Division Street Historic District

In November, 1827, John H. Kountree, still a prominent and distinguished resident of the township, accompanied by Maj. J. B. Campbell and two men named William Ruby and John McWilliams, made his advent into future Platteville, attracted thither by the opportunities he had ascertained only awaited the hand of industry and enterprise to pluck without resistance, rhe previous spring it might be interpolated. Mr. Rountree had satisfied himself of these facts and began negotiating for the purchase of a claim owned by one Emanuel Medcalf, who ^covered its value some time before while prospecting for mineral. After several attempts to «ffect its purchase which had failed to culminate, Messrs. Rountree and Campbell accomplished their object, paying for the title $3,600 ; contingently upon its equaling moderate expectations, rt J*' ^^^ period indicated, came into the territory to test its value and identify themselves with the development of this portion of the "lead mines." These adventurous comers knew that, 'fith patient watch and untiring diligence they would reap a generous reward, and having wected a sod cabin twelve feet square on the branch about two hundred yards southeast of Mr. Kountree's present mansion, corner of Pine and Lydia streets, began working the claim as the breath of advancing winter made them to realize that the fall with all its glories had vanished, to be laid in the great storehouse of the past. Through storm and sunshine, when the icy air swept down the valley of the branch chilling all before its way, these four men toiled on from early to late hoping and thinking that, with the dawn of spring, their labors, their enterprise and their patience would be rewarded. So hoped and thought Columbus as he lay at anchor among the drifting seaweed and waited for the dawn of day. Nor was he disappointed, nor were the toilers in the lead discovered by Emanuel Medcalf, doomed to failure. Before the wandering snow flakes, sweet and silent messengers from a sinless region, had ceased to fall and kiss the earth's brown breast with their soft white lips, the toilers had laid up a hundred-fold of the treasure gathered with the " pick and gad." In truth, the results which attended the efforts of this quartette who first came to Platteville Township are said to have been of the most generous character. But there was no furnace nearer than Gratiot's Grove or Galena in which the raw material could be rendered a marketable commodity, and until one was built the mineral was slacked up awaiting its completion.

Passage source: History of Grant County, Wisconsin, published 1881.

In October, 1827, the settlement was called Platte River and continued under that title until April 7,1828, when the name was changed to Lebanon, by which it was known until May 20, of the same year, when Platteville was substituted and still obtains. From records beyond dispute it appears that the following were residents of the vicinage at that date, in addition to those named: A. and W. Daugherty, Samuel Kirkpatrick, A. L. Orden, Alexander Willard, B. B. Lawless, John Wellmaker, Waller Rowen, William Morrison, Joseph Brammer, M. M. Woodbridge, Jesse Harrison, Benjamin James, Frederick Reamer, Isaac Yoakum, Thomas Densen, Israel Mitchell, Robert Roper, James R. Vineyard and William B. Vineyard.

Passage source: History of Grant County, Wisconsin, published 1881.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Platteville City - 148,496 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.