Madison City (part 2 of 20)

On tlie 19th of January, 1837, the newly located seat of government was visited by Hon. Moses M. Strong* of Mineral Point; Mr. Levi' R. Marsh, who afterwards lived for many years at Prairie du Chien, and a Mr. Potter from the east, who soon after returned and has not since resided in Wisconsin. These three gentlemen left Milwaukee on horseback on .the 16th of January, and traveling by the way of Prairie Village (Wau¬ kesha), Bark river, Fort Atkinson and the half-breed's on the First Lake, they arrived at Madison in the afternoon of the 19th. They spent the night of the 18th at the half-breed's on the First Lake, where they were hospitably entertained and feasted with the luxury of a mnsk-rat pie. From this place, following the Indian trail along the east and north bank of the Second Lake (Lake Wanbesa), they reached the south¬ eastern bank of the Third Lake (Lake Monona), near its outlet. Their object being to find Madison, which as yet presented no indications to mark its precise locality, except the marks and

* Hon. Moses M. Strong, son of Hon. Moses Strong and Lucy Maria Smith, was born at Rutland, Vermont, May 20, 1810, was educated and graduated at Darmouth College, in 1829, studied law at the Law School at Litchfield' Connecticut, under the charge of Judge Gould, in 1831. He practiced his profession at Rutland (1831-6). In 1833 appointed Deputy Surveyor General of Vermont. In 1836 he removed to Wisconsin and settled at Mineral Point, where he opened a law and land agency connected with surveying. In 1837 he was appointed to survey United States gov¬ ernment lands on the west side of the Mississippi river. From 1838 to 1841 he was United States Attorney for the Territory of Wisconsin ; a Member of the Council of the Territory, 1841-2-3, and President, a Mem¬ ber 1843-4, a Member and President 1846; a member of the first constitutional convention to form a state constitution. In 1849 and again in 1856 was elected a member of House of Representatives, and was in 1850 the Speaker of the Assembly. In 1852 he was largely interested in rail¬ road enterprises and has been President of the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad and the Mineral Point Railroad. He has also been interested in the improvement of water-powers on the Wisconsin river, and also in the developement of the lead mines in the vicinity of Mineral Point. Mr. Strong was married in 1832 to Caroline Francis Green, daughter of Dr. Green, Windsor, Vermont, and has four children. Residence Mineral Point.

monuments left by the government surveyors. Mr. Str&ntg had furnished himself with an accurate copy of the government plats which exhibited all the bays, capes and headlands of the lakes, and sitting on his horse, on an elevated point of the shore of the lake he had reached, he could, with his field glass, observe all of them within the range of his vision. Having fixed upon a certain bay in a northwesterly direction, and upon the opposite side of the Third Lake as the one where a section line would probably intersect the shore, the exploring party after, with some difficulty, getting their horses upon the ice, took a straight course for the selected bay, and were so. fortunate as to hit the meander post set by the government surveyors about four years previously, and which marked the intersection with the lake of the section line between sections thirteen and twenty-four. Following up this section line, along what is now the center of King street, the party soon came to the corner of sections thirteen, fourteen, twenty-three and twenty-four, which is the center of the capitol park, and upon which the capitol stands. After remaining a short time and admiring the natural beauty, of the site so recently made by law the seat of government, this exploring party undertook to cross the Fourth Lake on the ice in search of St. Cyr, of whom they had been told at the First Lake, where they spent the previous night, and with whom they intended to spend this night. By some mistake or misunderstanding, the party, instead of going to the west end of the lake, went to the extreme north end, and of course missed the log cabin of St. Cyr, of which they were in search, and leaving the lake at the north end, they took a westerly course, hoping to find the wagon road from Fort Winnebago to the Blue Mounds, but the track was so obscured by the snow that they crossed it without noticing it, and traveled on until night overtook them, when they were compelled to pass the night without food or shelter for themselves or horses. The next morning Mr. Strong found a section corner, and thus learned that they had gone several miles out of their way, and had spent the night on section twenty-one, town eight, range eight east, which is now the Ashton postoffice, in the town of Springfield. They soon got the correct course and went on to the Blue Mounds, and thence to Mineral Point.

During that winter Judge Doty had employed Mr. Strong, who was a surveyor as well as lawyer, to survey and stake off the capitol square and some lots in the vicinity. On the 17th of February, Mr. John Catlin and himself started from Min¬ eral Point to perform this work, and spent that night at the house of John Messersmith, Esq., about twelve miles east of Mineral Point, where they engaged the assistance of his son George Messersmith, who, five years later, was appointed sheriff of Iowa county by Judge Doty, then Governor of the Territory. Before the surveying party started they were joined by Josiah A. Noonan, Esq., who desired to have some survey¬ ing done on land in which he had an interest, west of and ad¬ joining Madison, and lying partly upon what was called the " Little Lake " (Lake Wingra). Mr. Noonan brought Mr. Strong a letter from Judge Doty, with which we have been furnished.

"February 17. Bought surveying chain, shirt and gloves, and same day started with Mr. Catlin for Madison and staid at Messersmith's. Mr. J. A. Noonan joined us, bringing a letter from Judge Doty, and will go with us to Madison.

" February 18. Bought at Brigham's provisions for the ex¬ cursion at $15.00, and went on to Steel's, on Haney's creek (this was near the Cross Plains station on Black Earth creek), Noonan and George Messersmith in company.

" February 21. Finished Noonan's meanders on Third Lake, and he paid me $70 for myself and Catlin, and then com¬ menced Doty's work at Madison.

there (the camp, which was only the lee side of a large fallen oak tree - was on the shore of the Fourth Lake, near the foot of Hamilton street), and at daylight were driven off by a severe snow-storm, and went to St. Cyr's and spent the day.

"February 26. Returned to Madison and finished all of Doty's work west of canal, and then went to Rowan's and slept, having paid St. Cyr $13.50. Rowan lived about twelve miles south of Fort Winnebago, where is now Poynette, on the Madison and Portage Railroad. "

From Rowan's, the surveying party took the Wisconsin river and followed down on it to Helena, and thence by land to Min¬ eral Point. This work of surveying was the starting point of settlement, and was soon after followed by the erection of a log house by Mr. Ebenezer Peck.

In the month of February, Alex. F. Pratt, Esq., now of Waukesha, in company with Augustus Story, started on a tour to the mining regions. Passing through Prairie village, now W aukesha, they proceeded by the way of Fort Atkinson and thence to the Catfish river, near the present site of Dun¬ kirk. Here they encamped, building a fire, which they kept up till morning, on account of the wolves, which watched them closely. The next morning they proceeded up the river, know¬ ing that it would lead them to the Fourth Lake, where there were several wigwams, and where they could obtain something to eat, even if it was not of the choicest kind. We quote from Mr. Pratt's narrative:

" At about noon we reached the First Lake, and seeing moc¬ casin tracks in the snow, we followed them for a short distance to a wigwam, but found it tenantless. After searching it from top to bottom, we found a few cold roasted potatoes, which, we assure you (after having fasted for twenty-four hours), relished well. We remained in this wigwam an hour or two, and then passed on to the point where Madison is now located. At that time, neither the ax, nor " the shovel and the hoe," had been hung up or laid down in that vicinity. It was nearly sundown when we crossed the Third Lake. After traveling over the first eminence - where the capitol now stands - we struck a ravine (between capitol square and the present site of the University), where we made a halt, struck up a fire, and encamped for the night, without even making any inquiry about supper. The cold potatoes which we ate at noon, supplied the place of breakfast, dinner and supper. The weather had moderated a little, which, together with the hardships of the journey, and our extreme fatigue, caused us to sleep quite comfortably dur¬ ing the night. The next morning we crossed Fourth Lake, a distance of about four miles, where we saw a small log cabin, which was the first building of the kind we had seen since leav¬ ing Fort Atkinson. We knocked at the door, but all was si¬ lent. We were both cold and hungry, and the sight of a cabin was some relief. We did not wait for ceremony, but bolted in, where we found a squaw and some four or five pappooses. We spoke to her in the Pottawatamie language, but she made no reply. We were soon satisfied that she did not understand us. We then made all the signs that our Indian education or inge¬ nuity would admit of, to show her that we were hungry; but all in vain. We expected that her husband would soon come in and kick us out of doors, without waiting for an explanation, and were at a loss what to do. A white man,* however, soon came in, spoke to us in good English, and seemed glad to see us. He informed us that he was a Canadian, that the squaw was his wife, and that the children were also his. The squaw belonged to the Winnebago tribe, and spoke a different language from the other Indians in the vicinity.

u He had been an Indian trader there for years. The lands which he had cultivated had been sold without his knowledge; for, in fact, he took no interest in anything except trading in furs, etc. His wife on being made acquainted with our wants, flew around and prepared for us a supper. It was a kind of pot-pie, which we relished very well. After finishing our meal, we inquired what kind of meat we had eaten, and were informed that it was mush-rat. We remained there till morning, and then left for the Blue Mounds."

The year 1837 is memorable as the beginning of the perma¬ nent settlement of Madison. The Indians who up to this date had nominal possession, became aware that they must move to other homes ; the country to be reclaimed from barba¬ rism and subdued to the wants and requirements of civilized life. We have before referred to the purchase of this location by Doty and Mason, and of its selection as the site for the seat of government.

In the month of April, Eben Peck* and his wife Boselike Peck came here from Blue Mounds and became the first settlers. J ohn C atlin, Esq. , had been here before Mr. Peck, and

* A more particular notice of the pioneer family of Madison is desirable. Eben Peck was born in Shoreham, Addison county, Vermont, in 1804, and was taken to Middlebury, Genesee, now Wyoming county, New York, by his parents when quite a child; and on his return to Vermont in 1827, he established himself in business in Middletown, Rutland county. There he was married, February 24, 1829, to Miss Roseline Willard, a native of Mid¬ dletown, born February 24, 1808; the wedding taking place in the house in which she was born, with her parents, grandparents, and numerous friends and relatives present. In 1832 Mr. and Mrs. Peck moved to Mid¬ dlebury, New York, and thence, as Mrs. Peck's statement shows, in 1836, to Blue Mounds.

Mr. Peck went to California and Oregon in 1844; and though since re¬ ported as in Texas or New Mexico, is supposed to have been massacred by savages when crossing the piains.

Mrs. Peck's mother was Julia Ann Burnham; and her grandmother Burnham, (wife of John Burnham, an able lawyer of the Bennington bar), was a sister of Gen. Isaac Clark, of Castleton, Vt., a soldier of the Revolu¬ tion, known as Old Rifle, and who commanded a regiment in the war of 1812, making a successful expedition against Massequoi, Lower Canada, October 12, 1813; was member of the Constitutional Convention, and Judge of the County Court; died at Castleton, January 31, 1822, aged 73. Gen. Clark was the grandfather of Hon. Satterlee Clark, an early pioneer of Wisconsin, and for many years a prominent member of the State Senate.

had put up a log house on the ground now occupied by the United States Court House and Post Office, hut it was not in use until after Mr. Peck's house was built and occupied. Mrs. Peck who is now residing at Baraboo, Wisconsin, has contri¬ buted two interesting articles on her early life experience at Madison, published lirst in the Baraboo Republican, in March and April, 1860, which were subsequently republished with valuable historical notes by Dr. L. C. Draper, in Vol. 6, Col¬ lections of State Historical Society of Wisconsin. From these papers much desirable information has been obtained, and from which we have made liberal extracts. Mrs. Peck has also at our request furnished an additional paper. These reminiscen¬ ces throw much light on pioneer life in Madison, and will be read with interest. It is proper to state that the two first pap¬ ers were called out by the fact that a Mr. Geo. W. Featherstokhaugh, an English Geologist employed by the United States Government, to make geological surveys in the northwest, on his return to England published a work entitled " A Canoe voy¬ age up the Minnay-sotor, with an account of the Lead and Cop¬ per Regions of Wisconsin. London, 1847. 2Yols. 8vo." In this work he refers to his visit to Madison, an account of which will hereafter be given, and took occasion to criticise the do¬ mestic arrangements of Mrs. Peck's house. His statements in reference thereto, are very unjust and untrue. While at Mad¬ ison he received from that lady every attention and civility that any honorable man would require, but he was a fretful, con¬ ceited Englishman, and nothing pleased him or1 was good enough for him. His criticisms on her table and accommodations, brought from Mrs. Peck the communications referred to. In quoting from them, we have taken the liberty to omit some portions.

"We came direct from Genessee county, Hew York, via Buffalo, Detroit, Michigan City and Chicago, to the Blue Mounds, at which place we arrived, July, 1836 - our goods having been shipped by the way of Green Bay and the port¬ age (Fort Winnebago). The two forts or garrisons were then kept at those points and the Blue Mounds, being situated on the old military road from Galena, Mineral Point to the port¬ age, there was considerable travel. A postoffice was soon after established at Col. Brigham's place at the Mounds. We took possession of his house with every thing appertaining thereto - his large and excellent garden, a number of cows, etc., and boarded himself and his farming and mining hands, during autumn and winter, also entertaining travelers.

u On the return of the northern members of the Belmont legislature to their homes, with the information that Madison had been selected as the location of the seat of government, Mr. Peck purchased some lots, and immediately sent hands and teams to erect three large rooms or buildings for their occupancy. The buildings were put up before I saw them."

" The men employed to erect this first house, were two French¬ men, one named Joe Pellkie, the name of the other is for¬ gotten; they were with a party of Winnebagoes who had spent that winter at the largest of the Blue Mounds; and one Abra¬ ham Wood superintended the work. Wood then lived at Strawberry or Squaw Point - since better known as W innequah, on the eastern side of Third Lake; he had a squaw wife, a daughter of the Winnebago chief De Kaury. Wood subsequently removed to Baraboo, and erected a saw-mill there. During the erection of these cabins, which was in March, Mr. Peck made two excursions with teams to Madison, to carry out supplies, and give directions about the work; there was then snow on the ground, and the lakes were frozen, so that Mr. Peck crossed on the ice to Strawberry Point, to stay over night at Wood's. Pellkie remained in and around Madison for some time; at one time, Berry Hahey, a noted character, shot Pellkie in a dispute about a land claim, and when last heard from, Pellkie was still carrying the ball in his back. The other Frenchman, the companion of Pellkie in building our cabins, had a squaw wife, whose brother was stabbed and killed on the beach of Third Lake.

ing at Green Bay), and put up over night with us. They found a decent, clean table, a thing seldom found in those days. I informed Mrs. Doty that we were going to settle in Madison. She said if I would be the first housekeeper there, I should have a present, and my choice of the best lot in the place; it was also confirmed by her husband, but, by-the-by, I never got it; and on the 15th of April, 1837, we arrived there, and as we were well aware what our business would be when settled, we provided ourselves accordingly, and purchased at Mineral Point over one hundred dollars worth of groceries, as I have the bills now to show; among the items were one barrel of pork, two of flour, one of crackers, one of sugar, half barrel dried fruit one box of tea, and as good a sack of coffee as was ever brought into the State, besides a half barrel of pickles, put up by myself, also a tub of butter, and jars of plums and cranberries, collected from Blue Mounds' thickets. All these were carried to Madi¬ son when we moved, besides a good load of potatoes. I also made six more bed-ticks, to be filled with grass or hay as occas¬ ion required, as we fetched but four feather beds with us.

"We started from Beigham's place, at the Blue Mounds, on Thursday, the 13th of April, after dinner, with our teams, I riding an Indian pony. We traveled about seven miles, where some person had made a claim, and had laid about five rounds of logs towards a cabin. We camped therein that night with a tent over us. The next day, the 14th, we pushed on - a more pleasant day I never wish to see ; but I had a severe headache before night. We pitched our tent on a little rise of ground, within three miles of Madison ; spread down our beds, and rest¬ ed comfortably, till near 3 o'clock on Saturday morning, when we were awakened by a tremendous wind storm, and howling of wolves, and found snow five or six inches deep which contin¬ ued to fall until after we arrived in Madison.

" Well, now, here we are at Madison, on the 15th, sitting in a wagon under a tree, with a bed-quilt thrown over my own and little boy's heads, in a tremendous storm of snow and sleet, twenty-five miles from any inhabitants on one side (Blue Mounds), and nearly one hundred on the other (Milwaukee).

What is to he done? Gfo into the buildings with no floors laid, and nothing hut great sleepers laid across to walk on? No; I must have the buildings plastered with lime, and floors laid first - only one saw-mill in the Territory, and that, way up in the Wisconsin Pinery, and not completed, and of course no lumber; but there lies a pile of puncheons - just build me a pen under this tree, and move in my stove, and we will crawl in there. Bure enough, we soon had it completed, and a fire built.* u Some two weeks from this time, or about the first of May, on a pleasant day, there were about fifteen men arrived from Mil¬ waukee, to look a road through, and see Madison. Among the number were A. A. Bird, the two Pixleys, merchants, W. M. Dexxts, and Col. Mortoh, of the Land Office - but I cannot enumerate names. Well, we had a spacious dining-room - under the broad canopy of heaven - where I spread tables for them. A portion of the party, the hired men, set out on their return the next day. We immediately sent a team to the other side of Fourth Lake, where there had been some hay put up by a party of half-breed French and Indians, and got a load of it, with which we filled our bed-ticks; we then laid down puncheons in one end of one of the buildings, spread down our beds, built a fire of chips (hewn from the logs) at the other end between the sleepers, tacked three or four sheets of bedcurtains around the walls, and there they rested; and they staid with us three or four days, enjoying themselves hunting and fishing around the lakes, and looking at the country; and then left for Mineral Point, or perhaps Galena; and in eight or ten days Bird returned, accompanied by Judge Doty, Ebexezer Brigham and others.

* Henry G. Abbot, Esq., of Utica, N. Y., informed the writer that he, with a friend, staid one night with Mr. and Mrs. Peck in the latter part of April, 1837, - before Mr. Bird's first visit.

not expect to live in this pen until there is one found and burned. No, no, you must move in; we will help daub up the kitchen part on the outside with mud, and when the lime is found you can finish the inside to suit you.1 So at it they went, (only think, Governors, Esquires and Mayors, in pros¬ pective, daubing cabins !) and by night we were all comfortably situated in the kitchen. And this is the room in which, a week subsequently, the great Scotch-born and English-bred Featherstohhaugh was entertained."

" The size of this room was twenty-four feet long and eight¬ een or twenty wide - the same length of the dining-room, and situated immediately back of it, - wherein the}7 used to dance cotillions, three sets at the same time. The other two build¬ ings were joined on the northeast and southeast corners of the kitchen, leaving a passage, where afterwards was erected a frame dining-room, in which many a weary traveler and hun¬ gry wight was fed."

The next person after Mr. and Mrs. Peck, who came to Madison, and has given an account of his journey and experi¬ ences, was G. W. Featherstomhaugh, recently referred to. In coming from St. Louis in this direction, he heard much of Tyclio-be-rah , or the Four Lakes, and elaborately engraved plans of several cities in their vicinity were shown him. He was as¬ sured that they were flourishing finely - Madison in particular was represented as already a city. Let us now cite his graphic description of Madison and its first house, which he gives as follows, under date May 30, 1837 - passing from Dodgeville to Col. E. Brigham's, at the Blue Mounds, to dinner: u Pursuing our journey at 1 P. M., we passed the military road leading to Fort Winnebago and Navarino (Green Bay), and soon afterwards got into one of the most exquisitely beau¬ tiful regions I have ever seen in any part of the world. The prairie that had hitherto been distinguished by a regular roll¬ ing surface, here changed its character and took the form of ridges, somewhat elevated, which frequently resolved themselves into masses of gracefully rounded hills, separated by gentle de¬ pressions, that occasionally became deepened valleys. In these,

" The aspect of this lovely country at once accounted for so great a population flocking to the lakes, on whose enchanting hanks those cities were founded of which we had heard so much, and to which we were now advancing. Four noble lakes, in the center of a region of such unrivalled beauty, must constitute perfection itself. Our expectations were exceedingly raised. Every movement produced a new excitement: the oc¬ casional glimpse of the shy deer, with their elegant fawns, and the more frequent flushing of the prairie-hen from her nest, gave animation to the still beauty around us. Enraptured with all I saw, I could not but occasionally reflect on the oddity of seven large cities, each capable of containing a population of half a million of people, have congregated so close together. There was Madison City , which was the metropolis; adjacent to this was the City of the Four Lakes , a short distance beyond this was the city of North Madison. Close upon this again was the city of East Madison. Then there was the city of West Madison ,* the city of South Madison, and the City of the First Lake , and the " City of the Second Lake." f Of each of these I had a beautiful engraved plan, with all its squares, streets, in¬ stitutions and temples."

In the vicinity of Madison he found some very interesting mounds and other interesting Indian monuments, which he de¬ scribes, and continues: a We hastened on, as the day was drawing to a close, and we had yet some distance to go to Madison City. For some time I had kept a good look-out for some of the enterprising farmers, who must have come from great distances to this fertile coun¬ try, and was rather surprised that we should hitherto have met f " The City of the Second Lake " was owned by J. P. Arndt, J. W. Colton, B. W. and E. W. Edgerton, S. Juneau, F. W. Hawley, E. G. Bry¬ ant, E. Starr and S. W. Beardsley. The plat of the city was recorded October 11, 1836.

no one. We had not passed a single farm, and concluded that, being an Indian country, the settlers had clustered round the great city we were bound to, and had established themselves near that lake where the best fish abounded. Fresh fish! pro¬ digious varieties ! cat-fish, pike, pickerel, salmon, trout, buffalo, perch! What anticipations for men who had for so many days been bolting pieces of tough fat bacon, cured 1,000 miles off. At length we came to a belt of open trees, and, passing through it, we reached the flat, marshy shores of the largest of the four lakes; we could see almost entirely around it, and much did we look; but, alas! no vestige of human dwelling was in sight.

" This considerably changed the current of our thoughts, and materially impaired the beauty of the prospect. Not being disposed to express all we felt, we reluctantly took to the woods again, along the margin of the lake, in the hope to stumble upon some one or other. Night was gradually drawing her veil over everything, and it became rather doubtful whether we should not have - in the language of backwoodsmen - to camp out. Keeping, therefore, all my visions of fried fish in the background for a while, I felt for my box of matches, and, finding it safe, turned my attention - as old Indian travelers always do - to the next best thing, a rousing fire to lay down by. Black clouds were forming in the horizon; we had been drenched thoroughly the day before, and it became pretty cer¬ tain there would be another storm. Groping our way, and oc¬ casionally jolting over the fallen trees, we, at the end of an hour and a half, got to the shore of the Third Lake, having somehow or other missed the Second Lake, where Madison City was supposed to be. We now changed our course again, and keeping to the northwest, and meandering, and wondering and shouting for 1113" companion, who had got out of the wagon to follow a small trail he thought he had discovered, I at length gave up the attempt to proceed any further, and, selecting a dry tree as a proper place to bivouac near, had already stopped the wagon, when, hearing my companion's voice shouting for me in a tone that augured something new to be in the wind, I pushed on in that direction, and at length found him standing

This was Madison City , and, humble as it was, it concen¬ trated within itself all the urban importance of the seven cities we had come so far to admire, and to which, according to our engraved plans, Ninevah of old, Thebes, with its hundred gates, and Persepolis, were but baby-houses. Not another dwelling was there in the whole country, and this wretched contrivance had only been put up within the last four weeks. Having se¬ cured our horses, we entered the grand and principal entrance to the city, against the top of which my head got a severe blow, it not being more than five feet high from the ground. The room was lumbered up with barrels, boxes and all manner of things. Amongst other things was a hustling little woman, about as high as the door, with an astounding high cap on, called Mrs. Peck. * * *

" My first inquiry was, whether she had any fresh fish in the house. The answer was ''No!7 Inflexible and unwelcome word. No fresh fish! no large, delicious catfish, of twenty pounds weight, to he fried with pork and placed before the vo¬ racious traveler in quantities sufficient to calm those apprehen¬ sions that so often arise in Indian lands, of there not being enough for him to eat until he falls fast asleep. ' Why, then,' exclaimed my alarmed companion, 1 whatTs to be done ? ' 'I have some salt pork,' rejoined our little hostess. 1 Then, madam, you must fry it without the fish,' I replied. So to the old busi¬ ness we went, of bolting square pieces of fat pork, an amuse¬ ment I had so often indulged in, that I sometimes felt as if I ought to be ashamed to look a live pig in the face. Our land¬ lady, however, was a very active and obliging person; she said she would make us as comfortable as it was possible for her to do.

" Whilst we were at this repast, the thunder storm broke over us, and a deluge of rain came down, streaming through the roof in various places. In the midst of the confusion two other vagabonds came in; one of them a ruffian looking fellow, who said he was a miner, on his way across the Indian country from

Milwaukee; the other, a stupid, boorish, dirty-looking animal, said he had not tasted anything for two days, having lost his way on the prairie; and, having been overtaken the preceding night by a very heavy rain, whilst making his way up a coulee or vale, had been afraid to lie on the ground, and had passed the whole night sitting on a fallen tree. Fortunately there was pork enough for us all."

On the tenth day of June, 1837, Augustus A. Bird, the acting commissioner for constructing the capitol, accompanied by a party of thirty-six workmen, arrived. There was no road at that time from Milwaukee to the capital, and the party were compelled to make one for their teams and wagons as they came along. They left Milwaukee on the first of June with four teams. It rained incessantly, the ground drenched with water, and was so soft that even with an ordinary road their progress would have been slow, but when to this are added the obstruc¬ tions of fallen trees, unbridged streams, hills, whose steepness labor had not yet mitigated, and the devious course which they necessarily pursued, it is not surprising that ten days were spent in accomplishing a journey, which, since the advent of the railroad through the Four Lake country, we are able to per¬ form in a little more than three hours. They forded Rock river near the site of the present city of Watertown, and the Crawfish at Milford. The first glimpse they had of the sun, during their journey, was on the prairie, in this county, now known as Sun Prairie - a name given it at that time as a com¬ pliment to the luminary which beamed forth so auspiciously and cheerfully on that occasion, and possibly to encourage old Sol to persevere in well doing.

Mr. William Woolcock, now of Jefferson, Wisconsin, was one who came to Madison to work on the capitol in the second arrival. He has furnished some notes of his coming to Wis¬ consin, and his journey here, from which the following extracts are taken:

" I left Adelaide, Canada West, in May, 1836, to visit the western territories, and came by the way of Buffalo, Detroit and Chicago. At Chicago I found one brick building, the Lake

House, and thence proceeded to Milwaukee, where I arrived July 3, which contained one framed house, built in 1835 by Solomon Juneau. After spending a short time here I made an arrangement to visit Madison to work at my trade on the capitol building.

"About the last of July or first of August, 1837, we started for Madison from Milwaukee, to cut the stone for the State House, viz.: Wm. Seavier and brother, Jesse Bolden and G. Eggleston, with our carpet bags and some tools on our shoul¬ ders, and commenced our journey in the morning on foot. Before we came to Prairieville we saw a large rattlesnake across our path, about six feet long, which we killed. At Prairieville we found one log house and an Indian camping ground. About five miles further we found a man by the name of Pratt, who had a claim of 160 acres, and who had put up a log house, and here we staid over night. The next day dined with a family by the name of Brown, who had also a claim of a quarter sec¬ tion. Within seven or eight miles of the rapids of Rock river, near Watertown, we found three brothers by the name of Setchell, making claims, with whom we staid over night. They had a little shanty built and covered with bass wood bark, and as there was not room for all of us, Mr. Seavier and myself got some long pieces of bark that was coiled up in the sun, pulling the bark open and got into it; it curled tight around us, and so we got clear of the musquitoes that night. The next morning we started for Watertown, where we found Mr. Goodhue preparing to buid a dam and a sawmill. Here we took breakfast and started for Lake Mills, at which place we found a family by the name of Atwood, who had also made a claim on some land, and built a log house. Here we stopped one day to rest and to prepare for the forty mile trip ' to Madison, as there was no settler this side of that place. We proceeded onward on the Indian's and Bird's trail, and came to Sun Prairie where we got a lunch and some water and started on. At ten o'clock at night we came to the camping ground of Bird and his company at Madison, tired, dry and hungry. There was about fifty (?) men and a family to cook for them. They expected ns and were glad to see ns, but they had eaten all the provisions they brought with them from Mil¬ waukee, and Mr. Bird had gone to Galena with the teams after pork and flour and other supplies. We slept at the building known as the bedroom, about eighteen feet square and two stories high and the sleeping births were all around the sides, two or three, one above the other, and the bedsteads were made out of small oak trees and covered with marsh hay. I thought it a great treat after walking forty miles, and the musquitoes so thick that the men made a fire on the floor to smoke them out. Work was immediately commenced, and carried on during the summer and fall, at which time the walls were built six feet above the ground and the water table put in place. I cut the corner stone and Jesse Bolder laid it. There was a gathering on the event. A good many persons put in their deposits under it. It was laid on the southeast corner of the building, July 4, 1838. The foundation was completed in November and a small celebration was held, when the work was stopped. The money to pay the hands had to be brought from Green Bay, and Mr. Peck was sent there to bring it. The men usually were paid monthly. He started on foot through the woods alone to Green Bay. In less than two weeks he came back with the paper money. He had to swim the rivers. The money was wet and we had to wait for it to dry before we could get our pay. About the last of November we started on foot for Milwaukee. In May, 1838, Jesse Boldem and myself went to Madison to finish the work, and the con¬ tract to put up the buiding was in the hands of James Morrisok and A. A. Bird, Superintendent. Mr. Boldem could not agree with Mr. Morrisok, and returned to Milwaukee. I worked all summer at $70 per month - cut the stone arches over the front doors and attended the building generally. The rest of the stone cutters worked by the foot. In November the walls were up, the roof on and the assembly and senate cham¬ bers plastered but not sufficiently dry for the sessions of he legislature, which were held for a while in the American Hotel building."

The workmen on their arrival, immediately proceeded to erect temporary houses and cabins for their own use, the most of which were put up near the foot of King street, near the Third Lake. The buildings were not of the highest order of archi¬ tecture, since little or no lumber could he procured except such as was cut with a whip-saw. They have all been re¬ moved, except one which was taken to another location. The excavation for the foundation walls of the capitol was soon made, and the workmen proceeded at once to get out stone and timber. It was intended, says Judge J. G. Knapp, u to have the building erected on the corners of the four sections, or the exact centre of the public square, hut as the post of the section cor¬ ners was found standing on the west edge of the level of the square, or where the ground begins to descend to the west, the ground for the foundation was so staked off that the corner should he under the west door, and not in the centre of the building. Moreover, the west wall was not placed on the sec¬ tion lines; consequently both these causes operated to throw the walls away from a coincidence with all the steeets of the village." This divergence became more apparent in the new and enlarged capitol than in the old; since its location it has been governed by the same lines.

The work had so far advanced that preparations were made to lay the corner stone with appropriate ceremonies on the en¬ suing July 4. Mrs. Peck made large preparation for the occas¬ ion, and on that day, according to her account, between two and three hundred persons were assembled.* Among them were Gov. Doty, M. L. Martin, A. Nichols, Benj. Salter, Dr. Ilsley and J ohn Messersmith. The corner stone - in the ' 1 north¬ east corner," of course - was laid, says Mr. Hyer, by Col. A. A. Bird, acting commissioner, on the 4th of July, 1837, and the ceremony formed on that day the principal part of the " nation-

* Mr. Mills and Mr. Catlin think Mrs. Peck is in error as to the number present - that there could not have been as large a gathering as she has represented.

al clebration" - the participants in the proceedings being Col. Bird, the men in his employ, Mr. E. Peck and family, and "Little Dandy," an Indian chief, and his band - the " na¬ tives " forming by far the larger party. The celebration was quite a " spirited " affair, and lasted several days, until the " spirits" gave out.

" Our next large arrival at Madison was A. A. Bird again, with some thirty or forty men, hired in Milwaukee, to com¬ mence operations on the public buildings ; he also brought with him a family by the name of Pierce, * with two or three grown up daughters, for the purpose of cooking for his workmen. They immediately put up a log boarding-house, and in a week's time they had it completed and moved in. Their next work was putting up and enclosing a frame dining-room for us, in the above mentioned passage way, the same height and in range of two of the other buildings, so as to make convenient lodg-

*Josiah Pierce, the early settler here mentioned, was born in New Salem, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, May 21, 1783, and was devoted to agricultural pursuits; in 1827 moved with his family from his na¬ tive state to Butternuts, Otsego county, N. Y.; and in the spring of 1837, he migrated with his wife and seven children to Wisconsin. He was engaged by Col. Bird to remove from Milwaukee to Madison, to board some of his workmen on the capitol; and Mr. Pierce and family came with Col. Bird's party of thirty-six workmen, and ar¬ rived at Madison, June 10, 1837, after a ten days' journey, with four teams, loaded with provisions, tools, and such other articles as would be most needed, and had to cut out roads, build long " corduroy " over swamps, and ford creeks and rivers. Mr. Pierce's cabin was located at or very near the present residence of William Pyncheon, on the south side of Butler street, a little east of Peck's primitive residence; the latter was on lot 6, in block 107, on the south side of Butler street.

Mr. Pierce's was the second family that settled in Madison; but his was only designed for a temporary residence, intending to find a good locality, and settle on a new farm. In November of that year, he re¬ moved two miles south of the present village of Monticello, Green county, and made a good location; his nearest neighbors resided in Exeter, seven miles distant. He was an invalid when he settled there; but his health ing rooms above. Then comes Judge Doty again, and says, "Madam, prepare yourself for company on tbe Fourth, as a large number from Milwaukee, Mineral Point, Fort Winneba¬ go and Galena have concluded to meet here for the purpose of viewing the place and celebrating the day." " Why, what shall I do?" said I, "here is my husband and brother, both blind with inflammation in their eyes, so that I have to feed them, and no lumber either to lay the upper or dining-room floor." " Just constitute me your agent," he replied, " and I will contract for whatever you want; and there is a crib of lumber just run down the Wisconsin river and lying at Helena, from Whitney's Mill," the first and then the only saw-mill in the Territory. He went and contracted for the lumber at six¬ ty-nine dollars a thousand, (I have still some articles of furni¬ ture manufactured from that first lumber, and I prize them as others would relics from Mount Vernon or the Charter Oak); he also contracted for a load of crockery and' table fixtures, pro¬ visions, wines, liquors, pickles, preserves, more bed-ticking, bed¬ ding, and finally everything that I sent for at Mineral Point, and ordered teams to convey them to Madison.

" On the second day of July there was a drove of cattle from Illinois driven through Madison to Green Bay, out of which we purchased beeves and veal. On the same day, my husband was led out blind and put into the stage, with his eyes carefully ex¬ cluded from the light, and sent to Fort Winnebago, for the pur¬ pose of having his eyes operated upon by the surgeon of the garrison, and endeavor to get a quiet, dark room, away from confusion - pshaw, talk about the time that tried men's souls, improved, and he was able to attend to business for several years. He finally died of consumption, December 25, 1843, aged nearly sixty-one years. He had no enemies, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. His widow, Ruth Pierce, a native of Granby, Connecticut, survived till June 8, 1867, when she passed away, at the good old age of seventynine years. She lived to see her family all settled in life, prosperous and respected, and she never regretted her early migration to the Western wilderness. Her son, Hon. Albert H. Pierce, has twice represented the Monticello district in the Legislature, in 1859 and 1868.

just as if a woman had none - but the recruits had just arrived there from Green Bay, and more confusion than at home, so next day he returned. On the morning of the third our " gimcracks " had all arrived except the lumber, and that made its ap¬ pearance about seven o'clock in the evening. That night our chamber floors were laid, except over the diningroom. We had previously purchased three hundred pounds of feathers of Mr. Rasdall, an Indian trader, so our pillows were all ready and our beds were all spread by daylight on the morning of the Fourth, and by one o'clock our dining-room floor was laid, our dining-table built and dinner set, and between that hour and sundown some two or three hundred persons bolted something besides pork. In the evening there was a basket of champagne carried into the dining-room, and there their toasts were deliv¬ ered, songs sung, dinner bell jingled between times, and good feeling, friendship and hilarity prevailed generally; and next morning they shot my two little pet crows."

Mr. Bird, in his examination before the Territorial Legisla¬ tive Committee, February 15, 1839, states that at the first meet¬ ing of the capitol commissioners, they adopted a plan of the building estimated to cost from $40,000 to $45,000. They did not advertise for proposals for the erection of said building, agreeably to the provisions of the act by which they were ap¬ pointed, because they were of the opinion that it could be built much cheaper than any one would be willing to contract to do it - they" therefore, in the exercise of their discretionary pow¬ ers, concluded to commence and continue the work until they were able to ascertain how it could be done with the least ex¬ pense and best advantage to the Territory. The construction of the work was continued by him until the month of Septem¬ ber following, when notices for proposals were issued for the first time, and a number of bids were presented. Noue of them were accepted, and the work was continued as heretofore until April 25, 1838.

On the 20th of February, 1838, the commissioners advertised that they would receive proposals for the erection of the public buildings. The following is a copy of the same :

" To commence on top of the water-table - to be built of stone of the following dimensions: one hundred and four feet long, and fifty-four feet wide ; the walls to be thirty feet high above water-table, first story thirteen feet between joints, second story sixteen feet between joints, floor timbers one foot deep, a pro¬ jection on both sides of said edifice of four inches thirty feet long, which is the length of piazza, same all cut stone to the top of said wall; the remainder of said walls to be cut on all the corners of the edifice, and the corners of the doors and windows and caps, and sills of the same. First story walls two feet six inches thick, second story walls two feet thick; to be two front doors going into the centre of edifice, to be forty-six windows, 20 lights 11 by 16 inch glass each window; roof to be square with a balustrade rail all round, said roof with a dome in centre, twenty-six feet in diameter lighted with glass on top, re¬ mainder of dome covered with tin above its base.

" Roof covered with pine shingles three eighths of an inch thick; a lightning rod put on immediately after roof is fin¬ ished; two chimney pieces carried up in the walls, with two fire places in each chimney with cut stone jams, two flues carried up in walls with tops equal to the chimney tops with necessary pipe tubes ; to be four tin conductors with suitable heads and neces¬ sary gutters made of tin or sheet lead to convey the water into conductors.

" To be a piazza on each front of said edifice twelve feet pro¬ jection, thirty feet long, placed on stone butments settled five feet below the surface of the ground and raised on a level with the basement story, which is five feet above the surface; floor of piazza to be of oak, two inches thick, matched; to be steps the whole length of piazza and railing on the ends with heavy ban¬ nisters; piazza roof to break in with the roof and cornice of main building; the cornice to be executed in the Grecian Doric order; piazza roof to be supported on four columns to each pi¬ azza suitable size, same order of cornice.

" First floor to have a hall twenty-four feet through cen¬ tre of edifice, and one room on each side of hall, partitions to be ten inches thick, to be two doors in each partition ; to be a flight of stairs on each side of hall to ascend to sec¬ ond story, floor to he laid with oak one and a half inches thick, lined and matched; hall to be plastered three coat work with cornice overhead. Second floor, to be laid with oak one and a half inches thick, matched, to be divided as follows: to be a hall through centre twenty-four feet wide, to be left open twenty-four feet square in centre for the reception of the stairs and the light from the top of dome to lower floor, dome to be finished open overhead through to light in top, with proper cornice and plastering; on one side of main hall to be a hall seven feet wide the whole width of said edifice; one room for council chamber thirty feet square with gallery on one side seven feet wide circular supported on two columns with seats elevated, and stairs to ascend into gallery, under gallery to be a railing on line with columns or breastworks ; to be one room thirty by twenty feet on the other side of hall ; to be hall twen¬ ty-eight feet long, ten feet wide, and a representative chamber forty by thirty-eight feet, finished same as council chamber; the plastering on this floor to be three coat work, the rooms to be all corniced; the council and representative chambers to be fin¬ ished with an elipsis spring in the corner over head so as to form a pannel of the level part of ceiling; to be twelve inside doors, all of which are to be made of pine two inches thick in modern style, the two outside doors to be double, three inches thick, fin¬ ished with egg and dart moulding, and suitable fastenings and hangings as directed by the acting commissioner; all the doors to be cased with pilasters ; all the windows to be cased with pil¬ asters, with pannel jams and backs, to the floor; to be counter check sash, hung with weights, glass of best quality; all the wood work except shingles and floor to be painted outside and in, three coats as directed by the acting commissioner. * *

Said edifice to be completed according to said plan and specifi¬ cation, in every particular, by the 20th of September, 1839. The outside of said edifice and the rooms on the first floor to be completed by the 15th day of October next.

In reply to tlie proposals for said work, bids were received ranging from $24,450 to $125,000, and the contract was award¬ ed to Jas. Morrison for $26,200, April IT, 1838. By an act of Congress, approved June 18, 1838, the further sum of $20,000 was appropriated for finishing the work.

At the session of the Legislature, in 1839, a joint convention of the two houses was held on March 8, and N. C. Prentiss, Jas. L. Thayer and L. H. Cotton were duly chosen Commis¬ sioners of Public Buildings to succeed those in office. The work on the capitol was continued by Mr. Morrison, until April, 1841, at which time the work was unfinished. Mr. Prentiss, as Building Commissioner, for and on the part of the Territory of Wisconsin, entered into a written contract with Daniel Baxter, by the terms of which he was required to finish the work as specified in said contract, for the sum of $7,000, to be completed on or before December 1, 1845. It is not necessary to give further details of the history of the erec¬ tion of the capitol building. Much contention arose between the first Board of Commissioners and their successors, as well as the contractors Messrs. Morrison and Baxter and the Ter¬ ritorial Legislatures. Mr. Baxter died a few years since, leav¬ ing an unsettled claim against the State for alleged damages.

Hon. M. M. Strong, in his address, says: "The history of the early measures taken to secure the erection of a building in which to hold the sessions of the Territorial Legislature, is a history of peculation with the appropriations made for that purpose, as disgraceful to those concerned in it, as it was destructive of the manifest intentions of Congress. These appropriations amounted to $40,000. The Commissioners elected in 1836, Messrs. Doty, O'Neill and Bird, received this large sum of money, and according to the report of the joint committee, made to the Legislative Assembly on the 3d of January. 1840, they had expended less than half that sum upon the public buildings. They entered into a secret partner¬ ship with the contractor in merchandize and other outside speculations, and, in the language of the report, 'had done little more than erect a shell of a capitol, which is scarcely capable of sustaining its own weight, and which, unless it is speedily secured by extensive repairs, must become a heap of ruins.' All steps were taken which could be to recover by law from the first Board of Commissioners and from the con¬ tractor, the funds which they had misapplied, and, after several years of litigation, the suits were settled by authority of a sub¬ sequent Legislature."

To the first building erected by Ebek Peck, reference has heretofore been made, and Mrs. Peck has given an account of its internal arrangements. The buildings were of logs, and put up on block 107, and was for about a year the only public house in Madison. After Mr. Peck vacated it, he was succeeded by Robert L. Ream in the spring of 1838, and the building was known as the Madison House. In it Miss Yinkie Ream, the artist, was born. The building was demolished in 1857. It had a notable history the twenty years of its existence.

The American Hotel was erected by Jas. Morrisom and A. A. Bird, on the corner of Pinckney street and Washington avenue, and was built in 1838. Mr. Levi P. Drake, late City Surveyor, was a workman on it. It was kept by Fake & Cottok, 1838-41, by James Morrisok, with numerous successive landlords. The avenue wing of the building was originally a store located on King street, and moved thence. The Pinck¬ ney street, or northwest wing was added about 1851. The building was destroyed by fire September 5, 1868. The ground upon which it was located was for a number of years in litiga¬ tion. It was sold a few years since, and the beautiful building known as the Park Savings Bank erected. Few buildings in Madison were as well known as the " Old American."

" In the winter and spring of 1838, the u Madison Hotel " was built, and kept the first year by Charles H. Bird, now of Sun Prairie. The original building was a small, unpretending structure, to which additions were continually made until it covered considerable ground. On the first of J une, 1838, the first session of the Territorial Supreme Court met and organ- ized in the House, Hon. Chas. Dunk of La Fayette county, Chief Justice. In December of the same year, the Territorial Legislature convened, and the now venerable Gov. Dodge and the leading members of that body took rooms at the Madison Hotel. Chas. H. Bird was succeeded by W. W. Wyman, late of Nebraska Territory, and after him A. A. Bird, the proprietor, took the hotel and kept it about four years. During this period of time, powerful efforts were made, at each session of the Legislature, to remove the capital from Madison, and it was at this hotel the friends of Madison made their head¬ quarters, Bird standing the expense of looking after the waver¬ ing members, and chief in concocting schemes to defeat the removal. Any friend of Madison from abroad, could obtain from Bird board, champagne, and his last cent or unlimited credit, and his only hope of remuneration was to exhaust the resources of the enemy and ruin his credit.

" Bird was succeeded by Jesse A. Clark, now deceased, who purchased the property, and after keeping the house a short time, leased it to a Mr. Quivey, who built an addition; and again, after him, his lessor, Clark, kept the house until the 31st of December, 1845, when he sold to Chester Bushnell, late of Minnesota, and Wm. Welch, of this city. Bushnell sold to J. D. Welch, who, with his brother, kept the house some time, when W. Welch leased his interest to H. W. Yager, now deceased. Boon after P. H. Van Bergen pur¬ chased J. D. Welch's interest, and with the other Welch kept the house until 1848, when it was leased for one year to Chas. Weed, now deceased, and he was succeeded by Wm. Van Bergen, also now deceased, the brother of P. H. Van Ber¬ gen. Van Bergen kept the house until 1849, when P. H. again took the property, and finally, in 1853, in October, pur¬ chased the half interest of W. Welch and became sole pro¬ prietor. He soon after sold to B. F. Perry, and since that time it has been occupied by numerous tenants. A gentleman by the name of Slater changed the name of the hotel to that of his own; and then, again, it was occupied by a gentleman establishment. But the old building finally went down as the " Madison Hotel," and by that name it will ever be known in the history of Madison. At 12 o'clock, March, IT, 1863, the Madison Hotel was the oldest building standing in the city of Madison. Peace to its ashes."

Reference has been made to the party that accompanied Mr. Bird to commence work on the capitol. The following are the names of those known to have been of the party: Josiah Pierce and family of five persons, engaged to keep a boarding house for the workmen, Darwin Clark,* employed May 30, 1837, to April 20, 1838, David Hyer, Thomas Jackson, David Williams, E. Hewitt, Giles Briggs, Henry Gage, J. W. Corning, William and John Symonds, D. Mumford, James Tinline, Gilbert and Delos Bundy, Rich'd Rockwood, Isaac H. Palmer, Chas. H. Bird, Prosper B. Bird, E. H. Nelson, Geo. W. Eastman, H. W. Thornton, Horace and Wm. Lawrence, Wm. Terril, Jeff. Holmes, C. P. Peasely, came and a large part of the original number removed to the country or returned east. Among those who came in the second arrival were, Henry Rowe, M. Eggleston, R. F. Ris¬ ing, - Hathaway, R. Penoyer, J. S. Merrill, Edmund C.

* Darwin Clark was) born at Otego, Otsego county, New York, May 12, 1812, and learned the business of cabinet maker. He left his home in April, 1837, with four friends to find a residence in the west, viz: Delos Bundy, Gilbert Bundy, Richard Rockwood and Hiram Sleeper. At Buffalo took the steamer DeWitt Clinton for Detroit, where the party met, having been divided on their way, and proceeded on foot to St. Josephs, Michi¬ gan, their baggage having been sent on by steamer. They crossed Lake Michigan to Chicago and traveled on foot to Milwaukee, where they arrived May 26, 1837. While at Milwaukee he, Rockwood and the two Bundys were engaged by Mr. Bird to go to Madison and work on the capitol building.

Mr. Clark has resided here since that time. He has held many town, village and city offices, carrying on a large business in cabinet ware. He was married at Webster, Monroe county, New York, to Sarah L. Goodenow, who died at Madison, March 5, 1854. He *s now living with his second wife.

Wm. A. Wheeler, Geo. Vroman, September, 1837, to March, 1838, Zenas H. Bird, - Whitesides, Jairus and Horace Pot¬ ter, Wm. Seavier and brother, Jesse Bolden, and Wm. Wooloock.

*Gen. Simeon Mills was born in the town of Norfolk, Litchfield county, Connecticut, February 14, 1810. He removed with his parents to Austenburg, Ashtabula county, O., when about two years of age, and was brought up on a farm. At the age of 20 he engaged in mercantile pursuits, which he followed several years. In 1837 he removed to Madison where he has re¬ sided up to the present time, and has been largely indentified in its success. On the 12th of August, 1837, Mr. Mills was ''appointed Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Dane, and for some time held the only office of the kind in said county. His first official act was performing the marriage cer¬ emony between Oliver Armel and Joseph Pelkie, two Frenchmen, and two accomplished ladies of the Winnebago nation.

In the spring of 1839, the county of Dane was organized for judicial purposes, and Mr. Mills was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of the Territory, and also Clerk of the U. S. District Court of the county of Dane, which last office he held for about nine years.

Mr. Mills was the last Treasurer of the Territory in 1848, and on the or¬ ganization of the State Government, was elected the first Senator of Dane county, and received a re-nomination at the expiration of his term, but de¬ clined the honor, and has not been an active politician since that time.

Mr. Mills was appointed one of the Trustees of the Wisconsin State Hospital for the Insane by Governor Randall, in April, i860, and has held the office up to the present time ; it being an honorary position, with¬ out salary, may account for its being so long filled by others than active politicians.

At the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, Mr. Mills was Paymaster General of the state, and disbursed nearly the entire war fund of Wiscon¬ sin, and, so far as we know, to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.

He has at different times engaged in various kinds of business; but his main energies, for the last thirty years, have been directed to the erection of buildings for rent and other purposes; and he has, probably, erected more buildings than any other four men together that ever lived in Madison.

Commencing in Madison, when it consisted of but one log house, he has lived to see it a beautiful city of more than ten thousand inhabitants.

ceived an account of his travels in 1836 and 1837. At his first visit to Wisconsin he came by the way of Chicago, from which place in June 1836, in company with John M. Wilson, Esq., he proceeded on horseback by way of Galena, Dubuque and Belmont to Mineral Point. At the latter place he remained until the last of December, when in company with Mr. Van Horn, returned by the way of Milwaukee. He left Mineral Point when the thermometer was 32 degrees below zero, and stopped at Camp and Collins' Diggings in Green County, crossed Sugar river and journeyed toward Janesville, and stopped there with Mr. Holmes. The place was then known as Ptock river rapids. Thence he crossed the prairie, and camped about 18 miles east of where Janesville now is. Next day he journeyed to Troy, W al worth county, and lodged with a Mr. Meacham, thence pursued his way to Mukwanago and stopped a part of the night at a log house, when he and his friend went three miles further, and sent assistance to the place, where he first stayed as the the lady of the house was taken sick, and proceeded to Milwau¬ kee and took the stage road to Chicago, being eleven days on the route. He then returned to Ohio.

Mr. Mills stayed at his home until May, 1837, when he con¬ cluded to make a residence at Madison, as the capitol had been lo¬ cated there by the legislature the year previous and the prospects were favorable. He came to Chicago, and with the company of a young man by the name of Benham, proceeded on foot to¬ ward the new seat of Government. Mr. Benham separated from Mills at Janesville, as he had concluded to settle in Wal¬ worth county, and the latter completed the route by himself. In doing so he crossed the Catfish river three times, and at the close of the day, June 10, arrived on the opposite side of Lake Monona near Winnequah. Here he met two Indian boys who were preparing to spend the night fishing. Mr. Mills desired these lads to carry him over the lake, hut they were not willing to do so. Soon after Mr. Mills fell in with a man by the name of Abraham Wood, who persuaded the lads to bring him to Madison, Mr. Mills paying them. fifty cents each for so doing, which settled the question, and they landed him near the East

Madison Depot. The day after his arrival, he engaged a man by the name of Isaac Towers to put up for him a building of logs, 16 by 18, of hewed logs, on lot 8, block 108, for a store, and went to Mineral Point on his way to Galena, to pur¬ chase goods. At the former place, he met John Catlin, Esq., who had been appointed Post Master at Madison. An arrange¬ ment was made for a co-partnership, and both went to Galena and laid in supplies for the new store. Mr. Catlin appointed Mr. Mills Deputy Post Master, and the office was kept in the same building. This was the first mercantile establishment in the Territory south of Fort Winnebago, between Milwaukee and Dodgeville.

As a considerable number of workmen, including one family, arrived at Madison at that time, to commence the erection of the Territorial Capitol, the business of this pioneer mercantile establishment, although not very extensive, was by no means so limited as might well be imagined from the fact that, up to that time, the whole white population of Dane county consisted of Ebenzer Brigham, at Blue Mounds, and the family of Eben Peck, with a few transient guests at Madison.

The only mails at that time were received occasionally , from Mineral Point and Fort Winnebago; but in the autumn of that year, a contract for carrying a weekly mail from Milwaukee to Madison, was awarded to Mr. Mills, who commenced the service without delay.

The building erected by Mr. Mills, was subsequently en¬ larged and occupied by the publishers of the u Wisconsin Ar¬ gus ," as a printing office, and subsequently as a dwelling house. About a month after the building was put up, Mr. Catlin ar¬ rived and made his residence here.

Nearly all the buildings put up in the summer and winter of 1837-8 have been removed, as well as those erected the few years succeeding. Some notice of these structures will be given.

The first framed building put up was a small office for the acting commissioner; the first framed divelling was built by A. A. Bird, on lot 5, block 87, on Lake Monona. It was known as the " Schemerhorn House." The hoards used were sawed by hand. This building stood for many years and had numerous tenants. It was finally demolished, and an elegant two story brick dwelling occupies its site, and is the residence of J. M. Bowman, Esq.

A steam saw mill to saw lumber for the capitol, was built on the shore of Lake Mendota on block 262. Its site is occupied at present hy buildings used for the storage of ice.

On the 6th of September, 1837, John Stonee and his family arrived, making the third family, E. Peck and Josiah Pieece being his seniors. I. H. Palmee built a house on King street, below the Madison Hotel, the same season, and moved with his family. Mr. Stonee built his log house the same season near Lake Mendota, on block 262. A few years after he put up a frame house a few blocks northeast, where he made his resi¬ dence until his death, in 1872. A small Norwegian Lutheran church now stands on the lot where he built his pioneer log cabin.

John Gatlin built a log house early in 1837, on lots 3 and 4, block 90, northwest corner of Mifflin street and Wisconsin av¬ enue.* A two story frame building was afterwards built on the front of the old building and to face the capitol park. He had also a small stable built of round stones, laid up with mortar. The old part is gone, and the modern portion was sold to Judge E. Wakeley, who removed it in portions to Omaha, Nebraska.

In the month of August, of this year, a society was organ¬ ized called the "Madison Lyceum," for the object of mutual im¬ provement. A debating society was connected with it. The early records of this society are still preserved by Daewin Claek, Esq.

Among the number of those who came here this season as residents or transiently, were J. Gillett Knapp, Geo. P. Dela- PLAiNE.f W. N. Seymoue, arrived January 29, 1838; Nicho- f Gen. Geo. P. Delaplaine was born at Philadelphia, Pa. He removed west in 1838, and settled at Madison. He was for six months chief clerk in

Four families, with their inmates and guests, constituted the entire population of Madison, and with two or three families at Blue Mounds, the whole population of Dane county during the winter of 1837-38.

The Madison Hotel, of which a portion was erected the pre¬ vious year, was completed, and the first session of the Supreme Court of the Territory was held in July in the sitting room. Judge Chas. Dunn, of La Fayette county, was then Chief Jus¬ tice, with Judges Frazier and Irwin as associates.

Simeon Mills erected on lot 6, block 89 Clymer street, a framed building, which has thus far escaped the march of improvement. It was an elegant structure in its day. It was occupied first by Mr. Mills, afterwards by Gov. Doty, B. Shackleford, Gov. Tallmadge, Gen. David Atwood, Chas. Weed and many oth¬ ers. The building is almost hid by trees, and the high walls of the blocks of stores in the rear on Main street. It is one of the oldest of the landmarks of the city.

Jas. Morrison put up a small building in the grounds of the present capitol square, midway between the capitol building and the east corner of the grounds. It was a one story log building, and was removed at an early day.

The American Hotel, also built by Morrison, on the north¬ west corner of Pinckney street and Wisconsin avenue, was a noted place in early times. The building was subsequently the mercantile house of James Morrison. He has held a number of offices; was Surveyor, Assistant Clerk of Assembly, 1843, and was Private Secre¬ tary to Governor's Dodge, Tallmadge and Dewey. During the war of the rebellion he was appointed by Gov. Randall, Inspector General of Militia. Gen. Delaplaine has been a resident of Madison the last thirty-six years.

enlarged. A frame building, known as the Commission¬ er's Store, which was put up on the south side of King street, by Mr. Morrison, adjoining the Madison Hotel on the west, about 22 by 30 feet in size, was removed to, and formed the east wing of the American. The house was kept by Fake & Cotton, Mr. Morrisoh, Harvey Sadd and a large number of successors. As before stated, the first session of the Legisla¬ ture was held in this building in the month of February. The American was destroyed by fire, September 5, 1868.

A one story framed building was put up on the southeast corner of Main and Pinckney streets, set back from Main street, and was built for Col. A. P. Field, who was Secretary of the Territory at this time, succeeding Col. W. B. Slaughter. It was subsequently altered to a hotel known as the City Hotel, which was kept by A. A. Bird, and also as a store by S. F. Hohh, Jehu H. Lewis and others. It was taken down some twenty years since, and the property purchased by Col. J. C. Fairchild, who erected the block of stone buildings known as the Fairchild Block.

One of these early places deserves a longer notice, viz : - the old " Worser." This two story frame building, says Judge Khapp, was placed at the northwest corner of Main and Pinck¬ ney streets, on the ground now known as the United States Block; and was built by Abeter Nichols, of Mineral Point, and Jacob George, in 1838. Having partly completed the building, the owners applied for a tavern license, in order to sell liquors according to law, as all good liquor sellers desire to do. For some forgotten cause, perhaps the want of u two spare beds," they were refused. Licenses for groceries were then some four times the amount of those for taverns; and they desired, like all economical men, to save the difference. On being denied the license, they declared that if they could not keep a tavern , they would keep something " worser ." And so without a license, " Uncle George " opened a u worser " indeed, where men at the first session of the Legislature could buy strong drink, and in a dark cellar they could fight a certain wild animal, whose den was there. When the United States Hotel was to be built, tbe u Worser " was moved down Main street, ten feet from the new brick wall. There it was burned to the ground, greatly endangering the new building, which was often on fire in the roof, doors and windows.

Another of the buildings put up in 1838, was a two story framed building on Pinckney street, adjacent to the American Hotel, as enlarged, and east of the Methodist church. It was built by John Messersmith, Jr. It was opened as a gambling house, and known as " The Tiger," and was kept open to the public without fear of the law. For a few years it was a success, but was afterwards used as a dwelling, and an addition placed before it, and in its rear. The property was purchased by Dr. C. B. Chapman, who sold it to J. D. Noble, and by the lat¬ ter to Fritz Maeder, who erected a fine three story brick building in its place. A small frame building was also put up this year by Wm. T. Sterling, Territorial Librarian, on the south side on the flat, but was removed opposite and west of the residence of La Fayette Kellogg, on State street. It was after¬ wards enlarged and sold to Mr. Kellogg, and by him to Chauncey Abbott, both of whom made it their residence. It was after¬ ward displaced by the erection of Leonard Nolden's Hotel on its site.

One other building erected this year was the Territorial Li¬ brary building - a one story wooden frame, fifteen feet square, on King street, on the lot known as Dean's Block, near Main street.

Isaac H. Palmer (now of Lodi, Wis.), in the summer of 1838, erected a cottage building on Johnson street, adjoining the present German Catholic Church, which is now owned and occupied by that church as a school, under the charge of the Sisters. It was originally a small one-story-and-a-half house, with two side wings, made of rived oak hewed and planed by hand, with green blinds, and was regarded at the time as the handsomest cottage in the village. It was occupied for a while by Mr. Palmer, and subsequently by Rev. W. Philo, Dr. Spencer and John Eastman, and was sold by the latter to the church. This building, one of the oldest in the place, has suffered some changes, but its timbers are sound and strong.

During the year, David Hyer built a framed house on Fairchild street, near the office of Register of Deeds. It was one and a half stories high, and was kept as a hoarding house; it has long since been removed. * The site is now occupied by a two story brick' building, and was for a while the residence of Hon. Lyman C. Draper, and more recently kept as a hotel by W. N. Hawes and Wm. Rasdall as the Rasdall House. L. F. Kellogg, Esq., states that Mr. Peck, after leaving the first log house, put up another on Wisconsin Avenue, near the resi¬ dence of Prof. S. H. Carpenter, that he subsequently sold it to Jas. Morrison, and that it shortly after took fire and was burnt. It was 18 by 22 feet. Abel Rasdall owned a small framed house, put up in 1837 or 1838, on the corner of King and Webster streets. It was a small affair - one room, and was used as a saloon.

Mrs. Roseline Peck has, under date of January 24, 1874, kindly given a few more reminiscences of her early Madison life. She says: "I visited Madison, last summer, with my daughter and a lady friend, among the excursionists, and visited the ' old stamping grounds,1 but so changed that I could hardly recognize them. The old log house, which we used as a hotel for about two years, was then leased or rented to R. L. Ream, and was by him kept as a house of entertainment until we left the place, and has since been removed. Mr. Ream was the father of Miss Vinnie Ream, who was born in the cabin after we left it. I think my daughter and Miss Vinnie were the only children born in it after we came away.

"You wish to knowhow we enjoyed ourselves at those times; well, in various ways. We had a regular dancing school twice a week the first winter, in the old cabin. There was quite a number of young ladies and middle-aged people. Mr. Stoner brought four daughters, Esquire Bird had a young lady sister. There were two Brayton girls; one lived with Charles Bird and mother, the other at Esquire Bird's. Chas. Bird married one of them; the other taught, I think, our first school after- wards. A. A. Bird and lady used to call, at our dances, and trip the light fantastic toe, and, frequently, visitors from Mil¬ waukee, Fort Winnebago, Galena and Mineral Point were pres¬ ent. Among them were Uncle Ab. Nichols, his wife and daughter. The latter two went ahead of us in dancing, and staid with us a week. We had two girls as helps of our own, and plenty of the other sex. So we could hardly call it succo¬ tash, there was too much corn for the beans.

"We had various other amusements: euchre parties, Christ¬ mas and New Year's suppers, and verbal and practical jokes in¬ terspersed. We had also turtle soup suppers, the turtles caught by cutting holes through the ice on what was called 4 Mud Lake,' brought to us by Abel Rasdall. Mr. Peck sent some of them to a Mineral Point hotel-keeper, who informed us he netted $50 on the sale of the soup. The turtles were frozen solid, and rattled together like stones. They were put in the cellar to thaw before we could dress them, and, going down a few days after, I found they had thawed out and were crawling around on the bottom of the cellar. Mr. Rasdall had a squaw without a nose - her first Indian husband had cut it off for her infidelity. She used to draw her blanket over it when she walked out. She removed west with the rest of her band with the United States troops, before we left Madison.

" I have not mentioned our boating amusements. Before any one else was in Madison but ourselves, we found a big canoe, about forty feet long, supposed to have been abandoned by the Indians the year or two previous, in the Sauk war; and while the wind was blowing almost a hurricane from Strawberry Point (then called) across Third Lake, Mr. Peck, his brother Luther, myself and a boy manned and womaned the canoe, with various implements, tools, sheets, etc., and struck out for the place before mentioned, rigged our sails and returned to Madison ; but it made our hair whistle ; the waves were running high, but we headed her straight, she being such a length she struck two waves at once, which steadied her sufficiently to carry us safely back. We had quite a number of rides in the old canoe, but after 'Uncle Sam's boys' came in, it was appropri- ated by others, and soon disappeared. I was determined to have another vessel of some kind to sail or paddle; so, when the Indians were about to be removed, I purchased of the old Chief Watt-con-da, his canoe for six dollars, painted with In¬ dian hieroglyphics, in which I took a number of pleasant rides, until the same parties who took the first boat carried off the other through the Catfish to the further end of Fourth Lake, where they were quarrying stone from the bluff on its bank for the old capitol, and, in rolling them down and loading the scow, they smashed my little boat all to pieces. I was informed of the accident, but never of the person who did it. So you see I paddled my own canoe alone, then, as I have since, in more ways than one.

"You wish me to give you some account of the men who built our cabin. In addition to Joe Pelkie and Abraham Wood, whose names I have given in a previous paper, there was a Mr. Lavec, a Frenchman. He had also a squaw wife. It was her brother that was stabbed and killed by another In¬ dian, just below our house, on the bank of Third Lake, which caused such an excitement among ' Uncle Sam's boys,' as they called themselves, I suppose on account of being employed to work on the capitol at the expense of the government. They collected around our house under great excitement. Some were for taking the murderer prisoner, and sending Governor Dodge word; finally they appealed to an old miner that had been through the Sauk war a couple of years before, who was sitting upon a wood-pile, for advice. 'Well,' said he, 'you are a pretty set of Yankees! What do you suppose Dodge would say to you? I will tell you; he would say you were a set of fools. If that dead Indian was a white man, I would be the them,' said he, ' work at it - it is the only way to civilize them and clean them out.' The boys finally dispersed to their dif¬ ferent avocations. Old Mrs. Pierce and family were very much frightened, and said we would all be massacred before morning. We finally got them quieted, and the sister of the murdered Indian got me to go with her to see the body, and there we found the murderer, sitting upon the body of his vic¬ tim smoking a long pipe, as deliberately as if he had just taken a hearty supper, and was about to retire for a peaceful nap, and to dream of happy hunting grounds.

u You wish also to have me inform you of some of the names of the men who composed Mr. Bied's party that came to build the capitol. If you had asked for this information some years ago, I think I could have remembered them all, but now I can but give you the names of some three or four which are not on the list you sent me. There was William and John Symonds, brothers. The youngest had been brought up at a tavern and was useful about the house, we offered him forty dollars a month, and Bied released him for our benefit. The elder, William, was a carpenter and continued work on the capitol. He afterwards married the daughter of an old settler that kept a house of entertainment near Dodge ville, by the name of Skinnee. After we came to Baraboo to live, he, William, moved with his young wife to Sauk Prairie. After we left the log tavern, John Symonds, with another of Bied's men, Jeffeeson Holmes, went down to St. Louis and died there. Holmes came back to Madison and worked on the capitol, and also for us afterwards. There was another party, named Peaseley, who afterwards married Bied's sister, Janet. Mr. Peck married them. They first settled at Sun Prairie, on the place afterwards called by Col. Botkin the '76 farm.

" I think I. H. Palmee did not come with Bied's men, but soon after. He subsequently purchased lands at Lodi, where he made a permanent residence and where he still lives.

" Another of the early comers was a Mr. Holloway, who was a surveyor, and came with Doty to complete laying out the town of Madison. There were five Bieds, brothers to A.

B. , Chaeles, I. Washington, Zenas B. and William. I. W. Bied had his arm badly injured by a saw in a shingle machine in the old steam mill. I do not recall the names of more of the workmen.

u It may be interesting to make a note of tbe first born child in Madison - my own daughter, born September 14th, 1837. When she was less than a week old, Judge Doty, one of the Commissioners for the erection of the Capitol, and Treasurer of the Board, arrived from Green Bay, with a large sum of specie, guarded by Capt. John Symington and a squad of soldiers from the garrison at Fort Howard, accompanied by Charles C. Sholes, an early editor and legislator of Wis¬ consin. They put up at our house. Doty ordered a table spread with wine, and he and [his party standing around it, as solemn as a funeral - prophetic shadows go before - sipped their wine, and named the young babe Wisconsiana. Sim¬ eon Mills said as my boy's name was Victor, his sister's name should be Victoria - in honor of the young queen, who had, but a few weeks before, ascended the English throne; so that name was added, making her full name Wis¬ consiana Victoria Peck. She has been married several years to Nelson W. Wheeler, Esq., an attorney-at-law, Baraboo, Wisconsin."

Mrs. Peck in closing her article says that she is now sixtysix years of age and resides in the upper part of the building which she erected at Baraboo - the first in the village of which she is the first settler. She lives alone, and says she has had a full share of life's troubles and disappointments, and has received but few of its favors.

Chapter Iii

In the summer and fall of 1837, Gen. Wm. R. Smith made an ex¬ tensive tour through the Territory of Wisconsin, and in 1838 pub¬ lished, at Philadelphia, a small volume entitled " Observations on Wisconsin Territory," a work containing much desirable information for emigrants aud tourists. Gen. Smith shortly afterward removed to Wisconsin Land made it his permanent residence, locating at Mineral Point. His account of Madison and the Four Lake country, is very interesting, but too lengthy to be republished. We have, however, made liberal extracts: u Although the Seat of Government is laid out on the strip of land between the lakes, and the public buildings are located here, yet an extension of city lots has been made by the land proprietors all around the Four Lakes. The different sites bear the name of East Madison, North Madison, the City of the Four Lakes and Mandamus. I have called Madison a contem¬ plated city; let it be remembered that six months since, the site of the city was government land; now, there are about thirty houses in a state of forwardness ; a steam saw mill near completion; a population of above one hundred active mechan¬ ics and laborers employed in their own improvements, and in the erection of public buildings which are already in a forward state; add to this picture of enterprise and industry, the excel¬ lent accommodations which are obtained at the public house of Mr. Peck, and the traveler may well be surprised at the rapid progress of the city of Madison.

and rapid. It is in contemplation to cut a canal through the city to connect the lakes. The distance from the head of Fourth Lake to the foot of the First Lake is about fourteen miles, and on the western bank of this lake is laid out a town, called u The City of the First Lake." I did not visit it, and cannot therefore speak of its localities. The site of the u City of the Four Lakes," * opposite to Madison on the north side of the lake, is a most beautiful location. Grov. Dodge, in his first message to the Legislature, said that the Indians had been known, in high water, to pass in canoes from Wisconsin river to the Four Lakes, the distance being only twelve miles. He there¬ fore thought it a work of but little labor to make a communi¬ cation between these two points. It is quite probable that the Legislature at its next session will make a law for that pur¬ pose.!

" The Fourth Lake is a beautiful sheet of water, six [eight] miles from east to west, and four [six] miles from north to south, in its widest parts; its regular circumference being in¬ terrupted by the protrusion of wooded points of land into the lake. The water is from fifty to seventy feet deep, and always preserves its pure clearness, and sea like appearance in color, although sometimes disturbed into a considerable tumult of waves by high winds. The Third Lake is less than the

*" The City of the Four Lakes " comprised fractional part of section 6, of town 7, range 9 ; 300 acres laid out. The town was platted and put on record July 7, 1836, M. L. Martin, W. B. Slaughter and J. D. Doty, proprietors.

f Such utterances by observant and intelligent men, give a direct clue to the leading ideas of the time. The mania for gain, ran to villages and canals. Not to own a " village site," was to be rated a poor man - not to put faith in navigation of any streams, however small, was to lack in spirit of enterprise. A row of villages around Fourth Lake, was the dream of speculation. A canal connecting the Rock and Wisconsin riv¬ ers, was looked upon as a certainty of the future - and an immigration that, in a few years, would enrich every one, was staple belief, and acted upon in all the usual transactions of life, and something assured. The present generation will smile at all this - to the early settlers, it was a bitter experience.

Fourth, and the Second and First Lakes gradually diminish in size until the river of the Four Lakes continues its regular course to the junction of Rock river. * * * *

" Springs arise all around these lakes, particularly the Fourth Lake, supplying the great mass of waters ; but a principal source is a considerable stream of two or three branches, emptying in, on the northern shore of Fourth Lake. No situation can be conceived more beautiful than the shores of this lake ; the land rises gently all around its margin, receding and rising gradual¬ ly into a gentle eminence, for about a mile from the lake, and the whole of this lovely shore is studded and adorned with spots of wood and thick groves, giving the idea of the park scenery in England, or the rich views of Italy; and more beautiful than either, in its natural state. The lake abounds with the finest fish, perch, bass, catfish, buffalo fish, muskelonge, from a pound weight to thirty pound and more. The shores are lined with fine shingle and white sand, and amongst the pebbles are found chalcydone, agate, and cornelian, and other fine and beautiful stones suitable for seals, breastpins, and other ornaments, not only often but in abundance.