Name/Title
Early Historical Sketch of WaupunDescription
Newspaper article from the Waupun Leader News of 190l placed in a cardboard like folder which was from the Waupun Public Library. This was dated Friday, December 13, 1901. **There is another copy of this newspaper article in a black leather bound book labeled, "Cash Book", with F. Ford, Waupun, Wis. hand written inside page. Will indicate this as a duplicate with same object ID for computer information. This book was found November 17, 2015 in the Waupun Heritage Museum.
Copy of newspaper article taken from The Waupun Leader News of Friday, December 13, 1901.
EARLY HISTORICAL SKETCH OF WAUPUN.
AN HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Of the Early Days of Waupun, Wis.
Wisconsin was organized as a Territory April 30, 1836. President, or, as he is better known, General Jackson ap pointing Henry Dodge as Governor, he being sworn in at Mineral Point. The Capitol was located at Madison, and the first land office at Milwaukee, when the first school in the Territory was opened in December of that year, and the first newspaper, "The Advertiser," a weekly, was issued July 14, 1836. Uncle Sam owned the earth.
It was a region of various qualities, of soil, lay of land and native products, prairies and forests, plains and mountains, of moderate elevation, deep loam, clay and barren sands, with a considerable amount of wet and boggy land scattered around.
At t
Extended Description: Newspaper article from the Waupun Leader News of 190l placed in a cardboard like folder which was from the Waupun Public Library. This was dated Friday, December 13, 1901. **There is another copy of this newspaper article in a black leather bound book labeled, "Cash Book", with F. Ford, Waupun, Wis. hand written inside page. Will indicate this as a duplicate with same object ID for computer information. This book was found November 17, 2015 in the Waupun Heritage Museum.
Copy of newspaper article taken from The Waupun Leader News of Friday, December 13, 1901.
EARLY HISTORICAL SKETCH OF WAUPUN.
AN HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Of the Early Days of Waupun, Wis.
Wisconsin was organized as a Territory April 30, 1836. President, or, as he is better known, General Jackson ap pointing Henry Dodge as Governor, he being sworn in at Mineral Point. The Capitol was located at Madison, and the first land office at Milwaukee, when the first school in the Territory was opened in December of that year, and the first newspaper, "The Advertiser," a weekly, was issued July 14, 1836. Uncle Sam owned the earth.
It was a region of various qualities, of soil, lay of land and native products, prairies and forests, plains and mountains, of moderate elevation, deep loam, clay and barren sands, with a considerable amount of wet and boggy land scattered around.
At the time of the organizing of the Territory and at its first settlement, the country where Waupun stands was what is called "Oak Openings." Rock River was, of course, located where it now runs, but was at that time considerably larger, affording good water power, and was a rapid, boisterous stream, abounding in fish, with many pools where the wild fowl congregated in large numbers. Along the river, where the same passes through the present town, there was heavy timber of oak, ash, hickory, elm and scattering trees of other kinds. To the west and south was the prairie with deep, black soil. The woods were full of game, and no one to molest it but the Red Men. It was a beautiful country, with its forest columns capped with leaves, opening onto park like prairies, dotted with flowers of every color. It was the variety and beauty that nature gives.
The sun arose on no houses, smoking chimneys, roads, fences or signs of man, except as perchance an Indian wigwam might appear as though hidden away under the heavy foliage of the trees skirting the streams.
Not many of those who may read this have ever been so far from civilization, or habitation of white men, as to see nature undisturbed and peaceful. Earth and air unimproved or unpolluted by man.
It takes courage, or a peculiar turn of mind, to break away from home ties and fellow men and take one's way to undisturbed and almost inaccessible solitude, (so far as people of one's own color are concerned); but there were men to make the venture, moved by various motives. Some from the love of the wild life; others because the older settlements had become too congested and more elbow room was necessary; some having the foresight of the present development; and some, doubtless, whose absence from their old surroundings was favorably appreciated and who loved their old neighbors too well to desire to create discomfort by a refusal to "move on" when requested, - though, of this latter class, I think Waupun has probably had fewer examples than the average new country, or, if they were known as undesirable in their old homes, the change of environment proved for their general good, socially.
The City of Waupun is located on both sides of the county line between the Counties of Dodge and Fond du Lac, the main street, east and west, being the line. These counties are among the best in Wisconsin and settled by as wide-awake, enterprising, thrifty, law abiding class of citizens as can be found anywhere.
However brief and sketchy a history of the city this may be, it will necessarily include the names and mention of old settlers in the vicinity, both in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties. More than fifty years have passed, numerous names that should be mentioned do not occur to me, and many events that would he of general and personal interest have been forgotten. In those remembered, the exact coloring has, due to such lapse of time and a busy life, become blurred, and it is beyond my powers to so bring them before you, as to cause you to realize the place and surroundings. I can only say that, so far as I am able, the truth shall be told, though not possible to tell it all.
In Dodge County the first white settler was J. P. Brower, though that honor has been disputed by Mr. Hyland and the Cole brothers, who located in what is now the north ward of Watertown. Mr. Brower settled north of and near Fox Lake, on what was afterwards known as the Stoddard farm, which brings him nearer to us. This was in the fall of 1836.
It is said that the Cole brothers and Hyland broke the first acre of land in the county and sowed the first seed. The Browers were the first family, at any rate, and consisted of eleven persons.
Only sixty-four years ago and all of this magnificent County of Dodge without an acre in cultivation or a dwelling for a white man. In organizing the County of Fond du Lac, the six miles square to the north of Main Street and taking in the north part of the present city, was made a township by the name - "WAUBUN," from the Indian word signifying "The early day" or "Early light of dawn."
In the fall of 1838, Seymour Wilcox, the first white settler of Waupun, came from Green Bay, to what is now the north ward of the city, and selected a spot for a home just east of Madison Street, on the south bank of Rock River, returning to Green Bay for the winter.
In the spring of 1839 Mr. Wilcox returned from Green Bay with John N. Ackerman and Hiram Walker, following an old Indian trail. He built a shanty for temporary shelter, by nailing some boards, brought with him, to four burr oaks, growing at convenient distances for corners. Here they lived until they built a log house, large enough for his family and to take in and care for the stranger, whom he foresaw would come to this beautiful spot. When the log house was far enough along so that he was willing to trust it, for completion, to Ackerman and Walker, he again visited Green Bay for his family.
March 20, 1839, this first family arrived and constituted, with Ackerman and Walker, the total population.
Ackerman and Walker were single men and a part of the family.
They broke a small plot of ground and that season raised some oats, corn, potatoes and garden truck.
Pork and flour were not to be had nearer than Green Bay, and there flour was $20 a barrel and sour at that.
Mr. Ackerman located a claim on the south-east quarter of section thirty-one, in Fond du Lac County, and another in Dodge County.
Hiram Walker located on the northwest quarter of section five in Dodge.
Mr. Wilcox made locations in both counties.
This primitive home was just on the edge of the burr-oak openings. To the north the river flowed on its way to the east, and to the south and west was the prairie, stretching in unbroken undula- tions for miles.
Rumors of wars and political strife in no way annoyed these first settlers, though, if a vote had been taken, it would have been solidly democratic.
The palatial hotel was situated on the Indian trail from Fort Howard, opposite where Green Bay stands, to Fort Winnebago, which was about one mile east of where Portage City now is, on the east bank of Fox river, just to the right of the present public road from Randolph to Portage. Some of the old block buildings of this fort are yet standing; one, when I was last there, being used as a barn. It has the big chimneys and immense open fire places, such as Uncle Sam, in those days, put in his buildings.
Along this lonely trail, the man, scarcely more than a boy, known to all pioneers as Sat. Clark, traveled with fleet foot (in later years on the back of an Indian pony) as bearer of dispatches between these forts. By the Indians he was called "Swift Runner," and so he was. The trail came on the east side of Lake Winnebago, through (now) Fond du Lac, crossing the west branch of Rock river near the bridge and so southwest through (now) Fox Lake village, and then west to Fort Winnebago. I think the trail divided near here, and one route went more southerly through (now) Beaver Dam, Columbus and Madison to Fort Crawford at (now) Prairie du Chien. Nature seemed to have marked these spots as centers, and so they have all grown to be.
Mr. Wilcox' family was a growing one, consisting at this time of his wife, four sons and two daughters - Thurston, Heman, Caroline, George, Emily and Nelson. The school facilities were lacking, the only one open being that of nature and they were the only white scholars in the district.
You who live in the fine homes now, making up the city can hardly imagine the grandeur of the solitude surrounding these pioneers. Apparently they were alone in the world. No roads but those made by animals, and the uncertain Indian or his party, an indistinct line across the prairie and, when it struck the timber, an occasional blazed tree indicated the general direction to one schooled in path finding. No bridges, and all rivers had to be forded, causing long detours in some seasons, or waiting for the streams to go down.
Nearly all travel was on foot and one was an aristocrat if he could but beg, borrow or steal a horse or pony, and had a blanket for ease during the day and for cover at night. A rope was also needed as a stable for the horse. Even if so fortunate as to have all of these luxuries, night usually found one ready to enjoy sleep, undisturbed by indigestion though the day's food had been, if fortunate, bread and pork, with a cup of black coffee made over a fire of twigs.
With good luck, under the circumstances, the trip to Green Bay could usually be made in three days, following the windings of the trail and avoiding the dangers of straying.
In the fall of 1839 N. J. Newton and wife came into Dodge county, selecting as a home the piece of land known by all as the "Newton farm," still owned by his heirs. Here was born to them the first female child born in the county, now Mrs. William Walker, and, but for one boy, the first child.
In 1840 our sole habitation and hotel was not patronized by the general public and no custom other than an occasional Indian, though the stranger was welcomed, though red, for his news. Food was abundant, consisting of game and fish, with limited pork from their private packing house. If there was a scarcity of vegetables, it was made up for by mush or bread fried in pork fat.
The census of the territory of Wisconsin was taken in 1840 and showed, all told, a population of 30,945, including in the enumeration all west of the Mississippi river, the number in the country covered by our present State being about 15,000. Of this immense army of people of all ages, the majority lived in the south-western part of the State near (now) Mineral Point, where lead ore had been discovered.
In 1841 our genial landlord entertained his first white traveler from the outside world. and enjoyed the latest news. It was as much, if not more, pleasure to them than to the stranger. Later these "first settlers" were joined by Calvin Carrington and Lyman Town.
During this year occurred the first marriage in our city. The parties were Wm. G. McElroy and Lucinda Collins, M. C. Darling of Fond du Lac officiating. Cupid must have been a stowaway in the ox chariot. The ceremony was performed at our "Best Hotel," on the river bank. It was a glorious wedding dinner, as described by one of the participants, and the entire population were bidden to the feast. As nearly as I can recollect the report, the menu consisted of - a big turkey gobbler, with sage dressing, at one end of the table and a roast pig at the other, both done to a turn; a tin pan of baked beans, with a hunk of pork on top; boiled beets, garnished with cloves; pickled cabbage, mashed potatoes, etc. To crown it all, in this wilderness, a jelly cake, seasoned with ginger and molasses spread between the layers for jelly. Before the feast, the older ones celebrated with a thimble of "black strap" and after the dinner had coffee, with molasses for sweetening, and after that the "pipe of peace." A repast fit for a king.
On the morrow, the "bridal tour" began. I may not tell it exactly as told to me, but will try, and can appreciate the situation, as I was then on earth and had been a coachman to the same kind of a turnout.
The sun rose bright and shone gloriously upon nature's immense park. No clouds were seen, and the air was balmy. As the hour of departure approached, there came from the nearby corral the sound of creaking wheels and the "whoa, haw" of the charioteer. Soon, in front of the palace of logs, the voice of the bridegroom was heard, shouting "whoa Buck" and they whoa'ed, and stood revealed, two horned horses. The coach, a big wagon without a seat, but with its large box filled with beautiful, clean, bright straw. Onto this throne of honor the bride mounted, by the aid of the groom and friends and a kitchen chair. Next came the groom. The long ox whip was cracked, " get up Buck " was shouted, and away they went, as happy as two could be, for they twain had been made one, with the world before them. The "tour" was a drive of twelve miles over the unbroken prairie to Lake Emily, where her parents, Minus Collins and wife, lived in their log cabin and were expecting them.
An ideal bridal trip, with no hotel bills, waiter's tips, baggage men to smash things, or danger of collisions. No showers of rice to fill their boots, or sympathetic public to point them out as the latest departure from the paths of single blessedness.
The miles were not long to them, if "Buck" and "Bright" did not travel fast, and the sun had made his way well down toward the western edge of the sky by the time they came in sight of home and waiting parents, where there was a welcome for them and room for all of their possessions. I forgot to say that among the people waiting to see them off at the hotel were a number of Indians, bucks and squaws, with their papooses on their backs, who shouted " how? how?" shook the feathers in their hair and waved their blankets. It was a new sight to them, the wedding of the white man and his squaw, and their outfit of horned horses and large wagon.
The first boy born in Waupun put in his appearance in 1841, being Ira Wilcox, born to Seymour Wilcox and wife.
Minus Collins and W. G. McElroy built the first saw mill, at the "Upper Town," in 1841, and in 1842 the frame grist mill, a little further up the river. They both stood to the north of McElroy's house, later built, which stood at the corner where the Fox Lake road turns off from Main street. Collins built first a log house, and then the small frame on the south side of Main street. The frame is now standing, but is going to ruin, not having been occupied for several years.
McElroy built a small, rough frame, which was the kitchen part of his home when he died.
They were millwrights, and these were great undertakings in 1841 and 1842. They had to go into the woods north of the river and select their trees, fell, score and hew them for timbers. They made their own water wheels. It took the whole force of the country to put the timbers in place and raise the frames. As soon as the frame of the saw mill was up, the machinery was put in, and the lumber for covering, etc., was sawed to enclose it.
Parties were waiting for the lumber, and the slabs even were sought for to build shanties, by pinning them to poles set on end in the ground. No refuse for furnaces in those days, for everything with a square edge was needed.
As stated, it was a big undertaking, and required back bone and energy. The dam was well built and portions of it yet remain to mark the spot. Both mills were burned and never rebuilt, as was another saw mill later put up, just west of where the stone mill now stands.
In 1841 L. B. Balcom arrived in the city and continued to reside here until his death.
David Boynton came the same year, and located his farm south on the Watertown road, where he resided until after his second marriage, when he built the brick on Beaver Dam road, where he lived many years and died, noted, as were most of the old settlers, for his honesty, and fluent flow of language.
The township of Waupun was organized in 1842, and adopted the name, before given to the land included in the same, of Waubun, with only the slight change of lengthening out the handle to the "b" below and making it into "Waupun."
The village was first named Madrid, from the town where Mr. Wilcox was born. He was made postmaster of the village. When his commission arrived, it was found that the name of the post-office was given as Waupun, and from that time the village was so called. The naming of our postoffice was attributed to James Dewane Doty, who was then our delegate in Congress. We have the satisfaction of knowing that there is no other Waupun in the world, and its citizens have never had cause to be ashamed to let it be known that they hailed from that city.
The first election for the township of Waupun, Fond du Lac county, was held at Mr. Wilcox' hotel in the spring of 1842, at which eleven votes were cast. In October, 1842, the second wedding was celebrated, being that of John N. Ackerman, though not in Waupun, as the bride was not present. Mr. Ackerman procured two small Indian ponies and took his way to Fond du Lac, where he engaged the services of Alonzo Raymond, a Justice of the Peace, they taking the trail for Oshkosh. Here they found the bride-to-be, Miss Hannah A. Ford, lately come from Ohio. After the ceremony bride and groom mounted their ponies for the thirty mile ride to Waupun. The trail in places was very rough, making it difficult for the bride to keep her seat, as she had no divided skirt. The matter was remedied in a very natural way, there being no spectators to make remarks or raise a laugh. It was not a long trip, but their recollections were that their feelings, at the end of it, said it had been of sufficient duration. They went to housekeeping on the land he had first located, where he had built him a house. Here they spent a long married life and here both died.
The first houses of these pioneers were very primitive, though they managed to find room for any new corners and a welcome. So long as there was a space on the floor to spread a blanket for a bed, with a coat for a pillow.
In 1842 there were several additions to the population of the village and surrounding country, among others being Spencer J. Mattoon, who located what is known as the Mattoon homestead.
Lyman Barrows, who settled on what is now known as the Sumner farm, and built two log houses, one of which was occupied by A. J. Tyler, who came with Mr. Mattoon.
Mr. Barrows' wife died while they lived in their log house, which stood near where Albert Ihde now lives (one of the early settlers tells me that he attended the funeral) and she was buried not far from the house. In 1900, in excavating for a cellar, they came across some bones, the finding of which created a considerable talk, some hinting at a murder near the place. They were undoubtedly all that remains of an estimable lady and excellent cook, as could have been testified to by J. T. Hillyer, Spencer Mattoon and a young lady who afterwards became Mrs. Mattoon, and Mr. Tyler and wife, who partook of a Thanksgiving dinner there with them. Of course, they all had good appetites, as did everyone in those days, but the turkey and accessories were exceptionally well prepared and little remained in evidence when the dinner was over.
Barrows built a small shop, where the mill now stands, and with Mr. Rice engaged in the manufacture of rakes and wooden ware.
S. J. Mattoon, who came from Ohio, and for a time worked at the carpenter trade, boarded with Tyler and afterwards married his wife from their house. He pre-empted the farm which he still owns. There was another party who had his eye on the land and he threatened anyone with death who took it up. Mr. Mattoon still lives and the other is dead.
Barnabus Hinkley, who in 1845 built a house (which would now be called a shanty but was then a comparatively imposing building), where Zimmermann's shop now stands. He was an energetic man and filled many prominent positions. I think he was the second postmaster. Postage then was six pence, a shilling, eighteen pence and two bits, according to distance, for a single sheet. His house was the distributing office and his hat the delivery wagon. It did not require a very large hat, and the pay was as small as the mail. Mail came once a week on horse back. Quite a difference as compared with 1900, with four mails a day, a postmaster with three clerks, 1,000 lock boxes, two rural delivery routes, making nearly sixty miles a day through the surrounding country.
Also came E. M. Dodson, S. E. Hill, J. Burns, B. C. Sawyer, David Bruce, and others, to make the beginnings of homes.
In 1843 L. P. Preston made his entrance and settled on a farm, but finally built a home at the southeast corner of Main street and the Fox Lake road. He later sold plows and mills for G.W. Bly, traveling with a team. In those days, the men and women who came here had plently of ambition and perseverance, but very little money. Mr. Preston, I am told, when he could not borrow or hire a horse to make the trip to Green Bay, to enter his land, did not sit down and give it up, but pulled out on foot with his luncheon in a cotton handkerchief, making the round trip successfully.
David Moul came in 1843, locating on a farm just east of Atwater station. Several others came, settling mainly in the country around, among them being Samuel Grout, who went to work for Minus Collins, and later located a farm west of town; S. A. L. Davis, who was a blacksmith, a large, powerful man. He settled in Alto, not far from the Maxwell land. In those days the fences were not of the best, and seldom hog tight. Maxwell's hogs got into Davis' wheat and destroyed considerable. Davis went to see him about it. Maxwell got his dander up and threatened to wear out the earth with him and whip his Methodist religion out of him. Davis was there to reason and not to run, so, when Maxwell made passes, after his rough words, Davis' big fists met him and down he went. Davis held him and administered some, not very mild, arguments of .a forcible character until Maxwell cried "enough " and took back what he had said about him and his religion. The result was improved fences, better crops, and a lasting friendship. Some of Davis' church brothers were not satisfied with his method of administering consolation and called on him for explanations of his novel methods. After the explanation, and a failure of Maxwell to deny it, they voted that Davis was a good class leader for the times and his hearty "amens" and his deep voice in song were heard for many years after.
In 1843 the first girl baby was born in the village, Marian A. Ackerman.
In 1844 the settlement of the country began in real earnest and there were many additions to the population, as well as visits of inspection by prospective settlers, among them being Rufus Dunlap and Martha Hillyer, his wife, (who were from Ohio and had first gone to Walworth county in 1841, and from there to Oshkosh) settling one-half mile south on the Beaver Dam road, on land now owned by Mr. Fletcher. The four large elms in front of the present house was transplanted by him. Here they resided until 1846, when he sold, and bought six acres on the corner north of the West ward school, where he put up a slab shanty, built by pinning the slabs, set up endways, to poles. My recollection of its size is that it was about 14x18 feet, nine feet high at the eaves, with the lower room about seven and a half feet, the attic being about one foot at the eaves. It had a slab floor below and a rough board floor in the second story, not nailed down. For weeks after I first came to Waupun, I boarded with them and used to climb up a ladder and enjoy my straw tick and straw pillow in company with one or two children. In 1847 he began the erection of the "Dunlap Hotel" at the corner of Main and upper Beaver Dam roads, a big undertaking, but made necessary in order to keep up with the "Lower Town," with which rivalry was, by this time, becoming pretty strong.
Another energetic young man, Geo. W. Bly, came in 1844 and started a shop for building fanning mills and, later, steel plows. The first year he made 25 mills, the second 50 and the third 100. It was slow, laborious business, being all hand work. He received assistance in funds from his former employer, Mr. Ely of Racine. Mr. Bly was a most indefatigable worker and many times made three hours' sleep suffice for a day. He located just west of the Ackerman place, with his house on the north and shop on the south side of Main street.
Joel Norton came at the same time and worked for Bly.
The Burnhams and William Talcott settled west of town, Talcott on the farm known as the James McElroy place.
Martin Grider and Silas Marsh came also, Marsh settling on the farm on the Beaver Dam road, where he continued to reside, highly respected and looked up to, until his death. The farm is still occupied by his family.
Ira Hill was another of this year's additions and J. H. Elkins, Jedediah Amadon, Joseph Fairbank, A. Fisher, Samuel Amadon, Lyman Town. Rev. E. D. Farnham, and others, took up land in the township of Waupun, the settlement taking the name of " Cataraugus settlement," which it retains. They were all stalwart, educated men of fixed principles, and have left their mark for good on the entire community.
Ira and Nelson Merriam, with their father, took up the farm just beyond the Fond du Lac road, Ira on the north side of the road east of the village. After a number of years he moved to town and bought a fine home, where his son now lives.
E. T. Miller, S.W. McDonald, J. N. Oliver, E. Sikes, Rev. E. N. Wright, N. Whiting, Horatio Wedge, Dr. Bowman, H. B. Wood and Mr. Dodge (Nathaniel) the father of Sylvester Dodge, all came in 1844. Mr. Wedge took land in Chester and for many years was our assessor, finally moving to the village.
In the winter of 1844-5 S. Wilcox and wife drove over to Madison (fifty miles) to attend a dance. Two quite prominent men had a falling out about its management, and one of them, a Mr. Arndt, was killed. It did not stop the dance, as it might do at this time, such things not then being of an unusual nature, all going armed when away from home and blood running free and hot. While things were not always dignified, and wrongs were done and the right frequently omitted, still the community was not by any means an aggregation of heathen.
Even as early as 1840, Father S. Smith had led class and prayer meetings at the house of Mr. Wilcox, and in 1844 a small schoolhouse was built on the south side of Main St., near where the railroad now crosses. In this he held the first services. Who of the older settlers does not remember the good old gentleman, as he traveled among us, with his bible and his message of hope always ready.
The M. E. Church was just organized in the "Upper Town," or Waupun proper, in 1844, by a class of six, with Rev. Silas Miller as leader. They were all members of one family. In the late fall of the same year the class was enlarged by the addition of Dr. Bowman and wife, S. J. Mattoon, S. A. L. Davis, G. W. Sexsmith, and others, forming a class of twenty-two members, meeting in the schoolhouse mentioned. From the first they were prospered until private houses or the little schoolhouse could not contain the people. Such men as S. A. Davis, William G. and James McElroy were pupils and graduates, but a large share of their early members came from the country around. Their numbers grew, until in 1854 they built themselves a home. As the years passed, and more room was needed, the building grew in length and developed wings also.
In 1845 Thomas C. Snow, then running a peddling wagon, opened the first "department store" in one of the rooms of J. N. Ackerman's home.
A wilderness in 1839. A postoffice in 1840. A store in 1845, who... [truncated due to length]Acquisition
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2014.0032Source or Donor
Waupun Heritage MuseumAcquisition Method
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