Winnebago County, Wisconsin - Chapter 70, 1880

Chapter 70

Silualion - Face of the Country - Handsome Tract Bordering the Lake - Beautiful Wooded Points - The Camping Grounds of Summer Excursionists - Indian Neighbors of the Early Settlers - Soil - Timber - Water - Streams - Good Gravel Roads - Well Cult'vated Farms - Inhabitants - Early Settlers - Society in the Early Day - Humorous Incidents - Town Organization - Organic Election - Schools - Population.

fLACK WOLF is situated in the southeast corner of the county and on the shore of Lake Winnebago, which forms its entire eastern boundary. It comprises Fractional Township 17, Range 17, and the eastern tier of sections of Township 17, Range 16, the whole being about half of a township.

That portion of the town embracing a tract, a mile to two miles in width, bordering the lake-shore, is very handsome undulating land, indented with bays, which form beautiful wooded points. These points are the favorite camping-grounds of excursionists during the summer months - parties frequently camping there for weeks at a time. The shores are generally gravelly and stony, with handsome sloping banks, which were originally covered with a fine forest growth. In many places enough trees have been preserved to retain much of the original appearance; in others the timber has been cleared off.

Along the shore in this town were what was . called "timber openings," and Indian plantinggrounds; being very large, tall oaks, with an occasional tree of hickory, bass, elm, and other varieties. These trees were scattered at intervals with open spaces and thickets of hazel brush, plum and crab-apple. The undergrowth was so kept down by the annual fires, that large tracts presented the appearance of great well- kept parks. So open was the country that in some places the lake could be seen through the trees for a distance of a mile or more from the shore.

open spaces, with an occasional scattering tree and clump of hazel-brush, and were the sites of Indian villages that formerly occupied the more eligible points on the lake-shore. On one of these points, called Black Wolf Point, was the village of Black Wolf - a famous and shrewd Winnebago chief, who was skilled in all the arts of Indian diplomacy, and who exercised much influence in Indian affairs. The town was named after him.

The signs of Indian cultivation were plainly visible in many places on the lake-shore, in this town, up to within a very recent period, and probably the corn-hills can yet be seen in some places.

These old Indian planting-grounds are lovely spots, with the great spreading oaks and greensward in handsome contrast with the sparkling waters of the lake, and were once the homes of a dense Indian population.

For many years after the white settlement of the county, the Indians made this locality a favorite resort - living on very friendly terms with the early settlers, and in many instances, preserving the latter from starvation.

An old acquaintance and friend^ of the writer - Wm. Armstrong, who settled on the lakeshore, in this town, in 1845, at which time there was only one other house between his place and Fond du Lac - a distance of twelve miles, stated that on several occasions, when his family were out of food, the Indians who were very friendly to them, brought them corn, wild-rice, maple-sugar and venison. The Indians were, of course, very frequently the recipients of the bounty of the whites.

That portion of the town lying west of the tract just described is more level, and was originally covered with a forest growth of maple, oak, ironwood, bass, elm, poplar, hickory and other varieties. In the southeastern part of the town are found large hay marshes. The soil varies from a black loam on the lower land to a clay loam, and is generally fertile and highly productive.

The town is noted for the superior quality of its wheat, which took the first premium at the Paris E.xpositinn, in competition with all other countries.

Three small streams traverse the town, and empty into the lake, forming good harbors for sail craft. Good well water is readily obtained, by digging or drilling.

The soil is largely impregnated with decayed or disintegrated limestone, and portions of the land are stony, abounding in " hard heads," large boulders, and limestone. The base is limestone, and the soil is generally a good wheat soil. Bank-gravel is found at intervals

The roads on the lake-shore are now among the best in the county, although at an early day they were execrable, in fact almost impassable during wet periods.

In the days of the early settlement of the town, a party of travelers on their way from Fond du Lac to Oshkosh, after dragging all day through the mud - in some places hubdeep, brought up at a settler's house, on the r:)adside, glad to avail themselves of an opportunity for a little rest and refreshment.

It happened that this settler's family were then e.vperiencing their first year of back wood's life, and were people who were brought up in a city where they had been formerly surrounded with the luxuries of life, and moved in the cultured circles of society. Some of the travelers, in a pompous, rude manner, made disparaging remarks about the country and its roads; expressing a sort of supercilious pity for backwoods people, and enquired: What possessed them to settle in such a place(?)" The lady of the house, amused at the vulgar pretentions, and rudeness of her interrogators, laughingly replied: " That the fact was, they had straggled off here, hardly knowing where they did want to go, and had traveled through the mud as far as they could get, and were glad to stop."

The early-day traveler through Black Wolf would hardly recognize the excellent roads, delightful scenery, and highly cultivated farms of the present day, as the same place; although in a state of nature it was very handsome, the chief drawbacks being the bad roads, with which all new countries are afflicted.

A large portion of the cultivated land is now cleared of stumps, and the farms generally present a fine appearance, with good buildings and all the comforts and conveniences of farm life.

Early Settlers

The inhabitants of the lake-shore are principally Americans. In the interior part of the town they are chiefly Swiss and German. EARLY SETTLERS.

The first settler in the town was Clark Dickinson, who moved on a piece of land in the northern part of the town, in the spring of 1 841. He was followed by C. R. Luce, Ira Aiken, Wm. and Thos. Armstrong, Chas. Gay, T. and H. Hicks.

The Armstrongs came in 1845, and settled near Black Wolf Point. The country at that time was an unbroken wilderness, and their nearest neighbors four miles distant. No road had been cut out and the only line of travel was Indian trails, or by canoe on Lake Winne- bago. The Armstrongs were gentlemen of fine address and polished manners - having passed their earlier years in the most polished and cultured circles of society. They were Irish by birth - their father a surgeon in the British Army - but leaving home at an early day, they passed many years with a wealthy uncle at New York City, and, subsequently went to Santa Cruz, one of the Dutch West India Islands, where they lived for some time with another uncle, on a sugar plantation. In 1836, they came to the then Eldorado of the West, Chicago, where they lived several years, when Thomas returned to Santa Cruz; and William, in connection with Gurdon S. Hubbard, of Chicago, engaged in looking up choice lands for purchase. While making his explorations, he visited the Lake Winnebago country, and was charmed with this lake and its delightful surroundings. In the winter of 1843, accompanied by Charles Gay, a cousin of his wife, and formerly a midshipman in the British Navy, he went to the now town of Black Wolf, and selected for a home the former planting grounds and village site of Black Wolf, since known as Black Wolf Point, and near this point, on the lake shore, built a log house. He then returned for his family, consisting of wife, one child, and his wife's young brother and sister. They started for their new home, and in due time reached Fond du Lac, where they took the ice, the lake being yet frozen, and reached their place on the 4th of March, 1843.* It was truly a home in the wilderness, the nearest neighbors being settlers in the vicinity of Fond du Lac, some eight miles distant, and Clark Dickinson, five miles, with no means of communication but an Indian trail or the lake. It was a dreary, cheerless season of the year, and there was no one but Mr. Gay and a band of Menominee Indians encamped near by, to welcome them to their new home. The Indians were very friendly and neighborly, and they became quite intimate with them. The melting snows and the rains soon filled the sloughs, and the trails became impassable; while at the same time the broken ice in the lake made canoe navigation impracticable. In this emergency their provisions gave out, and for three days they lived on maple-sugar procured from their Indian friends, who were making that article at a sugar camp near by. The Indians told them that the fish would soon begin to run up the creek; so, after living for three days on

*N0TE. - It is erroneously stated in the former part of this article that Armstrong settled in Black Wolf in 1845. It should have been 1843.

sugar, the Indians brought them fish, which varied the bill of fare for two more days, at the end of which time Mr. Armstrong, who had gone to Fond du Lac for flour, returned with a fifty-pound sack, which he had backed from that point, through the sloughs, by the Indian trail.

The warm spring days soon changed the face of nature; and their surroundings assumed a more cheerful appearance. They prepared a small piece of ground, which they planted, and then set to work preparing more land for breaking. In the early summer they were regaled with strawberries, which grew abundantly in the vicinity. The band of Indians which they found on their arrival, continued to camp near them for several seasons, and they found them quite companionable, and in time regarded them as old acquaintances. Wild game and fish were plentiful, and they easily supplied themselves with an abundance of meat and fish. The Indians used to trade two measures of maple-sugar for one of flour.

This town, in the early day, presented apeculiar social phase. On the lake shore were congregated a number of persons, many of whom had mingled in the world's widest currents of social life, and in its aristocratic circles. William Armstrong and wife; Dr. Carey, a graduate of Edinburg College, his wife the daughter of an Irish Baronet; Charles Gay, formerly a midshipman in the British Navy; Old Mr. John Harney and William Greenwood, the last three natives of the City of Halifax, all men of cultured manners, and of professional or business antecedents. Old Mr. Harney was particularly noticeable for his well-bred, courteous manners, and was held in the highest esteem. He had been for many years engaged with his father in conducting a heavy business - that of contracting for the supplies of the army and navy, at Halifax. On the death of his father, he moved with his young family to Chicago, in 1836, where he engaged in the wild speculations of the day, making considerable money, only to lose it again, in the financial crash of 1837-8. In 1843, he moved to Racine, and from there to Black Wolf, where his friends, the Armstrongs, were living. Like many others, he never recovered from his fallen fortunes, and died in Blaek Wolf on the 14th of May, 1877, at the advanced age of 82.

William Greenwood, educated as a lawyer, came to Black Wolf in 1850, where he settled on a farm, and soon became an adept in pioneer farming. ' In his earlier years he had mingled in the aristocratic circles of St. Johns, New Brunswick, but having a passion for farm life, he visited his relatives, the Armstrongs, and being attracted with the handsome locality, purchased a farm and gave up Blackstone for the plow.

Frances Weyerhorst, a native of Holland, came to Black Wolf, then called Brighton, in April, 1846, and settled on section 12, entering the land direct from the government. In 1847, he started a tan-yard, on what was known as Dickinson's Creek. In 1848, he was joined by his sister and father, Mr. Hermann Weyerhorst. In 1855, Mr. Weyerhorst was married to Miss Henrietta Eversz; and they still reside on the spot where the old log cabin stood, a fine, tasty house having superceded the old log house. At one time, during the first years ol his residence in the town, he took his sister to visit the Indians, who were encamped on the shore near the south line of the land now owned by Wm, B. Knapp. The Indians were Menominees and numbered about five hundred. They were holding one of their annual feasts, and large quantities of game and fish had been secured for the occasion. A very long lodge or wigwam, nearly two hundred feet long, faced the lake, while hundreds of canoes, many of birch bark and gaily ornamented, covered the beach. On landing from their canoe, Mr. W.'s sister was received by a party of welldressed squaws, who conducted her through the lodge and exhibited specimens of their weaving and fancy bead work, with as much grace and politeness as could have been expected from a civilized people, The Indians were well behaved and there was no drunkenness or disorderly conduct, but everyone seemed intent on having a good time.

Alexander Bangs was born in Denmark in 1814, and was married in 1844, to Miss Charlotta Rendliff, at Copenhagen. In 1848, they moved to the United States and settled, that year, on Government land in the then town of Brighton (now Black Wolf), where he still resides.

Mr. Bangs' son, Henry, now owns a large part of the old homestead, on which he resides, and another son, Nicholas, owns the Armstrong place.

Mr. Bangs has ever been regarded as one of the substantial men of the town, and one of its most successful farmers and respected citizens, and his sons are young men of most industrious and exemplary habits.

Mr. Nicholas Bangs settled in this town in 1845. The Armstrongs and one other family were the only settlers between him and Fond du Lac, a distance of twelve miles. While making a trip to Fond du Lac in a sail boat, in company with Mr. Murphy and a Mr. Strangman, all residents of the town, the boat was capsized, between Long Point and Fond du Lac, and all three were lost. Mr. Bangs was a man of much culture, and highly esteemed for his many good qualities.

Milton Cleveland came from Oswego County, New York, in 1849, and settled in the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf), on Section 7, and resides yet on the same location where he first stuck his stakes. His finely cultivated farm is one that he has hewed out of the wilder ness, and its creditable appearance well attests the industry and successful management of its prosperous owner.

Henry C. Morgan moved to Black Wolf in 1851, and built a large saw-mill at the mouth of Murphy's Creek, and also a steamboat dock. The mill was run very successfully for several years, and shipped large quantities of lumber. Steamboats landed daily at the dock, while vessels were almost constantly loading lumber. The hard times of 1857, and the general depression of the lumber business, made the manufacture of lumber at this point unprofitable, and the mill stopped. A few years afterwards the enterprising proprietor died, and thus passed away a man of remarkable energy, fine business ability, great public spirit and of unquestioned integrity. After Mr. Morgan's death, the mill was moved away and the little hamlet that sprang up around it disappeared.

Mr. Warren Morley moved, in 1849, into the now town of Black Wolf, and settled on Section 21, where he still resides. In 1850, he built a steamboat dock on his bay, where steamboats daily landed, to wood. On the breaking out of the war, his sons were among the first to enlist; and seven of them were in the service - Isaac, Aden, Arual, Asahel, Rich, Francis and Albert. Two died in the service - Isaac and Rich - and Francis died a few days after his return home. Asahel received a gunshot wound in the knee at the battle of Winchester.

Daniel Madden, with his father, moved to this town in 1849, and settled on Section 18, where he continued to reside until a few years since. By industry and good management he converted the tract on which he settled into a highly productive farm, and became one of the most thrifty and successful farmers in the town, having acquired a comfortable competency.

Charles Morgan was born in Allegany County, New York, in 181 3, and was engaged in early life in farming and lumbering. He was married, in 1836, to Mary P. Medburyand moved with his family, to Black Wolf, in 1857, where he engaged with his brother, H. C. Morgan, in the lumbering business, they having a sawmill located near the mouth of Murphy's Creek, at the village of Perryburg. After two years spent in this business, Mr. Morgan sold out to his brother, and then purchased the farm which he now occupies. What was then a rough, stumpy tract of land, is now a farm of broad, smooth fields, well fenced. A pleasant residence, called Lone Elm, with large barns and well appointed outbuildings, forms one of the illustrationsof this work. Mr. Morgan's stock and grain barns compare very favorably with the largest and most convenient in the County. Mr. Morgan was elected chairman of the Town of Black Wolf in 1861, and has held the same office eleven years since, while seven years of this time he has been a member of the County Board. At one time, while a candidate for member of Assembly, in the third district, he lost his election by only five votes; and at another time, while candidate for State Senator, was defeated by only forty votes. Lone Elm will always be remembered by the numerous friends of the family for the overflowing kindness and generous hospitality of its host and his family.

George Fleming was born in Hampshire County, Virginia, in 1819, and removed with his parents, when eight years old, to Crawford County, Ohio. At the age of eighteen, he came to Milwaukee; and four years later shipped as a sailor before the mast, on the lakes. In three months he was mate of the vessel, and ^vithin two years was half owner and master of the schooner called the Milwaukee. Mr. Fleming followed the lakes for thirteen years, eleven years of which time he was master of the vessel. At the age of thirtyfive, Mr. Fleming quit sailing and opened a hotel at Milwaukee, where he remained till 1857, when, with his family, he removed to Black Wolf, and settled on his present farm. Section 20, an illustration of which appears in this work. Mr. Fleming, though raised a sailor, has proved to be one of the most successful farmers of the county.

In 1847, Mary Sweikert, now Mrs. Endress, then a young woman, came, without relatives or friends, from Germany to the United States. She made her way to the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf) and made a pre-emption claim on Section 20, chopping the logs herself, and, with the assistance of her neighbor Pat. Murphy, put up a small cabin. She was poor and was obliged to work out to support herself. Taking advantage of her absence from her claim, certain parties tried to dispossess her.

Her things were thrown out of doors, and the cabin burned. The indignant neighboring settlers made it so warm for the claim-jumpers that they withdrew. By the help of friends, Mary soon had a larger and better cabin in place of the burned one. A second attempt was made to rob her of the claim by a party named Covey, who built a shanty on the south side of her land. Mary, having had some experience in fighting for her rights and feeling pretty confident of the support of her neighbors, made an attack on the intruder. Armed with a hand-spike, she advanced on the enemy; finding the shanty unoccupied, she removed the door and windows and such boards as she could get at, and then burned the dismantled shanty to the ground, removing the plunder to her own cabin as contraband of war. From this out she was allowed to remain in peaceable possession. In- 1848, she was married to Joseph Endress. His health was not very good, so the bulk of the work devolved on Mary. She chopped the wood, split rails, held breaking-plow, cradled grain and drove her own oxen to Oshkosh, hauling wood in the coldest winter weather. Mary's husband died in 1871, and the same year she built a good frame house in place of the old log one, where she still lives with her son Joseph, enjoying the fruits of her enterprise and hard labor.

Captain Nehemiah Merritt came to Oshkosh in 1849, where he owned forty acres of land, which is no w in the heart of the city . I n 1 8 5 1 , he purchased a farm from Jackson Swift, on the lake shore, on Section i. Black Wolf, where he settled with his family. Mr. Merritt, in early life, was a seafaring man, and just previous to coming to Oshkosh, was engaged in the lumber trade at Kenosha, Wisconsin.

George Merritt was born in Oswego, New York, in 1832, and came with his parents to Grand Haven, Michigan, in 1835, where his father kept the light-house eight years. He went to South Port, Wisconsin, in 1847, where the family remained till 1849, when they moved to Oshkosh. In 1864, George was married to Miss Emma Boyd, and settled on his present farm, and the same year was elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors.

James Sanderson migrated from England, in 1851, to the Town of Black Wolf. Mr. Sanderson took an active part in town affairs, and was elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 1859, and again in 1865, 1866, 1872 and 1873. On the night of the 23d of March, 1875, Mr. Sanderson was killed at Vandyne Station, near the south line of the town, by the night train going south. Mr. Sanderson was a passenger on that train and was to have got off at that station. The conductor had refused to stop the train at Vandyne, as it would be contrary to orders, and it is supposed that Mr. Sanderson attempted to jump from the train and was caught by the cars. By his pubUc spirit and obliging disposition he had endeared himself to his neighbors and townsmen, who sincerely mourn his loss.

James Howlett was born in 1805, at Bramfield, England, and came to Prince Edward's Island in 1827. In 1849, he came, with his family, to the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf) and settled on Section 29. He lost his first wife in 1852, and was married to Mrs. Morse in 1855. He had nine children, John, Ann, Sarah, Jonah, Alfred, Mary, Martha, James and Ella. Of these three are dead, Jonah, Sarah, and James, who was a soldier and died at Cairo in 1865.

Wm. Howlett, Sen. was born in Bramfield, England, in 1809, and moved to Prince Edward's Island at the age of seventeen. In 1849, with his family, he moved to Wisconsin, settling on Section 28, Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf) where he now resides. Of his children, William, James, Miriam, Melvina, Jonah and Richard, all are living but Jonah, who was killed by a fall from a building at Pike's Peak, in 1861.

Wm. Howlett, Jr. was born in Prince Edward's Island, in 1832, and came to the United States, with his parents, in 1 849, making his home in what is now the town of Black Wolf, following the business of farming and lumbering. In 1868, he was married to Miss Hattie Carlisle, and still resides on his farm on Section 29.

Mr. Z. C. Skinner was born in Sherburn, Chenango County, New York, in 1830. He received a common school education, and was married in 1853 to Miss Eveline C. Fowler. In 1856 Mr. Skinner and family moved to Wisconsin, purchasing a farm on Section 20, Town of Black Wolf, where they still reside.

W. B. Knapp was born in Chenango County, New York, in 1822. He was married to Miss Betsey White in 1842, and in the year 1858, he moved, with his family, to Oshkosh. After a residence of one year in the city, they moved to Jefferson, Wisconsin, living there four years, when they returned to Oshkosh. A year later Mr. Knapp purchased the farm where he now lives, situated on the lakeshore in Section i, Town of Black Wolf Mr. Knapp's brothers, George, Andrew B., Levi, Elias and Frederick, have been long and favorably known as citizens of Winnebago County.

is given, is one of the loveliest places in the county. It was formerly the residence of the late John Harney, Mr. Randall's father-in-law. Mr. Randall is a civil engineer by profession, and of the highest proficiency in his calling. He was chief engineer of the Green Bay & Mississippi Railroad, the construction of which he superintended from its beginning to its terminus. He also acted in the capacity of engineer in the old Fox and Wisconsin Improvement Company. A few years since he moved on to his beautiful place in Black Wolf

Edward and James O'Beirn settled in this town at an early day. James is now a resident of Oshkosh. They are both men of high culture, and of much travel, both on the Continent of Europe and also in this country, including trips to Panama, California and Oregon. James was, for a period, a resident of New Orleans, where he acted in the capacity of professor in a college.

John Hicks and family were among the earlier settlers, and were much esteemed by their old neighbors. All the members of this family have removed from the town.

William Bowen came a little later, and purchased William Greenwood's farm, which is now in a state of high cultivation, with good improvements. Mr. Bowen is one of those hospitable men whose latch-string hangs out.

Hans Matteson is a native of Denmark, and came to the United States in 1847, stopping at Kenosha. He moved to Nekimi in 1849, and thence to Black Wolf in 1858, settling on Section 29, where, with his family, he still resides.

James O'Connell settled in Black Wolf in 1849, on a quarter section of land, where his widow and three of his sons, William, James and Maurice, now reside.

Doctor Gudden, a man of much ability and thorough culture, settled in the southeastern part of the town in the fall of 1851 He exercises great influence, not only in town matters, but in county affairs, and has held the office of county register of deeds, and was for a period editor of the Wisconsin Telegraph.

The Swiss Settlement

THE SWISS SETTLEMENT. In 1845, a party consisting of Frederick Zentner, Sr. , John Zentner, Joachim Rhyner and Felix Geiger, with their families, left Switzerland for Wisconsin, and made a temporary stay at Waukesha, where they were joined by John U. Elmer and Fred Marty. In 1846, John U. Elmer and Fred Marty came to the Town of Brighton (now Black Wolf), looking for a place to make their homes. They were so well pleased with this town that they returned to Waukesha and induced their Swiss friends previously named in this sketch, to return with them to this place. Here they bought land of the Government and of the Fox River Improvement Company, in the interior of the town. In 1 848, Oswald Geiger, Beat Rhyner, Albert Elmer, Abram Swiefel, Rodolf Hoesley, Peter Elmer, John Zentner, Sr., John Pfeiffer, Martin Wooster, Rudolf Eisley, Peter Babler, and others, coming from the same canton in Switzerland, attached themselves to the young settlement. These hardy pioneers had cast their lot in a wilderness of heavy timber, without roads, schools or churches, the nearest settlement being several miles distant. Log houses were built and clearings made. The growing village of Oshkosh, about seven miles to the north, soon became a good market for wood, and one of the peculiar sights of the early days was the long line of ox-teams, loaded with wood, on their way from the Swiss Settlement to Oshkosh. When the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was completed through the town, in 1858, the railroad company purchased thousands of cords of wood from the settlers. From the sales of wood and the produce from their farms, the settlers soon became forehanded, the log buildings were replaced by good frame houses and barns, roads were made, school houses and churches were built, while the ox-teams gradually disappeared and good horse-teams took their place, and at this date (1880) there is not an ox-team to be found in the town. Prosperity has rewarded the sturdy industry and frugality of this people, and the Swiss, at this time, are reckoned among thebest farmers of the county.

Oswald Geiger is one of the early settlers, having come to this town in 1848. He was elected justice of the peace at the first town election, and his brother Felix one of the first supervisors. In 1854, Oswald was elected town clerk, and has filled the office up to the present time. He is one of the best town clerks in the county, the records and papers being kept in a very creditable manner.

John Rhyner came to this town, with his father Joachim Rhyner, in 1848. He was married to Helena Mohlsted in 1856, and settled on Section 29. He lost his wife in 1873, and the next year was married to Judith Zwicky, and still resides on his old farm

Black Wolf in 185 1, and settled on his present farm. He soon became prominent in town affairs and was elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 1858, 1874 and 1879, being the present chairman.

Town Organization

The Town of Brighton was organized in pursuance of an act of the legislature, approved February 11, 1847. The organic election was held April 5, 1847.

The Town of Brighton included in its limits the present towns of Black Wolf, Nekimi and part of Algoma. In 1850, the name of the Town of Brighton was changed to Nekimi; and on the fourteenth of November, 1850, the County Board set off the Town of Black Wolf

Organic Election

The organic election of the Town of Black Wolf was held in the log school-house of District number 2, now known as the Fleming district, on the second day of April, 1851.

John Mandeville acting as chairman and Nicholas Bangs clerk. Forty-four votes were cast and the following named persons were elected town officers: Warren Crosby, chairman; Felix Geiger and Hiram Hutchinson, supervisors; Josiah P. Swift, clerk; Oswald Geiger, Nicholas Bangs and Ira Aiken, justices of the peace; Edward Waite, assessor; Seth G. Gates, treasurer; Nicholas Bangs, superintendent of schools; Miles Baker and Joseph Koplitz, constables; David Ford, sealer of weights and measures. On September 13, 185 1, Wm. R. T. Armstrong was appointed superintendent of schools to fill vacancy occasioned by the drowning of Nicholas Bangs.

Second Town Election

SECOND TOWN ELECTION. At the town meeting held April 6, 1852, William Boyd was elected chairman; William Howlett and Joseph Koplitz, supervisors; Warren Morley, Elisha Bennett and John Mandeville, justices; Wm. M. Greenwood, clerk; Seth G. Gates, treasurer; John Harney, superintendent of schools; John Harney, assessor.

Town Officers

The present town officers are Chas. Rauer, chairman; August Beduhue and Fred Zentner, supervisors, Oswald Geiger, clerk, Albert Koplitz, treasurer; Casper Zwickey, assessor; Chas. Rauer, Alfred Howlett and Jacob Elmer, justices.

The first school district established was joint district number i ; which embraced part of the now towns of Black Wolf, Nekimi and Algoma ; and a log school house was built near the site of the present Boyd school-house in the fall of 1 846, and a school taught that winter by Miss.. Eliza Case. The first school, in the present limits of Black Wolf, was taught in district number 2, now known as the Fleming school district. A log school-house was built in 1 850, on the site of the present frame building and the first school taught by Warren Crosby, who received, for his services, twelve dollars a month.

First Marriages

FIRST MARRIAGES. The first marriage in the town was that of Joseph Endress to Mary Sweikert, in 1848. Others among the earlier marriages were