Winnebago County, Wisconsin - Chapter 58, 1880

Chapter 58

Description of City of Menasha - Location - Hi.storical Associations - Summer Resort - Water Power and Water Communications - Manufactories and Resources for Manufacturing - Statistics of Manufactures - Business Hou.ses - Notices of Illustrations.

H E City of Menasha is delightfully situated on both sides of the north channel of the outlet of Lake Winnebago. The site, embracing the mainland and a large part of Doty Island, rises at both sides of the river in a gentle elevation, and aff"ords most charming sites for residences. Indeed, it is rare to find a lovelier spot than Doty Island, with its grand old forest trees and fine views of water scener}-, and which is well illustrated in the view here given of Edward Mathewson's place, showing the mouth of the river, the lake shore, and the distant view of Calumet, Clifton and Stockbridge.

The mainland, from Lake Winnebago to the Little Buttes des Morts, and on which is situated the business portion of the city, is also a handsome site for a city with fine locations for suburban residences. Many of those are occupied by handsome buildings with tastefully ornamented grounds, of which illustrations are given in the views in this work of the residences of Messrs. A. J. Webster, R. M. Scott, E. L. Mathewson and Elbridge Smith.

Summer Resort

This place, in common with Neenah, has great natural advantages as a place of summer resort, and attracts many visitors from abroad. Lake Winnebago and its delightful surroundings possess great natural attractions; and Menasha has the advantage of being on the navigable channel of the outlet. The canal and locks connecting the navigation of the lake and river are on this channel, and the frequent passage of steamers enlivens the scene. The facilities for pleasant steamboat excursions, for fishing and pleasure sailing to the various places of resort on the lakeshore, are unexcelled.

National Hotel

NATIONAL HOTEL. The fine hote-1, the National, is a handsome, commodious structure, and an architectural ornament to the city. It possesses all the modern comforts and conveniences for the accommodation of fastidious guests, and keeps an extensive boat-house and a number of boats, for the use of summer visitors.

Water-Power, And Water Communication

. The situation of the place, on the line of the water communication, connecting the interior of the State with Lake Michigan, gives it, in connection with its fine waterpower, a combination of commercial and manufacturing advantages that are seldom equalled.

It is at the beginning of that series of magnificent water-powers of the Lower Fox valley, which make that region the great manufacturing district of the State, and one of its greatest business thoroughfares.

The two cities of Neenah and Menasha are practically but divisions of one place, and are frequently called the Island City. The center of a street on the Island is the dividing line; so that a single step takes one from one city to the other. The houses on one side of the street are in Menasha, and those of the other in Neenah. The places, though rivals from their infancy, have really a community of interest, as is well shown in the location of the Northwestern Railroad depot; and collectively they form one of the greatest manufacturing centers of the State. The waterpower of both places is estimated at ten thousand horse-power, and the resources for manufactuiing are ample and enduring.

The railroad penetrating the pine and hardwood forests of Northern Wisconsin, and the iron mines of Lake Superior, gives ready accessibility to those regions, for the procurement of raw material. The hardwood timber in a large extent of adjoining country, also furnishes an abundance of material for manufactures of hardwood.

The water-power, from the dam along its entire length, is one continuous line of manufacturing establishments, among which are the mammoth works of Webster & Lawson, and those of the Menasha Wooden-ware Company.

Menasha Hub And Spoke Factory

The Menasha hub, spoke, bending and general wagon and carriage stock factory of Webster & Lawson, was established in 1856, by A. J. Webster, the senior member of the firm, in a small way. The original factory was a small building located on the dam, on the present site of the Coral Mills.

Early in May of that year the high water carried away a portion of the dam, and also a part of the canal bank, leaving the embryo spoke factory cut off from the mainland, and without power to do anything; thus necessitating a removal to some other locality. There being no available building in Menasha, it was decided to remove to Neenah. The contents of the factory were, therefore, loaded on a small scow and towed to Neenah, where it remained but one year, doing a small and unsatisfactory business. At the expiration of one year the machinery was moved from Neenah back to Menasha, into the Bowman Building, where it remained one year, when another break in the canal caused a suspension for the season. It was then moved into the large Williams building, in the fall of 1858. Here it remained until the year 1861, when Mr. P. V. Lawson, who had been engaged in the manufacture of sash, doors and blinds, for some time, selling out his business, entered into a partnership with Mr. Webster, under the firm name of Webster & Lawson.

During that year, the firm built, on the site now occupied by their extensive works, a small factory, which was found to be inadequate to the wants of their increasing business, when additions were made to the buildings, and steam power added. The business continued to grow and extend, requiring enlarged manufacturing facilities. More land was, therefore, purchased, buildings erected, and new machinery put in the same. The works have since then been enlarged, from time to time, until they now occupy some ten acres ot ground, with extensive shipping-docks, storerooms, and railroad side-tracks. This mammoth factory now employs throughout the^ year one hundred and seventy-five men, and manufactures 2,500,000 spokes, 120,000 hubs, 520,000 sawed felloes, 15,000 sets of bent felloes, and large quantities of shafts, poles, bows, sleigh and cutter material, and hard and soft wood lumber, aggregating a value of$i75,000. The manufactures of the firm are widel)- known, being shipped over a wide extent of country, from New York to Oregon. The material used is oak, hickory, ash, elm and maple, of which 6,000, ooofeet are required per annum to supply their works Their network of railroad side-tracks and shipping docks give every facility for shipment, both by land and water, and the business of the concern is conducted on the most systematic principles, by thoroughgoing and energetic business men. A view of the works will be found in these pages.

Flouring Mills

There are three flouring mills, viz: The Eagle Mills, a fine stone structure, with six runs of stones, and three sets of patent crushers; the Coral Mills and the Star Mills. They manufacture in the aggregate four hundred and fifty barrels a day, or 135,000 barrels in a year, aggregating a value, at $6.00 per barrel, of $810,000

Menasha Wooden-Ware Factory

This is an immense establishment, giving employment to two hundred and fifty hands, and manufacturing daily 2400 pails, 600 tubs and looo butter tubs, fish kits, churns, etc. Their yearly product is 720,000 pails, 180,000 tubs and 300,000 pieces of other ware; aggregating a value of $200,000. See history of the works.

Menasha Woolen Mills

MENASHA WOOLEN MILLS. Chapman & Hewitt's woolen mills, employ forty-five hands, and manufacture, per year, one hundred and sixty thousand yards of cloths and flannels, and about twelve thousand pounds of yarn, aggregating a value of about seventy thousand dollars, and consuming about one hundred thousand pounds of wool.

Menasha Paper Mills

MENASHA PAPER MILLS. These mills employ twenty hands, and have a capacity for making five tons of wrapping paper per day. The works have just started up. The yearly capacity is 1500 tons, which at present prices would aggregate a value of $37,500.

Sash, Door And Blind Factories

SASH, DOOR AND BLIND FACTORIES. Leonard Rohrer & Co., and Mitchell & Co.; number of hands employed, twenty. Aggre- 'gate value of yearly manufactures, $25,000.

Saw-Mill

Of Menasha Wooden-ware Company cuts eight million feet of logs per annum, of which six million is cut into wooden-ware stock and two million into lumber.

Brick-Yards

There are two brick-yards, which manufacture a very superior quality of brick, and employ, in good seasons, about twenty hands. This is an industry that might be developed into large proportions, as brick clay of the finest quality is here found in e.xhaustless quantities.

Miscellaneous Business Houses

Dry Goods - There are seven establishments dealing in dry goods and mixed merchandise. Some of them include clothing, hats, caps, boots and shoes, and they are generally wellstocked and doing a good business.

Hardware - There are two stores dealing exclusively in hardware, tin and iron ware, stoves, etc., etc., carrying good stocks in large variety.

Notices Of Illustrations

will be found a full description of Webster & Lawson's hub, spoke, and general carriage stock factory, a view of which will be found among the illustrations of Menasha.

A. J. Webster

Mr. Webster came to Menasha at an early day, and established the hub and spoke factory, which has since grown into such large proportions, and a history of the progress of which is given under the headof Menasha manufactories.

In this enterprise, which originated in a feeble beginning, he has achieved the greatest success, and can now enjoy the credit of originating and pushing to the highest limit of success one of the leading manufactories of this Jjart of the State, and an institution of the greatest benefit to Menasha.

As a business man of capacity and fntegrity, Mr. Webster stands high in the estimation of his townsmen, and now occupies the responsible position of mayor of the city, which he fills efficiently. His elegant residence is one of the finest in the city, and an ornament to that part of the city.

R. M. Scott

R. M. Scott migrated from Vermont to Menasha in the fall of 1852, and purchased a tract of land in the now Town of Menasha. From this land he had all the cordwood cut, which supplied the Fitzgerald & Moore line of steamers, at this point on the route, for three years. His first contract was for a thousand cords. The proceeds and profits from the transaction furnished the means which started Mr. Scott in his continuously successful business career; and from thattime he has been engaged in real estate transactions, contracting, lumbering and milling; in all of which he has been uniformly successful. In the work of building up the city and opening up its public and private enterprises, Mr. Scott has taken a leading part, having erected a large number of dwellings and business buildings; among others, the Star Flouring Mill, his fine brick residence, of which a view is here given, and the National Hotel, the finest building in the city. In 1871, he built, on contract, the first sixty-four miles of the Wisconsin Central Railroad in one hundred and twenty-one working days, a feat in railroad building which surpasses anything heretofore done in the State. In 1872, he built the part of the Milwaukee & Northern Railroad from Menasha to Hilbert Junction - seventeen miles - and in the same season, six miles of railroad for the Wisconsin Central, to connect Menasha with the Milwaukee & Lake Shore Railroad at Appleton. In 1873, he built all the side-tracks in this city for the Milwaukee Northern and the Central.

One of the handsomest illustrations in this work, is that of E. L. Mathewson's place, on Doty Island, showing a view of the mouth of the river and Lake Winnebago, and the distant shore. This place was formerly the residence of Captain McKinnon, of the English navy, who settled here at an early day, and imported a lot of choice blooded stock, of which full mention is made on previous pages.

Mr. Mathewson came to Menasha at an earl}' day; and shortly after attaining his majority, engaged in active business pursuits, among others that of the manufacture of flour, in which he was eminently successful. After selling out his milling interest, he embarked in the business of dealing in live-stock, which he has since conducted on a large scale, shipping by the car-load to Lake Superior and other points, and is now known as one of the leading dealers in this part of the State

Mr. Mathewson's business capacity is shown in his business management; and but few are more highly esteemed . in a wide circle of acquaintances, tor integrity of character and genial qualities of heart and mind.

Elbridge Smith

Among the illustrations in this work, will be found that of the handsome residence and grounds, of Elbridge Smith. This fine place occupies a delightful site, and commands a fine view of the lake and river.

Mr. Smith is one of the very earliest settlers of Menasha, and commenced his residence there in less than six months after the advent" of the first settler; having moved there in October, 1848. Jmmediately after his arrival, he commenced the erection of the first frame building, in which he opened a law office, and commenced the practice of his profession, which he has followed uninterruptedly to the present time. Mr. Smith has taken a very conspicuous part in the history of Menasha, and has been regarded from the time of his advent, as one of its representative men, and closely identified with its interests, of which he has always been an untiring advocate. He has held many public positions, and among them, that of representative of his district in the State Legislature; a position which he filled to the satisfaction of his constituency.

Town Of Menasha Ch After Lix

Soil, Face of Country - Timber, Water and Productions - Little Buttes des Morts - Organization of the Town - First Births - First Marriage - First Death - First Settlers,

HE Town of Menasha, including the city of tlie same name, being the northern § half of Township Twenty, north, Range Seventeen, east, is situated in the north-east corner of the County, and is bounded, north by the Town of Grand Chute, in Outagamie County, east by Lake Winnebago, and the Town of Harrison, in Calumet County, south by Neenah and the lake, west by Clayton, comprising, after deducting for Little Buttes des Morts Lake, some sixteen sections, which, lying above the lakes, is generally level, with slight undulations.

Its surface, originally covered with a dense growth of timber, principally sugar-maple, white and swamp oak, beach, hickory, ash and basswood, interspersed in the northwest portion of the town, with groves of pine, has been, to a large extent, cleared of timber and converted into excellent farming lands.

The soil is a rich vegetable mold, with deep clay sub-soil, and a lime-stone base, producing a fine growth of wheat, oats, rye, or barley, and is particularly adapted to grazing. Natural meadows are abundant, and, in fact, all varieties of grasses seem natural.

Little Buttes des Morts Lake and Fox River running north, through the town, divide it nearly equally, and with several small streams, afford an abundance of water.

Along the shores of Buttes des Morts, an 'unlimited amount of clay, of the finest quality, for brick-making, is found, and this branch of industry is extensively followed, producing annually, immense quantities of brick, which are now used extensively in the vicinity and shipped abroad. Good lime-stone is also abundant.

In 1849, Mr. James Ladd constructed a lime-kiln on his present farm (west side of Lake Buttes des Morts), from which he supplied this entire section of country, including that used at Lawrence University, which he delivered on the ground, at fifteen cents per bushel.

range on the east shore of Lake Winnebago, which is much lighter in color and has almost entirely taken the place of stone from local quarries.

The Grand Buttes des Morts is situated nine miles above Oshkosh, upon a delightful elevation, where the village of the same name now stands.

Commanding an extensive view, including the junction of the Fox and Wolf Rivers, which, mingling their waters at its foot, spread over a surface some two miles in width and about seven in length, called. Big Buttes des Morts Lake.

The other. Little Buttes des Morts, below Lake Winnebago, and directly west of the City of Menasha, across a smaller expansion of Fox River, called Little Buttes des Morts Lake. The ground here, rising high above the lake, was surmounted by several large mounds, which, within the past few years, have been almost entirely removed, and on the same spot we now find the tracks, depot and crossing of the Chicago & Northwestern and Wisconsin Central railroads. In excavating for these tracks, quantities of human bones, implements of iron and copper were unearthed.

Some two hundred years ago, these two points were the headquarters of powerful Indian tribes, the location of their principal villages, their theatre of action, the scene of desperate conflicts between different tribes, their final destruction by the French, and finally their last resting-place.

The Town of Neenah, of which this was once a part, was divided January 6, 1855, by order of the County Board of Supervisors, and the Town of Menasha organized.

The Village of Menasha had for some time agitated the subject and claimed that the election should be held alternately at that place, and, until April 5, 1853, the question was to be contested at the polls, but Neenah out-voted the Town of Menasha. The question being upon the place of holding the next election, and of dividing the town, one hundred and eighty-two votes were cast for holding the next election at the Winnebago Exchange, in Neenah, and the same number against a division,

April 2, 1854, at the next annual town meeting, a vote was again taken to decide where the general election of 1854 and the annual town meeting of 1855, should be held. Two hundred and thirty-nine votes were cast for the Decker House, in Menasha, and one hundred and forty-seven votes for R. C. Weeden's brick hotel, in Neenah.

Neenah, expecting no mercy from the other side, made application to the County Board for a division and Menasha as strongly opposed it, but the town was divided conformable to the application.

On the 3rd of April, 1853, Menasha held an organic election at the Decker House. Cornelius Northrup was elected moderator; Elias Bates and George W. Fay, inspectors; L. S. Fisher, clerk. The first business before the meeting, seems to have been the adoption of a preamble and resolution, setting forth the illegality of the division of tlie Town of Neenah, and organization of the Town of Menasha, contrary to the expressed wishes of three-fourths of the voters of the old town and of every voter in the new town, and protesting against such division. They then proceeded to the election of town officers, resulting in the election of Jeremiah Hunt, chairman; Isaac Hough, and Wells E. Blair, supervisors; Elbridge Smith, clerk; Geo. W. Fay, treasurer^ Charles Whipple, superintendent of schools; A. K. Sperry, Samuel Neff" and Edmon F'reeman, assessors; Elias Bates, Israel Naricong and George Watson, justices.

The first bi.th occurring within the present limits of the Town of Menasha, was that of Delos Haight, son of Moses Haight, in the spring of 1847.

The first marriage was that ol Mr. L. S. Wheatley and Miss Caroline Northrup, October 27, 1848. Miss Northrup was a daughter of Mr. Cornelius Northrup, a pioneer in both Neenah and Menasha.

The first death was that of one Jenson, a Dane, who died September 5, 1846, in one of the Government block-houses, on the vilest side of Lake Buttes des Morts, and was buried near the mounds. The funeral services were conducted by Elder O. P. Clinton.

The first permanent settler with the present limits of the town, was Mr. James Ladd, who, with his family, located near his present residence in the fall of 1846, occupying one of the block-houses erected by the Government.

Born at Sudbury, Vermont, the i6th of May, 1799, he, with his .parents, removed to the State of New York, at an early age, where he resided until 1845, when he emigrated with his family to Beaver Dam, in Wisconsin.

In March, 1846, Mr. Ladd made a claim of his present possessions, and leaving his son Christopher to hold the claim, returned to his family at Beaver Dam, and in the fall moved his family to one of the Government blockhouses, near his present residence.

Mr. Ladd relates that in the spring of 1847, one of his family was taken sick, and it became necessary to send across Lake Winnebago to Stockbridge, for a physician. The only way to get there was in a skiff. Mr. Corydon Northrup made the trip, and returned with Dr. Marsh,

Thomas Jourdain was born at Green Bay in 1823, the youngest of a family of eight. In 1837, his father was employed by the Government, as blacksmith for the Indians, at Winnebago Rapids, and Thomas was appointed assistant; here he worked six years. In 1848, he purchased a farm on the west shore of Lake Butte des Morts, which, in 1855, became a part of the Town of Menasha, where he resided until 1 87 I , and is now a resident of the City of Menasha.

Wells E. Blair came to Neenah in the fall of 1845, but only remained some two weeks, and returned again, in 1848. In 1850, he purchased a farm on the west side of Lake Buttes des Morts, within the present limits of the Town of Menasha, where he has since resided.