Winnebago County, Wisconsin - Chapter 68, 1880

Chapter 68

Situation - Lake Poygan - Wolf River - Boom Bay - Rafting Logs - Physical Character - Soil - Timber - First Settlers - First Births, Marriages and Schools - Indian Neighbors - - Town Organization - Organic Election - Change of Name, and Boundaries - Churches - Post-office - Schools - Town Officers.

jHE Town of Wolf River is the northwestern town in the county; embracing Township 20, Range 14, and is bounded on the north by the Town of Caledonia, in Waupaca County; east by Winchester; south by Poygan, and west by Bloomfield, in Waushara County.

Lake Poygan, extending the entire length of the town, on the south, occupies nearly four sections. Wolf River, entering the town on Section 5, runs some six miles in a southeasterly direction; thence southwesterly about four miles, where it empties into Lake Poygan, on the southwest corner of Section 33. Rat River, rising to the eastward, in the Town of Clayton, running through the Town of Winchester, enters the town in the northern part of Section 13, and making its way to the south and east, some three miles, empties into Wolf River in Section 23.

BOOM BAY - RAFTING LOGS. Boom Bay is also situated in the southeast part of the town, and is connected directly with the Wolf River by an artificial channel three-fourths of a mile in length, which leaves the river some four miles above its outlet to the lake Upon this bay, and for a distance of ten miles along the river above, are stored, sorted and rafted, the immense products of the pineries of the Wolf River and its tributaries, including pine, hemlock, bass and oak logs, cedar logs, telegraph poles, fence posts and square timber, averaging nearly or quite, two hundred million feet per annum.

Physical Characteristics

During the rafting season, the surface of this bay and the river above, is literally covered with the above named commodities, almost to the exclusion of steamboat navigation, and requiring a small army of men for their care, and to prepare them for distribution; but no written account can convey an idea of the magnitude and importance of this business. A trip to Boom Bay and up the river to Fremont, during the rafting season, will repay any one who has never been there. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS. The surface of the town is generally low and level. In some portions sufficiently high and undulating to afford good cultivation.

The southern portion in the vicinity of Wolf and Rat Rivers, and from the confluence of these streams to the north line of the town, on the east side of the Wolf, is principally marsh land.

The predominating soil is sand to a depth as far as explorations have been made, and some portions are clay soil; and limited tracts are found of black loam. Small tamarack, and cranberry marshes are frequent.

The more elevated lands of this town were originally covered with a dense forest growth, composed of hard-maple, hickory, ironwood, various kinds of oak, elm, white-birch, basswood, poplar and a few small bodies of pine, while scattering pines are quite common. A large percentage of the original timber is still standing.

The chief products are: Wheat on new lands, rye, corn in favorable seasons, and vegetables; good wild hay is cut on some of the marshes, and small tracts of marsh have been purchased for raising cranberries ; although to the present time with but indifferent success.

The standard of health would seem to be fully up to the average of Wisconsin, notwithstanding the comparatively large amount of low and marshy land, which has long been attributed to the fact that the extensive drainage of Wolf River, is largely from the pine, tamarack and cedar country of the north.

First Settlers

Mr. Andrew Merton was the first white settler within the limits of the present town. Residing at Plymouth, Sheboygan County, and desirous of locating a home on some large stream or body of water, he explored the unbroken wilderness along the Lower Wolf River, and selected a site on the bank of that stream, in the northwest quarter of Section 16, since known as " Merton's Landing," and here he built a shanty and located his family in the fall of 1849, and was immediately joined by Albert Neuschaeffer and Herman Page, who came from the same neighborhood in Sheboygan County.

These few persons were for several years, the only white residents in the town. A long distance from the habitation of man, without roads or bridges, cut off from intercourse, except with each other and their Indian neighbors, unless from some pressing necessity, some one of their number was compelled to make the trip to Oshkosh, their privations and sacrifices must have been in the extreme, in fact, far greater than under ordinary circumstances of pioneer life.

Until 1852, their condition seems to have met with but little change. Dependent upon Oshkosh for such necessaries as they could not raise or produce at home, and upon the pioneer grist-mill of D. W. Forman & Co., at Algoma, for convertmg their small crops of grain into edible form; and these places could only be reached by a journey of some twentyfive miles on foot (fifty miles to go and return). During some six or seven months of the j'ear that the river and lake were free from ice, a boat for the transportation of supplies became a necessity. This being the only means of obtaining anything too heavy to be carried on aman'sback, Messrs. Neuschaeffcr and Page set about the construction of a "dug-out" (canoe) from a large pine log about eighteen feet long, but not being familiar with this sort of craft, their efforts were not crowned with perfect success; however, such as it was, it was completed and served many a good turn. On one trip they were freighted with three thousand shingles, which they were taking to market, at Oshkosh, and manned by three men, when a storm overtook them at the head of Lake Buttes des Morts, with great difficulty they reached the point above the foot of the lake, where they found still greater difiRculty in landing.

In the fall of 1851, the steamer Berlin made a very few trips up the river. During the season of 1852, steamboat arrivals at Merton's Landing were frequent and from that time they became daily.

There being but few settlers in the town and those considerably scattered, very little attention was paid to the cause of education, and no attempt was made in that direction until the spring of 1858, when Mrs. Mary Hagersopened a school at her house, and, in 1859, the first public school-house was erected.

Indian Neighbors

Mr. Merton states that for several years his neighbors were almost entirely Indians, and that he has never found a more honest or quiet people.

In the fall of 1862 Mr. Merton was elected Register of Deeds for Winnebago County, when he removed to Oshkosh, upon taking the office in 1863; was re-elected in 1864, and, upon the expiration of his second term, returned to his old home, after which he again became a resident of Oshkosh, where he will doubtless spend the remainder of his life.

By order of the County Board of Supervisors, dated January 4, 1855, all that part of Township 20, Range 14, lying west of Wolf River, and that lying east of Wolf River and west of the cut off, and west of the section line, between Sections 22 and 23, was set off from the town of Winneconne and Winchester, and organized as a separate town, to be called Orihula; the first election to be held at the house of Andrew Merton.

The organic election was held on Monday, April 3, 1855. Lyman Pomeroy was chosen chairman, Lewis Braun and Henry Spindler, inspectors, and Andrew Merton, clerk. The total number of votes polled was six, of which A. Merton and Benj. Brickley each received (for the office of chairman) three; Lewis Braun and AqUilla Eastman, for supervisors, each three votes, and Lyman Pomeroy and Andrew Merton, each three votes, for the same oflfice. Thus far a tie. Lyman Pomeroy was elected clerk; Gottleib Spindler, Sr. , treasurer; Aquilla Eastman, assessor; Albert Neuschaeffer, constable; Andrew Merton superintendent of schools. Thomas Eastman, Lewis Braun, Andrew Merton and Lyman Pomeroy were all candidates for the office of justice of the peace; who or how many were elected is not for me to decide, and, as the record is silent upon the subject, we may reasonably conjecture that they all qualified and acted.

On the succeeding day, April 4th, the officers of the election again met, and the candidates for chairman and supervisors being present, lots were drawn, which resulted in the election of Andrew Merton, chairman, Aquilla Eastman and Lewis Braun, supervisors.

At the election April 5, 1856, the officers elected were Lyman Pomeroy, chairman; Herman Page and Leonard Waterman, supervisors; C. Hulton, clerk; A. B. Whigtman and Herman Page, justices; L. Waterman and

Change Of Name And Boundaries

CHANGE OF NAME AND BOUNDARIES. January 9, 1861, the name of Orihula was, by order of the County Board, changed to Wolf River, and, January 8, 1873, the two tiers of sections in the eastern part of Township 20, Range 14, were detached from Winchester and added to this town.

A post-office was also located at Spiegleberg's Landing, on Boom Bay, Section 36, and called Zoar, May 22, 1871, the first postmaster was William Spiegleberg.

At the present time the town contains eight school-houses and three hundred and ninetythree children between the ages of four and twenty years.

Town Officers

Joseph Hoffberger, chairman, Charles Dubberphul and Dominic Sieger, supervisors; Albert Neuschaeffer, clerk; John Hoffberger, treasurer; Gotthelf Metzig, assessor; Frank Gruenhagen, Carl Dobberphul and Fred Radke, justices.

Town Of Poygan

Situation - Originally Forest Land - Face of the Country - Soil - Timber - Water - Farms - People - Population - Schools - Church - Menomonee Pay Ground - First Birth - First School - Post-office - Organization of the Town - Organic Election - Present Town Officers.

iHE Town of Poygan, situated on the western border of the county, and south of Lake Poygan, which forms its entire northern border, comprises Fractional Township 19, Range 14. It was originally forest land, covered with a fine growth of oak, maple, hickory, basswood and other varieties. It formed a portion of what was once known as the Indian Land, and was included in the Menominee purchase of 1848. The face of the country is generally undulating. In some of the western portions of the town it is more level, and extensive hay marshes are found in that location.

The town, as a whole, is fine farming land, the soil of which varies from a rich black loam to a clay soil, with small areas of sandy soil, and is generally very fertile; good water and timber are abundant. The land is generally cleared, with the exception of wood lots, which have been preserved, and which add very much to the handsome appearance of the town.

The main traveled roads are good, and a great portion of the cultivated fields are cleared of stumps. The farms are generally in a good state of cultivation, with comfortable dwellings and large barns, and the people thrifty, intelligent, and surrounded with the comforts and conveniences of farm life.

The population is composed principally of Americans, Irish and Germans; the Irish predominating, and the people, as a whole, are as hospitable and courteous a community as can be found in this county.

The educational interests have been well looked after. In 1855, there was a population of four hundred and one, with five schoolhouses and one hundred and eighteen scholars. In 187s, there were six hundred and eightyeight inhabitants; and there are now six schoolhouses and three hundred and forty-seven scholars. There is also a town-hall and a neat Catholic Church, with a resident priest and a large congregation.

Indian Pay Ground

On the southern shore of the lake, in Section 16, is the site of the old Memomonee " Pay Ground," where annually from 1838 to 1851, about October in each year, were assembled the rapidly-diminishing bands of this once formidable tribe. Here they were met by the Government agents, whose duty it was to deal out a small quantity of rusty pork, a few pounds of damaged tobacco, with blankets, and some money. A company of soldiers were generally on duty to guard these treasures from the avarice and cupidity of the hundreds of white men who congregated here as promptly as the natives themselves. White and half-breed traders, who for the year past, had been scattered over the country trapping with the Indians for furs, peltries, maple sugar and cranberries, would invariably manage to be on the ground at pay day. Merchants from all parts of the country, from Green Bay, Appleton, Neenah, Oshkosh, Milwaukee, Prairie du Chien, Chicago, Detroit and elsewhere, would each lay in a stock of Indian goods, which about the appointed

The only thing prohibited here was spirituous liquors, consequently large quantities were offered for sale upon the outskirts of the forbidden ground, and sub rosa under the very droppings of the pay-house.

The agent, having distributed the goods brought for that purpose, and everything in readiness, he proceeds to pay out the money, specie. As the interpreter calls the name of the head of a family from the roll, the individual so called enters the pay-house, walks up to the counter, reports the number comprised in his family, and if this corresponds with the number on the roll, he receives the amount for the entire family, and secreting it as far as possible under his blanket, he emerges from the building, at the end opposite the door he entered, and passes along between two files of soldiers, who protect him for a considerable distance from the mob of traders, who are greedily awaiting an opportunity to pounce upon him. He no sooner passes the last soldier than he is seized by two, three or, perhaps a half dozen of this motley crowd, each one claiming to have an old account against him, and each striving to get the first chance at the pittance just drawn from the pay table. In an instant he is stripped of everything that could hide a dime, and each of his captors taking an amount sufficient to satisfy his rapacity, the victim is released and left to gather up his scanty clothing, and depart with the small amount, if anything, he has left. In the meantime another debtor has been turned loose from the pay-house, to run the same gauntlet, and another set of traders are relieving him in the same manner.

The true definition of "Indian trader" is: " A man to whom the Indians are always indebted. " This constitutes the main difference between that class and merchants, or peddlers. Having escaped this debtor's court, from which there is no appeal, he is now beset at every step, with temptations to part with what remains. Blankets, broadcloths, calicoes, saddles, fancy bridles, beads, brass buttons, ear-rings and finger-rings, are everywhere conspicuously displayed. Pint bottles of whiskey, two-thirds water, are offered him at about the price of a gallon, and are seldom declined.

gamblers have reaped a rich harvest, the whiskey-dealers have figured up a profitable trip, the merchants have taken a great deal of money, and have a large proportion of their goods left, and the spectators have been handsomely remunerated in amusements, and all in the space of three or four days.

There is one more feature of the payment which should not be omitted. After it is all over and the natives have taken time to figure up their gains and losses, it is found that some persons, or perhaps families, are, either from age or infirmity, in need of assistance, whereupon the young men of the nation, ornamented with paint and feathers, proceed to the wigwam of some more fortunate family, where a peculiar dance for their purpose is performed at the door, at the end of which the head of the family, perhaps a chief or prominent man of the tribe, appears and responds in an eloquent address, and again stepping inside brings out his donation of pork, flour, tea, coffee, or whatever he may be disposed to give, which is gratefully received by the party, with a fewwords from their speaker, and they proceed to the next wigwam that promises success, where the same forms are repeated.

Having completed their rounds they now proceed to distribute their charities in the same manner, and with the same forms, the speaker of the party delivering the address and the recipient responding; the music and dance are varied somewhat, beingmore orless afterthe order of the "Dead March in Saul;" and this, the only creditable act in the "grand scheme" is the finale of the payment, the Indians returning to their hunting-ground and winter quarters.

Early Settlers

This was also the site of an Indian village, the headquarters of a chief called Grizzly Bear and his band. A Catholic mission was established here for the Indians, in 1844, by Father Bonduel, and a trading-post about the same time by George Coustaugh (Cowen). EARLY SETTLERS.

The first move toward a settlement of the town by white men was in the spring of 1849, when John Keefe, then residing at Waukau, located a claim, but for the time continued his labor and residence as before.

In the fall, Mr. Thomas Mettam came here with his family, and found Messrs. George Rawson and Brother, Jerry Caulkins and Thomas Robbins, who had all arrived within a few weeks.

Mr. Thomas Brogden and Henry Cole, with their families, Richard Barron, George Burlingame, Joseph Felton, Jonathan and David Maxon and Reed Case, followed immediately after, and John Keefe returned with his family before the expiration of the year. In 1850, Philander Hall, James Heffron, James Barron, William Johnson, G. and S. Wiseman, H. Scofield, William Tritt and E. B. Wood, became residents of the town. Michael O'Reiley came in the spring ofi85i.

In 1853, a log school-house was erected in the northeast corner of southeast quarter of southeast quarter of Section 35, and, in the winter following, Miss Julia Jordan officiated as teacher therein.

A post-office called Powaickam was established July 8, 1852, and WilHam S. Webster appointed postmaster. The name of the office was subsequently changed to Poygan.

Election

The Town of Poygan was set off and organized as a separate town by action of the County Board, November 11, 1852, comprising Town 19, north. Range 14, east.

At the first annual town meeting, held at the house of Jonathan Maxon, April 5, 1853, William Hammond was chosen chairman, B. Wilkinson, clerk, William Tritt and William Johnson, inspectors. There were forty votes polled, resulting in the election of Thomas Brogden. chairman; Edmond Cain and David Safiford, supervisors; Charles B. Wilkinson, clerk; William Tritt, treasurer; Benedict Hamilton, William Johnson, Jonathan Maxon and James Brodcrick, justices; Michael O'Reiley, Orson Cass, and Thomas Kenney, assessors.

At the election of April 4, 1854, the successful candidates were: Orson Case, chairman; Joseph Felton and Henry Cole, supervisors; C. B. Wilkinson, clerk; William Tritt, treasurer; Thomas Brogden and Edward S. Thompson, justices; Thomas Mettam, assessor.

Present Town Officers

PRESENT TOWN OFFICERS. Wm. Tritt, chairman; James Heffron and Frederick Tegtmyre, supervisors; David Blish, clerk; Michael Broderick, treasurer; Bernard Mongan, assessor; A. B. Blackburn and G. K. Whitney, justices.