Trempealeau County, Wisconsin - Chapter 24: Sources, 1917

The principal sources of strictly local Trempealeau County History are the files of the newspapers, the county and village records, the records of various institutions, letters, diaries, and the memories of the pioneers. The results of interviews with hundreds of pioneers have been preserved in the files of the Trempealeau County Historical Society. The five principal collectors of historical material in the county have been Judge George Gale, Judge Benjamin F. Heuston, Judge Hans A. Anderson, Dr. E. D. Pierce and Attorney Stephen Richmond. George H. Squier has devoted nearly half a century to the study of the geology and archaeology of the county.

Judge B. F. Heuston was the first to enter the field. Coming here when Trempealeau was still Reed's Landing, and for many years taking an active part in public life, he was the personal friend of all the early pioneers, and was closely in touch with pioneer activity in all its phases. He spent many years in writing down his own observations, and in traveling about interviewing the early pioneers and transcribing their reminiscences. Many of his writings are preserved in the newspapers, and he assisted in furnishing material for the History of Western Wisconsin, published in 1882. Upon his death he left a completed manuscript history of the county. The manuscript is in the custody of the Trempealeau County Historical Association, but owing to certain conditions regarding its use has not been made available for general examination. The work of Judge Heuston regarding geology, archaeology, Indian history, explorers, fur traders and French settlement days has been superseded by later research by others, but his material regarding the pioneer period is of considerable value.

Judge George Gale was the next to enter the field. His book, "The Upper Mississippi," embodies much of his general research in this vicinity, and the Galesville "Transcript" preserves in its files many, of his articles, largely of an archaeological nature.

Some thirty years ago Judge Hans A. Anderson became interested in the subject. His spare time has since then been largely devoted to gathering material at first hand from the pioneers. He has interviewed hundreds of early settlers, he has examined numerous records, he has conducted an extensive correspondence with the people in all parts of the countrj', and he has made extensive collections of photographs and mementoes. The result of his investigations are embodied in numerous personal note books, in newspaper articles, and in the collections of the Trempealeau County Historical Society. For nearly a year the newspapers contained a weekly series of articles on the place names of the county by Judge Anderson and

Dr. Pierce. The article in this book on Pigeon Township shows the thoroughness of his work. Judge Anderson is still conducting his studies, and hopes to leave for posterity material for a complete history of pioneer times. To Judge Anderson's painstaking research and accurate work, as well as to his unfailing courtesy and kindliness, the editors of this work are greatly indebted.

Eben D. Pierce, M. D., has made a hobby of the study of history since his earliest boyhood. Sixteen years ago while living at Arcadia, his native town, he threw into the work a natural enthusiasm which inspired the cooperation of the pioneers whom he interviewed. After collecting during the winter of 1901 he prepared a newspaper article which appeared as a Historical and Industrial edition of the Arcadian April 24, 1903. This attracted the attention of Reuben G. Thwaites, then secretary of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, who invited the budding historian to become a member of the State Historical Society. Dr. Pierce gladly accepted the invitation and joined the society, offering at the same time to do whatever he could toward preserving the history of Trempealeau County communities by interviewing pioneers and writing down their recollections. For the next four years he interviewed old settlers in and about Arcadia and Trempealeau, at the same time corresponding with some of the daily papers of Wisconsin and Minnesota. This collecting data of a historical nature has grown into a habit with Dr. Pierce, and during his many years of activity he has contributed a number of valuable historical papers to the State and County Historical Societies. He was particularly interested in the pioneer epoch, and made especial effort to get the recollections of the first settler in each community. This resulted in Collins Bishop's story of the first settlement of Arcadia, of Grignon's Recollections of Early Trempealeau, of Capt. John D. Lewis's account of his Lewis Valley Experiences, of Mrs. H. E. Pierce's Memories of Williamsburg and of Harold Newcomb's Reminiscences of Pioneering in Newcomb Valley. He is the editor of the present work, and the author of several of its chapters. In this connection he has said: "Our interest has been stirred by the thought that the work will arouse a deeper interest in our home country. The country belongs to the people and we should be patriotic enough to study its past, preserve its present and hope for its welfare in the future. We hope the work will awaken a more profound study of our country's history, and if we have been instrumental in preserving records that otherwise would have fallen into obscurity, and portrayed the pioneer life, and rescued phases of it that would have faded into oblivion, then have we been repaid for our efforts."

Stephen Richmond planned to write a history of the county, and at his death left a vast amount of manuscript. A completed manuscript, "A Panorama of Trempealeau County for Forty-one Years," contains much of interest, and many of his uncompleted manuscripts appear in this present work. Mr. Richmond worked on his history for several years, paying especial attention to the valleys and cooleys of Arcadia Township. Had he lived to complete his work the resulting publication would have been one of the greatest interest. His entire collection of manuscripts, letters,

The Trempealeau County Historical Society was organized in 1910, and held its first annual meeting on Nov. 17, 1910. The officers elected were: President, Capt. A. A. Arnold; vice-presidents, M. J. Warner, James N. Hunter, E. J. Matchett; advisory committee, F. C. Richmond and John A. Markham; secretary, H. A. Anderson; treasurer, Herman Hoberton. The members present at the first meeting were: Edward J. Matchett, H. A. Anderson, John C. Gaveney, W. J. Boyd, Jas. N. Hunter, D. H. Neperud, F. A. George, Peter Nelton, E. F. Clark, F. C. Richmond, C. Q. Gage, C. 0. Dahl, H. F. Clausen, A. J. Ekern, Herman Hobertson, P. J. Skogstad, John Ring, L. L. Grinde, L. K. Strand, A. N. Nelson, J. A. Markham, P. H. Johnson, Henry Kopp, John F. Hager, P. K. Risberg, F. A. Hotchkiss, T. Grafton Owen, E. F. Hensel, A. A. Markham, Stephen Richmond, George Markham, J. O. Dewey, Collins Bishop, Alexander A. Arnold, Frank M. Immell, Milo B. Gibson, Knudt Hagestad, John C. Muir.

From that day the collection of historical material has gone steadily forward under the management of the able secretary. Judge H. A. Anderson, until the collections embody hundreds of photographs, hundreds of relics, books, newspaper files, and many historical papers, letters, documents, records and the like, probably exceeding any county collection in the state. The collections are catalogued and are found at Judge Anderson's office. All have been placed at the disposal of the editors of the present work.

Dr. Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, the compiler of this work, became interested in the field of research in Trempealeau County in the summer of 1916, after ten years of research in Minnesota, and has devoted over a year to the preparation of this work, compiling the material already gathered, examining all available manuscripts and published material, closely studying the records, soliciting manuscript contributions, and interviewing leading citizens. He has been ably assisted by people in all parts of the county.

The gentlemen originally appearing on the prospectus were John C. Gaveney, Arcadia; George Gale, Galesville; E. E. Barlow, Arcadia; W. E. Bishop, Arcadia; Bert A. Gipple, Galesville; E. F. Hensel, Whitehall; Dr. A. H. Kulig, Dodge ; N. H. Carhart, Trempealeau Prairie ; B. M. Sletteland, Pigeon Falls; William Nicholls, Caledonia; L. M. Pittenger, Trempealeau; John A. Markham, Independence; H. F. Claussen, Ettrick; Frank Smith, Osseo ; C. 0. Dahl, Osseo ; Clarence P. Larson, Eleva, and Charles J. Gibson, Blair.

For the most part the authors of the contributions are indicated with their articles. In addition to these W. E. Bishop is the author of the article on the early settlement of Arcadia, Mrs. Ida Gibson Englesby of the article on the settlement of Albion, Earl F. Hensel of the article on Blair, Nathan H. Carhart of the article on Trempealeau Prairie and Bert A. Gipple of the article on the newspapers. Bert A. Gipple, Earl F. Hensel, John C. Gaveney, J. P. Larson, Claude Burton, John A. Markham and others have assisted in reading manuscripts and proofs. At Whitehall assistance was rendered by H. A. Anderson, Paudor K. Risberg, Morris Hanson, Eugene F. Kidder, E. E. Barlow, Ed. Erickson, Dan P. Gibson, C. J. Van Tassel, Charles B. Melby, Robert S. Cowie, Fred E. Beach, Earl F. Hensel, 0. J. Eggum, Peter H. Johnson, Sigvald N. Hegge, Evan Hegge, C. A. Adams, David Wood and Miss Francina Chaffee. Mr. Barlow, the efficient district attorney, placed his office at the disposal of the compiler, and all the county officers assisted with the work on the records. Judge E. C. Higbee also rendered assistance. At Arcadia help was secured from E. E. Barlow, Emil Maurer, Robert Barlow, W. E. Bishop, Daniel Bigham, J. M. Fertig, Jay I. Dewey, Frank C. Richmond, George Schmidt, J. C. Muir, William C. Bohrnstedt, Emil F. Rotering, Leof K. Strand, 0. B. Strouse, Dr. G. N. Hidershide, Albert Hess, Casper Wohlgenant, Henry Wirtengerger and others. John C. Gaveney assisted in gathering all of the Arcadia material and reviewed it after it was written. At Independence help was rendered by John A. Markham, George H. Markham, James N. Hunter, Mrs. Ada Markham,

E. Scott Hotchkiss, Dr. C. F. Peterson, Jacob Jackson, Paul T. Schultze, Paul Sura, A. Garthus, Frank Hotchkiss, J. F. Kulig and Philip M. and William L. Lambert. At Osseo E. J. Matchett, W. S. Gilpin and D. L. Remington furnished information.. At Strum J. P. Hanson and Claude Burton were the helpers. At Eleva, A. U. Gibson, Mrs. Ida Gibson Englesby and others were the helpers. E. K. Edison furnished material about Chimney Rock Township. Mrs. E. D. Pierce, A. A. Gibbs and George H. Squier helped at Trempealeau. At Galesville assistance was rendered by the genial mayor and ex-assemblyman, A. T. Twesme; the efficient editor, Bert A. Gipple ; the pioneer, George Gale ; the state oil inspector, Charles

F. Hewitt; the banker and senator, E. F. Clark, and the clergyman and college president, L. M. Gimmestad. At Blair information was gathered by the editor from Simon Berseng, Henry Thorsgaard and Charles J. Gibson, while Judge Hensel gathered his material from the records and from personal interviews. Nathan H. Carhart helped with West Prairie and Centerville. Bankers, newspaper editors and clergymen have furnished information regarding their own institutions. Frank B. Seymour, general superintendent of the Green Bay; T. A. Polleys, tax commissioner of the Northwestern, and C. A. Leggo, assistant secretary of the Omaha, have sent material from their records.

The chapter on the Early Explorers was reviewed by Dr. Milo M. Quaife and Dr. Louise Phelps Kellogg of the Wisconsin Historical Society and by Dr. Solon J. Buck and Franklin F. Holbrook of the Minnesota Historical Society. Benjamin F. Shambaugh of the Iowa Historical Society has furnished information. The secretaries of other historical societies have also rendered helpful suggestions.