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 11. Typed on onion paper.
Early Waupun:
Jan. 14, 1910 (subj. Indians)
The squaws used to carry all of the loads. They had rawhide straps, Indian tanned buckskin hide and would fasten the bundle and bring the strap over the shoulders and across the forehead and to change would lower strap across the chests. These budnles would sometimes weigh one hundred pounds. They would move around from place to place and then the tent poles would be strapped to the ponies, and what could not be put on the ponies would be carried by the squaws. For years the squaws used to come to our house and sometimes would stay for days at a time. They would roll up in blankets and lay down on the kitchen floor. We would offer them a bed but they would never accept one.
The Indian boys would used to shoot with bow and arrows and the white boys and Indians used to play together in fine shape. Us white boys used to have great sport watching the Indian boys play. The Indian boys used to race, jump, shoot, swim and such sports. Riding Indian ponies was a favorite sport. We would split a stick and put a penny in it and would hit it four rods away. The Indians used to have a camp in Alto by the corner of the five bridges.
Jan. 18, 1910 (Prison)
The first wall or fence around the prison was about the size of the present wall, posts set in the ground and beams from post to post. Twelve foot planks stood up and with a walk on the top. But as there was no railing they took off the walk and put it on the outside down about three feet so as to make a rail on the inside. I drew the planks from Fond du Lac. I think we bought the planks of Frank Moore who owned the first store at Taycheedah. This wall stood until after the present stone building and south cell room was built.