Name/Title
Histories, Incidents and Descriptions of Early WaupunDescription
Incidents and Descriptions of Early Waupun. Told by George Newton (Jud) Wilcox, son of Seymour Wilcox (one of the first settlers in Waupun). Upper right corner written in pencil reads "Bertsch." Written by Horatio H. Hoard. Page 1.
No date given (subj. taxes, costs, machinery). Our taxes on 160 acres of land and all stock and machinery were sixty cents. We used to go to Milwaukee, stop at Watertown over night. Our bill for supper, lodging, and breakfast for self and team would be thirty-seven cents. We were given a drink of wiskey before supper, a cigar after supper, and the same for breakfast. We sold our wheat for thirty seven cents in Milwaukee. The first drag we used was a crotch of a tree with under (?) (possibly wooden) teeth. We bored holes through the crotch on a slant and drove wooden pins through it. The Smith or Butts farm was bought by George Newton of Ruggles It was called the Ruggles farm and the first crop raised on the farm in 1859 paid for the farm.
No date given (subj. Horicon Marsh, Prison). Dr. Winter owned a boat on the Horicon Marsh which was blown up, 1856 (or 1858). I drew brick from Mayville for the North Cell room 60 (probably means 1860). I drew the tools for Hodge to take down the dam at Horicon (1868). We burned the brick for the south cell room in 1854, made the brick on and out of the clay by the bridge by cemetery. Dave Fairbanks was the boss brick-maker. The first lot of brick was made out of sand from Rock River and when it was burned with the clay, it fell to pieces. Then they had to draw sand from Fox Lake. Proudfit built the South Cell room in 1856 and 1857. The main building in 1856 was not built by contract. Mr. Shefler was the boss mechanic. The last day of '57 the man.... (incomplete) Place and I worked everyday in December roofing the main building. McGary was warden. His time expired Jan. 1. The roof was completed by McGary in '58 of slate.
Typed by unknown on onion paper.