Waupaca County, Wisconsin - Chapter 28, 1890

The writer, George W. Taggart, of Weyauwega, is too well known to need further mention, having been an early settler, who took an active part in the organization of our County. He has been Sheriff, and has almost continuously held other responsible ofl&ces. He was the first postmaster of Lind. Mr. Taggart has the honor of being one of the oldest Odd Fellows in the State.

"At the organization of Shawano County, February 16, 1853, Township 25 north. Range 15 east, was included within the boundaries bj^the organic act ; but a subsequent Legislature discovered that the act detaching it from Waupaca County was a Yiolation of Section 7 of Article 13, of the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin, and promptly repealed said act, restoring that township to Waupaca County.

"On the first Tuesday in April, 1850, the place since called Mukwa was designated as the crossing of Wolf River, at the mouth of Little Wolf River. There was neither hotel, postoflice, nor human habitation within a mile of the place.

"During the next Summer, after O. E. Druetzer commenced carrying the mail on the route from Green Bay to Plover, crossing the Wolf River at this point, Horace Rolph claimed a small fraction of the south-east corner of the school section, which lay on the east side of the river, built a house upon it, and moved there in the Fall. He circulated a petition for a postoffice, which was established late in the year, and called Mukwa. About the same time, Benjamin F. Phillips and August Grignon surveyed and platted the Village of Mukwa, on land adjoining the tract claimed by Rolph, and at once commenced figuring for the organization of a new County, with Mukwa for the County seat.

"At the session of the Legislature in 1851 there was a great scramble in this part of the State for new Counties and County seats. Benjamin F. Phillips was principal owner of the new Village of Mukwa, and Thomas J. Townsend purchased a tract in Section 36, Township 18 north, Range 13 east, and laid out a village called Sacramento. This tract was in the extreme south-east corner of the proposed new County, (Waushara), on the south side of Fox River, where there was only about one section surveyed and entered, all the rest of the County being unsurveyed Indian land, lying north of the river.

''Theodore Conkey, who had been employed by the Government to survey much of the land in Brown County, and who had a large interest in the new Village of Appleton, on the Fox River, also had an 'ax to grind.' He was elected Senator from Brown County in the Fall of 1850, and Edward Eastman was Assemblyman from Winnebago County. .

" When the Legislature met in 1851, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Townsend had special business at Madison. Mr. Conkey, as Senator, had great influence in the organization of new Counties. The result was that a majority of the Legislators were convinced that the interests of the people demanded the immediate organization of three new Counties, and also that it would be highly improper, if not impossible, to establish a County seat at anyplace except where the land was surveyed, and a village platted ; so each of the parties succeeded in getting County boundaries as he wished, and a County seat located on his own land.

''After the passage of the law of February 17, 1851, providing for the organization of the Town and County of Waupaca, describing the boundaries, and fixing the time and place for holding the first election for Town and County oflScers, and their terms of office under such election, (which for the Town officers was one year, and for the County oflScers until the first day of January following, and in each case until their successors should be elected and qualified), a report was circulated in the southern and western parts of the County, that a few men around Mukwa (some of them having lately removed from the vicinity of Oshkosh) were preparing to conduct the election so as to secure a set of Town and County officers in their interest, which would give them complete control in the affairs of the County. In consequence of this report, a consultation was had among the settlers in Waupaca, Lind, and Little River, and arrangements made to attend the election in suflicient numbers to frustrate such design, if possible, should the report prove correct.

''Accordingly, every legal voter was urged to show his patriotism by giving the time necessary to attend the election, which would require not less than three days, and which actually took four days for every man who went from the western part of the County.

amount of zeal and interest manifested, and it appeared as though the turnout would be so general that nobody but women and children would be left in the settlements. But, during the few days intervening between the discussion and the time to start, obstacles in the way seemed to multiply tremendously, (some real and some imaginary), and when Monday morning came it seemed as though we should hardly muster a 'corporal's guard ' for the occasion. Not more than one-half of those we confidently expected to go were ready to start on the journey.

''The names of those from the southern and western parts of the County, twelve in number, were: W. G. Cooper, William B, Hibbard, J. B. Hibbard, and Edwin Buel, from Waupaca Falls; John M. Vaughn, John W. Chandler, and Simon C. DoA^, who lived on the route between Waupaca and Weyauwega ; Tyler Caldwell, G. W. Taggart, and Hiram P. Sexton, from the Wallaw alia settlement; and J. Boyd and A. Y. Rudd from Little River.

" These persons all met at Weyauwega, Monday forenoon, and started on their line of march through the woods, in single file, and on foot, - the only possible way to get through the thickets, windfalls, and swamps.

"After a very tedious and wearisome tramp, we came, about sunset, to the lower saw mill, about two miles from the mouth of the Little Wolf River, then called Gorden's Mill, and afterwards the Phillips Mill. Here we found seven or eight lumbermen running the mill, with N. B. Millard as superintendent, the man \Yho for many years was wxU known through all the countrj^ about Wolf River and Lake Winnebago as 'Bone Millard.'

*' Here v^e also unexpectedlj^ found a very efficient assistant to the accomplishment of our plans to carry the election, in the shape of a ponderous, \v ell-filled jug.

''It being so late, and the pilgrims too tired to go any farther, we staid at the mill over night. When we reported to the lumbermen what w^e had heard of the intentions of the few voters at Mukwa, they at once fell in w^ith our plans, and agreed to assist us to frustrate the schemes of the Mukwa crew. It did not require much persuasion to induce Mr. Millard to close his mill for one day, and turn out with all hands to attend the election.

^' Immediately after breakfast the next morning, vyre all, about twenty in number, started for Mukw^a. We had to walk about two miles to the mouth of the Little Wolf, and then cross Wolf River. The only ferry boat was a small skiff calculated to hold tw^o persons. At first we put in two besides the ferryman, but, aftet two or three loads got safely over, we piled in another, making four in a boat intended for only two ; but all got safely over.

tel, we found we had not been misinformed, and were soon convinced that ' the half had not been told.' We found five or six persons standing around a man named William N. Davis, who appeared to be the leader, preparing to open the polls. They had procured tickets at Oshkosh, with their names printed for the most important offices, and had left blank spaces in which to write such names as might be preferred for the rest of the offices.

"After we got together, the first proceeding was to organize a caucus to make nominations for Town and County officers. Mr. Davis and his party made serious objections to such proceedings, for the reason that they had already selected several of the candidates ; but the3^ were willing that we should name the persons to fill out the rest of the ticket. This was not satisfactory to us ; and, having a majority of more than two to one, we assumed the right to dictate the whole matter, and make tickets to suit ourselves.

"On their ticket, Mr. Davis was candidate for Chairman of Supervisors, and James Smiley for Register of Deeds. These we ignored entirely, but adopted some of the other nominations they had made.

"After* completing the nominations, we proceeded to choose Inspectors and Clerks of Election. For Inspectors were chosen G. W. Taggart, Chairman ; John W. Chandler and Tyler Caldwell. For

"To be fully equipped for business, we carried with us a ballot box and a pamphlet copy of the Election Laws ; but we found that Mr. Davis had also prepared a ballot box, and had a copy of the Revised Statutes of 1849. We needed the two ballot boxes, however, one for the town, and one for the County election.

^' After proclamation was made, declaring the polls open, the first man who offered his vote was Hiram P. Sexton, of Lind. The vote was promptly challenged by one of the Mukwa party. Mr. Sexton immediately took the necessary oath, the vote was received, and though some of the disappointed candidates were rather cross and sour, there was no further trouble.

"There was one occurrence during the forenoon that afforded considerable amusement to some of the part3\ Mr. Davis, in preparing to open the polls, had the Revised Statutes lying on the table. The pamphlet law we had carried was there, also. In the course of business, a legal question arose, and we proposed to refer to the law, but neither the Statutes nor the pamphlet could be found. One of the bystanders had seen Mr. Davis carry away the Statutes, with the pamphlet inside of it. No one supposed any wrong w^as intended, and a man was requested to step into the store and ask Mr. Davis for it. He did so, and came out with a reply that was neither courteous nor civil. There was no great excitement, but the whole Board of Inspectors rose to their feet, and, leaving the ballot boxes in charge of the Clerks, walked into the store, followed by ten or a dozen stalwart men. The Chairman, as spokesman, promptly informed Mr. Davis that it might be conducive to the safety of himself and his premises to produce that pamphlet law. After looking the crowd over, he quietly went behind the counter, took the book from under a bate of goods, and handed it over.

''After this, everything went smoothly till nearly night, when it was discovered that we had failed to vote for any Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, It was proposed to elect Mr. Smiley to that office, and two persons were found who had not voted the County ticket, and they voted for him. About this time. Ransom Nichols, a candidate on the"* Mukwa ticket, who had been ill-humored all day, concluded that he would like the office. He came forward, voted for himself, and found another of the disapXDointed ones who voted for him. Thus it remained until it was time to close the pools, when one of the Board discovered an object moving among the trees some distance away, and, requesting the Board not to close till he returned, started out on a trip of discovery. He found it was a man named Armstrong, who was carrying the mail for O. E. Dreutzer, just coming into Mukwa, where he staid over night. He voted for Smiley, and that secured his election.

*' The County officers elected were : Chairman - David Scott ; SuperYisors - Peter Meiklejohn, Tyler Caldwell. These composed the Board for the transaction of both Town and County business. Treasurer - Simon C. Dow; Clerk of the Board - James Smiley; Surveyor - G. W. Taggart. John M. Vaughn received the votes for Sheriff, though it Avas well understood that our County was not entitled to such an officer. It w^as intended as a recommendation for the office of Deputy Sheriff, which we believed our County was entitled to. No votes were given for Clerk of the Court.

'' The town officers elected were: S. F. Ware, of Waupaca, Albion Brandy, of Mukwa, and John Boyd, of Little River, Justices of the Peace ; Ira Brown, of Mukwa, Assessor; J. B. Hibbard, of Waupaca, Atwood Velie, of Little River, and Chauncy Foster, of Mukw^a, Constables.

''After the polls were closed, and the votes canvassed, and we were ready to make out returns, we found that the paper we had provided in the morning was exhausted. One of the Board went to Mr. Davis' store to get some, but he would not let us have any for ' love or money.' We began to think we were in a bad predicament, but Mr. Smiley generously came to our relief by bringing forward a blank book which supplied us with all the paper we needed.

starting for home that night. As full half of our party had been elected to some office, the next thing was to execute official bonds and oaths of office, which \vere required by law to be filed at the County seat; and we concluded the easiest way would be to have it done before we went home, as it would require at least another day to accomplish it.

"Accordingly, every one who had been elected to any office, made out and filed the proper papers by signing one another's bonds as security. Fortunately we were not required to make affidavit to the amount of property we possessed, or there might have been trouble to find bondsmen of sufficient responsibility, for all the land on our side of the river was Government land, and unsurveyed, at that ; so it was extremely doubtful whether any of our party was worth a dollar besides what was covered by the exemption law ; but the question was never raised, and we got along without any difficulty. Every man who could write his name was just as good a bondsman as though he was worth a million.

''After all the official papers were executed and filed, our Register of Deeds and Treasurer-elect found themselves in a tight place. They were required by law to hold their offices at the County seat, but there were no buildings to be had, either as offices or residences, and if there had been buildings to rent, the income of their offices would not

"There were but three buildings in the place. One was owned and occupied by Mr. Davis, part for a dwelling and part for a store. Horace Rolph had a comfortable building, used as a hotel, and Mr. Smiley had an unfinished building, part of which he converted into an office, the rest being occupied as a dwelling by his family.

''In this emergency, Mr. Smiley was again called upon for relief, and importuned to accept a deputyship by both the Treasurer and Register of Deeds, which he consented to do. And thus, in the case of Mr. Smiley, were the words of the Psalmist, ' The stone which the builders rejected has become the headstone of the corner,' more than verified; for he was not only the headstone of the comer, but it may be truthfully said that he was nearly the entire fabric, for he had control of all the important offices in the County at the same time, and in every public position he ever occupied he proved himself to be a worthy and capable officer. He has ever since been a resident of the Town of Mukwa, and is now enjoying a quiet and honorable old age."