Name/Title
The Early History of WaupunScope and Content
Typed information entitled "The Early History of Waupun" written for the D.A.R. on January 8, 1916 by Agenes E. Hermann.
THE EARLY HISTORY OF WAUPUN
In the early fall of 1838, Seymour Wilcox, who at the time was engaged on the government works near Green Bay, came to what is now our city of Waupun to locate land for a home. He did so at the suggestion of John Bannister, the first surveyor of Fond du Lac County who had surveyed the Rock River Valley in this vicinity, and had told Mr. Wilcox it was as beautiful and as fertile a spot as he had ever seen. After choosing a sight about twenty rods east of where the old Market and Harris flour mill now stands, he returned to Green Bay and remained there through the winter until February 1839 with John N. Ackerman and Hiram Walker, who had been attracted by Mr. Wilcox's report of the water power on this west branch of the Rock
and the other natural advantages in this place, he drove a yoke of oxen with a few boards and some provisions from Green Bay to the spot which he had chosen the fall before. Nailing boards to burr-oaks, they made a rude shelter in which they lived until a log house was nearly finished when Mr. Wilcox returned to Green Bay for his family leaving Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Walker to finish the home which was occupied by the Wilcox family for the first time on March 20, 1839. Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Walker boarded with the Wilcox's helping them to raise a few oats, some corn, potatoes, and a few garden vegetables, and with the pork and flour which came from Green Bay, many hearty meals were cooked and eaten.
For nearly two years, this family lived alone with scarcely no company but the deer, the squirrels, and the birds. Occasionally a traveler, perhaps on his way from Fond du Lac to Fort Winnebago, which is now Portage, would alight from a tired horse at their door, and ask entertainment for the night. Then a more hospitable home could not be found, and though the luxuries of life were not known in this humble cabin, he was made welcome at once, a meal was prepared, the fireplace was soon piled full of logs, and the visit was begun. If the visitor chanced to have a newspaper, great excitement prevailed and they would not miss reading a word in it's columns, though perhaps, the paper were many weeks old.
In 1841, this monotony was broken by the arrival of more settlers among them were Mr. Calvin Carrington, who was later a hotel keeper. Soon many others came and the future growth of this vicinity was assured. Busy they were, cutting down trees, breaking in land for their crops, fencing in a piece here and there, and building more huts.
It was not unusual in these early days to see a band of Indians with their squaws, papooses, and ponies traveling through the country, or to see their wigwams on their camping grounds. Mrs. George Wi1cox, who is now living on Franklin St., and who is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Wilcox, Waupun's earliest settlers, tells me that his mother never sent an Indian away from her door hungry. Each winter for many years, she opened a room above her kitchen to squaws who would come to make baskets. The room was not warmed except from the kitchen below, but it was so much warmer than their wigwams that they were glad to weave here in the daytime and sleep on the floor at night. He said too, that he knows the same squaws came year after year. In fact, one squaw, Ann Acker, by name, came as many as thirty years in succession. It was this squaw whom his son George met in Omaha many years later. In talking with her, she said that she had been in Wisconsin many times, and when she discovered that he was from Waupun, and that his name was Wilcox, she was much pleased, and inquired at once about his grandmother and grandfather and seemed very grateful for Mrs. Wilcox's many kindnesses. Then too, Mrs. Starkweather, whom many of you remember, in later years, told about the times where Indians camped under a large oak tree in front of her house, out in the center of what is now Main Street. When they became too noisy, she would be frightened, and going down to Dr. Luck's house, which was then where the National Hotel now is, brought his watch dog home with her to protect her.
Mr. Seymour Wilcox gave this new village the name of Madrid after his native village. The Indian word Waubun, spelled W-A-U-B-U-N, meaning "the early day", or the early life or dawn, which was intended to have been given to the town organized in the southern portion of Fond du Lac County, was incorrectly written by the early settlers. Its spelling was not fully decided upon until the commission of our first Postmaster, Mr. Wilcox, arrived in 1841 and it was found that the word had been changed to Waupun. This change was made by Mr. James Duane Doty who was delegate in Congress from the Wisconsin territory and to him belongs the honor of the name.
In the city seal, the Indian word Waubun is represented, showing the sun rising over a low range of hills, which may easily be taken to represent the well-known 'ledge" which is but nine miles east of us.
In October, 1842, John N. Ackerman was married in Oshkosh, and early in 1843, he put up the first frame building on his land which was west of the Wilcox site, but still in Fond du Lac County. At about this time, Mr. and Mrs. Levi Walker came to Waupun and settled south of the Ackerman land in Dodge County. They built their house across from the Catholic church. Mrs. Walker was an original D.A.R. with the coming of more settlers, Mr. Ackerman laid out ten acres of land into village lots, and "upper town" was begun. Mr. Wilcox, whose Land was three quarters of a mile to the east, and who wished to reap some of the benefits of this thriving village, laid out fifty acres of land lying across the county line, partly in Dodge County, and partly in Fond du Lac County and called his village "East Waupun". Then began the rivalry between "upper town" and East Waupun or "lower town" to determine which should be the future city. But the question was settled, when in 1851 the Wisconsin State Prison was located adjoining "East Waupun" on land given to the state by Mr. Wilcox, and again in 1856 by the completion to this point of the Milwaukee Horicon railroad. After this time "upper town" submitted
though very reluctantly, and in 1857, the rival villages were united under the name of Waupun by a special charter granted and approved by the legislature. At the first election at the home of Seymour Wilcox in 1842, eleven votes were cast. At the first charter election in 1857, 15 years later, 323 votes were cast indicating a population of over 1600, and showing the rapid growth of our city. In 1858 and again in 1865, the charter was amended to provide for annexing more land. In 1878, after steady growth for many years, it was considered advisable to incorporate into a city, and a city charter was therefore granted including within our city limits still more additional territory taken partly from each county. Among the early settlers who did much in the management of our early city affairs and in making our city what it now is are: Seymour Wilcox, John Ackerman, Hiram Walker, Levi Walker, W. H. Taylor, Dr. H. L. Butterfield, Eli Hooker, Edwin Hillyer, B. B. Baldwin, John Bryce, M. K. Dahl, R. L. Graham, M. J. Althouse, A. K, Starkweather, A. H. Rownsville, George W. Bly, David Ferguson, L. B. Hills, Mr. Preston,
three Carrington brothers, James, and William McElroy and many others. Among the early farmers in the vicinity were Mr. Mickle on the Beaver Dam Road, Mr. Bach Davis who owned the Bancroft place, Mr. Oleson in the Norwegian settlement, Mr. Hillebert, North of town, Nathan Newton and George T. Wood, my great grandfather, on the county line road.
New streets were opened with each new charter, but were not named for many years. Main street was the most used at first, and was first called Washington Street. I do not know why it was so called unless after our first President. Then Jefferson, Lincoln, Franklin, Monroe, and Jackson streets would seem to be named after presidents and noted statesmen. Fond du Lac Street is so called because it is the direct road to Fond du Lac, Watertown, Madison, Brandon, Beaver Dam and Fox Lake streets are so called because they are the direct roads to the respective places. Brown St. was named after Dr. Brown a brother of Mrs. Butterfield. Wilcox, Carrington, Hillyer, Bly, Forest, Drummond, Bronson, Sawyer, and Wa1ker streets after settlers. Mill Street because it was the road to the first saw mill and the first flour mill. Grove St. was undoubtly so called because it crosses the place where the last oak grove stood.
Waupun's first store was opened by John C. Snow in the home of Mr. Ackerman in "upper town".
John Ackerman was our first mayor. The first white child born in Waupun, was Ira Wilcox, the youngest son of our earliest settlers.
The first white girl born here was Marion Ackerman, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. John Ackerman and now Mrs. Summer in this city.
The first wedding was that of William McElroy and Miss Lucinda Collins in Seymour Wilcox's house.
Our first postmaster was Seymour Wilcox. His Post Office was his log cabin. He received no stated salary, and the revenue of the office was very little, only a fre letters coming into his hands. The U.S. mail was then carried on horseback from Fond du Lac, to Fort Winnebago or Portage and back once a week. In the summer, the two oldest Wilcox boys carried the mail, but in the winter, Mr. Wilcox hired a man unless the weather was very cold and the snow very deep, then an Indian made the trip on snow shoes. On Tuesday, they would go to Fond du Lac and get the mail and back home again. Then take it to Portage on Wednesday, and back on Thursday. Then take it to Fond du Lac on Friday. If a letter came from the east, it would take from 10 to 15 days, and would cost the received of the letter 25 cents, which was no small sum, two shillings being paid for a day's work at that time. Barnabas Hinkley was our next postmaster. He carried the letters remaining in the office in his hat. When anyone asked if there was any mail in the office for him, Mr. Hinkley took the office from his hat and looked over the number of dingy papers, handing out whatever belonged to the one waiting. Mr. Hinkley was evidently our first mall carrier.
The first hotel was the log cabin of Seymour Wilcox who entertained travelers as soon as he moved into it in 1839. The next hotel was John N. Ackerman's house. Seymour Wilcox later built the Exchange Hotel, now part of the Beaumont Hotel. The Carrington House, where the Davison Theater now stands, was owned by Mr. Calvine Carrington, and together with Roland Carrington's home which has been recently torn down by Mrs. Kate Tiffany, gave Carrington St. its name. There were three Carrington families living here in the early days, and eight Carrington girls among them. When the girls attended dances, they went by number according to their ages instead of using their given names. "Aunt Del." Wilcox was number seven.
The first grist mill was built by Forest & Smith where the Markle & Harris mill now is. The first newspaper was the "Times" edited by J. H. Brinkerhoff in 1857.
The first school was opened in 1844 by Charles Cleveland in a small wooden building situated on the line between Fond du Lac County and Dodge County where the railroad crosses Maine St. The school was large enough for 30 pupils, but there were by no means 30 children of school age in Waupun in 1844. But three years later, however, the original school building was too small, and a new frame building was erected there the Episcopal church now stands. Mrs. Jane Wilson taught in this building. In 1853, a building committee was appointed, and an acre of land bought where the south ward building is located, and a frame building erected there. Part of this old frame building is now back of Landaal's garage and is used for a storehouse. In 1860 the original district was divided into two districts with the county line between them. A net building of brick and stone was erected in the South Ward. The North Ward, having no site for a schoolhouse, bought the lot on Franklin St. now in use by the H. S. building, paying Seymour Wi1cox 450.00 for it. They erected the building which was taken down before our new H. S. was built. The West Ward building was erected earlier than this time, and was first used as a district school.
The first burial place was knoll of land where the R. R. store now is.
The first hall was Dodge's Hall which is now the co-operative store. It was later owned by Thomas Stoddart, and was for many years known as Grange Hall.
The first sermon was preached in the first little old school building on Main Street by Rev. S. Smith, a Methodist minister who lived in Calumet.
The first church was erected by the Baptists in 1849. It is the Sunday School room in the Union church today.
The first library was in Mr. Edwin Hillyer's office in his house. Mr. Hillyer's office was soon after moved to Dodge's building, now the co-op store, and the library was moved with it. It
was open every Saturday evening, and anyone could rent a volume for ten cents.
One of the first banks was the Corn Exchange Bank, on the south side of Main St., where the Hermaun block now is.
The early manufacturers were M. K Dahls Plow show in "Upper town." Milo H. Althouses' pump and windmill factory, which firm was later known as Althouse Wheeler Co., and has sold the Althouse Vaneless Windmills to many parts of the world.
In the early days, Thomas Stoddart had an organ factory at his home on Prison St. which has since been known as the Lamoreaux house.
Mr. F. F. Zimmerman started Waupun's first carriage factory, which has recently been made into dwelling houses.
Mr. George Wilcox says that he can well remember when the first old wooden prison was built. His father gave the state the land to build upon. A field of pats never stood higher, but they cut down enough for the building and began work. The timber came from the land between the river and the Catholic cemetery. The bricks for the south cell house were made down by the river. Heman and George Wilcox went to Mi1waukee and "pulled" the furniture which the Prison commissioner (he did not have the title of warden then) had bought. Part of the old wooden prison is in Mr. Stanley John's gallery now.
There are many other local landmarks. The building which now stands on the corner of Ackerman's lot in upper town, was John Ackerman's office when he was Justice of the Peace, and Mayor Rikker's house in upper town was once Talcott Hillyer's store, and the house across the street was known as Dunlap Tavern. The brick house back of the German Lutheran church was built by L. B. Hills and it was once the land near by that he had his green house and nursery. Part of a house Barnabas Hinkley built is on Jefferson St. back of the lots where the Zimmerman shops once stood. Mr. Hinkley also built the house across from the Reformed church. On Hillyer St. Mr. Field has built a tiny shop using part of the lumber and the windows of the first Catholic church. The New York House on Franklin St. and the Milwaukee house on State St. were both old hotels. Waupun has had a R. R. store for many years, it being opened at first by Mr. Henry Wood, a brother of Mrs. Althouse. The first Congregational Church was a frame building which was moved from the corner of Jefferson and Madison Streets to a lot in Upper town, and was many years used for the Lutheran church. The first Congregational minister was Rev. H. S. Peck, father of the Peck brothers and sisters who are now living in Trenton. In the Loomans Lumber Yard we find the first Disciple church which originally stood on the corner of hill and Franklin Streets, where is now Mr. McConohies residence. The first Methodist Church was bought by Mr.
Graves, moved to the corner of Main and Drummond streets and used as his blacksmith shop for many years. The house of Madison St. where Mrs. Kate Flanders now lives is one of the oldest houses in town, having been built by Mr. Seymour Wilcox. The German Church on Madison
St. was originally the old Free-will Baptist church and was moved from Upper town to its present location.
In spite of the hard work, these early days were filled with their share of fun. Mr. W. W. Harris's mother often laughed, in later years, at the wedding trip of Eli Hooker. Of course the trip was made by wagon, and Mr. Hooker having no robe, she loaned him one of her heavy, bright colored comforters to keep them warm. Imagine a wedding trip in a wagon, say nothing of being wrapped in a bed quilt!
In these days heavy merchandise, owing to heavy freight rates, was very costly in Waupun. Salt especially was regarded by the farmers as an expensive necessity on this account. One morning it
was announced that a salt well had been struck on Dr. Butterfields lot. Great excitement followed, the news spread far, and the village was soon crowded with farmers who had come from miles around. All anxiously tasted the water and those who had come from the east pronounced it as good as the eater from the Syracuse wells. It was carried home in bottles boiled down by housewives to test it strength. The price of the property rose many percent, and as it
was not a settled matter that the State Prison should remain in Waupun, it was thought that if a full statement of the matter were sent to Madison, the discovery would have great influence in the permanent location of the State Institution. The letters were written and dropped into the office. Matters began to look serious as leases were being made and various improvements were being planned. Suddenly, it was discovered that the letter had not been forwarded by the Postmaster and great was their wrath when the secret was let out. A fun loving young Scotch clerk, who was none other than Mr. John Bryce, a much loved and respected merchant in Waupun for many years after, had poured a barrel of rock salt into the newly made well. The day after the secret was out, not a man would be found who would acknowledge he had been sold, but in the kitchens and wood sheds all over town, many tin pans would be found, spoiled by boiling down after water from the newly discovered well.
May I suggest, in closing, that we have an informal discussion of these early days. No doubt many of you have interesting facts and stories to add.
Written for the D.A.R. on January 8, 1916 by, Agnes E. HermannAcquisition
Accession
2015.0052Source or Donor
Hermann, Agnes E.Acquisition Method
Found in Collection
