement of Fond du Lac County. But few people of the present day know what " Durham " boats are like. They were very substantial scows, and would float from fifteen to fifty tons of freight. The logs from which they were made were elevated on "horses " several feet above the ground, and a pit excavated under them in which, below the logs, " whip-sawyers" while sawing or " ripping " them into planks. The boats had walks built near the gunwale on both sides on which the crew walked while propelling the clumsy craft with poles. Sometimes, when the water became too deep for " poling," a square sail was hoisted, which, however, was a means of but little progress.

The first steamboat that ever ran upon Lake Winnebago was the Manchester, brought by Capt. Stephen Houghtaling from Bufi"alo, N. Y., in 1843. The woodwork was overhauled and some of it replaced at Brothertown. The craft was then taken to Taycheedah, where the machinery was repaired and put in order, and where its first trip was made. It was a small, slow boat, with well-worn locomotive machinery, and did not finish its first voyage out of Taycheedah, as planned, being obliged to return for further repairs. In the fall of 1843, B. F. Moore ran her up the Wolf River with supplies. She was the first boat to ascend that stream, and the crew were obliged to cut away the lumber rafts and driftwood in its numerous bends before it was possible to proceed. At Shawano, the engine crank was broken, and two men, Charles Westcott and Aaron Ninham, took a portion of the broken piece to Green Bay to secure a new casting. This they soon did, and although weighing 151 pounds actually carried it on their backs through an unbroken forest and over unbridged streams back to the boat, a distance of more than forty miles. During the first few years she ran upon Lake Winnebago, the Manchester was mostly engaged in towing rafts of logs or lumber, transporting supplies and carrying a little freight. On one occasion, she was eleven days making a trip with a raft in tow, between Fond du Lac and Oshkosh, and frequently, in rough weather, she required two days for the same journey with onlv a small load. In 1847, she was overhauled and made regular trips. Full information as to "time, passenger and freight rates, which are of interest now, may be obtained from the following notice and advertisement, copied from the Fond du Lac Whig of May 13, 1847 :

'' We take pleasure in inviting the attention of the public to the steamboat advertisement which appears in to-day's paper. The Manchester is a beautiful and commodious boat, commanded by Capt. Houghtaling, and fitted up for convenience or pleasure, and plies between Fond du Lac and the Rapids, three times a week, and returns on alternate days. From the gentlemanly bearing and enterprise of the captain, the accommodation offered by the crew, the convenience of the boat and the cheapness of the fare and freight, we hesitate not to recommend this as the best route to the rapids or any landing on the lake shores."

" 1847. Lake Winnebago Steamboat Arrangement. The Manchester, Houghtaling, Master, will run during the season between Fond du Lac and Neenah, as follows : Departures. Leaves Taycheedah, Mondays, 7 o'clock A. M. Leaves Fond du Lac, Mondays, 8 o'clock A. M., for Oshkosh, touching at Brothertown. Leaves Oshkosh, Tuesdays, 8 o'clock A. M., for Taycheedah and Fond du Lac, touching at Brothertown. Leaves Taycheedah, Wednesdays, 7 o'clock A. M. Leaves Fond du Lac, 8 o'clock A. M., for Neenah (foot of the lake,) touching at Brothertown and Oshkosh. Leaves Neenah, Thursdays, 7 o'clock A. M., for Taycheedah and

Fond du Lac, touching at Oshkosh and Brothertown. Leaves Taycheedah, Fridays, 7 o'clock A. M. Leaves Fond du Lac, Fridays, 8 o'clock A. M. for Oshkosh, touching at Brothertown. Leaves Oshkosh, Saturdays, at 8 o'clock A. M. for Taycheedah and Fond du Lac, touching at Brothertown. Fare : From Taycheedah to Brothertown, 25 cents. From Taycheedah to Oshkosh, 50 cents. From Taycheedah to Neenah, 75 cents. From Fond du Lac to Brothertown, 25 cents. From Fond du Lac to Oshkosh, 50 cents. From Fond du Lac to Neenah, 75 cents. From Brothertown to Oshkosh, 50 cents. From Neenah to Oshkosh, 50 cents. From Neenah to Taycheedah, 75 cents. From Neenah to Fond du Lac, 75 cents. Meals extra. Freight : Whisky, per barrel, 25 cents ; flour, 12 cents ; pork, 25 cents ; grain, per bushel, 6 cents ; household furniture, per barrel, bulk, 12|^ cents. The above charges for freight are from any of the above ports to any other port."

The next steamer after the Manchester was the Peytona, built in 1849 by the Peytona Company at Neenah, for Capt. Estes. She was one of the best boats ever built on the lake. The third steamer was the D. B. Whitaker, built by Capt. James and Mark R. Harrison, at Oshkosh, in 1849, and put to service the following year. In 1851, the Harrison Brothers (Mark R. is the artist, now living in Fond du Lac, and Capt. James is a Mississippi steamboat captain), built the John Mitchell, at Menasha. During the same year, the Ryans built at this same place the Menasha, which was the largest steamboat ever upon Lake Winnebago. She had two engines, and was elegantly appointed in every way. Soon after, the Jenny Lind was launched, and steamboating became almost a mania. There was very little freighting to do, and if all the people on the shores of the lake had patronized the boats regularly, it would hardly have made a paying business. Everybody who put any money into steamboating at that time lost it. In 1852, John Bannister, K. A. Darling and B. F. Moore having purchased the Peytona, ran her that season at such a loss that Bannister and Darling declared they would never touch her again. Mr. Moore therefore overhauled the boat, and ran her himself the next season, 1853, and made money enough to pay for her and all running expenses. But the others lost more disastrously than ever. During that fall and the succeeding season of 1864, B. F. Moore, of Fond du Lac, and John Fitzgerald, of Oshkosh, bought all the boats on the lake. They overhauled and ran seven of them, but laid up the balance. Among those in service were the Neenah, Barlow, Eureka, Peytona and William A. Knapp. This combination continued during 1854, 1855 and 1856, with profit to its proprietors. After that, Mr. Moore sold out to Mr. Fitzgerald, and Fond du Lac lost her shipping interests. At that time, the bar at the mouth of the Fond du Lac River prevented the entrance of steamers, and Mr. Moore built a pier out into the lake, which he rented to the Oshkosh Boat Company for several years afterward. In 1854, the Barlow, one of Moore & Fitzgerald's fleet, blew up at Oshkosh, killing two firemen.

Henry Orr, a Scotchman, who was clerk of the Peytona, is now a millionaire, and residing in Scotland. Capt. Hougljtaling. the first steamboat captain on Lake Winnebago, and who has three sons in Fond du Lac, died at Detroit of a broken blood-vessel, while returning from Pittsburgh with a boat for Lake Winnebago trafiic.

Since Mr. Moore sold his boats, the shipping interests have all remained at Oshkosh, until August, 1877, when the " Fond du Lac Steamboat Company," composed of the leading business men of the city of Fond du Lac, purchased the L. P. Sheldon for $2,000. It was overhauled and christened the Commodore Benton. It was run during 1877 by Capt. Sam. Houghtaling, and during 1878 by Capt. George Lindsley. For some unaccountable reason, the enterprise did not pay, although it resulted in reducing freight on the railways between Green Bay and Fond du Lac, from 25 to 40 per cent. The Oshkosh boatmen, jealous of the Commodore Benton's success in securing excursion parties, raised the cry that she was an old boat, liable to explode her boilers at any moment, and that killed her passenger traffic. She was sold in the fall of 1878 to John S. McDonald for $800, who sent her to Oconto to engage in towing rafts. Fond du Lac is now neither the proprietor of any boats save lumber tugs, nor in the enjoyment of regular trips from boats owned elsewhere, although very large quantities of wood, logs and lumber are brought each season by the Oshkosh steamers.

The Wisconsin Phalanx

In the year 1843, the country was agitated to a certain extent by the discussion of Fourier's principles of association, and by the zeal with which the New York' Tribune, and some other papers of recognized standing, defended " the science of new social relations, '\and the re-organization of society. The glowing accounts received by some of the citizens of Southport (now Kenosha), Wis., concerning the prospects of several societies already commenced, was the means of bringing this subject of " the union of labor and capital," before the Franklin Lyceum of that little village, in the fall and winter of the year just named. In the discussion which followed many members took part. "Its vast economies, its equitable distributions, its harmony of groups and series, its attractive industry, its advantages for schools, meetings, parties and social festivities," were all brought forth and dilated upon.

On the 13th of November, 1843, the question came up for the first time before the Lyceum in the following words : " Does the system of Fourier present a practicable plan for such a re-organization of society, as will guard against our present social evils?" It was discussed, on the 2lst of the month, by Michael Frank, T. Newell, S. Fish and B. W. Hadley, in the affirmative; by E. M. Kinney, C. Durkee and L. P. Harvey, in the negative. On the same evening this question was proposed : " Does the system of Fourier present a practicable plan of social refornj ?" It was discussed by a number of the members on the evening of the 28th. At the same time, a third question was proposed bearing on the same subject : " Are mankind naturally so depraved, and is society composed of such discordant material, as to render the adoption of Fourier's system impracticable?" It was ably discussed on the evening of the 5th of December, 1843. On that evening, the subject came up a fourth time in the shape of this question : "Would the system of Fourier, if adopted, tend to diminish the evils of society?" This was thoroughly discussed at the next meeting - December 12, 1843 - and was the last one concerning "the union of capital and labor," brought before the Lyceum.

The result of these discussions was that an organization was formed in Southport, in- the spring of 1844, with a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, to see if the plan of Fourier could be carried into practical effect. Articles of Agreement were drawn up and signed - the association taking the name of The Wisconsin Phalanx. Several hundred dollars were raised by the sale of stock at f25 a share.

The next step was the selection of a location and the entry and pre-emption of a few hundred acres of land belonging to the General Government, where the owners of the stock were to assemble and enter at once upon a new life, socially and financially. Ebenezer Childs, a wellknown citizen of Green Bay, Wis., who was familiar with many parts of the Territory, was employed by the association to hunt a proper location for trial of the experiment determined upon by its members. Childs took with him three men, and after about twelve days' search upon the Government domain in Central Wisconsin, came to a tract of land in Township 16, north of Range 14 east, in the county of Fond du Lac. The men who went with Childs were good judges of land, and were empowered to accept or reject such location as he should point out to them. The spot was in a beautiful valley, on a small stream that tumbled over cliffs of lime rock, and after a course of three miles, emptied its clear waters into Green Lake. Childs recommended this site as the most favorable, all things considered, of any they had yet visited, and as one eminently fitted for the location of the Wisconsin Phalanx. His companions accepted his views, and it was determined by them that the tract on which they stood should be the spot where the association would test its theories concerning the union of capital and labor.

The next step to be taken was the purchase of a few hundred acres of land from the General Government at the place fixed upon ; and for that purpose money was collected - about eight hundred dollars - and put into the hands of Warren Chase, the leading spirit of the movement. He sent the funds to Green Bay, where the land office for the Green Bay Land District was located, where several quarter-sections which had been selected were entered in the name of Michael Frank, " a quiet citizen of the village of Southport, of irreproachable character and far too honest to defraud any person, atid one in whom everybody had confidence, who knew him." While these transactions were going forward, the members of the Phalanx had collected teams, cows, tools, provisions and tents, and started - nineteen men and one boy - with three horse-teams and several ox-teams to the land of promise, by way of Watertown, in Jefferson County, Wis. They left home on Monday, and after "marching and camping and camping and marching," reached their destination on Sunday, May 27, 1844. They camped the night before on the north bank of Silver Creek, near where the stone mill was afterward erected, in what is now the city of Ripon ; "and on the morning of May 27 - to them ever memorable - they repaired to the valley below, on the beautiful plain surrounded by hills, like an amphitheater, and one of the most beautiful spots nature has formed in Wisconsin, and there, on their own lands, pitched their tents."

" They were as good material, probably, as was ever got together for a like experiment. They did not belong, even in part, to the class of ' the unappreciated, the played-out, the idle, and the good for nothing generally;' on the contrary, they were persons whose industry and general shrewdness had already been coined into a good equipment of live stock, farm materials, implements, and other necessaries for fitting out a new enterprise. What was better, they had all, as pioneers, undergone that training in hard work and privation which fortified them against discontent and homesickness. They were rather religious than irreligious, and among them were two who had studied as preachers in evangelical denominations ; but there was nothing like religious bigotry visible in the Phalanx ; on the contrary, every body was liberal."

The members of this association who had thus struck boldly into an uninhabited region for, as they believed, a principle, were Alexander Todd, Jerome C. Cobb, Warren Chase, Jacob Beckwith, Nathan Hunter, John Limbert, T. V. Newell, H. Gordon Martin, William E. Holbrook, Uriah Gould, Lester Rounds, Laban Stilwell, James Stuart, William Dunham, Joseph S. Tracy, Carlton Lane, George H. Stebbins, Seth R. Kellogg, Chester Adkins ; nineteen in all. A boy also came along, but he soon after left.

On the morning of Monday, May 28, 1844, preparations began for the building of three frame houses ; the first ground was broken on that day in plowing up the sod where the cellars were to be dug ; breaking for crops was also commenced on the same day. The working force - besides the nineteen men and boy - was eight yoke of oxen and thirty-four horses. The Phalanx had, in all, fifty-four head of cattle. Their first care besides the erection of the necessary buildings to shelter their soon-expected families, was of course to get in their crops as soon as possible, the season being already far advanced. Twenty acres of potatoes, buckwheat, turnips, and other vegetables, were put in, but a white frost on the morning of June 10 destroyed most of the corn, beans and vines. The long days were filled with toil by these hardy pioneers, and the short nights were devoted to sleep on the ground, under the tents, of which there were three. A Scotch sailor cooked for them in the open air ; and they ate their meals on rough boards under the shade of a bower, when it did not rain ; and when it did, they ate standing, to avoid an excess of water on the body, and because they could shed the rain better in that position. The dwellings were twenty by thirty feet each, one and one-half stories high, and thirty feet apart. They were completed from oak trees which furnished, without saw-mill, the frames, the clapboards, the shingles and the floors. Lumber for the stairs and upper floor was brought from a distance. These buildings stood on what is now Lot 2 in Block 4, and were the first houses of any kind built within the present limits of the city of Ripon. In coming to their new homes, the members of the association left their families behind them. Before the three houses were inclosed some of their wives and children arrived, brought by horse teams, which were kept constantly going from and to the old and new homes.

The next arrival at the " domain," after those who reached the valley May 28, was JEbenezer Childs. He came June 4, but only remained until the 24th of September following. On the 4th of July, a liberty pole was raised, and the stars and stripes floated proudly in the breeze.

The most important improvement needed, it was now seen, was the building of a saw-miil and the erection of a dam across Silver Creek. It was late in winter before the saw-mill was in running order, and then the creek was too much frozen for use. The consequence was that the Phalanx had to go without many boards to protect man and beast from the inclemency of the weather, during all the cold months ; but the hay, which was abundant, supplied largely the place of boards for shelter for their animals, and was used for beds for the families. There was " broken up " and sowed to winter wheat one hundred acres of prairie the first year.

When the families (about twenty, who all ate at a common table in the basement of one of the houses, where all the cooking was done) were all packed for winter quarters, and "the boys" were hunting fence timber and saw-logs on the Government land, Warren Chase started for Madison to secure a charter, or act of incorporation, for the society. The act had been carefully drawn up by him, and submitted to the members and approved, and he was authorized to secure its passage with as few amendments as possible. After much labor in lobbying, he was successful, his bill having passed the Assembly and Council, the two houses of the Territorial Legislature. It was approved by N. P. Tallmadge, on the 6th day of Februai'y, 1845, the Governor remarking, interrogatively, to Chase as he signed the act, " It will not compromise my Democracy to sign it, will it ? " The charter was in these words :

Section 1. That Warren Chase, Uriel Farmin, Lester Rounds, Jacob Beokwith, Laban Stilwell and William Dunham, and all others who shall become associated with them as members, shall be, and they are hereby declared to bfe, a body corporate, or politic, to be known and designated as the Wisconsin Phalanx, and as such corporation are hereby declared capable of suing and being sued, answering and being answered. unto, pleading and being impleaded, defending and being defended, in all courts and places in all suits, actions, matters and causes whatever. And the said corporation shall have a continued and perpetual succession, and shall have power to make a common seal and change the same at pleasure.

Sec. 2. The said corporation shall have power to own and hold real estate and personal property in joint stock, to purchase and transfer property, real or personal, at pleasure, using the common seal and signature of the corporation. But in no case shall said corporation sell and convey real estate without the consent of all the stockholders, or a special law of the Legislature of this Territory for that purpose. The evidence of stock in this corporation shall be kept in a book denominated a gtock-bobk, which book shall at all times be a sufficient evidence to any person or persons title to stock or interest in said corporation, and shall be a public record of the same.

" Sec. 3. The property real and personal of said corporation shall be held in stock, numbered in shares of $25 each , and transferable at the will of the holder ; but no transfer shall be effectual until recorded on the books of the corporation by the recording officer of the Phalanx.

Sec. 4. The said corporation shall be located in the town of Ceresco, in the county of Fond du Lac, to which town the business operations of the Corporation shall at all times be restricted. Provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prohibit the corporation from owning and occupying timbered or meadow lands in any other town, and provided further that the quantity of land held by said corporation shall never exceed forty acres to each person belonging thereto.

Sec. 6. The corporation, or the officers thereof, shall have no power to contract any debt in their incorporate name or by virtue of this act, to issue any notes or scrips, or evidences of debt whatever; and if said corporation, or its Board of Managers, shall contract or assume to contract any debt in the name of said corporation, each individual member thereof shall be personally liable to pay such debt.

Sec. 6. Warren Chase, Lester Rounds and Uriel Farmin, are hereby authorized and empowered to open books and receive subscriptions for stock in said corporation, on the third Monday in February, A. D. 1845, at the house of Lester Rounds, in the town of Ceresco, in the county of Fond du Lao, W. T., and to continue open said books at such times and places as tljey shall deem proper, until the Council hereinafter mentioned shall be elected ; immediately after which they shall deliver said books and subscriptions to said Council. No subscriptions for stock shall be entered upon the books without the consentof all persons auihorized to open said bopks while the sameare in their possession. All subscriptions for stock not paid on or before the time designated for the payment of the same shall be forfeited.

Sec. 7. The books of said corporation shall be open at all times for inspection by any member, or stockholder, or officer of the township, county or territory, acting in his official capacity ; and the stock in said corporation owned by any shareholder shall be at all times liable to attachments and execution for the private debts of such stockholder, in the same manner as is provided in Sections 105, 106 and 107 of an " Act concerning judgments and executions ; " and Section 107 of said act shall apply in all particulars to the corporation created by this act, and to its officers.

Sec. 8. The first meeting of said corporation shall be held at the house of Lester Rounds, in the town of Ceresco, county of Fond du Lac, on the first Monday in April, A. D. 1845, at 9 o'clock A. M., which meeting shall proceed to choose Chairman and Secretary for said meeting, after which they shall proceed to elect by ballot the following oificers (a majority of votes being necessary for a choice) : One President, one Vice President, one Secretary, one Treasurer and nine Councilmen. The President and Vice President shall be ex officio members of the Council. Said oificers shall hold their respective oifices until the second Monday of December following, and until others shall be elected to fill their places, unless sooner removed by the Council, as hereinafter provided.

Sec. 9. There shall be an annual meeting of the stockholders and members of said corporation holden on the second Monday of December in each year, in the town of Ceresco, at such place as the Council shall determine, for the election of officers to fill the places of those whose terms of office expire on the same day. Said meeting shall continue from day to day until such officers are elected. Every male member and stockholder over twenty-one years of age, present or absent, shall at all times be entitled to one vote by person or by proxy in the election of officers, but in no other case shall either a member or a stockholder vote by proxy. The term of office of each officer shall expire on the second Monday of December in each year, or as soon thereafter as another shall be elected to fill his place.

Sec. 11. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the members or stockbolders ; to sign all papers and documents for the Phalanx ; to make out and present at each annual meeting of the corporation a general statement of the affairs of the Phalanx ; and to have a general supervision of the business of the Phalanx, subject at all times to the direction of the Council.

Sec. 12. The Vice Preiident shall be President of the Council and, in the absence or disability of the President, shall perform all duties devolving upon him ; in which case the Council shall elect a President joro tern.

Sec. 13. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep all record books and papers for the Phalanx and Council, and transact such other writing as the corporation or Council may direct.

Sec. 14. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive, keep, disburse and pay out all moneys belonging to the corporation, pursuant to instructions from the Council, and to keep an account of all moneys received and paid out, and furnish a copy of the same to the Secretary weekly. Before entering upon the duties of his office he shaU execute a bond to the corporation, with sufficient sureties to be approved of by the Council in such sums as they shall deem proper, which bond shall be conditioned for the security, faithful keeping and disbursement of all moneys coming into his hands pursuant to the direction of the Council.

Sec. 15. The President, Vice President and nine Councilmen shall form a Board of Managers, two-thirds of which shall form a quorum for the transaction of business. The Council shall receive and determine upon all applications for membership and subscriptions for stock, and no person shall be permitted to become a member or stockholder without the consent of all composing the Board of Managers. The Council shall arrange and determine all business for the corporation, both financial and industrial, and shall have power to make such rules, regulations and by-laws for the government of members as they may deem proper ; provided always that said rules, regulations and by-laws shall in no wise conflict with the provisions of this act or with the laws of this Territory. The Council shall have power to remove the Secretary or Treasurer, or any member of their Board, by a vote of three-fourths of all ' the members composing the Board, for neglect pr mismanagement of his official duties. The Council shall in case of such removal call a meeting of the members and stockholders to fill the vacancy occasioned by such removal.

Sec. 16. There shall be annual meetings of the members and stockholders on the first Monday of December in each year, at which time a settlement shall be made with each member. Previous to, and preparatory for which meetings, the Council shall make or cause to be made, an assessment and appraisal of all property, real and personal, belonging to the Phalanx ; and if said appraisal shall exceed the cost and last appraisal of said property, the increase shall be divided as follows : One-fourth shall be credited as a dividend for stock, in proportion to the time said stock has been paid in since the last appraisal; the remaining three-fourths shall be credited to labor in such manner as the by-laws shall determine. The amount due each member or stockholder upon settlement shall be paid in money or stock, as tue Council shall determine, but the kind of payment shall be alike to all. It shall be the duty of the Council to transact all business of the corporation not otherwise provided for.

Sec. 17. The Council shall establish a public school in which shall be taught all the different branches of science usually taught in the common schools of the Territory, which school shall be open and free to the children of all the members of the corporation, and shall be continued nine months in each year. All teachers of the arts and sciences except those hereinafter excepted, shall be paid as follows, viz., three-fourths of the amount shall be deducted annually from the amount credited to capital, and one-fourth from the amount credited to labor, previous to the individual settlement with the members and stockholders.

Sec. 18. There shall always be a free toleration of religious opinion, and every member shall be protected in his or her religious belief; and no member of the corporation shall ever be taxed without his or her consent for the support of any minister or teacher of religion.

Warren Chase returned from Madison armed -with his charter, to the valley where the Wisconsin Phalanx had its abiding-place. "Now, we are safe," said the members, "for our property will be in our own hands."

On the 17th of February, 1845, Warren Chase, Lester Rounds and Uriel Farmin, as directed by Section 6 of the charter, met at the house of Lester Rounds, in Ceresco, prepared

OflScers were soon elected under the charter, and the " tempest-in-a-teapot " excitement which lasted until it was done, subsided, and the Wisconsin Phalanx was " a thing of life " in the spring of 1845. " The neighbors, who had begun to locate in the vicinity," afterward wrote Warren Chase, " were greatly alarmed by it, and most of them were sure it would do mischief; for it had great power, they said, and would monopolize."

"During the summer of 1845, the saw-mill was making boards; the 'long home' was going up in sections which continued to lengthen until twenty tenements of twenty feet each were joined together in two rows, with a hall between, all under one roof with a ridiculous plan of a double front house and hip-roof, looking more like a rope-walk, or salt works, than a house."

The members all lived a "unitary life," that is, they ate at a common table and worked a common farm. " But the families all had separate homes to retire to after meals. A stone schoolhouse had been erected, and a school commenced, which never stopped except for necessary vacations, until the society ran out its race ; and then it left the children of the members qualified for teaching the other schools and children of their own ages around them.

" They felt the great advantages and economies of combined labor and living ; but some were not satisfied with the unitary life, especially of houses, and sighed for the retirement of quiet meals in family circles, as of old. Others were greatly pleased with the unitary table. Both males and females were about equally divided on this subject ; but the plans and buildings had been commenced for the unitary living, and could not easily be changed. The single men, of whom there were quite a number, were very much opposed to a chapge. This apple of discord finally grew until it was of sufiicient power to break up the society, with other feebler aids."

The evenings, after the toils of the day were ended, were divided between business and sociality. Monday night, there was a business meeting of the Council. Tuesday evening, there was a meeting of the Philolothian Society ; various subjects were discussed and a paper read called the Grleaner. Its motto was, " Let the gleaner go forth and glean, and gather up the fragments that nothing be lost." On Wednesday evening, a singing-school was held. A dance and social meeting enlivened Thursday evening. There was no meeting on Friday evening. Saturday evening was a general meeting for reports from foremen.

The various branches of labor were carried on under the direction of persons selected by the members, which persons kept in a public manner exact accounts of all labor expended in each department - this showing the exact cost of each crop of grain, etc. At the end of each fiscal year, three-fourths of- the net product was divided fOr the labor to each in proportion to the amount of labor performed after deducting suitable rewards for extraordinary skill. All labor was voluntary, the members working when and where they chose, and receiving credit only for the amount of work done.

From the second annual statement of the Phalanx, published in the Harbinger, December 27, 1845, for the fiscal yqar ending the firsti of the month, signed by its President- - Warren Chase - it appears that the estimated value of the property on hand was $27,725.22, and was wholly unencumbered. The association was free from debt, except about f 600 due to members who had advanced cash for the purchase of provisions and land ; but to balance that, it had over $1,000 coming from members on stock subscriptions not then due. The whole number of hours of labor performed during the previous year, reduced to the class of usefulness, was 102,760. The number expended in cooking, etc., and deducted for the board of members was 21,170 hours. The number remaining after deducting for board was 81,500, to which the amount due labor was divided. In this statement, the washing was not taken into account, families having done their own. The whole number of weeks' board charged members (including children graduated to adults) was 4,234. The cost of board was, provisions, 44 cents and five hours' labor per week. The whole amount of property on hand was $27,725.22. The cost of property and stock issued up to December 1, 1845, was $19,589.18. The increase during the year being the product of labor, etc., was $8,136.04. One-fourth of this was credited to capital, being 12 per cent per annum on stock for the average time invested ; an'd three-fourths to labor, being 7J cents per hour. It will be seen, then, that the Phalanx was a joint-stock experiment in which it was attempted to recognize the rights of both capital and labor ; that every hour of labor was carefully recorded, and received its reward in wages - save five hours per week for each individual, which was included in the cost of board ; that one-fourth of the increase of property during the year gave to stock 12 per cent per annum ; and that three-fourths of the increase gave to labor 7J cents an hour.

In the Harbinger of January 9, 1847, the third annual statement of the President of the Phalanx was published. It included an exhibit for 1846. It says : " We have now 180 resident members ; 101 males, 79 females ; 56 males and 37 females over the age of twenty-one years. About 80 have boarded at a public table during the past year, at a cost of 50 cents and two and a half hours' labor - whole cost, 63 cents. The others have, most of the time, had their provisions charged to them and done their own cooking in their respective families, although their apartments are very inconvenient for that purpose. Most of the families choose this mode of living more from previous habits of domestic arrangement and convenience than from economy. We have resident on the domain 36 families and 35 single persons ; 15 families and 30 single persons board at the public table ; 21 families board by themselves, and the remaining five single persons board with them." In a pecuniary point of view, the year 1846 was less favorable than 1845. The reasons given were ' a new farm to work,' and a light crop of wheat ; still, the Phalanx paid 5 cents an hour for labor, and 6 per cent on capital.

" They have now," wrote the President, " about 40 families resident and near 2,000 acres of land, and are in a prosperous condition. During the first and part of the second year, they boarded mostly at one boarding-house, so far as eating together, but otherwise lived in separate families. Pinding this mode less economical and more inconvenient than they anticipated, the families have since lived mostly entirely separate, but change occasionally, following at all times their choice. Board and provisions are advanced during the year as they are needed, always in proportion to labor done and stock, and deducted at the annual settlement from each member's account. In matters of opinion, they are not, as many suppose, a company of fanatics ; there are some among them of all varieties of opinion, from the doctrines of Swedenborg or the New Jerusalem Church, down to skepticism and infidelity. In politics, they are Democrats, Whigs, Abolitionists and Native-Reformers, with a large proportion of the latter. All this variety of opinion has a tendency to improve the public mind, but never disturbs their business operations. Most of them are great readers, and they take a great variety of papers, and exchange with each other.

'' They are all temperance people, using no spirits except for medicine, and seldom for that, for many of them are believers in the system of hydropathy now in use, and several are also dietics [dietists], using no meat, tea or coffee ; but these are not general principles with them. They avoid, as much as possible, profane language, and endeavor to set good examples for their children, ^hey. keep up a school all the time at the expense of the society, and pay much attention to education.

" They are often called Fury-ites, Four-year-ites or Fourierites, but they deny all ' ites ' and ' isms,' each individual being responsible for his own individual opinions, and nobody else's. Their society belongs to the American Union of Associationists, and with them believe in a jointstock property, a co-operative labor and equitable distribution of property. Their efforts thus far prove as successful as they anticipated, and, with two or three exceptions, their members are contented and happy. They have no arbitrary laws, but they buy and sell stock and go or stay where and when they please. They have an excellent location, one well adapted to test the system they are endeavoring to prove, and, from present appearances, seem almost certain of success."

" It is a fine sight," says another writer, " at sunrise to turn from the hill west of Ceresco and look down upon the prairie stretching away to the east, with its border of heavy timber, its gentle undulation, its ravines, the creek, its serpentine course marked by scattered oaks and thick bushes, until it winds down into the valley or basin which holds this little Phalanx, and, after doing its duty in driving various machinery, disappears in the distance. The long building with its numerous windows which is used as the dwelling of many of the families, the mills, the detached houses and offices - some built gf stone and very neat in their appearance - the numerous stacks of hay and grain, the fat and sleek-looking cattle and hogs, and the industrious inhabitants, busied about their various duties, make indeed an interesting and beautiful scene."

The Wisconsin Phalanx was organized as an Industrial Association, in the spring of 1844, and commenced practical operations May 27 of the same year, in the unoccupied town since called Ceresco, which makes this the fourth annual settlement.

The moral and social condition of the Phalanx has experienced no sudden and striking changes ; yet it is believed that those who look not alone upon the external surface of things, will have noticed that decided^and constant progress, which must ever attend the earnest efforts of truthful men and women to place themselves in just and harmonious relations to each other. The social intercourse of the members is governed by that correct moral feeling,^ which must be gratifying to all who come within its influence. i

Religious meetings of some kind have been sustained regularly during the year, and occasional opportunities have occurred of listening to lectures on reform from some of the leading reformers of the age.

In the education department, we have not yet been able to make that improvement which we desire, owing to the want of sufficient buildings and conveniences for reducing the management of this branch to that regular system, which, by an adaptation of external circumstances to the internal nature, harmoniously unfolds that "variety in unity" without which there is no complete educational development.

Music, vocal and instrumental, has been taught to some extent, yet, laboring under the disadvantages mentioned above, there has not been that attention paid to its cultivation which its importance demands.

For want of materials and from a determination to free ourselves from debt and contract none for any improvements, we have not yet built so as to establish a library and reading-room - but there are taken by the members 136 copies of newspapers and periodical publications of thirty-nine difiFerent kinds, a constant interchange of which (comprising as they do the best publications of the age) gives us many facilities for information which isolated society cannot possess.

The number of resident members is 157, viz., 84 males, 73 females - 32 males and 39 females under twenty-one years; 52 males and 34 females over twenty-one years; 18 persons above the age of twenty-one unmarried. The whole number of resident families is 32 - we have resident with us, who are not members, one family and four single persons.

Four families and two single persons have left during the year, the stock of all of whom has been purchased, except of one family and one single person - the former intends returning, and the latter one owes but $25. We have lost by death the past year three persons - one married lady, aged thirty-iive, and two infants - all by consumption. Generally, the health of the members has been remarkably good.

The Phalanx has sustained a public boarding-house during the latter and major part of the year on an improved plan from the former method, at which most of the single persons and part of the families have boarded at a cost of 75 cents per week. The remaining familes board at their own apartments.

The number of hours' labor performed during the year, reduced to the medium class, is 93,446. The whole amount of property at the appraisal is $32,564.18. The net profits of the year are $9,029.73, which gives a dividend to stock of nearly 7f per cent and 7 8-10 cents per hour to labor.

The Phalanx has purchased and canceled during the year $2,000 of stock ; we have also by the assistance of our mill (which has been in operation since June), and from our available products, paid off the incumbrance of $1 ,095.33, with which we commenced the year - -made our mechanical and agricultural improvements, and^adVanced to members in rent, provisions, clothing, cash, etc., $5,237.07. The annexed schedule specifies the kinds and valuation of the property on hand.

Benjamin Wright, President. Note. - At the annual charter election of the Phalanx, held December 13, the following persons were elected: Stephen Bates, President; William Starr, Vice President; Uriel Farmin, Secretary; A. Devine Wright, Treasurer; Jacob Beckwith, Jacob Woodruff, Carlton Lane, Chester Adkins, Benjamin Wright, Robert D. Mason, James Hebden, Seth K. Kellogg and Benjamin Sheldon, Councilors.

The report for 1848 shows the Phalanx as still a paying institution. It gave a dividend to stockholders of 6J per cent, and 6| cents an hour for labor. The next year, 1848, divided about 8 per cent on the capital. For the year 1849, the Phalanx had 120 residents ; 8^ cents were paid an hour for work. The cost of board was 75 cents per week. It will thus be seen that financially the institution was a success ; socially, however, it was a failure and steps were taken looking to its dissolution. The following act of the Legislature was approved January

An act to amend an act entitled " An act to incorporate the Wisconsin Plialanx." The People of the State of Wisconsin represented in Senate and Assembly do enact as follows :

Section 1. An act entitled "An act to incorporate the Wisconsin Phalanx," approved Febraary 6, 1845, is hereby so amended as to allow and authorize the council to sell and convey real estate by their official act ; also to lay out and have recorded a village plat, with streets and squares and public lots.

Sec 2. The said act is further amended by repealing sections sixteen and seventeen of the same. Sec. 8. It shall not be lawful for the council or other officers of said Phalanx to purchase real estate in their corporate capacity after the passage of this act.

In April, 1850, an appraisal of the lands of the Phalanx was fixed upon in small lots (some being cut into village and some into farm lots). They then commenced selling at public sale for stock, making the appraisal the minimum, and leaving any lands open to entry, after they had been offered publicly. During the summer of 1850, most of the lands were sold, and most of the capital stock canceled, under an arrangement by which each stockholder should receive his proportional share of any surplus, or make up any deficiency. Most of the members bought either farming lands or village lots and became permanent inhabitants. They divided about 8 per cent above par on the stock. Some of the members regretted the dissolution, others seemed to care very little about it. The social features, which many disliked, and speculation of members outside the institution, brought on the death-throes of the "Wisconsin Phalanx. The names of all those who were members of the society during its existence are as follows :

Warren Chase, the leader of the Ceresco Colony, was born in Pittsfield, N. H., January 5, 1813. Was educated at the academies of Pittsfield and Gilmanton, N. H., and in 1835 emigrated to Michigan and settled in Monroe, where he married Mary T. White, of Newport, N. H., who died in November, 1875, leaving three children, the eldest, Milton Chase, M. D., now living in Otsego, Mich,, and who was Assistant Surgeon of the Sixth Michigan Volunteer Infantry during the war, the second, Mrs. C. C. Whelpley, residing in Cobden, 111., and the third, Albert Chase, residing in St. Mary's, Mo., not married. In the spring of 1838, Mr. Chase moved from Monroe to Southport, Wis. (now Kenosha), where he resided till the spring of 1844, when he came with a colony and settled in the northwestern corner township of this county which at that time had no settler and which the colony named Ceresco (now Ripon.) He resided there until 1853, when he moved to Battle Creek, Mich. During this time, he held the office of Chairman of the Board of Supervisors one year, was elected a member from this county, of the two Constitutional Conventions, and to the first State Senate from this and Winnebago Counties, which then constituted the Senatorial District. In the second session of the Senate, he was on the Judiciary Committee when the revised statutes were adopted.*

In 1872, Mr. Chase was elected one of the Presidential Electors of Missouri, residing then in St. Louis. In 1876, he moved to California nnd settled in Santa Barbara, where he now resides and is editor of the Santa Barbara Independent. In September, 1879, he was elected to the State Senate of California for three years from the three counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo, and took his seat in the Senate of that State January 5, 1880, the day he was sixty-seven years old.

* He was the Free-Soil candidate tor Governor of tlie State in 1850', and on the Electoral Ticket for Hall and Julien in 1852, and delegate to .the Kational Gonvention.

Fond du Lac Cotjntt Bible Society - County Court House and Jail - County Poor Paem AND Buildings - Ageicultuke in Fond dv Lac County- The Daieying Interests ov Fond du Lac County - County Ageicultueal and Mechanical Society- Eipon AgeicuLTUEAL Association - Plank Eoads - Eaileoads - Fond du Lac County a Quaetee of A Century Ago - A Terrible Disaster.

On the 17th day of June, 1847; a meeting of the friends of the Bible cause was held at the Court House, in the village of Fond du Lae, for the purpose of forming a Bible Society for the county, which should be auxiliary to the North Wisconsin Bible Society. A constitution was presented and adopted, after which William H. Sampson was elected President ; M. S. Gibson, Vice President ; L. C. SpoflFord, Secretary, and K. Gillett, Treasurer. These oflBcers were chosen for one year. The object of the Society was declared, by the constitution, to be " to promote the circulation of the Scriptures without note or comment." For the next twenty years annual and called meetings were held to promote the circulation of the Bible within the county, when, on February 24, 1867, at an annual meeting, a new constitution was adopted. The society was now named " The Bible Society of Fond du Lac County, Auxiliary to the American Bible Society." The object of the Society was declared to be " to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, 'without note or comment,' and, in English, those of the commonly received version." The officers under the new constitution (elected for one year) were, for President, I. K. Hamilton; Vice President, N. C. GriflSn; Secretary, J. E. Peabody; Treasurer, J. C. Huber. At the annual meeting held December 15, 1878, John S. McDonald was elected President; Prof C. A. Hutchins, Vice President ; P. B. Haber, Secretary, and J. C. Huber, Treasurer.

County Court House And Jail

The Court House is by no means a credit to the county of Fond du Lac, nor in keeping with its wealth and importance. Another building to take its place is expected soon to be erected. As a new Court House is now a necessity and likely soon to be a reality, the present rickety structure, which, during ten years, has been the butt of all manner of jokes by judges, lawyers, newspapers and travelers, will be dealt with more briefly in this history than it otherwise would have been.

On the 4th of March, 1844, Dr. Mason C. Darling and Naomi Darling, his wife, executed a warranty deed to the Board of Supervisors of the county of Fond du Lac, Territory of Wisconsin, of the land on which the Court House now stands, the consideration being $1 in hand paid, and a contract to build and locate a County Court House thereon. This parcel of land is on the corner of Main street and Western avenue, and is described in the deed as follows : " North half of the northeast quarter of Section 15, Town 15 north, of Range 17 east, of the Fourth Meridian east, in Green Bay Land District, and containing 90,000 square feet." At the same time, Dr. Darling entered into the following bond :

Know all Men by these Presbnts, That I, Mason C. Darling, of Fond du Lao, county of Fond du Lac, Territory of Wisconsin, am hereby held and firmly bound unto the Board of Supervisors of the county of Fond du Lao, in the sum of $500, good and lawful money of the United States, to be paid to the said Board of Supervisors or their successors, to which payment well and truly to be made, I do bind myself, my heirs, executors and administrators firmly by these presents, sealed with my seal, and dated this 4th day of March, A. D. 1844. The condition of this obligation is sucVi that if the above bouuden Mason C. Darling, shall provide, or cause to be provided, a suitable room for the use of the county of Fond du Lac, free of expense, then this obligation shall be null and void,. otherwise to remain in full force and virtue. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written.

These instruments were acknowledged before Alonzo Raymond, Justice of the Peace, and recorded by Oscar Pier, Register of Deeds, on the same day.

On the 14th of October, 1846, the Board of Supervisors accepted plans for a Court House by Brown & Arnold (Isaac Brown and Leonard Arnold) and directed that the plans be left with Edward Pier for the inspection of mechanics. The Board paid Arnold $10 for plans and specifications.

The manner of paying for the Court House and " Gaol " (jail) was determined by the Supervisors like this : October 14, 1846, $1,400 was appropriated out of the treasury for the jail, which was a part of the building ; one-half of balance to be paid February 1, 1848, and the residue, February 1, 1849. With a drollery not appreciated at the time, doubtless, it was solemnly ordered that if anything remained after the "residue" had been paid, it should draw 10 per cent interest. At a special session of the Board, the report of the Building Committee was accepted September 11, 1848, adding $100 for " stoves and fixtures for the Court House."

The building, above the basement, which is of stone and was the first County Jail, is of wood, and three stories in height. The second floor is used for elections by the town of Fond, du Lac, and for jury rooms, and the third floor for elections by the First Ward of the city, and for holding terms of the County and Circuit Courts. It is dirty, shabby, and poorly ventilated ; nevertheless, the wits of the State have exhausted their stock-in-trade in praising it, as witness the following :

" The same year that Wisconsin was admitted into the Union as a State, Fond du Lac County built a Court House. At that time, it was regarded as a model architectural pile, and it was built to stay. It was founded upon a rock ; for men were pure in those days ; and the winds and rains of forty years have beat upon that house, and still it stands, a noble wreck in ruinoiis perfection. T^e elements have failed to sap it, and no amount of prayer or profanity has been sufficient to consign it to ' where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.' Incendiaries, who are thoroughly depraved and have not one redeeming quality, have persistently and maliciously withheld the torch. Like the Pennsylvania Democrat, who has wended his way to the polls every election since 1840, and consistently put in a vote for Gen. Jackson, the Fond du Lac Court House maintains its position and repels all innovations. The story that the wood of which a part of it is composed was once a part of a celebrated vessel, and that a boy who was on board the vessel cut his name in one of the planks with a jack-knife, is doubtless untrue. It is believed that a young lawyer, in Judge McLean's court, cut the name himself, while waiting for the opposing counsel to make his plea, and that the word is 'Joseph,' instead of ' Japhet.' And still the building is pretty old."

The following imaginative sketch is from a Fond du Lac paper: "The plans for our elegant new Court House were drawn up a few days before election. The building was to cost not less than $9,000,000. The contract, which has been awarded, required that the mate^ rial should be purchased at the following rates : Stone, $1,000 per cord ; lumber, $966 per thousand ; shingles, $100 per thousand, and nails $40 per pound.

"The building is now finished and ready for occupancy. It stands on the old site, at the head of Fourth street, and is an imposing structure. It is 400x400 feet square, 100 feet from the ground to the cornice and 400 feet to the splendid bronze statute on the dome. It is built of the finest Parian marble, trimmed with purple porphyry. The basement is for the use of the County Board, and has a committee-room in the back end with walls forty feet in thickness. It has no windows, and but one small iron door. In one corner is a splendid bar-room and back of it a poker-room. The first floor above the basement is divided into six rooms - three on either side of the hallway - which are occupied by the Clerk of the Court, County Clerk, Register of