Waupaca County, Wisconsin - Chapter 23, 1890

Chapter 23

Town of We yauwega - Settled in 1848 - Organized in 1852 - Gills Landing Plank Road - An Indian Murder - A Sucker Story - Village of Weyauwega.

The Town of Weyauwega comprises the north half of Township 21 north, Range 13 east, and Sections 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, and the north half of Sections 29 and 30, of the same township. It is bounded on the north by the Town of Royalton, on the east by Caledonia and Fremont, on the south by Fremont, and on the west by Lind.

In 1849, ^^ alter Weed and Benjamin Birdsell built a saw mill on the site of Steenbergh's old mill. At that time they sold lumber, at least half clear, for $5 per M. Shingles, shaved by hand, sold for $1.25 to $1.50 per M.

The town was organized March 5, 1852. The first town meeting was held at R. Baxter's hotel, April 6, 1852. The first town officers, elected at that meeting, were : Chairman - C. L. Gumaer; Supervisors - Melzor Parker, Carr Barker; Clerk - A. W. Potter; Treasurer - Warren Jenney ; School Superintendent - Brit Burt; Justices of the Peace - L. L. Post, George D. Tarbell, Melzor Parker, Ira Sumner; Constables - J. B. Hunt, H. Tourtellott, J. Bergstressor ; Sealers of Weights and Measures - Robert Baxter, Joseph Post; Assessor - Henry Doty; Fence Viewers - Joseph Jenney, W. W. Barnes. The inspectors of election were Elijah W. Wrightman, A. W. Potter, and

L. Iv. Post started the first general store, in the Fall of 1851. He got in fifty barrels of salt at one time, and it was quite a question if he would ever dispose of such a large lot. But he soon sold out at $5 to $6 per barrel.

Gills Landing Plank Road

In the Summer of 1853, a plank road was built across the bottom land*, from Weyauwega to Gills Landing, on the Wolf River. It was built by subscription. John Gill paid $100, Weed & Birdsell about $200, and the balance of the cost was made up by settlers. Before this plank road was built, there had been, at Gills Landing, a small building at which steamboats landed, and from which passengers and freight were taken in small boats to Wilcox's place, on the Waupaca River, which could be reached by teams. Soon after the plank road was built, the passengers and freight that had reached Plover and Stevens Point by way of Berlin and Portage City commenced to seek the Gills Landing route. A stage was put on in 1854, by a man named Myers, who lived a few miles out of Plover, and in a few years the great bulk of the passenger and freight traffic to Plover, Stevens Point, Grand Rapids, and Wausau was carried on over this route. The building of the Wisconsin Central railroad was a death blow to Gills Landing and the plank road.

Indian Murder

Soon after the first settlement of Weyauwega, some Indians belonging to the Wa-ka-nu-kin tribe were making sugar in the '' Coffin sugar bush," just above the mouth of the Waupaca River, about a mile and a half east of the Village of Weyauwega. Two of them got to drinking whisky, and finally quarrelled, Avhen one stabbed and killed the other. The Indian law was that the murderer must die, unless he could buy himself off from the friends of the victim.

In this case the murderer was poor, and had nothing to offer as a ransom. The avenger ^was on his track; the blood of his victim called for vengeance. His life was a forfeit to the violated laws of his tribe, unless some arrangement could be made ^with the relatives of the murdered Indian. In this emergency he applied to Mr. Tourtellott, an Indian trader, who lived near.

The members of the tribe took the body of the murdered Indian, in a canoe, to Winneconne for burial. The murderer was compelled to accompany them. At Winneconne a grave was dug, and the body deposited in it. The murderer was then set on the edge of the grave, with his feet hanging in. In case no arrangement could be made with the nearest friends of the deceased, he was to be knocked on the head, tumbled in, and buried ^th his victim.

the dead Indian were rather hard; but, after a long banter, a compromise was effected, the Indians receiving nearly all of Tourtellott's goods, ^with a pony thrown in. Thus the murderer's life was saved, and Justice satisfied. The Indian had to hunt and trap a long while to pay the debt.

Those Suckers

The first settlers in a new country soon learn to dispense with the luxuries and many of the actual necessaries of life. The pioneers of Waupaca County were no more favored than other people in like condition. When beef was scarce they would content themselves with the game to be found in the woods. When pork could not be procured they sought something cheaper, until the sucker finally became a standard article of diet, especially in the southern and eastern parts of this County.

When the Winter ran too far into the Spring, and suckers appeared in no haste to leave their Winter quarters, their absence at times would be severely felt by whole communities; and when they did come, what rejoicing! We can give an illustration :

The Spring of 1855 was very backward, the annual visit of the suckers being delayed about ten days. Everybody was anxious for their arrival.

for everybody was sucker-hungry. At length, one Sunday morning, w^hile a preacher was in the midst of his discourse, at Weyauwega, a shout was heard on the street : " The suckers has come, the suckers has come ! " What a change came over that congregation ! The day and the occasion were forgotten; and it is asserted that even the minister joined in the general rush for the mill pond. We will not vouch for the truth of the last assertion, but do not think that, under all the circumstances, it w^ould have been much disgrace to the "cloth."

The town officers for 1889 were: Chairman - A. V. Balch ; Supervisors - J. A. Baxter, A. Walrath; Treasurer - O. A. Rich; Clerk - Orin Sanders; Assessor - J. M. Jenney; Justices of the Peace - George Walrath, S. W. Sterling, John Quimby, Louis Larson; Constables - Gust. Bork, George Hopkins, Alden Menton.

Village Of Weyauwega

The first officers were: President - Louis Bostedo. Tobias Hutchinson was one of the trustees. Supervisors - First Ward, Louis Bostedo ; Second Ward, Tobias Hutchinson.

Weyau\\^ega is pleasantly situated on the line of the Wisconsin Central railroad. It is surrounded by a good farming country, has an intelligent, enterprising population, and is promised a pros- perous future. The Waupaca River furnishes good water power. There are 5 churches, 1 high school, 7 dry goods stores, 4 grocery stores, 3 drug stores, 2 jewelry stores, 3 hardware stores, 2 millinery stores, 2 furniture stores, 2 shoe shops, 1 harness shop, 1 tailor shop, 2 meat markets, 4 blacksmith shops, 1 wagon shop, 1 livery stable, 2 hotels, 2 lawyers, 2 physicians, 1 newspaper and printing office, 1 bank, 1 saw and planing mill, 1 grist mill, 1 basket factory, 4 saloons, 1 brewery. The population is about 650.

The First Paper

The first paper. The Weyauwegian, was started in July, 1855, by William C. Tompkins. It was afterwards The Herald, then The Times, which was owned and edited by F. W. Sackett. In March, 1877, J. C. Keeney started The Chronicle, which is now^ successfully edited by A. L. Hutchinson, present District Attome3^

Village Officers

The village officers for 1890 are : President - F. M. Chase; Trustees - W. H. Weed, Thomas Brett, Charles Goodenow, John Bomgesser, L. D. Post, G. Scheel; Clerk - John L. Rhode; Treasurer - Thomas F. Wilson; Police Justice - J. F. Corbett; Marshal - A. W. Balsley; Supervisor - Jerome Crocker ; Chief of Fire Department - John Borngesser.